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Devotion (Lectures, Other)

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"

Lectures

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

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

That is one of the sign of advanced devotee. Avyartha kālatvam. Nāma-gāne sadā ruci (CC Madhya 23.32). Attachment for chanting always. Prītis tad-vasati sthale: (Cc. Madhya 23.18-19) and attraction or attachment for living in the temple, vasati, where Kṛṣṇa lives. Kṛṣṇa lives everywhere, but specifically, to give us chance to meet, He lives in the temple or in places like Vṛndāvana. So prītis tad-vasati sthale. One should be enhanced in attachment for living where Kṛṣṇa is living. Prītis tad... Nāma-gāne sadā ruci (CC Madhya 23.32). And taste for singing always the holy name. These are development. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). All of you who come here, it is out of śraddhā, some, what is called... What is the exact English word for śraddhā? Devotion, you can take. Devotion. Those who come here, their first principle is they have some regard that "This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is nice. Let me see." So this is the beginning. Ādau śraddhā. And then sādhu-saṅgaḥ: then associate with these devotees. Then, after some time, when he's little advanced more, then he is eager to become initiated. This is third stage, as some of these students are going to be initiated today. The initiation means bhajana-kriyā. Actually executing devotional service: initiation. And if one actually executes devotional service, then anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt, then all nonsense habits will disappear. Then I'll not have to stress on the point these four regulative principles. Automatically it will go away. That is the test. How one has properly utilized his initiation will be tested that he has no more attraction for these four principles: illicit sex, intoxication, gambling, and meat-eating. They will automatically go. There is no need of asking. Anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Then ruci. When one is freed from all these prohibitive principles, then he develops a taste, tato ruci. Tato niṣṭhā: then he's steadily confirmed. Athāsaktiḥ. Then attachment: he cannot go. He cannot go. Athāsaktis tato bhāvaḥ. Then ecstasy. And then he comes to the platform of love of Godhead. So when that platform is reached, then everything is successful. And if that platform is not reached, then everything is simply waste of time. But in the beginning, if you follow these principles, as laid down by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and other ācāryas...

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

A person who is worshiping the Deity in the temple with all regulative principles, arcāyām eva haraye yat pūjāṁ śraddhaya, with devotion, he's executing the service, but he does not know how to respect a devotee, na tad bhakteṣu... He has concentrated his mind on the arca-mūrti, the Deity form of the Lord within the temple... That is very nice. But if he does not now how to worship a devotee, na tad-bhakteṣu cānyeṣu, and he does not know how to elevate other persons, sa bhaktaḥ prākṛtaḥ smṛtaḥ, such kind of devotee is to be considered as material, prākṛtaḥ. Gradually, one has to become aprākṛtaḥ. So there are different stages of devotional service. Everything is explained in the scriptures.

Now our point was that how to see Kṛṣṇa in everything? Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). By these blunt, material senses, we cannot appreciate, or we can see, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It has to be purified. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). One must be relieved from all designations. So long one thinks that "I am Hindu. I am Christian. I am Muhammadan. I am this. I am brāhmaṇa. I am śūdra. I am kṣatriya. I am man. I am woman. I am black. I am white." These are all designations. One has to become free from all these designations. That is called sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam. If you see God, Kṛṣṇa, from the Hindu angle of vision, if you see God from Christian angle of vision, then you cannot see God. That is not seeing God. You have to become freed from all these designations.

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

So unless you come to this stage, free from all designations, he cannot serve Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa accepts service from the devotee. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). Kṛṣṇa is not beggar, that He has come to your place and asking some food from you. No. But Kṛṣṇa accepts your food, provided you are a devotee. That is Kṛṣṇa. You can offer Kṛṣṇa patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam. You do not require to become very rich man. The poorest of the poor can offer Kṛṣṇa something. What is that? Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam. A little flower, a little fruit, a little leaf and little water. Everyone can collect a little flower, a little water. And from any part of the world. Not that Kṛṣṇa can be worshiped in India. Kṛṣṇa can be worshiped in Vṛndāvana. Wherever Kṛṣṇa is worshiped, that is Vṛndāvana. Otherwise, if Kṛṣṇa is not worshiped, that is not Vṛndāvana. So how Kṛṣṇa is worshiped? Kṛṣṇa says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26), "Anyone who offers Me these things with bhakti, with devotion, with love," tad aham aśnāmi, "then I eat it." Not that an abhakta will offer something and Kṛṣṇa will accept. No.

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

What is called that? Chocked up? Then you get, get down and push the car and (makes noise:) brut brut brut, goes. Similarly the bhakti-rasa is there in everyone's heart. Nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti. Because we, we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Just like father and son. A father and son may be separate for many, many, many, many years. But as soon as they meet together, again the same affection comes. Again the same affection comes. Wife and husband. Therefore sannyāsī is strictly prohibited to see his wife. Because there is staunch affection. By meeting again that affection. By meeting again that affection may come. He may fall down. Therefore strictly prohibited. At least, other members can be seen. But not the wife. So the fact is that we have got devotion for Kṛṣṇa. That is fact. But some way or other, we are separated and we have forgotten. So as soon as, by this regulative principle, by the order of the spiritual master, by the injunction of the śāstras, we begin devotional service. That, that, just like our students do here. They are offering ārātrika. They're offering dress, offering garland. These are the items of arcana. Hearing about Him, chanting about Him. This devotional service is the pushing process. Pushing process. And as soon as the energy comes, then automatically: (makes noise) clak clak clak. No more pushing. Automatically. This pushing process is required.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 6, 1973:

This question was discussed between Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja..., not, Parīkṣit Mahārāja and Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Parīkṣit Mahārāja inquired this, that "Lord Viṣṇu is the master of goddess of fortune, but generally we find the Vaiṣṇavas are poor. And Lord Śiva, he hasn't got even a house, so still, his devotees are very prosperous." So the explanation was given that Lord Śiva is the master of these material opulences, Durgā-devī. Durgā-devī is his wife, the material nature. So devotees of Lord Śiva can get all material facilities. And Lord Viṣṇu..., because he is going to be transferred to the spiritual world, therefore gradually his material affection is curtailed. Of course, when he is advanced in devotion then his material comforts are not curtailed. But when he is not advanced, if he thinks that "By becoming Vaiṣṇava I shall be materially very opulent and I shall enjoy this material enjoyment," then it is curtailed. That is explained in Bhāgavata and Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanam. Because Viṣṇu knows that "He wants Me, at the same time he wants some material opulence, so this is his ignorance. This is his ignorance. If he wants material opulence, then he has to remain here within this material world. But he wants Me." So to have Kṛṣṇa, that is in the spiritual world. So if you have got attachment for this material world, then you cannot go. A slight attachment for this material world will oblige him to take another birth. If the mind is absorbed in karma or material comfort, then Kṛṣṇa will give you, "All right. You take this work again." Even great yogis, because they think of material comforts, they are called bhraṣṭa. Yoga-bhraṣṭaḥ sañjāyate. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatām. Although the facility is given to take birth in the family of high brāhmaṇa or high, rich man, but it is material. It is material life. And one who becomes perfectly Kṛṣṇa conscious, he hasn't got to. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). He is immediately transferred to Kṛṣṇa.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1972:

"Arjuna, why you have come? You ask something from me. I am ready to give you. If you want the kingdom without fighting, if you have come for this purpose, I'll give you." So Arjuna said: "No, my dear brother, I've not come for that purpose. But you remember that you wanted to give me some benediction. So I have come for that." "Yes, I am prepared." "So you give me those five arrows." He immediately delivered.

So next morning, when Bhīṣmadeva asked that "Where are those five arrows? Give me," So Duryodhana said, "Sir, this is the story. It has been taken away by Arjuna." So he could understand it is the trick of Kṛṣṇa. So immediately he, out of devotion, became angry. Yes. So devotion, devotional service can be executed in anger also. Not by simply flowers. If he, there is a devotee, he can serve Kṛṣṇa by becoming angry. So he promised immediately that "Today Kṛṣṇa has to break His promise." Because Kṛṣṇa promised that "Although I shall be in the battlefield, I shall simply drive your chariot, but I shall not fight." That was His promise. Now Bhīṣma said that "Kṛṣṇa has broken my promise. So I shall fight in this way today that either Kṛṣṇa has to break His own promise or His friend Arjuna will be killed." Two alternatives.

So when Bhīṣma was fighting very fiercely, severely, Arjuna's chariot became broken and he fell down; at that time Kṛṣṇa took one of the wheels of the chariot and immediately approached Bhīṣma, and when He was approaching Bhīṣma, Bhīṣma was also piercing His body with arrows. And Kṛṣṇa was accepting the arrows move lovable than the flowers. This is the dealing. Therefore that is a rasa, ghastly rasa. Apparently it appears to be very severe, that Kṛṣṇa is being pierced by the arrows. But Kṛṣṇa was feeling pleasure. So Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has explained this portion very nicely, that he has given the example of kissing. Sometimes there is hard pressure of the teeth, but still it is pleasurable. He has given this example, that although Kṛṣṇa was being pierced by the arrows Bhīṣmadeva, still Kṛṣṇa felt very pleasing. And Bhīṣmadeva also, when he was on his death bed, he wanted to see that form of Kṛṣṇa when He was very angry and approaching before him to kill him in the battlefield. He explained that feature.

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

So actually such persons they do not know what is Kṛṣṇa, but they have the audacity out of their so-called, puffed-up education, they try to explain Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. That is not possible. Kṛṣṇa can be explained (by one) who knows about Kṛṣṇa. And who knows Kṛṣṇa? Only the devotee knows (Kṛṣṇa). Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Not that because one has got very advanced knowledge, he can understand Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ. I am not supposed to be exposed to all this nonsense. He says. Kṛṣṇa says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Actually what I am, tattvataḥ, in truth, that can be understood through devotion. Through love of Kṛṣṇa, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me (BG 4.3). Everything is there, clear. If you are not bhakta, if you are philosopher, that's all right, remain philosopher, why you try to touch Kṛṣṇa? That is not your subject matter. Don't poke your nose in that subject matter. Don't mislead others, nonsense. You go to hell. That is another thing. But why you are pushing others to the hell? That is our protest. That is our protest. You go to hell. Tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān kṣipāmy ajasram eva yoniṣu (BG 16.19), Kṛṣṇa says. Because they are krūrān, they are envious of Kṛṣṇa. They know, Kṛṣṇa is describing Himself like this, still he says Kṛṣṇa is unknown. This is cruel, hiṁsā. So in this way, you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. We must understand Kṛṣṇa by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). The, Kṛṣṇa cannot be understood by these blunt senses. It is not possible. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). When one becomes purified after being freed from all kinds of designations, that is the beginning.

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

"My dear Lord, I am born of a father, passionate, and I am always greedy about material opulence, naturally, because my father was like that. So You are offering benediction. I can ask from you any kind of material opulence. I know that. But, what I shall do all these material opulences. I've seen my father was so strong materially, that when he was angry even the demigods trembled. He was so powerful. Now everything is finished within a second by You. So what is the value of this material opulence? Why shall I ask you all these nonsense. Kindly engage me, kindly engage me in the service of Your servant, that I want." This is devotion. They don't want anything. Kindly engage me nijunkaman ātmā dāse (?). That is the prayer. So the devotees, they do not want anything material. They are not captivated by so-called followers. No. Na dhanaṁ na janam, janam means followers, na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye (Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4). What is this false power? Ekaś candras tamo hanti na ca tara sahasrasaḥ. If one disciple is enlivened with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he can work as the moon. Otherwise so many foolish followers, what they'll do? Just like stars. Thousands and millions of stars, they cannot do anything. One moon is sufficient. Ekaś candras tamo hanti na ca tara sahasrasaḥ. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, it is not required that everyone will be follower. That is not possible, because it is very difficult. But still, if one follower, sincere follower is there, it will go on. It will go on. Nobody can stop it. Go on.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 28, 1972:

This very platform of serving Kṛṣṇa, avyabhicāriṇi, without any adulteration, means without any motive... When one is engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service without any motive... Not that "I establish a Deity in the temple with a motive that people will come, will give money, and I shall make it a path of earning my livelihood." That is not devotion. Devotion is without any motive. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). So without any motive, when one is engaged in devotional service, that is brahma-bhūtaḥ stage. That is liberated stage. According to Bhāgavata, liberation, mukti, means to be situated in one's constitutional position. That is called mukti. Muktir hitvā anyathā rūpaṁ svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ (SB 2.10.6). Hitvā anyathā rūpa.

Now because we are designated, we have got this body, designation, therefore we are situated in different positions. Somebody's working for his family. Somebody's working for his community. Somebody's working for his nation. But this is anyathā rūpam. This is depending on the bodily designation. "I am American. I am Indian. Therefore I must sacrifice everything for my country, for my nation." This is anyathā rūpam. And when we engage ourself that "I am Kṛṣṇa's part and parcel. Kṛṣṇa is my master. I am His eternal servant. I must work for Kṛṣṇa." That is mukti. That is liberation. So anyone who is working for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he has no other motive than to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. He has no other motive than to satisfy the representative of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they are hitvā anyathā rūpam.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 3, 1972:

There is no difference. When there is disease, fever, it is not it is less painful to the rich man and very painful to the poor man. The pain is the same. So actually, so long there is material existence, the so-called suffering and enjoying, they're on the same level. There is no difference. But if we take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, as Kṛṣṇa assures, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66), "I shall get you relieved, released from all kinds of sinful activities." That is real auspiciousness. Means when Kṛṣṇa takes charge, He gradually educates the devotee buddhi-yogam, in devotion service, so that he may go back home, back to Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. That is real auspicity. In the material world, so-called auspicity, to become very rich, to become very educated, to become very beautiful, high parentage, they are also, in material consideration, they are auspicity, undoubtedly. But they are also adulterated with so many sufferings, threefold miseries: ādhyātmika, ādhibhautika, ādhidaivika. So actually such position is not auspicity. Real auspicity is go back to home, back to Godhead. Therefore it is said, pure devotional service... Pure devotional service means without any material motive. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (Brs. 1.1.11).

So pure devotional service is the beginning of all auspiciousness.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1972:

Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was considering how he could kill his kinsmen, his familymen, his nephew, his brother, his grandfather, on the other side. Actually, this killing business is not very good. It is sinful. But the same thing he committed after understanding Bhagavad-gītā. He agreed: kariṣye vacanaṁ tava (BG 18.73). "Yes, I shall fight." So does it mean...? In the beginning he was considering about the sinful effects of his activities. Why did he engage himself in the same business although he knew this is sinful? No. If you... Even it is acted so-called sinful activities, for Kṛṣṇa, under the order of Kṛṣṇa, for pleasing Kṛṣṇa, then that is also devotion. It is very difficult. We should not manufacture such concoction. But the fact is that, if actually one is acting for Kṛṣṇa, there is no question of sinful reaction. That's a fact. "Relief from material distress." And material distress means it is due to sinful activities. In another place, also, in the Brahma-saṁhitā it is said, karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām (Bs. 5.54)? Karmāṇi. Everyone is being caught up by the action and reaction of karma, but a devotee is protected from the action and reaction of karma. Karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām (Bs. 5.54). So a devotee, a Kṛṣṇa conscious person, remains free always, provided he's fully engaged in Kṛṣṇa conscious activities for pleasing the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Go on.

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

Pradyumna: "Śrīdhara informed the Lord that he did not want any material opulence. He was quite happy in his present position and wanted only to gain unflinching faith and devotion unto the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya. That is the position of the pure devotees. If they can be engaged twenty-four hours each day in devotional service, they do not want anything else, not even the happiness of liberation or of becoming one with the Supreme. In the Nārada Pañcarātra it is also said that any person who has developed even a small amount of devotional service doesn't care a fig for any kind of happiness derived from religiousness, economic development, sense gratification, or the five kinds of liberation."

Prabhupāda: Hmm. Dharmārtha-kāma, kāma-mokṣaḥ samaya-pratīkṣāḥ muktiḥ mukulitañjali sevate asmān. For a devotee, mukti is not a thing aspirable, because, as it is stated by Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura, mukti is trying to serve the devotee with folded hands. Because a devotee is already liberated. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). A pure devotee, who is constantly engaged in devotional service, māyā cannot touch him. He's already liberated. So what he has got to ask from the liberty? He hasn't got to ask. Anywhere a devotee lives, he's liberated. That is the statement of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, īhā yasya harer dāsye karmaṇā-manasā vācā: "Anyone who is simply engaged in the devotional service of the Lord by his activities, karmaṇā, by his mind, and by his words, such person is always liberated in any condition of life." Īhā yasya harer dāsye. Simply we have to engage ourself in the devotional service of the Lord, then māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). One who has surpassed the boundaries of māyā, he's liberated. He's liberated. He's already liberated. Why he should aspire after liberation? He's already liberated. Go on.

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

If one thinks that he has become very advanced in devotion, then that is very dangerous. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, guru more mūrkha dekhi' karila śāsana: (CC Adi 7.71) "My spiritual master saw Me a great fool. Therefore he has chastised Me, that 'Don't try to read the Vedānta. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.' " He presented Himself like that. Is Caitanya Mahāprabhu mūrkha? But that is the conception, advanced devotee. They never think that they are very highly advanced devotees. What is advanced devotee? What devotion we can offer to Kṛṣṇa? He's unlimited. He's kindly accepting our little service. That's all. Don't be proud of becoming a great devotee. That is the cause of falldown.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 12, 1972:

In the Bhagavad-gītā when Kṛṣṇa appeared in His universal form, Arjuna prayed, 'My dear Kṛṣṇa, I thought of You as my cousin-brother, and so I have shown disrespect to You in so many ways, calling You Kṛṣṇa, or friend, but You are so great that I could not understand.' So that was the position of the Pāṇḍavas; although Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the greatest among all greats, still He remained with those royal brothers, being attracted by their devotion, by their friendship and by their love. That is the proof of how great this process of devotional service is. It can attract even the Supreme Personality of Godhead. God is great, but devotional service is greater than God because it attracts Him. People who are not in devotional service can never understand what great value there is in rendering service to the Lord.

'The First Stages of Devotion.' The three categories of devotional service which Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī describes in Bhakti-Rasamrta-Sindhu are listed as devotional service in practice, devotional service in ecstasy and devotional service in pure love of Godhead. There are many subheadings in each of these categories. Generally, it is understood that in the category of devotional service in practice there are two different qualities; devotional service in ecstasy has four qualities; and devotional service in pure love of Godhead has six qualities. These qualities will be explained by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī later on. In this connection, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī suggest that the person..., that the person eligible for Kṛṣṇa consciousness or devotional service can be classified by his particular taste. He says that devotional service is a continual process from one's previous life. No one can take to devotional service unless he has had some previous connection with it

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

Prabhupāda: (Hindi)

Pradyumna: "Although it is within the category of practice, this offering of loving service is spontaneous. So the practice of devotion, the practice of devotional service, sādhana-bhakti, can be divided into two parts—namely, regulative and spontaneous."

Prabhupāda: Hmm. Go on.

Pradyumna: "Rūpa Gosvāmī defines the first part of devotional service, or vaidhi-bhakti, as follows: 'When there is no attachment or no spontaneous loving service to the Lord, and one is engaged in the service of the Lord simply out of obedience to the order of the spiritual master or in pursuance of the scriptures, such obligatory service is called vaidhi-bhakti.' These principles of vaidhi-bhakti..."

Prabhupāda: Neither attachment nor detachment. That is the primary stage. One has no very much attachment in the material affairs, but at the same time, he has no strong detach..., attachment for devotional service. This marginal state is called, what is that? Vaidhi-bhakti. Means he is offering devotional service under the instruction of the spiritual master as a professional. He has not developed the spontaneous love of God, Kṛṣṇa, but he is obliged to serve under the instruction of the spiritual master. And that is the first stage of vaidhi-bhakti. Go on.

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

Yes. Three kinds of happinesses, bhoga, tyāga, and bhakti, sevā. Bhoga tyāga sevā. The karmīs, they are after bhoga, sense enjoyment. And the jñānīs, they are after another side of negation of sense enjoyment. When one is fed up with sense enjoyment... Just like in your country, the young boys, they are practically fed up with the way of sense enjoyment as their fathers and grandfathers had done. So in the name of tyāga, renunciation, they have taken another kind of sense enjoyment—intoxication, unrestricted sex. So this is also another sense enjoyment. Bhoga and tyāga. Real enjoyment is devotion. There is a very practical example. Just like if you get all of a sudden a certain amount of money, say, one hundred rupees note lying on the street, if you get... Or lying here. So if you take it, your conscience will beat, because that does not belong to you. You have picked up. You'll always think, "Oh, I am taking somebody's money. Whose money it was? I'm doing some sinful." In this way, your mind will disturb. So that is the taking. And similarly, if you don't take, if you leave it there, then you'll also be disturbed. You'll think, "Somebody has left this money here. So I did not collect it. Somebody will collect it, and he'll take it away. This is not nice." The best thing is that you pick it up and, if you deliver to the person who has lost the money or who has left that money. Three things. The one thing is bhoga, if you take yourself. And if you don't take, that is tyāga. And if you pick it up and deliver to the right person, that is devotion.

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

Prabhupāda: There is no possibility. One must be freed from these desires. Anyābhilāṣita-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (Brs. 1.1.11). Then one can relish. So long one is overpowered by bhukti-mukti-siddhi, he cannot become a devotee. Go on.

Bhavānanda: "A pure devotee never cares for liberation. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu prayed to Kṛṣṇa, 'My dear son of Nanda, I do not want any material happiness in the shape of many followers, nor immense opulence in wealth, nor any beautiful wife, nor do I want cessation from material existence. I may take birth many times, one after another, but what I pray from You is that my devotion unto You may always remain unflinching.' "

Prabhupāda: This is, I've already explained. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's prayer:

na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ
kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye
mama janmani janmanīśvare
bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi

(Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4)

This is pure prayer. So pure devotional service is another great science. One has to learn it. Then his life will be successful.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973:

Therefore devotee's another name is niṣkiñcana, akiñcana. Niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya. Niṣkiñcana. He doesn't possess anything, don't want to possess anything material. These are all material things. What are those? Sense gratification, economic development, liberation. They are all different stages of material existence. And Kṛṣṇa is not for the persons who are hankering after material possessions. Kṛṣṇa is far away. Therefore in the Kuntī-stotra in Śrīmad-Bhāgavata it is said, niṣkiñcanasya gocarāḥ: "You, Kṛṣṇa, You are understood by persons who have become niṣkiñcana." Niṣkiñcana. So niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya. The qualification of devotion is to become a niṣkiñcana. Means one should not try to possess anything material. He should simply try to possess Kṛṣṇa. There must be some possession. The Māyāvādī philosophy, to dispossess material things, will not help him. He must possess something positive. Otherwise he'll fall down. That is our... Because we want something. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 2.59). So we simply, we try, that "Let me become sannyāsī, niṣkiñcana." That is not possible. You must take to the service of Kṛṣṇa. Then when you are fully satisfied that "I possess Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is within my heart," then you can give up all this nonsense, kick out: "I don't want." Otherwise not possible. So the two things: Niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajano..., param paro jīveṣa (?). Those who have become ni..., what is this liberation for them? Nothing. The four things, dharma-artha-kāma-mokṣa. So when one takes to this shelter of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, that is the highest dharma, topmost. That is the topmost yoga. So why he should hanker after dharma-artha-kāma-mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90)? It is so nice thing. That is the statement of Uddhava. One who has become pure devotee... One who has possessed... Svāntaḥ-sthita gadābhṛtā. He has become purified. But don't imitate. Actually see whether you are always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Then it is all right.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973:

Bhavānanda: "In spite of such facilities, my dear Lord, I do not aspire to achieve any such results. My only prayer is that I may have unflinching faith and devotion unto Your lotus feet."

Prabhupāda: This is the only thing. If we have got unflinching faith and devotion to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, then we can automatically become niṣkiñcana, liberated, developed in economic condition. That is not important thing for a devotee. They come automatically. Yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 9.22). Kṛṣṇa says. Why he should try for economic development? Kṛṣṇa personally comes. "You want this. Take it." That is devotee. Why he should hankering after economic development? No. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches: na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye (Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4). There is no need of hankering. Kṛṣṇa knows what he requires, "How My devotee will be satisfied." Kṛṣṇa knows... If Kṛṣṇa sees that this devotee has got little desire for some material enjoyment, Kṛṣṇa will give.

Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. Dhruva Mahārāja, he went to the forest to worship the Lord, for getting the kingdom of his father or better than that. So although when Dhruva Mahārāja saw the Lord he said svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yā..., "I, I don't want anything. I am now fully satisfied", still Kṛṣṇa gave him Dhruvaloka. Because he desired: "No, you enjoy. Then you come back again." So there is no need of asking any... Kṛṣṇa knows, as the father knows, the mother knows what is the need of my child; Therefore pure devotee never asks from Kṛṣṇa anything except His service. Mama janmani janamanīśvare bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī. "Without any cause let me be engaged in Your service."

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.1 -- Mayapur, March 25, 1975:

So that is described here. Kṛṣṇa-caitanya-saṁjñakam. Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He has expanded Himself as gurūn. The guru, the spiritual master, he's also Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktaḥ **. In all the śāstras, guru is accepted as Kṛṣṇa. Sākṣād-dharitvena. Sākṣād means directly. Just like you offer your devotion, respects, to guru. So that respect is offered to Kṛṣṇa. Guru also does not think himself that he is Kṛṣṇa, but he collects the devotional services of the disciples to offer to Kṛṣṇa. This is the process. We cannot approach Kṛṣṇa directly. We should approach through guru. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). That is the injunction of the śāstra, that one should approach the guru who can transfer the service from the disciple to the Supreme Person. So... Therefore the first offering is guru, vande gurūn. Then guru creates many devotees. Guru's business is to canvass on behalf of Supreme Lord. That is guru's business. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), so, "You give up all material, engage..." Sarva-dharmān means in the material world we have created so many so-called duties. This is our material disease. People are interested in material engagements and they have created different varieties of engagements. Sociology, communism, and this "ism," that "ism," philanthropism, altruism, internationalism, nationalism—many, many duties they have created. That is all material. Kṛṣṇa, out of His causeless mercy... (children crying) Stop that children. Out of His causeless mercy, He comes, He descends. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). Glānir, this is glānir. Human life is meant for one thing, athāto brahma jijñāsā, to inquire about the Supreme Absolute Truth. But instead of doing that, they have created so many "isms." That is their misfortune.

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

Nitāi: "...because He propagates the cult of devotion, He is called Ācārya. He is the Lord and the incarnation of the Lord's devotee. Therefore I take shelter of Him."

Prabhupāda:

advaitaṁ hariṇādvaitād
ācāryaṁ bhakti-śaṁsanāt
bhaktāvatāram īśaṁ tam
advaitācāryam āśraye
(CC Adi 1.13)

So gradually the author is offering respect, śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda śrī-advaita. He has already offered respect to Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda. Now it is the turn for Śrī Advaitācārya. So advaitam, nondifferent, expansion of Mahā-Viṣṇu. Therefore He is Viṣṇu-tattva; He is not jīva-tattva. Therefore He is advaita. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Kṛṣṇa has got unlimited number of expansions: expansion, expansion of the expansion, then expansion of the expansion, in this way. So Advaitācārya is expansion of Kṛṣṇa, it is already explained. Therefore He is called advaitam, and ācāryaṁ bhakti-śaṁsanāt.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 3.87-88 -- New York, December 27, 1966:

If there is no will of God, then it is not sufficient protection." Perhaps you know, every one of you. It happened to your country—of course, long, long ago; I heard it from papers in India—that the Americans manufactured a ship, Titanic. (laughter) And it was considered the safest: it will never sink down. On the first voyage, with all important men, it sunk down. Is it a fact? So it is not that your arrangement is sufficient—unless there is God's desire.

Therefore the common saying is that "Man proposes; God disposes." Therefore a devotee, he never depends in himself. He never considers himself, "I am independent." He simply depends on the supreme will of the Lord. That is devotion. "If God desires... If Kṛṣṇa desires..." Whenever we used to ask our Guru Mahārāja something, "Is it going to be happened like that?" some work, he never said, "Yes, it is going to happen. Yes, we are going to do it." No. "Yes, if Kṛṣṇa desires, it may be." He never said like that, positively. "If Kṛṣṇa desires." Actually this is the fact. If Kṛṣṇa desires, God desires, anything wonderful can be done. If He does not desire, however you may try, it will never be done. So just like we are praying to Kṛṣṇa, if He desires, we'll have a nice house. If He does not desire, we may remain here. It doesn't matter. But we shall prosecute our business, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is nothing to stop, in whatever condition we may be. Ahaituky apratihatā. Devotional service is, I mean to say, without any impediment, apratihatā. Nothing can check it—that is devotional service—in any circumstances. No material circumstances can check your Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When it is, you are firmly convinced and situated in that position, that is real bhakti-yoga. Nothing can disturb you. Nobody can say, "Oh, for this condition, now I am unable to prosecute this Kṛṣṇa consciousness." That means he was never in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Nothing can check.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 3.87-88 -- New York, December 27, 1966:

They do not go deep into the matter. So ullaṅhita-trividha-sīma-samātīśāyi. God is beyond the limitation of our thinking and philosophical speculation. Sambhāvanaṁ tava parivraḍhima-svabhāvam: "Your very grave and confidential activities, it is very difficult to understand by ordinary men." Māyā-balena bhavatāpi niguhyamānam. Māyā-balena: "That yogamāyā, although it is covered in that way all Your activities," paśyanti, "somebody can see You." Paśyanty kecid aniśam: "Not sometimes or accidentally, but aniśam, continually, he can see You." Paśyanti kecid aniśam tvad-ananya-bhāvāḥ. Ananya-bhāvāḥ means "Those who have unflinching devotion unto You." They can see. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena (Bs. 5.38). Although God is covered in that way...

There is very good instance in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. While Kṛṣṇa was dancing with the vraja-gopīs, He all of a sudden disappeared and all the gopīs, they became mad after Him and began to search in the forest: "Where is Kṛṣṇa?" So Kṛṣṇa, at one place, He situated Himself as Viṣṇu, as Viṣṇu, with four hands. Then gopīs, in their search after Kṛṣṇa, they saw: "Here is Viṣṇu sitting." So they did not care. "Oh, He is Viṣṇu. We don't want." Now see. They are seeing Viṣṇu is sitting, but they do not care for Viṣṇu: "Oh, we don't want this." They do not care for even Viṣṇu. They are searching after Kṛṣṇa. And when Rādhārāṇī came, Kṛṣṇa could not hide Himself with four hands. He had to become two-handed. The Rādhārāṇī's love was so forceful that Kṛṣṇa could not retain His hiding, I mean to say, feature of Viṣṇu. So for other gopīs He could hide Himself, but they did not care. They simply offered their..., "Oh, Viṣṇu. All right." But they want Kṛṣṇa. But when Rādhārāṇī came, Kṛṣṇa could not hide Himself with His four hands. He became immediately two-handed as Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.3 -- Mayapur, March 3, 1974:

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

Therefore, in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we first of all worship the Pañca-tattva: śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara—then we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Then it will be successful. Without going through the Pañca-tattva, with the mercy, nobody can understand Kṛṣṇa. It will remain a myth. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says,

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu
kaścid yatati siddhaye
yatatām api siddhānāṁ
kaścid vetti māṁ tattvataḥ
(BG 7.3)

You cannot understand Kṛṣṇa without the mercy of these Pañca-tattva. Therefore Kṛṣṇa, although He came personally, He taught the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā and asked people, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). But because we are mūḍhas, we misunderstood Kṛṣṇa. We could not take the last instruction of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa again came as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to teach us how to approach Kṛṣṇa. If we read the life of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, His acceptance of sannyāsa order, His preaching all over India, His chanting and dancing, His living at Jagannath Purī, His activities, His meeting with the devotees, His Guṇḍicā-mārjana, His Ratha-yātrā kīrtana—if we study all these activities of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, immediately you understand Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.5 -- Mayapur, March 7, 1974:

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

This is the varieties, transcendental varieties, different tastes. Nityānanda Prabhu is guru-tattva, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu is sevya-tattva. The guru is teaching, Nityānanda Prabhu is teaching how to worship Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

bhaja gaurāṅga kaha gaurāṅga laha gaurāṅgera nāme
ye jana gaurāṅga bhaje sei amāra prāṇa re (?)

This is Nityānanda Prabhu's business. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says that gaurāṅgera balite habe, pulaka śarīre, hari hari balite, nayane ba'be nīra. Gaurāṅga. So to become immediately in ecstasy of transcendental love, if we chant this śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda, it is easier. There is no offense in chanting this Pañca-tattva, but there is offense if you do not properly chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. There are ten kinds of offenses, you know. But in chanting śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda, there is no aparādha. You chant in any way; you'll get the result. This is the difference, taste. This is variety. Although there is no difference by chanting śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda and Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, mahā-mantra, but still by chanting this Pañca-tattva, you'll get immediately, quickly, result. Therefore our process is to chant the holy names of the Pañca-tattva and then we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. That is perfect. And neither mixing. The mixing taste is called rasābhāsa. Rasābhāsa. And we don't manufacture anything. Just follow. We disagree with the persons who chant that bhaja nitāi-gaura rādhe-śyāma. No. We must follow strictly. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186).

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.5 -- Mayapur, March 7, 1974:

So this acintya-bhedābheda-tattva... Pañca-tattva-eka-vastu, nāhi kichu bheda rasa āsvādite. Rasa āsvādite, the mellows, transcendental mellows. So these chapters of Caitanya-caritāmṛta are very... These are postgraduate study. You have to read it very carefully and as they are described. We have tried to describe them as far as possible for being understood by us, but we should be very careful.

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.)

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.8 -- Vrndavana, March 15, 1974:

So we have to approach the right spiritual master. That is our system, everyone's system. Ādau gurvāśrayaṁ sad-dharma-pṛcchāt. This is the direction of Śrīla Rupa Gosvami. So we have to accept the bona fide spiritual master. Who is spiritual master? Now, evam paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). By the paramparā system, one who has got the knowledge, he's a spiritual master, and the proof is—how one is spiritual master—that means paramparā, as Kṛṣṇa says. He does not change the words of Kṛṣṇa, but he follows the words of Kṛṣṇa and preaches the words of Kṛṣṇa. That is the proof of spiritual master. That's all. Brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam. Firm faith, unflinching devotion at the lotus feet of the Lord, and speaking what the Lord spoke. No manufacturing. That is bona fide spiritual master. Otherwise, we shall be misguided, bogus. Bogus are described in the Bhāgavatam: mandāḥ sumanda-matayo. Sumanda-matayo (SB 1.1.10). They have manufactured their own ideas. That will take time. But if we approach the real spiritual master, bona fide spiritual master, then our material disease will be cured even in this life. Then material disease will be cured when we develop our dormant love for Kṛṣṇa. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Simply by understanding Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.49-65 -- San Francisco, February 3, 1967:

"In the lower stage, a devotee goes to the temple or to the church or to the mosque, with great devotion and faith offers prayers to the Lord, but he has no knowledge about other devotees," na tad-bhakteṣu cānyeṣu, "and he does not know the duty to others." A devotee should not be satisfied simply by elevating himself in spiritual advancement. He has got other duties also. What is that other duties? That those who are innocent, those who are not interested... Everyone is interested, but there are persons who have forgotten his relationship with God. Therefore it is the duty of the devotee to enlighten others. That is required. Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he also preached the sense of God, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is the duty of devotee. It is the duty of good son of God, but the..., those who are in the lower status, they have not developed such consciousness that "I have to preach the philosophy of God consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness to others." They are simply satisfied themselves. They go to the church or mosque or temple, offer their prayers in devotion. That's all.

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

Now, and at this time Sanātana Gosvāmī arrived to see Caitanya Mahāprabhu after retirement from his government service. So He taught him for two months about the science of devotion and the principles of devotion. We have discussed to a certain extent, and we shall again discuss. Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught personally Sanātana Gosvāmī what is Kṛṣṇa—what is Kṛṣṇa, what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, what is the position of the living entity, what is this world. All these things He has very nicely taught Sanātana Gosvāmī. And Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī, these two brothers are authorities of the disciplic succession of Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

So,

loka nistāriyā prabhura calite haila mana
vṛndāvane pāṭhāilā śrī-sanātana

Now after teaching Sanātana Gosvāmī, He asked him that "You go to Vṛndāvana." Because He was returning to Jagannath Purī. Caitanya Mahāprabhu authorized... You have seen the picture of Vṛndāvana in that catalogue? What is that book you have brought from library? No. That's all right. Oh, you have forgotten your book? Library book? Huh? Who brought that book which is lying in my room, apartment? Anyway, there is a picture of Vṛndāvana. That picture, there is a temple. This temple was first constructed by Sanātana Gosvāmī. That is the oldest temple in Vṛndāvana, not less than five hundred years old. And it was desecrated by the Aurangzeb, Emperor Aurangzeb.

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

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

apāṇi-pāda śruti, veda-mantra, varje prakṛta pāṇi-caraṇa
na kahe śīghra cale kare sarva grahaṇa

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

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

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

Now the first question was, of Sanātana Gosvāmī, that is, that should be the first question of everyone: "What I am?" Because if I do not know what I am, there is no question of my duties and my destination, everything. Everything will depend first to know what I am. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā Arjuna did not know what he was; therefore Kṛṣṇa first of all taught him that "You are not this body. You are not this body." That was the first instruction. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yau... (BG 2.13). "You are so much absorbed in bodily conception of life, and you are thinking that you are a learned man. That is your foolishness." In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find the first instruction of Lord Kṛṣṇa is there, aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase: (BG 2.11) "You are thinking, you are talking with Me just like a very learned man. You are arguing with me. But from your behavior I can understand you are a fool number one." Because such kind of talk is never, I mean to say, placed by a learned man. So indirectly He said that "You are a fool."

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

Sentiment is no... Sentiment is bhāva, but that is after full knowledge. When you can understand Kṛṣṇa is so great, so powerful, then your devotion increases immediately. Therefore we have to study śāstras for understanding His position, and if we understand Kṛṣṇa, then we become liberated person immediately. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti. Janma karma ca me divyam (BG 4.9). So those who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, they should study Kṛṣṇa scientifically, not by sentiment. After full knowledge of Kṛṣṇa, when you become absorbed in Kṛṣṇa's form, that is called bhāva. Budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ.

So that bhāva stage does not come immediately. You have to practice gradually.
ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-
saṅgo 'tha bhajana-kriyā
tato 'nartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt
tato niṣṭhā rucis tataḥ
athāsaktis tato bhāvaḥ
(Cc. Madhya 23.14-15)

There are stages. So, this is the beginning. Ādau śraddhā. Just like yesterday you made. They very much appreciated this Ratha-yātrā ceremony, and they wrote very frankly, "Here is the point of meeting East and West." The newspapers, they have written like that. It is actually the fact. We cannot become united nations of united dogs. (laughter) It is not possible. Everyone is barking. And if you practice to bark, then simply some different types of dog, some bulldogs, some greyhounds, some this, some that. (laughter) So how they will be united?

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.118-119 -- New York, November 23, 1966:

Simply by devotional... If you want to worship the Supreme Lord, then you have to worship Him simply by service. There is no other process. You cannot worship Kṛṣṇa by this controlling breathing or by mental speculation or by some pious activities or by charities. You have simply to worship Him simply by your devotional love. That is the only way. Bhaktyai, bhaktyaika, only one, bhakti. There is no other means. There is no second means to understand God without this devotional service. Rest assured. Foolish creatures, they take this, that. They do not understand. They come to the, that impersonal, void, all the nonsensical conclusions and... Because they do not take shelter of this, devotion, therefore they cannot have any conclusion. It is not possible. Therefore, more or less, they become atheists or after the voidness or impersonalism, and so many things there are. They create.

But because Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Lord, cannot be understood by any other process... It is simply waste of time. If you want to know Kṛṣṇa, if you want to know God, then you have to take this process. That is a... Bhaktyaikayeśam, ābhajet tam bhaktyaikayeśaṁ guru-devatātmā: "He is the Supreme Lord, He is the Supersoul, and He is the supreme spiritual master." In this way. He's the supreme spiritual master within you. As soon as you will take to devotional service, He'll give you dictation, "You do this." What dictation? To go to hell? No. Buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam. In the Bhagavad-gītā: "I give him intelligence." Why? What for? Yena mām upayānti te: "By which he can come back to Me." That buddhi-yogam. He'll help you. If you think something... If He takes seriously about your case, if you are fully surrendered, then He'll direct you in such a way that you cannot go elsewhere except to Him, even sometimes you may find that "He is doing something against my will."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.118-119 -- New York, November 23, 1966:

We have given Her trouble." This is pure devotee. They were very sorry that "Kṛṣṇa was troubled to send me all these goods."

So this is the process. Kṛṣṇa is also finding always opportunity, "How to serve My pure devotee?" And pure devotee's so clever that he won't accept any service from Kṛṣṇa. Just like the Arjuna, he never said, "Kṛṣṇa, You are God. Why You are putting me to war indirectly? You can give me everything." Kṛṣṇa said, "No." He never said that, Arjuna. Kṛṣṇa said, niyataṁ kuru karma tvaṁ karma jyāyo hy akarmaṇaḥ: "You are kṣatriya. You have to fight." He never said. So we should not take God as order-supplier. That is not devotion. That is mercantile business. Kṛṣṇa is not going to be a lover by mercantile mentality. You are, you must give Him service. Ābhajet tam. This is the process of devotion.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.119-121 -- New York, November 24, 1966:

Paul: "Spotless, faultless, charitable, mild, clean, simple, benevolent, peaceful, completely attached to Kṛṣṇa, no material hankerings, meek, steady, self-controlled, does not eat more than required..."

Prabhupāda: Does not eat more than required. Yes.

Paul: "...sane, respectful, humble, grave, compassionate, friendly, poetic, expert..."

Prabhupāda: Poetic, expert and silent. One who is too much talkative, that means he's lacking in devotion. He should simply talk about Kṛṣṇa, nothing more. And when he, when one is actually absorbed in Kṛṣṇa thought, he cannot talk nonsense. He has no time. He does not waste time. So these are the qualities. Here, he's called sādhu. Sādhu means these are the qualifications. Of course, not that we may develop all these qualities immediately, but sādhu means this. Sādhu means, what is called, pious man. These are the qualities of pious man, sādhu. And śāstra. Śāstra means the scripture. By study of scripture, you can develop these qualities. That is called scripture. That is authorized scripture. Just like you study some book, and you develop some quality after reading that book, similarly, when you actually have scripture, then you develop all these qualities. And guru, spiritual master, means who teaches you all these things. So you have to make your progress—sādhu-śāstra-guru vākya. You have to corroborate whether guru, what guru is speaking, whether it is there in the scripture; what scripture is speaking, whether that is in the character of guru, or in the sādhu, saintly persons, or spiritual master. So you have to always make comparison with three things: sādhu, śāstra, guru. Nobody can become a spiritual master who has no reference to the scriptures and these qualities. Nobody can be accepted as a qualified man, he has not..., if one has not developed his character through the scripture under the instruction of guru.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.124-125 -- New York, November 26, 1966:

Because without becoming religious, there is no possibility of peace and prosperity. So this is one of the aim of human society, religious. And why religious? Dharma-artha. Then the economic condition will be better. If all people are religious, then economic condition will be better. Dharma-artha. And why economic condition better wanted? Kāma. Kāma means then the necessities of your life will be fulfilled nicely. Dharma, artha, kāma, and moksa. Then what is the end? That if you are peacefully in the society, then you can culture for your liberation. So dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣa (SB 4.8.41), so generally these four principles are the aim of human society. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that "Yes, these are all right." But premā pumartho mahān: "With all these things, if you have no love of Godhead, it is all nonsense. All nonsense. Therefore try to love God and everything will be all right." This is the mission of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, premā pumartho mahān. So prema. Here, also, Lord Caitanya says that we should understand our relationship with God. We should act in that way. That means in devotion. Then we shall have the highest perfection of life, love of God, and our mission of human life will be fulfilled.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.137 -- New York, November 28, 1966:

So (the) Lord says, "All these processes—the yoga process, the sāṅkhya process, the ritualistic process, or studying the Vedas or undergoing severe type of penance and austerities—all these processes, combined together or individually, they are not suitable for achieving Me. They are not."

So practically every process is condemned herewith by the Supreme Lord, condemned in this sense, that they can approach to a certain degree, certain extent, towards the final goal. But that process will never be able to achieve to the final goal unless this devotional process is added there. Plus, this must be, the devotion, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, because ultimate end is Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord. As we have several times discussed that verse from the Bhagavad-gītā, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyante: (BG 7.19) "After many, many births, those who are actually intellectual, they come to Me and surrender to God, that 'Here is...' Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti: (BG 7.19) 'God is everything.' Then he surrenders." So one has to come. Maybe you go by the yoga process, maybe you go by the philosophical process, maybe you go by the ritualistic process, maybe that you go by penances and by study. But unless you reach to this point of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, your attempt..., not failure, but there are different degrees. So people are satisfied with that different degrees only. They... Hardly they try to reach the final goal. But if anyone wants to reach the final goal, then he has to take this process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, bhaktir mamorjitā. That process alone can take you to the Supreme Lord.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.137-142 -- New York, November 29, 1966:

It is better than the atheist. But that is not end. You must develop yourself. You must... You should not simply make God as your order-supplier, but you should be order-supplier. When I become order-supplier to God, that is my perfection. And so long I keep God as my order-supplier, that is not bhakti. Generally, people keep God as his order-supplier: "O God, give us our daily bread," "O God, I am in distress, "O God, I am in difficulty, "O God, I am..." God supplies them. God is supplying. Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. But that is not ultimate goal. The ultimate goal is that you should supply God. God will be dependent on you. That is bhakti.

Just like Yaśodāmayī. Yaśodāmayī, he (she) was so advanced in devotion that God became dependent on her. God appeared as his (her) child. As the child always remains dependent on the mercy of the mother, similarly Kṛṣṇa before His foster mother Yaśodāmayī just remained just like dependent. Mother said, "My dear child, if You become more naughty, then I shall chastise You." And God is crying. You see? These are the relationship between God and the devotee. You see? One who chastises the whole universe, whole creation, He is afraid of His mother. He becomes dependent as He likes. It is said in the śāstra that "When My devotee thinks Me dependent on him, oh, I like that. I like that." People always worship God as the sublime, but the devotee, they do not worship. They want to serve God as dependent. Just like mother serves the child as dependent. There is no purpose. The mother is satisfied simply by keeping the child in perfect order. Yes. There is no purpose. Similarly, when we shall be inclined to see that He is always satisfied, that is devotion. Then you can have God in your grip. You see? God is so kind, Kṛṣṇa is so kind, that He becomes just...

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.19-31 -- San Francisco, January 20, 1967:

So far salvation is concerned, nobody can be liberated without bhakti, without devotional service. Bhakti vinā, without devotion, or without love of Godhead, without attaining... That is the verdict of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So long one is not a surrendered soul to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is no question of liberation from this material world. Bhāgavata says, śreyaḥ-sṛtiṁ bhaktim udasya te vibho. Here's a nice verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. It is said there that śreyaḥ-sṛtim, the real path of salvation, śreyaḥ-sṛtim, bhaktim, that is devotional service, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Śreyah-sṛtiṁ bhaktim. Bhaktim udasya te vibho. If somebody gives up the path of devotional service, kliśyanti ye kevala-bodha-labdhaye, and wastes time simply for understanding that "This is not Brahman, this is not Brahman..." That is the way of Māyāvādī philosophers. They scrutinize that "This is māyā and this is Brahman"; therefore they are called Māyāvādīs. Simply, what is not Brahman... They say it is one, but simply they distinguish, "This is māyā, this is Brahman." Why this is māyā? They say, wherefrom the māyā comes? Then it becomes dualism actually. Although they say that "We are monists, one," but they explain that this māyā is illusion. Māyā is temporary, and actually, everything is one. Eko brahma dvitīya nāsti. But the Vaiṣṇava philosophy is that "Yes... It is..." It is called viśiṣṭādvaitavāda. We also say, "Yes, one," but one in variety. There are varieties. We don't say that māyā is something external. Māyā is there. Māyā is there. It is not external. It may be inferior, as it is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā that material energy, the material nature is inferior. That does not mean infer... Some part of my body is inferior. That does not mean it has no existence. It is not mithyā.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 5 -- Los Angeles, May 7, 1970:

Where is the moon?" He'll say, "Oh, it is on my head." Similarly, goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūtaḥ (Bs. 5.37). Kṛṣṇa, although He is in Vṛndāvana, Goloka Vṛndāvana, enjoying pastimes with the associates, He is everywhere, according to the position, shape, form, activities. Everywhere. Therefore it is said here that Supreme Lord walks and does not walk. He does not go from His abode. He is fully enjoying. But at the same time, everywhere He is. Everywhere walking. Just like we offer foodstuff. So do not think that Kṛṣṇa is not accepting. Kṛṣṇa is accepting, because He can spread His hand immediately if you offer something with devotion. Tayā bhakty-upahṛtam aśnāmi. Kṛṣṇa says, "Anyone offering Me, offering Me something with faith and love, I eat." People may ask, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is far away, in Goloka Vṛndāvana. How He eats? How He takes?" Oh, that is God. Yes, He eats. Yes, He takes. He walks; He does not walk. Immediately comes. But you must have the qualification to call Him. If you are actually a devotee, immediately Kṛṣṇa is present. Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu challenged devotee Prahlāda, "Where is your God? Do you think...?" The Prahlāda was looking to the column. "Oh, do you think your God is here? All right." He immediately broke. "Ahh!" Kṛṣṇa came. That is Kṛṣṇa.

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 6 -- Los Angeles, May 8, 1970:

Prākṛtaḥ means, from material platform, one is coming to the spiritual platform at that stage one is taught or trained to worship the Deity with great faith and devotion under regulative principle. But in the neophyte stage, na tad-bhakteṣu cānyeṣu, he, the neophyte devotee, cannot understand who is highly elevated or devotee or what is his interest with other people. He cannot discriminate. Na tad-bhakteṣu cānyeṣu sa bhaktaḥ prākṛtaḥ smṛtaḥ. That neophyte devotee is almost material. Then next stage is to make friendship, to love God, and to make friendship with devotees, and to be merciful to the innocent and to reject the atheist. Four classes of men. You have to offer all your love for Kṛṣṇa and you have to make friendship with the devotees of Kṛṣṇa. And those who are innocent, just preach this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and try to attract them to Kṛṣṇa. And another class, atheists, don't go there. Don't try there. Hopeless. Not hopeless. For a person who is not very much elevated, for him it is hopeless.

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 13-15 -- Los Angeles, May 18, 1970:

Durdānta-kāla-sarpa-paṭalī, indriya. But these venomous snakes, if their poison teeth is taken away, then it may be fearful for the boys and children. But if an elderly person knows that his poison teeth has been taken away, nobody's afraid of it. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness means that we take away the poison teeth of the senses. So that even Kṛṣṇa conscious persons are allowed for sense gratification, the poison teeth is broken. So therefore they are not gliding down to the hellish condition of life. So in this way, either the karmīs or the jñānīs or the yogis, they are always... They are, every one of them, trying to elevate. And above them is the devotees.

So devotee's place is the highest because by devotion only you can understand what is God. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55), Kṛṣṇa says. He does not say that "By karma one can understand Me." He does not say that "By jñāna one can understand Me." He does not say that "By yoga one can understand Me." He clearly says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti: (BG 18.55) "Simply by devotional service one can understand Me." Yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ. Knowing Him as He is, that is bhakti. So except devotional service, there is no possibility of understanding the Absolute Truth. Any other process means covered. Just like the... You understand the sun planet from here. You are seeing the sun planet, that's a fact, but that does not mean you know what is actually the sun planet is, because you have no access to approach there. You may speculate, that's all. Speculation means the blind man seeing the elephant. Somebody thought, "Oh, it is just like a pillar." Yes. Big, big legs. Somebody understood the trunk. Somebody understood the ears, elephant. There is a story, some blind men studying the elephant. So they were giving different conclusions. Somebody: "The elephant is just like a pillar." Somebody says, "Elephant is just like big boat." Somebody is... Somebody is... But actually what is elephant, if you have no eyes to see, you can go on speculating. Therefore it is here said that pūṣann apāvṛṇu. "Please uncover the covering. Then I can see You."

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 13-15 -- Los Angeles, May 18, 1970:

Somebody is... Somebody is... But actually what is elephant, if you have no eyes to see, you can go on speculating. Therefore it is here said that pūṣann apāvṛṇu. "Please uncover the covering. Then I can see You."

So that seeing power is the bhakta's, the devotee's, because Kṛṣṇa certifies, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). Those who have developed love of Godhead by that ointment, prema, ointment... Just like sometimes... In India it is very... They have got some... What is called? Surma? Ungent, surma. Yes. If you apply that surma your sight becomes bright immediately. So if you smear your eyes with love of Godhead, then you will see God always. Santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti. Yes. So devotion. So this is the way of understanding God. By service, by enhancing love... This love can be increased only by service. Otherwise there is no possibility. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau (Brs. 1.2.234). The more you increase your service spirit, the more you increase your dormant love of God. And as soon as you are in the perfectional stage of love of God, you see God always, every moment. Twenty-four hours you can see.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Verse 34 -- San Francisco, September 13, 1968 :

The tree will supply immediately. Prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-lakṣāvṛteṣu. And surabhīr abhipālayantam. Kṛṣṇa is engaged in, as, a cowherds boy. He is herding cows. What sort of cows? Surabhiḥ. Surabhiḥ means that cow supplies you milk as much as you like, and as many times you can, you like, you can draw milk from that cow. Immense supply of milk, surabhīr abhipālayantam. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam, and the Lord is worshiped by many hundreds, thousands of goddess of fortune. The gopīs, here you see the picture. That is a little sample only. But in the transcendental kingdom the Lord is always served with all great respect and obeisances and devotion, many thousands of goddess of fortune. That goddess of fortune means they are most beautiful, and everything is complete, that such a place and such abode and such activities are described about Kṛṣṇa.

cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-
lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam
lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānaṁ
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

And that Personality of Godhead, Govinda, Kṛṣṇa, is the original person. As in the Vedānta-sūtra it is said, "Who is Brahman? What is Brahman? What is the Absolute Truth?" (break)

Festival Lectures

Ratha-yatra -- San Francisco, June 27, 1971:

Whenever you drink water, as soon as you are satiated, your thirst is quenched, immediately you think that this thirsting, the quenching power is Kṛṣṇa. Prabhāsmi śaśi sūryayoḥ. Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the sunshine. I am the moonshine." So during daytime, every one of us seeing the sunshine. As soon as you see sunshine, immediately you can remember Kṛṣṇa, "Here is Kṛṣṇa." As soon as you see moonshine at night, immediately you can remember, "Here is Kṛṣṇa." In this way, if you practice, there are many instances, many examples given in the Bhagavad-gītā, in the Seventh Chapter, if you read them carefully, how to practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then at that time, when you are mature in love of Kṛṣṇa, you will see Kṛṣṇa everywhere. Nobody has to help you to see Kṛṣṇa, but Kṛṣṇa will be revealed before you, by your devotion, by your love. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). Kṛṣṇa, when one is in service mood, when one understands that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, or God," then Kṛṣṇa help you how to see Him.

Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day -- Montreal, August 16, 1968:

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). Tattvataḥ means in truth. Not superficially. Scientifically, one who knows, he can get immediately liberation. And how one can understand the same truths? That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvan yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Again the same thing, tattvataḥ, in truth. If anyone wants to know God, or Kṛṣṇa, in truth, not superficially, then he has to undertake the process of devotional service. Bhaktyā. In another place Kṛṣṇa says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). "Any person who gives Me a little fruit, little flower, little water, but with devotion, bhaktyā..." That is the only qualification. So Kṛṣṇa says, tayā bhaktyā upāhṛtam aṣnāmi. "Because he brings it with devotion and faith and love, I eat." Kṛṣṇa eats. We are offering in the temple prasādam. So He eats because He says "I eat." How you can say that He does not eat? Some gentleman asked me that "Swamijī, you offer prasādam in the temple, but do you think Kṛṣṇa or God eats?" I answered, "Yes, why not? He says, 'I eat.' How you can say He does not eat? But you do not know how He eats." Due to poor fund of knowledge, you think that God does not eat. But eat..., His eating process is different. That is answered in the Brahma-saṁhitā. Brahma-saṁhitā, it is said aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛtti-manti (Bs. 5.32). God's senses, Kṛṣṇa's senses are as powerful as other senses. Just like I can see with my eyes, but Kṛṣṇa can eat also with His eyes. That is... Aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛtti-manti. Just like...

Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day Lecture -- London, August 21, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa says that "You always think of Me," man-manā bhava mad-bhakto. "Become My devotee." Mad-yājī, "You worship Me." Māṁ namaskuru, "And offer obeisances unto Me." Is it very difficult task? Here is Kṛṣṇa's Deity. If you think of this Deity, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, is it very difficult? Man-manā. You come into the temple and, just as a devotee, offer your respect to the Deity, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto. As far as possible try to worship the Deity, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). Kṛṣṇa does not want your whole property. Kṛṣṇa is open to the poorest man for being worshiped. What He is asking? He says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati: "With devotion, if a person offers Me a little leaf, a little fruit, a little water, I accept it." Kṛṣṇa is not hungry, but Kṛṣṇa wants to make you devotee. That is the main point. Yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. That is the main principle. If you offer Kṛṣṇa little things... Kṛṣṇa is not hungry; Kṛṣṇa is providing food for everyone. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. But Kṛṣṇa wants your love, your devotion. Therefore He is begging little patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto. There is no difficulty in understanding Kṛṣṇa and to accept Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But we'll not do that; that is our disease. Otherwise, it is not difficult at all. And as soon as we become devotee of Kṛṣṇa, we understand the whole situation. Our philosophy, Bhāgavata philosophy, is also communism because we consider Kṛṣṇa the supreme father, and all living entities, they are all sons of Kṛṣṇa.

Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day Lecture -- London, August 21, 1973:

It is awakened. Love for Kṛṣṇa, devotion for Kṛṣṇa, is there within everyone's heart, but he has forgotten. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is simply meant for awakening that Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the process. Just like when you are sleeping, your, I have to call you loudly—"Mr. such and such, such and such, get up. You have got this business." No other senses will act when you are sleeping. But the ear will act. Therefore, in this age, when people are so fallen they will not hear anything, if we chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, he'll be awakened to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is practical.

So actually if we are anxious for peace and tranquillity in society, then we must be very serious to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is our request. Don't take it neglectfully, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. This movement can solve all the problems of life, all the problems in the world. Social, political, philosophical, religious, economical—everything can be solved by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore, we request those who are leaders—just like His Excellency is present here—you should try to understand this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It is very scientific, authorized. It is not a mental concoction or sentimental movement. It is most scientific movement. So we are inviting all leaders from all countries: try to understand. If you are sober, if you are actually reasonable, you'll understand that this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the sublime movement for the welfare of the whole human society. That's a fact. Anyone may come. We are prepared to discuss this subject matter. Kṛṣṇa bhūliyā jīva bhoga vāñchā kare. We should not...

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

You have heard the name of Balarāma, Baladeva. Similarly Rāma, Rāma means the Supreme Enjoyer. Ramante yoginām anante sac-cid-ānanda-cirātmanīti rāma-padenāsau. Rāma means real bliss, and all the yogis, either dhyāna-yogī or a jñāna-yogī or a bhakta-yogī... There are three kinds of yogis. Everyone tries to enjoy that eternal bliss, and that is real pleasure. Therefore Rāma.

So this verse... Our, this respectable Indian lady, she will begin Rāmāyana... This Tulasī, actually it is not Rāmāyaṇa. It is called Rāma-carita-manasa. Rāmāyaṇa means Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, but people have taken it as Rāmāyaṇa. Actually, Tulasī dāsa has expressed his own feelings about his devotion to Lord Rāma, and therefore he has named it Rāma-carita-manasa, his mind full with service attitude for Lord Rāma. That is the real meaning of this book. But people have misinterpreted; they are going on just it is Rāmāyaṇa. And Rāmāyaṇa, of course, anywhere where Rāma's activities are described, that is called Rāmāyaṇa. That is another sense. But real Rāmāyaṇa means the Rāmāyaṇa composed by Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa. Rāmāyaṇa composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki. And this is... It is a popular notion that this is Rāmāyaṇa, but actually this book is called Rāma-carita-manasa. So some of the description of Rāma are there, but not all the description. Rather there are many differences from the original Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa. Anyway this is song of a devotee for his Lord Rāma. In that sense, you can call it Rāmāyaṇa, but this book is actually Rāma-carita-manasa.

Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami's Appearance Day -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:

First stage, second stage, and third stage. The first stage is called mahā-bhāgavata, liberated devotee. And the second stage is via media between the lowest stage and liberated stage. And the lowest stage is called prākṛta-bhakta, means persons in material condition gradually being elevated to the supreme position of self-realization. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu dealt with Sanātana Gosvāmī because he was to write one book for direction, Hari-bhakti-vilāsa. You know—his famous book. This is a book giving directions especially to the householders, how to keep oneself on the proper standard of Vaiṣṇava behavior. Later on, Sanātana Gosvāmī wrote the book Hari-bhakti-vilāsa for giving direction, and Rūpa Gosvāmī wrote the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, "The Science of Devotion." Now, these two brothers met Caitanya Mahāprabhu when they were on their ministerial posts at Maldah, a district in Bengal. So after meeting Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they decided to join with Him fully for propagating the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and they resigned from their posts. Rūpa Gosvāmī first resigned..., not officially resigned, because he was very much eager to meet Caitanya Mahāprabhu, so he first of all retired. And then Sanātana Gosvāmī, later on, he wanted to resign in a tactful way, but the Nawab did not like the idea. So he was imprisoned at his house. No, he was actually imprisoned. And later on, Sanātana Gosvāmī bribed ten thousand gold coins to the jail superintendent and got out of the prison house and went to meet Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Benares.

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

Without devotion, simply we go on hearing for millions of years, oh, that will not also not earn(?). It is here... Bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā. This is the process of understanding absolute knowledge. Please note these points, what are the process. First thing is that one must be faithful. Second thing is that he must be thoughtful. The third thing is that he must have knowledge. What is that knowledge? "I am not this body." And then detachment. As soon as I am convinced that I am not this body, then why should I take so much care for the body? Let me take care of my self. And as soon as these qualifications are fulfilled, then you can see within yourself what you are. Paśyanty ātmānaṁ cātmani. And all these things is on the basis of devotional service and by the process of hearing from the authoritative source. These are the qualification for understanding Absolute Truth.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Lecture -- San Francisco, July 15, 1975:

These are forbidden. So we are, of course, opening so many branches all over the world, and I am very pleased to see this branch. There is wonderful prospective. Utilize it properly and stick to the principle that āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra ei deśa (CC Madhya 7.128). The ājñā, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and ājñā, our Kṛṣṇa, not different. Because Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa Himself, and when He appeared as Kṛṣṇa, people misunderstood Him; therefore He has come as a devotee to teach us how to love Kṛṣṇa. So therefore, if we go through Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, chanting

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.)

and then we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, so rest assured the full perfection is awaiting you.

Initiation Lectures

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

As soon as with devotion and faith you chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, God will help you. Kṛṣṇa will help you from within to cleanse your heart so that you will be able to see things as they are.

So we should avoid blaspheming the persons who have preached God consciousness all over the world. We should not deprecate the value of scriptures. And the most obstinate sinful activity is to act sinfully on the strength of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Because it is said that as soon as you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa you become freed from all sinful activities. There is no difference between Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa name. Absolute. So if somebody thinks that "I am chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, therefore I can continue committing all kinds of sinful activities," that is the greatest... Nāmnād balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhir. Anyone who commits sinful activities... I have already explained the four kinds of sinful activities you should avoid. But if you think that you are chanting, therefore there will be no reaction of sinful activities, that is the greatest sin. Greatest offense. Never. Don't commit any sinful activities. And sāmyaṁ śubha-kriyā api pramādaḥ. This is another great offense. That don't accept this chanting as something auspicious activity. It is transcendental to auspicious and inauspicious activities. It is a vibration from the spiritual sky which will attract you gradually to the spiritual sky, beyond this material sky.

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

Revatīnandana: "Second, considering the Lord and other demigods on the same level."

Prabhupāda: This is very important point, blaspheming the devotees. The Lord's devotee, in many countries, many places... Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he's also devotee of Lord. Muhammad, he's also devotee of Lord. So it is not that because we are Kṛṣṇa conscious, we shall unnecessarily decry any other parts, any other devotee. It may be, according to time, place, and country, the method may be different, but anyone who is preaching devotion to God, he's a devotee of God. So he should never be blasphemed. Yes.

Revatīnandana: "Two. Considering the Lord and other demigods on the same level."

Prabhupāda: Yes. One should not put the Supreme Personality of Godhead... Just like the Māyāvādī says, "The demigods and God, they are all the same." Because according to them, God has no form, so any form you accept, imagine, as the form of God, it is as good. But that is not the fact. There are demigods and the Supreme God also. So we should not place... Just like demigod, Lord Brahmā or Lord Śiva, Indra, Candra, they are demigods. So we should not place... In one sense, there is nothing except God, because everything expansion of God. But that does not mean I am equal to God. I am also expansion of God, that's a fact. Just like father and the son. Son is the expansion of father; still, the son is not the father. Don't mistake that. There is no difference between father and son because the same body is expanded as son, but still, the son is not the father. Father is father, son is son. This, I mean to say, variety, the Māyāvādī philosophers, they do not understand. Then?

Revatīnandana: "...or assuming that there are many Gods."

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

"...such things in devotion and love," aśnāmi, "I eat." So one's purpose is served. If Kṛṣṇa accepts something from a person, that is the perfection of life. So there are many things, but today we are observing this ceremony, and the other day we also observed. Six boys were offered this facility of this second initiation stage, and today also, they have come from New York because I'll be going to Montreal, Canada, next week. So they have come and they are... This second process of initiation will be performed as far as possible. Real basic principle is bhakti, devotional service. So far lengthy process, in this age it is not possible. And pāñcarātrika vidhim, just like quoted from Rūpa Gosvāmī, it has made things very simplified. The Vedic vidhi is not possible at the present age. The pāñcarātrika-vidhim means... Vedic vidhi means one must be begotten by a brāhmaṇa and he must have followed the family tradition. Then, according to Vedic rites, he can be initiated or offered the sacred thread. But pāñcarātrika-vidhi is especially meant for this age, that anyone who has little, a slight tendency to become a devotee, he should be given all chance, all chance. That is Lord..., especially Lord Caitanya's special benediction. And He has actually performed this thing. Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura. He happened to be born in a Muhammadan family, and Lord Caitanya made him the ācārya, nāmācārya, the authority of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, nāmācārya, by His grace. This Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī were rejected from brāhmaṇa society because they engaged themselves as ministers in the Muslim government.

Initiation Lecture -- London, August 22, 1971:

Prabhupāda: No meat-eating, no eggs, no fish, no chicken, nothing of the sort. Simply vegetarian. Kṛṣṇa... Not even vegetarian; Kṛṣṇa-prasādam. We don't accept even vegetarian diet. We simply accept Kṛṣṇa-prasādam. So Kṛṣṇa-prasādam which is vegetable. Kṛṣṇa does not eat meat because He says in the Bhagavad-gītā, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). Kṛṣṇa says that "Foodstuff prepared from vegetable kingdom, anyone offering Me with devotion and faith, I eat." He says, "I eat." So when Kṛṣṇa says He eats, so you should offer Him such nice prasādam so that He can eat and you take Kṛṣṇa-prasādam. Prasāde sarva-duḥkhānāṁ hānir asyopajāyate. So you take Kṛṣṇa-prasādam. And what is the other?

Devotee: No illicit sex.

Prabhupāda: No illicit sex. You cannot have illicit sex life. Here I have gotten married all these boys and girls. I don't allow to live as boyfriend, girlfriend. No. (laughter) That is not allowed(?) in our society. All these married girls and boys, they have been married by me. Perhaps that is the first instance that a sannyāsī is creating householders. (laughter) Sannyāsī creates sannyāsī. People are afraid of mixing with sannyāsī because they think that "A sannyāsī will make me a sannyāsī." But actually, that fear is not here. Here is a sannyāsī who is creating gṛhasthas.

Indian guest: Swamijī, (Hindi or Bengali)

Initiations -- San Diego, June 30, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa says that "My devotee, when he brings something within the categories of vegetables, grains and fruits, because he has brought with devotion and love, I eat them." So when the devotee offers with devotion and love, "Kṛṣṇa, You have given us so many nice things. So I have cooked it. Kindly You take first," oh, how it is nice. Just like your father has given you so many things and you are obliged, "Oh, our father is maintaining us." And if you cook something and give it to the father first, "My dear father, I have cooked this. It is very nice. You first of all..." "Oh, it is very nice? All right, give me." The father will be so much pleased. "Oh, here is my dear son." It is father's property. You cannot give anything to the father. Similarly, you have nothing to offer to Kṛṣṇa. Simply you have to become little intelligent. That's all. Not rascal. If you remain rascal, then your human life is spoiled. If you become little intelligent, then your human life is successful. This is intelligence, that "God is giving us... God is giving us daily bread. Why not offer to God first?" That is intelligence. And simply, "God is giving me bread. I shall eat. That's all..." I am meant for eating only? And why not offering? God will not eat. Simply you feel gratitude: "Oh, God has given me this bread. Let me offer it to God first of all. Then I take." What is the wrong there? What is loss there? But these narādhama, lowest of the mankind, they even do not recognize this. Lowest of... They have been described in Bhagavad..., narādhama. Na māṁ duṣkṛtina mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ, māyayāpahṛta-jñānā. His intelligence, his knowledge, has been taken away by māyā. He has not this knowledge even, that "God has given me to eat. Why not offer first of all to God?" This intelligence has been taken away by māyā. Therefore they are narādhama. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). So those who are narādhama, lowest of the mankind... Just like here, something being offered to Kṛṣṇa, to God, He will eat it, but He will leave everything for you as prasādam. How? Pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate. Pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam eva avaśiṣyate (Iso Invocation). This is God's power. He will eat everything, but He will keep everything for you as prasādam. Pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya. Taking everything, but still, it is there.

General Lectures

Lecture on Maha-mantra -- New York, September 8, 1966:

These are different, nine processes. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Śravaṇam means hearing, and kīrtanam means chanting, chanting. So by this process... Just like I chant and you hear, and you chant and I hear. Parasparam. Bodhayantaḥ parasparam. This is the factual activities of devotion in devotional society. This bodhayantaḥ parasparam: I chant, you hear, and you chant, I hear. So by this process, the transcendental name, the sound incarnation of the Supreme Lord, becomes manifest, manifest so that we can realize God simply by chanting and hearing. Simply by chanting and hearing that will be realized. Of course, there are some rules and regulations for chanting, but in the beginning we haven't got to observe those rules and regulation at the present. First of all let us have the taste for chanting; then we shall be little careful that the rules and regulations are followed. In the beginning, if we stick up to the... Rules and regulations are subordinate, subordinate thing. Just like you enter into an office. You are appointed in some office to work. So on the very day, you do not know all the rules and regulations. But because you do not know all the rules and regulation, that does not mean that you cannot be appointed. First of all let yourself be appointed. Now, working, working, yourself you will know that rules and regulations: "This is the rules, and this is the regulation." Just like in my life, I will say one instance. When I met my spiritual master, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja, so as a gentleman meets as a gentleman, so he was sitting in a couch like that. So, and I also sat down on that very couch. So I did not know that what are the rules and regulations. Now, when I saw that his other disciples are coming, and they are sitting down, (laughs) so I thought myself, "Oh, I have done this wrong. I should not have sat with His Divine Grace." So of course, I did not get down immediately, but I took it, and from next day I did not sit.

Lecture Excerpt -- Montreal, August 23, 1968:

Ahaituky apratihatā. Ahaituky apratihatā means it is not dependent on anything. You can yourself automatically, by whatever asset you have got—thinking, feeling, walking, eating, sleeping—whatever you have got. By such things, by using those things in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you can purchase Kṛṣṇa. This is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. You haven't got to acquire something extra for loving Kṛṣṇa or purchasing Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa becomes purchased. Therefore... Kṛṣṇa cannot be purchased. His name is Ajita. He cannot be conquered, but His devotee can purchase Him, can conquer Him. Just like you have seen the pictures in our Back to Godhead about Bhīṣma, that it was just joking, but he knew that "Arjuna cannot be killed because he is very dear friend of Kṛṣṇa. So these people are requesting me to kill Arjuna. So I shall show my capacity of fighting." And actually Arjuna became perplexed. Bhīṣma wanted to see that Kṛṣṇa shall have to break His promise for His devotee. "I know I shall not be able to kill Arjuna, but at least I shall see that Kṛṣṇa has broken His promise." So Kṛṣṇa actually did not break His promise. He did not accept any weapon, but He simply showed Bhīṣma that "I have come to kill you with this wheel of the chariot." His sudarśana-cakra is different. These are the reciprocation. Kṛṣṇa can do anything for His devotee. Personally He may be very severe, but for devotee He can do anything. That means devotee can purchase by his devotion. (end)

Lecture -- Seattle, September 27, 1968:

However perfect you may be in serving Kṛṣṇa, you should always know that... Kṛṣṇa is unlimited, so your service cannot reach Him perfectly. It will ever remain imperfect because we are limited. But Kṛṣṇa is so kind. If you offer a little service sincerely, He accepts. That is the beauty of Kṛṣṇa. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. And if Kṛṣṇa accepts a little service from you, then your life is glorious. So it is not possible to love Kṛṣṇa perfectly, to render service to Kṛṣṇa, because He is unlimited. There is a process, worshiping the Ganges in India. The Ganges River is considered sacred river. So they worship Ganges, the river Ganges, by taking water from the Ganges and offering it. Suppose in a small pot like this, either pot or your handful, you take some water from the Ganges and with your devotion and mantra you offer to the Ganges water. So you take a glass of water from the Ganges and offer it to the Ganges, what is there, gain and profit or loss or gain for the Ganges? If you take a glass of water from the Ganges and again offer it, so what is the gain and profit of Ganges? But your process, your faith, your love for mother Ganges, "Mother Ganges, I offer you this little water," that is accepted. Similarly, what we have got to offer Kṛṣṇa? Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. Now we have offered these fruits. Do the fruits belong to us? Who has produced these fruits? Have I produced? Is there any brain of the human being who can produce fruits, grains, milk? They're very great scientist. Now let them produce. The cow is eating grass and delivering you milk. So now, by scientific process, why don't you transform grass into milk? Still the rascals will not agree that there is God. You see? They have become so rascal: "Science." And what is your science, nonsense? You see the cows are eating grass and delivering you milk. Why don't you give to your wife and take milk? Why do you purchase? But if you offer this grass to a human being, she will die. So everything, the law of Kṛṣṇa, or law of God, is working, and still they say that "God is dead.

Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1968:

The nature gives chance to the living entity, this developed consciousness of human being, in order to understand these things. And if he is fortunate enough to understand that he is spirit soul, he is Brahman, then the Bhagavad-gītā gives definition of such man that brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā: (BG 18.54) as soon as he comes to the understanding of spiritual platform, then he becomes joyful, immediately—freed from all anxieties. Joyfulness means freed from all anxiety. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). He has no more any hankering and no more lamentation. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati, samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu... And he sees everyone on the spiritual platform, equally. And then the life of devotion, service to the Lord, begins.

So this is the process. This is the process of understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the process is recommended that one should become freed from the designation. Because designation, accepting the designation, means ignorance. That is ignorance. So we have to transcend this position of designation. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). And by reviving our lost relationship with the Supreme Lord, we become cleansed. That is brahminical stage. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam. Nirmalam means cleansed, and hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanam. When your consciousness is cleansed, then you can only render service to the Lord. Otherwise not. So long our consciousness is not clean, consciousness is polluted, there is no possibility of rendering service to the Lord.

Srila Prabhupada and Disciples Speak -- New York, April 9, 1969:

Viṣṇujana: "Glory to Śrī Kṛṣṇa saṅkīrtana, which cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years together. And thus the fire of conditional life, of repeated birth and death, is extinguished. Such saṅkīrtana movement gives the essence of all nectar of transcendental bliss and helps us to have a taste of that full nectarean for which always anxious we are." So this is the mercy you have given us, this saṅkīrtana movement, that every day, ten hours a day, we can chant the holy name of God right out on the street, and everyone who sees and hears is learning about Lord Caitanya, is learning about the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement and is practically engaged in devotion.

Prabhupāda: Thank you. Ṛṣi Kumāra, you can speak something? Yes.

Ṛṣi Kumāra: In the Vedic literatures it is stated that there are 8,400,000 species of life that one can take in this material world. So we've come to this human form, taken this human body, and it's such a great opportunity for realizing the purpose of life. We're so fortunate that Prabhupāda has come to teach us this process of realizing our self in this human form. So take advantage of this causeless mercy which Kṛṣṇa has sent us.

Prabhupāda: Thank you. Hm. There is a verse by Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yogam apāyayan mām anabhīpsum andhaṁ kṛpāmbudhir yas tam aham... (CC Madhya 6.254). Sanātanam... Kṛpāmbudhir yas sanātanaṁ prabhu tam aham āśrayaḥ. Like that. Sanātana... Six Gosvāmīs, Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī, Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Jīva Gosvāmī. So Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, he was a very rich man's son and he was youngest. All the Gosvāmīns used to treat him as younger brother. So he's writing his realization, vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yogam. This bhakti-yogam, devotional service, is..., another name is vairāgya-vidyā. Vairāgya-vidyā means... Vairāgya means renunciation. We are now caught up by this material body, and we have to get out.

Lecture Engagement and Prasada Distribution -- Boston, April 26, 1969:

Prabhupāda: Similarly, there are different yoga processes. If you stick to some process you go little further. Then you take another—you go little further. But if you take the bhakti-yoga process, it is a lift immediately. Because, as I quoted the verse from Bhagavad-gītā, yoginām api sarveṣām (BG 6.47). Sarveṣām means all. There are different kinds of yogis. So "Out of different kinds of many yogis," mad-gatenāntarātmanā, "one who is thinking of Me always within his heart," mad-gatenāntarāt..., śraddhāvān bhajate mām, "and is engaged in My service with faith and devotion," sa me yuktatamo, "oḥ, he is the first-class yogi." He is the first-class yogi. Because yoga means to contact the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the ultimate goal. So if by some process you can at once contact the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is first class. That is made easy in this age. Simply by chanting Kṛṣṇa, you immediately contact. Immediately. So why not take this process? Why not try? Just give a try and reach immediately. That is our proposal. We request everyone, "Try this process." Yes?

Guest (4): Does devotion come before wakefulness, or does wakefulness come before devotion?

Prabhupāda: Before?

Guest (4): Wakefulness, awareness.

Guest (2): Does devotion come before wakefulness, or does wakefulness come before devotion?

Prabhupāda: What do you mean by wakefulness?

Guest (4): Awareness. Feeling the present, being aware of yourself.

Lecture Engagement and Prasada Distribution -- Boston, April 26, 1969:

Prabhupāda: No. First you have to execute devotion; then awareness comes. If you do not read or labor for passing your examination, how you can pass examination? So therefore devotion is the prescribed rules and regulation. That is not very difficult. The primary rule is that you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Just see. It is not difficult. Yes.

Guest (5): Should not one try to purify one's heart first and personality?

Prabhupāda: Yes. That will go. Just like if you take proper medicine for curing your disease, the more the disease is cured, you feel healthy life. Pure life means healthy life, and impure life means unhealthy life. So there is a process of bhakti-yoga, how one becomes purified. The first stage is ādau śraddhā. Just like you have, all ladies and gentlemen, come here with little respect for this, I mean to say, movement, Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is the basic principle. A little faith. "Oh, all right. Let us hear about it. Let us see." This is the beginning. Ādau śraddhā tato sādhu-saṅga. Now, if you think, "Oh, it is very nice. Oh, Swamijī explains very nicely," then you come again. That is called sādhu-saṅga, association. We have got our class. If you want, you can associate with us. Ādau śraddhā tato-sādhu-saṅga tato bhajana-kriyā. Bhajana-kriyā means practice. Just like my students, they came also like this. Not in the beginning they accepted, but he came after attending some lectures, then advanced, then offered that "Swamijī, I want to be your student." That is called bhajana-kriyā. So if he practiced the bhajana-kriyā, then anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Then he becomes purified. This is the process of purification. Anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Tato niṣṭhā. And as soon as he is purified, he become stuck up to this principle. He cannot give up. Tato niṣṭhā tato ruciḥ. Ruci means he gets a taste for it. Don't you think they are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa always... Hackneyed, for others it is hackneyed, but they are feeling pleasure. Tato niṣṭhā tato ruciḥ. Ruci means taste. Tathāsakti. Then they cannot give it up. Tato bhāva. Then ecstasy. Sādhakānām ayaṁ premṇaḥ prādurbhāve bhavet kramaḥ: "These are the gradual process of developing love of Godhead." And as soon as you develop love of Godhead, your life is successful. Yes?

Lecture -- London, September 26, 1969:

The Supersoul is within the aṇḍa. Aṇḍa means brahmāṇḍa, universe, and everybody up to the atom. He's within the atom also. Paramāṇu. Paramāṇu means atom. The Supersoul is within the atom. That is the power of God. He can become bigger than the universe. He can put many millions of universes within His belly. At the same time, He can enter within the atom. Aṇor aṇīyān mahato mahīyān. Mahato mahīyān means greater than the greatest and the smaller than the smallest. So in this way, first realization, Brahman, impersonal. Then next higher realization is Paramātmā, Supersoul. Brahman realization more or less realized by philosophical speculation, and Paramātmā realization is achieved more or less by meditation. But Bhagavān realization is transcendental devotion. That is beyond the philosophical speculation and mental meditation, beyond.

So these are gradual processes, but... Just like if you actually serious about studying the sun subject matter, then you have to study the sunlight, then sun globe, then enter into sun planet and try to understand; similarly, if you want to understand the Absolute Truth, you have to make progress in that way: Brahman realization, Paramātmā realization, then personal, Bhagavān realization. The crude example: as in the sun there is a supreme person, Sūrya-nārāyaṇa, or the predominating deity in the sun globe, and then the sun globe is there, and then the sunlight is there, similarly, Absolute Truth means the, in the beginning, the Supreme Personality of Godhead—person—and then His plenary expansion. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Plenary expansion. That person is not like us. Just like I am sitting here, but I am not in my apartment. God is not like that, person. He... He's in His apartment; at the same time, He is everywhere, in everyone's heart, and within the atom also. But we do not wish to accept God as person because we are thinking God must be a person like me. No. That is our less intelligence. In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61).

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

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Student (1): ...and excluding everything other than complete devotion to Christ. Would you comment on this?

Prabhupāda: Yes. That's very nice. We completely agree. We say that chant the holy name of God. The vibration, the sound which you chant, that must be the holy name of God. Then it is all right. It doesn't matter what is the language. Language has nothing, no significance. But this word "Kṛṣṇa," we consider it is transcendental vibration because all great saints and ācāryas, they chanted, especially Lord Caitanya. As I explained from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇam (SB 11.5.32). Kṛṣṇa varṇa, kṛṣṇa varṇayati. Lord Caitanya was always chanting, "Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa." Therefore He is called kṛṣṇa varṇayati, kṛṣṇa-varṇam. Tviṣākṛṣṇam: by complexion He's not black. Kṛṣṇa was blackish, but Lord Caitanya, He was golden colored. So kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam: always associated by followers. Yajñair saṅkīrtana, chanting and dancing with Kṛṣṇa's name. Yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ: this form of the Lord should be worshiped by persons who are intelligent. So if you follow the method, evangelist, that is also very nice, or this method... The business should be that we must realize in this human form of life what is our relationship with God. If we fail to do that, then we are misusing this human form of life.

Speech to Maharaja and Maharani and Conversations Before and After -- Indore, December 11, 1970:

That "If anyone has got devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then he develops all the good qualities." Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī. Because he was a devotee, he did not distinguish the king, whether he was Muhammadan or Hindu. He immediately accepted that "You are representative of Kṛṣṇa." That is the version. Arjuna, because he was a devotee, although he was in the battlefield, he was insulted, his wife was insulted, his kingdom was usurped, still, he said, "Better not to fight and kill my kinsmen." That goodness was not found on the other side, Duryodhana. Because Arjuna was a devotee, he was compassionate with his brothers, not to kill them. But Kṛṣṇa wanted that this fighting must go on because He wanted to install Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, the pious king, on the throne. So therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and the support of the royal family is very old relationship. And at the present moment people need this Kṛṣṇa consciousness very badly. Without Kṛṣṇa consciousness the whole world is going to hell. And you can practically see how they are changing, how this movement is changing character and mentality of the population. So I have come here. I wish that both of you will be kindly enough to patronize this movement to your best capacity.

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

That should not be done. It is a fact that as soon as you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, your all sinful reaction of life is immediately neutralized or vanquished. But you should not do again. That is the idea.

Nānu sakṛd ucaritena nāmābhyasena kathāṁ sarva-pāpa-kṣayaḥ syāt, śraddhā-bhakty-avṛtyād eva vidhānaḥ. Tathā hi, sāyaṁ prātar gṛṇan bhaktyā duḥkha-grāmād vimucyate. He's giving quotation from many scriptures in which it is stated, sāyaṁ prātar gṛṇan... Sāyaṁ tri-sandhya, morning, noon, and evening, prātar gṛṇan, daily chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Sāyaṁ prātar gṛṇan bhaktyā, with devotion and faith, duḥkha-grāmād vimucyate. Duḥkha-grāmād means volumes of miserable condition of life. One can avoid volumes of miserable condition of life simply by chanting. Anudinam idam ādareṇa śṛṇvan iti. When it is stated anudinam ādareṇa, with great care and attention one should chant. Not that we should utilize the chanting of holy name for my sense gratification, that "I commit sin, and again I chant, and it will be counteracted. So again I chant, again I commit." No. That is not allowed. Anudinam. Śrīdhara Swami... Anudinam idam ādareṇa śṛṇvanti. Or śṛṇvan ādareṇa, with great care. Because the name, the holy name, and the person Kṛṣṇa—Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's name—they are identical. So one should be so much careful and, I mean to say, faithful that as soon as you are chanting, you should know that "Kṛṣṇa is dancing on my tongue." Therefore how much careful and respectful we should be. It is very responsible(?).

Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Bombay, March 17, 1971:

What to speak of śuddha bhakta, even if you are an enemy of Kṛṣṇa, somehow or other go to Kṛṣṇa. Go to the fire and you'll get warm. That is our propaganda. The Gosvāmīs recommend therefore, yena tena prakāreṇa manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet. Somehow or other you just try to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then everything will be successful. That is our propaganda. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, sādhu, śāstra, kṛpāya. A sādhu means devotee. That I was going to explain. A sādhu, there are different kinds of sādhus, but only the devotee, he is sādhu. It is explained by Kṛṣṇa himself, api cet sudurācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk, sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). He is sādhu. Even if you find some defects in him due to his former habits, but he is simply engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, unflinching devotion, he is sādhu. He is sādhu. In spite of some defects. We must admit, even in fire there are some defects. Fire is so pure that anything impure you put into the fire, it becomes pure. Perhaps you know in our Hindu system if a one utensil becomes impure some time, you put it in the fire and it becomes pure. Is it not? Is it not?

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, March 31, 1971:

Your life will be successful." That is our mission. We have given so many important books. We have got magazines. If you want to understand through intelligence and philosophy, we have got volumes of books we can deliver. You try to understand. If you simply read our book Kṛṣṇa in two parts, I am sure you will become Kṛṣṇa conscious, undoubtedly. Or if you feel that you cannot read or you have no money to purchase book, never mind. Lord Caitanya has given you very simple path: chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. If you chant this mantra with faith and devotion, without any offense, but simply by chanting you will realize yourself, you will realize God, Kṛṣṇa, and your life will be successful. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam (CC Antya 20.12). These are the statements of Vedic literature. Simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, one can cleanse his heart of all the dirty things. And as soon as the dirty things are moved, then you become liberated. Bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam. Immediately the blazing fire of material existence is extinguished.

These are the processes recommended in the Vedas. We are simply preaching the authorized principles of the Vedas, and we request you all to accept it. Not accept it blindly, but take it with all your reason and intelligence.

Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 20, 1971:

That is not possible. You cannot understand Kṛṣṇa simply by meditation. That is also not possible. If you actually seriously want to understand Kṛṣṇa, then you have to take the process of bhakti. Jñāna-vairāgya yuktayā (SB 1.2.12). Bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā. There is a statement, the Absolute Truth can be understood by bhakti, and that bhakti received through the aural reception of your ear. My Guru Mahārāja used to say that if you want to know a saintly person, you try to understand him by your ear, not by the eyes. You cannot understand a saintly person by staring your eyes, "Let me see what kind of..." No. That is not possible. Therefore śāstra says, bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā. You have to understand the Absolute Truth by devotion. At the same time, śruta-gṛhītayā. Śruta means taking information by hearing from the śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭhaṁ guru (MU 1.2.12), by hearing from the right source and with bhakti. Bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā. This is the process.

Lecture at Christian Monastery -- Melbourne, April 6, 1972:

Yes. So this is going on. We are making something for our convenience, but we are creating something else which is inconvenient. So this is due to godless civilization. But if we become God conscious, then our progress of civilization will be very peaceful and happy. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā mano-rathena asato dhāvato bahiḥ (SB 5.18.12). That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ: "Anyone who has got devotion to the Lord, he is qualified with all the good qualities." Just like you are God conscious, so you have invited us to hear because you..., the good qualities are there. So without God consciousness there cannot be any good qualities. We are trying to educate people to be honest, to be gentle, fair-dealing, but actually, the result is people are becoming dishonest, miscreant, rogue, thief, due to (lack of) God consciousness. Just like in the airport, all gentlemen are searched out. What does it mean? That every one of us (is) dishonest. That is to be understood. So what the education has produced? Simply dishonest men. Why? Because godlessness. That's all. And they are trying to become... Every state is trying to become secular: "Don't talk of God. Don't talk of God." Then what you are? That is animal society. The animal society has no talk of God. There is only talk of how to fill up the belly. That's all. That is the business of hog. Śāstra says, nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). Viḍ-bhujām means the hogs, the stool-eaters. The stool-eater is also working very hard day and night and gratifying senses. So does the human civilization is meant for imitating the hogs and dogs to work very hard day and night and gratify the senses? That's all? This is the only program at the present moment.

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

Prabhupāda: (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.)

Thank you very much. So, tonight's subject matter for speaking is "What is Guru?"

Haṁsadūta: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So, guru, there are many descriptions. Subject matter is the same, but different way, guru has been described by different ācāryas. Their aim is the same, but language or presentation may be little different.

Pandal Speech and Question Session -- Delhi, November 10, 1973:

Then he becomes a devotee. To become devotee is not so easy thing. Not so easy thing. People think that devotion is a sentiment. No. It is not sentiment. It is a great science. It is a great science to become fully satisfied. Fully satisfied. And Kṛṣṇa says,

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ
sarva-loka-maheśvaram
suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati
(BG 5.29)

This is the process of śānti. Bhoktāraṁ. Kṛṣṇa is the enjoyer. We are after worshiping Kṛṣṇa. That is our business. Wherever we go, we install this Kṛṣṇa Deity and we work for Kṛṣṇa, we print books for Kṛṣṇa, we distribute books for Kṛṣṇa, we beg everyone to become Kṛṣṇa's bhakta. Therefore it is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We have no other business than Kṛṣṇa. As Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). We are doing that. We have no other business. Simply Kṛṣṇa. Why? Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavata, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya: (BG 7.7) "I am the Supreme."

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

Prabhupāda:

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda
śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda ki jaya

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

(break) ...kindly taking part in this saṅkīrtana movement. (translated into French throughout by Jyotirmayī dāsī) This saṅkīrtana movement means vibration of the transcendental sound. In the beginning of creation, sound is the origin of all creation. That is admitted in the Bible also. (aside:) Where is that paper? Yes. Read it. We are reading a passage from your Bible.

Nitāi: The Gospel according to St. John, Chapter One. "In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men, and the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not."

Prabhupāda: Where it is? So the same thing explained in the Vedic literature. Here it is said that "In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God." So God being Absolute Truth, there is no difference between God, His form, His qualities, His words and everything relating to God. That is also God. Just like in the material world the name and the subject, or the substance, they are different. Just like when you are thirsty, you simply utter the word "water, water," it will not quench your thirst. But in the spiritual world, the name "God," or "Kṛṣṇa," and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, They are the same. Just parallel to this Bible passage I'll quote one Sanskrit verse from the Vedas.

Lecture at St. Pascal's Franciscan Seminary -- Melbourne, June 28, 1974:

It is said here that that is first-class religious system. It does not say Hinduism, Muslimism or Christianism. General definition: "That is first-class religion..." Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo. Why it is said, para? Para means the supreme, not ordinary thing, supreme. "The supreme religious system is that which teaches the follower how to love God." That is supreme. It does not matter you learn to love God through Christianism or Hinduism or Muslimism, any "ism," but the result should be how much you have advanced in the art of loving God. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). Bhakti, this word, Sanskrit word is used, "devotion," bhakti. To render service to God, that is bhakti. We are rendering service to so many things. That is not bhakti. Bhakti means to render service to God. And adhokṣaje. There are many terminology of understanding God, but here in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, God is mentioned as adhokṣaja. Adhokṣaja means beyond your sense perception. Another word is used, avāṅ mānasa-gocaraḥ, "beyond the expression of your mind, words." Avāṅ gocaraḥ. And another meaning, literal meaning, adha: adha means subdued. Adhakṛta akṣaja-jñānam. Akṣa. Akṣa means eyes, or... In Sanskrit there are letters beginning from a, a, i and, at last, kṣa. So beginning from a to kṣa, a-kṣa, means we understand by combination of words. So you can combine so many words, but still, it is beyond that expression. That is called adhokṣaja. So God is realized... Not by vocabulary we can understand what is the nature of God, or, in one word, that God is beyond our this material sense perception.

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

So the vegetable has got life, but Kṛṣṇa says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati, tad aham aśnāmi (BG 9.26). We have invited Kṛṣṇa, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, as our guest, and He has consented to come here. So we must offer foodstuff, what He wants, not that according to my whims. That is not etiquette. If some respectable guest comes to your house, you ask him, "What shall you eat, sir? What kind of food I can give you?" So whatever he orders, you have to supply. That is real receiving the guest. So Kṛṣṇa says that "Give Me food amongst these items-patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. That also with bhakti, not neglectfully. With great devotion, if somebody offers Me these things, then I can take." So Kṛṣṇa takes these, these patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ, grains, food grains, and milk and vegetables and fruits. So we prepare hundreds of items with these things. You can do that. And they are all delicious and full of vitamins. So why one should kill unnecessarily the poor animals and become vicious and sinful?

So this is Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu's preaching, that you live peacefully. Be gentleman. Realize God. Make your life happy in this world and the next world. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mercy. And He wanted to spread this cult in every town, every city, every village. So this group, Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, is just trying to serve Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. And you also see how much beneficial it is. Caitanyera dayāra kathara karaha vicāra. You don't be blind, but try to consider it a little liberally without any, what is called, sophistry? Without any bias, prejudice. Don't be carried by prejudice. Try to understand the philosophy of Caitanya Mahāprabhu and be happy.

Lecture Engagement at Birla House -- Bombay, December 17, 1975:

So the ordinary person, they can be able to understand Brahman; a little advanced than them, they can understand Paramātmā; but to understand Kṛṣṇa is very difficult. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). Out of many millions of persons, one tries to become siddha, perfect. What is that siddha? Brahma-jña. Yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścid vetti māṁ tattvataḥ (BG 7.3). And out of the siddhas, those who are actually self-realized, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, out of many of them maybe one is able to understand Kṛṣṇa.

So Kṛṣṇa can be understood only by devotion. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). So we have to take this process, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇu. So our only request is that to understand Kṛṣṇa is not very difficult if we read Bhagavad-gītā perfectly, seriously. Then Kṛṣṇa is understood. And as soon as you understand Kṛṣṇa... Because Kṛṣṇa is explaining Himself, what is the difficulty to understand Kṛṣṇa? Hm? If you, Mr. Birla, you explain that "I am like this. I have got so much money, I have got so many business, I have got so many factories," if you explain, then where is my difficulty? But if I speculate, "Mr. Birla may be..., so much (indistinct) may be had." That is always imperfect. But if you understand directly from Mr. Birla, then it is clear. So Kṛṣṇa, God, is explaining Himself, "I am like..." Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). So there is not very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa if we simply... But if we interpret foolishly, and try to understand Kṛṣṇa by misinterpretation, then the business is finished. Don't do that. Simply try to understand Kṛṣṇa as He is explaining Himself, then your life is successful. How it is successful?

Evening Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, January 23, 1977:

Prabhupāda: There is no devotion unless you go to a guru. Forget it. Ādau gurvāśrayam. First thing is, first business, is to accept a bona fide guru. Otherwise there is no devotion. It is simply false imitation. This is the injunction of Rūpa Gosvāmī in Bhakti-rasāmṛta sindhu. Ādau gurvāśrayam: "Your first business is to approach bona fide guru and take his āśraya." Otherwise there is no devotion. That has been the defect in the modern society. They imagine. This business should be given up. He must follow. Sādhu-mārgānugāmanam, which is prescribed by the sādhu, guru, you have to accept that. You cannot manufacture your own way.

Guest (3): The world is so vast, and people who are living in this world and also wishing to attain God or remember God or say about the God... Also the namaskaram is, Gurudeva said, that, mentioned in the Gītā, that all these are fruitless, the soul which is remembering God either in the form of Kṛṣṇa, but he has not met a guru. Because to get a real guru is a real occasion. It doesn't happen in the case of everyone. One in million get a chance to get a real spiritual guide. There are so many in the name of spiritual guide. And he will false pray because his inner soul hankers and inner soul thinks that "This is my guru, and somehow I will accept whatever he says." And the ultimate aim and objective is to love God or to recite his name or surrender to Him.

Evening Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, January 23, 1977:

Prabhupāda: Four things. Simply think of Kṛṣṇa, this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare... So you remain gṛhastha. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has said, nāmāśraya kari thākaha āpana kāje. In whatever occupation you are, remain there. There is no need of changing. But nāmāśraya kari. If you remain a gṛhastha, what is your loss if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra? And if there is gain, why don't you take it? Simple thing. And Kṛṣṇa also says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru, mām evaiṣyasi asaṁśayaḥ (BG 18.68). These four things will get you back to home, back to Godhead. What is that? Simply think of Kṛṣṇa. But if from the very beginning you want to understand the meaning of Kṛṣṇa—"Kṛṣṇa is nirākāra. He has no hand, He has no leg"—then how you'll think of Kṛṣṇa? You have to give up all this nonsense idea. Then wherever you live, you will be perfect by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. (break) ...Kali-yuga the special advantage is that people cannot become very much advanced in spiritual life, but for Kali-yuga there is a special concession. Kalau nāsty nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma iva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). And Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also, it is confirmed, kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅga paraṁ vrajet (SB 12.3.51). So you remain gṛhastha. It is now difficult to give up gṛhastha life. But don't be merged into this black hole. Don't make black hole tragedy. Be alive, take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and you'll be happy. So there is no distinction in Kṛṣṇa-bhajana whether one is a gṛhastha or a sannyāsī. He must take the science. Then he will be all right.

Guest (3) (Indian man): ...without taking dīkṣā from the guru also utters the name of Lord Kṛṣṇa with devotion and...

Evening Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, January 23, 1977:

Prabhupāda: There is no devotion unless you go to a guru. Forget it. Ādau gurvāśrayam. First thing is, first business, is to accept a bona fide guru. Otherwise there is no devotion. It is simply false imitation. This is the injunction of Rūpa Gosvāmī in Bhakti-rasāmṛta sindhu. Ādau gurvāśrayam: "Your first business is to approach bona fide guru and take his āśraya." Otherwise there is no devotion. That has been the defect in the modern society. They imagine. This business should be given up. He must follow. Sādhu-mārgānugāmanam, which is prescribed by the sādhu, guru, you have to accept that. You cannot manufacture your own way.

Guest (3): The world is so vast, and people who are living in this world and also wishing to attain God or remember God or say about the God... Also the namaskaram is, Gurudeva said, that, mentioned in the Gītā, that all these are fruitless, the soul which is remembering God either in the form of Kṛṣṇa, but he has not met a guru. Because to get a real guru is a real occasion. It doesn't happen in the case of everyone. One in million get a chance to get a real spiritual guide. There are so many in the name of spiritual guide. And he will false pray because his inner soul hankers and inner soul thinks that "This is my guru, and somehow I will accept whatever he says." And the ultimate aim and objective is to love God or to recite his name or surrender to Him.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz:

Śyāmasundara: He says that although some schools of philosophy, especially in Britain, said that the mind is a blank slate at the time of birth, Leibnitz defended the fact that there are necessary truths which are implanted in the mind before birth. These are innate truths, like mathematical truths. There are certain necessary truths that a person is born with, that he can understand, being implanted in his mind, just like mathematical proofs, "Two plus two is equal to four"—that is a necessary truth with which a person is born.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That truth is devotion. Everyone wants to be devoted to somebody else. And because such devotion is misplaced, he becomes unhappy. When that devotional spirit will be rendered to the Supreme Person, then he will be happy. But the devotional spirit is there.

Śyāmasundara: Everyone is born with this?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Just like this child, he was asked to obey, immediately he offered obeisances. So this is devotion. Every politician, everyone has got some followers. That means the devotional spirit is there. Even a rogue, dacoit, plunderer, he has got also some follower, and one could not follow others without devotional spirit. Is it not? Therefore this devotional spirit is innate in everything. That is truth.

Śyāmasundara: Is this the only necessary truth that one is born with, or are there others?

Prabhupāda: This is the prime truth. The method of devotional service and other ideas, they are included, but the basic principle is devotional service.

Philosophy Discussion on Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz:

Prabhupāda: This is the prime truth. The method of devotional service and other ideas, they are included, but the basic principle is devotional service.

Śyāmasundara: For instance, Leibnitz says that concepts of mathematics are necessary truths, like "Two plus two is equal to four." Someone is born with that knowledge.

Prabhupāda: So this is also mathematical truth. Because even the aborigines, they also offer obeisances to thunderbolt. As soon as there is some sound of thunderbolt, or as soon as there is earthquake, they offer obeisances—any big natural phenomena. That means the devotion is there, but that devotional service is misplaces so long as one does not reach God.

Śyāmasundara: Leibnitz states that there is nothing in the intellect which was not previously in the senses except the intellect itself. In other words, all of our knowledge comes through our senses except the fact...

Prabhupāda: And it is banked in the intellect. That is a fact. That is permanent. Therefore even if we change our body, still we can find out our means of living by that inherent intellect. That is advertised as intuition. But this intuition is previous experience only. (end)

Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey:

Prabhupāda: Summons. That is contradiction.

Śyāmasundara: He says it is the idea which...

Prabhupāda: How the idea summons? He says the idea summons us.

Śyāmasundara: Ah, yes. Well, and he says that it is the value to which one is supremely devoted, that this is God.

Prabhupāda: How can devotion be possible without a being? Just like devotion means between the devotee and the person who is offered that devotional service.

Śyāmasundara: Just like the Communists would say that "God is the state, and all my supreme devotion is for the state, to serve the state."

Prabhupāda: That's all right, but your state, Communist Russian state, is not overgrowing others. So that cannot be God. God is obeyed by everyone. Your state may not be obeyed by other states. God means the supreme controller. You are not the supreme controller. Then how can you make the state as God, your state?

Śyāmasundara: So actually his idea of God would change. For the Communists God means the state; for the primitive savage God means the...

Prabhupāda: Just like Gandhi made Cāṇakya his god.

Śyāmasundara: Yes. That to which one is supremely devoted, that means God.

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Prabhupāda: But the child is not perfection.

Śyāmasundara: No. It's only a symbol.

Revatīnandana: (indistinct) The child symbolizes faith and...

Śyāmasundara: Love and...

Revatīnandana: ...natural devotion. Like Jesus said, "Unless you come to me as little children, you can't enter into the kingdom of God."

Prabhupāda: That's (indistinct).

Śyāmasundara: Even Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's often portrayed as a child.

Revatīnandana: He's eternally child, sixteen years old (indistinct).

Nara-nārāyaṇa: (indistinct) a symbol (indistinct) Nārada Muni, or yourself or Kṛṣṇa, (indistinct) symbol of a child. We have an actual person.

Devotee (3): (indistinct)

Philosophy Discussion on Socrates:

Prabhupāda: ...there is way, if he makes further advancement. The same example, the same mountain is there. From a distant place you will say hazy cloud; nearer you see something green, there are trees; and still you go farther, you will see everything perfectly.

Hayagrīva: But I thought Kṛṣṇa can only be realized through bhakti, through...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hayagrīva: ...devotion.

Prabhupāda: Yes. You can not enter in Kṛṣṇa's place without being a purified bhakta. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. He never says that by jñāna or by karma or by yoga one can understand Him. It is clearly stated, in many śāstra, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti: (BG 18.55) only through devotional service one can understand Kṛṣṇa. The personal abode of Kṛṣṇa is especially reserved for the bhaktas. Therefore all jñānīs, yogis, karmīs, they cannot; they remain outside, that there is the sunshine and the sun. To enter into the sun is not so easy thing, but sunshine anyone can remain. The temperature is not so hot; you can tolerate it. But although the sunshine and the sun not different, in the sunshine, sun globe, if you enter, if you have go the power to enter, the same light and same temperature... Not same, I mean to say, temperature and light. So the temperature of sunshine, light and temperature, is not the same as the temperature and light in the sun globe. (break)

Philosophy Discussion on Socrates:

Prabhupāda: Yes. So almost similar to our method, because we advised, we advised in this Vedic principle, that for the truth one must approach a guru. That is the version everywhere. In Bhagavad-gītā also, same instruction is there:

tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti tad jñānaṁ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ
(BG 4.34)

So you have to approach a guru who knows the Absolute Truth. "Knows" means he has seen. Just like in our daily life, direct perception to see something, people argue on that, that "Can you show me God?" That is the tendency, that direct perception. So the direct perception is possible by advanced devotion. There is no difficulty because, as I have already explained, santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti. Constantly he is seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śyāmasundara. So there is a state when one can constantly see the Supreme Lord as Paramātmā sitting within his heart and taking advice from Him. Kṛṣṇa also confirms this: buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam. He talks. So by meditation, if it is actually meditation to search out the Absolute Truth within the heart, then he can meet. That is the yoga practice. Yoga practice means concentrating the mind to see the Supersoul within. Therefore he has to control the activities of the senses from all other engagements. Then it is possible. Yoga practice, this dhyāna, dhāraṇā, āsana, praṇāyāma, these are why? Simply to concentrate the mind, focusing toward the Paramātmā, and then, when is perfect, he always sees. Therefore Kṛṣṇa confirms it in the Bhagavad-gītā:

Philosophy Discussion on Rene Descartes:

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa was speaking with everyone. With the birds He was speaking. One old gopī went to the Yamunā to take bath, and when she saw that Kṛṣṇa was speaking with the bird, then she, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa can speak with the birds." She became surprised. So because Kṛṣṇa is God, He can understand everyone's language. That is God.

Hayagrīva: Oh, even during his day Descartes was attacked on this...

Prabhupāda: That, that, that qualification is described in the, our Science of Devotion. What is that?

Hari-śauri: Nectar of Devotion.

Prabhupāda: Nectar of Devotion. Vāvadūka. This qualification is called vāvadūka. He can understand everyone's language. Just like a human being, if he understands many languages he is called linguist. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa's another title is Vāvadūka. That means he understands everyone's language, even the birds, beasts. That is vāvadūka.

Hayagrīva: So that's the end of Descartes. (end)

Philosophy Discussion on Samuel Alexander:

Prabhupāda: Yes. So if God is Deity, He is also not subject to these created living being. That is condemned. When one thinks God's Deity as one of the deities within this material world, he is condemned as mūḍha. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam: (BG 9.11) "Because I appear just like a human being, the rascals, asses, they think of Me as ordinary human."

Hayagrīva: Now in this book Space, Time and Deity, on page 380, Alexander writes... Alexander takes the Aristotelian view of God in saying, "There is no reciprocal action from God, for though we speak as we inevitably must in human terms of God's response to us, there is no direct experience of that response except through our own feeling that devotion to God, or worship, carries with it its own satisfaction."

Prabhupāda: That is his imperfectness. God is omnipotent. He comes before Kṛṣṇa, er, Arjuna, and He speaks Bhagavad-gītā. So because he has no advanced knowledge, he cannot understand how God, omnipotent, all-powerful, can come and speak with His devotee. That is his poor fund of knowledge.

Hayagrīva: Yes, that...

Prabhupāda: If God is omnipotent, why He cannot come and talk with His devotee? Then where is the omnipotency? These rascals cannot understand.

Hayagrīva: That was...

Prabhupāda: There is no meaning of omnipotency if God cannot come and talk with His devotee.

Hayagrīva: Because they have no experience, they think that...

Purports to Songs

Purport to Bhajahu Re Mana -- New York, March 30, 1966:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Saints and sages. Yes. "So you should not make association with anybody else, but you make your association only with saints and sages and make your, this valuable human form of life successful. Don't waste your time. You worship Lord Kṛṣṇa with the help of the saints and sages and make your life successful." That he is requesting. "Don't drive in this irresponsible way to put me into the ocean." And it is also requested that "We are just like in the ocean of birth and death." This material cosmic situation is sometimes explained as the ocean, and these planets, they are explained as islands. And actually, they are islands in the air. Just like we have got islands in the sea and ocean, similarly, these planets are islands in the air, air islands, so many planets.

So he says that durlabha mānava-janama sat-saṅge tara e bhava-sindhu re. Bhava-sindhu. Bhava-sindhu means this cosmic situation where birth and death is going on continually, one after another. "So you stop this business of repeated birth and death. You make your this human form of life successful and get release from this disease of birth and death." Birth and death is a sort of disease for the living entities. It is not the normal condition. Due to our this abnormal encagement in the material body, we are put into the birth and death. Otherwise, I am not subjected to birth and death. I am eternal. I am eternal. So he is requested that "Don't waste your time, my dear mind." Because mind is taking me here and there. So he's requesting mind. It is very philosophical. This is concentration, requesting the mind, "Don't put me into the ocean of birth and death. Please save me, and just make your life successful in the association of saints and sages. That is my request." Bhajahū re mana śrī-nanda-nandana. So worship, worship of Lord Kṛṣṇa or the Supreme Lord, and, at the same time, association of saints and sages, that makes our life successful. Association of good persons and, at the same time, simultaneously, devotional service to the Lord. These two things combinedly can make our life successful.

Woman: How do you call devotion to the Lord?

Purport to Brahma-samhita Verses 32 and 38 -- New York, November 5, 1966:

"My devotees..." God is not... The Lord is not in need of our offering, but still, He is so kind, if we offer Him something... Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam. Not that we have to offer him very luxurious things, very high valuable things. He says that even a piece of leaf, patraṁ, a piece of flower, patraṁ puṣpam, a piece of fruit and little water... That means these four things can be secured by any poor man in any part of the world. There is no botheration for securing a piece of leaf, a piece of flower or a little water or a piece of fruit. Any poor man, any rich man, can secure. And the Lord says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati: (BG 9.26) "Anyone who offers Me these four things with devotion, with love, I accept them. I accept them." Why? Now, tad ahaṁ bhaktyā upahṛtam aśnāmi. "Because that is secured with sincere love for Me." The Lord accepts our love. Now, the Lord is... You cannot see Him. He is far, far away, and still, He is within us. Therefore His hands is not like our hands. The Vedas... When the Vedas describes, "The Lord has no hands," that means He has no hand like ours, not that a two-feet hands which we have got, or two or three-feet hands, not this hand. His hand is so large that He can extend His hand in any part of His creation, millions and billions miles away, and everywhere. That is the specific significance of His body. So this is described here.

Purport to Brahma-samhita Verses 32 and 38 -- New York, November 5, 1966:

Unalloyed love means without any tinge of philosophical speculation or fruitive activity. That's another subject. It requires great explanation. But unalloyed love means without any tinge of material color. (indistinct) That is called unalloyed. Even philosophical speculation or fruitive activities, if it is offered to the Supreme Lord, that is not love. Love is above this. So if one can achieve that unalloyed love for God, with that, I mean to say, magic wand, the eye becomes eligible for seeing God. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena (Bs. 5.38). And that, that eye, is called devotional eye, devotional. We have to... Not only eyes, but every part of our body, we have to spiritualize by the contact. By the contact of spiritual service in devotion of the Lord, we can gradually spiritualize our whole act of senses. Just like a iron rod put into the fire. Gradually the temperature rises. It becomes warm, warmer, warmest, very hot, then red hot. When it is red hot, then it is no longer iron; it is fire. Similarly, by our contact in devotional service of the Lord we can change the whole position of our material existence. And we have... If we have developed to that state of unalloyed love for God, then God can be seen twenty-four hours, not that once seen and again not seen. No. This is described here, that santaḥ, the great devotees, unalloyed devotees, who are liberated souls, have no connection with material activities or philosophical speculation, such unalloyed devotees, because their eyes are smeared with the ointment of love only, therefore they can see the Lord sadaiva, always, twenty-four hours. (Sings Brahma-saṁhitā, verses 38, 39, 29, 40, 41.) (end)

Page Title:Devotion (Lectures, Other)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:04 of Apr, 2013
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=92, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:92