Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


Confirmation (Lectures, Other)

Lectures

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Los Angeles, June 23, 1970:

How one has properly utilized his initiation will be tested that he has no more attraction for these four principles: illicit sex, intoxication, gambling, and meat-eating. They will automatically go. There is no need of asking. Anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Then ruci. When one is freed from all these prohibitive principles, then he develops a taste, tato ruci. Tato niṣṭhā: then he's steadily confirmed. Athāsaktiḥ. Then attachment: he cannot go. He cannot go. Athāsaktis tato bhāvaḥ. Then ecstasy. And then he comes to the platform of love of Godhead. So when that platform is reached, then everything is successful. And if that platform is not reached, then everything is simply waste of time. But in the beginning, if you follow these principles, as laid down by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and other ācāryas...

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 17, 1972:

Those who are actually budhās... Budhās means learned. So they know Kṛṣṇa is the original person. And it is confirmed by Brahmā in the Brahma-saṁhitā, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Īśvara means controller. So everyone can become īśvara. Here, our minister Saheb is present. He's īśvara. Īśvara means controller. He is controller of a department. Similarly, there are many ministers in our country and other countries. Many presidents. They are īśvaras. And a common man, he is also īśvara. He's controlling his family. At least he's controlling his dog, cat. So everyone is īśvara. Just like the modern theory is going on. "Everyone is God." That's all right.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972:

So a devotee either sees a living entity moving or a living entity's not moving, he does not see the outward covering, but he sees within, the spirit soul, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, and without, the body, the material body, he sees Kṛṣṇa's energy. And because everything is in reference with Kṛṣṇa, therefore he sees Kṛṣṇa only and nothing else. So this is the statement in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Sthāvara jaṅgama dekhe nā dekhe tāra mūrti (CC Madhya 8.274). He does not see the external form, but he sees the actual essence of the person and therefore he sees Kṛṣṇa. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is confirmed,

vidyā-vinaya-sampanne
brāhmaṇe gavi hastini
śuni caiva śva-pāke ca
paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ
(BG 5.18)

Paṇḍitāḥ, those who are actually paṇḍitas, learned, knowledge, they see everyone on the equal level. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ. Vidyā-vinaye-sampanne. He sees one very learned scholar, brāhmaṇa, and sees a cow, sees one elephant, sees one dog, sees one dog eater, the lowest of the human kind, but he's sama-darśinaḥ. He sees everyone of them as spirit soul, the body as Kṛṣṇa's energy. Therefore he has no different vision for different persons. Vidyā-vinaya-sampanne brāh..., paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). This is called Brahman realization vision. Brahman realization, God.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972:

Govinda. Panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamyo. Pantha means road. If you walk over the path of Kṛṣṇa... Suppose Kṛṣṇa, there is Kṛṣṇaloka. Above this material universe, there is another spiritual sky, paravyoma. It is called paravyoma. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, paras tasmāt tu bhāvaḥ anyaḥ 'vyakta 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). There is another nature. As this is material nature, there is spiritual nature. And in that spiritual nature there are innumerable spiritual planets. They are called Vaikuṇṭha planets. And the highest Vaikuṇṭha planet is called Kṛṣṇaloka, or Goloka Vṛndāvana. This Vṛndāvana is replica of that original Vṛndāvana. When Kṛṣṇa comes on this planet or within this universe, He comes in this Vṛndāvana. This is called Bhauma-Vṛndāvana. Of course, there is no difference between Bhauma-Vṛndāvana and Paravyoma-Vṛndāvana. So if we want to see Kṛṣṇa, then we must be freed from designations. That is the process.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:

Pradyumna: "This is confirmed in all Vedic literatures. The Bhagavad-gītā says that a little advancement in bhakti-rasa can save the devotee from the greatest danger, that of missing the opportunity for, of human, for human life."

Prabhupāda: Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. Just like Ajāmila. Ajāmila, when he was young, he was executing devotional service just like a pure brāhmaṇa under the direction of his father, but when he was young, he was captivated by prostitute and fell down, became a thief, drunkard, and cheater. So many ways his life became sinful. But at the end of his life, when he was just going to die, he simply chanted "Nārāyaṇa". His youngest son's name was Nārāyaṇa. So when the Yamadūtas, the messengers of Yamarāja... (break) ...carrying him. So he thought that his youngest son, because he was beloved, would save him.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 20, 1972:

Time will come she will become pregnant and she will have child. So niścayāt means... Just like the girl must know because she's married, because she has got a husband, that there must be a child. It is a fact. It may be little later. Similarly, when you have entered into devotional service, bhakti-yoga, bhakti-mārga, your success is assured, provided you are enthusiastic and patient. Not that "Immediately I want a child," "Immediately I become fully Kṛṣṇa consciousness and perfect." No. There may be so many imperfections. Because we are in the imperfect atmosphere. But patiently, if you go on executing your duties in devotional service as it is directed in the śāstras and confirmed by the spiritual master, then rest assured that your success if guaranteed. This is the way. Utsāhān dhairyāt tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt. You must execute the duties.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 20, 1972:

If Kṛṣṇa relieves me from all kinds of sinful activities, then where is my miserable condition of life? Miserable condition of life is for them who are enjoying or suffering... There is no question of enjoyment. But it sometimes taken, enjoyment. The fruitive action, the result of fruitive action. So a devotee does not enjoy anything or suffer anything. Because a devotee does everything for Kṛṣṇa. So therefore for his personal self, there is no question of karma-phala. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: yajñārthe karma anyatra karma-bandhanaḥ. If you act for Kṛṣṇa, that is nice. If you act otherwise, then it is karma-bandhana. Yajñārthe karma anytra. Anyatra. Anyatra means except Kṛṣṇa consciousness activities, the activities of the karmīs and the jñānīs and the yogis, they are all karma-bandhana, bound up. Suppose karmīs, they are going to the heavenly planet or higher planetary system for getting higher standard of life, to take birth by pious activities in nice family, to become rich. But that is bandhana. That is bondage.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 28, 1972:

Pradyumna: "This is confirmed in all Vedic literatures. The Bhagavad-gītā says that a little advancement in bhakti-rasa can save the devotee from the greatest danger, that of missing the opportunity for human life."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. Just Ajāmila. Ajāmila in his boyhood, he was very sincere brāhmaṇa. He was conducting devotional service under the direction of his father. But in youthhood, he fell down. He became a victim of a prostitute. He forgot everything. He became a rogue, drunkard, meat-eater, woman-hunter, all fallen down. But at the end of life, when he was afraid of the Yamadūtas, out of fearfulness he called for his youngest son whose name was Nārāyaṇa.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 21, 1972:

Dharma artha kāma mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90). Mokṣa means liberation. So Bhāgavata says that dharma artha kāma mokṣa, they are thrown away from the study of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And Śrīdhara Swami confirms it: atra mokṣa-vāñcāḥ-paryantaṁ nirastam. A devotee is above the point of liberation. The devotional service is called pañcama-puruṣārtha. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given His opinion: premā pumartho mahān. Not dhara is pumarthaḥ. Our ultimate goal of life is neither dharma, or artha, religiosity, economic development, kāma, sense gratification, and mokṣa, liberation.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 24, 1972:

Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura was made the Namācārya. And Sanātana Gosvāmī, Rūpa Gosvāmī, although rejected by the brāhmaṇa community, they were the exalted Gosvāmīs, six Gosvāmīs. Śrī-rūpa sanātana bhaṭṭa-raghunātha. Ei chaya gosi yāra tāra mui dāsa. So our whole Vaiṣṇava, Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava community are servants of all these Gosvāmīs. So it doesn't matter. Kṛṣṇa also confirms, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). It doesn't matter one is born in lower family. It doesn't matter.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 7, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the Supreme." Accept it, supreme. Actually He's supreme. Who can be bet..., more supreme than Kṛṣṇa? Prove it by śāstra, by history, by incidences, by action—everything. By votes also. If there are so many rascal Gods, but if you take vote, still in this age, the vote for Kṛṣṇa will be greater. Still. Although we are so fallen. So how we can escape Kṛṣṇa? And śāstra says, confirm, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). If you want the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Īśvara means controller. So everyone is controller, but nobody's supreme controller. That is not possible. Even the so-called Gods, they also, when there is some toothache, they go to the doctor. They cannot control even toothache. So these kind of Gods will not help you. Take to Kṛṣṇa.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 11, 1973:

As I am transferring my body from babyhood to childhood, childhood to boyhood, boyhood to youthhood, youthhood to old body, similarly, as I have changed so many bodies, where is the difficulty to understand that after giving up this body, I'll get another body? And Kṛṣṇa is confirming. All the Vedic literature confirming: tathā dehāntara-prāptir. Another body. But we must know what kind of body I'm going to get. That is intelligence. Body, you must have to accept. As you have changed, as you accepted so many bodies, even in this life, then you have to accept another body. Now there are 8,400,000's of bodies. That you see. There are aquatic bodies, there are tree's bodies, plant's bodies, insect body, bird's body, beast's body—so many bodies.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 29, 1972:

Pradyumna: "Similarly, we can offer many services with our bodily activities, but all such activities must be in relationship with Kṛṣṇa. This relationship is established by connecting oneself with the bona fide spiritual master who is the direct representative of Kṛṣṇa in disciplic succession. Therefore the execution of Kṛṣṇa consciousness activities with the body should be directed by the spiritual master and then performed with faith."

Prabhupāda: Yes. We should not manufacture in our own way that: "This is Kṛṣṇa's activity." It must be confirmed by the spiritual master. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has explained in his comment on Bhagavad-gītā in connection with the verse vyavasāyātmikā-buddhiḥ ekeha kuru-nandana... Vyavasāyātmikā-buddhiḥ, niścayātmikā-buddhiḥ. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says that "Whatever order I get from my spiritual master, that is my life and soul. I must execute it thoroughly, without caring for my personal convenience or inconvenience. That is called vyavasāyātmikā-buddhi." Eka. We cannot manufacture anything as Kṛṣṇa conscious activities, but we must be ready always to carry out the order of spiritual master who is representative of Kṛṣṇa. Sākṣād dharitvena samasta-śāstrair **. The spiritual master is recognized as the bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa. Sākṣād dharitvena. Therefore he should be offered respect as good as to Kṛṣṇa. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo **. And if we can please our spiritual master, then we please Kṛṣṇa.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 1, 1972:

Pradyumna: (reading:) "...as given by Rūpa Gosvāmī in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, can be summarized thus: his service is favorable and is always in relation to Kṛṣṇa. In order to keep the purity of such Kṛṣṇa conscious activities, one must be freed from all material desires and philosophical speculation. Any desire except for the service of the Lord is called material desire. And philosophical speculation refers to the sort of speculation which ultimately arrives at a conclusion of voidism or impersonalism. This conclusion is useless for a Kṛṣṇa conscious person. Only rarely by philosophical speculation can one reach the conclusion of worshiping Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā itself. The ultimate end of philosophical speculation, then, must be Kṛṣṇa, with the understanding that Kṛṣṇa is everything, the cause of all causes, and that one should therefore surrender unto Him. If this ultimate goal is reached, then philosophical advancement is favorable, but if the conclusion of philosophical speculation is voidism or impersonalism, that is not bhakti."

Prabhupāda: There is a verse in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: vāsudeva-parā vedā vāsudeva-paraṁ jñānaṁ vāsudeva-paraṁ gatim. So unless one is led to the conclusion vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19), jñāna-vairāgya-karma, anything that you are trying to achieve, if it is not targeted to the realization of Vāsudeva, then it... Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). That is the conclusion of Bhāgavata. Whatever you do, the ultimate goal should be realization of Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15).

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 1, 1972:

When one comes to realization of Bhagavān, ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa-bhagavān-Bhagavān means full will six kinds of opulences, person, sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ, sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1)—that is ultimate goal of life. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). Such kind of mahātmā is very rare. That is the verdict of all Vedic literature, and confirmed by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu: koti-mukta-madhye durlabha kṛṣṇa-bhakta. Kṛṣṇa bhakta, a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, is very rarely to be found out amongst the muktas, amongst the liberated souls. Others are trying to become liberated, but a Kṛṣṇa-bhakta is above liberation. Pañcama-puruṣārtha. People are busy for dharma artha kāma mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90). Some of them are busy to become religious.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 2, 1972:

Bhakti begins when is..., one is actually liberated from the influence of the modes of material nature. That is real bhakti. Otherwise, when you are, we are in training, that is called prakṛta-bhakta. Actually, we are in the material state, but we are being trained up, the Deity worship. This is, following the rules and regulations under the instruction of spiritual master. Or Vedic injunction, this is training period. But even in the training period, if one is sincere and serious, he's liberated. He's liberated. It is so nice. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice that even in the training period, although he's not mature, and even one falls immature stage, there is no loss. That is also confirmed by Nārada Muni: tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer patet tato yadi apakva... (SB 1.5.17). There is a verse like this—I don't exactly remember—that if one is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and, and without being mature, somehow or other, if he falls down, there is no loss, whereas other persons, who are sticking to their sva-dharma, but has no idea of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he does not gain anything. These are the statements of Nārada. Therefore our position should be, our real active life begins when we begin to serve Kṛṣṇa with our senses without being designated, without being situated in designation. This is transcendental stage.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 5, 1972:

Actually we have seen it. Last time, when I was coming via Philippines, so we have got a center there, and it is very nicely organized within six months by one of our devotees, Siddha-svarūpa, Siddha-svarūpānanda Mahārāja, and his colleague. So it is very nicely organized. And they are actually dog-eaters. These Philippines, they're dog-eaters. In these parts of the world, the Koreans, the Philippines, even the Chinese, some of the Japanese, they're dog-eaters. But even though they are dog-eaters, they attended the meeting and chanted with us so nicely, better than a so-called Vaiṣṇava in India. Yes. They were so nice. It is practically seen. So that is also stated in the, confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā. Śvādo 'pi sadyaḥ savanāya kalpate. If one dog-eater, a person born in the family of dog-eaters... Because the dog-eaters are considered lowest of the human kind, caṇḍāla, śva-paca. In many places it is said. Aho bata śvapaco 'pi garīyān yaj-jihvāgre nāma tubhyam. Śva-paca. Śvapaca means dog-eaters. They also become glorious provided they chant offenselessly the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 5, 1972:

As it is indicated. This is indication in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tvisakṛṣṇaṁ sangopangastra... (SB 11.5.32). So when we have to worship Lord Caitanya, we worship with His associates. Śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda. No cut-short method. So that is sastric injunction. So in order to get rid of the sinful activities of this age, it is already prescribed in the śāstras and confirmed by the greatest authority, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam (CC Antya 20.12).

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 7, 1972:

Pradyumna: "This tight knot of false ego is due to ignorance. As long as one is ignorant about his identification, he is sure to act wrongly and thereby become entangled in material contamination. This ignorance of factual knowledge can also be dissipated by Kṛṣṇa consciousness, as it is confirmed in the Padma Purāṇa as follows: 'Pure devotional service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness...' "

Prabhupāda: Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī is giving evidences from different Vedic literatures to support his statement. Here is a statement from Padma Purāṇa. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, in his Tattva-sandarbha, has proved it, without any doubt, that the Purāṇas are supplementary to Vedas. They are... Just like Upaniṣads is part and parcel of the Vedas, similarly, Purāṇas are also part and parcel of the Vedic literature. There are philosophers, the Māyāvādī philosophers, they do not accept Purāṇas as Vedic literature, but Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī has proved in his Tattva-sandarbha, in the beginning, that Purāṇas, Mahābhārata, itihāsa-purāṇa, they are part and parcel of the Vedic literature. Supplementary.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972:

Acyutānanda: "How the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement can attract the attention of the whole world and how each and every man can feel the pleasure of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is stated in the Padma Purāṇa as follows: 'A person who is engaged in devotional service in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness is to be understood to be doing the best service to the whole world and to be pleasing everyone in the world.' "

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is statement in the Padma Purāṇa. And many other Purāṇas, Vedic literatures, the same thing is confirmed. But simply by taking shelter of Mukunda, one can be free from all types of obligation. Devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṟnām (SB 11.5.41). There are so many obligations. We have obligation to perform to satisfy the demigods; the great sages; general human society; pitṟnām, the pitṛs, forefathers. So many obligation. But one who takes shelter of Mukunda, he has no other, no more obligation. Nāyam ṛṇī na kiṅkara rājan. Simply by... Just like watering the root of the tree, you can satisfy the trunks, the branches, the twigs, the leaves, the flowers, everything. Similarly, sarvārhaṇam acyutejyā. Simply by executing devotional service, you can execute all other obligations without any deviation. Go on.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 10, 1972:

Pradyumna: "Devotional service can in fact be attained only through the mercy of a pure devotee. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said, 'By the mercy of the spiritual master who is a pure devotee and by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, one can achieve the platform of devotional service. There is no other way.' The rarity of devotional service is also confirmed in the tantra-śāstra, where Lord Śiva says to Satī, 'My dear Satī, if one is a very fine philosopher, analyzing the different processes of knowledge, he can achieve liberation from the material entanglement. By performance of the ritualistic sacrifices recommended in the Vedas, one can be elevated to the platform of pious activities and thereby enjoy the material comforts of life to the fullest extent. But all such endeavors can hardly offer anyone devotional service to the Lord, not even if one tries for it by such processes for many, many thousands of births.' "

Prabhupāda: You cannot achieve the platform of devotional service by karma-kāṇḍa and jñāna-kāṇḍa processes. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura sings,

karma-kāṇḍa jñāna-kāṇḍa sakali viṣera bhāṇḍa
amṛta baliyā yeba khāya

nānā yoni brahman kare, kadarya bhakṣaṇa kare

tāra janma adho pāte yāya

So jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam: (CC Madhya 19.167) "Devotional service should not be contaminated by jñāna-kāṇḍa, karma-kāṇḍa, by fruitive activities or mental speculation." Devotional service should be taken exactly in the line of the great authorities. Just like our sampradāya, Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava sampradāya, they are following... Rūpānuga.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 10, 1972:

Pradyumna: "In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is also confirmed by Prahlāda Mahārāja that merely by personal efforts or by the instructions of higher authorities one cannot attain to the stage of devotional service. One must become blessed by the dust of the lotus feet of a pure devotee who is completely freed from the contamination of material desires."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Niṣkiñcanam, the devotee, the... You have to select a guru who is niṣkiñcana. Niṣkiñcana means who has no more anything materially desires. He has finished. The, another verse:

tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta
jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam
śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ
brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam
(SB 11.3.21)

One who has accept..., accepted the lotus feet of the Lord, brahmaṇy upaśama, he has finished the material desires—no more material desires. Niṣkiñ... That is called niṣkiñcana. Caitanya Mahāprabhu also said, niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya. Bhagavad-bhajanonmukha, those who are actually desiring to be entered into the path of devotional service, must be niṣkiñcana. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said. Niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya pāraṁ paraṁ jigamisor bhava-sāgarasya. Bhagavad-bhajana means to go on the other side of the ocean of nescience, not in this material world. Anyone who is desiring to be promoted to the heavenly planet, Svargaloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Brahmaloka... There are so many higher planetary systems. But a bhagavad-bhakta, devotee, knows that they are unnecessary. Ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). Again we have to come back. Kṣīṇe kṣīṇe puṇye martya-lokaṁ viśanti (BG 9.21). So this botheration is not very much liked by the pure devotee. Pure devotee does not... Even if he's offered such... Of course, a pure devotee (is) never offered such material benefits. Because Kṛṣṇa says, "The pure devotee, after giving up this body..." Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). Punar janma means to take birth in one of the planets, or in one of the species of, out of eight million four hundred thousand species of life.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 11, 1972:

Pradyumna: "To perform devotional service means to follow in the footsteps of Rādhārāṇī, and devotees in Vṛndāvana put themselves under the care of Rādhārāṇī in order to achieve perfection in their devotional service. In other words, devotional service is not an activity of the material world; it is directly under the control of Rādhārāṇī. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is confirmed that the mahātmās, or great souls, are under the protection of daivī prakṛti, the internal energy—Rādhārāṇī. So, being directly under the control of the internal potency of Kṛṣṇa, devotional service attracts even Kṛṣṇa Himself."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ, bhajanty ananya-manaso (BG 9.13). Here we are under the influence of this material energy, but those who are devotee of Kṛṣṇa, they are under the influence of internal energy. The internal energy of Kṛṣṇa, it has got three different functions. One of the function is hlādinī śakti. That is Rādhārāṇī. That is Rādhārāṇī. Rādhārāṇī is the pleasure potency of Kṛṣṇa.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 25, 1973:
To make progress in devotional service, one cannot manufacture anything. The authoritative statements of ācā ryas, that we'll have to follow. Mahājana yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ. We should not manufacture, invent anything. As they are stated in the śāstras, confirmed by spiritual master and ācāryas, that will be accepted. Nobody can say, "I think devotional service should be like this." No. Therefore spiritual master is the guidance. He is the representative of the ācāryas. In this way, we should make progress, not by concoction.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 25, 1973:
Either in goodness or passion or ignorance—it doesn't matter. Anyone can take to devotional service, sādhana-bhakti, provided he agrees to be guided by the direction of the spiritual master. Bhakti is transcendental. It doesn't matter whether one is in goodness, passion or ignorance. Anyone can take.

That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Pāpa-yonayaḥ means the lowest part of ignorance. So Kṛṣṇa recommends that anyone, even in pāpa-yoni striya, vaiśyās tathā śūdrās... Stri, women, and vaiśya and śūdra, they're also considered not very in higher position. But Kṛṣṇa says all of them, if they take to real path of devotional service under the direction of spiritual master, then that is sādhana-bhakti. To act under the direction of spiritual master... Spiritual master directs means he knows śāstra. According to the direction of śāstra or ācāryas, he gives direction. And if we follow, that is called sādhana-bhakti. That is called practice. In the beginning, sādhana-bhakti must be there. Then when you get attachment for Kṛṣṇa, that is called rāga-bhakti. And the more you increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa, then it will come to the stage of prema-bhakti. You don't become kṛṣṇa-premī all of a sudden.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972:

The Gosvāmīs, or in the Pañcarātra system, in the śāstras, the regulative principles are so made that, if we practice it, gradually our dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness will be awakened. Therefore these prescribed rules and regulations, as it is given in the śāstras and confirmed by the ācāryas... Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, tāṅdera caraṇa-sevi. We have to follow the footprints of the ācāryas. Ācārya means paramparā. One ācārya is following the previous ācārya. An ācārya does not manufacture anything, something novel. He follows the previous ācārya.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972:

The regulative principles means that you don't manufacture anything. Regulative principle means authorized—as they are mentioned in the authorized scriptures and as it is confirmed by the spiritual master. Because we do not know. When it is confirmed by the spiritual master, yes, it is right. Sādhu guru, sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, tinete kariyā aikya. The same statement of Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. Sādhu, principles which are followed, sādhu-mārga-anugamanam. We cannot follow asādhu-mārga. We must follow sādhu-mārga. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). We cannot follow an upstart, manufacturing some song, manufacturing some ideas. We cannot follow that. What is authorized song, we shall sing.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 14, 1972:

Pradyumna: "The injunctions of rules and regulations and the resultant reactions are mentioned in the Eleventh Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Fifth Chapter, first and second verses. Camasa Muni, one of the nine sages who came to instruct King Nimi, addressed the King and said, 'The four social orders, namely, the brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, the vaiśyas and the śūdras, have come out of the different parts of the universal form of the Supreme Lord as follows: the brāhmaṇas have come out from the head; the kṣatriyas have come out from the arms; the vaiśyas have come out from the waist; and the śūdras have come out from the legs. Similarly, the sannyāsīs have come out from the head; the vānaprasthas from the arms; the gṛhasthas from the waist; and the brahmacārīs from the legs.' These different orders of society and grades of spiritual advancement are conceived in terms of qualification. It is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā that the four social orders and the four spiritual orders are created by the Lord Himself, in terms of different individual qualities. As the different parts of the body have different types of activities, so the social and spiritual orders also have different types of activities in terms of qualification and position. The target of these activities, however, is always the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, 'He is the supreme enjoyer.' So whether one is a brāhmaṇa or a śūdra, he has to satisfy the Supreme Lord by his activities."

Prabhupāda: Yes. The brāhmaṇa is considered to be the mouth of the total body, and the śūdras are considered to be the legs. So by comparative position, the head is more important than the leg, but they are equally important in terms of the whole body. Because the head cannot walk. For walking, you require the cooperation of the legs. So, as to maintain this body we require the cooperation of the head, arms, waist and legs, similarly, for serving Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme, the whole, it doesn't matter whether one is a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or vaiśya or śūdra; everyone can be engaged. Sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya (BG 18.46). One has to worship the Supreme by his own work.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 14, 1972:

Pradyumna: "This is also confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam by a verse which reads, 'Everyone must be engaged in his particular duty, but the perfection of such work should be tested by how far the Lord is satisfied with such activities.' "

Prabhupāda: Yes. Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. Varṇa and āśrama, four varṇas and four āśrama, that division is always there. But it does not matter, division. It... Of course, comparatively, the head is important than the leg. But if everyone is engaged in the service of the Lord, then everyone becomes perfect. It doesn't matter whether he's śūdra or brāhmaṇa. It doesn't matter. Sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya (BG 18.46). Or svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). That is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 14, 1972:

Everyone has got the privilege to hear about the glories of the Lord. And if we take up this business, sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ, prāyaśo 'jito 'pi jito asi tais tri-lokyām. Kṛṣṇa is known as Ajita, but... Ajita means who cannot be conquered. So He can be conquered by this process. When Rāmānanda Raya quoted this verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva, so Caitanya Mahāprabhu confirmed it. Ya ihā haya: "It is very nice." So in this age, by the recommendation of śāstra, and confirmed by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, we should give chance to the people for hearing about the glories of the Lord. That is the program of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We go everywhere and we give people the chance of hearing about the glories of the Lord, and gradually they become Kṛṣṇa conscious. This is, practically, we are feeling it. The recommendation given by Caitanya Mahāprabhu: īhā haya, this process.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 27, 1973:

"This attraction for Kṛṣṇa consciousness in association with pure devotees is the sign of great fortune. It is confirmed by Lord Caitanya that the only..., only the fortunate persons, by mercy of both the bona fide spiritual master and Kṛṣṇa, will get the seed of devotional service. In this connection, Lord Kṛṣṇa says in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Eleventh Canto, Twentieth Chapter, verse 8: 'My dear Uddhava, only by exceptional fortune does someone become attached, attracted to Me, Kṛṣṇa. And even if one is not completely detached from fruitive activities or is not completely attached to devotional service, such service is quickly effective.'

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 28, 1973:

Mādhavānanda: (reading:) "It is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā that after many, many births, when one becomes actually wise, he surrenders unto Vāsudeva, knowing perfectly well that Kṛṣṇa (Vāsudeva) is the origin and cause of all causes. Therefore he sticks to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa and gradually develops love for Him. Although such a wise man is very dear to Kṛṣṇa, the others are also accepted as very magnanimous because even though they are distressed or in need of money, they have come to Kṛṣṇa for satisfaction. Thus they are accepted as liberal, broad-minded mahātmās.

"Without being elevated to the position of jñānī, or wise man, no one can stick to the principle of worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Others who are less intelli..."

Prabhupāda: This tulasī. big plant, while passing it should not touch your cloth. It is not ordinary plant. Very careful. Or it should not be kept there. Be careful.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 28, 1973:

Mādhavānanda: "It is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā that after Brahman realization, when one is freed from material anxieties and can see every living entity on an equal level, he is eligible to enter into devotional service.

"As has been stated before, there..."

Prabhupāda: "When one is free from material anxiety." Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). That is the stage of free from anxieties. If I've got some anxieties for maintaining or some way or other, any anxieties, he cannot perfectly chant kīrtana. But even though one is full of anxieties, if he takes to kīrtana, then ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12), his unclean heart becomes cleansed, and the more the heart becomes cleansed, he becomes anxiety-less. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam. Unless our dirty heart is cleansed by the chanting process... By the chanting process, the dirty heart or consciousness or mind will be cleansed. This is the formula given by Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 28, 1973:

One who has executed the process of bhagavad-bhakti according to the rules and regulations, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23), he'll be prasanna-manaso. The same thing, as it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). The Bhāgavata says, evaṁ prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ, bhagavat-tattva-vijñānam (SB 1.2.20). Bhagavat-tattva, the science of God, is a vijñāna. It is a science. It is not sentiment. Sentiment: I close my eyes and shed some tears, and then I go for smoking cigarette. That sentiment will not help us. It is a science. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu said: yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei guru haya (CC Madhya 8.128). Yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā. One who knows the science of Kṛṣṇa, he can become guru. Pṛthivīṁ sa śiṣyāt. He can make disciples all over the world. Pṛthivīṁ sa śiṣyāt.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 28, 1973:

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu confirmed it:

kibā vipra kibā śūdra nyāsī kena naya
yei kṛṣṇa-tattva(-vettā) sei guru haya
(CC Madhya 8.128)

It doesn't matter whether one is a gṛhastha or one is a sannyāsī or one is a brāhmaṇa or not brāhmaṇa. It doesn't matter. Because this is not the science of this physiological ana..., anatomical science, or cobbler's science. Cobbler's science means cobbler knows what kind of skin it is. It is not like that. Neither cobbler's science nor anatomical science or physiological science. Bhagavat-tattva-vijñānam. It is another science. So anyone who is well-versed in bhagavat-tattva-vijñānam, he's, he can become guru. Not others. And in many places this is confirmed, that ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro. A brāhmaṇa, very well expert in his business... Brāhmaṇa's business means ṣaṭ-karma, six kinds of karma. Paṭhana pāṭhana yajana yājana dāna pratigraha. A brāhmaṇa must be very learned scholar. Brāhmaṇa paṇḍita. He must be scholar. Scholar means not ordinary, but in transcendental science.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 28, 1973:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu confirms, kibā vipra... Haridāsa Ṭhākura, he came from Muhammadan family. Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave him the title Nāmācārya, Ācārya. He became, he became the teacher of the science of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Nāmācārya. We, every day, we glorify Haridāsa Ṭhākura: nāmācārya Haridāsa Ṭhākura ki jaya. Why? Because... If you can say, "Oh, he was born in Muhammadan family..." No. So all Caitanya Mahāprabhu's big assistants... Sanātana Gosvāmī, he, Sanātana, Rūpa Gosvāmī, they were practically Muhammadan, because the brāhmaṇa society rejected them. They changed their name. Dabira Khāsa. Sākara Mallika. But Caitanya, by association of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they became Gosvāmī. Sanātana Gosvāmī... Ei chaya gosāi yāra tāra mui dāsa, Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says. That it is not to be considered, "Oh, these people..." This is the defect. So many people converted to Muslim, and we did not take care. Therefore the whole country is spoiled. Kṛṣṇa says, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.3 -- Mayapur, March 27, 1975:

Even Śaṅkarācārya, who is a impersonalist, he has accepted Lord Kṛṣṇa as the supreme Nārāyaṇa. In his comment on Bhagavad-gītā he says, nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ avyaktāt: "Nārāyaṇa is beyond this material creation." And while describing Nārāyaṇa, he has affirmed, sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ: "That Nārāyaṇa is Kṛṣṇa." And he has clearly mentioned, "Now He has appeared as the son of Devakī and Vāsudeva," to confirm just like identification is confirmed when the father's name is there.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.3 -- Mayapur, March 27, 1975:

So nobody should try to write any Vedic literature. Vedic literature means the śruti, smṛti, Purāṇa. They are Vedic literature. Therefore Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has also confirmed,

śruti-smṛti-purāṇādi-
pañcarātriki-vidhiṁ vinā
aikāntikī harer bhaktiḥ
utpātāyaiva kalpate
(Brs. 1.2.101)

Utpātā, simply disturbance. Yata mat tata patha: "I can manufacture my own way." This rascaldom has been condemned by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. He says that harer bhaktiḥ... You will find many so-called bhaktas crying, falling down on the ground. But immediately after, he is smoking bidi. So why this is going on? Because they do not follow the injunction of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. Chanting, dancing very loudly, and after the performance is finished—I have seen it—"Can you give me a bidi?" You see? "My throat is now dried up." So this is utpātā. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has described this kind of so-called devotional attitude is simply disturbance. They imitate. Imitate.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.9 -- Mayapur, April 2, 1975:

Explosion is going on, but behind that all these explosions, all these transformations, is the Supreme Lord. That is here. And it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā:

mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ
sūyate sa-carācaram
hetunānena kaunteya
jagad viparivartate
(BG 9.10)

They do not see who is behind this explosion. That is their ignorance or poor fund of knowledge. We have got practical experience that no explosion takes place without the touch of a human being. Similarly, even there was explosion going on, but there is a touch of the Supreme Being. That is the statement in the Bhagavad... Mayādhyakṣeṇa (BG 9.10). We are seeing the explosion. Just like child sees the explosion. He does not know that there, behind the explosion, there is a management of a superior being. This is childish observation. Because in śāstra we see that behind everything the hand of the Supreme Being is there, and by our practical experience also, we see that matter does not act automatically without being touched by a living being, so how we can accept this argument, that the explosion is going on automatically? What is the evidence? There is no evidence.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.9 -- Mayapur, April 2, 1975:

So original creative energy is coming from this Kāraṇābdhiśāyī Viṣṇu. This is confirmed in Brahma-saṁhitā. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48). The jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ... Here it is also said, ajāṇḍa. Jagad-aṇḍa or ajāṇḍa, the same thing, or Brahmāṇḍa, the same meaning. Aja means Brahmā. So the Brahmā is the head of this aṇḍa. It is egglike. This whole universe is like an egg, aṇḍa. So as from the aṇḍa, from the egg, a bird is coming out; similarly, from this egglike substance, Aja has come. Aja means who does not take birth like others, human beings or animals, but from this aṇḍa. So the Kāraṇābdhiśāyī Viṣṇu another name is ajāṇḍa aṅghāśrayanda. His whole body is producing universes.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.9 -- Mayapur, April 2, 1975:

We do not accept these nonsense theories. We... Our understanding is: the first creation is the most intelligent human being, Brahmā, not that there was no human being, or any living being. No. The first creation is the most perfect or intelligent living being. This is our theory. Not theory; it is the Vedic evidence. And he got full knowledge from the Supreme, tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye, ādi-kavi, the original learned person, and then he compiled Vedas, giving full knowledge, what he experienced. And the Brahma-saṁhitā is there—it is written by Brahmā. And in the Brahma-saṁhitā, the Kāraṇābdhiśāyī Viṣṇu is mentioned, yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā (Bs. 5.48). It is not that we are accepting this verse of Caitanya-caritāmṛta author. No. It is confirmed by the Vedic knowledge. This is the origin of creation, not that this chunk, or... No. Matter cannot expand. Matter, when there is reaction... Just like explosion. We have got experience that there is sometimes explosion like if you mix together two chemicals, acid and alkaline, there is explosion for the time being. But this explosion takes place when a chemist in the laboratory mixes soda, soda bicarb, and citric acid. Otherwise, it is not possible.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.9 -- Mayapur, April 2, 1975:
Of course, we use this word mūḍha, and people become very angry, but what can I, can we do? (laughter) The mūḍhas must be explained as mūḍhas. And because the mūḍhas are going as intelligent, therefore there is chaotic condition. (bird chirping) There it is confirmed. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to become intelligent, not to remain mūḍhas, and to expose these rascal mūḍhas. That's this, our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. So you must be prepared. While making propaganda, expose these mūḍhas. That is one of the service of Kṛṣṇa. Don't remain foolish. Wherever there is required, fight with these mūḍhas and tell them rightly, straightforward, that "You are mūḍhas."
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.10 -- Mayapur, April 3, 1975:

This whole material creation is existing in one part of His energy. That is also confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā: eko 'py asau racayituṁ jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi. One part of His energy, just to create the whole universes, so..., the material world... Eko 'py asau racayituṁ jagad-aṇḍa koṭi, aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). He does not enter only within the universe, aṇḍāntara-stham, but He enters within the atom. Paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham. Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. Yac-chaktir asti jagad-aṇḍa-cayā yad-antam. Yac-chakti, whose energy is there within the universe... And ananta. That is... The universes are ananta, unlimited. That is creation. You cannot conceive of the creation by your, this tiny brain. That is not possible. That is Dr. Frog's philosophy. He's contemplating about the Atlantic Ocean, living in a three-feet well. That's all. That is not possible.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.1 -- Atlanta, March 1, 1975:

So Kṛṣṇa dāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī is writing Caitanya-caritāmṛta. In each chapter he composes a new verse offering his obeisances to the Lord. So in this Seventh Chapter of Ādi-līlā he also offers his respect. He began his writing of Caitanya-caritāmṛta when he was as old as ninety years old in Vṛndāvana by the order of the Vaiṣṇavas and confirmed by Śrī Madana-mohana. So this is the process. One should not be writing in spiritual subject matter without being authorized by some superior authority. It is not ordinary writing. The writing on spiritual subject matter is authoritative. By the order of superior authority, one can write. It is not speculation. Therefore he said that śrī-caitanyaṁ likhyate asya: "By the order of superior authority, I am trying to describe Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu." And what is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu? Prema-bhakti-vadānyatā. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is preaching prema, means love of Godhead.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.2 -- Mayapur, March 2, 1974:

He's Kṛṣṇa Himself. In this Kali-yuga, Kṛṣṇa's direct identification, incarnation, is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. This is also confirmed in all the Vedic literature—Mahābhārata, Purāṇa, Upaniṣad—and the essence of all Vedic literature is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. There is also Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He's accepted as the Supreme Lord.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.2 -- Mayapur, March 2, 1974:

So long in the material conception of life we..., the brāhmaṇa is thinking the master of the kṣatriya or the vaiśya or the śūdra; a sannyāsī is thinking the master of vānaprastha, gṛhastha, brahmacārī. Similarly, in gṛhastha also, the chief man in the household life, he is thinking master. So everyone, kṣatriya king, he's thinking he's master. So, you are master to some extent, but if you accept Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu or Śrī Kṛṣṇa as your master, then your life is successful. This is the secret of success. That is confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:

ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā
varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ
svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya
saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam
(SB 1.2.13)

Just like Arjuna was fighting, kṣatriya. His business was to fight. Why he was fighting the battle of Kurukṣetra? To become master of the kingdom. But he remained eternally servant of Kṛṣṇa. This is success. Don't be satisfied simply I become master of your material position. At the same time, you try to become the servant of the supreme; then you are successful. Relative. Our mastership is relative. Under certain condition we become master, but Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is master without any condition. Namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa prema pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). Because He's master He can distribute kṛṣṇa prema very easily. Otherwise, kṛṣṇa prema... Not only kṛṣṇa prema; one cannot understand what is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.4 -- Mayapur, March 4, 1974:

So those who have not heard from the authorized person, they may make a business by making himself maunī-baba. Tāvac ca śobhate mūrkho yāvat kiñcin na bhāsate: "A mūrkha, a dull rascal, is very beautiful so long he does not speak." Because as soon as he speaks, then his knowledge, his learning, his capacity, his position, will be immediately exposed. So our paramparā line... Prahlāda Mahārāja has condemned this system, maunī-baba. No. Our system is kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's teaching.

tṛṇād api sunīcena
taror api sahiṣṇunā
amāninā mānadena
kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ
(CC Adi 17.31)

And Kṛṣṇa also confirms this in the Bhagavad-gītā: satatāṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 9.14). That is mahātmā, always glorifying the Lord, Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.4 -- Mayapur, March 4, 1974:

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu has got His associates. That is confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:

kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ
sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam
yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair
yajanti he su-medhasaḥ
(SB 11.5.32)

This is the method of worshiping the Lord Viṣṇu. Yajña means to worship the Supreme Lord. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtanaiḥ prāyaiḥ.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.7 -- Mayapur, March 9, 1974:

Durgā is the agent, working agent of Kṛṣṇa. Yasyajñaya. Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni vibharti durgā, icchānurūpam api yasya ca ceṣṭate sā (Bs. 5.44). Sā ceṣṭate yasya icchānurūpam. And Kṛṣṇa also confirms this: mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). Therefore Kṛṣṇa is the supreme īśvara, controller. She is conducting the activities of the material nature. But those who are mūḍhas, they are captivated by the wonderful action of material nature. That is called materialist. Tribhir guṇamayair bhāvaiḥ mohitaḥ. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. They are bewildered. Nature's business is to keep you fool always. And if you can surpass the bewilderment of material nature, if you agree to be controlled by the supreme controller, then your life is successful. Therefore Caitanya-caritāmṛta author says that "Here is the controller," ekala, "one." And Kṛṣṇa also says, mām ekam. Not that imitation Kṛṣṇa. Then you'll be befooled. Mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.66-76 -- San Francisco, February 6, 1967:

Now, what is the nature of that Brahman? Is it impersonal or personal? Now, Vyāsadeva says, abhijñaḥ svarāṭ. No. "That Supreme Truth is cognizant. He knows." And Bhagavad-gītā also confirms that, vedāhaṁ samatītāni (BG 7.26). The Lord says, "I know everything. I know..." Unless He's cognizant, unless behind this mani..., cosmic manifestation, if there is no brain, if there is no cognizance, how nicely it can be made so regulation, I mean to say, timely, everything is working? The planets are working. Do you think there is no brain behind this? There must be. Therefore Bhāgavata says yes, abhijñaḥ... Abhijñaḥ means He's cognizant; He's not a fool. Therefore He's a person. Cognizant is a person.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.80-95 -- San Francisco, February 10, 1966:

Now Caitanya Mahāprabhu concludes... Because you might always remember that He is speaking to Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī. So He said that "With full faith in the words of My spiritual master, I chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare, and I have no other business." Nirantara kari. Because He was... He raised the question of Vedānta, studying Vedānta, so He is answering, "This is My position. I am just following the instruction of My spiritual master. In the beginning, he taught Me like this. He instructed Me like this. Then I followed. I have developed these symptoms. Then again I approached My spiritual master. He confirmed the same thing. Therefore My business is to follow his instruction, and therefore I am always chanting and dancing."

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.91-2 -- Vrndavana, March 13, 1974:

So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness society is a bhakta-saṅga, is a society of devotees. Never try to go away. Never try to go away. Discrepancies there may be. You should adjust. And this chanting and dancing amongst, within the society of devotees, has got great advantage, great value. Here it is confirmed—and all the Vaiṣṇavas have confirmed

tāñdera caraṇa-sevi-bhakta-sane vāsa
janame janame mora ei abhilāṣa

Janame janame mora means he doesn't want to go back. That is not his desire. "When Kṛṣṇa will desire, Kṛṣṇa will allow me. That is different thing. Otherwise, let me go on in this way, life in the society of devotees and chanting and dancing is my business." This is required. Not anything else. Anything else, anything desiring, that is anyābhilāṣa. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). A devotee should not desire anything except this, that "Let me live with the society of devotees and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra." This is our life.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.106-107 -- San Francisco, February 13, 1967:
As the state laws are so stringent that if you commit some criminal thing... Simply by keeping marijuana and LSD you are still immediately arrested. You see. So what so speak of using them. (laughs) You see. So this is to be known. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that we should not violate. And whatever, everything is there, whatever is spoken... Caitanya Mahāprabhu wants to stress on this point, that nobody can interpret that, in the, either in Bible or Vedānta-sūtra or Koran. That is the principle. You cannot make any change. If you do not understand, then you go to the right person. Who is the right person? That right person who is receiving the knowledge by the paramparā system. Not the right person like Dr. Radhakrishnan, because he's very much educated and world-famous, oh, a philosopher, therefore he's the right person. No. He's not the right person. The right person is... He may be a illiterate person, but if he follows the guru-paramparā, the disciplic succession, he's the right person. He's the right person. He may be illiterate. He may not know. Just like Lord Caitanya confirmed that brāhmaṇa, he was illiterate, but he was studying Bhagavad-gītā, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "Yes." He embraced him. "My dear brāhmaṇa, you are really understanding Bhagavad-gītā." Because he knows the central point of Bhagavad-gītā. The central point.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.107-109 -- San Francisco, February 15, 1967:

"The supreme source from which everything emanating, that is Brahman." What is the interpretation? There is no interpretation. Supreme... There must be some supreme source. That is quite philosophical and logical, that I have my... This bodily existence has a source, my father. My father has a source, his father. His father... Go on. There must be one supreme source. That is God. Simple to understand. Is it very difficult to understand? The supreme cause, He is God. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is described in Brahma-saṁhitā, sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1). Kāraṇa means "cause," and sarva means "all." There are cause, cause, cause and effect, cause and effect, cause and eff... When you reach to the supreme cause, He's Kṛṣṇa. He is Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa confirms it in the Bhagavad-gītā, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.109-114 -- San Francisco, February 20, 1967:

Every one of us, we are God." "Then why you have become dog?" "That we do not know." That is the explanation. But actually, the explanation is that we are also Brahman, but not Bhagavān, the Supreme Brahman. That is the explanation. Therefore we are prone to be under the subjugation of māyā. This is real explanation. I am, I am not the Supreme Brahman. The greatest Brahman, I am not. Brahman means 'greatest,' but I am also Brahman, but I am... The infinite and the infinitesimal. We are infinitesimal. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā also—mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ: (BG 15.7) "My, these living entities, they are My parts and parcels." Such parts and parcels of the Brahman is also Brahman.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.109-114 -- San Francisco, February 20, 1967:

Now, the Lord's body is eternal, blissful and full of knowledge, and Śaṅkarācārya says that prākṛta-sattvera vikāra. "This body of Kṛṣṇa or Lord Rāma, when They come," according to Māyāvāda philosophy, that "actually, the Brahman, the Supreme Absolute Truth, has no form, but when They assume form, They take help of this material nature." That is not a fact. They come in Their own spiritual form. That is confirmed by Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.113-17 -- San Francisco, February 22, 1967:

So our glancing and His glancing is different. Our glancing—we are seeing with these material eyes. As soon as these material eyes will be taken away, we cannot see. We are blind. But He... Here is the statement, īkṣāñcakre: "He saw." "He saw" means He saw with His spiritual eyes. Otherwise where is the material creation, that He can have material eyes? So these things are to be considered. Similarly, if He has got spiritual eyes, then He has got spiritual ear, He has got spiritual nose, He has got spiritual head, body, everything spiritual. And it is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā, aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛttimanti paśyanti pānti kalayanti ciraṁ jaganti (Bs. 5.32). The Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, Govinda, His bodily, different, I mean to say, limbs of His body, or different senses, they are so perfect that every sense organ can act the, I mean to say, work of the other senses. Just like we can see with our eyes. Simply we can see.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.149-50 -- Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971:

A person has no legs and no hands, and still, He accepts whatever we offer? Just like Kṛṣṇa says, tad aham aśnāmi, bhaktyā upahṛtam aśnāmi: "Anyone who offers Me anything," patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam (BG 9.26), "with devotion," bhaktyā... The very word is bhaktyā. That means Kṛṣṇa is transcendental person, and the Vedic mantra confirms. When the Vedic mantra says, apāṇi-pāda, "no hands, no legs," that is not imperson. "Person, but His hands and legs are not like us," that is apāṇi-pāda. Caitanya Mahāprabhu explains that. Apāṇi-pāda śruti varje prākṛta pāṇi-caraṇa: "When the Vedic mantra says that 'The Absolute Truth has no legs and no hands,' that means that the Personality of Godhead's hands and legs are not material." That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's explanation.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.149-50 -- Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu explains that. Apāṇi-pāda śruti varje prākṛta pāṇi-caraṇa: "When the Vedic mantra says that 'The Absolute Truth has no legs and no hands,' that means that the Personality of Godhead's hands and legs are not material." That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's explanation.

apāṇi-pāda śruti, veda-mantra, varje prakṛta pāṇi-caraṇa

na kahe śīghra cale kare sarva grahaṇa

"And although the Vedic mantra says that 'The Absolute Truth has no legs, no hands,' still, it confirms that 'He can accept whatever you offer, and He can walk more speedily than anyone.' Then He walks; at the same time, He has no legs. And He accepts your offering; He has no hands." What does it mean? Apparently it is contradictory. If He has no leg, then how He can walk more speedily than anyone? These are Vedic mantras. "Nobody can capture Him, He is walking so speedily." But if He has no leg, how He is walking? But that, Caitanya Mahāprabhu explains that varje prākṛta pāṇi-caraṇa: "This means that the Supreme Personality of Godhead has no material body."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.149-50 -- Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971:

Dehi means possessor of this body, the owner of this body. So owner of this body is different from this body. But in case of Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu-tattva, there is no such difference, the self and the body, no difference. That is confirmed in the Kūrma Purāṇa. Unfortunately the Māyāvādīs, they, either due to their poor fund of knowledge of the śāstras or by their whims, they say that "Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu, when comes, or the Absolute Truth when He descends, He assumes, He accepts, a material body." That is not the fact. Kṛṣṇa says, sambhavāmy ātma-māyayā (BG 4.6). It is not that Kṛṣṇa accepts a material body. No. Kṛṣṇa has no such distinction, material world. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam: (BG 9.11) "Because I present myself, descend Myself as a human being, the mūḍhas, or the rascals, they think of Me or deride at Me."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.149-50 -- Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971:

Now, here Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that Kṛṣṇa is person, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is person, but He is not a person like us. That is difference. But less intelligent persons, they think Kṛṣṇa, as soon as He is a person, "He is a person like us." That is a mistake. He is not a person like any one of us. Therefore He is confirmed by the Vedas, apāṇi-pāda javano grahītā: "This Absolute Truth has no leg or hand; still, He can walk very swiftly and He can accept anything you offer."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.151-154 -- Gorakhpur, February 14, 1971:

The oldest, but nava-yauvana, just beginning of youthful life. That is the description in the Brahma-saṁhitā. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu confirms that brahma saviśeṣa. Saviśeṣa means person with varieties of energy. Not imperson. Ataeva śruti kahe. According to Vedic evidence from the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad, apāṇi pāda, He has proved that when the Upaniṣad says that "The Absolute Truth has no hands and legs, this means that He has no material hands and legs. But He has His hands and legs." (shouting in background) (aside:) Who is shouting? Why they do not come? Why they are shouting there? All right.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.151-154 -- Gorakhpur, February 14, 1971:

In the beginning, the Veda says that the Supreme Personality of Godhead has no..., not personality. Brahma. He is person, of course. We say personality, but this personality is not material personality. Sighram cale evam sakala-vasta grahana kare: "He walks very quickly and He can accept whatever is offered to Him." So these very statements in the Vedas confirm that He has hands and legs, but not hands and legs like us. Apakrta. That we cannot understand. Aprakṛta. Prakṛta and aprakṛta. Prakṛta means things which are created, and aprakṛta means which are never created, sanātana. That we cannot understand.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.151-154 -- Gorakhpur, February 14, 1971:

"Everything is resting on Me." Nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ: "But I am not there." The Māyāvāda philosophy is "If God, or Brahman, is all-pervading, then why there should be another, separate Brahman?" No. That is also confirmed in the Vedic literature: pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate (Īśo Invocation). Pūrṇasya. Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Absolute Truth, is complete. And if complete is taken from Him, still He is complete. This is material idea, that if the complete has spread all over, then where is the separate existence of the complete? That is material idea. But the spiritual statement is, "If complete is taken from the complete, still the complete is complete." That you have to understand. Pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya. Here in this material world we have got experience that if I have got one rupee in my pocket and if that one rupee is taken from my pocket or it is expended, there is no more one rupee. It is spent. It is zero now.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.151-154 -- Gorakhpur, February 14, 1971:

Viṣṇu's energy is spiritual. Here it is stated that viṣṇu-śaktiḥ parā. Parā means spiritual; proktā, "it is said." Kṣetra-jñākhyā tathā parā. And kṣetrajña means these jīvas. In the Bhagavad-gītā, kṣetrajña... Kṣetra and kṣetrajña. There are two statements in the Bhagavad-gītā, I think in the Thirteenth Chapter, that kṣetra is this body, and the owner of this body, you and me... We are different owners of different bodies. We are kṣetrajña. So the kṣetrajña-śakti... This is also śakti again. It is śakti. It is not the energetic. So this kṣetrajña is also parā, spiritual. It is confirmation of the Bhagavad-gītā, that viṣṇu-śaktiḥ parā proktā (CC Madhya 6.154). The Lord's energy is spiritual, and another energy, which is known as kṣetrajña, or the jīvas, they are also spiritual energies. But energy, not the energetic. Kṣetra-jñākhyā tathā parā, avidyā-karma-saṁjñā anyā tṛtīyā śaktir iṣyate.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154-155 -- Gorakhpur, February 19, 1971 (Krsna Niketan):

Just like a fire situated in one place distributing unlimitedly, or limitedly, its heats and energies, heats and light, similarly, whatever we are experiencing within our views in this material world, they are simply manifestation of the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagat avyakta-mūrtinā: (BG 9.4) "I am all-pervading, spreading, in this material manifestation, jagat, in impersonal feature, avyakta-mūrtinā." Everything... Avyakta means Kṛṣṇa is not manifested there, but we can feel. Just like when you see some smoke from a distant place you can immediately understand that there is fire; it is very easy.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154-155 -- Gorakhpur, February 19, 1971 (Krsna Niketan):

When Kṛṣṇa says, "I am also kṣetrajña..." Not this kṣetrajña. Sometimes they misunderstand that the individual soul, living entity, and Paramātmā is the same. No. He says, kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi: "I am also one of the birds sitting on this body." That is confirmed in the Upaniṣad. Two birds are sitting in one tree. So one bird is witnessing. The witnessing bird is the Paramātmā, antaryāmī. He is looking after all your activities, witness. Anumantā upadraṣṭā. Bhagavad-gītā: upadraṣṭā. You don't think that whatever you are doing, nobody is witnessing. Sarvato pani-padas tat sarvato akṣi. Therefore, when it is said paśyaty acakṣuḥ... Paśyaty acakṣuḥ. Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has got such nice eyes that He can see your activities anywhere. He sees. But His that seeing, that eye or His eyes, are not exactly... Because we cannot see.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100 -- Washington, D.C., July 5, 1976:

Indian man: Prabhupāda, you are giving a very simple process, which is... I can confirm by (indistinct) ...it is not (indistinct) Indians coming? Why? They are exposed to Kṛṣṇa from their birth; still they are not interested. Nobody wants to listen.

Prabhupāda: Because they have become bara-sab. Especially in the foreign countries, they become bara-sab. So that is the misfortune of India. They are giving up their culture and being misguided. So if they actually feel that they must maintain their own culture, then it is not difficult. It is the duty of every Indian, as Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that,

bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra
janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra
(CC Adi 9.41)

If that mentality is developed, that "In India we were born, we have got the greatest culture, recognized by all the world. So I must make my life successful by taking this culture and distribute it to the whole world," that is real Indian culture. If... They are thinking that they are poverty-stricken. Poverty-stricken because they have given their own culture; therefore poverty-stricken. Otherwise, there is no question of poverty-stricken.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- New York, November 22, 1966:

Just like Lord Caitanya, He's supposed to be Kṛṣṇa Himself. Because people derided at Him when He was actually present as Kṛṣṇa—avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā: (BG 9.11) "Foolish persons deride at Me because I am playing just like a man"—so He came again as a devotee, Lord Caitanya, how to teach, how to grasp Kṛṣṇa bhakti, devotional service. So He practically demonstrated. So He is eternal as Sanātana Gosvāmī is also, he is eternal associate. So as if he is taking lesson, representing ourself, he is taking lesson from the Lord. The Lord is confirming that,

yogya-pātra hao tumi bhakti pravartāite

krame saba tattva śuna, kahiye tomāte

The Lord is also... This is a process. It is the duty of the spiritual master to select a disciple, and at the same time it is the duty of the disciple to select a spiritual master. Now the selection is very nice. Sanātana Gosvāmī is the right person to understand the science of devotional service, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the right person to give lesson to the disciple about this science. So He says, yogya-pātra: "You are just the proper person to understand this science of devotion." Now, krame saba tattva śuna, kahiye tomāte: "Now I shall gradually explain to you about this devotional service, and you'll understand."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- Bombay, November 9, 1975:

So the same thing is confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, because Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the natural comment on Vedānta-sūtra. When Vyāsadeva was not satisfied even after giving the Vedānta-sūtras, Brahma-sūtras, then his spiritual master advised him that "You write something simply on the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; otherwise you cannot be satisfied." Then he, on the basis of Vedānta-sūtra, he wrote a commentary, bhāṣyaṁ brahma-sūtrānām **. Therefore in each end of chapter of Bhāgavatam you'll find, brahma-sūtrasya bhāṣyayam. So the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the natural comment on Vedānta-sūtra by the author himself.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- Bombay, November 9, 1975:

The direction is the śāstra. You should see through the śāstra what is what. Then you'll be benefited. If you simply believe on your senses... The whole world, philosophers, scientists, they are going on on their own imperfect senses. Therefore everything is rascaldom. It is imperfect. It is not real knowledge. Śāstra-cakṣuṣa. You should know things through the śāstra, guru. Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, tinete kariyā aikya. This is... If you want to know something, then it must be confirmed by sādhu, śāstra and guru. Then it is complete. And if you speculate, if you establish something under speculation, then it is not right. It is wrong.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.101-104 -- Bombay, November 3, 1975:

One who is advanced in spiritual consciousness, for him there is no material trouble. There is no material trouble. Ahaituky apratihatā. So long we are in the bodily concept of life, there are so many troubles and miserable condition of life. But as soon as you become spiritually advanced and you know your identity, that you are not this body but you are spirit soul, then... This is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā,

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
na śocati na kāṅkṣati
samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām
(BG 18.54)

This is wanted. Every one of us should become brahma-bhūtaḥ, not to remain jīva-bhūtaḥ. That is ignorance. One must come to the platform of brahma-bhūtaḥ. Then prasannātmā. He has no three kinds of material conditional life. He has no struggle for existence. Prasannātmā. He is always jolly because he knows that "I am not this body. I am soul," at least theoretically, prasannātmā. That is wanted.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.105 -- New York, July 11, 1976:

So Sanātana Gosvāmī is teaching us... Kṛṣṇa-śakti dhara tumi, jāna tattva-bhāva (CC Madhya 20.105). Caitanya Mahāprabhu is affirming that "You are authorized by Kṛṣṇa. Therefore you have come for My help. My mission is to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness..." So He is Kṛṣṇa Himself, but He posing as a devotee. Therefore He is saying that "By the grace of Kṛṣṇa, you are empowered, so you have come to Me to help Me. You are asking. That is very good on your part because," jāni, "you know everything." Dārḍhya lāgi' puche sādhura svabhāva. A sādhu, a saintly person, although he knows everything, still he remains very humble and tries to confirm from the higher authorities, "I think this is right. Is it not right?" He knows it is all right, but still, he waits for the higher authority to confirm it. So this is the relationship, Sanātana Gosvāmī and Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Study all of them very nicely and be advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.110-111 -- Bombay, November 17, 1975:

Just like when you feel some heat, you can immediately understand there is some fire. And if there is light, you can immediately understand there is fire. The light you can see, and heat we can feel. By feeling or seeing, we can understand the existence of God everywhere. This is intelligence, not that... They challenge foolishly, "I can... Can you show me God? I cannot see God, therefore..." No. Why you cannot see God? You can feel the presence of God by heat and light. Light. Light you can see. When there is sunshine, you can see both the light and the heat. So as it is confirmed in the Vedic literature, we should appreciate the presence of God everywhere by His different energies, exactly like heat and light.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.111 -- New York, July 19, 1976:

So actually God is there, and His system is going on in three potencies. In the Vedas we learn, parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). Para, the Supreme Absolute Truth, has many potencies, and all the potencies have been summarized into three. That is stated here: cic-chakti, jīva-śakti and māyā-śakti. Cic-chakti means spiritual potency, and jīva-śakti, living entities. We are also śakti, prakṛti; we are not puruṣa. Puruṣa means enjoyer, and prakṛti means enjoyed. We cannot be the enjoyer; that is not possible. So śakti... In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is confirmed, apareyam itas tv prakṛtim viddhi me parām. When Kṛṣṇa described about the material energy, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4), earth, water, air, fire... These are material energies, gross. And there are subtle material energies, mind, intelligence and egotism. Beyond that, apareyam... These are inferior energies. Beyond that, there is spiritual energy. What is that spiritual energy? Jīva-bhūtaḥ. That you know. (?) That is spiritual energy. That spiritual energy is always different from the material energy. Unfortunately the so-called scientists, they have no sufficient intelligence. On account of poor fund of knowledge, they are mixing up.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.112 -- Bombay, November 24, 1975:

So as soon as you take the words as it is, you immediately associate with Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise you take the instruction of guru, representative of Kṛṣṇa. If you can please your guru, yasya prasādad bhagavat-prasādaḥ... **. If you can please His representative, then you please Him. So in this way, kṛṣṇānuśīlanam, that is our duty, ānukūlyena, ānukūla, not pratikūla. There are two ways of acting, ānukūla and pratikūla. If you act as I desire, that is ānukūla, and if you act what I don't desire, that is pratikūla. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness must be ānukūla, according to the desire of Kṛṣṇa, as it is confirmed by guru. That is ānukūla, favorable. And if you act whimsically, which Kṛṣṇa does not desire or the guru does not desire, then it is pratikūla. So ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167), that is bhakti.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.112 -- Bombay, November 24, 1975:

Under this avidyā-karma-saṁjñā trītīyā śakti, material energy, we are wandering throughout the whole universe. (aside:) This child should be moved. So ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kono bhāgyavān jīva. So one who takes Kṛṣṇa consciousness, becoming happy, more and more happy. Karma-bandha. Narottama bhāgyavān jīva. Not the dur-bhāgyavān, jīva. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā (SB 1.1.10). Those who are unfortunate, they cannot take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Caitanya Mahāprabhu says. Kono bhāgyavān jīva. Kono means somebody. That is also not all. That is confirmed by Kṛṣṇa. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). Out of many, many millions of persons, one wants to become perfect or bhagavān. And yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścid vetti māṁ tattvataḥ. So therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu also says the same thing, kono bhāgyavān jīva. Not always. Not the manda-bhāgyā. Sa bhagavān.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.112 -- Bombay, November 24, 1975:

Under this avidyā-karma-saṁjñā trītīyā śakti, material energy, we are wandering throughout the whole universe. (aside:) This child should be moved. So ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kono bhāgyavān jīva. So one who takes Kṛṣṇa consciousness, becoming happy, more and more happy. Karma-bandha. Narottama bhāgyavān jīva. Not the dur-bhāgyavān, jīva. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā (SB 1.1.10). Those who are unfortunate, they cannot take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Caitanya Mahāprabhu says. Kono bhāgyavān jīva. Kono means somebody. That is also not all. That is confirmed by Kṛṣṇa. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). Out of many, many millions of persons, one wants to become perfect or bhagavān. And yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścid vetti māṁ tattvataḥ. So therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu also says the same thing, kono bhāgyavān jīva. Not always. Not the manda-bhāgyā. Sa bhagavān.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.121-124 -- New York, November 25, 1966:

Kṛṣṇa'-prāpya sambandha, 'bhakti'-prāptyera sādhana. The ultimate end is to reach Kṛṣṇa or to get Kṛṣṇa, ultimate end. And that is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). The ultimate purpose of the Vedas is to reach Kṛṣṇa. That's all. So this is the ultimate goal of life, and Vedas describes this, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu is describing also. We shall come to this point gradually.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.125 -- New York, November 27, 1966:

So all these systems can be adjusted only in one system, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the version of all the śāstra, all the Vedas. Lord Caitanya also confirms that

aiche śāstra kahe—karma, jñāna, yoga tyaji'
'bhaktye' kṛṣṇa vaśa haya, bhaktye tāṅre bhaji

If you want Kṛṣṇa, if you want God, then you don't try to follow all these processes. You just try to follow devotional service to the Lord, bhakti, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That will please Kṛṣṇa. Then by His pleasing, He will reveal to you. He will reveal to you. God being pleased with your sincere service and love, He will let you know. Just like Arjuna is being instructed by the Supreme Lord, and He says, "My dear Arjuna, I am speaking to you the most confidential part of knowledge." So if we become friends like Arjuna to Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa will reveal Himself, as He is revealing Himself, "I am this, I am that, I am this, I am that." (indistinct) So if you actually want to reestablish your lost relationship with Kṛṣṇa and God, then you have to adopt this Kṛṣṇa consciousness and nothing more.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.137-146 -- Bombay, February 24, 1971:

Now Caitanya Mahāprabhu is explaining what is the identification of Kṛṣṇa. In the beginning He says, kṛṣṇera svarūpa ananta. Kṛṣṇa has form, svarūpa. Kṛṣṇa is not formless, but He has got many millions of forms. Not one form, many millions of forms. But He has form. He is not impersonal. Kṛṣṇera svarūpa ananta. Ananta means unlimited. That is also confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā:

advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam
ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca
vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
(Bs. 5.33)

The Brahma-saṁhitā says that advaita acyuta. Advaita means although Kṛṣṇa has many forms, many expansions, still, they are one. There is no duality. Just like Kṛṣṇa and Rāma, They are one. They are not different. Similarly, rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan (Bs. 5.39). Beginning from Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha, He has got innumerable forms. Tiṣṭhan: He is existing always with all these forms, expansions, rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā. Just like Kṛṣṇa existing in everyone's heart. There are millions and trillions of living entities. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Kṛṣṇa is existing. That is Kṛṣṇa's omnipotency.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.146-151 -- New York, December 3, 1966:

Just like we can have some material example: the sun. We do not know for how many millions of years the sunshine and temperature is coming out of the sun planet, but still the sun is the same. There is no loss of temperature. So if in a material object this is possible, that in spite of distributing heat and light from the sun disk for millions and millions of years, the sun disk is still of the same temperature, there is no loss of temperature—this is a material thing—so why in the spiritual body of the Supreme there will be any loss? This is a material idea, that "Because God has become all-pervading, therefore He has lost Himself." Why He should lose His identity? This is confirmed in the Vedic literature: pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evavaśiṣyate. If you take from the... He is so full that if you take the whole thing from Him, still, He is whole.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.146-151 -- New York, December 3, 1966:

So this impersonal idea of God is for the less intelligent person, not for the intelligent persons. Those who are, I mean to say, favored with poor fund of knowledge, they cannot conceive about the Personality of Godhead. Therefore we have to approach authorities just like Lord Caitanya. He is putting something before us. Even in Bhagavad-gītā Lord Kṛṣṇa also says that "I am person. I am person." Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). And it is confirmed by Arjuna. What is that? Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). Pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān. So the Bhagavad-gītā, the speaker of the Bhagavad-gītā, establishing Himself that "I am person," and the student of the Bhagavad-gītā, I mean to say, Arjuna, he is accepting, "Yes. You are person. I accept it." I do not know why these fools explain, from Bhagavad-gītā, impersonalism.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.154-157 -- New York, December 7, 1966:

"The Supreme Personality of Godhead is Kṛṣṇa." That has been particularly pointed out in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, although there are list of many. So that, that Kṛṣṇa, although He is original, still, indrāri-vyākulaṁ lokaṁ mṛḍayanti yuge yuge. Indrāri. Indra. Indra is the king of heaven. And ari, ari means enemy. Just like the heavenly king and the Satan, conception of Satan. So when there is satanic influence over the kingdom of God, or the devotees, or the appointed demigods, they are disturbed by satanic influence, then Kṛṣṇa comes. Yadā yadā hi... That is stated, confirmed, in Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.255-281 -- New York, December 17, 1966:

Now, so far this material creation is concerned, it is said here that "By His material potency, He manifests this material world and unlimited universes within the material world." So nobody should think that the material world has come out of nothing, out of void. No. This is confirmed in all Vedic literature and especially in the Brahma-saṁhitā, and in the Bhagavad-gītā also it is stated, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). So material nature is not independent. It is a misunderstanding, a wrong conception, that matter is working out of its own accord. Matter has no power to work. It is a jaḍa-rūpā. Jaḍa-rūpā means it has no moving capacity or, what is called, initiative. Matter has no initiative. Therefore matter cannot manifest in such a way without the direction of the Supreme Lord. Māyā-dvāre sṛje teṅho brahmāṇḍera gaṇa. Actually, it is His direction, but material potency is help only. That's all.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.294-298 -- New York, December 19, 1966:

So Lord Caitanya confirms that how many līlāvatāras, incarnations, are there. We want to everything make limited because we are all limited sense, limited understanding, limited... Everything is limited, and God is unlimited. That we do not understand. We try to understand God with our limited means. That is our folly. Therefore we don't believe. "Oh, God is doing like that? Oh, God is lifting hill? How it is possible? This is story." How? Why it is story? God is omnipotent, and God cannot lift a hill? He is floating so many planets in the air, weightlessness, and He cannot lift a hill? Because I do not believe He is God. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā: (BG 9.11) "Foolish rascals, they consider Me as ordinary man: 'Not Kṛṣṇa, but me. You offer your respect to me. I am God. I am competitor Kṛṣṇa.' " So these are foolishness. He is unlimited; His everything, He is unlimited.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.298 -- New York, December 20, 1966:

It is accepted by Śaṅkarācārya. Those who are reading the commentary by Śaṅkarācārya on the Bhagavad-gītā, he will find in the beginning of that nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ. So it is also confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that harir hi nirguṇaḥ sākṣāt: "Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is beyond the touch of this material qualities." Therefore His body is sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). His body is not made of this tri-guṇa. Our, this material body is made of these three guṇas: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. Those who have got this body from the modes of goodness, they are called brāhmaṇas, or the most intelligent persons.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.313-317 -- New York, December 21, 1966:

Certain space is manifested, and certain space is nonmanifested. So this is called vyakta and avyakta. Śaṅkarācārya says that Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is vyaktāvyaktāt sanātanaḥ. Similarly, it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā also. So Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu, He is God. He is nirguṇa, transcendental to these three guṇas. They cannot affect. The three guṇas cannot affect. So similarly, those who are in touch with Kṛṣṇa, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they are also nirguṇa. They are also transcendental to the three material modes of nature.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.313-317 -- New York, December 21, 1966:

So Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is above everything. No rules and regulation. He cannot do anything wrong. He is not under the jurisdiction of any law. Therefore Kṛṣṇa manifested the full power of the Supreme Lord. And other incarnations, although they came, they came for the time being to perform a certain particular purpose, but they did not manifest the full power of God. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme God. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). It is confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that He is the Supreme Personality, original Personality of Godhead. He is nobody's under control.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.337-353 -- New York, December 25, 1966:

In all Vedic literature, the same thing is there. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). The last target and the last goal, ultimate goal, is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Bhāgavata says, akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā (SB 2.3.10). Even if you are this materially desiring, still, you should go to Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa also confirms, bhajate mām ananya bhāk sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). Api cet su-durācāro. One should not ask God. But still, if one asks, he's accepted, because he has come to the point, Kṛṣṇa. That is his good qualification. He's in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So all faults there may be, but when one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, everything is nice. Just like there are so mu..., so much snowfall. As soon as there is rise of sun, everything finished. Everything finished. Kṛṣṇa sūrya sama. Only we have to wait when the sunrise will be there. Then all these disturbances will be at once cleared.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.353-354 -- New York, December 26, 1966:

Just like Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He never said that "I am avatāra." But from His symptoms, from His characteristics, later on great sages, great philosophers, they decided that He's avatāra. Just like here. Sanātana Gosvāmī's stressed Him, testing, and he's trying to confirm it by Lord Caitanya. Because Lord Caitanya described here that in this Kali-yuga the avatāra, His symptoms are like this: kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra pārṣadam (SB 11.5.32). He is in the category of Kṛṣṇa; by His complexion, He's non-black. Akṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇam. And He's always followed by confidential associates. And people who are intelligent, they worship Him by the process of saṅkīrtana. Saṅkīrtanair yajñaiḥ kalau yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ. Su-medhasaḥ means those persons who are, who have got good brain substance. Not foolish persons. Su-medhasaḥ, a man of great brain substance, they can understand, "Oh, here is..." That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in Mahābhārata, in Upaniṣad, in Purāṇas, about Lord Caitanya's appearance. There are many symptomatic explanation. But still there are many fools, they do not accept.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.358-359 -- New York, December 29, 1966:

Similarly, everything is there in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). The Bhāgavata explains in the beginning of Bhāgavata that everything has its origin from the Supreme Lord. Everything. Whatever you have got. It has, it originates (?) from the Supreme Lord. And that is also confirmed in other Vedic literature. Yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante. Imāni bhūtāni, all these things which are created, there is a source. That is Brahman. That is Brahman. The Vedānta-sūtra also confirms this, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Athāto brahma jijñāsā. What is Brahman? This is explained in one code word: Janmādy asya yataḥ, Brahman is that from whom everything is emanating. That... Brahman is that from whom, or from which, whatever you like, everything is emanated.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.391-405 -- New York, January 2, 1967:

Anything, God's pastimes, that is perceivable through devotional service. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Only way. This is the process. No other process. No amount of speculation, no amount of academic education, no amount of philosophical discussion can..., one can... It is confirmed in the Vedic literature: nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhya, na bahunā śrutena. Na ayam ātmā... This self-realization is not possible. Nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhya, simply by discussion, nobody can arrive. Nobody can understand what is self-realization, what is Supreme Soul, the Absolute Truth. Nāyam ātmā pravacanena, na medhayā. Medhayā means one who is, who has got very good brain substance, he also cannot. Simply by agitating the brain, brain substance, one cannot understand.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 21.13-49 -- New York, January 4, 1967:

So all these incarnations are plenary parts of Kṛṣṇa. And this is confirmed in Brahma-saṁhitā:

yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya
jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ
viṣṇur mahān sa iha yasya kalā-viśeṣo
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
(Bs. 5.48)

So Govinda, the Supreme Lord, the cause of all causes, His plenary portions are these three Viṣṇus.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 21.49-61 -- New York, January 5, 1967:

Now, there is material world, this material world is within the mahat-tattva compass. You have seen the picture, mahat-tattva compass. And that mahat-tattva is full with water. This is called Causal Ocean. And beyond that Causal Ocean, there is spiritual world. It is stated, tasyāḥ pāre paravyoma. Paravyoma means spiritual sky. And tripād-bhūtam. Tripād-bhūtaṁ sanātanam. Tripād-bhūtam means this material manifestation is only one-fourth energy of the Supreme Lord. This inferior energy is only one-fourth manifestation of the energy. The three-fourths manifestation of energy (is) in the spiritual world, and that is sanātanam. That is not subjected to creation and annihilation as this material world is subjected to that creation and annihilation. That is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā. All Vedic literatures, they say the same thing.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.5 -- New York, January 7, 1967:

Everything written here is corroborating the Vedic literature. There is nothing, suggestion, "I am a philosopher. I am a speculator. I think this will be like this" Here you'll see in every step he is quoting from Vedas. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is quoting. This is the topics between Sanātana Gosvāmī... This is the Vedic way. Now that sage, a great sage, he is giving his conclusion that śrutir mātā pṛṣṭā diśati bhavad-ārādhana-vidhim: "I have inquired so many Vedic literature. Now I am in conclusion that worshiping the Supreme Lord, that is the injunction of the..., nothing more. Nothing more." The whole idea is... And that is confirmed by Bhagavad-gītā also. Kṛṣṇa says in the Fifteenth Chapter you will find. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). What is the purpose of Veda? The purpose of Veda is to understand Kṛṣṇa. That's all. If you can understand to some extent Kṛṣṇa, then your all Vedic studies finished. No more taking trouble. So we have to follow.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.5 -- New York, January 7, 1967:

Now, here the great sage says that "I have consulted all the Vedic process, all the Vedic literature, and I see that bhagavad-ārādhana-vidhi: the only injunction is that, to worship the Supreme Lord." And similarly, in the Bhagavad-gītā it is confirmed by the Lord, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam: (BG 15.15) "By Vedic study means I. One has to understand Me. That's all." If you try to understand Kṛṣṇa as far as possible, through the reliable sources, through the bona fide sources, then your Vedic study is going on in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.5 -- New York, January 7, 1967:

Never mind that he previously was a dog-eating man. That doesn't matter." The Bhāgavata confirms it. Aho bata śvapaca 'to 'pi gāriyān: "Even the dog-eater becomes glorified." How? Yaj-jihvāgre nāma tubhyam: "In whose tongue is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa." Never mind what you are. That chanting has made him all purified. You see. Aho bata śvapaca 'to 'pi gāriyān yaj-jihvāgre nāma tubhyam, tepus tapas te (SB 3.33.7). "Oh, how is that? He was... Just a few days before he was eating dog.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.21-28 -- New York, January 11, 1967:

Those who are engaged in transcendental loving service of Kṛṣṇa, for them knowledge automatically comes from within because Kṛṣṇa is within us. So a sincere soul in Kṛṣṇa consciousness will not lack in knowledge. And in the Vedic literature also it is confirmed:

yasya deve parā bhaktir
yathā deve tathā gurau
tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ
prakāśante mahātmanaḥ
(ŚU 6.23)

The Vedic knowledge, revelation, to whom it is revealed? It is revealed to a person who has unflinching faith and love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead as well as to the spiritual master. Yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau. As much he has got faith in the Supreme, similarly he has faith in the spiritual master. Such a person gets revelation of the Vedic knowledge from within. So those who are actually serious in engaging themselves in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, devotional service, for them knowledge is secondary. Knowledge automatically revealed to them. And those who do not take to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness, devotional service, simply indulge in dry speculation, for them liberation is not possible. Not possible.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.21-28 -- New York, January 11, 1967:

Real knowledge means to understand the last word of the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and surrender unto Him, after knowledge. As it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante: (BG 7.19) "After many, many births, one who is actually in knowledge, he surrenders." So Śrīmad-Bhāgavata practically confirms the same, that śreyaḥ-sṛtiṁ bhaktim udasya te vibho. Any person who does not take to the devotional service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, simply indulge in dry speculation, kliśyanti, takes trouble... Kliśyanti means "takes trouble"; ye, "persons." Kevala-bodha-lab..., simply to understand that "This is not matter, this is not spirit, this is not...," like that, and that there is no separate Supersoul, only one soul is there, and this conception of individual soul is misunderstanding, ignorance—in this way, there are volumes of books of, by Śaṅkarācārya especially, and later on, his disciples.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.21-28 -- New York, January 11, 1967:

So the same thing is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, Seventh Chapter, that the Lord says that... This is also another influence of māyā, illusion. Just like under the spell of illusion we are thinking that "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am king," "I am big man," "I am poor man"—so many we have got—and this is all due to this body, bodily conception. It has no actual standing. It is all..., they are all designations. Similarly, the last snare of māyā is to, I mean to say, induce one to think that "I am God." Just like we are under the spell of illusion. We are thinking, "I am this and that, this and that." So after many, many years' cultivation of knowledge, if one comes to the conclusion that "I am God. There is no other second God.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.31-38 -- San Francisco, January 22, 1967:

This is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). Simply by knowledge is not liberation. Otherwise, why it is stated bahūnāṁ janma? Janma means that is not liberation. If you have again to take birth in material body, that means you are not liberated. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is specifically stated, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante. That means after many, many births. So their acceptance of material body will continue. But when he understands that vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19), when he comes to that point, that "God is everything. Kṛṣṇa is everything," then his perfection is there. Cid-ānanda kṛṣṇa-vigraha māyika kari māni ei baḍa pāpa. This is a great offense, sinful conclusion, that God is imperson.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.31-38 -- San Francisco, January 22, 1967:

The sun is above your head, and you ask other persons who are five thousand miles or five hundred miles away from you, "Where is sun?" he will say that "Sun is on my head." So everyone will say, "Sun is on my head." Similarly, although sun is one, he is perceived that he is in everyone's heart, er, everyone's head. Similarly, the Lord, although He is one, He is situated in Vaikuṇṭha, but He is Brahman. He is the greatest. He is greater than the, far million, million times or unlimited timely greater than sun. Then He is reflected in everyone's heart. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Īśvara, that Supreme Personality of Godhead, is situated in the heart of every living being.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.36-40 -- San Francisco, January 23, 1967:

So the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, is the ultimate goal. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat asti kiñcid dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). In the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says, "There is nothing more superior than Me." So this statement of Bhagavad-gītā is also confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam by this verse. Ānanda-mātram. In the transcendental body of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is simply ānandam, blissful. We should note it that this body, our material body, is nirānandam, is without ānanda. We are trying to adjust to have ānanda, or pleasure, by the limited resources of our senses, but actually, there is no ānanda, bliss. It is all miserable. This miserable body is condemned in every, I mean to say, practically, chapter and every śloka, every verse.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.36-40 -- San Francisco, January 23, 1967:

Just like in the midnight, darkness, it is not possible to see the sun. You can see sun when sun itself reveals to you. Sun has got a time, say, 4:30 or 5:00 a.m. in the morning, at once reveals. And as soon as the sun reveals itself, you see yourself, you see the sun, and you see the world. And so long you do not see the sun, you are in darkness, the world is in darkness, and you cannot see. Similarly, without seeing the sun, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, you cannot have actually the perfect knowledge of this manifestation of this world. The Vedānta-sūtra, or the Upaniṣad, confirms it: tasmin vijñāte sarvam evaṁ vijñātam bhavanti. One who has understood the Absolute Truth, for him, there is nothing unknowable. Everything becomes revealed to him automatically. He hasn't got to exert separately to understand or to study different departments of knowledge. But if he, by the process, if he is able to see, just like Brahmā has seen, then he knows everything. Dhyāne sma no daraśitaṁ ta upāsakānām tasmai namo bhagavate 'nuvidhema tubhyam: "The same Personality of Godhead whom I saw in my meditation, now I see face to face. I offer my respectful obeisances."

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 1 -- Los Angeles, May 2, 1970:

Gargamuni: The last sentence. "This point is confirmed by the Bhagavad-gītā in the Seventh Chapter, where parā and aparā prakṛti are discussed. The elements of nature—earth, fire, water, air, sky, mind, intelligence and ego—all belong to the inferior, or material, energy of the Lord, whereas the living being, the organic energy, is the superior energy, the parā prakṛti of the Lord. Both the prakṛtis, or energies, are emanations from the Lord, and ultimately He is the controller of everything that exists. There is nothing in this universe which does not belong either to the parā or aparā prakṛti, and therefore everything is under the..."

Prabhupāda: "...proprietary right of the Supreme Being." So here, in the Īśopaniṣad also, the same thing is explained, that īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Whatever we are seeing, animate or inanimate, there is control of the Supreme Lord. The same thing is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, that His energies are working. In the Viṣṇu Purāṇa it is said, just like fire staying in one place distributes its heat and light... Eka-deśa-sthitasyāgner jyotsnā vistāriṇī yathā. Agni, agni means fire. Fire is... Just like the sun.

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 1 -- Los Angeles, May 2, 1970:

The godless men, those who are of opinions that this material energy is working automatically, they are fools. That is the explanation of Īśopaniṣad. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Everything is being controlled by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And therefore, because He is the supreme controller, therefore He is the supreme proprietor. We can see in our practical experience, the man who controls the whole establishment, he is proprietor, or the president. Similarly, if it is being controlled by some superior person, then He is God. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). Kṛṣṇa says, "Under My superintendence, this material energy is working, and all these animate and inanimate objects are being produced."

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 2-4 -- Los Angeles, May 6, 1970:

Again from the beginning. (devotees repeat) Again. (devotees repeat) This is very important verse. Evaṁ tvayi nānyathe..., nānyathā ato asti na karma lipyate nare. If you know it that everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa, in this way if you live for hundreds of years and do your duties, there will be no reaction. The very thing is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: yajñārthāt karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). Except working for Kṛṣṇa, any work will bind you, good or bad. If you do good work, you'll have to enjoy, so-called enjoyment. And if you do bad work, then you have to suffer. But if you work for Kṛṣṇa, there is no such reaction. Na karma lipyate nare All right. Then next verse.

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 2-4 -- Los Angeles, May 6, 1970:

"The Personality of Godhead, although fixed in His abode, is more swift than the mind and can overcome all others running. The powerful demigods cannot approach Him. Although in one place, He has control over those who supply the air, rain. He surpasses all in excellence." This is also confirmed in Brahma-saṁhitā: goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūtaḥ (Bs. 5.37). Kṛṣṇa, although He is always in Goloka Vṛndāvana, He has nothing to do. He is simply enjoying in the company of His associates, the gopīs and the cowherds boy, His mother, His father. Free, completely free. And those who are associates, they are still more free. Because when the associates are in danger, Kṛṣṇa has got some anxiety how to save them, but the associates, they have no anxiety. "Oh, there is Kṛṣṇa."

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 7 -- Los Angeles, May 10, 1970:

Kṛṣṇa is satisfied in every way. This is the meaning of vijānataḥ. One must be in the full knowledge. Then there will be no more lamentation and no more hankering. That is the stage of spiritual platform.

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
na śocati ne kāṅkṣati
samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu...
(BG 18.54)

Then you can see everyone on the same platform, that everyone is a spiritual spark. Na vijugupsate. Then you do not say, "Oh, he's lower; he's higher. He's intelligent; he is fool." That is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). Paṇḍitāḥ means learned. He's vijānataḥ, one who knows. So in the Vedic literature you won't find something different in Bhagavad-gītā and some things different in Īśopaniṣad or something is different in the Vedas. No. They are the same things explained in different languages in different scriptures. But one has to know the art, how to understand them.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Verse 32 -- New York, July 26, 1971:

Aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛtti-manti, paśyanti pānti kalayanti ciraṁ jaganti (Bs. 5.32). In another sense, this whole cosmic manifestation is also the body of God; therefore you cannot hide anything from God's vision. In the Brahma..., the same Brahma-saṁhitā, it is said that yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇām. Savitā. Savitā means the sun, the sun-god, or the sun planet, is the eye, one eye of God. And the other eye is the moon. So He can see all things, what is happening within this universe—in daytime with His eye called the sun, and at night with moon. And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is confirmed. Kṛṣṇa says, prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ. Prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ: "I am the sunshine and the moonshine." So people who deny existence of God, they say that "Can you show me God?" You are seeing God. Why you are denying? God says that "I am the sunshine. I am the moonshine." And who has not seen the sunshine and moonshine? Everyone has seen. As soon as there is morning, there is sunshine. So if sunshine is God, then you have seen God. Why do you deny? You cannot deny. Kṛṣṇa says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya: (BG 7.8) "I am the taste of the water." So who has not tasted water? We are drinking, daily, gallons of water. We are thirsty, and the good taste which quench our thirst, that is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Verse 33 -- New York, July 19, 1971:

The dog also is a teacher: how to become faithful to the master. That teaching we can have even from the dog. He is very satisfied. Whatever food you give, he'll not protest. Still, he'll remain faithful. There are so many good qualifications of a dog. So therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, vaiṣṇava ṭhākura tomāra kukkura bhuliyā jānaha more: "Kindly accept me as your dog. I shall serve you faithfully." Why? Kṛṣṇa se tomāra kṛṣṇa dite pāra: "Because Kṛṣṇa is yours, you can deliver Kṛṣṇa." Very nice song. "Kṛṣṇa is yours. By your devotional service, you have made Kṛṣṇa your property; so you can deliver Kṛṣṇa to me. Therefore I want to follow you as faithfully as a dog." Vedeṣu durlabham. This is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā: vedeṣu durlabha. If you study independently all the Vedas... Veda is the source of knowledge. So vedeṣu durlabha, it will be difficult. But if we approach Kṛṣṇa's devotee, then it will be very easy.

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Verse 33 -- Stockholm, September 6, 1973, Upsala University:

Just our material condition of life. This is our falldown. Therefore He's called advaitam acyutam anādim. And He has no beginning. He is the beginning of everything. The creation is from Him, but He has no creator. So advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). And He has got multi-forms. He can expand Himself. The one expansion is that īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). He has expanded Himself to live with you within your heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānām. Not only that; another place it is described, eko 'py asau racayituṁ jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi. One portion of the Lord... That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: ekāṁśena sthito jagat (BG 10.42). Jagat means this material world. That is being maintained by one of His plenary portions, which is called Paramātmā. Or Garbhodakaśayī Viṣṇu, or Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. So one portion of His plenary portion, He is within the material world. A material world means within the universe. Aṇḍāntara-stham. Aṇḍa, brahmāṇḍa means this universe. This is not only one universe, but there are many millions of universes.

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Lecture -- Bombay, January 3, 1973:

In the Vedānta-sūtra, Kṛṣṇa is described, janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) the Supreme Person from whom everything has emanated. So that Kṛṣṇa has confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). Devānām means in the beginning there was Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara. And Kṛṣṇa is ādi of these devas also. Aham ādir hi devānām. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo: "Everything has emanated from Me."

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Lecture -- Bombay, January 3, 1973:

So Kṛṣṇa is the ādi-puruṣa. In... Arjuna also confirms. After understanding Bhagavad-gītā, Arjuna also confirms:

paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma
pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān
puruṣaṁ śāśvatam ādyam
(BG 10.12)

Ādyam: the original person. Just like in our genealogical table, in each family, there is a person who is the origin of the family—then his son, his son, his grandsons, great-grandson. In this way, family expands. Similarly, this creation is from Kṛṣṇa. In the Catuh-ślokī Bhāgavata also, aham eva āsam agre: (SB 2.9.33/34/35/36) "I was present before the creation." Even Śaṅkarācārya, who is impersonalist, he also says, nārāyaṇaḥ paro avyaktād: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, He is beyond this material creation."

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Lecture -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

One portion of the Lord... That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, ekāṁśena sthito jagat (BG 10.42). Jagat means this material world. That is being maintained by one of His plenary portion, which is called Paramātmā or Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu or Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. So one portion of His plenary portion, He is within the material world. Material world means the universe. Aṇḍāntara-stham. Aṇḍa, brahmāṇḍa means this universe. This is not only one universe, but there are many millions of universes. So He is there. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). And aṇḍāntara-stham: He is within the universe. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). And He is within the atom also. Just imagine, expansion of God.

Festival Lectures

Sri Gaura-Purnima Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.38 -- Mayapur, March 16, 1976:

So here is a very specific statement about Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is avatāra. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the same Supreme Personality of Godhead, but He's channa. Channa means covered, not directly, because He has appeared as a devotee. Avatāra... Rūpa Gosvāmī has found out that He's avatāra of Kṛṣṇa. All the devotees, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, Rūpa Gosvāmī, and in the śāstra, and the Upaniṣad, Mahābhārata, in every... Sādhu-śāstra. Avatāra should be confirmed by great devotees, personalities, and must be collaborated with the statement in the śāstra.

Sri Gaura-Purnima Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.38 -- Mayapur, March 16, 1976:

So Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya is Kṛṣṇa. It is confirmed by the śāstras. Here it is said, channaḥ kalau yad abhava. In the Kali-yuga, directly He does not appear as the incarnation like Nṛsiṁhadeva or Vāmanadeva or Lord Rāmacandra, yes, but as devotee. So He's the same incarnation, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Abhavat. "Therefore sometimes You are called as tri-yuga." There are four yugas, but He is known... Because in three yugas He appears distinctly, and in the fourth yuga, the Kali-yuga, as devotee, therefore He's called tri-yuga.

Ratha-yatra Lecture at The Family Dog Auditorium -- San Francisco, July 27, 1969:

It is confirmed in the Vedas, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām: (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13) "He is the supreme eternal of all eternals." We are all eternal. Each living entity, they are all eternal. Death means the end of this body. We are dying at every moment as our bodies change. So this death means death of this body, not of the spirit soul. Spirit soul is eternal. God is eternal, and I am His son, you are His son. You are also eternal. But just like particle of gold is still gold, similarly, the part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, he is also God. It is said that we are partly God, and He is the Supreme God. That is stated in the Vedas, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām: "He is the supreme eternal amongst all the eternal, and He is the supreme living creature amongst all living creatures." Supreme, that is the difference.

Ratha-yatra and Press Conference -- San Francisco, July 4, 1970:

Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to utilize to the best possible means this human form of life. We are coming to this human form of life in the evolutionary process from aquatics to reptiles, to plants and trees, then birds and beasts, then human form of life. Out of that human form of life, there are many uncivilized form of life, just above the monkeys. But those who are civilized... Civilized means those who are following the instruction of the Vedas, varṇāśrama-dharma. The human society (is) divided into four varṇas and four āśramas. The four varṇas are social division, namely the student life, the householder life, the retired life, and renounced life. These four divisions of social life and four divisions of spiritual life—brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha..., brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—in this way there are eight divisions. These eight divisions of human society are very scientifically adopted. It is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). This civilized division of human society is so perfect that one can gradually, from the aquatic life, can go back to home, back to Godhead.

Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day -- Bhagavad-gita 7.5 Lecture -- Vrndavana, August 11, 1974:

We have got experience. However gorgeous a machine may be, unless there is touch of the spirit soul, the machine cannot work. Similarly, the big machine, cosmic manifestation, everything is going on very nicely, but it is being worked out by the plan of Kṛṣṇa. That is stated by Kṛṣṇa Himself, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10), and similarly it is confirmed by Brahmā, sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni bibharti durgā (Bs. 5.44), yasya hi... Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni bibharti durgā, icchānurūpam api yasya ca ceṣṭate sā. Sā durgā yasya icchānurūpam api ceṣṭate. Now, not independent.

Radhastami, Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day -- Montreal, August 30, 1968:

It is not my original body. This body is changing. I may have this body this time, I may have another body, another species of life; therefore it is not śāśvatam. But the Lord's body is śāśvatam. As it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, śāśvataṁ puruṣam, and He is enjoyer. So the same word is used here. Śāntaṁ śāśvatam aprameyam. Aprameyam means that cannot be measured. The Māyāvādīs, they cannot conceive how immeasurable, unlimited. Therefore as soon as they take it that God is unlimited, immeasurable, they take it for impersonal. They cannot conceive that God can assume any extensive form without any difficulty. Just like He appeared as Hiraṇya..., I mean to say, Varāhadeva.

Radhastami, Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day -- Montreal, August 30, 1968:

Actually we are experiencing, if we speak something impersonal, they think it is very learned speech, and when we speak of something personal they think it is old, old style. This is nonsense. Practically, the Personality of God is the ultimate knowledge, but men with poor fund of knowledge, a little stock of knowledge, they cannot understand. If He is impersonal, how Brahmā and Śambhu are engaged in His service? He is person. Brahmā-śambhu-phanīndras tebhyo 'nīśam vedānta-vedyam. Vedānta-vedyam. These Māyāvādīs, they have Śaṅkarācārya, they have their Śārīraka-bhāṣya. They have tried to prove the Supreme Lord as imperson. This is not actually fact. Vedānta-vedyam. It is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam, vedānta-kṛt veda-vid eva cāham (BG 15.15). Kṛṣṇa says that all the Vedas, including Vedānta... If somebody says the Vedānta is describing impersonal Brahman, but Kṛṣṇa says that "How it can do?" Vedānta-vid, "I am the actual knower of Vedānta, I am actual composer of Vedānta. So I am the Supreme." So these Māyāvādī philosophers, they cannot understand.

Radhastami, Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day -- London, August 29, 1971:

Today is birth, appearance day of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, Rādhāṣṭamī. Fifteen days after Kṛṣṇa's birth, Rādhārāṇī appeared. (pause) Rādhārāṇī is Kṛṣṇa's pleasure potency. Rādhā-kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī-śaktiḥ. The Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has got varieties of energies, as it is confirmed in the Vedic literature. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śruyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). Na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate. The Supreme Lord has nothing to do personally. Na tasya kāryam. He has nothing to do. Just like here in this material world we find some very big man, political head or business head; personally, he has nothing to do. Because he has got so many assistants, secretaries, that personally he hasn't got to do anything.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1973:

Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura passed away from this material world on 31st December, 1936. So almost forty years past. So there are two phases, prakaṭa and aprakaṭa, appearance and disappearance. So we have nothing to lament on account of disappearance because Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's devotee... Not only devotees, even the nondevotees, nobody disappears. Nobody disappears because every living entity... As Kṛṣṇa is eternal... It is confirmed in the Vedic literature, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). The description of the Supreme Lord is that He is also nitya, eternal, and the living entities are also eternal. But He is the chief eternal. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām. So qualitatively, there is no difference between Kṛṣṇa and the living entities. And quantitatively, there is difference. What is the difference between nitya, the singular number nitya, and the plural number nitya? The plural number nitya is subordinate, eternal servants of the singular number nitya. Just like if you want to serve somebody, so the master is also exactly like you. He has got two hands, two legs, or the same sentiments. He also eats. Everything is same there. But the difference is the master and the servant. That's all. Otherwise, equal in every respect.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, SB 6.3.24 -- Gorakhpur, February 15, 1971:

Kṛṣṇa is sitting within the heart of everyone. So Māyāvādī philosopher wants to kill God, or Kṛṣṇa. Or nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi, they want to make Kṛṣṇa as zero or Kṛṣṇa as nirākāra. So Kṛṣṇa also gives them intelligence, "Yes, you just put forward this logic, that logic, that logic, and you prove." That is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ: "I am sitting in everyone's heart." Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). Mattaḥ, "Through Me, from Me, all remembrance or memorization takes place."

Sri Sri Kaliya Krsna Deity Installation -- Lautoka, Fiji, May 2, 1976:

Even if we do not want, there is fire, miseries. Because this place, this material world, is place for suffering. It is confirmed by Kṛṣṇa Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā, duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). This place is for suffering. But under the spell of māyā, sufferings, we have taken as happiness or enjoying. This is called māyā. Actually there is no enjoyment here. Where is enjoyment? When we have to die, then where is the question of enjoyment? Does anyone want to die? No. Nobody wants to die. If there is some danger immediately, immediately we shall flee away. That is Nobody wants to die. Therefore, in the Bhagavad-gītā the four principles of unhappiness is described by the Supreme Lord, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). Those who are intelligent, they will see four principles of major suffering. What is that? Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi, to take birth, to die, and to suffer from disease, and to become old. So, so long you have got this material body, you have to suffer. Now, under the spell of māyā you can accept suffering as enjoyment, That is your business, But it is suffering.

Six Gosvamis Lecture, Sri Sri Sad-govamy-astaka -- Los Angeles, November 18, 1968:

Whatever we see, whatever we experience, that is expansion of Vāsudeva's energy. So one who understands... In the Ninth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā also it is said, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam: (BG 9.4) "Everything, whatever you see, I am there. It is My expansion." mayā tatam idam. Tatam means expanded. "I have been expanded everywhere." Just like this watch, this is also Kṛṣṇa. This is also Kṛṣṇa. The Māyāvāda philosophy, they misunderstand that if Kṛṣṇa has expanded to become this watch, to become this pot, to become this light, to become this room, to become this cloth, then Kṛṣṇa is finished. No more Kṛṣṇa. That is impersonalism. But that is not the fact. Kṛṣṇa exists. That is also confirmed by the Vedas. Pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate (Iso Invocation). The Absolute Truth is so perfect that if perfectly taken from the perfect, everything is taken, still He's there. Just like this is a watch. If you take its hands, if you take its glass, if you take its machine, then what remains there? Nothing. It becomes zero. But Kṛṣṇa is so full and complete, if you take millions of Kṛṣṇa from Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa is still there. That is Kṛṣṇa's omnipotency. God is omnipotent. They do not understand what is this omnipotency.

Six Gosvamis Lecture, Sri Sri Sad-govamy-astaka -- Los Angeles, November 18, 1968:

Unflinching faith in God and spiritual master. Then things will be revealed from within. How much strength we have got to study all these books? But Vedas says, yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau. If one has got unflinching faith in God and similar faith in the spiritual master, tasyaite kathitā hy arthaḥ prakāśante mahātmanaḥ, to him only the Vedic knowledge becomes revealed. And this is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā. Lord Kṛṣṇa says, teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajataṁ prīti-pūrvakam: (BG 10.10) "Those who are engaged in My service with love and affection, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam, I personally give him intelligence, yena mām upayanti te, by which he can come to Me."

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Lecture -- Paris, July 20, 1972:

So our material platform we distinguish, "I am Indian, you are Frenchman, he's Englishman, he's American, he's cat, he's dog." This is the vision of the material platform. In the spiritual platform we can see that every living entity is part and parcel of God, as it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: mām evāṁśa jīva-bhūta. Every living entity. It doesn't matter what he is. There are 8,400,000 species of forms, but all of them, they're covered only by different dresses. Just like you Frenchmen, you may be differently dressed, and Englishman may be differently dressed. But dress is not very important. The man within the dress, he's important. Similarly, this body is not very important thing. Antavanta ime dehā nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ (BG 2.18), this body is perishable. But the soul within the body, he's not perishable. Therefore this human form of life is meant for cultivating the knowledge of the nonperishable.

Arrival Address -- Los Angeles, July 8, 1974:

So I am very glad to see that you are maintaining the temple standard as good as I saw when I left. That is my satisfaction. And keep this, I mean to say, situation, atmosphere, always, and follow the regulative principles, chant sixteen rounds. You'll remain always happy, because although we are in Los Angeles, we have nothing to do with the material atmosphere of Los Angeles. Therefore a devotee who lives with Kṛṣṇa or in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he does not live in the material world. He always live in the spiritual world. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā. Māṁ cāvyabhicāriṇi-bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate: "Anyone who is engaged in bhakti-yoga with Kṛṣṇa," sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26), "such person is always above these material modes of nature." Our difficulty or miserable condition of life is due to being under the material laws of nature.

Arrival Talk -- Aligarh, October 9, 1976:

Paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam. This is His blessing: simply by saṅkīrtana in this age. It is confirmed in the Vedic literature, in Vedānta-sūtra. Śabdād anāvṛtti. Anāvṛtti, liberation. Our present position is bondage. We are bound up by the laws of nature. We may foolishly declare independence—that is our foolishness—but actually we are bound up by the laws of nature.

Arrival Talk -- Aligarh, October 9, 1976:

Indian man: You like to obey them or sometimes you don't want to obey them?

Prabhupāda: Similarly, you take the whole world as a big family. So there must be somebody, father and controller. Otherwise, how it is being conducted? That is God, the Supreme Controller. Just like in your family the father is the controller, similarly, you take it in wide scale, broader scale, there must be somebody father. Therefore the Christians, they take it, "O Father, give us our daily bread." And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is also confirmed, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā.

Initiation Lectures

Brahmana Initiation Lecture with Professor O'Connell -- Boston, May 6, 1968, (Glenville Ave. Temple):

Just like in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in the First Canto, first verse, it is said, tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye. The original authority of Vedic literature, Lord Brahma. He was instructed about Vedic knowledge by Lord Kṛṣṇa. And he imparted Vedic knowledge to the world. So he was the first creature, living creature, after creation. So there was nobody to give him initiation because he is the only living creature at that time. So the Lord Himself initiated. How He initiated? Hṛdā, through the heart. Because He is situated in everyone's heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). He is, the Lord is seated in everyone's heart. So he initiated. Tene brahma hṛdā. Hṛdā means "through the heart." And that is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, that buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam, "I give instruction, buddhi-yogam, the yoga principle of intelligence or bhakti-yoga." Whom? Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10). One who is engaged with love and affection in devotional service, to him He gives instruction.

Brahmana Initiation Lecture with Professor O'Connell -- Boston, May 6, 1968, (Glenville Ave. Temple):

So Sanātana Gosvāmī says, because he has enunciated this rule for the so-called rigid brāhmaṇas, they say, "Without taking birth in a brāhmaṇa family there is no possibility of one's becoming a brāhmaṇa." But Bhagavad-gītā does not say like that. Bhagavad-gītā says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). "These four principles of caste—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—I have created that division." Now it is creation of God. Nobody can nullify it.

So that division is everywhere. Not only in the India or Hindu society or... No. Everywhere. Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ, by classification of quality and work. Here also the same thing is there. And Śrīmad-Bhāgavata also confirms this by Nārada Muni, when he describes about these four principles of social division, he says, yasya hi yal lakṣaṇaṁ syād varṇābhivyañjakam. Now there is classification who is a brāhmaṇa, who is a kṣatriya, who is a vaiśya, the qualities. Because according to quality, the divisions shall be there. Now in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find the brāhmaṇa's quality, the vaiśya's quality, the śūdra's quality. So Bhāgavata also confirms that yasya hi yal lakṣaṇaṁ syāt. The symptoms of a person qualifying himself to become a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or vaiśya or śūdra, that is the main principle. If that symptom is found elsewhere, he should be accepted in that classification. Suppose a man is born in a śūdra family or less than a śūdra family, but if his qualities are just like brāhmaṇa, then he should be accepted as brāhmaṇa.

Brahmana Initiation Lecture with Professor O'Connell -- Boston, May 6, 1968, (Glenville Ave. Temple):

The Absolute Truth is realized in three phases. First impersonal Brahman realization, the localized Paramātmā realization, and then the last word is to realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And that is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Brahmana Initiation Lecture with Professor O'Connell -- Boston, May 6, 1968, (Glenville Ave. Temple):

One who has accepted that Vāsudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa is Vāsudeva. So mahātmā, he is the greatest soul. And Bhāgavata confirms,

vāsudeve bhagavati
bhakti-yogaḥ-prayojitaḥ
janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ
jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam
(SB 1.2.7)

If one is engaged in the transcendental loving service to Vāsudeva, then automatically the stage of Brahman realization automatically becomes revealed. So this ceremony is just according to the strict principles of Vaiṣṇava smṛti. And today... And Sanātana Gosvāmī confirms this, that yathā kāñcanatāṁ yāti kāṁsyaṁ rasa-vidhānataḥ. By chemical process, one can turn the bell metal into gold. That is alchemistry, that bell metal, if it is treated with mercury properly, then it can become gold. Formerly people knew it.

Initiation of Jayapataka Dasa -- Montreal, July 24, 1968:

Anywhere, any part of the world, they can accept this Bhāgavata-dharma. On that principle in Caitanya Mahāprabhu's life also He accepted many Muhammadans also as His disciples. Just like Ṭhākura Haridāsa, he was born in a Muhammadan family, and He took many Pathans as His disciples when He was coming back from Vṛndāvana. So in this system, disciplic system of Vedic process, there is no restriction. Anyone can come. And this is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā also. Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa says that māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ. Never mind. Even one is born in a family which is considered to be sinful. Striya śūdrās tathā vaiśya. Even woman, the śūdra, and the mercantile class of men, anyone. Mām... Ye 'nye ca pāpā.

Lecture at Initiation Fire Sacrifice -- Los Angeles, July 16, 1969:

These are Vedic versions, that "The Supreme has nothing to do." Just like here if we enjoy in the hotel some dancing, and next morning I'll have to go into the garbage for bringing money for that dancing. I'll work, go underground to dig out garbage. It is not like that, that Kṛṣṇa has to go next morning to garbage. (laughter) You see? It is not that I'll have to acquire money by flattering somebody or working some in hell. No. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitā... That is the expansion of His pleasure potency. Kṛṣṇa is Paraṁ Brahman. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). When Arjuna understood Kṛṣṇa, he says, confirms, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, You are Paraṁ Brahman, You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead." This is understanding of Gītā. And after reading I understand that I am God. What is this nonsense? Where do you get this idea? Where it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā? Simply bluffing, all these rascals, scholars, and so-called commentators. They're all rascals. They do not know what is Bhagavad-gītā. Here is Bhagavad-gītā, understanding Kṛṣṇa, accepting, Arjuna, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān śāśvataṁ puruṣam (BG 10.12). The Supreme is puruṣam. He is not female.

Initiation Lecture -- Hamburg, August 27, 1969:

If you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra without any offense, then immediately the stage will be that you are freed from all material anxieties. That is the test. How I am advancing in chanting will be tested how far you are free from material anxieties. That's all. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-māha-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam (CC Antya 20.12). Then real life begins. So long you are perturbed by material disturbances, you should know that your spiritual life has not begun. This is confirmed in everywhere. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). Prasannātmā. Bhagavad-gītā says, "When one is Brahman realized..." Brahman realized means one who understands that "I am not this body. I am pure spirit soul, eternal servitor of Kṛṣṇa." Simply understanding that "I am not this body. I am spirit soul," is not enough. That is not sufficient knowledge. Of course, that is good.

Gayatri Mantra Initiation -- Boston, May 9, 1968:

Of course, one who has purified himself by Hare Kṛṣṇa, this mantra is not very important. But, according to the tradition of Vaiṣṇava smṛti, it is offered better, better, to make the position still confirmed and better. But even this mantra is not given, simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, everything is done. This is extraordinary so that... In the other, other feature of this sacred ceremony, is that one may not commit offense at the feet of a Vaiṣṇava by thinking him, "Oh, he's a mleccha, he's a yavana, or he's lower class, he's higher class," like that. Therefore this is offered. No, he's brāhmaṇa. He's brāhmaṇa. Otherwise, still in India, a person born in a brāhmaṇa family, the most wretched condition and most abominable habits, and he claims to be a brāhmaṇa. And a person who is highly elevated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he's not accepted.

Initiations and Lecture Sannyasa Initiation of Sudama dasa -- Tokyo, April 30, 1972:

Death cannot touch means we are making our way to become immune from death. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Those who are talking nonsense, they will have to accept some sort of body, either human body or animal body or tree body or demigod's body. He has to take any body. But those who are talking of Kṛṣṇa always, to understand Kṛṣṇa and to make others to understand Kṛṣṇa, they are not going to do that. For them, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. Who will preach unless one knows Kṛṣṇa, why He appears, janma, why He disappears, janma karma, why He works in the warfield of battle, battlefield of Kurukṣetra, karma? Or so many karmas, Kṛṣṇa, when He was present. So unless one understands why Kṛṣṇa comes and work like that, why He comes... Janma karma me divyam (BG 4.9). But they are all transcendental. Yo jānāti tattvataḥ. Anyone who knows perfectly well, he can preach. Otherwise what he will talk? We'll have to talk about Kṛṣṇa.

Sannyasa Initiation -- Mayapur, March 16, 1976:

Just like in America they produce huge amount of grains. Sometimes they throw it in the sea on account of overproduction. Why overproduction should be given on the sea? It should be utilized. There are so many people starving. But this political situation is there that everyone is thinking "This is my country. This is my home. This is my land." This is called māyā. Ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). Janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti. Everyone is under this impression, "I am this body, and anything belonging to this body, that is mine." or "my nation." This conception should be given up. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Everything belongs to the Supreme Lord. In the Bhagavad-gītā also, the same thing is confirmed.

Sannyasa Initiation -- Mayapur, March 16, 1976:

Just like in America they produce huge amount of grains. Sometimes they throw it in the sea on account of overproduction. Why overproduction should be given on the sea? It should be utilized. There are so many people starving. But this political situation is there that everyone is thinking "This is my country. This is my home. This is my land." This is called māyā. Ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). Janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti. Everyone is under this impression, "I am this body, and anything belonging to this body, that is mine." or "my nation." This conception should be given up. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Everything belongs to the Supreme Lord. In the Bhagavad-gītā also, the same thing is confirmed.

General Lectures

Speech to Indian Audience -- Montreal, July 28, 1968:

Lord Śaṅkarācārya, he preached this philosophy, that... Just try to understand, but don't try to misunderstand. Unfortunately, this understanding that ahaṁ brahmāsmi, people are misunderstanding that "I am God." He is not... Nobody can be God. God is supreme. God is great. We are very small. If I am God, if I am great, then how I have come to this position? How I have fallen from my brahma-bhūtaḥ stage? That is not actually understanding. Brahma-bhūtaḥ, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, means "I am part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman." This is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā and every Vedic literature, that the living entities are just like sparks of the fire, just like there is big fire and there are sparks also, small particle of fire. That small particle of fire is also fire, but it is not as big as the big fire. Similarly, in quality we are as good as Brahman, but in quantity we are minute, infinitesimal, and He is infinite. That is the difference.

Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Seattle, September 25, 1968:

Girl: " 'And therefore you know everything and you are free from all the miseries of material existence.' The Lord further replied that because Sanātana was in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, naturally, by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, he was already conversant with everything. 'But because you are humble, a humble devotee, you are asking Me to confirm what is already realized by you.' "

Prabhupāda: This is another point. Even one thinks that he knows everything, still, he, before the spiritual master, he should be blank slate, that "I do not know anything." That is the qualification of the disciple. He should approach the spiritual master as if he does not know anything.

Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Seattle, September 25, 1968:

This Brahman understanding, or to stand on the Brahman platform, is purity. How one can attain that platform of purity? Kṛṣṇa says that "One who is engaged in devotional service to Me without any deviation," that means twenty-four hours in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, "he is pure." He is pure. If you can keep yourself always, constantly in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, then you are pure. Otherwise... Kṛṣṇa consciousness or God consciousness, it doesn't make any difference. So just like if you keep always in touch with fire you are warm—there is no possibility of being cold—similarly, some way or other if you always keep yourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness or God consciousness, then you are pure. Therefore we advise our students, "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." As soon as you chant this sound, Kṛṣṇa, immediately you are in touch with Kṛṣṇa. Therefore you are, you keep yourself pure. Is that clear? Yes. So try to keep yourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness without any deviation. Then you remain pure. That is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī... (BG 7.14).

Lecture -- Seattle, October 7, 1968:

The Bhagavata confirms it, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). The Absolute Truth is one. Just like the sun, the sunshine, and the deity within the sun, that is one unit. But some portion is called sunshine, some portion is called sun planet, some portion is called the deity. Similarly, the Supreme Brahman is one. His person, His localized position, and His influence and energy, they are one. This is the śuddhādvaitavāda, pure monism. The Śaṅkarācārya's philosophy is monism, one, and Śrī Rāmānujācārya explains, "Yes, one—unity in diversity." So this is unity. The sun deity, the sun planet and the sunshine is one unit, but still, there is diversity. The division of the sunshine is different from the sun planet, the sun planet is different from the predominating deity in the sun planet. If you try to understand this way, then you will understand what is Paramātmā, the Supersoul; the individual soul; the impersonal Brahman; the personal Brahman—everything.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 18, 1968:

Just like... It is common sense affair. If the lawyers accept some book, then it is to be understood that this is lawbook. You cannot say that "How can I accept this is law?" The evidence is the lawyers are accepting. Medical... If the medical practitioners accept, then that is authoritative medical. Similarly, if saintly persons are accepting Bhagavad-gītā as scripture, you cannot deny it. Sādhu śāstra: saintly persons and scriptures, two things, and with spiritual master, three, three parallel lines, who accept the sādhu and the scripture. Sādhu confirms the scriptures and spiritual master accept the scripture. Simple process. So they are not in disagreement. What is spoken in the scripture is accepted by saintly person, and what is spoken in the scripture, the spiritual master explains only that thing. That's all. So via media is the scripture. Just like lawyer and the litigants-via media is the lawbook. Similarly, the spiritual master, the scripture... Saintly person means who confirms the Vedic injunction, who accepts. And scripture means what is accepted by the saintly person. And spiritual master means who follows the scriptures. So things equal to the same thing are equal to one another. This is axiomatic truth. If you have got one hundred dollars, and another man has got hundred dollar, and if I have got hundred dollar, then we are all equal. Similarly, sādhu śāstra guru vākya, when these three parallel lines in agreement, then life is success.

Lecture -- Los Angeles, November 13, 1968:

When he has come to the senses, that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa," then he surrenders. This process, the chanting process, will purify our heart, our burning heart, and one will come to the understanding that "I am eternal servitor of the Supreme, Kṛṣṇa." Then, as soon as he comes to this understanding, as it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19), "After many, many births when one person becomes actually wise, a man of wisdom, jñānavān'—jñānavān means wise man—then what does he do? "He surrenders unto Me," Kṛṣṇa says. Why? Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). "Because Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is everything."

Recorded Speech to Members of ISKCON London -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1968:

We are, however, misled by persons and leaders who have very little connection with God, or Kṛṣṇa. Some of them are denying the existence of God, some of them are falsely trying to place themselves in place of God, some of them are in favor of the impersonal feature of God, and, at last, some of them, without being able to reach any right conclusion, are accepting the ultimate goal of life as void, or zero, in utter hopelessness and frustration. But Kṛṣṇa consciousness is solid ground for understanding Kṛṣṇa, or God, directly by the simple method of chanting the holy name of God, or Kṛṣṇa. Misled by blind leaders, the followers who themselves are blind have failed to achieve the desired success, but here is a method called by the name Kṛṣṇa consciousness which is directly offered by Kṛṣṇa, and the instructions are plainly described in the Bhagavad-gītā, given to us five thousand years ago, and again confirmed by Him in the form of Lord Caitanya five hundred years ago. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is a great art of life, very easy and sublime. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement gives you everything you want, without any artificial endeavor. It is transcendentally colorful and full of transcendental pleasure.

Lecture -- New York, April 16, 1969:

Now here Śukadeva Gosvāmī says that "You wanted to hear about Kṛṣṇa. That is your superexcellent proposal." Varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ kṛto loka-hitaṁ nṛpa (SB 2.1.1). "And because you have inquired and I'll have to say something about Kṛṣṇa, so it is the most beautiful and superexcellent welfare activities for the all people of the world." Loka-hitam. And ātmavit-sammataḥ. And this sort of question and answer is confirmed by persons who are self-realized, ātmavit. Ātmavit. Ātmā means soul, or self, and vit means one who knows. So "Your, this proposal, this inquiry, is approved by persons who are self-realized." Ātmavit-sammataḥ puṁsāṁ śrotavyādiṣu yaḥ paraḥ. Paraḥ means transcendental. There are many things, many subject matter for hearing, but this subject matter, Kṛṣṇa, is transcendental.

Lecture -- New York, April 16, 1969:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām. Gṛha-vratānām, those who have fixed up their aim of life simply to enjoy these four things, eating, sleeping, mating and defending, they cannot be attracted by this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And Śukadeva Gosvāmī also confirms here that apaśyatām ātma-tattvam: (SB 2.1.2) because they do not know what is the goal of his soul. That they do not know. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvam. And because they have not engaged themselves in the spiritual culture or cultivation of self-realization or advancement of the self, their business is simply on these four principles of life, eating, sleeping, mating, and defending.

Lecture with Allen Ginsberg at Ohio State University -- Columbus, May 12, 1969:

Just become meek and humble. Namanta eva san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. And try to receive the message from authorized sources. Then sthane sthitaḥ śruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhiḥ: in whatever condition you are, you don't require to change. You simply hear. Then a day will come when you will be able to conquer the Supreme Lord, who is unconquerable. God is great, nobody can conquer, but if you simply follow this process, then—in whatever condition you are, simply try to hear about God from authorized sources—then one day you will be able to conquer God within your hand. This is also confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā:

advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam
ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca
vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau...
(Bs. 5.33)

You cannot find out, simply you find out searching in the Vedas or scripture where is God. You have to conquer Him by your love. He will reveal to yourself.

Lecture -- London, September 16, 1969:

The hint is given there that in the sky of freedom, in the spiritual sky, there is no need of sunshine. That is the distinction. Try to understand. This is also confirmed in the Upaniṣads. In the spiritual sky there is no need of sunshine, there is no need of moonshine, there is no need of electricity, because everything is shining there, all Brahman effulgence. And as we have got one huge planet here, the sun planet, which is efful..., effulgent, dazzling, bright, in the spiritual sky all the planets are like that. So therefore, there is no question of darkness. Darkness is here. So you try to understand that there is a spiritual sky. That is not like this sky where we experience darkness.

Lecture -- London, September 16, 1969:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for purifying the existence of the living entity and engage him constantly in the service of the Lord, and thus he achieves all success of life. That is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā,

māṁ ca 'vyabhicāreṇa
bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate
sa guṇān samatītyaitān
brahma-bhūyāya kalpate
(BG 14.26)

"Anyone who is engaged in unalloyed devotional service of Me, he is already transcendental to all the three modes of material nature." Sa guṇan samatītya etān. All these. There are three modes of material nature, sattva-raja-tamaḥ. So a devotee surpasses very easily. Bhavāmbudhir vatsa-padaṁ paraṁ padam. Bhavāmbudhiḥ, the great ocean of nescience, becomes just like the water pit made by the hoof of a calf. You see. Bhavāmbudhir vatsa-padaṁ paraṁ padaṁ padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām (SB 10.14.58). For the devotee, this place is not for them. This... Which place? This material world. What is that material world? Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām. In every step there is danger. Every step. But they are meant for the paraṁ padam. Paraṁ padam, the supreme post, or the supreme abode. That is also confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, kalau doṣa-nidhe rājann asti eko mahān guṇaḥ. In this age of Kali it is a great ocean of faults. But still, there is one sublime gain.

Lecture 'Nobody Wants to Die' -- Boston, May 7, 1968:

So actually everyone is trying to live. Nobody wants to die. Why this psychological desire is there? I want to live. That, that means that he is eternal. Therefore he wants to live. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā. Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit. That soul existing within this body, or "I," I am eternal. So we... I am struggling now with this body. This body's temporary. I am changing different bodies. Just like in my this present life also I have changed so many bodies. So there is no difficulty to understand this philosophy that "I am changing bodies every moment. But I am the same, eternal. Similarly, after changing this body, I shall have another body."

Lecture 'Nobody Wants to Die' -- Boston, May 7, 1968:

So Bhagavad-gītā also confirms this. So we have to prepare our mind in such a way that we should always think of Kṛṣṇa. Then that is meditation, real meditation. And practical. There is no use thinking of something void. That you cannot concentrate. That is not practical. You can simply struggle for it and waste your time. But if you have got something tangible to meditate, that is very easy. So why not Kṛṣṇa? So nice, beautiful, and He's accepted the Supreme Personality of Godhead by great sages, saintly persons, scholars and Vedic literature. And they have achieved success. Why not follow their example and simply concentrate your mind, meditate on mind? And that meditation is very nicely done by chanting.

Lecture 'Nobody Wants to Die' -- Boston, May 7, 1968:

Anyat means anyone. So this is the one of the symptoms of God, that nobody is greater than Him. So you have to prove that nobody's greater than you. If you simply think falsely that "Nobody's greater than me. Nobody's...I am moving this sun. I am moving this moon. I am...," so you have to prove it. Otherwise, it is nonsense. But if you remain in your actual position, that "I am not God, but I am part and parcel of God, and God is nondifferent..." Just like the part and parcel of your body, this finger, and the whole body... If you make analytical study: "Oh, there is blood, there is vein, there is muscle, there is skin, there is bone, everything complete," as much as there is blood, vein, muscle, bones, everything in the whole body, so, as part and parcel, the, all the qualities, or all the ingredients of God are there. But he is a small quantity; therefore part and parcel. But even it is small quantity, if you actually come to the platform of God, then you'll become almost equal like God. But you cannot be God. That is not possible. Then there is no meaning of God, because God is great. And in the Vedic literature it is confirmed that na tasya kāryaṁ ca vidyate na tasya sama adhikaś ca dṛśyate: "Nobody's greater than Him, nobody's equal to Him. He, He has nothing to do. Everything is being performed by His multi-energies."

Lecture 'Nobody Wants to Die' -- Boston, May 7, 1968:

Anyathā means other process. Anyathā. Because we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, it does not mean that we are condemning other process. No. The other process is there in the scriptures and authoritative scriptures. But other process is not possible to be practiced in this age. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, kalau, "In this age," nāsty eva nāsty eva, "it is..., there is no possibility to practice other process." Nāsty eva nāsty eva, three times. Just like if I say three times, "It is not possible, not possible, not possible," that means to confirm it, three times. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva: "It is not possible, not possible, not possible." Gatir anyathā: "There is no other alternative." If you are at all seriously, I mean to say, interested for spiritual salvation, then this is the process. This is the process.

Lecture -- Bombay, November 2, 1970:

Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi... Kṛṣṇa confirms this in Bhagavad-gītā, sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo: (BG 15.15) "I am entered in everyone's body." Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca: "Through Me, one remembers and one forgets." Because our capacity is very limited. We forget very soon. Even we do not know two hours before, what we were doing. That is our nature. Therefore Kṛṣṇa helps us from within. Even though we forget, Kṛṣṇa does not forget. That is also there in the Bhagavad-gītā. When Arjuna asked Him, "Kṛṣṇa, You say that You gave instruction on Bhagavad-gītā long, long ago, some forty thousands of millions of years ago to sun-god. How can I believe it, because we are contemporary?" so Kṛṣṇa answered, "Yes, at that time, you were also present, but you have forgotten. I have not forgotten."

Lecture at Krsna Niketan -- Gorakhpur, February 16, 1971:

One who knows in truth how Kṛṣṇa is appearing, how Kṛṣṇa is disappearing, he is learned. He is learned in the spiritual science, and for him, as soon as he becomes learned, well-versed in the spiritual science, Kṛṣṇa science, he immediately becomes liberated. Caitanya Mahāprabhu confirms, yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei guru haya (CC Madhya 8.128). Because one who has understood Kṛṣṇa in truth, he is liberated person. Therefore he is guru. Guru cannot be a conditioned soul. Guru must be liberated. Because without complete knowledge of Kṛṣṇa, without being free from the contamination of the three modes of material nature... One cannot understand Kṛṣṇa on account of his being engrossed with these three material modes of nature. And Kṛṣṇa says, "One who understand Me rightly, he becomes immediately free."

Lecture -- Gorakhpur, February 17, 1971:

So Śrīdhara Swami also says mahatām api kauravya viddhy aikāntika-niṣkṛtam ity adina. Mahatām. Śrīdhara Swami says those who are thinking that "I am liberated, I am very exalted," that imagination is also not perfect. Unless one takes to this process of loving platform, there is no possibility of being liberated. And Bhagavad-gītā also confirms this. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān (BG 7.19). Jñānavān, those who are speculating on knowledge, they are called jñānavān, jñānī. But that jñāna, that speculative knowledge is not sufficient to give you liberation unless he takes to devotional service.

Pandal Lecture at Cross Maidan -- Bombay, March 26, 1971:

Just like a fire and the sparks of the fire. They are of the same quality. If the sparks of the fire falls on your cloth, it will immediately burn. But the sparks of the fire and the whole fire is different in quantity. But in quality the sparks of the fire is as good as the fire. There are many examples. You can understand what is our relationship with Kṛṣṇa or God. We are small. We are atomic small, and Kṛṣṇa is unlimitedly great. That is the difference. Otherwise, so far quality is concerned, Kṛṣṇa and ourself, the same. As the part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, if we live always with Kṛṣṇa, then we are in spiritual life. If we always live in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then in spite of our living in this material world we are called jīvan mukta, "liberated in this material condition." Jīvan mukta. He has got to die and take liberation. Even in this life he is liberated. That is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā:

māṁ ca 'vyabhicāriṇi-
bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate
sa guṇān samatītyaitān
brahma-bhūyāya kalpate
(BG 14.26)

He is already Brahman realized. Kṛṣṇa says, "Anyone who is engaged in My devotional service, avyabhicāriṇi, without any deviation, twenty-four hours..." We are teaching these boys and girls... This function is meant for engaging them there twenty-four hours in Kṛṣṇa's business. They are going to outside for securing advertisement. It may seem equal that another man has got to secure advertisement and they have also got securing advertisement, but there is gulf of difference. They have gone for Kṛṣṇa, and others, they have gone for sense gratification. That is the difference.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, March 31, 1971:

Very simple language: "The only master, only īśvara, parameśvara, is Kṛṣṇa." That is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā also:

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
(Bs. 5.1)

In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also it is confirmed, ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Even Śaṅkarācārya, whom we call impersonalist, he has accepted in his comment on Bhagavad-gītā that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead appearing as the son of Devakī and Vasudeva." Similarly, all other ācāryas-Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, Nimbārka, and lately, Caitanya Mahāprabhu... Of course, Caitanya Mahāprabhu is both ācārya and Kṛṣṇa Himself.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, March 31, 1971:

Although Kṛṣṇa has explained in the Bhagavad-gītā jñāna, yoga, karma, and other things, dhyāna, but He specifically recommends that simply by devotional service you can understand Him. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also, the same thing is confirmed:

evaṁ prasanna-manaso
bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ
bhagavat-tattva-vijñānam...
(SB 1.2.20)

Bhagavat-tattva-vijñānam. It is a science. It is not a mental speculation or whimsical theorizing, that "God may be like this, God may be like that," and different philosophers will differ from one another. It is not like that. It is a great science. As two plus two equal to four, nobody can make it "Two plus two equal to five" or "Two plus two equal to three." Anywhere, science is science, fact. Similarly, Bhagavad-gītā you cannot interpret differently. Just like "Two plus two equal to five"—that cannot be. You have to accept "Two plus two equal to four."

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 7, 1971:

We can surrender there, or we can do our own business." Therefore Kṛṣṇa again comes as devotee, Lord Caitanya. Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇam. This time, just to hide Himself He is come in very fair complexion, goldenlike, tviṣākṛṣṇam. Kṛṣṇa, naturally He is blackish, but this incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, He came not as blackish but akṛṣṇa, without being blackish. Pitā. That is also confirmed in the śāstra. So this body, this incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, who is always chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, but His bodily hue is not blackish, kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇam (SB 11.5.32), and He is always followed by His associates, sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam, such Personality of Godhead should be worshiped by yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtanaiḥ. This yajña should be performed.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 10, 1971:

We have already understood that the whole manifestation is nothing but, I mean to say, demonstration of the different types of energies of the Supreme Lord. That is confirmed in the Vedas: parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). The Absolute Truth has varieties of energies, and they are so perfect and so perfectly working that it appears...Svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca. You take a flower, nice flower, how it is nicely painted, how it is symmetrically colored. But it is sprouting from the bud automatically. So we are seeing that if flower is coming out automatically... There is no such thing automatically.

Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, July 5, 1971:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately embraced him, that "You are really studying Bhagavad-gītā." So unless we develop our love for Kṛṣṇa, there is no meaning of reading. And if we can develop our love for Kṛṣṇa just like this brāhmaṇa, even without reading any book, that is wanted. That is wanted. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ. Therefore Kṛṣṇa also confirms, mayy āsakta-manāḥ, "Simply by increasing attachment for Me." Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ means "under the direction of Me or My representative." Mat.

Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, July 5, 1971:

So one who performs this yoga system, how to increase love for Kṛṣṇa, that's all, then you understand everything. The Vedas, they confirm it. Yasmin vijñāte sarvam evaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavanti. If you simply understand Kṛṣṇa, then everything will be understood. Because Kṛṣṇa is everything, God is everything. To understand Kṛṣṇa, simply this attachment... Mayy āsakta-manāḥ. Āsakti means attachment. So our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is... We are teaching people, our students especially, how to increase attachment for Kṛṣṇa. Why this temple? They are feeling that "We are sitting in Kṛṣṇa's presence. Kṛṣṇa is so nicely dressed. I am dressing."

Lecture -- Los Angeles, July 20, 1971:

Whatever machine you make... Similarly, we should understand that this great machine, which is known as cosmic manifestation, material nature—there is a supreme spirit which is manipulating. That is Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa says. It is confirmed. So our process of knowledge is very easy and perfect. The scientists, they are searching out what is the ultimate cause or ultimate control of this material nature, and they are putting, theorizing different propositions. But our means of knowledge, very easy and perfect because we are hearing from the perfect person, Kṛṣṇa. And He says, mayādhyakṣeṇa (BG 9.10). So immediately we know that all this cosmic machine, which is working so nicely and wonderfully, behind this machine the driver is Kṛṣṇa. Exactly behind a machine here, there is a machine driver, similarly, behind this big machine of material nature, there is Kṛṣṇa.

Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 13, 1971:

Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī, when he approached Lord Caitanya, he very intellectually asked Lord Caitanya, 'ke āmi' kene more jāpe tāpa-traya: "Who am I? Why I am suffering these three kinds of material miserable condition of life?" This is intellectual platform. This is intellectual path. And when we exercise this intellectual path of our life, that is called buddhi-yogam. Buddhi-yogam. Therefore, in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said, kṛṣṇa ye bhaje se baḍa catura. The most intellectual person can become Kṛṣṇa conscious, not ordinary man. Why? Kṛṣṇa also confirms this in the Bhagavad-gītā,

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante
jñānavān māṁ prapadyate
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti
sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ
(BG 7.19)

He is most intellectual, mahātmā, whose intelligence has been broadened so that he has understood Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva, as everything. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ. Very rare.

Lecture -- Visakhapatnam, February 18, 1972:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not a concocted thing. It is... We have got authority from the Vedas. We have authority from Kṛṣṇa. We have got authority from Bhagavad-gītā. We have got authority by the ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, all of them, even Śaṅkarācārya, although we differ in some points with Śaṅkarācārya. Śaṅkarācārya has admitted Kṛṣṇa, bhagavān sa svayam kṛṣṇa, he has stated. Devakīnandana, he has specifically mentioned Kṛṣṇa, the son of Devakī and Vasudeva, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Nārāyaṇa paraḥ avyaktāt. I think those who have read Śaṅkara's comment on Bhagavad-gītā, they know all these things. So Kṛṣṇa is admitted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead by all the bona fide ācāryas. And all scholars up to date, everyone, and confirmed by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Lecture -- Bombay, March 19, 1972:

The Mahā-Viṣṇu, from whose breathing period millions of universes are coming out, and when He is inhaling, millions of universes are going within Him, He is called Mahā-Viṣṇu. That Mahā-Viṣṇu is described in the Brahma-saṁhitā. That Brahma, Lord Brahma, who exists only on the breathing period of Mahā-Viṣṇu, that Mahā-Viṣṇu is partial expansion of Kṛṣṇa. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says that there are many manifestations of the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu. Just like candles, there are many candles, each candle has got the illuminating power. Similarly, eko bahu syām. Viṣṇu expands Himself in many, many millions of forms.

Lecture -- Bombay, March 19, 1972:

The Mahā-Viṣṇu, from whose breathing period millions of universes are coming out, and when He is inhaling, millions of universes are going within Him, He is called Mahā-Viṣṇu. That Mahā-Viṣṇu is described in the Brahma-saṁhitā. That Brahma, Lord Brahma, who exists only on the breathing period of Mahā-Viṣṇu, that Mahā-Viṣṇu is partial expansion of Kṛṣṇa. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says that there are many manifestations of the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu. Just like candles, there are many candles, each candle has got the illuminating power. Similarly, eko bahu syām. Viṣṇu expands Himself in many, many millions of forms.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 21, 1972:

The author of a book knows very well what is the purpose of that book. That is my statement. Similarly, this Vedānta-sūtra was compiled by Vyāsadeva, or Kṛṣṇa's incarnation, or Kṛṣṇa Himself. So He knows what is Vedānta-sūtra. So if you want to understand Vedānta-sūtra, then you must understand Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). Kṛṣṇa says also that by studying all the Vedic literature, one has to understand Kṛṣṇa. And He also confirms... And Vyāsadeva explains Vedānta-sūtra in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Because He knew that "Vedānta-sūtra, being authoritative version of Vedic literature, so many rascals will comment in different way. Therefore I must leave..." That was also done under the instruction of Nārada. He wrote personally a commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 21, 1972:

The Vedic society is divided into four classes of men. It is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). According to quality and work, there are four divisions of men: The brāhmaṇa, the intelligent class of men; the kṣatriyas, the administrative class of men, the martial class of men; and the vaiśyas, the productive class of men; and the śūdras, the worker class of men. That is still existing in a different name, but the difficulty is, the classification is not made according to quality and work. That was the actual position of classification. Nowadays, a śūdra is on the government.

Rotary Club Lecture -- Hyderabad, November 29, 1972:

Just like we have got different types of body in this life. I was a child, I was a boy, I was a young man, I..., I was a something else. Now I have got this old body. So as I am existing after changing so many different phases of body, therefore the conclusion should be that after annihilation of this body, I shall exist, and, which is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre. After destruction of this body, actually we are not going to die. Our subtle body—the mind, intelligence and ego—that is, that is working.

Rotary Club Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 5, 1972:

Sometimes some microbes. Sometimes insect. So the statement of Bhagavad-gītā is sarva-gataḥ: "Living entities everywhere." We practically see in our experience. We find living entities, the aquatics, in the water. We find living entities within the earth. There are so many insects. We find living entities in the air. We find living entities on the land, in the sky, and so many places. So this is confirmed: sarva-gataḥ. Nityaḥ. The living entity is eternal and he is everywhere. Sarva-gataḥ. Sthāṇur acalo 'yaṁ sanātanaḥ. Sanātanaḥ. Concluding sanātanaḥ.

Rotary Club Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 5, 1972:

Sometimes some microbes. Sometimes insect. So the statement of Bhagavad-gītā is sarva-gataḥ: "Living entities everywhere." We practically see in our experience. We find living entities, the aquatics, in the water. We find living entities within the earth. There are so many insects. We find living entities in the air. We find living entities on the land, in the sky, and so many places. So this is confirmed: sarva-gataḥ. Nityaḥ. The living entity is eternal and he is everywhere. Sarva-gataḥ. Sthāṇur acalo 'yaṁ sanātanaḥ. Sanātanaḥ. Concluding sanātanaḥ.

Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

We are also personal. And that is also confirmed, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān, Kaṭha Upaniṣad (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13), that He is the chief person amongst other persons. We living entities, we are many persons, and God is the chief person. And what is the difference between this person and that person, the singular number person, one, and the plural number person, many? That is explained: eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. That one singular number person is supplying all the necessities of these different plural persons. That is the distinction. These things are expressed in Upaniṣad, Vedānta-sūtra. So ultimately, God is person.

Lecture at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan -- Bombay, October 18, 1973:

So this definition given by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that jīvera svarūpa haya kṛṣṇa nitya-dāsa: "The real, original characteristic of the living entity is to serve Kṛṣṇa." That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ: (BG 15.7) "All these living entities, they are My parts and parcels." Just try to understand. What is the duty of the parts and parcel? Suppose this finger—they are the parts and parcel of my body. What is the duty of the finger? The finger has to catch the foodstuff or prepare the foodstuff and put into the mouth. The finger cannot enjoy; it has given to the stomach. Similarly, if we are parts and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, we cannot enjoy anything directly without giving Kṛṣṇa. That is our duty. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109).

Speech -- Vrndavana, April 20, 1975:

So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa Himself. Kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmine. He has assumed the name of Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. Actually He is Kṛṣṇa. That is confirmed in many literature. Especially in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said,

kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣa ākṛṣṇaṁ
sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam
yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtanaiḥ prāyair
yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ
(SB 11.5.32)

So Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, after taking His sannyāsa order, His name was Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. So Rūpa Gosvāmī said that "You are Kṛṣṇa. You have now come as Kṛṣṇa Caitanya." Why? Kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te: (CC Madhya 19.53) "Just to distribute love of Kṛṣṇa." And Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission was premā pum-artho mahān. Generally people understand dharma artha kāma mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90), but Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that above mokṣa, above liberation, there is love of God. That is wanted. Premā pum-artho mahān. And this is confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satām, vāstavya-vastu vedyam atra (SB 1.1.2). And Śrīdhara Swami says that kaitava-dharma... In simple word, cheating. Kaitava means cheating, or false.

Speech -- Vrndavana, April 20, 1975:

So Kṛṣṇa personally came to teach the science of Kṛṣṇa-bhakti. And although He proposed that dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge, but at the end He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). And this is confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that dharma-projjhita kaitavo atra. Except surrendering to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, anything which is going on in the name of dharma, that is not dharma. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). When Kṛṣṇa came, He did not come to reestablish Hindu religion or Christian religion or Muslim religion. No. Religion is religion. Gold is gold. You cannot say "Hindu gold," "Muslim gold," "Christian gold." That is not possible. That is not possible. That is called kaitava-dharma, cheating dharma. Gold is gold, pure gold. Therefore Bhāgavata says, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam: (SB 6.3.19) "Dharma means the order or the law given by God."

Speech -- Vrndavana, April 27, 1975:

Śrīpāda Nṛsiṁha-vallabha Gosvāmī, quoting from many authorized scriptures, he has proved that in the matter of engaging oneself in the devotional service, there is no check, there is no impediment. That is confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: ahaituky apratihatā. That he has very nicely explained, quoting many authoritative statement from scriptures. And another thing... It is a fact that nobody can check Kṛṣṇa-bhakti. It is transcendental; it is not material. Unless one acts on the platform of spiritual activities, one cannot understand why bhakti is apratihatā. Pratihatā means checked by impediments. So that is for material things. Just like a living being, a soul, he is checked by this material body.

Lecture -- Honolulu, May 25, 1975:

So the devotee, he doesn't require to acquire any mystic power. What mystic power Prahlāda could attain? He was only five years old. So there was no opportunity of acquiring any mystic power. But he was being protected by the supreme mystic, Kṛṣṇa. That should be a devotee's point of view. Don't waste your time for acquiring so-called mystic power. Just devote yourself to remain a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, and you become the supreme mystic. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā:

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ
mad-gatenāntarātmanā
śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ
sa me yuktatamo mataḥ
(BG 6.47)

There are many yogis, mystics, but Kṛṣṇa confirms that "Of all the yogis, of all the mystics, a person who is always thinking of Me," śraddhāvān bhajate yo mām, yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntarātmanā, "always thinking Me, Kṛṣṇa, within himself: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare...," so Kṛṣṇa said, "he is the best yogi." Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ. Sarveṣam means "of all." "Of all kinds of yogis, the best yogi is who is always thinking of Me."

City Hall Lecture -- Durban, October 7, 1975:

Arjuna heard from Kṛṣṇa about Himself, and he says... He agreed, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān puruṣaṁ śāśvatam ādyam (BG 10.12). So He is accepted by the direct disciple, Arjuna; He is accepted by Vyāsadeva; He is accepted by Nārada Muni; and recently, within two thousand years, He is accepted by all the ācāryas of India-Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī; and lately, five hundred years ago, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So there is no doubt about Kṛṣṇa's becoming the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is confirmed, ete cāṁśa kalāḥ puṁsāṁ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam: (SB 1.3.28) "The original Personality of Godhead-Kṛṣṇa."

City Hall Lecture -- Durban, October 7, 1975:

So from sastric evidences, from authentic evidences, from the ācāryas, from Bhagavad-gītā itself—everywhere you will find the confirmation, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission is that yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). It is not difficult. You simply take up the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā and try to preach, yāre dekha tāre. Whomever you meet. You may remain as a businessman, you may remain whatever you are, you remain a family head, but instruct this advice of Kṛṣṇa-yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). This is our mission.

City Hall Lecture -- Durban, October 7, 1975:

In this age, as we are fallen, so the method is also given very simplified. It is confirmed in the śāstras, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also, that kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann asmin hy eko mahān guṇaḥ, that this time, this Kali, this age... This is called Kali age, misunderstanding and fighting. So in this age there are so many faults in the human society. It is just like ocean. Kaler doṣa-nidhe. Nidhi means the ocean. Doṣa-nidhi, fault, ocean of fault. Doṣa-nidhe rājann. "There is one great opportunity." What is that? Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet: (SB 12.3.51) "If one takes to this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra," kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya, "then mukta-saṅga, he becomes liberated," and paraṁ vrajet, "he becomes eligible to go back to home, back to Godhead."

Lecture with Translator -- Sanand, December 25, 1975:

We understand from Bhagavad-gītā, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). So if I am eternal, nityaḥ śāśvata, then why I am accepting death? This is real question. But foolishly we are thinking, "I am this body." Therefore we remain as an animal. So we should be interested to understand actually "What I am," ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That is real solution of all problems. This is called knowledge. But sometimes we are misled by misleaders; therefore we still remain in darkness in spite of cultivating knowledge. But actually, when we cultivate knowledge under the guidance of real guru, then we can understand vasudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). This is confirmed in the Vedas, Brahma-saṁhitā:

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
anādir ādir govindaḥ
sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
(Bs. 5.1)

So spiritual knowledge means to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. This is the sum and substance, to understand Kṛṣṇa, what He is, not that concocting, manufacturing that "Kṛṣṇa is this. Kṛṣṇa is that." No. As Kṛṣṇa says, as śāstra says what is Kṛṣṇa, you have to understand it like that. So sādhu śāstra guru vākya. It is said that we have to accept knowledge through saintly person. Through śāstra and guru we have to understand. So Kṛṣṇa is accepted by all the sādhus and ācāryas. Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Nimbārka, Viṣṇu Svāmī, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu—all of them accepted Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture with Translator -- Sanand, December 27, 1975:

As Kṛṣṇa said, mad-āśraya: "Take shelter of Me, or My devotee." Now, at the present moment, in the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa is personally instructing, so let us take shelter of His personal instruction and make our life successful. And not only he becomes a devotee, but a pure devotee understands Kṛṣṇa as it is said here, asaṁśayaṁ samagram, not partially but fully. It is, of course, not possible to understand Kṛṣṇa fully. Still, almost fully a devotee can understand Kṛṣṇa. That is also confirmed in the last paragraph, last chapter,

bhaktyā mām abhijānāti
yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ
tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā
viśate tad-anantaram
(BG 18.55)

So if we want to go back to home, back to Godhead, then we must increase our attachment for Kṛṣṇa, and by that process we can understand Kṛṣṇa, what He is. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Then our door to go back to home, back to Godhead is clear. The conclusion is, therefore, that we should take to the bhakti process as it is enunciated in authoritative śāstra, by Kṛṣṇa, by the ācāryas. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is the way, only, for our perfection of life.

Tenth Anniversary Address -- Washington, D.C., July 6, 1976:

When Arjuna understood Bhagavad-gītā, in the Tenth Chapter you will find, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān puruṣaṁ śāśvatam ādyam (BG 10.12). And he also confirmed that "I am accepting You like this, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma (BG 10.12). So people may be in doubt because I am Your friend. So they may say, 'Out of friendship, regard or affection, out of sentiment, he is speaking like that, that Kṛṣṇa is the supreme person, paraṁ brahma.' " But Arjuna immediately rectifies this impression, that "Not only myself, but great authorities like Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Asita, they are also affirming." Vyāsadeva is authority. Veda-vyāsa, he is the giver of Vedic knowledge.

Tenth Anniversary Address -- Washington, D.C., July 6, 1976:

In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam he is writing, ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). He has given description of the incarnation of God, then he concludes that "All these incarnations, they are part and parcel or plenary expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but the name which I have mentioned as Kṛṣṇa, that Godhead, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam, He is the Supreme Original Personality of Godhead." That is Vyāsadeva's... So we have to accept. And Arjuna also says, svayaṁ caiva bravīṣi me, "You are also personally speaking that mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7), 'There is no more superior authority than Me.' " So this is confirmed.

Tenth Anniversary Address -- Washington, D.C., July 6, 1976:

Our Rūpānuga Prabhu has already explained. So take this movement very seriously. The same, Kṛṣṇa, started within the historical, five thousand years ago. And He started this movement with Arjuna as His disciple. Then Caitanya Mahāprabhu, five hundred years ago, He revived again the same movement. He is Kṛṣṇa Himself. And that is going on. Don't think that this is a manufactured movement. No. It is the authorized movement and confirmed by the authorities. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). There are mahājanas mentioned in the śāstra. So be fixed up in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and try to understand Kṛṣṇa. We have got so many literatures, authorized literatures. And make your life success.

Evening Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, January 23, 1977:

If one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and if he renounces family life and preaches Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then he will be happy, and the persons amongst whom he will preach, they will be happy. We have seen practically, many, many big, big sannyāsīs, they gave up this world—brahma satya jagan mithyā: "This world is mithyā. Let me take sannyāsa." But unfortunately, they could not stand in that position. After few years they come down again in social work, in political work. That means they could not understand what is Brahman. That is stated, confirmed in the śāstra, that

ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas
tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ
āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ
(SB 10.2.32)

Ye 'nye 'ravindakṣa. Ye aravindakṣa. Aravindakṣa is Kṛṣṇa. "Persons who are thinking that 'I have become liberated,' vimukta-mānina, they're actually... They're not mukta. Therefore," āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padam, "although they underwent very severe austerities and achieved the position in nirviśeṣa-brahma," āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padam (SB 10.2.32), "but because they could not understand, my Lord, Your lotus feet, they," patanty adho, "they fall down." Just like in the modern age they are going very high by aeroplane or sputnik, but because they do not get a shelter in either the moon planet or Mars planet, they again come down.

Evening Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, January 23, 1977:

Kalau nāsty nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma iva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). And Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also, it is confirmed, kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅga paraṁ vrajet (SB 12.3.51). So you remain gṛhastha. It is now difficult to give up gṛhastha life. But don't be merged into this black hole. Don't make black hole tragedy. Be alive, take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and you'll be happy. So there is no distinction in Kṛṣṇa-bhajana whether one is a gṛhastha or a sannyāsī. He must take the science. Then he will be all right.

General Lecture -- (location & date unknown):

So long you are in the material existence of life, there is hankering and lamenting because this world is being conducted by the two energies... Now, one energy, material energy, threefold qualities, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa... Generally it is being conducted by the rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa. Rajas-tamo-bhava. So Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says, this Sūta Gosvāmī, that srnvatam sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (SB 1.2.17). If you simply hear the activities of Kṛṣṇa, which is confirmed by Parīkṣit Mahārāja, that kṛṣṇa-kathā is relished by persons, nivṛtta-tarṣaiḥ, who has transcended the three qualitative action and reaction of this material nature... Tṛṣṇa. Everyone who are materially situated, he has got hankering: "I shall become this great man," "I shall become this big businessman," "I shall become such politician," "I shall become such and such."

General Lecture -- (location & date unknown):

Always, everyone is struggling. But this kṛṣṇa-kathā is relished by them who are above this hankering. And that is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na socati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). This kāṅkṣa, this tṛṣṇa, the same thing... Kāṅkṣa means hankering. In the ordinary position we are hankering and lamenting, hankering to possess something, and if, somehow or other, that possession is lost, then you are lamenting, again hankering. These two features of the material life. So brahma-bhūtaḥ... Brahma-bhūtaḥ means one who is above these two principles, hankering and lamenting.

General Lecture -- (location & date unknown):

So long you are in the material existence of life, there is hankering and lamenting because this world is being conducted by the two energies... Now, one energy, material energy, threefold qualities, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa... Generally it is being conducted by the rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa. Rajas-tamo-bhava. So Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says, this Sūta Gosvāmī, that srnvatam sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (SB 1.2.17). If you simply hear the activities of Kṛṣṇa, which is confirmed by Parīkṣit Mahārāja, that kṛṣṇa-kathā is relished by persons, nivṛtta-tarṣaiḥ, who has transcended the three qualitative action and reaction of this material nature... Tṛṣṇa. Everyone who are materially situated, he has got hankering: "I shall become this great man," "I shall become this big businessman," "I shall become such politician," "I shall become such and such." Always, everyone is struggling. But this kṛṣṇa-kathā is relished by them who are above this hankering. And that is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na socati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). This kāṅkṣa, this tṛṣṇa, the same thing... Kāṅkṣa means hankering.

General Lecture -- (location & date unknown):

So Parīkṣit Mahārāja, also confirming that "This kṛṣṇa-kathā, these activities of Kṛṣṇa can be relished by persons who have are transcended this position of hankering and lamenting..." Nivṛtta-tarṣair upagīyamānāt. They can actually understand. But what about the common man? The common man, he has also said, bhavauṣadhāc chrotra-mano-'bhirāmāt. If common men simply hear, then it will be very pleasing to their ears and to their heart. Chrotra-mano-'bhirāmāt. They'll be pleased simply by hearing. Generally, people therefore take to Kṛṣṇa's rasa-līlā. But one should not go so swiftly to the rasa-līlā because they will misunderstand. But there are so many other līlās of Kṛṣṇa. So you hear them. That is our program. We are giving chance to the people in general to hear about Kṛṣṇa. And this is our mission.

General Lecture -- (location & date unknown):

Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is the stage of their inquiry about Brahman. And that Brahman, Parabrahman, as it is confirmed by Arjuna when he understood Kṛṣṇa... First of all he took Him as his friend, but after explanation of Bhagavad-gītā, in the Tenth Chapter you will see, he is accepting, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). So this brahma-jijñāsa, inquiry, is there. And kṛṣṇa-kathā is here. So everyone should join this movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Simply he has to distribute this knowledge of kṛṣṇa-kathā as ordered by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Then the result will be that, as it is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, spoken by Sūta Gosvāmī, that śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). Kṛṣṇa-kathā is so nice that even one does not understand what is Kṛṣṇa, simply if he hears the vibration of this holy chanting, Hare Kṛṣṇa, he will be pious man. He will be pious man—simply by hearing. It has got It is so effective.

General Lecture -- (location & date unknown):

Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Practically you are seeing. And in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam this is also confirmed, śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. Kṛṣṇa is within you also, Paramātmā. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). So He is within you. As soon as He understands that you are very serious about Him, Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, then He will help you. And śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ, hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi.

General Lecture -- (location & date unknown):

Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Practically you are seeing. And in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam this is also confirmed, śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. Kṛṣṇa is within you also, Paramātmā. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). So He is within you. As soon as He understands that you are very serious about Him, Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, then He will help you. And śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ, hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz:
Prabhupāda: Demon is (indistinct), that I worship his mother, but mother is engaged to punish him because (indistinct). She is giving whatever the demon wants. "Give me money. Give me good wife. Give me reputation. Give me strength." "All right," but at the same time everything is frustrated with this (indistinct). Two things are going on. One thing, that whatever he wants he is given: "I will get it." On the other side, punishment. This is nature's flow, and she is doing this under the instruction of Kṛṣṇa. "This living entity, he has, or he wants immediately to become an enjoyer, so give him all sources of material enjoyment, but at the same time go on punishing him." Just like sometimes politicians give them everything (indistinct) military force. So that is going on. And this nature is working under the direction of Kṛṣṇa. That is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā, (Sanskrit). Durgā, the goddess of the fortress of the material world, she is so powerful that she can create such things, she can maintain cities, (indistinct) she has got all the power. (indistinct), she is so powerful. Her name is Durgā.
Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant:

Prabhupāda: Just like we are reading Bhagavad-gītā. So we have no knowledge that there is a spiritual world, but Kṛṣṇa says that there is another nature, a spiritual nature, beyond this material nature. So we understand through the source of transcendental knowledge. We cannot experience. That is explained, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi. God, His name, His qualities, His pastimes—nothing can be understood by these material senses. But if you engage yourself in service, they become revealed. That will become confirmed: "Yes, there is Vaikuṇṭha, there is Vṛndāvana, where Kṛṣṇa's pastimes are going on, and I am perceiving myself." These things become revealed gradually, not abruptly you can understand. Therefore common men cannot understand that they say " 'Going back to home, back to Godhead?' What nonsense they are saying?" They cannot understand, because it is transcendental, beyond the reach of these gross senses.

Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant:
Prabhupāda: So Kṛṣṇa's body is eternal, because forgetfulness is due to change of body. As I do not remember what happened in my last life, that means I have to change my body. And Kṛṣṇa remembers; therefore He does not change His body. Is it not? I forget. Why do I forget? Because I change my body. But Kṛṣṇa does not. That means He does not change His body. That is eternal body. And śāstra also confirms, sat-cid-ānanda vigrahaḥ. So if you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then you get also a similar body like Kṛṣṇa. If you get a material body, why not a spiritual body? It requires simply a process, how to get a spiritual body. So these things they do not know.
Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant:

Śyāmasundara: So he says that this is a natural impulse, that it is the nature of reason itself to find regularity, a total regularity, for everything. So that it must suppose that there is a Supreme Being in order to find that total synthesis.

Prabhupāda: So in your preaching you can use this Kant's statement, how he is confirming the statement of Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā directly says and he as a philosopher has found out that this is a fact. So this may help in our preaching work.

Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant:
Prabhupāda: The demons being killed by God, they get immediate salvation, whereas the devotees, by seeing God, they can understand what is actually the position of God. So God displays himself factually as He does in the spiritual world in Vṛndāvana. His nature is to play with the cowherd boys, to dance with the gopīs. These things are actually displayed, and devotees became encouraged that "After finishing this material body, we are going to Kṛṣṇa, or God, to join these pastimes of the Lord." This is called paritrāṇāya sādhūnām. Sādhus, they heard from the śāstras, but Kṛṣṇa practically demonstrates. So they become doubly confirmed, doubly assured what they are going to have next life. So these things, the transcendental world, God, His activities, we hear. By hearing also we realize. Because God is absolute, therefore to see Him and to hear about Him, there is no difference. There cannot be any difference. By seeing eye to eye or to hear about Him, the same thing.
Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant:

Śyāmasundara: So there is no inborn idea of that is always correct.

Prabhupāda: Even inborn there is, you must get it confirmed by the superior.

Śyāmasundara: He says that man, because he respects the moral law and practices it, is a personality having infinite dignity. He believes in the dignity of man based upon his adherence to moral principles. If a man follows moral principles, then he has dignity, which is different than any other...

Prabhupāda: That is already explained, that varṇāśrama-dharma, because the brāhmaṇas, they follow the good laws, therefore dignity. A brāhmaṇa is supposed to be the first-class man in the society, and therefore they are honored.

Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant:

Hayagrīva: He says because suffering and calamities overwhelm man in nature, it is impossible for man to see nature's final end.

Prabhupāda: No. Nature is not final end. Nature is only instrument. Just like I beat you with a stick. The stick is not beating you; I am beating you. Stick is in my hand. So from nature when you get tribulation, pains, that is designed by God, and nature is instrument. Śītoṣna-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ. The change of season we find nature, but why it is systematically changing unless there is brain behind nature? In such and such month there will be winter. And by accident or by some other ways the month of April does not become winter; the month of December becomes winter. So there is adjustment. So therefore there is brain behind these natural changes and activities. That is confirmed, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10).

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Hayagrīva: He further writes, "He who believes in the advancement of man from some low organized form will naturally ask, 'How does this bear on the belief in the immortality of the soul?' " He says, "At what precise period does a man become an immortal being?" That is to say, he doesn't know at what stage the immortal soul inhabits the species.

Prabhupāda: Yes, soul is always important. He is put into different bodies. That is the defect of Darwin's knowledge. He does not know about the soul. So the existence of soul, to understand this is the first education. One who does not know this, he remains animal, sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13), if one continues the bodily concept of life without any understanding of the soul. And it is very easy to understand that the child is becoming boy, a boy is becoming young man. So the soul is there, and we remember that "I was a child, I was a boy, I was a young man." So I continue to exist, the bodily changes, and this is confirmed in every Vedic scripture, and that is the beginning of knowledge. If one does not understand how the soul is changing body, he remains on the level of cats and dogs.

Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson:

Prabhupāda: So St. Paul, he is a sādhu. So our process is that sādhu, guru, śāstra. We have to accept everything through saintly persons, confirmed by the scripture, and described or explained by guru. Then it is perfect. The scriptures are already there, and we have to see how the scriptures are being followed by saintly persons. And if there is any difficulties, they should be explained by the spiritual master. Then it is confirmed: sādhu-śāstra-guru vākya (cittete koriyā aikya). Scriptures you cannot understand directly. Then you have to see how the scriptural injunctions are being followed by saintly persons. Even if you cannot understand, then the spiritual master will explain to you.

Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson:

Hayagrīva: Now how was it that a great personality like Indra, with his mind, intelligence, and ego all intact, how is it he could become a toad?

Prabhupāda: Yes, you can become. So long you are materially existing, your thoughts are under the modes of material mature. So sometimes the thoughts are in the modes of goodness, sometimes the thoughts are in the modes of passion, and sometimes they are in the modes of ignorance and act accordingly. So up and down it is going on. So in order to keep yourself on the standard platform, one should engage himself in devotional service. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā:

māṁ ca avyabhicāreṇa
bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate
sa guṇān samatītya etān
brahma-bhūyāya...

(aside:) Find out this verse. Māṁ ca avyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena yaḥ se...

Philosophy Discussion on William James:

Prabhupāda: The man or not man, there are living beings, varieties; we simply do not see the man as a living being. We see there are varieties of living beings, beginning from water up to the higher planetary system. There are different forms of living being, we have several times repeated. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati, like that, nine millions, ah, nine hundred thousands forms of body within the water; then plants, trees, creepers, insects. So all of them are living beings. God is concerned with all of them. Why man is created? Every one of us in different form we are created. Or exactly not created; we are part and parcel of God. In one word God is the father of all living entities. So the simple relationship is that God is maintainer, we are maintained. This is our relationship. In the material world, as a man may have more than one wife, so similarly God has two prakṛtis, or subordinate energies—material and spiritual. So in the material world the material nature is the mother, God is the father, and varieties of living entities, they are all maintained by the father, supreme father. This is the conception of universal brotherhood. And if we understand our relationship with God as father and son... There are so many sons. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-yoniṣu. All different forms of life, the mother is material nature, and God says, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā: (BG 14.4) "And I am the seed-giving father." So that relationship should be known, and if we act according to that relationship, there will be actual peace and prosperity and advancement of all knowledge. That is wanted.

Philosophy Discussion on William James:

Prabhupāda: The man or not man, there are living beings, varieties; we simply do not see the man as a living being. We see there are varieties of living beings, beginning from water up to the higher planetary system. There are different forms of living being, we have several times repeated. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati, like that, nine millions, ah, nine hundred thousands forms of body within the water; then plants, trees, creepers, insects. So all of them are living beings. God is concerned with all of them. Why man is created? Every one of us in different form we are created. Or exactly not created; we are part and parcel of God. In one word God is the father of all living entities. So the simple relationship is that God is maintainer, we are maintained. This is our relationship. In the material world, as a man may have more than one wife, so similarly God has two prakṛtis, or subordinate energies—material and spiritual. So in the material world the material nature is the mother, God is the father, and varieties of living entities, they are all maintained by the father, supreme father. This is the conception of universal brotherhood. And if we understand our relationship with God as father and son... There are so many sons. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-yoniṣu. All different forms of life, the mother is material nature, and God says, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā: (BG 14.4) "And I am the seed-giving father." So that relationship should be known, and if we act according to that relationship, there will be actual peace and prosperity and advancement of all knowledge. That is wanted.

Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey:

Śyāmasundara: "Growth itself is the only moral end."

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. The devotee, even in the beginning he is found not in order, doing something wrong, still, because he has taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is accepted as sādhu. Api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk, sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). Where one may say that there are so many discrepancies in his life and yet he is doing all right in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but he has not corrected his habits, the reply is, kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā śāśvac chāntiṁ nigacchati. Because he has taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all his bad habits will be corrected very soon.

Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey:

Prabhupāda: Record is there already, Mahābhārata, and those who have seen, they have confirmed it. Vyāsadeva has confirmed, Nārada has confirmed. Arjuna talked with Him personally, he has confirmed, and everything is there in the record, but you don't believe. Then how you can be convinced? Neither you have got perfect senses to see. Then what is the way to convince you? You will remain always in darkness. There is no way out. You can, within your dark well, you can go on imagining, Dr. Frog, but you will never have perfect knowledge.

Philosophy Discussion on Jacques Maritain:

Prabhupāda: He, in the beginning, says that "I come to establish religion," and He says that "Give up, kick out all these so-called religions." So they are not religion, and that is confirmed in the Bhāgavata, kaitava, dharma kaitava. Kaitava means cheating. Anything, any religious system which does not give knowledge of Kṛṣṇa, that is cheating religion. That is cheating religion. Dharma kaitava. Kaitava means cheating. And Śrīdhara Swami, he comments that atra mokṣa vāñchā (indistinct), those who are after mukti, liberation, they are also rejected herein. The jñānīs, they are after mukti. So Śrīdhara Swami says they are also within the category of these cheating religious systems, because they are being cheated. They are cheating themselves, that "I'll become God."

Philosophy Discussion on Jacques Maritain:

Śyāmasundara: It would seem like this idea of pure actuality would also..., could also be called devotional service, because everything that I'm acting is for Kṛṣṇa, for the pure actual.

Prabhupāda: No, no. Everything we are acting, we imagine that will be pure. (indistinct) confirm by this.

Śyāmasundara: Prabhupāda, if I'm engaged in devotional service...

Prabhupāda: Yes. Devotional service under the guidance of the spiritual master, that is devotional service. Not that you manufacture yourself.

Philosophy Discussion on Edmund Husserl:

Śyāmasundara: That phenomenon. Yes. But if... It's a permanent type of changeless idea, picture. Even it may have many appearances which come and go, but the idea of "picture" is permanent, or changeless. Is it not?

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is confirming our theory of spiritual world as permanent. Just like here, the picture of a tree, that is phenomenon. But the picture, is that now original? Just like sometimes there are dolls, show dolls; that is phenomena. But the idea behind the dolls, that is permanent. Beautiful girl standing on the showcase, that is a doll. That is phenomenon. But a beautiful girl is not phenomenon; that is fact. This is a crude example. Similarly, this material world is phenomenon. That is explained by Śrīdhara Swami, that because the spiritual is true, fact, therefore the phenomenal expression of the spiritual world amidst matter appears to be true. This material world, phenomenal world, is not fact, but because it is representation of a fact, therefore it appears as fact. That is phenomenology.

Philosophy Discussion on Edmund Husserl:

Śyāmasundara: Yes. You have to recognize that where can he go? He has no spiritual master available.

Prabhupāda: No. If transcendental ego appears as the spiritual master, then what is the difficulty? If he accepts the transcendental ego, and he appears externally as spiritual master, then where is the difficulty to find out a spiritual master. So transcendental ego will confirm that "Here is spiritual master." He has no difficulty. Why does he say that whom to accept?

Śyāmasundara: Well, because...

Prabhupāda: If he has got acquaintance with the transcendental ego, he'll confirm, "Here is the spiritual master."

Śyāmasundara: I imagine Germany at that time, around the turn of the century, it had just no authority that he could consult.

Prabhupāda: No. For others, here he accepts one transcendental ego. We say that transcendental ego appears externally as spiritual master.

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Revatīnandana: Śrīla Prabhupāda, is it possible, or is it confirmed that the similarities in symbolism and cultural relationships, which are similar in civilizations all over the world, can that be due to the fact that they are all coming from the same source? Five thousand years ago there was one culture?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Revatīnandana: So you find the same symbols in the South American Incas as we find in India as we find in the Pacific Islands because they are coming down from the original Vedic culture in different states of...

Prabhupāda: Vedic culture or non-Vedic culture, there are so many similarities. It doesn't matter. Because you are living being, the similarities are there. Just like every living being eats. It is similar to everyone. Every living being sleeps. It is similar to everyone. Every living being mates. It is similar to everyone. Every living being fears. So you have to take the greatest common factor. There are so many similarities.

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Hayagrīva: Continues.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore, according to that consciousness he has to accept a body. That is trasmigration of the soul. That ordinary person, they can only see the body, but along with the body there is mind and there is intelligence, there is ego. One cannot see what is mind, what is intelligence. So there is no reason that when the body is finished why the mind and the intelligence should be finished. But he cannot see the mind, cannot intell..., see the intelligence. He said everything is finished. Why everything should be finished? The body is finished, but the mind is not finished. So the soul is carried by mind, intelligence. That is subtle body. And it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). He is not finished, he is there. He is being carried by mind and intelligence. But these foolish person they cannot see. But even in lifetime they cannot see what is mind. They cannot see what is intelligence.

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:
Prabhupāda: If one has become rich man, that's all right. That, that is natural. One is born in rich family, from his very birth he is a rich man. So why we should interfere his richness? But everyone should be God conscious. Either the rich man or the poor man, they must be God conscious. And God consciousness means that the property I am owning, or the position I am placed in, that is by God's arrangement. Therefore my duty is to serve God in my position. Sthane sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ manobhiḥ. This is the philosophy of, of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, confirmed by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Sthane sthitāḥ. We should stay in our place, as it is allotted by God, but our common culture should be śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ manobhiḥ. We should hear about God and act accordingly—it doesn't matter in which work—then there will be harmony.
Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Hayagrīva: He also felt that materialistic progress is a possible hindrance.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is very good idea. That is confirmed by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. Jaḍa-vidyā jato māyāra vaibhava tomāra bhajane bādhā. Material progress means expansion of the external energy, māyā, illusion. So we are already in illusion, and therefore we practically see the so-called scientists, so-called philosophers, because they are materially advanced, they cannot understand even what is God and what is our relationship. So this is hindrance, the so-called advancement of material science, of material knowledge, is undoubtedly hindrance. Tomāra bhajane bādhā. They are all hindrances to the progressive march of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When we minimize our necessities, that is saintly life—the bare necessities of life. We are not after very luxurious way of life. We are satisfied only with the bare necessities of life. So it

Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre:

Śyāmasundara: He says this is man's fundamental orientation, that he wants to become God.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That we confirm in this way, that because he is part and parcel of God, so he wants to be united with God. Because he is now detached from God, so therefore, just like a man who is for long, long years out of home, so he wants to go home again.

Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:
Prabhupāda: We are teaching that Kṛṣṇa is the owner. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the supreme enjoyer. Everything is..." Just like in our society we are doing everything for Kṛṣṇa because we know Kṛṣṇa is the enjoyer. Sarva-loka-maheś... He is the proprietor. So this Communistic idea is vague, but it can be perfected when they come to the conclusion, according to the Bhagavad-gītā, that Kṛṣṇa is the supreme proprietor; He is the supreme enjoyer; He is the supreme friend of everyone. Then the people will be happy: "Oh, we have got a friend like Kṛṣṇa." Just like Arjuna was certain that "Kṛṣṇa is my charioteer. Oh, I am victorious." And it is confirmed, yatra yogeśvaraḥ kṛṣṇaḥ: (BG 18.78) "Where Yogeśvara, Kṛṣṇa, is there," yatra pārtho dhanur-dharaḥ, tatra śrīr vijayo, "there victory and everything is there." So this is an idea. This idea can be welcomed provided they are prepared to replace the so-called state by God.
Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:

Prabhupāda: So St. Paul, he's a sādhu. So our process is that: sādhu-guru-śāstra. We have to accept everything through saintly person, confirmed by the scripture, and described or explained by guru. Then it is perfect. The scriptures are already there, and we have to see how the scriptures are being followed by saintly persons. And if there is any difficulty, they should be explained by the spiritual master. Then it is perfect. Sādhu-guru-śāstra-vākya, tinete kariyā aikya. Scriptures you cannot understand directly. Then you have to see how the scriptural injunctions are being followed by saintly persons. Even if you cannot understand, then the spiritual master will explain to you.

Philosophy Discussion on Johann Gottlieb Fichte:

Prabhupāda: That means I can manufacture my own duty, you can manufacture your own duty. There is no standard. But our standard is, Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śar... (BG 18.66), whatever you, rascal, whatever you have manufactured, give it up. The Bhāgavata says that dharmaḥ projjhita atra kaitavaḥ, that all cheating type of religious system is kicked out. Here is the religious system, satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi (SB 1.1.1). What is that satyam? Oṁ namo bhāgavate vāsudevāya. Everything is clear. And where is that clear understanding? Simply speculating. That is the difference, the Vedic standard knowledge and this speculative philosophy. So, so far we are concerned, we refer to the Vedas, śabdaḥ pramāṇam. Śabdaḥ means Vedas, śabdaḥ brahman. So whatever action we do, if it is approved by the Vedic injunction then it is standard and confirmed.

Philosophy Discussion on Socrates:

Hayagrīva: And his motto was, "Know thyself." And by knowing oneself through meditation or insight one can gain self-control, and by being self-controlled one can attain happiness.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is a fact. Meditation means to analyze oneself—that is real meditation—and find out the Absolute Truth. That is the description in the Vedic literature. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yogino. Yogi means by his meditation he is seeing the Supreme Truth, Kṛṣṇa, or God, within himself. Kṛṣṇa is there, and so a yogi consults Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa advises him. That is the relationship with yogi. Buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam. One who is purified, he is seeing Kṛṣṇa always within himself. That is confirmed in the Brahmā-samhita, premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). A saintly person, advanced, he is seeing Kṛṣṇa, yaṁ śyāmasundaram. The very word used, Kṛṣṇa is śyāmasundaram, very beautiful blackish, the Personality of Godhead, Śyāmasundaram. Śyāma means blackish, but extraordinarily beautiful. That is called śyāma. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti yaṁ śyāmasundaram acintya-guṇa-svarūpam (Bs. 5.38). Acintaya, unlimited qualities. Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam aham... He is govindam. So it can be realized that He is situated everywhere, at the same time in His person He is always engaged in Vṛndāvana dancing with the gopīs and playing with His friends and talking with His mother, and sometimes as naughty boy He is teasing mother's household affairs. So this is Kṛṣṇa.

Philosophy Discussion on Socrates:

Hayagrīva: And through meditation—they call..., he called it arete (?)—a person attains knowledge. Through knowledge a person becomes virtuous. When one is virtuous, he acts in the right way. When one acts properly, he becomes happy. Therefore the enlightened man is a man who is meditative, knowledgeable, virtuous and, because of his proper action, he is happy.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). This is the symptom of self-realized person. If one is self-realized, he is immediately happy, prasannātmā, jolly, because immediately he is on the right. Just like one is going on under some mistaken ideas, and when he comes to the real idea, he becomes very happy: "Oh, so long I was going on such a mistaken idea." So immediately the result will be happiness: "How foolish I was. I was doing like this, doing like that." So right..., as soon as one comes to the right position, he, the symptom is he is prasannātmā. What is that prasannātmā? Na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). Prasannātmā, happiness, means he has no more anything to hanker.

Philosophy Discussion on Socrates:

Hayagrīva: And so in teaching this he was teaching something radically different, and this is one of the reasons that he was condemned to death—for blaspheming the demigods, for blaspheming the gods. He felt that the worship of these gods did not lead to self-realization at all.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That's a fact. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ tyajante anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). They worship other demigods, being too much lusty. Because the demigod is worshiped for some material benefit. So they have been described as hṛta-jñānāḥ. Hṛta-jñānāḥ means one who has lost his intelligence. Actually it is so. Suppose by worshiping a demigod, Sarasvatī, the goddess of learning, so you get the opportunity of being a, becoming a very nice scholar. But how long you shall remain scholar? As soon as the body is finished, your whole scholarship is finished.

Philosophy Discussion on Socrates:

Prabhupāda: And He says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya: (BG 7.7) "There is no more superior authority than Me." Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8): "I am the origin of everything. Everything emanates from Me." And the Vedānta-sūtra confirms, "The Absolute Truth is that from which everything comes," janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). So the Absolute Truth is person, and Arjuna, when he understood Bhagavad-gītā, he addressed Kṛṣṇa, paraṁ brahma. That is Absolute Truth. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). So really understanding Absolute Truth means to understand His personal feature.

Philosophy Discussion on Socrates:

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa also confirms this: buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam. He talks. So by meditation, if it is actually meditation to search out the Absolute Truth within the heart, then he can meet. That is the yoga practice. Yoga practice means concentrating the mind to see the Supersoul within. Therefore he has to control the activities of the senses from all other engagements. Then it is possible. Yoga practice, this dhyāna, dhāraṇā, āsana, praṇāyāma, these are why? Simply to concentrate the mind, focusing toward the Paramātmā, and then, when is perfect, he always sees. Therefore Kṛṣṇa confirms it in the Bhagavad-gītā:

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ
mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā
śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ
sa me yuktatamo mataḥ
(BG 6.47)

"Of all the yogis, one who has learned to see Me within himself, he is first class." Others are bogus. The perfection of yoga means to see God within himself. That is perfection of yoga. So this process, as Socrates used to give chance to his disciple, that is good process, to give him chance to develop his understanding. The teacher helps.

Philosophy Discussion on Plato:
Prabhupāda: If by chance I am put into pundama naraka trayate, one who delivers me from that hellish condition of life, he is putra, and for this kind of putra I accept a wife, not for my sex enjoyment. And it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, one who uses his sex for these religious activities, that "I shall get good father, a good son who can deliver me," then marriage is required. Otherwise it is useless. Dharmāviruddho kāmo 'smi. Kṛṣṇa says, "Sex life which is not against religious principle, that is I am." And sex life which is, which has no religious principle, that is sense gratification leading one to hell.
Philosophy Discussion on Plotinus:

Prabhupāda: A person who is cent percent engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa, karmaṇā, by action, by mind, karmaṇā manasā, by words, he is not to be considered that possessing any more a material body. Jīvan-muktaḥ sa ucyate. He is already liberated, on the spiritual platform, although apparently he moves like material body. Jīvan-muktaḥ sa ucyate. And in Bhagavad-gītā also it is confirmed, brahma-bhūyāya kalpate, sa guṇān samatītyā: he is not under the condition of the modes of material nature. He is already in the Brahman platform, brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26).

Philosophy Discussion on Origen:

Prabhupāda: So our conception is—"our" means Vedic conception—that Kṛṣṇa is the original Personality of Godhead, as it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: (BG 10.8) "I am the origin of everyone." Either you call the son or the Holy Ghost, it doesn't matter, but the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the origin. Then, He has got expansion. That expansion is not actually His son... Or there are two kinds of expansion: His personal expansions and His expansion as part and parcel. His personal expansion is called Viṣṇu-tattva, and the part and parcel expansion is called jīva-tattva—in Sanskrit technical words, svāṁśa and vibhinnāṁśa.

Philosophy Discussion on St. Augustine:

Prabhupāda: Then how God is all-pervading? The Paramātmā conception is there in the Brahma-saṁhitā:

eko 'py asau racayituṁ jagad-aṇḍa-koṭiṁ
yac-chaktir asti jagad-aṇḍa-cayā yad-antaḥ aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara...
(Bs. 5.35)

One part of His feature, eko 'py asau. Racayitum, creation, this creation is done by one plenary portion of His person, the puruṣa-avatāra, the Mahā-Viṣṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, in expanding. So, and not only one universe but millions of universes, jagad-aṇḍa-koṭim. And in the Bhagavad-gītā also same thing is confirmed, atha vā bahunaitena kiṁ jñātena tavārjuna, ekāṁśena, viṣṭabhya aham, sthito jagat: "By My one plenary portion I expand throughout all the universes, all the living entities. Even within atom I am present." So unless God has got that omnipresence potency everywhere, then how He can be omnipresent? This is one meaning. He is everywhere present by His expansion of His one plenary portion.

Philosophy Discussion on St. Augustine:

Prabhupāda: Why man? Every living entity has a mortal body. So to enter into the mortal body, that is a kind of punishment. And then there is evolutionary process from lower grade of body to higher grade of body. That is quite reasonable, that every living entity or soul is part and parcel of God, but on account of some sinful activities or disobedience to God, as they believe Adam on account of disobedience to God they lost Paradise and came to this material world, similarly, the soul belongs to the Paradise, or heaven, or Kṛṣṇa, but somehow or other he falls down within this material world, and he gets first a body like Adam. But again, on account of his further, low-grade activities, he goes down, sometimes as human being or sometimes as more than human being—the demigod—and sometimes as animal, trees, plants. In this way he goes down, degradation, or goes up by elevation. But he is always aloof from the material body, but according to his desires and activity he gets different body. This is quite reasonable and confirmed by the Vedic literature. But his actual life is when he is freed from this material contamination, getting different bodies life after life.

Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Hobbes:

Hayagrīva: He says, "Some men have pretended for their disobedience to their sovereign a new covenant or a new agreement with God, made not with men but with God. This also is unjust, for there is no covenant or agreement with God but by mediation of somebody that represents God's person, which none does but God's lieutenant, who has this sovereignty under God." Could a monarch use this argument, which is the argument of divine right, in order to discourage his subjects' rebelling under the pretense that they are communing directly with God? What guidelines are there to assure against this? There was... Wasn't there one king, King Vena, King...?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Vena. So everything depends on the king's accepting the absolute instruction of God. So king, in Vedic civilization, the king was absolutely following the regulation given by God, and it was confirmed by saintly persons, sages. Then it was executed; not whimsically. There was advisory board of the monarchy always. They were not politician, diplomat, but they were all saintly person, knew very well the Vedas, and they used to guide the monarch. Therefore the monarch is absolute governing body.

Philosophy Discussion on Benedict Spinoza:

Prabhupāda: Prakṛtiḥ pradhāna, upadhāna, pradhāna. The ingredients are coming from Him, and prakṛtiḥ, nature, creates. This is the idea of creation. So God is a remote cause and a eminent cause also, because these elements, they are God's energy. So the eminent cause is the energy. Therefore it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam: "By Me, everything is expanding." So when He says "By Me," then He is the eminent cause. There are two causes: remote and eminent.

Philosophy Discussion on Benedict Spinoza:

Prabhupāda: That means he does not know what is love. If God loves the living entity, then He must be well-wisher, friend of the living entity. And because God expands Himself unlimitedly, therefore He lives with the living entity, and living entities are unlimited. That is said in the Bhagavad-gītā: īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). In Upaniṣads also it is confirmed that two birds are sitting on tree; one is eating the fruit and the other is simply witness. So this witnessing bird is God; therefore Paramātmā and jīvātmā live together. And there are many other places-sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo (BG 15.15). He reminds the living entity that "Unless Paramātmā is there, I forget everything of my past life." But because I wanted to enjoy something in my past life, God gives him the opportunity and reminds him, "Now you wanted this. Here is the opportunity. You do it." So Paramātmā is always with the jīva.

Philosophy Discussion on Benedict Spinoza:

Hayagrīva: He does not believe that God has a body because by body, he says, we understand a certain quantity possessing life, breadth and depth, limited by some fixed form, and that to attribute these to God, a being absolutely infinite, is the greatest absurdity.

Prabhupāda: No. God has body, but not this material body. The material body is limited. That does not mean... This is imperfect knowledge of the spiritual quality. God has got body. That is confirmed in Vedic literature, sac-cid-ānanda vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Vigraha means body, a form. But His form is eternal. He is all-aware, sat-cit, and He is always blissful. So this body is neither eternal nor blissful nor all-awareness. Therefore this body is different from God's body. But God has got a body which is different in quality. That is spiritual body.

Philosophy Discussion on George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel:

Hayagrīva: He sees the religion of India as a religion in which man is handed laws from a God who is exterior to man, from a will that is entirely foreign to man. And he sees this to be opposed to what he considers to be a more advanced religion, in which the individual soul is lifted to the supernatural through the use of reason, internal sanction or subjective confirmation. In other words, he sees the Indian religion as being blind following of an exterior will. He says that man can only attain God through the exercise of his own free will.

Prabhupāda: Then why the animals cannot? Animal is given complete free will.

Philosophy Discussion on Samuel Alexander:

Prabhupāda: That is experimented in the Bhagavad-gītā for men like Alexander and company. Arjuna requested that Kṛṣṇa to show His universal form, because he knew that "I am accepting Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme, but there are many persons with poor fund of knowledge, they may not accept." Therefore he requested Kṛṣṇa to show him the universal form. That He showed, so that there is another proof for person like Mr. Alexander and company. The, in the Eleventh Chapter, the universal form is very nicely explained. But the universal form was shown by Kṛṣṇa; therefore Kṛṣṇa is original. Universal form is not original; it was manifested by Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa's natural form is Kṛṣṇa. The universal form is a feature of Him. God... That, that is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ. Find out this verse.

Philosophy Discussion on Auguste Comte:

Prabhupāda: How? How? So far we are concerned, that any living being is destined to a certain position of happiness and distress. By dint of his past activities he gets a particular type of body destined to suffer or enjoy. That cannot be changed. Either you call this fatalism or destiny—every man is destined—that cannot be changed. His intelligence can change only his position with reference to God. His present position is he is forgetful of God and his relationship with God. So this position, forgetfulness, can be changed, and human life is meant for that purpose. So far improvement of economic condition or other condition, that is already fixed up. One cannot change it. So that is confirmation in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: he is creating his own destiny. Just like it is said, "Man is the architect of his own fortune."

Purports to Songs

Purport to Nitai-Pada-Kamala -- Los Angeles, December 21, 1968:

Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura advises us that "You firmly catch the lotus feet of Lord Nityānanda." Then again he says, nitāiyer caraṇa satya. One may not misunderstand that as he has caught hold of this māyā, similarly, the lotus feet of Nityānanda may also be something like that māyā, illusion. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura confirms that nitāiyer caraṇa satya: "The lotus feet of Nityānanda is not illusion; it is transcendental fact, satya." Nitāiyer caraṇa satya, tāṅhāra sevaka nitya: "And eveyone who is engaged in the transcendental loving service of Nityānanda he is also transcendental." If anyone is engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, immediately he achieves his transcendental position, spiritual platform. And spiritual platform means eternal, blissful. So anyone who engages himself in the service of Nityānanda, it is supposed that he is also immediately in his eternal position. Nitāiyer caraṇa satya, tāṅhāra sevaka nitya, nitāi-pada sadā koro āśa. Therefore he advises that "You always hope to catch the lotus feet of Nityānanda."

Page Title:Confirmation (Lectures, Other)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Gopinath
Created:25 of Jun, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=247, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:247