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Declare (Lectures, Other)

Lectures

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 5, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa se tomāra, kṛṣṇa dite pāra, tomāra śakati āche. This is a fact. If you want Kṛṣṇa, then you have to approach a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. He can give you, deliver you. Vedeṣu durlabha adurlabha ātma-bhaktau. If one is Kṛṣṇa devotee, he can deliver Kṛṣṇa: "Take Him. Here is Kṛṣṇa." That is the special prerogative of devotee. Kaunteya pratijānīhi. Vaiṣṇava... Kṛṣṇa is advising Arjuna, because he's devotee, that "You declare, na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati." So He could declare Himself. No. He wants to declare everything through His devotee. Nimitta-mātraṁ bhava savya-sācin. He want to see that Arjuna becomes victorious, although He was conducting, actually He was doing this victory also, war. So in this way, kṛṣṇa-bhakti, nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti, if we simply invoke our kṛṣṇa-bhakti, that is success of life. Some way or other. Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī says that yena tena prakāreṇa manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet. Somehow or other, just be absorbed within your mind about Kṛṣṇa. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor (SB 9.4.18). Some way or other. It doesn't matter which way. And another place Rūpa Gosvāmī says, kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā matiḥ krīyatāṁ yadi kuto 'pi labhyate. Purchase this kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā matiḥ, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if it is available somewhere. Tatra laulyam eka mūlyam, na janma koṭibhiḥ sukṛtibhiḥ labhyate.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 5, 1973:

"Take Him. Here is Kṛṣṇa." That is the special prerogative of devotee. Kaunteya pratijānīhi. Vaiṣṇava... Kṛṣṇa is advising Arjuna, because he's devotee, that "You declare, na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati." So He could declare Himself. No. He wants to declare everything through His devotee. Nimitta-mātraṁ bhava savya-sācin. He want to see that Arjuna becomes victorious, although He was conducting, actually He was doing this victory also, war. So in this way, kṛṣṇa-bhakti, nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti, if we simply invoke our kṛṣṇa-bhakti, that is success of life. Some way or other. Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī says that yena tena prakāreṇa manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet. Somehow or other, just be absorbed within your mind about Kṛṣṇa. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor (SB 9.4.18). Some way or other. It doesn't matter which way. And another place Rūpa Gosvāmī says, kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā matiḥ krīyatāṁ yadi kuto 'pi labhyate. Purchase this kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā matiḥ, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if it is available somewhere. Tatra laulyam eka mūlyam, na janma koṭibhiḥ sukṛtibhiḥ labhyate.

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

So this Bhagavad-gītā should be taken as it is. One should assimilate. The Indian people, those who are... As Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra (CC Adi 9.41). Those who are actually human beings, not cats and dogs, for them, this is the duty. The duty is to assimilate. What is our asset? Our asset is spiritual asset. Now we are giving up. Bhagavad-gītā's not allowed to be instructed in the schools and colleges. How much degraded we are! And we are becoming very proud of our advancement of civilization, material assets. This is simply... Māyayāpahṛta-jñānā. These are described as māyayāpahṛta-jñānā. There is school, college, not only in India, everywhere, all over the world, they... Actually there is no jñāna, knowledge. They're all fools and rascals. We can clearly declare—it may not be very palatable—the whole world is full of rascals and rogues. That's all. How we can say? Now we can say it from the text of the Bhagavad-gītā. What is that?

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 8, 1973:

Why not allow them to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra? What is the loss? But they'll not accept it. They'll not accept it. This is the dog's obstinacy, against Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But they cannot answer. Just suppose, if your stock of grain is finished, then what you will do, if there's no rain. You cannot produce rain in your factory, rain or grain or anything, in your factory or mill. That is not possible.

So people have become so fallen, they cannot understand the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, although they are very much proud that reading Bhagavad-gītā daily. What you have understood? Then they cannot say anything. We have understood Kṛṣṇa means this black spot. This rascal hasn't understood Bhagavad-gītā and he's preaching Bhagavad-gītā. Just see the fault. So this is going on. So our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is a war declared against all these rascals. We have got many enemies, but we don't care for them. Still we shall go on. Johnny Walker is still going strong.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 9, 1973:

"You have got this book. You fulfill your mission. Don't rot in this material world." Kṛṣṇa Himself comes, He..., to recall us. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). But still we cannot understand Him. We say Kṛṣṇa is dark, Kṛṣṇa is unknown. Why Kṛṣṇa is unknown? Kṛṣṇa, He is giving His own identification, and I am authority of explaining Bhagavad-gītā, I say Kṛṣṇa is unknown. Just see the fuss. I am writing comments on Bhagavad-gītā for misleading others, and personally when I'm asked, "What you know?" "That Kṛṣṇa is unknown to me." This is going on. Kṛṣṇa is declaring Himself,

ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo
mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate
iti matvā bhajante māṁ
budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ
(BG 10.8)

I am the origin of all creation, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ. Mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate, everything emanates from me. Aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2), Kṛṣṇa says. Devānām, from Brahmā, devānām means beginning with Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara, then other devas, Indra, Candra. So Kṛṣṇa says, aham ādir hi devānām.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 9, 1973:

So Kṛṣṇa says, aham ādir hi devānām. I am the ṛṣīnām, all the ṛṣis, then prakṛti. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10), under my superintendence this material world is working. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). Man-manā bhava mad-bhakta mad-yājī māṁ nama... Everything Kṛṣṇa is declaring, and the rascals say Kṛṣṇa is unknown. Just see the fault. And he's explaining Bhagavad-gītā. He should have explained that Kṛṣṇa is the origin of everything, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, instead of his posing that Kṛṣṇa is unknown, He is black, dark. Our philosophy is, Caitanya Mahāprabhu says,

kṛṣṇa-sūrya-sama; māyā haya andhakāra
yāhāṅ kṛṣṇa, tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra

Kṛṣṇa is just like sun, sūrya-sama. Māyā is andhakāra, not Kṛṣṇa is andhakāra. Because Kṛṣṇa, this Kṛṣṇa word sometimes means darkness, so Kṛṣṇa has become dark. He becomes unknown. Actually wherever there is Kṛṣṇa, there is no more darkness, there is no more ignorance.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 6, 1972:

Our aim is to make all people happy. Sarve sukhino bhavantu. This is the Vedic mission. Everyone should be happy. But they are trying to be happy, but they do not know how to, how to become... Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). They are misguided. They cannot be happy without becoming Vaiṣṇava. This is open declaration in the śāstra. They cannot become happy. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā (SB 7.5.31). If they are trying to become happy otherwise, that is durāśayā, hopeless thing. It will never be fructified. It will never be successful. Na te viduḥ. They do not know. Therefore our business is to make them know that "This is the way of perfection. Take Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Make your life perfect. Be happy, and go back to home, back to Godhead." This is our mission. They do not know.

So we are trying to convince them in so many ways. There is no need of so many ways. The one, simple method, chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, will be sufficient to make them perfect.

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

"Kṛṣṇa, save me," Kṛṣṇa promises, "Yes, I'll save you." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ (BG 18.66). "Don't worry. I shall save you." Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). "My dear Arjuna, you can declare to the world, My devotee, pure devotee, anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ (Brs. 1.1.11), who has no other desire, he'll be protected by Me."

So people do not know that our only business is to take shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. That is the only business. We have no other business. Any other business means we are becoming entangled in this material world. And the aim of human life is to get out of these clutches of material world. People do not know it. They do not know. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). So it is very difficult; still, Caitanya Mahāprabhu ordered to distribute this knowledge all over the world. So let us try. Even the people do not take our instruction, that is not our disqualification. Our qualification is let us try our best.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 29, 1973:

This kind of conception, that "I shall become God," or "I shall declare myself God," this is also material conception. This is not spiritual conception. Spiritually, nobody can become God except God. But he has no knowledge of God. He's thinking that he's God. Vimukta-māninaḥ. Tvayy asta-bhāvād. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. Māninaḥ means taking for granted that "I've become liberated. I have become God." And I advertise, and some foolish people, they adore me: "Oh, here is God. Here is Bala-yogi incarnation, God." So such cheap God, we don't accept. We want to see that Kṛṣṇa, at seven years old, He lifted Govardhana Hill. So if you are actually God, then show me that you can lift a hill, you can kill a Pūtanā. Then I can accept. What sort of God you are? We don't accept such cheap God.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

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

We are after truth, so here the author of Caitanya-caritāmṛta, he is asserting that "Here is the Supreme Truth, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu." Na caitanyāt kṛṣṇāt. Kṛṣṇāt, because Kṛṣṇa has appeared as Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. We have explained this truth yesterday according to Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya's declaration, vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yogaṁ-śikṣārtham ekaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ (CC Madhya 6.254). Puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ. Puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ is Kṛṣṇa. Puruṣaḥ, He is puruṣaḥ, and purāṇaḥ, ādyam, the original person. Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. In many Vedic literature Kṛṣṇa is described as the purāṇaḥ puruṣaḥ, the oldest. Purāṇaḥ puruṣaḥ nava-yauvanaṁ ca (Bs. 5.33). Although He is the oldest of all, still, He is always like fresh youth, nava-yauvanaṁ ca. So how it is possible? They are trying to understand God. Sometimes they paint the picture of God as very old man. Because He is the original person, so by this time He must have become very old. This is imagination. This is not actually the form of the Lord.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.5 -- Mayapur, March 29, 1975:

Koṭi means millions. Jagad-aṇḍa. Jagad-aṇḍa means universes. So Kṛṣṇa says that "All these universes in the material world is display of My one-fourth energy." Just imagine what is Kṛṣṇa's energy. Ekāṁśena sthito jagat. And we are trying to imitate Kṛṣṇa. So many rascals, they declare they are Bhagavān. They do not know what is Bhagavān. Bhagavān... These universes are coming, innumerable universes are coming, from the breathing of Mahā-Viṣṇu.

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)

They have no idea what is Bhagavān. This is one of the description of Mahā-Viṣṇu, that from His breathing, innumerable universes are coming out. When He is exhaling, the universes are coming out, and when He is inhaling, all, everything, is going within Him. This is Bhagavān. So anyway, this is partial exhibition of the energy of the Lord. And this is one-fourth energy. This material world is manifestation of His one-fourth energy. The three-fourth energies are in the spiritual world. So in that spiritual world Kṛṣṇa exhibits His spiritual energy. That is only spiritual energy. This material world is made of material energy, and we are marginal energy.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.13 -- Mayapur, April 6, 1975:

So there will be no scarcity of ācārya, and people will understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness very easily. So make that organization. Don't be falsely puffed up. Follow the ācārya's instruction and try to make yourself perfect, mature. Then it will be very easy to fight out māyā. Yes. Ācāryas, they declare war against māyā's activities, that māyā instructing that "Here is wine. Here is cigarette. Here is that..." In your country these advertisements are very prominent, holding both ways, wine advertisement, cigarette advertisement, naked woman advertisements, and sometimes gambling also, advertisement. What is that? Congo?

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.13 -- Mayapur, April 6, 1975:

Bingo. (laughter) Yes. So this is māyā. And our declaration of war with māyā—no intoxication, no meat-eating, no bingo—(laughter) these are our declaration of war. So we have to fight in that way because nobody can understand Kṛṣṇa without being free from all sinful activities. These are sinful activities. Therefore it is ācārya's business to stop these nonsense activities. Otherwise they'll not be able to understand, especially the meat-eaters. They cannot understand.

nivṛtta-tarṣair upagīyamānād
bhavauṣadhi chrotra-mano 'bhirāmāt
ka uttamaśloka-guṇānuvādāt
pumān virajyeta vinā paśughnāt
(SB 10.1.4)

Unless one is very expert in killing animals, he's not bereft from Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That means one who is very expert in killing, he cannot understand. Therefore Christ also said, "Thou shall not kill," the first business. Nobody will be able if one is a killer of animal, small or big, ultimately killer of his own children, killer of his own self. The killing process is so nice that it goes up to the point of killing one's children. That is now happening. Killing business has so expanded that they are killing their own children. Just see the influence of Kali-yuga. The children, they take shelter of the father and mother, thinking very safe.

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

They are all fools and rascals. Because Vedānta-sūtra is very difficult to understand. The compiler, the author of Vedānta-sūtra, is Vyāsadeva. He himself thought it wise that "I must leave one commentation of Vedānta-sūtra. Otherwise, in future, people will misunderstand and misuse Vedānta-sūtra." In this connection I'll, oh, I may declare herewith that some of you, if you read the Chicago speech by Vivekananda... That was, he was the first man. He came from India to preach this Hindu philosophy in 1893. Some of you know. So he has got his speech, Chicago speech of Vedānta. You'll see, it is simply rascaldom. Simply. By his speech it is written... If you can secure, you bring it, you'll see how rascaldom he was. You'll be surprised. Even a clergyman from this country, oh, he was surprised. "Oh, you come from India and you are decrying God in this way? Oh, I'm surprised." He was..., simply he has decried God: "Oh, why do you care for God? Throw Him, God. You are God." In this way, he has spoken.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.149-171 -- San Francisco, March 18, 1967:

Senā-pati means these two brothers, Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī, were appointed as the commander in chief, commander in chief in this fighting with māyā. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness means it is declaration of fighting with māyā. Māyā is killing all the poor conditioned souls, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu declared war against māyā by spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And the commander in chiefs are Rūpa-Sanātana. In other words, if anyone wants to be expert in Kṛṣṇa consciousness to fight with māyā, they must follow the principles of Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.104 -- New York, July 10, 1976:

That is the factor. That is religion. Religion means to find out the supreme controller who is forcing everything. That is religion. That is stated in the dictionary. Religion is not some sentiment, some ritualistic ceremony. No. This inquiry about the supreme controller, that's a fact. We see in every step there is a supreme controller, and we are foolishly declaring that we are independent. This is called foolishness. So real religion means to come out from this foolish conception of life, that "There is no controller. We are everything. Whatever we like, you can do. There is no life after death, and there is no life in other planets..." These are all ignorance. Simply fool's paradise. It has no meaning.

So Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to give people right knowledge. Don't think that it is a sentimental so-called religious movement. But you come to the right conclusion to the spiritual platform by this easiest method introduced by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.108-109 -- New York, July 15, 1976:

So this is māyā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayi mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). We are under the rulings of the māyā. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Why? Because we are declaring master. Servant is declaring to become master; therefore suffering. And as soon as we accept that "I am not master; I am servant," then there is no suffering. Very simple philosophy. That is mukti. Mukti means just come to the right platform. That is mukti. Mukti is defined in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, muktir hitvā anyathā rūpaṁ svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ (SB 2.10.6). Mukti means to give up this nonsense business, anyathā. He is servant, but he's thinking master. That is ankatha (?), just the opposite. So when he gives up this opposite conception of life that he is master, then he is mukti; he's liberated immediately. Mukti does not take so much time that you have to undergo so much severe austerities and go to the jungle and go to the Himalaya and meditate and press your nose and so many things.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.108-109 -- New York, July 15, 1976:

That is the definition of mukti given in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Muktir hitvā anyathā rūpaṁ svarūpeṇa avasthitiḥ. Just like even a criminal in the prison house, if he becomes submissive that "Henceforward I shall be law-abiding. I then shall obey the government laws very obediently," then sometimes he is released prematurely on account of giving a declaration.

So we can become immediately liberated from this prison house of material existence if we accept this teaching of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇera dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). And therefore so many arrangement. We are having Kṛṣṇa Deity here, and every one of us, we are engaged as servant. Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṇgāra-tan-mandira-mār janādau **. Somebody is engaged in cleansing the temple. All servant, we are. Somebody is engaged in dressing the Deity. Somebody is engaged in preparing nice foodstuff for Deity. Somebody is making flower garlands. Somebody is going to distribute literature to make people understand the glories of Kṛṣṇa.

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

He is expecting something impossible—"I want to become one with God." So they cannot also get peace. That is not possible. And yogi, they also wanting to be something, siddhi, aṣṭa-siddhi. Aṇimā, laghimā, garimā, prāpti, siddhi, īśitva, vaśitva. There are eight kinds of siddhis. The yogis want to get these siddhis and declare that he has become God, the same, like the jñānī. People are hankering after. If some yogi, some..., play some yogic prakriyā, magic: "Oh, here is God." He does not see the wonderful magic which is going on throughout the whole universe. A simple magic captivate them.

So Caitanya-caritāmṛta kar therefore says, bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī sakali aśānta. They cannot get peace. That is not possible. Kṛṣṇa-bhakta niṣkāma (CC Madhya 19.149). Kṛṣṇa bhakta, he doesn't want anything. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, at least, teaches us, and that is the... Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11), zero, no abhilasa. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (CC Madhya 19.167).

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.120 -- Bombay, November 12, 1975:

That is the instruction of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Out of millions of karmīs, one becomes jñānī. And out of millions of jñānī, one becomes mukta. And out of millions of mukta, one becomes bhakta. This is the description given by Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

So if we accept this philosophy, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's, without falsely declaring ourself that "I am equal to God" or "I am God," if you simply accept that jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109), that we are eternally servant of Kṛṣṇa, and act like that... The servant of Kṛṣṇa means he must be always engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa. This is called bhakti.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.152-154 -- New York, December 5, 1966:

When I am lord, there is cause. I cannot become... Perhaps you know that in England, if somebody becomes very rich, he has to deposit some amount of money to the government, then government will award him the title "lord." And with that huge amount of money his family will be maintained, and the first son of the lord family, he will be declared as lord. In this way. So far I have heard. I do not know exactly. But this lord is made, recognized, by the government on deposition of some certain amount of money. The government recognizes, "Yes, this family may be recognized as lord family." They create. In England they create aristocracy. Similarly, when they were in India, they also created many aristocracies. So Kṛṣṇa is not a created, aristocratic lord. That we should know.

Anādir ādir govindaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Govinda means... Go means three things. What is that? Go means the senses, and go means cow, and go means land. There are three meanings of go. So He gives pleasure to these three things. Wherever He is present, it becomes blissful, ānanda. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12).

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

Therefore anyone who is so engaged, he is liberated. He is liberated. Officially he is liberated. But if he falls down by the attraction of these three modes of nature, that is a different thing. That is possible. That is possible if we are not strong enough because... Always remember that this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a sort of declaration of war with this illusory material nature. So there is war. She will always try to get you fall down. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). It is very strong, powerful. How you can save yourself? Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. If you persistently simply adhere to the devotional service of Kṛṣṇa, there will be no more strength of this illusory nature to drag you. No more. There will be no more power to get you into this province of sense gratification. Material nature means the jurisdiction of sense gratification. That's all. Simply people are engaged by sense gratification like cats and dogs. That's all. This is material atmosphere. And in the spiritual atmosphere there is no sense gratification; there is only activity for satisfying the Supreme, Kṛṣṇa. That is the difference.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.318-329 -- New York, December 22, 1966:

So as soon as you begin your activities in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you at once come to the stage of Brahman. And the more you execute functions for satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, the more you realize yourself and more you are well-situated in spiritual life. And kaunteya prati... I was discussing. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). The Lord declared through Arjuna, "My dear Arjuna, declare it to all the world that anyone who is My devotee, he will never be destroyed." So we should take up this Kṛṣṇa consciousness very seriously and try to execute it thoroughly under the guidance of the śruti-pramāṇa. The Vedic literatures are there. Everything is there. We should utilize it.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 1 -- Los Angeles, April 29, 1970:

Or anywhere within this universe who is not controlled? Can anyone say that "I am not controlled"? Nobody can say. So if you are controlled, then why you are going to declare yourself that "I am uncontrolled. I am independent. I am God"? Why this nonsense? If you are controlled... Is God, does it mean that He is controlled? They are claiming that "I am God." Is there any meaning? If I am controlled, then how I can become God? This is commonsense affair. Therefore this Māyāvādī philosophy that "Everyone is God. I am God; you are God...," Just like the other, who was speaking, that Meher Baba's... Yes. That he was speaking, "I am God, you are God." So God is never controlled. If somebody is controlled, immediately he is not God. This is simple definition, that God is not controlled. If somebody claims that he is God, then first of all question "Whether you are controlled or not controlled?" Common sense. Nobody can say that he's not controlled. I have seen a rascal, he has got a society and he is preaching this, that "I am God." But one day I saw him, he had some toothache, and he was doing, "ohhh." (laughter) So I questioned him that "You claim that you are God, and now you are simply under the control of toothache. So what kind of God you are?"

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 9 -- Los Angeles, May 13, 1970:

That is not knowledge. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung very nicely: jaḍa-vidyā saba māyāra vaibhava. Jaḍa-vidyā. Jaḍa-vidyā means this material education. He says they are expansion of this māyā. Jaḍa vidyā. Jaḍa vidyā sa māyāra vaibhava, tomāra bhajane bādhā. The more we shall advance in this material education, the more we will be hampered to understand what is God. And at last we shall declare, "God is dead. I am God. You are God," this, all this nonsense. That is hinted here: andhaṁ tamaḥ. Andham means darkness. There are two kinds of darkness. If you remain in ignorance, that is also darkness, and if you remain actually in darkness, where there is no sunlight, there is no electric light, that is also darkness. So avidyām upāsate. Another, tato bhūya iva te tamo ya u vidyāyāṁ ratāḥ. So these materialists, they are certainly being pushed in the darkness, but there is another class, who are so-called philosopher, mental speculators, religionists, yogis. They are going still more in the darkness, because they are defying Kṛṣṇa.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

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

"I am God." So before accepting anyone as God, imitating Kṛṣṇa, one should inquire from him "Whether you can lift a hill? Whether you can show the universal form? Whether you can kill such and such demons? Then I shall accept." That is intelligence. Don't accept a foolish man, declaring himself as God, and you accept also God. God is not so cheap. You should know what is God. These descriptions are there. No more, no man, no living entity is greater than God. Therefore God is said: "God is great." Great means nobody can be greater than Him, nobody can be equal to Him. That is greatness. Six opulences. That is analytical study what is God.

So these things are being taught from authoritative scripture and..., what is God, what is our relationship with Him, and what is our function in that relationship. We should know it. Unless we try to know it, simply we waste our time in frivolous activities, that is not proper utilization of human form of life.

Festival Lectures

Nrsimha-caturdasi Lord Nrsimhadeva's Appearance Day -- Boston, May 1, 1969:

I am free. I shall become naked..." Just like that John Lennon. (chuckling) He exposed himself naked, and government stopped immediately, that "You cannot do this."

So things are going like that. Atheist class of men, they're declaring themselves free, no God, and that is all nonsense—mūḍha. They have been described as mūḍha. First-class fool. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhā prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). Study Bhagavad-gītā. Everything is there. Those who are narādhama, lowest of the mankind. As the lowest of the mankind is atheist, similarly, the highest of the mankind is Kṛṣṇa conscious. So try to be the highest kind of mankind. The world is suffering for want of highest kind of mankind. And be an example. So you'll learn this lesson in this day of the advent of Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva.

Nrsimha-caturdasi Lord Nrsimhadeva's Appearance Day -- Bombay, May 5, 1974:

His eternal servant. So he remains a humble servant of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore he has no danger. Even if he has danger, he will be saved. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). Kaunteya pratijānīhi: "Arjuna, you can declare it all over the world that anyone who has taken shelter at My lotus feet, become devotee, he will never be vanquisher." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ (BG 18.66). So these are the assurances. But the atheist class of men like Hiraṇyakaśipu cannot understand this. That is the defect. They challenge always God. The dissension between the father and the son was that the son was believer in God, Kṛṣṇa, and the father was not. So at the end the father saw what is God in the form of death. At that time he could not save him. So that is the difference between theist and atheist. The atheist always challenges, "Where is God? Can you show me?" Well, you will see. Not now. Just at the maturation of your all sinful activities, when death will come, you will see Him. This is going on.

Nrsimha-caturdasi Lord Nrsimhadeva's Appearance Day -- Bombay, May 5, 1974:

In this age of Kali... Kali means the age of quarrel, age of misunderstanding, age of disagreement. So in this age it is very difficult to come to the right conclusion by philosophy and other methods. Therefore in the śāstra it has been openly declared,

harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā
(CC Adi 17.21)

Three times. Three times means yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyā. There are many other things: meditation, sacrifices, worship in the temple. So in this age all these things are impossible to be performed, but even a child can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. That is proved here. Whenever there is Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, even the child can take part, old man can take part. So this is the only method for God realization. There is no expenditure, but the gain is very, very great. That was the teaching of Śrī Prahlāda Mahārāja, and we are following his footsteps. Let us stick to his principle, mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186), and thus become more and more advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Sri Vyasa-puja -- New Vrindaban, September 2, 1972:

So spiritual master is respected as good as God. Why? Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ. They have already chanted this song. Samasta-śāstraiḥ, in all Vedic literatures. Samasta, all. Samasta means all. Śāstra means Vedic literature. The all the śāstras in Vedic literature, they have declared that spiritual master is as good as God. Not God, but as good as God. The Māyāvādī, they think that the spiritual master is also God. No. We Vaiṣṇava, we don't accept that theory. But actually how a man can become God? No. But because he is God's representative, he is honored as God, not that he has become God. Kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya. Just like you have got a dear son. If somebody pats your son, even pats your dog, you become pleased. So the spiritual master is very confidential servant, dog of God. Therefore if you can please him, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. If you can please the spiritual master, then God is pleased. Just like your small child. If somebody pleases that child, you become automatically pleased. You can please that child with a two-cent-worth lozenges.

Sri Vyasa-puja -- London, August 22, 1973:

This is very important point. And because we do not speculate mentally, just like so many svāmīs comes from India. They make their own presentation by speculation. So whatever little success I have got, it is due to this process, that I do not present anything which is created by me. That is the secret of success. All these rascals, I say, declare in this, all these rascals come, they manufacture. A spiritual thing cannot be manufactured—as God cannot be manufactured. God is always God, and the words of God is also God. If we present as it is, then it will be effective. That is said in the śāstra:

satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido
bhavanti hṛt-karna-rasāyanaḥ kathāḥ
taj-joṣaṇād āśv apavarga-vartmani
śraddhā bhaktir ratir anukramiṣyati
(SB 3.25.25)

Everything is there. Satāṁ prasaṅgān. From a bona fide spiritual master you receive knowledge, because he will present as he has received from his spiritual master. He'll not adulterate or manufacture something. That is the bona fide spiritual master. And that is very easy. To become spiritual master is not very difficult thing.

His Divine Grace Srila Sac-cid-ananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Appearance Day, Lecture -- London, September 3, 1971:

So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura was manager in that sense, because he was magistrate. The managing committee was being presided by him. So there was a complaint. In Orissa, this Jagannātha temple is situated in Orissa. Utkāla. Utkāla, this state, was originally belonging to Dhruva Mahārāja. His son's name was Utkāla, Mahārāja Utkāla. Anyway, so this Utkāla, there was a pseudo yogi. He declared himself that... Just like you'll find nowadays also, there are so many rascals declaring that "I am incarnation of God." And they know some mystic power, play some jugglery, and foolish people take them: "Oh, he's God." So there appeared one like such pseudo God, Viṣṇu, in a village of Orissa. And he was dancing rāsa dance, and foolish people were sending their daughters and wife to dance with him. You see? There were so many. Not only that. People are so foolish, they do not know... They want to be cheated, and these cheaters come. He declared that "I am God. I am Viṣṇu." So there were sane men also. They took objection, "What is this nonsense? This man is dancing with ladies and gentlemen, er, girls." So they filed a complaint. At that time it was British rule.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Bombay, December 22, 1975:

So the kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, in the beginning... It is not that kaniṣṭha, beginning, if anyone immediately becomes so advanced. It is not advancement; it is foolishness. Just like somebody, they declare that "Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. Why should we go to the temple?" Then if Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, He is not in the temple? Huh? What is this argument? If Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, He is also in the temple. But in the temple I worship directly, and what is the utility? Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. I am not so advanced that I can see everywhere Kṛṣṇa. Who can see Kṛṣṇa everywhere? That is very advanced stage. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). If you become so advanced that you cannot live without Kṛṣṇa for a moment, then Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. Where is that training? Where is that advancement? Even if I advise, try to meditate, I meditate upon my wife, upon my children, on my business. This is not the stage of seeing Kṛṣṇa everywhere. That requires training.

Jagannatha Deities Installation Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.13-14 -- San Francisco, March 23, 1967:

"Oh, I am hearing for millions of years; still, I cannot understand"—because you do not chant, you do not repeat what you have heard. You have to repeat. Kīrtitavyaś ca. śrotavyaḥ kīrtitavyaś ca dhyeyaḥ. And how can you write or how you can speak unless you think of Him? You are hearing about Kṛṣṇa; you have to think, then you can speak. Otherwise not. So śrotavyaḥ kīrtitavyaś ca dhyeyaḥ and pūjyaś ca. And you should worship. Therefore we require this Deity for worshiping. We have to think of, we have to speak, we have to hear, we have to worship, pūjyaś ca... Then, occasionally? No. Nityadā: regularly, regular. Nityadā, this is the process.

So anyone who adopts this process, he can understand the Absolute Truth. This is the clear declaration of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Address -- Paris, June 8, 1974:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to give the greatest benefit to the human society to clear their brain, the rascal brain. We call, declare, they are all rascals. Let any scientist, philosopher come here, I shall prove that he is nothing but a rascal. I shall prove that. I challenge them. What they are doing? Nonsense. So you do not become rascals. By the grace of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, you are trying to understand this Kṛṣṇa consciousness philosophy, and there is no difficulty, everything is there in our Bhagavad-gītā. You simply try to understand, and make your life successful. That is our request. Don't be rascals, mūḍhas, narādhamas, māyayāpahṛta-jñānā. This education has no value, because the real knowledge, there is nothing. Real knowledge is to understand God. There is no education throughout the whole world, there is no university. So they are simply producing rascals. So my only request is that don't become rascals. You just worship here Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. Rādhā-kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtiḥ, just try to understand Kṛṣṇa and then your life will be successful.

Arrival Address -- Toronto, June 17, 1976:

We are expanded. Or even international members. But I am not this body. So this kind of thinking is there in the animals also. The animals, the dog is thinking, "I am dog." And it is barking-dog's business. Similarly, if we go to the United Nations and bark like the dog, thinking that "I am this body," then where is the difference between the dog and the human being? Simply barking, you'll distinguish from the animal or the human being? No. Actually, our education should be based on that "I am not this body." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. Caitanya Mahāprabhu declared that "I am not a brāhmaṇa, I am not a kṣatriya, I am not a gṛhastha, I am not this or that." Designations. He refused to accept these designations. But He introduced Himself as the servant of the servant of the servant of God, Kṛṣṇa. Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80).

Arrival Talk -- Aligarh, October 9, 1976:

So this saṅkīrtana is all glorious. That is the blessings of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. 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.

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni
guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
ahaṅkāra vimudhātmā
kartāham...
(BG 3.27)

We are bound up by the laws of nature, but those who are fools, vimudhātmā, under false prestige, such person thinks that he is independent. No. That is not. So this is misunderstanding. So this misunderstanding has to be cleaned. That is the aim of life. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommends that if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, then the first installment of benefit is ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Because misunderstanding means within the heart. If the heart is clear, consciousness is clear, then there is no misunderstanding.

Arrival Talk -- Aligarh, October 9, 1976:

Actually, nature's law, you can eat once attar. If you eat little more than that, then there is indigestion immediately. You have to go to the doctor. So what is your independence? You cannot violate a little portion of the laws of nature. So many. In every step. As soon as you violate, immediately there is punishment. And still, we are declaring independence. Asatyam. What is that? Where is Bhagavad-gītā? Find out. Jagad āhur anīśvaram (BG 16.8). Asatyam apratiṣṭhaṁ te jagad ahur anīśvaram. "There is no God." Why you say there is no...? You are under control. There is a controller; otherwise, how you are under control? So this foolishness must be stopped in order to make them happy, really happy. Otherwise, if they are kept into ignorance and things go on like this, then the future picture is very gloomy. It has already become gloomy, and future is very, very gloomy. So everyone should come forward, take this movement seriously, and at least, we are Indians, we should take care of Indians. We should not keep people in ignorance. That is not civilization. That is not civilization. Civilization means tamasi mā jyotir gama. Come to the light.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation of Satyabhama Dasi and Gayatri Initiation of Devotees Going to London -- Montreal, July 26, 1968:

Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). He gives the instruction that "Give up all this nonsense, your material activities. Just surrender unto Me." But people are not very interested. Even open declaration by Kṛṣṇa, that "You just become surrendered unto Me. I will give you all protection from all sinful reaction. You just come to Me," but people still, they are so much attached to illusion, māyā, that they cannot do it. But the spiritual master, he is so kind that he is begging from door to door, from country to country, from town to town, "My dear ladies, my dear gentlemen, my dear boys, my dear girls, please take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness." So therefore he is doing very confidential service to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord. He gives simply orders. But the spiritual master executes that order practically. Therefore spiritual master is so dear to Kṛṣṇa. Yasya prasādād bhāgavata-prasādaḥ. So guru-kṛṣṇa kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151).

Initiation of Satyabhama Dasi and Gayatri Initiation of Devotees Going to London -- Montreal, July 26, 1968:

In any country, in any religion, anyone who has tried to spread God consciousness to the people, they are all respectable persons. Those who are atheist, those who do not believe in God or those who personally declare that "I am God," we have nothing to do with such persons. But anyone in any country who accepts God as the Supreme, Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28), such persons are respectable persons and we should offer our always respect to them. We have... Unnecessarily we do not want to criticize anyone. But when there is necessity, because we are preacher, it may be sometimes you'll be faced with opposite elements, so we have to criticize in that respect. Generally we don't praise or eulogize somebody or criticize somebody. That is not our business. Our business is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, God consciousness, always thinking that we are eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa.

Talk, Initiation Lecture, and Ten Offenses Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 1, 1968:

That's all. This is māyā. The history of the whole world studied, it is experience that the Roman Empire planned, the British Empire planned, the... So many empires, they flourish sometimes. All fail. The Britishers, they were, two hundred years ago, they were planning to rule over this vast land of America. George Washington declared independence; their plan failed. Similarly, in India they were planning to exploit. Now Gandhi's movement made it fail. So this is bigger plan. Similarly smaller plan also. There are many... Individually, we make so many plans that "I shall be happy in this way, in that way, in that way." So this plan-making business is māyā, because that will never be successful. Trace out the history of the whole world. Nobody has become happy. Hitler made a plan, so great a plan. You see? He was frustrated. So the sane man, intelligent man... Therefore Bhagavad-gītā says that a person who is actually intelligent, wise... How a man becomes wise? After being baffled or frustrated many, many times, he can understand this is not the process. And the Vedānta-sūtra also places the first, athāto brahma jijñāsā.

Excerpt from Sannyasa Initiation of Viraha Prakasa Swami -- Mayapur, February 5, 1976:

Instead of accepting 108 names, those in the Śiva Swami sampradāya follow the path of Śaṅkarācārya and accept the ten names of sannyāsa. Although Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted the then existing order of sannyāsa, namely ekadaṇḍa, He still recited from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam about the tridaṇḍa-sannyāsa accepted by the brāhmaṇa of Avantīpura. Indirectly He declared that within the ekadaṇḍa, one daṇḍa, four daṇḍas existed as one. Accepting ekadaṇḍa sannyāsa without parātma-niṣṭhā, devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa, is not acceptable to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. In addition, according to the exact regulative principles, one should add the jīva-daṇḍa to the tridaṇḍa. These four daṇḍas bound together as one are symbolic of unalloyed devotional service to the Lord. Because the ekadaṇḍī-sannyāsīs of the Māyāvāda school are not devoted to the service of Kṛṣṇa, they try to merge into the Brahman effulgence, which is a marginal position between material and spiritual existence. They accept this impersonal position as liberation.

General Lectures

Lecture Excerpt -- Montreal, July 20, 1968:

Certainly. Otherwise, why you are laboring so hard? To know yourself, know the Absolute. Three, five things. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to know perfectly well five things. What are those? God, living entity, and this material nature, the time factor, and the activities. God, the supreme controller. However you may declare there is no God, there is a supreme controller. That we have to admit. There are so many things that which does not depend on our so-called scientific advancement of knowledge. It depends completely something else. Supreme controller. So that is God. They may call it nature, but they do not know nature, what is nature. So God, and we are living entities. We are godly. We have got the same activity. As God is the creator of the whole universe, we are also creator of some skyscraper building or a city like Montreal or New York. We may do that. But in comparison to the God's creation and my creation, there is no comparison. It is very insignificant. If you go high up on the sky, you will see this globe is just like a point.

Lecture -- Seattle, September 27, 1968:

Because the whole philosophy is so simple. God is great; you are not great. Don't claim that you are God. Don't claim that there is no God. There is God, and He is great, and you are small. Then what is your position? You have to serve Kṛṣṇa. This is simple truth. So that rebellious attitude is called māyā. Anyone who is declaring that "There is no God. God is dead. I am God, you are God," they're all under the spell of māyā. Piśācī pāile yena mati-cchanna haya. Just like when a man is ghost-haunted, he speaks all kinds of nonsense. So all these persons are haunted by māyā, and therefore they are saying, "God is dead. I am God. Why you are searching God everywhere? There are so many Gods loitering in the street." They're all ghost-haunted, deranged. So we have to cure them by this transcendental vibration, Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is the curing process only. Simply let them hear and they'll gradually be cured. Just a man who is sleeping very sound, you cry by the side of his ear and he awakes. So this is the mantra to awake the sleeping human society.

Lecture -- Seattle, September 27, 1968:

Then what is your position? You have to serve Kṛṣṇa. This is simple truth. So that rebellious attitude is called māyā. Anyone who is declaring that "There is no God. God is dead. I am God, you are God," they're all under the spell of māyā. Piśācī pāile yena mati-cchanna haya. Just like when a man is ghost-haunted, he speaks all kinds of nonsense. So all these persons are haunted by māyā, and therefore they are saying, "God is dead. I am God. Why you are searching God everywhere? There are so many Gods loitering in the street." They're all ghost-haunted, deranged. So we have to cure them by this transcendental vibration, Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is the curing process only. Simply let them hear and they'll gradually be cured. Just a man who is sleeping very sound, you cry by the side of his ear and he awakes. So this is the mantra to awake the sleeping human society. Uttiṣṭha uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya varān nibodhata. The Vedas says, "O human race, please get up. Don't sleep any more. You have got this opportunity of human body. Utilize it. Get yourself out of the clutches of māyā." This is the declaration of Vedas. So you are doing that job. Hare Kṛṣṇa, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and they'll be cured (?).

Lecture -- Seattle, September 30, 1968:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Then you understand your position, that you are subordinate. You cannot declare that "I am free. I am not subordinate." If you are wishing that "I don't wish to be subordinate, don't wish to bow down," that is your disease.

Young man: What do you want me to... What...

Prabhupāda: No, first of all try to understand your disease. Then we shall diagnose your medicine.

Young man: I'm feeling wrongly, okay, but... But who do I or what... What exactly do I bow down to... I mean...

Prabhupāda: You are bowing down to everyone. You are bowing down to death, you are bowing down to disease, you are bowing down to old age. You are bowing down to so many things. You are forced. And still you are thinking that "I cannot bow down. I don't like." Because you are saying "I don't like," therefore you are being forced. You have to bow down. Why you forget your position? That is our disease. Therefore the next process is that "I am being forced to bow down." Now we have to find out "Where I shall be happy even by bowing down?"

Lecture -- Seattle, October 2, 1968:

The sun is rising, the moon is rising, the seasons are changing, so..., there is night, there is day, just in the order. So the function of the body of the original person is going on nicely. How you can say that God is dead? Just like in your body, when the physician finds by feeling your pulse that the heart beating is going on nicely, he does not declare that "This man is dead." He says, "Yes, he is alive." Similarly, if you are intelligent enough, you can feel the pulse of the universal body—and it is going on nicely. So how you can say God is dead? God is never dead. It is rascal's version that God is dead—unintelligent persons, persons who have no sense how to feel something dead or alive. One who has got the sense to feel how a thing is dead or alive, to understand, he'll never say God is dead. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated that janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ: (BG 4.9) "Any intelligent person who can simply understand how I take my birth and how I work," janma karma... Now, mark this word janma, birth; and karma, work. He never says janma mṛtyu. Mṛtyu means death. Everything that is born, that has death also.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 4, 1968:

"You cannot ask me to get down. My father is here." You see? So this is the psychology. If you have approached Kṛṣṇa, then even the greatest fear will not agitate you. That is a fact. So such a thing is Kṛṣṇa. Try to achieve this greatest boon, Kṛṣṇa. And what Kṛṣṇa says? Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). "My dear Kaunteya, son of Kuntī, Arjuna, declare in the world that My devotees will never be vanquished." Will never be vanquished. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati.

Similarly, there are many passages in the Bhagavad-gītā. I'm quoting from Bhagavad-gītā because this book is very popular all over the world, and... Try to understand, read this book, very valuable book of knowledge.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 7, 1968:

So we have to learn how things are to be done. Independence, artificial independence is no good always. Practically, we have no independence. I may think of independence, but practically I have no independence. I am servant of my senses. Kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā pālitā durnideśa. We are all serving the senses. So where is my independence? I may declare independence from my father, from my state, from my country, from my community, but I am servant of my senses. So where is my independence? So we should know our constitutional position, that in all circumstances we are dependent. Therefore the best method of my perfection of life is to become dependent on God, Kṛṣṇa. That is the solution of all problems. And Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is that. Try to understand your constitutional position and be surrendered to God, to Kṛṣṇa. Then you'll be happy. Very simple thing. The moment you surrender unto God, immediately you become happy. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 11, 1968:

Sometimes it is said that by meditation one will understand that God is seated within one's heart always, even when one does not know it. God is seated within the heart of everyone. He is not only seated within the heart of the human being but he is also there within the hearts of the cats and dogs. The Bhagavad-gītā certifies this with this declaration of the Lord. "Īśvara, the Supreme Controller of the world, is seated within the heart of everyone. He is not only in everyone's heart but He is also present within the atoms." No place is vacant. No place is without the presence of the Lord.

"The feature of the Lord by which He is present everywhere is called the Paramātman. Ātman means the individual soul and Paramātman means the individual Supersoul. Both ātman and Paramātman are individual persons. The difference between them is that the ātman, or soul, is present only in one particular place, whereas the Paramātman is present everywhere. In this connection the example of the sun is very nice.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Los Angeles, January 19, 1969:

Anywhere you go, you'll find, somebody is greater than you, somebody is equal to you and somebody is lower than you, anywhere you go. But in case of God, there can be only lower; nobody greater or equal. That is God, simple definition of God. Nowadays there is a disease, to declare oneself as God, "I am God." And there is regular propaganda that everyone is God. Now, how everyone can be God? The definition of God is like this: "Nobody shall be equal; nobody shall be greater." Then He is God. If somebody says, "I am God," say, if somebody thinks that "I am God," he should think also, "Whether I have no more any greater than me or equal to me?" Oh, if you find so many equal and greater, lower also... But first thing is whether there is nobody greater than you or nobody equal to you. Then you are God. Don't be crazy and think that "I am God." God is not like that. Here is the definition, bhagavān, asamaurdhva. In Sanskrit word, it is very nicely described.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Los Angeles, January 19, 1969:

That is a conditional... But actually the relationship is not lost. When he comes to the consciousness, "Oh, I am the son of such and such gentleman," the relationship is immediately there. Similarly, our consciousness, this material consciousness, is a condition of craziness. We have forgotten God. We are declaring God is dead. Actually I am dead. I am thinking, "God is dead." Just like I am deaf, I am asking somebody, "Oh, Mr. such and such." He's replying, but I am deaf. I cannot hear. I say, "Mr. such and such, he cannot hear me." You see? He himself is deaf. The answer is there, but because he cannot appreciate, he says, "Mr. such and such is deaf." He is deaf. Similarly, we have become so much materially dead that we have lost our Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness, but we are declaring, "God is dead." God is not dead. How God can be dead if functions are going on? According to His order, the sun is rising every day. Yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇām. The moon is rising, the air is changing, the season is changing. Everything is going on nicely. How you can say God is dead?

Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, February 9, 1969:

Our sufferings are due to our sinful activities. So Kṛṣṇa gives guarantee that ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: "I shall save you from all kinds of sinful reaction."

So śaraṇāgati, surrender to Kṛṣṇa, is our only business. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to teach people to, not to declare independence, which is not possible, nor to try to make this world happy without Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. That is our propaganda. Whatever you do, you take shelter of Kṛṣṇa, or God. "Kṛṣṇa" is the most explicit term for God. God may have many names. Kṛṣṇa is the perfect name. God has no name; some philosophers say like that. No name means that His name is understood by His different action. Just like Kṛṣṇa is sometimes called Yaśodā-nandana. Because He has accepted Mother Yaśodā, to become her son, therefore Kṛṣṇa's name is Yaśodā-nandana. Kṛṣṇa's name is Pārtha-sārathi. Why? Because Kṛṣṇa has accepted to become a chariot driver of Arjuna. Pārtha means Arjuna, and sārathi means chariot driver. So Kṛṣṇa's name became Pārtha-sārathi.

Lecture Excerpt -- New York, April 12, 1969:

And when one is frustrated in all these attempts, he wants to become God. You see? By meditation, he wants to become God. You see? God is not so cheap thing that simply by meditation one can become God. People do not know what is God; therefore they accept. Just in Los Angeles airport, one boy was asking, some person in your country is declaring himself as God, Meher Baba. So he asked him..., asked me, "Whether you accept Meher Baba as incarnation?" So I asked him, "What do you mean by incarnation?" So he replied that because Kṛṣṇa or God is everyone's heart, therefore everyone is incarnation. Then he... I said, "Then what is difficulty? Then we are all incarnation. What is the specific quality of Meher Baba?" Because īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). The Lord is situated in everyone's heart. The Lord is situated in the heart of cats and dogs also. Sarva-bhūtānām. Sarva-bhūtānām means all living entities. It is not that God is not situated in the cat's heart or dog's heart. He is there.

Lecture -- New York, April 17, 1969:

I was alone. So I was thinking, "What is this?" So I had very, days of very tribulations, but it was all meant for good. So don't be afraid of tribulations. You see? Go forward. Kṛṣṇa will give you protection. That is Kṛṣṇa's promise in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati: (BG 9.31) "Kaunteya, My dear son of Kunti, Arjuna, you can declare throughout the whole world that My devotees will never be vanquished. You can declare that." And why He's asking Arjuna to declare? Why He does not declare Himself? There is meaning. Because if He promises, there are instances that He sometimes broke His promise. But if a devotee promises, it will be never broken. Kṛṣṇa will give protection; therefore He says His devotee that "You declare." There is no chance of being broken. Kṛṣṇa is so kind that sometimes He breaks His promise, but if His devotee promises, He takes very careful attention that His devotee's promise may not be broken. That is Kṛṣṇa's favor.

Lecture at Harvard University -- Boston, December 24, 1969:

The highest perfection is to satisfy hari-toṣaṇam. Hari means the Supreme Lord, and toṣaṇam means satisfaction. Whether by your work and duties, discharging your duty, the Supreme Lord is satisfied—that is your perfection. But this is very rare thing. At the present moment practically nobody has any information what is his relationship with God or what is God. Practically, they are declaring "God is dead," and "I am God, you are God, everyone is God." These things are all... "There is void." "There is no God," "There is no control." So, so many things are going on. That is the disease of this present age. And this movement is practically against this idea of godlessness, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. The whole idea of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to fight against the idea of godlessness. So the Bhagavad-gītā is there. We are fighting in two ways. One way is that this chanting, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Very simple thing. Everyone can join: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

Lecture -- Visakhapatnam, February 18, 1972:

It is not very difficult. Anyone can do provided he does not make the mistake adulterating the statements of Bhagavad-gītā. Those who are adulterating, interpreting in a different way this Bhagavad-gītā, they are very mischievous. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa has already declared, na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). Duṣkṛtinaḥ. Those who are not surrendered to Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, they have been described by Kṛṣṇa Himself as Duṣkṛtinaḥ, mischievous. Narādhama, the lowest of the mankind. Mūḍhā, asses, rascals. And if somebody says... We find so many learned scholars, they do not surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then what is their position? Kṛṣṇa says, "Yes, māyaya apahṛta-jñānā." They are learned, so-called learned, but their knowledge has been taken away by māyā. So this is the essence of Vedas. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). To understand Kṛṣṇa and kṛṣṇa-bhakti is there in everyone's heart.

Town Hall Lecture -- Auckland, April 14, 1972:

Why there should be interpretation? These are facts. Why there should be... It is clear. Dharma-kṣetra is... Kurukṣetra is dharma-kṣetra, and historical fact is māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1). Two groups of cousin brothers, they wanted to fight to settle up. Formerly the war was declared—the leader of the war, if he is killed, then the other party is victorious. Not that unnecessarily killing the civil citizens, no. This was nonsense. If there was fight between two kings, the citizens, they were unaffected, not that there is fight now between two parties, there is immediately siren, (imitates siren:) gaw, gaw, gaw, gaw, now bomb and the civil..., the most uncivilized way of war. In those days—those days means at least five thousand years ago—they selected a place, and "Let us fight and decide our fate," kṣatriyas. Why the public should suffer? So in this way Kurukṣetra was selected to fight between the two parties. And still it is existing. It is a great field. And dharma-kṣetre... Just try to understand that there is no need of our imperfect comments on the Bhagavad-gītā.

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

So these are the potencies of God. Not that I can show some magic and immediately I become God. Just see the magic, real magic of God. Don't accept cheap God. God must show godly magic. Just like we are showing little magic, floating some airplane or sputnik or jet in the sky. We are taking so much credit, so much credit that scientists are declaring, "There is no God. I am God, because I have made this airplane." And what is your airplane in comparison to these planets? So intelligent person, they will give more credit to God than to these scientists or philosophers. Because he can see the potencies, how much potency is there. So He has many potencies. In the Vedic literature we can understand, parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). In the Vedas, Upaniṣad: na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate. God has nothing to do personally. Na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate. Na tat-samas cābhyadhikaś ca dṛśyate. Nobody is found equal to him or greater than Him. Nobody. That is God. If somebody is competitor, one God competitor, another God competitor.

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

So the King Vena's mother inherited the quality of her father, and the Vena, King Vena, inherited the quality of grandfather, or mother. So he was atheist king, atheistic. When he become king... He was very powerful, strong, but atheist. So when he became king, because he was very powerful, he declared by drum beating... What is that?

na yaṣṭavyaṁ na dātavyaṁ
na hotavyaṁ dvijāḥ kvacit
iti nyavārayad dharmaṁ
bherī-ghoṣeṇa sarvaśaḥ
(SB 4.14.6)

Bherī-ghoṣeṇa means by sound of bugle. Formerly, when there was some declaration by the king, by the government, one should go in the marketplace and, the government men, and take a drum and one bugle, and they'll declare, "This is the law from this day." That's all. No more gazette. So, this is the old system. Somewhere it's still existing. So the Vena king declared that "These are all nonsense."

Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, June 7, 1972:

The sun cannot go beyond that orbit. Just like we go to the sea. The order is, "My dear Pacific Ocean, you may be very great, but you cannot come beyond this." We are walking daily on the beach. Just four feet away, the water is there, but it cannot touch because the order is, "No, you cannot come. Up to this, that's all."

So everyone is ... Just like you have seen the horse is controlled by the driver, similarly, all of us are being controlled. So we should remain controlled. That is life. We should not declare that "No. I don't want to be controlled." Then you'll fall down immediately. If you remain in your position, being controlled, being predominated... Don't try to be predominator. Oh, then immediately fall down, because you are not predominator. It is a false claim that "I want to predominate. I am God. I am predominator. I am this. I am that." These are all rascaldom. Simply you remain yourself predominated. Agree to be controlled by Kṛṣṇa, and your life is successful.

Lecture What is a Guru? -- London, August 22, 1973:

We do not interpret the words of Kṛṣṇa, that "In my opinion, Kurukṣetra means this body." This is rascaldom. The whole situation has been spoiled by these so-called rascal gurus who gives his own opinion. This is our plain declaration: Let any rascal guru come. We can convince him that he is not guru, because he is speaking differently. We can challenge any rascal. Just like somebody came here, he said that he's God, every one of us God. (aside:) Stop this. So I asked that "Just find out in the dictionary what is meaning of God. Let us see whether he is God." The dictionary, as soon as dictionary was consulted, the meaning of God is "the supreme being," meaning of God. So I asked him, "Are you supreme? If you cannot understand, then find out the meaning of supreme." Then when he consulted dictionary, the supreme, it is said "the greatest authority." So I asked him, "Are you the greatest authority?" The rascal could not answer. He does not know even the dictionary meaning, and he's claiming that he's God. This rascaldom is going on, whole world. Big, big rascal swamis, they say, "Why you are finding out God anywhere? You do not see so many rascal gods are loitering in the street?" This is going on.

Lecture -- London, August 23, 1973:

Just like if you do not obey the laws of the state as a free man, then you will be pushed into the prison house as a criminal, and you have to abide by the orders. You cannot say, "No, I'll not obey the orders of the state." That is not possible. If you voluntarily do not abide by the orders of the state, then you will be forced to abide by the state in the prison house. Similarly, those who have declared independence, so-called independence—nobody can be independent—that "I do not believe in God, I do not want any type of religion or serving God," such persons will be under the guidance or under the influence or power of the material nature, māyā. Māyā-mohita. Tribhir guṇa-māyāir bhāvair. We are now illusioned by the influence of māyā, material energy, in three ways: by goodness, by passion, and by ignorance. But instead of serving God, we are now serving māyā. And so long we shall be going on serving māyā, or serving in the prison house, we cannot be happy.

Lecture at the Hare Krsna Festival at La Salle Pleyel -- Paris, June 14, 1974:

Prabhupāda: You may not like, sir, but if you do not follow you will be punished. (boos and yells) Anyway, if you do not follow the codes and laws of the state or God, then certainly you will be punished. (yelling) You may declare independence, but there is no, I mean, the possibility of such independence. That requires knowledge. (someone yelling)

Jyotirmayī: He is saying that there are some people who would like to ask some questions.

Prabhupāda: So immediately if you want to put some questions, then I can stop. Or if you want me to go on speaking I will speak. As you like. (more yelling) We can stop speaking?

La Trobe University Lecture -- Melbourne, July 1, 1974:

Man (1): Have you got books on the use of flick knives, like your brother-in-law's there? Have a look. Declare yourself, mate.

Madhudviṣa: Sir, listen, we'll have questions and answers in just a minute if you'd like to be patient.

Man (1): Knives...

Madhudviṣa: If you'd like to be patient for a second, we'll have questions and answers and we can ask about the philosophy that we're talking about. (more yelling from audience) The people that want to listen in an orderly fashion are waiting to hear the meeting continue, and those who want to ask questions can please have respect for them and let us continue with the lecture, and then we'll have questions and answers afterwards.

Prabhupāda: What is this?

Madhudviṣa: They are simply talking about violence.

Prabhupāda: They are not prepared to hear. So let them question and answer.

Madhudviṣa: So our spiritual...

Prabhupāda: You can answer.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Atlanta, March 2, 1975:

All the property anywhere, that belongs to God, and we can use the father's property as much as I require, not to take more and stock it. No." The birds, beasts, they are very free. If you put here one bag of rice or any foodstuff, the birds will come, but they will eat only a few grains and go away. And if you put here, say, one thousand bags of wheat and you declare that anyone can take it, there will be fight. There will be fight. Everyone will try to take more. Everyone will try to take more. This is human civilization. The birds will peacefully take few grains and go away. But if you invite the human being, their culture is so—"Oh, I have got so much wheat. Let me take more and stock it for tomorrow or day after tomorrow or for my son, for my grandson, for my great-grandson." (laughter) This foolishness is going on on account of lack of spiritual consciousness.

Spiritual consciousness is, it is stated in the Vedas, īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam: (ISO 1) "Everything belongs to God."

Address to Rotary Club -- Chandigarh, October 17, 1976:

At least his son should be. Because he was blind, that's all, but his sons were not blind. So naturally father wants... So this is the whole history of Mahābhārata, intriguing, politics, and ultimately there was fight between the two parties, Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas, to decide. By logic, by morality and other things, everything failed. Then there was declaration of war. The Bhagavad-gītā is spoken in that warfield.

Kṛṣṇa was engaged as the chariot driver of the chariot of Arjuna. And while the chariot was brought in the battlefield between the two groups of soldiers... Senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me 'cyuta (BG 1.21). Arjuna requested, "My dear Kṛṣṇa..." Kṛṣṇa was his friend and Kṛṣṇa was familywise related both with the Kurus and Pāṇḍavas. Kṛṣṇa's father and the Pāṇḍavas' mother, they were real brother and sister. In this way there were family relationship, and Kṛṣṇa therefore denied to take part in the actual fighting. The whole world was divided.

Address to Rotary Club -- Chandigarh, October 17, 1976:

Pradyumna: "Arjuna said: You are the Supreme Brahman, the ultimate, the supreme abode and purifier, the Absolute Truth and the eternal divine person. You are the primal God, transcendental and original, and You are the unborn and all-pervading beauty. All the great sages such as Nārada, Asita, Devala, and Vyāsa proclaim this of You, and now You Yourself are declaring it to me."

Prabhupāda: So the student of Bhagavad-gītā, as Arjuna says, śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam. After hearing Bhagavad-gītā in detail, he accepted Kṛṣṇa as paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān puruṣaṁ śāśvatam ādyam (BG 10.12). So one may say that "This is a friendly talk. So Arjuna accepted Kṛṣṇa as it is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So as a friend he accepted." Because Kṛṣṇa says, aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2).

Address to Rotary Club -- Chandigarh, October 17, 1976:

"Because Your personality cannot be understood even by the demigods, what to speak of ordinary human being." And Kṛṣṇa has said that avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritāḥ paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto (BG 9.11). The mūḍha, those who deride at Kṛṣṇa, that "He's an ordinary human being," such person is condemned herewith as mūḍha. Mūḍha means ass. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritāḥ (BG 9.11). Because he does not know paraṁ bhāvam, what is the background of Kṛṣṇa. So similarly, there are many passages. Anyone who does not understand Kṛṣṇa and at the same time he declares himself as the student of Bhagavad-gītā, as a scholar of Bhagavad-gītā, he is misleading himself and misleading his followers. That is the verdict of Bhagavad-gītā and everyone. Bhagavad-gītā has to be understood. In the Fourth Chapter you find out that,

imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ
proktavān aham avyayam
vivasvān manave prāhur
manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt
(BG 4.1)
evaṁ paramparā-prāptam
imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ
(BG 4.2)

This is paramparā. The truth of Bhagavad-gītā was first spoken to the sun-god, and he spoke to his son, to Manu, Vaivasvata Manu. And Vaivasvata Manu spoke to his son, Ikṣvāku. And Kṛṣṇa said, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Rājarṣaya.

Morning Lecture -- Allahabad, January 15, 1977:

So you'll get so many mahātmās who are declaring atheism: "There is no God. I am God. You are God. Where you are searching out God? The God is loitering in the street, the daridra-nārāyaṇa." If you associate with such mahātmā, so-called... They are not mahātmās. They are durātmās. So be careful that you may not mistake who is mahātmā. Mahātmā, very simple thing: mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). Mahātmā has nothing to do with this material world. They are under the care of daivī-prakṛti, spiritual world. Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivī prakṛti... (BG 9.13), bhajanty ananya-manaso. The symptom is that he's fully engaged in serving Kṛṣṇa. Mām. Kṛṣṇa is original, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So we have to catch up the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). It is not very easy, but it can be done if we have got intelligence. Intelligence is... That Kṛṣṇa says. (aside:) Who is that making sound? Kṛṣṇa says, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. If you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, immediately... Of course, we must take sincerely, not a show. Everything is seriously. Then immediately we become on the path of mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimukteḥ (SB 5.5.2).

Morning Lecture -- Allahabad, January 15, 1977:

So māyāvādī-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva... (CC Madhya 6.169). For kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, to avoid this Māyāvādī philosophy that "Everyone is God. I am God. You are God..." This is atheism. It is cheating atheism. One class of atheism is Śūnyavādī: "There is no God." That we can understand, that he is atheist. "There is no God." He publicly declares, "We don't believe in God." But the Māyāvādīs are dangerous because they say that there is God, but without any form—no head, no leg. If you make "no, no, no," then where is...? It becomes zero ultimately. Go on making "no, no"—"No head, no tail, no hand, no..." So what remains? So this is another trick for saying there is no God. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said that this class, who gives the negative definition of God—"Not this, not this, not this, not this"—the Māyāvādī, Māyā... They say, "Not this. This is māyā." So this Māyāvādī, they are greater atheist.

Evening Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, January 23, 1977:

"Anyone who is a devotee, he is great, and who is not devotee, he may declare himself as great, but he is the most fallen." In the devotional service there is no such distinction as jāti and kula. So if you follow—the example is there in your country, Rāmānanda Rāya—then wherever you are, you are exalted. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, he has also said—he is ācārya-gṛhe vā vanete thāke hā gaurāṅga bale ḍāke narottama māge tāra saṅga: "It doesn't matter whether he is a gṛhastha or he's a sannyāsī." Vanete means vānaprastha, sannyāsī. "Wherever he may be, if he's actually a perfect devotee of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, I want his association. Never mind." Gṛhe vā vanete thāke hā gaurāṅga bale ḍāke narottama māge tāra saṅga.

Evening Address to Pandas and Scholars -- Jagannatha Puri, January 26, 1977:

What is that? So people will come in your Jagannātha Purī now from all parts of the world. That is beneficial from various point of view. From the point of tourist program, the government will benefit. And when they're attracted to see Jagannātha Purī, Jagannātha Swami... Unfortunately, you do not allow these foreigners to enter the temple. How it can be adjusted? This stumbling block should be dissolved. If you want Jagannātha Swami to pack up within your home, and you do not expand the mercy of Jagannātha... He is Jagannātha. He's not only this Purī-nātha, or Oriya-nātha; He's Jagannātha. Kṛṣṇa declares in the Bhagavad-gītā, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). That is the definition of Jagannātha, sarva-loka-maheśvaram. So why you should deny the inhabitants of Sarva-loka the darśana of Jagannātha? That is not... Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu never approved such thing. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He said,

pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma
sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma
(CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126)

When that thing is being done and when they are eager to come here, why you should restrain? What is the cause? This is not very good. Arcye viṣṇau śilā-dhīr guruṣu nara-matir vaiṣṇave jāti-buddhiḥ. It is not good.

Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, January 29, 1977, (with Oriyan translator):

Another type of atheism. The atheists, they say, Śūnyavādī, "There is no God." But these Māyāvādī, they say, "Yes there is God, but He has no head, no leg, no mouth, nothing." Means, indirectly, they are saying there is not God.

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu has therefore clearly said that this Māyāvādī, nirākāravādī, is more dangerous than the Śūnyavādī. Śūnyavādī, they publicly declare, "There is no God," just like modern population, that "There is no need of God." Asatyam aprathiṣṭhaṁ te jagad āhur anīśvaram (BG 16.8). That is also described in the Bhagavad-gītā. The atheist class, they say that "This world is asatya. There is no meaning." Asatyam jagad āhur anīśvaram (BG 16.8). "And there is no God." We can understand that they are atheist. (break)... Māyāvādī philosopher, they take the shelter of Vedic literature and indirectly, directly, they try to wipe out the existence of God. (break) The Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore has said, māyāvādī-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-nāśa: (CC Madhya 6.169) "If you hear from a Māyāvādī, nirākāravādī, then you are doomed." You cannot understand about God at any time.

Departure Talks

Departure Lecture -- London, March 12, 1975:

That is real dharma. And any religion which does not teach this principle, to surrender to God, Kṛṣṇa, and love Him... hat is real religion. Therefore Bhāgavata teaches that real religion, Bhāgavata-dharma. And Bhāgavata declares in the beginning that "All cheating type of religious system is rejected, kicked out." Projjhita. Projjhita means just like you wash your floor or sweep your floor and collect the dust and throw it away, similarly, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam the unwanted so-called religious system, they have been collected and thrown away. Here in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there is only one religious system, which is spoken in the Bhagavad-gītā in the last chapter, Eighteenth Chapter, that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). If we accept this principle, then we enter into the Bhāgavata-dharma. Otherwise there is no entrance in the Bhāgavata-dharma.

For the Māyāvādī who wants to become one with the Supreme... You can become one. One means the same thing, a small portion of the water.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Prabhupāda: When the war should be declared? Is there any philosophy?

Śyāmasundara: He doesn't believe in peace; he says that peace is a dream.

Prabhupāda: Peace cannot be possible within this material world, especially without God consciousness, there cannot be any peace. That is a fact.

Śyāmasundara: He says that the state, I will just read a segment of what he says about the state: "The state is the realization of the ethical idea. The true state is the ethical whole and the realization of freedom. The state is the march of God through the world.

Prabhupāda: March of?

Śyāmasundara: God.

Prabhupāda: God.

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Prabhupāda: Well, Hitler came not as a king, he came as a usurper. He's not king. That is going on that any rascal, somehow or other he gets power, he becomes the head. But he has no training how to become actually the protector of the citizens. Therefore after the whole world is in trouble. He whimsically declares war and involve all the citizens, implicate. Therefore this support to monarchy is better in this sense that a person, by saint to saint, or by disciplic succession, or hereditary succession, he can be trained and if one man is trained nicely, he can govern over hundreds and thousands inhabitants(?) very nicely.

Śyāmasundara: He says that in a well-ordered monarchy, the law alone has objective power to which the monarch has got to affix the subjective "I will". In other words the law alone rules, the king is simply the order-supplier for the law.

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Prabhupāda: Dharma-yuddha, on behalf of supreme God, that is called dharma-yuddha. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna, they are not for fighting, but Kṛṣṇa said, "Yes, I am on your side, you fight." That is dharma-yuddha. And therefore Arjuna became victorious because God was on his side. That is dharma-yuddha. So if you declare war on the principle of God consciousness, that war is justified and you will become victorious. This is the conclusion.

Śyāmasundara: His idea is that our everyday life, everything is a state of war and that this is a purifying, this conflict is purifying, that it has an ethical element and he makes the statement, "By this war, ethical health in the nation is preserved and their finite aims uprooted. War protects the people from the corruption which an everlasting peace would bring upon it. He says that to be in a state of peace is corrupt, and when there's always a war that it purifies the country, makes it more ethical, moral.

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Prabhupāda: So, in the (indistinct) stage, we are dependent on the laws of nature, and we still, we are declaring we are free from any control. We are making our own proposition and theories.

Karandhara: They're always saying their conquest over nature.

Prabhupāda: But where is the conquest of nature? Now if there is a mistake of two degrees, you have to go round forever. What is the independence? Vikathante. The exact word used in this connection in the Bhāgavata, that these people talks all nonsense, vikatha. Under the influence of illusory energy they have become mad, and they are talking all nonsense.

Śyāmasundara: I didn't know we were going to have a class today, but for the next class I wanted to read that article about heredity, genetics, how they think that they might be able to reproduce life in the future.

Prabhupāda: Again "in future."

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Prabhupāda: I say just get these things immediately from the market. You go to the particular person who has got the stock and you order him to my shop, "Such and such you send me." So you have ordered for say twenty, fifty men. So their men are coming with a load of cloth, and he'll simply ask the firm's name: "This is Rajaram (indistinct)?" And someone declares, "Yes, yes, yes." But no voucher. He simply asks whether this firm is Rajaram (indistinct), and somebody nods, "Yes, yes." So he drops the bundle of cloth. It may be five hundred, or thousand rupees' worth or more than that. So similarly, many porters drop, because I require so many things. Now, you are my broker, you come, you see the stack of cloth, you ask my clerk, "Just credit this from such and such firm." But firm has sent without any voucher, without any (indistinct), and the porter simply asks whether this is the same firm, and somebody nods and we (makes noise like stamping something), that's all. Then you come, you pick up so many bundles, "Just note down, 'This has come from such and such firm.' " You note down. Then my clerk notes it. This is transaction.

Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson:

Prabhupāda: We want how to become a perfect devotee of Kṛṣṇa. You can see practically. Our endeavors, activities, are not like the karmīs'. The karmīs are trying "How many motorcars I will possess. How many buildings I shall possess." We do not mind, but we are constructing temples. That is for Kṛṣṇa's service. We are getting money by Kṛṣṇa's mercy. You are envious of that money for Kṛṣṇa's service. Not to that to make a big bank balance and declare that "Now I have become as good as Rockefeller," or this or that. We are not interested. So a devotee is not at all interested to be promoted in the higher planetary system or become demigod. That is not their business. Kīṭa janma hau yathā tuyā dāsa. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says that bahir-mukha brahma-janme nāhi mora āśa, "I don't care to become a Brahmā, I, better I shall prepare to become a small ant in the house of a devotee." This is our ambition. I shall be very much satisfied remaining a small ant in the house of a devotee, a dog of a devotee, but I don't want, forgetting Kṛṣṇa, to become like Brahmā, Indra, Candra. This is Vaiṣṇava philosophy.

Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre:

Hayagrīva: Well, he says, "Existentialism isn't so atheistic that it wears itself out showing God doesn't exist. Rather, it declares that even if God did exist, that would change nothing. There you've got our point of view."

Prabhupāda: No, if you exist as others exist, then what is the fault there? God also exists. He exists. Others also existing. So if there is God, what is the fault if He exists? Why he is denying the existence of God? Let them all exist.

Hayagrīva: First of all, he feels that God does not exist.

Prabhupāda: Why? If you exist, if others exist, why God will not exist?

Hayagrīva: That is his position as an atheist.

Prabhupāda: No, atheist, that is there should be reasonable proposal. If you speak something nonsense, that "I exist," why he, does he bring the word God, if God does not exist? God is there, but He denies the existence. That is atheism. Otherwise, why bringing the word God? If God does not exist, why he is bringing the word God?

Philosophy Discussion on Mao Tse Tung:

Prabhupāda: Therefore the śāstra should be mediator. But these people have no śāstras. They have got simply that barrel of gun. That's all. And that is very rude. And it will never come to perfection. For the temporary time, this party may win or that party may win. That will never... That is the position in the modern world. They have no authoritative śāstra. They manufacture their own way, and therefore there is no peace. First World War, Second World War, Third World War, and there cannot be any peace. As soon as you become strong, you declare war. Hitler thought, "I am now strong. Let me declare war." And another strong party, America came, Russia came. He was killed. So this is no conclusion. And even after Hitler's being killed, there is no conclusion. So this sort of conflict will never bring any peace. That will go on. That is struggle for existence. That is fighting like animals. Two dogs fighting, two hogs fighting, but that is not conclusion. That fighting will go on so long people will remain as dogs and hogs. That will go on. There is no question of peace.

Philosophy Discussion on Mao Tse Tung:

Prabhupāda: The basic principle is that I am controlled." Then if one is actually conversant with the laws of control, then he makes adjustment according to that. One being controlled, how he can become controller? This is phenomenon. Where one is... Let any man come and say boldly that "I am not controlled." Who is that man? Find out any man. We are sitting, so many men here. Let any one of us declare that "I am not controlled." So therefore basic principle is that "I am controlled." So how this position of being controlled can be perfect, that should be our study. That is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We say that you are controlled. So the supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa. So you voluntarily surrender yourself, that "Kṛṣṇa, from this day... I was struggling against Your laws. Now I fully surrender."

Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:

Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). By constitutional position, a living entity is eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. In the Vaikuṇṭha jagat, the cooperation, the service is voluntary. And here in this material world the service is forced because it is māyā. Just like in the jail the service is there. One who declares that "I don't care for the government. I break all the laws." But he is put into jail. There is no question of breaking the laws, but by law he has to work forcibly. He has to do it. So here in this material world we are working under force of māyā. That is called daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). That force you cannot avoid. You cannot avoid. Only you can avoid when you voluntarily cooperate with Kṛṣṇa. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te.

Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Aquinas:

Prabhupāda: This is very good. First of all they must know what is the welfare of the human being. Unfortunately, with advancement of so-called material education, the human society is missing the aim of life. The aim of life is declared openly in the Vedānta philosophy, athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is the aim of human life. In the Bhāgavata it is said, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. The life is meant for understanding the Absolute Truth. That is the aim of human life. The whole Vedic civilization is based on this principle. But on account of deviating from the original Vedic civilization, they have dedicated the human form of life in so many unnecessary scientific discoveries, that discovery, which will not give him any relief to the human society. The real tribulation of life is birth, death and disease and old age. So the so-called advancement of material civilization has not solved the real problem of life, and the aim of human life is to solve the real problem of human life. The real problem of life, that we are eternal, as eternal as God, but we are subjected to birth and death.

Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Aquinas:

Prabhupāda: Both will be crushed by accident. So any, any person who does not follow the instruction of the Supreme Controller, he is a blind person. He cannot lead. As we are concerned, we therefore don't accept the so-called scientist's or philosopher's belief. They say, "We believe," "Perhaps it may be like this." These are all doubtful declaration. There is no truth in it. If there is any truth, that is also doubtful. Why should we risk our life by following such blind man who is thinking, who is believing, but he has no clear knowledge? Therefore we have decided to take lesson from the Supreme Person, Kṛṣṇa, who knows everything perfectly well. Vedāhaṁ samatītāni (BG 7.26). He knows past, present and future, and what is our benefit, welfare, everything. So we should follow Kṛṣṇa instead of so-called blind philosophers.

Hayagrīva: Aquinas writes on beauty and contrasts the absolute beauty of God, which is beautiful in all times and all places, absolute beauty. He contrasts this with the relative beauty that we find in the world, and he says, "He is beautiful in Himself and not in relation to some limited terminus," that is God.

Philosophy Discussion on Samuel Alexander:

Hari-śauri:

arjuna uvāca
paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma
pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān
puruṣaṁ śāśvatam divyam
ādi-devam ajaṁ vibhum
(BG 10.12)
āhus tvām ṛṣayaḥ sarve
devarṣir nāradas tathā
asito devalo vyāsaḥ
svayaṁ caiva bravīṣi me

"Arjuna said: You are the Supreme Brahman, the ultimate, the supreme abode and purifier, the Absolute Truth and the eternal Divine Person. You are the primal God, transcendental and original, and You are the unborn and all-pervading beauty. All the great sages, such as Nārada, Asita, Devala, and Vyāsa, proclaim this of You, and now You Yourself are declaring it to me."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Finished. "All authorities accept, I realize, and You personally say." Then what evidence more? Hm? What is the possible evidence? No evidence, finished. "I personally experience, You personally say, and the authorities accept You. Finished." Things should be simplified. This is...

Hayagrīva: Meanwhile Alexander is saying, uh, he seems to conceive of God in a universal form. He says, "Now the body of God is the whole universe, and there is no body outside His."

Purports to Songs

Purport to Parama Koruna -- Los Angeles, January 4, 1969:

Parama koruṇa, pahū dui jana, nitāi gauracandra. This is a song by Locana dāsa Ṭhākura, a great devotee and ācārya of the Gauḍīya-sampradāya. He is declaring that pahū dui jana. Pahū means lords. Dui jana means two. Who are the two lords? Nitai Gauracandra. One is Lord Nitāi, Nityānanda; another is Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So he says that "These two Lords are very merciful." Parama koruṇa, pahū dui jana. Parama koruṇa means very merciful. Nitai Gauracandra. Saba avatāra, sāra śiromaṇi. Avatāra means incarnation, and saba means all. "They are the essence of all incarnations." Saba avatāra, sāra śiromaṇi, kevala ānanda-kanda: "And the specific significance of these incarnations is that to prosecute their ways of self-realization is simply joyful," ānanda-kanda. They introduced chanting and dancing. No other incarnation There are many incarnation, just like Lord Rāma. Even Kṛṣṇa, He taught Bhagavad-gītā. That requires knowledge, understanding. But here Lord Caitanya, Nityānanda, introduced some process which is simply joyful: simply chant and dance. Kevala ānanda-kanda. Saba avatāra, sāra śiromaṇi, kevala ānanda-kanda.

Purport to Parama Koruna -- Atlanta, February 28, 1975:

"I am enjoying." This is called illusion, māyā. There cannot be any enjoyment. When you are not free, when you are conditioned under the stringent laws of... You do not like to die. You are forced to die. You must die. You cannot say, "No, I will not die." No, that is not possible. So where is your freedom? But we are declaring, "Now we are independent." This is all illusion.

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared to save us from all these illusions. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Caitanya means living, not dead. If we have no spiritual consciousness, if we have not Kṛṣṇa's consciousness, then we are dead. This, what is this body? This body is dead. Alive or dead, so-called dead, it is already dead because it is matter. But because there is spirit soul, it is moving. The same example: the motor car, what is this? A lump of matter, some iron, some other metals or some rubbers and combination. And so long the driver is there—it is moving—it is important so long it is moving. And as soon as the movement stops, you throw it away. That is very good experience in your country. So many useless motor cars are heaped together.

Page Title:Declare (Lectures, Other)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari, Mayapur
Created:17 of Aug, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=90, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:90