Spiritual subjects

Expressions researched:
"spiritual subject" |"spiritual subjects"

BG Chapters 7 - 12

Arjuna said: By my hearing the instructions You have kindly given me about these most confidential spiritual subjects, my illusion has now been dispelled.

BG 11.1, Purport:

Arjuna said: By my hearing the instructions You have kindly given me about these most confidential spiritual subjects, my illusion has now been dispelled.

BG Chapters 13 - 18

Unless one has the association of a real knower of spiritual subjects, one cannot see these three things.

BG 13.28, Purport:

Anyone who by good association can see three things combined together—the body, the proprietor of the body, or individual soul, and the friend of the individual soul—is actually in knowledge. Unless one has the association of a real knower of spiritual subjects, one cannot see these three things. Those who do not have such association are ignorant; they simply see the body, and they think that when the body is destroyed everything is finished. But actually it is not so. After the destruction of the body, both the soul and the Supersoul exist, and they go on eternally in many various moving and nonmoving forms. The Sanskrit word parameśvara is sometimes translated as "the individual soul" because the soul is the master of the body and after the destruction of the body he transfers to another form. In that way he is master. But there are others who interpret this parameśvara to be the Supersoul. In either case, both the Supersoul and the individual soul continue. They are not destroyed. One who can see in this way can actually see what is happening.

SB Canto 5

With advanced knowledge, Prince Priyavrata always engaged in discussing spiritual subjects and did not divert his attention to anything else.

SB 5.1.6, Purport:

Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: My dear King, Prince Priyavrata was a great devotee because he sought the lotus feet of Nārada, his spiritual master, and thus achieved the highest perfection in transcendental knowledge. With advanced knowledge, he always engaged in discussing spiritual subjects and did not divert his attention to anything else."

SB Canto 6

One should not think that the person who takes to bhakti is one who cannot perform the ritualistic ceremonies recommended in the karma-kāṇḍa section of the Vedas or is not sufficiently educated to speculate on spiritual subjects.

SB 6.1.17, Purport:

One should not think that the person who takes to bhakti is one who cannot perform the ritualistic ceremonies recommended in the karma-kāṇḍa section of the Vedas or is not sufficiently educated to speculate on spiritual subjects. Māyāvādīs generally allege that the bhakti path is for women and illiterates. This is a groundless accusation. The bhakti path is followed by the most learned scholars, such as the Gosvāmīs, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Rāmānujācārya. These are the actual followers of the bhakti path. Regardless of whether or not one is educated or aristocratic, one must follow in their footsteps. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ: (CC Madhya 17.186) one must follow the path of the mahājanas. The mahājanas are those who have taken to the path of devotional service (suśīlāḥ sādhavo yatra nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇāḥ), for these great personalities are the perfect persons.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

By the meeting of Sanātana and Lord Caitanya, we learn that in order to understand spiritual subject matters, one must approach a spiritual master like Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and make submissive inquiries.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 2:

By the meeting of Sanātana and Lord Caitanya, we learn that in order to understand spiritual subject matters, one must approach a spiritual master like Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and make submissive inquiries. It is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (BG 4.34) that one should approach a man of authority and learn the science of spiritual life from him.

Renunciation Through Wisdom

It is wrong to compare a spiritual subject to a material object. This is a typical example of how the impersonal speculators waste their time trying to equate spiritual substance with mundane things.

Renunciation Through Wisdom 3.1:

The dry speculators describe the field and its knower according to their own lopsided logic. They say that the body is like a container and that Brahman enters this container like the all-pervasive sky. Once this container is broken—that is, at the time of liberation—the jīva merges back into Brahman, symbolized by the sky. There are many loopholes in this argument. First of all, the jīva is spiritual energy, while the sky is matter. It is wrong to compare a spiritual subject to a material object. This is a typical example of how the impersonal speculators waste their time trying to equate spiritual substance with mundane things. Such empirical exercises can never be termed jñāna-yoga, the path of perfect knowledge. According to the impersonalists, the infinitesimal jīva merges into the infinite Brahman at the time of liberation. But such merging does not affect the infinite in any way. Unfortunately, the impersonalists are oblivious of the tremendous damage such liberation causes to the infinitesimal living entity.

The scriptural conclusion is that mundane philosophers like Dr. Radhakrishnan are not qualified to delve into spiritual subjects. The devotees of the Lord alone are eligible to understand Lord Kṛṣṇa; no one else is qualified.

Renunciation Through Wisdom 4.2:

The scriptural conclusion is that since the Supreme Lord is transcendental, His words are also transcendental, and hence the esoteric subject matter of the Bhagavad-gītā can be received only through a disciplic succession that is equally transcendental. As the Padma Purāṇa states,

atah śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi

na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ

sevonmukhe hi jihvādau

svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ

(CC Madhya 17.136)

No one can understand the transcendental nature of the name, form, quality, and pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa through his materially contaminated senses. Only when one becomes spiritually situated by transcendental service to the Lord are the transcendental name, form, quality, and pastimes of the Lord revealed to him.

This is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.38):

premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena

santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti

yaṁ śyāmasundaram acintya-guṇa-svarūpaṁ

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is Śyāmasundara, Kṛṣṇa Himself with innumerable inconceivable attributes, whom the pure devotees see in their heart of hearts with the eye of devotion tinged with the salve of love.

Therefore, the scriptural conclusion is that mundane philosophers like Dr. Radhakrishnan are not qualified to delve into spiritual subjects. The devotees of the Lord alone are eligible to understand Lord Kṛṣṇa; no one else is qualified.

Message of Godhead

This spiritual subject matter, which is transcendental to the hankerings of the material body and mind, is our supreme need. Unless we reach this transcendental plane of activities, we cannot achieve real peace.

Message of Godhead 1:

Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, imparted to Marshal Arjuna the vitally important teachings of Bhagavad-gītā only when He saw that Arjuna had surrendered to Him without any vanity regarding his own erudition, and without any other reservation. It is very common for us, like Arjuna, to try to dissipate our disillusionments by our own devices, culled from our own mundane experience. This attempt to remove our daily bodily and mental difficulties is always misdirected. Unless one tries to solve his problems from the perspective of eternal varities, there cannot be any peace whatsoever, either in this life or in the life after death. That is the supreme teaching of Bhagavad-gītā.

This spiritual subject matter, which is transcendental to the hankerings of the material body and mind, is our supreme need. Unless we reach this transcendental plane of activities, we cannot achieve real peace. This spiritual, transcendental plane is the plane of eternal life, without which the material body and mind would have no existence. However, at present we do not possess any information of this eternal life, although we have much pride, even vanity, about our material knowledge.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

The guru strictly follows the Vedic injunction and teaches the same thing to his disciple. That is guru. So first thing is: one must be inquisitive to understand about the spiritual subject matter.

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

Unless one becomes under the control of ācārya, he has no perfect knowledge. Therefore the Vedas says, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet: (MU 1.2.12) "For understanding that transcendental science, one must approach a guru." And what is the symptom of guru? Samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham: Guru means one who has complete knowledge of Vedic version, and not only that, he is a staunch or fixed-up devotee of the Supreme Lord. These are the qualification. The guru strictly follows the Vedic injunction and teaches the same thing to his disciple. That is guru. So first thing is: one must be inquisitive to understand about the spiritual subject matter. Just like you have come here in this temple. You know that here nothing like political meeting is going on. Here something spiritual matter is being discussed. Therefore you have come. This inclination is the beginning of spiritual life. This is called śraddhā. Śraddhā means faith.

Experimental knowledge is defective. Therefore we have to understand spiritual subject matter: śāstra-yonitvāt. The Vedānta-sūtra says, we have to learn from the śāstra.

Lecture on BG 4.24 -- Bombay, April 13, 1974:

The magnitude of the soul is stated in the śāstra, one-ten-thousandth part of the tip of the hair. We cannot measure even the tip of the hair, and why.... How we can measure? Because we cannot find out, we say there is no soul. Yes, there is soul.

keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya

śatadhā kalpitasya ca

jīva-bhāgaḥ sa vijñeyaḥ

sa cānantyāya kalpate

(CC Madhya 19.140)

Therefore we have to see through the śāstra, not by our blunt eyes and senses. That is useless. Adhaksic(?) Those who are bringing spiritual matter to be subjected to the experimental knowledge, it is not possible. Experimental knowledge is defective. Therefore we have to understand spiritual subject matter: śāstra-yonitvāt. The Vedānta-sūtra says, we have to learn from the śāstra.

You know that the whole world, whole universe, is dark. Therefore there is requisition of the sunlight, moonlight, electricity. It is dark. So uttamam means which is beyond this darkness, beyond this darkness. That means transcendental subject, spiritual subject.

Lecture on BG 4.34 -- New York, August 14, 1966:

Śreya uttamam. Uttamam means the udgata-tamam. That is transcendental. Tama means darkness. Anything of this material world, that is in darkness because this material world is dark. You know that the whole world, whole universe, is dark. Therefore there is requisition of the sunlight, moonlight, electricity. It is dark. So uttamam means which is beyond this darkness, beyond this darkness. That means transcendental subject, spiritual subject. In the spiritual world there is no darkness.

If you are at all interested about the Brahman subject, the spiritual subject, then you require a spiritual master.

Lecture on BG 4.34 -- New York, August 14, 1966:

So if anyone is desirous of inquiring about the spiritual world, then he requires to find out a spiritual master. Otherwise there is no necessity. For a man who wants to remain in this darkness, for material benefit...

Suppose I want some spiritual master or I want to study Bhagavad-gītā or Vedānta-sūtra so that I may make some material improvement. Oh, that is not required. For material improvement you can work just so many people are working. They are making, trying industry or something like... That is prescribed. But if you are at all interested about the Brahman subject, the spiritual subject, then you require a spiritual master. That is clearly stated. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta (SB 11.3.21). Tasmāt means "Therefore one has to surrender unto the spiritual master."

Jñāninaḥ means jñānī, or a man who is in perfect knowledge. Perfect knowledge means one who has perfect vision or the perfect, not theoretical, but actual vision of the spiritual subject matter.

Lecture on BG 4.34 -- New York, August 14, 1966:

Who is jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam: "who is very much eager to understand about the transcendental subject matter." So any Vedic literature the same instruction you'll find, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā,

tad viddhi praṇipātena

paripraśnena sevayā

upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ

jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

(BG 4.34)

Jñāninaḥ means jñānī, or a man who is in perfect knowledge. Perfect knowledge means one who has perfect vision or the perfect, not theoretical, but actual vision of the spiritual subject matter. He is called jñānī. Jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ.

The gopīs are expansion of Rādhārāṇī, pleasure potency of Kṛṣṇa... These are all spiritual subject matter. So this is not mental. An ordinary man, if he thinks that "I am becoming go...," that is artificial. That is artificial. This is not artificial thing.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Ahmedabad, December 14, 1972:

Gopīs are not these ordinary women; neither Kṛṣṇa is ordinary man. So unless we understand Kṛṣṇa as were discussing this morning, the verse, kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ... Out of many millions of siddhas, one can understand Kṛṣṇa as He is. If we do not understand Kṛṣṇa, then how we can understand gopīs?

So this is not the subject matter of the mental speculators. Better not to read all these books. Because they are not realized souls, neither they are devotees of Kṛṣṇa. Neither do they know what is Kṛṣṇa. So what they will understand about Kṛṣṇa? So if we want to understand Kṛṣṇa, er, gopīs, then we have to learn it from the perfect devotee of Kṛṣṇa, not from the speculators, mental speculators. This is simply a waste of time. Just like Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, rūpa-raghunātha-pade haibe ākuti, kabe hāma bujhabo se yugala-pīriti. Yugala-pīriti, the love between Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī... The gopīs are expansion of Rādhārāṇī, pleasure potency of Kṛṣṇa... These are all spiritual subject matter. So this is not mental. An ordinary man, if he thinks that "I am becoming go...," that is artificial. That is artificial. This is not artificial thing. And the parakīyā-rasa, the sense of paramourship, that is also there. But this is not this parakīyā-rasa, as we understand from this material world. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu, er Sanātana Gosvāmī has said that avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam, śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyam. Those, one who is not Vaiṣṇava... So it is, mental speculator, it is useless to learn from them what is the relationship between the gopīs and Kṛṣṇa. Neither it has to be practiced artificially. These things are rejected. So my request is that you should not read all these books, simply waste your time.

If you at all interested in the understanding of spiritual subject matter, then you must approach a bona fide spiritual master.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 2, 1973:

Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). This is Vedic instruction. If you at all interested in the understanding of spiritual subject matter, then you must approach a bona fide spiritual master. Tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet. Abhigacchet means must. It is not that if you like, you can go; if you do not like, you do not. No, you must. Abhigacchet. Samit-pāṇi śrotrīyaṁ brahma-niṣṭam. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijṇāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). It is not a fashion to accept one guru. If you are actually interested, śreya uttamam, the highest perfection of life—tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta—then you have to accept a guru. This is called ācāryopāsanam.

Even Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He accepted Sāndīpani Muni as teacher, master. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He is also incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, but He accepted Īśvara Purī as His guru. They do not require guru, but just to keep pace with the official program, even God personally, He accepted spiritual master. So this is essential. Ācāryopāsanam.

The disciple must be also serious to understand about the spiritual subject matter.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 5, 1973:

So jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam, what is the highest perfection of life, he requires to approach a guru. It is not a fashion. It is not a fashion that "I have made my guru, such and such Swami." But what you have learned? You cannot learn because you are not at all jijñāsuḥ. You do not know how to inquire, neither the guru you have met, he does know how to reply. Such kind of guru and disciple will not help. The disciple must be also serious to understand about the spiritual subject matter. That is knowledge, brahma-jijñāsā. One who is inquisitive to know about the Absolute Truth, he requires to approach a guru.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

So if you actually serious to know about spiritual subject matter, then you must have to, abhigacchet... Abhigacchet, this word is used when the sense is "must". Not that without I can go, I can have spiritual knowledge without having accepted a spiritual master, that is not possible. You must go to a spiritual master and he must be bona fide, he must be in full knowledge, then your life is successful.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Hyderabad, November 26, 1972:

Yes, everything you have to take a master. If you become a tailor you have to go to a tailor master. But if you want to know the spiritual science or the Supreme Absolute Spirit, do you not require to go to a person who knows the subject matter? It is natural.

tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet

samit-pāniḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham

(MU 1.2.12)

This is the Vedic injunction. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsu śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). Śabde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam. In the Bhagavad-gītā,

tad viddhi praṇipātena

paripraśnena sevayā

upadekṣyanti tad jñānaṁ

jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

(BG 4.34)

So if you actually serious to know about spiritual subject matter, then you must have to, abhigacchet... Abhigacchet, this word is used when the sense is "must". Not that without I can go, I can have spiritual knowledge without having accepted a spiritual master, that is not possible. You must go to a spiritual master and he must be bona fide, he must be in full knowledge, then your life is successful.

Guru, of course required, but guru means to inquire about spiritual subject matter.

Lecture on SB 1.7.18 -- Vrndavana, September 15, 1976:

One who is inquisitive or serious about inquiring about Brahman, he requires guru. Guru is not a fashion. Guru is necessity. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Tad-vijñānam. Tad-vijñānam means spiritual education. For material education there is no need of guru. You keep... Guru, of course required, but guru means to inquire about spiritual subject matter. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). Uttamam. Uttamam means udgata-tamaṁ yasmāt. Tamam means darkness. This world is darkness. Everyone, we know, as this material world is dark. And because it is dark there is need of the sunshine, there is need of the moonshine, there is need of electricity, there is need of fire. Because it is constitutionally dark. And the Vedic injunction is tamasi mā: "Don't remain in darkness." Jyotir gama: "Go to the light."

"Who requires a guru?" If you are actually serious about understanding the spiritual subject matter, brahma-jijñāsā...

Lecture on SB 1.7.38-39 -- Vrndavana, September 30, 1976:

So we are discussing the point, "Who requires a guru?" If you are actually serious about understanding the spiritual subject matter, brahma-jijñāsā... Not this market value. If you are interested about brahma-jijñāsā... Just like the merchant association, they inquire, "What is the value of this share? What is the value of this commodity? What is the val...?" No. Not that kind of inquiries. But śreya-uttamam.

We have to learn everything, especially spiritual subject matter, from guru.

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Vrndavana, October 5, 1974:

Who is government servant? Who is strictly following the government order, that is government servant. Anyone can say, "I am government servant." No. How you can be? Similarly, guru means who is following the principles given by the jagad-guru. The... He's guru.

So the principle... What is that principle? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is principle. "You give up all these nonsense activities. Simply surrender." So one who has surrendered to Kṛṣṇa fully, no other business, he is guru. This is the definition of guru. There is no difficult to understand who is guru. One who follows strictly the principles laid down by jagad-guru, he is guru. So the jagad-guru says... Because we have to learn everything, especially spiritual subject matter, from guru. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). This is the injunction of the Vedas. If you want to understand Brahman... Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This life, human life, is meant for inquiring about the Absolute Truth: athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is not meant for any other purpose.

So when Caitanya Mahāprabhu was going to South India for His touring, he specially requested Him that "I neglected this person, Rāmānanda Rāya. He was talking with me about spiritual subject matter, very highly elevated, and that I thought that he was a sentimentalist. So I neglected him. But I can understand now that he is a very exalted personality.

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

So when Caitanya Mahāprabhu was going to South India for His touring, he specially requested Him that "I neglected this person, Rāmānanda Rāya. He was talking with me about spiritual subject matter, very highly elevated, and that I thought that he was a sentimentalist. So I neglected him. But I can understand now that he is a very exalted personality. When You are going to South India, please meet him. Please try to meet him. You'll be very much pleased." So Caitanya Mahāprabhu, at Kabur,(?) He met Rāmānanda Rāya, and He was talking about spiritual subject matter, very highly elevated, simply.

Kapiladeva became very happy by seeing His mother so eager to understand about the spiritual subject matter.

Lecture on SB 3.25.12 -- Bombay, November 12, 1974:

So when a person comes to a transcendentalist to inquire about śreya uttamam—uttamam means transcendental subject matter—he becomes very happy. He becomes very happy. One who hears very attentively about the spiritual subject matter, the spiritual master becomes very happy. So Kapiladeva became very happy by seeing His mother so eager to understand about the spiritual subject matter.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

One should not be writing in spiritual subject matter without being authorized by some superior authority.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.1 -- Atlanta, March 1, 1975:

So Kṛṣṇa dāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī is writing Caitanya-caritāmṛta. In each chapter he composes a new verse offering his obeisances to the Lord. So in this Seventh Chapter of Ādi-līlā he also offers his respect. He began his writing of Caitanya-caritāmṛta when he was as old as ninety years old in Vṛndāvana by the order of the Vaiṣṇavas and confirmed by Śrī Madana-mohana. So this is the process. One should not be writing in spiritual subject matter without being authorized by some superior authority. It is not ordinary writing. The writing on spiritual subject matter is authoritative. By the order of superior authority, one can write. It is not speculation. Therefore he said that śrī-caitanyaṁ likhyate asya: "By the order of superior authority, I am trying to describe Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu." And what is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu? Prema-bhakti-vadānyatā. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is preaching prema, means love of Godhead. That is the only necessity to understand in human form of life. Premā pumartho mahān.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.4 -- Mayapur, March 4, 1974:

You'll be surprised that my Guru Mahārāja, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura... Sometimes Paṇḍita Madanmohan Mahalabhya (?), a great politician, well-known political leader, he came to see him. So he inquired from my Guru Mahārāja, "What are your activities?" So in describing his activities he said that "We have got six magazines, and out of them, one is daily, Nadiya Prakash." Those who are resident of this place might know. So he was publishing one paper daily, Nadiya Prakash. So Madanmohan Mahalabhya inquired that "You are publishing daily one paper about spiritual subject?" He said, "Yes, why not?"

So one who wants to transcend this position of ignorance and wants to know the transcendental subject, means spiritual subject, brahma-jijñāsā, he requires a guru, not any person, other person.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.101-104 -- Bombay, November 3, 1975:

A disciple, when he accepts guru... This is the example, Sanātana Gosvāmī. Tasmād prapadyeta... Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). This is the injunction of the śāstra. Who requires a guru? It is not a fashion, that one has to accept anyone as guru. No. A person requires a guru when he is inquisitive, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ, when he is very much eager to understand the spiritual śreya uttamam. Uttamam. Ut means transcendental, and tama means darkness. This world is called darkness, ignorance. So one who wants to transcend this position of ignorance and wants to know the transcendental subject, means spiritual subject, brahma-jijñāsā, he requires a guru, not any person, other person.

Festival Lectures

So we are interested in spiritual subject matter.

His Divine Grace Srila Sac-cid-ananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Appearance Day, Lecture -- London, September 3, 1971:

So this Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's birthday, we should adore, we should worship, because in the modern age he reintroduced the disciplic succession. From Caitanya Mahāprabhu... Five hundred years ago, Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught this philosophy, but within two hundred years... Because this material world is so made that whatever you introduce, in due course of time it will deteriorate. You make a nice house, but after one hundred years, two hundred years, or nowadays, even after fifty years, it becomes dilapidated. That is the nature's law, kāla. Time will destroy everything. Now, British empire, such a big, vast empire, now it is finished. The kāla, the time, will make everything finished. That is material. Anything material, it has birth, it has growth, it has got some opulence, then dwindling, then finished. That is the way of material... So we are interested in spiritual subject matter. Therefore the process is ādau gurv-āśrayam. One has to accept a bona fide spiritual master. That is our process. Without accepting a bona fide spiritual master, we cannot make any progress. It is impossible. So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura happens to be ācāryas, one of the ācāryas. And he has left behind him many books.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Actually, at the present age, nobody is interested in spiritual subject matter.

Morning Walk -- December 10, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Actually, at the present age, nobody is interested in spiritual subject matter. Nobody is interested. So nobody is coming to surrender to you. Therefore you have to canvass, "Please surrender. Please surrender." This is our position. Otherwise, the... Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). One should come to the guru. But nobody comes to the guru, therefore guru has to come to U.S.A. to canvass. This is the position. Nobody went to me in India, but I had to come here to canvass you. Because it is Kali-yuga. Real process is one should go to the guru. But intelligent man goes: "My life is meant for spiritual realization. So I must find out a guru." That is his business, but people are so fallen in this age that nobody's interested in that subject matter, that he has got a spiritual value and he has to achieve this knowledge and make his life perfect. Nobody knows it. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught preaching. These rascals, they are so fallen, they'll never search out guru. So guru should go and canvass.

Sudāmā: Therefore you are Jagad-guru.

Prabhupāda: I may be whatever it is. That is the business.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

We have to go everywhere. Wherever there is opportunity to instruct about this spiritual subject matter, we must go there.

Room Conversation with Mr. C. Hennis of the International Labor Organization of the U.N. -- May 31, 1974, Geneva:

Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: I remember on a walk in Vṛndāvana, Your Divine Grace said that there should be no politics in our society because a Vaiṣṇava means one who wants to help others become happy.

Prabhupāda: Now politics is coming in. As soon as we are getting money, the politics coming. That is a great concern.

Yogeśvara: What will happen to our temples in the cities? Will we keep them?

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Yogeśvara: Our temples. These big, big temples we have now.

Prabhupāda: No, no. We have to go everywhere. Wherever there is opportunity to instruct about this spiritual subject matter, we must go there. We should not have such discrimination, that city should be neglected. No. Why? They are also human being. They are misled. So we have to give them a little instruction. Everywhere. In cities there is possibility. Whatever we have collected, our men, that is from city, not from the village. So why should we neglect city? Where is the question?

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

The main principle is, to understand spiritual subject matter, one must be sinless.

Room Conversation -- February 15, 1975, Mexico:

Hṛdayānanda: She wants to know what disciplines we have, what practices we have. Also she had a misunderstanding. She said "for the beginners," so I was explaining it was the same for the beginners.

Prabhupāda: The main principle is, to understand spiritual subject matter, one must be sinless. You find that verse,

yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ

janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām

te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā

bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ

(BG 7.28)

(break) ...ess, more we can understand spiritual matters. Therefore among our students, the four principles... (break) Explain. Yes, are prohibited.

Materialists cannot understand spiritual subject matter. It is not for them.

Morning Walk -- June 10, 1975, Honolulu:

Harikeśa: Can a material calculation prove...

Prabhupāda: No. Materialists cannot understand spiritual subject matter. It is not for them.

You must be trained up how to rise early in the morning, take your bath, cleanse yourself, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Then you will be spiritually strong. When you are spiritually strong, if you speak something on spiritual subject matter, then it will be effective.

Room Conversation -- October 5, 1975, Mauritius:

Prabhupāda: As they have been trained up to rise early in the morning, this will give you spiritual strength. If you simply becomes a gramophone speaker, then it will not be effective. Gramophone or tape record speaker, that will not be. You must be live speaker. Your living condition should be spiritually, what is called, surcharged. So that means you must be trained up how to rise early in the morning, take your bath, cleanse yourself, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Then you will be spiritually strong. When you are spiritually strong, if you speak something on spiritual subject matter, then it will be effective. Otherwise it will be just like tape record playing. So this is required.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

If we protect the cows, we can have the facility of drinking milk, which will help us in keeping our health in order and developing very nice brain tissues to understand spiritual subject matter.

Morning Walk -- May 30, 1976, Honolulu:

Devotee (3): Is it possible that somehow or another at that particular time and place, God would have said "Eat cows"? Because in Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa clearly says go-rakṣya, cow protection. And that instruction would also be eternal.

Prabhupāda: Go-rakṣya, the point is that cow's milk is very important. Therefore specifically mentioned go-rakṣya. Kṛṣṇa does not say that don't eat meat. It is not really said that meat-eating is forbidden. But meat-eating is tāmasika, prāmādya (indistinct). But He's speaking of go-rakṣya for our special material benefit, that if we protect the cows, we can have the facility of drinking milk, which will help us in keeping our health in order and developing very nice brain tissues to understand spiritual subject matter. Fish-eaters, they're all dull. They cannot understand finer philosophy of life. Meat-eating, not good. But the śūdras, and the less than śūdras, they eat. But for them there's lower animals, not cow.

Ow we have got this human form of body, it is your duty to inquire about the spiritual subject matter.

Press Interview at Muthilal Rao's House -- August 17, 1976, Hyderabad:

Guest (2): ...that I don't have to time to contemplate or study such things. Don't you think it's the responsibility of people like you to...

Prabhupāda: That means you are not properly trained up. The thing is, the first business of human being is to inquire about the spiritual subject matter. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is the Vedānta philosophy. Now we have got this human form of body, it is your duty to inquire about the spiritual subject matter. But if your guardians, if your parents, if your government does not teach you, then it is our misfortune.

1972 Correspondence

Our spiritual subject matter is transcendental and therefore it remains potent despite mistakes in grammar, spelling, etc.

Letter to Mandali Bhadra -- Jaipur 20 January, 1972:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated December 28, 1971, and with pleasure I have noted that your translation work is going on. This I want, that you shall from now on be the Head of the translating department in German language for all ISKCON literatures. You translate yourself as it is comfortable, but all other translations in German language by other translators must be checked by you, edited, and corrected very strictly for grammar and proper use of German language. It is not our philosophy to print errors. Of course, our spiritual subject matter is transcendental and therefore it remains potent despite mistakes in grammar, spelling, etc. But this type of translation may only be allowed if there is no other way to correct it, then it is all right. But if you know the correct order, then you must make it perfect. That is our philosophy: everything perfect for Krishna.

1974 Correspondence

Any senior devotee can be an instructor in spiritual subject matters.

Letter to Satadari -- Los Angeles 7 July, 1974:

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 13, 1974 and have noted the contents carefully. Yes, a shiksa guru is anyone who can give spiritual advancement. You take instruction from my books, and if you are unable to understand any portion of the books, then you can get it explained by any senior devotee, whether Madhukanta or anyone else. Any senior devotee can be an instructor in spiritual subject matters. If you like to take instruction from Madhukanta, there is no harm.