Impious (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"impious" |"impiously"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.20 -- London, July 17, 1973:

Similarly, when there is talk between the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa and His devotee, so this whole talk is bhakti. It is nothing else. They derive some meaning, jñāna, jñānātmaka-vyākhyā. They describe on the understanding of the jñānīs, philosophical speculators. They are also candidate. Those who are jñānis actually, they are also interested to know what is Kṛṣṇa. Jñānī ca bharatarṣabha, jijñāsur. Ārto arthārthī jijñāsur jñānī ca bharatarṣabha (BG 7.16). These four classes of men, provided their background is pious life....

Impious life cannot inquire about God or can understand about God. We have several times repeated the verse,

yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ

janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām

te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā

bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ

(BG 7.28)

Pāpīs, sinful men, they cannot understand. They understand, only think that "Kṛṣṇa is Bhagavān; so I am also Bhagavān. He's an ordinary man, maybe little powerful, historically very famous man. So He is, after all, a man. So I am also man. So why not I am God?" This is the conclusion of the abhaktas, non-devotees and sinful men.

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

The living entity is wandering by transmigration from one body to another up and down. Sometimes he is becoming Brahmā even. Brahmā, Indra, Candra. He can become. One can become. By pious activities, you can be raised to the position of Brahmā, Indra, Candra, demigods, big, big demigods. And by impious activities, you can go down to become the worm of a stool. This is going on. This is called bhramatām upary adhaḥ. Upari adhaḥ. Adhaḥ means down, and upari means up. So ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). Who are going to upper planetary system? Sattva-sthāḥ, those who are qualified brāhmaṇas, strictly following the principles.

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

Pious activities, the effects of pious activity, is to get nice opulence. Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī (SB 1.8.26). Birth in very high family, janma; aiśvarya, opulence, riches; education; śrī... Śruta, śruta means education, highly learned. These things are effects of pious activities. You get nice family, you take your birth in nice family, rich family, aiśvarya, you get good education, you become very beautiful. These are the effects of pious activities. Similarly, the effects of impious activities, the opposite. But they are all material. They are destined. Whatever you have got by pious or impious activities, that you cannot change. It is not possible. But you can change your position, this material position, by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That you can change. Other things you cannot change. If you are white, you cannot become black, or if you are black, you cannot become white. That is not possible. But you can become first-class Kṛṣṇa conscious person. Either you are black or white, it doesn't matter. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on BG 1.31 -- London, July 24, 1973:

Catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtina. Sukṛtina means pious. Kṛtī means very expert in acting worldly activities. So one who are engaged in pious activities, they are called sukṛtī. There are two kinds of activities: impious activities, sinful activities; and pious activities. So one who goes to pray in the church or in the temple, "O God, give us our daily bread," or "God, give me some money," or "God, give me relief from this distress," they are also pious. They are not impious. The impious people, they will never surrender to God, Kṛṣṇa. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ, prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). These class of men, sinful men, rascal, lowest of the mankind, whose knowledge has been taken away by māyā, and demon—these classes of men will never surrender to God. Therefore they are duṣkṛtina, impious. So Kṛṣṇa is pious, but still he wants the family benefit. This is his defect. Er, Arjuna. Family prosperity. He wants to be happy with society, friendship and love. Therefore he says that na kāṅkṣe vijayam... This is called vairāgya. Śmaśāna-vairāgya.

Lecture on BG 1.31 -- London, July 24, 1973:

Rāja, king means, he is not only king. He is a great ṛṣi, saintly person, just like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira or Arjuna. They're saintly persons. They are not ordinary, this drunkard king, that "I have got so much money. Let me drink and let there be dancing of the prostitute." Not like that. They were ṛṣi. Although they were king, they were ṛṣis. That kind of king wanted, rājarṣi. Then people will be happy. In Bengali there is a proverb, rājara pāpe rāja naṣṭa gṛhiṇī doṣe gṛhastha bhraṣṭa (?). In gṛhastha life, in household life, if the wife is not good, then nobody will be happy in that home, gṛhastha life, household life. Similarly, in a kingdom, if the king is impious, then everything, everyone will suffer. This is the problem.

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

Pāpam means sinful activities, and puṇyam is pious. So people should consider in every activity, whether it is pāpam or puṇyam, whether it is virtuous or sinful activities. But the asuras, they do not know. Pravṛttiṁ ca nivṛttiṁ ca na vidur asurā janāḥ (BG 16.7). Those who are asuras, they do not care what is sinful or what is right. "I like it; I must do it." This is asura. There is no reference to the authorities, whether the action which I am going to do, whether it is pious or impious. Because by impious activities I will be degraded. Adho gacchanti tamasaḥ (BG 14.18). Jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthāḥ. If we become addicted to sinful activities, the result will be we shall be degraded. But they do not know. Even so-called religious priests, they support killing, condone it. Killing is impious, sinful activity, but in the name of religion, killing is also going on.

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

Arjuna is considering whether it will be pious or impious. This is devatā. In every action, they will consider, "What I am going to do, whether it is pious or impious." That is devatā. "If it is pious, then it will elevate me. And if it is impious, then it will degrade me." Nobody wants degradation. The human life should be especially meant for elevation, not for degradation. You have come to this human form of life from the lower status of life. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthavarā lakṣa-viṁśati kṛmayo rudra-saṅkhyakāḥ. Through so many status of life: the aquatics, the trees, the plants, the insects, the reptiles, the birds, the beasts. In this way... Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante. Bahūnāṁ sambhavante (BG 7.19). This human form of life is gotten, we have received, after many, many births. These people, they do not know. It is very rare.

Lecture on BG 1.37-39 -- London, July 27, 1973:

So other party, Duryodhana's party, they were not considering all these pious or impious, sinful or vicious, activities. Because lobha-upahata-cetasaḥ: "They have lost their sense on account of greediness for acquiring the empire." When one becomes lusty or overpowered by greediness, then he loses all intelligence. There are many places stated that. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajanti anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). Kṛṣṇa says that "Those who are worshipers of other demigods..." Actually worshipful is the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa. Others, they should be shown respect. But worship means for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is worshipful. Śaraṇyam.

Lecture on BG 1.45-46 -- London, August 1, 1973:

Anyone who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, samāśritā ye pada-pallavaṁ plavaṁ mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ. Murāri. Murāri means Kṛṣṇa. So puṇya-yaśo. He is simply glorified by pious activities. There is no impious activities in Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the purest. So whatever He does, that is pure. The rascals they do not know this. They think, "Kṛṣṇa is immoral." And He has become a professor, teacher. He does not know, he does not understand Kṛṣṇa. So many big, big professors, learned scholars, they do not understand what is Kṛṣṇa. And they talking about Kṛṣṇa. They are taking the position of instructing about Kṛṣṇa. Just see how rascaldom. You do not know something perfectly, and still, you are talking about it. This is going on. Puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ.

Lecture on BG 2.22 -- Hyderabad, November 26, 1972:

Somebody is in the cat's body. Somebody's dog's body. Somebody's in human being's body. Somebody is in demigod's body. These bodies are offered by prakṛti according to price you pay. This is called karma. This is karma. If you perform good karma, then you get good body. Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrīḥ (SB 1.8.26). This is the janma. You get good birth, you get money, you get education, and you become beautiful by pious activities. And by impious activities, just the opposite. So either you get this or that, after all, it is birth and death. (break) ...how to stop the cycle of birth and death. Otherwise it is animal civilization.

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

You can go to the higher planetary system by your pious activities. First of all the modern age, the people are so much impious, sinful, that is not also possible. They may go down. Jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. They are covered with ignorance. The ignorance is wine, women, and meat-eating. So they are going down. There is no possibility of going higher planetary system, not possible. Who will go to the higher planetary system? Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). Ūrdhvam means higher. Only those who are pious, they can be elevated. So even if you are pious, still you have to come back again. This is the process.

Lecture on BG 2.27-38 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1968:

So Kṛṣṇa conscious person is neither interested in pious activities or impious activities, but one who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all activities are pious, transcendental, automatically. He hasn't got to try separately. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā (SB 5.18.12). Anyone. Take for example nonviolence. Nonviolence is good quality. Now here, you see Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna. Arjuna is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Automatically he's trying to be nonviolent. "Why should I fight?" This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because he is devotee of Kṛṣṇa, nonviolence is already his quality. People are starting vegetarian society to become vegetarian, a very uplifted society. But the persons who are in Kṛṣṇa conscious, they are already vegetarian.

Lecture on BG 2.33-35 -- London, September 3, 1973:

One who has got reputation for his, one who is famous for his good activities. "So don't try to lose your reputation. You are a great fighter, recognized by so many authorities, and if you don't fight, then people will say, 'Now Arjuna is finished. He cannot anymore fight.' So don't lose this reputation. Don't be deviated from your occupational duty as a kṣatriya. If you do all these things, then pāpam avāpsyasi. You don't think that it will be pious. You will, on the other hand you will become impious." Pāpam avāpsyasi.

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

Karma-bandham. You act something, and there is reaction. That is called karma-bandha. We can understand very easily. Whatever you act, there is reaction. Good act or bad act... There are two things. So if while in this body we act piously, then our future is very good. If we act impiously, then our future is not very good. So actually we should act piously, not impiously. That is human life. We should know what kind of action we should do.

Lecture on BG 2.46-62 -- Los Angeles, December 16, 1968:

Anyone who goes to God, never mind even for asking daily bread, they are pious. But those who are not going to God, they are impious, miscreant. One who is thinking, "Oh, why shall I go to God for asking bread? I can produce my bread." So that man who is very proud of producing his bread is a nonsense miscreant. And a man who is going to the church, praying, "God give my daily bread," he is pious, but he's not a pure devotee. But there is chance of his becoming pure devotee in future. So ārtaḥ arthārthī jijñāsu. So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness is nothing to ask from Kṛṣṇa.

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

Just try to understand how much a king was responsible for the happiness of the citizens. They were ideal king, and therefore the citizens also followed. They became Kṛṣṇa conscious, they became all devotees. And if the leader is a sinful man and doing all impious activities, then how you can expect the citizens to be all good and pious? It is not possible. Therefore here, it is a very important subject matter. "Whatever action is performed by a great man, common men will follow in his footprints." Therefore good leader wanted. You haven't got to educate individually every citizen. If you have got a good leader, then the citizens automatically become good. And whatever standard he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues."

Lecture on BG 4.8 -- Bombay, March 28, 1974:

Those who are sukṛtinaḥ, pious, they can be engaged in devotional service. Catur bhajante. This word bhajana is used. Bhajana is meant for the sukṛtina. Those who are pious. Not the impious. Bhajana is not possible for the impious because Kṛṣṇa says na maṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). They cannot take to bhajana. Māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ. They pose themselves as very much advanced, but actually māyā has taken away their knowledge. They cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. They will accept some, something imitation.

Lecture on BG 4.12 -- Vrndavana, August 4, 1974:

If a person, desiring some material profit, remembering Kṛṣṇa, that is also welcome. Welcome because he is not atheist. Atheist class men, even for material success, they do not pray to God. But theist class, one who has got background pious activities, he is called theist. An impious, sinful activities, or sinful man, cannot remember even God. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. So to remember even God, even go to God in temple or mosque or church and pray to God, "Give me this benefit,"... Just like Christian way of worshiping is "O God, give us our daily bread." Hindus also go to temple and pray to God that "Give me some profit. I am very poor man." So Kṛṣṇa says that is also welcome.

Lecture on BG 4.14-19 -- New York, August 3, 1966:

So war is not always impious. Do you understand? Sometimes war, fighting... So far, so far the Vedic conception of life is concerned, there are four classes, four classes: the intelligent class, the administrator class, the mercantile class... Not only Vedic religion, this division is all over the world. There are four classes of men. So for administrative class of men, it is a duty to protect the weak. Sometimes law and order required, violence. Just like the government maintains military, police force because sometimes they are required. So when government employs some police force, some military force, that does not means impious. That is required. Similarly, fighting or violence is not always impious. But a responsible person, he does not take violence unnecessarily. He considers things very nicely, and when there is no other alternative than to use violence, then he uses violence. Just like the government sometimes takes violence upon the citizens.

Lecture on BG 4.18 -- Delhi, November 3, 1973:

There are two kinds of reaction of every activity, pious or impious. Pious activities, that is also bondage, and impious activities, that is also bondage. But above pious or impious activities, there is another activity, which is called devotional activity. If one performs devotional activities, he is above the control of this material nature. The material nature is being controlled by three qualities: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa, goodness, passion and ignorance. But one who acts on account of the Supreme Personal of Godhead, then he becomes freed from the reaction of these qualities. That is called karmaṇy akarma. Although a devotee is seem that he is very active, but his activities are not like material activities, to result in some pious result or impious result. Both of them are bondage, pious or impious things.

Lecture on BG 4.18 -- Delhi, November 3, 1973:

So if we become bound up by pious or impious activities, then we'll have to accept this material body, karma-bandhana. And material body, as soon as you accept this material body, you are under the laws of material nature, especially birth, death, old age and disease. So you become bound up. Therefore this human form of life is especially meant for to get freedom from this bondage—birth, death and old age. But people do not understand. Their brain is so packed up with material things that they have become just like animals. They cannot understand.

Lecture on BG 4.18 -- Bombay, April 7, 1974:

So we are working very hard to become very happy, but that is not possible. That is not possible. We are making deliberation, "This is pious activities, this is impious." That is also good. Doing things blindly, that is another thing, but if one has this deliberation, "This is sinful activity and this is sinful activity," he is better than them.

Lecture on BG 4.18 -- Bombay, April 7, 1974:

But there is another position which is beyond this sinful activity and pious activity. That is called akarma, akarma. Akarma means there is no result, either sinful or pious. That is called akarma. And karma means there is result, either pious result or impious result. That is called karma. So we have already discussed in the Second Chapter that Kṛṣṇa says how karma should be done in summarizing. Yajñārthāt karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). If you work for yajña... Yajña means to satisfy the Lord. That is yajña. Yajña... The human society is required to perform yajña. That is described in the Second Chapter. Yajñārthāt karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9).

Lecture on BG 4.18 -- Bombay, April 7, 1974:

Karmaṇi yaḥ akarma. Akarma means which does not have... I have already explained. So if you work the same thing sva-karmaṇā, never mind, you are doing the śūdra's business or brāhmaṇa's business. It doesn't matter. Whether you are acting for Kṛṣṇa? That is wanted. If you are acting for Kṛṣṇa, then you are not becoming entangled by the resultant action, pious or impious. It is above. Pious and impious, they are consideration of this material platform. In the spiritual platform there is no such thing, absolute. Whatever you are doing, it is all-good, all-spiritual. That is called absolute. In the Absolute there is no such distinction, "This is pious, this is impious." Everything is spiritual.

Lecture on BG 4.28 -- Bombay, April 17, 1974:

To be highly rich, that is also due to previous pious activities. But Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says that Karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa, kebala biṣera bhāṇḍa. Karma-kāṇḍa vicāra, fruitive activities for getting better position of life, better body... (break) ...though I get my birth in a good family, there is still risk of degradation. Because sometimes we get our birth in rich family and due to opulence we are associated with bad company. Then we begin to act sinfully. That means again degradation. Therefore the Vaiṣṇava philosophy does not very much approve even pious activities. What to speak of impious activities, they do not approve pious activities also.

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

Whether I shall become Kṛṣṇa conscious or another conscious, these problems are always there. But if one is advanced by pious activities in the previous life, then he is fixed up steady, "I'll become Kṛṣṇa conscious." So this method, this chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa method, even in your previous life you did not act very piously or in this life, it doesn't matter. If you kindly take seriously this simple method, Hare Kṛṣṇa, chanting, you become immediately pure. But with determination that you'll not contact any more impious activities.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1968:

If you give in charity somebody, say, some amount of money, you'll get that money back four times, five times, or ten times more in your next life. That is a fact. So Vaiṣṇava philosophy says that this is also sinful. Why sinful? Because you have to take your birth to receive that compound interest. That is sinful. Now suppose you are born in a very rich family. The trouble of being in the womb of the mother, that is the same. Either you are pious man or the impious man, when you are in the womb of your mother the difficulties and the pains perceived within the womb of the mother is the same, either you are black or white, either you are Indian or American or cat or dog or anyone. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9).

Lecture on BG 7.8 -- Bombay, February 23, 1974:

We are opening so many centers just to give people chance to hear about Kṛṣṇa. That's all. If you simply hear about Kṛṣṇa, śṛṇvatām, then Kṛṣṇa becomes pleased: "Oh, now he's hearing about Me." Then what does He do? Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ. Either you understand or don't understand, it becomes a pious activities on your part. And the more you become pious, you can understand Kṛṣṇa. Because impious persons... Yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpam. Impious persons cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. But one who is free from impious activities, yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām... Puṇya-karma. This hearing is puṇya-karma.

Lecture on BG 7.11-16 -- New York, October 7, 1966:

Our business is now to break the rules of scriptures. That's all. That has become our business, duṣkṛtina, always. Duṣkṛtina, sukṛtina, means a pious worker and impious worker. Just a man, lawful; and law, outlaw. Who is outlaw, and who is lawful? One who obeys the state laws, he is called lawful citizen. And one who does not obey the state laws, who is put into the prison house, he is called outlaws. So these duṣkṛtina and sukṛtina, who is pious and who is impious, there must be some standard rules. The pious is he who follows the scriptural injunction, and impious is he who does not follow. Every civilized nation, every civilized man has got his scripture.

Lecture on BG 7.11-16 -- New York, October 7, 1966:

So one who does not follow the scriptural injunction, he is outlaw. He is punishable. Duṣkṛtina. And mūḍha. Mūḍha means fool number one. These people do not go to God. These qualified peoples—duṣkṛtina, means impious; mūḍha, fool number one; and narādhama, and lowest of the human kind; and māyayāpahṛta-jñāna, and bewildered of his knowledge; and āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritaḥ, and atheistic mentality. These people.

Lecture on BG 7.11-16 -- New York, October 7, 1966:

Everything is good. But still, people do not do it. Why? These are the qualifications. What are the qualifications? That he is impious, he is fool number one, he is lowest of the mankind, his knowledge has been plundered by illusion, and he is atheistic. Anyone who is qualified all by these qualifications, he cannot surrender to his father. He is still to be punished by the agent of father, the material nature. He is still to be slapped and caned very good and kicked. He has to suffer.

Lecture on BG 7.11-16 -- New York, October 7, 1966:

So we are getting all supply of food. That is all right. God is kind. Even we are rebelled, even we do not surrender unto Him, still, He is so kind. He is sending us grains, He is sending us fruits, so many things. And duṣkṛtina, instead of so many things for foodstuff, he is still doing impious acts for his eating, which is not sanctioned. So these things are going on. So these kinds of people who are fool number one, impious, lowest of the mankind, and whose knowledge has been exploited by this illusory energy and who is atheistic, these people, they do not go to God. Now why mūḍha? Mūḍha means fool number one.

Lecture on BG 7.11-16 -- New York, October 7, 1966:

So the lowest of the mankind, the fool, the impious. Now, you can say, "Oh, they are all degree holders at the university, M.A., Ph.D., B.A.C., and you are calling him the fool?" Yes, still. "Why?" Māyayāpahṛta-jñānaḥ: (BG 7.15) by the illusory energy of the Lord, all their knowledge has been taken away. Why? Because the knowledge is meant for to understand what is, "What I am? What is this nature? What is God? Why I am suffering? Is there any remedy?" These are knowledge. And the knowledge to manufacture a motorcar, to manufacture a radio, a television, and something for sense enjoyment, this is not knowledge. This is the plundered knowledge.

Lecture on BG 7.11-16 -- New York, October 7, 1966:

So the demon and the gods are always there. Some are... But number of gods are very small, but there are. So here, āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritaḥ, one who has acquired that demoniac quality, challenging the authority of the Supreme Lord, they are asura, asura. Asura means demons. So the demons and the fools and the lowest of the mankind and whose knowledge has been plundered by the illusory energy and who is impious, oh, they cannot go to God. It is impossible. They are not allowed. But they can be, provided they agree. God is always kind to accept anybody, but these people, they cannot have due to their... They will have to suffer these threefold miseries for many more days. Then when they come to the senses, then they can come.

Lecture on BG 7.11-16 -- New York, October 7, 1966:

Lord Kṛṣṇa says that "Four kinds of men who are pious, they come to Me." And who are they? Ārta. Ārta plus pious. Ārta means distressed, at the same time pious. A man distressed does not mean he is impious. He may be pious. A pious man, he may be in distress because this material world is meant for distress. So it is meant for pious or impious, both. Just like when there is winter, winter season, everyone suffers. It does not care for the pious, impious, rich or poor. Similarly, this place is full of miseries. So the pious, he thinks of God in his miserable condition, but the impious, he cannot think.

Lecture on BG 7.11-16 -- New York, October 7, 1966:

So these four classes of men, they are called sukṛtina, they are called pious because they are after God. And those four classes of men, they are impious, they are fools, they are lowest of the mankind, and their knowledge is plundered, and they are demons—they cannot take shelter. So these two classes of distinction are always there. Not only now, from time immemorial, so long the history of this creation is there, material world, there have been so many atheists and so many... But in the ancient days their number were very small. Now they have increased. So these two classes of men are always there.

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

Māyayāpahṛta-jñānā āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. Last day we have been discussing four classes of men who come to God and four classes of men who do not come to God. The four classes of men who do not come to God, they are impious, foolish, lowest of the mankind, and their knowledge is taken away by the illusory energy and they are atheists.

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

Now, so far the four classes of men who do not come to God... That means the impious, the foolish, the lowest of the mankind, whose knowledge has been taken away by the illusory energy, and the atheists. Apart from these classes of men, the four classes of men who come to God, just like ārta, distressed, inquisitive, arthārthī... Arthārthī means poverty-stricken. And jñānī means philosopher. Now, out of these four classes, Lord Kṛṣṇa says, teṣāṁ jñānī nitya-yukta eka-bhaktir viśiṣyate: "Out of these four classes, men, one who is philosophically trying to understand the nature of God with devotion, with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is viśiṣyate."

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Calcutta, March 8, 1972:

We are wandering all over the universe. When you are doing some pious activities, you are elevated to the higher planetary system, ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā (BG 14.18). When we are not very much pious, but not impious also—ordinary, following moral principles—then madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ. And jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. So in this way, up and down, we are wandering by transmigration of the soul. This is our position.

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Calcutta, March 8, 1972:

Dharma means the order of Kṛṣṇa. That is dharma. Otherwise there is no dharma. All adharma. Otherwise how Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66), "Give up all nonsense dharma. Simply surrender unto Me"? This is dharma. Therefore it is said, pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam. You are acting some religious activities, you do not know whether it is pious or impious. But when you act under the order of Kṛṣṇa and His representative, it is pratyakṣāvagamaṁ, directly to understand, that is dharma.

Lecture on BG 9.27-29 -- New York, December 19, 1966:

Now, here is a neutralization formula. Whatever we are doing, it has got some reaction. If we do pious acts, there is good reaction. If we do impious action, there is reaction also. So every action has got its reaction. That we can experience in this material world, that if we eat more, the reaction will be that for two days there will be indigestion. Similarly, this material world is so situated that every action has got its reaction. But Kṛṣṇa says that if you act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness for Kṛṣṇa, then there will be no reaction. Śubhāśubha-phalair evaṁ mokṣyase karma-bandhanaiḥ.

Lecture on BG 9.27-29 -- New York, December 19, 1966:

Now, dadāsi yat. Dadāsi yat means charity. Charity according to karma-kāṇḍīya-vicāra, fruitive activities. Suppose if I give you some charity, say, hundred dollars I give you in charity, the reaction will be that I will have to realize four hundred dollars from you. That is the law of nature. Besides that, if my money is accumulated in some impious activities and if you take my money, you will have to suffer. You have to share my reaction. These are the laws of karma, very subtle laws of karma. So, now, if you give charity for Kṛṣṇa activities, then there is no reaction.

Lecture on BG 9.27-29 -- New York, December 19, 1966:

Even externally it appears that you are doing some bad work, still, it will have no reaction. It does not mean that we shall entail our activities with some impious motive. No. Of course, a devotee cannot do that. But even supposing that you have done something which is impious, which you ought not to have done, still, it will have no reaction, because the assurance is there: ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ (BG 18.66). The Lord will save you from the reactionary result of even impious activities. Sarva-pāpebhyaḥ. Pāpa means sinful activities. So a devotee never acts sinful, but supposing that he sometimes consciously or unconsciously does something, there will be no reaction. That is the formula.

Lecture on BG 9.27-29 -- New York, December 19, 1966:

Suppose in my whole life I have never done anything impious thing; I have done simply pious activities. So the result of pious activities is janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrībhiḥ (SB 1.8.26). By pious activities, in your next life you can get your birth in a very highly respectable, aristocratic family. Janmaiśvarya. You can get a great amount of wealth. And janmaiśvarya-śruta. You can become a highly educated scholar, or you can become a very beautiful. You have a very beautiful body. These things are the result of good activities, result.

Lecture on BG 10.1 -- New York, December 30, 1966:

Pāpaiḥ. Of course, in the modern civilization, there is no distinction between pious and impious, but, according to scripture, there are pious activities and impious activities. We are always engaged in some kind of activities, either pious or impious. If we are engaged in pious activities, then we become happy in future, not exactly happy, but a little of the upper stage than others. It is stated in the scripture that by pious activities, you can have your birth in a very good place, in a very good family. You can have, you can become highly educated. You can become very beautiful and, janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī (SB 1.8.26).

Lecture on BG 10.1 -- New York, December 30, 1966:

Similarly, just the opposite number is impious or sinful activities. So by sinful activities you suffer. By... Suffering is always there, either in pious or impious, but there is some distinction between pious and impious. So here it is said that anyone who understands God, that He's the Supreme Proprietor, sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29), vetti, without any doubt, then he becomes freed from all sinful reactions. Immediately.

Lecture on BG 12.13-14 -- Bombay, May 12, 1974:

There is sukṛtina. Sukṛtina means those who are background is pious activities. And just opposite number, duṣkṛtina. Those background is impious activities, sinful activities. Such persons, na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15), the lowest of the mankind, full of sinful activities. Narādhama. Narādhama means lowest of the mankind. Why lowest of the mankind? Because mankind means those who are interested to understand God. That is mankind. Otherwise "dog-kind."

Lecture on BG 13.22 -- Bombay, October 20, 1973:

Janma means birth, high-class birth. And aiśvarya means opulence, riches. And śruta means education, and śrī means beauty. So by pious activities you can get all these things. And impious activities, the opposite number: in a family, abominable, pāpa-yoni, lower-grade family, not very beautiful, not educated, suffering in so many ways. So either you get this life or that life, the janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi is there. It is not that because you have got very beautiful body and born in very high-class family and highly educated, you will avoid janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. That is not possible. The real problem is janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi.

Lecture on BG 13.22 -- Bombay, October 20, 1973:

Therefore śāstra says, tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ: (SB 1.5.18) "You should try for that thing which you did not receive in your past lives." Past life, by our pious activities or impious activities, we have got a different type of body, here or in higher planetary system. That's all right. But that is not solution of my problem. The real problem is janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). So we should try, we should save time and utilize it, how to get out of this janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. That is the whole Vedic civilization.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

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

If you follow the religious principles in whichever religion you accept, then you are pious. If you do not follow the religious principles, then you are impious, duṣkṛtina. So at the present moment, practically all over the world they are no longer interested with God and religion. Just like in your city, London, there are so many churches for sale. Why? Because people have become duṣkṛtina. They are no more interested in religion and God. Just see. Otherwise, why the churches should be sold? People are not interested.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Visakhapatnam, February 20, 1972, At Ladies Club:

At present there is a railway station near..., between Hardoi and Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh. The station is called Nimsar, and still the Naimiṣāraṇya atmosphere is maintained there. It is a very nice, sacred place. If you go there, you will feel immediately Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So, in that meeting, the great sages and saintly persons assembled there inquired from Sūta Gosvāmī that "After departure of Lord Kṛṣṇa, wherein the principles of religions are kept?" Kṛṣṇa appeared for re-establishing the religious principle, dharma saṁsthāpanārthāya. When Kṛṣṇa, or any incarnation of the Lord descends, there are two kinds of missions. One mission is paritrāṇāya sādhūnām (BG 4.8). The sādhus, or the devotees, they are very much anxious to meet God, Kṛṣṇa, so He fulfills the desires of the sādhu, and by the way He also vināśāya ca duṣkṛtam. Duṣkṛtaḥ means sinful, impious, to kill them.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- New Vrindaban, September 4, 1972:

Originally we are all spiritual spark, we all, sitting here, not only we, human beings, even other living entities, everyone—the trees, the plants, the aquatics, birds, beasts, insects, microbes, everyone. Wherever you'll find living symptoms, they are all part and parcel of God. But according to their karma, according to their pious and impious activities, they have been obliged to accept a certain type of body. That is in the hands of nature. Your science will not help. Your science will not help. It will be considered by the material nature.

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

Everyone is working in this material world to get some result. The result must be there. Either you work piously or impiously, there must be result. So those who are not devotees, they will enjoy the result. So they're entangled. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: yajñārthāt karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). "If you do not work for Yajña, Viṣṇu, then whatever you are doing, you are being bound up by the reaction of such work." Suppose you have done pious work. Now you are elevated to the higher planetary system or you become rich man's sons. Because by pious activities we get four things: janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī (SB 1.8.26).

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

Not that everyone is becoming very learned. But one who was pious in his past life or in this life, they can be benefited, nice education also. And śrī, and beauty. These are the results of pious activities. And just the opposite is due to impious activities: no riches, no beauty, no knowledge, no good family. So pious and impious activities, this is going on. Generally, people understand dharma by these. But here Bhāgavata says, "No. Dharma, religious principles, should be executed to nullify..." Hy āpavargyasya. Dharmasya hy āpavargyasya na arthāya upakalpate. "Not for material benefit." Material benefit... Either you become poor or rich, you have to undergo the tribulations of this material existence.

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

So this is the benefit of being Kṛṣṇa conscious, that whatever we are acting in our past life, and according to that we have got this body... Either impious or pious, whatever you have done, that's all right. Don't think that because we are doing some pious activities we shall be out of the bondage of fruitive activity. No. That is also not possible. I have several times explained that if we do pious activity, then the result will be that we shall be able to get our birth in a very nice family, aristocratic family, rich family, pious family, big family. These are the results. Janma.

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

Janmaiśvarya-śruta (SB 1.8.26), or somebody becomes very highly or great learned man, śruta. And śrī; śrī means beauty. Or one becomes very beautiful. So these things are obtained by righteous activities. And similarly by acting impious activities we become very ugly, we become fool, we are born in a very low family or animal family and we become very poor. These are the results of different activities.

Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- San Francisco, March 25, 1967:

So here it is stated that, that buddhi-yukto jahātīha ubhe sukṛta-duṣkṛte. Sukṛta means pious activities, and duṣkṛta means impious activities. In the material platform we are two things, pious or impious. Pious or impious. Either we are doing some pious activities or we are doing some impious activities or we are doing mixed, pious or impious. So Lord Kṛṣṇa advises that if you act with intelligence or devotion of the Supreme... Intelligence means... What is that intelligence? That "I am the part and parcel of the supreme consciousness, pure soul. I am not this body." This is called intelligence. If you identify yourself, "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am this or that," then you are material placed.

Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- San Francisco, March 25, 1967:

Just like in office, the managing director is the supreme consciousness. Just for example. Now, everyone is working under him, under his direction. So anyone who is working under his direction, they have no responsibility. They have got simply to discharge the duty, either pious or impious, never mind. In the military rank the order of the captain or the commander is there. The soldier has to execute it. Never mind whether it is pious or impious. It doesn't matter. He has to act simply. Then he becomes a, I mean to say, real soldier. If he acts in that way, he gets remuneration, he gets reward, he gets title, he gets honor. He doesn't care.

Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- San Francisco, March 25, 1967:

Just like your hand is the part of your body. Now, it is moving according to my consciousness. The hand is not moving in its own way. As I want, that let the hand be moved, let my legs be moved, let my eye be opened and see, so I am dictating and these parts are working. Similarly we are all parts and parcel, parcel of the supreme consciousness. When we train ourself to move and act in according to that supreme consciousness, then we become transcendental to all these pious or impious activities. That is the technique.

Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- San Francisco, March 25, 1967:

Because you are rich man, because you are beautiful man, because you are educated man, because you are born in a aristocratic family, that does not mean that you have avoided death, old age and disease. So we shall not be concerned with pious activities or impious activities. We shall be concerned with transcendental activities. That will save me from this bondage of birth, death, old age and disease. That should be our aim of life. We should not be hankering after good or bad things.

Lecture on SB 1.2.21 -- Vrndavana, November 1, 1972:

Just like if you have got sufficient education, you can become high-court judge. It is not very difficult. Similarly, this Indra, Candra, Brahmā, big, big demigods, they have got all these posts on account of their great pious activities. Puṇya. Puṇya-karma. Similarly, the hogs and dogs and other animals, they are due to the pāpa-karma, impious activities. So both of them are resultant action of our karma.

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

So in one way you stop your impious activities; in other way you improve your spiritual understanding in this way. Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya. Anta-gataṁ pāpam means you stop. Anta-gatam. So if you engage yourself in pious activities, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness activities, where is the scope of dong nonsense work? Therefore it is stopped. Automatically it is stopped. So yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām, in this way, te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā (BG 7.28). They have no other engagement. They do not know anything else except Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.7.7 -- Vrndavana, April 24, 1975:

And if a brahmacārī would go and sell a few copies, he would be very, very glad. He would be very, very glad. And similarly, he advised me also that "If you get some money, publish book." And he used to say that "This press propaganda, the publication propaganda, is bṛhad-mṛdaṅga." So just to satisfy him we are trying to publish this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā, Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Caitanya-caritāmṛta, very, very authoritative books, in English. And by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, it is unique in the history that religious book can be sold forty lakhs of rupees per month. It is record-breaking. There is no such instance. Because we are trying to give the opportunity, yasyāṁ vai śrūyamāṇāyām (SB 1.7.7). Simply by hearing he will become pious. People are suffering on account of becoming impious. So one cannot understand what is God, what is Kṛṣṇa, unless he has finished his impious activity.

Lecture on SB 1.7.7 -- Vrndavana, April 24, 1975:

This is the principle, that you cannot keep men in their impious activities, at the same time he becomes religious or God conscious. That is not possible. That is not possible. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu has prescribed a very easy method to become pious. That is the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). The real disease is within our heart. Hṛd-roga-kāma. Hṛd-roga-kāma. We have got a disease, heart disease. What is that? Kāma, lusty desires. That is called hṛd-roga-kāma.

Lecture on SB 1.7.11 -- Vrndavana, September 10, 1976:

In the beginning, provided one is, background is pious... Because without piety nobody can approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. Those who are simply acting piously, such person can approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Not impious person can... Therefore we shall be very, very careful about impious activities. Impious activities, we know the four legs of impious activities: illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating, and gambling. So therefore we should be very, very careful about these impious activities. You cannot make any spiritual progress by simultaneously acting impiously and at the same time... It may... Not it may—it is sure it will go. But it will go very slow.

Lecture on SB 1.7.11 -- Vrndavana, September 10, 1976:

So in order to keep us dry without being wetted by the impious activities, then spiritual progress will be very quick. We should remember that. Actually, if we want to be advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is our duty to keep ourself dry from material wetness. That is our duty. Yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpam. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, especially two things: viṣayiṇāṁ sandarśanam atha yoṣitāṁ ca (CC Madhya 11.8). Two things: woman and money. If we become attracted... Woman means for man the woman is woman, and for the woman the man is woman. Not that woman means a particular class. Woman means which are enjoyable.

Lecture on SB 1.7.11 -- Vrndavana, September 10, 1976:

So Kṛṣṇa is very kind. Tat te 'nukampāṁ su-samīkṣa..., bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṁ vipākam. If we act impiously, we have to suffer. But for a devotee, karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām (Bs. 5.54). Karmāṇi nirdahati. Others, for sinful activities, they will have to continue, but if a devotee is in sinful activities, in one life it is finished. But don't take this concession. We should be very much careful not to commit. So we shall have to increase our madness for harer guṇākṣipta-matir bhagavān bādarāyaṇiḥ. And bādarāyaṇi, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, is also addressed as Bhagavān.

Lecture on SB 1.7.23 -- Vrndavana, September 20, 1976:

Nārāyaṇa has now become daridra. Formerly Nārāyaṇa was husband of the goddess of fortune. And now he has become daridra. So serve this Nārāyaṇa. This, they're manufacturing, concoction. This is not... That means sinful activities. Because he has manufactured something, that is sinful. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says plainly that "You rascal, you give up any other engagement, even if you think it is very pious activity, very philanthropic. You give up." Sarva-dharmān. Sarva means whatever you think pious and whatever you think impious, both of them should be given up. Because there are two kinds of activities: pious or impious. And sarva includes pious and impious.

Lecture on SB 1.7.26 -- Vrndavana, September 2, 1976:

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.

Lecture on SB 1.7.38-39 -- Vrndavana, September 30, 1976:

We should not take chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra as some auspicious activity. It is certainly auspicious, but generally people perform some auspicious activities, śubha-kriyā, to counteract their impious activities. This should not be done. This is also another offense. You cannot utilize hari-nāma for any material purposes. Material purpose is... Just like generally, people go to a guru for benefit of some material purpose. "Sir, I have got some cholic pain within my abdomen. Kindly give me your blessing." The materialistic persons, they are after blessing for some material benefit. They are not after Kṛṣṇa. That is another offense.

Lecture on SB 1.8.44 -- Los Angeles, May 6, 1973:

So unless we are ordered by Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa's representative, we cannot violate the morality of this world. That is not possible. It is a great philosophy. It requires little brain to understand. So man nimitte kṛtaṁ pāpaṁ puṇya eva kalpate(?). So if sometimes we have to do something which is sinful for the sake of Kṛṣṇa, not for others, not for me... For me, even if we do so-called pious activities, that is also impious. And if we do something for Kṛṣṇa which is in the estimation of the world impious, that becomes pious. That is Kṛṣṇa philosophy.

Lecture on SB 1.10.3-4 -- Tehran, March 13, 1975:

Mahī, the earth. You get all your necessities from the earth. It does not fall from the sky. Yes, it falls from the sky in the form of rain. But they do not know the science, that how things are coming from earth by the different arrangement. Under certain conditions the rain falls and astral influence. Then so many things are produced, the valuable stones, the pearls. They do not know how these things are coming. So therefore, if the king is pious, to help him the nature also cooperates. And the king, if the government is impious, then nature will not cooperate. That we have also information in the Fourth Canto, I think. King? What is that? Pṛthu, Pṛthu Mahārāja, yes.

Lecture on SB 1.10.4 -- Mayapura, June 19, 1973:

So due to good king, in... There is a maxim in Bengali: rājera doṣe rāja naṣṭa, rājya naṣṭa, gṛhiṇī doṣe gṛhastha naṣṭa(?). This is very important instruction. If the king of the state is an impious man, sinful man, that kingdom will never be happy. Naṣṭa. Everything is spoiled. As much as in a family, if the housewife is not good, contaminated, then there is no good life in the family. In Western countries especially, and in this country also, nowadays, there is no peace between husband and wife, and there is no, practically, no family life. In Western countries there is divorce. Here also the divorce law is introduced. And no family is happy. Gṛhiṇī doṣe gṛhastha naṣṭa. So king must be very pious.

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

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

Lecture on SB 1.15.20 -- Los Angeles, November 30, 1973:

So this is the instance, that we may be very powerful so long Kṛṣṇa keeps us powerful. We are not independently powerful, even in the case of Arjuna. We are very much proud of our janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrīḥ (SB 1.8.26). The material world, everyone is very much proud of his birth, riches, education and beauty. Beauty. These four things are obtained as result of pious activities. And as a result of impious activities, the opposite number. Not birth in a very nice family or nation, no wealth, poverty, no education and no beauty. But one should know that these assets, material assets.

Lecture on SB 1.15.30 -- Los Angeles, December 8, 1973:

If you do not act piously, then you must act viciously. This is the way. The Māyāvādī philosopher, they simply wants to stop impious activities. But they do not engage themselves in pious activities. Therefore they fail. They fail. You must have side by side. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 9.59). If you get something better, then you can give up inferior. But if you do not get better, you cannot give up the inferior. That is not possible.

Lecture on SB 1.15.30 -- Los Angeles, December 8, 1973:

So you can give up this impious activities provided you are engaged fully in devotional service. Otherwise it is not possible. Simply by moral instruction, that "Stealing is very bad. Don't steal," nobody likes it. Nobody likes it. It is practical. One man has stolen, and he's arrested and he's going to the police custody. So everyone has seen, and he has heard also that the government says that if you steal, you'll be punished. In the Bible or in any other religious scripture it is said that stealing is not good.

Lecture on SB 1.15.41 -- Los Angeles, December 19, 1973:

As soon as Kṛṣṇa sees that you are eager to hear about Him... Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). By the first hearing you may not understand about Kṛṣṇa, but if you simply hear with little attention, although you do not understand, still, you will be pious. Because the dirty things means covered with impious activities. So if you hear about Kṛṣṇa, then gradually you will become pious, simply by hearing.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Vrndavana, March 16, 1974:

Because pious activities means to approach Kṛṣṇa. Those who are impious, sinful, they cannot approach Kṛṣṇa. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). Those who are narādhamāḥ, lowest of the mankind, always engaged in sinful activities, and rascals, may be very educated-māyayā apahṛta-jñānāḥ, their educational value has been taken away by māyā... As, just like nowadays it has become. The more one is educated, the more one is atheist.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2-5 -- Montreal, October 23, 1968:

Apāśrayāśrayam means a devotee is already under the protection of God, and if one takes protection of a devotee, he also becomes a devotee and becomes purified. Therefore a devotee is more merciful than God. Even in God there is consideration-pious, impious. For a devotee there is no such consideration. "Everyone come." What is the purpose of opening so many centers? Just to give people opportunity to take advantage, without any consideration of his position. But if one does not take the advantage, it is up to him. That independence has everyone. We are inviting everyone to understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but nobody is coming. What can we do? Those who are fortunate, they are taking advantage. That's all.

Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Delhi, November 6, 1973:

As it is said, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). So this śravaṇam Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu, means puṇya, puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ. Even if you do not understand anything, if you simply sit down silently and give aural reception to the sound vibration of Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, you become purified. Puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). Simply by hearing, you become pious. Because we are all impious. Unless we are impious, we don't accept this material body. There may be difference of degrees. That does not make... Anyone who has come to this material world, he is to be considered as impious.

Lecture on SB 3.25.8 -- Bombay, November 8, 1974:

Unless you are free from the reaction of all sinful life, you cannot understand what is bhakti, what is Bhagavān. Therefore puṇya-karmaṇām. Janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. We should act piously. Piously means we must first of all give up impious activities: illicit sex life, meat-eating, drinking and gambling. Then you can lead pious life. Then you can understand what is God. Mean... These things are... Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means training people to become pious to understand Kṛṣṇa and make his life successful.

Lecture on SB 3.25.18 -- Bombay, November 18, 1974:

So to become free from pāpa, sinful life, one may say that "It will take many years..." Because yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. Unless we act piously, it is not possible to become free from impious, or sinful, life. But there is very simple process. What is that process? Kṛṣṇa says that process:

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

(BG 18.66)

Lecture on SB 3.25.18 -- Bombay, November 18, 1974:

There are many dharmas, or many activities or function. Some of them are pious; some of them are impious. There are two kinds. So Kṛṣṇa says, "You give up, pious and impious, both." That is sarva-dharmān. Because we are acting piously and impiously. So you can give up both pious activities and impious activities. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was thinking that "Fighting with my brother, it is impious." So Kṛṣṇa was insisting that "You must fight." So how Arjuna could take impious activities? Because Kṛṣṇa's service is above these pious and impious activities. That is called sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). Just like the gopīs. The gopīs went to Kṛṣṇa at mid..., midnight, by simply hearing the flute of Kṛṣṇa. So young girl, going to Kṛṣṇa at midnight, this is impious activities. According to śāstra, according to moral, it is impious activities. But because it was done for Kṛṣṇa, it is understood as the most pious. Recommends. Who recommends? Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that ramyā kācid upāsanā vraja-vadhū-vargeṇa yā kalpitā. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He was sannyāsī.

Lecture on SB 3.25.18 -- Bombay, November 18, 1974:

So, so although it looks apparently that gopīs went to Kṛṣṇa to dance with Him, that is not very moral, but Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommends that is the highest method of worshiping Kṛṣṇa. So this requires jñānam. Therefore this is called transcendental knowledge, how serving Kṛṣṇa, one becomes transcendental to all these pious and impious activities. That requires knowledge.

Lecture on SB 3.25.18 -- Bombay, November 18, 1974:

Pious and impious... Piety or impiety, they are within these material guṇas, qualities, good and bad. And Kṛṣṇa's service is transcendental, above good and bad. So that is called real knowledge, and if one is fortunate enough to understand this knowledge, then immediately he becomes detached to these material pious and impious activities. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). That is called vairāgya. Jñāna-vairāgya. Bhakti-yuktena. Without bhakti, there cannot be jñāna and vairāgya. Actually, the human life is meant for jñāna and vairāgya, for two things. Otherwise, we remain animal.

Lecture on SB 3.25.20 -- Bombay, November 20, 1974:

Anyone can be delivered. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Low-born, pāpa-yoni. Puṇya-yoni and pāpa-yoni. Puṇya-yoni... Yoni means the source of birth. So there are two kinds of yonis, pious and impious. Those who are pious, they are getting chance of birth, in very aristocratic, high family, educated, learned brāhmaṇa family. Jñāna. Then aiśvarya, opulence, riches; education, śruta; śrī, beauty. These are the symptoms of pious life. And just the opposite, ugly-looking, born in very low-grade family, almost animal, then no education, no character, these are impious life.

Lecture on SB 3.25.20 -- Bombay, November 20, 1974:

Socially, we may deny a caṇḍāla to enter into my house, but Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's devotee does not deny. That is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They never, they'll never deny. "Yes, you are welcome. You take also education in the spiritual life. You also become devotee of Kṛṣṇa." Sometimes we are criticized. But Kṛṣṇa says, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). He is giving, offering shelter. "Come on. Never mind you are born in low family or impious family. It doesn't matter." Striyaḥ śūdrās tathā vaiśyās te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. Kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā bhaktā rājarṣayas tathā (BG 9.33).

Lecture on SB 3.25.22 -- Bombay, November 22, 1974:

If we are pious, then we are promoted to the higher planetary system, Svargaloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Brahmaloka, Satyaloka. There are so many... Siddhaloka. And if we are impious, then we are downtrodden. We go down more and more. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). If you are situated in sattva-guṇa, then you are promoted to the higher planetary system: adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. Jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. If you are infected with tamo-guṇa, then you go down, down, down, down. Madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ.

Lecture on SB 3.25.25 -- Bombay, November 25, 1974:

Of course, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, the spiritual life begins if one is pious, if one is pious. Ārto arthārthī jijñāsuḥ. Catur-vidhā bhajante mām. Kṛṣṇa said, "Four classes of men..." Catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtinaḥ arjuna. Sukṛti. Sukṛti means pious. One who has got background, pious life, not impious life, sinful life, such pious men, out of them, four classes of men, catur-vidhāḥ, they come to devotional life, begins. Who are they? Ārtaḥ, those who are distress; Ārtaḥ arthārthī, those who want some money; jijñāsuḥ, those who are inquisitive; and jñānī.

Lecture on SB 3.25.25 -- Bombay, November 25, 1974:

Kindly, if You give me some money, I can live very peacefully." Generally. So because they have come to Kṛṣṇa, therefore they are called sukṛtinaḥ. Sukṛtinaḥ means pious. And there are others, who are duṣkṛtina, impious, sinful. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). They are not even human being who do not accept the authority of the Supreme Lord. Duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ. And they have been described as mūḍhāḥ. Mūḍha means rascal, foolish. Real meaning of mūḍha is ass. So those who are like that, duṣkṛtinaḥ, and full of impious activities, narādhamāḥ, lowest of the mankind, māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ, whose knowledge has been taken away by the illusory energy, na māṁ prapadyante, they do not accept Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on SB 3.25.29 -- Bombay, November 29, 1974:

If you take to bhakti, automatically you become prasannātmā. Yayātmā suprasīdati. What is that? Ahaituky apratihatā bhakti. Without any motive. "I shall serve Kṛṣṇa with a motive," that is also good in this sense, that he is pious, he has approached Kṛṣṇa. He is not impious like the atheist, like the nonbeliever. But he is good, although he has approached... Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. Dhruva Mahārāja worshiped Kṛṣṇa with a motive. But after being perfect in devotional service he becomes without motive.

Lecture on SB 3.26.5 -- Bombay, December 17, 1974:

Here the so-called pious activities, that is also sinful activities. That is our mental concoction. We have made, "This is pious and this is impious." But to remain in this material world is itself impious, because it is contamination. So when you are diseased, contaminated, so where is the difference of pious activities and impious activities? It is simply imagination. In the material world there cannot be any pious activities—because the result is suffering birth and death and old age. Then where is your pious activities? So it is simply concoction.

Lecture on SB 3.26.5 -- Bombay, December 17, 1974:

Because we have created something pious and impious, something good, something bad, so Kṛṣṇa says, "You rascal, give up all this bad and good. Your so-called bad and good has no value. The only value is that you surrender unto Me." And then that is value. Otherwise you concoct, "This is very good; this is very bad." In the prison house, if you think a first-class prison is very nice, but after all, it is prison house. Your independence is cut down.

Lecture on SB 3.26.27 -- Bombay, January 4, 1975:

Those who are acting impiously, sinfully, there is no question of peace of the mind. That is not possible. Even those who are acting very piously, that is also not possible. You cannot control even the mind in that way. Then those who are desiring to stop these material activities completely, pious or impious, they also cannot control the mind. And then the yogis... The first group, who are interested in pious activities, they are karmīs. And those who are neither interested in pious activities or impious activities—they want to stop all kinds of activities... Just like the Buddha philosophy says, nirvāṇa: "Stop the activities of the mind or desires." On that status also, it is not possible to control the mind, meditation.

Lecture on SB 3.26.44 -- Bombay, January 19, 1975:

The scientist does not know. That we have already explained several times, that the different gandha, or smell, or fragrance, or aroma, whatever you call, there are already within the earth. Puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, puṇyo gandhaḥ and pāpo gandhaḥ. In the material world, everywhere, there are two things: pious and impious. So the pāpo gandhaḥ, bad smell, when it passes, so you close your nose, nostrils, not to accept it. But when there is puṇyo gandhaḥ, you feel fresh: "Oh, it is very nice."

Lecture on SB 3.26.47 -- Bombay, January 22, 1975:

Pious activities means becoming free from the impious, sinful reaction. That is the result. By chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa vibration, the sound, you gradually become cleansed. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam. Ceto-darpaṇa. Darpaṇa means mirror. Just like in the mirror there are dust covering. You cannot see your face clearly. But if it is very nicely cleansed, then you can see how beautiful is your face. So similarly, as soon as you begin chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, you gradually become self-realized, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, simply by chanting. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi, you can understand.

Lecture on SB 4.14.14 -- November 16, 1971, Delhi:

A pious man lives long. Impious man dies very soon. Even one who is pure devotee, he can prolong his duration of life more than what is destined for him. Everyone has got a destination that "This person will live for so many years, this person will live for so many years." But a pure devotee as a yogi can increase the duration of his life. Similarly, a pure devotee, although he does not artificially try to increase the duration of life, by God's grace his duration of life is increased.

Lecture on SB 4.14.14 -- November 16, 1971, Delhi:

So actually Kṛṣṇa says that even the stri-śūdra-vaiśya, they are also elevated to the highest position if they take the shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). The pāpa-yoni, the pious man or impious man, that is consideration of this material world. So long we are in this material world, there must be "this is good" and "this is bad." Although there is nothing good in this material world—everything is bad—but we have concocted some formulas that "This is good and this is bad."

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

The idea is the gṛhasthas, they know that "We are simply engaged in the matter of sense gratification. If we invite some saintly person at home, if he eats at my place, then, we commit so many sinful activities, we'll be saved." This is the process. Therefore, a sannyāsī is advised to accept prasādam in the house of a brāhmaṇa, because a brāhmaṇa is supposed to be, become very pious. If you take foodstuff from impious men, then that means you are taking share of his impious activities. But a saintly person, they can digest, but if (they) cannot digest, then you have to suffer. This is the process. Then he has to suffer.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Johannesburg, October 22, 1975:

"A person who has completely finished the reaction of his sinful life..." Yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. So if we be engaged in puṇya karma, pious activities, then there is no chance of acting impiously. So puṇya-karmaṇām. Yajña dāna tapaḥ kriyaḥ. These are the activities of piety: yajña, performing sacrifice. There are different types of sacrifices mentioned, but in this age it is difficult. Therefore in this age the easiest sacrifice is chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32).

Lecture on SB 5.5.5 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:

Everyone has got different types of mentality. So karmātmakam means... That is general mentality, that "I shall work very nice and I shall get money and I shall enjoy life." This is called karmātmakam. Not only in this life, next life also, they are trying, those who are followers of Vedic ritualistic ceremony, by puṇya-karma. Puṇya-karma means pious activities. Pious activities, that is also activity. So according to our philosophy, we are not impressed even in pious activity. We are not interested in impious activities. We are not interested even in pious activities. This is our position.

Lecture on SB 5.5.35 -- Vrndavana, November 22, 1976:

Janma-koṭi sukṛtibhiḥ. If you become pious... Because pious is the good position. Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. So to become pious is good because there is hope of understanding Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise, if you remain impious, na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). If you remain sinful, then you'll remain always rascal. You'll never understand Kṛṣṇa. You'll never understand. Therefore we must try to become pious. And that pious means no sinful activities.

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

You have got practical experience that if you violate the law of the state you become criminal and punished. But if the cats and dogs or animals, they violate the law, they are not punishable. Therefore human life must be very responsible. Yes. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, "My dear king, if before one's next death whatever impious acts one has performed in this life with his mind, words, and body are not counteracted through proper atonement according to the description of the Manu-saṁhitā and other dharma-śāstras, one will certainly enter into the hellish planets after death and undergo terrible sufferings as I have previously described."

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Honolulu, May 7, 1976:

Just like there is punishment according to criminality, similarly, there is punishment by nature's law. According to impious life, there is punishment. So people do not care for impious life. That is misfortune. No knowledge. Impious or vicious activities are done out of ignorance. Just like a person commits some criminality without knowing the laws, government laws.

Lecture on SB 6.1.7 -- Honolulu, May 8, 1976:

So Śukadeva Gosvāmī said, "My dear King, if before one's next death whatever impious acts one has performed in this life with the mind, words and body are not counteracted through the proper atonement according to the description of the Manu-saṁhitā and other dharma-śāstras, one will certainly enter the hellish planets after death and undergo terrible suffering, as I have previously described to you."

Lecture on SB 6.1.9 -- Nellore, January 7, 1976:

The Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the son of Vedavyasa... Śukadeva Gosvāmī is the son of Vyāsadeva. He answered, "My dear king, since acts meant to neutralize impious action are also fruitive, they will not relieve one from the tendency to act fruitively. Persons who subject themselves to the rules and regulation of atonement are not at all intelligent. Indeed, they are in the mode of darkness. Unless is freed from the mode of ignorance, trying to counteract one action through another is useless because this will not uproot one's desire. Thus, even though one may superficially seem pious, he will undoubtedly be prone to act impiously. Therefore real atonement is enlightenment in perfect knowledge, Vedānta, by which one understands the Supreme Absolute Truth." In this verse there is one particular word, vimarśanam. The meaning of this vimarśanam: "full knowledge of Vedānta."

Lecture on SB 6.1.9 -- Nellore, January 7, 1976:

The idea is that you may perform the religious, ritualistic ceremonies, but if you heart is not cleansed, simply by performing these ritualistic ceremonies you'll not be purified. So we have got two desires: pious desire or impious desires. So either you become desirous of doing pious thing or you desirous of doing impious things, the sufferings of this material world will continue.

Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- Los Angeles, June 26, 1975:

Just like, take another example, that before our birth, accepting this body, I was a person, you were a person. And according to our personal different activities, pious or impious, we have got this body. So I was person before the beginning of my this body, and after my death, I shall remain a person, and I shall accept another body. Dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. So when I become imperson? Past, present, future, there are three different phases of time. So in the past I was a person, at present I am a person, and in future I shall remain a person. So where is the question of imperson?

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Nellore, January 8, 1976:

That our miserable condition of life is due to our material attraction or pāpa, impious activities. Here it is confirmed that kevalayā bhaktyā, aghaṁ dhunvanti kārtsnyena: totally you can kill all reaction of sinful activities. And a very good example is given here: nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ. Nīhāra means fog. In the fog you cannot see what is there in your front. But as soon as there is sunrise, immediately fog is dissipated.

Lecture on SB 6.1.19 -- Honolulu, May 19, 1976:

So in the Kali-yuga, this age, there is no such king. There is no such government. Therefore people are becoming polluted. It is the duty of the guru, the duty of the parents, duty of the government to train people in such a way that they may become pious, sinless. But they do not believe, even in the next life, that "If we act impiously, then we have to suffer next life." They avoid to believe that there is next life. But there is next life. In the morning we were talking about this. How you can say there is no next life? The child has got next life: a boy. The boy has got next life: a young man. And the young man has next life, to become old man. Similarly, the old man has got next life. It is very common logic.

Lecture on SB 6.1.32 -- San Francisco, July 17, 1975:

The Yamadūtas have come to take him away because externally he is the most sinful man. Therefore they are protesting, "How is that? It is already settled up. This man has committed so many sinful activities. So they are under our jurisdiction. Who are you, you are forbidding us?" But the Viṣṇudūtas have come there because although he was sinful, although he was most impious, although he was a prostitute-hunter and cheater and so many good qualities, still, he has chanted the holy name of Nārāyaṇa at the end of his life. Immediately Viṣṇudūtas... This is the facility. Whole life sinful, ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ (SB 2.1.6), but he has remembered Nārāyaṇa at the end of his life. Very painful life.

Lecture on SB 6.1.38 -- Los Angeles, June 4, 1976:

They challenged, the Yamadūtas challenged: "Who are you, interfering in our business? We have come to arrest him." So, before talking, the, the counterchallenge was that "You spoke that 'We are servants of Dharmarāja. So it is his jurisdiction... This person is impious. So this is the jurisdiction of Dharmarāja. He has to try the case and give him punishment, criminal department, law and order. So, you cannot interfere with us.' " Therefore the challenge is replied by Viṣṇudūtas that "If you are actually representative of Dharmarāja, who tries the case of dharma and adharma, first of all explain what is dharma and what is adharma."

Lecture on SB 6.1.39-40 -- Surat, December 21, 1970:

Now, why Vedas should be accepted to seriously? At least we, who are supposed to be followers of the Vedic laws, we take it so seriously. For example, how we accept the injunctions of Vedas seriously? There is example, a stool, animal stool, or any, human being stool—stool is stool—that stool is supposed to be impious, impure. If you touch stool, then you have to take your bath. You become impure. You have to take your bath, as you do generally. After passing stool we take bath. That is a Hindu injunction.

Lecture on SB 6.1.43 -- Los Angeles, July 24, 1975:

One who is distressed, he goes to God: "Sir, I am very much distressed. Kindly give me relief." Arthārthī, one is poor, he also goes, provided he is pious. The impious, they'll "Uh, what is God? I will do it." Just like the Communists, they say, "You are poor, so why you are going to the church? Beg from us bread." And poor men, they beg, and they give many breads, and they become atheist: "Well, we are getting from the Communist leaders bread. Why shall I go to church, 'God gives us, give me'?" But because they are poor, poor in knowledge, they do not know that the bread is coming from the Communist factory. It is coming from God, the wheat.

Lecture on SB 6.1.45 -- Laguna Beach, July 26, 1975:

So we are preparing our next life in this... Yatha adharmaḥ, yathā dharmaḥ. There are two things: you can act piously or impiously. There is no third, no third path. One path is pious; one path is nonpious. So here both are mentioned. Yena yāvān yathādharmaḥ, dharmaḥ. Dharma means constitutional. Dharma does not mean, as it is stated in some of the English dictionary, "a kind of faith." Faith may be blind. That is not dharma. Dharma means original, constitutional position. That is dharma.

Lecture on SB 6.1.45 -- Laguna Beach, July 26, 1975:

So we are, at the present moment in different conditions of life on account of our different activities, pious and impious, dharma, adharma. So pious activities means to be controlled by Kṛṣṇa, and impious activities means to be controlled by māyā. We have to be controlled. Our position is such that we cannot become controller. That is not possible. If we want to become controller, that is my artificial desire. And the resultant action we will have to suffer. First of all you must understand this, that we are controlled. Either you agree to be controlled by Kṛṣṇa or you agree to be controlled by māyā, but you cannot become controller.

Lecture on SB 6.1.47 -- Dallas, July 29, 1975:

So here the Yamadūtas are analyzing whether Ajāmila is pious or impious. The Viṣṇudūtas asked them to explain what is dharma and what is adharma. "You have come here to arrest this person, to take away with to the yama... So you are servant of Dharmarāja. Now explain what is dharma and adharma." Dharma means which will bring me again to my original, constitutional position, and adharma means which will take me down and down from my original, constitutional position. This is the test of dharma and adharma. I am eternal part and parcel of God, so my dharma is to render service to God and go back to home, back to Godhead. This is my real business.

Lecture on SB 6.2.1-5 -- Calcutta, January 6, 1971:

So they are saying, dharma-dṛśāṁ sabhām, sabhā, sabhām adharmaḥ spṛśate: "If in the court of justice these false things are bribing and without money nobody can get justice, these things happen, it becomes very troublesome."

aho kaṣṭaṁ dharma-dṛśām

adharmaḥ spṛśate sabhām

yatrādaṇḍyeṣv apāpeṣu

daṇḍo yair dhriyate vṛthā

Sabhāṁ yatra sabhāyam, vaidharma dhigbhiḥ esam tan saha.(?) "If the people who are administering justice, they become irreligious, impious, oh, how troublesome situation!" is the first acclamation.

Lecture on SB 6.2.8 -- Vrndavana, September 11, 1975:

Ajāmila was benefited, although he did not know the distinction between pious and impious activities on account of too much attachment with this material world. He was the husband of a prostitute, and he got some children. So to maintain the family and children he used to adopt any means. Never mind. He did not know what is sinful and what is not sinful. But his only credit was that he was chanting "Nārāyaṇa." He was chanting "Nārāyaṇa."

Lecture on SB 6.2.16 -- Vrndavana, September 19, 1975:

And now I have killed only one man and I am going to be killed? Why? What is this?" "Yes." For your sense gratification, as soon as you do anything, that is sinful, whatever you do. It may be so-called pious activities in your calculation, but in this material world there is no such thing as pious activities or impious. Everything impious.

Lecture on SB 7.9.13 -- Montreal, August 21, 1968:

We can understand, if the United Nation passed resolution that "The whole planet belongs to God; we are sons of God; so let us live peacefully as sons of God," oh, there is no quarrel. But that they will never understand. They'll simply try to divide. Just like some gangs of thieves, they have stolen some property. Now they have come out, and they're dividing, and one of them is asking, "My dear brothers, let us divide piously. Let us divide piously." (laughs) Nonsense. The whole property is impious. So what is the meaning of your piously divided?

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1972:

Now, "Relief from Material Distress." There are two kinds of activities, pious activities and impious activities. Generally we understand by performing impious activities, we suffer, and by performing pious activities, we enjoy. But actually, in the material world there is no enjoyment. Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī explains that dvaite bhadrābhadra sakali samāna. In the material world, in the world of dualities, either we think "This is pious" or either we think "This is impious," they are practically on the same platform. We take it as pleasure.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1972:

The Vedic version, they give us that "You should work in this way." But if we do not act according to the Vedic injunctions, that is called vikarma. And we become subjected to sufferings, impious activities. But we do it because we are mad after sense gratification. We do not care. Just like a thief, he knows that by stealing he'll be punished, but still, because he's mad after stealing, he'll do it, taking the risk of being arrested and being harassed. Nūnaṁ prammattaḥ vikarma, nūnaṁ prammattaḥ kurute, yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 6, 1972:

Sometimes they complain that "This man is committing so many sinful activities, but he's happy." But actually he's enjoying the effects of his past something pious. Now he's happy, but that effect of the impious activities, that is in stock. It will come out in due course of time. That is called kūṭa-stha. Kūṭa-stha phalonmukha, prārabdha. These are the Sanskrit language. That is being explained here.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.16 -- Mayapur, April 9, 1975:

So we have to, according to the śāstric injunction, according to the spiritual master instruction, everywhere we have to organize this Kṛṣṇa family. So Kṛṣṇa family does not mean starvation. Kṛṣṇa family means to enjoy simply. Simply minus this material contamination. Chāḍi anācāra. Anācāra. Anācāra means not proper behavior. Proper behavior means to remain always pious, and improper behavior means to become impious, sinful. If you become sinful, then you cannot enter into the family of Kṛṣṇa; that is not possible. Kṛṣṇa is described in the Bhagavad-gītā by Arjuna—paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12).

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.76-81 -- San Francisco, February 2, 1967:

So this is Vedic injunction. Whatever is there, it is already tested, it is already experimented. You have simply to accept. Don't try to argue. This is acceptance of Vedānta-sūtra. Not that "Oh, I have got to serve some purpose, political purpose. So I'll have to prove from Bhagavad-gītā there is nonviolence." In our country, Gandhi, he was supposed to be a great student of Bhagavad-gītā. He wanted to prove that there... (break) ...by violence. So he was killed. How you can prove Bhagavad-gītā nonviolence? There is tacit order, "You must fight. The other party is impious. So you must fight." These are the injunction. You cannot change. That is not Vedānta-sūtra.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.109-114 -- San Francisco, February 20, 1967:

So spiritual potency is the internal energy of Kṛṣṇa, and material potency is the external energy. So Kṛṣṇa says that "Whenever I come," yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7), "whenever there is discrepancies in the discharging of religious principles," adharmasya abhyutthānam abhyutthānam adharmasya, "and there is great predominance of irreligiosity," tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham, "I, at that time, I come." Paritra... Why? Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām: (BG 4.8) "Just to save the pious and the righteous and to vanquish the impious."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.112 -- New York, July 20, 1976:

So you cannot do business with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is not agreeable to this proposal. He's master. You cannot utilize Him for your service. You must engage yourself to His service. That is wanted. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Then if we be in that attitude, that "Kṛṣṇa is my master; I must serve Kṛṣṇa. I shall not take Kṛṣṇa an instrument to become my servant..." That is not possible, although it is said that catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtino 'rjuna: "Four kinds of men," sukṛtina, "whose background is pious, they come to Kṛṣṇa." One who is impious, he cannot come.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

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

This I have explained several times, that if a man is pious, he has to take his birth in rich family, janmaiśvarya-śruta (SB 1.8.26), in very aristocratic family, rich family. He may become next life very learned scholar, very beautiful. These are the results of pious activities. But pious or impious, you have to enter into the womb of some mother. That tribulation is very severe. That we have forgotten. That we have forgotten. Either you take birth in a very rich family, aristocratic family, or you take birth in the animal womb, so the pangs of birth, death, disease and old age will continue.

Initiation Lectures

Talk, Initiation Lecture, and Ten Offenses Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 1, 1968:

And another thing, just like we are holding this ceremony, initiation ceremony. It should not be accepted just we are functioning some ritualistic ceremony. No. It is different from ritualistic ceremony. Although it appears like ritualistic, it is transcendental. Ritualistic ceremony, they are meant for giving you advantage of become pious, from impious life. It also gives that, but this is not the ultimate aim. The ultimate aim is to give you love of God, which is far, far transcendental to the pious and impious activities. That is a different thing that belongs to the spiritual world—love of God. It is not that it is a function to nullify your sinful activities. That is automatically done.

Initiation Lecture and Ceremony -- New Vrindaban, September 4, 1972:

You can apply your brain in two way—this way or that. But those who are applying their brains for pious activities, they can be devotees. And those who are applying their brains for impious activities they cannot—that is not possible. So, this Deity worship is open for everyone so that, knowingly or unknowingly, anyone who's coming here, he's becoming pious. Kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ (SB 10.12.11).

General Lectures

Lecture at Engagement -- Boston, May 8, 1968:

There are four classes of men. They are called persons with pious activities on the background. Without pious activities on the background, nobody is interested in the science of God. And those who are unfortunate or impelled by impious activities, they do not believe in God. They never care for God. And this class of men are always known as atheist class of men.

Lecture -- Hawaii, March 23, 1969:

In this material world there are consideration of pious activities or impious activities. By pious activities one gets very good family, birth in very good family, and nice education, beautiful body, janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī (SB 1.8.26). Four things: birth either in good nation or in good family, janma; and aiṣvarya means wealth, richness; and ṣruta means education; and śrī means beauty. So this is the consideration of material pious or impious. And impious means just the opposite: birth in abominable species of life, just like cats, dogs, hogs, or uncivilized people, ugly feature, no education. These are consideration, pious or impious. But either you become pious or impious, you cannot get out of these stringent laws of nature: birth, death, disease and old age. So we are educating our students to practice how to revive his old, the eternal constitutional position to serve the Lord. This is our practice. Just like here you can see the boys have decorated the sitting place of the Lord, how nice, with flowers and candles. It is not very expensive, but it is so beautiful that immediately it attracts.

Pandal Lecture at Cross Maidan -- Bombay, March 26, 1971:

Our business is that we are inducing, we are entreating, we are requesting people that "You take Kṛṣṇa prasāda." That is our business. To become vegetarian or nonvegetarian is not very big business. We do not admit that vegetarians are very much pious and nonvegetarians are not pious. No. Not like that. We say that everyone is impious who is not taking foodstuff offered to Kṛṣṇa. That is our view. Anyone. That is stated by Kṛṣṇa. Yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ: "Anyone who is eating foodstuff offered to Yajña, to Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa, he is diminishing his volumes of sinful life." Bhuñjate te tv aghaṁ pāpā ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt: (BG 3.13) "And anyone who is cooking for himself, not for Kṛṣṇa, then he is simply eating a lump of sinful life." It doesn't matter whether he is vegetarian or nonvegetarian. This is the philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture -- Visakhapatnam, February 18, 1972:

Because anything done without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is sinful. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, yajñārthāt karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yam-karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). So either you act piously or act sinfully, you become bound up by the reaction of such pious or impious activities. But if you act for Kṛṣṇa in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then there is no such bondage. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not a concocted thing. It is... We have got authority from the Vedas. We have authority from Kṛṣṇa. We have got authority from Bhagavad-gītā.

Speech -- New Vrindaban, August 31, 1972:

There are two kinds of people within this material world. Another one is committing sin and the other is suffering the sinful reaction. Pāpī-tāpī. That is our business. In this life, I am suffering the resultant action of my past impious activities, and I'm creating another set of impious activities so that I shall suffer next life. This is our position. Pāpī-tāpī yāta chila. Therefore there are two kinds of activities. Pāpī-tāpī yāta chila, harināme uddhārila. But all these people can be delivered simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

Lecture -- Hong Kong, January 31, 1974:

You can live there, just like you can live in a foreign country so long your visa continues. Simply... Similarly, you can go to the higher, heavenly planets, but you can live there up to the point of visa, puṇya. By pious activities you can go to the higher planetary systems, but by impious activities you go to the lower planets. Adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. Adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ, jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā, ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā (BG 14.18). So even if you go to Brahma-loka, Indra-loka—ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartinao 'rjuna (BG 8.16)—you have to come back again. But, yad gatvā na nivartante, tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). If you go to that planet, yad gatvā na nivartante, one does not require to come back again. "That is My real abode." Tad dhāma paramam.

Departure Talks

Departure Lecture -- London, March 12, 1975:

When Caitanya Mahāprabhu was requested by one of His devotee that "Sir, You have come. You just liberate all the residents of this universe, and that will make me very happy. And if You think they are so impious they cannot be liberated, then I am ready to take up their sinful activities. But You take them away," at that time Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that "Even one universe is liberated, still there are so many universes. This universe is just like one mustard seed in the bag of mustard seeds." So just imagine how many universes are there.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on St. Augustine:

Prabhupāda: The soul is coming out of matter but it is not matter. The living entities, part and parcel of God, assuming different types of body, either you say according to pious or impious activities, or according to his pious and impious desires. Vāsanāḥ. So the desire actually is the cause of higher and lower grades of body, but the soul is the same. Therefore those who are advanced in spiritual consciousness, they see the same soul in, in each and every body. Either in the body of a dog or in the body of a brāhmaṇa, the same soul is existing, but according to different desires and karma one gets a different types of body.

Philosophy Discussion on George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel:

Prabhupāda: This is religion. And Bhāgavata says, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam: (SB 6.3.19) "The order given by God, that is religion." Otherwise, everything is bogus. It has no meaning. The same example: law means which is given by the government. You cannot say, "I have prepared the law." Who will care for you? Even the small law, "Keep to the right," that is religion. If you say, "What is the law? If they keep to the left..." No. That will not be accepted. "Keep to the right" is religion, and "Keep to the left" is criminal. So religion is pious and impious—everything on the order of Kṛṣṇa, or God. If you follow strictly the instruction of Kṛṣṇa, then you are religious, pious, transcendental, devotee, everything. And if you defy Kṛṣṇa, you manufacture your own way, then you are rascal, asura. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). He is narādhamāḥ. This is the way. Less than the mankind, narādhamāḥ, who do not follow the instruction of Kṛṣṇa, or God.

Purports to Songs

Purport to Parama Koruna -- Los Angeles, January 16, 1969:

The incarnation is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā that whenever there is discrepancies in the prosecution of religiosities and there is prominence of impious activities, at that time the Lord incarnates, or He descends on this material world, for protecting the pious and annihilating the impious. That is the mission of incarnation. Every incarnation you'll find two things. Lord Kṛṣṇa, He's so beautiful, so kind, but He is very dangerous to the demons. The demons were seeing Him as thunderbolt and the gopīs were seeing Him as the most beautiful cupid. So in the Bhagavad-gītā also it is stated, ye yathā māṁ prapadyante (BG 4.11). The God is realized in proportion to one's freedom from the demoniac propensities.