Qualified (Lectures, SB)

Expressions researched:
"qualified" |"qualifies" |"qualify" |"qualifying"

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- Caracas, February 21, 1975:

According to Vedic information, the original person is Lord Brahmā. When there was creation, the first created being was Lord Brahmā. Then from Brahmā, all other living entities expanded. This is the creation understanding. So one may mistake, "Then Lord Brahmā is, the Supreme Personality of Godhead because He has no..., nobody knew that by whom born Lord Brahmā was born." It may be questioned like that. But Brahmā is not the original source of everything. Although he has created this universe, he is not the original source. Therefore it is explained here that the original person is Vāsudeva, or Kṛṣṇa, and He gave intelligence to Brahmā to create this universe. But if we put this argument that "Brahmā was alone. How he took instruction from the superior person?" therefore it is said, tene brahma hṛdā: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead Vāsudeva instructed him from within the heart." That is not only for Brahmā. That is not the only prerogative of Brahmā. Kṛṣṇa, we have already stated, is seated in everyone's heart. If you want to consult Him, He can give you instruction. The only thing is that you have to become qualified like Brahmā so that you can received instruction from Him within the heart. And what is that qualification? That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, that

teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ

bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam

dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ

yena mām upayānti te

(BG 10.10)

Kṛṣṇa says that "I am situated in everyone's heart. Simply one has to become qualified to hear Me." And what is that qualification? That qualification is practice of bhakti-yoga. It is said, teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam. Bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam means bhakti-yoga, always engaged in service of the Lord with love and affection. So teṣām, those who are always, twenty-four hours, engaged in loving service of the Lord, to him only He gives instruction, "You do like this." And what is that instruction? Yena mām upayānti te. The instruction is meant for giving him facilities to come back to home, back to Godhead.

Lecture on SB 1.1.5-6 -- London, August 23, 1971:

So Mahābhārata especially was written for three classes of men. What are those? Strī, śūdra, dvija-bandhu. Strī means woman, śūdra means worker class, and dvija-bandhu means persons who have taken their birth in higher caste, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, but they're degraded. They could not keep up their standard of culture. Just like at the present moment. They are introducing themself as brāhmaṇa, but degraded. Actually, they are not brāhmaṇa-degraded. Dvija-bandhu, friends of brāhmaṇa. Just like if I am son of a high-court judge, unless I am qualified to become a high-court judge I cannot say myself, "I am high-court judge." No. Simply by becoming the son of high-court judge, one does not become a high-court judge. He must have the qualification. So when one is simply proud of his high parentage, he is called dvija-bandhu.

There are many instances. Just like in this country also, British nation was very powerful nation, but at the present time it is different. So simply by taking birth in England, one cannot be proud. Your forefathers were very enthusiastic, colonized. So at the present moment that is not possible. So I request you, all English boys and girls present here, now you become greater than your forefathers by taking this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That will make you more powerful, spiritually powerful. You can render service to the humanity, to you, I mean to say, family, your nation, it is so nice. Try to understand. Everyone, every human being should try to become very important. That importance can be achieved by culture, and not by simply "I belong to this nation. I belong to this family. I am the son of such big father." No. You must be also qualified.

Lecture on SB 1.2.2 -- Rome, May 26, 1974:

So the supreme destination, back to Godhead, back to home, is for everyone. It is not that God... God means for everyone. God does not say, "Only the brāhmaṇa class of men, please come here. Others all rejected." No. He is inviting everyone. Even the lowest of the lowest, low-born, pāpa-yonayaḥ, women, śūdra, or vaiśyas, everyone.

Now, Kṛṣṇa says that "Everyone has got the potency of coming to Me, go back to home, back to Godhead." That is admitted by Kṛṣṇa. Now, who will make them qualified to go back to home, back to Godhead? That is the Vaiṣṇava, those who are actually very sincere servant of Kṛṣṇa. It is their duty. Kṛṣṇa says that "Everyone is competent to come to Me if he is following the rules and regulations." Vyapāśritya. What is the meaning of vyapāśritya?

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

For heaven or hell, it doesn't matter. That is pure devotion. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11), without any desire. That is also desire, that "I am going back to home, back to Godhead." But that desire is very highly qualified desire. But a pure devotee does not desire even that. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (CC Madhya 19.167). They do not desire... What to... They do not desire even to go back to Godhead, and what to desire for being elevated or promoted to the heavenly planets. They simply want, "Let me remain wherever Kṛṣṇa desires. I may be engaged in His service." That is pure devotee. That's all. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (CC Madhya 19.167). Jñānīs, they want to merge. Karmīs, they want to be elevated to the heavenly planet. Yogis, they want mystic power. They want something. A pure devotee does not want anything. Therefore it is called ahaitukī. Hetu means cause. "I am serving God for this cause: I'll go back to home back to Godhead." That is also cause. Ahaitukī. No cause. "Kṛṣṇa is my lovable Deity. I must serve." That is pure devotion.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Calcutta, February 26, 1974:

That is also stated in this chapter, ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ... This meeting was presided by Sūta Gosvāmī, and there were many learned brāhmaṇas, learned scholars, sages. Therefore he was addressing the audience, dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ. Dvija means twice-born: first birth by the father and mother, and the second birth by saṁskāra, or by culture. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, they have got saṁskāra. Śūdras have no saṁskāra. Saṁskāra-varjita means śūdra. In this age nobody observes the saṁskāras. Therefore in the śāstra it is said, kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. In the Kali-yuga almost every person is a śūdra. Therefore there is so much chaos. The government is managed by the śūdras or less than śūdras, mleccha. Mleccha-rājendra-rūpiṇaḥ. Mlecchas have taken the post of government. It is meant for the kṣatriyas, means qualified kṣatriya, very brave, very powerful, very charitable, not going away when there is fight. That is kṣatriya's position. Brāhmaṇa means satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā. So people should be trained up as brāhmaṇa, as kṣatriya, as vaiśya. Kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). The vaiśya's duty is to produce food grains, agriculture, and give protection to the cows, and if you have got surplus foodstuff, you can make trade where there is shortage.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Mauritius, October 5, 1975:

If you want actually peace, then you must be engaged in the service of the Lord. And before being engaged in the service of the Lord you should be qualified, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). Brahma-bhūtaḥ. As soon as you become brahma-bhūtaḥ, you are jolly. What is the symptom of jolliness? Na śocati na kāṅkṣati. Na śocati means "does not lament." We are always lamenting for the things which we have lost, and we are always hankering for things which we haven't got. This is our business. So long we do not get, we hanker. And when we get, then "How to keep it?" That is anxiety. And when it is lost, that is also anxiety. This is the material position. And when you come to the spiritual position there is no such thing—no more lamentation, no lamenting, no hankering. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati, samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu (BG 18.54). At that time it is possible to see that everyone is equal because he can see. He does not see "Here is American."

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:

Don't make sound. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi, God's name, God's form, God's quality, God's pastime, God's paraphernalia, and so many things, na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ. Indriya means senses. Our present senses are blunt, imperfect. They are defective with so many faults. Everyone can understand that I am very much proud of my eyes, I want to see God, but I cannot see my eyelid. When I block my eyes, I cannot see what is this little fragment of the skin, and still I am proud, I want to see God. Just see. You have to qualify yourself, then you can see God. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when (He) entered the Jagannātha Temple, He immediately fainted, "Oh, here is My Lord." And other person says, "What is this nonsense. A wooden, not even very beautiful form, and He is..." So because he hasn't got eyes. One who has got eyes to see God, he does not see anything except God. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). You have to anoint your eyes with love of God, then you will see that God is present everywhere. God is present in the tree, God is present in the animal, God is present in you, God is represent in your family, in your You cannot say Actually that is the fact.

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

So vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ (SB 1.2.7). If you apply bhakti-yoga to Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality, then very soon, janayaty āśu... Āśu means very soon. Janayaty āśu vairāgyam. Just see. These boys and girls of America and Europe, they were too much addicted, because their father, mother, their civilization is to be attached to material enjoyment. Actually, they were. Now see their vairāgyam. Practical. There is no theoretical. As soon as you engage yourself, vāsudeve bhagavati... These young girls... One of my student is, was... She is girl. She was a great artist, dancing girl in Australia. She gave up everything and came to me: "Swamiji, make me your disciple." I saw her father and mother in Australia. A very beautiful girl. Very big, big heading in newspaper that "Such and such girl has left everything." This is vairāgya. Very profitable business she was earning. All of them. They are all qualified. They are not like our Indian boys and girls, uneducated or illiterate. No. They are well qualified. They can earn any amount of money. But vairāgyam. Janayaty āśu vairāgyam. This, see practically. And jñānam. Bring any so-called swami and yogis and talk with them about jñāna. They will be, I mean to say, victorious, even they are with me for only four and five years.

So this is practical. This is not story. If you actually want jñānam and vairāgyam, then vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ, janayaty āśu (SB 1.2.7). Very soon. Ahaitukam. Nobody can give any reason how this man has become... Actually, our Indians are appreciate..., "How these Europeans, Americ..., become so nice devotees." But ahaitukam. Ahaitukam. You cannot ascertain how the reason. It is Kṛṣṇa's favor.

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

So that required. By love of Godhead you can see God every moment. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva (Bs. 5.38). Sadaiva means twenty-four hours. People ask, "Whether you have seen God?" To see God is not difficult job. Simply you have to qualify yourself, love of Godhead. Then you can see. This is the formula. And if have not developed Kṛṣṇa consciousness, God consciousness, then also, you can see God in your own way, as prescribed in the śāstras. Just like Kṛṣṇa says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ (BG 7.8). Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the taste of the water." So you are drinking water, and as soon as you drink, if you think that "Here is the taste of water, here is Kṛṣṇa," is it very difficult? Not at all difficulty. Prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ. If you forget while drinking... Nobody can forget. But even intentionally you forget. So how you can check not seeing the sunshine and the moonshine? How it is possible. They say that "Have you seen God?" But why... You have seen also God, because Kṛṣṇa says, prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ: "I am the sunshine." So who has not seen sunshine? So you have to begin seeing like that. Then if you remember Kṛṣṇa, that is also seeing. Seeing, spiritual seeing, does not mean simply to see by the eyes. Spiritual seeing means by chanting you can see, by describing you can see. Because Kṛṣṇa is Absolute.

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

So similarly, it is not that a diseased person, because he is being treated by a first-class physician and he is being supplied first-class medicine, therefore he will be cured. No, there is no such guarantee. Because if the supreme authority does not sanction... Suppose a man is diseased; he is going to die or suffering. So his relatives and friends are trying to save him. The śāstra says that "You cannot save him simply by giving him first-class medicine or first-class medical treatment." They, they can also, cannot guarantee. Ask any qualified doctor, that "This man is being treated by you. Can you guarantee that he will be cured?" They will say, "No, that is not possible. We are trying our best."

Therefore we should know the ultimate sanction depends on Kṛṣṇa. I have got practical experience, because I was dealing in medicine. So the attending physician of my pharmacy, he came back from a call and told me that "I saw one patient lying in a very precarious condition, suffering from pneumonia. So according to our science, he could not live. I do not know how he is living." There are so many cases. I had dealings with medical men. One big medical man in Gayā, he told me that "Mr. De," that "we give very first class medicine to a patient, to my best knowledge. He dies. And I try one small medicine, and he is saved. That is my practical experience." He was Muhammadan doctor. He told me.

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

So, svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya. A brāhmaṇa must be truthful: satya sama dama titikṣa ārjava, jñānam vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma karma svabhāva (BG 18.42). So the brāhmaṇas, those who are actually qualified brāhmaṇas, guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Lord Kṛṣṇa said that cātur-varṇyaṁ māyā śṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ: by division of quality and activities. So everyone, brāhmaṇa must be qualified and must be engaged in his particular duties. Kṣatriyas also, they should be engaged in their particular duties. Vaiśyas and śūdras also. And it is the duty of the government that everyone is discharging his duties. That is king's business, rāja-daṇḍa. If one does not observe the regulative principle, then he should not declare himself as brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. So, just like at the present moment, the government has got inspectors to see, inspect the schools, whether the teachers are duly discharging their educational curriculum, similarly, formerly the king, he was rāja-daṇḍa-vit. So not only he was inspecting that everyone is discharging his professional or particular duties, but everyone has got employment. That was also the king's duty. No one should be unemployed. The brāhmaṇa should be employed, the kṣatriya should be employed, the vaiśya should be employed, and the śūdra should be employed. If there was any difficulty, then it was the duty of the king to give them employment.

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

So according to Vedic scripture, a tattva-darśī should be very pure, uncontaminated. Therefore, generally, we go to the qualified brāhmaṇa, satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). One who is qualified. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). So according to Vedic system, a guru, generally, he must be a brāhmaṇa. Any guru. It doesn't matter, it doesn't require that he is to take birth in a brāhmaṇa family. If he is qualified, then he is guru. If he is not qualified, then he cannot become guru. Even becoming a brāhmaṇa, qualified brāhmaṇa, one does not become a guru, if he is not a Vaiṣṇava. That is the injunction of the śāstra.

ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro

mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ

avaiṣṇavo gurur na syād

vaiṣṇavaḥ śva-paco guruḥ

Sad-vaiṣṇava. One has to become Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava means one who is a devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore Kṛṣṇa instructed Arjuna, He said, bhakto 'si priyo 'si (BG 4.3), "Because you are My bhakta, therefore I am talking to you." So guru means a Vaiṣṇava. He must be a representative of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Los Angeles, August 15, 1972:

So people, they sometimes say, "Can you show me God? Have you seen God?" These questions sometimes we meet. So the answer is here. Yes, you can see God. Everyone can see God. I am also seeing God. But there must be the qualification. Just like God is there... Suppose a motorcar is there, something is wrong there. Everyone is seeing. But one engineer or mechanic, he sees differently. Therefore we have to go there. "What is the wrong in this car? It is not running." He immediately touches some machine part; it runs. So these rascals, they do not know that "How I can see God if I have not the qualification?" The machine has gone wrong, I am seeing the machine. And the engineer, the mechanic, he is also seeing the machine. But his seeing and my seeing is different. He's qualified to see. Therefore when the machine has gone wrong, immediately he touches some part, it runs. So if for a machine we require so much qualification, and we want to see God without any qualification? Just see the fun. Without any qualification. Rascal, they are so rascal, so fool, that they want to see God with their nuisance qualification.

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Delhi, November 18, 1973:

So they do not get that ānanda. They simply are elevated to the position of eternity. But eternity without ānanda. Just like you just imagine: suppose you are given a very nice place. You are ordered that "You live here eternally, but don't allow nobody else. You can live alone." How long you will live? Because as a living entity, as part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, you want ānanda. So ānanda, you require society, friendship and love. That is ānanda. That is not impersonalism. That is personalism. So unless you enter to the personal activities of Kṛṣṇa, there cannot be ānanda. There cannot be. Unless you are qualified to dance with Kṛṣṇa or to play with Kṛṣṇa, to become father of Kṛṣṇa, mother of Kṛṣṇa, and enjoy the ānandamayam, ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhiḥ (Bs. 5.37), you cannot be happy. Therefore āruhya kṛcchreṇa. The brahma-pada, the Supreme, paraṁ padam, it is called paraṁ padam... Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Adhaḥ. They fall down. Therefore we see sometimes, big, big sannyāsīs, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā, they give up this world, take sannyāsa, but after some time they come to politics, to sociology. Why? If the jagat is mithyā, why you are interested in politics and sociology an welfare acts? That means anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ: He could not get ānanda without being in touch with the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they come this ānanda. Ānanda. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa. This is practical.

Lecture on SB 1.2.13 -- Los Angeles, August 16, 1972:

So ataḥ, therefore, in the previous verse it was decided who is qualified to see God. God is there within yourself. He is not far away. Not that you have to go many miles away to see God. Paśyanty ātmani cātmānaṁ bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā. Just like you are searching out something, you do not know what the thing is like, you are harassed. But if somebody knows what the thing is like, "Why you are harassing yourself? Here is the thing. Take it," you can get it immediately. Similarly, God is not far away, God is very near to him, side by side, jīvātmā and Paramātmā. You are sitting with God, you simply do not know how to see. But that qualification, we have explained yesterday, is the eagerness, "Yes, I want to see."

Lecture on SB 1.2.15 -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1972:

Now, in the next verse it is said that yad-anudhyāsinā. Dhyeya. Simply by thinking of Kṛṣṇa, hearing about Kṛṣṇa, speaking about Kṛṣṇa, meditating upon Kṛṣṇa, worshiping Kṛṣṇa, you become perfect. That is assured in the Bhagavad-gītā: man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very simple. We are teaching people that "Here is God, Kṛṣṇa. We can give you the name, address, form, and everything." Yes. Kṛṣṇa says, tad dhāma paramaṁ mama. He is giving His address. Yad gatvā na nivartante (BG 15.6). "Where you go, you don't require to come back." Tad dhāma paramaṁ mama. So Kṛṣṇa is giving information about His abode. So simply you have to qualify yourself to go there. That's all. That qualification is simply man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). "Simply think of Me." And if you simply think of Kṛṣṇa, you become the greatest yogi.

Lecture on SB 1.2.15 -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1972:

So this is the easiest process. If one is very, very intelligent, then he takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, and his life becomes successful, he becomes free from so many addictions... This is the result of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). Simply by becoming a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, all the good qualities of the demigods... Demigods... Just like Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva, Nārada. There are many, many demigods. They are good qualified. Otherwise, how they are posted in such exalted position? They are very qualified. So simply by becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious, all the good qualities of the demigods, or all godly qualities, will manifest. There is no doubt about it. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra... (SB 11.2.42). They will be reluctant. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 2.59). They will find something so nice that they will give up all this nonsense. This is the process. Unless you give something better, how one can give up his bad habits?

Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- Los Angeles, August 20, 1972:

The sun is the eye for all planets. We are very much proud of our eyes. "Can you show me?" What, nonsense, what can you see? Eh? You cannot see anything without sun. You are so much proud of your eyes? You cannot see. Why do you say, "Can you show me?" First of all be qualified to see. Then you can see. But the rascals say, "Can you show me God?" They cannot see even ordinary things if there is no sunshine, and they want to see God. Just see. How much lunatic, crazy. You can see God, but you have to qualify the eyes. Then you can see.

So the sun is our eyes, actually. Not only this planet, all the planets within this universe. Therefore it is said in the Brahma..., yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇām. The gāyatrī-mantra, gāyatrī-mantra, oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ, that is worshiping the sun, sun-god, savitā, savitṛ. So, yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇām. Rājā samasta-grahāṇām. Just like there is king, president, similarly, the sun planet is the king of all planets.

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

This is the process, but if we follow the rules and regulations given by spiritual master, śāstra, then gradually, gradually... Therefore we should be very careful. We should be very cautious that māyā may not attack us. Because she is always ready to attack. Rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ (SB 1.2.19). Even in goodness also, māyā, there is māyā. Therefore in the material platform, even goodness is not pure. Therefore there is another stage, which is called śuddha-sattva. Goodness is sattva, sattva-guṇa. There is another stage, transcendental stage, which is called śuddha-sattva. Sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vāsudeva-śabditam. That is called vāsudeva stage, and in the vāsudeva stage, Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, appears. You can see Kṛṣṇa. Not that a rascal inviting everyone, "Come on. I shall show you God, I shall show you God," and some rascals are going there to see God. God is not so cheap. One has to qualify himself to see God. These are the processes.

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

Prabhupāda: The... It is said, maṇinā bhūṣitaḥ sarpaḥ kim asau na bhayaṅkaraḥ. Snake. Some snakes are decorated with jewel on the hood. So this materialist, however qualified he may be, just like jewel on the head. The śāstra says, "Do you think that a snake coming to you with a jewel on head is not dangerous or ferocious?" He's as dangerous, as ferocious, as the serpent without jewel. Similarly, any materialistic person, however educated he may be, so-called educated, he is simply a snake, dangerous. That's all. He has no qualification. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ. One cannot have good qualities unless one is advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Read.

Pradyumna: "The harmful, foolish and passionate cannot be devotees of the Lord, however they may advertise themselves as devotees by outward dress. A devotee is always qualified with all the good qualities of God. Quantitatively, such qualifications may be different, but qualitatively, both of them are one and the same."

Prabhupāda: Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)

Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Vrndavana, October 30, 1972:

So in spite of becoming a brāhmaṇa, qualified, śāstra says, ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ. A brāhmaṇa, he is expert in his occupational duties. Ṣaṭ-karma means paṭhana-pāṭhana yajana-yājana. Six kinds of occupational duties. But avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇa, uh,

ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro

mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ

avaiṣṇavo gurur na syād

vaiṣṇavaḥ śva-paco guruḥ

This is the injunction of the śāstra. In spite of his good qualification, expert in six occupational duties of a brāhmaṇa, if he's an avaiṣṇava, if he has not understood Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then he cannot become guru. Therefore, according to Vedic system, not a brāhmaṇa is accepted as guru, but when he becomes gosvāmī. Gosvāmī means fully controlled in full knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He can become guru.

Lecture on SB 1.2.20 -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1972:

So manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye. This is the platform of siddhi. But nobody is interested to become a brāhmaṇa, qualified. Everyone wants to become a śūdra. Kalau śūdraḥ sambhavaḥ. Especially in this age nobody is interested. Just like we are asking people to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and give up the habit of illicit sex life and intoxication and gambling and meat-eating, and people laugh, that "What is this? This is the life. If we give up these things..." Especially in the Western countries, they think it is denying the primary necessities of life. They say. Some of my students, they left our association because they could not follow these principles. They are complaining that "Prabhupāda is denying the primary necessities of life." Therefore it is said, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3). It is very difficult to give up these four bad habits. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye. But this is the path of perfection. But they are not interested in perfection. They want to rot as hogs and dogs in this world. That is their purpose. And therefore Kṛṣṇa says, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye. Nobody is interested to become brāhmaṇa. They are interested to become dogs and hogs. That is their interest.

Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye. And yatatām api siddhānām (BG 7.3). It is not that coming to the platform of a qualified brāhmaṇa, one can understand Kṛṣṇa. That is also not. Still, you have to go farther. Brahma-bhūta. Brahmā jānāti iti brāhmaṇaḥ. Brāhmaṇa can understand Brahman. He can understand that he is also part and parcel of Brahman.

Lecture on SB 1.2.21 -- Vrndavana, November 1, 1972:

Therefore two things must go on in parallel lines. One side, a person should cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness and, another side, he should try to give up all the unwanted things. That will help him. You cannot continue both the things. Just like when a person is diseased, he's given medicine. At the same time, he has to act, not to take this, not to take that. That is the way of treatment. Not that whatever you like, you can eat; whatever you like, you can do, at the same time you become spiritually advanced. This is all nonsense. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). One has to practice tapasya. Tapas. Tapas means a little inconvenience, voluntarily accepting inconvenience. Just like brahmacārī lies down on the floor. A sannyāsī also, they follow the same practice as far as possible. Taking bath three, thrice daily, and so many rules and regulations are there. But at the present age, it is not possible to follow all the rules and regulations, but at least everyone who is interested in advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness must rise early in the morning, before four. And take his bath and become cleansed, perform maṅgala-ārātrika and study. These are tapasya. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena ca damena ca tyāgena (SB 6.1.13). Tyāgena means renouncement. I like something, but voluntarily I should give it up. That is called tyāga. Of course, one who takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness seriously, Kṛṣṇa helps him to become qualified in these matters. So bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.2.27 -- Vrndavana, November 7, 1972:

In the Bhagavad-gītā, the division of the society is given there: cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). According to guṇa and according to karma, there are four classes of men. The first class men, the brāhmaṇas, because they are on the platform of goodness. Goodness means they can see. One who is qualified brāhmaṇa, he can see what is what, what is this world, what is God, what the human being... Everything is clearly prakāśa. It is called prakāśa, illumination. If one is situated in the modes of goodness, platform of goodness, he can see things as they are. Prakāśa. And the next stage is passion, productive. Productive, ruling, administrating, like that. Creation. Just like the king's royal orders, they want to conquer expansive kingdom. And next stage is mixed-up—ignorance and passion. That is the stage of vaiśyas. They want simply money, somehow or other. They do not care for anything, the vaiśya. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra. Śūdra, they are completely ignorant. They cannot produce anything, neither they have got any enthusiasm for ruling or administration. So their business is to submit to the higher classes and live peacefully. These are the divisions of the society. But all of them are required for upkeep of the society.

Lecture on SB 1.2.27 -- Vrndavana, November 7, 1972:

If you want very beautiful wife, then you worship Umā and..." The recommendations are there. That is not false. These are all Vedic recommendations. Because, if you want this, then... Bhagavad-gītā also, Kṛṣṇa says that yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25). "If you want to go to the heavenly planets, then you worship such and such demigod. If you want to go to the Pitṛlokas, then you worship such and such demigod." These are explained there. They are not false. They are facts. If you want... Just like they are going, trying to go to the moon planet. So how to go to the moon planet, that process is described. You can, you can adopt that process and automatically, after your death, you'll be transferred to the moon planet. You don't require this artificial sputnik. No. Neither you can go there by the sputniks. It is not possible. You must be qualified to enter into a particular type of planet. You cannot go by force. I have given this example many times in America, that if somebody wants to come to America, he has to secure the proper passport and visa. Otherwise, the immigration department will not allow him to enter. Similarly, if you want to go to a particular type of planet, higher planetary system, you must have the required passport and visa. Otherwise, how you can enter there?

Lecture on SB 1.3.8 -- Los Angeles, September 14, 1972:

So sātvata-tantra means books or literature of devotional service. In the Vedas there are different departments, they are divided into three parts-karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa and upāsanā-kāṇḍa. Therefore the other name of the Vedas is trayī. Strī-śūdra-dvijabandhūnāṁ trayī na śruti-gocarā: (SB 1.4.25) for women, for śūdras and for dvija-bandhus, sons of the higher class but not properly educated. Bandhu means friend, a man born by a brāhmaṇa father, but he is not qualified as a brāhmaṇa. He will be called a dvija-bandhu, not dvija. Dvija means twice-born; actually he is twice-born. The birds are also called twice-born: one birth is the egg, and the other birth is from the egg, closed. Similarly every human being is born śūdra, without any knowledge. Either he is born by the brāhmaṇa father or a śūdra father, he is born a śūdra, because there is no knowledge.

Brāhmaṇa means knowledge and śūdra means no knowledge, that is the difference. One who knows... Just like in this age there are so many scientists, so many philosophers, but they have no perfect knowledge. Therefore they are śūdras. One scientist putting forward one theory—after a few years this theory is changed. That means knowledge is not perfect. They take it as advancement in research, but actually the knowledge is imperfect. Otherwise, where is the necessity of research and advancement? Advancement means you are in the lower grade. So all their advancement, the same lower grade. Because it is going on, they do not know what is the end of advancement. Therefore all their knowledge is imperfect; they are all śūdras.

Lecture on SB 1.3.8 -- Los Angeles, September 14, 1972:

Just like we are writing these books, English translations, giving purports. This is also Vedic, because our basis is on the Vedic knowledge. We don't take so-called scientists' knowledge or philosophers' knowledge. We derive it from the Vedas. Therefore tantra means which expands the Vedic knowledge.

ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro

mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ

avaiṣṇavo gurur na syād

vaiṣṇavaḥ śva-paco guruḥ

It is said in the Nārada Pañcarātra that a person who is not a Vaiṣṇava, he cannot become a guru. "A person born or qualified brāhmaṇa and knows all the mantras and tantras, but if he is an impersonalist, then he cannot become guru," avaiṣṇavo gurur na syāt, "whereas a person born in a low family, but he is a great devotee, he shall be accepted as a devotee, he shall be accepted as a guru." Tantra means Vedic knowledge expanded.

Lecture on SB 1.3.21 -- Los Angeles, September 26, 1972:

So you should take it. Don't think that because the gold is in the polluted place, gold has become polluted. No. You take it. Viṣād apy amṛtaṁ grāhyam amedhyād api kāñcanam, nīcād apy uttamā vidyā. Vidyā, education, was to be received from a brāhmaṇa, because it was the brāhmaṇa's business to become highly learned scholar and make others educated. Teacher's business was entrusted to the brāhmaṇas, administration to the kṣatriyas, production to the vaiśya, and labor to the śūdra. So because generally we have to take education from highly learned brāhmaṇa, but if a person born in low family, he has got some talent, education, so don't hesitate. Take from him. Not that, "Oh, he is low born. Why shall I take education from him?" No. The śāstra says, "No, you can take. It doesn't matter. He has got the learning. You take that. Make him a teacher." Nīcād apy uttamā vidyā strī-ratnaṁ duṣkulād api. Strī-ratnam. If a girl is very qualified, beautiful, even she is born of a low family, you can accept her. This is the injunction of the śāstras.

So Satyavatī happened to be a daughter of a fisherwoman, and, but she was very qualified, beautiful. So before her marriage, Vyāsadeva was born out of her womb. It is not that..., that before marriage girls were not giving birth to child. It was there, the society. But the society was so elevated that this was not done commonly. In extraordinary cases.

Lecture on SB 1.3.21 -- Los Angeles, September 26, 1972:

So anyway the system is unless one is married, a girl, she must remain under the control of the parents. Therefore it is the parents' duty to see that the girl is married to a suitable boy. That is the duty. When the girl is married, then parent's duty is finished. Not by the age. Up to this point. So during young time, say, up to, say, forty years, she should remain under the husband. And when there are grown-up children, she should remain... Just like that Mrs. Sharma. (?) She is under the care of her elderly sons. So Manu-saṁhitā says that na strī svātantryam arhati. Woman should not be given independence. She must remain... Just like... That is not bad. Just like a child remains under the control of the parents. That is good. Similarly, woman remaining under the control of father or husband or elderly boy, that is good for them. And still, they are very happy. Just like you see Kuntī. Kuntī was widow, but she was very qualified woman, so many ways. But still, she remained under the control of the five boys, five children, Pāṇḍavas. Kuntī also gave birth to a child before her marriage. That is Karṇa. That is Karṇa. So it was not very common affair, and in extraordinary cases it so happened.

Lecture on SB 1.3.29 -- Los Angeles, October 4, 1972:

So janma guhyam bhagavataḥ. And Bhagavad-gītā also Bhagavān says that janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). One has to learn. One has to learn the science, how to see God. That is bhakti-yoga. One who is not in bhakti-yoga, he cannot see God, even God is present before him. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yogamāyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25). "I am not exposed to everyone. The yoga-māyā curtain is there." So first of all, before asking anybody, "Can you show me God?" you must be qualified to see God. That is required. That qualification is taught in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, how to see God, how to understand God. Otherwise it is mysterious. Dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186).

So seeing God is very mysterious, but it is very easy also, very easy, provided we know the method how to see God. So that is bhakti-yoga. And therefore Kṛṣṇa recommends in the Bhagavad-gītā, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ: (BG 18.55) "Only through devotional service one can understand Me as I am." Otherwise he will commit mistake. There are different processes undoubtedly: jñāna, yoga, karma, bhakti. But if you want to see God, then you have to accept this bhakti-yoga, no other yoga. Neither jñāna-yoga, nor karma-yoga, nor haṭha-yoga. You cannot see. You can see. Kleśo 'dhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām (BG 12.5). Those who are impersonalists... All of them are impersonalists. For them, it is very difficult, troublesome, to see God. They may try their process, but it will take long, long time to see God. But if one takes to bhakti-yoga, immediately... Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55).

Lecture on SB 1.4.25 -- Montreal, June 20, 1968:

Now the history of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is like this, that Parīkṣit Mahārāja was a great king, emperor of the world, very pious devotee, all qualified. So sometimes he went to the forest for hunting. The hunting is allowed to the kṣatriyas, kings, royal kings. Why? Because a king has to look after administration of the society; therefore sometimes he has to order to kill some men, "Hang this man." Or sometimes he will take the sword in his own hand and kill the culprit, criminal, immediately. So therefore the killing practice was allowed to the kṣatriyas, royal family. Therefore sometimes the king would go into the forest and kill some animals to practice. Just like in the medical laboratory, physiological laboratory, some animals are tested to see the physiological condition of the body, similarly, always these experiments are made on the animals. So Mahārāja Parīkṣit went to the forest for hunting. So he was very tired. He was very tired, and he entered the cottage of one hermitage. He was at that time in meditation. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja was very much thirsty and hungry, and because he was king, he can order anyone, royal order, so he entered the cottage and asked the hermitage, that muni, that "Please give me something to eat. I am very hungry," or "Give me some drinking water." But he was in meditation. By chance he could not hear Mahārāja Parīkṣit. He was silent. But because he was king, king, royal power, he little became agitated, although he was very nice king, "Oh, he is disordering, er, disobeying my orders?" then he became disgusted. And there was a dead serpent lying there. So he took that dead serpent and put it on the neck of the hermitage and went away.

Lecture on SB 1.5.2 -- Los Angeles, January 10, 1968:

So this Mahābhārata... Just try to understand that Mahābhārata was originally designed for the less-intelligent class of men. Less intelligent, who are less-intelligent class of men? The woman class, or the laborer class, and those who are born in high family, but their qualities are not so improved. Suppose a boy is born in a brāhmaṇa family, but his quality just like śūdra or laborer class. The people will not accept. Just like if I am born of a brāhmaṇa family, so they will ask my qualification, how I am qualified. So those who are born in high family but not qualified according to the family tradition, they are called dvija-bandhu. Dvija. Dvija means twice-born. Dvi means two, and ja means birth. The śūdras have one birth, one birth by the father and mother. But those who are higher caste... Just like a man may be born in a low family or poor family, but by his intelligence he gets another birth. He becomes very rich man or very learned man, very intelligent man, very philosophic... That life is from the university. Similarly, dvija means first birth is from the father-mother, and the next birth is accepting a spiritual master. The next birth is... Father is the spiritual master, and the Vedas are the mother. So those who accept the spiritual master as father and the Vedic knowledge as mother, they are called dvija, twice-born. Twice-born. That means cultured. Cultured family. So those who are born in cultured family, but... A son is born in a cultured family, but his cultural knowledge is very poor, he is called dvija-bandhu. So woman class, laborer class, and those who are born in higher family, but intelligence is very poor, they are called dvija-bandhu. And for these classes of men the Mahābhārata was compiled. That means Vedic knowledge explained in simple historical facts.

Lecture on SB 1.5.4 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1968:

It is a great science. It is not a bluff, that anybody can manufacture something spiritual. No. It is a great science. One has to study the science from bona fide spiritual master. Study means... It does not mean that one has to be very highly qualified in academic education. Spiritual science does not depend on one's academic education. You'll be surprised to know that my grand-spiritual master, my spiritual master's spiritual master, he was illiterate. And my spiritual master was the learned, greatest learned scholar of his age. Now, how he became the disciple of an illiterate man? So, but that Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja... His name was Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, my spiritual master's spiritual master, my grand-spiritual master. So he was illiterate, but when you asked him some question, some intricate question of spiritual significance, he'll answer you immediately very nicely. That is realization.

Lecture on SB 1.5.11 -- New Vrindaban, June 10, 1969:

What to speak of others, Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja. Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, he was illiterate. He could not sign even his name. But he was so spiritually elevated that my spiritual master, who was the topmost scholar of his time, he accepted him as spiritual master. What is the reason? The reason is that this transcendental science does not depend on academic qualification. It is, it is not that because one is very, academically very qualified, he'll become a devotee. No. The secret is... That is given in the Vedic literatures: (SB 5.18.12) yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā No:

yasya deve parā bhaktir

yathā deve tathā gurau

tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ

prakāśante mahātmanaḥ

(ŚU 6.23)

The transcendental knowledge becomes revealed. To whom it becomes revealed? It becomes revealed to such person who has got unflinching love for Kṛṣṇa and for the spiritual master. Caitanya-caritāmṛta also says: guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). One can come to the spiritual perfectional stage, or come to the spiritual platform, by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master.

Lecture on SB 1.5.11 -- London, September 12, 1973:

It is a qualification of the great thinkers to pick up the best even from the worst. It is said that the intelligent man should pick up nectar from a stock of poison, should accept gold even from a filthy place, should accept a good and qualified wife even from an obscure family and should accept a good lesson even from a man or from a teacher who comes from the untouchables. These are some of the ethical instructions for everyone in every place without exception. But a saint is far above the level of an ordinary man. He is always absorbed in glorifying the Supreme Lord because by broadcasting the holy name and fame of the Supreme Lord, the polluted atmosphere of the world will change, and as a result of propagating the transcendental literatures like Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, people will become sane in their transactions. While preparing this commentation on this particular stanza of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam we have a crisis before us. Our neighboring friend China has attacked the border of India with a militaristic spirit.

Lecture on SB 1.5.18 -- New Vrindaban, June 22, 1969:

So our duty is as, I mean to say, indicated by Nārada Muni. Our only duty is how to achieve full Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Other things, there is no need of trying. Actually, I have seen that in India... Everywhere the same case. A person without any education, even without any, practically illiterate... I have seen so many merchants, he cannot sign even his name. In Calcutta I've seen practically a Marwari, merchant. He, he cannot... He has deposited money in the bank. Simply he can sign his own name with great difficulty. So he's canvassing, "Will you kindly write here..." That means the check to be paid to the gentleman, he cannot write. He's asking somebody's help, "You write the name of the person whom I can pay." And he'll simply sign. If he writes something wrong, he'll have to accept. If he writes his own name... (laughter) So that man is earning millions of dollars. You see? And I have seen also very educated medical man, England-returned, M.R.C.P I am speaking from my practical experience. So he goes to a hospital, big doctor, but I have seen in his house. He had not even a good utensil at home. He's so poor in spite of so much education and highly qualified, England-returned doctor.

Lecture on SB 1.5.18 -- New Vrindaban, June 22, 1969:

This is the specific qualification of a Kṛṣṇa conscious person. Smaran mukundāṅghry-upagūhanaṁ punaḥ. One who has chanted Hare Kṛṣṇa, he cannot give it up. Cannot give it up. He has to come again. This life or next life, Kṛṣṇa will not leave him. Kṛṣṇa... Once surrender sincerely, "Kṛṣṇa, I am Yours," Kṛṣṇa will never leave him. He will protect you. But if he had become little stronger, then there is no question of falling down. Rasagra rasena grhyate vaśi kriyate.(?) Kṛṣṇa vaśi kriyate. Vaśi kriyate means hypnotized. It is so nice that one becomes hypnotized. Otherwise, why the boys are working so hard? They are... (laughter) They're all qualified. They can earn money outside. In your country sufficient money is paid for work, but they are hypnotized here. (laughter)

Lecture on SB 1.5.29 -- Vrndavana, August 10, 1974:

So the, the one side, the guru. Saṅkīrtyamānaṁ munibhir mahātmabhiḥ. The... This is a relationship between disciple and guru. What are the qualifications of guru? And what are the qualifications of the disciple? If both of them are qualified, then immediately the result is there. Just like husband and wife. Both of them, if they are healthy, by sex there will be pregnancy. Similarly, if the guru and the disciple, both of them are qualified, then immediately Kṛṣṇa consciousness will be there.

Lecture on SB 1.5.29 -- Vrndavana, August 10, 1974:

Our Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung a song, eita eka kalir celā: "Here is a disciple of Kali." What is that? Nāke tilaka galai mālā. "He has got tilaka..." Nata nara nāke tilaka galai mālā. He sings that, sahaja bhajana kache namu saṅge laiyā pare dala. (?) Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sings that "He's dressed like a bābājī. He has shaven his head, and has got tilaka and kaṇṭhi. But he has got at least half a dozen women, and that is his bhajana." So not that... That is not mahātmā. That is durātmā, a cheating... Of course, in this Kali-yuga... Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, eita eka kalir celā. Kalir celā means the disciple of Kali. Dressed like a sādhu, or Vaiṣṇava, but within, all rubbish things. That will not help us. He must be mahātmā, real mahātmā. We want guru like that. Then it will be a... We must be also qualified, and guru also qualified. Therefore it is said in the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa that one year should be taken to study one another, the guru and the disciple. The guru also will see whether the person is fit to become a disciple, and the disciple also will see "Whether this gentleman can become my guru."

Lecture on SB 1.5.29 -- Vrndavana, August 10, 1974:

Therefore we have to accept this principle: no illicit sex, no gambling, no, I mean to say, intoxication, no meat-eating. If you follow these four principles, then you become hatainasaḥ. Hata enasaḥ. Your sinful life stopped. So hatainasaḥ śraddadhānasya. Śraddadhāna means with faith and obedience. Not that blindly. Śraddadhānasya bālasya. And although he was a boy, but he got this qualification. Bālasya dānta, silent, no more playing. Anucarasya. Anucara means following. These are the qualifications. If you become qualified with these qualities... What is that? Anurakta, means attached, obedient, no sinful activities, and faithful, and not disturbing, dānta, and follower. And if the guru is mahātmā and if you are qualified with these qualifications, then the result will be there. Immediately.

But there is no difficulty. One must be serious to understand, and he must approach a qualified mahātmā guru. Then his business will be, transaction will be very nicely done. This is Vedic process. Is there any difficulty? Anyone can say? Is there any difficulty to become mahātmā and to become a qualified disciple? Is it very difficult? Say, if there is any difficulty.

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

That is not possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). If you make some plan... You can make plan, but that plan will never be successful. This is the... By false understanding we may make hundreds and thousands of plan to be happy in this material world. That is not possible. This is therefore called sammohito, bewildered. Yayā sammohito jīva ātmānaṁ tri-guṇātmakam. Ātmānam, himself, he is thinking that he is a material product. Tri-guṇa. Sattva, rajas, tamo-guṇa. Somebody is thinking, "I am very good man. I am very honest man. I am very qualified man." That is also false identification. And somebody is thinking, "I can do this. I can do that. I am so powerful. Who is equal to me?" Passion. That is also māyā's dictation. And somebody is lazy, sleeping, does not understand anything—tamo-guṇa. That is also tri-guṇātmakam, within this tri-dhāma. So within this material world, either the good man or the passionate man or the ignorant man, there may be some differences, guṇogata(?), but actually every one of them is entangled by māyā.

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

One who is trying to find out Kṛṣṇa within himself... Kṛṣṇa is there. So you have to be qualified to see Him. That is required. That is called bhakti-yoga. In Brahma-saṁhitā it is said, premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). That is not possible simply by gymnastic. One has to develop transcendental love for Kṛṣṇa. Premāñjana-cchurita. When your eyes are anointed with love of God, then you can see Him within yourself twenty-four hours. Sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti. This is not difficult for understanding because anyone you love, you always think of him, you always feel his presence, so why not of Kṛṣṇa? That is not difficult. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is teaching. To develop this love for Kṛṣṇa, he says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru: (BG 18.65) "Simply you think of Me," man-manāḥ, "you become devotee of Me," mad-bhakta, "worship Me," mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru. So we are expending so much money for installing Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma here.

Lecture on SB 1.7.8 -- Vrndavana, September 7, 1976:

Therefore education should be in such a way planned that he should be nirvṛtti-mārga. Pravṛttir eṣā bhūtānāṁ nirvṛttes tu mahā-phalām. These are general tendency for the conditioned soul. But if anyone can control by training, by education these things—vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā: sex life, intoxication and meat-eating—then he's called niratam. He becomes qualified. Vyāsadeva preferred to teach Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to his son Śukadeva Gosvāmī because he was niratam, nivṛtti-niratam. He was engaged. From the very beginning of his life, as soon as he was... It is said for sixteen years within the womb of his mother, he did not come out purposefully so that he may not be materially attached. Because a small child, the baby comes out from the mother's womb. Within the womb, when he's in suffering, he prays to God, "This time kindly release me. Now I shall begin bhagavad-bhajana." One who is little advanced in his previous life... Because it is very, very terrible condition within the womb of the mother. We have forgotten. But we can imagine, if you are packed up in a bag and put hand and legs tightly knotted, just imagine.

Lecture on SB 1.7.24 -- Vrndavana, September 21, 1976:

Sa eva, that ādi-puruṣa, that original person, He comes down, descends in this material world. Jīva-lokasya. This is called jīva-loka. This material world is called jīva-loka because here ātmā, the soul, is covered, conditioned. We have given the meaning, jīva-loka means when the ātmā is conditioned. That is called jīva-loka. There is no freedom. Just like there are so many planets. You have got airplane, but because you have got airplane you cannot go there. Conditioned. You cannot go. They're trying, one, two planets, moon planet or Mars planet. No. You cannot go there, what to speak of other planets. If you want to go there then you have to qualify yourself. Not that because you have got a machine, you can go there. No. That is not possible. Therefore conditioned. Conditioned means you have to fulfill the condition. Just like from here if I want to go to America, then I have to fulfill the condition: the visa condition, the passport condition, the health condition, the custom condition—so many conditions. You cannot go immediately. Or nobody can come from there also. In every respect we are conditioned. Every respect. This body is conditioned. You cannot enjoy this body unconditionally. No. That is not possible. You have to change. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā (BG 2.13). The body has to be changed. A baby has to be changed to become a boy.

Lecture on SB 1.7.34-35 -- Vrndavana, September 28, 1976:

They should be trained means they should be advised by the brāhmaṇas. Therefore four divisions required. The brāhmaṇas have no interest or they have no time. Even a brāhmaṇa is made king... It is not his business. He may do it for some time, temporarily. Just like Viśvāmitra also did. But it is not his business. The brāhmaṇa should give advice to the ministers or the legislators. They should be all qualified brāhmaṇas, not paid man. Paid man has nothing to do... Even during the time of Mahārāja Candragupta, emperor, he had a brāhmaṇa minister, prime minister, Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. He was not taking a single farthing as salary. When once explanation was called for from Cāṇakya Paṇḍita by Candragupta, immediately he resigned. "You cannot call any explanation. Then I resign." And he was living in a cottage, not that palatial building. He was living in a cottage. That was the system. Brāhmaṇa lived very humbly. He was not poor. Not that they are poor men. They were so rich that when Viśvāmitra approached Mahārāja Daśaratha, immediately he vacated his seat and welcomed, "Sir, sit down here." So respectful. This is Vedic culture. The brāhmaṇas would not accept any comfort, but the kṣatriyas would be very, very glad to give all comforts to the brāhmaṇas. In our śāstra, brāhmaṇa-bhojana, it is recommended that brāhmaṇas should be invited to take prasāda. Now they have manufactured daridra-bhojana or daridra-nārāyaṇa-bhojana. They have made daridra-nārāyaṇa. But that is not Vedic culture. Vedic culture is to find out qualified brāhmaṇa, sages, sannyāsīs. They would refuse, but still they'll fall down, "Please come, take some prasāda." This is Vedic culture. Brāhmaṇa's position is very, very exalted. Now, since after the battle of Kurukṣetra, they have become brahma-bandhus. The example is here, brahma-bandhu.

Lecture on SB 1.7.40 -- Vrndavana, October 1, 1976:

Therefore he said, "He's the hero." Similarly, here is the same instance, that "If I kill Aśvatthāmā—it is right, I should kill him—but the effect would go to his mother. His mother, she is innocent, and in the absence of her husband, our guru, it is our duty to look after her comforts. Now, if I kill Aśvatthāmā, then she will suffer in old age." Therefore na aicchad dhantuṁ guru-sutam. He did not... Although Kṛṣṇa advised him "You kill him," he did not like it. Guru-sutam. This is consciousness. Even there is duty, we have to see what will be the effect of the duty. Not everything should be done very blindly. Arjuna... This is devotee. Devotee means he's not blind. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). Bhagavad-bhakta means he will act in such a way that all qualified, nobody can criticize him. That is bhagavad-bhakta. Sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.7.43 -- Vrndavana, October 3, 1976:

This is the difference, how to calculate whether one is brāhmaṇa or not brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa and brahma-bandhu, these two words are there. Just like if you are the son of a high-court judge, you can be called, you have got the right, that "son of a high-court judge." That is all right. But you cannot claim to become the high-court judge. That is not possible. Unless you are qualified, unless you are actually acting as high-court judge, you cannot be called a high-court judge. Simply by becoming the son of a high-court judge you cannot become the high-court judge. Similarly, simply by becoming the son of a brāhmaṇa, you cannot become a brāhmaṇa. A woman, vāma-svabhāvā, she can accept that "Because he's the son of a brāhmaṇa, he's brāhmaṇa." Therefore this word is used, vāma-svabhāvā. Because woman are considered less intelligent. In the Bhagavad-gītā... Their heart is very soft. Just like children, their heart is very soft. But their intelligence is not very sharp. That is the difference. Striyaḥ śūdrās tathā vaiśyāḥ. Kṛṣṇa says, striyaḥ śūdrās tathā... They have been put in one group: woman, vaiśya and śūdra. Because they are not very intelligent. They can be molded by another intelligent man to the proper channel. Therefore they require guidance. They require guidance.

Lecture on SB 1.7.43 -- Vrndavana, October 3, 1976:

One has to become brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20). That is brāhmaṇa. The sign is na śocati na kāṅkṣati. He does not care for anything material. He's always satisfied. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That is brāhmaṇa. But, in spite of this quality, if he does not enter into the bhakti, then he's not a Vaiṣṇava. He may be a brāhmaṇa... This is clearly defined in the Bhagavad-gītā. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). He's pacified. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. He's equal to everyone. Then he's qualified to become a devotee, Vaiṣṇava. So unless he comes to that stage he cannot become guru. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2).

So here, the Pāṇḍava family, they are very enlightened family, and still, vāma-svabhāvā, the woman is soft-hearted. He did not... She did not consider about Aśvatthāmā's position. But so far Kṛṣṇa is concerned, Arjuna is concerned, they considered that he is not a brāhmaṇa, but he is a brahma-bandhu. Brahma-bandhu means son of a brāhmaṇa, but behavior is something else. He's called brahma-bandhu.

Thank you very much. (end)

Lecture on SB 1.7.45-46 -- Vrndavana, October 5, 1976:

So, in continuation of the Pāṇḍavas' position in relationship with Droṇācārya, the guru, so many things are being explained by Draupadī. So she is not ordinary woman. She knows everything of the religious principles, and therefore she is teaching the assembly of respectable, learned persons how the spiritual master should be respected. Droṇa is also, I mean to say, qualified as bhagavān. Bhagavān Droṇa. Anyone who is extraordinarily powerful, he is addressed sometimes as bhagavān. Nārada Muni is also sometimes addressed as bhagavān. Lord Śiva is also sometimes addressed as bhagavān. We have explained the different features of bhagavān many times. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47). So the Supreme Bhagavān is Kṛṣṇa. Nānyat paratara... Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). There may be so many bhagavāns, but the absolute bhagavān is Kṛṣṇa. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya. Not samagra, but the Supreme Personality, He is samagra. The others, they have got to certain extent the qualities of bhagavān. In that sense they can be addressed as bhagavān. But they are not samagra. Samagra is, samagra means the complete. That is only attributed to Kṛṣṇa. Nobody else.

Lecture on SB 1.8.19 -- Mayapura, September 29, 1974:

So Kṛṣṇa is giving us all the facilities, but we are so fool that we cannot understand that Kṛṣṇa is so friendly. That is... It is said, na lakṣyase mūḍha-dṛśā (SB 1.8.19). They cannot see. Because mūḍha-dṛśā. Mūḍha means rascal, and dṛśā... Dṛśā means seeing. They have no power to see. A mūḍha cannot see. Rascals, they cannot see. They are very much proud: "Can you show me God?" But they do not think, "Whether I am qualified to see?" They are very much proud of these eyes. What is the value of this eye? Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, "Yes, you can see Me, but according to My direction. You see Me: raso 'ham apsu kaunteya (BG 7.8). You can see. It is very easy for you. You see Me in the water. While you taste, while you drink water, you see Me. I am the taste." So you are, everyone drinks water, and we get some taste. Otherwise why he's drinking water. So that taste, if you remember that "Here is Kṛṣṇa," simply by tasting water, simply by drinking water, if you follow Kṛṣṇa's instruction, one day you'll be a devotee. Kṛṣṇa is so kind. Simply by drinking water. Simply we have to know how to see Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.8.21 -- New York, April 13, 1973:

Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau (Brs. 1.2.234). The process is sevonmukha, service. Service, beginning with the tongue, vāsudeva realization is possible. The service, the first service is śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam (SB 7.5.23). Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and hear repeatedly and take prasāda. These are two business of the tongue. So you'll realize. Very simple method. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam... Kṛṣṇa will reveal, not that by your endeavor you can understand Kṛṣṇa, but your endeavor in the loving service, that will make you qualified. Kṛṣṇa will reveal. Svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. Kṛṣṇa is very much anxious to take you back home, back to Godhead. But we are stubborn. We do not wish. So He's always finding out the opportunity how you can be taken back home, back to Godhead. Just like affectionate father. Rascal son left his father, loitering in the street and have no shelter, no food, suffering so much. The father is more anxious to take the boy home. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is the supreme father. All these living entities within this material world, they're exactly like the misled child of a big, rich man, loitering in the street. Therefore the greatest benefit to the human society is to give him Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Greatest... You cannot give any benefit; any kind of material profit will not satisfy the living entity. If he's given this Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Just like the same process.

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

So Karṇa was insulted during Draupadī's svayaṁvara. In the svayaṁvara... Svayaṁvara means big, big princess, very qualified princess, they used to select her own husband. Just like in your country, the selection of husband is given to the girl, as she likes. This is not very good for common, but those who are uncommon, highly qualified, one who knows how to select, to such girl the facility was given to select her husband and under very strict condition. Just like Draupadī's father made it condition—there was a fish on the ceiling, and one has to pierce the eye of the fish not directly seeing but seeing the shadow in the water down. So there were so many princes. As soon as such declaration is there, all the princes come to combat. That is kṣatriya principle.

Lecture on SB 1.8.27 -- Los Angeles, April 19, 1973:

The example is... Just like you have discovered nice medicine, very qualified physician. That's all right. But when a man is sick, ask the physician: "Can you guarantee the life of this patient?" He'll never say: "No, I can do so. I cannot do that. I try my best. That's all." That means the sanction is in the hand of God. "I am simply instrument. If God does not like that you should live, then all my medicines, all my scientific knowledge, medical knowledge, will fail." The ultimate sanction is Kṛṣṇa's. They, the foolish persons, they do not know. They are, they are, therefore they are called mūḍha, rascals. That whatever you are doing, that is very good, but, ultimately, if it is not sanctioned by God, by Kṛṣṇa, this will be all failure. They do not know that. Therefore they are mūḍhas. And a devotee knows that: "Whatever intelligence, I have got, I may try to become happy, if Kṛṣṇa does not sanction, I'll never be happy." This is the distinction between devotee and nondevotee.

Lecture on SB 1.8.34 -- Los Angeles, April 26, 1973:

The Vedic knowledge is given to everyone because Kṛṣṇa is in everyone's heart. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ (BG 15.15). He's sitting in everyone's heart. But one must be qualified to receive the knowledge. Kṛṣṇa is helping us from within. He is giving us knowledge from within. Without also. So without, He's spiritual master. And within He's Supersoul, caitya-guru. In this way, we are getting knowledge.

So Brahmā is getting knowledge from Kṛṣṇa and Brahmā is distributing Vedic knowledge. Therefore he's authority. We, we belong to the Brahma-sampradāya. Our, this Caitanya Mahāprabhu's sampradāya... There are four sampradāyas. One from Brahmā, one from Śrī, Lakṣmī, one from Śambhu, Lord Śiva, and one from Kumāra. Kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ. So there are four Vaiṣṇava sampradāyas. So we have to approach the authoritative representative of Brahmā, Kṛṣṇa. Then we can get the real knowledge.

Lecture on SB 1.8.34 -- Mayapur, October 14, 1974:

This has been explained by Cāṇakya Paṇḍita that a stupid son... Ko 'rthaḥ putreṇa jātena yo na vidvān na bhaktimān: "What is the use of getting a son who is neither learned nor a devotee? Useless." Ko 'rthaḥ putreṇa jātena: "Such kind of son, what is the use?" The son who is not a devotee... Two things are required: the son should be a devotee or a learned. Without being learned, nobody can become devotee. If one becomes devotee, he's learned also. But sometimes materially learned, not devotee, it happens. So if one is neither learned nor devotee, what is the use of such son? The example is given: kāṇena cakṣuṣā kiṁvā cakṣuḥ pīḍaiva kevalam: "If you have got one eye, cataract, you cannot see, but it is always troublesome." Unless you get it operated, it is simply troublesome. In many places it is said, Cāṇakya Paṇḍita... Ko 'rthaḥ putreṇa jātena. Varam eko guṇī putro na ca mūrkha-śatair api: "If you get one son, very qualified, that is preferred. What is the use of having many sons and all of them are rascals and fools?" Na ca mūrkha-śatair api.

So as a father becomes perplexed when there are rascal sons, similarly, when there are increase of rascal population the world becomes overburdened.

Lecture on SB 1.8.35 -- Mayapura, October 15, 1974:

But because we are fools, that these things are material... It will not stay. On account of ignorance, we are thinking that "This will be very nice. This will be very nice. This will be very nice. This will be..." Kāma-karmabhiḥ, creating some kāma, desire, and working in that way. Therefore kliśyanti. To become Brahmā, that is not very easy thing. Brahmā is such a big post, very qualified, highly advanced in austerities, penance. He is given... He's also a living entity. Just like in your America, you are also a citizen, and President Nixon or Ford, he's also citizen. But by dint of his ardent labor and diplomacy, this way, tha..., he has captured that post. But he's an ordinary citizen. Just like President Nixon. Now he's dragged down. He's no more president. Ordinary citizen. Similarly, if you like you can also become Brahmā. Kāma-karmabhiḥ.

Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, brahma-janme nāhi mora āśa, kīṭa-janma hao yathā tuwā dāsa. This is Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's song, that "Let me become one insect where there is Your devotee, because if I fall down on the dust of the devotee, my life will be successful." Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, kīṭa-janma hao yathā tuwā dāsa, bahir-mukha brahma... Brahma-janma is not easy.

Lecture on SB 1.8.41 -- Mayapura, October 21, 1974:

Varṇāśrama is planned for material life in a systematic way so that, in due course of time, one may give up the family relationship and take sannyāsa and completely devote for Kṛṣṇa's service. This is the plan of varṇāśrama-dharma. Varṇāśrama-dharma is not meant for planning something, and you remain in the family. No. The Varṇāśrama... Varṇa means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Guṇa, not everyone is qualified in the same way. Therefore you... The ācārya will pick up that "They are meant for becoming brāhmaṇas. They are meant for kṣatriyas." Or for coming from kṣatriya family, or the brāhmaṇa family... So first of all, these varṇas, then āśrama. The brāhmaṇa, one who is qualified as a brāhmaṇa, he has to observe the four āśramas, a brāhmaṇa: the brahmacārī-āśrama, the gṛhastha-āśrama, the vānaprastha-āśrama and sannyāsa-āśrama. The kṣatriya, they'll have to observe three āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha and vānaprastha. And the vaiśyas, two āśramas: brahmacārī and gṛhastha. And śūdra, only one āśrama, only gṛhastha. A śūdra is never offered sannyāsa. A... Only the brāhmaṇa is offered.

Lecture on SB 1.8.44 -- Los Angeles, May 6, 1973:

This is humbleness of Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava is so humble. He is induced, he's ordered by Brahmā, that "You offer prayer. Your prayer will be accepted." So then Prahlāda Mahārāja considering that viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād aravinda-nābha-pādāravinda-vimukhāt: "I can understand this, that Kṛṣṇa is not satisfied by the prayers of a brāhmaṇa who is qualified with twelve nice qualities. Kṛṣṇa is satisfied simply by devotion. I can understand. Because all these big, big demigods headed by Brahmā, they could not... They are asking me. That means Kṛṣṇa will be satisfied simply by bhakti."

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

But all these activities are simply moha, illusion, only moha. It has no value. If you say that "So many things, it has no value?" it has value—temporary, puṇya. Puṇya... There is also pāpa also. Suppose if you give charity... Charity is pious activities, but if you give charity to a brāhmaṇa, then it is—proper brāhmaṇa, qualified brāhmaṇa, Vaiṣṇava—then your charity is properly utilized. And if you give the same charity to a drunkard, then you commit sinful activity. If you do not know what kind of charities we shall perform, if you blindly give charity, then sometimes you may be doing pious activities, but sometimes you are clearing the way for going to hell. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated there are three kinds of charities: sāttvika, rājasika, tāmasika. If you perform sāttvika charity, then you get good result; rājasika charity, you get some profit; and tāmasika charity, you go to hell. So one must be very careful even for this sneha, or charity, or philanthropy.

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

So in another place these brāhmaṇas were addressed, ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ: "You are all brāhmaṇa, the topmost of the human society." There are divisions of the human society. First-class men, second-class men, third-class men, fourth-class men, that, in the Vedic civilization. Not that all, all one class. No. Why? There must be a division. That I have already explained. So the qualified brāhmaṇas, they are first-class men. The topmost class. And the second-class men, the kṣatriyas. And the third-class men, vaiśyas, mercantile, simply "Where to get money?" And they are, according to Vedic civilization, third-class men. But at the present moment those who are acquiring money somehow or other, they are first-class men. It doesn't matter what is his qualification. If he has acquired some money some way or other, then he is a first-class man. This is Kali-yuga. In the Kali-yuga there is no honor for qualification. There is honor for money only. That's all.

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

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

Vibhāgaśaḥ. There must be division. But people are very much anxious to make classless society, no division. And that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness society. We have no such division. Division means under the jurisdiction of the three modes of material nature. That is division. Otherwise, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, these divisions are calculated when one is under the control of the material nature.

Lecture on SB 1.9.48 -- Mayapura, June 14, 1973:

So this is a culture. This culture is meant for the human society. Fortunately this culture developed on this land of Bhāratavarṣa. Unfortunately, people are so much bewildered that they are giving up this culture. That is the most regrettable portion of, of our movement. Anyway, my mission was that I shall go to America, and if some of the American boys and girls, younger section, would accept it, then I'll bring them here to show these rascals that how great this culture is. So portion of the population, they are realizing now.

Now here is a word: Gāndhārīṁ ca tapasvinīm. Gāndhārī, the wife of Dhṛtarāṣṭra... He (She) is qualified herewith as tapasvinīm. Tapasvinīm. She was a householder, wife, having children. Not only children; she had one hundred sons. But still she is addressed here as tapasvinī. Tapasvinī means one who undergoes austerity. Because this human life is meant for practicing austerity. Human life is not meant for extravagancy. Tapasya. Tapo divyaṁ yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). This is the principle of human civilization. Śuddhyet sattvam, existence. Our existence... We are eternal. Every living entity is eternal, but we are subjected to birth and death. Why? Because we are not pure. Just like when you are impure, some disease infects.

Lecture on SB 1.9.49 -- Mayapura, June 15, 1973:

If somebody happens to take birth in a brāhmaṇa family, he becomes a brāhmaṇa. All others, śūdra. And he may do all nonsense, and still he is brāhmaṇa. That is not... It is the duty of the state to see whether you are qualified as a brāhmaṇa. "You are claiming as brāhmaṇa. Whether you are actually qualified as a brāhmaṇa? Whether you are working as a brāhmaṇa?" It is the state's duty to see. It is the king's duty. He may not misguide others.

Just like nowadays a so-called brāhmaṇa is working as a cobbler, and he is claiming to become brāhmaṇa. Not like that. It is the... Just like a medical man. A medical man, if he wants to practice, then he must get certificate from the medical board, registration. The medical board will see whether he is qualified as a medical man, whether he has passed medical examination. Then he will be allowed to practice as a medical man. So whenever a medical practitioner gives you a prescription along with his name, he gives his title, M.D., B.S. and registered number. That means he is approved. Then he can practice. This is common sense affairs in the every state, a lawyer is given certificate by the government. Then he is allowed. Similarly, it is the duty of the state or of the monarch to see that one who is claiming as a brāhmaṇa, whether he is qualified, whether he is acting as a brāhmaṇa. Similarly, a man claiming kṣatriya, whether he is qualified as a kṣatriya and he is acting as a kṣatriya. Similarly, the vaiśya. And śūdra is general. Śūdra means one who has no education, no culture. That is called śūdra. So that is the remnants.

Lecture on SB 1.9.49 -- Mayapura, June 15, 1973:

But this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so nice that even caṇḍālas can be also raised to the platform of brāhmaṇa. Caṇḍālo 'pi dvija-śreṣṭho hari-bhakti-parāyaṇaḥ. Even if a caṇḍāla is trained up as a devotee, he can be better than a qualified brāhmaṇa. These are the shastric injunctions. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). The yavanas' names are there also. Yavana-mleccha means generally they are meat-eaters, especially cow meat, cow flesh eaters. They are called yavana-mlecchas. So the higher caste, they cannot become meat-eaters. Meat-eating is there. That is for the lower class, not for the higher class. If anyone gives up meat-eating or the bad habits of lower class, illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication, gambling, and if he's trained how to become a qualified brāhmaṇa, then he can be accepted. That is sanctioned in the Bhagavad-gītā. These rascals, they say that these mlecchas and yavanas cannot become brāhmaṇa. Because we are making brāhmaṇas from the mlecchas' and yavanas' section, they are protesting. Some of them are protesting that "Swami Bhaktivedanta is ruining Hindu religion."

Lecture on SB 1.10.3 -- Mayapura, June 18, 1973:

So you must be always alert whether you are fixed up in the symptoms. Then you are qualified brāhmaṇa. Otherwise you are again the same category as in India. Some of them, they are simply claiming to become brāhmaṇa on account of being born in a brāhmaṇa family, No. That is not the sa... Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī. Actually, they were born in brāhmaṇa family, but they knew that "We have lost our culture, due to association with the Muhammadans always." Therefore he presented himself, nīca-jāti. Nīca-jāti, nīca-karma, nīca-saṅgī. So if we deteriorate in our symptoms of brāhmaṇa, then that is not brāhmaṇa, that is not qualified brāhmaṇa. Therefore... It is a vijñāna. Vijñ\ ana-vidhūta-vibhramaḥ. Everyone is uneducated. Everyone is born rascal and fool. He should be enlightened, elevated, by vijñāna-vidhūta.

Lecture on SB 1.10.3-4 -- Tehran, March 13, 1975:

Where is that program? Where is yajña? In the Kali-yuga other yajñas are very difficult to perform. There is no money. There is no qualified brāhmaṇa. Therefore this yajña... Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32). Those who have got brain substance, not cow dung, they will take this process, yajñaiḥ. Let everyone chant Hare Kṛṣṇa home to home. Whatever they have got, all right. Just begin chanting. Just see what happens. We are trying to introduce this chanting. But the rascals will not take it. What can be done? There is no loss if they chant Hare Kṛṣṇa worldwide. Where is the loss? But still, they will not. And everything can be had. Sarva-kāma-dughā mahī. Mahī. Kṛṣṇa, He is... The mother... Kṛṣṇa, how He has arranged this mahī? Everything is coming. Actually you will find that the rose flower is coming, the mine is coming, the gold is coming, the coal is coming, the petrol is coming. Everything is there in the mahī. And who has arranged it? Just see. Sarva-kāma-dughā mahī. And if there is regular waterfall, then you get everything supply. And by performing yajña, you get regular waterfall, rainfall. And in this age all other types of yajña is not possible.

Lecture on SB 1.10.4 -- Mayapura, June 19, 1973:

Because if they would have followed... We don't say follow this religion, that religion. If actually they would have followed, then the symptom would have been they had become devotee of God, lover of God. And as soon as he becomes lover of God, he becomes fully qualified with all good qualifications. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). This is the test. He hasn't got to be trained up how to become honest, how to become clean, how to become this, how to become that. If he becomes a lover of God, Kṛṣṇa, then all the good qualities automatically reveal. Just like when you are out of diseased condition, all your healthy symptoms are revealed, manifest. It doesn't require to bring them separately, to bring them separately. It is already there. Because every living entity is part and parcel of God, Kṛṣṇa, he has got all the good qualities of Kṛṣṇa, very minute quantity. The Gosvāmīs have analyzed: seventy-eight percent. Not in full, but in minute quantity. It is not joke. Seventy-eight percent of the qualities of Kṛṣṇa is there in living entity. And Kṛṣṇa means all-good; they're all good qualities.

Lecture on SB 1.10.6 -- Mayapura, June 21, 1973:

So there are flies, mosquitoes, at night so many other animals, they come. Besides that, my brother, my friend, they are also prepared to give me trouble. Some way or other, other living entities causing some painful condition. This is called adhibhautika. And adhidaivika. Daivika, painful condition created by the demigods. Just like there is hurricane all of a sudden. So many trees falls down, sometimes cottages devastated, overflood, excessive rain, overflood, famine, pestilence. You have no control. You cannot control. You can simply say, "In future." That's all. But there is no control.

So we are always in this painful condition. That is material life. But those who have got eyes, sense, they can see. Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī, he could see. He was prime minister, well situated materially. Learned scholar, very intelligent. Otherwise how they could become Caitanya Mahāprabhu's personal associates? Very qualified. Caitanya Mahāprabhu... When Sanātana Gosvāmī consulted Jagadānanda, that "I want to do this. What is your advice?"... Sanātana Gosvāmī became infected with itches all over the body. And it was, what is called, bleeding itches. Itches are two kinds: dry and sometimes oozing water.

Lecture on SB 1.10.7 -- Mayapura, June 22, 1973:

Just like Kuntī. Kuntī, so much qualified lady, she can call any demigod. She got one benediction from Durvāsā Muni. When she was young girl, she served Durvāsā Muni. Mahārāja Kuntibhoja used to invite so many saintly persons. That is the system in India still. So once Durvāsā Muni became a guest of Mahārāja Kuntibhoja, and Kuntī served the Durvāsā Muni. He was very pleased, and he gave her one benediction, that "You can call any demigod by your sweet will. As soon as you desire, the demigod will..." So Kuntī, she was a girl; she made an experiment, immediately called the Sūrya, the sun-god, and he came. So Sūrya asked him (her) that "You have called me. You take some benediction. Take a son from me." She refused. "No, I am unmarried. I cannot." "No, there is no harm. Your son will be born from the ear." Generally, the son is born from the vagina, but Kuntī's son was born from the ear. Therefore Karṇa.

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

Nitāi: Translation: "Thereafter, in the capital of Hastināpura, he enthroned his grandson, who was trained and equally qualified, as the emperor and master of all land bordered by the seas." (SB 1.15.38)

Prabhupāda: So it appear that five thousand years ago, all the lands of this globe were known. It is a mistake that "America was discovered." (laughter) It was known. Otherwise how it is said that "the land encircled by water" unless it is known? So our so-called Hindus, they say that if somebody goes on the other side of the sea, he becomes fallen. Does it mean that the emperor did not go outside? The capital was Hastināpura, which is now near New Delhi. They say... The Pāṇḍava fort is there. Anyway, so the whole world was being governed by the emperor situated in Hastināpura. One state. There are many evidences. Therefore the history of the whole world is called Mahābhārata. Mahā means greater. Mahābhārata. The history. Mahābhārata is history. They call it epic. No. It is history.

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

So selection... This is paramparā. So Yudhiṣṭhira's responsibility is that next king... Because he is going to retire. "So next emperor, he should be also equally qualified like me." Therefore it is said, susamaṁ guṇaiḥ. Susamam, "Exactly my representative. He has got... My grandson, Parīkṣit, he has got the equal qualification. Therefore he should be installed," not a vagabond. No. That cannot. When Mahārāja Parīkṣit was born, he was the only child in the whole Kuru family. All others were killed in the battle. No. He was also posthumous child. He was within the womb of his mother. His mother was simply pregnant. His father, sixteen years old only, Abhimanyu, Arjuna's son, he went to fight in the battle. He was so great warrior. So seven big men required to kill him: Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Karṇa, Duryodhana, like that, all combined together. So there is no mercy. This Abhimanyu was grandson, great-grandson of all the heroes who encircled him to kill. Very beloved grandson or great-grandson... Bhīṣma's great-grandson, Duryodhana's grandson. But it is fight, kṣatriya. When you have come to fight, you must kill the opposite party. It doesn't matter whether he is my beloved son or grandson or great-grandson. This is duty.

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

So unless one is qualified, highly qualified, how he can be installed as the head of the executive of the state or the world? And this has been given charge to a third-class voters who have no character. So how you can expect the elected persons to be perfect? That is not possible. This is not the system. This is the system. The head of the state should be perfect and the next head should be selected by this perfect head of the state, not by the rascal voters. This is perfection. If the head of the state is perfect, then naturally the citizens will be perfect. Because all the laws are there. If the head of the state says, "No more meat-eating," all slaughterhouses will be closed. If the head of the state says, "No more intoxication," then all the cigarette factories and liquor factories will be closed. Is it not? Because... So therefore the head must be perfect. Then yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas tat tad evetaro janaḥ (BG 3.21). In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that "What the chief man beḥaves, others will follow." Therefore it is called leader, leader.

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

So that is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, gām āviśya ojasā dhārayāmi (BG 15.13). He enters. He enters in each and every planet, in each and every universe, each and every atom. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). And maintaining them, maintaining them.

So the emperor should be representative of God. He should be qualified, fully qualified. That was the Vedic system. Monarchy, but fully qualified. Therefore he could maintain the kingdom. The citizens were fully qualified, so qualified that they did not suffer even from disease, excessive heat, excessive coldness, no. Very peaceful. Supply was properly... Sarva-kāma-dughā mahī. Everything was being supplied. Whatever you want, that is supplied through the earth, throughout the earth. Even if you take meat, that is also coming from the earth. The grass is there, the animal is eating, the cow or the goat. Then you are able to eat the animal. So sarva-kāma-dughā mahī. But a human being is not meant for eating animals. Although the nature is that one animal eats another animal, that is the nature, but you have got discrimination. God has given you... When you are in the jungle, you are a tiger, you can eat animals. But when you are civilized, when you can produce nice foodstuff, so many nice grains, fruits, and milk, why should you eat meat? That means you are misusing your advanced intelligence improperly. Therefore you must suffer.

Lecture on SB 1.15.40 -- Los Angeles, December 18, 1973:

So if you actually are serious about stopping this rascaldom and wish to go back to home, back to Godhead, then you have to take this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because by becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious, you become fully qualified. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra... (SB 5.18.12). Because this surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, that is the perfection of intelligence. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā,

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante

jñānavān māṁ prapadyate

vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti

sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ

(BG 7.19)

Because everyone is struggling... Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhāni indriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati. Prakṛti-sthāni, in this material nature, everyone is struggling, prakṛti-sthāni karṣati, with the mind and the senses, that's all. Compact, in the direction of the mind. Mano-dharma. Mano-dharma. So long we are directed by the flickering mind, then we are in danger. We have to go Above mind there is intelligence. The intelligence is where to consider, "Whether I am this body or I am something else?" So on this way, from the mental platform, you have to elevate yourself to the intellectual platform, and from the intellectual platform, you have to raise yourself to the spiritual platform. Then you will be able to give up so-called material possession, completely freed and surrender to Kṛṣṇa and become wise.

Lecture on SB 1.15.49 -- Los Angeles, December 26, 1973:

So there is a Pitṛloka, Yamaloka. Just like the moon planet, we are trying to go there, but there are different lokas, planets, and you can go, not by the sputnik, by force. No. You'll have to qualify yourself. Just like to come to your country, to take the permanent visa, I had to qualify in so many ways, the immigration department, not by force. Even in this planet, you cannot enter any country without being permitted. How you can enter other planets? Simply by force? No, that is not possible. You have to qualify yourself. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Yānti deva-vratā devān (BG 9.25). A person can go to the planets of the demigods, devān. There are many demigods: Indra, Candra, Varuṇa, Vāyu. Brahmaloka, Prajāpatiloka, Siddhaloka—they are in the higher planetary systems. This is... We are now situated in the middle, Bhūrloka. It is called Bhūrloka. Above this, there is Bhuvarloka. Above that, Svarloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Satyaloka, like that, ūrdhvaloka. They are higher planetary... Then middle. And then lower planetary system.

Lecture on SB 1.16.3 -- Los Angeles, December 31, 1973:

So there were interplanetary system. Just like Arjuna went to the heavenly planet, similarly, in such sacrifices, if it was arranged by great kings like Mahārāja Parīkṣit and others, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, then the demigods, invited, they would come. Not only they would come, but all common men could see. Therefore it is said here, yatrākṣi-gocarāḥ, devā yatrākṣi-gocarāḥ. We are much proud of seeing everything, but we should wait for being qualified to see. Not that whimsically I want to see, "O God, please come before me. I want to see." God... God is there just suitable for your seeing power. God is very kind. Here He is present in the temple. And you go on seeing. Then you will realize that He is God.

So God or demigod, everyone can be akṣi-gocarāḥ, within the purview of your vision, provided you are qualified. This is the process. These rascals say, "Can you show me God?" But what power you have got to see? First of all gain that qualification. Then you will see. God is everywhere. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayān... Even He is within the atom.

Lecture on SB 1.16.3 -- Los Angeles, December 31, 1973:

So at the present moment, we want to see God, but we do not acknowledge that we are not qualified. How we can see? If I cannot see even an ordinary president... By my whims I want to see the president or the such and such big officer. You cannot see unless you are qualified. So how you can see God? That is not possible. You have to qualify yourself. Then you will see God. Akṣi-gocaraḥ. Akṣi-gocaraḥ means, just we are seeing—you are seeing me, I am seeing you—similarly, you will see the demigods or God, provided you are qualified.

So Mahārāja Parīkṣit was so exalted king that by his invitation, the demigods would come and public could see. That was possible. That is stated here. He was so, I mean to say, exalted king, he could invite. And the kings also were invited. Just like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira went. That was interplanetary exchange. That is now not... You cannot go by the sputniks to the heavenly planet. The moon planet is also one of the heavenly planet. Or the other planets. They are all heavenly planets. Ūrdhvam. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). When you are competent, fit, for going there, then you can go there. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ, bhūtejyā yānti.. (BG 9.25). You can go, but you must be qualified, pitṛ-vratāḥ, deva-vratāḥ. Similarly, you can go to Kṛṣṇa also if you are kṛṣṇa-vratāḥ. Mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām. What to speak of going to other planets, if one is qualified, if one is pure devotee, Kṛṣṇa says, "He also comes to Me." So this exchange of going and coming is not difficult, provided a person is qualified. Not a cat and dog can go. That is not possible.

Lecture on SB 1.16.5 -- Los Angeles, January 2, 1974:

And another point is nṛdeva-cihna-dhṛk. Nṛdeva. Nṛ means "human being," and deva means "God." So the king is considered as God in the human society. Just see what should be the position of the king. And how much qualified he must be. Because a king is supposed to be the representative of God to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness of the people. That is king's duty. Therefore he's called nṛdeva. Anyone who is trying for Kṛṣṇa, to make people Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is a representative of Kṛṣṇa, real representative. Therefore guru is offered the respect exactly like Kṛṣṇa. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata **. Because he is kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya, he's the..., doing the most confidential service, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wants everyone to surrender to Him, and the spiritual master is doing the same: "Please surrender to Kṛṣṇa." Therefore he's the most confidential servant of Kṛṣṇa. He should be honored as Kṛṣṇa. That is the duty of the king also. Everyone should come forward. The father, the mother, the king, the spiritual master. Upon whom the instruction of the disciples, of the subordinate wards, is depending, they should be all Kṛṣṇa conscious. Therefore it is said nṛdeva..., nṛdeva-cihna-dhṛk. And he was punished because, although he dressed himself like a king, but he had no responsibility. Therefore nṛdeva-cihna-dhṛk śūdrakaḥ. He was actually śūdra, and he was taking the place of a king. Therefore he should be punished. This is the duty of the government. Nobody can cheat. If you dress like such and such person, you must deal also honestly. Otherwise you will be punished.

Thank you very much. Take this. Chant. (end)

Lecture on SB 1.16.20 -- Hawaii, January 16, 1974:

So if one is not even on the stage of self-realization, how he can teach others? That is cheating. That is cheating. If one is not a graduate, if he becomes a teacher, he is not a teacher; he is a cheater. One must be first of all qualified. That qualification means one must be above the three qualities of material nature. Goodness... Even you have to go beyond the quality of goodness. In the material world we have made, concocted, "This is good, this is bad." So even taking it... Actually, everything in the material world is bad. Anything. It is simply mental concoction. We are creating, "This is good, this is bad." The... So long one is in the material world, everything is bad. Even the so-called religious practice, that is also bad, in the material world. So therefore, Bhagavad-gītā says, sa guṇān samatītya etān: "One has to transcend even the quality of goodness, the so-called goodness."

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

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

Thank you very much. (end)

Lecture on SB 1.16.21 -- Hawaii, January 17, 1974:

So, there is a process how to appreciate, how to become qualified to appreciate, and that system is called varṇāśrama-dharma, to divide the whole human society into four classes of men: the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra. And those who are not regulated, they are pañcamas, below the śūdras. So the, our subject matter was unlawful meat-eaters. So even the śūdras, who are meat-eaters, they're lawful meat-eaters. What is that lawful meat-eating? Lawful meat-eating is... In any religion, formerly, even the Muhammadans or Hindus or the Jews, they used to kill one animal as sacrifice. They used to kill. Not in the slaughterhouse. Even up to date, those who are strictly religious followers... Suppose the Muhammadans. There in the Koran, the injunction is that "You should sacrifice one animal in the mosque." The Jews also, they sacrifice animal in the synagogue. I have read one book, Lord Jesus Christ, when he was a young boy he was very much shocked when he saw that animal-killing is going on in the synagogue. Therefore he differentiated from the Jews and he started his own religion, Christian religion. Is it not a fact? Am I right? Why... He was also a Jew.

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

So in the Kali-yuga the śūdras... Śūdra means the last. Less than śūdra, the caṇḍāla, they are taking the part of kṣatriya or brāhmaṇa or vaiśya. That is the effect of this Kali-yuga. Therefore it is very lamentable. One must be trained up. This very word kṣatra-bandhu means even though one is in the royal family, but he cannot administer. Just like in England, now the royal monarchy is finished all over the world... Even there is monarchy in some countries... Just like in England there is monarchy. The queen is there. But the queen is also uneducated. She does not know how to rule. It is an official post only. The parliamentary sanction, simply she signs, that's all. She has no power to rule over. So power or no power, in Kali-yuga, the administration will be done by less qualified, no qualification. Kim kṣatra-bandhūn kalinā upasṛṣṭān. The system will be disturbed on account of this Kali-yuga. Kalinā upasṛṣṭān rāṣṭrāṇi. Rāṣṭrāṇi means states. Tair avaropitāni, put into disorder.

Lecture on SB 1.16.35 -- Hawaii, January 28, 1974:

We have to become qualified to talk with the Supreme Person, and He will give us advice. He's giving us advice. He's ready to give us advice from within and from without—from within as Supersoul and from without as the spiritual master. Therefore it is said, guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). Both things are required—guru and Kṛṣṇa. If we are sincere, if we actually want Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is within your heart. He will help you in meeting the spiritual master, His representative. And by the instruction of the spiritual master, you will develop more and more your Kṛṣṇa consciousness, your original position. This is called devotional service, or bhakti-latā. Bhakti-latā-bīja. Just like one small creeper, first of all to sow the seed and water it, then gradually it spouts and gradually, I mean to say, grows.

Lecture on SB 1.16.36 -- Tokyo, January 30, 1974:

That is called president. Why? Because unless there is one head, or on the head of the government, who can actually control... Control means whether citizens are following, executing the rules and regulation, the law of the state. Therefore a certain man, qualified man, who is, who enjoys the confidence of the people, he is accepted as the king. This is the position. So such president, king, or the executive head, must be a saintly person. Therefore here it is said, parīkṣin nāma rājarṣiḥ. Rājarṣi means those who are on the top of the government, he must be ṛṣi, saintly person. Just like this, our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, the head of the institution must be a saintly person. Otherwise how he can become a controller? Controller there must be. That what is the qualification of the controller? He must be a saintly person. He must know what is the principle of life, what is the value of life, why one should be controlled by somebody else. These things are required to become qualified.

Lecture on SB 2.2.5 -- New York, March 5, 1975:

So there must be the brāhmaṇa, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). Varṇa means four divisions of society. Varṇa means class. It has been taken now as caste; but actually class. Class is not caste. Caste, of course... Throughout the whole world there is no such thing as caste. But anyway, in India there is caste. But Kṛṣṇa says that cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam: (BG 4.13) "Four divisions of classes I have created—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra." Who is a brāhmaṇa? That is also described in the Bhagavad-gītā: satya, śama, dama, titikṣā, ārjava, āstikyam, jñāna, vijñāna, so many qualifications required to become a brāhmaṇa. Not that because I was born in a brāhmaṇa family... This is discussed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that to take birth in a brāhmaṇa family is not all. You must be qualified, śamo damas titikṣā. That is required. The Indian culture has failed at the present moment because instead of considering the qualifications, they accept only the birth: The birth in a brāhmaṇa family makes a man a brāhmaṇa. No. That is not the shastric injunction. Qualities. There must be qualities.

Lecture on SB 2.3.17 -- Los Angeles, June 12, 1972:

Death is a symptom of the material infection of the eternal living being, and due to material infection only, the eternal living being is subjected to the law of birth, death, old age, and disease. The materialistic way of pious activities like charity, etc., is recommended in the smṛti-śāstras as quoted by Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura. Money given in charity to a suitable person is guaranteed bank balance in the next life. Such charity is recommended to be given to a brāhmaṇa. If the money is given in charity to a non-brāhmaṇa without brahminical qualification, the money is returned in the next life in the same proportion. If it is given in charity to a half-educated brāhmaṇa, even then the money is returned double. If the money is given in charity to a learned and fully qualified brāhmaṇa, the money is returned a hundred and thousand times, and if the money is given to a veda-pāraga, one who has actually realized the path of the Vedas, it is returned by unlimited multiplication.

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

Therefore, after education you'll have to write application, "My dear sir, I am such and such qualified dog. (laughter) If you'll kindly give me some service." And the tail is like this. (laughter) You see? Just imagine. If by education he becomes independent ... Just like Vedic culture. The brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriya, the vaiśyas, they are independent. The śūdras are compared with the dogs because they cannot live without a master. Brāhmaṇa, he will not accept anyone's service. That is real brāhmaṇa. A kṣatriya will never accept anyone's service. Why the battle of Kurukṣetra was there? The Kurus, they took away the whole kingdom of the Pāṇḍavas. But they were kṣatriyas. How they will live? Therefore the fight was necessity. The kṣatriyas must be, must have some land to collect taxes. That is the kṣatriya's source of income. The brāhmaṇa's source of income, paṭhana pāṭhana yajana yājana ... They must be learned scholar, they must teach others, they must be devotee and teach others how to become devotee.

Lecture on SB 2.9.4 -- Japan, April 22, 1972:

Father, spiritual master, they are advised to chastise. Putraṁ ca śiṣyaṁ ca tāḍayen na tu lālayet. So father and teacher is advised by Cāṇakya Paṇḍita that "You should always chastise your son and disciple. Chastise." Tāḍayet. Tāḍayet means "Simply chastise. Always find out mistake." Don't be angry, but it is the business of the teacher and the father simply to find out your mistakes, not to find out your good things. Tāḍayen na tu lālayet. Lālayet means patting: "Oh, my dear son, my dear boy, you are so nice. You have done..." Sometimes it is done, but it is the business of the teacher and the father to chastise. Never recognize the disciple's business or son's business as very good. Then they will spoil. That is the injunction of Cāṇakya Muni. Lālane bahavo doṣāḥ: "If you simply pat, then there will be so many faults." Lālane bahavo doṣāḥ. Doṣāḥ means faults. Tāḍane bahavo guṇāḥ: "And if you chastise, oh, they will be very much qualified." Tāḍane bahavo guṇāḥ, tasmāt: therefore, putraṁ ca śiṣyaṁ ca tāḍayen na tu lālayet, "simply chastise. Don't pat." This is the injunction, moral injunction. So, so far we are concerned, when our spiritual master used to chastise, we took it as blessing. That was very nice. And he would chastise like anything. "Damn rascal, foolish, stupid," anything, all good words. (laughter)

Lecture on SB 2.9.7 -- Tokyo, April 24, 1972:

Pradyumna: "Although he could not find anyone besides himself, he could rightly understand that the sound was transmitted by the Lord Himself. Brahmā was the only living being at that time, because there was no other creation. And none could be found there except himself. In the beginning of the First Canto, First Chapter, first verse of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it is already mentioned that Brahmā was initiated by the Lord from within. The Lord is within every living entity as the Supersoul, and he initiated Brahmā because Brahmā was willing to receive the initiation. The Lord can similarly initiate everyone who is inclined to have it. As already stated, Brahmā is the original spiritual master for the universe. And since he was initiated by the Lord Himself, the message of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is coming down by disciplic succession. And in order to receive the real message of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, one should approach the current link or spiritual master in the chain of disciplic succession. After being initiated by the proper spiritual master in that chain of succession, one should engage himself in discharge of tapasya in the execution of devotional service. One should not, however, think himself on the level of Brahmā, to be initiated directly from the Lord by the Lord from inside, because in the present age no one can be accepted to be as pure as Brahmā. The post of Brahmā, to officiate in the creation of the universe, is offered to the most pure living being. And unless one is so qualified..."

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is important. Who becomes Brahmā? A very exalted living being, pure, he is entrusted that "You become Brahmā." Brahmā is also living being, but because he is very pure... This Brahmā post is sometimes not available because there is no such pure living being. So Kṛṣṇa becomes Himself Brahmā sometimes. Go on.

Lecture on SB 2.9.7 -- Tokyo, April 24, 1972:

Pradyumna: "The post of Brahmā, to officiate in the creation of the universe, is offered to the most pure living being. And unless one is so qualified, one cannot expect to be treated like Brahmā directly. But one can have the same facility through unalloyed devotees of the Lord and scriptural instructions as revealed in the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam especially, and also the bona fide spiritual master available to the sincere soul. The Lord Himself appears as the spiritual master, and the person who is sincere in heart serves the Lord. Therefore the bona fide spiritual master who happens to meet the sincere devotee should be accepted as the most confidential and beloved representative of the Lord. If a person is posted under the guidance of such a bona fide spiritual master it may be accepted without any doubt that the desiring person has achieved the grace of the Lord."

Devotee: All glories to you, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. (devotees offer obeisances) There is kīrtana? No. No? (end)

Lecture on SB 3.1.10 -- Dallas, May 21, 1973:

So brāhmaṇas, they would give advice to the kṣatriyas, and kṣatriyas, according to their advice, would rule over the citizens. This was the system. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Vibhāgaśaḥ, "by division of quality and work." A brāhmaṇa must be qualified and at the same time work as a brāhmaṇa. So we are training, especially, our students to become qualified brāhmaṇas. We cannot take up all other department. Similarly, others may take up the line of training... Military men... Others may take... There are training classes. Maybe mercantile firm, you can get your lessons. So there was organized method to train these mercantile men, administrator and brāhmaṇa. So Vidura, although he was born of śūdra mother... His mother was śūdra, maidservant. Formerly, when a prince was married, along with the princess, a few dozens of maidservants would go with the king. So to become king, always it is to be understood he has to maintain more than one wife. That is king. Even in Muhammadan kingdom, Nawab was Ridali Shah (?). After the Mogul period... In Lucknow, if you go... So he had 164 wives, begam(?) And all of them had children.

Lecture on SB 3.22.22 and Initiations -- Tehran, August 12, 1976:

So guṇa-gaṇāḍhyāya, Kardama Muni, great yogi, what to speak about his qualities. Dadau tulyām, and Devahūti also equally qualified. So this kind of marriage is very happy marriage, and the result of such marriage is Kapiladeva. Because the marriage was very appealing, therefore Lord Kapiladeva, incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, He appeared in the womb of Devahūti. There are two Kapilas, original Kapila is the son of Devahūti and Kardama Muni. Therefore He is particularly known as Devahūti-putra Kapila. Sāṅkhya philosophy was enunciated by Him. He taught His mother also. You'll find all those instructions of Kapila Muni to His mother. So the system was very nice. Everything was there. There was no question of simply brahmacārīs. No. There are married couples. This Kardama Muni was a great yogi. Still, he married. There was no disturbance. Although he promised one son only to Devahūti, but I think he got another nine daughters. So very nice system, everything was there—but for the purpose of realization of the highest truth. That is the civilization. Nothing has to be stopped; everything can go on. For bodily comforts we are very much busy, that's nice. But if you increase the bodily comforts, there is no limit. That should not be the purpose of life.

Lecture on SB 3.25.1 -- Bombay, November 1, 1974:

Just like at the present moment, kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ: "In the Kali-yuga, everyone is śūdra." It is hardly to be found, a qualified brāhmaṇa. Of course, there are, but very rare. Practically brāhmaṇa is not a single there, especially in this age.

prāyeṇālpāyuṣaḥ sabhya

kalāv asmin yuge janāḥ

mandāḥ sumanda-matayo

manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ

(SB 1.1.10)

The people of this age, they are short-living and manda, very slow in everything, not interested. Actually human life is meant for understanding the spiritual value of life, but on account of the people being śūdras, they are not interested. They are forgetting the real purpose of life. Manda. Manda means slow and bad. Everyone is bad or slow. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayaḥ. And they have got... Everyone has got a particular type of understanding. Sumanda-matayaḥ. That is not bona fide. Sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyāḥ: "And everyone is misfortunate, unfortunate." Upadrutāḥ: "And they are disturbed by so many causes." And the gradually, the situation will be like this. It is already manifest. Anāvṛṣṭyā durbhikṣa-kara-pīḍitāḥ: (SB 12.2.9) "There will be no rain in the sky, and there will be scarcity of foodstuff," and kara-pīḍitāḥ, "and government will levy tax very heavily."

Lecture on SB 3.25.1 -- Bombay, November 1, 1974:

So sometimes He comes personally; sometimes He sends His incarnation. The Kapiladeva is an incarnation of the Supreme Person, Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is stated here, kapilas tattva-saṅkhyātā bhagavān. Incarnation of Bhagavān is also Bhagavān. Bhagavān ātma-māyayā. Ātma-māyayā means... Māyā means illusion, māyā means affection, and māyā means energy. When Kṛṣṇa comes, or Kṛṣṇa's energy, or Kṛṣṇa's incarnation comes, that is not by force. Just like we. We are forced to come. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). We have to accept a certain type of body by force, not ātma-māyayā. Suppose I have got this human form of body. I cannot demand that "Next life I will have like this." No. That is not possible. Next life you will get according to your karma. Just like you are being educated. You cannot say that "Make me the high-court judge." That is not possible. If you are qualified, then you become. Similarly, karmaṇā... You have to qualify yourself. So there are 8,400,000's of different forms of life. So by your karma, next life you can become a devatā, a demigod. Even if you like, you can become Indra, Candra. Or you can become cats and dogs. That depends... Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). So this will depend on my karma.

Lecture on SB 3.25.5-6 -- Bombay, November 5, 1974:

So He knew that "Father left My mother in My charge, and therefore I must take charge of My mother and keep her always pleased." Mātuḥ priya-cikīrṣayā. This... The boy is not irresponsible. He is always ready to please His mother. Here we have given these pictures in this Bhāgavatam. Here Kapiladeva in a brahmacārī dress, and mother is taking lesson from the son. Now, sometimes it is asked, "How the mother will take lesson from the son?" That is the prerogative of the male. Strī... In the Bhagavad-gītā it is also said, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32), striyaḥ... Striyaḥ śūdrās tathā vaiśyāḥ. A woman is considered in the level of śūdra. Although a woman is married with a brāhmaṇa, the woman is not offered the sacred thread. And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is also accepted like that by the Supreme Personality... Striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrāḥ. And another place it is said that Mahābhārata was compiled by Vyāsadeva because the direct Vedic knowledge is not understandable... Strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnāṁ trayī na śruti-gocarā (SB 1.4.25). Trayī means Vedic literature. They cannot understand. Strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnām: women, and the śūdras, and dvija-bandhu. Dvija-bandhu means born in a brāhmaṇa family, but not qualified as brāhmaṇa. They are called not brāhmaṇa. They are called dvija-bandhu.

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

So He was, from social point of view, He was son of Jagannātha Miśra, grandson of Nīlāmbara Cakravartī. Personally, He was learned scholar, born in a very high class brāhmaṇa, very beautiful body, young man—all qualified. And He was taking instruction from Rāmānanda Rāya, who was a śūdra. The Caitanya-caritāmṛta, you'll find. So Rāmānanda Rāya, he was not only śūdra, he was gṛhastha. And he was a politician, governor of Madras. Governor of Madras. But he was very exalted in spiritual knowledge. So after converting Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, when Caitanya Mahāprabhu decided to go to the southern part of India, South India, at that time... Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, he was a very learned scholar, logician, nyāyī. So he wanted to teach Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Because He was a young man. But later on he accepted Caitanya Mahāprabhu as his guru. He was impersonalist, Māyāvādī. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu explained to him the Vedānta-sūtra, that Vedānta-sūtra is personal philosophy. So he was convinced, and he became his disciple.

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

"Don't hesitate. Why you are hesitating because you are a gṛhastha or you are in politics or you are a, born a śūdra family? Why you are...? I am learning from you." This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's preaching. He did not think anyone negligible. Anyone who is qualified with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he can become guru. It doesn't matter where he is born, what is his family and identification. It doesn't matter. He must know the science. It is very practical. Just like when you go to consult an engineer or a medical man or some lawyer, you do not ask him whether he's a brāhmaṇa or a śūdra. If he's qualified, if he can help you in the particular subject matter, you consult with him, you take his help. That is practical. So similarly, in the spiritual matter it doesn't matter what he is. If he knows Kṛṣṇa, then he can become guru. It doesn't matter.

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

Don't neglect it because it is on the poison pot. You are concerned with the nectarine. Take it." Viṣād apy amṛtaṁ grāhyam amedhyād api kāñcanam. In a filthy place... Suppose in your laboratory (lavatory?), in a very filthy place, there is gold. So it doesn't matter. You should take it, gold. It is not that the gold is in the filthy place, therefore you should not touch it. Other metal you cannot touch. That is the Vedic injunction. But gold you can take. Amedhyād api kāñcanam. Viṣād apy amṛtaṁ grāhyam amedhyād api kāñcanam, nīcād api..., duṣkulād api. You can take some teachings even one is born in lower-grade family. And the wife you can accept even she is, if she is qualified, and... Strī-ratnaṁ duṣkulād api. Strī-ratnam. Ratna means jewel. If one girl is very qualified or beautiful, even she is born of lower family, you must accept. You can marry. This is Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. Strī-ratnaṁ duṣkulād api. Viṣād amṛtaṁ grāhyam amedhyād api kāñcanam, nīcād apy uttamā vidyā. If a man born in nīca, in lower-grade family, but if he's qualified, it doesn't matter. That is practically being done.

So this is Vedic system. Not that one is lower in the estimation of the society by birth or so on. But he must be qualified. So here also it doesn't matter. This is going on.

Lecture on SB 3.25.21 -- Bombay, November 21, 1974:

We are not free. Just like we are trying to go to the moon planet so many years, but because we are not free, still we have not been successful to go there. So there are so many planets within this material world, we can go. We have got now machine, very speedy machine, but why we cannot go? Because you are conditioned. You cannot go by your whims. You must be qualified to go to certain planets. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā:

yānti deva-vratā devān

pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ

bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā

yānti mad-yājino 'pi mām

(BG 9.25)

So if you want to go, you must qualify yourself. Otherwise it is not so easy. Just like if you want to go to America, you must have qualification. You must have your visa, you must have your passport, you must have the... So many things—if you want to be immigration or if you want to go as a visitor. Similarly, the other conn... If there are so many processes you have to undergo from this country to that country, is it possible that you want to go to another planet without such qualification? This is futile attempt. It is not possible.

Lecture on SB 3.25.25 -- Bombay, November 25, 1974:

Just like here it is said, śraddhā ratir bhaktir anukramiṣyati. Anukrama means gradually, not that all of a sudden you can expect to see God, but you become qualified to see God. This is the way. Śraddhā ratir bhaktir anukramiṣyati. Ādau śraddhā. Just like with śraddhā. Somebody is thinking, "This hari-kīrtana is nuisance." They are amongst those, duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ. Those (who) are thinking that this hari-kīrtana, hari-kathā, which we are trying to spread all over the world, and they are accepting all over the world... And in India, especially here in Bombay, they are sending complaints to the police that we are creating nuisance. Just see the fun. Where Kṛṣṇa is born and kṛṣṇa-kathā is there, Bhagavad-gītā—we have not imported this book from elsewhere—now we are so fallen that we are thinking that "This kṛṣṇa-kathā, this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, is creating nuisance." Just see how much we have advanced after getting independence. They are complaining that we are creating nuisance. Satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 9.14). Kīrtana is recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā satatam, always, twenty-four hours. Satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 9.14). And worshiping the Deity with attention, with care. These things are going on here, and people are complaining we are creating nuisance. Just see. Asat is so dangerous. Therefore we have to create a society of sat. Then the world will be saved. Otherwise they are going to the hellish condition of life.

Lecture on SB 3.25.31 -- Bombay, December 1, 1974:

Five thousand years ago a personality like Arjuna, who was so qualified that he could talk with Kṛṣṇa as ordinary friend... How much exalted he was, just we can imagine. And born in the royal family, very exalted position, great warrior. He said that "Kṛṣṇa, I cannot execute this yoga system. It is not possible." Cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavad dṛḍham, tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye (BG 6.34). "My mind is so disturbed that to control the mind is exactly like that, to control the wind." Suppose there is very heavy wind, and if one tries to stop it by spreading his hand, is it possible? It is not possible. He has given this example. Pramāthi balavad dṛḍham. Mind is so uncontrollable, just like madman. Mind's business is like that. Immediately I am accepting something and again rejecting. Everyone has got this experience. Therefore he frankly said that "To control the mind is not possible for me. I cannot do so."

Lecture on SB 3.25.33-34 -- Bombay, December 3, 1974:

In the water you cannot live. But there are living entities. Just like you see in the beach there are crabs. They are living within the sands, but you cannot live. That does not mean in the sand there is no life. There is life. Life sarva-gaḥ. It is said life can exist everywhere, either in the fire or in the water or in the earth or in the air. We are practically experiencing. So everywhere there is life. So... But different position. As you cannot enter in this body either in the moon planet or in the sun planet, similarly, unless you are fully qualified devotee, you cannot enter into the Vaikuṇṭha planets. You have to live outside. You have to live outside in the brahma-jyotir. That is called aikānta.

So if you desire that, Kṛṣṇa will give you the oppor... Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante (BG 4.11). Mām... Kṛṣṇa is everything. Kṛṣṇa is brahma-jyotir; Kṛṣṇa is Paramātmā. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). So if you want oneness, so you will be allowed outside the Vaikuṇṭha planet in the brahma-jyotir. But there you cannot stay. That is the difficulty. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Because we want varieties of enjoyment... In the brahma-jyotir you are simply live eternally, but there is no varieties. But because these persons, they have no information of the Vaikuṇṭha varieties, they have to come down again to these material varieties. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). This is the process.

Lecture on SB 3.25.35 -- Bombay, December 4, 1974:

So the Kṛṣṇa, Govinda, Śyāmasundara, is meant for the santa, not for the narādhamas, duṣkṛtinas, mūḍhas. They cannot understand. One has to qualify himself to be sinless. Na māṁ duṣkṛtinaḥ... This is said, and another paragraph is there, yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām: "Those who are completely free from sinful activities," yeṣāṁ tu anta-gatam, "no more touch with sinful life," te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 7.28), "they can fix up their devotional service to Kṛṣṇa." It is not so easy. But one can become immediately a santa, within a second. How? That also, Kṛṣṇa says, that,

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

(BG 18.66)

The qualification is: unless one is sinless, he cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. He cannot understand what is kṛṣṇa-bhajana. But if one is eager—he's actually very eager—he can do it immediately. What is that? Surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-dharmān parityajya: (BG 18.66) Give up all these nonsense so-called religious principle. Simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa, "Kṛṣṇa, I was forgotten about You. Now I surrender unto You fully. If You like, You can kill me; if You like, You can give me protection." This is surrender, not business. "Kṛṣṇa, if You give me this nice thing, then I will surrender." That is not surrender. That is business.

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

Brahma-saṁhitā means the prayers offered by Lord Brahmā. This is accepted by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Brahma-saṁhitā was not available by Caitanya Mahāprabhu when He was touring in South India, so He collected one Brahma-saṁhitā, handwritten in the palm leaves, and He copied it. Formerly there was no press. These important śāstras, Vedic literature, were kept in handwriting. I copy from your book; my other friend copies from my book... In this way, those who were interested... The literatures were not so cheap. Only highly qualified brāhmaṇas, they used to keep handwritten... And it was worshiped in the temple as Deity, śāstra, not that it is available everywhere. It has become... Now press has made it very cheaper. But we should always understand that granthas, or the scriptures, should be worshiped as God. That is sound incarnation of God. It should not be neglected. Don't neglect Bhagavad-gītā or Bhāgavata as ordinary books. You must be very careful. As you take care of the Deities, you should take care of the books also.

Lecture on SB 3.25.39-40 -- Bombay, December 8, 1974:

So Kṛṣṇa says, kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi: "You are kṣetrajña. You are owner of this body. But I am also kṣetrajña. So I am kṣetrajña. I am the real proprietor. You are simply occupier. You are not the proprietor." Yantrārūḍhāni māyayā (BG 18.61). He gives you. You wanted a body like this, oh, you have got, "Now take this body." Kṛṣṇa is giving all facilities to enjoy this material world. Sometimes you want the body of a devatā like Brahmā, Indra, Candra. "All right." Yānti deva-vratā devān (BG 9.25). It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, yānti deva-vratāḥ. If you want to become devatā, so you act like that. You qualify yourself, and you will go there, and you will get a body. You can get a body like Brahmā or you can get the body of the worm in the stool, as you like. Now it is... "Or if you like a body like Me," Kṛṣṇa says, yānti mad-yājino 'pi mām. And if you want to get a body like Kṛṣṇa, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1)—that is our body, real body, sat, cit, ānanda—then you can get it.

Lecture on SB 3.26.1 -- Bombay, December 13, 1974:

What is that contamination? Prākṛta-guṇa, these material infection that "I'm brāhmaṇa," "I'm kṣatriya," "I'm vaiśya," "I'm śūdra," "I'm American," "I'm Indian," "I'm this," "I'm that." These are all prakṛti. Prakṛti, material qualifications. Even if you are perfect brāhmaṇa, that is also material qualification. But in the platform of pure brāhmaṇa you can have the chance of understanding the aprākṛta, adhokṣaja. Therefore you have to become brāhmaṇa, qualified brāhmaṇa. Then there is chance.

So in this age it is very difficult to become exactly Vedic brāhmaṇa. That's very, very difficult because everyone has become śūdra. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. In the Kali-yuga you cannot find out exactly a qualified brāhmaṇa. Very rare, very rare. Therefore Vedic brāhmaṇa is not possible. It is... Our movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is creating pāñcarātriki-vidhi. Pāñcarātriki-vidhi-brāhmaṇa means there is no evidence of, there is no certainty whether one is brāhmaṇa or son of brāhmaṇa because so many things are lacking. But, if he has got little taste of Kṛṣṇa understanding, he should be encouraged. That is pāñcarātriki. Just like if there is little fire you fan it-fan it and it will come out a big blazing fire.

Lecture on SB 3.26.15 -- Bombay, December 24, 1974:

Prabhupāda: This chanting is chanting of the veda-mantra. Go on.

Nitāi: "All these are considered the qualified Brahman. The mixing element, which is known as time, is counted as the twenty-fifth element."

Prabhupāda:

etāvān eva saṅkhyāto

brahmaṇaḥ saguṇasya ha

sanniveśo mayā prokto

yaḥ kālaḥ pañca-viṁśakaḥ

(SB 3.26.15)

So saṅkhyāta, saṅkhyāyati iti sāṅkhya. This is Sāṅkhya philosophy, to know analytical study of the whole cosmic manifestation. That is called Sāṅkhya philosophy. It is physical. And the kāla is via media. And then the soul and the Supersoul. So if we understand thoroughly this analytical study of the whole thing, then we know Sāṅkhya philosophy, saṅkhyāta, Sāṅkhya, in its numerical count.

Lecture on SB 3.26.26 -- Bombay, January 3, 1975:

So this is the position, mūḍhatvam, at least in this age. Rajas tamas. Mūḍhatvam, some of them are busy in ghora activities, and some of them are mūḍhas. Generally, they are mūḍhas. The so-called active persons, they are also mūḍhas. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā. Na māṁ prapadyante mūḍhāḥ duṣkṛtino narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). So unless you come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, unless you become a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then our life is unsuccessful. It has begun since we have come to this material world. Under different influence, we have come to this condition of śānta, ghora, mūḍha. But we have to become above this condition—even above this śānta condition. This conception that "I have become now brahminically qualified. I have got knowledge. I can see things," jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyam, that is not sufficient. You have to stop your birth and death. This process you have to stop. Then your life is successful.

Lecture on SB 3.26.31 -- Bombay, January 8, 1975:

So this is... If we simply do these things, that vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane, this Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, description of Vaikuṇṭha, the transcendental life where there is no anxiety... That is Vaikuṇṭha. So Vaikuṇṭha... God's name is also Vaikuṇṭha. In southern India they say, Veṅkateśvara. That is apabhraṁśa of Vaikuṇṭheśvara. They say Veṅkateśvara. But Vaikuṇṭheśvara. Vaikuṇṭha, the spiritual world, and the master of the Vaikuṇṭha, He is called Veṅkateśvara or Vaikuṇṭheśvara. So in this way we can train up ourself. Keep your mind always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, as Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. Then you become gradually the first-class yogi. You don't require to make any exercise. The everything will be done automatically. Kṛṣṇa will give you intelligence. As you concentrate your mind on Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, immediately you become qualified to talk with Kṛṣṇa immediately. That is said by Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam (BG 10.10). So Kṛṣṇa is there within your heart, and as soon as you engage yourself in the service of Kṛṣṇa, beginning with sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18) concentrating your mind, that is the yoga system.

Lecture on SB 3.28.21 -- Nairobi, November 1, 1975:

Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10). When Kṛṣṇa sees that "He is worshiping Me with faith and reverence and love," then buddhi-yogam dadāmi tam. He'll give you intelligence. He is within you. Therefore I was saying, "First of all become fit. First of all deserve. Then desire." Why foolishly you desire something for which you do not deserve? That is your fault. That is misuse. Don't desire something without being deserving. So these are the process given how to think, how to meditate upon Kṛṣṇa. So practice it. Become qualified. Then you'll see everything. Without being qualified, why you want to see? This devotional service means practicing how to become qualified. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ, sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). You have to become fully cleansed. Tat-paratvena nirmalam. Sarva... What is that? Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). We have to become completely zero about material desires. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam. Then you become qualified. So long you have got any pinch of material desires, you are disqualified. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva dharmān parityajya mām ekam śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Parityajya means giving up completely, cent percent, no reservation. In this way, surrendered, that is the qualification. Everything is there. No reservation. And Kṛṣṇa will give you chance: "All right, if you have got still desire for material enjoyment, do it." "I want to become a king." "All right, become a king." Then "I want to become a dog." "All right, become a dog." He gives you both opportunity. And we are doing that.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

So if we indulge in sense gratification, then it will increase, it will increase. And more we increase the process of sense gratification, we go down, deeper, deeper, into the hellish condition of life. Just like the other day I was talking with Mr. Berman, he's a mining engineer. So I talked with him that "You have spent so much time being educated as mining engineer..." It is very good technology he has learned. "But do you ever consider that what is your position? After taking so much education, learning technology, your place is in the dark mines, your place. Whole day you have to work within this darkness. And you are considered to be very expert, and you are getting good salary, but your place is in the dark mine. Why don't you...?" Similarly, his wife, she's a qualified gynecologist. So what is her business? Her business is how to kill the child within the womb—abortion. Just see. Both are experts. One expert is engaged in the hellish condition of the mine, in darkness; another expert is engaged in killing small babies within the womb. You see? Therefore the result will be that they are going to hell. Adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisram. Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). Again doing the same thing, again going to the hellish condition of life. This is called tamo-dvāram, ignorance. Tamo-dvāraṁ yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 12, 1975:

One who is sinful, the first instruction should be, "You stop your sinful activities." Then the opportunity will come to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is stated in the... Yeṣāṁ tu anta-gataṁ pāpam. One who is sinful, what he will understand about Kṛṣṇa? First of all, stop sinful activities. Then this stage will come, he'll understand Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Jesus Christ said, "You nonsense, stop killing." Then there will be time we'll understand one day Kṛṣṇa. So the first instruction is to stop sinful activities; then he'll be qualified.

yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ

janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām

te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā

bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ

(BG 7.28)

So everything by step by step, not by jump. That is not possible.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Hyderabad, April 15, 1975:

So this is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Ye vā mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthā. One is not interested in anything else, he is only interested in Kṛṣṇa. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167), to serve Kṛṣṇa as He desires. So as He desires... If we have no relationship with Kṛṣṇa, no connection with Kṛṣṇa, how we can understand as He desires? Yes, that we will have. Kṛṣṇa is within you, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). As soon as you become sincere, if you are qualified to serve Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa will dictate from within, "Do like this." Buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi taṁ yena mām upayānti te. To whom? Teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam. One who is engaged in loving service of Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa is very expert, He can understand how you want to serve Him, with a motive or without motive. When He understands, then He personally gives you dictation, "You do like this, you do like that." So that is Kṛṣṇa's friendship. Kṛṣṇa is always available. Kṛṣṇa can be seen twenty-four hours, provided you elevate to the position how to talk with Kṛṣṇa, how to see Kṛṣṇa, how to act toward Kṛṣṇa. It is not very difficult.

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

Therefore this so-called, what is called, excursion, to attempt to go to some planet, you cannot stay there, neither you'll be allowed to enter. So this endeavor to go there by so-called scientific advancement is simply defeat, because you will not be allowed, neither you can go there. And actually it is happening. What they have achieved so far? Nothing. No tangible action made. But they have spent millions of dollars, Russia and America, to go to the moon planet. And even you go there, but after all, you will have to die, you have to give up this body, and after death, you do not know where you'll be placed. That is under the nature's hand. You cannot dictate that "After death, I shall go to that planet or this planet." No. You are completely under the nature's control. Prakṛteḥ kriyāmāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Unless you are qualified... Everyone is ambitious, but does it mean by becoming ambitious, one can become very rich man or very respectable man? That is not possible. One must qualify himself. So these are futile attempts. You have to act according to the... But they do not believe that there is higher authority, there is judgment and everything. They think that it is blind: "Whatever we like, we can do." That is not good. Parābhavaḥ. This is called defeat. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata.

Lecture on SB 5.5.9 -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1976:

The rascals, they think it is mythology. It is not mythology, it is fact. But it is mythology or imagination for the non-devotees. For the devotees, it is practical. So this is the muktaḥ paraṁ yāty atihāya hetum. That bhaktiṁ parāṁ bhagavati pratilabhya kāmaṁ hṛd-rogam āśv apahinoty acireṇa dhīraḥ. Bhaktiṁ parāṁ pratilabhya. That is conclusion of when Parīkṣit Mahārāja inquired about Kṛṣṇa's rāsa-līlā. Kṛṣ... Parīkṣit... Śukadeva Gosvāmī replied that "If one is actually qualified to hear about rasa, vikrīḍitam idaṁ ca vraja-vadhūbhir viṣṇoḥ. These activities with Lord Kṛṣṇa and the vraja-vadhūbhiḥ, if it is properly spoken and heard, then the result will be that hṛd-rogaṁ kāmam apahinoti. The material disease, kāma, lusty desire, will be finished, no more. And bhaktiṁ parāṁ bhagavati pratilabhya kāmaṁ hṛd-rogam āśv apahinoty acireṇa dhīraḥ. Very soon he will be dhīra. No more kāma. This is the result. Not that after hearing rāsa-līlā, "Oh, let me imitate. Let me also dance with young girls and enjoy." This is going on. Rascal. Māyāvādīs they do that. Perhaps you know. There are so many instances. But actually, the result will be this hṛd-rogaṁ kāmam acireṇa dhīraḥ. No more desire. Thank you very much.

Lecture on SB 5.5.10-13 -- Vrndavana, November 1, 1976:

So for that there are so many practices, regulative principles, mentioned here. The first thing is haṁse gurau mayi bhaktyānuvṛtyā. This is religion. Ādau gurvāśrayam. If you do not get a qualified guru, then everything is bogus. If you, by good fortune, if you get the association of a guru, qualified haṁsa, paramahaṁsa... Paramahaṁsa guru means sannyāsī's last stage is paramahaṁsa. Kuṭīcaka, bahūdaka, parivrājakācārya, and paramahaṁsa, these are the different stages. When one takes sannyāsa, he lives outside the village in a kuṭī, in a cottage, and the family members goes and delivers him the food, because he is not practiced. So in the beginning, he keeps up this association of neighborhood or family, but he is not practiced. He therefore lives outside the village, and if somebody gives some food, he eats. Then when he becomes experienced, then he does not accept food from one, either his own home or one home. He takes foodstuff from many homes: "Give me a little piece of cāpāṭi." So somebody gives half, because they are also not overburdened. If they have to deliver, so many sannyāsīs come, and sumptuous food, then how the gṛhastha will provide? Therefore though... They do not overburden. There may be other sannyāsīs, therefore little only.

Lecture on SB 5.5.17 -- Vrndavana, November 5, 1976:

So one class. First-class man, first of all teacher, they require. Therefore the brāhmaṇa class must be there, I mean to say, the properly trained-up brāhmaṇa, not by caste brāhmaṇa or... Śamo damo titikṣa... Otherwise where is the ideal class who will teach? And it is the business of brāhmaṇa to teach. Those who are śūdras, avidyāyām antare vartamāna, how they can teach? They cannot teach. Therefore brāhmaṇa business is paṭhana pāṭhana yajana yājana dāna pratigrahaḥ. Six. Ṣat-karma-nipuṇo vipro mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ. Still, if he is not a Vaiṣṇava, avaiṣṇavo gurur na sa syāt. If one is qualified brāhmaṇa but..., mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ, everything is well equipped, but if he is not a Vaiṣṇava, if he is impersonalist, Māyāvādī, he cannot teach others. Avaiṣṇavo gurur na sa syāt. He cannot be guru. Sad-vaiṣṇavaḥ śva-paco guruḥ. And if a person born in a family of dog-eaters, śva-paca, means caṇḍāla... There are many kinds of meat-eaters. So the class of men who are dog-eaters, they are the lowest. They are the lowest, caṇḍāla. So if a person born in a dog-eaters' family, he can be also trained up. Sad-vaiṣṇavaḥ śva-paco guruḥ. So guru does not mean a rascal. A śva-paca, a person born in the family of śva-paca, he can be also trained up to become Vaiṣṇava. That is also a claim by Kṛṣṇa. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). This person who is born in the śva-paca family, caṇḍāla family, he is called pāpa-yoni. Yoni means mother, and bīja means father. Bīja may be nice, but if the yoni is not nice, that is called varṇa-saṅkara. These are the things. Yathā bījaṁ tathā yoni. Therefore they must be equally qualified. Anyway, so papa-yoni, born in the womb of a low-class yoni. But he can be trained. How? Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya. If he takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then he can be trained. There is no harm. Māṁ hi... Kṛṣṇa says, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya (BG 9.32).

Lecture on SB 5.5.23 -- Vrndavana, November 10, 1976:

So lakṣaṇam must be, lakṣaṇam, the symptom, what is brāhmaṇas' symptoms. So my request to you, the Europeans and American boys, you have been initiated as brāhmaṇa but you must practice the lakṣaṇa. Otherwise, if you think, puffed up, that "Now I have got the sacred thread. My business is finished. I can do whatever I like," no. That is not. Lakṣaṇam. Lakṣaṇam means symptoms. That you must observe, lakṣaṇam. Yasya hi yad lakṣaṇaṁ proktam. Then nobody can check you. You will be very much dear of Kṛṣṇa. Namo brāhmaṇya-devāya go brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca. If you keep yourself in the platform of a true brāhmaṇa as you are expected... It is not difficult. We have selected the four principles: no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication, and no gambling. That's all. If you keep to these practices, then you remain. And if you chant, then above brāhmaṇa, you become Vaiṣṇava. Manmanā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Qualify yourself as a brāhmaṇa. Qualify yourself as a Vaiṣṇava. Then your position is guaranteed. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). Sure. Guranteed.

Lecture on SB 5.6.5 -- Vrndavana, November 27, 1976:

Unless one is free from the material concept, sarvopādhi vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). That means we have to execute devotional service in the regulative principle. "I cannot follow the regulative principle and I am trying to understand Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa prema," this is rascaldom. This is rascaldom. Only rascals will do that. He does not see his position, that "What is my position? I am still full of lusty desires. My mind is still disturbed by seeing a nice woman or nice man, and I am discussing Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa?" This is nonsense. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura said, rūpa-raghunātha pade haibe ākuti kabe hāma bujhabo se yugala-pīriti. Unless you are expert in devotional service, by practical application of the instruction of Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu... Rūpa-raghunātha pade haibe ākuti. Then if we are qualified, then some day we may be able to understand what is yugala-pīriti, love between Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī. Not so sudden. That is sahajiyā. Not so sudden. We should not try to do that. First of all I must see how much I have become sarvopādhi vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170), how much I am free from the designational position. Then we shall be able. Rādhā-kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikrṭi ahlādinī śakti asmād.

Lecture on SB 6.1.1 -- Melbourne, May 21, 1975:

Therefore, if you actually always remain in spiritual understanding, that means to understand Kṛṣṇa, or God. Then Kṛṣṇa says, if you have understood what is God, that makes you qualified to go back to home, back to Godhead. Janma karma ca me divyaṁ yo janati tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). If you know what is God factually, then that is your qualification to go back to home, back to Godhead. But if you do not know, then your spiritual life has not begun. You must know what is God. That is knowledge.

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante

jñānavān māṁ prapadyate

vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti

sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ

(BG 7.19)

The spiritual life means to understand yourself and understand God and understand your relationship with God and act accordingly. That is spiritual life. It is not difficult. How to understand God? You can understand just like you understand so many things from books. So there is book, God is explaining Himself, "I am like this." So you understand Him. Then you become qualified. Yes?

Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- New York, July 27, 1971:

We are concerned with relative truth, categorical truth, not the summum bonum. Śaucābhyām: cleanliness. This is also required. Cleanliness. You should take bath, twice, thrice, at least once. That is hygienic. Bāhyābhyantara-śuciḥ. One should be cleansed. Bāhya means externally, and abhyantara, internally. Externally, you take soap, water, soda, and cleanse yourself, body. Take bath, cleanse, keep your clothing very cleansed. Unclean habit will not help you, unclean habit. Cleanliness is godliness. Truthful. Truthfulness. These are the qualities of brāhmaṇa. Satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavam āstikyaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam. Those who are brāhmaṇas, they must be qualified with all these symptoms. Satyam. This satyam, truthful. How truthful? You, even before your enemies, you'll disclose everything. Such truthful. That is the instruction of ācāryas. We don't want to disclose everything, hide. But truthfulness means even to a enemy you should be truthful. Satyaṁ śamam. This śamam, controlling the mind. Damam, controlling the senses. Satyaṁ samo damaḥ śaucam, cleanliness. Ārjavam, simply sitting, no duplicity, simply sitting. Ārjavam āstikyam. Faith in Vedas, that is called āstikyam. Just like Bhagavad-gītā, part of Vedas. Here Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the Supreme Lord." So you have to accept Him by faith.

Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- New York, July 27, 1971:

They are under contemplation that a brāhmaṇa can be, I mean to say, seen by birthright. No. No. Brāhmaṇa is by qualification. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. That is the verdict of Kṛṣṇa. We are concerned with Kṛṣṇa, not any other else. Kṛṣṇa says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ: (BG 4.13) "By division of quality and, guṇa, and work, one must have the symptoms, the quality of a brāhmaṇa, and work as a brāhmaṇa." Not that... Quality will be tested by work. Suppose if you are engineer. You have got the quality of... But if you sit down at home, what is your value? You must be engaged in some engineer work. Suppose you are lawyer, and if you don't go to the court and sleep at your home, then what is the worth of your studying law? Therefore guṇa-karma. One should not be simply qualified as engineer or lawyer, but he must work also, as engineer, as lawyer. Then he's bona fide. Similarly, unless you work as a brāhmaṇa, simply saying that "I am a brāhmaṇa," what is the value? Useless. They..., therefore Kṛṣṇa says, guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ. There must be quality and work also. So here we are qualifying the students to be raised in the brahminical platform, and they're working also as brāhmaṇa. How they are working as brāhmaṇa? Because they're fully engaged in Paraṁ Brahma's service, Kṛṣṇa's service. Therefore they are brāhmaṇas. Brahma jānāti iti brāhmaṇaḥ. Without knowing, nobody can render service. They are not rendering service in the ear. They are serving Kṛṣṇa factually. Here is sitting Kṛṣṇa with Rādhārāṇī. Therefore they're brāhmaṇa by quality and work. Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13).

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- New York, August 1, 1971:

The whole material world, one who is not God conscious, is simply hankering, hankering. Or, if he loses something, he's lamenting. That is two business are there. But a God conscious person, Kṛṣṇa conscious person, has no lamentation, no hankering. If anything is lost, he knows that it is God's wish. "God desired this. That's all right." And he knows that "Everything is provided by God; why shall I hanker?" Na śocati na kāṅkṣati samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Then universal brotherhood: "As I am part and parcel of God, my brother is also, my friend is also, the dog is also like that, the cow is also like that. They're all part and parcel of God as spirit, as spiritual spark. Therefore they're all equal. Why shall I envy him? Why shall I utilize(?) him? Why shall I trouble him?" These good consciousness, good qualities, automatically develop. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā. Anyone who has developed Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all the good qualities of the demigods will manifest in his body. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). The demigods are supposed to be very highly qualified. So all the godly or demigodly qualities will manifest. They are... Vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca. The Vaiṣṇava becomes the ocean of mercy to others. They're going door to door: "Please be Kṛṣṇa conscious. You'll be happy." Actually that is the fact. So who can be merciful than these Vaiṣṇavas? They are giving the right contribution to the society. They need it.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Nellore, January 8, 1976:

Although Kṛṣṇa was speaking to him that "You fight," he was declining. This is the stage of abhakta, or nondevotee. Although mundane person will very much be pleased that "Arjuna was not willing to fight. He is nonviolent," but Kṛṣṇa was not accepting. So fighting is not a good business, so Arjuna was declining to fight. It was good from the worldly point of view. But after hearing Bhagavad-gītā, when Kṛṣṇa inquired from Arjuna, "What you have decided?" Arjuna replied, naṣṭo mohaḥ smṛtir labdhā kariṣye vacanaṁ tava (BG 18.73): "Now I am quite in knowledge. I shall execute Your order." This is mukti. When we are prepared to execute the order of Kṛṣṇa, that is the platform of mukti. Therefore it is said, kecit kevalayā bhaktyā vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ (SB 6.1.15). Simply by executing the order of Vasudeva one becomes mukta. Just like master and servant. If the servant executes the order of the master, he is faultless. If the servant declines to execute the order of the master, however qualified he may be, he is useless. So therefore it is said, kevalayā bhaktyā: "without any contamination, simply ready to execute the order of Kṛṣṇa, or Vasudeva." Therefore it is called vāsudeva-parāyaṇā. Therefore it is, in the Bhagavad-gītā it is confirmed, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate: (BG 7.19) "After many, many births of struggling, when one is actually jñānavān, wise, he surrenders unto Me." So either you become karmī, jñānī, or yogi, you are not mukta. Mukta means, I have already defined, mukti hitva anyathā rūpaṁ sva-rūpeṇa avasthiti. When you stay in your own original position to execute the order of Kṛṣṇa, that is mukti.

Lecture on SB 6.1.20 -- Chicago, July 4, 1975:

So Mahābhārata, the Battle of Kurukṣetra was executed by two section of brothers of the same family. It was the one empire, one king, but Dhṛtarāṣṭra and his younger brother... They were two brothers. So Dhṛtarāṣṭra being blind, he was not qualified to occupy the throne, so his younger brother, Pāṇḍu, he was given the throne. And Pāṇḍu died untimely, keeping his children, these five brothers, Pāṇḍavas. Because they were son of Pāṇḍu, they were known as Pāṇḍavas. So Pāṇḍu also belonged to the Kuru family, and Dhṛtarāṣṭra's son also belonged to the Kuru family. Actually they are Kauravas. But when there was fight between the two brothers' son, one party was known as Kaurava, and the other party was known as Pāṇḍava. Therefore Dhṛtarāṣṭra says in the Bhagavad-gītā beginning, māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva (BG 1.1). Māmakāḥ means "my sons," and... Because both of them are Kurus, now they are divided, māmakāḥ, "my sons," and Pāṇḍavas, "the Pāṇḍu's sons." Kim akurvata sañjaya (BG 1.1).

Lecture on SB 6.1.21 -- Chicago, July 5, 1975:

So, as I was explaining yesterday, that if you keep people fourth-class man, then that is not advancement of civilization. Attempt should be made how a fourth-class man can be raised to the first-class position by culture and education. So this Ajāmila, he was trained up by his parents to be a qualified brāhmaṇa. What is that qualified brāhmaṇa? You have heard many times: śamo damaḥ satyaṁ śaucam ārjavaṁ titikṣā, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). These qualities should be developed. First of all, śama. Śama means equilibrium in the mental position. Mind is never disturbed. There are so many causes of the mind being disturbed. When the mind is not disturbed, that is called samaḥ. Guruṇāpi duḥkhena na vicālyate. That is perfection of yoga.

Lecture on SB 6.1.27-34 -- Surat, December 17, 1970:

Yamunā: (indistinct) angels in the (indistinct) different angels?

Prabhupāda: So the angels... The Siddhaloka is not in the spiritual world. It is in the material world. But they are highly qualified. But that Siddhaloka is not in the spiritual world. That is within the material world.

Devotee (1): You said that the pictures they draw of the men with wings, that is not bona fide pictures?

Prabhupāda: No. The statement in the Vedic literature—that they can fly. Now one can draw some picture, because they have idea that without wings how one can fly? That may be. That is their idea. But Nārada can fly everywhere. He has no wings. He can travel both in the spiritual and material world, but he has no wings.

Mālatī: Is it true he has the same body in the spiritual world and when he comes into the material world?

Prabhupāda: Yes, it is Nārada's facility. He has got the benediction that he can travel anywhere, without any restriction. Even some of the yogis... Durvāsā Muni, he also went to the spiritual world, saw Lord Viṣṇu. And Arjuna also went to the spiritual world with Kṛṣṇa. So, not that this material body cannot be transformed into spiritual body by the supreme will of the Lord. Anything can be changed. We think that this is stereotyped; it cannot be transformed. No. That's not the fact. By the supreme will, anything can be changed into anything.

Lecture on SB 6.1.38 -- Los Angeles, June 4, 1976:

This is very nice challenge. Suppose if somebody, if you say that "We are Kṛṣṇa conscious persons." So one may challenge you, "First of all, explain what do you know about Kṛṣṇa?" That is quite natural. If you do not know about Kṛṣṇa, you have no right to say that "I belong to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement." You have not right to say. So your position is like that, simply if you have a tilaka and a kaṇṭhi, that does not mean that you belong to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Any cheater can do that. You must know the philosophy. If one challenges, you must reply. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung a song indicating these cheaters. He says, ei oto ek kalir cela(?). "Here is a servant of Kali." What kind of cela? Na te tilal golai mālā (?). "He has got a tilaka and golai mālā, bās, that's all." He does not know what is the philosophy. If you do not know the philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if you simply mark your body with tilaka and kaṇṭhi, then you are not proper servant, you are not qualified. So tilaka, mala, is necessary. Just like a policeman. A bogus man, if he dresses like a policeman, he is not a policeman. He must know what is the police law, criminal law, who is to be punished, who is not to be punished, what is criminality, what is innocence. All these things he must know.

Lecture on SB 6.1.41-42 -- Surat, December 23, 1970:

But they are not following. Therefore śāstra says that the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra... If one is... Kṛṣi-vāṇijyam, go-rakṣya. That is the symptom of the vaiśya. As the kṣatriyas are entrusted to protect the human beings, the vaiśya is expected to protect the cows. Unfortunately, they are not doing that. There is no kṣatriya; there is no brāhmaṇa; there is no vaiśya. Therefore the śāstra says, kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ: "In the Kali-yuga there is only śūdras." There is no more brāhmaṇa. Of course, there is, not "no more," but very minor quantity, very... Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3). Brāhmaṇa means one who is aware of the Supreme Absolute Truth. And one who is above brāhmaṇa, when the Absolute Truth is worshiped, that is Vaiṣṇava. A brāhmaṇa may be qualified in so many ways, but if he is not a Vaiṣṇava, then he cannot be a spiritual master. That is also stated in the śāstra: ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipraḥ. A brāhmaṇa is very qualified, ṣaṭ-karma. Ṣaṭ-karma, six kinds of activities. The six kinds of activities are paṭhana-pāṭhana yajana-yājana dāna-pratigraha. Paṭhana means he must be very much serious in understanding the Vedic literatures. That is brāhmaṇa's qualification, very much studious, high-class scholar in Vedic literature, paṭhana. And pāṭhana, he must teach the Vedic knowledge.

Formerly, therefore, you know, everyone, that in every village the brāhmaṇa had a catuṣpāṭhī. The brāhmaṇa had no other business. He would sit down in his cottage, and he would teach Vedic literature.

Lecture on SB 6.1.41-42 -- Surat, December 23, 1970:

A quack is not a medical man, however he may show all red bottles, white bottles. There is a Bengali proverb, naj jal yac curi tini ei daktar.(?) One stethoscope, naj(?), and some bottles, jala, and talking all nonsense, he becomes a doctor. That means the quack doctor, not a... Qualified doctor, he knows what is what. So naj jal yac curi tini ei daktar(?). In Bengali they say. And mostly in villages they go on like that. But of course, they have got some experience. I know in Allahabad there was a doctor, Kabhir, a Dr. Kabhir. And because in my previous household life I was a chemist and druggist, I was supplying medicine, so he was my customer. So he had that... This Dr. Kabhir was a compounder. Later on he practiced. So he had very, very big prac... He was my biggest customer. He was purchasing medicine like anything. But he had experience. He learned from an experienced doctor. He cannot be called a bogus, because whatever he learned, he was... But generally, one who is not a bona fide doctor, he is called a quack. So anything, experience required, not that you have to go to the medical college. If you are trained under a bona fide doctor, then also you can get the quality of a doctor. Similarly, the whole thing is tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). One should go to the bona fide spiritual master to learn this transcendental science.

Lecture on SB 6.1.41-42 -- Surat, December 23, 1970:

Prabhupāda: No. Goodness is a chance. If you acquire... Just like if you become a graduate, there is chance of becoming a lawyer. But if you do not become a lawyer, you remain only graduate. That's all. But without becoming graduate they cannot enter to be a lawyer. Similarly, goodness is the qualification of a brāhmaṇa. A brāhmaṇa has a chance. When you are qualified, you are following the regulative principles, qualified, you have got the chance of being promoted to become a Vaiṣṇava. That is the advantage. But in this age... Again, the same thing. Even one is not a brāhmaṇa—he is in the category of caṇḍāla—still, if he chants this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, he becomes elevated to the position more than a brāhmaṇa. Yes.

Revatīnandana: Is that called purified goodness?

Prabhupāda: Purified... Goodness is purified, but this material world is so made that you cannot have here absolute goodness. That is not possible. There is... Sometimes it is mixed with passion, mixed with ignorance, mixture. You see? Therefore the transcendental stage is called śuddha-sattva. Sattva-guṇa is goodness, and the platform where the other qualities cannot contaminate even the quality of goodness, that is the stage of devotion.

Lecture on SB 6.1.42 -- Los Angeles, July 23, 1975:

Everything is being supplied by the nature. By the order of Kṛṣṇa, according to the modes of nature, we are contaminating guṇa-nāma. As we are infected with a certain type of guṇa, immediately our body, activities, name... We have contacted, contaminated, with tamo-guṇa... There are so many animals in the tamo-guṇa—trees, plants. Tamo-guṇa: darkness, no knowledge. So similarly sattva-guṇa. If you associate with sattva-guṇa, then you get the body of a brāhmaṇa, intelligent man, saintly man. Everything is ready. It requires only our association. That's all. Therefore the advice is that "You all become the topmost qualified man." That is the propaganda of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. "Become first-class topmost men. Don't remain..." Tamasi mā: "Don't remain in darkness." This is our only request. Otherwise... But why we are making this propaganda? Because Kṛṣṇa wants. We are all servant of Kṛṣṇa; therefore our only aim is to serve Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa wants that "Save these rascals from rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. Bring them transcendent to sattva-guṇa, and they will be happy." This is Kṛṣṇa's desire. Nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna: "Arjuna, you become above the three guṇas." That is the Kṛṣṇa's desire. "Why you are bothering with these guṇas? 'This is my body. This is my family. This is this. This is this. This is this.' You are arguing so much." So therefore Kṛṣṇa said, nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna: "These are on the material platform. Come to the spiritual platform." Ultimately he said that "You are My very dear friend. Therefore I am disclosing to you the most confidential knowledge." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). This is the whole instruction.

Lecture on SB 6.1.43 -- Los Angeles, June 9, 1976:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement is so nice that you don't require to acquire something artificial. No. Wherever you are, remain there. Simply hear. And preaching means to propagate or to vibrate what Kṛṣṇa has said. So this is the position of the preacher, that you simply repeat, like a parrot, no qualification. You simply ... Whatever is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, you repeat. And the others simply hear. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam (SB 7.5.23). Then both of them become liberated. There is no question of that, to become a qualified person. This is the only qualification, that a preacher should preach only what Kṛṣṇa has said. That's all. No manufacturing, no concoction. And the audience? They will hear from such person who does not speak anything else except Kṛṣṇa's teaching, that's all. These two things, if carried, then your both the life,(?) the śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, the one who is speaking and one who is hearing, both of them are benefited.

Lecture on SB 6.1.45 -- Laguna Beach, July 26, 1975:

So the śāstra... You have to learn from the śāstra that who is the master. I have to serve. The master is Kṛṣṇa. And that is our natural position. And if we do not serve Kṛṣṇa, if we serve a big man or a demigod or any other but he is not Kṛṣṇa, that is adharma. So dharma and adharma, these two things, are there. You serve either of them. But the result—according to your service. If you are serving as high-court judge, that salary, and if you serving as ordinary, what is called, washer of dishes, that salary cannot be equal. You cannot expect, becoming a dishwasher, to draw the same salary as the high-court judge is drawing. That is not possible. Therefore it is said, sa eva tat-phalaṁ bhuṅkte. You get... You can become high-court judge. There is no, I mean to say, obstacle. You could be qualified like the high-court judge. Now you are qualified like this, so you have to accept this. Therefore it is said, sa eva tat-phalaṁ bhuṅkte tathā tāvat amutra vai. Amutra. So our life is continuity, eternal. Just like a boy takes education, expecting to become one day high-court judge. But one who has not taken education—he simply played in the street—how he can become a high-court judge? It is not possible. Therefore it is said, sa eva tat-phalaṁ bhuṅkte tathā tāvat amutra, "in future life." But these rascals, they do not know what is future life. This is modern civilization. They are so rascal. But there is future life. So in this life, if you prepare yourself for the next life, then you are intelligent.

Lecture on SB 6.1.45 -- Los Angeles, June 11, 1976:

So these things are going on. But we should not try to imitate. The sum and substance is Kṛṣṇa cannot be contaminated. Apāpa-viddham. In the Īśopaniṣad, you'll find. Tejīyasām. Just like sun is never contaminated. From the whole universe, the sun is soaking water from any filthy place. But the filthy place is becoming purified by the sun rays. That is possible by the sun.

So similarly, we cannot imitate Kṛṣṇa. That is pāpa, adharma. Dharma is to abide by the orders of Kṛṣṇa. That is very simple. And if we do that then we become qualified to go back to home, back to Godhead. Very simple thing. It doesn't require much education. Simply it requires a purified mind, that "I shall execute it honestly." That much qualification is sufficient. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). This is Kṛṣṇa's law and order. Kṛṣṇa does not say anything which is very difficult to execute, because we cannot do it. Kṛṣṇa asks from you very simple thing. Not that Kṛṣṇa is asking from you very things which we cannot supply. No. We can supply. Anyone, any poor man, any illiterate man, any poor man or any rich man. Everyone, it is open to everyone. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not forbidden to anyone, even pāpa-yoni.

Lecture on SB 6.1.56-57 -- Bombay, August 14, 1975:

So about Ajāmila, the Yamadūtas, they said, "We know that this man Ajāmila was fully qualified before." Dhṛta-vrato mṛdur dāntaḥ satya-vāṅ: truthful, never speaks untruth. Satya śama dama, satya. Or satya-vāṅ means paraṁ satyaṁ dhīmahi. Paraṁ satyam is Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva. Who is only speaking about Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Truth, he is called satya-vāṅ. He does not speak anything... Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). He is simply glorifying. If one's life is dedicated to preach about Kṛṣṇa, then he is also satya-vāṅ. He does not speak anything else. So our, these Kṛṣṇa conscious members, they are simply trained up to go and speak about Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they are satya-vāṅ. They do not speak anything else. They do not waste their time by speaking anything which has no relation with Kṛṣṇa. That is satya-vāṅ. Satya-vāṅ mantravit. Mantravit means Vit means one who knows, and mantra means Vedic hymns. Mantravit. So therefore Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra... Hare Kṛṣṇa, this chanting, is called mahā-mantra. So if anyone chants Hare Kṛṣṇa, then he is not only mantravit but he is mahā-mantravit because the Hare Kṛṣṇa chanting is called mahā-mantra. Mantravit. Mantravit and śuci. Śuci means brāhmaṇa, and muci means non-brāhmaṇa.

Lecture on SB 6.1.56-57 -- Bombay, August 14, 1975:

Benefit. So the man killer, will he take that benefit? If somebody comes that "I shall kill you for your benefit," that he will be afraid of. But he is philosophizing, "mercy-killing." This is going on. So one should be respectful also to the old men. According to Vedic knowledge, brāhmaṇa, old men, child, woman, and cow—they have no fault. They are free. They are not within this jurisdiction of law. So therefore cow-killing, brāhmaṇa-killing, woman-killing, and elderly-person-killing, they are accepted as the great sinful activities. So gurv-agny-atithi-vṛddhānāṁ śūśrūṣur anahaṅkṛtaḥ. Anahaṅkṛtaḥ, not with any pride or puffedness, anahaṅkṛtaḥ, very humbly. Sarva-bhūta-suhṛtam. This is the most exalted qualification, to become well-wisher of all living entities, not that we open hospitals for the human being and we send the cows to the slaughterhouse or poor animals should be slaughtered. That is not suhṛt sarva-bhūtānām. That is partiality and it has no meaning. If you become envious to other living entities and if you become friend of particular living entity, that is not good qualification. Suhṛdaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ. Sarva-bhūtaḥ-suhṛt sādhu. He is sādhu. Sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ. These are the qualification of a sādhu. Suhṛdaḥ sarva-bhūtānām. Sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ. Everything is described in the Vedic literature, all description.

So this Ajāmila's past qualification is described in this, that he was well qualified brāhmaṇa, well trained, because these qualification became manifested in his life. Then his degradation began.

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

Just sprinkle, not individual, sprinkle. Minimize time. Don't waste time. So the point is here that Ajāmila was so qualified just as a brāhmaṇa, perfect brāhmaṇa, born of a brāhmaṇa father and educated, qualified, and acquired the qualities. All the qualities are mentioned, that śruta-sampannaḥ. Śruta-sampannaḥ means well studied in Vedas. That is a brāhmaṇa's qualification. Veda-pāṭhād bhaved vipraḥ. Vipra, brāhmaṇa, without any knowledge of the Vedas, (laughs) that is not a brāhmaṇa. So he was actually brāhmaṇa, śruta-sampannaḥ. And after... Simply reading of Vedas as a scholar is useless. Just like foreign Western scholar... (aside:) Now stop. One must practically apply the knowledge, not like armchair politician or armchair Vedantist, smoking cigarette and reading Vedānta. This kind of study of Vedas is useless. Now, we have seen so many sannyāsīs, so-called sannyāsīs, talking on Vedānta and smoking at the same time. You see? So Ajāmila was not like that. He was a scholar in the Vedic literature. Ayaṁ hi śruta-sampannaḥ śīla-vṛtta-guṇālayaḥ. And he was very well behaved and reservoir of all good qualities. Guṇālayaḥ. Dhṛta-vrataḥ, and avowed to follow the regulative principles.

This point we have already discussed, that the most important point is that even one is such qualified, there is chance of falldown as Ajāmila.

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

So anyway, this, this brāhmaṇa, although so much qualified, and because he kept one prostitute it is clearly stated, naṣṭa-sadācāra: "All his good qualities became void." All his good qualities. Naṣṭa-sadācāra. Why naṣṭa-sadācāra? Dāsyāḥ saṁsarga-dūṣitaḥ: "Simply by association with a prostitute." Dāsyāḥ saṁsarga-dūṣitaḥ. This Bhāgavata was written five thousand years ago, and this story... Śukadeva Gosvāmī said, "I am speaking an old story." That means this incident of Ajāmila was not less than fifty thousand years ago. At that time, five thousand years ago, Śukadeva Gosvāmī is narrating "a very old story." And very old sto..., at least forty thousand, fifty thousand years old. So just see how Vedic civilization was planned from the very..., time immemorial. Simply by association of illicit sex life so many qualities became null and void.

Lecture on SB 6.1.61 -- Vrndavana, August 28, 1975:

So śūdra... This kind of business on the public street... Just like cats and dogs, they have sex pleasure without any shame on the street. Similarly, the śūdras, they embrace the opposite sex in the public street, and sometimes they have got sex also. I have seen in the Western countries—without any shame... So he saw, this brāhmaṇa boy. The brāhmaṇa boy saw. He is young man. Although he is qualified with the brāhmaṇa... Not exactly qualified; otherwise he would not have fallen. He was on the neophyte stage. Therefore we restrict, "No illicit sex." Completely forbidden. Otherwise it will be very difficult to keep oneself in the brahminical standard and make spiritual progress. Without being in the platform of brāhmaṇa, you cannot make any spiritual progress. That is not... A śūdra, a vaiśya... But they can be trained up. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said,

māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya

ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ

striyo śūdrās tathā vaiśyās

te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim

(BG 9.32)

In Kṛṣṇa consciousness, a śūdra, a caṇḍāla, the lowborn, he can be elevated to the highest stage of Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava is higher stage than brāhmaṇa.

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

So this devotional service means to go above sattva-guṇa. Sa guṇṇ samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). You have to transcend all the material qualities, even sattva-guṇa. Therefore a Vaiṣṇava is above sattva-guṇa. So his brahminical qualities is supposed to be included. A Vaiṣṇava is already a brāhmaṇa. We give a Vaiṣṇava the sacred thread, the mark of becoming a brāhmaṇa, because without becoming a brāhmaṇa, nobody can come to the platform of Vaiṣṇava. That is the idea. Nobody should come to the platform of śuddha-sattva without being elevated to the sattva-guṇa platform. So this man... Sattva-guṇa... He was already sattva-guṇa. He was son of a brāhmaṇa. He was being trained up very nicely. But because it was not śuddha-sattvata, therefore he fell down, even on the sattva-guṇa platform. But when one is on the śuddha-sattva... Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura. This man was brahminically qualified, but as soon as he saw that a śūdrāṇī and śūdra were engaged in lusty affairs, he fell down. But see the behavior of Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Because he was situated on the śuddha-sattva-guṇa and... Although he was young man, one, another young prostitute came to deviate him, and he remained in his position. Rather, he converted the prostitute to become a devotee. This is the difference between sattva-guṇa and śuddha-sattva-guṇa. If you keep yourself on the śuddha-sattva-guṇa, then you will be able to convert others to become devotees. Therefore it is not difficult. It is very easy also.

Lecture on SB 6.2.1-5 -- Calcutta, January 6, 1971:

So the speeches of the Yamadūta, assistants of Yamarāja, was thus finished, arguments. The argument was that "This man, Ajāmila, born of a brāhmaṇa father, although acquired all qualification... He was qualified brāhmaṇa, not simply born of a brāhmaṇa father, but qualified brāhmaṇa, with full knowledge of Vedic instruction, nice character, very gentle and silent and offering respects to elderly persons, spiritual master, father. In this way he was perfect brāhmaṇa. But due to his contact with a prostitute he lost his all good qualification. And later on, he had to earn money by hook and crook, and thus he degraded more and more, and therefore his sinful activities are now responsible for his punishment, and we shall take him to the court of Yamarāja." That was the summary of the speech of the Yamadūta. Evaṁ te bhagavad-dūtā yamadūtābhibhāṣitam.

So after finishing that speech, the bhagavad-dūta... So there are bhagavad-dūta also, assistants, servants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are two kinds of servants: the māyā's servant and Kṛṣṇa's servant. Nobody is master. That is illusion.

Lecture on SB 6.2.1-5 -- Calcutta, January 6, 1971:

Somebody is slave of the senses, and somebody is slave of Kṛṣṇa. Nobody is master. That is illusion. Kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā pālitā durnideśāḥ. The slaves of the senses, they are following the dictation of the senses, and abominable activities they are doing. Just like Ajāmila. He was a brāhmaṇa. He was a slave of Nārāyaṇa, a slave of Kṛṣṇa, brāhmaṇa Vaiṣṇava. Brāhmaṇa means... A brāhmaṇa, qualified brāhmaṇa, means he is a Vaiṣṇava. Tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ paśyanti sadā sūrayaḥ. Sura. Brāhmaṇas' another name is sura. So those who are suras, those who are demigods, they are Vaiṣṇava. They are always ready to render service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But by false prestige, when one tries to become master... Kṛṣṇa-bahirmukha hañā bhoga vāñchā kare. A master is supposed to be the supreme enjoyer of the establishment. But actually nobody is the enjoyer. Kṛṣṇa is the only enjoyer. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). He is the proprietor. So when we forget this relationship with Kṛṣṇa, that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa," then he becomes servant of the senses, or māyā. So by becoming servant of the senses he follows the dictation of the master senses and goes down to the darkest region of illusion and becomes subject to the punishment of Yamarāja. This is the substance.

Lecture on SB 6.2.2 -- Vrndavana, September 6, 1975:

So the Bhāgavata-dharma is spoken by Bhagavān Himself, Bhagavad-gītā. So He says that cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). The human society must be divided into four classes: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. He says. That is bhāgavata-dharma. If you abolish this, everyone is śūdra, no brāhmaṇa. That brāhmaṇa means guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ-guṇa, quality and action, not by birth. He never says, "by birth." Anyone who is qualified... Just like in ordinary life, anyone who is a qualified medical man, he is given the title "doctor," "medical practice," not that a doctor's son is necessarily a doctor. Even if he is a son of a doctor, still, he has to be educated as a medical man, then he will be accepted as doctor. This is bhāgavata-dharma. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). And in another place it is stated, yasya hi yad lakṣaṇaṁ proktaṁ varṇābhivyañjakam. It it said by Nārada Muni to Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, yasya hi yad lakṣaṇaṁ proktam. There are symptoms that he has... Here are the symptoms of a brāhmaṇa: satva śama dama titikṣa ārjavaṁ, jñāna-vijñāna āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). So then Nārada Muni said that yasya hi yad lakṣaṇaṁ proktam: "In the śāstra, as the symptoms are described, if such symptom," yadi anyatra vidṛśyeta, "if such symptoms are visible in other place," tat tenaiva vinirdiśet (SB 7.11.35), "if the symptoms of a brāhmaṇa is found in a place, other place than, either in the śūdra family or vaiśya family or kṣatriya family, then he should be accepted as a brāhmaṇa. Similarly if somebody in a brāhmaṇa family, his symptoms are like kṣatriya or vaiśya or śūdra, then he should be designated like that." So this is bhāgavata-dharma, strictly following the words and the injunction of God. That is bhāgavata-dharma. And that is real dharma.

Lecture on SB 6.2.11 -- Allahabad, January 16, 1971:

So this is the superexcellence of chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa or God. Here it is said that "Such description or prescription for performing ritualistic ceremony, they are not sufficient to purify a man." But if one chants the holy name of God, Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, yathā harer nāma-padair udāhṛtaiḥ, padaiḥ, once, once only, Kṛṣṇa, Rāma, Nārāyaṇa... So harer nāma, not other name, only harer nāma. Yathā harer nāma-padair udāhṛtaiḥ. Simply once chanting. Uttamaśloka-guṇopalambhakam. The purification of chanting harer nāma (CC Adi 17.21) means as soon as you chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa immediately you will see the form of Kṛṣṇa, you will realize the qualities of Kṛṣṇa, you will immediately remember the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa. That is pure chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. That is the commented by Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, that a pure devotee who chants Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, immediately all these—nāma, rūpa, guṇa, līlā, parikara, vasiṣṭha... Simply by chanting name you will feel the form of Kṛṣṇa: "Here is Kṛṣṇa." Nāma, rūpa, guṇa. "Here are the qualities. Oh, Kṛṣṇa is so qualified. He is so kind. He is so magnanimous." So many qualities you will remember. Nāma, rūpa, guṇa, līlā. Then His pastimes. "Oh, Kṛṣṇa instructed Arjuna. Kṛṣṇa played with His cowherd boys. Kṛṣṇa had very nice talks with the gopīs, with His Mother Yaśodā." These things will be remembered. That is factual perfection of chanting, that Ajāmila...

Lecture on SB 6.2.24-25 -- Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971:

So kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum. Perfection of life was attained in the Satya-yuga... Because in the Satya-yuga there is no disturbance. Every man is perfectly religious and peaceful, and therefore they could concentrate their mind focusing their mind on Viṣṇu. So this dhyāna, meditation, was possible in the Satya-yuga. Kṛte yad dhyāyato..., tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ. Then, next stage, next yuga is performance of sacrifices. People, the brāhmaṇas, were so powerful that they could give the desired result by performing sacrifices, and there were means of securing the ingredients. Just like tons of ghee is wanted. Where is ghee? It is all dalda. Where you can perform sacrifice? (laughter) Ghee is finished. You cannot secure even the ingredients. There is no qualified brāhmaṇa. Therefore yajña is not possible in this age. Kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ tretāyām..., dvāpare paricaryāyām (SB 12.3.52). And gorgeous temple worship according to the principle was possible perfectly in the Dvāpara-yuga. Our, this temple worship, Deity worship, we are following the principles of Deity worship because our ācāryas established temple, but main principle is chanting. Therefore, whatever we are doing, we offering prasādam to the Lord, we are having maṅgalārati, the main principle is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. This temple worship, it can be avoided, but we cannot avoid chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.

Lecture on SB 6.3.12-15 -- Gorakhpur, February 9, 1971:

So all these qualities, first-class brāhmaṇa, but still he is contaminated because he is proud: "I am this. I am this." That is material identification. That is... He is not free from the material identification. And this proud, this pride, when increases, then there is falldown, which has caused this falldown of the brāhmaṇas of this age. Unnecessarily they became pride and tried to dominate over the other classes. And they saw... Gradually they degraded in their qualities, and they saw, "Why this class of men..." That is being protested still—who are known to be brāhmaṇas, they should go over everyone. "We are also qualified." Therefore, instead of cooperation there was misunderstanding, and the whole structure of Vedic society became dismantled. The whole Vedic society. They are simply now proud: "I am brāhmaṇa. I am kṣatriya."

Lecture on SB 6.3.12-15 -- Gorakhpur, February 9, 1971:

Paṭhana-pāṭhana yajana-yājana. He should also worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and he should try to induce others to come to that position. Paṭhana-pāṭhana yajana-yājana dāna-pratigraha. The brāhmaṇa is offered donation. That is the system. But he not should keep it for his personal... As soon as he gets donation, he spends for some service of the Lord. Even a brāhmaṇa gets one lakh of rupees, next morning he is still a beggar because he does not keep anything for tomorrow. Everything depending on Kṛṣṇa, and he spends money like that. Paṭhana-pāṭhana yajana-yājana dāna-pratigraha. The brāhmana is, I mean to say, allowed. A brāhmaṇa is allowed to take charity from others—a sannyāsī and a brāhmaṇa. No other is allowed. Nowadays it is come, daridra-nārāyaṇa. Daridra. "The poor man become Nārāyaṇa; therefore he should be served." This nonsensical theory has come up by some nonsense. But actually a qualified brāhmaṇa should be given charity. A sannyāsī, Vaiṣṇava, should be given charity. That is sāttvika charity. And rājasika charity means to open hospital, schools. These are rājasika charity. And tāmasika charity means without any discrimination, a Bowery man given one rupee and immediately purchase a bottle of wine. So this is tāmasika charity. By tāmasika charity, one is degraded.

So śāstra says, ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ. He is not only... A brāhmaṇa, qualified brāhmaṇa, is expert in these six kinds of businesses, but he should be very much expert in chanting the Vedic mantras, hymns, mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ, very expert. And even he is expert in such way, if he is avaiṣṇava, if he has no tendency for rendering devotional service to the Lord, avaiṣṇavo gurur na sa syāt, he cannot be a guru. Even without... Even with all the qualifications, if he is avaiṣṇava... You will find, there are many brāhmaṇas, they are smārtas. They are called smārta, means they are under conclusion that "If we do nice Vedic..., perform nice Vedic rituals, then our duty is finished.

Lecture on SB 6.3.12-15 -- Gorakhpur, February 9, 1971:

So that sort of qualification is not very good qualification. One should be actually a surrendered soul. That will make him qualified. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām. Here it is said, spṛṣṭa-māyāḥ. Even such qualified brāhmaṇas, they are also spṛṣṭa-māyāḥ, contaminated by the touch of māyā, māyā-grasta. He is not free. But Kṛṣṇa says, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Only a fully surrendered soul to Kṛṣṇa is able to get out of the contamination of māyā. Therefore such surrendered soul can understand what is Kṛṣṇa, not others. Not others.

yaṁ vai na gobhir manasāsubhir vā

hṛdā girā vāsu-bhṛto vicakṣate

ātmānam antar-hṛdi santam ātmanāṁ

cakṣur yathaivākṛtayas tataḥ param

Tan māyā-mohitam, mohitād na jānanty ity uktam.

So the conclusion is that nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yogamāyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25). Kṛṣṇa says, "I am not revealed to everyone." Yogamāyā. Therefore very few persons can understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa does not reveal Himself. Those who are devotees... Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). Those who are actually devotees, dedicated the life and everything for Kṛṣṇa, for them only, Kṛṣṇa reveals: "Yes, I am like this." Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10). Those who are twenty-four hours engaged in the devotional service—not as a routine, but with faith and love—bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam. Not that official. Official, he cannot understand. But one who is serving the Deity with love and faith, to him only, Kṛṣṇa will reveal and He will give intelligence. Kṛṣṇa is very intelligent. Kṛṣṇa ye bhaje... Only intelligent men can worship Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 6.3.25-26 -- Gorakhpur, February 18, 1971:

Śrīdhara Svāmī says the bhāva-yogam... Sarvātmanā vidadhate khalu bhāva-yogaṁ syāt pātakam. So bhāva-yogam, bhakti-yogam amīṣāṁ pātakaṁ na syād eva yadi syād urugāyasya vāda-kīrtanam. Actually a devotee never commits any sinful activities. They are so careful, they are so sober, and because they are protected by Kṛṣṇa they never think of acting anything sinful. But sometimes it happens because this material world, sometimes we are prone to fall down. A devotee... Just like Arjuna. He was not willing to kill his kinsmen. Although he was so much insulted, he was bereft of his kingdom, his wife was insulted, still, he was thinking that "What is the use of killing my family members? Let them enjoy the kingdom. I shall better beg and live." He was thinking in that way because a devotee, yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). A devotee, a pure devotee, is naturally qualified with all good qualities. Automatically it comes as he becomes... Just like as a man suffering from fever decreases the degree of fever—he becomes healthy—similarly, with the increase of our degree of devotional service, naturally all the good qualities that is constitutionally existing in the pure soul... Pure soul, being part and parcel, it is naturally very pure. And Vedas says even when the soul is within the material existence, it is not mixed up. It remains always separate. Just like if you put a drop of oil in the water it does not mix—although it is in the water, it does not mix—similarly the spirit soul, part and parcel of God, Kṛṣṇa, although in the material world, he does not mix.

Lecture on SB 7.5.1, Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, January 12, 1973:

So Kṛṣṇa, by His Paramātmā feature, He is all-pervading. He is in all universes. He is all, everywhere, in the heart of all living entity. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ... Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). And He is also within the atom. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). Aṇor aṇīyān mahato mahīyān. This is Kṛṣṇa. So one has to understand Kṛṣṇa perfectly. So for preliminary study of Kṛṣṇa, there is Bhagavad-gītā, how to understand Kṛṣṇa. And next... Bhagavad-gītā is the ABCD, primary entrance to the understanding of spiritual life. This is ABCD. But people are so fallen that they cannot understand even ABCD, what to speak of becoming graduate or postgraduate. In this age people are so fallen. This Mahābhārata... Mahābhārata was given by Vyāsadeva for the less intelligent class of men: strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnāṁ trayī na śruti-gocarā (SB 1.4.25). Śruti means Vedas. Vyāsadeva considered that stri, woman; śūdra, the fourth-class men... Strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnām... Dvija-bandhu means those who are born in higher-class society—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya—but they are not qualified. They are simply proud of getting birth in higher families. They are called dvija-bandhu. They are equal to woman and the śūdra. Strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnāṁ trayī na śruti-gocarā. Trayī means the Vedas. Karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa, upāsana-kāṇḍa. There are three methods in understanding Vedas, and their language, their process, is very difficult.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 3, 1967:

These two qualifications. You have to find out that whether this man is coming from disciplic succession, śrotriyam... Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam: (BG 4.2) "By this disciplic succession, this science of Bhagavad-gītā was learned." So you have to approach the spiritual master who is coming down from that disciplic succession. Then he is bona fide. Not only... He may be coming, but if he has not understood, then simply accepting will not do. Then the next symptom is śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12). Brahma-niṣṭham means he is firmly fixed up. Nobody can deviate from his point of steadiness. These are the general. There are many other definition in different... And the disciple also, he must have also qualification to approach a spiritual master. It is not that because you have got a bona fide spiritual master, therefore you will be benefited. You must be also qualified.

What is that qualification? What is the disciple's qualification? That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). Śreya uttamam. Everyone is engaged for some temporary benefit, everyone in this world, you will find. Everyone is very busy. When you say, "Please come to our temple," "Sir, I am very busy." What is his business? The business is eating, sleeping, and mating. That's all, his business.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 3, 1967:

Certainly. Unless he is anxious to learn, what is the use of going to spiritual master? There is no need. That I already said. Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. One must be very inquisitive. But inquisitive about what? For the supreme benefit. He should be inquisitive to learn the supreme. Then he has the necessity of searching out or approaching a spiritual master. If there is no such demand, then there is no necessity of going to a spiritual master or accepting a spiritual master. A spiritual master should not be accepted as a matter of phobia(?). Just like you keep some pet dog or cat, similarly if you want to keep one spiritual master, there is no profit. You see? You must be qualified to in..., inquisitive to understand the spiritual science, and the spiritual master should be also qualified to answer your inquisitiveness. Then the relationship is nice, not one-sided. Yes?

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Boston, May 8, 1968:

In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find varṇa-saṅkara. Varṇa-saṅkara means population, unwanted population. What is the use of this population? Simply for living? The Bhāgavata says does the tree not live? The tree also lives for thousands of years. So do you mean to say living is very important thing? No. There are many trees they are living for thousands of years. So what is the value of living? If you say, "Oh, the tree lives, but it cannot breathe." Breathing. The Bhāgavata says the bellow, it breathes very nicely. "Well, the bellow can breathe, but it cannot eat." "Oh, the dogs and hogs, they do not eat?" There are so many questions and answers in the Bhāgavata. But actually, population, important population means who are conversant with the science of God. That is important population. Otherwise, what is the use of living? Śaṅkarācārya lived for 32 years, and Lord Jesus Christ, I think, he also lived similarly. Lord Caitanya lived for 48 years. But their philosophy and God consciousness is so important, they are still living. Kalpante sthayinā guṇāḥ. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita said, āyuṣaḥ kṣaṇa vidyanti. Āyuṣaḥ kṣaṇa vidyanti. Āyuṣaḥ means this duration of life, it can be finished at any moment, but kalpante sthayinā guṇāḥ. But if you are a qualified man then your qualities will be remembered for many, many thousands of years. Therefore live for the best qualities, to acquire the best qualities, God consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to engage a person in the service of Kṛṣṇa. Just like the temple is Kṛṣṇa's. You wipe out the floors, you decorate it, collect flowers, engage your eyes to hear about Kṛṣṇa, engage your tongue for chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. So engage your eyes to see the Deity, or engage your legs to go to the temple. In this way, if you engage your senses, present senses for Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then it becomes gradually purified and you... Kṛṣṇa becomes revealed. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva. You cannot see Kṛṣṇa but when you are anxious, when you are purified, Kṛṣṇa reveals Himself to you. By your eyes or..., if you say, "Kṛṣṇa, please come, I'll see You," that is not possible. Kṛṣṇa is not your order-supplier. He wants to see you, how much you are qualified to see Him. When you are qualified He'll reveal to you. He is everywhere. Simply you have to make your eyes to see Him. That's all. This is the process, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. He reveals.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

That is bhakti. You have to be free from all designation. Then when you begin service, then Kṛṣṇa reveals Himself. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ tam (BG 10.10). He is within you. He'll give you intelligence, "This is this. This is this. This is this. This is this." Why? When? Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-purvakam. "When he's in love and faith engaged in My service." Then? Why, otherwise, why Kṛṣṇa will talk with you? He is within you. That's all right. But He'll talk with you when you are qualified. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to make you qualified, qualified to talk with Kṛṣṇa, to see Kṛṣṇa, to understand Kṛṣṇa. And then tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma (BG 4.9). Then you, while quitting this body, no more you are going to accept any material body. You are directly transferred to Kṛṣṇa. Mām eti kaunteya. This is the simple process.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- New York, April 9, 1969:

In the fourth chapter, those who have read Bhagavad-gītā, you'll find, that Kṛṣṇa says, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). "First of all, I spoke this yoga system to Vivasvān." Vivasvān is the name of the controlling deity in the sun planet. There is also a president. As we have got many presidents, in the other higher planetary systems there is one president, and some of them is called the moon-god or the sun-god or the Varuṇa according to Vedic languages. They have got... Such post can be occupied by you also if you become qualified. Just like you can become the President. Similarly, you can also occupy the predominating post in the sun planet, in the moon planet, and all the other planets. That is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, devān deva-yājo yānti, that anyone who aspires after to be elevated to such planetary system which is inhabited by the demigods, they can go.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Hong Kong, April 18, 1972:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja, although he was born of a father who was atheist number one, godless, by the grace of Nārada Muni he became a great devotee. So his father was very careful that nobody comes and instructs his son about Vedic way of lfe or God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He was very careful not to allow anyone. He appointed teachers for his son, strictly prohibiting about... Just like nowadays it has become, what is called? Secular state. Don't talk of God. This is the present situation of the world, atheist class. Don't talk of God. But they do not know that they have not much improved by don't talk of God. The situation is becoming grimmer and grimmer. But they have no eyes to see. They have no eyes to see. This Godless civilization will not make them happy. That's a fact. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad guṇa manorathena asato dhāvato bahiḥ (SB 5.18.12). If one is Godless, then however qualified he may be from the material point of view, he is useless. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad guṇā. He cannot have any good quality. Why? Manorathena asato dhāvato bahiḥ. Because he is on the mental platform. So by speculation on the mental platform, he will accept which is not spiritual.

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

So when they are combined together, that is called sanātana-dharma. They do not know what is sanātana. They think that if I dress in a certain way and if I am born in a certain community, then I become sanātana-dharma. No. Everyone can become sanātana-dharma. But they do not know what is the meaning of sanātana. Every living entity is sanātana. And Kṛṣṇa, God is sanātana. And there is a place where we can meet together—that is sanātana dhāma. Sanātana dhāma, sanātana-bhakti, (indistinct), sanātana-dhāma. When it is executed, that is called sanātana-dharma. So what is that sanātana-dharma? Suppose I return to that sanātana-dhāma and there is God, sanātana, and I am sanātana. So what is our sanātana activities? Does it mean that when I go to sanātana-dhāma I become God? No. You do not become God. Because God is one. He's the Supreme Lord, Master, and we are servant. Caitanya Mahāprabhu: jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). So here every one of us, we are claiming to become Kṛṣṇa. But when you return to the sanātana-dhāma, then we—unless we are qualified we cannot go there—then we eternally engage in the service of the Lord. That is sanātana-dharma.

So you practice it. The sanātana-dharma means this bhakti-yoga. Because we have forgotten. Everyone is trying to become God. Now practice here how to become a servant of God. And if you are qualified, factually, that now you are rest assured that you have become a servant of God, that is bhakti-mārga. As Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, gopī-bhartur pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsa-dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ.

Lecture on SB 7.6.6-9 -- Montreal, June 23, 1968:

That requires practice. Kṛṣṇa is always with you. In this explanation of Prahlāda Mahārāja we shall come to that point. Kṛṣṇa is not without you. Aṇḍāntarasthaṁ paramāṇu-cayāntarastham. Kṛṣṇa is even within the atom. That is realization. One has to realize, and one has to talk with Kṛṣṇa. So that means he has to qualify himself. Just like in your body there are so many things—do you know everything? Do you know everything? Then? Do you know? You are eating, and how it is being transformed into blood? Can you see it? Then it requires knowledge. Similarly, by knowledge you will understand that Kṛṣṇa is with you. That is the mistake of this modern civilization. Everyone thinks, "I know everything. I don't require any authority to understand anything." But the Vedic literature, the Vedic civilization, they direct, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet: (MU 1.2.12) "If you want to understand that science, you must approach a bona fide spiritual master." This is very simple thing. If you want to learn engineering, then you must admit yourself in engineering college. If you want to be a medical man, you must admit yourself in a medical college. Similarly, if you want to understand Kṛṣṇa, then you must approach a person who knows Kṛṣṇa. It is not fanaticism or mental speculation. You have to learn the art scientifically. (starts playing karatālas and someone starts playing a melody on harmonium) What is that? Begin Hare Kṛṣṇa. (changes to Hare Kṛṣṇa melody on harmonium-kīrtana) (end)

Lecture on SB 7.9.3 -- Mayapur, February 17, 1977:

So everything is there. Don't think that God is zero. No. Śūnyavādi. Everything. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Athāto brahma jijñāsā. You are inquiring about Brahman. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). So there must be anger, not that God should be always peaceful. But the difference is His anger and His peaceful attitude produces the same result. Prahlāda Mahārāja, a devotee, He is very satisfied with Prahlāda Mahārāja and He is very much dissatisfied with his father, but result is the same: both of them got liberation. Although a devotee becomes associate whereas the demon who is killed by God, he does not become an associate... He is not qualified. But he enters into the spiritual kingdom. He gets liberation from this material bondage. So why a devotee should take the same position? Therefore, māṁ eti. Tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā viśate tad-anantaram. They viśate, enters, enters in the spiritual kingdom. Everyone who is liberated, he is entered.

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā

na śocati na kāṅkṣati

samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu

mad-bhaktiṁ labhate...

(BG 18.54)

But those who are devotees, they are allowed to enter into the planet, Vaikuṇṭha planet or Goloka Vṛndāvana planet. In this way one gets his original position. But if we do not take to bhakti, then we may enter into the Brahman effulgence, but there is chance of falling down. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho 'nādṛta-yusmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). So those who are impersonalist, they may enter into the spiritual kingdom.

Lecture on SB 7.9.6 -- Mayapur, February 26, 1977:

So that, the same kara kamala, was put on the head of Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlādāhlāda-dāyine. Prahlāda Mahārāja was feeling, "Oh, how blissful this hand." Not only feeling, but immediately all his material unhappiness, pangs, disappeared. This is the process of transcendental touch. We can have the same facility in this age. It is not that Prahlāda Mahārāja became immediately jubilant by the touch of the lotus palm of the Lord. You can have the same benefit immediately if we become like Prahlāda Mahārāja. Then it is possible. Kṛṣṇa is advaya-jñāna, so in this age Kṛṣṇa has descended in His sound vibration form: kali yuga nama rūpe kṛṣṇāvatāra. This age... Because these fallen men in this age, they are... They have no qualification. Mandāḥ. Everyone is bad. Nobody is qualified. They have no spiritual knowledge. Don't mind. In your Western country they are very much puffed up with material knowledge, but they have no spiritual knowledge. Perhaps in the history, for the first time in the history, they're getting some information of spiritual knowledge.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Hawaii, March 21, 1969:

So the torturing business of the demons is going on, going on. As soon as the demons finds somebody little weak, they will torture, weak, in their way. A devotee is not weak, but they think that "These devotees, they are weak. They cannot do any materialistic work. They cannot build skyscrapers. They cannot build a subtle machine. So they have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa." You see? They think like that. But actually, they know, the devotees know, what is this value of this materialistic advancement. People are not happy actually. Now, so far materialistic happiness is concerned, your country, America, is number one. You are all qualified boys and girls, I see. But still, if we calculate impartially, what is the advantage? The advantage: hand to mouth. You earn in the morning and eat in the evening—finished. You see? Such qualified boys that... I take, for example, Gaurasundara. He is thoughtful. He is educated. He knows so many things, artist. But for livelihood he has to go early in the morning and come late in the evening. So what is the result? This is the way of materialistic life. Life means that they should not work. Working hard, very hard working, that is the animal's business. The animal should be engaged to work hard for feeding, whole day. Just like the cow is standing here, sometimes eating this, sometime eating that, sometime eating that. What is the business? Only business: to fill up the belly. That's all.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Mayapur, February 15, 1976:

Dayānanda: Translation: "Prahlāda Mahārāja continued to offer his prayer as follows: How is it possible to offer suitable prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead by me, who is born into the family of asuras, because all the demigods and saintly persons could not satisfy Him till now, although such persons are exalted, very qualified, in the mode of goodness. Then what to speak of me? I am not at all qualified."

Prabhupāda:

prahrāda uvāca

brahmādayaḥ sura-gaṇā munayo 'tha siddhāḥ

sattvaikatāna-gatayo vacasāṁ pravāhaiḥ

nārādhituṁ puru-guṇair adhunāpi pipruḥ

kiṁ toṣṭum arhati sa me harir ugra-jāteḥ

(SB 7.9.8)

Ugra-jāteḥ. Ugra-jāteḥ, just like in Europe and America, we see, they are very much fond of ugra-karma, just like big, big factories, big, big bridges, wonderful. Long, long ago when the Britishers came here, they constructed big, big bridges, railway line. People thought, "It is wonderful." There is a song composed in Bihar. So when the Calcutta, the floating bridge made of wood, wooden bridge, floating bridge was constructed, connected Calcutta proper and Howrah, so there was big, wonderful song: ki apana banaylay sahat campani (?). There is song, ki apana banaylay sahat campani upara me ami cale, and..., just like that, nīche me pāni (?).

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Mayapur, February 15, 1976:

As you make association with the guṇas: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. If you associate with sattva-guṇa, then you get sad-janma next life. And if you associate with tamo-guṇa, then you get tamo-guṇa life. After death your so much prestigious position, so much proud—everything will be finished. Then you are completely under the laws of nature and you have to accept a body and..., according to your quality. This is the way. But they do not know. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "I am born in ugra-yoni, so how can I offer my prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead?" But he was born in the ugra family, but he was devotee. He's qualified because a devotee is neither belonging to any of these material qualities.

māṁ cāvyabhicāreṇa

bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate

sa guṇān samatītyaitān

brahma-bhūyāya kalpate

(BG 14.26)

Anyone who is engaged in devotional service, he does not belong to any of these material qualities. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān. All these qualities, he is transcendental. Brahma-bhūyāya kalpate. Prahlāda Mahārāja, although born of a demonic father, he was completely pure. He was completely on the transcendental stage. Therefore he could offer prayers to the Lord; others cannot. So a Vaiṣṇava is very humble. He... Although everyone has admitted that he is on the stage of prema, but he is a Vaiṣṇava. He's thinking that "I am the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu. How I can offer?" This is Vaiṣṇava humbleness. That is the teaching of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Mayapur, February 28, 1977:

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) "Translation: Prahlāda Mahārāja prayed: How is it possible for me, who have been born in a family of asuras, to offer suitable prayers to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead? Even until now, all the demigods, headed by Lord Brahmā, and all the saintly persons could not satisfy the Lord by streams of excellent words, although such persons are very qualified, being in the mode of goodness. Then what is to be said of me? I am not at all qualified."

Prabhupāda:

śrī prahlāda uvāca

brahmādayaḥ sura-gaṇā munaya 'tha siddhāḥ

sattvaikatāna-gatāyo vacasāṁ pravāhaiḥ

nārādhituṁ puru-guṇair adhunāpi pipruḥ

kiṁ toṣṭum arhati sa me harir ugra-jāteḥ

(SB 7.9.8)

So ugra-jāteḥ means demonic family, passionate. Ugra. There are three qualities within this material world. Therefore it is said guṇa-mayī. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī (BG 7.14). Guṇa-mayī means three guṇas, three modes of material nature: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa. So our mind is jumping. Everyone knows the nature of the mind, sometimes accepting one thing, again rejecting it, saṅkalpa-vikalpa. This is the quality of the mind or nature of the mind.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Mayapur, February 28, 1977:

Vaiṣṇava is always humble, meek and humble. That is Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava is powerful, but still he is very meek and humble. So here is the sign. Prahlāda Mahārāja is so qualified that immediately Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva put His hand on the head: "My dear child, you have suffered so much. Now be pacified." This is Prahlāda Mahārāja's position—immediately accepted by the Lord. But he's thinking, "I am so lowborn in the family of passionate family." Ugra-jāteḥ. He's not proud that "Now Nṛsiṁha-deva has touched my head. Ah. Who is like me? I am the greatest personality." This is not Vaiṣṇava. Sanātana Gosvāmī when he approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he presented himself, nīca jāti nīca karma nīca saṅgī: "I am born of very low grade family, and my duties are also very low grade, and my association are also very low grade." So Sanātana Gosvāmī was born in a very respectable brāhmaṇa family, but because he accepted the service of Muhammadan king, actually he lost his all brahminical culture. He did not lose, but superficially it appeared because he was mixing with the Muhammadans, eating with them, sitting with them, talking with them. But he gave up. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tuccha. He understood, "What I am doing? I am committing suicide." Jāniyā śuniyā viṣa khāinu. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says that "I am taking poison knowingly." Unknowingly one may take poison, but if knowingly one takes poison, that is very regrettable.

Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Montreal, July 4, 1968:

Prahlāda Mahārāja is submitting his humbleness, because he has practically experienced that all great personalities present in that meeting, headed by Brahmā, the original person, original created person, as well as all other demigods, they are all highly qualified, but they could not satisfy the Lord. Therefore he says, "I think that any kind of material qualification, such as tejaḥ, prabhāva, influence, strength, bodily beauty, tejaḥ, prabhāva, pauruṣa, capacity, buddhi, intelligence, yoga, mystic power, and all similar qualifications"—they are divided into six opulences: strength, influence, fame, and beauty, knowledge, renunciation—"these six kinds of opulences are fully present in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So how you can conquer over the Supreme Personality of Godhead by all these material qualifications?" Suppose if you are going to see some gentleman who is very rich, just like Rockefeller, and suppose you are drawing, say, one thousand dollars per month, or say five thousand dollars. So how we can become proud of your opulence before a very rich man? So Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, means that nobody can excel Him in richness, in fame, in strength, in beauty, in wisdom, and renunciation. However you may exhibit or manifest your opulences, still it is very insignificant. We can practically experience. Just like this very nice city, perhaps the greatest city in the world, New York, with so many skyscraper buildings, industrial enterprises, everything very opulent. But as soon as you go seven miles or eight miles high by airplane, you will see just like they are matchboxes.

Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Montreal, July 6, 1968:

Simply one has to follow. The same thing is confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And Prahlāda Mahārāja also is confirming here, viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād aravinda-nābha pādāravinda-vimukhāt śvapacaṁ variṣṭham: "My dear Lord, I think a śvapacam, śvapacaṁ variṣṭham..." Śvapaca means... Śvapacaṁ variṣṭham. Śvapaca. Śva means dog, and pacati, one who cooks dog. That means for eating purpose. They are called caṇḍālas, dog-eaters. In India still, in the Assam side, there are still dog-eaters. They enjoy kukurrpita. Kukurrpita. They make a kind of cake by burning a dog. So they are called śvapaca. Śvapaca means dog-eaters. So Prahlāda Mahārāja says, viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutāt. Viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād aravinda-nābha pādāravinda-vimukhāt. A brāhmaṇa who has got full qualification, twelve qualification, satya-śamo-damas-titikṣa ārjavaṁ kṣanti, jñāna-vijñānam āstikyam... Brāhmaṇa means very qualified, a first-class man, all qualified. So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that "If a brāhmaṇa, even though he is qualified with all the twelve qualities, but if he is not a devotee, then I think a caṇḍāla who is born of a family of dog-eaters, if he is devotee, he is variṣṭham. He is glorious. He is glorious." Viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād aravinda-nābha pādāravinda-vimukhāt śvapacaṁ variṣṭham. That is the opinion of all great sages. There are many such passages. Śvapacaṁ variṣṭham. Caṇḍālo 'pi dvija-śreṣṭhā hari-bhakti-parāyaṇaḥ.

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

So Prahlāda Mahārāja, he says, "I think." So whatever he thinks, we have to accept. That is very nice. And what he thinks? He thinks, manye viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād aravinda-nābha pādāravinda-vimukhāt, śvapacaṁ variṣṭham. He says that "If a brāhmaṇa..." Brāhmaṇa is considered to be the highest qualified man in the human society. Why? Because he has got twelve qualification. We don't speak brāhmaṇa by birth. Brāhmaṇa does not become by birth. Brāhmaṇa is a qualification. That is the injunction of Vedic literatures. The most intelligent man is called brāhmaṇa. And how his intelligence is exhibited? There are twelve qualities. If you find those twelve qualities in any person... It doesn't matter whether it is in India or in Czechoslovakia or anywhere. Simply you have to find out whether that man is qualified. These qualifications are stated in Bhagavad-gītā also: satyam śaucam sam dama titikṣā ārjavam, jñānam vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jaṁ (BG 18.42). If a person is a brāhmaṇa, then his natural qualification will be like this. What is that? Satyam: he is truthful. In any circumstances he will be truthful. Even to an enemy he will disclose the secret, "This is the fact." That is truthfulness, not that I am very truthful, but when my interest is jeopardized, I tell lie. That is not truthfulness. Truthfulness means at any circumstances one will speak the plain truth. That is truthfulness.

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

So śaucam, satyaṁ śaucaṁ śamaṁ damaṁ titikṣā ārjavam. Simplicity. A brāhmaṇa should be very simple, not gorgeous. He wants to live, so he wants to eat something, not for the taste of the tongue but just to keep the body and soul together. He must eat nice things. There are nice things, grains, fruits, milk. Why should he take meat? If there are, by nature's products, so many nice things, why one should kill another animal? Desire(?), of course, serves (?). Titikṣā, ārjavam, and jñānam. Not that simply become qualified, but these qualification are stepping stone to jñānam. Jñānam means knowledge. And vijñānam. Vijñānam means practical application. Just like in the science class there is theoretical knowledge and practical knowledge. Theoretical knowledge—if you mix hydrogen and oxygen gas, there is water. But we have to experiment it in the laboratory, mix so many parts of hydrogen and so many parts of oxygen, and actually, when we see there is water, then your knowledge is perfect. So not theoretical knowledge but practical application. Jñānam, vijñānam, and āstikyam. Āstikyam means faith in God, faith in scripture. That is called āstikyam. According to Vedic version, āstikyam means faith in the Vedas. Nobody can refute the Vedas. That is called faith, no argument.

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

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that viprād dvi-ṣad-guṇa-yutādaravinda-nabha. Even a brāhmaṇa, qualified brāhmaṇa who has all these brahminical qualifications, but he is not a devotee of the Lord... There are many good, qualified persons, but they do not on of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Materially, one may be very much highly qualified. Academically, one may be very highly qualified. But if one is not a believer, faithful, or is not accepting the existence of God, or God the Supreme, he is called atheist, and Prahlāda Mahārāja does not say atheist, but he says that "Even one has got all these good qualifications, but if he is not qualified with the faith in God, or not becoming a devotee of God, then he is nonqualified. He is rejected." You may take his qualification in consideration, but Prahlāda Mahārāja says he is rejected from Kṛṣṇa consciousness for that one disqualification, that he is not a devotee of God. Similarly, in other places it is also confirmed that yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ: "If one is simply unflinching faithful devotee of the Lord, then he develops all the good qualification of demigods." Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā: (SB 5.18.12) "If one is not devotee of the Lord, then he has no good qualification." Why? Because manorathenāsato dhāvato bahiḥ: "Because he is hovering on the mental plane.

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

But a person who is simply proud of his material qualification, bhūrimānaḥ... Bhūrimānaḥ means puffed up, Mr., Dr. Frog, puffed up: "Oh, I am such and such. I am such and such." So he cannot purify himself, what to speak of his family. No. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice that if one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, he purifies himself. Never mind wherever he is born. It doesn't matter. He is more than a brāhmaṇa, viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa, with all the qualifications. This is certified by Prahlāda Mahārāja. We have to accept it. Nobody can say that this Kṛṣṇa consciousness... There are many so-called, I mean to say, brāhmaṇas. They may say like that, that "How Kṛṣṇa conscious can be spread up in the Western countries?" No. That is not the fact. That fact, as it is said by Prahlāda Mahārāja: even the lowest of the lowest can be purified. There are many other statements. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā (SB 2.4.18). The list has been given. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice that anyone who takes to this principle, he becomes greater than the highly qualified brāhmaṇa. That is the statement of Prahlāda Mahārāja.

Thank you very much. (break) ... questions (break)

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Montreal, July 10, 1968:

This verse we have been discussing. (aside:) You can open. So vipra. Vipra means one who is fully conversant with Vedic knowledge. He is called vipra. For spiritual elevation there are gradual evolutionary stages. So vipra stage is just before becoming a qualified brāhmaṇa. That is called vipra. The first stage, by birth everyone is śūdra. Śūdra means affected by the miseries of this world. He is śūdra. Śocati. The material condition is full of anxiety, so anyone who is full of anxiety, he is śūdra. This is the... So if you analyze the present society, that who is not anxiety, full of anxiety, oh, nobody will say that "I am not full of anxiety." "I have got so many anxieties." So that means he is a śūdra. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ: "In this age, everyone is śūdra." That is concluded. A brāhmaṇa is not afraid. He is not anxious because he is dependent on God. He knows that "I have surrendered unto God completely, and He is all-powerful. Therefore I have no anxiety." Just like a small child, he has no anxiety. Why? Because he is completely dependent on the parents. He knows confidently that in any danger, "Oh, my mother is there." As soon as he feels there is some danger, "Mother!" That's all. Finished. Similarly, one who is completely confident that "The supreme father is there. He will protect me, give me protection," so he has no anxiety. Nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve na kutaścana bibhyati (SB 6.17.28). When one is fully confident about God consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is not afraid, not even afraid of death, because he knows that he has no death. He is eternal.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Montreal, July 10, 1968:

He is conversant with the science of religion. He knows what is God, what is Brahman. He is self-controlled. He is not sensual. So many good qualities. So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that "Even one has attained the stage of becoming a vipra, and he has acquired all the good qualities required for becoming a vipra, but if he is lacking one quality..." What is that? Viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutā aravinda-nābha pādāravinda-vimukhāt: "But he is adverse to God consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He has got all the good qualities, he has studied Vedas, but if he is not God conscious..." Pādāravinda. Aravinda-nābha pādāravinda. Aravinda-nābha. Nabha means this navel, and aravinda means lotus. You know that the creation is made by the navel of Viṣṇu, the first sprouting of the lotus flower-like planet, and there is Brahmā, and he creates other things. So therefore, aravinda-nābha, "the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose navel has the lotus flower," aravinda-nābha. And pādāravinda: "And His feet is also just like lotus, aravinda." Aravinda-nābha aravinda-pāda. That means Supreme Personality of Godhead. So a vipra, a qualified person with all good qualities, material qualities, if he is lacking the simple quality that he is not conversant with the science of God, vimukhāt, he is not very serious to understand what is God... That is the position.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Montreal, July 10, 1968:

No. A vipra, because he is studying... Vipra means one who is engaged in the studies of Vedas. That is... Veda-pathād bhaved vipraḥ. So if he is studying Vedas, then must be qualified with all the good qualities. Because just like Bhagavad-gītā, it is said that "These are the good qualities." So study means to accept the instruction. Study does not mean simply to become a book... No. Study means to apply practically in life what you learn from the Vedas. So if anyone is seriously studying, then naturally he is qualified with all the good qualities. Yes. No. You can say.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Montreal, July 12, 1968:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "One who has dedicated these three things, mind, body, and words, to the service of the Lord, I think he is best." How best? Viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād. He's better or the best than anyone. In this material world the brāhmaṇa, the most intellectual person with twelve good qualifications Satya, sama, dama. He's truthful, he's controller of the senses, controller of the mind, he is simple, he is tolerant, he is full of knowledge, he is full of scientific knowledge, he knows everything of Vedas. These are the qualities of a brāhmaṇa. But Prahlāda Mahārāja says that in spite of having all these qualities, if one is aravinda-nābha-pādāravinda-vimukhāt, if one is averse to the service of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then, even though he's a qualified brāhmaṇa, even though he's the most intellectual person, he is rejected. And better than him is he who even born of a very low family, śvapacam. Śvapacam means the dog-eaters. The dog-eaters. There are different kinds of flesh eaters. So there are dog-eaters also. That I have already explained, that dog-eaters are considered the lowest of the mankind.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Montreal, July 12, 1968:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja also says the same thing, that "I consider that person is better than the so-called qualified brāhmaṇa because his endeavors are engaged in the service of the Lord." Śvapacaṁ variṣṭham. Prāṇaṁ punāti sa kulaṁ na tu bhūrimānaḥ. A highly qualified materialistic person, he's proud of his qualification. Anyone. There are four things to become proud: janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī (SB 1.8.26). If one is born in very good family, high family, aristocratic family or rich family, he is proud. He's always proud. And one who is very wealthy, he's also very proud. And one who is very beautiful, he is also proud. And one who is very learned, a great scholar, he is also very proud. So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that what this pride will help him? You may remain a very proud man, full of pride so long this body is there. That's all. As long the body is finished, your designation as Rockefeller finished. Your degree, M.A., Ph.D., finished. Your beautiful body finished. Your aristocratic family finished. Then you have to take another platform according to your work. If you have done works like again aristocratic or learned activities, then you get similar body.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Mayapur, February 17, 1976:

Dayānanda: "Prahlāda Mahārāja continued to think that a brāhmaṇa who has qualified himself with all the brahminical qualities, twelve in number, as they are stated in the book known as Sanat-sujāta, such a brāhmaṇa, if he is not a devotee and averse to the lotus feet of the Lord, he is especially lower than a devotee who is a dog-eater even, but his mind, words, activities, wealth, and life—everything is dedicated to the Supreme Lord. Such a low person is better than a brāhmaṇa as above mentioned because such lowborn person can purify his whole family, whereas a so-called brāhmaṇa falsely in prestigious position cannot purify himself."

Prabhupāda:

viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād aravinda-nābha-

pādāravinda-vimukhāt śvapacaṁ variṣṭham

This is the verdict of the śāstra. Śvapacaṁ variṣṭham.

manye tad-arpita-mano-vacanehitārtha-

prāṇam punāti sa kulaṁ na tu bhūrimānaḥ

(SB 7.9.10)

Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). This is Prahlāda Mahārāja's instruction, that don't be falsely proud unless you have got the qualification. That is our mistake, dambha, dambha. And the pure life begins when we give up dambha, false prestige. Adambhitvam amānitvam ahiṁsā kṣāntiḥ ārjavam. This is the begin... One who is falsely proud, he is... (aside:) What is that sound? One should not be falsely proud. Everyone... Material world means everyone is falsely proud.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Mayapur, February 17, 1976:

So śvapacaṁ variṣṭham. Who is that śvapaca? Now, who has given everything to Kṛṣṇa, tri-daṇḍa. That means even a person coming out of the family of a śvapaca, dog-eaters, dog-eaters, pig-eaters, yes... Śvapaca, means dog-eater. Yes. Pig-eaters are also better. But the dog-eaters, they are the lowest. I think in China and Korea they are very much fond of dog-eating. So they are the lowest. So if... So here it is proof that dog-eaters or pig-eaters or any low-grade man is not prohibited to become a devotee. That is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. They say that without becoming a Hindu or born in India, nobody can become brāhmaṇa, nobody can become sannyāsī. But here is the proof. In the śāstra it says, śvapacaṁ variṣṭham. The dog-eater is also highly praised. When? Tad-arpita-mano-vacana: "When he sacrifices everything—his body, his mind, his words—only for Kṛṣṇa." This is called tri-daṇḍa-sannyāsa. So why the low-grade man cannot be offered tri-daṇḍa if he is qualified? If he has dedicated everything to Kṛṣṇa, why he should be prohibited? No. That is not the śāstric injunction. Śāstric injunction is for anyone. Nobody is prohibited to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32), Kṛṣṇa says. Kṛṣṇa says even pāpa-yoni, less than the śūdra... Śūdra is also pāpa-yoni. Even woman is called pāpa-yoni according to strict... Striyaḥ śūdras tathā vaiśya. Vaiśya. Except brāhmaṇa and kṣatriyas, everyone is considered to be lowborn, according to the Vedic injunction. But not that because he is lowborn, he cannot elevate himself. That is not the fact. The present, so-called Hindu society is degraded because if one is born in higher family, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya—he may be less than a śvapaca—he's accepted as a brāhmaṇa. That is the fault.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Mayapur, February 17, 1976:

So here Prahlāda Mahārāja said the dvādaśa-guṇa. The dvādaśa-guṇa is dharmaś ca, dharmasya satyaṁ ca dhāmaś ca tapaś ca amātsarya hi titiksa-anusūyava-yajñāś ca dānaṁ dhṛtiḥ sutaṁ ca vratāni vai dvādaśa brāhmaṇasya. So one must be qualified with these twelve qualities. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is given, nine qualities, so, śama dama satyaṁ śaucam, jñānam-vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma sva-bhāva... So you cannot become a brāhmaṇa simply by becoming a son of a brāhmaṇa. That is not possible. That is not the injunction. Just like you cannot become a high-court judge simply by becoming the son of a high-court judge. No. You must be qualified how to become a high-court judge. Then you'll be accepted. Not that... You cannot say, "I am... My father is high-court judge. I am high-court judge." That is going on. No. So here are the qualities of a brāhmaṇa, dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād viprāt. Must be there, twelve qualities, at least nine qualities. Then you become a brāhmaṇa. And Nārada Muni supports this in another place, that,

yasya hi yal lakṣaṇaṁ proktaṁ

(puṁso) varṇābhivyāñjakam

yad anyatrāpi dṛśyeta

tat tenaiva vinirdiśet

(SB 7.11.35)

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Mayapur, February 17, 1976:

Nārada Muni said, the greatest authority. He said that these are the qualities of brāhmaṇa, as described. If these qualities are found elsewhere, anyatra... Suppose a man is born in the śūdra family, but he had developed these qualities. Then he should be called a brāhmaṇa. And suppose a person is born in the brāhmaṇa family but he has acquired the qualities of śūdra or caṇḍāla. Then he should be called caṇḍāla. This is Nārada Muni's statement. And Śrīdhāra Swami gives his comment upon this śloka, that birth is not primary; the qualities are primary.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja also explained. Prahlāda means in the Satya-yuga, long, long, millions and millions... The principles was this, that simply born in a brāhmaṇa family, he does not become, even with qualities... He must be a devotee. And a devotee, if he, even if he's born in a family of dog-eaters, he is variṣṭham. He is fully qualified. We shall discuss again.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)

Lecture on SB 7.9.10-11 -- Montreal, July 14, 1968:

So apart from village, a Vaiṣṇava born in a family can give the best service to his family because he purifies. Sa-kulam. The host of his ancestors and forefathers, everyone is purified. Na tu bhūrimānaḥ. But the person who is simply proud of being born of a brāhmaṇa family, and even if he has all the good qualities of a brāhmaṇa, but if he's simply proud, he has not engaged his qualification in understanding Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Prahlāda Mahārāja says that he is useless. Better than him is he who has engaged his everything, prāṇair arthair dhiyā vācā. Everything means I have got my body, I have got my mind, I have got my words. I can serve you by my words, just like I am serving you. Somebody can serve by his mind, somebody can serve by his bodily service. So everything should be engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then he is glorious. He is glorious. He is better than that person who is simply materially qualified and proud of his material qualification and acquisition but does not engage himself in the service of the aravinda-nābha, Viṣṇu.

Lecture on SB 7.9.11 -- Montreal, August 17, 1968:

Now in the previous verse it has been explained that neither any material opulence, nor a qualified brāhmaṇa with twelve high qualifications can satisfy the Lord simply by such acquisition. One can satisfy the Lord simply by love and devotional service. Why? Doesn't He not... Then why so much opulence is created in erecting nice temple or churches and so much money is expended? Does it not satisfy the Lord? Why they are spending so much money? The modern economist says that this is unproductive investment. Because if you construct a very big temple... Just like in India we have got many temples, especially in South India, each of them is just like a fort, very big fort. There is a temple in Raṅganātham, it is a few miles temple. There are seven gates. Very big temple. Many other temples. Similarly, in your country also there are many nice churches. I have traveled all over America, and I have seen very big churches. Here also, in Montreal, there are many big churches. So why they are spending so much money, although the modern economist will say it is nonproductive investment?

Lecture on SB 7.9.11-13 -- Hawaii, March 24, 1969:

Kalau, kalau, in this age, you cannot find a man perfectly purified or this, anyway. That is not possible. Therefore you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and that will help you, the process of purification. Therefore this is the only system at the present moment that one can be purified completely simply by chanting. Completely. Complete purification means to be situated in pure spiritual life. That is complete purification. Yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ sa bāhyābhyantaraḥ śuciḥ. Śuci means purified. The brāhmaṇa—not this caste brāhmaṇa, but actually, those who are brāhmaṇa, qualified brāhmaṇa—they are called śuci, purified, purified.

So this purification, how it is done? Now, yaḥ smaret, "one who remembers," puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ, "Kṛṣṇa, always," sa bāhya, means "externally," and abhyantaram, "internally," śuci, "purified." So if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa always, either loudly or silently or within yourself, mind, if you chant, so there is no question of impurification. It is... You remain always in, what is called, antiseptic stage, or prophylactic stage. Purification is there simply by remembering Kṛṣṇa. Yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ sa bāhyābhyantaraḥ śuciḥ. There is another verse. The purport of that verse is that simply by pronouncing this transcendental vibration, one becomes so purified that immediately he becomes eligible to operate sacrificial, ritualistic ceremonies.

Lecture on SB 7.9.14 -- Mayapur, February 21, 1976:

Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī has recommended that laukika-guru... This is laukika-guru. Parityāgena adhyātmika paramārthika, guru accepted. Guru has to be accepted who is actually paramārthika, advanced in spiritual knowledge, not the formality. That is recommended by Jīva Gosvāmī. Parityāgena. Parityāga vidhīyate. Śāstra says, "If the guru does not know the right thing, he can be given up." So what is the right thing? Right thing is to become devotee. First of all the sastric injunction is that anyone who is not a devotee, he cannot become guru. He cannot become guru. Avaiṣṇava, he cannot become guru. He must be a Vaiṣṇava. Then he... Ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ. A brāhmaṇa, born in a brāhmaṇa family, not brāhmaṇa but in a brāhmaṇa family, or even brāhmaṇa, because qualified, ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇaḥ... Brāhmaṇa has six kinds of livelihood, sat-karma. Paṭhana pāṭhana yajana yājana dāna-pratigraha. A brāhmaṇa, well qualified, he must be a very learned scholar, paṭhana. And he must be able to make his disciple also very learned. Paṭhana pāṭhana. He must worship the Deity, yajana yājana. And he should worship for others also, yajana yājana. Dāna-pratigraha: he should accept charity from disciples and others, and again distribute it. Dāna-pratigraha. A brāhmaṇa is supposed to be..., always remain a beggar. Even if he gets lakhs and lakhs of rupees, he spends it for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the sign of brāhmaṇa. So even such brāhmaṇa, if he's not Vaiṣṇava, then he cannot become a guru. Avaiṣṇava.

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

Now you select where you want to go. If you want to go to the higher planetary system, you can go. Then take shelter of the demigods. Worship Indra, Candra, Varuṇa. They are trying to go to the moon planet, but one cannot go there unless he's qualified to go there. Deva-vratān. There is prescription how you can go to the Candraloka. In karma-kāṇḍīya vicāra, fruitive activities, if one executes fruitive activities very nicely, he's promoted to the Candraloka. He gets there life for ten thousands of years, and he's given opportunity of drinking soma-rasa. So this is saṁsāra-cakra, not that if you go to the higher planetary system you become happy. No. That is not possible. Kṛṣṇa says,

ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokān

punar āvartino 'rjuna

yad gatvā na nivartante

tad dhāmaṁ paramam

Even if you go to the Brahmaloka, from down, Pātāla, up to Brahmaloka... You can go there if you want. Kṛṣṇa is very, very kind. He has given you chance because you wanted to come here and enjoy material world. Kṛṣṇa says, "All right, go." So beginning from Brahmā down to the insignificant worm in the stool, they are coming down and going up, coming down. This is going on. This is called saṁsāra-cakra, cycle of birth and death. That is going on perpetually.

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

So this is calling Arjuna. So Prahlāda Mahārāja expecting, "When the Lord will call me?" That is real mercy. You cannot call God, or Kṛṣṇa, "Please come to me and save me." Kṛṣṇa is not your servant; He does not agree to be your servant. But when He's pleased, He says, He calls you, "Please come and surrender unto Me." Therefore we must expect, "When the master will call me?" Don't try to see God, but act in such a way that God will call you, "Please come here." That is wanted. That is bhakti, not that "O God, please come. I will see you." Why God will come to see you? He is very busy. What you have done that you want to see God? If you say, "O Indira Gandhi, please come here. I'll see you," she will come? Be qualified, and she will see you. Similarly, don't try... This is not bhakti. Nacia nacia aire gopāla.(?) No. Gopāla is not anyone's servant that He'll come dancing and dancing. You be qualified, and He'll see you. He'll call you, "Yes, come back. Come back home, back to home, back to Godhead." Be qualified. (aside:) Why you are standing? Stand. Yes.

Lecture on SB 7.9.26 -- Mayapur, March 4, 1976:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja is appreciating that "I am worthless. I have no qualification." That should be the position of the bhaktas always. Never we should think that "I have become a big bhakta." No. Caitanya-caritāmṛta author says humbly, puriṣera kīṭa haite muñi se laghiṣṭha: (CC Adi 5.205) "I am lower than the worm in the stool." Does it mean that he is actually? No. But he's feeling like that. An advanced devotee, they're always so humble and meek, they always think of himself as worthless. And still, the Lord is so kind and favorable. That is His causeless mercy, that "I am not qualified, I am not worthy of this facility." This is the humbleness. Kvāhaṁ rajaḥ-prabhava īśa tamo 'dhike 'smin. "Not only I am influenced by rajo-guṇa, but mostly, seventy-five percent, I am infested with tamo-guṇa." Adhika. Akhika means "in larger quantity." And there is no question of sattva-guṇa. Adhika 'smin jātaḥ sure... "Otherwise why I am born in this family?" That is the test. Now they are... By force they are trying to be equal. Of course, in this age everyone is śūdra. That is an... Otherwise lowborn means this differentiation of different low qualities. By nature it will give. I have several times explained that as you infect a certain type of contaminous disease, you get that, you suffer from that. So the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, then antaja, (?) caṇḍāla, mean, so many, kirāta, hūṇa, pulinda, pulkaśā, abhīra, śumbha—so many, low-grade, low-grade, low-grade, low-grade, low-grade. Then why this low-grade birth? That is due to this kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya (BG 13.22). In the Bhagavad-gītā it says. It is due to our association with low-grade qualities.

Lecture on SB 7.9.28 -- Mayapur, March 6, 1976:

So these are the ways. You cannot understand by your erudite scholarship what is Kṛṣṇa. It is not possible. Then Kṛṣṇa would have instructed Bhagavad-gītā to..., finding out a very great Vedantist. No. Kṛṣṇa found Arjuna. What was Arjuna? Arjuna was a gṛhastha. Arjuna was a kṣatriya, and although a soldier... A soldier is not expected to become a Vedantist. We recruit soldiers not from the Vedantists' group. One who can fight, one who has got strength—we recruit soldier. So Arjuna was not very qualified in that way to understand Bhagavad-gītā or instruction, but Kṛṣṇa said, "Yes, I will speak, speak to you. This Bhagavad-gītā, the paramparā is lost, so I shall again speak the old thing to you." "Why to me?" Bhakto 'si priyo 'si me: (BG 4.3) "Because you are My bhakta. You are My priya." So by scholarship one cannot understand Bhagavad-gītā. That is not possible. One must become a servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa (CC Madhya 13.80). Then one can understand what is Bhagavad-gītā. Otherwise it (is) not possible.

Lecture on SB 7.9.34 -- Mayapur, March 12, 1976:

So Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. But why you cannot see? Antar-bahir-avasthitam. Kṛṣṇa is within and without. If He is within every atom, then atoms are there, outside and inside. So antar-bahiḥ, He is situated. Anyone can see Him, but He cannot be seen to the nondevotee. He cannot be... Nāyaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ. He is not exposed to everyone. He is simply exposed to the devotee. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayan... (Bs. 5.38). The nondevotee cannot see. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya (BG 7.25). Unless Kṛṣṇa agrees to be seen, you cannot see. It is not possible. You cannot force Him to be seen by You. No, that is not possible. Svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. He... When He likes, He'll be seen by you, not that you can force Him. You cannot say that "Now I am qualified. Kṛṣṇa must come, and I'll see Him." That is not possible. We are never qualified unless Kṛṣṇa agrees to be seen by you. This is the... Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ: (BG 7.25) "Everyone cannot see Me." Yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ: "I am covered, I am veiled by the yoga-māyā." Yoga-māyā will not allow you to see unless you are devotee. Therefore Kṛṣṇa confirms this fact: bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). If you want to know Kṛṣṇa, God, as He is, then you must practice devotional life. Then He'll be seen. Bhaktyā mām, yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ. To know Kṛṣṇa ordinarily—"Oh, Kṛṣṇa was born in India, in Mathurā. He's the son of such and such, and He was very big man"—that is not tattvataḥ. Tattvataḥ means as He is, sac-cid-ānanda vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Anādir ādir govindaḥ sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1).

Lecture on SB 7.9.39 -- Mayapur, March 17, 1976:

So first of all we have to try to come to the platform of goodness. There are three platforms: tamo-guṇa, rajo-guṇa and sattva-guṇa. So immediately we cannot come to the pure sattva-guṇa, śuddha-sattva. Sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vāsudeva-śabditam, vasudeva platform... Just like Vasudeva is the father of Kṛṣṇa, so there is vasudeva platform also. Unless one comes to the vasudeva platform, there is no question of Kṛṣṇa, because Vasudeva can beget Kṛṣṇa, or Vāsudeva. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). So actually we have to come to the platform of Vāsudeva, Vāsudeva-śabditam, and that is śuddha-sattva. But it is not immediately possible. Therefore gradually, from the platform of tamo-guṇa and rajo-guṇa, we have to come to the sattva-guṇa. Or in other words, we have to acquire the qualities of a brāhmaṇa. Therefore this is initiation, how to bring one to the platform of brāhmaṇa. Catur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). So this is necessary. From this material platform to come to the spiritual platform one has to become a qualified brāhmaṇa.

Lecture on SB 7.9.48 -- Vrndavana, April 3, 1976:

Simply we have to purify our vision to see Kṛṣṇa in every atom, everywhere, whatever we... That is the highest perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and it is described in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, sthāvara-jaṅgama dekhi nā dekhe tāra mūrti, sarvatra sphūraya tāra iṣṭa deva mūrti (CC Madhya 8.274). When one is fully advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he sees this world... The world is full of sthāvara-jaṅgama. Some things, some articles, are moving; some articles are not moving. Just like tree—it is not moving, but an animal is moving. This is sthāvara-jaṅgama. So he is seeing the tree or the animals or the hill or the water or the river or the ground. So because he is advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he sees nothing but Kṛṣṇa everywhere. Sthāvara-jaṅgama dekhi nā dekhe tāra mūrti. He does not see anything else except Kṛṣṇa. And actually that is the fact. Simply we have to purify our eyes, then we can see in everything. He is in the atom even. Aṇḍāntara-sthaṁ paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham. But because we are not qualified, therefore we cannot see. One who is qualified, he can see. There is no question of seeing Kṛṣṇa in a particular place.

Lecture on SB 7.9.51 -- Vrndavana, April 6, 1976:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja is such qualified devotee. Therefore, by his prayer, the Lord immediately became pleased. Prītaḥ. Prītaḥ. As soon as one is satisfied, naturally he will come out of(?) his angry mood. This is natural. Prītaḥ yata-manyur abhāṣata. We can speak very nicely when we are not disturbed in mind or we are not in angry mood. In this way, Prahlāda Mahārāja was accepted. He was accepted (indistinct), especially by his prayer, which is nirguṇa. (Sanskrit) So we should always remember that nirguṇa means without any material qualities. Material quality is saguṇa, "with the material qualities." So nirguṇa means without any material qualities. So karma, jñāna, and yoga, they are all material qualities. Only bhakti is spiritual. Even in that bhakti, if you bring in karma, jñāna, or yoga, then it is mixed; it is not pure. Therefore, Rūpa Gosvāmī gives definition of bhakti, anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). Anyābhilāṣitā means no more jñāna and yoga. If you want to be profited(?), bhakti-yoga or some yogic (indistinct)... The yogis, they (indistinct). If one thinks that because being a bhakta I shall also show some wonderful thing, then it is not nirguṇa, it is saguṇa. If you take it that "I shall become a devotee, I shall get all the material comfort," that is the desire of the karmīs, (indistinct). This is mixed up. So long you are mixed up, you will get whatever you desire.

Lecture on SB 7.9.52 -- Vrndavana, April 7, 1976:

So one has to become devotee. If you want to become bhadra, gentleman, you must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise it is not possible. Otherwise it is not possible. You are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, at the same time gentleman—that is a false thing, pretender. A bhadra... Here it is said, bhadra. Prahlāda bhadra bhadram te (SB 7.9.52). And when you become bhadra, gentle, perfect, qualified gentleman, then everything is auspicious for you. There is no inauspicity. Bhadram, everything. The bhadram... Here Vīra-raghavācārya, he explains this word, bhadram aniṣṭa-nivṛttiḥ: "no more anything inauspicious." Bhadram. Aniṣṭaṁ nivṛttiḥ iṣṭaṁ prāptis ca. Two things, that is bhadram. Very nice, Vira-raghavācārya's explanation. Bhadram aniṣṭa-nivṛttir iṣṭaṁ prāptiḥ. Iṣṭam means "whatever you desire," because a bhadra, a gentleman, cannot desire anything which is bad. A gentleman will not pray to Kṛṣṇa, "Please give me facility for eating meat." He'll..., mean, devotee never prays like that. Therefore abhadra-nivṛttiḥ. He never prays to Kṛṣṇa, "Please give me facility of drinking." No. Because he's bhadram. But abhadra will pray, will go to the goddess Kālī: "Mother, give me your prasādam meat." Abhadra. Why should we eat meat? Abhadra. Therefore this explanation is very nice, bhadram aniṣṭa-nivṛttiḥ. Aniṣṭa... If you eat meat, that means you become implicated in sinful activities.

Lecture on SB 7th Canto -- Calcutta, March 7, 1972:

We are talking of Prahlāda Mahārāja's prayer. He was thinking himself unfit for offering prayers to the Lord. But still, because he was requested by the great demigods headed by Lord Brahmā and others, he thought that material qualification, namely high parentage, riches, beauty, bodily strength, yogic power, all of them are not qualification for becoming a devotee or qualified to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

manye dhanābhijana-rūpa-tapaḥ-śrutaujas-

tejaḥ-prabhāva-bala-pauruṣa-buddhi-yogāḥ

These things I have already explained. Dhana means riches; abhijana means aristocratic family; bala means bodily strength; buddhi, intelligence; pauruṣa, power in endeavor, industrious. These are material qualification. And the yoga, aṣṭa-siddhi-yoga, that is also material. By exercising the body to concentrate the mind, that is also material. Because mind is material, subtle form of matter. It is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca (BG 7.4). Mind, intelligence, ego, ahaṅkāra itīyaṁ me bhinnā prakṛtir aṣṭadhā. So they are subtle form of matter.

Lecture on SB 7th Canto -- Calcutta, March 7, 1972:

So here also it is said viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād. Dvi means double, twice, and ṣaḍ means six, then means twelve. Twelve kinds of qualities a brāhmaṇa meets. The twelve kinds of qualities are also mentioned here. (reads from Śrīdhara Swami commentary:) Evaṁ bhaktyeva kevalaya hari (indistinct) sambhavati tukta idaniṁ bhaktiṁ vinā na kiñcit toṣa (indistinct) dviṣaṭ (indistinct) guṇa (indistinct) variṣṭhaṁ manye. Even a brāhmaṇa, unless one is qualified by the twelve prescribed qualities in the śāstra, he cannot be accept..., he cannot be accepted as brāhmaṇa. Śrīdhara Swami says that even though one is qualified with all those good qualities which indicates that one is brāhmaṇa... Prahlāda Mahārāja also says that, viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād. Even though he is qualified, but he is not a devotee. Generally, those who are very highly qualified brāhmaṇa, they are very proud, and they do not become a devotee, generally. "Oh, devotion, this is for poor man. This is for those who are not highly educated, for them. They are chanting, dancing." They criticize like that. But actually that is not the fact. Jīva Gosvāmī was the most learned scholar. Rūpa Gosvāmī was most learned scholar. All the... Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself, the most learned scholars. His one description of the Bhāgavata śloka. What is that śloka? Ātmārāmāś ca munayo. He explained in sixty-four ways to Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya. Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya was very proud of his knowledge. He was a great scholar, Bṛhaspati.

Lecture on SB 7th Canto -- Calcutta, March 7, 1972:

So all classes of men are existing always, and everyone has got chance to become a devotee. Otherwise how Prahlāda Mahārāja says śvapacaṁ variṣṭham? The dog-eater is better than the brāhmaṇa with twelve qualifications. Viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād. Vipra means real vipra, qualified, not the so-called birthright vipra. But he said dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād, a brāhmaṇa who is actually qualified with the twelve guṇas. These guṇas are mentioned here, Śrīdhara Swami. He says, (reading from commentary:) dharmasya sattvaṁ ca damas (indistinct) titikṣa anasūya yajñasya danaṁ ca dhṛti sūtaṁ ca vratāni dvādaśa brāhmaṇas. He is quoting from śāstra, this is brahminical twelve qualifications. What is that? He must be religious; he must be truthful; he must be controlling the senses; he must be controlling the mind; he should not be envious; he must be very intelligent; he must be very tolerant, titikṣa; anasūya—he is not envious; yajñasya, he must engage himself always in sacrificing, yajñasya; danaṁ ca—he must be charitable; and dhṛti, he must be very powerful memory he must have; and then śrutasya, very learned scholar; sūtaṁ ca, vratāni he must be endowed with vows, "I must do it," vratāni; dvādaśa brāhmaṇa. These are the twelve qualities of brāhmaṇa.

So here Prahlāda Mahārāja says viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād: that brāhmaṇa who is qualified with these twelve kinds of high qualities, this is guṇa-yutād. But if he is not a devotee, aravinda-nābha-vimukhāt, he does not like to accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead as worshipable, better than this kind of brāhmaṇa is a śvapaca Vaiṣṇava. Why? The reason is given there that pādāravinda-vimukhāt śvapacaṁ variṣṭham manye tad-arpita-mano-vacanehitārtha-prāṇaṁ punāti sa kulaṁ na tu bhūrimānaḥ. This śvapaca, if he becomes a devotee, he is qualified to deliver his whole family. But not the brāhmaṇa who is so proud, he cannot deliver himself, what to speak of his family, because he is proud with these qualification. But a Vaiṣṇava... Just like it was in case of Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja did not ask anything for his personal benefit, but he was so kind, he asked some benediction from the Lord for his father. This is Vaiṣṇava.

Lecture on SB 7th Canto -- Calcutta, March 7, 1972:

So Nṛsiṁha-deva said, "My dear Prahlāda, not only your father, your father's father, his father, his father, all are delivered because you are in the family." So that is the quality of a devotee. He can deliver all the members of the family, sa kulam. Sa kulam means with all the members. Prāṇaṁ punāti sa kulaṁ na tu bhūrimānaḥ. And the proud brāhmaṇa who is qualified with all these qualities, he cannot deliver himself. But a śvapaca, a dog-eater, if he is a devotee, he can deliver all his family. These are the Vaiṣṇava qualifications. So if one becomes Vaiṣṇava in a family, he is giving the best service to the family. Unfortunately, if somebody comes within our society, the father, mother become disturbed, "Oh, he is going to be a Vaiṣṇava. Let him become a Naxalite, that's all right. But why he should become a Vaiṣṇava?" Immediately disturbed. We have got experience, you see. But he does not know that any boy who becomes a Vaiṣṇava, who is strictly following the Vaiṣṇava principles, he is doing the..., he is giving the best service to his family. Here Prahlāda Mahārāja says, and it is confirmed by Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva.

Lecture on SB 12.2.1 -- San Francisco, March 18, 1968:

Liṅgam evāśrama-khyātāv anyonyāpatti-kāraṇam. Liṅgam. Liṅgam means symptom. According to Vedic literature, there are different dress. A girl unmarried, her dress is different. A girl married, her dress is different. A girl widow, her dress is different. A girl prostitute, her dress is different. A men sannyāsī, his dress is different. A brahmacārī, his dress is different. So by the dress one can understand that who is who. That is the system. So that dress is offered by the spiritual master after qualified. Just like if a girl is married, then his (her) dress is offered during the marriage ceremony. One of the symptoms of married girl is some red powder between the two divisions of the hair. So one can understand that "This girl is not..." So similarly, there are different dresses according to qualification, according to the situation. But in the Kali-yuga, that, anyone can take any dress without any regulation, without any formality. Simply by dress. Suppose... Just like sannyāsī. Because a sannyāsī has to dress himself in these saffron-color garments, so sannyāsī has the privilege, if he goes to a householder's house, he is very respectfully received, and if he wants something, the householder gives him. That is the system. Now, if somebody sees that "It is a very cheap process of earning money, so let me dress in this saffron color and beg from door to door. What is the use of laboring so hard...?" So that will go on. Misuse of dress. Misuse of dress. Liṅgam eva āśrama-khyātāu. Āśrama, a gṛhastha. Āśrama means... There are four āśramas: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsī. They have got different dresses. But they have got different duties also. But in the Kali-yuga, simply by dress one should be known that either he is a sannyāsī or a brahmacārī or gṛhastha.