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Job (Lectures)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.13-14 -- London, July 14, 1973:

So in the Bhagavad-gītā there is perfect instruction. And if we take it as it is and follow it, then we become perfect. To become perfect is not very difficult job. But because we don't want to become perfect, because we want to be cheated, we do not become perfect. This is the difficulty. So we should know from the very beginning that Kṛṣṇa is transcendental. And all His activities, they are all transcendental. Although Kṛṣṇa appears just like ordinary human being... He does not appear like ordinary human being because Kṛṣṇa, when He was three months old only, He killed the Pūtanā rākṣasī. A three month's old child cannot kill such giant demon. It is not possible. Kṛṣṇa, when He was six or seven years old, He lifted the Govardhana Hill. So what is the difficulty for Kṛṣṇa? If Kṛṣṇa can float big, big gigantic planets in the air just like cotton swab floating, so is it very difficult for Kṛṣṇa to lift a mountain with His hand, with His finger? That is not difficult for Kṛṣṇa. But those who want to be cheated, when Kṛṣṇa shows His transcendental strength, they don't believe it, another cheating.

Lecture on BG 1.32-35 -- London, July 25, 1973:

We were student of economics and there was a book, Marshall's Economics. That Mr. Marshall is explaining that economic impetus begins from family affection, family affection. Unless one has got family, he will not try to earn. He will not try to earn money. He will be irresponsible. Therefore it is essential. When one is given some responsible post... Some... I know some English firm in India, I had some connection with him. So he was simply trying to know, "The man who is going to work for us, whether he is family man?" Because unless he is a family man, he has no attraction. He can give up the job at any moment. Because there is no family attraction. This is the psychology. Therefore according to Vedic civilization, it is the duty of the parents to get the sons and daughters married so that they will have family attraction, they will be established, they will be organized, things will go nicely. If there is no family attraction, no responsibility, then the things will not go nicely. This is the basic principle.

Lecture on BG 2.7-11 -- New York, March 2, 1966:

All these scriptures, all these Vedic knowledge, everything... And not only Vedic knowledge... Now... Oh, why you are going to school? Why you are going to college? Why you are taking scientific education? Why you are taking law education? Everything is meant for ending our sufferings. If there was no suffering, then nobody would have taken education. You see? But he thinks that "If I am educated, if I become a doctor or if I become a lawyer or if I become an engineer, I will be happy." Happy. That is the ultimate aim. "I will get a good job, government job. I'll be happy." So happiness is the end of every, I mean to say, pursuance. So... But these mitigation of sufferings, they are temporary. Real suffering, real suffering is due to our, this material existence, these three kinds of suffering. So when one is conscious about his suffering and he wants to make a solution of this suffering, then there is necessary of a spiritual master. Now, if you want to make a solution of your sufferings, and you want to consult a person, now what sort of person you must meet who can end your all sufferings? That selection must be there. If you want to purchase a jewel, diamond, and very valuable thing, and if you go to a grocer's shop... Such kind of ignorance—you must be cheated. You must be cheated. At least you must approach to a jewelry shop. Jewelry shop, you see? So much knowledge you must have. So is that question solved?

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- London, August 19, 1973:

If you prepare yourself... Just like in childhood, boyhood, if you prepare yourself, nicely educated, then you get nice job, nice situation, you will be happy. Preparation for the next life. Similarly, if you prepare yourself in this life for going back to home, back to Godhead, then where is perplexity? There is no perplexity. "I am going to Kṛṣṇa I am going back to home, back to Godhead. Now I will have not to change material body. I will have my spiritual body. I shall now play with Kṛṣṇa, dance with Kṛṣṇa, eat with Kṛṣṇa." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Prepare yourself for the next life. Don't be... The man, dying man cries because maybe he is dreaming next life, horrible life. Because according to karma... Those who are very, very sinful, they cry, because they see horrible scenes at the time of death, and he is going to accept some type of body... But those who are pious, those who are devotees, they are dying without any anxiety. They are dying.

Lecture on BG 2.17 -- London, August 23, 1973:

So it is very difficult with these rascals. Very, very difficult. Therefore my Guru Mahārāja's Guru Mahārāja, Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, they were not preaching. They were disgusted that "I have no power to reform these rascals. Better don't bother. Let them go to hell. At least... Let them." But still, my Guru Mahārāja preached. He was so kind. And he asked us also to do the same thing. But it is very, very difficult job. People are so rascal, so condemned, so sinful. It is very, very difficult to raise them. Very difficult. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). So only those who are very fortunate, they will understand that "I am eternal," avināśi, "I am imperishable. I am put into this condition of perishable condition due to this my material body." So how to get out of it? They have no ambition. Just like dogs and cats. Simply sense gratification. Kṛṣṇa is so kind, how, very clearly explains. You try to understand what is the soul.

Lecture on BG 2.23 -- Hyderabad, November 27, 1972:

So unless you are prepared to surrender... That is a great difficult job for the materialistic person. Nobody wants to surrender. He wants to compete. Individually, person to person, family to family, nation to nation, everyone is trying to become the master. Where is the question of surrendering? There is no question of surrendering. So this is the disease. Therefore Kṛṣṇa demands that to cure this rascaldom, or most chronic disease, you surrender. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). "Then? If I surrender, then whole thing will be failure? My business, my plans, my, so many things...?" No. "I take charge of you. I take charge of you." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ. "Don't be worried." So much assurance is there. Still, we are not prepared to surrender, This is our material disease. Therefore Kṛṣṇa came again as a devotee just to show how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam (SB 11.5.32).

Lecture on BG 2.24 -- Hyderabad, November 28, 1972:

So he was a gṛhastha, and politician also, because he belonged to the royal family. He was fighting for gaining victory over the kingdom. So Arjuna frankly said, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, it is not possible for me to become a yogi because this is very difficult job. You are asking me to sit down in a solitary place, in a sacred place, and in perpendicular state, simply looking on the point of your nose, of my nose, so many things You are... But it is not possible for me." He frankly refused. So Kṛṣṇa, just to encourage His friend and devotee... He could understand that Arjuna is becoming disappointed. He's frankly admitting that it is not possible for him. Actually, he's a politician. How it can be possible for him to become yogi? But our politicians, they're advertising they are practicing yoga. What kind of yoga? Has he become more than Arjuna? In this age of fallen age? Five thousand years ago, how much favorable condition was there. And now, in such unfavorable condition, deteriorated condition, you want to become a so-called yogi? It is not possible. Kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum (SB 12.3.52). Yoga means to meditate upon Viṣṇu. That was possible in the Satya-yuga. Just like Vālmīki. He meditated for sixty-thousands of years, and became perfect. So who is going to live for sixty-thousand years? So it is not possible.

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

In the Vedas there are many allurements for elevating oneself to higher standard of life. Just like in this life also the father says, "My dear boy, if you become highly educated, then you'll get a very nice job, you'll get good salary, and you'll have nice apartment, and nice wife, children." Just like these are allurements for enticing one in this materialistic way of life, similarly there are many allurements in the Vedic literatures. People are also, I mean to say, allured to execute such thing, that if you make such and such pious activities, then you get elevated to such and such higher planets and you get such and such high standard of life. These are explained there. But Kṛṣṇa says that don't be misled by these allurements. He will explain also later on. Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ. Just like people are trying to go to the moon planet. They are trying to go to the moon planet by some airplane or sputnik. Similarly, in the Vedic literature the travel to moon planet is also stated, that if you act in this way, then you get promotion to get your life in the moon planet.

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

"If somebody engages himself in the devotional service of Vāsudeva, then very quickly this detachment develops. And knowledge." Knowledge also. Without knowledge, there cannot be detachment. Without knowledge, one cannot be detached. And what is that knowledge? The knowledge is that "I am not this matter; I am spirit soul." So... But this knowledge is... Although it is very easy thing to say, that "I am not this body, but I am spirit soul," but actually to have perfect knowledge, that is a great job. It is not very easy. For getting that supreme knowledge so many, I mean to say, transcendentalists, they were trying life after life, just to get detached. But the easiest process is that if one is engaged in the devotional service. That is the formula given in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Vāsudeve bhagavati. Vāsudeve bhagavati, "in the Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa." Vāsudeva is Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ (SB 1.2.7). Bhakti-yoga means devotional service. If it is applied, if we apply our devotional service unto the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, then the result will be that janayaty āśu vairāgyam, very soon you'll be detached from this material attraction. Very soon. And jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam. And you'll gain also knowledge. You do not know how you have received knowledge. That is the magic. That is the magic. Because how you'll get knowledge? That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on BG 4.1-2 -- Columbus, May 9, 1969:

Lord Caitanya says that "Every one of you become the spiritual master, every one of you. Why one, two? Every one of you." "Oh, spiritual master is very difficult job." No. No difficult job. Caitanya Mahā... Āmāra ājñāya: "Just try to carry out My order. That's all. Then you become spiritual master." And if you interpolate, if you put something nonsense, rubbish, to show your so-called rascal's education, then it is spoiled. Immediately spoiled. And if you present as it is, then it is pure.

Lecture on BG 4.3-6 -- New York, July 18, 1966:

Kṛṣṇa says that "I am speaking to you..." Sa evāyaṁ mayā te 'dya: (BG 4.3) "What I am speaking to you now, today, it is not new. It was spoken long, long before. It is that oldest system of yoga I'm speaking to you." Bhakto 'si. Bhakto 'si: "And why I am speaking to you?" This is the point to be noted, that bhakto 'si. This Bhagavad-gītā yoga is to be understood by a person who is a bhakta, who is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Nobody can understand it. Bhakto 'si me sakhā ceti rahasyam... Because there is a mystery, mystery of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which is impossible to be adopted by a person who is not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That is the qualification. To understand, to become Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is rather a difficult job because unless one is a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, it will be a difficult problem. This, this very word, it suggests, bhakto 'si, that one's qualification must be that he's a devotee of Kṛṣṇa so that he can understand Bhagavad-gītā.

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

Yes. So any other question? That, that, that, I mean to say, authority, is very simple. It is not very difficult. Just like you'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā that self-realization, as far Bhagavad-gītā, was taught to Arjuna. Now, how Arjuna understood it, that is also mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā. Simply if you try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as Arjuna understood it, then you also become self-realized. So it is not a very difficult job. Unfortunately, people apply their own scholastic ideas in a different way and they murder the whole thing. You see? The simple thing is that if we understand it as it is, then it is as simple as anything. But if you want to...

Just like in our Bengal there is proverb, ghuriye nag nag naki.(?) Now, now, you are asking me... Just like sometimes we ask small child, "Where is your nose?" He says, "It is nose." "Where is your eye?" "It is eye." So that is a simple thing. But one child... Not child. One man is asked, "Where is your nose?" He says, "Oh, here is my nose." (laughter) "Here is my nose," this is simple thing. But one should show, "Oh, here is my nose." So Bhagavad-gītā is interpreted like that, "Here is my nose." Nobody shows that "Here is my nose." You see? So that is the difficulty. They have created difficult, create a situation of this Bhagavad-gītā under, I mean to say, catastrophe. So if you, any sincere student who will take Bhagavad-gītā as it is, this self-realization is as cheap as anything.

Lecture on BG 4.12-13 -- New York, July 29, 1966:

Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not very difficult job. It is the easiest and the highest, topmost type of yoga system. In the Twelfth Chapter, you'll find it explicitly stated that one who (is) always in devotional service of Kṛṣṇa, he is the first-class yogi. One who is always constantly in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is the first-class yogi. And that is also stated in the last verse of the Sixth Chapter also, and it is accepted by great scholars and ācāryas. So here is an opportunity. It is very simple, very simple—simply thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Satataṁ cintayantaṁ viṣṇum. Smartavyaḥ satataṁ viṣṇur vismartavyo na jātucit. Always, simply if you think that Hare Kṛṣṇa, if you think simply Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare, that is sufficient, even if you do not go into the Bhagavad-gītā, if you do not go in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, simply as you are chanting. Kṛṣṇa has given us the ear, and Kṛṣṇa has given us the tongue.

Lecture on BG 4.24-34 -- New York, August 12, 1966:

So we, if we are intelligent enough, then we should consider that "If I have to do this job after many, many births—I am getting myself to very much experience—and Lord Kṛṣṇa says that this is the last point of knowledge, why not accept it immediately? Why not accept immediately? If I have to come to Kṛṣṇa at the last stage of mature knowledge and I surrender unto Him, then why should I wait for many births? Why should I wait for many births? Let me surrender unto me (Him)."

Just yesterday night one of our friends inquired that "How long it takes time to have complete Kṛṣṇa consciousness?" So I replied that the Kṛṣṇa consciousness can take place in a second, and it may not take in thousands of years. Because the point is here, that after all, we have to come to this point, that surrender unto Kṛṣṇa, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19)—Vāsudeva means Kṛṣṇa—"Kṛṣṇa is everything, and therefore I surrender unto Him." Sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. That person, great soul, is very rare to be found. Therefore why not become that great soul immediately by surrender unto Kṛṣṇa? This is the point. By sacrifice. Sacrifice means we have to come to that point.

Lecture on BG 4.34-39 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1969:

The government has open education institutions, universities. Why don't you take advantage of it? Then you must suffer. When you go, when you are grown up—"Oh, I am not educated. I cannot give... I cannot have any good job," so who wanted you to remain uneducated? Why did you not take advantage? That is your fault.

Sinful life means our fault, to remain in ignorance. You take knowledge. There is book of knowledge. There is spiritual master. They are canvassing. We are canvassing, "Come here. Try to understand God consciousness." Nobody is coming. Who is responsible? They are responsible. God is not responsible. For your sinful activities God is not responsible. You are responsible. God is canvassing you, "Please come to Me. I will give you all protection." Oh, I am stubborn: "No. I shall not go to You." Then you suffer. What can be done?

Therefore knowledge, when one understands by the grace of spiritual master—"Oh, I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Why not go to Kṛṣṇa?" Therefore, "even if you are considered to be the most sinful, all sinners, when you are situated in the boat of transcendental knowledge..." This is transcendental knowledge, that "I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. So why I am rotting here? Let me see where is Kṛṣṇa." "You will be able to cross over the ocean of miseries." Go on.

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

Just like... I'll give you one example, very nice example. In India there are different dresses of woman according to his (her) different position. There is in kāma-śāstra, in Manu-saṁhitā, they are mentioned. Of course, nowadays nobody is following. Just like by dress you can understand "Here is a woman who has got his (her) husband, her husband at home. Oh, here is a woman who has lost her husband. And here is an woman whose husband is out of home. Oh, here is a woman. Oh, she is prostitute." Simply by dress one can understand. Because to address woman is difficult job, so the society sanctioned different dresses. So according to that Vedic literature, when the husband is at home a woman is recommended to dress herself very nicely, very beautifully, just to enliven the husband. The husband, if he sees the wife nicely dressed and nicely, beautifully looking, then he takes some encouragement. And similarly, a woman, when her husband is away from home, she should dress very niggardly, very niggardly. Now, you find that the dress... At one time the woman is dressing niggardly, and at one time the woman is dressing very beautifully and nicely. But what is the purpose? The purpose is the husband.

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

You have to eat in this way." That means restriction. Because if you want to perform the sacrifice before the goddess Kālī, there is a certain date, there is a certain paraphernalia, you have to arrange for that. And that pūjā, that worship is allowed on the dark moon light. So dark moon night means once in a month. And the mantras are chanted in this way; the goat is advised that "You are sacrificing your life before the goddess Kālī. So you get immediately promotion to have a human form of life." Actually it happens. Because to come to the standard of human form of life one living entity has to pass through so many evolutionary process. But the goat who agrees or who is by force sacrificed before the goddess Kālī he gets immediate promotion to the human form of life. And the mantra says, that "You have got the right to kill this man who is sacrificing." Māṁsa. Māṁsa means that you will also eat his flesh, next birth. "Why eat this flesh? Then I'll have to repay with my flesh. Why shall I do this job?" You see. The whole idea is to restrain him.

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

This is the process. This is yoga system. Suppose you are trying to concentrate your mind on Kṛṣṇa, and your mind is diverted, going somewhere, in some cinema house. So you should withdraw, "Not there, please, here." This is practice of yoga. Not to allow the mind to go away from Kṛṣṇa. If you can practice this simply. Don't allow the mind to go away from Kṛṣṇa and because we cannot fix up our mind sitting in one place in Kṛṣṇa, that requires very high training. To sit down in a place and always fix up in Kṛṣṇa the mind, that is not very easy job. One who is not practiced to it, if he simply imitates, then he will be confused. We have to engage ourself always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everything we do must be dovetailed in Kṛṣṇa. Our usual activities should be molded that it has to do everything for Kṛṣṇa. Then your mind will be fixed up in Kṛṣṇa. Artificially when you are not advanced if you try to fix up your mind in Kṛṣṇa, that yoga practice as it is recommended here, that you have to sit down in this way, straight, you have to concentrate your eyesight on the tip of the nose in a secluded sacred place. But where are these chances? At the present moment, where is the chance of all these facilities?

Lecture on BG 6.40-43 -- New York, September 18, 1966:

That remains in the bank to be enjoyed by somebody else. But the spiritual culture... Suppose if you have got ten thousand or... Even ten percent you have done, that goes with you. So there is no loss. Then again you begin from 11%. From the eleven point, you begin. So we should consider that when you get such chance of spiritual cultivation—may be 10%, 5%, 50%—we should know that "Now we should finish the balance percentage of cultivation. We must finish this life. I shall not take chance of another birth." That should be our determination. Paurva-dehikam. "When I have come to this point, it must be understood that I had some asset in my previous life. So Kṛṣṇa is giving me chance to make further progress. Now, in my past life I could not finish the job some way or other, but that doesn't matter. Now this life I shall not allow to miss this opportunity." That should be our determination as soon as we begin some spiritual culture. Tatra taṁ buddhi-saṁyogaṁ labhate paurva-dehikam (BG 6.43). Paurva-dehikam means according to the past life, he begins, he tries.

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

So unless there is full-fledged Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there cannot by any improvement of the world situation. You have to learn it. So how to do that? Kṛṣṇa says, mayy āsakta-manāḥ. You have to develop your attachment for Kṛṣṇa. Begin it. Now, begin, not begin it. That is a very difficult job. But you can do it. It is difficult. Just as we have got a few students here, sincere students, both boys and... They are developing. If not complete, but they are developing, Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise, why they shall waste their time in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa? They are developing. And it can be developed. You can develop love for anything if you try for it. But Kṛṣṇa development, Kṛṣṇa conscious development is very natural because Kṛṣṇa is not a thing belonging to a particular type of religion or sect or society. Kṛṣṇa claims that "I belong to everyone." Therefore, originally, you are all connected with Kṛṣṇa. Simply you have forgotten.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, March 26, 1968:

So this yoga system, as described herein, bhakti-yoga, it can be practiced by such persons who have developed such attachment for Kṛṣṇa. Others cannot. And if anyone is able to develop such attachment, then the result will be that he will understand God, or Kṛṣṇa, perfectly. However we may try to understand what is God by our different theories or speculation, it is a very difficult job to understand what is God. We may say that I have..., we have understood what is God, but it is not possible to understand God as He is, because we have got our limited senses and He is unlimited. How you can capture the Unlimited with your limited sense? But it is possible.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bombay, January 13, 1973:

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given these two instances: taror api sahiṣṇunā, tṛṇād api sunīcena. And amāninā mānadena. For one's self, for personal self, don't claim any respect, but you give respect to all others. Amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). If you can situate yourself in this position, then you can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra very peacefully. You'll not be disturbed. If you chant, if you begin chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, then your friends will criticize. It is very easy job, but for the fear of criticism from my friends, "I do not like to chant. I do not like, like to take the beads. I can carry a trans..." What is called? That? "...transistor throughout the whole road, but if I carry one bead, I'll be criticized." So one has to be tolerant. Now these European, American boys, they don't care for any criticism. They have given their so-called hats and coats and they are chanting. They are going on the street, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Not only here—in European, big, big cities, New York, London, Hamburg, Berlin, everywhere. So they don't care for this so-called criticism. They are fixed up. And people are accepting.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- London, August 4, 1971:

Guest (2): How do you recognize someone who has already a family and he's working and who wants to progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness? Is he, does he have to give up his job and shave his hair and wear robes?

Prabhupāda: No, no. No, never. Simply you have to see, what you are doing, by such action Kṛṣṇa is satisfied. That's all. You can do anything. The test is... That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,

ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā
varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ
svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya
saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam
(SB 1.2.13)

The example is... Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was a warrior, fighter. So when he proposed that "I shall not fight. They are my brothers, my grandfathers, my nephews," that was his proposal. Kṛṣṇa said, "Wherefrom you got this nonsense idea? You are in the warfield and are denying to fight." That means by his nice proposal that "I shall not fight," Kṛṣṇa was not pleased. But after understanding Bhagavad-gītā, when he saw that "Kṛṣṇa wants this fight," "Yes. Kariṣye vacanaṁ tava (BG 18.73)." That is perfection. So he remained a warrior and still he became perfect. So everyone can remain in his own occupation, varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ, but one has to see that whether Kṛṣṇa is satisfied. Then whatever he is doing, that is perfect. That is Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- London, March 11, 1975:

So this is the position, that we do not know what is the perfection of life. Kṛṣṇa says, therefore, begins real knowledge. This chapter is "Knowledge of the Absolute." So everyone... You ask any M.A., Ph.D., that "What is your next life, sir?" "Gow! Gow!" (laughter) That's all. "Gow! Gow!" means "Why you are bothering about these things?" Now, this is the position. And we have taken very hard job to convince these people about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They will not accept it. They will deny immediately. They will say, "Why do you bother us? You do your own business. Let us do our own business." But why we are bothering? Because we are servant of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wants that these rascals should be informed. These rascals should be raised from this status of ignorance. So that is our mission. Therefore we are going and pleading, "Sir, I am a beggar, I have come to beg from you that you kindly purchase one book and you read it." So sometimes they are doing. After all, human being... So this is our... This is our business. We are stressing on pushing on these books because modern man, if he purchases one book, then at least he will see one line, "What these nonsense have written?" So if he reads one line, if he is intelligent man, he will understand the value. That is sure. That is sure.

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

Indian man: Śrīla Prabhupāda, regarding karma. One does his job every day, and if he spends some time in the evening chanting Lord Kṛṣṇa, do you approve this?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Why not? Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. If you think of Kṛṣṇa once, that will not go in vain. That is recorded. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. Just like Ajāmila. At the last stage of his life he chanted "Nārāyaṇa" and became liberated. So something is, about Kṛṣṇa, is very good. And you'll get chance to increase. If you believe that by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa you'll be liberated, then why fifteen minutes? Why not fifteen hours? What is the loss there? If you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, what is the loss? Is there any loss? Then? Why fifteen minutes? Chant. Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). As long as you can. Now chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)

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

So to become Kṛṣṇa conscious is not very difficult job. Simply you have to follow the direction. That's all. But if you manufacture your own meaning, commentation on Bhagavad-gītā, then you are deviated. You are lost. Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). Then such kind of reading Bhagavad-gītā is simply waste of time and energy. That's all. Therefore those who are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, who are not hearing from Kṛṣṇa conscious personalities, they are simply wasting time. The so-called reading of Bhagavad-gītā, lecture on Bhagavad-gītā, without Kṛṣṇa... God, kingdom of God without God. We want kingdom of God, peace and prosperity, but without God. There must not be God. That is our secular government. We want kingdom of God, but without God. That is not possible. If you give up God or God's relationship, there is no question of kingdom of God or peace and prosperity.

Lecture on BG 7.9-10 -- Bombay, February 24, 1974:

So Kṛṣṇa is giving us intelligence that "If you do not go to the temple or do not hear to the ācārya, you can at least try to understand My presence when you see a flower or smell a flower." Is that very difficult job? Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice. Even drinking water, even by seeing the sunshine, even by seeing the moonshine, or, if you are a Vedic scholar, by chanting om, praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu, or even by hearing the sound vibration, or by seeing a flower, or smelling a flower, something brilliant... Just like the sun is brilliant, the moon is brilliant. Tejaś cāsmi. So wherefrom this brilliance comes? The brilliance is imitation, reflection of the bodily brilliance of Kṛṣṇa. That is stated in the Brahma-sūtra, Brahma-saṁhitā: yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Then why we should disbelieve? We can see eye-to-eye that the sun is so brilliant.

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

But Lord Kṛṣṇa says, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). If anyone voluntarily, or understanding his miserable life, if he surrenders unto Kṛṣṇa, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, I forgot You for so many lives. Now I understand that You are my father, You are my protector. I surrender unto You." Just like a lost child goes to the father, "My dear father, it was my misunderstanding that I went away from your protection, but I have suffered. Now I come to you." The father embraces, "My dear boy, you come on. I was so much anxious for you all the days. Oh, it is happy that you have come back." The father is so kind. So we are in the same position. As soon as we surrender ourself to the Supreme Lord... That is not very difficult. A son's surrender to the father, is it very difficult job? Do you think is it very difficult job? A son is surrendering to his father. It is quite natural. There is no insult. Father is always superior. So if I touch the feet of my father, if I bow down before my father, it is glory. It is glorious for me. There is no insult. There is no difficulty. Why should we not surrender unto Kṛṣṇa?

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

So this is the process. Mām eva ye prapadyante. "All these bewildered living entities, when they surrender unto Me," māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14), "he has no more any miseries of life." He becomes at once under the protection of the father. You will find in the end of Bhagavad-gītā, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ (BG 18.66). When the father... When the child comes on the breast of his mother, the mother protects. If there is any danger, the mother is prepared to give her life first, then the child's life. Similarly, when we are under the protection of God, then there is no fear. We becomes fearless under the protection of God. The child... Small children, they have got this faith in the father and the mother. So we should take shelter of Kṛṣṇa—mām eva ye prapadyante. "Anyone who takes shelter unto Me, he is out of this danger at once." At once. So why not do this? Is it very difficult job? No. Then why the person do not take shelter? If it is so easy thing, a certain child is going to surrender unto the care of his father, it is so simple thing. Why people do not do this? Why? Because people are, I mean to say, challenging even the existence of God.

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

So this is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Ananya-cetāḥ satataṁ yo māṁ smarati. Smarati means remember. Nityaśaḥ, continually. Tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ pārtha. "Oh, I am very cheap for them." Kṛṣṇa becomes very cheap commodity. The highest valuable thing becomes very cheap for him who takes this process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ pārtha nitya-yuktasya yoginaḥ: (BG 8.14) "Because he's continually engaged in such process of yoga, bhakti-yoga, oh, I am very cheap. I am easily available. I am easily available." Now, Kṛṣṇa declares Himself that He becomes easily available by this process. Why should I try for any, I mean to say, very hard job? Why shall I take to that? We chant Kṛṣṇa: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, and twenty-four hours you can chant. There is no rules and regulation. Either in the street or in the subway, or at your home, or in your office, oh, there is no tax, no expenses. Why don't you do it? Always chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- New York, November 22, 1966:

You'll find in your country also. There are many foundations. They are making charities. But hardly you'll find amongst them that he knows that what he is. So out of many millions of these religious persons, some of them know what he is, "I am not this body." Now, simply theoretically knowing that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul," that is not perfect. You have to actually become liberated from the material entanglement. That is called mukti, liberation. So out of many thousands of persons who are in the knowledge what they are or what he is, some of them are actually liberated. Liberated. And out of many thousands of people who are liberated, they can understand what is Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa understanding is not very easy job. But Kṛṣṇa is so kind because He knows that in this age, in this age of Kali, it will be very difficult for persons to become liberated under the process—first to become civilized, then to become religious, then to perform this charity, sacrifices, then come to the platform of knowledge, then, after coming to the platform of knowledge, you come to the platform of liberation, and after being liberated, you can know what is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 9.3 -- Toronto, June 20, 1976:

So we should take advantage of it. If you don't take advantage of it, aśraddadhānāḥ, no faith, no interest... Aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣāḥ, the human being. This is a chance of human form of life to accept the system which is offered by God Himself. That is our duty. But if one is not interested, then the result is that aprāpya mām. "He cannot get Me." Aprāpya mām. So if we don't get Kṛṣṇa, then what is the wrong there? Very, very wrong. That Kṛṣṇa says: nivartante mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani, (BG 9.3) then he remains in the cycle of birth and death. That is not very pleasing job. We are making material efforts to make nice road, nice cars, nice skyscraper building, nice other facilities of life. But why I am doing this? This is practical. If I am called by death. How, we are not very happy, "Oh, I am attempting to build this and now I am dying," this is very painful. Sometimes at the time of death, they cry, that "I could not finish my business."

So that is the way of nature. That you may try to become very happy in this material world, nature will kick you out, will not allow you to stay here. Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). This world is duḥkhālayam. You make so many imagination, try to fulfill it, that's a very troublesome job.

Lecture on BG 9.3 -- Toronto, June 20, 1976:

So in this way things are going on. They are described in this Bhagavad-gītā very widely and expressively. So every human being is expected to receive this knowledge directly from Kṛṣṇa. Don't interpret wrong way according to your whims. Take it as it is and be benefited. If you don't take it, aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣāḥ (BG 9.3). Those who have no interest to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is, the result is mām aprāpya. Aprāpya mām. He never approaches God. He remains in this material world of repetition of birth and death. That is not a very good job.

So our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to enlighten people so that they can accept these principles of Bhagavad-gītā. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission is para-upakāra. And He advises everyone, especially Indians, to become guru. He said, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Every one of you, you become a guru, and try to deliver the persons where you are living. So how can I become guru? Yes, it is very easy. What is that? Yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Then you become guru. You simply repeat what Kṛṣṇa has said in the Bhagavad-gītā, you become guru. To become guru is not... But if you want to be a bluffer, cheater, then you can talk all nonsense. But if you actually talk only Kṛṣṇa's words, then you become a guru. It's not very difficult.

Lecture on BG 9.3 -- Toronto, June 20, 1976:

Kṛṣṇa says man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), four things only. And mām evaiṣyasi asaṁśayaḥ. "By doing these four things, without any doubt, you come back to Me." And what are those four things? Man-manā bhava. "Always think of Me." That is very difficult job? You are seeing... (break) So man-manāḥ. And then you become bhakta. Unless you are bhakta, you cannot continue to think of Kṛṣṇa. Man-manā bhava mad, mad-yājī. "Worship Me." So here is Kṛṣṇa, accepting everyone's worship. And what is the means of worship? Very simple. If you can offer very valuable things, that is all right. But if you think that you are poor man, you cannot supply any valuable things, Kṛṣṇa says, "Never mind." Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). "Simply little flower, little fruit, if you offer Me with devotion, I accept." So there is no difficulty.

Lecture on BG 9.24-26 -- New York, December 12, 1966:

So we have to deal with God in that way. Therefore, if you want to offer something... The beginning is offering, offering. We must offer something. So what is that offering? If you... If somebody says that "I am very poor man. I cannot offer anything..." Because in India, of course, offering to the demigods, offering to some deity... That is very expensive job. There are list of goods. Now, suppose a poor man, he wants to offer something to God. Then what he has to offer? He... Here is a prescription given by the Lord Himself which can be offered even by the poorest man. What is that? Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam. A, a little bit of tulasī leaves or any leaf, puṣpam, a little bit of flower, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalam, a small fruit, and toyam, a little water.

Now, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam, these four things can be available universally. Nobody is so poor that he cannot collect a leaf of a tree or a small fruit or a small flower and little water. It is universal, nothing expensive. So anyone, in any country, in any place, he can offer Kṛṣṇa these four things. There is no bar.

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

It is not chanted by the conditioned soul. It is not possible. Therefore not everyone can chant. You'll... You have seen it, experienced, that your chanting, dancing, is very in ecstasy, emotion. Others are standing without opening their mouth. They cannot chant. That is a very difficult job for them because it is the property of the liberated person, not for the conditioned soul.

Therefore Parīkṣit Mahārāja said, nirvṛtta-tarṣaiḥ. Tarṣaiḥ. Tṛṣṇa. Tṛṣṇa means hankering. Hankering. Just like if you are thirsty, you feel: "Where is water? Where is water? Where is water?" That is called tṛṣṇa. So nirvṛtta-tarṣaiḥ means one who has finished all hankering for material enjoyment. He's called nirvṛtta-tṛṣṇa. Nirvṛtta means finished. And tṛṣṇa means hankering. The same thing is described in the Śrīmad-Bhagavad-gītā. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). Kāṅkṣati. Kāṅkṣati means if I hanker, that means still I am hungry or thirsty. But there is a position, brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20) position, by brahma-jijñāsā, that we can get relief of these two activities, hankering and lamenting. The material world, there are two things only: lamenting and hankering. Those who haven't... Those who do not possess, he's hankering. And those who have lost, they are lamenting. But they are two things only. Actually we do not possess. Somehow or other, if we possess, that is also lost.

Lecture on BG 13.5 -- Bombay, September 28, 1973:

If we give some bluff, that "Kṛṣṇa means... You are also Kṛṣṇa. I am also Kṛṣṇa. Why Kṛṣṇa alone shall be God? You are also God, I am also...," these things will be very much appreciated. Because he bluffs. But that bluffing may be very pleasing to the demons, but those who are actually student of Bhagavad-gītā, they'll not accept this bluff.

So therefore Kṛṣṇa says,

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu
kaścid yatati siddhaye
yatatāṁ api siddhānāṁ
kaścid vetti māṁ tattvataḥ
(BG 7.3)

To understand Kṛṣṇa is difficult job, because Kṛṣṇa says manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu: "In thousands and thousands of people, one may be interested for siddhi." What is that siddhi? Siddhi, perfection. The perfection is how to get out of these material clutches, how to stop this repetition of birth, death, old age and... That is called siddhi. So kaścid yatati siddhaye.

Lecture on BG 13.5 -- Bombay, September 28, 1973:

"You are going to accept a next life as a tree." "Never mind." They say like that. "I'll forget." "No, you'll have to stand up seven thousand years in one place." "That's all right." They have become so dull. This is called Kali-yuga. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). Very slow, very bad. Manda means very bad. Sumanda-matayo, and if one has got some path or some sect, that is also adulterated, nuisance. Manda-matayoḥ. Manda-bhāgyaḥ, unfortunate. Even people have no idea what he's going to eat tomorrow. Actually, these things are coming. Manda-bhāgya, most unfortunate. Upadrutāḥ, always disturbed by so many natural disturbances, health disturbances, political disturbances. This is the position.

So there is great necessity of pushing on this movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, so that their life may be perfect. Although it is a difficult job, but still, we are trying our best. If people take advantage of this movement, then the whole problems of his life will be solved. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)

Lecture on BG 13.6-7 -- Montreal, October 25, 1968:

The motto of life. He is describing the motto of life, that "One should not be falsely proud, one should be very much meek and humble, and try to receive knowledge from self-realized persons. If one continues, follows these principles, then one day he will find that God, who is ajita, who cannot be conquered by anyone, who cannot be known by anyone, God realization..."

Because God realization is not an ordinary job. It is very difficult. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3). In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find that "Out of many, many thousands of men, one may be interested how to make perfect this human form of life. And out of many, many thousands of perfect persons, one may know actually what is God, what is Kṛṣṇa." So God is unconquerable, cannot be conquered, or He cannot be understood by your puffed-up mentality that "I can know Him." No. God can be known by the meek and humble who is submissive and who takes the shelter of a God-realized person and tries to hear from him. Then Rāmānanda Rāya... Not Rāmānanda Rāya, it is a quotation from Bhāgavata. Then the result is, although God is unapproachable by our limited knowledge, He becomes jita. Jita means He becomes conquered—simply by this position.

Lecture on BG 17.1-3 -- Honolulu, July 4, 1974:

So those who are trying to come to the platform of spiritual realization, God realization, they must stick to the sattva-guṇa principle. Otherwise it is hopeless. it is not hopeless. Nothing is hopeless. It will take very, very long time. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā you will find the statement, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate: (BG 7.19) "After many, many births, when one is actually wise..." Wise means in the sattva-guṇa platform. "Then he surrenders to Kṛṣṇa." Then the beginning of spiritual life is there, and he may finish this course of spiritual understanding even in this life, simply by understanding Kṛṣṇa.

Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kau... (BG 4.9). Everything is there, described. So try to understand Bhagavad-gītā very nicely, and even in this life you can finish your job of spiritual self-realization and may go back to home back to Godhead. Thank you very much.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.3 -- Caracas, February 24, 1975:

Nobody—we are sitting in this hall—can say that "I am not serving anyone." If somebody is not serving anyone, then he must be serving his own senses. The whole material world is going on because the people are engaged in the service of the senses. For sense gratification one is doing very, very risky job. So nobody can say that "I am not serving." That is the characteristic of the living being, and that is called dharma. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109), means we living entities, our real characteristic is to serve God. But we have given up the service of God. Therefore we are now engaged in the service of the senses. And because we are constitutionally servant, therefore either we shall serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead, or the Absolute Truth, or, if we do not like to serve the Absolute Truth, then we must serve our senses. Therefore it is described, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ atra, means "Cheating type of religion is completely rejected here in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam."

Lecture on SB 1.1.4 -- London, August 27, 1973:

But the difficulty is that Kṛṣṇa does not eat all nonsense. And one has to eat all nonsense. So therefore they are not... They are afraid of becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious. Yes. Because they'll be forbidden. Kṛṣṇa said, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). Kṛṣṇa is limiting. He can eat everything. He can... Just like in Vṛndāvana, He swallowed the fire. So for Kṛṣṇa to eat meat is not very difficult job. He can eat, because He is Kṛṣṇa, all-powerful. But He has prescribed, that "Give Me this foodstuff." Just like if you call me at your house, you'll ask me, "What can I offer you?" So similarly, we have called Kṛṣṇa, "Kṛṣṇa, please come and stay with us in this temple." So therefore we must give Him food what He wants. Not whimsically. And it is clearly stated, Kṛṣṇa says, "All right. Give me patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam." Patram, vegetables; phalam, fruits; toyam, milk, water. In this way. Kṛṣṇa says, "You give Me this." So you give Him. And Kṛṣṇa says, "If it is offered with faith and love, I eat. I eat."

Lecture on SB 1.2.2 -- Rome, May 26, 1974:

We must be separate." Why? Because they have got a bad experience that the Hindus did not treat them very well. Did not... Even śūdra. In South India, it was the process, so bad process. If śūdra is passing on the street, he has to cry, "I am a śūdra passing on the street. Please close your door." The brāhmaṇas would close the door so that they may not even see a śūdra. Then everything will be spoiled, their food grains and everything. They will close. You see. Now the result is that South India, the Communists Communists means the so-called low-class people, śūdras and caṇḍālas, they are now in majority. They have formed a government that on principle, as soon as some brāhmaṇa comes for government service, he will reject. So the brāhmaṇas are now hiding themselves, that he is brāhmaṇa, because he cannot get any job. (laughter) This is the position.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Montreal, August 2, 1968:

Just like Dhruva Mahārāja went into the forest to see God. But here Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches, marma-hatāṁ karotu vā adarśanāt: "If You break my heart perpetually by not being present before me." He doesn't say that "We want to see God." Doesn't matter. "Why I shall see God? He is busy. Why shall I call Him to become present in my presence? No. Although I am broken-hearted... I would have been pleased to see God, but doesn't matter if He does not come." That is pure devotion. "Oh, I served God so many years, and still I could not see Him. Oh, give up this job. Let me go to māyā." That is not devotion. That is motive. I wanted to serve God with a motive. As soon as the motive is not fulfilled...

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- London, August 27, 1971:

Ah, nivṛtti-mārga. So nivṛtti-mārga means the Vedas, they give us instruction, "All right. You have come to enjoy. Enjoy like this." The real purpose is that by such enjoyment he'll come to the point of liberation. Just like you want sex. "All right. You marry." This is Vedic injunction. You marry. But don't have sex daily, like cats and dogs. When you require child, then you have sex. That is Vedic injunction. And when the wife is pregnant, no more. These are Vedic injunctions. It's allowing to sex life, but under caution. Similarly, those who are meat-eaters: "Oh, I cannot do without eating meat." "All right. Eat meat." Vedic injunction. "You just, on amāvasyā, on the dark night, you just take a goat and go to the goddess Kālī and kill this animal. And the mantra is... The animal is given this mantra: 'My dear animal, you are giving your life for this man. So you get next a human life and you have the right to kill this man.' " Now any sane man, who will take this risk, "Oh, I am killing this animal again to be killed by him"? Better give up this job. (laughter) These are the Vedic injunctions. If you want to drink wine, "All right. Have canḍī-pūjā." Everything is there.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:

We go, we take bath in the river, like the Christians, they take bath in the Jordan River, or Hindus, they go to Hardwar, take bath in the Ganges, or Vṛndāvana, they take bath. But they think by taking bath in that water, his job is finished. No. Actually the job is to go to such pilgrimages, holy places, to find out experience spiritual advancement. Because many spiritually advanced men, they live there. Therefore one should go such places and find out the experienced transcendentalist, and take lessons from him. That is really going to pilgrimage. Not that simply going and take bath and business finished. No. So

yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke
sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ
yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij
janeṣv abhijñeṣu...
(SB 10.84.13)

Abhijñe, one who knows. (indistinct) we should approach person who knows things very well, abhijñaḥ. Kṛṣṇa is abhijñaḥ, svarat. So similarly Kṛṣṇa's representative is also abhijñaḥ, naturally. If one associates with Kṛṣṇa, if one talks with Kṛṣṇa, he must be very abhijñaḥ, very learned, because he takes lessons from Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa's knowledge is perfect, therefore, because he takes knowledge from Kṛṣṇa, his knowledge is also perfect. Abhijñaḥ. And Kṛṣṇa talks. It is not that it is fictitious, no. Kṛṣṇa—I have already said—that Kṛṣṇa is sitting in everyone's heart and He talks with the bona fide person. Just like a big man, he talks with some bona fide person, he doesn't waste his time talking with nonsense. He talks, that's a fact, but he does not talk with nonsense, he talks with the bona fide representative.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Delhi, November 12, 1973:

So it becomes sometimes lost. When the paramparā system... Just like nowadays, everyone is proud of reading Bhagavad-gītā, but he interprets in his own way. Everyone is at liberty to interpret Bhagavad-gītā as he likes. That is the modern proposal. So there are 664 editions of Bhagavad-gītā. Everyone is commenting in his own way. I have heard that there is one doctor, some rabbi. He has interpreted Bhagavad-gītā as the talks between a patient and a physician. You see? So this is going on. Everyone whimsically, he is interpreting. Sometimes in our country also, we see that Mahatma Gandhi wanted to interpret Bhagavad-gītā as nonviolence. It is very difficult to prove, because Bhagavad-gītā is spoken in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. (laughs) So how you can prove nonviolence? So it is a difficult job. So that is not the process of understanding Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā is to be understood, as our Swamiji immediately talked, that it has to be received from the paramparā system.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:

That is my lack of education. Not that there is nothing beyond this wall. My imperfect eyes cannot see, my imperfect senses cannot realize, but you can make your senses perfect to see God by a process. What is that? Bhakti-yoga. That is explained by Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). In one place Kṛṣṇa has said, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). Out of many millions of persons, one is very much anxious to make his life perfect. Everyone is not. They are simply working like cats and dogs. That's all. Nobody is interested how to make life perfect. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu, out of millions of person, one becomes interested how to make this life perfect. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye, yatatām api siddhānām (BG 7.3), and out of many such perfect persons, who has made his life perfect, out of many such person, kaścid jana, kaścit vetti māṁ tattvataḥ, knows God. So God-knowing is not very easy job, but it can be made easy by a process, which is called bhakti-yoga.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Hyderabad, April 21, 1974:

So that required. By love of Godhead you can see God every moment. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva (Bs. 5.38). Sadaiva means twenty-four hours. People ask, "Whether you have seen God?" To see God is not difficult job. Simply you have to qualify yourself, love of Godhead. Then you can see. This is the formula. And if have not developed Kṛṣṇa consciousness, God consciousness, then also, you can see God in your own way, as prescribed in the śāstras. Just like Kṛṣṇa says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ (BG 7.8). Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the taste of the water." So you are drinking water, and as soon as you drink, if you think that "Here is the taste of water, here is Kṛṣṇa," is it very difficult? Not at all difficulty. Prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ. If you forget while drinking... Nobody can forget. But even intentionally you forget. So how you can check not seeing the sunshine and the moonshine? How it is possible. They say that "Have you seen God?" But why... You have seen also God, because Kṛṣṇa says, prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ: "I am the sunshine."

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Delhi, November 18, 1973:

So that is not joke. So he became mendicant. All Gandhi's followers, they became mendicant. Without becoming mendicant, you cannot do any welfare activities. That is the Vedic process, sannyāsa. So but he could not live. After giving up his job as a lawyer, he could not live for more than one year, because he was living very opulently and all of a sudden he became a mendicant. He could not tolerate. That we have seen. But here we see that the Gosvāmīs, they were also very big men, ministers, but how they lived? Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tuccha-vat bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau, gopī-bhāva-rasāmṛtābdhi-laharī. Gopī-bhāva. They were living simply by thinking of the ecstatic love of gopīs. Gopī-bhāvāmṛta. That is compared with an ocean. As the ocean is beautiful, constant flowing of waves, similarly, the ocean of bliss of the gopīs relationship with Kṛṣṇa, these Gosvāmīs were always absorbed in that. Gopī-bhāva-rasāmṛtābdhi-laharī-kallola-magnau muhur vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau. So Kṛṣṇa's opulence, Kṛṣṇa's dealings with the gopīs, they are not ordinary things.

Lecture on SB 1.2.16 -- Los Angeles, August 19, 1972:

Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī, he increased the taste. They were liberated souls. Therefore, he is writing that "If I could possess millions of tongue and trillions of ear, then I could nicely chant and hear." And so far we are concerned, because we have no taste, that sixteen rounds is also very difficult job. Because we have no taste. Why there is no taste? Because we are lacking in that previous processes. Bhajana-kriyā.

So one after another, to get that sword, it, they requires this qualification: ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). Then there is taste. Now how this taste is created, that is also explained in the next line. Syān mahat-sevayā. Mahat-sevayā. Mahat means... I have already explained. A devotee, pure devotee, whose..., who has no other business than to serve Kṛṣṇa, he is called mahat. So one has to engage himself in the service of the pure devotee. As soon as we serve a pure devotee... As it is spoken by Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. Yasya prasādāt. If you satisfy a pure devotee by your service, then, even there is some discrepancies, you get all these qualities.

Lecture on SB 1.3.10 -- Los Angeles, September 16, 1972:

The scientists, they are very much busy. Just this morning our scientist, Svarūpa Dāmodara, was speaking about an article: the scientists are very much busy that the source of supply is being decreased. Just like petroleum. Petroleum, gas, that is diminishing. Now, whole modern materialistic civilization is depending on the motorcars and aeroplanes, transportation. So if the petroleum supply is stopped, then what will be the condition of the society? Formerly there was no need of going to see a friend thirty miles away, because every friend was within the village. Now, because we have got motorcar, we create friendship with a man who lives fifty miles away. We accept a job fifty miles away. In Hawaii our Gaurasundara was going to attend office fifty miles off. By fifty miles off... In big, big cities like New York, Calcutta, we have seen people are coming to attend their office from hundred miles off. I have seen also in aeroplane there are many people... I have seen in England. Many workers or gentlemen, they are coming from Glasgow to London for working, by aeroplane.

Lecture on SB 1.3.14 -- Los Angeles, September 19, 1972:

Just like if you become criminal, the state police force will always harass you. You cannot get out of it. He'll harass you. But that is expensive job for the government. Because it requires extra police, extra management, extra everything. But if the people become honest, God conscious, so many expenditure will be reduced. And money will be saved for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness or for Kṛṣṇa's service. Then the whole world will become exactly as it was in the Pṛthu Mahārāja's day.

So Pṛthu Mahārāja was very nice king. He not only helped producing enough foodstuff, but he was examining each man, whether he is employed or not. There was no unemployment in Pṛthu Mahārāja's time. Everyone must have employment, engagement. Nowadays, in spite of so much advancement of science, there are thousands and thousands of unemployed people. They have no sufficient engagement. Of course, in your country, although there is employment, they have denied to accept employment. In India, for employment... There is employment bureau by the government. So if you go to any employment bureau, you will find thousands of men are standing in line to get a job. Unemployment.

Lecture on SB 1.3.23 -- Los Angeles, September 28, 1972:

So you see so many pictures of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is playing with His cowherd boys; Kṛṣṇa dancing with His girlfriends, gopīs; Kṛṣṇa is stealing butter; Kṛṣṇa is doing so many—simply happiness, simply happiness. You won't find Kṛṣṇa is morose and sitting or crying. (laughter) Even if He is killing some demon, very laughingly, as easy job. You see? So either He is killing or dancing, He is happy. So we are giving this information of happiness, the topmost happiness, without any... Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). In the Vedānta-sūtra it is said that spirit soul, the Supersoul or the individual soul, their nature is to become happy. Ānandamaya. Happy. Spiritual life means happiness. There is no distress. But that happiness can be attained in cooperation with the Supreme. We are sparks of fire. So with the fire, if the sparks are "fut-put"... You see sometimes, the sparks; it looks very beautiful. The same spark, as soon as falls down from the fire, extinguished. The fiery quality immediately extinguished. So our material condition is like that. We have given up the company of Kṛṣṇa, and we wanted to be happy in this material world; therefore we are suffering. So same spark, particle of carbon, if you put again to the fire, it will again become red hot and fire. So this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that we are trying the sparks, which by chance has fallen down from the fire, to pick it up again and put it in the fire. That is real happiness.

Lecture on SB 1.5.1-8 -- New Vrindaban, May 23, 1969:

That is actually life. Just like animals, they are not inquisitive. They are simply concerned with the four principles of bodily necessities. Eating... Udaram, dākṣyaṁ kuṭumba-bharaṇam. In this age, Kali-yuga, if one can eat sumptuously, he thinks that "All my interest is now fulfilled. I have eaten very nicely today." That's all. (chuckles) And dākṣyaṁ kuṭumba-bharaṇam. And if he can maintain a wife and three children, oh, he is Dakṣa Mahārāja. Dakṣa Mahārāja. This is the age of Kali. You see? If one can simply eat and if he's well-to-do, he can maintain...

And when I was in New York, one old lady, she used to come to my class. Not in Second Avenue. When I first started in 72nd Street. So she had a son. So I asked, "Why don't you get your son married?" "Oh, if he can maintain a wife, I have no objection." Just to maintain a wife is a great job in this age. Dākṣyaṁ kuṭumba-bharaṇam. And still we are very much proud that we are advancing. Even a bird maintains a wife, even a beast maintains wife. And human being hesitates to maintain a wife? You see? And they are advanced in civilization? Hm? It is a very horrible age.

Lecture on SB 1.5.1-8 -- New Vrindaban, May 23, 1969:

So "You have done all these things." He had a spiritual master like Nārada, and he was himself Vyāsadeva. So everything was first class. But still, tathāpi, still, śocasi, "You are lamenting. You are morose. You are morose, you are unhappy just like you have akṛtārtha, you have done nothing." So we have to become kṛtārtha. Kṛtārtha means one who has finished his job, kṛtārtha. The Sanskrit words are very appropriate. People still have to learn so many things from this Vedic literature.

Then Vyāsadeva replies, asty eva me sarvam idaṁ tvayoktam. "My dear sir, my dear spiritual master, whatever you are saying, it is all right. I have studied sufficiently. I have inquired sufficiently. I know about Brahman, everything. I have written Vedānta-sūtra; still..." Asty eva. Asty eva me sarvam idaṁ tvayoktam. "Whatever you are saying, everything is there in me." Tathāpi nātmā parituṣyate me. "Still I don't find satisfaction." Tan-mūlam avyaktam. "And what is the cause? That is also I do not know."

Lecture on SB 1.5.1-8 -- New Vrindaban, May 23, 1969:

Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when He accepted Jagāi-Mādhāi... They were very sinful. But He simply asked the condition that "From this day no more sinful activities. You accept this, then I accept you." They promised, "Yes. Whatever we have done, no more." That should be the... Confess, God can excuse, and that is not difficult job. God can excuse any amount of sinful activity, but after confessing, after being free, if I again commit sinful activities, oh, that is the greatest sin. That is the greatest sin. One should be ashamed of, that "I... God has excused me. Again I shall? So I am so shameless." But this business is going on. No. That should not be. Nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.5.8-9 -- New Vrindaban, May 24, 1969:

So for a devotee, there is no need of controlling senses. It automatically becomes controlled. Just like we have taken the vow we are not going to eat anything except kṛṣṇa-prasāda. Oh, the sense is already controlled. There is no question of asking a devotee, "You don't drink, don't this, don't this, don't this." So many don'ts. Simply by accepting kṛṣṇa-prasādam, all don'ts there, already there. And it becomes very easier. Others, if one is requested that "You don't smoke," it will be very difficult job for him. For a devotee, he can give up at any moment. He has no problem. Therefore the same example, that these senses are very strong undoubtedly, as strong as the snake. But if you break the poison teeth, the poison teeth, then it is no more fierceful. Similarly, if you engage your senses in Kṛṣṇa, no more controlling. It is already controlled. Protkhāta-daṁṣṭrāyate viśvaṁ pūrṇa-sukhāyate.

Lecture on SB 1.5.11 -- New Vrindaban, June 10, 1969:

So it is not a permanent settlement that once we have got this human form of body we cannot glide down. We can glide down. Bhagavad-gītā says: yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran loke tyajaty ante kalevaram (BG 8.6). At the time of death the mental position will give you another body of the same type as you are mentally absorbed at that time. So therefore we have to prepare, we have to prepare ourselves so that at the time of death we may... Ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ (SB 2.1.6). At the time of death we can once think of Kṛṣṇa. Then our life is successful. It is said in Bengali that bhajana kara sādhana kara matijanle haya.(?) What is that? That whatever spiritual advancement you are doing, that's all right. The test will be at the time of your death. Examination. That is the point of examination. What is the mental state at that time. Difficult job.

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

So thing is that we have to take knowledge from the perfect. Then, even it is very difficult, but the knowledge is there. Even it is very difficult. Just like we are taking knowledge from Kṛṣṇa. By our own effort, by the plane of mind and plane of air, we cannot reach where is Kṛṣṇaloka. But Kṛṣṇa says that mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām: (BG 9.25) "Those who are My devotees, they can reach to My planet." So at least, we know that Kṛṣṇa has got a planet, and if we take to devotional service, then we can go. Then why not try? There is no loss, but if there is such gain that we can go to Kṛṣṇaloka, so why not take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, simply chanting and dancing and taking prasādam? Is it very difficult job? The authority's Kṛṣṇa. It is confirmed by Vyāsadeva. It is confirmed by Nārada.

Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 13, 1969:

Yes. So this is the thing, tad-viceṣṭitam. He's simply thinking of the activities of Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna. That's all. That is perfect reading of Bhagavad-gītā. It does not require to read Bhagavad-gītā by your academic education. If you simply hear from the authoritative source the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, and if you simply meditate upon that speech, that instruction, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa instructed like this. Arjuna received like this. He questioned like this. He answered like this," that is meditation, perfect meditation, and you become liberated. Tad-viceṣṭitam. It is not very difficult job. Simply you have to receive. Therefore satya-śravāḥ, śuci-śravāḥ. Śuci-śravāḥ. You have to hear from the pure source, give aural reception, and think of it, meditate upon it. Simply by doing this, you are liberated. These are not bluff. Here is the evidence. Simply receive the message from the right source and contemplate and meditate upon that instruction. You are liberated. Chanting and hearing. Hearing and... śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam (SB 7.5.23). First hearing, then chanting. Hear from the right source and discuss amongst yourselves. Iṣṭagoṣṭhi. Then the perfection.

Lecture on SB 1.7.2-4 -- Durban, October 14, 1975:

So that is called yoga. This meditation means bhakti-yoga. Meditation, that is the real meaning. Nowadays meditation has become a fashion, but meditation is described in the Vedic literature, dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). The yogis, they meditate, dhyānāvasthita. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā, the mind becomes fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, tad-gatena. Tat means transcendental Absolute Truth, oṁ tat sat. So tad-gatena manasā, mind being... Our mind is very restless, so it is very difficult. Five thousand years ago, when Kṛṣṇa instructed Arjuna to concentrate his mind, meditate, or meditate upon Supersoul, so Arjuna frankly admitted that it was not possible for him. He said to Kṛṣṇa, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, You are advising. That is nice. But it is not possible for me." Cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavad dṛḍham (BG 6.34). "Mind is so restless, just like wind blowing. So to capture the mind, to make him pacified, it is very difficult job. I don't think I shall be able to do it." Arjuna refused. But Arjuna was a great devotee; therefore Kṛṣṇa encouraged him. Arjuna did not know anything except Kṛṣṇa, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Then He encouraged him, that "My dear Arjuna, for you, you are the best yogi."

Lecture on SB 1.7.16 -- Vrndavana, September 14, 1976:

Kṛṣi-gorakṣya, and cow protection. Kṛṣi-gorakṣya-vāṇijyam. And if there is excess, then vāṇijya, trade. Otherwise there is no question of trade. And vaiśya... And śūdra, paricaryātmakam (BG 18.44)—to work for some payment. That is this blacksmith, goldsmith, weaver. You take some work from him and pay him something, maintain him. That is śūdra. So in the śāstra it is said, kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. In the Kali-yuga almost everyone is a śūdra. You'll find they're interested in accepting some service. Even one is born of a brāhmaṇa family, he is looking after some good job. That is śūdra mentality. That is not brāhmaṇa's business. Brāhmaṇa will not accept anyone's service, neither the kṣatriyas, neither the vaiśyas. Only śūdras.

So considering all these points, Aśvatthāmā is accepted here as brahma-bandhu. And at the same time he's aggressor. Brahma-bandhoḥ ātatāyinaḥ. Therefore Arjuna promised, "I shall kill him." Arjuna did not promise to kill a brāhmaṇa. No. That was not his business. Because he's proved to be brahma-bandhu and ātatāyinaḥ, he deserved to be killed. Therefore it is sanctioned (?). So, next verse you can read. This verse is finished.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- Mayapura, September 28, 1974:

They know, knew it. Not only Kuntī knows. But Kṛṣṇa was, when present, how many people knew Him? Only the Pāṇḍavas knew Him perfectly. The Pāṇḍava family. And some of the other, Kuru family. Bhīṣma knew Him. Even Dhṛtarāṣṭra also knew Him. And many other saintly persons, Vyāsadeva, Devala, Nārada Muni. Nārada Muni, of course, does not belong to this planet. So to know Kṛṣṇa is not very easy job. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). Still, if Kṛṣṇa is pleased, then He can make Himself known to a devotee. Athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvaya-prasāda-leśānugṛhīta eva hi, jānāti tattvam (SB 10.14.29). Anyone who is in receipt of little favor of Kṛṣṇa, he can understand Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.8.32 -- Los Angeles, April 24, 1973:

In New York, when I was there, one old lady was coming. So he has, she had a grown-up son. So I asked her: "Why don't you get your son married?" "Yes, he can marry if he can maintain the family." I did not know that, that the maintaining of family is a difficult job here. I did not know that. So these are described in the Bhāgavatam. If one can maintain a family, oh, he is very glorious man. "Oh, he's maintaining five (?)." If the girl has got a husband, she is considered to be very fortunate. So actually these things are there.

So it is not our business to criticize, but the symptoms of Kali-yuga is very, very severe, and it will grow more and more. We have simply passed 5,000 years only of the Kali-yuga, but the duration of Kali-yuga is 400,000, 432,000 of years, out of only we have passed 5,000 years. And after passing 5,000 years, we find so many difficulties, and the more we grow in this Kali-yuga, the days will be more and more difficult. So best thing is that you finish your Kṛṣṇa consciousness business and go back to home, back to Godhead. That will save you. Otherwise, if we come back again, the difficulties, the difficult days are ahead. We have to suffer more and more.

Lecture on SB 1.8.36 -- Mayapura, October 16, 1974:

So in the previous verse it has been explained, bhave 'smin kliśyanti. This is the problem, kliśyanti, simply laboring and... Kliśyanti means suffering, suffering the hard work. Everyone. Kliśyanti. Everyone is working very hard for maintenance, struggle for existence. Tṛtīyā śaktir iṣyate. Karma-saṁjñānyā tṛtīyā śaktir iṣyate. Here, in this material world, you have to work very, very hard. Just even for maintenance, and what to speak of sense gratification? This is the position. Bhave 'smin kliśyanti. Bhave 'smin kliśyamānānām avidyā-kāma-karmabhiḥ. If you work hard, at least there is some expectation... Just like ordinarily a man, a boy, takes education, works very hard so that he may be very successful in examination. And then he passes. Then he works hard to get a good job. Then, in the job, in the service, he works very hard so that he get, he may get promotion. So the hard working is going on. You cannot stop it. Kliśyanti. But unfortunately they do not know the aim of life, "Why we are working so hard." That is the difficulty. But generally they want—"We are working hard for sense gratification. That's all, enjoy the senses." That is the whole civilization.

Lecture on SB 1.8.41 -- Los Angeles, May 3, 1973:

Now, at that time, there was two Jagāis and Mādhāis. But at the present moment, by the grace of Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His process of teaching, how many Jagāi and Mādhāis are being delivered. You see. So it is possible. If Caitanya Mahāprabhu is pleased, then He can give kṛṣṇa-prema, love of Kṛṣṇa, to anyone, doesn't matter what is his qualification. He gives. If a person who is giving in charity, he can select any man: "You take." That is power of Śrī Caitanya Mahā... Otherwise, kṛṣṇa-prema, to understand Kṛṣṇa is very, very difficult job. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). Out of many millions of people, they are trying to make life successful... Nobody knows. They are simply working like animals. They do not know how to make the human life successful. The human life is successful when he understands Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise he remains an animal. That's all. Anyone who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, one who does not know what is Kṛṣṇa, he's no better than animal. He's animal. So this is going on.

Lecture on SB 1.8.43 -- Mayapura, October 23, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa, understanding Kṛṣṇa, is not so easy job. Kṛṣṇa says,

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu
kaścid yatati siddhaye
yatatām api siddhānāṁ
kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ
(BG 7.3)

It is not so easy. But any person, either in karma-yoga or jñāna-yoga or dhyāna-yoga or haṭha-yoga, if he comes in contact with a devotee, bhakti-yogī, then he can understand Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says,

ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva
guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja
(CC Madhya 19.151)

Bhakti-latā-bīja, that is not very easily available. But it is available—guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya. Because Kṛṣṇa is situated in everyone's heart, if you are actually eager to understand Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa can understand that "This living entity is trying to understand." So He gives a guru. He gives... Caitya... He's caitya-guru. He is guru Himself within one's heart, and He gives intelligence. Buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi taṁ yena mām upayānti te. To a sincere person, He gives the intelligence that "You accept this guru."

Lecture on SB 1.8.45 -- Mayapura, October 25, 1974:

So to control over Kṛṣṇa is not a very easy job; unless one is a great devotee, he cannot... Just like the cowherd boys. They used to rise on the shoulder of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa was defeated in play. So the bet was that one who is defeated, he would take the other party on His shoulder. So Kṛṣṇa became defeated.

itthaṁ satāṁ brahma-sukhānubhūtyā
dāsyaṁ gatānāṁ para-daivatena
māyāśritānāṁ nara-dārakeṇa
sākaṁ vijahruḥ kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ
(SB 10.12.11)

When Kṛṣṇa was playing like that, taking His friend on the shoulder, so Śukadeva Gosvāmī made a statement, "Who is this person, taking His friend on His shoulder?" Now, itthaṁ satāṁ brahma-sukhānubhūtyā. The great, great sages, impersonalists, they merge into the brahma-sukha. So brahma-sukha... Brahman is the effulgence of the body of Kṛṣṇa. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Brahman, impersonal Brahman, is the rays of the body of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Śukadeva Gosvāmī's pointing out that "Here is the source of brahma-sukha. The impersonalists, they take pleasure to merge into brahma-sukha, but here the Personality, Kṛṣṇa, who is taking His friend on His shoulder, He is the source of brahma-sukha." In other words, the impersonalists enjoy brahma-sukha, and the devotee enjoys that Supreme Brahman by rising up on His shoulder. That is the position of the devotee.

Lecture on SB 1.8.48 -- Los Angeles, May 10, 1973:

These are described in the Bhakti-rasa..., Nectar of Devotion, how Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī excels in Her devotional service, everyone, everyone. There are stages, different. Just like the Pāṇḍavas, they are also bhaktas. But the gopīs excel them. And the gopīs are also bhaktas, but Rādhārāṇī excels all of them. So there are stages of bhaktas. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is very cautious to endow one with this devotional service. He can give mukti very easily. Mukti, to achieve mukti, liberation, that is not very difficult job. But if one becomes a bhakta, devotee, mukti will stand before him with folded hands. Muktiḥ mukulitāñjali sevate asmān.

For a devotee, mukti is not very important. Kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī says that mukti, kaivalyam, one with the supreme, kaivalyam, kevalam, narakāyate: "What is this? It is as good as the hell." That is the opinion of the bhakta. They don't want mukti. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, mama janmani janmanīśvare bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi. Na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye (Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4). Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that "I don't want any material wealth," dhanam. Na janam. "I don't want to be leader of hundreds and thousand of people, president or this or that. No." These are material desires. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu is nullifying everything: "No, I don't want this."

Lecture on SB 1.13.11 -- Geneva, June 2, 1974:

That is a great qualification. Tyāga. Renunciation is opulence also. Kṛṣṇa, six opulences. One of the opulence is renunciation. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47), jñāna-vairāgya. Vairāgya means renunciation. You have enough of this material enjoyment. You have enjoyed. Or you have seen that there is no actually profit. Therefore you are in a spirit... That is natural. That is natural. If one has enjoyed very much, the next stage will be renunciation. This is natural. So because you have got a renouncing spirit, you are understanding or taking Kṛṣṇa consciousness very nicely, at least, very eagerly. Jñāna-vairāgya. That is required. This vairāgya then... I therefore sometimes like these hippies because they have a spirit of renunciation. That is very good position. Simply they require jñāna, or knowledge. Then their life will be successful. To bring one to the platform of renunciation, that is a very difficult job. Especially when one has got nice wife, nice home, nice bank balance, it is very, very difficult.

Lecture on SB 1.13.15 -- Geneva, June 4, 1974:

He has got a different planet, where the criminals are taken away after death, and he gives the judgment, what kind of body he will have. And not like the theosophists' thinking, "Now I have got human body. It is permanent settlement." No, that is not permanent settlement. According to one's work... Work means all sinful acts. Without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, anyone who acts, he acts sinfully. There is no doubt of it. Because he is acting for sense gratification, and sense gratification means almost 99.9% all sinful activities. Duṣkṛtinaḥ. It is very risky job. Unless you act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Yajñārthe karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). This is the stringent law of the nature, that you have to act only for Yajña, for satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu. Otherwise, you will be entangled. And who is serving Kṛṣṇa? Nobody is serving Kṛṣṇa. So everyone is being entangled. This is the material world.

Lecture on SB 1.15.39 -- Los Angeles, December 17, 1973:

Yes. This was the system, that one must retire. Just like at the present moment, although people are asking the president that "You retire, you resign," he is not resigning, obstinate. Because he knows, "This is the first and last chance. I am not going to be elected again. So stick to the post and take as much money as possible." That's all. But formerly, they voluntarily retired, the kings. In India also, we have seen. So many big, big politicians, they could not give up their political job. Even Gandhi. I wrote a personal letter to Gandhi that "Mahatma Gandhi, you are recognized all over the world as a very pious man, and you are supposed to be very devotee of Bhagavad-gītā. Now you have got your independence. You fought for independence. Now you have got your independence. So I request you to take the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā to preach all over the world." That was my request. Because I was thinking of preaching this Bhagavad-gītā. So I thought that "Gandhi's position is better. If he takes up this job, preaching of Bhagavad-gītā, many people will give attention. Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhaḥ (BG 3.21). He is a recognized good man, so people will follow." But he did not do so. He stuck up to the politics. And unless he was killed by another opponent party, he did not give it up. Similarly, I have seen other politicians also, Jawaharlal Nehru, Panth,(?) they would not give up. Panth(?) was so weak, I have seen. He could not stand even. He was doing like this, always. Still he would not give up. Similarly, Jawaharlal Nehru, he was paralyzed. Unless he was dead, he could not give up.

Lecture on SB 1.15.51 -- Los Angeles, December 28, 1973:

To see God is not very difficult business. Anyone with eyes to see, he can see God. But to be seen by God, do something by which you can draw the attention of God and He can see you, "Oh, here is My devotee," that is wanted. Let God see you! Don't try to see God. That is foolishness. Let God see you. This is our philosophy. My Guru Mahārāja used to say that, that "Don't try to see God, but try to do something so that God can see you." This is the philosophy. And whom God will see? As soon as... Just like any business firm, any man who is working very sincerely, it comes to the notice of the master, "Oh, this man is doing very nice." That is wanted. That is wanted. So a devotee is not very much anxious to see God. God is there. Simply... And one who has become devotee, he always sees God. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva (Bs. 5.38). Sadaiva, twenty-four hours he sees. That is not very difficult job. But do something so that God will see you, "Oh, here is... Here is My devotee."

Lecture on SB 1.16.3 -- Los Angeles, December 31, 1973:

So another important point is... Ājahārāśva-medhāṁs trīn, three times. The aśvamedha-yajña is so expensive that the king of heaven, Indra, he executed the aśvamedha-yajña seven times. So Mahārāja Pṛthu was also going to complete seven times. So there was some, I mean to say, competition. The Indra would not allow him to complete seven times. Otherwise he would become equal with him. So amongst the kings, not only in this planet, but in other planets also, the aśvamedha-yajña was performed by very, very powerful rich kings, not ordinary kings. It is very expensive job. Because it is stated, bhūri-dakṣiṇān, and vast amount of money required for distribution in charity. Then you can perform aśvamedha-yajña. Similarly, there is gomedha-yajña. Aśvamedha-yajña was to send the horse with flag, that "Such and such king is the emperor of the whole world." So if some king in some state, he does not agree that "He is emperor," he will capture the horse, "I don't agree, I don't accept." Then there will be fight, "You have to accept." In this way there will be sacrifice.

So Mahārāja Parīkṣit was the emperor of the whole world, whole this planet. So he performed three times. Now, that means three times he challenged, "If there is any dispute, any objection of my becoming emperor?" This is aśvamedha-yajña. "If you have got any objection, then I will make you obliged to accept me. Otherwise, if you accept, that's all right. You remain in your state. Give me tax." This is the... So this is very expensive job.

Lecture on SB 1.16.3 -- Los Angeles, December 31, 1973:

So this is the process, simple process. You simply be engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then you become Kṛṣṇized, purified. And as soon as you become purified, you understand Kṛṣṇa. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam (Brs. 1.2.234). "You understand Kṛṣṇa" means Kṛṣṇa becomes revealed. Just like something is covered, you try to move the covering. You see the goal. Similarly, by your constant endeavor to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, Kṛṣṇa will reveal to you, "Yes. You are so anxious to see Me? Here I am. Here I am. Yes." You will see Kṛṣṇa. So how this is possible? Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). By thinking of Kṛṣṇa, naturally you become attached. Just like materialists. They are always thinking of woman and money. So they become attached to woman and money, the materialists. So similarly, if you think of Kṛṣṇa, you become attached to Kṛṣṇa. It is not a difficult job.

Lecture on SB 1.16.8 -- Los Angeles, January 5, 1974:

So therefore it is the duty of the elderly son, those who are advanced, not to kill the insufficient son, but to give them education of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the duty. It is not that "Because this living entity is useless, then kill him." So you can kill, but you will be implicated. Therefore Yamarāja is there. Yamarāja's business is to see how much sinful this living entity is, and he is offered a similar body. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). You will be judged after your death, every one of us. Of course, if he takes Kṛṣṇa consciousness seriously, then the path is automatic. Automatically you go back to home, back to Godhead. There is no question of judgment. Judgment is for the criminals, the rascals who are not Kṛṣṇa conscious. But if you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, even if you cannot finish the job in this life, even if you fall, still, you will be given another chance of human body, to begin where you ended, to begin from the point where you fell down.

Lecture on SB 1.16.22 -- Los Angeles, July 12, 1974:

Whether a man who is professing to become a brāhmaṇa, whether he is following strictly the brahminical rules and regulations. Satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). Similarly, kṣatriyas, whether he is powerful, he is brave, he has got forwardness to fight. When there is fight he does not go back, and whether he is making charity. The kṣatriya qualifications also there. And similarly, the vaiśya qualification. Kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyam (BG 18.44). Whether one who is professing to become vaiśya, whether he is making agricultural attempt, giving protection to the cows and making trade. And śūdra-karma, paricaryātmakam. Śūdra's business is to serve these higher class, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Śūdra cannot live independently. That is śūdra. Nowadays the education is that nobody can live independently. Higher education means if he does not get a suitable service, then it is useless. Nobody. The education means nobody can live independently. So one takes titles in education degrees, "agriculturist." But he does not go to the field actually to act as agriculturist, kṛṣāṇa, no. He is finding some job in some school, college, how to teach agriculture. Nobody goes to the land practical, how to plow the land, how to produce foodgrains. Simply theoretical knowledge. "I am teaching you; you are teaching," that's all. This is going on. No independence.

Lecture on SB 1.16.26-30 -- Hawaii, January 23, 1974:

To understand Kṛṣṇa is not easy job. But Kṛṣṇa in the form of Caitanya Mahāprabhu is so compassionate, not only He's giving Himself, Kṛṣṇa, but He's giving kṛṣṇa-prema, love of Kṛṣṇa. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's avatāra. Dayā. Mahā-vadānyāvatāra. So whatever Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is going forward, it is due to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's magnanimous compassion for the poor people suffering in this Kali-yuga. Otherwise, to become Kṛṣṇa conscious is not very easy job, is not easy job. So those who are getting the chance of becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious by the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they should not lose the opportunity. It will be suicidal. Don't fall down. It is very easy. Simply chanting by Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, not always, twenty-four hours, although Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommends, kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31), always chant. That is the principle. But we cannot do that because we are so much overwhelmed by the influence of Kali. So at least sixteen rounds. Don't miss this. Don't miss this. What is the difficulty, sixteen rounds? At most it will take two hours. You have got twenty-four hours. You want to sleep; all right, sleep, ten hours sleep. That is not recommended. Don't sleep more than six hours. But they want to sleep.

Lecture on SB 1.16.26-30 -- Hawaii, January 23, 1974:

Devotee (2): Well, like, if one is in a big temple, he's a cook in a big temple.

Prabhupāda: Yes. In a big temple, the cooker and the man who is worshiping the Deity, and the man who is sweeping over, they're all one. There is no distinction. There is no such material dis... In the material world, if somebody's doing nice job, he is greater, and if somebody's not nice job, he's smaller. In spiritual world, there is no such distinction.

Devotee (2): So one is like that, in a comfortable situation...

Prabhupāda: Comfortable situation is also sense gratification. Any situation, we shall have to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Not that "If it is comfortable to me, I shall do it." That is sense gratification. That is sense gratification. That is not spiritual; that is material. "Comfortable or uncomfortable, it doesn't matter. If Kṛṣṇa wants it, I must do it." That is wanted. That is wanted. As soon as I discriminate "This is comfortable, this is uncomfortable," that is material.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Paris, June 9, 1974:

That is answered in the next line, that apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām (SB 2.1.2). General people, people in general, they are gṛheṣu, in the..., at home. But they are gṛhamedhi. There are two words, gṛhamedhi and gṛhastha in Vedic language. Gṛhastha means those who are householder, living for convenience, wife, children. Because everyone cannot... Especially in this age. Especially in your country, to take sannyāsa is very difficult job. It should not be given; neither it should be taken. Actually, in this age, sannyāsa is forbidden. But if one is very strong, he can accept sannyāsa. So better to remain a gṛhastha and cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is better. Don't accept whimsically sannyāsa and then do all nonsense. No. So it is better to remain gṛhastha. But not gṛhamedhi. Gṛhamedhi means that he does not know anything else than to support the wife and children and live very comfortably, well-dressed, and... That is called gṛhamedhi. His center is only that apartment. He does not know anything more than that apartment. That is called gṛhamedhi. And gṛhastha means that he knows many things, Kṛṣṇa, beyond this apartment. He's called... (break) ...in this way and that way. They have got thousands, thousands of questions and answers. But one who is gṛhastha, his question and answer is one: Kṛṣṇa. That is the only subject matter.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-5 -- Boston, December 22, 1969:

This is Vedic culture, that before death one should prepare very nicely to go back to Godhead. This is Vedic culture. The modern civilization, they do not know what is going to happen after death. But our Vedic culture is not so blind. Vedic culture has got an aim, what is the aim of human life, not aimless life. Aimless life is animal life. They have no aim. By the laws of nature they are going on, transforming from one body to another, and ultimately they are coming by evolutionary process to the human form of life. And especially this civilized human form of life, it is very responsible life. One has to make his choice whether he wants to continue his materialistic way of life and change the body, one after another. That is very risky job. You should always remember that if in my next body I am given a body like a tree, just see, in this part of the world, how condemned life. They are standing in the snowfall. You have got house. You are protecting yourself. They cannot even move. So there is possibility of getting such life.

Lecture on SB 2.3.17 -- Los Angeles, June 12, 1972:

Active means especially in killing the demons. But such demons could be killed without the presence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If there is little earthquake, millions of demons can be killed. It is not very difficult job. If the Pacific Ocean overfloods this city, millions of people can be killed. If there is a war, millions of people can be killed. If there is epidemic, millions of men can be killed. So killing the demons, for that purpose He does not come, Kṛṣṇa. Rather, Kṛṣṇa's many agents, they can kill such demons without any difficulty. But He comes, paritrāṇāya sādhūnām. (BG 4.8) Just like Lord Nṛsiṁha appeared not to kill the demon Hiraṇyakaśipu. He could be killed otherwise. But He appeared for Prahlāda. Prahlāda Mahārāja, he was being so much teased and so much tortured. He could not tolerate it. So he wanted to show His devotee that "I shall kill your torturer before you." That is the purpose. So He did not appear for killing Hiraṇyakaśipu. He appeared to give encouragement to Prahlāda Mahārāja.

Lecture on SB 2.3.17 -- Los Angeles, June 12, 1972:

That is death. And again, under that plastic body, you have to work. If you get a nice body, then you can work nicely. If you get a dog's body, then you act like dog. According to body. So tyaktvā deham. Kṛṣṇa says that "Anyone who understands Me in truth ..." So how you will understand? Simply if you hear about Him, then you will understand. Then you will understand. So hearing is not very difficult job. But you must hear from the realized soul. That is... Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvidaḥ. If you hear from a professional man, that will not be effective. Hearing must be from sādhu, from devotee, from the lips of the devotee. Just like Śukadeva Gosvāmī was speaking to Mahārāja Parīkṣit. So ... Or even if you hear yourself, you read books, you will save your life. If you simply read Kṛṣṇa book or Bhagavad-gītā or Teachings of Lord Caitanya, then you know the... As long as you are reading, the sun is unable to take your life. It is not possible for the sun to take your life.

Lecture on SB 2.3.18-19 -- Los Angeles, June 13, 1972:

"No, I see you are so poverty-stricken. You have no sufficient means." "No, I am not poverty-stricken. My students, they get some alms of rice. So my wife boils the rice, and here is a tamarind tree. So I take some leaves and boil it, and that's sufficient. Why I am poverty-stricken?" He's satisfied, whatever is coming automatically, that's all. He doesn't require any higher standard of life, any botheration. He is satisfied, little rice and tamarind juice. That's all. So in each and every home, formerly, this independence was very much valued. So at the modern education this independence is being killed. People are becoming unemployed, machine. Machine ... High technologist means he must find out a job where technological machines are there. Otherwise he will starve, and he will have to go round, factory to factory: "Will you give me some service?" "No vacancy." Yes. So we shall discuss further next, tomorrow. (end)

Lecture on SB 2.9.9 -- Tokyo, April 25, 1972, Informal Class in Room:

Prabhupāda: In such a modern city, this apartments are lying vacant. That means he is... He has invited us to stay here to get some blessing so that tenants may come. (laughter) Āśīrvāda. He was āśīrvāda. If by the āśīrvāda he can get some tenants... All these men, they simply want āśīrvāda. They don't want Kṛṣṇa. They want āśīrvāda so that their nefarious activities may continue peacefully.

Sudāmā: Mr. Santanam was the same. He had loaned to me some money for doing some work on the temple. And then when he got promotion in his job, he came to me and said, "Sudāmā, it is by, I think, the mercy of Kṛṣṇa that I have now promotion. Please do not bother paying me the money back."

Prabhupāda: That's nice, but the difficulty is sometimes Kṛṣṇa's āśīrvāda may be just the opposite. Kṛṣṇa will take away. So at that time they become atheist. In Germany there are so many atheists born out of the second war.

Sudāmā: In Japan also.

Prabhupāda: Japan also.

Lecture on SB 2.9.11 -- Tokyo, April 27, 1972:

So when there is facility, you can go to this kingdom of God. Why don't you...? Just like a student studies very faithfully, taking so much pains. Why? He expects that "Somehow or other, if I can pass this examination, I will get a very nice job, good salary, and live very happily." Everyone hopes like that. A businessman works so hard day and night with the hope that "At the end of my life, if I get a good balance, bank balance, then I shall live peacefully without any botheration." So everyone hopes like that for future. But what is this civilization? They have no future hope. The rascal professors, they say..., he is saying that "After death everything is finished." After death everything finished—why? Why there are so many varieties of life? After death there is life. But you do not know what is that life. That is your ignorance. Here is a chance, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that you get next life very good life. If you complete, you go to Vaikuṇṭha and get life like this. If you don't complete, if you are so unfortunate that you cannot complete one life, that is unfortunate. Why you... So then you get chance to get your birth as a human being in very rich family, in very pious family. That chance is again given so that you can revive your, again, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 3.25.23 -- Bombay, November 23, 1974:

Therefore, in the sādhu's symptoms, beginning, that titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ (SB 3.25.21), they, a devotee, suffers; at the same time, he is very kind to these conditioned soul, how to elevate them, how to make them Kṛṣṇa conscious. This is kāruṇikāḥ. These are the very primary features of a devotee's life. People put him into suffering in so many ways, but he does not give up his job. His job is to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that others may become happy. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja said, "My Lord, I have no suffering. I have no suffering because I know the art, how to become happy." Tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna-cittaḥ (SB 7.9.43). The same thing is described here: śṛṇvanti kathayanti. So Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "I know how to become happy." How to become happy? "Now, simply hearing about You and chanting about You, that's all." Śṛṇvanti kathayanti. Just like here two business is going on: you are hearing, and I am speaking. Bodhayantaḥ parasparam. Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ, bhajanti (BG 9.13). This bhajana means śṛṇvanti kathayanti. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23)—this is bhajana. You simply hear about the Lord, you talk about the Lord.

Lecture on SB 3.26.26 -- Bombay, January 3, 1975:

Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit, na hanyate hanya... They do... These things do not strike even their dull brain, that "If ātmā... I am ātmā. I am the soul. I do not die even after the annihilation of this body. But that means I will have to accept another body. But is this very good job? Why not seek after our original position, when there is no more change of body?" This question does not arise even. But it is very easy. For that reason, Bhagavad-gītā is there. Everyone can avoid this birth and death. That is the business of human life, how to stop... Jarā-maraṇa-mokṣāya. Vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhaḥ (BG 2.56). Everything is there. This is the aim of life. But not... We are under this false ego, "I am this body." And some of us in the modes of goodness... That is also another kind of bondage: "I am brāhmaṇa. I am very learned scholar." But... That's all right, but still you have to go further, above the brahminical stage, not simply become proud of having nice birth, full of knowledge and learning. That is not sufficient. The learning should be perfect. What is that perfect learning? That vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). If you are actually learned, if you are proud of becoming vedāntī or knowledge in Vedānta, then you must be aware of Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ. Otherwise śrama eva hi kevalam.

Lecture on SB 3.26.43 -- Bombay, January 18, 1975:

So if you simply come here, take the impression of Kṛṣṇa and think of Kṛṣṇa while drinking water, you become a devotee. Is it very difficult job? Very easy. Anyone can do. Anyone can do. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). Then, if you develop... This is śānta rasa. Then, when you develop your śānta-rasa, then there is dāsya-rasa. Dāsya-rasa means that you want to serve Him. That is further development. "Here is God. No, why not...?" Therefore, according to the Vedic principle, whoever comes to the temple, he brings something to offer to Kṛṣṇa. Not that He requires huge amount of money. No. You must offer something. What is that? Kṛṣṇa says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. Kṛṣṇa is not in want, but if you give something to Kṛṣṇa, that is for your benefit. If Kṛṣṇa accepts something from you, then your life becomes successful. So... "But I have no money. What can I offer to Kṛṣṇa?" Oh, that is not the fact. We have got money for going to cinema, and you have no money to bring one flower for Kṛṣṇa. This is denial. This is denial. Kṛṣṇa does not say that "You bring one thousand dollars." No. He says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati.

Lecture on SB 3.28.17 -- Nairobi, October 26, 1975:

Therefore this very word, bhṛtyānugraha-kātaram. "How this rascal will give up this material job and come to Me and take all My favors?" This is God's desire. And we are so obstinate, we want to take some favor from this minister, that minister, this person, that person this... Failure. Kṛṣṇa says, suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām: (BG 5.29) "I am friend of everyone." And here is the word, bhṛtyānugraha-kātaram. And He's very, very eager to give all His favors, and still people are not becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious. Just see how rascal they are. So we say, anyone who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is a rascal. Is he not a rascal? He is claiming that "I am the seed-giving father of everyone," sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya (BG 14.4), "in all species of life." He does not make any discrimination, that "I am the seed-giving father of this class of men or this species of men or for the human being."

Lecture on SB 3.28.21 -- Nairobi, November 1, 1975:

Jñāna: Śrīla Prabhupāda, will you please explain the phrase, I mean, "serving the lotus feet of the spiritual master," "serving the lotus feet."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Give little water and tulasī and flower. That's all. It is very difficult job? Then everyone can do it. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. No. Simply... Just as Advaita Prabhu, He simply offered Gaṅgā-jala and tulasī to please the Lord to come. Caitanya Mahāprabhu came. This is... There is no difficulty at all. Because we simply use..., misuse our intelligence, misuse our opportunity, there is trouble. Otherwise there is no difficulty. Where is the difficulty? Tulasī-patra you can have, and little water, offer to the, on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, and pray, "Give me intelligence so that I can serve You nicely." And he gives intelligence. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānām (BG 10.10). If you are continually giving tulasī flower and water and praying, "Kṛṣṇa, give me intelligence how can I serve You nice," then Kṛṣṇa says, "Yes." Teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānām: "One who is engaged in this way, teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānām... What is that?

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- Bombay, March 25, 1977:

That is wanted. And for that purpose you require to execute tapasya. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena damena va (SB 6.1.13). These are the injunction of the śāstras. Human life is meant for tapasya, not to imitate the hogs and dogs. This is not human life. This is Vedic culture. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to give this Vedic culture all over the world, but they are after hogs and dogs. What can be done? This is very difficult job. But still we have to do, because we have placed ourself to become servant of Kṛṣṇa. Never mind we have to face so many dangerous positions; still we have to do this thankless task. "My dear brothers, do not be hogs and dogs. Be a saintly person." This is our mission. That is India's culture. Bhagavad-gītā, the same thing said: manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). Siddhi. Siddhi means perfection. Nobody is interested how to make this life perfect. Everyone is being carried away by the waves of material nature. This is not life. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, a Bengali Vaiṣṇava poet, he has written one song, kena māyāra vaśe yāccha bhese kāccha hābu ḍubu bhāi. Jīva kṛṣṇadāsa ei viśvāsa korleto ār duḥkha nai. Māyāra vaśe. There is the laws of nature. We are under the grip of laws of nature. You cannot violate.

Lecture on SB 5.5.33 -- Vrndavana, November 20, 1976:

So this is transcendental body. It has nothing to compare with the material body. Paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ. Kṛṣṇa also says, janma karma ca me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). So one has to know Kṛṣṇa. But that tattvataḥ, in truth to understand Kṛṣṇa, is very difficult job.

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu
kaścid yatati siddhaye
yatatām api siddhānāṁ
kaścid vetti māṁ tattvataḥ
(BG 7.3)

Not to understand superficially but to understand tattvataḥ. Then you are liberated immediately. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). One who has understood Kṛṣṇa tattvataḥ, he is immediately liberated person. He is fit for being transferred to the spiritual world. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). Punar janma... One who does not understand Kṛṣṇa, he will have to repeat birth after birth. Nivartante mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani (BG 9.3). Unless you understand Kṛṣṇa—hariṁ vinā na mṛtiṁ taranti—you cannot escape death, birth, death, old age and disease. It is not possible.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6-15 -- San Francisco, September 12, 1968:

He's giving very nice example—kuñjara-śaucavat. Kuñjara means elephant. In your country you don't see elephant. We are... In India, we have seen. Not nowadays. Still, there are some, but fifty years before there were many elephants. Especially the zamindars, the landlords and the native princes, they used to keep so many elephants. They used to spend for it... To keep elephant means it is very expensive job. So elephant, there is a particular type of lake where elephants are allowed to take their bath. So if anyone has not seen it, the elephant will take bath very nicely, wash the body very nicely. And as soon as he come over the land, he takes some dust from the land and throws over the body again. Immediately. In that wet body he will cover the whole body with dust. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja is giving very nice example, kuñjara-śaucavat: just like cleansing the body of an elephant. It cleanses very nicely, that's all right, but as soon as come out of the water... We have to study all these things from nature. The elephant is so big, and it is supposed to be the biggest animal. And he has got great strength, but how fool he is, just see. Just after taking bath it will cover the whole body with dust.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Auckland, February 22, 1973:

Formal initiation means to accept, officially, to abide by the orders of Kṛṣṇa and His representative. That is formal initiation. Officially accept, "Yes, sir, I shall accept. I shall do whatever you say." This is initiation, official acceptance of the job. That's all. Now, you formally accept, and if you do not do the duties, then where is the question of other function? There is no question. Initiation means this is the beginning of accepting the orders of Kṛṣṇa and His representative to carry out. This is the beginning. That is initiation. Just like if you enter in an office establishment, so you accept the terms of service. That is initiation. Then you go on serving, you become promoted, you get salary increase. You become recognized. You become officer. You become big officer, like that. That very word initiation suggests, "This is the beginning." Dīkṣā, dīkṣā. Di... Divya. There are two words, divya-jñāna. Divya-jñāna means transcendental, spiritual knowledge. So divya is dī, and jñānam, kṣapayati, explaining, that is kṣa, dī-kṣā. This is called dīkṣā, dīkṣā, the combination. So dīkṣā means the initiation to begin transcendental activities. That is called initiation. Therefore we take promise from the disciple that "You chant so many times," "Yes, sir." "You observe these rules and regulations," "Yes, sir." That is initiation. He has to observe; he has to chant. Then everything comes automatically. In the beginning he is faulty; then how he can make progress? There is no question of in..., what is called? What you were asking?

Lecture on SB 6.1.26 -- Honolulu, May 26, 1976:

Because in the Kali-yuga this is wonderful. Everything is mentioned in śāstra. Dakṣyaṁ kuṭumba-bharaṇam. If one can maintain one wife and some children, ah, he's most expert. (laughs) Forget Kṛṣṇa. Here is expert. (laughter) Daksa means expert. "Oh, he's expert. How he's maintaining." When I first came, I met one elderly lady. She had a son. So, as Indian I asked, "Oh, why don't you get your son married?" She replied, "Oh, I have no objection. If he can maintain a wife I have no objection." That means to maintain a wife is a very big job in your country. I've seen it. (laughter) Of course, when we talk we must talk freely. (laughter) That is a fact. (laughter) But formerly, in our father's age, they used to come to foreign countries and they thought it, it is a great laugh to possess one white wife. Yes, they are thinking like that. So all the students who used to come to England for higher studies, naturally he'd carry one white elephant. (laughter) They used to say—it is not my coined words—they used to say, "Oh, to maintain European wife, it is like maintaining white elephant." So anyway, you have got so many white elephants. (laughter)

Lecture on SB 6.1.28-29 -- Philadelphia, July 13, 1975:

So it is very difficult job, but if one is able to give up these sinful activities, then his life is very pure. He becomes purified. And unless one is purified, he cannot chant Hare Kṛṣṇa; neither he can understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ
janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām
te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā
bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ
(BG 7.28)

This Kṛṣṇa says. "One who has ended the process of sinful activities and engaged in pious activities, such person can become a firm devotee." So these four principle, as we have recommended, you must follow. There is no question of optional, "I may do it, I may not do." No, you must. Otherwise, the progress will be checked. Kṛṣṇa will not leave you. Just like the Ajāmila. The progress was checked, but because he did not do it willfully, therefore Kṛṣṇa was giving him opportunity. As soon as possible, again capture him. Because he did not do anything willfully. First of all, this is the condition, circumstantial. Therefore Kṛṣṇa was very kind. He gave him the son, "Call him.

Lecture on SB 6.1.30 -- Honolulu, May 29, 1976:

To understand Kṛṣṇa is very difficult job. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). Out of many millions of persons, one is endeavoring to make his life perfect. But they do not know what is perfection of life. So yatatām api siddhānām. Siddhi means to understand that "I'm not this body. I don't belong to this material world." That is siddhi. Siddhi. Everyone is under the impression that "I'm this body." "I'm Indian," "I'm American," "I'm Hindu," "I'm Muslim," "I'm Christian"—bodily upādhi, designation. He does not become free from the designation. The other day we were talking on Mr. Huxley(?) I think. He was talking of philosophy, but He was thinking, "I'm Englishman. I do this like that." So this bodily concept of life is there although he's philosopher. What kind of philosopher? Philosopher begins when there is no more bodily conception. What is that? Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). So this kind of philosophy has no meaning, because how a dog can become philosopher? That is not possible. A human being can become philosopher. So long I'm on the bodily concept of life, I'm in the line of cats and dogs. So how we can become philosopher? There is no question of. But they're philosophizing, means bluffing, and similar men, he's thinking, "I believe." You believe or not believe, the law will go on.

Lecture on SB 6.1.41 -- Los Angeles, June 7, 1976:

So nirbandha-kṛṣṇa-sambhandhe yukta-vairāgyam ucyate. Working is not stopped. Our Gosvāmīs, Rūpa Gosvāmī, they retired from their ministerial service, they went to Vṛndāvana, but the work increased. When they were ministers they were sleeping thirteen hours, but when they went to Vṛndāvana, they had not time to sleep even for two hours. That is Vṛndāvana life. That is Vṛndāvana life. They had no time. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau. These are the description about the Gosvāmīs that, by the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they retired from ministerial job. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ. Maṇḍala-pati means very, very big men in society. Minister, his business was with big, big man. Who can see the minister? The zamindar, the big businessmen. So he gave up that association. Then what he became? Bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau. He took up a small loincloth. You have seen the picture of Gosvāmīs. Why? Just to show compassion and mercy to the whole world who are suffering. So how much business he increased? He was minister of a state. Now he has to do good to the whole world. How much responsibility it is. Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau. They had to establish the real purpose of religion-sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau. So presented so many books so that they may understand what is the meaning of religion.

Lecture on SB 6.1.61 -- Vrndavana, August 28, 1975:

So this is the social condition. If in society we have no restriction, then naturally those young boys and girls, they will be inclined. And as soon as one is sexually inclined, he forgets all other culture and gradually becomes down fallen, as you will see from the life of Ajāmila. Although he was trained up... So similarly, this is a warning to our students that they are learning how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. It is very difficult job. To become Kṛṣṇa conscious is not very easy thing. But by the grace of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, we are trying to teach that, and it is becoming effective. Otherwise how you all European and Americans can give up these four sinful activities? So try to preserve. And it can be preserved only by remaining in the devotional service. It can be. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26).

Lecture on SB 6.2.17 -- Vrndavana, September 20, 1975:

So these things are not possible at the present moment in the Kali-yuga. But little tapasya required. Without tapasya you cannot be purified. That little tapasya we have prescribed, that "Rise early in the morning at half past three," but they are so downtrodden, they cannot do it. "Let me sleep five minutes more. I'll enjoy." You see? Such downtrodden. They were performing austerities, standing in the water in winter season, and we are recommending, "Please rise early in the morning at half past three. Be prepared for maṅgala-ārati," it is very difficult job. Just see how much we are fallen. We cannot sacrifice, say, fifteen minutes or half an hour's sleep. We consider, "Sleeping is very good enjoyment." I have seen in the Western countries, they want to sleep so much. That is enjoyment. Up to twelve o'clock in daytime. There are many Indians also, they sleep up to twelve o'clock, and then they prepare for going to the office, big man. He goes to the office at four o'clock when the office is going to be closed. That is their enjoyment. "I have slept so much. That is my life's success. I have eaten so much. That is my enjoyment. I have enjoyed sex life so much. That is enjoyment." He does not know... The rascal does not know that he is becoming implicated for the next birth. If you are too much sleeping, then you become owl. You know? The whole day they can sleep, the owl. If you want to be naked, all right, you become a tree. Stand five thousand years naked. If you want sex, all right, become a hog or a monkey. Nature is prepared to give you facilities.

Lecture on SB 7.6.9 -- New Vrindaban, June 25, 1976:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says if you don't train up in the beginning, then ko gṛheṣu pumān saktam ātmānam ajitendriyaḥ. Ātmānam ajitendriyaḥ, the whole training is to control the senses, and the most powerful sense is the tongue. Sense control begins from the tongue. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has given you the song: tār madhye jihvā ati lobhamoy sudurmati. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura gives a description that Śarīra avidyā-jāla joḍendriya tāhe kāl. This body is the encagement. We are in the prison of this material world. How we are imprisoned? We have been given a material body. This is imprisonment. Śarīra avidyā-jāl. And we are very happy to keep this body very comfortably without knowing the aim of life. That is avidyā-jāl, a network of ignorance. Śarīra avidyā-jāl, and the senses are our greatest enemies. Unless we control the senses, we are put into this avidyā-jāl, network of... And out of all the senses, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says tār madhye jihvā-jihvā means tongue-jihvā ati, lobhamoy sudurmati. It is very greedy. Jihvā, to control the tongue. To control the senses means begin with the controlling the tongue. That is also very difficult job. So therefore to control the tongue, best thing is to take kṛṣṇa prasādam. First of all, offer to Kṛṣṇa and then take. Tāra madhye jihvā ati, lobhamoy sudurmati tā'ke jetā koṭhina soṁsāre. Kṛṣṇa boḍa-doyāmoy kori bare jihvā joy. At least if we take it as a vow that "I shall not eat anything which is not offered to Kṛṣṇa," that will help us. Kṛṣṇa boḍa-doyāmoy, kori bare jihvā joy svaprasād ānna dilā bhāi.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Hawaii, March 21, 1969:

If you come under that definition, then you are God." Just like if somebody claims that "I am millionaire. I am very rich," a poor man, walking on the street with niggardly dress, if he claims that "I am rich man," will you accept? Then he is crazy. If he is claiming that "I am millionaire," then you have to ask that "Where is your sign of being a millionaire? You have no good dress. Your feature is so ugly. How you are millionaire? What is the definition of a millionaire?" First ask him. Similarly, ask him that "What do you know about God? What is the definition of God? If your behavior and everything tallies with that definition, then you are God. I will accept. We are God worshiper. Then I shall worship you. But first of all let me know what do you mean by God?" Is it very difficult job? Let him define what is God. "If you claim that I am God, then you must know what is God. If you falsely claim 'God,' then how you can be God?" You don't you ask like this, that "What is your definition of God that you are claiming God"? The same example: If somebody claims that "I am very rich man," but I see that he is a poor man, shall I not ask, "What do you mean by rich man?" By his definition he will be defeated. Ask him. Did you ask anybody, "What is the definition of God? What do you mean by God?" He's a rascal. He does not know what is the definition of God, but he has got some conception that "This is God." Then he must explain, "I mean by the word God, this." Then he will be captured by his definition, by his statement. Just guess what he will explain about God if you ask him like that. Did you not ask like this?

Lecture on SB 7.9.11 -- Montreal, August 17, 1968:

One girl is present here, she also experienced this. She was attacked by some black Negroes, and she began to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and she was saved. So these things are actual fact. There are many instances. So svalpam apy asya trāyate mahato. So anything, a little flower, a little fruit, a little water, you offer to Kṛṣṇa, or if you chant for a little while Hare Kṛṣṇa, or if you make association with devotees for a moment, this will never go in vain. So the purpose of opening so many centers of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is to give chance to these forgotten men, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is not a business. It is a charitable institution. It is hospital to cure the material disease. So unfortunately, people are not taking very much advantage, but those who are fortunate, ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kono bhāgyavān jīva (CC Madhya 19.151). Bhāgyavān. So only the fortunate persons. As it is also expressed in the Bhagavad-gītā, yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpam. One who is completely free from all sinful reaction, such person can take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But the door is open for everyone. Everyone can come here and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. It is not difficult job. We distribute prasādam. So take advantage and be benefited in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 7.9.11-13 -- Hawaii, March 24, 1969:

So the materialistic class of men are undoubtedly very, very intelligent, but their intelligence is being used wrongly. Duṣkṛtinaḥ. Duṣkṛtinaḥ mūḍhāḥ. Mūḍhāḥ. Mūḍha means rascal, ass. So by their discoveries, by their materialistic activities, atheistic activities, they're simply disturbing, simply disturbing. That's all. They do not know that, that "I am discovering these material things." If we discuss, we can prolong so many things. Just like in India, when we were children, I saw one advertisement by the Remington typewriter machine company that "This machine has given emancipation to the woman class because they have found some job for typewriting." In this way they were advertising. But actually does it mean that because there are so many typewriting machine discovered, the women are emancipated? Rather, they have become dependent. Instead of being dependent at home, they have to go and to become a secretary of a third-class person, and unless he gives job, his (her) life is in precarious condition. So is that emancipation? But it was advertised as emancipation. Similarly, whatever material advancement we are making in the name of facility, emancipation, we are simply bungling the whole affair, disturbing.

Lecture on SB 7.9.12-13 -- Montreal, August 20, 1968:

If you sleep, you sleep for Kṛṣṇa. If you work, you work for Kṛṣṇa. Always. Bhavantam eva caran nirantaram praśānta-nihśeṣa-mano-rathāntaram, kadāham aikāntika-nitya-kiṅkaraḥ. Nitya means eternally. Kiṅkara means servant. Praharṣayiṣyāmi. Oh, you are becoming servant? How you can be happy? "Yes." How one can be happy by servant, becoming servant, there are many instances. Suppose you are working in a private firm. Fortunately you get a very good job in the government service where there are so many regulations. You get pension, you get this, that. So everyone aspires to get some government service. And he becomes satisfied. So if you can become satisfied by becoming a government servant, how much satisfied you will be, just imagine, by becoming the servant of the supreme government, Kṛṣṇa. What is this government? A tiny government. But don't you know how big government is this? This planetary system is running on: the sun is rising in due course; the moon is rising in due course; there is seasonal changes; there are so many demigods, innumerable living entities; their foodstuff is being supplied; it is being produced in different planets, different varieties. So there is a huge, big government of Kṛṣṇa. So if you become a servant of that big government, how much you will be satisfied, just imagine. If you can become satisfied by serving this tiny government, why not become satisfied being the servant of the supreme government? So to become servant of Kṛṣṇa, or God, is the supreme satisfaction. It is not that that service is very valuable service.

Lecture on SB 7.9.15 -- Mayapur, February 22, 1976:

To understand God, to understand Kṛṣṇa, is not very easy job; very, very difficult job. Therefore we don't find anyone is interested in Kṛṣṇa. Anywhere you go, all over the world, you make a statistic: nobody is interested in Kṛṣṇa. Is it not a fact? Out of millions. Kṛṣṇa says, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu, "Out of millions..." That's a fact. Nobody is interested in Kṛṣṇa. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu. So therefore, to understand Kṛṣṇa is not very easy job. But by the grace of Kṛṣṇa You can understand Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is explaining Himself. That is Kṛṣṇa, great. You take. And again Kṛṣṇa is coming as Caitanya Mahāprabhu to show us the way how to understand Kṛṣṇa. Caitanya Mahāprabhu means Kṛṣṇa Himself, present to teach us how to understand Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa is so kind: He is coming Himself. He's teaching Bhagavad-gītā. Again He is coming as Caitanya Mahāprabhu, as devotee, to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). He's not only teaching Kṛṣṇa but love of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa, when He personally came, He did not teach how to love Him. He simply asked, "You rascal, surrender to Me." That's all.

Lecture on SB 7.9.46 -- Vrndavana, April 1, 1976:

So how can I enjoy or serve Hare Kṛṣṇa only with one tongue and two ears? If I had millions of ears and trillions of tongues, then it would have been possible." It is meaning... Tuṇḍe tanda... I forget that verse now. He is feeling like that, that "How shall I chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra by one tongue only and hear, śravaṇa-kīrtana, by two ears?" So he is expecting so many ears and so many tongues to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. And so far we are concerned, conditioned soul, even sixteen round becomes very, very difficult job for us because we are practiced to talk nonsense. We cannot find out little time, say for two hours, for chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, but we can find twenty-four hours for talking nonsense. Therefore one who cannot chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, he should stop his talking. That is called mauna. Don't talk any more. Better remain silent. This is recommendation by Prahlāda Mahārāja. And vrata also compulsory. It is meant for persons who are desiring to be liberated.

Lecture on SB 7.12.1 -- Bombay, April 12, 1976:

In this way, being united, then they want gṛha, apartment, to live together. Then they want some land. Formerly there was no service. The gṛhastha used to produce the food grains from the land. Neither there was factories or big, big offices to get job. One had to produce his own food from the land. So simply apartment will not help. I must require some land for eating. Gṛha-kṣetra-sūta. Then we desire for some children. Sūta, āpta, then friends. Sūta, āpta. Ataḥ gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta vittaiḥ. But all these establishment can be maintained by money only. Then money. Then, in this way, gradually, janasya moho 'ham. We are already bewildered. We are attached to this material world, but when we are united, man and woman together, our attachment for this material world becomes increased. Janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). Material world mean "I am this body, and in relationship with this body everything is mine," this conception. They forget altogether that "Nothing is mine. Even this body is not mine. Even I am not mine. Everything is Kṛṣṇa's." That is wanted. Unless we get to that status of life, that "Nothing belongs to me. This body also belongs to Kṛṣṇa; I, as spirit soul, belong to Kṛṣṇa; and everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa...," then we become liberated. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13).

Lecture on SB Lecture -- Melbourne, May 19, 1975:

Jehovah. All right you chant Jehovah. So that is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's recommendation, that if you think that this is God's name, you chant. Nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktiḥ tatrārpitā niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's instruction, that holy name of God is as good as God. We cannot see God. We can see, but not immediately. When we are advanced we can see God, talk with Him. But because we are not competent now, so if we know this is the name of God, let us chant it. That's all. Is it very difficult job? Anyone will say it is very difficult job? Chant the name of, holy name of God. Then what will happen? Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Your, if you chant the holy name of God, then your heart which is considered to be mirror... Just like you see your face on the mirror, similarly, you can see your position on the mirror of the heart, core of the heart. You can see. That is called meditation. So at the present moment our heart is covered with the dust of material conception. "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am this," "I am that," "I am that." This is all dust. You have to cleanse this. Just like on the mirror if there is a layer of dust you cleanse it. Then you see your real face.

Lecture on SB Lecture -- Melbourne, May 19, 1975:

Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). Kṛṣṇa, His name, His form, His activities, His qualities, we cannot understand with these blunt material senses. It is not possible. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ. "Then? We have got this only possession, indriyas. How we shall understand?" Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. If you engage your senses in the service of the Lord, svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ, then Kṛṣṇa will reveal to you that "Here I am." This is the process. Now this word is very significant. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. Jihvā means tongue. If you simply engage your tongue in the service of the Lord, you will gradually develop. So how to engage the tongue? It is not said that "If you see, or if you touch, if you smell," no. "If you taste." So what is the business of the tongue? The business of the tongue—that we can taste nice foodstuff and we can vibrate. Do these two jobs. Vibrate with your tongue Hare Kṛṣṇa, and take as much as possible prasādam. (laughter) And you become a devotee. Thank you very much.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:

Yes. This point we have discussed last night that everyone can see God. To see God is not very difficult job. There are so many points described in the Bhagavad-gītā. For the devotees, those who are serious about seeing God, they can see God. God is present everywhere. And God Himself, Kṛṣṇa, is describing, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ (BG 7.8). So everyone drinks water. Now Kṛṣṇa says, "The taste of the water, I am." So who has not tasted the water? Everyone drinks water at least four times, five times. So as soon as you drink water, the taste of the water is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, "I am this." Kṛṣṇa has described Himself in so many ways. "Amongst the trees, I am this. Amongst the aquatics, I am this. Amongst the nonmovable, I am this." So why not see God in that way? The atheist class of men, they say, "Can you show me God?" So why don't you see God? Why you close your eyes? If you have got eyes to see, you can see God everywhere.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 20, 1972:

Just like we have asked our students to finish sixteen rounds chanting minimum. Sixteen rounds is nothing. In Vṛndāvana there are many devotees, they chant 120 rounds. Like that. So sixteen rounds is the minimum. Because I know in the Western countries it is difficult job to finish sixty-four rounds or 120 rounds, like that. Minimum sixteen rounds. That must be finished. Tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt. This is the direction. Observing the regulative principles. In this way, we must be abiding by the direction of the spiritual master and the śāstra. Then rest assured. Success is guaranteed. Go on reading, next.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1972:

So real guru is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa... Aham eva āsam agre. Kṛṣṇa existed before the creation. Then He made His representative, Brahmā. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye. He instructed the original guru, Brahmā. Because there was no other living creature, except Brahmā, in the beginning of creation, and He instructed Brahmā. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye. There are other versions in the Vedas, that He instructed Brahmā. So therefore, the original guru is Kṛṣṇa. The same guru, Kṛṣṇa, is instructing Arjuna also. Kṛṣṇa became guru of Arjuna. Arjuna accepted Him guru: śiṣyas te 'ham (BG 2.7). Arjuna said, "Now I am not talking with You as friend, but I accept You as my guru." Therefore, by sastric conclusion, Kṛṣṇa is the original guru. Who can deny it? Kṛṣṇa is jagat-guru. He's guru of everyone, because everyone (is) accepting this authority of Kṛṣṇa. Anyone is accepting the authority of Bhagavad-gītā, he's accepting, imperceptibly, Kṛṣṇa as guru. Therefore, bona fide spiritual master means who is representing Kṛṣṇa. Who can deny it?

So to find out a bona fide spiritual master is not a very difficult job, because if one is representing guru, Kṛṣṇa, then he must speak of Kṛṣṇa, canvass for Kṛṣṇa. What do you think, Visanji?

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 1, 1972:

So it is not inactivity. Caitanya Mahāprabhu or his followers, they were not inactive. They were acting. This Rūpa Gosvāmī, he was so active that he could not sleep at night even for more than one and one half hour. They retired from the material activities. He was minister. He gave up his job and joined Caitanya Mahāprabhu in old age. He came to Vṛndāvana not to live a retired life, but a very active life.

nana-śāstra-vicaraṇaika-nipunau sad-dharma-samsthapakau
lokanam hita-karinau tri-bhuvane manyau saranyakarau
radha-kṛṣṇa-padaravinda-bhajananandena-mattalikau
vande rupa-sanātana raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau

Here is, sitting, Śrī Gosvāmījī. He's coming from Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī. So all these six Gosvāmīs, they were not inactive. They were always active. As we are active in the karma, karmī life, so bhakti life is also activity. It is not sitting down idly or gossiping. One must find out some job to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is bhakti life. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanam (CC Madhya 19.170). Sevanam means activity. Sevanam does not mean sit down idle, inert. No. As soon as seva... Sevā means activity. One has to preach, one has to write, one has to do this, do that, cook, offer the prasādam, everything. Sevā, activity.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 3, 1972:

Similarly, if you give the simple process, as Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given us, harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā (CC Adi 17.21), they'll not take it very seriously. "Oh, simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, one will be liberated, and he'll go back...? Oh, this is exaggeration." They will say. But if you give them some difficult job, that "You press your nose in this way, you make your head downwards, and you exercise in this way, do...," they'll think, "Yes, it is something." So things are very easy, and one can achieve very easily, but they are reluctant to take the easiest process given by Kṛṣṇa, given by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Kṛṣṇa is giving the easiest process, that "You surrender unto Me. I give you all possible help." We are not prepared to do that. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that "You simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. You'll achieve the highest perfection." Not we are prepared. Therefore it is said, "Pure devotional service is rarely achieved." People will not accept the simple thing. They want to make something very difficult, then it is all right.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 3, 1972:

They considered that... Vimukta-māninaḥ. Now, you'll be pleased to hear that one of the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs in India, very well known, his disciples came to me to invite me because they are now seeing that their Māyāvāda philosophy has not been so much effective as devotional service. Practically. So they are now taking gradually to devotional service. They are trying to read Bhāgavata, although they are habituated to malinterpret. But they have no other. They have finished their job. Now they are gradually coming to bhakti-mārga. That is natural. If one is actually sincere, after suffering the distress of impersonalism, gradually they'll come to surrender to the person. Bahūnāṁ janmanāṁ ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). So when one becomes devotee, jñānīs, they give too much value to liberation, mokṣa, nirbheda-brahmānusandhana. But yogis, they give too much value for controlling the senses. Karmīs, they give too much value to, to the acts of promotion to the heavenly planets.

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

So we must elevate ourself to the second class devotee position. To become first-class devotee, that is very difficult job. We can expect after executing devotional service as a madhyama-adhikārī. Then we can be promoted. But if we keep ourself simply on the lower stage of devotional service, then there is chance of falling down. Sa bhaktaḥ prākṛtaḥ smṛtaḥ. Simply... Just like, generally, they keep in the kaniṣṭha-adhikārī stage. Of course, there is no loss. In any adhikāra, in any position, you are benefited because you have taken to devotional service. But our attempt should be from kaniṣṭha-adhikāra to madhyama-adhikāra. Madhyama-adhikāra means preacher. Unless one comes to the madhyama-adhikāra, he cannot preach.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.1 -- Atlanta, March 1, 1975:

So Kṛṣṇa says, "Both the things... I give protection of My devotee, whatever he has got, and I supply him whatever he hasn't got." Yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 9.22). He is supplying everyone, but especially to the devotees. That is his special job.

Here Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is very, very magnanimous. He is, without asking, He is offering the best benefit, Kṛṣṇa-prema. So best objective... Our objective, of life should be to understand God. If we, in this life, if we simply understand what is God and what is my relationship with, and begin to act like that, then also our life is successful. Even if we cannot finish the whole job or we fall down from the platform of devotional service, still, we are not loser. Tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer patet tato yadi bhajann apakvaḥ atha (SB 1.5.17). This devotional service is the process. Requires some time to fulfill the whole job and become perfect. But even becoming..., before becoming perfect, one falls down, he is not loser. The service is so transcendental that whatever you have done, that is your asset. And if you stop, so that is not good, but even if you stop, whatever you have done already, that is your permanent asset.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.2 -- Mayapur, March 2, 1974:

Out of many millions of persons, one may try to make his life successful, and out of many such person who has become successful, to understand the constitutional position of his life, one may understand—one may understand; there is no surety—Kṛṣṇa. So to understand Kṛṣṇa is very, very difficult job.

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
na śocati na kāṅkṣati
samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām
(BG 18.54)

To understand Kṛṣṇa and to understand the service of Kṛṣṇa is very exalted post. Brahma-bhūtaḥ. One has to become brahma-bhūtaḥ, completely liberated. Then he can understand how to render service to Kṛṣṇa, mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.2 -- Mayapur, March 2, 1974:

Such a difficult subject matter: Kṛṣṇa. "You are not only giving Kṛṣṇa, but You are giving Kṛṣṇa-prema, love of Kṛṣṇa." You can meet somebody, some exalted person, you can see, but to become an intimate relationship with such exalted person in love, that is not very easy thing. I can meet the president or some exalted person, but to become in love with him in intimacy, that is not easy job. But Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu distributed this Kṛṣṇa love immediately, anyone. That is Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu's contribution to the human society. If you simply become under the lotus feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu, then love of Kṛṣṇa is very easily achieved. Therefore it is said: tāṅhāra caraṇāśrita, sei baḍa dhanya (CC Adi 7.2). He's glorified because he receives... To become under the lotus feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu means you have got Kṛṣṇa. You have already got. That is the verdict of the śāstra and Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Because Kṛṣṇa, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, does not give anything else.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.149-50 -- Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971:

To understand Kṛṣṇa is not very easy job. Kṛṣṇa says, "Out of many millions of men, one is trying to become perfect in this human form of life." Not everyone is trying. First of all one has to become brāhmaṇa or acquire the brahminical qualification. That is the platform of sattva-guṇa. Unless one comes to the platform of sattva-guṇa, there is no question of perfection. Nobody can understand, nobody can achieve perfection on the platform of rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa, because one who is addicted with rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa, he is always very greedy and lusty. Tato rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye (SB 1.2.19). One who is infected with the material qualities of ignorance and passion, he is lusty and greedy. That's all. Therefore you will see, generally people are very much lusty and greedy. They are accumulating money, crores and crores; still, they are not satisfied. In Western country we see very usually.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154 -- Gorakhpur, February 16, 1971:

To approach Kṛṣṇa is not very easy job, because Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye yatatām api siddhānām (BG 7.3). Koṭiṣv api mahā-mune. That is also stated in the Padma Purāṇa, that muktānām api siddhānām. Those who are muktas... To become mukta, that is also difficult job. Out of many millions of jñānīs, one becomes mukta, really liberated. And out of many millions of muktas, or liberated, kaścid vetti māṁ tattvataḥ, kaścid, not all, somebody may understand what is Kṛṣṇa. So it is so difficult job. But Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He has appeared as a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, Lord Caitanya, and He is giving you the mercy, causeless mercy so that you can understand Kṛṣṇa very easily. That is the special gift of Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154 -- Gorakhpur, February 16, 1971:

This is a great opportunity we have got, this human form of life. Once missed, you do not know what is the loss. We do not know what is going to happen in our next life. But if you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is guaranteed that you get another human form of life. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo sanjāyate (BG 6.41). Not only human form of life, you get in a very good family. That is assured in the Bhagavad-gītā.

So my Guru Mahārāja used to say that "Don't take the risk of waiting for another life. In this life." Because there is no certainty. So our propaganda, "Take to this movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Don't risk. Take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness." What is that Kṛṣṇa consciousness? Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). That's all. Always think of Kṛṣṇa. Is it very difficult job?

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154 -- Gorakhpur, February 16, 1971:

So in this age, how it is possible to become siddha? Mukta api siddhānāṁ koṭiṣv api mahā..., nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇa. Nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇa is not very easy job. Muktānām api siddhānāṁ koṭiṣv api mahā-mune. But this is the special mercy of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that He is compassionate. Seeing the fallen souls of this age, He is distributing kṛṣṇa-prema so cheaply. What is that? "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa," that's all. Simply by chanting. Ihā haite sarva siddhi haibe tomāra. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is blessing everyone that "Be blessed. Take this benediction of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and be blessed." So why should we give up this opportunity? That is our propaganda. Just like Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī, he is imploring, dānte nidhāya tṛṇakam. You know, in India, when one becomes very humble, submissive, he takes a straw in his mouth.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.97-99 -- New York, November 22, 1966:

So this mentality should be sacrificed first, before going to a spiritual master. First of all you have to select who can be your spiritual master. That requires some knowledge. Or you have to behave with a person to understand, "Whether he is fit to become my spiritual master?" Then you should offer yourself to be a student. That is the process, not that all of a sudden you shall go to a person, "Oh, please accept me as your..." No. You should first of all try to understand whether he is actually fit. Then offer yourself. So just like Sanātana Gosvāmī, when he first saw Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he did not offer himself, but when he heard from Caitanya Mahāprabhu and he understood, "Yes, it is very nice thing. So I should now retire from service, and I should wholly devote to Caitanya Mahāprabhu," so he left his very lucrative job, ministership, and just like a very poor man he approached to Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and he's placing, submitted himself as blank slate, that "These are my qualifications. Please accept me."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.120 -- Bombay, November 12, 1975:

So by the grace of Caitanya Mahāprabhu one can learn how to become liberated in one second, one second. It doesn't require many births. Of course, to come to this position, as Kṛṣṇa says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19), after many, many births, that is very difficult job. We do not know. Suppose in this life I am living for hundred years or fifty years or ninety years. Then again another eighty years, ninety years, another hundred, four, five hundred years, or five thousand years... Because according to the body... The trees are standing for hundreds of years, five thousand years. So bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19) is not very easy thing. It may be millions of years. So after millions of years, if one actually becomes wise, jñānavān, he understands this simple truth, that jīvera svarūpa haya kṛṣṇera nitya dāsa, this simple truth, that every living entity is eternally the servant of Kṛṣṇa.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Verse 35 -- New York, July 31, 1971:

So māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43). Therefore Śukadeva Gosvāmī is recommending that happiness, material happiness also, is due to pious activities. Unless you are pious, you cannot be happy, even materially. And if you simply commit sins, Rūpa Gosvāmī has analyzed—you will read in the Nectar of Devotion—that distress is due to ignorance, simply ignorance. The distress and happiness... Actually you can see those who are not educated fairly, they cannot get any good job. Therefore it is, his distress is due to less, poor fund of knowledge. So actually our distress is due to ignorance and in ignorance only, we commit sinful activities. Therefore our topics began that, prāyaścittaṁ vimarśanam. We are trying to remove the ignorance of the people, therefore we are giving the best service to the human society. We are simply trying to remove the ignorance. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12), we are trying to polish or cleanse the heart.

Festival Lectures

Ratha-yatra -- San Francisco, June 27, 1971:

Just like Kṛṣṇa says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya (BG 7.8). Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the taste of the water." Every one of us, we drink water everyday, not only one, twice, thrice or more than that. So as soon as we drink water, if we think that the taste of the water is Kṛṣṇa, immediately we become Kṛṣṇa conscious. To become Kṛṣṇa conscious is not very difficult job. Simply we have to practice it. Just like this is an example how to practice to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Whenever you drink water, as soon as you are satiated, your thirst is quenched, immediately you think that this thirsting, the quenching power is Kṛṣṇa. Prabhāsmi śaśi sūryayoḥ. Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the sunshine. I am the moonshine." So during daytime, every one of us seeing the sunshine. As soon as you see sunshine, immediately you can remember Kṛṣṇa, "Here is Kṛṣṇa." As soon as you see moonshine at night, immediately you can remember, "Here is Kṛṣṇa." In this way, if you practice, there are many instances, many examples given in the Bhagavad-gītā, in the Seventh Chapter, if you read them carefully, how to practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then at that time, when you are mature in love of Kṛṣṇa, you will see Kṛṣṇa everywhere. Nobody has to help you to see Kṛṣṇa, but Kṛṣṇa will be revealed before you, by your devotion, by your love. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). Kṛṣṇa, when one is in service mood, when one understands that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, or God," then Kṛṣṇa help you how to see Him.

Six Gosvamis Lecture, Sri Sri Sad-govamy-astaka -- Los Angeles, November 18, 1968:

Vāmanadeva: I'm working. I have a job.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Vāmanadeva: ...making furniture, working with wood. I'm learning a lot so I can make nice thrones.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) That's all right. So any question?

Woman: Is there anyone similar to Joan of Arc in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam?

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Woman: Are you familiar with Joan of Arc? She was a saint.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Lecture -- Los Angeles, June 29, 1971:

He advises, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). And we are saying the same thing, that "You just surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Be Kṛṣṇa conscious." Therefore we are living representative of Kṛṣṇa. We are saying nothing else. Our only business is to repeat the Kṛṣṇa's word. Therefore we are representative. So anyone can become representative of Kṛṣṇa. It is not difficult. Simply one has to go door to door: "Please surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." That's all. Is it very difficult job? Prāṇair arthair dhiyā vācā. We can serve Kṛṣṇa in four ways. First of all, try to dedicate your life for Kṛṣṇa. That is first class. If not, then spare some of your money for Kṛṣṇa. If not, then give some words for Kṛṣṇa. Or give some intelligence. You can give. "Sir, if for organizing your this movement, we know that you require money, but I have no money. So I have got a friend. He is rich. If you come, he will help you." This is intelligence. You can serve Kṛṣṇa by intelligence. You can serve Kṛṣṇa by your money. You can serve Kṛṣṇa by your life. And at last, you can serve Kṛṣṇa by your words. Simply go door to door and request everyone, "Please chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. There will be no loss on your part. The gain you will see within one week. The gain you will see within one week if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. But you are not losing." What is the difficulty? So our business is like that. We should go door to door and request them, "Please chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." You'll be happy.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)

Arrival Lecture -- San Francisco, July 15, 1975:

So therefore God is actually the friend of everybody. That is a fact. But we rascals, we are claiming, "I shall be your friend. I shall be your leader." Therefore the leader, so-called leader, is not in peace. How it can be? All leaders are trying to keep his position some way or other, and that is very difficult job, no peace. That is not possible. You know. Your president, Mr. Nixon, wanted to keep himself in the position. How much restless he was. These are to be studied, that don't claim yourself as friend of somebody or the people or the nation. No. Teach them that "God is your friend. I am God's servant. I am bringing this message to you. And I can teach you how God can become your friend and you derive friendship result from God." That is guru. A guru does not say, "I am God." That is not guru. Guru will never say. The Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura's prayer says,

sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair
uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ
kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya... **

A guru is worshiped... Just like my disciples. They are offering respect exactly like God. That is their duty. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ: "All the śāstra recommends that guru should be respected as good as God."

Initiation Lectures

Brahmana Initiation Lecture -- New Vrindaban, May 25, 1969:

If you are able to penetrate the sunshine and go to the sun and seek out the sun-god, if somebody is able, by going to the sun planet by sputnik, he is better than who is in the sunshine. Sunshine we can have by just little go up to the cloud. Say, about seven miles up, you get sunshine. But to go to the sun planet and enter into the..., that is very difficult job. That requires so many things. (aside:) Sit down properly. Chant. So Brahman, Nirviśeṣa-brahman, impersonal Brahman, when one understands, jñānaṁ vijñānam... Jñānaṁ vijñānam. And when one becomes Vaiṣṇava, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). When one understands what is impersonal Brahman, what is localized Paramātmā, and what is Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam... When you understand the Supreme, the original Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa... Ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). There are many incarnations. Rāmādi-murtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan (Bs. 5.39). Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha... There are so many thousands and millions of incarnation. But Bhāgavata points out that "This name, Kṛṣṇa, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. So when one understands kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19), that Vāsudeva is everything, then he becomes a Vaiṣṇava.

Initiations -- Detroit, June 15, 1976:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Randy prabhu?

Prabhupāda: Oh, he is not shaven-headed? You have not shaven your head? Why you have not shaven your head?

Randy: Umm, because I have a full-time job. I work in a company.

Prabhupāda: Hmm? What is that full-time job?

Mādhavānanda: He's working at a very responsible job.

Prabhupāda: Somewhere. Where?

Mādhavānanda: At Burroughs Corporation.

Prabhupāda: All right. So what are the rules and regulations?

Randy: The four principles are no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication, no illicit sex life.

Prabhupāda: So, what?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Ramiya.

Wedding Ceremonies

Initiation of Sri-Caitanya dasa and Wedding of Pradyumna and Arundhati -- Columbus, May 14, 1969:

It doesn't matter whether a man is a śūdra or a brāhmaṇa or a sannyāsī or a householder. It doesn't matter. If he actually knows the science of God, Kṛṣṇa-tattva... Kṛṣṇa means God, the Supreme Lord, and tattva means scientific knowledge. Yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vetta sei guru haya. And another place Lord Caitanya says that āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra sarva deśa (CC Madhya 7.128). To become a spiritual master, one may think it is very difficult job. Yes, it is very difficult job, but it is also very simple thing. Very difficult job in this way: If one cannot assimilate the Vedic knowledge, veda-vāda-paraḥ pārtha nānyad astīti vādinaḥ, if they become simply Vedic student only, without assimilating, then it is very difficult. But if one can understand what is the idea of Vedic principle, then it is very easy. So what is the idea of Vedic principle? The Lord says, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). By different scriptures, Vedic literature, Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata... There are so many allied scriptures. The whole aim is, target is, Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam. So actually the Vedas are searching Kṛṣṇa.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Seattle, September 27, 1968:

This is simple truth. So that rebellious attitude is called māyā. Anyone who is declaring that "There is no God. God is dead. I am God, you are God," they're all under the spell of māyā. Piśācī pāile yena mati-cchanna haya. Just like when a man is ghost-haunted, he speaks all kinds of nonsense. So all these persons are haunted by māyā, and therefore they are saying, "God is dead. I am God. Why you are searching God everywhere? There are so many Gods loitering in the street." They're all ghost-haunted, deranged. So we have to cure them by this transcendental vibration, Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is the curing process only. Simply let them hear and they'll gradually be cured. Just a man who is sleeping very sound, you cry by the side of his ear and he awakes. So this is the mantra to awake the sleeping human society. Uttiṣṭha uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya varān nibodhata. The Vedas says, "O human race, please get up. Don't sleep any more. You have got this opportunity of human body. Utilize it. Get yourself out of the clutches of māyā." This is the declaration of Vedas. So you are doing that job. Hare Kṛṣṇa, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and they'll be cured (?).

Lecture -- Seattle, September 30, 1968:

Young man: Yes, in a spiritual sense though, I don't feel subordinate to...

Prabhupāda: First of all you understand what is spiritual life, then... In the spiritual sense also you are subordinate because your nature is subordination. Spiritual, what do you mean by spiritual and material?

Young man: Well, like, my body is in a particular place and time and all of these, caste (?). If I have a job then I'm subordinate to my boss, but the real, my whole being, my real being, my inner being doesn't... I don't think that I am subordinate to my boss. I think that we would be more or less equal. In a temporary sense, we are...

Prabhupāda: Yes. This consciousness is very nice, that you are feeling dissatisfaction being subordinate to your boss. Is that not?

Young man: No, that's not right.

Prabhupāda: Then?

Young man: I don't especially...

Prabhupāda: Anyone.

Lecture Excerpt -- Boston, May 5, 1969:
So therefore I have nothing to ask for." Similarly, when one finds out his eternal relationship with God, loving spirit, then he becomes, say, "Oh, I do not..." Yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ. In the Bhagavad-gītā you will find. If you, I mean to say, go that standard of life, then you will feel, "I have no more want. Finished. All want finished." That is the best gift, that is the best service, when a man will feel that "I have no more want. I am fully satisfied." That is the best service. What is this service, nonsense service? Suppose I am hungry; you give me some food. Does it mean that I shall not be hungry again? That food is already given also in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness move... That is not very difficult job. That is being given also. But we are giving some food which will make him satisfied for good. No more hunger. That is the best service. Just try to understand what sort of service is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness: no more hunger, no more demand. Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi: "Oh, I am fully satisfied." Varaṁ na yāce: "I have no more demand. Finish."
Lecture at Harvard University -- Boston, December 24, 1969:

So it is said that kalau śūdra sambhava. In the modern age, people are being taught in the university to become śūdra—neither brāhmaṇas nor kṣatriyas nor vaiśyas, generally. Because after education, they will have to seek after some service. He becomes a great technologist, but unless he gets a good job, his whole education is spoiled. You see? So therefore, in the Vedic śāstra it is said, in this age people are almost all śūdras. Kalau śūdra sambhava. So the president of that meeting, Sūta Gosvāmī, said that it doesn't matter whether one man is brāhmaṇa or a kṣatriya or a vaiśya or a śūdra. This is social order. And then spiritual order: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. Brahmacārī means student, unmarried student, without any sex life. That is brahmacārī. And then gṛhastha, householder. Those who are living with wife and children, they are called householder, gṛhastha. Then vānaprastha, the retired persons. And then sannyāsa. After retirement, one dedicates his whole life for preaching work, preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 11, 1971:

So the brahma-bhūtaḥ stage is described that when one realizes his own self, that is called mukti, liberation. As soon as one understands that "I am not this body. I am something different from this body..." That anyone can understand very easily. That's not a very big job. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, that,

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

Just like in your childhood you were in a body which was called baby or child. Now I am old man. I can remember in my childhood I was so small, but that body is gone. Now I have got a different body. But I am there. This is the understanding. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). By changing body, the eternal soul does not, I mean to say, annihilate. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre. This understanding is called Brahman understanding, that "I am eternal. I have no birth; I have no death. The birth and death is pertaining to this body. I am changing body from one body to another." This is called brahma-bhūtaḥ understanding. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi, that is.

Town Hall Lecture -- Auckland, April 14, 1972:

So it is not very ordinary job, neither ordinary position, but it is not difficult also. The difficulty is when I adulterate and misinterpret Kṛṣṇa's words. Then it is difficult. Otherwise, if I say... The same example: like a peon, if I present your friend's letter without any correction, then I have done my duty. That's all. So it is not difficult. Anyone can deliver a letter to you. It does not require any educational qualification. Simply he must be honest not to alter the text of the letter according to the peon's whims. That much we are doing. Therefore I am representative. Try to under... And anyone can do this. In the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya: (BG 7.7) "My dear Arjuna, I am the Supreme. There is no better, no more anyone superior than Me." That's all right. We accept that.

Town Hall Lecture -- Auckland, April 14, 1972:

The point is that we are teaching Bhagavad-gītā as it is; therefore I am representative of Kṛṣṇa. If you do that, you become also representative of Kṛṣṇa. So it is not very difficult. Don't think it is a very hard job: "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is so great personality, God, and how one can become His representative?" No. Anyone can become His representative provided he follows the Kṛṣṇa's instruction. That's all. Anyone. Actually they are doing that. They are representative. Not only I, but they are also. Every one of our members, they are Kṛṣṇa's representative. They are not trying to malinterpret. As there are so many so-called scholars... When this verse is translated and commented upon by big scholar... I do not wish to utter his name. He is very big man. But now he is living dead. Because he has committed so many offenses, now he is living, but he has lost his memory. Very recently I went to see him. He cannot... He is like that. So all his intelligence is finished. So nature is so strong that you can malinterpret, but nature is so strong that one day he will make you forget everything, brain paralysis.

Town Hall Lecture -- Auckland, April 14, 1972:

So our becoming the representative of Kṛṣṇa is not very difficult job because we do not misinterpret the readings of Bhagavad-gītā. We accept them as it is. If there is some doubt... There cannot be any doubt. It may be due to my poor fund of knowledge I cannot understand it—that we should admit. The lines, as stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, they are as perfect as anything. But if I cannot understand it, that is my lack of knowledge, my poor fund of knowledge. Therefore Kṛṣṇa has suggested or ordered in this Bhagavad-gītā,

tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti tad jñānaṁ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ
(BG 4.34)

Because there may be some difficulty. Just like here Kṛṣṇa says that gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ (BG 2.11). He is ordering completely that the subject matter of this body is not very important thing. The most important thing is to understand about the spirit soul which is within the body. But at the present moment the whole world is giving simply stress on the body.

Town Hall Lecture -- Auckland, April 14, 1972:

So there is no scarcity if we believe in Kṛṣṇa. If Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then there will be no scarcity. Actually there is no scarcity. You have been already informed that we have got ninety-five centers and we are spending seventy to eighty thousand dollars per month. But we have no fixed-up income. We are traveling all over the world with party. You can imagine. This is very expensive job. But Kṛṣṇa is supplying us all our necessities. Why not? If you are serving for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, why He will not supply you? Kṛṣṇa is supplying food to everyone, those who are not devotees, and why not to the devotees? What we have done? Those who have denied the existence of God, they are also being fed by Kṛṣṇa, or God. And we are preaching the glories of God.

Lecture -- Tokyo, May 1, 1972:

So this disease, this is called material disease. I want to lord it over the material nature, and when I fail to lord it over, then I want to become one with God. Of course, there are five kinds of liberation: sāyujya sārūpya sāmīpya sālokya. By liberation you can become one with God. That is not very difficult. If you want to become, merge into the existence of God, that is not very difficult job. God is all-powerful. You are emanation from God. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). So if you want to... Sāyujya mukti. If you want to finish your individuality and merge into the existence of God, that is not very difficult job. Even the enemies of Kṛṣṇa—Kaṁsa, Jarāsandha, Dantavakra, Śiśupāla, and many demons—they also merged into the existence of Kṛṣṇa. The enemies also given the liberation to merge into the existence of Kṛṣṇa. That is not very difficult job. But to keep your individuality and serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is your actual position, constitutional position. That mukti... The Vaiṣṇava philosophers, they want that mukti. They want to keep... Nitya-yukta upāsate. Nitya-yukta. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, nitya-yukta upāsata. The upāsana, the worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead—man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65)—this is not stopped after liberation. The same business goes on. That is Vaiṣṇava philosophy. Vaiṣṇava, even if he is offered mukti... Dīyamānaṁ na gṛhṇanti. Even if he's offered that "You take mukti," they do not accept it.

Lecture -- Bombay, September 25, 1973:

So there is another statement of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura that kṛṣṇera saṁsāra kara chāḍi anācāra. To turn your home into Vaikuṇṭha is not very difficult job. Simply you have to adopt the method. Kṛṣṇera saṁsāra kara chāḍi anācāra. Anācāra means sinful activities. You cannot associate with God if you become sinful. That is not possible. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpam: "One who is completely free from sinful life," te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 7.28), "He can worship Me." So therefore our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is that we do not recommend that "You give up your occupation, you become a sannyāsī, give up your wife and children." No. That is not our movement. Amongst ourself here there are sannyāsīs, brahmacārīs, gṛhastha, vānaprastha. Everyone is there. Everyone can worship Kṛṣṇa. There is no such thing that "This class of men, only the brāhmaṇa or the sannyāsīs or brahmacārī or Hindus..." No. Kṛṣṇa is open for everyone. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Even lower born, born in the lower grade family, he is also open. Simply one has to adopt the means.

Speech -- Vrndavana, April 20, 1975:

So we cannot understand even Kṛṣṇa, what is Kṛṣṇa. Actually, there are so many malinterpretation about Kṛṣṇa. I do not wish to discuss because they have been made mistaken by big, big leaders. So people cannot understand even Kṛṣṇa, what is Kṛṣṇa, and what to speak of loving Kṛṣṇa. That is very difficult job. But Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He distributed this love of Kṛṣṇa. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Lord Nityānanda is standing before you, and He delivered many, many sinful persons to the transcendental position of love of Kṛṣṇa. Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has sung, vrajendra-nandana yei, śacī-suta hoilo sei, balarāma hoilo nitāi. This Balarāma, He became Nitai, and Kṛṣṇa, He became Caitanya Mahāprabhu. These two brothers, the same two brothers, Rāma-Laksman, Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma, again as Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda Prabhu. So what was Their business? The pāpī-tāpī jata chilo, hari-nāme uddhārilo. This is Their business.

Lecture Engagement at Birla House -- Bombay, December 17, 1975:

So He was interested in all the parts of the world, how they can be delivered from the clutches of this material energy. So He wished especially the Indians to take this job of preaching the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā all over the world. He wanted it.

bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya janma hoila yāra
janma sārthaka kari karo para-upakāra

This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission, para-upakāra. It is not the business of the Indian people to exploit others. The mission is they must be very, very merciful to all outsiders, born in, out of India. That is India's mission. Because they are in darkness, they do not know. So instead of enlightenment, giving them jyotir gamaḥ-tamasi mā: "Don't remain in darkness"—so we are imitating them. This is not India's good fortune. We should not imitate. That is not very good civilization.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on William James:

Hayagrīva: James writes about religion and total surrender and involvement. He says, "In the religious life surrender and sacrifice are positively espoused. Even unnecessary givings-up are added in order that the happiness may increase. Religion thus makes easy and felicitous what in any case is necessary. It becomes an essential organ of our life, performing a function which no other portion of our life can so successfully fulfill."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Without religion the human society is animal society. So religion must be there, and religion means to understand God, to learn how to love God, how to obey His orders, and actually real religion means to accept the order of the Supreme Lord, God. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā this fact is taught. God is personally teaching that "You become My devotee, always think of Me," man-manā bhava mad-bhakto, "worship Me," mad-yājī, "and if you cannot do anything more, you simply offer your obeisances unto Me." Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Without any big, I mean to say, attempt for religious system, if one has got the idea that there is God, and even without seeing Him if he follows His instruction, always think of Him... Either you think of Him as personal God or as localized or all-pervading, but God has got form. One has to think of the form of the God. That is easier. And if God is accepted as impersonal, that is very troublesome. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, kleśaḥ adhikataras teṣām avyakta āsakta cetasām. Those who are impersonalist, for them to think of God becomes very difficult job.

Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:
Prabhupāda: It is very (indistinct) third class or even lower than happiness. But because we have no idea of other happiness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the materialistic way of life, that is the happiness. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham. That is a very insignificant happiness. Then how is this happiness experienced? Kaṇḍūyanena karayor iva duḥkha-duḥkham. You have got itching, and if you scratch like this, so you get some happiness, but aftereffects of that happiness is very abominable. So even if you have legal sex, the mother has to undergo the labor pains and the father has to take responsibility for raising the children nicely, give them education. Of course, one who is irresponsible like cats and dogs, that is another thing. But those who are actually gentlemen, for them it is not painful. Therefore they are avoiding children by contraceptive methods, because they know to raise children is a very difficult job. So śāstra's injunction is simply to try to tolerate this itching sensation and you save so much pain. This is real psychology. That itching sensation can be tolerated if one practices this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then you will not be very much attracted by this sex life.
Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:

Śyāmasundara: I thought I heard you say before that some sicknesses and accidents are caused by the person's desire—the person desires to be sick; the person desires to have accident.

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) person desires to be sick.

Devotee: Suppose somebody says, "Well, I want to be happy." So we say, "You just chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and join us, then you will be happy." So he is saying, "No. I want to keep my job. I want to do this or that." So when we can say that actually he is not serious about becoming happy. If he really were serious about becoming happy, he would join us. So in a sense he actually doesn't want to be happy. That's what he would say.

Prabhupāda: He wants to be happy but he is miserable. That is (indistinct). He wants to be happy but he is misguided in search of happiness. Everyone wants happiness, but when one is misguided, that is called illusion. He is searching happiness without any basis. (break—continues next day)

Śyāmasundara: We are discussing Freud still. It was his idea that every person has certain aggressive and destructive tendencies within them, and sometimes these are directed upon the self, so that one will have accidents or sicknesses which are self-inflicted. Does this happen?

Prabhupāda: When one commits suicide, that is not in sane condition. He is crazy. In sane condition nobody commits suicide.

Philosophy Discussion on St. Augustine:

Hayagrīva: Augustine conceived of peace in this way. He says, "Peace between a mortal man and his maker consists in ordered obedience guided by faith under God's eternal law. Peace between man and man consists in regulated fellowship. The peace of the heavenly city lies in a perfectly ordered and harmonious communion of those who find their joy in God and in one another in God." So that peace in its final sense is the calm that comes out of this order.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Peace means to come in contact perfectly with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is peace. When a man is in ignorance, he thinks that he is the enjoyer of this world, but when he comes in contact with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supreme Controller, he understands that God is enjoyer; we are not enjoyer. We are servants to supply the needs of enjoyment of God. That is our life. Just like a servant supplies the needs of the master. The master has no need, but he enjoys the company of the servant, and the servant enjoys the company of the master, because our relationship is as master and servant. A servant getting a good, nice government job is very happy, and similarly the master is also happy getting a very faithful servant. This is the relationship. So when this relationship is disturbed, that is called existence in māyā, and when this relationship is restored, that is called spiritual life. So in the spiritual consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one understands that the Supreme Lord is the actual enjoyer; we are servant. The Supreme Lord is the actual proprietor, and we are residents. And bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). And Supreme Lord is the Supreme well-wisher, friend of everyone. When a living being understands these three features of God's transcendental quality, he becomes happy.

Philosophy Discussion on Blaise Pascal:

Hayagrīva: Of all things in the world, Pascal considered this to be the strangest. He says, "A man spends many days and nights in rage and despair over the loss of his job or for some imaginary insult to his honor, yet he does not consider with anxiety and emotion that he will lose everything by death. It is a monstrous thing to see in the same heart and at the same time this sensibility to trifles and this strange insensibility to the greatest objects—death. It is an incomprehensible enchantment and a supernatural slumber, which indicates as its cause an all-powerful force," such as māyā.

Prabhupāda: This is, this is instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, that one who does not believe in God or disobeys the orders of God, a day will come when God will come as death, and his all power, all false prestige, all imagination, all plans will be all broken. Then after that, according to the transmigration of the soul, that person, because he did not obey the orders of God, he acted like animals, he gets the body of an animal. This is transmigration. And he suffers.

Purports to Songs

Purport to Parama Koruna -- Los Angeles, January 16, 1969:
That is the specific characteristic of Lord Caitanya. Because in this age, of course, there is very much prominence of irreligiosity. But if Lord Caitanya wanted to kill them, then there was no question of their salvation. They would be... Of course, anyone who is killed by incarnation he also gets salvation. But not to the spiritual planets, but they merge into the Brahman effulgence as the impersonalists desire. In other words, the impersonalist's goal of salvation is as good as the goal of salvation of the enemies of God. That is not a very difficult job. So Lord Caitanya is very merciful because He is embracing everyone by bestowing love of Kṛṣṇa. Rūpa Gosvāmī has described Lord Caitanya as the most munificent of all the incarnations because He is giving Kṛṣṇa to everyone, without any qualification.
Page Title:Job (Lectures)
Compiler:Mayapur
Created:08 of Oct, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=155, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:155