Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


Education (Lectures, NOD - CC - ISO)

Expressions researched:
"coeducation" |"education" |"educational" |"educationally" |"educations" |"educative"

Lectures

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

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

The material world, because everything is temporary, so sometimes when we are fed up with material activities, we stop to do it and become a renouncer. Bhoga-tyāga. "Grapes are sour." You know the story. A jackal entered into a vine orchard, and it was very high. It began to jump to get the grapes, but when he failed, he said, "Oh, these grapes are sour. It is nonsense." (laughter) The karmīs are like that, that they work very hard, but they cannot relish any permanent happiness. That is not possible. Therefore they give up. Brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. They give up these worldly activities as false. Jagan mithyā. But they do not relish anything. Actually they do not relish what is Brahma-sukha. Therefore again they fall down. Many... The jñānī sannyāsīs, they give up this world as jagat mithyā, "This world is false." They take sannyāsa. Then, after working for some time, they again take to political activities, philanthropic activities. They see that "The people are suffering for want of education, for want of food. So let me engage in providing food, shelter, education." But this education, food problem is there in the material world. The Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, if they think that this world is false, why he is agitated by the sufferings of the world? It is false.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 27, 1972:

Yes. Bhagavad-gītā, it is said, Kṛṣṇa says: mṛ tyuḥ sarva-haraś ca aham. At the... By death, everything is taken away by Kṛṣṇa. So the modern civilization, they do not believe in the next birth. That is the basic mistake of the present civilization, that we get information that tathā dehāntaraṁ prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati. Dehāntaram. Just like we are transmigrating, even in this span of life, from childhood to boyhood, from boyhood to youthhood, from youthhood to old age body. Therefore it is natural to conclude that after this old body's finished, then we get another body, transmigration of the soul. But there is no education, no enlightenment about this transmigration of the soul. But we can, if we think, ponder very deeply on this matter, how transmigration of the soul is taking place, and it is authorized, authorized statement of Bhagavad-gītā: tathā dehāntaraṁ prāptir.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 2, 1973:

So for our past karma, we have created this body and we are suffering. Therefore our mission should be not to create another body. And finish all suffering in this body and do not create another material body—that is actually our duty. But we have no education. We have no information. Our leaders are blind, foolish. They are leading us to misuse this valuable life of human form. This is our position. They are misleading us. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). They are impressing in us that "You are this body. You are born in this country. So your country, your nation is worshipable. Why you are after Kṛṣṇa? This is all bogus." This is our position. "Don't be after Kṛṣṇa. Just try to satisfy the senses of your body to the best capacity. Eat, drink, be merry and enjoy life.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 2, 1973:

This is going on now: atheism. Big, big professors, educationists, they're also in this opinion. I have traveled all over the world. One Russian professor said, "Swamijī, after this life, there is no... Everything is finished." But that's not the fact. That is the defect of modern education. There is life. There is life. Otherwise why there are so many varieties of life? We should consider that.

So bhakti, bhakti means to go back to home, back to Godhead. That is bhakti. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). To understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, that is bhakti. Or by bhakti, by devotional service, you can understand Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa cannot be understand, understood by karma, jñāna, yoga. Partially, they can understand, but not fully. Karma, jñāna... Therefore Kṛṣṇa especially mentions, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Na karmaṇā na jñānena na yogena.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 24, 1972:

Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī has commented on this line, śvādo 'pi sadyaḥ, that a dog-eater, after becoming a devotee, immediately he becomes a qualified brāhmaṇa, so much so that he becomes competent to become a priest in the matter of offering sacrifices. But Jīva Gosvāmī says that even a person is born in brāhmaṇa family, he awaits the qualification of performing sacrifices. He has to be initiated. He has to be advanced in education, so many things. But one dog-eater, if he takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, immediately, without waiting for reformatory method, he becomes immediately competent to act as priest in performing sacrifices. But we should not take advantage of this. Actually, we should become on the platform of brāhmaṇa, qualified brāhmaṇa, qualification Vaiṣṇava so that others may not criticize. That is our special request.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 4, 1973:

You sacrificed everything for Me. Please come on." Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). So as you work... So therefore this life is the preparation stage for your next life—either you choice a better life, or a sinful life, or unimportant life. That is your... Just like if you get good education, that will make your future life nice. But if you don't go to school, how you can get a better life? Similarly karma... Karmaṇā daiva netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). According to your karma. If you are earned, worked very hard for nice place, you'll get it.

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

One has to go back to home, back to Godhead. That is the perfection of life. This human life should be utilized for going back to home, back to... But they have no idea. They do not know what is God, where is back to home, back to Godhead—nothing, no education, although the knowledge is there in the Bhagavad-gītā and other śāstras. Everything is there, but we have become so fools that we take Bhagavad-gītā and comment in a different way so that people may not understand. He does not understand himself, and how he'll explain? Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25). Because without becoming a devotee, nobody can understand Bhagavad-gītā. That's a fact. So they, one may be very good scholar, ABCD, but the ABCD knowledge is not sufficient to understand. Bhakto 'si priyo 'si me rahasyaṁ hy etad uttamam (BG 4.3).

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

And anyone who will speak all nonsense and bluff, he will be very much adored. This is going on.

But actual interest is... Human life should be sober. He should... Therefore the first beginning of real life is to understand that "I am not this body." This is the first lesson. But where is that education? Throughout the whole world, go anywhere. Where is that education that students are being taught that "You are not this body"? There is no education. Then what is the value of this education? To keep them andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31), to keep them in the darkness. That is going on. This is the only institution which is giving people real life.

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

So actually such persons they do not know what is Kṛṣṇa, but they have the audacity out of their so-called, puffed-up education, they try to explain Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. That is not possible. Kṛṣṇa can be explained (by one) who knows about Kṛṣṇa. And who knows Kṛṣṇa? Only the devotee knows (Kṛṣṇa). Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Not that because one has got very advanced knowledge, he can understand Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ. I am not supposed to be exposed to all this nonsense. He says. Kṛṣṇa says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Actually what I am, tattvataḥ, in truth, that can be understood through devotion. Through love of Kṛṣṇa, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me (BG 4.3).

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 10, 1973:

Otherwise, another, the next verse, I forget now. Tad vāyasaṁ tīrtham, it has been described, tad vāyasaṁ tīrtham uśanti mānasā (SB 1.5.10). So this kind of literature, even it is not properly, grammatically correct, tad-vāg-visargo janatāgha-viplavo yasmin prati-ślokam, abaddha (SB 1.5.11). That, writing Sanskrit śloka, it requires very high education. It is not that whatever I write, three miles, one line, two lines, no. There is some metric system, canda, so saita (?). So the, Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, even it is not properly composed, but because there is anantasya, anantasya guṇani, the glorification ananta, the Supreme, śṛṇvanti gāyanti gṛṇanti sādhavaḥ. Those who are sādhus, actually, they accept it. It doesn't matter if there is little grammatical mistake or some poetical discrepancies. There are literary rules and regulation. So śāstra says, it doesn't matter, even there is not perfectly, Śaṅkarācārya also says, na hi na hi rakṣati ḍukṛṅ-kāraṇe. You cannot be saved by simply grammatical efficiency.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 11, 1973:

Eight million, four hun ... So Kṛṣṇa says, tathā dehāntara-prāptir. He does not say what kind of body you'll get; He says dehāntaram. You'll get another body. So how that body, you'll have to make? That is in your hand in this life. You can prepare your next body in this body, just like you can prepare your future life in your youthhood by education, by culture. Then you can get a very nice post, very nice position, honored in the society. But if you spoil your life in childhood and youthhood, then you have no position in future life. Similarly, if you want to get next body, very nice, valuable body, so you prepare for that. You prepare for that. And how the preparation goes? That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā:

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 2, 1972:

There is no hazy idea. Everything is clear. We have to become designationless, free from designation. We shall forget. Not that "Here are some foreigners. Pick up some quarrel with them and try to drive them away. Why they have come?" So many nonsense things are going on, for want of actual spiritual education. This is not good, at least, for Vṛndāvana. This is not good. People have not been educated properly with the Vṛndāvana spirit. Therefore things are happening like that. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam: (CC Madhya 19.170) how to engage the senses, being freed from designation, in the service of the Lord. That is Vṛndāvana life. That is Vṛndāvana atmosphere. If there is any other purpose than this, then it is very difficult to utilize the opportunity, the fortune of living in Vṛndāvana. One has to be designationless. Go on.

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

For pious activities we enjoy. But in this material world, either we enjoy or suffer, the common factor is suffering. Suppose if for my pious activities I get good birth, janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī (SB 1.8.26). By pious activities, we get birth in good family, janma; aiśvarya, we get sufficient riches, wealthy family, wealthy parents; janmaiśvarya-śruta, good education; and śrī, beauty. These are the result of pious activities. But to take birth in the family of a king or very rich man, the sufferings of taking birth is the same. As the poor man suffers within the womb of his mother, similarly the rich man also suffers within the womb of his mother. The sufferings of taking birth is equal to the poor man and rich man. There is no difference. When there is disease, fever, it is not it is less painful to the rich man and very painful to the poor man. The pain is the same.

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

The next is: "Pure devotional service is the only means to attract Kṛṣṇa." You cannot attract Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, with full opulences. So you cannot attract Kṛṣṇa by your richness, by your reputation, by your education, by your beauty or by your strength or renunciation. No. You cannot attract Kṛṣṇa by all these things, because He's already full. You cannot attract by anything, any opulence, Kṛṣṇa, because He's ātmārāma. But if you offer something to Kṛṣṇa, it is for your benefit. The example is given: just like the original person is decorated, in the mirror the reflection of the person is also decorated. Similarly, if you decorate the Deity gorgeously, you will feel happy.

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

We cannot perceive Kṛṣṇa by our senses, but when our senses are engaged in satisfying Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa sees us. Svayam eva sphuraty adhaḥ. And when Kṛṣṇa sees us, then our life is successful. And how Kṛṣṇa can see us? Simply by our devotional service. Otherwise, you cannot satisfy Kṛṣṇa by opulence, by education, by scholarship, by beauty, riches. No. These things Kṛṣṇa has all perfectly. He's full with all these opulences. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). If you want to attract Kṛṣṇa, then be engaged in pure devotional service.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972:

Yes. Our so-called advancement of education means to live on the mental platform. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā manorathena (SB 5.18.12). They have no information of the spiritual platform. They... After bodily concept of life, the next platform is mental and intellectual concept of life. But spiritual life is beyond mental and intellectual concept of life. So unless one comes to the spiritual platform, even on mental and intellectual platform, he cannot do anything good to the society. Hm.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972:

We take it, immediately. He must be one of them, either duṣkṛtina or mūḍha or all, narādhama, māyayā apahṛta. He may be... Māyayā apahṛta-jñāna means he might be highly educated academically, but māyā has taken away his knowledge. Āsuri-bhāvam āśritāḥ. Because he has taken to the principle of atheism, all these educational qualifications, or sharp brain... Kṛtinaḥ... Duṣkṛtina means... Kṛtina means one who has got very sharp brain, sharp memory; he's called kṛti. But on account of association with māyā, his brain is utilized for doing something harmful to the human society. They, they cannot do anything good to the human society. That is not possible. Then?

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

Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, he sings, jaḍa-vidyā saba māyāra vaibhava. This advancement of material education means advancement of the snares of the illusory energy of Kṛṣṇa. Māyāra vaibhava. Because we are already enamored by the glimmer of this material world. Just like the insects are attracted by the fire. They, with great force, enter into the fire without knowing that he's going to die. His forceful entrance into the fire means his sure death. Actually, we are seeing, especially in the Western countries, this motorcar civilization, when we run on on the motorcar, especially with high speed, it is always we think that any moment danger can take place. (aside:) You remember, you were driving your father's car, eighty miles. So I asked you, "Don't go so fast."

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

Still, there is congestion. Still, there is accident. So in this way we cannot be comfortable. This is a vain endeavor. Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ. They are unnecessarily, hopelessly trying to become happy within this material world. And people, the so-called scientists, so-called advancement of material education means... Now, the scientist says that they have finished their business; they have no more to discover. But the discomforts of life still is there. As it was two hundred years ago, still, I think it is more acute now than two hundred years ago. So in this way, we cannot... The another example is that just like we dream. We dream something dangerous, a tiger is coming, a snake is coming; sometimes we want to change to another sort of dream. Those who have got practical experience... Dreaming another dream in dream.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 25, 1973:

So the laws of nature is that if you give one by charity, you get four. So now to accept that four, you have to take birth again. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, karma-kāṇḍa jñāna-kāṇḍa sakali viṣera bandha. Karma-kāṇḍa means if you act very piously, next life you get good birth, good opulence, money, janma iśvarya-śruta, good education, beautiful body. These are the resultant actions of sat-karma. And asat-karma means you become poor, ugly, without any education, no riches, always hungry. These are the results of asat-karma. So this is called karma-kāṇḍa. And jñāna-kāṇḍa means to try to merge into the existence of the Lord, which, even if we do, but because you are under the impression of impersonalism, you again fall down. So both by the action of karma-kāṇḍa and jñāna-kāṇḍa one is not secure. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, sakali viṣera bandha. Poison, either in a golden pot or in iron pot, it is the..., the effect is the same.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972:

Why people come to Vṛndāvana? To take the advantage. Here the atmosphere is surcharged with devotional service. We should take advantage of it. This is called sādhana-bhakti. Sādhana. Sādhana-bhakti means we have to practice it. And it does not require much education. It does not depend on your riches, that you have to become a very rich man to follow the regulative principles, rise early in the morning. Anyone can rise ea... It is simply a practice. You can take bath in the Yamunā. It is simply practice. You can visit the temples early in the morning. It is simply practice. So this is called sādhana-bhakti, practicing. Go on.

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

Yes. That's a great problem. People do not know. People in general, they do not know what is after death. There are so many things after death, but there is no education. Therefore they are in darkness. So this human form of life is misused in darkness. If anyone does not know the value of life, then it is misused. In the śāstra it is called ātma-hā, committing suicide. The same quotation from Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura:

hari hari biphale janama goṅāinu
manuṣya-janama pāiyā, rādhā-kṛṣṇa nā bhajiyā
jāniyā śuniyā viṣa khāinu

Committing suicide. If we do not come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even getting this valuable human form of life, then certainly we are committing suicide. We are drinking poison knowingly. Go on.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 27, 1973:

Acyutānanda: When people are starving and they have no clothing, then how can they take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness? First give them food, then clothing and education, and then Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Prabhupāda: Those who are Kṛṣṇa conscious, are they starving? Then why they not become Kṛṣṇa conscious?

Acyutānanda: They said because first they had, had to give them food so that they could have time to...

Prabhupāda: No. Those who have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, practically, we are not starving.

Devotee: In India... (break)

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.2 -- Mayapur, March 26, 1975:

They have appeared together. But the business is the same, tamo-nudau. Business is to dissipate darkness, because we are in darkness. We, anyone who is in this material world, he's in darkness. Darkness means ignorant, no knowledge. They are mostly animals. "Why they are animals, so civilized men, so well-dressed and university education degrees? Why they are in darkness?" Yes, they are in darkness. "What is the proof?" The proof is that they are not Kṛṣṇa conscious. This is the proof. That is their darkness. Ask anybody, item by item, that... Ask, what do they know about Kṛṣṇa. Everyone is ignorant, dark. So that is the proof. How this is proof? Now, Kṛṣṇa says. We do not say; Kṛṣṇa says. How does He say? Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ, māyayāpahṛta-jñānā (BG 7.15). Apahṛta-jñānā means that although they have got university degrees, although they are called civilized, advanced in material civilization, but māyayāpahṛta-jñānā.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.2 -- Mayapur, March 26, 1975:

How they have become narādhama? Now, duṣkṛtina, always committing sinful life. What is sinful life? Illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication, and gambling. Because they are addicted to these things they are duṣkṛtina and narādhama, lowest of the mankind. And whatever knowledge they are acquiring by so-called education, that is false knowledge. Māyayāpahṛta-jñānā. This is the position.

So Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya and Nityānanda, They came, descended again, being merciful, same Kṛṣṇa. Vrajendra-nandana yei, Śacī-sūta hoilo sei. Same Kṛṣṇa. In a different way they canvassed the same principle. (aside:) You can sit down there. You are sleeping. Don't sleep. Don't show that sleeping. Go there. So this is the darkness. And Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared to drive away this darkness—same Kṛṣṇa, the same Kṛṣṇa. There is no difference between Kṛṣṇa's preaching and Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu's preaching. There is no difference.

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

He is within your heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). And He says, teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmy aham (BG 10.10). Anyone who is sincere devotee and always engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, Kṛṣṇa says, "I give him education, intelligence. I make him scientist, philosopher." That is the way. Buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi. What kind of science? What kind of philosophy? Yena mām upayānti te. "That science, that spiritual science, that spiritual philosophy, I teach him personally." Why this is so not to all? You may say that if Īśvara, the Supreme Lord, is sitting in everyone's heart, why He is especially inclined, teṣāṁ satata-yuktānām (BG 10.10), one who is engaged twenty-fours hours in His service?

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.12 -- Mayapur, April 5, 1975:

Therefore ekale īśvara... Na kṛṣṇāt caitanyāt para-tattvam param iha. They're... Above Kṛṣṇa, above Caitanya Mahāprabhu, there is no more para-tattva. Param iha. It is the Supreme.

So in this way we have to study īśvara-tattva, then śakti-tattva, jīva-tattva. That is knowledge; that is education. Not whimsically suggesting something and talking foolishly and... Athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvaya-prasāda-leśānugṛhīta eva hi jānāti tattvam (SB 10.14.29). If you want to know the truth, then you have to follow these principles, how to know īśvara-tattva. And how to know? Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Then you have to go, approach the bona fide guru. He will let you know. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34).

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.14 -- Mayapur, April 7, 1975:

Bhakta-śakti, everything requires strength, so we can derive strength by chanting Caitanya Mahāprabhu's name, and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. You don't require very high education, neither you require to take your birth in very high family. Ahaitukī. Execution of devotional service is independent, completely. It has nothing to do with material condition. Ahaituky apratihatā. No material condition can check. Who can check it? If all the world over they chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, who can check? No government can check, no communist party can check. Go on chanting; that is the principle. So ahaituky apratihatā yenātmā suprasīdati, and you will get individually and collectively Where is he? Haridāsa, he went to Moscow?

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.1 -- Atlanta, March 1, 1975:

Everything is open to you. Yānti bhūtejyā bhūtāni mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām. Simply you have to prepare yourself. Just like in youth life they are educated—somebody is going to be engineer, somebody is going to be medical man, somebody is going to be lawyer and many other professional man—and they are preparing by education, similarly, you can prepare for your next life. This is not difficult to understand.

But they do not believe in the next life, although it is very common sense. Actually there is next life because Kṛṣṇa says, and we can understand the philosophy by a little intelligence that there is next life. So our proposition is that "If you have got to prepare yourself for the next life, then why don't you take the trouble of preparing for going back to home, back to Godhead?" This is our proposition. You can prepare yourself to go to hell or heaven.

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

When I took sannyāsa from My Guru Mahārāja, from My spiritual master, he found Me a rascal and fool number one, rascal." So guru more mūrkha dekhi' karila śāsana: (CC Adi 7.71) "So, because he found Me a foolish person, therefore he has chastised Me." Why? What is that? "He said mūrkha tumi: 'You are foolish. You have no education. You are illiterate.' " Tomāra nāhika vedāntādhikāra: " 'It is not possible for You to understand Vedānta.' " 'Kṛṣṇa-mantra' japa sadā—ei mantra-sāra: " 'Therefore, You simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare. That will make You all right.' " Now here is the point, that was Caitanya Mahāprabhu a foolish person? No. He was not a foolish person. In His childhood He was known as Nimāi Pandit, the greatest learned man. Even when He was sixteen years old, He defeated another very learned fellow from Kashmir.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.91-2 -- Vrndavana, March 13, 1974:

So the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs everywhere, they are very proud of their Sanskrit education. Sometimes people ask our students whether you have learned Sanskrit. But Kṛṣṇa consciousness understanding does not depend on Sanskrit scholarship. That is the teaching of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He said to the Māyāvādī sannyāsī Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī that "My Guru Mahārāja studied Me as a great fool." Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, presenting Himself. He was a learned scholar, undoubtedly, very learned scholar. In His youthful age He was known as Nimāi Paṇḍita. This paṇḍita title, especially the brāhmaṇas are given this paṇḍita title. But He was specifically known as Paṇḍita, Nimāi Paṇḍita, very good scholar.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.106-107 -- San Francisco, February 13, 1967:

His spiritual master... Not He presented—His spiritual master found Him, that "You are fool number one." So we should be always prepared to admit our imperfection. But such imperfection is not in, on the īśvara. Īśvara means "controller." If the controller is imperfect... Suppose a man is in charge, director of such and such a department, education department, and if he's a fool, then what is the use of keeping such man? Therefore īśvara, those who are controllers, they have no such flaw. That is to be admitted first. They are flawless. And what to speak of the Parameśvara. There are two kinds of īśvara. Īśvara, you can, you are also īśvara, but you are now in imperfect stage. When you become perfect, you become īśvara, controller. For example, just like, at the present conditioned stage, we are all controlled by the senses. So when you at least become the controller of the senses, then you become īśvara. Now we are controlled by the senses, but when you become actually controller of the senses, then you become īśvara.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.107-109 -- San Francisco, February 15, 1967:

I mean to say, "surrender unto Me, accept Me." Oh, there are many educated persons... Just like Dr. Radhakrishnan, he also says, he also, "Not to Kṛṣṇa." Then what about his education? Oh, that is also replied, māyayāpahṛta-jñānā. "Oh, he's educated—so-called. The māyā has plundered his all knowledge." That means although... He's an educated fool. There are educated rascals. They have got some university degrees, but actually they are rascal, less than an ass. So that is also described: māyayā apahṛta-jñānā. They have acquired some knowledge undoubtedly, but the essence of the knowledge is taken away by māyā. Essence of the knowledge. Just like I give you milk, but I churn it. I take the butter out, and I give you milk. It is just like that. If milk is administered, taking out the butter, that is also a cheating, because milk means to take fat. Fat we require.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.119 -- Gorakhpur, February 17, 1971:

Karmīs means they are working hard simply for sense gratification. And according to Bhagavad-gītā, they are called mūḍhas. These are the statement in the śāstras. So we have to explain the śāstras. So karmīs are called mūḍhas because they are working so hard, but do not know what is the aim of their life. Simply going on working very hard. And in the modern education, in the modern civilization, people are simply taught to work very hard and gratify senses. That's all. "Get money and gratify your senses." That is the modern mode of civilization. But according to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, an authority, Ṛṣabhadeva, He says, nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). He says that this human form of life is not meant for working very, very hard simply for sense gratification. That is the business of the hogs, viḍ-bhujām.

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

So without this brahminical qualification one cannot understand the Vedic knowledge. Therefore it is stated sometimes that a śūdra is prohibited from reading Vedas. That does not mean that reading of Vedic culture or Vedic knowledge is monopolized by a certain class of men. Not that. The idea is... Just like in our ordinary educational system, there is some prohibition that unless one is graduate, he cannot be admitted in the law college. That is not a prohibition; that is the necessary qualification to understand. Similarly, to understand the Vedas, the necessary qualification is that one must be a qualified brāhmaṇa. Not that Mr. Max Muller, he has got little knowledge of Sanskrit and he translates.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154-155 -- Gorakhpur, February 19, 1971 (Krsna Niketan):

They don't care, this worshiping, or bhakti-mārga. They say, "Oh, these things are meant for the lower class of men or ignorant men, uneducated persons. Bhakti-mārga is for the uneducated persons." Their allegation is like that. But they are uneducated. They do not know what is education. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā says, "After many, many births of such cultivation of knowledge, when actually becomes wise..." Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān (BG 7.19). What is the, that function? Māṁ prapadyate: "He," I mean to say, "surrenders himself," Kṛṣṇa says, "unto Me." How he surrenders? "Because after many, many births' culture of knowledge he can understand vasudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19), 'Kṛṣṇa is everything,' that knowledge."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 8.128 -- Bhuvanesvara, January 24, 1977:

Vaiṣṇava means kṛṣṇa tattva vettā. If he's not well versed in the science of Kṛṣṇa, if his behavior is not Vaiṣṇava... Sadācāra-sampanna. Vaiṣṇava must have dvādaśa-tilaka, śikhā, sūtra, kunti, and there are many things, description. Sadācāra-sampranna, Vaiṣṇava. If he's not that, simply by education if he speaks about Kṛṣṇa, one should not hear. One should not hear. These are professional men. If you pay him something, he'll speak for some time, but his behavior is not Vaiṣṇava. So from such person it is forbidden to hear about Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or anything about Kṛṣṇa. Avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam, śravaṇaṁ na kartavyam. So one may say that "He's speaking about Kṛṣṇa, so what is the wrong there? He may be misbehaved, but he's speaking about Kṛṣṇa." So that Sanātana Gosvāmī says, pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam. Hari-kathāmṛtam is always pure.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-99 -- Washington, D.C., July 4, 1976:

"I am brāhmaṇa" or "I am American," these are useless understanding. One who understands like that, he is... Sanātana Gosvāmī—he's a nīca jāti, the bodily conception of life nīca jāti. Nīca jāti, nīca-saṅgī. Why the bodily concept of life? Because the association is bad. At the present moment we do not get any education or good association to understand our real identity. That is the difficulty. Therefore he says, nīca saṅgī, patita adhama. Adhama means lowest of the mankind; patita means fallen. If one does not understand his real interest, he is called fallen.

So what is our real interest? By evolutionary process, after going through so many forms of life, jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati kṛmayo rudra-saṅkhyakāḥ, in this way, eight million forms of life, and we have got this human form of life. So this life especially meant for athāto brahma jijñāsā. Simply to understand our spiritual identity, the Absolute Truth, that is the only business.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-102 -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand:

That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This life is meant for this purpose, to understand Kṛṣṇa and God, or God. Yes. That is the only... athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is meant. Not for wasting our time simply with the animal propensities. The modern civilization, modern education, has no information about this. Nobody is trying to understand what is the actual aim of life. There is no such civilization. Therefore he is presenting himself, kuviṣaya-kūpe paḍi' goṅāinu janama. "Simply in the matter of searching after false happiness I have wasted my time." That he has condemned.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-102 -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand:

Ask any learned scholar in these days that "What is the ultimate goal of life?" They will say, "Oh, there is no particular end (?). Let us live very happily, and after death everything is finished." I have consulted many men, big, big professors, Indian and foreign. They have no idea of the first education in the Bhagavad-gītā: tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). There is change of body. There is already change of body. I was a child, I was a boy, I was a young man. Now the body is changed—I have got this wretched body, old man's body. So all these bodies... That is simple, logical.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-102 -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand:

Approach a bona fide guru, a spiritual master, and abide by his orders and do accordingly. Then your life will be successful. And if you keep yourself in the darkness, that "I am very rich man. I am very learned man, but unfortunately, I do not know what I am," so what is the use? The Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura: vidyā-kule hi karibe tāra. So if you do not know yourself, then what your so-called education and high family, high nationality, will help you? Nature's law is different. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). If you do not cultivate spiritual knowledge, if you remain like cats and dogs, then prakṛti, nature, will give you the cats' and dogs' body next life. Suppose you become very big businessman and you have got nice, very big balance and so on, so on, but by your activities you remain like a dog mentality is, then you are going to get the body of a dog. Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran loke tyajaty ante kalevaram (BG 8.6). The test is at the time of death.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-102 -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand:

"My dear child, what is this?" he will say, "It is my finger." He'll never say, "I finger," what to speak of others. If every one of us, we say, "This is my hair, this is my nose," then where is "I"? He doesn't inquire "Where is I?" Then there will be analysis of the body, where is that "I"? Everyone knows "my," but who knows "I"? That is education. That is being submitted by Sanātana Gosvāmī. Ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya. So tāpa-traya means three kinds of miserable condition: ādhyātmika, ādhibhautika, ādhidaivika. Ādhyātmika means pertaining to the body and mind. Sometimes we are feeling some ailments in the body-mind is not in good order. This is called ādhyātmika. And ādhibhautika. Ādhibhautika means miseries inflicted by other living entities. Just like there are mosquitos, there are flies, there are birds, there are other animals, or other enemies in the human society: my friend has become enemy, so he's trying to give me some displeasure. So this kind of This is called ādhibhautika.

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

There is no difficulty, but if there is difficulty, atheist class of men, and it is very difficult, so take innocent, those who are actually eager to know. Everyone should be. That is the human life. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. That is human civilization. Everyone should be inquisitive to know about the Absolute Truth, Brahman, but education is different nowadays. People are interested with hammer, how to play on hammer, that's all, technology. There is no question of Brahman. Let Brahman go to hell, now take out the hammer. That Russian emblem? Hammer? And scythe? That's all. Yes?

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.102 -- Baltimore, July 7, 1976:

Pitā na sa syāj jananī na sā syāt na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum. If you cannot protect your child from the imminent death and repetition of birth, then don't become a father, don't become a mother. This is śāstra's injunction. If you are actually father and mother, you should give him such educational knowledge that this is the last birth. Next he'll not have any such body subjected to birth and death. That is possible. That the Bhagavad-gītā says: tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). If you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if you simply try to understand Kṛṣṇa, then the whole problem solved. What is the problem solved? Tyaktvā deham, this body we have to give up. Because it is material body, you must have to give up. But those who are Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in the..., after giving up this body, no more material body. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). Punar janma means next birth.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.103 -- Washington, D.C., July 8, 1976:

This is your business... This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that we are inducing people to understand the problem. It is not a sectarian movement or so-called religious movement. It is not a religion. It is educational cultural movement. Every man has to understand the goal of life. Every man has to understand why there is struggle for existence, if there is any remedy, if there is any process where we can live very peacefully without any disturbances, without any... These are the things to be learned in human life, and one should approach... Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī, he was minister, very educated, well placed, but he has approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So we should approach the Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu or His representative, and surrender. Tad viddhi praṇipātena (BG 4.34). The way is not challenging, "Can you show me God?" These are challenges.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.103 -- Washington, D.C., July 8, 1976:

I am simply submitting to You." Sādhya, the goal of life, and sādhana, the process by which one can approach.

So "I do not know anything about it, simply I'm depending on Your mercy." That is kṛpā kari. That is surrender. In this way, we can make advancement in our spiritual education, and we must carry out the order of the spiritual master. Just like you are singing daily, guru-mukha-padma-vākya cittete kariyā aikya āra nā kariha mane āśā. Āra nā kariha mane āśā **—do not think otherwise. Simply whatever... First of all, select who will be your spiritual master. You must know the preliminary law. Just like if you want to purchase gold, at least you must know where gold is available. If you want to purchase diamond... So you must know, if you are so foolish that you go to a butcher shop and ask him to supply diamond or gold, then you'll be cheated. You must know at least where to go and purchase gold or diamond. These are valuable things.

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

"What I am?" So Sanātana Gosvāmī's question is being answered by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that "Because you have this inquiry, this is the beginning of human life." So if one is little inquisitive to know what I am, then his real life begins. And if he is kept in the darkness and he remains in the darkness, that "I am this body," there is no value of so-called civilization, education, nothing. It is a very important question, ke āmi kene āmāya. One must be inquisitive. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. He must be conscious that "I do not want all these things, miserable condition of life, and they are enforced upon me. I cannot check them; they are coming. No, there must be somebody superior who's law is being forced." That is the factor. That is religion. Religion means to find out the supreme controller who is forcing everything. That is religion. That is stated in the dictionary.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.106 -- New York, July 12, 1976:

And the stones pricking. How much He is feeling pain." Thinking this, they became fainted. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommended ramyā kācid upāsanā. These gopīs, they were not supposed to be educated. Village girls—who is giving them education? They are not Ph.D.'s. But still, strong desire for Kṛṣṇa. And that is called yeṣāṁ nirbandhinī matiḥ. Nirbandhinī, strong desire. It doesn't require any other price to become advanced in..., simply to become very strongly eager, laulyam. Then life is successful.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.107 -- New York, July 13, 1976:

And Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to cure them by this treatment. So if anyone accepts this treatment, then he can make progress very quickly. Just like any madman, if he is under proper treatment, there is hope of his being cured. But the modern education is that to keep him madman. That is the defect of modern civilization. Everyone is madman within this material world, and the modern education is to keep him madman. Therefore they cannot understand our philosophy. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness philosophy is very bona fide and most essential philosophy. Madman cannot understand, but that does not mean the process of treatment should be stopped. No. It must go on. It cannot be stopped.

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

The Māyāvādīs, they say, "We are the same." So 'ham: "I am the same." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am the Supreme Brahman." But the Vedic literature says, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, but Kṛṣṇa, or God, is Param Brahman. In the Vedas there is no such thing as ahaṁ paraṁ brahmāsmi. No. They are misusing. The... Instead of understanding... Brahman, every one of us, we are Brahman. There is no doubt about it. But unfortunately, by mistake, by illusion, I am thinking, "I am this body." So spiritual education means first of all one has to understand that ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am Brahman. I am not this body." That is the beginning of spiritual education.

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

One has to become first of all... Not become. Just to understand one has to come to the platform of Brahman. Then spiritual education begins.

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
naśocati na kāṅkṣati
samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām

So bhakti is not very ordinary thing. It begins after one is liberated. The Māyāvādī says that "By bhakti one can become one with God." No. That is not bhakti. That is Māyāvāda. That is mistake. Bhakti means to understand that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." This conviction is possible when one is brahma-bhūtaḥ. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati.

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

Actually he belongs to the spiritual world. By chance or some way he has come to the material world. So when he goes back again to the spiritual world, then he gets his normal condition of life. Unfortunately, in the modern education there is no information of the spiritual world, the spiritual identity, and go on, our relationship with God—nothing. Simply they are working like cats and dogs under the influence of māyā and the suffering. To stop this suffering, one must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and understand the position of his life and be perfect.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.113 -- London, July 23, 1976:

If you don't believe, then it is not thoroughly. Because if you make research that "Kṛṣṇa says 'I am the origin of everything.' Let me make research," that will not be possible. Inconceivable. But if you believe in the words of Kṛṣṇa, then you've studied thoroughly. Where is the difficulty? To study Him thoroughly does not require much education; simply you believe Him. And if you believe Him... Actually, that is the fact. There must be... Just like the same example: there must be a father of all this creation. Mother nature is mother, and we are all creation, born of material nature. Then there must be father. And when the father says, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4), "I am father," then if we believe this version, then thorough knowledge.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.113 -- London, July 23, 1976:

So na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamaḥ māyayāpahṛta-jñānā (BG 7.15). And if we say that "There are so many doctors of philosophy, doctors of science, they are also hovering under this darkness, how is that? Then what about their education?" Yes, their education, certainly, but māyayāpahṛta-jñānā. The result of education, knowledge, that is taken away by māyā.

Therefore we should not be washed away by these mūḍhas' conclusion, narādhamas' conclusion, māyayāpahṛta-jñānās' conclusion. We should take up seriously the conclusion in the śāstra, conclusion given by Kṛṣṇa. Then our life will be successful.

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

Due to our absorption in that sight, asat, this matter... Just like this body: it will not exist. So giving too much stress on the bodily concept of life, they are sadā samudvigna-dhiyā, they are always full of anxiety. This is the cause. The foolish people, they do not know. Still, they are very much proud of education. Here is the cause, that because we have given too much stress on this false conception of life, therefore we are always full of anxiety. And as soon as I understand that "I am pure spirit soul, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord. He is giving me all protection, and my duty is to love and serve Him," then I am free. At once I am free. The simple formula. How He'll give me...? He's not poor man. He's, He's... What you are? Your human, human being, they are very few. If you compare with other animals, other living entities, you are most insignificant number. Your number is very little, especially for the civilized. If you search out a hole in your room, you'll find millions of ants coming out.

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

So our civilization is going to the lowest of the mankind. And we are, we are trying to advertise ourself that we are advancing, but the... Yesterday some boy came: "Who is God? I am God." He was speaking like that. You see. And he appears to be educated student. From his appearance it appears that he, he's educated. So this is education is going on, that they're going to be the lowest of the mankind. The purpose of education is to make man the highest of the mankind, but modern education is teaching lowest of the mankind. And if some of the students are taught to become highest of the mankind, their guardians become disturbed: "Oh, my son is going to be highest of the mankind? Swamijī, you are playing dangerous things." Oh. Just see. Swamijī's speaking, "No, don't smoke. Don't take tea. Don't have illicit connection with women. Be upright. Be devotee." "Oh, Swamijī's dangerous." And if somebody teaches, "My dear boys, take LSD, go to hell, and become mad. Go to the lunatic asylum," "Oh, that is..." What can be done? This is the situation.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.137-146 -- Bombay, February 24, 1971:

"No, they have got very much educated." Kṛṣṇa says, māyayāpahṛta-jñānā. "Yes, they are educated, but their knowledge has been taken away by māyā." Why? Āsuri-bhāvam āśritāḥ. "Because they have taken to this view, 'There is no God.' " On this account they cannot understand in spite of high degrees of university education. Māyāyapahrta-jñāna. So Kṛṣṇa says like that. The only reason is because duṣkṛtina mūḍhā māyayāpahṛta-jñānā āsuri-bhāvam... Therefore, in spite of all evidences from the śāstras, they'll not accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Lord, Personality of Godhead. That's it. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja requested his father so many times, but still, he did not agree that there is God. (break) But he agreed there is God when he was killed by God. Yes. That you cannot escape. Then you'll see God: "Here is God." The asuras, they'll never accept God, but when they are killed by God, they understand that "Yes, there is God." That is the difference between asuras and devas.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.142 -- New York, November 30, 1966:

So Kṛṣṇa worship means he is liberated already. Just like the same example: If a man is sitting on the high-court bench, it is to be understood that he has passed all educational qualification, and he is a good lawyer. Therefore... There is no more necessity to ask, "Whether you have passed M.A. examination or law examination?" This is foolishness. Similarly, if one is, I mean to say, strictly in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then it is to be understood that he is liberated. Liberation, the definition of liberation, is in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, mukti..., svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ. Hitvā... Muktir hitvānyathā rūpaṁ svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ (SB 2.10.6).

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.353-354 -- New York, December 26, 1966:

Atheists are called demons. In the Vedic literature, those who are atheists, they are called demons, rākṣasas. Just like Rāvaṇa, he was a great scholar in Vedic philosophy. He was son of a brāhmaṇa, and he was very learned. And he materially advanced his kingdom so nice that his capital was called golden. He was so rich. Everything, he was, in every way, in education, in opulence, in power, everything was so great. Only fault was that he was atheist. Therefore he's called rākṣasa, asura. All the asuras that are mentioned in the śāstra, their only fault is that they are atheists. Otherwise, from education point of view, from opulence, they are very much advanced.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.391-405 -- New York, January 2, 1967:

Anything, God's pastimes, that is perceivable through devotional service. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Only way. This is the process. No other process. No amount of speculation, no amount of academic education, no amount of philosophical discussion can..., one can... It is confirmed in the Vedic literature: nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhya, na bahunā śrutena. Na ayam ātmā... This self-realization is not possible. Nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhya, simply by discussion, nobody can arrive. Nobody can understand what is self-realization, what is Supreme Soul, the Absolute Truth. Nāyam ātmā pravacanena, na medhayā. Medhayā means one who is, who has got very good brain substance, he also cannot. Simply by agitating the brain, brain substance, one cannot understand. Nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhya, na bahunā śrutena, na medhayā.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 21.62-67 -- New York, January 6, 1966:

The common man could speak any language—Hindi, Parsi, or Bengali, Oriya, Telegu, so many. There are so many languages. In every district you will find some language. But that was not taken into consideration. When education is concerned, every student all over India, they would take education in Sanskrit. Sanskrit language was the... So our present government, they have introduced a state language as Hindi. There are so many protests and so many quarrels. They would have done better if they would have introduced Sanskrit language as it was previously. So the Sanskrit language was one, and the culture was Vedic. Therefore there was no disunion. Every part of the country in India, the same system. He may be a Bengali, he may be a Maharastrian, he may be a Gujarati, or he may be Oriya—there were so many provinces—but the culture was the same.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.5 -- New York, January 7, 1967:

So axiomatic truth. How it is truth? You may not have sufficient intelligence, but if you go deep into the matter you will find it is all truth: "Yes, it is all right." That is called Vedic injunction. So you cannot argue. You have to accept as it is. You cannot interpret. What education we have got, what intelligence, that we can interpret on Vedic injunction? No. It should be accepted as it is. That is called Vedic injunction. This is called śruti. You have to simply hear and act accordingly. That is called Vedic. And smṛti. Smṛti means if you are learned scholar in the Vedic injunction, if you have heard from the bona fide souls, and if you are convinced, then if you write something, that is smṛti. You cannot write nonsense. You have to write something which corroborates with the Vedic injunction.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.36-40 -- San Francisco, January 23, 1967:

Therefore we are all abodha-jātaḥ, born ignorant. Because from the very beginning of our life we know that "I am this body." There is no education in the material world that we are not this body, we are soul. Although there are books of knowledge, just like Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, but nobody is interested. Therefore they are all mad. They are after the will-o'-the wisp, phantasmagoria, a wrong conception of life. Therefore all their activities are to be considered as defeat. Parābhavas, parābhavas tāvad abodha-jātaḥ. They are born ignorant, and they will continue to be ignorant, and they will be defeated by all their activities. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. So long he is not awakened to inquire "What I am...?" Simply under madness he is going after this bodily sense enjoyment, but he does not know that he is not this body.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 1 -- Los Angeles, May 4, 1970:

Our, this conditioned life is so situated that in every step we are committing some sins. In every step, without knowing, ignorance, because we, we are born ignorant. Therefore Bhāgavata says, parābhavas tāvad abhodha-jātaḥ. Abodha-jātaḥ. Abodha-jāta means every living entity is born fools. Therefore there are so many educational institutions. If the man born... May be in very high family or in high nation, but he is a fool. Otherwise, what is the necessity of so many educational institution? It is a fact. So that foolishness, when it is come to light... That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. This foolishness will continue so long as he does not come to the platform of understanding self-realization. Otherwise, all these universities and institution for imparting knowledge, they are continuation of that same ignorance and foolishness.

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

So there are two kinds of education: material education and spiritual education, brahma-vidyā and jaḍa-vidyā. Jaḍa-vidyā means material education. Jaḍa. Jaḍa means "which cannot move," matter. And spiritual education... Spirit can move. Our body is combination of spirit and matter. So long the spirit is there, this body is moving. Just like coat-pant is moving so long a man wears it. It appears that the coat is moving, the pant is moving, but actually the living entity is moving, and the covering, the dress, appears to be moving. Similarly, this body is moving because the spirit soul is moving. This is only... Just like a vehicle. A motorcar is moving; that means the driver is moving.

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

Similarly, this body is moving because the spirit soul is moving. This is only... Just like a vehicle. A motorcar is moving; that means the driver is moving. So foolish people will think that the motorcar is moving. Motorcar does not move. In spite of all mechanical arrangement, it cannot move. That is the wrong way of education. People who are thinking that this material nature is working, moving and manifesting so many wonderful things... Just like in the seaside we see the waves are moving. But the waves are not moving; the air moving it. But air is not moving. In this way, you go back, back, back, what is the ultimate cause, then you'll find Kṛṣṇa is the cause of all causes. That is called philosophy, to search out the ultimate cause.

So here it is said, andhaṁ tamaḥ praviśanti ye avidyām upāsate. Avidyā means those who are captivated by the external movements, they are, they are worshiping avidyā, nescience, which will not help him.

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

The modern civilization is engaged... There are big, big institutions for technology, how a motorcar can move, how aeroplane can move. So many machinery they're manufacturing. But they are... There is no educational institution how the mover, the spirit soul, is moving. That is... That is called avidyā, nescience. The actual mover is not being studied, but the external movement is being studied. Big, big institution, universities, there are. As I told you the other day, when I lectured in the Massachusetts Technological College, so I inquired that "Where is that technology to study the mover?" But they have no such arrangement. They could not answer satisfactorily. So that is avidyā.

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

"Where is that technology to study the mover?" But they have no such arrangement. They could not answer satisfactorily. So that is avidyā. So here, in the Īśopaniṣad, it is said, andhaṁ tamaḥ praviśanti ye avidyām upāsate. Those who are engaged only in material advancement of education, the result will be that they will go to the darkest region of existence, andhaṁ tamaḥ. It is very dangerous position that at the present moment there is no arrangement in any state, all over the world, about spiritual education. It is pushing the human society to the darkest region of existence. Actually, it is happening so. In... In your country, your rich country, you have got nice educational system, so many universities, but what class of men you are producing? The students are coming to become hippies.

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

Actually, it is happening so. In... In your country, your rich country, you have got nice educational system, so many universities, but what class of men you are producing? The students are coming to become hippies. Why?

So leaders should think over it, that "What we are producing, in spite of so many educational institutions?" That is hinted here, that because you are worshiping avidyā... That is not knowledge. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung very nicely: jaḍa-vidyā saba māyāra vaibhava. Jaḍa-vidyā. Jaḍa-vidyā means this material education. He says they are expansion of this māyā. Jaḍa vidyā. Jaḍa vidyā sa māyāra vaibhava, tomāra bhajane bādhā. The more we shall advance in this material education, the more we will be hampered to understand what is God. And at last we shall declare, "God is dead. I am God. You are God," this, all this nonsense. That is hinted here: andhaṁ tamaḥ. Andham means darkness.

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

They are going still more in the darkness, because they are defying Kṛṣṇa. They are posed as if culturing spiritual knowledge, but because they have no information of Kṛṣṇa, or God, their advancement of education is also more dangerous. More dangerous. Because they are misleading people. The yoga system, the so-called yoga, not the real yoga system... The so-called yoga system, they are preaching, misleading people that "You meditate and you'll understand that you are God." By meditation, one becomes God. (chuckles) You see. So Kṛṣṇa never meditated. Neither He had any chance of meditation, because from the very beginning of His appearance, Kaṁsa was prepared to kill Him. Then He was transferred by His father to the house of Nanda-Yaśodā. There also, when He was sleeping, a baby, three-months-old baby, the Pūtanā demon attacked.

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

We do not know where to place all these things. That is avidyā. So this Īśopaniṣad teaches us that we should be very careful. We should not be very much advanced... We may be advanced. That doesn't matter. We don't say that you don't advance in material education. You advance, but, at the same time, you become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is our propaganda. We don't say that you don't, you do not manufacture motorcar or you do not manufacture these so many machines. We don't say. But we say, "All right, you have manufactured this machine. Employ it in Kṛṣṇa's service." That is our proposal. We don't say stop it. We don't say that you have, don't have any sex life. But we say, "Yes, you have sex life—for Kṛṣṇa. You produce Kṛṣṇa conscious children. Hundred times you have sex life." But don't create cats and dogs. That is our proposal.

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

We don't say stop it. We don't say that you have, don't have any sex life. But we say, "Yes, you have sex life—for Kṛṣṇa. You produce Kṛṣṇa conscious children. Hundred times you have sex life." But don't create cats and dogs. That is our proposal.

So education, education required, but if education is wrongly diverted, it is very, very dangerous. That is the purport of this verse.

andhaṁ tamaḥ praviśanti
ye vidyām upāsate
tato bhūya iva te tamo
ya u vidyāyāṁ ratāḥ
So-called education has no value.
Page Title:Education (Lectures, NOD - CC - ISO)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:14 of Dec, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=72, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:72