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Degree (Lectures, BG)

Expressions researched:
"degree" |"degrees"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Introduction to Gitopanisad (Earliest Recording of Srila Prabhupada in the Bhaktivedanta Archives):

One who is engaged always... Just like the materialist is always engaged in reading some material literature like newspaper, magazines, and fiction, novel, etc., and so many scientific or philosophies, all these things of different degrees of thought. Similarly, if we transfer our, that reading capacity for these Vedic literatures, as presented by, as very kindly presented by Vyāsadeva, then it is quite possible for us to remember at the time of death the Supreme Lord. That is the only way suggested by the Lord Himself. Not suggested, it is the fact. Nāsty atra saṁśayaḥ (BG 8.5). Undoubtedly. There is no doubt about it. Tasmāt, the Lord suggested therefore, tasmāt sarveṣu kāleṣu mām anusmara yudhya ca (Bg. 8.7). He advises Arjuna that mām anusmara yudhya ca. He does not say that "You simply go on remembering Me and give up your present occupational duty." No. That is not suggested. The Lord never suggests something impractical.

Lecture on BG 1.30 -- London, July 23, 1973:

"I have worked without caring for scorching heat and severe cold." Actually people work so hard. He has to go to office. Suppose there is snowfall. So he cannot stop. He has to go. Or there is scorching heat. You have no experience in your country, scorching heat. But India, 122 degrees. Just imagine, this year. Still they have to go to work. So somewhere it is severe cold and somewhere it is severe scorching heat. This is nature's law. You have to suffer. While you are in cold country, you think that "India is very warm. They are very happy." (laughs) And in India they are thinking, "In England they are very happy." This is the way. This is illusion. Nobody thinks that there is no happiness within these three worlds, beginning from Brahmaloka down to the Pātālaloka. Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16).

Lecture on BG 1.32-35 -- London, July 25, 1973:

That is called brahma-jñāna. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). That is brahma-jñāna. As soon as you understand, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, "I am not this body, I am spirit soul," this is called brahma-jñāna. So long you do not get this knowledge, you are in ignorance. That ignorance, there are degrees. In the sattva-guṇa or in the modes of goodness, you can simply theoretically understand that "I am not this body." That is sattva-guṇa. Brahminical qualities. Śamo damas titikṣā ārjavaṁ jñāna. Jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). When you... brahma-jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. Brāhmaṇa means who has got the knowledge of brahma. Veda-paṭhād bhaved vipro brahma-jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ.

Lecture on BG 2.11 (with Spanish translator) -- Mexico, February 11, 1975:

Bhaga means opulence. So there are six kinds of opulences. One opulence is to become very rich, another opulence is to become very powerful, another opulence is to become very strong, another opulence is to become very famous, another opulence is to become very wise, and another opulence is to become very much renounced. So these six kinds of opulences, when present in the superlative degree, that is Bhagavān. This means, as it is stated in the Vedic literature, na tasya samaḥ adhikaś ca dṛśyate: "Nobody is found equal to Him or greater than Him." In this material world any person you take, next moment you'll find somebody equal to him and somebody greater than him. But the Vedic information is: God means who has no equal and who has no greater person than Him. Actually Bhagavad-gītā was spoken by Kṛṣṇa, and here it is said, bhagavān uvāca. So Bhagavān, the Supreme God, means Kṛṣṇa. That is the statement in all Vedic literature.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 7, 1966:

Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ. Īśvara. Īśvara means the Lord. Now, there are different lords, different lords, degree. Lord means controller or proprietor. So you have got some lordship over your environment. He has got some lordship. I have got some lordship. He has got some lordship. Or the President Johnson, he has got some lordship. In this way you'll find different degrees of lordship. But here it is said that the supreme, superlative degree Lord is Kṛṣṇa. Above Him, there is no other Lord. Here we shall find that you are bigger lord than me, he is bigger than lord you, and somebody is bigger than him. In this way you can approach the lordship of Johnson. Then you can see another man. He is more than Johnson; another man, more than Johnson, like that. But when you reach Śrī Kṛṣṇa by such analytical process, you'll find that nobody is greater, nobody is equal than Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And He says something—we must agree to accept it. (laughs)

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 9, 1966:

Prabhupāda: Eh? Eh?

Woman: The masters who are working the...?

Prabhupāda: Master is the Lord.

Woman: Yeah, but there are different masters, or higher degrees that you were calling. You were mentioning before. The sound(?) of different degrees who are working on planets...?

Prabhupāda: Yes, different degree. Just like everyone is servant of the Lord.

Woman: Yeah, yeah. Yeah. But did you...? That's not what you called...

Prabhupāda: Degree. No degrees. Now suppose, suppose, take for example the sun. The chief, chief living entity or the chief man, or chief living being in the sun planet. Now his position and my position, there is vast difference. He has, he is maintaining such a planet and he is situated there as the chief man or the chief living being. So his degree of power is far, far greater than the degree of power here like President Johnson or something else. You see? So that degree of power does not make him that he's God. He's not God. He's also servant of God. Anyone, even Brahmā, anyone. There is a verse in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta: ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa āra saba bhṛtya (CC Adi 5.142).

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 9, 1966:

He's not God. He's also servant of God. Anyone, even Brahmā, anyone. There is a verse in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta: ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa āra saba bhṛtya (CC Adi 5.142). That the individual living entities, there are so many, multi, but all of them, they are servant of the Lord. There may be, their position may be upper or lower in different degrees, but that does not make them equal with the Lord. The Lord is different. That is also mentioned in the Patañjali yoga system. Lord is Supreme. He's the great. He's the greatest. Asamaurdhva. Nobody is equal with Him and nobody is greater than Him. That means nobody's equal with Him, nobody's greater than Him, everybody is lower than Him. So is that question solved?

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 9, 1966:

Prabhupāda: Now demigods, demigods are just like you and me. Demigods, just like you and me. But they have got a degree of power than me and you.

Woman: Now you just said the sun.

Prabhupāda: Sun, yes. He's also a living...

Woman: The sun is a planet.

Prabhupāda: Sun is a planet, but there is a controlling deity also.

Woman: Yes.

Prabhupāda: There is a control... Just like here, in this planet, when you go up, you see it is ball, but in this ball there are so many controlling deities here also. President Johnson, prime minister of India, this and that and so many things. But when you go up you see just like a ball. So when you come here you find... Similarly, from the distance of ninety millions of miles you can see the sun just like a ball, but it is not ball. It is a, it is a far, far greater than this planet, and there are cities and there men and there are persons and there are everything.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- Mexico, February 12, 1975:

So Kṛṣṇa began His teaching to Arjuna, chastising him that "You do not know anything; still, you are talking like a learned man." This is the fault of a person without any spiritual knowledge. Every man in this material world is almost without any spiritual knowledge. Still, they are proud of their learning, their knowledge, their degrees. This is going on. When Sanātana Gosvāmī approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he first of all presented himself as a person without knowledge. Sanātana Gosvāmī was coming of a very brāhmaṇa, aristocratic family. He was very learned scholar in Sanskrit and Urdu; still, he presented himself before Caitanya Mahāprabhu as a foolish man. So actually that is the position. He said, grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita, tāi satya māni, āpanāra hitāhita kichui nā jāni. He said that "These common men say that I am very learned paṇḍita, but I am such a rascal, I do not know what I am."

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Public Lecture With German Translation Throughout -- Hamburg, September 10, 1969:

Just like we are trying to go to the moon planet, but we have not been successful. In this way we cannot go there. Each planet, each and every planet, has got different atmosphere. So unless your body is completely competent to live in such planet, you cannot go there. Just like the scientists say that in the moon planet the temperature is two hundred degrees below zero. Similarly, in the sun planet the temperature is very, very high, hundred and thousand times degrees above the normal. So in this way, every planet has got different atmosphere, different temperature, different standard of life, different duration of life. So one has to become competent to transfer himself in a particular type of planet. So we, as spirit soul, dehī, the possessor of this body... Dehī means one who possesses this body, or the occupier of the body, the spirit soul. That is eternal. Changing body only, but eternal. Therefore we should not be interested to these different types of temporary body. That is not very good intelligence. So we have to prepare ourself.

Lecture on BG 2.13-17 -- Los Angeles, November 29, 1968:

I'll be unhappy." So Kṛṣṇa is instructing Arjuna that this kind of unhappiness, distress, is this world. You cannot avoid it. These are necessary distresses. The example He's giving that severe cold. In the winter season, in the month of January or some month, the winter is very severe, intolerable. Sometimes somewhere it is below 30 degrees zero. But what is to be done? The people in such part of the world who live... Just like in Canada it goes sometimes 30 degrees below zero. Does it mean that they'll close their offices and work and everything? No. Everything is going on as usual. One has to tolerate. That's all. In India also, in India and other parts of the eastern countries. Just like Arabia, Iraq or... During summertime, the temperature is 135. You cannot imagine 135. In India we have experienced temperature, I have experienced up to 118 degrees. Not always, unusually. But 110 degree is usual during summertime, 110 degree. Usual temperature. So does it mean...

Lecture on BG 2.14 -- London, August 20, 1973:

You should not be affected. Just like in India the temperature is sometimes 120, during... (break) ...season. Does it mean people will stop all their work? Or in your country, in the Western country, the winter is so strong that sometimes below zero, 30 degree. Does it mean that all of his work, everything, will be stopped? No, you have to do your duty. Similarly, although Arjuna is advised, "Although you are killing—little pains that you have to kill your own men—so that is coming and going. You have to do your duty because it is real fight. This fight is under My guidance. You must fight. That is your duty. Don't be bothered of this mātrā-sparśāḥ." Mātrā means the skin, touch. But people are after the skin disease. Just like sex life. What is the sex life? This is also another skin disease, itching of the skin, and you satisfy by rubbing it. That's all. Therefore in the śāstra it is advised, viṣaheta dhīraḥ.

Lecture on BG 2.28 -- London, August 30, 1973:

This is their knowledge. The gentleman was talking that he's a mining engineer. So mining engineer, his business is to make the atmosphere within the mine very comfortable. Just imagine, he has gone down within the earth just like the mousehole, and he's improving that mousehole. After being educated, after getting degrees, his position is to enter into the dark, dark, I mean to say, hole of the earth, and he's trying to scientific advancement by cleansing the air within the mine. He's condemned that he has been forced to give up the outer, outer space, free air. He has been condemned to go within the earth, and he's proud of scientific advancement. This is going on. This is scientific advancement.

So manute anartham. That is Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva, before writing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam by the, under the instruction of Nārada, he meditated what is the position.

Lecture on BG 2.30 -- London, August 31, 1973:

Still, there is inferior nature and superior nature. What is the difference between inferior and superior? In the inferior nature or the material nature, God consciousness is almost nil. Those who are in the modes of goodness, they have little God consciousness. And those who are in the modes of passion, they have got less degree; and those who are in the modes of ignorance, there is no God consciousness. Completely absent. Degrees.

Therefore, this body, although this is material, coming from the same source, still it is inferior. So when the dehī, or the spirit soul, although by nature it is superior than the material nature, but still, because he's encaged within the material nature, he's forgetful of Kṛṣṇa. This is the process. But, as it is stated here, that dehe sarvasya, sarvasya dehe, the same spirit is there. Therefore, those who are not rascals, those who are intelligent and in complete knowledge, they do not find any distinction between a human being or an animal. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ.

Lecture on BG 2.40-45 -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1968:

So here in this verse, Kṛṣṇa says that some way or other if you begin your activities in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even one percent, not cent percent, it will never be destroyed. All other things, whatever you acquire in this present life, with the end of this body everything is finished. Your education, your degree, your opulence, your skyscraper building, your bank balance—everything will remain where you kept and you have to go, even leaving this body also. You have to go alone and to accept another body. But if you cultivate spiritual consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that will go with you. And if you have finished in this life, say, ten percent, then next life you begin eleven percent. The best thing is that why not finish cent percent in this life? Why should we indulge in materialistic way of life, sense gratification? That we have tried in many lives. This is human form of life, and there were many other lives also.

Lecture on BG 2.55-56 -- New York, April 19, 1966:

That is called nirvāṇa, stopping, stopping the feelings of... It is just like a patient suffering from some disease, and the doctor gives him some pill so that he dies and there is no more feeling. Oh. Then he sees it is all right. If by stopping feeling like that, that a... "Doctor, my son is having hundred and seven degree temperature." "All right. I stop it. Give him some injection, poisonous." The child dies. Now there is no fever. Now the father says, "My child does not move." "Oh, whether this fever is stopped or not?" "Yes, there is no fever also." "That's all right. My business finished." That sort of foolish doctor will not do. (laughs) We should not stop consciousness. No. That is the... That is the, I mean to say, secret of philosophy. If my consciousness is stopped altogether, then what do I gain? That means my death. My whole existence finished. No. Then comes... I am shortly giving the substance of different philosophers.

Lecture on BG 2.55-56 -- New York, April 19, 1966:

So sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170).

Now, simply to become free from the bodily conception of life is not... But that consciousness should be made purified, purified. Just like to, just to stop the symptoms of fever or decreasing the degree of fever is not all. Suppose a man is suffering from fever. Doctor gives him medicine. Now the fever decreases and he comes to normal temperature. That is not all. That diseased man must get up from that bed and engage himself in the healthy activities. Then that is the real cure of disease. Simply, therefore, to understand that "I am not this consciousness, I am not this body; I am pure consciousness," that will not cure. You must have to engage your consciousness in pure activities. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam, hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanam (CC Madhya 19.170). Hṛṣīkeśa. Hṛṣīkeśa is the name of the Supreme Lord. Hṛṣīka means the senses, this. And īśa means the Lord.

Lecture on BG 2.55-58 -- New York, April 15, 1966:

And there are sometimes happiness also. Happiness also. Sometimes suppose I get some good foodstuff. Somebody praises me, "Oh, Swamiji, you are very great soul," and so on, so on, so on... So that praising, that praising... Sometimes we are offered some, I mean to say, decoration, some degrees of praises from institutions. These are the signs of our happiness. But one who is situated in pure consciousness, he's neither disturbed by all those distresses, neither he is actually happy by all these designative offerings. You see? Because he knows that these designation... Suppose I have passed my M.A. examination, and in the, in the university, in the convocation meeting, I get the degree and people applauses me; but if one is situated in consciousness, he will understand, "What is this degree? This degree is due to my this body. As soon as this body finishes, all these degree will finish. Because, if it is a fact that vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya (BG 2.22), if I have to take another body after leaving this body, then everything in bodily connection will finish as soon as I give up this body and take up another body.

Lecture on BG 2.55-58 -- New York, April 15, 1966:

Therefore, one who is convinced, one who knows actually that "I am not this body; I am pure consciousness," so these degrees... Or some good, palatable foodstuff. I have been offered by some friend. I am eating. "Oh," I am thinking, "oḥ, how happy I am!" But what is that happiness? That happiness is due to my tongue only, but I am not this tongue. So these things are, will appear, one who is purely consciousness. You see? But that, that does not mean that I shall not eat or I shall not associate in the society. No. I shall be. Everything I shall be, but I must always know that "I am aloof from this. My position is that I am subordinate to the Supreme Consciousness, and I, I have to act in that position."

Lecture on BG 3.18-30 -- Los Angeles, December 30, 1968:

To be a good man or a nonviolent man is also a personal attachment, but to act on behalf of the Supreme's desire is to act without attachment for the result. That is the perfect action of the highest degree, recommended by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Vedic rituals, like prescribed sacrifices, are performed for purification of impious activities that were performed in the field of sense gratification. But a person who is acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is transcendental to the actions and reactions of good or evil work. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person has no attachment to the result, but acts on behalf of Kṛṣṇa alone. He engages in all kinds of activities, but is completely nonattached."

Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Madras, January 1, 1976:

Everything is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is question of degrees. Mama vart..., pārtha... What is that verse? Vartante mānuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ. Everyone is searching after Kṛṣṇa, but they are forward to some step. Suppose Kṛṣṇa is there on the top, and it is one hundred steps. So somebody has covered five steps, somebody has covered ten steps, somebody has covered hundred steps, like that. So everyone is searching after Kṛṣṇa, but there is degrees of realization of Kṛṣṇa. So either Christian, Mohammedan, or any, they are searching after Kṛṣṇa. That's all right. But it is a question of degrees, how far they have gone forward. The last stage is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is the final stage.

Lecture on BG 3.31-43 -- Los Angeles, January 1, 1969:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Thirty-eight: "As fire is converted by smoke... As fire is covered by smoke, as a mirror is covered by dust, or as the embryo is covered by the womb, similarly the living entity is covered by different degrees of this... (BG 3.38)"

Prabhupāda: Lust. Different degrees of lust. Those who are in the modes of goodness, their lust is a different quality. Those who are in passion, their lust is in different quality. Those who are ignorance, their lust is different quality. It is the question...

Just like there are first-class prisoner, second-class prisoner and third-class prisoner. So after all, they are prisoners, maybe first-class, second-class or third-class. That doesn't matter. Similarly, within this material world somebody may be very learned, rich, beautiful, all good qualifications, in the modes of goodness. So they... Or somebody is passion and somebody in lower degree, even animal life. But they are all prisoners within this material world.

One has to transcend this position. One has to transcend even the so-called goodness of the material world.

Lecture on BG 3.31-43 -- Los Angeles, January 1, 1969:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Purport: "There are three degrees of covering of the pure living entity, and thereby the pure consciousness of the living entity, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is embarrassed by nonmanifestation. This covering is but lust under different manifestations, like smoke in the fire, dust on the mirror, and the womb about the embryo. When lust is compared to smoke, it is understood that the fire of the living spark can be a little perceived. In other words, when the living entity exhibits his Kṛṣṇa consciousness slightly, he may be likened to the fire covered by smoke. Although fire is necessary when there is smoke, there is no overt manifestation of fire in the early stage. This stage can be compared with the beginning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The comparison of the dust of the mirror refers to the cleansing process of the mirror of the mind by so many spiritual methods. The best process is to chant the holy names of the Lord. The comparison of the embryo being covered by the womb is an analogy illustrating the most awkward position, for the child in the womb is so helpless that it cannot even move. This stage of living condition can be compared also to the trees. The trees are living entities, but they have been put into that condition of life by such a great exhibition of lust that they are almost devoid of all consciousness."

Prabhupāda: Yes, these trees... We should know that the trees, they are also living entities, but they have been put in such awkward position that they are standing up in a position for thousands of years. They cannot move even. If somebody is cutting, it cannot protest. They have been put into such conditional life. If somebody is coming to do some harm, they cannot go away. So the most abominable condition of life is the trees. Go on.

Lecture on BG 3.31-43 -- Los Angeles, January 1, 1969:

Anyone who is in the material world, he is lusty. Maybe difference of degrees. That doesn't matter. But he is lusty. Kāma eṣa krodha eṣa rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ. Everyone is trying to lord it over the material nature. That is lust. Now, the ant is trying to lord it over the material nature in his own way, and the big politician, he is trying to lord it over the material nature in a different way. Everyone is trying. So that lording it over the material nature is a sign of lust. So you can take it for granted that anyone who is within this material world, he has got that contamination of lust, maybe manifested in different degrees.

Lecture on BG 4.1-6 -- Los Angeles, January 3, 1969:

Because it is said here that "that very ancient science of the relationship with the Supreme is today told by Me to you because you are My devotee," so this transcendental science cannot be understood simply by academic education. It is not possible. There is a secret. Just like in the ordinary educational field, nobody is allowed to study law unless he is a graduate of the degree college. At least in India that is the law. Nobody can be admitted in the law college unless he is a graduate because he will not be able to understand.

Similarly, in the Vedas it is also said, "Unless one has acquired brahminical qualifications, he should not study Vedas." So in every department, if you want to take education in a particular line, you have to qualify yourself to enter that school or college. Similarly, if you want to study Bhagavad-gītā, then you have to become a devotee. Simply academic educational qualification will not help you, because it was spoken to the devotee.

Lecture on BG 4.3-6 -- New York, July 18, 1966:

You'll find that there are many sages and saints who are almost spiritually realized souls, don't care for all this heat and cold. Still you'll find. If you happen to go to Allahabad in the month of December, there is a fair. All sādhus come there and in the severe cold and... Of course, not so cold as in your country, but still, sometimes it is forty degrees, temperature. But you'll find many saints there, bare, I mean to say, body. There is no dress. They are sitting, dead of night. You see? They don't care for cold or heat. You see? Because they are spiritually advanced.

So as you make your progress, spiritually, as you become hot... Just like I have given several times the example. If a iron, iron put into the fire, it gets warm, warmer, warmer and becomes red hot, and as soon as it is red hot, it is no longer iron. It is fire. The iron, wherever it will touch, it will burn because it has got the quality of fire.

Lecture on BG 4.6-8 -- New York, July 20, 1966:

Now, if you, if you... Can you change that fire becomes cold and still it is fire? No. As... So long it is fire, it is hot. So long it is water, it is liquid. Similarly, everything you analyze. Take for example chili. Chili, red pepper. Oh, it is very hot. Now, when you take chili from the market you see how much, what is the degree of its hotness. If it is very hot, oh, it is very good chili. If you find a chili sweet like sugar, oh, you'll reject it. "Oh, this is not good." Because that is the religion of the chili, to become very hot. Similarly, sugar. If you take sugar, if it is very hot, "It is nonsense. I want sweet."

So in everything, if you analyze, you'll find some particular quality. That is his religion. That is his religion. So we are living entities. Forget yourself. Forget yourself that you are Christian, "I am Hindu," or Muslim, or Mussalman, or Buddhist. Forget yourself! "I am living entity."

Lecture on BG 4.7-10 -- Los Angeles, January 6, 1969:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "The principles of the Bhagavad-gītā were spoken to Arjuna, and for that matter, to other highly elevated persons, because they were highly advanced compared to ordinary men in other parts of the world. Two plus two equals four. This is a mathematical principle, and it is true both in the infant's arithmetic class and in the master's degree class as well. Still, there are higher and lower mathematics. In all incarnations of the Lord, therefore, the same principles are taught, but they appear to be higher and lower under various circumstances. The higher principles of religion begin with the acceptance of the four orders and the four ranks of social life, as will be explained later. The whole purpose of the mission of incarnations is to arouse Kṛṣṇa consciousness everywhere."

Eight: "In order to deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium."

Nine: "One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not upon leaving the body take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna."

Prabhupāda: This is very nice. If one can understand the principles of appearance and disappearance of God, His activities, so simply by understanding these principles he will be liberated. It is said here that after quitting this body, he is no more coming to take birth again in this material world. So just like a layman does not know how the sun appears and disappears, but an astronomer, he knows very well the movements of the sun, moon, and other planets' appearance and disappearance. This is a science, astronomy.

Lecture on BG 4.8 -- Montreal, June 14, 1968:

Now the question may be that "Why they do not surrender? Why they do not believe in God? Why they do not take to God consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness? They are very educated, advanced. They have got university degrees. But why they do not do it? They are supposed to be very culturally advanced." So the answer is given there in the Bhagavad-gītā, māyayāpahṛta-jñānā āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. Because their intention is to deny God, therefore although they are very much advanced in so-called education, the effect of knowledge has been taken away by the illusory energy of māyā. The māyā has taken away the effect of knowledge.

Lecture on BG 4.10 Festival at Maison de Faubourg -- Geneva, May 31, 1974:

Cannot be seen? Then why you are taking education, taking degrees? Why you are appearing for examination in the university for degrees? It cannot be seen? If you are actually qualified in something, it must be manifested. Otherwise, everyone will say that "I am quite qualified, but you cannot see." What is this? How I shall distinguish between the qualified and the nonqualified? The qualification must be seen. That is the conclusion. All right. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Please join with us. Shall I chant? All right. (end)

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- Geneva, June 1, 1974:

They are, along with the gopīs, playing the flute and many musical instruments, dancing. That is the definition given in the Vedānta-sūtra. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt, means "by nature jubilant." There is no moroseness. There is no unhappiness. That is the kingdom of God.

Now, Kṛṣṇa says, ye yathā māṁ prapadyante: "According to the degree of surrender, one comes nearer and nearer." Kṛṣṇa is manifested in three features, namely, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11), means He is revealed as impersonal Brahman, as localized Paramātmā, or the Supersoul, or as the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa. There are three different types of transcendentalists. They are called the jñānīs, the yogis and the bhaktas. Jñānīs means those who are trying to understand the Absolute Truth in impersonal feature, brahmajyoti. The jñānīs means those who are mental speculators, philosophers, neti neti.

Lecture on BG 4.11-18 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1969:

For those who are fruitive workers the Lord awards the desired results of their prescribed duties as the yajñeśvara; and those who are yogis seeking mystic powers are awarded such powers. In other words, everyone is dependent for success upon His mercy alone and all kinds of spiritual processes are but different degrees of success on the same path. Unless, therefore, one comes to the highest perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all attempts remain imperfect, as is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: 'Whether one is without desire (the condition of the devotees) or is desirous of all fruitive results, or is after liberation, one should with all efforts try to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead for complete perfection culminating in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.' "

Lecture on BG 4.12-13 -- New York, July 29, 1966:

So here is an opportunity. It is very simple, very simple—simply thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Satataṁ cintayantaṁ viṣṇum. Smartavyaḥ satataṁ viṣṇur vismartavyo na jātucit. Always, simply if you think that Hare Kṛṣṇa, if you think simply Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare, that is sufficient, even if you do not go into the Bhagavad-gītā, if you do not go in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, simply as you are chanting. Kṛṣṇa has given us the ear, and Kṛṣṇa has given us the tongue. No expense, no difficulty. You haven't got to go to college and take degrees to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. It is easy for the rich, for the poor, for the learned, for the fool, for the black, for the white, for the rich, for the poor, everyone. There is no distinction because(?) Kṛṣṇa is for everyone.

Lecture on BG 4.12-13 -- New York, July 29, 1966:

Now, just like here is a qualified lawyer, Mr. Goldsmith. He is lawyer. Now, because he is lawyer, his son cannot claim that "Because my father is lawyer, then I am also lawyer." How he can become? The son also must be qualified lawyer. He must pass the bachelor of law degree, examination. Then he can be lawyer. So similarly, here Kṛṣṇa says... Don't misunderstand the Indian caste system as hereditary. No. It is, according to Vedic literature, it is according to the quality.

And what is that quality? Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ: "Anyone who takes his birth, by his birth he's a śūdra." Śūdra means the lowest, in the lowest order. Everyone. Even if he is born in the family of a brāhmaṇa, he is to be considered as a śūdra, janmanā, by birth. And perhaps some of you know that the brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas and the vaiśyas, they are called dvija. Dvi means twice, and ja means birth. Twice-born. Twice-born.

Lecture on BG 4.14-19 -- New York, August 3, 1966:

That is real life. Ātmavat... yaḥ paśyati. One who has such vision of life, he is called learned. He is called learned, not by educational qualifications. One who has acquired... phalena paricīyate. Education is understood, how far a man is educated, by his behavior. By his vision of life, it will be estimated, not by the degree. Ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu yaḥ paśyati sa paṇḍitaḥ. Similarly, here also, here also the word paṇḍita, paṇḍita has been used.

So I have just given you some explanation of paṇḍita from different angle of vision. And budha also. Budha. In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find the definition of budha. Budha means well-versed. Well-versed. Well-versed means who has got, studied lots of books of knowledge. He is called budha. Now, how one becomes budha? By studying, one should have concluded this. What is that conclusion? That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā by Lord Kṛṣṇa, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ.

Lecture on BG 4.19 -- Bombay, April 8, 1974:

Either take you from Cāṇakya Paṇḍita's materialistic point of view, moral lessons, or spiritual lessons from Bhagavad-gītā, the definition of paṇḍita is different from the so-called paṇḍitas, having... That is... They are called māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ. Although they have got degrees of the universities, but actually, knowledge is taken away by māyā.

na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ
prapadyante narādhamāḥ
māyayāpahṛta-jñānā
āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ
(BG 7.15)

If one becomes atheist, then his knowledge has no value. Because real knowledge is... As Kṛṣṇa says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). This is real knowledge.

Lecture on BG 4.19-25 -- Los Angeles, January 9, 1969:

The kṣatriyas, they are working in the modes of passion. They want to possess land, they want to be king, they want to be leader of the citizens, and they see to the protection of the citizens. This is called in the mode of passion.

And the third degree is the mercantile community. They are engaged in trades, commerce.

In this way the fourth grade of man is the laborer class. They have no capacity either to become brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. They have to take shelter of somebody and must be satisfied with the wages he takes from that.

In this age the Vedic literature says kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. In this age practically everyone is a śūdra, laborer class because everyone is dependent. The brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya and vaiśya, they are not dependent but laborer class, they are dependent. So because this human civilization at the present moment is so made that everyone is dependent. Nobody is self-sufficient. One has to work somewhere for his livelihood.

Lecture on BG 4.24-34 -- New York, August 12, 1966:

Either the seeker of the Brahman, either the seeker of the supreme soul, Supersoul, or the seeker of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they are all transcendentalists. They are not in the material world. They are tattva-vit. Tattva-vit means they are in the field of transcendental transaction. But there are degrees.

Just like I have given this example already—you did not hear attentively—that the sunshine, the sun disc, and within the sun. The subject matter is same, but still, the subject matter of studying sunshine and subject matter of studying the sun disc and subject matter of studying what is within the sun, there are differences, although the whole subject matter is the sun. The Absolute Truth is also, in the same way, manifested in three phases: Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. So either of these three, we have to find out; then gradually we make further promotion.

Lecture on BG 4.34 -- New York, August 14, 1966:

You'll find in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. There are description of different manifestation of Viṣṇu or God because God expands Himself in various ways. We are also expansion of God. So similarly, there are degrees of expansion, and the central point, or the primal Lord, is Śrī Kṛṣṇa. We have got evidences from various Vedic literature that Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Bhāgavata confirms, ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28), that... There is a list of incarnation of Godhead. There are many thousands and thousands of incarnation, and there is a list. Especially in Caitanya-caritāmṛta there is a specific list. Now, after giving that list, the conclusion is made that ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam.

Now, we have given the list, the author of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, but all these incarnation of Godhead, they are either plenary manifestation or manifestation of the plenary manifestation, like that. Ete cāṁśa. Aṁśa means plenary manifestation, and kalāḥ means manifestation of the plenary manifestation.

Lecture on BG 4.34 -- Questions & Answers -- August 14, 1968, New York:

When we are seriously anxious about understanding the science of God, then God is within you, He will make your relationship with such a spiritual master who will enlighten you further and further. So practically, the spiritual master is the representative of Kṛṣṇa. Now, it depends on me. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham (BG 4.11). The degree of my serious thought, if I am seriously about actually perception of the Supreme Lord, then I will get such a spiritual master who can give me information of the Supreme Lord. But if I want something else, then Kṛṣṇa will help you in that way also, you will get something else. So ye yathā māṁ prapadyante. The spiritual master is the representative of Kṛṣṇa, and He, Kṛṣṇa, is sitting within our heart. As you are anxious, your degree of anxiety will be helped by Kṛṣṇa by sending similar quality of spiritual master. (end)

Lecture on BG 4.39-42 -- Los Angeles, January 14, 1969:

What is the idea? To become controller. I want to rule over my family members, I want to be controller. If I have nobody to control, I get some dog to control. This is my, I mean to say, intuition. I want to control. So everyone is controller in different degrees. And the Brahma-saṁhitā says that God is supreme controller. That's all. He is also controller. But there is nobody else who can control Him. He controls everything. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Īśvara means controller. Parama means the supreme. Very nice, very simple description of God.

If God... Somebody says, "I am God." I am God in this sense, that God is like me. Just like if you say, "I am American," your president is also American, so exactly you are like president, American. There is no harm. But if say, "I am as powerful as President Nixon," that is not applicable. Similarly, "I am God" means I am qualitatively one with God. It does not mean I am as powerful as God.

Lecture on BG 5.17-25 -- Los Angeles, February 8, 1969:

The same example again. Just like the sunshine, the sun disk and the sun-god within the sun disk. They are the same thing, light. But there is difference of degrees. The light and temperature which you feel in the sunshine is different from the light and temperature in the sun disk. And the light or temperature in the sun disk is different from the light and temperature of the sun-god. But they are all light. Similarly, Absolute Truth is one, light, but there are degrees. If you become attached to impersonal Brahman, you simply enjoy the eternity feature of the Absolute Truth. If you simply try to understand the Supersoul by meditation, then you realize the eternity and knowledge aspect of the Absolute Truth. But if you realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then you realize eternity, knowledge, and bliss, three things. Because without being connected with Kṛṣṇa or the Supreme Personality of Godhead there is no possibility of enjoying transcendental bliss. In the impersonal Brahman you can remain there eternally. In Paramātmā you can have knowledge but in Bhagavān you have eternity, knowledge and transcendental bliss.

Lecture on BG 5.22-29 -- New York, August 31, 1966:

Kṛṣṇa says, kṣīṇa-kalmaṣāḥ. Kṣīṇa-kalmaṣāḥ, one who is able to reduce the reaction of all sinful life. We must know it that this material existence, either in any form, they are all reactions of our sinful life. That we must know. So in any condition, it does not matter that a highly advanced person, educated, learned, rich, or beautiful, or anyone—more or less, according to degree, they are all enjoying or suffering the reaction of their past karma. And, more or less, all the world, they are considered to be sinful. So kṣīṇa-kalmaṣāḥ. Kṣīṇa-kalmaṣāḥ means those who are trying to reduce the reaction of sinful activities. How? By practicing that sense control. Sense control. Practicing sense control. Just like a diseased person. By controlling... By controlling according to the prescription of the doctor, by controlling himself he becomes reduced in the sufferings of the disease. The fever diminishes from 105 degrees to 102, then 100, then 99, then 98—he is cured. Similarly, we have to reduce the temperature.

Lecture on BG 5.22-29 -- New York, August 31, 1966:

So the gentleman called for a doctor, and the doctor treated both the patients, and the doctor said that "Your wife has got 98 temperature, nothing serious. But your maidservant, she has got 104 temperature, so she should be taken care of." Now, the housewife, she became angry. She told the doctor, "Oh, I am the head of the family. I have got only 98 temperature? And my maidservant has got 104? So you are not a doctor!" So that is going on. From 104 we want to increase. 107 degrees and death will come. So the modern civilization is increasing the temperature. So we have come to the point of 107 degree-atom bomb. So we are prepared for killing ourselves. So this degree, this increasing of temperature of material enjoyment will never make us happy. We have to decrease the temperature. We have to come to the point of 97, not to the 107.

Lecture on BG 5.22-29 -- New York, August 31, 1966:

By Kṛṣṇa consciousness everything will be transformed into spiritual. Just like the iron rod, if you put into the fire it gets warm, warmer, and when it is red-hot, then it is no longer iron rod, it is fire, similarly, if we constantly engage all our energy in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then, even though we have increased the temperature to 107 degrees, that will be transformed into 107 degree of spiritual life. Yes. That is the secret of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

As we'll understand when we come to the Ninth Chapter, it is clearly stated that su-sukhaṁ kartum avyayam (BG 9.2). It is very happy to adopt this principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So instead of lamenting what has been done—that is useless. No use lamenting. We have to now go, make progress, advance by Kṛṣṇa consciousness and utilizing everything for that purpose, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then everything will be all right.

Lecture on BG 6.32-40 -- New York, September 14, 1966:

Everything has got a course. So, just like if you want to be a medical student there are five years', six years' course. If you study for two years and give it up, then you cannot have that title, or you cannot be recognized as a medical practitioner. But if you complete the course, you get the university degree, MD, Doctor of Medicine, or something like that, and you are recognized; you can practice. Now, here it is said that ayatiḥ śraddhayopetaḥ. Somebody is attracted that "I shall make my life successful by a spiritual process, the yoga system or jñāna system or bhakti system." Without inclination... Because this inclination also does not come ordinarily... That also requires good asset in the past life, this inclination for spiritual advancement. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3). Out of millions of men, few only try for making perfection of the human life. And yatatām api siddhānām (BG 7.3). And those who are trying for perfection, out of them a few only can understand what is God.

Lecture on BG 6.35-45 -- Los Angeles, February 20, 1969:

So this is a good chance. We invite everyone to join and the process is very simple. Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and you'll feel. There is no difficult process. The children also can take part and actually they are taking part. You don't require any previous qualification. That you must have passed your master of degree examination or this or that. Whatever you are, you simply come and join this association and you become Kṛṣṇa conscious. This is the advantage of this society. It is clear. Please try to understand. Go on. Purport?

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1968:

So we are worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda. That is our business. What is the effect of worshiping Govinda? Just like people are trying to go to the moon planet, very tiny effort. Even they go to the moon planet, they'll be not very much benefited, because the scientists say the moon planet is below 200 degrees zero point. So we cannot tolerate the cold climate of this planet, how we shall be benefited even we go to the moon planet? And moon planet is the nearest planet. There are millions of other planets also, and the scientists say that to reach the highest, topmost planet, it will take forty thousands of years. And who is going to live for forty thousand years to go and come back?

These are practical difficulties, and therefore we are called conditioned souls. Our activities are conditioned, not free. But you can attain a life of freedom, life of unlimited energy, unlimited happiness, unlimited bliss. There is possibility.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1968:

Actually, I am a spirit soul. That is explained in the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā, that the spirit soul is never born or is never dead. He continues his life even after the destruction of this particular type of body. This body is only a flash, for some years only. But it will be finished. It is being finished by degrees. Just like I'm an old man of seventy-three years old. Suppose if I live eighty years or a hundred years, these seventy-three years I have already died. That is finished. Now a few years I may remain. So we are dying from the date of our birth. That is a fact. So Bhagavad-gītā gives you the solution of these four problems. And Kṛṣṇa here is suggesting, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. If you take shelter of Kṛṣṇa and if you think of Kṛṣṇa always, your consciousness becomes always overwhelmed with Kṛṣṇa thoughts, then Kṛṣṇa says the result will be asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1).

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 13, 1972:

One who eradicates the ajñāna, andhakāra, darkness. In the darkness, if somebody brings lamp, ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā... The jñāna-rūpa, torchlight, he's guru. So maybe of different degrees, but anyone who opens the spiritual eyes, he's guru. So... But in the śāstra it is said, gurur api kāryākāryakam ajānataḥ. If I accept some guru, but if later on it appears that he did not know what is to be done, what is to be not to be done, then Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī says that such guru: parityāgo vidhīyate. Such guru should be rejected. But it doesn't matter that degree. Actually, if the guru teaches Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then he may be in lesser degree, but he's accepted as guru. There is no question of rejection. Because Kṛṣṇa is actually jñāna. One who teaches Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, "One has to know Kṛṣṇa, one has to surrender to Kṛṣṇa," this kind of teaching is required. And if the guru says that "I am Kṛṣṇa. Everyone is Kṛṣṇa," then, "daridra-kṛṣṇa, daridra-nārāyaṇa," he is not a guru. He's not a guru. He's misguiding. Misguiding. Avaiṣṇavo gurur na syāt.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- London, March 9, 1975:

And each and every universe there are millions of planets, and each planet is different from the other.

Just like the moon planet. You are going to live there, but you cannot live there, because it is, the scientist says, two hundred degrees below zero, the temperature. So it is different atmosphere. Similarly, in the solar, the sun planet, you cannot go there. But Kṛṣṇa can go there. That is Kṛṣṇa, that is God. Because Kṛṣṇa is not like us. Neither His body is like us. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). And He went to the sun planet. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, Fourth Chapter. He says, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). Just like here Bhagavān says, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogam. This is a yoga. Similarly, this yoga system was spoken to the sun-god. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ..., yogam, what is that?

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Durban, October 9, 1975:

If you can question the high-court judge why he is ordering somebody to be hanged, then what will be the answer? The high-court judge orders somebody to be hanged and somebody to take degree for one lakh of rupees. Is there injustice? It is the law. The Supreme Lord has to execute the law. So there is no mistake. As there is no mistake in the judgment of the high-court, similarly, what to speak of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord. There is necessity. The government, in order to keep law and order, there is violence also. The police sometimes commit violence, the military force. So in order to keep whole thing in balance, sometimes violence is required, and that is not to our whims but at the decision of the Supreme Lord.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Paris, June 13, 1974:

And when one is further advanced and he realizes the Absolute Truth as the localized aspect, Paramātmā, or Lord Viṣṇu within anyone's heart, by the yogic practice, that is called paramātma-jñāna, or knowledge of the Absolute Truth. Actually, the objective is one, but different degrees of understanding. One example can be given in this connection. Just like the sun globe and the sun-god and the sunshine. The sunshine is also light, and there is temperature, and the sun globe is also light, and there is temperature, and within the sun globe, there is the personality known as sun-god, that is also light and temperature. But all this light and temperature, there are degrees. The sunshine degree of temperature and light is less than the sun globe, and the sun globe temperature and light is less than the sun-god. So when you reach the sun-god, then you understand the complete temperature and light. That completeness is realized by this word, bhagavān.

Lecture on BG 7.8-14 -- New York, October 2, 1966:

Bhīma had strength ten thousand times than an elephant. He was so strong. There is no question of not believing. Because as I find that you are stronger than me and he is stronger than you, oh, similarly, there are many degrees of strength. Now, these degrees of strength is Kṛṣṇa. So you can understand Kṛṣṇa. Without Kṛṣṇa's favor, nobody can be stronger than the others. So balaṁ balavatām asmi.

Kāma-rāga-vivarjitam. Kāma. Kāma means desire. Rāga-vivarjitam, without attraction. Desire without attraction, that is Kṛṣṇa. Desire without attraction, how it can be possible? Desire with attraction. Whenever we desire something... I want some young girl, I desire. Desire means I have got attraction. But desire without attraction, how it is possible? Can you explain? Yes. Desire without attraction means Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I desire for Kṛṣṇa's benefit, not for my benefit. That is desire without attraction. So kāma-rāga-vivarjitam.

Kāma-rāga-vivarjitam, dharmāviruddho bhūteṣu kāmo 'smi bharatarṣabha. "And lust, lust which is not against religious principles, that is also I am." What is that lust? Lust means, generally means, sex, sex life.

Lecture on BG 7.11-16 -- New York, October 7, 1966:

If you do not understand that "Here is a chance to get me free out of this entanglement," if you don't take the chance, are you not the lowest of the mankind?

So the lowest of the mankind, the fool, the impious. Now, you can say, "Oh, they are all degree holders at the university, M.A., Ph.D., B.A.C., and you are calling him the fool?" Yes, still. "Why?" Māyayāpahṛta-jñānaḥ: (BG 7.15) by the illusory energy of the Lord, all their knowledge has been taken away. Why? Because the knowledge is meant for to understand what is, "What I am? What is this nature? What is God? Why I am suffering? Is there any remedy?" These are knowledge. And the knowledge to manufacture a motorcar, to manufacture a radio, a television, and something for sense enjoyment, this is not knowledge. This is the plundered knowledge.

Lecture on BG 7.18 -- New York, October 12, 1966:

Just like we are trying to enter into the moon planet, similarly, you can enter into the sun planet provided you have got the qualification. So in the sunshine, or in the sun disc or in the sun planet, they are in the sun, but there are degrees. One who is in the sunshine, he cannot claim that "I am in the sun planet." He cannot claim that. So one who is in the sun planet, he is better situated than one who is in the sunshine. So sunshine is compared with the Brahman effulgence, brahmajyoti. And sun disc is compared to the Supersoul. And the sun planet, within, that is compared with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Just like in this planet you have got so many personalities, similarly, according to Vedic literature, we understand in the sun planet also there are varieties of living entities, but their bodies are made of fire.

Lecture on BG 8.1 -- Geneva, June 7, 1974:

We require so many favorable circumstances. Just like we cannot see without the sunrise. Still, we are very much proud of seeing. We say, "Can you show me God?" Well, can you see God? You cannot see without sunshine, and still, you are so much proud of your eyes. That is called adhama. He has no knowledge; still, he's taking Ph.D. degree and getting Nobel Prize. This is going on. So Kṛṣṇa is the Puruṣottama, uttama-puruṣa. The madhyama-puruṣa is the Supersoul. Via media between Kṛṣṇa and we. We are adhama-puruṣa. So Kṛṣṇa is addressed as uttama-puruṣa, "the best of all puruṣas, or enjoyers." Adhibhūtam, the matter, five elements of matter. Kiṁ proktam. Which of them are called the Brahman, ātmā.

Everything, Kṛṣṇa..., Arjuna wanted to know from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa, he has accepted Kṛṣṇa as the spiritual master, and spiritual master means the authority. Unless you accept somebody as quite fit for becoming your authority, he cannot become a spiritual master. You must be satisfied by the authoritative statement of the spiritual master. You cannot argue. That is the principle of authority.

Lecture on BG 8.12-13 -- New York, November 15, 1966:

So for the last three days we have been discussing. Prayāṇa-kāle manasā 'calena. Prayāṇa-kāle means "at the time of death." Just like the students, they prepare two years, three years, five years, in their college education, and the final test is their examination, and if they pass in the examination, they get the degree. Similarly, in our living condition, if we prepare for the examination at the time of death and we pass the examination, then we are transferred to the spiritual world. So prayāṇa-kāle. The whole thing is examined at the time of death. Just the other day I recited one Bengali prover, proverb. This is a very common saying in Bengal. They say bhajan kara pūjān kara mṛtyu-kāle haya:(?) "Our, whatever you do for perfection, at the time of your death it will be tested." At the time of..., a tested.

So Bhagavad-gītā is describing what should we do at the, at the point of our death, when we are giving up this body, this present body.

Lecture on BG 8.20-22 -- New York, November 18, 1966:

This is the definition of bhakti: sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). Now we are encumbered with so many designations, designation. This body is Indian—it is a designation. Your body, American—it is a designation. You are not this body, not this designation. Suppose if your university gives you one degree, M.A. or B.A., Ph.D., oh, that degree you are not. It is a designation. So bhakti means you have to get yourself from this designation. Designation. Sarva upādhi. Upādhi means designation. So somebody, if gives me title, Sir Anatole, or this or that, oh, I become very happy: "Oh, I have got this 'sir' title." But I forget that this is my designation. It will exist so long I have got this body. But the body is sure to vanquish, so designation will vanquish. When you get another body, then you get another designation. Suppose in this body I am American and next body you get China. Then you become Chinese designation.

Lecture on BG 8.28-9.2 -- New York, November 21, 1966:

Suppose we work in this material world for some perfection of education, or perfection of business. We get, amass a vast amount of money. But that is not avyayam. That is not eternal. As soon as your body is finished, everything is finished. Your education finished, your M.A. degree finished, your bank balance finished, and everything, your family finished—everything finished. Now again begin life. Vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya (BG 2.22).

So therefore anything, whatever you are doing in this material world, that is not avyayam. That is not eternal. Temporary. Temporary. So this knowledge is not like that. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt: "The Kṛṣṇa consciousness knowledge is so perfect that even if you do one percent, two percent execute, then it can help you to..., help you protection from the greatest danger." Svalpam apy asya dharmasya. And besides that, suppose in this life I perform work in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, say twenty-five percent. I am not perfect. My next life will begin from twenty-sixth point. So much, what I have acquired in this life, that is not lost.

Lecture on BG 9.1 -- Melbourne, April 19, 1976:

Don't treat me as Your friend. Now You treat me as Your disciple. I am submitting." So therefore Kṛṣṇa says, "My dear Arjuna, now I shall speak to you the most confidential part of knowledge." Idaṁ tu te guhyatamam. Guhya means confidential. And there is comparative, superlative degree. That is guhya, guhyatara, and guhyatama. So Kṛṣṇa said, "I'll speak to you the most confidential part of knowledge." Pravakṣyāmi. Pravakṣyāmi means "I shall explain to you." Vakṣyāmi means "I will speak," and pra means prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa, "Very explicitly I shall speak to you." Another word is used here, anasūyave. Asūya means envious, envy. "I am speaking to you because you are not envious." This is the qualification.

If you are envious of God—"Why? Who is God? I am God. Why shall I hear from God? I know better than Him..." These are enviousness. But Arjuna is not envious. We are envious. This material world is enviousness. I am envious of you; you are envious of me. I cannot see you very opulent; you cannot see me very opulent. That is the reason there is rivalry, competition, in this world, man to man, friend to friend, even father and son.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Melbourne, April 23, 1976:

That is generally... So the medical man was called to examine. He was great civil surgeon in Calcutta. So he gave his opinion in the court that "So far I have treated many patients, so my opinion is that everyone is more or less a madman. More or less. It is a question of degree." So our opinion is like that, that anyone who is not under the direct connection with God, he's a crazy man. He's a madman. Now you can treat. So we are also psychiatrists. We are pushing this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So because anyone who is in this material world—more or less crazy, madman. Because he doesn't care for God, therefore he's crazy. He is completely under the control of God, but still, he has the audacity to say, "No, I don't believe in god." Crazy man. So anyone who does not believe in God, he's a crazy fellow. You can treat him. Everyone is patient.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Melbourne, April 23, 1976:

The more you hear, it will react. Then you practically do it. But everything comes by hearing. So hearing is so important. Just like even in your ordinary education you go to the school, college, and hear from your professor. Hearing is so important. Then you become perfect. You take your degrees. Similarly, the science of God, you simply hear about it. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Then, gradually, it will purify. Hearing means purifying the dirty things within the heart. That is hearing. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). Because it is spiritual, hearing has got a potency to purify you. This is not ordinary hearing. This is spiritual hearing, so it has got a potency. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ. Anyone who takes part in this process of hearing and chanting, he becomes pious, purified. Just like if you touch some way or other the fire, it will act, similarly, Kṛṣṇa is spiritual. You hear about Kṛṣṇa; then it will act.

Lecture on BG 9.15-18 -- New York, December 2, 1966:

So if you want to be directly in touch, directly in touch with the president, then you have to work differently. And if you are satisfied to become a constable in the government service, that is a different thing. You cannot contact.

So there, although everything is God worship, still, there are degrees, there are differences. We must remember. Then He says,

gatir bhartā prabhuḥ sākṣī
nivāsaḥ śaraṇaṁ suhṛt
prabhavaḥ pralayaḥ sthānaṁ
nidhānaṁ bījam avyayam

The Lord says that gatir bhartā. Gati means "Everyone is coming to Me gradually," gati. Gati means destination. "They're all coming to Me." And bhartā. Bhartā means maintainer. God is maintaining us. God is maintaining us, and He's giving us chance, "All right. You come this way, or that way, that way. That's all right. Come gradually, gradually. That's all right." Gatir bhartā prabhuḥ.

Lecture on BG 9.23-24 -- New York, December 10, 1966:

Nobody is greater than the Supreme Lord, and nobody is equal, on the same level.

Everyone, whatever he may be, however powerful he may be, they are all living entities. There are innumerable living entities, and some of them are, by degree, one is powerful more than the other. So in the material world we can see that Brahmā, Lord Brahmā, is the most powerful demigod. Similarly, Lord Śiva is also next to Brahmā or equal to Brahmā. Somebody says he's more than Brahmā. Whatever it may be. So Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā are considered to be the most powerful demigods, but still, it is prohibited that one should not think of them as equal to the Supreme Lord. It is strictly prohibited in Vaiṣṇava Purāṇas. It is said like this: yas tu nārāyaṇaṁ devam...

Lecture on BG 9.26-27 -- New York, December 16, 1966:

One must go and learn it from the spiritual master, exactly you purchase some scientific book, medical science, or engineering and study at home. Oh, you will never be acknowledged as a medical practitioner. You have to admit yourself into the, that disciplic succession, medical college. You have to attend lectures. Then, when you pass degree, then you will be admitted.

So śrutayo vibhinnāḥ, and nāsāv ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam. And if you consult different kinds of philosophers, you will be bewildered. Because one philosopher is giving one opinion, another philosopher is... Because nāsāv ṛṣir yasya...: "A philosopher is not philosopher if he does not cut another philosopher." That is going on. Nāsāv ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam, dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyām: "Therefore the purport of spiritual life is very confidential." How I can learn? Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ: (CC Madhya 17.186) "Therefore we will accept the footprint of those recognized ācāryas." Ācāryopāsanam.

Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Paris, August 12, 1973:

So his pleader, lawyer pleaded that "This man, when committed this murder, he was insane." So the judge called for the civil surgeon to examine him whether he has got such tendency, insanity. So he gave evidence, "My lord, so far my knowledge concerned, I have tested so many men, everyone is insane. It is a question of degree. Now if you consider that he was insane, you, that is your business to punish him, or not punish him. But so far my knowledge is concerned, I have studied so many men and I have found they are all insane." Actually that is the position.

What does it mean, insanity? When his brain is not acting nicely. That is insanity. So anyone who is in this material world, they are against God consciousness. That is the sign of insanity. He's under the strict regulation of God, still he defies, "There is no God. There is no God, I am God." This is insanity.

Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Bombay, September 27, 1973:

So our condition, like that. We are the sons of the richest person. Not only richest, the wisest. Aiśvaryasya samāgrasya vīryasya. The most powerful, Kṛṣṇa. The most powerful, the richest, the wisest, the most beautiful. Everything, supreme degree. We are sons of such a father, but we have become mad after this material enjoyment. This is our madness.

So as father is always kind to the son, similarly, the supreme father is so kind that we are flying from this tree to that tree, this body to that body. So Kṛṣṇa is also flying, but He's not affected. That is explained in the Upaniṣad, that the one individual soul bird, he is eating the forbidden fruit of the tree and enjoying or suffering the result. But the other bird, he's simply witnessing. Witnessing. Upadraṣṭā anumantā. That is described. Upadraṣṭā means witness. Upa means... You cannot avoid the vigilence of Kṛṣṇa. You cannot do anything concealed.

Lecture on BG 13.5 -- Bombay, September 28, 1973:

So when one accepts Kṛṣṇa as the supreme authority, then he can be... Just like after passing your entrance examination, you can be admitted in the degree college, similarly, Bhagavad-gītā is the ABCD of spiritual knowledge. People even cannot understand the ABCD, what to speak of graduation, bas, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. They have become so fool, so degraded. Simple thing they cannot understand. This is the position. Therefore our Kṛṣṇa consciousness is trying its best to make people to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without any nonsensical interpretation. This is our mission. But people will not take that.

If we give some bluff, that "Kṛṣṇa means... You are also Kṛṣṇa. I am also Kṛṣṇa. Why Kṛṣṇa alone shall be God? You are also God, I am also...," these things will be very much appreciated. Because he bluffs. But that bluffing may be very pleasing to the demons, but those who are actually student of Bhagavad-gītā, they'll not accept this bluff.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 2, 1973:

Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. So this is called knowledge. One has to know what is God, what is the nature of God. So one has...

The first qualification is amānitvam. Don't be puffed up with your false knowledge. Having this little degree from the university, you are thinking that you have become so learned, you don't care for God even. This is nonsense. Therefore first qualification to get progress in knowledge is amānitvam, amānitvam. Don't be proud falsely. Our present education is simply teaching people how to become falsely proud. Just like here is, Bhagavad-gītā is going on. They are falsely proud: "Oh, what you have to learn here? We know everything. We know everything. We are M.A., Ph.D., that's all. We have finished already this." Therefore the first thing is amānitvam, pridelessness. Go on reading the purport.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 5, 1973:

To understand about Brahman, to understand about Paramātmā, to understand about the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is tattva-jñāna.

So if you want to become philosopher, then philosophically you try to understand what is brahma-tattva, what is Paramātmā-tattva, what is Bhagavān-tattva. Etaj jñānam, this is jñāna. Not these degrees, MA, Phd. These are all decoration of the dead body. If you do not understand what is the value of life, you do not understand what is tattva, what is Brahman, what is Paramātmā, what is God, if you do not become cleansed, if you do not become a devotee, as they are stated, if you have no ācārya, you have no guru, then you are in darkness. Kṛṣṇa concludes here. Etaj jñānam, "All these items described, this is jñānam." Iti proktam. It is accepted, prokta. Ajñānam yad ato 'nyathā: "And just any other thing besides these things, they are ajñānam."

Lecture on BG 13.16 -- Bombay, October 10, 1973:

So, we can realize in the beginning the sunshine. Then, if we are able to approach the sun planet, that also not possible, but still, we can hope. But still, you have to enter the sun planet, and there is sun-god. From the sun-god the glaring effulgence, the sunshine, is coming. Although the sunshine and the sun globe and within the sun globe the sun-god, they are of the same thing, quality, light and heat, still, there are degrees of light and heat. You can touch the sunshine but you cannot touch the sun globe, neither you can enter the sun globe. That requires a different power.

Lecture on BG 13.18 -- Bombay, October 12, 1973:

Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi (Bs. 5.40). Vasudhā means this planet.

Vibhūti-bhinnam. Each planet has got different atmosphere. Therefore these people, they cannot understand what is the atmosphere. They understand. Some scientists, they say the atmosphere in the moon planet is two hundred degrees below zero. So there are difference of scientists' opinion, but according to Vedic literature we understand that there are innumerable planets, and one of the planets is the moon planet. Nakṣatrāṇām ahaṁ śaśī. Nakṣatrāṇām: "Among the stars and planets," Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the moon."

So jyotiṣām api jyotis tamasaḥ param. So this jyoti, this illumination, is beyond this material world. And because there is illumination, that illumination is reflected in the material world. You will find the reflection, bluish reflection, in the sky. It means that brahmajyoti is bluish because it is coming out from the blue body of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is bluish. We see the sky bluish, and in darkness we see, although it is darkness, there is some brightness in the sky. Always the sky is...

Lecture on BG 13.21 -- Bombay, October 15, 1973:

Better save time and utilize that time for improving your Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is perfection. That is the injunction of the śāstras. Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovidaḥ.

"But shall I not try for my happiness?" No. If you try, where is your happiness? You can get so much degree of happiness as you are destined, not more than that. So why should you waste your time? "No, I see, so many people have improved." So the answer is that tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukham. The reason, very nice reason. Duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukham. Just like nobody tries for unhappiness, but why unhappiness comes? I do not want something, unhappiness, but it is forced upon me. That means destiny. I must have it. You are very nice man, you are doing nicely, but some distress is enforced upon you by force. That is our experience.

So the reason is—logic is given—that even without trying for distress, if distress is enforced upon me, so similarly, if I am destined to enjoy something, that will be also enforced upon me. So why should I waste my time with so-called happiness. Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhyate (SB 1.5.18).

Lecture on BG 13.22-24 -- Melbourne, June 25, 1974:

ABCD. This Bhagavad-gītā is the ABCD of knowledge. This is entrance examination, matriculation examination, school-leaving examination. And Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is graduate. When you become graduate in spiritual knowledge, then you can understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And when you have passed your Bachelor degree, when you are post-graduate, that study is Śrī-Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

So we have got three different status of reading capacity. We have got already twenty books. So don't waste your time. Try to understand what is Kṛṣṇa and what is spiritual life by reading these books. Everything is explained there.

Don't associate with this material nature. If you associate with this material nature, then what will be the result? Now, kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu (BG 13.22). Yoni means the source of birth. Just like we take our birth. The source is the mother. From the mother's womb we come out.

Lecture on BG 15.1 -- Calcutta, February 26, 1974:

This tree, being the reflection of the real tree, is an exact replica. Everything is there in the spiritual world. The impersonalists take Brahmā to be the root of this material tree, and from the root, according to sāṅkhya philosophy, come prakṛti, puruṣa, then the three guṇas, then the five gross elements (pañca-mahābhūta), then the ten senses (daśendriya), mind, etc. In this way they divide up the whole material world. If Brahmā is the center of all manifestations, then this material world is a manifestation of the center by 180 degrees, and the other 180 degrees constitute the spiritual world. The material world is the perverted reflection, so the spiritual world must have the same variegatedness, but in reality. The prakṛti is the external energy of the Supreme Lord, and the puruṣa is the Supreme Lord Himself, and that is explained in Bhagavad-gītā. Since this manifestation is material, it is temporary. A reflection is temporary, for it is sometimes seen and sometimes not seen. But the origin from whence the reflection is reflected is eternal. The material reflection of the real tree has to be cut off. When it is said that a person knows the Vedas, it is assumed that he knows how to cut off attachment to this material world. If one knows that process, he actually knows the Vedas. One who is attracted by the ritualistic formulas of the Vedas is attracted by the beautiful green leaves of the tree.

Lecture on BG 16.8 -- Tokyo, January 28, 1975:

That is one of the heavenly planets, and there are living entities. They are living for ten thousand years, and it is very cold there. Therefore they drink soma-rasa. And some of the scientists, they say that the temperature in the moon planet is 200 degrees below zero. So similarly, you will find every planet is different from the atmospheric condition of the other planet. Just like sun planet. It is so fiery. It is full of fire, agni. The temperature is so high that ninety thousand or twenty millions miles?

Lecture on BG 16.11-12 -- Hawaii, February 7, 1975:

And if you actually worship Kṛṣṇa, then you must offer obeisances to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa advises four things, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Then what will be the result? Mām evaiṣyasi. Simply by practicing these four things... It does not require any MA, PhD, degree. Simply you have to agree, "Yes, I shall think of Kṛṣṇa, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa." You have to agree. That's all. That is required. Then, gradually, you become bhakta. Gradually you worship, and gradually you offer obeisances, surrender.

That one, that is wanted by Kṛṣṇa, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So it does not require any high education, high birth, or great riches, or to become very beautiful. Nothing required. Beautiful or not beautiful, everyone can become Kṛṣṇa conscious. There is no impediment. Educated or not educated, it doesn't matter. Rich or poor, it doesn't matter. Ahaituky apratihatā. The devotional service, bhakti-yoga, is without any cause and without impediment. Ahaituky apratihatā. And if we attain that stage, then yayātmā suprasīdati: then ātmā, the soul, will be fully satisfied.

Lecture on BG 18.41 -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

That is called śamaḥ. And damaḥ, mind is dictating something. You should not be carried away by the dictation of the mind, but mind should be carried by your dictation. That is called damaḥ. These are the qualities of the first-class man. Not that because I have got some degrees and I'm dictated by my mind and senses. He is not first-class man. He's not first-class man. Because he's the servant of the senses. How he can be first-class man? One must be the master of the senses. Then he is first-class man.

In our, there is one Cāṇakya Paṇḍita, he was a great politician. Perhaps those who have gone to India, New Delhi, there is Cāṇakya-purī where all the ambassadors and foreign diplomats are situated. That Cāṇakya Muni, Cāṇakya Paṇḍita, he was a great learned brāhmaṇa and politician. He gave his instruction. So he gives the formula, "Who is a learned scholar?"

Lecture on BG 18.41 -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

If by pinching your body or giving pain to your body, if you feel pain, you should not give pain to any living entity. If one has learned these three things: mātṛvat para-dāreṣu para-dravyeṣu loṣṭravat ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu, then he's is learned scholar. It is not that one has got this degree from this university, then he has got. That degree will not help us. Unless one is God consciousness, he cannot have any good qualification. That is the Vedic injunction. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). As I have given the example of the hunter: before becoming God conscious, he was a cruel hunter, and after being God conscious, he was not ready to kill even an ant. This is the result. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām (BG 18.54). Then he's entered in the devotional service of the Lord. Not abruptly one can become devotee. The symptoms must be there, the qualities must be there.

Page Title:Degree (Lectures, BG)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:27 of Jun, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=80, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:80