One after another (Lectures, BG)

Expressions researched:
"one after another" |"one after the other"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG Introduction -- New York, February 19-20, 1966:

The idea is the Lord said to Arjuna that "This yoga, this system of yoga, Bhagavad-gītā, was first spoken by Me to the sun-god and the sun-god explained to Manu. Manu explained to Ikṣvāku, and in that way, by disciplic succession, one after another, this yoga system is coming, and in course of time this system is now lost. And therefore, I am speaking to you the very same yoga system again, the very same old yoga system of Bhagavad-gītā, or Gītopaniṣad. Because you are My devotee and you are My friend, therefore it is possible for you only to understand."

Now the purport is that Bhagavad-gītā is a treatise which is specially meant for the devotee of the Lord. There are three classes of transcendentalists, namely the jñānī, the yogī and the bhakta. Or the impersonalist or the meditator or the devotees. So here it is clearly mentioned, the Lord says to Arjuna that "I am speaking or I am making you the first man of the paramparā. Because the old paramparā or disciplic succession is now broken, therefore I wish to establish again another paramparā in the same line of thought as it was coming down from the sun-god to others. So you, you take it and you distribute it. Or the system, the yoga system of Bhagavad-gītā may now be distributed through you. You become the authority of understanding Bhagavad-gītā." Now here is a direction that Bhagavad-gītā is especially instructed to Arjuna, the devotee of the Lord, the direct student of Kṛṣṇa. And not only that, he is intimately in touch with Kṛṣṇa as friend. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā is understood by a person who has similar qualities like Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 1.6-7 -- London, July 11, 1973:

Therefore upayan cintayet prajña apayan ca cintayet. Darker side also should be thought of. That is intelligence. Just like they are doing. After calculating the darker side—enemy means darker side—they can defeat me at any moment. That is darker side.

So after calculating their strength, then Duryodhana is speaking about his own strength, asmākaṁ tu viśiṣṭā ye. Viśiṣṭā, not to speak of the ordinary soldiers. They're viśiṣṭā. Viśiṣṭā means who are specifically to be mentioned, high officers. Asmākaṁ tu viśiṣṭā ye tān nibodha dvijottama (BG 1.7). He was in commander-in-chief. For eighteen days there was fight, and one after another, a commander-in-chief was killed. And sixty-four crores of men were killed in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. And the battle was finished within eighteen days, not lingering for some years. No. Fight to the best capacity and finish the business.

So everyone, both the sides, Pāṇḍava's side and Kaurava's side, all were killed. This Saubhadra, Draupadeya, everyone was killed. And the other side also. Only the five brothers they remained, and the one grandchild who was in the womb of the mother, he remained. Otherwise everyone was finished within eighteen days. Such a great fight it was. And people from all parts of the world, they joined the Battle of Kurukṣetra.

Lecture on BG 1.24-25 -- London, July 20, 1973:

That Govinda, ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhiḥ: "He is always in the spiritual world, which is ānanda-cinmaya-rasa." Not this kind of ānanda-cinmayānanda, spiritual bliss. Spiritual bliss means it is continually going on; still, nobody is fed up. Here you can accept any ānanda in this material world, so many things. It cannot go on very long time. Suppose if I give you rasagullā, one rasagullā, you can take: "Oh, very nice." Another, "Very nice." Another, "Nice." Then next four or five, "No, I do not want." Finished. Similarly, any ānanda you can take. Sex life. It cannot be continued. Finished. So try to understand what is cinmayānanda. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhā... It, they'll never ends. It goes, nava-nava-yauvana, one after another, new, new, new, new. Just try to understand what is spiritual bliss. You do not... The sahajiyās, they accept this material bliss as spiritual bliss. That is called sahajiyā. Don't be sahajiyās. Try to understand according to śāstra.

So Kṛṣṇa is described, this how He becomes Hṛṣīkeśa, that goloka eva nivasati. He is enjoying with His associates, the cowherds boys, the gopīs, in goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni. He is enjoying there. At the same time, He is within your heart. This is Kṛṣṇa, Hṛṣīkeśa. He's come simultaneously, not only within your heart, within the atom.

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

So he was not given the opportunity to gain Draupadi. But if he was given the opportunity, he would have come out victorious. So now Karṇa took this opportunity. When Draupadi was lost in the game, so he immediately... Karṇa was Duryodhana's friend. He immediately advised, "Now she is our property. We can do whatever we like with. Arjuna has lost his wife." So he advised that "Make her naked in this assembly." To become naked in the, so many people, that is a great insult for woman. So actually, they tried to insult. Not tried, it was fact. But Kṛṣṇa saved. You know, Draupadi's vastra-haraṇa. She was tried to become naked, but these people could not make her naked. The sārī was supplied by Kṛṣṇa, one after another, one after another, heaps of sārī. Then they become fed up, gave up that business, that "She cannot be made naked."

So they were actually ātatāyinaḥ. Because ātatāyinaḥ means one who comes to kidnap your wife, insults your wife. You should immediately kill. Just like Lord Rāmacandra. He was so pious king, but when it so happened that his wife, Sītā, was insulted... Sītā was taken away by Rāvaṇa. Lord Rāmacandra could marry hundreds and thousands of Sītās. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He could create Sītā, Rādhārāṇī, Lakṣmī. They are the pleasure potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot have a material wife or material companion. Kṛṣṇa's Rādhārāṇī or Lord Rāmacandra's Sītādevī, Nārāyaṇa's Lakṣmīdevī, they are pleasure potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Rādhā-kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vṛkitir āhlādinī-śaktir asmāt. Āhlādinī-śakti. Kṛṣṇa, God, has got many potencies. One of the potencies is called āhlādinī-śakti, pleasure potency. So Kṛṣṇa's consort, Lord Rāmacandra's consort, they are pleasure potency, exhibited. So to show the example, Lord Rāmacandra, because Sītā was kidnapped, Sītā was insulted, or Rāmacandra was insulted, the retaliation was Lord Rāmacandra killed not only Rāvaṇa, but the whole dynasty, finished. Only for one woman. He could create so many. No. Because ātatāyinaḥ, aggressed over. Just to teach people that anyone, if he is aggressor, he must be killed. This is the position.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- Hyderabad, December 12, 1976:

The other day I was speaking. I saw one gentleman, Indian gentleman. He was eating the intestines of hog in the airplane. That is very palatable, they say. Tamo-guṇa, most tamo-guṇa. Hog, the stool-eater, and its intestine, that is cooked, and he's eating. How much tamo-guṇa. Jaghanya. Jaghanya guṇa-vṛtti, very abominable. So next life he is going to be a hog. This is going on. We are in this material nature. Puruṣaḥ prakṛti-stho hi bhuṅkte prakṛti-jān guṇān (BG 13.22). We are in this material world according to our association with different modes of nature. We are making one type of mentality, and at the time of death, that mental position is responsible for carrying me in a different type of body. In this way we are changing body one after another.

So we are spirit soul. This is the chance of rectifying or purifying our existence. If we like, we can purify our existence in this human form of life. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to purify the existence, and after death, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). If you become perfect in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, means you understand Kṛṣṇa... Janma karma ca me divyaṁ yo jānāti (BG 4.9). Simply by understanding and acting accordingly, you can purify your existence, and next life means after giving up this body... This body we have to give up. But those who are not purifying their existence, they will accept another material body. And those who have purified the existence, they will go back home, back to Godhead. Thank you very much. (end)

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- New York, March 11, 1966:

Just like if you have seen some, some your friend's child small, and after five years, you go to that friend's house and see the child: "Oh, you have grown so big? You have grown so big." But the father, mother cannot see. Because they are seeing daily, they do not see that "How my child is growing, daily," but a man who comes all of a sudden after five years, he says, "Oh, the child is grown up." So imperceptibly we are changing our body every moment. Every moment. That is also medical science, that we are changing our blood corpuscles every moment. You see? Similarly, what is the difficulty to understand that, that the soul transmigrates from one body to another? It is very nicely explained here. "As the owner of the body is there within the body, but the body is changing, one after another, one after another..." Dehino 'smin yathā dehe, kaumāraṁ yauvanam (BG 2.13). Here two examples are given: kaumāram... Kaumāram means the age up to fifteen years, the age up to fifteen years, that is called kaumāra. And after fif..., from sixteen years, so upwards, say, up to forty years, one is youth. And then, after forty years, one becomes old. This is process of this body, but it will be later on explained the spirit soul within this body, that is not changing. The body is changing.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- New York, March 11, 1966:

So dhīra, one who has got complete knowledge of the constitution of this body, and the constitution of the spirit soul, they are not aggrieved when a soul transmigrates from one body to another. That is the sum and substance of the whole, this verse.

Now, here some philosophical question may be raised. There are two classes of philosophers, that after liberation, after getting out of this body, the soul amalgamates with the Supreme Soul. That question we have already discussed. Still, there is no harm in discussing it again because any, I mean to say, substantial knowledge, if it is discussed one after another, twice, thrice, it is better. Now, Kṛṣṇa points out that every soul is individual soul, every soul. And that is our experience, that every one of us, we have got some individual consciousness, not that my consciousness is just equal to your consciousness. I do not know what is going in your soul. We are all individual souls. But according to Māyāvādī philosophers, they say, "Just like the sky, the ether"—ether is everywhere, within your body and within mine, within everyone's—that "the ether has taken a form due to this particular body, but when the body is vanquished, the ether, I mean to say, amalgamates with the greater ether." This is called ghaṭākāśa-poṭākāśa. Ghaṭākāśa-poṭākāśa means this ākāśa is here.

Lecture on BG 2.13-17 -- Los Angeles, November 29, 1968:

Yes, the thing is we should be Kṛṣṇa conscious. Just like electrification. Touching electricity by one wire, another joining another, another wire, if the touch is there factual, then the electricity is everywhere. Similarly if our Kṛṣṇa consciousness is rightly connected, then there is no question of direct or indirect. Because absolute world there is no difference. As soon as it is touched with the direct connection... That is called disciplic succession. Because the connection is coming down one after another, so if we touch here, the spiritual master who is connected by the same way, then the electric connection is there. There is no question of direct or indirect. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Simply we have to see whether the connection is disconnected. If the connection is there, tight, then the electricity come without fail. So in our conditioned stage there will be so many doubts, so many implication. But the same thing as I gave you example, that don't be very much hasty to receive the result immediately. Simply we have to follow. We have to follow. Tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt. This is advised by Rūpa Gosvāmī. The six things we have to take particular care, and six things we have to avoid in order to be perfect in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- Hyderabad, November 21, 1972:

We have practically seen. What is in our country? It is far, far behind material civilization. In America, there are so many motorcars. Every third man, or second man has got a car. We are poor man, we are sannyāsīs, brahmacārī. Still, in each temple we have got at least four, five cars. In each temple. Very nice car. Such car even ministers in India cannot imagine. (laughter) You see? Nice, nice cars. So they have got so many cars. But the problem is that always they're engaged in making roads, flyways, one after another, one after another, one after... It has come to this stage, four, five. Four-, five-storied roads. (laughter) So how you can become happy? Therefore tattva-darśibhiḥ na asataḥ. You cannot become permanently happy in this material world. That is not possible. So don't waste your time to become happy here. In another place, it is said, padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām (SB 10.14.58). The same example can be given. In America, so many millions of people die in motor accidents. How many? What is the statistic? You don't remember?

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- Hyderabad, November 21, 1972:

Sixty thousand? No, no. More than that sixty... So many people die of motor accidents. So some of our students, a few months ago, they died of motor accident. The motor accident dying in America is not very astonishment. Because the motors are, I mean to say, running at the speed of seventy miles, eighty miles, ninety miles, and not only one motorcar, one after another, hundreds. And if one is little slow, immediately: (imitates crashing sound) tarak taka tak. (laughter)

So you cannot become happy. These boys and these girls, American, American, European, they have tasted all this motorcar civilization. They have tasted very nicely. Motorcar, nightclub and drinking, they have tasted very nicely. There is no happiness. Therefore they have come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore nāsato vidyate bhāvo nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ. Abhāvaḥ, and the sataḥ. So we are unhappy on account of our accepting asat, which will not exist. That is the description given by Prahlāda Mahārāja: tan ma..., sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām. We are always anxious, full of anxieties. That's a fact. Everyone of us, full of anxieties. Why? Asad-grahāt. Because we have accepted this material body. Asad-grahāt. Tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehināṁ sadā samudvigna-dhiyām. Dehinām. Dehinām means... Deha and dehī, we have already discussed. Dehī means the proprietor of the body. So everyone is dehī, either animal or human being or tree or anyone. Every living entity has accepted a material body. Therefore they are called dehī. So dehinām, every dehī, because he has accepted this material body, he's always full of anxiety.

Lecture on BG 2.20 -- Hyderabad, November 25, 1972:

And along with the soul, there is Supersoul, Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). So the Supersoul, Supreme Personality of Godhead, gives him intelligence: "Now you wanted to execute this plan. Now you have got a suitable body and you can do it." So therefore we find that somebody is great scientist. Or a very nice mechanic. This means that in the last life he was mechanic, he was making some plan, and this life he gets chance, and he fulfills his desire. He discovers something and becomes very reputed, famous man. Because karmīs, they want three things: lābha-pūjā-pratiṣṭhā. They want some material profit and they want some material adoration, and lābha-pūjā-pratiṣṭhā, and stability. This is material life. So one after another, we are trying to have some material profit, some material adoration, material reputation. And therefore we are having different types of body. And it is going on. Actually this acceptance of body does not mean I die. I am there. In subtle form, I am there. Na jāyate na mriyate. Therefore there is no question of birth and death. It is simply transformation of the body. Vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya (BG 2.22), as it will be explained in the next verse:

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

Prabhupāda: Purport. Read on.

Devotee: "According to logicians, one has to take birth according to one's activities of life. After finishing one term of activities, one has to die to take birth for the next. In this way the cycle of birth and death is revolving, one after the other, without liberation. This cycle of birth and death does not, however, support unnecessary murder, slaughter and war unnecessarily. But at the same time, violence and war are inevitable factors in human society for keeping law and order. The Battle of Kurukṣetra, being the will of the Supreme, was an inevitable event, and to fight for the right cause is the duty of a kṣatriya. Why should he be afraid of or aggrieved at the death of his relatives since he was discharging his proper duty? He did not deserve to break the law, thereby becoming subjected to the reactions of sinful acts, of which he was so afraid. By ceasing from the discharge of his proper duty, he would not be able to stop the death of his relatives, and he would be degraded on account of his selection of the wrong path of action." 28: "All created beings are unmanifest in their beginnings, manifest in their interim state, and unmanifest again when they are annihilated. So what need is there for lamentation (BG 2.28)?" 29.

Prabhupāda: This another theory, that voidism, that before our, this manifested life, there was void, and after this manifestation is over, still there will be void. Because according to voidism, everything is manifested originally void. So Kṛṣṇa puts forward this argument that before this manifested form of life there was void, and after this manifested life, there will be void, according to the void philosophy. Then where is the cause of lamentation?

Lecture on BG 2.59-69 -- New York, April 29, 1966:

Now, viṣayā... If we do not control our senses in that way, dovetail with the supreme will, then what will happen? Now, dhyāyato viṣayān, because our mind is always engaged in either of these things—eating, sleeping, and defending, and mating, especially mating—so dhyāyato viṣayān, dhyāyato viṣayān puṁsaḥ, when we think of, even by thinking, the next stage is saṅgas teṣu upajāyate: we become attached to that. We become attached to that. Just like we are reading some sex novel. Now, sex novel. Now, there is thinking of that. So thinking, thinking—then I become attached to it. I want practically. So dhyāyato viṣayān puṁsaḥ saṅgas teṣūpajāyate, saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ. And by attachment, then my lust becomes developed. Kāmāt krodho 'bhijāyate. And when my lust is not satisfied, then I become angry. One after another, it is coming. Krodhād bhavati saṁmohaḥ. And when I am angry, then I, I mean, I am out of my control of the equilibrium of mind. Krodhād saṁmohaḥ, saṁmohe, saṁmohāt smṛti-vibhramaḥ. Then, even when I have control of the equilibrium of mind... I have seen that two brothers quarreling, and it, it, I mean to say, rose to such an extent, the quarreling, that one brother killed his another brother. We have seen. Two brother quarreling—one brother was killed by one brother, and he was arrested, and he was ordered to be hanged. Then his father appealed to the court that "My two sons... One is already lost. So this may... He may be spared of his life." This I have actually seen. So by the request of the father, he was sentenced to life, and his hanging was excused by the court. That I have seen. So just see. Krodha. One after another, it becomes so intensified that nothing is impossible. Nothing is impossible. Then smṛti-vibhramaḥ. Smṛti-bhraṁśād buddhi-nāśaḥ. Buddhi-nāśaḥ. Buddhi-nāśaḥ means he lost his intelligence. He forgot that "Whom I am going to kill."

Lecture on BG 3.11-19 -- Los Angeles, December 27, 1968:

Yes. Naturally fallen from higher to lower. Then you make progress, again come to this human being. This is a via media with good consciousness. If you utilize your good consciousness then you go still higher, you go to God. But if you don't use your higher consciousness then again go to down. This is going on, cycle of birth and death. This human form of life is meant for self-realization, God realization. If you don't use properly our this life for God consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness and go back to the kingdom of God, then we have to suffer again in the 8,400,000 species of life cycle, one after another. That is our choice.

So the best choice is to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness or God consciousness and your life is perfect. Don't be misguided. Take to God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and your life... Then it will be proper use of this human form of life. Otherwise, if we indulge in meat-eating like tiger, I may get life like a tiger next life, but where is the use?

Suppose if I become a very strong tiger in my next life, is that very good promotion? Do you know the life of tiger? They cannot eat even daily. They pounce upon one animal and keep it secretly and they eat for a month the decomposed flesh. Because it is not possible to get chance, kill an animal. God will not give such chance. You see? It is natural. In the jungle wherever there is a tiger, all animals will go away. They will also try to protect themselves, self-protection. So rarely, when he's too hungry, then God gives him a chance to pounce upon another animal. A tiger cannot get to many palatable dishes daily. Oh. It is in human form of life. If we misuse, then we are... You see? We have got all facilities and if we misuse it, then go to the tiger life. Be very strong with pouncing capacity. That's all. All right. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)

Lecture on BG 3.31-43 -- Los Angeles, January 1, 1969:

Yes. Passion, if you increase your passion, then when you cannot fulfill your passion, you'll be angry, wrath, one after another. So this is due to our being situated in the modes of passion.

As I have told you, there are three kinds of modes of material nature. One is goodness, one is passion, and one is ignorance. So ignorance is the lowest quality, passion is still better than ignorance, and goodness is the highest good quality within this material world. And one has to transcend even goodness. Then he can go to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness platform. So one should not remain on the platform of passion. He should try to rise on the platform of goodness, and from there he should try to be promoted in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is one method. But if you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness directly, then automatically you transcend the platform of ignorance, passion, and goodness. Go on.

Lecture on BG 4.5 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

Just like in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, aham eva asam agre. "I was in the beginning." The impersonalists interpret that "I was, personally," but that is not the fact. Nārāyaṇa, as soon as Nārāyaṇa was means Nārāyaṇa was there with... Not was there, Nārāyaṇa is there always with His all paraphernalia. And that is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, dhāmnā svena nirasta-kuhakaṁ sadā paraṁ satyaṁ dhīmahi. Dhāmnā svena nirasta-kuhakam. The kingdom of God is freed from illusion. This world, this material world, is full of illusion. But dhāmnā svena nirasta-kuhakam. So God's kingdom, or Kṛṣṇa's kingdom, is spiritual. Everything will be explained one after another.

So Kṛṣṇa says "Because you are My constant companion, therefore, along with Me, you are there, but you also, you forget. That is the difference." we'll explain next night. Is there any question?

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

He's not, he's, he's steady, "Oh, he has changed his body. That's all." A person who does not know, he's crying. He..., "Oh, my son is gone. My son is gone. My son is gone." But if he's, I mean to say, in the consciousness, he knows, "Oh, my son has simply changed body." That's all. Just immediately, exactly, "My son, when he was little baby... Now he has grown up to be a boy." So the father and the parents do not lament, "Oh, where my, that son gone, that small baby gone?"

Similarly, that change of body... So our body is like that. We are changing. In the material condition. In the material condition we are simply changing our body. That is our disease. This conditional life of changing the bodies, one after another, one after... Not only human body. We may have to change to animal's body, or to another demigod's body. There are different species of life. I have several times spoken before you, that there are 8,400,000's of species of life. So our body's being changed in this circle of these 8,400,000's of different species of life. This is called our material bondage.

Now, here Kṛṣṇa says that one who knows the Kṛṣṇa's transcendental birth and activities in truth, he gets free from this entanglement. He at once gets free from this entanglement. Now, here the word tattvataḥ is very important. This tattvataḥ is the science of Kṛṣṇa. Tattvataḥ, "in truth." Simply by knowing by historical facts that Kṛṣṇa is born in such and such date in such and such place in such and such family... He did such and such activities. No. One has to learn them in tattvataḥ, in truth. Then he becomes free from this bodily entanglement. (door slams) How it is closed?

Lecture on BG 4.10 Festival at Maison de Faubourg -- Geneva, May 31, 1974:

Just like we can experience a good scent of rose flower is carried by the air. We cannot see, but we know that the flavor is being carried by the air. Similarly, although we do not see how the spirit soul is being carried by the subtle body, but it is being carried, and it is being put into the womb of another mother to develop another gross body. So this body is offered by nature. This body is given by the material nature. Similarly, we, or I, the spirit soul, being carried by the subtle body, and the nature is giving me another gross body. In this way we are transmigrating from one body to another. This is called evolution. And there are 8,400,000's of bodies, and we are going through one after another.

So this human form of body is the only chance that we can stop this transmigration of transferring ourself from one body to another and come to our spiritual body. This process is described here as pūtā, purification, existentional purification. That is called pūtā. Just like when you are infected by some disease, you have to purify yourself after the infection, and you come to your normal health, similarly, by knowledge and purificatory method, if you come to your spiritual knowledge and spiritual platform, then your life is successful.

Lecture on BG 4.11-18 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1969:

The idea is that there are three class of men. One class of men they are simply desiring material comforts, desiring. They want nice house, nice wife, nice comfortable life, everything nice for the comfort of this body. They are called sarva-kāma. Sarva-kāma means their desire has no end.

Just like in the modern materialistic world they are trying to improve material comforts but they do not know when does it end. One after another, one after another, one after another. Therefore they are called sarva-kāma, unlimitedly desiring. There is no end of desiring. Such persons, akāma. And akāma means one who has no desire. Just like those who are devotees, Kṛṣṇa conscious, they have no desire. They don't like any material comforts, any material improvements. They want simply Kṛṣṇa. Akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā and mokṣa-kāma (SB 2.3.10). Mokṣa-kāma means one who is disgusted with these material desires and aspires after something void, impersonal, or freedom from all these desires, mokṣa-kāma.

So Bhāgavata says that either you are a person desiring unlimitedly or you have become free from all desires, or you are desiring liberation from this material conditional life, you please try to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Your desires, whatever desires you may have, that will be fulfilled. That will be fulfilled. So this is referred. Akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā (SB 2.3.10). So whatever desires you may have, if you become Kṛṣṇa conscious then you, that desire will be fulfilled. Go on.

Lecture on BG 4.13-14 -- New York, August 1, 1966:

Tasya kartāram api. Tasya kartāram api māṁ viddhi: "Although I have established these divisions of the human society into four classes, so I am not one of them." This has to be understood. Means as soon as we make it a mistake that "Oh, Kṛṣṇa, He appeared in the royal family of Vasudeva, so He belonged to the kṣatriya community, or the administrative class," no. Then you can understand the transcendental nature of Kṛṣṇa.

And if you have got any doubt, you can ask, you can understand. But as soon as you understand it rightly, you become a liberated person. That is the secret. As soon as you understand the fact as it is, the transcendental nature of Kṛṣṇa, oh, you step forward to your liberation. So similarly, these things are being described one after another. The next śloka,

na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti

na me karma-phale spṛhā

iti māṁ yo 'bhijānāti

karmabhir na sa badhyate

(BG 4.14)

Just see. Na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti. Karmāṇi. Just like we are acting something. Anything we are doing, there is some reaction. There is some reaction. In every action there is some reaction.

Lecture on BG 4.14 -- Vrndavana, August 6, 1974:

And in another place, kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet (SB 12.3.51). Simply by chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, one becomes freed from all sinful activities. Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya. Especially. Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ. He becomes free from all contamination.

In material world we are simply becoming contaminated. Therefore karmāṇi limpanti. In the... We are becoming entangled by the reaction of our karma. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur deha upapatti (SB 3.31.1). By karma, the jantu, means living entity, is getting different types of body one after another, one after another. In this way he's wandering 8,400,000 forms of bodies. This is karma. Therefore to the living entities, as we are... We are bound up by the laws of karma. But Kṛṣṇa is not like that. Na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti.

This is to be understood. Unless we understand Kṛṣṇa, that He is not bound up by the material laws, then we do not understand Kṛṣṇa. And if anyone understands it perfectly, then what is the result? The result: iti māṁ yo 'bhijānāti karmabhir na sa badhyate (BG 4.14). If one understands clearly that Kṛṣṇa is not under any material laws, then he also becomes not bound up by any material laws. Simply by knowing it. Karmāṇi nirdahati ca bhakti-bhājām.

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

"You become Kṛṣṇa conscious." And try your best, try your best.

Nirvairaḥ. You should not be anyone's enemy. Others may become your enemy. Because it is quite natural. Anyone who comes with the message of the Supreme Lord, there are persons who become his enemy. Just like Lord Jesus Christ, He came. His only fault was that he was preaching the message of God, and people, some people, not all people, become his enemy, and he was crucified. So this is the world. Anyone who comes as a most, I mean to say, beneficial friend of the world, people take him as the enemy, and they do the same mistake again so that they are bound up again by their own work and they remain in this material world to repeat birth and death, one after another, one after another. So we should be very much cautious.

We should not miss this chance of this human body to become Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to become conscious of Kṛṣṇa. So therefore we must know how to work, how to work. Kiṁ karma kim akarmeti. If we do not know how to work, then we shall be entangled in these material activities. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, saṅga-varjitaḥ. Of course, a Kṛṣṇa conscious person, he also acts just like another material actor, but because he works in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, therefore he's not bound up.

Just like take the example of Arjuna. He also fought just like ordinary military man, but because he fought in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, therefore he was not bound up by the reaction of such fighting. Fighting is not necessary. Fighting is not necessary. Peace, peace is necessary. But sometimes peace is disturbed. At that time, fighting is also necessary. You cannot, you cannot absolutely give up the process of fighting in this material world. That is not possible. Because there are persons who will create trouble. Just like we are experiencing. We are not going to do any harm to anybody. But sometimes they are coming and creating disturbances. So these disturbing elements are there, and this is always there. The material nature is like that. Therefore fighting cannot be abolished in the, when it is necessary, absolutely necessary. In the battle of Kurukṣetra, Lord Kṛṣṇa advocated this fighting because it was absolutely necessary.

Lecture on BG 4.25 -- Bombay, April 14, 1974:

Generally, they are recommended—five: the sun-god, the Gaṇeśa, the Viṣṇu, Lord Śiva and Durgā, and... The sun-god I have already said. Five, pañcopāsanam. Five: the sun-god, the Gaṇeśa, and the Durgā-devī, then Lord Śiva, and then Viṣṇu. This is also gradual evolutionary. People in the most lowest stage of humanity, they are struck with wonder by the power. As soon as there is some electricity, they feel some power. So when there are power worshipers... The modern scientists, they are power worshiper. They have gone up to the sun-god. Not god, the sun globe. The power is received from the sunshine. So this is one stage, power. In this way, one after another, when one comes to the supreme powerful, Viṣṇu, because that is the ultimate powerful...

So this is one type of yajña, understanding the supreme power. Just like I was talking a few minutes before, the power. But power is not ultimate. Ultimate is the conductor of power, or the powerful. Just like electricity. Electricity is power, but it is generated from the powerhouse. People generally understand that electricity is coming from the powerhouse. But the powerhouse is maintained by the resident engineer, a person. That is real understanding. Or just like this airplane is flying in the sky. A child may see what a wonderful machine is flying in the sky. He does know the importance of the pilot. The big gigantic airship can fly in the sky so long the powerful, or one who knows how to conduct the power, pushing the button. By pushing one button, the plane goes high, and pushing another button, it comes down. It is not automatically. Any machine you take. Nowadays wonderful machine, computer. That is also handled by an expert. Any machine you take, without an expert technologist, it cannot work.

Lecture on BG 5.7-13 -- New York, August 27, 1966:

By natural way. It will not touch. It will then never be moist. Similarly just like the lotus flower leaf does not moist, although it is in the water... Lotus flower is in the water, and the leaves are also in the water, but it has no connection with the water. Even a drop of water, if you put on it, it will at once fall down. Lotus flower. It is so made by nature. So here the same example is there, that although we may be in this material world, so because I am staying in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and I'm acting under the direction of Kṛṣṇa, therefore nothing will affect me. Nothing will affect me. Because due to this material affection, contamination, now I am in trouble. I am getting this body one after another just like changing dress. So myself, the pure spirit soul, so I am now in contamination because I am absorbed in the material consciousness. So as soon as I transfer myself into Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then I become aloof from this material...

Lecture on BG 6.47 -- Ahmedabad, December 12, 1972:

These are the steps, krama. Krama means one after another. So our, this Kṛṣṇa Consciousness Movement is enacted just to create little faith. In Kṛṣṇa. Then the person whom we are trying to help, his business is to associate with sādhu. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ (SB 3.25.25). Satāṁ prasaṅgāt. If we discuss Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Boddhayantaṁ parasparaṁ tuṣyanti ca ramanti ca. Everywhere, the same thing. So śraddhā is required. Then sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83), then bhajana-kriyā. If anyone actually seriously associates with sādhu, the next stage will be bhajana-kriyā. How to worship. Bhajana-kriyā. Tataḥ anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Then anartha. Anartha means unnecessary things. We have practiced so many unnecessary things in our life. Unnecessary things, when they are too much strong, that becomes sinful life. Unnecessary. The modern civilization is simply meant for creating unnecessary necessities of life. That's all. So we are becoming deviated from God. The more we are advancing in so-called material civilization, we are more becoming far away from God. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung: jaḍa-bidyā jato, māyāra vaibhava, tomāra bhajane bādhā. Jaḍa-bidyā, the material education, they are simply paraphernalia of this illusory energy, māyāra vaibhava. And the effect of this advancement of material civilization means stopping one's relationship with God. Jaḍa-bidyā jato, māyāra vaibhava, tomāra bhajane bādhā, anitya saṁsāre. Anitya means this temporary life, this... Everyone, we are in this material world, say, for fifty years, sixty years, hundred years.

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

Now, there are so many in Kṛṣṇa consciousness..., this process, there are so many. I am just introducing one after another, little by little, but those who are practicing this Kṛṣṇa consciousness in India, there are so many rules and regulations. Somebody says that "Swamiji is very conservative. He has got so many rules and regulations," but I have not introduced one percent. One percent. Because it is not possible to introduce all those rules and regulations in your country. My policy is following the footstep of Rūpa Gosvāmī. He says that somehow or other, let them become first of all attached to Kṛṣṇa. So this is the yoga. Kṛṣṇa is explaining, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. So try to be attached to Kṛṣṇa. And why you shall not be attached to Kṛṣṇa? So many nice things in Kṛṣṇa consciousness? We have got arts, we have painting, we have got dancing, we have got music, we have got first-class food, we have got first-class dress, first-class health, everything first class. It is only the foolish rascal that he'll not be attached to these first-class things. Everything. And it is easy at the same time. What is the reason that one should not be attached to this process? The reason is that he's a first-class rascal. That's all. I tell you frankly. Let anyone come, argue with me whether he's not a first-class rascal by not accepting Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I'll prove it.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Sydney, February 16, 1973:

This material existence is compared with a blazing forest fire. Forest fire means... Nobody goes to set fire in the forest, but it takes places automatically. Similarly, in this material world, however peacefully you want to live, without God consciousness, you cannot live peacefully. It is not possible. Forget it. Therefore, if you think of Kṛṣṇa or God always, immediately you'll be free from the conflagration of the blazing fire of this material existence. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpanaṁ. And as soon as this blazing fire of material existence is extinguished, immediately you come to the platform of blissfulness. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpanaṁ śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā (CC Antya 20.12). Then that blissfulness will increase one after another, one after another. Just like the comparison has been given just like the moon. The after the dark moon, the moon comes out just like a line, and then it increases, increases, and one night it becomes full. Similarly, as your heart becomes cleansed of the material dirty things, your real form, sat-cit-ānanda vigrahaḥ, eternity, blissful life of knowledge, becomes visible, just like the moon is visible. And one day you'll come to the full pleasure, full moon night, and that is your sarvātmā snapanam. And at that time you'll enjoy your life like anything. That is our highest perfection of life. Paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam. The only method is chanting this holy name of God, Kṛṣṇa.

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

Jñānam, and sa-vijñānam, "with scientific knowledge." Not that bogus knowledge. Sa-vijñānam. Vijñānam means science. With scientific knowledge. Now, modern days, people are advanced. They like to talk on scientific basis. And here is the Kṛṣṇa's statement: sa-vijñānam, "with scientific knowledge." Vakṣyāmy aśeṣataḥ: "And I shall explain," aśeṣataḥ, "in full explanation, without any reservation." Not that summarily I say something, you do not follow, you do not understand, I finish. No. "I shall fully explain," aśeṣataḥ. Yaj jñātvā, "And if you fortunately can understand," yaj jñātvā neha bhūyo 'nyaj jñātavyam avaśiṣyate, "if you understand this science, then you finish your process of acquiring knowledge."

Every one of us acquiring knowledge. That is called experience, one after another. So Kṛṣṇa says that "If you understand this science," sa-vijñānam, "then your knowledge will be complete. You have nothing to hanker after any further knowledge. Knowledge is complete." That is also Vedic injunction. Yasmin vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati. Yasmin vijñāte, if you can understand the supreme knowledge, the Supreme, then sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati, everything becomes known to you. Just like in arithmetic, if you simply learn 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, then you learned all the arithmetic process. Because in the arithmetic there is nothing but 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6... That's all. Whatever you see, big, big calculation, that is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9... That's all. Similarly, if you simply understand Kṛṣṇa, then you'll see the whole arithmetic, whole world, whole universe is full of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That's all. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll see that bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). When actually one becomes wise, full of wisdom, jñānavān...

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1973:

The karmīs, they are trying to be materially happy in this world, in this life, in the next life. No. Any life. You can change your life in so many times, but you'll never be happy, because you are aśānta, you want something. You want some benefit, material benefit. Or spiritual benefit. Spiritual benefit. To merge into the Supreme, that is spiritual benefit. And material benefit, to get some material profits within this world, this life or next life. So that is bhukti. Bhukti and mukti. And merging into the spiritual effulgence, brahma-jyotir, that is also aśānta, because after all, he is wanting something. Bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī. He wants something. To merge. And the yogis, they are plainly wanting some siddhis. So they, every one of them are wanting, in need. Therefore they are aśānta. They cannot be śānta. Kṛṣṇa-bhakta niṣkāma (CC Madhya 19.149). Kṛṣṇa-bhakta does not want anything. He does not want anything. He want to serve to Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Mama janmani janmanīśvare bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī (Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4). This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's... Janmani janmani: "Ah, it doesn't matter. I take my birth, one after another. It doesn't matter. But I want simply to be engaged in Your service. That's all." This is niṣkāma. Janmani janmani means not even mukti. To stop repetition of birth, a devotee does not want even that. The jñānīs, they want stopping this repetition of birth, but bhakta, they do not want even stopping this.

Lecture on BG 9.1 -- Melbourne, April 19, 1976:

That is craftsmanship. Knowledge is here, that "I am eternal. Why I am put into this condition of temporary body, not only one kind of body, but there are 8,400,000 different forms of body, and I have to accept one of them, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13), according to my karma. This is my position. How to get out of it, to inquire about it? If there is any science to accept it?" That is knowledge.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, jñānaṁ sa-vijñānam, vijñāna-sahitaṁ yaj jñātvā: "If you are fortunate enough to understand this knowledge, then mokṣyase. You become liberated from this inauspicious condition of repeated birth, death, ignorance and suffering, so many things." So we shall try to explain one after another. This is the beginning. Thank you very much.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Calcutta, March 9, 1972:

Then why I am entering this body, which is annihilated? That is the problem. That is mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani. If you enter again into this material body, then again mṛtyu. Again enter, again die, again mṛtyu. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). This is the problem, mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani. But nobody is interested how to get out of this problem. They do not know, they do not feel. They think that "After death I am annihilated." But that is not the fact. The fact is that you have to enter another body, and any material body you accept, either king's body or dog's body or hog's body or tree's body, it will be finished. It will. That is called mṛtyu, mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani.

So we are accepting similar bodies, 8,400,000 forms of bodies are there, and one after another we are entering and leaving and entering and leaving. This is called mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani. But we have no such brain that how to get out this mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani. We can get out. That is, that will be, that is explained, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti. This is māyā. Māyā means actually I am not under this mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani. Ātma māyām ṛte rājan. It is māyā. Just like in dream, I enter some kind of body. At night, every night we can experience, that when you sleep we dream that "I have taken another body. I have gone to another place. I am working in a different way, forgetting this body." This is daily experience. And when that dream is over, then again I come to this body. I remember, "Oh, I have to go there, I have to do this," another action, other activity. This is going on. I am accepting this gross dream and this subtle dream, but what is my actual position? That I do not know. This is called ignorance. That actual position we can understand if we become Kṛṣṇa conscious. If we simply become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then we can understand our actual position.

Lecture on BG 10.8 -- New York, January 7, 1967:

This bhāva is the very high platform for coming to the perfection of life, bhāva. That is also stated in Vedic literature, what is that bhāva. Each and every word, if you try to understand scrutinizingly, they are very sublime. So one has to come to the stage of bhāva, then he can attain... Bhāva means transcendental emotion. Then he can understand what is love of God. Budhā bhāva.

Iti matvā bhajante mām. Bhajante means one engages himself in the transcendental loving service of the Lord in complete emotion. That is wanted. How that emotion is attained, that is also described by Rūpa Gosvāmī, how one can attain that stage one after another. The first stage is śraddhā. Śraddhā means faith. Faith. Ādau śraddhā. If one has got this faith, then he can develop that faith to the highest perfectional stage of transcendental emotion, bhāva, and then love of God.

So there is nothing to be depressed? All boys and girls, ladies and gentlemen who are in this meeting, they have got this faith, śraddhā. It is understood. Otherwise why you have come here? Unless you have got little faith, you would not have come. And you are sparing your valuable time. This is the sign of faith. This is the first background. If one increases this faith, it can be developed to the highest perfectional stage, love of God.

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

These points we have discussed. Now, Kṛṣṇa has also discussed that the knowledge by which we can understand the soul, the Supersoul, and the material embodiment, that is real knowledge.

People are after knowledge. So many there are, departments of knowledge. But according to Bhagavad-gītā, real knowledge is to understand the soul, the Supersoul, and the material world. So He's analyzing these material elements: mahā-bhūtāny ahaṅkāraḥ. Mahā-bhūtāni. There are five gross elements, which are called mahā-bhūtāni, great material elements. And what are those? Khadiny ahaṅkāras tad-hetus tamaso bhūtādi-saṁjño buddhis tad-hetur...pradhāno mahān avyaktaṁ tad-hetus tri-guṇavasthaṁ pradhāna indriyāṇi śrotrādīni,(?) one after another. This sky and false ego is due to the intelligence. Everything begins from the subtle. The most subtle element is the spirit soul, and little grosser than the spirit soul is the intelligence. And little grosser than the intelligence is the false ego identification. And little grosser than the false..., intelligence, is the mind. And from mind, then the senses. And the senses, next the grosser element is the body. So we have to analyze according to the śāstra, because it is not possible. Suppose the modern scientist is given to find out where is the soul in this body. It is not possible.

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

Kṣetra means this body. Either you take this body or this material world, they are interaction of these twenty-four elements. Either you take the gigantic body of this universe or you take the body of this planet or you take this your body, my body, or a cat's body, dog's body, all these bodies, they are formed of these twenty-four elements, sa-vikāram, by action and reaction. Just like chemically, if you mix one chemical with another chemical, a third element is produced, similarly, originally the reservation of all these elements is called mahat-tattva. It is called pradhāna, upadhāna. So gradually they manifest, they divide by three guṇas. Three guṇas means in the mahat-tattva, in the total material reservoir, three guṇas, three modes of nature, first of all appear and they act with one another, and then gradually, one after another, the twenty-four elements become manifested. Etat kṣetraṁ samāsena sa-vikāram udāhṛtam.

Now, of course, we can theoretically accept that this is the position, but actually to understand the position, to acquire the requisite knowledge, that requires many stages of development. And how that knowledge is developed, that is also described in the Bhagavad-gītā by Kṛṣṇa. What is that? The first principle of acquiring knowledge is described here: amānitvam. Amānitvam. Amānitvam means that we are very much proud of our material existence. That pride must be given up. That is the first principle of knowledge. Athoktaṁ kṣetrād vibhinnatvena jñeyaṁ kṣetrajña-dvayaṁ vistareṇa nirūpayiṣyan taj-jñāna-sādhanāny amānitvādini viṁśatim aha pañcābhiḥ.(?) Now, the body and the soul. Now, the body is analyzed. It is composition of twenty-four elements. Now, how to understand the soul as he is? We are now in the position of material consciousness, and we have to develop into spiritual consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on BG 13.6-7 -- Bombay, September 29, 1973:

Therefore it is said, yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij janeṣv abhijñeṣu. Those who are expert in giving knowledge, we should associate. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-samvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanaḥ kathāḥ (SB 3.25.25). If we associate with saintly persons and hear from them Bhagavad-gītā and other Vedic literatures, then hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanaḥ kathāḥ, it becomes appealing to the heart, hṛt, and pleasing to the ear. Hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanaḥ kathāḥ taj-joṣaṇād. And if you bring them into practical purposes, apply in your life, then śraddhā bhaktir ratir anukramiṣyati. Then gradually you'll become faithful to the Supreme. Śraddhā bhaktir. You'll develop your natural instincts of devotional service. Śraddhā bhaktir ratir, attachment. Anukramiṣyati, one after another. This is the process.

Unfortunately, we are not taking advantage of these prerogatives of human life. We are simply engaged like cats and dogs for utilizing our life: eating, sleeping, sex life and defense. Āhāra-nidrā-bhayaṁ maithunaṁ ca samānyam etat paśubhir narāṇām. These demands of the body, eating, sleeping, sex life and defense, that is there in the animal life. Then where is the difference between the animal life and human life? Unless you become inquisitive to know, athāto brahma jijñāsā.

Therefore Vedānta-sūtra says that this life is meant for inquiring about the Absolute Truth, tattva-jijñāsā. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. In the Bhāgavata also says. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is awakening the dormant inquiry of the human society to inquire "What I am? What is God? What is my relationship with God?

Lecture on BG 13.18 -- Bombay, October 12, 1973:

Simply by speculation it is useless waste of time. Teṣāṁ kleśala eva śiṣyate. After hearing for many, many years the Vedas from the non-realized soul, simply hearing from this hole of the ear and going out from the other hole—that kind of hearing will not help us.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ (SB 3.25.25). Satāṁ prasaṅgāt. In the association of devotees, if you discuss about the message of Kṛṣṇa, then it becomes very relishable, pleasing to the ear and the heart. And if we bring them into practical use of life, taj-joṣaṇād āśu, very soon, apavarga-vartmani, on the path of liberation, śraddhā, faith, bhakti, devotion, rati, attachment, anukramiṣyati, comes one after another, one after another. So this is the process. So we shall discuss tomorrow again. (end)

Lecture on BG 13.19 -- Bombay, October 13, 1973:

This is simply called waste of... Kevala-bodha-labdhaye.

That is confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Bhaktim udasya te vibho kliśyanti ye kevala-bodha-labdhaye. Kevala-bodha-labdhaye, simply to understand. And you can take any insignificant thing, and if you want to speculate upon it, you can write volumes of books, but what is the use of such knowledge? Simply waste of time.

But if by knowledge, you come to the point of bhakti, how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then your knowledge is perfect. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that this knowledge, to surrender unto Me, how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, comes after many many births. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). We are taking birth one after another, one after another, one after another. So in this way, not ordinary person. Ordinary persons, if they have no knowledge, then their next birth may be cats, dogs, trees, or anything else. Those who are in knowledge, ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ. Knowledge means those who are situated in the quality of goodness, prakāśa, everything is clearly understood. That is knowledge.

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

In the human form of life there are two classes of men. First of all living being. Amongst the living being there are some living being which can move or can walk from one place to another. And there are certain other living beings which cannot move, just like the trees, plants. They are also living being, but they are standing in one place for many thousands of years. They have no independence to move. Now, in the moving living beings there are so many. The flies, the insects, the reptiles, the birds, the beast. In this way, by evolutionary process, one after another, one comes to the form of human being. This human being is therefore very, very rare. After going through 8,400,000 species of life, one comes to this human form of life.

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

Lecture on BG Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 8, 1972:

So this Kṛṣṇa philosophy means to understand Kṛṣṇa as He is, without any interpretation. And if we actually understand Kṛṣṇa, then our life is successful. What is the mission of our life? The mission of life is to get out of the cycle of birth and death and old age and disease. That means to cease accepting material body, one after another. That is going on. We are wandering throughout the whole universe in different planets and different species of life. We are spirit souls. We don't require to accept this material body. But we have accepted it, somehow or other.

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

In this way, we are wandering throughout the whole universe. But if want to stop it, if we want to become again originally situated in our constitutional position, then we must understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is. We must try to understand Kṛṣṇa as He is. Then our life will be successful. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Go back to home, go back to Godhead. This is very simple philosophy. And everything is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. If we are fortunate enough, we should study Bhagavad-gītā as it is. And then we become successful in the mission of our life.