Twigs (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"twig" |"twigs"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Hyderabad, November 18, 1972:

That's it. But if you water the leaf, means you waste your time. Because by watering the leaf, you cannot make the tree living. Similarly, the śāstra says that water on the root. Yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ (SB 4.31.14). If you water the root, automatically the branches, the twigs, the leaves, they become invigorated. But if you water the leaf, you simply you think that you are doing service, but you are doing nothing. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)

Lecture on BG 6.25-29 -- Los Angeles, February 18, 1969:

Yes. The self, the mind should be fixed in self. We are self and Kṛṣṇa is also self. So, just like if you fix up your eyes on the sun, then you can see the sun and yourself also. Sometimes in dense darkness we cannot see ourself also. That you have experienced. So I cannot see my body in dense darkness. Although body is with me, I am the body or I am whatever I am, I cannot see myself. That you have got experience. So if you are in the sunshine, sunlight, then you see the sun as well as yourself. Is it not? Therefore to see the self means first of all see the Supreme Self. The Supreme Self is Kṛṣṇa. In the Vedas it is said, Kaṭhopaniṣad, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). The Supreme Self is the chief eternal of all eternals. He is the chief living being of all living beings. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to fix up in self. To, the same example. If you fix up your mind in Kṛṣṇa, then you can fix up your mind in everything. The same example again, if you take care of your stomach, then you take care of all the bodily limbs. If your stomach is supplied nice nutritious food, the stomach is cleared of all disturbances then you keep good health. So if you pour water in the root of the tree, then you take care of all the branches, leaves, flowers, twigs, everything, automatically.

Lecture on BG 6.46-47 -- Los Angeles, February 21, 1969:

Yes. That is natural. If I am part and parcel of God my duty is to serve. This example I have given you many times. Just like this finger is the part and parcel of my body. So what is the duty of this finger? The duty of the finger is to serve the whole body, that's all. If I am feeling something itching, immediately finger is working. If I want to see, the eyes immediately work. If I want to go the legs immediately take me. So as this bodily part and part, limbs, are helping me, the whole thing, and I am eating, and the stomach, I am eating only. Similarly God is meant for simply receiving service from all other parts. Not to serve. The service, if the limbs of the body serves the whole body, the energy automatically comes to the parts of the body. Similarly if we serve Kṛṣṇa, we get all our necessities, energy, automatically. Yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena (SB 4.31.14). The example, just like pouring water on the root of the tree, the energy is immediately supplied to the leaves, to the twigs, to the branches, to everywhere immediately. Similarly simply by serving Kṛṣṇa or God you supply all other parts, you serve all other parts. There is no question of serving differently. The ... everything automatically comes.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Diego, July 1, 1972:

The woods and pile, stones and earth is there already—big, big mountain, hills. You do the business of a porter, carry it out, and high, I mean to say, heap, heap it in one place, it becomes a skyscraper building. And if you simply are proud of these heaps of stones and woods and iron, that is not civilization. That is not civilization. Civilization is that the living entity who is using these resources, what, to know what is the actual business. This piling of stones and wood is done also by the birds. They also pick up, according to their strength, some twigs, and they make a nest. That intelligence is there. The rat also, he makes subway. (laughter) You see, So this is not very intelligent work, to imitate the rats, the birds, the cats, the dogs. That is not civilization. Civilization means self-realization, "What I am? Why I am forced to die? I do not like to die." To know this, that is civilization. When all these inquiries will come into one's mind... "Well, I do not wish to die. Why death is there, forced? I am forced to die. I do not wish to be diseased. Why disease comes to me upon me?" When this "why" question will come, "Why?" that is humanity. And if he remains dull, "All right, let me die," then he's cat and dog. That's all. If there is no "Why?" then he's cat and dog.

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

This is called... Yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena. If you pour water on the root of the tree, the water reaches to the branches, to the twigs, to the leaves, to the flowers, to the fruits automatically. You simply pour water on the root. That is the system. If you pour water on the every leaf, I think you'll have no time. "Oh, there are millions of leaves. How we can...?" No. Take the root and pour water and it will reach. That is the way. Similarly, if you love your society, your friends, your country, your family, yourself, your dog, everything, if you love Kṛṣṇa, all love will be distributed. But if you don't love Kṛṣṇa, if you simply love this, simply love that, simply that, it will be never be perfect. Therefore the whole world is confused. They do not know where to repose the love. That do not know. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is canvassing: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). "Come here! Love Me! Increase your attachment for Me. Everything will be all right." Otherwise it is simply vague. Śrama eva hi kevalam. Simply waste of time.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Calcutta, January 27, 1973:

This is our position. We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. When I speak "Kṛṣṇa," means God. You know, all. It is not very difficult for Indians. So because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, there cannot be disconnection. Therefore it is a stage of forgetfulness. Instead of loving Kṛṣṇa, we have expanded our love for so many things. Somebody's loving his body. Somebody's loving his family. Somebody's loving his society, community, nation, or the human society. We are trying to... We must love. There is no escape. I must love somebody, because the propensity's there. So the original love is for Kṛṣṇa. But because we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa, therefore our love is distributed in so many ways. But we are frustrated. We, we are not happy. Neither the person whom we love or the country whom we love or the society which I love, they're also not happy. Because everything is misplaced. Everything is misplaced. Just like if you water on the top of the tree or every leaf, every branch, every twig, you cannot keep the tree very fresh. But if you water on the root of the tree, it keeps fresh, always.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Calcutta, January 27, 1973:

This is from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, instruction given by Nārada Muni to Pracetasas. Those who have read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, they know how he was explaining. So this example is very nice. Yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena. If you water on the root of the tree, automatically the trunk, the branches, the twigs, the leaves, the flowers, fruits, everything is refreshed. Another example is also there in the next line: prāṇopahārāc ca yathendriyāṇām. As by supplying food to the stomach all the indriyas, all the senses, become refreshed, energetic, similarly acyutejyā, by loving Kṛṣṇa, Acyuta... Acyuta is another name of Kṛṣṇa. Senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me acyuta (BG 1.21). Kṛṣṇa is addressed as Acyuta. So acyuta-ijyā, by worshiping Kṛṣṇa, by satisfying Kṛṣṇa, you can satisfy everyone. This is the process.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Sydney, February 16, 1973:

"My dear Arjuna, if you develop your attachment for Me," mayy āsakta... Mayy āsakta, "attachment to Me," God is saying. We have got attachment. Every one us has got some attachment, either for this or that. Especially our living condition means to love somebody. That love propensity, that loving propensity is there within me, within you. I want to love you or you want to love me or I want to love somebody, but I want to love; that is my hankering. But because the love is misplaced, therefore we are frustrated. Love is misplaced. The example is given in the śāstra. Just like the tree has to be watered, but if you do know the purpose of watering, where to water, then our business of watering will be misused. You cannot water on the leaves, on the twigs or on the branches. You have to pour water on the root. That is the principle. So our loving propensity, when it will be properly employed, when we try to love or develop our loving propensity for God, or directly when we learn how to love God, then our loving propensity is perfect. Then you can love other things, others also.

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Melbourne, April 20, 1976:

Just like another example is given. Yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ (SB 4.31.14). Just like tree. If you... Tree, plant, anything. You pour water in the root; it goes, transferred to the branches, to the twigs, to the leaves, to the flower and everyone, if you put water. Yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ, prāṇopahārāc ca yathendriyāṇām. And by giving food to the stomach, then all the different parts of the body, limbs and senses, they become healthy. Similarly, sarvārhaṇam acyutejyā. If you worship Kṛṣṇa, Acyuta, then the whole world will be satisfied because He is the root.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Calcutta, March 9, 1972:

So they are not different from Brahman, at the same time different from Brahman. This is called acintya-bhedābheda-tattva. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says here that mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni: (BG 9.4) "Everything is resting on My energy, but I am not them." The Māyāvādī philosophers, they are mistaken, mistaking that when everything is expanded as God's energy, then why there is separate God? This is material conception. God is always separate from His energy. That is distinctly said here: mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. Everything is emanation of God's energy, but still God is not there. If you worship the energy of God, that is not God-worshiping. Indirectly it is, but directly it is not. That is explained in Bhagavad-gītā. The kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ prapadyante 'nya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). Anya devatāḥ: they are energies of Kṛṣṇa. But there is no need..., if you approach directly to the energetic, the energy is automatically touched and worshiped. Sarvārhaṇam acyutejyā. Just like if you pour water in the root. Root is the cause of the tree. So the tree, the, I mean, the branches, the twigs, the leaves, the flowers, everything, they are also expansion of the root. So if you water on the root, the service expands to other parts of the root.

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

If you want to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, then you have to become tolerant. What kind of tolerant? Just like a tree. Don't you think a tree, how much tolerant it is? Everybody is committing offense on the tree. Somebody is snatching its twigs, somebody is snatching its flowers, somebody snatching leaves, somebody cutting, but it does not protest. Rather, on the contrary, it supplies you fruits, flower, and gives you shelter. So tree is the nicest example for tolerance. So Lord Caitanya teaches us that we should become tolerant just like a tree. And tṛṇād api sunīcena, and forbearance just like a grass. Just like you trample over grass. It does not protest. Tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā, amāninā.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, September 30, 1973:

Just like if you pour water on the root of a tree, the branches, the twigs, the flowers and leaves, they all become nourished, similarly, by worshiping Kṛṣṇa, you'll satisfy all the demigods. You don't require to satisfy everyone. This is the statement in all śāstras.

devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṛṇāṁ

na kiṅkaro nāyam ṛṇī ca rājan

sarvātmanā yaḥ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ

gato mukundaṁ parihṛtya kārtam

(SB 11.5.41)

We are indebted to so many persons: devatās, deva, ṛṣi, devarṣi, bhūta, living entities, nṛṇām, human society. devarṣi-bhūtāpta. Our family men, our friends. Devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṛṇām (SB 11.5.41). Pitṛloka, pitṛ-piṇḍa. We are indebted in so many ways. It is very difficult to liquidate all these debts. It is very difficult. But if one surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, sarvātmanā yaḥ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ gato mukundam. If one has surrendered fully to Mukunda, parihṛtya kārtam. There are so many duties. Therefore Kṛṣṇa assures that "If you surrender to Me..." If you think that you have not worshiped others, and if you are sinful thereby, Kṛṣṇa says, mā śucaḥ, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: (BG 18.66) "I shall give you protection."

Lecture on BG 18.67-69 -- Ahmedabad, December 9, 1972:

So just like I say that there is butter in the milk. And I give you one mound of milk, "Find out the butter." So you have to churn it. Similarly, God is everywhere, that's a fact. Just like a tree. The tree is everywhere, in the leaf, in the twig, but if you have to find out where is the actual tree, it is the root. If you water the root, then the whole tree is nourished, and if you simply water all the leaves, the whole day you will spoil and the tree will be spoiled. That is going on. You do not know what is the root. Foolishly, you are watering the leaves. What will be the benefit? The tree will die, and your energy will be spoiled. You find out the root. The root is Kṛṣṇa. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi... Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8). So as soon as you come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Just like in this old age, we are traveling all over the world to do benefit to the people because we are hankering that people should become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Don't you think that we are serving the people everywhere? We are not sitting idle. So anyone who will be really Kṛṣṇa conscious, he'll not be idle. He'll serve the whole human society, everywhere. Not only human society, the animal society, everyone.

Lecture on BG Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 8, 1972:

Just like if you pour water in the root of the tree, the all the branches, twigs, flowers, leaves—everything becomes nourished automatically. Similarly, if you put foodstuff on the stomach, then all the indriyas, all the different limbs and parts of the body automatically become nourished. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is the origin of everything, root. Aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). Therefore if we try to understand Kṛṣṇa, if we try to serve Kṛṣṇa, then our life will be successful. Otherwise not. That is not possible.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

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

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 1.2.3 -- London, August 24, 1971:

Pradyumna: "Therefore they are compared to the camel who relishes thorny twigs because he likes the taste of the twigs mixed with blood. He does not realize that it is his own blood and that his tongue is being cut by the thorns. Similarly, to the materialist his own blood is as sweet as honey. And although he is always harassed by his own material creations, he does not wish to escape. Such materialists are called karmīs. Only a few may feel tired of material engagement and desire to get out of the labyrinth. Such intelligent persons..."

Prabhupāda: Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). After many, many births they come to realize that "This is not the way of solution. I must take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead."

That's all right. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Delhi, November 12, 1973:

So we do not know. We have got the propensity to love. Love means somebody else. Love cannot be done or love cannot be executed only one, personally. There must be another one. I love somebody; somebody loves me. So as soon as there is question of love, there must be lover, there must be beloved, and the transaction, then love. Prema. Premā pum-artho mahān. So we have got this loving propensity, to love somebody, to love my family. First of all, love begins from family—father, mother, brother, sister. Then you extend your love to your society, to your community, then to your nation. Or you can extend to the international. You can expand. But what is the end? You can expand yourself, but unless you come to the point of loving the Supreme Person, you cannot have tranquillity or peace of mind. That is the secret. Just like watering the tree. You can water, pour water on the leaves, on the branches, on the twigs, on the flowers, each and every one very particularly. But if you forget to water on the root, then everything is spoiled. Time is spoiled.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Delhi, November 12, 1973:

This is the śāstra's direction. Yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ (SB 4.31.14). Very practical example. Just like watering, pouring water on the root of the tree, automatically you please the branches, the twigs, the leaves, the flowers, the fruits and everything. Immediately the watering energy is transformed to every part of the tree. It is practical. There is no argument. And another example is given. Prāṇopahārāc ca yathendriyāṇām. You give food to the stomach, and the energy will be distributed to all the parts of your body. If you want to serve separately, two sweetmeats to the two eyes and two sweetmeats to ears, in this way, it will be simply useless waste of time. Simply one sweetmeat, if you put into the stomach, and immediately you will feel some energy which will be enjoyed by your eyes, by your ears, by your nose, your hands, your legs, your hair, everything. This is the process.

Lecture on SB 1.2.13 -- Vrndavana, October 24, 1972:

The example is given: yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ (SB 4.31.14). Just like pouring water in the root of the tree, automatically you water the branches, the twigs, the leaves, the flowers, and everything. This is the way. Prāṇopahārāc ca yathendriyāṇām. You supply foods to the stomach, and automatically the energy will be distributed to other parts of the body. You do not require to supply food to the eyes, to the ear, to the nose. No. Simply supply food to the stomach and the energy will be distributed. Similarly, saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). If you simply satisfy Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then you satisfy all others. Tasmin tuṣṭo jagat tuṣṭaḥ. Just like you know the story, in Mahābhārata, that Duryodhana planned... Duryodhana... Once Duryodhana satisfied Durvāsā Muni very nicely, and Durvāsā Muni wanted to give him some benediction, "Now you take some benediction, whatever you like." So Duryodhana was very cunning. His only aim was how to cheat the Pāṇḍavas.

Lecture on SB 1.2.33 -- Vrndavana, November 12, 1972:

Now, from that seed, first of all, the trunk will come, the branches will come. Then the twigs will come, the leaves will come, and the fabrication of the leaf. Everything see, wonderful. Everything we see, wonderful. But svābhāvikī, as if coming automatically, automatically. A creeper is coming, is trying to find out a shelter. As soon as it finds out shelter, immediately captures. We have seen in our Los Angeles. Behind my house, the electric post and the wire, the creeper is taking shelter and giving flower and fruits and everything. Svābhāvikī. Now, you can say it has no eyes. How it is seeing, how it is coming here and is, what is called, squirreling? No. The energy's so perfect that svābhāvikī, it is working like nature. Automatically. Svābhāvikī. There is knowledge. Svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā. Everything is done by knowledge, by power, and by action.

Lecture on SB 1.3.1 -- Vrndavana, November 14, 1972:

So we can very easily understand by the example of our own body. This body, as we, spirit soul, enter into this body, the existence of body continues. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). So the body is not created first. The... Because the living entity enters into the body, therefore the body's created. Similarly, this gigantic body, universal body, cannot come into existence automatically. That is not a very good theory. How...? There is no such example. Unless the living entity is there, this body... We get this experience—it does not grow. If a child is born dead, that body does not grow. Therefore it is to be concluded there is something. Even if we do not accept the spirit soul, there must be something on account of the presence of that something, the body's growing. Similarly, take this gigantic body of the universe; unless there is something like that, as we are in this body, how this gigantic universe can go? This is common reasoning. We do not find that a..., matter is growing automatically. No. A tree, a tree is growing, daily growing new leaves new twigs, new flowers. Because that living entity is within the tree. You cut the tree and throw it aside. There will be no more growing. It will dry. It will dry.

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

So we have got very great responsibility to spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement to the world. By switching on this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you solve all the problems, as much as by pouring water in the root of the tree, all energy is distributed to the tree—to the leaves, to the twigs, to the flowers, to the leaves. Thousands and millions of leaves are there and flowers are... Everything will be nourished. Just like putting your foodstuff through one way. The rascal says that "You can accept any way." No! Only one way: Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You cannot supply foodstuff to your body by so many holes. You have got nine holes in your body. One hole, this hole. You have to supply food to, not this hole, rectum.

Lecture on SB 1.5.35 -- Vrndavana, August 16, 1974:

And kalpa-vṛkṣa. This is Kṛṣṇa's abode. They are not like this. They are all spiritual. Here it is, everything is material, but there is spiritual touch. That spiritual touch we are describing in the Bhagavad-gītā, bījo 'haṁ sarva-bhūtānām (Bg 7.10). Without spiritual touch, there is no question of material manifestation. That is not possible. This body, your body, my body, this is material—everyone knows. It is made of earth, air, water, fire, like that. But how it is manifested? How the beautiful body is manifested? Because there is spiritual touch. The spirit soul is there. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā tathā... (BG 2.13). This external body is changing, but it is forming on account of that spiritual touch. That spiritual touch means Kṛṣṇa. Bījo 'haṁ sarva-bhūtānām. So therefore the origin of everything is Kṛṣṇa. Just like the origin of a big tree is the root. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is the ādi-puruṣam. Govindam ādi-puruṣam, sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1). Just like in the tree there are trunk, branches, twigs, sub-branches, leaves, flowers, so many things. But the cause is the root.

Lecture on SB 1.8.44 -- Los Angeles, May 6, 1973:

So the whole world is dissatisfied because the spiritual hunger is not satisfied. Kṛṣṇa is the central point. So spiritual hunger means... We are, our general propensity is to satisfy our hunger. So Kṛṣṇa is the center, Kṛṣṇa is the root, mūla. Yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ (SB 4.31.14). Just like watering to the root, you can satisfy the whole tree—the trunk, branches, twigs, leaves, flowers, fruits, everything—if there is water in the root. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is the root of all creation. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ. "Everything is emanating from Me," Kṛṣṇa says. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). Whatever you see, that is coming from Kṛṣṇa. There are so many other words.

Lecture on SB 1.15.37 -- Los Angeles, December 15, 1973:

So then again, śva-viḍ-varāha. Viḍ-varāha means the stool-eater. It has no discrimination. Anyone who is eating anything available, he is like viḍ-varāha. He has no discrimination. A human being should have discrimination. Eatable, everything is eatable. Stool is also eatable. Does it mean a human being should eat eatable stool? No. It is eatable for the pigs, for the hogs, not for you. Similarly, a human being who does not know what is eatable for him, he is just like this viḍ-varāha, viḍ-varāha, hog, who has no discrimination, "Oh, everything is all right. Eat. Everything is all right." That is viḍ-varāha. And uṣṭra. Uṣṭra means camel. Camel enjoys his own blood. The camel eats thorny twigs. So the tongue is cut, and the blood comes out, and the blood is mixed up with the thorns, and he finds it very tasteful. He is tasting his own blood, and he is finding very tasteful. Similarly, everyone in this material world, he is enjoying sex life. He is enjoying his own blood, but he is thinking, "It is very good enjoyment." That is camel's enjoyment.

Lecture on SB 1.16.16 -- Los Angeles, January 11, 1974:

So when you love Kṛṣṇa, automatically you love other thing. But at the present moment, we do not love Kṛṣṇa, only the other things. But love is there. Just like to keep the tree quite fitness, you have to pour water in the root. But if you simply you give up the watering to the root, if you simply water the leaves, twigs, and the branches, then what you will get? Naturally there will be declination of the tree, automatically. If you do not give food to the stomach and if you supply food to the eyes, to the ears, to the... Then what will be your health? Similarly, so long we do not love Kṛṣṇa, then whatever those so-called love we are showing to the society, friendship and love and country and community, they are all futile. Therefore, in spite of so much advancement of so-called civilization, there is no love between one another. You try to love Kṛṣṇa. Then everything will be perfect.

Lecture on SB 2.3.18-19 -- Bombay, March 23, 1977, At Cross Maidan Pandal:

The camel is a kind of animal that takes pleasure in eating thorns. A person who wants to enjoy family life or the worldly life of so-called enjoyment is compared to the camel. Materialistic life is full of thorns, and so one should live only by the prescribed method of Vedic regulations just to make the best use of a bad bargain. Life in the material world is maintained by sucking one's own blood. The central point of attraction for material enjoyment is sex life. To enjoy sex life is to suck one's own blood, and there is not much more to be explained in this connection. The camel also sucks its own blood while chewing thorny twigs. The thorns the camel eats cut the tongue of the camel, and so blood begins to flow within the camel's mouth. The thorns, mixed with fresh blood, create a taste for the foolish camel, and so he enjoys the thorn-eating business with false pleasure. Similarly, the great business magnates, industrialists who work very hard to earn money by different ways and questionable means, eat the thorny results of their actions mixed with their own blood. Therefore the Bhāgavatam has situated these diseased fellows along with the camels.

Lecture on SB 2.3.19 -- Los Angeles, June 15, 1972:

Pradyumna: "Life in the material world is maintained by sucking one's own blood. The central point of attraction for material enjoyment is sex life. To enjoy sex life is to suck one's own blood, and there is not much more to be explained in this connection. The camel also sucks his own blood while chewing the thorny twigs. The thorns that the camel eats cuts the tongue of the camel. And so blood begins to flow within the camel's mouth. The thorns mixed with fresh blood create a taste for the foolish camel, and so he enjoys the thorn-eating business with false pleasure. Similarly, the great business magnates, industrialists who work very hard to earn money by different ways and questionable means, eat the thorny result of their action mixed up with their own blood. Therefore the Bhāgavatam has situated these diseased souls along with the camels."

Prabhupāda: They take risk, so much risk, for earning money and sense enjoyment. The thief, the burglars, they risk their life. They go to steal to a man's house, and it is known that as soon as he is known, "He has come," the man, the proprietor of the house, may immediately shoot him. That risk he takes. So not only the burglar and thieves, every one of us. It is stated padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām (SB 10.14.58). In every step there is danger. Every step. We are running our motorcars very fast, seventy miles, one hundred miles speed, but any moment there can be great danger. So actually there cannot be any peace in material life. That is not possible. Samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavam. We have to take therefore shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord. If we want to be happy, if we want to be peaceful, then this is the only way.

Lecture on SB 2.3.19 -- Los Angeles, June 15, 1972:

They also eat. They enjoy. As the camel is enjoying thorny twigs. His enjoyment, that is his enjoyment. Na khādanti na mehanti. Now, another enjoyment. Sex life, discharge. Na mehanti. Again it is described. These are very terse criticism. You see. A fact. Sex enjoyment means you discharge your semina. Your thing, not others. And it is said by medical science, some pounds of blood makes one drop of semina. That means, suppose you allow, if you allow somebody to take your blood, pounds of blood, would you like to do that? Unless it is... Nowadays, blood bank, there is going on. But anyone, if he wants to take your blood, you will protest. But our enjoyment is by giving our own blood. Tul... There is a Hindi poet, din ka ḍākinī, rāt ka bāghinī, palak palak rahe cuṣe duniyā sab bhora hoye, ghara ghara bāghinī pūje (?). It is actual for the materialistic person, that there is an animal, din ka ḍākinī, at, during daytime she is witch, and at night she is tigress.

Lecture on SB 3.25.42 -- Bombay, December 10, 1974:

So everyone is servant. Everyone is servant. You do not... You, you can perform yajñas for ordinarily, but if you keeps, if you be simply under the shelter of Kṛṣṇa, you do not require to perform different demigod yajñas, deva-yajña. That is not required. The example is given that if you pour water in the root of the tree, you do not require to pour water in the branches, in the twigs, in the flowers, in the fruits. It is automatically done. If you supply food to the stomach, then you do not require to feed the eyes, hands, legs, separately. There is no need; neither it is possible to give separate, I mean to say, food, materials for nourishing the different parts of the body. One place is sufficient. Similarly, if we worship Kṛṣṇa, the source of everything, the root of everything... Aham ādir hi yajñānām, devānām, deva-yajña.

Lecture on SB 3.26.25 -- Bombay, January 2, 1975:

Acyuta ijyā. Acyuta is Kṛṣṇa. By worshiping Kṛṣṇa, you can worship all the incarnations, all the demigods. The example is given: just like watering the root of the tree, you can pour water to the branches, to the twigs, to the flowers, to the fruits, or by supplying food to the stomach you can energize all the different parts and limbs of the body, similarly, Kṛṣṇa says, mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, by simply surrendering to Kṛṣṇa your obligation to all other incarnations, demigods, is fulfilled.

Lecture on SB 3.26.45 -- Bombay, January 20, 1975:

So we can reciprocate all kinds of rasas, humor, because He is the reservoir of all rasas. So this is the rasa of chivalry, the fighting spirit. So everything is there. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). The Absolute Truth is that where all varieties are there, variety. Although He is one, but still, varieties are there. Otherwise wherefrom the varieties come? Everything, all varieties. You see in the material world how many varieties are there. You take one bunch of flower. You will find, if you study minutely, how many hundreds and thousands of varieties of thorns, varieties of twigs, and color, and everything is there, variety. How these varieties are coming? The Vedānta replies, "From the Absolute Truth, varieties." Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). The Supreme Absolute Truth has got so many varieties of energies. For each and every variety, particular, finer craftsmanship, there is different energy. They are working. Just like we require to present some varieties a specialist, so Kṛṣṇa Himself has got all the special varieties of energy, and they are working in such a nice way as svābhāvikī. He hasn't got to learn it. Svābhāvikī. Svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca. Jñāna, knowledge. Suppose if you want to paint something, you must have the knowledge of painting, jñāna. And strength, and activity. Everything.

Lecture on SB 3.26.47 -- Bombay, January 22, 1975:

This is Govinda. Govinda is one, and... Ekaṁ brahma dvitīyaṁ nāsti. And ekaṁ bahu syām. And He has become so many. Just like from the seed, one seed, a small seed, when it is grown up, fructified, you will find big banyan tree and so many big, big branches, twigs, so many fruits. And each fruit contains again the seed, and each seed contains again millions of trees. This is creation. But the origin is one. Origin is one. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1), Kṛṣṇa. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). The Bhagavān is the origin of everything. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). These are the shastric vacana.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1976:

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu, mahā-vadānyāvatara, He is patita-pāvana. He is the deliverer of all the fallen souls. He has given us this much tapasya prescription. Tapasya must be there. And that is very easy to be done by us. It is not very difficult. One has to become very humble. That is the first qualification. Tṛṇād api sunīcena. Sunīcena means lower than the grass. Just like we trample over the grass; they do not protest. Tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣnunā. And tolerant, humbler than the grass and tolerant than the tree. A tree gives us all benefit, but in return we give the tree so much trouble. We snatch away the twigs, we snatch away the leaves. Sometimes for our fuel we cut down. But there is no protest. So these things have been taught by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣnunā amāninā mānadena. Nobody should think himself that he is very prestigious person, falsely. Nobody is prestigious. Everyone should be humble. So these three, four things we should learn, and that is tapasya. And we should avoid the sinful activities, namely, no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication. These are some of the positive and negative formulas given by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. And if we follow this tapasya and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, then our life is successful.

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

The same example, yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ (SB 4.31.14), the process is that you have to pour water at the root of the tree, then the tree will luxuriantly grow. But if you do not know the process, if you begin watering leaf to leaf, branch to branch, twig to twig, it will be simply waste of time. You can say, "I am pouring water on this leaf, on that leaf, on that..." It will take... You cannot. There are so many leaves in the tree, it is not possible individually, you can do it. But if you put the water, pour the water on the root, it is very easy, and all the leaves, and twigs, and flowers, and fruits, they get nourishment. That is wanted. Yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ, prāṇopahārāc ca yathendriyāṇām (SB 4.31.14), and by offering food to the stomach, all the indriyas, senses, they become vigorous or strong. Similarly, sarvārhaṇam acyutejyā, if you satisfy Kṛṣṇa, acyuta ijyā, then the whole society, whole community, whole living beings, everyone will be satisfied. If you simply push on this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, then all different activities of the human society will be very, very, nicely performed. Or if you do this nationalism, communism, it will never be perfect.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Los Angeles, June 27, 1975:

A series of practice. Then the brain will be clear. So this process also—not very safe. The example has been given that kṣipanty aghaṁ mahad api veṇu-gulmam ivānalaḥ. It is something like burning, setting fire into the dry grass. And superficially it appears that all the grasses are now burned into ashes; there is no possibility of coming out. No. Therefore this very word is there, iva analaḥ. Although superficially, outside, it appears that everything is burned, but the root remains there. The root remains there, and as soon as there will be facility or there will be rainy season, the same grasses and twigs and other things will come out again, new growth. That is... Even after so much tapasya... There are many instances. Just like Viśvāmitra Muni. Viśvāmitra Muni was a king. He wanted to become a brāhmaṇa, and he practiced mystic yoga for many years. Still, he became a victim of a woman, Menakā. He was meditating, closing eyes, and Indra sent this woman, Menakā. And simply by hearing the sound of the bangles, ching, ching, ching, "Oh, there is woman. Yes, very nice," (laughter) all mystic yoga finished. Then he begot one daughter. That..., her name is Śakuntalā, the famous beautiful daughter. So that history is there.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

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

So those who cannot live independently, they are just like dogs. (indistinct) so many things, explanation. Viḍ-varāha. Viḍ-varāha means no distinction of eating. Anything. Any damn thing, any nonsense thing up to stool, they can eat. They, are, they are called viḍ-varāha. And uṣṭra. Uṣṭra means that he's eating his own blood, thorny twigs. The uṣṭra, you know, the kharaiḥ, I mean, the camel, in the desert, there is only thorny twigs. Because there are uṣṭras... There is no other animal. And there are some date trees also, for the human being. Kṛṣṇa has provided everything. Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. Even in the desert Kṛṣṇa has provided food. So this uṣṭra, this camel, they like to eat these twigs, thorny twigs. And as soon as they chew the thorny twigs, blood oozes out from the tongue, and it is mixed and it makes a nice taste. So he's thinking that twigs are very nice, these thorns are very nice. Similarly, this material existence, it is simply thorny life. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām. Every step. Here is our friend, Mr. Cakravartī. He was going to business, and immediately there was accident. The whole thing became turned into something else. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām. We do not understand this, that every step there is danger. This material life is so dangerous. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām. Na teṣām, who are they? Who do not face this padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām? Samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavaṁ mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ. Puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ mahat-padam. One who has taken shelter. Bhavāmbudhir vatsa-padaṁ paraṁ padaṁ padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām (SB 10.14.58).

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 3, 1972:

"Pure devotional service automatically puts one in transcendental pleasure." Transcendental pleasure and material pleasure, there is difference. Material pleasure means sense gratification, and transcendental pleasure means satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. A devotee is satisfied seeing Kṛṣṇa is pleased. That is their satisfaction—through Kṛṣṇa. Material pleasure means direct sense perception, and spiritual pleasure means by, through Kṛṣṇa. If Kṛṣṇa is satisfied, then the devotee is satisfied. Just like a tree, the leaves and twigs become satisfied through the root of the tree. So Kṛṣṇa is the root. Kṛṣṇa is the origin of everything. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). So transcendental pleasure mean feeling of pleasure through Kṛṣṇa. Just like the gopīs and Kṛṣṇa. Gopīs, when they saw Kṛṣṇa is pleased, they became happy, and Kṛṣṇa, when He saw that the gopīs are happy, He become happier. Again the gopīs sees that Kṛṣṇa is happier, they, again they become more happy. In this way, there is competition of happiness. The gopīs sees Kṛṣṇa happier; they feel happiness, and Kṛṣṇa sees gopīs happier; Kṛṣṇa feels happiness. This word is described in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta: dui lagi hura huri (?). This is spiritual competition.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972:

Yes. This is statement in the Padma Purāṇa. And many other Purāṇas, Vedic literatures, the same thing is confirmed. But simply by taking shelter of Mukunda, one can be free from all types of obligation. Devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṟnām (SB 11.5.41). There are so many obligations. We have obligation to perform to satisfy the demigods; the great sages; general human society; pitṟnām, the pitṛs, forefathers. So many obligation. But one who takes shelter of Mukunda, he has no other, no more obligation. Nāyam ṛṇī na kiṅkara rājan. Simply by... Just like watering the root of the tree, you can satisfy the trunks, the branches, the twigs, the leaves, the flowers, everything. Similarly, sarvārhaṇam acyutejyā. Simply by executing devotional service, you can execute all other obligations without any deviation.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

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

If anyone touches, he will have to take his bath and then purify himself." But for cow dung it is stated, "If there is any impure place, just smear over it cow dung and it will be all nice." Now, argument is, "How is that, that one place you say that stool of animal is impure, and again one place you say cow dung is pure?" That is not contradiction. That is actually the fact. And modern scientists have analyzed cow dung, and he has found it is full of antiseptic properties. It is God's wish. Now, take for example cow. What cow eating? Grass, dry grass. And what it is producing? It is producing the nicest thing, milk, full of vitamins. Now, if you think, "Oh, then a dry grass and straw contains all vitamins. Let me eat," you will die. You will die. It is God's arrangement. The cow can produce the most vitaminous foodstuff by eating the dry grass. It is God's desire. The cow will eat at least twenty pounds of grass, and how it can eat the grains? It is not possible. So just like elephant—it will eat hundred pounds of thing. He must eat all these branches and twigs. So everything is God's arrangement. We have to accept that. Sattvena sāttvikatayā prabalaiś ca śāstraiḥ.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.108-109 -- New York, July 15, 1976:

So bhedābheda-prakāśa. So the living entity is simultaneously one and different. The two philosophies are going on. One philosophy, Māyāvāda, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, miscalculation, so 'ham—this is to become one. And another philosophy, Vaiṣṇava philosophy—that we are different. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that both are true. Bhedābheda-prakāśa. A living entity is one with God and is as different from God. Bhedābheda-prakāśa. One? How one? Because Kṛṣṇa says that "Living entities are My part and parcel." Just like this hand, this finger, is part and parcel of my body, so therefore it is one. But the finger is not the whole body. Different. It is very simple thing. Bhedābheda-prakāśa. Anyone can understand. The finger... The tree... Just like the leaf, the twigs, the flowers, the fruits. They are all tree. But at the same time, it is not tree; it is leaf, it is branch, it is twig, it is flower. It is very simple philosophy. Caitanya Mahāprabhu explained, taṭasthā-śakti, marginal. Marginal means the living entity has to become servant. That is his position. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). But when the servant wants to become master, he is under the clutches of māyā. And when he understands that "I am not master; I am servant," he is under Kṛṣṇa. That is taṭasthā. Taṭasthā means marginal. That taṭa... Taṭa means the beach. Sometimes the beach is covered with water, and sometimes it is land. That is called taṭasthā. So that land, sometimes water.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Lecture -- Gainesville, July 29, 1971:

No, the process is, just like if you pour water on the root of the tree, the water is distributed to the leaf, branches, twigs, and they remain fresh. But if you water on the leaf only, the leaf will also dry, and the twig will be also dry. If you put your foodstuff on the stomach, then the energy will be distributed to your finger, to your hairs to your nails and everywhere. And if you take foodstuff in the hand and do not put in the stomach, it will be useless waste. So all this humanitarian service has been wasted because there is no Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They're trying so many ways to serve the human society, but they're all being frustrated in useless attempt, because there is no Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And if people are trained to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then automatically everyone will be happy. Any one who will join, one, anyone who will hear, anyone who will cooperate—everyone will be happy. So our process is natural process. You love God, and if you (are) actually expert in loving God, naturally you love everyone. Just like Kṛṣṇa conscious person, because he loves God, he loves the animals also. He loves birds, beasts, everyone. But so-called humanitarian love means they're loving some human being, but the animals are being killed. Why they do not love the animals? Because imperfect. But the Kṛṣṇa conscious person will never kill an animal or give trouble to animal even. But that is universal love. If you love only your brother or sister, that is not universal love. Universal love means you love everyone. That universal love can be developed by Kṛṣṇa consciousness, not by otherwise.

Initiation Lectures

Sannyasa Initiation Lecture -- Calcutta, January 26, 1973:

Yes. Stand up. So... So the purport of this verse, etāṁ sa āsthāya, this sannyāsa order I am accepting. Why? Etāṁ sa āsthāya parātma-niṣṭhām. Just to fix up my mind steadily on the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, parātma-niṣṭhā. My only life is meant for serving the Supreme Lord, original Nārāyaṇa, not daridra-nārāyaṇa. That is my iṣṭhā. Etāṁ sa āsthāya parātma-niṣṭhā. You... If we serve the Supreme Nārāyaṇa, the daridra-nārāyaṇa is automatically... There is no such word as daridra-nārāyaṇa. The poor souls, they can be served automatically. Just like taror mūla-niṣecanena tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ. If the root is watered, then the trunk and branches and the twigs and the flowers, automatically... Prāṇopahārāc ca yathendriyāṇām. Prāṇopahārāc. Just like offering foodstuff to the stomach. Then every indriya, every sense is satisfied. Two, two examples are given. One may argue, "Suppose I am watering. That is also nice. I water to the root, I water to the leaf also." The injunction is that there is no necessity of watering the leaves. You simply water the root. But if you argue that "What is the harm...? Suppose I... Root, offer water to the root, as well as to the leaves and twigs." Just like somebody says, "All right. Why we shall only worship Kṛṣṇa? Why not other demigods?" although it is not necessary. But the next example is given that, prāṇopahārāc ca yathendriyāṇām. Just like offering foodstuff to the stomach, the senses automatically become healthy, then now, if you say, in the same way... Just like offering to the root as well as to the leaves, that "Yes, I shall offer foodstuff to the stomach as well as to the ears and eyes." Then what the result will be? The result will be that your eyes and ears will be stopped functioning. Therefore this very example is given. This, this is not required at all. Similarly, by worshiping Kṛṣṇa, you don't require to endeavor to worship the demigods, to worship the daridras, to worship the this and that. It will be automatically done.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Seattle, September 30, 1968:

The increase means there are two ways. If you practice, "I love my society, I love my country, I love my human nation," then "Living entities," go on... But if you directly touch Kṛṣṇa, then everything is there. It is so nice. Because Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive, includes everything. Why everything? Because Kṛṣṇa is the center. Just like in a family, if you love your father, then you love your brothers, sisters, the servant of your father, the home of your father, the wife of your father, namely, your mother, everyone. The central point is father. This is crude example. Similarly, if you love Kṛṣṇa, then your love will be expanded everywhere. Another example, just like if you love a tree, the leaves, the flowers, the branches, the trunks, the twigs, everything. You simply pour water on the root, then your loving affairs for the tree will automatically serve. If you love your countrymen, if you want to see that your countryman becomes educated, advanced economically and mentally, physically, then what you'll do? You pay tax to the government. You don't hide your income tax. You simply pay tax to the central government and it will be distributed to the educational department, to the defense department, to the hygienic department, everywhere. Therefore... These are crude examples, but actually, if you want to love everything, then you try to love Kṛṣṇa. You'll not be frustrated because that is complete. When your love is complete, then you will not be frustrated. Just like you have got complete feeding. If you are satisfied with food completely, then you say, "I am satisfied. I don't want any more."

Speech at Olympia Theater -- Paris, June 26, 1971, (with translator):

All these factors prove that we want and we are constitutionally so made that we have to render service to somebody else. But in spite of our rendering service to the best capacity, we are not satisfied nor the persons to whom we are rendering service, they are satisfied. Therefore in spite of our rendering service to one another, every one of us are frustrated. The reason is that the service which we are rendering, that is not properly placed. The method is... Just like a tree. If you want to render service to a tree, you must water to the root. If you pour water on the leaves, branches and twigs, that is not properly served. If you pour water on the root, that is the way of serving the tree. Similarly, in your body, if you supply food to the stomach, the energy will be distributed. You need not give food separately to the different parts of your body. From this example we can understand that the supreme whole, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, if He is served, then all other parts and parcels and... Just like the limbs of the body are served automatically by supplying food to the stomach, similarly, by serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead everyone is served. Therefore all welfare activities, all service to the society, family, nature... (break)

Lecture -- London, August 11, 1971:

If you want happiness, then you must learn how to love God. You are trying to love somebody, but you are being frustrated, foiled. Because except God, nobody is loving object. And if you love God, then naturally you love everything because God is everything. The example is that if you pour water on the root of the tree, it goes everywhere—to the twigs, to the leaves, to the flowers, everywhere. But if you pour water on the leaf, it is localized. It does not spread. So we are manufacturing, inventing, so many humanitarian work, welfare work, but still, people are unhappy. Why? Because it is pouring water on the leaf, not on the root. So learn by Kṛṣṇa consciousness how to love Kṛṣṇa and how to love your country, your society, your friends, everything. But without loving Kṛṣṇa, you cannot love. This is the secret. And if you love... Just like because I love Kṛṣṇa, therefore I have come to your country. I had no business to come to your country, naturally. But we are preaching this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means we love everyone. We don't make any distinction. We love animals also. We don't like to see animal killing. That is also one of our propaganda: "No meat-eating." Why? To save the animals, because we love animals also. We love even the ant—because we love Kṛṣṇa.

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

Now you are thinking service to the humanity means a section of humanity. And why should you stick your service to the humanity? When one is serving his own countrymen, Indian, he does not care for the Englishman. So don't speak of humanity. Nobody can serve the whole humanity in the present way. But if you spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is the best service to the humanity. Just like we are doing. We have no discrimination, that "These are Indians. These are Americans. They are Hindus. They are Muslims. They are Christians." No. Or "They're cats or dogs." That oneness you can see only when you are Brahman-realized. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Why humanity? Why not the cats and dogs and cows? You are very much anxious to give service to the humanity, but you are sending animals to the slaughterhouse. Why? (indistinct) the lack of knowledge. You do not (indistinct) is part and parcel of God. You cannot select this part and... Therefore the śāstra says, yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ (SB 4.31.14). Just like by watering the root, you can water automatically the branches, the trunks, the twigs, the flowers, the fruits, the leaves—everything is watered. Sarvārhaṇam acyutejyā. Or by supplying foodstuff to the stomach, you serve all the senses of the body perfectly. Similarly, when you begin to serve Kṛṣṇa, then not only to the human society, to the animal society, to the tree society. Every society will be served. That is perfect service. And if you simply limit your service, that is, may be good, but that is not good. According to śāstra... Just like you simply water the leaves, the leaves will not live. They'll dry. But if you supply water to the root, everything will be protected. So actual service will begin when you are Kṛṣṇa conscious. Brahmā-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54), samaḥ sarve... That is samaḥ sarveṣu. And so long you limit, that is limited service. That is not perfect service.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Prabhupāda: Complex or simple, it doesn't matter. There were trees.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Actually, the coal doesn't say whether the tree was complex or not.

Śyāmasundara: No, but they find impressions from leaves and the carboniferous age, they find that the remains of trees, plants, twigs, all very simple forms like our (indistinct). Today they're more...

Prabhupāda: Our evidence is intelligence, not with tools and (indistinct). Our evidence is intelligence. We find, we get Vedic information by disciplic succession-highly intelligent. So that is our evidence. Not the tools.

Śyāmasundara: The Scripture. The evidence which is written and spoken in...

Prabhupāda: Yes. And that is coming by śruti, by hearing. Just like Vyāsadeva heard from Nārada, Nārada heard from Brahmā, millions and millions of years ago. If you take, according to our calculation, Brahmā's age, Brahmā's one day we cannot calculate. It is now some, so many millions of years past, and still it is not even Brahmā's one day. So many millions of years. Because in Brahmā's one day seventy-two..., fourteen, fourteen Manus come and go. And each Manu's age is seventy-two millennium. One millennium means 4,300,000's of years. So such seventy-two millennium makes complete one Manu's life, and there are fourteen Manus in Brahmā's one day. So millions and trillions and billions of years, that is not very astonishing to us, because it is not even one day of Brahmā. That Brahmā was born, and intelligent philosophy is still existing from the date of Brahmā's birth. Brahmā was first educated by God. That is our calculation. So we get in the Vedas such intelligent information; therefore we understand that our forefather was very, very learned(?).

Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey:

Prabhupāda: It is not theoretical that if you accept the universal form of God, then everything within the universe is part and parcel of that form. That is practical.

Śyāmasundara: But say there...

Prabhupāda: Like a big tree, the every leaf, every branch, every twig, every flower is a part and parcel of the whole tree. Similarly, virāṭ-rūpa. Apart from Kṛṣṇa's personal rūpa, the virāṭ-rūpa as it was manifested before Arjuna, if you take the virāṭ-rūpa, the whole universal form of the Lord, then anything within the universe is part and parcel of that virāṭ-rūpa, the resulting form.

Śyāmasundara: So the choice between a good and a bad action should be practiced to reduce evil, not just theoretical. That's his idea. That's his point.

Prabhupāda: Yes. No theory. This is practical. Now, as a big machine, the screw is a part, so if every part works nicely, the machine goes nicely. So if we understand... Just like I think last night I was explaining mukha baho rūpa divya: the gigantic body, the brāhmaṇa class, they are the mouth. So one must do the duty of the mouth. The mouth speaks, vibrates and eats. So our proposition is to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and eat Kṛṣṇa prasādam. Then the mouth duty, the brāhmaṇa's duty, is performed. Similarly, the kṣatriya's duty—again we come to that varṇāśrama-dharma. So everyone is factually part and parcel of God and executes his prescribed duty, then it is perfect.

Philosophy Discussion on Soren Aabye Kierkegaard:

Prabhupāda: That is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We are learning how to love God, and we are teaching the same principle to the whole world, without any discrimination, that "God is one." Not that there are different Gods of different faiths. God cannot be two. Eko brahma dvitīyaṁ nāsti. God is one. There cannot be any competitor. His name is Asamaurdhva; nobody is equal to Him, nobody is greater than Him. Therefore God is great. Nobody is equal. So in any form of religion, if love of God is instructed, that is first-class religion. It doesn't matter whether it is Christian religion or Hindu religion or Muslim religion. The test is how the followers have learned to love God. And now God being the center of love and everything being God's expansion, so a lover of God is lover of everyone. He does not discriminate that "Only man should be loved, and man should be given service." No. He is interested with all living entities, never mind in which form he is existing. So he is interested in..., lover of God loves everyone, and the love reaches everyone. The example is given in this connection. Just to water the root of the tree means to expand nourishment for all other parts of the tree, namely the trunk, branches, leaves, twigs, everything. Or to supply food in the stomach means satisfying the necessities of all parts of the body. This is the fact. God being everything, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam (BG 9.4), as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, nothing can exist without God, and everything is expansion. Another word is there in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa. It is said that the fire remaining in one place distributes its heat and light. Eka-sthāne sthitasyāgner jyotsnā vistāriṇī yathā. The fire can distribute its heat and light although localized in a place. Similarly God, He is in His own abode, but by His energy He is present everywhere. Sarva-vyāpī, all-pervading. The all-pervading feature of God means everything is manifestation of His energy. Nothing can exist without God. But it does not mean everything is God. Everything is resting on His energy, but not everything God. In spite of expanding, God, by His different potencies, He keeps His personality. That is God.

Philosophy Discussion on Jacques Maritain:

Śyāmasundara: He means more in the sense that because of this material body, this material position, that is where evil arises, by identifying with this material condition only. Their real nature is spiritual. Personality is spiritual.

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is contaminated. The varieties are there in the spiritual world. The same varieties when they are presented here with material contamination, it is called perverted. Just like the example in the Fifteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā, ūrdhva-mūlam adhaḥ-śākham (BG 15.1), reflection on the bank of a river, reservoir of water, the tree is reflected, varieties are there. The trees or trunks, branches, twigs, flowers, everything is reflected, but they are all false. Real variety is there, on the bank of the river. Because it is reflection, it appears that everything is there in the perverted way, and then they are all false.

Śyāmasundara: This potential and actual, he also says that potential is matter and actual is form, so that God, being purely actual, is also pure form.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Without God being form, how the forms are coming? Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). In the original (indistinct) (break)

Śyāmasundara: Potentiality is matter, and actuality is form. Potentiality is undifferentiated matter, whereas actuality is form. So God, being actuality, is also pure form.

Prabhupāda: That also we say: sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). Sat cit ānanda vigraha, form. Vigraha means form. So what else?