Endeavor (BG Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"endeavor" |"endeavored" |"endeavoring" |"endeavors" |"endeavour" |"endeavouring" |"endeavours"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

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

That is higher intelligence, that "Why shall I ask food from God? God is supplying food to the cats, dogs, ants, elephants, and I want little food, he will not supply me? And especially when I engage myself in His service? Ordinary man pays to his servant, and I shall starve if I am engaged in the service of God?" This is intelligence. This is intelligence. "Why shall I bother God? If He likes, I will starve. That doesn't matter. But I must engage myself in the service of the Lord." This is intelligence. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). This intelligence comes after many, many births of endeavoring for self-realization. It is not easily comes.

Lecture on BG 1.23 -- London, July 19, 1973:

There is no satisfaction. So that is durbuddhi. The Vedic culture is that "You be satisfied with your position." There is no question of starving in any position of life. People are trying to make economic development, but according to śāstra, it is not possible to develop your economic position simply by endeavor. You are destined to have some portion mixed up with happiness and distress. That is the nature. Dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣa (SB 4.8.41). These are four principles of human activities. First beginning is dharma. Dharma means to abide by the orders of the Supreme. That is dharma. So people do not know who is the Supreme and what is His order. So what kind of religion? They accept dharma as religion, faith, a superfluous faith only. But that is not dharma, religion. Dharma means to abide by the orders of the Supreme. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). That is the meaning of dharma: obedience to God. There is no conception of God, and what to speak of obedience. But this is the simple meaning of religion: obedience to God. That's all, three words.

Lecture on BG 1.23 -- London, July 19, 1973:

This is Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura's song. Anyone who is not trying to understand Kṛṣṇa... Not even trying, what to speak of worshiping Him, giving Him service... And Kṛṣṇa says simply by trying to know Him, one becomes liberated. Simply by trying, not perfectly. Even imperfectly. Because he is endeavoring to understand Kṛṣṇa, that very activity will make him liberated. That very activity. It is not possible to understand Kṛṣṇa. He is so great, unlimited. How we can understand Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa cannot understand Himself. Or Ananta cannot understand. So... Actually, that is the fact. We cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. But still, whatever Kṛṣṇa says about Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā, if we accept so much, then we immediately become fit for going back to Godhead, back to home. Simply. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). Tattvataḥ. Tattvataḥ means in truth. The tattvataḥ cannot understand.

Lecture on BG 1.23 -- London, July 19, 1973:

These are the effects of pious activities. Similarly, the effects of impious activities, the opposite. But they are all material. They are destined. Whatever you have got by pious or impious activities, that you cannot change. It is not possible. But you can change your position, this material position, by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That you can change. Other things you cannot change. If you are white, you cannot become black, or if you are black, you cannot become white. That is not possible. But you can become first-class Kṛṣṇa conscious person. Either you are black or white, it doesn't matter. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore our endeavor should be how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Other things we cannot change. This is not possible. Sarvatra.

Lecture on BG 1.36 -- London, July 26, 1973:

So people are trying to elevate the status of the society by so many things. But they do not know the secret. The secret is that if one is trained only to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, all good qualities automatically will be visible in his person. There is no need of separate endeavor, how to make a man honest, how to make a man religious, how to make a man high-thinking, simple living. These are good... Śamo damas, titikṣa ārjavaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyam (BG 18.42). All these qualities immediately develop. Because a living entity, spirit soul, he is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Mamaivāṁśo jīvaḥ (BG 15.7). Kṛṣṇa says all this. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4). "They have come to this material world. I am the seed-giving father. They wanted to enjoy. So I have given them chance. But actually I am the father. The material nature is the mother." Just like we have got experience, the father injects the living entity in the womb of the mother. And the mother, by her blood, develops the body of the child. Similarly, all these living entities, 8,400,000 species, the... Bījo 'haṁ sarva-bhūtānām (Bg 7.10).

Lecture on BG 1.43 -- London, July 30, 1973:

"What is my value?" That is really learned, humble and meek. Nobody should think that "Now I have learned everything. I can surpass everyone. I have become above all rules and regulation. Now I have become paramahaṁsa." This is rascaldom. Everyone should always think, "I am fool number one." Therefore the endeavor will go on, to become perfect. If we think that "Now I have become perfect, paramahaṁsa," then the spiritual regulative principles will never be followed, and you will fall down.

So here Arjuna also says that narake niyataṁ vāso bhavati iti anuśuśruma: (BG 1.43) "Kṛṣṇa, I have heard it from authorative sources." He never says, "Kṛṣṇa, in my opinion, if it is done like that, then people will go to hell." He does not give his own opinion. He says iti, "Thus," anuśuśruma, "I have heard." This is called paramparā system. Nobody should give his own opinion. He must quote the authoritative statement to support his proposition. So similarly, when Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked that "What is the aim of life and how to achieve it?" so Rāmānanda Rāya, he did not give his own opinion, that "In my opinion, like this." Here also Arjuna says, ity anuśuśruma, "I have heard it." He heard it means... Śuśruma means "heard from authority."

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

This is called paramparā system. You have to learn how to become servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa. The more you become in the lower position—servant, servant, servant, servant, servant, hundreds times servant, servant—then more you are advanced. Here in this material world everyone is trying to be master of the master. Just opposite. And the spiritual world, the endeavor is to become servant's servant. This is the secret.

yasya deve parā bhaktir

yathā deve tathā gurau

tasyaite kathitā hy arthaḥ

prakāśante mahātmanaḥ

(ŚU 6.23)

This is Vedic instruction.

So Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, in connection with the verse, vyavasāyātmikā-buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana, niścayātmikā-buddhiḥ... (BG 2.41) So Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says that "The instruction which I have received from my spiritual master, that is my life and soul." This is called niścayātmikā-buddhiḥ, means assurance: "Whatever I have received, the order from my spiritual master, that will give me salvation." Or even no salvation. It doesn't matter.

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

Because the aim of human life should be to make progress. That is called ārya, progressive march.

Now we have got this human form of body, progressing from the lowest species of life in aquatics, then trees, plants, insects, birds, beasts, 8,400,000... Now I have got this civilized form of body. Then, the, my endeavor should be how to make further progress. The further progress is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, that you can go to the higher planetary system. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). Ūrdhvam, higher planetary system. Madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasaḥ. Madhye, in the middle planetary system, those who are contaminated with the passion quality, they remain. And jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasaḥ. And those who are miscreants, jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthāḥ, most hatefully accustomed, these hatefully accustomed, illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling, intoxication... These are habits of hateful nature. So jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthāḥ adho gacchanti tāmasaḥ, they go down.

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

If mother certifies, "This gentleman is your father," that is correct. But if you go on researching who is your father you will never be able to know who is your father. Similarly, what is life, what is soul, what is our, this body, what is the ultimate goal of life, why you are suffering—all this knowledge you have to take from the higher authorities. That is called Vedic process, not to endeavor by research. What you can research? Our fund of knowledge is very, very poor, limited. You cannot have perfect knowledge unless you hear from the authority. So Kṛṣṇa is the authority. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means you take knowledge from the best authority. Don't manufacture knowledge. That will not help you. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

So here Kṛṣṇa says that "My dear Arjuna, you are talking like a very learned man." That is our disease. Everyone will talk as if... We manufacture, but that is useless. Ke āmi kene āmāya jāre... You cannot make any solution. Therefore the whole world is in chaotic condition. We speak of our own country, India.

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

Out of many millions of persons, one becomes siddha, perfect. So that perfection is not complete perfection. That perfection means ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am not this material body; I am spirit soul." So one who understands this position of oneself is calculated as perfect, but yatatām api siddhānām (BG 7.3), in that perfect stage if one endeavors to understand Kṛṣṇa, yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścid, out of many such millions of persons who trying to understand Kṛṣṇa in perfection, one may understand. So it is not so easy. Janma karma ca me divyaṁ yo jānā... (BG 4.9), again tattvataḥ. That factual understanding is possible. How it is possible? Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Only through devotion you can understand. So these problems will be solved when you become a devotee. Then Kṛṣṇa will reveal. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). If you try to understand that Supreme Person Kṛṣṇa, who comes before you as ordinary person, you can understand Him if you become His devotee. Otherwise it is not possible.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- Hyderabad, November 17, 1972:

According to Vedic philosophy, if a kṣatriya dies in proper fighting, then he is immediately transferred to the heavenly planet, the heavenly planet. Because he sacrifices his body for right cause. Formerly, the fight was not a very trifle thing. After much consideration, then fighting or war was declared. Just like the fighting between the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas; first of all, there was great endeavor to stop the fight. Kṛṣṇa Himself became the messenger and was going from this party to another. Because Kṛṣṇa... Both the parties were Kṛṣṇa's family relatives. So He wanted to stop and mitigate the misunderstanding by mutual settlement. But it was not possible. The Duryodhana's party said that "We are not prepared to spare even a small piece of land which can hold the tip of the needle." Sūcāgra-bhūmi. Then it was decided there must be fight. That fighting was meant for the kṣatriyas. Formerly, there was no democracy. The so-called democracy. Democracy means that there was one king only; now there are hundreds of kings. One king and few ministers. Now one governor, one, I mean to say, three dozen secretaries, and three dozen... So many things... It is overburdened.

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

We have to eat simply just to keep the body and soul nicely to execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca. Prayāsa means taking some risky work which will require too much endeavor. We should avoid that. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaḥ, prajalpa, nonsense talking which has no connection with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaḥ prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ. Following the rules, but actually I'm not very much careful in executing the work. So niyamāgraha. Niyamāgraha means not to accept the rules and regulation, and another meaning is simply to accept the rules and regulation without good effect. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ laulyam, greediness, and jana-saṅgaś ca, and associating with nondevotees. These things are against execution of devotional service, and the first thing, the patience, enthusiasm, and confidence, these six things are favorable. So we have to take notice of the don'ts and dos. Then it will be all right. Do this, don't do this.

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- Hyderabad, November 21, 1972:

We have accepted this position of birth, death, old age and disease on account of our association with this material world. Now, everyone is trying not to die, everyone is trying not to become old, everyone is trying not to be dead, meet death. This is natural. Because, by nature, we are not subjected to these things, therefore our endeavor, our activity, is struggling, how to become deathless, birthless, diseaseless. That is struggle for existence.

So here, in the Bhagavad-gītā, gives you a nice formula. Yaṁ hi na vyathayanty ete puruṣaṁ puruṣarṣabha. This transmigration of the soul, one which is not afflicted by this, dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13), one who understands... Suppose my father dies, if I have got clear understanding that "My father has not died. He has changed the body. He has accepted another body." That is the fact. Just like in our sleeping state, dreaming state, my body is lying on the bed, but in dream I create another body and go, say, thousand miles away in a different place. As you have got daily experience, similarly, the gross body being stopped, I, as spirit soul, I do not stop. I work.

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- London, August 21, 1973:

And their leaders? They are also blind. Andhā yathā upanīyamānāḥ andhena. One blind man is trying to lead another blind man. So what is the wrong there? Te 'pīśa-tantryāṁ baddhāḥ: They are bound up by the laws of nature, hand and legs tight. How they can become free and happy by such endeavor? That is not possible. So, so simply by taking Kṛṣṇa consciousness it will be nice? Yes.

So how to take Kṛṣṇa consciousness? That is also answered by Prahlāda Mahārāja. Matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām. Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot be awakened for a person who wants to stay in this material world and become happy. He cannot become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Gṛha-vratānām. Gṛha means home, and vratānām means one who has taken the house or home or this body as everything. Vrata. Vrata means... Just like you are observing this today, a Janmāṣṭamī-vrata, under vow. We shall fast, an austerity.

Lecture on BG 2.16 -- Mexico City, February 16, 1975:

He knows how to mix the three original color, namely blue, yellow and red. The red color represents passion, and the yellow color represents ignorance, and the blue color represents goodness. So as the color painter, er, painter knows how to mix and make varieties of colors, similarly, the three modes of material nature being mixed up, they are represented in so many different forms of body. So at the present moment, in your human form of body, you are also mixing the same qualities in your different desires. That means you are creating your next body. So at the time of death the thoughts and the activities which will be prominent within your mind, you will get a similar body in next life. Therefore the intelligent man should be very cautious to get the next body. We can get the body like God; we can get the body like the dog. Therefore the best intelligent person should try to endeavor to get the next body like God. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that you endeavor in this life so long you are alive to get a body like God.

Lecture on BG 2.20-25 -- Seattle, October 14, 1968:

What this human being? We are civilized being, what we are doing? The same thing. Eating, sleeping, mating. The same thing as the dog is doing. So anywhere in the material world, either in the higher planet or in the lower planet, this sense gratification is prominent. Only in the spiritual world there is no sense gratification. There is simply an endeavor to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. That is... Here everyone is trying to satisfy his senses. That is the law of material world. That is material life. So long you try to satisfy your senses, that is your material life. And as soon as you turn your self to satisfy the senses of Kṛṣṇa, that is your spiritual life. It's a very simple thing. Instead of satisfying... Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanam (CC Madhya 19.170). That is bhakti. You have got senses. You have to satisfy. Senses, with senses you have to satisfy. Either you satisfy yourself... But you do not know. The conditioned soul does not know that satisfying the Kṛṣṇa's senses, his senses will be automatically satisfied. The same example.

Lecture on BG 2.20-25 -- Seattle, October 14, 1968:

Just like you are working whole day and night for Kṛṣṇa, they are thinking, "What fools they are. We are very intelligent. We are working for our own sense gratification whole day and night, and why they are working for Kṛṣṇa?" This is the difference between materialist and spiritualist. The spiritualist's endeavor is to work whole day and night strenuously without any hurt(?) simply for Kṛṣṇa. That is spiritual life. And the materialist means the same endeavor, always trying to satisfy their personal senses. That is the difference, materialistic and spiritual. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means that we have to train our senses to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. That's all. So long in other, previous, many, many thousands and millions of lives, we have simply tried to satisfy our senses, personal senses. Let this life be dedicated for satisfying Kṛṣṇa's senses. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One life. We have, several lives, we have tried to satisfy our personal senses. Let this life, at least one life, let me try, what happens. So we are not loser.

Lecture on BG 2.23-24 -- London, August 27, 1973:

If you want to go to the moon planet, you can go. If you want to go to the heavenly planet, you can go. Similarly, if you want to go to the planet where Kṛṣṇa is, you can go. So sane man, intelligent man, should consider that "If I have to prepare myself for going, for being elevated to the higher planetary system, but we have to come back again, kṣīṇe puṇye martya-loka, why not endeavor for going back to Kṛṣṇaloka?" That is intelligence. But there are big, big yogis, they elevate themselves to the higher planetary system. They... Before going to the spiritual world, they want to see how the higher planetary system are working. Just like the visitors, tourists. They are going somewhere, and drop, by journey, somewhere to see. But you should not make such ambition. You should endeavor directly going back to home, back to Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. That should be your endeavor. Yes. Mad-yājino 'pi yānti mam (BG 9.25).

Lecture on BG 2.39 -- London, September 12, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa says, "After many, many births' endeavor..." Because everyone is trying to be happy. That is the struggle for existence. Why this struggle? To become happy. So sometimes they are karmīs, sometimes they are jñānīs, sometimes they are yogis, sometimes... As soon as they become bhakta, that is success. But so long he is not bhakta but otherwise, karmīs, jñānīs... Generally they are divided: karmīs, jñānīs, yogis... Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī has said,

bhukti-mukti-spṛhā yāvat

piśācī hṛdi vartate

tāvad bhakti-sukhasyātra

katham abhyudayo bhavet

"So long in one's heart there is a piśācī..." Piśācī means, what is called, a witch. Yes. The witch is there, piśācī. What is that piśācī? Bhukti-mukti-siddhi. Bhukti means karmī, to, one who wants to enjoy this material world by working. That is called bhukti. Bhoktā. "I want to enjoy." Everyone is trying that.

Lecture on BG 2.40 - London, September 13, 1973:

Devotee:

nehābhikrama-nāśo 'sti

pratyavāyo na vidyate

svalpam apy asya dharmasya

trāyate mahato bhayāt

(BG 2.40)

"In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear."

Prabhupāda: So we have explained yesterday, buddhi-yoga. Buddhi-yoga means bhakti-yoga. So, svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. Bhakti-yoga, begun, some way or other, it has got great effect. There is story that in the Deity room, a lamp was burning. You know oil lamp has to be watched. Sometimes the wick has to be pushed. So the lamp was almost going to be extinguished. In the meantime a rat came there. He thought that it is something eatable. So he touched with mouth, the wick, and it became pushed. Simply by that action he got salvation.

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

Devotee: "O son of Pṛthā, when you act by such intelligence you can free yourself from the bondage of works (BG 2.39)." Verse 40:" In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear (BG 2.40)." Purport: "Activity in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or acting for the benefit of Kṛṣṇa without expectation of sense gratification is the highest transcendental quality of work. Even a small beginning of such activity finds no impediment, nor can that small beginning be lost at any stage. Any work begun..."

Prabhupāda: Is the purport going on?

Devotee: Yes. "Any work begun on the material plane has to be done nicely till the end, otherwise the whole attempt becomes a failure. But any work begun in Kṛṣṇa consciousness has a permanent effect, even though not finished. The performer of such work is therefore not at a loss even if his work in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is incomplete. One percent done in Kṛṣṇa consciousness bears permanent results, so that the next beginning is from the point of two percent, whereas in material activity, without one-hundred-percent success there is no profit.

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

Then you are completely under the control of material nature, and you'll have to accept a body as you have done in this life, because this life is preparation for the next life." You have got very concrete example. Just like President Kennedy. He was young man, very rich man, and he got the president post with great endeavor, spending so much money. He had his wife and children. But in one moment everything finished. Everything finished.

So we do not know that we are standing on a tottering platform. So however nice arrangement we may make, this will be finished in one moment. That is, we are missing. We are simply sticking to a false platform that "This will save me, this will save me." No. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says that jaḍa-bidyā jato māyāra vaibhava. This material advancement of civilization, very nice, very dazzling. Just like when we pass on the street or road of your American cities, it looks so nice. So many lights and so many night—illuminating signboards.

Lecture on BG Lecture Excerpts 2.44-45, 2.58 -- New York, March 25, 1966:

It is simply so-called enjoyment. Actually, we cannot enjoy this diseased condition of this body. Enjoyment, real enjoyment means that is nonstopping, nonstop. There is a verse in Mahābhārata. Ramante yoginaḥ anante (CC Madhya 9.29). Yoginaḥ, those who are yogis or spiritualists. Yogis means spiritualists. The general meaning of yogi is spiritualist, those who are endeavoring to emancipate from this material condition of life and try to elevate to the spiritual platform, he is called yogi. Now, those yogis are different types, but the method or process of spiritual realization may be different. Your process or my process may be a little different, but that does not hamper. The thing is that your aim is also spiritual realization. Just like generally there are three classes of spiritualists. The jñānīs, the yogis and the bhaktas. Jñānī means those who are trying to realize spiritual self through speculation of metaphysics and philosophy. They are called jñānīs. And yogis—those who are trying to realize spiritual self by meditation and controlling the senses.

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

So far the animals are concerned, they are called... They are also working. They are also working, but working with the help of the nature. But we go beyond the nature. Because we have got better intelligence, we are not satisfied with the nature's product, but we are endeavoring to turn the nature's product by industry into some other thing, and the result is my high intelligence is being used only for the satisfaction of the body without any culture of spirit. That is the whole mistake of civilization, that I have got better understanding, I have got better intelligence than the animals. But how I am utilizing it? In the same principles of eating, sleeping, fearing and mating. So my energy is being... (break) "...not make you happy. You just try to... (break)

...Me. You just try to dovetail your consciousness with My supreme consciousness. That will make you happy." The same thing. As Arjuna did not, wanted to fight, Kṛṣṇa said that "I desire that you should fight."

Lecture on BG 2.58-59 -- New York, April 27, 1966:

That is ignorance. Similarly, those who are in this material world under the shackles of material modes of nature, they have completely forgotten that we have got a spiritual life which is full of freedom, full of knowledge, full of bliss, and we can become exactly almost like God. These things they have forgotten. They think that "If, from the C-class prisoner's life, I can become an A-class prisoner..." Just like in the prison life there are some classes, A-class prisoner, B-class prisoner, C-class prisoner, similarly, our endeavor is going on in this material life to become A-class prisoner. The program is not for getting out of the prison life, but we want to become A-class prisoner. That is ignorance. That is ignorance.

So here the Lord says that

yadā saṁharate cāyaṁ

kūrmo 'ṅgānīva sarvaśaḥ

indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyas

tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā

(BG 9.58)

And what are the shackles of this prison life? The shackles of prison life... Just like in ordinary prison, prisoner... Of course, I do not know what is the case here of prison life, but I have seen. Sometimes in New Delhi I was invited to give some good lessons to the prisoners. So I have seen so many prisoners.

Lecture on BG 2.62-72 -- Los Angeles, December 19, 1968:

He left his everything and became engaged in simply meditation. Who is doing that? Nobody is doing that. Śaṅkarācārya's first condition is that "First of all you take sannyāsa; then you talk of becoming Nārāyaṇa." Who is taking sannyāsa? So they are simply falsely thinking. Actually, their intelligence is impure, consciousness is impure. Therefore in spite of such endeavors, the result is, āruhya kṛcchreṇa param, although they go very high, say 25,000 miles or millions of miles up, they do not find any shelter, where is moon planet, where is... They come down again to your Moscow city, that's all. Or New York City, that's all. These are the examples. When they're high up, oh, they'll take photograph. "Oh, this planet is so, this earthly planet is so green or so small. I am going round day and night and seeing in one hour three times day and night." All right, very good. Please come down again. (laughs) That's all. māyā is so strong, she will say, "Yes, very good. You are very advanced in your scientific knowledge, but please come down. Come here. Otherwise you are going to be put into the Atlantic Ocean." That's all.

Lecture on BG 3.1-5 -- Los Angeles, December 20, 1968:

Here is a glass. If you want to fill up with milk, the water will go automatically. You have to throw away the water. You cannot put the water and the milk at the same time in this glass. Similarly, if you become active in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you automatically become silent in material activities. Without any separate endeavor. It is so nice. And if you try artificially to stop, to become silent from material activities, it will not be possible. You may meditate for fifteen minutes or for fifteen hundred minutes or fifteen thousand years, it will not be possible. The mind is very strong. Mind's business is to accept and reject, accept and reject. You accept something, you reject something.

Better thing is that we accept something Kṛṣṇa conscious under the direction of disciplic succession. That is your, should be, the aim of life, and you are successful. You have to accept something. Simply by rejecting, it will not help you. But you have to accept something. That acceptance is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Simply negation will not help you. You must have some positive engagement.

Lecture on BG 3.14 -- Sanand, December 27, 1975:

Unless one is free from the sinful activities, he cannot be fully engaged in worshiping the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa. So these four principle of sinful activities, illicit sex, and animal-killing, and intoxication, including smoking and drinking tea, and gambling... Anyone who wants really benefit of life, human life, they must give up these four principles of sinful life.

Kṛṣṇa therefore says to every one of us,

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

(BG 18.66)

It is not possible that we can give up sinful activities by our own endeavor because in this age, Kali-yuga, everyone is addicted to some sort of sinful activities. But if we surrender to Kṛṣṇa as He is instructing, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), fully, without any reservation, He will help us to become free from the sinful reactions.

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

Similarly, there are some pseudo-devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa who prefer to imitate the Lord in the matter of the rāsa-līlā or dance of love, forgetting their inability to lift the Govardhana Hill. It is best, therefore, that one not try to imitate the powerful, but simply endeavor to follow their instructions. Nor should one try to occupy the posts of the powerful without qualification. There are so many 'incarnations' of God without the powers of the Supreme Godhead."

Twenty-five: "As the ignorant perform their duties with attachment to result... (BG 3.25)"

Prabhupāda: This morning, the press representative, he was astonished that "Swamiji, so many people are coming, they are declaring that 'I am God.' What is this?" So these rascals are like that. Therefore there are so many incarnations of God without the powers of. So people, why they should be cheated? If somebody comes and says that "I am God," why don't you test? For testing this... When Kṛṣṇa assumed the Supreme Personality of Godhead... Of course, Arjuna was convinced. He accepted, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma (BG 10.12), but for future guidance, he requested Kṛṣṇa, "Please show me Your universal form."

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

That's all. Now your desire is to satisfy your senses. That's all. This has to be purified, that you shall desire, but you shall desire to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Then your perfection is there.

In one way it is very simple and easy because I know how to satisfy my senses. I am doing it life after life. The same endeavor should be engaged for satisfying Kṛṣṇa. That's all. The process has not to be learned by me. I know it. Simply account has to be changed. That's all. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is very simple and easy. Immediately you come to the spiritual platform, or transcendental platform.

That is explained in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta: lust and love, what is the difference between lust and love. In the material world there is no love. Because everyone is directed by lust. The so-called love... A young boy is trying to love a young girl, or young girl is trying to love a young..., but the background is lust. There is no love. It is simply a show of love. Therefore, after satisfying lust, there is divorce, there is separation. So in the material world there is no possibility of love. It is all lust.

Lecture on BG 4.7-9 -- New York, July 22, 1966:

This is the easiest process. There was many examples. Of course, there are, in scriptures, there are many, many good examples. But it is a fact that anyone who takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he doesn't require to endeavor for becoming a good man, I mean to say, separately. That Kṛṣṇa consciousness will help him to be the best man in the world. Api cet su-durācāraḥ. And there are other confirmation in the Bhāgavata, that yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ: (SB 5.18.12) "Anyone who has attained the Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he attains all good qualities automatically." And harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ: "Anyone who is not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness..." When I speak of Kṛṣṇa, you can take it as God.

So in... So a person who is devoid of God consciousness, however he may be qualified from the material point of view, the scripture says that his qualification will not help him in doing things which are not desirable. He'll, he'll, he'll not be prohibited to do things which are not desirable. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā manorathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ: (SB 5.18.12) "Because he's devoid of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then he's sure to commit mischief in this material world."

Lecture on BG 4.7-9 -- New York, July 22, 1966:

Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ, hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi. Abhadrāṇi means the dirty things, the dirty things which we have accumulated by our material association, Kṛṣṇa will help us to remove that dirt. Hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi vidhunoti suhṛt satām. Because He is a friend of all saintly persons. He's a friend. So our endeavor to become Kṛṣṇa conscious is a saintly endeavor, and so He also cooperates.

And this is the process, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam (SB 7.5.23), chanting and hearing of this Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with aural reception, submissive aural reception. That very process will teach us the truth of the Kṛṣṇa science, and when we understand the Kṛṣṇa science, automatically we understand what is Kṛṣṇa, and as soon as we understand Kṛṣṇa, the next result is that after leaving this material, this present material body, we go at once to the kingdom of Kṛṣṇa. This is the whole process. Tyaktvā deham, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Then he does not come again to this miserable world.

Lecture on BG 4.7-9 -- New York, July 22, 1966:

Nobody has to certify that "You are certified." He will say, "Yes, I am satisfied. I have had very good foodstuff." Similarly, this is the thing. If you kindly spare a little time, you'll feel yourself how much you are making progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and how much making progress in your human mission of life. So I shall request you that we are just trying to, just endeavor, our poor endeavor... It is, still our duty to do it. If you kindly take advantage of this opportunity, both, we shall be benefited. Then that is the process we have adopted here, the Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, and I invite you all to come and take part in it and make your life successful.

Thank you very much. Any questions? (break)

You have to associate yourself with persons who are in that business. Then gradually you'll also develop the sense and you'll also become... So there is no cause of disappointment that because you have no taste for such things. So this is the chance. It is our duty to give chance everybody to have this opportunity because we have dedicated our life for this service. So we are ready. You take advantage of our humble service, and then you'll understand and you'll know. There will be no difficulty.

Lecture on BG 4.9 -- Montreal, June 19, 1968:

That one is supplying everything what we require.

You may think that you have to make improvement of your economic conditions, but actually the economic condition, what you have to enjoy, that is already there. You haven't got to endeavor. You see. Those who are not human beings, the animals, the birds, the beasts, and the worms, the trees, they have no economic problem. I see in India the sparrows, they were chanting and dancing and eating. Here also I see the same sparrows. They have no economic problem because they are depending completely on nature's law. And because we have violated nature's law, we have got economic problems. We have created our economic problem.

So the whole philosophy is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If the whole world, not whole world, even certain percentage of the population becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, the face of the world changes. Simply to understand, as it is stated here, janma karma me divyam (BG 4.9). Karma. His activities.

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

You can spoil your energy for making this material world very comfortable or you may live for some years very comfortably, but cruel death will come and snatch from comfortable position and put you into another position which is beyond your control. You cannot say that "I have made my position very secure. I am very comfortable with great endeavor by advancement of economic development, by advancement of material science. Let me remain here. I am very happy." The time will say, "No, that will not be allowed. You must leave immediately, immediately, without delay."

You know your President Kennedy. He was going in a procession, and the time came, and he had to leave everything at once, at once, without any hesitation. You cannot hesitate. So we are in the grip of the material nature. However we may declare ourself that we are independent, we are not independent. We are dependent, completely dependent. We may foolishly mislead ourself by the sense of independence. No. You are not independent.

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

You are completely under the control of the material nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). The material nature is so strong that it is very difficult to get out of the entanglement.

But there is a way. That is also said in the Bhagavad-gītā, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te: "Anyone who surrenders unto Me..." The whole process, the whole process of material activities, material nature, is going on under this principle, that we are required to go back to the eternal world, to get our eternal life and eternal blissful knowledge. These things are awaiting us. But if we do not try, do not endeavor for attaining that sublime position and spoil our reserve energy in making an adjustment of this temporary material world, that is our foolishness.

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

Some of them are satisfied with impersonal feature. The philosophers, jñānīs, they, because they want to understand the absolute truth by dint of their imperfect knowledge.

Because we are in this conditioned state our senses are imperfect. Therefore whatever knowledge we gather, that is imperfect. That is not perfect. So if I endeavor to understand what is Absolute Truth, my means of understanding are the senses. But the senses are imperfect. Therefore whatever knowledge I gather by exertion of these senses, that is imperfect. That is not perfect.

So the persons who are trying to understand the absolute truth by exercising their imperfect knowledge, they reach up to the impersonal conception. And persons who are still further advanced, just like yogis. They are trying to meditate upon the localized aspect of the absolute truth, the Paramātmā, the Supersoul, they're little further advanced. But persons who have realized the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they are supposed to be the ultimate realizer.

Lecture on BG 4.13-14 -- New York, August 1, 1966:

"Well, what do you want to eat?" And they replied that "I want fresh pomegranates from Afghanistan." "All right, sit." So in the room they saw the, a branch of pomegranates just with juices just like somebody has snatched the branch from the tree, and it was there. Yogis, they can perform such wonderful things. If I want this thing, I have to endeavor for it, but a yogi can at once make it. These are some of the preliminary perfections of yogi.

So Kṛṣṇa is called Yogeśvara. He is the... You'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā, He's described as Yogeśvara. He's the master of all yogic principles. So for Him, why there shall be desire for enjoyment. He's so perfect that He hasn't got to marry, He hasn't got to keep a girlfriend. He's so perfect. So this is the nature of Kṛṣṇa we have to understand. Then why He married? He married just to fulfill the desires of His devotees. Those devotees who wanted Kṛṣṇa as their husband, so He accepted them. And when He played the part of a husband, He played very perfectly. Just like when He played the part of a friend, of the boyfriend, He played it very perfectly.

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

Not developing. I have seen it, personally. Because, as it is said in English proverb, "Proprietorship turns sand into gold." If I, one has got the sense that "I am the proprietor of this business," so he works very hard, and he turns sand into gold. There are many examples. A poor man starts... But because by his endeavor... Now here, in this country also, nowadays this endeavor is being decreased because the, they're afraid of the income tax. They're thinking, "We shall earn so much with hard labor, and the government, from the income tax department, they will take ninety-eight percent. So why shall I work?" So this is economic impetus.

There is one Mr. Marshall, economist. Marshall's economics we read in our economic class. He said that "Family affection is the impetus for economic development." He said that. That is fact. Therefore, according to Vedic system, a boy is married with a girl, and the husband and wife, as soon as... This is psychological. As soon as they become husband and wife.

Lecture on BG 4.19-22 -- New York, August 8, 1966:

Now, the process of life described here, yadṛcchā-lābha-santuṣṭaḥ: "One should be satisfied with things which comes very easily." We should not try for anything too much to obtain it. No. We shall be satisfied. Whatever comes automatically or by the will of Kṛṣṇa, we may be satisfied in that way. Yadṛcchā-lābha. For gaining something, we should not be too much endeavoring. Then I shall be deviated from Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

There are six formulas which can deviate us from Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and there are six formulas which can encourage us, which can enhance, advance us in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And what are they? Now, first of all let me state what are "against" principles, against Kṛṣṇa consciousness, against the principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. What are they?

Lecture on BG 4.19-22 -- New York, August 8, 1966:

Oh, no. We should not do that. Yadṛcchā-lābha-santuṣṭaḥ. So atyāhāra, atyāhāra, to accept more than what we need, that is against Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

And prayāsa. Prayāsa means we have to acquire something, but if it requires a heavy work, heavy, I mean to say, endeavor, we should avoid it. We should avoid it.

Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpaḥ (NOI 2). Prajalpa means for nothing talking nonsense. People are accustomed to talk so many things unnecessarily just in clubs, amongst friends' circle, which has no benefit either spiritually or materially. So that sort of talking should be avoided.

Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ. Niyamāgraha means to stick to the rules regulation. Suppose in your faith or in my faith there are certain rules and regulations to be observed. But if I go to some other place where the rules and regulations cannot be strictly observed, and if I want to observe such rules and regulations, then my main business is suffering.

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

Therefore Bhāgavata says that whatever capacity you may have, either you are a scientist or a lawyer or an engineer or a rich man, a capitalist, whatever you may be. Your duty is to utilize your talent for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That's all. That is perfection. Yes.

Devotee: Purport: "A Kṛṣṇa conscious person does not make much endeavor even to maintain his body. He is satisfied with gains which are obtained of their own accord. He neither begs nor borrows but he labors honestly as far as in his own power and is satisfied with whatever is obtained by his own honest labor. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person is therefore independent in his livelihood. He does not allow anyone's service to hamper his own service to Kṛṣṇa. However for the service of the Lord He can participate in any kind of action without being disturbed by the duality of the material world. The duality of the material is felt in terms of heat and cold or misery and happiness. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person is above this duality because he does not hesitate to act in any way for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 4.21 -- Bombay, April 10, 1974:

Therefore it is forbidden, atyāhāraḥ. Āhāra means eating. Eating more than required or āhāra means collecting also. Collecting more than necessity.

Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca. Prayāsaḥ means things which are done with great endeavor. No. We shall accept things which are very easily done. Not to waste our energy unnecessarily.

Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaḥ, prajalpaḥ, talking all nonsense, sitting together and on the newspaper, "Oh, such politician said like this, such social worker..." All nonsense. Practically you try to avoid all this newspaper reading or talking of nonsense subject matter. That is called prajalpa.

Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ (NOI 2). Niyamāgrahaḥ means niyama, scheduled rules and regulation, not to accept. Niyama āgraha or niyama agraha. Āgraha means unnecessarily āgraha, but without any result. That is called niyamāgrahaḥ. You must follow the rules regulation so that you are benefitted. But if you are not benefitted simply by following the rules and regulation, that is āgraha, only for the rules and regulation, not for the result.

Lecture on BG 4.21 -- Bombay, April 10, 1974:

What is that? Utsāha, endeavor. "In this life I must fulfill my mission of Kṛṣṇa consciousness." That is called utsāha. Dhairya. Don't be agitated because it is not giving result immediately. Just patiently go on working.

Utsāhād dhairyān niścayāt. Niścayāt means to have full faith in the words of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). This is called full faith, that "Kṛṣṇa has said that if I am in devotional service, I will never be lost. Kṛṣṇa will give me protection. Kṛṣṇa says." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). To have faith, this is called surrender. Not that, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa says, but may not be able to protect me." No. Kṛṣṇa is able. He is all-powerful, omnipotent. He can give you protection. When He says that ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi, that is a fact. This is called niścayāt. "Certainly Kṛṣṇa will give me protection." Not that "Because I do not see Kṛṣṇa, I do not know whether Kṛṣṇa will give me protection." No. That word is sufficient. This is called niścayāt. Utsāhād dhairyān niścayād tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt.

Lecture on BG 4.22 -- Bombay, April 11, 1974:

Therefore Kṛṣṇa gives more prominence to these four kinds of miseries: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam.

So people should be satisfied in any condition of life given by Kṛṣṇa, and he should endeavor for developing his Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is the real aim of life. Not to make competition to get more comfortable life than your neighbor or father or brother or like that. That is not our business. That is the business of the cats and dogs. Kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). Then (?) What is that? Tapo divyam. This human life is for tapasya. This is tapasya. "All right, Kṛṣṇa has given me this position. That's all right. I will be satisfied." This is called tapasya. Why should I make competition? Simply by doing competition I am not going to be successful. That is the instruction of all śāstra.

Lecture on BG 4.39-5.3 -- New York, August 24, 1966:

Just like several times I have discussed this point, that a big tree, if you have to pour water, then you have to pour water on the root. The tree has millions and billions of leaves, and if you go on pouring water in each and every leaf, neither you'll be able to pour water to all the leaves, neither it is possible to maintain the tree by pouring water on the leaves. You have to pour water on the root. Similarly, our work, our endeavor, whatever we may do, good work or bad work, if it is not done on account of Kṛṣṇa, then that will remain always imperfect. Always imperfect. Therefore it is advised, yoga-sannyasta-karmāṇam: "You just give up your work or place your working capacity, energy..." We have got some energy. We'll work or we'll do anything with our energy. So spiritual self-realization means that energy should be transferred for Kṛṣṇa, or God. That's all. Energy. We have got some stock of energy. That energy should be transferred. You can transfer that energy in so many ways. In whatever way you can do it, it doesn't matter. You have to transfer your energy for Kṛṣṇa.

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

When he was... When... Why Lord Jesus Christ was able to forgive them? Because he was engaged in God's service. Therefore he was... So it is such a thing. Sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ. One who is actually Kṛṣṇa conscious, automatically all the good qualities overtake him without any separate endeavor. So

kāma-krodha-vimuktānāṁ

yatīnāṁ yata-cetasām

abhito brahma-nirvāṇaṁ

vartate viditātmanām

(BG 5.26)

So one who is always engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, automatically he becomes freed from lust, anger, and this is the stage of brahma-nirvāṇam. Brahma-nirvāṇam means cessation of material conception of life and be engaged in spiritual, transcendental position. That is called brahma-nirvāṇam.

Lecture on BG 5.26-29 -- Los Angeles, February 12, 1969:

"Those who are free from anger and all material desires, who are self-realized, self-disciplined and constantly endeavoring for perfection, are assured of liberation in the Supreme in the very near future (BG 5.26)." So first thing is that suppose somebody speaks of me very harshly. Naturally we become angry. Just like somebody calls me, "You are dog," or "you are hog." But if I am self-realized, if I know perfectly well that I am not this body so you call me hog, dog, or king, emperor, majesty, what is that? I am not this body. So either you call me, "Your majesty," or you call me a dog or a pig, what I have got to do? I am neither his majesty nor a dog nor a cat—nothing of the sort. I am servant of Kṛṣṇa.

So this requires little training. Actually this is the fact. Suppose I have got some dress, black dress. Somebody calls, "You black dress," is that cause of anger? Somebody calls you black dress. So this is simply my false identification with the dress that I become angry. Actually if I am self-realized, self-disciplined... Self-discipline means not to identify with this body. That is self-discipline. It requires training of course.

Lecture on BG 5.26-29 -- Los Angeles, February 12, 1969:

Because people do not know how to honor me. Real honor is that you are servant of Kṛṣṇa. That is real honor. And if I say, "Your majesty, your honor, your lordship," they are all false. Real honor is when I call you that you are servant of God or servant of Kṛṣṇa. That is real honor.

So self-discipline and constantly endeavoring for perfection. This is the perfection. Always be situated in self-realized condition that I am not this body. This is perfection. Actually it is. But due to my ignorance I am identifying with this body, therefore I am now self-realized. So constantly endeavoring. This cannot be attained all of a sudden. One has to practice. It is a fact. But one has to realize this fact by endeavoring. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness practice. All the yoga practice or philosophical speculation or anything—all practice targets to one point—that I am spirit soul. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi, I am Brahman. I am not this matter. This is perfection. A man who has made sufficient progress to this realization is more perfect. This is the way of perfection. And assured of liberation in the Supreme in the very near future.

Lecture on BG 6.6-12 -- Los Angeles, February 15, 1969:

So these things cannot be understood at the present moment. Therefore this Padma Purāṇa says that only when one becomes spiritually saturated by the transcendental service to the Lord, then, are the transcendental name, form, quality and pastimes of the Lord revealed to you. You cannot understand by your own endeavor, but God reveals to you. Just like if you want to see just now the sun, it is now darkness. If you say, "Oh I have got a very strong torchlight. Come on, I shall show you the sunlight, sun." You cannot show. But when the sun rises out of its own will in the morning, you can see. Similarly you cannot see God by your endeavor because your senses are all nonsense. You have to purify your senses and you have to wait for the time when God will be pleased to reveal Himself before you. That is the process. You cannot challenge. "Oh my dear God, my dear Kṛṣṇa, please come. I shall see you." No, God is not your order supplier, your servant. So when He'll be pleased, you'll see.

So our process is how to please Him so that He will be revealed to me.

Lecture on BG 6.13-15 -- Los Angeles, February 16, 1969:

And another process is the descending process. Just like in darkness, if you try to understand what is sun by ascending process, by flying your very powerful airplane or sputniks, just go round over the sky, you cannot see. But the descending process, when the sun rises, you understand immediately. Ascending process—my endeavor, what is called inductive process. Inductive process. Just like my father says that man is mortal. I accept it. Now if you want to study whether man is mortal, you study, you see many thousands of men, whether he is immortal or mortal. That will take so much time. But if you take the knowledge from the superior authority, that man is mortal, your knowledge is complete.

So athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvaya-prasāda-leśānugṛhīta... jānāti tattvaṁ bhagavan-mahimno na cānya eko 'pi ciraṁ vicinvan (SB 10.14.29). Therefore it is said, "My dear Lord, a person who has received a little favor from You, he can understand You very quickly.

Lecture on BG 6.25-29 -- Los Angeles, February 18, 1969:

Therefore the preacher devotee is the most dearest devotee of Lord. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. They are going outside, they are preaching, they are meeting opposing elements. Sometimes they are defeated, sometimes disappointed, sometimes able to convince, there are different kinds of people. So, not that every devotee is very well equipped. There are three classes of devotees also. But that endeavor, that "I shall go and preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness," is the best service to the Lord. Because they are trying in opposition to elevate people to the highest standard of self-realization.

So one who has seen, one who is in trance of self-realization, he cannot sit idly. He must come out. He, just like Rāmānujācārya. He declared the mantra publicly. His spiritual master said that this mantra, just like that Maharishi came in your country. He wanted to give some private mantra. If that mantra has any power, why it should be private? If at all the mantra has any, why not it should be publicly declared so that everyone can take advantage of that mantra? That is real. It is cheating, you see? So here is no cheating process.

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

Devotee: "Therefore the mind must be controlled by engaging it constantly in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. Unless one is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he can't steadily control the mind. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person easily achieves the result of yoga practice without separate endeavor. A yoga practitioner cannot achieve perfect success without becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious."

Prabhupāda: Then? Go on. So far yoga practice is concerned is explained, discussion between Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna. Now, supposing that I practice yoga, real yoga I mean to say, not this pseudo yoga. And if I cannot do it properly, I fail. Then what is the result? Suppose if I give up my business, I give up my ordinary occupation and I begin to practice yoga. But somehow or other it is not completed, it is failure. Then what is the result? That is being questioned by Arjuna. That will be answered by Kṛṣṇa.

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

In each of these processes one has to realize the constitutional position of the living entity, his relationship with God and the activities whereby he can reestablish the lost link and achieve the highest perfectional stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Following any of the above-mentioned three methods, one is sure to reach the supreme goal sooner or later. This was asserted by the Lord in the Second Chapter. Even a little endeavor on the transcendental path of bhakti-yoga is especially suitable for this age because it is the most direct method of God-realization. To be doubly assured, Arjuna is asking Lord Kṛṣṇa to confirm His former statement. One may sincerely adopt the path of self-realization. But the process of cultivation of knowledge and the practice of eightfold yoga system are generally very difficult for this age. Therefore in spite of one's earnest endeavor one may fail for many reasons. The primary reason is one's not being sufficiently serious about following the process. To pursue the transcendental path is more or less to declare war on the illusory energy."

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

Devotee: "When the yogi engages himself with sincere endeavor in making further progress being washed of all contaminations, then ultimately, after many, many births of practice, he attains the supreme goal."

Prabhupāda: Yes. So it is a question of practice. Just like a child born, he does not know how to smoke, how to drink, but by association he becomes a drunkard, a smoker, intoxication. By association. So it is a question of association only. Saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ. If the association is good, our carrier is being spoiled because we are not keeping good association. So this is explained here, that: "But when the yogi engages himself with sincere endeavor in making further progress." Just like in business also, there are so many association, corporation. Because by becoming member of that corporation the particular type of business flourishes. They have got exchange. They can make exchange, bill of exchange, stock exchange. So association is so important. So if we become serious for developing divine consciousness, then this is the only association—we have established the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Here simply the method how one can become divine conscious, that is taught. So this is a good chance.

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

So, no illicit sex life, no intoxication. Our students, they do not smoke even, they do not take tea even, coffee. So what to speak of other things, so they are pure. No gambling and no animal food. That's all. If you simply follow these four principles, then you become immediately uncontaminated. Immediately. Without any further endeavor. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so nice that as soon as you join you become immediately uncontaminated. But do not contaminate again. Therefore these restrictions. Because our contamination begins from these four kinds of bad habits. But if we check, then there is no question of contamination. As soon as I take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness I become free. Now if I become cautious not to accept these four principles, then I am free, I am continuing uncontaminated. This is the process. But if you think that because Kṛṣṇa consciousness makes me free, so let me indulge in all these four principles and I will get free after chanting. That is cheating. That will not be allowed. Once you are free, but don't do it again. But if you think "I shall do it and make myself free."

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

When Kṛṣṇa was present on this planet, He was so rich that He could maintain sixteen thousand queens in sixteen thousand very costly palaces, made of marble, the furnitures made of ivory, and the beds were made of silk, and each and every room was decorated, bedecked with jewels, glittering jewels, so that at night there was no need of electricity or lamp. These descriptions are there in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam of Kṛṣṇa's palace, Kṛṣṇa's sixteen thousand wives, Kṛṣṇa's expansion into sixteen thousand forms. This is Bhagavān. Bhagavān means unlimitedly potential. That is Bhagavān.

So here in this chapter, we are trying to understand what is Bhagavān. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to try to understand what is Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is our endeavor. It is very difficult to understand Bhagavān, but there is process, you can understand God, or Bhagavān. That process is being described by the Supreme Lord Himself, Bhagavān. Bhagavān uvāca. What is that process?

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hyderabad, April 27, 1974:

Therefore people do not understand what is Kṛṣṇa. That is the difficulty. And the purpose of Bhagavad-gītā is to understand Kṛṣṇa. And all the so-called scholars' and politicians' commentary is to banish Kṛṣṇa or to kill Kṛṣṇa—the Kaṁsa's policy. The Kaṁsa was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, how to kill Him. This is called demonic endeavor. So that will not help you.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says you have to develop your love and attraction for Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. "This yoga practice can be performed," mad-āśrayaḥ, "under My protection or My devotee's protection." You cannot take protection of another rascal who interprets Bhagavad-gītā in a different way. You have to take shelter directly. Of course, Bhagavad-gītā instruction is there. Everyone can take shelter of Kṛṣṇa directly. Where is the difficulty? Just like here is is said, mayy āsakta. You have to develop your attachment for Kṛṣṇa. You can do that. How these Americans and European boys, they have developed their attraction for Kṛṣṇa? There is a process.

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

Devotee (3): Śrīla Prabhupāda, how..., how is one able to draw the distinction between working very hard for Kṛṣṇa and over-endeavoring?

Prabhupāda: Hm. What is that—phalena paricīyate. By the result you can understand. By service Kṛṣṇa, he will understand more about Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa will be clear to him. That is the test, because it is said, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam. Kṛṣṇa cannot be realized by so-called speculation, but if you render service to Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa will reveal to you. Revelation. So, he, how much service he is giving, that will be tested how much he has, I mean to say, realized Kṛṣṇa. This is the test. If Kṛṣṇa is still vague idea to him, then he has not advanced. This is the test. Just like if you are eating something, then you will feel satisfaction. You are hungry, you have been given some food, but you cannot say that "I am eating, also I am not satisfied in my hunger." That cannot be. If you are actually serving Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa will reveal to you. You will know what is Kṛṣṇa, asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ mām, without any doubt, and fullness. Here is the test. If somebody comes, "What is Kṛṣṇa," you say, "Yes, I am serving Kṛṣṇa, but I do not know what is Kṛṣṇa". What is his service? He must know, because here it is said, asaṁśayaṁ samagram, without any doubt.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:

So we should take advantage of Bhagavad-gītā. And even though we take advantage, we interpret in a different way. The same business is going on, how to kill Kṛṣṇa. Instead of understanding Kṛṣṇa, the endeavor is going on to kill Kṛṣṇa. Asura. Just like Kaṁsa. He was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. His sister was pregnant, and it is foretold that "The eighth child of your sister will kill you." So he was thinking of Kṛṣṇa, that "The eighth child...," but with a purpose to kill Him. That is the business of the asuras, how to wipe out Kṛṣṇa, Kaṁsa philosophy. So we haven't got to follow Kaṁsa philosophy. We have to follow Kṛṣṇa philosophy. Then our life will be successful. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā (CC Madhya 19.167). Ānukūlyena, favorably, favorably to think of Kṛṣṇa. As Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). This is favorable. Kṛṣṇa never said that "Like My uncle Kaṁsa, you think of Me, how to kill Me." Kṛṣṇa does not say that.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bhuvanesvara, January 22, 1977:

He said eho bāhya āge kaha āra. So Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya replied, quoting from other verses from śāstra, karma-tyāga, sannyāsa. In this way, step by step. But when he said that sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ... When Rāmānanda Rāya said that "It doesn't require of any change. Simply if people giving up his own endeavor to understand what is God, what is life. Simply if he remains humbly and hears from the real authority, then by hearing only he can conquer Ajita." Ajita is Bhagavān.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is giving chance to everyone to hear from the authoritative sources, from the śāstra. Sādhu śāstra guru. These are authorities. So instead of hearing from the unauthorized persons, means... sādhu means who speaks on the basis of śāstra. Guru means who speaks on the basis of śāstra. They're sādhu guru śāstra. And śāstra means the statement of authorities. That is śāstra. Just like Bhagavad-gītā. It is śāstra because it is spoken by the supreme guru, Kṛṣṇa.

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

There are many, they think the Absolute Truth is impersonal. But the Absolute Truth is person. Impersonal realization of the Absolute Truth is partial. It is not complete realization. Therefore it is mentioned here, asaṁśayam, "without any doubt" and samagram, "in full." After all, yoga system means an endeavor to understand the Absolute Truth. Yoga means linking, connecting.

So when you connect with the Absolute Truth, that is called yoga. Yoga... Another meaning is plus, adding something else. Just like two plus two. This is also called yoga. Similarly, God is one; I am also one. When we join together, that is called yoga. There are many methods of yoga practice, but the direct method is bhakti-yoga. I am a person, and God is also a person. When we intermingle together, or we join together, that is called bhakti-yoga. Bhakti means the process of connecting with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As soon as we use the word bhakti, means the process of devotion, there must be bhakta and Bhagavān.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, March 29, 1971:

This para-upakāra business, welfare activities to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world, is the most important business at the present moment. It will unite everyone politically, socially, culturally, religiously, in every way. Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the center. That's a fact. It is making progress. And if we endeavor more and more, it will make more and more progress.

So Kṛṣṇa says therefore:

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu

kaścid yatati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāṁ

kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ

(BG 7.3)

Therefore one who has understood Kṛṣṇa by this process of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ, Kṛṣṇa reveals to them. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam (BG 10.10).

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1973:

Devotee: Translation: "Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth."

Prabhupāda: So the English or Hindi?

Devotee: English.

Prabhupāda: English. So manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3). Out of many hundreds and thousands of men, kaścid yatati siddhaye (aside:) Thank you. The difficulty is that they do not know what is siddhi. At the present moment, people are so ignorant that they do not know what is siddhi. The major problem of life, that is unsolved. Everyone is trying to make a solution of some temporary difficulties, politically, socially, economically. But real solution, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam... (BG 13.9). Janma, birth, mṛtyu, death, and jarā, old age, and vyādhi, disease—to get out of this entanglement.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, February 18, 1974:

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu

kaścid yatati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāṁ

kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ

(BG 7.3)

Translation: "Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth."

Prabhupāda: Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3). Sahasreṣu, many times thousands, many times. That means out of millions and trillions of persons. Many times thousands means... One hundred thousand makes one lakh. One hundred times lakhs makes one crore. Similarly, one hundred thousands of crores, billions and trillions, unlimited. First of all, manuṣya. Manuṣya means man. So, to get this human form of life, one has to wait for many, many millions of years, according to evolutionary process. Aśītiṁ caturaś caiva lakṣāṁs tāñ jīva-jātiṣu. In the Padma Purāṇa the evolution theory is described. That is taken away by Darwin, and in a perverted way he has described Darwin's theory of evolution; but that is not very scientific, although it is going on as scientific. But evolution theory is fact.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, February 18, 1974:

If you simply speculate to understand God, He'll remain inconceivable. Even if you endeavor for millions and billions of years, that's not possible. In another place Kṛṣṇa says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). Not only billions of..., but after many billions and millions of births. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān. When one is actually on the platform of knowledge, māṁ prapadyate, he surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. Why? Because he understands at that time vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). That is mahātmā. "Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is everything." That will be explained, how Kṛṣṇa is everything, in this chapter. Jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānam (BG 7.2). How Kṛṣṇa is everything, that will be explained in this chapter.

So if we want to understand Kṛṣṇa, it is not to be done by our scholarship, "It may be this, it may be that." That is all rascaldom. You should understand as Kṛṣṇa says.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, February 18, 1974:

So one who tries to understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, tattvataḥ, he is very very fortunate; therefore he's called manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3). The fortune does not come to everyone and anyone. Out of millions of persons. Therefore, who have taken Kṛṣṇa, who have understood Kṛṣṇa in tattvataḥ, as far as his knowledge is concerned, he is very, very fortunate. Ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva (CC Madhya 19.151). Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that we are wandering throughout the universe in many species of life, and when we come to this human form of life, if we are fortunate, or if we are fortunate to meet another fortunate devotee, then we can understand what is Kṛṣṇa. That is the saying, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). Simply for a time endeavoring like cats and dogs, that will not help us.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Vrndavana, August 9, 1974:

Pradyumna: Translation: "Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth."

Prabhupāda:

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu

kaścid yatati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāṁ

kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ

(BG 7.3)

To understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, not superficially, but in fact, that we can understand, as Kṛṣṇa says in the beginning of this chapter,

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

(BG 7.1)

How Kṛṣṇa is truth, the Absolute Truth, although the Absolute Truth is described in three phases in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam... Just like vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam (SB 1.2.11). This tattva. Here it is said, tattvataḥ. The truth, Absolute Truth, is called tattva. So vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam (SB 1.2.11). Tattva-vid. Vid means knowledge. Vetti veda vido jñāne. One who has got complete knowledge, he is called vid, tattva-vid. So tattva-vid, they ascertain the tattva, the truth, in three ways.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Nairobi, October 29, 1975:

Harikeśa: "Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth."

Prabhupāda:

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu

kaścid yatati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāṁ

kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ

(BG 7.3)

So to understand Kṛṣṇa is not very easy thing. Kṛṣṇa says that manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu, "Out of many millions of millions' person, one tries to become perfect." Who is going to become perfect, especially in this age? Everyone is working like cats and dogs. That's all. Whole day working for eating, sleeping, sex and defense, that's all. They are not manuṣyas. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca sāmānyam etat paśubhiḥ narāṇām. Eating... I eat; dog eat. So what is the difference between eating between the dog and me? He is eating according to his taste, I am eating also. The eating business is there in the dog also. Don't think that because you are eating on table, chair, plates, nice preparation... It is eating. People are taking that "Because I am eating on table, chair and nice dish and nice preparation, therefore I am civilized." The śāstra says that it may be different types of taking the eatables, but it is eating.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Nairobi, October 29, 1975:

That is another ambition. That is another ambition. So this is not self-realization. The self-realization is that "I am trying to lord it over the material nature in so many ways, but it is becoming baffled. Why? Why it is becoming baffled? And with great endeavor, by political movements, I become the head of the political institution of the state, but I do not wish to die. Death comes and he takes away everything, my political position, my wealth, my everything, family and anything." Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34). "Who is taking that? That is Kṛṣṇa."

So when we realize that, that "I am trying to accumulate so many things, but Kṛṣṇa is taking away," then why don't you surrender to Kṛṣṇa so that He may not take away your position? That is intel... That is siddhi. That is siddhi, that "I am not independent. I am trying independently, but it is not possible. I am dependent. I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." That is self-realization. That has been taught by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109).

Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Bombay, February 19, 1974:

So long you have this material body, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhiḥ (BG 7.4), then... Material world means suffering. You cannot avoid suffering. But the endeavor is how to get out of suffering. That is called struggle for existence.

So you cannot get out of it so long you do not stop acceptance of another material body. That is called real liberation, no more accepting material body. Therefore Bhāgavata says that "These madmen..." Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ. Pramattaḥ. Mattaḥ means mad, and pra means prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa, sufficiently mad. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). There are karma, vikarma and akarma. So one should know. Vikarma means criminal activities. Just like so many people are acting criminally simply to get money, as if money will save him. If he acts criminally, simply sinful activities, and by such, he is punished to get another body which is sinful, pāpa-yoni, then what is, how his money will save him?

Lecture on BG 7.7 -- Bombay, February 22, 1974:

When you sat..., want to satisfy your senses, then you are under the clutches of kāma, lust. But the same endeavor, when you want to satisfy the senses of Kṛṣṇa, that is called prema, or bhakti.

So Kṛṣṇa is personally teaching. Why we should satisfy Kṛṣṇa? Because there is no more a greater authority than Kṛṣṇa. We are trying to serve here greater authority. Every one of us... We are going to office, we are going to party meeting, we are going to be elected president. So what is that? That I assure that "I shall satisfy your senses. You want this? I shall give you. Please elect me." Everyone is trying to satisfy the senses. Either of own self... He's giving false promise. Actually, he wants to satisfy his own senses. As soon as he becomes minister, he'll satisfy his own senses. But he's getting elected by promising satisfying..., to satisfy your senses.

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

So jñāne prayāsam. Especially for understanding God, or God consciousness, speculation is useless. So Lord Caitanya, I mean to say the Bhāgavata, says that jñāne prayāsam udapāsya, that that sort of endeavor, speculating, should be given up. Namanta eva: "You just become submissive." Just become submissive, that "What I am? I am insignificant creature in this universe." This world, this earth, is an insignificant point in the universe. And within this earth, the America is a small spot. And within America, this New York City is another small spot. And in this New York City, I am there. So what is my importance? So we should understand that we are very insignificant in comparison to the creation of the whole cosmic situation and God. So we should be very submissive. We should understand our position. Artificially, we should not be puffed up, the frog philosophy.

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

And one is very strong, stout and strong, that particular strength is also Kṛṣṇa. Just like an elephant is very strong. And more than elephant, the gorilla is still more strong. That strength, wherefrom..., wherefrom he gets strength? Now, suppose I am a human being. I cannot get such strength by my own endeavor, but I can get strength ten thousand times more than the elephant if Kṛṣṇa favors. Therefore strength. Just like Bhīma. Bhīma had strength ten thousand times than an elephant. He was so strong. There is no question of not believing. Because as I find that you are stronger than me and he is stronger than you, oh, similarly, there are many degrees of strength. Now, these degrees of strength is Kṛṣṇa. So you can understand Kṛṣṇa. Without Kṛṣṇa's favor, nobody can be stronger than the others. So balaṁ balavatām asmi.

Kāma-rāga-vivarjitam. Kāma. Kāma means desire. Rāga-vivarjitam, without attraction. Desire without attraction, that is Kṛṣṇa. Desire without attraction, how it can be possible? Desire with attraction.

Lecture on BG 7.14 -- Hamburg, September 8, 1969:

"Yes, I am getting strength. My hunger is being satisfied." This is also like that. If you take to chanting, you will feel, "Yes, I am getting strength. My misgivings are being moved." In this way you go on, go on, go on. The perfect stage will come. It may take little more time or it may come quickly. That depends on my relative endeavor. But it will come. Be sure. And with this faith and conviction and understanding, you make progress. Everything will be all right. But don't be misled that "There is no problem of life; we are very happy, eating, sleeping, mating." This is animal life. There is so many great problems. Very great problems. This birth, death, old age, disease and repeated... Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). Once manifested, again nonmanifested, again manifested, again nonmanifested. This body is manifested; now it will be finished. Again we will have to take shelter of a mother's womb by such process, maybe human being or other than human being. Then another body manifested. Then again finished, then again manifested.

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

Now, those persons, those who are distressed and those who are poverty-stricken, they go to God. They pray to God. Now Kṛṣṇa is accepting their endeavor. Udārāḥ sarva evaite: "They are, all of them, these four classes of men, either he is..., he is coming to Me in distress or being poverty-stricken or as inquisitive or as real man of knowledge, they are welcome. They are welcome." Udārāḥ: "They are very good." Sarva evaite. "But, out of them," jñānī tu ātmaiva me matam, "still, that person who is in knowledge is very dear to Me, still." He is confirming it.

So one should be in knowledge. Devotional service, it is a science. And why others are welcome? Those who are distressed, has come to God, and those who are in poverty-stricken, has come to God, why they are also welcome?

Lecture on BG 7.28-8.6 -- New York, October 23, 1966:

Activities there must be. We cannot stop, so long we have got this body or we have no body. That is an activity... We are active. Every living soul is active by nature. But that activity should be coordinated, dovetailed. The activity should be in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So jarā-maraṇa-mokṣāya mām āśritya yatanti ye. Yatanti means "one who endeavors in that way." Te brahma: "They are actually Brahman." Brahman means they are transcendental, in transcendental state. Te brahma tad viduḥ kṛtsnam: "Or they can understand what is the meaning of Brahman, or the transcendental, Transcendence." Te brahma tad viduḥ kṛtsnam adhyātmaṁ karma cākhilam: "They understand what is Brahman, and their work, their activities are also Brahman."

Now, there are two classes of transcendentalists. One class of transcendentalists, just like the impersonalists, they want to stop activities. They think like that, that when one becomes one with the Transcendence, then their activities stop.

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

Here you have to maintain your body and soul together. Therefore you have to work. So work can be divided in different ways, but one has to work. One may work as a brāhmaṇa, one may work as a kṣatriya, one may work as a vaiśya or a śūdra. So work is there. Without working... The just opposite, without working, without any endeavor, you can live eternally—that is Vaikuṇṭhaloka. Vaikuṇṭha means without any anxiety. Here we are full of anxieties.

Puruṣottama. Arjuna addressed Kṛṣṇa as Puruṣottama, uttama-puruṣa. There are three kinds of puruṣas. Puruṣa means the male, or the enjoyer. So uttama-puruṣa, madhyama-puruṣa, adhama-puruṣa. Adhama means the lowest. We are also puruṣa. At least, we have taken the position of puruṣa to enjoy this material world. But we are adhama-puruṣa. Adhama means the lowest. We cannot enjoy independently. We require so many favorable circumstances. Just like we cannot see without the sunrise. Still, we are very much proud of seeing. We say, "Can you show me God?"

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

Just like this sputnik man, the aeronautics, they go higher and higher, twenty-five thousand or thirty thousand or hundred thousand miles away. But if they cannot take rest in some planet, they'll fall down, at once fall down again. So the rest is required. In the impersonal form the rest is uncertain, uncertain. Therefore in the Bhāgavata says that āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ (SB 10.2.32). Even after so much endeavor, if he gets into the spiritual world and remains in that impersonal form, the risk is that patanty adhaḥ: he comes down again into this material world. Why? Anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ, because he has neglected to serve in love and devotion the Supreme Lord.

In this... So, so long we are here, we have to practice to love Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord. Then we can enter. This is the training. And if we are not trained up in that way, then, by impersonal endeavor, we can enter into the spiritual kingdom, but there is risk of falling down again. Because that alone, that loneliness, will create some disturbance, and he will try to have association.

Lecture on BG 8.14-15 -- New York, November 16, 1966:

Brahmā is praying Lord Kṛṣṇa in this way, that "A person," jñāne prayāsam udapāsya, "giving up the futile endeavor to understand the Supreme by one's limited knowledge..." Give. Give up this attempt. Jñāne prayāsam. Jñāne prayāsam means that the theosophists, the philosophers, they are trying years after years, life after years—"What is God? What is God? What is the Absolute Truth?" Just like we throw sputniks—"How much the space is length and breadth?" This is frog philosophy. Just like several times I have recited: A frog is measuring the length and breadth of Atlantic Ocean. You see? A frog, whose life is within the well, three feet, three cubic feet, measurement, he's trying to measure what is the length and breadth of Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. Similarly, our attempt to measure how far this outer space is—just like that, futile. And what to speak of this, speak of this space, our measurement of our limited knowledge... With the limited knowledge, if we want to know how far, how much long and short is God, it is a futile attempt, futile at... It is not possible.

Lecture on BG 8.14-15 -- New York, November 16, 1966:

So jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva: "Just become submissive. Just try to understand your position that you are very insignificant segment in this material world or in the creation." Namanta eva: "Just become submissive." Jñāne prayāsam: "Giving up this endeavor to understand the Supreme by one's limited knowledge and just become submissive."

Then? What is the process? San-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām: "You just try to understand the Supreme from the reliable source." San-mukharitām. Sat-mukharitām. Mukharita means from the lips, from the lips of realized souls. Just like Arjuna is understanding about God from direct Kṛṣṇa, from the lips of Kṛṣṇa. Svayaṁ padmanābha-mukham, mukha-niḥsṛtaḥ. So this is the process. So similarly, if we understand about God through the lips of Arjuna or his bona fide representative, that is the process. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva: "Submissively, one who tries to understand the transcendental nature of God from the reliable source..."

Lecture on BG 8.21-22 -- New York, November 19, 1966:

Simply by speculating what is the form of God, it is not possible to understand. But as soon as you become situated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). If you engage yourself in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness business, then gradually God will reveal Himself before you. Oh, you cannot see God by your own endeavor. But if you qualify yourself, God will reveal Himself and you'll see Him. This is the process. You cannot order, "O God, please come before me and dance before me." No. He cannot be order-supplier. But you have to do in such a way that He'll be pleased to reveal Himself before you and you'll see Him fully.

So here it is said, avyaktaḥ akṣaraḥ. The transcendental, there is. Because it is spoken in the Bhagavad-gītā and the Supreme Personality of Godhead is speaking Himself, there is no cause of doubting. There is no cause of doubting. The only thing is how to feel it, how to understand it.

Lecture on BG 9.3 -- Melbourne, April 21, 1976:

Now, mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani: (BG 9.3) "Again in the cycle of birth and death." Again cycle of birth and death. Suppose in this human form of life you can make your life so perfect that immediately after death, after giving up this body, you go back to home, back to Godhead. You regain your eternal life. But if you misuse this human form of life, do not endeavor for going back to home, back to Godhead, then again go back to the cycle of birth and death. This is nature's law. You are not independent. Nature is working like that.

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni

guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ

ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā

kartāham iti manyate

(BG 3.27)

You are thinking foolishly, as a rascal that you are independent. You are not independent. You are completely under the control of material nature. Now, in this human form of life, there are two ways: you go back to home, back to Godhead, or go back to again to become a pig, hog, and tree, and plant. This is the plan of Bhagavad-gītā. Thank you very much.

Lecture on BG 9.10 -- Calcutta, June 29, 1973:

This is our program. So our only request is those who are intelligent persons, let them understand this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It is not meant for the foolish person. Because foolish person cannot understand. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). The foolish person, after endeavoring many thousands of births, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante, if he's actually inquisitive, jñānī,... Catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtino 'rjuna ārto arthārthī jñānī jijñāsuḥ ca bharatarṣabha. Four classes of men, they become inquisitive to understand Kṛṣṇa or God. Ārto arthārthī jñānī jijñāsuḥ. So ārto arthārthī, ordinary men, when one is in need of money, when one is in distress, they go to God for relief. But although they go to God for, with some motive, still they have been described as sukṛtinaḥ. Sukṛtinaḥ, pious. Background is piety. Otherwise, nobody can go. And those who are duskṛtinaḥ, always engaged in sinful activities, they cannot go to Kṛṣṇa. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15).

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

They never reach the point, never reach the point. There is not a single instance that they have reached the point.

So this speculating process will also not help. Moghāśā mogha-karmāṇo mogha-jñānā vicetasaḥ (BG 9.12). Vicetasaḥ means they are bewildered, that God cannot be perceived by your own endeavor unless God reveals before you. Vicetasaḥ. Vicetasaḥ means bewildered. Just like if you want to see the sun, can you see the sun just at this time, all over darkness? Have you got any machine or any apparatus or any searchlight, you can show me sun? No. It is not possible. So if you cannot see at night with your own endeavor even a material thing like sun, do you think that by your own endeavor you will see God? How it is possible? As the sun reveals in the morning at five o'clock or six o'clock, similarly, when the sun Kṛṣṇa will reveal before you, then you will understand. You cannot find out Kṛṣṇa or understand Kṛṣṇa by your own endeavor. Now, that process is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). You will be in confidence. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10). Those who have taken this line with faith and love, always engaged in the transcendental loving service of Kṛṣṇa, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam, then from within... Kṛṣṇa is within you.

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

And my activities are exhibited even I am contaminated with this matter. And when you become purified from matter, do you think you shall be silent? Is there any reason? So do you...? To become Brahman does not mean to become void. No. To become Brahman means superior energy. With superior energy, we have to work with superior endeavor and superior energy and superior position. And therefore it is called, in the next line, bhajanty ananya-manasaḥ: "One who has become mahātmā, his symptom is that he's fully engaged in the loving transcendental service of Kṛṣṇa." He is mahātmā. How can you stop activities? Bhajanty ananya-manasaḥ, jñātvā bhūtādim avyayam. Why does he engage in that way? Because he understands that "If service has to be rendered, it is to Kṛṣṇa and nobody else. I have so long served my senses. Now I shall serve Kṛṣṇa, the proprietor of the senses." That is called mahātmā. You cannot stop your service because you are meant for service. Can you show anybody, within this meeting, anybody who does not serve? Is there anybody who does not serve anybody? You go outside, ask hundreds and thousands of people that "Do you, don't you serve anybody?"

Lecture on BG 9.18-19 -- New York, December 4, 1966:

If God wants, in a second your New York City will be pushed into the Atlantic Ocean, in a second. So pralayaḥ sthānam. He is the shelter. Nidhānaṁ bījam. Bījam. Bījam means the seed. Avyayam. Now, what these living entities are doing? What are these living entities? They are also parts and parcel of the Supreme Lord. We are living entities. We are endeavoring our energy, applying our energy, to build up all these things, but these materials have no value if I am not there. Just like this America, this land, was lying vacant so long these civilized person from Europe, they did not come here. So by their energy, living entities, the matter has developed. Matter is not prominent. Don't give more importance to the matter. The important is the living entity. And what is this living entity? The living entity is the part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. Therefore He is the cause of the seeds of living entities. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ jīva-loke sanātanaḥ (BG 15.7).

Tapāmy aham. Now, what is this sun. Tapāmi. He is giving heat? Who is heating? The Lord is heating. You cannot manufacture a sun. Tapāmy aham ahaṁ varṣam.

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

Yogeśvara: Śrīla Prabhupāda? How are we to determine how much of our endeavor should be for our own personal progress?

Prabhupāda: There is no personal endeavor. There is no personal endeavor. Just like these animals, they have no personal endeavor. They are depending on you. If you cut his throat, you can cut. And if you give him protection, you can give him. But they, the animals has no personal endeavor. That is full surrender. That is our position. Remain fully surrendered to Kṛṣṇa and He'll give you protection. That you are thinking, how the animal will live, how these children will live. It is not the children's business, not the animal's business. He is fully surrendered, that's all. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. Other things will be done. Kṛṣṇa says yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 9.22). "I shall do that." Why your personal endeavor?

Yogeśvara: Sometimes if we are faced with a service we think is beyond our means.

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

That nature's law is working. Kṛṣṇa hasn't got to take any direct action. Nature, māyā, is there. As soon as you violate the laws of Kṛṣṇa you'll be punished automatically. You cannot avoid it. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Cannot avoid. Therefore those who are trying to overcome the laws of nature, that is the so-called modern scientists' endeavor. That is foolishness, rascaldom. They cannot do it. It is not possible.

Just like we are here, we are given this planet to live, and there is this moon planet, we can see. And these rascals try to go there so many ways. They refused, "No, you cannot go." Live there, go. It is practical. We see the moon planet is there, we have got machine, we can go, but you cannot go. This is laws of nature. (laughter) This is laws of nature. This is practically proof. But they are so rascal, fool, they are going to another planet. They do not think with the one planet we have already failed (laughter).

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Paris, August 11, 1973:

I am also person, He is also person, but the Supreme Person. What is the difference between me and Him? I am also person, that's all right, but He is Supreme Person. That is explained in the Vedas, that eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. For providing myself, my body and soul together, I have to, work so much. But Kṛṣṇa, He is providing millions and trillions of living entities without any endeavor. He is...

In Africa, there are millions of elephants. Kṛṣṇa is supplying food, yes. There are gorillas, Kṛṣṇa is supplying food. Why you are anxious for a morsel of bread? Will not supply Kṛṣṇa? He's perfect, He can supply huge quantity of food to the elephant and a particular type of food to the gorillas. You know? We have read in a book that in Africa where the gorillas live, there are trees. The fruits of that tree, harder than the bullet, It is so hard. And the gorillas take those fruits and chews like peanuts. (laughter) Yes, Kṛṣṇa has given them. Kṛṣṇa's living entity. He's also living entity. He has got this body like a gorilla. So Kṛṣṇa: Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. He supplies food for everyone. All the, not only food, all the necessities.

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Bombay, September 26, 1973:

This is very nice science. If you simply know about Kṛṣṇa, you become liberated. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). Simply you try to understand Kṛṣṇa. Tasmin vijñāte sarvam evaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavanti. This is the Vedic instruction. If you simply understand Kṛṣṇa, then all other things becomes automatically known. You don't have to make separate endeavor to know. You'll know what is Paramātmā, what is Brahman, what is this material world, what is this material nature, what is our relationship—everything will be revealed. Teṣām aham ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ, nāśayāmy ātma-bhāvasthaḥ. Kṛṣṇa says to special favor.

teṣām evānukampārtham

aham ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ

nāśayāmy ātma-bhāvastho

jñāna-dīpena bhāsvatā

(BG 10.11)

This is Kṛṣṇa's words in the Bhagavad-gītā. If you actually become Kṛṣṇa conscious, the result will be you'll get special favor from Kṛṣṇa. Teṣām eva anukampārtham. Kṛṣṇa is specially favorable to the devotees. Ye tu bhajanti māṁ prītyā. Therefore this is the beginning. This is the beginning of.

Lecture on BG 13.5 -- Paris, August 13, 1973:

Why should you? All other things required by you, that is already supplied. It will be supplied. Why you bother? You just try to understand the value of your life in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is your only business. Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovidaḥ. Kovida: "Those who are intelligent," tasyaiva hetoḥ, "for that thing," prayateta, "endeavor." So try to get that thing. For that thing... Na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ (1.5.18).

Just like people are struggling. Wherever you go, material world, either you go to London or go to Paris or to Calcutta or Bombay, anywhere you go, what is the business? Everyone is struggling: (makes sounds) whoon, shoon, shoon, shoon, shoon, shoon, shoon. Day and night the motorcar going this way and that way, this way and that way. Last night I was speaking with Śrutakīrti. Wherever, we see this nonsense thing, whoo, shoo, shoon, shoon, shoon, shoon, shoo, shoo, shoo. Any city you go, the same road, same motorcar, same "whoo, shoosh," same petrol, that's all. (laughter) What is the difference? But we say—this is called illusion—"I have come to Paris.

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

Why? Because the difference of the field of activities. The body is different. Because one has got a certain type of body, his destination is already there. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur dehopapattaye (SB 3.31.1). We can study this thing, that somebody is living in a poor slum and another man is living in a very palatial building. So simply by endeavoring that "I shall live in a palatial building, and I shall not live in this poor slumhole," it is not possible because the destiny is there. Therefore the body is made according to our past karma, and that is called destiny. Your happiness and distress according to the body is already settled up. It is not possible by natural way to improve or disimprove it. It is already settled up. Therefore śāstra says,

tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido

na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ

tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukhaṁ

kālena sarvatra gabhīra-raṁhasā

(SB 1.5.18)

The human life should be utilized for understanding the Absolute Truth. The next paragraph, that describes how one can understand the Absolute Truth. Amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṁsā kṣāntir ārjavam.

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

So if you develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if you develop love for Kṛṣṇa, then automatically the qualities of the suras, or the demigods, will develop. You haven't got to endeavor separately for becoming qualified in good qualities. Automatically. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ, harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ (SB 5.18.12).

But if one is nondevotee, he cannot have any good qualities. Why? Now, mano-rathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ. Because he is on the mental platform. Devotee means one who is acting on the spiritual platform, and nondevotee means those who are acting on the material platform, either bodily platform or mental platform. These are material platform. Bodily platform, they are called karmīs. They are working for their personal benefit.

Generally, everyone in the Bombay city, they are working very hard, but what is the aim? For their personal profit. That is called karmī. Either in this life... Even those who are performing yajñas for being elevated to the heavenly planet. That is also karma, karma-kāṇḍīya. They are also karmīs.

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

They were not very much anxious to improve material position. Even at the present moment, you go to the village. The innocent villagers, they are satisfied with the position Kṛṣṇa has given, but they are anxious to improve their spiritual life. That is, still you'll find. Of course, it is not that you'll not try to earn your livelihood. That you must. But you should not endeavor or give more time for your so-called material improvement. Better save time and utilize that time for improving your Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is perfection. That is the injunction of the śāstras. Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovidaḥ.

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

Lecture on BG 13.26 -- Bombay, October 25, 1973:

When he proposed this verse, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, "Yes, this is nice. This is nice." What is that meaning? Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya. Because you are no better than an animal, so what is the value of your speculative knowledge? Jñāne prayāsam. Don't endeavor in this speculative way. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya. Give it up. Namanta eva. Just become namra humble, humble and meek. Lord Jesus Christ also said, "The Kingdom of God is for the humble and meek."

So namanta eva san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. Just try to hear the message of God from realized soul. San-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vār... Simply hear. Then sthāne sthitāḥ, you remain in your position. It doesn't matter what you are. You remain in... Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. Kindly give aural reception to the words, authoritative words, of Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, like that. Then... God is called ajita. Nobody can conquer. Kṛṣṇa is... Another name is Ajita. He becomes jita, conquered, simply by hearing from him. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ.

Lecture on BG 16.7 -- Sanand, December 26, 1975:

One kind of living entities, they are trying to go back to home, back to Godhead. They are called devatās. And the asuras, they are not aware of the spiritual world; neither they are endeavoring to go back to home, back to Godhead. So Kṛṣṇa has described about the devotees in so many ways. Now He is discriminating who are the demons. So for the asuras there is no knowledge what is the aim of life. So they are described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also,

na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ

durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ

andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās

te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ

(SB 7.5.31)

These asuras, or the persons who are in ignorance, in material enjoyment, they do not know what is the goal of life. Everyone is in the bodily concept of life, and they are trying to improve the condition of bodily comforts. The more we are interested in the bodily comforts of life the more we are asuras.

Lecture on BG 16.8 -- Hyderabad, December 16, 1976:

If one becomes Vaiṣṇava, then he is transcendental to this material designation.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is an endeavor to make everyone a pure Vaiṣṇava. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). Then he will be nirmala. In that nirmala stage, when he engages himself in the service of the Lord, that is called bhakti. Bhakti is not the activities of this material world. Bhakti is activity, sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). To become identified with Brahman, that is not sufficient. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā. That is not sufficient. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). When you become free from this material designation, brahma-bhūtaḥ stage, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, that is a stage, neutral stage. Na śocati na kāṅkṣati. Means you become free from the material anxieties. Material life means śocati, kāṅkṣati. Always people want something, and whatever he has got, if he has lost, he laments for something. This is our material life. But when you come to the Brahman platform, na śocati na... This is the first qualification—no more lamentation, no more hankering.

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

Or Vāyu, Varuṇa. The Vaiṣṇava says, "No, we don't want this." Because either you become Rockefeller or Ford in this life and next life the king of Moon planet or Sun planet or in any way, up to the Brahmā planet, Brahmaloka, Lord Brahmā, Kṛṣṇa says, ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna: (BG 8.16) "My dear Arjuna, by your endeavor, even you become promoted to the highest position of this material world, still, you have to die, and again—either come down or remain there—there will be change of body." Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). "So why should you be implicated in these material activities? Try to come to Me, back to home, back to Godhead. Then you'll haven't got to return again in this material world. That is the highest perfection." So this is called brahma-jijñāsā. By inquiring about Brahman one can understand that "Even if I go to the topmost planet of this material world, the four principles of miseries—birth, death, old age and disease—there is."

Lecture on BG Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 8, 1972:

The description of mukti is given in the Bhagavad..., Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: muktir hitvā anyathā-rūpaṁ svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ (SB 2.10.6). That is mukti. Mukti means if you give up the artificial endeavor to become predominator and become situated in your original position, being predominated. Artificially... Suppose a woman is trying to become man artificially, how long it will go on? How she can be happy? That is not possible. Actually, in the Western countries at least we see that the woman class, they want equal rights with men. And there is. There is no distinction. But it is my experience, the woman class, they are not happy in the Western countries. And still in our country, although we are so fallen, still our woman class remains satisfied. Being predominated, they are happy. They are happy. That is my practical experience. So I do not wish to discuss this point very much, but according to our Manu-saṁhitā, it is said that women should not be free. Na strī svātantryam arhati: "Svātantryam is not allowed to the woman class." Actually, we have seen, and by experience, those who are under the domination of the father when they, still they are not married, they are happy.