So this is the movement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, how to fix up the mind always at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. And it is called bhakti-yoga. So if you practice this bhakti-yoga, then everything will be perfect in your life. We are spreading this bhakti-yoga, all over the world, and here is one of the centers. You take advantage of it. It is not sentimental. It is authorized on scientific basis, philosophical basis. So we have got so many books, about fifty books about this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. You can read them.
Fixed (Lectures, SB cantos 1 - 3)
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 15, 1971:
So in the human society the first thing is that there must be religion, and religion means pious life. Every religion... Just like Christian religion teaches pious life: "Thou shall not kill." And I am killing twenty-four hours, and still, I am proud of becoming a Christian. Just see. So religion means pious life. And on pious life, you earn your livelihood. Although your livelihood is already fixed up, your provision for living condition is already fixed up, still, because you think that "Without working, I cannot live nicely," all right, economic development. But because first of all your life is religious, because you are living pious, then you can earn your livelihood according to your different status.
Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 15, 1971:
So this liberation should be the ultimate goal of life, how to get this liberation, go back to home, back to Godhead. That should be our mission. Not for this so-called economic development. That is already fixed up. Just like... In our Kṛṣṇa society we are not very much anxious for economic development or sense gratification. We are simply interested how to develop our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But the economic question becomes automatically solved. It is not that we are serving, we have no sense gratification. The married couples are there. Nothing is prohibited; everything is there. But it is adjusted, adjusted. Not like cats and dogs. It must be adjusted according to rules and regulations. That is required. That is religious life, that is pious life, and then you become advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and ultimately you get liberation.
Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 18, 1971:
Prabhupāda: You can answer his question.
Revatī-nandana: Actually, Śrīla Prabhupāda explained to me one time that every devotee has got his unique relation with Kṛṣṇa already fixed up. It's already fixed. The relationship is there. Sometimes that relationship may be with Kṛṣṇa in His original form. Sometimes it may be with a different form of the different Vaikuṇṭha planets. So it's only that we're devotees of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Therefore also our names all have to do with Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, and they are names of Kṛṣṇa. So we call Vidhānacandra dāsa.
Prabhupāda: Dāsa is always there.
Revatī-nandana: But by saying Vidhānacandra dāsa means I am also saying the name of Kṛṣṇa. So our names serve this purpose, always reminding us of Kṛṣṇa. But our ultimate position, our destination, it may be anywhere in the spiritual kingdom with some form of Kṛṣṇa. It's not necessarily identical with the name.
Prabhupāda: No, he is not identical. But the name is identical. But we are dāsa.
Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Aligarh, October 9, 1976:
When mind is engaged at the lotus feet of the Lord... As it is stated in the Śrīmad-..., sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor (SB 9.4.18). When the mind is fixed up in the lotus feet of the Lord, then the words are used, the vibration of the tongue used... Vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane. Then the words are utilized for describing about the spiritual world. The spiritual world is called Vaikuṇṭha. There is no kuṇṭha, anxiety. That is spiritual world. When you become spiritualized, brahma-bhutaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). There is no more kuṇṭha. This is the sign of becoming brahma-bhūtaḥ. At the present moment we are jīva-bhūtaḥ. Manaḥ saṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). Therefore our struggle for existence is with the mind and the six senses. But when your existence is spiritualized, then brahma-bhūtaḥ, you have no more anxieties. That is the sign. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na Prasannātmā means na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54).
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Calcutta, February 23, 1972:
Cup, yes, that was his business. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu take away some of his fruits and donā, as a friend. So one day Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that "Śrīdhara, you take benediction from Me." So he said "What benediction, Sir?" "Well, you are so poor that your house is not even properly repaired. There are so many holes in the roof." He, "Still, I have a nice house because it is better than the bird's nest. They have no roof. (laughter) They have no roof, and they live on a tree. I have got a shelter. What is the difficulty? There is no difficulty." In this way Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted to offer him so many thing, and he said that "No, I have no trouble for this. If You want to benedict me, please give me pure devotion on Your lotus feet." Bhakti. So that is pure devotion. That we should hanker after, how to fix up our mind always in the service of the Lord. That we are trying to teach, that's all. (end)
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Vrndavana, October 17, 1972:
Just like Mukunda. Mukunda, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu's class friend and devotee. So he was attending many jñānī, karmī, yogi... He was going everywhere. Caitanya Mahāprabhu became very much displeased, just to show example that we should not be hodgepodge. "This is also good, this is also good. Everything is same." No. This is hodgepodge. One must be fixed up in devotional service. That is wanted. So when Mukunda was going here and there, Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave him the name kharajati adata.(?) So He stopped him that "He should not come before Me. Stop him." So nobody can induce... Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very soft, kusumād api, softer than the flower, but harder than the thunderbolt. When He used to be very hard, then, then He become thunderbolt. Nobody can induce Him. But naturally, He is very soft-hearted. So Mukunda was standing outside in every day's meeting, and he was asking other devotees, "I'll not be able to see Lord Caitanya anymore?" So they asked Caitanya Mahāprabhu that "You have forbidden Mukunda to come before You, but he's asking only if there will be any opportunity in the future to see You." Caitanya Mahāprabhu said: "Yes, after three hundred millions of years, he can see Me." So the devotees informed Mukunda, "Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that after three hundred millions of years, He'll be able to see you." He began to dance: "Oh, that's nice. That's nice."
Lecture on SB 1.2.9 -- Vrndavana, October 20, 1972:
So here Bhāgavata says that dharma... You take to, to the principles of religion for going up to the point of liberation, āpavargyasya. Dharmasya hy āpavargyasya. This is meant for getting out of this entanglement of birth, death, old age, and disease. That is real... The first step is religiosity. Unless you are pious, religious, there is no possibility of getting liberation. Therefore there are different types of dharma prescribed, twenty types of dharma. The beginning is varṇāśrama-dharma. The people have lost even varṇāśrama-dharma, what to speak of other dharmas. The first beginning is varṇāśrama-dharma, to become brāhmaṇa, to become kṣatriya, to become vaiśya. So in the Kali-yuga the time is so bad that even there is no fixity of this varṇāśrama-dharma. Nobody knows who is brāhmaṇa, who is śūdra. Because the quality is the same now, eating, sleeping, mating—animal quality. You can become a brāhmaṇa by sacred thread. That is a different thing. But there are brāhmaṇa and brahminical qualifications. That is real brāhmaṇa.
Lecture on SB 1.2.11 -- Tirupati, April 26, 1974:
So I do not wish to take much of your time, and the children are disturbing. It is a very great subject matter. So our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is this expanding this bhakti cult on the basis of Vedic knowledge. It is not a sentimental thing. These European, American boys and girls who have joined us, they are not going on sentiments. They are being taught actual knowledge, śruti. Bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā. And therefore they are being fixed up. So our request is that this temple, Bālajī's temple, is the greatest temple in the world, and Kṛṣṇa's temple. For spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world, the temple authorities should fully cooperate in spreading Kṛṣṇa knowledge.
Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)
Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Delhi, November 18, 1973:
So these boys, these girls, they have got enough. The money is thrown on the street. And woman is loitering on the street. You can pick up as many as you like. You see. That is the Western countries. But they have left everything. That is vairāgya Why? Jñānam. They have obtained the real knowledge. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). As Bhavānanda Mahārāja said. They are firmly fixed up. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam, "Let us sacrifice our life for Kṛṣṇa." That is real jñāna and vairāgya. Bhaktyā. This is to be understood, bhaktyā. Because without bhakti, there is no admission in the kingdom of God. That is not possible. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā:
- bhaktyā mām abhijānāti
- yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ
- tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā
- viśate tad-anantaram
- (BG 18.55)
Viśate means enter. One is admitted in the spiritual world... Paras tasmāt tu bhāvaḥ anyaḥ. There is spiritual world. There is another world. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). That sanātana-dhāma you cannot enter without being a bhakta. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Those who enter that spiritual world, Brahman, nirviśeṣa-brahman, because they are lacking in bhakti, they again falls down.
Lecture on SB 1.2.16 -- Los Angeles, August 19, 1972:
So this rascaldom, so long the rascaldom is not gone, illicit sex, intoxication... These are called anartha. Anartha. Unnecessarily they have created this atmosphere, illicit sex, intoxication. What is the use of intoxication? There is no need. Just like in our society there is no intoxication. We don't take tea, we don't smoke. Are we dying for that want of tea or smoke? No. Therefore it is anartha; it is unnecessary. So first stage is appreciation, śraddhā. Second stage is associating with the devotees. Third stage is to be engaged in devotional service. And if one is actually executing the rules and regulations of devotional service, naturally he'll be freed from this rascaldom. Anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Then next stage is niṣṭhā, faith. That faith, beginning faith, becomes strong, fixed up. Then ruci this ruci, taste. Just like immediately, the person suffering from jaundice cannot taste sugar candy as sweet, but the sugar candy is the only medicine for him. He is to be given sugar candy, and in this way, as the disease is cured, he comes to this taste stage, "Oh, it is nice, it is sweet." (aside:) Don't do that.
Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- San Francisco, March 25, 1967:
Naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). Nityam, daily, as a routine, routine work, if you hear this kṛṣṇa-kathā, then the result will be that naṣṭa-prāyeṣu abhadreṣu, when all this accumulation of dirty things in our heart accumulated for life after life, they'll be cleared off. And as matter of evidence you'll see that you are not no more in ignorance and in passion, but you are situated in the modes of goodness. Then what is, what is that position? Ceta etair anāviddham. Then your mind will not be attacked by the modes of ignorance and passion. You'll be steadily fixed up in the position of goodness. Then, when you are in goodness, then what is your attitude? Prasanna-manasaḥ. You will find yourself joyful in every circumstances of life. You'll never feel yourself morose.
Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- Vrndavana, October 28, 1972:
st like a hog is eating stool, living in a very filthy place, having sex without any discrimination, but you see, hogs are very fatty. They feel very happy. Unless one feels very happy, he cannot become fatty. This is a psychology. Yes. We have seen, sometimes, a confectioner, very quickly they become fatty. Because they always smell rasagullā. It is natural. You see. So the hogs, they feel very happy, and get fatty. You see. But actually what is the happiness? He's eating stool, living in a filthy place and no fixity of eating. But still, he's happy.
Lecture on SB 1.2.18 -- Los Angeles, August 21, 1972:
So naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). Not all cleansed, but prāya, say, seventy-five cleansed. At that time, you become fixed-up in devotional service, naiṣṭhikī. There are different stages of devotional service. That I have explained several times. First of all, śraddhā, sādhu-saṅga, bhajana-kriyā, anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. When anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt, all unwanted things are finished, at that time, niṣṭhā, firm faith. So bhagavaty uttama-śloke bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī. So, so long there are dirty things, our faith and devotion in Kṛṣṇa is not very fixed up, sometimes we deviate, we go away. But then naṣṭa-prāyeṣu, when seventy-five percent of the dirty things are cleansed, then our faith in God becomes fixed up. Bhagavaty uttama-śloke.
Lecture on SB 1.2.18 -- Los Angeles, August 21, 1972:
So bhagavaty uttama-śloke bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī. That fixed up bhakti is required, not oscillating: sometimes this side, sometimes that side. So this can be possible, fixed up devotional service, by nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18), regularly worshiping the bhāgavata-grantha and the devotee bhāgavata. Because without hearing about God authentically, how we can fix up? So we should hear, śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. Sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (SB 1.2.17). Kṛṣṇa's word is given by Kṛṣṇa. Just like Bhagavad-gītā. Sva-kathāḥ means "His own words." So this is bhāgavata. And sva-kathāḥ, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is also sva-kathāḥ. The Purāṇas also, sva-kathāḥ. Because all these books are given by Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva is incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. So that is also sva-kathāḥ. So we have to hear about Kṛṣṇa which is given by Kṛṣṇa. Bhagavad-gītā is given by Kṛṣṇa, and Bhāgavata and other Purāṇas and Vedic literature given by Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa. And the method is taught by Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So therefore, everything is Kṛṣṇa's. Kṛṣṇa directly, Kṛṣṇa as Vyāsadeva; Kṛṣṇa as Caitanya Mahāprabhu devotee.
Lecture on SB 1.2.18 -- Los Angeles, August 21, 1972:
So we have to follow this. Śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu nityānanda, śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda. Kṛṣṇa is teaching how to approach Kṛṣṇa. That is bona fide. We cannot take any other method. This is the authorized method. The, the person concerned, He is teaching how to worship Kṛṣṇa, how to become devotee. Kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmne. Rūpa Gosvāmī said,"Lord Caitanya, You are Kṛṣṇa, but You have appeared as Kṛṣṇa Caitanya." Kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmne. Namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). "You are distributing love of Kṛṣṇa." How it is possible for ordinary man? "But Kṛṣṇa, because You are Kṛṣṇa, simply You are in the name of Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. So therefore You can distribute. Your thing, You can distribute."
So,
- śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
- puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ
- hṛdy antaḥ stho hy abhadrāṇi
- vidhunoti suhṛt satām
- (SB 1.2.17)
Naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu. A little, maybe; not all. There may be some habitual... But still, even there are some flaws in the beginning, if we fix up our devotion to Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 1.2.18 -- Los Angeles, August 21, 1972:
Prabhupāda: So our principle should be not to disassociate ourself from the devotees. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura therefore sings, tāṅdera caraṇa-sebi-bhakta-sane bās, janame janame hoy ei abhilāṣ: "I desire birth after birth to serve the ācāryas and to live with devotees." So our this association, society's is giving these two opportunity: you serve the purpose or the orders of the ācāryas and live with devotees. Then you will be secure in devotional service. Tāṅdera caraṇa-sebi-bhakta-sane bās. Bhakta-sane bās is very important thing. Even there is little inconvenience, still we should stick to live with the devotees. Then we shall be profited. Go on.
Pradyumna: "...with the result that he becomes fixed in the devotional service of the Lord. The more progress is made in devotional service under the guidance of the Bhāgavatas, the more one becomes fixed in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. The messages of the book Bhāgavata, therefore, have to be received from the devotee Bhāgavata, and the combination of these two Bhāgavatas will help the neophyte devotee to make progress on and on." (end)
Lecture on SB 1.2.18 -- Vrndavana, October 29, 1972:
So this is the upāya. If we actually serious to get out of these material clutches, then we should hear regularly about Kṛṣṇa from a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). Then bhagavaty uttama-śloke bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī, then your firm steady, steadiness in devotional service will be fixed up. Bhakti... Naiṣṭhikī. Naiṣṭhikī means nobody can, I mean, push out of it. That is naiṣṭhikī, niṣṭhā, firm faith, dṛḍha-vrata. In ordinary case, in neophyte state, if somebody says that "Why you are...?" You'll be surprised. This girl, Śrī Sarasv..., Sarasvatī... Some boy said, "Oh, why you are chanting? This is not very good." He, she gave her (him) a slap. Just see. Naiṣṭhikī. How firmly she is fixed up, although she is a small child. Bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī. Nobody can deviate him (her). A pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa cannot be deviated. You cannot cheat him. No. He'll give you a slap. Naiṣṭhik..., bhavati, bhavati naiṣṭhikī.
Lecture on SB 1.2.18 -- Calcutta, September 26, 1974:
Naiṣṭhikī. Niṣṭhā. From niṣṭhā... Niṣṭhā means "firmly fixed up." Firmly fixed up. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo 'tha bhajana-kriyā tato 'nartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt tato niṣṭhā (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has explained how one can be fixed up, niṣṭhā. This niṣṭhā stage comes when one is freed from anartha. Ādau śraddhā. Just like you all have come here out of śraddhā, some faith, that "Let us go to the Hare Kṛṣṇa temple, see the ārati, or hear from the swamis." This is the beginning, śraddhā. To create śraddhā, little faith, these centers are established. And one takes to faith, then he gradually advances. Ādau śraddhā. And that śraddhā has been explained by Kavirāja Gosvāmī, what is śraddhā.
Lecture on SB 1.2.18 -- Calcutta, September 26, 1974:
Now practically you can see. These American and European boys, they began with śraddhā. I told them that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28)." They accepted it. They did not present so many rascals, that "Here is another God, here is another God, here is another God." No. Kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma... They fixed up their faith. That is their fortune. They had no hodge-podge idea. Therefore they are making progress. Ādau śraddhā. Then sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83). That śraddhā, that firm faith in Kṛṣṇa, can be more and more firm by sādhu-saṅga. Sādhu-saṅga means... Who is sādhu? A sādhu means a devotee. Sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). Who is sādhu? Sādhu means..., does not mean that having a long beard and saffron-color dress. Sādhu means, mahātmā means, who is pure devotee.
Lecture on SB 1.2.18 -- Calcutta, September 26, 1974:
So the Kṛṣṇa personally says that "You surrender unto Me." That is the only business. There is no other business. Simply to see that "Whether I am satisfying Kṛṣṇa?" So that will be possible... Here it is said that naṣṭa-prāyeṣu abhadreṣu. Not completely. There are so many dirty things within our heart. If at once it becomes all cleared, then immediately we are liberated person. And that is not possible. Gradually. Gradually, you go on hearing, hearing, śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (SB 1.2.17). Gradually, all the dirty things will be cleansed. So naṣṭa-prāyeṣu, almost clean. Not purely, not completely clean. Even it is almost clean... Naṣṭa-prāyeṣu abhadreṣu. How it is cleansed? Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). You serve your spiritual master, the representative of Bhagavān, bhāgavata, and you hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam—these are the two kind of Bhāgavatam—and you do it. Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā. Naṣṭa-prāye... Almost, almost cle... Then what is that? Bhagavaty uttama-śloke bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī. The result will be that you'll be fixed up in the devotional service.
Lecture on SB 1.2.18 -- Calcutta, September 26, 1974:
So we have got enough matter for hearing about Kṛṣṇa. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa... If we simply sit down and hear, we become pious. And as soon as we become pious, then we can understand what is Kṛṣṇa, what is God. If we are involved or implicated in sinful activities, there is no chance. Therefore anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. By sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83), by association with the sādhus, bhaktas, and by bhajana-kriyā, we'll be seen, a person will be seen that he's no more involved in unwanted things. He's simply interested in executing devotional service. Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā, bhagavaty uttama-śloke bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī (SB 1.2.18). When we are almost free from all this contamination, then we become fixed up in the devotional service.
Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Los Angeles, August 22, 1972:
This is the process. Nityam, daily. Or twenty-four hours. By studying Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or associating with devotees, bhāgavata-sevayā... Bhakti, bhagavaty uttama-śloke bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī. Then the Supreme Personality of Godhead, bhagavaty uttama-śloke, bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī, devotional service becomes strong and fixed up. Simply by this process, hearing. There is no necessity of education or Ph.D. degree. Simply God has given you these ears and you hear, śṛṇvatām. Hear about Kṛṣṇa from realized soul. This process will make you to be situated on the platform of goodness, and as soon as you are promoted to the platform of goodness, that means you have already surpassed the other two platforms—means ignorance—and the symptom will be... That is clear here. The symptom is that the two things, lust and greediness, will not disturb you. You haven't got to take certificate from anyone, "Just give me certificate that I have become a Kṛṣṇa conscious." You take your certificate yourself, see yourself, whether you are free from lust and greediness. That's the certificate. If you are confident that "I am free from lust and greediness," then I am making progress. Otherwise, (chuckles) I am again in the same, no progress. This is test.
Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Los Angeles, August 22, 1972:
Prabhupāda: Yes, just like a cat and dog are sitting silently, very good men. That kind of inactivity is useless. Rather, one who is devotee, he is very active to serve Kṛṣṇa: "How shall I serve Kṛṣṇa more and more? How shall I advance this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement?" That activity, you see; not sitting idly, "I have become Kṛṣṇa conscious." Go on.
Pradyumna: "The inactive fool is in the state of foolish ignorance, whereas the self-satisfied ātmānandī is transcendental to the material state of existence. This stage of perfection is attained as soon as one is fixed up in irrevocable devotional service. Devotional service is not inactivity, but the unalloyed activity of the soul."
Prabhupāda: Soul. This is, this is the activity of the soul. You stop the activity of the body, of the mind; then you must be engaged in the activity of the soul. Actually, the soul is active, not this body and mind. As soon as the soul is out of this body, there is no activity. So the real source of activity is coming from the soul. So how it is that after one becomes liberated, he becomes inactive? That is the theory of the Māyāvādīs. Real activity begins there. Here we are active. We have got so many impediments offered by the mind and the body; and when we actually come to the platform of soul, that is liberated position. The activity should be very nice and very polished, very advanced.
Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Los Angeles, August 22, 1972:
Pradyumna: "The effect of devotional service becomes manifest by complete elimination of these effects of passion and ignorance. The devotee is fixed at once in the mode of goodness, and he makes further progress to rise up to the position of vasudeva, or the state of unmixed sattva, or śuddha-sattva state. In this śuddha-sattva state only can one always see Kṛṣṇa state, eye to eye, by dint of pure affection for the Lord. A devotee is always in the mode of unalloyed goodness; therefore he harms no one. But the nondevotee, however educated he may be, is always harmful. A devotee is neither foolish nor passionate. The harmful, foolish, and passionate cannot be devotees of..."
Prabhupāda: The... It is said, maṇinā bhūṣitaḥ sarpaḥ kim asau na bhayaṅkaraḥ. Snake. Some snakes are decorated with jewel on the hood. So this materialist, however qualified he may be, just like jewel on the head. The śāstra says, "Do you think that a snake coming to you with a jewel on head is not dangerous or ferocious?" He's as dangerous, as ferocious, as the serpent without jewel. Similarly, any materialistic person, however educated he may be, so-called educated, he is simply a snake, dangerous. That's all. He has no qualification. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ. One cannot have good qualities unless one is advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Calcutta, September 27, 1974:
Here is, also it is stated that sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati. Everyone is hankering after how to be peaceful in mind. Everyone. Everyone says, "Swamiji, kindly say how I can get peace of mind." The peace of mind, how it can be attained is stated here: sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati. If you fix up in sattva-guṇa, not in the rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. Tamo-guṇa is the life of the karmīs. Tamo-guṇa and rajo-guṇa. Or rajo-guṇa is actually karmīs, and sattva-guṇa is the life of jñānīs. And after coming to the sattva-guṇa, being peaceful in mind, that is called... (baby crying-pause) ...brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). You have to come to the platform of sattva-guṇa. Then you'll be prasannātmā.
Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Calcutta, September 27, 1974:
Prasanna means happy mode of life. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). What is the happy mode of life? Na śocati na kāṅkṣati. He does not lament. He does not hanker. Here in the material world we are hankering. We want this... Dhanaṁ dehi rūpaṁ dehi yaśo dehi rūpavatī bhāryāṁ dehi. Dehi dehi. That is hankering. This is not the stage of brahma-bhūta. Brahma-bhūta stage means na śocati na kāṅkṣati. He does not hanker. Neither he laments. Then samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām (BG 18.54). Then bhakti begins, when actually you are in peace of mind. With disturbed mind (you) cannot execute devotional service. Therefore in the beginning, if somebody all of a sudden becomes a Vaiṣṇava and in a solitary place, "I am chanting," that is cheating. How you can be...? How you can chant? You cannot, because your mind is not fixed up. Your mind is not... Na śocati na kāṅkṣati. Unless you are purified, your mind is always disturbed. That is the material condition. The mind must be disturbed.
Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Calcutta, September 27, 1974:
At that time, when you are fixed up in devotional service. At that time, tadā. Not otherwise. If you have no connection with devotional service, if you are attached to karma, jñāna, yoga, you cannot be fixed up. Therefore Caitanya-caritāmṛta says, bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī sakali aśānta. Here we require... Tadā, sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati. Prasīdati means peace of mind, fully satisfied. But bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī. As Caitanya Mahāprabhu... They cannot have peace of mind. It is not possible. Bhukti means karmīs. They're trying to enjoy this material world—more money, more woman, more eating, more, more and more. That is called bhukti. They are not satisfied by enjoying on this planet. They perform various kinds of yajñas so that they may be promoted to the higher planetary systems, Svargaloka, or Janaloka, Maharloka, like that. But Kṛṣṇa says, ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ. "You rascal, you are trying to be promoted to the higher planetary system for more and more material enjoyment..."
Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Calcutta, September 27, 1974:
You have to attend Bhāgavata class and serve the bhāgavata person nityam, daily. If you cannot, that is a different thing. But this is the process. Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā. Naṣṭa-prāyeṣu abhadreṣu. This conclusion comes when one is partially advanced. Naṣṭa-prāyeṣu. Not fully. Then it will come. He'll be ready to serve Bhāgavatam-Bhāgavata, he person bhāgavata and the book Bhāgavata. Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā, bhagavaty uttama-śloke bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī. Niṣṭhā, I have explained already yesterday. Tadā, at that time, when you are fixed up, "Now I shall devote my life in Kṛṣṇa consciousness," when you come to this conclusion... Nityam. That will come. Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā, bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī (SB 1.2.18). Not deviated. But... Not this worship, that worship, this worship, this worship... No. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānā yajante anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). Those who are worshiping other demigods... That is recommended for the less intelligent class men. Tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām. These things are recommended for the persons who are less intelligent, whose brain is packed up with cow dung, not intelligent persons. Intelligent persons-sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is intelligence.
Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Calcutta, September 27, 1974:
So these are the process. Mahājano yena gataḥ. You cannot manufacture your ways of thinking. What you are? You are most insignificant living entity. And without following the ācāryas, without following the mahājanas, without following the śāstras, how you can teach?
But people are doing that. Without being followed by the ācārya, without being followed by the śāstras, they become guru, they become swami, they become yogi. It is useless. You cannot get... Here are the process, process is given: tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma... (SB 1.2.19). Tadā means when you are fixed up in devotional service, then you can get out of these infections. These are infections. In... It is so dangerous infection. Infection, anyone can understand nowadays, scientific days. If you infect some disease, you have to suffer. You cannot escape. You infect today somehow or other. Not today, not tomorrow, but some day it will come out. It is called kūṭastha, phalonmukha, prārabdha, pāpa-bīja. Pāpa-bīja, remains as seed, kūṭastha. Then it is fructifying, phalonmukha. Then you suffer, prārabdha. This is called prārabdha-karma, infection.
Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Calcutta, September 27, 1974:
So this is fact. Tadā. Tadā means when you are fixed up in devotional service. Tadā, kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye. Tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ (SB 1.2.19). We have to get rid of this rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa. We have to be fixed up in sattva-guṇa, pure life. Then sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati. If you are situated in the sattva-guṇa, then you will be peace of mind. And that is kṛṣṇa-bhakta. That is explained in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta.
kṛṣṇa-bhakta—niṣkāma, ataeva 'śānta'
- bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī—sakali 'aśānta'
- (CC Madhya 19.149)
Kṛṣṇa-bhakta, he does not desire anything. Kṛṣṇa-bhakta says, "I don't mind I am born lowborn." No, because he'll chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Lowborn or highborn, he has nothing to do. If one is engaged in devotional service, it doesn't matter whether he's lowborn and highborn. As soon as he takes to devotional service, he becomes above lowborn and highborn. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). He's in the Brahman platform.
Lecture on SB 1.2.20 -- Los Angeles, August 23, 1972:
That human nature should be like that, that "Why should we work so hard, simply for eating, sleeping, mating?" This is a wrong type of civilization. But at the modern age, the human society is so made that one has to work like ass, whole day and night, simply for satisfying these four necessities of life. That is also not guaranteed. We thought that in your country... When I was in India, I was contemplating coming to your country. I thought that America is very rich. "There is no problem for eating, sleeping, mating." Actually, there is nil. There is no problem. But the civilization is so made that there is no shelter. They are lying down on the park, on the street. Why? There was no necessity, but they have created such civilization, that a certain section of people are voluntarily, or being obliged, lying down on the street, on the park, no dress, no food, no fixed..., fixed-up sex life. Everything is topsy-turvied. Everything is topsy-turvied. But this is not civilization, this is not civilization. Then how they can understand God? Their mind is always disturbed and full of anxiety.
Lecture on SB 1.2.21 -- Los Angeles, August 24, 1972:
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, as we have discussed, gradually will bring you to that stage where no more knot for the material attachment. Bhidyate, bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ. Saṁśayāḥ. Now everyone is... We are speaking that "You are not this body; you are soul..." The people cannot understand. They are in doubt, "Oh, how is it I am soul? I am this body." But as soon as you come perfectly in spiritual consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the doubts will be over: "I am spirit soul, I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." Then that will be fixed up (SB 1.2.21).
- bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś
- chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ
- kṣīyante cāsya karmāṇi
- dṛṣṭa evātmanīśvare
We are bound up by karma, by karma acting. In this life, I am acting in such a way so that I am preparing my next life. Again, next life, I shall act in such a way, I shall prepare my next life. In this way, one after another, one after another, one after another. But if we take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and if we simply act for Kṛṣṇa, yajñārthāt karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9), simply if we act for Kṛṣṇa, there will be no more karma-bandhana. Then one after another, that will be finished.
Lecture on SB 1.2.21 -- Vrndavana, November 1, 1972:
So when one is actually in the liberated stage... Liberated stage means to remain fixed up in devotional service, bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ... Otherwise it is not possible. Evaṁ prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ (SB 1.2.20). You can stand liberated on the platform of devotional service. As soon as you deviate from devotional service, immediately the māyā is standing. She'll capture you. You can see practically. There is sunshine, and just next to the sunshine, there is darkness or shadow. So little deviation from the sunshine there is shadow. And little deviation from the shadow, you go to the sunshine. Both things are side by side, māyā and Kṛṣṇa. Māyā means absence of Kṛṣṇa. Shadow means absence of light, sunshine. So if you always keep in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no shadow of māyā.
Lecture on SB 1.2.22 -- Los Angeles, August 25, 1972:
So here it is said: ato vai kavayo nityaṁ bhaktiṁ paramayā mudā vāsudeve bhagavati. Therefore those who are actually in the knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, science of God, they're firmly fixed up in the devotional service of Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva. Vāsudeve bhagavati. Then what about the third class? The third class also, if he stick to the devotional service according to the rules and regulation, vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ... (SB 1.2.7). Prayojita means "just begun." Janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam. Then that devotional service to Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, will gradually help him how to become vairāgya, how to become detached with material attraction, and how to acquire knowledge about Kṛṣṇa. Everything will come.
So for the kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, we must stick to the principle. Gradually, everything will be revealed.
Lecture on SB 1.3.21 -- Los Angeles, September 26, 1972:
So father could understand that "My son is so great that he wanted to satisfy. I wanted this girl, and he has managed." So he gave him a benediction to Bhīṣmadeva, "My dear son, you are so benevolent, so magnanimous. So I give you one benediction that you'll not die unless you desire to die. Unless you fix up your mind, 'Now I shall die,' you'll never die. You remain a very strong brahmacārī." So Bhīṣma remained very strong brahmacārī. There is another incidence of Bhīṣmadeva's life, that Pāṇḍu-vaṁśa. So one girl was attracted. So she was conquered. So the girl thought that "I will be able to marry Bhīṣmadeva," but when she came at home, Bhīṣmadeva said, "No, you have been conquered to be married with my brother. I am brahmacārī. I cannot marry you." So the girl said that "You have kidnapped me, conquered me. You must marry." So "No, I shall not marry." Then the girl approached to his spiritual master, this Jamadagni, Bhṛgupati, that "This boy he has conquered me. Still, he is not marrying me." So Jamadagni said, "Bhīṣma, you must marry this girl." Bhīṣmadeva said, "No. I have promised to my father never to marry. I cannot marry." Then Jamadagni said, "If you don't marry, then I will force you to marry." So there was fight between Bhīṣmadeva, spiritual master and... (laughter) So the spiritual master became defeated. (laughter) Then he gave his blessings. "All right, you remain brahmacārī." (laughter)
Lecture on SB 1.3.21 -- Los Angeles, September 26, 1972:
In this age, one should worship the incarnation of God, Kṛṣṇa, if he is su-medhasa, he is intelligent. Just like this alpa-medhasa, less intelligent. Su-medhasa means highly intelligent, intellectual. How? Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyaiḥ, performing the saṅkīrtana-yajña. So those who are joining the saṅkīrtana-yajña, they are very intelligent, su-medhasa. They are not all hodgepodge, alpa-medhasa: something this, something that, something... No. Just fix up your mind in saṅkīrtana-yajña. Your life will be successful. Therefore it is called su-medhasa. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ.
So everything is there Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. That is the topmost knowledge. That is transcendental knowledge. That is not material knowledge. Material knowledge, if you write some book, it has no meaning, because it is defective. But Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is not ordinary knowledge. It is transcendental knowledge. There is no defect. Our this mundane brain is defective. We can't... Just like our scientist, Svarūpa Dāmodara. He was speaking that they make experiment in the laboratory according to formula, but still, there is some mistake. Still, there is some mistake. Practically, scientific advancement, scientific knowledge means to find out mistakes. What you were are speaking? What is the exact language you told?
Lecture on SB 1.4.25 -- Montreal, June 20, 1968:
So all great sages, saintly persons, scholars, kings, they went to see him at the Ganges side. There was great assembly. And Parīkṣit Mahārāja inquired from everyone that "Now it is settled that I am going to die. The time is fixed already. Within a week, I shall be dying. Now what is my duty?" The thing is that before death we must prepare ourself. The present nonsense civilization, they don't prepare. They simply accept the flash life as all in all. The other day I was corresponding with one gentleman in London, Mr. Webb(?). He is little atheistic. He said that "There is no life, next. Just like a flower. A flower is bloomed and finished." So I have replied that "No, it is not finished. How it can be finished? The seed of the flower remains." Seed of the flower remains. So, so long the seed of the flower will remain, there will be many thousands and millions of manifestation of the flower. Similarly, this body may be finished, but the seed of the body, the soul, that is eternal. It will develop another body. That is a fact.
Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 13, 1969:
Then dhāraṇā. Dhāraṇā means meditating, then the subject matter will be fixed up in your heart. It will not move. Not that every day I am meditating on some new subject, no. The meditation is viṣṇu-mūrti. Actually those who are yogis, they meditate on the four-handed viṣṇu-mūrti. Mat-paraḥ. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, mat-paraḥ: "unto Me," either Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu. That is meditation. Dhyāna, dhāraṇā. And one, when one is practiced meditating, first beginning from the lotus feet... These things are all explained in the Bhāgavata, Śrīmad-Bhāgavata, Bhagavad-gītā. Then gradually, when you are practiced to think of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet or Viṣṇu's lotus feet, then you proceed—then the thighs, then the waist, then the chest, then the mouth, I mean to, face, then... In this way, one after another, one after another, you have to meditate. In this way, when your meditation is fixed up, that is called dhāraṇā. Dhāraṇā. It is not moving. Dhyāna, dhāraṇā.
Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 13, 1969:
So here it is said, urukramasya. "If you describe the activities of the Supreme Lord, who acts wonderfully, then..." Samādhinā. That you can... That samādhi, yoga-samādhi. After passing all these stages, when one comes to the samādhi, fixed up, his concentration, meditation, fixed up on Kṛṣṇa and Viṣṇu, that is called samādhi, and in that samādhi, one can become liberated simply by thinking of the activities of the Lord. How it is so? It is described in the Bhagavad-gītā that,
- janma karma ca me divyaṁ
- yo jānāti tattvataḥ
- tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma
- naiti mām eti kaunteya
- (BG 4.9)
"My dear son of Kuntī, Arjuna, if somebody knows actually what are My activities, then simply by knowing what are My activities, he becomes liberated." Just see how Bhagavad-gītā and Bhāgavata is working. What is said by... This is called paramparā system, that the what is spoken in the Bhagavad-gītā by the Lord Himself is here also confirmed by Nārada. You don't find any contradiction. In the Bhagavad-gītā... Just like Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). And what we are saying? That "You give up everything. Just become Kṛṣṇa conscious." The same thing. Therefore it is for liberation. What was spoken by God Himself directly, the same thing is spoken by Nārada, and same thing we are speaking also.
Lecture on SB 1.5.15 -- New Vrindaban, June 19, 1969:
So they got up in a boat, and the boat was started and the, all the members of the bridegroom's party, the, they fell asleep. It was on the river. The breeze was very pleasing. And next morning when they arose, they saw they were standing on the same place. Then they were surprised, "How is that?" The boatman was asked, "How is that, we are in the same place? We have not proceeded even a few yards. How is that?" The boatman said that "We were plying the whole night. We do not know how it happened." Then one boatman found out that the anchor was not taken out. The anchor was fixed up, and the whole night they were plying meant the boat was round about the anchor only, moving, and it was... It did not go a step forward.
Lecture on SB 1.5.15 -- New Vrindaban, June 19, 1969:
Take to this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, and if you stick to this and if you follow the regulative principles, your success is sure. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's gift. And that is confirmed here by Nārada Muni, that "There is no loss even one falls down from Kṛṣṇa consciousness platform." That does not mean we shall fall down. We must be very steady and rigid and with vow, dṛḍha-vratāḥ. Bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ. Kṛṣṇa says that te dvandva-moha-nirmuktāḥ. How we can become fixed up in Kṛṣṇa consciousness? That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpam: "Anyone who is completely free from all sinful reaction..." Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. And who can be completely free from all sinful reaction? They are always engaged in pious activities. Such persons... Because if you engage yourself in pious activities, there is no chance of your being engaged in sinful activities.
Lecture on SB 1.5.23 -- Vrndavana, August 4, 1974:
Of course, if Kṛṣṇa's order is there, that is another thing. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was ordered by Kṛṣṇa, "You fight." When Kṛṣṇa says, "You fight," you must fight. Not that Kṛṣṇa says, "You fight," and you say, "No, I have taken Your shelter. Why shall I fight?" No, that is not. That is disobedience. When Kṛṣṇa says, "You fight," you must fight. When... Our life should be that whatever Kṛṣṇa says... That is full surrender. Or His representative says, that is my life. Viśvanātha Cakravartī has explained in the Bhagavad-gītā.
- vyavasāyātmikā buddhir
- ekeha kuru-nandana
- bahu-śākhā hy anantāś ca
- buddhayo 'vyavasāyinām
- (BG 2.41)
So our... We should be fixed up on the order of Kṛṣṇa coming through the spiritual master. Then our life is successful. This is the secret of success in spiritual life. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. This is assured. We have to please the spiritual master. And if he's pleased, then Kṛṣṇa is pleased. The argument that "We do not see Kṛṣṇa personally. How we can satisfy Him?"... You satisfy your spiritual master, then Kṛṣṇa is pleased. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādāt... **. And if you want to please directly Kṛṣṇa, and show your spiritual master plantain, then na gatiḥ kuto 'pi. It will be all useless. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi **.
Lecture on SB 1.5.24 -- Vrndavana, August 5, 1975:
There is a verse about Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18). Manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ. If you fix up your mind on Kṛṣṇa, naturally these things will be controlled. First of all our mind must be fixed up on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Always chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and... Chant and hear. Naturally, with the chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, you will memorize the form of Kṛṣṇa, the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. In this way if we fix our mind always on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, naturally these good qualities will come. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). Bhakti. Unless you have got bhakti... Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. Who can fix up his mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa unless he's a bhakta? Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ.
So these are the primary qualification. And alpa-bhāṣiṇi. Alpa-bhāṣiṇi. Munayaḥ alpa-bhāṣiṇi śuśrūṣamāṇe. At the same time, service must be there. And simply, "I'm chanting, but no, I'm not giving service..." That may be possible for Haridāsa Ṭhākura. He was simply chanting 300,000 times. That was possible by Haridāsa Ṭhākura. But if we imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura, that "I shall chant only," that is not chanting. You'll sleep only.
Lecture on SB 1.5.24 -- Vrndavana, August 5, 1975:
Sambandha means "First of all, what is my relationship with God." That is called sambandha. Just like first of all a boy or a girl is to be married. So... That is the Vedic system. The father, mother, selects. That is called sambandha. When they fixed up that "This boy will be married with that girl," that is called sambandha. So relationship. Then when the sambandha is established by marriage, when the boy or girl is married, then the sambandha is done. "Now... Now the boy and the girl may remain separately in their respective homes." No. That is abhidheya. Abhidheya. When they are united by the marriage there must be dealings between them. That is called abhidheya. Abhidheya. Abhidheya means not that "Our now marriage ceremony, relationship is established. Now you Mr. such and such, you go home, I go home." No. There must be actual activities. The wife should take care of serving the husband, and the husband should take care of the wife. Then the relationship... Why this relationship? Why these are activities? Now, there is prayojana.
Lecture on SB 1.5.32 -- Vrndavana, August 13, 1974:
If we fix up our mind... Mām eva ye prapadyante. If we fix up our śaraṇāgati, surrender to the Supreme, then there is no question of falling down. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura was tested once by Māyā, and in another time he was tested by a prostitute to allure him... He was young man. Haridāsa Ṭhākura was very beautiful young man. So under diplomacy of Rāmacandra Khān he was to be entrapped. You know the story. That is stated in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. But Haridāsa Ṭhākura was not entrapped, because he was strong, strong enough. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti. Māyā could not do anything. Although Māyā came there at dead of night, very beautiful, attractive dress, attractive feature, attractive words—this is māyā—so he was not allured. The... Rather, the veśyā, or the prostitute, became converted into a Vaiṣṇavī.
Lecture on SB 1.7.2-4 -- Durban, October 14, 1975:
Kṛṣṇa says, "Anyone who is engaged satatam." Satatam means twenty-four hours. He has no other thinking except Kṛṣṇa. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ (SB 9.4.18). This is spoken about Mahārāja Ambarīṣa. He was the emperor of the whole world, he was doing his duty as a responsible king, but still sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ: he fixed his mind at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane: and when he used to speak, he used to speak about Kṛṣṇa. Vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane. When he was to walk, he used to go to the temple. When he was to hear something, he was hearing Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. When he was to smell something, he was smelling the flowers offered at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. When he was eating, he was tasting the kṛṣṇa-prasādam, the foodstuff first offered to Kṛṣṇa. So we can engage our senses in that way, set by such example by Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, how to utilize our senses for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is bhakti-yoga. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). Bhakti means when you engage your senses for the service of the Lord. Just like example set by Mahārāja Ambarīṣa. His example is there, because who can be more busy than a responsible king? He has to do so many political affairs, and still, his mind was fixed up, sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ (SB 9.4.18), in Kṛṣṇa perfectly. This is the perfect.
Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Vrndavana, April 18, 1975:
So that will be explained, anartha upaśamaṁ sākṣāt. So Vyāsadeva first of all made his life perfect. How? Bhakti-yogena. by practicing bhakti-yoga. And bhakti-yoga means manasā. Manasā vācā karmaṇā. Here it is said, manasā. Manasā, that is very nice bhakti-yoga, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ (SB 9.4.18), as Ambarīṣa Mahārāja did. Always Ambarīṣa Mahārāja fixed up his mind at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. So here also, Vyāsadeva, bhakti-yogena manasi samyak praṇihite amale (SB 1.7.4), when the mind was completely cleansed, then he saw. What he saw? Apaśyat. Apaśyat means "he visioned, he saw," puruṣaṁ pūrṇam, "the complete Supreme Personality of Godhead." And māyā. He saw also māyā, māyāṁ ca tad-apāśrayam, māyā on the back side, back side. So in this way he made his life first of all perfect, then he wrote this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam after becoming perfect. Therefore you will find in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, each word is transcendental. Each word is full of meaning and transcendental knowledge because the writer, the composer of this transcendental book, is Vyāsadeva. He is perfect, Vedavyāsa, perfect in Vedic knowledge.
Lecture on SB 1.7.10 -- Vrndavana, September 9, 1976:
So Kṛṣṇa is pūrṇa in every respect, and if we take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa-sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ (SB 9.4.18)—if we fix up our mind always at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, then everything will follow very perfectly. That is promised by Kṛṣṇa. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10). If one is engaged always in love and affection... Not as official love. Ecstatic love, spontaneous, that is wanted. That example is here in Vṛndāvana. At least, as we get information of Vṛndāvana from the śāstras, from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, how spontaneously the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana—the gopīs and the cowherds boys and the birds, beasts, the calves, the animals, the trees, everyone, even the flies, the bees, the insect, even the dust, the grass—everyone is..., they are all cinmaya, spiritual. They are not material. But they are attracted to Kṛṣṇa in different varieties.
Lecture on SB 1.7.10 -- Vrndavana, September 9, 1976:
Simply to know God is great, it is good. But how He is great, how He is working, that we have to take lesson from the Vedic literature. You cannot find such information anywhere, in any book throughout the whole world. So there is no question of studying Vedas from a sectarian point of view. For the sake of knowledge, everyone should study this Vedic literature. And it is summarized in Vedānta-sūtra. Therefore it is called Vedānta-sūtra. Sūtra means summarized. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Now these two words, atha ataḥ brahma-jijñāsā-four words—it contains volumes of knowledge. Therefore it is called sūtra. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). They are Brahma-sūtra. Brahma-sūtra padaiś caiva. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that brahma-sūtra padaiś caiva hetumadbhir viniścitaiḥ (BG 13.5). The truth, Absolute Truth, is fixed up by Brahma-sūtra. So Brahma-sūtra is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Brahma-sūtra is the summary of the whole Vedic literature. Because in future people will misinterpret. Therefore the author of Brahma-sūtra, Vyāsadeva, made natural a comment. And that comment is Brahma-sūtra bhāṣya, the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Don't be misguided by rascals, that "Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is written by somebody else. It is not written by Vyāsadeva." These are rascals proposition. This is given by Śrī Vyāsadeva, and he is the author of Brahma-sūtra. Lokasyājānato vidvāṁś cakre sātvata-saṁhitām (SB 1.7.6). This is sātvata-saṁhitām.
Lecture on SB 1.7.10 -- Vrndavana, September 9, 1976:
We have to spread the transcendental qualities of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇe parama-pūruṣe. Yasyāṁ vai śrūyamāṇāyāṁ kṛṣṇe parama-pūruṣe, bhaktir utpadyate (SB 1.7.7). That is the life's mission. So as far as possible, try to understand. As advised by Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, siddhānta baliyā citte nā kara alasa, don't be lazy. Always try to understand Kṛṣṇa, siddhānta, by siddhānta, by Vedic conclusion—not by manufacturing ideas. Siddhānta. Don't be lazy. That is the instruction of Kavirāja Gosvāmī.
- siddhānta baliyā citte nā kara alasa
- ihā haite kṛṣṇe lāge sudṛḍha mānasa
- (CC Adi 2.117)
If you study according to the Vedic conclusion, don't manufacture ideas and whims and sentiments. If you go through siddhānta, then you'll be more and more firmly fixed up. Ihā haite kṛṣṇe lāge sudṛḍha mānasa. Then your life is successful.
Lecture on SB 1.7.22 -- Vrndavana, September 18, 1976:
So such a big yogi, Durvāsā Muni. Still, he was in trouble. Jñānīs, yogis, nobody is free from the trouble. Only the bhaktas. Take this, see the example. When Durvāsā Muni created a demon to kill the king, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, and he was coming to attack, but Ambarīṣa, although he was a devotee, he had no such yogic power to counteract. He thought, "All right, it is Kṛṣṇa's desire if some demon is coming to kill me. All right, let him kill." He stood fixed up in that position, because he's surrendered. Mārobi rākhobi jo icchā tohārā. That is surrender. "I have surrendered to You. If You like to kill me by this demon, that's all right. Welcome. Why not? Because I am culprit, so You want to kill me through this demon, let me kill. Let him kill." So he stood up. He was not afraid of his life. But Durvāsā Muni, when Viṣṇu sent this sudarśana-cakra, immediately the demon was killed and he was after Durvāsā Muni, such a great yogi. But he was afraid. "Oh, now there is no protection." He fled, here from here, here from there, there, there, then to Brahmā, to Lord Śiva. And at last to Viṣṇu. Just see how much he is afraid of his life.
Lecture on SB 1.7.26 -- Vrndavana, September 2, 1976:
We cannot even imagine what is the length and breadth of the hair, but the soul is one ten-thousandth part. So how you can see the soul? That small particle is being carried by the subtle body—mind, intelligence, and ego. And it is pushed through the semina of the father into the womb of the mother, and another body is manufactured in due course of time, and it comes out and works. This is called transmigration of the soul—from one body to another. That body is given by superior examination, Yamarāja. Yamarāja fixes up what kind of body this soul will get. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1) (SB 3.31.1). Just like in the court, there is case, and the magistrate decides what kind of punishment this criminal should be awarded. So similarly, here in this material world, we are simply engaged in sinful activities. Here the so-called pious and impious, that is simply imagination. Really, if I am actually pious, I should not get this material body. Just like to remain in the prison house means criminal. You may be a first-class prisoner, it doesn't matter, but you are a prisoner. You are a criminal. Sometimes the big, big politicians, they are put into the jail and they're given all comforts. But that does not mean he's not a criminal. He's a criminal. Either he may be Gandhi or anyone, because he's put into the jail he's a criminal. Similarly, anyone who is enwrapped with this material body, he's a criminal. He's a criminal. Either he may be in the heavenly planet or in this earthly planet or in the cats' and dogs' life or insect or aquatics. There are varieties of life. Every one of us, as long as we are put into this material body, it is to be understood that we are all criminal.
Last portion of Questions & Answers -- Chicago, July 4, 1974 :
It is not finished. If you have got time, if, if you haven't got to do anything else, you can continue, (laughter) sixteen hundred. It is not mechanical: "Now I have finished sixteen rounds, that's all." Why sixteen rounds? You chant sixteen hundred rounds. That is minimum, because you cannot concentrate your mind in chanting, you have no attachment for chanting, that is a, a regulative principle. You must. You must finish this. Otherwise, those who are actually attached to the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, that, that Haridāsa Ṭhākura, they are chanting whole day and night. But you cannot imitate that. Your mind is not fixed up. Therefore it is minimum sixteen rounds. Not that "Because minimum sixteen, I cannot chant more." Why not more? You can chant more, more.
Lecture on SB 1.8.20 -- New York, April 12, 1973:
So here also she continues her humbleness. This humbleness is very good in devotional service. Therefore Caitanya, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches us: tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā. One should be tolerant than the trees and humbler than the grass to make progress in spiritual life. Because there will be so many disturbances. Because māyā... We are living... Just like if we are in the ocean. So you cannot expect very peaceful situation in the ocean. It must be always tilt, what is called, tiltering, tilting. Even, even a big ship, it is also not very fixed up position. At any moment there may be tumultuous waves. So in this material world you should always expect danger. You cannot expect very peaceful life within this material world. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām (SB 10.14.58). Śāstra says in every step there is danger. But if you become a devotee, then you escape. Māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Otherwise...
So in the beginning, if you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there will be so many disturbances by the māyā. Māyā will test you how far you are fixed up. She will test you. She is also agent of Kṛṣṇa. She does not allow anyone who is meant for disturbing Kṛṣṇa. Therefore she tests very rigidly whether you are..., you have taken Kṛṣṇa consciousness to disturb Kṛṣṇa, or you are actually serious. That is māyā's business. So there will be in the beginning test by māyā, and you will feel so much disturbances in making progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But if you remain steady... Steady means if you follow the rules and regulations and chant sixteen rounds, then you will remain steady. And if you neglect, then māyā will capture you, immediately. Māyā is always ready. We are in the ocean. At any moment, we will be disturbed. So therefore one who is not disturbed at all, he is called paramahaṁsa.
Lecture on SB 1.8.21 -- New York, April 13, 1973:
So by hearing about Kṛṣṇa, śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ.. (SB 1.2.17). Just like you are hearing about Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, try to hear about Kṛṣṇa always, twenty-four hours chant about Kṛṣṇa. In this way, the dirty things will be cleansed. Naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). Nityam means always. Not that bhāgavata-saptāha, official. No, not like that. That is another exploitation. In the Bhāgavata it is said, nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā. Nityam means daily, twenty-four hours. Either you read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or carry out the order of your spiritual master. This is also order. Bhāgavata is spiritual master. Vaiṣṇava, he's also bhāgavata. Ācāryas, bhāgavata. Grantha-bhāgavata and person, person bhāgavata. So person bhāgavata or book bhāgavata, you always serve. Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). Bhagavaty uttama-śloke bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī. Then you will be fixed up. Naiṣṭhikī. Nobody can move you. Bhagavaty uttama-śloke, unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Lecture on SB 1.8.30 -- Los Angeles, April 22, 1973:
Therefore we request our students first of all break these four pillars. So the roof of sinful life will collapse. Then chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, you remain fixed up in transcendental position. Simple method. Because one cannot realize God if his life is sinful. That is not possible. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says: yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpam. Anta-gatam means finished. One who has finished sinful life. Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. Who can finish sinful life? Who are engaged in pious activities. Because one must have activities, engagement. So if one is engaged in pious activities, naturally his sinful activities will vanish. One side, voluntarily he should try to break the pillars of sinful life. Another side, he must engage himself in pious life. Simply theoretically one cannot, because everyone must have some engagement. If he has no pious engagement, then simply theoretically he will not be able.
Lecture on SB 1.8.34 -- Mayapur, October 14, 1974:
So as a father becomes perplexed when there are rascal sons, similarly, when there are increase of rascal population the world becomes overburdened. Therefore it is called... It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, varṇa-saṅkara. Varṇa-saṅkara. Now the whole world is practically full of varṇa-saṅkara. First of all, there is no division of varṇas. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). According to quality, it can be done. But people are not interested. They want hodge-podge. Therefore they are suffering. They cannot systematically do anything. So when the system of varṇa and āśrama is destroyed... Just like in Western countries there is no such thing as varṇa and āśrama. Therefore the varṇa-saṅkara, the hippies... That is varṇa-saṅkara. So varṇa-saṅkara... In the Bhagavad-gītā... If the varṇa-saṅkara increases, strīṣu duṣṭāsu varṇa-saṅkaro jāyate. When women become polluted, no fixed-up husband—that is pollution for woman, no chaste, no chastity—then this varṇa-saṅkara will come out. And when the world is overpopulated by varṇa-saṅkara, it will become a burden. Therefore it so became, atheist, varṇa-saṅkara, demons. So it was unbearable by the earthly planet. And it is said, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). Therefore mother earth went to appeal, "Please come and save me. I am very much overburdened." Therefore it is said, bhārāvatāraṇāya: "diminish."
Lecture on SB 1.8.35 -- Mayapura, October 15, 1974:
Very nicely explained. Śukadeva Gosvāmī, before speaking Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, he's offering his obeisances to Kṛṣṇa. What is that? "I offer my obeisances," tasmai, "unto Him." Subhadra-śravase: "Simply hearing of Him is subhadra." Not abhadra; subhadra. Subhadra-śravase namo namaḥ. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī—yat-kīrtanaṁ yat-smaraṇam. Either you glorify Kṛṣṇa There are so many glorifications. The whole Bhāgavata is glorification. So you have got... This is... This is the glorification by Śukadeva Gosvāmī: yat-kīrtanaṁ yat-smaraṇam. Either you glorify or simply you meditate upon Him... Yat-smaraṇam. Yad-īkṣaṇam. Simply if you sit down in front of the Deity and go on seeing, bas, do nothing, simply see: "How nicely dressed is Kṛṣṇa. How nicely dressed is Rādhārāṇī," simply if you see, it is said, yad-īkṣaṇam, yad-īkṣaṇam. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam (SB 7.5.23). If you have no capacity to chant or if you have no such fixed-up mind—your mind is so disturbing that you cannot fix up your mind in Kṛṣṇa—then the chance is given: "Here is Deity. You simply see. Simply see." And if you are engaged in the service, there is good chance of seeing always, twenty-four hours. While you are cleansing the floor of the temple or the room, you are seeing. You are dressing—you are seeing. You are bathing—you are seeing. You are offering food—you are seeing. This is the process.
Lecture on SB 1.8.35 -- Mayapura, October 15, 1974:
So people are so rascal, they do not come even to see. They are so fallen down. They do not come. "Oh, what is this, Deity worship? Idol worship. Idol worship." They will worship Gandhi's statue and this statue, that statue, but when they are asked that "Come here and see the Deity worship nicely," "No, this is idol worship." We... I have seen in Calcutta that Sir Asutosh Mukherjee's statue there is in the Chowrangi square. So in the morning, these ordinary sweepers, they'll cleanse the statue with their brush, because the whole year, the crows have passed stool on the face. So it has become a very solid stool, fixed up. So... I have seen it, brushing like this. This is their arcanam. This is allowed. And if you worship the Deity, bathe the Deity, this is idol worship. And that municipal brush, sweeping brush, and on the face of Sir Asutosh Mukharjee, brushing, that is very good. Just see how much rascal they are! In the morning this business is done. And in the evening all big, big men will come and flower him, garland him, full of garlands. And after evening, they'll go away, and again, next morning, the crows will pass stool. That kind of worship is accepted. And if we install Deity of Kṛṣṇa and worship Him nicely—"These are for the fools and rascals, less intelligent." And he's very intelligent. This is going on all over the world. They are worshiping Napoleon. They are worshiping... I have seen in Paris, Napoleon's statue. "France and Napoleon, one." I asked them, "Where is your Napoleon? France is there, but where is your Napoleon?"
Lecture on SB 1.8.39 -- Los Angeles, May 1, 1973:
So Kṛṣṇa is seeing with His eyes the sun. Then you can see. This is fact. You cannot see anything if Kṛṣṇa does not see. So you think over of the sun. Then what is the sun? Now it is the king of all planets, rāja. Rāja means king. Samasta-sura-mūrtiḥ. And what is the nature? Aśeṣa-tejāḥ. Unlimitedly hot. Unlimitedly. Aśeṣa-tejāḥ. Then what is his function? Yasyājñayā bhramati sambhṛta-kāla-cakraḥ. Sun has got his orbit. So God has ordered that "You just travel within this orbit. Not here, not there." The scientists says that if the sun is moved a little this side the whole universe will be ablaze, and if it moves this side the whole universe will be frozen. But by the order of the Supreme, it is neither going even, even one ten-thousandth part of an inch, this side or this side. Exactly in the line. Exactly during, in the time, fixed time, at 5:30 it must rise. So there must be some discipline. There must be some obedience. There is some order. In this way the śāstra says: yasyājñayā bhramati sambhṛta-kāla-cakraḥ. By whose order the sun is moving in the orbit? Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **: "I worship that original person who is giving direction even to the sun, even to the ocean, even to the moon. Everything is going on under His order."
Lecture on SB 1.8.39 -- Los Angeles, May 1, 1973:
So the world is full of rascals and fools. Therefore God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, has become a vague idea. Otherwise, if one wants to see God as Kuntīdevī is requesting, that "You remain always...," one can keep God always within his heart. He's always there. Therefore we have to apply as it was done by Mahārāja Ambarīṣa: sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18). We can use our senses in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. First thing is that we have to fix up our mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Then... Mind is the center of all sensual activities. If your mind is absent, in spite of having your eyes, you cannot see; in spite of having your ears, you cannot hear. Therefore mind is considered the eleventh sense. There are ten senses—five working and five knowledge-acquiring—and the mind is the center. So indriyāṇi parāṇy āhuḥ. Everything is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. Indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ (BG 3.42). Kṛṣṇa is explaining that we take the senses are very prominent. But beyond the senses there is another, superior thing. That is mind. Beyond this mind, there is intelligence. And beyond this intelligence, there is soul. So how they can appreciate existence of soul if they cannot understand the psychological movement of the mind? Behind that mind there is intelligence. They... Ultimate, utmost, they can approach to the intellectual platform. But one has to go beyond the intellectual platform to understand what is soul, or what is God. Otherwise, it is not possible.
Lecture on SB 1.8.41 -- Los Angeles, May 3, 1973:
A man is seeking after woman, woman is seeking after man. That is in human society, in bird society, beast society, everywhere. Even flies, insects, you'll see that one female is attached to the male, male is attached. So this is beginning of material attachment. Then by attachment, when one male finds out another woman, or one finds out another man, they unite. So this attachment becomes fixed up again. Already there is attachment, and as soon as they are united, that attachment becomes more firm. Tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ. I have already got attachment, but when I am again united actually, that attachment increases. Now, after the attachment increases to some degree, then next degree is find out nice apartment to live together. That is another increase of attachment. Then we have got an apartment. Find out some means of earning money. Formerly, they were earning..., there were no factories. Everyone has to earn his livelihood by agriculture, kṣetra. Ato gṛha-kṣetra. First of all, apartment must be maintained by working, by earning something, gṛha-kṣetra. Then when we, everything is settled up, now we must have a son, children. Yes. Ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta. Then we shall, we must have some friends, who will come and eulogize me: "Oh, you have such nice apartment, nice wife." Ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittaiḥ (SB 5.5.8). Then to maintain all this, we must have money. Money, money, money, money, sweeter than honey. In this way, our attachment increases, attachment increases.
Lecture on SB 1.8.42 -- Los Angeles, May 4, 1973:
So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice. You try to execute it to your best capacity, that's all. Even there is some mistake... Don't commit mistake intentionally. But due to my habit, past habit, I may commit some mistake. That is excused. If we fix up our mind in serving Kṛṣṇa severely and seriously, then even there is some mistake... Rūpa Gosvāmī also says that yena tena prakāreṇa manaḥ kṛṣṇe... First of all fix up your mind to Kṛṣṇa. And the other rules and regulation... Of course, they are to be followed, but in the beginning we shall try our best how to fix up our mind to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Other things will automatically come corrected.
Lecture on SB 1.8.48 -- Mayapura, October 28, 1974:
So Kṛṣṇa, when instructs from within the heart, He is called caitya-guru. And that caitya-guru is expanded by the process, personal presentation of spiritual master. So both ways He is helping us. Kṛṣṇa is so kind. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpā. Kṛṣṇa is helping from within, but sometimes we are so dull, naturally, that we cannot understand. Therefore He sends His representative to instruct externally. So He is helping internally and externally. There is no difference between the internal and external instructor. We should take advantage of this instruction. That is called vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ, fixed-up resolution. Fixed-up resolution. If we become fixed up in this resolution, that "Whatever we have heard from my guru, the representative of Kṛṣṇa, I must execute. I do not care for my personal convenience or inconvenience. This is my life and soul," then your life is perfect. Then your life is... If I make some amendment, addition, alteration, in the name of Kṛṣṇa, guru, then it is spoiled.
Lecture on SB 1.8.48 -- Mayapura, October 28, 1974:
So that is given by the spiritual master. "You do this," "You do that," "You do this," "You do that," because Kṛṣṇa is not one-sided. So as confidential representative of Kṛṣṇa, we have to follow the instruction of the spiritual master. As it is given particular to me, I should execute without any personal consideration. That is the perfection of life. Because after all, this body is meant for Kṛṣṇa. The mind is meant for Kṛṣṇa. I am also Kṛṣṇa's part and parcel, so pārakyasyaiva. Everything belongs to somebody else. Finally, that somebody else is Kṛṣṇa. So if we fix up our mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa and serve Him, then our life is perfect.
Lecture on SB 1.9.40 -- New York, May 22, 1973:
Pradyumna: "Translation: Let my mind be fixed upon Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, whose motions and smiles of love attracted the damsels of Vrajadhāma (the gopīs). The damsels imitated the characteristic movements of the Lord (after His disappearance from the rāsa dance)." (SB 1.9.40)
Prabhupāda: Purport.
Pradyumna: By intense ecstasy in loving service, the damsels of Vrajabhūmi attained qualitative oneness with the Lord by dancing with Him on an equal level, embracing Him in nuptial love, smiling at Him in joke, and looking at Him with a loving attitude. The relation of the Lord with Arjuna is undoubtedly praiseworthy for devotees like Bhīṣmadeva, but the relation of the gopīs with the Lord is still more praiseworthy because of their still more purified loving service. By the grace of the Lord, Arjuna was fortunate enough to have the fraternal service of the Lord as chariot driver, but the Lord did not award Arjuna with equal strength. The gopīs, however, practically became one with the Lord by attainment of equal footing with the Lord. Bhīṣma's aspiration to remember the gopīs is a prayer to have their mercy also at the last stage of his life. The Lord is satisfied more when His pure devotees are glorified, and therefore Bhīṣmadeva has not only glorified the acts of Arjuna, his immediate object of attraction, but has also remembered the gopīs, who were endowed with unrivalled opportunities by rendering loving service to the Lord. The gopīs' equality with the Lord should never be misunderstood to be like the sāyujya liberation of the impersonalist. The equality is one of perfect ecstasy where the differential conception is completely eradicated, for the interests of the lover and the beloved become identical.
Prabhupāda: So Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu said ramyā kācid upāsanā vrajavadhū-vargeṇa yā kalpitā, and there is no better method of worship than the system invented by the gopīs. So gopīs invention of worshiping Kṛṣṇa was to remain always Kṛṣṇa conscious without any material profit. That is the super excellence of (the) gopīs. They never expected any return from Kṛṣṇa. That was not their business. "Kṛṣṇa, we have done so much for You, You cannot give me this benediction?" No, they never asked like that. That is the first-class worship. "Kṛṣṇa, You take whatever you like from us, but we do not ask anything, neither we have any need." This is gopīs' worship. We have got everything to give You and we have no need to ask You. This is gopīs' worship.
Lecture on SB 1.10.2 -- Mayapura, June 17, 1973:
Kṛṣṇa was a boy also, little boy. Nobody taught Him how to kill this Aghāsura, Bakāsura. But He knows. Svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca. He expanded Himself within the throat, and the demon was choked up, and he died. Similarly, the Keśī demon came as a horse and Kṛṣṇa pushed His hand within the mouth of the horse. If you want to control horse, you have to control his mouth. Horse is controlled by the mouth. Therefore you have seen the harnesses are fit, fixed in the mouth, and the driver controls the mouth, and the horse goes. So Kṛṣṇa was a boy. How He knew it that "This demon has come in the shape of a horse. So if I have to control him, I will have to control his mouth." So He pushed His hand within the mouth of the horse, and the horse felt just like an iron bar and hot iron. So he died. Similarly, when Kṛṣṇa fought with that bull, what is that asura?
Lecture on SB 1.10.3 -- Mayapura, June 18, 1973:
So you must be always alert whether you are fixed up in the symptoms. Then you are qualified brāhmaṇa. Otherwise you are again the same category as in India. Some of them, they are simply claiming to become brāhmaṇa on account of being born in a brāhmaṇa family, No. That is not the sa... Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī. Actually, they were born in brāhmaṇa family, but they knew that "We have lost our culture, due to association with the Muhammadans always." Therefore he presented himself, nīca-jāti. Nīca-jāti, nīca-karma, nīca-saṅgī. So if we deteriorate in our symptoms of brāhmaṇa, then that is not brāhmaṇa, that is not qualified brāhmaṇa. Therefore... It is a vijñāna. Vijñ\ ana-vidhūta-vibhramaḥ. Everyone is uneducated. Everyone is born rascal and fool. He should be enlightened, elevated, by vijñāna-vidhūta.
Lecture on SB 1.10.6 -- Mayapura, June 21, 1973:
The Ayurvedic medicine, they treat patients on this principle, how things are disturbed. They have got their calculation: kapha, pitta, vāyu. Tri-dhātu. This body is a composition of these three dhātus. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). Kuṇape. This is a bag created by the interaction of the three elements, namely, kapha, pitta, vāyu, bile, mucus and air. This is kavirāja treatment. They can understand the position of these three elements by feeling the pulse. This is Ayurvedic science. If one kavirāja can learn to feel the pulse, he can say everything. He can say when this man will die, today or tomorrow or... Accurately he will say. The pulse beating is so scientifically described in Ayurvedic science. As soon as he fixes up the pulse beating, immediately the formulas are there: "Such kind of pulse beating will create such and such symptoms." So you feel the pulse and inquire the patient, "Are you feeling like this?" If he says, "Yes," then it is confirmed. The disease is confirmed. Then the medicine is there. Very simple thing. Now in allopathic treatment, first of all you have to sacrifice one chaṭāka of blood, immediately. As soon as you go to the medical man, in your country, he will take so much blood. First of all you have to give your blood. Then fees. Then you have to purchase nonsense medicine. So here also there are nonsense kavirājas also. So unless one is expert in feeling the pulse, he is not kavirāja. That is the criterion.
Lecture on SB 1.10.7 -- Mayapura, June 22, 1973:
He summarized in two lines: asat-saṅga tyāga, ei vaiṣṇava ācāra (CC Madhya 22.87). Asat-saṅga tyāga, to give up the association of asat. Asat means materialistic. So who is asat? Now, asat eka strī-saṅgī and kṛṣṇa-abhakta. Those who are too much attached for material enjoyment, they are asat. And one who is not devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he is also asat. So we have to give up the company of these kind of people, who are too much materially attached and is not devotee of Kṛṣṇa. If we can avoid these two persons, then we can be fixed up in devotional service.
So,
- uṣitvā hāstinapure
- māsān katipayān hariḥ
- suhṛdāṁ ca viśokāya
- svasuś ca priya-kāmyayā
Svasu means sister, and the relative... So although Kṛṣṇa is unattached, still He observed the social obligation. There was great fight. All of them lost their relatives. Not only the Kauravas lost everything, but the Pāṇḍavas also. Just like Subhadrā's son Abhimanyu. He was only sixteen years old. His wife, Uttarā, she was once taught by Arjuna. She was disciple, student. Arjuna was teaching her dancing. Virāṭarāja, King Virāṭa's daughter, Uttarā. So they were in disguise. Ajñāta-vāsa. So the Virāṭarāja did not know that Arjuna was living in his house. So this daughter of Virāṭa, Uttarā, when Arjuna was known that he is Arjuna, he requested that "You marry my daughter." So Arjuna said, "No, how can I marry? She is my disciple. She is my student. She is just like my daughter. How can I marry?" Then he promised that "I shall get her married with my son, although he is not very grown up."
Lecture on SB 1.13.11 -- Geneva, June 2, 1974:
Don't be attracted by the temporary material benefits. Just try for permanent eternal benefit. Go back to home, back to Godhead. That is the... That is the... What you will do? Suppose you become king. How long you will remain king? Or there are so many dangers. Sometimes the kings are beheaded. King Johann(?) was beheaded. So material position is always tiltering, tilting. Yes. There is no fixed position. It will end. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, antavat tu phalaṁ teṣām (BG 7.23). Antavat means it will end, today or tomorrow or hundred years after. It will end. So why should you... You are eternal. Why should you hanker after these things which will exist for some few years? You are eternal. Accept the eternal position. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Eternal position.
So for that eternal position, you have to make kṛṣṇa-devatāḥ, Kṛṣṇa as the worshipable Deity. Kṛṣṇa is eternal, and if you fix up your service to Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa will accept you as servant. Naturally, you become eternal. There is a very nice story. Nice story not, a fact. Sāvitrī-Satyavān. Sāvitrī-Satyavān. This, I mean to say, incidences are mentioned in the śāstras to give us lesson. Sāvitrī was a very chaste devoted woman.
Lecture on SB 1.13.11 -- Geneva, June 2, 1974:
So Kṛṣṇa is so nice friend. He is such a nice friend that even to the enemy He gives the greatest benediction. Just like Pūtanā. Pūtanā came to kill Kṛṣṇa, smearing poison on her breast. But Kṛṣṇa gave her promotion on the motherly platform. Kṛṣṇa is so grateful that "This demon might have come to Me to poison Me, but I have sucked her breast. She has become My mother. Therefore she must get the position of My mother." Kṛṣṇa is so grateful. If you give little service to Kṛṣṇa sincerely, Kṛṣṇa will never forget you. And He's so powerful. If Kṛṣṇa becomes your friend and Kṛṣṇa remembers you, then what you want more? Just imagine. So Kṛṣṇa... Here it is said, kṛṣṇa-devatāḥ. fix up your mind in Kṛṣṇa and be happy.
Lecture on SB 1.15.28 -- Los Angeles, December 6, 1973:
We have got intimate relationship with Kṛṣṇa, eternally. It is not artificial. Therefore if you keep ourself always connected with Kṛṣṇa, there will be no more disturbance. Peaceful. Yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ. If you get that position, then that is the highest benefit, highest gain, yaṁ labdhvā ca, then you will not desire for any other gain. You'll perceive that I have got the highest gain. Yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ, yasmin sthitaḥ... And if you keep yourself fixed up in that position, then guruṇāpi duḥkhena na (Bg. 6.20-23), even the heaviest type of calamities, you'll not be disturbed. That is peace. That is peace. Not that little pinching, you're disturbed. If you're actually fixed up in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you'll not be disturbed in the greatest form of dangerous condition. That is the perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Lecture on SB 1.15.29 -- Los Angeles, December 7, 1973:
Here is Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa. You come here and see, very minutely, how Vāsudeva is dressed nicely, how He is playing on His flute, how He is situated with His eternal consort, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, how He is enjoying her company. So nice thing for meditation. But why you are after zero? (laughter) Just see the rascaldom. Here is such nice object for meditation, and they are trying to meditate upon zero. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā says, kleśaḥ adhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām. Kleśa, that "Trouble is more." We can meditate upon Kṛṣṇa, immediately. We are constantly seeing Kṛṣṇa here. So as soon as I close my eyes, I see Kṛṣṇa. That is not very difficult. Anything you see, you'll be able to immediately have the form within your heart, immediately. So there is no difficulty, but they will create some difficult task. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā (says), kleśaḥ adhikataras teṣām. To fix up the mind on Vāsudeva, or Viṣṇu, that is also difficult. But those who are trying to fix up their mind on zero, their position is more difficult, adhikataram. Adhikataram means more.
Lecture on SB 1.15.31 -- Los Angeles, December 9, 1973:
Real position is that we are being carried by the waves. We have no independence. That is... Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sings, māyār bo..., Khāccho hābuḍubu bhāi: "You are being carried away by the waves of material nature. You are sometimes becoming drowned, sometimes you're floating. In this way your life is going on." You have no fixity. The fixity is when you are Kṛṣṇa conscious. Jīva kṛṣṇa-dāsa e viśvāsa... When he takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and develops this cult, then he becomes perfect one day. Then tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9), he comes back. Kṛṣṇa gives guarantee, "After giving up this body, he comes to Me." That is perfection. Otherwise now I am in this family. Suppose now I am American or Indian. Is there guarantee that next life I should be able to become American or Indian? No. There's not. Kṛṣṇa does not say that. Kṛṣṇa says, dehāntaram, tathā dehā... You have to change your body.
Lecture on SB 1.15.50 -- Los Angeles, December 27, 1973:
So when they were living incognito... Nobody could know where the Pāṇḍavas were at, they attempted to gain Draupadī in the dress of brāhmaṇas. Draupadī's father made a bet, that "This is the condition of my daughter being given to a boy." The condition was that on a ceiling a fish was hanging, and the boy who will be victorious in piercing the eyes of the fish by arrow... Not directly looking, but there was a waterpot, the reflection. He has to fix up his point by seeing the reflection down, and then he has to pierce the eye. Then Draupadī will accept. All the noted princes in those times, they kept such bet. Even Kṛṣṇa had to marry Satyabhāmā... Satyabhāmā's father also made a bet the, he kept five very strong bulls. So condition was that "Any boy who will be able to control these bulls, then I will offer my daughter to him." So all the princes who came to control the bulls, they got their hands and legs fractured by the pushing of the bull. Nobody could... Then Kṛṣṇa came. And Kṛṣṇa controlled the five bulls, expanding Himself into five strong boy, and He was offered Satyabhāmā.
Lecture on SB 1.16.6 -- Los Angeles, January 3, 1974:
Why we keep some valuable things, some jewel, very carefully? Because we know, "If I lose this jewel, I will lose so much money." Similarly, we should always consider that. The modern civilization, rascal civilization, they do not know how to utilize life. So many days, so many hours, they are simply wasting, simply wasting. It is said that the sunrise and sunset, during this period, the sun's business is to take away the duration of our life, sunrise and sunset. That means twelve hours or thirteen hours which is gone between the sunrise and sunset...This sun's business is to take away the portion, the fixed up duration of life which I have been given. That is, some of it, is taken away. The same example. Just like you have got a fixed balance in the bank. If you draw even ten pence, ten shillings, that means it is taken away. You have to replace it. But replacing is not possible. Bank balance you can replace. But the balance... Suppose you have passed... I have passed... Suppose if I live for eighty years or ninety years or hundred years. So this seventy-eight years is already taken away. It cannot be replaced. You cannot make the bank balance or the duration of..., again complete. That is not possible. This is plain fact.
Lecture on SB 1.16.20 -- Hawaii, January 16, 1974:
Urge, yes. Just like I am talking some nonsense. That the vāco vegam; it has no value. We should fix something which has value. One who can control, it is better not to talk than to talk foolish. So that is the world. All foolish talking or foolish literature, it has no value. So it has to be controlled. That is called controlling the vāco vegam. Krodha-vegam. Krodha means anger. So it is also urge. Suppose I am insulted by somebody. Naturally, I'll be angry, but if I can control, "All right, let me... He's a foolish. He has done. Why shall I lose my temper?" That is called controlling krodha-vegam. Vāco vegaṁ krodha-vegam, manasa-vegam, mind. It has got so many urges. Mind is driving practically, "Let us go there, let us go there, let us do this, let us..." Never mind sinful or pious, mind is always dictating and rejecting.
Lecture on SB 1.16.22 -- Hawaii, January 18, 1974:
So here it is said, the enquiry, that kiṁ kṣatra-bandhūn kalinā upasṛṣṭān rāṣṭrāṇi vā tair avaropitāni: "Are you very much anxious that, on account of this Kali-yuga, that kṣatra-bandhūn, the rulers, they have occupied the rāṣṭra position, the government position?" So what is the symptom of such a rascal government? That is also stated. Itas tato vāśana-pāna-vāsaḥ-snāna-vyavāyonmukha-jīva-lokam. There will be no fixed position of these things. Just see. What are these? Aśana, eating. Aśana, pāna, drinking; vāsaḥ, residence; snāna, taking bath; and vyavāya, sexual intercourse. There is no rules and regulation. Irresponsible government means, the Kali's government means, that these things will be irregular, not regularized. Just see. This is Vedic civilization. Aśana, eating—there must be regulative principle, not that like hogs and pigs you can eat everything, no. There must be control. Control is there already. Just like in government, when you open a restaurant, immediately there is control. You have to take license, that "You have to supply food like this or like that.
Lecture on SB 1.16.22 -- Hawaii, January 18, 1974:
So at the present moment, our position is very precarious. We are in the darkness, ignorance, and so many other things, corollaries to these things. Rāṣṭrāṇi vā tair avaropitāni itas tataḥ. Just see. Five thousand years ago this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was written, the symptoms of Kali-yuga. Now you see that, itas tato vāśana-pāna-vāsaḥ-snāna. Now everywhere, all over the world, the young boys and girls, they have no fixture where they'll live, where they'll take their bath, where they'll eat or how, or how they'll have sex. No. These are preliminary necessities of life. One must have a good place to live. One must have sufficient nice foodstuff to eat. Sleep. Eating, sleeping, mating—this is physical necessities. So in the Vedic civilization, these necessities are prescribed in a regulated way so that he can satisfy his physical necessities, at the same time, become Kṛṣṇa conscious and go back to home, back to Godhead.
So at the present moment there is no fixture even for the physical necessities. Physical necessities. No home. When I first came to America, when I saw in the Bowery Street, they're lying on the street, "And how is that?" I understood, "The Americans are very rich. Why they are lying on the street?" I was surprised. But see, even in such rich country like America, they're lying on the street, no fixture of sleeping, no fixture of sex life. Nobody knows with whom one has to satisfy his sex life. Nobody knows. In New York City I was, I saw, that one friend asking another friend, "Can I take my showers in your room?" Then I understand, "Oh, there is no fixity of even taking bath." There is no fixity of where to sleep. There is no fixity of where to satisfy sex. Everything, although such a rich country. Why? Because the leaders are rascals. The leaders are rascals. These are the first duty of the government to see that everyone is nicely situated, so far his physical necessities are concerned. But a sane man, when he sees this disturbance, or everything mismanaged, he becomes very unhappy and tries to set up by Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
Lecture on SB 1.16.22 -- Hawaii, January 18, 1974:
And what is auspicity now? Eh? What is auspicity now? We are describing all inauspicity, even without the comet. (laughter) Where do you find the auspicity? One man said that "He has kicked me, he has beaten me with shoes, and again he has said that 'I shall insult you.' " Where is the scarcity of insult? If he is beaten by shoes and kicked by his leg, and still he's expecting some more insult? You are already in inauspicity. Why you are expecting more inauspicity by the presence of comet? We are already in inauspicity. And therefore these descriptions are there. You have no fixture anything—where to live, where to take bath, where to eat, where to have sex life—nothing fixed up. Everything catastrophe, chaos. What more inauspicity you want? Everywhere. Here even one problem, another, in another country, another problem, another problem, another problem. He must be problematic. Daivī hy eṣā... Because anyone who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he must be punished by the laws of nature. He must be punished. Therefore it is said, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ... (BG 7.14).
Lecture on SB 1.16.22 -- Los Angeles, July 12, 1974:
These ordinary university degrees, M.A., Ph.D... Because the essence of knowledge is there. Nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalam idam (SB 1.1.3). It is stated that what is the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam? Nigama-kalpa-taru. Nigama means Vedas. It is just like kalpa-taru, desire tree. We have no idea of desire tree, what is desire tree. It is in the Vaikuṇṭha-loka. The trees are desire tree. Desire tree means from any tree you can get any fruit or anything you want. That is called desire tree. Here it is fixed up: you can get mango from the mango tree. But in the desire tree, whatever you want, you can get. So kalpa-taru. Kalpa-taru means any departmental knowledge that you require to execute your human form of life, so that you will find in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalam (SB 1.1.3). Galitaṁ phalam means the fruit matured in the tree. Here we artificially mature. We take the fruit unripe, and by artificial method, we get it ripened. But that is not acceptable. But the fruit which is ripened fully in the tree, that is very palatable, sweet. Nigama galitam. Galitaṁ phalam, fully matured fruit, this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Fully matured fruit of the desire tree known as Vedas.
Lecture on SB 1.16.23 -- Hawaii, January 19, 1974:
So that is also required, to take protection from enemies. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya, and maithuna, and sexual intercourse. These are physical necessities. So these physical necessities, if you study, they, amongst the animals, they have no problem. But as yesterday we were talking, in the human society, they have created problem. Nobody knows where to eat. These hotels means, increase of number of hotels means that people have no place to live. They have no fixed place to live. Today in this hotel, the next day, another hotel. The so many restaurants means people have no fixed place where to eat. The solution... In India still, because they are not so materially advanced, even the poorest man has got some certain fixed up place, his cottage, he has got his wife, he has got his child, and he works, whatever he can do. He lives peacefully still, in the village, although he hasn't got very gorgeous dress and motorcar. But he's peaceful. You'll find still. And sometimes, say, about ten years ago, I was in Ahmedabad. I saw one poor man, he was pulling cart, hand cart.
Lecture on SB 1.16.23 -- Hawaii, January 19, 1974:
Yes, immediately after giving up this body. The example is given in the śāstras that if, when you walk... Just like the steps, like this. So this step is secure, the another step, when you feel it is secure, then you get up, get up this step. This is our practical experience. Similarly, unless our next birth is fixed up, we do not leave this body. At the time of death, by superior authority, what body I'm going to take next, that has to be decided. Then, when it is decided, if he takes little... Because that is for the most sinful person. And for the devotee, it is already decided. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9)— immediately transferred to the spiritual world. Immediately. There is no question of decision; it is already decided. Kṛṣṇa's decision. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). Therefore it is said, "A devotee..." Jīvo vā māro vā: "A devotee, either you live or die, the same thing." Why? "You are living, you are serving Kṛṣṇa. When you die, you go to serve Kṛṣṇa. That's all."
Lecture on SB 1.16.24 -- Hawaii, January 20, 1974:
Utmost they will live, anyone, but nobody goes to live for hundred years-say, seventy, eighty, sixty or something like that. Gradually it is reducing, and it will reduce twenty to thirty years. That will be duration of life. Because people are becoming more and more sinful. So that is fixed up. A body is given to us by the superior power, and the duration of life is also fixed up. Even the greatest scientist, he cannot increase a moment's time for his life. That is not possible. A moment's life. Professor Einstein was a great scientist, but he could not find out any means that instead of living for, say, eighty years, he could live eighty years, one day. No, that is not possible. That is not possible. Your destiny, duration of life—fixed up. And how it is fixed up? The machine is breathing. Machine is breathing. Just like the clock goes on, tick-tick, tick-tick, tick-tick. As soon as the tick-tick stops, then whole things is lost. Similarly, our breathing is going on, tick-tick, tick-tick, tick-tick, a fixed time. Just like you wind your clock, so that winding will help, tick-tick, for a certain duration of time, say, twenty-four hours. Similarly, there is winding in our life, a spring.
Lecture on SB 1.16.24 -- Hawaii, January 20, 1974:
So this material dress... These hands and legs are there because originally we are spirit soul, we have got hands and legs. This is the proof that we are not formless. With form. Because this body has been described as dress, outward dress, different dress. Just like we are, somebody white, somebody yellow, somebody black, somebody... This is dress. But actually, we spirit soul, we are one. It is by dress we are fighting. "You are Englishman," "I am German," "I am this," "I am Indian," "I am that," "I am man," "I am woman." So many fighting on account of this dress. So when you become dressless, that is the spiritual platform. When you become dressless. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). When we are free from all this designation dress. We are now covered by this designation dress. "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Englishman," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am..." So many, we have created dress. Just like innumerable quantity or quality of dresses, similarly, these are all dresses. So the spiritual platform means sarvopādhi-vinir..., when we become free from all this designation and fixed up in the understanding that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa," that is our real position.
Lecture on SB 1.16.24 -- Los Angeles, July 14, 1974:
Vyavasāyī means one who knows business particularly. Vyavasāya. Or one who knows confidently, "It is... This is the cause, this is the effect." So those who know that Kṛṣṇa is the origin of everything, so they are fixed up in Kṛṣṇa. Vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha. One. Just depend on Kṛṣṇa. One who does not this, they depend on so many things. Buddhayo 'vyavasāyinām.
So if we want to be Kṛṣṇa conscious, we shall fix up our mind on Kṛṣṇa, and... How to become fixed up, that art will be given to you by the spiritual master. Therefore Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says in connection with the explanation of this verse, vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ, so he says vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ means to take the words of the spiritual master as life and soul. That is vyavasāya... That is called vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ. And Viśvanātha Cakravartī says that "Whatever I am ordered by the spiritual master, that is my life and soul. I don't care for liberation. My only business is to serve my spiritual master."
Lecture on SB 1.16.26-30 -- Hawaii, January 23, 1974:
So we must be purely chanting. But we should not be disappointed. Even impure... Therefore we must have fixed chanting process. Because we are not in the pure stage. Therefore, by force... Just like a boy in the school. We had this training in our childhood school. Our teacher would ask me, "You write ten pages, handwriting." So that means practicing ten pages, my handwriting will be set up. So even if we do not follow sixteen rounds, where is the question of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa? So don't be artificial; don't be, I mean to say, a showbottle. Be real thing. And that is wanted. If you want real benefit of spiritual life, don't be showbottle. Do you know showbottle? The medical shop, a big bottle. It is full of water only. And color is red or blue or something like. But the real medicine does not require... (aside:) No, not now. Real medicine does not require a showbottle. A small... If one can chant purified offenseless, once kṛṣṇa-nāma, he is free from all material bondage. Once only. Eka kṛṣṇa nāme yata pāpa haya, pāpī haya tata pāpa kari baro nāhi(?).
Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- New York, April 10, 1969:
So here Śukadeva Gosvāmī sent by Kṛṣṇa on the verge of his death. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). Ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva (CC Madhya 19.151). This opportunity is obtained by a very fortunate person. Because the living entities are wandering within this universe, packed up, from one planet to another, from one species life to another species of life. In this way, he is wandering. He is not fixed up. Today I am American or Indian, tomorrow or next birth, I do not know what is going to happen to me. But this body for good will be finished. I'll never get this body. I'll get another body. Maybe a demigod's body or a tree's body or a plant's body or animal's body—I must get another body. So the living entity is wandering in this way, vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni. Just like we change our dress from one dress to another, similarly we are changing different positions by the influence of māyā. Māyā is forcing me. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi (BG 3.27). As soon as I am desiring something, immediately my body is formed. Immediately a particular type of body begins to form, and as soon as I am mature to change, my next body I get according to my desire. Therefore we should always desire Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Delhi, November 4, 1973:
So when it was fixed up... Mahārāja Parīkṣit was also very powerful. He could retaliate the brāhmaṇa's cursing, but he did not do it. He accepted, "Yes." Therefore Lord Śiva said, nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve na kutaścana bibhyati: (SB 6.17.28) "When one is devotee of Nārāyaṇa, he is not afraid of anything." Nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve na kutaścana bibhyati. He was cursed that "Within the seven days you'll die." So he was not afraid. "That's all right." So he prepared himself, and many learned scholar, saintly person, kings, even demigods, all approached because he was the emperor of the world, and he was going to die. So many big, big stalwart people... Even Vyāsadeva, he was present there. And Parīkṣit Mahārāja said, "Now what is my duty? You are all big men, present here. I am going to die. Now what is my duty?"
Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Paris, June 9, 1974:
So actually, we do not love this body because the same beautiful body's there. Why do you not care? Because soul is not... Therefore I love the soul. This is the fact. This is ātmavit, ātma-tattva-vit. And why I love soul? Because I love Kṛṣṇa. Soul is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. So why I am so much fond of soul? Because it is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, ultimately, I love Kṛṣṇa. This is the conclusion. And if I do not love Kṛṣṇa, that is my abnormal stage. And the normal stage is I love Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we are trying to awaken Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As soon as one is fixed up in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and begins to love Kṛṣṇa, then he doesn't want to love anything more. Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi: "Now I am fully satisfied." So otherwise, we'll have many questions, many answers so long we are not self-realized, and our time will be spoiled.
Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Paris, June 11, 1974:
Therefore Kṛṣṇa points out in the Bhagavad-gītā that real freedom is when you get freedom from four different problems. What is that? Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). If you get freedom from these four things—no more death, no more birth, no more old age, old age, and no more disease—that is freedom. But where is that freedom? The so-called scientists, big, big scientists, they have very scientifically advanced, but they had no freedom from death. They had to die on a fixed-up date. Professor Einstein or any other big, big scientist, they could not manufacture any scientific instrument and keep it in the custody of his student, that "As soon as I die, you just apply this machine. I shall come alive again." Where is that freedom? So this so-called scientific improvement, advancement in civilization, it is just like jumping like the dog. That's all. It has no value. Real value is to understand ātma-tattvam, "What I am? Why death is imposed upon me? I do not wish to die. Why old age is imposed upon me? I do not wish to become old man or old woman. I wish to remain a beautiful young..." "No, sir, that is not possible." Then where is your freedom? What for you are jumping so much? As soon as the master will call "Yes, sir. Bind me..."
Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Paris, June 11, 1974:
So for them, these newspapers are very useful. But one who is fixed up in ātma-tattvam, Bhāgavata,, "I am Brahman. I am not anything of this material world," for them, there is no need of this so-called news of newspaper. There is no... Simply, they should try to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is the only business. There is no other business. And as soon as you understand Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa assures, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). If you simply try to under... Here is Kṛṣṇa. If you simply try to understand Kṛṣṇa... And how you'll understand? By service. By service. Kṛṣṇa has agreed that "I'll accept your service." Therefore He has come. You cannot serve Kṛṣṇa in His universal form. Now Kṛṣṇa has agreed, as you have got limited potency, you can touch Kṛṣṇa. You can touch His lotus feet. You can make dress for Kṛṣṇa with devotion. You can put the dress on Kṛṣṇa. You can prepare, according to your capacity, foodstuffs. You can offer to Kṛṣṇa, so Kṛṣṇa will eat. He says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati, tad aham aśnāmi (BG 9.26).
Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Paris, June 12, 1974:
So our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to purify the covering, the material covering. That... What is that purification? Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). First of all, you have to purified with the sense that you are neither American nor a Frenchman nor Englishman nor Indian nor brāhmaṇa nor kṣatriya—nothing of the sort. You have to... These are all designations, outward dress. You have to become free from it. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). You'll have to forget. Actually, that is happening in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Those who have joined, they never think that "I am American," "I am Frenchman," "I am Englishman." They are always thinking that they are servant of Kṛṣṇa. This is called purification. As soon as you learn that you are neither American, nor Indian, nor this or not that... You are eternally servant of Kṛṣṇa. This is purification. The more you are fixed up on this knowledge, the more you are purified. That's all.
Lecture on SB 2.1.7 -- Paris, June 15, 1974:
Iti rāma-padenāsau paraṁ brahmābhidhīyate (CC Madhya 9.29). Because when we enter the platform of continuous blissfulness, ānanda, that is the connection with, that is the meaning of Rāma. The Rāma, Paraṁ Brahma. That means when one is situated in the service of the Paraṁ Brahma, then his life is successful. So here it is said, nairguṇya-sthā ramante sma guṇānukathane hareḥ. Then not a single moment is wasted without talking about Kṛṣṇa. Vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane. In other, other place it is...: sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane. So practice this. First of all, fix up your mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, and that is called sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ (SB 9.4.18). So if your mind is fixed up, then other senses will act because other senses are acting under the leadership of the mind. Mind is your enemy and mind is your friend. When the mind is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that mind is your friend. And the mind, when it is engaged in other consciousness, that is your enemy. So you can create your mind—friend or enemy—according to your desire. If you fix up always... The Deity worship means to fix up your mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, always worshiping Kṛṣṇa. So therefore I am asking why there is no ankle bell. There must be ankle bell the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. So if you fix up your mind, then immediately, fix up your mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, immediately you are nairguṇya-stha, situated in the nairguṇya, transcendental platform.
Lecture on SB 2.2.5 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1968:
They are under different designations, that's all. Different living entities means under different designations. That's all. And when that designation is off, then he's Kṛṣṇa's. That's all. Actually he is Kṛṣṇa's, but under different designations he has got different bodies. So if we place ourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in spite of this designated body, still we become purified. Jīvan-muktaḥ sa ucyate. He's liberated even living within this material tabernacle. Īhā yasya harer dāsye. If anyone fixes his mind up to the service of Kṛṣṇa, then in whatever condition he may be, he is a liberated person. Simply we have to fix up that we shall simply execute business of Kṛṣṇa. That's all. All right. Thank you. Now chant. Who is this child? (kīrtana) Distribute from the end there, just. Yes. That's all. (end)
Lecture on SB 2.3.1 -- Los Angeles, May 19, 1972:
Because without becoming brāhmaṇa, nobody can understand what is Kṛṣṇa or what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One must be on the platform of goodness. When one is fixed up on the platform of goodness, the other two qualities—namely, ignorance and passion—cannot disturb him. Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā. Naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18).
- śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
- puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ
- hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi
- vidhunoti suhṛt satām
- (SB 1.2.17)
Hṛdy antaḥ-sthaḥ. Kṛṣṇa is within your heart. If you kindly continue to hear about Him, as you are doing, then Kṛṣṇa will be very much pleased, "Oh, this person is now interested in me." Because nobody's interested in Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa is also silent to them. But as soon as you become interested, oh, Kṛṣṇa becomes very active, "Oh, he's trying to do something. I shall help him." In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, teṣāṁ satata-yuktānām (BG 10.10). Teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānām. What is that verse? Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam. Kṛṣṇa says. He's silent for the nondevotees, but he speaks to the devotees. That is very natural. If some big man... He talks with men who are intelligent, who is businesslike. Why he wastes his time talking with some rascals and fools? So Kṛṣṇa talk, but talks to the devotee. Who are devotee? Satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam. Those who are 24-hours engaged in rendering loving devotional service to the Lord. To such person Kṛṣṇa gives intelligence, not others.
Lecture on SB 2.3.11-12 -- Los Angeles, May 29, 1972:
Prabhupāda: This is the important factor. Now, translation?
Pradyumna: "All the different kinds of worshipers of multi-demigods can attain the highest perfectional benediction, which is spontaneous attraction unflinchingly fixed upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, only by the association of the pure devotee of the Lord."
Prabhupāda: This is the secret, association of the pure devotee of the Lord. Without association of pure devotee of Lord, nobody can come to the stage, unflinching faith and devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I think last purport we did not read?
Lecture on SB 2.3.11-12 -- Los Angeles, May 29, 1972:
We also have information from the Bhagavad-gītā that all the planets within the material world, including Brahmaloka, are but temporarily situated, and after a fixed period they are all annihilated. Therefore the demigods and their followers are all annihilated at the period of devastation, but one who reaches the kingdom of God gets a permanent share in eternal life. That is the verdict of Vedic literature. The worshipers of the demigods have one facility more than the unbelievers due to their being convinced of the Vedic version, by which they can get information of the benefit of worshiping the Supreme Lord in the association of the devotees of the Lord. The gross materialist, however, without any faith in the Vedic version, remains eternally in darkness, driven by a false conviction on the basis of imperfect experimental knowledge, or so-called material science, which can never reach into the realm of transcendental knowledge.
Lecture on SB 2.3.13-14 -- Los Angeles, May 30, 1972:
Pradyumna: "A pure devotee of the Lord automatically develops all godly qualities, and some of the prominent features of those qualities are as follows: He is kind, peaceful, truthful, equable, faultless, magnanimous, mild, clean, nonpossessive, a well-wisher to all, satisfied, surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, without hankering, simple, fixed, self-controlled, a balanced eater, sane, mannerly, prideless, grave, sympathetic, friendly, poetic, expert, and silent. Out of these twenty-six prominent features..."
Prabhupāda: So with the advancement of our spiritual consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we should verify "Whether these qualifications are becoming manifest in my person." Just like when you eat, you understand that you are getting strength, or your appetite is being satisfied. Nobody can... Nobody requires to ask certificate. You can understand, yourself. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). If we are advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then our detachment for material things will, attachment for material things will decrease. This is one side. Viraktir anyatra syāt. Just like our students, they have become averse to so many things. You are all young boys and girls. So many young boys and girls are going to restaurant, to cinema, and so many other things, but you have become detached; you have no more attraction. So one side... Progress of bhakti means one side we shall be detached and another side we shall increase our attachment. So these are the qualifications.
Lecture on SB 2.3.21 -- Los Angeles, June 18, 1972:
So they do not understand that by superior management, every living entity has been offered a different type of body for material distress and happiness. Everyone. It is not possible to change. Therefore, if we are intelligent enough, we should know that "My distress and happiness in this material world is already fixed up because I have got a particular type of body. Then when it is fixed up, then why, why I shall waste my time for so-called distress and happiness, when it is fixed up?" Just like you are running in a train. You have already purchased a ticket for third class.
Then how you can run on the first class? That is not possible. If you want to run on the first class compartment, you must purchase a ticket. Similarly, we have already purchased a ticket according to our body. Therefore, śāstra says that don't bother about this so-called distress and happiness. They are already fixed up. If you have got some energy, please utilize it how to develop in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Don't spoil your energy for so-called distress and happiness. That is mistake. But the modern civilization is so foolish. They are simply trying for bodily distress and happiness and spoiling the energy which he could utilize for understanding God. This is the defect of modern civilization.
Lecture on SB 2.3.21 -- Los Angeles, June 18, 1972:
This is the defect of modern civilization. Actually, foolish civilization... They do not know what is the value of life, how we can realize our ultimate goal of life, what is this body, what is God. There is no education. There is no enlightenment. Simply, just like animals. The animals... trying, animal also trying to become comfortable.
But it is not possible. Because he's animal, he cannot be as comfortable as a human being. That is not possible. It is destined. So everyone is destined and fixed up, his comfortable life. Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovidaḥ. Therefore, one who is intelligent, he should simply spend his energy how to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is intelligence. All right. Have kīrtana. (end)
Lecture on SB 2.4.3-4 -- Los Angeles, June 27, 1972:
Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)
- papraccha cemam evārthaṁ
- yan māṁ pṛcchatha sattamāḥ
- kṛṣṇānubhāva-śravaṇe
- śraddadhāno mahā-manāḥ
- saṁsthāṁ vijñāya sannyasya
- karma trai-vargikaṁ ca yat
- vāsudeve bhagavati
- ātma-bhāvaṁ dṛḍhaṁ gataḥ
- (SB 2.4.3-4)
Translation: "O great sages, the great soul Mahārāja Parīkṣit, constantly rapt in the thought of Lord Kṛṣṇa, knowing well of his imminent death, renounced all sorts of fruitive activities, namely acts of religion, economic development, and sense gratification, and thus fixed himself firmly in his natural love for Kṛṣṇa and asked exactly all these questions, as you are asking me."
Prabhupāda: So, kṛṣṇānubhāva-śravaṇe śraddadhāno mahā-manāḥ. Vāsudeve bhagavati ātma-bhāvaṁ dṛḍhaṁ gataḥ. Kṛṣṇānubhāva-śravaṇe. When we hear from right source, the natural result will be Kṛṣṇa consciousness, kṛṣṇānubhāva, kṛṣṇa-bhāvanāmṛta. Śraddadhāno mahā-manāḥ. One who hears with attention, with faith, mahā-manāḥ. Just like the great sages in Naimiṣāraṇya, they did. Real purpose is vāsudeve bhagavati ātma-bhāvaṁ dṛḍhaṁ gataḥ, to increase our affection or love for Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudeve bhagavati. Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ, janayaty āśu vairāgyam (SB 1.2.7). Purpose, sannyasya, renounced... People cannot renounce. They are very much attached to this material body and anything in relationship with this body. But the real purpose of human life is to become renounced, no more material body. That is required. Vairāgyam. This is called vairāgyam, or renounced. Because we want this material body, therefore we get it, life after life. This will continue so long we'll be overpowered by material thought.
Lecture on SB 2.4.3-4 -- Los Angeles, June 27, 1972:
So real purpose is sense gratification. "If I take to religious principles, then I'll get more money without any hard work, and if I get more money, then I'll be able to satisfy my senses." This is called dharmārtha-kāma. And there is another stage, which is called mokṣa, liberation. So people are not interested for liberation. They want to become religious for material benefits. But that is not the real purpose of life. Material benefit, you cannot get more than what you are destined to have; that is already fixed up. According to your body... You get the body. We get different types of body, and according to the body, our material sufferings and enjoyment are fixed up, already. You cannot have more or less. Otherwise... you'll see, one man is working so hard, day and night, and he could hardly maintain himself or his family. And another man, he's going to the market, sits down for one hour, and earns 100,000 dollars, immediately. You can see. Simply by touching the phone, he simply asks, "What is the rate of this? What is the rate of that?" and he makes one transaction, and immediately he gets one thousand dollars. And this man is working hard, day and night, he could not get even two sufficient meals.
Lecture on SB 2.4.3-4 -- Los Angeles, June 27, 1972:
They cannot get any nice food. Still they live there. This is māyā. They will not think, "Oh, here the life is very difficult. Let me go away from here. Let me go to some other, better place." No. He'll not go. Janani janma-bhūmiś ca svargād api garīyasī. Our birthplace, even it is hell, it is better than heaven. That is māyā. Just like hog. Hog is living most abominable condition of life, with stools and filthy water, but still, he is thinking he's living in heaven. Janani janma-bhūmiś ca svargād api garīyasī. So therefore, the conclusion is that so far material comforts are concerned, you cannot get more. Or less. You will get. It is already fixed up. Deha-yogena dehinām. Sukham aindriyakaṁ daityā deha-yogena dehinām, sarvatra labhyate... eh? Yathā duḥkham ayatnataḥ. Prahlāda Mahārāja says. Sarvatra labhyate. So far material comfort is concerned, what you are destined to get, you'll get it, in wherever you may live. It doesn't matter. Your allotment is already there. That is your body.
Lecture on SB 2.4.3-4 -- Los Angeles, June 27, 1972:
In this way, the whole situation is there. But the central point is, master is Kṛṣṇa, or God, and our love should be reposed unto Him. This is the point. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Śraddadhāno mahā-manāḥ. So one who has fixed up his goal of life in this way, that "I am rendering service. That's a fact. But I am not satisfied. Why? I am rendering so much service."... Just like in our country, Mahatma Gandhi rendered so much service to his country that at the end he was killed by his countrymen. Just see. This is the return. Your country also. President Kennedy, he was a nice president, but he was killed. So here in this material world, or māyā, if you render service to māyā, illusion, you'll never be satisfied. Neither the person to whom you are giving service, he'll be satisfied. There is no satisfaction, either to the so-called master or to the servant. Because Kṛṣṇa is missing. That's all. One should understand this.
Lecture on SB 2.9.1 -- Tokyo, April 20, 1972:
Another yogi, he gives immediately two rasagullā. So by producing two rasagullā, four annas' worth, he becomes God. You see? This is illusion. These rascals, they do not know that, "What is this rasagullā, two rasagullā? I can purchase from the market for four annas. So he is becoming God by four annas?" But they have no sense. "Oh, he is God. He can produce rasagullā." Rasagullā I can produce in our kitchen. But they are so rascal. "Oh, wonderful." So the yogic siddhis... So Kṛṣṇa gives him some power of yogic siddhi and he thinks that "I have become God," and some flatterers, they also think, "Oh, you are God." The same dream. And as soon as death comes, everything finished, your Godhood and everything finished. Now becomes doghood, come to the stage of doghood. Again, another dream: "I am dog." First of all "I am God," then next stage, "I am dog." This is going on. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said, keno māyār bośe jāccho bhese': "Why you are being washed away by the waves of māyā? Just fix up. Stand up." Jīv kṛṣṇa-dās ei viśwās korle to ār duḥkho nāi. You simply remain fixed up on this standpoint, that, "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." Then there is no more dream. And if you allow yourself to be washed away, Kṛṣṇa gives you facility, "All right, come on. Be washed away."
Lecture on SB 2.9.7 -- Tokyo, April 24, 1972:
Pradyumna: "To achieve success in life, one should follow the example of Lord Brahmā, the first living creature in the beginning of creation. After being initiated by the Supreme Lord to execute tapasya, he was fixed in his determination to do it."
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Pradyumna: "Although he could not find anyone besides himself, he could rightly understand that the sound was transmitted by the Lord Himself. Brahmā was the only living being at that time, because there was no other creation. And none could be found there except himself. In the beginning of the First Canto, First Chapter, first verse of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it is already mentioned that Brahmā was initiated by the Lord from within. The Lord is within every living entity as the Supersoul, and he initiated Brahmā because Brahmā was willing to receive the initiation. The Lord can similarly initiate everyone who is inclined to have it. As already stated, Brahmā is the original spiritual master for the universe. And since he was initiated by the Lord Himself, the message of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is coming down by disciplic succession. And in order to receive the real message of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, one should approach the current link or spiritual master in the chain of disciplic succession. After being initiated by the proper spiritual master in that chain of succession, one should engage himself in discharge of tapasya in the execution of devotional service. One should not, however, think himself on the level of Brahmā, to be initiated directly from the Lord by the Lord from inside, because in the present age no one can be accepted to be as pure as Brahmā. The post of Brahmā, to officiate in the creation of the universe, is offered to the most pure living being. And unless one is so qualified..."
Prabhupāda: Yes. This is important. Who becomes Brahmā? A very exalted living being, pure, he is entrusted that "You become Brahmā." Brahmā is also living being, but because he is very pure... This Brahmā post is sometimes not available because there is no such pure living being. So Kṛṣṇa becomes Himself Brahmā sometimes.
Lecture on SB 2.9.10 -- Tokyo, April 26, 1972:
So actually if there is no thief, where is the cause of anxiety? If there is no burglar, thieves, rogues. It is the duty actually. It is the duty of the king to see that there should be no thieves. People should be anxiety-free. That is nice government. Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, when he was ruling, there was not even scorching heat. People were so anxiety-free. You see? Due to pious activities of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, there was no severe cold or scorching heat, no dangerous disease, infection. They were all free from all this. It can be possible if there is good government. So here is the idea. Pravartate yatra rajas tamas tayoḥ sattvaṁ ca miśraṁ na ca kāla-vikramaḥ. Kāla-vikramaḥ. Here we are governed by the stringent laws of time. I am getting old. Kāla-vikramaḥ. The body is getting seventy-six years. This means time has eaten up my duration of life seventy-six years, influence of time. You cannot avoid it. Kāla-vikramaḥ. Na yatra māyā. Māyā, illusion. Either fixed-up idea. Everyone knows Lord Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality, and they are all happy by serving the Lord. Everyone is engaged. Surāsurārcitāḥ anuvratāḥ. They are not..., they have no revolutionary spirit: "Oh, why shall I serve You? I am also God." This is revolutionary. These things are not there. The so-called rascal declaring oneself that "I am God," no. Anuvrata. Everyone is following: "Oh, here is Lord." In the Vaikuṇṭha planets there is very great respectful consciousness, "Here is Lord." But in Vṛndāvana, there is no such respectful consciousness, Kṛṣṇa, and the cowherds boys, gopīs, but their love is very, very intense. Out of love, they cannot disobey Kṛṣṇa. Here in the Vaikuṇṭha, out of respect, they cannot disobey.
Lecture on SB 3.25.4 -- Bombay, November 4, 1974:
So those who are in the line of hearing from the preceptorial succession, disciplic succession... As it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2). Not, I mean to say, upstart knowledge. Standard knowledge. Standard knowledge is received from the paramparā system, disciplic succession. Therefore it is said, śrotriyam. Śrotriyam means "who has heard from the paramparā system." Śrotriyam... And the result is brahma-niṣṭham: "He is firmly fixed up in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Brahma-niṣṭham. He has no other business. This is two qualifications. He must have heard the Vedic knowledge through the disciplic succession. It does not require that he is very learned scholar. No. Simply he must hear from the authority. Śrotriyam. You have... Kṛṣṇa has given you, God has given you the ear. This is our system. Simply they hear and they become big, big preacher. It doesn't require that he has to pass M.A., C.B.A.C., or Ph.D. examinations. Hearing is sufficient. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. You remain in your position, in your place. You do not require to change it. Sthāne sthitāḥ.
Lecture on SB 3.25.13 -- Los Angeles, November 10, 1968:
First spiritual realization is to understand oneself that "I am not matter; I am spirit." This is the first stage of spiritual realization—when one firmly convinced. How? By knowledge. By knowledge. Just we are conscious, "I am Indian." You are conscious that you are American. One is conscious, "I am Hindu." One is conscious, "I am Christian." So similarly, when one is fully conscious that "I am spirit. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi, I am Brahman," that is the first spiritual realization, that knowledge. Knowledge means consciousness. So this consciousness has also a development of consciousness. There are different stages. And when one comes to the ultimate stages, niḥśreyasāya, that is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness. And how that consciousness acts? That "I am a servant of God. I am servant of Kṛṣṇa." When this consciousness is firmly fixed up, this is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Lecture on SB 3.25.14 -- Bombay, November 14, 1974:
So that yoga system, ādhyātmika, is being explained by Kapiladeva, that you'll never fall down. Permanent, fixed-up position. Once begun, it will continue. Even if you fall down, then you are given chance again. What is that? Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate (BG 6.41). Very nice family, brāhmaṇa family. Brāhmaṇa family means Vaiṣṇava family. Brāhmaṇa-vaiṣṇava, brāhmaṇa-paṇḍita. Brāhmaṇa means he must be learned and he must be a Vaiṣṇava. Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ. Viṣṇu. Therefore in every brāhmaṇa house there is viṣṇu-pūjā, Viṣṇu-śālagrāma. Still. From descent, I mean to say, generation, it is coming down. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, they are supposed to worship Lord Viṣṇu. Not only brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra... Śūdra also. Varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān viṣṇur ārādhyate (CC Madhya 8.58). This is statement of Viṣṇu Purāṇa. Varṇāśrama, the execution of duty in the institution of varṇa and āśrama, four varṇas and four āśramas, what is the meaning? The meaning is viṣṇur ārādhyate, Viṣṇu becomes very pleased.
Lecture on SB 3.25.16 -- Bombay, November 16, 1974:
So vītaṁ yadā manaḥ... So how it is possible? That is also said, that nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). Naṣṭa-prāyeṣu abhadreṣu. Abhadra, the dirty things... Because you hear, go on, go on hearing, chanting, then the dirty things will be diminished. Kṛṣṇa says that hṛdy antaḥ-sthaḥ. Kṛṣṇa is also within the heart, and the dirty things are also there. So..., but Kṛṣṇa helps you cleansing. So it is not completely cleansed, but even it is fifty percent or sixty percent cleansed, naṣṭa-prāyeṣu abhadreṣu... How? Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā. Regularly hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. These two processes recommended by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Chant your rounds regularly. Make a fixed-up... We have fixed up only minimum. Haridāsa Ṭhākura was chanting 300,000 times, and we have made sixteen times. And still, etādṛśī tava kṛpā bhagavan mamāpi durdaivam īdṛśam ihājani nā... "I could not perform even sixteen rounds. Such unfortunate I am."
Lecture on SB 3.25.16 -- Bombay, November 16, 1974:
By this process then you attain the stage of bhagavad-bhakti, naiṣṭhikī, fixed up, not tiltering, fixed up. Bhagavati naiṣṭhikī. Anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt tato niṣṭhā. This naiṣṭhikī, or niṣṭhā, firm faith, is achieved when anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Anartha. This anartha means ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8), kāma-lobhādibhiḥ. This is anartha. We don't require all these things. Why I shall think, "This is my country, my family, my body..."? Nothing is mine. It is false. But people are wasting time in this way. "My country, my nation, my body, my family." Ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). They are wasting time. So nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā. We can vanquish all these false conceptions of life. Then sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati. These are the... Kāma-lobha... But even if it is not completely finished, these dirty things, but even if you come to the platform of sattva-guṇa, then you'll not be disturbed. But these tamo-guṇa and rajo-guṇa always disturb. Then if you are not disturbed by these kāma and lobha, then sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati. Then you will be pleased, you'll feel happiness, when you are on the sattva-guṇa. And then you have to surpass the sattva-guṇa. Śuddha-sattva. Sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vasudeva-śabditam. The vasudeva platform. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Then you will understand your relationship with Kṛṣṇa and then you'll be happy.
Lecture on SB 3.25.19 -- Bombay, November 19, 1974:
That everyone is questioning, from the morning. "What is today's news?" Immediately newspaper. "What is the news?" Then it is no more... Then you go the market, "What is the price of rice? What is the price of this? What is the price of that?" You purchase. Then you eat. Then you go the office or market. Then again, "What is the price? What is the..." Not that kind of inquiry. That is going on. That is also going on by the cats and dogs. They are also inquiring, "Where is food? Where is remnants of foods? Where they are thrown out so that I can go, I can take?" The crows are also doing that, that kind of question. But you should not waste your time like the cats and dogs and crows by inquiring, "Where is food? Where is food? Where is food?" Food is there for you, fixed up. Don't bother. The Bhāgavata says there..., tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ (SB 1.5.18). Now, not only in cats' and dogs' life, even in heavenly life and other life, we are simply inquiring, "Where is my sense gratification? Where is my sense gratification?" That kind of inquiry will not help you. Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta. You should inquire for something which you never did before. That is brahma-jijñāsā.
Lecture on SB 3.25.25 -- Bombay, November 25, 1974:
Nitāi: (leads chanting, etc.) "In the association of pure devotees, discussion of the pastimes and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and heart. By cultivating such knowledge one gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation, and therefore he is freed, and his attraction becomes fixed. Then real devotion and devotional service begin."
Prabhupāda:
- satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido
- bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ
- taj-joṣaṇād āśv apavarga-vartmani
- śraddhā ratir bhaktir anukramiṣyati
- (SB 3.25.25)
So here it is recommended, satāṁ prasaṅgāt, talks between devotees. Satām means devotee, not ordinary person; those who are devotees, sat. Sat and asat. There are two things. Sat means which exists, and asat mean which does not exist—temporary. That is called asat. This material world is asat. Therefore Vedic injunction is asato mā sad gama: "Don't keep yourself within this material world." (aside:) That child... Asato mā.
Lecture on SB 3.25.27 -- Bombay, November 27, 1974:
Nitāi: "Thus by not engaging in the service of the modes of material nature, but by developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness, knowledge and renunciation, and by practicing yoga in which the mind is always fixed in devotional service under the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one achieves My association in this very life. For I am the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth."
Prabhupāda:
- asevayāyaṁ prakṛter guṇānāṁ
- jñānena vairāgya-vijṛmbhitena
- yogena mayy arpitayā ca bhaktyā
- māṁ pratyag-ātmānam ihāvarundhe
- (SB 3.25.27)
So asevayā ayam. What is our business at the present moment? We are serving māyā in different varieties. So māyā has got three modes—sattva, rajas, tamas or mixed. Just like the color displayer, very expert in mixing colors. Actually there are three colors: blue, red and yellow. This blue, red, yellow, the color display of the mix-three into three equal to nine; nine into nine, it becomes eighty-one. So in this material world we, living entities, we are colored in this way. Three into three—sattva, rajas, tamo-guṇa. Three into three equal to nine, and nine multiplied by nine, eighty-one. So there eighty-one colorful living entities are there. Somebody's human being; somebody's demigod; somebody's cat; somebody's dog; somebody's servant; somebody's tree; somebody's plant... There are 8,400,000's of forms of life. And that is our service. Just like the dog is barking. He's thinking that he's dog. So his business is barking. That means serving the laws of material nature. Similarly, somebody's serving, somebody's serving in some way someone-variety.
Lecture on SB 3.25.31 -- Bombay, December 1, 1974:
So our proposition is that Kṛṣṇa is the original mahājana. Kṛṣṇa instructed Brahmā. Brahmā is also mahājana. And Kṛṣṇa instructed everyone. Just like Bhagavad-gītā. He is instructing everyone. How? Aham ādir hi devānām: (Bg 10.2) "All the demigods, they are subordinate to Me." Aham ādiḥ: "I am the original." Everyone has learned from Kṛṣṇa. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye. So Kṛṣṇa is teaching personally just like Kapiladeva is teaching personally. So you take Kapiladeva's philosophy, Sāṅkhya philosophy, Kṛṣṇa's philosophy, Bhagavad-gītā, but try to understand as He says. Don't interpret in the wrong way. So this is āmnāya-tattvam. So if we fix up the idea how to receive transcendental knowledge and how to practice it, if we simply take the instruction of these mahājana, āmnāya, so that will be very beneficial and easy also.
Lecture on SB 3.25.32 -- Bombay, December 2, 1974:
The fact is in his previous life he executed devotional service up to bhāva-bhakti. So his Cintāmaṇi, that prostitute, became his guru, remind that "You are so much fond of prostitute. If this attraction would have been to Kṛṣṇa, how much successful you would have..." So it acted, and he left to Vṛndāvana and lived for seven hundred years. So he has a book, Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta, Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura. That is recommended by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu for reading, Kṛṣṇa-karnāmṛta. So in that book he writes, bhaktis tvayi sthiratarā bhagavan yadi syāt: "If we have got fixed-up devotion unto You, my Lord, Bhagavān," then daivena naḥ phalati divya-kiśora-mūrtiḥ, "then very easily we can see Your form," divya-kiśora-mūrtiḥ, "Your divine form," kiśora-mūrtiḥ, "very young boy." Kṛṣṇa is always kiśora. Kṛṣṇa's another name is Kiśora. Kiśora-mūrtiḥ. Kiśora means kaiśora, before marriage, before..., eleventh to sixteenth year. This is called kiśora age.
Lecture on SB 3.25.35 -- Bombay, December 4, 1974:
So the Kṛṣṇa, Govinda, Śyāmasundara, is meant for the santa, not for the narādhamas, duṣkṛtinas, mūḍhas. They cannot understand. One has to qualify himself to be sinless. Na māṁ duṣkṛtinaḥ... This is said, and another paragraph is there, yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām: "Those who are completely free from sinful activities," yeṣāṁ tu anta-gatam, "no more touch with sinful life," te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 7.28), "they can fix up their devotional service to Kṛṣṇa." It is not so easy. But one can become immediately a santa, within a second. How? That also, Kṛṣṇa says, that,
- sarva-dharmān parityajya
- mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
- ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo
- mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ
- (BG 18.66)
The qualification is: unless one is sinless, he cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. He cannot understand what is kṛṣṇa-bhajana. But if one is eager—he's actually very eager—he can do it immediately. What is that? Surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-dharmān parityajya: (BG 18.66) Give up all these nonsense so-called religious principle. Simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa, "Kṛṣṇa, I was forgotten about You. Now I surrender unto You fully. If You like, You can kill me; if You like, You can give me protection." This is surrender, not business. "Kṛṣṇa, if You give me this nice thing, then I will surrender." That is not surrender. That is business.
Lecture on SB 3.25.35 -- Bombay, December 4, 1974:
So we should not be like that. If we want to be fixed up then, in devotional service, then, as it is advised by Kapiladeva... He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead incarnate. He says, paśyanti te me rucirāṇy amba santaḥ? "They can see that..." So unless God has got form, how one can see? How God can be nirākāra? God is never nirākāra, but He's sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ. His ākāra is not like us. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). His form is sac-cid-ānanda. This body is not sac-cid-ānanda. Sat means eternal, and cit means full of knowledge, and ānanda means full of bliss. So if we study, "Is our body eternal?" no, sir. It is temporary, say, fifty years, sixty years, utmost hundred years. So it is not eternal, it is not sat. Asat. Asato mā sad gama, the Vedic injunction, that "Don't keep yourself in this asat body. Just get your original sat body, eternal body." We are not interested. We are simply interested with this temporary body: "I am this body." I am not this body. I am spirit soul. I am within this body. This is knowledge. This is called siddhi. So long I am thinking, "I am this body," then I am cats and dogs. They are thinking like that. But when I know that "I am not this body. I am the spirit spark, spirit soul. I am encaged within this body," that is knowledge. That is knowledge. So those who are self-realized spirit soul, they can see.
Lecture on SB 3.25.37 -- Bombay, December 6, 1974:
But a devotee does not want any of these things, any of these things. He's not at all interested. Just like Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura, the other day I told you the story. He says that muktir mukulitāñjali sevate asmāt: "My Lord, if I am fixed up in devotional service, then what to speak of mukti. Mukti is just like my maidservant. She's standing on door, 'What can I do for you?' " Muktir mukulitāñjali. Añjali, just like folded hands, "Sir, what can I do for you?" That is the position. Why a devotee shall want mukti? No. He doesn't want anything. Simply he wants to serve Kṛṣṇa. That's all. He wants this facility, no other thing.
Lecture on SB 3.25.44 -- Bombay, December 12, 1974:
Nitāi: "Therefore persons whose minds are fixed on the Lord engage in the intensive practice of devotional service. That is the only means for attainment of the final perfection of life."
Prabhupāda:
- etāvān eva loke 'smin
- puṁsāṁ niḥśreyasodayaḥ
- tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena
- mano mayy arpitaṁ sthiram
- (SB 3.25.44)
This is the conclusion of bhakti-yoga. Kapiladeva has explained bhakti-yoga. In the last verse we have discussed jñāna-vairāgya-yuktena bhakti-yogena (SB 3.25.43). Bhakti-yoga is not the business of the foolish or ignorant. One who is advanced in jñāna-vairāgya, knowledge and renunciation... Another name of bhakti-yoga is renunciation. Vairāgya-vidyā. Bhakti-yoga means the education of renouncement. Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, he explained bhakti-yoga, vairāgya-vidyā. Vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yogam (CC Madhya 6.254). Yes. The bhakti-yoga begins when we accept Kṛṣṇa's instruction, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). We have to renounce all nonsense engagement. That is called sarva-dharmān. We have accepted everything as dharma, saṁsāra-dharma, gṛhastha-dharma, rāja-dharma, samājika-dharma. There are so many we have created. And we are still going on. Dharma means function, characteristic.
Lecture on SB 3.26.8 -- Bombay, December 20, 1974:
So our business is to pray to Kṛṣṇa to get me out of this struggling, hard struggle for existence in this material world. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaching us this prayer, no other prayer. Ayi nanda-tanuja patitaṁ kiṅkaraṁ māṁ viṣame bhavāmbudhau. "O Kṛṣṇa..." Kṛṣṇa is very pleased when we address Him with His devotee. Nanda Mahārāja is devotee playing as the father of Kṛṣṇa. So therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu is addressing Kṛṣṇa, ayi nanda-tanuja: "Kṛṣṇa, You are born out of the body of Mahārāja Nanda." This is very pleasing to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore He is addressing, ayi nanda-tanuja, patitaṁ kiṅkaraṁ māṁ viṣame. Patitaṁ kiṅkaram. Kiṅkaram means servant. "I am Your eternal servant, but somehow or other, I am now fallen in this ocean of nescience, repeated birth and death." Patitaṁ kiṅkaraṁ māṁ viṣame bhavāmbudhau. Kṛpayā: "By Your causeless mercy, because I am servant... I have somehow or other fallen." Kṛpayā tava pāda-paṅkaja-sthita-dhūlī-sadṛśaṁ vicintaya: "Kindly fix me again as one of the dust particle in Your lotus feet."
Lecture on SB 3.26.23-4 -- Bombay, January 1, 1975:
So if we want to be cured again and come to our original consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which is svacchatvam avikāritvam śāntatvam iti cetasaḥ, then we have to take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the only way. There is no other way to become peaceful. Śāntatvam avikār..., without any change, fixed-up mind—that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, śānti. If you want... Everyone is hankering after śānti. The śānti formula is given everywhere in the śāstra. And the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is personally saying, "This is śānti." What is this?
- bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ
- sarva-loka-maheśvaram
- suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
- jñātvā mām śāntim ṛcchati
- (BG 5.29)
Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām—who? Not these political leaders. We are taking these political leaders as our friend and carried away by their dictation. Some political leader says, "You do like this," another political leader, "Do like that." So we are not, no. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka..., suhṛdaṁ. If we want to take advice of real well-wisher, so suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām. Similarly, a sādhu, he is also suhṛdaṁ sarva-dehinām, the same thing. As Kṛṣṇa is the supreme friend, well-wisher, suhṛt... Suhṛt means good heart.
Lecture on SB 3.26.23-4 -- Bombay, January 1, 1975:
So a Kṛṣṇa conscious person is not agitated by the material action and reaction. He remains fixed-up, naiṣṭhikī-bhakti. This is called naiṣṭhikī-bhakti, niṣṭhā, firmly convinced. Tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ (SB 1.2.19). Naiṣṭhikī-bhakti. Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). Naṣṭa-prāyeṣu abhadreṣu. This is abhadra, this material contamination, kriyā-śaktir ahaṅkāras tri-vidhaḥ, three kinds of kriyā-śakti: working in the modes of ignorance, working in the modes of passion... These are the moha, that when these two things, kriyā-śakti, this kriyā-śakti under the spell of passion and spell of ignorance, is almost gone... Naṣṭa-prāyeṣu abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā.
Lecture on SB 3.26.27 -- Bombay, January 4, 1975:
So this mind is material because it is the product of transformation of the modes of goodness. Then, gradually, being contaminated by different kinds of material desires, it becomes degraded. Kāma eṣa krodha eṣa rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ. When it is deteriorated, then, from the standard of goodness, it comes to rajo-guṇa. And rajo-guṇa means lusty desires, unending desires. And if desires are not fulfilled, then there is krodha, anger. In this way, kāma krodha lobha moha mātsarya—everything becomes very prominent, and we become servant of these propensities, kāma, krodha, moha, mātsarya, mada, lobha. This is called illusion, gradually degraded mind. And the business of the mind is saṅkalpa and vikalpa. Saṅkalpa means decide to do something, and vikalpa means again to reject it. That is the business of mind. Everyone desires the peacefulness of mind, but the material mind—the nature is saṅkalpa and vikalpa, restlessness. You cannot fix up.
Lecture on SB 3.26.27 -- Bombay, January 4, 1975:
So in this way desires cannot be finished. That is not possible. Kāma-sambhavaḥ. It is not possible. Therefore the best thing is that fix up your mind in Kṛṣṇa, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then you will be happy, the mind always engaged in Kṛṣṇa's business, planning how to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. That you are, require. That is intelligence. Kṛṣṇa wants everyone to surrender unto Him. When Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), He does not say only to Arjuna; He says to everyone. So that is Kṛṣṇa's desire, and if you want to serve Kṛṣṇa, to fulfill His desire, that means you canvass everyone to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. This is preaching. Kṛṣṇa wants it. It is declared. So your business is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. So do it. Why don't you do it? Why you are aspiring after mukti, siddhi, and bhukti? These are all personal. Anyone who is executing pious activities, acquiring puṇya, what is the result? Puṇya means he will go to the heavenly planet. That is sense gratification. Heavenly planet, you go to the heavenly planet.
Lecture on SB 3.26.31 -- Bombay, January 8, 1975:
Nitāi: "It has been explained in the previous verses that mind is the product of ego in goodness and that the function of the mind is acceptance and rejection according to desire. But here intelligence is said to be the product of ego in passion. That is the distinction between mind and intelligence; mind is a product of egoism in goodness, and intelligence is a product of egoism in passion. The desire to accept something and reject something is a very important factor of the mind. Since the mind is a product of the mode of goodness, if it is fixed upon the Lord of the mind, Aniruddha, then the mind can be changed to Kṛṣṇa consciousness."
Prabhupāda: Yes, here is the secret of training the mind. The whole yoga system, aṣṭāṅga-yoga system—dhyāna, dhāraṇā, āsana, prāṇāyāma, like that—they are meant for only controlling the mind. Mind is the center of sensual activities. The purpose of aṣṭāṅga-yoga is to train up the mind because the mind is very restless. Arjuna, five hundred years ago, he also appreciated, the mind is very restless. So he declined to practice the haṭha-yoga system. He said clearly that "Kṛṣṇa, it is not possible for me to control the mind." In another place in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, "The mind is the most dearmost friend, and mind is the bitterest enemy." Everyone's bitterest enemy and dearest friend is there. That is the mind. It requires little training.
Lecture on SB 3.26.34 -- Bombay, January 11, 1975:
So you cannot see the mind or the air—it does not mean that subtle things are not there. Don't believe your eyes in that way. You have to know things as it is stated here. The space, the air, they are acting. Prāṇa-vāyu. The yoga system is controlling the vāyu, the air within the body. That is called prāṇāyāma, prāṇa, prāṇa, vāyu, control the prāṇa-vāyu. So perfect yogi, they control the prāṇa-vāyu in such a way that by their sweet will they can transfer themselves through the prāṇa-vāyu in different planets. They can do that when they are fixed up, that "Now I am completely able to transfer myself," so they can transfer to any planet, or if he wants, he can transfer himself to the spiritual world. That is the perfection. We have given this picture in our Perfection of Yoga book: a yogi is transferring himself to another planet. So if you want to go to the planets of the demigods... They are trying to go to the moon planet, but by yoga system, you can transfer yourself to any planet by yoga practice perfection. Therefore we have written that book Easy Journey to Other Planets. You can go to any other planet by bhakti-yoga or the aṣṭāṅga-yoga. Aṣṭāṅga-yoga, by practicing and becoming perfect, you can transfer to any planet yourself within this material world. But by bhakti-yoga, you can transfer yourself immediately to this spiritual Vaikuṇṭhaloka or Goloka Vṛndāvana. Mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām.
Lecture on SB 3.26.35-36 -- Bombay, January 12, 1975:
So this is to be practiced, that we should not be disturbed by the ethereal transformation in touch with the skin and be disturbed in our regular activities in devotional service. That is called sthita-prajña. In the... The word is used in the Bhagavad-gītā, sthita-prajña. So a devotee is sthita-prajña. He should not be disturbed by this material condition, or change of ethereal activities. We should be fixed up, ātma-stha, ātma-stha. And then our progress in spiritual life will be unhampered. Actually, as it is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, ahaituky apratihatā.
- sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo
- yato bhaktir adhokṣaje
- ahaituky apratihatā
- yayātmā suprasīdati
- (SB 1.2.6)
When we are firmly fixed up in devotional service, that is the highest transcendental form of religion.
There are so many religious system—Hindu religion, Muslim religion, Christian religion—but they are all material conception of religion. Material conception means that we are in this material world, and through a process or system we are trying to understand what is God. That is called religion. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). The attempt to understand God and His laws, that is religion. So it doesn't matter whether it is executed through a system called Hindu religion or a system called Muslim religion or a system called Christian religion. If the objective is the same, Adhokṣaja, then that process is first-class religion. If we simply stick to a system without making any progress towards the goal of understanding the Adhokṣaja, then it is śrama eva hi kevalam.
Lecture on SB 3.28.1 -- Honolulu, June 1, 1975:
I have several times explained to you. One may be imperfect, just like a child, he is imperfect. But he has learned, he has asked his father, "My dear father, what is this?" The father has explained, "My dear child, this is microphone." So if he, if the child says, "This is microphone," then that is perfect, because he has learned it from his father, "This is microphone." So even though he is child, he is repeating the words of the father. He is fixed up, that "My father has told me this thing. It is perfect." He is convinced. So he says, "This is microphone." So, who will protest? Or how you can say, "How this child can say like..." Yes. He can say, provided he has taken the lesson from the father. This is the way. So our teaching, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is perfect because we have taken the lesson from Kṛṣṇa. Just try to understand how perfect we are. We don't say anything as "I think," "maybe," "perhaps." No. We never say. We say definite. Definitive information. Just like they are speculating Darwin's theory of evolution. We have got perfect knowledge from the śāstras: jalajā nava-lakṣāni sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. Now, we say there are 900,000 forms of life within the water.
Lecture on SB 3.28.18 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:
Harikeśa: "The glory of the Lord is always worth singing, for His glories enhance the glories of His devotees. One should therefore meditate upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead and upon His devotees. One should meditate on the eternal form of the Lord until the mind becomes fixed."
Prabhupāda:
- kīrtanya-tīrtha-yaśasaṁ
- puṇya-śloka-yaśaskaram
- dhyāyed devaṁ samagrāṅgaṁ
- yāvan na cyavate manaḥ
- (SB 3.28.18)
This is called meditation. Yāvan, so long the mind is disturbed and deviates from our subject of meditation, one should practice this kīrtana. Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). Caitanya Mahāprabhu advises that the devotee should chant always, twenty-four hours, kīrtanya: "It is worth singing." It is worth singing, why? Puṇya ślokasya, puṇya ślokasya. Puṇya śloka yaśaskaram. Even if you do not fix up your mind... Kīrtana means fix up your mind, but even if you do not fix up your mind, then you are still gainer. The more you glorify the Lord, you become pious simply by kīrtana. It is not necessary that you understand, but if you go on chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, then you become pious. Puṇya-śloka. Kṛṣṇa's another name is Puṇya-śloka, Uttama-śloka. Simply by chanting "Kṛṣṇa," you become pious.
Lecture on SB 3.28.18 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:
Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31) means that... Vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane. This is the character of Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, that whenever he would talk, he would talk about Kṛṣṇa. This is kīrtana. He won't talk anything else. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ (SB 9.4.18). Whenever he will think, he will think of Kṛṣṇa—His lotus feet, His body, His hands, His flute. This is meditation. Meditation means that... Trance means when your mind is so fixed up on Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu that not for a second your mind is deviated from the Kṛṣṇa's form. That is called trance. Not artificially. You can practice it. If you see Kṛṣṇa daily in the temple, if you worship, you offer your obeisances—man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65)—naturally you will think of Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours, and that will make you more pious, because without being pious, nobody can think of Kṛṣṇa. Yeṣāṁ anta-gataṁ pāpam. Pious means there is no reaction of sinful life. It is all squared up. That you can do at any moment. Kṛṣṇa takes charge.
Lecture on SB 3.28.19 -- Nairobi, October 29, 1975:
"The process of meditating on the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead within oneself and the process of chanting the glories or pastimes of the Lord are the same." There is no difference. This is called advaya-jñāna: no difference, absolute. Either you chant, hear, or you try to see within your heart the Supreme Lord—the same thing. "The only difference is that hearing and fixing the mind on the pastimes of the Lord is easier than visualizing the form of the Lord within one's heart, because as soon as one begins to think of the Lord, especially in this age, the mind becomes disturbed, and due to so much agitation, the process of seeing the Lord within the mind is interrupted." Suppose one is big businessman. He is always thinking of his business, how to sell this, how to purchase this. This is... His mind is absorbed with these things. So if he sits down to meditate upon the Lord, it will not be possible. It will not be possible. His mind will be disturbed, and he will think of his business transaction. So that is natural. But if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa loudly, you will be forced to hear "Kṛṣṇa," and that Kṛṣṇa immediately comes within your mind by force. So it is better process than sit down and think of Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 3.28.20 -- Nairobi, October 30, 1975:
Harikeśa: "In fixing his mind on the eternal form of the Lord, the yogi should not take a collective view of all His limbs, but should fix the mind on each individual limb of the Lord."
Prabhupāda:
- tasmiḻ labdha-padaṁ cittaṁ
- sarvāvayava-saṁsthitam
- vilakṣyaikatra saṁyujyād
- aṇge bhagavato muniḥ
- (SB 3.28.20)
So as we have explained many times, that this arca-mūrti... The rascal class of men, they cannot understand arca-mūrti. They think that "They are worshiping idol." Even amongst the Hindus there are so-called followers of Vedas. They also say that "What is the necessity of worshiping Deity in the temple?" They made very vigorous propaganda in India to stop temple worship. For a short time it has got some reaction, but now it is finished. That rascal propaganda not to worship the Deity in the temple is finished. Nobody cares for that. They think that God is everywhere—except in the temple. (laughter) That is their view. And God is everywhere; why not in the temple? No. That is their poor fund of knowledge.
| Page Title: | Fixed (Lectures, SB cantos 1 - 3) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Mayapur |
| Created: | 23 of Nov, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=137, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 137 |