Liquor (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"liquor" |"liquorhouse" |"liquors"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.21-22 -- London, July 18, 1973:

So if all human beings become vegetarian, not vegetarian, but eater of the Kṛṣṇa's prasādam, all these liquor house and slaughterhouse and brothels will be closed. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We want to close these nonsense places of sinful life: brothels, illegitimate sense gratification, sex relationship, prostitution. If we are embarrassed with this sinful life, there is no possibility of becoming again acyuta. We remain cyuta, fallen. We remain fallen.

Lecture on BG 2.3 -- London, August 4, 1973:

This is something wonderful. How is that? I have to control my tongue to understand Kṛṣṇa? But it is, the śāstra injunction is there: sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. Jihvā means tongue. So in order to see Kṛṣṇa, in order to understand Kṛṣṇa, the first business is to control your tongue. Therefore we say, don't take meat, don't take liquor. Because it is controlling the tongue. The tongue is the most strong enemy as sense, as perverted sense. And these rascals they say, "No, you can eat whatever you like. It has nothing to do with religion." But Vedic śāstra says, "You rascal, first of all control your tongue. Then you can understand what is God."

So this is called Vedic injunction—perfect. If you control your tongue, then you control your belly, then you control your genital.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 9, 1966:

Yes. Let them talk all nonsense. But we have got information that this moon planet is a very nice planet, and the inhabitants there, they are very intelligent and the people who perform pious work here in this planet, they are promoted, promoted to the moon planet. And it is very cold also. Just like your European countries and American countries because, due to... You have come from America. America, European countries, people are accustomed to drink because due to the cold climate. Indians are not accustomed. But your drinking is necessary thing in Europe. Similarly, this moon planet is so cold that they live by drinking soma-rasa. There is a kind of liquor which is called soma-rasa. Yes. Soma-rasa. Soma-rasa. Soma-rasa, here, it is described in Āyur-veda. That soma-rasa preparation is there. If anyone can prepare that soma-rasa, and anyone can drink that soma-rasa, he becomes immortal. That means his duration of life increases. Increases. So anyway, these descriptions are there. So there are intelligent living beings there also.

Lecture on BG 2.19 -- London, August 25, 1973:

Nitya, always, he has got the propensity, vyavāya āmiṣa mada-sevā. Vyavāya. Vyavāya means sex life and āmiṣa means meat-eating. Vyavāya āmiṣa, mada-sevā, and intoxication. These are natural instincts of all living entities, even amongst the ants these propensities are there. Those who have studied... The ants are very much fond of being intoxicated. Therefore, they find out sweet, sugar. Sweet is intoxication. Perhaps you know, all. The liquor is made from sugar. Sugar is fermented with acid, sulphuric acid, and then it is distilled. That is liquor. Therefore too much sweet eating is prohibited.

So loke vyavāya āmiṣa mada-sevā nityas tu jantuḥ. This is propensity. Material life means every living entity has got these propensities. But they have to be restricted.

Lecture on BG 2.25 -- London, August 28, 1973:

Nonvegetarian means nirāmiṣa. So āmiṣa and mada and vyavāya. Vyavāya means sex. Loke vyavāya āmiṣa mada-sevā. Sex indulgence and eating meat, flesh, eggs, and drinking wine. Mada. Mada means liquor. Nityasya jantuḥ. Jantu. When one is in the material world he is called jantu. Jantu means animal. Although he's living entity, he's not called jīva soul. He's called jantu. Jantur dehopapattaye. Jantu. This material body is developing for the jantu, animal. Anyone who is devoid of spiritual knowledge, he's called jantu, or animal. This is the shastric injunction. Jantur dehopapattaye. Who gets this material body? Jantu, animal. So, so long we shall get on, continually get or change this material body, we remain jantu, animal. Kleśada āsa dehaḥ. A jantu, animal, can tolerate, or he's forced to tolerate. Just like a bullock yoked in the cart and whipping. He has to tolerate. He cannot get out of it. Similarly, when they are taken to slaughterhouse to be killed, he has to tolerate it. There is no way. This is called jantu.

Lecture on BG 2.32 -- London, September 2, 1973:

So Parīkṣit Mahārāja considered that. So, "All right, then you can remain in these four places." Striyaḥ sūnā pānaṁ dyūtaṁ yatra pāpaś catur-vidhaḥ. "Where illicit sex life, brothel, prostitute's house, you can remain there. Striyaḥ sūnā, slaughterhouse. Or unnecessarily where animals are killed, you can remain there." Striyaḥ sūnā pānam. "And intoxication. Where liquor house, you can remain there. And where there is gambling, you can remain there." So he could not find out a place where to remain. That means in those days these things were so much conspicuous by absence that is was difficult for the Kali to find out a place like that. But with the advancement of Kali, now Kali can find out his place anywhere, at any home, anyplace. These things are going on. This is the position.

Lecture on BG 3.14 -- Sanand, December 27, 1975:

So I do not wish to take very much time. I have got another engagement. My only submission is that you produce enough quantity of food grains. Don't waste your time by producing tobacco. Besides that, in the śāstra it is forbidden, striya sūnā pāna dyūta yatra pāpaś catur-vidhā (SB 1.17.38). Striya, avaidha, illicit sex, striya, sūnā, jīva ko hatya, killing the animals. Striya sūnā pāna... Pāna means smoking also. Drinking liquor and smoking. Dhūma pāna. This pāna is forbidden. Striya sūnā pāna dyūta, and dyūta means gambling. So these four things, they are considered as sinful activities. And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said,

yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ

janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām

te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā

bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ

(BG 7.28)

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Montreal, August 24, 1968:

When he's a little bit purified, he immediately accepts all conditions. So those who are not tapasvīs, or voluntarily accepting some, I mean to say, inconvenience... Suppose I am habituated to doing something, liquor or something. If I am stopped, there is inconvenience. But if somebody accepts voluntarily, "Yes, for Kṛṣṇa's sake I shall accept it," then I am stopped, there is inconvenience. But if somebody accepts voluntarily, "Yes, for Kṛṣṇa's sake I shall accept it," that is tapasya.

Lecture on BG 4.7-10 -- Los Angeles, January 6, 1969:

Just like liquor shop is allowed by the government because there are drunkards. They must drink, but under restriction. You cannot keep liquor or wine more than the necessity. There is restriction. In India especially, there is very strict restriction. So similarly, the Vedic principle is to restrict sense gratification under certain rules and regulations. So the animal sacrifice is also restricted in that way.

But when people become too much animal-eaters and simply giving the evidence of Vedas, "In the Vedas it is sanctioned," but without caring for the ritualistic process, at that time Lord Buddha appeared. It is said about Lord Buddha that sadaya-hṛdaya-darśita-paśu-ghātam. The Lord appeared as Lord Buddha, being compassionate on the poor animals, unrestricted. So this animal-killing, no religion sanctions.

Lecture on BG 4.21 -- Bombay, April 10, 1974:

Then you will keep fit and save time for advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And if you become always engaged for sense gratification, go on working, working, working, then go to the restaurant, eat, drink and make your body agitated, then find out liquor and woman, what is this life? This is not life. This is animal life.

Real life is that you keep your health nicely, save time, take ordinary very nutritious food within the jurisdiction of kṛṣṇa-prasāda. Kṛṣṇa says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). So Kṛṣṇa eats all these things. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam, vegetables, liquid things, water, milk, and so many other things, grains. So you offer to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is here. Kṛṣṇa, although He is very virāṭ, universal form, but Kṛṣṇa has accepted arcā-vigraha so that you can serve, you can see, you can touch, and your life becomes successful. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Thank you very much. (end)

Lecture on BG 6.2-5 -- Los Angeles, February 14, 1969:

In the aṣṭāṅga-yoga system, this eightfold yoga system, dhyāna, dhāraṇā—they are meant for controlling the mind. (Don't make sound.) Mind, unless you control the mind, in the beginning it is said a man must elevate himself by his own mind. Mind is the driver. The body is the chariot or car. So just like if you call your, ask your driver, "Please get me into Kṛṣṇa consciousness temple." The driver will bring you here. And if you ask your driver, "Please get me in that liquor house." The driver will drive you there. The driver's business is to drive you wherever you like. Similarly your mind is the driver. If you can control—but if the driver takes your license, that wherever he likes he will take you. Then you're gone. Then your driver is your enemy. But if your driver acts on your order, then he's your friend. So actually the yoga system means to control the mind in such a way that he will act as your friend, not as your enemy.

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

Just like a person is attached to eat meat. Now if all of a sudden if he is instructed that meat eating is not good. Or a person is attached to drink liquor. If he at once said that liquor is not good, he cannot accept. Therefore in the Purāṇas we'll find, "All right, if you want to eat meat, you just worship goddess Kālī and sacrifice a goat before the goddess. And you can eat meat. You cannot eat meat or flesh by purchasing from the slaughterhouse or butcher shop. 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.

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

Yes. That is the yoga success. At the present moment the mind is controlling me, go-dāsa. Mind is dictating me that, "Please, why not see that beautiful nice girl," and I go and... "Why not drink that nice liquor?" "Yes." "Why not smoke this nice cigarette?" "Yes." "Why not go to the restaurant, nice." "Why not do this." So many things is dictating, and we are following. So this present stage is I am controlled by the mind. The material life means one is controlled by the mind or by the senses. Mind is the center of all senses. So to be controlled by the mind means to be controlled by the senses. Senses are subordinate assistants to the master mind. Master mind dictates, "Go and see that." My eyes sees. Therefore my eyes, the sense eye is under the direction of the mind. My legs go. Therefore my sense organ the leg is under the direction of the mind. So to become under the direction of the mind means to become under the direction of the senses. So if you can control the mind then you'll not be under the control of the senses.

Lecture on BG 7.16 -- Bombay, April 7, 1971:

So in order to advance in spiritual life, we have to voluntarily decrease these demands of the body. That is called tapasya. In our country especially, many great saintly persons, sages, even kings, voluntarily they would give up these demands of the body, not that artificially increasing these demands of the body. That will not help us in spiritual life. So this strī-saṅga, or association with woman, that is a demand of the body. Loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā. Āmiṣa means nonvegetarian foods. Eating flesh, fish, eggs, these are called āmiṣa. And madya means wine, liquor. So all the conditioned souls, they have got a natural inclination for sex life, intoxication, and eating fish, eat... They have got a natural inclination. Even ants, they have got all these inclinations. Expert psychologists and medical men, they have studied that even the ant, it has got also the same propensities. Loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā. So when there is legalized, or marriage under religious principle, it is to be understood a sort of concession.

Lecture on BG 7.16 -- Bombay, April 7, 1971:

Lord Buddha appeared to stop this animal killing. But because in the Purāṇas there are sometimes regulative principle of killing animal, therefore he had to deny the authority of Vedas, because those who are after killing animals, they will find some clue that "Here in the Vedas the animal-killing is sometimes recommended." But that animal-killing is not a, I mean to say, instigation that "You go on killing animals." You can understand by a nice example. Just like the government opens liquor shop. It does not mean the government is encouraging to drink liquor. It is not like that. The idea is that if government does not allow some drunkards to drink, they will create havoc. They will distill illicit distillation of liquor. To check them, the government opens liquor shop with very, very great, high price. The cost... If the cost is one rupee, government excise department charges sixty rupees.

Lecture on BG 7.16 -- Bombay, April 7, 1971:

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtino 'rjuna. Sukṛti. Sukṛti means those who are living pious life, and these are the basic principles of living pious life; no illicit sex life... Sex life is required, but there is already in the śāstra a license: "You can have sex life with your religiously married wife. Not otherwise." Actually, married sex life is not required, but it is just like license. The same thing, that there is no necessity of drinking wine, but those who are habituated, those who want to drink, for them, government opens, under so many restrictions, a liquor shop. The śāstra also gives us this license. The Gosvāmīs of Vṛndāvana, they were ideal saintly persons. About them it is said, nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau **. They conquered over the necessities of this body, which is called viṣaya. Conquering over sleeping, conquering over sex life, and conquering over eating, these things are required. Pious life means gradually decreasing the unnecessary bodily demands. That is pious life. That is the sum and substance. Because Kṛṣṇa says here that catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtinaḥ: "Those who are living pious life." And those who are not living pious lives, they are called duṣkṛtina, sinful life.

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

The subject matter is sex life, everyone knows. Therefore in Western countries they say "legalized prostitution." But actually it is not prostitution. It is regulating their sex life. So Vedas describe, "Yes. Sex life you have, but marriage." And then drinking: "Yes. Drinking you may have by worshiping Candi, offering him liquor," that is all. Not that you go to the liquor shop and drink. No. Restricted. Similarly, eating meat also: "Yes. You can eat meat. Just worship Goddess Kali and have a goat sacrifice." So many rules and regulation. Everything is regulated. But they have avoided this. These Vedic injunctions they have avoided. Now they have open slaughterhouse, liquor house, prostitution. That is sinful. It is actually sinful, either you do this way or that way. But if you act according to the Vedic injunction, the sinful activities are restrained. The sinful activities are restrained, so that gradually you come to the spiritual platform. This is the Vedic principle.

Lecture on BG 9.20-22 -- New York, December 6, 1966:

So they are soma-pāḥ. Soma is a kind of beverage. Just like in this material world we have got different kinds of liquors. It is not intoxicating, but there is mention. Here in the Bhagavad-gītā is also mentioned, soma-pāḥ, soma-rasa. And in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam we get information that in the moon planet they also drink this soma-rasa. But the soma-rasa is not an intoxicant. It is a different thing. Here it is said, soma-pāḥ pūta-pāpāḥ. One who will drink the soma-rasa, he will be freed from sinful reaction. Just the opposite. Here, just like when we become intoxicated, we become addicted to so many sinful actions, it is soma-pāḥ. When we drink soma-rasa, it is just the opposite. We become freed from all sinful reaction. That soma-pāḥ is recommended here also. So either they try to go to other planets, or they manufacture here soma-pāḥ, soma-rasa. Of course, at the present moment we have no such facility. But from Bhagavad-gītā it is understood that there was a method.

Lecture on BG 9.23-24 -- New York, December 10, 1966:

Just like, not your country, in our country, there is prohibition. In some cities there is strictly prohibition. No wine can be available. But still, there are wine shops, under government license. So this wine shop does not mean to encourage citizens to come and drink wine. No. The idea is to restrict, to restrict. Those who cannot live without liquor, for them, there is some concession. Because one must live after all. Similarly, one who cannot avoid meat-eating, for him, that demigod, goddess Kālī... But unfortunately, some foolish persons, they have advertised by goddess Kālī worshiping, he has become God. These are all foolishness. This recommendation... Here it is said by Lord Kṛṣṇa, te 'pi mām eva kaunteya: "That worship of different demigods is indirectly offering worship to Me because they are My representatives." But avidhi-pūrvakam. Avidhi-pūrvakam means "It is not prescribed." Avidhi-pūrvakam. It is, what is called, in English, which is not legal. Illegal.

Lecture on BG 13.22-24 -- Melbourne, June 25, 1974:

Because you have got little freedom. Why one is not coming here and going to the liquor shop? It is his desire. Because he has associated with a different type of material quality... The same man who was drinking, now, as soon as they come in our association, he becomes a saint. Why? The American government spent millions of dollars to stop this habit of intoxication, LSD. And as soon as the same man comes to our society, he immediately gives up. Why? It is practical. Immediately. At the initiation time we ask that "You don't touch all these things." Yes. That's all. See practically. Especially in the Western countries they are habituated to all these things, meat-eating, illicit sex, intoxication, gambling. How they give it up? Association. We are opening so many branches all over the world to give opportunity of association. It is not a business firm. Just to give spiritual association, chance. Why you are going the street saṅkīrtana? We are giving chance: "Come here, be saved." It is not business.

Lecture on BG 18.67 -- Ahmedabad, December 10, 1972:

Then he can surrender unto Kṛṣṇa: vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). These are the process, simple processes. You, we have to simply take it seriously. So therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is prohibiting the four pillars of sinful life. What is that? Illicit sex life. Illicit sex life. And meat-eating. Meat-eating. Meats, fish, egg, everything. Āmiṣa. Āmiṣa-bhoja. Meat-eating. And intoxication. All kinds of intoxication. Not only liquor or LSD, but also tea, coffee, cigarette, everything. Illicit sex life, meat-eating, and intoxicant and gambling. These are the four pillars of sinful life. So we are advocating: "Please give up these four principles of sinful life and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, at least sixteen rounds." You become situated in the transcendental position, and you can understand what is Kṛṣṇa and what is Bhagavad-gītā. Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break)

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.3 -- London, August 20, 1971:

For example, another example can be given: just like the drunkard. The drunkards are given concession. There are liquor shops. The government gives some license to a person, that "You can sell liquor to the drunkards." But this liquor is not available in every shop. There is a particular shop. One has to purchase liquor from that particular shop. That means government is discouraging, but one who is obstinate, to give him some facility, this particular shop is established. Similarly, when there is allowance for sex life or drinking or meat-eating or even gambling, that is not encouraging; that is minimizing the tendency under discipline.

Lecture on SB 1.1.9 -- Auckland, February 20, 1973:

This is above goodness according to Vedic.... If you live in the forest that is goodness, association with goodness, because there is no material contamination, simple life in the forest. Or in the village, not in the village, in the forest. Therefore formerly all the sages and saintly persons they used to live in the forest. That is goodness. And if you live in the city that is association with passion. And in the city if you live in the brothel, the liquor shop, gambling, that is association with ignorance. Three kinds. But if you live in the temple, that is transcendence, that is Vaikuṇṭha. So in this way we have to detach ourselves from the association of the three guṇas. Kṛṣṇa advised Arjuna, traiguṇya-viṣayā vedā nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna. "My dear Arjuna, just become transcendental to the three guṇas." Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). Who can transcend these three guṇas, you have to go above goodness.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

So the Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said that this network of ignorance, where the senses are like black cobra, out of all those senses the tongue is the greatest black cobra. Tā'ra madhye jihvā ati, lobhamoy sudurmati. The tongue, if you practice... Just for example, nobody learns smoking from the birth, but when he's habituated, then they are as chain smoker, one cigarette after another, one cigarette after..., you see. This is simply by bad association. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said that tā'ra madhye jihvā ati lobhamoy sudurmati. Because we have indulged this tongue to increase his greediness, therefore we see so much advertisement of liquor and cigarettes and so many, or teas and coffee. Simply it is practice. So as you have practice, by practice you have increased so-called demands of your body, you can decrease it also. Just like these boys. They were practiced to all these things, but since they have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, by practicing they have given up everything. So anything artificial we may be habituated, but you can give it up. Therefore here it is said, kāmasya nendriya prītiḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Delhi, November 16, 1973:

So it is possible to arrive that state by little endeavor, and that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And it is so simple, by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. And the practical examples you can see, that these European, American boys, they had so many wants, but they, all these demands could not satisfy them, but now they are fully satisfied simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Just like this boy, our Gurudāsa, explained that he could swim over liquor business. His father has got very big business of liquor. But no. He wants to swim in the ocean of transcendental love. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Lecture on SB 1.2.32 -- Vrndavana, November 11, 1972:

So the Supersoul, Viśvātmā, He's one. But because we are different, therefore we are acting differently. The question may be raised that if Viśvātmā, the Supersoul, is one, why there are different activities? The different activities due to our will, our selection: "I want to act in this way." So He gives the facility. Just like somebody wants to drink, the government gives license for liquor shop. Now, it is not that everyone is drinking, but there is facility for the drunkards. Because the drunkards want to drink, so government gives facility: "All right. Here is a liquor shop. You drink." But as soon you commit some offense by drinking, you are arrested. So this arrest of the drunkard, is it the government's will or the person created such situation to be arrested? So in this way, the whole world is going on. Samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu na me dveṣyo 'sti na priyaḥ. Kṛṣṇa says, "I am equal to everyone. I don't..., I'm not envious of everyone, or anyone, or I am friendly to everyone." He's friendly, actually He's friendly. But people, they accuse Him: "Why God has created this distress? Why I am suffering?" You are suffering for your own fault. God created you to become happy. He's happy. You are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. You should be happy. But you don't accept the way of happiness. That is your fault.

Lecture on SB 1.5.9-11 -- New Vrindaban, June 6, 1969:

So he does not deny anybody. He has made books in such a way that any person reading books... Just like in a school there are different classes and different books are recommended for different classes. Similarly, Vyāsadeva has given the whole Vedic literature in such a nice way in the form of Purāṇas that any man can be elevated to the highest position, reading books like this. Take for example that one who is addicted to take intoxication, eating flesh, and sex life—because these are natural instincts. Loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā nityā hi jantor na hi tatra codanā. Nobody is required to give lesson, to teach. Nobody required to be taught how he has to make sexual intercourse. Nobody has to be taken, I mean, given lesson how he can become intoxicated. Don't you see that the intoxicants, intoxicated person, they have become automatically? There is no university. There is no educational system that "You become... Take LSD like this." No. That is a natural tendency. To become intoxicated, to take liquor, LSD, gāñjā, pān, oh, very easily you can learn.

Lecture on SB 1.5.9-11 -- New Vrindaban, June 6, 1969:

This analytical study, (chuckling) how Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is revolting, but... (laughter) But we must talk the real thing, (laughing) that this commentator Śrīdhara Svāmī, he has given very nice example: kāmināṁ rati-sthānam. As the lusty man finds pleasure in the vagina, similarly, this sort of literature, nonsense literature, are enjoyed by persons who are just like crows. Not, what is called, swan. Swan will not go to that place. They will search out some place where there is nice transparent water and lotus flower, lilies, and nice trees and good birds. They are taking enjoyment. So even if you see among the animal society, in the bird society there is discrimination, and if in the human society there is no such discrimination, what kind of civilization that is? A crows' civilization. Black crows' civilization. Simply trying to take pleasure in nonsensical clubs, in liquor shop, in so-called cinema. They are trying to take pleasure there.

Lecture on SB 1.5.14 -- New Vrindaban, June 18, 1969:

Sva-bhāva-raktasya mahān vyatikramaḥ. Sva-bhāva-raktasya means by nature. Just like Vedic scripture says, "By nature every living entity has a propensity for sex life, for intoxication." Loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā nityā hi jantoḥ. Jantoḥ means living entities. Nitya. So long he is in contact with this material world, he has got a natural propensity for sex life and intoxication. Vyavāya means sex life, and āmiṣa means meat-eating. Āmiṣa, meat-eating. Sex life, meat-eating, and madya-sevā. Madhya-sevā means intoxication, drinking liquor. It is not unnatural. To drink wine or liquor or to eat meat and to have free sex life, that is the desire of all conditioned souls. Therefore, sva-bhāva-raktasya, "by nature." Nobody is taught in the educational institution how to drink, or how to eat meat or how to enjoy sex life. Natural. That is natural. Sva-bhāva-raktasya. "And if these things you describe as dharma, as religious principles, then they are doomed."

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

That is not very difficult to understand. Just like in your Johannesburg there are so many people. Why not all of them come here? Some of them might have gone to the liquor shop; some of them might have gone to the hotels. So it is your option. The three qualities are there. Now it is up to you where to go. But if you know that by associating with the Kṛṣṇa conscious people you'll be benefited, get knowledge—then come here. And if you do not know—in ignorance—then go liquor shop, hotel, restaurant. So after all, we are part and parcel of God. God is fully independent, and we are minute part. The same example, that the spark is minute portion of the fire. It has got the burning capacity—not exactly like God, but it has got the godly power. There are so many examples.

Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Geneva, May 31, 1974:

That is the Indian system. Indian system, for meat-eaters, there is concession. Just like for sex life there is concession, similarly, for meat-eater also, there is concession. And for drunkards there is concession. Not impractical. Supposing one is drunkard, meat-eater, if I say all of a sudden, "Stop it," if he is not sober, he will not accept it. Just like in India there was prohibition. Gandhi, by his sentiment... There was no, I mean to say, education. He wanted to make all of a sudden stop. So there was illicit drinking. Illicit manufacture of wine increased so much that government saw that "We are losing the excise duty. These people are distilling illicit liquor." So now government, to save money, now they are manufacturing and inducing people, "All right, you go on drinking."

Lecture on SB 1.8.22 -- Los Angeles, April 14, 1973:

Because Kṛṣṇa says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya: "I am the taste of the liquid." Generally, liquid, water is taken. So liquor is also liquid. Liquor is bad because it creates intoxication. Otherwise, it is made from sugar, molasses, molasses with sulphuric acid fermented, so far I know. We were in the chemical line. Molasses fermented with sulphuric acid and then distilled. That is called spirit, or liquor. So thing is, nothing is bad, but because if a thing creates bad effects, then it is bad. Then it is bad. So I shall request even the drunkards... In your country, there are many drunkards. There is no scarcity. So if you'll kindly remember when drinking wine that this nice taste of drinking is Kṛṣṇa... Just begin with it. You'll come out one day a saintly person, Kṛṣṇa conscious. It's so nice, practical.

Lecture on SB 1.8.52 -- Los Angeles, May 14, 1973:

So here one of the most important points is surākṛtaṁ bhūta-hatyām. Surākṛtam means things becoming impure simply by touching liquor. Liquor is so impure. Just like you have got a very big pot of milk, but if you put one drop of wine in it, it becomes immediately impure. You can analyze chemically—immediately impure. That surā, liquor, has become our daily affair. We are so impure. And bhūta-hatyā, and killing of animals. The modern civilization means large-scale arrangement for killing animals and large-scale arrangement for distilling liquor, especially in the Western countries. And India is also now following. So this is the position of the world. What is being condemned by Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, that, those items at the present moment are being encouraged by the government. This is the difference between this government and Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's government. You can just imagine.

So the example is very nice. Yathā paṅkena paṅkāmbhaḥ. Muddy water, if you bring muddy water, if you want to cleanse it, precipitate, then you cannot add another lump of mud in it. No. You have to add something chemical. Just like alum. In muddy water if you put little alum chemical... Am I right, chemist?

Lecture on SB 1.8.52 -- Los Angeles, May 14, 1973:

There is no other way. And actually, we are seeing practically how by chanting this holy name of the Lord, Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, how nasty people are becoming purified, Vaiṣṇava, brāhmaṇa. Actually nasty. Now, here it is said that surākṛtam, a drop of wine makes the whole thing impure. And liquor drinking is our daily business. So the example is given that suppose here is one drop of wine, and the place has become impure. So if you bring another gallon of wine and just sweep over it, mop it with wine, that is not the process. You have to bring pure water and wash with it. Then it will purify. You cannot say that "Wine is also liquid. Why not cleanse it here by wine?" No.

So the Vedic conception is completely different. The... According to modern science, they put things into alcohol to sterilize. Is it not?

Lecture on SB 1.8.52 -- Los Angeles, May 14, 1973:

Without marriage, sex life (is) unrestricted. And as soon as it comes to the Vedic principles, it becomes restricted. So the idea is to restrict. People are accustomed to this habit, and on account of this habit, they gradually become implicated with the laws of material nature. Therefore there is some restriction. Just like anyone can distill liquor at home. It is not very difficult thing. Anyone can do it. In India they do it. It is called dheno-mada. Dheno-mada means... Mada means liquor, and dheno means from rice. Just like we cook rice, so you cook rice and keep it in water for a few days or for a month, it becomes liquor. It becomes liquor. So why government has restricted, "No, you cannot manufacture liquor; you have to purchase from the licensed shop." Why? That is restriction. If the government would have allowed that "You can distill liquor and drink it," then there was no limit. Everyone would have. There is no restriction.

Lecture on SB 1.10.2 -- Mayapura, June 17, 1973:

There are... It is said that ten thousand cows are being killed everyday, in the land were one cow was being attempted to be killed, immediately Mahārāja Parīkṣit took his sword, "Who are you?" In that land, now ten thousand cows are being killed every day. So you expect peace? You expect prosperity This is not possible. Therefore if some day Kṛṣṇa's representative takes the governmental power, then he will immediately stop all these slaughterhouses, all these brothels, all these liquor houses. Then there will be peace and prosperity. Bhūta-bhāvana, Kṛṣṇa will be pleased, "Here is My representative."

So there are so many things to understand from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, full knowledge, all knowledge, as it is required by the human society. So we have to study from all angles of vision, not simply by sentiment. This is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Lecture on SB 1.10.13 -- Mayapura, June 26, 1973:

So this is the process of restriction. Similarly those who are drunkards, for them is recommended by offering liquor to Caṇḍī, they can drink. Similarly, marriage is also like that. It is restriction. It is not prostitution. It is restriction. Pravṛttir eṣā bhūtānāṁ nivṛttis tu mahā-phalā. This is natural tendency. If you want, if one can stop it, that is called tapasya. And human life becomes perfect by tapasya.

tapasā brahmacaryeṇa

śamena ca damena ca

tyāgena satya-śaucābhyāṁ

yamena niyamena vā

(SB 6.1.13)

Lecture on SB 1.15.22-23 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1973:

I think this editing was wrong, "purified." What is called, fermented, petrified? Putrefied. So instead of "putrefied," it has been "purified." Editing. Yes, rice... They, in India still... Because in India still, no gentleman, brāhmaṇa, at least brāhmaṇas, those who are strictly following brāhmaṇa principles, they do not drink. Neither the kṣatriyas. Kṣatriyas, they are allowed to drink in some particular function. That is also very rarely. And vaiśyas, they do not drink. Śūdras, some of them. Those who are less than śūdras, they drink, and they make their own liquor at home. They boil the rice, and with water, they keep it for few days, it becomes fermented, putrefied, and it becomes intoxicating, home-made liquor. And if you distill it, then it becomes first-class, brandy. So it is not that liquor drinking was not existing. There was. But who drunk, that is stated here, that vipra-śāpa-vimūḍhānām, those who were cursed, vimūḍhānām. And being cursed, they were bewildered. Vipra-śāpa.

Lecture on SB 1.15.22-23 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1973:

The energy which was given to you to understand God, you are spoiling that energy in skyscraper building, but you will not be allowed to stay. This is nature's law.

But the rascals, they do not know because they are intoxicated already by the nature's law, māyā, and they are still being intoxicated, more drink liquor, more drink liquor, and go to hell.

Lecture on SB 1.15.38 -- Los Angeles, December 16, 1973:

Because all the laws are there. If the head of the state says, "No more meat-eating," all slaughterhouses will be closed. If the head of the state says, "No more intoxication," then all the cigarette factories and liquor factories will be closed. Is it not? Because... So therefore the head must be perfect. Then yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas tat tad evetaro janaḥ (BG 3.21). In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that "What the chief man beḥaves, others will follow." Therefore it is called leader, leader.

So you have read in Bhāgavatam about the reign of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, how perfect it was. That at that time the cows were supplying so much milk, the bag was packed with milk, that where the cows were moving milk was dropping, and the pasture ground became muddy with milk, so much milk was being supplied.

Lecture on SB 1.15.50 -- Los Angeles, December 27, 1973:

So these four things, primary necessities of the living entity, eating, sleeping, mating, it does not require any education. If there is education... People may say, "Why there is description how to eat, how to sleep, how to have sex life?" It is for decreasing. Just like... In your country it is different. At least in our country it was... Just like drinking. Drinking, you can manufacture wine, liquor at home. Anyone can do it. It is not very difficult. In India, the lower class of men, the sāṅotālas, so they make... They simply moist some rice overnight and boil it, and then ferment it for few days. Then it becomes nice wine. So it is not very difficult. Everyone can manufacture. But why the government restricts, "You cannot manufacture at home. You must purchase from the licensed shop"? The meaning is to restrict. Otherwise everyone will do that.

Lecture on SB 1.16.4 -- Los Angeles, January 1, 1974:

The Kali begins with this animal killing. That is Kali-yuga. Meat-eating. Therefore, to avoid the influence of Kali we have to give up this habit. The four things are Kali's disciple, friends. We have already discussed this. So one friend is this meat-eating problem, the butchers, Kali's friends. And the liquor distiller, he's also Kali's friend. And the gamblers or the gambling house maintainer. And prostitute house maintainer. These are friends of Kali. Now you will find all over the world these things are very prominent-clubs and butcherhouse and liquor house and gambling house. Therefore the whole atmosphere is Kali.

Lecture on SB 1.16.10 -- Los Angeles, January 7, 1974:

Now they are keeping chickens, everyone's roof. This is the advancement, Kali's advancement. And government is giving license, "Yes, you manufacture liquor." Because it is a great profit for government. I know. I had also license to keep in my medical business, this rectified spirit. Rectified spirit means pure alcohol, from which whiskey is made. Absolute alcohol. So I know that the cost of rectified spirit, distilled by the government, was one rupee per gallon. One rupee per gallon. But the same rectified spirit, when turned into liquor by some process, not any very difficult process, just making it coloring or flavoring... The real thing is the rectified spirit. The government would charge sixty rupees per gallon. The cost, it is one rupee. And they would sixty charge rupees. Because government knew it or know it that when a man becomes drunkard, he will drink at any cost. At any cost. Pramatta. Pramatta. Matta means mad, and pramatta means prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa matta. So people are already mad under the influence of this material nature, and our government, all over the world, encouraging that "You become more mad, more mad." This is their welfare activities.

Lecture on SB 1.16.20 -- Los Angeles, July 10, 1974:

Yes. So if we qualify ourself as Vaiṣṇava and devotee, then all other good qualities will automatically manifest in the body. That is the purpose of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that you accept this movement... For example... There are many examples. This is also one practical example. In your state the government has spent millions and millions of dollars to stop the intoxication habit, but it was failure. But as soon as the same person comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness camp, he immediately gives up. This is practical. And there cannot be any comparison of the qualities of our students with any religious institution or any school, college. You cannot have. Because they are devotee. As soon as you become devotee, all good qualities... Therefore if the government takes this movement seriously, they make everyone a devotee, then everything will be solved. There will be no need of criminal court or jail or... Everything will be finished. Or, what is called, liquor house and slaughterhouse and manufacturing cigarette and advertising them two sides of the road. Although (chuckles) it is written there it is dangerous, still it is highly advertised and people smoke. These contradiction things are going on on account of godlessness.

Lecture on SB 1.16.24 -- Hawaii, January 20, 1974:

Nirāmiṣa means fruits, vegetables, milks, food grains, sugar. These are nirāmiṣa. And eggs, fish, meat and so many other things, they are called āmiṣa. So āmiṣa. Āmiṣa means these things. Sevā, eating. And vyavāya. Vyavāya means sex life. Loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya, intoxication. It is not that Vedic civilization did not know how to eat meat and how to drink liquor. It is all known. But they are prohibited, "Don't eat." It is not that then they were unknown, now it is discovered by scientific advancement. Loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā nityā hi, nityāsti, asti, it is there. It is not that because one is not educated now to use sex life... Nobody requires education. It is automatical. But people are now very much advanced in understanding sex life. So many books, Freud philosophy, this philosophy. And after all, this is already there. What is the need of philosophy? Without your rascal philosophy, everyone knows how to use sex life. But they are thinking this is advancement. Nityā hi. It is already there. Who was speaking yesterday? Jayatīrtha. That his niece, seven years old, she is also dating. So this is already there.

Lecture on SB 1.16.24 -- Hawaii, January 20, 1974:

So to increase it no credit. To decrease it is credit. That is credit. Nityā hi jantoḥ. It is already there. Pravṛttir eṣā bhūtānām. Bhūtānām means "of all living entities." Amongst the ants, they are very intoxicant. Therefore they find out sugar. The all kinds of liquor preparation is made from sugar. You know that? Sugar is fermented with acid and then distilled. It becomes liquor. And the ants are very much fond of sugar. You keep up one piece of sugar candy. Then the news will be immediately spread, and all the ant class will go there: "Here it is, sugar, yes. Gold rush." (laughter) You see? So every living entity has got a tendency for certain class of thing, especially sex and eating nonvegetarian things. If you eat vegetarian fruits and flowers and grains, you'll not eat more than you require. That is nature.

Lecture on SB 2.3.22 -- Los Angeles, June 19, 1972:

When you live in a city, in a town, then you live in passion. And when you live in a liquor shop, in a brothel or Bowery street, then it is living in ignorance. There are three kinds of living. Everything, three kinds. Sattva, rajas, tamas, goodness, passion ... But if you live in temple, you live in Vaikuṇṭha. Above goodness. So all of you should be very careful that you may not fall down again from the Vaikuṇṭha place. That should be your first business, that you have been given opportunity to live in Vaikuṇṭha, but don't fall down again. Either you fall down on goodness, passion... That is material. They go to forest for meditation, but that is goodness, material goodness. But one who lives in temple, he's not concerned with material goodness, passion, or ignorance. He lives in Vaikuṇṭha. In this age it is not possible. You can imagine that "Now I shall go to Himalaya and forest and practice meditation." They're all bogus; you cannot do that. That is not possible.

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

The same example can be given. Just like when government opens liquor shop it is not encouragement. It is restriction. You cannot have liquor manufactured by yourself anywhere, everywhere; otherwise it will increase more and more. So you have to pay heavy tax and purchase. And there are so many other rules and regulations. So this is restriction. When there is liquor shop licensed by the government, it does not mean it is encouragement. At least that is the philosophy. It is restriction. So all these facilities given sometimes in the śāstras or by the government for drinking or for intoxication or for sex or for gambling, that is restricted. Gambling, kṣatriyas, they can gamble.

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

They are called dharma-śāstra, the regulative principles. There are twenty kinds of dharma-śāstra, just to regulate because every one of us come to enjoy this world. Just like government rules and regulation. Suppose you are selling liquor. The thing is bad, but because people want it, government gives license that you can sell for the drunkard but under these rules and regulations, not freely. Similarly, the living entities, all the conditioned souls who have come here in this material world, their real purpose is how to enjoy this material world. They have no other purpose. Because a living entity is not enjoyer, he is servitor. But when he wants to enjoy, he is sent into this material world. Kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva bhoga vañcha kare. Because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, our only duty is to serve Kṛṣṇa.

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

Drinking is not good. Nobody supports. But when a drunkard is persistent to drink, the government gives him some concession, "All right, this man will die without drinking. All right. You can take your liquor from that shop, licensed shop, and you can purchase under such a condition, 'You do not do this, do not do this,' " there are so many regulations. But there is no such restriction for eating rice or dahl, because that is not bad. The bad thing... Just like slaughterhouse. Slaughterhouse is not open to the public. It is done in a secret place so that people may not see. It is ghastly. So anything bad, that is licensed, licensed. Just like sex life. Sex life is also not very good thing. Therefore, the license is marriage. If you want to enjoy sex life, all right, take this license, marriage, not beyond that. Then you will be criminal.

Lecture on SB 5.5.4 -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1976:

Still you have to work hard. You are pulling on thela? That is not sufficient. You have to still..." "What I can do more?" This is going on. This is material civilization, Mad. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). And what for they're doing? Yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti. The aim is how to satisfy senses. Eat, drink, be merry and enjoy. That's all. I get money, go to the restaurant, go to the liquor house, go to the prostitute house, and nightclub, and so on, so on, so on. Because they have no other business. They do not know anything more than that. Indriya-prītaya. A little sense gratification.

Lecture on SB 5.5.6 -- Vrndavana, October 28, 1976:

So therefore we sometimes see that these Americans, they are so fortunate they are born in a country where there is no poverty, there is no scarcity. But still, because the leaders are rascals, they have arranged for meat-eating, illicit sex, intoxication, and gambling. Advertise. Advertise naked woman and, what is called, beefeaters, and liquor. This is going on. Advertise cigarettes, just to pull them down again. Go to hell. Punar mūṣika bhava. They do not know what dangerous civilization this is dragging them. Therefore sometimes some saner section of the old men, they come to me, they offer their thanks: "Swamiji, it is a great fortune that you have come to our country." They acknowledge. Yes, that's a fact. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is a great fortunate movement. And especially in the Western countries, that's a fact.

Lecture on SB 6.1.18 -- Denver, July 1, 1975:

So here is one significant word, surā-kumbham. Everything is washed very nicely. If you go to the river, you can wash very nicely. But just see how much infectious is liquor that the any pot or any bottle which was filled up with liquor, they cannot be purified. This is Vedic civilization. How much condemned is liquor! Because a pot was filled up with liquor, you cannot use it for any other purpose. It is lost. Even if you wash it very nicely, no, it will not be accepted. Finished. Similarly, there are many processes of purification; they cannot be as useful as bhagavad-bhakti. Bhagavad-bhakti is so nice that Kṛṣṇa says that "You surrender to Me," sarva-dharmān parityajya, "and immediately you become immune from all reaction of sinful activity, immediately."

Lecture on SB 6.1.18 -- Denver, July 1, 1975:

So there are different varieties of religious system, but if you execute your particular type of religious system very perfectly but the result, if you do not become attached to Kṛṣṇa, your love for Kṛṣṇa is not awakened, then simply by performing such ritualistic ceremony or rules and regulation of your religious system, if you do not become develop yourself to love God, then it is all useless waste of time. It has no meaning. That is the test, how to become, how to advance in loving service of the Lord. That is the... Then you are religious, you are philosopher, you are great man, you are everything. Otherwise, if you do not awaken your dormant love for Kṛṣṇa, or God, then all such labor is useless. Śrama eva hi kevalam. Dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ, notpādayed yadi (SB 1.2.8). By performing religious ceremonies or following the religious principle, the test is how one has become advanced in the loving service of the Lord. This is required. And his example is very strong, that surā-kumbham ivāpagāḥ. Surā-kumbha, the pot which contained liquor, it cannot be purified. Therefore it is so strictly prohibited about liquor.

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

There are... We have got description. There are many planets. They are simply thousands and millions of miles only gold, thousands and millions of miles only copper. We have got this description from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. There are oceans of milk, oceans of liquor, oceans of oil, oceans of yogurt. These things are there. What information you have got? You do not know fully what is the material nature. Therefore we do not believe that these men went to the moon planet. We have got different description of the moon planet. The moon planet is situated 1,600,000's of miles above the sun.

Lecture on SB 6.1.44 -- Los Angeles, July 25, 1975:

Therefore this movement should be encouraged. Especially I request my students that you push on this movement. Your country is very good. Let them become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Then everything will be bhadrāṇi, all auspicious, bhadrāṇi. Otherwise your so-called big, big motorcars will create abhadrāṇi, viparītāni. We don't discourage you to construct big, big cars, but it should be used for the kīrtana party to go to village to village, not to go to the brothels and liquor shop. Then you are ruined. You can use it, all the facilities. The microphone should be used for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness, not talking nonsense. This should be this... Everything is good, provided it is used for good purpose. Nirbandhe kṛṣṇa sambandhe yukta vairāgyam ucyate. We are not such foolish person that "This is material, this microphone. We shall not touch it." No, we are not so fool. We are intelligent enough how to use it. That's all.

Lecture on SB 6.1.44 -- Los Angeles, June 10, 1976:

This guṇa-saṅga... Why one is in the lowest grade, and why... There are three grades generally, and if you mix it, it becomes eighty-one. Three into three equal to nine; nine into nine, eighty-one. Therefore we have got so many species of life, 8,400,000. So how it is possible? Now, guṇa-saṅgo 'sti. In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is... Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22). Why there are different varieties of life, so many, 8,400,000? Now, what is the reason? Kāraṇam... Kāraṇam means reason, the cause. Guṇa-saṅga. Guṇa-saṅga. Now, here is temple, and a few yards after this temple there may be a brothel, there may be liquor house. So somebody is coming here, and somebody is going there. So what is the reason? Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṇgo 'sti. One is attached to sattva-guṇa; one is attached to rajo-guṇa; one is attached... But everyone is working, and that working must be under the influence of one of these three qualities: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa.

Lecture on SB 6.1.44 -- Los Angeles, June 10, 1976:

Everyone, so many swamis and yogis, come in this country. So they advertise in India that they went out of India for preaching Vedānta. But being influenced, what Vedānta they learned? When they returned to India, they have learned how to entice women and how to eat meat. This is their Vedānta. Because kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya. If you are not strong enough, then association will induce or influence. If you are not a Vaiṣṇava, then if you go in a brothel or a liquor house, then you will be influenced by the drunkards and prostitute-hunters. But if you are strong enough, then you will... The effect you will give your effect of association; they will be Vaiṣṇavas. That is the difference.

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

So these are all due to different infection of the guṇa. Tamo-guṇa means shameless, tamo-guṇa. Rajo-guṇa means lusty desire. And sattva-guṇa means knowledge, to see things as they are. So just like here in the temple, we are cultivating sattva-guṇa, or more than that, above sattva-guṇa. Above sattva-guṇa. It is said in the śāstra that to live in the forest is sattva-guṇa. Sattva-guṇa, people have got tendency to live in a secluded place, solitary place, without any disturbance. That is sign of sattva-guṇa. And to live in the cities, big, big cities, skyscraper building, this is rajo-guṇa. And to live in the brothel, in the liquor shop, in the slaughterhouse, this is tamo-guṇa. Sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. But to live in the temple is transcendental.

Lecture on SB 6.1.56-62 -- Surat, January 3, 1971, at Adubhai Patel's House:

Rectified spirits, you know, doctor may know, this is made from molasses. Because we were in the chemical line we know. So here it is also said that spirit made, liquor made, whiskey made from madhu... Pītvā ca madhu-maireyam. Maireyam. Another process of manufacturing wine is, from a flower, is called mahuyā, mahuyā flower. Perhaps you know. The jungle people, the kirātas, they take this mahuyā flower from the jungle, and they soak it in water, and when it is fermented, it becomes wine. So such kind of... Everything is there. If anyone wants to manufacture wine, that is also there in Bhāgavata. You see? (laughter) Because it is perfect knowledge, all knowledge you can get.

Lecture on SB 6.1.64-65 -- Vrndavana, September 1, 1975:

So grāmya-kathā should be avoided. The temple is specially meant for Kṛṣṇa-kathā. Here there is no other business than Kṛṣṇa. Therefore a temple is always transcendental, nirguṇa. Nirguṇa. If you live in the forest, that is sattva-guṇa. If you live in the city, that is rajo-guṇa. And if you live in the brothel or liquor house or gambling house, that is tamo-guṇa. But if you live in the temple, that is nirguṇa. Traiguṇya-viṣaya-vedā nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna. This is advice of Kṛṣṇa. The whole world is complicated with the three modes of material nature, and you have to become above this material nature. Nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna. So nistraiguṇya, how you can become? Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). Who... (end)

Lecture on SB 6.1.67 -- Vrndavana, September 3, 1975:

So this man, Ajāmila, by his association with the prostitute, he degraded. Therefore it is the duty of the guardians, of the government, of the father, to protect the civilization from degradation. But nobody cares for that. Therefore, at the present moment, everything is chaotic. They are degraded. Prostitution is allowed freely, bad association, and they are encouraging by opening liquor shop, brothel, restaurant, meat-eating. So how you can expect a very nice civilization? That is not possible. We are suffering the consequence of our own degraded life. So how we can protect ourself from degradation? The śāstra is there. Śāstra, the scriptures, are there. Never mind whatever scriptures you have got—Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Buddha, or any. Every religion has got scripture. Just like the Christians have got Bible, the Muslims have got Koran, and Hindus, they have got Vedas. They should abide by the injunction of the śāstra. Lord Kṛṣṇa also recommends that you must follow the sastric injunction.

Lecture on SB 6.2.4 -- Vrndavana, September 8, 1975:

You must give me a place." Then he gave him the places—striyaḥ sūnā pānaṁ dyūtaṁ yatra pāpas catur-vidhaḥ: "You can remain in four places. Where illicit sex is indulged, prostitution, you can remain there; and sūnā," means unnecessary killing animals, slaughterhouse, "you can remain there. And brothel and liquorhouse, striyaḥ sūnā pāna, where intoxication is indulged, you can remain there. And gambling." Pāna dyūta (SB 1.17.38). Dyūta means gambling. "You can remain in these places." So it was very difficult for Kali to find out such place because Mahārāja Parīkṣit's time the kingdom was so nice that there was no brothel, no slaughterhouse, no liquor shop and no gambling club. This is rājarṣi. So you could not find. Therefore Kali made a conspiracy how to get out Mahārāja Parīkṣit so that he could spread his influence. So long Mahārāja Parīkṣit was there, there was no influence of Kali-yuga. So after all, the age has come. It is ordained. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja was cursed by a brāhmaṇa to die within seven days, and after his death the Kali-yuga spreaded its influence. And now, by the advancement of ages, you will find these four places in every home. This is Illicit sex, and intoxication, gambling and meat-eating—this is Kali-yuga.

Lecture on SB 7.5.30 -- Mauritius, October 2, 1975:

When one becomes very much addicted to sense gratification... The symptoms are very prominent in this age. Everyone is working very hard simply for sense gratification. And as soon as you take this life of sense gratification, you are sure to commit sinful activities. For example, throughout the whole world there are so many breweries manufacturing liquor. Especially in the Western countries you will find so many, the advertisement, liquor advertisement, whiskey advertisement, cigarette advertisement. And what to speak of slaughterhouse? There are many, many hundreds and thousands of slaughterhouse. And innocent animals are being killed all over the world unnecessarily. People can live with food grains. That is allowed for the all living entities.

Lecture on SB 7.6.3 -- Toronto, June 19, 1976:

That is kāraṇam. What is the..., why there are differences? Kāraṇaṁ guṇa saṅgo 'sya. The kāraṇa, the reason is because we are associated with a particular type of modes of nature. Just like a person, at this time he'll be pleased to come here to understand this Bhāgavata-dharma. At the same time, another person will be pleased to go to a brothel or to a liquor shop. Why? The kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya. The reason is that he's interested with the particular modes of nature. So Bhāgavata-dharma means, even one is in the most lower stage of association, he can be raised to the highest stage. That is called bhāgavata-dharma.

Lecture on SB 7.6.6 -- Vrndavana, December 8, 1975:

So śāstra never encouraging this, but those who are in the tamo-guṇa, in the darkness, just to raise them gradually to the sattva-guṇa, some concession is given. Just like government. Government opens liquor shop. The liquor shop is opened not to encourage. Nowadays, of course, the situation is different. But the fact is that if the government does not open liquor shop, these rascals will distill liquor every home. Therefore government gives some concession. These are concession. These are not required at all. For human being they are not required. Therefore we restrict, "No intoxication, no meat-eating..." It is not required. Simply we are habituated to indulge in these sinful activities. They are not required. To speak frankly, there is no necessity even for marrying. There is no necessity. If one can remain a brahmacārī all through, that is a great benefit. Great benefit. Yan-maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham. What is the benefit? It is increasing botheration. But they are trying to get out of botheration.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.113 -- London, July 23, 1976:

(indistinct) full of living entities, and the moon planet there is no living entity. They are doubting also in the Mars planet. But we get information from the śāstra that every planet is full of living entities. Every planet. Janakīrṇa. This very word is said in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, janakīrṇa, and there is vivid description of different planets and different types of oceans, just like milk ocean. We have got here examples, sweet water and salted water. So there is sweet ocean also. That is mentioned in the śāstra. Not that in this planet there is salted ocean and... There are other planets where there is sweet water ocean and milk ocean and liquor ocean and oil ocean, ghee ocean, butter ocean, milk, butter ocean, and so many different types.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.313-317 -- New York, December 21, 1966:

Nirguṇo bhavet. The liberation from material bondage is called nirguṇa. Nirguṇa means the three qualities, three modes of material nature, is nullified. As soon as we are transcendental to the three modes of material nature, that is called liberation. So just like there is injunction in the Vedic literature: to live in the city is rājasika; to live in the forest is sattvika, goodness. Sattvika quality means to live in goodness is to live in a forest. Therefore formerly, all the sages and saints, they used to live in a forest. Still there are many transcendentalists, they live in the forest, because forest is considered to be situation in goodness. Similarly, those who live in cities and villages, in society, human society, that is rājasika. And those who live in the liquor shop and similar, gambling shop and other, they are called tamasika.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.318-329 -- New York, December 22, 1966:

So unless one becomes very much pessimistic of this material world... Actually, they are, but they want to forget. Somebody is trying to forget it by liquor. Somebody is trying to forget by LSD, and somebody is marijuana, or gañja. But that forgetfulness will not save you. You have to actually forget it, that "This is a condemned place," and you cannot forget this unless you have got ideal place before you. Therefore this śruti-pramāṇa, the Vedic knowledge, will give you: "Here is your ideal place, Kṛṣṇa. Come back to Kṛṣṇa. Try for it. Try your best for this." That is the life. That is human life. And unless one is not conscious to this platform, he is defeated. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jātaḥ. We are born ignorant. And if we are educated more, more, more into the platform of ignorance, then our life is all defeat, parābhava. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 10 -- Los Angeles, May 15, 1970:

When we become angry, we forget. We do any nonsense due to the agitation of anger. When we speak in anger, we speak so many nonsense things. Vāco-vegaṁ krodha-vegaṁ manasa-vegaṁ jihvā-vegam. Jihvā-vegam, agitation of the jihvā, tongue. Don't you see? For the agitation of the tongue so many advertisement: "Oh, here is this liquor," "Here is this chicken," "Here is this beef." What for? To satisfy the agitation of the tongue. Does it mean that without beef, without chicken, without liquor, we cannot live? Is it a fact? It is not a fact. For living, we have got so many nice things. God has, Kṛṣṇa has given-īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1)—for human being. You can take these grains, these fruits, the nice things, the milk. The milk is produced hugely. It is not for the cow itself, who is producing the milk; it is for human being. Tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā. That is the allotment.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

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

This place is meant for giving you troubles and miseries. Kṛṣṇa says, the Creator says, duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15), this is a place simply for suffering and that also temporary. You cannot make an agreement, "All right, let me suffer the three-fold miseries, I will stay here." That also will not be allowed. You cannot stay. You cannot stay. You will be kicked out. You make your good bank balance, skyscraper house, and wife, children, cigarette, wine, liquor, I am living very peaceful. That's all right, but one day comes, please get out. (laughter) "Why? It is my house, I have got bank balance, I have got everything, I have got factory, why shall I get out?" "Yes, you get out. Don't talk, get out." (laughter) That day he sees God. "I did not believe in God, now here is God, making everything finished." Everything finished. Sarva-haraś cāham, Kṛṣṇa says, that "I am God for the demons when I take away everything from them at the time of death." "You do not believe God, all right, here I am. Today I am here. I have come to you to take away everything, whatever you have got. Now get out!" They will see God on that day.

Festival Lectures

Lecture-Day after Sri Gaura-Purnima -- Hawaii, March 5, 1969:

They'll repeatedly break it. Therefore, "All right, you go there and do whatever you like." That is not government's intention, that people go there and indulge in unrestricted gambling and there... That Mr. Bhaṭṭācārya told me that sometimes some rich man goes there with all his wealth and stake it, and when he's lost, he fires himself, and the gambling managers puts him down and throws him in the... There is no law for such killing or such homicide or anything. Do whatever you like. You see? So there is a class of men. Just like a liquor shop. Liquor shop is licensed by the government. Does it mean the government is encouraging, that "You become drunkard"? But government is giving this license because there is a class of men who must drink, and they will violate all... Say, "All right. Let them have it."

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Bombay, December 22, 1975:

So pravṛtti we have got, just like we have got tendency-cent percent person has it at the present moment—to smoke. This is pravṛtti. But we say don't smoke, nivṛtti. And if we drink, that is pravṛtti. Everyone, even the ant, he is also drunkard. They have scientifically studied, the ants are very much fond of intoxication; therefore they eat sugar. In sugar there is liquor, so the... Loke bhāvāya nisamadhya sevā nityasta yanto. Every living entity has got this tendency, bhāvāya. Bhāvāya means sex life; amīṣa, meat-eating; and mada, liquor. Natural tendency. Therefore the country where these things are indulged without any restriction, that is asura, the country of the asura. So especially in the Western countries, and now we have also learned. In India, either Hindus or Musselman, drinking was a sin. Now we have got very easily available liquor. Every door there is shop, and every door there is meat shop. So India, there was time that they were all devatās; now we are imitating the asuras. On the other hand, the boys and girls from the asuric country, they are becoming the devotee, devatā. So there is no exclusive right for a country to become devatā or demon. A demon can be turned into the devatā and devatā can be turned into demon, provided he does not follow this pravṛtti and nivṛtti, what is pravṛtti-mārga. Pravṛtti-sambhūtānāṁ nivṛtti tu mahābalam. That is life. "I want to smoke; I have got tendency to smoke," pravṛtti. This is pravṛtti; everyone has got. But if you can stop it, then your life is successful. Nivṛtti.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Address -- Paris, August 11, 1975:

So now by the grace of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, this movement has come to your country, and especially in a nice village like this, utilize it properly. It is a very ideal place. Not only this, there are many thousands of places like this. People should take advantage to live in such nice place, produce their necessities of life, and keep them fit and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and realize self. We don't say that you starve or become weak in health or weak in intelligence. No. You remain quite fit in intelligence and health, but don't be unnecessarily in need. The difficulty of the modern educated person is... Not educated, but so-called educated, they are attracted in the city for so many things unnecessary. Just like the club, the restaurant, the liquor and the cigarette, so many things. But if your attention is diverted to Kṛṣṇa, you will not feel inclined to enjoy all these unnecessary things. That is the test of spiritual life, that bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). Bhakti, advancement of devotional life, means no more taste for all these nonsense. That is the test.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation Lecture -- Hamburg, August 27, 1969:

So my request to you all who are going to be initiated, that you keep always yourself in contact with this chanting and that will make you, I mean to say, able to be always purified, śuci. Material contamination cannot... And you avoid these four principles: illicit sex life, meat-eating, intoxication of all descriptions. Intoxication does not mean simply liquor. Intoxication means even tea-drinking. Tea is also intoxication, in slight degree. Tea, coffee, cigarettes—everything should be avoided. In India they chew pan. So these things are to be give up, intoxication group, and meat-eating group. Then you make very quickly progress, and by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). After leaving this body, one hasn't got to take another material body and suffer. So long we have got this material body, we have to suffer the material pangs. There cannot be any adjustment. So if anyone is serious for ending all troubles... Everyone wants to live peacefully and happily.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Seattle, October 11, 1968:

That is the test. Pareśānubhava. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhava. Just like if you're cured, then there is no fever. The temperature is at the normal point. And if you say, "I am cured. I am taking medicine, and still, my temperature is 105," that is not possible. So advancement in self-realization means purification from material contamination. That is real advancement. This is practical. Now, how practical it is? In your country, smoking, drinking, taking tea, and keeping boyfriend, girlfriend, liquor, meat-eating, they are common affairs. How they have avoided all these things, within very short time? None of them are associating with me more than one year, and just see their character. It is so practical. You cannot induce them even to smoke. We don't say that you go on with all nonsense, at the same time you become spiritually advanced. We don't talk all this nonsense. There must be practical exhibition that one is advanced in spiritual consciousness.

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

No, the universe, this material world, is created by God. That's a fact. But if the question is that whether God has created this body for suffering in this material world, that is not God's creation; that is our creation. Just like the government creates the prison house. That does not mean that government wants that somebody should be criminals and fill up this prison house. It is a freedom to the citizens. Government creates university also, or government creates prison house also. But it is your freedom. You make your choice: either you go to the university or you go to the prison house. It is your choice. Just like government opens some liquor shop, gives license. That does not mean that government is encouraging drinking. The liquor shop is there. Those who are drunkards, they can go. That's a facility. That's all. Otherwise, that is not encouragement. Similarly, the... When God created this material world... I think in your Bible also it is said that the Adam and Eve, the forbidden apple... That means He made some rules and regulations, "Do this; do not this." And if you do this, what is not sanctioned, then you suffer.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson:

Prabhupāda: Just like we say "No illicit sex." So if the state helps, it can stop immediately. "No meat-eating": the state can immediately do it, "No slaughterhouse." If somebody says that it is enforcement for a person who wants to eat meat and the state has stopped, no. State at least can do this, that state is not going to maintain slaughterhouse. If you want to eat meat, you can kill an animal at your own house, but state is not going to commit these sinful activities, statewise. That is changed in every respect. No more breweries. State cannot maintain the manufacturing of liquor. If anyone individual wants, he can prepare for himself, but he cannot sell, he cannot induce others to take. He can for his personal (indistinct), he can take. In that case, state is giving liberty, "If you want eating meat, so do." But that is not encouragement; that is discouragement. That is Vedic injunction. Vedic injunction is that yes, you can have sex, but get yourself married properly like gentlemen and ladies do. But sex will not be allowed unrestricted intermingling of men and women and prostitution, brothels. That state has to stop. In this way whole thing can be revolutionized, and the society will be completely in human civilization and God consciousness. That is wanted.

Philosophy Discussion on Jeremy Bentham:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Just like Kṛṣṇa's happiness, there was no prevention. So that is real happiness. Prevention means material, limited. Just like drinking liquor. There is prevention also. There are no-alcoholic beer. You have seen the signboard? That is prevention.

Philosophy Discussion on William James:

Prabhupāda: There is no difference. Similarly the hog eats the stool with great eagerness. You pass stool, and the hog is waiting. As soon as you stand up, two or three hogs, "ruh, ruh, ruh," like this. (laughter) You see? So the happiness of eating stool and the happiness of eating halavā are the same. You see? It depends on the different tongues. Therefore a man, a drunkard, he, by his drinking liquor, it is tasting so nice. But at least for me, if you give me drop of liquor, it is so pungent, because I tasted rectified spirit when I was in medical practice, you see. It is so pungent, so... Just like burns the tongue. You see? So one man's food is another man's poison. That is all. But actually, in this material world this standard of happiness is equal. It is simply, this is called māyā, that he does not know that he is working so hard, but he is thinking that "I am becoming happy."

Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:

Prabhupāda: Psychologically everyone has this tendency. Then why is it mentioned in the śāstras in this way? The whole thing is to restrict. Just like ordinarily in the state drinking liquor is also controlled by the excise department of the government. The government opens drinking shops, but the price is enhanced. I know because I was dealing in rectified spirits, so because we are preparing medicine we are getting opium, rectified spirits, gañja, very cheaply. One smuggler came to me and said that "You give me your license, you take one thousand rupees. I will manage." So I told him that when I would be arrested, because after I would be arrested, then the government would ask me that "We have given you the license as a respectable gentleman, and you are doing this," then what shall I reply? So this restriction is that liquor... Wine is made from rectified spirits, brandy, whiskey, everything; I know all the formulas, how to make them.

Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:

Prabhupāda: When the government opens a liquor shop, it does not mean that all of you become drunkards. It is not an advertisement. Similarly, when śāstras give the permission that "You can have sex life by marriage," or "You can eat meat by offering the goat to goddess Kālī," or "You can drink by offering worship to Caṇḍī," it is restricted. Nobody can worship Caṇḍī daily. Nobody can worship Kālī daily. There is also fixed date... Kālī worship can be performed on (indistinct). The (indistinct) comes once a month. So that means restricted. One can eat meat once in a month. But the restriction is not there for eating rice, dahl, ghee, fruit or milk. There is no such restriction. But whenever there is a question of liquor, meat-eating and sex, immediately there is śāstra injunction that "You can do this under certain conditions." That means the whole idea is to restrict.

Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:

Prabhupāda: Liquor, that's all. And what they are drinking on the road? You did not see?