Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


Status (Lectures)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG Introduction -- New York, February 19-20, 1966:

So Arjuna was a devotee in relationship with the Lord as a friend. The Lord can become a friend. Of course, this friendship and the conception of friendship which we have got in the mundane world, there is a gulf of difference. This is transcendental friendship which... Not that everyone will have the relationship with the Lord. Everyone has got a particular relationship with the Lord and that particular relationship is evoked by the perfection of devotional service. At the present status of our life we have not only forgotten the Supreme Lord, but also we have forgotten our eternal relationship with the Lord. Every living being, out of many, many millions and billions of living beings, each and every living being has got a particular relationship with the Lord eternally. That is called svarūpa. Svarūpa. And by the process of devotional service one can revive that svarūpa of oneself. And that stage is called svarūpa-siddhi, perfection of one's constitutional position. So Arjuna was a devotee and he was in touch with the Supreme Lord in friendship.

Lecture on BG Introduction -- New York, February 19-20, 1966:

So long we are in the material sky, what to speak of approaching the moon planet.... The moon planet, of course, is the nearest planet, but even we approach the highest planet, which is called Brahmaloka, there also we have the same miseries of material life, I mean to say, the miseries of birth, death, old age, and diseases. No planets in the material universe is free from the four principles of material existence. The Lord therefore says in the Bhagavad-gītā, ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). The living entities are traveling from one planet to another. It is not that we can simply go to other planets by the mechanical arrangement of the sputnik. Anyone who desires to go to other planet, there is process. Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25). If anyone wants to go to any other planet, say, moon planet, we need not try to go by the sputnik. The Bhagavad-gītā instructs us, yānti deva-vratā devān. These moon planets or sun planets or the planets above this Bhūloka, they are called Svargaloka. Svargaloka. Bhūloka, Bhuvarloka, Svargaloka. There are different status of planets. So Devaloka, they are known just like that. The Bhagavad-gītā gives a very simple formula that you can go to the higher planets, Devaloka. Yānti deva-vratā devān. Yānti deva-vratā devān. Deva-vratā, if we practice the process of worshiping the particular demigod, then we can go to that particular planet also.

Lecture on BG Introduction -- New York, February 19-20, 1966:

That will make you, that will help you in remembering Me at the time of death. If you don't practice remembering Me always, along with your struggle for existence, then it is not possible." It is not possible. The same thing is advised by Lord Caitanya, kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā. One should practice to chant the name of the Lord always. The name of Lord and the Lord is not different. So here the instruction of Lord Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna that mām anusmara (BG 8.7), "You just remember Me," and Lord Caitanya's instruction that "You chant always the name of Kṛṣṇa." Here Kṛṣṇa says that "You always remember Me," or you remember Kṛṣṇa, and Lord Caitanya says, "You always chant the name of Kṛṣṇa." So there is no difference because Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's name are nondifferent in the Absolute. In the absolute status there is no difference between one thing to another. That is the absolute status. So the Lord being absolute, there is no difference between His name and Himself. So we have to practice like that. tasmāt sarveṣu kāleṣu (BG 8.7). Always, twenty-four hours, we have to mold our activities of life in such way that we can remember it twenty-four hours. How it is possible? Yes, it is possible. It is possible. A very crude example is set by the ācāryas in this connection. And what is that example? It is said that a woman who is attached to another man, although she has got a husband, still, she's attached to another man. And this sort of attachment becomes very strong. This is called parakīya-rasa. Either in case of man or woman.

Lecture on BG Introduction -- New York, February 19-20, 1966:

The Lord says that even a human being in the lowest status of life, lowest status of life, or even a fallen woman, or a mercantile man, or a laborer class of man... The mercantile class of men, the laborer class of men, and the woman class, they are counted in the same category because their intelligence is not so developed. But the Lord says, they also, or even lower than them, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ (BG 9.32), not only they or lower than them, or anyone, it does not matter who is he, or who is she, anyone who accepts this principle of bhakti-yoga and accepts the Supreme Lord as the summum bonum of life, the highest target, highest goal of life, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ, te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim, that parāṁ gatim in the spiritual kingdom and the spiritual sky, everyone can approach. Simply one has to practice the system. That system is hinted in the Bhagavad-gītā very nicely and one can adopt it and make his life perfect and make a permanent solution of life. That is the sum and substance of the whole Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore, the conclusion is that Bhagavad-gītā is a transcendental literature which one should read very carefully. Gītā-śāstram idaṁ puṇyaṁ yaḥ paṭhet prayataḥ pumān. And the result will be, if he properly follows the instruction, then he can be freed from all miseries of life, all anxieties of life. Bhaya-śokādi-varjitaḥ. All fears of life, in this life, as well as he'll get a spiritual life in the next life.

Introduction to Bhagavad-gita As It Is -- Los Angeles, November 23, 1968 :

Devotee: "Arjuna was a devotee in relationship with the Lord as a friend. This friendship is different from friendship in the mundane world. This kind of friendship is transcendental. Everyone has some relationship with the Lord. Unfortunately, in our present status, we have forgotten that eternal tie. Yet each of the millions upon millions of living beings has his particular relationship. By the process of service one can revive one's original status with the Lord. Now Arjuna..."

Prabhupāda: This relationship is already established, because I am eternal, God is eternal, therefore my relationship with God is also eternal. That relationship is there. Now, due to my covering of this material body or influence of material energy, I have forgotten. This is my position. In the conditioned state, in this material condition of life, our position is that I..., we have forgotten our relationship with God. But therefore you are trying to establish so many relationships with this material world. I am trying to find some relationship with particular type of society, particular type of community, particular type of nation, particular type of family or individuals. So many ways, I am searching where is my relationship, because I have lost my relationship with God. Therefore I have to reestablish, I have to revive my old relationship with Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness process is to... Just like in darkness you are finding your things, your watch, you cannot find it out. Sometimes you are touching this, sometimes touching this, sometimes touching this, but the real thing you are not touching.

Lecture on BG 1.26-27 -- London, July 21, 1973:

So some of the family members on the other side, and some of the family members this side. So other side also, what are they? Tatrāpaśyat sthitān pārthaḥ pitṟn atha pitāmahān (BG 1.26). Pitṟn, teachers, and pitṟn also. Pitṟn means those who are on the status of father. And Bhīṣmadeva was a grandfather, a real grandfather, pitāmahā. He is on the other side. Droṇācārya, he is on the other side, teacher. They had to be respected. Actually Arjuna did so. Before fighting with Droṇācārya, he first of all throw one arrow on his lotus feet, obeisances. This is the etiquette. "My dear sir, you have taught me this fighting science, now it is being used against you, duty. So I offer my obeisances." And Droṇācārya also, threw another arrow, touching his head: "My dear boy, become blessed." This is duty. How blessed? "By killing me. I know you will kill me, so I give you blessings that you kill me." This is duty. The disciple is fighting, touching the feet of Droṇācārya: "My dear sir, it is duty. Now we are face to face to fight. So give me your blessing." This is one side. The other side, blessing, "Yes, you have my all blessings."

Lecture on BG 1.31 -- London, July 24, 1973:

We are living in house. No. Śāstra says, na gṛhaṁ gṛham ity āhuḥ: "Simply a house is not gṛha." There must be the housewife. That means wife. Gṛhiṇī gṛham ucyate. In Hindi this word is used, garbhali means if there is no wife, that is not gṛha. And another Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says, putra-hīnaṁ gṛhaṁ śūnyam. "You have got wife, but if you have no children, that gṛha is also void." So gṛhastha means to live with wife and children, and cultivating spiritual life. That is called gṛhastha. It doesn't matter, you live with your wife and children, or you live with brahmacārī, sannyāsī. Anything. It doesn't matter. Therefore there are so many divisions of life. Whichever status of life is suitable for you, you can accept. Brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa āśrama. Āśrama, when the word is added, āśrama, that means it has got reference with cultivation of spiritual life. So gṛhastha-āśrama. One can live at home with wife and children, but the business should be Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We don't accept the Māyāvādī sannyāsī because there is no Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Simply by becoming sannyāsī... Brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā: "This world is false. Brahman is truth. So I give up this world." That kind of sannyāsī we do not accept. Either you become gṛhastha or sannyāsī or brahmacārī, there must be Kṛṣṇa. Then it will be called āśrama. Gṛhastha-āśrama, sannyāsa-āśrama, brahmacārī-āśrama. Therefore this word is added, āśrama.

Lecture on BG 1.32-35 -- London, July 25, 1973:

In the human life, two things required: jñāna and vairāgya. Jñāna means that "I am not this body." This is jñāna. Not that so-called scientific knowledge, more attachment for this body. That is not... That is ajñāna. That is not jñāna. Jñāna means how to achieve the status of vairāgya. That is jñāna. Jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā (SB 1.2.12). So the brahmacārī is taught vairāgya-vidyā. Vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yoga-śikṣārtham ekaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ (CC Madhya 6.254). Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya says that "This Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who has taken sannyāsa, very early age, only at the age of twenty-four years, a very young man. He has got His young wife at home, sixteen years old, and He has got His mother, old, seventy years old. So He has given up all responsibility, and there is no other male member in the family to look after them, the mother and the young wife. Still, He has taken sannyāsa. So therefore He is the Purāṇa-puruṣa, the Supreme Person, but He has come to teach us this vairāgya-vidyā." Vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yoga-śikṣārtham ekaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ (CC Madhya 6.254). Puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is described: puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ. Śāśvataṁ purāṇaḥ. Divyam, ādi-puruṣam. So puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ. Vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yogam: "He has come to teach the bhakti-yoga which is vairāgya-vidyā." Vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yoga-śikṣārtham ekaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-śarīra-dhārī (CC Madhya 6.254). "Now He has assumed the body of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu." Tam ahaṁ prapadye: "I offer my respectful obeisances to this person. He has come to teach us vairāgya-vidyā."

Lecture on BG 1.36 -- London, July 26, 1973:

Just to teach people that anyone, if he is aggressor, he must be killed. This is the position.

But Arjuna is considering whether it will be pious or impious. This is devatā. In every action, they will consider, "What I am going to do, whether it is pious or impious." That is devatā. "If it is pious, then it will elevate me. And if it is impious, then it will degrade me." Nobody wants degradation. The human life should be especially meant for elevation, not for degradation. You have come to this human form of life from the lower status of life. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthavarā lakṣa-viṁśati kṛmayo rudra-saṅkhyakāḥ. Through so many status of life: the aquatics, the trees, the plants, the insects, the reptiles, the birds, the beasts. In this way... Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante. Bahūnāṁ sambhavante (BG 7.19). This human form of life is gotten, we have received, after many, many births. These people, they do not know. It is very rare. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura sings, manuṣya janama pāiya, rādhā-kṛṣṇa nā bhajiyā, jāniyā suniyā viṣa khāinu. Hari hari viphale janama goiṅu. He is lamenting, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, I am so unfortunate. I got this human form of life. It was meant for developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But I have wasted my time otherwise. So how it is so? Jāniyā suniyā viṣa khāinu.

Lecture on BG 1.36 -- London, July 26, 1973:

So people are trying to elevate the status of the society by so many things. But they do not know the secret. The secret is that if one is trained only to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, all good qualities automatically will be visible in his person. There is no need of separate endeavor, how to make a man honest, how to make a man religious, how to make a man high-thinking, simple living. These are good... Śamo damas, titikṣa ārjavaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyam (BG 18.42). All these qualities immediately develop. Because a living entity, spirit soul, he is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Mamaivāṁśo jīvaḥ (BG 15.7). Kṛṣṇa says all this. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4). "They have come to this material world. I am the seed-giving father. They wanted to enjoy. So I have given them chance. But actually I am the father. The material nature is the mother." Just like we have got experience, the father injects the living entity in the womb of the mother. And the mother, by her blood, develops the body of the child. Similarly, all these living entities, 8,400,000 species, the... Bījo 'haṁ sarva-bhūtānām (Bg 7.10). The father is Kṛṣṇa. He has given the seed in the womb of this material nature. And the material nature has given the body. Somebody has got the body of fish, somebody has got the body of tree, plant, somebody has got insect, reptile, somebody bird, sometimes beasts, somebody human being, somebody demigod. But all these materials have been supplied by the mother. It is very easy to understand. Just like the child grows, the mother supplies the bodily ingredients. Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore... This is very scientific. When He took sannyāsa and the mother came... Advaita Prabhu arranged to see for the last time her son. Because a sannyāsī is no more coming home.

Lecture on BG 1.41-42 -- London, July 29, 1973:

So this class of men are leading the society. The third-class, fourth-class men, they are leaders. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). So now we are talking with so many big, big persons, guests, coming daily. But actually, we can see how much the third-class, fourth-class men, practically blind, they are leading the society. That we can understand. Therefore, the social order is... Just like Arjuna is describing here, saṅkaro narakāyaiva kula-ghnānāṁ kulasya ca (BG 1.41). Who knows this? Who knows this science, that saṅkaro narakāyaiva, if you produce unwanted hellish condition? Who is caring for that? The world is in hellish condition, we can perceive, but they are trying in a different way. They want to remain demons; at the same time, they want to become leaders. So at the present moment, comparing the social status 5000 years ago... According to Darwin's theory, 5000 years ago, men were uncivilized, uncivilized. Now this literature is written by uncivilized men. Just see. So highly intellectual writings, they were uncivilized. Now they have become civilized. That is Darwin's theory. We are now making progress. So Arjuna said that patanti pitaro hy eṣāṁ lupta-piṇḍodaka-kriyāḥ (BG 1.41). Piṇḍodaka. In Calcutta, there was a big scientist. His name was Sarpisirat. He was speaking in a, he was atheist number one, he was speaking that: "This piṇḍodaka, by offering piṇḍa, prasāda and water, it will go to my forefather. So just give me to eat downstairs whether I can eat upstairs?" This reasoning. But he does not know that how much there are different types of eating. They do not know there is eating in the subtle body also. The ghosts also, they eat. But the method is different.

Lecture on BG 1.43 -- London, July 30, 1973:

Horrible. Actually this, this, what was spoken by Arjuna five thousand years ago, it is now happening. Utsanna, all destroyed, finished. Kula-dharmānām. No family life. So therefore for human being, it is the duty to understand his position, and it is his duty to satisfy the Supreme Lord. This is the whole plan. Therefore Rāmānanda Rāya quoted the verse from Viṣṇu Purāṇa that varṇāśramācaravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān, viṣṇur ārādhyate (CC Madhya 8.58). Because the aim is to satisfy Viṣṇu, to become Vaiṣṇava. To become brāhmaṇa is also lower status. You will hear from the Caitanya-caritāmṛta that our Mādhavendra Purī, he was installing Deities. So there are many brāhmaṇas, caste brāhmaṇa, born in... So in order to give charge of worship to those brāhmaṇas, he initiated them to become Vaiṣṇava. Because without becoming Vaiṣṇava, nobody has got right to worship Viṣṇu. Viṣṇu will not accept anything from anyone unless he is devotee. And Viṣṇu is poverty-stricken that He has come to take from you? He cannot eat? He has no eating means? No. He agrees to accept our offering just on the basis of love. The Vaiṣṇava loves Viṣṇu, and Viṣṇu agrees to accept any foodstuff. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). That bhakti is main thing, not your palatable dish. Viṣṇu is quite competent to prepare thousand times better palatable dishes than you can offer. But the real thing is bhakti.

Lecture on BG 2.7-11 -- New York, March 2, 1966:

Yes. The, the necessity of a spiritual master is for him who is conscious of his material suffering. If one is not conscious of his material suffering, then he is not even on the human being status. He's still in the animal status. Animal status, you see? Now, the modern civilization... The modern civilization is practically... They are evading, evading the real sufferings. They are engaged in temporary sufferings. But the Vedic system is Vedic knowledge. They are meant for ending the sufferings of.., for good, sufferings for good. You see? The human life is meant for that, ending all suffering. Of course, we are trying to end all kinds of suffering. Our business, our occupation, our education, our advancement of knowledge—everything is meant for ending suffering. But that suffering is temporary, temporary. But we have to end the sufferings for good. Suffering... That sort of knowledge is called transcendental knowledge, and if anyone is seeking after that transcendental... This Bhagavad-gītā is not an ordinary thing. It is transcendental knowledge. And now here the ground is prepared. Ground is prepared. Arjuna is conscious of his suffering, perplexity. Now he is seeking a spiritual master.

Lecture on BG 2.10 -- London, August 16, 1973:

So Kṛṣṇa, seeing Arjuna, viṣīdantam very much affected, lamenting, that he is not prepared to do his duty. Therefore in the next verse He begins that aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajña-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase: (BG 2.11) "My dear Arjuna, you are My friend. Never mind, māyā is very strong. Despite your being My friend, personal, you are so much overwhelmed with false compassion. So just hear Me." Therefore He said, aśocyān: "You are lamenting on a subject matter which is not at all good." Aśocya. Śocya means lamentation, and aśocya means one should not lament. Aśocya. So aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajña-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase. "But you are talking like very learned scholar." Because he has talked. But those things are right. What Arjuna has said, that varṇa-saṅkara, when the women become polluted, the population is varṇa-saṅkara, that is fact. Whatever Arjuna has said to Kṛṣṇa in order to avoid the fighting, so those things are correct. But from the spiritual platform, those things may be correct or incorrect, but from spiritual platform, they are not to be considered very serious. Therefore aśocyān anvaśocas tvam. Because his lamentation was on the bodily concept of life. That bodily concept of life, in the very beginning of Kṛṣṇa's instructions, it is condemned. Aśocyān anvaśocas tvam: (BG 2.11) "You are lamenting on the bodily concept of life." Because anyone who is in the bodily concept of life, he is no better than animal. So our all morality, all social status, all politics, all philosophy, everything is on this bodily concept of life. We want to enjoy senses. Senses means different parts of the body. So one who is interested with the body—that means one who is interested with the senses—their only business is how to... (end)

Lecture on BG 2.11 -- London, August 17, 1973:

So the first step Kṛṣṇa took in educating Arjuna... The Bhagavad-gītā is now being actually being spoken, bhagavān uvāca. The first basic principle is explained to Arjuna that "You do not know anything. Don't talk just like a learned man." Actually, that is our own... Every one of us in the same position. Just like yesterday, two boys came. No philosophy, talking like nonsense, starvation, as if he has taken, what is called? Contract for stopping starvation. He's starving, everyone is starving, this law, the nature will go on. Somebody, because there are three qualities of the nature—sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So the natural laws will go on under the three laws. Therefore always we shall find three classes or three status of living condition. That will be explained in Bhagavad-gītā. Even, everywhere there are different species of life. Everywhere these three qualities are working. Just like there are some good trees. Good trees means which are producing nice fruits and flowers. They are good trees. And there are trees, no fruit, no flower, very long standing. No use. No useful purpose. I've seen in Los Angeles, big, big palm trees, very long, but there is no fruit. In India there are palm trees like that, they bear fruit, very nice fruit, tal. Very sweet fruit.

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

So here Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna that... Because he has accepted the leadership of Kṛṣṇa, therefore Kṛṣṇa is chastising him in this way. He is chastising in this way, that Arjuna was talking with Kṛṣṇa as friends. So friends means equal status, but he gave up that status. He took the status of a disciple. A disciple means who voluntarily agrees to be disciplined by the spiritual master. When one becomes disciple, he cannot disobey the order of the spiritual master. Śiṣya. Śiṣya, this word, comes from the root śās-dhātu, means "I accept your ruling." So previously Arjuna has accepted, śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam: (BG 2.7) "I am now surrendered to You, and I agree voluntarily to accept Your ruling." This is the relationship between the spiritual master and the disciple. So we have got ten kinds of offenses in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. So the first offense is guror avajñā, means to disobey the orders of guru, spiritual master. One cannot disobey the orders of guru. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, although He is Kṛṣṇa Himself, he also says, guru more mūrkha dekhi' karila śāsana: (CC Adi 7.71) "My guru, My spiritual master, saw Me a fool, and therefore he has chastised Me." So therefore Kṛṣṇa... Because Arjuna has accepted Kṛṣṇa as guru, therefore He is chastising him that "You are lamenting on a subject matter which is not done by any learned man." That means "You are not a learned man. You are fool." "The learned man does not do like this"—that means "You are not learned man because you are doing this." So Kṛṣṇa said that "You... Practically you are not in the knowledge of things. Still, you are lamenting on the bodily concept of life." Anyone who accepts this body as self, he is not only unlearned, but he is compared with the animal.

Lecture on BG 2.11 -- Rotary Club Address -- Hotel Imperial, Delhi, March 25, 1976:

As God is always blissful, jolly, similarly our nature is always blissful and jolly. Sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Sat, cit, ānanda. Sat means eternal, and cit means blissful, cit means full of knowledge; and ānanda. Ānanda means blissfulness. That is our nature. Therefore we want to live. We do not wish to die. We do not wish... Nobody wishes to die, but we are forced to die. That is our punishment. Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). This instruction you will get in the Bhagavad-gītā, that "The living entity is eternal," śāśvata, "very, very old." Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre: (BG 2.20) "When the body is destroyed, is annihilated, the soul exists. It goes to another body." The example is just like every one of us... In the first day of intercourse of the father-mother, the secretion mix together, emulsified, and if the living entity is allowed to enter into that, it grows. That is the beginning of our body. But if the living entity is not allowed into the, that emulsified, small pealike form, then there is no pregnancy. So attempt is made to pollute that emulsification. Therefore the living entity cannot enter into it and there is no pregnancy. Otherwise there must be pregnancy. Then that pealike body grows, and in seven months it grows the hands and legs and head and everything, and consciousness comes back. When we die our consciousness becomes almost stopped, and we then lie down within the womb of the mother according to species of body, a status—take it for granted our human form of body—seven months. At that time body is grown up. In this way, in tenth month the body is fully grown. Then by nature's way the body comes out and another life begins. This is called transmigration of the soul.

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- Hyderabad, November 21, 1972:

So we cannot be anxiety-free unless we come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is not possible. You have to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54); immediately you become anxiety-free. If you don't come to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you'll always be full of anxieties. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt, hitvātma, hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpaṁ vanaṁ gato, vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta (SB 7.5.5). That is the Prahlāda Mahārāja giving us direction that if you want to get relief from this status of anxiety, sadā samudvigna-dhiyām, then hitvātma-pātam, hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpam... Gṛham andha-kūpam. Gṛha means... There are so many meanings. Especially it is meant: home. Home. Homesick. Our Vedic civilization is that drive away from home. Go away from home. To take sannyāsa, to take vānaprastha. Not to remain up to the last point of death as family member, grandfather or great-grandfather. That is not our Vedic civilization. As soon as one is little grown up, pañcāśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet, he must get out from this gṛham andha-kūpam. Gṛham andha-kūpam, if we discuss threadbare, it may be very unpalatable. But we have to discuss from śāstra what is gṛha. Gṛha, it is... Another word, it is called aṅganāśrayam. Aṅganā. Aṅganā means woman. To live under the protection of wife. Aṅganāśraya. So śāstra recommends that you give up this aṅganāśrayam to go to the paramahaṁsa-āśrayam. Then your life will be saved. Otherwise, as Prahlāda Mahārāja says, gṛham andha-kūpam, "If you keep yourself always in this dark well of so-called family life, then you'll never be happy." Ātma-pātam. Ātma-pātam means you'll never be able to understand spiritual life.

Lecture on BG 2.16 -- Mexico City, February 16, 1975:

So this is... Kṛṣṇa, although He is the authority, still, He says that ubhayor api dṛṣṭaḥ antaḥ tu anayos tattva-darśibhiḥ. He says, "All the tattva-darśī, the knower of the Absolute Truth, they know it very well, and they have decided like that." The purpose is that we have to accept the experience of the tattva-darśī, of the seer of the Absolute Truth. That is knowledge. Our knowledge is imperfect because our senses are imperfect. Therefore we do not come to the right knowledge by exercising our senses. The idea is that we should accept the statement of Kṛṣṇa and the śāstra that we or I or you, we are spirit soul; we are permanent. And the body is not permanent. But we should be intelligent enough—how we can get the condition of permanence. That is possible when you or I, we come to the platform of eternity. That is explained in another place of Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, bahavo jñāna-tapasā pūtā mad-bhāvam āgatāḥ, like that. Means that "Many persons, by cultivating knowledge and tapasya, jñāna-tapasā, pūtāḥ, became purified. They have got the same status like Me." The same status means God is eternal, God is full of knowledge and God is full of bliss.

Lecture on BG 2.27-38 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1968:

So Kṛṣṇa conscious person is neither interested in pious activities or impious activities, but one who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all activities are pious, transcendental, automatically. He hasn't got to try separately. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā (SB 5.18.12). Anyone. Take for example nonviolence. Nonviolence is good quality. Now here, you see Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna. Arjuna is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Automatically he's trying to be nonviolent. "Why should I fight?" This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because he is devotee of Kṛṣṇa, nonviolence is already his quality. People are starting vegetarian society to become vegetarian, a very uplifted society. But the persons who are in Kṛṣṇa conscious, they are already vegetarian. That means the people in the ordinary status, they are trying to acquire some good qualities, but in Kṛṣṇa conscious person you will find all the good qualities automatically. That is the difference. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Kṛṣṇa conscious person is not interested that this is good work or this is bad work. He is interested with Kṛṣṇa. Because his activities in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is all transcendental, better than good, śuddha-sattva, pure goodness. In the material world, the goodness, the quality of goodness is sometimes tinged with passion and ignorance. But in pure goodness, which is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no tinge of passion or ignorance. Automatically everything is good. Yes.

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

Of course, today there is no time. Otherwise I would have recited. 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. And these spices and other export attracted persons from Europe, that Vasco de Gama, and the Columbus also wanted to go, but he fortunately came to America. You see? All these Europeans and the Britishers went and established their supremacy. So India was so rich. But now how that India has become so poor? The same land is there. Why? Because they have lost that old culture, God consciousness. You see? And at least my calculation is that, that a state, a secular state... Secular state means he has no... Here in America you have got state religion. You have got state religion. But in India there is no state religion. Every country has state religion. Even Pakistan, it has divided. It is now a part of India. But they have also their state religion. But unfortunately India has no state religion. That means deliberately they are trying to disconnect with God relation, godly relation. But in the same India... You just read the history, five thousand years before, how much profusely the nature was supplying. In the morning we are studying that portion.

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

Sometimes the birds are also called dvija. Dvija means twice-born. Twice-born. Just like the birds... The sea bird lays the egg first, and then it is fomented. And from the, I mean to, the egg, the cub comes out, the offspring comes out—the second birth. Therefore birds are also sometimes called dvija. Similarly human and higher status of life, they must have twice-born. Therefore the brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, and the vaiśyas, this thread, this thread is the sign that "My second birth has been done." This is the emblem. This upavīta, upanayanam, this is the sign. In India higher caste you will find this sacred thread. Sacred thread means when he is accepted, when he is given the second birth, this thread ceremony, there is a thread ceremony. So second birth means saṁskāra, saṁskāra, reformation, reformation. It doesn't matter where and how he is born. It doesn't matter.

Lecture on BG 2.59-69 -- New York, April 29, 1966:

And the spiritualist sees the materialist that "What nonsense he is, that he has got this elevated, conscious life of human form of life, and he's spoiling in the material senses, in the material enjoyment. He's not taking interest in spiritual life. So he sees that he's sleeping, and he sees that he's sleeping. The materialist sees the spiritualist that he's nonsense; he's sleeping. And the spiritualist sees the materialist, nonsense that he's spoiling. Yā niśā sarva niśā, sarva-bhūtānāṁ tasyāṁ jāgarti saṁyamī, yasyāṁ jāgrati bhūtāni sā niśā paśyato muneḥ.

So this is going on. So without taking any account how the things are going on, if you are actually serious for spiritual emancipation of life, then the, the process recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā, as, and as practically demonstrated by Arjuna, if we follow this principle then we shall be proceeding towards the spiritual emancipation of life undoubtedly and without fail. So whole thing is that we have to make the best use of a bad bargain. The, that whole thing is the senses, senses are the cause of my material miseries. Now I cannot avoid the senses in my present status of life. The best thing is that senses may be engaged in the service of the Lord so that automatically they'll be restricted and purified, and my spiritual life will be revealed and the spiritual perfection will sure to come.

Thank you very much. Now if there is any question you can ask. (end)

Lecture on BG 2.62-72 -- Los Angeles, December 19, 1968:

Yes. We have fallen down. How we have fallen down? Fallen down to the platform of sense enjoyment. Therefore you have to begin rising up from the senses, controlling of the senses. That is the way of self-realization. Either you practice yoga or practice bhakti, devotional service, the beginning is to control the senses. So the yogis and other methods, they are trying to control the senses by force. "I shall go to the Himalayas. I shall not see any more beautiful woman. I shall close down my eyes." These are forceful. You cannot control your senses. There are many instances. You don't require to go to Himalaya. You just remain in Los Angeles city and engage your eyes to see Kṛṣṇa, you are more than a person who has gone to Himalayas. You'll forget all other thing. This is our process. You don't require to change your position. You engage your ears for hearing Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, you'll forget all nonsense. You engage your eyes to see the beauty of the Deity, Kṛṣṇa. You engage your tongue for tasting Kṛṣṇa prasādam. You engage your legs to come to this temple. You engage your hands to work for Kṛṣṇa. You engage your nose to smell the flowers offered to Kṛṣṇa. Then where your senses will go? He's captivated all round. The perfection is sure. You don't require to control your senses forcibly, don't see, don't do it, don't do it. No. You have to change the engagement, the status. That will help you. Go on.

Lecture on BG 2.62-72 -- Los Angeles, December 19, 1968:

No. They are pure devotees, but they are guṇāvatāra. Just like Lord Brahmā is the supreme personality within this material universe. He's the father of all living entities. So they are... Of course, if we very scrutinizingly study, Haridāsa Ṭhākura is, in devotional service, in greater position than Brahmā. Although he is considered the incarnation of Brahmā, Brahmā Haridāsa. So we should not be disturbed when we see Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva is captivated in that way. We should take this instruction, that is Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva becomes victim of māyā sometimes, what to speak of us? Therefore we shall be very, very careful. There is chance of falldown even in the status of Brahmā and Śiva, what to speak of ordinary persons. Therefore we should be very strongly inclined to Kṛṣṇa consciousness like Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Then we shall be able very easily to overcome the allurement of māyā. That is to be understood. Not that "Brahmā showed that," what is called, "weakness. He is weak or he is less." No. That is for our instruction. Yes. Or first of all, his. Yes.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Delhi, November 10, 1971:

If I ask you, what are you, what you are, you'll give all description of your body. I'll give all description of my body. I am Mr. such and such, I am born of such and such father, my national country is such and such, but these are all designation of this body. I do not know what I am, therefore I give only the designation. Therefore my intelligence is bodily concept of life. I am this body. So śāstra says, that if one is in bodily concept of life, then he is no better than the animal. Because the dog, it does not know that beyond this body... The dog is there, he is a living entity, he is a soul, he is Brahman, part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman. These things dog does not know, or a cow does not know, or an ass does not know, or the animal does not know. Similarly, if we do not know beyond this body, then you are no better than animal, sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). So if you analyze the whole population, you will find that we are simply a crowd or assembly of so many animals, that's all. This is fact, because they not know beyond this body. So you cannot expect any peace and prosperity in the animal society. That is not possible. The animals, by nature they can not live in peace. They are always in fighting. Just like children. Although they live together, but they will fight. They will fight. So the world is trying to have peace and prosperity, but they want to keep themself as animal. So, therefore it is, conclusion is, that there cannot be any peace and prosperity in this status of social constitution.

Lecture on BG 4.3-6 -- New York, July 18, 1966:

Now, if it is a fact that I am eternal. So before getting this body, I had another body or another father, mother, family or society or country and everything... But do we remember it, in what country I was there? In what family I was there? Sometimes we get news from newspaper that a child is born. He is speaking about his previous birth. Perhaps you know. Sometimes it may be possible in extraordinary cases. But it is a fact. It is a fact that in my previous life I had also another body. I had my father and mother and country and family.

It may be I was a dog or cat or man or bird. That doesn't matter. But as living entity, I am eternal. I had my another body. Similarly, we, we are preparing another body in this life. Just like, under the preparation of my previous life, I have got this body. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur deha upapattaye (SB 3.31.1). We get our body according to our karma, according to your karma. If we do sāttvika-karma... Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ: (BG 14.18) "Those who are in the modes of goodness, they are promoted to higher status of life or higher planet, like that." And madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ: "Those who are in the modes of passion, they remain here in this Bhūrloka." And adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ: "Those who are engrossed with the modes of ignorance, they may be degraded from this planet to another, degraded planet, or another life, or animal life. This is the process, going on. And we forget.

Lecture on BG 4.6-8 -- New York, July 20, 1966:

So again the second war took place. And again, preparation is going on for a third war. So this is, world is like that. Even if you make a very good arrangement, it will gradually deteriorate. This is, this is the function of the time, kāla. Just like you, you build up a very nice house. Then, after fifty years, it deteriorates. And after hundred years, it more deteriorates.

Take, take for example your body. When it was newly born, when I was a child, oh, very new, good-looking child. Everyone is kissing and everyone is working. Now I am becoming old and nobody cares. You see? So this is the function of this material nature. Even if you make a very good adjustment, gradually it will glide down to the lowest status. Therefore it requires a periodical adjustment. For that reason, the Supreme Lord or His representative comes.

That is explained here that paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām: (BG 4.8) "For protecting the saintly persons and for vanquishing the," I mean to say, "unfaithful unbelievers and for establishing real function of the living entities," dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge, "I come down, not only once, but many times, in many millenniums," and that is the function of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Thank you very much. Now you can ask any questions. (break)

Lecture on BG 4.7 -- Montreal, June 13, 1968:

So dharmasya glānir bhavati means one sense, that I have explained, occupational duty. Now we have got, our present position is in three status. What is that? In the gross status of our understanding, we take this gross body as my self. At that time my dharma or occupational duty is different. When I accept mind as myself, then my occupational duty becomes different. But when I understand that I am spirit soul, then my occupational duty is different.

Here Kṛṣṇa, because He is Supreme Soul, Supreme Personality of Godhead, He means that dharma, or occupational duty on the spiritual platform. He does not mean dharma or occupational duty on the gross bodily platform or subtle mental platform. He means dharma, the occupational duty on the spiritual platform. And that is confirmed by Lord Caitanya. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). That real constitutional position of the living entity, especially of the human being, is to accept servitorship of Kṛṣṇa. So in other word, when there is discrepancy in the matter of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, at that time Kṛṣṇa comes. Kṛṣṇa descends. Kṛṣṇa descends.

Lecture on BG 4.9 -- Montreal, June 19, 1968:

So one has to learn this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement very carefully. It is very nice and very scientific. And if we simply try to understand my position, try to understand God and what is my relation with God, janma karma me divyam, simply by understanding this, I become qualified to enter into the spiritual kingdom. And as soon as I enter into the spiritual kingdom, then, as it is stated in this verse, that tyaktvā deham, after giving up this body, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma... (BG 4.9). Punar janma means again taking birth in this material world. Na eti, na, no more. This continued repetition of accepting different kinds of body is finished simply by understanding what is God, how He appears, how He disappears, what are His activities. Simply this understanding. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9), or so 'rjuna. He comes to Me. And in another place it is stated, the same thing, mām upetya tu kaunteya, "One who comes to Me," mām upetya tu kaunteya duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15), nāpnuvanti. "One who comes back to Me, goes back to home, goes back to Godhead, he never comes back again to this miserable conditional life of materialistic status."

Mām upetya tu kaunteya duḥkhālayam... And this material existence is duḥkhālayam, it is a place of misery. This is māyā. We are living in this condition, conditional life of material existence, which is full of miseries, but by the spell of māyā, illusion, we are thinking, we are planning that we are happy. This is called māyā. Māyā means... I have several times explained what is meant by māyā. Māyā means "what is not." I am thinking I am making progress, I am thinking that I am happy, I am thinking I am civilized, I am advanced. But the māyā means this thinking, in the positive way, is no. No, you are not advanced. You are not civilized. You are not actually wise because you do not know what you are. You are thinking that you are this body. Therefore everything, whatever you are thinking, that is all null and void. Māyā. This is called māyā. So this māyā is very strong.

Lecture on BG 4.11-12 -- New York, July 28, 1966:

Now, the supreme leader is Śrī Kṛṣṇa. That we do not know. Supreme leader, the leadership is accepted, but we do not know that the supreme leader is the Supreme Lord, or Kṛṣṇa. So that is informed in the Vedic literature, and in the Bhagavad-gītā also, the same thing is confirmed, that ye yathā māṁ prapadyante: "Now, everyone is under My leadership, everyone. There is no exception." Especially He mentions the manuṣya. Manuṣya means the human being. The human being especially mentioned here because amongst all the human beings in this lower status of our existence, the human being is considered the highest perfectional stage of living condition. And especially human being has the prerogative to understand the supreme leadership of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. The animals cannot understand it, or the persons who are in the animal nature...

Just like you will find in the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā. The Lord says,

na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ
prapadyante narādhamāḥ
māyayāpahṛta-jñānā
āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ
(BG 7.15)

"Those who are always engaged in mischievous activities, those who are fools, those who are lowest of the mankind, and those whose knowledge has been deluded by the external energy, they do not make their surrender unto the Supreme Lord." But there are other persons who are virtuous. They are considered that ārto jijñāsur arthārthī jñānī ca bharatarṣabha (BG 7.16). There are other persons who are distressed and in need of some wealth or inquisitive or really research worker in the field of understanding what is the Absolute Truth.

Lecture on BG 4.11-12 -- New York, July 28, 1966:

Therefore, although I have explained all the different branches of, I mean to say, spiritual cultivation, but the most confidential thing just I am telling you because you are My very dear friend." Sarva-dharmān parityajya: (BG 18.66) "Just give up everything, and just be surrendered unto Me. I shall give you all protection." So instead of accepting so many infidel or imperfect leadership, let us accept the leadership of Kṛṣṇa and make our life perfect. That is the whole philosophy.

Now, in the next śloka the Lord says,

kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṁ siddhiṁ
yajanta iha devatāḥ
kṣipraṁ hi mānuṣe loke
siddhir bhavati karma-jā

Now, I accept some particular class of leader because I belong to that status of ideas. So therefore you know that in the Vedic literature there are names of many demigods. Sometimes the Hindus are criticized that "Hindus have got many gods." But they are not the Supreme God. If somebody is a serious student of Upaniṣads, they will find that the demigods described, they are all, I mean to say, servants of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa. But here it is said, kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṁ siddhim.

Lecture on BG 4.11-18 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1969:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Beginning with the intelligent class of men technically called the brāhmaṇas due to their being situated in the mode of goodness. Next is the administrative class, technically called the kṣatriyas due to their being situated in the mode of passion. The mercantile men called the vaiśyas are situated in the mixed modes of passion and ignorance. And the śūdras or laborer class are situated in the ignorant mode of material nature. In spite of His creating the four divisions of human society, Lord Kṛṣṇa does not belong to any of these divisions, because He is not one of the conditioned souls, a section of whom form human society. Human society is the same as animal society but to elevate men from the animal status the above mentioned divisions are created by the Lord for the systematic development of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The tendency of a particular man towards work is determined by the modes of material nature which he has acquired. Such symptoms of life according to different modes of material nature are described in the Eighteenth Chapter of this book. A person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, however, is above even the brāhmaṇas, because a brāhmaṇa by quality is supposed to know about Brahman, the Supreme Absolute Truth. Most of them approach the impersonal Brahman manifestation of Lord Kṛṣṇa, but only a man who transcends the limited knowledge of a brāhmaṇa and reaches the knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa becomes a person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or in other words, a Vaiṣṇava. Kṛṣṇa consciousness includes knowledge of all different plenary expansions of Kṛṣṇa, namely Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha, etc. As Kṛṣṇa is transcendental to this system of the four divisions of human society, a person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is also transcendental to the mundane divisions of human society, whether we consider the divisions of community, nation or species."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Kṛṣṇa has many incarnations. Sometimes He appears in the species of fish. Keśava dhṛta-mīna-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare. That does not mean that he belongs to the fish community. Similarly, when Kṛṣṇa appeared as the son of Vasudeva, Vasudeva belonged to the kṣatriyas. That does not mean that He belonged to the kṣatriya community. Then again He was transferred to Vṛndāvana to become the foster son of Nanda Mahārāja. And Nanda Mahārāja was a vaiśya, mercantile community man. So that does not mean that Kṛṣṇa belonged to the vaiśya community. He does not belong to any community.

Lecture on BG 4.13-14 -- New York, August 1, 1966:

ust like my body. My body, there are different parts of my body. The head is the most important part of my body. The next important part is my arms. The next important part is my belly. And the next important part is my legs. But although the head is the most important part of my body, there is no question of neglecting the lowest part of my body, the legs. Similarly, although there are divisions in the human society, four divisions, according to the different modes of nature... The highest class is called the brāhmaṇa, or the most intellectual class. And the next class is called the kṣatriya, just the administrative class. And the next is the vaiśya, or the mercantile, productive class. And the next is the śūdras, or the laborer class. So all of them, they are required. But if they cooperate for Kṛṣṇa consciousness, so there is no strife between these higher and lower classes.

We find in the present social, I mean to say, status of our life, we are actually existing in four divisions, but there is no cooperation. Practically, everyone is dissatisfied. Take for example the strife between the capitalist class and the laborer class. They, they are trying in different way. There is no compromise. There is always friction. And especially in a country like India, oh, there is always friction, and other countries also. So they are not satisfied. Recently also, in your country also, there was strike by the bus drivers and the subway drivers and administration. So there is always strike. Why? This is due to lack of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is due to lack of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There cannot be any cooperation unless there is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is an essential fact for harmonizing even the present material society. That is required. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so important thing, that cooperation...

Lecture on BG 4.14-19 -- New York, August 3, 1966:

Every work which you are doing, good or bad, we have to suffer or enjoy the reaction of our work. And so long we have to suffer or enjoy the reaction of our work, as long as we shall go on like this, so long we have to accept this material body. This material body is just given to us by the arrangement of nature's law for the exact status of suffering or enjoyment. Just like you have seen different animals, they have got different process of eating.

Say for tiger. Tiger, they have bodies made for eating raw flesh and raw blood. So all the body is so made that they have got particular nails and jaws and teeth so that they can do that. Similarly, you can see the hogs. They have to eat the stool. Oh, they have got a particular shape of mouth so that they can easily do that.

Now, we are human beings. We are meant for taking vegetables and fruits. Now, our teeth is just like knife which can cut the vegetables and the fruits. So all these bodies, I mean to say... I am giving particular stress to the body. A king's body, a poor man's body. A poor man, he has to work very hard. His body is very sturdy. He can work very nicely. But a son of very aristocratic family or king, oh, his body is very delicate. He cannot work. He can apply his brain in something else. So so long we are... These bodies are made according to the different status of our work we have done in our past life. And next body is being prepared according to the work which we are doing now. But here Kṛṣṇa says that as soon as one can understand the transcendental nature of Kṛṣṇa's activities, he becomes free from the reaction of activities.

Lecture on BG 4.14-19 -- New York, August 3, 1966:

So this work, good work or bad work from the material point of view, may be superficially very good. But what, how long I shall remain a rich man? How long I shall remain a beautiful man? This is not my permanent life. Suppose if my life is for hundred years, say. I can remain a rich man, I remain a learned man, I can remain a beautiful man, say, for fifty or sixty or hundred years, but your life is not for hundred years or sixty years or thousands years or millions of years. You are eternal. You have to attain your eternal life. That is the whole problem. So that problem you have to solve. That problem can be solved when you are Kṛṣṇa conscious so that by Kṛṣṇa conscious, when you leave this body, you will no more have to come to this material world and accept this material body or suffer and enjoy thereof. That is the point. The point is very difficult for common man, but this is the point. This is the point. I have to avoid this material existence altogether. That is the point. It is... It is not the question of improving my material condition. That is not the solution. If I...

Just like in a prison house, if you want to improve your condition, you become a very good prisoner, and the government gives you A-class status. There are three classes of status in prison life. Some are suffering the prison life in the A-class status. Some of them are suffering in the B-class status. There are also classes. Just like when some political leader is put into prison, they are given A-class status. But a sane man, a sane man should not be satisfied by becoming an A-class prisoner, A-class prisoner. So we are, in this material world, some of us are in the A-class prisoner, some of us are B-class prisoner, some of us are C-class prisoner. So to become an A-class prisoner from C-class prisoner is not the solution of our problem. The problem should be solved that "Let me become completely free, completely free from the prison life." That is the whole problem.

Lecture on BG 4.37-40 -- New York, August 21, 1966:

We have to wait for that purpose. And if our... If we, in our diseased condition, we go on satisfying the senses, then the disease will be aggravated. So for the present, saṁyatendriya, we have to control the senses just to get us cured from this material disease. That is the way. You have not to kill your senses. That is not given. Because your hand is burning, due to some disease, oh, if the physician says, "All right, cut off this hand," oh, that is not treatment. The treatment is that sensation, that burning sensation, should be cured. Hand should live as it is. So we are, we have got all desires, we have got all senses, spiritually. And we have to revive that, and that, Kṛṣṇa consciousness will help us to revive our original status of senses. And that original status of senses, that sense of enjoyment, will be spiritual enjoyment. That will give us real... Sukham atyantikaṁ yat atīndriya-grāhyam (BG 6.21).

Lecture on BG 4.39-5.3 -- New York, August 24, 1966:

This is very nice point. Try to understand. The sannyāsī... Just like we are sannyāsī. According to our Vedic system, we are allowed to beg alms from the householders. The social system, the varṇāśrama institution, is so made that the brahmacārī, vānaprastha, and the sannyāsī, and the gṛhastha... Gṛhastha means the householder. Now, the brahmacārī will beg from the householder, the vānaprastha will beg from the householder, and the sannyāsī also beg from the householder. So householder is the only earning member who will feed all these three different status of social orders. But in the Kali-yuga, in this age, some unscrupulous persons, they are taking advantage of this dress because this dress is not very costly. Any kind of cotton cloth, you take, two paisa worth from, or two cent worth, and color, and you get it orange-colored and put on. Because in this age nobody is inquiring whether he is actually a sannyāsī or not, simply by dress... Of course, the dress is the badge.

Now, people are taking advantage of this and they misusing the position. Therefore Kṛṣṇa, I mean to say, foresaw that this will happen in future because He was speaking this Bhagavad-gītā five thousand years before. So, as He is full knowledge, entire knowledge, because He is God, He knows what will happen in the future. Therefore he gave preference to working order than this sannyāsa order. Lord Caitanya also, He also said that in this age sannyāsa is not recommended.

Lecture on BG 6.1-4 -- New York, September 2, 1966:

We have finished the Fifth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā. Today we shall begin the Sixth Chapter. In the Sixth Chapter you'll find the process of yoga. You have heard many times of the yoga system. That yoga system is approved by Bhagavad-gītā. But the system of yoga as prescribed in the Bhagavad-gītā, it is specially meant for purifying your status. Karma-śuddhasya vijitātmanaḥ. Karma-śuddhasya vijitātmanaḥ. To control the senses and to purify the process of work, that is the purpose of yoga. Yoga means to purify the process of our activities and to control the senses. Śrī-bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān. The other day we have explained who is Bhagavān. Bhagavān is the last word of the Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth is realized in three phases: impersonal Brahman, localized Paramātmā, Supersoul, and ultimately, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Ultimately, Bhagavān, or the Supreme Absolute Truth, is person, and secondarily, He is all-pervading Supersoul, and the brahma-jyotir effulgence.

Lecture on BG 6.4-12 -- New York, September 4, 1966:

So when he is situated in that practical status of spiritual realization, then he is to be understood that he is actually situated in the yoga. Not that I am going to a class and, weekly or twice weekly attending yoga class, and I remain the same thing for the so many years. No. There should be practical realization. What is that practical realization? Praśāntātmā. Praśāntātmā. The mind is calm and quiet, no more agitated by the attraction of this material encirclement. You see? So jñāna-vijñāna...kūṭastho vijitendriyaḥ. The first qualification is called vijitendriyaḥ, sense control. Advancement in the yoga system means yoga indriya-saṁyamaḥ. Yoga means to... Because our whole life is disturbed due to the senses. Senses. This material life means sense gratification. That's all. The sum and substance of materialistic life means sense gratification. Therefore advancement of material science means giving you products for your sense gratification. Unnecessarily, so many things are produced just to satisfy my senses. That is the material advancement.

Lecture on BG 6.47 -- Ahmedabad, December 12, 1972:

So unless one has got faith. Why one should consider himself that "I must be completely surrendered to Kṛṣṇa," unless one has got faith? Therefore faith is the beginning. And to create faith, Kṛṣṇa has explained about Himself in the whole Bhagavad-gītā. So one who is fortunate, after reading Bhagavad-gītā thoroughly, he'll have a strong faith in Kṛṣṇa. If you have failed to achieve this status of faith, then there is no question of progress. That is explained by Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī: śraddhā-śabde viśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha niścaya (Cc. Madhya 22.62). Śraddhā means firm faith, with conviction, "Yes, if I surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then all my business will be perfect, all my spiritual life will be perfect." Therefore Kṛṣṇa says: śraddhāvān bhajate. With śraddhā, with full faith. Ādau śraddhā. Beginning is śraddhā. If one has developed a little śraddhā. Just like we are giving chance throughout the whole world by this propaganda, opening centers to create little śraddhā. And if the śraddhā is there, then next stage is sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83), if one wants to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, if he has developed a little faith in it, the next stage is to associate with sādhu. And who is sādhu? Sādhu, sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ. Titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ suhṛdaḥ sarva-bhūtānām. So sādhu means very tolerant. In another place, sādhu is described in the Bhagavad-gītā: bhajate mām ananya-bhāk sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). Api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk sādhur eva...

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, September 10, 1968:

So this yoga system, Kṛṣṇa consciousness yoga system, is to begin with developing attachment for Kṛṣṇa. And the process of developing attachment I have already explained to you for the several last meetings. So for the beginners, attachment for God, everyone, people in the lowest stage, he has to admit the greatness of the Supreme Lord. God is great; there is no doubt about it. Everyone, even in the lowest status of life, he can admit. I don't speak of the animals. Animals, they have no sense of God. I am speaking of the human being. There are different, different grades of human civilization—the highest type of civilization and the lowest aboriginal—but every one of them has got a sense of God. That is there. This is the special prerogative of human being. Not that only the civilized men. Perhaps you know all, when you came here from European countries in America, the Red Indians. They are considered as aboriginals; still, they have some religion, they have some conception of God.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, September 10, 1968:

So God is great, and I am dependent. So my sense of love has to be developed. We must accept that God is great, He is supplying our necessities, why not render some service in gratitude? Is there any harm? Suppose somebody is always supplying you everything, don't you think in your gratitude to supply, to render some service to him? If you develop that sense of gratitude, that is further development, attachment, service. Now that service has again to be further developed. How it is to be developed? Just like service to your friend. A friend does not demand service. Just like master, he demands service: "You must do it." But friend does not demand service, but dear friend: "Yes, why not?" That means voluntary service. More intimately. That is further development. That friendly service... One sort of friendship is with awe and veneration. Just like if you have a very rich friend, you cannot talk with him so frankly although he is so..., he is your intimate friend. But a friend in the same status, you can talk with him very freely. Similarly, we can develop friendship with God in two stages. The first stage is with awe and veneration. "Oh, God is so great. God is supplying us so many things, and in gratitude I must serve Him." Or, "He is my well-wisher; He's my friend."

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Los Angeles, March 12, 1970:

So everything... In the Brahma-saṁhitā, we understand, every planet has a different situation, not that everything of this nature. So it is... It is not complete idea. "Because you can know what is sunshine, therefore you can know what is sun-god or sun disc"—no, that can (not) be done. Similarly, because you have some spiritual light, impersonal light... What is that impersonal light? The whole Buddha philosophy, impersonal philosophy, is looking to that impersonal. What is that? That "Because here in this material world I have got bad experience of this personal existence, therefore I conclude that there must be something impersonal. That is nice." That is thinking in the opposite way. But that is not actual fact. Just like a diseased person. Lying in one side, he is getting pain. He thinks, "If I lie down on the other side I will be relieved." That he is thinking, but so long he is diseased, there is no question of relief. He is thinking like that, this way or that way. Just like in the materialistic way they are... Their last point of happiness is sex life. That's all. So they have enjoyed sex life in this way; now they are trying to enjoy sex life in that way. But the enjoyment is the same. There is no more enjoyment. That is finished. You can eschew in so many ways, but the result is the same. Similarly, unless you have got perfect knowledge of the Absolute Truth, if you think of the Absolute Truth as something opposite of your present status, that is not perfect knowledge. The impersonal knowledge is like that, something opposite of this material world. Go on.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Gainesville, July 29, 1971 University of Florida:

So in pursuance of the order of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, following His footsteps, we are trying to introduce this saṅkīrtana movement, Hare Kṛṣṇa, and it is coming out very successful. Everywhere. I am especially preaching in the foreign countries. All over Europe, America, Japan, Canada, Australia, I am traveling. Malaysia. And anywhere I have introduced this saṅkīrtana movement—we have got different centers, about sixty centers—they have been received with great pleasure. Just like you saw these boys and girls. I have not imported them from India, but they have taken this movement very seriously, and they will take it, because it appeals to the soul directly. We have got different status of our life. Bodily concept of life, mental concept of life, intellectual concept of life and spiritual concept of life. So actually we are concerned with the spiritual concept of life, athāto brahma jijñāsā. If you are allured by the bodily concept of life, then we are no better than these dogs and..., cats and dogs. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). If we accept that "I am this body," then we are no better than the cats and dogs, because their concept of life is like that.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Durban, October 9, 1975:

"Everything will be clear" means for the time being our heart is very dirty. We are always full of so many dirty consciousness. It has to be cleansed. This cleansing process is this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore says, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). This Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra means the first business is to cleanse the dirty heart. The dirty heart means rajas-tamas. There are three qualities, three modes of material nature: tamo-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, sattva-guṇa. So generally we are in rajas-tamo-guṇa, ignorance and passion. The ignorance and passion, the symptom is greediness and lusty desires. So this is the dirty things. We have to just cleanse these dirty things, greediness and lusty desires. Then we come to the platform of goodness. And in goodness we can see things as they are. Therefore the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means trying, the devotees, the followers, to bring him to the platform of goodness, not to stay in the platform of ignorance and passion. That will not help us. Therefore we recommend, who is joining Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that "You should give up this habit: illicit sex, intoxication, gambling and meat-eating." These four things will keep me in the lower status of life, and it will not allow me to advance in spiritual understanding. Therefore these things should be given up. And chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, minimum sixteen rounds.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Durban, October 9, 1975:

Indian man (7): Idea of avatāra? (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: We have already explained. The idol, it is not idol. It is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is all-powerful. He can present Himself in a manner which you can see, because Kṛṣṇa is everything. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca (BG 7.4). He is everything. God is everything. So you cannot see at your present status the God. But you can see His form, and the business will be done. If you offer everything, Kṛṣṇa will eat. Business will go on. There is no difference. It is His mercy that He presents Himself in a form which we can see.

Indian man (7): Gurudeva, the question I wish to ask is: whence did we come, why are we here, and what is the true reason for our existence, and where are we going?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: The question is from where did we come, why are we here, and where are we going?

Prabhupāda: Wherefrom just now you are coming? (laughter) Hm? Tell me wherefrom you are coming. You cannot say? Who can say wherefrom he is coming. Huh? Wherefrom you are coming? You cannot say? Hm? You cannot say wherefrom you are coming just now?

Indian man (7): That is what I would like to know.

Prabhupāda: First of all say.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, March 29, 1971:

So in the Bhagavad-gītā it is not stated... At least... We are discussing Bhagavad-gītā. In the Bhagavad-gītā at least, there is no such statement that a man becomes brāhmaṇa simply being born in a brāhmaṇa family or a man becomes śūdra simply by becoming born in a śūdra family. Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ. This is also confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Śrī Nārada Muni instructs Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira:

yasya yal lakṣaṇaṁ proktaṁ
puṁso varṇābhivyañjakam
yad anyatrāpi dṛśyeta
tat tenaiva vinirdiśet
(SB 7.11.35)

Nārada Muni said that if the symptoms or characteristics of a certain status of social order is found in other family... For example, if a śūdra-born boy is inclined to accept brahmanism or Vedic culture, he should be given the chance. That is accepted in the Pāñcarātriki-vidhi. Just like these boys, European and American boys and girls, they are, according to our śāstra, they are less than śūdras, or you can call them caṇḍālas. But they are being elevated to the status of the brāhmaṇa qualities by this Kṛṣṇa consciousness process. It doesn't matter.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, March 29, 1971:

Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). To cooperate, to understand... It is also compared that the brāhmaṇa is the head of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the virāṭ-puruṣa. So brāhmaṇa's business is, because it is the head, to give direction to the society, to the spiritual society, daiva-varṇāśrama, how to conduct the life and occupation of the society. That is brāhmaṇa's business. The kṣatriya's business is to give protection to the society. And the vaiśya's business is to give food, productive. Kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). In this way there is a cooperative system, taking as part and parcel of the supreme body. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). So we should cooperate, but there must be these four classes of men. Not that simply śūdras and vaiśyas. At the present moment, there are few vaiśyas and mostly śūdras. Rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ (SB 1.2.19). Rajas-tamaḥ, by the rajo-guṇa, the kṣatriyas are produced, and by tamo-guṇa the śūdras are produced. And vaiśyas are mixed up rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa. So it doesn't matter in whatever guṇa or status of life we are. If all of us take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then our life is successful, mutual cooperation. So therefore Kṛṣṇa says, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3).

Now, how to make perfect, perfection of life, siddhi? That is stated in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Anādi-bahirmukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli' gelā, ataeva kṛṣṇa veda-purāṇa kailā (CC Madhya 20.117).(?) Because we have all forgotten Kṛṣṇa, that is our miserable condition of life. We are all forgotten about Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is teaching us personally. Five thousand years ago, He personally appeared and teaching us, we forgetful of Kṛṣṇa, the whole human society. Kṛṣṇa is teaching everyone. Don't think that Kṛṣṇa is teaching only in India and to the brāhmaṇas or the Hindus. Kṛṣṇa is for everyone. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is being accepted by everyone all over the world. It is our duty. Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore says it is the duty of all Indians to spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement for para-upakāra, all over the world. That is our business. So manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). The siddhi means when one takes to the daiva-varṇāśrama principles. That is stated in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa,

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- London, March 11, 1975:

So this is the position, that we do not know what is the perfection of life. Kṛṣṇa says, therefore, begins real knowledge. This chapter is "Knowledge of the Absolute." So everyone... You ask any M.A., Ph.D., that "What is your next life, sir?" "Gow! Gow!" (laughter) That's all. "Gow! Gow!" means "Why you are bothering about these things?" Now, this is the position. And we have taken very hard job to convince these people about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They will not accept it. They will deny immediately. They will say, "Why do you bother us? You do your own business. Let us do our own business." But why we are bothering? Because we are servant of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wants that these rascals should be informed. These rascals should be raised from this status of ignorance. So that is our mission. Therefore we are going and pleading, "Sir, I am a beggar, I have come to beg from you that you kindly purchase one book and you read it." So sometimes they are doing. After all, human being... So this is our... This is our business. We are stressing on pushing on these books because modern man, if he purchases one book, then at least he will see one line, "What these nonsense have written?" So if he reads one line, if he is intelligent man, he will understand the value. That is sure. That is sure.

Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Nairobi, October 31, 1975:

After brahma-jñāna... Sometimes the Māyāvādī philosophers they say, "By bhakti one gains brahma-jñāna, and one becomes liberated, merged into Brahman," and so on, so on, because they say, "Bhakti is meant for the less intelligent class of men." Their accusation is like that. No. That is not the fact. Bhakti, kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, in the lower stage of bhakti, that is also higher than the Māyāvāda philosophy. In the lower status of bhakti means that arcā-vigraha, anyone, any person, he does not clearly understand what is God, but by the instruction of the spiritual master one is engaged in the service of the Lord. This morning we have explained the Deity worship. Here is God. Here is God, factually, but He has no realization that here is God. That is called kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, in the lower stage of devotional service. But if he accepts even theoretically that "Here is God," then he becomes more advanced than the Māyāvādī who are thinking of God without head and leg, nirviśeṣa-vādī.

Lecture on BG 7.28-8.6 -- New York, October 23, 1966:

So now Kṛṣṇa concludes... Of course, I shall conclude this portion after reading one verse. Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran. Now, Kṛṣṇa has said that at the last point of your death, if you are in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then your next promotion is to the equal status of Kṛṣṇa. Mad-bhāvam: "in the same nature." Why? Now, the truth is:

yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ
tyajaty ante kalevaram
taṁ tam evaiti kaunteya
sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ
(BG 8.6)

The nature's law is, if you are practiced under certain condition of life, and at the end of death, if you think of that life, then your next birth... The next birth is, means, carrying the idea of this birth to the next birth. You are changing simply bodies, death. Suppose you are poet. You are a thoughtful poet. Now, when you change your body, oh, you'll still remain a poet. By changing your body, it does not become something else. So the thought is the real thing. That will carry you to the other body. This is, this is gross body, and there is subtle body. The subtle body is mind, ego and intelligence. So when you give up this gross body, the subtle body carries me to another gross body, another gross body. But when you become on the same level of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then your this subtle body also cannot act. You directly go in spiritual body to Kṛṣṇa.

So we shall discuss this point next... Now, if there is any question, you can ask. (end)

Lecture on BG 8.15-20 -- New York, November 17, 1966:

Avyaktād vyaktayaḥ sarvāḥ prabhavanty ahar-āgame. Now, this duration of Brahmā, the, the material manifestation in the lower status, this planetary system, when Brahmā days is finished, all these planetary systems becomes covered in water. There is devastation, devastation, and when again Brahmā, the supreme person in the Brahmaloka, he rises up, then again creation begins. That is the law of creation. So avyaktād vyaktayaḥ sarvāḥ prabhavanty ahar-āgame. Ahaḥ. Ahaḥ means in the daytime. When there is daytime, daytime, twelve hours, then this material manifestation, what you see, all these planets, they are manifested, seen. But when there is nighttime, all these planetary system becomes merged into devastation of water. So rātry-āgame pralīyante tatraiva avyakta-saṁjñake. Rātry-āgame means when the night is there, then again all these planets become invisible. They are devastated within the water. This is the nature of this material world. Bhūta-grāmaḥ sa evāyaṁ bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). So because the whole planetary system becomes, I mean to say, merged into devastation of water, therefore all living entities, they, at that time, pralaya, devastation, they all die. Bhūta-grāmaḥ sa evāyaṁ bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19).

Lecture on BG 8.21-22 -- New York, November 19, 1966:

Now, suppose if you are placed in some country where you can understand that "In this country I'll have no more death, no more miseries, no more old age, no more disease," will you not be happy? Suppose you are transferred to a country where these things are available... Oh, yes, I shall, I must be happy. If I can get some place where going I'll have not to die again or not to become old and not to have any diseases, oh, certainly I shall accept it. That is my desire, heart's desire. I want. I want that. Why you want that? Because you have got the right to have that prerogative. You have got the right. Therefore you want. You are eternal. You are blissful. You are full of knowledge. Simply you are covered by this material entanglement. Therefore you have forgotten yourself. Now, here is the chance. Here is the chance to take advantage and revive my original status of life, original status of life. Here it is clearly said, yaṁ prāpya na nivartante: "If you somehow or other can approach that spiritual atmosphere, then you haven't got to return again in this land of miseries of the atmosphere."

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- New York, November 22, 1966:

This is called... (aside:) Bruce! Come on. Sit down. Yes... Rāja-vidyā. Vidyā means education, and rāja means king. So what is the king of education? Just like we have got a different status of life in the material world, similarly, in the education also, somebody is M.A., somebody is B.A., somebody is school-leaving certificate, somebody is three years, somebody is four years. There are different grades of education. Now, what is the summum bonum, highest, topmost education? This topmost education is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, topmost education. Rāja-vidyā. Jīvātmā yathātmādi-rahasyānāṁ rājaḥ. Real knowledge is: "So what I am?" This is real knowledge. Unless we come to this point, that "What I am?" that is not knowledge.

Lecture on BG 9.3 -- Melbourne, April 21, 1976:

The best form of human life, the Aryans... Aryans. Aryans means those who are advanced. So the Aryan family, the history of Aryan family... From Central Asia, Caucasian ranges, they divided, the Indo-Aryans, Indo-Europeans. This is the history of mankind. So the Europeans, they belong to the Indo-Europeans, and some of the Europeans, not the uncivilized, the civilized, they came from that side, eastern side, when there was a threatening by Paraśurāma to kill the kṣatriyas. So most of the kṣatriyas, they came to Europe, and some of them settled in the middle, the border of Europe and Asia, Turkey, Greece. There is a big history, Mahābhārata. Mahābhārata means the greater history of India. So on the whole, the conclusion is that the Aryans spread in Europe also, and the Americans, they also spread from Europe. So the intelligent class of human being, they belong to the Aryans, Aryan family. Just like Hitler claimed that he belonged to the Aryan family. Of course, they belonged to the Aryan families.

So there is gradual process of evolution, and the human form of life is the greatest evolution. Here is a junction. Now you can go, elevate yourself to further, higher status of living condition. That is called devatā, or demigods. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ. If you develop the quality of goodness, then you are promoted to the higher planetary system. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ (BG 14.18). If you do not develop further, if you remain whatever quality you have got, just now you remain within this world. And adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. And if you do not develop goodness or remain in the same quality but you degrade yourself, then again go to the cycle of birth in the animal kingdom. This is the law of nature.

Lecture on BG 9.3 -- Melbourne, April 21, 1976:

Jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthāḥ. Jaghanya means abominable, abominable, without any distinction. "Whatever I like, I shall do." No. You cannot do that. You have got now super consciousness. You must decide whether you want to stop this evolutionary process, cycle of birth and death, and go back to home, back to Godhead, or if you want to continue again the cycle of birth and death. That is up to you to decide. This is the human form of life. Therefore how you can promote yourself to the higher status of life or how you can degrade yourself to the lower status of life, that is to be decided. In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find,

yānti deva-vratā devān
pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ
bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā
yānti mad-yājino 'pi mām
(BG 9.25)

There are four ways suggested. If you want to go to the higher planetary system, not by force you can go to the moon planet. That is not possible. That is simply childish. You cannot go. You must have to be qualified how to go there. Just like if somebody comes to your country, Australia, he has to take the visa, permit, passport, so many things. Then you allow. So how you can be allowed to enter into the moon planet, which is the residential place of demigods? That is a very controversial point. They say that they have gone to moon planet and there is no life. This is simply nonsense. Every planet is full of living entities. But if they say they could not find any living entities, then it is to be understood they haven't gone to the moon planet.

Lecture on BG 9.3 -- Melbourne, April 21, 1976:

If from this material conception of life, somehow or other you come to the understanding that you are not this body, lump of matter—you are spirit soul; you are different from this body—that is called brahma-bhūtaḥ state. And as soon as you become on the brahma-bhūtaḥ status, then symptom will be na śocati, prasannātmā—you become happy immediately. Everyone is unhappy in this material world. That's a fact. And because... Why we are unhappy? Because we have accepted, misaccepted, wrongly accepted, this body, "myself." This is the defect of modern civilization. So long you do not understand that you are not this body, you are different from this body, you are Brahman, you are part and parcel of God, then your activities become different. Because at the present moment we are acting on the bodily concept of life. "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am Australian," "I am white," "I am black," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am śūdra," "I am this, that"—only this bodily concept of life. And the Kṛṣṇa consciousness begins when you are free from this bodily conception of life. That is called brahma-bhūtaḥ.

Lecture on BG 10.4-5 -- New York, January 4, 1967:

And what is that importance? The spiritual side importance-giving means one has to see how much important this human life is. Because in the human form of life the spirit soul, although it is conditioned by material, I mean to say, encagement, it has developed its consciousness by gradual evolution. This evolution theory is there in the Padma-Purāṇa. There is actually evolution from lower status of life beginning from the aquatics, small, then plant life, then germs' life, then birds' life, then beast life, then human form of life, then civilized human form of life.

So fortunately we have got now civilized form of life. The Aryan family means they are civilized form of life. But we are utilizing in the matter of maintaining this body. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca. We are utilizing this material, this developed body. The spirit soul has got the chance now to liberate himself. There is a process. By nature's way, the evolution is to give chance the spirit to get out of this material entanglement. So people are not giving importance.

Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Paris, August 12, 1973:

Just like the hog. The hog can eat stool very nicely, very nicely. But although we say that everything is food, we can eat... Then you eat the stool? You cannot eat. He has got the influence that he can eat the stool very nicely. Therefore we should not consider that all living entities are of the same status. They have different status. You cannot say because the other living entity is eating something abominable, therefore I can also eat, it is eatable. No, you cannot do that. If you eat, you will be diseased. Therefore, it is called, "one man's food is another man's poison." Prabhavaś ca. One can eat anything. Not anything. Nobody can eat anything. His allotted food.

In the living entities lower than the human being, they follow the nature's way, their allotted food. Just like the tiger eats blood and flesh. If you offer him nice fruit, nice sweet rice, he'll not eat. Even the dog, they do not like the sweet rice or nice kachorī and sṛṅgara. You'll see. They cannot eat. If they eat, they will fall diseased. In Bengal it is said, kukkure peṭe ghī sayanaya.(?) Too much fatty things, if you give to the dog, he'll not be able to digest. So similarly, we are also human beings, we have got special food. Special food.

Lecture on BG 13.17 -- Bombay, October 11, 1973:

That is called adṛṣṭa. Adṛṣṭa means that which you can not see, but it has been fixed up by superior intelligence, that this much you will get. Therefore we see so many divisions of status; one man is working very hard day and night, but it is very difficult for him to collect even so much money that (he) can eat nicely. Because the body is made for that. Similarly, another man, born with silver spoon in the mouth. He hasn't got to try very much, but he gets his money quickly, very quickly. Therefore the Bhāgavata says, that "Don't waste your time for so-called happiness and distress. Don't waste your time. Because you are already destined to receive a standard of happiness and distress." You cannot change it. But you can change your consciousness. That is possible. But you cannot change your material position.

The modern people, they do not know. They do not know it that material condition cannot be changed. Take, for example, the pig. His body is meant for eating stool. So you cannot induce him to eat halavā. They cannot. He'll not accept it. Because the body is made like that. But in the human form, if we change our consciousness, then we become, we can revive our original status. Original status means eternal life of blissfulness and knowledge. That is the original life. Sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). So that Supersoul is always helping us as friend. Therefore here it is said, avibhaktaṁ ca bhūteṣu. Avibhaktaṁ ca bhūteṣu vibhaktam iva ca sthitam. The Supersoul appears like an individual soul. He is staying as friend. So He has been divided. Vibhaktam iva, "as if divided." It is not divided.

Lecture on BG 13.22-24 -- Melbourne, June 25, 1974:

So if we read the Vedic literature, and you get full knowledge, and the essence of Vedic literature is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And the Bhagavad-gītā is the preliminary study of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. ABCD. This Bhagavad-gītā is the ABCD of knowledge. This is entrance examination, matriculation examination, school-leaving examination. And Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is graduate. When you become graduate in spiritual knowledge, then you can understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And when you have passed your Bachelor degree, when you are post-graduate, that study is Śrī-Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

So we have got three different status of reading capacity. We have got already twenty books. So don't waste your time. Try to understand what is Kṛṣṇa and what is spiritual life by reading these books. Everything is explained there.

Lecture on BG 16.4 -- Hawaii, January 30, 1975:

Just like there was Hiraṇyakaśipu and there was Prahlāda. Prahlāda was being supplied spiritual advancement of life, necessities, and Hiraṇyakaśipu was being supplied for demonic status of life. So it is Kṛṣṇa's pleasure that whatever you want, you can get it. You get all advantage by Kṛṣṇa. If you want to become a demon, Kṛṣṇa will supply you, "All right, you become a demon. You take whatever you want from Me." He will give you. Similarly, if you want to become a demigod or devotee, Kṛṣṇa will supply you all the necessities. Now it is my choice whether I shall become a demon and whether I shall become a devotee. This is my choice. Kṛṣṇa is equal to everyone. Samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu (BG 9.29). Otherwise how He is God? If He is partial to somebody, then He is not God. He must be equal. He is equal to the devotee and nondevotee. Whatever the nondevotees want, Kṛṣṇa supplies. And whatever the devotees want, Kṛṣṇa supplies.

Lecture on BG 16.11-12 -- Hawaii, February 7, 1975:

So śāstra says, therefore, that "These four necessities of life, you'll get, any form of life. Any insignificant form or very important form, it doesn't matter. You'll get all... This is arranged." You have no anxiety for that. Kṛṣṇa has given you. Just like even if you are put into the jail life, prison life, for these things government has arranged already. In the jail life there is eating, sleeping, arrangement. So for these things we should not be very much anxious. That is human life. Simply he has to see intelligently, things, how things are going on.

There are 8,400,000 forms of life. Out of that, the human forms in different status, 400,000. And eight millions, they are lower animals-birds, beast, aquatics, insects, serpents, so many. They're eight millions. The number of... You can see the number of human being. The other beings... Just like even a small ant. From your room thousands of small ants will come out. But in that room, as a human being, you cannot live more than two, three. That is the nature's way. You'll find so many sparrows, so many other birds, beast, even elephants. So they are getting their food, they are getting their sleeping accommodation, they have facility for sex life and they know how to defend.

Lecture on BG 16.11-12 -- Hawaii, February 7, 1975:

That one, that is wanted by Kṛṣṇa, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So it does not require any high education, high birth, or great riches, or to become very beautiful. Nothing required. Beautiful or not beautiful, everyone can become Kṛṣṇa conscious. There is no impediment. Educated or not educated, it doesn't matter. Rich or poor, it doesn't matter. Ahaituky apratihatā. The devotional service, bhakti-yoga, is without any cause and without impediment. Ahaituky apratihatā. And if we attain that stage, then yayātmā suprasīdati: then ātmā, the soul, will be fully satisfied. So it does not require much education, much wealth. From any status of life one can practice this, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), these four things only.

So we who are propaganding, making propaganda for this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement... It is not very difficult. And it is not meant for any particular class of men or community or country. It is meant for all living entities, if he can. And where is the difficulty? So it may be difficult in other forms of life, but in the human form of life it is not at all difficult. So we should fully utilize this human form of life in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and the process is always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Instead of thinking women and money, if we... That is much more difficult also. The māyā is so strong that as soon as I am sitting in a solitary place, then I'll think of money and women. Therefore we should live always in assembly and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and save ourself from the danger of material falldown. Thank you very much. (end)

Lecture on BG 16.13-15 -- Hawaii, February 8, 1975:

There is no question of "how much love I have increased for Kṛṣṇa." That is bhakta, bhakti. But where there is no bhakti, they are thinking of this material increase. Asau mayā hataḥ, thinking others are enemy... Actually, in the higher status of life, a devotee does not think anyone as enemy. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām (BG 18.54). Samaḥ. He knows that "Nobody can become my enemy unless Kṛṣṇa desires. So why shall I think of him as my enemy? Kṛṣṇa has desired him to act as my enemy just to correct me, just to make me more advanced in spiritual life. So why shall I take any action upon him as enemy?" Of course, this stage is meant for very highly elevated devotee. That is not meant for ordinary devotee. But the fact is this: "How one can become my enemy? If I am Kṛṣṇa's servant, how one can become my enemy? If one is acting as my enemy, it is Kṛṣṇa's desire. I have got some defect, and he is correcting me." Therefore it is called samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām (BG 18.54). That is the topmost devotee's conception.

Lecture on BG 17.1-3 -- Honolulu, July 4, 1974:

Suppose somebody has said, the same example, that there is fire in the wood. So if you simply remain satisfied with the wood—"There is fire"—that is called tamo-guṇa, not developed. Again, when there is smoke, that is another platform. But when one appreciates the flames of (the fire), that is sattva-guṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says here, tri-vidhā bhavati śraddhā dehināṁ sā svabhāva-jā. If one is cultivating his life like hogs and cats and dogs—the behavior is also like that and remaining in that position—so his faith and one who is advanced, who is worshiping Deity, and having three times bath, and chanting mantras, Hare Kṛṣṇa, they are not equal. That is not possible because one is situated in the sattva-guṇa and the other is situated in tamo-guṇa, although the tamo-guṇas, the persons who are in the darkness of knowledge, they have got their faith. It is not that they have no faith. They have got faith. But that faith is in the lowest status of life. That faith will not help him for spiritual realization. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, tri-vidhā bhavati śraddhā dehināṁ sā svabhāva-jā. Svabhāva-jā means natural. Because his body is not yet purified, therefore he remains in the status of tamo-guṇa or ignorance. Tri-vidhā bhavati śraddhā dehināṁ sā svabhāva-jā.

Therefore we have to change. Just like a man diseased, he can be changed into a healthy person provided he follows the medical rules and regulation, takes medicine, diet and... That is possible. So if one does not follow the regulation, rules and regulation, he remains there, diseased. It is not that, that "We have become now free. We can talk nonsensically and we can behave like nonsense. Still, we are advanced," That is not possible.

Lecture on BG 17.1-3 -- Honolulu, July 4, 1974:

Woman Devotee: People are instructing with these sessions?

Prabhupāda: (Ignoring question) Because that is offense. Guror avajñā. First offense is guror avajñā, defying the authority of guru. This is the first offense. So one who is offensive, how he can make advance in chanting? He cannot make. Then everything is finished in the beginning. Guror avajñā. Everything is there. If one is disobeying the spiritual master, he cannot remain in the pure status of life. He cannot be śikṣā-guru or anything else. He is finished, immediately. Guror avajñā śruti-śāstra-nindanam, nāmno balād yasya hi... You do not study all these things. You become initiated. There are ten kinds of offenses. Do you have any regard for these things or not? You must avoid these ten kinds of offenses. The first offense is to disobey the orders of guru. That is first offense. So if you are offensive, how you can become advanced by chanting? That is also not possible.

Woman Devotee: Can we just have the chanting without instructions?

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Sudāmā: She wants to know actually that should they just have the chanting without reading your books or without instruction or following the program.

Prabhupāda: But that chanting must be pure. Your guru is writing books. If you think, "There is no necessity of reading books," that is guror avajñā. Do you means to say I am writing these books whole night for selling and making money? What do you think like that?

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- London, August 7, 1971:

In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is stated that goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūtaḥ (Bs. 5.37). Kṛṣṇa lives at His home, Goloka Vṛndāvana. Just like Kṛṣṇa is in Goloka Vṛndāvana. So still, He emanates, He expands Himself. Akhilātma-bhūtaḥ. Akhilātma-bhūtaḥ means throughout the whole creation. He has creation; that is also innumerable. We are seeing this creation, this universe. There are innumerable planets. But... Akhilātma-bhūtaḥ (Bs. 5.37), in everywhere Kṛṣṇa is there. Still, He is existing in His own abode. We cannot imagine because we have no such experience. Just like we are sitting in this room. We are not sitting in the other room. Try to understand the distinction between Kṛṣṇa and ourselves. But Kṛṣṇa is here and He's not only in the other room, other building, other city, other universe—everywhere. That is Kṛṣṇa.

It is stated—not that we are imagining, because we take evidence from the Vedic literatures. In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is stated like that:

eko 'py asau racayituṁ jagad-aṇḍa-koṭiṁ
yac chaktir asti jagad-aṇḍa-cayā yad-antaḥ
aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-sthaṁ
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
(Bs. 5.35)

One portion of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has direct expansion and expansion of the expansion. Just like Kṛṣṇa, His immediate expansion is Baladeva, Balarāma. Then from Balarāma the next expansion is Catur-vyūha, quadruple: Saṅkarṣaṇa, Vāsudeva, Aniruddha, Pradyumna. Again, from this Saṅkarṣaṇa there is another expansion, Nārāyaṇa. From Nārāyaṇa, another expansion. Again, second status of Saṅkarṣaṇa, Vāsudeva... Not only one Nārāyaṇa, but innumerable Nārāyaṇas. Because in the Vaikuṇṭhaloka, the spiritual sky, there are innumerable planets. How many? Now, just imagine here in this universe there are planets. This is one universe. There are millions of planets. You cannot count. You cannot count. So similarly, there are innumerable universes also. That also you cannot count. Still, all these universes taken together is only one-fourth manifestation of Kṛṣṇa's expansion. In the Vaikuṇṭhaloka there is three-fourths expansion. So we cannot count even one planet how many Kṛṣṇa's expansions are there, because He is aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). He's within the atom also. The scientists are perplexed to analyze one atom. More and more they're finding components. Kṛṣṇa... Therefore His name is Ananta. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). He has got multiforms. Multiforms.

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 15, 1971:

So in the human society the first thing is that there must be religion, and religion means pious life. Every religion... Just like Christian religion teaches pious life: "Thou shall not kill." And I am killing twenty-four hours, and still, I am proud of becoming a Christian. Just see. So religion means pious life. And on pious life, you earn your livelihood. Although your livelihood is already fixed up, your provision for living condition is already fixed up, still, because you think that "Without working, I cannot live nicely," all right, economic development. But because first of all your life is religious, because you are living pious, then you can earn your livelihood according to your different status.

The status is brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. In every human society these natural division of the society are already there. The intelligent class of men, they should study all the śāstras, all these Vedic literatures, thoroughly, and they should advise the politicians, "My dear Mr. Minister, you get rule, make the rulings like this, on this principle." They will advise, the brāhmaṇas, intelligent class of men. And the kṣatriyas, they will administer and see that the people are executing actually religious life. That is the duty of the state. The police is there not for harassing you if you take a twig from the tree and he'll come, "Why you have taken?" You have got that experience? Because they have no other business than trifle things, they are very busy: "Oh, come on with me," arrested. They have built up their empire by exploiting the whole world, and if somebody takes a twig from the St. James Park, he's arrested. You see? Because there is no religious life. Fools, rascals, they do not know how to rule over. On trifle things they will, "Come on." And when there is a pickpocket, they will go away. You ask police, they will pass by. You see?

Lecture on SB 1.1.3 -- London, August 19, 1971:

Therefore Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is describing the Absolute Truth in the beginning, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Vāsudeva means Kṛṣṇa, the son of Vasudeva. He appeared as the son of Vasudeva, but spiritually, unless one becomes on the position of vasudeva, nobody can understand Vāsudeva. Vasudeva is the name of śuddha-sattva, pure goodness. Not contaminated goodness. Here in this material world there are three types of status: goodness, passion, and ignorance. So ignorance and passion, they're simply material. The symptom of ignorance and passion is greediness and lust. Above this greediness and lust there is another platform, which is Vedānta platform—to understand everything clearly. That is called goodness.

Now pure goodness means one has to transcend even this material platform of goodness, because in the material platform of goodness there is possibility of being contaminated by the other two qualities, namely passion and ignorance. Sometimes it becomes mixed up. The material type of goodness is just like a pure brāhmaṇa—satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā—with all the good qualities: truthfulness, controlling the senses, controlling the mind, full of knowledge, tolerance, and knowledge..., knowledge means about the Supreme.

Lecture on SB 1.1.3 -- London, August 19, 1971:

So there is possibility. In the material goodness there is possibility of being attacked with the other two qualities and thereby fall down. But when you transcend the material platform of goodness and come to this transcendental platform of goodness, then you cannot fall down. That is called sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vasudeva-śabditam. That sattva, that existence of pure goodness, is called vasudeva. In that pure transcendental platform of goodness you can understand Vāsudeva. That means in that status of life, Vāsudeva is born... Because Vāsudeva is already there; you simply realize Him. Vāsudeva... Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Vāsudeva is already there within your heart, but you simply realize it by placing yourself in the pure consciousness, pure platform.

So this can be done simply by our discussion of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Therefore it is said here, nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalam idam (SB 1.1.3). It is the mature fruit of Vedic knowledge. And śuka-mukhād amṛta-drava-saṁyutam. This Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was written by Vyāsadeva. And it was spoken for the first time by Śukadeva Gosvāmī, his son. He wrote this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam under the instruction of his spiritual master, Nārada, and he taught his son, beloved son, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, that "You preach. I am writing; you preach." That is the duty of the student. The spiritual master writes, and it is a duty of the disciple to preach. And if the student is also as pure as the spiritual master, then it becomes very nice. Śuka-mukhāt. Śuka-mukhād amṛta-drava-saṁyutam.

Lecture on SB 1.2.2 -- London, August 10, 1971:

We begin from our first disciplic succession. Vande 'haṁ śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-pada-kamalaṁ śrī-gurūn vaiṣṇavāṁś ca. Vande 'haṁ śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-pada-kamalam. "I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my guru, spiritual master." Vande 'haṁ śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-pada-kamalaṁ śrī-gurūn vaiṣṇavāṁś ca. And then, his guru, his guru, his guru, they're all Vaiṣṇavas. Vande 'haṁ śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-pada-kamalaṁ śrī-gurūn vaiṣṇavāṁś ca. Śrī-rūpam. Then we offer respect to Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī. Rūpa Gosvāmī. Vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau. All the Gosvāmīs, six Gosvāmins. Vande rūpa-sanātana... Sāgraja. Sa agraja. Agraja means elder brother. Sanātana Gosvāmī was the elder brother of Rūpa Gosvāmī, and Rūpa Gosvāmī accepted him as his spiritual master. Śrī-rūpaṁ sāgrajātaṁ saha-gaṇa-raghunāthānvitam. Associated by Raghunātha. There are two Raghunāthas: Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī and Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī. Sa-jīvam, with Jīva Gosvāmī. This is the process. Vande 'haṁ śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-pada-kamalaṁ śrī-gurūn vaiṣṇavāṁś ca śrī-rūpaṁ sāgrajātaṁ saha-gaṇa-raghunāthānvitaṁ taṁ sa-jīvam. Then we go to Caitanya Mahāprabhu's status: sādvaitaṁ sāvadhūtam. That is also... First of all, Advaita Gosāñi, then Nityānanda Mahāprabhu, Prabhu. Mahāprabhu is applicable only to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Others, all prabhus. Ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa āra saba bhṛtya (CC Adi 5.142). Kṛṣṇa, and He has got innumerable servants. Kṛṣṇa is Mahāprabhu, and all others, they are prabhus. And the spiritual master who has got many prabhus to abide by his order, he is addressed as Prabhupāda. This is the system. So sādvaitaṁ sāvadhūtaṁ parijana-sahitaṁ kṛṣṇa-caitanya-devam. After offering all these obeisances to Gosvāmīs, to guru, and Advaita, Nityānanda, then you come to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Then Śrī Rādhā. Not Kṛṣṇa directly. Śrī-rādhā-kṛṣṇa-pādān saha-gaṇa-lalitā-śrī-viśākhānvitāṁś ca. Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa means they are always associated by the gopīs, of whom Lalitā-Viśākhā are the chief out of the aṣṭa-sakhīs.

Lecture on SB 1.2.2 -- Rome, May 26, 1974:

Yes. This sex life, garbhādhāna-saṁskāra... This is called garbhādhāna-saṁskāra, just to beget first-class children. That kind of sex life, Kṛṣṇa says, "I am that sex life." This is saṁskāra. So formerly, at least those who were on the higher status of the society, namely the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, and vaiśyas, they had to observe this garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. It is not a secret thing. Because one is going to beget child, so the child must be worth, a human being, Therefore there is saṁ... First of all, the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. Then, when the wife is pregnant, there are other saṁskāras. Then upanayana-saṁskāra, vivāha-saṁskāra, up to the point of death. From before birth and up to the point of death, there are saṁskāras.

Asaṁskṛtāḥ kriyā-hīnā mlecchā rājanya-rūpiṇaḥ. That is stated in the Śrīmad... Asaṁskṛta. The present government men, they did not go any saṁskāra. Formerly, the kings, they... The higher castes, never mind he is king or not, but higher caste... Therefore they claimed higher. Not claimed. Actually they were. The brāhmaṇas and the kṣatriyas especially, and also the vaiśyas, they went the saṁskāra, reformatory. Just like saṁskāra means educational process, to elevate one. Just like we send to school, college, for elevating a child to the higher standard of life, knowledge, similarly, these saṁskāras also like that. One must undergo the saṁskāras, the reformatory method, and act in life. If I have taken the saṁskāra of brāhmaṇa, if I have accepted the sacred thread, then I must act as a brāhmaṇa. It is very practical. Just like if you have passed your examination as an engineer, then you must act as an engineer. Not that simply you have got the qualification of engineer, and now you are engaged in the business of a shopkeeper. No. You must act as engineer. That is qualification.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Melbourne, April 3, 1972, Lecture at Christian Monastery:

Oh, yes. Why not? Just like I had my small body. Then I had greater body, another body, another body. So every moment there is incarnation, reincarnation, every moment. That is medical science opinion. We are changing our bodily condition, material condition, but I am existing. Therefore, as I have passed over my childhood body to be incarnated into boyhood body, from boyhood I have reincarnated in a youthhood body. From youthhood body I reincarnated my old body. Similarly, after leaving this body I must have to accept another body. That I have already explained. Just like we change our dresses. So soul is eternal; the body is not permanent, temporary, and there are 8,400,000's of different types of bodies. We are migrating or transmigrating from one to another. This business, if we want to stop... Because we are eternal, our aims and object should be to attain that eternal status. That we can attain by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the movement. We are giving information to everyone that "If you want your eternal life, blissful life, life of knowledge, then you take to this movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and you'll have it."

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

Everyone is hankering after peace of mind. Ātmā suprasan. Ātma, ātma means this body, ātma means the mind, and ātma means the soul. We are in three status of life. Actually, we are the spirit soul covered by two kinds of dresses. Just like you gentlemen, you are also covered by two kinds of dresses-underwear and coat, shirt and coat. Similarly... Actually "I am" means I am not this shirt and coat. I am within the shirt and coat. Similarly, I, the soul, I am covered by two kinds of layers—mind, intelligence, and false ego. False ego means I am considering, "I am this American dress," "I am this Indian dress." Because I am identifying with this body. If I ask somebody, "What you are, sir?" "I am American." "What you are, sir?" "I am Indian." "I am brāhmaṇa." "I am kṣatriya." But these are the designations. This is not my real identification. The Vedic information is, when I understand I am ahaṁ brahmāsmi, I am Brahman, or the spirit soul. That is my beginning of identification. Therefore in the Vedānta-sūtra it is said, athāto brahma jijñāsā, to inquire about the spirit. This human form of life is meant for advancing knowledge of brahma, brahma-jñāna. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. One who is advanced in knowledge of Brahman, he is called brāhmaṇa. So, if we actually want peace... Everyone is hankering, that is our prerogative. Every living entity must hanker after happiness. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). Because by nature we are happy. By nature we are happy.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972:

So dharma is the life of human beings. And there are different types of dharmas. Not that, as some rascals say, that all dharmas are equal. No. According to qualities. There are three qualities, three modes of material nature. So one who is attached to the lowest quality, ignorance, his dharma is different from the person who is in the highest level of goodness. Therefore there are brāhmaṇa's dharma, kṣatriya's dharma, vaiśya's dharma and śūdra's dharma. So what is śūdra's dharma, that is not brāhmaṇa's dharma, because śūdra cannot execute the dharma of the brāhmaṇa. And the brāhmaṇa also cannot come down to the status of śūdras. These are Vedic principles. Therefore in the Vedic society there are divisions: this class of men are brāhmaṇas, this class of men kṣatriyas, this class of men are vaiśyas. Everything, their qualities and their activities, are mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā. Samo damas titikṣā ārjavam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). Śauryaṁ vīryaḥ yuddhe cāpy apalāyanam īśvara-bhāvaś ca. Just like seven qualities for the kṣatriyas, seven qualities, nine qualities for the brāhmaṇas, three qualities for the vaiśyas, and one quality for the śūdras.

But the ultimate goal of life is to attain bhakti-yoga.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972:

In this connection, Śrīdhara Svāmī has commented, artha mokṣavāṁś ca nirastham(?). Those who are aspiring after liberation, that is also rejected. Why? There are so many great saintly persons, jñānīs, philosophers; they're trying to get liberation. And it is cheating? Yes. It is cheating. Vyāsadeva says, kaitava, cheating. And a great commentator like Śrīdhara Svāmī, he also gives his confirmation that up to mokṣa-vāñchā, that is cheating. Why cheating? That is explained by Kavirāja Gosvāmī in his Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Kavirāja Gosvāmī says that,

kṛṣṇa-bhakta—niṣkāma, ataeva 'śānta'

bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī—sakali 'aśānta'
(CC Madhya 19.149)

So bhukti-mukti-siddhi. Bhukti means karmīs, those who are aspiring after being elevated to the higher planetary system, Svargaloka, or higher status of life. That is called bhukti. And mukti, the jñānīs, nirbheda-brahmānusandhana, just to become merged into the existence of the Absolute Brahman. They are, they are called jñānīs, or muktīs, mukti-kāmī. Bhukti-kāmī. And siddhi-kāmīs means the yogis. They are aspiring after so many material opulences. So because they are demanding something, aspiring something for sense gratification, therefore that is cheating. That is not religion. Bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī sakali aśānta. Aśānta. If you have, if you have got some intention to cheat others, then you will be restless, aśānta. But if you are simple, plain, then there is no aśānta. There is śānti.

Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- San Francisco, March 25, 1967:

Passion is too much materialistic. Passion means, one who is influenced by the modes of passion, he wants, he wants this false enjoyment. Although... Because he does not know, he wants to squeeze out the energy of the body to enjoy this matter. That is called modes of passion. And modes of ignorance, they have neither passion nor goodness in the modes of darkness of life. And mode of, modes of goodness is that in that position we can understand, at least theoretically, "What I am, what is this world, what is God, what is our interrelation?" This is the, I mean, stage of the modes of goodness. So by hearing kṛṣṇa-kathā, you will be freed from the two stages of ignorance and passion. You'll be situated in the modes of goodness. At least, you'll have the real knowledge, "What I am." Because in the ignorance... Just like animals... Animals, you see, the animal's life is full of suffering. But still, the animal does not know that he's suffering. Or take the case of a hog. Of course, here in your New York City, no hog is seen, but in village, in India, not only villages, sometimes in towns, we see the hog. Oh, how much miserable life they are, living in a filthy place, eating stools, and always unclean, and anyone sees hog and "Unhh! Nasty." But he, the hog, does not know that he's nasty condition. He's very jolly. (laughs) He's very jolly. The person who's in the upper status of life, he can see that "Oh, this is very nasty life!" The hog is very happy by eating stools and having sex intercourse with the she-hog constantly. Oh, it is getting fat, getting... The hog gets very... Too soon, they become very fatty. Because that spirit of enjoyment is there although the nasty enjoyment... (break)

Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- San Francisco, March 25, 1967:

The science of God becomes perceivable by such person who is situated in the brahma-bhūta, I mean to say, status. So from that brahma-bhūta status, we have to work, and that work is recommended here,

buddhi-yukto jahātīha
ubhe sukṛta-duṣkṛte
tasmād yogāya yujyasva
yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam
(BG 2.50)

Now, so, so long we have got this material body, we have to work. We cannot stop working. That is not possible. But we have to adopt the tactics of yoga so that even by doing ordinary work in which by destiny or by circumstances I am put into, there is no harm. You'll find in Bhagavad-gītā that even if you find in your own occupation there is... Suppose I am occupied in some business in which I have to speak lie. Without speaking lie, my business cannot go on. Now, suppose if that is the position. Now, speaking lie is not very good thing, and if you think that your business is not very, based on very moral principle, "So I should give up," then Bhagavad-gītā you'll find that "Don't give up." Even if you are put into such circumstances that your livelihood cannot go on without that unfair means, still, you should not give it up, but you should try to make it purified. You should try to make it purified. How it is purified? Now, you should not take the fruitive result of your work. That is meant for God.

Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Los Angeles, August 22, 1972:

So heart is being pinched. "Here is... I am beautiful boy," "I am beautiful girl. Why not come?" So this is pinching. So if you are actually situated on the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, not fully, a little advanced, then these things will be visible. Tadā ceta etair anāviddham. And when you stop, when you are able to stop this pinching in your heart by these two modes of material nature, passion and greediness-tadā ceta etair anāviddhaṁ sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati-prasīdati, then you become joyful. That is the stage of joyfulness.

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
na śocati na kāṅkṣati
samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām
(BG 18.54)

That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. When you have come to this status, joyful, no more pinching by these two modes of material nature, joyful, that is called brahma-bhūta stage, the platform of liberation.

So the next stage is brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20). So brahma-bhūta stage means na śocati na kāṅkṣati. No more hankering, no more demanding. Na śocati na kāṅkṣati. Because here the business is we hanker after something which we do not possess, and if we lose something which we possessed, then we lament. This is our business. Some... First of all, we possess. Then, by nature, we lose it. When it is lost, then we cry.

Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Vrndavana, October 30, 1972:

So at least he's free from the lusty desires and greediness. The whole world is working, especially in Western countries, you see... They are working so hard. They have got their nice motorcar, nice roads, and very, very nice ways also, fly over, one road is flying over another road, another road. Very good facility for driving motorcar, and they have got enough motorcar also. Every third man has got a car. But what are these civilization? Kāma and lobha, lustiness and greediness. That's all. The basic principle is lust and greediness. That's all. This is their qualification. So anyone who has become free from this lusty and greedy status of life, he's advanced. He's advanced. Kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye. Because these lusty desires and greediness will not help him at any time to realize his self or to realize God. That will not be helpful.

Lecture on SB 1.3.21 -- Los Angeles, September 26, 1972:

So this was the society principle, how to keep principle. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. A very exalted status of society. So this Satyavatī is a famous woman in the history. Satyavatī. The whole Pāṇḍu-vaṁśa from Satyavatī. So now, here it is said that tataḥ saptadaśe jātaḥ satyavatyāṁ parāśarāt. Parāśarāt, semina given by Parāśara Muni in the womb of Satyavatī, satyavatyām. And cakre veda-taroḥ śākhāḥ. Veda, the knowledge, he divided. Vyāsadeva divided into many branches. Therefore Vyāsadeva is known as Veda-vyāsa. He expanded the Vedic knowledge. Formerly there was only one Veda, Atharva-veda. And this Atharva-veda was learned by tradition, by hearing from the spiritual master. There was no book. Therefore Veda is known as śruti. Śruti means hearing. The spiritual master will recite Vedic mantra, and the disciples will hear. Just like we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra or any other Vedic mantra. You hear. But there was no need of book. His memory was so sharp that once heard from the lips of the spiritual master, the students become completely well versed. There was no need of book.

Lecture on SB 1.3.21 -- Los Angeles, September 26, 1972:

He explained this brain substance, cerebular substance, Dr. Urquhart, that the more brain substance is there, more one becomes intelligent. And it has been found that a woman does not have more than thirty-six ounce of brain substance, whereas in man it has been found that he has got up to sixty-four ounce. Now, this is modern science. Therefore generally, generally, woman, less intelligent than man. You cannot find any big scientist, any big mathematician, any big philosopher amongst woman. That is not possible. Although in your country, you want equal status with man, freedom, but by nature you are less intelligent. What can be done? (laughter)

So therefore, woman is advised by the Manu-saṁhitā, they should remain under the intelligent man, not declare freedom. That will be their life nice. Therefore it is advised that until one is married with an intelligent husband, she must remain under the control of her father. Still in India, until a girl is married, she cannot move freely. Where is our Śyāmasundara? You know, what happened about that Sharma girls. Two girls in Nairobi, they wanted to join our society. So Brahmānanda, as other girls are joining, he welcomed, but it created a havoc to the family of the girl. They went here and there. "Oh, the girl has gone out of home. There will be no marriage." That's a fact. In India still, in respectable family, if a young girl goes out of home for three days, it will be difficult, or she will not be married. So this still I saw in Nairobi.

Lecture on SB 1.5.2 -- Los Angeles, January 10, 1968:

So here it is said, "My dear Vyāsadeva, you have compiled a great literature, Mahābhārata. And in that Mahābhārata you have introduced everything that is knowable for understanding." Mahābhārata was originally written for the women class and strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnām (SB 1.4.25). Because the Vedic literature is very stiff. Not only because it is written in old Sanskrit language, but the meaning is very deep. Vedic literature... Because at that time people were very intelligent, so simple one hint gives them lots of meaning. Just like Vedānta-sūtra. Vedānta-sūtra, you'll find simply some clues. Janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) "The source of all emanation." Now we can think over, "the source of all emanation." So Vedic literature requires explanation, authoritative explanation. So the original Vedas, they, it was not possible for understanding for ordinary class of men. And who are ordinary class of men? Now, strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhu. Strī, woman class, are taken as less intelligent. It is not partiality; it is stated in the śāstra and practically it is so. So woman class, strī, and śūdra. Śūdra means laborer class. Strī, śūdra, and dvija-bandhu. Dvija-bandhu means born of a high family... The brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya and the vaiśyas, they are considered as in the higher status of social life, and the śūdras... It is everywhere. It is not that...

Lecture on SB 1.5.12-13 -- New Vrindaban, June 11, 1969:

So this material world is going on on the system of chewing the chewed. Just like a person, he has done very good business, amassed money, and sense gratification he has done. But he is not satisfied. But still, he'll induce his sons and grandsons to the same business. He has experienced that "In this way, life is not very pleasing. I have not satisfied myself, but still, why I am engaging my sons and grandsons to the same business, chewing the chewed?" But because they have no better information... Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). Prahlāda Mahārāja advised his father, atheistic father. He said... When his father inquired, "My dear boy, where you got all these ideas?" He was perfect devotee, and the father was perfect atheist. He said, "This status is..., cannot be achieved without being favored by a pure devotee."

Naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghrim (SB 7.5.32). Urukramāṅghrim, aṅghri. Aṅghri means lotus feet. Nobody can be interested to the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead... Because to be become interested in the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead means to become liberated. Anartha-apagamaḥ yad-arthaḥ. Anartha. Anartha means unnecessary. We are creating unnecessary necessities of life and becoming entangled. This is material life. But if one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, interested in Kṛṣṇa, then he becomes detestful: "What is the use?" Just like our brahmacārīs, our devotees, they can lie, lie down flat on the ground.

Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 13, 1969:

So here Nārada says that akhila-bandha-muktaye: "You should present literature for the people so that they can become liberated from this conditional stage of life, not that you should more and more entangle them in this conditional..." That is the main theme of Nārada's instruction to Vyāsadeva: "Why should you present rubbish literature to continue the conditional stage?" Whole Vedic civilization is meant for giving liberation to the living entities from this material bondage. People do not know what is the aim of education. The aim of education, the aim of civilization, perfection of civilization, should be how people should get liberated from this conditional life. That is the whole scheme of Vedic civilization, to give liberation to the people.

So it is said: akhila-bandha-muktaye. Samādhinā, akhilasya bandhasya muktaye, akhilasya bandhasya. We are in conditional stage, perpetually bound up by the laws of material nature. This is our status. And Nārada is giving instruction to Vyāsadeva that "Present literature so that they can become liberated. Don't give them more and more opportunity to continue this conditional life." Akhila-bandha. Akhila. Akhila means complete, wholesale. And who can give this contribution? That is also stated, that atho mahā-bhāga bhavān amogha-dṛk. Whose vision is clear. Whose vision is clear. (about a child:) He's disturb.

Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 13, 1969:

So Nārada Muni knows what is the status of Vyāsadeva. He knows that he has got clear vision. Amogha-dṛk. Śrīdhara Svāmī says, amogha. Amogha means... Mogha means sinful, and amogha means without any sin. Amogha. So long one lives sinful life, he cannot have clear vision. Diseased condition. How? "Physician, heal thyself." He cannot have clear vision. Therefore amogha-dṛk means he is liberated person. He can see. Amogha-dṛk. Dṛk means vision. Amogha-dṛk. And Śuci-śravāḥ. Śuci-śravāḥ. Śuci-śravāḥ means whose śravāḥ, means aural reception... śuci. Śuci means pure. Who has received knowledge by aural reception in pure heart, or from the pure source. Śuci-śravāḥ. Śuci means pure. Śravāḥ. Śravāḥ means hearing. Śuci... These are the qualification of the person who can actually do benefit to the human society. Not that everyone can do. That is the mistake of the... Everyone is giving some idea and some theory that "This way there will be peace, there will be nice thing in the world." But he does not know that he has to receive from the pure source by aural reception. One has to hear from the pure source what is actually benefit to the human society. These are the qualifications. Śuci-śravāḥ. Then next word is satya-rataḥ. Satya means truth, and rataḥ means engaged. "One who is engaged in the matter of the Absolute Truth," not relative truth. Absolute, satya-rataḥ. And dhṛta-vrataḥ. Dhṛta-vrataḥ. Vrata. Vrata means vow, and dhṛta means who has taken vow that "I shall do this." These are the qualifications.

Lecture on SB 1.5.14 -- New Vrindaban, June 18, 1969:

Now we are discussing instruction of Nārada to his disciple, Vyāsadeva. Such a learned scholar, Vyāsadeva. He's known as Vedavyāsa, the authority on all Vedic literature. And he's supposed to be incarnation of Nārāyaṇa, exalted position. Still, he requires the instruction of a spiritual master. That is the way of Vedic way. Avaroha-panthā, āroha-panthā. Āroha-panthā means inductive process. To know from here, from the lower status to the higher status, speculative method, or ascending process. And avaroha-panthā is deductive process, getting knowledge from higher authorities. So our Vedic understanding is to receive knowledge from the authorities. That is perfect knowledge.

So there are three kinds of processes to receive knowledge: pratyakṣa, aitihya and śabda. Pratyakṣa means by direct perception, experimental knowledge. And aitihya, or anumāna. Anumāna, hypothesis, "It may be like this," "Perhaps like this." Just like modern scientists say, "Perhaps it is like this." That is called anumāna, hypothesis. And another process is śabda-pramāṇa. Śruti-pramāṇa. Śabda means sound vibration, and śruti means aural reception. So out of three processes, the śabda-pramāṇa, or receiving vibration, sound vibration from authorities by aural reception, that is considered to be the perfect.

Lecture on SB 1.5.17-18 -- New Vrindaban, June 21, 1969:

So if a brāhmaṇa does not discharge his duties, it is said that he becomes a śūdra, or falls down. Sthānād bhraṣṭaḥ patanty adhaḥ. So Nārada Muni says that "Suppose next life a brāhmaṇa falls down. He takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Neither he executes the brahminical duties, nor he could prosecute Kṛṣṇa consciousness to perfection, still," Nārada Muni says, "there is no loss. There is no loss." Yatra kva va nica-yony apy amuṣya abhadra abhūt kim.(?) Now, if the brāhmaṇa, by not executing his prescribed duties, he becomes a śūdra-next life he takes birth in a śūdra family or lower than śūdra family—so Nārada Muni says, "What is the loss there? Because Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice that it will not leave the person who has once taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It will revive even in that lower status of life."

Just like, according to Hindu civilization... Now, in this country, so the boys and girls who are taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, previous to this, they were meat-eater. They were so many things which, according to brahminical religion, these are abominable condition. But see the practical. Even they were fallen this abominable condition some way or other, but because in the their last life they had some advancement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, immediately they are taking up. So those who are joining in this movement, in this country, they were supposed to be previously Kṛṣṇa conscious. Somehow or other, they could not execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness in full. So although they are born in a country where there is no trace of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no, I mean to, even purity of life, still, they are taking up.

Lecture on SB 1.5.17-18 -- New Vrindaban, June 21, 1969:

The happy mode, imported from Kṛṣṇaloka, Goloka. Therefore it is transcendental vibration. It is not of this material world. Golokera prema-dhana, hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana, rati nā janmilo kene tāy: "I am so unfortunate that this hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is imported from Goloka Vṛndāvana, transcendental platform." Rati nā janmilo kene tāy, "But I have no attraction for this." Biṣaya-biṣānale, dibā-niśi hiyā jvale: "Although I am suffering always with the anxieties of this material adjustment of things..." Biṣaya-biṣānale, dibā-niśi hiyā jvale, juṛāite nā koinu upāy. Juṛāite means "There is way to get out of this anxious status of life, but I have no attraction." Caitanya Mahāprabhu also says like that. Enechi auṣadhi māyā nāśibāro lāgi': "I have brought a nice medicine to kill the spell of māyā. So you take it."

So Nārada Muni also says the same thing what Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, what Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, what Kṛṣṇa says. This is paramparā system. He says that "Don't be," I mean to say, "very much anxious how to adjust your material comforts of life. Let it come as it is destined. You simply try to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness, because this consciousness is not available." In higher planetary system... Just like this example. They were puffed up with so much opulence. A man... Just like we are inviting, we are attracting, middle class of men.

Lecture on SB 1.5.25 -- Vrndavana, August 6, 1974:

So anyone who has got this desire that "I shall enjoy in this material world," he's a sinful man. That is sinful. Because suppose something your, something belongs to you, and if I desire, "How I shall take this, possession of this thing?" is not that criminal? Something belongs to somebody, and if you make a plan to possess that thing, is it not criminal? So actually, Kṛṣṇa is the bhoktā. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). He is the proprietor, sarva-loka. Not a single plot of land belongs to you. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Actually Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor of everything, He is the enjoyer of everything. Then why I shall desire to enjoy and own the property? This is criminal. This is criminal. That may be in small portion. That is going on. The ant is also struggling for existence to possess a grain of sugar, and somebody is trying to possess some state, and somebody is trying to possess the whole universe. But the status of mentality is the same. So this mentality means criminality. This mentality: "How I shall become enjoyer? How I shall possess this?" Kṛṣṇa-bahirmukha hañā bhoga vāñchā kare. He forgets. When one forgets that Kṛṣṇa is the enjoyer, Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor, as soon as he forgets and tries to become himself the enjoyer or himself the proprietor, immediately māyā captures.

Lecture on SB 1.7.13-14 -- Vrndavana, September 12, 1976:

A brāhmaṇa cannot become servant. Nobody can become servant. Only the śūdras can become servant. Brāhmaṇa never becomes servant. They are instructed, satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). This is brāhmaṇa's qualification. They will train the brahmacārīs and the gṛhasthas how to become perfect, discipline. First discipline is truthfulness. A brāhmaṇa will never speak lies. That is the first qualification. So who is going to take training in that way? Nobody is interested. This is Kali-yuga. We are trying to train people "No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication." Still, there are some failures. And if we teach in our institution, "Please do not speak lies," people will laugh: "What is this nonsense? Nowadays is it possible to remain in this society without speaking lies?" This is the position. This is called Kali-yuga. Nobody is interested to be trained up as a brāhmaṇa. Nobody is interested to be trained up as a kṣatriya, neither as a vaiśya. They are all śūdras. Therefore it is said, kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. There is no training. It is very very difficult to train them to become purified by training. These statuses of life were different status of training so that ultimately one can become brāhmaṇa, and when he's fully trained up as a brāhmaṇa then he transcends the brāhmaṇa's position, and he becomes a Vaiṣṇava.

Lecture on SB 1.7.15 -- Vrndavana, September 13, 1976:

It is said in the Brahma-saṁhitā, goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni tale ca tasya (Bs. 5.43). Goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni. That is Kṛṣṇa's personal planet, Goloka Vṛndāvana. Goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni tale ca tasya devī-maheśa-hari-dhāmasu teṣu teṣu (Bs. 5.43). There are other planetary system, Hari-dhāma, Vaikuṇṭha-dhāma. Then, this is, this material world is called Devī-dhāma, and between the Goloka, between the spiritual world and material world there is...Goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni tale ca tasya devī-maheśa-hari-dhāmasu (Bs. 5.43). So there are so many status (?) of planetary system. Each planet is full with living entities. The spiritual planet, they are full of living entities: they are all liberated, nitya-mukta. And those who are within this material world, planets, they are nitya-baddha. Nitya-baddha, nitya-mukta. There are two kinds of living entities. The nitya-baddhas are only few, but the nitya-muktas are many, many. This material world is only one fourth energy of the creation. The three-fourths energy is in the spiritual world. And here in the one-fourth energy there are innumerable universes, and each universe is full with different types of planets, and each planet is full of living entities. But these rascals, they say it is..., there is no living entity; it is sand and rocks. So this is not the fact. You have to understand from the Vedic literature about the planets, where which planet is existing, where is spiritual world, where is material world. All informations are there. Don't speculate and simply think that this planet is full of living entities, all other planets are vacant. This is most unusual argument. There is no meaning. But we are not concerned with that. We have got our own information from the Vedas.

Lecture on SB 1.7.41-42 -- Vrndavana, October 2, 1976:

So what is that false ahaṅkāra? The false ahaṅkāra is that "I am this body." This is false ahaṅkāra. "I am this body." "I am Indian." "I am American." "I am brāhmaṇa." "I am kṣatriya." "I am sannyāsī." "I am brahmacārī." And so on, so on, so on, so on. All designation of this body. This is false ahaṅkāra. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has taught us how to become free from the false ahaṅkāra. He said that nāhaṁ vipro na yatir vā: "I am not a brāhmaṇa. I am not a sannyāsī. I am not a gṛhastha. I am not a vānaprastha. I am not this. I am not that." All material designations He refused, Caitanya Mahāprabhu. "I am not this, I am not this, I am not this." Even if I am very much proud of becoming a brāhmaṇa or I become very much proud of becoming a sannyāsī... That is the highest stage of human status, to become a brāhmaṇa or sannyāsī. Sannyāsī is supposed to be the guru of everyone. There are four varṇas and four āśramas. Brāh... (break) ...and kṣatriya. And in the spiritual order, the sannyāsī is guru of all, even of the brāhmaṇa. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that "I am neither brāhmaṇa nor sannyāsī." He refused. Nāhaṁ vipro na ca nara-patir na yatir vā. Yati means sannyāsī. So He refused.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18-19 -- Bombay, April 9, 1971:

Others, those who are paramahaṁsa... How... Kṛṣṇa does not become visible, because He is visible only to the paramahaṁsa. Paramahaṁsa means the supreme position of a human being. That is called paramahaṁsa. There are... You know, according to Vedic system, there are brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. The eight stages. The sannyāsī is to be supposed the first-class stage. So amongst the sannyāsa stage also, there are four stages: kuṭīcaka, bahūdaka, parivrājakācārya, and paramahaṁsa. Not that all sannyāsīs on the equal status. The first status is kuṭīcaka. Sannyāsa means one has to give up the relationship with family. So in the beginning of stage, because he is newly entered in the sannyāsa life, it is not possible for him to give up immediately his village or... Of course, when there was systematic sannyāsa system, then that anyone had to take sannyāsa at a certain stage. Nowadays there is... Sannyāsa, accepting sannyāsa life, is also forbidden because nobody can actually follow strictly the rules and regulations. And neither anybody has got any inclination to accept sannyāsa. Therefore in this age sannyāsa is sometimes forbidden. Kalau pañca vivarjayet (CC Adi 17.164). But if you ask that "Why you have taken sannyāsa?" or "You have got some sannyāsīs," this sannyāsa is not karma-sannyāsa. This sannyāsa is devotion, Vaiṣṇava sannyāsa. Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī means anyone who gives up everything and devotes simply his time for pushing on Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, he is also sannyāsa.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18-19 -- Bombay, April 9, 1971:

So this paramahaṁsa stage is... We have come to explain paramahaṁsānām. Here it is said, tathā paramahaṁsānāṁ munīnām amalātmanām (SB 1.8.20). Amalātmanām. Amala means without any dirty things. paramahaṁsa means without any... What is that dirty thing? The dirty thing is to have any slight desire for enjoying this material body. That is called dirty thing. Amalam. Everyone is samala. Samala, with dirty things. The karmī, jñānī, yogi, everyone is infected with dirty things. Why? The karmīs, they want that "I shall be elevated in the heavenly planet and I shall enjoy there in the Nandana-kānana, and beautiful wife, beautiful women." That is their ambition, the people are working very hard here. Everyone wants very comfortable life with good bank balance, good house, good wife, good children. That is their ambition. That is karmī. They have no other ambition. Similarly, jñānī. When the jñānī sees that his good wife, good family, good money, and good house is nonsense... "It will not stay, but for some years I can enjoy. Then it will be all vanquished." They are jñānīs. They know how things are happening. Therefore they want mukti. But there is still want, that "Now I have given up all this. I don't want this material happiness. Now I shall merge into the existence of the Supreme Lord. Because Supreme Lord is the supreme enjoyer, so if I become one with Him, then I shall enjoy, supreme." The same enjoyment spirit is there, to merge into the Supreme. In a different way only. The karmīs are directly trying to enjoy sense enjoyment. They are indirectly wanting another kind, another higher status of sense enjoyment.

Lecture on SB 1.8.31 -- Los Angeles, April 23, 1973:

So how we can study Kṛṣṇa? And Kṛṣṇa has created all these things. So if you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa's created things, how you can understand Kṛṣṇa? This is not possible at all. It is not possible. Therefore this Vṛndāvana status of mind for the devotees is the perfection. They have no business to understand Kṛṣṇa. They want to love Kṛṣṇa, without condition. "Because Kṛṣṇa is God, therefore I love Him." Their mentality is not like that. Kṛṣṇa is not just playing in Vṛndāvana as God. He is playing there as ordinary cowherds boy. But at times, He's proving that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But they do not care to know it. So outside Vṛndāvana...

Just like Kuntīdevī. Kuntīdevī is not inhabitant of Vṛndāvana. She is inhabitant of Hastināpura, outside Vṛndāvana. The outside devotees, the devotees who are outside Vṛndāvana, they are studying the inhabitants of the Vṛndāvana, how great they are. But the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, they don't care to know how great is Kṛṣṇa. That is the difference. So our business is simply to love Kṛṣṇa. The more you love Kṛṣṇa, the more you become perfect. It is not that it is necessary to understand Kṛṣṇa, how He has created. The things are mentioned there. Kṛṣṇa is explaining Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā so much. Don't bother very much to know Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. Simply increase your unalloyed love for Kṛṣṇa. That is perfection of life.

Thank you very much. (end)

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

This is the basic principle of chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. Nivṛtta-tarṣair upagīyamānāt. Upagīyamāna, it is chanting. Why? Bhavauṣadhi. It is medicine of this bhava-roga. What is that bhava-roga? Bhava-roga... Bhava means you become, means take your birth and again die. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). This is our disease. This is called saṁsāra. All these rascals in the material world, they are simply getting one body and again... Vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihā... When it is useless, no more can be used, then you get another body according to the price you pay. Just like when your garment is old, you purchase another garment. So you can purchase very good garment, or not very good garment, as you pay price. Similarly, to get a different type of garment or this body, you'll have to pay price. Price. If you are in higher status of consciousness, then ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ: (BG 14.18) you get your body in the higher planetary system where the comforts are thousands and thousand times better than this.

We can understand that, that the material comforts in the Western countries are better than in this country. Similarly, ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ. We can go to the higher planetary systems; we get more duration of life. Just like Brahmā has got very, very long, millions and millions of years to our calculation. Just like the insect who comes, attacks us at night. Their duration of life? That night only. Within the night, they are born, they have sex life, and they beget children and increase the population, and as soon as the night finished, all finished. They have got also duration of life. And if you say to them that "There is another animal called man. This night is only twelve hours.

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

This is bhakti. Bhakti means to be free from the attachment of this material world and to become attached to Kṛṣṇa. Because you have to attach to something. You cannot become unattached. That is not possible. So, in order to become attached to Kṛṣṇa or to enter into the devotional service of the Lord, one has to become detached from this material affection. That is wanted. Ordinarily, they go to Kṛṣṇa for maintaining the attachment with this material world. Just like, "O God, give us our daily bread." That means I have got attachment of this material world, and to live in this material world, I must have supplies of material things so that I can maintain my status quo. This is called material attachment. People go to God for securing the material position. That is, one sense, it is good; but that is not wanted. To become free from material attachment, that is required. Not that I worship God to increase my opulence in the material world. That is not wanted.

Lecture on SB 1.9.3 -- Los Angeles, May 17, 1973:

So Sūta Gosvāmī, he is explaining in the assembly of learned brāhmaṇas. The Naimiṣāraṇya meeting took place some five thousand or more than that, at least five thousand years ago. But the, all the members who assembled there, they were all very learned scholar and brāhmaṇas. Therefore they are addressed as viprarṣe. Not only brāhmaṇa, but they were ṛṣi. Ṛṣi means saintly person. They were rājarṣi, rājarṣi. Saintly person can become, anyone, provided he lives like a saintly person. It doesn't matter whether he is a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya. Generally, brāhmaṇa and kṣatriya, the first and second status of the human society, they can live as good as the saintly persons within the forest or Himalaya. At home they can live. So another place these brāhmaṇas were addressed as dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ, "best of the brāhmaṇas." A brāhmaṇa is already the best man, but if he becomes a saintly person, then it becomes still more magnified.

Lecture on SB 1.13.10 -- Geneva, June 1, 1974:

There are three material modes of nature. If you keep yourself in touch with the material modes of nature of goodness, then you will be promoted to the higher standard of life. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). Therefore at least, you may enjoy material life, but you should keep yourself to the standard of brahminical culture. Then there is guarantee that you don't degrade yourself; you get higher status of life in the higher planetary system: Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Satyaloka. Then you will get... But if you keep yourself as it is, then you will remain in this planetary system. This is called bhūr-loka. Bhūr-loka. Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat-savituḥ. You have gāyatrī-mantra. This is called bhū-loka. Bhuvar-loka. Then, above this, there is bhuvar-loka; then, above this, the heavenly planets. There is system. And if you keep yourself in the association of the modes of ignorance, or foolishness, then you go down. Jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ (BG 14.18). Jaghanya-guṇa. Tāmasika means abominable character. The abominable character means these four things: illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling. This is tamo-guṇa, exhibition of tamo-guṇa. So, if you continue to keep yourself in the association of the modes of ignorance, then you are going to become adhaḥ. Adhaḥ means down. Down means there are many other planetary system. Just like upper there are bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ, Jana, Mahar, like that, and down also: Tala, Atala, Vitala, Talātala, Pātāla, like that. There is system.

Lecture on SB 1.13.12 -- Geneva, June 3, 1974:

"On the part of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, it was quite in order to maintain his uncle in a befitting manner, but acceptance of such magnanimous hospitality by Dhṛtarāṣṭra was not at all desirable. He accepted it because he thought that there was no other alternative. Vidura particularly came to enlighten Dhṛtarāṣṭra and to give him a lift to the higher status of spiritual cognition. It is the duty of the enlightened souls to deliver the fallen ones, and Vidura came to that reason. But talks of spiritual enlightenment are so refreshing that while instructing Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Vidura attracted the attention of all the members of the family, and all of them took pleasure in hearing him patiently. This is the way of spiritual realization. The message should be heard attentively, and if spoken by realized soul, it will act on the dormant heart of the conditioned soul. And by continuously hearing, one can attain the perfect stage of self-realization."

Therefore śravaṇam is very essential. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam (SB 7.5.23). So in all our centers, this process should be followed. We have got now so many books. Simply if we read books... Our Yogeśvara Prabhu is very enthusiastic to read books. So everyone should read books and others should hear. That is very essential, śravaṇam. The more you hear... We have got so many books. Whatever is already published... Just like we are describing one verse daily. So at least... There are so many verses already in stock, you can go on speaking for fifty years. These books already published, you can go on. There will be no want of stock.

Lecture on SB 1.15.25-26 -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1973:

So unless you come to this platform, as Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13), then you must divide the society. Amongst the animals, there is no division. Everyone is on the same status. No. Because the aim is how to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore there must be some system. So that system, unless one comes to the platform of this varṇāśrama-dharma, four divisions, social divisions, and four spiritual divisions, and those divisions are made by Kṛṣṇa Himself, mayā sṛṣṭam, He says. That is natural. But by such institution we can gradually understand what is the aim of life.

varṇāśramācāravatā
puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān
viṣṇur ārādhyate panthā
nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam
(CC Madhya 8.58)

Our... What is the aim of life? The aim of life is that we are now detached from God. This is our position. Material life means detached from God, detached from Kṛṣṇa. So this detachment is the cause of suffering.

Lecture on SB 1.16.19 -- Hawaii, January 15, 1974:

Pradyumna: "The people of the world in this age of Kali are always full of anxieties. Everyone is diseased with some kind of ailment. From the very faces of the people of this age, one can find out the index of the mind. Everyone feels the absence of his relative who is away from home. The particular symptom of the age of Kali is that no family is now blessed to live together. To earn a livelihood, the father lives at a place far away from the son, or the wife lives far away from the husband and so on. There are sufferings from internal diseases, separation from those near and dear, and anxieties for maintaining the status quo. These are but some important factors which make the people of this age always unhappy."

Prabhupāda: So this age of Kali, we have discussed in the previous verses, is very degraded age. In the beginning, there is Satya-yuga; and next, Tretā-yuga; next, Dvāpara-yuga; and this is the Kali-yuga. The aggregate of all these four yugas is called yuga: sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). The duration of Satya-yuga is 1,800,000's of years; and the next, Tretā-yuga, roughly 1,200,000's of years; and Dvāpara-yuga, 800,000's of years; and this Kali-yuga, 432,000's of years. So we are in this Kali-yuga. In this Kali-yuga we have passed only five thousand years. Out of 432,000's of years we have passed only five thousand. Since the Battle of Kurukṣetra, which took place five thousand years ago, the Kali-yuga has begun.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Delhi, November 4, 1973:

But in the Vaikuṇṭha world there is comparative devotional service. Just like Rādhārāṇī and the gopīs. They are on the same status, but the gopīs know that "Rādhārāṇī is the better worshiper than us." Therefore their only business is how to take Rādhārāṇī and join with Kṛṣṇa. This is Vaikuṇṭha understanding. They are not envious that "Kṛṣṇa loves Rādhārāṇī so much," and they are envious. No, no, not at all. They want it that "Kṛṣṇa loves Rādhārāṇī so much, and Rādhārāṇī loves..." They simply try to join Them. And they are happy, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī is now joined together." That is their happiness. This is Vaikuṇṭha appreciation. Here in the material world, suppose there are competition. "Oh, this girl has got such a nice lover. Then let us break it." This is material. But Vaikuṇṭha, there is everything. Everything, varieties. But that variety is concentrated on Kṛṣṇa. That is called ātma-sammataḥ. Ātmavit-sammataḥ. Ātmavit, self-realized, those who are actually on the transcendental spiritual platform. That must be approved.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2-5 -- Montreal, October 23, 1968:

You put an unnecessary question. When I shall ask you to question the subject matter which I have discussed, you should put questions on this matter. If you bring so many other subject matter, there will be no end. Try to understand what we have spoken in this meeting. We have not spoken anything about Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. Why you are bringing this question? Question means the subject matter which we have discussed, if you have got any question about that thing, you should put question. Otherwise, if you make me a dictionary, that go on questioning, there will be no end. That should not be done. Now, we have not discussed here about Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Of course, this is also relevant question, but the public will not understand. We are discussing on general subject matter. Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa discussion is very confidential. You have to go to the platform first of all by understanding Kṛṣṇa. You see? Rādhā-kṛṣṇa-tattva is discussed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in the Tenth Canto. So first of all you have to go through the nine cantos very carefully. Then you will understand. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta you'll find, rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī-śaktir asmād ekātmānāv api bhuvi (CC Adi 1.5). If you want to discuss about Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, that is not in the public meeting. They are very confidential subject matter. People may misunderstand what is Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. Generally, questions should be put on the subject matter discussed in the meeting. That should be the point. Rādhā-kṛṣṇa-tattva is very confidential, for higher status of understanding. Yes?

Lecture on SB 2.1.2-5 -- Montreal, October 23, 1968:

Therefore I say, kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ: "In the Kali-yuga there are only śūdras." There is no brahmacārī system, no... Now we are introducing it, even collecting from the śūdras. But actually, these four divisions, scientific division of social order for spiritual uplift..., that is already gone. It is not existing. Do you follow? Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. In the Kali-yuga, amongst the śūdras, there is no āśrama, simply earn, earn, get some money and eat. That's all. That is śūdras life. There is no question of Vedic culture, there is no question of knowledge. Simply labor, get some money, and eat. Almost like animal. So at the present moment, as you say, in the Kali-yuga, it is accepted that everyone, almost everyone is a śūdra. But in the pāñcarātrika system, not Vedic system, Nārada Pañcarātra, they are... Otherwise, do you mean to say because everyone has become śūdra, the science of Kṛṣṇa, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, should be stopped? No. Even they are śūdras, they should be given that opportunity. And that opportunity is given by Lord Caitanya very liberally: "Whatever you may be, come on, sit down, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and you become more than a brāhmaṇa." This is the highest gift of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. But if you take otherwise from the social conventional life, oh, there is no brāhmaṇa, there is no gṛhastha, there is no brahmacārī. There is all gone, all finished. So those rules and regulation are not now applicable because amongst the śūdras there is no such rules and regulation. It is meant for the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, and those are gone. They are finished. Now, even though the people are in the status of śūdra, they should be given opportunity for spiritual advancement, and that is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's special gift, and very easy, that "Whatever you may be, you may be a brāhmaṇa, you may be a kṣatriya, vaiśya, that doesn't matter. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and gradually realize."

Lecture on SB 2.1.4 -- Vrndavana, March 19, 1974:

So apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2), those who are not very intelligent to see about the truth of ātmā, they are entangled. How it is entangle...? Now, deha-apatya. This body and the offspring, children, born out of this body through the wife, dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu ātma-sainyeṣu. Everyone is thinking that "I have got my good wife. I have got very nice children. I have got my nice society, nation," and so on, so many. Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu. And he's thinking that "They are my soldiers." Here is this fight, struggle for existence. Everyone is struggling to exist, and everyone is thinking, "They are my soldiers. These, my wife, children, society, friendship, nation, they'll give me protection." But nobody can give protection. Therefore he's explained here as pramattaḥ, pāgala. Nobody can give you protection. Not only will he not be able to give protection, but they will be also finished. Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv ātma-sainyeṣv asatsv api, teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanam (SB 2.1.4). At any moment, you can be finished. Paśyann api na pa... He's seeing that "My father died. My father's father died. The uncle died. So they'll also die. I'll also die." So how, all we are dead bodies, how we can help one another? But because he's mad, he does not see. He's trying to maintain the status quo. That will not give him protection.

Lecture on SB 2.1.5 -- Los Angeles, August 13, 1972:

Now, if at the ultimate end of this body, if we can remember Kṛṣṇa, then our life is successful. What? How is that? Now as soon as we remember Kṛṣṇa, immediately we are transferred to the spiritual world, the abode of Kṛṣṇa or Goloka Vṛndāvana. It does not take even a second's time. Spirit soul is so forceful that anywhere... The yogic success is like that. Yogic, those who are successful yogis, they, at the..., they do not die by nature's law. They control even their death. How is that? They make yoga practice, and when they think that one is perfect now, so he leaves this body and he transfers himself to any planet he likes. There is no need of sputnik. Similarly, the bhakta-yogī, he does not like to stay in any one of the planets within the material world, because he knows from the authoritative description of Bhagavad-gītā and Vedic literature. Just like you'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa says, ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna: (BG 8.16) "My dear Arjuna, beginning from the Brahmaloka, the highest planetary system within this universe, down to any other, I mean to say, downwards planet, you can travel anywhere, wherever you like..." Ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ. There are fourteen status of planetary system within this universe. So we are in the middle. So ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna: (BG 8.16) even if you are transferred to the Brahmaloka, you have to come down. Punaḥ. Martya-lokaṁ viśanti. Kṣīṇe puṇye martya-lokaṁ viśanti (BG 9.21). Just like in modern days, especially your American scientists, they are going to the moon planet. But when their stock of, that machine, is finished, immediately they come down. Similarly, you may go to the heavenly planet or to the Brahmaloka... There are very large span of life and opulence you can enjoy. But as soon as like your bank balance is finished, you have to come down. Ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16).

Lecture on SB 2.3.17 -- Los Angeles, July 12, 1969:

So the consciousness is there in the trees also. But that has been known by the scientific apparatus, but according to our Vedic injunction, that is already mentioned in the śāstras, that the trees have consciousness. They are also living entities. Don't say that they are without life. They have got life. And therefore the system is... Just like we pick up flowers from the trees for offering to Kṛṣṇa, but the injunction is that after evening you should not touch the tree. The idea is that they are sleeping, don't disturb. So the consciousness of the trees are admitted in the Vedic literature. Similarly, the consciousness is developed from tree to worms, microbes, worms, germs—their consciousness is little more higher. Then birds, their consciousness is little more higher; then beasts, their consciousness is little more higher. This is development, gradual process of evolution. Gradual process of evolution means gradual process of developing the status, the state of consciousness. In this way the consciousness in human form of body is further developed, very nicely developed. And similarly, there are other elevated living condition in higher planets. They are called demigods. They are far advanced, very more and more intelligent. Their standard of living, their everything, is far, far above than all these planets, thousands and thousands of times. Just like we can discriminate here, even on this planet. Your standard of living, from materialistic point of view... Just like to get a motorcar in this country is ordinary thing, but in our country, in India, if somebody has got a motorcar, he's considered to be very rich man. Here even a worker goes on motorcar, but in India only a person who is very rich, he can have a motorcar.

Lecture on SB 3.25.1 -- Bombay, November 1, 1974:

So about Kapiladeva it is said, Śaunaka Ṛṣ..., that kapilas tattva-saṅkhyātā: "Kapila, the Supreme Person," tattva-saṅkhyātā, "He can explain what is Absolute Truth." Kapilas tattva-saṅkhyātā bhagavān. Without Bhagavān, nobody knows what is the actual position of the Ultimate Truth. Nobody can know it. Therefore Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa or His incarnation occasionally visit to give you information about what is the aim of life. Tattva-saṅkhyātā. Saṅkhyātā means expounder, and tattva means the Absolute Truth. So Absolute Truth is Bhagavān Himself, Kṛṣṇa Himself. So we cannot understand the Absolute Truth or the Supreme Person by mental speculation. That is not possible, especially when we are under the influence of the three modes of material nature because material nature is divided into three status: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, and tamo-guṇa. Those who are in the sattva-guṇa, they are fit for understanding the Absolute Truth. Sattva-guṇa means the brahminical qualification. Satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). They can understand. Therefore, in our Vedic conception of human society there must be a class of men, actually brāhmaṇa. Then they will be able to expound the real truth of life. If everyone becomes śūdra, then the Absolute Truth cannot be understood.

Lecture on SB 3.25.21 -- Bombay, November 21, 1974:

This is... It is, it is the authoritative statement of Nārada. Yasya yal lakṣaṇaṁ proktaṁ varṇābhivyañjakam. In the Bhagavad-gītā, varṇābhivyañjakam, how to decide to which class or which caste a certain man belongs to, so there are symptoms. Satyaṁ śaucaṁ śamo damaḥ kṣāntir ārjavam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). So Nārada Muni says, yasya yal lakṣaṇaṁ proktam. These are the symptoms. So if such symptoms are visible in another place, then tat tenaiva vinirdiśet (SB 7.11.35). And Śrīdhara Svāmī has given his note that birth is not everything. One has to acquire the quality. Then he'll be classified. So prasaṅgam ajaram. We are attached to some quality and some work. In this way we are getting different bodies, one after another. This body finished, we create another body. This life is creating another body. This is called prasaṅgam ajaram. Attachment to the material qualities, we are conditioned. And suppose we have got now human form of body or in a very rich family, that is all right, but it will not continue. You have to give it up. And any moment, by the superior authority, when it is ordered, "Immediately please leave this position," you have to do it. This is called conditioned life. You cannot stay in any status of life for all the days. If you think that "I am American. I am very happy," that... That's all right. You're American, you're happy, or Indian, you are very happy. You have chalked out your plan how to continue happiness. But nature will not allow you to stay. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). As soon as nature will call back, "Please give up this post. Now take the post of a dog,"... Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). "You have acted... You were given the most, I mean to say, exalted form of life, human being... You did not act as human being, you acted as a dog. Now you take the body of a dog." This is karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa.

Lecture on SB 3.25.25 -- Bombay, November 25, 1974:

Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung one song, jaḍa-vidyā jato, māyāra vaibhava. This material education without God consciousness is expansion of the influence of māyā. Jaḍa-vidyā jato, māyāra vaibhava, tomāra bhajane bādhā. They are simply impediments in the matter of advancing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Tomāra bhajane bādhā. Anitya saṁsāre. And why? Now, result of godless material education means that anitya saṁsāre moha janamiyā. We are already illusioned. Anyone who has come to this material world, he is illusioned. But advancement of so-called material education means the increasing of the same illusory propaganda. Jaḍa-vidyā jato, māyāra vaibhava, tomāra bhajane bādhā, anitya saṁsāre moha janamiyā. They are trying to become happy in this temporary material life. He has forgotten that he is eternal. Even if we become very happy, temporary life in this life, that will also illusion because we will not be allowed to stay and enjoy the status. But they do not understand.

Lecture on SB 3.25.31 -- Bombay, December 1, 1974:

Yoga means which connects, and viyoga means which disconnect. So we are now disconnected with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Now we have to connect again our relationship. That is called yoga. That yoga is described in the Bhagavad-gītā as karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, and aṣṭāṅga-yoga, and at last bhakti-yoga.

So bhakti-yoga is the last status of yoga system. Therefore it is said, bhakti-vitāna-yogam. Bhakti... Just like you are going upstair, and step by step, when you go to the topmost step, that is the end of your going up, similarly, the karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, and dhyāna-yoga, and then bhakti-yoga, so ultimate end is bhakti-yoga. So if you have got, gone few steps, that is karma-yoga, if you have got few more steps, that is jñāna-yoga, and if you go few more steps, that is dhyāna-yoga, and when you reach the ultimate status, that is called bhakti-yoga. The step is the same. Mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ. Everyone is going, trying to reach the ultimate Absolute Truth. But it is simply a partial understanding. By jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, karma-yoga, you can understand partially the Absolute Truth. But bhakti-yoga you can understand completely. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). He does not say, "By jñāna, by karma, by meditation, one can understand Me fully." No. He does not say. He says clearly, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ: (BG 18.55) "Tattvataḥ, in truth what I am, that can be understood only by bhakti-yoga." You see Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on SB 3.25.38 -- Bombay, December 7, 1974:

So in this way, if we actually establish... Establish means reestablish. It is already established. We have got different types of relationship. That is called svarūpa-siddhi. Svarūpa-siddhi. When you are perfect in spiritual life, you will understand what is your relationship with Kṛṣṇa automatically. That is called svarūpa-siddhi. You have got original relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti. Caitanya-caritāmṛta. That is a... Just like you are son of some gentleman. That is a fact. It is not that the son becomes father or father becomes son. No. The son is son; the father is father. Similarly, we have got an eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa, either as father, or as lover, or as servant, like that. So that is self-realization. When you will be perfect in love, in loving Kṛṣṇa, then in what status of life you will love, that you will under... That will be revealed. That is called svarūpa-siddhi. So svarūpa-siddhi is not something artificial. When one becomes perfectly spiritually realized, then he understands what is his relationship with Kṛṣṇa and he begins his service in that relationship as father, as friend, as guru, or as servant, like that.

Lecture on SB 3.25.43 -- Bombay, December 11, 1974:

So long you are in the subtle body and gross body, then you are suffering under the three modes of material nature. The body is created by the three modes of material nature according to... Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu (BG 13.22). We get different types of body on account of association with these material modes of nature, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. But if you are situated in the devotional service of the Lord, you immediately become on the platform of brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54), immediately. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi—this is simply theoretical. That is theoretical knowledge, that "I am brahma." But when you are actually in devotional service, then that is practical. You are no more in the material platform. You are on the Brahman platform.

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
na śocati na kāṅkṣati
samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām
(BG 18.54)

So by situated, being situated on the spiritual platform, automatically you achieve your original status, constitutional position, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). Then you are able to enter into the kingdom of God, or the spiritual world. Tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā. Here also it is said, praviśanty akuto-bhayam. Praviśanti. You have to enter. You are not destroyed. Just like we are praviśanti in different types of body in material existence, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13), so when you are free from this material contamination, then you praviśanti in the spiritual world. The praviśanti is there. In the material world you are praviśanti from one body to another, and you are suffering.

Lecture on SB 3.26.1 -- Bombay, December 13, 1974:

The Govinda is within the atom, Paramātmā. So that is another feature, all-pervading. And another feature is impersonal jyoti. And the original feature is Bhagavān. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). Finished. When you have come to this platform to understand Bhagavān, then your knowledge is perfect. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). That is perfect knowledge. If you do not understand what is Bhagavān, then your knowledge is imperfect. You have to learn again for many, many births. Then you'll come to the point of understanding what is Kṛṣṇa.

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante
jñānavān māṁ prapadyate
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti
sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ
(BG 7.19)

When you'll understand tattva, that Kṛṣṇa is the original and the Paramātmā is secondary and the Brahman, impersonal, the third status.

Therefore even if you are Brahman status, you are not still aprākṛta. You are aparokṣa. Aparokṣa status, not even adhokṣaja. As I told you, there are different stages of knowledge, so the brahma-jñāna is parokṣa-jñāna. And the spiritual planets, Vaikuṇṭha knowledge, that is adhokṣaja. And the knowledge about Kṛṣṇa and His planet, Goloka Vṛndāvana, that is aprākṛta. So we have to transcend from this prākṛta status of life. It is a very, very high grade status, aprākṛta. Aprākṛta status.

Lecture on SB 3.26.4 -- Bombay, December 16, 1974:

Similarly, Kṛṣṇa's incarnation, Kṛṣṇa is the origin, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28), the origin, person, ādi-puruṣa. Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. Still, the expansion of Kṛṣṇa... Just like the first expansion is Balarāma. Then Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha. Then Nārāyaṇa. Then again Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha. Then Mahā-Viṣṇu. Then, from Mahā-Viṣṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. From Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu to Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. From Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu there are innumerable expansions, Paramātmā expansion. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). So in this way there is... The Śrīmad-Bhāgavata says, "Expansion of Kṛṣṇa are so many, just like incessant waves in the river or in the ocean."

So that is one status of expansion. And another expansion is the jīva-tattva. We are also expansion. In the Varāha Purāṇa it is said, svāṁśa and vibhinnāṁśa. The vibhinnāṁśa expansion, they are also innumerable, jīvas. We are also expansion of Kṛṣṇa. But svāṁśa and vibhinnāṁśa. So the vibhinnāṁśa expansion, they are minute, and the svāṁśa expansion, they are vibhu, unlimited. So in this way we have to understand the distinction between svāṁśa and vibhinnāṁśa. When svāṁśa expansion comes within this material world, He remains vibhu, or prabhu, and the vibhinnāṁśa expansion is always aṇu, very small, or servant. One is prabhu, and the other is servant. One is vibhu and the other is aṇu.

Lecture on SB 3.26.7 -- Bombay, December 19, 1974:

So we are conditioned soul, but the Supersoul... The Māyāvādī philosophers, they do not admit the existence of Supersoul. They think there is one soul. We are... They speak of our conditioned life as līlā. This is not very good philosophy. One has got the body of a hog, and he is eating stool, and the Māyāvādī philosopher says that it is līlā. God is eating stool; it is līlā. Just see the philosophy! Because we say kṛṣṇa-līlā... Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is dancing with the gopīs or playing with the cowherds boy or becoming the child of Mother Yaśodā. We say it is līlā. The Māyāvādī philosopher says... Because they do not two, make two. Their philosophy is one. So the pig or the hog eating the stool, they say it is also līlā. Kṛṣṇa is dancing with the gopīs, that is also līlā, and because they do not make two, therefore... We cannot say, of course. They say that God is also, has become pig and they, eating stool, that is also līlā. This is the grossest offense on the feet of the Lord, to bring Him to the status of ordinary living being who is not independent. Dependent, it is clearly said. Therefore they manufacture these words, "daridra-nārāyaṇa," "this Nārāyaṇa," "that Nārāyaṇa," because they do not make any difference between Nārāyaṇa and the ordinary living entity. This is their philosophy.

Lecture on SB 3.26.21 -- Bombay, December 30, 1974:

So we have to purify the consciousness. Then we shall be without any touch of this so-called distress and happiness. That is prescribed here: yat tat sattva-guṇaṁ svaccham. Here there is little happiness in the sattva-guṇa. But still, that sattva-guṇa can be contaminated by rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa. Rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa-directly distress. And sattva-guṇa, there is little taste of happiness, but that is not complete happiness. The complete happiness is that sattva-guṇa without any touch of rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa. That is transcendental. So here it is described that yat tat sattva-guṇam... sattva-guṇam does... Not this sattva-guṇam: rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa, sattva-guṇa, but svaccham. Svaccham means cleansed, completely cleansed, without any tinge of material quality. Yat tat sattva-guṇaṁ svacchaṁ śāntam. Śāntam. Everyone is seeking peace of mind. People come to spiritual societies or some other way. Everyone is searching after some peace, śāntam. Śānti. The śānti can be attained when this sattva-guṇaṁ svaccham, when the sattva-guṇa, your status will be on the sattva-guṇa and completely cleansed. Then you can get śānti. Completely cleansed means... That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, na śocati na kāṅkṣati: "There is no lamentation, and there is no hankering." Then it is śānti. As soon as there is some hankering, you cannot have śānti. That is not possible. And as soon as there is some possession, you cannot be without lamentation. The two things material, they are ruling over us. We are hankering after something which we do not possess, and what we possess, if it is lost, then we are lamenting. So śānti means no hankering, no lamenting. That is called śānti.

Lecture on SB 3.26.27 -- Bombay, January 4, 1975:

So if you can control the senses by the yogic, mystic yogic process, this mechanical endeavor, how to control the mind, then you can again be placed in the original spiritual status. That is the yoga system. The yoga system is recommended to persons whose mind is very restless. Everyone's mind is restless—not a particular man mind is restless. Everyone's. But it is very difficult, also, to bring the mind into peaceful status. So long the desires are there, it is not possible to bring the mind in complete peace and tranquillity. It is not possible because the saṅkalpa-vikalpa... Vartate-kāma-sambhavaḥ. So long there is desire, so it is not possible to bring the mind under control. Therefore Caitanya-caritāmṛta says, Kavirāja Gosvāmī, that even the pious actors, those who are acting very piously... Those who are acting impiously, sinfully, there is no question of peace of the mind. That is not possible. Even those who are acting very piously, that is also not possible. You cannot control even the mind in that way. Then those who are desiring to stop these material activities completely, pious or impious, they also cannot control the mind. And then the yogis... The first group, who are interested in pious activities, they are karmīs. And those who are neither interested in pious activities or impious activities—they want to stop all kinds of activities... Just like the Buddha philosophy says, nirvāṇa: "Stop the activities of the mind or desires." On that status also, it is not possible to control the mind, meditation. And... These mukti-kāmī. And then siddhi-kāmī, the yogis, they also cannot control the mind, what to speak of ordinary man who are neither interested in pious activities or in mukti or yogic perfection?

Lecture on SB 3.26.30 -- Bombay, January 7, 1975:

So everyone can possess that status of life. So this is niścaya. If we understand Kṛṣṇa philosophy, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, rightly, then there will be no doubt by intelligence. Without intelligence, nobody can understand Kṛṣṇa philosophy. Dull-headed, poor fund of knowledge, they cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān (BG 7.19). Actually, those who are thinking they are jñānīs, they are not jñānīs. They are still in māyā, darkness, because they think that they have finished their business; now they have become liberated. They have become Nārāyaṇa. Instead of separate Nārāyaṇa, each, every one them, is Nārāyaṇa. They address amongst themselves, "Nārāyaṇa." That is their foolishness. At least you must show the four hands of Nārāyaṇa. Where is your four hand? You are begging, and you are Nārāyaṇa? What kind of Nārāyaṇa you are? Now daridra-nārāyaṇa they have manufactured. "Yes, I am Nārāyaṇa, but daridra-nārāyaṇa." But we do not know daridra-nārāyaṇa. Nārāyaṇa is Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa. He is the husband of Lakṣmī.

Lecture on SB 3.26.35-36 -- Bombay, January 12, 1975:

The more we become advanced in spiritual consciousness, the more we become situated in ātma-stha. That is called sthita-prajña. Then we shall not be disturbed. And we should practice not to be disturbed by these conditional or ethereal transformation. We should. Because we do not belong, as spirit soul, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, I do not belong to this material arrangement, but I have been accustomed to this, so by practice I have to come to the spiritual status. And during practice it requires tolerance. That is called bhajana, sādhana, or tapasya, austerity, penance, tolerance. The things which we are not, but somehow or other, we have identified with such material things, and to practice again, come to the spiritual platform, that tolerance is called tapasya. This is the meaning of tapasya. Tapaḥ means pain, to voluntarily accepting some pain. Just like sannyāsa, kali-kara(?). In this age it is very difficult. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave us the example that He was lying down on the floor. His devotee wanted to give Him a quilt, a soft bedding, but He refused. He did not take it.

So He is teaching us. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the teacher. Āpani ācari' prabhu jīvere śikhaila. But still, it is very difficult to strictly follow. But we must try to follow as far as possible. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu has therefore taught us, tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā. We must be tolerant like the trees or more than the tree. The trees, they are standing in the open air, and there are so many disturbances, storms, scorching heat, and somebody is taking the leaf, somebody cutting. It doesn't protest. Tolerance. This is very good example of tolerance. So in order to execute our spiritual consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we shall learn tolerance. Tolerance, that is advised in Bhagavad-gītā, that tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata: "Don't be disturbed."

Lecture on SB 3.26.43 -- Bombay, January 18, 1975:

Therefore Kṛṣṇa is canvassing that "If you do not take this process, that process, you simply, while drinking water, you think of Me: 'Here is Kṛṣṇa. Here is Kṛṣṇa.' " As it is said here, tāpa apanodaḥ. Everyone drinks water, so everyone can remember Kṛṣṇa, or God, if you simply learn this art, that "While drinking water, while I feel satisfaction, I must know, 'Here is God.' " Your devotional life immediately begins, without any education, without any enlightenment. Even a child can... If you teach the child that "When you drink water, you think of God..." Of course, one must have some knowledge what is God. So that according to different status of life... So here from Bhagavad-gītā or Bhāgavata we understand, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). So Kṛṣṇa is here in the temple. Kṛṣṇa is in my room in picture. So that is also not difficult. How easy it is, just try to understand, that if drinking water and if I think, "Here is Kṛṣṇa," and I have seen Kṛṣṇa in the temple, I have seen Kṛṣṇa in my room, my father has shown me, "Here is Kṛṣṇa," then where is the difficulty? And if you think Kṛṣṇa like that—"Here is Kṛṣṇa"—that is the beginning of spiritual life. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam (SB 7.5.23), memorizing.

Lecture on SB 4.14.14 -- November 16, 1971, Delhi:

So by His favor we get opulence, riches, but when we are opulent we forget Kṛṣṇa, because māyā is very strong. Māyā will detect, "Oh, you have got so much money, why don't you enjoy wine and woman?" As it is going on in European and American countries, anyone who gets money, he utilizes it for wine and woman. He has no other engagement. He does not know how to utilize money. Therefore, now the British Empire, we have seen it practically, how opulent British Empire was and now how they are coming down. Recently we have seen in London that people are lying down on bench. So this is the nature. Luxury leads to poverty. So we should be very much careful. Don't think that "Because I am now initiated, I am chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, now everything is guaranteed. Now I shall do whatever I like." No. Then it will deteriorate. We should not utilize this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement for any material purpose. Then it will fall down. Either the man will fall down or the status will fall down. As it has become in India. Practically they have lost all spiritual interest, although India is the country for spiritual advancement of life. So either individually, collectively, socially, or politically, if we forget God, Kṛṣṇa, then it is sure to deteriorate. But foolish people, they do not know this. They think that "Our good days will go on like this," as the Britishers thought. I give the example of the Britishers because I have seen in my life how opulent were these Britishers, and I have seen now in London how they are dwindling. Everywhere.

Lecture on SB Questions & Answers -- Hyderabad, April 10, 1975:

After many, many births of this kind of contaminated diseases and births and body, when by culture of knowledge, by austerities, by penances, by brahminical culture, one becomes very, very learned and wise, at that time he can understand what is God—not before that. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān (BG 7.19). Not the rascals and the fools can understand what is God. Only the jñānavān.

So as you are trying to become jñānavān for higher status of life, similarly, if you become jñānavān to understand God, then God consciousness will come. Not so easily.

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu
kaścid yatati siddhaye
yatatām api siddhānāṁ
kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ
(BG 7.3)

So not only ordinary human being. What they can understand about God? Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye. What is the perfection of life? One must know. The perfection of life is to understand that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That is perfection of life, when one can understand.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-8 -- Stockholm, September 8, 1973:

So the old man said, "No, I feel myself." So he said that "My youngest daughter I'll give you." So he said, "Sir, don't say like that, because you are rich man. I am poor man." Because in India, still, the father, parents, they arrange for marriage. So they want equal status. If the father of the girl is rich man, then he must find out a son-in-law who is coming also from rich family. If he's educated, he wants a son-in-law who must be educated. So this young man was neither very much educated, nor at all rich. But this old man was aristocrat, rich man, and educated, complete different. The young man said that "Why you are promising like this? You do not know you are talking before the Deity. You should not talk like that. Because it will not be possible. Even though you agree, your sons, your wife will not agree. So it will be failure and you are talking before the Deity, you should be careful." So the old insisted, "No, maybe they protest, but it is my daughter, I shall give you. Who can protest? I promise." So the young man said, "Now, it is up to you, but you are promising before the Deity. Mind that."

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Boston, April 28, 1969:

Vimukteḥ means... Vimukti. Mukti means liberation, and, adding the word, vi... Vi means specifically liberation. There are five kinds of liberation. One liberation is to merge into the Supreme. Another liberation is to live with the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the same planet. Another liberation is to achieve the status quo of life as good as God. Sārūpya, sāyujya, sālokya, sāmīpya. You can associate yourself with God. That is another liberation. In this way, there are five kinds of liberation. Generally the Māyāvādī philosophers, they want to merge into the existence of God. That also, one of the recommended process of liberation. But so far we are concerned, we don't want even to merge into the existence of God, but we want to become associated with God in friendship, in love, in servitude, in so many ways. We want to keep our existence, individual existence, and associate with God. That is the Vaiṣṇava philosophy.

Lecture on SB 5.5.5 -- Vrndavana, October 27, 1976:

There was no education for even the vaiśyas. There are four divisions: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. But vaiśya and śūdra, there is no need of education. The brāhmaṇas, because they will guide the society, they require education. And the kṣatriya, they will give protection to the society; therefore there was education guided by the brāhmaṇa. And for the vaiśyas, kṛṣi-gorakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma... (Bg 18.44). Where is the education? He can see, learn from his father how the field is to be cultivated with a plow. He doesn't require. He can see. And fifty years ago we have seen that those who were in the lower status of life, they never sent their children to school. I have seen it. Never sent. "Oh, what is the use of wasting time? Better admit him in some working shop or in some business." The Marwaris still do that: "Please keep my son in your firm." And small children, by seeing Just like our children, they are seeing this Deity worship, this kīrtana—they will learn. Similarly, those who have to work to earn their livelihood, mechanical or some, they can go to What is the use of wasting time to the..., going to the university? Scientific education for hammering? Hammering you can see. You take a hammer and go on. (laughs) What is the use for... Technical nonsense, they have invented technical... Does it require any education? No. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet: (MU 1.2.12) education required if you require to understand the value of life, tattva-jijñāsaḥ. Tattva-jijñāsu śreya uttamam. Jijñāsu tattva-jijñāsaḥ. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsaḥ. This is recommended in the... Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsaḥ na yaś ceha karmabhīḥ. Tattva-jijñāsa. Brahma-jijñāsa. This is life. Otherwise abodha-jātaḥ. Abodha-jātaḥ.

Lecture on SB 5.5.7 -- Vrndavana, October 29, 1976:

Therefore it is said, yadā na paśyaty ayathā guṇehām. We are struggling, guṇe, in this material world. Guṇamayī. Māyā, māyā is called guṇamayī. Guṇe means in the māyā. Īhā, īhā means aspiration. So everyone is trying according to different modes of material nature. Everyone is working, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. That is, everything is guṇe īhā. So when one does not become conscious that I am working under the influence of material nature in different status of life, they're all useless. As soon as you see that it is all useless, sahasā vipaścit, that is actually enlightenment. So as soon as we find, by the guidance of spiritual master, bona fide spiritual master, by the guidance of Kṛṣṇa personally, as soon as we come to this understanding, that we are simply wasting our time. Simply wasting our time, śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). When, in the beginning, when I understood the one song of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, māyā-jāle baddha ho'ye ācho miche kāj lo'ye, Bhaktivinoda says, many times he has said,

māyār bośe jāccho bhese'
Khāccho hābuḍubu bhāi

jīv kṛṣṇa-dās, ei viśvās,

korle to' ār duḥkho nāi

Very instructive, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's songs, very instructive simple, and Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura's.

Lecture on SB 5.5.10-13 -- Vrndavana, November 1, 1976:

Here, everywhere you'll find duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam. Just like I was reading last night that Bṛhaspati's wife is kidnapped by Candra. The Bṛhaspati is the spiritual master of the demigods, and his wife was kidnapped by Candra. He is also one of the demigods. Just see: the sex and lusty desires are so strong, even in the higher planetary system. And that is the cause. That is the cause. Here it is said, liṅgaṁ vyapohet kuśalo 'ham-ākhyam. This false ego is the cause of our miserable condition in this material world. Material world is miserable, duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15), this material world. One ant is living, say for one day, and I am living for hundred years, and Brahmā is living for millions of years. That does not mean any one of us is free is from the miserable condition of this material world. Nobody. Therefore this material world is called duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15).

mām upetya punar janma
duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam
nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ
saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ
(BG 8.15)

That is saṁsiddhi, that if you become able how to become free from this encagement of material body, liṅgaṁ vyapohet. Therefore the endeavor should be how to give up this material body and be situated in our spiritual status, and that will give us...

Lecture on SB 6.1.1-4 -- Melbourne, May 20, 1975:

So these are the subject matters to be considered. That is called brahma-jijñāsā, to understand about his spiritual life, spiritual knowledge. Then there will be question, "How the spirit soul—I am—I have contacted this material body?" And it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā that because I have accepted this material body, all miserable conditions are there. We are trying to get over miseries. That is called struggle for existence. Everyone is trying. He thinks, "One status of life is miserable. Let me avoid it and get better life." That is our struggle. In this way, from lower bodies we have come to this spiritual..., I mean to say, human form of body. Now it has to be decided what is our next body. Next body. That is answered in the Bhagavad-gītā. You'll find:

yānti deva vratā-devān
pitṛn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ
bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā
mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām
(BG 9.25)

If you want to go to the higher planetary system where the demigods live, you can go there. Therefore the karmīs, by performing Vedic ritualistic ceremonies, they want elevation to the higher planetary system where the life, prolongation of life is very, very big. As we have got day and night, in the higher planetary system the waxing and waning moon, then when the moon is present there and the sky is in light, that is the day of the higher planetary system. And when the moon is dark, that is the night. That means our fifteen days, in the higher planetary system—twelve hours.

Lecture on SB 6.1.7 -- San Francisco, March 1, 1967:

So this is called śāstra. Śāstra means you can consult. Just like you consult dictionary, you consult encyclopedia, you consult so many authoritative books for understanding knowledge, similarly, if you consult, you get all information. So in this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is all stated: "If you do like this, you get birth like this. If you do like this, you get birth like this." And in the Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā it is generally spoken, ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). Those who are in the modes of goodness... There are three qualities in this material world: the quality of goodness, the quality of passion, and the quality of ignorance. So in the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated that ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ. Those who are cultivating the quality of goodness, they can be promoted to the higher status of life in higher planetary system. Ūrdhvam. Ūrdhvam means higher. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ. And madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ. Rājasāḥ means those who are in the modes of passion. They remain either in this planet or some of them may be elevated to the heavenly planet. Heavenly planet is also in the middle of the universe. And adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthāḥ. Jaghanya—very abominable characters. Jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthāḥ. Those who are situated not only ignorance... Out of ignorance, one remains in abominable condition. So jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ (BG 14.18). They go downwards, even to the animal life. So we have to consult and we have to mold our life in that way.

Lecture on SB 6.1.7 -- Honolulu, May 8, 1976:

What is that further improvement? We can go to the better planets. There are many better planets. You can go there, heavenly planets. There you can live for ten thousands of years. Ten thousands of years, and that is also not our year. The higher planetary system, their one day—our six months. In that way you can live there for ten thousands of years. And the standard of living condition is thousand times better. Therefore it is called heavenly. So if you like, you can go there. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthaḥ (BG 14.18). Yānti deva-vrataḥ devān. Everything is explained. Or if you can go, if you like you can go to the Pitṛloka. If you want to remain here as human being, you can also remain here, but you have to work for it to keep your position, status. Just like if you become rich man, high standard of life, you have to maintain it. Not that it will continue automatically. No, that is not possible, sir. This material world is not like that: you get one position and it will continue. No. A little discrepancy, immediately deteriorate your position. So you have to maintain it.

Lecture on SB 6.1.12 -- Honolulu, May 13, 1976:

So if we want to be cured from this disease, then we have to follow rules and regulation, just like a patient, if he wants to be cured from the disease, he has to follow the rules and regulation prescribed by the physician. Therefore law, religion, Vedic scripture, they are all meant for human being, not for the cats and dogs. Even ordinary law, they are meant for human being. Just like on the street it is "Keep to the right." So this is for the human being. If the cats and dogs goes from right to the left or wrong, they are not prosecuted. The law is meant for the human being. If the human being does not follow rules and regulative principle, law, then he's animal. So civilized means to raise oneself from the animal status of life to the human status life. That means rules and regulations. Nāśnataḥ pathyam evānnaṁ vyādhayo abhibhavanti hi, evaṁ niyamakṛd rājan (SB 6.1.12). Niyama. Niyama means regulation. We have to follow the rules and regulation. That is compulsory. That is human. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta you'll find this verse, anādi bahirmukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli gela, ataeva kṛṣṇa veda-purāṇa karilā. The purport is that our disease is that we have forgotten God. The more we are forgetful about God, the more we are animals. And the more we become advanced in understanding God, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then we are human being. And if we are more advanced, then you are devatā, demigods. And when you more make advance, then you become fit for going back to home, back to Godhead. This is the process.

Lecture on SB 6.1.16 -- Honolulu, May 16, 1976:

So here it is said that aghavān. Aghavān means sinful. Agha means sin and vān means... Just like Bhagavān. Bhagavān means one who has bhaga, or opulence, or fortune. That is called bhagavat. And just the opposite is called aghavat. This is Sanskrit language. Bhagavān means the most opulent, topmost place, Bhagavān. And aghavān means lowest place. So here it is said that one has to become aghavān to the stage of Bhagavān. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness: not to remain aghavān, but to become Bhagavān. Bhagavān, of course, means the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But those who are very, very advanced, recognized by Bhagavān, they are also sometimes called Bhagavān. Just like Lord Śiva, Lord Brahma, Nārada Muni, on their status, sometimes they are called Bhagavān. Nowadays it has become a fashion to become Bhagavān. So Bhagavān is not so cheap. Everyone is aghavān. But if he wants to become Bhagavān or in the higher status, higher level, then it is recommended, "Let him take to the devotional service." Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yoga-prayojitaḥ, janayaty āśu vairāgyam. To become Bhagavān, not Bhagavān but on the level, means highest stage, two things required. One thing is jñāna and one thing is vairāgya. Jñāna and vairāgya. Because we are in this material world, miserable condition, but we have no knowledge that we are in a very miserable condition. That is ajñāna. As soon as one understands that this is miserable condition of life... That was presented by Sanātana Gosvāmī before Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He said... He was minister and very opulent position, very good associates. Because he was minister, so his associates were also very big men. But he resigned. He resigned. That is vairāgya. So why? To understand what is the aim of life. Tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Therefore he came to Caitanya Mahāprabhu for understanding the value of life. So he presented himself that grāmya vyavahāre kaha ei paṇḍita: "So in this ordinary behavior they call me paṇḍita, learned. But..." Satya kari māni: "I also accept it that I am paṇḍita or learned. But actually, my position is, I do not know what I am. I am such a paṇḍita, such a learned man."

Lecture on SB 6.1.21 -- Honolulu, May 21, 1976:

Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya. Everyone is executing his occupational duty. I give this meaning, "Dharma means occupational duty." It is not a sentiment, faith. Occupational duty. That is called dharma. Brahmācāri's dharma, gṛhastha's dharma, vānaprastha's dharma, occupational duty. So by discharging one's occupational duties very nicely—not as a machine regulation, no—the result will be dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viśvaksena kathāsu yaḥ: (SB 1.2.8) he will gradually be interested to understand Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). That is Vedic study. Not that after studying Vedas he becomes nirviśeṣavādī, impersonalist, or śūnyavādī. Then useless. Śrama eva hi kevalam. Vedas means knowledge, and Vedānta... Anta means last status or the end, end of. Everything has got some end, that "This is final, end." End means final. So Vedas means knowledge, and anta means end. So what is that end? That Vedānta is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Therefore you'll find in every, at the end of every chapter of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, brahma-sūtra-bhāṣye. Brahma-sūtra means Vedānta.

Lecture on SB 6.1.27 -- Indore, December 15, 1970:

So when he was just on the point of death, naturally he had affection for his son, so he was calling, "Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, please come here, please come here." That is natural. I know my father, when he was dying, so I was not at home. So he lived for one day to see me. He was always inquiring "Whether Abhay has come back, come back," like that. So by the paternal affection he showed that. Similarly, the Ajāmila was also calling, "Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa." And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajaty ante kalevaram (BG 8.6). This practice means at the time of death if one can remember Kṛṣṇa, Nārāyaṇa, then the whole life is successful. At the time of death. Because the mentality, status of the mind at the time of death, will carry him to the next life. Just like the flavor is carried by the air, similarly, my mentality will carry me to a different type of body. If I have created my mentality like Vaiṣṇava, pure devotee, then I shall immediately transfer to Vaikuṇṭha. If I created my mind as an ordinary karmī, then I will have to stay within this material world to enjoy the type of mentality which I have created. If I keep myself as a businessman, doing business... Naturally it is done so. One gentleman in Calcutta, he was a very big businessman, and he was dealing in shares. So at the time of death he was crying, "Kamahatti, Kamahatti shares." Kamahatti shares at that time was very popular to the people. So at the time of his death the result will be that he might have taken his birth as a rat in the Kamahatti mill. It is possible. At the time of death, whatever you think, that will carry you to a type of body. Kṛṣṇa is very kind.

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

Mṛgārī, yes. So Mṛgārī was in the lowest status of tamo-guṇa. He was killing animals half-dead, and he was enjoying. But when he became Kṛṣṇa conscious, elevated, he was not prepared to kill even one ant. You know this story. That is the change, change of heart. The same man, same man who was killing animals in the jungle half-dead... And when Nārada Muni asked him that "Why you are killing half? Kill them complete. They are suffering. You will be more sinful," he said, "My father taught me that this is pleasure."

So this is going on, tamo-guṇa, rajo-guṇa. But if we simply hear this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā... Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). How it is possible? Naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). This abhadra—inauspicious, nasty things within our heart, most uncivilized way of life, killing of animals—this will be stopped. Naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). By hearing the message of God, bhāgavataṁ bhaktiḥ uttama-śloke bhavati naiṣṭhikī, gradually you become devotee. This is the process, how to transcend the material qualities. That is explained.

Lecture on SB 6.2.17 -- Vrndavana, September 20, 1975:

It was questioned by Arjuna to Kṛṣṇa that "How one man is forced to commit sinful activities." So Kṛṣṇa replied, kāma eṣa krodha eṣa rajoguṇa-samudbhavam. There are three modes of material nature: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So those who are in tamo-guṇa and rajo-guṇa, they are forced to commit sinful activities, forced. There is no alternative. Therefore we have to come. Just like we go to school, college for education. What is the purpose? That "We are ignorant. We are illiterate, uneducated. Therefore I must go to school to learn, to become enlightened." Similarly, from the lower animal status we are coming by evolution, and in the human form of life, especially in the civilized human form of life, the enlightenment is that one should come from this tamo-guṇa, rajo-guṇa to sattva-guṇa. That is required. Therefore the brahminical culture is so much adored in India to make one from the lower status of life to the higher status of life. And that is very easily done simply by devotional service.

Lecture on SB 7.5.1, Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, January 12, 1973:

As soon as we desire to enjoy... Because constitutionally we are not enjoyer; we are enjoyed. We are not predominator, but we are predominated. That is our position. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). Our real position is to remain eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. This is our real position. But because we have got little independence... Because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa is supremely independent. abhijñaḥ sva-rāṭ. Description of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is there in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ sva-rāṭ (SB 1.1.1). Sva-rāṭ means fully independent. Kṛṣṇa is fully independent. But because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, we are minutely possessing almost, not all, all the qualities of Kṛṣṇa in proportionately in minute quantity. Just like the particle of gold is also gold. That is nothing else but gold. But the value of that particle is different from the gold mine. Our relationship with Kṛṣṇa is like that. Kṛṣṇa is just like the gold mine, and I and you, just like gold earring. The gold earring or gold finger ring or any golden ornament, that is gold undoubtedly, but is not as big as the gold mine. That is the difference between God and ourself. That is the difference. Qualitatively, we are one, being part and parcel of the Supreme Absolute Truth, but quantitatively we are different. Therefore, simultaneously, we are one and different. This is called acintya-bhedābheda tattva. Acintya. We cannot conceive in our present status of life that one thing can be equal and different from another. But if we think over it (a) little soberly, we can understand. This is the example. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ jīva-loke sanātanaḥ (BG 15.7).

Lecture on SB 7.5.30 -- Mauritius, October 2, 1975:

So everyone should be very serious to accept this process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness not only personally, but teach others, statewise, familywise, communitywise, so that we may not be envious to our dependent. We should be liberal. So give them the proper chance to understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that they make their life happy and attain the stage of eternity. We are eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Simply we are changing body. It is a great science. But unfortunately there is no teaching in the school, college and university. Simply we are in darkness. If we keep people in darkness and advertise that we are advancing, it is another type of cheating. So people should understand the value of life, the science of life, that tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ: (BG 2.13) we are changing this body. And the samples of body, 8,400,000 forms of life... Just like the trees are standing in our compound. They cannot move an inch. Is that very good life? So if I am asked to stand at a place for five minutes, it becomes troublesome. And they are standing for five thousand years. Just see the punishment. So there are so many forms of life. There is no science to understand why there are varieties of life, why this tree standing in front of me in miserable condition and I am sitting in this room very comfortably. It is also a life; I am also a life. Why? Who is arranging for this different status of life? These are to be understood. And everything is there, clear, in the Bhagavad-gītā. If you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, study Bhagavad-gītā, and then after studying we study Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, then our life is successful. So every father, every state, every guardian, every guru, every, everyone, relative, should educate his dependent in Kṛṣṇa consciousness to give them chance to be liberated from this bondage of miserable condition of material life.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break)

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

Therefore in the Vedic mantra, Rg mantra, it is, tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sada paśyanti sūrayaḥ. The sūraya, those who are demigods or Aryans, they are, their destination is Viṣṇu. But ordinary men, they do not know that. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). They do not know that their ultimate goal of life is to understand Viṣṇu. Why? Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ. They are trying to become perfect with this material condition. That is not possible. You have to know Viṣṇu. Then you become perfect. Otherwise, you have to change this body one after another. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). You have one body, you remain for some time, then it is destroyed, you get immediately another body, again enter into the womb of mother, again form your body from little, a pulse-like body to this body and grow to your higher status in your younger age. Then again become dwindled, become old man, and again vanish. So bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). Everything material will have to change like this. And there are 8,400,000's of different kinds of bodies, and you have to evolve in the cycle of such body. So if you want to get out of this circulation, continually, then here is the formula: tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Simply try to understand what is God or Viṣṇu, then you get that opportunity.

Lecture on SB 7.6.4 -- Toronto, June 20, 1976:

This is the essence of instruction of all Vedic instructions. What is that? Na tat prayāso kartavyo. Everyone is engaged for developing economic condition. The whole world is engaged how to develop economic condition. There were so many empires, especially in the Western countries. The British Empire, what was their aim? To develop economic condition. Bring money from all over the world in London, and become lord, baron, this, that. So Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "Don't endeavor for all these things." Don't endeavor. "Why not? Shall I not?" "No," he said, "No, you should not." Why? Yata āyur-vyayaḥ. "You are simply wasting time." Wasting time. The so-called economic development may be temporary. Actually, you cannot improve. We can see practically, so many people, in big, big cities, they are trying to develop their economic condition to improve their status of life, but do you think that everyone is successful? In big, big cities, in our country India, Calcutta, Bombay, at least, we have seen it that everyone, there are so many millions of people, they are trying, but still you'll find somebody is living in palace building and somebody is living in slum. "Everyone has got equal chance in big, big cities. They can improve." No. That is not possible. In Western countries, when I did not come to your country I thought USA or in Europe, there is no poor man. I was thinking like that. But when I came, I actually saw there are so many poor men. Why they could not take advantage of the facilities in the Western countries and be equal? No, that is not possible. According to the nature's arrangement, there are three modes of condition: sattva-guṇa, raja-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So every one of us is under either of these sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So always you'll find three classes of men, first-class, second-class, third-class. Also fourth-class, fifth-class. But we are taking the first three. Or, in other words, some class richer, some class middle class men, and poor men. Everywhere you'll find, all over the world. Either in USA or in Europe or in India.

Lecture on SB 7.6.17-18 -- New Vrindaban, July 1, 1976:

So the back to home back to Godhead, we are trying. That is our ambition. But if we have got a little propensity for material enjoyment, then... We may get very better position in the material world, in the Svargaloka, heavenly planet. The description of heavenly planet is given also in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Very, very opulent, we cannot imagine even how they are opulent. The roads are made of pearls, diamonds, coral, the roads are made of like that. And at the same time, no sinful man is admitted there. Everyone highly elevated, pious, there is no crookedness. There is no enviousness. So many... You'll find this description in the Eighth Canto, of Svargaloka. There are... Everything we cannot imagine even. But that is also within this material world. Within this material world. Yānti deva-vratā devān (BG 9.25). We can go there if we want to go. Just like they are trying, the modern so-called scientist, to go to the moon planet, Mars. According to śāstra, these planets are bedecked with such descriptive facilities. They are also within the heavenly planets. But these rascals are going, and they find nobody there, and they take some dust and come back. This is their success. They do not know that they cannot enter even there. They are not meant for ordinary persons. At least those who are sinless, very straightforward, not envious. So anyway, even if we go, ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna... (BG 8.16). It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, this is Svargaloka. And above that... Bhūr, bhuvaḥ, svaḥ. You have got the Gāyatrī, oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyaṁ bhargo devasya. There are other higher planets also: Svargaloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka, Maharloka, Satyaloka, Brahmaloka. There are fourteen status of different planetary systems. Catur-daśa-bhuvana. And the topmost is the Brahmaloka. So even if you go there, there is no relief. Ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). You have to come back again.

Lecture on SB 7.6.20-23 -- Washington D.C., July 3, 1976:

The topmost planet in the spiritual sky is the, called Goloka. That is Kṛṣṇa's place. Goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni. And below this there are Vaikuṇṭha-dhāmas, unlimited number of Vaikuṇṭha-dhāmas. Goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni tale ca tasya devī-maheśa. Devī-dhāma, this is called Devī-dhāma, this material world. And Maheśa-dhāma, the Śivaloka. And devī-mahesa, hari-dhāmasu. Hari-dhāmasu means Vaikuṇṭha. So these are the different status of dhāma. We cannot calculate, estimate even this Devī-dhāma. This is called Devī-dhāma. This material world is called Devī-dhāma. It is controlled by Devī, Goddess Durgā.

sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā
chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni vibharti durgā
icchānurūpam api yasya ca ceṣṭate sā
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
(Bs. 5.44)

So this Devī-dhāma is being controlled by the most powerful energy Durga. Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir eka. But she's acting as chāyeva, a shadow of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on SB 7.7.25-28 -- San Francisco, March 13, 1967:

Sometimes we are in abstract dream, and sometimes we are in concrete dream. This is also dream. We do not know how many lives we have passed before this, hundreds and thousands and millions. "Oh, sometimes I have been a cat." Oh, that is now dream. Sometimes I might have been a dog. Not might have been, because the evolution is there. We are coming by evolutionary process from aquatics to vegetable life, from vegetable to, I mean to say, reptile life, then, from bird's life, then beast's life, then uncivilized life. Then we have come to the civilized form of life under the grip of nature. So we have passed so many status of life. So they have become now dream. If somebody says, "Oh, forty millions of years before, you were a tree," so will you believe it? It is dream. But actually I was, by nature's law.

So we have got this opportunity, this human form of life with sense so that we can understand the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā, or Bible or Koran. These are meant for civilized human society. So if we don't take care of these things and simply pass on in this dreaming... Just like animals. They have no sense, simply eating, mating, sleeping and defending. "Gow! Gow! Gow!" As soon as another dog comes, oh, he at once barks, "Gow! Gow! Gow!" So this is dog's qualification. So this defending is also like that. It is defending in its own way. We are defending in our own way. So we must be above this, transcendental, as advised by Kṛṣṇa. Nistrai-guṇyo bhavārjuna: "Just become transcendental to these qualitative activities." And what is that unqualitative, uncontaminated activity? Oh, that is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā,

māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa guṇān samatītyaitān
brahma-bhūyāya kalpate
(BG 14.26)

"Anyone who takes to this business of Kṛṣṇa consciousness..." Māṁ ca yo avyabhicāreṇi bhakti. Avyabhicāreṇi means without any material contamination, pure devotional service: "The Supreme Lord is my Lord. I am His eternal servant. My business is to serve Him, nothing more." This is called pure devotion. Either you call Kṛṣṇa or Jehovah, or whatever name you like, you give, but God is one.

Lecture on SB 7.7.28, 32-35 -- Mombassa, September 11, 1971:

Another thing is harīḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu bhagavān ananta īśvaraḥ. So we should practice to see every man as the temple, every man, every living entity, because Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Antaryāmī or Paramātmā is residing with every living entity. So in higher status, a devotee sees everybody as temple of God, because the God is there. So this should be also practiced. As we respect a temple or a church, similarly, we should give respect to all living entities. Harīḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu bhagavān ananta īśvaraḥ. Bhagavān ananta. If some foolish person says how God can be in every..., within everybody? No, He is ananta, He is unlimited, He can be, that is His omnipotency. Bhagavān ananta īśvaraḥ, iti bhūtāni manasā kāmais taiḥ sādhu mānayet. In this way, we should offer respect to everyone. Caitanya Mahāprabhu also says, amāninā mānadena, give respect to everyone and for yourself don't expect any respect. One may insult you, don't mind, but you give respect to others. Just see how bhakti-yoga is perfect.

Lecture on SB 7.9.3 -- Mayapur, February 17, 1977:

So Brahmā, Lord Brahmā, he is supposed to be the first living being within this universe. Lakṣmī became afraid; Brahmā also became very afraid. Therefore Brahmā requested Prahlāda Mahārāja that "You go forward, my dear son, and appease the Lord. You can do because for you He has appeared in this fierceful feature. Your father offended Him in so many ways by teasing you, by punishing you, by putting you into difficulty. Therefore He has appeared in very angry. So you can appease Him. We cannot. It is not possible." Prahlāda preṣayām āsa brahma avasthita antike. So Prahlāda Mahārāja, being very exalted devotee, he could appease the Lord. Bhaktyā, by bhakti, you can control the Supreme Lord. That is the only way. Bhaktyā maṁ abhijānāti (BG 18.55). The understanding is also through bhakti, and through bhakti you can control God. Vedeṣu durlabha adurlabha ātmā-bhaktau. You cannot understand God by studying Vedas. Vedeṣu durlabha. Adurlabha ātmā-bhaktau. But for His devotees, He is very, very easily available. Therefore bhakti is the only source. Bhaktyām ekayā grāhyam. Only through bhakti you can approach, you can talk with God on equal level just like friend. The cowherd boys, they were treating Kṛṣṇa on the same status: "Kṛṣṇa is like us." But they loved Kṛṣṇa very, very intensely. That is their qualification. Therefore Kṛṣṇa sometimes agreed to take the cowherd boys on His shoulder. So this is the... Kṛṣṇa wants that, that "My bhakta... Be My bhakta and control Me. Everyone worships Me with awe and veneration. I want somebody should come forward and control Me." That He wants. Therefore He has accepted Mother Yaśodā to control Him. How God can be controlled? Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). He's the supreme controller. Who can control Him? It is not possible. But He agrees to be controlled by His pure devotee. He agrees, "Yes, mother, you control Me. You bind Me. You show Me your stick so that I may be afraid."

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Seattle, October 21, 1968:

So these yogis, they come to the platform of the mental plane, speedy. The yogis can transfer. There are many yogis still, in India, that early in the morning they travel about four thousand miles within half an hour and take bath in four different pilgrimages within half an hour. Yes. So yogic powers are so... What yogis we have seen? Siddhaḥ, that is siddhaḥ. The demigods, siddhaḥ... There are persons; it is not story. So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that "These demigods, these great saintly persons, these siddhas, how they have become so powerful?" Sattvaikatāna: being situated in the material modes of goodness. If you put yourself, keep yourself in the modes of goodness, then you get more and more your spiritual power. And if you keep yourself in the modes of ignorance and passion, then you cannot make progress. You'll have to remain here or go down. If you keep yourself in the modes of ignorance, then you go down even to the animal kingdom. If you keep yourself in the modes of passion, then at most, you can remain in Europe and America, that's all. But if you keep yourself in goodness, then you can go up. These are explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ, those who are in the modes of goodness, even they are not spiritually very much advanced so that they can enter into the spiritual kingdom, they'll go in the upper status of planetary system, just like Siddhaloka, Janarloka, Maharloka. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ (BG 14.18). And in the middle planetary system... The middle planetary system, this earth is in the middle planetary system, heaven also. Bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ. You are chanting Gāyatrī mantra: bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ, these are within the middle. Then above this there was Mahar, Jana, Tapa, Satya, four. Three and four, seven up and seven down planetary system. So those who are in the modes of goodness, they are elevated to the higher planetary system. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā madhye tisthanti rājasāḥ jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti (BG 14.18)—they are elevated to the higher planetary system. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ. Jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā. Jaghanya means very abominable character. You see? Eating nonsense, and keeping nonsense, habits nonsense. Just like little more than the animals, that's all. Jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. They are going down, down, down, down. These things are explained there.

Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Montreal, July 6, 1968:

So dharma artha kāma mokṣa is not the highest perfection. Generally, people, they take to religiosity for material gain, artha, dharma, artha. And material gain means to satisfy the senses, kāma. And when they are frustrated in satisfying the senses, they then want mokṣa. So after keeping in mokṣa, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā... Mokṣa means this world is false, and Brahman is satya. But because he has no Brahman engagement, therefore, even after leaving everything to search out Brahman, he comes again back to this material world for philanthropy work, for feeding the poor, for hospitalization. So this is coming and going, coming and going, coming and going. So real status of perfection is that you have to transcend even this position of mokṣa. Dharmaḥ projjhita kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). The Śrīdhara Swami, a great commentator on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, he says, atra mokṣa, mokṣābhisandhy api nirastam: "Oh, the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is above the idea of liberation." So unless we come to that point, pañcama puruṣārtha, fifth dimension... The dharma, first, the artha, second, kāma, third, mokṣa, fourth, and devotion is the fifth, fifth platform. Adhokṣaja, adhokṣaja. There are different stages of understanding: pratyakṣa, parokṣa, aparakṣa, adhokṣaja, aprakṛta. The ordinary understanding, direct perception, is called pratyakṣa. Now, higher than the pratyakṣa understanding is parokṣa, means to gather knowledge from the higher authorities. And above that, aparokṣa, realization. And above that, adhokṣaja. Adhokṣaja means beyond the understanding of these material senses. And above that, there is aprakṛta, completely transcendental. So the bhakti is on the transcendental platform, beyond the adhokṣaja.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10-11 -- Montreal, July 14, 1968:

Yes. Kṛṣṇa... There are several categories of living entities. Kṛṣṇa is also living entity. Viṣṇu is also living entity. You are also living entity. Lord Śiva is also living entity. Every one of us. But there are categories. Just like in your Montreal city, there are hundreds of millions of people. But someone's status is higher than the others. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is the original living entity. Govindam ādi-puruṣam. Ādi-puruṣam means original. And from Him everything has expanded. Eko bahu śyāma. He has expanded Himself in many. So some of them are in the Viṣṇu category. The Viṣṇu category means they are almost equal to Kṛṣṇa. It is estimated the Viṣṇu categories, They have ninety-four percent opulence of Kṛṣṇa. And the next category is Śiva category. The Śiva category has eighty-four percent of all the opulence of Kṛṣṇa. And the next category is Brahmā category, Brahmā. Brahmā category means living entities, when they are perfect, they can obtain seventy-eight percent of the opulence of Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa is cent percent, Viṣṇu or Nārāyaṇa is ninety-four percent, Lord Śiva is eighty-four percent, and we, in our perfection, we are seventy-eight percent. Is that clear?

Lecture on SB 7.9.10-11 -- Montreal, July 14, 1968:

Prabhupāda: Brahmacārī?

Gurudāsa: Brahmajyoti.

Prabhupāda: No. Brahmajyoti means spiritual sky. This material sky means brahma-jyotir is covered by material cloud. Actually, everything is brahma-jyotir. Just like clear sky, but some portion of the sky is sometimes covered by cloud. Some portion only. The whole sky is never covered by sky. Similarly, some portion which is covered by this material atmosphere, that is called material world. That's all. Actually, the original sky is spiritual. Original sky is full of sunshine, but the covered portion means we cannot see the sunshine. Covered portion by cloud means we cannot see the sunshine. And similarly, this material sky means where we cannot see the spiritual effulgence. That is the difference. Otherwise, even this material sky is also a spiritual sky. The spiritual sky is the original status. Yes.

Guest: (asks long question about what questions he can ask.)

Prabhupāda: Yes, any question you can ask.

Lecture on SB 7.9.32 -- Mayapur, March 10, 1976:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: "O my Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, after annihilation, the creative energy is kept in Yourself, but the energy being put within Yourself, it appears that You are sleeping with half-closed eyes. Actually, there is no sleeping like an ordinary human being. You are always in the transcendental stage, beyond the creation of the material world, and You always feel in transcendental bliss. In this way, You, Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, remain in Your transcendental status, but although it appears that Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu is sleeping, it is not that; (it is) sleeping distinct from sleeping in ignorance."

Prabhupāda:

nyasyedam ātmani jagad vilayāmbu-madhye
śeṣetmanā nija-sukhānubhavo nirīhaḥ
yogena mīlita-dṛg-ātma-nipīta-nidras
turye sthito na tu tamo na guṇāṁś ca yuṅkṣe
(SB 7.9.32)

This is the position, transcendentally. How we use this word transcendental, that is explained here, what is transcendental. Turya. Turya, the fourth dimension. Here, in this material world, there are three dimensions: length, breadth and height. And spiritual world, beyond that, not within the measurement of length, breadth and height, that is called turya. (aside:) Child...

Lecture on SB 7.9.32 -- Mayapur, March 10, 1976:

So the same principle is applicable to the whole cosmic creation, that even within the ant the same principle, within Brahmā the same principle, and within the gigantic universe, the same principle. Without the spirit soul, there is no question of creation. Creation, maintenance and destruction, three things are going on on account of presence of the Supreme Soul. Therefore the three principal deities—Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara—are there, guṇa-avatāra. He is not within the guṇa; therefore He expands Himself as guṇāvatāra: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. But He's turya of the guṇas. Just like if we enter into the fire, we'll be burned, but sometimes the fire brigade men, they enter into the fire... They have got suit and contradictory dress that they can enter into the fire. Similarly, māyā... Māyā is very strong, but Kṛṣṇa, the Lord, when He comes within this material world—yuge yuge sambhavāmy ātma-māyayā (BG 4.6)—He comes in His own original turya status. He does not become affected. Guṇāṁś ca yuṅkṣe. He's not affected. This is the position of Kṛṣṇa. He's always transcendental. Na me karma-phale spṛhā. Na māṁ limpanti karma... Karmāṇi. Yes. Na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti na me karma-phale spṛhā (BG 4.14). This is position. We are here under the pressure of karma-phala. By the result of our past lives' fruitive activities we have got this body, material body. That is also not our real body. That is the body of the prison house, just like when a criminal is put into the prison house, he is given a different dress. In hospital, in prison house, when a man is there, his original dress is taken away. It is kept. When he's released from the hospital or jail, the same dress is again returned. Otherwise his present dress is taken and a separate dress is given. Similarly, we have got our spiritual body, not that we are zero, as the Māyāvādī thinks.

Lecture on SB 7.9.39 -- Mayapur, March 17, 1976:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: "My dear Lord from the Vaikuṇṭha planets, where there is no anxiety, my mind is extremely sinful and lusty. It is sometimes so-called happy and sometimes so-called distressed. It is full of lamentation and fear and always anxious to get more and more money. In this way my mind has become most polluted. It is never satisfied, and therefore I am very fallen and poor. In such a status of life, how will it be possible for me to discuss Your activities?"

Prabhupāda:

naitan manas tava kathāsu vikuṇṭha-nātha
samprīyate durita-duṣṭam asādhu tīvram
kāmāturaṁ harṣa-śoka-bhayaiṣaṇārtaṁ
tasmin kathaṁ tava gatiṁ vimṛśāmi dīnaḥ
(SB 7.9.39)

This is our position. This material world and the spiritual world, the difference is very nicely explained here. One place is no anxiety; in another place it is simply full of anxiety. This is the difference. (aside:) Ask them.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja in another place has said also the same thing. When his father asked him, "What is the best thing you have learned, my dear boy, from your school?" so he immediately addressed his father as asura-varya. Why? Now, because this thing, free of anxiety, is not understandable by the asuras.

Lecture on SB 7.9.41 -- Mayapura, March 19, 1976:

So this is our material condition of life. Prahlāda Mahārāja is describing one after another. So sometimes foolish person accuse God that "Why He has put us into this miserable condition, different status of life? Somebody is rich, somebody is poor, somebody is diseased, somebody is healthy, and so many varieties." Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has said, keśava tuyā jagata vicitra. Vicitra means varieties. "So if God is kind, why He has made so many varieties?" This is not the common question you meet? You are preaching. They inquire like this: "Why God is not kind to everyone? Why He has made this distinction?"

So this is not God's creation. We should know that it is my creation. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja said, evaṁ sva-karma-patitam. Just like a man is condemned to death. In the court the judge gives the judgment that "This murderer should be hanged." So it is not the judge that he is giving order to the murderer to be hanged. It is the murderer who has created his situation, to be hanged. This is to be understood. Not that the judge is partial, he's giving order to somebody that he must get decree for two millions of dollars, "He must have it," and another man is condemned to death. It is not that the judge is partial, he's giving somebody two millions of dollars and somebody is ordered to be hanged. The judge is impartial. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante (BG 4.11).

Lecture on SB 7.9.41 -- Mayapura, March 19, 1976:

That "I have committed, yes. I have committed these sins," and give some fine. This process is not good. We should not do that, confession, "Yes, sir, I am..." I think in your country there was a movement, Moral Rearmament. Their process was that "You commit sinful activities, but you confess. Then it will be neutralized." That was their formula. But I don't think it was successful. It could not be successful. That is not possible. Process is that "By my karma I have become sinful. Now I have got the remedial measure, chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, but I shall not commit again." Then he's successful. Then it is successful, immediately. Nāmnād balād... But we should not take advantage of this.

So here Prahlāda Mahārāja said, evaṁ sva-karma-patitam: "By my own sinful activities I am now in this conditioned status of life, in this material world." It is not created by God. We create. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). God, or the supreme authority... Just like Yamarāja. He is there, representative of God. He gives his judgment, what kind of body I'll have to accept after death. So therefore this atheist class of men, they deny to accept the next birth. But that is not the fact. The next birth is there.

Lecture on SB 7.12.1 -- Bombay, April 12, 1976:

We are already attached to the material activities. Then our attachment becomes more and more strong. Tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ. Then, out of this attachment, ataḥ gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta vittair janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). In this way, being united, then they want gṛha, apartment, to live together. Then they want some land. Formerly there was no service. The gṛhastha used to produce the food grains from the land. Neither there was factories or big, big offices to get job. One had to produce his own food from the land. So simply apartment will not help. I must require some land for eating. Gṛha-kṣetra-sūta. Then we desire for some children. Sūta, āpta, then friends. Sūta, āpta. Ataḥ gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta vittaiḥ. But all these establishment can be maintained by money only. Then money. Then, in this way, gradually, janasya moho 'ham. We are already bewildered. We are attached to this material world, but when we are united, man and woman together, our attachment for this material world becomes increased. Janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). Material world mean "I am this body, and in relationship with this body everything is mine," this conception. They forget altogether that "Nothing is mine. Even this body is not mine. Even I am not mine. Everything is Kṛṣṇa's." That is wanted. Unless we get to that status of life, that "Nothing belongs to me. This body also belongs to Kṛṣṇa; I, as spirit soul, belong to Kṛṣṇa; and everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa...," then we become liberated. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13).

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

So, therefore, these material qualities will not help us to become..., to approach the Supreme Brahman. How? Bhaktyā tutoṣa bhagavān gaja-yūtha-pāya. Gaja-yūtha-pāya, the Gajendra, he was in danger. But although it was animal, but by simple devotional service, he satisfied the Supreme Lord and he was saved. And another thing is that we should not think that opposite, as it is said, dhana jana, dhanābhijana-rūpa-tapaḥ-śruta. Now Prahlāda Mahārāja says that material wealth is not sufficient qualification to become a devotee to approach the Lord. Does it mean if we become poor then we can approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead? No. That is also not a qualification. In material sense, this dhana..., dhana, riches, it is relative. A poor man has got, say, ten rupees, he is thinking, "Oh, I am very rich man." And a rich man to our consideration, another man, he has got ten lakhs of rupees, he is thinking, "I am poor man because I have no ten crores of rupees." So it is not the money which makes one rich. Because it is a status of mental concoction. The poor man, he hasn't..., he gets one paise, two paise, he sometimes he gets ten rupees, he thinks, "I am very rich man." And another man, he earns one lakh, two lakhs at a time. So unless he comes to ten crores of rupees, he does not think himself rich man. So which one is rich and which one is poor? It is very difficult to ascertain.

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

If You will kindly excuse him." So Nṛsiṁha-deva said, "My dear Prahlāda, not only your father, your father's father, his father, his father, all are delivered because you are in the family." So that is the quality of a devotee. He can deliver all the members of the family, sa kulam. Sa kulam means with all the members. Prāṇaṁ punāti sa kulaṁ na tu bhūrimānaḥ. And the proud brāhmaṇa who is qualified with all these qualities, he cannot deliver himself. But a śvapaca, a dog-eater, if he is a devotee, he can deliver all his family. These are the Vaiṣṇava qualifications. So if one becomes Vaiṣṇava in a family, he is giving the best service to the family. Unfortunately, if somebody comes within our society, the father, mother become disturbed, "Oh, he is going to be a Vaiṣṇava. Let him become a Naxalite, that's all right. But why he should become a Vaiṣṇava?" Immediately disturbed. We have got experience, you see. But he does not know that any boy who becomes a Vaiṣṇava, who is strictly following the Vaiṣṇava principles, he is doing the..., he is giving the best service to his family. Here Prahlāda Mahārāja says, and it is confirmed by Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva.

So these are the advantage of become Kṛṣṇa conscious and Vaiṣṇava. So, therefore, Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommended that we may remain in different position of social and other status of life, but if we give our submissive oral reception to the teachings of Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇa-kathā, Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, then our life is successful. Thank you very much.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

Prabhupāda: That attractiveness is called rasa, mellow, taste. Go on.

Pradyumna: "...or a kind of mellow, or relationship whose taste is very sweet. Bhakti-rasa is a mellow different from the ordinary rasa enjoyed by mundane workers. Mundane workers labor very hard, day and night, in order to relish a certain kind of rasa which is understood as sense gratification. The relish or taste of the mundane rasa does not long endure, and therefore mundane workers are always apt to change their position of enjoyment. A business man is not satisfied by working the whole week; therefore wanting a change for the weekend, he goes to a place where he tries to forget his business activities. Then, after the weekend is spent in forgetfulness, he again changes his position and resumes his actual business activities. Material engagement means accepting a particular status for some time and then changing it. This position of changing back and forth is technically known as bhoga-tyāga, which means..."

Prabhupāda: Bhoga-tyāga. Bhoga and tyāga. Go on.

Pradyumna: "...which means a position of alternating sense enjoyment and renunciation."

Prabhupāda: Yes, their position is sense enjoyment. If, by bhoga, they are not satisfied, then tyāga. Brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. Give it, give it up. Again, by tyāga, when he does not find any sense pleasure, then again comes back: All right, come to social service, open hospital, open the school. Why are you coming again? You have given it up, tyāga, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. Why you are coming to mithyā again, to open school? That, that is going on. That is going on.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 17, 1972:

Pradyumna: "That force which derives... That force which drives the philanthropist, the householder and the nationalist is called rasa, or a kind of mellow, or relationship, whose taste is very sweet. Bhakti-rasa is a mellow different from the ordinary rasa enjoyed by mundane workers. Mundane workers labor very hard day and night in order to relish a certain kind of rasa which is understood as sense gratification. The relish or taste of the mundane rasa does not long endure and therefore mundane workers are always apt to change their position of enjoyment. A businessman is not satisfied by working the whole week. Therefore, wanting a change for the weekend, he goes to a place where he tries to forget his business activities. Then, after the weekend is spent in forgetfulness, he again changes his position and resumes his actual business activities. Material engagement means accepting a particular status for some time and then changing it. This position of changing back and forth is technically known as bhoga-tyāga, which means a position of alternating sense enjoyment and renunciation."

Prabhupāda: The material world, because everything is temporary, so sometimes when we are fed up with material activities, we stop to do it and become a renouncer. Bhoga-tyāga. "Grapes are sour." You know the story. A jackal entered into a vine orchard, and it was very high. It began to jump to get the grapes, but when he failed, he said, "Oh, these grapes are sour. It is nonsense." (laughter) The karmīs are like that, that they work very hard, but they cannot relish any permanent happiness. That is not possible. Therefore they give up. Brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. They give up these worldly activities as false. Jagan mithyā. But they do not relish anything. Actually they do not relish what is Brahma-sukha. Therefore again they fall down. Many... The jñānī sannyāsīs, they give up this world as jagat mithyā, "This world is false." They take sannyāsa. Then, after working for some time, they again take to political activities, philanthropic activities. They see that "The people are suffering for want of education, for want of food.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 27, 1972:

Therefore śūnyavādi, or nirviśeṣa-vādi, they are not liberated. They are still in māyā. Vimukta-māninaḥ. In the Bhāgavata it is said that they are thinking, concocting that they have become liberated. Actually they are not liberated. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. Māninaḥ. Say somebody thinks that "I'm the proprietor of all the banks." Let him think like that. But that does not mean he has become the proprietor of the banks. That is a different thing. Similarly, one may think that "I have become liberated," but actually he's not liberated. Liberated is he who is engaged in the service of the Lord. He's liberated. Nobody's liberated. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Just like they are going to the Moon planet. They have got very high speed sputniks. Simply riding on, boarding on high-speed sputnik does not mean he has gone to the moon planet. Actually he has to go there and live there. Then it is successful. But what they are doing? They are going and coming back. They are going and coming back. Similarly, āruhya kṛcchṛeṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanti adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32). If you have to stay in the higher status of life, brahma anubhūti, then you'll have to come back again. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa. Kṛcchreṇa means by practicing severe austerities, penances, one may go up to the Brahman effulgence, paraṁ padam. That is called paraṁ padam. But because there is no stay... Just like in the sky. You may go with high speed, but if you cannot stay in some planet, you'll have to come back again. Similarly, āruhya kñcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ, patanti adhaḥ anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ. Because they cannot get shelter under the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, they have to come down again to these material activities. And we have seen practically, so many big, big sannyāsīs, they give up this material world, take sannyāsa to understand Brahman, but because they could not understand Brahman, they again come to open hospital and schools. That is their business. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanti adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32).

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 27, 1972:

That is called paraṁ padam. But because there is no stay... Just like in the sky. You may go with high speed, but if you cannot stay in some planet, you'll have to come back again. Similarly, āruhya kñcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ, patanti adhaḥ anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ. Because they cannot get shelter under the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, they have to come down again to these material activities. And we have seen practically, so many big, big sannyāsīs, they give up this material world, take sannyāsa to understand Brahman, but because they could not understand Brahman, they again come to open hospital and schools. That is their business. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanti adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32).

But one who is engaged in the devotional service of the Lord, he does not come to these material activities again. The, the factual evidence... Just this, these boys, these European, American boys. Who could enjoy material life better than them? They were all enjoying. But they have given up everything. They are no more going back to that status of life. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 2.59). They have found something better. Therefore they're not going to again that life of meat-eating, illicit sex, intoxication, smoking and drinking. No. They are not, no more going. Give them bribe also: "You come to again to that stage." Will you go?

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

Pradyumna: "Generally neophyte devotees are anxious to see Kṛṣṇa or God, but God cannot be seen or known by our present materially blunt senses. The process of devotional service, as it is recommended in The Nectar of Devotion, will gradually elevate one from the material condition of life to the spiritual status wherein the devotee becomes purified of all designations. The senses can then become uncontaminated, being constantly in touch with bhakti-rasa. When the purified senses are employed in the service of the Lord, one becomes situated in bhakti-rasa life and any action performed for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa in this transcendental bhakti-rasa stage of life, can be relished perpetually. When one is thus engaged in devotional service, all varieties of rasas or mellows turn into eternity. In the beginning one is trained according to the principles of regulation under the guidance of the ācārya or spiritual master. And gradually, when one is elevated, devotional service becomes automatic and spontaneous eagerness to serve Kṛṣṇa. There are twelve kinds of rasas, as will be ex..."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Just like we have seen, we have experience. Sometimes the car becomes blocked. But some fellow pushes it. We have got this experience. What is called that? Chocked up? Then you get, get down and push the car and (makes noise:) brut brut brut, goes. Similarly the bhakti-rasa is there in everyone's heart. Nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti. Because we, we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Just like father and son. A father and son may be separate for many, many, many, many years. But as soon as they meet together, again the same affection comes. Again the same affection comes. Wife and husband. Therefore sannyāsī is strictly prohibited to see his wife. Because there is staunch affection. By meeting again that affection. By meeting again that affection may come. He may fall down. Therefore strictly prohibited. At least, other members can be seen. But not the wife. So the fact is that we have got devotion for Kṛṣṇa. That is fact.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:

Pradyumna: (reading) "Generally, neophyte devotees are anxious to see Kṛṣṇa, or God, but God cannot be seen or known by our present materially blunt senses. The process of devotional service as it is recommended in The Nectar of Devotion will gradually elevate one from the material condition of life to the spiritual status wherein the devotee becomes purified of all designations. The senses can then become uncontaminated, being constantly in touch with bhakti-rasa. When the purified senses are employed in the service of the Lord, one becomes situated in bhakti-rasa life, and any action performed for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa in this transcendental bhakti-rasa stage of life can be relished perpetually. When one is thus engaged in devotional service all varieties of rasas or mellows turn into eternity. In the beginning one is trained according to the principles of regulation under the guidance of the ācārya or spiritual master, and gradually, when one is elevated, devotional service becomes automatic and spontaneous eagerness to serve Kṛṣṇa. The... There are twelve kinds of rasa, as will be explained in this book, and by renovating our relationship with Kṛṣṇa in five primary rasas we can live eternally in full knowledge and bliss."

Prabhupāda: So there are three kinds of devotional stages: kaniṣṭha adhikāra, lower stage, and the madhyama adhikāra, middle stage, and uttama adhikāra. So the kaniṣṭha adhikāra means:

arcāyām eva haraye
ya pūjāṁ śraddhayahate
na tad-bhakteṣu cānyeṣu
sa bhaktaḥ prākṛtaḥ smṛtaḥ

In the lower stage, the devotee is engaged in Deity worship. It is not that Deity worship is lower than meditation. We don't mean that. Deity worship is the beginning of devotional service, as it will be mentioned in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, how to approach the Deity, how to cleanse the floor, how to change the dress, flower, how to make ārātrika, everything in detail there are.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 1, 1973:

Pradyumna: (reading:) Nectar of Devotion. "This eternal engagement in bhakti-rasa can be understood by a serious student upon studying The Nectar of Devotion. Adoption of bhakti-rasa, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, will immediately bring one to an auspicious life free from anxieties and will bless one with transcendental existence, thus minimizing the value of liberation. Bhakti-rasa itself is sufficient to bring a feeling of liberation because it attracts the attention of the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa. Generally, neophyte devotees are anxious to see Kṛṣṇa, or God, but God cannot be seen or known by our present materially blunt senses. The process of devotional service as it is recommended in The Nectar of Devotion will gradually elevate one from the material condition of life to the spiritual status, wherein the devotee becomes purified of all designations."

Prabhupāda: Yes. The process of seeing God... Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adhaḥ. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136)]. Just like a person suffering from some disease, his eyesight is blocked. He has got the eyesight to see, but on account of some cataract disease, he cannot see. Similarly God is there, and I can see Him also. But the cataract of illusion is covering via media between God and me. Therefore in the Brahma-saṁhitā it is said:

premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena
santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti
yam śyāmasundaram acintya-guṇa-svarūpaṁ
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
(Bs. 5.38)

That treatment is to invoke your dormant love for God. That is the treatment. We have got love for God. We want to love somebody, either man or woman, even animals. You'll find between the two dogs, there is love. They are jumping over one another, playing very nicely. Sometimes the mother dog is pretending to bite the cub, but it actually it is not biting.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 2, 1973:

Pradyumna: (reading:) "The process of devotional service as it is recommended in The Nectar of Devotion will gradually elevate one from the material condition of life to the spiritual status, wherein the devotee becomes purified of all designations. The senses can then become uncontaminated, being constantly in touch with bhakti-rasa. When the purified senses are employed in the service of the Lord, one becomes situated in bhakti-rasa life, and any action performed for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa in this transcendental bhakti-rasa stage of life can be relished perpetually."

Prabhupāda: So Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī is giving us the process how to elevate one's self from this material platform to the spiritual platform. That is devotional service. Devotional life means purifying the present conditional life, contaminated life, life under the influence of the three modes of material nature: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So if we become unaffected by these three guṇas... Just like it is recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā, trai-guṇya-viṣayā vedā nistrai-guṇya bhavārjuna. One has to become above the three guṇas, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. In the material existence, the sattva-guṇa is considered to be first class, the rajo-guṇa is considered to be second class, and the tamo-guṇa is considered to be third class. But even if we remain in the sattva-guṇa, that is also not transcendental platform.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 2, 1973:

That is the verdict of, I mean to, Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ anādṛtaḥ-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Because they could not search out the shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, they have to come down again to this material existence, which they left as mithyā. But their..., because there is no shelter on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, this brahma-bhūtaḥ stage also not secure. One has to fall down. We have seen many big, big sannyāsīs, very learned scholars, sannyāsīs, they take part in politics, sociology. Because they could not catch up real Brahman, therefore they come again to his material existence. So Śrīdhara Swami, the great commentator on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, he says, in connection with the second verse, First Chapter, First Canto: dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo atra paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satāṁ vāstava vastu vedyam atra (SB 1.1.2). So Śrīdhara Swami says, atra mokṣavisandi api nirastam. To desire for mokṣa is also not ultimate goal of life. Ultimate goal of life is to accept the shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). Actually who is jñānavān, he'll take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. If not is this life, he'll have to come to this status. Therefore nirviśeṣa vadi, impersonalists... Kṛṣṇa says, kleṣaḥ adhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta cetasām. Avyakta. Kṛṣṇa is vyakta. But one who is not after this vyakta, he's after impersonal Brahman, their labor is still more hard than the bhaktas.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 7, 1972:

Yes. When Caitanya Mahāprabhu was passing through the forest of Jhārikhaṇḍa, in central India, the, all the animals joined with Him. Of course, He's Kṛṣṇa Himself. But if one becomes purified, there is no question that... All animals, living entities, would join in saṅkīrtana movement. There is evidence. But one must be very sincere and powerful preacher. If we cannot preach in the, in the society of the animals, we can preach at least in the human societies, who are supposed to be uncivilized or very lower status of life. Actually, it is so happening. In Africa also, our men are going interior in the village. They are almost naked, these Africans—we have got pictures—with big, big earring. So they are also, their children, and they also dance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in the Hare Kṛṣṇa chanting. This is the wonderful movement, that anyone can take part. We see the children take part, the dogs take part, the so-called uncivilized men, they also take part. This is the universality of Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 27, 1973:

Mādhavānanda: "That is the present position in the Kali-yuga, this age of quarrel. Nobody is doing his duty, and everyone is simply puffed up by calling himself a brāhmaṇa, intellectual, or a kṣatriya, soldier or statesman. But actually such people are without status."

Prabhupāda: This is the statement exactly. Everyone has to do his duty. Otherwise, simply by name, I have become a great devotee, but if I do not do what is enjoined in the śāstras or the spiritual master, then that is simply false, puffed-up position. Go on.

Mādhavānanda: "They are out of touch with the Supreme Personality of Godhead because they are not Kṛṣṇa conscious. Therefore the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is intended to set the whole of human society in proper condition so that everyone will be happy and take profit from developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa instructed Uddhava that by following the injunctions of the social and spiritual orders of human society, one can satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as a result of such satisfaction, the whole society gets all the necessities of life amply and without difficulty. This is because, after all, the Supreme Personality of Godhead maintains all other living entities. If the whole world performs its respective duties and remains in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no doubt that all of its members will live very peacefully and happily. Without wanting the necessities of life, the whole world will be turned into Vaikuṇṭha, a spiritual abode. Even without being transferred to the kingdom of God, by following the injunctions of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and prosecuting the duties of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. all human society will be happy in all respects."

Prabhupāda: Now what is the argument against this? (aside:) Why don't you open this? All, open all fans.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.11 -- Mayapur, April 4, 1975:

So all these Viṣṇu descriptions beginning from Kāraṇodakaśāyī, Mahā-Viṣṇu, who is producing universes... Then next Viṣṇu is Garbhodakaśāyī, means the same Mahā-Viṣṇu entering in each and every universe. Then again, the same Viṣṇu, for maintenance of this material world, is lying on the kṣīrabdhi, ocean of milk. And the same Viṣṇu, Kṣīrabdhiśāyī Viṣṇu, is maintaining not only these universal affair, but also He is entering in each and every living being's heart, even within the atom. This is the expansion of Viṣṇu-tattva, Viṣṇu-tattva within this material world. So just imagine. For creating and maintaining, sustaining, the whole material world is a network of Viṣṇu's activities, and some rascal says, "There was chunk, and there was creation." This creation is so easy? And maintain them, hold the creation? If you create some center of our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, how much strain you have to exert to maintain the standard, status quo. Similarly, there are so many universes created, maintained. And there is another phase, annihilation. That is the process of material creation. We have got experience. Anything material is created is... The beginning, there is a date, and it is maintained for sometimes, then it is annihilated. Anything you take—this body, your body, my body—it is created a certain date, and it is maintained for a certain number of years, and again it is annihilated. This is material world. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate: (BG 8.19) "It manifests sometimes and again disappears." This is called material world, and because it is never eternally sustained, therefore it is called māyā. It is not false, as the Māyāvādī philosophers says, "It is false." It is not false. Lord Viṣṇu is taking so much care to create this material world. How you can say it is false? It is not false? It is fact, but it is temporary. This is the difference between the material world and the spiritual world. In the spiritual world there is no creation and no destruction. In the material world, there is creation and destruction.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.49-65 -- San Francisco, February 3, 1967:

It is the duty of devotees not to tolerate blasphemy. So they are presenting before the Lord that "The criticism by the other party has become unbearable. So something must be done. Otherwise, we shall die or commit suicide."

tomāre nindaye yata sannyāsīra gaṇa

śunite nā pāri, phāṭe hṛdaya-śravaṇa

There are three kinds of devotees: kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, madhyama-adhikārī and mahā-bhāgavata, bhāgavata, or those who are in the lower status, those who are in the middle status, and those who are in the highest status. Those who are in the lower status are beginners. Devotees, for them, the description is that,

arcāyām eva haraye
yaḥ pūjām śraddhayehate
na tad-bhakteṣu cānyeṣu
sa bhaktaḥ prākṛtaḥ smṛtaḥ

"In the lower stage, a devotee goes to the temple or to the church or to the mosque, with great devotion and faith offers prayers to the Lord, but he has no knowledge about other devotees," na tad-bhakteṣu cānyeṣu, "and he does not know the duty to others." A devotee should not be satisfied simply by elevating himself in spiritual advancement. He has got other duties also. What is that other duties? That those who are innocent, those who are not interested... Everyone is interested, but there are persons who have forgotten his relationship with God. Therefore it is the duty of the devotee to enlighten others. That is required. Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he also preached the sense of God, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is the duty of devotee. It is the duty of good son of God, but the..., those who are in the lower status, they have not developed such consciousness that "I have to preach the philosophy of God consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness to others." They are simply satisfied themselves. They go to the church or mosque or temple, offer their prayers in devotion. That's all.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.49-65 -- San Francisco, February 3, 1967:

So one who is in the second stage of development, he knows God, he loves God, and in relationship with God, he loves the devotees of the..., he makes friendship with the devotees of the God. Īśvare tad-adhīneṣu bāliśeṣu. And so far the innocents are concerned... Innocent means they are not offender, but they do not know what is God, what is his relation, ordinary man. For them, the person who in the second stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, his duty is to enlighten them. And those who are atheists, purposely against God, they should be avoided. Therefore there are four kinds of dealings for the person who is in the intermediate position. And those who are in the higher status of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they do not see anyone as against God. Their vision is that everyone is engaged in God's service. So there, there is only one vision, that everyone is engaged in God's service. They have no distinction. That is very higher stage. One should not imitate that stage.

So in the lower stage, these two gentlemen, Tapana Miśra and Candraśekhara, they are hearing the criticism against Lord Caitanya, but they are, I mean to say, placing themselves in the lower status, and they say that "We cannot bear this." Because they haven't got sufficient power to refute the arguments of the other party, therefore they are feeling sorry.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154 -- Gorakhpur, February 16, 1971:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu is quoting from Viṣṇu Purāṇa. As I have told you the other day, there are eighteen purāṇas: sattvika-purāṇa, rajasic-purāṇa, and tamasic-purāṇa. The whole scheme of Vedic culture is to reclaim all fallen conditioned souls to the platform of transcendental realization. That is the scheme. There are different status of human understanding according to the association of the qualities. The living being is just like a spark of the complete fire. Brahman is the complete fire, and the living entities are just like sparks. The equality with Param Brahman and individual living entity is on the qualitative basis. The quality is the same. Brahman, Param Brahman. Jivātmā, Brahman, spiritual, and Paramātmā, or Parameśvara. He is supreme, complete.

So Viṣṇu Purāṇa is for the persons who are on the platform of sattva-guṇa, those who are associating with the modes of goodness. This is not correct that everyone is one the same platform. Generally, at the present moment, people are in the platform of tamo-guṇa and rajo-guṇa, mixed. So one has to rise to the platform of sattva-guṇa. And then, after transcending the sattva-guṇa, also when one is situated in śuddha-sattva, or pure sattva-guṇa... In this material world, even sattva-guṇa is sometimes contacted with rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa; therefore it is not completely pure. No guṇa is pure. It is mixed-up always. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. So one has to transcend these guṇas; then God realization, or understanding of Kṛṣṇa, can be achieved. But the devotional service, vidhi-bhakti, the process of rendering devotional service to the Lord according to the prescribed regulative principles in the śāstra, helps us to transcend all these qualities.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.281-293 -- New York, December 18, 1966:

And this Brahmā is a living being, jīva-tattva. He is not Viṣṇu-tattva. Just see how much a living being can be powerful. 'Now, Brahmā was created by this Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, and Brahmā in his turn, he created all these planetary systems." There are fourteen status of planetary system, caudda bhuvana: Bhūrloka, Bhuvarloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, and similarly, there are fourteen planetary systems all over this universe.

'viṣṇu'-rūpa hañā kare jagat pālane
guṇātīta viṣṇu-sparśa nāhi māyā-sane

"Now, this Viṣṇu has nothing to do. He is not affected by this material contamination." That is the power of Viṣṇu. Just we are living entities. When we come into this material world, we become contaminated, we become affected by the influence of this material nature. But Viṣṇu, although He is looking after the management of creation of this brahmāṇḍa, He is not affected. He is not affected.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.14-20 -- New York, January 10, 1967:

Now, the Bhāgavata instructs that even a person in high status of knowledge cannot get success without being taken shelter of acyuta-bhāva. Acyuta. Acyuta means Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa's another name is Acyuta. So Acyutānanda means one who takes pleasure in Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa's name is Acyuta. Acyuta means infallible, who never falls. That is the difference between... Kṛṣṇa is Brahman. We are also Brahman, but we are not acyuta. We are cyuta. Cyuta means falling down. We have got the tendency of falling down. Kṛṣṇa never falls down; therefore His name is Acyuta. So acyuta-bhāva-varjitaṁ jñānam amalam. If you go on speculating on knowledge, but if that knowledge is minus Kṛṣṇa, then na śobhate. It will... It is not very nice thing because it will not give you the desired result. So Bhāgavata says even a man advanced in knowledge, he cannot get the desired result without acyuta-bhāva. Acyuta-bhāva means... Acyuta means Kṛṣṇa, and bhāva means His relationship, sentiment. Bhāva actually means sentiment, Kṛṣṇa sentiment. Kṛṣṇa sentiment means Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.21-28 -- New York, January 11, 1967:

In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavata, Eleventh Canto, these two verses are there. What is that? Mukha-bāhūru-pādebhyaḥ puruṣasyāśramaiḥ saha. Now, according to Vedic conception of social life, there are four divisions of social order and four divisions of spiritual order. The four divisions of social order is the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra; and spiritual order is the sannyāsī, vānaprastha, gṛhastha and brahmacārī. To become a brahmacārī means to make advance in spiritual life. And the social order is there, the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas. So it is called varṇāśrama-dharma. Actually, "Hindu," there is no such word as "Hindu" religion. We don't find in the Vedic scripture. Hindu religion... This "Hindu" word is given by the Muhammadans. They, they, they generally pronounce i as h. They... So there is river in the west, western side of India. There is river, Indus, Indus River. So Indus River the Muhammadans used to call "Hindus." From "Hindus" it has come to Hindustan, "the place of the Hindus." So Hindu, Hindu religion is a modern term given by the foreigners. Actually the Indians, bhāratīya, they, their religion is varṇāśrama-dharma, religion of four castes and four spiritual orders, four spiritual orders and four social orders. The persons who follow these four orders of social status and four orders of spiritual advancement, they are called varṇāśrama. So Hindu religion is a miscalculation. Really, they are called varṇāśrama-dharma. That is the Vedic term.

Thank you very much. (end)

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 1 -- Los Angeles, May 4, 1970:

So this is a very risky civilization. I may feel very comfortable that "I am a spiritual master," or you may think very comfortable, "I am born of a very rich nation, American," but this status of my life is temporary. I will have to change. I'll have to change. So if I do not change for the better, then my life is very risky. Suppose a healthy man, if he is in the society of contamination, is it not his life is very risky? He may be contaminated and infected by disease any moment. So this ignorance should be dissipated. Here it is said that such a devotee can properly discharge his duty of human life. Those who do not do so are eating only sins. Bhuñjate te tv aghaṁ pāpaṁ ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt (BG 3.13). Anyone who is cooking for himself... The difference of cooking here in this temple and in ordinary house is that in ordinary house they're cooking sins. The cooking, it appears that the same, "These people are also cooking," but this cooking and that cooking is different. Here there is no sin, because it is being cooked for Kṛṣṇa. Yajñārthe. Yajñārthe karmaṇo 'nyatra. Beyond this field of activities, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, everything with the laws of nature. Generally, you are being implicated in sinful activities, generally. And those who are little more cautious, they avoid sinful activities, they are pious activities.

Festival Lectures

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

What are the division? The first-class man is a brāhmaṇa, full of knowledge, spiritual knowledge; the second-class man is the administrator, maintaining the state; and a third-class man, economic development, mercantile people; and fourth-class men, they are laborer class. This is the division of the society. And there is division of spiritual advancement. What is that? That brahmacārī, the beginning of spiritual life; then gṛhastha, householder, to live just like gentleman, with responsibility with spiritual view, householder; then vānaprastha, retired life; then sannyāsa, renounced life. These are the divisions, varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. Varṇa means four division of the social system, and āśrama means four division of spiritual enlightenment.

So here it is said, "My dear brāhmaṇas, learned brāhmaṇas, according to the division of the social status and spiritual status, everyone's duty is..." What is that duty? Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya. Everyone has got particular, specific occupational duty. A brāhmaṇa has got his occupational duty. The kṣatriya has occupational duty. Similarly, brahmacārī, householder, and retired—everyone has got specific duty. That is mentioned in all the śāstras. In the Bhagavad-gītā also, that is mentioned, and in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is also mentioned. And one is to be understood what he is according to his quality and work, not by birth. When it is default, it is taken on the basis of birth. But actually, in the śāstras, or scripture, there is no question of birth. Anyone can become a brāhmaṇa, anyone can become a kṣatriya, anyone can become a sannyāsī, anyone can become a brahmacārī provided he acts according to the quality of the work.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Address -- Los Angeles, February 9, 1975:

There is Kṛṣṇa consciousness... (babies crying) Otherwise how it is happening that this place was a church and nobody was coming, so much so that they had to sell it to others? We purchased it. When I first came here to see this church, there was nobody. The place is the same. The people is the same. I have not brought men from India. Why it is crowded now? This is the proof that in everyone's heart Kṛṣṇa consciousness is there. Nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti sādhya kabhu naya. It is not artificial way of taking something sentimentally. Otherwise how in my absence all these boys and girls are maintaining the status quo very nicely? I am very glad. That is required. This is the proof that in everyone's heart there is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti sādhya kabhu naya
śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya

Udaya means awakening. It is not an artificial way of giving something, imposing something to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. No. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness is there in everyone's heart. It has to be awakened by certain process. That process is śravaṇa-kīrtana, nine different types of devotional service:

śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ
smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam
arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ
sakhyam ātma-nivedanam
(SB 7.5.23)

So anywhere... It doesn't matter, either in India or outside. People thought like that, that Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the monopoly business for the Indians or for the Hindus. They were thinking like that: "It cannot be preached. Nobody will take it." But I thought, "If Kṛṣṇa is God, why it will not be taken by everyone? It must be taken." So I was not very much hopeful to become successful. When I was in Boston port, I wrote one poetry that "I do not know why I have been brought here. How these people will take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness? As soon as I will say these four regulative principles, they will ask me to go away." (laughter)

Initiation Lectures

Initiation of Lokanatha dasa -- New Vrindaban, May 21, 1969:

So the spirit soul can speak when he is Kṛṣṇa conscious; otherwise he is covered. His speaking power is stopped. Just like an unconscious man is without any consciousness, but he has got the life—the soul is there—similarly, in the other species of life, although the soul is there, it is not, the soul is not speaking. The outward, the influence of the soul... (aside:) What is this? That means the soul is not manifested there fully. Labdhvā sudurlabham (SB 11.9.29). That is being manifested from aquatic life to plant life, then in insect life, then bird's life, then beast's life, at last human life. Out of human life, there are civilized life, uncivilized life. And out of the civilized life, there are atheists and theists, and those who are actually developed conscious. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The consciousness is developing from the lowest status of living condition, aquatic, then plants, trees, then insects, flying insects, then birds, then four-legged beasts, so many, then two hands, two legs, gorilla. Similarly, human, uncivilized, then civilized, Aryans, then our Vedic knowledge. In this way consciousness is increasing. That is real evolutionary theory. Darwin has simply taken some imaginative... He might have taken from Padma-Purāṇa. In Padma-Purāṇa these are very nicely explained, how many species of life are there. They have given account: "So many species in water." Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi: "Nine hundred thousand species in water." Sthavarā lakṣa-viṁśati: "Trees and plants, there are two millions." Exact number. Now, if you are scientists, if you are botanist, if you are physiologist, you can try it and see. But these are already there. Mānuṣāḥ catur-lakṣāṇi: "The human species, there are also 400,000's." So out of this, the Aryan family, the civilized man, the Aryan families are understood to be the highest civilized... (end)

Detroit Initiations -- Detroit, July 18, 1971:

Hiraṇyagarbha. Hiraṇyagarbha is Lord Brahmā's name. Or Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu's name. Generally Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu's. Hiraṇyagarbha dāsa. That's all right.

Then, next. Where is...? No neck bead? How is that? Where is neck bead? Huh? Oh, these things are not good. It must be well equipped. Otherwise, what is the meaning of initiation? Give... No neck bead? Go on. First of all get neck beads. Who is next? You have got neck beads? That's all right. Viśvakarmā. Viśvakarmā is the engineer of this universe. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya. You know what are the rules and regulations? That's right.

Next? Come on. Dineśvara. Dineśvara is the name of sun, sun-god. Come on. We are all dāsa, not the person. When you call "Kṛṣṇa," "Kṛṣṇa" means Kṛṣṇa dāsa. When you call Dineśvara, Dineśvara, means Dineśvara's servant. Our position is always servant. Dāsa-anudāsa (CC Madhya 13.80). Servant of the servant, servant of the servant, the more, the more you become on the lower status of servant, our position is greater. This is...

Initiation Lecture -- Toronto, June 17, 1976:

One living entity is the life for another living entity. Ahastāni sahastānām. There are animals, two-legged animals, and there are four-legged animals. The four-legged animals is the food for the two-legged animals. So long we remain as animals, then there is the necessity of eating meat. Ahastāni sahastānām. Hasta means hands. So those who are living like animals, only two legs. The other animals, four legs, and here is an animal of two legs, dvipad-paśu. For them, the animal is eatable, āmiṣa-madya sevā. And drinking wine, or intoxication, and vyavāya, sex life. Loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya sevayā nityastu jantu. So long he is jantu, these things are required. Pravṛttir eṣā bhūtānāṁ nivṛttis tu mahā-phalā. That is general tendency. But when one gives up voluntarily for higher status of life, that is called nivṛtti-mārga. Pravṛtti-mārga and nivṛtti-mārga. Pravṛtti-mārga means to fulfill these desires, āmiṣa vyavāya madya sevā. But when one is trained up to give up these habits, that is called nirvrtti-mārga. So we have got so many pravṛttis, inclinations. But when you voluntarily give up all these nonsense habits, that is called nivṛtti-mārga and tapasya.

Initiation Lecture -- Hyderabad, August 22, 1976:

So this brahma-jijñāsā, if one is actually interested in brahma-jijñāsā, then he requires a guru. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). If one is actually interested. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). So guru is required for one who is actually interested in the highest status of life. Those who are like cats and dogs, they do not require guru. A dog does not require. He knows very well how to eat, how to sleep, how to have sex life, how to defend. That does not require any guru. By nature all animals know it. So the human life has got special knowledge, special advancement of consciousness. He can understand. So if he is refused or if he is kept in darkness, as it is being done by the modern civilization... Everyone is being kept on the platform of eating, sleeping, sex and defending. That's all. This is going on in the name of humanity, nationality and so on. But the business is the same. The business is the same: eating, sleeping, mating and defending, as the cats and dogs are doing. In a different way only. The dogs, they enjoy sex life on the street without any shame, and if a human being arranges for the same purpose, nice apartment, sixth-floor building and all... But the purpose is the same. Eating is the same. No. Beyond this one has to go. Therefore the Vedic injunction is tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12).

General Lectures

Lecture Engagement -- Montreal, June 15, 1968:

So that person who is thinking within that "It is my hand, it is my head, it is my leg, it is my pant, it is my coat," that you are. So have you seen that thing? You have seen your father, you have seen your mother or you have seen your son. But have you seen the real father who is within the body of the father? Have you seen the real son which is in the body of the son? No. Then your whole conception of education, your whole conception of living condition and problems—in the false world. Therefore this movement is required at the present moment in the world. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). This will cleanse the status of your mental condition. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam. And as soon as you understand yourself, then the whole problem—social, political, economical—everything will be solved. Bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁ śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇam. And gradually you shall realize your transcendental life. Your transcendental life is joyful. Ānanda-mayo 'bhyāsāt. Transcendental life means always full of joy, joyful. That is our nature. We are hankering after joyful life, but we do not know where to hanker, how to get it. By nature we are joyful. It is said in the Vedānta-sūtra, ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt: (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12) "By nature a living entity is joyful." But my joyfulness is covered by this material understanding. So I have to remove this material understanding; then again I shall become joyful.

Lecture Excerpt -- Montreal, July 18, 1968:

Cloud cannot cover the sun. There may be a cloud overcast in the sky for hundred miles, but even hundred miles, is it possible to cover the sun, hundred miles cloud? The sun is itself so many hundreds of thousand times more than this earth. So māyā cannot cover the Supreme Brahman. Māyā can cover the small particles Brahman. So we may become covered by māyā or cloud, but the Supreme Brahman is never covered by māyā. That is the difference of opinion between Māyāvāda philosophy and Vaiṣṇava philosophy. The Māyāvāda philosophy says that the Supreme is covered. The Supreme cannot be covered. Then how He becomes supreme? The covering becomes supreme. Oh, there are so many arguments and so many... But we follow that the cloud covers the small particles of sunshine. But sun remains as it is. And we practically see also when we go by jet plane, we are over the cloud. There is no cloud outside. Sun is clear. In the lower status there is some cloud. If you go thousands of miles up, we don't see any cloud. Everything sunshine. Is there any question?

Lecture Excerpt -- Montreal, July 18, 1968:

There are stages, stages of God realization. Brahman realization is the first realization of God. Just like if you want to go to the... If you come to the light, sunshine, your first experience is the sunshine. But if you go still further, you..., if you are able to enter into the sun planet, that is another stage. And if you can find out the predominating deity in the sun planet, that is another stage. Similarly, the Brahman means you come out of the darkness of ignorance or māyā. That is Brahman realization. But if you go further, then you realize Supersoul, Paramātmā. And if you go further, then you realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). The... Just like the same example, the sunshining, sun and the sun-god, they are one and the same. But when you are in the sunshine, you cannot say that you are seeing the sun-god. That will be mistake. But one who is in association with the sun-god, he's already in the sun planet, he is in front of the sun-god, and he is in sunshine. Is that clear? Yes. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate. Advaya-jñāna. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam (SB 1.2.11). Advayam, that light, is everywhere. Either sunshine or sun planet or sun-god, there is light. There is no darkness. Similarly, either you remain in the impersonal Brahman or absorbed in Paramātmā or in association with the Supreme Personality, it is all spiritual stage. But when you compare, then a person who is in direct touch with sun-god, he's far superior than the person who is in the sunlight. He cannot claim equal status. Sunlight may be possible within your room. That does not mean that you are associating with the sun-god.

Lecture Excerpt -- Montreal, July 20, 1968:

The activities are not eternal; they are temporary. You have got this temporary American body. You are thinking American. You are busy twenty-four hours as American. I am Indian. Or these boys... The boy's activities are different, the woman's activities are different, man's activities are different, the Russian's activities are different, and American's activities, different. All different activities. So therefore activities are temporary. Temporary, according to the time, according to the atmosphere, according to the body, the activities are... Just like the dog, unnecessarily running this side, this side. He thinks that "I am very busy." He is very busy. He is businessman. But you are calling, "A nonsense dog is running here and there." Similarly, all these activities by your motorcar, they may think it is very important, but those who are in higher status, they are thinking like dog is going this side, that side, this side, that side. So the activities are temporary.

So we have to find out our eternal life, our eternal activities, our eternal place, and eternal bliss. Those things are explained in the Bhagavad-gītā and further explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And that is, we are moving as Kṛṣṇa consciousness... (break) A sane man should take very serious view of this movement and it should be pushed all over the world. Otherwise you remain in darkness. You never become guḍākeśa. You remain in guḍāka. Never īśa. Guḍāka-īśa, guḍākeśa. Guḍāka means darkness, and īśa means master. So you remain in guḍāka, but not guḍākeśa. So if you want to become guḍākeśa, master of this ignorance, then surrender to Kṛṣṇa. You'll get it.

Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Seattle, September 25, 1968:

Yes. Here is one point. He says that "You have liberated me. Now let me know what is my duty." This is very important point. The Māyāvādī philosopher, they think that liberation is the ultimate goal. Just like in Buddha philosophy, the nirvāṇa. Nirvāṇa means annihilation of material existence. Nirvāṇa. They think that as soon as there is annihilation of this material existence, that is the final goal. The Māyāvādī philosopher or the impersonalist, they think that not only to get freedom from this material existence, but to remain in spiritual status, jñānam, simply in the knowledge that "I am spirit soul. I am merged into the spirit soul," that is their goal. But here, the Sanātana Gosvāmī, he belongs to the Vaiṣṇava philosophy. He says, "Now what is my duty?" That means after liberation it is not that everything is void or activity is stopped. No. Actually activity begins after liberation. At the present moment our activities are not liberated activities. At the present moment all our activities are conditional, but actually I am not... Because I am spirit soul, therefore I'm not under material condition. But somehow or other, I am now put into material conditions. This is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). When one is actually liberated, brahma-bhūtaḥ, that is called brahma-bhūtaḥ. When one is not liberated he's called jīva-bhūtaḥ. Just like we are, ordinary living entities, we are under designations, and in the concept of this body, we are thinking everything. But actually I am not this body. I am not matter. I am a spirit soul. When this understanding comes, that is the point of liberation. And after that liberation, actual duty begins. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā also.

Lecture -- Seattle, September 27, 1968:

Yes. The Lord and the devotee, they are on the same status. Every one of them. Lord, His name, His form, His quality, His associates, His paraphernalia. Everything, they are absolute. Nāma guṇa rūpa līlā pari... And pastimes. Just like we are hearing about Kṛṣṇa, so this is nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa. When there is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, this Hare Kṛṣṇa, this vibration, is not different from Kṛṣṇa. Everything is absolute. Therefore pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa is nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa. This is simultaneously one and different. Acintya-bhedābheda-tattva. This philosophy has to be understood, that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Person energetic, and everything, what we see, what we experience, they are all different energies of Kṛṣṇa. And the energy and the energetic cannot be separated. Therefore they are all on the absolute platform. Simply when it is covered by māyā or ignorance, it is different. That's all.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 4, 1968:

So there is competition. The more you serve Kṛṣṇa, the more He accepts you and the more He gives you intelligence. You see? So the spiritual world is unlimited. There is no end of service, and there is no end of accepting the service. It is not that. So eagerness. Tatra laulyam eka mūlyam. I am not manufacturing the answer, but I am giving you evidence from Rūpa Gosvāmī, our ācārya. He says, kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā matiḥ krīyatāṁ yadi kuto 'pi labhyate: "My dear gentlemen, my dear boys and girls, if you can purchase a..., your sense of loving Kṛṣṇa—'How I can love Kṛṣṇa more and more'—this, this much, this anxiety, if you can purchase this matiḥ,"—means intelligence; it is very nice intelligence—" 'How I shall serve Kṛṣṇa...' " Kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā matiḥ. Matiḥ means intelligence or status of mind, that "I'll serve Kṛṣṇa." "If you can purchase this status of mind anywhere, please immediately purchase." Then next question will be, "All right, I shall purchase. What is the price, do you know?" "Yes, I know what is the price." "What is that price?" "Laulyam, simply your eagerness, that's all." Laulyam ekaṁ mūlyam. "Ah, that I can have." No. Na janma koṭibhis sukṛtibhir labhyate. This eagerness, how to love Kṛṣṇa, this is not available even after many, many births. So if you have a pinch of that anxiety, "How I can serve Kṛṣṇa?" you must know you are the most fortunate man. A pinch only, laulya, this anxiety, "How I can serve Kṛṣṇa?" it is very nice. Then Kṛṣṇa will give you intelligence.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 11, 1968:

Just like... I will explain. Now, how this change of body is being done? That change of body is being done according to your mentality. Just like here you have got different dresses, different features, different modes of life, all these boys and girls and ladies and gentlemen who are sitting. Why? Due to different modes of mind. Somebody likes to keep hair, somebody like to cleanse hair. Why? This difference. Difference due to mind. So according to your mind at the time of your death, the position, the status of your mind will give you a next body. So if your mind is God conscious, then you get your body next like God. And if your mind is dog conscious, then you get your body, next body, a dog. So it is a question of training your mind so that at the point of death if you keep yourself Kṛṣṇa conscious mind, then you get as good a body like Kṛṣṇa. This is the whole philosophy. And Kṛṣṇa's body is sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1), full of bliss, full of knowledge, eternal. So we are hankering after eternal body, blissful body, and full of knowledge. That should be the destination. That is our aim. So to fulfill that aim, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is very nice thing.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 18, 1968:

That I've explained many times: a pocket dictionary and international dictionary. You cannot say that pocket dictionary is no dictionary, but it is meant for a certain class of student. And international dictionary is meant for a certain class of student. They are all student. Was Christ... What was spoken by Christ, that is also God consciousness, but that was meant for a certain class of men. And what class of men they were? They're not even perfectly civilized. Because Christ was explaining God consciousness, that was his fault, and they crucified him. What class of men they were? Judge. His only fault was that he was explaining God, and they crucified him. The reward was crucifixion. So what kind of class of men they were? The status of that society, just try to understand. Therefore what spoke..., what was spoken by Lord Jesus Christ, for them, that was sufficient. But when Bhagavad-gītā is spoken to a person like Arjuna, that is different thing. So we have to speak according to the time, according to the circumstances, according to the audience. Don't you see that here only a few persons are attending? Why? They cannot understand this Kṛṣṇa science, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is not meant for all classes of men. It is highest standard of God consciousness. Love. Love of God. So there is also teachings of love of God, undoubtedly. That is the difference. The same thing.

Lecture -- New York, April 16, 1969:

Therefore the activities of this body is not all. And as there are different types of body, as we have come to this body, this status of body, passing through many, many types of abominable body—aquatics, beasts, trees, plants, microbes, reptiles, so many... Repeatedly we have said, 8,400,000's of bodies. So this is an opportunity. This life, this human form of life, is an opportunity to make further progress. It is not that after this human body is finished, then there is no life. This misconception, this misleading philosophy, that after death there is nothing, void, is killing the human civilization. Is killing practically. They do not know "What is my next life?" The next life is there. As there are, you can see so many varieties of planets, so there are lives also, different grades of lives, different standard of life. Take for example the moon planet. What do they know about moon? They are trying to reach there by some mechanical means. That is not possible. Anyway, even if it is possible, one should know what is the standard of life there. That you can get from Vedic literature. There is very vivid description.

Northeastern University Lecture -- Boston, April 30, 1969:

My dear boys and girls, I thank you very much for attending this meeting. We are spreading this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement because there is a great need of this movement through the whole world, and the process is very easy. That is the advantage. First of all, try to understand what is the transcendental platform. So far our living condition is concerned, we are in different platforms. So we have to first of all stand on the transcendental platform. Then there is question of transcendental meditation. In the Bhagavad-gītā, in the Third Chapter, you'll find that we have got different status of conditional life. The first is indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur... (BG 3.42). Sanskrit, indriyāṇi. First thing is bodily conception of life. Every one of us in this material world, we are under this bodily concept of life. I am thinking Indian, "I am Indian." You are thinking you are American. Somebody's thinking, "I am Russian." Somebody's thinking, "I am somebody else." So everyone is thinking that "I am this body." This is one standard, or one platform. This platform is called sensual platform because so long we have bodily conception of life, we think happiness means sense gratification. That's all.

Lecture at International Student Society -- Boston, May 3, 1969:

As you can see, the difference of body and mind between animal and human being. Is there no difference? Do you think animal body and human body and human consciousness and animal consciousness is the same? So you have to elevate yourself. As you have elevated yourself from animal consciousness, animal body, to this beautiful human body, similarly, you have to still more elevate yourself to higher standard of life. They are called demigods. But the final stage is to get a body which is called spiritual body in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness. That is the perfection of... This evolutionary process is going on. As you have come up so much to this civilized form of life from animal status, similarly, you can still make progress. But in the Bhagavad-gītā it is recommended that by progressing, you may go to the topmost planet of this universe. Ā-brahma-bhuvanāl-lokāḥ (BG 8.16). That is called Brahmaloka or Satyaloka. But everywhere the four problems of birth, death, old age, and disease are there. But if you come to the spiritual sky and the planets there, then there is no more death, birth, old age, and disease. Life eternal, full of knowledge, and blissful life. That should be attained, that should be endeavored in this human form of life, setting aside all others. That should be the business of human life.

Address to Indian Association -- Columbus, May 11, 1969:

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu was not a fool, but Vedānta is not for fool. It requires sufficient education, sufficient status. Then one can understand Vedānta. In each and each code, each word, there are volumes of meaning, and there are many commentation, commentary by Śaṅkarācārya, commentary by Rāmānujācārya, commentary by..., big, big volumes in Sanskrit language. So how one will understand Vedānta? It is not possible. It may be possible for one person or two persons to understand what is Vedānta, but for the mass of people it is not possible; neither it is possible to practice yoga. Therefore this Caitanya Mahāprabhu's method, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa... He says, the first installment of gain will be ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam: (CC Antya 20.12) All the dirty things from your heart will be cleansed simply by chanting. You chant. There is no expenditure; there is no loss. But as we are chanting, if you kindly chant... You just do it for one week, and you see how much you progress in spiritual knowledge. We are getting many students. Simply by chanting, they are understanding the whole philosophy. They are giving up their bad habits, they are becoming purified, so many things. They are practical. This Society, movement, is started practically not more than two years, 1966, and we have got so many branches. The American boys and girls, they are taking it very seriously and do it very nicely. They are following all rules and regulation, and they are happy. Ask any one of them.

Address to Indian Association -- Columbus, May 11, 1969:

As soon as your heart is cleansed of all dirty things, then all the problems of material existence immediately solved. Bhava-mahā-dāvāgni. It has been compared with dāvāgni. Dāvāgni means the blazing fire in the forest. In this material existence, nobody wants unhappiness, but it comes, forced, by force. That is the law of material nature. Nobody wants that there may be fire, but especially in this country, wherever in a city we go, the fire brigade is always active. You see? Nobody wants fire, but the fire brigade is active. Yes. There is fire. Similarly, nobody wants so many things. Nobody wants death; there is death. Nobody wants disease; there is disease. Nobody wants old age; oh, there is old age—against my, against my desire. We should have to think that what is the status of this material existence. This human form of life is meant for understanding. The human form of life is not meant for wasting the valuable life like cats and dogs in the matter of eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. That is not advancement of civilization. The Bhāgavata says that "This body is not meant for working very hard simply for sense gratification. No." Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye: (SB 5.5.1) "To work very hard and satisfy oneself by sense gratification, that is the business of the hogs or dogs, not for human being." The human being, tapa, they should learn tapasya. And especially in India so many great sages, so many great kings, and so many brahmacārīs, sannyāsīs, they passed their life in great tapasya, not to go further. Just see Lord Buddha.

Lecture with Allen Ginsberg at Ohio State University -- Columbus, May 12, 1969:

Then the next stage is samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Then you can see everything, or every living entity, on the equal status. People are trying to come to that platform of oneness, but that is only possible when you come to the spiritual platform, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In the material platform it is not possible. Practically we see the United Nations, they are trying to come to oneness of all nations, but they failed. Simply the flags are increasing. Instead of being united, we are increasing our flags. So if you want actually oneness, then you have (to) come to that platform of brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54)—prasannātmā, joyfulness. Everyone is hankering after joyfulness. How that joyfulness can be attained? That is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says,

sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhokṣaje
ahaituky apratihatā
yayātmā suprasīdati
(SB 1.2.6)

Ātmā means soul, your self. We are, every one of us, hankering after that peace and tranquillity. How it is possible? Bhāgavata says, yayātmā suprasīdati. Suprasīdati means completely becomes satisfied. How it is possible? Now, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ: "That is the first-class occupational duty by which you develop your love of God." That is first class. The test of religion... Every religion has got some conception of God. That's all right. But if by following the principles of that religion, if you see that you are developing your love for God, then that is first class. Otherwise, Bhāgavata says, it is simply wasting time laboring.

Lecture -- London, September 26, 1969:

You cannot find anyone in this material world as the richest of all. No. Somebody will come who is richer than him, and somebody will come out who is, I mean to say, poorer than him. Any position you stand, you'll find somebody greater and somebody lesser. Even in the lowest stage of life also, you'll find somebody is lesser. In any capacity, either in richness or in knowledge or in beauty or in strength—in so many things we have got. So everyone cannot be placed on the same level, not only materially, but also spiritually. If you say that "This higher status, lower status, are calculated in the material world; in the spiritual world there is no such distinction," that is partially true. In the spiritual world there is no such distinction, but that spiritual distinction is not exactly like material distinction. That distinction is of consciousness, varieties of consciousness. That distinction.

So in the higher status of life, when this distinction is not recognized or cannot be understood, that is called impersonal status, Brahman. Nirviśeṣa-brahman—Brahman realization without any distinction. This realization of Brahman, impersonal realization, is the beginning of self-realization. That is not final or ultimate. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there is a statement about the Absolute Truth. What is the Absolute Truth? That it is stated, Absolute... Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam (SB 1.2.11). "Those who are actually in knowledge of the Absolute Truth, they speak of the Absolute Truth in this way." What is that? Advaya-jñānam: nondual. There is no duality. Although there is variety, but there is no duality. Here in the material world, as soon as there is variety, there is duality. But in the spiritual world, there is variety, but there is no duality.

Lecture at Harvard University -- Boston, December 24, 1969:

Su-medhasaḥ, this Sanskrit word, means intelligent persons. Medhas. Medhas means brain substance, one who has got very good brain substance. The brain substance... According to psychology, there is difference of brain substance. Not the brain substance equally, of equal weight, in every man's brain. You know, you are all educated students, psychology students. In our boyhood when we were a student in psychology class, Dr. Urquhart explained this brain substance. The man has got the highest brain substance—not all—up to sixty-four ounce. And woman has got the highest up to thirty-six or thirty-four. Of course, we are not discussing that point. Our movement is a spiritual movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is beyond brain. Indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ, manasas tu parā buddhir (BG 3.42). So there are different platforms and status of consciousness. Bodily consciousness means sensual consciousness. Above that, there is mental consciousness, speculative, philosophical, poetic. Above that, intellectual consciousness. And Kṛṣṇa consciousness—above intellectual consciousness.

Lecture at Harvard University -- Boston, December 24, 1969:

Student (8): Would it not be better if intellectual (indistinct) and would it not be better for them to leave the father and devote their status, instead, to the Lord?(?)

Prabhupāda: Of course, in the beginning I said that there is no question of changing your position. In whatever position you are, either you are a student or a lawyer or something else, you can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and realize yourself. We don't recommend that you change your position. That is not our recommendation. But if you can (be) fully devoted in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is very nice. But don't do it whimsically. There will be a mature platform when you can do that. Just like I was a family man, I was living with my family. I have got my wife, sons, daughters, grandchildren. So in this old age I left them. So I'm not in difficulty although I am alone. I came in your country alone. That's a long history. So that dependence on God, when you actually develop, then you can give up everything, depend only on God. But don't do it by whimsically. No. That will not do. You stay in your position, realize yourself, then time will come when God will dictate you, "You can do..., become free from all obligation." So please join with us in the kīrtana. (kīrtana) (end)

Lecture to International Student Society -- Boston, December 28, 1969:

So the whole process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is transferring the business from matter to spirit, or Kṛṣṇa. There is a nice definition how to execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness in the Nārada Pañcarātra. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). If we become freed from all these designations... "I am American," this is a designation. "I am Indian," this is a designation. I am not Indian, you are not American. We are all parts and parcel of the Supreme. This is only dress. It does not mean because I am in this saffron colored dress and you are in black coat or green coat, there is difference between you and me. We are all human beings. Similarly, we have to understand that this body is our dress only. Because we have got a different dress, a black dress or white dress or Indian dress or American dress, that does not mean we are different. When we can feel in that way, when we are trained in that way, that is called sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). He is freed from all designations. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam. That time he becomes purified, nirmalam. So long I have got identification that "I am this," "I am that," "I am that..." Simply when I shall understand that "I am part and parcel of God," that means, that status of mind is called nirmalam, without any contamination. And when you are in that status of life... That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. This is called brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). Brahma-bhūtaḥ means self-realization. And the symptom will be prasannātmā, joyfulness, without any anxiety.

Lecture -- Bombay, November 2, 1970:

So vidyā-vinaya-sampanne gavi hastini (BG 5.18). And one side, the brāhmaṇa with gentle behavior, learned scholarship, then the other side an animal, say, a cow or a dog or a elephant. And another side, the caṇḍāla, the lowest of the human society. According to Vedic civilization, the dog-eaters are called caṇḍāla. Just like in Hindu society a person is not permitted to eat cow's flesh. Even in human society, although they are eating different types of flesh, one is considered abominable than the other. The cow-eaters are taken as abominable than the goat-eaters, and the dog-eaters are accepted as abominable than the goat-eaters. So although they are eating flesh, they have got some distinction. That is material. But according to Vaiṣṇava philosophy... Because a Vaiṣṇava sees every living entity, not only human being, not only animals, birds and beasts, anyone, paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). If one is actually learned and advanced, he sees all living entities on the equal status. Because, the reason is that a learned Vaiṣṇava... Vaiṣṇava, brāhmaṇa-Vaiṣṇava, brāhmaṇa-paṇḍita—these are the designations. A brāhmaṇa cannot be illiterate or rascal. And after becoming brāhmaṇa, one has to become Vaiṣṇava. Brāhmaṇa, generally... Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ, one who knows Brahman, brahma-bhūtaḥ. At the present moment, we are under the bodily concept of life, every one of us. "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya," "I am sannyāsī," "I am brahmacārī," "I am gṛhastha." There are so many designations. So these designations are pertaining to the body and mind. But when you transcend the bodily and the mental concept of life, then you can become Vaiṣṇava.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, January 14, 1973:

According to Vedic civilization, the dog-eaters are called caṇḍāla. Just like in Hindu society, a person is not permitted to eat cow's flesh. Even in human society, although they are eating different types of flesh, one is considered abominable than the other. The cow-eaters are taken as abominable than the goat-eaters. And the dog-eaters are accepted as abominable than the goat-eaters. So although they are eating flesh, they have got some distinction. That is material. But according to Vaiṣṇava philosophy, because a Vaiṣṇava sees every living entity, not only human being, not only animals, birds and beasts, anyone, paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ... (BG 5.18). If one is actually learned and advanced, he sees all living entities on the equal status because... The reason is that a learned Vaiṣṇava... Vaiṣṇava, brāhmaṇa-Vaiṣṇava, brāhmaṇa-paṇḍita, these are the designations. A brāhmaṇa cannot be illiterate or rascal. And after becoming brāhmaṇa, one has to become Vaiṣṇava. Brāhmaṇa, generally, brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. One who knows brahma, brahma-bhūtaḥ... At the present moment we are under the bodily concept of life, every one of us. "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya," "I am sannyāsī," "I am brahmacārī," "I am gṛhastha..." There are so many designations. So these designations are pertaining to the body and mind. But when you transcend the bodily and the mental concept of life, then you can become Vaiṣṇava.

Life Member House Lecture -- Hyderabad, April 14, 1975:

To serve māyā means to continue this material existence one after another. Now I've got this body, you've got this body, and if we do not change our attitude to serve Kṛṣṇa, then we get again next body. There are 8,400,000 different forms of body. We can see. There are so many trees, plants, insects, animals. They're all living entities. Also there are nice body—Americans, Europeans, beautiful body, or demigod's body. There are different bodies, eight million... So long we shall remain māyā-dāsa, we have to change this body one after another. It may be of higher standard or it may be of lower standard. That will depend on my work. Karmaṇā daiva netreṇa jantor deha upapattaye (SB 3.31.1). This is the philosophy, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You are... We are not independent. We are completely under the control of material nature, and we get different types of bodies on account of associating with different modes of material nature. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa saṅga asya sad-asad janma yoniṣu (BG 13.22). Sat, asat, there are two kinds of status quo, sat and asat. Sat means nice, or eternal, and asat means not very nice. So either you can get the body of the human society or you can get a body in the hog society, dog society. But the activities of the hogs and dogs and human being, if it is carried on in ignorance, eating, sleeping, mating... Then there is no difference. There is no difference. There is no difference to become a hog or to become a man. A man is also eating; hog is also eating according to one's taste. The man is also sleeping; the hog is also sleeping, according to the position. So that does not make any difference between a human being and a hog. But at the present moment we are taken this civilization that hog is eating stool, and if we are eating very nice plate, then you're civilized.

Departure Talks

Conversation -- Hawaii, June 20, 1975:

That is natural. Nūnaṁ mahatāṁ tatra. Mahat means bigger and more powerful, and nunam means there are less powerful. So everyone is less powerful than God. Then why don't you serve God? That is the perfection. You have to serve somebody strong. You cannot avoid it. Just study all status of society, animal society or human society. The law is that the stronger is dominating the weaker. That is the law. You cannot avoid it. So wherefrom this idea came unless it is in God? Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). All ideas come from the Supreme. That is the law, that the strong predominate over the weak. So who can be stronger than God? So this is our natural position, to serve God.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson:

Hayagrīva: I put "head" there.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is the real purpose of human life. Nature gives him the opportunity in the evolutionary process to get the human form of body. Now, here is a chance. He can read books, he can read Vedas, he can take instruction from the spiritual master. These opportunities are there. So that should be encouraged. That is human civilization. Simply to keep him in darkness, and that he is body and bodily necessities of life is the only business, it is a very suicidal civilization. That is not civilization. It is animal status of life.

Hayagrīva: Within the world Bergson sees nothing but constant, unceasing change. He even sees ego change. He says, "If our existence were composed of separate states with an impassive ego to unite them, for us there would be no duration, for an ego which does not change does not endure, and a psychic state which remains the same so long as it is not replaced by the following state does not endure either." So he sees the psychic state of the individual in the ego and all that the ego contains as cognitively changing.

Prabhupāda: This is false ego, that "I am this body." So it has to be changed by education, that "You are not this body." Then when he understands that he is spirit soul, then the activities of the spirit soul begin, mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām (BG 18.54). That is stated in Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, that first of all he has to understand that he is not this material body; he is spirit soul. That is the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). Within this body the soul is there, and that soul is Brahman, spiritual. People, if they do not understand this, so they are in the animal status of life. But if he understands that he is not this body, then his struggle for existence, to maintain the body, stops. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). That it is, when he understands that he is not this body, then his unnecessary endeavor to keep the body in comfortable position without the, without executing the business of spiritual life, then he is kept in darkness. So when one understands that he is spirit soul, so how to elevate the spirit soul to the highest perfection, that will be the main business. So that is wanted. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54).

Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey:

Hayagrīva: He writes, "According to the religious and philosophic tradition of Europe, the valid status of all the highest values, the good, true and beautiful, was bound up with their being properties of ultimate and supreme being, namely God. All went well as long as what passed for natural science gave no offense to this conception. Trouble began when science ceased to disclose in the objects of knowledge the possession of any such properties. Then some roundabout method had to be devised for substantiating them." In other words, science began to investigate the phenomenal universe without admitting the proprietorship of anyone, of God, and this brings a breakdown in morality and value. So Dewey attempts to reassemble these shattered values in a philosophical way, but he, like science, attempts to do so without recognizing the proprietorship of an ultimate and supreme being.

Prabhupāda: That is another lunacy, because everything has a proprietor. So why this big cosmic manifestation will not have a proprietor? To accept the proprietor is natural, and that is logical. And not to accept a proprietor, that is lunacy. How it can be possible? Just like we give this example: We are standing on the land. We know that there is government, there is proprietor. And a few yards after, when this ocean begins, how we can think of that the ocean has no proprietor, no government? How any philosopher and man having logic can believe it? What is the answer?

Philosophy Discussion on Arthur Schopenhauer:

Prabhupāda: He does not know. That is his goal.

Śyāmasundara: He says... I'll read a statement of his. He says that "The will forces a person to remain alive, even when there is nothing for which to live. It impels him to live and suffer another day, even when there is no hope or promise of any pleasant future prospects. It is like the alms which the beggar receives from life today, that he may hunger again on the morrow. For all men, irrespective of their status, the essence of life is misery and frustration."

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is a good point, but why he is hankering after something? Why he is hankering after...? He is being frustrated.

Śyāmasundara: The will. The will is...

Prabhupāda: Therefore the conclusion is: there is a goal. He is hankering after that goal. But he has not as yet approached that goal, achieved that goal. Therefore, to understand what is that goal, one should approach a spiritual master. Tad vijñānātaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet.

Philosophy Discussion on Edmund Husserl:

Prabhupāda: Then next mystery will be: there is somebody who is better than you.

Śyāmasundara: He comes to that conclusion.

Prabhupāda: Then it is better to consult that better than you. Why you shall go down to the animal status?

Śyāmasundara: No. He says that we are above the animal status because we can understand what we are.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Now how you become more than the animal status?

Śyāmasundara: Well, that he doesn't deal with.

Prabhupāda: So the conclusion should be: as I am better than the animal status, therefore somebody there is who is better than me. Is it not good to suggest like that?

Śyāmasundara: He says that the transcendental ego is better than the...

Prabhupāda: So why not ask the transcendental ego? Why you speculate?

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Śyāmasundara: Yes. He says that unconscious part of our mind is dangerous, infantile, animalistic. But Jung says that the unconscious can also be positive and helpful to the growth of our personality, that it can be an asset to understand this unconscious life.

Prabhupāda: But I think that the subconscious status as it is covered by the present consciousness, similarly, it can be covered by Kṛṣṇa consciousness, so that those subconscious states will be no longer able to react.

Śyāmasundara: He sees a positive or creative function of this unconscious...

Prabhupāda: Just like the other day I was citing the śloka of Yamunācārya about sex life. The subconscious status is there, sex life, but because he has got Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is spiting on it. That means the subconscious state cannot overcome. So our policy is that you become fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, and then all the subconscious status which is gathered for life after life, and they are stored, they are in stock, they will not be able to overcome.

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Śyāmasundara: These psychologists like Jung, all have different processes for finding out a person's unconscious mind. For instance, interpreting his dreams, or by sometimes they put a picture, they say, "How do you look at this picture? What do you see in this picture?"

Prabhupāda: But he does not know what is the standard status of the mind. He doesn't know. Even the psychiatrist, he is also not in sane mind. "Physician heal thyself." Because he's identifying himself with this body, so he is also insane. So that treatment will not perfect. How a diseased man can become a physician? Therefore the English word is, "Physician heal thyself."

Śyāmasundara: So this Jung sees a positive aspect of psychology, not just the negative aspect, whereas Freud saw that the goal of psychology was to restrict or reach (indistinct) these powerful, primitive instincts then to mitigate troublesome symptoms, which is a rather pessimistic or negative philosophy. Jung says that man is capable of changing positively into something better by the use of psychology.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Otherwise why he was making this propaganda unless there is chance that we will be better? And actually we see they are becoming better.

Philosophy Discussion on Plato:

Prabhupāda: That means he believes in eternity. This loss of senses, that is we also accept that there are three stages: jāgrati, awakening, and sleeping and deep sleeping. So deep sleeping means unconsciousness. So when a man dies from awakening state, he enters into the dreaming state and then enters into the deep sleeping state. So transmigration of the soul means he gives up this gross body, and the subtle body, mind, intelligence carries him to the another body, and in another body, unless the body is prepared properly, he lives in deep sleep. And when the body is prepared at seven months for human being, then he comes to consciousness. He feels, "Oh, why I am put into this packed-up status." If he is pious he feels very uncomfortable. He prays to God—these things are described—that "Kindly excuse me from this awkward position. Now this time I shall become a devotee." This is position. The soul is immortal, but still he enters into different stages of life. Then when he comes out, the same different stages of body continues. In childhood he is something different from his boyhood; boyhood something different from youthhood; and he is the same, but he is passing through different... That is called evolution. So when he comes to the perfect stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then his life is successful. Just like a flower, in the bud stage, in the fructified stage, in the blooming stage, and when it is fully bloomed it looks very nice, beautiful. Similarly, when by gradual development when you come to the stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then our whole beauty is revealed.

Hayagrīva: He also stressed the process of remembering. It's called the, his, Plato's doctrine of recollection. And he says you can ask a boy, who may be ignorant of a subject, you can elicit answers from him, and this answers, he may give you the right answers, and this would suggest that he acquired this knowledge in a previous existence.

Philosophy Discussion on Origen:
Prabhupāda: So up to the animal bodily concept of life, one is unable to understand his spiritual identity. But in the civilized form of life, when the society is divided into eight divisions, varṇa and āśrama-four varṇas and four āśramas-brahman, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, four varṇas, brahmacārī, and gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsī... So a brāhmaṇa from the social status, when he becomes elevated to the position of a sannyāsī, that is the highest perfectional stage in this material world, and at that stage only he can realize his original constitutional position and he acts accordingly, and thus he becomes delivered, which is called mukti. Mukti means to understand his own constitutional position and act accordingly, and conditional life means to identify with the body and act accordingly. So in the mukti state the activities are different from the conditional state. Therefore the devotional service is the activity of the liberated stage. So anyone who is engaged in devotional service, he maintains his spiritual identity, and therefore he is called liberated even though in this conditional material body.
Philosophy Discussion on Origen:

Prabhupāda: (aside:) This is, that, disturbing.

Hayagrīva: Hm? Is this clear?

Prabhupāda: No, I am talking to him. (pause) So different persons, so that is all right. According to the status of a person, he sees another person individually. That is all right. So Christ is in his full spiritual body, that is the idea?

Hayagrīva: That's the idea.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. We also think like that.

Hayagrīva: He didn't believe that the individual soul existed from all eternity. It was created. The...

Prabhupāda: No.

Hayagrīva: The rational natures that were made in the beginning did not always exist. They came into being when they were created.

Prabhupāda: That is not correct. The living entity is eternally existing, as God is eternally existing, the living entity who is the part and parcel of God. But the living entity, as we have several times..., being a small spark, sometimes the illumination is extinguished or stopped for the time being, but he is eternally existing, changing the body, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20), after the destruction of the body. The material life means the body is destructed, one body after another, but the living being is eternally existing, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20).

Page Title:Status (Lectures)
Compiler:Mayapur
Created:27 of Oct, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=219, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:219