Intelligence to understand

Expressions researched:
"intelligence to understand" |"intelligence, to understand"

BG Chapters 7 - 12

The Lord understands the mentality and sincerity of a particular living entity who is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and gives him the intelligence to understand the science of Kṛṣṇa in the association of devotees.

BG 9.1, Purport:

The devotees are constantly engaged in the Supreme Lord's service. The Lord understands the mentality and sincerity of a particular living entity who is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and gives him the intelligence to understand the science of Kṛṣṇa in the association of devotees. Discussion of Kṛṣṇa is very potent, and if a fortunate person has such association and tries to assimilate the knowledge, then he will surely make advancement toward spiritual realization.

SB Canto 1

Women, śūdras (the laborer class) and the dvija-bandhus, or the wretched descendants of the higher three classes, are unfit by intelligence to understand transcendental subject matter concerning the spiritual name, fame, attributes, forms, etc., of the Supreme Absolute Truth.

SB 1.8.22, Purport:

Here are some of the specific symbolical marks on the spiritual body of the Personality of Godhead which distinguish His body from the bodies of all others. They are all special features of the body of the Lord. The Lord may appear as one of us, but He is always distinct by His specific bodily features. Śrīmatī Kuntī claims herself unfit to see the Lord because of her being a woman. This is claimed because women, śūdras (the laborer class) and the dvija-bandhus, or the wretched descendants of the higher three classes, are unfit by intelligence to understand transcendental subject matter concerning the spiritual name, fame, attributes, forms, etc., of the Supreme Absolute Truth.

SB Canto 3

The distinction between the Lord and the living entity is definitely experienced when there is sufficient intelligence to understand His internal potency, as distinguished from the external potency by which He makes possible the material manifestation.

SB 3.9.14, Purport:

The Supreme Lord is eternally distinguished from the living entities by His internal potency, although He is also understood in His impersonal feature by self-realized intelligence. Devotees of the Lord, therefore, offer all respectful obeisances unto the impersonal feature of the Lord. The word rāsa is significant herein. The rāsa dance is performed by Lord Kṛṣṇa in the company of the cowherd damsels at Vṛndāvana, and the Personality of Godhead Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu is also engaged in rāsa enjoyment with His external potency, by which He creates, maintains and dissolves the entire material manifestation. Indirectly, Lord Brahmā offers his respectful obeisances unto Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is factually ever engaged in rāsa enjoyment with the gopīs, as confirmed in the Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad in the following words: parārdhānte so 'budhyata gopa-veśo me puruṣaḥ purastād āvirbabhūva. The distinction between the Lord and the living entity is definitely experienced when there is sufficient intelligence to understand His internal potency, as distinguished from the external potency by which He makes possible the material manifestation.

Devahūti is not unintelligent. She has enough intelligence to understand that the living entities are not on the level of the Supreme Lord.

SB 3.26.9, Purport:

The relationship of the living entities with matter and that of the Supreme Lord with matter are certainly not on the same level, although the Māyāvādīs may interpret it in that way. When it is said that the living entities are bewildered, the Māyāvādī philosophers ascribe this bewilderment to the Supreme Lord. But that is not applicable. The Lord is never bewildered. That is the difference between personalists and impersonalists. Devahūti is not unintelligent. She has enough intelligence to understand that the living entities are not on the level of the Supreme Lord. Because the living entities are infinitesimal, they become bewildered or conditioned by material nature, but this does not mean that the Supreme Lord is also conditioned or bewildered. The difference between the conditioned soul and the Lord is that the Lord is the Lord, the master of material nature, and He is therefore not subject to its control. He is controlled neither by spiritual nature nor by material nature. He is the supreme controller Himself, and He cannot be compared to the ordinary living entities, who are controlled by the laws of material nature.

SB Canto 4

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is always trying to give the individual soul the intelligence to understand about Himself.

SB 4.22.16, Purport:

There are different kinds of transcendentalists, namely the jñānīs, or impersonalists, the mystic yogīs and, of course, all the devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Kumāras, however, were both yogīs and jñānīs and finally bhaktas later on. In the beginning they were impersonalists, but later they developed devotional activities; therefore they are the best of the transcendentalists. The devotees are representatives of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and to elevate the conditioned souls to their original consciousness, they travel all over the universes to enlighten the conditioned souls about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The best devotees are ātmavat, or those who have fully realized the Supreme Soul. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, as Paramātmā, is sitting within everyone's heart, trying to elevate everyone to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore He is called ātma-bhāvana. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is always trying to give the individual soul the intelligence to understand about Himself. He is always with the individual as a friend sitting by the side of a friend, and He gives facilities to all living entities according to their desires.

SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13

Dull-minded persons who do not have the intelligence to understand this process of transmigration take for granted that when the gross body is finished, one's life is finished forever.

SB 10.1.40, Purport:

This is the process of the soul's transmigration from one body to another. At the time of death, according to his mental condition, the living being is carried by the subtle body, consisting of mind, intelligence and ego, to another gross body. When higher authorities have decided what kind of gross body the living entity will have, he is forced to enter such a body, and thus he automatically gives up his previous body. Dull-minded persons who do not have the intelligence to understand this process of transmigration take for granted that when the gross body is finished, one's life is finished forever. Such persons have no brains with which to understand the process of transmigration. At the present moment there is great opposition to the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, which is being called a "brainwashing" movement. But actually the so-called scientists, philosophers and other leaders in the Western countries have no brains at all. The Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is trying to elevate such foolish persons by enlightening their intelligence so that they will take advantage of the human body. Unfortunately, because of gross ignorance, they regard the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement as a brainwashing movement. They do not know that without God consciousness one is forced to continue transmigrating from one body to another. Because of their devilish brains, they will next be forced to accept an abominable life and practically never be able to liberate themselves from the conditional life of material existence. How this transmigration of the soul takes place is very clearly explained in this verse.

CC Adi-lila

The Paramātmā gave the paṇḍita the intelligence to understand that because he was proud of his learning and wanted to defeat even the Supreme Lord, by the will of the Lord and through the agency of mother Sarasvatī he had been defeated.

CC Adi 16.89, Translation and Purport:

“This mere boy has blocked my intelligence. I can therefore understand that mother Sarasvatī has become angry with me.

In the Bhagavad-gītā it is clearly said that all intelligence comes from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is situated in everyone's heart as the Paramātmā. The Paramātmā gave the paṇḍita the intelligence to understand that because he was proud of his learning and wanted to defeat even the Supreme Lord, by the will of the Lord and through the agency of mother Sarasvatī he had been defeated. One should not, therefore, be too proud of one's position. Even if one is a greatly learned scholar, if he commits an offense to the lotus feet of the Lord he will not be able to speak properly, in spite of his learning. In every respect, we are controlled. Our only duty, therefore, is to surrender always to the lotus feet of the Lord and not be falsely proud. Mother Sarasvatī created this situation to favor the champion paṇḍita so that he might surrender unto Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Renunciation Through Wisdom

Empirical, atheistic philosophers like Kapila spent innumerable tedious hours researching the material phenomena of this cosmic creation. Yet it remained beyond the grasp of their limited intelligence to understand that there exists a realm transcendental and far superior to this manifested material world.

Renunciation Through Wisdom 2.7:

Empirical, atheistic philosophers like Kapila spent innumerable tedious hours researching the material phenomena of this cosmic creation. Yet it remained beyond the grasp of their limited intelligence to understand that there exists a realm transcendental and far superior to this manifested material world. Finally, when their probing minds failed to sight land in an ocean of speculation, they concluded that the absolute truth is unmanifest.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Every day, every night, we are experiencing transmigration, but we have no intelligence to understand.

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- Mexico, February 15, 1975:

Hṛdayānanda: (translating) How can we feel the transmigration of the soul?

Prabhupāda: How can you feel you are dreaming in a different land? In the, at night, when you dream, you forget you this all, everything, your father, mother, your home address. You are in a different platform. Again in daytime, you forget your dreaming land; you come to another place. This is transmigration. You create some body and you see differently. This is transmigration. We are... Every day, every night, we are experiencing transmigration, but we have no intelligence to understand. Therefore, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). You have to go to a bona fide guru, and he'll make you understand things.

One has to use his intelligence to understand what is real happiness.

Lecture on BG 6.21-27 -- New York, September 9, 1966:

The living spirit is eternal, the Lord is eternal, and their exchange of feelings, or loving feelings, that is also eternal. So one who is intelligent, they should refrain from this sensual enjoyment of this material body which is flickering, which is not in essence, and should seek such enjoyment of spiritual life. That is called rāsa-līlā. You have heard about Lord Kṛṣṇa's rāsa-līlā. That is not ordinary exchange of feelings of this material body. That is exchange of feelings of the spiritual body. So sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad buddhi-grāhyam (BG 6.21). One has to use his intelligence to understand what is real happiness. Foolish man cannot understand what is real happiness. Intelligent. So as soon as one becomes intelligent... The next śloka will describe it. Vetti yatra na caivāyaṁ sthitaś calati tattvataḥ. One who does not know what is real happiness, they are seeking happiness in this material world.

The responsible men who are leading the society, the president, or the secretaries, or the mayor, they should have intelligence to understand.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, March 17, 1968:

The responsible men who are leading the society, the president, or the secretaries, or the mayor, they should have intelligence to understand. But if we approach... The other day when I was coming to your country, I met in Japan, Tokyo, one chief secretary of the governor. I wanted to explain to him that "You just cooperate with this movement." He said, "Oh, we are secular. We cannot cooperate with any religious movement." Just see. He's one of the chief secretaries of the governor, and he's such a fool. He is taking this movement as religious movement. Just like they have got so many sentimental religions. Oh, it is not sentimental. It is the necessity of the society that a class of men should be Kṛṣṇa conscious. Otherwise the society is doomed. It is going to hell. They have no brain.

Kṛṣṇa says, "I give him special intelligence to understand."

Lecture on BG 7.7 -- Bombay, April 1, 1971:

If you simply hear about Kṛṣṇa. Just like we are speaking about Kṛṣṇa from this Bhagavad-gītā. So if you try to understand Kṛṣṇa as directed by Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa will also cooperate with you. Just like a teacher, when he sees that a student is very intelligent, he is following the direction, the teacher is more interest, takes more interest in that student. That is natural. If the teacher says, "My dear child, my dear boy, you write in this way," and if he tries, then the teacher takes more interest. Similarly, as soon as you will try to understand Kṛṣṇa according to the direction given by Him, Kṛṣṇa is within you, He will help you more and more. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam, dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ tam (BG 10.10). Kṛṣṇa says, "I give him special intelligence to understand."

So human form of life is meant for understanding the original cause of all causes. That is human form of life. Inquisitiveness. And others, less than human being, just like lower animals, cats and dogs, not to speak of the trees and plants... They are standing in one place, and other living beings, even the insects, birds, beasts, they haven't got sufficient intelligence. Sufficient intelligence to understand "What I am? Why I am suffering?" Everyone is suffering. That's a fact. The whole struggle for existence is going on.

Lecture on BG 16.7 -- Tokyo, January 27, 1975:

So here is the chance of getting freedom from this evolutionary process. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). After many, many births, we have got. Why? Now, to become civilized. What is civilization? Civilization... The Aryans are called civilized. Why? Aryan means going forward. And what is the destination of going forward? The destination is to understand the original cause of creation, God. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). That is the Vedānta philosophy. Janmādy asya yataḥ. The original cause from where everything is coming into being, by whose management everything is maintained, and after annihilation everything will enter into Him—that is the original person. So human form of life is meant for understanding the original cause of all causes. That is human form of life. Inquisitiveness. And others, less than human being, just like lower animals, cats and dogs, not to speak of the trees and plants... They are standing in one place, and other living beings, even the insects, birds, beasts, they haven't got sufficient intelligence. (aside:) No, this water, drinking. Sufficient intelligence to understand "What I am? Why I am suffering?" Everyone is suffering. That's a fact. The whole struggle for existence is going on.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Apply your brain and intelligence to understand Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.8.21 -- Mayapura, October 1, 1974:

So why should you not understand Kṛṣṇa? Everything is given there. Why you should...? At least, the intelligent class, the Americans and Europeans, they are very intelligent materially. They have proved their intelligence. Why not spiritually? If they are materially intelligent, brain is there, you can utilize it either for material purpose or... Now, so far, you have done for material purposes. You have done enough, so many machineries and so many things. But there is no happiness. You take to..., apply your brain and intelligence to understand Kṛṣṇa. Then your life is successful. That I have said many times, that you American boys or American people, you are fortunate, so many ways. How? Now, because you have got the result of pious activities.

If one cannot understand, that is not our fault. One must have the intelligence to understand.

Lecture on SB 2.3.20-21 -- Los Angeles, June 17, 1972:

"you'll feel wonderful. If you accept it by systematic deliberation about the mercy of Lord Caitanya, then you'll feel that it is wonderful." So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not a, I mean to say, force, that we are pushing something forcibly to anyone. There is complete judgement. But unfortunately, if one cannot understand, that is not our fault. One must have the intelligence to understand. Otherwise, logically, philosophically, it is perfect.

It requires higher intelligence to understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 2.4.3-4 -- Los Angeles, June 27, 1972:

Rasa means the humor or mellow. Exchange between the mother and child is there and here also. Similarly friendship, similarly conjugal love. Everything, all the five rasas, mellows, are there. The impersonalists cannot understand. They're afraid of... As soon as they hear "love," "Oh, love? Here is love, frustrated. Then it is māyā. Then Kṛṣṇa's love is also māyā." Therefore they are called Māyāvādī. They are carrying this material idea to the spiritual idea. And when they cannot accommodate, they make it zero or impersonal. Śūnyavādi. That is their position. They cannot understand that these very things are existing in the spiritual world in a blissful way. So there is sex, but there is blissful sex. Not that... Here, we want to enjoy sex life, but at the same time want to get out of the result of sex life; therefore we use contraceptive tablets.

Because result of sex life is very, I mean to say, miserable. So we want to avoid the miserable condition of sex life, but there is another life, where there is no miserable condition of sex life. That is spiritual life. But the ordinary poor fund of knowledge, they cannot understand it. They think that "Here, the sex life is miserable, conditional sex life. So if in the spiritual world there is also sex life, then it is also miserable." So this conception of sex impulse, just like Rādhā Kṛṣṇa and gopīs' dealing with Kṛṣṇa, they think it is māyā. Therefore they are called Māyāvādīs. They have no knowledge. Their brain cannot accommodate this idea that all these activities can be very blissful, supreme. Without any difficulty, without any miserable condition. They cannot understand it. But ... Therefore it requires higher intelligence to understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is trying to give the people the happiness to which is simply blissful, without any inebrieties.

We are given the opportunity by nature to utilize our consciousness, to utilize our intelligence, to understand God.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1-2 -- Stockholm, September 6, 1973:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that everyone from the very childhood, that means when education begins, this bhāgavata-dharma. Otherwise, we are missing the point. We are missing the opportunity of this human form of life. We are simply living like cats and dogs and dying like cats and dogs. And if we maintain that mentality like cats and dogs, then next life... Because we are given the opportunity by nature to utilize our consciousness, to utilize our intelligence, to understand God. But if we do not utilize, if we live like cats and dogs, then next life we have to accept, by nature's law, the body of cats and dog. This is bhāgavata-dharma. This is an opportunity. Here is the opportunity to make your choice whether again you are going to be cats and dogs or whether you are going to be elevated to the highest position, back to home, back to Godhead.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

That you have no intelligence to understand.

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

Guest (2): Is the Vyāsadeva got it out of his meditation, or how the actual thing which was conveyed to Arjuna was again in real thing took a shape in Bhagavad-gītā?

Prabhupāda: That you have no intelligence to understand. But what is given by Vyāsadeva, that is accepted by all the ācāryas. We are not so learned as you are, but we follow the ācārya. And it is recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā, ācāryopāsanam. You must follow the ācāryas, the Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, even Śaṅkarācārya, Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Then you'll get the real answer. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda: "One who follows the ācārya, he knows." Others, they do not know. So you cannot question "Why? How Vyāsadeva wrote?" That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Sañjaya says vyāsa prasāda. How one can understand? By the mercy of Vyāsadeva. So we have to see. Instead of criticizing in that adverse way, we have to follow the ācārya. Ācāryopāsanam. So you'll find Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, Nimbārka, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they have accepted in that way. So what is the use of our questioning? We should follow. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Otherwise it is not possible.

General Lectures

Now, one should have intelligence to understand, that's all.

Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 20, 1971:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja is recommending this bhāgavata-dharma. Kaumāram ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha. So this human form of life is meant for cultivating this bhāgavata-dharma. And if you are missing, then we are committing suicide, ātmahā. This very word is used in the śāstra, ātmahā. So our request to everyone is that you try to understand Kṛṣṇa scientifically. Kṛṣṇa-tattva vijñānam. It is not a sentiment or philosophical speculation or fanaticism. It is not that. It is a fact. Now, one should have intelligence to understand, that's all. But the method is so simple that we are fortunate, we accept immediately the version of Kṛṣṇa, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66), then our life is successful immediately. If we accept this statement of Kṛṣṇa that "You simply surrender unto Me," and we do it, immediately we become relieved from this material contamination. Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. You immediately become pure.

In huge, big establishment, management, a man is promoted by the superior authority or sometimes he is degraded, similarly, in this form of human body we have got intelligence to understand about God, about ourself, our relationship with God. If we don't utilize this body for this purpose, there is every possibility to be glided down in the animal kingdom.

Lecture at Christian Monastery -- Melbourne, April 6, 1972:

So presently when I give up this body, so I am carried by the subtle mind. And at the time of death, the condition of my mind will carry me to a particular type of body. And there are 8,400,000's of bodies. We may accept any of them according... That will be given by superior authority. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). Just like in huge, big establishment, management, a man is promoted by the superior authority or sometimes he is degraded, similarly, in this form of human body we have got intelligence to understand about God, about ourself, our relationship with God. If we don't utilize this body for this purpose, there is every possibility to be glided down in the animal kingdom.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

The only special significance of human being is that he has got special intelligence to understand what is Absolute Truth.

Morning Walk -- April 20, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: They have got their food. Everyone is intelligent enough where to find out food, where to lie down. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya. How to have sex. Everyone is intelligent. Even a small insect, the flies. I see, at night, they have sex. One fly after another. Everyone knows it.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: That's the inborn quality of the living entities.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca sāmānyam etat paśubhir narāṇām. The only special significance of human being is that he has got special intelligence to understand what is Absolute Truth. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. So therefore his first duty is to know the Absolute Truth. Not waste time for eating, sleeping, mating.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Everyone has got that intelligence, to understand and ...

Room Conversation -- March 16, 1974, Vrndavana:

Harikeśa: ...to increase as we become more and more pure?

Prabhupāda: Everyone has got that intelligence, to understand and ...

Everyone cent percent godless, neither they have got intelligence to understand what is God. This is going on.

Morning Walk -- June 10, 1974, Paris:

Devotee (4): Because they have not realized that we have taken a responsibility. When a man has a responsibility, usually he is given some certain facilities to carry out that responsibility.

Prabhupāda: Everyone cent percent godless, neither they have got intelligence to understand what is God. This is going on.

Yogeśvara: Then we are giving them the intelligence as well as the answers? Because if they have no intelligence to understand...

Prabhupāda: Yes, our organization is that. Why you are opening so many centers? Just to give these rascals intelligence. Why Krsna is recognizing so nicely a preacher? Because He knows that he has to face so many difficulties. It is not easy going. Armchair politician, no. He has to face so many difficulties.

God has given you intelligence to understand that you are nothing, God is everything.

Morning Walk -- June 12, 1974, Paris:

Prabhupāda: Yes. You enjoy. The dog is also enjoying. What you are enjoying more than the dog? Dog also eat. You also eat. Dog also sleep. You also sleep. Dogs also enjoy sex life. You also enjoy sex life. Dog is also afraid of his enemy. You are also afraid of your enemy. So what is the difference between you and dog? Why you claim that you have become very great? What is the difference between the dog's mentality and your mentality? God has given you intelligence to understand that you are nothing, God is everything. Just realize it. That is intelligence. That is intelligence. When you understand that "God is great. I am His servant," that is real reali... That is his intelligence. Otherwise, he's exactly like the dog. What is his intelligence?

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Everyone, cent percent godless, neither they have got intelligence to understand what is God. This is the position.

Morning Walk -- August 12, 1975, Paris:

Prabhupāda: ...one, cent percent of the modern people, they do not believe in God, and they do not know what is religion. That is the position. They think, "Religion is sentiment. Anyone can manufacture his own sentiment. There is no God." This is the position. So we are in fault. "It is folly to be wise where ignorance is bliss." The whole world is under this conception. Therefore we are at fault. We are preaching God consciousness.

Brahmānanda: Generally they make it difficult for us to preach.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Brahmānanda: They hinder us in so many ways.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Brahmānanda: Because they have not realized that we have taken a responsibility. When a man has a responsibility usually he is given some certain facilities to carry out that responsibility.

Prabhupāda: Everyone, cent percent godless, neither they have got intelligence to understand what is God. This is the position.

Yogeśvara: Then we are giving them the intelligence as well as the answers? Because if they have no intelligence to understand...

Prabhupāda: Yes. Our organization is that. Why we are opening so many centers? Just to give these rascals intelligence. Why Kṛṣṇa is recognizing so nicely a preacher? Because He knows that he has to face so many difficulties. He is not easygoing, armchair politician, no. He has to face so many difficulties.

You said that no chemical is missing.

Room Conversation -- October 4, 1975, Mauritius:

Cyavana: We can see in some of our boys in Kenya. Practically they have no education and very little intelligence, but still, they are doing everything. They're falling down. They are offering all the prayers. They are taking prasādam. They are chanting. They are doing everything, even they don't have the intelligence to understand why.

Prabhupāda: You said that no chemical is missing.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: No chemical difference.

Prabhupāda: But why it is dead?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: The body is dead? Well, they haven't been able to determine that yet.

Prabhupāda: Then they are rascals. There is no argument because you do not know.

Cyavana: They say "fate." They say "There is fate."

Prabhupāda: Faith we have got, but you have no faith.

Cyavana: Not faith. Fate.

Prabhupāda: What is that fate?

Cyavana: Predetermined, predestined.

Prabhupāda: Who made it, the predestination?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Higher controller.

Prahupada: Then you have to accept some higher authority, God.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

And how do you say? They have everything. You have no intelligence to understand.

Room Conversation -- April 20, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: And how do you say? They have everything. You have no intelligence to understand. Everything, all anatomic physiology is there, even the small full stop. You cannot see even, microbe. That is God's creation.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: You mean to say...

Prabhupāda: I have seen very minute, walking very..., exactly like a big...

If you have got intelligence to understand what is God, then try to understand.

Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: If you do not accept in the beginning Kṛṣṇa, that He is the supreme, then you try to understand that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is education. There is somebody supreme. So if I say, because I am Hindu, I am Indian, that "Kṛṣṇa is the supreme," you may say, "Then why Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa is Indian." "No. He is God. Just like the sun rises first in India, then comes to Europe. But that does not mean the sun is different. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa, although appeared in India, now He has come to Western countries, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. You try to understand whether Kṛṣṇa is not God or God. But He is God. There is no doubt about it. If you have got intelligence to understand what is God, then try to understand. But He is God undoubtedly. So take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and abide by the order of Kṛṣṇa. Then everyone comes on the same platform, the religious platform, one religion, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

I was talking to the air hostess on the plane coming, and she said, "But life comes from chemicals." This is the way everybody's taught in the schools, they don't know any different and they don't think about it, they have no intelligence to understand.

Morning Walk -- July 10, 1976, New York:

Hari-śauri: Everyone is infected with this "Life comes from chemicals." That I was talking to the air hostess on the plane coming, and she said, "But life comes from chemicals." This is the way everybody's taught in the schools, they don't know any different and they don't think about it, they have no intelligence to understand.

Prabhupāda: And as soon as we say that you take an egg and find out the chemicals and put it into the incubator or under a chicken, get life, "No, wait millions of years." This bluffing. And this moon planet going means Arizona. That is now disclosed. They take photographs in the Arizona. That's all.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

So you have no intelligence to understand it?

Room Conversation -- January 27, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Guest (4) (Indian man): Bhagavad-gītā was a distinct... Before, Śaṅkarācārya had another, Bhagavad-gītā was distinctly personal, antaryāmī gurudeva.(?)

Prabhupāda: So you have no intelligence to understand it? What is that? The same verse. Read Bhagavad-gītā, Fourth Chapter.

Pradyumna: Fourth Chapter? Śrī bhagavān uvāca? Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1).

Prabhupāda: Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam: (BG 4.1) "I spoke this Bhagavad-gītā to the sun-god." So Bhagavad-gītā was spoken when Śaṅkarācārya's father's father was not born. Now understand it? At least forty millions of years ago, at least. So how do you say that before? You read Bhagavad-gītā. Everything is there.

That is good the first, beginning, let them come. Let them sit down, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and take prasāda.

Room Conversation -- January 30, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Pṛthu-putra: Because I went to some universities. They have big, big universities in Cairo and in every places in North Africa, because now they try to be educated. The white Africans, they have some intelligence to understand to a certain extent philosophy, because when I was talking about the Bhagavad-gītā, when I showed the table of contents, they more or less agreed to take interest in it because they didn't see anything specific about another religion, another God. They were seeing the titles like "Confidential Knowledge," "Transcendental Knowledge," "Karma-yoga," "Jñāna-yoga." They are very interested about knowing these things.

Prabhupāda: That is good the first, beginning, let them come. Let them sit down, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and take prasāda. In Iran we are doing that. Gradually it is becoming interesting. You had been in our Iran, Tehran?

They have no intelligence to understand, such a rascal civilization.

Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- February 28, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Concept of life is clear in the Bhagavad-gītā. That is also one of the elements, but superior element. The gross earth, water, air, fire, ether, even mind, intelligence, ego, they are inferior. And there is another superior item. That is living entity. It is clearly said. Jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho (BG 7.5). And that is important because that living entity is handling this inferior. Very clear. Just like a good machine. That machine as it is, it is not important. A living entity has handled it. By handling, the machine is prepared, and by handling it is important. So who is superior, this matter or the person who is handling? And it's clear—yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat (BG 7.5). Jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho yayedaṁ dhāryate. It is clear. And similarly, whole machine must be handled by a living creature. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carāca... (BG 9.10). Clear. How you can deny it? Taking this whole cosmic manifestation as machine... It is machine. We admit that. But it is being handled by a living being, the supreme living being. That is God. But they have no intelligence to understand, such a rascal civilization. Practically we are seeing. Mūḍhaḥ nābhijānāti mām ebhyaḥ param avyayam.

Whole thing is "I believe," "Unless I believe..." Anyone can believe something. Is that knowledge?

Room Conversations Bangladesh Preaching/Prabhavisnu Articles by Hamsaduta -- August 11, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: This is their life. "I believe." Whatever he believes, that's all right. This is going on.

Gurukṛpā: The difficulty is they have no intelligence to understand what they are doing. But if... By mass prasādam distribution they will get intelligence to see the serious sins they are doing.

Prabhupāda: Whole thing is "I believe," "Unless I believe..." Anyone can believe something. Is that knowledge?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, it's not knowledge. Opinion. Opinion of a drunkard, as you said the other day.

Prabhupāda: Drunkard believes

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The madman in the mental institution, when you go in there, each one of them is speaking so many things.

Prabhupāda: He believes.

1969 Correspondence

One who comes to the intelligence to understand that rather than serving the cause of material advancement, he should serve the cause of Krishna, then such person becomes transcendental to the stringent laws of karma.

Letter to Turya -- New Vrindaban 5 June, 1969:

The modern civilization is trying to transcend the pangs of material life, namely birth, death, old age and diseases, by advancement of material knowledge, but actually this advancement is only binding them more tightly into the material concept of life. So thus there is no freedom from or transcending of these material miseries. But one who comes to the intelligence to understand that rather than serving the cause of material advancement, he should serve the cause of Krishna, then such person becomes transcendental to the stringent laws of karma. Krishna instructs us in Bhagavad-gita that one who serves Him in loving devotional service is delivered fully from all material contamination.

Please continue in this way, and more and more Krishna will be pleased to bless you with intelligence to understand Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Yoland -- Los Angeles 30 July, 1969:

I am very pleased to note that you are chanting 25 rounds daily. Please continue in this way, and more and more Krishna will be pleased to bless you with intelligence to understand Krishna Consciousness. I hope you are well.

So Lord Caitanya is being very merciful to many of the boys and girls of the present day Western world by giving them the intelligence to understand the importance of developing Krishna Consciousness.

Letter to Madhusudana -- Tittenhurst 19 September, 1969:

Here in England there is very good potency for spreading Krishna Consciousness. When I arrived on September 11th, there was a nice reception at the airport, and one article reporting on the event is enclosed herewith. Last Tuesday evening we appeared for 40 minutes on a popular interview show on the BBC television station. This Monday there is to be shown another one hour long documentary program on our activities in England. Perhaps you have heard by now that there are three new centers opened recently; Tokyo, Laguna Beach and Colorado. So Lord Caitanya is being very merciful to many of the boys and girls of the present day Western world by giving them the intelligence to understand the importance of developing Krishna Consciousness.

1971 Correspondence

Continue studying our literatures and Krishna will give you intelligence to understand more and more.

Letter to Shekhar Prasad Shrestha -- Bombay 24 April, 1971:

I am so glad that you are appreciating our Back To Godhead magazine. The article mentioned by you, "The Vedanta: Its Morphology and Ontology" is a very difficult article for a new man who is just trying to grasp this Krishna Consciousness philosophy. But continue studying our literatures and Krishna will give you intelligence to understand more and more. And you are chanting Hare Krishna Mantra regularly. Very good. Please chant 16 rounds of japa mala daily and try to observe the regulative principles of no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling and no illicit sex life. These four are the pillars of sinful life, especially in this age of Kali Yuga. Whenever you have any inquiries, please write to me.

1972 Correspondence

Utilize your time for advancing in Krishna consciousness by reading our books. We have got sufficient stock, and if you simply go on reading them, chanting regularly 16 rounds, engaging yourself 24 hours in Krishna's business, then all of your questions will be answered automatically, because Krishna promises to His sincere devotee that He will give him the intelligence to understand Him.

Letter to Dasarha -- Bombay 4 March, 1972:

Regarding your other question, you should not read such nonsense books, nor allow your mind to dwell on such subject matter. Instead utilize your time for advancing in Krishna consciousness by reading our books. We have got sufficient stock, and if you simply go on reading them, chanting regularly 16 rounds, engaging yourself 24 hours in Krishna's business, then all of your questions will be answered automatically, because Krishna promises to His sincere devotee that He will give him the intelligence to understand Him.

1977 Correspondence

We simply want to serve to Krsna, that's all. Do not be disturbed by these things. Simply go on with your work in positive mood. That will be best for you and for other also. After all intelligence to understand Krsna is not within the range of your material senses.

Letter to VARIOUS -- Unknown Place Unknown Date:

We simply want to serve to Krsna, that's all. Do not be disturbed by these things. Simply go on with your work in positive mood. That will be best for you and for other also. After all intelligence to understand Krsna is not within the range of your material senses. You cannot make any experiments and calculations and expect to find Krsna. But if somehow or other you are fortunate enough to find out a pure devotee of the Lord, then you get opportunity to him, and as you surrender Krsna gives you the intelligence by which you may come to him, that is sure. No other process will give us any intelligence to understand things as they are, except Krsna consciousness.