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Prescribed (Lectures, BG)

Expressions researched:
"prescribe" |"prescribed" |"prescribes" |"prescribing"

Notes from the compiler: VedaBase query: prescribe or prescribed or prescribes or prescribing not "prescribed dut*

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.2-6 -- Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972:

Just like Mahārāja Parīkṣit, Arjuna's grandson, when he was touring in his empire... The whole world was at that time Indian empire. Not Indian exactly. Bhārata-varṣa. Now we have imitated some name, Bhārata, the "Indian," "Hindustan." But formerly the whole planet was known as Bhārata-varṣa. So when he saw that one black man was trying to kill one cow, immediately he took his sword: "Immediately I shall kill you. Who are you, killing cows in my kingdom?" This is kṣatriya's business. So... But there is no kṣatriya now because so many cows are being killed. Nobody is protesting. It is the duty of the kṣatriya to protect every living entity born in the land, in his kingdom. It is not that, as it is going on now, that only the human beings should be protected and not the animals. No animal could be killed except in sacrifice, as prescribed. Unnecessarily, there was no need of killing animals. That is great sin.

Lecture on BG 2.8 -- London, August 8, 1973:

This is the worshipable Deity in this age. Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇa. So what is the process of worship? Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtanair prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ. This saṅkīrtana-yajña as we are performing before Lord Caitanya, Nityānanda and others, this is the perfect performance of yajña in this age. Otherwise, no other... Therefore it is becoming successful. This is the only prescribed yajña. Other yajñas, Rājasūya yajña, this yajña, that... There are so many yajñas... And sometimes India, they perform so-called yajñas. They collect some money. That's all. It cannot be successful because there is no yajnic brāhmaṇa. The yajnic brāhmaṇa is not in existence at the present moment. The yajnic brāhmaṇa used to test how correctly they are pronouncing Vedic mantra. The test was that one animal should be put into the fire and he would again come with fresh, young body. Then it is tested that the yajña is being performed nicely. The brāhmaṇas, the yajnic brāhmaṇa, they are pronouncing the Veda mantra correctly. This is the test. But where is that brāhmaṇa in this age? Therefore no yajña is recommended. Kalau pañca vivarjayet aśvamedham, avalambhaṁ sannyāsaṁ bāla-paitṛkam, devareṇa suta-pitṛ kalau pañca vivarjayet (CC Adi 17.164). So there is no yajña in this age. There is no yajnic brāhmaṇa. This is the only yajña: chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and dance in ecstasy. This is the only yajña.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- Mexico, February 12, 1975:

A person who is completely free from sinful activities, such person can become a devotee, a lover of God. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is teaching to the human society how to become purified. There is no such restriction that "This man can be purified; that man cannot be." No, there is nothing like that. Everyone can be purified if he desires to be so. So immediately we may not be able to purify. As it is prescribed—no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication—it may not be possible because those who are accustomed, it is difficult to give up. Therefore the process is given very simple: "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." So purification is absolute. That is necessary. Without purification, you cannot understand God. But the method we are prescribing... Not we are prescribing; it is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's prescription. We are simply propagating that "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." Yes.

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

So "Let me becomes Kṛṣṇa's devotee sincerely. I must become Kṛṣṇa's devotee sincerely." This is called enthusiasm. Then dhairyāt. "I have become Kṛṣṇa's devotee, but still I'm not feeling happy. How is that?" So therefore you have to become patient. The enthusiasm must be there, you must be patient also. And niścayāt. Niścayāt means you must be confident. "Oh, Kṛṣṇa has said that His devotee will never be vanquished, so surely I shall not be vanquished, even though I don't feel now. Let me do my duty." Utsāhād dhairyān niścayāt tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt. But you have to do your duties as they are prescribed. Sato vṛtteḥ. You should not... There should be no duplicity. Sato vṛtteḥ means plain dealing, straight dealing. Sato vṛtteḥ, and sādhu-saṅge, and in the company of devotees. So one must be enthusiastic, one must be patient, one must be confident, one must execute the duties, one must associate with devotees, and one must be very honest in dealing. Six things. If these six things are there, sure success.

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- Mexico, February 15, 1975:

The living entity in this way wandering in different species of life in different planetary platform, and therefore this is very disgusting, so if one is fortunate, then he comes in contact with a devotee. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for giving this opportunity to everyone. We are opening centers all over the world, inviting people to "Come in our place. Understand the philosophy. We have got so many books. And try to save yourself from this botheration of repetition of birth and death." In order to execute to this business, apparently there is little difficulty. Just like we prescribe to our members, "No intoxication." So no intoxication... One who is habituated to drink, to smoke, to drink coffee, tea, etc., he feels some discomfort. Similarly, we say, "No meat-eating." So those who are meat-eaters, they will find little difficulty to give up this habit. Similarly, we say, "No illicit sex," but one who is habituated for this illicit sex life, he feels some difficulty. So there are so many things. In the beginning it appears to be little difficult.

Lecture on BG 2.40 - London, September 13, 1973:

So Nārada Muni says, tyaktvā sva-dharmam. Sva-dharmam means one's prescribed occupational duties. So long we have got this body we have to do something. Without doing something we cannot live. The material world will not allow you, that you cannot do anything and you'll be provided. No. Whatever you may be, you may be President Nixon or ordinary man in the street, everyone has to do something. That is not possible. There is a verse in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa, tṛtīya-śaktir iṣyate (CC Madhya 6.154). There the situation, material situation, is so stringent, that without working, you cannot live. You'll die. There is an example in the Hitopadeśa. Na hi suptasya siṁhasya praviśanti mukhe mṛgāḥ. Suptasya siṁhasya. Siṁha means lion. If the lion thinks that "I am so powerful animal, king of the forest. Why shall I work?" Therefore, it is said that if he does not work, then he'll have to starve.

Lecture on BG 2.46-47 -- New York, March 28, 1966:

Now, there are some formulas for prosecuting spiritual life. So one must have confidence that "Because I am following the standard method, so my spiritual life will really be perfected." We must have this confidence. And that is a fact. Utsāhāt, first enthusiasm; second, patience; and then third, with confidence, niścayāt. Dhairyāt, utsāhād dhairyāt niścayāt tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt. Simply enthusiasm will not do. The formulas which are prescribed there we must follow. We must actually apply in our life. Utsāhād dhairyāt niścayāt tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt sato vṛtteḥ. And we must be, our vṛtti, our profession, occupation, must be very pure, must be very pure. Impure activities cannot lead me to spiritual emancipation. You will find in Bhagavad-gītā that the God is described, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). Pavitram means the purest. God is the purest. So unless we are purest, we cannot approach God. Therefore it is stated that sato vṛtteḥ. Our occupation, our vṛtti, should be very clear, pious.

Lecture on BG 2.46-62 -- Los Angeles, December 16, 1968:

Yes, it is imagination. If you just open your skull, you will find no lotus there. (laughter) So it is your imagination, that's all. These imaginations are prescribed for persons who are too much absorbed in this bodily concept of life. "Here is a lotus, here is a manaḥ sarovara, and here is ocean of bliss, here is... Oh, you have to find out." Just to make him concentrate. Just like a naughty boy, to make him stop nonsense doing, "Please sit down here. Stop this all." Our proposition, "I am not this body. Even there is lotus, I don't care for it." Do you follow? I am not this body. Even there is lotus, what I have to do with this lotus? My first proposition is I am not this body.

Lecture on BG 2.48-49 -- New York, April 1, 1966:

We have already explained to you that this is just like dress. Dress. Dress is a foreign thing to my body. Similarly, this gross and subtle body—gross body of this material five elements and the subtle body of mind, ego, intelligence—they are my foreign things. So I am now encaged in foreign things. My whole life mission is to get out of these foreign things. I want to be situated in my real spiritual body. That can be done if you practice. If you practice during this life to..., always to be spiritually situated, then your next life, after leaving... Even within this body, when you get clear conception that "I am not this body," and you are clearly working from the spiritual platform, as Lord Kṛṣṇa prescribes here that yoga-sthaḥ kuru karmāṇi, "Be situated in yoga and act in your daily duties," then similarly, if we practice this to work in such a way that we have to work from the spiritual platform, then your next life will be free from this material bondage and you get your freedom life.

Lecture on BG 2.48-49 -- New York, April 1, 1966:

As spirit soul, I am also part and parcel of God. And we are thinking independently that "I have no connection with God." This is very horrible condition. The whole world is suffering because this misconception of life, misconception of life, that he has forgotten his eternal relationship with God. So we have to revive it. We have to revive it, this process. The Bhagavad-gītā has prescribed,

dūreṇa hy avaraṁ karma
buddhi-yogād dhanañjaya
buddhau śaraṇam anviccha
kṛpaṇāḥ phala-hetavaḥ

Kṛpaṇāḥ means those who are anxious for enjoying sense gratification, by the fruits of their labor. They are called kṛpaṇa. And those who have sacrificed the whole body, whole intelligence... Sacrifice... You always remember: what we can sacrifice? Just like we take Ganges water from Ganges and offering Ganges, so everything is obtained from God, and now, if we offer the same thing to God, then we become liberated. Actually I am not proprietor in anything. Myself is also not... I am also the part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. These are the conception. Without this conception, without this God conception, there is no spiritual realization and there is no happiness, either personally, or impersonally, or socially, or economically or politically. There cannot be.

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

Just like you take a, take for example a lawyer. What do you mean by lawyer? One who understands the lawbooks very nicely. He's a lawyer, a representative of law. Similarly, here in the Bhagavad-gītā, there are instructions of Kṛṣṇa, and a person who understands these instructions rightly... How to understand that instruction rightly, that is also in this book. You haven't got to seek elsewhere how to understand Bhagavad-gītā. The how to understand Bhagavad-gītā is already prescribed here. That I shall explain to you, when you go to the Fourth Chapter. Now we are on the Second Chapter. When you go to the Fourth Chapter, how to understand Bhagavad-gītā, that is also mentioned there. So according to that process, if somebody understands Bhagavad-gītā and in his life he practices in that way, just like a lawyer who has passed the law examination... Similarly, one who understands Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without any wishful interpretation for his own purpose... No. Bhagavad-gītā as it is, as it is instructed to Arjuna. If there is somebody who understands Bhagavad-gītā in that way, he is the representative of God. He is the representative of Kṛṣṇa, and one should accept such representative of Kṛṣṇa for his guide. Then, actually, as much as Arjuna was guided by Kṛṣṇa, then similarly, that person who takes the shelter of the guidance of a person who is fully, I mean to say, aware, fully conversant with the science of Kṛṣṇa, he can guide you nicely and for your spiritual life as Lord Kṛṣṇa has guided Arjuna for his spiritual life.

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

That means he becomes the master of the senses. He does not like to be the servant of the senses. So this, I mean to say, verse, we have already discussed. So indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyas tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā. One who is practiced to control his senses... Senses are not to be stopped. They are to be used at proper time, but not at the dictation of the senses. When one comes to that standard of life, that he is not dictated by the senses but he uses senses when it is properly required... Senses are not to be stopped. That is not prescribed. That is not prescribed. Somebody says that sense control means to use, to stop the action of the senses. No. Senses, action of the senses, cannot be stopped. Simply it has to be purified. The action of the senses has to be purified. That is the whole process. Because as spiritual living entity, we have got our spiritual senses. Those senses are now covered by this matter. We are not senseless. Just like your coat. Your coat is cut according to your hands. Because the coat, you will see, the coat has also got a hand. And why coat has got a hand? Because the user of the coat, he has got a hand. The coat is cut according to the hand of the user of the body. Similarly, this material body has been described in the Bhagavad-gītā as dress. So unless I have got body, wherefrom the dress comes? Dress has no meaning unless I have got body.

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

So spiritual perfection is not very easy thing, that simply by attending a, a, in either of the so many groups and hearing something, nice lectures from a person. No. It is practical. It is practical. If we are ac..., if we are actually serious about attaining, so we must be in a spirit of sacrifice. In this age, by the grace of Lord Caitanya, the matter has been simplified. Matter has been simplified. What is that? He prescribed that

harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā
(CC Adi 17.21)

Simply by chanting the holy name of God—either this Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, or any name of God in any language, that doesn't matter... But this is recommended because Lord Caitanya Himself chanted this holy name. Therefore it is better recommended. But it doesn't matter. But if you think, "Oh, this holy names were chanted by the Hindus, so I, I wish to chant in my own way," that is also recommended.

Lecture on BG 3.1-5 -- Los Angeles, December 20, 1968:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Purport: "The renounced order of life can be adopted upon being purified by the discharge of the prescribed form of duties. The prescribed form of duties is laid down just to purify the heart of materialistic men. Without the purifying process one cannot attain success by abruptly adopting the fourth order of life, sannyāsa."

Prabhupāda: Renunciation is the fourth order of life according to Vedic civilization. Just like we are a sannyāsī. So we were also householder. I have got my wife, still living. I have got my children. But I have been able to come to this stage of renunciation forgetting my all relationship with my wife and children and family and home because I was trained gradually. I was trained as brahmacārī, as gṛhastha by the mercy of our spiritual master. Therefore I don't feel anything. But abruptly, if we take to sannyāsa order, then... We have seen many persons abruptly taking or without understanding the self-realization process. He fails. He again comes back to the materialistic way of life in a different form. Suppose he begins in philanthropic work, some hospitalizing or opening educational institution. That is nice, but these things are being done by the government and many philanthropic persons. That is not the duty of a sannyāsī. A sannyāsī, a renounced order of life, his main business is to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness. That is his real business. But if one has not the taste what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, simply accept sannyāsa, then he will do all this nonsense work.

Lecture on BG 3.1-5 -- Los Angeles, December 20, 1968:

That is our program. We don't deprecate the meditational process. That is a process, standard process. But we don't say... We have not manufactured. It is the śāstra says. Kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum (SB 12.3.52). Meditation of Viṣṇu was possible in the Satya-yuga when people used to live for one hundred thousands of years. Just like Vālmīki Muni, he meditated for sixty thousands of years. He got perfection. Here it is very difficult even to meditate for sixty minutes at a time. You see? Kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum. That process was recommended in the Satya-yuga.

And the next process is tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ. The next stage, by performing great sacrifices. That is very costly affair. Nobody has money. Suppose if I prescribe performance of some sacrifice, and if I order that "You have to secure one hundred tons of butter or ghee," can you secure? Oh... You see? So therefore that is not possible. Kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ dvāpare paricaryāyām (SB 12.3.52).

Lecture on BG 3.6-10 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1968:

Prabhupāda: Svārtha-gati, svārtha-gati. Yes.

Sudāmā: "...or goal of self-interest is to reach Viṣṇu. The whole varṇa and āśrama system is designed to help us reach this goal of life. A householder can also reach this destination by regulated service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. For self-realization one can live a controlled life as prescribed in the śāstras and continue carrying out his business without attachment, and that will lead him gradually to the progressive path. Such a sincere person who follows this method is far better situated than the false pretender who adopts show-bottle spiritualism to cheat the innocent public. A sincere sweeper in the street is far better than the charlatan meditator who works only for the sake of making a living."

Prabhupāda: Yes. My Guru Mahārāja used to say that don't accept spiritual life for living. Just like we are sending the saṅkīrtana party. If we take it, "Oh, it is very easy method for living without working. We are getting money for our livelihood," this is not wanted.

Lecture on BG 3.6-10 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1968:

The prescription is for the gṛhasthas, for the householder, as exemplified by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī that his income was divided into four parts. Fifty percent for Kṛṣṇa, twenty-five percent for the family and twenty-five percent for his personal reserve fund. That he showed us example how a gṛhastha should live. Not that out of hundred dollars, ninety-nine percent for my wife, and one percent for Kṛṣṇa. No. Not like that. One should sacrifice at least fifty percent. If he cannot sacrifice this... Brahmacārīs, sannyāsīs, they have sacrificed their everything, cent percent. The gṛhastha, they cannot do that. Because they have got wife, children. Therefore fifty percent.

So these are the prescribed rules and regulations for executing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Anyway, if one cannot sacrifice cent percent, let him sacrifice at least one percent, two percent. The more he does, that is, more he becomes free from bondage. And the more he uses his earning for sense gratification, the more he becomes bound up by the laws of material nature.

Lecture on BG 3.6-10 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1968:

Yes. There is a verse, yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32). Those who are intelligent class of men in this age, they'll worship this form of the Lord. Who? Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam. The Lord who is chanting always Kṛṣṇa, but His body is not black. Fair-complexion. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam. Followed by many devotees. Just like you'll see the Caitanya Mahāprabhu's picture. He is followed always by His associates and devotees. Sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam. Yajñaiḥ saṅ... This form of the Lord should be worshiped. Therefore we do not worship Kṛṣṇa directly. Through Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, through saṅkīrtana movement. That is the process prescribed in the śāstra.

Lecture on BG 3.6-10 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1968:

Sudāmā: "Although other yajñas prescribed in the Vedic literature are not easy to perform in this age of Kali, the saṅkīrtana-yajña is the easiest and it is sublime for all purposes, as is recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā."

Prabhupāda: Yes. In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is recommended, satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 9.14). So this process, chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and gradually to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is the only means for, I mean to say, elevating yourself to the perfectional stage which is meant for this human life. Otherwise we are simply, what is called, cutting our own throat. That's all. Thank you. No more. (devotees offer obeisances) Any question?

Lecture on BG 3.6-10 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1968:

Just like an outlaw who does not care to abide by the laws, he is also abiding the laws of the state in a different way. He is being forced. So those who are not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he's being forced by māyā to act. So that is there already, direct connection is there in this way or that way.

But here it is prescribed that anyone who wants the ultimate perfection of life they should worship Caitanya Mahāprabhu. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa Himself. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is... Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī worshiped Caitanya Mahāprabhu:

namo mahā-vadānyāya
kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te
kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-
nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ
(CC Madhya 19.53)

He said that "My Lord, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, You are the most munificent incarnation because You are distributing love of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore I offer You my respectful obeisances on account of Your distributing Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and this is possible because You are Kṛṣṇa Yourself." Kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmne. "Simply You have assumed the name of Kṛṣṇa Caitanya." So these are the injunction of the śāstras, and if you follow Caitanya Mahāprabhu...

Lecture on BG 3.8-13 -- New York, May 20, 1966:

Even animal eaters and flesh eaters, they have also some process for offering yajña. In the Vedic process, even the flesh eaters, they are also prescribed that "You can perform yajña like this." That yajña must be there. Yajña must be there. But so far we are concerned who are going to have Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we have to take the instruction of Kṛṣṇa as He says in the Bhagavad-gītā. He says that patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam (BG 9.26). He is asking foodstuff prepared from vegetable kingdom. Therefore we have to prepare things from vegetable kingdom nicely and very palatably and offer Kṛṣṇa and then take it. This yajña will make us free from all kinds of sins and our life will be sublime. Thank you very much. Any question? (end)

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

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "The Lord, being potent, can speak by breathing air as is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā, for the Lord has omnipotence to perform through each of His senses the actions of all other senses. In other words, the Lord can speak through His breathing and He can impregnate by His eyes. It is said that He glanced over the material nature and thus fathered all the living entities. So after impregnating the conditioned souls into the womb of the material nature, He gave His direction in the Vedic wisdom as to how such conditioned souls can return home, back to Godhead. We should always remember that the conditioned souls in material nature are all eager for material enjoyment, and the Vedic directions are so made that one can satisfy one's perverted desires, then return to Godhead, having finished his so-called enjoyment. It is a chance for the conditioned souls to attain liberation. Therefore the conditioned souls must try to follow the process of yajña by becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious. Those who have not followed Vedic injunctions may adopt the principles of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and that will take the place of performance of Vedic yajñas or karmas."

Sixteen: "My dear Arjuna, a man who does not follow this prescribed Vedic system of sacrifice certainly leads a life of sin. For a person delighting only in the senses lives in vain (BG 3.16)." Purport...

Prabhupāda: Yes, this is very important. Read purport. Go on.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "The Mammonist philosophy of work very hard and enjoy sense gratification is condemned herewith by the Lord. For those who want to enjoy this material world, the above-mentioned cycle of sacrifices is absolutely necessary. One who does not follow such regulations is living a very risky life, being condemned more and more. By nature's law this human form of life is specifically meant for self-realization in either of the three ways—namely karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga or bhakti-yoga. There is no necessity of rigidly following the performances of the prescribed yajñas. Such transcendentalists are above vice and virtue, but those who are engaged in sense gratification require purification by the above-mentioned cycle of yajña performances. There are different kinds of activities. Those who are not Kṛṣṇa conscious are certainly engaged in sensory consciousness and therefore they need to execute pious work. The yajña system is planned in such a way that the sensory conscious persons may satisfy their desires without becoming entangled in the reactions to such sense gratifying work. The prosperity of the world depends not on our own efforts but on the background arrangement of the Supreme Lord, directly carried out by the demigods. Therefore these sacrifices are directly aimed at the particular demigod mentioned in the Vedas. Indirectly, it is the practice of Kṛṣṇa consciousness because when one masters the performance of yajñas one is sure to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. If having performed yajñas one does not become Kṛṣṇa conscious such principles are counted as only moral codes. One should not, of course, limit his progress to the point of moral codes, but should transcend them to attain Kṛṣṇa consciousness."

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa consciousness is transcendental. Moral codes, they are up to material perfection. Of course, one who has not attained material perfection, he cannot attain to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just like one who has not passed his graduation in the university, he cannot take up law course. That is law in India. But one who has taken to the law course, it is to be understood that he has passed his graduation in the college. Similarly, one who has taken Kṛṣṇa consciousness in seriousness, then it is to be understood that he has performed all kinds of sacrifices. That is the result.

Lecture on BG 3.13-16 -- New York, May 23, 1966:

To get yourself promoted in higher standard of life, from C-class prisoner to become A-class prisoner, that is not required. Bhagavad-gītā does not teach us that you improve your life in the respect that you are now C-class prisoner; you become A-class prisoner. No. You should not remain a prisoner. You should get yourself this prison life. This material life is prison life. Just like in prison house we are forced to undergo some sort of miseries. We may agree or not agree; we have to undergo. In prison life you cannot deny. The state agents are there. He prescribes some work; you must do it. If you say, "No, I cannot do it. I am not accustomed to do it, no." Then you'll be again more punished.

Similarly, this is our prison life. This material existence is our prison life. And prakṛti, nature, is the forceful agent. She is always enforcing us to do, to act. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). So this is going on. Now, if you want to get rid of this imprisonment, then you should begin this karma-yoga, karma plus yoga. Yoga means in connection with the Supreme. That connection with the Supreme begins with this formula, yajña, sacrifice.

Lecture on BG 3.13-16 -- New York, May 23, 1966:

So here it is prescribed that yajñārthāt karmaṇaḥ anyatra (BG 3.9). That is... We have discussed. Yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo mucyante sarva-kilbiṣaiḥ (BG 3.13). If we perform sacrifice for the satisfaction of the Supreme, then the result will be that we shall be free from all reaction of our sinful life. And if we do not do that, bhuñjate te tv aghaṁ pāpā ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt. Ātma-kāraṇāt means simply for his own sense gratification.

Now, that yajña, I have... Several times before you I have explained. Aśnāti. Aśnāti means one who eats. So our yajña begins from the eating, because eating is the first item of the necessity of our life. Eating, sleeping, fearing, and mating. Now, eating is essential. So here in the Bhagavad-gītā openly speaks that just control your eating process in the yajña. Just begin your karma-yoga from the eating formula. Then, gradually, other things will develop.

Lecture on BG 3.13-16 -- New York, May 23, 1966:

Now, there are so many scientists. They are discovering vitamin value from foodstuff. Now, what is the vitamin value in the dry grass? Can any scientist say that this is the vitamin value in dry grass? If there is no vitamin value in dry grass, how the cow is producing so much milk, who is full of vitamins A and D? How, from dry grass, vitamins coming out? Nowadays the physician prescribes some artificial vitamins for maintaining your body. Now, what is the vitamin there in the dry grass so that the cow is eating dry grass and giving you nice milk full of vitamins A and D, essential for your life? So these are all wrong theories, that "This contains this vitamin. This contains this." Let them go on. But natural foodstuff which is meant for human being, they are full of vitamins already there by nature's law, by God's wish. So annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14).

Lecture on BG 3.13-16 -- New York, May 23, 1966:

I think, Carl, you were reading from the Bhagavad-gītā about Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's reign, during his kingdom how rainfall was regular, and the necessities of human being were being produced. So here is the same thing. Annāt. Anna, the grains. Grains are our life's subsistence, human being. Annād bhavanti bhūtāni. And grains are produced by regular rainfall. Parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ. Parjanya means rainfall. And yajñād bhavati parjanyaḥ: (BG 3.14) "And rainfall is produced when you offer yajña, sacrifice, to the Lord." Regular rainfall will be possible when people are engaged in the yajña. Otherwise, nature will control rainfall. For want of rain, all your arrangement—mechanical arrangement, tractors, and all these things—will all fail if there is rainfall, there is no rainfall. So control of the rainfall is not in your hand. It is in supernatural power. So here it is said that rainfall is made possible by offering yajña, by sacrifice. Parjanyāt... Or yajñād bhavati parjanyo yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ: (BG 3.14) "And yajña is prescribed according to the Vedic rituals."

Lecture on BG 3.16-17 -- New York, May 25, 1966:

So the human life is developed consciousness. So he has to learn it, and he can get rid of this material existence by the process which is prescribed in authoritative scriptures like Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Vedic literatures. So the first process Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is advises, that... Not only He advises. It is advised in all the Vedas, that "You should sacrifice, perform sacrifices."

kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ
tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ
dvāpare paricaryāyāṁ
kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt
(SB 12.3.52)

The whole process of human civilization should be to acquire love of God. Our love is now distributed in so many things. And that is misdistributed. The whole thing was to be targeted to the Supreme Lord. I was to love God, but instead of loving God, my love is distributed in so many things. And that is a misdirected civilization.

Lecture on BG 3.16-17 -- New York, May 25, 1966:

It is prescribed in śāstra, and it is said, kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum. Kṛte means in the Satya-yuga or what is generally known as golden age. So in the Satya-yuga people used to realize self or used to elevate themselves to highest perfection of life by meditation. Meditation. You have heard the name of Vālmīki Muni. Vālmīki Muni, he meditated for sixty thousands of years. His whole body was covered by, what is called, worms. And... Because at that time people used to live for one hundred thousands of years. So gradually our life is being reduced. Yes. In the Satya-yuga, it is stated, that people used to live for one hundred thousands of years. And then, in the Tretā-yuga, they used to live for one thousands of years. No. In the Dvāpara-yuga for one thousand. And in the Tretā-yuga, ten thousand years. In the Dvāpara-yuga one thousand years. And now it has come down to one hundred years in this Kali-yuga. That also, one hundred years is not completed. Now we are dying within sixty or seventy and gradually it will be reduced to twenty to thirty years. That is also mentioned.

Lecture on BG 3.16-17 -- New York, May 25, 1966:

Now, for this age... Kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ. Now, different ages, different methods are prescribed. So for this age, it is prescribed that kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt. Whatever was possible to perform in the Satya-yuga by meditation and the Tretā-yuga by offering of great, I mean to say, costly sacrifices, and in the Dvāpara-yuga by offering prayers or arcanā in the temple, that can be made possible easily by hari-kīrtana, by chanting the holy name of God. That is the prescription.

So, as the Bhagavad-gītā prescribes, that you have to perform yajña, now, don't be afraid that you have to perform the same kind of yajña as it was being performed in the Tretā-yuga or Dvāpara-yuga by offering thousands and thousands of mounds of clarified butter and grains. That is not possible. Nobody can secure all those ingredients at the present moment. Neither it is recommended. In the Kali-yuga it is recommended that one can perform the saṅkīrtana-yajña. That will give him the same result which was derived by meditation in Satya-yuga.

Lecture on BG 3.16-17 -- New York, May 25, 1966:

So we are not to be afraid of, that we cannot perform this yajña as prescribed in the Bhagavad-gītā. By the grace of Lord Caitanya and by the grace of Vedic literature we have got this information that yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32). Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana. This yajña, saṅkīrtana-yajña, chanting yajña, one can perform, and one can please the Supreme Lord. That is prescribed. So this is very easy, and anyone can adopt, only to remember the sixteen names, and at any time.

Lord Caitanya also says that nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis tatrārpitā. The name, name Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa person, there is no difference. There is no difference. You don't think that "Arjuna was fortunate to receive instruction of Kṛṣṇa directly, but we are unfortunate. We are not in the presence of Kṛṣṇa." No, no, no, no. That is a, our mistake. Kṛṣṇa is present by the sound representation. Because God is Absolute, therefore there is no difference. Just like here we have got difference; nothing is Absolute.

Lecture on BG 3.18-30 -- Los Angeles, December 30, 1968:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "A person acting for Kṛṣṇa or in Kṛṣṇa consciousness under proper guidance and without attachment to the result of the work, is certainly making progress toward the supreme goal of life. Indirectly, Arjuna is told that he should fight the Battle of Kurukṣetra without attachment in the interest of Kṛṣṇa because Kṛṣṇa wanted him to fight. To be a good man or a nonviolent man is also a personal attachment, but to act on behalf of the Supreme's desire is to act without attachment for the result. That is the perfect action of the highest degree, recommended by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Vedic rituals, like prescribed sacrifices, are performed for purification of impious activities that were performed in the field of sense gratification. But a person who is acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is transcendental to the actions and reactions of good or evil work. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person has no attachment to the result, but acts on behalf of Kṛṣṇa alone. He engages in all kinds of activities, but is completely nonattached."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Just like you go to your office. You are working on behalf of the particular office. So your duty is to discharge the occupation which is entrusted upon you. So far the loss or gain of that department or that establishment, you have nothing to do. So a Kṛṣṇa conscious person acts on behalf of Kṛṣṇa. These boys they are going to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness. People may receive it or not receive it. That doesn't matter. Their duty is to preach. The fortunate person will be attracted, unfortunate may not be attracted, but they have to do the duty. It is very simple.

Lecture on BG 3.18-30 -- Los Angeles, December 30, 1968:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Twenty-two: "O son of Pṛthā, there is no work prescribed for Me within all the three planetary systems. Neither am I in want of anything nor have I need to obtain anything, and yet I am engaged in work (BG 3.22)."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Just see. Kṛṣṇa, He's the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We work because we need something, but what need He has? He is full. He's self-sufficient, but still, He comes. As it is stated, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). "As soon as there is discrepancies in the discharge of religious principle, abhyutthānam adharmasya, and there is prominence of irreligiosity, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham, at that time, I descend."

Lecture on BG 3.18-30 -- Los Angeles, December 30, 1968:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Everything being in full opulence in the Personality of Godhead and naturally existing in all truth, there is no duty for the Supreme Personality of Godhead to perform. One who must receive the results of work has some designated duty, but one who has nothing to achieve within the three planetary systems certainly has no duty. And yet, Lord Kṛṣṇa is engaged on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra as the leader of the kṣatriyas because the kṣatriyas are duty-bound to give protection to the distressed. Although He is above all the regulations of revealed scriptures He does not do anything which is not directed in the revealed scriptures."

Twenty-three: "For if I did not engage in work, O Pārtha, certainly all men would follow My path (BG 3.23)."

Twenty-four: "If I should cease to work then all these worlds would be put to ruination and I would be the cause of creating unwanted population and thereby destroy the peace of all sentient beings (BG 3.24)."

Purport: "Varṇa-saṅkara is unwanted population which disturbs the peace of the general society. In order to check this social disturbance there are prescribed rules and regulations by which the population can automatically become peaceful and organized for spiritual progress in life. When Lord Kṛṣṇa descends, naturally He deals with such rules and regulations in order to maintain the prestige and necessity of such important performances. The Lord is said to be the father of all living entities and if the living entities are misguided, indirectly the responsibility goes to the Lord. Therefore whenever there is general disregard for such regulative principles, the Lord Himself descends and corrects the society. We should however note carefully that although we have to follow in the footsteps of the Lord, we still have to remember that we cannot imitate Him. Following and imitating are not on the same level."

Prabhupāda: Now, Kṛṣṇa at the age of seven years old, He lifted Govardhana Hill. So if we try to imitate, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa lifted the Govardhana Hill. Let me also try." That is not following. You cannot do that. (chuckling) You see? Because sometimes the foolish rascals they say, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa performed rāsa-līlā. Let me also perform rāsa-līlā." Therefore I forbid that don't discuss Kṛṣṇa's rāsa-līlā with the ordinary persons. They cannot understand. They'll simply think that "Oh, it is very nice to dance with girls, boys and girls dancing."

Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Madras, January 1, 1976:

And now it is practical. Now we are... According to śāstra, we have prescribed, "No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication." Four no's. Then you become free from sinful activities. And then chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Your life is successful. It is not very difficult, provided you are serious to take it. So that is our request. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). Even if you cannot give up the four principles of sinful life immediately, but you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Then you gradually get strength.

Just like these European, American boys. From their childhood they are trained up for this sinful life but they have given up completely. Young men. Still, they have given up. So the method is very simple.

Lecture on BG 4.7 -- Montreal, June 13, 1968:

Now another point of dharma is, as Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa is describing here, is dharmasya vedoktasya glānir vināśa. Now this is ordinary sense of religion. Just like everyone has got some scripture. The Hindus, they have got Vedic scripture. The Muslims, they have got Koran. The Christians, they have got Bible, Old Testament, New Testament. Similarly, there are many other religious sects, they have got their own scripture. So Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa says that vedoktasya dharmasya. Dharma means the rules and regulations as they are prescribed in the scriptures.

Lecture on BG 4.7 -- Montreal, June 13, 1968:

Janārdana: (break?) ...like Satya-yuga for example. Was the chanting of the name of Kṛṣṇa effective as it is in this age or is there another method prescribed as being more effective?

Prabhupāda: According to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there are different processes in different ages. But each process is as good as in any age. It is not that the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa is in this age very effective and it was not effective in the Satya-yuga. It is not like that. The real process is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,

kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ
tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ
dvāpare paricaryāyāṁ
kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt
(SB 12.3.52)

Kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt. It is not that people were not chanting in the Satya-yuga, in Satya-yuga this holy name of Kṛṣṇa. It is not that. But in this age the process adopted in the Satya-yuga, dhyāyataḥ, meditation, that is not possible. In the Satya-yuga, kṛte yad... Because people were living at that time one-hundred-thousands of years. And it is said that Mahāmuni Vālmīki, he meditated for sixty-thousands of years.

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- Bombay, March 31, 1974:

In Africa there are millions of elephants. They are also supplied food, at a time, forty kilos. And the ant is also, within the hole of your room... (break) ...according to law. Don't encroach upon others' property. Mā gṛdhaḥ kasya svid dhanam. Tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā (ISO 1). Whatever is allotted for you, that is... Everything is prescribed. Everything is there. But the... Why this arrangement is made? They do not know. The arrangement is made that mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha... Of course, particularly the name of manuṣyāḥ has been... Because in the human life God consciousness can be developed, not in the animal life. Therefore here particularly it is mentioned, mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ. "Everyone is trying to approach Me, but according to different angle of vision, according to capacity." The capacity is somebody's trying to go up to the Brahman effulgence, somebody's trying to understand the Supreme Paramātmā within everyone's heart, and somebody's trying to understand and go directly to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- Bombay, March 31, 1974:

Anyway, Vedic injunction is there. So when Lord Buddha started this nonviolence, ahiṁsā paramo dharmaḥ, the Vedic scholars approached him that "How you can prescribe this ahiṁsā? There is already sanction in the Vedas, paśavo vadhāya sṛṣṭāḥ... How you can stop it?" So Lord Buddha said, "I don't care for your Vedas." Therefore he is considered as atheist. Anyone who doesn't care for Vedas, they are technically called as atheist. Veda nā māniyā bauddha haila nāstika. Nāstika means atheist.

Lecture on BG 4.11-12 -- New York, July 28, 1966:

Still, we should not wait for the chance of another birth. We should take the opportunity in this birth. Just like Kṛṣṇa prescribes here that simply by knowing the transcendental nature of Kṛṣṇa and His transcendental activities, one can get liberated. Why don't you do that? Why should you wait for another birth, either in the rich man's family or in the pure family of a brāhmaṇa? Because it is not exactly sure that because a person is born in the family of a pure brāhmaṇa, he is elevating spiritually. No. Sometimes we see that he is degrading because he is misusing or by bad association or the parents is not training.

Lecture on BG 4.14 -- Bombay, April 3, 1974:

Therefore in the human form of life we must perform yajña. Yajña means to satisfy the Supreme Lord. Yajñārthe, for the sake of the Supreme Lord, for satisfying Him, that is our business.

So to do that business in the previous verse it has been prescribed that the human society should be divided into four classes of men. There are, but they should be systematically divided. Just like in any office there are departments. Without departmental work, nothing can be successful. Anywhere you go, either in the law court or in the office or anywhere, there must be departments. Similarly, the human society must be divided into four divisions. Not four division, eight divisions, varṇāśrama.

Lecture on BG 4.14 -- Bombay, April 3, 1974:

Therefore the karma should be systematized, and it should be regulated by brahminical culture, by kṣatriya culture, by vaiśya culture, by śūdra culture. But Kṛṣṇa says that "Don't think... Because I have prescribed this for the systematic life of all the conditioned soul, it does not mean I am also one of them." Kṛṣṇa is not one of them. And some foolish rascals they say that "Kṛṣṇa is also bound up by the laws of karma."

No. Kṛṣṇa is... Not only Kṛṣṇa, but Kṛṣṇa's devotees also. That is stated here. Iti māṁ yo 'bhijānāti karmabhir na sa badhyate (BG 4.14). Simply by knowing, simply by knowing that Kṛṣṇa is transcendental. Kṛṣṇa gives us prescription how to live in this conditional state, but He is not one of us. He is not one of us. He is above, transcendental. Therefore He says, na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti.

Lecture on BG 4.14 -- Bombay, April 3, 1974:

Therefore he prescribes that brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Either you become brāhmaṇa or follow the instruction of the brāhmaṇas, then your life is perfect. Both things are there. If you like to be brāhmaṇa, that you can become also. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya (BG 9.32). This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Because in this age everyone is a śūdra, kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ... There is no culture. There is no brahminical culture, kṣatriya culture. Therefore all together, they are simply śūdras. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to raise the śūdras or less than that. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ. Plural number. Striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrāḥ. The pāpa-yoni. It is.... Kṛṣṇa says. But everyone is open to come to Him. Everyone. It doesn't matter. And there are less than that. Less than they are called caṇḍālas. They are also mentioned in the Bhāgavata. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18), ye 'nye ca pāpāḥ. Again, less than that. Yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ śudhyanti. They can be purified. They can be purified. Prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ.

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

No, no, no. I said that by your pious work you get four results. By your pious work... Because every work, we have, we are just today discussing what is real work and what are the reaction of the work and what is not, I mean to say, prescribed work. These things are we have discussed. Now, so far the pious work, which is called, in Sanskrit language, which is called puṇya-karma, we get four results, four kinds of results. By pious work, we get very good birth. Good birth means to take one's birth in aristocratic family or in rich family. That is, materially concerned, very good birth. So by pious work, one can become a good birth, can get his birth in a good family. And he can become a rich man also. Just, just like in this world we see. Somebody is working very little, but he's gaining much. Another body is working very hard the whole day; still, he's not getting much. Why? Because due to his pious work, he is getting very easily riches. So richness is also result of pious work. And similarly, one student is becoming very quickly a scholar; another, he cannot. So this is also result of pious work. Similarly, beauty is also due to pious work. I discussed this point. And what was your point?

Lecture on BG 4.16 -- Bombay, April 5, 1974:

But next life there is, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). People do not know it. Therefore we should be very careful to take instruction from Bhagavad-gītā, and make our life successful, following the rules and regulation as it is prescribed there. Otherwise we are animals.

The animals, they cannot follow any rules and regulation. Animal, you ask animal, dog, that "You become a brahmacārī." That is not possible. That is not possible (laughs). It is for human being. These āśramas, the four āśramas and four varṇas, they are all meant for human society, not that it is restricted in a certain area or certain country or certain community. No. It is meant for the whole human society. Bhagavad-gītā is meant for the whole human society. When Kṛṣṇa says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13), he never says that "It is meant for India." Where is that? Why they came that the cātur-varṇyam should be in India only? Kṛṣṇa never said that.

Lecture on BG 4.16 -- Bombay, April 5, 1974:

In Western countries also—for sense gratification. Which is to be suppressed, sense gratification, that education is given. They do not know what is karma and what is vikarma. Now, when the students become disobedient and they create riots and set fire in the buses, then they lament. But why you have educated the students like that? Who is responsible for this? The rascals, they do not know. Here is Kṛṣṇa prescribing. Kiṁ karma kim akarmeti kavayo 'py atra mohitāḥ. Even learned men, they become bewildered. Tat te karma pravakṣyāmi.

So in this bewildered condition, baffled condition of the society, we should consult Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is ready to give you advice, as He was ready five thousand years ago to give advice to Arjuna. That instruction is still current. It is not that it is finished with the Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa, no. You can take also the same advice from Kṛṣṇa and mold your life. That is wanted.

Lecture on BG 4.18 -- Bombay, April 7, 1974:

That Vedic civilization, the whole Vedic civilization, aim is to satisfy the Supreme. That is Vedic civ... Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. The division is there, but the whole aim is to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But at the present moment, we are so educated, we do not know what is the meaning of Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is our position. We do not know even the meaning. We do not know what is Viṣṇu and how to satisfy Him, what is the meaning of yajña. All forgotten. That is not Vedic civilization. Vedic civilization begins by performing yajña for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu. That is prescribed in the varṇāśrama.

We are recognized outside the world as "Hindus." The "Hindu" word is a foreign word. Actually, India's position or bhāratīya kristi,(?) bhāratīya civilization, is varṇāśrama-dharma. This question was put by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu when He was talking with Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya. This Rāmānanda Rāya was governor of Madras under the region of Mahārāja Pratāparudra of Orissa. And Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was a sannyāsī. Rāmānanda Rāya belonged to the second class. He was not a brāhmaṇa. In Orissa, the Karana,(?) they are accepted as śūdras. So he belonged to that community, Karana(?) community. But he was so learned in spiritual education that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu agreed to talk with him about spiritual advancement of life.

Lecture on BG 4.19 -- New York, August 5, 1966:

Here it is prescribed that you can do anything. There is no harm. Whatever your business, or vocation, occupation, you are engaged, that has not to be changed. That has not to be changed. Simply your consciousness has to be changed. That's all. Kāma-saṅkalpa-varjitāḥ. How? How that consciousness can be changed? Now, jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāṇam. That consciousness, transferring the present self-interested consciousness to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, requires knowledge. Requires knowledge. And what is that knowledge? That knowledge is that, "I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. I'm not different from Kṛṣṇa. I am part and parcel. I am the superior energy of Kṛṣṇa." That is knowledge.

Lecture on BG 4.19 -- New York, August 5, 1966:

Yes. War is also one of the... Just like a man diseased, he eats something, sometimes say, "Oh, doctor, I am feeling some headache." "Oh, all right, take some, this pill." Just like I see advertisement, "Oh, you are feeling strain? Take this pill." "You are feeling this? Oh, take this pill." Just like Post Office. Just like Post Office. All letters should be given to the post box, and it will go in different places. So doctor is prescribing like that. But a real doctor he'll see what is the disease there. And if that disease is cured, then he'll have no headache, no leg, pain leg, no, nothing of the sort.

Lecture on BG 4.19 -- Bombay, April 8, 1974:

But at the present moment, because everything is lost, now simply śūdras are there, therefore the common medicine is prescribed:

harer nāma harer nāma
harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva
nāsty eva gatir anyathā
(CC Adi 17.21)

Because the idea is how to become kāma-rāga-varjitāḥ. Kāma-rāga-varjitāḥ. Kāma-saṅkalpa-varjitāḥ. That is real knowledge. Everyone is lusty. He wants to satisfy his senses. So ātma-prabhavam īśvaram. The example I have repeatedly given you, that the senses should be engaged for the satisfaction of the Supreme. That is kāma-rāga-varjitāḥ, or kāma-saṅkalpa-varjitāḥ. The senses should not be used for the satisfaction of senses. The senses should be used for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. That is kāma-saṅkalpa-varjitāḥ.

Lecture on BG 4.19-25 -- Los Angeles, January 9, 1969:

Prabhupāda: "A patient. A patient. A patient who is suffering."

Devotee: Oh. "For example, a patient who is suffering from a disorder of the bowels due to overindulgence in milk products is cured by another milk product, curd. Similarly, the materially absorbed conditioned soul can be cured by Kṛṣṇa consciousness as is prescribed here in the Bhagavad-gītā."

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is a very good example. Sometimes... In India of course, out of our greediness we take too much milk products—khīr and sweet rice and burfi, pranal(?), so many. So if you take too much milk then there is possibility of dysentery, disorder of the bowel. Ghee. Therefore when you go the physician he will give you some medicine and he will ask you to take this medicine with yogurt. Now what is this yogurt? This yogurt is also milk preparation. Now you can doubt how is that? My disorder of bowel is due to taking too much milk preparation. How it will be cured by yogurt? So this is the way. The yogurt is a, although milk preparation, it's action is different.

Lecture on BG 4.20-24 -- New York, August 9, 1966:

Now this is the fourth millennium. In the fourth millennium, the Bhāgavata says that kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt: "At the present moment we have to perform sacrifices by chanting the hari-kīrtana, the glorification of Kṛṣṇa." This is yajña. Other yajñas, although they are prescribed... Because when Kṛṣṇa was speaking, He was speaking generally, but there are specific considerations. This yajña recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā, brahmārpaṇaṁ brahma, brahma havir brahmāgnau brahmaṇā hutam... Now, where is the fire and where is the clarified butter and where is the expert performer of yajña? The performer of yajña must be so much educated. There was a talk between Lord Caitanya and a Muhammadan magistrate. Because when Lord Caitanya appeared in Bengal, India was being governed by the Muhammadans, Pathans, in the fifteenth century, five hundred years before. Lord Caitanya appeared about 480 years before. So there was a talk between Lord Caitanya and the Muhammadan magistrate.

Lecture on BG 4.22 -- Bombay, April 11, 1974:

Dvandvātītaḥ, no enviousness. Why I shall be envious? If somebody is eating very nicely, and I am not eating nicely, why I shall be envious? We should be satisfied. Kṛṣṇa has given him. Just like in the hospital, one patient is eating very nutritious food and another patient, the physician has ordered, "He should not take anything." So why he should be envious? He should know that "Physician has prescribed like this, that I shall not take anything, and he has prescribed to the other patient, next bed, nutritious food. So it is the physician's desire for treatment."

Similarly, we should not be disturbed by all these things, that "He is eating more, he is enjoying more." Nobody is enjoying more. Whatever Kṛṣṇa has given, he is enjoying. That is called yadṛcchā-lābha-santuṣṭo dvandvātītaḥ. Dvandvātītaḥ and vimatsaraḥ. He is not envious. Why he should be envious? Just like at the present moment, politically, a poor man is envious of a rich man, because there is no Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And a so-called rich man, he is eating himself sumptuously, but he does not take care of the poor man. This is envious, "Let him die." No. The rich man should distribute prasādam through Kṛṣṇa consciousness to the poor man, and the poor man should not be envious of the rich man. Then there will be happiness prosperity. Not that to form the political party and to become envious. Vimatsaraḥ.

Lecture on BG 4.34 -- New York, August 14, 1966:

Suppose I want some spiritual master or I want to study Bhagavad-gītā or Vedānta-sūtra so that I may make some material improvement. Oh, that is not required. For material improvement you can work just so many people are working. They are making, trying industry or something like... That is prescribed. But if you are at all interested about the Brahman subject, the spiritual subject, then you require a spiritual master. That is clearly stated. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta (SB 11.3.21). Tasmāt means "Therefore one has to surrender unto the spiritual master."

Who? Who is jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam: "who is very much eager to understand about the transcendental subject matter." So any Vedic literature the same instruction you'll find, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā,

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

Jñāninaḥ means jñānī, or a man who is in perfect knowledge. Perfect knowledge means one who has perfect vision or the perfect, not theoretical, but actual vision of the spiritual subject matter. He is called jñānī. Jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ.

Lecture on BG 4.34 -- New York, August 14, 1966:

So the subject matter of Kṛṣṇa is not so easy. It is very difficult also. But one can understand very easily. That process is also prescribed in the Bhagavad-gītā.

bhaktyā mām abhijānāti
yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ
tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā
viśate tad-anantaram
(BG 18.55)

Bhakti, devotional service. That devotional service, if you accept, you can understand that difficult subject matter of Kṛṣṇa very easily. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti. Abhijānāti means perfectly you can understand. Yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ. Tattvataḥ means the Absolute Truth as it is, you can understand. And tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā, and after understanding the Kṛṣṇa science very perfectly, he becomes eligible to enter into that spiritual kingdom. These things are stated.

Lecture on BG 4.37-40 -- New York, August 21, 1966:

And faith, how we become faithful? Now, saṁyata indriya. You have to control the senses. The whole thing is: our material existence is here because we want to gratify senses. That is the whole disease. So this faith of spiritual advancement can be, I mean to say, enhanced when we agree; at the same time, saṁyata indriya. Just like if you are taking treatment of a physician, you have faith, "All right." But the physician says, "Don't do this," and if you do this, then what kind of faith you have got? Physician, when he treats some patient, he prescribes something, "don't do this" and "do this," some "do-nots," some "do." Now, if I say, "My dear physician, I have got all faith in you. Very good. But I cannot follow your instruction. You say, 'Do not.' I do it," oh, how you can? How you are faithful? How you are faithful? So śraddhāvān labhate jñānaṁ tat-paraḥ saṁyatendriyaḥ. You have to follow the instruction with faith. Then you get. You have to follow the instruction with faith.

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

Just like take, for example, foodstuff. You can take foodstuff as much as you require for your maintenance of the body. Now if you take more, then you'll be in trouble, and if you take less, then you'll be in trouble. You have to take exactly what is prescribed for you. Just like the elephant. Elephant is taking hundred pounds daily, twice. Once at a time he takes hundred pounds or more than that. And the ant takes only one grain. Now if the ant thinks that "I shall also take hundred pounds," oh, it is impossible for him. It is impossible. (chuckling) And if the elephant thinks, "All right, the ant is taking one grain. I shall take." No. That is not. The system is that in God's kingdom, in God's creation, for everybody, there is sufficient food. You take as much as you require. That is the natural way. In the nature's way you'll find, beginning from the ant to the elephant, they will not take more, they will not take less. If to the elephant you give two hundred pounds foodstuff, he'll take only a hundred pounds as he requires. Neither he'll take the foodstuff to his place to stock it for next day. No. You see these pigeons. You see. Whenever you give some foodstuff they take whatever they require, but they don't take anything for the next day. Next day. But we are thinking, "Oh, we have got so much foodstuff. All right, let me eat up to my throat, and then take something for next day." No.

Lecture on BG 6.1-4 -- New York, September 2, 1966:

We have finished the Fifth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā. Today we shall begin the Sixth Chapter. In the Sixth Chapter you'll find the process of yoga. You have heard many times of the yoga system. That yoga system is approved by Bhagavad-gītā. But the system of yoga as prescribed in the Bhagavad-gītā, it is specially meant for purifying your status. Karma-śuddhasya vijitātmanaḥ. Karma-śuddhasya vijitātmanaḥ. To control the senses and to purify the process of work, that is the purpose of yoga. Yoga means to purify the process of our activities and to control the senses. Śrī-bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān. The other day we have explained who is Bhagavān. Bhagavān is the last word of the Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth is realized in three phases: impersonal Brahman, localized Paramātmā, Supersoul, and ultimately, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Ultimately, Bhagavān, or the Supreme Absolute Truth, is person, and secondarily, He is all-pervading Supersoul, and the brahma-jyotir effulgence.

Lecture on BG 6.1-4 -- New York, September 2, 1966:

Anāśritaḥ means without any shelter. Karma-phalam. Everyone is working, expecting some result. Whatever you do, work, you expect some result. Here Bhagavān says, the Supreme Personality of Godhead says, that "Anyone who works without any shelter of the result..." He works. Then if he does not expect any result, then why does he work? Unless... Suppose I ask somebody to work this way. Then he will expect something, some result, some remuneration, some reward, or some salary. That is the way of working here. But Kṛṣṇa prescribes that anāśritaḥ karma-phalam, "One who works without any expectation of result or reward." Then why does he work? Kāryam. "It is my duty. It is my duty." Not with a result, but as duty. "I am duty-bound to do this." Kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ. In such a way, if somebody works, sa sannyāsī, he is actually in the renounced order of life.

Lecture on BG 6.4-12 -- New York, September 4, 1966:

The yogi has to fix up his sitting place. What is that? Śucau deśe. He should select a place which is very, very pure. Now, that means a place like Hardwar. Our young friend, Mr. Howard, he has been to Hardwar. He has seen how nicely that place is. River Ganges is flowing and very nice, calm, quiet. You'll find three miles after, four miles after, one yogi is sitting nicely there and meditating. That is yoga system. You see? So śucau deśe, in a place where..., the sanctified place. So these places are especially selected, just like Hardwar, Kanchi and Prayāga. They are, from time immemorial, in Vedic age, those places are sanctified. Just like this Bhagavad-gītā was spoken in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. Dharma-kṣetre, the land of religiosity. Even war was performed. Because this war was not ordinary war. That was religious war. Religious war. This Kurukṣetra battle, that was religious war. Don't you find in the warfield where Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is present, do you think it is ordinary war? No. It is not ordinary war. And it was performed in a place which is called dharma-kṣetra. So sometimes war is also performed in terms of religiosity. That is prescribed. That is required.

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

So there are different kinds of Purāṇas, eighteen Purāṇas. Because the whole Vedic literature means to claim all kinds of men. Not that those who are meat-eaters or drunkards, they are rejected. No. Everyone is accepted but there is—just like you go to a doctor. He'll prescribe you different medicine according to the different disease. Not that he has got one disease, one medicine. Whoever comes and, offers that medicine. No. That is real treatment. Gradually, gradually. But in the sāttvika-purāṇas, they are meant for immediately worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is no gradual process. But gradually, one who comes to this stage, he's advised. So Padma Purāṇa is one of the Purāṇas in the modes of goodness. What does it say? Go on.

Lecture on BG 6.11-21 -- New York, September 7, 1966:

In India there are some selected places, very sacred place, and the yogis, generally, they go there and sit there alone in a sacred place and as prescribed in the Bhagavad-gītā and perform there. Yoga-āsana cannot be executed in a public place, so that, in assembly. Now, so far this kīrtana is concerned... Just like we have performed just now kīrtana, this is called saṅkīrtana. Saṅkīrtana means: bahubhir militvā kīrtayati iti saṅkīrtanam. When we sit down, many people together... When Lord Caitanya was performing this kīrtana ceremony five hundred years before, He had in each group sixteen persons taking part in kīrtana, and thousands and thousands of people were singing with them. Now, this participation in the kīrtana is very easily possible. But so far the yoga system is concerned, that is required any very secluded and sacred place, silent. That is required. It is clearly said here that śucau deśe pratiṣṭhāpya sthiram āsanam ātmanaḥ (Bg. 6.11-12). One has to place himself in a sacred place, in a silent place; then yoga system is possible.

Lecture on BG 6.32-40 -- New York, September 14, 1966:

Now, Arjuna said, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, the details which You have..., not very details, but a summary of yoga system which You have prescribed and You ask me to follow, I think it is very difficult for me on account of my agitated mind." Cañcalatvāt. Cañcalatvāt means agitated mind. We must always remember that we are in a circumstances, material circumstances, where every time, every moment, our mind is agitated. We are not in a very comfortable situation. We are thinking that "This situation will save me for further anxieties of my mind," but when I reach to that point I feel that the anxieties have increased. It has not decreased, because the nature of the material world is like that, you cannot be free from anxiety. That is the nature. So we are simply trying to make a solution of our anxieties by different method, but the place is that, that it is not possible to make a solution of anxieties.

Lecture on BG 6.32-40 -- New York, September 14, 1966:

Now, Arjuna, he cannot be a false pretender. He frankly says, "My dear Arjuna, the system of yoga which you have prescribed," yo 'yaṁ yogas tvayā proktaḥ, "the summary description of yoga system which You have described," sāmyena madhusūdana... Kṛṣṇa's another name is Madhusūdana. Madhusūdana means He killed one demon whose name was Madhu. Therefore God's names are different according to different activities of God. God has got innumerable names because He has got innumerable activities. Suppose we are part and parcel of God. We have got innumerable... We cannot remember how many activities, how much activities we are engaged in, that, from our childhood up to this time. So just think about God. He is unlimited; therefore His activities are also unlimited. So He has got unlimited names also. Kṛṣṇa, of course, is the chief name, but He has got many other unlimited names also.

Lecture on BG 6.32-40 -- New York, September 14, 1966:

The animals, they can swim over the river. So there was a big, overflowing river. So at that time there was no such carrying boats and ships, so everyone had to cross river either by small boats or by swimming. So generally the animals were allowed to swim over, to cross over the other part, other bank, and men, they took small boats and they would... Now, there was very good current, so many horses, they swept away by the current. And one lean and thin horse came. He is asking, "Let me know how much water this is?" You see? So similarly, if what was impossible for Arjuna, such a stalwart, such an advanced and, I mean to say, in every respect, and directly a friend of Kṛṣṇa, he is admitting that "Kṛṣṇa, this process is not possible for me. Oh, I am a military man. I have to look after the administrative affairs. So how can I concentrate my mind in that way which you have prescribed? So it is not possible for me." He flatly denied. He flatly denied.

Lecture on BG 6.32-40 -- New York, September 14, 1966:

So here it is said that "Whether this attempt, just like serious attempt but at the same time it is broken, whether it is like a broken cloud which has no meaning, no rain? That's all. Is it like that?" Apratiṣṭho mahā-bāho vimūḍho brahmaṇaḥ pathi. Brāhmaṇaḥ pathi means advancement on spiritual success. "So if he is half-hazardly, half-hazardly, halfway, he finishes, then what is the result?" Etan me saṁśayaṁ kṛṣṇa: "I am doubtful about these things." Why? Now, because if this yoga system... Now, take for this yoga system, which is prescribed. Now, if somebody thinks, "Oh, it was attempted... It was prescribed to Arjuna, and he rejected it because it is very difficult. Oh. Never... Never try for any spiritual. Let us do." No. Arjuna is putting, therefore, this question so that in future people may not be discouraged, may not be discouraged. Therefore he is asking. What is that? Etan me saṁśayaṁ kṛṣṇa: "It is some of the doubts in my mind, Kṛṣṇa."

Lecture on BG 6.35-45 -- Los Angeles, February 20, 1969:

Unrestricted sense gratification. That is material contamination. So you have to make yourself free from material contamination. Then you become eligible to enter into the kingdom of God. That process of being freed or being washed of all material contamination, is yoga system. Yoga system does not mean that you sit down for fifteen minutes for so-called meditation and you continue all your material contamination. Just like if you want to be cured from a certain type of disease, you have to follow the regulation made by the physician. Similarly, in this chapter the process of yoga practice is recommended, how you have to do it. So that means if you execute these prescribed methods, then you become freed from material contamination. Then you are actually situated for linking up, for making connection with the Supreme. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

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

Yes, the gradual progress of yoga system. Karma-yoga to jñāna-yoga. Karma-yoga means ordinary activities, fruitive activities. Ordinary activities means sinful activities also, but karma-yoga does not mean sinful activities. Only good, pious activities or prescribed activities. That is called karma-yoga. Then, by performing karma-yoga one comes to the platform of jñāna-yoga, knowledge. And from knowledge to this aṣṭāṅga-yoga, eightfold yoga system—dhyāna, dhāraṇā, prāṇāyāma, āsana—like that, those who are practicing the aṣṭāṅga-yoga. Then from aṣṭāṅga-yoga concentrating the mind on Viṣṇu come to the point of bhakti-yoga. And when one comes to the bhakti-yoga platform, that is the perfectional stage of yoga. And this Kṛṣṇa consciousness means from the very beginning, directly, that bhakti-yoga. Go on.

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

So if you want really peace, if you want to be happy, take to this philosophy, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And the beginning is how to develop attachment for Kṛṣṇa. So the process which we have prescribed, this chanting before the Deities and offering prasādam, this will make you gradually advanced. So we shall talk later on further on this subject. If there is any question, you can inquire.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, September 10, 1968:

The medical science cannot explain. As soon as the heart fails, they say, "Oh, he's gone." That means in the heart I am sitting and the Paramātmā is sitting. As the I and Paramātmā leaves the heart, the heart fails and there is no life. And it is a fact from medical science that all the energies of the body is coming from the heart. So this statement of the Bhagavad-gītā, that īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe... (BG 18.61). Hṛd-deśe means in the heart. So yoga means, as prescribed in the standard yoga system in the Bhagavad-gītā, means I myself try to find out the Paramātmā within my heart. So I cannot concentrate unless I withdraw all my sensual activities. You cannot practice yoga, (chuckling) at the same time indulge in sensual activities. These are all nonsense. So we have to concentrate all our sensual activities. That means repose them in the mind, and mind is concentrated upon the Paramātmā. That is real yoga.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Los Angeles, March 12, 1970:

Devotee: "One should therefore begin yoga practice as directed in the last verse of the sixth chapter. Concentration of the mind upon Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme, is made possible by prescribed devotional service in nine different forms."

Prabhupāda: Yes. The instruction is that "How by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me"—this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness—"with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full." And if you know Kṛṣṇa in full, you know everything. And you can know Kṛṣṇa simply by our concentrating mind upon Kṛṣṇa. And as soon as you know Kṛṣṇa, you know everything. Therefore your knowledge is perfect. Is that argument fallacious? You can understand Kṛṣṇa simply by concentrating upon Him. That you can do. Everyone can do that. And as soon as you understand Kṛṣṇa you know everything. So why not take this path? Simple. That is full knowledge. That means eternity.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Auckland, April 15, 1972:

There may be other methods. I can understand you. But the śāstra says, "No other method will be successful." Kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā. Karma, jñāna, yoga. So therefore three times stressed, nāsty eva. "By karma you will not be successful." Time is different. Just like you go to a drug shop, there are hundreds and thousands of medicines. They are all medicine, but the medicine which is prescribed by the physician for you, that is your medicine. So in this age this is the medicine. There may be other methods, they are all bona fide methods, but they will not be successful. This method will be successful. You have to take in that light.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Diego, July 1, 1972:

Prabhupāda: Purport.

Pradyumna: "In the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā, the nature of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is fully described. Kṛṣṇa is full in all opulences, and how He manifests such opulences is described herein. Also, four kinds of fortunate people who become attached to Kṛṣṇa and four kinds of unfortunate people who never take to Kṛṣṇa are described in this chapter. In the first six chapters of Bhagavad-gītā, the living entity has been described as nonmaterial spirit soul, which is capable of elevating himself to self-realization by different types of yogas. At the end of the Sixth Chapter, it has been clearly stated that the steady concentration of the mind upon Kṛṣṇa, or in other words, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is the highest form of all yoga. By concentrating one's mind upon Kṛṣṇa, one is able to know the Absolute Truth completely, but not otherwise. Impersonal brahma-jyotir or localized Paramātmā realization is not perfect knowledge of the Absolute Truth because it is partial. Full and scientific knowledge is Kṛṣṇa, and everything is revealed to the person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In complete Kṛṣṇa consciousness one knows that Kṛṣṇa is ultimate knowledge beyond any doubts. Different types of yoga are only stepping-stones on the path of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One who takes directly to Kṛṣṇa consciousness automatically knows about brahma-jyotir and Paramātmā in full. By practice of Kṛṣṇa consciousness yoga, one can know everything in full, namely the Absolute Truth, the living entities, the material nature and their manifestations with paraphernalia. One should therefore begin yoga practice as directed in the last verse of the Sixth Chapter. Concentration of the mind upon Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme, is made possible by prescribed devotional service in nine different forms, of which..."

Prabhupāda: There are many persons who like meditation. Nowadays, it is very popular, especially in your country. But when we ask them what is the subject of meditation, they cannot say. Can you say what is the subject of meditation? Anyone who is little aware of this meditation? What is that meditation?

Devotee: It's a process of negation.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Diego, July 1, 1972:

Pradyumna: "Concentration of the mind upon Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme, is made possible by prescribed devotional service in nine different forms, of which śravaṇam is the first and most important."

Prabhupāda: So our yoga system is not like that, that we whole day, twenty-three hours and forty-five minutes, I engage myself in all nonsensical activities, and fifteen minutes I concentrate my mind, the meditation. That kind of yoga system is not here. Here, twenty-four-hours' meditation. Even during sleeping. Twenty-four hours means during sleeping also. Life should be melded, molded in such a way that twenty-four hours you'll be able to think of Kṛṣṇa. So we are engaging our students in so many Kṛṣṇa activities. They are going to the park, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, or distributing literature. All these activities, remembering Kṛṣṇa. They have no other, I mean to say, thought except Kṛṣṇa. So this fifteen minutes, twenty-minutes, sitting, is all right. But one who is twenty-four hours thinking of Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu, how far he is advanced, that can be imagined. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says personally, yoginām api sarveṣām: (BG 6.47) "Of all the yogis..."

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Calcutta, January 27, 1973:

Therefore because Kṛṣṇa is for everyone, therefore these Americans, the Europeans, Canadians, Africans, they're taking to Kṛṣṇa. The same thing, as I begun, because our relationship is father and son, how it can be disconnected? One might have forgotten, but as soon as the forgetfulness is removed, immediately understands: "Oh, I am Kṛṣṇa's." That this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We are trying to invoke the dormant Kṛṣṇa's love in every human being. And this is the duty of the Indians. Caitanya Mahāprabhu prescribed this duty:

bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra
janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra
(CC Adi 9.41)

Caitanya Mahāprabhu, within these five hundred years, He inaugurated the saṅkīrtana movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, from Bengal. You know. So His order is... It is not that because Caitanya Mahāprabhu advented Himself in Bengal, He requested the Bengalis. No. He said, especially to the Indians: bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra (CC Adi 9.41). Anyone who has taken birth on the land of Bhāratavarṣa as human being, he should make his life perfect and distribute the knowledge to the others who are in ignorance. Because transcendental knowledge, spiritual knowledge, that is only in India. That is a fact. That is nowhere else. Even one Chinese educationist, he has admitted that "If we want to know what is religion, then we have to approach India." There is no other source.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hyderabad, April 27, 1974:

Then what is it meant for, human life? Tapa. Tapasya. Tapo divyaṁ yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). The human life's business is to accept tapasya, voluntarily accepting some inconvenience of life. That is called tapasya. Tapa means some trouble. Just like to become brahmacārī, it is tapasya. Just like we are prescribing this formula: "No illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambling." People want to do it. People want illicit sex. The whole city is full of pictures, simply how to indulge in illicit sex. Then meat-eating—big, big signboard—and intoxication, wine shops. They want it. That is the natural propensity. Loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā nityā hi jantor na hi tatra codanā. You do not require to encourage them in these things. They have got natural tendency. That is material world—to enjoy unrestricted sex life, to eat meat, fish eggs, āmiṣa... Āmiṣa-madya-sevā. Āmiṣa means eat meat, fish, eggs. These are āmiṣa. And vegetarian means nirāmiṣa. So āmiṣa-madya-sevā. Madhya means intoxication. Either wine or cigarette, biḍi or gāñjā, bhāṅg, teas, coffees, they are all intoxication. So āmiṣa-madya-sevā and vyavāya. Vyavāya means sex life. You do not require to educate them. In the school, college, the boys and girls are not, I mean, given lesson... Of course now, I think, they are now giving lesson also. But naturally, without any lesson, they know how to do it. Similarly, without an education, one can take to intoxication. So these things are natural. But when we try to stop these material instincts, that is called tapasya, tapasya.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:

So if one remains brahmacārī throughout the whole life it becomes very easy for him to go back to home, back to Godhead. This is the secret. Therefore the whole Vedic civilization is based on first of all brahmacārī, no sex life. Gṛhastha, that is also very regulated. Only for begetting child one can have sex life, father, mother, man and woman. So dharmāviruddho kāmo 'smi. In the Bhagavad-gītā you will find Kṛṣṇa says that "Sex life which is prescribed by the religious system, that is, I am." Otherwise it is illicit sex. So illicit sex, there is punishment. These things are there. So tapasya means tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena damena vā (SB 6.1.13). You have to control. The more one controls, he becomes advanced in spiritual culture. The yoga system means yoga indriya-saṁyamaḥ. "Yoga means how to control the senses." This is yoga system, and therefore Kṛṣṇa says, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. So sex indulgence is against spiritual advancement of life. Therefore you have seen that the brahmacārīs, they go there. It becomes very easy to enter into the spiritual kingdom. So that you can do here also. If you increase your attraction for Kṛṣṇa, then naturally you lose attraction for sex. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore Kṛṣṇa's name is Madana-mohana. Madana means sex life. He can enchant even madana. So these are things which the devotee will learn by studying the literature. But even without studying, if you sincerely chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra under regulation, everything, all good qualification will come.

Lecture on BG 7.1-2 -- Bombay, March 28, 1971:

So these are saṁśayam, or doubts: whether there is actually God or not, whether God is dead or alive. But here Kṛṣṇa says that if we develop our attachment for Kṛṣṇa... Take Kṛṣṇa as a historical personality. Still, if you develop your attachment for Kṛṣṇa by the prescribed methods, then you will understand God without any doubt. Asaṁśayam. And samagram. Samagram, "in fullness." Not partially. The Absolute Truth, samagram Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:

vadanti tat tattva-vidas
tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam
brahmeti paramātmeti
bhagavān iti śabdyate
(SB 1.2.11)

The Absolute Truth is understood in three features, although all of Them are one. The first feature appreciated by the philosophers as Brahman, impersonal Brahman. The nest feature is appreciated by the yogis as Paramātmā. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61), the portion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is distributed everywhere. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-sthaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Paris, June 13, 1974:

So as you are all ladies and gentleman interested in the yoga system, so the first-class yoga system is bhakti-yoga. In this Bhagavad-gītā, just now I am trying to explain the first verse of the Seventh Chapter. The Seventh Chapter begins after concluding the Sixth Chapter. In the Sixth Chapter, the yoga system has been explained. It is said that one has to select a very sacred, secluded place. He has to sit down there in a posture just like a perpendicular, a straight line, the neck and the body. And then he has to think of Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu. The thinking should be so careful that one cannot divert his attention to any other subject matter. In the Pātañjala yoga system, it is said yoga indriya-saṁyama: yoga means to control all the senses. Because unless the senses are controlled, the mind will be flickering, go this way, that way, that way. So mind is the leader of all other senses. If you control the mind, concentrate on the feature of the Supreme Lord, that is the yoga system. The, in the... Therefore, describing the yoga system, Kṛṣṇa prescribes so many methods, but after hearing the system of practicing yoga, Arjuna replied that "Kṛṣṇa, this system is so difficult I cannot practice it."

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Montreal, June 3, 1968:

So Kṛṣṇa conscious movement is the greatest gift to the human society. Those who are fortunate enough, they'll take advantage of it. It is not a fiction. It is not a bogus propaganda. But it is fact... (break) ...many millions of perfected life, one can understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So it is... In one side it is very difficult to understand. But at the same time, it is very easy to prosecute this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And because it is very easy, because we are recommending that "Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. You'll get the greatest perfection," they cannot believe it. If I would have prescribed some gymnastic process and if I would have charged fifty dollars for some secret mantra, then your countrymen would have followed me. Because it is presented very simply, although it is very sublime, we don't get any followers.

Lecture on BG 7.8 -- Bombay, February 23, 1974:

If you simply think, as you drink water, or drink anything, the taste only... Here is the hint: "Now here is Kṛṣṇa." So you must be drinking so many times. If so many times, if you remember Kṛṣṇa, you gradually become Kṛṣṇa conscious. So simple thing it is. Kṛṣṇa is prescribing. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ (BG 7.8). Suppose if you do not drink. So nobody there is who does not drink. Everyone drinks. The another method, prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ. As soon as, early in the morning, you find the sunshine, you remember "Here is Kṛṣṇa. Here is Kṛṣṇa." Or at night, when there is no sun, there is moonlight, "Here is Kṛṣṇa." Then praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu. If you are a student, serious student of Vedic mantras... Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūra... If you chant the Vedic mantras... Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyam. The oṁkāra, that is Kṛṣṇa. Many people are very much fond of chanting oṁkāra. That is also nice. That is Kṛṣṇa. But if we simply remember that "This oṁkāra is Kṛṣṇa," then we become perfect. Because the process is how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Lecture on BG 7.8 -- Bombay, February 23, 1974:

If you become Kṛṣṇa conscious in this way, the profit is very, very great. Because the more you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, the more Kṛṣṇa becomes revealed to you. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. Realization, revelation, that... With the blunt senses you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, you cannot realize Kṛṣṇa. But if you purify... Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). Our present senses are blunt senses because it is covered by forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa, or māyā. Therefore it has to be purified. Or the nature of forgetfulness has to be removed. That's all. This is the process. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya (BG 7.8). If you follow this process, that "Here is drinking water, the taste is Kṛṣṇa," that means some percentage of your forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa is removed. Similarly, when you see the sunshine, the moonshine, or you chant oṁkāra... There are other, so many ways prescribed in the later verses. So try to understand Kṛṣṇa in this way. It doesn't require any advancement of education or Vedic knowledge. A simple thing.

Lecture on BG 7.9 -- Vrndavana, August 15, 1974:

Tapasya means to undergo voluntarily some inconveniences of this body. Because we are accustomed to enjoy bodily senses, and tapasya means voluntarily to give up the idea of sense gratification. That is tapasya. Tapasya. Just like Ekādaśī. Ekādaśī, one day fasting, fortnight. That is also tapasya. Or fasting in some other auspicious day. That tapasya is good, even for health, and what to speak of advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So we should accept this tapasya. The upavāsa. There are many prescribed days for fasting. We should observe. And the preliminary tapasya, no illicit sex, no gambling, no intoxication, no..., no meat-eating... There may be some inconvenience, those who were accustomed to this practice, but we'll have to accept. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). If we want to purify our existence... At the present moment our existence is not purified, impure. Therefore we are suffering. Just like when one's physiological condition becomes infected, he suffers from fever and other symptoms of disease, similarly, we are suffering in this material world on account of this material body. If we want really happiness, then we must accept tapasya. Tapasya is required. Without tapasya, if you think that very easily... Or "Without tapasya, I can get it simply by imagination," then you become sahajiyā, to take things very easily. No. Tapasya.

Lecture on BG 7.9 -- Vrndavana, August 15, 1974:

So ācārya, guru, representative, it is not difficult. Simply one has to become very, very sincere. One must undergo the simple tapasyas as prescribed in the śāstras. Caitanya Mahā... Yes. Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Āpani ācari prabhu jīvere śikhāya. He was preaching also the glorification of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa by personal example; therefore he is accepted as guru. All the Vaiṣṇavas, all the ācāryas, Gosvāmīs, they acted accordingly and preached. Therefore they are ācāryas. And Kṛṣṇa says, ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān nāva-manyeta karhicit (SB 11.17.27). These are the instructions.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is there. It is very simple. There is no difficulty. We have to always... Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ (BG 9.34). Now, for us, those who are materially attached, we cannot think twenty-four hours of Kṛṣṇa. It is very pleasing, but because we are materially attached, we cannot do that. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is prescribing that "You see the varieties of this material world and try to remember Me." These are the varieties: puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca tejaś cāsmi vibhāvasau. "You study, nature study." Just like we study nature study, similarly, "You study nature and see these important points. And there I am." It is very scientific. You study nature and pick up some point and Kṛṣṇa says that "This is I am." Where is the difficulty? This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You drink water—you remember Kṛṣṇa. You see the light—remember Kṛṣṇa. You see the flavor, aroma of very nice flower, puṇya gandhaḥ—immediately remember Kṛṣṇa. Practice this. It is not difficult.

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

Kṛṣṇa said that dharma-aviruddhaḥ. Aviruddhaḥ means not against religious principles. The religious principle is putrārthe kriyate bhāryā putra-piṇḍa-prayojanam. According to Vedic literature, one should marry just to have a child, putra. Putra means son. The derivative meaning of putra is pun-nāmno narakād yasmāt trāyate iti putraḥ. For our sinful reaction we have to visit some hell which is known as pun. So it is prescribed in the Hindu scripture that the child, when the father dies, the boy has to perform several ceremonies which is called śrāddha ceremony, so that if the father for his sinful acts is in trouble in his next life, this ceremony will protect him. These are some of the thoughts. And they are true. So putra means pun-nāmno narakād yasmāt trāyate iti putraḥ: "One who delivers the father from the hell which is known as pun, he is called putra." So therefore how can I have putra without wife? If one wants a son without wife, that is not possible. Therefore the scriptural injunction is that according to the Vedic rules you get yourself married and have good sons to protect your family and to protect yourself. This is called religious sex life. So this religious sex life, Kṛṣṇa recommends. And He says that "Sex life in religiosity is..., I am. I am present there. I am present there."

Lecture on BG 9.2-5 -- New York, November 23, 1966:

"O my dear Kṛṣṇa, somehow or other, I forgot You, and I am fallen in this..." As soon as I forget Kṛṣṇa this māyā or illusion, ocean of illusion is there. It at once captures me. That is my position. So anyway, Kṛṣṇa has prescribed this devotional service, very nice. You can very happily perform. Susukhaṁ kartum avyayam (BG 9.2). Śravaṇādike apaśyamāne tasmin sa tad-viṣaye puruṣottamaḥ, aham ādir bhavāmi.

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

So such temporary benediction is meant for the alpa-medhasām, one whose brain substance is very small, or the brain substance, instead of brain substance, it's cow dung. They attempt, they accept in this way; otherwise every śāstra says, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). One..., all the Vedic literatures, they aim at understanding Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "Give up all these things. Simply surrender unto Me." It is so easy. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalam... Any, any part of the world, any poor man can offer Kṛṣṇa. This is the poorest, not that who are rich, for them it is prescribed. Anyone can offer Kṛṣṇa according to his capacity. Kṛṣṇa is not hankering after your offering, but if you offer Kṛṣṇa, that is for your own interest, own benefit. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā (BG 9.4).

Lecture on BG 9.10 -- Calcutta, June 29, 1973:

You do not know what is the address of God." We say: "Here is, Vaikuṇṭha, Goloka." We can give Kṛṣṇa's father's name. Everything we can give. Just like if you want to know somebody, you want to know his name, his address, his father's name, everything. So we can supply. Why you are searching? Here is God. Not only I am speaking, but all the great ācāryas, they also speak. India is guided. Now we have lost our culture, but our Vedic culture is maintained and guided by big, big ācāryas like Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya. But we have given ācārya pat. We are inventing our own ways. Now it is. We are inventing our own ways of understanding God. Yato mata tato patha. That is foolishness. No scientific knowledge can be attained by whimsical ways. No. You must accept the prescribed method. Two plus two equal to four always. You cannot make it five or three. That is not science. Similarly, if you want to know Kṛṣṇa, then as Kṛṣṇa says, you have to understand.

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

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

Lecture on BG 9.27-29 -- New York, December 19, 1966:

In the Fourth Chapter we have discussed that what sort of work we shall do? That is prescribed. Yajñārthe karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). Karma-bandhanaḥ means you become bound up by the resultant reaction. But if you act for yajñārthe-yajñārthe means for Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa—then there will be no reaction, śubhāśubha. Śubha means good, and aśubha means bad. So reaction, either good reaction or bad reaction, you have to take this body. Suppose your... As a result of your good action, you are going to take your birth in the Rockefeller family of America. That's all right. But so far your body is concerned, the body itself is miserable. Don't think that because you are getting your body in some rich family, or in other higher planets, in the demigods planet where you can have a long duration of life... But still, you have got the material body. And as soon as you get this material body, the reaction of the material body—threefold miseries and the miseries of birth, the miseries of death, the miseries of old age, and the miseries of disease—will continue. Because you are rich man, so you are not immune from the material miseries. That will affect. Therefore all these material affection will continue either you do good work, either you do bad work.

Lecture on BG 9.27-29 -- New York, December 19, 1966:

So here it is said, ye bhajanti tu. Bhajanti means render service in love. When there is question of love, there is service. Without service... We have got practical experience. Suppose if I love somebody and if I don't give him something, don't eat something or give him something eatable, then what kind of love it is? That is not love. Love means bhajanti, render service. That is love. That is the beginning of love. So even there is no love, if you, under the prescribed rules and regulation if you simply render service, then you will develop love.

This śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam (SB 7.5.23), the class which we are holding, that you are hearing and I am speaking, this is the beginning of love of God. Unless we hear of God, ādau śraddhā. You gentlemen, ladies, you come here with some faith. So this faith is the basis of developing love. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo 'tha bhajana-kriyā tato 'nartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). So we have forgotten our relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Therefore there is no question of love at the present moment. But we can develop this love by this process, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Bhajanti. Bhajanti means bhakti. Bhakti. The beginning of bhakti, or devotional service, is to hear, is to chant and hear. Unless there is chanting, there is no question of hearing. Hear means somebody must be chanting. Either we chant with musical sound or we chant by lectures of Bhagavad-gītā, this is all chanting. And the others, they are hearing. So this hearing and chanting is the beginning of bhakti, or devotional service. Here it is recommended, ye tu bhajanti māṁ bhaktyā. Anyone who with devotional love begins this service of hearing and chanting... Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam. Smaraṇam. Smaraṇam means remembering, smaraṇam.

Lecture on BG 10.2-3 -- New York, January 1, 1967:

And it is very easy. And you can do in happy mood. And what is the process? We chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and eat kṛṣṇa-prasāda and study Bhagavad-gītā philosophy, hear nice musical sounds. Is it very difficult? Is it very difficult? Not at all. So by this process you'll be asammūḍhaḥ. Nobody can cheat you. But if you want to be cheated there are so many cheaters. So don't make a cheater and cheated society. Just follow the paramparā system as it is prescribed in the Vedic literature, as it is recommended by Kṛṣṇa. Try to understand it from the authoritative source and try to apply it in your life.

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

We are not Māyāvādī philosophers that we say, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. No. Why jagat should be mithyā? If Kṛṣṇa is truth, God is truth, the jagat is also truth because it is the energy of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4). Therefore our Gosvāmīs prescribed,

prapañcikatayā buddhyā
hari-sambandhī-vastunaḥ
mumukṣubhiḥ parityago
phalgu vairāgyaṁ kathyate

Prapañcikatayā buddhyā. (sharp cracking sound; aside:) What is this sound? Prapañcika-buddhyā, by accepting something as material, hari-sambandhī-vastunaḥ, but it has connection with Hari, so if we give it up, then it is phalgu-vairāgya. Just like this, for land we are fighting. Because we are thinking that "Kṛṣṇa has come here, Kṛṣṇa is seated here. It cannot be vacated." We are not thinking that it is a material thing. This is an example.

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

Just like somebody goes to Haridwar, Vṛndāvana. They finish their tīrtha, going, taking so much trouble. Just like in Calcutta there is Ganges, but people will go to Haridwar for taking bath in the Ganges there. Why it is prescribed? Not for the Ganges. The Ganges is there already in Calcutta. But if you go to a holy place, you'll find saintly person. That is required. But if you simply go to the holy places and take bath in the water and finish your business... No. That is not recommended. Tīrtha, going to tīrtha means to find out a learned saintly person and take knowledge from him. That is tīrtha.

Lecture on BG 13.14 -- Bombay, October 7, 1973:

Just like Kṛṣṇa said, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). Now Kṛṣṇa says that "Either a little flower, a little fruit, or little leaf..." Anyone can collect these things. Even if he is the poorest of the poor, then he can also collect a little flower, a little fruit, little water and offer Kṛṣṇa, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, I wanted to offer You something, but I am so poor. I have nothing to offer. I have collected these three things as You have prescribed in the Bhagavad-gītā. "Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. The real thing is bhakti.

Kṛṣṇa, He has appeared here in His form to accept your offerings, not that He is poor. So Kṛṣṇa comes here to accept your offering, but the demons want to break it. This is demon. He does not think that "Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead has so kindly come here in Juhu and accepting our offerings." But the demons will not tolerate. "No, Kṛṣṇa cannot..." This is called āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. Asura, rākṣasa.

Lecture on BG 16.8 -- Tokyo, January 28, 1975:

So God is speaking Bhagavad-gītā. Just like reading, Kṛṣṇa is speaking. So hear it, God speaking, the sound. The devotees are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, that is God, that sound is God, śabda-brahma. This is the way. And if you want to see God, you can see also. That is prescribed here. Just like Kṛṣṇa says, prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ: "I am the sunlight and moonlight." So you see the sunlight, moonlight, and you see God. Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the sunlight. I am this moonlight." Then if you want to see Kṛṣṇa, you see the... Sunlight you can see very easily. Is it very difficult for you? Then Kṛṣṇa says, He personally says, that "I am the sunlight." You see the sunlight. You go on sunlight, seeing the sunlight, and you just take the words of Bhagavad-gītā, "Now here is Kṛṣṇa." Then you will understand, "Here is God." And factually you will see. If you think of only the sunlight, moonlight as instructed in the Bhagavad-gītā—Kṛṣṇa says, "I am sun...,"—then one day very soon you will understand. You will see Kṛṣṇa in sunlight. It is not bogus thing, that Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the sunlight." He is. And He asks you to see.

Page Title:Prescribed (Lectures, BG)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Mayapur
Created:06 of Mar, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=95, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:95