History means

Expressions researched:
"history means"

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Nowadays, at the present moment, history means a chronological record, but previously, history means only the important incidences at different times, they were recorded.

Lecture on SB 1.4.25 -- Montreal, June 20, 1968:

Bhārata means this planet, and Mahābhārata means the complete history of the whole world. Nowadays, at the present moment, history means a chronological record, but previously, history means only the important incidences at different times, they were recorded. Therefore, in Mahābhārata or any other Purāṇa also... Purāṇas are also history. We don't find any chronological incidences one after another. But the most important selected incidences, especially in connection with God realization, they are recorded.

History means the ordinary dealings of the worldly men.

Lecture on SB 1.5.12-13 -- New Vrindaban, June 11, 1969:

So Nārada was advising Vyāsadeva that "You have written this Mahābhārata. That's all right. It is a great epic, history. But the, mostly... History means the ordinary dealings of the worldly men. So what benefit there is? That is nothing. No saintly person will take interest." Actually, this Mahābhārata was written by this, by Vyāsadeva for giving instruction, Vedic instruction to the less intelligent class of men.

History means the record of activities of different persons in different ages. That is history.

Lecture on SB 1.8.36 -- Los Angeles, April 28, 1973:

Prahlada Mahārāja said one who is engaged in these activities, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ, hearing and chanting. Hearing means to hear about somebody else, his activities, his form, his quality, his entourage, so many things. If I want to hear about you, you must have some activities, just like history. We hear about history. What is the history? History means the record of activities of different persons in different ages. That is history. So as soon as there is the question, hearing, then the next question will be to hear what? Or what about? What is the subject matter? So that is said: Viṣṇu. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. The activities of Lord Viṣṇu or Lord Kṛṣṇa. That is hearing. Not that hearing the news in the newspaper, not that sort of hearing. Brahma-jijñāsā. These things are statement in the Vedas. Inquiry about Brahman. Hearing about Brahman. Just like here, we are also hearing and chanting. What is the subject matter? The subject matter is Kṛṣṇa. We are not hearing here any market report. What is the price of this, what is the price of this share or that share. No. We are hearing about Kṛṣṇa. And when there is question of hearing, there must be speaking or chanting. So we are speaking and chanting about Kṛṣṇa. That is bhakti. Simply always be engaged in hearing and chanting about Krsna. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ.

History means to understand the activities of the first-class man. That is history. They pick up the most important incidences.

Lecture on SB 6.1.20 -- Chicago, July 4, 1975:

The brāhmaṇa is to be understood as the first-class man within the human society. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Itihāsa, history, history means to understand the activities of the first-class man. That is history. They pick up the most important incidences. Therefore the example is given here that udāharanti imam itihāsaṁ purātanam. Because it is a first-class incidence... Otherwise, if you record the history of the whole period, then where..., who will read that, and who will appreciate that, and where you will keep that? Daily so many things are happening.

Philosophy Discussions

History means past, present, future.

Philosophy Discussion on George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel:

Hayagrīva: But does the history of man necessarily make any sense? He saw it as progressing, as man, here again is evolution...

Prabhupāda: As soon as there is creation there is history, from the very beginning, that this is the point of creation and it will go on, history, until it is ended. Just like as soon as you are born, your horoscope is made, the history. Now throughout your whole life there are so many activities, and after, we also believe next life the history continues. But superficially we make history from the beginning to the end of this body, that's all. But God is not subject to such rule that "God is created at a certain point and He is ended at a certain point." Then where is the question of history? There is no history. History is for the small things. For me there is past, present, future. For God there is no such thing as past, present, future. So where is the history? History means past, present, future.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Our calculation of history means we are trying to make the eternal time relatively limited with our life. But the time is eternal.

Room Conversation with Mr. & Mrs. Wax, Writer and Editing Manager of Playboy Magazine -- July 5, 1975, Chicago:

Prabhupāda: So if we take up the statement of Bhagavad-gītā, then five thousand years ago this was spoken for the second time, and first time it was spoken forty millions of years ago. Therefore it is permanent, not that something new. It is existing eternally. Sometimes we are missing, and sometimes we are accepting, but it is existing eternally. You cannot trace out the history. Our calculation of history means we are trying to make the eternal time relatively limited with our life. But the time is eternal. We are changing our forms of life many, many million times, but the time is there. So the calculation of past, present, future is relative according to the duration of my life. An ant's past, present, future is not the same past, present, future as of human being. The past, present, future is relative according to the duration of life and body. So Brahma's past, present, future and our past and present, future is not the same. So time is eternal, and past, present, future is calculation of relative knowledge. That is not correct.

1970 Correspondence

Regarding your question do the Vedic histories refer to this planet only. No. Vedic history means of this universe. Our history begins from the beginning of the creation because the creation takes place with the birth of Brahma from the abdomen lotus flower of Lord Visnu.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Los Angeles 9 March, 1970:

Regarding your question do the Vedic histories refer to this planet only. No. Vedic history means of this universe. Our history begins from the beginning of the creation because the creation takes place with the birth of Brahma from the abdomen lotus flower of Lord Visnu. Then Brahma gradually creates. He begets so many sons known as Prajapatis who are supposed to be the generators of living entities, and therefore the history begins from Brahma. In the Bhagavad-gita this is confirmed in the 15th chapter. It is said there that the root of this big universal banyan tree is on the top; therefore history begins from the top.