Prabhupāda: Modern sociology is targeting the state or the people as the owner of a certain state, but our Vedic conception is īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvaṁ: (ISO 1) "Everything is owned by Īśa, the Supreme Controller." Tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā: "What is given by Him, allotted to you, you enjoy that." Mā gṛdhaḥ kasya svid dhanam: "But we not encroach upon others' property." This is Īśopaniṣad, Vedas. And the same idea is explained in different Purāṇas.
Supreme controller (Conversations and Letters)
Conversations and Morning Walks
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation with Dr. Weir of the Mensa Society -- September 5, 1971, London:
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is God, (indistinct). That is accepted. We accept Kṛṣṇa, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Īśvara. Īśvara means the controller. Just like here there are controllers. But here any controller is controlled by another controller. But param īśvara, God means Who has no other controller. He's the supreme controller. That is described in the Brahma-saṁhitā: īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). He's the supreme controller. Here any controller, he's controlling, just like this physician. He has learned his medical science from another physician, another physician, another physician. So we are not the supreme physician or supreme controller.
Dr. Weir: May I give an example of the fallacy there; is that Sir Alexander Flemming didn't learn his curative, antibiotics, from any other person, he discovered them by natural scientific methods of observation and inference and experiment.
Prabhupāda: But experimental knowledge of scientific handling must he have learned from somebody else.
Dr. Weir: That's a different thing.
Prabhupāda: Therefore he has a teacher. You cannot say that, or he has taken the techniques of other scientists and he has experimented. In the laboratory appliances he cannot say that he has, he invented the laboratory appliances.
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walks -- October 1-3, 1972, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: That is perfect intelligence. Therefore we say Kṛṣṇa is the perfect teacher. In the Fifteenth Chapter, sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca: (BG 15.15) "I am sitting in everyone's heart. All intelligence, memory, is coming from Me, and forgetfulness also is caused by Me." So He is the supreme controller in every respect.
Jayatīrtha: Why are some people remembering and some people are forgetting Him?
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Jayatīrtha: If Kṛṣṇa is the source of both remembrance and forgetfulness...
Prabhupāda: Yes. When Kṛṣṇa sees that "Here is a rascal, so let him forget Me." So He will give him intelligence so that he can forget Kṛṣṇa for good. Not for good—at least for some time.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: That is the desire of the individual soul.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante (BG 4.11). "As one surrenders unto Me, according to that." Real process is surrender. So if you surrender with some reservation, with some ulterior motive, then Kṛṣṇa will give you proportionately intelligence. When you are cent percent without any reservation surrender, then you get all facility, all help from Kṛṣṇa, without asking... Just like a small child, he is fully surrendered unto the parent. The parent looks after all the necessities. He doesn't ask anything. That is wanted.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walk -- May 9, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Yes. So that best living entity is God. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). That means the best controller, the supreme controller. Just like this man is controlling his dog, and that man is controlled by somebody else. In his office or where he works, he is controlled by his boss. And the dog is controlling the cat, the cat is controlling rat. In this way, one after another, there are controllers. I control you, he controls me, another controls him. In this way, you go on searching. When you find out somebody who controls but is not controlled by anyone, He is God. Where is the difficulty to understand? Everyone here we see that although a person is controller, at the same time he is controlled. Therefore the ideal living entity is, he controls but he is not controlled by others. That is supreme.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: So the supreme living entity...
Prabhupāda: He is God. He is living entity, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). That is the Vedic version.
Morning Walk -- May 9, 1973, Los Angeles:
Svarūpa Dāmodara: From the supreme controller.
Prabhupāda: Not supreme... He has got. From the supreme control..., yes, but directly we see that He has got so much potency. Everything is coming from Supreme; that's a fact. But you can see hundreds and thousands of children produced by one single living entity. The snakes, they produce hundreds and thousands of children at a time. Fortunately, they eat their own children. Otherwise, the whole world would have been full of snakes only.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: They eat?
Prabhupāda: Yes. All animals, they eat their children.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: I have seen the eggs of snakes. They are small, this big, the eggs.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Room Conversation with Krishna Tiwari -- May 22, 1973, New York:
Prabhupāda: Yes, that he is the supreme controller. I have got that authority-Rāmānujācārya, he is a brāhmaṇa. Madhvācārya, he is a brāhmaṇa. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He is a brāhmaṇa. They're born in brāhmaṇa family. Śaṅkarācārya, he was a brāhmaṇa.
Krishna Tiwari: I know all of them.
Prabhupāda: So all of them have agreed. So in my background, we have got so many authorities, but when you say, you have no background. That is difference between you and me.
Krishna Tiwari: Swamiji, our śāstra also say that "You seek and you'll find." And, and, and "The person who seeketh himself..."
Prabhupāda: No.
Krishna Tiwari: "...will find, will have a better chance of finding Me."
Prabhupāda: No.
Morning Walk -- December 8, 1973, Los Angeles:
Satsvarūpa: Supreme controller.
Prajāpati: That person who is complete with all six opulences...
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Prajāpati: ...in total fullness.
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is God.
Hṛdayānanda: Bhagavān.
Prabhupāda: Bhagavān. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyāḥ, jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva ṣaḍ iti bhagavān gaṇaḥ. (?)
Svarūpa Dāmodara: They will say that is imagination.
Prabhupāda: Why imagination? It is not imagination. Just like I am a man. I have got hundred dollars. He has got thousand dollars. He has got four thousand or five thousand. In this way we see comparative. One is richer than other, other, other. Then why there shall not be somebody who is richest of all? We see practically. How can you deny? That is God. Power, strength—you are stronger than me, he is stronger than you, he is stronger, like that.
Morning Walk -- December 10, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: You cannot say, "Mr. President, I don't agree with you. Therefore I shall not accept your order." No. You have to. You agree or not agree. That is supremacy. So when we judge the supremacy from material standpoint of view, we find that these things are the symptoms of supremacy. So all these symptoms must be in full extent in God. That is Supreme Person. God is great, God is the supreme controller. How He's supreme controller? So these are the symptoms. Therefore the definition of God given by Parāśara Muni.
- aiśvaryasya samagrasya
- vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyāḥ
- jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva
- ṣaṇṇam bhāga itiṅgaṇa
- (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47)
From Bhagavān, the other word is bhāgyavān. Bhāgyavān means fortunate. One who has got the symptoms of supremacy, he's called fortunate. The supreme fortunate is God. Lakṣmī. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam (Bs. 5.29). Here we are begging little favour of goddess of fortune, but Kṛṣṇa is always worshiped by many thousands of goddess of fortune. That is Kṛṣṇa's position.
Morning Walk -- December 11, 1973, Los Angeles:
Yaśomatīnandana: Kṛṣṇa is the supreme controller.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That conviction you must have. If you are sincere to Kṛṣṇa, if you are actually serving Kṛṣṇa, where is impossible to you? Where is impossible? There's nothing impossible.
Yaśomatīnandana: Mūkhaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim.
Prabhupāda: That one of my important Godbrothers says. He's sincere. All others, they are rascals. He says that "In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma. (CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126) So we were thinking that this is imagination, that Caitanya Mahāprabhu's cult would be spread all over the world, everyone will chant. So you have done it." So he's appreciating in that way. "But we are simply thinking that it is not possible, it is simply imagination. But that you have made it possible." So that is his appreciation.
Hṛdayānanda: Because you are so faithful. So (indistinct), more firmer. (break)
Devotee (3): That's what he says.
Prabhupāda: He says?
Morning Walk -- December 18, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is a point of realization. But the first preamble is that there must be God, the Supreme Being. In the dictionary it is stated, Supreme Being. So as in every department, everywhere, there is a supreme controller. Same example. The president is the supreme controller of this state. United States. In another state, in India also, the president is the supreme controller. Similarly, taking the whole universe or many such millions of universes taken together, there must be a Supreme Being. Otherwise how things are going on, nicely? (break) This is our first point.
Devotee: The scientists say that everything had its origin with a big bang. All of a sudden one day there was a big bang and everything came into being.
Prabhupāda: What is that big bang. You do not know. It is your suggestion. Big bang means big brain or what? Big bang? What is that, a big bang?
Devotee: Noise.
Prabhupāda: Hm? (aside:) Don't come near. Noise? Big bang, what is that big bang?
Morning Walk -- December 30, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Another rascal is buying. We are not buying. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam amalaṁ purāṇam, spotless knowledge, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Amalam. Amalam means without any spot. (break) ...of God is given in the dictionary, "Supreme Being." That is very nice. Everywhere we see that on the top there is a supreme being, just like in your state, the president. So why not this big government, a Supreme Being? Where is the difficulty? Without something supreme, controller, things cannot go nicely. Otherwise why you select a president? Why you select a supreme being and give him all power that "Your order will be final"? Why you do that? Because you want the government must go on nicely. Otherwise there is no need of electing a president. So supreme being must be there, in every management. So this big huge management, there must be Supreme Being. And that is God. Clear, simple understanding. How can you deny? The difficulty is that with our poor fund of knowledge, we cannot understand that how a Supreme Being, person, can create the sky, this huge water, the sun, moon. Because I am thinking, "God must be like me." A Dr. Frog. He is thinking, "Atlantic Ocean must be like this well." That is our defect. He cannot conceive that beyond this well there can be a vast great mass of water. He cannot conceive. So comparing his intelligence, he is thinking that "How it is possible that a person can create such a big sky, such big, huge...?" Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4). This earth, so big, huge quantity of earthly planet. So not only one. Millions. And then water, then fire, then... He cannot conceive. He is thinking that "If there is God, He must be like me. So I cannot do this. Therefore there is no God." The same, "Yes. I close my eyes.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walk -- April 5, 1974, Bombay:
Girirāja: "You are air, fire, water, and You are the moon. You are the supreme controller and the grandfather. Thus I offer my respectful obeisances unto You a thousand times, and again and yet again." (break)
Prabhupāda: Here is paramparā. Now, if we follow the footsteps of Arjuna, and we should surrender like that...
Dr. Patel: (next verse, Sanskrit) (break)
Prabhupāda: ...studying Bhagavad-gītā. If somebody recommends that "We accept this false," then what kind of business this is? Everyone says, "Oh, we have studied Bhagavad-gītā." (laughs) What you have studied? You are attached to some false imitation, and how you have studied? So am I right, Mr. Sar?
Dr. Patel: You are always right.
Prabhupāda: No, no. You are not properly answering. (laughter) I know that. Now...
Dr. Patel: You come into altercation unnecessarily.
Prabhupāda: No, no, there must be paripraśna. There must be paripraśna. Paripraśna is required, but in submissiveness with reasoning, not like vagabonds, no. Paripraśna must be there. Now, after reading Bhagavad-gītā, if somebody says that "Here is an imitation God accepted," is that very nice thing? This should be discussed. Otherwise, if we stick to our original principle and go on reading Bhagavad-gītā three times a day, then what is the use? What is the use?
Morning Walk -- April 11, 1974, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Therefore he is not God. That is existence of God. You cannot do because there is higher power controlling you. God means controller. He is controlling you. You cannot do that. Therefore you are not God. There is superior controller, who does not allow to do this. You have to abide by the laws. This is common sense reasoning. If you are being controlled, how you become God? God means the supreme controller. Is it all right? So long you will be controlled, you are not God. But where is the position that you are no more controlled? That position is never.
Indian Man (1): It is human nature; no doubt about it.
Prabhupāda: Nature? What is this nature? Nature is an agency of God by which He controls. That is nature, that "I have got a stick. I can beat you. But the stick is not beating, I am beating." This is knowledge. And the rascal will think, "The stick is beating." What stick has got power?
Indian Man (1): Somebody is there.
Prabhupāda: "Yeah, behind the stick there is my hand." That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, mayādhyakṣena prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram: (BG 9.10) "Under My control the nature is working." But these rascals, they do not know. They think nature is working automatically. Even they accept, but they cannot control nature. Now, how he is God? You control nature. Suppose behind the nature there is no God. All right, you control the nature. Suppose behind this stick my hand is working. You cannot see my hand. But you control this stick, which is beating you, which is kicking you. Control that. So you cannot control anything and you have become God. So 'ham, tat tvam asi. These slogans misused, simply misused.
Room Conversation -- June 5, 1974, Geneva:
Prabhupāda: Then the whole cosmic manifestation, this material nature, there must be also the moving force. That is God. Now, just like within this body I am the person and under my command the body is going, working. I am asking the hand, "Please come here." Immediately... So I am also īśvara, means controller. So far this body is concerned, I am the controller. Similarly, the supreme controller, He is called parameśvara, "the supreme controller." That is God.
Yogeśvara: You can translate that?
Guru-gaurāṅga: (translates)
Prabhupāda: So there are two īśvaras. I am also īśvara. So far my, this body is concerned or my family is concerned, I am controlling. But the supreme controller, He is controlling everything. That is God. So those who are atheists, they must accept that there is the supreme controller, and He is God. So God is controlling everything. There are two things—material and spiritual. We have got experience. Suppose in this city of...
Swiss Man (4): Geneva.
Prabhupāda: Geneva, there are varieties of living entities and also houses and mountains. So two things, animate and inanimate. One section, animate; another section, inanimate. So we are small gods, or īśvaras. We may control the government and the management of the street and parks and everything, but we are controlled by the supreme. As supreme God, the supreme controller is not controlled by anyone.
Room Conversation -- June 20, 1974, Germany:
Prabhupāda: No, influence should be only Kṛṣṇa or God. Kṛṣṇa, when we speak of Kṛṣṇa, God, but they have no clear idea what is God. How does He speak, how does He act. Where does He live. What is His form. What is his color. Nobody knows. Ask any religious people, "Do you know about all these?" (tape too faint to hear) (indistinct) If they think about it at all. First of all, generally they think of something impersonal or void. The Buddhists they think God is zero. And others they think God has no form. So, two classes. The Hindus they think God has not particular form, (indistinct). And you can imagine any of them(?) That is Śaṅkara. The pañcopāsanā. But still Śaṅkara is very careful. He has given five particular forms—the Goddess Durgā, Lord Viṣṇu, Lord Siva, the sun. Therefore there are sections—the sun worshipers, the fire worshipers. Originally, (indistinct). That is Vedic culture. Their Vedic culture means many demigods. But the original God is accepted, Viṣṇu. And original to Viṣṇu is Kṛṣṇa. īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Kṛṣṇa also says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). "There is no superior form or authority than Me." That is confirmed by Lord Brahmā, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇah (Bs. 5.1). Kṛṣṇa is controller. There are different grades of controller but the supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says mām ekam, "Unto Me, no one else." Now our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to convince people to give Him our attention, therefore we have published so many books only about Kṛṣṇa. On every page you'll find Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa. Either in Kṛṣṇa Book or in Caitanya-caritāmṛta, or in the Bhāgavatam or in Nectar of Devotion, Teachings of Lord Caitanya. The word(?) is Kṛṣṇa, that is simply explained in the (indistinct).
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation with Metaphysics Society -- February 21, 1975, Caracas:
Prabhupāda: God means controller. God is not name. Just like the president, Mr. Ford. That is name, and president is the controller. So every controller has got name. So why the supreme controller will not have any name? That is ignorance.
Lady (Hṛdayānanda): She's saying that Christ said that "I am the way."
Prabhupāda: Well, every guru is the way to approach God. That's a fact. But he has got his name, Christ. So why do you deny this name? "Christ says,"—that means either you take him anything, but he has a name, Christ.
Lady: No.
Prabhupāda: No? What is this? (laughter) That is your conception. It is not Bible's conception. Bible says the son of God is Christ. You can create by mental concoction anything, but if you refer to the Bible, the name is Christ. Everyone says, all Christians says, all Christians says, "the Jesus Christ." Why do you deny it?
Lady (Hṛdayānanda): Māyāvāda. She says that everyone has the Christ within him.
Prabhupāda: No, we don't agree with all these things.
Room Conversation with Canadian Ambassador to Iran -- March 13, 1975, Iran:
Prabhupāda: No. The influence should be only Kṛṣṇa, or God. Kṛṣṇa, when we speak of "Kṛṣṇa"—God. But they have no clear idea what is God. How does He speak, how does He act, where does He live, what is His form, what is His qualities—nobody knows. Ask any religious people, "Do you know about all this, about God?" They do not know. What do you think, Atreya? Have they any clear conception of God? They imagine something. If they think of God at all... First of all, generally they think of impersonal or void. Just like the Buddhists. They think God is zero. And others, they think that God has no form. The two classes. The Hindus they think, "Yes, God has no particular form, but He has got many forms. And you can imagine any one of them." That is Śaṅkara, the pañcopāsana. But still, Śaṅkara is very careful. He has given five particular forms. The Goddess Durgā, Lord Viṣṇu, Lord Śiva, the sun, then... Therefore there are a section who are the sun worshiper, or fire worshiper. Original Iranians were like that. So that is Vedic culture. There... Vedic culture means there are many demigods, but the original God is accepted-Viṣṇu. And original to Viṣṇu is Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). And Kṛṣṇa also says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat: (BG 7.7) "There is no more superior form or superior authority than Me." And that is confirmed by Lord Brahmā. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Īśvaraḥ means controller. There are different grades of controller, but the supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa says, mām ekam: "Unto Me alone." (to devotee:) What is that?
Morning Walk -- July 11, 1975, Chicago:
Prabhupāda: No, no, no, not speculation. Īśopaniṣad, īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1), everything beginning from īśa, the supreme controller... Where is speculation?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They say that the Vedas are written by man so they are imperfect.
Prabhupāda: So you are less than a dog. It is written by man. That's all right. But you are less than a dog. You have no reason, no right. What is your philosophy? What is the value of your philosophy? It is speculation. We don't say, "It is written by man." Apauruṣeya. They may say whatever they..., we don't say. If somebody says, "Your father name is that," and I know my father's name. "What you are? You are not authority to say what is my father's name. I know very well." So it is their suggestion like that, "Your father's name is this." We don't say that "My father name is..." Is that very good suggestion? You don't know anything of my family. How you say that "Your father name is this?" Is it not another rascaldom? You do not know anything about my family, and you say that "Your father's name is this." What is this logic? You cannot say what is my father's name. You do not know about my family.
Room Conversation -- October 4, 1975, Mauritius:
Prabhupāda: This argument we have talked many times. Everyone knows that out of prisonhouse freedom is there. Why he goes to the prisonhouse? Everyone knows it. Why does he go to the prisonhouse?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Not by choice. He is placed there.
Cyavana: Kṛṣṇa is the supreme controller. If He wanted to check us from going there, He could check us from going into the prison, from offending.
Prabhupāda: No. Kṛṣṇa has given you independence. So you are.... By mentality, you have to suffer. Suppose if a child wants to do something, play, if you check it, check it, then he will go mad. Just like mother Yasoda was showing stick to Kṛṣṇa, and when Kṛṣṇa became so much afraid, he (she) became immediately anxious: "Oh, Kṛṣṇa has too much anxiety. He may fall sick." So immediately throw away. So this is father-mother's affection.
Cyavana: So actually it is Kṛṣṇa's mercy that He allows us to come here, free ourselves from...
Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. He has given you little freedom. He doesn't want to take your freedom.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walk -- June 3, 1976, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: No, no, machine we are, but still there is independence. That means you are not absolutely independently, relatively. The state, you say we are American-independent. But that does not mean you can do whatever you like. As soon as you misuse, you are arrested, punished. Even the president is not independent. As soon as he misused his power, drag him, "Come out." What to speak of you.
Hari-śauri: That's like an impersonalist. He doesn't want any individual existence.
Prabhupāda: And he does not agree to be guided by the supreme controller. He does not agree that He is supreme controller. "I am everything." Therefore they are called mūḍhas, māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ (BG 7.15). Mūḍha. He's being controlled. As soon as there is some toothache, he goes to the doctor. And he says "I am God." He's becoming old, and he says that "I am God." Why you are becoming old? God is always young.
Rāmeśvara: He has another argument. He says that he's in the grip of māyā.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Rāmeśvara: So even though he wants to go back to Godhead, he cannot be freed from the influence of māyā. Māyā is keeping him.
Prabhupāda: Unless you are fully surrender, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66), you cannot do it. Māyā will not leave you.
Garden Conversation -- June 9, 1976, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Hmm. Daivāt. Daivāt means "by the superior arrangement." Superior arrangement... One has become human being, one has become cat, one has become dog, one has become demigod, one has become worm of the stool-daiva-yogena, by the arrangement of the supreme controller. But the material happiness is the same everywhere. Either one is worm in the stool or he is king in the heaven, the standard happiness is the same. Then?
Nalinīkaṇṭha: Yathā duḥkham ayatnataḥ
Prabhupāda: Ah. And these things are available without any endeavor, as we get distressed condition of life without any endeavor. There are two things in this world: distress and happiness. So we don't call for distress, that "Malaria fever comes to me. I shall enjoy." Nobody says, but it comes. So similarly, this is distress. If distress comes by the superior arrangement, so happiness also will come by superior arrangement. So why should we bother about these things? Now tasyaiva hetoḥ praya... Therefore our endeavor should be for understanding ourself, self-realization, and our relationship with God or what is God, what is the nature. These things, athāto brahma jijñāsā, this is our business, not to waste our valuable time for searching after sense gratification. It is not human civilization, and that is..., that is demonic civilization. That is Prahlāda Mahārāja, stressing. Sukham aindriyakaṁ yad... Read it?
Prabhupada Inspects New BTG -- June 24, 1976, New Vrindaban:
Prabhupāda: "I am not talking about the church. Church or no church, that is not the point. The main thing is that the leaders have to accept that there is a supreme controller. How can they deny it? Everything in nature is going on under the Supreme Lord's control. The leaders cannot control nature, so why don't they accept a supreme controller? That is the defect in society. In every respect the leaders are feeling that there must be a supreme controller, and yet they are still denying Him."
Reporter: "But suppose the government is atheistic?"
Prabhupāda: "Then there cannot be good government. Americans say they trust in God, but without the science of God, that trust is simply fictitious. First take the science of God very seriously, then put your trust in Him. They do not know what God is, but we do. We actually trust in God. They are manufacturing their own way of governing, and that is their defect. They will never be successful. They are imperfect, and if they go on manufacturing their own ways and means they will remain imperfect. There will always be revolutions, one after another. There will be no peace."
Room Conversation -- July 2, 1976, New Vrindaban:
Prabhupāda: One is bound to do. Dharmena hina paśubhiḥ samana. If he does not do, then he's animal. It must be done. There is no question of optional. If you are human being, you must be religious, you must recognize the supreme controller. Otherwise, you are animal. What is the other interpretations? Beginning one?
Hari-śauri: "Monastic condition, being a monk or a nun."
Prabhupāda: Just like every religion has got some condition, monastic, is it not?
Hari-śauri: Yes, every religion has a system of priests.
Prabhupāda: (Coughs severely for a few minutes) Monastic condition?
Hari-śauri: "Practice of sacred rites."
Prabhupāda: So, without reference to God, what is the meaning of sacred rites? Everything is reference that accepting the supreme controller. That is the real meaning. At least, Christian religion accepts God, Muhammadan religion accepts God, or Hindu religion accepts God. So without God, how it can be religion? If there is no understanding of God, the conclusion comes that there is no religion. Fictitious. "We trust in God," but do not know what is God. This is going on. So we have to fight against all this nonsense. Nonsense scientists, nonsense religionists.
Interview with Religion Editor of The Observer -- July 23, 1976, London:
Prabhupāda: We are trying to give real life. The present civilization is... (to someone else): Hare Kṛṣṇa, but... How are you? (converses in Hindi) So you are religious observer. What is your idea of religion?
Cline Cross: I would say much the same as yours, from what I've seen in your writings—that there's an underlying truth behind all religion. Would you agree with that?
Prabhupāda: Religion, as it is explained in the dictionary, "accepting a supreme controller." Is it not? So do the people accept a supreme controller? Do they accept? There are so many system of religions, but do they actually know who is the supreme controller? That is my question. What do you think? Just like, this is British government, and we know that the Queen is the supreme controller. Similarly, of all creation, cosmic manifestation, there is a supreme controller, and who is that supreme controller? Do they know it? That is my question.
Cline Cross: I mean, what is your attitude towards Christianity?
Prabhupāda: Don't come to Christianity. I'm talking on religion, the science of religion. The religion... When we speak of religion, there is no question of Christianity or Muslim or Hindu. Just like when they speak of gold, gold is gold everywhere. Gold cannot be Muslim gold or Hindu gold or Christian gold. We are concerned with gold, not the country where the gold is produced. That is not very important thing. Whether it is gold, that is our business.
Interview with Religion Editor of The Observer -- July 23, 1976, London:
Prabhupāda: Yes, why not? He's speaking about the supreme controller, God, so why should we not? Anyone who is speaking about God... (break) Religion without science or philosophy is sentiment. And philosophy without religion is mental speculation. So they must be combined together. So far the controller is concerned, this is scientific understanding. Just like the father... We consider... Why we? Everyone. Either he is Christian or Muhammadan or Hindu, the conception of God is generally accepted as the supreme father.
Cline Cross: I mean, it is a fact.
Prabhupāda: It is fact.
Cline Cross: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Because, just like anything, creation means the mother, the father and the children. That is our practical experience. Without mother, we are nowhere. We are given birth by the mother. So the material nature is the mother. From the material nature, material elements, everything is coming. From the water the fishes are coming, from the land the grass, the worms, and then human being, they are coming. From the air also living entities are coming. So therefore material nature is the mother, and we have come out of the material nature, therefore we are children. Then there must be father, because without father, simply mother cannot give birth. This is science. You cannot deny the existence of God simply by a false argument. This is real argument. The mother is there, material nature, and we are children there. There must be father.
Conversation at House of Ksirodakasayi dasa -- July 25, 1976, London:
Prabhupāda: The same person is senior controller in the family, but in the office he's a junior controller. The same person is junior and senior at the same time. Somewhere he is junior, somewhere he is senior. In this way, if you study all different types of controller, you'll see there is duality of controls, but when you approach somebody that He's simply controller—He's not controlled by others—that is Kṛṣṇa. This is analytical study of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So they have studied all these Vedic scholars, especially Lord Brahmā. This is the statement of Lord Brahmā. Not only Lord Brahmā, Vyāsadeva, Nārada and recently big, big ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Nimbārka, Viṣṇu Svāmī, even Śaṅkarācārya and latest, five hundred years ago, Lord Caitanya—everyone has accepted Kṛṣṇa as the supreme controller. And in the dictionary you'll find... What is religion? Religion means to accept a supreme controller. That is religion. So in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also it is said, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma means the controlling laws given by God. That is called dharma. So real dharma... From all Vedic scriptures, from the version of all authorities, it is confirmed that īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1): "Kṛṣṇa is the supreme controller.
Radio Interview -- July 27, 1976, London:
Prabhupāda: Religion means also science. But they have taken religion as faith, "I believe." Religion means, actually, religion means.... Just like in the dictionary you find what is the religion...
Hari-śauri: Obeying the Supreme Person.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Religion means to learn how to obey the supreme controller. That is religion. So you may be Christian, I may be Hindu, it doesn't matter. But we must accept there is a supreme controller.
Mike Robinson: Are you happy to carry on for a few more minutes perhaps?
Hari-śauri: I have that reference, in the dictionary. It says "Human recognition of superhuman controlling power..."
Prabhupāda: Just see!
Hari-śauri: "...and especially of a personal God entitled to obedience, and effect of such recognition on the conduct of mental attitude."
Radio Interview -- July 27, 1976, London:
Prabhupāda: This is religion. This is religion. So this religion is applicable to everyone, any human being. Why do you bring Christian or Hindu or Muslim, or...? Everyone has to accept that. That is real religion. And this is not religion, "We believe there is no soul of the animal." That is not religion. That is most unscientific. That is not religion. Religion means scientific understanding of the supreme controller. So now if you accept the supreme controller, then if you violate something, you must be punished. Immediately you have to accept. As soon as you accept there is supreme controller, so immediately as you violate the laws of the supreme controller, immediately you are punished. That is nature's law.
Mike Robinson: Can we, can you say a bit more of that, just for the tape? You were saying that religion is obeying the supreme controller.
Prabhupāda: Yes! Religion means to understand the supreme controller and obey. That's all. Just like good citizen means he understands the government and obeys the laws of government. That's all. Good citizens. What is the difference between bad citizen and good citizen? The bad citizen means he doesn't care for the government—"Ah, I don't care for"—that is bad citizen. That is irreligious. If you are bad citizen, then you are irreligious. If you are good citizen, then you are religious.
Mike Robinson: Would you..., in your opinion, is it impossible for somebody to be a scientist and not to believe in God?
Radio Interview -- July 27, 1976, London:
Prabhupāda: Therefore they change.
Hari-śauri: Yes, it's a belief that's...
Prabhupāda: Whatever they are suitable, they make. But he cannot control over the supreme controller. They have no brain. And they are going on under the name of religion. Just see. All these rascals. Therefore they're all cheating. If you believe in the supreme controller, how you can change whimsically the law given by the supreme controller?
Hari-śauri: If you actually know God, then...
Prabhupāda: Yes, that means it is fictitious. You don't believe in God.
Harikeśa: We have to get you on every radio in the world, Prabhupāda. We just have to put you on the radio everywhere.
Prabhupāda: You do it, I give you the ideas.
Radio Interview -- July 27, 1976, London:
Prabhupāda: Yes. They have made it difficult. Accept the supreme controller, everything is clear. Accept the father, everything is clear. There is mother, there is children, no father. How rascal they have made. How it can be? No experience, and still they will persist, "No father." Can you show me the father? What is nonsense, if you do not see the father, it does not mean that there is no father? Father must be there. You may not have seen, that is different thing. And you can see the father because the father is maintaining the family order. Therefore there is father. From this simple analogy. Just like father gives money in the hand of the mother and she maintains the children comforts. Similarly, whatever comforts we are getting, from the nature's gift, you say that is arrangement of the father. Mayādhyakṣena prakṛtiḥ sūyate sacarācaram (BG 9.10). Clearly said. Father gives order, "Nature, do this way, do this way. He's disobeying, then punish him like this, that's all. Don't give him anything. Punish him." Just like nature is not supplying water. The order of Kṛṣṇa, "Let them suffer for some time." This is going on. You cannot check it, father's order. Common sense. How they can deny the supreme father? Dull-headed fools. Mūḍha. Any fruits you have got?
Arrival Speech -- July 28, 1976, Paris:
Prabhupāda: Kṣetra-jñākhya tathā para. Avidyā karma saṅgaḥ anya tṛtiya śaktir iśyate. Viṣṇu-śakti, Viṣṇu, the supreme controller, all-pervading Godhead, Viṣṇu, He and His potency, viṣṇu-śakti parā proktaḥ, both of them are transcendental. (someone translates into French throughout) So the Viṣṇu-śakti potency is one. Another reflection of the Viṣṇu-śakti is karma-saṅga anya, that is, you have to work. That is called tṛtiya, the third, karma-saṅga, where you have to work. The idea is that original Viṣṇu potency, you haven't got to work. Everything is supplied automatically. And the avidyā karma-saṅga anya, and the other reflection or perverted reflection, is this material world. Just like you have recited this verse, cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam (Bs. 5.29). In the spiritual world the trees are desire tree—means whatever we want, we can get—whereas in this material world, trees are not like that, they are limited potency. The cows there, unlimited potency. Surabhī means you can milk out as many times as you like, and as much as you like. So the idea is the spiritual world means there is no need of endeavoring for getting anything; everything is there automatically. And the material world, we have got experience, for everything we have to work so hard, then we can get something.
Arrival at Farm -- July 29, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):
Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. It was the prediction of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu that in every village, in every town on the surface of the globe, there will be preaching of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's name and the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. It is to be translated? (translator translates into French) So by your transcendental endeavor it is being fulfilled, otherwise who expected that in this remote village of France, Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra would be chanted? When Caitanya Mahāprabhu said in every village, in every town, he did not mean that every village and every town in India. He specifically says pṛthivīte, means on the surface of the globe. So the purpose is that without spreading of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, nobody can become happy. That's a fact. The opportunity of human form of life is systematcially being refused by the modern civilization. This material activity only for the bodily comforts of life, that is not human civilization. Human civilization means the human being must know the supreme controller and the aim of life. The real fact is that God is there, the supreme controller, and we, living entities, we are His parts and parcels. As parts and parcels of God, we, being separated, we are suffering.
Room Conversation -- July 31, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):
Prabhupāda: Oh, if there is an interview, you must go.
Devotee (1): Yes. Perhaps you would like to tell me on what level I should present our movement.
Prabhupāda: On the level of Bhagavad-gītā. God is the supreme controller. And we have to learn how to remain peacefully under the supreme controller. Just like citizens and the government. Good citizenship means one who lives under the control of the government. Similarly, a good person is one who is God conscious and lives according to the instruction of God. So there is instruction of God, we are presenting this all over the world.
Devotee (1): And they should give us some facilities?
Prabhupāda: Yes. We want to preach. Here also, if you give us facility, we can preach. That is after your interest.
Devotee (1): This one gentleman has already offered one house in Bangkok. He's put at our disposal, in the middle of the city. A very beautiful house.
Prabhupāda: Oh, that is very nice.
Room Conversation -- July 31, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):
Prabhupāda: It is not... Don't establish Deity. Talk on philosophy.
Devotee (1): "God is the supreme controller."
Prabhupāda: Yes. We accept Lord Buddha as incarnation of God. Show in our books that we have got all respect for Buddha. We do not disrespect Lord Buddha, neither go against him. Anyway, if we get one house to live and a supporter, a big supporter, then our position will be secure. And if our cause is honest, then nobody can check.
Devotee (1): He has said that first I should come and speak to the Prime Minister and then speak at the University, and then see the reaction, and then we can go to see the king and say that this has been the reaction at the universities.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Do it organizedly. They understand French language?
Devotee (1): Yes, English and French. They are very close to Vietnam.
Prabhupāda: Very good. Take this opportunity.
Room Conversation with Professor Francois Chenique -- August 5, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):
Prabhupāda: They do not know. They do not know what is God, what is Godhead. They think all these are fictitious. Throughout the whole world they do not know what is God. Simply they know the word, that's all. What it means they do not know. That we are giving. Here is God. Godhead. Nobody knows, nobody cares to know. That is nescience. They think it is an idea, that's all. Actually there is God, there is kingdom of God, one can go and speak with Him, dance with Him. They cannot believe there are... It is beyond their poor fund of knowledge. Therefore they do not accept Kṛṣṇa as God. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ (BG 9.11). God is the Supreme Person, Supreme Being. Actually there is place where God lives. They do not know. This is first time, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we are giving these ideas; otherwise, who knows it? Nobody knows it. The Christian or Muhammadan is... Nobody knows. And religion means to accept God as the Supreme Person. They do not know God. Then what is meaning of religion? Religion means to accept a Supreme Person as the supreme controller. That is religion. How the Supreme Person is working in manufacturing this flower, let the scientists explain. There is no brain? Just nicely painted, symmetrically, each flower of the same class; another class, another class, another class. (guests enters) Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Room Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: That's very good, very good idea. When we want God, to understand, we must try to understand what is God. What do you mean by God? The God definition is given in the dictionary, what is that? "Supreme being, supreme controller." So how do you understand that supreme controller? What do you mean by supreme controller? In this way we should try to understand what is the idea carried by the word God. We have got, in our Vedic language, we have got definition of God, that
- aiśvaryasya samagrasya
- vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ
- jñāna-vairāgyayaiś caiva
- ṣaṇṇāṁ bhaga itīṅganāḥ
- (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47)
"God" means He must possess all the wealth. Just like in Persia you have got so many wealthy persons, but nobody can claim, even the Shah cannot claim, that he possesses all the wealth. That is not possible. Persia. Do you follow what I say? So this is one of the items, that God is the richest, or He possesses all the wealth. Similarly, He possesses all the strength, He possesses all the beauty, He possesses all knowledge, and He is the renouncer also, the most exalted renouncer. Although He possesses so many things, He is renounced. Just like this universe is the property of God, but He has given to you, all the living entities. "Now you wanted to enjoy, enjoy it to your best capacity."
Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: It is not very good. But they have got some orders.
Nava-yauvana: So when we preach to people we should first convince them that God is the supreme controller, the supreme proprietor. Then further understanding can come.
Prabhupāda: Yes, there is a supreme controller. That you have to admit. You are not independent. Why they foolishly think independent? What is the reason they're foolishly thinking independent? What is their independence? Nobody is independent. So why they are foolishly thinking independent? You first challenge them. They are not independent. Are you independent? So why they foolishly declare independent?
Jñānagamya: They are ignorant.
Prabhupāda: So what is the position then? They are in ignorance, and they are leading the society as scientist, philosopher, politician. That is misleading. They cannot go even freely in the so-called moon planet excursion or Mars. Still, they are declaring independence. What is their independence?
Atreya Ṛṣi: Rascal.
Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: Yes, you have to take sanction. You have to take sanction because Kṛṣṇa is the supreme controller. If you request repeatedly, "Kṛṣṇa, I want to steal something," so Kṛṣṇa will say, "No, no, don't do it, it is not good." But...
Mrs. Sahani: But bhakti...
Prabhupāda: It is not bhakti, it is a common affair. You want to do some... Just like a thief. A thief steals very privately, why? Because Kṛṣṇa says, "Don't do it." But he does still. So Kṛṣṇa says always good things, but you don't care for it.
Mr. Sahani: But when, as said, that no leaf moves without the intentions of Kṛṣṇa...
Prabhupāda: Without hearing the good advice of Kṛṣṇa, he does it at his risk. That's all. He'll be arrested, he'll be put into jail. That's all. He'll suffer. But Kṛṣṇa gives him good counsel, "Don't do it." Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). He's situated in every heart, but if you persist to do something, He gives, "All right, do at your risk. What can I do?" You suffer. That independence you have got. Just like State. State does not advise anyone that "You become a criminal." But when he becomes criminal, then put into jail.
Room Conversation (Bullock Cart SKP) -- September 12, 1976, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: (Hindi) That is God is great. Nobody can defeat Him. Nobody can go beyond Him. Asama-ūrdhva. Nobody is equal to Him. Asama, ūrdhva. Nobody is greater than Him, nobody is equal to Him. That is God. And after there are so many Gods, everyone God. So what kind of God? If God has a competitor, then what is the God? God has no competitor. Asama-ūrdhva. Everyone is down. Asama. Not equal, not ūrdhva. Then down. Two things, three things are there. Equal, level, upper and lower. So there is no upper and there is no equal. Then all lower. Then He's the supreme controller. Īśvara parama. In the lower level there may be īśvara. But they are not parama. Subordinate.
Lokanātha: Ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa āra saba bhṛtya (CC Adi 5.142).
Prabhupāda: Āra saba bhṛtya. God is one and all others, they are subjects. Nityo nityānām. Why these two words are used, nityānām. Everyone is nitya, but He's the supreme nitya. Cetanaś cetanānām. He's not dead body, dead matter. Cetana. Nityam, just as the Himalaya parvata is standing forever. No. Cetana. Living. So how He can be imperson? Himalaya parvata may be very big, the sky may be big, but it is not cetana. Therefore this word is used. Cetana, living. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). What is the difference? Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. That one nitya is providing, maintaining all other nityas. That is God. God is great. That is the meaning. So anyway, make your effort sincerely. The basic principle is this. Induce them to chant and take prasāda. You'll be successful.
Room Conversation with Dr. Theodore Kneupper -- November 6, 1976, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: God means supreme controller.
Dr. Kneupper: Super?
Prabhupāda: Controller.
Dr. Kneupper: The master of the universe.
Prabhupāda: That's it.
Dr. Kneupper: Do you think that this concept is the special insight of the Vedic?
Prabhupāda: No, no. You, as a philosopher, you can understand that there is supreme controller. Can you deny it?
Dr. Kneupper: I would... Only with great difficulty, it seems to me.
Prabhupāda: Yes, it is... You cannot deny. But they foolishly deny it. Therefore they are rascals. So how you can convince the rascals the right way? If you give me a dozen of dogs, can I convince him that what is God?
Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: So when Kṛṣṇa said, mayā tatam idam, mayā means, "I am there." But "I" is existing. That "I", person, is existing. Just like if I say that "It is I who has expanded, I am expanded all over the world by this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement," that's a fact. But that does not mean I am not a person. If I say that "I am, this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement means I am, I am spread by spreading this movement," that's a fact. But does it mean that I am imperson? That is, Kṛṣṇa says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā. Avyakta. So the same example we can give you that in all my branches, 110 branches, they worship me as their guru. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni (BG 9.4). "Everything is existing on My management." Nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ. "But I am not there." It is a fact. All these 110 branches, they are going on under my direction, but not that I am present everywhere. But that does not mean I am not a person. So the supreme, the supreme manager, the supreme controller, how he can be nirākāra? That is my first question.
Press Interview -- December 31, 1976, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: He is not a scholar. He's a rascal. We have to follow the ācāryas. The ācāryas never said. There are so many ācāryas. They never say. So, we have to follow, ācāryopāsanam, not the rascals. We cannot worship the rascals. Worship ācāryas. They are guide. So śāstra says... Find out sa evāyaṁ mayā te 'dya yogaḥ proktaḥ purātanaḥ. Purātanaḥ, Kṛṣṇa says that imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1), "I spoke this science to Vivasvān, the sun-god." So if you calculate sun, this sun, Vivasvān, is the father of Manu, Vaivasvata Manu. And if you take, calculate, it becomes forty millions of years. So this Bhagavad-gītā is spoken, according to the Bhagavad-gītā, according to the version of Kṛṣṇa, forty millions of years ago. Now He says that science was known to the people by paramparā. And that paramparā is lost somehow or other. Therefore as... (break) Suppose you are born in Bombay, but you do not know how the state is being managed, then what is my jñāna? If you do not know how the state is being managed then what is your jñāna? That jñāna is, dogs and cats, they have also jñāna. How to eat, how to sleep, how to use sex life, how to defend. This is not jñāna. Everyone knows it. If you know God, who is conducting the whole, that is jñāna. So if you do not know who is the supreme controller...
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walk -- January 2, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Basic principle is that it is made by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Now there are books, how to carry out the order. And the ultimate understanding, how to become faithful to the (indistinct). Just like good citizen means faithful to the government. Unfortunately these rascals, they do not have any idea, the supreme controller, supreme government. They say anything automatically.
Dr. Patel: Vaiṣṇava is a good citizen of the government of God. That is Vaiṣṇava.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is dharma. And Kṛṣṇa teaches that dharma. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). Who will surrender unless he's a Vaiṣṇava?
Pālikā: Śrīla Prabhupāda? This morning you would like to take your breakfast after the program or after resting? Because I do not want to prepare the idli...
Prabhupāda: Later. All other dharmas are cheating.
Dr. Patel: Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja.
Prabhupāda: This is dharma.
Room Conversation with Film Producer about Krsna Lila -- January 22, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:
Hari-śauri: "Most of the gopīs in their previous lives were very great sages, expert in the study of the Veda, and when Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared as Lord Rāmacandra they wanted to enjoy with Him. Lord Rāmacandra gave them the benediction that their desires would be fulfilled when He would appear as Kṛṣṇa. Therefore the desire of the gopīs to enjoy the appearance of Lord Kṛṣṇa was long cherished. So they approached goddess Katyāyanī to have Kṛṣṇa as their husband. There are so many other circumstances also which testify to the Supreme authority of Kṛṣṇa and show that He is not bound to the rules and regulations of the material world. In special cases He acts as He likes to favor His devotees. This is only possible for Him because He is the supreme controller. People in general should follow the instructions of Lord Kṛṣṇa as given in Bhagavad-gītā and should not even imagine imitating Lord Kṛṣṇa in the rasa dance."
Guest (1): In our original language, in Oriya, there is a book, preface of the book Mahā-vandanā. This is written by...
Prabhupāda: Mahā-vandanā is a fact. That is all right. But it is meant for the liberated soul.
Guest (1): Certainly.
Guest (2): Guruji, I am telling you a single word.
Prabhupāda: So it cannot be demonstrated to the ordinary person.
Evening Conversation -- January 25, 1977, Puri:
Prabhupāda: Yes. You are taking Kṛṣṇa on your level. You are such a rascal. You do not know Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddh... (BG 7.3), yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścid. You do not know what is Kṛṣṇa. You are taking Him on your level. Therefore you are trying to criticize Him. You do not know what is Kṛṣṇa. That is your ignorance. What is food for one is poison for others. So for you it is poison, not for Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is God. He has everything. He can use everything. That is God. He is not restricted by anyone. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). Who can restrict Him? Then He's not God. If by a third-class man like you He's restricted of His sex life, then He's not God. He becomes under your control. But Kṛṣṇa is īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). He's the supreme controller. How He can be controlled by your so-called goodness and badness? So the conclusion is you do not know Kṛṣṇa. You want to bring Kṛṣṇa in your level of understanding, and that is your foolishness. So we don't care for the fools like you. This is our conclusion. Avajānanti... That is replied. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ: (BG 9.11) "Rascals, fools, they criticize Me, thinks Me that I am as good as human being." Mānusīṁ janma. Paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ: "The rascals do not know what is My actual position." So you have to preach in that way.
Evening Conversation -- January 25, 1977, Puri:
Prabhupāda: He is also... He becomes recognized by the master. "Oh, he is trying for this, what I want." Naturally he becomes immediately recognized, although he has no qualification. If he tries. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu... Yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa: (CC Madhya 7.128) "You become guru. No qualification required. Simply you repeat what Kṛṣṇa has said." Just see how simplified. Don't talk anything nonsense. Yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-bas. So who cannot do it? Anyone can do it, even a child. (laughs) Our Śyāmasundara's daughter. She was preaching, "Do you know Kṛṣṇa?" They said, "No I have got no..." "The Supreme Personality." This is preaching, simply if you say that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality, supreme controller. Just be obedient to Him." Where is the difficulty? Anyone can preach. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Bas. Three words: Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead; surrender unto Him; and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Your life will be successful. What is the difficulty in preaching these three words? Hm? Is there any difficulty? Even a child like Sarasvatī, she can preach. Then what to speak of others? Those who are educated, grown-up, advanced, they can put the matter more nicely, more convincingly, more philosophically. That is another thing. But these three words, that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord; you are servant; and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa"—bas, preaching complete.
Correspondence
1968 Correspondence
Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 1 March, 1968:
Yes, you may take up such debate, but not any quarrel or argument should take place. It is good to have such debate, and to know the various arguments which the Mayavad philosophers put forth, and to know how to fully defeat each one. That God can come under Maya is one of their foolish arguments; therefore they say "I am God." This nonsense statement can be refuted in full with our information from Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam. What, then is the definition of God? How can God become a dog? If you are God, why are you suffering, life after life? God means Supreme Controller; can you control anything? Not even your own body. What to speak of the millions of planets spinning so perfectly in their orbit. In this way, we must learn all of us, to defeat these nonsense rascals, and curtail this epidemic of Impersonalism,, which is fatal to the innocent people. We can stop this epidemic with this information of Krishna Consciousness, and it is our duty to do it.
Letter to Balai -- San Francisco 12 March, 1968:
I am in due receipt of your letter dated 3/10/68, and I thank you very much for it. Yes, the wind, the earth, the water, and so forth, all have controlling personalities. Just like there is a sun god, who is in charge of the sun planet; similarly, for each body of water, for the wind, there are controlling personalities. They are in control of some small part of the material creation, but the ultimate Controller is Krishna. These demigods all are servants of the Supreme Controller.
I am very pleased to hear about Krishna's new throne of gold leaf and velvet. I am anxious to come there and see it, along with all you my students there who are carrying on so nicely even in my absence. But you must know that I am always with you all so long you are executing Krishna Consciousness; and I am always receiving good news of the New York Temple so it is very nice that now you have provided Krishna a beautiful new throne.
Letter to Sivananda -- New York 19 April, 1968:
We simply say that misuse of the little independence we have got creates so much trouble for us. But now by adopting Krishna Consciousness, we may finish this conditioned life immediately. That is Krishna Consciousness.
Your reasoning is all right that the Brahma energy must have conscious direction to manifest form. Therefore He who gives that direction is the Ultimate Controller or Param Isvara. In Brahma Samhita it is said: "Isvarah paramah krsnah saccidananda vigrahah, anadir adir govindah sarva karana karanam (Bs. 5.1)." Krishna is the Supreme Controller of all controllers and therefore, He is the Origin of everything including the Brahma Energy. This Govinda is the cause of all causes, and He is without any cause. This is the beauty of the sastras, that one sloka finishes billions of years hard labor of mental speculation. Just try to give evidence like this.
1970 Correspondence
Letter to Krsnakanti -- Bombay 29 November, 1970:
Any work which is performed by a devotee in Krsna Consciousness is never work on the material platform although it may appear to be so. Such a Krsna Conscious person is never associating with the materials of mundane work or with the mundane workers, he is always associating with Krsna by devotional service whatever his position may be. Krsna is maintaining everything at all times, but those who are less intelligent do not see that everything is working by direction of the Lord and they think things are running on automatically somehow or other. That is the view of atheists and fools. Persons in Krsna Consciousness always are fixed in knowledge that the Lord is the Supreme Controller of all that be.
I am happy to hear that your campus engagements are very well received especially on the Catholic campus. That is a good sign that the students are still intelligent to find what is the best information about God and how to approach him. It is unfortunate that they are without proper guidance, but that is the condition of all persons in the world without exception.
1971 Correspondence
1972 Correspondence
Letter to Tribhuvanatha -- Los Angeles 16 June, 1972:
If you require assistance for preaching to the student class, I think Revatinandana can come there and preach very nicely to the scholarly class in their own language. Now in our philosophy classes, each day I am discussing one of your western philosophies and so far we have discussed many, many philosophers like Aristotle, Kant, Hegel, Marx, like that, and now we are discussing Darwin and other scientists from your western countries. Because they have missed the central point that we are not the controllers of nature, rather we are controlled by nature, and because they do not see that there is a Supreme Controller who is controlling even the nature, therefore their vast research and display of intelligence is only so much waste of time. It is just like a child. A child may play with the imitation of another child and the child will hold the doll and play with it as if it is real. But the parents who gave the child the doll, they know good and well the child is nonsense but they tolerate and enjoy sometimes. Just like my sisters used to prepare for me some imaginary puris from their toys of very small cooking things, and I used to pretend I was eating them and we were quite happy that this was the same thing just like our parents were doing.
1973 Correspondence
Letter to Sri Govinda -- Calcutta 31 January, 1973:
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated January 15, 1973, and I have noted the contents with great interest. It is so very nice to hear how the book distribution is going on. This is our main business, distributing these books all over the world and thus turning the minds of the fallen souls towards Krsna.
So far the court case is concerned, I shall be interested to hear the outcome. So you may keep me informed. But always remember that Krsna is the Supreme Controller of all that be.
I am desiring now to stay six months of the year in Los Angeles and six months in Mayapur, spending my time solely for the translation of Srimad-Bhagavatam and other books so that I may give them to you, my sincere disciples. So it will be better arrangement now if my disciples can take up the management and active preaching. For this purpose I have created so many sannyasis. So as far as possible, try to arrange preaching programs with them as I prefer to remain now in the background translating my books.
1976 Correspondence
Letter to Purusottama -- Los Angeles 4 June, 1976:
By stopping the breathing process, keeping in samadhi, the breath period is not being misused, and he increases the life span. Therefore, destiny can only be changed by devotional service or yoga. Otherwise, what you must suffer, you must suffer, and what you must enjoy, you must enjoy. For a devotee however, whatever it may be, he takes the opportunity to chant Hare Krishna, and if by Krishna's Grace destiny is changed, then it is alright. Nature's law will work. We cannot change that, but Krishna, the Supreme Controller, He can change it; just like if a man is sentenced to be hanged, no one, not even the judge can pardon him, except the king or president. He only can excuse the offender. Similarly, I have to execute Krishna's order, and suppose I have to suffer to execute this order. Therefore, devotional service and the devotee is so dear to Krishna. The devotee is prepared to die at any moment, but he simply wants to be engaged in Krishna's service. "I am suffering, I cannot carry out the order of Krishna. . ." This line of thinking is sense gratification. Suppose a devotee had to suffer in preaching work, just like Haridasa Thakura or Prahlada Maharaja.
| Page Title: | Supreme controller (Conversations and Letters) |
| Compiler: | Rishab, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 08 of Oct, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=46, Let=9 |
| No. of Quotes: | 55 |