Prabhupāda: This body is a breeding ground of all kinds of disease. Life is short and it is so much disturbed. So how it is possible to practice? Therefore, this one practice—chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, and hearing—that is very nice. And praying to Kṛṣṇa, "Please give me strength." Hare, "O Energy of Kṛṣṇa, O Kṛṣṇa, I am fallen, I have no strength. Please accept me." That's all. "I have no qualification. I am frail. I am trying, but I am failing." All these appeals should be made. And Kṛṣṇa is all-powerful, He can do anything. Even we, we do not perform, trying our best, if we fail, Kṛṣṇa will help us. Just like a child tries his best, but he falls down. The mother takes up and, "All right. Come on. Walk." Like that.
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<div id="MorningWalkatStowLakeMarch231968SanFrancisco_0" class="quote" parent="1968_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="6" link="Morning Walk at Stow Lake -- March 23, 1968, San Francisco" link_text="Morning Walk at Stow Lake -- March 23, 1968, San Francisco"> | <div id="MorningWalkatStowLakeMarch231968SanFrancisco_0" class="quote" parent="1968_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="6" link="Morning Walk at Stow Lake -- March 23, 1968, San Francisco" link_text="Morning Walk at Stow Lake -- March 23, 1968, San Francisco"> | ||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Morning Walk at Stow Lake -- March 23, 1968, San Francisco|Morning Walk at Stow Lake -- March 23, 1968, San Francisco]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: This body is a breeding ground of all kinds of disease. Life is short and it is so much disturbed. So how it is possible to practice? Therefore, this one practice—chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, and hearing—that is very nice. And praying to Kṛṣṇa, "Please give me strength." Hare, "O Energy of Kṛṣṇa, O Kṛṣṇa, I am fallen, I have no strength. Please accept me." That's all. "I have no qualification. I am frail. I am trying, but I am failing." All these appeals should be made. And Kṛṣṇa is all-powerful, He can do anything. Even we, we do not perform, trying our best, if we fail, Kṛṣṇa will help us. Just like a child tries his best, but he falls down. The mother takes up and, "All right. Come on. Walk." Like that.</p> | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Morning Walk at Stow Lake -- March 23, 1968, San Francisco|Morning Walk at Stow Lake -- March 23, 1968, San Francisco]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: This body is a breeding ground of all kinds of disease. Life is short and it is so much disturbed. So how it is possible to practice? Therefore, this one practice—chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, and hearing—that is very nice. And praying to Kṛṣṇa, "Please give me strength." Hare, "O Energy of Kṛṣṇa, O Kṛṣṇa, I am fallen, I have no strength. Please accept me." That's all. "I have no qualification. I am frail. I am trying, but I am failing." All these appeals should be made. And Kṛṣṇa is all-powerful, He can do anything. Even we, we do not perform, trying our best, if we fail, Kṛṣṇa will help us. Just like a child tries his best, but he falls down. The mother takes up and, "All right. Come on. Walk." Like that.</p> | ||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="MorningWalkatStowLakeMarch271968SanFrancisco_1" class="quote" parent="1968_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="8" link="Morning Walk at Stow Lake -- March 27, 1968, San Francisco" link_text="Morning Walk at Stow Lake -- March 27, 1968, San Francisco"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Morning Walk at Stow Lake -- March 27, 1968, San Francisco|Morning Walk at Stow Lake -- March 27, 1968, San Francisco]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: So I may be sinful and there are so many reactions awaiting me for giving me trouble, but as soon as Kṛṣṇa takes charge of me, then everything is finished. How it can be finished? Because He is all-powerful, He's the supreme. Just like if the president says... One man is ordered to be hanged. If the president says, "No, he should not be hanged," then immediately all others sanction. Because he's the supreme. Similarly, if we surrender to Kṛṣṇa, in spite of a huge stock of sinful reactions awaiting me, simply for the purpose of my surrendering to Kṛṣṇa they're all set aside by Kṛṣṇa. He'll see to it. Simply surrender.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="QuestionsandAnswersSeptember61968NewYork_2" class="quote" parent="1968_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="16" link="Questions and Answers -- September 6, 1968, New York" link_text="Questions and Answers -- September 6, 1968, New York"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Questions and Answers -- September 6, 1968, New York|Questions and Answers -- September 6, 1968, New York]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: If I lift one mountain, you will be surprised because you know that "Swamiji is man. How he is lifting?" But they know that Kṛṣṇa is all-powerful. So there was no surprise. It is just like natural work. They were so much affectionate to Kṛṣṇa that... He was not only lifting. Every day He was doing so much great performances, and His boyfriends, they would come home, and they would narrate the story to their mothers, "Oh, mother, today Kṛṣṇa performed like this. There was a great demon, and He killed him immediately." And the mother will say, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa did that? He is very nice boy, very nice." (laughter) Because they were so affectionate to Kṛṣṇa, they always think, "Everything is possible for Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is so nice. Kṛṣṇa is so great."</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="1972_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" class="sub_section" sec_index="5" parent="Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" text="1972 Conversations and Morning Walks"><h3>1972 Conversations and Morning Walks</h3> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="TalkwithBobCohenFebruary27291972Mayapura_0" class="quote" parent="1972_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="5" link="Talk with Bob Cohen -- February 27-29, 1972, Mayapura" link_text="Talk with Bob Cohen -- February 27-29, 1972, Mayapura"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Talk with Bob Cohen -- February 27-29, 1972, Mayapura|Talk with Bob Cohen -- February 27-29, 1972, Mayapura]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Bob: So if a rich, if a person who wants to become rich prays to Kṛṣṇa, will he become rich?</p> | |||
<p>Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.</p> | |||
<p>Bob: He can become rich through this means.</p> | |||
<p>Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Oh, yes. Because Kṛṣṇa is all-powerful. If you pray to Kṛṣṇa to become rich, Kṛṣṇa will make you rich.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="InterviewwiththeNewYorkTimesSeptember21972NewVrindaban_1" class="quote" parent="1972_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="38" link="Interview with the New York Times -- September 2, 1972, New Vrindaban" link_text="Interview with the New York Times -- September 2, 1972, New Vrindaban"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Interview with the New York Times -- September 2, 1972, New Vrindaban|Interview with the New York Times -- September 2, 1972, New Vrindaban]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: God says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: ([[Vanisource:BG 18.66 (1972)|BG 18.66]]) "Just give up all nonsense and surrender unto Me. I shall give you all protection." That is God's declaration. Why don't you take to that? God is all powerful, and He may create so many things for some purpose, but why don't you follow God's instructions? God says, "Surrender unto Me," so why not surrender? Why surrender to māyā? That is the individual's choice.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="1973_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" class="sub_section" sec_index="6" parent="Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" text="1973 Conversations and Morning Walks"><h3>1973 Conversations and Morning Walks</h3> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="RoomConversationwithDavidWynneSculptorJuly91973London_0" class="quote" parent="1973_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="35" link="Room Conversation with David Wynne, Sculptor -- July 9, 1973, London" link_text="Room Conversation with David Wynne, Sculptor -- July 9, 1973, London"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation with David Wynne, Sculptor -- July 9, 1973, London|Room Conversation with David Wynne, Sculptor -- July 9, 1973, London]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: So many people come: "I am God. I am God." We kick on their face. We don't accept. We don't accept such cheap gods. God is one, and He's all-powerful. That is our conception. We all servants of God. If anyone says that "I am servant of God," he's welcome. He's my master. The servant of God is my master. And if anyone claims to become God, I kick on his face. This is our principle. Because he's pretender, cheater. He should be punished immediately.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="RoomConversationwithLatinProfessorDecember91973LosAngeles_1" class="quote" parent="1973_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="95" link="Room Conversation with Latin Professor -- December 9, 1973, Los Angeles" link_text="Room Conversation with Latin Professor -- December 9, 1973, Los Angeles"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation with Latin Professor -- December 9, 1973, Los Angeles|Room Conversation with Latin Professor -- December 9, 1973, Los Angeles]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: I am speculating, but if you come to me, "Swamiji, I am like this," then my knowledge is perfect. Otherwise, I can go on speculating for millions of years. Still, my knowledge is imperfect. So we cannot manufacture God; neither we can speculate. That is not possible. But you can get some idea, but there is no possibility of getting perfect knowledge of God. God is unlimited. I am limited. So my speculative knowledge is limited. So how I can understand the unlimited by my limited knowledge? That is not possible. We can make little progress, and that is impersonal understanding. The perfect understanding is that He is person, all-powerful, all-mighty, all beautiful, all-wise, all..., everything perfect, six opulences: riches, strength, influence, beauty, knowledge and renouncement. These are the six opulences. And God is complete. This is conception of God.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="RoomConversationwithLatinProfessorDecember91973LosAngeles_2" class="quote" parent="1973_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="95" link="Room Conversation with Latin Professor -- December 9, 1973, Los Angeles" link_text="Room Conversation with Latin Professor -- December 9, 1973, Los Angeles"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation with Latin Professor -- December 9, 1973, Los Angeles|Room Conversation with Latin Professor -- December 9, 1973, Los Angeles]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: So our guru-paramparā all accepts Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa describes Himself. So where is the difficulty to understand God? The symptoms are there in the śāstras. And those symptoms are visible in Kṛṣṇa. Just like everyone can understand, "God is all powerful." So Kṛṣṇa showed that He is all powerful. So there is no difficulty to understand. So our method is easy. Instead of intellectual gymnastic, we take it very easily. And that acts. Now, so far our Society is concerned, we accept Kṛṣṇa as God. We're preaching Kṛṣṇa as God.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="1974_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" class="sub_section" sec_index="7" parent="Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" text="1974 Conversations and Morning Walks"><h3>1974 Conversations and Morning Walks</h3> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="MorningWalkApril81974Bombay_0" class="quote" parent="1974_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="58" link="Morning Walk -- April 8, 1974, Bombay" link_text="Morning Walk -- April 8, 1974, Bombay"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Morning Walk -- April 8, 1974, Bombay|Morning Walk -- April 8, 1974, Bombay]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: Formerly, people used to go to London from India, from Bombay, at least, in fifteen days. Now it doesn't take even fifteen hours. It takes only nine hours. How it has been reduced? Because there is a process to reduce. Similarly, the supreme spiritual process is like that. It can be reduced to any quantity. Aṇi... This is called aṇimā-siddhi. It can be expanded also, to the greatest length. Mahimā-śakti. All-powerful means not that "I cannot do, I cannot, I can do this only." No, anything He can do. That is all powerful.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="RoomConversationwithProfRegamayProfessorofSanskritattheUniversityofLausanneJune41974Geneva_1" class="quote" parent="1974_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="97" link="Room Conversation with Prof. Regamay, Professor of Sanskrit at the University of Lausanne -- June 4, 1974, Geneva" link_text="Room Conversation with Prof. Regamay, Professor of Sanskrit at the University of Lausanne -- June 4, 1974, Geneva"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation with Prof. Regamay, Professor of Sanskrit at the University of Lausanne -- June 4, 1974, Geneva|Room Conversation with Prof. Regamay, Professor of Sanskrit at the University of Lausanne -- June 4, 1974, Geneva]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: So Buddha wanted to stop this nonsense, who were eating and killing animals on the strength of Vedas. They did not know what is the meaning, but they would say in the Vedas it is stated, paśavo vadhyaḥ sṛṣṭaḥ: "The animals are created for being killed." And what purpose it is killed? They, without knowing... Actually, they wanted to satisfy their tongue by eating the flesh, but they would give Vedic evidences. So to stop this nonsense business Buddha said that "I don't care for your Vedas." Nindasi yajña-vidher ahaha śruti-jātam. Śruti-jātam means Vedic injunction.</p> | |||
<p>Prof. Regamay: Yes.</p> | |||
<p>Prabhupāda: So he condemned, "No, no. I don't care for your Vedas." So he defied Vedic injunction. Because otherwise, he could not establish his theory of nonviolence. The violence, in a certain way, is recommended in the Vedas. So if he says, "No violence," then it is against Vedas. Therefore he had to declare, "No, no, I don't follow the Vedic injunction." And because he did not, he publicly declared that "I don't follow Vedic injunction," therefore he is taken as atheist. Atheist means who does not take the authority of the Vedas. Nindasi yajña-vidher ahaha śruti-jātam. But he did it. He is all-powerful. He can do it.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="1975_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" class="sub_section" sec_index="8" parent="Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" text="1975 Conversations and Morning Walks"><h3>1975 Conversations and Morning Walks</h3> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="RoomConversationwithProfessorsFebruary191975Caracas_0" class="quote" parent="1975_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="8" link="Room Conversation with Professors -- February 19, 1975, Caracas" link_text="Room Conversation with Professors -- February 19, 1975, Caracas"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation with Professors -- February 19, 1975, Caracas|Room Conversation with Professors -- February 19, 1975, Caracas]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Professor (Hṛdayānanda): He says for example they have a new god which is money.</p> | |||
<p>Prabhupāda: Yes, because you are imperfect, therefore you are thinking like that. Now, suppose you are on deathbed, can money save you? Then why do you say money is all-powerful? God is all-powerful, but money is not all-powerful. Then therefore money cannot be God.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="RoomConversationwithMetaphysicsSocietyFebruary211975Caracas_1" class="quote" parent="1975_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="10" link="Room Conversation with Metaphysics Society -- February 21, 1975, Caracas" link_text="Room Conversation with Metaphysics Society -- February 21, 1975, Caracas"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation with Metaphysics Society -- February 21, 1975, Caracas|Room Conversation with Metaphysics Society -- February 21, 1975, Caracas]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: It is said in the Bible, so far I remember, "God said, 'Let there be creation.' There was creation." Can you do that, "Let there be creation" and create something? Therefore when God says, "I am" and you say "I am," that is different. So "I" means person. As person, He is also person. And "I" means persons. You are also person. But that person and you person is different. He is almighty, all-powerful. You have no... You have limited power.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="RoomConversationwithYogaStudentMarch141975Iran_2" class="quote" parent="1975_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="31" link="Room Conversation with Yoga Student -- March 14, 1975, Iran" link_text="Room Conversation with Yoga Student -- March 14, 1975, Iran"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation with Yoga Student -- March 14, 1975, Iran|Room Conversation with Yoga Student -- March 14, 1975, Iran]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: Aṇḍāntara-sthaṁ paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham. Because God is situated within the universe, within the atom, therefore they are existing. Just like the ātmā, or spirit soul, is situated in you, in me, in everyone. This is called Paramātmā feature. And at the ultimate end there is the person, God as person, the Supreme Person, the Supreme Being, a person like you and me—we are person—but He is almighty, all-powerful. This is the conception of Absolute Truth: God, Paramātmā, and Brahmājyoti. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate ([[Vanisource:SB 1.2.11|SB 1.2.11]]). This is the Sanskrit word. He is realized as Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān. Bhagavān is person; Paramātmā is all-pervading, means localized, situated; and Brahman means all-pervading. All together-God.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="ConversationwithDevoteesonTheologyApril11975Mayapur_3" class="quote" parent="1975_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="41" link="Conversation with Devotees on Theology -- April 1, 1975, Mayapur" link_text="Conversation with Devotees on Theology -- April 1, 1975, Mayapur"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Conversation with Devotees on Theology -- April 1, 1975, Mayapur|Conversation with Devotees on Theology -- April 1, 1975, Mayapur]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: Now, another question, that we say that God's name and God-all-powerful. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis tatrārpitā: "In the name of God, all God's potencies are there." So have you got any name like that? That means if you chant that name, you get immediately contact with God.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="RoomConversationwithJesuitMay191975Melbourne_4" class="quote" parent="1975_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="81" link="Room Conversation with Jesuit -- May 19, 1975, Melbourne" link_text="Room Conversation with Jesuit -- May 19, 1975, Melbourne"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation with Jesuit -- May 19, 1975, Melbourne|Room Conversation with Jesuit -- May 19, 1975, Melbourne]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: God means all-powerful, the great. You say also, "The great."</p> | |||
<p>Jesuit: I'd say all-powerful, omnipotent, the great, yes.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="RoomConversationwithDevoteesAugust11975NewOrleans_5" class="quote" parent="1975_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="165" link="Room Conversation with Devotees -- August 1, 1975, New Orleans" link_text="Room Conversation with Devotees -- August 1, 1975, New Orleans"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation with Devotees -- August 1, 1975, New Orleans|Room Conversation with Devotees -- August 1, 1975, New Orleans]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: Nature's law is very strict. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā ([[Vanisource:BG 7.14 (1972)|BG 7.14]]). You cannot avoid it. Nature is all-powerful. Kṛṣṇa has given: "You work in this way." She'll work. She'll work. She'll punish. As soon as there is little discrepancy—you have eaten, eaten more than is necessary-indigestion. "Indigestion, starve." This is nature's law.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="1976_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" class="sub_section" sec_index="9" parent="Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" text="1976 Conversations and Morning Walks"><h3>1976 Conversations and Morning Walks</h3> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="MorningWalkJanuary181976Mayapur_0" class="quote" parent="1976_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="16" link="Morning Walk -- January 18, 1976, Mayapur" link_text="Morning Walk -- January 18, 1976, Mayapur"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Morning Walk -- January 18, 1976, Mayapur|Morning Walk -- January 18, 1976, Mayapur]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: Yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham: ([[Vanisource:BG 9.22 (1972)|BG 9.22]]) "I shall give you all protection. I shall supply whatever you want," Kṛṣṇa said. So I shall do such thing when Kṛṣṇa will be my protector and supplier and everything. He is all-powerful, so He will do that—if I require. I don't require anything. I.... Simply I have to become a sincere, pure devotee. But if I require something, it will come from Kṛṣṇa. Why shall I try for it? A rich man's son, he doesn't do anything for earning money. He knows, "My father is rich and as soon as I require money, he will give me. So why shall I become a big, big businessman and become a karmī?"</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="MorningWalkJune71976LosAngeles_1" class="quote" parent="1976_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="115" link="Morning Walk -- June 7, 1976, Los Angeles" link_text="Morning Walk -- June 7, 1976, Los Angeles"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Morning Walk -- June 7, 1976, Los Angeles|Morning Walk -- June 7, 1976, Los Angeles]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: They cannot think that a person, how he can produce a sky? That is beyond their conception. This is their illusion.(?) They say God is all-powerful, but He cannot produce a sky. This is their defect of knowledge. If God is all-powerful, why He cannot produce a sky? That they cannot think. Yes, He's all-powerful, cannot produce a sky. Their intellect. Poor intellect.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="GardenConversationJune81976LosAngeles_2" class="quote" parent="1976_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="116" link="Garden Conversation -- June 8, 1976, Los Angeles" link_text="Garden Conversation -- June 8, 1976, Los Angeles"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Garden Conversation -- June 8, 1976, Los Angeles|Garden Conversation -- June 8, 1976, Los Angeles]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: God is all-powerful; we want to become all-powerful. That is material life. And the struggle for existence. Because we cannot become God, it is impossible, but artificially, they are trying to become God. And that is struggle for existence. So material life means imitation. Everyone is struggling to become God.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="GardenConversationJune81976LosAngeles_3" class="quote" parent="1976_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="116" link="Garden Conversation -- June 8, 1976, Los Angeles" link_text="Garden Conversation -- June 8, 1976, Los Angeles"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Garden Conversation -- June 8, 1976, Los Angeles|Garden Conversation -- June 8, 1976, Los Angeles]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: One should be attracted by the beautiful vision of Kṛṣṇa. His name is Kṛṣṇa because He is all-attractive. One who becomes attracted by the beautiful, all-powerful, omnipotent vision of Kṛṣṇa is fortunate.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="MorningWalkConversationJune201976Toronto_4" class="quote" parent="1976_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="151" link="Morning Walk Conversation -- June 20, 1976, Toronto" link_text="Morning Walk Conversation -- June 20, 1976, Toronto"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Morning Walk Conversation -- June 20, 1976, Toronto|Morning Walk Conversation -- June 20, 1976, Toronto]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: Why mythology? Why do you think God like you? God is all-powerful; He can do anything. That is real faith. That means you have no faith. "If God can do which tallies with my activities, then I shall believe." What you are? Nonsense. This is their general argument.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="AnswerstoaQuestionnairefromBhavansJournalJune281976Vrndavana_5" class="quote" parent="1976_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="169" link="Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana" link_text="Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana|Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: Dvaita and advaita. This is the process of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, to bring all the dvaitas and advaitas in one platform. To understand that he is essentially servant of God. The Advaitas, they are wrongly thinking that he is God himself. That is wrong, or not the proper way of thinking. How you can become God? God is ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇam, full with six opulences, all-powerful, all-strenght, all-beauty, all opulent. So this is artificial, to think to become God. And... This is Advaita. And Dvaitas, they think that one is different from God, God is separate from the living entity. But actually, from the Bhagavad-gītā we understand that God is always the Supreme and the living entities, they are subordinate. And in the Vedas also it is said, nityo nityānaṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). Both of them are living entities, but God is the chief. The difference between the two, that God maintains other living entities.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="LifeComesFromLifeSlideshowDiscussionsJuly31976WashingtonDC_6" class="quote" parent="1976_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="180" link="'Life Comes From Life' Slideshow Discussions -- July 3, 1976, Washington, D.C." link_text="'Life Comes From Life' Slideshow Discussions -- July 3, 1976, Washington, D.C."> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:'Life Comes From Life' Slideshow Discussions -- July 3, 1976, Washington, D.C.|'Life Comes From Life' Slideshow Discussions -- July 3, 1976, Washington, D.C.]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: One may challenge, "How a person can know everything?" So Kṛṣṇa immediately replies that "I help him specifically." Teṣām evānukampārtham. "Just to show My personal, especial favor upon him, I light up the torch of knowledge, and he knows everything." So if Kṛṣṇa helps one to know everything, who can check it? That is not possible. This science must be there. We are not all-powerful. Kṛṣṇa is all-powerful means He can do everything.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="EveningDarsanaJuly61976WashingtonDC_7" class="quote" parent="1976_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="187" link="Evening Darsana -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C." link_text="Evening Darsana -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C."> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Evening Darsana -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.|Evening Darsana -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: God is omnipotent, almighty. He can take any form He likes. You cannot check Him. You cannot say "How Brahman can come in a human form?" Why He cannot come? If He is all-powerful, where is the difficulty? Taking your argument, if Brahman is all-powerful, then where is the difficulty for Him to come as a human being?</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="EveningDarsanaJuly61976WashingtonDC_8" class="quote" parent="1976_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="187" link="Evening Darsana -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C." link_text="Evening Darsana -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C."> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Evening Darsana -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.|Evening Darsana -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: Because I am a person, I have got my limited knowledge. I am thinking of God, "If God is a person, then He has limited knowledge." That means I am bringing God to my level. That is my defect. We say God is all-powerful, almighty, still He cannot become a person. Why do you think that? If He is almighty, He can become person.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="EveningDarsanaJuly111976NewYork_9" class="quote" parent="1976_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="205" link="Evening Darsana -- July 11, 1976, New York" link_text="Evening Darsana -- July 11, 1976, New York"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Evening Darsana -- July 11, 1976, New York|Evening Darsana -- July 11, 1976, New York]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Guest (1): How does it feel to be back in New York?</p> | |||
<p>Prabhupāda: Yes, I feel very much pleased, because I came here alone, without any shelter, I was loitering on the street.</p> | |||
<p>Guest (1): Ten years ago, wasn't it?</p> | |||
<p>Prabhupāda: Yes, in 1965. Then in 1966 I established this institution in a storefront on the Second Avenue. That is the beginning. I never thought we shall be able to possess such a big building.</p> | |||
<p>Guest (1): You've done so much in that short time.</p> | |||
<p>Prabhupāda: I have not done, Kṛṣṇa has done.</p> | |||
<p>Guest (1): Kṛṣṇa has helped you to do it.</p> | |||
<p>Prabhupāda: That I was speaking, that if we become sincere to Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa can give us all opportunities. He's all-powerful; He can do that.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="EveningDarsanAugust101976Tehran_10" class="quote" parent="1976_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="253" link="Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran" link_text="Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran|Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, you he got little freedom. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, "You do it." He does not force. He can force you. He's all-powerful. But He does not force. He gives you the chance, "Do it, you'll be happy." If you don't do it, that is your choice.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="PressInterviewatMuthilalRaosHouseAugust171976Hyderabad_11" class="quote" parent="1976_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="270" link="Press Interview at Muthilal Rao's House -- August 17, 1976, Hyderabad" link_text="Press Interview at Muthilal Rao's House -- August 17, 1976, Hyderabad"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Press Interview at Muthilal Rao's House -- August 17, 1976, Hyderabad|Press Interview at Muthilal Rao's House -- August 17, 1976, Hyderabad]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: Durgā is all-powerful within this material world, but she is acting under the direction of Govinda. She is not acting independently. In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is said mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram ([[Vanisource:BG 9.10 (1972)|BG 9.10]]). Under My supervision. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is the supreme authority. (break) ...but they go to the supreme person who can give spiritual knowledge. Durgā is not neglected.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="GardenConversationOctober141976Chandigarh_12" class="quote" parent="1976_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="319" link="Garden Conversation -- October 14, 1976, Chandigarh" link_text="Garden Conversation -- October 14, 1976, Chandigarh"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Garden Conversation -- October 14, 1976, Chandigarh|Garden Conversation -- October 14, 1976, Chandigarh]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: God can do anything. He is all-powerful. That is only...</p> | |||
<p>Indian man (1): But does He interfere... Does he intervene in our actions?</p> | |||
<p>Prabhupāda: Who?</p> | |||
<p>Indian man (1): I mean, God, does He...</p> | |||
<p>Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. God interferes if you are a devotee. Otherwise, you have to undergo the laws of nature. Karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām (Bs. 5.54). Karma, according to your karma, you are conducted by the laws of nature.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="RoomConversationwithLifeMemberMrMalhotraDecember221976Poona_13" class="quote" parent="1976_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="350" link="Room Conversation with Life Member, Mr. Malhotra -- December 22, 1976, Poona" link_text="Room Conversation with Life Member, Mr. Malhotra -- December 22, 1976, Poona"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation with Life Member, Mr. Malhotra -- December 22, 1976, Poona|Room Conversation with Life Member, Mr. Malhotra -- December 22, 1976, Poona]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. I offer my obeisances to Govinda. But if I say I am equal to Govinda, I can stop sun. "Don't bother me by heating. Stop." Will it become...? Then how I become all-powerful? Let me stop the activities of the sun. Or at night there is no sun, can I ask the sun, "Get up, I want light immediately," is it possible? Then how I become the God? Nobody cares for my order.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="1977_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" class="sub_section" sec_index="10" parent="Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" text="1977 Conversations and Morning Walks"><h3>1977 Conversations and Morning Walks</h3> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="MorningDarsanaandRoomConversationRamkrishnaBajajandfriendsJanuary91977Bombay_0" class="quote" parent="1977_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="25" link="Morning Darsana and Room Conversation Ramkrishna Bajaj and friends -- January 9, 1977, Bombay" link_text="Morning Darsana and Room Conversation Ramkrishna Bajaj and friends -- January 9, 1977, Bombay"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Morning Darsana and Room Conversation Ramkrishna Bajaj and friends -- January 9, 1977, Bombay|Morning Darsana and Room Conversation Ramkrishna Bajaj and friends -- January 9, 1977, Bombay]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Guest (10) (Indian man): Prabhupāda, surrender, sar..., word, if you can give us a full explanation of the word surrender. What's the meaning of surrender and how one should do it? Basis of surrender.</p> | |||
<p>Prabhupāda: Surrender, this is surrender, that... First of all, why you surrender? You must know it perfectly well that "Kṛṣṇa is master; I am servant." Otherwise there is no question of surrender. Then you have to believe that "Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. So now I have surrendered. I have no more fear. Kṛṣṇa will give me protection." To believe firmly... "Kṛṣṇa is all powerful. Kṛṣṇa is my master. He is not a fakir, that He's talking nonsense." We have to believe that. This is surrender.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="RoomConversationJanuary301977Bhuvanesvara_1" class="quote" parent="1977_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="67" link="Room Conversation -- January 30, 1977, Bhuvanesvara" link_text="Room Conversation -- January 30, 1977, Bhuvanesvara"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation -- January 30, 1977, Bhuvanesvara|Room Conversation -- January 30, 1977, Bhuvanesvara]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: So God means one who is in possession of all these things, all the reputation, all the beauty. That is God. On this point discuss. Now, who is God, that is to be found. But this is the position of God. Try to convince them.</p> | |||
<p>Pṛthu-putra: Because they are convinced already about this through the Koran. They already accept God is one, and He's possessing all fame, all beauty. But they say... The only point is that He cannot come down to the earth because the earth is a planet of sin.</p> | |||
<p>Prabhupāda: No, that is your not perfect conception. If He is almighty and He's all-powerful, why you restrict Him?</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="RoomConversationVarnasramaSystemMustBeIntroducedFebruary141977Mayapura_2" class="quote" parent="1977_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="84" link="Room Conversation Varnasrama System Must Be Introduced -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura" link_text="Room Conversation Varnasrama System Must Be Introduced -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation Varnasrama System Must Be Introduced -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura|Room Conversation Varnasrama System Must Be Introduced -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: If you think Mother, then you must think that Mother of the goat also. Why Mother will tolerate? This is justice. Actually the mantra is there, that "Goat, you are sacrificing your life. You get immediately chance of human being." That is his profit. He would have evolved himself in so many lives and then get a human life. But because he's sacrificing his life before Mother, he gets immediately an lift to become a human man. And the human, because he becomes, he has got the right to cut the throat of the man who sacrificed him. This is the mantra. So if you take this risk, do that because how to become a goat, how to become a man, that is in the hands of Mother. That is not in your hand. So Mother, if she gives lift to the goat to become a man and if she degrades you to become a goat, that is in the Mother's hand. You cannot check it. Prakṛteḥ kriyamā... Mother is just to everyone. "All right, this man is cutting your throat. You just become human being and cut his throat. I shall make him a goat." How you can say, "No"? Can you say? And Mother is all-powerful. Then you take the risk.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="ShortDissertationsMay24251977Vrndavana_3" class="quote" parent="1977_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="176" link="Short Dissertations -- May 24-25, 1977, Vrndavana" link_text="Short Dissertations -- May 24-25, 1977, Vrndavana"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Short Dissertations -- May 24-25, 1977, Vrndavana|Short Dissertations -- May 24-25, 1977, Vrndavana]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Bhavānanda: What can we do, Śrīla Prabhupāda?</p> | |||
<p>Prabhupāda: You can pray Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Kṛṣṇa is all-powerful. I am only requesting that whatever I have done, you don't spoil it. That's all.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="RoomConversationJuly171977Vrndavana_4" class="quote" parent="1977_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="227" link="Room Conversation -- July 17, 1977, Vrndavana" link_text="Room Conversation -- July 17, 1977, Vrndavana"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation -- July 17, 1977, Vrndavana|Room Conversation -- July 17, 1977, Vrndavana]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: Indira Gandhi, she came to a point, and then falls again. Is it not? The same golo dhana(?). She was all-in-all powerful, and once again finished.</p> | |||
<p>Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Finished.</p> | |||
<p>Prabhupāda: Indira Gandhi, finished. President Nixon, finished. They do not see, these big, big stalwart men of the world. They can be finished in one second. Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "I have seen my father, such a powerful man, finished. What benediction I shall ask, this material world? Don't allure me. Better engage me as the servant of Your servant." Anything, any opulence. Now nobody utters the name of Indira Gandhi.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="Correspondence" class="section" sec_index="6" parent="compilation" text="Correspondence"><h2>Correspondence</h2> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="1947_to_1965_Correspondence" class="sub_section" sec_index="0" parent="Correspondence" text="1947 to 1965 Correspondence"><h3>1947 to 1965 Correspondence</h3> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="LettertoJuggannathBabuCalcutta14March1949_0" class="quote" parent="1947_to_1965_Correspondence" book="Let" index="5" link="Letter to Juggannath Babu -- Calcutta 14 March, 1949" link_text="Letter to Juggannath Babu -- Calcutta 14 March, 1949"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Juggannath Babu -- Calcutta 14 March, 1949|Letter to Juggannath Babu -- Calcutta 14 March, 1949]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">The Mahamaya who is known as Durga, Kali, Candi, Bhadrakali, Mohalaksmi, etc is the embodiment of His external potency as described in the Candi and it is the thankless task of the Mahamaya to punish the asuras with Her all powerful weapons in the ten direction of the material world. She does not only create and maintain this material world but also she annihilates it according to the direction of the almighty God. In the Bhagavad-gita this Mahamaya has also been described as Daivi Maya and She is so powerful that the asuras cannot by-pass Her at any rate. The asura can get remission from the stroke of the trisula of Mohamaya when he the asura, surrenders surrenders himself to Sri Krishna the Personality of Godhead. As Superintendent of the material world the Mohamaya has been described Durga as the protectress of the great durga or fortress of the grand universes. She gives all the necessities for our existence but as soon as we become an asura like the Mohisasuras, Ravanas, Hiranyakasipus, and in later ages like the Mussolinis and such others for the exploitation of the material energy, the Durga Devi at once appears Herself with Her dreadful trident and begins to devastate the whole existence by such tribulations as war, famine, pestilence, or sometimes annihilation of a total existence.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="1968_Correspondence" class="sub_section" sec_index="3" parent="Correspondence" text="1968 Correspondence"><h3>1968 Correspondence</h3> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="LettertoHarikrishnadasAggarwalLosAngeles3March1968_0" class="quote" parent="1968_Correspondence" book="Let" index="101" link="Letter to Harikrishnadas Aggarwal -- Los Angeles 3 March, 1968" link_text="Letter to Harikrishnadas Aggarwal -- Los Angeles 3 March, 1968"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Harikrishnadas Aggarwal -- Los Angeles 3 March, 1968|Letter to Harikrishnadas Aggarwal -- Los Angeles 3 March, 1968]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">My point is one God. Ultimately you want to merge in the formless, or you want some material facilities, or you want to serve Krishna as His personal associate. Never mind, whatever you want, you worship one God, Krishna, and not bothering with the ultimate gain. The ultimate gain can be achieved as one desires. Krishna is all powerful, so if somebody wants material gain from Krishna, it is not difficult for Him to award such benediction. Similarly, if anyone wants to merge in the Impersonal Brahman effulgence, formless, He can also award the facility.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="LettertoSacisutaMontreal17June1968_1" class="quote" parent="1968_Correspondence" book="Let" index="205" link="Letter to Sacisuta -- Montreal 17 June, 1968" link_text="Letter to Sacisuta -- Montreal 17 June, 1968"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Sacisuta -- Montreal 17 June, 1968|Letter to Sacisuta -- Montreal 17 June, 1968]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Here in the material world, without the assistance of the wife, nobody can produce a child. But there is the tangible example, that Visnu, without any sex life with wife He produced a child. In the material sense, we cannot conceive how a child can take birth without being born through the abdomen of one woman. Therefore, Krishna being both father and mother, He can be addressed also as mother. That is His all-powerful strength. He is full in Himself. He does not require anyone's help, therefore, He is both father and mother.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="1969_Correspondence" class="sub_section" sec_index="4" parent="Correspondence" text="1969 Correspondence"><h3>1969 Correspondence</h3> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="LettertoUnknownTittenhurst1October1969_0" class="quote" parent="1969_Correspondence" book="Let" index="595" link="Letter to Unknown -- Tittenhurst 1 October, 1969" link_text="Letter to Unknown -- Tittenhurst 1 October, 1969"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Unknown -- Tittenhurst 1 October, 1969|Letter to Unknown -- Tittenhurst 1 October, 1969]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">God, or KRISHNA is eternal, all-knowing, omnipresent, all-powerful and all attractive, the seed-giving Father of man and all living entities. He is the sustaining energy of all life, nature and the cosmic situation.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="1970_Correspondence" class="sub_section" sec_index="5" parent="Correspondence" text="1970 Correspondence"><h3>1970 Correspondence</h3> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="LettertoBhagavanLosAngeles2March1970_0" class="quote" parent="1970_Correspondence" book="Let" index="139" link="Letter to Bhagavan -- Los Angeles 2 March, 1970" link_text="Letter to Bhagavan -- Los Angeles 2 March, 1970"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Bhagavan -- Los Angeles 2 March, 1970|Letter to Bhagavan -- Los Angeles 2 March, 1970]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">The personal form of Maya is Durga and her different extensions like Bhadra Kali, Chandica, etc. In the Brahma Samhita it is described that she is all powerful in this material world, but she acts as shadow of Govinda. In Bhagavad-gita also she is described as assistant in the material affairs. The direction is from the Lord, and she executes His will. As such, when a devotee is fully surrendered to Krsna, Maya does not disturb him anymore, under the direction of the Lord. So Krsna is always Supreme.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="LettertoUmapatiLosAngeles30March1970_1" class="quote" parent="1970_Correspondence" book="Let" index="206" link="Letter to Umapati -- Los Angeles 30 March, 1970" link_text="Letter to Umapati -- Los Angeles 30 March, 1970"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Umapati -- Los Angeles 30 March, 1970|Letter to Umapati -- Los Angeles 30 March, 1970]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">God is a person like us, but He is all-powerful with all opulences in full. The living entities are His eternal servants. There are varieties of living entities that have inherited the opulences of God in different degrees. There are two kinds of nature, the spiritual nature and the material nature. The living entities belong to the spiritual nature and being part and parcel of God they have all the qualities of God in minute proportion.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="LettertoUnknownLosAngeles12April1970_2" class="quote" parent="1970_Correspondence" book="Let" index="232" link="Letter to Unknown -- Los Angeles 12 April, 1970" link_text="Letter to Unknown -- Los Angeles 12 April, 1970"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Unknown -- Los Angeles 12 April, 1970|Letter to Unknown -- Los Angeles 12 April, 1970]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">According to Sanskrit language, religion is not a kind of faith, but it is a prescribed form of duties to be discharged by respective human society, ultimately rising to the platform of Krishna Consciousness or God-consciousness. The first class religion is therefore that which teaches human being love of God because religion means to understand one's position in relationship with God. This God-realization also depends on three phases of life. When God-realization is there distinguished from material realization, this is called liberated stage of transcendental enlightenment.</p> | |||
<p>The next stage is to realize God everywhere in His localized aspect, and the highest stage of God-realization is to know Him as the Supreme Person—all powerful, full of all riches, all reputation, all beauty, all wisdom, and all renunciation.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="LettertoTejiyasLosAngeles20May1970_3" class="quote" parent="1970_Correspondence" book="Let" index="313" link="Letter to Tejiyas -- Los Angeles 20 May, 1970" link_text="Letter to Tejiyas -- Los Angeles 20 May, 1970"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Tejiyas -- Los Angeles 20 May, 1970|Letter to Tejiyas -- Los Angeles 20 May, 1970]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Always follow the prescribed program of Krsna Consciousness as it has already been established by the Spiritual Master, and thus executing your prescribed duties in the loving service of the Lord He will reveal himself to you in proportion to your sincere efforts to satisfy Him only. So now you are Krsna's servant, and if you give your life completely over to Him, He (Tejas) the All-powerful Lord will protect you from all dangers in all circumstances. Please always chant Hare Krsna Mantra without offense and be happy.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="1973_Correspondence" class="sub_section" sec_index="8" parent="Correspondence" text="1973 Correspondence"><h3>1973 Correspondence</h3> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="LettertoSirAlistairHardyBhaktivedantaManor28July1973_0" class="quote" parent="1973_Correspondence" book="Let" index="257" link="Letter to Sir Alistair Hardy -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 28 July, 1973" link_text="Letter to Sir Alistair Hardy -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 28 July, 1973"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Sir Alistair Hardy -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 28 July, 1973|Letter to Sir Alistair Hardy -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 28 July, 1973]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">If God is all powerful, he may not agree, or at least his agency, the material nature, may not agree to give sufficient food to the demons. Demons means Godless persons. We get this historical event from the Srimad-Bhagavatam, that during the time of Maharaja Prthu there was scarcity of food, so the King wanted to punish the earthly deity, because she was not supplying food. He wanted to kill her. But the earthly deity replied, that she has reduced the supply of food because she did not like to supply the demons. So there is no question of overpopulation, it is a question of demons. The number of demons has increased and therefore by nature that supply is minimized.</p> | |||
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<div id="LettertoSirAlistairHardyBhaktivedantaManor28July1973_1" class="quote" parent="1973_Correspondence" book="Let" index="257" link="Letter to Sir Alistair Hardy -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 28 July, 1973" link_text="Letter to Sir Alistair Hardy -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 28 July, 1973"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Sir Alistair Hardy -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 28 July, 1973|Letter to Sir Alistair Hardy -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 28 July, 1973]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">There is no question of over population of people become God conscious. The all powerful can supply any amount of necessities of the people, and they can eat very nicely and so there is no question of mal nutrition. For want of knowledge of the supreme powerful all these problems have come into being.</p> | |||
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<div id="1976_Correspondence" class="sub_section" sec_index="11" parent="Correspondence" text="1976 Correspondence"><h3>1976 Correspondence</h3> | |||
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<div id="LettertoSacimataChandigarh15October1976_0" class="quote" parent="1976_Correspondence" book="Let" index="569" link="Letter to Sacimata -- Chandigarh 15 October, 1976" link_text="Letter to Sacimata -- Chandigarh 15 October, 1976"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Sacimata -- Chandigarh 15 October, 1976|Letter to Sacimata -- Chandigarh 15 October, 1976]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">There is nothing mystical about getting Gaura Nitai deities for worshiping. The Lord is all powerful and omnipresent, he knows the heart of the devotee and reciprocates with the devotee accordingly. So now the Lord has come to your home and agreed to be worshiped by you, therefore everything should be clean and neat. Nice prasadam should be offered regularly and distributed to guests. Kirtana may be performed morning and evening and some discussion from Bhagavad-gita as it is, or other books from our publications.</p> | |||
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<div id="1977_Correspondence" class="sub_section" sec_index="12" parent="Correspondence" text="1977 Correspondence"><h3>1977 Correspondence</h3> | |||
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<div id="LettertoArtistsUnknownPlaceUnknownDate_0" class="quote" parent="1977_Correspondence" book="Let" index="127" link="Letter to Artists -- Unknown Place Unknown Date" link_text="Letter to Artists -- Unknown Place Unknown Date"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Artists -- Unknown Place Unknown Date|Letter to Artists -- Unknown Place Unknown Date]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Regarding your question, how could Visnu appear from the nostril of Brahma? The answer is that Visnu being all pervading, He can appear from anyplace. He appeared as Nrsimhadeva from the pillar. So, one may question how Visnu may appear from pillar, but actually He appeared. He is all powerful with inconceivable potency, and therefore He can appear Himself from anywhere He likes.</p> | |||
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<div id="LettertoInquirerBostonUnknownDate_1" class="quote" parent="1977_Correspondence" book="Let" index="130" link="Letter to Inquirer -- Boston Unknown Date" link_text="Letter to Inquirer -- Boston Unknown Date"> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Inquirer -- Boston Unknown Date|Letter to Inquirer -- Boston Unknown Date]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">When God realization is there, distinguished from material realization, this is called the liberated stage of transcendental enlightenment. The next stage is to realize God everywhere in His localized aspect, and the highest stage of God realization is to know Him as the Supreme Person—all-powerful, full of all riches, all reputation, all beauty, all wisdom, and all renunciation.</p> | |||
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Latest revision as of 08:01, 15 May 2018
Conversations and Morning Walks
1968 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: So I may be sinful and there are so many reactions awaiting me for giving me trouble, but as soon as Kṛṣṇa takes charge of me, then everything is finished. How it can be finished? Because He is all-powerful, He's the supreme. Just like if the president says... One man is ordered to be hanged. If the president says, "No, he should not be hanged," then immediately all others sanction. Because he's the supreme. Similarly, if we surrender to Kṛṣṇa, in spite of a huge stock of sinful reactions awaiting me, simply for the purpose of my surrendering to Kṛṣṇa they're all set aside by Kṛṣṇa. He'll see to it. Simply surrender.
Prabhupāda: If I lift one mountain, you will be surprised because you know that "Swamiji is man. How he is lifting?" But they know that Kṛṣṇa is all-powerful. So there was no surprise. It is just like natural work. They were so much affectionate to Kṛṣṇa that... He was not only lifting. Every day He was doing so much great performances, and His boyfriends, they would come home, and they would narrate the story to their mothers, "Oh, mother, today Kṛṣṇa performed like this. There was a great demon, and He killed him immediately." And the mother will say, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa did that? He is very nice boy, very nice." (laughter) Because they were so affectionate to Kṛṣṇa, they always think, "Everything is possible for Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is so nice. Kṛṣṇa is so great."
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Bob: So if a rich, if a person who wants to become rich prays to Kṛṣṇa, will he become rich?
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.
Bob: He can become rich through this means.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Oh, yes. Because Kṛṣṇa is all-powerful. If you pray to Kṛṣṇa to become rich, Kṛṣṇa will make you rich.
Prabhupāda: God says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "Just give up all nonsense and surrender unto Me. I shall give you all protection." That is God's declaration. Why don't you take to that? God is all powerful, and He may create so many things for some purpose, but why don't you follow God's instructions? God says, "Surrender unto Me," so why not surrender? Why surrender to māyā? That is the individual's choice.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: So many people come: "I am God. I am God." We kick on their face. We don't accept. We don't accept such cheap gods. God is one, and He's all-powerful. That is our conception. We all servants of God. If anyone says that "I am servant of God," he's welcome. He's my master. The servant of God is my master. And if anyone claims to become God, I kick on his face. This is our principle. Because he's pretender, cheater. He should be punished immediately.
Prabhupāda: I am speculating, but if you come to me, "Swamiji, I am like this," then my knowledge is perfect. Otherwise, I can go on speculating for millions of years. Still, my knowledge is imperfect. So we cannot manufacture God; neither we can speculate. That is not possible. But you can get some idea, but there is no possibility of getting perfect knowledge of God. God is unlimited. I am limited. So my speculative knowledge is limited. So how I can understand the unlimited by my limited knowledge? That is not possible. We can make little progress, and that is impersonal understanding. The perfect understanding is that He is person, all-powerful, all-mighty, all beautiful, all-wise, all..., everything perfect, six opulences: riches, strength, influence, beauty, knowledge and renouncement. These are the six opulences. And God is complete. This is conception of God.
Prabhupāda: So our guru-paramparā all accepts Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa describes Himself. So where is the difficulty to understand God? The symptoms are there in the śāstras. And those symptoms are visible in Kṛṣṇa. Just like everyone can understand, "God is all powerful." So Kṛṣṇa showed that He is all powerful. So there is no difficulty to understand. So our method is easy. Instead of intellectual gymnastic, we take it very easily. And that acts. Now, so far our Society is concerned, we accept Kṛṣṇa as God. We're preaching Kṛṣṇa as God.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Formerly, people used to go to London from India, from Bombay, at least, in fifteen days. Now it doesn't take even fifteen hours. It takes only nine hours. How it has been reduced? Because there is a process to reduce. Similarly, the supreme spiritual process is like that. It can be reduced to any quantity. Aṇi... This is called aṇimā-siddhi. It can be expanded also, to the greatest length. Mahimā-śakti. All-powerful means not that "I cannot do, I cannot, I can do this only." No, anything He can do. That is all powerful.
Prabhupāda: So Buddha wanted to stop this nonsense, who were eating and killing animals on the strength of Vedas. They did not know what is the meaning, but they would say in the Vedas it is stated, paśavo vadhyaḥ sṛṣṭaḥ: "The animals are created for being killed." And what purpose it is killed? They, without knowing... Actually, they wanted to satisfy their tongue by eating the flesh, but they would give Vedic evidences. So to stop this nonsense business Buddha said that "I don't care for your Vedas." Nindasi yajña-vidher ahaha śruti-jātam. Śruti-jātam means Vedic injunction.
Prof. Regamay: Yes.
Prabhupāda: So he condemned, "No, no. I don't care for your Vedas." So he defied Vedic injunction. Because otherwise, he could not establish his theory of nonviolence. The violence, in a certain way, is recommended in the Vedas. So if he says, "No violence," then it is against Vedas. Therefore he had to declare, "No, no, I don't follow the Vedic injunction." And because he did not, he publicly declared that "I don't follow Vedic injunction," therefore he is taken as atheist. Atheist means who does not take the authority of the Vedas. Nindasi yajña-vidher ahaha śruti-jātam. But he did it. He is all-powerful. He can do it.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Professor (Hṛdayānanda): He says for example they have a new god which is money.
Prabhupāda: Yes, because you are imperfect, therefore you are thinking like that. Now, suppose you are on deathbed, can money save you? Then why do you say money is all-powerful? God is all-powerful, but money is not all-powerful. Then therefore money cannot be God.
Prabhupāda: It is said in the Bible, so far I remember, "God said, 'Let there be creation.' There was creation." Can you do that, "Let there be creation" and create something? Therefore when God says, "I am" and you say "I am," that is different. So "I" means person. As person, He is also person. And "I" means persons. You are also person. But that person and you person is different. He is almighty, all-powerful. You have no... You have limited power.
Prabhupāda: Aṇḍāntara-sthaṁ paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham. Because God is situated within the universe, within the atom, therefore they are existing. Just like the ātmā, or spirit soul, is situated in you, in me, in everyone. This is called Paramātmā feature. And at the ultimate end there is the person, God as person, the Supreme Person, the Supreme Being, a person like you and me—we are person—but He is almighty, all-powerful. This is the conception of Absolute Truth: God, Paramātmā, and Brahmājyoti. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). This is the Sanskrit word. He is realized as Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān. Bhagavān is person; Paramātmā is all-pervading, means localized, situated; and Brahman means all-pervading. All together-God.
Prabhupāda: Now, another question, that we say that God's name and God-all-powerful. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis tatrārpitā: "In the name of God, all God's potencies are there." So have you got any name like that? That means if you chant that name, you get immediately contact with God.
Prabhupāda: God means all-powerful, the great. You say also, "The great."
Jesuit: I'd say all-powerful, omnipotent, the great, yes.
Prabhupāda: Nature's law is very strict. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot avoid it. Nature is all-powerful. Kṛṣṇa has given: "You work in this way." She'll work. She'll work. She'll punish. As soon as there is little discrepancy—you have eaten, eaten more than is necessary-indigestion. "Indigestion, starve." This is nature's law.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham: (BG 9.22) "I shall give you all protection. I shall supply whatever you want," Kṛṣṇa said. So I shall do such thing when Kṛṣṇa will be my protector and supplier and everything. He is all-powerful, so He will do that—if I require. I don't require anything. I.... Simply I have to become a sincere, pure devotee. But if I require something, it will come from Kṛṣṇa. Why shall I try for it? A rich man's son, he doesn't do anything for earning money. He knows, "My father is rich and as soon as I require money, he will give me. So why shall I become a big, big businessman and become a karmī?"
Prabhupāda: They cannot think that a person, how he can produce a sky? That is beyond their conception. This is their illusion.(?) They say God is all-powerful, but He cannot produce a sky. This is their defect of knowledge. If God is all-powerful, why He cannot produce a sky? That they cannot think. Yes, He's all-powerful, cannot produce a sky. Their intellect. Poor intellect.
Prabhupāda: God is all-powerful; we want to become all-powerful. That is material life. And the struggle for existence. Because we cannot become God, it is impossible, but artificially, they are trying to become God. And that is struggle for existence. So material life means imitation. Everyone is struggling to become God.
Prabhupāda: One should be attracted by the beautiful vision of Kṛṣṇa. His name is Kṛṣṇa because He is all-attractive. One who becomes attracted by the beautiful, all-powerful, omnipotent vision of Kṛṣṇa is fortunate.
Prabhupāda: Why mythology? Why do you think God like you? God is all-powerful; He can do anything. That is real faith. That means you have no faith. "If God can do which tallies with my activities, then I shall believe." What you are? Nonsense. This is their general argument.
Prabhupāda: Dvaita and advaita. This is the process of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, to bring all the dvaitas and advaitas in one platform. To understand that he is essentially servant of God. The Advaitas, they are wrongly thinking that he is God himself. That is wrong, or not the proper way of thinking. How you can become God? God is ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇam, full with six opulences, all-powerful, all-strenght, all-beauty, all opulent. So this is artificial, to think to become God. And... This is Advaita. And Dvaitas, they think that one is different from God, God is separate from the living entity. But actually, from the Bhagavad-gītā we understand that God is always the Supreme and the living entities, they are subordinate. And in the Vedas also it is said, nityo nityānaṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). Both of them are living entities, but God is the chief. The difference between the two, that God maintains other living entities.
Prabhupāda: One may challenge, "How a person can know everything?" So Kṛṣṇa immediately replies that "I help him specifically." Teṣām evānukampārtham. "Just to show My personal, especial favor upon him, I light up the torch of knowledge, and he knows everything." So if Kṛṣṇa helps one to know everything, who can check it? That is not possible. This science must be there. We are not all-powerful. Kṛṣṇa is all-powerful means He can do everything.
Prabhupāda: God is omnipotent, almighty. He can take any form He likes. You cannot check Him. You cannot say "How Brahman can come in a human form?" Why He cannot come? If He is all-powerful, where is the difficulty? Taking your argument, if Brahman is all-powerful, then where is the difficulty for Him to come as a human being?
Prabhupāda: Because I am a person, I have got my limited knowledge. I am thinking of God, "If God is a person, then He has limited knowledge." That means I am bringing God to my level. That is my defect. We say God is all-powerful, almighty, still He cannot become a person. Why do you think that? If He is almighty, He can become person.
Guest (1): How does it feel to be back in New York?
Prabhupāda: Yes, I feel very much pleased, because I came here alone, without any shelter, I was loitering on the street.
Guest (1): Ten years ago, wasn't it?
Prabhupāda: Yes, in 1965. Then in 1966 I established this institution in a storefront on the Second Avenue. That is the beginning. I never thought we shall be able to possess such a big building.
Guest (1): You've done so much in that short time.
Prabhupāda: I have not done, Kṛṣṇa has done.
Guest (1): Kṛṣṇa has helped you to do it.
Prabhupāda: That I was speaking, that if we become sincere to Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa can give us all opportunities. He's all-powerful; He can do that.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, you he got little freedom. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, "You do it." He does not force. He can force you. He's all-powerful. But He does not force. He gives you the chance, "Do it, you'll be happy." If you don't do it, that is your choice.
Prabhupāda: Durgā is all-powerful within this material world, but she is acting under the direction of Govinda. She is not acting independently. In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is said mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). Under My supervision. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is the supreme authority. (break) ...but they go to the supreme person who can give spiritual knowledge. Durgā is not neglected.
Prabhupāda: God can do anything. He is all-powerful. That is only...
Indian man (1): But does He interfere... Does he intervene in our actions?
Prabhupāda: Who?
Indian man (1): I mean, God, does He...
Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. God interferes if you are a devotee. Otherwise, you have to undergo the laws of nature. Karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām (Bs. 5.54). Karma, according to your karma, you are conducted by the laws of nature.
Prabhupāda: Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. I offer my obeisances to Govinda. But if I say I am equal to Govinda, I can stop sun. "Don't bother me by heating. Stop." Will it become...? Then how I become all-powerful? Let me stop the activities of the sun. Or at night there is no sun, can I ask the sun, "Get up, I want light immediately," is it possible? Then how I become the God? Nobody cares for my order.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Guest (10) (Indian man): Prabhupāda, surrender, sar..., word, if you can give us a full explanation of the word surrender. What's the meaning of surrender and how one should do it? Basis of surrender.
Prabhupāda: Surrender, this is surrender, that... First of all, why you surrender? You must know it perfectly well that "Kṛṣṇa is master; I am servant." Otherwise there is no question of surrender. Then you have to believe that "Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. So now I have surrendered. I have no more fear. Kṛṣṇa will give me protection." To believe firmly... "Kṛṣṇa is all powerful. Kṛṣṇa is my master. He is not a fakir, that He's talking nonsense." We have to believe that. This is surrender.
Prabhupāda: So God means one who is in possession of all these things, all the reputation, all the beauty. That is God. On this point discuss. Now, who is God, that is to be found. But this is the position of God. Try to convince them.
Pṛthu-putra: Because they are convinced already about this through the Koran. They already accept God is one, and He's possessing all fame, all beauty. But they say... The only point is that He cannot come down to the earth because the earth is a planet of sin.
Prabhupāda: No, that is your not perfect conception. If He is almighty and He's all-powerful, why you restrict Him?
Prabhupāda: If you think Mother, then you must think that Mother of the goat also. Why Mother will tolerate? This is justice. Actually the mantra is there, that "Goat, you are sacrificing your life. You get immediately chance of human being." That is his profit. He would have evolved himself in so many lives and then get a human life. But because he's sacrificing his life before Mother, he gets immediately an lift to become a human man. And the human, because he becomes, he has got the right to cut the throat of the man who sacrificed him. This is the mantra. So if you take this risk, do that because how to become a goat, how to become a man, that is in the hands of Mother. That is not in your hand. So Mother, if she gives lift to the goat to become a man and if she degrades you to become a goat, that is in the Mother's hand. You cannot check it. Prakṛteḥ kriyamā... Mother is just to everyone. "All right, this man is cutting your throat. You just become human being and cut his throat. I shall make him a goat." How you can say, "No"? Can you say? And Mother is all-powerful. Then you take the risk.
Bhavānanda: What can we do, Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: You can pray Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Kṛṣṇa is all-powerful. I am only requesting that whatever I have done, you don't spoil it. That's all.
Prabhupāda: Indira Gandhi, she came to a point, and then falls again. Is it not? The same golo dhana(?). She was all-in-all powerful, and once again finished.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Finished.
Prabhupāda: Indira Gandhi, finished. President Nixon, finished. They do not see, these big, big stalwart men of the world. They can be finished in one second. Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "I have seen my father, such a powerful man, finished. What benediction I shall ask, this material world? Don't allure me. Better engage me as the servant of Your servant." Anything, any opulence. Now nobody utters the name of Indira Gandhi.
Correspondence
1947 to 1965 Correspondence
The Mahamaya who is known as Durga, Kali, Candi, Bhadrakali, Mohalaksmi, etc is the embodiment of His external potency as described in the Candi and it is the thankless task of the Mahamaya to punish the asuras with Her all powerful weapons in the ten direction of the material world. She does not only create and maintain this material world but also she annihilates it according to the direction of the almighty God. In the Bhagavad-gita this Mahamaya has also been described as Daivi Maya and She is so powerful that the asuras cannot by-pass Her at any rate. The asura can get remission from the stroke of the trisula of Mohamaya when he the asura, surrenders surrenders himself to Sri Krishna the Personality of Godhead. As Superintendent of the material world the Mohamaya has been described Durga as the protectress of the great durga or fortress of the grand universes. She gives all the necessities for our existence but as soon as we become an asura like the Mohisasuras, Ravanas, Hiranyakasipus, and in later ages like the Mussolinis and such others for the exploitation of the material energy, the Durga Devi at once appears Herself with Her dreadful trident and begins to devastate the whole existence by such tribulations as war, famine, pestilence, or sometimes annihilation of a total existence.
1968 Correspondence
My point is one God. Ultimately you want to merge in the formless, or you want some material facilities, or you want to serve Krishna as His personal associate. Never mind, whatever you want, you worship one God, Krishna, and not bothering with the ultimate gain. The ultimate gain can be achieved as one desires. Krishna is all powerful, so if somebody wants material gain from Krishna, it is not difficult for Him to award such benediction. Similarly, if anyone wants to merge in the Impersonal Brahman effulgence, formless, He can also award the facility.
Here in the material world, without the assistance of the wife, nobody can produce a child. But there is the tangible example, that Visnu, without any sex life with wife He produced a child. In the material sense, we cannot conceive how a child can take birth without being born through the abdomen of one woman. Therefore, Krishna being both father and mother, He can be addressed also as mother. That is His all-powerful strength. He is full in Himself. He does not require anyone's help, therefore, He is both father and mother.
1969 Correspondence
God, or KRISHNA is eternal, all-knowing, omnipresent, all-powerful and all attractive, the seed-giving Father of man and all living entities. He is the sustaining energy of all life, nature and the cosmic situation.
1970 Correspondence
The personal form of Maya is Durga and her different extensions like Bhadra Kali, Chandica, etc. In the Brahma Samhita it is described that she is all powerful in this material world, but she acts as shadow of Govinda. In Bhagavad-gita also she is described as assistant in the material affairs. The direction is from the Lord, and she executes His will. As such, when a devotee is fully surrendered to Krsna, Maya does not disturb him anymore, under the direction of the Lord. So Krsna is always Supreme.
God is a person like us, but He is all-powerful with all opulences in full. The living entities are His eternal servants. There are varieties of living entities that have inherited the opulences of God in different degrees. There are two kinds of nature, the spiritual nature and the material nature. The living entities belong to the spiritual nature and being part and parcel of God they have all the qualities of God in minute proportion.
According to Sanskrit language, religion is not a kind of faith, but it is a prescribed form of duties to be discharged by respective human society, ultimately rising to the platform of Krishna Consciousness or God-consciousness. The first class religion is therefore that which teaches human being love of God because religion means to understand one's position in relationship with God. This God-realization also depends on three phases of life. When God-realization is there distinguished from material realization, this is called liberated stage of transcendental enlightenment.
The next stage is to realize God everywhere in His localized aspect, and the highest stage of God-realization is to know Him as the Supreme Person—all powerful, full of all riches, all reputation, all beauty, all wisdom, and all renunciation.
Always follow the prescribed program of Krsna Consciousness as it has already been established by the Spiritual Master, and thus executing your prescribed duties in the loving service of the Lord He will reveal himself to you in proportion to your sincere efforts to satisfy Him only. So now you are Krsna's servant, and if you give your life completely over to Him, He (Tejas) the All-powerful Lord will protect you from all dangers in all circumstances. Please always chant Hare Krsna Mantra without offense and be happy.
1973 Correspondence
If God is all powerful, he may not agree, or at least his agency, the material nature, may not agree to give sufficient food to the demons. Demons means Godless persons. We get this historical event from the Srimad-Bhagavatam, that during the time of Maharaja Prthu there was scarcity of food, so the King wanted to punish the earthly deity, because she was not supplying food. He wanted to kill her. But the earthly deity replied, that she has reduced the supply of food because she did not like to supply the demons. So there is no question of overpopulation, it is a question of demons. The number of demons has increased and therefore by nature that supply is minimized.
There is no question of over population of people become God conscious. The all powerful can supply any amount of necessities of the people, and they can eat very nicely and so there is no question of mal nutrition. For want of knowledge of the supreme powerful all these problems have come into being.
1976 Correspondence
There is nothing mystical about getting Gaura Nitai deities for worshiping. The Lord is all powerful and omnipresent, he knows the heart of the devotee and reciprocates with the devotee accordingly. So now the Lord has come to your home and agreed to be worshiped by you, therefore everything should be clean and neat. Nice prasadam should be offered regularly and distributed to guests. Kirtana may be performed morning and evening and some discussion from Bhagavad-gita as it is, or other books from our publications.
1977 Correspondence
Regarding your question, how could Visnu appear from the nostril of Brahma? The answer is that Visnu being all pervading, He can appear from anyplace. He appeared as Nrsimhadeva from the pillar. So, one may question how Visnu may appear from pillar, but actually He appeared. He is all powerful with inconceivable potency, and therefore He can appear Himself from anywhere He likes.
When God realization is there, distinguished from material realization, this is called the liberated stage of transcendental enlightenment. The next stage is to realize God everywhere in His localized aspect, and the highest stage of God realization is to know Him as the Supreme Person—all-powerful, full of all riches, all reputation, all beauty, all wisdom, and all renunciation.