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Ship (Lectures)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.11 (with Spanish translator) -- Mexico, February 11, 1975:

Hṛdayānanda: (translating question from Spanish) ...one does not follow the instructions of guru.

Prabhupāda: Then he's misguided. A ship without rudder, or without captain. A ship without captain.

Lecture on BG 2.11 (with Spanish translator) -- Mexico, February 11, 1975:

Prabhupāda: So anyone who accepts this body as self, he is animal, he is not human being. That is the beginning of knowledge. People are accepting knowledge from a school, college, university, but at the present moment at least, how many people know that he is not body? Unless we understand this first principle of knowledge, there is no question of spiritual advancement of life. So the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā is to give lesson that we are not this body. It will be later on explained that the spirit soul, or the real person, is within this body. Just like we are here. We are within this shirt and coat, but we are not the shirt and coat. So if the shirt and coat is stolen and if somebody becomes mad after it and lamenting, that is not very good sense. Therefore He is saying that aśocyān anvaśocas tvam: (BG 2.11) "You are lamenting on the subject matter which is never done by any learned man." So we shall go further on? Yes? Read, you, purport in Spanish. (break)

Hṛdayānanda: (translating question from Spanish) ...one does not follow the instructions of guru.

Prabhupāda: Then he's misguided. A ship without rudder, or without captain. A ship without captain.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 7, 1966:

We do not know where I am going. Or in the sea. Or in the sea. I have got experience. Have you ever traveled in the sea? No. But when I was coming from India, so everywhere I see a round only, round of water. I do not know which way the ship is proceeding. You see? But they have got a chart. They have got a chart. By latitude, longitude, by time and by chart, they are calculating. Now, I was asking the Captain, "Where we have come?" He was saying, in the Mediterranean Sea, "Oh, we are so many miles from Italy. We are so many miles from..." Like this. "Tunisia. Now we are coming to Gibraltar." Like this. But I was seeing all vast of water only. I was seeing, "Just after ten miles I shall reach," but it never reaches. So then how, what are these charts? The charts are that experienced sailors, they have made the charts. The captain was also consulting that chart because it was made by experienced sailors. That is nothing. So similarly in calculating in which way we have to find out our salvation is to follow such liberated souls.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- New York, March 11, 1966:

So this we should, we should carefully note, that our mind in the material condition is always disturbed, always disturbed. And this is due to our unfavorable condition. Because we are actually spirit in identity and we have been put into material conditions. We can very well experience. And we have, I got experience, and here is Captain Pandia. He has also experienced. He may be more than experienced than me. When we passed through the sea on the ship, although we are on the sea, quite safe, still, when there is some storm, when there is some disturbance on the ocean, we also become very much disturbed, because that situation is foreign to us. We are not so much disturbed in the land as we are disturbed in the ocean because we know that our position in the ocean is not our natural condition. So we should know that disturbance is due to our unnatural condition. Otherwise, there is no question of disturbance.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- New York, March 11, 1966:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that, tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehinām. Dehinām means "of those who have accepted this material body, for them." And what is their condition? Now, dehināṁ sadā samudvigna-dhiyām. Dehinām, one who has accepted this material body, his conditional life is always full of anxiety. Not that, that we are always in want. Even in your duty. Just like our Captain sāheb is here. I have seen in the ship he has got very serious duty in the ocean. He's always consulting the chart and the latitude, longitude, which side the ship is going. That is anxiety because so many lives, so many property, is under his control. Any, a slight mistake, would play havoc. We do not know. I was asking the Captain sāheb, "Where you are going?" But I do not know. I see simply vast of water. But he has got responsibility. He knows the thing. So any responsible officer... Any responsible... Your President Johnson, he's also full of anxiety. I am also full of anxiety. You are also full of anxiety. Even a, a small bird, you'll find... You give a small bird some grains. You'll see like this: "Is there enemy? Somebody's coming. Somebody's killing me." So full of anxieties. This is the condition.

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- London, August 21, 1973:

You approach Viṣṇu. You get all the powers because you become under protection. Protection of the... That... Tulasī dāsa has said that in the ocean, the waves of the ocean, if you put one elephant very powerful, very strong, the elephant will be washed away by the waves. But a small fish, a teeny fish, it is swimming against the waves. They take pleasure. The fish, when the waves are coming this way, the fish go in that way. Now see. You put against the waves an elephant. It will be washed away. Why elephant? Any strong thing you give. Even big, big ships, oh, it will be washed away. But a small fish, it doesn't care the waves; it goes against the waves. Why? It has taken the shelter. It has taken the shelter of the ocean. Similarly, all power belongs to Kṛṣṇa. Yatra yogeśvaraḥ hariḥ. But if anyone takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa, he becomes as powerful as Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 2.23-24 -- London, August 27, 1973:

Nainaṁ chindanti śastrāṇi nainaṁ dahati pāvakaḥ. Another study from this verse is that the Māyāvāda philosophy, they say that spirit is one. The Supreme Spirit, impersonal. When the spirit is embodied, it becomes individual. This is their philosophy. Otherwise, they give the example... Just like there is water on the sea. It is also sustained on the earth. A big mass of water. And on that water, you can put one boat or ship full of water. And on that boat, you put another, a cup of water, and in the cup of water, you put another pot, a small cup or small utensil or even the skin of a grain, that will also contain. So their philosophy is that the water is one, but according to the pot or container, it becomes small and big. This is their philosophy. And when the container is broken, then the whole water becomes one. This is their philosophy. Now this nonsense philosophy is refuted in this verse. How? Now because spirit, either you take whole spirit or part spirit, nainaṁ chindanti śastrāṇi. You cannot divide it by cutting into pieces. That is not possible. So their philosophy is that the water has been put into different pots, therefore we see this small water, this smaller or bigger, this division. But they are all individual always. It is not that it has been divided. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ jīva-loke sanātanaḥ (BG 15.7). Sanātana. Sanātana means eternally they are divided. It is not that it has been divided by some means. Just like we keep water in big pot or small pot. That is not possible. They are big or small eternally. Viṣṇu-tattva, jīva-tattva. The jīva-tattva, they are small fragments. They are eternal. Viṣṇu-tattva. Viṣṇu-tattva means the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Viṣṇu-tattva is unlimitedly great eternally, sanātana. And the jīva-tattva, they are infinitesimally smaller eternally. Not that it has been cut into small and big. No.

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

Those who have got my books, you will see that how much profusely the earth was producing during the time of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, because the executive head of the state was a pious, so how nature was helping. Nature was helping. Now India there is scarcity, scarcity of foodstuff. But the same India was producing so much grains, even during British time, that many thousands and thousand tons of rice were being exported from India to other countries. You see? That I have seen. I have seen. My maternal uncle was very rich man by simply exporting rice to the foreign countries. Yes. Spices... And old history you will find that India, they had got their own ships for exporting spices to Greece and other countries of Europe. The history is there. And they were supplying muslin cloth, even just before the British period, Muslim period. So India's export, export, I mean to say, status was far greater than other countries.

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

So one who does not know this mission of human life. So according to Bhagavad-gītā, he is living uselessly. His purpose of life, he has no. Just like a ship without a rudder, a man without aim, you have no aim or purpose of life. This is the purpose of life. So we have to perform yajña.

Lecture on BG 3.21-25 -- New York, May 30, 1966:

There is a nice verse that just like this material world is accepted as a great ocean. Now, to cross over a great Atlantic Ocean from New York to, I mean to say, Portugal... Just like Columbus came. Now we have got great big ships, but he had to face many dangers. Just it is very difficult to cross over the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, but if you have got a very good vehicle, ship or anything else, you can very nicely cross over, similarly, the example is given that this material life is a great ocean, and this human body is a good boat.

Lecture on BG 3.21-25 -- New York, May 30, 1966:

This human body is a good boat for crossing this ocean. And the spiritual master is a good captain. You see? And the instruction of Lord Kṛṣṇa, or a similar instruction, Vedic instruction, are favorable wind. Just like if you want to cross the Atlantic Ocean from New York, if the wind is blowing westward, then your journey becomes very favorable. So the favorable wind is blowing by this instruction of the Vedas, and there are many stalwart ācāryas who are just like the captain, and this human body is just like a good ship.

Lecture on BG 4.10 -- Vrndavana, August 2, 1974:

When there is fog... I was, when I was going to your country, USA, I was on the ship. So there was all of a sudden fog cover all over the sea. Anyone who has traveled in the sea, they have got experience. So you cannot go. Immediately the ship stops and horns so that other ships may not collide. It becomes... So this fog... Now, you have no instrument to drive away the fog. But as soon as the sun rises a little with strength, immediately fog is gone. So strong, but due to the sunshine, immediately it will go... Nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ. This example is given.

Similarly, we may have so many bad habits, rāga, attachment. If you simply take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this will go. Just like the fog, immediately.

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- New York, July 27, 1966:

Somebody says, "Can we see God?" Yes, you can see God. But how much prapatti? How much you have surrendered to God? Surrender to God... How much qualification you have acquired for seeing God? Seeing God is not very difficult, but at the same time it is very difficult.

Just like if I want to see President Johnson, if I am unknown to him, oh, I will have to take so many formalities. I will have to write to his secretary, and the secretary will give me some time or may not give me some time, so many things. But if you are personally known to President Johnson, you are intimately thick and thin with him, and as soon as you call him, "Mr. Johnson, I want to see you," "Yes, you can come." So it depends on the thick and thin-ship of your relation with Supreme Lord. If you can establish your relationship with the Supreme Lord in love... The Lord does not require our cooperation. He is full in Himself. He does not require my service, but still, if you love Him, then He reciprocates. So our reciprocation with the Lord depends on the proportion of our love, love of Godhead. This love of Godhead can be attained by Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

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

You have got experience. Just like when you fly on the plane, after some hours, four, five hours, you become disgusted. You want to come down. Everyone has got this experience. Because the sky is zero, we cannot remain there more than four or five hours or six hours. We must come down. In the sea also. We have got all these experience. If you remain on the ocean for three, four days... Because it runs on. When I first went to America, I went by ship. So thirty-five days. So after four, five days, it was disgusting. As soon as we saw one island, then we became relieved. (Laughter)

Lecture on BG 4.34-38 -- New York, August 17, 1966:

Now, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa says that "Just like if you have got a very good ship, you can very easily cross the Atlantic Ocean without any difficulty, similarly, we are in the midst of the ocean of ignorance." Our, this life, this conditioned life in the material world is just like the ocean of ignorance, ocean of ignorance. So Lord Caitanya, therefore, He prayed to Śrī Kṛṣṇa like this, ayi nanda-tanuja patitaṁ kiṅkaraṁ māṁ viṣame bhavāmbudhau: "My dear Lord Kṛṣṇa, I am just fallen in the ocean of ignorance." So we are in the ocean of ignorance. Now, in the ocean, if you get a very good boat or very good ship, as you can cross over, similarly, if we have the ship or the boat of perfect knowledge, then there is no fear. We can cross the ocean very easily.

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

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

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bombay, January 13, 1973:

So if you want to increase our attachment for Kṛṣṇa, then the śraddhā is the basic principle, faith. "Yes. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Even if we don't accept Him... At least everyone accepts Kṛṣṇa, the greatest personality. So that much faith is the beginning of āsakti, attachment for Kṛṣṇa. That little faith. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. Now you have to increase that faith. That increased faith means, as it is enunciated by Rūpa Gosvāmī, ādau śraddhā. If you have got little faith, to increase the faith, just yourself associate with the devotees. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). Because... Just like if you want to do some business, if you, if you want to increase the volume of business, you have to associate with business..., businessmen of the same line. Just like there are different mercantile associations, sharebroker's association, grain merchant association, oil ship merchant association. So to increase the volume of business, one has to associate with the similar persons. So if you want to increase your faith in Kṛṣṇa, then you have to associate with Kṛṣṇa bhaktas.

Lecture on BG 7.16 -- Bombay, April 7, 1971:

So our counteracting method, even though they are very efficient, still, unless it is sanctioned by Guru and God, they will not be effective. There are many such examples. Some years ago, perhaps you know, in America, they started one very strong and stout ship. It was known... I think it was named Titanic. So it was guaranteed that it will never be drowned; it is so well-looking. And all the important men of America started in that ship for the first time, and after few miles immediately it was drowned. So in spite of all scientific protection, in spite of all good brains behind the manufacture of this Titanic ship, it was drowned. So in this way we have to study that this ārta and arthārthī, because they are, their background is sukṛtina, pious activities, they know that without God's help we cannot mitigate any of our distressed condition or needy condition. Therefore the ārta and arthārthī whose background is pious life, they approach God: "Kṛṣṇa, please help me," although it is not pure devotion.

Lecture on BG 8.1 -- Geneva, June 7, 1974:

If you have taken Kṛṣṇa as the supreme authority, and Kṛṣṇa says there is no doubt about it, then why shall I become doubtful? Why shall I disbelieve Kṛṣṇa? This is the process. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Always remember Kṛṣṇa. And death may take place at any time. There is no guarantee that after so much time you'll die. At any moment, you can die. Death, there is no guarantee. But it is a guarantee that you must die. That is guaranteed. But when you will die, that is not guaranteed. Therefore we must be prepared for death at any moment. Therefore a devotee is not afraid of death. He knows that death may come at any moment. We are... Nowadays, it has, the death is very cheap. Because we are using this motorcar, these aeroplanes, so many things, ships and other things for transportation, and there is, every moment there is danger of accident, collapse, everything. So death is now very cheap. So we must be prepared for death at any moment. There is no guarantee, that "I am not yet old enough. I am not yet eighty years, ninety years. Why shall I die?" No. You may be twenty years, twenty-five years or younger than that. Death is assured, and it can take place at any moment.

Lecture on BG 9.13 -- New York, November 28, 1966:

The stool-eater is considered to be the lowest of the animals, the hog. Still, he has got mating facility, he has got eating facility, he has got sleeping facility, and he has got defending facility. Therefore Ṛṣabhadeva says that "This form of life, this human form of life, don't waste in that way." Viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ... You will have it. Even if you don't try for it, you will have it.

Just for example, take for example myself. I am a foreigner, Indian. I came here only with seven dollars with me. Dock, I got down from the ship. I did not know where to live, where to eat. But I am here, here for the last more than one year. So I am also eating, I am also sleeping, and I am also well-protected by my friends. So how it is being done? I am not serving here, I did not come with some money, but there is arrangement. Everyone, you have got arrangement made. Don't be very anxious for these problems. You should be anxious, athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is the problem of life. So who inquires about this, athāto brahma jijñāsā? Those who are actually developed in consciousness, they inquire, athātaḥ, "What is the source of myself? I am living entity, this world, this nature, this so many things we see, and what is the cause of, the cause of all causes? What is that?" That should be inquiry. Jijñāsuḥ, inquisitive, inquisitive. And the answer is given here in the Vedānta-sūtra, next. Athāto brahma jijñāsā: "Now this life is meant for inquiring about the Supreme Brahman."

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

If we do not utilize this human form of life for spiritual cultivation, then we are practically committing suicide. Ātma-han.

There is a very nice Sanskrit verse that... Just like you have to cross a great ocean. Now, if you want to cross Atlantic Ocean from New York to England, then you must have a very nice ship and a good captain and the atmosphere very favorable. Then it is very easy to cross. So that example is given in a Sanskrit verse, nṛ-deham ādyaṁ su-labhaṁ su-kalpam. Now, to cross this ocean of material existence... This is ocean. It is compared with ocean. Bhava-sāgara. Sāgara means ocean. So to cross this ocean you have got very nice ship. What is that? Nṛ-deham. This human form of life. Nṛ-deham ādyam. It is very nice ship. And su-labhaṁ su-labhaṁ su-durlabham. Su-labham means this kind of ship you cannot get always. It is an opportunity.

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

By gradual evolutionary process from the aquatic to the plant life, then from plant life to worm life, then from worm life to bird's life, then from bird's life to beast life, from beast life to human life—this is the gradual process of evolution. So therefore this human form of life is very difficult to get. By some fortune you have got now. So therefore it is said, su-labhaṁ su-durlabham.

And you have got this nice ship. And guru-karṇa-dhāram. And if you have got a nice spiritual master who is captain, good captain, who can help you to ply your ship on the same. So nṛ-deham ādyam su-labhaṁ su-durlabham. And atmosphere is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, created by the Supreme Lord by delivering you the message of Bhagavad-gītā. So you have got very good atmosphere. Just you compare in the same way: If in Atlantic Ocean there is no wind, there is no hurricane, and you have got a very good ship and very good captain, now take this opportunity of crossing. If you don't cross, then you are committing suicide. Oh, very nice.

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

We are collecting members of the society from all classes of men. So there may be a man in goodness, a man in the passion and a man in the ignorance. But if you think, "Oh, this man is not good. That man is not good," oh... No. You should be tolerant. You haven't got any connection with this man or that man. You are connected with the philosophy, with the process of life, and you are connected... Just like the same example: suppose you are on the ship. You do not find just all men to your choice. There may be different kinds of men. But what is that to you? You have to cross the Atlantic Ocean, patiently cross. Just sit down tightly on the ship and take advantage of the opportunity. That is your business. This is called kṣamā. Kṣamā means excuse and tolerant.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.3 -- Caracas, February 24, 1975:

You can receive knowledge from the Vedas, all types of knowledge, means that social, political and scientific, and there are so many departments of knowledge, even engineering, medical science. The medical science is called Āyur-veda. Āyur-veda means the Vedic knowledge about the duration of life. Similarly, there is Dhanur-veda. Dhanur-veda, military science. There are so many departments. Just like this aeroplane. That is also mentioned in the Vedas. There are not only aeroplanes; there are three other sciences. It is called kapota-vāhī. Kapota-vāhī means... The ka means the sky, and pota means ship. So as there is science how to manufacture the airship, that is there. There is another science of the same type, it is called kapota-vāhī. Kapota means pigeons. You can train up pigeons, and they will carry you from one place to another.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Visakhapatnam, February 20, 1972, At Ladies Club:

So when one comes to the platform of brahma understanding, that is called brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20). Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā: (BG 18.54) when you come to that platform, understanding of the soul, then you become joyful, free from material anxiety. Just like you are on a ship and it is in danger on the ocean, tottering. At any moment you can drown. But somehow or other, if you come to the land, you feel safety, "Now I am safe." Similarly, this bodily consciousness—"I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am this," "I am that"—that is just on the tottering sea. But if you come immediately on the spiritual platform, then prasannātmā, "Now I am safe." Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). To Brahman realized soul, he has no more any hankering, nor any lamentation. So long we are on the bodily platform, we are hankering and lamenting. We are hankering for things which we do not possess, and we lament for things we lose. There are two business: to gain some material profit or lose it. This is bodily platform. But when you come to the spiritual platform, there is no more question of loss and profit. Equilibrium.

Lecture on SB 1.3.27 -- Los Angeles, October 2, 1972:

This temple is spiritual, Vaikuṇṭha. It is not Los Angeles. Don't think like that. It is Vaikuṇṭha. Because here every second the remembrance of Kṛṣṇa is there. Therefore it is not Los Angeles. Or anyone who remembers Kṛṣṇa always, twenty-four hours, he is living in Vaikuṇṭha. He is not in the kingdom of māyā. That is required. Satataṁ cintayanto mām: (BG 9.14) "Always thinking of Me." In the Bhagavad-gītā you will find, satataṁ cintayanto mām. So if you keep this practice, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, then you are not in the material world. You are always in the spiritual world. For practical example: just like there are foreign embassies in foreign countries. So long they are within the embassy, they are not living in the foreign country. That is the law. Suppose I belong to some foreign embassy. So I have done something criminal. So the American government cannot arrest me from the embassy. When I come out, he can arrest. So ships also, when they are on the port of a foreign country, so on the ship also the foreign police force cannot arrest anyone. These are the etiquette, law.

Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 16, 1969:

Now, Vyāsadeva can say, "Yes, I have already thought about the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I have inserted the activities of Kṛṣṇa in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra—His teachings, Bhagavad-gītā—in the Mahābhārata." So Nārada Muni says, "Yes, that you have done. I admit. But that will not help much." Just like Bhagavad-gītā is being read practically all over the world, but they cannot understand. Why? The reason is, here it is stated, that na karhicit kvāpi ca duḥsthitā matir labheta vātāhata-naur ivāspadam: "The little idea of God is there, certainly, in every literature, every scripture, but those who are too much disturbed, they cannot accept it." Vāta. Just like if your ship is on the ocean and it is being tossed by heavy wind, you cannot sit very nicely. I have got experience when I was coming to your country. So it is moving like that. "Similarly, those who are too much disturbed by these material affairs... Mahābhārata is the history. So there are politics, sociology, intricacy, so many nonsense things, in which you have given Bhagavad-gītā, little portion. That's all right. But that will not help very much."

Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 16, 1969:

The idea is that one has not only to understand little about God, but one has to live in God. Then his life will be successful. Not that "Yes, God is great, and I go weekly in the church or in the temple. I offer my respect." No, that will not make you liberated. You have to be very serious to understand your relationship with God and go back to Godhead. Then your life will be successful, not that simply by understanding little. No. That is the same position. Just like you cannot derive any benefit or you cannot sit down very nicely in a tottering ship, so if you keep your life always tottering... That tottering, that stage, or, I mean to say, what is called, tilting stage of life can be stopped only by devotional service, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Evaṁ prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ (SB 1.2.20). One has to make his life tranquil. How this is possible? By this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise, it is not possible. We have to disinfect us, counteract all result of sinful activities. Asat. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says that sat-saṅga chāḍi' kainu asate vilāsa, te-kāraṇe lāgila ye karma-bandha-phāṅsa. If we give up sat-saṅga, association of Kṛṣṇa consciousness or God consciousness, and if we simply take pleasure in the materialistic way of life, then we shall be entangled, simply entangled.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- New York, April 10, 1973:

You can understand that jīva-bhūta, the living entities. Yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat (BG 7.5). Because jīva-bhūta, we living entities, we are superior than the matter because we are controlling the matter. Just like we have been in the riverside, so many things, material things, we saw. But who has made it? The living entities. The matter has not come into so many forms without the touch of the living entity. Everyone can understand. The big, big ship, how it has come into existence? Because a living entity planned, engineered how to do it, and he brought material things, and he manufactured it. Therefore this inferior energy, the material things, they are subordinate to the spiritual energy.

Lecture on SB 1.8.20 -- New York, April 12, 1973:

This humbleness is very good in devotional service. Therefore Caitanya, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches us: tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā. One should be tolerant than the trees and humbler than the grass to make progress in spiritual life. Because there will be so many disturbances. Because māyā... We are living... Just like if we are in the ocean. So you cannot expect very peaceful situation in the ocean. It must be always tilt, what is called, tiltering, tilting. Even, even a big ship, it is also not very fixed up position. At any moment there may be tumultuous waves. So in this material world you should always expect danger. You cannot expect very peaceful life within this material world. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām (SB 10.14.58). Śāstra says in every step there is danger. But if you become a devotee, then you escape.

Lecture on SB 1.8.22 -- Los Angeles, April 14, 1973:

Lord's feet, there are flags, lotus flowers, chariot. These are the symbolic representations. God is person, but His personality is distinct from our personality. So these specific marks are there on His lotus feet. And paṅkaja-nābhāya, another meaning, paṅkaja-nābhāya means originally a lotus stem came out from the navel of Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, and Brahmā was born in that lotus flower, the origin of creation. So Kṛṣṇa's all parts of the body, as reference to the paṅkaja. Paṅkaja means lotus flower. Paṅka means mud, and ja means generate. Paṅkaja, the lotus flower, is so important. Still, it is generated from mud. So Kṛṣṇa likes paṅkaja very much, lotus flower. So if we see lotus flower, we can immediately remember Kṛṣṇa. If... Just like if you love your child, if you see any garment, a small ship, shoes or any play things, immediately you remember your child: "Oh, this is my child's shoes. This is my child's playing things. This is my garment." So it is the custom of love.

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Los Angeles, April 17, 1973:

Apunaḥ means... A means not, and punar bhava means repetition of birth and death. The real danger is repetition of birth and death. That has to be stopped. And not this so-called danger. This is all... The material world is full of dangers. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām (SB 10.14.58). Just like if you are on the ocean. If you are on the ocean, you might have very strong ship, very safe ship, but that is not safety. Because you are on the sea, at any time there can be dangers.

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Los Angeles, April 17, 1973:

This material world itself is dangerous position. So our business is... That danger must be there. Now our business should be how to cross over the sea as soon as possible. So long you are on the sea, you are on the dangerous position, however strong your ship may be. That's a fact. So you should not be disturbed by the sea waves. Just try to cross over the sea. Go to the other side. That is your business. Similarly, so long we are in this material world, there must be dangerous calamities because this is the place of calamity. So our business is, even within these calamities, dangers, how we develop our Kṛṣṇa consciousness and, after giving up this body, we go back to home, back go Kṛṣṇa. That should be our business.

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

This body will float in the water so long you are living. And as soon as the spirit soul goes, then immediately the body goes down. The law of gravity acts. The so-called law of gravity. This is an example. A child, so long it is living you can take in one hand. But as soon as the child is dead, it becomes heavier. That is natural.

So everything is lighter as soon as it is spiritually advanced or there is spirit. Similarly when we'll be spiritually advanced, then there will be no impediment. Now we cannot fly in the air, but when you are free from this body, your spirit soul, within a second you can go to the Vaikuṇṭhaloka. It is so light. Within a second. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9).

So the conclusion is when the world becomes overloaded with the demons, nondevotees, it becomes disturbed, becomes... The mother earth feels load, very much load. So at that time, Kṛṣṇa comes. Therefore it is said: bhāra-avatāraṇāya, just to unload. And bhārāvatāraṇāyānye. Somebody says: bhuvo nāva ivodadhau. Just like if a ship or boat is overloaded, it is very dangerous. It can be drowned at any moment.

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

So there are so, so big, big arrangement in the kingdom of God. So it is not very difficult for Him to give birth to Brahmā or to float this whole universe or the planets in the air. We shall have to apply our intelligence by comparative study. So if it is possible to float a big body... There are many big bodies. The whale fish, it is as big as a ship. Still, it is floating. Why? That small particle of spiritual entity is there. Therefore it is floating. Then, if the Supreme Person enters into a big lump of matter, why it will not float? What is the reason?

Lecture on SB 1.8.48 -- Los Angeles, May 10, 1973:

The Seventh Fleet or something like that was sent to India. They have got a group, so many ships, so many soldiers, so many... But formerly there was no ship, no aeroplane. They used to fight with horses, soldiers, elephants. So the estimation is there.

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

You take the distilled clear water. If you directly collect water from the rain, it is distilled water, without any contamination, without any dirty things, clear, very nice. Those who have, I mean to say, traveled by ship, you'll see the ocean and sea is so clear water that up to twenty feet you can see clear water. Clear water. The stock, the ocean water, it is very clear. So everything is nicely arranged. Simply they'll work nicely when you are obedient to God. Just like if you are a good citizen the government cooperation is full with you. But if you are outlaw, if you are rascal, if you are criminal, no supply, you go to jail. That's all. Try to understand. This is the arrangement.

Lecture on SB 1.15.46 -- Los Angeles, December 24, 1973:

So you cannot be free from anxiety. But if you accept a strong, very big ship, you are assured that "I will not be drowned." Similarly, we are accepting this shelter, that shelter, that shelter, that shelter, avoiding the shelter of God. Therefore we are full of anxiety. If you want to become free from anxiety, then here is the prescription, vaikuṇṭha-caraṇāmbujam, take shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.

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

So by nature a living entity wants society. "Society, friendship and love, divinely bestowed upon man." That is required. And if you live in a forlorn place, nobody's there, no society, no friends, then how long can stay there? You cannot stay. Just like if you go on the sky by airplane, after four, five, six hours you, you become disturbed: "When the plane will get down? When the plane will get down?" This is natural. Why...? Why the plane...? You are flying very nicely, huh? There is no turmoil, no noise in the sky. Go nicely. No. Similarly, in the ship also, you travel for many days. So it will be disturbing. People are searching after when we shall land in some place. So living entity by nature, he wants association. Artificially he wants to... Just like some of, some of the devotees, they like that "Now we shall go in a solitary place and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." That is a different position. It is not possible for the ordinary man. So going to the Brahman effulgence, simply realizing that "I am a spirit soul, I have nothing to do," that will not be beneficial. You will again come down.

Lecture on SB 2.9.2 -- Melbourne, April 4, 1972:

In the rope there are three fibers. And three fibers, if it is twisted nicely and again twisted together, it is very strong rope. Tri-guṇa. So guṇa means rope. So we are bound up. The verse, that? Na te viduḥ svārtha gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ..., te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ (SB 7.5.31). Īśa tantra. By the stringent laws of superior authority, uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. You are bound up, uru-dāmni. Uru means strong, dāmni means rope. Uru-dāmni, very strong rope. Just like big ship. Immediately bound up on the pier by some rope. You have seen it?

Devotee: Yes.

Prabhupāda: A ship carrying thirteen thousand tons of goods, but the strong rope brings it on the pier. Then he cannot move. In spite of having good machine and in spite of so much strength, it is baddhāḥ, uru-dāmni baddhāḥ.

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

When you worship Kṛṣṇa—man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), mām evaiṣyasi—so he has already gone. There is no difference, the worshiping of the Lord here and there. Just like in politics sometime. These are some of the examples, that in a foreign country, when you are staying in your ship, then you are not subjected to the rules of that country. You are subjected to the rules of your own country. Similarly, so long you are in devotional service, you are not subjected to the rules and regulation of this māyā. Māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Māyām etām... Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. Anyone who is not devotee, who is not engaged in the service of the Lord, he is under the control of māyā. And anyone who has surrendered to Kṛṣṇa and is simply twenty-four hours engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa, he is not under the control of māyā.

Lecture on SB 3.26.5 -- Bombay, December 17, 1974:

Spiritual being, he has nothing to do with this material world, but somehow or other, we have fallen in this material world. Anādi karama-phale, paḍi' bhavārṇava-jale. It is just like ocean. So just like if you fall down from the boat or the ship, then it is struggle for existence. You may be very nice swimmer, but that does not mean in the water you will be comfortable. That is not possible. Similarly, we living entities, part and parcel of God, we are as pure as God. Kṛṣṇa, God, is pure. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). Pavitra. So similarly... Pavitra means without material contamination. That is pavitra.

Lecture on SB 3.26.18 -- Bombay, December 27, 1974:

So we have to push on Kṛṣṇa consciousness with great difficulty. When I went to America, I went by ship. So it stopped at the, what is that, Commonwealth Pier in Boston. So I was thinking that if "I say that 'No illicit sex, no meat-eating, and no intoxication, and no gambling,' so these people will immediately say, 'Please go home.' " (laughter) Yes. That is the position. It is... These are their daily affairs. These are their daily affairs in Western countries. And if you want to make them stop these things, they will think that "This man is lunatic." But by Kṛṣṇa's grace these boys, these girls, they agreed. That is Kṛṣṇa's grace. I did not expect that they will agree. In India they do not agree, and they are accustomed from childhood, from boyhood. So how they will... But Kṛṣṇa's grace is so nice, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mercy is so great, that they agreed, and they are pushing on this movement on this principle.

Lecture on SB 5.6.3 -- Vrndavana, November 25, 1976:

So when there is mist, (Hindi) as soon as there is sunrise, immediately everything... Otherwise it is very difficult to drive away the fog. The railway train... I have seen it also. In the mid-ocean immediately there is fog, and the ship immediately stops because there is danger of collision with other ship. At least the ship in which I was going to your country, Jaladuta, so the captain, Mr. Pandia, he immediately used to stop in the mid-ocean and giving horn, "Gaw, gaw," like that. So that was danger, very dangerous. When the sea is rough there is no fog. And as soon as the sea is not rough there is fog. So whether you will go this way or that way, there is misery. Therefore this world is called duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). You subdue something and another problem is there. And you solve that problem—another problem... Problematic.

Lecture on SB 6.1.11 -- New York, July 25, 1971:

Because we are part and parcel of God, we have got all the instincts of God in minute quantity. But because here we are in this material world, material world means where God is forgotten. That is called material world. In this temple we are not in the material world. We are not in New York. We are in Vaikuṇṭha. Because we have not forgotten Kṛṣṇa. Yes. That is the definition given by the Vedic literature. Transcendental. Anyone who's living within this temple... I'll give you one example. Just like if a ship comes from foreign country, that ship may be within the border of your country, or within your country—that ship is not within the law of your country. The ambassadors, the embassies, they are not within the law of USA. I give you some practical example. Similarly, anyone who is engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, anyplace it may be, that spot is not within the material world. That is transcendentally situated. So for practical going back to Godhead, you come to our temple. That's all. You'll never forget Kṛṣṇa. You'll be engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore you'll live in Vaikuṇṭha or Vṛndāvana. This is the easiest process of going back to Godhead. And then, after death, surely you're going to Vaikuṇṭha or Kṛṣṇaloka.

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

When there is fog in the ocean, they stop all the ships. I have experience. And the aeroplanes, sometimes they clash, they move very carefully. It is very dangerous, fog. Those who are... But as soon as there is sunrise, some way or other, everything finished. Similarly, some way or other, if you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all the sinful reaction of your life immediately finished like the fog. So, but... This process is accepted kecit, somebody, very fortunate.

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

People in the mist, in the fog, they cannot run on railway, they cannot run on the airplanes. And I've seen, I've experienced. Yesterday practically our plane was lost in the fog, and high in the sky. And I've seen in the sea also, as soon as there is fog... When I was coming to your country on ship, the ship stops and they began to bugle: gaonh gongh gonhgonh, like that. But as soon as there is sun, this thousands miles of fog immediately... The example is very nice: nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ. So you try to make Kṛṣṇa sun rise in your heart. Kṛṣṇa sūrya-sama. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said Kṛṣṇa is just like sun. Māyā haya andhakāra. And māyā, this illusory energy, it is darkness. Yāhāṅ kṛṣṇa tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra. As soon as there is sun, Kṛṣṇa, immediately darkness of māyā disappears. So why not take this simple method? All māyā disappears. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Otherwise, to surpass, to overcome this ocean of darkness, māyā, is very difficult.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Auckland, February 22, 1973:

The other day we were going from Calcutta to Māyāpur, and so many accidents took place. Yes, actually we could not see even five feet away what is there. And two sides motors are running. Nobody could see. There were so many accidents. Even for few hours' fog, there were hundreds of accidents. Just see. So this is fog. In the sea also... I have got experience when I was coming from India to New York. When there was fog in the sea, then immediately ship would stop and horn, "Onh, onh, onh," Because nobody can see where is another ship. There may be collision there. Similarly, it is dangerous to fly also. The fog is so dangerous. Nowadays people are engaged in the sky, in the water, in the land. Everywhere they have got engagement. But as soon as there is fog, everything is calamity, everything is dangerous. So here this same example is that. When there is fog, it is very difficult to move. But the fog can be immediately moved if there is sunrise. Sunrise is there. If this temperature of the sun becomes little more, then immediately fog is dissipated.

Lecture on SB 6.1.44 -- Los Angeles, June 10, 1976:

I was thinking on board the ship that rajas tamo gune erā sabāi ācchanna, vāsudeva-kathā ruci mahe se prasanna (SB 1.2.16). Nobody is interested. At the present moment, everyone is covered by the rajas-tamaḥ, the base qualities, ignorance and passion, so they have no interest in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is not possible. One has to purify himself. Tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhadayaś... (SB 1.2.19). When we kill the rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ, ceta etair anāviddham... When our heart is no more contaminated by the rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ, ceta etair anāviddhaṁ sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati. There are three guṇas. If you make minus these two guṇas, rajas-tamo-guṇa, then the remaining—only sattva-guṇa. So these rajas-tamo-guṇa can be counteracted simply by hearing about Kṛṣṇa. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). So therefore I wrote, tabe jadi tava kṛpā hay ahaitukī, sakala sambhava hay tumi se kautikī, that "God is all-powerful, Kṛṣṇa is all-powerful. He can do everything impossible, possible." So whatever is being done in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, don't think that it is my influence of my... It is Kṛṣṇa's. Kṛṣṇa can do everything.

Lecture on SB 6.3.16-17 -- Gorakhpur, February 10, 1971:

They are becoming educated, scientists, philosophers, but they do not understand what is God. Avisayatvāc ca. It is not their subject matter. That I repeatedly say, that one who is not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, it is, Bhagavad-gītā is not a subject matter for their study, what to speak of commenting upon it? He has no business to comment on Bhagavad-gītā because it is not their subject matter. This should be very distinctly understood. There is a Bengali parable, ādhāra vyapari yahāre khabola (?). Ādhāra vyapari, a merchant dealing in ginger, so he is taking information, "What about the shipping one..., just like one cartload or one ship full of ginger?" So ādhāre vyapari means he has not very large quantity to sell. Ginger is taken, very little quantity. So ginger merchant, if he has got stock, say, one bag, it will take months together to sell it. And if he thinks that "I will stock hundreds of bags," it is useless for him. That is not his subject. But one who sells rice or wheat, that is in great demand. That he can stock and talk of large shipment. Similarly, those who are already engrossed in material qualities, the science of God is not their subject matter at all. So that is the test. Just like who shall be the guru? Whose subject matter is only Kṛṣṇa or God, he shall be guru, not an amateur man. He is doing some other business, and in some pastime he makes a guru business. No, that is not their subject matter.

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

God has supplied everything. You want water? Three-fourths of the earth is full of water. But that water is salt. God has process how to make it sweet. You cannot do this. Water you want. There is sufficient water. Why there should be scarcity? Now we heard in Europe they were contemplating importing water. Was not that? Yes. In England they were thinking of importing. Is that possible? But these rascal scientists think like that. They'll import. Why not? The England is surrounded by water. Why don't you take water? No. Nire kari bas na me tilo piyas. "I'm living in water, but I'm dying of thirst." (laughter) These rascals' philosophy... Or in... I think in our childhood we read one book, a Moral Class book, said there was a story that shipwrecked, and they took the shelter of one boat, but some of them died of thirst because they could not drink water. So in the water they were living, but they died of thirst.

Lecture on SB 7.9.19 -- Hamburg, September 7, 1969, (with German Translator):

Prahlāda Mahārāja says... He's praying to Lord Nṛsiṁha. He says, bālasya neha śaraṇaṁ pitarau nṛsiṁha: "My dear Lord, it is not that the parents can give all protection to the children." Nārtasya cāgadam: "Neither the physician and the medicine can give protection to a patient." Nārtasya cāgadam udanvati majjato nauḥ: "Neither a nice ship or boat can give protection to the drowning man." Taptasya yat pratividhir: "There are many devices for giving protection to different kinds of dangerous position. But they will be useless if, my dear Lord, You neglect him." For example, there are many children who have got their parents, but they are suffering. There are many patients who are being treated by first-class medical assistants and physician, but he is dying. Similarly, there are various means invented by modern science to give protection to people. But they become useless without the attention of the Supreme Lord.

Lecture on SB 7.9.19 -- Mayapur, February 26, 1976:

Even in hospital bed they're reading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā, and taking benefit. That is real remedy. So after being cured, he'll become a devotee. So this medicine is not cure. This literature is cure, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is real cure. Nārtasya cāgadam. And udanvati majjato nauḥ. Everyone is drowned, either you take figeratively or really. In the samudra, in the sea, ocean, there are always ojhs, (?) waves. So your tiny boat or big ship, that is not safe side. We have got experience. When I was going to New York on ship—I had no money to go by plane—so in the deep sea ocean, especially in the Atlantic Ocean, it was nothing, like a small ball, tottering like this. At any moment can be capsized. Although very big ship with very big load, but it is nothing in the sea. So that is not sure. There is no surety that because you are in a big ship you'll be saved. No.

Lecture on SB 7.9.19 -- Mayapur, February 26, 1976:

In your country, it happened, say, fifty, sixty years, the Titantic, or what is that? In the first voyage, everything was drowned, all big, big men. So nature's freak is so strong that you cannot say that "Because I have got a nice ship, I'll be saved." No, that is not possible. Without Kṛṣṇa's protection, this, all these counteracting measures, will be all useless.

Therefore teach people how to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). You can say that "Does it mean that God is partial? He take only care of the devotees and not others?" He takes care of everyone, but everyone is not fortunate to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. When He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam, He does not say to His devotees only. He says to everyone. But everyone is not fortunate to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Unfortunate. Samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu. He's not partial. Samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu ne me dveṣyo 'sti na priyaḥ (BG 9.29). Nobody is enemy or friend of Kṛṣṇa. Everyone is His son. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4). Just like the father teaches every son to become good, but there are unfortunate sons who do not take care of the father and remains to be unfortunate.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 16, 1972:

That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's special grace, that He accepted two rejected gentlemen from the brāhmaṇa society and made them gosvāmīs. That is the special significance of Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. He accepted Haridāsa Ṭhākura from born in Muhammadan community and He made him the ācārya, namācārya. The, practically Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared to glorify the significance of the holy name. He is actually the ācārya, namācārya, but He transferred His namācārya-ship to Haridāsa Ṭhākura. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement, kibā vipra kibā śūdra nyāsī kene naya. It doesn't matter whether he's a brāhmaṇa or a śūdra or anyone, if he's kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, if he knows the science of Kṛṣṇa, then he can be made the spiritual master. Yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei guru haya (CC Madhya 8.128). That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement's significance.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 28, 1972:

A man is suffering from some disease, and you have employed first-class physician, first-class medicine, first-class everything, but is still the man dies. What is the cause? The cause is daiva. That in spite of all your endeavors, because God does not like that he should live, you cannot save him. You cannot save him. The same example, again I want to give. That Titanic. They made the ship very strong, and they were so assured that all the big men, they, they were on board that Titanic ship. There was first journey and immediately Atlantic Ocean, they smashed. That's a great incidence. Therefore this is a fact, that you may arrange everything very nicely, according to your best knowledge, but if God is unfavorable, then you cannot do it.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 28, 1972:

If you simply fly your aeroplane only in the sky, you don't get any shelter in any planet. You'll have to come back again. You'll have to come back again. You cannot stay in the sky. Similarly those who are merging into the Brahman effulgence, they cannot stay there because we, as living entities, we want a varieties. Just like when I was, when I was travelling in the... Everyone has got experience. Either sky or on the water. So, and for weeks together, simply water, water. And the, on board the ship, it become very much sickness. Is called sea-sickness. As soon as there is some land visible, "Oh, there is land again." Because we want varieties. So those who are trying to merge into the variety-less Brahman effulgence, they cannot stay there. That information we get from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, āruhya kṛccheṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanti adhaḥ: After great perseverance, austerity, penances, they merge into the Brahman effulgence, but they again fall down.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 3.87-88 -- New York, December 27, 1966:

The Rāmacandra assistants, all the monkeys, what kind of engineers are they? They could bring, order, "Bring some stone." They had very good health. What is that? Gorilla. So they brought big, big stones, and they began to float. Now, one may inquire or may question, "How stone can float?" Why stone cannot float? If this big, big lump of matter, earthly planet and other planets, they are floating in the air, why the stone cannot float? If God likes, it will float. That is God desire. It is God's plan.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 3.87-88 -- New York, December 27, 1966:

Now, you can see that a ship on the ocean with 50,000 tons, it is floating. And take a grass and put it, or take a, I mean to say, a small needle. Put it on the ocean; it will go at once down. It is simply question of arrangement. A small needle will go down immediately to the depth of the sea, and a ship with 50,000 tons of loading, it is floating. So if a man can make such arrangement by some way or other that he can float a 50,000 tons of ship floating on this, I mean to say, ocean, is it not possible for God to float a stone on the ocean? Is there any reason to disbelieve it? There is no reason. And we can see. By God's energy these big, big lumps of planet, they are floating in the air. So as He likes... That is called omnipotency. If He likes, one thing will float. If He does not like, it will go down.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 3.87-88 -- New York, December 27, 1966:

Prahlāda Mahārāja was praying that "The parents care to the children is not sufficient to protect him. And medical help to a patient is not sufficient to cure a disease or cure a man. And the shipping arrangement on the sea is not sufficient to protect a man from going down." In this way he has given so many list that "The counteraction which we are trying to put in our impediments of progress, that is not sufficient if there is no will of God. If there is no will of God, then it is not sufficient protection." Perhaps you know, every one of you. It happened to your country—of course, long, long ago; I heard it from papers in India—that the Americans manufactured a ship, Titanic. (laughter) And it was considered the safest: it will never sink down. On the first voyage, with all important men, it sunk down. Is it a fact? So it is not that your arrangement is sufficient—unless there is God's desire.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.91-2 -- Vrndavana, March 13, 1974:

So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu presented Himself as a fool number one before His Guru Mahārāja. He advised that "It will be difficult for You to study Vedānta-sūtra or practice tapasya, brahmacarya, śama, dama, titikṣa, tyāgena, śamena, damena, niyamena, yamena... (BG 18.42)" It is possible for a human being, but in this Kali-yuga all these functions, to do is difficult. Therefore this process is recommended, vāsudeva-parāyaṇa, bhakti-yogena. Nīhāraḥ. Nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ. Just like the, there is mist, fog, and as soon as the sun rises there, all fog is immediately disseminated. Otherwise, it requires so much arrangement. Your railway train cannot move. The ships in the sea, they cannot move. It is very difficult position. Similarly, our sinful activities has covered our heart just like a fog. We cannot see anything. But by bhakti-yoga, it can be immediately dissipated. So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was thus advised by His spiritual master to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and He got perfection.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.29 -- San Francisco, January 21, 1967:

Suppose one man is suffering. You give him all treatment and medicine. There are many rich men, they can spend like anything. But does it mean that he'll be cured? No. He may not be cured. He may not be cured. The parents, even in the presence of parents, the children may suffer. Udanvato, nauḥ. And suppose you have got very good, nice ship. Do you mean to say that you'll cross over the Atlantic Ocean safely? Oh, at any moment it can be drowned. There is no guarantee. You have got very nice jet plane, you are going to San Francisco. Oh, there is no guarantee that you shall reach there. So therefore, unless there is God's sanction, all these remedies, all these protection is useless.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Verse 32 -- New York, July 26, 1971:

Everyone knows that there are living entities, full of living entities. We are catching fish, but small fishes. We have not seen. Even if we have seen the biggest fish, that is, whale... Sometimes they are as big as one big ship. But there are other fishes, we get information, they are called timiṅgila. The big fish, the whale fish, and timiṅgila means there is another big fish which swallows this timiṅgila, this whale just like anything. These informations are there. And in Calcutta Museum, in our childhood—it may be still existing—we saw one skeleton of a fish that is bigger than this room, a skeleton. It is hanging on the ceiling. So there are very, very big, big fishes. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi. You get immediately information, without being a biologist, scientist, you can get information.

Festival Lectures

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

en order, eighteen copies, each part." That order is still there.

So after publishing three parts of readings(?), then automatically, Guru Mahārāja gave me indication that "Now you can start for America." So some way or other, in 1965 I went to America, with great difficulty. But I took about two hundred sets of books. The customs clearance was done, I told them that "Oh, I am taking these books for distribution. Not for sale." Anyway, they passed, and with these books I reached America. And I was maintaining myself by selling these books for one year. There was no friend, and I was living in apartment with great difficulty. Still, the whole, I mean to say, stock, and my typewriter, my tape recorder—everything was stolen. In this way, I became very much depressed, and I was going to the shipping company, "When the next ship is going for, going to India?" So they gave me such and such date. Then I thought, "Let me wait for some time more. Then I shall return back." I had return ticket, of course. There was no difficulty.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Lecture -- Atlanta, March 2, 1975:

So when I was seventy years old I decided, "Now I must do and execute the order of my Guru Mahārāja. And thus this movement was started in 1965 from New York. And I was not very much hopeful because it is very difficult task, just opposite the European and Western culture. I came... When I first came, I had no money. So I got a free passage through some Indian steam navigation company. So I came by ship. So when I was on the ship at Boston port, Commonwealth port, I was thinking that "I have come here. I do not know what is the purpose because how the people will accept this movement? They are differently educated, and as soon as I will say, 'So, my dear sir, you have to give up meat-eating and illicit sex and no intoxication and gambling,' they will say, 'Please go home.' " (laughter)

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Address -- New York, July 9, 1976:

So first of all I must thank you all for bringing me in this new temple, because when I first came my ambition was to start temple here in New York, and I was seeking the opportunity living in the 72nd Street. There was a house, very small house, one part of this space-25 feet by one 100 feet. So they wanted $100,000. So I wrote one rich friend in India, industrialist—perhaps you know him, that Kanpurwalla, Singaniya. So he agreed to pay me, but the government did not allow. The Indian government did not allow to transfer money from India to here. Then I approached the, what is that? Salvation Army, the chief man. I offered him that "You are spending money in India. So I have got a friend, he'll pay you, you pay me here." So he asked me "What is the rate you want to pay me?" So I told him, "The present rate is five dollars..., five rupees, one dollar." So he remained silent. That means he wanted more. In this way I had no place. What to speak of temple, I had no residential place even. So in that condition I was thinking of returning back to India. So the shipping company I was, practically every week, I was going.

So it is a long history that I came here with determination to start a temple in New York first, but at that time, ten years before, in 1965, it was not possible. But by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, by the grace of my Guru Mahārāja, you have got this place. So I must thank you very much for organizing this temple.

General Lectures

Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, February 9, 1969:

Our process of making ourself independent... We may manufacture so many things for our independence, but śāstra says, unless there is protection from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, these methods and processes will not save us. Tāvat tanu-bhṛtāṁ tvad-upekṣitānām. If Kṛṣṇa does not like, does (sic:) not wish that "These children will suffer in spite of good parents," so that suffering nobody can check. "This man must drown in spite of very nice good boat and ship"—nobody can check. "This man must die in spite of good physician and medicine"—he must die. Therefore our first relief, guaranteed relief, is this shelter of Kṛṣṇa. If you take shelter of Kṛṣṇa, even there is some deficiencies in the matter of protecting us, Kṛṣṇa will save. Therefore we should depend on Kṛṣṇa. That is called śaraṇāgati, surrender, to believe that "Kṛṣṇa will give us protection." Without Kṛṣṇa's protection, no other protection is valid. There is no guarantee. So in every way we shall surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa also guarantees, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). Our sufferings are due to our sinful activities. So Kṛṣṇa gives guarantee that ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: "I shall save you from all kinds of sinful reaction."

Lecture -- San Francisco, June 28, 1971:

Material world is not required by me or you. We are spirit soul. We have no business in the material world. Just like we are living entities of the land. We have no business with the water. But if anyone wants to cross over the sea, he must have a well-built ship to cross over. Similarly, we spirit souls we have no business in this material world, but because we wanted to enjoy it, leaving the association of Kṛṣṇa, we have been given this ship, this body, to ply over this material ocean. So if you know how to ply the ship over the ocean there is no, I mean to say, fear of being drowned.

Lecture -- San Francisco, June 28, 1971:

If you have got a good captain of the ship and the ship is well built, then you'll have no danger. So the captain, he is the spiritual master, and this body is a very good ship. This is, these are the examples given. We have to cross over this material ocean. So we must have a captain and good ship, and favorable air. If the air is favorable, suppose you're going to the western side, and if the wind is blowing toward western side, it will automatically push your boat or ship. It will be favorable. If you go against the wind, it is difficult. So you have got a very good ship—this human form of body—and the captain is the spiritual master, and the favorable wind blowing, the instruction of the śāstras. So taking this opportunity, if you cross over this material ocean, then there is no difficulty. So we should take opportunity of this body, of the instruction of Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavad-gītā, and the spiritual master, then very easily we cross over.

Lecture at Bharata Chamber of Commerce 'Culture and Business' -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973:

So culture means that one should know what is the aim of life. Without understanding the aim of life, a man without aim is ship without, a ship without rudder. That is an English proverb. So at the present moment, we are missing the goal of life because there is no head department. The whole human society is lacking now real brāhmaṇas who can give advice to the other departments. Just like Arjuna was fighting. He was a military man. His business was to fight. He was engaged in his business, but he was taking at the same time advice of, the advice of the Brāhmaṇa deva, Kṛṣṇa.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey:

Prabhupāda: Nature is matter. Matter cannot act independently. In the Bhagavad-gītā, as (indistinct), the difference, what is the difference between matter and the living being. The difference is the matter is being handled, controlled by the living being. Therefore living being is the superior nature, and matter is inferior nature. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca (BG 7.4). This earth, water, air, fire, etc., everything, these are inferior nature. Just try to understand nature. And above this inferior nature there is superior nature. That, the inferior nature, is a vast ocean, but the superior nature, man, has a big ship. The ocean will not allow to walk over it, and they have control over the ocean, not exclusive control, but little control. Because he is living being, he can cross over the big mass of water by inventing some means, so that at least they are controlling to some extent. But above this ocean and the man who is trying to control over the ocean, there is another controller. That is supreme controller. That is God. It is very easy to understand that there are two natures: one, the active nature; inactive nature. And above these both, active and inactive, there is another active personality who is controlling both of them. That we can understand by Vedic literature very clearly. There is no difficulty. But those who are obstinate, they will not accept. That is their misfortune.

Philosophy Discussion on Soren Aabye Kierkegaard:

Prabhupāda: So how they can be philosopher if they have no ultimate goal?

Śyāmasundara: He says they are not really philosophers; they are mental speculators.

Prabhupāda: So mental speculator anyone can become, without any aim. What is this? Ship without a rudder, a man without aim.

Śyāmasundara: They said that both of these types of persons become bored with themselves and they get a feeling of emptiness or meaninglessness or despair. He calls it despair, hopelessness, nothingness.

Philosophy Discussion on Soren Aabye Kierkegaard:

Prabhupāda: If you are actually inquisitive to understand the highest truth, then you must surrender yourself to the guru. That is the (indistinct). Not that by experience I go on, go on, go on, being baffled here, there, here, there, then automatically... No. You may not come even to the right path by such experience. Just like on an ocean, if you do not know direction, the path ship, how you will direct your ship this way, that way? You can go on this way, sometimes this way, that way, this way, that way, then you will be lost. You will be lost. All your endeavors will be simply baffled.

Page Title:Ship (Lectures)
Compiler:Rishab, Priya
Created:15 of Jun, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=73, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:73