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Polished

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 1

SB 1.8.5, Purport:

In the glorious days, or before the advent of the age of Kali, the brāhmaṇas, the cows, the women, the children and the old men were properly given protection.

1. The protection of the brāhmaṇas maintains the institution of varṇa and āśrama, the most scientific culture for attainment of spiritual life.

2. The protection of cows maintains the most miraculous form of food, i.e., milk for maintaining the finer tissues of the brain for understanding higher aims of life.

3. The protection of women maintains the chastity of society, by which we can get a good generation for peace, tranquillity and progress of life.

4. The protection of children gives the human form of life its best chance to prepare the way of liberty from material bondage. Such protection of children begins from the very day of begetting a child by the purificatory process of garbhādhāna-saṁskāra, the beginning of pure life.

5. The protection of the old men gives them a chance to prepare themselves for better life after death.

This complete outlook is based on factors leading to successful humanity as against the civilization of polished cats and dogs. The killing of the above-mentioned innocent creatures is totally forbidden because even by insulting them one loses one's duration of life. In the age of Kali they are not properly protected, and therefore the duration of life of the present generation has shortened considerably. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated that when the women become unchaste for want of proper protection, there are unwanted children called varṇa-saṅkara. To insult a chaste woman means to bring about disaster in the duration of life. Duḥśāsana, a brother of Duryodhana, insulted Draupadī, an ideal chaste lady, and therefore the miscreants died untimely. These are some of the stringent laws of the Lord mentioned above.

SB Canto 2

SB 2.2.4, Purport:

Advancement of human civilization must be towards the goal of establishing our lost relationship with God, which is not possible in any form of life other than the human. One must realize the nullity of the material phenomenon, considering it a passing phantasmagoria, and must endeavor to make a solution to the miseries of life. Self-complacence with a polished type of animal civilization geared to sense gratification is delusion, and such a "civilization" is not worthy of the name. In pursuit of such false activities, a human being is in the clutches of māyā, or illusion. Great sages and saints in the days of yore were not living in palatial buildings furnished with good furniture and so-called amenities of life. They used to live in huts and groves and sit on the flat ground, and yet they have left immense treasures of high knowledge with all perfection.

SB 2.3.18, Purport:

One may doubt that trees have life because they do not breathe. But modern scientists like Bose have already proved that there is life in plants, so breathing is no sign of actual life. The Bhāgavatam says that the bellows of the blacksmith breathes very soundly, but that does not mean that the bellows has life. The materialist will argue that life in the tree and life in the man cannot be compared because the tree cannot enjoy life by eating palatable dishes or by enjoying sexual intercourse. In reply to this, the Bhāgavatam asks whether other animals like the dogs and hogs, living in the same village with human beings, do not eat and enjoy sexual life. The specific utterance of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in regard to "other animals" means that persons who are simply engaged in planning a better type of animal life consisting of eating, breathing and mating are also animals in the shape of human beings. A society of such polished animals cannot benefit suffering humanity, for an animal can easily harm another animal but rarely do good.

SB 2.6.5, Purport:

The polished nails of the Lord generate electricity, and the clouds rest on the hairs of His head. One can therefore collect all sorts of necessities of life from the person of the Lord, and therefore the Vedas affirm that everything that is produced is caused by the Lord. The Lord is the supreme cause of all causes.

SB 2.7.52, Purport:

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the philosophy of devotional service and the scientific presentation of man's relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Prior to the age of Kali there was no need for such a book of knowledge to know the Lord and His potential energies, but with the beginning of the age of Kali human society gradually became influenced by four sinful principles, namely illegitimate connection with women, intoxication, gambling and unnecessary killing of animals. Because of these basic sinful acts, man gradually became forgetful of his eternal relation with God. Therefore man became blind, so to speak, to his ultimate goal of life. The ultimate goal of life is not to pass a life of irresponsibility like the animals and indulge in a polished way in the four animal principles, namely eating, sleeping, fearing and mating. For such a blind human society in the darkness of ignorance, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the torchlight to see things in proper perspective. Therefore it was necessary to describe the science of God from the very beginning, or from the very birth of the phenomenal world.

SB 2.9.6, Purport:

This penance is the beauty and wealth of the brāhmaṇas and the renounced order of life. According to Bhāgavata philosophy, every human being is meant simply for this tapa and for no other business, because by penance only can one realize his self; and self-realization, not sense gratification, is the business of human life. This tapa, or penance, was begun from the very beginning of the creation, and it was first adopted by the supreme spiritual master, Lord Brahmā. By tapasya only can one get the profit of human life, and not by a polished civilization of animal life. The animal does not know anything except sense gratification in the jurisdiction of eat, drink, be merry and enjoy. But the human being is made to undergo tapasya for going back to Godhead, back home.

SB Canto 3

SB 3.21.17, Purport:

The cloud is compared to the mercy of the spiritual master. By the grace of the spiritual master the cloud of the mercy of the Personality of Godhead is brought in, and then only, when the rains of Kṛṣṇa consciousness fall, can the fire of material existence be extinguished. This is also explained here. In order to find freedom from the stereotyped conditional life of material existence, one has to take shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord, not in the manner in which the impersonalists indulge, but in devotional service, chanting and hearing of the activities of the Lord. Only then can one be freed from the actions and reactions of material existence. It is recommended here that one should give up the conditional life of this material world and the association of so-called civilized human beings who are simply following, in a polished way, the same stereotyped principles of eating, sleeping, defending and mating. Chanting and hearing of the glories of the Lord is described here as tvad-guṇa-vāda-sīdhu. Only by drinking the nectar of chanting and hearing the pastimes of the Lord can one forget the intoxication of material existence.

SB 3.25.41, Purport:

Without the surrendering process, one cannot achieve liberation. The Bhāgavatam says, "Those who are simply puffed up, thinking themselves liberated by some nondevotional process, are not polished or clear in intelligence, for they have not yet surrendered unto You. In spite of executing all kinds of austerities and penances or even arriving at the brink of spiritual realization in Brahman realization, they think that they are in the effulgence of Brahman, but actually, because they have no transcendental activities, they fall down to material activities." One should not be satisfied simply with knowing that one is Brahman. He must engage himself in the service of the Supreme Brahman; that is bhakti. The engagement of Brahman should be the service of Para-brahman. It is said that unless one becomes Brahman one cannot serve Brahman. The Supreme Brahman is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the living entity is also Brahman. Without realization that he is Brahman, spirit soul, an eternal servitor of the Lord, if one simply thinks that he is Brahman, his realization is only theoretical. He has to realize and at the same time engage himself in the devotional service of the Lord; then he can exist in the Brahman status. Otherwise he falls down.

SB 3.28.27, Translation:

The yogī should further meditate upon the Lord's four arms, which are the source of all the powers of the demigods who control the various functions of material nature. Then the yogi should concentrate on the polished ornaments, which were burnished by Mount Mandara as it revolved. He should also duly contemplate the Lord's discus, the Sudarśana cakra, which contains one thousand spokes and a dazzling luster, as well as the conch, which looks like a swan in His lotuslike palm.

SB 3.28.27, Purport:

All departments of law and order emanate from the arms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The law and order of the universe is directed by different demigods, and it is here said to emanate from the Lord's arms. Mandara Hill is mentioned here because when the ocean was churned by the demons on one side and the demigods on the other, Mandara Hill was taken as the churning rod. The Lord in His tortoise incarnation became the pivot for the churning rod, and thus His ornaments were polished by the turning of Mandara Hill. In other words, the ornaments on the arms of the Lord are as brilliant and lustrous as if they had been polished very recently. The wheel in the hand of the Lord, called the Sudarśana cakra, has one thousand spokes. The yogī is advised to meditate upon each of the spokes. He should meditate upon each and every one of the component parts of the transcendental form of the Lord.

SB Canto 4

SB 4.22.20, Purport:

By association with devotees, dirty things within the heart of a materialistic man are gradually washed away by the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As silver becomes shiny by being polished, the heart of a materialistic person is cleansed of lusty desires by the good association of devotees. Actually the living being has no connection with this material enjoyment nor with lusty desires. He is simply imagining or dreaming while asleep. But by the association of pure devotees, he is awakened, and immediately the spirit soul is situated in his own glory by understanding his constitutional position as the eternal servant of the Lord. Pṛthu Mahārāja was already a self-realized soul; therefore he had a natural inclination to glorify the activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the Kumāras assured him that there was no chance of his falling victim to the illusory energy of the Supreme Lord. In other words, the process of hearing and chanting about the glories of the Lord is the only means to clarify the heart of material contamination. By the process of karma, jñāna and yoga, no one will succeed in driving away contamination from the heart, but once a person takes to the shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord by devotional service, automatically all dirty things in the heart are removed without difficulty.

SB 4.29.5, Purport:

Actually, nothing belongs to him. Even the body and the senses do not belong to him, for they are given to him by the grace of the Lord to satisfy his different propensities through the material energy. Nothing actually belongs to the living entity, but he becomes mad after everything, claiming, "This is mine. This is mine. This is mine." Janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). This is called illusion. Nothing belongs to the living entity, but he claims that everything belongs to him. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommends that this false intelligence be purified (ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12)). When the mirror of intelligence is polished, the real activities of the living entity begin. This means that when a person comes to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, his real intelligence acts. At that time he knows that everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa and nothing belongs to him. As long as one thinks that everything belongs to him, he is in material consciousness, and when he knows perfectly that everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa, he is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

SB Canto 5

SB 5.25.4, Translation:

The pink, transparent toenails on the Lord's lotus feet are exactly like valuable gems polished to a mirror finish. When the unalloyed devotees and the leaders of the snakes offer their obeisances to Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa with great devotion, they become very joyful upon seeing their own beautiful faces reflected in His toenails. Their cheeks are decorated with glittering earrings, and the beauty of their faces is extremely pleasing to see.

SB Canto 8

SB 8.8.33, Translation:

He was dressed in yellow garments and wore brightly polished earrings made of pearls. The tips of his hair were anointed with oil, and his chest was very broad. His body had all good features, he was stout and strong like a lion, and he was decorated with bangles. In his hand he carried a jug filled to the top with nectar.

SB Canto 9

SB 9.11.31-34, Translation:

Thereafter, Lord Rāmacandra entered the palace of His forefathers. Within the palace were various treasures and valuable wardrobes. The sitting places on the two sides of the entrance door were made of coral, the yards were surrounded by pillars of vaidūrya-maṇi, the floor was made of highly polished marakata-maṇi, and the foundation was made of marble. The entire palace was decorated with flags and garlands and bedecked with valuable stones, shining with a celestial effulgence. The palace was fully decorated with pearls and surrounded by lamps and incense. The men and women within the palace all resembled demigods and were decorated with various ornaments, which seemed beautiful because of being placed on their bodies.

SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13

SB 10.5.11, Translation:

In the ears of the gopīs were brilliantly polished jeweled earrings, and from their necks hung metal lockets. Their hands were decorated with bangles, their dresses were of varied colors, and from their hair, flowers fell onto the street like showers. Thus while going to the house of Mahārāja Nanda, the gopīs, their earrings, breasts and garlands moving, were brilliantly beautiful.

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

SB 10.47.1-2, Translation:

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: The young women of Vraja became astonished upon seeing Lord Kṛṣṇa's servant, who had long arms, whose eyes resembled a newly grown lotus, who wore a yellow garment and a lotus garland, and whose lotuslike face glowed with brightly polished earrings. "Who is this handsome man?" the gopīs asked. "Where has he come from, and whom does he serve? He's wearing Kṛṣṇa's clothes and ornaments!" Saying this, the gopīs eagerly crowded around Uddhava, whose shelter was the lotus feet of Lord Uttamaḥśloka, Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

SB 11.17.23, Translation:

The brahmacārī should regularly dress with a belt of straw and deerskin garments. He should wear matted hair, carry a rod and waterpot and be decorated with akṣa beads and a sacred thread. Carrying pure kuśa grass in his hand, he should never accept a luxurious or sensuous sitting place. He should not unnecessarily polish his teeth, nor should he bleach and iron his clothes.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 8.39, Purport:

Transcendental literature that strictly follows the Vedic principles and the conclusion of the Purāṇas and pāñcarātrika-vidhi can be written only by a pure devotee. It is not possible for a common man to write books on bhakti, for his writings will not be effective. He may be a very great scholar and may be expert in presenting literature in flowery language, but this is not at all helpful in understanding transcendental literature. Even if transcendental literature is written in faulty language, it is acceptable if it is written by a devotee, whereas so-called transcendental literature written by a mundane scholar, even if it is a very highly polished literary presentation, cannot be accepted. The secret in a devotee's writing is that when he writes about the pastimes of the Lord, the Lord helps him; he does not write alone. As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (10.10), dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ yena mām upayānti te. Since a devotee writes in service to the Lord, the Lord from within gives him so much intelligence that he sits down near the Lord and goes on writing books. Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī confirms that what Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura wrote was actually spoken by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and he simply repeated it.

CC Adi 16.52, Purport:

The statement kariyāchi śravaṇa ("I have heard it") is very important in the sense that hearing is more important than directly studying or perceiving. If one is expert in hearing and hears from the right source, his knowledge is immediately perfect. This process is called śrauta-panthā, or the acquisition of knowledge by hearing from authorities. All Vedic knowledge is based on the principle that one must approach a bona fide spiritual master and hear from him the authoritative statements of the Vedas. It is not necessary for one to be a highly polished literary man to receive knowledge; to receive perfect knowledge from a perfect person, one must be expert in hearing. This is called the descending process of deductive knowledge, or avaroha-panthā.

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 12.104, Translation:

The Lord mopped the rooms with His own clothes, and He polished the throne with them also.

CC Antya-lila

CC Antya 15.64, Translation:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued, “Śrī Kṛṣṇa's complexion is as polished as powdered eye ointment. It surpasses the beauty of a newly formed cloud and is softer than a blue lotus flower. Indeed, His complexion is so pleasing that it attracts the eyes and minds of everyone, and it is so powerful that it defies all comparison.

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Nectar of Devotion

Nectar of Devotion 26:
Kṛṣṇa used a buffalo horn as a bugling instrument. This instrument was always highly polished and circled with gold bands, and on the middle there was a hole. Regarding these instruments, there is a metaphorical statement about a gopī named Tārāvalī. It is said that Tārāvalī was bitten by the most venomous snake of Kṛṣṇa's flute. Then, in order to neutralize the poisonous effect, she drank the milk produced by the buffalo horn in the hand of Kṛṣṇa. But instead of decreasing the poisonous effect, it increased it a thousand times. The gopī was thus put into the most miserable poisoned condition.
Nectar of Devotion 28:

It is to become one with the Lord and merge into His existence. Rūpa Gosvāmī therefore says that even if the reactions to chanting are manifested in the impersonalist's body, they should not be considered to be symptoms of actual attachment, but reflections only, just like the sun reflected in a dark room through some polished glass. The chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, however, is so nice and transcendental that it will eventually melt even the hearts of persons who are impersonalists. Rūpa Gosvāmī says that the impersonalists' symptoms are simply reflections of ecstatic love, not the real thing.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 60:

The pastimes of Kṛṣṇa and Rukmiṇī in Dvārakā are accepted by great authorities as manifestations of those of Nārāyaṇa and Lakṣmī, which are of an exalted opulence. The pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana are simple and rural, distinguished from the polished urban characteristics of those of Dvārakā. The characteristics of Rukmiṇī were unusually bright, and Kṛṣṇa was very much satisfied with her behavior.

Krsna Book 60:

“Besides this, I am not very much polished, even in social etiquette. A person should be satisfied with one wife, but you see that I have married many times, and I have more than sixteen thousand wives. I cannot please all of them as a polished husband. My behavior with them is not very nice, and I know that you are very conscious of it. I sometimes create a situation with My wives which is not very happy. Because I was trained in a village in My childhood, I am not well acquainted with the etiquette of urban life. I do not know the way to please a wife with nice words and behavior. And from practical experience it is found that any woman who follows My way or becomes attracted to Me is ultimately left to cry for the rest of her life. In Vṛndāvana, many gopīs were attracted to Me, and now I have left them, and they are living but are simply crying for Me in separation.

Krsna Book 80:

These instructions given by Lord Kṛṣṇa while talking with His friend the learned brāhmaṇa are very good for the guidance of human society. A system of human civilization that does not promote varṇa and āśrama is nothing but a polished animal society. Indulgence in sex life by a man or woman living single is never acceptable in human society. A man should strictly follow the principles of brahmacārī life or, with the permission of the spiritual master, should get married. Single life with illicit sex is animal life, for the animals have no such institution as marriage.

Krsna Book 87:

In the barbarian stage, or in the mode of ignorance, the senses are gratified in a very crude way, whereas in the mode of passion, or in civilized life, the senses are gratified in a polished manner. But when one is promoted to the mode of goodness, one can understand that the senses and the mind are engaged in material activities only due to being covered by perverted consciousness. When this perverted consciousness is gradually transformed into Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then the path of liberation is opened. So it is not that one is unable to approach the Absolute Truth by the senses and the mind. The conclusion is, rather, that the senses, mind and intelligence in the gross stage of contamination cannot appreciate the nature of the Absolute Truth, but when purified, the senses, mind and intelligence can understand what the Absolute Truth is. The purifying process is called devotional service, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Light of the Bhagavata

Light of the Bhagavata 8, Purport:

A rich man displays his opulence in various colorful ways. He has a good residential bungalow with sufficient property and a well-trimmed garden. The bungalow is decorated with up-to-date furniture and carpets. There are motorcars with dazzling polish, and a radio set receiving and broadcasting colorful news and melodious songs. All these captivate their proprietor as though he were in a dreamland of his own creation.

Sri Isopanisad

Sri Isopanisad 3, Purport:

The answer is that a highly placed officer has to discharge duties of a higher nature. Similarly, the duties human beings have to perform are higher than those of animals, who are always engaged in simply feeding their hungry stomachs. Yet the modern soul-killing civilization has only increased the problems of the hungry stomach. When we approach a polished animal in the form of a modern civilized man and ask him to take interest in self-realization, he will say that he simply wants to work to satisfy his stomach and that there is no need of self-realization for a hungry man. The laws of nature are so cruel, however, that despite his denunciation of the need for self-realization and his eagerness to work hard to fill his stomach, he is always threatened by unemployment.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.49-51 -- New York, April 5, 1966:

Śuci means brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa means one who knows spiritual life, how to conduct. And he has got other qualifications. Then he's called śuci. And the, the, the opposite word of śuci is called muci. So we need not explain what is muci, but śuci, śucīnāṁ means highly cultured brāhmaṇa. And śrīmatām. Śrī means wealth, śrī means wealth, opulence, beauty and all these things. That means very aristocratic family, very aristocratic family. So he's given chance to get his birth in two places. One who is, I mean to..., not successful. The successful, oh, what to speak of him! The successful goes back to Godhead directly. And even one is unsuccessful, half-finished, then he is given chance to take his birth in two kinds of family. One set is śrīmatām. Śrīmatām means very well-to-do, rich family. And other is very well polished, cultural brāhmaṇa family.

Lecture on BG 6.16-24 -- Los Angeles, February 17, 1969:

So here the suggestion is that this body is useless, but that does not mean we shall not take care. Just like you are going from one place to another place on your car. The car, you are not this car, but because you have to use the car for your work, you have to take care of the car also. But not much care that you simply become absorbed in the car business and no other business. Just like somebody, too much attachment to the car is polishing the car whole day, you see, polishing. So we should not be too much attached to this body. But because with this body we have to execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness, therefore we should keep it fit also. That is called yukta-vairāgya. We should not neglect. We shall take regular bath, we shall, regular nice food, Kṛṣṇa prasāda, keep our mind and body healthy. That is required.

Lecture on BG 6.46-47 -- Los Angeles, February 21, 1969:

So people, one has to understand scientifically these things but they are neglecting. So therefore continuing suffering. They do not care for suffering also. Just like the animals, they are suffering, but they do not care for it. they forget. So practically this sense gratification civilization means animal civilization. A little polished, that's all.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Durban, October 9, 1975:

"So then I shall have to give up attachment for my family, for my business?" No. Keep the center attachment in Kṛṣṇa and do whatever you are doing. That's all right. Just like family. So it does not mean because you have turned your attachment, therefore your family attachment should be withdrawn. No. It will be polished. The family attachment will be polished. If you train your family in Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Just early in the morning rise up. You can control your family in that way: "Now get up. Take your bath." Have maṅgala-ārati. Then chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, read Bhagavad-gītā. Then take prasādam. Then go to office or work. So in this way, if your mind is in Kṛṣṇa and if you act accordingly, then that is perfection. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommended this process, that you stay in your position. There is no question of changing your position. But from that position you become Kṛṣṇa conscious. And the easiest process is: chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. It is not at all difficult provided we agree to accept it. Then we can gradually understand "What is God, what I am, what is my relationship with God," and so on, so on. Everything will be clear.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- San Francisco, September 11, 1968:

So at the present moment the education system is so bad that it is practically animal education. Animal education means when at the present moment the education system is so bad that it is practically animal education. Animal education means when we are too much interested with eating, sleeping, mating and defending, that is animal education. Eating, sleeping, mating and defending, oh, you'll find in animals. There is no distinction. They have got their own defending measures, they have got their own sleeping measures, they have got their own mating measures. You are mating with your wife in a secluded place, in a nice room, in a decorated room, but a dog is mating on the street, but the result is the same. So to improve the method of mating is not advancement of civilization. That is animal civilization polished, that's all. The animal also, the dog can also defend from other dogs. And if you think that you have discovered atomic energy to defend yourself, that is not advancement of human civilization. The defending measure, that's all. Similarly, you go on analyzing.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.3 -- London, August 19, 1971:

The bodily necessities of life, the animals, they have also bodily necessities of life. Āhāra, eating; nidrā, sleeping; and bhaya, fearing or defending; and maithuna, sexual intercourse. So the cats and dogs, they have got all these functions, and the human being has also the same functions. It may be little polished, but the function is the same. Then what is the extra business of this human form of life? If you are simply engaged in these four principles of life—eating, sleeping, sex life, and defending or fearing—then what is the difference between a man and a dog? There is no difference. The only difference is athāto brahma jijñāsā. A man can come here in this temple and he can inquire about Kṛṣṇa or the Absolute Truth. That is the difference.

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

So this means at the present moment the whole human society has become animal. That's all. Their behavior is also like animal. Behavior is also like animal. And gradually, in this age people will become more and more animalistic. And they like to become animal. They say that "We are going to nature, to remain naked, without any polished behavior. Lie down... Just like cats and dogs lie down in street, I'll lie down." They are thinking this is ideal. So just see that so much expenditure on education, university, father-mother's care, state care, but they are becoming cats and dogs. And they are taking it as advancement. Dharma artha. Artha must be on the basis of dharma. And kāma. Kāma means sense gratification. And last, at last, mokṣa, liberation.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Hyderabad, November 26, 1972:

People are endeavoring throughout the whole world for bodily comforts, for sense gratification, but they're not happy. There cannot be happiness. Because... The same example. Suppose you have got a nice coat. If you simply show the coat and iron the coat and keep it very nice, that does not mean you'll be happy. Because you are trying to get happiness from the coat or shirt. That is not happiness, that is not possible. Happiness is possible when you try to make happy the soul. Then happiness is possible. Another example is given—just like a bird within the cage. If you simply wash the cage and keep it very nice and don't give any food to the bird, then the bird will never be happy simply by polishing the cage. So this is the cage, this material body is the cage of the soul. Therefore material living being is called conditioned or encaged. That is the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā.

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

This is already there in you; simply you have to awaken it. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness is already there in everybody. It is not that it is an artificial thing. Love for God is there already because we are part and parcel of Him. It is now covered, covered by material association. Acchedita. Just like the mirror is covered by dust, you cannot see, but you polish it, you will see your face, similarly, this bhakti-yoga process is polishing the mirror of your heart, and when it is nicely polished, you will see what is your position, what you are, what is your business, how you shall be happy. Everything will come out.

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

According to Vedic system, unless the human society comes to the institution of varṇāśrama-dharma, they are not to be accepted as human society. The system, the whole system was to gradually educate people to be elevated to the spiritual platform for understanding Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That was the whole scheme. Viṣṇu, tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayo, to train people to become civilized, sūrayo, means that they will observe(?) to the ultimate goal of life, viṣṇu paramaṁ padam: how to approach Lord Viṣṇu, how to approach the Vaikuṇṭha, paraṁ dhāma, by spiritual progressive life. That was there. Every human being was given chance to go back to home, back to Godhead. That is considered as human civilization. Human civilization does not mean to improve the method of eating, sleeping, mating and defending, as it is going on now. The quality or..., the quality has been polished, but actually the human civilization has not improved, because the quality... Eating, sleeping, mating and defending, that is given special stress, but not to the point of, goal of life, reaching Viṣṇu, oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paranaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayo. That we have neglected.

Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Los Angeles, August 22, 1972:

Soul. This is, this is the activity of the soul. You stop the activity of the body, of the mind; then you must be engaged in the activity of the soul. Actually, the soul is active, not this body and mind. As soon as the soul is out of this body, there is no activity. So the real source of activity is coming from the soul. So how it is that after one becomes liberated, he becomes inactive? That is the theory of the Māyāvādīs. Real activity begins there. Here we are active. We have got so many impediments offered by the mind and the body; and when we actually come to the platform of soul, that is liberated position. The activity should be very nice and very polished, very advanced. Then?

Lecture on SB 1.2.24 -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1972:

Yajña means Viṣṇu, the platform of satisfying Viṣṇu. This is the perfection of life. Dull, dull brain, ignorance, just like animals, they are in the tamo-guṇa, ignorance. They cannot understand anything. So gradually, they are promoted to the human form of life, rajo-guṇa. Generally, human form of life, rajo-guṇa, activity for creation, we can very well see. Animals, cats, dogs cows, asses... And a little civilized, engaged in sense gratification in a different way, very active, passion... So these two stages of life will not help us. Because our aim is to come to the point of brahma-darśanam, self-realization, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. To remain karmīs or remain animallike life, no knowledge, simply eating, sleeping, mating, that's all... And little advancement means the same eating, sleeping, mating, but in a polished way... Mostly we find in the Western countries, the aim is animal propensities, but in a polished way. Suppose they live in very, very high skyscraper buildings, and the animals live in some cave, in some hole, in some nest.

Lecture on SB 1.2.24 -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1972:

But we should not be misled by such conception of civilization. Our aim is different. That is right different. I am spirit soul; you are spirit soul. Somehow or other, I have been entangled with this material body, one after another. So I must get out of this entanglement and go back to home, back to Godhead, to Viṣṇu, and live there eternally, blissful life of knowledge. That is our aim. The materialistic persons, they think these are all utopian thinking conception. Because they have no brain they are no better than animals, polished animals. That's all. They cannot understand. In the tamo-guṇa. Tamasaḥ. Tamasaḥ. Two: tamas and rajas. Two, these two qualities material qualities are there. What is...? That in the Bhagavad-gītā there is verse: kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgaḥ asya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu. Kāraṇam. Why one is born in low-grade body? Why one is born in high-grade body? The... What is the reason? The reason is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: kāraṇam.

Lecture on SB 1.5.15 -- New Vrindaban, June 19, 1969:

A child is born ignorant. If the father, mother, guardians, do not give him education, then his life is spoiled. The child has no fault. It is the fault of the guardian. Similarly, in this human form of life, if the state, the father, the teacher, the school, college, and every, who are responsible for raising the child to knowledge, to become wise, if they do not care and simply they have trained for eating nicely, sleeping nicely and mating nicely and defending nicely, then there is no gain. The life is the... A chance is missed. Nārada Muni says that "Without coming to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if he's simply engaged in a polished way to this animalistic way of life—eating, sleeping, mating and defending—then he does not gain anything. On the other side, if a person without any knowledge, without any understanding, by sentiment takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and, being immature, if he falls down, there is no loss." This is the conclusion.

Lecture on SB 1.8.20 -- Mayapura, September 30, 1974:

Tathā paramahaṁsānām (SB 1.8.20). Kṛṣṇa is realized by qualification, and the qualifications are described here. The first qualification is paramahaṁsa. Paramahaṁsa. Parama means the best, and haṁsa means the swans. So there are different types of swans. We have seen. Out of them, the white big swan is accepted the best of them. So this haṁsa, or this swan, has got a qualification special, that you offer them milk mixed with water. So the haṁsa, it will take the milk portion and leave aside the water portion. Every animal has got a special qualification. Just like you'll find the lizard, a very plain wall, polished wall, but they'll go very swiftly. You have no science to do that. You cannot do it. The vulture, it goes very high. They have got very small eyes, but they can see from miles away where is some dead body. That is their business.

Lecture on SB 1.9.3 -- Los Angeles, May 17, 1973:

So it is stated that without money, you cannot get justice even. In the court of justice, everyone is expected to get proper behavior, but in the Kali-yuga it is stated (that) even in the court of justice, you cannot get justice without money. That's a fact. If you have no money, then you cannot appoint a good lawyer. And sometimes you have to bribe the judge also. This is the position now. Now in your country so many big, big men have been arrested or something like that for their dishonesty. So Kali-yuga is so polluted that the minister is dishonest, the judge is dishonest, and what to speak of ordinary men. So only thing is that you get money some way or other. Then you can pass on as a nice gentleman, polished. You keep yourself always polished, and within you may be full with all dirty things, but if you have got your pockets filled up with coins and notes, then you are nice. Formerly it was not like that. One must be qualified. Varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.15.44 -- Los Angeles, December 22, 1973:

Anyway, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira went to the northern side. Gata-pūrvāṁ mahātmabhiḥ. His forefathers, they were also mahātmās. Formerly the kings were not, I mean to say, licentious drunkards. They were all ṛṣi, as good as great saintly persons, rājarṣi. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā was taught to the saintly kings. The modern people, they say that "Why not this movement amongst the poorer-class men?" They do not know who is poor. Anyone who is poor in spiritual understanding, he is poor. By material opulence, one does not become rich. He is animal. By material opulence, one may be polished animal, but he is animal. One who is spiritually advanced, he is actually in knowledge. Because basic principle is spirit. Without spiritual knowledge, anything, any so-called knowledge, advancement of knowledge, is simply mistake, mistake. Just like if you, in calculating one mathematical sum, if you commit mistake anywhere, the whole thing is spoiled. Whole thing is spoiled. You go on. You are making progress. But real mistake was there. It will never carry. The balance, it will not come into being.

Lecture on SB 1.16.6 -- Los Angeles, January 3, 1974:

So here it is said that kim anyair asad-ālāpair yad. What is this? Avyayaḥ, asad-vyayaḥ. What is the meaning of vyayaḥ? Asat, "unnecessary waste of life." So unnecessary waste of life, we should be very careful. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the criterion of Kṛṣṇa conscious life. We should not waste our time. That is advised by Rūpa Gosvāmī also. Avyartha-kālatvam (Cc. Madhya 23.18-19). We should be very cautious not to waste a single moment without Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So we have got so many activities. If we have no activities, then we can polish the floor of the Temple. That is not very difficult. If I am illiterate, I have no interest in reading books, I have no interest in chanting or I cannot do it constantly, then take something and mop over the temple and cleanse the temple. That is also service. It is not that one who is engaged in the Deity worship, he is better engaged, and one who is polishing the floor, he is less engaged. No. Both of them will get equal benefit. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice. So find out some business for Kṛṣṇa. Don't waste time. That is the perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 1.16.21 -- Los Angeles, July 11, 1974:

That education begins in the Bhagavad-gītā in the beginning: dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). Dehī means the possessor of the deha is within the body, not the body is the person. But no education. Throughout the whole scientific world, university education, there is no concern that "I am not this body; I am soul." Such a foolish, rascal civilization is going on in the name of advancement. No protection for woman, no protection of children, no respect for brahminical culture. So it is the animal civilization. Polished animal, that's all. Otherwise it is not civili... That is Vedic culture.

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

There is no other alternative. Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Everything will be reformed. Life will be polished and everything will be successful. This is ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Human life, he is also a soul. Animal is also a soul. Everyone. But the human form of life is meant for God realization, athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is Vedānta-sūtra. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. Not only human being, everyone. But everyone less than human being, they cannot inquire about the Absolute Truth: "What is the aim of life? What is the Absolute Truth? What I am? What is my relationship?" These things are the subject matter for discussion in the human form of life.

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

Pradyumna: "Do the trees not live? Do the bellows of the blacksmith not breathe? All around us, do the beasts not eat and discharge semen? The materialistic man of the modern age will argue that life or part of it is never meant for discussion of theosophical or theological arguments. Life is meant for the maximum duration of existence for eating, drinking, sexual intercourse, making merry and enjoying life. The modern man wants to live forever by the advancement of material science, and there are many foolish theories for prolonging life to the maximum duration. But the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam affirms that life is not meant for so-called economic development or advancement of materialistic science for the hedonistic philosophy of eating, mating, drinking and merry-making. Life is solely meant for tapasya, for purifying existence, so that one may enter into eternal life just after the end of the human form of life. The materialists want to prolong life as much as possible because they have no information of the next life.

Therefore they want to get the maximum comforts of life only in this present life, thinking conclusively that there is no life after death. This ignorance about the eternity of the living being and the change of covering in the material world has played havoc in the structure of the modern human society. Consequently there are many problems multiplied by various plans of modernized man. The plans for solving the problems of society have only aggravated the troubles. Even if it is possible to prolong life more than 100 years, advancement of human civilization does not necessarily follow. The Bhāgavatam says that certain trees live for hundreds and thousands of years. At Vṛndāvana there is a tamarind tree. The place is known as Imlitala, which is said to be existing since the time of Lord Kṛṣṇa. In the Calcutta Botanical Garden there is a banyan tree said to be older than 500 years, and there are many such trees all over the world. Svāmī Śaṅkarācārya lived only 32 years, and Lord Caitanya lived 48 years.

One may doubt that trees have life because they do not breathe, but modern scientists like Bose have already proved that there is life in plants, so breathing is no sign of actual life. The Bhāgavatam says that the bellows of the blacksmith breathe very soundly, but that does not mean that the bellows has life. The materialist will argue that life in the tree and life in the man cannot be compared because the tree cannot enjoy life by eating palatable dishes or by enjoying sexual intercourse. In reply to this, the Bhāgavatam asks whether other animals like the dogs and hogs living in the same village with human beings do not eat and enjoy sexual life. The specific utterance of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in this connection regarding other animals means that persons who are simply engaged in the matter of planning a better type of animal life consisting of eating, breathing, and mating are also animals in the shape of human beings. A society of such polished animals cannot benefit suffering humanity, for an animal can easily harm another animal but rarely do good."

Prabhupāda: So this is the situation. We have discussed in the previous verse that we are decreasing the span of life. The scientists will say, "No, we are making arrangement so that by science we shall make man immortal." Vikatate(?). When a man becomes mad, he speaks so many nonsense. Like a child. A child also speaks so many nonsense things, and the parents enjoy it. Similarly, the so-called scientist, when he says that "By scientific method, we shall stop death," so there is no evidence in the history of the human society that a man has not died. That cannot be. Hiraṇyakaśipu, he was also atheist and materialistic. He also tried to become immortal. And he made a plan, negative plan, to cheat Lord Brahmā that "I shall not die in this way, in this way, in that way, in this way, in that way." But still he was killed. Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34). Kṛṣṇa says that "I am death, and at the time of death I take away everything." Sarva-haraś ca. So we cannot cheat God or His law.

Lecture on SB 3.26.21 -- Bombay, December 30, 1974:

That is the process given by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, how to cleanse the citta, consciousness. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Mārjanam means cleansing, polishing. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam. And as soon as the citta, or consciousness, you perfectly cleanse, then bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam, this bhava-mahā-dāvāgni... The material existence is compared with blazing forest fire. This is the right comparison because in the forest nobody goes to set fire, but it takes place. You cannot stop it. And when the forest fire is there, you cannot stop the fire also by your so many counteracting method, namely getting the fire brigade or buckets of water. That is also not possible. Therefore Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has compared this material life as blazing forest fire, saṁsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka **.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-8 -- Stockholm, September 6, 1973:

How Kṛṣṇa expands Himself, how He appears, what is the nature of His body, these things if you simply understand, then you become immortal. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Just to give the people a chance to understand Kṛṣṇa then he becomes immortal. That is the mission of life. Not that to enjoy sense gratification in a polished way, but the business is the same as the dogs and hogs enjoy. That is being instructed here. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). Viḍ-bhujām means the pigs who eat stool. They're also enjoying like that. They have got very free sex enjoyment. They do not care who is mother, who is sister, with anyone. We have seen, that is, nature has got example, everything, you can study. You'll find in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that by studying nature you can get so many instruction, perfect. So one devotee made the nature his spiritual master, and studying nature and getting so much information. So if you study like that, here as it is given, the example, viḍ-bhujāṁ ye. So viḍ-bhujām means the pigs or the hog.

Lecture on SB 6.1.50 -- Detroit, August 3, 1975:

If the father is tilling the field, the son can learn it by seeing it. If the father... Just like in Vṛndāvana, we... Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa was going to tend the cows and calves of Nanda Mahārāja. There was no education. It can be learned simply by seeing others doing that. So at the present moment education means many Indians are coming to America to learn how to polish motorcar parts or how to create technology. So this is not education. This is not ed... But the Europeans and Americans, they are going to India for learning brahma-vidya. That is education. The Europeans and Americans, when they go to Vṛndāvana and Māyāpur, they do not go there to see how we have manufacturd cycle and machine for sewing. They have seen enough of this. We may be very proud in India: "Now we are manufacturing cycle and sewing machine or some motor parts, advanced." This is not advanced. Education means how to make one brāhmaṇa, how to teach him how he become sense controlled, śama, dama, mind control, how to become truthful, how to become clean, how to become simple, how to become full of knowledge, how to apply knowledge in practical life, how to know God. This is education. This is education.

Lecture on SB 6.2.5-6 -- Vrndavana, September 9, 1975:

That is the position at the present moment, that people are not educated to distinguish or to become pious. They are not educated. They are being... Now, at the present moment, education means you learn technology and learn how to earn money, and then, after earning money, you spend it for sense gratification: eating meat, eating wine, going to the brothel, prostitute. This is modern civilization. So therefore it is the civilization of paśu, animal civilization, polished animal. It is not civilization. It is the duty of the guardian, father, guru, government or elderly relative. Everyone should be compassionate with the dependent. The father should be compassionate to the children, that "My children, they have come to me. They are now innocent. If I do not train them nicely..." What kind of training? Na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum. That is the duty of the father, of the guru, how to save the dependent from the clutches of death. This is the duty. The government also. Because death is sure. As soon as we get this material body, the death is sure.

Lecture on SB 7.6.5 -- Vrndavana, December 7, 1975:

Here it is recommended by Prahlāda Mahārāja, śarīraṁ pauruṣaṁ yāvan na vipadyeta puṣkalam. So long you do not become invalid, old, unable to work, you should try. Not try, you must—yateta—for developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Not that "When I shall become old, before death I shall try a few months Hare Kṛṣṇa." No. From the very beginning of life, from childhood, they should be taught how to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, how to attend maṅgala ārati, how to... In this way, by this practice, vidhi, vidhi-bhakti, regulated principle, tapasya... This is called tapasya. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). If you want to purify your existence, then you should begin... That is human life, tapasya. Human life is not meant for polished dogism and pigism. That is not human life. If a cat and dog becomes nicely dressed, that does not mean he becomes a human being. He is cat and dog. Similarly, if we keep our mentality like cats and dog and outwardly we dress very nicely, they have been described as dvi-pada-paśuḥ, "two-legged animal." Animal. He is animal because he is not cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The cats and dogs cannot do it, so he is no better than cats and dog. This is the conclusion. Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). That is the verdict of Vedic literature.

Lecture on SB 7.9.1 -- Mayapur, February 10, 1977:

Therefore Absolute, everything is variegated, blissful. They do not understand. The sahajiyā means the blissful dealings, transcendental, spiritual dealings of gopīs and Kṛṣṇa, they take it as material. Therefore they are condemned. They are... It looks similar, but it is not the same, thing. One is gold; one is iron. A polished iron, a golden thing, golden color, does not mean it is gold. "All that glitters is not gold." So we should not mistake. Therefore one who cannot distinguish the spiritual lust and the material lust, they should avoid very strictly. They have no spiritual realization. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has strictly avoided. In His kīrtana He never described the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa, His dealings with gopīs. That we mark in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Eighteen years He lived in Jagannātha Purī. Every night there was kīrtana, but there was no līlā-kīrtana you'll find, no līlā-kīrtana. Hare Kṛṣṇa, that's all.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

This attraction for Kṛṣṇa can be developed in the association of devotees, satāṁ prasaṅgāt. Automatically, nobody's attracted for Kṛṣṇa. The whole world is like that. So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to give these people a chance to associate with devotees and thus become attracted to Kṛṣṇa. That is required. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Mayy āsakta, to become attracted by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa means attractive, Kṛṣṇa. Akasatira-śakti. Kṛṣṇa means attractive. Just like magnetic stone, attractive, naturally the iron... But the iron, if it is rusty, it cannot attract. It cannot attract. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is attractive, and we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. We are also attracted by Kṛṣṇa. But because we are now covered by the māyā rust, we are not attracted. This māyā rust has to be polished; then you'll be attracted. Otherwise Kṛṣṇa is attractive. Kṛṣṇa means attractive.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 11, 1972:

Śrī means beauty, aiśvarya means wealth, and prajā means generation. So generally, people, they like it—good family, good bank balance and good wife, good daughter, daughter-in-law. If one family is consisting of beautiful women and riches and grea..., many children, he is supposed to be successful. He's supposed to be most successful man. So śāstra says, "What is this success? This success is beginning with sex intercourse. That's all. And maintaining them." So yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham (SB 7.9.45). Here the happiness begins from sex life, maithunādi. We may polish it in a different way, but this maithuna, sex life happiness, is there in the hogs. The hogs also, they are eating whole day, here and there: "Where is stool? Where is stool?" and having sex life without any discrimination. The hogs do not discriminate whether mother, sister or daughter. So therefore śāstra says, "Here, this material world, we are entangled, we are encaged in this material world only for this sex life." That is Cupid. Cupid is the god of sex life, Madana. Unless one is, what is called, induced by Madana, the Cupid, he cannot be, I mean to say, engladdened in sex life. And Kṛṣṇa's name is Mādana-mohana. Mādana-mohana means that one who is attracted to Kṛṣṇa, he'll forget the pleasure derived from sex life. This is the test. Therefore His name is Mādana-mohana. Here is Mādana-mohana. Sanātana Gosvāmī worshiped Mādana-mohana. Mādana or Mādana. Mādana means to become mad. And Madana, the Cupid.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.29 -- San Francisco, January 21, 1967:

So Bhāgavata says that "They are," in a very polished language, that "their intelligence is not," I mean to say, "pure." Aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ. Buddha means, buddhi means intelligence, and aviśuddha, not purified. Why not purified? Because they have no shelter. So in spite of their so much austerity, penance, Vedānta reading and jugglery of words, they come back again to the hospital. That's all. That is their business. So ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas tvayy asta bhāvād aviśuddha... (SB 10.2.32). They are simply thinking they are liberated. This is not liberation. Liberation means to have Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is liberation.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

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

So māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43). Therefore Śukadeva Gosvāmī is recommending that happiness, material happiness also, is due to pious activities. Unless you are pious, you cannot be happy, even materially. And if you simply commit sins, Rūpa Gosvāmī has analyzed—you will read in the Nectar of Devotion—that distress is due to ignorance, simply ignorance. The distress and happiness... Actually you can see those who are not educated fairly, they cannot get any good job. Therefore it is, his distress is due to less, poor fund of knowledge. So actually our distress is due to ignorance and in ignorance only, we commit sinful activities. Therefore our topics began that, prāyaścittaṁ vimarśanam. We are trying to remove the ignorance of the people, therefore we are giving the best service to the human society. We are simply trying to remove the ignorance. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12), we are trying to polish or cleanse the heart. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam. As soon as the heart is cleansed, the heart that... Now I am indifferently conscious. I am thinking that "I am American," "I am Indian," or "I am this," "I am that." "I have to work, I have got business." So many you have created. But, our process is, our process is to cleanse the heart. That you are nothing of this, you are simply eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. You engage yourself as eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa and become happy. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam (CC Antya 20.12). Because we are ignorant of our constitutional position we have created all these problems.

Festival Lectures

Radhastami, Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day -- London, August 29, 1971:

So human life is not meant for hog civilization. So modern civilization is hog civilization, although it is polished with shirt and coat. So, we shall try to understand. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for understanding Kṛṣṇa. For understanding Kṛṣṇa, it requires little labor, austerity, penance. Tapasya brahmacāryeṇa śamena damena ca. Tapasya. One has to undergo tapasya; brahmacārya, celibacy. Tapasya. Brahmacārya means stopping sex life or controlling sex life. Brahmacārya. Therefore Vedic civilization is, from the very beginning, to train the boys to become brahmacārī, celibacy. Not that modern days, the schools, boys and girls, ten years, twelve years, they're enjoying. The brain is spoiled. They cannot understand higher things. The brain tissues are lost. So without becoming brahmacārī, nobody can understand spiritual life. Tapasya brahmacāryeṇa śamena damena ca. Śama means controlling the senses, controlling the mind; damena, controlling the senses; tyāgena; śaucena, cleanliness; tyāga, tyāga means charity. These are the processes for understanding oneself, self-realization. But in this age it is very difficult to undergo all these processes.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation of Rukmini Dasi -- Montreal, August 15, 1968:

To establish real religion in the world. Real religion. Just yesterday we have received one letter from Mr. Renovate, Vancouver. He says that the Canadians, they want real religion. That's very good, encouraging. Anyone, if he is anxious to have real religion, for him this is the best thing, this kṛṣṇa-kīrtana-gāna-nartana. So without religion, human society is nothing but animal society. It is simply polished animalism. So these Gosvāmīs, they made so many books to guide us. You have read Rūpa Gosvāmī's Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. That is the first direction in the line. So they always worked very hard, day and night. Their business was writing books or chanting and dancing. And other necessities, eating, sleeping, mating and fearing, they practically abolished. There was no question of mating, there was no question of fearing. And sleeping, they used to sleep utmost one and a half hour daily in twenty-four hours. And eating, that is also practically nil. When they felt hungry they would go to some householder's home and beg one capati or two capatis. That's all.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Los Angeles, February 2, 1968:

Oh. All right. When they give in charity, they give something broken. (laughter) (Bengali) Khana goruke brāhmaṇake dana (?). In India there is a..., charity is given to the brāhmaṇas. So a man saw that his cow is blind. "All right, give it in charity." So charity means... Charity should be the first-class thing if it is really charity. But nowadays people give in charity just for name. "Oh, I am giving something." This charity... You have read Bhagavad-gītā. There are three kinds of charity: sattvic, rajasic, tamasic. Sattvic, charity in goodness, is with due consideration that "Here should be given the charity." Just like the Vedic injunction is to give charity to the brāhmaṇas. Why? That is the worthy place, to give charity in the hands of brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇava. Real brāhmaṇas. I don't say caste brāhmaṇa. Because they will employ whatever you give them in the service of the Lord. Therefore charity, that is sattvic charity. There is no question of profit or name. But, "Charity should be given here. Here is something, God's service." That is sattvic. And rajasic means for the sake of name. "Oh, people will say I am so charitable." That is rajasic. And tamasic, one who does not know where the money is going... Just like in the Bowery Street some, that drunkard comes and polishes the motorcar, and somebody gives five dollars, and he immediately goes to drink. That means this charity means give him impetus for drinking. So if charity creates such drunkard, oh, that is very dangerous. He has to suffer, the man who is giving in charity. Therefore in charity also there must be consideration. It must be sattvic. So anyway, it has come here. So it is sattvic. Whatever his mind may be, anyway, he has given to this temple; so it is sattvic. Chant. (end)

Lecture -- Gorakhpur, February 17, 1971:

But how this stage can be attained? This stage can be attained only by persons who have developed pure love of God. Just like... It is very easy to understand. If you love somebody, always you'll think of him. In this material world also, the so-called love... If a boy loves some girl or a girl loves some boy, naturally, he thinks always of him. So to think of Kṛṣṇa always means you must develop your love. That is there within yourself, everyone. Kṛṣṇa-bhakti nitya-siddha. It is eternally truth, eternally fact, that you have got your love for Kṛṣṇa within yourself. Simply you have to revive. That process is easy, very easy. The chanting. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). The glittering thing, Kṛṣṇa, or the Kṛṣṇa light. Kṛṣṇa light is within everyone. Nitya-siddha: eternally truth. But it is covered by material contamination. And by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra these nasty, dirty things will be cleansed. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam. This is polishing. Polishing. Just like mirror, you polish; you can see very nicely the reflection of your nice face. Similarly, if you polish your heart by chanting, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam, then immediately you develop your dormant love of Kṛṣṇa. And as soon as the dormant love of Kṛṣṇa is awakened, immediately you are liberated. Bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam.

Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 18, 1972:

Not that improving the method of eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. That is not human life. A man sleeps a dog sleeps. So because a man sleeps in a very nice apartment, that does not mean he's advanced more than the dog. The business is sleeping. That's all. Because man has discovered atomic weapon for defending, and the dog has his nails and teeth... He can also defend. So defending is there. You cannot say that "Because I have got this atomic bomb, therefore I can conquer the whole world or whole universe." That is not possible. You can defend in your own way, and the dog can also defend in his own way. So a gorgeous method of defending, a gorgeous method of eating, a gorgeous method of sleeping, and a gorgeous method of sex life does not make a nation or a person advanced. That is not advancement. That is the same thing. Proportionately, five upon two thousand, or five, five hundred upon two thousand and five upon twenty, the same ratio. Therefore, the animal qualities in a polished way, in a scientific way, does not mean that the human society's advanced. That may be called polished animalism. That's all.

Lecture -- London, July 12, 1972:

imilarly, this chance, this human form of body, is a junction. From animal forms of life, by gradual process of evolution, I have come to this human form of life. Now I have to make out next what life. You can promote yourself to the higher planetary systems. You can promote yourself to the spiritual world. You can get your eternal life. That is called arthadam. That achievement you can do in this human form of life. So anyone who is attempting to get eternal, blissful life of knowledge, he is intelligent man. Otherwise, one who is spoiling his life simply for animal propensities, eating, sleeping, mating, he's no better than animal. That's all. Cats and dog. Polished cat, polished dog maybe, but he is animal. This bhāgavata-dharma means that, how to get out of these four defects of material life, or four miserable condition of material life—birth, death, old age and disease—and get eternal, blissful life of knowledge. That is called bhāgavata-dharma.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Edmund Husserl:

Prabhupāda: Everyone is (indistinct) idea: "This is also good, this is also good, this is also good." We say only, only Kṛṣṇa good. We are the only community in the whole world. Because we know. That is the difference. One who does not know, he'll say, "This is also good, this is also good." That means he does not know what is good. Just like one who does not know which one is stone and which one is glass, imitation, glass. But one who knows, "Oh, this is real diamond, and this is only glass, polished glass..." So to distinguish these, what is genuine, which is false, you must have to go to the perfect person who knows it. The inquiry is there. That will lead you. When you ask somebody, "Which one is real?" and then you have to go, you go to such person, you go to the jeweler. Therefore your inquiry will take you to the right person if you are seriously inquisitive.

Philosophy Discussion on Mao Tse Tung:

Prabhupāda: That is nonsense. Therefore they are suffering. The whole world is suffering. They do not know what is real progress or what the human life is meant for. They are taking human life is as good as hogs' life or animals' life. We don't take it. We say the human life has got a special importance for spiritual realization. But these people, they have no such idea. So their practical purpose, our practical purpose is different. They are ignorant. What is the aim of life, they do not know. They take animal life and human life is the same. Simply it should be a little polished. That's all.

Śyāmasundara: He says that all ideas or theories find their verification or their fulfillment through social practice. In other words, if something is a theory, if it's practiced and found to be true, then it is true.

Prabhupāda: Here it is true. In India still, those who are spiritualists. We have seen. Now, they are tolerating severe cold without any difficulty. For a materialist it is very difficult. From practical also, those who are advanced in spiritual life, they have no disease practically. They don't go to doctor. So these are practical. How can you deny these are not practical? They can live any condition, without any food, without any vitamin. Are these not practical? So we take that advancement of spiritual life makes our life more comfortable. That is practical. Without being dependent on doctors and this vitamin and that, so many, so many things. That is practical. If I have to depend on so many things, then where is the practical? Śukadeva Gosvāmī recommends that if you can... (break)

Philosophy Discussion on Mao Tse Tung:

Revatīnandana: His propaganda is that it is perfect because it has made the Chinese people...

Prabhupāda: Propaganda, by propaganda you can do anything. That is different thing. But fact is fact. If you theory is not perfect, you make however propaganda, it will fail.

Śyāmasundara: But our people are all employed, they are all clothed nicely...

Prabhupāda: Temporarily it may be very glittering. Just like a polished thing, temporarily it looks very brilliant, shine. But in course of time it will become black. That's all. Because it is not actually shining. Gold shining and artificial shining, there is difference.

Śyāmasundara: He says that these class conflicts can be resolved through prosecution and repression of counter-revolutionaries at home, and...

Prabhupāda: That is going on. It is not a new thing, that in order to establish peace you kill somebody.

Śyāmasundara: If there's any counter-revolutionaries, you prosecute or repress them.

Prabhupāda: That is going on. That is not a new thing. That is going on in the animal kingdom. What is the use of your philosophy? Without having philosophy, this is going on in the animal kingdom. So what is the use of your philosophy? By philosophy, you give something which will not create any conflict. But by conflict, by crushing, by subduing, if you want to establish your peace, then what is the value of this peace?

Philosophy Discussion on Socrates:

Hayagrīva: Breakneck.

Prabhupāda: Breakneck. And then what is the business? Searching out some means of food, exactly like the hog, he is loitering here and there, "Where is stool? Where is stool? Where is stool?" And this is going on in the polished way as civilization. There is so much risk, as running these cars so many people are dying. There is record, it is very dangerous. At least I feel as soon as I go to the street, it is dangerous. The motorcar are running so speedy, and what is the business? The business is where to find out food. So therefore it is condemned that this kind of civilization is hoggish civilization. This hog is running after, "Where is stool? Where is stool? Where is stool?" And you are running in a car. The same. Purpose is the same: "Where is stool?" Purpose is the same. Therefore this is not advancement of civilization. Advancement of civilization is, as Kṛṣṇa advises, that you require food, so produce food grain. Remain wherever you are. You can produce food grain anywhere, a little labor.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk at Stow Lake -- March 23, 1968, San Francisco:

Mālatī: So these... If you do not take to Kṛṣṇa conscious, you are a dog.

Prabhupāda: Yes, equal to dog. Because he has no other conception except those four principles, eating, sleeping, mating and defending. That is there in the animals. Don't you see the swans? They are enjoying sex life. So what is the difference between man... A man also does like that. So long one is not above these four principles of animal demands, he's as good as animal. To meet animal demands in a polished way is not civilization. One must be above the animal demands. That is civilization. You have read that poetry, "Alexander and the Robber"? Have you read?

Mālatī: I don't think so. Say again?

Devotee (2): "Alexander and the Rabbit"?

Mālatī: No.

Prabhupāda: Alexander the Great, you have heard the name?

Mālatī: Yes.

1970 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- December 13, 1970, Indore:

Prabhupāda: If they tell you then he's God...

Devotee (5): (indistinct) exercise and breathing (indistinct) some type of meditation performed.

Yamunā: He's social swami, a very social swami. He's very polished in a material way.

Devotees (5): (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: And smoking also?

Yamunā: I didn't inquire into his vices.

Devotee (5): In New York they call them "uptown swamis."

Yamunā: His example of spiritual life is based on material prosperity.

Prabhupāda: So why they should go to the yoga system? The science is more advanced. Before flying in the sky by a yogi he has to press his nose for so many years and the science has given us the airplane. He can purchase ticket, immediately fly. (laughter) What is use of pressing nose?

Yamunā: You explain that in Bhāgavatam.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- August 11, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Yogeśvara: That doesn't mean we don't preach...

Prabhupāda: You preach. You just purify them. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Let him hear. Then he'll accept. Then he will gradually come. Yes. He's now in diseased condition. The best thing is to chant. By hearing the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, he'll be gradually purified, cleansed, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). You must polish him. Just like this is unclean. Polish it and you'll see the reflection. Our process is paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam. (break) ...śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ hṛdy antaḥ stho hy abhadrāṇi... (SB 1.2.17).

Yogeśvara: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Prabhupāda: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Yogeśvara: Second Chapter.

Prabhupāda: Hṛdy antaḥ stho hy abhadrāṇi vidhunoti suhṛt satām.

Yogeśvara: Verse number seven, Second Chapter.

Prabhupāda: Everyone is diseased. So you have to give the medicine and gradually he'll be cured. Just like when I came first, nobody was my devotee. But the medicine was given, little, little, little. And they became. So you cannot immediately expect that everyone will hear your words. Why? What you are? Why shall he respect you? Cure them. What is that? You have got it?

Haṁsadūta: No.

Morning Walk -- December 18, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: But how all of a sudden there can be explosion? What is this nonsense proposition? As soon as there is question of explosion, before the explosion takes place, there must be some arrangement. The time bomb explosion. So the bomb is prepared by something, some bomb is kept by somebody, and after some time it explodes. So how all of a sudden? Where does he get this idea? Just like if there is bomb explosion here, a child may think, "All of a sudden there is a bomb explosion," but a sane man will not think that. There will be inquiry, "Who kept this bomb? Who brought this bomb?" That is sanity. "And all of a sudden explosion," this is all rascal proposal. Therefore the people have become so rascal, guided by these rascals, "All of a sudden, by chance," and they accept them as scientist... This is the drawback of the present civilization. Because they are śūdras, like animals, they have got no brain to answer that "How all of a sudden there can be explosion." They have no brain even to ask. Rather, they are giving Nobel Prize. This rascal is speaking like a rascal, still, he should get Nobel Prize. That is the defect. The people at the present moment, they are all rascals. Just like animals. And yes, actually they are animals. Just like animals are eating, sleeping, mating, and eating meat. The other one animal is eating another animal. That's all. No discretion, nothing. This is a civilization of animals, polished animals. Their consciousness has become animalistic. Therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Just like children. They are animals, just like animals. They have no fixed program. Whatever they like, they are doing. Whatever they like, they are speaking. Simply they are interested in eating. So at the present moment, because they have lost all their power of reasoning and understanding, they are all animals. "All of a sudden there is an explosion." How explosion can take place like that? Any sane human being will ask that "How is that?" Same example: If there is some explosion in the park, a rascal will say, "All of a sudden there is explosion." But the government, police department, immediately inquire, "How this bomb came? Wherefrom? Who placed it?" That is humanity. That is human reasoning. "And all of a sudden there is explosion," you have to accept that. You accept that?

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 22, 1974, Hawaii:

li Mardana: Someone said that?

Prabhupāda: Yes. They said that my movement is, I am priest. Because I worship Kṛṣṇa in the temple. In other words, I am not a philosopher; I am a priest. What it is made of, this surfer?

Sudāmā: It's made of styrofoam. It's a plastic material that's very light and floats on the water. And then different polishing plastics.

Prabhupāda: So, it is a costly thing.

Sudāmā: They cost about close to a hundred dollars.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Bali Mardana: Gaurasundara and Siddhasvarūpa, they were encouraging the devotees to go and fly on them.

Sudāmā: Many of them have them, have these boards.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Sudāmā: Many of them have such boards.

Room Conversation -- February 9, 1974, Vrndavana:

Guru dāsa: If it includes, it is a good rate.

Prabhupāda: Ah.

Guru dāsa: But in, in Makrana I got the rate seven-fifty, eight rupees. Seven, seven-fifty, eight for dangri(?), that kind. And about two-fifty to three extra for labor. So if they charge eight or seven, including labor and delivery and polishing, it is good rate, but if it is just delivery it is not a good rate.

Prabhupāda: So, Mr. (indistinct) said that he'll send the contract form. So we have to see.

Guru dāsa: If it does not include the delivery and the polishing...

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) include delivery, polishing, everything.

Guru dāsa: If it does, it's good rate. Also this black marble, I've gotten the price in Makrana four, four rupees and fifty paise.

Prabhupāda: That is excluding labor.

Guru dāsa: Yes. So if they can do it for five, it is good rate.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Press Conference -- April 18, 1974, Hyderabad:
Prabhupāda: So at the present moment, the godless civilization... Therefore the leaders, they do not know how to lead people so that they may become happy. It is the duty of the leader, government, father, teacher, gurus, to see that the subordinates are very, very happy. We find in the history of Mahābhārata that during the time of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira people were not suffering even from excessive heat or cold or any anxiety. So it is the duty of the leaders of the people and the government to see that the citizens are perfectly happy in their occupational duties and they are advancing in spiritual knowledge, because human life is not to live a polished animal life. That is not human life.
Car Conversation on the way to Chateau -- June 12, 1974, Paris:

Prabhupāda: But human life is meant for austere and patience. Tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1). Austerity, penance, that is human life. Otherwise, it is animal life. Simply animal civilization. It is not human civilization. Hare Kṛṣṇa... (car is in gas station, conversation in car about how much gas to get, etc.) (break) ...progressing, they stand their own position, as they are made by nature. Therefore there is no criminality. They are under full control of nature. We are also under full control of nature, but we have been given little concession: to cultivate spiritual knowledge. So that intelligence, extra intelligence, what we have got, instead of cultivating spiritual knowledge, we are using in the same process of sense gratification like the animals. And this, this business, this, means animalistic business in a polished way, is going on as civilization. Actually, it is animalistic. But it is little decorated or polished, and they have accepted, "This is civilization." In other words, they do not know what is human civilization. They do not know. They're animals. They do not know. Hare Kṛṣṇa... (about getting gas:) For this service, they do charge anything? No.

Room Conversation with devotees about Twelfth Canto Kali-yuga, and Conversation with Guest -- June 15, 1974, Paris:

Prabhupāda: Just like the sun is covered with the cloud. That list is like that.

Madame Devi: (French)

Yogeśvara: She asks if by repeating the mantra, the name of God, it has more...

Prabhupāda: You become purified. Purified.

Yogeśvara: You give the example all the time of the more you polish the mirror, the more the light can shine. (French)

Madame Devi: (French)

Pṛthu Putra: She says, "Therefore we have to repeat a lot of times the name of God every day."

Prabhupāda: Hm. Yes.

Madame Devi: (French)

Pṛthu Putra: She is very happy to meet you and she thanks you.

Prabhupāda: Thank you very much.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- June 21, 1975, Los Angeles:

Jayatīrtha: We'll discuss it with Upendra when is the best time. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...hīna paśubhiḥ samānaḥ. "As soon as one become bereft of religion, he's animal." That's all. That is the difference between animals and man. They think to become polished animal is advancement of civilization. To become lion is advancement of civilization. "Because I am stronger than the dog therefore I am civilized." Americans think like that. "Because we are stronger than the Chinese dog or Russian cat, therefore I am civilized." (laughs) This is going on. "Because I am tiger, I am lion..." He doesn't think that after, "You be tiger or lion; You are animal." Just see. (break) ...puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. Śva-viḍ-varāha uṣṭra-kharaiḥ. I think we were discussing this verse? Saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ.

Press Conference -- July 16, 1975, San Francisco:

Bhaktadāsa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, they want to know what will be the political effect of the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement?

Prabhupāda: Everything will be polished if Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is taken. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). If this God consciousness is spread, then everyone will be brilliantly qualified. And without God consciousness, the so-called education as we were discussing in the morning, there is no value in it. Simply they are talking. What is the subject matter we were talking?

Bahulāśva: Psychology this morning.

Prabhupāda: The result is the students are falling down from the tower in disappointment. And they are protected with glass.

Morning Walk -- August 26, 1975, Vrndavana:

Dhanañjaya: Collection was sixteen thousand. And eight thousand went to the BBT.

Prabhupāda: So why that eight thousand was not utilized to finish this business? BBT might be delayed, but what is this? Everything is unfinished. Huh? The doors are neither colored, neither painted, neither polished. As you have no money. And you are getting money and all going to the belly. So do rightly. You are so big, big heads. Baro baro badare baro baro pet laṅka dingake mata kare het: "Big, big monkey, big, big belly-Ceylon jumping, melancholy." Huh? With big belly a monkey comes forward, and if you ask him, "Jump over like Hanumānji," finished, belly finished. These are Bengali words. Baro baro badare baro baro pet laṅka dingake mata kare het. "I cannot do it." And why you have got so much belly? So this is not good. Make plan. You'll go on plan-making. Oh, you'll never be done. What can be done? I want to get rid of the management, but when I see, I have to see the management, how can I remain stopped? As soon as I see things are mismanaged, I have to say. I am not dumb. So this is the... And you report that "Everything is first class." What is this first class? Do you know meaning of first class? This is first class?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I'm sorry. I...

Prabhupāda: That's all. You simply become sorry and everything is finished. That's all. I do not know what to do. (break) ... whatever you like. Whatever like, what can I do? (Bengali conversation) So what are you going to do about this finishing? Everything... (Hindi?)

Room Conversation with Professor Olivier -- October 10, 1975, Durban:

Prof. Olivier: Is that so?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Some of the girls are very, very proficient and they're doing this now, and we hope that within a year or so's time we'll have a polished copy to print. We're working in this direction.

Prof. Olivier: I see.

Prabhupāda: If this line of activity is taken seriously, sometimes I may come and teach them. Yes.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: It is a very nice opportunity because you have all Indian students and they are eager, eager to know. They want to know. And they want to...

Prabhupāda: And they should be helped to...

Prof. Olivier: They should be helped, yes. They should be helped.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the purpose of education.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- February 25, 1976, Mayapura:

Jagadīśa: Actually, Bhagavad-gītā has already been translated into Russian. I have seen one copy.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They have translated a lot of books like Rāmāyaṇa also in Russian.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I don't think they are bona fide translations, not by a devotee.

Indian devotee: We have got a Polish devotee in London, a woman, and she's trying to translate.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I think Harikeśa is trying to go to Hungary.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Harikeśa Swami.

Prabhupāda: That is also Communist?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. The Russian block. It's in Eastern Europe. (end)

Room Conversation -- May 3, 1976, Fiji:

Guru-kṛpā: Polished.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Guru-kṛpā: Polished dogs.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Actual modernized means how far you have advanced in spiritual consciousness. That is wanted. (drinks or eats) It does not taste exactly dahl, I think, due to the new (indistinct) water in it. So is there any engagement? Somebody was to come.

Guru-kṛpā: Was to come, but...

Prabhupāda: He is not coming. Who is not modernized? They will go to the dancing party for their salvation. (laughter) Dog dancing.

Guru-kṛpā: Today is Sunday. Everyone is busy with their family, family, society.

Prabhupāda: You know this Ravi Shankar?

Guru-kṛpā: Umm hmm.

Prabhupāda: His elder brother, Udar Shankar, he became very famous man as a dancer, all over the world. Udar Shankar. And by imitating his brother, the Ravi Shankar also tried to become first-class sitarist. So family.... (break) ...was a little famous for artistic.... So that Udar Shankar was dancing in the Indian way, and there are many sculpture of dancing. Like that. That was his art. So he became famous.

Room Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Bharadvāja: So I think we could try casting it in bronze.

Prabhupāda: Bronze. Bronze will not be polished?

Bharadvāja: It is the American or the Western version of the aṣṭa-dhātu.

Prabhupāda: Oh, that is all right.

Bharadvāja: Or, not aṣṭa-dhātu, but bell metal.

Prabhupāda: It will be polished?

Bharadvāja: Yes, you can polish very nicely.

Kīrtanānanda: I've never seen bronze polished.

Bharadvāja: It depends on the quality, grade. Generally they don't use a very high percentage of brass.

Kīrtanānanda: You think it's better than brass?

Bharadvāja: It's a little cheaper.

Prabhupāda: Bronze is very good.

Kīrtanānanda: I've never seen it highly polished.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is the problem. Why not make brass?

Bharadvāja: Out of brass? Bronze is harder. Bronze is harder.

Room Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Brass, just like our Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Deities in Māyāpur, how dazzling. Here also, in Boston.

Bharadvāja: I think Kṛṣṇa is German silver.

Prabhupāda: No. Maybe.

Bharadvāja: Not so much brass casting going on in this country, mostly bronze casting.

Prabhupāda: Bronze, but it will not be polished. We want polished.

Bharadvāja: I have to investigate it.

Prabhupāda: Bright face.

Hari-śauri: There's a boy that was in New York who cast some brass Gaura-Nitāi Deities in Australia. They came out very nice. You could talk to him. He might give you some good information. His name is Bhāskara.

Prabhupāda: Brass is best, next to gold or silver.

Bharadvāja: But I think the other Deities we shall just do in concrete, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa and Lalitā, Viśākhā. Either concrete or hard plaster.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Bharadvāja: Hard plaster, tempered plaster, hydrostone.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Interview with Professors O'Connell, Motilal and Shivaram -- June 18, 1976, Toronto:

Prabhupāda: No, that's not the fact. It is misunderstanding. We are actually struggling for achievement of the highest goal of life. Otherwise, why we are writing so many books? It is for the human beings. And they are being accepted. It is not for the cats and dog. This Bhāgavatam is not meant for the cats and dogs. So, vidyā bhāgavatāvadhi. In the beginning it is said, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satāṁ vedyaṁ vāstavam atra (SB 1.1.2). Atra śrīmad-bhāgavataṁ vāstava-vastu-vedyam, what is actual life. So we are struggling to give people what is actual life. Kṛṣṇa comes down to teach us what is actual life. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). When people become cats and dogs, dharmasya glāniḥ. Dharmasya glāniḥ means cats and dogs, because in the cats and dog society there is no question of dharma. They simply jump over and enjoy life. Eat, drink, be merry, enjoy eating, sleeping, sex and defense. That's all. So if human life is also trained up in a polished way, the same principles, then where is the difference between cats and dogs? Dog is thinking, "I am this body, hound, greyhound," and barking, "gow, gow." Similarly, if we remain like that, in the bodily concept of life, that "I am this body," "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," then where is the difference between dog and ourself? The human life is meant for understanding that I am neither Hindu nor Muslim nor American nor Indian. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That is beginning of life. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. And what is Brahman? Then life begins. The cats and dogs, they cannot think that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul." That is the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā. When Arjuna was thinking in the bodily concept of life, "My family, my brother," and so on, so on, so he declined to fight.

Prabhupada Visits Palace and Garden -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: From the seaside, sea beach? No.

Kīrtanānanda: No, they call it silica sand. I think it's made from glass.

Prabhupāda: Not glass, it is a kind of stone made powder. Silica sand. They are like sandstone.

Kīrtanānanda: This is just the first cut, not polished. Now, in this dome you see this is a...

Prabhupāda: No, while constructing, filling up this, what is called, column, in Bombay, they're putting air so that they become solid stone. You have seen in Bombay? Big engineer, they are giving some pumping air so that while the cement is filled up, it becomes solid.

Hari-śauri: Oh, vibrators.

Kīrtanānanda: We also do that.

Prabhupāda: You have got some machine?

Kīrtanānanda: Yes.

Marble Shop Visit -- June 26, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: This is the marble? No.

Kīrtanānanda: This is a marble base, this is what they cut on. Just to make it flat, it has to be a perfectly flat table. This is part of the floor for your study room.

Prabhupāda: Oh. This is marble?

Kīrtanānanda: Yes, this is all marble, but it is glued together in little pieces. Like inlaid. And this is the polishing room. (break) Take the rough marble and make it shine.

Prabhupāda: You have spent so much money. What is the price of this machine?

Kīrtanānanda: Well, there was a man, he was going out of business in Pittsburg, and I got a great deal of marble and all the machinery and everything for nine thousand dollars. It is very cheap.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Do you know how to work? No. (devotees laugh)

Kīrtanānanda: That is a heater, it's burning wood. (break to walking outside, kīrtana going on.) ...growing mung beans in this little field over there.

Prabhupāda: (kīrtana ended, conversation in car now) Jaya. ...horse? What do they do, plowing?

Kīrtanānanda: Yes. They do some plowing, they do some pulling wagons. Mostly they are used in the woods for logging.

Evening Darsana -- July 13, 1976, New York:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: He's asking a question, Śrīla Prabhupāda: isn't it important to mold the activities of ourselves and also the children in coming to this movement; to mold them that so that we can become Kṛṣṇa conscious?

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is (why) our gurukula is there. How these children are becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious, (indistinct), how they are learning Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are doing the same thing, offering obeisances to the Deities, taking prasādam, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. In the same way as his father is doing. So automatically he's being trained up in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Good association, that is required. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvidaḥ. We are keeping this house for association of devotees so that automatically they become Kṛṣṇa conscious by association. The most unfortunate position is that there is no education about future life, or the perfection of life. The education is the animal education: the animal (is) eating, we are eating. If we are eating on table, or nice place, nice chair, then we think we are advanced. But the business is the eating. Similarly sleeping. The dog is sleeping on the street, we are sleeping in good apartment, skyscraper building. They are thinking this is advancement of civilization. But actually the business is sleeping. Similarly sex life. The dog is having sex life on the street, we are having in a very nice apartment. The business is sex. In this way our modern activities are animal activities but in a polished way. But that does not make any difference between the animal propensity and so-called civilized life. Civilized life is there when we understand what is God, our relationship with God. That is civilized life, but that is lacking. There is no such education. The education is only the same animal life in a polished way, that's all.

Room Conversation -- August 3, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: The whole world is becoming CIA. (laughter) We can say, that "All right, the Americans have sent their CIA, but why the Germans business there? They are also CIA?" And where is... Soon the Russians also will join, the Polish also will join, everyone will join.

Bhagavān: Africans.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Harikeśa: They can't say the Russians are CIA. (laughs)

Prabhupāda: No. We have got potency to force everyone to join. The Russians have already imperceptibly joined—they have praised my books. That is imperceptible, what is called?

Harikeśa: Ajñāta-sukṛti.

Prabhupāda: Ah. In East Germany also, they have placed order. So this is joining. Just like for us, if you bring any other literature, we throw it away immediately. We take it as useless. Actually it is. We have nothing to learn from them, anything. All bogus. Either he's scientist or astronomer, or..., we know they are talking all bogus things. There may be some truth. Even that truth is there when a child speaks, there is some truth. When a child speaks to his parents, there is some truth, otherwise where is the question of talking? So little portion truth is there, everywhere.

Arrival Conversation -- August 13, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Print books many, as good as possible. Let us do our duty.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We have three small Hindi books in production, plus as I said, Hindi Back to Godhead.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Hari-śauri: This silver loṭā has become very black. You can get it polished.

Prabhupāda: See if there is...

Hari-śauri: If there's?

Prabhupāda: If there is worms.

Hari-śauri: I was looking in the corner where some spiders have been, and there's some signs again of worms. Some powdered remains and things like that. So I think if we do it once more then it should be finished.

Indian boy: I come from Tanzania, Bazalof.

Hari-śauri: That's in Africa.

Indian boy: Yes. And we are a life member of ISKCON. You know Navayogendra dāsa of Nairobi? Now he is transferred in Mombassa.

Prabhupāda: Navayogendra, yes.

Room Conversation -- August 17, 1976, Hyderabad:

Harikeśa: So we can do it any time. And before you arrange this Kumbhamela, it's very cold there.

Prabhupāda: Don't talk now.

Harikeśa: Okay. (long pause)

Prabhupāda: (indistinct)

Hari-śauri: Everything is going on. Wood carving, cement lay, painting, marble polishing. The yajña.

Prabhupāda: If we would have remained there. These people are coming. How they could see?

Hari-śauri: Still, it would have been very quiet.

Prabhupāda: We are not (indistinct). Besides that, we don't want quietness. We want how many (indistinct).

Hari-śauri: Jaya. If you wanted quietness you could have stayed in Vṛndāvana.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (end)

Room Conversation -- August 20, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Their men are being trained up.

Saurabha: That is actually the best.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Saurabha: They will be engaged always like that.

Prabhupāda: They have got marble-polishing machine.

Saurabha: Yes. Last night I spoke with Jayapatākā Mahārāja, and he says that the land requisition will be in about two months or something. So whether we should go ahead with trying to purchase land before we wait till...?

Prabhupāda: Purchase land?

Saurabha: Well, that particular area where the main temple will come, we need about...

Prabhupāda: So let us wait.

Saurabha: Let us wait. So can I start in the meantime to develop the plans?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- September 11, 1976, Vrndavana:

Dhanañjaya: So I was wondering...

Prabhupāda: Can you come, there... (break) There are, what is called, Deity makers here?

Dhanañjaya: Well, most of the Deities, they are cast in Aligarh.

Prabhupāda: Aligarh? Oh.

Dhanañjaya: Yes. Then they're brought here and there is, craftsmen, they finish. They polish then they add...

Prabhupāda: So who is from Aligarh? You go to we have got a best friend in Aligarh.

Dhanañjaya: Surendra Kumar. Surendra Kumar.

Prabhupāda: Ah. He'll get you all those things.

Harikeśa: He should know everything about that because he's making lots.

Prabhupāda: And another... Aligarh is the best place. What is that?

Devotee: It's the gentleman who was with you last night Śrīla Prabhupāda, Prem Yogi. He has come with his luggage.

Prabhupāda: Prem Yogi. So give him that place vacated by the old man.

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1976, Vrndavana:

Hari-śauri: Everybody thinks their body is for enjoying this. They think it's the source of pleasure.

Prabhupāda: That enjoyment that God's children? They also thought it is enjoyment, you see? The hippies are thinking, enjoying. And others little polished way. They are also the same, in a polished way, by dressing nicely. Eh? Everyone is in ignorance, tribhir guṇamayair bhāvaiḥ. Find out this verse.

Devotee (1): Ebhiḥ sarvam idaṁ jagat.

Prabhupāda: Ah.

Devotee (1): Tribhir guṇamayair bhāvair ebhiḥ sarvam idaṁ jagat.

Prabhupāda: Nābhijānāti mām ebhyaḥ param avyayam.

Devotee (1): This is from the 7th chapter.

Prabhupāda: Seventh, yes. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14).

Devotee (1): See if it's 7, fifteenth or fourteenth. (pause)

Prabhupāda: About the gosvāmīs it is said, nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau **, sleeping, and eating, and sense enjoyment conquered. So no sleeping, no eating and no sense gratification, that is perfection. Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau cātyanta-dīnau. Hm.

Room Conversation on Farm Management -- December 10, 1976, Hyderabad:

Devotee: Stryādhīśa.

Prabhupāda: Stryādhīśa. Twenty-two cāpāṭis. (laughter) "Stryādhīśa, can I give you?" "Yes." I gave him four. Finished. "Stryādhīśa, can I give you?" "Yes." (laughter) Very nice boy. He was eating twenty-two. One day there was no money, so he immediately went and came after some time with some money. "And where did you go?" The shoe booth. He polished shoes and brought some money. (laughter) In this way, this was developed. Give them prasādam, nice prasādam. Any gentleman comes, immediately there must be some prasādam. Engage first class cook. Spend money, don't be a miserly. If you have no money, I will pay. So long I am living, I shall go on paying. You don't be miserly. Bring devotees for eating, and then chanting, then cinema, then lecture, in this way you have to develop. Not that people will come, "Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is there, let us go there." They will not come. What do they know about Hare Kṛṣṇa? They will come, "Oh, there is nice, good prasādam distributed."

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Darsana and Room Conversation Ramkrishna Bajaj and friends -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Sad means "Try to come to the transcendental platform, sat, and don't remain in this asat." Asat means which is temporary.

Guest (6): And tamasi mā jyotir gamaya.

Prabhupāda: Ah! Tamasa... "Don't remain in the darkness; come to the light." So this is the Vedic injunction. But we don't take advantage of the instruction. We think that "If I can make one table from a ordinary wooden plank, that is advancement." This is technology. This nice polished table is a transformation of the crude wooden plank. So if a crude wooden plank is transferred into nice table, we see: "Oh, this is advancement." What is actual benefit? I can do without this table. But we have taken: "This is advancement. Transforming the form of an element into another, that is advancement." So asate vilāsa. This is asat, this wood, either in crude form or in transferred form. So I am taking credit because a crude wood has been turned into a table. So that is my vilāsa. So sat saṅga chāḍi kāinu asate vilāsa. So I am now bound up. I can become a very nice carpenter. Does it mean that I am self-realized? If you have learned the art of turning crude wood into a table, nice table, you may get the credit of becoming a nice carpenter; that does not mean you are self-realized. They are taking credit of this turning crude wood into nice table, and they're thinking that "Our life is successful." This is going on. And the real technology, that "I am not this body; I have been put into this condition, and I am transmigrating from one body to another"—there is no such knowledge. For the temporary.... (break) ...temporary thing, flickering thing, like children. Children is very busy on the beach, making sand palaces, and he's very happy. So our position is like that. But we should be intelligent enough that "There is our real life, permanent life, not this temporary life," that "This life is temporary. There is another life." Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). "This śarīra is not..." Avināśi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam. So many things.... The Bhagavad-gītā is full of information, but we don't take advantage. We are so unfortunate. And it is our country. This is Indian culture. We have given up this. (Hindi) Gandhiji, he was supposed to be a great student of Bhagavad-gītā. And the such a big āśrama, Sevagrama. Where is Bhagavad-gītā arcana? Boliye.

Room Conversation -- February 2, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: The mūrtis are made nice?

Yugadharma: Oh, yes. Very nice. This Spanish artist is very, very first-class, very first-class.

Prabhupāda: It is locally molded?

Yugadharma: Yes.

Prabhupāda: And he is giving the finishing touch, polishing.

Yugadharma: Yes.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Yugadharma: He is doing what they call "quality control."

Prabhupāda: Hm. That's nice.

Yugadharma: He has three sizes. He has four inch, six inch, and nine inch.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Yugadharma: And they are mūrtis that slip off the base. They are very first-class. I went to mūrtiwālā in Navadvīpa, Gopal.

Prabhupāda: No, he's not good.

Room Conversation -- February 10, 1977, Mayapura:

Jayapatākā: Two weeks only.

Prabhupāda: So in the meantime, your, this thing will be finished or not?

Jayapatākā: They all say that it will be finished in about five days, the wiring, and five days the flooring. And the bathrooms are already finished on the first floor. They're putting the fittings, and half of them are put in.

Bhavānanda: The floors will not be polished, but...

Prabhupāda: That doesn't matter.

Bhavānanda: Water will be there, electricity, and clean.

Jayapatākā: So this morning you won't go..., be going on a walk. You're not feeling up to a walk this morning? It affected your kidney or your digestion?

Prabhupāda: That I cannot say. But the foodstuff is not digesting. That can I say. I am not feeling at all appetite.

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Brahmānanda: It's a liquor made from potato. So now they're making a factory in Punjab.

Prabhupāda: Punjab?

Brahmānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So government has allowed.

Brahmānanda: Oh, yes. So they will make vodka here for exporting to Poland because the Polish people like vodka very much. So now they will produce in India.

Prabhupāda: The Polish Embassy is there near our Calcutta for seeing this business going on.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Side by side, we are on the opposite business.

Prabhupāda: (chuckles) Things are deteriorating everywhere.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very quickly.

Prabhupāda: So this will give impetus to Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). Don't be disappointed. Kṛṣṇa will act through His movement and kill them, these demons. How it will be done, that you cannot know now, but it will be done. Let us remain true soldiers. That's all. And if it is a fight, suppose we die in the fight. The fight means with vow, with determination either to gain victory or die. Because it is fight against māyā, why we shall be afraid of being killed? Where there is fight, one must know that "Either I am going to be killed or gain victory." Jīvo vā māro vā. Those who are devotees, either they live or they die—the same thing. While they live they are serving Kṛṣṇa; when they die they will serve Kṛṣṇa. Jīvo vā māro vā. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). He goes to Kṛṣṇa. (laughs) So what is the loss? We are working for Kṛṣṇa, and if we die we go to Kṛṣṇa. So what is the loss? Same business.

Arrival of Devotees -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rādhā-vallabha: Sixth is Portuguese, 835,000. Seventh, Dutch, 593,000. Eighth, Italian, 448,000. Ninth, Hindi, 315,000. Tenth, Bengali, 305,000. Eleventh is Telegu, 115,000. Twelfth is Swahili... This is also another estimate, 110,000. Fourteenth is Chinese... Thirteenth is Gujarati, 90,000. Fourteenth is Chinese, 55,000. Fifteenth is Marathi, 25,000. Korean, 20,000. Yugoslavian, 20,000. Oriya, 20,000. Polish 10,000. Hungarian, 10,000. Czechoslovakian, 10,000. Tamil, 10,000. Russian 5,000. And the total is 55,314,000.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Russian is last. Yes.

Rāmeśvara: It's the most difficult.

Prabhupāda: But something is better than nothing. Kānā māmā. ("Blind Uncle")

Gargamuni: When we were in Rangoon and Bangkok, they were most interested in those Russian reviews, and we got very good response there. In Rangoon they're doing reviews, and they loved the books. They treated them as gold. They said, "This printing and Sanskrit and word-for-word... We have never seen such a translation!"

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- February 25, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: They're spending so much money for vagina-looking.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, that's their whole consciousness.

Prabhupāda: Yes. The money is earned with so hard labor and it is spent for vagina-looking.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Polished dog society.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes, dog also smells the vagina, and they also do the same thing. Therefore nature has arranged that dog are smelling vagina on the street. One vagina and three dozen dogs surrounded.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Vṛndāvana you see that.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Now that's going on in America. They are spending money just for that.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- February 27, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Here to talk with you. Yes. Send him a telegram.

Harikeśa: Ah. Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They'll meet and they'll talk.

Harikeśa: And the Polish book, we were working like crazy but couldn't finish it in time.

Prabhupāda: No, should not be done... Slow...

Harikeśa: It will be ready in one week. That one is Easy Journey.

Prabhupāda: Slowly but surely. And the small book, first of all print.

Harikeśa: And Yugoslavian Īśopaniṣad, that will be ready within, I think, one month, one and a half months.

Prabhupāda: If there is scarcity of money, you ask me. I shall pay you. You can pay me later.

Harikeśa: Actually there's no scarcity.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Room Conversation First Day in Juhu Quarters -- March 30, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That was the point he stressed, that "You are from the selected aristocratic family of Calcutta. You shall play, and the public theater is also playing. What should be the difference?" That was his point. So that he gave us. They were so gorgeously played. And we received so many invitations: "Please come and play in our house." Polish is all right?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Not bad. Now by washing, it will become better. Washing everyday, by cleaning everyday. They have a nice system for your buzzer. It's going to be ready about nine o'clock. This will just be temporary. They have an automatic buzzer system in all the servants' quarters. So there will be a button here and...

Prabhupāda: Then so many servants will come? (laughter)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, according to the number of rings you give us.

Prabhupāda: That is a botheration. (pause) Just close the doors. I want to see how the doors are fixed up.

Gargamuni: These also?

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Gargamuni: These doors in the back.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (devotees go around closing the doors) All the greeting room? Hm?

Gargamuni: It is quiet.

Morning Talk -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Kota, kota stone. You can never get it even smooth. It will always be uneven, because the stone is layers. So when they are polishing, some layers are higher than others. And marble is generally very first class.

Prabhupāda: You just don't hurry(?).

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: How long Bhavānanda should...? Now Upendra is here, I am wondering...

Prabhupāda: If he is intelligent, he can learn it in one day.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Otherwise, a few days. Bhavānanda was thinking at least four days he will remain. He has gotten a little bit attached to taking care of you.

Prabhupāda: So wipe this floor twice like this. Let him see. As he does very nicely, very nicely.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think the best anyone has ever...

Prabhupāda: There is no doubt. How we can stop educating people about Bhagavad-gītā? It is most heinous mentality, such knowledge should be hidden from the human society. And some rascal will misinterpret.

Conversation Pieces -- May 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: I think it is all right. It is all right. Bring this typed. Make everything. That's all right.

Rāmeśvara: This will make it impossible for anyone to cheat.

Prabhupāda: Yes, as far as I can see, finished. Yes. Jaya.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Now the next group will come, Śrīla Prabhupāda, for kīrtana.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. (break)

Prabhupāda: Now he is introducing in Russian language a textbook. In Russian, is it not?

Harikeśa: Polish.

Prabhupāda: Poland. They have been introduced. This is achievement. I want that. Hm. Go on. (kīrtana) (end)

Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- June 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: (indistinct)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Says, "I became a member of the Los Angeles World Affairs Council about six months ago. It is a group of about eight thousand prominent citizens of Los Angeles who are concerned with the foreign policy of the US and in world affairs in general." He's a member now. "They sponsor luncheons for prominent visitors from the US government and foreign governments also. They also have a volunteer program for visitors coming from foreign countries. When the visitor arrives, they have various appointments which have been arranged for them, so volunteers from the WAC take them to these appointments. I usually take every visitor from the Eastern European countries to at least..." Because he speaks Polish, so he's always being asked to take the visitors around "...to at least one appointment and give them a copy of your Bhagavad-gītā..." While he's taking them there, he's preaching, and he gives a copy of the Bhagavad-gītā. "...a calendar and a copy of a foreign language book, such as the Russian or Hungarian book if they speak that language. Whichever language they speak, we have our books now. I previously brought them to my apartment at the temple, for either lunch or dinner, until one very prominent Russian professor, a very close friend of Dr. Kotovsky, and a Romanian film producer complained to the Washington, D.C., office of the WAC that they felt very strange being brought to the temple. I think that this was because they were the biggest demons of all. All of the others liked the temple, and even those two big demons liked the prasādam. They liked my apartment and my family. However, they just didn't like Kṛṣṇa, so they complained. But now I am no more committed to bring these people here. They have checked them." They told him, "You can be a tour man but you can't bring them to your temple." "However I do take them prasādam and books, and they are grateful to receive these gifts." He has a job, and with the money he makes, he donates the money to buy books and gives these books out. "The people at the WAC here say I am their most enthusiastic volunteer. I have enclosed some sheets showing those people who have received your books and prasādam, and the positions that they hold. I hope that this is pleasing to Your Divine Grace."

Prabhupāda: Hm!

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He also included a letter... You know the former president was Mr. Ford. So he got a letter from Mr. Ford. It says, "Dear Mr. Jacupko"—that's his karmī name—"I wish to thank you for sending me a copy of Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. You were most kind to think of me, and I am deeply grateful for your friendship. With appreciation and best wishes, sincerely, Gerald R. Ford." It's got the US eagle on the letterhead.

Prabhupāda: You can use this letter.

Visit From Allopathic Doctor -- October 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Rāmeśvara: Haribol.

Harikeśa: And the Polish Easy Journey...

Prabhupāda: He was rotting here, typewriting. I said, "You go." I had ten servants. You feel.(?) They are heavy.(?) He thought that I am degrading him. No. Now you understand?

Harikeśa: Yes, I understand, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: So here is a intelligent boy. Why he should rot here, typewriting? (break) Whatever deficiency are there, that is excused by Guru Mahārāja. Go on printing, go on printing. Deficiency will be corrected, next, next, next. I printed Bhāgavata in that way, many defects. "All right. Whatever is printed, that's all." But these are first class. There is no defect. German printing is very pure. They have got the first-class machine. So we have got so many centers. Wherever cheaper and better printing can be gotten, we may take from there. That's all right. Thank you.

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Dvārakeśa: Russian and Hungarian. And others translate into Yugoslavian and Polish, Czechoslovakian.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He has preached in some of those countries already.

Pañca-draviḍa: Now Bhagavad-gītā in Arabic also.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Arabic, Chinese, Japanese. Twenty-seven languages altogether. One by one, they're being translated. Some are doing... Of course, the German, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, these are the main languages. And Hindi. These books are going quicker in translation. Shall I finish reading this report, Śrīla Prabhupāda? (break)

Dr. Kapoor: It's a miracle what is happening, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's another report, from Africa. Should I read it? It says, "The saṅkīrtana movement in the dark continent." This was written by Jalakāra and Śyāmalāl. Śyāmalāl is a Bengali devotee, Śrīla Prabhupāda. You may remember him from Calcutta? He's gone to Africa to preach, and he and this other boy Jalakāra travel together all over Africa.

Prabhupāda: Yesterday... No, yesterday some prominent men, Dalmiya. Who came?

Correspondence

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Sir -- Delhi 15 April, 1961:

Without spiritual culture a human society is another polished edition of the animals. There is no value of education in the animal society as the trained up lion in a circus is never to be trusted. The lion is not trusted because it cannot assimilate spiritual knowledge. But a man is able to take up this knowledge and his formation of the brain is meant for it. It is nothing extraordinary for him because he is prepared for this culture and is awaiting proper administration only. The ways and means were envisaged by the liberated souls and especially by the sages of India and I proud to feel that Lord Buddha happened to be an Indian and we worship Him as incarnation of Godhead. His holy name is mentioned in the Vedic literature like Bhagavata. We can take help from the Bhagavata the cream and ripen fruit of the Vedic literature and stop at once the quarrel and turmoil of the present world.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Mahapurusa -- Calcutta 17 October, 1967:

I am in due receipt of your detailed letter. Brown rice generally is doubly boiled, therefore it cannot be used for Krishna prasadam. Unpolished rice which looks like brown can be used. Generally in American the brown rice is doubly boiled therefore unfit. We do not mind polished or unpolished but doubly boiled mustn't be used. Doubly boiled rice is considered impure. Sun baked rice is all right.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Rayarama -- Seattle 17 October, 1968:

So I am giving you some points which you may expand or do it for understanding of the people in general. But the point should be as follows: 1st point, that any civilization devoid of God consciousness or Krishna Consciousness, is no civilization at all. It is simply a polished type of animal society. This is the first point. So at the present moment, the modern civilization on the basis of so-called scientific knowledge and economic development is trying to avoid God consciousness, or Krishna Consciousness—that is the defect of the modern civilization. Therefore, in spite of all advancement it is zero. So zero has no value. And millions of zeros put together does not make any value. But one is put on the left side of the zero, it increases the value. Then one zero becomes 10, two zero becomes 100, three zero becomes 1000, so it is very nice.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 12 February, 1969:

The Deities should be bathed with milk, and while bathing, They must have covering of thin cotton cloth, and the whole Body and the clothing should be wet by pouring the milk. You can see the picture of this in the new Back To Godhead, and perhaps you saw the ceremony when it was held in New York. The Deities should be decorated with sufficient flowers and nice gorgeous dresses and ornaments. Beforehand, you should polish the Bodies with a mixture of tamorind pulp and fullers earth. Apply the pulp on the Bodies, then rub it and then polish nicely with tissue paper. This will gave a very good shine. Then bath the Deities with milk, and dress very nicely with ornaments, and place Them on the throne with flowers, candles, etc. The throne, if possible, should be coated with silver sheets, and the canopy should be red velvet with gold embroidered work. Before the Deities, on the staircase, there may be some silver polished cups, pitchers, etc. I think the Deities have already helmets and peacock feathers and hair to be dressed with. If not, make arrangements for this also. I do not know how big is the throne, but if it is very big, then within the throne there may be a raised seat to accommodate the Deities. On the whole, everything should be very gorgeous; then it will be successful.

Letter to Brahmananda -- Hawaii 19 March, 1969:

Regarding MacMillan Company, if they have not replied your letter, then forget. We shall publish our own books. You organize the sales promotion. Neither I want to shorten the Srimad-Bhagavatam. We should not count on them—let us try for our own publications.

I have received the dust cover of Teachings of Lord Caitanya, but I think the paper is not as polished, as shiny, as the first one was.

Letter to Bharadraja -- New Vrindaban 2 June, 1969:

This painting you are doing is very important, so it will count as your temple work. There is no necessity either for you to go out on Sankirtana if this will take away your time from your real work. I understand that you are also very musically talented, but this talent is not so much required on Sankirtana Party because for chanting Hare Krishna it is not necessary that all instrumentation be so much polished or complicated. If it is necessary for you to work part time to earn money for artist supplies then you should do it, or else if Isana das can continue to help you in this connection, that will be better. Both you and your wife, Rukmini, are very nice artists, so please tell me what ideas you have so that you may get as much artistic work done as possible.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Sriman Bankaji -- Los Angeles 13 March, 1970:

As you are personally assisting Sri Poddarji, it will not be difficult for you to understand how much Vedic culture is important for the human society. Vedic culture is perfect knowledge, and without that knowledge, a human being is a polished animal in different degrees. This Vedic knowledge is summarized in the Bhagavad-gita, which is the cream of all Upanisads. The Lord personally says in the Bhagavad-gita that the purpose of Vedic knowledge is to understand Krishna. And Krishna can be understood by His devotee who has been fortunate to have a little fraction of the Lord's mercy. Bhagavatam says, "My Dear Lord, one who has a little bit of mercy of the rays of Your lotus feet can understand You a little bit. So far others are concerned, they may continue to speculate on You, still they are unable to know what You are."

Letter to Himavati -- Los Angeles 1 April, 1970:

I am very, very glad that you are taking care of the Deities with great attention and enthusiasm. Regarding your questions: the Deities should be polished before Their morning bath. Make a thin paste of fuller's earth and lime juice and rub this mixture on Their bodies and then bathe them and then dry and buff Them with a small towel for the purpose. You can make one very nice bed and place it to the backside of the throne, and you can make night clothes. So after the last Aratrik at night, you can change to Their night clothes for taking rest. Because They are small Deities, They may be lain on the bed with some pillows (because the base may raise Their feet up); if this can be arranged it will be nice.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Atreya Rsi -- London 20 August, 1971:

So we are going to open a big center in Mayapur where this education will be internationally imparted. Students from all parts of the world will go there to take education in this important subject. Modern civilization is running on the bodily concept of life. Such a civilization is nothing but polished animalistic civilization. They can never bring the right knowledge to the human society. So our Krishna Consciousness Movement is especially meant for enlivening men in this novel educational system. We have published about 10 big big books of 400 to 1000 pages each. Further books are being published. You can show them the books so that they can understand the importance of this movement and if sufficient cooperation is available we can increase our branch opening activity and surely we can contribute the best knowledge to the human society. So with our books, workers, and sincere activities we must come out successful in this attempt.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Kirtiraja -- Johannesburg 16 October, 1975:

As soon as someone is trained then go to preach very nicely in Poland. Try to make some literature in Polish and Russian. Anyone can be trained to execute orders in sending out the books but preaching requires special qualification. So you have this good qualification for preaching and now do it very nicely.

Letter to Kirtiraja -- Bombay 31 December, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated December 7, 1975. I am very please to note your activities in Warsaw Poland. Yes if you can arrange for the translation of my books in Polish language that will please me very much. We do not have to manufacture anything new. We are getting perfect knowledge from krishna through the disciplic succession, so our position is very firm. Whatever we hear from the bona fide spiritual master should be practiced in life and the same message delivered to whomever we meet. In this way you become spiritual master.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Kirtiraja -- Bombay 11 January, 1976:

I beg to thank you for your letter dated 3rd January, 1976, giving a report of your preaching in Poland. I also received your letter dated December 7th, 1975 and replied it.

Yes, you should get my books translated into Polish. Wherever our books are being distributed, our movement is established on a firm basis. Therefore I came to your country with books. So try to get the books translated.

Letter to Jayatirtha -- Vrndavana 18 September, 1976:

I think there is a very good scope for preaching in Yugoslavia as the recent reports show a good success there. You should encourage this preaching program and support it fully. I have received today the Spanish Edition of Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.4. They have printed 75,000 copies. Similarly you should print in the German language as many copies as possible. That is my only life. When I see that there is publication of the Srimad-Bhagavatam and other books in other languages that gives me life. It is very nice that you will print in Yugoslavian, Hungarian , Polish and Russian. It is approved by me if you want to give less than 25% of the BBT income for the Mayapur construction as you require to print books. Your scheme for an English magazine for Great Britain is nice. You should print more and more books and increase your inventory.

Letter to Kirtiraja -- Vrindaban 11 November, 1976:

Now you have got good contact in Poland. You must immediately supply the books for the University library. It is a very good order. Yes, encourage them to visit other libraries. It is my earnest desire to have my books translated and published in Russian and Polish. Yes, the translations must be checked. Work with Jayatirtha in that connection. I think Easy Journey to Other Planets will be very much appreciated because it is the scientific basis of our Krishna Consciousness Movement. I approve your plan to relocate to Bhaktivedanta Manor within the next year.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Vrindaban 18 November, 1976:

I am very happy to hear that you are going to Poland. Bharadraja also speaks Polish. He may come there sometimes if it can be arranged. Sri Garbha's wife doesn't have to go to Mayapur, she may go to the farm in France. it is very nice there. Or she may go to any of our farms. The preaching in Poland is the first consideration. Vrindaban is being managed somehow by others. Aksayananda has one man who is collecting very well (Rs. 15,000-20,000 per month) Vrindaban is becoming self-dependent. If you can preach vigorously in Poland it will be a great asset. You may come to Vrindaban if you like, but preaching in Poland is my greater interest. So, now Vrindaban is somehow being managed.

1977 Correspondence

Letter to Kirtiraja -- Mayapur 19 March, 1977:

The best thing will be if you and your family stay in Poland over a long period of time so that you can train the interested persons. At the same time others may come and go visiting for book distribution. You should try to get residency and if you can get property there that is very nice. That is our main business, that by our association we should try to train people up in our philosophy and principles. Yes, I approve your idea to have a sankirtana party in America to support the Polish preaching. You have got good intelligence so utilize it properly and Krishna will help you.

Page Title:Polished
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Mayapur
Created:10 of Mar, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=18, CC=4, OB=8, Lec=41, Con=41, Let=16
No. of Quotes:128