Reliable sources

Expressions researched:
"reliable source" |"reliable sources"

SB Canto 3

One must hear these scriptures repeatedly from reliable sources in order to become fixed in serious devotional service.

SB 3.27.21, Purport:

There are two kinds of śruti, or scripture. One is spoken by the Lord, and the other is spoken about the Lord and His devotees. Bhagavad-gītā is the former and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam the latter. One must hear these scriptures repeatedly from reliable sources in order to become fixed in serious devotional service. Through engagement in such devotional service, one becomes freed from the contamination of māyā. It is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that hearing about the Supreme Personality of Godhead cleanses the heart of all contamination caused by the influence of the three modes of material nature. By continuous, regular hearing, the effects of the contamination of lust and greed to enjoy or lord it over material nature diminish, and when lust and greed diminish, one then becomes situated in the mode of goodness. This is the stage of Brahman realization, or spiritual realization. In this way one becomes fixed on the transcendental platform. Remaining fixed on the transcendental platform is liberation from material entanglement.

SB Canto 7

SB 7.3.12, Translation:

O lord, we have heard from reliable sources that in order to obtain your post, Hiraṇyakaśipu is now engaged in severe austerity. You are the master of the three worlds. Please, without delay, take whatever steps you deem appropriate.

SB Canto 9

SB 9.1.36, Translation:

I heard from reliable sources that King Sudyumna, the son of Manu, having thus achieved femininity, remembered his familial spiritual master, Vasiṣṭha.

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 22.110, Translation:

“"O descendant of Bharata! O Mahārāja Parīkṣit! The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is situated in everyone"s heart as Paramātmā, who is the supreme controller, and who always removes the miseries of the living entities, must always be heard about from reliable sources, and He must be glorified and remembered by one who wishes to become fearless.'

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī informed Mahārāja Parīkṣit that he had heard from reliable sources that simply to teach the children of the Yadu dynasty there were as many as 38,800,000 tutors, or ācāryas.

Krsna Book 90:

It is stated by Śukadeva Gosvāmī that all the members of the Yadu dynasty had many children. Just as Kṛṣṇa had many sons, grandsons and great-grandsons, each one of the kings named herewith also had similar family extensions. Not only did all of them have many children, but all were extraordinarily rich and opulent. None of them were weak or short-lived, and above all, all the members of the Yadu dynasty were staunch devotees of the brahminical culture. It is the duty of the kṣatriya kings to maintain the brahminical culture and protect the qualified brāhmaṇas, and all these kings discharged their duties rightly. The members of the Yadu dynasty were so numerous that it would be very difficult to describe them all, even if one had a duration of life of many thousands of years. Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī informed Mahārāja Parīkṣit that he had heard from reliable sources that simply to teach the children of the Yadu dynasty there were as many as 38,800,000 tutors, or ācāryas. If so many teachers were needed to educate their children, one can simply imagine how vast was the number of family members. As for their military strength, it is said that King Ugrasena alone had ten quadrillion soldiers as personal bodyguards.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

"You just try to understand the Supreme from the reliable source."

Lecture on BG 8.14-15 -- New York, November 16, 1966:

Then? What is the process? San-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām: "You just try to understand the Supreme from the reliable source." San-mukharitām. Sat-mukharitām. Mukharita means from the lips, from the lips of realized souls. Just like Arjuna is understanding about God from direct Kṛṣṇa, from the lips of Kṛṣṇa. Svayaṁ padmanābha-mukham, mukha-niḥsṛtaḥ. So this is the process. So similarly, if we understand about God through the lips of Arjuna or his bona fide representative, that is the process. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva: "Submissively, one who tries to understand the transcendental nature of God from the reliable source..."

So we have to practice this process and learn this process from reliable sources and assimilate them in our life.

Lecture on BG 10.4 -- New York, January 3, 1967:

The tongue has two functions: to taste and to vibrate. Vibrate

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare

Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare

and taste kṛṣṇa-prasāda. Just see how you are making advancement. This is called damaḥ. So as soon as you are able to control your senses, naturally you shall be able to control your mind. That is called śamaḥ. So these are the processes. So we have to practice this process and learn this process from reliable sources and assimilate them in our life. That is the real utilization of this human form of life. We should learn it, we should practice it, and make our life successful.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Nārada Muni, he is spiritual master, he could understand that Vyāsadeva is seeking something, that "Why I am morose? I have tried to give knowledge to the people as far as possible, as far I have known from reliable sources. So why I am not satisfied?"

Lecture on SB 1.5.1-4 -- New Vrindaban, May 22, 1969:

So how this Vedānta-sūtra commentary was originally written by the author himself is explained in the Fifth Chapter of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, First Canto. You try to understand it. So the cause was that after compiling all these Vedic literatures up to the end, Vedānta-sūtra, Vyāsadeva was not satisfied. Vyāsadeva was still morose. So Nārada Muni, he is spiritual master, he could understand that Vyāsadeva is seeking something, that "Why I am morose? I have tried to give knowledge to the people as far as possible, as far I have known from reliable sources. So why I am not satisfied?"

You should engage yourself to receive spiritual knowledge from the authority, reliable source.

Lecture on SB 1.10.5 -- London, August 28, 1973:

So if you want to enter into the spiritual kingdom, as Lord Jesus Christ also said, "The kingdom of God is for the meek and the..." Huh? Meek and mild, yes. So that is the qualification. You have to become humble. Therefore the Bhāgavata also says the same thing. Jñāne prayāsam. Don't be very much proud of your so-called knowledge, that "I can understand everything." You should become namra, meek and mild. And then how to be...? Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. You should engage yourself to receive spiritual knowledge from the authority, reliable source. Spiritual knowledge is understood through the ear.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

If you try to understand Kṛṣṇa as far as possible, through the reliable sources, through the bona fide sources, then your Vedic study is going on in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.5 -- New York, January 7, 1967:

Now, here the great sage says that "I have consulted all the Vedic process, all the Vedic literature, and I see that bhagavad-ārādhana-vidhi: the only injunction is that, to worship the Supreme Lord." And similarly, in the Bhagavad-gītā it is confirmed by the Lord, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam: (BG 15.15) "By Vedic study means I. One has to understand Me. That's all." If you try to understand Kṛṣṇa as far as possible, through the reliable sources, through the bona fide sources, then your Vedic study is going on in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Festival Lectures

I have heard from reliable sources that Christ was absent from his home for twelve years, and he went to India for studying. Maybe.

Jagannatha Deities Installation Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.13-14 -- San Francisco, March 23, 1967:

Guest (2): Somebody... I have heard or read somewhere that Christ had studied in India. Is this true?

Prabhupāda: Yes, I have also heard, but I do not know whether it is true. Maybe, because India is the place of learning. From China, from other places, from Greece, the history says, they used to go to India. So quite possible. And I have heard from reliable sources that Christ was absent from his home for twelve years, and he went to India for studying. Maybe.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

I heard it from very reliable source, my teacher. He was second teacher in my school, graduate, very good gentleman. He said that Edward VIII, er, VII, he was stealing jewels.

Morning Walk -- September 29, 1975, Ahmedabad:

Prabhupāda: I heard it from very reliable source, my teacher. He was second teacher in my school, graduate, very good gentleman. He said that Edward VIII, er, VII, he was stealing jewels. You see?

Indian man (3): A very bad habit.

Prabhupāda: Emperor of British Empire, and he was a thief. Just see.

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

In deductive way we take it for granted from reliable source.

Letter to Jawaharlal Nehru -- Allahabad 20 January, 1952:

"So we search for new ways, new aspects of the truth more in harmony with our environment. And we question each other and debate and quarrel and evolve any number of 'isms' and philosophies. As in the days of Socrates, we live in an age of questioning, but the questioning is not confined to a city like Athens: it is worldwide".

There are two ways of answering such questions, I mean the deductive way and inductive way. Mortality of man is established by either of the above ways. In deductive way we take it for granted from reliable source, "Man is Mortal." But in the inductive way we approach the same truth by our poor reasoning of "observation and experiment." By observation we can see that Gandhi dies, Fotilal dies, C.R. Das dies, Patel dies and therefore we conclude that man dies or, "Man is Mortal". Then again in the same deductive way when we reason that man is mortal, and find that Jawaharlal is a man and thus conclude that Jawaharlal is mortal.

Truth means Absolute Truth. Relative truth is conditional and when the conditions fail, the relative truth disappears. But Absolute Truth does not exist on conditions it is above all conditions. So when we speak of truth, we may take it for the Absolute Truth. And when we speak of approaching the Truth by new ways, we may take it for granted what we want to approach the Truth by the inductive way.

I heard it through reliable sources that you are a great admirer of the Bhagavad-gita.

Letter to Sri Munshiji -- Bombay 18 February, 1957:

I heard it through reliable sources that you are a great admirer of the Bhagavad-gita and your Vidyalaya has a special department for preaching its philosophy. I came to Bombay from Vrndavana to co-operate with you, because there is no difference between the missions of both yourself and myself.

1968 Correspondence

I understand it from reliable sources that people are trying to get Your Holiness' sanction for contraceptive method, which is certainly against any religion of the world.

Letter to Pope Paul VI -- Montreal 3 August, 1968:

The human society cannot anymore be allowed to continue a Godless civilization at the risk of decreasing truthfulness, hygienic principles, forgiveness, and mercifulness. Because on account of predominance of these principles at the present moment, duration of life, strength, and memory of the human being is decreasing. The human society is gradually degrading in the matter of religiosity, and justice; and "might is right" is gradually taking the place of morality and justice. There is practically no more family life, and the union of man and woman is gradually degrading to the standard of sexuality. I understand it from reliable sources that people are trying to get Your Holiness' sanction for contraceptive method, which is certainly against any religion of the world. In the Hindu religion, such contraceptive method or abortion is considered equivalent to murder.

1970 Correspondence

I have information from reliable sources that in France this Krsna Consciousness Movement has very good chance.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 1 May, 1970:

Regarding a place in Paris, you write to say that there is accommodation, but you are in want of money. If this is a fact, then immediately find out a nice place for our Paris center, and if you let me know how much you require, then I may try for it. But I am very much hopeful from your statement that in Paris we have got very good prospect of organizing this movement. Simply by your request only so many young boys and girls joined—this is a very good sign. I have information from reliable sources that in France this Krsna Consciousness Movement has very good chance.

1977 Correspondence

The living being is an eternal spiritual fragment of the whole spirit A living being is called Sanatana or eternal whereas the absolute whole is also called Sanatana. And the Sanatana activities of the combination of the whole and the part are also Sanatana. These are the informations from all reliable sources of Vedic knowledge.

Letter to Ved Prakash ji -- Unknown Place Unknown Date:

So far "Paropakara", which you have very nicely explained, is concerned—it is the only function of every living being. But what is the standard of "Paropakara" that should be known. On that way we must know the actual position of the entity entitled to received benefit. A patient suffering from a chronic disease may have many kinds of painful symptoms. The physician does not give much attention to the various symptoms of the disease but wants treat with the root cause. Therefore when we wish to render 'paropakara' we must know the actual cause of the miserable conditions. You cannot do any benefit to a fish on the land by any amount of earthly comfort. The fish must be allowed to go down to the water where every comfort is there for it. Therefore we have to take account of the living being and its real nature. The living being is an eternal spiritual fragment of the whole spirit A living being is called Sanatana or eternal whereas the absolute whole is also called Sanatana. And the Sanatana activities of the combination of the whole and the part are also Sanatana. These are the informations from all reliable sources of Vedic knowledge.