Karmīs means under the bodily concept. They are thinking that comfort of this body and sense gratification is the end of life. That is karmī. If they have got very nice apartment, a nice wife and good bank balance and a very nice dress, oh, there is perfection. That's all. That is karmī. And jñānī means that when they are confused. Just like there are a section of people in your country, they have seen enough of this material affair, happiness, or they are searching after something wrongly. But actually those who are intelligent, they don't remain confused. Actually they want to see "What is my actual position." They are called jñānī, man of knowledge.
Confusion (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Introduction to Bhagavad-gita As It Is -- Los Angeles, November 23, 1968 :
So you are bewildered, you are harassed. And now you, if you touch Kṛṣṇa consciousness, these harassments will be stopped. It is so nice thing. We are giving you your lost relationship, which you are searching out life after life. And you are confused. Take this! You will be happy. You will find your relationship, eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa.
Introduction to Bhagavad-gita As It Is -- Los Angeles, November 23, 1968 :
Therefore the intelligent man says, "I am no more going to satisfy my senses, I will satisfy Kṛṣṇa." That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then he gets full satisfaction. This is voluntary. This is called surrender, that "I have tried to satisfy my, the whims of my senses so many lives. I have become frustrated, confused. Let me try this life to satisfy the senses of Kṛṣṇa." That's all. At least let me give a trial one life, and let me see the result.
Lecture on BG 2.6 -- London, August 6, 1973:
Bengal is tropical climate, but when it is winter season, it is advised that "If you eat it is not so harmful because it will be digested." The night is very long, or the cold season, the digestive power, is nice. So when we are confused, "to do or not to do," jābo ki jābo nā yadi jāo tu śauce: "When you think, 'Whether I shall go or not?' better don't go. But when it is a question of answering the call of nature, you must go." Jābo ki jābo nā yadi jāu tu śauce, khābo ki khābo nā yadi khāo tu pauṣe. These are very common sense.
Lecture on BG 2.7 -- London, August 7, 1973:
Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):
- kārpaṇya-doṣopahata-svabhāvaḥ
- pṛcchāmi tvam dharma-sammūḍha-cetāḥ
- yac chreyaḥ syān niścitaṁ brūhi tan me
- śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam
- (BG 2.7)
"Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure because of weakness. In this condition, I am asking You to tell me clearly what is best for me. Now I am Your disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me."
Prabhupāda: This is very important verse in Bhagavad-gītā. It is a turning point of life. Kārpaṇya-doṣa. Miserly, doṣa means fault When one does not act according to his position, that is fault. And that is called miserly.
Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 7, 1966:
Just like you..., that "Such and such village" or "such and such town is on the sea." Somebody says. Now, the person who hears that "Such and such town is on the sea," and he may be confused: "How is that? On the, on the water, how there can be a town?" So there is explanation required. Now that explanation is that " 'On the sea' does not mean 'in the midst of the sea,' but 'on the bank of the sea.' " Here is an interpretation.
Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Hyderabad, November 30, 1972:
Because I don't agree with you, you don't agree with me. So why there shall not be trouble? Because everyone, if everyone... Just like in office, if everyone wants to become the proprietor, will not there be confusion and chaos? Do you think the office will go on nicely? Similarly, here, God has given you chance to become master because you wanted, but everyone wants to be master. There is chaos.
Lecture on BG 2.27-38 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1968:
Nara-nārāyaṇa: I am yet not so clear to understand why it is so important to Arjuna that Kṛṣṇa should say to Arjuna that it is so important, the reputation. Because in Arjuna's own heart he knows that he is being kind, or that he is in confusion because of his kindness. Does this make a difference, the opinion that one's fellow kṣatriya would have of him?
Prabhupāda: Arjuna was reputed as a great warrior. So he should remain a great warrior. A warrior's business is not to stop fighting on the plea of becoming kind. If you have gone to the warfield and if you practice nonviolence there, this is useless.
Lecture on BG 2.27-38 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1968:
Devotee: I don't know how to exactly word this. It seems like... I didn't quite understand the explanation, but it seems that although the battlefield is arranged for this war, there was almost a test for his principles and for him to renounce his place in the kṣatriya class. This is where I get confused in the Gītā. It seems like this is a very noble thing for him to renounce his place in the caste. I'm not clear here.
Prabhupāda: Renounce what?
Devotee: To renounce his place as a warrior and to go off into the woods and be a mendicant or whatever he wanted to do.
Prabhupāda: Who said?
Devotee: Arjuna.
Prabhupāda: So that is his cowardice. That is being condemned by Kṛṣṇa, that "It is not your business to give up fighting and go away from the warfield and go to the forest for meditation. It is not your business."
Lecture on BG 2.32 -- London, September 2, 1973:
Everyone is sinful. The government is sinful, the people are sinful. Then how you can become happy? It is a fool's paradise, sinful paradise. How you can be happy? Therefore despite all sorts of education, scientific improvement, brainwash and so many things, people are unhappy. Diseased, unhappy, dissatisfaction, confusion, this is going on. Because everything is not properly done. The government is not strict.
Lecture on BG 2.39 -- London, September 12, 1973:
Mukti means those who are disappointed. Disappointed must be because nobody can be happy here with this karmī plan. That is not possible. So he will be disappointed. But disappointed when? After many, many births' struggle for existence, he'll be disappointed. That's a fact. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). He continues to be, become karmī and sometimes jñānī, sometimes yogi, to become happy, but he'll be confused. He'll be defeated. Nature is so strong. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante: "After many, many births of this struggle"—sometimes karmī, sometimes jñānī, sometimes yogi, sometimes something else—"when one comes to be really wise," jñānavān māṁ prapadyate, "he surrenders unto Me." How he surrenders? Blindly? No.
Lecture on BG 2.40-45 -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1968:
If we teach our children simply for sense enjoyment, how they can be spiritually advanced? The result will be confusion. Therefore in your country the hippies are there—confusion. They have been brought up in material sense enjoyment very nicely, but still, there is confusion, frustration, because he's hankering after something better. So that is spiritual happiness. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Lecture on BG 2.62-72 -- Los Angeles, December 19, 1968:
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I've always been confused as to... It says here that a pure devotee like Haridāsa Ṭhākura would not fall victim to Māyādevī's temptations, but even Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva, might fall victim. I always thought that they were pure devotees of the Lord.
Prabhupāda: No. They are pure devotees, but they are guṇāvatāra. Just like Lord Brahmā is the supreme personality within this material universe. He's the father of all living entities. So they are... Of course, if we very scrutinizingly study, Haridāsa Ṭhākura is, in devotional service, in greater position than Brahmā. Although he is considered the incarnation of Brahmā, Brahmā Haridāsa. So we should not be disturbed when we see Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva is captivated in that way.
Lecture on BG 3.1-5 -- Los Angeles, December 20, 1968:
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Purport: "In the previous chapter, as a prelude to the Bhagavad-gītā, many different paths were explained, namely sāṅkhya-yoga, buddhi-yoga, controlling the senses by intelligence, work without fruitive desire, the position of the neophyte, etc. This was all presented unsystematically. A more organized outline of the path would be necessary for action and understanding. Arjuna therefore wanted to clear up these apparently confusing matters so that any common man could accept them without misinterpretation. Although Kṛṣṇa had no intention of confusing Arjuna by any jugglery of words, Arjuna could not follow the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness either by inertia or active service. In other words, by his questions he is clearing the path of Kṛṣṇa consciousness for all students who are serious about understanding the mystery of the Bhagavad-gītā."
Prabhupāda: Yes. Sometimes it appears to the student contradictory. But actually, the master who is well conversant, he does not say anything contradictory. It is the misunderstanding of the student that sometimes he thinks that it is contradictory. Therefore the question is allowed. You'll find that a student is advised to question to the spiritual master. Tad viddhi. You should understand the transcendental science by the process of... First thing is surrender; then question, and sevā, service. Surrender and service and question. Simply if you question, and don't surrender, don't render any service, then it will be simply waste of time.
Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Montreal, August 24, 1968:
Just like the American young men, they are now disgusted with this material civilization. So they are searching after knowledge. But unfortunately, the state is also not very enthusiastic, and there are many who are exploiting. But here is the knowledge. And that point comes, when the karmīs become disgusted, confused. Because the spirit soul, he wants spiritual life. He cannot be happy with any amount of materialistic life. In our childhood we read one poetry that a boy has brought one bird, and the bird is talking with the boy.
Lecture on BG 4.39-42 -- Los Angeles, January 14, 1969:
Then, out of many millions of such karmīs, or worker, one is jñānī, or a man in knowledge. When a man comes into the platform of knowledge, when he becomes frustrated by working hard and tasting all results of karma, when one is not satisfied, then he comes to the platform of knowledge. Knowledge means inquiry—"What I am? Why I am frustrated? Why I am confused? What is my position?" That is the platform of knowledge.
Lecture on BG 6.6-12 -- Los Angeles, February 15, 1969:
Because it is stated in the Vedic literature, just like in the Brahma-saṁhitā, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Imagination, those who are in the modes of passion and ignorance, they are imagining the form of God. And when they are confused, they say, "Oh, there is no personal God. It is all impersonal or void." That is frustration.
Lecture on BG 6.6-12 -- Los Angeles, February 15, 1969:
Devotee: A Kṛṣṇa conscious person has realized knowledge by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. Because he is satisfied with pure devotional service. By realized knowledge, one becomes perfect. By such perfect knowledge one can be steady in his convictions. But by academic knowledge one is easily deluded and is confused by apparent contradictions. It is the realized soul who is actually self-controlled because he is surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. He is transcendental because he has nothing to do with mundane scholarship.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Even one is illiterate. Even he does not know what is ABCD, he can realize God provided he engages himself in this submissive transcendental loving service. And one may be very learned, high scholar, but he cannot realize God. God is not subjected to any material condition. He is supreme spirit. Similarly, the process of realizing God is also not subjected to any material condition. It is not that because you are poor man you cannot realize God. Or because you are very rich man, therefore you shall realize God. No. Because you are uneducated, therefore you cannot realize God, no, that is not. Because you are highly educated, therefore you can realize God. No, that is not. He's unconditional. Apratihatā. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ. In the Bhāgavata it is said, that is first-class religious principle.
Lecture on BG 6.13-15 -- Los Angeles, February 16, 1969:
So athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvaya-prasāda-leśānugṛhīta... jānāti tattvaṁ bhagavan-mahimno na cānya eko 'pi ciraṁ vicinvan (SB 10.14.29). Therefore it is said, "My dear Lord, a person who has received a little favor from You, he can understand You very quickly. And others who are trying to understand You by the ascending process, they may go on speculating for millions of years, they will never understand." They will never understand. They will come to the point of frustration and confusion. "Oh, God is zero." That's all, finished. If God is zero, then how from zero so many, I mean to say, figures coming out?
Lecture on BG 6.13-15 -- Los Angeles, February 16, 1969:
At least better than India, that I can say by my experience. And I have traveled in so many countries, in Japan also I have seen, but still you are better positioned. But do you think you have attained peace? Can anyone of you say, "Yes, I am completely in peace." Then why the youngsters are so much frustrated and confused? So, so long we shall utilize the yoga practice, this practice, for some material facilities, there is no question of peace.
Lecture on BG 6.25-29 -- Los Angeles, February 18, 1969:
Don't allow the mind to go away from Kṛṣṇa and because we cannot fix up our mind sitting in one place in Kṛṣṇa, that requires very high training. To sit down in a place and always fix up in Kṛṣṇa the mind, that is not very easy job. One who is not practiced to it, if he simply imitates, then he will be confused. We have to engage ourself always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everything we do must be dovetailed in Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Madras, February 14, 1972:
Artha is required, money is required for fulfilling our sense gratification, and when we are baffled in gratifying our senses... Because here the whole struggle is going on. Everyone is trying to be the "Lord of all I survey". So there is baffle, there is confusion sometimes, and at that time they want mokṣa, relief for all these struggle for existence. But Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says that in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam these four things are rejected: dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2).
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bombay, January 13, 1973:
Similarly, if you love your society, your friends, your country, your family, yourself, your dog, everything, if you love Kṛṣṇa, all love will be distributed. But if you don't love Kṛṣṇa, if you simply love this, simply love that, simply that, it will be never be perfect. Therefore the whole world is confused. They do not know where to repose the love. That do not know. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is canvassing: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). "Come here! Love Me! Increase your attachment for Me. Everything will be all right." Otherwise it is simply vague.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Calcutta, January 27, 1973:
Dharmeṇa hīnāḥ paśubhiḥ samānāḥ. Not only here, everywhere, the whole world, they are, their universities are producing some animals. That's all. Therefore there is so much chaos and confusion all over the world. Varṇa-saṅkara. So if you want to be happy, really, if you want to make your life successful, human life, then you have to take this principle of mayy āsakta manāḥ. You have to increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on BG 7.3 -- London, March 11, 1975:
So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is completely scientific. As Kṛṣṇa said... We have given therefore. When I was registering this association in New York, some friend suggested that "Why you are giving this name 'Kṛṣṇa'? Why not put the name 'God,' 'God consciousness'?" Then "Yes, I can give the name 'God consciousness.' Then it will be confused." Because we want to preach Bhagavad-gītā as it is. That is Kṛṣṇa's speaking. And we are trying to place this Kṛṣṇa's teachings to the world.
Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Bombay, September 25, 1973:
In the Western countries, Europe and America, they have made sufficient arrangement for living materially very happy, but that has not been possible. They are also disappointed, confused. So materially you cannot be happy. You must know. You must have full knowledge what you are, what is this body, how you'll be happy. Then your life is successful. If you live like cats and dogs and try to adjust things like cats and dogs, that is a waste of life, waste of time.
Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Bombay, September 26, 1973:
Therefore India's position is now chaos and confusion because we have lost this Vedic civilization, we have lost Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we have lost God consciousness. We are being directed by the whims. So it is very lamentable condition of India, although this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is India's original culture, Kṛṣṇa culture. Kṛṣṇa appeared on this land. Although Kṛṣṇa is not for any particular land, but still, Kṛṣṇa appeared in this holy land of Bhāratavarṣa, Mathurā.
Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Bombay, September 27, 1973:
In America we find many. Although father is rich, millionaire, he has become a hippie, out of frustration, confusion, or some other reason. So our condition, like that. We are the sons of the richest person. Not only richest, the wisest. Aiśvaryasya samāgrasya vīryasya. The most powerful, Kṛṣṇa. The most powerful, the richest, the wisest, the most beautiful. Everything, supreme degree. We are sons of such a father, but we have become mad after this material enjoyment. This is our madness.
Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, September 30, 1973:
If you do not take your initiation mantra from the sampradāya, then it is useless. Now, there are so many apasampradāya. They do not come in disciplic succession, but becomes guru, teacher. Therefore everything is topsy-turvied. Nobody has got fixed idea what is God. Everyone has created his own philosophy. The whole thing is now confused.
Lecture on BG 13.13 -- Bombay, October 6, 1973:
So gradually, the whole world is becoming animal because they are rejecting religion. They are rejecting religion. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge. Because these rascals, they give up religion and become animals and fight between themselves and make the whole world a confusion and chaos, therefore it is required that Kṛṣṇa comes. Dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya. This is His duty. He has no duty, but it is His mercy that He comes. Dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya.
Lecture on BG 16.2-7 -- Bombay, April 8, 1971:
Why these American boys are coming to us? Because they did not get the advantage of spiritual life, but they are seeking after spiritual life. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. They are fed up with this materialistic way of life. They want something spiritual. But because there is no such information, there is no such leader, they are becoming hippies, frustrated, confused. And because here is something substantial, they are taking it. This is the secret of success of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- New York, July 6, 1972:
Woods and stone will not give you any pleasure. That is not possible. You are not wood and stone, you are spirit soul, you must have spiritual food. Therefore in America especially, despite all material opulences, there you are becoming confused and frustrated and disappointed. Because woods and stone will not satisfy you. You must have spiritual food, that is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 15, 1971:
So you go to the authorities and the so-called authorities, rascals. Inform them that "Take this education. Introduce in the schools, colleges. Then there will be peace and prosperity. Otherwise there will be hippies. That's all. You may have very big, big universities, educational system, but the production will be hopeless, confused hippies. That's all." From the very beginning, the whole system should be changed, rascal civilization. Religion first.
Lecture on SB 1.1.3 -- London, August 19, 1971:
There is some flavor in maintaining the family with hard labor. And sometimes we see therefore one who has no family, one who has no family affection, he does not work so hard. He doesn't care to work. This is practical. Therefore in the Vedic civilization the family life is recommended unless one will become confused, hopeless, because he has no taste for the family life. So everything there is some rasa, taste. Without that taste, nobody can live.
Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Visakhapatnam, February 20, 1972, At Ladies Club:
So I request that we have made a background only for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and this movement has a great demand all over the world. They are confused with this materialistic way of life. They are not satisfied. Many thousands and thousands of young men, they are confused. They do not know what to do, but they do not like to live like their fathers or grandfathers.
Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- New Vrindaban, September 4, 1972:
Therefore the central point is missing. And everyone is manufacturing his own way of spiritual knowledge. Therefore the whole world is in a turmoil, confusion. So in this point all the sages assembled in Naimiṣāraṇya for discussing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and this took place after the departure of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Lord Kṛṣṇa was present on this planet five thousand years ago, and after His departure, the Bhāgavata discussion was going on at Naimiṣāraṇya.
Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Vrndavana, October 16, 1972:
So you were, you were not after money; because money and woman, you have seen, enough. There is no scarcity of money and woman in Europe and America. You can earn any, as much as you like, and you can enjoy. But still, why they are coming out confused? They want something. That I have several times repeated, that your only qualification is, you are advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness because you are..., you have no other material desires.
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:
So in spite of all good arrangement for material enjoyment, enough food, enough..., nice apartment, motor cars, roads, and very good arrangement for freedom in sex, and good arrangement for defence also—everything is complete—but still, people are dissatisfied, confused, and younger generation, they are turning to hippies, protest, or dissatisfied because they are not happy.
Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:
In your country this example is very applicable. So many boys, they have left their rich father, rich family, and lying down on the street. I have seen. Why? Maybe some reason, but he is not expected to lie down on the street because he has got rich father, at least rich nation, your American nation. Similarly when we become puzzled and confused and want to live independently of God, the richest father—who can be richer than God? God means the richest. No one can be richer than Him. That is another definition of God.
Lecture on SB 1.2.9 -- Vrndavana, October 20, 1972:
Therefore it is said here, dharmasya hy āpavargyasya. To perform religious..., religiosity means how to get out of this material conditional life, apavarga. Pavarga means hard work. Pa pha. And so much hard work that there is foam in the mouth, phena. Pa pha ba. And vyarthatā. In spite of working so hard, we are confused, baffled. Pa pha ba bha. And still there is bhaya, fearfulness, "Whether it is done, or whether I shall get tomorrow, any food?" Bha. In this way, at the end, ma, mṛtyu. This is called pa pha ba bha ma-pavarga.
Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:
Just like in the Western world, they have been endowed with so much facilities of comfortable life, but because they do not know how to utilize the comfortable situation of life, there is so much chaos and confusion. The so rich nations, young boys and girls, they are turning to be hippies. Because they do not find... It is hackneyed. The same wine, same women, and same motorcar and same road, it has become disgusting. That is the nature's way.
Lecture on SB 1.2.14 -- Los Angeles, August 17, 1972:
So kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. At the present moment, 99.9%, they are śūdras. Therefore the society is chaotic condition. Therefore in your country, you are the richest country in the world, you are producing hippies, frustration, confusion. Chaotic condition. And if you continue this, then you'll lose all your opportunities. Artificially, you cannot remain opulent for many days. There were so many empires-Roman Empire, British Empire, Moghul Empire.
Lecture on SB 1.2.24 -- Los Angeles, August 27, 1972:
The others may think that "We are working so hard, we are not getting so big salary, and this man is getting so big salary. He's sitting only." Because foolish activity has no value. It is dangerous. So this modern world, they very active, but they're foolishly active, in the ignorance and passion, rajas tamas. Therefore there is confusion activity. Foolish activity, there is accident. Sober activity required. Because, just like unless you come to the platform of fire, you cannot utilize the material things.
Lecture on SB 1.5.1-4 -- New Vrindaban, May 22, 1969:
Especially in your America—you are all American boys and girls—you should take note of this atha, "therefore." What is that "therefore"? "Therefore" means that "You have enjoyed your material life as luxuriantly as possible, but you are confused. You are not happy. You have produced hippies, frustration. Therefore." You can take this word, "therefore." Because we have failed, the Americans have failed to achieve the highest pleasure of life even by arranging all kinds of material facilities, therefore they should be eager to understand.
Lecture on SB 1.5.1-4 -- New Vrindaban, May 22, 1969:
So brahma-jijñāsā. This brahma-jijñāsā is answered immediately in the Vedānta-sūtra. What is Brahman or what is the greatest? Say, greatest happiness. Now you have enjoyed material happiness, but you are not satisfied. You are confused. Then you should inquire what is greatest happiness. So these codes are so important thing, Vedānta-sūtra. You can explain "therefore" in so many ways according to your knowledge. But scientifically, this "therefore" means we are trying to find out the original source of everything. We are trying to find out what is the original source of this cosmic manifestation, why we are hankering after happiness, why we are confused. So many things.
Lecture on SB 1.5.1-4 -- New Vrindaban, May 22, 1969:
So Vyāsadeva, he also worked very hard, wrote so many books, unlimited. But he was not happy. So if you work for māyā, then you'll never be happy. You'll get tired and you'll simply be confused. But if you work for Kṛṣṇa, then you'll be happy. Just like... There are so many examples. Arjuna. Arjuna also, he remained a military man. He was in the beginning military man, and after hearing Bhagavad-gītā he remained a military man. But that military man was for Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 1.5.2 -- Los Angeles, January 10, 1968:
There is so much advancement of scientific research, result, economic. Of course, in India there may be poverty-stricken, but in your country, you have got ample, everything ample. But still, a section is confused and frustrated. Why? The same position as Vyāsadeva, who was not satisfied even after producing so many variety of literatures in material science and philosophy and religion and... Everything was complete.
Lecture on SB 1.5.11 -- London, September 12, 1973:
Manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ: over and above that, they will be disturbed, especially by lack of rain, lack of..., scarcity of food grains, and overtaxed by the government, so much so that people will give up their hearth and home and go to the forest and hills in disappointment and confusion. So these are the symptoms of Kali-yuga, gradually degrading.
Lecture on SB 1.7.2-4 -- Durban, October 14, 1975:
So this is here, yayā sammohito jīva, by these designations. All these living entities, they are captivated by these designations. Yayā sammohito jīva ātmānaṁ tri-guṇātmakam. He is thinking that the spirit soul has become Indian, American, African, or bird, beast. No, tri-guṇa. Paro 'pi, although he is transcendental to all these designations, manute anartham. Unnecessarily we are creating separative confusion. Manute anartham, tat-kṛtaṁ cābhipadyate. And by that designation, he is thinking, "I am Indian, I must act as Indian," "I am European, I must act as European." Tat-kṛtaṁ ca abhipadyate. This is called anartha: unnecessarily.
Lecture on SB 1.8.29 -- Los Angeles, April 21, 1973:
Kṛṣṇa says: ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. You are suffering here. Just like without any shelter. You see so many people loiter in the street, no aim, no life. We go in the beach side. We see so many boys and girls, without an aim, loitering, do not know what to do, all confused. So... But if you take shelter of Kṛṣṇa, then you'll know: Oh, I have got now shelter." There is no more confusions. There is no more hopelessness. You can understand it very well. And I receive so many letters daily, how they are hopeful in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Lecture on SB 1.8.33 -- Los Angeles, April 25, 1972:
You are supposed to be the richest country in the world. You have no scarcity. No scarcity of food, no scarcity of motor car, no scarcity of bank balance, no scarcity of sex. Everything is there, complete, in full abundance. And still why a section of people are frustrated and confused like the hippies? They are not satisfied. Why? That is the defect. Because there is no balance.
Lecture on SB 1.8.35 -- Los Angeles, April 27, 1973 :
So everyone, because of that unlimited desire, one after another... This desire, when this desire fulfilled, another desire, another desire, another desire. In this way you are simply creating problems. And when the desires are not fulfilled, then we become frustrated, confused. The frustration is there. One kind of frustration, just like in your country the hippies, that is also frustration.
Lecture on SB 1.8.39 -- Los Angeles, May 1, 1973:
So actually your countrymen, those who are sober, they are seeing that "How these boys and girls are becoming so nice and jolly, beautiful." Because at the present moment in your country all young generation mostly they are confused, hopeless. We see every day-morose, black-faced. Why? Because they're missing the point. There is no aim of life. But these devotees, Krsnized, they look so beautiful. Why? Because Kṛṣṇa is there. That's all. It is a fact. Any sane man will admit.
Lecture on SB 1.8.42 -- Los Angeles, May 4, 1973:
Suppose one is employed in a firm. He feels inconvenience: "This service is not very good. Let me resign it." You resign. But if you get a better service, then that resignation is all right. And if by resigning you become unemployed, no engagement, then what is the value of such resignation? What is the value of such resignation? Similarly, those who are frustrated, confused, they don't want this material world. Just like in your country, the hippies, they are frustrated, confused. You don't want... This is don't, but what you want? That is, that they do not know. That point is missing. You say, "I don't want this." But what you want? That you do not know.
Lecture on SB 1.8.46 -- Los Angeles, May 8, 1973:
Everything is required. Just like in your body, all the four divisions... Just like head, that is brāhmaṇa; the arms, that is kṣatriya; the belly, that is vaiśya; and the legs, they are śūdra. So as much as the head is required, so much the legs are also required. You cannot say, "One class will do." No. But the modern tendency is one class of men. And therefore therefore there is confusion. There must be four classes. That is scientific.
Lecture on SB 1.8.46 -- Los Angeles, May 8, 1973:
So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to educate some brāhmaṇas. If the society take our help and conduct the business of the society—kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—then there will be peace and prosperity. Otherwise there will be chaos and confusion.
Lecture on SB 1.9.1 -- Los Angeles, May 15, 1973:
So this Bhīṣmadeva... When he became puzzled, he went to Bhīṣmadeva, Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, went to Bhīṣmadeva. So this is the process. One must approach a superior person who is called guru. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). We, in this material world, we are confused, step by step. This is our position. Step by step. Every step.
Lecture on SB 1.9.1 -- Los Angeles, May 15, 1973:
Padaṁ padaṁ vipadām. Padaṁ padam means every step; vipadām, danger. It is such a nice place, this material world, that every step there is danger. And as soon as there is danger, we are confused. So... And as soon as we are confused: "How to solve?" Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet. Therefore the Vedic instruction is "Because you are confused, because you do not know which path to follow, therefore you must approach a guru." Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). This word abhigacchet is used when there is compulsory, "You must."
Lecture on SB 1.9.1 -- Los Angeles, May 15, 1973:
When we are confused in our ordinary life, we also go to a friend, senior friend, or experienced friend, and ask him, "My dear friend, I am in this condition. I am very much confused what to do." That is natural. Similarly, when Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja was so much afraid that he had killed so many prajās, he knew that "Now, still, there is a superior person, my grandfather, who is lying on the bed of arrows. Let me go there."
Lecture on SB 1.15.25-26 -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1973:
Just like at the present moment the politicians, as soon as they see that they cannot manage things, in the country there is confusion, they declare some war so that the whole attention may be turned that side, and there will be no agitation of the internal dissatisfaction. This is diplomacy. This is diplomacy. We have seen it in Pakistan.
Lecture on SB 1.15.35 -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1973:
Where in the state everyone is rogue and rascal, then the state becomes overburdened. Overburdened means the duty of the state for arranging police, military and other things becomes very much confused. Similarly, if the people are all law-abiding citizens then the government has no burden. Let things go on nicely, everything is going nicely.
Lecture on SB 1.15.36 -- Los Angeles, December 14, 1973:
Whatever you are experiencing, wherefrom it has come? It has come from the Absolute. That is the Absolute idea. But here, in the relative world, it is pervertedly reflected, and because it is not reality, therefore you are confused, baffled. So our proposition is come to the reality. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Lecture on SB 2.3.14-15 -- Los Angeles, May 31, 1972:
Therefore your young men, young girls, they have become frustrated, in spite of all this arrangement, nice arrangement. There is no comparison of your country's arrangement. I am traveling all over the world. Such nice roads, such every... Everything nice. But why they are becoming frustrated and confused? Due to this aprāṇasya. There is no life. So life is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So if you actually feel for your country, for your community, for your people, just spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They're dying. You spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Lecture on SB 2.3.17 -- Los Angeles, July 12, 1969:
Saṁsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka **. This world is just like blazing fire. People realize it. And when they do not find any solution, they become frustrated, they become confused, they take to intoxication to forget the blazing condition of life. So actually everyone in this material world is burning in the blazing fire of material consciousness. That's a fact. Somebody is trying to solve by forgetting it through the influence of intoxication or something else artificially. That is not the solution.
Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- London, August 30, 1971:
Somehow or other, get money and expend for sense gratification. In America I have heard that people, they have got money. They spend fifty thousand dollars weekly for seeing naked dance. You see? So money is being misused in this way. Everyone wants sense gratification. And for sense gratification, they want money. And they are earning money somehow or other and applying that in sense gratification. But the result is confusion and frustration. That's all. Result is confusion and frustration. Therefore this is not new thing.
Lecture on SB 6.1.7 -- San Francisco, March 1, 1967:
So I replied that "Do you think that your problems are solved because you have got a dozens or a hundreds dozens of skyscrapers? That problem is here also. It is not that because America is materially advanced, 'Oh, they are free from all sufferings.' Why there are so many hospitals? Why there are so many lunatic asylums? Why this confusion of the hippies? Why young boys are always disturbed for the draft board? So how can you say the Americans are free from all sufferings?" This is ignorance.
Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Indore, December 13, 1970:
Many fathers come and say, "Oh, Swamijī, we are so fortunate that you have come. You have saved our sons and daughters." And they fall flat to offer me obeisances, although he is not my disciple. And those are directly father and mother, oh, they come to congratulate me in any way because they understand that "Here Swamijī is giving our sons and daughters spiritual life." They hope. They were hopeless. They were confused. So that is not my credit.
Lecture on SB 7.5.30 -- London, September 9, 1971:
Unless we are in spiritual life or in the spiritual world, we cannot be happy. That is our position. Everyone is trying for that spiritual realization, but he does not know. Therefore he is trying to be happy here in material condition. He is becoming frustrated, confused. So we have to withdraw this understanding that "We shall be very happy by making adjustment of this material world." That we have to understand first of all. Then Kṛṣṇa consciousness will be effective.
Lecture on SB 7.5.30 -- London, September 9, 1971:
So those who are trying to be happy by adjustment of materialistic way of life, they cannot take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore these boys' and girls' frustration and confusion in the materialistic way of life is a qualification to come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They have got a good qualification, that they are coming to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 3, 1967:
So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the topmost, topmost knowledge how to love God and thereby enjoy life. Because we want to love. Unfortunately The other day I was instructing my students that "You just get yourself married." Now, they were confused. Somebody said, "Where to get a nice girl?" Just see. Everyone wants to love, but frustration. The girls will say, "Where is a nice boy?" So the tendency of love is there in everywhere, either in animal or in man, but the lovable object is missing. Missing. That is Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 6, 1967:
Kṛṣṇa answered that yasyāham anugṛhnāmi hariṣye tad-dhanam śanaiḥ: (SB 10.88.8) "My dear brother, Yudhiṣṭhira, My first evidence of mercy to My devotee is to plunder all his wealth, whatever he has got. You see? Whatever he has got, I take it away. Then he tries again to accumulate some money. Again I take it away. In this way, he tries; I take away. When he becomes confused and baffled, he fully surrenders unto Me."
Lecture on SB 7.6.3 -- Montreal, June 16, 1968:
So our program is that they are trying to adjust things. Things cannot be adjusted unless we stand on the spiritual platform, because the actual necessity is spiritual demand. The best example is your country. Materially, you are so much advanced. No other country can be compared. But a section of younger generation, they feel frustrated, confused. Why? They are brought up very nicely. The government system is very nice. They can get education. Everything is complete. But still, they are not happy. They are finding something else which will make them happy. Why? This is spiritual demand.
Lecture on SB 7.6.3 -- Montreal, June 16, 1968:
So this frustration, confusion, is expression of spiritual unhealthiness, because actually we are spirit. That we do not know. Suppose you have got a very nice coat, and within that coat you are actually, so far we are concerned at the present moment.
Lecture on SB 7.6.3 -- Montreal, June 16, 1968:
Guest (1): Swamijī, I'm always confused by the term "serving God," "serving Kṛṣṇa."
Prabhupāda: You are?
Guest (1): It's confusing to me.
Prabhupāda: It is confusing?
Guest (1): Yes. I can understand how I can serve my own senses or how I can serve another man, but serving God...
Prabhupāda: You are serving your senses means you are serving the dictation of your senses. Is it not? Similarly, if you serve the dictation of Kṛṣṇa, then you serve Kṛṣṇa. You are serving your senses means your eyes want to see a beautiful thing, dictates, "My dear sir, please take me to that beautiful...," you go. So you are serving your dictation of the sense gratification of the eyes. Your tongue is pinching you, "Please give me a cigarette." Oh, you at once supply: "Yes." So you are serving your senses means the dictation of your senses. Similarly, if you practice to serve the dictation of Kṛṣṇa, then you are liberated. Simply you have to change the account. Your service position will continue because we are eternally servants. We are never master.
Lecture on SB 7.9.11 -- Montreal, August 17, 1968:
Just like the Americans, they are... American or many other Western countries, the young men, they belong to a rich nation, so practically they have no want. But still why they are becoming hopeless and confused? Because this material want is not all. There is spiritual want. Unless that spiritual want is fulfilled, unless that spiritual relationship is reestablished, nobody can be happy. So in order to make us happy, Kṛṣṇa says that "Begin with little flower, little water, or little fruit, and try to offer Me."
Lecture on SB 7.9.11-13 -- Hawaii, March 24, 1969:
Raja means activity. And tama means darkness. So these, these qualities are working. These qualities are working. Now, in your country, by the rajo-guṇa you have created so many things, a nice country, very nicely operating. But another side: the confusion is there, the hippies. You see? Future hope of the country is very dark. You see? It will spoil the whole thing if the country's not alive to the situation.
Lecture on SB 7th Canto -- Calcutta, March 7, 1972:
Kṛṣṇa is called Madana-mohana and Rādhārāṇī is called Madana-mohana-mohinī. So the law is the same. But here in this material world, everything is perverted. Perverted. Therefore, we do not get the real energy. There is frustration, there is confusion. So we have to come to the real platform. Disease, diseased person... A diseased person, there are nice eatable things, enjoyable things, but he cannot eat, he cannot taste it, diseased person. Liver function is not working; therefore, he cannot taste it.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 5, 1973:
We shall always remain unsatisfied, because this is artificial. The same example: If you want to love, then you have to pour water on the root of the tree. Then it will be all right. Otherwise, if you manufacture so many ways of love, then certainly you'll be confused and frustrated.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 6, 1973:
Pradyumna: "As far as material necessities are concerned, the human civilization at the present moment is very much advanced in living comfortably, but still we are not happy because we are missing the point. The material comforts of life alone are not sufficient to make us happy. The vivid example is America: the richest nation of the world, having all facilities for material comfort, is producing a class of men completely confused and frustrated in life. I am appealing herewith to such confused men to learn the art of devotional service as directed in The Nectar of Devotion, and I am sure that the fire of material existence burning within their hearts will be immediately extinguished. The root cause of our dissatisfaction is that our dormant loving propensity has not been fulfilled despite our great advancement in the materialistic way of life. The Nectar of Devotion will give us practical hints how we can live in this material world perfectly engaged in devotional service and thus fulfill all our desires in this life and in the next."
Prabhupāda: So, people are misled. They are thinking that by material comfort they will be happy. And practically we are seeing, this competition of material comfort... The capitalist and the labor class, worker class, they are fighting—strike. Actually, the propensity is that... That is explained in Marshall's theory of economics. We were student of economics. So in that book Mr. Marshall explained that the family affection is the origin of economic impetus. That's a fact. These hippies, they have no family affection. They are not married, and therefore there is no economic impetus. They can live in any way, any wretched condition of life. And one who is married, responsible man, he has got some responsibility to see that..., provided he has got affection for the family. Otherwise, practically, so-called family life, there is no affection.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 6, 1973:
Pradyumna: "The vivid example is America: the richest nation of the world, having all facilities for material comfort, is producing a class of men completely confused and frustrated in life. I am appealing herewith to such confused men..." Oh. "The root cause of our dissatisfaction is that our dormant loving propensity has not been fulfilled despite our great advancement in the materialistic way of life. The Nectar of Devotion will give us practical hints how we can live in this material world perfectly engaged in devotional service and thus fulfill all our desires in this life and the next. The Nectar of Devotion is not presented to condemn..."
Prabhupāda: If you become devotee of Kṛṣṇa, all your desires will be fulfilled. That is also fact.
- akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā
- mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhiḥ
- tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena
- yajeta paramaṁ puruṣa
- (SB 2.3.10)
It is not that... Sometimes we think like that, that "If we become devotee of God, then I'll become poor." Because Vaiṣṇavas are generally appear to be poor, so those who are after material happiness, they do not like to become Vaiṣṇavas. They become devotee of Lord Śiva, because by the grace of Lord Śiva they get all material facilities. Therefore generally people are very much fond of becoming devotee of Lord Śiva.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 10, 1973:
Everyone is andhā, blind. They have no jñāna, no knowledge, and misleading only. So the, ānandāmbudhi-vardhanam. You can have unlimited ānanda, but because you are falsely trying to enjoy through this material body, therefore you are becoming confused and frustrated. That they do not know. They think, "I have got this material body, I have got some senses, let me enjoy the senses to the best possibility." But you cannot do it, because it is false, it is not real.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100 -- Washington, D.C., July 5, 1976:
Indian man: Prabhupāda, the basic confusion is that the Māyāvādīs take Bhagavad-gītā, they can recite the same Sanskrit words and interpret it in their way and convince someone that the ultimate Brahman is impersonal and the (indistinct) Brahman, Kṛṣṇa is only a technique.
Prabhupāda: That means they misinterpret and they misguide. So people should be intelligent enough that they are impersonalists but Bhagavad-gītā means Kṛṣṇa, the person, He is teaching. Where is the impersonalist? But nobody has any common sense even that Kṛṣṇa says aham ādir hi bhūtānām. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo (BG 10.8). This aham is person, so how He can be imperson? And He's talking personally with Arjuna. So how He is imperson? Can the air talk with you? Air is imperson. Sky is imperson. Can he talk with you? What do you think?
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100 -- Washington, D.C., July 5, 1976:
Indian man: But they also say one can go directly to Brahman.
Prabhupāda: Never says, Kṛṣṇa never says in the Bhagavad-gītā.
Indian man: This is my basic confusion.
Prabhupāda: Confusion... How you should be confused? Where is Kṛṣṇa says? The basic (indistinct) is in person? Kṛṣṇa's teaching personally. Where is the imperson? Why you should be misled unless you are also one of them. Kṛṣṇa is always person. He's always speaking aham. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Person. Aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). Mattaḥ. This, ahaṁ-śabdaḥ, is used. So they misinterpret just to mislead people; therefore whole India has become godless. This is the misfortune of India.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.337-353 -- New York, December 25, 1966:
He's asking very frankly because he's very intelligent. He was minister.
- 'ati kṣudra jīva muñi nīca, nīcācāra
- kemane jāniba kalite kon avatāra?'
"My dear Sir, Lord Caitanya, I am the lowest of the lowest. I am very fool number one. So I may inquire from You that how can I understand that this is the incarnation of this age, Kali-yuga?"
- prabhu kahe—anyāvatāra śāstra-dvāre jāni
- kalite avatāra taiche śāstra-vākye māni
"Oh, why you are in confusion? As other incarnation are to be understood from the indication of the śāstras, similarly, we have to understand from the indication of the śāstra who is incarnation." Sarvajña munira vākya-śāstra-'paramāṇa'.
Festival Lectures
Ratha-yatra -- San Francisco, July 5, 1970:
In this country especially, in all other countries also, the younger generation are not very satisfied. In your country, they say that the frustrated community, the confused community, the hippies. But I have got all sympathy for these frustrated community, everywhere. They should be frustrated. In the Vedānta-sūtra it is said that athāto brahma jijñāsā. This human form of life should feel frustration. If he does not feel frustration, then it is animal life.
Ratha-yatra -- San Francisco, July 5, 1970:
So my request to you, those who are feeling frustration, confused, this is a good qualification. Good qualification in this sense: that those who are feeling frustration and confused, they are disgusted with this materialistic way of life. That is a good qualification for spiritual advancement. But if you are not properly guided, then that will be another frustration. That will be another frustration.
Ratha-yatra -- San Francisco, July 5, 1970:
So my request to you, those who are feeling frustration or confused, please take to this maha-mantra, chanting, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. When I was coming, I was waiting there to see the procession, so many boys and girls, they are not within our Kṛṣṇa conscious group, they are outsiders, but they are also chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra very feelingly. I was very much satisfied.
Ratha-yatra -- San Francisco, July 5, 1970:
I was not very feeling well to come here. But because I have come to San Francisco, I must give you the message. It is very important message. Those of you who are feeling frustration and confused, kindly take to this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, that's all. You... There is no expenditure, there is no loss. We are not charging anything. It is not a business, that we are asking you to pay something because I am giving this information. No. It is freely distributed. You please chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra twenty-four hours. You can work, you can walk, and at the same time chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.
Ratha-yatra -- San Francisco, July 5, 1970:
We have got Janmāṣṭamī, Śrī Rāma-navamī, Dola-yātrā, Jhulana-yātrā. So there are twelve months, but we have got twenty-four festivals as big as this Ratha-yātrā Festival. So if you kindly take to them, then as advised by Lord Caitanya, kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31), you will always be in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and there will be no scope of your frustration and confusion. For this purpose especially, I came in this meeting, that you kindly accept this humble instruction that wherever you may be, in whatever position, in whatever condition, you kindly chant these sixteen names (everyone chants), Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
Arrival Lecture -- Gainesville, July 29, 1971:
So this movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means making people directly in contact with the Supreme. Therefore immediately they're happy. I have got thousands of letters from my disciples. They're feeling so much obliged that "We have got our life. We were hopeless." Actually, that is the position. Without Kṛṣṇa, without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we are all hopeless, confused. So I am very happy to see so many nice boys and girls assembled here. So take to this process.
Arrival Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 18, 1972:
So I especially appeal to the Americans, whose boys and girls are helping me so much, please take this philosophy, try to understand this philosophy. Make your life successful—your country and the whole world. You are helping other parts of the world who are not very much developed with money, resources. That is a very good idea. But in your country you do not see how the younger generation are going astray, how they're baffled and confused. You should take care of this. The flower of your country, they are becoming hopeless, confused. Try to save them. And this is the only remedy, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that can save your country and the whole world.
Arrival Speech -- Stockholm, September 5, 1973:
I am acting for something which I am not; therefore it is called māyā, or illusion. Phantasmagoria. I am working for something, and because I am working for something which I am not, therefore there is confusion. People are not happy. He is working day and night for this body; still, he is not happy. He is trying to make the senses... Body means the senses. So we are trying to satisfy the senses in so many ways, repeating the same thing in different way, but there is no happiness. It cannot be, because we are not this matter. We are spirit soul.
Arrival Speech -- Stockholm, September 5, 1973:
Religious system means to understand spiritual life. But unfortunately, nobody is interested in spiritual or religious system because they have been more and more induced to become addicted to the material and sensuous activities, and so they are going far and far away from the spiritual life, and more and more confusion and what is called disappointment is rising all over the world. So to mitigate this sort of disappointment and confusion, one has to take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and try to understand the philosophy and act accordingly. Then people will be happy. That is our program.
Arrival Speech -- Stockholm, September 5, 1973:
Pradyumna: He is confusing us with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
Prabhupāda: Oh, he is a rascal. He is now in hospital. He is undergoing operation. God is going, undergoing operation. (laughter)
Initiation Lectures
Initiation Lecture -- New York, July 28, 1971:
You are spirit soul. Woods and stone will not give you any pleasure. That is not possible. You are not wood and stone. You are spirit soul. You must have spiritual food. Therefore, in America especially, despite all material opulences, they..., you are becoming confused and frustrated and disappointed. Because wood and stone will not satisfy you. You must have spiritual food. That is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Initiation Ceremony -- Los Angeles, May 15, 1973:
So you know the rules and regulations? (devotee answers) So you name is Nirakula dāsī. Nirakula. Akula means one who becomes confused, and nira means not. One who does not become confused, fixed up. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
General Lectures
Lecture -- Seattle, September 30, 1968:
So if you want really peace, if you really want satisfaction, if you don't want to be confused, then try to love Kṛṣṇa. This is the plain program. Then your life will be successful.
Lecture -- Seattle, September 30, 1968:
You have the instinct for loving others. That is instinctive, natural. Simply we are misplacing love and therefore we are frustrated. Frustrated. Confused. So if you don't want to be confused, if you don't want to be frustrated, then try to love Kṛṣṇa, and you'll feel yourself how you are making progress in peacefulness, in happiness, in everything that you want.
Lecture to College Students -- Seattle, October 20, 1968, Introduction by Tamala Krsna:
Your service spirit is there, your loving spirit is there, but because it is misplaced, you are not happy, you are frustrated, you are confused. The Bhāgavata gives you indication, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). That is the first-class system of religion, which trains you to love God.
Lecture at Engagement -- Columbus, may 19, 1969:
We want to see everyone happy. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And it is practical; it is not dream. You can become happy. Don't be disappointed, don't be confused. Your life has value. You, in this life, you can realize your eternal life, eternal blissful life of knowledge. It is possible; it is not impossible.
Lecture -- New Vrindaban, June 7, 1969:
Please come here, join here. We have got very nice arrangement. We supply prasādam, we have got dancing, we have got chanting. Why you should deny it? (laughter) And if you join us, then gradually you realize what you are, what is God, what is this world, what is your relationship. Then your life becomes successful. You'll not be confused. You will understand what is real life.
Lecture -- New Vrindaban, June 7, 1969:
So this is a great science. It is a great science. Don't be confused and frustrated. Take this. Take this. It is very easy. You come to this temple and chant and dance and take prasādam and be jolly and be happy.
Lecture -- London, September 14, 1969:
The whole material world is going on by manufacturing ideas. The so-called scientists, the so-called philosophers, poets, they are manufacturing ideas that "We shall be happy in this way, in that way." So this will not help us, this manufacturing. I may be satisfied by some manufactured ideas. Just like in U.S.A. especially, the frustrated, confused younger generation, they are manufacturing ideas that "We shall be happy in this way." But that is not possible. You cannot be happy.
Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 12, 1971:
If you accept Kṛṣṇa as friend, you will never be cheated. If you accept Kṛṣṇa as lover, you will never be confused. So therefore Kṛṣṇa is actually ātmeśvaraḥ suhṛt. Prahlāda Mahārāja teaching that, that "Just take to this Bhāgavata-dharma." Actually you want to love Kṛṣṇa, but by the intervening of māyā, you are loving something else. That will not make you happy. You just try to love Kṛṣṇa.
Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 20, 1971:
But in other countries, because there is no bhāgavata-dharma culture, the students, although they are provided with ample opportunity for education, the nicest educational system, nice building, nice facilities, everything nice, unfortunately the products are coming out frustrated, confused young men, and some of them are called hippies. They are educated. They are coming from very nice aristocratic family.
Lecture at Auckland University -- Auckland, April 17, 1972:
The blazing fire of material existence, I was just talking this morning our Swami Hanumān Goswāmī. He was speaking that at the present moment there is a movement amongst the younger section to commit suicide. Why? Why younger section are feeling such frustration and confused in spite of so much educational institution? In your Western country there is no question of poverty.
Lecture at Auckland University -- Auckland, April 17, 1972:
So our request is that younger section may not feel confused and frustration. There is very nice hope. Those who are taking to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, mostly they are younger section. Now ask them how much hopeful they are, how much jubilant they are. So my request is that—you are all young boys and girls, flowers of the country—don't feel frustration and confused. There is nice hope in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. My only request is that—you are all learned boys and girls—try to understand this philosophy and science, and you will be happy.
Hare Krishna Festival Address -- San Diego, July 1, 1972, At Balboa Park Bowl:
So only thing is wanted—Kṛṣṇa consciousness. For want of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, despite your all opulences, you are becoming confused and frustrated. I hear that out of three, one man is a patient of a psychiatrist. Why? Why you are unhappy? Why you should be unhappy? You have got everything—enough food, enough land, enough money, enough intelligence. Why you should be unhappy? The cause you should try to find out. The cause is that without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, without God consciousness, nobody can be happy. That is the cause.
Rotary Club Lecture -- Hyderabad, November 29, 1972:
So if we try to follow the already perfect statements in the śāstras, and if we apply in the, our practical life, then the whole human society will be perfect. Otherwise, if we do not follow the instruction which is perfect, already there in the śāstras—we manufacture or concoction—the social order will never be perfect and there will be always a confusion. And that is going on. I have seen. I have traveled all over the world, especially in America. They're the richest country, but there is a confusion now. The younger section, they do not like to live like their father or grandfather.
Lecture at Bharata Chamber of Commerce 'Culture and Business' -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973:
Just like without head, the arms department, the belly department, the leg department are all useless. Similarly without culture, all these businesses, they creates confusion and chaos. That is the position at the present moment, because there is intermingling of different businesses. There must be one section of people, head department, who should give advice to the other departments. The brāhmaṇas, they're intelligent.
University Lecture -- Calcutta, January 29, 1973:
The brāhmaṇas did not take part in politics, but they gave advice, instruction to the kings, rājarṣi. Imaṁ rājarṣayoḥ viduḥ. The rājarṣi used to understand what is the values of life under the instruction of brāhmaṇas, and they execute the order of the brāhmaṇas. The people were happy. And because at the present moment such system is lost, people are confused and they are in frustration.
University Lecture -- Calcutta, January 29, 1973:
This is the time to do welfare activities for the whole world. They are merged into confusion, everywhere. You know that in the Western countries, the hippy movements. What are the hippies? They're also educated, coming from very rich family also, but they do not like the way of envelopment as their fathers and grandfathers liked. They have rejected.
Lecture What is a Guru? -- London, August 22, 1973:
Just like in darkness, ajñāna-timirāndhasya. Ajñāna means ignorance, without knowledge. That is called ajñāna. So ajñāna is compared..., ignorance, stupidity, is compared with darkness. Just like if you are, if this room, immediately, all lights are off, then it becomes dark. We cannot see where I am sitting, where others are sitting. It becomes a confusion. Similarly, in this material world, we are all in the darkness. This material world is called darkness. It is called tamaḥ. Tamaḥ means darkness.
Lecture -- London, August 26, 1973:
But as we are eternal, we are not taking care of the eternal soul, what is its need. But when a person is developed, his spiritual consciousness automatically develops. At that time, he is no more satisfied with the comforts of the material body. In the Western country, that feeling is now very prominent because there are so many confused, frustrated young men who are known as hippies. They are not satisfied with the ways of life as their fathers and grandfathers are living. They are protesting rather. That means there is spiritual starvation.
Address to Rotary Club -- Chandigarh, October 17, 1976:
Pradyumna: "Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure because of weakness. In this condition I am asking You to tell me clearly what is best for me. Now I am Your disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me."
Prabhupāda: Yes. So Arjuna understood his weakness, his weak point. Therefore he said to Kṛṣṇa that kārpaṇya-doṣopahata-svabhāvaḥ. Kārpaṇya, this word, comes from kṛpaṇa. Kṛpaṇa... Kṛpaṇa, this word, is known practically everyone. Kṛpaṇata means miserly. A person who has got enough resources but if he does not use it properly, it is called, he is called a kṛpaṇa, miser.
Philosophy Discussions
Philosophy Discussion on Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz:
Hayagrīva: Oh, he says insofar as the soul is perfect it controls the body, but insofar as the soul is imperfect or its perceptions are confused, the soul is slaved by the passions arising out of corporeal representations.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey:
Hayagrīva: He differs from Comte and Marx in that he did not believe that humanity is the object of worship. In fact, he excludes everything as an object of worship. He writes, "Nature produces whatever gives reinforcement and direction, but also it occasions discord and confusion. 'The divine' is thus a term of human choice and aspiration."
Prabhupāda: No. There is no question of human choice. Can you say that death is my choice? Huh? It is forced. So the, wherefrom the force is coming, that is God. Nobody wants to die, but there is force. You must die. Nobody wants to become old man. You must become old man. The sanity is to find out wherefrom this enforcement is coming. That is Supreme.
Philosophy Discussion on Soren Aabye Kierkegaard:
Prabhupāda: This is authentic position. We are serving Kṛṣṇa. This is authentic position. My position is part and parcel, to serve Kṛṣṇa. So actually I am engaged in service of Kṛṣṇa. That is my authentic position. This authentic position is at the present moment a little confused. But that now I am liberated, healthy, so if I continue healthy, that is my real position. Then I will keep always my self healthy. That's all. There is no change.
Philosophy Discussion on Edmund Husserl:
Śyāmasundara: But these philosophers, especially Husserl, because there is so much confusion and chaos in the world of philosophical thought, they wanted to start from the beginning, from zero knowledge, from wiping everything away and beginning over again. So first of all they started with the phenomenon, because that's what you can see first, just like if you were a newborn child. Then they began...
Prabhupāda: Newborn child, first business is to inquire from the mother, "Mother, what is this?" "Mother, father, what is this?" That is nature.
Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre:
Śyāmasundara: Then he is able to really mold his nature.
Prabhupāda: Yes. But he is dismissing. Being confused and disappointed, he is dismissing the whole case, that "There is nothing. Make it zero." That is poor fund of knowledge.
Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre:
Śyāmasundara: They see all activity as in vain. All activity is a useless struggle, a vain struggle.
Prabhupāda: That is for him. Because he is confused and without any direction, he thinks like that.
Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:
Prabhupāda: Either you become a Karl Marx, or you become Stalin, or you become Gandhi, or you become whatever you may be, the service spirit is there. In the family also, the father wants to give service. In state also, the prime minister wants to give some service. So this service spirit will be there. Now, we are giving service to so many things, and we are becoming confused and (indistinct). Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that you give up all other service, give Me service, I will (indistinct). You cannot remain without giving service. That's a fact.
Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:
Śyāmasundara: Everyone wants to become godly...
Prabhupāda: No, no. The desire, desire means that he has lost his real happiness. His real happiness is with God, dancing with God. Just like gopīs, they are dancing with God. That is real happiness. That is his nature. Ānandamayaḥ abhyāsāt. Vedānta-sūtra says that "By nature he wants ānanda, ānanda." But because he is seeking ānanda in a perverted way, he is being confused and frustrated. Therefore he is thinking "Not this stage, that stage will give me happiness." So when he goes to that stage, he again finds unhappiness. Because he is wrongly selecting, that "This is the stage of my happiness."
Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:
Śyāmasundara: So everyone is striving to return to that stage...
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Śyāmasundara: ...and they have simply perverted their drive...
Prabhupāda: Therefore they are confused and frustrated. This is called māyā.
Philosophy Discussion on Plotinus:
Hayagrīva: Although most of his philosophy is impersonal—his conception of God is mainly impersonal—he writes, "Let us flee then to the beloved fatherland. Here is sound council. But what is this flight? How are we to gain the open sea? The fatherland for us is there whence we have come. There is the father." So he does some..., have some conception, it seems, of God as father.
Prabhupāda: He, he is confused because he is also speculating. So these things will remain confused, whether the Absolute Truth is person, imperson. Generally, without spiritual advancement nobody can understand about the Absolute Truth, and so he, that doubt continues. But when there is question of love between the Absolute and the relative, there must be the personal conception, and actually He is person, Kṛṣṇa. So by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, when he gets in touch with the devotee, his impersonal conception of the Absolute is removed, and then he worships the personal aspect of the Absolute Truth, Kṛṣṇa, and devotee. Then his life is successful.
Philosophy Discussion on John Locke:
Hayagrīva: And Locke argues on behalf of private property given to man by God. That is to say a man may have a certain stewardship over a certain amount of property. Is this in compliance with the Īśopaniṣadic version?
Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. Tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā: (ISO 1) everything belongs to God. Just like the father has got many sons and the father is the proprietor of the house. He gives one son, "This is your room," the other son, "This is your room." So the obedient son is satisfied what the father allows to him. Others, those who are not obedient, they want to disturb other brother that "This room also belongs to me." That creates chaos and confusion in the world. The United Nations, they have created a society for unity of the nations, but actually that is not unity.
Philosophy Discussion on Samuel Alexander:
Hayagrīva: He says there's reciprocation. That's what's confusing. But he goes on further to say, "There's always the double relationship of need. If man wants God and depends upon Him, God wants man and is so far dependent."
Prabhupāda: Yes. Everyone is dependent. There is no question about it.
Purports to Songs
Purport to Sri-Sri-Gurv-astakam -- Los Angeles, January 2, 1969:
They are planning to be very comfortable in this material existence, but they are still more being confused and failure. That peace movement, that United Nation movement, everything is failure. Why? These miseries of this material existence cannot be stopped by any material means. One has to take shelter of spiritual means.
| Page Title: | Confusion (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Alakananda |
| Created: | 22 of Dec, 2010 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=128, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 128 |