Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


God is great (Conv. and Letters): Difference between revisions

(Created page with '<div id="compilation"> <div id="facts"> {{terms|"God's greatness"|"god is great"|"greatness of god"}} {{notes|}} {{compiler|Mayapur}} {{complete|}} {{goal|111}} {{first|26Oct11}}…')
 
(Vanibot #0019: LinkReviser - Revised links and redirected them to the de facto address when redirect exists)
 
Line 3: Line 3:
{{terms|"God's greatness"|"god is great"|"greatness of god"}}
{{terms|"God's greatness"|"god is great"|"greatness of god"}}
{{notes|}}
{{notes|}}
{{compiler|Mayapur}}
{{compiler|Mayapur|ChandrasekharaAcarya}}
{{complete|}}
{{complete|ALL}}
{{goal|111}}
{{first|26Oct11}}
{{first|26Oct11}}
{{last|26Oct11}}
{{last|17Dec11}}
{{totals_by_section|BG=0|SB=0|CC=0|OB=0|Lec=0|Con=1|Let=0}}
{{totals_by_section|BG=0|SB=0|CC=0|OB=0|Lec=0|Con=41|Let=6}}
{{total|1}}
{{total|47}}
{{toc right}}
{{toc right}}
[[Category:God is Great|1]]
[[Category:God Is Great|1]]
[[Category:Compilations from Conversations]]
[[Category:Compilations from Conversations]]
[[Category:Compilations from Letters]]
[[Category:Compilations from Letters]]
Line 21: Line 20:
<div id="InterviewFebruary11968LosAngeles_0" class="quote" parent="1968_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="1" link="Interview -- February 1, 1968, Los Angeles" link_text="Interview -- February 1, 1968, Los Angeles">
<div id="InterviewFebruary11968LosAngeles_0" class="quote" parent="1968_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="1" link="Interview -- February 1, 1968, Los Angeles" link_text="Interview -- February 1, 1968, Los Angeles">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Interview -- February 1, 1968, Los Angeles|Interview -- February 1, 1968, Los Angeles]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: I have already told that religion means searching after God, every religion. The process may be different. The audience may be different. Just like in Christianity there is conception of God, "God created this world." So this is a fact. We also say. But we say in very lucid explanation from the Vedas. We don't stop, simply saying, "God created," but how created, how things developed, these descriptions are there in the Vedic literature. That is the difference. Otherwise there is no difference of opinion. The Christians accept God created this world; the Jewish religion, they also accept God created this world; the Muslims they also accept God created this world; we also accept God created this world. So "God is the supreme; God is great," that is accepted by everyone. But the only difference is that we give details so that modern mind, who are advanced in education and scientific knowledge, they can understand, whereas others, they cannot give in detail. Therefore they are deviating gradually because the modern, advanced, educated persons they want to know how God created this world, and that description is lacking. But we can give that. That is the difference. Otherwise the primary principle, to understand God—God is great; we are small, tiny; we are subordinate; we are maintained by God—this idea is everywhere.</p>
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Interview -- February 1, 1968, Los Angeles|Interview -- February 1, 1968, Los Angeles]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: I have already told that religion means searching after God, every religion. The process may be different. The audience may be different. Just like in Christianity there is conception of God, "God created this world." So this is a fact. We also say. But we say in very lucid explanation from the Vedas. We don't stop, simply saying, "God created," but how created, how things developed, these descriptions are there in the Vedic literature. That is the difference. Otherwise there is no difference of opinion. The Christians accept God created this world; the Jewish religion, they also accept God created this world; the Muslims they also accept God created this world; we also accept God created this world. So "God is the supreme; God is great," that is accepted by everyone. But the only difference is that we give details so that modern mind, who are advanced in education and scientific knowledge, they can understand, whereas others, they cannot give in detail. Therefore they are deviating gradually because the modern, advanced, educated persons they want to know how God created this world, and that description is lacking. But we can give that. That is the difference. Otherwise the primary principle, to understand God—God is great; we are small, tiny; we are subordinate; we are maintained by God—this idea is everywhere.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="InterviewMarch91968SanFrancisco_1" class="quote" parent="1968_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="2" link="Interview -- March 9, 1968, San Francisco" link_text="Interview -- March 9, 1968, San Francisco">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Interview -- March 9, 1968, San Francisco|Interview -- March 9, 1968, San Francisco]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Some of them have little conception of God, "God is great," but they do not try to understand what is actual relationship with God. They are not very serious. In this way, practically we are avoiding our eternal relationship with God, and therefore we cannot act properly, and that is the cause of all miseries.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="1969_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" class="sub_section" sec_index="2" parent="Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" text="1969 Conversations and Morning Walks"><h3>1969 Conversations and Morning Walks</h3>
</div>
<div id="RoomConversationMay101969ColumbusOhio_0" class="quote" parent="1969_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="12" link="Room Conversation -- May 10, 1969, Columbus, Ohio" link_text="Room Conversation -- May 10, 1969, Columbus, Ohio">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation -- May 10, 1969, Columbus, Ohio|Room Conversation -- May 10, 1969, Columbus, Ohio]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: Friendship. That is also... There are five kinds of relationship. Just like "God is great." That is simply feeling the greatness of God. Then, when he feels exactly how God is great, then naturally there will be an inclination to serve God. That is called servitude. First neutrality estimation... That is called śānta-rasa, neutral, no activity but simply appreciating, "God is great," simply appreciation. And then servitude. When the appreciation is complete, "Oh, why not serve God? He is so great. He is giving us so many things. Let me return something. Let me do some service of Him." Servitude. That is further development of the appreciation of the greatness of God. And then further development is friendship. Friendship means... Service means I ask you, "Please give me a glass of water." You give me.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="RoomConversationwithAllenGinsbergMay111969ColumbusOhio_1" class="quote" parent="1969_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="13" link="Room Conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 11, 1969, Columbus, Ohio" link_text="Room Conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 11, 1969, Columbus, Ohio">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 11, 1969, Columbus, Ohio|Room Conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 11, 1969, Columbus, Ohio]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Quotation from various Vedic literature about Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa and the different stages of relationship with Kṛṣṇa, śānta-rasa, dāsya-rasa, admiration. God is Great. This is also one stage, appreciating the greatness of God. Then further development, dāsya-rasa, willing to serve. Oh! God is so great, and I must serve service because everyone of us are serving somebody. So why not serve the Supreme? Nobody is free from service because we are constitutionally the servant. Either we become the servant of the Great or māyā.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="1971_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" class="sub_section" sec_index="4" parent="Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" text="1971 Conversations and Morning Walks"><h3>1971 Conversations and Morning Walks</h3>
</div>
<div id="RoomConversationJanuary171971Allahabad_0" class="quote" parent="1971_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="2" link="Room Conversation -- January 17, 1971, Allahabad" link_text="Room Conversation -- January 17, 1971, Allahabad">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation -- January 17, 1971, Allahabad|Room Conversation -- January 17, 1971, Allahabad]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">When you act according to that knowledge, that is vijñāna. That is bhakti. When you understand fully well that "God is great, and I am a small minute part and parcels of God," and then you understand that the part and parcel's duty is to serve the whole... Is it not?</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="RoomConversationJanuary171971Allahabad_1" class="quote" parent="1971_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="2" link="Room Conversation -- January 17, 1971, Allahabad" link_text="Room Conversation -- January 17, 1971, Allahabad">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation -- January 17, 1971, Allahabad|Room Conversation -- January 17, 1971, Allahabad]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: That is your speculation. G means this, O means this, this means this. That you can interpret in so many ways but God is God. God is great. Brahman. Brahman means great, Parabrahman, the greatest. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān ([[Vanisource:BG 10.12-13 (1972)|BG 10.12]]). That is Kṛṣṇa.</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="RoomConversationwithJohnGriesserlaterinitiatedasYadubaraDasaMarch101972Vrndavana_0" class="quote" parent="1972_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="6" link="Room Conversation with John Griesser (later initiated as Yadubara Dasa) -- March 10, 1972, Vrndavana" link_text="Room Conversation with John Griesser (later initiated as Yadubara Dasa) -- March 10, 1972, Vrndavana">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation with John Griesser (later initiated as Yadubara Dasa) -- March 10, 1972, Vrndavana|Room Conversation with John Griesser (later initiated as Yadubara Dasa) -- March 10, 1972, Vrndavana]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">We have got clear conception of God. That is the difference between our Society and all any other religious groups. They have no clear idea of God. They simply say that there is God, God is great, but no clearer.</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="RoomConversationwithLordBrockwayJuly231973London_0" class="quote" parent="1973_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="50" link="Room Conversation with Lord Brockway -- July 23, 1973, London" link_text="Room Conversation with Lord Brockway -- July 23, 1973, London">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation with Lord Brockway -- July 23, 1973, London|Room Conversation with Lord Brockway -- July 23, 1973, London]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Even if you make an artificial flower, oh, you have to take so many colors, you have to take brush, you have to apply your brain. So it has no brain behind? Simply explaining "nature." What is that nature? The nature is the brain of Kṛṣṇa. So those who can study, they can study even from this flower what is the greatness of God. This is God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everything he sees the hand of God. That is God consciousness.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="RoomConversationSeptember181973Bombay_1" class="quote" parent="1973_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="75" link="Room Conversation -- September 18, 1973, Bombay" link_text="Room Conversation -- September 18, 1973, Bombay">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation -- September 18, 1973, Bombay|Room Conversation -- September 18, 1973, Bombay]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">And nobody can be greater than God. That is "God is great." If somebody becomes equal to you, how you can be great? Or if somebody is higher than you, then how you can be great? So there is no equal to God, nor greater than Him. That is God. And that is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat ([[Vanisource:BG 7.7 (1972)|BG 7.7]]).</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="MorningWalkDecember61973LosAngeles_2" class="quote" parent="1973_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="91" link="Morning Walk -- December 6, 1973, Los Angeles" link_text="Morning Walk -- December 6, 1973, Los Angeles">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Morning Walk -- December 6, 1973, Los Angeles|Morning Walk -- December 6, 1973, Los Angeles]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prajāpati: Well, God is simply the way we view each other, relationship with each other, as the...</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Well, that is your manufacture. Why do you say like that? Each other's relationship? The relationship already there. What is to make new there? The already... God is great, and we are small. The relationship is already there. So how you can make another relationship? God is great. Is it not? God is great. Is it not?</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="MorningWalkDecember61973LosAngeles_3" class="quote" parent="1973_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="91" link="Morning Walk -- December 6, 1973, Los Angeles" link_text="Morning Walk -- December 6, 1973, Los Angeles">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Morning Walk -- December 6, 1973, Los Angeles|Morning Walk -- December 6, 1973, Los Angeles]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Svarūpa Dāmodara: The scientist says that God didn't... One of the astronomers said that "If I were present at the time of creation..."</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Ah, you were present. Therefore you are a rascal. You were not allowed to (be) present. Therefore God is great. You are a rascal. God did not allow you to be present there. Now you are lamenting. Therefore God is great.</p>
<p>Hṛdayānanda: Jaya. Because God doesn't lament. He laments.</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Yes. God did not allow you. Therefore you are under control of God. So you are foolish rascal. God did not allow you. Therefore God is great.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="MorningWalkDecember61973LosAngeles_4" class="quote" parent="1973_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="91" link="Morning Walk -- December 6, 1973, Los Angeles" link_text="Morning Walk -- December 6, 1973, Los Angeles">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Morning Walk -- December 6, 1973, Los Angeles|Morning Walk -- December 6, 1973, Los Angeles]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prajāpati: So they don't want to find out really what God is, but simply what do you mean when you use the word "God".</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: We mean God is great. That's all. There is no need of linguistic analysis. One word is sufficient. God is great.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="MorningWalkDecember101973LosAngeles_5" class="quote" parent="1973_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="96" link="Morning Walk -- December 10, 1973, Los Angeles" link_text="Morning Walk -- December 10, 1973, Los Angeles">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Morning Walk -- December 10, 1973, Los Angeles|Morning Walk -- December 10, 1973, Los Angeles]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: You cannot say, "Mr. President, I don't agree with you. Therefore I shall not accept your order." No. You have to. You agree or not agree. That is supremacy. So when we judge the supremacy from material standpoint of view, we find that these things are the symptoms of supremacy. So all these symptoms must be in full extent in God. That is Supreme Person. God is great, God is the supreme controller.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="MorningWalkDecember301973LosAngeles_6" class="quote" parent="1973_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="109" link="Morning Walk -- December 30, 1973, Los Angeles" link_text="Morning Walk -- December 30, 1973, Los Angeles">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Morning Walk -- December 30, 1973, Los Angeles|Morning Walk -- December 30, 1973, Los Angeles]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">The religion is God is great and everyone should worship Him. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsara...([[Vanisource:SB 1.1.2|SB 1.1.2]]). And it is meant for the first-class non-envious person. One who is envious, he will think, "Oh, why shall I worship God?" He cannot. One who is non-envious, he understands that "God is great always. I am always subordinate. Therefore I must worship." This is... In systematic way you discuss. "I must worship. Because I am dependent. I am not final authority. So the great... God is great, and I am always small. So it is my duty to submit to the great." So that is bhakti.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="MorningWalkDecember311973LosAngeles_7" class="quote" parent="1973_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="110" link="Morning Walk -- December 31, 1973, Los Angeles" link_text="Morning Walk -- December 31, 1973, Los Angeles">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Morning Walk -- December 31, 1973, Los Angeles|Morning Walk -- December 31, 1973, Los Angeles]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Nobody can say that "I am Absolute." Nobody can say. That is not possible. You must have a master. Therefore everyone is a dog. So why don't you find out the Absolute master, the biggest master? And that is God. "God is great." Capture Him, master. Then you will be happy. That is intelligence.</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="MorningWalkMarch311974Bombay_0" class="quote" parent="1974_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="50" link="Morning Walk -- March 31, 1974, Bombay" link_text="Morning Walk -- March 31, 1974, Bombay">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Morning Walk -- March 31, 1974, Bombay|Morning Walk -- March 31, 1974, Bombay]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Guest (1): What is the distinction between jñāna and vijñāna?</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Jñāna means theoretical knowledge, and vijñāna means practical knowledge. Simply to know "God is great," that is not sufficient.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="MorningWalkApril41974Bombay_1" class="quote" parent="1974_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="54" link="Morning Walk -- April 4, 1974, Bombay" link_text="Morning Walk -- April 4, 1974, Bombay">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Morning Walk -- April 4, 1974, Bombay|Morning Walk -- April 4, 1974, Bombay]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Those who are thinking "The God must be horizontal form. God, how He can be a human-like form?" God is great, so he is thinking of greatness of God. Somebody thinks that, according to his own idea. Greatness means they have got idea, "The sky is the greatest." So God must be of the form like sky.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="MorningWalkJune121974Paris_2" class="quote" parent="1974_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="110" link="Morning Walk -- June 12, 1974, Paris" link_text="Morning Walk -- June 12, 1974, Paris">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Morning Walk -- June 12, 1974, Paris|Morning Walk -- June 12, 1974, Paris]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">God has given you intelligence to understand that you are nothing, God is everything. Just realize it. That is intelligence. That is intelligence. When you understand that "God is great. I am His servant," that is real realization. That is his intelligence.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="RoomConversationwithdevoteesaboutTwelfthCantoKaliyugaandConversationwithGuestJune151974Paris_3" class="quote" parent="1974_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="119" link="Room Conversation with devotees about Twelfth Canto Kali-yuga, and Conversation with Guest -- June 15, 1974, Paris" link_text="Room Conversation with devotees about Twelfth Canto Kali-yuga, and Conversation with Guest -- June 15, 1974, Paris">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation with devotees about Twelfth Canto Kali-yuga, and Conversation with Guest -- June 15, 1974, Paris|Room Conversation with devotees about Twelfth Canto Kali-yuga, and Conversation with Guest -- June 15, 1974, Paris]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Jyotirmayī: She says, "Therefore is not necessary to go by one's special path?"</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: No, there is no special path. There is only one path, that "God is there, God is great, and we are all subordinate to God." That's all. No, if you... They accept this?</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="RoomConversationAugust121975PariswithFrenchtranslator_4" class="quote" parent="1974_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="144" link="Room Conversation -- August 12, 1975, Paris (with French translator)" link_text="Room Conversation -- August 12, 1975, Paris (with French translator)">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation -- August 12, 1975, Paris (with French translator)|Room Conversation -- August 12, 1975, Paris (with French translator)]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So if I think I am God, then everyone is also God, so God becomes plural, so that is not God. God is one. Therefore, God is great, we are small. In quality we are one.</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="RoomConversationwithMetaphysicsSocietyFebruary211975Caracas_0" 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;">Guest (Hṛdayānanda): He has understood from what he thinks is Indian philosophy that you cannot give God a name because that would be limiting God.</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: No, you don't give God name. But God is named by His action. Just like Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. That is the quality of God, that He is all-attractive. Similarly, Allah. Allah means "the great." So God is great; therefore He is called Allah. So actually God has no name, but according to His action, He has name. That's all right.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="RoomConversationwiththreeTrappistMonksPsychologistsfromtheUniversityofGeorgiaandAtlantaLawyerMichaelGreenMarch11975Atlanta_1" class="quote" parent="1975_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="15" link="Room Conversation with three Trappist Monks, Psychologists from the University of Georgia, and Atlanta Lawyer, Michael Green -- March 1, 1975, Atlanta" link_text="Room Conversation with three Trappist Monks, Psychologists from the University of Georgia, and Atlanta Lawyer, Michael Green -- March 1, 1975, Atlanta">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation with three Trappist Monks, Psychologists from the University of Georgia, and Atlanta Lawyer, Michael Green -- March 1, 1975, Atlanta|Room Conversation with three Trappist Monks, Psychologists from the University of Georgia, and Atlanta Lawyer, Michael Green -- March 1, 1975, Atlanta]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Pure devotee means without any material motive: "God is great. I am His subordinate. I must love God. I must render service to God." This is pure devotee. And if I go to God, "Please give me my bread," that is not pure devotee, because he has got some purpose. As soon as his purpose is fulfilled, he may turn nondevotee.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="RoomConversationwiththreeTrappistMonksPsychologistsfromtheUniversityofGeorgiaandAtlantaLawyerMichaelGreenMarch11975Atlanta_2" class="quote" parent="1975_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="15" link="Room Conversation with three Trappist Monks, Psychologists from the University of Georgia, and Atlanta Lawyer, Michael Green -- March 1, 1975, Atlanta" link_text="Room Conversation with three Trappist Monks, Psychologists from the University of Georgia, and Atlanta Lawyer, Michael Green -- March 1, 1975, Atlanta">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation with three Trappist Monks, Psychologists from the University of Georgia, and Atlanta Lawyer, Michael Green -- March 1, 1975, Atlanta|Room Conversation with three Trappist Monks, Psychologists from the University of Georgia, and Atlanta Lawyer, Michael Green -- March 1, 1975, Atlanta]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">You can achieve the real purpose of life. That is the privilege of this human form of life. Therefore as soon as possible, the spiritual education should begin, immediately. If the child simply can understand, "God is great," that is immense profit for him.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="RoomConversationMarch21975Atlanta_3" class="quote" parent="1975_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="19" link="Room Conversation -- March 2, 1975, Atlanta" link_text="Room Conversation -- March 2, 1975, Atlanta">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation -- March 2, 1975, Atlanta|Room Conversation -- March 2, 1975, Atlanta]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">This is understanding of God. He is nitya, He's eternal, and we are also eternal because we are samples of God. God is great and perfect and in our this position we are subordinate, and in material condition we are imperfect. So even if we become perfect, still we remain subordinate. Therefore our position is always to abide by the orders of God. This is religion.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="RoomConversationwithReporterMarch91975London_4" class="quote" parent="1975_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="25" link="Room Conversation with Reporter -- March 9, 1975, London" link_text="Room Conversation with Reporter -- March 9, 1975, London">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation with Reporter -- March 9, 1975, London|Room Conversation with Reporter -- March 9, 1975, London]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Reporter: Do you feel that... In other groups also there are sort of teachers or masters or whatever they call them. Do you feel that there can be more than...</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: They are wasting time simply and cheating others. That's all.</p>
<p>Reporter: They are wasting time.</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Yes. Because they do not understand what is their position; therefore their teaching is simply waste of time. This is the position: that God is great, and we are all dependent on God. Who will deny this? This is the original principle.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="RoomConversationwithReporterMarch91975London_5" class="quote" parent="1975_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="25" link="Room Conversation with Reporter -- March 9, 1975, London" link_text="Room Conversation with Reporter -- March 9, 1975, London">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation with Reporter -- March 9, 1975, London|Room Conversation with Reporter -- March 9, 1975, London]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">He says that "That is first-class religion which teaches the followers how to become obedient to God." It doesn't matter whether it's Christian religion or Hindu religion or Muslim religion. If they are teaching this fact, that... Actually they are doing that. Muslim they say, allah akbar. Christian people say, "God is great," and the Hindus also say, eko brahma dvitīya nāsti.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="RoomConversationwithReporterMarch91975London_6" class="quote" parent="1975_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="25" link="Room Conversation with Reporter -- March 9, 1975, London" link_text="Room Conversation with Reporter -- March 9, 1975, London">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation with Reporter -- March 9, 1975, London|Room Conversation with Reporter -- March 9, 1975, London]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Reporter: Is the work you recommend your followers to do purely spiritual, or do you...</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: This we simply say, that "God is great. You are servant. Don't be befooled that you are God. Don't be befooled like that." That is our program.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="RoomConversationwithJesuitMay191975Melbourne_7" 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;">Jesuit: What is neutrality then?</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: That is neutrality, that neither spiritual nor material-on the marginal stage. It is called simply realizing how God is great. That is neutrality. But real devotion begins when one understands that "God is so great, I am rendering my service to this world uselessly. Why not render service to God?" That is called dāsyam, beginning of active devotion.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="RoomConversationwithJesuitMay191975Melbourne_8" 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: Material and spiritual, we both speak. "God is great," means He's materially great and spiritually great. That is His greatness. If you think that He's spiritually great and materially small, that is not great. That is not greatness.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="RoomConversationwithJesuitMay191975Melbourne_9" 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;">Jesuit: "Kṛṣṇa," what exactly does "Kṛṣṇa" mean?</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. That is great. You say, "God is great." We say God, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. Unless you are the great, you cannot be all-attractive.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="PressConferenceJuly91975Chicago_10" class="quote" parent="1975_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="135" link="Press Conference -- July 9, 1975, Chicago" link_text="Press Conference -- July 9, 1975, Chicago">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Press Conference -- July 9, 1975, Chicago|Press Conference -- July 9, 1975, Chicago]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Reporter (4): That's beside the point. I am asking the Swami who is God.</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: God is great. "Great" means, "who is greater than you in every respect." We understand a rich man as very great, a wise man as very great, a strong man is very great, beautiful man is very great. In this way there are six opulences: riches, strength, wisdom, beauty, education... In this way the six opulences, when you find in somebody in full, in complete, without any competition, that is God.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="ConversationwithProfessorHopkinsJuly131975Philadelphia_11" class="quote" parent="1975_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="143" link="Conversation with Professor Hopkins -- July 13, 1975, Philadelphia" link_text="Conversation with Professor Hopkins -- July 13, 1975, Philadelphia">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Conversation with Professor Hopkins -- July 13, 1975, Philadelphia|Conversation with Professor Hopkins -- July 13, 1975, Philadelphia]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya ([[Vanisource:BG 7.7 (1972)|BG 7.7]]), "Nobody or no principle is greater than Me." Then who can be God? God is great. Here the great says, "There is no more greater principle than Me." Then who can be God? People generally know God is great. Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat ([[Vanisource:BG 7.7 (1972)|BG 7.7]]). Not only He says but it is confirmed by great authorities like Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, all the big, big ācāryas, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Vyāsadeva, authorities. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam ([[Vanisource:SB 1.3.28|SB 1.3.28]]). So how you can deny?</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="ConversationwithClergymenJune151976Detroit_0" class="quote" parent="1976_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="141" link="Conversation with Clergymen -- June 15, 1976, Detroit" link_text="Conversation with Clergymen -- June 15, 1976, Detroit">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Conversation with Clergymen -- June 15, 1976, Detroit|Conversation with Clergymen -- June 15, 1976, Detroit]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: Yes. In need of money, "God, I am so poor. Kindly give me some money." So he's approached God. That is his piety. Although God should not be asked. Pure devotion means God should not be bothered. Simply we shall render service. "God is great. I am His servant. So my duty is to render service without any profit." The profit is there. To be accepted as God's servant, that is the greatest profit.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="GardenConversationJune221976NewVrindaban_1" class="quote" parent="1976_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="154" link="Garden Conversation -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban" link_text="Garden Conversation -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Garden Conversation -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban|Garden Conversation -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">You can show your mercy when there is scarcity water—you can bring some tanks of water from other places and put here—but how long you'll do it? But when the God is merciful, He'll pour rain in large quantity that everyone will benefit. That is God's greatness. You'll have to spend so much money, labor, to bring a few buckets of water from other place. Beyond that, you cannot do anything. But God is so powerful, so great, that within a twinkling of, within a few minutes only, immediately He can overcast with cloud and overflood the whole tract of land. That is God's greatness. You have to understand God's greatness in that way. If the sinful, number of sinful men are great, God immediately starts one war, and within few years, all finished. Russia finished, America finished, everyone. That is greatness of God. In this way try to understand how God is great in every activity. In mercy He's great, in cruelty He's great.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="PrabhupadaVisitsPalaceandGardenJune221976NewVrindaban_2" class="quote" parent="1976_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="156" link="Prabhupada Visits Palace and Garden -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban" link_text="Prabhupada Visits Palace and Garden -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Prabhupada Visits Palace and Garden -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban|Prabhupada Visits Palace and Garden -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">You have simply an idea, but you do not know in detail. Just like they say, the Christians, "God is great." But they do not know who is God and what is the meaning of greatness. That they do not know. They accept this theoretically or religious sentimentally, "God is great." Just like your state says, "In God We Trust." As soon as I inquire what kind of trust and to whom, there is no reply. That means they do not know what is God, what is trust.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="EveningDarsanaJuly61976WashingtonDC_3" 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 style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">You'll find in The Nectar of Devotion, the Gosvāmīs have analyzed the characteristics of Kṛṣṇa, and they found Him the greatest. So if God is great, and He is the greatest, then He is God. How can you deny it? At least, we can see in the Bhagavad-gītā, the little knowledge given by Kṛṣṇa, it is still standing as the greatest. Five thousand years past, nobody could give such a book of knowledge throughout the whole world.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="EveningDarsanaAugust91976Tehran_4" class="quote" parent="1976_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="251" link="Evening Darsana -- August 9, 1976, Tehran" link_text="Evening Darsana -- August 9, 1976, Tehran">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Evening Darsana -- August 9, 1976, Tehran|Evening Darsana -- August 9, 1976, Tehran]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">I shall invite you to eat with me and I shall accept your invitation to eat with me. I shall give you some presentation, you shall give me some presentation. In this way love develops. So if you want to love Kṛṣṇa, God, then these things must be there. Otherwise, where there is question of love? To appreciate God is great, that is not love. That is simply appreciation.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="EveningDarsanaAugust121976Tehran_5" class="quote" parent="1976_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="258" link="Evening Darsana -- August 12, 1976, Tehran" link_text="Evening Darsana -- August 12, 1976, Tehran">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Evening Darsana -- August 12, 1976, Tehran|Evening Darsana -- August 12, 1976, Tehran]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Try to inquire how great He is, why He is great. Then your regard for God, your devotion for God will increase. And because we do not inquire how God is great, therefore cheap gods are coming.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="RoomConversationBullockCartSKPSeptember121976Vrndavana_6" class="quote" parent="1976_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="307" link="Room Conversation (Bullock Cart SKP) -- September 12, 1976, Vrndavana" link_text="Room Conversation (Bullock Cart SKP) -- September 12, 1976, Vrndavana">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation (Bullock Cart SKP) -- September 12, 1976, Vrndavana|Room Conversation (Bullock Cart SKP) -- September 12, 1976, Vrndavana]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">How you are great? Aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). "I am the origin of all the demigods." Next how you are great? Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate ([[Vanisource:BG 10.8 (1972)|BG 10.8]]). This is their ignorance. They have simply heard God is great, but how He is great, that they do not know. Here is the... God is personally speaking, "Yes, I am great in this way." Ahaṁ sarvasya. Vedānta says janmādy asya yataḥ ([[Vanisource:SB 1.1.1|SB 1.1.1]]). That is greatness. The original source of everything. So we are presenting God, "Here is God." Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. Ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ ([[Vanisource:SB 1.3.28|SB 1.3.28]]). There are other incarnations, but kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. That's a fact.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="RoomConversationBullockCartSKPSeptember121976Vrndavana_7" class="quote" parent="1976_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="307" link="Room Conversation (Bullock Cart SKP) -- September 12, 1976, Vrndavana" link_text="Room Conversation (Bullock Cart SKP) -- September 12, 1976, Vrndavana">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation (Bullock Cart SKP) -- September 12, 1976, Vrndavana|Room Conversation (Bullock Cart SKP) -- September 12, 1976, Vrndavana]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: (Hindi) That is God is great. Nobody can defeat Him. Nobody can go beyond Him. Asama-ūrdhva. Nobody is equal to Him. Asama, ūrdhva. Nobody is greater than Him, nobody is equal to Him. That is God.</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="RoomConversationwithAliceColtraneJuly11977Vrndavana_0" class="quote" parent="1977_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="205" link="Room Conversation with Alice Coltrane -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana" link_text="Room Conversation with Alice Coltrane -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation with Alice Coltrane -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana|Room Conversation with Alice Coltrane -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And the method of pleasing Him...</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Yes. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānām ([[Vanisource:BG 10.10 (1972)|BG 10.10]]). One who is twenty-four hours engaged in pleasing the Lord, He gives intelligence to him, not ordinary... You cannot expect. But you don't take God as your play doll. Then it will be futile. God is God. God is great.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="Correspondence" class="section" sec_index="6" parent="compilation" text="Correspondence"><h2>Correspondence</h2>
</div>
<div id="1968_Correspondence" class="sub_section" sec_index="3" parent="Correspondence" text="1968 Correspondence"><h3>1968 Correspondence</h3>
</div>
<div id="LettertoYadunandanaSanFrancisco13April1968_0" class="quote" parent="1968_Correspondence" book="Let" index="145" link="Letter to Yadunandana -- San Francisco 13 April, 1968" link_text="Letter to Yadunandana -- San Francisco 13 April, 1968">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Yadunandana -- San Francisco 13 April, 1968|Letter to Yadunandana -- San Francisco 13 April, 1968]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Anyone who can understand how God is great, automatically he can understand that God is great. You can mention some parallels from Christian literature while explaining Bhagavad-gita, but you cannot find in any other scripture in the world the full information as given in the Bhagavad-gita.</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="LettertoSwamiBhaktivedantaHawaii14March1969_0" class="quote" parent="1969_Correspondence" book="Let" index="171" link="Letter to Swami Bhaktivedanta -- Hawaii 14 March, 1969" link_text="Letter to Swami Bhaktivedanta -- Hawaii 14 March, 1969">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Swami Bhaktivedanta -- Hawaii 14 March, 1969|Letter to Swami Bhaktivedanta -- Hawaii 14 March, 1969]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">God is the Supreme Lord. The living entities are qualitatively one with God, or in other words,, living entities and God are one in quality, but by quantity, God is great. As such the living entities are eternal servitors and subordinate of God maintained by the Supreme Lord. This relationship is eternal, therefore time is also eternal.</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="LettertoTosanaKrsnaLosAngeles23June1970_0" class="quote" parent="1970_Correspondence" book="Let" index="376" link="Letter to Tosana Krsna -- Los Angeles 23 June, 1970" link_text="Letter to Tosana Krsna -- Los Angeles 23 June, 1970">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Tosana Krsna -- Los Angeles 23 June, 1970|Letter to Tosana Krsna -- Los Angeles 23 June, 1970]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Regarding New Testament, we can simply agree that the New Testament accepts God is great and the creation came into existence by His Word. I do not know the details of New Testament, but I know so far that it is stated there that all creation is made by God. So this statement is Vedic statement.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="LettertoTosanaKrsnaLosAngeles23June1970_1" class="quote" parent="1970_Correspondence" book="Let" index="376" link="Letter to Tosana Krsna -- Los Angeles 23 June, 1970" link_text="Letter to Tosana Krsna -- Los Angeles 23 June, 1970">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Tosana Krsna -- Los Angeles 23 June, 1970|Letter to Tosana Krsna -- Los Angeles 23 June, 1970]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So on the principle that God is Supreme, God is Great, I do not think there is any difference of opinion between us and the Christians. But the Vedic literatures being older and disseminated by many, many superior acaryas we can find out how God is great, how the creation took place one after another. These details are not found in any other scriptures in the world.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="LettertoProfessorSCChakravartiCalcutta3October1970_2" class="quote" parent="1970_Correspondence" book="Let" index="540" link="Letter to Professor S. C. Chakravarti -- Calcutta 3 October, 1970" link_text="Letter to Professor S. C. Chakravarti -- Calcutta 3 October, 1970">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Professor S. C. Chakravarti -- Calcutta 3 October, 1970|Letter to Professor S. C. Chakravarti -- Calcutta 3 October, 1970]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">I am so glad to learn that you are interested in the matter of Vaisnava philosophy. Vaisnava philosophy is very simple: that God is great and everyone is His servant. Nobody can be equal to or greater than God. They are simultaneously one and different. In quality they are one, but in magnitude they are different. This is the whole philosophy of the four Vaisnava sampradayas.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="1976_Correspondence" class="sub_section" sec_index="11" parent="Correspondence" text="1976 Correspondence"><h3>1976 Correspondence</h3>
</div>
<div id="LettertoMrDhawanVrindaban2April1976_0" class="quote" parent="1976_Correspondence" book="Let" index="214" link="Letter to Mr. Dhawan -- Vrindaban 2 April, 1976" link_text="Letter to Mr. Dhawan -- Vrindaban 2 April, 1976">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Letter to Mr. Dhawan -- Vrindaban 2 April, 1976|Letter to Mr. Dhawan -- Vrindaban 2 April, 1976]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Question #2: Which is the exact path to attain this aim?</p>
<p>Answer: God is great and we are all subordinate to God. In other words, God is the Supreme Master and we are all living entities, servants of God. Therefore, the path which teaches this fact, that a living entity is eternal servant of God, that is the only single path which leads one back to Home, back to Godhead.</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

Latest revision as of 01:10, 17 May 2018

Conversations and Morning Walks

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Interview -- February 1, 1968, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: I have already told that religion means searching after God, every religion. The process may be different. The audience may be different. Just like in Christianity there is conception of God, "God created this world." So this is a fact. We also say. But we say in very lucid explanation from the Vedas. We don't stop, simply saying, "God created," but how created, how things developed, these descriptions are there in the Vedic literature. That is the difference. Otherwise there is no difference of opinion. The Christians accept God created this world; the Jewish religion, they also accept God created this world; the Muslims they also accept God created this world; we also accept God created this world. So "God is the supreme; God is great," that is accepted by everyone. But the only difference is that we give details so that modern mind, who are advanced in education and scientific knowledge, they can understand, whereas others, they cannot give in detail. Therefore they are deviating gradually because the modern, advanced, educated persons they want to know how God created this world, and that description is lacking. But we can give that. That is the difference. Otherwise the primary principle, to understand God—God is great; we are small, tiny; we are subordinate; we are maintained by God—this idea is everywhere.

Interview -- March 9, 1968, San Francisco:

Some of them have little conception of God, "God is great," but they do not try to understand what is actual relationship with God. They are not very serious. In this way, practically we are avoiding our eternal relationship with God, and therefore we cannot act properly, and that is the cause of all miseries.

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- May 10, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:

Prabhupāda: Friendship. That is also... There are five kinds of relationship. Just like "God is great." That is simply feeling the greatness of God. Then, when he feels exactly how God is great, then naturally there will be an inclination to serve God. That is called servitude. First neutrality estimation... That is called śānta-rasa, neutral, no activity but simply appreciating, "God is great," simply appreciation. And then servitude. When the appreciation is complete, "Oh, why not serve God? He is so great. He is giving us so many things. Let me return something. Let me do some service of Him." Servitude. That is further development of the appreciation of the greatness of God. And then further development is friendship. Friendship means... Service means I ask you, "Please give me a glass of water." You give me.

Room Conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 11, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:

Quotation from various Vedic literature about Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa and the different stages of relationship with Kṛṣṇa, śānta-rasa, dāsya-rasa, admiration. God is Great. This is also one stage, appreciating the greatness of God. Then further development, dāsya-rasa, willing to serve. Oh! God is so great, and I must serve service because everyone of us are serving somebody. So why not serve the Supreme? Nobody is free from service because we are constitutionally the servant. Either we become the servant of the Great or māyā.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 17, 1971, Allahabad:

When you act according to that knowledge, that is vijñāna. That is bhakti. When you understand fully well that "God is great, and I am a small minute part and parcels of God," and then you understand that the part and parcel's duty is to serve the whole... Is it not?

Room Conversation -- January 17, 1971, Allahabad:

Prabhupāda: That is your speculation. G means this, O means this, this means this. That you can interpret in so many ways but God is God. God is great. Brahman. Brahman means great, Parabrahman, the greatest. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). That is Kṛṣṇa.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with John Griesser (later initiated as Yadubara Dasa) -- March 10, 1972, Vrndavana:

We have got clear conception of God. That is the difference between our Society and all any other religious groups. They have no clear idea of God. They simply say that there is God, God is great, but no clearer.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Lord Brockway -- July 23, 1973, London:

Even if you make an artificial flower, oh, you have to take so many colors, you have to take brush, you have to apply your brain. So it has no brain behind? Simply explaining "nature." What is that nature? The nature is the brain of Kṛṣṇa. So those who can study, they can study even from this flower what is the greatness of God. This is God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everything he sees the hand of God. That is God consciousness.

Room Conversation -- September 18, 1973, Bombay:

And nobody can be greater than God. That is "God is great." If somebody becomes equal to you, how you can be great? Or if somebody is higher than you, then how you can be great? So there is no equal to God, nor greater than Him. That is God. And that is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7).

Morning Walk -- December 6, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prajāpati: Well, God is simply the way we view each other, relationship with each other, as the...

Prabhupāda: Well, that is your manufacture. Why do you say like that? Each other's relationship? The relationship already there. What is to make new there? The already... God is great, and we are small. The relationship is already there. So how you can make another relationship? God is great. Is it not? God is great. Is it not?

Morning Walk -- December 6, 1973, Los Angeles:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: The scientist says that God didn't... One of the astronomers said that "If I were present at the time of creation..."

Prabhupāda: Ah, you were present. Therefore you are a rascal. You were not allowed to (be) present. Therefore God is great. You are a rascal. God did not allow you to be present there. Now you are lamenting. Therefore God is great.

Hṛdayānanda: Jaya. Because God doesn't lament. He laments.

Prabhupāda: Yes. God did not allow you. Therefore you are under control of God. So you are foolish rascal. God did not allow you. Therefore God is great.

Morning Walk -- December 6, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prajāpati: So they don't want to find out really what God is, but simply what do you mean when you use the word "God".

Prabhupāda: We mean God is great. That's all. There is no need of linguistic analysis. One word is sufficient. God is great.

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

Prabhupāda: You cannot say, "Mr. President, I don't agree with you. Therefore I shall not accept your order." No. You have to. You agree or not agree. That is supremacy. So when we judge the supremacy from material standpoint of view, we find that these things are the symptoms of supremacy. So all these symptoms must be in full extent in God. That is Supreme Person. God is great, God is the supreme controller.

Morning Walk -- December 30, 1973, Los Angeles:

The religion is God is great and everyone should worship Him. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsara...(SB 1.1.2). And it is meant for the first-class non-envious person. One who is envious, he will think, "Oh, why shall I worship God?" He cannot. One who is non-envious, he understands that "God is great always. I am always subordinate. Therefore I must worship." This is... In systematic way you discuss. "I must worship. Because I am dependent. I am not final authority. So the great... God is great, and I am always small. So it is my duty to submit to the great." So that is bhakti.

Morning Walk -- December 31, 1973, Los Angeles:

Nobody can say that "I am Absolute." Nobody can say. That is not possible. You must have a master. Therefore everyone is a dog. So why don't you find out the Absolute master, the biggest master? And that is God. "God is great." Capture Him, master. Then you will be happy. That is intelligence.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 31, 1974, Bombay:

Guest (1): What is the distinction between jñāna and vijñāna?

Prabhupāda: Jñāna means theoretical knowledge, and vijñāna means practical knowledge. Simply to know "God is great," that is not sufficient.

Morning Walk -- April 4, 1974, Bombay:

Those who are thinking "The God must be horizontal form. God, how He can be a human-like form?" God is great, so he is thinking of greatness of God. Somebody thinks that, according to his own idea. Greatness means they have got idea, "The sky is the greatest." So God must be of the form like sky.

Morning Walk -- June 12, 1974, Paris:

God has given you intelligence to understand that you are nothing, God is everything. Just realize it. That is intelligence. That is intelligence. When you understand that "God is great. I am His servant," that is real realization. That is his intelligence.

Room Conversation with devotees about Twelfth Canto Kali-yuga, and Conversation with Guest -- June 15, 1974, Paris:

Jyotirmayī: She says, "Therefore is not necessary to go by one's special path?"

Prabhupāda: No, there is no special path. There is only one path, that "God is there, God is great, and we are all subordinate to God." That's all. No, if you... They accept this?

Room Conversation -- August 12, 1975, Paris (with French translator):

So if I think I am God, then everyone is also God, so God becomes plural, so that is not God. God is one. Therefore, God is great, we are small. In quality we are one.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Metaphysics Society -- February 21, 1975, Caracas:

Guest (Hṛdayānanda): He has understood from what he thinks is Indian philosophy that you cannot give God a name because that would be limiting God.

Prabhupāda: No, you don't give God name. But God is named by His action. Just like Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. That is the quality of God, that He is all-attractive. Similarly, Allah. Allah means "the great." So God is great; therefore He is called Allah. So actually God has no name, but according to His action, He has name. That's all right.

Room Conversation with three Trappist Monks, Psychologists from the University of Georgia, and Atlanta Lawyer, Michael Green -- March 1, 1975, Atlanta:

Pure devotee means without any material motive: "God is great. I am His subordinate. I must love God. I must render service to God." This is pure devotee. And if I go to God, "Please give me my bread," that is not pure devotee, because he has got some purpose. As soon as his purpose is fulfilled, he may turn nondevotee.

Room Conversation with three Trappist Monks, Psychologists from the University of Georgia, and Atlanta Lawyer, Michael Green -- March 1, 1975, Atlanta:

You can achieve the real purpose of life. That is the privilege of this human form of life. Therefore as soon as possible, the spiritual education should begin, immediately. If the child simply can understand, "God is great," that is immense profit for him.

Room Conversation -- March 2, 1975, Atlanta:

This is understanding of God. He is nitya, He's eternal, and we are also eternal because we are samples of God. God is great and perfect and in our this position we are subordinate, and in material condition we are imperfect. So even if we become perfect, still we remain subordinate. Therefore our position is always to abide by the orders of God. This is religion.

Room Conversation with Reporter -- March 9, 1975, London:

Reporter: Do you feel that... In other groups also there are sort of teachers or masters or whatever they call them. Do you feel that there can be more than...

Prabhupāda: They are wasting time simply and cheating others. That's all.

Reporter: They are wasting time.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Because they do not understand what is their position; therefore their teaching is simply waste of time. This is the position: that God is great, and we are all dependent on God. Who will deny this? This is the original principle.

Room Conversation with Reporter -- March 9, 1975, London:

He says that "That is first-class religion which teaches the followers how to become obedient to God." It doesn't matter whether it's Christian religion or Hindu religion or Muslim religion. If they are teaching this fact, that... Actually they are doing that. Muslim they say, allah akbar. Christian people say, "God is great," and the Hindus also say, eko brahma dvitīya nāsti.

Room Conversation with Reporter -- March 9, 1975, London:

Reporter: Is the work you recommend your followers to do purely spiritual, or do you...

Prabhupāda: This we simply say, that "God is great. You are servant. Don't be befooled that you are God. Don't be befooled like that." That is our program.

Room Conversation with Jesuit -- May 19, 1975, Melbourne:

Jesuit: What is neutrality then?

Prabhupāda: That is neutrality, that neither spiritual nor material-on the marginal stage. It is called simply realizing how God is great. That is neutrality. But real devotion begins when one understands that "God is so great, I am rendering my service to this world uselessly. Why not render service to God?" That is called dāsyam, beginning of active devotion.

Room Conversation with Jesuit -- May 19, 1975, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: Material and spiritual, we both speak. "God is great," means He's materially great and spiritually great. That is His greatness. If you think that He's spiritually great and materially small, that is not great. That is not greatness.

Room Conversation with Jesuit -- May 19, 1975, Melbourne:

Jesuit: "Kṛṣṇa," what exactly does "Kṛṣṇa" mean?

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. That is great. You say, "God is great." We say God, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. Unless you are the great, you cannot be all-attractive.

Press Conference -- July 9, 1975, Chicago:

Reporter (4): That's beside the point. I am asking the Swami who is God.

Prabhupāda: God is great. "Great" means, "who is greater than you in every respect." We understand a rich man as very great, a wise man as very great, a strong man is very great, beautiful man is very great. In this way there are six opulences: riches, strength, wisdom, beauty, education... In this way the six opulences, when you find in somebody in full, in complete, without any competition, that is God.

Conversation with Professor Hopkins -- July 13, 1975, Philadelphia:

Prabhupāda: Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7), "Nobody or no principle is greater than Me." Then who can be God? God is great. Here the great says, "There is no more greater principle than Me." Then who can be God? People generally know God is great. Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). Not only He says but it is confirmed by great authorities like Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, all the big, big ācāryas, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Vyāsadeva, authorities. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). So how you can deny?

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation with Clergymen -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: Yes. In need of money, "God, I am so poor. Kindly give me some money." So he's approached God. That is his piety. Although God should not be asked. Pure devotion means God should not be bothered. Simply we shall render service. "God is great. I am His servant. So my duty is to render service without any profit." The profit is there. To be accepted as God's servant, that is the greatest profit.

Garden Conversation -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban:

You can show your mercy when there is scarcity water—you can bring some tanks of water from other places and put here—but how long you'll do it? But when the God is merciful, He'll pour rain in large quantity that everyone will benefit. That is God's greatness. You'll have to spend so much money, labor, to bring a few buckets of water from other place. Beyond that, you cannot do anything. But God is so powerful, so great, that within a twinkling of, within a few minutes only, immediately He can overcast with cloud and overflood the whole tract of land. That is God's greatness. You have to understand God's greatness in that way. If the sinful, number of sinful men are great, God immediately starts one war, and within few years, all finished. Russia finished, America finished, everyone. That is greatness of God. In this way try to understand how God is great in every activity. In mercy He's great, in cruelty He's great.

Prabhupada Visits Palace and Garden -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban:

You have simply an idea, but you do not know in detail. Just like they say, the Christians, "God is great." But they do not know who is God and what is the meaning of greatness. That they do not know. They accept this theoretically or religious sentimentally, "God is great." Just like your state says, "In God We Trust." As soon as I inquire what kind of trust and to whom, there is no reply. That means they do not know what is God, what is trust.

Evening Darsana -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

You'll find in The Nectar of Devotion, the Gosvāmīs have analyzed the characteristics of Kṛṣṇa, and they found Him the greatest. So if God is great, and He is the greatest, then He is God. How can you deny it? At least, we can see in the Bhagavad-gītā, the little knowledge given by Kṛṣṇa, it is still standing as the greatest. Five thousand years past, nobody could give such a book of knowledge throughout the whole world.

Evening Darsana -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:

I shall invite you to eat with me and I shall accept your invitation to eat with me. I shall give you some presentation, you shall give me some presentation. In this way love develops. So if you want to love Kṛṣṇa, God, then these things must be there. Otherwise, where there is question of love? To appreciate God is great, that is not love. That is simply appreciation.

Evening Darsana -- August 12, 1976, Tehran:

Try to inquire how great He is, why He is great. Then your regard for God, your devotion for God will increase. And because we do not inquire how God is great, therefore cheap gods are coming.

Room Conversation (Bullock Cart SKP) -- September 12, 1976, Vrndavana:

How you are great? Aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). "I am the origin of all the demigods." Next how you are great? Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). This is their ignorance. They have simply heard God is great, but how He is great, that they do not know. Here is the... God is personally speaking, "Yes, I am great in this way." Ahaṁ sarvasya. Vedānta says janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). That is greatness. The original source of everything. So we are presenting God, "Here is God." Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. Ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ (SB 1.3.28). There are other incarnations, but kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. That's a fact.

Room Conversation (Bullock Cart SKP) -- September 12, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) That is God is great. Nobody can defeat Him. Nobody can go beyond Him. Asama-ūrdhva. Nobody is equal to Him. Asama, ūrdhva. Nobody is greater than Him, nobody is equal to Him. That is God.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Alice Coltrane -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And the method of pleasing Him...

Prabhupāda: Yes. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānām (BG 10.10). One who is twenty-four hours engaged in pleasing the Lord, He gives intelligence to him, not ordinary... You cannot expect. But you don't take God as your play doll. Then it will be futile. God is God. God is great.

Correspondence

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Yadunandana -- San Francisco 13 April, 1968:

Anyone who can understand how God is great, automatically he can understand that God is great. You can mention some parallels from Christian literature while explaining Bhagavad-gita, but you cannot find in any other scripture in the world the full information as given in the Bhagavad-gita.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Swami Bhaktivedanta -- Hawaii 14 March, 1969:

God is the Supreme Lord. The living entities are qualitatively one with God, or in other words,, living entities and God are one in quality, but by quantity, God is great. As such the living entities are eternal servitors and subordinate of God maintained by the Supreme Lord. This relationship is eternal, therefore time is also eternal.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Tosana Krsna -- Los Angeles 23 June, 1970:

Regarding New Testament, we can simply agree that the New Testament accepts God is great and the creation came into existence by His Word. I do not know the details of New Testament, but I know so far that it is stated there that all creation is made by God. So this statement is Vedic statement.

Letter to Tosana Krsna -- Los Angeles 23 June, 1970:

So on the principle that God is Supreme, God is Great, I do not think there is any difference of opinion between us and the Christians. But the Vedic literatures being older and disseminated by many, many superior acaryas we can find out how God is great, how the creation took place one after another. These details are not found in any other scriptures in the world.

Letter to Professor S. C. Chakravarti -- Calcutta 3 October, 1970:

I am so glad to learn that you are interested in the matter of Vaisnava philosophy. Vaisnava philosophy is very simple: that God is great and everyone is His servant. Nobody can be equal to or greater than God. They are simultaneously one and different. In quality they are one, but in magnitude they are different. This is the whole philosophy of the four Vaisnava sampradayas.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Mr. Dhawan -- Vrindaban 2 April, 1976:

Question #2: Which is the exact path to attain this aim?

Answer: God is great and we are all subordinate to God. In other words, God is the Supreme Master and we are all living entities, servants of God. Therefore, the path which teaches this fact, that a living entity is eternal servant of God, that is the only single path which leads one back to Home, back to Godhead.

Retrieved from "https://vaniquotes.org/w/index.php?title=God_is_great_(Conv._and_Letters)&oldid=768263"