Devotion (Lectures, BG)

Expressions researched:
"devotion" |"devotion's" |"devotionism"

Notes from the compiler: VedaBase query: devotion or devotionism or devotion's not "nectar of devotion" not "love and devotion" not " devotion to krsna" not "pure devotion" not "unalloyed devotion"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG Introduction -- New York, February 19-20, 1966:

(I offer my obeisances to Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, Prabhu Nityānanda, Śrī Advaita, Gadādhara, Śrīvāsa and all others in the line of devotion.)

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare

hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

(My dear Lord, and the spiritual energy of the Lord, kindly engage me in Your service. I am now embarrassed with this material service. Please engage me in Your service.)

Introduction to Gītopaniṣad by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, the author of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Easy Journey to Other Planets, editor of Back to Godhead, etc.

Bhagavad-gītā is known also Gītopaniṣad, the essence of Vedic knowledge, and one of the most important of the various Upaniṣads in Vedic literature. This Bhagavad-gītā, there are many commentations in English and what is the necessity of another English commentation of the Bhagavad-gītā can be explained in the following way. One American lady, Mrs. Charlotte Le Blanc asked me to recommend an English edition of Bhagavad-gītā which she can read. Of course, in America there are so many editions of English Bhagavad-gītā, but so far I have seen them, not only in America but also India, none of them can be said strictly as authoritative because almost every one of them have expressed their own opinion through the commentation of the Bhagavad-gītā without touching the spirit of Bhagavad-gītā as it is.

Lecture on BG 1.13-14 -- London, July 14, 1973:

(I offer my obeisances to Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, Prabhu Nityānanda, Śrī Advaita, Gadādhara, Śrīvāsa and all others in the line of devotion.)

All the devotees. So Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, "So all these associates of Caitanya Mahāprabhu should be known—they are also of the same category." Gaurāṅgera saṅgi-gaṇe, nitya-siddha kori māne. This word nitya-siddha is significant. Nitya-siddha and nitya-baddha. There are two kinds of living entities. Nitya-baddha means ever-conditioned. Ever-conditioned means those who are in this material world, they do not know when they came in touch with this material world. Neither they do know when they will be liberated. They are called nitya-baddha, ever-conditioned. And similarly, there are nitya-siddhas. Nitya-siddhas means they never come in contact with this material world, and even they come here for some business, they do not forget their position. That is nitya-siddha. Try to understand. There are two kinds of living entities: nitya-siddha, nitya-baddha. Nitya-baddhas are within this material world. Beginning from Brahmā down to a small ant, insignificant ant, they are all nitya-baddhas. Anyone who is in this material world—nitya-baddha. And nitya-siddhas, they belong to the spiritual world. They never come in contact with this material world, and even they come for some business under the order of the Supreme Lord, they do not touch these material qualities They remain always transcendental. As Kṛṣṇa remains always transcendental, even though He is in this material world, similarly, Kṛṣṇa's nitya-siddha associates, they are also transcendental. They never touch this material world.

Lecture on BG 1.15 -- London, July 15, 1973:

Therefore the real proprietor is Kṛṣṇa. You are not proprietor. You have been given the facility to use it, for..., use it not for your sense gratification, but for the satisfaction of the Lord. Then your life is perfect. Because the things belongs to Kṛṣṇa. He is Hṛṣīkeśa. He is the master. Just like we are sitting in this house. Somebody has given us. Similarly, everything belongs to God. This is self-realization. My body belongs to God, my mind belongs to God, my intelligence belongs to God, I am spirit soul, I am part and parcel of God. Therefore everything belongs to...Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Everything belongs to God. So if you don't use it for God, that is called demonism. And if you use it for God, that is devotion. That's all.

One must realize that "Everything belongs to God; nothing belongs to me. Even this body is given to me by God. "Why a different body? The different body is... God gives us different body according to our karma. That is explained. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur dehopapattaye (SB 3.31.1). How we get a different type of body? We have got different types of body. Because according to our past karma, we have created a certain type of body and now we have entered into that body and working according to past karma.

Lecture on BG 1.20 -- London, July 17, 1973:

This foolishness, this rascaldom, is going on all over the world. One does not know what is God, what is power of God, what is meant by God. They are accepting some rascal as God. As nowadays, that is going on. Another rascal has come. He is also declaring himself God. So it has become very cheap thing. But they have no brain to think that "I am claiming God; what power I have got?"

So this is the mystery. This is the mystery. Without becoming devotee, the mystery of understanding God is not possible. And Kṛṣṇa has said in the Bhagavad-gītā how one can know Him. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Only by devotion, simply. He could have said, "By high, topmost knowledge" or "By yogic process" or "By acting, becoming a very great karmī, worker, one can understand Me." No, he has never said, never said. So the karmīs, jñānīs, yogis, they are all rascals. They cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. All rascals. Karmīs are third-class rascals, the jñānīs are second-class rascal, and the yogis are first-class rascal. That's all.

You should understand, the so-called yogis, they are first-class rascal because they do not understand Kṛṣṇa. The jñānīs they are also second-class rascal. Even a big scholar like Dr. Radhakrishnan, he is how, I mean to say, deforming the meaning of Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru: (BG 18.65) "You always think..." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, man-manā: "Always think of Kṛṣṇa, Me, about Me," Kṛṣṇa says. And they will make meaning that you can say also. "Kṛṣṇa says that you always think of Him; you can say also, Think of me." This meaning, they are distorting. So Kṛṣṇa says man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), and this Dr. Radhakrishnan says, "It is not to the Kṛṣṇa person." Just see. Just a big scholar, doctor of philosophy, he cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says directly, man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ (BG 9.34). He is interpreting in a different way.

Lecture on BG 1.31 -- London, July 24, 1973:

So Arjuna is in gṛhastha-āśrama. He wants to serve Kṛṣṇa. He's Kṛṣṇa's friend. He is a devotee. Kṛṣṇa has already recommended. In the Fourth Chapter He will declare, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me (BG 4.3). "You are My dear friend. You are My devotee." So he is qualified, gṛhastha-āśramī. He is devotee of Kṛṣṇa, but he is also family man. He has his wife, children. So here the problem is what is śreyas? What is ultimate good? That is mistaken here. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā is required. He is thinking that "Kṛṣṇa is not so important. My family is important. My family." Although he is devotee. Therefore kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, in the lower stage of devotee, in the lower stage of devotion, one may be interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but his real interest is how to improve this material life. Just like: "O God, give us our daily bread." So he has gone to God not to serve God, but to take bread. Ārtaḥ arthārthī. That is also good. But he... Because he has gone to God to ask for bread, he is better than the rascals who do not care for God. He has gone to God. That is recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā. Ārto jijñāsur arthārthī jñānī ca bharatarṣabha. Catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ janāḥ sukṛtino 'rjuna (BG 7.16). "Arjuna, four kinds of people, they become devotee." Who are they? Ārta. Ārta means distressed. Arthārthī, one who is poor, wants some money; jijñāsu, inquisitive; and jñānī, and a man of knowledge. So ārtaḥ arthārthī, this is meant, this is referred to the gṛhastha.

Lecture on BG 2.1-10 and Talk -- Los Angeles, November 25, 1968:

Paid them. So avaricious. Simply for money, in spite of so much affection and intimate relationship, they have accepted the service of Duryodhana, counting on money. So therefore they are avaricious. But in spite of their being avaricious, they are my respectful." This is respect. This is respect, that the respectful person who is my respectful, even there are some characteristics who does not command respect, still respect should be offered. This is a respectful offering. Yes. Sometimes it may be. The example is given. In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find, api cet sudarācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). "Even a devotee is sometimes found not acting properly, but because he has got that unflinching faith and devotion upon Me," Kṛṣṇa says, "therefore he is saint." Only for that one qualification—he does not know except Kṛṣṇa. So to such person, even some flaws are found in their character... Just like we have imposed some rules that illicit sex relationship and intoxication, meat-eating, so many things. So... Of course, intentionally one should not break these laws. But even sometimes we may find that there is some flaw in one's part... Suppose if I see somebody smoking, but he is doing Kṛṣṇa consciousness very nicely. So we should not deride. We shall give him concession to reform. It does not mean that because he has accidentally smoked, smoking, that does not mean he has become immediately disqualified. As Arjuna is showing: "Although they have become avaricious, still, they are my superiors. Still. Still, they are my superiors." This is called unflinching faith. In spite of seeing my respectful superior abominable, not willingly, but by accident, still, I should not withdraw my respect. That is the... Hmm.

Lecture on BG 2.1-10 and Talk -- Los Angeles, November 25, 1968:

Prabhupāda: These are his causes of perplexities, how he was thinking, that has been tried to be explained. Yes, go on.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Even if there were victory awaiting them, because their cause was justified, still if the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra should die in battle, it would be very difficult to live in their absence. Under the circumstances that would be another kind of defeat. All these considerations by Arjuna definitely proved that he was not only a great devotee of the Lord but that he was also highly enlightened and had complete control over his mind and senses. His desire to live by begging although he was born in the royal household is another sign of detachment. He was fully in the quality of forbearance as all these qualities combined with his faith in the words of instruction of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, his spiritual master, give evidence. It is concluded that Arjuna was quite fit for liberation. Unless the senses are controlled, there is no chance of elevation to the platform of knowledge, and without knowledge and devotion there is no chance of liberation. Arjuna was competent in all these attributes over and above his enormous attributes in his material relationships."

Prabhupāda: Go on. (coughs)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Now I am confused about..."

Prabhupāda: Yes, what is there?

Lecture on BG 2.2 -- London, August 3, 1973:

Our philosophy says. We have to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. We haven't got to satisfy ourself that "I am doing very nice work in this way." So all these people, they are manufacturing concocted ideas. Mano-rathena asato dhavato bahiḥ. By mental concoction. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā mano-rathena āsato dhāvato bahiḥ (SB 5.18.12). One who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, not devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he has no good qualification. "No, he's a very big man. He has opened such big, big hospitals, big, big schools, big, big, big..." Yes, that may be good from the material estimation, but because he's not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, these are not good qualifications. Harāv a... This one word: Harāv abhaktasya, harāv abhaktasya. If one has no devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he cannot have any good qualities. These are not good qualities. Actually that is so. Suppose if you, the... According to karma-kāṇḍa vicāra, if you open a school, so in the next time, you will have good education. It is pious activities from material point of view. So the benefit will be that you will have good education in your next life. Accepting that it is very nice, next life I shall be very learned scholar, but to become that learned scholar I'll have to take my birth. But he does not know that how much difficulties are there to take birth. Kṛṣṇa says, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānu-darśanam (BG 13.9). One should see to the duḥkha, unhappiness, on account of birth and death. So suppose you will get next life in the heavenly planet, or you shall become very rich man, or you shall become very learned man, but you have to go through these distresses, janma. They do not consider this.

Lecture on BG 2.11 -- New York, March 4, 1966:

The, that we shall come when we make progress in the study of Bhagavad-gītā. Just like the air passing over the rose tree carries the flavor of the rose, and the air passing over a filthy place carries the flavor of that filthy place—the air is pure, but because it is passing over certain conditions, it carries the flavor—similarly, the mind, intelligence and ego carries the flavor of our present activities to the next life. That is the subtle mystery of transmigration of the soul from one body to another. Now, if this, this life we purify just like rose, then next life we shall get a body which is full of flavor. If, if, if in this life, if we practice devotion of God, then next life is to become the associate of God. That cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu... We are transferred to that planet. You see? These are simple things. The whole thing is in my hand. If I want to be degraded, I can prepare myself in this life for such degradation in the next life. And if we want to elevate ourself to the highest perfection of life, as to become one of the associates of God, we can prepare ourself like that. You'll find in the, in the advanced chapters, that yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25). Now, we are trying to go to the moon planet. Now, here, in this life, if cultivate ourself for the same thought, the moon planet... That means the moon planet, about moon planet, we have to hear, and we have to think that "I shall go in such and such place." Unless you hear, you cannot abide here. Just like our friend, Mr. Cohen, he has left for California. Now, so far I am concerned, I have no idea of California. Now, he has told me that after reaching there, he'll write about the description of the place. Now, suppose if, reading that description of the place, I think of going there, so I prepare myself, "Oh, I must go there." So just like I, I was describing that cintāmaṇi-dhāma (Bs. 5.29), what sort of trees are there. And you were very much pleased that "I must go there." So we have to hear. Unless we hear what sort of God He is, what sort of God's place is, what is the mode of life there, we cannot be attracted. We cannot be attracted.

Lecture on BG 2.11 -- Rotary Club Address -- Hotel Imperial, Delhi, March 25, 1976:

Out of many millions of persons, one becomes siddha, perfect. So that perfection is not complete perfection. That perfection means ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am not this material body; I am spirit soul." So one who understands this position of oneself is calculated as perfect, but yatatām api siddhānām (BG 7.3), in that perfect stage if one endeavors to understand Kṛṣṇa, yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścid, out of many such millions of persons who trying to understand Kṛṣṇa in perfection, one may understand. So it is not so easy. Janma karma ca me divyaṁ yo jānā... (BG 4.9), again tattvataḥ. That factual understanding is possible. How it is possible? Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Only through devotion you can understand. So these problems will be solved when you become a devotee. Then Kṛṣṇa will reveal. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). If you try to understand that Supreme Person Kṛṣṇa, who comes before you as ordinary person, you can understand Him if you become His devotee. Otherwise it is not possible. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi. You cannot understand Kṛṣṇa or His name, His form, His pastimes, His activities—na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ—by your imperfect senses. But sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphurati. When you are engaged in His service, then He reveals Himself: "Here I am." So this is the process. If you want to understand that person, Kṛṣṇa, who is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then you have to take shelter of bhakti-yoga and associate with bhaktas. Then it is possible. Otherwise not.

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

This is accepted by all universities. And they are authoritative persons. Now, just... I am therefore reading his version. What does he say? The yoga system. Now, "As distinguished from the Sāṅkhya, the yoga is theistic." Yoga system is theistic. Theistic means believing in God. (From here for about four pages, Prabhupāda is mostly reading from the Indian Philosophy book.) It admits the existence of God and both practical and theoretical Gods. Patañjali himself, however, has not felt the necessity of God for solving any theoretical problem of philosophy. For him, God has more a practical value than a theoretical one. This is the version of Patañjali. You see?

Devotion to God is considered to be the great practical value, as much as it forms a part of practice of yoga. Those who are practicing yoga, they must be devotee of God. Otherwise, yoga will be a failure. You see? So inasmuch as it forms a part of practice of yoga and is one of the means for the final attainment of samādhi-yoga or the restraint of the mind... That yoga, citta-niruddha. The whole purpose of practicing yoga is to control the mind, control the mind. Now, here Patañjali system, that unless you, I mean, conduct devotional service of Lord, or bhakti, there is no success of yoga. The subsequent commentators and interpreters... The difficulty is that wrong interpretation of the original text delude the audience. You see? So they are... The subsequent commentators and interpreters of the yoga reveals also a theoretical interest in God and discuss more fully the speculative problems as to the nature of God and the proof for the existence of God. They practically take up the speculative way. But Patañjali, as he is, he takes practically, that without devotion of God, there is no success of yoga. Thus the yoga system has come to have both a theoretical and practical interest in the divine will. According to the yoga, God is the Supreme Person. Now just see. This is authoritative statement. A Supreme Person. Did you ever hear...? You have been in so many yoga societies. Did you ever hear that God is the Supreme Person? Now just see.

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- Mexico, February 15, 1975:

Hṛdayānanda: (translating) How do we develop devotion for service, desire for service?

Prabhupāda: That is, means... If you are serious, you come to us. I shall teach you. If you want to be learned man, you must go to school. You cannot learn at home. Anything more?

Hṛdayānanda: (translating) How can we feel the transmigration of the soul?

Prabhupāda: How can you feel you are dreaming in a different land? In the, at night, when you dream, you forget you this all, everything, your father, mother, your home address. You are in a different platform. Again in daytime, you forget your dreaming land; you come to another place. This is transmigration. You create some body and you see differently. This is transmigration. We are... Every day, every night, we are experiencing transmigration, but we have no intelligence to understand. Therefore, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). You have to go to a bona fide guru, and he'll make you understand things.

Hṛdayānanda: (translating) How can we achieve samādhi?

Prabhupāda: Samādhi? When... Just like if you fully absorbed in some thought, that is called samādhi. That is samādhi. If you become absorbed in thought of Kṛṣṇa, that is samādhi. That's all right. Now let us chant. (end)

Lecture on BG 2.20 -- Hyderabad, November 25, 1972:

As soon as we speak of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they respond immediately. That is my experience. Actually that is a fact. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, it is said, nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema sādhya kabhu naya, śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya (CC Madhya 22.107). The Kṛṣṇa consciousness is there in everyone's heart. It is dormant. But it is contaminated and covered by the material dirty things. So śravaṇādi, śuddha-citte. This means, as you are hearing... Just like these boys, these American and European boys, they came, first of all, to hear me. By hearing, hearing, now the Kṛṣṇa consciousness is awakened, and they have taken seriously to Kṛṣṇa devotion (break) ...or Africa or India. Everyone has got Kṛṣṇa consciousness within. Our process, the saṅkīrtana movement, is to awaken that consciousness. That's all. Just like one man is sleeping. To awake him: "Get up! Get up!" Uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya varān nibodhata. So this is our process. It's not that artificially we are making somebody Kṛṣṇa conscious. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is there already. That is a birthright of every living entity. Kṛṣṇa says, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). Just like father and the son. There cannot be any separation. But sometimes it happens that the son goes out of home, by some chance, or from childhood. He forgets who is his father. That is a different thing. But the relationship between father and son is never broken.

Lecture on BG 2.25 -- Hyderabad, November 29, 1972:

I am not this body." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That is the beginning of knowledge. Otherwise, so long you are under the bodily concept of life, you are in the animal platform. That is the difference. (break) But bhakti's such a nice thing that kṛṣṇākarṣiṇī. Bhakti attract Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa attracts everything, but bhakti attracts Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we have to adopt the bhakti means. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti, yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ. (Hindi)

bhaktyā mām abhijānāti

yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ

tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā

viśate tad-anantaram

(BG 18.55)

If you want to know Kṛṣṇa in truth, then you have to take this devotional line. Then gradually Kṛṣṇa will be attracted by your devotion, and then you will know Kṛṣṇa and you'll be allowed to enter into Kṛṣṇa's place. Otherwise, sarva-gataḥ, sthāṇur acalo 'yam. Although we are eternal, we have to wander within so many forms of life within this brahmāṇḍa and waste our time. That's all.

Lecture on BG 2.32 -- London, September 2, 1973:

Bāhyābhyantara-śuciḥ. Inside and outside. Outside by taking bath, washing with soda, soap, or if soda, soap is not available, with earth or oil. That is external cleanliness. Similarly, internal cleanliness, one must rise early in the morning, evacuate, then after taking bath must chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, see the maṅgala-ārātrika. In this way one has to purify himself internally and externally. God consciousness is not so cheap thing. Yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. One who is completely free from all contamination of material modes, anta-gataṁ pāpam, sinful activities, they can te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā bhajante mām (BG 7.28), they can stick to the principle of devotional service. Otherwise, if he's not free from the contamination of sinful life, he may show, make a show of devotion, but that is not actual devotion. Bhaktyābhāsa. That is called bhaktyābhāsa.

So these things should be observed. Brāhmaṇa, a brāhmaṇa's duty is to present himself an ideal human being. Satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā. Titikṣā means toleration. "Oh, it is very cold. No, I cannot take bath." No. You must tolerate. You must tolerate. Titikṣā. Ārjavam, simplicity; jñānam, full knowledge; vijñānam, practical application. Jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyam. Āstikyam means completely convinced of God and his relationship with God. That is called āstikyam. Or full faith in the statement of the Vedas. Whatever Veda says, that's right. Yes. No argument. That is called āstikyam. No argument.

Lecture on BG 2.36-37 -- London, September 4, 1973:

There must be. This is called relative world. One thing, if you understand one thing, you must know the other thing, opposite. Otherwise, it has no meaning. In the absolute world, there is no such thing, opposite elements. So here, Kṛṣṇa is suggesting about the absolute duty, lābhālābhau. When there is loss or gain, you are the same. Generally, when there is gain, we are very jubilant. And when there is loss, we become morose. But here, Kṛṣṇa is teaching that "You remain in one position, either it is loss or gain. Either it is victory or defeat. Either it is happiness or distress." This is brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20). Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). A devotee is always prasannātmā, because his happiness is to serve Kṛṣṇa. His only business is to see Kṛṣṇa happy, that's all. This is devotion. There may be loss or gain, there may be victory or defeat, there may be distress or happiness, it doesn't matter. He's not affected with this duality. That is being taught now. Real Bhagavad-gītā begins here. Kṛṣṇa is teaching. In the last also... This will go on in different languages up to the end of the Bhagavad-gītā. Mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. That's all. Saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). Bhāgavata also confirms this. You do not look after whether it is loss or gain, but you have to see whether Kṛṣṇa is satisfied. That's all. That is your only business. That is your only business. That is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:

Lecture on BG 2.48-49 -- New York, April 1, 1966:

Practically, nowadays everyone knows it, that any sound vibrated, it, within a second it takes round all over the world seven times. It is so... The arrangement is so. Just like in a pond if you drop a stone, the circle, the circle begins to enlarge, enlarge, enlarge, enlarge, enlarge, and so similarly, we catch the radio vibration. You know there is numbers. Under such and such vibration, you can catch the sound. So the whole arrangement is like that. Now, if we work even in that arrangement, yoga-sthaḥ, being situated in my spiritual plane, then that will reach to the spiritual sky by enlargement of the circle, enlargement of the circle. I can do work here. You will find in the Bhagavad-gītā that the Lord says that patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati: (BG 9.26) "Anyone who offers in devotion patraṁ puṣpam, a little flower, a little, small leaf, a little water, I accept them. Because it is offered to Me in devotion, therefore I accept them. I take them in My hand." But people may ask question that "Where is the hand? Where is the hand of God?" He says that "I take." "I take" means "I take it in my hand." Without hand there is no question of taking. Therefore Vedic hymn says that apāṇi-pādo javano grahītā: "The Lord has no legs, no hands, but still, He can walk more than the speed of the air, more than the speed of the mind, and He can accept whatever we offer. But He has no hand; He has no leg." So this means that He has no hand, He has no leg, like our limited measured hand or leg. He can stretch His hand anywhere. And similarly, He can stretch, He can hear, from anywhere. That is the prerogative of the Supreme Lord.

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

The Lord says that patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam. Patram means a leaf. And puṣpam means a flower. And phalam means a fruit. And toyam means some liquid, water. Last word, last word, water. "If some devotee offers Me these four things with devotion and with love, oh, I accept them. I accept them. Not only accept, I, I eat them, eat them." You see. Now, just see that here is an example that God desires to eat something from your hand. He's not poor man like me that He wants some contribution for eating. No, no, no. He's not poor man like me. He is feeding everyone. His name is Bhūta-bhṛt. Bhūta-bhṛt. Bhūta-bhṛt means one who feeds every living being. Perhaps you know it. You can practically see it. Now, besides human beings, there are innumerable living beings. If you take votes, then the number of human beings will be very small all over the world. It is four to eighty. If living, I mean to say, human beings, including all civilized, uncivilized, any, any number of whatever, Indian, American, and European, anything, take altogether, they will be four, four parts, and all other living creatures, they'll be eighty parts. The proportion is so big. But in the human society you'll find that we have got some occupation for our livelihood. Either one is doing business or one is working or one is engineer, one is a lawyer, or one is a daily worker, some way or other, we are doing all these things for having our livelihood. But, but we are these only four. But in the creation of the Lord there are other eighty—they have no such engagement. Neither they are lawyer, neither they are engineer, neither they have any business, neither they have occupation, neither they make any agriculture, nothing of the sort. But they are happy. They are having their foodstuff. This is a practical thing. Not only that, even particular, a particular animal, what he likes, that particular foodstuff is supplied to him.

Lecture on BG 3.6-10 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1968:

Sudāmā: Verse number seven: "On the other hand, he who controls the senses by the mind and engages his active organs in works of devotion without attachment is by far superior (BG 3.7)."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Instead of artificially trying to meditate and control the senses, just engage your senses in the activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and gradually you will be happy. Your senses will be controlled. Go on.

Sudāmā: Purport: "Instead of becoming a pseudo-transcendentalist for the sake of wanton living and sense enjoyment, it is far better to remain in one's own business and execute the purpose of life which is to get free from material bondage and enter into the kingdom of God. The svārtha-gati or goal of self-interest..."

Prabhupāda: Svārtha-gati, svārtha-gati. Yes.

Sudāmā: "...or goal of self-interest is to reach Viṣṇu. The whole varṇa and āśrama system is designed to help us reach this goal of life. A householder can also reach this destination by regulated service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. For self-realization one can live a controlled life as prescribed in the śāstras and continue carrying out his business without attachment, and that will lead him gradually to the progressive path. Such a sincere person who follows this method is far better situated than the false pretender who adopts show-bottle spiritualism to cheat the innocent public. A sincere sweeper in the street is far better than the charlatan meditator who works only for the sake of making a living."

Lecture on BG 3.8-13 -- New York, May 20, 1966:

Now, if you cook nicely things which are to be offered to the Lord... Of course, we must be careful to prepare foodstuff, because we are going to offer to the Lord, and we must offer things which is acceptable by the Lord, at least. Of course, Lord can accept anything and everything. He is quite competent because He's all-powerful, almighty. But still, in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said—the Lord says—patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati: (BG 9.26) "Anyone who gives Me these four things: patraṁ, puṣpaṁ, phalaṁ, toyam... That means grains, vegetables, and flowers, fruits, all these things. Anyone who offers Me, I take that, offers with, tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam, with devotion." Not that God is hungry, and therefore He is hankering after your offering of foodstuff. Not that. He is quite competent. He has got many things to eat. It is practically His things we are eating. So, but still, if we prepare foodstuff in that way and offer to the Supreme Lord, then, after offering, if we take, then we become free from all sinful reactions.

That is stated here, yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo mucyante. Mucyante means he becomes liberated, freed from. What is that? Sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ: "All kinds of sinful reaction." That's all. (break)

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

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "As the ignorant perform their duties with attachment to results, similarly the learned may also act but without attachment, for the sake of leading people on the right path."

Twenty-six: "Let not the wise disrupt the minds of the ignorant who are attached to fruitive action. They should not be encouraged to refrain from work but to engage in work in the spirit of devotion (BG 3.26)."

Twenty-seven...

Prabhupāda: Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Haridāsa Ṭhākura was chanting in a secluded place always. Now, if somebody, without being elevated to such high position, imitates, "Oh, Haridāsa Ṭhākura chanted. Let me sit down in a solitary place and chant," he cannot do that. It is not possible. He'll simply imitate and he'll do all nonsense.

Therefore everyone should be engaged in his own work, and by the fruit of his work, he should serve Kṛṣṇa. We cannot imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura. That is a different position. If one is elevated to that position, that is a different thing, but generally, that is not meant for ordinary person. Therefore everyone should do his occupational duty and try to serve the Lord by the result of his work. That should be the motto of life. Go on.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities which are in actuality carried out by nature (BG 3.27)."

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

He does not know that this gross and subtle body is the creation of material nature under the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and as such his bodily and mental activities should be engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He does not know that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is known as Hṛṣīkeśa or the master of all senses. But due to his long misuse of his senses he is factually bewildered by the false ego and that is the cause of his forgetfulness of his eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa."

Twenty-eight: "One who is in knowledge of the Absolute Truth, O mighty-armed, does not engage himself in the senses and sense gratification knowing well the differences between work in devotion and work for fruitive results (BG 3.28)."

Purport: "The knower of the Absolute Truth is convinced of his awkward position in material association. He knows that he is part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa and that his position should not be in the material creation. He knows his real identity as part and parcel of the Supreme who is eternal bliss and knowledge and he realizes that somehow or other he is now entrapped in the material conception of life. In his pure state of existence, he is meant to dovetail his activities in devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. He therefore engages himself in the activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and becomes naturally unattached to the activities of the material senses which are all circumstantial and temporary. He knows that his material condition of life is under the supreme control of the Lord, consequently he is not disturbed by any kind of material reaction which he considers to be the mercy of the Lord. According to the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam one who knows the Absolute Truth in three different features—namely Brahman, Paramātmā, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is called tattva-vit, for he knows also his own factual position in relationship with the Supreme."

Lecture on BG 3.21-25 -- New York, May 30, 1966:

They also expect some money. And 25 percent they kept in the bank for personal needs in some extraordinary times. So here Kṛṣṇa also said that saktāḥ karmaṇy avidvāṁsaḥ. Just like fool, those who are after sense gratification, as they are working with full attachment, that "I must have this money. I must accumulate this bank balance and so on, so on," so similarly, yathā kurvanti bhārata, as they devote, similarly, vidvāṁs... Vidvān means learned also may work in that way, but he would spend the money in such a way that is example. That is example. That example—"Oh, such a big man, such a rich man. He distributed his money..." Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī. He distributed his money like this. Oh.

Therefore those who are devotees, those who are following the principles of devotion, they see the ideal. Well, our former ācārya or former devotee, I mean to say, guru or spiritual master, he had so much money, and he distributed in this way. The distribution, money, was accepted like that. So people would follow that. So Kṛṣṇa advises Arjuna that "You also become an ideal man, that you become a fighter for the cause of God. Then you become the ideal man. Your principle will be followed by others."

And that is what I want and therefore I am instructing you. Thank you very much. Now, if you have got any questions, you can put. (break)

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Montreal, August 24, 1968:

Guest (Indian man): ...whether my karma or my life is for satisfying senses, how it is going to help for Kṛṣṇa. To connect Kṛṣṇa through devotion. Then you can know...

Prabhupāda: Yes, first of all you have to connect yourself with Kṛṣṇa, then you act according to the direction of Kṛṣṇa.

Guest: And if I surrender to the devotees...?

Prabhupāda: Certainly. Yes.

Guest: Not that you can expect immediately, because that is very difficult like Hiraṇyakaśipu.

Prabhupāda: That is also under Kṛṣṇa's direction, because when they were condemned to go to the material world, they pray that "How we shall be delivered?" Then Kṛṣṇa's giving, Kṛṣṇa gave him direction that "If you treat Me as your enemy, then three..." Yes, quickly. "And if you treat Me as friend, then you'll take long time." They preferred, "Yes, we shall treat You like enemy because our aim is to come quickly." (laughter)

Guest: our relationship with...

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Montreal, August 24, 1968:

Guest: I want to know whether the devotion of Hanumān was bhakti-yoga.

Prabhupāda: Yes, certainly.

Guest: Because he also (?) catur-bhuja Nārāyaṇa and Rāma

Prabhupāda: That doesn't matter, but his activities were bhakti-yoga. He set fire to the house and capital of Rāvaṇa. That is bhakti-yoga. People will say, "How it is by setting fire in others' house bhakti-yoga?" But practically see. What Hanumān's business was? Just to punish Rāvaṇa, that's all. That is bhakti-yoga. And he was considered to be the greatest devotee of Lord Rāmacandra. He never studied Vedānta-sūtra because he was animal, so he had no opportunity, but still, he became the greatest devotee, rāma-bhakta. Why? By setting fire to the Rāvaṇa's house. That's all. These are practical examples. By setting fire to the house of Rāvaṇa, he became the great devotee of Rāma. And similar, recent case is Arjuna. Arjuna also fought. He killed his kinsmen and he became a great bhakta. Somebody in Bengal, some gentleman, criticized that "Lord Caitanya introducing this bhakti-yoga has," what is called, "(indistinct) the population of Bengal." And you do not know what is bhakti-yoga.

Guest: Doctor who published the life called Life of Śrī Caitanya. That book?

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Delhi, November 10, 1971:

It is said, "My dear Lord, one who is Your devotee," athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvaya-prasāda-leśānugṛhīta eva hi, "one who is Your devotee, one who has got Your mercy by worshiping Your lotus feet, he can understand. Others, they may go on speculating for many millions of years, still it is not possible to know God." And in the Bhagavad-gītā also Kṛṣṇa said that "Because you are My devotee, therefore I am revealing unto you My nature." Therefore conclusion is that you have to become devotee, then you can understand what is God. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is clearly said, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). "One can understand Me by devotion," bhaktyā. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Tattvataḥ means in truth. You can imagine something of God, but that is not truth. Just like, for example, somebody very big, very rich. So you can imagine this man is so big, so big merchant, he has got so much money. Imagination, by discussion amongst your friends, but that is not perfect knowledge. But somehow or other, if you make friendship with that big man, and if he tells you that "My position is like this," then you understand very easily. You cannot speculate. By speculating, you cannot understand God. That is not possible. He's so great, our speculating power is very poor.

In Sanskrit there is a logical conclusion, Dr. Frog. A frog within the well. You know, well, a three-feet circumference, and there is a frog. Another frog friend comes and informs the frog in the well, "My dear friend, today I have seen a very big span of water, Pacific Ocean." So the frog in the well, he considers that Pacific Ocean may be four feet. "My water is three feet, so Pacific Ocean may be four feet." So, he replied to his friend, "Is that Pacific Ocean four feet?" "No, no it is very big." "All right, five feet?" "No, no, it is very big." "All right, six feet!" (laughter) So in this way, if we speculate about God—one feet more—God may be little stronger than me, or richer than me, little. Or more rich, more rich. In this way you cannot speculate. What will he know, the frog, about the Pacific Ocean. Similarly, all our philosophical speculation about God, is the speculation of the frog within the well. Because our brain cannot accommodate what is greatness. So, in that way we cannot understand what is God. The process should be attempted.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Delhi, November 10, 1971:

So, he replied to his friend, "Is that Pacific Ocean four feet?" "No, no it is very big." "All right, five feet?" "No, no, it is very big." "All right, six feet!" (laughter) So in this way, if we speculate about God—one feet more—God may be little stronger than me, or richer than me, little. Or more rich, more rich. In this way you cannot speculate. What will he know, the frog, about the Pacific Ocean. Similarly, all our philosophical speculation about God, is the speculation of the frog within the well. Because our brain cannot accommodate what is greatness. So, in that way we cannot understand what is God. The process should be attempted.

The process is bhakti, devotion. As it is advised in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Now the present civilization, mistake of the present civilization is that they are accepting this body (to be) everything. After this body is finished—big, big philosophers, big, big professors, I have talked with... I was talking with one professor, Mr. Kotovsky, in Moscow. He is in charge of a big department. He said, "Swamijī, after finishing this body, everything is finished. There is nothing more." Just see, and he is a great professor. He has no knowledge that after finishing this body, there is another body. We are going to accept another body, not that after death, everything is finished. This conception is going on very strong, but this is a great mistake. That is being explained here by Kṛṣṇa. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā tathā dehāntara-prāptir (BG 2.13). This is the first state to understand God. What is the nature of God. This is the first state. That I am spirit soul, part and parcel of God. If I study myself as sample of God, a little sample of God, then you can understand God. Just like you take a drop of Pacific Ocean water, and you chemically analyze the constituents of that drop of water, then you can understand what is the constituent ingredients in the Pacific Ocean. You can understand. The difference is, as I have already explained, God and we, individual souls, are of the same quality. The quality is not different.

Lecture on BG 4.1-2 -- Columbus, May 9, 1969:

Pradyumna: Bhagavad-gītā, chapter number four, "Transcendental Knowledge."

One: "The Blessed Lord said, I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god Vivasvān, and Vivasvān instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind. And Manu in turn instructed it to Ikṣvāku." Purport: "Herein we find the history of the Bhagavad-gītā traced from a remote time when it was delivered to the kings of all planets. The royal order is especially dedicated to the protection of the inhabitants, and as such, its members should also understand the science of the Bhagavad-gītā in order to rule the citizens and protect them from the onslaught of material bondage to lust. Human life is meant for cultivation of spiritual knowledge, an eternal relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the executive heads of all states and all planets are obliged to impart this lesson to the citizens by education, culture, and devotion."

Prabhupāda: Hm. Stop. So in this verse the exact Sanskrit word is

imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ

proktavān aham avyayam

vivasvān manave prāha

manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt

(BG 4.1)

evaṁ paramparā-prāptam

imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ

sa kāleneha (mahatā)

yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa

(BG 4.2)

So this Bhagavad-gītā, science of Bhagavad-gītā, is not a new presentation. Just from this verse we can understand that it was instructed to the sun-god. Sun-god, apart from what is the duration of age of sun-god, but from the Manu, because the next statement is vivasvān manave prāha... Vivasvān. The sun-god's name is Vivasvān. Just like your, the chief executive head is called the president, similarly, there is a chief executive head also in the sun planet, president. And the present president's name is... Just like your present president's name is Mr. Nixon, similarly, the present predominating deity in the sun planet is known as Vivasvān. So everything is in detail.

Lecture on BG 4.1-2 -- Columbus, May 9, 1969:

He does not offer me anything?"? Don't you feel, out of love? Father, mother, they do so many things for the children. If the children do not do anything for the father and mother, are they not happy? Are they happy? No. They are unhappy: "My children are so ungrateful."

Although He does not want—Kṛṣṇa is full in Himself—but if we supply something to Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa's good is to be supplied to Kṛṣṇa. The fruit is not produced by you. Kṛṣṇa says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati: (BG 9.26) "Anyone who offers Me a little fruit, a little water, and little leaf, oh, I accept." Tad aham aśnāmi, bhakty-upahṛtam: "Because he has brought with the devotion and love, I accept it." If Kṛṣṇa accepts your offering, then your life becomes sublime. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Simply we should have to acknowledge. We are getting so many facilities from Kṛṣṇa. He is sitting within your heart, He is supplying you all necessities, He is giving you sunlight, He is giving you moonlight, He is giving you rainy, seasonal rains, fruits, flowers, grains, and you are so ungrateful that you do not acknowledge?

In your Christian Bible also it is said. You go to church: "O God, give us our daily bread." That's all right. Kṛṣṇa is supplying you bread. Otherwise wherefrom you are getting bread? You cannot manufacture bread in the factory, or wheat or rice. You can manufacture some iron tools, that's all, not eatables. But you cannot manufacture nice grains. That is not possible. It is supplied by Kṛṣṇa. Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān.

Lecture on BG 4.3 -- Bombay, March 23, 1974:

So why He selected Arjuna? He was a military man. He was not a Vedantist. A military man is not supposed to become a Vedantist, a very great sannyāsī. No. Because the so-called Vedantists, they cannot understand Bhagavad-gītā. It is not possible. It is a mystery. Kṛṣṇa, in other place, He says, nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25), "I cannot be exposed to anyone." Yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ. Therefore, those who are fools, rascals, they consider Kṛṣṇa as fictitious, Kṛṣṇa as a human being, Kṛṣṇa as a historical person. Or "There was no Kṛṣṇa. It is an imaginary writing." Because these rascals, they cannot understand. Unless one is a bona fide devotee and intimately related with Kṛṣṇa, one cannot understand. That is the purport of this verse. One must become a devotee first of all. Because... You'll find in the Eighteenth Chapter: bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Tattvataḥ, in reality, what Kṛṣṇa is, that can be understood through devotion and service. This is what we are preaching all over the world, devotional service, the...

Lecture on BG 4.9 -- Bombay, March 29, 1974:

Meditation means as you see the form of Kṛṣṇa, and whenever you go, the impression of the form will be within your eyes, and if you think of Kṛṣṇa, your life is succesful. Therefore the Deity of Kṛṣṇa should be seen. That is the benefit of the eyes. The ears should be engaged hearing about Kṛṣṇa. The tongue should be engaged for eating Kṛṣṇa's remnants of foddstuff, prasādam. The nose should be engaged for smelling the flower which is offered to Kṛṣṇa, or the tulasī. In this way, when you engage all your senses, the legs should be utilized for coming to this temple to see Kṛṣṇa. Not to going to the cinema rascal. Then your life will be successful. You'll understand Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is very kind. He says teṣāṁ satata-yuktānām (BG 10.10), if you engage all your senses for understanding Kṛṣṇa with devotion and faith, prīti-purvakam, with love, the love is the basic principle of understanding Kṛṣṇa.

But you will develop your love. The love means, just like it is said, dadāti pratigṛhṇāti. You are coming into the temple if you give something, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ. Little things. "Kṛṣṇa, I have brought You. I could not bring any very costly thing, but I've collected these patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ. Kṛṣṇa is pleased, tad aham aśnāmi.

Lecture on BG 4.9-11 -- New York, July 25, 1966:

That is the, I mean to say, sense of absolute knowledge. In the absolute world there is no difference between the person and the words.

Just like this tape recorder. It is being recorded. My words or my songs are being recorded. But they are different from me. This is dual, the world of duality. But the absolute world, there is no such difference. Just like we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare. This name Kṛṣṇa and the personality Kṛṣṇa is the same. Is the same. Hare Kṛṣṇa means when I hear the sound, the transcendental sound vibration Kṛṣṇa, that means Kṛṣṇa is on my tongue, on my ear. Therefore, if we chant this vibration of transcendental sound with devotion and with attention, that is the highest type of meditation and yoga. And very easy. The process is that you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and exactly the same sound you hear. So your mind is concentrated on this Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is not different. This sound Kṛṣṇa is not different from person Kṛṣṇa. Therefore when we chant...

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare

Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare

(My dear Lord, and the spiritual energy of the Lord, kindly engage me in Your service. I am now embarrassed with this material service. Please engage me in Your service.)

Lecture on BG 4.12 -- Bombay, April 1, 1974:

So demigod worship may be bring quickly the resultant action, desired result, but antavat tu phalaṁ teṣām (BG 7.23). The result is antavat; it is limited. But bhakti is not limited. Bhakti is unlimited. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. But people.... Tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām. Those who are less intelligent, instead of worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they worship the demigods. Kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṁ siddhiṁ yajanta iha devatāḥ. Therefore people are more interested in worshiping demigods than Kṛṣṇa. The demigods.... In India especially we will find. There are many devotees of the demigods. Not devotees. Devotion is only applied in connection with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The demigod worship, they are not devotee, but they are interested to get the reward from the demigod. Otherwise they are not interested.

But bhakti is not like that. The bhaktas, they are not after any reward from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is difference between bhakti and other demigod worship. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He is teaching us bhakti. He says, na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye: "My Lord, I do not wish to ask from You opulence, riches, nice wife or many followers." These are material opulences. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, "I do not want all these things."

Lecture on BG 4.20 -- Bombay, April 9, 1974:

Similarly, where the result will go? It is communist proposal? No. That will be explained later on. Kariṣye... (break) ...is it meaning that, tyaktvā karma-phala. No. Tyaktvā karma-phala means that you should give it to Kṛṣṇa. That is tyaktvā karma-phala.

So those who are devotees, although tyaktvā karma-phala, they are not touching the fruit, still, they are nitya-tṛptaḥ, very satisfied. The karmīs are dissatisfied, "So I worked so hard. Now I have to give up whatever I have earned?" He becomes very, very sorry. But who becomes nitya-tṛptaḥ? Working like this, without taking the result, still nitya-tṛptaḥ, very satisfied. That is devotion. That is devotee.

You will see these boys, these American, European boys... Also some of them are Indian. They are working day and night. They are getting money also. They are getting money also. They are making life members. They are selling some books. There is no scarcity of money. But they do not touch even a single paise. It is for Kṛṣṇa. And still, they are happy. This is tyaktvā karma-phalāsaṅgam. Asaṅga means no attachment. They are bringing money and giving to me. I spend it like anything. So this is tyaktvā karma-phala-āsaṅgaṁ nitya-tṛptaḥ, very much satisfied. "I have been able to collect so much and give it to Kṛṣṇa." This is their satisfaction. Tyaktvā karma-phala-āsaṅgaṁ nitya..., nirāśrayaḥ. Don't expect any profit, no dividend. As soon as there is dividend, immediately it is material. Immediately he'll be complicated. As so long there is no expectation of dividend, then he is pure devotee. This is the difference.

Lecture on BG 4.20 -- Bombay, April 9, 1974:

That is the difference. Karmaṇy abhipravṛtto 'pi naiva kiñcit karoti saḥ. This is the.... Although he is doing day and night, but he is still doing nothing. Doing nothing means doing, but he is not becoming entangled with the results. That is.... Because karma and karma-phala, one has to accept the karma-phala, but this man who is doing everything for Kṛṣṇa, he is not becoming entangled.

That is explained in the Second Chapter also. Yajñārthāt karmaṇo 'nyatra karma-bandhanaḥ. If you don't act for Kṛṣṇa, then you will be entangled by the resultant action. But if you do it for Kṛṣṇa, then you will not be entangled. Your everything will be taken as devotion. Everything. Everything will be taken on account of devotion. And devotion means you are making progress.

māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa

bhakti-yogena sevate

sa guṇān samatītyaitān

brahma-bhūyāya kalpate

(BG 14.26)

So activities on the platform of devotional service, without expecting any result for his personal satisfaction, means on the platform of liberation. Thank you very much. (end)

Lecture on BG 4.28 -- Bombay, April 17, 1974:

Generally, the impersonalists, they do so. There are many big, big temples, big, big Deities, but the Deity is offered a little elaichianna.(?) That is not good. If you establish Deity, you must worship to the best capacity of your possession. That is Deity worship.

But if one hasn't got to offer anything, he can offer everything within the mind. This facility is there. Therefore it is apratihatā, it cannot be checked, apratihatā. Because bhakti can be executed practically also within the mind. It cannot be checked. But if you have got something to offer to Kṛṣṇa, don't think that "I shall offer in my mind. "That is... Kṛṣṇa is also very intelligent, that "He is cheating Me." Kṛṣṇa wants how much you are sacrificing in devotion, bhaktyā. Kṛṣṇa is not after your goods. That is explained in the Bhagavad, tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam aśnāmi. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam (BG 9.26). Kṛṣṇa is prepared to accept from you even a little leaf, patram, even a little flower, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalam, a little fruit. Anyone can secure these. Even if you cannot secure, if you are so poor or unable, you can offer Kṛṣṇa everything within the mind.

Lecture on BG 4.28 -- Bombay, April 17, 1974:

This is a fact, you can see. They never knew what is Vedic life, Vedic knowledge, but how they have become so nice perfect devotee? That unflinching faith. That is required. Viśvāse milaya vastu tarke bahu-rūpa.(?) And that viśvāsa, that is explained, viśvāsa, faith, in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, viśvāsa-śabde, viśvāsa sudṛḍha niścaya, kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta. Śraddhā-śabde viśvāsa sudṛḍha niścaya. This is statement of Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī. He said, śraddhā. Because to become a devotee, the begin is śraddhā faith.

Just like you all ladies and gentlemen, you are coming. It is the śraddhā, "Let us hear something, what they are speaking about Kṛṣṇa." This is the beginning. So this śraddhā, as it grows and becomes firmly fixed up, that is devotion. Śraddhā means, devotion means, gradually making the śraddhā more and more fixed up. Ādau śraddhā. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅga (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). First of all śraddhā, faith. Then association with the devotee. Atha bhajana-kriyā tato 'nartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt tato niṣṭhā rucis tataḥ, athāsaktis tato bhāvaḥ. Bhāva. So we have to come to the stage of bhāva. Budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ.

Lecture on BG 6.4-12 -- New York, September 4, 1966:

The whole process is, yoga system is, for purifying ātmā. Purifying ātmā... You always remember that ātmā means this body, ātmā means the mind, ātmā means the soul. So purifying these things. So yoga system is made not that cheaply I want some power. Sometimes the yogis they achieve very wonderful power. Aṣṭa-siddhi-yoga. Aṣṭa-siddhi, eight kinds of perfect, material perfection, they can attain. Not for that purpose yoga sys... Although they attain that power, real yogis, they do not exhibit it. They do not exhibit it. They have got the powers, so many wonderful powers, but he doesn't... His only aim is ātma-viśuddhaye: "I am now contaminated by this material atmosphere; so I have to purify myself." So that purification process we shall discuss next day. But I may say in this connection that so much difficult process for purifying the ātmā is very easily done, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12), by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare. Because the sound, this transcendental sound vibration, is nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is absolute. His name is not different from Him. So when you chant His name with devotion, that means Kṛṣṇa is with you. And Kṛṣṇa, when Kṛṣṇa is with you, how you can remain impure? You become pure. The purest. That is the whole system. Now, if there is any questions, you can ask. (end)

Lecture on BG 6.46-47 -- Los Angeles, February 21, 1969:

Bhakti, in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find, that bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). In the beginning Kṛṣṇa says that out of millions of people, one may understand Me actually, factually. And that same factually word is used in the Eighteenth Chapter, that "If one wants to know Me," Kṛṣṇa or God, "then he has to go through the process of bhakti-yoga." Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). That is clearly said. In the Vedas also it is said, simply through bhakti, devotional service, you can attain to the highest perfectional stage. Other yoga system there must be mixture of bhakti. But bhakti-yoga is unadulterated devotion. Therefore this direct process of bhakti-yoga is recommended for this age because they haven't got sufficient time to execute all the paraphernalia any other system of yoga. Thank you very much. (break)

Lecture on BG 6.47 -- Ahmedabad, December 12, 1972:

Prabhupāda: Well, there is only one form, bhakti. There is no other form. It is not a particular. It is the only. Just like there are nine holes in your body. The only one hole will be used for eating. Not other holes. If you pushed your foodstuff in other holes, it will be useless. Similarly God is one, and to understand God the only process is bhakti. That's all. There is no other process.

Question: How may a devotee arrive to this particular form?

Prabhupāda: This is in the śāstras. God says: bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Only through devotion one can understand Me. So not the devotee has discovered. God says: "This is the only way." If you want to know God, you must know Him by the process He recommends, Don't discover your own way. Not that yato mata tato patha. You discover all rascal mata and God will be available. No. If you want to know God, then this is the only: bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). That is the only way. There is no other way. Chant. (end)

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, March 26, 1968:

So politically, that "For the time being this poor girl may be saved, and it may be that time will change the mind of Kaṁsa. When her sons will be born he might change his mind." But he was such a great demon that he killed all the sons of Devakī. So the eighth son... It was foretold that the eighth son of his sister would kill him. So when Kṛṣṇa was in the womb of his mother, Kaṁsa was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Now you see, he was also Kṛṣṇa conscious, but he was Kṛṣṇa conscious not directly, not for love's sake, but as an enemy. He was Kṛṣṇa conscious as enemy. So that is not devotional service. One who is Kṛṣṇa conscious and Kṛṣṇa's friend, Kṛṣṇa's parent, Kṛṣṇa's servant, Kṛṣṇa's lover, that is devotion.

So here it is clearly said, mayy...mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ means he..., one who wants Kṛṣṇa. You may want Kṛṣṇa as your lover. You may want Kṛṣṇa as your son. You may want Kṛṣṇa as your friend. You may want Kṛṣṇa as your master. You may want Kṛṣṇa as the supreme sublime. These five different kinds of direct relationship with Kṛṣṇa is called devotion, bhakti. Without any material profit. Now the concept of accepting God as son is superior than the concept of accepting God as father. There is distinction. The relationship between father and son is that the son wants to take something from the father. But the father's relationship with the son is that father always wants to give something to the son. Therefore the relationship with God or Kṛṣṇa as father is better than relationship with Kṛṣṇa...

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, March 26, 1968:

Ah, Arjuna was not a Vedantist or a great philosopher or a brāhmaṇa or nothing. He was a kṣatriya. He was a fighter, and a householder, not even a sannyāsī. So these are not qualifications to understand Kṛṣṇa. Suppose... Just like I have become a sannyāsī, mendicant. This is not qualification that I can understand Kṛṣṇa. Even in your white dress, as gṛhastha, you can understand better than me. Then what is the qualification? This qualification: sevonmukhe hi jihvādau (Brs. 1.2.234). One who has developed the service spirit with love and devotion, he can understand Kṛṣṇa. Nobody else. Nobody... Not Dr. Radhakrishnan or similar person. No. But a child can understand Kṛṣṇa if he has full faith in Him.

So it is the faith and devotion that makes one qualified to understand God. Mad-āśrayaḥ. This is called mad-āśrayaḥ. Now by simply that faith and service, you'll understand that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Now just like we are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are not wasting your time or our time without having full faith that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, theoretically or practically. Theoretically, if you take that "How Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead?" theoretically, from the revealed scriptures, we understand from the Vedic literature that great authorities in the past and in the present...

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, September 10, 1968:

There is nothing more knowable to you in this world. That means your knowledge becomes full." Yaj jñātvā neha bhūyo anyaj jñātavyam avaśiṣyate. Tac-chakti-dvaya-vivikta-svarūpa-visayakam jñānaṁ vijñānaṁ tena sahitaṁ te tubhyāṁ prapannāyāśeṣataḥ samagraṁ vakṣyāmi.

Now here Kṛṣṇa says that "I am speaking to you." He's particularly marking Arjuna. Why? He does not say here, "I'm speaking to everyone." No. Everyone cannot understand this knowledge. It is confidential. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not understandable by any ordinary man. Of course, Lord Caitanya has made it so easy for this age that if you sincerely, with devotion, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, you'll be able to understand. But the science as it is, itself, it is very difficult. It is very difficult. But because the age is not very favorable, the time is not very favorable, therefore Lord Caitanya has inaugurated this saṅkīrtana movement by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and dancing, so that your mind very quickly becomes cleared so that you can understand what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This simple process. Otherwise, Kṛṣṇa says it is not for all.

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

Arcā, this arcā-vigraha, Deity, Kṛṣṇa, arcāyām eva haraye, the Deity of Kṛṣṇa, yaḥ pūjāṁ śraddhayā īhate, with great devotion and according to the rules and regulations, if one performs, that is very nice. But if he does not improve, na tad-bhakteṣu cānyeṣu, he does not become knowable to the devotees and other persons, then he remains a kaniṣṭha-adhikārī. Sa bhaktaḥ prākṛtaḥ. Prākṛta means in the material platform. He does not actually promoted to the spiritual platform if he simply remains. Therefore along with the worship of Kṛṣṇa in the temple, this hearing should be... Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam (SB 7.5.23). Just like we are doing. We do not engage only the devotees to the temple worship, but there must be program for hearing Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the science of God. Otherwise, after sometimes, simply if you ring the bell, after time you'll be disgusted and the whole thing will be lost. As it has become now in India. There was no instruction about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They simply attached to the temple and belling. And now it is now zero. Devotion is zero.

So two things must go on, parallel. Then if we, two things must go, then you are promoted to the second platform, madhyama-adhikārī. Madhyama-adhikārī means at that time he sees four things:

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Upsala University Stockholm, September 8, 1973:

So this Deity, description of Kṛṣṇa, is there in the temple, in the book. So if you always simply think of this beautiful form of Kṛṣṇa, that is called perfect meditation. If you simply think of. That is very easy. If you... We are always attracted by beautiful things. So Kṛṣṇa is the most beautiful. So if you meditate upon Kṛṣṇa, then your meditation becomes very easy and perfect. Because Kṛṣṇa has said that yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā (BG 6.47). "Of all the yogis, one who is thinking of Me within himself," mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā śraddhāvān, "with devotion and faith," bhajate yo mām, "engaged in devotional...," sa me yukta..., "he's the first-class yogi." So you can become a first-class yogi at home without any expenditure, without any loss. But you come, become the greatest yogi and achieve the result. Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so nice. And we are distributing this system of yoga... We don't charge anything. We are not business man, that we give you something and charge something. Of course, when we give you book, we take, because we have to pay to the printers, to the press man. That is another thing. So far our words are concerned, our service is co

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Melbourne, June 29, 1974 :

You know that "This is my spiritual master's picture." Similarly, if somebody disregards this picture, you will not tolerate. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa's Deity and Kṛṣṇa not different. I was explaining this morning, Kṛṣṇa has come, kindly, to accept your service as you can deal with Him. If Kṛṣṇa comes in His gigantic form—Kṛṣṇa has got gigantic form also, as it was shown to Arjuna—you will not be able to capture Him, neither you have any means to dress him. Suppose the universal form of Kṛṣṇa is there, and you have to dress Him, so the (laughter) whole cloth factory will be finished.(laughter) Is it not? How you can dress? You have no capacity to dress. But Kṛṣṇa has kindly accepted a form, the Deity. You can purchase cloth according to your means, and with your great devotion, you can dress. Similarly, the gigantic gigantic virāṭ-rūpa, universal form, the whole, it s described in the Bhagavad-gītā that He is eating, the whole humanity is going on in His mouth. Then where you will get such food? (laughter) The whole human..., the whole universal living entities can be devoured by Kṛṣṇa. But, because you are not able to offer such gigantic food to Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa says, "All right, give Me," patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam, "give Me a little flower, give Me a little fruit, give Me a little water, I shall accept it." This is called arcana-viddhi. Kṛṣṇa has agreed to accept your service as you can afford to do. It is not idol worship. It is actually worshiping Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Melbourne, June 29, 1974 :

So, in this way, this verse says that "Increase your attachment upon Me." That attachment can be..., the process is this, that first of all you must have full faith in Kṛṣṇa, or full faith in the words of spiritual master. That is the beginning. If you have no faith, there is no question of advancing. The advance, there is no question. Finished, then everything is finished. First thing is faith. Then, then we have to associate with persons who have faith, sādhu-saṅgaḥ. This, this is, our opening of different center means we are giving chance. So those who are inmates of the temple, they should be also such nice devotees that anyone who will come in the association of devotees, he will immediately develop a sense of devotion. That is the duty, those who are managing this temple. By his character, by his behavior, he will be influenced. This, this is next step. First of all faith, the next step is to associate with devotees. But devotees must be also sincere devotee, otherwise what will be the affect of such asociation? Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo. Then, gradually he will be inclined to become one of the devotees. He will request the president, "Sir, you recommend me for being initiated. I am interested." That is called bhajana-kriyā. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo 'tha bhajana-kriyā. That bhajana-kriyā, he is initiated, the activities begins officially. Then as he make advance in this bhajana-kriyā, or activities in devotional service, then anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt, then all the unwanted things—the so-called illicit sex life, meat-eating, drinking, gambling, even up to smoking and drinking tea—finished. Anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Then you become pure. When you are pure, then your attachment for Kṛṣṇa, athāsaktis. That is called āsaktiḥ, attachment. Then tato niṣṭhā, then firm faith; tato ruciḥ, taste; tataḥ saktiḥ, then attachment; tato bhāvaḥ: in this way you will come to the platform of loving Kṛṣṇa. Then your life is perfect. This verse explains that: how you can increase your devotional life, how you can become pefect, how you can know God perfectly, samagram; asaṁśayam, without any doubt. This is the process.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hyderabad, August 22, 1976:

And if you give something, what is the wrong? It is exchange of love. And Bhagavān does not want your whole estate. Bhagavān says patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). Little leaf, patram; little flower, a little fruit, a little water. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā. Bhagavān wants your bhakti. If you bring little leaf, little flower, little fruit and little water... "Bhagavān, I am very poor man. I have nothing to give You. But I have secured from other's gardens a little leaf, little flower and little fruit, and water is available. So kindly accept it." Bhagavān says patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. Toya, bhaktyā, what is that verse? Aśnāmi bhakty-upahṛtam. Because one is giving out of devotion, love—aśnāmi, "I eat." If Bhagavān eats from your hand, then you become perfect. That is wanted, bhakti. Bhaktyā. Tad aham aśnāmi bhakty-upahṛtam. If you bring... That attachment should be increased. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan...

This is the yoga. This is real yoga, how to become attached to the service of the Lord. That is first-class yogi. You'll find in the last paragraph of Sixth Chapter, yoginām api sarveṣām. There are many yogis, different kinds of yogis. So yoginām api. Karma-yogī, jñāna-yogī, dhyāna-yogī, haṭha-yogī, and so many yogis. Yoginām api sarveṣām, "Of all the yogis," yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā (BG 6.47), "One who is always thinking of Kṛṣṇa..." Naturally, if you practice to come here and see daily, at least once, you'll be able to think of Kṛṣṇa. Mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā. If you continue that thinking, Kṛṣṇa, how He's standing, how He is playing on flute, how Rādhārāṇī is there, here—man-manāḥ—in this way, if you think, then you become the greatest yogi.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hyderabad, August 22, 1976:

So the temple is the facility how to become the first-class yogi and how to become the first-class devotee simply by increasing your attachment. This attachment, there is one example that one brāhmaṇa, he was daily seeing Lord Rāmacandra and then he was breaking his fast. So Rāmacandra was out of His station for some royal business. So this brāhmaṇa did not take even water seven days. So when Rāmacandra returned, Lakṣmaṇa informed Lord Rāmacandra, "Here is Your devotee, My Lord. Because You were absent for seven days and he could not see You, therefore he did not take even water." Rāmacandra appreciated his devotion. So before Lord Rāmacandra there was Sītā-Rāma Deity worshiped in the family of Daśaratha Mahārāja's family. So that Deity was kept in the room of Lord Rāmacandra because Lord Rāmacandra was personally present. So He advised Lakṣmaṇa that "Give this brāhmaṇa this Deity." And He advised him, "Brāhmaṇa, you worship this Deity, and when I am not in the station, your worshiping the Deity is as good as worshiping Me." So the Deity worship is so long going on. That Rāmacandra Deity is still here in South India.

So there is no difference between the Deity and the Lord. They're the same. Even this chanting of the name of the Lord is the same.

Lecture on BG 7.1-2 -- Bombay, March 28, 1971:

(I offer my obeisances to Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, Prabhu Nityānanda, Śrī Advaita, Gadādhara, Śrīvāsa and all others in the line of devotion.)

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare

hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

(My dear Lord, and the spiritual energy of the Lord, kindly engage me in Your service. I am now embarrassed with this material service. Please engage me in Your service.)

Ladies and gentleman, I thank you very much for your kindly participating in this great movement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the inaugurator of this movement five hundred years ago, although He is accepted as Kṛṣṇa Himself, still, He says that "Alone, I have no power or strength." Ekākī āmāra nāhi pāya. This is the humble submission of us, who have taken this movement very seriously, that we alone cannot make this movement perfect. You have all to join this movement. Because it is everyone's interest. It is not that a particular party or particular society or a particular country's interest. No. Kṛṣṇa is for everyone. He is the original father of all living entities.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Ahmedabad, December 14, 1972:

We have to understand Kṛṣṇa in truth. Simply superficially, if we understand Kṛṣṇa, that "Kṛṣṇa was born of the father and mother, Devakī and Vasudeva, and He was born in Mathurā, and then played with the gopīs. And then the..., He taught something on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra," that is not sufficient knowledge. We should try to understand samagram, as far as possible in complete. Then our devotion, our love for Kṛṣṇa, will be increased.

In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said,

siddhānta baliyā citte nā kara alasa

ihā haite kṛṣṇe lāge sudṛḍha mānasa

(CC Adi 2.117)

Siddhānta, conclusive, conclusive understanding. You should try to understand Kṛṣṇa. Simply by understanding Kṛṣṇa, our life becomes perfect. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti... (BG 4.9). We can become liberated. Therefore Caitanya, yes, Kavirāja Gosvāmī recommends that "Try to understand Kṛṣṇa in truth."

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

Therefore it is mentioned here, asaṁśayam, "without any doubt" and samagram, "in full." After all, yoga system means an endeavor to understand the Absolute Truth. Yoga means linking, connecting.

So when you connect with the Absolute Truth, that is called yoga. Yoga... Another meaning is plus, adding something else. Just like two plus two. This is also called yoga. Similarly, God is one; I am also one. When we join together, that is called yoga. There are many methods of yoga practice, but the direct method is bhakti-yoga. I am a person, and God is also a person. When we intermingle together, or we join together, that is called bhakti-yoga. Bhakti means the process of connecting with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As soon as we use the word bhakti, means the process of devotion, there must be bhakta and Bhagavān. The Bhagavān is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and bhakta is Arjuna. So Bhagavān is personally teaching Arjuna the process how he can understand Him fully and without any doubt. Therefore it is mentioned here, bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān uvāca means "the Supreme Personality of Godhead said."

Lecture on BG 7.4-5 -- Bombay, March 30, 1971:

Astra means weapons. Just like these Pakistanis are fighting with machine gun, Caitanya Mahāprabhu fought with māyā not with machine gun but with His most confidential associates.

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu nityānanda

śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

(I offer my obeisances to Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, Prabhu Nityānanda, Śrī Advaita, Gadādhara, Śrīvāsa and all others in the line of devotion.)

His fighting weapons were Śrī Advaita Prabhu, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda, and other many devotees.

So Lord Caitanya's movement is also fighting, but it is a fight in a different way. So the soldiers, Nityānanda Prabhu, soldier, was sent to deliver Jagāi-Mādhāi. This is also fighting. Therefore all the devotees, all the preachers of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, they are mahā-bāhu, strongly armed by the weapons of Kṛṣṇa. They cannot be defeated. They will push on the fight with māyā, this illusion. What is that illusion? The living entity under illusion is thinking that he will be happy by material comforts. That is not possible. So this movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is a declaration of war with māyā. Declaration of war, but in a different way—by this chanting process: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare. The transcendental vibration will clarify the whole atmo

Lecture on BG 7.7 -- Bombay, April 1, 1971:

(I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaiṣṇava devotees of the Lord. They can fulfill the desires of everyone, just like desire trees, and they are full of compassion for the fallen souls.)

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu nityānanda

śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

(I offer my obeisances to Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, Prabhu Nityānanda, Śrī Advaita, Gadādhara, Śrīvāsa and all others in the line of devotion.)

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare

hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

(My dear Lord, and the spiritual energy of the Lord, kindly engage me in Your service. I am now embarrassed with this material service. Please engage me in Your service.)

Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you very much for your coming here and participating with our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Lecture on BG 7.9 -- Vrndavana, August 15, 1974:

Where is the difficulty? This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You drink water—you remember Kṛṣṇa. You see the light—remember Kṛṣṇa. You see the flavor, aroma of very nice flower, puṇya gandhaḥ—immediately remember Kṛṣṇa. Practice this. It is not difficult.

Actually, we have to think of Kṛṣṇa... Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. Here is Kṛṣṇa's form. Therefore we have to worship Deity. Constantly, if we worship, then Kṛṣṇa's form is always impressed. I can see Kṛṣṇa any, any time. If I close my eyes, I will see Kṛṣṇa, how Kṛṣṇa is nicely dressed. I see Kṛṣṇa is very pleasingly eating what I have prepared with devotion, bhaktyā. Real thing is bhaktyā, not official. Not official. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). He does not accept anything even it is not offered with bhakti and by the bhakta. He does not accept. Why He shall accept? Is He hungry like me? No. He simply wants to see how you have learned to love Kṛṣṇa, bhakti, how you are eager to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is... Kṛṣṇa wants to see. Otherwise He does not require your service. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam (Bs. 5.29). He's always being served by hundreds and thousands of goddess of fortune. They are so much afraid. They are goddess of... We are praying here goddess of fortune, "My mother, Goddess of Fortune, give me some fortune." They are... The goddess of fortune is afraid if Kṛṣṇa may reject. Just like Rukmiṇī. When Kṛṣṇa was joking with her, she thought, "Maybe Kṛṣṇa is going to leave me." Immediately fainted. Immediately fainted. That is the goddess of fortune.

Lecture on BG 7.15-18 -- New York, October 9, 1966:

Now, so far the four classes of men who do not come to God... That means the impious, the foolish, the lowest of the mankind, whose knowledge has been taken away by the illusory energy, and the atheists. Apart from these classes of men, the four classes of men who come to God, just like ārta, distressed, inquisitive, arthārthī... Arthārthī means poverty-stricken. And jñānī means philosopher. Now, out of these four classes, Lord Kṛṣṇa says, teṣāṁ jñānī nitya-yukta eka-bhaktir viśiṣyate: "Out of these four classes, men, one who is philosophically trying to understand the nature of God with devotion, with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is viśiṣyate."

Viśiṣyate means he's specially qualified. He's specially qualified. Priyo hi jñānino 'tyartham ahaṁ sa ca mama priyaḥ. The... "For a person who is Kṛṣṇa conscious, at the same time philosophically trying to understand what is the nature of God, so he is very dear to Me," Kṛṣṇa says. "He is very dear to Me because he has no other business than to understand what is God." Others, just like a distressed man, he is in distress, but because he's pious, therefore he believes in God, he goes to the churches or to the temple or to the mosque and prays, "My dear Lord, I am very much distressed. Kindly help me." But the difficulty of this person is that God does not require to be prayed for, asking anything. He is... He is pious, he is distressed, but at the same time, he is foolish. Why he is foolish? Because he does not know that "God is with me, within my heart. He's sitting along with me. The soul and the Supersoul, both of them are sitting together. And God knows everything about me. So I do not require to pray from God to get me out of this distress. He knows everything. Why shall I pray?"

Lecture on BG 7.15-18 -- New York, October 9, 1966:

"Whenever there is discrepancy in the matter of understanding the science of God, at that time I incarnate Myself." Because the whole system is like that, that it is an opportunity to the conditioned soul to recoup themselves to come back to God. This whole material creation is there, manifestation is there, to give the conditioned soul an opportunity to recoup himself and to understand what is his relationship with God and come back to God. So anyone who is very much inquisitive and, at the same time, eager to understand his relationship with God, he is called a jñānī, a man in knowledge, and he is very dear to Kṛṣṇa. It is not a sentiment. By sentiment you talk some nonsense. That is not bhakti. That is not devotion. Devotion is not sentiment. It is a science. Rūpa Gosvāmī says,

śruti-smṛti-purāṇādi-

pañcarātra-vidhiṁ vinā

aikāntikī harer bhaktir

utpātāyaiva kalpate

(Brs. 1.2.101)

He says that "A show of devotion, a show of spiritual," I mean to say, spirituality, "a show of devotion, a show of spirituality, without reference to the Vedic knowledge, śruti, smṛti, and corollaries to the Vedas, pañcarātra-vidhim, and the definition of bhakti-sūtras like Nārada-bhakti-sūtra and such authoritative books," aikāntikī harer bhaktiḥ, "if a man is showing himself that he is very great devotee, and a man in knowledge, without any reference of the authoritative śāstra, books—oḥ, that is simply disturbance," Utpāta. Utpāta means disturbance. A man showing that he is a great devotee, he's great man of knowledge, but he has no reference with the books of knowledge, or the authoritative books, oh, that is simply creating disturbance. That is not religiosity, neither devotion, nothing else.

Lecture on BG 7.16 -- Bombay, April 7, 1971:

(I offer my obeisances to Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, Prabhu Nityānanda, Śrī Advaita, Gadādhara, Śrīvāsa and all others in the line of devotion.)

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare

hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

(My dear Lord, and the spiritual energy of the Lord, kindly engage me in Your service. I am now embarrassed with this material service. Please engage me in Your service.)

Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you very much for your coming here and participating in this great movement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So we have been discussing yesterday that na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). So miscreant, sinful life cannot help us in making progress. That we have repeatedly discussed, that we have to refrain from sinful activities. As we have stated several times, yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpam. So the pillars of sinful life are four. They are, according to śāstra, that striya-sūnā-pāna-dyūta yatra pāpāś catur-vidhā (SB 1.17.38). Four kinds of sinful activities, they are considered the pillars of sinful life. What is that? Illicit sex life. In the human society, anywhere, everywhere, there is a system, civilized method of system, of sex life, which is called married life. This married life is just like a license for sex life. In the śāstra it is said, loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā nityā hi jantor na hi tatra codanā.

Lecture on BG 7.16 -- Bombay, April 7, 1971:

You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma (BG 10.12). "You are the supreme shelter," paraṁ dhāma. Pavitram. This word is there, pavitra. So without being pavitra, without being pious, without being free from contamination of material activities, nobody can approach Kṛṣṇa. That's a fact. But Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He orders that "Even if you have got some kāmanam, some desire, material desire, still, you can take shelter upon Me." Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). "You do not take shelter of anything else. Simply depend on Me." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. "You haven't got to depend on anything else. I will give you protection." So we have to take faith in the words of Kṛṣṇa and put our complete faith and devotion at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. That will make us happy and make progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness in order to achieve the highest goal of life, back to Godhead, back to home. Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6).

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

So each and every spiritual planet, there is expansion of Kṛṣṇa, and they are differently named. In that picture we will find, our Bhāgavata. Innumerable. So puruṣa. They are all puruṣa. Puruṣa means the person. They are not imperson. Puruṣa. Puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ. But superior. Puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha bhaktyā labhyaḥ. You can approach that puruṣa simply by devotional service, not by challenge, not by philosophical speculation or not by exercise of this yoga and that yoga. No. Simply by surrender and devotional service. It is clearly stated. It is not stated that you can reach there by philosophical speculation, mental concoction or by some physical exercise. This is not possible. You have to reach there bhaktyā, by devotion, ananyayā, ananya-cetāḥ, without deviation to this karma, fruitive activities, or the philosophical speculation or this exercise. No. Simply, simply this devotional service, unalloyed devotional service without any mixture. If you can adopt that, then...

And how is that puruṣa? Yasya antaḥsthāni bhūtāni yena sarvam idaṁ tatam. He is such a puruṣa, He is such a person, that everything, whatever you see, is within Him, and He is without, all-pervading. He has got such energy. How it is, that? Just like the sun is fixed up in one place located, but the sun rays is, all over the universe is distributed, similarly, although God is there, still, His energy is distributed everywhere. And He is not different from His energy. Just like the sunshine and the sun is not different, the same, same illuminating substance, similarly, He is distributed all over by His energies, different energies, and He is not different from His energy. Just like if there is electric energy, you can light up any lamp from anywhere, similarly, if we are progressive, if we are advanced in devotional service, we can see God everywhere, anywhere. We require to be qualified. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). Those who developed that love of God, they are constantly, twenty-four hours, seeing God before him. Santaḥ sadaiva. Sadaiva means twenty-four hours, constantly. Not that "Oh, I have seen God yesterday night. Now He is not." No. He is always with you. God is everywhere. You can see Kṛṣṇa everywhere. But we have to develop that eyes.

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Calcutta, March 7, 1972:

It will never be lost. Bhakti-yoga process, if you can execute one percent, oh, it becomes asset, and next life you are guaranteed, because you will be given the facility of executing bhakti-yoga further. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, in every śāstra. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo sañjayate (BG 6.41). One who could not prosecute... There is other, other passages in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also. Tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer patet tato yadi bhajann apakvo 'tha (SB 1.5.17). If one by sentiments takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, tyaktvā sva-dharmam, giving up his own occupation, but maybe, for immature condition he may fall down, yatra kva va abhadram. What is the loss? And śāstra says if person who is executing his religious process, sva-dharmeṇa, but has no devotion service, what does he gain? What does he gain? Suppose a so-called brāhmaṇa or a perfect brāhmaṇa executes his religious process very perfectly, but he does not become a devotee, then what is his gain? These are the śāstric injunction.

Lecture on BG 9.3 -- Toronto, June 20, 1976:

"By doing these four things, without any doubt, you come back to Me." And what are those four things? Man-manā bhava. "Always think of Me." That is very difficult job? You are seeing... (break) So man-manāḥ. And then you become bhakta. Unless you are bhakta, you cannot continue to think of Kṛṣṇa. Man-manā bhava mad, mad-yājī. "Worship Me." So here is Kṛṣṇa, accepting everyone's worship. And what is the means of worship? Very simple. If you can offer very valuable things, that is all right. But if you think that you are poor man, you cannot supply any valuable things, Kṛṣṇa says, "Never mind." Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). "Simply little flower, little fruit, if you offer Me with devotion, I accept." So there is no difficulty.

Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). These four things. Very, very easy to do it. It is universal. There is no restriction. It is not that "I am not a brāhmaṇa, I am not an Indian, I am not a Sanskrit scholar, I cannot go to the temple." No, that is not. Kṛṣṇa says, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Never mind whether he is Indian, brāhmaṇa or this or that. Even if he's born in the lowest, lowest grade of family, pāpa-yoni. They are kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ (SB 2.4.18), there are so many. They're pāpa-yoni, almost animal. Śudhyanti, they also become purified and comes to Kṛṣṇa. It is so wide, universal, easy and especially you are Indian, why you should not take advantage of this facility. You take it and be happy. That is my request. Thank you very much.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Melbourne, April 22, 1976:

Gurukṛpā: ...His Divine Grace, Śrīla Prabhupāda, any question, you can raise your hand.

Guest (1) (man): What is the highest devotion, the highest bhakti, please?

Prabhupāda: To love Kṛṣṇa. If you become expert how to love Kṛṣṇa... The idea of loving is not unknown to you. You love somebody. You love your wife. You love your children. You love your country. You love your society. There are so many loving aspect. But when you love Kṛṣṇa, then your life is perfect. That we have to...

sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo

yato bhaktir adhokṣaje

ahaituky apratihatā

yayātmā suprasīdati

(SB 1.2.6)

That is the perfection of life, perfection of religious life, if one learns how to love Kṛṣṇa and without any motive, ahaituki. Just like here in this world there is no love because within this so-called love there is a motive. I love a beautiful girl because she is beautiful. A girl loves a man because he has got money. So this is the meaning of this material love. But that, not that kind of love. Here there is a motive. So ahaituki, without any motive, apratihatā, without being debtor, without any obstacle. Love of God cannot be checked by any material impediments. You cannot say that "I am very poor. Oh, how can I love God?" You cannot say, "I am very rich," or "I am black," "I am white," "I am this," "I am that." No. These material impediments has nothing to do for loving God. In any condition you can love God. Ahaituky aprati..., yayātmā suprasīdati. And if you attain that stage, then you become completely happy. Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi

Lecture on BG 9.4-7 -- New York, November 24, 1966:

That creation, spiritualization of the senses, is possible by devotional service and love. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). Therefore, as the Lord says, that mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam jagad avyakta-mūrtinā, the Lord is all-pervading all over the universe. Therefore He is within the stone, He is within the earth, He is within the water, He is within the air—everywhere. Therefore, if we make an image of God from anything, either of water, either of stone, either of anything, oh, that is not doll. That is also God. If we have got sufficient devotion, that image also will speak with me, because God is everywhere. Mayā tatam idam sarvam: "I am spread all over, impersonal." But if we make His personal form from anything, either from the stone or from earth or from wood or from anything, or if we create an image of God within myself... There are eight kinds of images recommended in the śāstra, in the Vedic literatures. So any kind of images can be worshiped because God is everywhere.

Now, you can say that why God should be worshiped in images, not in His original form, spiritual form? Yes. That may be a question. But I cannot see spiritual form. That is my difficulty. My senses are so imperfect that I cannot see God immediately in His spiritual form. Therefore, out of His causeless mercy, He appears before you as you can see you, Him. We cannot see just now with our material eyes except stone, earth, wood, something tangible. Therefore He becomes... These forms are called arcāvatāra, incarnation of arcā, conveniently presented by the Supreme Lord so that we can actually see. But the result will be that in the image, if you concentrated your energy, and if you love and offer your, I mean to say, devotion, this will be responded, even from that image.

Lecture on BG 9.4-7 -- New York, November 24, 1966:

So he informed all the villagers that Lord has come to be witness, and... It is about some thousands years before this thing happened. People were convincing: "Yes. There was no... Such a big statue, this boy could not bring." So they believed, and there was a temple constructed by the king of that country. And still that temple is there, and it is named, the Lord is named, as Sākṣī-Gopāla. Sākṣī-Gopāla. Gopāla means... Gopāla is the name of Kṛṣṇa's boyhood. So because He came to give witness in that controversy, so that temple is still there. So the whole idea is the statue, statue... Because God is everywhere. So He's also in statue. God is everywhere. How can you say that He's not in statue? He's also in statue. So it is my devotion, it is my qualification, that I can induce that statue to speak with me. Just like the same way—if I am electrician, then I can fit any electrical instrument or machine or light from the electric energy which is all over—similarly, God's energy, He is present everywhere...

When we are advanced in spiritual consciousness, then we can see God everywhere. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā (BG 9.4). So He is everywhere, and He is not everywhere also. Just like you have got this post box. The post box means the Post Office. You put your letter. It will go to the destination because it is authorized. Similarly, the authorized Deity, established in a temple, that is worshiped by thousands and thousands of men in India still. There was an occasion to worship the temple of Jagannātha at Purī. In one day about 600,000 people assembled there, in one day. So still, India, they have got this faith, and they worship the Deity in the temple. There are thousands and thousands of temples. And they receive the result. They are happy. So if we are prepared to accept these things and do according to the devotional rules and regulation, then it will be possible for us to see God anywhere and everywhere. It requires our own qualification.

Lecture on BG 9.11-14 -- New York, November 27, 1966:

Simply, this bhakti-yoga is the process of purifying, purifying. As soon as you purify your power of seeing, power of hearing, power of tasting, power of touching, all these... We have got our senses to taste, to acquire knowledge. But if the senses are blunt, then we cannot understand what is God. But therefore you require regulative principles to understand what is God. That regulative principle must be undertaken. And the easiest regulative principle is this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa. If you regularly chant with devotion, without any offense, then this very simple process will help you to purify your senses and you will appreciate presence of God, and God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness will develop in you.

So paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto mama bhūta-maheśvaram (BG 9.11). People, they do not know what is the inconceivable power and potencies of God. Therefore they think, "God might be somebody like me." They cannot understand God.

Lecture on BG 9.15 -- New York, December 1, 1966:

Now Lord Kṛṣṇa, after describing about the mahātmās, or the great souls, who worship the Supreme Lord by this process of kīrtana... Satataṁ kīrtayanto mām (BG 9.14). Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam (SB 7.5.23). The process of devotion is nine different types. Śravaṇam. Śravaṇam means hearing. Kīrtanam. Kīrtanam means chanting. Kīrtanam actually means describing. You can describe with music. You can describe with words. You can describe in speeches. Any sort of describing, that is called kīrtana. And śravaṇam. Unless you hear, you cannot describe. What you shall describe? If you do not know anything about the Supreme Lord, then how can you describe? Therefore hearing is the first item, śravaṇam. And the whole Vedic literature is called hearing, śruti, śruti-śāstra. Śruti means to receive hearing. If you want to know the Supreme, you do not require to qualify yourself materially. You can remain what you are, but if you simply hear... God has given you the power of hearing. If you hear from authoritative sources, then you become perfect, simply by hearing. Therefore the first principle, hearing, is recommended, śravaṇam.

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

Why he's very intelligent? He does not take so much round about way. He goes directly. If it is a fact that one has to come to this point for perfection of knowledge, why not take it immediately? I may not understand anything. I accept it. Let me accept it blindly. Some scientist, and some layman... And the teacher says, "This is fire." Oh, scientist says, "Oh, I'll see the characteristics of fire. I must see. Then I shall accept." All right, you can see. And somebody says, "All right, you are teacher. You are saying it is fire. All right, I accept it." But the scientist who, after studying the characteristics fire may come to the fire, he'll also feel the warmth of the fire, the heat of the fire, the light of the fire. He'll also understand. And this man, blindly or by devotion, by love, accepts... The result is the same, because fire is fire. Either you blindly touch it or your scientifically touch it, fire will act.

So this Bhagavad-gītā says that those who are trying to make a show of their knowledge, so let them do that. Viśvato-mukham. The universal form, pantheism, monotheism, monism. We have so many theories. But not atheism. You see? So these have come to this point. And sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. Why does He says, sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ? Because the path is not very easy. Spiritual path and to attain complete perfection is not very easy, especially in this age. In this age we are not living for long time. We are not very intelligent. We may think that we are very intelligent, but we are not intelligent, because we do not know "What I am." Ask anybody, "What you are?" He has the conception of this body. Therefore he's not intelligent. As soon as one will say, "Yes, I am this, such and such gentleman, a son of such and such gentleman. My country is such and such," these are all false. So nobody knows it. Therefore one who does not know it.

Lecture on BG 9.24-26 -- New York, December 12, 1966:

The real thing is love. "Anyone who is offering Me these four things in love," tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam, "because he has brought these four things with love and devotion," then God says, Lord says, tad aham aśnāmi, "I eat. I eat," bhaktyā prayatātmanaḥ, "because with devotion, with faith, and with love, he has brought."

God is full. We should not think that "God is depending upon my this little flower or fruit. He is very hungry. When I shall offer this fruit and He'll satisfy His hunger." No. He's pūrṇam. But the qualification is that offering should be in love, in devotion. That He accepts. He accepts your devotion and love. So patraṁ puṣpam. So anybody can worship Kṛṣṇa. This is universal. Patraṁ puṣpam... These four things can be... But one thing you should remember that if we want to cheat Kṛṣṇa—"Oh, Kṛṣṇa wants only patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam, so let Him have this patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam, and for myself, let me eat very sumptuously, the best thing"—that is cheating. Kṛṣṇa can understand. This is for the poorest man. But if you have got very nice things to offer to Kṛṣṇa, just offer. Any... Your love means you should offer to Kṛṣṇa the nicest, the choicest, the best thing. Because everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. So when you offer something best, choicest, that is your love only. Suppose you offer a fruit to Kṛṣṇa. Can you manufacture fruit? Oh, it is manufactured by Kṛṣṇa. It is God's gift. But if you place before Him some choicest fruit, some choicest flower, some choicest, I mean to say, thing, then that is your token of love that you think... In this material world...

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

Now, the Lord Kṛṣṇa says that "Anyone who offers Me in devotion these four things," patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam, "a bit of leaf and a bit of flower, a little fruit and little water..." So He is pleased to take, accept. Why? Because we are offering Him with devotion and love. That is the only way. Just like if you offer me varieties of foodstuff and very palatable dishes, but if I am not hungry, then all these palatable dishes and varieties of foodstuff is useless. I cannot accept anything. Similarly, if you offer anything to the Supreme Lord, He is full. He does not require your offering. He is always being served by hundreds and thousands of goddess of fortune. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam (Bs. 5.29). We are, in the material world, we are seeking the favor of goddess of fortune, but in the spiritual world, hundreds and thousands of the goddess of fortunes, they are eagerly trying to serve the Supreme Lord. So He is full. He has nothing to accept from you. But He likes that you should offer Him something.

Just like a rich father. He does not like any help from the son, but if the son, after he is grown up, he is earning, and if he offers something to the father, oh, he becomes very happy. This is natural. So our connection with the supreme father is like that. He is not in want. He does not require anything from me. But it is for my interest. If I offer something, then I become a very pet son of my father. This is called bhakti. This is devotional service or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And why should we not offer? Then we are ingratitude. Suppose the father is supplying everything, and if I do not offer anything to my father is it very good business? No. So here the ultimate, even the poorest of the poorest, he can offer these four things.

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

Just like there is a nice story, Bali Mahārāja. Bali Mahārāja, he became a very strong king, and he... Nowadays, as in the modern age, we find a strong government or a strong king, he simply tries to conquer other countries. Formerly they were able to conquer other planets also. They were so powerful. So this Bali Mahārāja became so powerful that he conquered many of the higher planets of the demigods, so he became a disturbing element. So God, as incarnation of Vāmanadeva, He... Bali Mahārāja was also a grandson of a great devotee, Prahlāda Mahārāja. He had that blood of devotional blood. He had some devotion to Lord Kṛṣṇa also. But at the same time he was king. He was conquering life. He was making disturbance like that. So all the demigods prayed to Kṛṣṇa to settle up this thing. So Kṛṣṇa as Vāmanāvatāra, incarnation of Vāmana... Dwarf. Vāmana means dwarf. He went to Bali Mahārāja, and He was brāhmaṇa. So as a brāhmaṇa boy, so He asked some charity because the kṣatriyas, the kings, are meant for give in charity. So he was very much pleased to see that beautiful dwarf boy: "Yes, what do You want? I will give You charity." But his spiritual master, so-called spiritual master, he could understand that "This boy is Viṣṇu, God Himself. He has come to cheat this Bali." So he asked his disciple, "Don't promise any charity to Him. Because He is God, He will take your everything. Once you agree to offer something, then He will take yourself also." God is very intelligent. Once you engage yourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no way out. You cannot go out.

Lecture on BG 9.29-32 -- New York, December 20, 1966:

This tu means "but." Here is a word, but. But means just like we sometimes say that "I am such and such, but..." "But" means there is something special. So this word is used here, tu. Tu means "but." What is that "but?" Ye tu bhajanti māṁ prītyā: "Anyone who is engaged in devotional service of Me, so for him I have got special attention." Ye tu mām..., ye bhajanti tu māṁ bhaktyā mayi te teṣu cāpy aham: "As he is always, constantly engaged in My service, similarly, I am also engaged always in his service," the Lord says.

Here one passage is quoted by a great commentator, Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa, that bhagavān bhakta-bhaktimān. Just like we become devoted, similarly, God also becomes devoted to us. You don't think that one-sided devotion. No. Just like love is never one-sided. Love is reciprocation, reciprocation. Similarly, although God is great, He becomes a devotee of the devotee. He takes pleasure in that way. It is clearly stated that "I also try to devote Myself for his service." As we take pleasure in serving God, similarly, God also takes pleasure by serving the devotee. That is reciprocation. Now, this śloka we have already discussed last day. Next śloka is

api cet su-durācāro

bhajate mām ananya-bhāk

sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ

samyag vyavasito hi saḥ

(BG 9.30)

So now, somebody may say that "If a devotee is engaged in the service of the Lord, that's all right, but if his behavior is not up to the standard, then what happens to him?" Of course, a devotee is naturally developed, developing the twenty-six good qualities, but even if he does not develop those qualities...

Lecture on BG 9.34 -- New York, December 26, 1966, 'Who is Crazy?':

Just like a person who is serving some boss. Oh, he's always thinking of that boss. Oh, I have to attend there at nine o'clock and that boss will be displeased. He's thinking for some purpose. That sort of thinking will not do. Then therefore He says, bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. "You just think of Me with love." When the master, when the, I mean to, when the servant thinks of the master, there is no love. He's thinking for pound-shilling-pence. "Because, if I do not attend my office, just at nine o'clock, oh, there will be late, and I shall lose two dollars." Therefore he's thinking of, not of the master, he's thinking of that pound-shilling-pence. So that sort of thinking will not save you. Therefore He says, bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. "You just become My devotee. Then your thinking of Me will be nice." And what is that bhakti? Mad-bhaktaḥ. Devotional... Devotion means service. Mad-yājī. You render some service to the Lord. Just like we are engaged here always. Whenever you'll come you find us engaged some duty. You see. We have manufactured some duty. Just to think of Kṛṣṇa only.

Lecture on BG 9.34 -- August 3, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Bhagavān:

ananyāś cintayanto māṁ

ye janāḥ paryupāsate

teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ

yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham

(BG 9.22)

"But those who worship Me with devotion, meditating on My transcendental form—to them I carry what they lack and preserve what they have."

Prabhupāda: The same thing. This meditation is man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. Always think of Kṛṣṇa. So those who are engaged in this way, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, worshiping Kṛṣṇa, for such persons, Kṛṣṇa says yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 9.22), "I personally carry all the necessities of life. I personally carry." My point is that here in this New Māyāpur, if you simply carry on this man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ, then all your necessities will come automatically, don't bother. (laughter) That is my point, Yes. You'll get sufficient food, sufficient milk, sufficient fruits, flowers, all necessities. Simply you act on behalf of Kṛṣṇa and think of Kṛṣṇa, and don't bother about the necessities of life. It will be automatically supplied. Don't be disturbed from that point of view. Simply engage yourself in this business of man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). That is my point.

Lecture on BG 10.1 -- New York, December 27, 1966:

"Just become always thinking of Me. Just become My devotee. Just worship Me." Man-manā, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru. "Just offer your obediences." Mām evaiṣyasi. If you continue these four things... What are these four things? Man-manāḥ, always fix up your mind in Kṛṣṇa. That means you become always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

And, thinking of Kṛṣṇa as enemy or as friend? Sometimes we think of enemy also. Oh, the enemy might be coming. Oh, he's, my enemy is becoming very strong. So not that sort of thinking. Bhakti means...there is... Everything has got definition. That is called śāstra. What is that bhakti? Devotion. Devotion means anuśīlanam, cultivation of Kṛṣṇa knowledge favorably, not unfavorably. Sometimes to kill some enemy, we do many things to kill our enemies. In the laboratory you think of manufacturing atomic, nuclear bombs. That is also thinking. But that sort of thinking is not bhakti. Therefore bhakti means ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167). Favorably you have to think of Kṛṣṇa, not unfavorably.

If you think of Kṛṣṇa, just to kill Him. Just like Kaṁsa, His maternal uncle, he wanted to kill his nephew. Kṛṣṇa was the nephew of Kaṁsa. He was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, how to kill Him. How to kill Him. So that is unfavorable thinking, not that sort of thinking.

Lecture on BG 10.1 -- New York, December 27, 1966:

So here Lord Kṛṣṇa says, "I am speaking to you for your benefit." If you become Kṛṣṇa conscious in either of these five relationships. A devotee becomes related with Kṛṣṇa in five different transcendental mellows. One can be related as silent devotee. Silent devotee means he knows Kṛṣṇa is very great. Kṛṣṇa is very great. God is great. To accept this principle, that is also devotion. He does not do anything for God, but he admits God is great. That is called silent devotion.

Now, if one advances a little more, he wants to do something for Kṛṣṇa. Just like if you think somebody is very great, very noble, then if you think that I must do something for that man. So this is called dāsya. First, śānta, neutral, then activity begins. This is later stage than the śānta stage. In the śānta stage a devotee simply admits the greatness of God. But when he makes a further advancement in the understanding of that greatness, that is the beginning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When one wants to do something for Kṛṣṇa.

Now here, in this material world, we can do so many things for Kṛṣṇa, so many things. What are those things? Now suppose if you want to do something for somebody. Then you must know how that particular gentleman is satisfied. Otherwise, if you want to do something without knowing what does he want, then that is useless. You must know the mind of the person to whom you want to serve.

Now what Kṛṣṇa wants. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā in various places.

Lecture on BG 12.13-14 -- Bombay, May 12, 1974:

The whole world is going on under this misconception of life, that "I am this body." And under this misconception he is thinking that "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am śūdra," "I am black" and "white," "fat" and "thin," all these things. This is called ignorance. Therefore śāstra says, yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13): "Anyone who has got this conception that I am this body, this bag of bones and blood and flesh," sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13), "he is no more than the cows and the asses." That means animal. So whole world at the present moment is going on under this animalistic concept of life, animal civilization. Everyone is busy to take care of the body, but nobody knows how to take care of the proprietor of the body. That he does not know.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says who is devotee, real devotee. And not only real devotee, "Who is very dear to Me." Devotion means the activities...

My Guru Mahārāja used to say that "You don't try to see God." Just try to understand. "Just work in such a way that God may see you." This is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Everyone is busy to see God. Of course, it is not so easy to see God. But a devotee is not busy to see God, but he wants God to see him. Because just like if you are working in some establishment, if you are working very nicely, faithfully, than the proprietor will automatically see you. Don't try to see the proprietor. Work in such a way that the proprietor will be inclined, "Well, this man is working very nicely. Who is this man?" So that is our business.

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Bombay, September 25, 1973:

Therefore in the Brahma-saṁhitā it is stated, premāñjana-cchurita bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ hṛdayeṣu sadaiva vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). Those who have developed Kṛṣṇa consciousness, love of Godhead, they can see the Supreme Personality of Godhead, śyāma-sundaraṁ acintya-guṇa svarūpam, the reservoir of all transcendental qualities. Acintya-guṇa... Acintya means inconceivable. The qualities which Kṛṣṇa has got, that is inconceivable by us. He has got qualities.

Just like Kṛṣṇa says that patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati, tad aham aśnāmi (BG 9.26). Now, anyone offering Kṛṣṇa, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati, in devotion... So this quality, how Kṛṣṇa is eating... Just like at the present moment Kṛṣṇa is offered a dish. How Kṛṣṇa is eating? That we cannot see, but He is eating. Otherwise Kṛṣṇa becomes a liar. He says, tad aham aśnāmi bhakty-upahṛtam: "Anyone who is offering Me in devotion," tad aham aśnāmi, "I eat." But how He is eating... It is not that He is not eating, but how He is eating, that you do not know. Therefore acintya-guṇa-svarūpam. He has that quality which is inconceivable.

Just like our conception of eating, that we can eat through the mouth. Whatever eatables are offered to us, we pick them and put into the mouth. We know this is the process of eating. But Kṛṣṇa, because He is acintya-guṇa-svarūpam, His eating process is different from ours. That is also stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā. Aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛttimanti. He has the limbs of the body, different limbs of the body, they can work also for other limbs of the body. Just like with our eyes we can see. If I close our eyes, we do not see.

Lecture on BG 13.14 -- Bombay, October 7, 1973:

Īśvaraḥ sarva... Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). This is knowledge. This is knowledge. Not that to make Kṛṣṇa formless, "He does not eat. He does not speak. He does not walk. He has no hand. He has no head." That is not knowledge. That is ignorance, foolishness. Mūḍha. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam, paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ (BG 9.11). Because He does not know the paraṁ bhāvam. This is paraṁ bhāvam. Kṛṣṇa has form, but a form not like us. That is paraṁ bhāvam. He is present everywhere.

He can accept anything, wherever you offer. That Kṛṣṇa says, tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam aśnāmi. Kṛṣṇa says, "I take." Who are you to say that Kṛṣṇa does not accept? Kṛṣṇa accepts, provided it is given with devotion. That is wanted. Tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam. Anyone brings something to offer Kṛṣṇa with bhakti, Kṛṣṇa is not hungry but He accepts... (break)

These are the Vedic injunctions. He takes whole foodstuff, still He remains full. Pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate (Īśo Invocation). These are the Vedic injunctions." So that is, Kṛṣṇa is teaching, sarvataḥ śrutimal loke. He can hear. It is not that Kṛṣṇa is in the Goloka Vṛndāvana, far, far away, therefore we are chanting His glory here, He cannot... (break)

Lecture on BG 13.15 -- Bombay, October 9, 1973:

Therefore this word is used, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. Because by using the tongue you develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness, love for Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

And Kṛṣṇa being satisfied with you love... Because real thing is bhakti. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam. Here we are offering a little food, little leaf, little flower. But what is the essence? What is the value of flower? Value, there is practically no value. But yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. The real value is that the flower is offered with devotion, the food is offered with devotion.

Therefore the devotee gradually realizing that, "Yes, I am offering this flower directly to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I am offering the food directly to the Supreme Personality of Godhead." He is eating. He is perceiving. He is taking the prasādam. He's advancing. He's chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. It is self-evident. Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam. This devotional service is directly appreciated. You haven't got to take certificate from others. If you be engaged in devotional service, you actually realize. Therefore it is called pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam. Other things will remain in theoretical, but this is such a nice thing, devotional service, that you directly understand how much you are making progress, how much you have appreciated God, how much you have understood Kṛṣṇa. Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ su-sukham. Su-sukham.

Lecture on BG 13.15 -- Bombay, October 9, 1973:

Suhṛt satām. He is special friend of the devotee. Suhṛt satām. Satām means those who are devotees Asatām means nondevotee. So He is suhṛt satām. So He is sitting within your heart. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. So hearing about Kṛṣṇa is so beneficial because as soon as you begin hearing about Kṛṣṇa with little devotion and faith, Kṛṣṇa immediately understands that "This living entity is now serious." Because He is within your heart. So śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. "Now this man, this living entity..." Especially man. Cats and dogs cannot hear; that is not possible. They can also hear, but special facility for the human being. So a man can hear. So when Kṛṣṇa sees that you are hearing, śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ... That hearing itself is puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ. If you simply hear, you'll acquire some pious result. Puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ. And if you chant, you get more pious result. Puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ. The result will be hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi. All abhadrāṇi, all mischievous things will be washed away. Hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi vidhunoti. Vidhunoti. Kṛṣṇa helps you to wash it away because He's your friend. He's everyone's friend, but a special friend to the devotees. Suhṛt-satām.

That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu na me dveṣyo 'sti na priyaḥ: (BG 9.29) "I'm equal to everyone." Otherwise how He can be God? Nobody is His enemy, nobody is His friend. But ye tu bhajanti māṁ bhaktyā. Persons who are engaged in devotional service with love and faith, for them special consideration. Special consideration.

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

Therefore the bhakti path has to be accepted—bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā—by knowledge in the Vedic literature, by hearing. Śruta-gṛhītayā means I... You... The Vedic literature is also understood by hearing from the bona fide spiritual master. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ (SB 3.25.25). Unless you hear from realized soul, it is not possible. Simply by speculation it is useless waste of time. Teṣāṁ kleśala eva śiṣyate. After hearing for many, many years the Vedas from the non-realized soul, simply hearing from this hole of the ear and going out from the other hole—that kind of hearing will not help us.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ (SB 3.25.25). Satāṁ prasaṅgāt. In the association of devotees, if you discuss about the message of Kṛṣṇa, then it becomes very relishable, pleasing to the ear and the heart. And if we bring them into practical use of life, taj-joṣaṇād āśu, very soon, apavarga-vartmani, on the path of liberation, śraddhā, faith, bhakti, devotion, rati, attachment, anukramiṣyati, comes one after another, one after another. So this is the process. So we shall discuss tomorrow again. (end)

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

Everyone is trying like that. This is the material world. Everyone is busy.

Why busy? Not for eating, sleeping. That is not problem at all. Because eating, sleeping, even the birds and beasts and insects, they have no problem. They are confident. They are depending on nature. Just like we are. Because we are surrendered to Kṛṣṇa we are confident about eating, sleeping. We don't bother about that. That is not our problem.

Our problem is how to serve Kṛṣṇa honestly. This is our problem. The devotees are always anxious. Here Kṛṣṇa is the enjoyer, and we're enjoyed. So our business is to see "How I am being enjoyed by Kṛṣṇa, by serving Him." This is devotion, this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So long you want to enjoy this material world, you are in the material world. And as soon as you offer yourself to be enjoyed by Kṛṣṇa as servant, according to His order you serve, then immediately you are in the spiritual world.

So you can become in the material world or spiritual world, as you desire. As you desire. If you want to remain in the spiritual world, this temple is the spiritual world. We are not living in Melbourne. This temple is not Melbourne. It is Vaikuṇṭha.

Lecture on BG 13.23 -- Bombay, October 22, 1973:

This is Kṛṣṇa's hand. The same thing. The tenant may occupy the room, but he is not the owner of the room. Owner is different person. Similarly, we may occupy this body or any body, but we are not owner of this body. As soon as we know that "I am not owner of this body, I am the occupier of the body," that is knowledge. We are falsely claiming that "We are owner of the body." We are not owner of the body. I cannot therefore repair anything. If any part of my limb of my body goes wrong, I do not know how to repair it. But Kṛṣṇa can do it because He is the owner, Hṛṣīkeśa. Hṛṣīkeśa. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). You have to pay to the owner. Similarly, we have to serve Kṛṣṇa for occupying this body. That is devotion. Yajñārthe karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9).

Because it is also explained, sarvataḥ pāṇi-pādaṁ tat. Sarvataḥ pāṇi-pādaṁ tat means everywhere the Supreme Lord has got His hands and legs. So what is that? How He has got hands and legs? Your hands, my hands, they are hands of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it should be used for Kṛṣṇa. Just like your hand. We are claiming, "This is my hand." This hand is used for my service. Suppose If you want to eat something, you use your hand for eating, but for other's eating, you don't use your hand. He uses his own hand. This is an example. So all these hands and legs belong to Kṛṣṇa. It should be used for Kṛṣṇa. That is called bhakti. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170).

Lecture on BG 16.5 -- Calcutta, February 23, 1972:

"What is that?" "No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication." He said, "It is impossible. This is our life!" You see.

So it is very difficult. Therefore the pravṛtti-nirvṛtti, the Vedic rules have been formulated in such a way that if a man has got pravṛtti for meat-eating or drinking or for sex-life or gambling... So we know that gambling is allowed on the kālī-pūjā day. We know. Especially northern Indian people, mercantile people, they take it, advantage, gambling. And sex life is allowed married life. That is gradually nivṛtti, married life; otherwise they will become upstarts. The society will be lost. And meat-eating allowed also: "All right. Just offer a goat before Kali and take that." Not purchase from the market or slaughterhouse. No. So these things are there just to gradually make him refrain from all these habits. Nivṛtti. This is Vedic. Not that "Oh, there is in the Vedas Kālī-pūjā. We are devotees of Kali." Why? For meat-eating. That's all. They are..., they become devotees of Kali only for meat-eating. That's all. There is no other devotion. So actually... So nivṛtti. But that is nivṛtti-mārga. Nivṛtti-mārga. And in the Vaiṣṇava philosophy that immediately, immediately give up these things; otherwise it will be not possible.

Lecture on BG 16.9 -- Hawaii, February 5, 1975:

We have to do some work. That's a fact. Kṛṣṇa says that "Without doing something, you cannot maintain your body and soul together." Karmaṇo jyāyo... What is that? No. That... Karma is better then vikarma. The... Kṛṣṇa says that "You must be engaged in some work. You cannot sit idle. That is not good." "Idle brain is a devil's workshop." Kṛṣṇa never said that "My dear Arjuna, you are My first-class devotee. Now you sit down and I'll do everything for you." No. Kṛṣṇa never said. Rather, Arjuna was not willing to fight, and Kṛṣṇa was inducing him, "You must fight. You must fight." Kṛṣṇa never said that "You become idle kṛṣṇa-bhakta," never said. So those who are trying to be idle kṛṣṇa-bhakta, they are not devotees. One must be engaged with Kṛṣṇa's work. That is devotion. Satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 9.14). Always chanting the glory of Kṛṣṇa and trying everything for benefit of Kṛṣṇa, that is mahātmā. Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim... (BG 9.13), bhajanty an... Bhajanti means "He's always engaged in My service." That is mahātmā. Laziness is not bhakti. There must be something. But if somebody says, "Now I'll chant sitting down. Who is going to see me? I'll doze and people will know I am chanting." You see? This kind of cheating will not do.

All those who are interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Therefore we have given time, sixteen rounds. But you are not Haridāsa Ṭhākura that you'll be able to chant whole day and night. If without working, if you chant, that is, the highest state. That you cannot do. Then you sleep. That's all. So know that. The minimum quantity, sixteen rounds chant, and that will take not more than two hours. And other twenty-two hours, you be always busy in Kṛṣṇa's activities. That is required.

Lecture on BG 16.13-15 -- Hawaii, February 8, 1975:

That is the topmost devotee's conception.

But when we are preaching, we have to come to the second stage. There are three stages of devotional life. The first stage, or the lower stage, the middle stage, and the top stage. So this kind of conception, that "Nobody is my enemy," that is on the topmost stage. That is not to be imitated. When you are preaching, you have to come to the middle stage. Even if you are on the top stage, you have to come on the middle stage because you have to discriminate: "Here is a devotee; here is a demon." On the top stage there is no such thing as demon and devotee. The top stage, the devotee sees: "Everyone is engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. Simply I am not engaged." This is topmost devotee's vision, that "I am lacking Kṛṣṇa's devotion."

Just like Rādhārāṇī thinks that "All others, they are engaged in Kṛṣṇa's devotion, but I could not." Caitanya Mahāprabhu said. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that "I have not a pinch of devotion to Kṛṣṇa. Then if you say, 'Why you are crying?' that is to make a show." Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that "I am crying for Kṛṣṇa just to advertise Myself that I have become a big... But actually I have not a pinch of devotion to Kṛṣṇa." "No you are so great devotee. Everyone says." "No. Everyone may say, but I am not." "Why you are not?" "Now, because without Kṛṣṇa, still I am living. That is the proof that I have no love for Kṛṣṇa." This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's statement. "If I had any drop of love for Kṛṣṇa, how I could live so long without Kṛṣṇa?" Śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvaṁ govinda-viraheṇa me. So this is love of Kṛṣṇa, that "How can I live?"—separation from Kṛṣṇa. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy. And the Gosvāmīs followed them. They never said that "Now I have seen Kṛṣṇa." Never said. The Gosvāmīs... Caitanya Mahāprabhu also said that "I was dreaming Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 16.13-15 -- Hawaii, February 8, 1975:

They were simply feeling separation. In Vṛndāvana they lived, but they never said, "Last night I saw Kṛṣṇa was dancing." Never said. They said that "Kṛṣṇa and gopīs, Rādhārāṇī, where you are all?" He rādhe vraja-devike ca lalite he nanda-sūno kutaḥ: "Where you are?" Kālindī-vane kutaḥ govardhana-kalpa-pādapa-tale: "Either on the..., near the Govardhana Hill or on the bank of the river Yamunā, where you are?" This is called bhajana, devotion in separation, feeling separation. So in this way we shall increase our aspiration more and more. That is required. That āśā, that hope, that expectation, will lead us to the topmost platform of devotion.

So instead of thinking always like this demon that "I have got so much money. Now I shall get further amount of money and it will be like so much money. He is my enemy. I have killed one of them. The other enemy..." This is going on actually, in the material field. So we have to rectify. We have to rectify. Āḍhyo 'bhijanavān asmi: "I am the richest man. I have got so many friends, all aristocratic." Abhijanavān. Janavān, dhanavān. Dhanavān means possessing wealth, and janavān means possessing men, strength, popular strength, and strength of money.

Lecture on BG 17.1-3 -- Honolulu, July 4, 1974:

We are in the lower stage. Therefore Deity worship required. Mean, if there is no temple, you can keep a small Deity in a small box and open it. After taking bath, sitting down, you can offer Him little patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam (BG 9.26). Little you can offer, little water. Where is the difficulty? Deity worship. You can worship Deity anywhere also. In a small box you can keep the Deity. And after taking bath you offer something. If you have nothing to offer, offer a little tulasī leaf. Or any leaf. That Kṛṣṇa says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me. The real thing is whether you are lover and devotee. Then Kṛṣṇa will accept anything you offer. It is not you have to cook very sumptuously, very rich food. Then Kṛṣṇa you'll offer. Kṛṣṇa is not after your food. Kṛṣṇa is after your devotion and faith. That can be created anywhere if you are actually sincere.

Lecture on BG 18.67 -- Ahmedabad, December 10, 1972:

That is the beginning of... It is not a sentiment. It is a great science to become a devotee, to come to the platform of devotional life. Mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām (BG 18.54). When one comes to that stage of devotional life, then bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). At that time, one can understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Tattvataḥ. The same thing. In three places, Kṛṣṇa has been described: tattvataḥ. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid vetti māṁ tattvataḥ (BG 7.3). How to understand tattvataḥ? Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55).

So if you want to understand Kṛṣṇa, then you have to take the life of devotion. And one who does not take to this life of devotion, he cannot understand Kṛṣṇa of Kṛṣṇa-philosophy, Bhagavad-gītā. It is far, far away. It is... My Guru Mahārāja used to say, "It is just like licking the honey bottle." One may come to the bottle filled with honey, but simply by licking the bottle, what taste he will get? The honey must be opened. Then if you taste, you will know what is honey. Similarly, simply by taking Bhagavad-gītā and trying to understand it by so-called scholarship is licking up the honey bottle. That's all. There will be no taste. There will be no taste. You go on for many millions of years, licking up that bottle. You'll never understand. If you want to understand, then Kṛṣṇa says here:

Lecture on BG 18.67 -- Ahmedabad, December 10, 1972:

This is nistraiguṇya. If you engage yourself in unadulterated, avyabhicāreṇa, devotion, then you become immediately situated on the platform of nistraiguṇya. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate. So pure devotional service means anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam. Anyābhilāṣa. We have got so many desires, all material desires. So one should be free from all material desires. Jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (CC Madhya 19.167). Jñāna, nirbheda-brahmānusandhanaḥ(?). This is generally understood as jñāna. And karma means to be elevated to the higher planetary systems, heavenly planets. So anāvṛtam. We should not be touched with jñāna and karma. Neither we have any material desires. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam. Simply cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness ānukūlyena, favorably. Bhaktir uttamā. That is the highest platform of devotional service.

Lecture on BG 18.67-69 -- Ahmedabad, December 9, 1972:

"Ohhh, it is impossible. This is our life. This is our life, to have boyfriend and girlfriend and drinking and meat-eating and gambling. If we give up all this, then where is our life?"

Therefore we require tapasya. This is tapasya. Here is only four simple things. And if you ask anybody give up drinking tea, oh, you will find a thunderbolt. Thunderbolt. "Oh, what you are speaking? I shall give up tea-drinking?" "At least, you are a sannyāsī." "No, I have to drink tea in the morning, at least, so big cup. (laughter) And then smoking gāñjā. And I become God." This is going on. This is going on. Therefore it is warned: "Don't talk this, the philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā, to the rascals who has no austerities, who has no devotion, who is not prepared to hear." But the servant of Kṛṣṇa, they take all risk for Kṛṣṇa's sake. Just like Rāmānujācārya. Śrī Rāmānujācārya, his spiritual master said, "My dear son, the mantra which I am giving, you shall silently chant and you'll be delivered. It is so powerful. Don't chant this mantra loudly so that others can hear." So Rāmānujācārya thought, "If the, this mantra is so powerful, that if others hear they'll also be delivered, so why not?" He immediately went to the market and began to chant the mantra. So his spiritual master became very angry, that "I told you not to chant loudly so that others may not hear." So he said, "My Lordship, I have done offense unto you. That's all right. For this, I can, I am prepared to go to hell. But if this mantra is so powerful, I must speak to everyone."