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Real form

Bhagavad-gita As It Is

BG Preface and Introduction

BG Introduction:

The Lord resides eternally in His abode Goloka, yet He can be approached from this world, and to this end the Lord comes to manifest His real form, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). When He manifests this form, there is no need for our imagining what He looks like. To discourage such imaginative speculation, He descends and exhibits Himself as He is, as Śyāmasundara. Unfortunately, the less intelligent deride Him because He comes as one of us and plays with us as a human being. But because of this we should not consider the Lord one of us. It is by His omnipotency that He presents Himself in His real form before us and displays His pastimes, which are replicas of those pastimes found in His abode.

BG Chapters 13 - 18

BG 15.3-4, Translation:

The real form of this tree cannot be perceived in this world. No one can understand where it ends, where it begins, or where its foundation is. But with determination one must cut down this strongly rooted tree with the weapon of detachment. Thereafter, one must seek that place from which, having gone, one never returns, and there surrender to that Supreme Personality of Godhead from whom everything began and from whom everything has extended since time immemorial.

BG 15.3-4, Purport:

It is now clearly stated that the real form of this banyan tree cannot be understood in this material world. Since the root is upwards, the extension of the real tree is at the other end. When entangled with the material expansions of the tree, one cannot see how far the tree extends, nor can one see the beginning of this tree. Yet one has to find out the cause.

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 3

SB 3.9.33, Purport:

In the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu it is said that a person whose only desire is to render transcendental loving service to the Lord is a free person in any condition of material existence. That service attitude is the svarūpa, or real form, of the living entity. Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, also confirms this statement by declaring that the real, spiritual form of the living entity is eternal servitorship to the Supreme Lord.

SB 3.11.42, Purport:

Lord Mahā-Viṣṇu, who is resting in yoga-nidrā on the Causal Ocean and creating innumerable universes by His breathing process, only temporarily appears in the mahat-tattva for the temporary manifestation of the material worlds. He is a plenary portion of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and thus although He is nondifferent from Lord Kṛṣṇa, His formal appearance in the material world as an incarnation is temporary. The original form of the Personality of Godhead is actually the svarūpa, or real form, and He eternally resides in the Vaikuṇṭha world (Viṣṇuloka).

SB Canto 4

SB 4.30.27, Purport:

The form of the Lord as worshiped in the temples is called arca-vigraha or arcāvatāra, the worshipable form, the Deity incarnation. This facility is offered to neophyte devotees so that they can see the real form of the Lord face to face and offer their respectful obeisances and sacrifices in the form of arcā. Through such facilities the neophytes gradually invoke their original Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

SB Canto 5

SB 5.13.20, Purport:

"The real form of this tree cannot be perceived in this world. No one can understand where it ends, where it begins, or where its foundation is. But with determination, one must cut down this tree with the weapon of detachment. So doing, one must seek that place from which, having once gone, one never returns, and there surrender to that Supreme Personality of Godhead from whom everything has begun and in whom everything is abiding since time immemorial."

SB 5.18.31, Translation:

My dear Lord, this visible cosmic manifestation is a demonstration of Your own creative energy. Since the countless varieties of forms within this cosmic manifestation are simply a display of Your external energy, this virāṭ-rūpa (universal body) is not Your real form. Except for a devotee in transcendental consciousness, no one can perceive Your actual form. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.

SB 5.18.31, Purport:

Anyone can understand that the original fire is the reality and that the heat and light are simply the fire's energy. Heat and light are the formless energies of fire, and in that sense they are unreal. Only the fire has form, and therefore it is the real form of the heat and light. As Kṛṣṇa states in Bhagavad-gītā (9.4), mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā: "By Me, in My unmanifested form. this entire universe is pervaded." Thus the impersonal conception of the Lord is like the expansion of heat and light from a fire.

SB 5.18.31, Purport:

In Bhagavad-gītā the Lord also says, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ: the entire material creation is resting on Kṛṣṇa's energy, either material, spiritual or marginal, but because His form is absent from the expansion of His energy, He is not personally present. This inconceivable expansion of the Supreme Lord's energy is called acintya-śakti. Therefore no one can understand the real form of the Lord without becoming His devotee.

SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13

SB 10.2.35, Purport:

"Therefore," the demigods prayed, "without Your appearing as Kṛṣṇa, as You are, neither ajñāna-bhidā (the nescience of speculative knowledge) nor vijñānam would be realized. Ajñāna-bhidāpamārjanam—by Your appearance the speculative knowledge of ignorance will be vanquished, and the real, experienced knowledge of authorities like Lord Brahmā will be established. Men influenced by the three modes of material nature imagine their own God according to the modes of material nature. In this way God is presented in various ways, but Your appearance will establish what the real form of God is."

SB 10.13.51, Purport:

All living entities are serving Kṛṣṇa in different ways, but when they are Kṛṣṇa conscious, their service is fully manifest. As a flower in the bud gradually fructifies and yields its desired aroma and beauty, so when a living entity comes to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the beauty of his real form comes into full blossom. That is the ultimate beauty and the ultimate fulfillment of desire.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 1.91, Purport:

The real form of religion is spontaneous loving service to Godhead. This relationship of the living being with the Absolute Personality of Godhead in service is eternal. The Personality of Godhead is described as vastu, or the Substance, and the living entities are described as vāstavas, or the innumerable samples of the Substance in relative existence. The relationship of these substantive portions with the Supreme Substance can never be annihilated, for it is an eternal quality inherent in the living being.

CC Adi 4.30, Purport:

The Lord is so merciful that He Himself descends to take the fallen souls back home to the kingdom of Godhead, where the erotic principles of Godhead are eternally relished in their real form, distinct from the perverted sexual love so much adored and indulged in by the fallen souls in their diseased condition. The reason the Lord displays the rāsa-līlā is essentially to induce all the fallen souls to give up their diseased morality and religiosity, and to attract them to the kingdom of God to enjoy the reality.

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 8 Summary:

Gradually Rāmānanda Rāya could understand the position of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu exhibited His real form, Rāmānanda Rāya fell unconscious. After some days, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked Rāmānanda Rāya to retire from government service and come to Jagannātha Purī. These descriptions of the meetings between Rāmānanda Rāya and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu are taken from the notebook of Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī.

CC Madhya 8.278, Translation:

Rāmānanda Rāya replied, "My dear Lord, please give up all these serious talks. Please do not conceal Your real form from me."

CC Madhya 8.282, Translation:

Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the reservoir of all pleasure, and Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the personification of ecstatic love of Godhead. These two forms had combined as one in Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. This being the case, Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu revealed His real form to Rāmānanda Rāya.

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 32:

Being very satisfied, Lord Caitanya smiled and showed Rāmānanda His real form as the combination of Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Thus Lord Caitanya was Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself with the external features of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. His transcendental ability to become two and then to become one again was revealed to Rāmānanda Rāya. Those who are fortunate enough to understand Lord Caitanya as well as the Vṛndāvana pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa can be able, by the mercy of Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, to know about the real identity of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 2:

Here it is said that this vijñānam is always defeating all kinds of speculative knowledge. "Therefore, without Your appearing as Kṛṣṇa, as You are, neither ajñāna-bhidāpamārjanam (destruction of the nescience of speculative knowledge) nor vijñānam would be realized. In other words, Your appearance will vanquish the ignorance of speculative knowledge and establish the real experienced knowledge of authorities like Lord Brahmā. Men influenced by the three modes of material nature imagine their own God according to the modes of material nature. In this way God is presented in various ways, but Your appearance will establish what the real form of God is."

Krsna Book 18:

In order to avoid the company of Kṛṣṇa, Pralambāsura carried Balarāma far away. The demon was undoubtedly very strong and powerful, but he was carrying Balarāma, who is compared to a mountain; therefore he began to feel the burden, and thus he assumed his real form. When he appeared in his real feature, he was decorated with a golden helmet and earrings and looked just like a cloud with lightning carrying the moon. Balarāma observed the demon's body expanding up to the limits of the clouds, his eyes dazzling like blazing fire and his mouth flashing with sharpened teeth.

Krsna Book 87:

The Supersoul within the body of a particular living entity, being a plenary portion of the Lord, is worshipable by the individual living entity. Great sages have therefore concluded that the process of meditation is designed so that the individual living entity may concentrate his attention on the lotus feet of the Supersoul form (Viṣṇu). That is the real form of samādhi. The living entity cannot be liberated from material entanglement by his own effort. He must therefore take to the devotional service of the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, or the Supersoul within himself.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Introduction to Gitopanisad (Earliest Recording of Srila Prabhupada in the Bhaktivedanta Archives):

In the Brahmā-saṁhitā it is very nicely described, goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūtaḥ (Bs. 5.37). The Lord, although resides eternally in His abode, Goloka, still He is akhilātma-bhūtaḥ, He can be approached from here also. And the Lord therefore comes to manifest His real form, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1), so that we may not have to imagine. There is no question of imagination. The Lord's presence, by His causeless mercy He presents Himself in His Śyāmasundara-rūpa.

Introduction to Gitopanisad (Earliest Recording of Srila Prabhupada in the Bhaktivedanta Archives):

Because the Lord comes as one of us and just like plays with us as a human being, therefore we need not consider that Lord is one of us. It is His omnipotency that He presents Himself with His real form before us and displays His pastimes, just the prototype of His abode. So that abode of Lord, there are innumerable planets also in that brahmajyoti. Just like we have got innumerable planets floating on the sun rays, similarly, in the brahmajyoti, which is emanating from the abode of the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇaloka, Goloka, ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis (Bs. 5.37), all those planets are spiritual planets. They are ānanda-cinmaya; they are not material planets.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Montreal, August 24, 1968:

Therefore we have to purify our senses. These senses will give you opportunity to hear His transcendental name, to see His transcendental form, to understand His transcendental quality, and so many things. He has got His name, He has got His qualities, He has got His form. Then He has got His associates. Everything. Whatever we see in this material world, they are simply perverted reflection of the reality. Real form is there. Real name is there in the spiritual world.

Lecture on BG 4.4 -- Bombay, March 24, 1974:

This transcendental form is made of sac-cid-ānanda. Sac-cid-ānanda. Sat means eternal, eternity. Oṁ tat sat. So sat, cit. Cit means full of knowledge. Full of knowledge here, tāny ahaṁ veda sarvāṇi. This is called cit. He knows everything, past, present and future. Sat, cit, and ānanda. You see Kṛṣṇa's form here, ānanda. He's enjoying. This is real Kṛṣṇa's form. He is always enjoying. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt in the Vedānta-sūtra it is said. He's ānandamaya. Kṛṣṇa, real form.

Lecture on BG 4.4 -- Bombay, March 24, 1974:

The Kṛṣṇa's form in the battlefield of Kurukṣetra, that is not Kṛṣṇa's real form. That is Kṛṣṇa's Vāsudeva form. Kṛṣṇa expands Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Aniruddha, in that say. So this is a great science, Kṛṣṇa science. If you are interested, there are books you can study and you can understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Janma karma (ca) me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). So everyone should try to understand Kṛṣṇa in truth.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Sydney, February 16, 1973:

Just like the comparison has been given just like the moon. The after the dark moon, the moon comes out just like a line, and then it increases, increases, and one night it becomes full. Similarly, as your heart becomes cleansed of the material dirty things, your real form, sat-cit-ānanda vigrahaḥ, eternity, blissful life of knowledge, becomes visible, just like the moon is visible. And one day you'll come to the full pleasure, full moon night, and that is your sarvātmā snapanam. And at that time you'll enjoy your life like anything. That is our highest perfection of life. Paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam. The only method is chanting this holy name of God, Kṛṣṇa.

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

Generally we conceive impersonalism, voidism, voidism, compared with the sky. Sky is called zero, void, but sky has also a form. We see daily, a big round form. So there cannot be anything without form. That is not possible. Therefore Kṛṣṇa particularly says avyakta-mūrtinā. Although it is nonmanifested, but it has got a form. But one who does not take to the real form and takes to the imaginary form, that has been explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, kleśaḥ adhika-taras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām. Those who are attached to the impersonal form, they unnecessarily take some trouble, kleśaḥ adhika-taraḥ.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.3.7 -- Los Angeles, September 13, 1972:

He can take any shape. Just like here is, God has assumed the shape of a lion, half-lion, half-man. So He's all powerful, He can take any shape, any form, but He is not that form. That is for the time being. For the time being, He assumes so many forms. The real form is Kṛṣṇa, the original form. Keśava dhṛta-śūkara, sūkara-rūpa or śūkara-rūpa. "My Lord Keśava, You have assumed this form."

Lecture on SB 1.3.30 -- Los Angeles, October 5, 1972:

So we do not forget things so long the form continues. But when the form changes, we forget. Every night we have got this experience. Our form is lying on the bed, but I am dreaming in a different form. I am flying in the sky and forgetting that my real form is lying on the bed. You forget. We forget that "I am American" or "I am the son of such and such gentleman," or... Everything forgotten. Every night we have got this experience. So as soon as the form is forgotten, then everything is forgotten. With reference to the context.

Lecture on SB 1.3.30 -- Los Angeles, October 5, 1972:

So as our this material body is not our real form... The real form is within this body, spiritual form. This body is explained as the dress. The dress is made when there is a real form. Just like you have got coat. Because you have got hands, the coat has got a hand. Your shirt: because you have got hand, the shirt has got a hand. But you are not the shirt or the coat. Similarly, because we are spiritual forms, maybe very minute, therefore we grow our hands and legs and heads and so many things. That is materially coated.

Lecture on SB 1.8.41 -- Los Angeles, May 3, 1973:

The universal form is causal, because Arjuna wanted to see. Arjuna was a devotee, so He showed him. That is not actual form. Just like a person, he, he may dress himself as a king or something, but that is not his real appearance, his appearance at home. So Kṛṣṇa's real form is Vṛndāvana, at home. That is real form. And all other forms are expansion of His plenary portions. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33), in the Brahma-saṁhitā.

Lecture on SB 1.8.41 -- Los Angeles, May 3, 1973:

He can expand Himself in millions and millions of forms, ananta-rūpam. But advaita, but He's one. Advaita, acyuta. Acyuta means who never falls. Infallible. So Kṛṣṇa's infallible, not infallible, Kṛṣṇa's real form... In any form, He's not fallible. He's acyuta. But His real form is the dvi-bhuja-muralīdhara. Dvi-bhuja, two hands, having a flute in the hand. That is real form. Therefore, Kuntīdevī's addressing that "You are, You have got universal form. But the form in which You are standing before me, that is Your real form."

Lecture on SB 1.16.24 -- Hawaii, January 20, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa has got independence, full independence; we have got independence, but not full independence. But we have got independence. So that is the difference. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Kṛṣṇa has got various forms, but His real form is Kṛṣṇa. God has got many forms, but the original form is that, playing on flute, curved in three places with barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam, with a feather on the head. These are Vedic description of Kṛṣṇa. It is not an artistic paint, but it is taken from the Vedic literature, what is the original form of Kṛṣṇa. Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. That is original form. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28).

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Vrndavana, March 16, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet is to become free from fearfulness. Bhaja huṅ re mana śrī-nanda-nandana. Particularly śrī-nanda-nandana. Nanda-nandana means that Kṛṣṇa has got many forms: Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, then Viṣṇu, Mahā-Viṣṇu. Ananta, advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). But His real form is in Vṛndāvana, the son of Nanda Mahārāja. Therefore he is advising, bhaja huṅ re mana śrī-nanda-nandana. Kṛṣṇa... There are Māyāvādī philosophers, they say that the Absolute Truth, the Supreme, has no name. Yes. For the persons with poor fund of knowledge, they may not find out Kṛṣṇa's name. But in the śāstra we have got thousands of name. Viṣṇu-sahasra-nāma.

Lecture on SB 3.26.45 -- Bombay, January 20, 1975:

In the Bhagavad-gītā, you will find in the Eleventh Chapter, Arjuna is requesting to come to His original form. So he was very much threatened, or frightened, and he requested, "This form is very much unbearable to see. Please come to Your original form." So Kṛṣṇa first of all came to His form, four-handed Viṣṇu form; then again He came into His two-handed Kṛṣṇa form, and that is the ultimate, real form of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 6.1.33 -- San Francisco, July 18, 1975:

This is Vaikuṇṭha dress. Lasat-puṣkara-mālinaḥ, sarve ca nūtna-vayasaḥ: all young men. In Vaikuṇṭha there is no old age, although they are eternal. That is the real form of the spirit. The old age is due to this body, material body. Material thing is born and stays for some time, and then it is annihilated. So up to the time of annihilation, it becomes so old, nasty, bad-looking. But in the Vaikuṇṭha there is no such thing. Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yam.

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

Sanātana-dharma means that eternal occupational duty which you cannot cease. Now, Prahlāda Mahārāja is advising that, dharmān bhāgavatān. Bhāgavatān means... Bhāgavata means pertaining to Bhagavān. And Bhagavān means to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So bhāgavata is the adjective form of the noun word Bhagavān. Bhaga, real form of the word is bhagavat. Bhagavat. Vat means possessing, and bhaga means opulences. One who possess all the opulences, He's called bhagavat. And from bhagavat this word has come, bhāgavata. So bhāgavata means pertaining to God and His devotees. That is called bhāgavata.

Lecture on SB 7.9.36 -- Mayapur, March 14, 1976:

That is Kṛṣṇa's real form. Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam: "He is playing on flute." But here it is said that sahasra-vadanāṅghri-śiraḥ-karoru. Here Brahmā saw He has got many sahasra... What is that? Sahasra-vadana, faces, aṅghri. As soon as there is face, as soon as there is one face, there must be two legs, two hands. So He appeared before Brahmā with thousands of faces. So similarly, number of hands and legs must increase proportionately. So Lord Brahmā saw Him in His virāṭa-rūpam, virāṭ-rūpam. Kṛṣṇa, Brahman, Brahman, Para-brahman. Para-brahman means the great, the great. And He is Para-brahman.

Lecture on SB 7.9.36 -- Mayapur, March 14, 1976:

Therefore in the Vṛndāvana there is no such exhibition of Kṛṣṇa's form. But in the material world, just to convince Brahmā that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He appeared, sahasra vadanāṅghri-śiraḥ-karoru-nāsādya-karṇa-nayanābharaṇaya-a yudhāḍhyam. Not only many faces, many ears, many legs, but each of them very nicely decorated. You have seen the picture of Lord Viṣṇu, very decorated, very much decorated. But you'll see Kṛṣṇa, He is decorated with the Vṛndāvana flowers. That is Kṛṣṇa's real form. He does not appear with many hands, many ornaments, many... No. Simple boy.

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

Puṁsaḥ means enjoyer. Puruṣa. The Lord is puruṣa, the male. The Lord, the Supreme Truth, absolute cannot be female. Just like so many others, Māyāvādī philosophers, they think that the Supreme Absolute Truth can be female. No. He can be female, but the real form is puṁsaḥ. Just like Arjuna accepts the Absolute, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, puruṣaṁ śāśvataṁ (BG 10.12). The Lord is puruṣa, He is not female. Here also puṁsaḥ. Another meaning of puruṣa means "enjoyer."

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.119 -- Gorakhpur, February 17, 1971:

Just try to understand. If you have no form, then how the shirt and coat can take form? From argument. So therefore, living entity is not formless, neither Kṛṣṇa, or the supreme living entity, is formless. Both of them form, having form, but not this form. This is temporary form. The real form is spiritual form. Therefore nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). And Kṛṣṇa also says in the Second Chapter that "Both you and Me and all these soldiers and kings who have assembled before us, they were existing in the past, they are existing now, at present, and they will continue to exist in the future."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-99 -- Washington, D.C., July 4, 1976:

Kṛṣṇa's symbolic representation is He is always playing on flute. And barhāvataṁsa: with a peacock feather. These are described in the Vedic literature. It is not that we worship Kṛṣṇa as imaginary form of God. No. As the Māyāvādīs, they say that you can imagine any form of God, no, that is not the fact. God has His original form, real form sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Anādir ādir govindaḥ sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1).

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.31-38 -- San Francisco, January 22, 1967:

You have to search out the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore Brahmā said, "Now I am seeing Your personality. So there is nothing beyond this." Nātaḥ paraṁ parama yad bhavataḥ svarūpam. "Now, here it is Your real form or real identity." Bhavataḥ svarūpam. And what is that svarūpam? What is that identity? Ānanda-mātram. It is simply reservoir of pleasure. This is the form of Kṛṣṇa. Form of Kṛṣṇa means there is no shadow of any material contamination. Ānanda-mātram.

Festival Lectures

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, SB 6.3.24 -- Gorakhpur, February 15, 1971:

So in order to mitigate this troublesome position, some of their ācāryas, Śaṅkarācārya, has said that "You imagine a form. There is no real form, but you imagine some form." And he has recommended five forms. The first form is Durgā, Śakti. The second form is Sūrya, the sun, sun worshiper. And the third form is Gaṇeśa, and the fourth form is Śiva. And the fifth form is Viṣṇu. Of course, these are the different stages of spiritual development.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation Lecture -- Boston, December 26, 1969:

Therefore sometimes in Vedic literature it is stated, "formless." Formless does not mean has no form. Not this form. That is formless. But people with less intelligence, they think formless means there's no form. Formless means not this form. This is anyathā rūpam. This is different from our real form. So mukti means to give up this unreal form and accept your real form. Just like freedom from disease. Get free from the diseased condition and come to real healthy life.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Seattle, October 18, 1968:

If you think something void, there will be something light, something color, colorful, so many things we will find. But that is also form. How you can avoid form? That is not possible. Therefore why don't you concentrate your mind to the real form, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1), the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the controller, the supreme controller, who has got a body? How? Vigrahaḥ, vigrahaḥ means body. And what sort of body? Sac-cid-ānanda, eternal body, full of bliss, full of knowledge. That body.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Aquinas:

Hayagrīva: Aquinas believed that only God and the angels have form that is not material. There is no difference between God's form and His spiritual self.

Prabhupāda: Yes. As in the material world any form-man or beast or anyone—in the outward, external covering is matter, but within the matter there is the soul. The soul has form and God has form. That is real form. And the material form is simply shirting and coating over the spiritual body.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 4, 1974, Bombay:

Dr. Patel:

evam etad yathāttha
tvam ātmānaṁ paramesvarā
draṣṭum icchāmi te rūpam
aiśvaraṁ puruṣottama
(BG 11.3)

He wants to see His real form.

Prabhupāda: Yes. No, that is not real form. Real form is Kṛṣṇa.

Dr. Patel: Aiśvaram rūpam.

Room Conversation -- April 26, 1974, Tirupati:

Indian man: Oṁ namo nārāyaṇa (recites mantra). These are our, is our mantra.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes, you are Vaiṣṇava. The Vaiṣṇava, that is real form of religion. Others, they are not religion. It has been rejected in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo atra (SB 1.1.2). Atra, kaitavaḥ religion is rejected. Kaitavaḥ means cheating.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Yoga Student -- March 14, 1975, Iran:

Prabhupāda: The sweater has got hand because I have got hand. The sweater is the covering. If I haven't got form, then how the sweater has got hand, the pant has got leg? So the pant practically is not the leg. The real leg is within the pant. Similarly, this is not my form; this is like pant, leg of the pant or hand of the coat. Real form is within, asmin dehe. That is not material form. If the real form I could see, you could see, then there was no controversy, the spirit. But they cannot see. Therefore they say "formless." If it is formless, then how the outer form comes out? How it can be? The tailor makes the coat because the man has got form. As the coat has got hands, so it is concluded that the man for whom the coat is made, he has got form. How you can say without form? The difficulty is that we can see the form of the coat, but we cannot see the form of the man. That is my defect with the eyes, not that the God is formless. God is not formless.

Room Conversation with Yoga Student -- March 14, 1975, Iran:

Prabhupāda: That is another. That is secondary. But God has got form. That is the conclusion. But we cannot see with our present eyes. That is described, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grahyam indriyaiḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). By your these blunt senses... The same thing. Just like I see you. What I see you? Your body. You see me—my body. And when the body is there and the soul is not there, then it is lump of matter. You kick it out and nobody will protest. If a dead body you smash with your legs and boots, nobody will say that "Why you are doing this?" But so long the soul is there, if somebody is smashed like that, immediately there will be protest from all side, "Why you are doing this?" So the people have no knowledge about the real form. Therefore they say formless.

Morning Walk -- March 15, 1975, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: The sweater has got hand, because I have got hand. The sweater is the covering. If I haven't got form, then how the sweater has got hand, the pant has got leg? But the pant practically is not the leg, the real leg is within the pant. Similarly, this is not my form, this is like pant, leg of the pant or hand of the coat. Real form is within. Asmin dehe. That is not material form. If the real form I could see, you could see, then there would be no controversy, but they cannot see. Therefore, they say "formless". If it is formless then how the outward form comes about? How it can be? The tailor makes the coat because the man has got form. As the coat has got hand, so it is concluded that the man for whom the coat is made he has got form. How you can say without form? The difficulty is that we can see the form of the coat but we cannot see the form of the man. That is my defect in the eyes, not that the God is formless. God is not formless.

Morning Walk -- March 15, 1975, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: That is another, that is second maybe, but God has got form. That is the conclusion, but we cannot see with the present eyes. That is described, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). By your, these blunt senses.... Same thing, just like I see you, but I see your body. You see me, my body, and.... But the body is there, and the soul is not there then it is lump of matter and you kick it out, nobody will protest. If a dead body is smashed with your legs or boots, nobody will say (indistinct). But so long the soul is there, if somebody is smashed like that, immediately they will protest. (indistinct). So people have no knowledge about the real form, therefore they say formless.

Devotee: When the body changes, Śrīla Prabhupāda, does that mean that also that the real form changes?

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation With Radha-Damodara Sankirtana Party -- March 16, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Each and every flower take alone; it is not beautiful, but when they are combined together, it looks very beautiful. It is attractive. And that is wanted. Because from the spiritual platform we are all working. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). Spiritual platform, every one of us, we are servant of Kṛṣṇa. So where is the competition between one servant with another? There is.... Even there is competition, the center is Kṛṣṇa—"Who can serve more?" Therefore that competition is very welcome, because there is no personal interest. Everyone is trying how to serve Kṛṣṇa more. That is wanted. The competition is there in his real form and perverted form. In the real form Kṛṣṇa is the center, and the perverted form, I am the center. I compete with you to satisfy my senses more.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Evening Darsana -- May 15, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: So yatatām api siddhānām. Even the jñānīs, they are supposed to be siddha, and they also miss the point, that "The Supreme has no material body, so only negation." No. There is positive body. Therefore bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān (BG 7.19). Although he has knowledge, still, his knowledge is not purified. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32). And because they cannot capture the real form of the Lord, they again fall down in this material world. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. Falsely such persons think that "Now I have become liberated" without approaching the form of the Lord. Ye 'nye 'ravinda... Aravindākṣa: "One who has got lotus eyes." Ye 'nye... Ye anye aravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ: "Thinks of himself as he had become liberated." He may be liberated from material concept of life, but aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ, because he could not understand, take, what is the form of the Lord, the result is āruhya kṛcchreṇa, with great austerity, he can come to the platform of nirguṇa Brahman, Parambrahman, but because naturally he is seeking after the reality... He does not get the reality, only eternity. Reality is bliss. Sac-cid-ānanda. That ānanda he does not get.

Correspondence

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Hayagriva -- Los Angeles 31 January, 1969:

You know Dr. Haridasa Chondhery of San Francisco. He writes as follows:—"I am delightful to receive your affectionate gift of 'The Bhagavad-gita As It Is.' Whenever I find some time, I read a little from it. The book is without doubt the best presentation so far to the western public of the teachings of Lord Krishna—the standpoint of the Vaisnava tradition of India . . . etc."

Actually it is so. Now we have to make some propaganda work to convince the different colleges and universities to read this real form of B.G. to the Western Public.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 16 May, 1970:

Similarly when we are spiritually perfect we develop the spiritual form to live eternally in the spiritual world. In the spiritual world there are exactly the same things as we see here; namely the land, water, trees, birds, beasts, human beings, etc., and all of them are spiritual as all the varieties here are material. So these things can be understood when one is advanced in self-realization. The real form of the living entity is eternal servant of Krsna. Now this spiritual form is developed when he enters into the spiritual world.

Page Title:Real form
Compiler:Rati, Serene
Created:20 of Nov, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=3, SB=9, CC=5, OB=4, Lec=27, Con=8, Let=2
No. of Quotes:58