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Distribution of knowledge (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
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Notes from the compiler: VedaBase query: "distribut* knowledge"@10

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

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

Arjuna, just to drive out this kind of doubts in the mind of the readers of Bhagavad-gītā, he establishes his proposition by the authorities. He says that Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead not only by himself, Arjuna, but He is so accepted by authorities like Nārada, Asita, Devala, Vyāsa. These personalities are great personalities in distributing the Vedic knowledge. They (are) accepted by all ācāryas. Therefore Arjuna says that "Whatever You have spoken so far to me, I accept them as completely perfect." Sarvam etad ṛtaṁ manye (BG 10.14). "I take it, I believe it that whatever You have spoken, they are all right. And Your Personality, Your Personality of Godhead, is very difficult to understand. And therefore You cannot be known by even the demigods. You cannot be known even by the demigods." That means the Supreme Personality Godhead cannot be known even by greater personalities than the human being, and how a human being can understand Śrī Kṛṣṇa without becoming His devotee?

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

With imper... They will say, "Probably," "Maybe." This is the so-called scientists' language. That means imperfect knowledge. Still, they want to teach. This is cheating. Knowledge must be perfect. Then you can teach others.

So our process is to receive the perfect knowledge from the perfect source and distribute it. We don't manufacture knowledge. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is, as it is. The Bhagavad-gītā is already perfect. Why shall I interpret with my imperfect senses? This is cheating. But people want to be cheated. Vañcita-vañcaka-sampradāya. The whole world is full of cheaters and cheated. Because we want to be cheated, there are so many cheaters. They don't want real thing. Here is the real thing, Bhagavad-gītā, the Supreme Personality of Godhead speaking personally about Himself. Why should we interpret?

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

Because his senses are not perfect, therefore imperfection.

So with all these defects, we cannot accept anyone's knowledge. This is Vedic process. This is called paramparā system, disciplic succession. We receive knowledge perfectly from the Supreme Bhagavān. And if I receive the knowledge from Bhagavān, and if I distribute the same knowledge as Bhagavān has said, without any interpretation of my cheating policy, then the knowledge which I distribute, that is also perfect. I may not be perfect, but the knowledge which I have taken from Kṛṣṇa, if I present it as it is, without any interpretation, then what I give you, that is perfect. It is very easy to understand. I have given several times... Just like a peon has brought a money order for you, thousand dollars. So he's giving you. So you cannot say, "Oh, here is a peon. He's a poor man. How he can give me one thousand dollars?" He's not giving; the money is sent by somebody else. He's simply handing you.

Lecture on BG 2.9 -- Auckland, February 21, 1973:

This is perfect knowledge. If you inquire whether I am perfect or my disciples who are preaching this Kṛṣṇa conscious movement, they are perfect, we may be imperfect. We are imperfect. We accept we are imperfect. But we are distributing the perfect knowledge. Kindly try to understand. We may be imperfect, but perfection means one who assimilates the perfect knowledge, he is perfect. I shall give you one example. Just like a post peon delivers you one hundred dollars. The post peon is not rich man. He cannot deliver you the hundred dollars. But he... The money is sent by some, your friend. He is honestly carrying that money and delivering you. That is the post peon's business. Similarly, our duty to receive perfect knowledge from Kṛṣṇa and distribute it. Then it is perfect. This knowledge, what we are distributing, it is not that we have created this knowledge by research work or by so many other ways, by inductive process. No.

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

I shall be very happy to return to my Vṛndāvana, that sacred place. "But then why you are...?" Now, because it is my duty. I have brought some message for you people. Because I am ordered by superior, my spiritual master, that "Whatever you have learned, you should go to the Western countries, and you must distribute this knowledge." So in spite of all my difficulties, all my inconveniences, I am here because I am in duty. I, I... That is my personal convenience, if I go and sit down at Vṛndāvana, I shall be very comfortable there. And I'll be, I'll have no anxiety, nothing of the sort. You see? But I have taken all the risk in the old age because I am in duty-bound. I am in duty-bound. So I have to execute my duty in spite of all my inconveniences. That is the idea.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- New York, March 11, 1966:

He never says, "According to birth." So just see. Now, here, Hiraṇyakaśipu... Hiraṇyakaśipu is asura, but his son is devatā, Prahlāda. Now, according to birthright, he should be also asura, but no. He is devatā, Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja is counted one of the great pers..., twelve great personalities who can distribute transcendental knowledge. They are called mahājana. Mahājana.

Now, this Prahlāda Mahārāja, because he's mahājana, his statement should be accepted. So he's saying to his father, asura-varya: "My dear father, you are the greatest of the asuras." Asura-varya. Varya means greatest. So even if he is father, he addresses his father, asura-varya, asura. "Because your aim is simply sense pleasure." You see? So tat sādhu manye asura-varya dehinām. The father asked the son, "What you have learned, the best thing?" So he's also saying sincerely before his father the best thing that "My dear father, for the dehinām..." Here also the same thing, dehinām. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). Dehinaḥ.

Lecture on BG 2.17 -- Hyderabad, November 22, 1972:

As, at the present moment, because the leaders are foolish, blind, they have no spiritual knowledge, all the population of the world becomes godless. Therefore our appeal is to the leading personalities to understand this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Try to understand its philosophy, apply in life, and try to distribute this knowledge. Automatically others will accept. Sa yat pramāṇaṁ kurute lokas tad anuvartate. If Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is accepted by the leading personalities... Why they shall not accept unless they are ignorant and less intelligent? Everything is there. The Bhagavad-gītā is left for this purpose. It was instructed not to Arjuna, but to the whole world, in the midst of Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. So the whole world is a battlefield now. They should learn the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā and thus become happy within this world.

Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Hyderabad, November 30, 1972:

So we should follow... This is called paramparā system. As Arjuna understood Bhagavad-gītā, if we understand in that way, then we are perfect. I may be imperfect, but because I understand Bhagavad-gītā as it was understood by Arjuna, I am perfect. Because the knowledge I am distributing, that is not imperfect. Just like a post peon. A post peon is delivering you one thousand dollars. So he may be poor man, but the one thousand dollars, he is delivering, that is a fact. That is not bogus thing. Because he has not manufactured something. He has received that money order from the post office. He's asked to deliver it to such and such person. His honesty is to deliver the money order as it is to the bona fide person. That is his perfection. He doesn't require... Because he's delivering one thousand dollars, he doesn't require to become a very rich man. He may be a poor man. Similarly, a guru, a guru is perfect when he delivers the words of the superior authority as it is. Then he's perfect.

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

Now the yogurt is also milk preparation, and your diarrhea has taken place on account of taking too much milk. Now the same milk preparation, when it is treated, it becomes the medicine. And the same milk preparation becomes the cause of disturbance. Similarly, the whole world situation is causing disturbance because it is not treated with spiritual treatment. That's all. As soon as there is spiritual treatment, as soon as people are spiritually conscious, as soon as at least the leaders of men, they are standing on the consciousness platform, the whole world situation will change.

So Bhagavad-gītā teaches that thing. We should take it very seriously and try to assimilate it ourselves and distribute this knowledge for the benefit of all others, our friends and... (end)

Lecture on BG 4.15 -- Bombay, April 4, 1974:

When Viśvāmitra Muni approached Mahārāja Daśaratha for help, taking Rāmacandra and Lakṣmaṇa for killing that rākṣasī... Viśvāmitra Muni could kill that rākṣasī, but because he was brāhmaṇa, it was not his business to kill. He begged help from Mahārāja Daśaratha to lend Lord Rāmacandra and Lakṣmaṇa, to take Him there. This is the systematic way. The brāhmaṇas should be engaged in knowledge and distributing knowledge. That means their business is not fighting. The kṣatriyas, they should fight. The killing business is meant for the kṣatriya. That is also required.

Evam... Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). The first of all... Unless this division is there, that is animal society. That is not human society if these four divisions are not. Varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa.

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

Then their factories and other things will go on. And if one is engaged in philosophy, jñāna, then the work will stop. So they do not like this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement anywhere. We are not liked.

They are under the impression that we'll make the people escaping. But that is not the fact. We are actually distributing knowledge. Jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāṇam. When one becomes actually on the platform of knowledge, then he does not work like an ass. But people want that people should work like ass. That is the difficulty. That is... There is a clash between our movement and others. They want to make all people to work hard like an ass, and we say that they... There is a difference of philosophy. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). We are preaching the, nāyaṁ deha nṛloke, in the human society, this is not meant for working so hard, like an ass, like a hog, simply for sense gratification. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness philosophy. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke.

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

We should undergo all kinds of difficulties for spreading the knowledge that we have acquired. That is the proper sannyāsī. A sannyāsī, a renounced order of, I mean to say, man who is in the renounced order of life, his business is that his acquired knowledge, his experienced knowledge, should be distributed to the public. So according to the varṇāśrama-dharma, the brahmacārīs and the vānaprastha and the sannyāsīs...

Now, suppose if there are hundred person in a society, twenty-five percent students, twenty-five percent retired life, and twenty-five percent sannyāsa, renounced order of life. Now, out of 100 persons, seventy-five percent, they are engaged in the service of the Supreme Lord. The rest twenty-five percent who are gṛhasthas, they are meant for sacrificing fifty percent of their income for this seventy-five percent. That is the whole program of varṇāśrama-dharma.

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

So this sound is so powerful because it is spiritual that it will act even on the ants and the trees and birds and the bees, what to speak of human being. It is so nice thing. So those who are chanting... "One who is always busy working."

What is the busyness of these Kṛṣṇa conscious students? They are busy in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, in distributing knowledge in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore they are doing the best welfare work in the world. Other welfare work will be finished as soon as this body is finished. But these welfare activities will not be finished. If one hears one day, one minute, one second, this vibration of chanting, it will act someday. Therefore this is the best welfare activity in the human society. "And who is free from all sins achieves liberation in the Supreme." So it is said that eka kṛṣṇa-nāme yata pāpa hare, pāpī haya tata pāpa karibare nare(?). The Kṛṣṇa name is so powerful transcendentally, spiritually, that if you chant once, "Kṛṣṇa," all your sinful activities, reaction are immediately finished. One may say that "He was not so sinful.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Calcutta, January 27, 1973:

You know. So His order is... It is not that because Caitanya Mahāprabhu advented Himself in Bengal, He requested the Bengalis. No. He said, especially to the Indians: bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra (CC Adi 9.41). Anyone who has taken birth on the land of Bhāratavarṣa as human being, he should make his life perfect and distribute the knowledge to the others who are in ignorance. Because transcendental knowledge, spiritual knowledge, that is only in India. That is a fact. That is nowhere else. Even one Chinese educationist, he has admitted that "If we want to know what is religion, then we have to approach India." There is no other source.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Calcutta, January 27, 1973:

This is necessity of the present day. It is not sectarian, or crooked philosophy. It is meant for my brother and my sister, not for anyone else. No. It is meant for everyone. And this knowledge can be distributed especially if the Indians take it seriously. They are doing. There are... You'll find many sannyāsīs. The... Indians should have done it. Because Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, bhārata-bhūmite haila man... But because there is scarcity of Indian philanthropists to do this business, so we are pushing on this movement through the Americans. But actually there is no such difference. Actually American or Indian, for Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we have no such distinction. Anyone, everyone is Kṛṣṇa's, and Kṛṣṇa is for everyone.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Calcutta, January 27, 1973:

The... Indians should have done it. Because Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, bhārata-bhūmite haila man... But because there is scarcity of Indian philanthropists to do this business, so we are pushing on this movement through the Americans. But actually there is no such difference. Actually American or Indian, for Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we have no such distinction. Anyone, everyone is Kṛṣṇa's, and Kṛṣṇa is for everyone.

So this is called sanātana. It cannot be disconnected. Kṛṣṇa is for everyone. Kṛṣṇa came personally to distribute this knowledge.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Montreal, June 3, 1968:

So these literatures are meant for the human society, not for the cat society, dog society. The great sages of India, especially Vyāsadeva, he labored so hard and delivered so valuable literatures to us. There is opportunity. It was the duty of India to distribute this knowledge all over the world, this immense treasure of knowledge. Unfortunately... And as so far we have studied that persons who are great thinkers, they were expecting. They have still some respect for India's great treasurehouse of the spiritual knowledge. But unfortunately there is no arrangement for distributing this spiritual knowledge all over the world.

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

The idea is that India is enriched with Vedic knowledge, and those who are born in India, they should take advantage of this facility, especially those who are in the higher topmost ranks, the brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, the vaiśyas. Especially the brāhmaṇas. Take this education perfectly well. Make your life perfect and distribute the knowledge all over the world. This is your duty. That is the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He wanted...

Kṛṣṇa preached this Bhagavad-gītā, five thousand years ago, but it was not broadly preached. It was spoken on the battlefield of Kurukṣetra. Arjuna knew it and some of his other friends. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu is also Kṛṣṇa. He appeared as a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. And He distributed this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and He wanted that every Indian should seriously take this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, make his life perfect, and distribute the knowledge. This is India's duty.

Lecture on BG 10.3 -- New York, January 2, 1967:

It will cleanse your heart so that you will be able to analyze your position, God's position, the world's position, your relationship, your activities. Then everything will be nicely clear and illuminated.

So this association is made for that purpose, and we are trying to distribute this knowledge from authoritative books like Śrīmad-Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and as far as possible, we are using our all talents in this, and we welcome you. And take advantage, participate with us. Thank you very much. Any questions? (end)

Lecture on BG 10.8 -- New York, January 6, 1967:

So you have to know the technique, how to love the whole. If somebody is loving the tree—he is putting water in each every leaf, every branch, every flower—he is spoiling his time. Another intelligent man goes and he pours one bucketful of water on the root. Oh, it is distributed. This is foolishness, that without knowledge of the root, you want to love the branches. Your body. You love your body. Why do you supply your food in the stomach? Why not to the eyes, to the ears, to the nose? Why not individually, every finger, every hand, every part, every hair? No. As soon as you put the foodstuff to the stomach, the energy is at once distributed everywhere. Similarly, universal love means to love God.

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Miami, February 25, 1975:

Just like a child does not know something, what it is, but if he asks his father, "Father, what it is?" and the father will not cheat, he will give him the right knowledge, "This is this," so he may be a small child, imperfect, but because he receives the knowledge from his father, who knows, that knowledge is perfect.

Similarly, we receive knowledge from Bhagavān, and we distribute that. We don't make any addition or alteration. Therefore we present Bhagavad-gītā as it is. We don't make any addition or alteration. Therefore it is perfect. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, whatever knowledge they are spreading, that is perfect. Don't think the man who is spreading, he is imperfect. He may be imperfect. He is imperfect. I am imperfect. Every one of us is imperfect. But we are not spreading the imperfect knowledge because we are simply spreading what Kṛṣṇa has said. We are repeating. That's all.

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Miami, February 25, 1975:

He may be imperfect. He is imperfect. I am imperfect. Every one of us is imperfect. But we are not spreading the imperfect knowledge because we are simply spreading what Kṛṣṇa has said. We are repeating. That's all.

So this is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, to distribute perfect knowledge, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and that will make the whole world happy. So try to distribute this knowledge to your best capacity. Kṛṣṇa will recognize you, that you are trying your best to work on His behalf because He comes down to distribute the knowledge. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7).

Because we are all His sons—we are suffering—so He wants to see that our sufferings are mitigated immediately. But we are obstinate. We don't accept the supreme father's advice. That is our difficulty.

Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Miami, February 27, 1975:

Just like you have got a servant. You say, "My dear boy, you go this errand. Inform him this." So his duty is to carry your news and deliver to the person. Similarly, we who are now in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we should simply take, tat samāsena me śṛṇu. We should hear from Kṛṣṇa and distribute this knowledge. We have no difficulty. Then those who will hear, they will be benefited and we will be benefited. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break)

...instruction which I have given to you. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra—it is very easy—at least sixteen rounds, and follow the regulative principle, and pray to Kṛṣṇa to help you. Everything will be all right. (break) ...books, everything is there. (break) ...Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa is Kṛṣṇa personally. So if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa, you associate with Kṛṣṇa. And if you associate with fire, you become warm.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, September 30, 1973:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that anyone who has taken birth in India, he is fortunate. He can make his life perfect by reading at least this Bhagavad-gītā and distribute the knowledge all over the world. So Kṛṣṇa says, brahma-sūtra padaiś caiva hetumadbhir viniścitaṁ. You take Vedānta-sūtra; you study from the authoritative sources. Then your life becomes perfect. And take the..., carry this message all over the world.

Formerly our, some swamiji, he also wanted to preach Vedānta-sūtra, but while preaching Vedānta-sūtra he learned how to eat meat and how to drink. That's all. This was done, Vedānta-sutra. And "Everyone is God." That was his conclusion. And this same message, it was not fruitive. But actually, Vedānta-sūtra, because Kṛṣṇa is the vedānta-vid, vedānta-kṛd...

Lecture on BG 13.24 -- Bombay, October 23, 1973:

Don't question unnecessarily, waste your time, where you cannot surrender, where you cannot render your service.

This is the process. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). Then you can derive some benefit from the realized person. Upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ. Knowledge can be distributed by a person who has seen what is, who has experienced seeing... Seeing and hearing, these are the sources of gaining experience. So the śruti means hearing. And by hearing you will see. By hearing about God, Kṛṣṇa, ultimately you will see Him. When, by hearing, hearing, you'll develop your Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83). Hearing is possible by association with devotees, sādhu-saṅga. You cannot hear from the rascals. You have to hear from the superior person, one who is self-realized. Hearing. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ (SB 3.25.25). Satāṁ prasaṅgāt. By association with superior devotees... (break)

Lecture on BG 16.2-7 -- Bombay, April 8, 1971:

"Anyone who has taken birth in the land of Bhāratavarṣa..." Bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya janma haila yāra: (CC Adi 9.41) "Anyone who has taken birth in this land of Bhāratavarṣa..." Janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra: "First of all make your life perfect by taking advantage of this Vedic facility, and then distribute this knowledge all over the world." This is injunction. This is the mission of Lord Caitanya.

So it is practically being utilized in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We are giving the knowledge, this knowledge, to the western world in different ways. For the mass of people simply by chanting, making them purified. And the class of people, we have got books. We have got many important books. Let them understand our philosophy with, I mean to say, scientific knowledge, with philosophical vision. Not that we are simply sentimentalists, simply dancing. We have got... Dancing is not sentimental. It is spiritual ecstasy. It is not ordinary dancing.

Lecture on BG 16.2-7 -- Bombay, April 8, 1971:

So anyway, if you think that this dancing is a sentimental caricature, you may think like that, but if you want to understand through philosophy and science, we can supply you immense literature.

So this is the duty. This is the duty of all responsible Indians, how to make his life perfect, utilizing Vedic knowledge, and then distribute it throughout the whole world. Because in other parts of the world they have no such advantage. Why these American boys are coming to us? Because they did not get the advantage of spiritual life, but they are seeking after spiritual life. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. They are fed up with this materialistic way of life. They want something spiritual. But because there is no such information, there is no such leader, they are becoming hippies, frustrated, confused. And because here is something substantial, they are taking it. This is the secret of success of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

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

At the same time, fight." Yudhyasva mam anusmara. He never said that "Simply fight" or "Simply chant," because in the material world that is not possible. Therefore chanting must be there, but at the same time, you have to work how to continue this movement. The movement requires energy.

We are printing so many books. For spreading this knowledge, that must be distributed. Home to home, place to place, man to man, this literature must go there. If he... If one takes one book, at least one day he'll read it: "Let me see what is this book I have purchased the other day." And if he reads one line his life will be successful, if he reads one line only, carefully. This is such literature. So therefore book distribution I am giving so much stress. Somehow or other, small book or big book, if it is given to somebody he'll read someday and he'll derive... Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato... Just like the Vedānta-sūtra says, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1).

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 16, 1971:

Then I shall accept you God." We don't accept such so cheap God. The rascals may accept some cheap God. No, we don't accept. We accept Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Brahmā said, "God is here, Kṛṣṇa." Brahmā is the original person who distributes knowledge, Vedic knowledge. So we accept Kṛṣṇa. The Brahmā has said. And we see, "Yes. He is God. He is lifting hill. He is killing Pūtanā at the age of three months old only. A seven years old boy is lifting hill." So God must execute uncommon acts; otherwise, how shall I accept God if He's like me? Kṛṣṇa devoured the whole forest fire. His friends appealed, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, there is fire." The cows were crying. Kṛṣṇa said, "Don't worry." Boy of six years old. So that is God. We accept Rāmacandra as God. He brought big, big stones and floated over the ocean. Does a stone float over the ocean? Yes, it floats under the order of God. He can do it. The law of gravitation will not act there. He can change. You can see.

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 18, 1971:

That they do not see. They are seeing one side, that "America and Western countries, they have become so prosperous by industrialization. Let us imitate them. We must have." Actually, India, after independence, should have distributed this spiritual knowledge. Why we should compete with industrialization? They have got also demand for the spiritual knowledge. So India should have given the spiritual knowledge to the Western countries instead of competing with industry. And that is a fact.

Now, I alone started this movement. There is so much response because they are hankering after this. Caitanya Mahāprabhu hinted therefore:

Lecture on SB 1.2.3 -- London, August 24, 1971:

So what Śukadeva Gosvāmī did, that after assimilating the whole Vedic literature, he distributed it. That is another instinct. If you really have learned the essence of Vedic knowledge, automatically you'll be inclined to preach it. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Śravaṇam means to hear, to receive the knowledge. And next, kīrtanam, means to distribute, to describe the knowledge. Yaḥ svānubhāvam akhila-śruti-sāram ekam adhyātma-dīpam (SB 1.2.3). Dīpam means lamp. So this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is just like the lamp in the darkness to see Kṛṣṇa, or God. Adhyātma-dīpam. And for whom is it meant? Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is not meant for the street boys, or who are accustomed to read so many nonsense literature. They want to waste their time. They have no engagement. They purchase some book, fictitious book, and read it. Not only they, even elderly men, they read it. But this book is different from those books. It is meant for persons, those who are desiring to get out of this world of ignorance.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- London, August 26, 1971:

His wife was only sixteen years old, His mother was seventy-five years old, very old lady, but He left home for distributing kṛṣṇa-prema, love of Kṛṣṇa.

So this is the best kind of religious principle, to understand how to become a lover of God and distribute this knowledge, how to love God. That is the best religion. So this description of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, definition of religion, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje ahaitukī (SB 1.2.6), without any cause, apratihatā, without being checked up, without being infected by any materialism. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so beautiful thing that it does not require any material acquisition, neither it can be checked by any material (indistinct). Anywhere, any part of the world, at home or out of home, anywhere you can, with your ecstasy, you can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and you attain love of God very quickly.

Lecture on SB 1.2.9 -- New Vrindaban, September 7, 1972:

A class of men should be brāhmaṇa, simply interested in knowledge. Actually, that is going on. Some class of men in the human society, they are engaged in broadcasting knowledge, scientific knowledge. They are supposed to be on the brahminical qualification because to distribute knowledge mean must have good brain, must have good learning, education. Then there is question of distributing knowledge. A fool, rascal cannot distribute. Then next class, the politicians, administrative class, they are under the guidance of the intelligent class. They administer to keep the society in peaceful condition, in order. The next class, vaiśya, the productive class. There must be business, trade, production, agriculture; otherwise how man will live? And the śūdra class, general class, worker class, they have neither brain nor administrative power, nor can produce anything, but they can work under the direction of some higher authority.

Lecture on SB 1.2.14-16 -- San Francisco, March 24, 1967:

Formerly, of course, people were very intelligent. Simply by hearing. They need not take any note or need not read any book, but simply by hearing. So śrotavyaḥ. Therefore in the Bhāgavata it is recommended first thing that you have to hear. Simply by hear. And if you think, you become a spiritual master and you distribute this knowledge.

śuśrūṣoḥ śraddadhānasya
vāsudeva-kathā-ruciḥ
syān mahat-sevayā viprāḥ
puṇya-tīrtha-niṣevaṇāt
(SB 1.2.16)

Now this mentality for hearing kṛṣṇa-kathā, how it is developed? That is also śuśrūṣoḥ. You must be very sincere, śuśrūṣoḥ. And you must be inquisitive to hear. Śuśrūṣoḥ. One who is very eager to hear, he can become, in future, the spiritual master. Śuśrūṣoḥ śraddadhānasya, with faith. Vāsudeva-kathā-ruciḥ. Ruci means taste and vāsudeva-kathā means Kṛṣṇa, the topics of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.2.27 -- Vrndavana, November 7, 1972:

Therefore, according to our Vedic civilization, whenever, whenever there is any ceremony, the brāhmaṇas are..., are sumptuously fed. Because brāhmaṇas are considered to be the mouth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The mouth, the business of mouth is to speak and to eat. So brāhmaṇa's business is to speak Vedic knowledge, distribute Vedic knowledge. Veda-vādī. That is their speaking. Just like Ambarīṣa Mahārāja used to do.

sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor
vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane...
(SB 9.4.18)

The brāhmaṇa's business is to speak about the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just like Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is speaking about Himself... Because the purpose of Vedas is to understand Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). That is the purpose of Veda. If you become a very great scholar in Vedas, but you do not know what is Kṛṣṇa, it is useless.

Lecture on SB 1.5.1-4 -- New Vrindaban, May 22, 1969:

What is that book? That means whatever we have understood from our spiritual master. That's all. So one should be inquisitive, assimilate them, and susampannam, and... This is called śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). The inquiry means śravaṇam. Inquiry means to get the answer; that is hearing. And then assimilate. Then kīrtanam, then distribute the knowledge to the world. That is the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya janma yāra (CC Adi 9.41). Anyone who has taken birth in this holy land of India, Bhāratavarṣa... Just see how Caitanya Mahāprabhu gives power to every Indian. Every Indian has got this opportunity because his land of religion, the land of knowledge, spiritual knowledge. But these rascal men, they are being taught that "Throw away these books." You see. Such misfortunate condition is now in India. They are recommending wholesale cow slaughter in India, to make this business... Unfortunately, we have to be governed by such rascals.

Lecture on SB 1.5.9-11 -- New Vrindaban, June 6, 1969:

And then parivrājakācārya. Then, when he still further elevated, then he gives instruction. Why he should eat only without giving something to them? He'll feel like that. "Why for nothing I shall except food from others? I must give something. So whatever knowledge I have got I must distribute." This is parivrājakācārya.

And when one is experienced in everything and he is above all material affection, that is called paramahaṁsa. Haṁsa. Why...? Haṁsa means swan. Why he's compared with haṁsa? The haṁsa has got a qualification to take the essence. If you give a swan milk mixed with water, he'll, he has got some tactics, he'll simply take the milk case in and the water will be there, remain there. Similarly, haṁsa means one who has taken the essence of this cosmic manifestation. What is that essence? Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). Everything, all manifestation, all activities, they're all Kṛṣṇa's energy. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is the center.

Lecture on SB 1.5.11 -- London, September 12, 1973:

So we are trying our bit, almost single-handed, although the important literatures are there, Vedic literatures, four Vedas, Vedānta-sūtra, eighteen Purāṇas, hundred and eight Upaniṣads, then Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata, so many, full of knowledge, transcendental knowledge. They can be distributed all over the world. But there was no organized attempt. We are just begun from 1966, this movement, Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, distributing this literature. Through literature, of course, we are very hopeful. Our literatures are selling. In London also, they sell at least $200, er, pounds, in the street. Similarly, in New York, in Los Angeles, every city we are selling about thirty-to forty thousand rupees' worth books daily. People are appreciating. But if the publishers and the book sellers also help us in this movement, then people will be very much benefited. That is our request.

Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 16, 1969:

Are we not debtor? We go to school, college, and pay so much fees to the teachers. Are we not debtor to Vyāsadeva and Nārada? But we don't care for it. So acyutejya. If you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, naturally you will try to propagate the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. That means you are paying. You have learned something from them, and you are distributing the knowledge. That was their mission. If you keep it for yourself, then you are simply debtor. You are not paying. So there are so many complications. So all these complications can be solved simply by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Sarvārhaṇam acyutejya. That is the verdict of Veda.

So the godless creature means they are demons. That is described in the Bhāgavata. Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. Āsuri. Āsuri-bhāva means the attitude of a demon. "What is God? Oh, this is all nonsense. Who is God? I am God. Everyone is God. Oh, don't you see? So many Gods are loitering in the street. Why you are finding out another God?"

Lecture on SB 1.5.24 -- Vrndavana, August 5, 1975:

So some of the Vaiṣṇavas selected me to get this title Bhaktivedanta. Vedānta means bhakti, understanding bhakti. Because vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). So who can understand Kṛṣṇa unless he has bhakti? So this is the bhaktivedānta. So (reading) "Vedānta-vādī or the bhaktivedāntas are impartial in distributing the transcendental knowledge or devotional service. To them no one is enemy or friend, no one is educated or uneducated, no one is specially favorable, and no one is unfavorable. The bhaktivedāntas see the people in general are wasting time in false sensuous things. Their business is to get the ignorant mass of people to reestablish the lost relationship with the prayojana, lost relationship with the Personality of Godhead. By such endeavor even the most forgotten soul is roused up to the sense of spiritual life, and thus being initiated by the bhaktivedāntas the people in general gradually progress on the path of transcendental realization.

Lecture on SB 1.8.21 -- Mayapura, October 1, 1974:

Otherwise, in Sanskrit language they are called jñāna-khala: "miser in knowledge." One who has got knowledge... Just like in the modern world, if one is scientifically advanced, he gives the knowledge to others. He goes from university to university and speaks about the new invention. So similarly, brāhmaṇa means that he must have full knowledge and he must distribute the knowledge, not that keep it for himself, reserved: "Nobody should know it." No. Paṭhana-pāṭhana. So jñānaṁ vijñānam.

Similarly, everyone has got particular type of business. Kṣatriya has got; vaiśya has got. So yat karoṣi, whatever you are doing, you must do it for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction. Kṛṣṇa's satis... If you have got some knowledge, you distribute the knowledge for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction. How you can do that? Whatever knowledge you have got, you try to describe Kṛṣṇa. Kavibhir nirūpitaḥ yad uttama-śloka-guṇānuvarṇanam (SB 1.5.22). This is the first-class distribution of knowledge. Whatever you know, you try to explain Kṛṣṇa by that knowledge. Just like our Dr. Svarūpa Dāmodara.

Lecture on SB 1.8.34 -- Los Angeles, April 26, 1973:

He's sitting in everyone's heart. But one must be qualified to receive the knowledge. Kṛṣṇa is helping us from within. He is giving us knowledge from within. Without also. So without, He's spiritual master. And within He's Supersoul, caitya-guru. In this way, we are getting knowledge.

So Brahmā is getting knowledge from Kṛṣṇa and Brahmā is distributing Vedic knowledge. Therefore he's authority. We, we belong to the Brahma-sampradāya. Our, this Caitanya Mahāprabhu's sampradāya... There are four sampradāyas. One from Brahmā, one from Śrī, Lakṣmī, one from Śambhu, Lord Śiva, and one from Kumāra. Kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ. So there are four Vaiṣṇava sampradāyas. So we have to approach the authoritative representative of Brahmā, Kṛṣṇa. Then we can get the real knowledge.

Lecture on SB 1.13.10 -- Geneva, June 1, 1974:

Otherwise, it is very risky. But these people, the Western people, they do not do that. They keep themselves in the modes of ignorance. That is very risky civilization. So at least you Europeans and Americans, you should know it, and you distribute this knowledge. It is your duty to save them. But these... They do not know it. As soon as there is talk of this goodness and sinful activity, immediately they go away. Immediately. Yesterday that gentleman came, and just when I began to talk about pious activities and impious activities, he immediately left, "I have got another meeting."

So this is the position. Upadeśo hi mūrkhāṇāṁ prakopāya na śāntaye. If one is a foolish person, if you give him good instruction, he will be angry. He will not take it. Upadeśo hi mūrkhāṇāṁ prakopāya na śāntaye payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅgānāṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam. A snake, if you kindly give him foodstuff, there is no...

Lecture on SB 1.14.43 -- New York, April 7, 1973 :

He will give advice. Just like we, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we, we are not meant for the ksatriya's business or vaisya's business, the devotees, but if required they can take. Real business is, brāhmaṇa's business is to know the Vedas, the Brahman, the Supreme Brahman, the Absolute Truth. He, he must know, and he must distribute the knowledge. This is brāhmaṇa. Kīrtayanto. Satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ. This is brāhmaṇa's business.

So, we have taken this business that preach that there is God. We have got an intimate relationship with God. So if you act, act accordingly, then they will be happy. This is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. These rascals, they have forgotten, or they do not care to know, God, and that is the cause of their suffering. Yesterday that press reporter asked... What was the question?

Lecture on SB 1.15.42 -- Los Angeles, December 20, 1973:

That is complete.

There is a small story. Perhaps I have narrated this story sometimes ago, that in a school... Formerly there was no charge for school. Now everything has become business. Formerly a brāhmaṇa, he'll start a school. Brāhmaṇa is paṭhana pāṭhana. His business is to become learned himself and to distribute his knowledge, education, to everyone free. This is brāhmaṇa. The brāhmaṇa, and the opposite word is kṛpaṇa. Kṛpaṇa means miser. A miser, he has got money, but he does not spend. He keeps it only. And brāhmaṇa means he has got knowledge and he distributes for others' benefit. That is brāhmaṇa. Therefore we are making every one of our disciples brāhmaṇa, not that he should simply know himself what is God. No. He must distribute the knowledge also. Go from town to town, village to village, and try to convince these rascals what is God. They simply write, "In God We Trust," but they do not know what is God or how to trust, nothing. Now let them know it scientifically.

Lecture on SB 1.16.21 -- Hawaii, January 17, 1974:

Because we are so weak in this age and there are so many problems, it is very, very difficult to make a solution. Therefore śāstra says that "You simply take to the chanting of the holy name of God."

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

In this age there is no other way. That you'll feel when you take to chanting without any offense, very simple thing, which has... You haven't got to spend any money for this chanting, neither we are charging. We are simply distributing this knowledge, that "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra; all problems will be solved."

Lecture on SB 2.3.24 -- Los Angeles, June 22, 1972:

He was not accepting any salary because he was brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa cannot accept any salary. Just like you have accepted me as your ācārya, but you do not pay me any salary. This is forbidden. The teacher will not accept salary. Then he comes down to the śūdra platform. The śūdra accepts salary. "I serve you, you pay me." And the brāhmaṇa will distribute knowledge freely, and the kṣatriya will give protection to the brāhmaṇa. This is the system of Vedic system. Even in fifty years ago, education in India, there was no charges. A learned brāhmaṇa will sit down in corner of a neighborhood and all the children will come there. They will learn primary education. And the parents of the children will send, somebody will send rice, somebody will send ḍāl... Just like we are maintaining, by collecting. Not here, but in Bombay, our center is collecting and distributing.

Lecture on SB 2.9.13 -- Melbourne, April 12, 1972:

This nonsense theory killed the human civilization. The intelligence is coming from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And the most intelligent person is receiving that, Brahmā. And then he is distributing this knowledge. So knowledge has not developed with the development of the brain of the living entities. That is a wrong theory. Knowledge is already there. And the most intelligent person received it, and it is being distributed still. Therefore Vedic knowledge is considered to be the perfect. And if we take knowledge from the Vedas, then our knowledge is perfect. Now here is the knowledge. What is the purport?

Lecture on SB 2.9.14 -- Melbourne, April 13, 1972:

They will come here and plunder for some years and then go away. That's all. So let them do that. But your culture, Indian culture, is so great that you should distribute." Bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra: (CC Adi 9.41) "Anyone who has taken birth in India, he should first of all make his life successful and distribute this knowledge all over the world." That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. We are engaged in that mission. We don't care for these dogs and cats. So therefore it is such a great thing that we should take little risk. That is That is not risk, but if one thinks that it is risk It is not risk.

Lecture on SB 3.28.21 -- Nairobi, November 1, 1975:

So phora-phorayate(?), this kind of knowledge will not satisfy us. We take from the big fish, one who knows. Then who knows? Kṛṣṇa knows. And one who knows from Kṛṣṇa, he knows. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. One who is ācāryavān, who has taken shelter of ācārya, he knows. Why? Because ācārya receives knowledge from Kṛṣṇa and he distributes knowledge to his disciple. That is perfect knowledge. Ācāryavān puruṣaḥ. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). These are the instruction.

So actually we are in the darkness. This whole world is dark. It is... It requires, therefore, the sunlight, the moonlight, the electric light, the fire, the lamp, because it is dark. Because it is dark. But there is a spiritual world where here is no need of. Na yatra bhāsyate sūryo na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ. In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find, na yatra bhāsyate sūryaḥ. There is no need of this sūrya. There is no need of sūrya.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Delhi, November 28, 1975:

Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). Human life means very peaceful life, without any trouble. That is Vedic civilization. These books written by Vyāsadeva, he was writing these books, such exalted knowledge, in Hardwar, in a secluded place, very peacefully situated. And that knowledge was taken by the kṣatriyas, and they were distributing. As it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Vedic knowledge was first of all taken up by the kṣatriyas. Brāhmaṇas, they used to cultivate knowledge and they used to advise the kṣatriyas, rulers, and they took it and they distributed to the general mass of people for the elevation of the spiritual platform. This is civilization. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). This is creation of God, cātur-varṇyaṁ: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. This is called varṇa, and as spiritual cultivation, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Nellore, January 5, 1976:

Especially in India, who are born as Indians, they have got a special facility to get this transcendental knowledge from śāstras. Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised or ordered to every Indian that "You make your life perfect by going through the śāstras and distribute this knowledge throughout the whole world for welfare activities." The exact words in Bengali is like this,

bhārata bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra
janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra
(CC Adi 9.41)

Means anyone who has taken birth in this holy land of Bhāratavarṣa must make his life successful by going through the śāstras and distribute the knowledge throughout the whole world. Therefore I am appealing to my Indian brothers to take up this missionary work as ordered by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, especially my appeal is to the people of South India.

Lecture on SB 6.1.7 -- San Francisco, March 1, 1967:

Manufacturing..., your manufacturing process is very poor because you are imperfect. At least your senses, by which you will produce knowledge... Sense, there are senses to acquire knowledge. Just like by hearing, I have acquired knowledge, and by speaking, I am distributing knowledge. So these are all sense activities. But our senses are imperfect; therefore we cannot manufacture knowledge. We have to receive knowledge from the authority. Just like we receive knowledge from our father, mother, "This is this." The child learns, "This is lamp." The father tells, "My dear boy, this is called lamp," and the boy understands, "This is lamp." The mother says, "My dear boy, this is your father," and the boy accepts, "This is my father." He doesn't make any research "Who is my father?" because mother is the authority.

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Chicago, July 6, 1975:

That is said, paṭhana-pāṭhana yajana-yājana dāna-pratigraha. First-class man means brahminical class. Their occupational duty is first of all he must become a very learned scholar in the Vedic literature. Veda-pāṭhād bhaved vipraḥ. He must become a learned scholar. And after becoming a scholar, it is not that that he will enjoy himself the knowledge. No. He will distribute the knowledge. This is one, that first-class man, or the brāhmaṇa, first of all he must become a learned scholar... If he is not scholar, what he will, nonsense he will teach? So the first position is that he must become a learned scholar. And the next business is to teach others, to make disciple. Formerly even fifty year or sixty years ago in India a brāhmaṇa would not accept anyone's service. Because whatever he has knowledge, he would sit down anywhere, underneath a tree or in the corridor of somebody, and he will invite the village small children, and they will go, and he will teach little grammar, little mathematics, gradually. And the children will bring from their father and mother. Somebody will bring rice.

Lecture on SB 6.1.40 -- San Francisco, July 21, 1975:

The example is given like this: Just like the cloud. Cloud takes water from the sea, and he pours it down, and again the water goes down to the sea. So all knowledge comes from Kṛṣṇa, but when Kṛṣṇa appears, He takes the same knowledge from through the guru. Just try to understand. The knowledge is just like the sea, full knowledge, but it distributes the water on the land. Again the water goes down. Similarly, anyone who becomes Kṛṣṇa's guru or Caitanya Mahāprabhu's guru, they take knowledge from him, but superficially Kṛṣṇa accepts guru. He has no guru. Svayambhū. Therefore it is called svayambhū. Svayambhū. Svayambhūr iti śuśruma. Kṛṣṇa has no cause. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1). Anādir ādir govindaḥ. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ. Īśvara (Bs. 5.1), the Supreme Lord, is Kṛṣṇa, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha, anādi. He has no source of knowledge. That is called svayambhū.

Lecture on SB 6.1.41-42 -- Surat, December 23, 1970:

The brāhmaṇa had no other business. He would sit down in his cottage, and he would teach Vedic literature. Even in Muhammadan, the, what is called, maulanas, they also teach Koran. That is brahminical quality, paṭhana-pāṭhana, not that "I am very much learned; I will not distribute it. I shall..." That is called jñāna-khala, envious even he has knowledge. The spiritual knowledge must be distributed. That is the system of our Vaiṣṇava philosophy. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam (SB 7.5.23). The śravaṇam is paṭhana, to learn from the spiritual master. That is called śravaṇam. And then kīrtanam, then distribute the knowledge. Whatever you have learned from your spiritual master, you must distribute. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. So paṭhana-pāṭhana yajana-yājana. Yajana means worshiping the Lord, the Deity. And yājana, and inducing others to engage in that worshiping. This is going on. You kindly mark in this society, we are allowing the students, giving them volumes of books for reading, paṭhana.

Lecture on SB 6.1.41-42 -- Surat, December 23, 1970:

And they are worshiping the Lord, and they are inviting others to come here and learn how to worship Lord. Paṭhana-pāṭhana yajana-yājana dāna-pratigraha. They are exacting money: "Give us some money. Become our member." But what is that membership fee? That is not being used for their sense gratification. For dāna, for distributing knowledge. "You give us some money as membership fee. We give you whatever we have got. We have got this book. Take it." Dāna-pratigraha.

So this is brahminical business. Paṭhana-pāṭhana yajana-yājana dāna-pratigraha. Again... (aside:) You can... Again, in the śāstra it is said that ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ: "If a brāhmaṇa has become very much expert in this six kinds of business," and mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ, "and he knows also all the mantras and tantras, but he is impersonalist or voidist, then he cannot become guru." Avaiṣṇavo gurur na syāt.

Lecture on SB 6.1.49 -- New Orleans Farm, August 1, 1975:

That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore says, bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya janma haila jāra: "Anyone who has taken birth in Bhārata-varṣa, India, as human being, not cats and dogs," janma sārthaka kari, "first of all make your life successful," then paropakāra, "then distribute the knowledge." This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. How? Why He is stressing on Indian? Now, because it is in India you will find these śāstras, the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and many others, not in other places. The four Vedas; then the explanation of the Vedas, Upaniṣad; summarization of the Vedas, Vedānta-sūtra; then historically explanation, Purāṇas; then actual history, Mahābhārata, Rāmāyaṇa—so these things are available in India. And one should take advantage of this śāstra and make his life successful and then preach all over the world.

Lecture on SB 6.1.49 -- New Orleans Farm, August 1, 1975:

Purāṇas; then actual history, Mahābhārata, Rāmāyaṇa—so these things are available in India. And one should take advantage of this śāstra and make his life successful and then preach all over the world.

So in this paramparā system, this knowledge has come to your country, America. You are intelligent. You are prosperous. So take this knowledge seriously and at least distribute this knowledge properly for the benefit of your people. Otherwise the world is in very, very precarious condition, and although the human form of life is obtained for the success of life, they are being kept purposefully all ignorantly in darkness. So, na veda pūrvam aparaṁ naṣṭa-janma-smṛtis tathā. Just like Bharata Mahārāja, he was a great devotee, but somehow or other, he was very much attached to one, a small deer. He had to accept the body of a deer. But he did not forget about his last birth. That is special prerogative for advanced devotees. Nature's law is that at the time of death, what you think, you get the body. That is nature's law.

Lecture on SB 6.3.12-15 -- Gorakhpur, February 9, 1971:

Ṣaṭ-karma means a brāhmaṇa has to become very learned. Paṭhana. He must be a serious student of Vedic religion. That is first qualification. Veda-pāṭhād bhaved vipraḥ. And he has studied all these Vedic literatures, and he remains a fool, that is... Immediately he is disqualified. So paṭhana-pāṭhana. Not that he would simply take advantage of the knowledge without distributing it. Therefore a brāhmaṇa's business is to distribute the knowledge. Just like yesterday we saw. There is a small school. That's a very nasty condition. But this is the business of the brāhmaṇas. In the village a brāhmaṇa would sit down and the village boys and girls would come there to learn from him, and they will bring some presentation. That will be his livelihood. A brāhmaṇa hasn't got to go anywhere to seek his livelihood. So therefore paṭhana-pāṭhana. He should be himself very learned scholar, and he should try to make others also like him.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

Just like we are present here, face to face. You can go there and see and talk, everything is there simply by understanding. And for that understanding here is Bhagavad-gītā. So why don't you take this advantage? We are trying to place before you Bhagavad-gītā. We are not charging anything, fees from you, that "You give me thirty-five dollars or fifty dollars." No. We are distributing this knowledge free. Please come and take ad... There is no loss on your part, but there is so much gain. And try to understand it nicely. The result will be tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). If you simply can understand this preliminary thing, what is God, that's all. Then you have got duty. As soon as you know your relationship with God, then you have got some duty. Oh, when you're engaged in such duties then you are already in the liberated stage. You are already in the liberated stage. Simply by understanding God you become liberated. Your certificate is there, you can enter. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9).

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Madras, January 2, 1976:

And Kṛṣṇa also says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo (BG 10.8). Sarvasya means including all the devatās, all the living entities, everything. And the Vedānta says, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). So Kṛṣṇa is the absolute Supreme Person, īśvaraḥ paramam, from Lord Brahma. He is the distributor of Vedic knowledge, and Kṛṣṇa says also, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). This is ultimate goal.

So the bhāgavata-dharmam, bhagavān, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. In the list of the incarnation given in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there is name of Kṛṣṇa also. But at the conclusion, Vyāsadeva says, ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). He concludes that "All the incarnation mentioned here, they are aṁśa-kalāḥ, part, partly manifestation or part of partly manifestation." Kalāḥ means part of partly(?) manifestation. "But the name which is mentioned here, Kṛṣṇa, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1-2 -- Stockholm, September 6, 1973:

Although we have got expenditure not less than one hundred thousands of dollars per month throughout the whole world.

So anyway, it is our attempt to give you the ripened fruit of Vedic knowledge. This is our attempt. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is just distributing the ripened fruit of Vedic knowledge. So Vedic knowledge, the ultimate goal of Vedic knowledge is to know God. Not only Vedic, any scripture, any book of knowledge. So the ultimate goal of knowledge is to know God. If you do not... Because this human form of life is meant for that purpose. That is explained here by Prahlāda Mahārāja: kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). This Prahlāda Mahārāja, he was a small boy, five years old. Somehow or other, he was enlightened in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and at the age of five years old, he was going to school and he was trying to preach this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement in the school.

Lecture on SB 7.6.6-9 -- Montreal, June 23, 1968:

Anyway, the vānaprastha, when the gentleman is completely educated for renouncing this world, then he sends back the wife to grown-up boys and he takes sannyāsa. This is sannyāsa dress. This is preparing, not... Preparing is finished. Sannyāsa means he should distribute spiritual knowledge from door to door. That is his business. He has no family attraction, he has nothing to think for his maintenance, because the society is advised to take care of brahmacārī, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. Just see. This is spiritual communism. One section of people, the householders, they have to maintain the three other divisions. We have divided the society into four divisions: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. Only the gṛhasthas are allowed to make money, to earn money. But the brahmacārī and the vānaprastha and sannyāsī is to live at the cost the gṛhasthas. Brahmacaris shall go from door to door and beg alms and bring it for the spiritual master. The spiritual master is a sannyāsī.

Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Montreal, July 6, 1968:

All Indians means those who have taken birth as human beings. Janma sārthaka kari. This is very important. The Indians, they have got the opportunity of making their life successful because the spiritual knowledge, the spiritual treasurehouse, is there in India. So janma sārthaka kara para-upakāra. First of all you learn yourself what is Vedic knowledge, what is spiritual life, and go and distribute to the rest of the world, para-upakāra. They are suffering. This is the mission of Lord Caitanya.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10-11 -- Montreal, July 14, 1968:

That which is greater than the greatest, and that which can expand unlimited, that is called Brahman. But in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find Kṛṣṇa says, brahmaṇo 'haṁ pratiṣṭha, that "I am the resort of Brahman. Brahman is resting upon Me." So who is greater? Kṛṣṇa or Brahman? You'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā, brahmaṇo 'haṁ pratiṣṭha. Just like the sunshine. The sunshine is distributed all over the universe. According to Vedic knowledge, the sunshine is distributing its shining all over the universe, and the stars or the moons, they're glittering, being reflected by the sun. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find, nakṣatrāṇām aham śaśi. Kṛṣṇa says that "Out of the many stars, I am the moon." That means moons and the stars are on the same category. As the moon is a reflection of the sun, similarly the stars are also a reflection of the sun. So this shining you can see, it is expanded all over the universe. And whoever is coming in front of that shining, sunshine, it is glittering. Just like you can see sometimes an airplane running very high on the sky.

Lecture on SB 7.9.44 -- Delhi, March 26, 1976:

They will read and be benefited.

So this is the mission of high-class Vaiṣṇava, how to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness among the suffering humanity, and this is the purport of this verse said by Prahlāda Mahārāja, and we are following the footprints of Prahlāda Mahārāja. Never mind even it is imperfectly done, we must execute the orders of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). I may not be so very expert in delivering the message of Kṛṣṇa, but my duty is to try to my best capacity how to distribute this knowledge to the suffering humanity.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 17, 1972:

So especially those who are born in India as human beings, they should take advantage of this knowledge. They should not manufacture knowledge. The knowledge is already there. Simply one has to take it. Just like Bhagavad-gītā. Everything is there already. We have to take it, accept it, and apply it practically in life, and distribute the knowledge throughout the whole world. This is the mission of India.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not sectarian, neither unauthorized. Because it is based on the Bhagavad-gītā as it is. We don't interpret Bhagavad-gītā. If I interpret Bhagavad-gītā, then there is no authority of Bhagavad-gītā. The same example. Suppose state law. You cannot interpret. Then what is the value of the state law? You are a layman. You cannot interpret Bhagavad-gītā. Any Vedic knowledge, you cannot interpret. Then there is no authority of the Vedic knowledge. For example... We give it very constantly. Just like cow dung. Cow dung is the stool of an animal.

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

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very rare thing, but, by the grace of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, it is being distributed all over the world freely. It is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's grace. Mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). If we adopt the method of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, then we can distribute what Kṛṣṇa..., Kṛṣṇa-prema, love of Kṛṣṇa. Knowledge of Kṛṣṇa may be distributed. The scholars and the paṇḍitas, they can understand, but love of Kṛṣṇa is different thing. That is a different thing. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu is distributing love of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te.

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

Janma-sārthaka kari'. Here is Bhagavad-gītā. Here is Vedas. Here is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Here is Kṛṣṇa. Here is Lord Rāmacandra. Here is Vyāsadeva. And we are going to learn technology? How much degraded we have become, just consider. The, our mission should be, first of all, we must assimilate all the knowledge given by all the great saintly persons—Kṛṣṇa and others—and distribute this knowledge all over the world. And the whole world is also expecting like that. Therefore as soon as the so-called rascal swami goes there, and they immediately gather: "Here is one swami from India. We may get something." But they are cheating. They are cheating and taking money and having illicit sex, and enjoying and coming back. Therefore they could not do anything. But the whole world is waiting for India's culture, India's bhakti, India's spiritual knowledge. Just see the example. Why they have left their fathers' property, their opulence of country, and they are after me? I am a poor man. Only this reason, that they're hankering.

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

We have no other business. Any other business means we are becoming entangled in this material world. And the aim of human life is to get out of these clutches of material world. People do not know it. They do not know. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). So it is very difficult; still, Caitanya Mahāprabhu ordered to distribute this knowledge all over the world. So let us try. Even the people do not take our instruction, that is not our disqualification. Our qualification is let us try our best. The māyā is very strong. To take the living entities out of the clutches of māyā is not very easy thing. My Guru Mahārāja used to say... He had so many temples all over India, and he used to say sometimes that "If by selling all these properties, temples, if I could turn one man to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then my mission will be successful." He used to say that. So our purpose is not to construct big, big buildings. That is required for propaganda work, for giving shelter to people.

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

The brāhmaṇa should be learned, and a brāhmaṇa should make others learned, other brāhmaṇa, not that be simply satisfied that he's brāhmaṇa and nobody should become brāhmaṇa. No. He should make others brāhmaṇa. Just like a big lawyer, he makes his assistants lawyer. A professor, learned professor, he makes others professor. Otherwise, it is called jñāna-khala, miser. The knowledge should be distributed. Any scientist discovering, they distribute it. Similarly, brāhmaṇa should be udāra. Not only he should personally know what is Brahman, but he should distribute the knowledge.

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

So we have become crippled. Therefore we are talking this, that "This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is killing our Hindu principles." No. It is really, actually Vedic principle that one should be learned, and he should distribute the knowledge for paropakāra. That is brahminism. Para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. Kṛpāmbudhir yas tam ahaṁ prapadye (CC Madhya 6.254). Lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau. These are the statements in the śāstra. Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau. These Gosvāmīs, they compiled this... Rūpa Gosvāmī compiled this Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu not for the study, a few selected persons. Lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau: for the benefit of the whole human society. And actually that is happening. We have translated this Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu in English, and we have got the greatest sale of this book.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.11 -- Mayapur, April 4, 1975:

He desired, that Indians, you Indians, you have got the facility. Don't spoil your life by imitating the so-called rascal scientists of the Western countries, but you take advantage of the science, spiritual science, which is in India, and distribute the knowledge because they are in ignorance. Therefore He says,

bhārata bhūmite manuṣya janma haila yāra
janma sārthaka kari' karo paropakāra
(CC Adi 9.41)

This should be the India's business. This whole world is in darkness, demonic civilization. And India, there is the remedy. So if the Indians take advantage and make his life perfect and then go to the Western countries and distribute this immortal knowledge, that is real business of India. Unfortunately, they are trying to imitate.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.80-95 -- San Francisco, February 10, 1966:

"Anyone..." He is ordering all Indians. Bhārata-bhūmite means all Indians. He does not say the Hindus or the Bengalis or these Punjabis. No. He says particularly, "Any person who has taken his birth in this land of Bhāratavarṣa," janma sārthaka kari, "you just perfect your life. Just perfect your life," and kara paropakāra, "and distribute this knowledge for benefit of all other people."

So this injunction is received, as Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, that "First of all make your life perfect. Don't try to preach without becoming yourself perfect." The nonsense thing is going on in this world that so-called preachers, they have not perfected their life, but they have become preachers. They have not already perfected their life, and they have become preacher. Therefore they are bringing so many nonsense things and misleading persons, Vedāntists and Vedānta Society, yogis, this or that. But they are not themselves perfect.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.151-154 -- Gorakhpur, February 14, 1971:

If you take one rupee from that one rupee, still that one rupee is there. That you cannot adjust in your teeny brain. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, acintya. It is not accommodated in our teeny brain. Therefore those who are teeny brain, or poor fund of knowledge, they think that when the Absolute Truth is distributed, sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma, then where is the person? But that is not the conception. The conception is He is unlimitedly powerful, ṣaḍ-aiśvarya pūrṇa, with all power. He can create so many personalities Himself. Just like Kṛṣṇa expanded Himself into 16,000 forms. When He married 16,000 wives, He expanded Himself in 16,000 forms. When He was dancing in rasa-līlā, He expanded Himself. Each gopī was thinking that "Kṛṣṇa is dancing with me." So that is Kṛṣṇa's, or God's, unlimited potency. Not that if He expands, He becomes zero.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100 -- Washington, D.C., July 5, 1976:

Poverty-stricken because they have given their own culture; therefore poverty-stricken. Otherwise, there is no question of poverty-stricken. So anyway this is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's message, that every Indian should take advantage of the great culture, Vedic culture, and make his life successful, and after acquiring mature knowledge he should distribute the knowledge throughout the whole world. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's...

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 11 -- Los Angeles, May 16, 1970:

Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyante (BG 7.19). Therefore one who is in real knowledge, after many, many births, he comes to Kṛṣṇa and surrenders unto Him, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti: (BG 7.19) "Vasudeva, Kṛṣṇa, You are everything."

So that knowledge we are trying to distribute freely, without any charges. So our mission is very great. You should be conscious of this responsibility. We are giving this supermost thing to the human society. So you try yourself to understand thoroughly and distribute. That will make you very much, I mean to say, dear to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu kaścid me priya-kṛttamaḥ: "Anyone who is preaching this Kṛṣṇa consciousness knowledge, oh, nobody is dearer than him to Me." So if you want to be very dear to Kṛṣṇa quickly, so you preach this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement very nicely.

Sri Isopanisad Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, July 8, 1971:

Gautama Ṛṣi, from him the familywise gotra, and similarly disciplic succession is also gotra. There is no difference between putra and chatra. Putra means son, and chatra means disciple. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita said, putrāṁś ca śiṣyāṁś ca; they are equally treated. Both of them equally eligible for hereditary rites from the person, either he is son or disciple. So Brahmā distributed knowledge to some... Practically everyone was his son because he was the first living creature. So later on, disciples also, son's son. So in this way Brahmā distributed this Vedic knowledge, some to the sons, some to the... Vyāsadeva also, he distributed knowledge, some to his sons, some to his disciples. That is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So that is the process of disseminating Vedic knowledge. Then?

Festival Lectures

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

Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is going on all over the world, but our Indians are callous, our government is callous. They do not take. That is our misfortune. But it is the Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. He says any Indian, bhārata bhūmite manuṣya janma, if he's human being, he must make his life perfect by taking advantage of this Vedic literature and distribute the knowledge all over the world. That is para-upakāra. So India can do. They are actually appreciating. These Europeans, American young men, they are appreciating that how great... I get daily dozens of letter, how they are benefited by this movement. Actually, that is the fact. It is giving the life for the dead man. So I shall specially request the Indians, especially His Excellency, kindly cooperate with this movement, and try to make successful your life and others' life. That is the mission of Kṛṣṇa, advent of Kṛṣṇa.

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

In Brahmā's day there are seventy-one Manus, and one Manu lives for... That is also many millions of years, seventy-two millenniums.

So we are not interested now about calculation the perfect knowledge. This perfect knowledge comes from God, or Kṛṣṇa, and it is distributed by paramparā system, by disciplic succession. The example is just there, a mango tree. On the top of the mango tree there is a very ripened fruit, and that fruit has to be tasted. So if I drop the fruit from up, it will be lost. Therefore it is handed over, after one, after one, after... Then it comes down. So all Vedic process of knowledge is taking from the authority. And it comes down through disciplic succession. Just like I have already explained, Kṛṣṇa gives the knowledge, perfect knowledge, to Brahmā, and Brahmā gives the knowledge to Nārada. Nārada gives the knowledge to Vyāsa. Vyāsa gives the knowledge to Madhvācārya.

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

Just like I have already explained, Kṛṣṇa gives the knowledge, perfect knowledge, to Brahmā, and Brahmā gives the knowledge to Nārada. Nārada gives the knowledge to Vyāsa. Vyāsa gives the knowledge to Madhvācārya. Madhvācārya gives the knowledge to his disciplic succession, later on, to Mādhavendra Purī. Mādhavendra Purī gives that knowledge to Īśvara Purī. Īśvara Purī gives that knowledge to Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Lord Caitanya. He delivers that knowledge to His immediate disciples, six Gosvāmīs. The six Gosvāmīs delivers the knowledge to Śrīnivāsa Ācārya, Jīva Gosvāmī. Then Kavirāja Gosvāmī, then Viśvanātha Cakravartī, then Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī, then Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, then Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, then my spiritual master, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī. Then we are distributing the same knowledge.

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

So your senses are imperfect, you are cheating, you are illusioned, and you commit mistake. How you can give perfect knowledge? Therefore we don't accept any knowledge from an imperfect personality. Because that is imperfect knowledge, what is the use of that knowledge? Theorizing. No theory. We want to know fact. That is perfect knowledge. So that perfect knowledge can come from God. And one who distributes that knowledge exactly as God has said, he is perfect. Just like a post peon comes and delivers you, say, one hundred dollars. So he is not delivering that one hundred dollars. Your friend has sent you one hundred dollars, and his business is to hand over that one hundred dollars as it is, without any change, without taking one dollar from it, no, or adding. No addition, no subtraction. His honesty, his perfection, is that he delivers you that hundred dollars which is sent by your friend. That is his honest..., perfection. He may be imperfect in so many others ways, but when he does his business perfectly, he is perfect.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1973:

Bhārata bhūmīte mānuṣya janma. Mānuṣya janma means human being. Because without being a human being, nobody can understand these things. The cats and dogs, they cannot understand. So a person whose behavior is like cats and dogs, he also cannot understand. Therefore He said, janma sārthaka kari. First of all make your life perfect and then distribute this knowledge. This is the Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission.

So He simply said, but He was expecting that in later days His followers would do that. So that attempt was made by Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, he desired and, that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's message, it should be accepted by East and West equally, and both the Indians and Europeans, Americans, they should dance together in ecstasy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mercy. That was his desire, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura.

Sri Sri Kaliya Krsna Deity Installation -- Lautoka, Fiji, May 2, 1976:

Even one is born in low grade family, he has got the facility of joining this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and everyone has the capability to understand it, every human being. Otherwise how in the western world, all these boys and girls who have joined, in number, so they are coming from different family. But they have taken Kṛṣṇa consciousness so seriously. So if you yourself become serious and distribute this Kṛṣṇa consciousness knowledge, the inhabitants of this island, Fiji Island, they will be also benefited and they will be also delivered. We have no such distinction. But everything must be done under proper direction and under the rules and regulation. So try to carry out and construct the temple very nicely and enjoy spiritual. Thank you very much.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Lecture -- New Delhi, November 10, 1971:

We should be very much proud of becoming Indian to take our birth on the holy land of India. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra (CC Adi 9.41). Anyone who has taken birth in this holy land of Bharata-varṣa, janma sārthaka kari': just make your life perfect and distribute the knowledge all over the world. Janma sārthaka kari kara para-upakāra. Para-upakāra. India is meant for doing welfare activities to the world, but we have forgotten that. We are trying to imitate the Western country and technology, and we have thrown out our Vedic treasure-house, our transcendental knowledge treasure-house. So my Guru Mahārāja ordered me long, long ago, when I was twenty-five years old, my Guru Mahārāja ordered me to go to the foreign countries and preach Lord Caitanya's message. But somehow or other I could not assimilate his order until I was seventy years old. But it was better late than never. So also I was trying how to make a successful tour for preaching Caitanya Mahāprabhu's message.

Arrival Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 18, 1972:

So we have got this message from Kṛṣṇa, from Caitanya Mahāprabhu, from the six Gosvāmīs, later on, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, Bhaktisiddhānta Ṭhākura. And we are trying our bit also to distribute this knowledge. Now, tenth, eleventh, twelfth... My Guru Mahārāja is tenth from Caitanya Mahāprabhu, I am eleventh, you are the twelfth. So distribute this knowledge. People are suffering. They are simply fighting on some false thing, māyā. They should be given the real fact of happiness. We have spoiled our life, many lives, coming through the evolutionary process of 8,400,000 species of life. Here is an opportunity, human form of life, and here is the message of Lord Caitanya, Kṛṣṇa. Human form of life can understand, and especially in America you can understand. You have got better intelligence, better facility. We are not sentimental, simply chanting and dancing.

Arrival Address -- New York, April 5, 1973:

We have already big, big books, about twenty books, and small books also. Just now one book published, "Rāja-vidyā, the King of Knowledge." There are different kinds of knowledges. But as there are different types of citizens but in the state there is a king or the president, similarly, there are different types of knowledge, but we are distributing the king of knowledge, God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

So the necessity of this movement is that we are creating brain. At the present moment the human society is lacking brain. Exactly they are living like cats and dogs, not with human brain. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). The human society must be divided into four classes of divisions, or divisions, catur-varṇya: the brāhmaṇa, the kṣatriya, the vaiśya, and the śūdra.

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

Formerly, Bhāratavarṣa means the whole planet. Now it has come, India. Never mind. So "Anyone who has taken birth in India, Bhāratavarṣa, let him make his life successful," and kara para-upakāra, "and go outside India and do good to others." Para-upakāra. This is India's business. India's business is to distribute the spiritual knowledge all over the world because they are in darkness. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra, janma sārthaka kari: (CC Adi 9.41) "First of all you become successful." Because in India you will find Vedas, Upaniṣads, Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata, Purāṇas, and Vedānta-sūtra, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā, so many other things, all Vedic literature. So if Indians, those who are actually prestigious... They should learn from guru all these literatures, make his life successful. Then go outside and preach. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's. Then if anyone says that "I have no knowledge. I have no education.

Arrival Lecture -- Calcutta, February 4, 1977:

They do not know what is the value of life. So in India, anyone born, he can make his life successful. We have got Bhagavad-gītā and all Vedic literatures. By learning, by practicing, we can make our life perfectly and then distribute the knowledge. This is India's business. Unfortunately, they have been conquered by the illusion of māyā, and they are not interested. They are becoming drunkard and talking all nonsense. So you have come, kindly. Of course, Bhārata means the whole planet. Anyway, don't deviate. Just try to do some good to the human society by awakening them to spiritual consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The method is very simple: harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma iva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). But it is para-upakāra. That is human life, para-upakāra, to do good to others, not to exploit. That is not human life.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation Lecture -- Hamburg, August 27, 1969:

That is artificially. But that is not actually the state of joyfulness. Real state of joyfulness is to be situated in spiritual life, and when you (are) actually in the spiritual kingdom, then you become sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1), eternal life, joyful life, blissful life, with full knowledge.

So on behalf of Kṛṣṇa, we are trying to distribute this knowledge at least in this part of the world. Now, those who are fortunate, they will take it and be benefited. Our business is to distribute. Now it is up to you. Every individual soul is independent. He may accept or may not accept. That depends on him. But if he accepts, it is good for him. Otherwise, he may make his choice. Kṛṣṇa never..., God never interferes with your independence. No. He will never do that. Then what is the meaning of living being? Dull matter, it has no independence. Even it is a big mountain or big thing, it has no independence. It will stand still. But a small ant, even a microbe, it has got independence because it is living creature.

General Lectures

Lecture to Technology Students (M.I.T.) -- Boston, May 5, 1968:

You are all students of technology. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is also another technology. Unfortunately, in the modern state of civilization there are different department of knowledge. There is department of teaching medical science, there is department of teaching engineering, there is department of educating—so many other departments of knowledge. Unfortunately, there is no department for distributing knowledge in the science of the soul. But that is the important, most important thing, because the soul is the mainstay, is the background of all our movements.

Speech to Indian Audience -- Montreal, July 28, 1968:

"If you want to study religion as it is, then you have to go to India." So our Indian spiritual culture is still adored and worshiped by the learned section of every part of the world. And especially in America and Germany and England, they are hankering after it. We should be little careful that this knowledge, transcendental knowledge, as distributed by Lord Caitanya, should be seriously taken up by the responsible Indians present here. Unfortunately, I see that Indians are not very much interested, but that is our misfortune. Actually, Caitanya Mahāprabhu entrusted this mission that anyone who has taken birth as human being on the land of Bhārata-varṣa should learn this spiritual science very seriously, make his life successful, and distribute all over the world so that people of the world may become happy. That was His mission.

Lecture at International Student Society -- Boston, May 3, 1969:

So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is just according to the direction of authoritative Vedic literature, and we are distributing this knowledge without any charge. We don't say there is any secrecy. It is wide open. Open secret. Anyone can take up these sixteen names and chant. And test it, chanting, say, for a week, and see the result. See the result, how you are spiritually realizing yours. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). If you go on chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, then first installment of your gain will be that you will understand that you are not this body, you are spirit soul, which takes at least many years to understand, that "I am not this body." Everybody... You ask anybody, "What you are?" He will say, "I am this, sir, this and that. I am American. I am this body. I am that body."

Address to Indian Association -- Columbus, May 11, 1969:

That is the responsibility of India. This is the injunction of Lord Caitanya. Bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra (CC Adi 9.41). So Bhāratabhūmi is not... To take birth in India is not ordinary thing. You must know. But you should utilize the opportunity. That utilization you should read, study, understand volumes of Vedic literature, and you should distribute the knowledge to the rest of the world. Rest of the world, they know God is great, but they do not know how great is God. That you will find in the Vedic literature. And that is our duty. That is kīrtana, hari-kīrtana. Paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam, to glorify. So I shall specially request our Indian nationals to join this movement and distribute the knowledge. I am doing it now alone. And if you join, it will be great help to this movement. Try to understand.

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

That is Vedic civilization. There are four kinds of social orders and four kinds of spiritual orders. The social orders are the brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, the vaiśyas, and the śūdras; or the intellectual class of men... Brāhmaṇa means intellectual class of men—one who devotes his life only in studying Vedas and acquiring knowledge and distributing that. Every time, in every age, there is a class of men who are intellectual class. So this intellectual class of men is called brāhmaṇa. And the next class, the administrative class. Those who takes part in politics for administration of the state, government, they are called kṣatriyas. The actual meaning of kṣatriya is "one who protects a man from being hurt by others." That is called kṣatriya. That means, that is the business of the administrators, government. So brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, then vaiśyas. Vaiśyas means productive class who are interested in producing things for consumption by the people. Mercantile class, industrialists, they are called vaiśyas. And the last class, fourth class, they are called śūdras.

Lecture -- Gorakhpur, February 18, 1971:

In India, one who has taken birth as a human being, it is his duty to make his life perfect. Because there are so many, I mean to say, authentic literatures. So if we don't take advantage of these literatures, then we cannot make our life perfect. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu advises that you make your life perfect and distribute this Vedic knowledge to the whole of the world. Paropakāra. Paropakāra. You are meant for paropakāra, not for exploiting. That is the duty of the Indians. Unfortunately, neither we are inclined to make our life perfect by understanding the Vedic literatures... Therefore we are begging. Instead of doing paropakāra, we are begging. This should be stopped. And the essence of all Vedic literature is Bhagavad-gītā. So if we study Bhagavad-gītā as it is, our life will be perfect, undoubtedly. But unfortunately, we also misinterpret Bhagavad-gītā according to our own whims, and therefore we are misguiding.

Lecture -- Gorakhpur, February 18, 1971:

We cannot take the essence of Bhagavad-gītā, and therefore our, this human form of life is also lost, and we cannot do any welfare activities in the world.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for that purpose, according to the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that make your life perfect and distribute the Vedic knowledge throughout the whole world. The time has come. This Bhagavad-gītā is being presented as it is in the foreign countries. And you can see simply by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and studying Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, how these boys and girls, they are in ecstasy. They are in the spiritual platform. You cannot expect such dancing and such joyful attitude in this material world. It is not possible. They are in the spiritual world. Yes.

Lecture -- Tokyo, April 20, 1972:

Remain engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service wherever you are. Kṛṣṇa will see. We don't want any recognition from anyone else. We want recognition by Kṛṣṇa and His devotee. That's all. If they are satisfied, then our success, life success. So this place, you all a little distant from the city, but we are not concerned with the city. We are concerned for distributing this knowledge, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So I have learned that there is a train service from here, it takes only forty-five minutes, forty-three minutes. So this place is very nice. It is... And expenditure according to our means. That is all right. When Kṛṣṇa will give us better place... This is also. Wherever Kṛṣṇa is at, that is better. That is best.

University Lecture -- Calcutta, January 29, 1973:

They say, "Swamijī, it is a great fortune for us that you have come to our country." So I am alone working, and the movement is being appreciated. And if persons, scholars from this University come forward and teaches this movement, it is meant for that. Brāhmaṇa's business is that, preaching. Brahmā jānāti. One must know Brahman, and distribute the knowledge of brahma-jñāna. That is the business of brāhmaṇas.

So I wanted to recite some stanzas from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, but there is no very much time. Long, long years ago, the father of Mahārāja Bhārata, under whose name this planet is called Bhāratavarṣa, so he instructed: nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhati viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). Here is the Fifth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhati viḍ-bhujāṁ ye. This human form of life, ayam deha... Ayam deha nṛloke: "in the human society."

Lecture at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan -- Bombay, October 18, 1973:

Anyone who has taken birth as a human being in the land of Bhārata-varṣa, first of all let him become perfect and distribute the knowledge all over the world. That is paropakāra.

So I shall request that there is great need of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement all over the world. It is only one man's attempt. If persons like Nandajī and others, living persons... Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhaḥ lokas tad anuvartate (BG 3.21). Nandajī is one of the śreṣṭha-vekti of India. He was minister in the Central government. Now he is out of office. But the man is the same. I was very glad when I received the literature. I thought, "At least one man in India is thinking that India is so much downfallen."

City Hall Lecture -- Durban, October 7, 1975:

Within this universe... In the śāstra we find that even the demigods in the heavenly planets, they desire to take birth in India. India is so glorious. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission is that anyone who has taken birth as a human being in India, his business is to first of all make his life perfect by taking advantage of the Vedic knowledge, because it is available in India. So every Indian, especially the higher circles, namely the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, and the vaiśyas, especially the brāhmaṇa, it is their business to make the life perfect by studying the Vedic knowledge and distribute the knowledge all over the world. Para-upakāra. Because, so far spiritual knowledge is concerned, outside India they have got very meager knowledge; therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu requested that every Indian, especially the higher class, study the Vedic knowledge and distribute it throughout the whole world.

Lecture -- Nellore, January 4, 1976:

India's mission is not that we colonize in other country and exploit them and bring money and become a lord. No. India's mission is how to revive Kṛṣṇa consciousness throughout the whole world. That is India's mission. Revive Kṛṣṇa con... Revive your Kṛṣṇa consciousness, be fixed up in Kṛṣṇa, and then distribute this knowledge. This is Indian mission. So it was... Caitanya Mahāprabhu has entrusted this missionary work to everyone. Bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra (CC Adi 9.41). So there is good field for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They want it. They are reading our Kṛṣṇa conscious books very nicely. We are selling not less than 100,000 worth books daily. They are purchasing. So I wish that in India people should take advantage of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and be... Every one of you should become Kṛṣṇa consciousness and go to the outside countries and preach this. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa consciousness does... You haven't got to manufacture something by your fertile brain, speculating. That is useless, nonsense.

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

Janma sārthaka kari kara para-upakāra (CC Adi 9.41). This Bhārata bhūmi is for para-upakāra, because this knowledge, the Vedic knowledge, is here in the Śrīmad Bhāratavarṣa. So we should assimilate the bhakti cult to the right direction, and making our life successful, we should distribute this knowledge, this cult, all over the world. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. Janma sārthaka kari para-upakāra. The modern civilization is very vicious civilization. Because in the human form of life there is the opportunity, athāto brahma jijñāsā—to inquire about the Supreme Truth—so if they are denied... The knowledge is there in India. If it is denied, that is not very good human society. So I shall request you all, learned scholars, paṇḍita present here, to cooperate with this movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and let us conjoinedly work for Jagannātha cult.

General Lecture -- (location & date unknown):

First of all he took Him as his friend, but after explanation of Bhagavad-gītā, in the Tenth Chapter you will see, he is accepting, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). So this brahma-jijñāsa, inquiry, is there. And kṛṣṇa-kathā is here. So everyone should join this movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Simply he has to distribute this knowledge of kṛṣṇa-kathā as ordered by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Then the result will be that, as it is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, spoken by Sūta Gosvāmī, that śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). Kṛṣṇa-kathā is so nice that even one does not understand what is Kṛṣṇa, simply if he hears the vibration of this holy chanting, Hare Kṛṣṇa, he will be pious man. He will be pious man—simply by hearing. It has got It is so effective. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Practically you are seeing. And in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam this is also confirmed, śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. Kṛṣṇa is within you also, Paramātmā.

Page Title:Distribution of knowledge (Lectures)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:29 of Apr, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=105, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:105