People do not know... (Lectures, SB)

Expressions researched:
"People without spiritual education do not know" |"people did not know" |"people do not know" |"people don't know" |"persons do not know"

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

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

Yes. The... Anything sacrificed... Yajña. Yajña means Lord Viṣṇu. Yajñārthe karmaṇaḥ anyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). So whatever we do, it must be done for Kṛṣṇa. That is perfection. You do whatever you like, but do it for Kṛṣṇa. Then there is perfection. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was a fighter, expert in killing. So he was considering, "Why shall I kill my own family members? Better stop." But Kṛṣṇa encouraged him, that "You must kill." So that is yajña. Kṛṣṇa... Under the instruction of Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna was engaged in killing art, but that is yajña, because it is for Kṛṣṇa, not for himself. For himself he was denying to fight. But when he agreed to fight and kill on account of Kṛṣṇa, it is called yajña. This secret people do not know. They think that killing is very... Killing is very bad, that's all right. Killing, why killing? Even if you give charity, if you become munificent, merciful, that is also not good unless you do it for Kṛṣṇa.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa is canvassing, yat karoṣi yaj juhoṣi yad aśnāsi yat tapasyasi yad dadāsi yat kuruṣva tad mad-arpaṇam (BG 9.27). Yat karoṣi. Everyone is engaged in some work. Yat karoṣi. Everyone they're engaged in performing sacrifices... Juhoṣi. Everyone is liking to give in charity. He has got some money; he wants to make some charity. Dadāsi yat. Everyone is eating. Yad aśnāsi. (break) That is Kṛṣṇa. If you give me a plate, thinking that "Guru Mahārāja will keep some prasādam," I eat everything. (laughter) That's all. No prasādam. You see? You are cheated. But Kṛṣṇa will not cheat. Kṛṣṇa will eat everything and you still keep everything. So where is your loss? Why don't you offer to Kṛṣṇa? Why in the temple? Everyone can do it at home. Everyone is eating. Why not offer to Kṛṣṇa? That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Is it very difficult?

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Delhi, November 11, 1973:

Everyone, even cats and dogs, because he is living entity, he has got that loving propensity. A tiger also loves its cubs. But this love, when it will be applied to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is the perfection of life. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). What kind of love? Ahaitukī. To love God not for any other reason, that "God will give me some wealth, God will give me this, God will... I shall take from God this." No. Ahaitukī, no cause, that "Because I am in want of some money, therefore I shall go to church or temple or love God." No. Ahaitukī. Just like people generally go there like that, "O God, give us our daily bread." Well, why you are asking God for daily bread? Daily bread is already given to everyone, even birds and bees. Your bread is also there. But people do not know that "My bread is already there. Why I shall bother God for daily bread? Let me learn how to love God." God is giving us so many things without asking. God is giving us light, God is giving us water, God... Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhiḥ... (BG 7.4). Everything He is giving you, without which cannot live. And He will not give us our bread?

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

If you simply come and offer your obeisances to Kṛṣṇa, you are getting the benefit. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). The navadhā-bhakti, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam (SB 7.5.23). In this way, if you remain touched with Kṛṣṇa, that is the perfection. Some way or other you remain touch with in Kṛṣṇa. These are the process. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. Viṣṇu and Kṛṣṇa are the same. You have to hear.

But people do not know the science, neither this science is taught in any school, college or university. But although the science is there, it is so neglected. Although it is the culture of India, the best culture of India, but unfortunately, we are bereft of this. This is our position. So we are making little our teeny effort, how to make people happy. Our only business is to make people happy. We have no other desire. We don't say that "You give us some money in exchange of your Kṛṣṇa consciousness." No. That is not our business. We are not merchants. We are spreading this Kṛṣṇa consciousness free of charge. We are engaged servant of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa will provide us. Kṛṣṇa will provide us. Kṛṣṇa says, yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham, teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānām (BG 9.22). Those who are engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa, they have no problem. There is no problem because Kṛṣṇa is their protector. So one must have... Now you will be surprised to know that our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, our monthly cost is eight lakhs of rupees, all over the world. But Kṛṣṇa is providing us. We have got simple a few books and we are selling. You will be surprised. We are selling 30-to 40,000 rupees per day. So we have no problem. Because we believe. If I serve to a ordinary man, he gives some salary. He gives some food. And we are engaged in service of Kṛṣṇa, we shall starve? No. We have got that confidence.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Rome, May 24, 1974:

This is our system. So just to become enlightened in the spiritual affairs of life... As Arjuna also said, śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). Similarly, Sanātana Gosvāmī also, he said, "Sir, You asked me. I am now surrendered to You. So this is my question."

What is that question? There must be question. If one is actually seeking after spiritual realization, there must be intelligent question. The first intelligent question was put forward by Sanātana Gosvāmī, that ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya: "Sir, please let me know what is my identification, why I am put into this miserable condition of material life." People do not know it. Just like cats and dogs. The cat or the dog does not know that his life is very abominable. No, he is happy. This is māyā. Even the hog, he is also thinking, "I am very happy." This is called māyā, moha. Jīvasya moha, ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). So when human life is there, at least, one must be awakened to this consciousness, that actually "I am not happy." That is the beginning of human life, not to remain in darkness like cats and dog. He is unhappy in every respect, in every step, and still, he is thinking, "I am happy." Cats, dogs, hogs, their whole day working, day and night, and for some food, and sense gratification. This is the modern life. And that is happiness, become very busy whole day and night for getting some food for eating and something for sense gratification. This is happiness.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Delhi, November 13, 1973:

This is the... Bhakti means when he realizes, God realization, then naturally he becomes unattached to material activities. That is the test. Not that simply by having tilaka or kaṇṭhi, one becomes a devotee. How much he is detached to the material attraction. That is the test. That is the test. Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ janayaty āśu vairāgyam (SB 1.2.7). If he has no vairāgya, if he is still attached to material things, his devotion is not yet...

So these things are very nice. I will request you to study what is bhakti, what is pure devotion, what is Vāsudeva. Everything is there. It is a science, great science. It is not sentiment, neither it is so-called religious faith. It is a science. Vijñānam. Yad vijñānaṁ samanvitaḥ. So people do not know. Therefore they take it as a religious movement and reject it. No. Don't reject it. It is a science. You try to understand if you have got brain. So this bhakti-yoga means pure bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:

Especially when one comes to the form of a human being, his special interest should be how to approach Viṣṇu. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). Svārtha-gatim, self-interest. Everyone is inclined for his self-interest, but they do not know what is real self-interest. Somebody is thinking, "To satisfy the senses, body, that is self-interest." Somebody is thinking, "To satisfy the mind, whims of the mind, that is self-interest." Somebody is thinking, "Liberation of the self, mokṣa, mokṣa-vāñchā..." That is also not self-interest. But when one thinks in terms of serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is real self-interest.

So na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). People do not know. (break)... svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum. Real self-interest is to become Vaiṣṇava, servitor of Viṣṇu. Viṣṇur asya devatā iti vaiṣṇava. That is real self-interest. Why people do not become Vaiṣṇava? Generally they worship various demigods-devotee of Lord Śiva, devotee of Goddess Kali, Durgā, so many. But they have been condemned by Bhagavad-gītā, spoken by Kṛṣṇa Himself: kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānā yajante anya-devatāḥ. Hṛta-jñānāḥ. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura gives his comment: hṛta-jñānāḥ naṣṭa-buddhayaḥ, "One who has lost his intelligence, they are inclined to worship other demigods." Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ (BG 7.20). Because they do not know what is his self-interest. He thinks that his self-interest is to give comfort to this body, the senses, sense-gratification. That is his misguided self-interest.

Lecture on SB 1.2.23 -- Vrndavana, November 3, 1972:

So in this way, if we really want salvation, free, freedom from these clutches of māyā... That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). This māyā is very, very hard to pass over. Duratyayā. Only means is: mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti. This is the verse. Here it is also, the same thing confirmed: śreyāṁsi. If you want ultimate goal, ultimate goal means to get free from the conditional life, repetition of birth, death, old age—then you have to take shelter of Lord Viṣṇu. But people do not know that. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). For temporary benefit they go to worship other demigods. But that is not their ultimate goal. Antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām (BG 7.23). Antavat tu phalam. If you take any benediction from other demigods, that is antavat. That will be finished. That is temporary. Antavat tu phalam..., tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām. Just like Lord Śiva's name is Āśutoṣa. He's very quickly becomes pleased to offer benediction; therefore generally people go to Āśutoṣa, Lord Śiva. He does not consider. If you can please him, you can take any kind of benediction from him. He'll be ready: "All right. You take it." Because he wants to avoid botheration. So when the devotees come, bother him, so to..., just to get him out, he says: "All right, whatever you like, you take and go away." Therefore his name is Āśutoṣa. And people take the shelter of Āśutoṣa, Lord Śiva, for quick result. But Lord Viṣṇu is not like that. If you want something extraordinary from Lord Viṣṇu, it is not possible. He'll not give. Lord Brahmā also.

Lecture on SB 1.2.23 -- Vrndavana, November 3, 1972:

So, so here it is indicated: śreyāṁsi. If you want your ultimate goal, then you take shelter of Viṣṇu, the Lord of sattva-guṇa. Then you'll be benefitted. Not by others. But we are generally influenced by the rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa, lust and greediness. Therefore kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ (BG 7.20). We, we are lost of intelligence, influenced by lust and greediness, and therefore we take shelter of other demigods. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajante anya-devatāḥ. Antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām (BG 7.23). Alpa-medhasām. Alpa-medhasām means people do not know. Suppose I take some material benefit, temporary benefit... Every material benefit is temporary. Whatever benefit we have in this life, as soon as this body's finished, all our benefit finished. Then I'll have to take another body which may not be even human form of body. Sometimes we are being too much attached to our present possession. We remain in the possession, but in a different form. In a different form. There are many, I mean, Puranic, Pauranic indences(?). That is long story, that by karma, we take birth in different forms of life, and if we have got too much attachment... Sometimes a person, the proprietor of the house, after death, remains in that house as serpent, sometimes as dog, sometimes as tree. Being too much attached to the possession, they cannot get better life. And sometimes we can get the body of a hog and monkey in Vṛndāvana also.

Lecture on SB 1.2.26 -- Vrndavana, November 6, 1972:

People are being killed without this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. People are being killed. They got this opportunity, human form of life—they should have been educated to understand Kṛṣṇa. And by understanding Kṛṣṇa, they become liberated. Here, as it is here: mumukṣavaḥ. Mumukṣavaḥ, those who are desiring for liberation. But they do not know what is liberation, what is transmigration of the soul, what is soul—nothing. Simply rascals, and they are leading the whole people. They do not know what is liberation. The Darwin's theory, bodily concept of life, but..., and, and anthropology. That is going on in the university. A false theory, without any idea.

So here it is said, mumukṣavaḥ, "desiring for liberation." But the people do not know what is liberation. They are thinking liberation in terms of politics. Just like we have become liberated from the British rule. What sort of liberated? Liberation? During British rule, people were free to move, free to spend their money. Now you are so liberated that you cannot move, you can (not) spend your money. This is liberation. Formerly there was no restriction for going outside. And for a sannyāsī like me, I had so much difficulty to obtain the permission of the government to go out. So much difficulty. I remember all those... How, oh, with what great difficulty I got out of this country. And because I, some way or other, by Kṛṣṇa's grace, I got out of this country, I could spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement all over the world. Otherwise, it was not possible. I wanted to start this movement from India, but I was not at all encouraged. I was not at all encouraged. I approached so many friends that "You have got four sons. Kindly give me one, one of your sons. I want to make him brāhmaṇa." "Oh, Swamiji, what he will do, becoming brāhmaṇa? We have to earn our livelihood." You see.

Lecture on SB 1.2.34 -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972:

And amongst the human beings, we know Lord Rāmacandra came, Lord Kṛṣṇa came, Ṛṣabhadeva came and Lord Caitanya came.

So Kṛṣṇa is always trying... Because He's the father. Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā, sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya (BG 14.4). Sarva-yoniṣu. There are different species of life, forms of life, because we wanted to enjoy this material world, to utilize the resources of material world. That is our activity, even at the present moment. Always. Everyone is busy how to exploit the resources of material nature. That is advancement of civilization. Advancement of civilization means how to exploit the material resources. But they do not know, the foolish people do not know that is not advancement. That is entanglement. That is not advancement. This knowledge, they are lacking. They do not know what is advancement. Advancement means advancement in spiritual life. That is advancement. We are spirit. In essence we are spirit soul. We have been encaged within this body. Therefore advancement means how to get out of this entanglement of repetition of birth and death.

Lecture on SB 1.2.34 -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972:

When Viśvāmitra Muni went to Mahārāja Daśaratha to ask for his two sons, Rāmacandra and Lakṣmaṇajī, to take them to the Daṇḍakāraṇya to kill the demon, so at that time, Mahārāja Daśaratha welcomed Viśvāmitra, Viśvāmitra Muni with these words: aihiṣṭaṁ yad punar-janma-jayāya, yatraṁ punar-janma-jayāya(?). Aihiṣṭam. Just like if I meet my friend... Suppose he's a businessman. So I'll ask you how your business going on nicely. Similarly, Viśvāmitra Muni, he was not a businessman. He was a great saint, and he was living in the forest. So what was the purpose? The purpose was aihiṣṭaṁ yat tat punar-janma-jayāya. As you are trying to conquer over the repetition of birth, punar-janma-jayāya... The people do not know, at the present moment, that the business is to conquer over the repetition of birth and death, punar-janma-jayāya. They do not know that this can be stopped. Neither they have any idea that there is rebirth. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Your life is not finished. Your life is not finished simply by finishing... When the, this body is ended, it is not that you are also ended. This knowledge, there is nowhere throughout the whole world. There are so many big, big universities. That is our lamentation, that what is this education? They do not know how to direct education. In the śāstra it is said that your activities should be conducted in such a way that Kṛṣṇa becomes satisfied. Hari-toṣaṇam. But they do not know what is Kṛṣṇa, what is Hari. And how to satisfy Him, that is another question.

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

I have got income, say two hundred dollars, so that is not sufficient for me. So I am struggling hard to get five hundred dollars, to avoid this painful situation. Again when in five hundred dollars I feel another pain, so I try for one thousand dollar. In this way go on increasing, and the painful situation will never be mitigated. That will continue. Otherwise, why millionaires are committing suicide? He has got money. But they do not know that any amount of material comforts will not make them happy. That is not possible. So we have repeatedly discussed this fact that other countries... Like India is advertised very poor country. But still, majority of the people in India, they are happy. People do not know. Although materially they haven't got possession... They have got only two cloth or even one cloth. In the village you will find, they are so poverty-stricken. But still, they are following the Vedic principles, taking bath early in the morning, going to their business, whatever they get, eating, husband, wife, children. They are happy. People say "Primitive." But you want, after all, happiness. Primitive or advanced, what is that? In advanced civilization, if you commit suicide, why not primitive?

Lecture on SB 1.3.25 -- Los Angeles, September 30, 1972:

So monarchy is now abolished practically all over the world. Now it is democratic government. So this so-called democratic government or Communist government, as they are going on, they will become rogues and thieves, dasyu-prāyeṣu. All the rogues, thieves, plunderers, they will capture. Because it is by vote. So dasyu... Just like plunderers, rogues, they on the point of revolver, they take away your money, so they will take vote on the point of revolver. Actually, it is happening. In Korea it so happened, that sometimes the Communists are coming in power, and sometimes the capitalists coming in power, America and Russia. So poor people, as soon as there is Communist government, they are under the influence: "If you don't do this, then you'll be shot." By force. The people do not know what is government generally. They want to live peacefully. They want a secure place. So that is not their business, modern government. Their only business is how to collect tax and divide it amongst the government servants. That's all.

So this is the beginning of Kali-yuga. Only we have passed five thousand years, but the duration of Kali-yuga is 432,000's of years. So only we have passed five thousand years. In this way... This is called sandhyā, junction. I have already explained that junction means day and night. Day passing, night is coming, that is called junction. Morning passing, noon coming, that is another junction, meridian. So early in the morning and during sunset and in the middle, joining of noon, morning and noon, these are called tri-sandhyā. Tri means three. Three kinds of junction. So everyone has got this tri-sandhyā of his life. Just like in our life. When we were babies, children, that is the beginning. Say, up to fifteen years, sixteen years, that is one portion, sandhyā, junction. Then another junction, youthhood; then another junction, old age. This is the nature's way. There must be three periods of anything material.

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

So here Nārada says that akhila-bandha-muktaye: "You should present literature for the people so that they can become liberated from this conditional stage of life, not that you should more and more entangle them in this conditional..." That is the main theme of Nārada's instruction to Vyāsadeva: "Why should you present rubbish literature to continue the conditional stage?" Whole Vedic civilization is meant for giving liberation to the living entities from this material bondage. People do not know what is the aim of education. The aim of education, the aim of civilization, perfection of civilization, should be how people should get liberated from this conditional life. That is the whole scheme of Vedic civilization, to give liberation to the people.

So it is said: akhila-bandha-muktaye. Samādhinā, akhilasya bandhasya muktaye, akhilasya bandhasya. We are in conditional stage, perpetually bound up by the laws of material nature. This is our status. And Nārada is giving instruction to Vyāsadeva that "Present literature so that they can become liberated. Don't give them more and more opportunity to continue this conditional life." Akhila-bandha. Akhila. Akhila means complete, wholesale. And who can give this contribution? That is also stated, that atho mahā-bhāga bhavān amogha-dṛk. Whose vision is clear. Whose vision is clear. (about a child:) He's disturb.

Lecture on SB 1.7.5 -- Vrndavana, September 4, 1976:

People do not know it, how to become transcendental to this material conception of life and how to contact the supreme controller, Adhokṣaja. That is the only way. It is recommended... Not recommended; it is the fact. Bhakti-yoga, only by bhakti-yoga. There is no other way. So in the Bhagavad-gītā also it is stated, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). If you want to know Adhokṣaja, that is the real purpose of religion. Religion is not a type of ritualistic ceremonies. That is external. Real fact is how to contact the adhokṣaja who is beyond our material conception. But bhakti-yoga, if you take to bhakti-yoga, then it is possible. Anarthopaśamam. Then anartha will be cleansed-things which are not wanted.

Our life is meant for understanding God. This is human life: athāto brahma jijñāsā. Human life is meant for this purpose. The animals, they are jijñāsā. Their jijñāsā, inquiry, there are many, many inquiries. And answers also. Just like we see in the newspaper so many news, unlimited number of news. But there is no news of how to understand God. There is no news. This is anartha. So lokasyājānata, they have no information. Because they are animals... The animal has no information, neither he has got capacity to understand what he is, what is his relationship with God, what he has to do. Sambandha, abhidheya, prayojana. The whole Vedic principles are based on these three principles.

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

Nitāi: Translation: "The material miseries of the living entity, which are superfluous to him, can be directly mitigated by the linking process of devotional service. But the mass of people do not know this. Therefore the learned Vyāsadeva compiled this Vedic literature, which is in relation to the Supreme Truth." (SB 1.7.6)

Prabhupāda: Anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣāt. Anartha means... Artha means which is essential, artha. So anartha means just the opposite. So our present material condition is that we have increased some unwanted things, anartha. Therefore we have been entangled. Just like yesterday I was speaking with that president. He was thinking the problem of economics. And what is the problem? There is no problem. Anywhere, any part of the world, you live, you just have some land, and some animals. Animals means cow. Other animals also, you can keep. There is no harm. But cows must be there, animals. And you cannot destroy the cows. If you want to eat meat... 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 1.7.6 -- Vrndavana, April 18, 1975:

Nitāi: (recites verse word for word with devotees responding; then line by line twice with devotees responding)

anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād

bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje

lokasyājānato vidvāṁś

cakre sātvata-saṁhitām

(SB 1.7.6)

(break) "The material miseries of the living entity, which are superfluous to him, can be directly mitigated by the linking process of devotional service. But the mass of people do not know this, and therefore the learned Vyāsadeva compiled this Vedic literature, which is in relation to the Supreme Truth."

Prabhupāda:

anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād

bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje

lokasyājānato vidvāṁś

cakre sātvata-saṁhitām

(SB 1.7.6)

Vidvān. Vid means vetti veda vido jñāne. Vid means jñāna, knowledge. So one who has knowledge... Knowledge means ultimately to understand the originally source of everything. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). This is knowledge, to... Everyone is... The scientists, the philosophers, everyone is searching out what is the original cause. Just like modern scientists. They are searching out what is the original cause of life. That is good enquiry. But because they are surrounded by anarthas, they cannot know it. That is called māyā. So long one is illusioned by the māyā he cannot have perfect knowledge. This subject matter has been discussed in the previous verse. It is said, yayā sammohito jīvaḥ. Before that, the one verse is that Vyāsadeva, the vidvān... Vyāsadeva is addressed here as vidvān, full knowledge. So he was unhappy even after compiling Vedānta-sūtra. He was not very happy.

Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Vrndavana, April 18, 1975:

Now, if somebody criticizes you that "Why you are using this material ener...?" We don't see anything material. As soon as they say... This manufactured instrument, that is also Kṛṣṇa's energy. We have to see to it that it is Kṛṣṇa's energy, it is made from Kṛṣṇa's energy, and it should be utilized for Kṛṣṇa. This sense required. This sense is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So if you take to bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje, the anartha, things which are not wanted, anartha, or problems, the problems of the world, will be mitigated. Anartha upaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje. People do not know it. Lokasya ajānataḥ. Therefore we have to teach them. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Thank you very much. (end)

Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Vrndavana, April 23, 1975:

Nitāi: "The material miseries of the living entity, which are superfluous to him, can be directly mitigated by the linking process of devotional service. But the mass of people do not know this, and therefore the learned Vyāsadeva compiled this Vedic literature, which is in relation to the Supreme Truth."

Prabhupāda:

anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād

bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje

lokasyājānato vidvāṁś

cakre sātvata-saṁhitām

(SB 1.7.6)

Sātvata means eternal, and saṁhitā means Vedic literature. Vedic literature... Veda means knowledge. There are two kinds of knowledge: material knowledge and spiritual knowledge. Material knowledge means regarding these necessities of this body. So our educational system, the university, everything, that is simply imparting material knowledge. But material knowledge is superfluous because this body is also superfluous. Every one of us, we know that this body is nonpermanent. It is temporary. We create a certain type of situation, and we get a particular type of body, and we enjoy or suffer. There is no question of enjoyment; it is suffering. Just like we are running on this fan because the body is suffering. Otherwise, there is no necessity of this fan. And we require this light because without light the eyes will suffer.

Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Vrndavana, April 23, 1975:

This body is therefore anartha. Anartha means things which are not required. That is called anartha. Artha means things which we require, positive. And anartha means things which we do not require but unnecessarily imposed upon us. So that is suffering. We are thinking that we are enjoying this electric fan, but actually we are suffering; therefore the electric fan is required. So why this electric fan is required? Because the body is anartha; it has created the situation. The same electric fan will be a trouble, a misery in winter season. The same body, the same electric fan—sometimes it is pleasing, and sometimes it is not pleasing. Therefore the conclusion is this body is anartha, not required. But people do not know that without this material body we can exist. Actually we are existing in spiritual body, and this material body is a covering of the spiritual body. Just like your shirt and coat are covering of your real body, similarly, this material body is covering of the spiritual body. We have got our spiritual body. So when a person comes to the understanding that "This body is anartha, unnecessarily imposed upon me," that is called knowledge. That is called brahma-jñāna. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54).

Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Hyderabad, August 18, 1976:

This is the word used by Kṛṣṇa personally. Nobody understands Him, tattvataḥ, what He is actually. We understand superficially, "Kṛṣṇa was born in Mathurā, and He was the son of Vasudeva, and so on, so on." But one has to understand Kṛṣṇa tattvataḥ: in truth. And Kṛṣṇa says janma karma ca me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti, he immediately becomes lib... If you understand simply Kṛṣṇa, tattvataḥ, then immediately you become liberated. The result is tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). We are changing our bodies, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). We are accepting... People do not know even this. We have talked with many big, big professors in Europe, in Moscow also. And they say, "Swamiji, after the annihilation of this body, everything is finished." But we get instruction from the Bhagavad-gītā, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre nityaḥ śāśvato 'yam (BG 2.20).

So we are missing our own culture that we do not take very much care to understand Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. We make our wrong interpretation and spoil the whole thing. These habits should be stopped. Otherwise our culture is almost already lost. Then this bhāratīya culture... It is very important culture. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said that

bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra

janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra

(CC Adi 9.41)

Para-upakāra. The bhārata-bhūmi is meant for doing good to others. Bhārata-bhūmi is not meant for exploiting others. This is not bhāratīya mission. Para-upakāra. So every Indian...That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. Because every Indian is born Kṛṣṇa conscious, naturally he has got instinct. Don't destroy it. Don't destroy it.

Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Vrndavana, September 5, 1976:

Devotee:

anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād

bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje

lokasyājānato vidvāṁś

cakre sātvata-saṁhitām

(SB 1.7.6)

"The material miseries of the living entity, which are superfluous to him, can be directly mitigated by the linking process of devotional service. But the mass of people do not know this, and therefore the learned Vyāsadeva compiled this Vedic literature, which is in relation to the Supreme Truth."

Prabhupāda: We were discussing this verse yesterday. Anartha. This anartha means this material civilization. There is no need, and still we have accepted it. That is called anartha, meaningless. So there are hundreds and thousands of anarthas, as it is stated that śrotavyādīni rājendra nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ (SB 2.1.2). Sahasraśaḥ means thousands and thousands. Because we have created anartha, unnecessary necessities of life, therefore we have to know, we have to learn, we have to teach so many unwanted... Just like there is a problem now, especially in the Western countries, unwanted population. They do not want, but it is increasing. Similarly, unwanted necessities. This is called anartha. Simple thing. Just like we require some food. That is essential. We cannot live without taking food. That is not possible. So Kṛṣṇa is giving very simple formula, that annād bhavanti bhūtāni. If there is sufficient quantity of anna, or eatables, then people become very nice, well-satisfied, either animal or man. If he can eat sufficiently, he's satisfied. So annād bhavanti bhūtāni. Bhavanti means flourish. He becomes healthy, he becomes strong, and he can think nicely, he can work nicely. So anna is required. But simple method is given how anna is produced. That is also given, annād bhavanti bhūtāni parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ. If there is sufficient rain, then you can easily produce food grain. Just like this year, the rain is sufficient; everywhere we go it is green. Green means sufficient food for the animals. And if the field is very soft, you can till it and you can get easily, very nicely, foodstuff. Therefore parjanya, water, rain, is required. Parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ. And yajñād bhavati parjanyaḥ (BG 3.14). And by performing yajña there will be cloud and rain.

Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Vrndavana, September 5, 1976:

So anartha-nivṛtti, that is required because we are surrounded by so many anarthas, unwanted things. They are all impediments, stumbling blocks on our progressive journey to Kṛṣṇa realization. Here it is said anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje lokasyājānataḥ. People do not know it. Therefore vidvān, Vedavyāsa, he has compiled this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Sātvata-saṁhitā. It is Vedic version, and directly to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead and become free from all contamination of the material nature. Because we are now under the contamination of material nature.

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni

guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ

ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā

kartāham iti manyate

(BG 3.27)

We are thinking we are very independent, we can do any nonsense, whatever we like. Who cares for...? But that is not good, because we are not independent. We are completely under the grip of material nature. Simply as a crazy man we declare independence. That is not a very good idea. We must know what are the anarthas and how we shall get out of it.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- New York, April 10, 1973:

śvara, the Supreme Lord, is situated in everyone's heart. The yoga system means to see, find out that God, Paramātmā, or meditate upon Him. Now the yoga system has come down as bodily exercise to keep the health very good, to reduce fat, this is yoga system. This is not yoga system. This is a bodily exercise. Real yoga is that God is within me, but He is invisible, alakṣyam. Antar bahiḥ, although He is within and without, still I cannot see.

So meditation means concentrating the mind to find out God, where He is within my heart. That is real perfection of yoga. So people do not know this science. Here it is nicely explained that antar bahir avasthitam. The virāḍ-rūpa... Just like Arjuna wanted to see the gigantic form of God. He showed him. So we can see the gigantic form in this universe. That is described in the Bhāgavatam. You have read that the big, big mountains, hills, they are the bones of the gigantic form. So they are described. The highest planetary system, Brahmaloka, is the head, or what it is called? Skull? What is this portion? Skull. So the rivers are the veins. The seas are holes like here we have got. In this way it is all described, the gigantic form. So... And gigantic form, at the same time, He is within your heart, very small form.

So He is within and without. Simply we have to purify our eyes to see Him. That's all. You can see God without and within, but you cannot see with these eyes. These materially contaminated eyes or materially contaminated senses, you cannot understand by these senses. But God can be perceived, can be seen, by these senses, by these eyes, when you purify it. That purificatory process is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The more you purify, the more you can see God within and without. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). The indriya, these senses, cannot perceive, cannot see, cannot touch, cannot hear nāmādi. Unless you are purified, you cannot hear also Kṛṣṇa name. Unless you are purified, the name enters this ear and goes out in this ear. You cannot appreciate. Therefore purificatory process is required.

Lecture on SB 1.8.24 -- Los Angeles, April 16, 1973:

So in that assembly of Draupadī's svayaṁvara there was Karṇa also. Draupadī knew... Draupadī's real purpose was to accept Arjuna as her husband. But she knew that Karṇa is there. If Karṇa competes, then Arjuna will not be able to succeed. Therefore she said that "In this competition, except the kṣatriyas, nobody can compete." That means Karṇa at that time was not known that he was a kṣatriya. He was the son of Kuntī before her marriage. So people did not know. It was secret. So Karṇa was maintained by a carpenter. Therefore he was known as a śūdra. So Draupadī took advantage of this and said that "I do not wish that any carpenter shall come here and compete. I don't want that." So Karṇa was not allowed. So Karṇa took it as great insult.

Now, when Draupadī was lost in the game, he was first of all forward. He was Duryodhana's great friend. "Now we want to see naked beauty of Draupadī." So there were elderly persons in the meeting. Dhṛtarāṣṭra was. Bhīṣma was there, Droṇācārya. Still, they did not protest, "Oh, what is this, that you are going to make naked one lady in this assembly?" They did not protest. Therefore asat-sabhāyāḥ, "assembly of uncultured men." Uncultured man wants to see a woman naked. But that has become a fashion nowadays. A woman is not to be, supposed not to be naked in anyone's, before except her husband. This is Vedic culture. But because these rascals wanted to see Draupadī naked in that great assembly, so they were all rascals, asat. Sat means gentle, and asat means rude. So asat sabhāyāḥ, "In that assembly of rudes, You saved"—Kṛṣṇa saved. Draupadī was being naked, her sari was being taken away, and the sari would not be finished. Kṛṣṇa was supplying sari.

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Los Angeles, April 17, 1973:

You can know it. That is stated in the śāstra, that if you have got such and such mentality, you get such and such body. So in a comfortable position, if I keep myself in the dog's mentality, then I am going to get my next life as dog. Then what is the value of this comfortable position? I may be in comfortable position for twenty years, thirty years, fifty years, or utmost, one hundred years. And after that comfortable position, when I give up this body, if, due to my mentality, I become a cat and dog and mouse, then what is the benefit of this comfortable position?

These, they, people do not know that. They think, especially in this age that: "I am now in comfortable position. I have got enough money. I have got enough estate. I have got enough comforts, enough food. So as soon as the body's finished so I am not going to take birth again. So long I am living, let me enjoy life." This is the modern philosophy, hedonism. But that is not the fact. Kuntī is therefore anxious: apunar bhava-darśanam (SB 1.8.25). Apunar bhava, not to repeat. If you see always Kṛṣṇa, that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Your consciousness should be absorbed in Kṛṣṇa thought.

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Vrndavana, October 5, 1974:

So the people do not know this philosophy: apunar bhava-darśanam. Punar bhava... Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). The rascals, they cannot understand that what is our real difficulty or suffering. Mūḍha. Therefore the mūḍhas, they do not know it, that what is our actual suffering.

We understand from Bhagavad-gītā, na jāyate na mriyate, that "This living entity is never born, never dies." This information we get, very simple information. We are taking information from whom? Kṛṣṇa, jagad-guru, the supreme guru, the original guru. Guru means Kṛṣṇa's representative. A guru cannot be manufactured. Guru means... Kṛṣṇa is jagad-guru, and one who speaks on behalf of Kṛṣṇa or one who speaks as Kṛṣṇa says, he is guru. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā: (CC Madhya 7.128) "You just become guru on My order." You cannot become guru automatically without following the order of jagad-guru. The government servant... Who is government servant? Who is strictly following the government order, that is government servant. Anyone can say, "I am government servant." No. How you can be? Similarly, guru means who is following the principles given by the jagad-guru. The... He's guru.

So the principle... What is that principle? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is principle. "You give up all these nonsense activities. Simply surrender." So one who has surrendered to Kṛṣṇa fully, no other business, he is guru. This is the definition of guru. There is no difficult to understand who is guru. One who follows strictly the principles laid down by jagad-guru, he is guru. So the jagad-guru says... Because we have to learn everything, especially spiritual subject matter, from guru. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). This is the injunction of the Vedas.

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Vrndavana, October 5, 1974:

So long you'll get this material body, you have to suffer. It is meant for suffering. As soon as you get this material body, this body or that body, you have to suffer tri-tāpa. So people do not know... (end)

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

Just like Kṛṣṇa, it is stated: īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati, īśvara (BG 18.61). If the Lord is situated in everyone's heart, if that is a fact, so if Kṛṣṇa is within your heart, within yourself, so if he immediately comes in your front, so what is the difficulty for Kṛṣṇa? He's already within, and He's all-powerful. Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. Dhruva Mahārāja, when he was engaged in meditation, the form meditation, four-handed Viṣṇu he was meditating upon. All of a sudden his meditation broke and he saw the same figure before him, immediately. Is it very difficult for Kṛṣṇa? He's already within you, and if He comes out...

Similarly if Kṛṣṇa is within the heart of everyone, Devakī also, so if He comes out before Devakī in the same four-handed form, is it very difficult for Kṛṣṇa? So people do not know. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that: "You have to understand: janma karma me divyam (BG 4.9), transcendental birth. My activities, My birth." Therefore Kuntīdevī knows that Kṛṣṇa is unborn. Kṛṣṇa does not take birth, but it appears like that to some fools. Therefore they say that Kṛṣṇa has taken birth. But why Kṛṣṇa takes birth? The next question will be. That is replied: puṇya-ślokasya kīrtaye (SB 1.8.32), puṇya-ślokasya. Those who are very pious, very advanced in spiritual understanding, to glorify them. Kṛṣṇa comes to become the son of Devakī to glorify Devakī. Kṛṣṇa becomes the son of Yaśodā to glorify His devotee, Yaśodā.

Similarly Kṛṣṇa appeared in the dynasty of Mahārāja Yadu just to glorify. He was a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa, and He is born in the family of Mahārāja Yadu. The whole family is celebrated still: Yādava. Kṛṣṇa's name is Yādava, because He took His birth in the Yadu family. So how is it that, that Kṛṣṇa took...? Now to glorify the family. Exactly, the example is given: Just like malayasyeva candanam (SB 1.8.32). Candana. This is a tree. A tree can grow anywhere, but the sandalwood tree, because it is very prominent in the Malaysia country, formerly they were growing this candana tree, as I told you, because there was good demand, in India especially, of sandalwood. So they, nowadays they are growing rubber tree because there is good demand for rubber.

Lecture on SB 1.8.47 -- Mayapura, October 27, 1974:

This material life means sex life. So a man is searching after woman, and woman is searching after man. This is material bondage. This is natural not only human society—in dog society. Just see. The dog is crying, is crying at night because he has lost that woman. Is it not? Just see, even in the dog, what to speak of human being. So this is material life, to be affectionate unnecessarily. Therefore devotional service means vairāgya-vidyā. Caitanya Mahāprabhu showed by His example how He gave up the affection of young, beautiful wife, very nice home, most affectionate mother, most influential position in the society—gave up.

So this is the..., people do not know what is devotional service. Devotional service means... Just like Kuntī was praying, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, kindly help me how can I give up this affection of my family, the Pāṇḍavas and the Vṛṣṇis." This is required. This is the first sacrifice, not prākṛtena vaśaṁ gataḥ. Then it is... Actually, the perfection of life is no more affection for anything material: brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). That is the beginning, when we have lost complete affection for... We are not cruel; that is not another... But we know, we should know, that this is not required. This is simply moha. This is simply moha. This is illusion. It has no meaning. It is simply entanglement. That one must know. That is called vairāgya. Vairāgya-vidyā. Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya wrote hundred verses appreciating Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, of which two verses are available, because when he sent the hundred verses glorifying Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He immediately torn the papers, but the devotees collected the torn papers and saved one or two ślokas.

Lecture on SB 1.10.11-12 -- Mayapura, June 25, 1973:

They are materialistic. Those persons, simply hankering after money and woman, they are materialistic. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has advised to associate with this class of men, hankering after money and women, it is better..., death is better, preferred, than to associate. When He was requested to see King Pratāparudra... Because he was king, he's supposed to be always in association with money and women. He refused to see him: "No, I cannot see the King." When He refused to see, He quoted one verse: bhava-sāgarasya, niṣkiñcanasya bhava-sāgarasya. Niṣkiñcanasya jigamiṣor bhava-sāgarasya.

People do not know what is bhava-sāgara. They do not know even. But in Vedic literature, this is the first instruction, how to get out of this bhava-sindhu, bhava-sāgara, material ocean. The whole universe is also a ocean. And all these planets, they are called dvīpa. Just like this planet is called Jambudvīpa, Bhāratavarṣa. Actually it is like dvīpa. Nowadays, those who are flying in the sky, they're going from one island to another island, one planet to another planet. So when that is called dvīpa, there must be relative term, the ocean, or the sea. So whole, this universe, this planets, they are called dvīpa. Therefore they are floating in the ocean of air. Just like you have got experience. You have got experience of this also, ocean of water. And above water, there is air, ocean of air. Then there is sky. So bhava-sāgarasya. The whole universe is bhava-sāgara. Sāgara means ocean, or sea. And bhava means repetition of birth and death. Bhava. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). In the Bhagavad-gītā, once we take birth, we remain here for some time, then we give up this body; we accept another body. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). We have to... So long we are in this material ocean, we have to accept these laws of nature, repetition of birth and death. This is called bhava-sāgara. So we are eternal, nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20).

Lecture on SB 1.15.35 -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1973:

Yes, it is your religion"? Will the state allow? No.

Similarly, we cannot create religion. We cannot create religion, "This is my religion." Then everyone will escape(?) in the name of religion. Because you have created so many rascaldom as religion, therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya: (BG 18.66) "You rascal, you give up all these religion. Real religion is surrender to Me." This is religion. Otherwise why Kṛṣṇa says, "Give up all religion"? Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66), He says in the beginning. Dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya. "I come, I descend just to reestablish the principle of religion." Does it mean that He came to support Hindu religion, Muslim religion, Christian religion? No. He came to reestablish religion. People do not know what is that religion. They have created their own religion. And some rascal swami is supporting, yata mata tata patha. How you can create? Religion is personal? "You can create your own religion and be satisfied"? This is going on. In the name of religion, every rascal is creating his own religion and he is satisfied. He is satisfied, "I have got my own religion." But they do not know. These rascals, they do not know what is the meaning of religion. Religion means to abide by the laws of God, simple definition. Religion. That is religion, to abide by the laws. Now if you are religionist, you cannot deny God. Without God there is no question of religion. If somebody says, "I don't care for God. But my religion is simply to cut throat." Is that religion? So therefore one must know what is religion. That religion, very simple definition. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Religion is the law given by God. This is religion.

So what God is giving as law? The law is that "You give up all nonsense religion, simply surrender unto Me." This is religion. So a religious person, it does not mean whether he is Hindu or Muslim or Christian or Buddhist.

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

For social order there must be brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and for spiritual order, there must be brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. This is the system. So unless you accept this institution of varṇāśrama-dharma, you are not considered as civilized man, Ārya, Āryan.

Āryan means who are making progress under the institution of varṇāśrama-dharma. That progress means to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the goal. But people do not know that. Not only now; formerly also. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). They do not know what is their ultimate goal of self-interest. Why Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira is taking, retiring, from the...? That is not... To become king is not the ultimate goal of life. No. He has got another ultimate goal of life. He remained as a king as a matter of duty. Just like you work in some office or as a professional man. You work as a lawyer. You work as an engineer. You work as a medical man. That you can do, because you have to do something to live, livelihood. It doesn't matter. But to become an engineer or to become a scientist or become a medical man or a lawyer, that is not my ultimate goal of life. That is needed to maintain the body and soul together, but that is not ultimate goal of life. For that purpose, you may be what you are, but you must retire.

At the present moment, people retire by force or by some way or... But they do not know what is the ultimate goal of life. There are many retired men's house in your country, but they do not know what is the ultimate goal of life. Ultimate goal of life is to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Because in your busy life, you have got very little time; therefore after gṛhastha life, fifty years, up to, not more than that, pañcāśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet, then you must retire. It doesn't matter whether you have finished your duty or not.

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

The real duty is to fulfill the mission of the human life. The mission of human life is to understand God. And God is there, you cannot deny, God is there. But we do not know what is God, what is our relationship with Him. That we do not know. Just like in your country, the currency notes are advertised, "In God We Trust." But if we ask anybody that "This is the slogan of your state. What do you know about God?" nobody can reply. They will say, "It is something like this, something like that." But no... Everything vague idea. Nobody knows what is God, neither he knows how to trust in God. That is instructed in the Bhagavad-gītā: what is God and how to trust in Him. This is the subject matter of Bhagavad-gītā. But the people do not know. They simply have the slogan, "In God We Trust." Nobody knows what is God.

But we are trying to give the contribution, what is God. Not only God—His form, His name, His address, everything we are giving. Here is the form of God, Kṛṣṇa. If you do not believe, that He is not God, then you must say what is your idea of God. If you do not know what is the idea of God, then you must accept from me. And how can you deny that Kṛṣṇa is not God? First of all you have to know what is God. God means the Supreme. That is the dictionary word, "Supreme Being." So Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Being. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Being. Here we see a rich man, he enjoys, and his assistants, his managers, his secretaries, they work. They bring money from business, from factory, and the proprietor enjoys. This is a crude example. Similarly, here is God. He is in the enjoying spirit. He is not going to the office to manage his factory. No. He doesn't go. He simply enjoys. That is the injunction of the Vedas: na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca... Definition of God, what is God.

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

So it is the duty of the king, it is the duty of the government, it is the duty of the father, it is the duty of the guru, it is the duty of the husband to see that his subordinate is being trained up in Kṛṣṇa consciousness in this life, so that there will be no more death. Na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum. People do not know that he is being carried away. One is being carried away by the clutches of māyā in the cycle of birth and death. They do not know it, neither they want any solution. Although everyone does not want to die, but no scientist, no philosopher can give you any information that death can be checked.

There is way. Here is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, whereby you can stop your process of birth and death. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). He comes back. These things are there, information is there, the process is there. Everything is there in Vedic knowledge, Vedic cultivation. Simply people have to take it. Then they will be happy. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Lecture on SB 1.16.19 -- Hawaii, January 15, 1974:

So it is a culture, Vedic culture, which, if it is spread all over the world, people will be benefited because at the present moment people do not know what is the treasure house of spiritual culture. They do not know. They have got some vague idea. Neither they are offered such volumes of books. So those who are present here, our disciple or not disciple, should understand that this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is a great scientific movement; it is not a bogus bluffing movement. Very scientific movement. So in this movement, our one program is to respect the cows. We chant this mantra, namo brahmaṇya-devāya go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca. The brahminical culture and the cows... Why they have selected the cows? There are so many animals. Why cow protection is so important in Kṛṣṇa consciousness? Why Kṛṣṇa personally Himself became a cowherd boy and was taking the care of the cows and the calves? Oh, that is very essential.

And here also, we see that the Dharmarāja is inquiring about the comforts of the cow. Amba, kaccid bhadre, what is, anāmayam ātmanas te. Āmayam means disease. So "Whether you are quite comfortable by your health?" This is very essential to keep cows very comfortably. If they feel comfortable, then you get the most nourishing food, milk. We are practically seeing in our New Vrindaban center, because the cow are feeling secure in our custody, they're delivering milk up to the eighty pounds daily. You'll be surprised. So if you get milk products, milk, then you can prepare so many preparations full of vitamins, which will nourish your brain.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Delhi, November 4, 1973:

"Now what is my duty? You are all big men, present here. I am going to die. Now what is my duty?"

This is very important question, that... We are working very hard in this material world, but we are not preparing ourself for death, which is a "must" fact. Everyone must die. The modern civilization, they are afraid of death, but they do not know how to counteract death. This is the modern civilization. But there is process. In the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa informs us that our real problem of life is death—birth, death, old age and disease. Birth is the beginning and then, one who has taken birth, he must die. Yāvat, yāvaj jananaṁ tāvan maraṇam. But if one does not take birth, then he does not die. This is the actual problem. Why we have to take birth? People do not know even that there is again life after death. And Bhagavad-gītā's first instruction is tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ.

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ...

(BG 2.13)

As we are changing our body in this life from childhood to boyhood, boyhood to youthhood, then old man, then we give up this body, Kṛṣṇa says that similarly, as I was a child, now I have got a different body, similarly, when I give up this body, I'll get another body. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-2 -- New York, April 19, 1973:

Of course you will forget. That is the concession given by nature. Just like we do not remember what we had been in our past life. If I remember that suppose I was a king in my past life, now I have become a dog, then how much suffering it will be. Therefore by nature's law one forgets. And death means this forgetfulness. Death means this forgetfulness.

So this is a great science. People do not know it. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very scientific, authorized, so our business is to enlighten people as far as possible, and at the same time we must remain enlightened. We may not be again covered by the darkness of māyā. That we should be... That you can keep yourself very fit not to be covered by the māyā. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). If you very strictly adhere to the principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then māyā will not be able to touch you. That is the only remedy. Otherwise māyā is always looking after the opportunity, loophole, how she can capture you again. But if you remain strictly in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, māyā will not be able to do anything. Mām eva ye prapadyante. Daivī hy eṣa guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā. It is very difficult to get out of the clutches of māyā. It is very difficult. But Kṛṣṇa says, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te: (BG 7.14) if one is strictly adhering to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, always... Therefore our, this program is twenty-four hours thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Satatam. Satataṁ cintayo kṛṣṇa. Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). These are the recommended. So if we simply think of Kṛṣṇa... If you cannot do anything, simply think of Him. That is the highest meditational perfection. So always chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, be in touch with Kṛṣṇa in so many ways, then you are secure. Māyā will not be able to touch you. And if we can somehow or other pass our days and at the time of death we remember Kṛṣṇa, then the whole life is successful.

Lecture on SB 2.1.4 -- Delhi, November 7, 1973:

This world is bhayam, always fearfulness... Everyone. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithuna. These four things are bodily requisition: we need to eat, we need to sleep, therefore we require house or apartment or room, and we require food, and there are senses, of which the sex sense is very strong. Āhāra-nidrā, and bhaya, and we are always afraid. Therefore police is there, the government is here. These things are bodily adjustment. And if we depend on this so-called nation, community, friends, husband, wife, children, that will not give you, us, protection. The protection is here. Because Parīkṣit Mahārāja at the point of his death, his question was, "What is my duty? What is my duty? Now I am going to die." People do not know that "What is my duty. Now I was prime minister. I was this and that. That's all right. Now death is coming. It will take away all my possession immediately, whatever I have required." That the rascals, they do not know. Neither they consider. Bhagavān says that mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34). The rascal atheists, they do not believe in God. That's all right. "But I will appear as death. Who cannot believe it?" Who is that bold man here who can say, "I don't believe in death"? How can you say? Is there any bold man? You can say now like madman that "I don't believe in God." That's all right. But God will appear as death. You will have to believe at that time. That you cannot avoid. Therefore they are pramatta. If I say, "I don't believe in government," then "What is the government, sir? You will do something wrong and it will be caught up, you will be arrested, and you will be punished. You believe or not believe. It doesn't matter." Similarly, if these rascals say, "I don't believe in God," so you can say like madman, but God says, "Yes, you don't believe..." Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu. He did not believe in God. So when Nṛsiṁha-deva appeared to kill him, he had to believe: "Here is something. Here is something."

Lecture on SB 3.25.7 -- Bombay, November 7, 1974:

This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, to spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the best welfare activity in the human society, the best. There is no more better welfare... There are so many welfare activities in the human society, but this kṛṣṇa-upadeśa, to instruct people about the primary principles of Bhagavad-gītā in the human society, that is the best para-upakāra. People do not know how to become happy. They are... Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). They are simply making struggle for existence by mental concoction. Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). In this material world, they are simply struggling. There is no solution. Therefore the every Indian should study Bhagavad-gītā and if possible Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and assimilate it, and preach all over the world. This is the duty of India. India has no other duty. Para-upakāra. So with our one man's endeavor, teeny effort, you, we can see that so many outsiders, they're attracted to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Unless there is something substance... They are not illiterate. They are not fools. They are not poor. Why they are attracted? There is something to be learned from Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So if this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is spread all over the world regularly, then the face of the world will change. That's a fact. Sarve sukhino bhavantu. This is the Vedic mission: "Let everyone become happy." And how he'll be happy? He cannot become happy by mental concoction. That is not possible. Manorathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ (SB 5.18.12). If one is situated on the mental platform, speculating, he will simply go to the asat. Asat means this material world. Asato mā sad gama. Vedic says, "Don't remain in this asat. Come to the sat. Oṁ tat sat."

Lecture on SB 3.25.13 -- Los Angeles, November 10, 1968:

That is niḥśreyasāya. That is the ultimate benediction. To be repaired(?), enamored by the temporary society, friendship and love. And it has become a thankless task for the saintly persons, devotees of God, to drag them: "Oh, please come here. Please chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Please be Kṛṣṇa conscious. Please be God conscious." Nobody likes it. They think it botheration, "Why Swamiji comes here and bothers us?" But it has become the business. Therefore the qualification of a saintly person is titikṣava, very tolerant, very tolerant. Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he was crucified. Still, he was so tolerant he, at the time of crucification, he's praying to God, "My Lord, these people do not know what they are doing. Please forgive them." Just see how much tolerant. Titikṣava. This is the first qualification of saintly person or God's servant or God's son. Very tolerant. They have to push on their Kṛṣṇa conscious movement or God conscious movement through so many odds. Through so many odds. Because they are just like the child; he's attracted with playthings.

So yoga means, here it is stated, yoga ādhyātmikaḥ puṁsāṁ mato niḥśreyasāya. Yoga system means to lead one to the ultimate benediction. And ādhyātmikaḥ. Ādhyātmikaḥ means "pertaining to the soul." Yoga, practice of yoga, does not mean to gain some material profit. Actually, those who have attained to perfection to some extent in the yoga process... The yoga process which is very much advertised in your country, that is more or less bodily exercise. Yoga process is very difficult for the modern age. I have several times discussed this point. The preliminary process-yama, niyama, āsana, prāṇāyāma, dhyāna, dhāraṇā, samādhi—the eight processes... To control the senses, to control the mind, to practice sitting postures... Under certain physical posture the mind become concentrated. So there are different āsanas. Then meditation, then contemplation, then absorption. These things are preliminary process. But actually, the yoga means to attain ultimate benediction, niḥśreyasāya. What is that niḥśreyasāya? Now, spiritual realization. That is niḥśreyasāya.

Lecture on SB 3.25.15 -- Bombay, November 15, 1974:

Then the result will be that if you put one old body it will come new body. So such kind of brāhmaṇa is not available in this age, Kali-yuga, yājñika-brāhmaṇa. They, by mantras, they could, they would ignite fire. Fire was not required matches. By mantra. Simply by mantra, the old body of an animal will turn to be young.

But because the yājñika-brāhmaṇas cannot do that... There is no yajña. Not possible. Therefore this kind of yajñas are prohibited in this Kali-yuga. In the Kali-yuga the only one yajña is this saṅkīrtanam. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32). Those who are intelligent persons, they know this kind of yajña will not be successful. Because people do not know, they cannot chant the mantras rightly, neither there is facility. So many things. Therefore in this age, dull age, the only concession is to perform saṅkīrtana-yajña. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīr... And yajña means to worship the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu. Yajñaiḥ. Varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān viṣṇur ārādhyate (CC Madhya 8.58). Ārādhyate... The real purpose is to worship the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu. Nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam. So therefore performances of yajña is required.

So this yajña, in this age, Kali-yuga, is chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana, congregationally, as we chant: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma... This is performance of yajña. So by performances of this yajña, the result will be that ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam.

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

The conditioned state of life means influence of material nature. When we are very much influenced by the material nature... We have already discussed: guṇa. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya (BG 13.22). Material nature means the three guṇas, three material qualities: ignorance, passion and goodness. Goodness is better than the other two qualities, ignorance and passion. But mostly, especially in this age, they are conducted or influenced by the modes of ignorance and passion. People do not know what is the aim of life. Just like they are called śūdras. Śūdras means they do not know what is the aim of life. Just like animal. Animal does not know what is the aim of life. That is ignorance. And passion is power, creative power, or working for sense gratification. That is called passion. And goodness means knowledge. One can see what is what.

So we have discussed in the last verse how one becomes liberated.

tadā puruṣa ātmānaṁ

kevalaṁ prakṛteḥ param

nirantaraṁ svayaṁ-jyotir

aṇimānam akhaṇḍitam

Aṇimānam, aṇu. We are minute particle of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). We are not Kṛṣṇa, but Kṛṣṇa's part, minute part. That minute part also we have discussed—one ten-thousandth part of the upper portion of the hair. Keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya śatadhā kalpitasya ca (CC Madhya 19.140).

Lecture on SB 3.25.37 -- Bombay, December 6, 1974:

All riches. We can say, "I am millionaires. I am proprietor of crores." But I cannot say that "I am the owner of all the banks of the world." That is not possible. But Kṛṣṇa can say. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). Not only the banks, but everything which contains the banks, all the planets. Sarva-loka-maheśvaram. So who can be richer than Kṛṣṇa? So if Kṛṣṇa says, "I'll take care of you," then where is the question of poverty?

But that is... People do not know. They want some opulence, material opulence, but he doesn't want Kṛṣṇa, the proprietor of all opulences. And that is our misfortune. The proprietor of all opulences, He said, "Just surrender to Me. I'll take care of you." "No, no. It is not possible. I shall have to take care of my business. That will maintain me. I will have to take care of my this and that, my country, and so many family, friends, and..." Kṛṣṇa says, "No, no. You simply surrender. I'll do everything for you." And He assures Arjuna in the Sixth Chap..., yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ: "You just do..., try to achieve that thing which achieving you will be no more aspiring for achieving anything more." That is Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa. Just like Arjuna, he did it very conscientiously. Kṛṣṇa said that "This war, your fight, is family. I am connected with both the families. So I cannot take part in this war." But they insisted that "At least You take some part as You like." Then He said that "I divide Myself into two. So one side, all My soldiers, eighteen akṣauhiṇī soldiers, and one side, I am alone. Now you select. Which one you want?" So Duryodhana's thought that "What shall I do with Kṛṣṇa? He's one man. Let me take His soldiers." So he took all the soldiers. And Arjuna said, "No, Kṛṣṇa, I want You." Then Kṛṣṇa said, "No, I'll not fight." "No, You simply remain in my side." "All right, I shall become your chariot driver, that's all."

Lecture on SB 3.25.41 -- Bombay, December 9, 1974:

"I explained this philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness many, many millions of years ago to the sun-god." When He says, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam... (BG 4.1) Vivasvān, the name of the sun-god... At the present moment his name is Vivasvān. People do not know what is the sun planet, but we know the president of the sun planet. His name is Vivasvān. How do you know? We understand from Kṛṣṇa. Therefore our knowledge is perfect. You can say, "Have you gone to the sun planet?" No, there is no need of going there. Here is the authority. Kṛṣṇa says, so we accept it, that's all. Our business is finished. Kṛṣṇa is perfect. Whatever He says, it is perfect. Therefore... I am not perfect; that's a fact. But because I am speaking of the words coming from the perfect, therefore it is perfect. It is not speculation. It is very easy for us—because we accept the words of the perfect. Therefore, whatever we say, it is perfect. You may challenge, "Are you perfect?" I am not perfect. Because I am not speaking my words, I am speaking the words of the perfect, therefore, whatever I speak, it is perfect.

Lecture on SB 3.26.6 -- Bombay, December 18, 1974:

He was very poor man; he became rich man. And again his everything, business, failed. He again became a poor man. So this kind of poor man, rich man, sometimes Brahmā, sometimes ant, sometimes cats, dogs—this is all purposeless life. Purpose... Real life is eternal blissful life, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). That should be our aim of life.

So if you want that life and if you want to get free from this purposeless life, anartha upaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje, then you have to take to bhakti-yogam, transcendental loving service to the Lord. That is called bhakti-yogam. People do not know. Therefore Sūta Gosvāmī says, lokasya ajānataḥ: "These people, they do not know it, how to get out of this purposeless life." Anartha upaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje, lokasya ajānataḥ. The people, general people, they do not know it; neither they are interested, because they are so fool. So lokasya ajānato vidvāṁś cakre sātvata-saṁhitām (SB 1.7.6). Vidvān, Vyāsadeva, the vidvān, he compiled this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So śrīmad-bhāgavatam amalaṁ purāṇam. If you read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam... (end)

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- London (Tittenhurst), September 13, 1969:

The next line He says that tapaḥ. Tapaḥ means austerity. Austerity. What is that austerity? The austerity is to follow the rules and regulations by which one can elevate himself to the spiritual platform. That is required. In human... Either you practice yoga or haṭha-yoga or jñāna-yoga or dhyāna-yoga or karma-yoga or... Everything is yoga. As I explained last night in the meeting in the church, that yoga is one staircase to reach to the perfection of spiritual realization, and there are many steps. Just like haṭha-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, jñāna-yoga, there are many steps. But the perfectional stage is bhakti-yoga. The perfectional stage is bhakti-yoga. That should be the aim of life. But people do not know it that what is the aim of life. The aim of life is self-realization and to understand and to know and to reestablish our lost relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That should be the aim of life. Therefore it requires tapaḥ. Tapaḥ means voluntarily accepting some penances. Just like I am inclined for sense gratification, and tapasya means voluntarily avoid too much sense gratification. The śāstra does not stop sense gratification. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithuna. If the nature law allows sense gratification to the lower animals, birds and beast, why not to the man? But it should be controlled. Tapasya.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Vrndavana, October 24, 1976:

Formerly, everyone was practicing this yoga, aṣṭāṅga-yoga, dhyāna dhāraṇā asana praṇāyāma, just to become very stout and strong in the matter of sense gratification. Sense gratification is not at all good without any restriction. That is tapasya—tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). And the first-class tapasya is to cease from sex life, either man or woman. Then tapasya begins.

So the real purpose is tapo divyaṁ yena śuddhyed sattva (SB 5.5.1), to purify our existence. Therefore tapasya we have explained already. Now how this tapasya can be practiced? Tapasya can be practiced in the association of mahat, mahat-sevā. Mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes. People do not know what is vimukti. They do not know it. The first instruction of Bhagavad-gītā is suggesting that "You are not this body. You are within this body." And vimukti means not to accept any more this material body. That is vimukti. And Bhāgavata says, mukti definition: mukti hitvānyathā rūpaṁ sva-rūpeṇa avasthitiḥ. That is mukti. Mukti means when you are situated in your original position. That is mukti. My original position is that I am Brahman, I am spirit soul. I'm not Para-brahman. That is another māyā. I am Brahman, every one of us. But I am working not as Brahman, but I am working as this body. My responsibility..., I am thinking "I'm Indian," so I'm working for nationalism, for Indian welfare and so on, so on. You are working for America or another is working for England. So this is all bodily conception. So body, I'm not body. So therefore mukti means when I shall give up this bodily conception of life, that is mukti. And so long I shall be absorbed or captivated or conditioned by the bodily concept of life, there is no question of mukti. Mukti hitvānyathā rūpam. Anyathā rūpam means I'm acting at the present moment on the bodily conception of life.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Stockholm, September 9, 1973:

Therefore life, the..., whatever time we have got, whatever opportunity you have got, we have to prepare ourself. No more taking material body. That is only possible if you are transferred to the spiritual world. Then it is possible. And how it can be done? Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma ca me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ: (BG 4.9) if you simply try to understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Simply by this understanding. Otherwise, you'll have to accept this material body if you have got any desire to enjoy in this material world. Therefore, bhakti means anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (Brs. 1.1.11). If you take the path of jñāna-kāṇḍa karma-kāṇḍa, or without knowledge of... People do not know what is jñāna-kāṇḍa, karma-kāṇḍa. They are just like animals. So they are desiring like animals. Therefore anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam. Except becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious, except this desire, no more other desires. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam: (CC Madhya 19.167) Simply cultivating the knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness favorably, favorably, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, not like Kaṁsa. Therefore, this word has been used, ānukūlyena, "favorably." Kaṁsa, he was afraid of Kṛṣṇa. He was always Kṛṣṇa conscious. Because he was thinking, "Kṛṣṇa may come, may come and kill me. Where He is now? How He's coming?" His consciousness was always absorbed in Kṛṣṇa, but it was not ānukūlyena; it was prātikūlyena. Prātikūlyena means adverse. He was thinking of Kṛṣṇa as enemy. So that was prātikūlyena. But still, he got salvation. He became merged into the effulgence. So the enemies of Kṛṣṇa get that position, merge into the Brahman effulgence. Is that a very good place for the devotees? No. Why the devotees should accept impersonal Brahman effulgence. They must go to Kṛṣṇa directly and play with Him and dance with Him.

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

This devotional service, the worshiping Kṛṣṇa in the temple, to dress Him, as I explained another... Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau **, all these occupational duties will help you to understand Kṛṣṇa. Although it is very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa, but if you engage yourself in Kṛṣṇa's service, then Kṛṣṇa reveals to you what He is. And that is wanted. That is the perfection of your life. As soon as you understand Kṛṣṇa, then you become fit to go back to home, back to Godhead, and finish this business of repeated birth and death. Mām upetya kaunteya duḥkhālayam aśāśvataṁ nāpnuvanti (BG 8.15). This secret of success, people do not know, neither they can understand. They are not fortunate enough. But it is our duty to push on this movement by superior order. Anyone who will take advantage of this movement, he'll be saved from this repetition, birth and death.

So Ṛṣabhadeva says that "So long one's mind is absorbed in the conception that 'I shall work...' " As people are doing here, industry, trade, or so many things... The real purpose is to gratify senses. So in this way, if people are engaged, then he is parābhava, he is being defeated. Without understanding Kṛṣṇa consciousness, without being Kṛṣṇa conscious, if simply one wastes his time for these fruitive activities, then he is defeated. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jātaḥ.

Lecture on SB 6.1.8 -- New York, July 22, 1971:

The, in the Manu-saṁhitā... Manu-saṁhitā means Lord Manu, he's the giver of law to the mankind. From Manu, the word man has come. The exact Sanskrit word "manuṣya." Manuṣya means man. So there is some link with Manu, M-a-n-u, and "man." So this Latin word comes from the Sanskrit word, manu. So Manu is supposed to be the law-giver to the humankind. So in the Manu-saṁhitā it is stated there that when the king kills one man, or hangs one man who is a murderer, that is benefit to him. Otherwise, if he's not killed, then he will carry the reaction of his murdering action, and he'll have to suffer in so many ways. The laws of nature are very subtle. They are very diligently administered. People do not know it. So on the whole, the Manu-saṁhitā, life for life is sanctioned. And that is practically observed all over the world. But similarly, there are other laws, that you cannot kill even an ant. Then you are responsible. You have no right to kill. And in the Bible also, we see, Lord Jesus Christ says, "Thou shalt not kill." So killing is not allowed in any religious principle. Anyone who is killing, he's not considered in the human society. You cannot kill. The... Lord Buddha's also principle is ahiṁsā paramo dharmaḥ, no killing. Lord Jesus Christ also says, "Thou shalt not kill." In our Bhagavad-gītā it is also said, amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṁsā (BG 13.8). Ahiṁsā means not to become violent, not to kill.

So as there is state laws that you shall be killed if you kill your fellow man, similarly in the God's law there are the same thing. Not only man; if you kill anyone, then you'll have to suffer, because everyone is God's creature. They are in different dress only. He's considered the supreme father. So father may have many children—one is not very intelligent, another is very intelligent. And if the intelligent son says to the father that "This, my brother, is not intelligent. Let me kill him," will the father allow? Because his one son is not very intelligent, and if the intelligent son desires to kill him to avoid the burden, will the father agree to this? No. Similarly, if God is the supreme father, how He can sanction that you live and you kill animal? The animals are also His sons.

Lecture on SB 6.1.8 -- New York, July 22, 1971:

The sun is witness, the moon is witness, the day is witness, the air is witness and, above all witnesses, God Himself as the Supersoul, He's sitting in everyone's heart. He's also witness. So we cannot hide any activity from the eyes of God. So according to our work... Therefore in the śāstra it is said, daiva-netreṇa. Daiva means God, and netra, netreṇa means under supervision. So karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur deha upapattaye (SB 3.31.1). Jantu. Jantu means living entities. Deha means this body; upapattaye, "for manufacturing." Now we have got this human body. Next life it may not be human body—something else, better or lower. That will be decided by the superior examination. Daiva-netreṇa.

So this is going on, but people do not know what is this science, how the spirit soul is transmigrating from one body to another, not only in one duration of life. In one duration of life, there are so many changes of body. The body first manufactured within the womb of the mother is very small, just like chick pea, small. And it develops. And there are holes. The holes develop into nine holes: two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, one mouth, one genital, one rectum. In this way the body develops. And so long it requires to develop within the embryo, within the mother's womb, it remains there. And when it is sufficiently developed to grow outside, it comes out. Then it grows, the body grows. Grows means changing the body. Growing, we..., we are imperceptibly, cannot understand, but it is actually changing the body. Just like in your childhood you had a small body. That is no longer existing. That means you have changed your body. Similarly, you'll have to change this body. When this body will not work anymore... Because it is material. Every material things deteriorate and it becomes useless at certain length of time. Any machine, any clock... Therefore it has been taken as dress: vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya (BG 2.22).

Lecture on SB 6.1.17 -- Denver, June 30, 1975:

So the śāstra says that the association of devotees... Nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇāḥ means devotees. Nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇa, one who has taken Nārāyaṇa as the ultimate goal of life. Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu—They are of the same tattva, viṣṇu-tattva. So people do not know this, that to approach the platform of worshiping Nārāyaṇa or Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa, that is the most exalted and assured platform. Just like we get insurance, so this is assured. Assured by whom? Assured by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is assuring, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). Api cet sudurācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk, sādhur eva sa man... (BG 9.30). So many assurances there. Nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇa. Kṛṣṇa says personally that "I shall protect you." People suffer on account of sinful reaction, ignorance. Out of ignorance, they commit sinful action, and sinful action reacts. Just like a child, ignorant, he touches blazing fire, and it burns the hand, and he suffers. You cannot say that "Child is innocent, and the fire has burned." No. This is nature's law. Ignorance. So sinful activities are done out of ignorance. Therefore one should be in knowledge. Ignorance of law is no excuse. If you go to the court and if you plead, "Sir, I did not know that I have to suffer, I have to go to imprisonment for six months because I have stolen. This was unknown to me..." No. Known or unknown, you must go to the jail.

Lecture on SB 6.1.17 -- Denver, June 30, 1975:

I have to go to imprisonment for six months because I have stolen. This was unknown to me..." No. Known or unknown, you must go to the jail.

Therefore the greatest contribution to the human society is knowledge. To keep them in ignorance, in darkness, that is not human society, that is cats' and dogs'... Because they are in ignorance, nobody can give them knowledge, neither they can take. Therefore in the human society there is institution for giving knowledge. That is the greatest contribution. And that knowledge, the supreme knowledge, is there in the Vedas. Vedaiś ca sarvaiḥ. And all the Vedas ascertain that one should know what is God. That is wanted. (aside:) Don't make that sound. Vedaiś ca sarvaiḥ. People do not know it. This whole material world, they do not know what is the actual knowledge. They are busy in temporary things for sense gratification, but they are not aware what is actual the goal of knowledge. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum: (SB 7.5.31) the goal of knowledge is to know Viṣṇu, God. That is goal of knowledge. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. This life, the human form of life, is meant for understanding the Absolute Truth. That is life. And without trying to understand the Absolute Truth, if we simply are busy how to eat little comfortably, how to sleep little comfortably, or how to have sex little conveniently, these are animal activities. These are animal activities. Human activity means to know what is God. That is human activity. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). Without knowing this, they are struggling for existence. They want to be happy by adjusting the external energy, bahir-artha-māninaḥ. And people, leaders, andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ. Ask big big scientists, philosopher, "What is the goal of life?" They do not know. They simply theorize, that's all. The real goal of life is to understand God.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 6, 1967:

Prahlāda Mahārāja, advising his classfriends, "My dear friend, if you want success in your life..." People do not know what is the success of life. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). Everyone is supposed to be interested in his self, what is called self-interested. Everyone, beginning from the animal up to the highest living entity, Brahmā, everyone is interested for his self-satisfaction. But Prahlāda Mahārāja says, not exactly here, in other place, he has said, na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). When he was talking with his father, father was instructing him that "You foolish boy. You are simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. You do not know your self-interest. You should be politician. You should be technician. You should be bluffer. (laughter) So so many things are there. Unless you become quite alert in this world, how you can live?" The child said, "My dear father, perhaps you do not know what is your self-interest." Yes. He was always challenging his father. Five years old boy, and his father, the most powerful atheist king, and he was talking very freely. At last, when the boys was challenging always the father, the father inquired, "You rascal, under whose strength you talk with me so freely?" The boy replied, "My dear father, by whose power you are talking so freely, I am also talking by His power." (laughter) So that is the difference between atheist and theist. The child knew, "My dear father, you are so proud of your strength, of your material assets, but you do not know by whose grace you have got all these things. But I know. I know. Therefore by whose power you are so puffed up, by His power I am so humble." That is the difference. That is the difference. "The power is acting equally within you and within me, but you want to be puffed up, so He is helping you how you become more and more puffed up and go to hell." (laughter)

Lecture on SB 7.6.2 -- Toronto, June 18, 1976:

The bhāgavata-dharma is very clearly indicated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā should be read very carefully, attentively, from the beginning of life, childhood. Not that Bhagavad-gītā should be read in old age. No. From the very beginning of life. And whole Bhagavad-gītā is bhāgavata-dharma. And when one is well conversant with the Bhagavad-gītā or the lessons of Bhagavad-gītā, then the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begins.

Bhāgavata-dharma means, as we have discussed yesterday morning, that Kṛṣṇa Himself is explaining bhāgavata-dharma. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru mām evaiṣyasi (BG 18.65). The real aim of life is how to go back to home, back to Godhead. They do not know it. Na te viduḥ. Generally, people do not know what is the aim of life. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuḥ. All the Vedic mantra says. The Ṛg Veda mantra says, om tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam. That is the... Everyone must meditate upon Lord Viṣṇu. Meditation means to think of Lord Viṣṇu within the heart. I think we have seen many pictures that īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61), the Supreme Lord is sitting in everyone's heart, and that Lord's mūrti form is Viṣṇu-mūrti. So dhyāna, yoga, all this means to concentrate the mind in Viṣṇu-mūrti. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Yogi, what is their business? Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā. Concentrating the mind, meditating upon the Viṣṇu-mūrti. Nowadays, they have invented some system of yoga, some light, something like that. But that is not the sastric injunction. Sastric injunction is to think of Lord Viṣṇu within the heart. He's already there, and we have to search out. That is called meditation. That is called dhyāna.

Lecture on SB 7.6.5 -- Toronto, June 21, 1976:

So this should be the human activity, that śarīraṁ pauruṣaṁ yāvan na vipadyeta puṣkalam. So long we are stout and strong and we can work very nicely, the health is quite all right, take advantage of it. It is not Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for the lazy fellow. No. It is meant for the strong man: strong in body, strong in mind, strong in determination—everything strong-strong in brain. It is meant for them. Because we have to execute the highest goal of life. Unfortunately, they do not know what is the highest goal of life. The modern... Not modern, always. Now it is very conspicuous: people do not know what is the aim of life. Anyone who is in this material world, he is in māyā, means he does not know what is the goal of life. Na te viduḥ, they do not know, svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇu. Svārtha-gati. Everyone is supposed to be self-interested. Self-interest is the first law of nature, they say. But they do not know what is self-interest. He, instead of going back to home, back to Godhead—that is his real self-interest-he's going to become a dog in the next life. Is that self-interest? But they do not know it. How nature's law is working, they do not know it. Na te viduḥ. Adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisram. Matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā.

Lecture on SB 7.6.6 -- New Vrindaban, June 22, 1976:

If you cut it, he does not reply. Because practically it has lost the senses. There is some senses, consciousness, but it is not developed. It is not developed. The animal, little more developed. The human, fully developed. This is with all the consciousness, stages of different consciousness. And when we come to the stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this is perfect. Otherwise, in the lower grade. So if we neglect in this life, human form of life, to develop our Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then there is chance to become an animal, to become a tree.

So people do not know this, how this science is working, but this is the fact. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). So we have to read all these things very carefully. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ, there is dehāntara, another body. So we must be very careful what kind of body I'm going to get. Now, this life I have got very nice, beautiful body and everything is all right, but if we act irresponsibly, the nature will give me a suitable body. Otherwise, why there are so many varieties of life, 8,400,000? So we should be very, very careful not to waste the duration of life even by a second. We shall eat less, then we shall sleep also less.

Lecture on SB 7.6.9 -- Vrndavana, December 11, 1975:

The point is discussed, how one can get out of the bondage of material existence, vimocita. But people do not know that "This is my business, how to get out of this entanglement." They do not know even what is that entanglement. Such foolish civilization is going on. And they are passing as scientist, philosopher, big, big politician, but they do not know what is the aim of life. The aim of life is vimocita. We are spirit soul, eternal, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20), nityo śāśvato 'yam. They do not know. At the present moment almost everyone, 99.9% people, they do not know what is our problem and how to get out of it. They do not know. Ignorance, stupidity, mūḍha.

na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ

durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ

andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās

te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ

(SB 7.5.31)

Again the same thing. Īśa tantryām, uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. We are bound up, hands and legs, by the tantryām, the shackles or ropes of nature, or God. We are not free. 'Pīśa tantryāṁ baddhāḥ. We are not free; still, we are trying to excel the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The modern scientists, they are very much proud that they have advanced very much so that there is no need of talking about God.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Montreal, July 9, 1968:

Svāmī means controller, and gosvāmī is still clearer. Go means senses, controller of the senses. So Rūpa Gosvāmī says who can be a spiritual master. So he has given specifically this definition, that one who has got controls over the tongue, over the speech, over the mind, over the belly, and over the genitals, and over the anger. If anyone has control over these six things, then he can become spiritual master. Pṛthiviṁ sa śiṣyāt: "He is allowed to make disciples all over the world." Otherwise not. These are the qualification of brāhmaṇa. Satyam śaucam śama dama titikṣā (BG 18.42). Titikṣā means tolerance. Just like in your Western countries, Lord Jesus Christ, he was being crucified. He tolerated. He never cursed even. He, rather, begged from God, "My God, these people do not know what they are doing. Please excuse them." This is toleration. So satyam śaucam sama dama titikṣā. Toleration. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has instructed, tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā. Tolerance. What kind of tolerance? Tolerance like the straw in the street, like the tree. Amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). There are so many instances. Let us finish it briefly.

Lecture on SB 7.9.16 -- Mayapur, February 23, 1976:

This is Christian document. They say that "Our Christ is so kind that whatever sinful activities we do, he will suffer for us." Is it not? This is Christian theory. Just see foolishness. "You do something, and I suffer for that." No. You have to suffer. You have done something wrong; you must suffer. This is the real philosophy, sva-karmabhiḥ uśattama te 'ṅghri-mūlaṁ prītaḥ apavarga-śaraṇaṁ.

So we are very much entangled in this material world. One should be very much afraid. Prahlāda Mahārāja says... Prahlāda Mahārāja was not afraid of Nṛsiṁha-mūrti, but he is very much afraid of this material existence. It is really very, very fearful. People do not know the seriousness of material existence, and they continue and waste their, the chance, human being. Human form of life is a chance to rectify, but they do not care. Therefore the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so important. Everyone, door to door, a devotee has to go and teach them that "You are leading a very, very irresponsible life. Be responsible to your consciousness and be a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That will save you."

Lecture on SB 7.9.35 -- Mayapur, March 13, 1976:

Eh? Oh, yes, Brockway. So, of course, we offered him prasādam very friendly. So I asked Lord Brockway, "What is the end of your life? How do you think?" He was eighty-four years old. So he said, "Yes, I shall die peacefully." And after death? "Oh, there is nothing. That's all." This is the idea. So, actually people do not know what is going to happen after death. Therefore they are irresponsible. They are living like animals. But śāstra says, "No, no, no. Don't do this. You have got responsibility." Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛ-loke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye: (SB 5.5.1) "Don't live irresponsibly. This body," ayaṁ deha, "this body..." Deha-bhājāṁ nṛ-loke. Nṛ-loke means in the human society, not cat society, dog society, fly society. In the human society. You should not live irresponsibly like the cats and dogs. It has especially mentioned, viḍ-bhujām: "the stool-eater, pig." "You should not be like the stool-eater pig." Why this animal has been drawn? The, means, stool-eater pig means the pig has no distinction of eating. Whatever is there, up to stool, he can eat.

So if the human society has no discrimination of eating anything... Now I understand they're eating..., they are killing their own child, and the child is also being eaten. Who was telling?

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

Again it grows. Grows... It is not actually growing, it is changing. The child is changing his body to baby, the baby is changing his body to boy, and the boy is changing his body to youthhood. Then... in this way you are changing body. That you have got experience. You had a child's body—you remember. Or you had a boy's body—you remember. But the body is no longer existing. But you are existing. Therefore the conclusion is that when this body will be no more fit for existing we shall have to accept another body. This is called tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. So we have to change. That is nature's law. The soul is immortal. Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). The soul is not finished, simply a particular type of body being finished, no. The people do not know it. And because they are simply engaged in sinful activities, their brain has become so dull that they cannot understand this simple truth that as you are changing body in this life therefore you will change this body to another life. This is very simple truth. But at the advancement of material civilization, we have become so dull and rascal that we cannot understand it.

But India still, although it is so fallen, you go to a remote village. A common man, he has no education. He believes. He believes. And here in the western countries, I saw many many big, big professors. They have no idea. I met one big professor, Kotovsky, in Moscow. He said, "Swamijī, after finishing this body, everything is finished." Just see. He is a big professor and in charge of a very big department, Indology. He has no idea. But this is not the fact. The fact is that we are all sparks, spiritual spark, part and parcel of God. Somehow or other, we have come into this material world for sense enjoyment. In the spiritual world there is no sense enjoyment. There is sense purification. In the material world the senses are impure. They simply want to enjoy material things. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness means that you have to purify your senses. That is the way.