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Real education

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 7

Only the devotees of the Lord, headed by such great personalities as Prahlāda Mahārāja and Nārada Muni, are interested in the real education of spiritual life.
SB 7.5.53, Purport:

The entire world is interested in the materialistic way of life. Indeed, practically 99.9 percent of the people in the three worlds are uninterested in liberation or spiritual education. Only the devotees of the Lord, headed by such great personalities as Prahlāda Mahārāja and Nārada Muni, are interested in the real education of spiritual life. One cannot understand the principles of religion while staying on the material platform. Therefore one must follow these great personalities. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (6.3.20):

svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ
kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ
prahlādo janako bhīṣmo
balir vaiyāsakir vayam

One must follow in the footsteps of such great personalities as Lord Brahmā, Nārada, Lord Śiva, Kapila, Manu, the Kumāras, Prahlāda Mahārāja, Bhīṣma, Janaka, Bali Mahārāja, Śukadeva Gosvāmī and Yamarāja. Those interested in spiritual life should follow Prahlāda Mahārāja in rejecting the education of religion, economic development and sense gratification. One should be interested in spiritual education. Therefore the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is spreading all over the world, following in the footsteps of Prahlāda Mahārāja, who did not like any of the materialistic education he received from his teachers.

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Sri Isopanisad

The aim of real education should be self-realization, realization of the spiritual values of the soul. Any education which does not lead to such realization must be considered avidyā, or nescience.
Sri Isopanisad 9, Purport:

In India, as in many other countries, some people follow the custom of leading a procession with a decorated dead body for the pleasure of the lamenting relatives. In the same way, modern civilization is a patchwork of activities meant to cover the perpetual miseries of material existence. All such activities are aimed toward sense gratification. But above the senses is the mind, and above the mind is the intelligence, and above the intelligence is the soul. Thus the aim of real education should be self-realization, realization of the spiritual values of the soul. Any education which does not lead to such realization must be considered avidyā, or nescience. And to culture such nescience means to go down to the darkest region of ignorance.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

This is real education, that "You are thinking on terms of the body; therefore it is not very important subject matter." Real subject matter—what will happen to the soul—that is real, important.
Lecture on BG 2.11 -- Mauritius, October 1, 1975:

This is real education, that "You are thinking on terms of the body; therefore it is not very important subject matter." Real subject matter—what will happen to the soul—that is real, important. But whole world, they do not know what is the important platform. All rascals, they are concerned with this body. That is not wonderful; that is natural. Even if we know, still, if there is some bodily pain we become very much disturbed. But we should know, always remember, that "I am not this body."

Here is the beginning of education, real education.
Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Hyderabad, November 19, 1972:

I was talking with a big professor in Moscow, Professor Kotovsky. He said: "Swamijī, after destruction of this body, there is nothing more. Everything is finished." So just see, a big professor, a responsible person, he has no knowledge about the soul, what is soul, what is body. He's superficially, he is studying that after this body is finished, everything's finished. But that is not the fact. And persons who do not know this fact, they are becoming leaders, they are becoming educators, they are becoming spiritual master, and so on. So how these people will be in knowledge? Because those who are teaching them, they are in ignorance. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). One blind man is leading so many blind men. So where is the education?

Here is the beginning of education, real education. What Kṛṣṇa says. I have already explained that... (aside:) Why they are talking? I have already explained that our process of accepting knowledge is the paramparā system. Avaroha-panthā. There are two ways of acquiring knowledge, āroha-panthā and avaroha-panthā. Knowledge coming from the authorities, that is perfect knowledge. And knowledge acquired by experimental knowledge, that is not perfect. Because we are imperfect. Suppose a big professor, just like that Russian Professor Kotovsky, they are trying to understand things by so-called inductive process, or āroha-panthā, going up by one's speculation, by speculative method. But our process of knowledge, Vedic process of knowledge: tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Their knowledge should be taken from the authority.

In the Vedānta-sūtra it is inquired, athāto brahma jijñāsā. What is Brahman? This human life is meant for understanding Brahman. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. This is real education.
Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Madras, January 1, 1976:

In the Vedānta-sūtra it is inquired, athāto brahma jijñāsā. What is Brahman? This human life is meant for understanding Brahman. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. This is real education. So that Parabrahman... We are Brahman, but Kṛṣṇa is Parabrahman. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). He is the supreme nitya, eternal. Kṛṣṇa is also eternal; we are also eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). So Kṛṣṇa is... (break) ...not a dead stone and we are also living being. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām. And where is the difference between Kṛṣṇa and me? The difference is eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. Kṛṣṇa maintains all these plural number. He is singular number. Nityo nityānām. He is singular number. Then this singular number or plural number, what is the difference? Difference is that Kṛṣṇa is the maintainer and we are the maintained. Kṛṣṇa is the predominator; we are predominated. This is difference.

Paṇḍita does not require any so-called education. Real education: paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18).
Lecture on BG 4.19 -- Bombay, April 8, 1974:

He is paṇḍita, he is learned. One who is working for Kṛṣṇa, not for sense gratification, he's learned person. Tam āhuḥ paṇḍitaṁ. Budhāḥ. Who will say paṇḍita? So this is paṇḍita. And Cāṇakya Paṇḍita also gave this description:

mātṛvat para-dāreṣu
para-dravyeṣu loṣṭravat
ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu
yaḥ paśyati sa paṇḍitaḥ

Paṇḍita does not require any so-called education. Real education: paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). There is another place. Here is also this paṇḍita. And Cāṇakya Paṇḍita also says paṇḍita.

Who is paṇḍita? According to the material calculation, as Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says, that "That man is paṇḍita." Who? Mātṛvat para-dāreṣu. "One who sees every woman as mother." Para-dāreṣu. "Except his wife." Except his wife. If he sees everyone as mother.... And, mātṛvat para-dāreṣu para-dravyeṣu loṣṭravat. And others' money just like kula (?), garbage, not to touch. Para-dravyeṣu loṣṭravat. Just like there are so many pebbles on the street. Who is going to catch it or collect it. Similarly, others' money should be like that. Mā gṛdhaḥ kasya svid dhanam. Be satisfied what God has given you. This is paṇḍita.

Real education is, first of all, you must know what you are. You are this body or something else than the body?
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Durban, October 9, 1975:

Prabhupāda: No. Karma may be. Just like you are sent to school, college, to understand the right and wrong. Therefore you must be educated to know what is right and wrong, not that you do like animals, whatever you like. There is education required, and because we have no education, therefore there are so many books of knowledge, Vedic knowledge. You have to take advantage of it, and then you'll understand what is right and wrong. Otherwise not.

Indian man (1): According to the present situation here in South Africa...

Prabhupāda: So you can take advantage.

Indian man (1): Man has a very... The question is most of the African people here are not educated in spite of their education. They look upon a man of intelligence...

Prabhupāda: The real education... Real education is, first of all, you must know what you are. You are this body or something else than the body? Just like when a man dies, his son or relative laments, "Oh, my father has gone away." Now, father is lying there on the bed. Why do you say, "My father has gone away"? The father is lying on the bed. Therefore you did not see who is your father. After death you are realizing that your father is gone away. (applause) Then where is your education? You cannot see even your father; then where is your education? This is no education. Therefore you must know "What I am, what is my father, what is my mother." That is real education.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

A person who has got real education, he cannot be ridiculous.
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Mauritius, October 5, 1975:

Indian man (2): In your lecture, Swamiji, if I don't mistake, you have mentioned many authorities, beginning with the Veda, Brahma-sūtra, Bhagavad-gītā or wisdom of the Mahābhārata. Do you accept all truth?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Indian man (2): Or are they stories? (?)

Prabhupāda: Yes. Because it is given by Vyāsadeva, therefore it is also authority.

Indian man (2): We have all listened to you very attentively.

Prabhupāda: Rāmāyaṇa, Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, that is also authority.

Indian man (2): We have listened to you very attentively and I have no doubt that the audience have learned much which is, could be practiced to help us in some way to realize what we are and to realize God. Now, if God Himself comes to teach to someone in this world, and if he has learned from God directly and he is satisfied that he has learned, that he has understood, can he, a few minutes afterwards, forget that he has received instruction from God and can he depart in a very ridiculous way from God, from what God has taught him in person?

Prabhupāda: Ridiculous way? What is that "ridiculous"?

Indian man (2): If I have read...

Prabhupāda: No, no. First of all correct yourself. What is that "ridiculous way"?

Indian man (2): If after receiving good education you act contrary to that education.

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Indian man (2): At least, is ridiculous.

Brahmānanda: If you receive a good education and then you act contrary to that education.

Prabhupāda: If one has received good education, he cannot act contradictory.

Indian man (2): That is... I agree with you. But this is what, if I have understood...

Prabhupāda: So a person who has got real education, he cannot be ridiculous. No, why you are saying that?

Indian man (2): It can be explained by ridiculous.

Prabhupāda: No, no. Don't say anything which is contradictory. Education does not mean ridiculous. That means he is not educated.

Indian man (2): I have not said that education is ridiculous. I said that one who has got good education from a teacher...

Prabhupāda: So he cannot act ridiculously. If he acts ridiculously, then he has not good education.

The real culture is, real education is, how to stop this repetition of body.
Lecture on SB 1.2.34 -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972:

We are meeting with so many problems of life. These are called anarthas, unnecessary. I am spirit soul; you are spirit soul. We are as good as God. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). Our real position is ānanda. Sac-cid-ānanda. Why we are meeting so many problems? This is due to this body. This is due to this body. Therefore the real culture is, real education is, how to stop this repetition of body. But they do not know. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt. We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. He is fully joyful. You'll see always Kṛṣṇa joyful.

Real education this. Just like you are doing, all rising early in the morning, maṅgala-ārātrika, kīrtana, and then... These regulative principles, this is real education. It does not require any academic education. It is simply practice.
Lecture on SB 1.5.11 -- New Vrindaban, June 10, 1969:

Parīkṣit Mahārāja used to play with Deities. We had also the opportunity from our father to play with Deities. So these are great opportunities, to get ideas, good ideas, and training, training. Really, this is the training, this association. Simply by associating, associating with these members, this chanting, regulative chanting, dancing, and taking prasādam, he's being educated. Highly educated. Tan manye adhītam uttamam. One who has learned about the devotional service, then he's to be understood highly educated. That is the recommendation by Prahlāda Mahārāja.

So actually we don't require any other education. This association will give anyone who will come, either child or old man. That doesn't matter. He'll be highly educated. But because we are in this material world, therefore we have to give some education. But that is secondary. Real education this. Just like you are doing, all rising early in the morning, maṅgala-ārātrika, kīrtana, and then... These regulative principles, this is real education. It does not require any academic education. It is simply practice. Tan manye adhītam uttamam. That is Prahlāda Mahārāja's recommendation.

But we are not taking advantage of Vedic literature. We are going to learn technology. That is our misfortune. Technology is śilpa-karma. Just like an artistic man. That is not real education. Real education is how to solve the problems of life, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). That is education.
Lecture on SB 3.25.3 -- Bombay, November 3, 1974:

There are so many things to be learned which is already there in the Vedic literature. Just try to learn and distribute it. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission.

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

That is being attempted. Anyone who has taken birth in this land of Bhāratavarṣa, it is his duty to make his life successful by taking advantage of this Vedic literature. But we are not taking advantage of Vedic literature. We are going to learn technology. That is our misfortune. Technology is śilpa-karma. Just like an artistic man. That is not real education. Real education is how to solve the problems of life, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). That is education. So this education, this transcendental education, is to enlighten people how to become relieved from this entanglement of material life, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi.

That is not education. Real education is to understand what you are. That is real education. Ātma-jñāna. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. So long a man does not develop consciousness to understand his self, ātma-tattvam, the truth of the self, then whatever he's doing in ignorance, it is all defeat for his life.
Lecture on SB 6.1.8 -- New York, July 22, 1971:

Just like in your childhood you had a small body. That is no longer existing. That means you have changed your body. Similarly, you'll have to change this body. When this body will not work anymore... Because it is material. Every material things deteriorate and it becomes useless at certain length of time. Any machine, any clock... Therefore it has been taken as dress: vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya (BG 2.22).

So this is going on, but unfortunately modern universities, educational systems, they do not know anything about this. And still, they are very much proud of advancement of education. Actually, there is no education. Without this knowledge, spiritual knowledge, this education for earning bread, eating, sleeping, mating... That can be done without education. The animals, they are not educated—they are not technologists, or they have no education in the universities, degrees—they're also eating, sleeping, mating and defending. So if our education is meant for simply eating sleeping, mating and defending, then what is the difference? That is not education. Real education is to understand what you are. That is real education. Ātma-jñāna. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. So long a man does not develop consciousness to understand his self, ātma-tattvam, the truth of the self, then whatever he's doing in ignorance, it is all defeat for his life. This human life is meant for victorious, to become victorious over the laws of material nature. Actually we are trying for that purpose. The whole struggle is how to counteract the onslaught of material nature. The whole activities are going on. But what is the ultimate victory? The ultimate victory is how to conquer over birth, death, disease and old age. That is the outcome, victory.

So where is education? There is no education. Real education is different, that one must know his own position and act accordingly. That you can get from Vedic knowledge.
Lecture on SB 6.1.10 -- Honolulu, May 11, 1976:

Sanātana Gosvāmī also, when he approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he also said the same thing. He was in the sense. He was prime minister. He was very learned scholar in Sanskrit and Urdu—in those days Urdu because it was Muhammadan government. But he thought it wise that "They call me learned scholar, but what kind of scholar I am?" He put this question before Caitanya. Grāmya vyavahāre kahaye paṇḍita satya kari māni, āpanāra hitāhita kichui nāhi jāni: "My dear Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, these common men, they say that I am M.A., Ph.D., D.A.C. and so on, so on. I am very learned scholar. But I am so big scholar that I do not know what I am and what is my aim of life. Just see." Ask any so-called scholar that "What is the aim of life?" He cannot say. The aim of life is the same like the dog: eat, drink, be merry, and enjoy, and die. That's all.

So where is education? There is no education. Real education is different, that one must know his own position and act accordingly. That you can get from Vedic knowledge.

They are not educated themselves, but their education is by hearing from the authority. Iti śuśruma. This is real education.
Lecture on SB 6.1.40 -- Los Angeles, June 6, 1976:

Great learned sages, saintly persons, they're always thinking how the people will be happy Vaisvana. Para duḥkha-duḥkhi: he is always unhappy for unhappiness of the people in general, public. That is Vaiṣṇava. Para duḥkha-duḥkhi. Just like in the Western country Lord Jesus Christ, he was unhappy for others. So that is the business of devotee, God's son or God's devotee. That is the duty, that people are suffering on account of proper knowledge, and the most grievous ignorance is without any knowledge of God. That is the most dangerous ignorance. Because human life is meant for understanding God. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. But they do not care to understand God. Then animal life: "Where is food, where is sex, where is apartment, and where is defense force?" this is going on.

Therefore the challenge was that "Now explain what is dharma." So they're explaining. Mind that. They are not educated themselves, but their education is by hearing from the authority. Iti śuśruma. This is real education. Therefore Vedas' another name is śruti. Śruti means the knowledge which you receive by hearing, not by your so-called eyes or tongue. No. The tongue, you can chant what you hear. Therefore our beginning of knowledge is śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23).

You believe or not believe; you have to accept next life. Vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya (BG 2.22). This is real education. You have to accept the next life.
Lecture on SB 6.1.44 -- Los Angeles, July 25, 1975:

Why the big mountain does not move? Because it is dead matter. And a small ant, it moves. Why it is so? That is the difference between matter and spirit. Why you are misunderstanding that "The spirit is also matter; it is coming from chemical"? This miseducation is going on that spirit is also chemical composition, although I cannot experiment it by mixing chemical, producing...

So under this misconception of life we are simply acting inauspiciously. Why inauspiciously? Because we are working blindly. We do not know what is my next life, or we do not believe in next life. But you believe or not believe; next life is there. As the child has his next life, the boy has his next life, the youth has his next life, similarly, the old man has got his next life. You believe or not believe; you have to accept next life. Vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya (BG 2.22). This is real education. You have to accept the next life.

Real education is to understand oneself, self-realization, and with that purpose one should make progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that beginning with śravaṇam.
Lecture on SB 7.5.23-24 -- Vrndavana, March 31, 1976:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja was asked by his father to say something from whatever he had learned. He considered that what he had learned from his spiritual master was the best of all teaching, whereas what he had learned about diplomacy from his material teachers, Sanda and Amarka, was useless.

So the education at the present moment throughout the whole world is Sanda-Amarka education. For a devotee such kind of education has no value. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca. Everyone is being educated how to live comfortably with reference to the comforts of the body. This is not education. Real education is to understand oneself, self-realization, and with that purpose one should make progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that beginning with śravaṇam. As we are hearing, without śravaṇa there is no beginning of spiritual education.

They are not being educated in the modern way, they're simply chanting, dancing and offering, but that is the real education, tan manye adhitam uttamam, Prahlāda Mahārāja.
Lecture on SB 7.9.5 -- Mayapur, February 12, 1976:

So these little boys who are taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, just like Prahlāda Mahārāja mahā-bhāgavata, he is also playing the part of a child, immediately falling down, so these children who are here, even imitation, it will not go in vain. Kṛṣṇa is so kind as it is said here, sva-pāda-mūle-patitaṁ tam arbhakaṁ. Although they are innocent children, but when they're offering obeisances to Rādhā-Mādhava it is of value, "Yes, very good." It is going to their credit. It is not bad. Some may think that these boys are brought here and their life is being spoiled. They are not being educated in the modern way, they're simply chanting, dancing and offering, but that is the real education, tan manye adhitam uttamam, Prahlāda Mahārāja. Śravaṇām kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyām (SB 7.5.23), the devotional service. Tan manye adhītam uttamam, they are being first-class educated, these boys, they, simply by chanting and dance. Don't be disturbed that "My child is not being educated." What is this education? This education, this bodily concept of life, it is not education. That "I am this body," "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya," "I am white," "I am black." This education, the whole world this education is going on, nationalism. In the name of nationalism, communism, socialism. They are all bodily concept of life. That is not education. That education is useless, because this kind of education will not stop the process of birth, death, old age and disease. They may be technical education, temporary, some bodily comfort, but this is not taken as education.

Real education is brahma-jijñāsā, athāto brahma jijñāsā, that is real education. What I am, that is brahma-jijñāsa. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi, when he comes to the conclusion that he is not this body, he is spirit soul, that is real education.

Electrician comes, suppose the power has failed, and he manipulates and brings the power, that is technical education, but real education is different. That is to understand the ātma-tattvam.
Lecture on SB 7.9.5 -- Mayapur, February 12, 1976:

So our program, this program, anyone who may come here, he is educated how to understand brahma-bhūyāya. That is education. This is not education, the technical education. Nowadays they are very much fond of technical education. That is temporary. That is not education. Electrician comes, suppose the power has failed, and he manipulates and brings the power, that is technical education, but real education is different. That is to understand the ātma-tattvam. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvam gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām (SB 2.1.2). Those who are fully absorbed in family life, gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām, they are apaśyatām ātma-tattvam, they cannot see what is real life, what is the goal of life. So here we see Prahlāda Mahārāja fell down immediately. That is real education, Brahmā asked him, "You just try to pacify," immediately he fell down. And Kṛṣṇa immediately became compassionate, sva-pāda-mūle patitaṁ tam arbhakaṁ vilokya.

Even they are not literary person, they will have character and they'll become Kṛṣṇa devotee. That is real education. Don't think that "These boys are brought here. They're not giving any education, academic.
Lecture on SB 7.9.19 -- Mayapur, February 26, 1976:

That is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti: (BG 4.9) "After giving up this body, he's not going to accept another material body." Who? Janma karma ca divyaṁ ye jānāti tattvataḥ: "Anyone who has understood Kṛṣṇa has He is." This is the secret, to teach your children like that, that what is Kṛṣṇa. From the beginning, you can do that. The children are under your control. Just like we are teaching these boys. They are simply chanting, dancing. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They are advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is not that useless education—after some years they will learn how to smoke bidi. It is not like that. They'll never touch bidi. This is education. Tan manye adhītam uttamam. Even they are not literary person, they will have character and they'll become Kṛṣṇa devotee. That is real education. Don't think that "These boys are brought here. They're not giving any education, academic. They do not know what is history, what is geography." They know little, little, not very much. We don't require to know very much, neither we are very much concerned, learning A-B-C-D. Even without A-B-C-D, they will be advanced in education. This is Prahlāda Mahārāja's instruction. Tan manye adhītam uttamam. One who has taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness directly, he is actually advanced in education. What is this education? This education has no value.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

The real education to stop this disturbance is to make people Kṛṣṇa conscious, God conscious. Then all problems will be solved. Otherwise, by passing resolution in the United Nations it is not possible.
Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Lecture -- New York, July 28, 1971:

The point is from God's arrangement, there is enough food within this planet. There is enough land, enough food-producing prospect. But we have arranged in such a way that in one part the people are suffering, and one part, they are throwing the grains in the water. This is not God's arrangement. This is our arrangement. Therefore the problems are created by men. Now the so-called politician, they create problems. Otherwise, by nature's ways, by God's way, everything is complete.

pūrṇam idaṁ pūrṇam adaḥ
pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate
pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya
pūrṇam eva avaśiṣyate
(Iso Invocation)

This is Vedic song. God is complete. His creation is complete. His arrangement is complete. Simply we are creating disturbance. Therefore the real education to stop this disturbance is to make people Kṛṣṇa conscious, God conscious. Then all problems will be solved. Otherwise, by passing resolution in the United Nations it is not possible.

Initiation Lectures

So we have to prepare where we want to go. That is real education. Either by the yogic principle or by cultivation of knowledge or by this devotional service, the whole idea is how to transfer oneself to the better condition of life.
Initiation Lecture and Bhagavan dasa's Marriage Ceremony -- New Vrindaban, June 4, 1969:

So we have to prepare where we want to go. That is real education. Either by the yogic principle or by cultivation of knowledge or by this devotional service, the whole idea is how to transfer oneself to the better condition of life. The better, the best condition of life is to mad-dhāma gatvā punar janma na vidyate. "If anyone," Kṛṣṇa says, "if anyone comes to Me, he hasn't got to come back again to take this cycle of birth and death." So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to give that highest, topmost position, that no more coming to this material world, either this planet or that planet. We may go to the moon planet, but that will not solve our real problem. The real problem is birth, death, old age, and disease.

General Lectures

Our real business, real education, is to understand, "What I am? I am not this body." But that education is lacking.
La Trobe University Lecture -- Melbourne, July 1, 1974:

Our real business, real education, is to understand, "What I am? I am not this body." But that education is lacking. So our main business is to understand that "I am not this body, and the bodily pains and pleasure, they are due to the change of season only." Just like now it is winter season. We are covering our body. In the summer season we do not like so heavily dressed. So this feeling of pains and pleasure is due to this material body.

Philosophy Discussions

Now if one give education how that supreme controller is working, how He is Supreme, that is real education. And you cannot understand how the Supreme is working, you simply deny the Supreme, that is not knowledge.
Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:

Hayagrīva: And Freud says you must grow up.

Prabhupāda: He is a, he is a crazy fellow. That's all. And all these rascal philosophers, they are more or less crazy. One who does not know what is God, what is the value of his knowledge? But our criterion of knowledge is one who has known God. As long as you do not come to that point, your knowledge is useless. Simply misleading. And that is not knowledge. It is a fact that there is some supreme controller. Now if one give education how that supreme controller is working, how He is Supreme, that is real education. And you cannot understand how the Supreme is working, you simply deny the Supreme, that is not knowledge.

Language is not the important. The education is important. A developed human being can take real education, while the animals are not able to take. That you can define.
Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Henry Huxley:

Prabhupāda: Language is not the important. The education is important. A developed human being can take real education, while the animals are not able to take. That you can define. It is not the question of language. Knowledge can be imparted, in particular knowledge, a language, just like we are imparting Vedic knowledge in English. So it is not the language, it is the knowledge. But the animals cannot take the knowledge of God. That is their defective. But a human form of body or a human being, it doesn't matter in what language he speaks, but if the knowledge of God is properly imparted in him, then he can understand. The dog cannot understand. That is the difference.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

There is no need of philosophizing sex life. Nobody is taught sex life in the school and the colleges, but everyone knows it, how to do it. (laughs) So pravṛttir eṣā bhūtānāṁ nivṛttis tu mahā-phalam. That is the general tendency. But education should be given to stop it. That is real education.
Talk with Bob Cohen -- February 27-29, 1972, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: But we are reducing human society gradually to animal society. We are forgetting marriage. That is also written in the śāstras. Svīkāra eva codvāhe. In the Kali-yuga there will be no marriage performances, but the boy and the girl, they'll simply agree to live together. Dāmpatye 'bhirucir hetuḥ. And their relationship will exist on sexual power. If the man or the woman is deficient in sex life, then there is divorce. So on this philosophy... There are many western philosophers like Freud and others. They have written so many books. But according to Vedic culture, we are not interested. We are interested only for begetting children. That's all. Not to study the psychology of sex life. There is already psychology, pravṛtti, natural. Even if one does not read any philosophy, he'll be sexually inclined. There is no need of philosophizing sex life. Nobody is taught sex life in the school and the colleges, but everyone knows it, how to do it. (laughs) So pravṛttir eṣā bhūtānāṁ nivṛttis tu mahā-phalam. That is the general tendency. But education should be given to stop it. That is real education.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

But the real education is that you have to die. You have to accept another body. What kind of body you are going to accept?
Room Conversation with Indonesian Scholar -- February 27, 1973, Jakarta:

Prabhupāda: That is all right, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, that is a, different stages. But the real education is that you have to die. You have to accept another body. What kind of body you are going to accept? If you do not know that what is this meaning of gṛhastha, and vānaprastha, and sannyāsa? It is all rascal. If you do not... You miss this real point, then what is the meaning of this? There's no meaning. Simply by dressing in white cloth one becomes gṛhastha? And simply by dressing one, in this saffron cloth, he becomes sannyāsī? By changing dress he becomes everything? He must know, that what is the aim of life. Everyone should know what is the ultimate of life.

Real education is how to solve the problems of life, birth, death, old age, and how to go back to home, back to... That is education.
Room Conversation with Indian Guests and Devotees -- July 11, 1973, London:

Haṁsadūta: Freud.

Prabhupāda: He has written a big philosophy on sex life. Does it require any education? Anyone knows how to use sex life. And he has written big book. Similarly, defense also: they are making big, big arrangements, atomic bomb. I am making atomic bomb, you are making... Similarly, sleeping: big, big skyscraper building; eating: start thousands of slaughterhouse. Formerly also there were meat-eaters. But did they maintain slaughterhouse? "All right, I want to eat meat. Just go in the forest. Kill one animal. That's all. Pick it up." So this advancement of civilization means advancement of slaughterhouse, advancement of skyscraper building, advancement of atom bomb, advancement of Freud philosophy. This is advancement. The subject matter is the same, which does not require any education. Nobody requires education on this subject matter. Even the birds and beasts, they know what is their eatable. And they eat and they live. Now the advancement... Agricultural institute, a big college, how to improve agriculture. Crude people, they are producing also. Without agricultural college, they are producing sufficiently grain and eating. Still they do so. Do they depend on agricultural education? Real education is how to solve the problems of life, birth, death, old age, and how to go back to home, back to... That is education. This is not education. This is simply waste of time. Because you cannot change your destiny.

But at the present moment, the whole education is on this point. Real education, what is life, what is goal of life, they do not know. This is the point.
Morning Walk -- December 30, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes. He knows how to do it. Therefore I was explaining the other day, that for eating, for sleeping, for having sex intercourse and to defend, there is no use of education. Everyone knows automatically. But at the present moment, the whole education is on this point. Real education, what is life, what is goal of life, they do not know. This is the point.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

After giving up this material body, no more acceptance of this material body. That is real education.
Room Conversation -- June 20, 1974, Germany:

Guest: So, bhakti is really a process of decontaminating the mind?

Prabhupāda: Yes. (indistinct) That is the real education. And all this rascal education will not help because all this education will keep you within this material body. The real relief is how to get you out of this material entanglement. Tyaktva dehaṁ punar janma (BG 4.9). (indistinct) After giving up this material body, no more acceptance of this material body. That is real education. And Bhāgavata says pitā na sa syāj jananī na sā syāt, gurur na sa syāt, na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum. There is no need of becoming father unless you train up your child to accept no more this material body. The child should be trained up by the father. The guru should train up the disciple in such a way that the disciple or the child or the student will not have to accept any more material body. (indistinct) The whole Vedic education system how to stop acceptance of material body. That is called mukti.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

This is the real education, that we are changing body, and according to our bodily situation we are acting differently.
Room Conversation with Canadian Ambassador to Iran -- March 13, 1975, Iran:

Prabhupāda: So it is very... God's law, nature's law, they take account of the particular color and awards the body accordingly. It is not man-made law, that there may be some mistake. There is no mistake. If you have contaminated this disease, either smallpox or cholera or this or that, you must develop that disease. Therefore we should be desireless. Desireless means material desire. That material desire begins with the designation. That... The child, he has got a childish body, and he plays like a child. The same child, when he will get a youthful body, he will do like that. The soul is the same. But on account of different type of body he is acting differently. That is practical. A small child, in the childhood he will talk like nonsense. People will enjoy it. But the same child, when he is grown up and he talks like nonsense, people will call him nonsense, rascal. Why? The body has changed. The circumstance has changed. This is the real education, that we are changing body, and according to our bodily situation we are acting differently. That they do not understand. There is no school, college or education about the soul and the soul's changing different position of different body, and in this way he remains materially entangled. And the real relief is to get him out of this bodily concept of life and advance in spiritual concept of...

Ambassador: So bhakti is really a process of decontaminating the mind.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Right you are. You are intelligent and... Yes. That is the real education. And all this rascal education will not help because all this education will keep him within this material body. And his real relief is how to get out of this material body. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). This is required, in Bhagavad-gītā. After giving up this body no more acceptance of this material body. That is real education. And Bhāgavata says, pitā na sa syāj jananī na sā syāt, gurur na sā syāt, na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum. There is no need of becoming father unless you train up your child to accept no more this material body. The child should be trained up by the father. The guru should train up the disciple in such a way that the disciple or the child or the student will not have to accept any more this material body. That is education. And the whole Vedic education is meant for this purpose.

Those who are sinful, rascals, lowest of the mankind. Such people do not recognize God. Mūḍhas. (indistinct) educated. No, that education means false education. Real education is taken away by māyā. Real education means to understand God.
Morning Walk -- May 23, 1975, Melbourne:

Sabhāpati: So who is the greater rascal, the material scientist or the...

Prabhupāda: Yes, everyone. Everyone who... That is the statement. Mūḍha. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). This class of men, they do not recognize God. Who? Those who are sinful, rascals, lowest of the mankind. Such people do not recognize God. Mūḍhas. (indistinct) educated. No, that education means false education. Real education is taken away by māyā. Real education means to understand God. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). If one does not understand what is God, his education is useless. It has no meaning. What is that education? Will that education save him from death? Then what is the value of his education? Your real problem is birth, death, old age, and disease. Can this material education stop it? Is the scientist able to stop one's old age? And does anyone, man, any man, wants to become old? No, nobody wants. Everyone wants to keep himself youthful. But can the science stop this, that he will not become old? He must become old.

Real education means that he is self controlled. Controlling the mind, controlling the senses, truthful. He will speak truth in any circumstances. Even to his enemy he will speak the truth.
Room Conversation with the Mayor of Evanston -- July 4, 1975, Chicago:

Prabhupāda: So they were habituated to all... Because that is a system in the European, American life. But now they are free. That is Professor Judah's remark in his letter. Have you got that? Yes. He has written one book, Hare Kṛṣṇa and Counterculture, about our movement. He has read all our books. Here are, you have shown all these books? So he appreciates, many gentlemen appreciate, even the priestly class, they also appreciate. So this is a movement which is trying to create at least a section to become first-class. The first-class man does not mean that he is nicely dressed or very rich or very opulent. Generally, of course, a first-class man means good parentage, good education, good looking and nicely rich. That is the standard. But... That may be first-class position, but first-class man is different. First-class man means he is self-controlled, in the mind he is undisturbed, he is truthful, he is very clean, inside and outside, he is very simple, tolerant, full of knowledge, practical application of knowledge, and believe in God. This is first-class man. There is no mention that he is rich, he is beautiful, bodily, or he is educated. Educated, this is a result of education. Real education means that he is self controlled. Controlling the mind, controlling the senses, truthful. He will speak truth in any circumstances. Even to his enemy he will speak the truth.

All big questions, they have avoided. And they remain perpetually a rascal. That is their education. Mūḍha, Kṛṣṇa says, mūḍha, narādhama: "Lowest of the mankind." Human life was meant for real education. They remain the same rascal and dies very happily. Mūḍhas.
Morning Walk -- July 16, 1975, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: Education means atyantika-duḥkha-nivṛtti, the ultimate solution of all unhappiness. That is education, not that after coming to some extent, "No, you can die happily." And what is duhkha, unhappiness? That is presented by Kṛṣṇa: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi duḥkha-doṣānu... (BG 13.9). These are your unhappiness. Try to solve it. And that they are carefully avoiding. They cannot stop death, neither birth, nor old age, nor disease. And during the short period of life, birth and death, they are making big, big buildings, and next time he is becoming one rat within the buildings. (laughter) Nature. You cannot avoid the nature's law. As you cannot avoid death, similarly, nature will give you another body. Become a tree in this university. Stand up for five thousand years. You wanted to be naked. Now nobody will object. You stand here naked.

Bahulāśva: They do that also. They have a fad now. It's called streakers.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So therefore their punishment is to become tree, to cat, dog, like that. That they cannot explain, why there is cat life, dog life, human life, rich(?) life. That they cannot do. All big questions, they have avoided. And they remain perpetually a rascal. That is their education. Mūḍha, Kṛṣṇa says, mūḍha, narādhama: "Lowest of the mankind." Human life was meant for real education. They remain the same rascal and dies very happily. Mūḍhas.

Member: Constant thinking of Him, His lotus feet, it is the only way by which we can get the real benefit of getting this human life.

Prabhupāda: Yes. And where is that education? Member: That is real education.

Morning Walk -- August 28, 1975, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No. We want many educated men to understand this philosophy and preach. People are... Whole world, they are in ignorance—the value of life. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). They are accepting this body as self. The whole trouble is there. So-called scientist, philosopher—everyone is thinking, "I am this body," and therefore there is so much trouble. They do not know what he is and what is his goal of life, how life should be molded. No knowledge. Therefore vigorous preaching is required. Our Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission is that, that all people are suffering. There is little knowledge in India. So anyone who has taken his birth in India, he should make his life perfect by studying this Vedic literature and then spread the knowledge all over the world because they are in ignorance. Here also now they are ignorant. They do not know what is the value of life, thinking like cats and dogs. What is your idea about the value of life?

Member: Unless it is very towards God, it is useless.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Member: Constant thinking of Him, His lotus feet, it is the only way by which we can get the real benefit of getting this human life.

Prabhupāda: Yes. And where is that education?

Member: That is real education.

Prabhupāda: That is... But where is that education? There is no such education all over the world.

So real education, similarly, is that you can have higher standard of existence in your next life, not that I come to the university and simply live like animal and then have to be demoted to the body of an animal in my next lifetime. Rather, the real education is how we can be elevated from this human existence to higher existence, or to spiritual, eternal existence.
Room Conversation with the Rector, Professor Olivier and Professors of the University of Durban, Westville -- October 8, 1975, Durban:

Prabhupāda: When our spiritual master went to Massachusetts Institute of Technology—it is a very well known technological university—he questioned the faculty and students there that "You are the most advanced technological university in the world. Where is that department that tries to understand the difference between a dead body and a living body?" So this is science. You can't say that it's not science. And it should be accepted as science by university professors and taught as such. Otherwise, if we simply turn our back on this philosophy... Kṛṣṇa says, rāja-vidyā: "This is the king of knowledge." This is not some sentimental proposition we are putting forward, but it is the king of knowledge, that the soul is existing, and after this body there will be another body. So real education, therefore... Just like you come to the university. You want to get a better job, not that you go to the university so that you can work an elevator when you come out. You go to the university to increase your standard of living, to have higher standard of living. So real education, similarly, is that you can have higher standard of existence in your next life, not that I come to the university and simply live like animal and then have to be demoted to the body of an animal in my next lifetime. Rather, the real education is how we can be elevated from this human existence to higher existence, or to spiritual, eternal existence. So the purpose of the science of Bhagavad-gītā is just this, that janma karma ca me divyam evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). If you understand God in truth, and fact, then tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti: (BG 4.9) you will never take birth again in this material world, but you will go back to the spiritual world, called Vaikuṇṭha in Sanskrit language. Vaikuṇṭha means the spiritual world, the place where there is no repetition of birth and death.

That is real education. We want that you learn from Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, you learn from Vyāsadeva, you learn from Nārada. But why you are learning from Freud, from Darwin and such rascals? Education means you should learn from a person who is authorized, who is without mistake, without illusion, who does not cheat, just like we are learning from Kṛṣṇa. That is education.
Morning Walk -- October 18, 1975, Johannesburg:

Prabhupāda: "This material world, which is temporary, where we cannot stay, we are already captivated, but this advancement of material knowledge will make me more captive, and I shall work just like an ass." That's all. Now, whether he is right or wrong, tell me. His charge is that advancement of material education is advancement of the influence of material energy, and if you say that "What is the wrong there?" the wrong is that we are already rascals, and this education will make me more rascal. Anitya saṁsāre moha janamiya. "I am already captivated in this temporary material world, and these things will make me more advanced to be captivated in this material world." Now this is the version of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. Now, if you don't like, tell what is the reason. Tell me. Material education... We are already captive under the laws of material nature, and the more we advance in material education, we'll be more and more rigidly captive. So this is the version of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. What is your answer? Can anyone refute Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, that he is wrong?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: People may argue though that without education we can't even read the knowledge that Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura is speaking. How to read Bengali or Sanskrit or English or anything like this?

Prabhupāda: That is real education. We want that you learn from Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, you learn from Vyāsadeva, you learn from Nārada. But why you are learning from Freud, from Darwin and such rascals? Education means you should learn from a person who is authorized, who is without mistake, without illusion, who does not cheat, just like we are learning from Kṛṣṇa. That is education.

Dr. Patel: Whatever type of education may be, but that is the real education.

Prabhupāda: No, no. Not whatever. This is the education, that the.

Morning Walk -- November 17, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So you know that story, that one man was drinking, so his friend told him, "You are drinking. You will go to hell." "Oh, my mother drinks." "Oh, she will also go." "My father drinks." "Oh, he will also go." "My brother drinks." "Oh, he will also go." "Then where is hell?" (laughter) "Father, mother, brother, myself, if we live together, then where is hell?" Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya.

Dr. Patel: That's a fact. Education by association is the superior method, whatever type of education may be.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Dr. Patel: Whatever type of education may be, but that is the real education.

Prabhupāda: No, no. Not whatever. This is the education, that the...

Dr. Patel: (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: (aside:) Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya. This is education. There is no question of ABCD. First of all brahmacārī gurukule vasan dantaḥ. He is to be trained how to become sober and gentle.

Real education is brahma-vidyā. Athāto brahma jijñāsā—this is education. So that is now given up throughout the whole world.
Morning Walk -- December 18, 1975, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: Now these human beings they get educated from animals.

Prabhupāda: No, no. This is not education. This jara avidya, material education, is no education. It doesn't require any education. This education for eating, sleeping, education, that is not education, that is cats and dogs they also know how to do it without education. Real education is brahma-vidyā. Athāto brahma jijñāsā—this is education. So that is now given up throughout the whole world. Nobody is interested in Brahman; they are simply interested in sense gratification.

Dr. Patel: Because I think, sir, the method of education the world over is absolutely different...

Prabhupāda: No, no. That is not education. The education for eating, sleeping, that is not education.

Dr. Patel: The way we were educating, our forefathers are educating their children, by this method of sending them to a guru in an āśrama...

Prabhupāda: That is real education.

Dr. Patel: And then they are prepared right from the brahmacārī āśrama for the highest goal, till they become a sannyāsī. Here he, he's neither this nor there.

Prabhupāda: No, there is no education. Real education is not there. Just like Cānakya Paṇḍita, he was not a spiritual man, but he was a prime minister. Still, he gave the standard of becoming educated.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

This is my mission, to educate people to understand himself. They are under this misconception that "Every one of us, we are this body." That is misconception. You must know who is within the body. That is real education.
Room Conversation -- April 20, 1976, Melbourne:

Mike Barron: So your teachings go much further than just being part of the Kṛṣṇa movement. Everyone, whether they like it or not, are indirectly concerned with it.

Prabhupāda: The.... Our movement is an educative movement to understand the real position of living condition, and then we act. Just like if you know your real position, then, if you act intelligently, then it is nice. If you do not know what is your position, what is the use of your education and acting? You do not know your real position. That is ignorance. And that is dog mentality. The dog cannot understand that he is not body; he is something else. But human intelligence is advanced. If they do not try to understand this fact, then what is the difference between him and dog?

Mike Barron: None.

Prabhupāda: That is being misused. There is no institution, no university, no education system, to understand what is that living force, without which it is a lump of matter. Where is that education?

Mike Barron: What do you call that force?

Prabhupāda: That is the soul, or consciousness. The same thing, the pilot. The pilot may be a small man, and the airship may be very gigantic. You can make still more. But the pilot is the same. So the body may be elephant or a small ant, but the pilot is the same. That is real understanding.

Mike Barron: Just getting off that, can I ask why you've come to Australia again?

Prabhupāda: I have already explained that, that this is my mission, to educate people to understand himself. They are under this misconception that "Every one of us, we are this body." That is misconception. You must know who is within the body. That is real education.

Mike Barron: And how long.... You'll continue this until...

Prabhupāda: Well...

Mike Barron: ...until you die.

Prabhupāda: The knowledge is already there in the Vedic literature, but there was no discussion, at least in the Western countries. So I am trying to.... We have got so many books, eighty-four books, writing on this science. (aside:) Show him our books. They are being accepted by high learned circle. (break) ...written not jokingly. It is a great science.

The real education is life. Gurukula means it is a way of life training. It is said that brahmacārī gurukule vasan dānta. This is the way of life: how to learn controlling the senses.
Interview with Professors O'Connell, Motilal and Shivaram -- June 18, 1976, Toronto:

Prabhupāda: The real education is life. Gurukula means it is a way of life training. It is said that brahmacārī gurukule vasan dānta. This is the way of life: how to learn controlling the senses. Nowadays we have got school, colleges, universities, but this method is not there, how to become dānta. The method is different, that "You can do whatever you like; you simply attend class." That is not the way of life. This is tapasya.

So aim is again come to our spiritual life, spiritual existence, where there is no struggle for existence, blissful, happy life. Because actually we want happiness, blissful life. That is not possible in the material world. That is in the spiritual world. That is the aim. So every human being should be given chance. That is real education.
Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana:

The human life is the opportunity for understanding what he is and what is the aim of his life. The aim of life is back to home, back to Godhead. We are part and parcel of God. Somehow or other we are in this material existence. So aim is again come to our spiritual life, spiritual existence, where there is no struggle for existence, blissful, happy life. Because actually we want happiness, blissful life. That is not possible in the material world. That is in the spiritual world. That is the aim. So every human being should be given chance. That is real education. That is called saṁskāra. So these saṁskāra, there are dāsa-vidha-saṁskāraḥ... So in this age it is very difficult, but if one chants Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra without any offense, being trained up by the spiritual master, all the saṁskāras automatically become done and he comes to his original spiritual position, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, "I am spirit soul. The Kṛṣṇa is Param Brahman, and I am Brahman." As Arjuna said, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12).

Prabhupāda: So it is not a sectarian religious sentimental movement. It is a movement for giving real education, knowledge, to the people all over the world without any discrimination.
Evening Darsana -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Mrs. Furman: We saw you on television today. Did you see? Was it Channel Four? The news has been on, it's on again at eleven. Very nice.

Mr. Furman: It was a very good representation.

Prabhupāda: So it is not a sectarian religious sentimental movement. It is a movement for giving real education, knowledge, to the people all over the world without any discrimination. So at least those who are intelligent class of men, they should join and study this movement and try to broadcast for the good of the human society. The basic principles I have already explained.

But as a Christian you understand God is great, "two plus two," but how He is great, that you have to learn in the Vedas. That is real education. Because you do not know how He is great, therefore you do so many sinful activities. Otherwise, how it is possible to maintain slaughterhouse? Christian doctrine says "Thou shall not kill." But he does not understand; therefore his business has become to kill only.
Evening Darsana -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: So if you want more knowledge about God, then you must come to Kṛṣṇa.

Guest (2): That's how I believe.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Woman guest (2): Is it not as good to serve God as a Christian in a church?

Prabhupāda: That is have already explained, that you serve God in any position, but if you want to know about God more, then you have to come here. Now ask any Christian what is God, who is God, what is His form, what He is doing. Can he answer? Nobody can answer. He knows God is great. How great He is, who is that God, they cannot answer. To some extent it is all right, but if you want to know full extent, then you have come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. "Two plus two is equal to four" is mathematics, but if you want to know higher mathematics, you have to go some higher college. "Two plus two" is also mathematics, is it not? Everyone knows two plus two equal to four. So when you go to higher university, that "two plus two" does not change, but you know more about it. Because one has gone to higher university, the previous education, "two plus two," has changed, it is not that. But as a Christian you understand God is great, "two plus two," but how He is great, that you have to learn in the Vedas. That is real education. Because you do not know how He is great, therefore you do so many sinful activities. Otherwise, how it is possible to maintain slaughterhouse? Christian doctrine says "Thou shall not kill." But he does not understand; therefore his business has become to kill only. This is the defect. Why you are disobeying the orders of Christ, "Thou shall not kill"? Because you do not understand him properly.

So real education is how to train up one to have ideal character, to become a brāhmaṇa.
Evening Darsana -- July 13, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: So in reality, we're not trying to create farmers, we're trying to create brāhmaṇas. But our farming communities are, so to speak, an example, an ideal example how human society can live: some people in the capacity of preachers, some people in the capacity of farmers, how so many activities can go on—various occupations—but all of them can be God-centered. So in reality, these people, they're farmers, they're out there on their tractor, they can jump off their tractor at any moment and preach the highest philosophy, because actually they're brāhmaṇas. They (are the) intelligent class of men. So it's one entity. The basic principle is that modern society is neglecting to train up—especially young men, you can see that in spite of so many universities throughout the world—these young men are being trained up how to become women-hunters and debauches. Going to the bars, going to the gambling houses, and they are supposed to be educated people. So real education is how to train up one to have ideal character, to become a brāhmaṇa.

Prabhupāda: They wanted for graft, to manipulate their empire. They wanted some subordinate hands. They never wanted to give real education.
Morning Walk -- December 25, 1976, Bombay:

Guest (1): No, the other day I was with Natalia in Japan, and he also said the same thing, that we have no training for the leaders. And because there is no proper leadership, everything comes to a zero. You have to train a man or a woman for a particular work. That is not being done in India.

Guest (2): British did it.

Guest (1): They made their servants quite all right.

Prabhupāda: They wanted for graft, to manipulate their empire. They wanted some subordinate hands. They never wanted to give real education.

Guest (2): That's true.

Prabhupāda: They wanted that the... That is cooperation. That is one of the Gandhi's understanding, that "These people are ruling over us by our cooperation. Therefore let us noncooperate and they'll fail. They'll not be able to rule."

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

The real education is the education of the mind by which you can discriminate what is right from the wrong and follow the right.
Morning Walk -- January 4, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Education... This is craftsmanship.

Dr. Patel: I had an appointment to speak on education in the university of Bombay as a member of the Senate. And all the members of the Senate simply said, "Well, we could not help it because it has been so planned by the government." That is not ... This is not education that we're giving them. We are just giving them instruction how to read and write. The real education is the education of the mind by which you can discriminate what is right from the wrong and follow the right. That is what for the education. Modern universities are humbugness to me... The way I observed the university of Bombay working for ten years as a member of the Senate is humbug. The curricular is humbug; management is humbug; everything. Mode of examination is also like that.

Prabhupāda: Because they are not conducted by really educated.

Just show how Kṛṣṇa is supreme, how everything is coming, coming from Him. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś cārtheṣv abhijñaḥ svarāt (SB 1.1.1). These things explain by picture. That will be real education.
Room Conversation with Film Producer about Krsna Lila -- January 22, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Guest (1): You are telling and your disciples are always telling about Kṛṣṇa's sacred(?) līlās. So we are your disciples, and we are telling the līlā in different form. It is in vision. And we are starting from Sarva-bhumna or Sarvabhauma...

Guest (2): We started for keeping the traditions of the songs of the Vaiṣṇavas.

Guest (1): All traditions of Śrī Kṛṣṇa līlā, all Vaiṣṇava, everything.

Guest (2): One aspect. One aspect we have taken, that supreme, the message, essence...

Prabhupāda: No, no... It is... Kṛṣṇa-līlā is in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, why don't you begin from the first chapter of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam? Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Just show how Kṛṣṇa is supreme, how everything is coming, coming from Him. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś cārtheṣv abhijñaḥ svarāt (SB 1.1.1). These things explain by picture. That will be real education. Why you jump over on the Tenth Canto immediately? That is my point.

This is real education. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). That is the Vedic civilization, to understand Kṛṣṇa.
Meeting With Governor of Tamil Nadu -- July 31, 1977, Vrndavana:

Governor: And this is Gopikā, younger daughter. This is Gopikā.

Prabhupāda: Very good. You have given them some prasādam? Arrange.

Governor: When she was four years old, this girl, she was telling me in Ahmedabad often, "Dādājī, you take me to Vṛndāvana." I said, "Why?" "So that we will meet Kṛṣṇa." I said, "But to..., Kṛṣṇa will not be..." "No, no, I will see. You will meet Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is there. You must go to Vṛndāvana."

Prabhupāda: Just see. She is natural Vaiṣṇavī. Natural Vaiṣṇavī. So give them proper education. This is real education. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). That is the Vedic civilization, to understand Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo vedānta-vid vedānta-kṛt ca aham. So at least this knowledge from India must be spread all over the world. We are making a humble attempt. We have no such thing, these... "You have got money and I'll snatch it." The Communists take it. Just see. They have taken. "Why so big, big buildings? Take them away."

Correspondence

1971 Correspondence

So continue in this way giving them all opportunity to get the real education and knowledge or Krishna Consciousness.
Letter to Rsabhadeva -- Bombay 28 December, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 7, 1971, along with letters from the four persons requesting initiation. Upon your recommendation, I have consented to accept all of them as my duly initiated disciples, and I am replying them below. I am very pleased to learn from you that all programs are going nicely there in Laguna Beach center under your supervision. Especially I am glad that you are infiltrating the schools and colleges. These are our most important customers for KC, because they are inquisitive and serious to learn. So continue in this way giving them all opportunity to get the real education and knowledge or Krishna Consciousness.

1972 Correspondence

We want to see all living entities as parts and parcels of Krishna without giving any consideration to outer skin, and that is real education.
Letter to Mandali Bhadra -- Sydney 2 April, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated March 12, 1972, and I am very much pleased to hear that your German BTG distribution has gone up to 50,000 last issue, and I very much approve of your ideas for improving it more and more. In the editorial section which you plan to have for the beginning, the point should be stressing on the position of the living entities, as it is stated in Bhagavad-gita that a learned man observes everyone on the same level, that is, on spiritual understanding. So our Society's position of vision is from that platform. We want to see all living entities as parts and parcels of Krishna without giving any consideration to outer skin, and that is real education. So you can expound on this idea. The modern civilization is based on bodily designation—American, India, German—but our proposition is to become free from these artificial designations, and unless one becomes free from these artificial designations there can't be any God-consciousness, and without God-consciousness there is no possibility of any peace in the world.

I am also happy to hear that the Gurukula project has been given help by Karandhara and others, so that cooperatively we may demonstrate the topmost example of real education in the world.
Letter to Satsvarupa -- London 8 August, 1972:

Thank you very much for your letter dated July 17, 1972, and I am very much pleased to understand from you that your Deity program, the Chicago program, and all other programs in our mid-western U.S.A. zone are very much improving more and more under your management. So far Chicago temple is concerned, they may install Deities later. First let them preach. Preaching is the first thing, and when there is experience then I can install Deities. So far the St. Louis chapter is concerned, let Vamanadeva live there peacefully husband and wife, why he should go away? That will be all right if he installs his Radha-Krsna Deities from his home. I am also happy to hear that the Gurukula project has been given help by Karandhara and others, so that cooperatively we may demonstrate the topmost example of real education in the world. Now you go on preaching with full vigor and determination, keep our standard of Krsna Consciousness always at the highest level, and remain sincere always by remembering Krsna, through vibrating of His holy name.

1974 Correspondence

Therefore I would be very happy to see you living in the temple, following all of our principles of pure life and becoming an expert scholar in Vedic knowledge, through studying my books diligently. This is real education. The so-called education that they are teaching in the schools and universities today is simply useless knowledge which is all based on atheistic and speculative theories.
Letter to Durgesh -- Bombay 27 December, 1974:

It has been recommended to me by the leaders in London that you should move into our temple as a permanent brahmacari and that your father will allow it if I also recommend. After studying your letter carefully and seeing the devotion and sincerity that you possess I am also very much in favor of your staying at our temple as a brahmacari. In my previous letter I had said that you could go to school during the week and live in the temple on the weekends. But I did not know how serious and determined you were to become Krsna Conscious. Someone as determined as you should be given facilities to spend cent percent of his time in Krsna Consciousness. Therefore I would be very happy to see you living in the temple, following all of our principles of pure life and becoming an expert scholar in Vedic knowledge, through studying my books diligently. This is real education. The so-called education that they are teaching in the schools and universities today is simply useless knowledge which is all based on atheistic and speculative theories. The teachers themselves are following no real authorities in wisdom neither do they set any good examples for their students. By going to school today there is always the danger through bad association of becoming entangled in so many unwanted things such as illicit sex, intoxication etc. Therefore definitely the best thing for you is to live in our temple in London.

Page Title:Real education
Compiler:Rati, Sureshwardas, Visnu Murti
Created:22 of Nov, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=1, CC=0, OB=1, Lec=22, Con=24, Let=4
No. of Quotes:52