My Guru Maharaja - Bhaktisiddanta (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"My Guru Maharaja" |"My Guru" |"Our Guru Maharaja" |"Our Guru" |"my guru maharaj"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.17 -- London, August 23, 1973:

We are trying, even our Kṛṣṇa consciousness mission, we are trying to awaken. Still they are so unfortunate they cannot give up sense gratification. So unfortunate. Condemned, unfortunate. Repeatedly we are spending our gallons of blood—"Don't do this"—still they are doing. Cannot give up even sleeping. So condemned. Kali-yuga. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayaḥ.

So it is very difficult with these rascals. Very, very difficult. Therefore my Guru Mahārāja's Guru Mahārāja, Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, they were not preaching. They were disgusted that "I have no power to reform these rascals. Better don't bother. Let them go to hell. At least... Let them." But still, my Guru Mahārāja preached. He was so kind. And he asked us also to do the same thing. But it is very, very difficult job. People are so rascal, so condemned, so sinful. It is very, very difficult to raise them. Very difficult.

Lecture on BG 4.15 -- Bombay, April 4, 1974:

. If you adulterate nonsensically like a rascal, then you cannot become a spiritual master. If you simply follow what Kṛṣṇa has spoken, then you become spiritual master. Very simple thing. It doesn't require education. You can hear from your spiritual master what has Kṛṣṇa said.

It doesn't require even literacy. There are many great personalities, saintly persons. My Guru Mahārāja's Guru Mahārāja, he was illiterate, Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja. He could not sign even his name. But my Guru Mahārāja was the best scholar of his time. He accepted him as guru. So this is the process, that yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei guru haya (CC Madhya 8.128). That is the business of every Indian.

Lecture on BG 4.24-34 -- New York, August 12, 1966:

And you will be surprised that my Guru Mahārāja's spiritual master was Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja. He was completely illiterate. He did not know how to sign, and my spiritual master was the most learned man of his age. He accepted that guru who was completely illiterate. But when he would speak, that Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, he would speak with all Vedic references.

Lecture on BG 5.7-13 -- New York, August 27, 1966:

A Kṛṣṇa conscious person, he never thinks that "I am doing something." Even if you ask him that "Are you going to such and such place?" Suppose it is settled that he's going to such and such place. If you ask him, "When you are going?" He'll say that "I do not know when I shall go, but when Kṛṣṇa will ask me or allow me to go, I shall go." I am saying this from my practical experience from my Guru Mahārāja, from my spiritual master. He would never say that "I am going," "I am doing," no. "If Kṛṣṇa desires, then I shall do it." "If Kṛṣṇa desires, then I shall go." Like that. Always depending on Kṛṣṇa. This is called viśuddhātmā.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 13, 1972:

You are searching after God. Now here is God Himself speaking. So recognized God by all sages: Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Asita. And later on by Rāmānujācārya, by Śaṅkarācārya, by Madhvācārya, by Viṣṇu Svāmī, by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and then our Guru Mahārāja. So our method is very simple: evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). So we accept this paramparā system. I may not know what is God, but because my predecessors, ācāryas, confirm it, the "Here is Bhagavān," we accept it. That's all. We save so much trouble by mental speculation. We accept the paramparā system.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- Nairobi, October 28, 1975:

Indian man: When did you become the spiritual leader of Kṛṣṇa consciousness?

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Brahmānanda: He's asking when did you become the spiritual leader of Kṛṣṇa consciousness?

Prabhupāda: When my Guru Mahārāja ordered me. This is the guru-paramparā.

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

These boys, this boy and girl just now married, I am sending to Australia. The boy has come from Australia, the girl has come from Sweden. Now they are united. Now they are going to maintain our establishment there in Sydney. Just now I am sending them within two or three days. They will take care of the temple and they will preach also. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is expanding by their help. I am alone, but they are helping me. They are my gurus. I am not their guru, (applause) because they are helping me in executing my Guru Mahārāja's order. So it is very nice combination that somebody is going to Australia, somebody is going to Fiji Island, somebody is going to Hong Kong, somebody is going to Czechoslovakia. And we are also negotiating to go to Russia also. There is chance of going to China also. We are attempting. We have already sent two boys to Pakistan—one in Dacca and one in Karachi.

Lecture on BG 7.8-14 -- New York, October 2, 1966:

I am a sannyāsī. I am forbidden to make any association with women. I cannot talk even with woman in a lonely place. That is forbidden. I cannot talk with a woman. I give you one practical example. When my Guru Mahārāja, my spiritual master, was living... I am speaking about fifty years before. We were all young men at that time, and one of my Godbrothers, he was also young man, Dr. O. B. Kapoor, and his wife was also young. So his wife wanted to speak with my Guru Mahārāja. My Guru Mahārāja was at that time not less than sixty or more than that, and the girl, my friend's wife, she was not more than twenty-two years. But actually, she was just like his granddaughter. But she proposed, "Sir, I wanted to speak with you something confidentially." My Guru Mahārāja said, "Oh, no, no. I cannot speak with you confidentially. You can speak whatever you like here." Just see. "I cannot speak." Now the so much age difference, so much, I mean to say, affection, still, he refused: "No, no. I cannot talk with you confidentially because you are woman."

Lecture on BG 13.2 -- Melbourne, April 4, 1972:

Sometimes we become ghost. If we become too much attached, we cannot leave. Therefore too much opulent apartment, opulent life, is not very good for spiritual advancement because we get too much attached to it. My Guru Mahārāja used to advise us that "It is better to live in rented house than to possess own house." Why? Because if we possess our own house, we'll be more attached. Because the life's program is jñāna-vairāgya, knowledge and renouncement. One should have sufficient knowledge to understand his constitutional position as a living entity.

Lecture on BG 18.67 -- Ahmedabad, December 10, 1972:

First of all, Kṛṣṇa spoke this Kṛṣṇa consciousness science to the sun-god, and the sun-god Vivasvān explained it to his son Manu. And Manu explained to his son Ikṣvāku. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). So this science is understood by the paramparā disciplic succession. So as we have understood by the paramparā system from my Guru Mahārāja, so any of my students who will understand, he will keep it running on. This is the process. It is not a new thing. It is the old thing. Simply we have to distribute it properly, as we have heard from our predecessor ācārya.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 18, 1971:

Now, I alone started this movement. There is so much response because they are hankering after this. Caitanya Mahāprabhu hinted therefore:

bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra

janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra

(CC Adi 9.41)

"Those who have taken birth as human being as Indian, on the land of Bhāratavarṣa, they should learn their spiritual asset and distribute it throughout the world for real welfare activity." This was Caitanya Mahāprabhu's indication. That was my Guru Mahārāja's indication. With that indication I tried, and somehow or other, it is coming to be successful. Now it is in your hand, you European and American young boys and girls. You take it seriously.

Lecture on SB 1.1.9 -- Auckland, February 20, 1973:

Devotee: "Foreseeing the incompetencies of the people in this age of Kali, or the iron age of quarrel, the sages requested that Suta Gosvāmī give a summary of all revealed scriptures because the people of this age are condemned in every respect."

Prabhupāda: But the directions should be taken from scriptures. But there are many scriptures. So ācārya means, just like Gosvāmīs, they would read all the scriptures and take the essence of it and give it to his disciples that, "You act like this." Because he knows what to give, how to manipulate, so that his ekāntataḥ śreyas will be achieved. Ultimate goal. Therefore the ācārya knows how to adjust things, at the same time keep pace with the spiritual interest(?). That is ācārya. It is not that the same thing to be applied everywhere. He is eager to engage actually the people in the real benefit of life, but the means may be different. Just like my Guru Mahārāja. He is the first time that he allowed the sannyāsīs to drive in a motorcar. A sannyāsī never drives in a motorcar, you see? But not for sense gratification. Suppose we are going by aeroplane. A sannyāsī should walk. The Jain sannyāsīs they never ride on a car, you know that. You know that. They will never ride on a car. But now they are also riding. But suppose we are preaching now. I came from India. If I were to say, "I am a sannyāsī, I will not ride in a car or aeroplane, I must walk." Then what kind of preaching there would have been? You see? So therefore it depends on the ācārya how to adjust things. So, my Guru Mahārāja, "Alright go on preaching on a motorcar, it doesn't matter." These Gosvāmīs, they went to Vṛndāvana, severest type of austerities. They used to life underneath a tree. Now if in this age I advise you that you also live underneath a tree, then it will be difficult to preach. You see? Nobody is accustomed in that way, such severe type of austerity. They must be given, as far as possible, comfortable accommodation otherwise they will not come.

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

We begin from our first disciplic succession. Vande 'haṁ śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-pada-kamalaṁ śrī-gurūn vaiṣṇavāṁś ca. Vande 'haṁ śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-pada-kamalam. "I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my guru, spiritual master." Vande 'haṁ śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-pada-kamalaṁ śrī-gurūn vaiṣṇavāṁś ca. And then, his guru, his guru, his guru, they're all Vaiṣṇavas.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Vrndavana, October 16, 1972:

Prahlāda Mahārāja is one of the mahājanas. Out of the twelve mahājanas, he's one of them. Because he was very bold. He was not afraid of his demonic father. He chastised him in so many ways. But he was never afraid. So just like our people are being persecuted in Australia. You know? They have been put into jail because they are preaching Hare Kṛṣṇa. So this is not very easy thing, easy-going. My Guru Mahārāja, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja, he did not like that his disciples would be easy-going, cheap Vaiṣṇava. Cheap Vaiṣṇava. Duṣṭa mana tumi kisera vaiṣṇava. He sang a song, "My dear mind, oh, you are going to be a Vaiṣṇava. And what kind of Vaiṣṇava you are?" Duṣṭa mana tumi kisera vaiṣṇava, pratiṣṭhāra tare, nirjanera ghare, tava hari-nāma kevala kaitava. "You are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, imitating Haridāsa Ṭhākura or Rūpa Gosvāmī, in a solitary place... Not solitary place. You are thinking of woman and money. That's all. Mind is filled with dirty things.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Vrndavana, October 16, 1972:

So this is Nityānanda. Nityānanda-vaṁśa means one who takes the risk of preaching work, he can claim Nityānanda-vaṁśa. Not that easy-going. The preaching work is not easy-going. There are so many difficulties. All the big, big preachers... Śrī Rāmānujācārya. His life was attempted to be killed. Why Rāmānujācārya? My Guru Mahārāja was attempted to be killed. Twenty-five thousand rupees were raised fund for bribing the police officer. He told me personally. The Navadvīpa, Navadvīpa Gosāis, they wanted to kill him. So preaching work is always risky.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Vrndavana, October 17, 1972:

Anukūla means favorable. What Kṛṣṇa wants, you serve Him. Service means that. Service does not mean, "I want something and you give me something." No, that is not service. Service means, "What I want, you must give me. That is service. If I say, "Please give me a glass of water," and if you bring a glass of milk, you can say, "Sir, milk is better than water." No. That is not service. I want water now. You must give me water. That is service.

Therefore my Guru Mahārāja did not approve the parties... They are called gaurāṅga-nāgarī. They accept Caitanya Mahāprabhu as Kṛṣṇa. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa, but they pose Him, "Kṛṣṇa is enjoying with gopīs." No, that is called gaurāṅga-nāgarī-bhāva. No. Kṛṣṇa has appeared now as devotee.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Hyderabad, April 21, 1974:

In Africa there are millions of elephants. Who is feeding them? Kṛṣṇa is feeding them. So these economic questions, overpopulation question, these are not actually problems. Problem is scarcity of God consciousness. This is the problem. Therefore we are suffering. It is not my manufactured word. It was said by my Guru Mahārāja. He said that "I don't find any scarcity in the world except the scarcity of understanding Kṛṣṇa. That's all."

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:

This hearing process is very, very important. But people are not interested in hearing. They are simply busy in some other duties. My Guru Mahārāja used to say... One who was not interested in hearing, he used to call him a daṇḍavat-class. Daṇḍavat-class of men. That means simply he knows how to make daṇḍavats, that's all. (laughter) Anyone who will come to him, he would see whether he is a daṇḍavat-class of man or hearing class of man. So daṇḍavat is nice, but by offering daṇḍavat, if one does not develop the intent of hearing, śravaṇam, then he is not making very much progress. As you know, because I was little interested in hearing, my Guru Mahārāja, he accepted me as his disciple. He marked this. "This boy is interested in hearing. He does not go away." Actually, I do not know. I could not understand what he was speaking in the beginning, but still I was very much interested to hear him, out of curiosity or something like that.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:

Pradyumna: "There are different occupational activities in terms of man's different conceptions of life. To the gross materialist who cannot see anything beyond the gross material body, there is nothing beyond the senses. Therefore his occupational activities are limited to concentrated and extended selfishness. Concentrated selfishness centers around the personal body. This is generally seen amongst the lower animals. Extended selfishness is manifested in human society and centers around the family, society, community, nation, and world with a view to gross bodily comforts."

Prabhupāda: This is very important point. People are very much interested in welfare activities for the human society. So they think that by feeding poor men or giving cloth or opening hospitals, schools, colleges—"These things are required. What is the use of hearing about Kṛṣṇa?" That is their opinion. But these welfare activities are extended selfishness. This word we learned from our Guru Mahārāja: "extended selfishness." Just like I love myself for my sense gratification, and then I extend it to my son. I am gratifying my senses. I have got my wife. And to get my son another wife... The principle is the same. Then my grandchildren, then my great-grandchildren. Or, not only limited with the family, then society, then community, then nationally, then internationally. But they are all extended selfishness.

Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Vrndavana, October 21, 1972:

So Kṛṣṇa gives. My Guru Mahārāja always used to speak that "Why should you go and flatter? You should speak plain truth, without any flattering. Money will come." That was his conviction. And... So it is experienced. We have got very, very heavy expenditure. But all this money collected, they are not meant for indriya-prīti, not for sense gratification. That is the significance. If we want money for sense gratification, then, according to our destiny, we shall get. Not more than that. Nobody can get more.

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:

I don't find any Bhāgavata-saptāha any authorized book. I don't find. There are so many big, big stalwart commentators of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, beginning from Śrīdhara Svāmī. Nobody has recommended this Bhāgavata-saptāha. But it has come to existence by the professional man. But actually nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā. How you can finish Bhāgavatam in seven days? You cannot finish even one word. My Guru Mahārāja explained Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the first verse, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), in Dacca, for three months. Actually, it is so profound. Janmādy asya yataḥ. This very quote contains all the Vedānta philosophy. How you can finish Bhāgavatam within seven days? It is a farce. Actually, Bhāgavata should be relished. Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā.

Lecture on SB 1.5.9-11 -- New Vrindaban, June 6, 1969:

My Guru Mahārāja, when he was selecting articles to be published in The Harmonist, if he sees simply that there is, several times the writer has written "Kṛṣṇa," "Lord Caitanya," like that, he passes immediately: "All right. It's all right. (laughter) It is all right." That so many times he has uttered "Kṛṣṇa" and "Caitanya," so it is all right. (chuckles)

Lecture on SB 1.5.9-11 -- New Vrindaban, June 6, 1969:

Ananta means the unlimited. His name, His fame, His glory, His qualities are described. Nāmāny anantasya yaśo 'ṅkitāni. If glorification is there, even they are presented in broken language, then śṛṇvanti gāyanti gṛṇanti sādhavaḥ. Just like my Guru Mahārāja, sādhu, a saintly person, immediately passes: "Yes. It is all right." It is all right. Because there is glorification of the Lord. Of course, general public will not understand... But this is the standard, standard version, spoken by Nārada. You write something; the aim should be simply to glorify the Supreme. Then your literature is pavitra, purified.

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

My Guru Mahārāja used to say that this press is bṛhad-mṛdaṅga. Bṛhat means bigger, at large, bigger mṛdaṅga, bigger. Just like we are playing mṛdaṅga. This mṛdaṅga can be vibrated in the neighboring quarter, but our mṛdaṅga, Back to Godhead, that will go far, far away. So therefore this press was considered by my Guru Mahārāja as bṛhad-mṛdaṅga. He said. You'll find in the picture: there is this mṛdaṅga and press. He was very much fond of press. In the very beginning of his, this life, he started one press. You'll find in his life a small press.

Lecture on SB 1.5.18 -- New Vrindaban, June 22, 1969:

So our whole program is that Kṛṣṇa is very kind, always kind upon us, but we have to become little willing to take Kṛṣṇa's favor. That... What is the example? My Guru Mahārāja used to give a very nice example. I remember. Just like here is a well. Somebody has fallen down; he's crying, "Please get me out! Get me out! Get me out!" Now, if somebody drops a, a, I mean to, tight, strong rope and asks him, "All right, you catch this rope tightly. I'll get you out," and if he says, "No, that I cannot do," then how he'll be saved? That much endeavor he must have, to catch the rope.

Lecture on SB 1.5.24 -- Vrndavana, August 5, 1975:

So these are the primary qualification. And alpa-bhāṣiṇi. Alpa-bhāṣiṇi. Munayaḥ alpa-bhāṣiṇi śuśrūṣamāṇe. At the same time, service must be there. And simply, "I'm chanting, but no, I'm not giving service..." That may be possible for Haridāsa Ṭhākura. He was simply chanting 300,000 times. That was possible by Haridāsa Ṭhākura. But if we imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura, that "I shall chant only," that is not chanting. You'll sleep only. That's all. That is not possible. It is possible only for the liberated person. Therefore we should not imitate. Our Guru Mahārāja has condemned this. Mana tumi kisera vaiṣṇava, pratiṣṭhāra tare nirjanera ghare, tava hari-nāma kevala kaitava. In Vṛndāvana you'll find there are so many, they imitate. In a secluded place they are chanting, but they cannot give up even smoking biḍi. You see? So this kind of imitation has no value.

Lecture on SB 1.5.32 -- Vrndavana, August 13, 1974:

So for the brāhmaṇa, one who is brāhmaṇa, for him, the four āśramas are recommended. One... First of all he must become brahmacārī, a brāhmaṇa, son of a brāhmaṇa. Then, when he's fully trained up, he should become a gṛhastha. Not should, but if he likes. Then... Otherwise, sometimes you will find naiṣṭhika-brahmacārī. Never... Just like my Guru Mahārāja was. He never married. Naiṣṭhika-brahmacārī. So brahmacārī, gṛhastha, then not to stuck up with the family affairs up to the end of death. No. At a certain stage, after fifty years, he must give up. That is called vānaprastha. And then, after being trained up in vānaprastha very nicely, he takes sannyāsa. This is brāhmaṇa's..., four āśrama.

Lecture on SB 1.7.7 -- Vrndavana, April 24, 1975:

We are giving this Bhāgavata translation all over the world. And you will be surprised that we are selling more than thirty, forty lakhs of rupees per month. This movement is helping the whole human civilization. So yasyāṁ vai... If one purchases... That is our propaganda. Some or other, we are giving one book. This is in the matter of following the footprints of our Guru Mahārāja. Our Guru Mahārāja, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī, he was publishing one small paper, Dainika(?) Nadiya Prakash in Bengali. And if a brahmacārī would go and sell a few copies, he would be very, very glad. He would be very, very glad. And similarly, he advised me also that "If you get some money, publish book." And he used to say that "This press propaganda, the publication propaganda, is bṛhad-mṛdaṅga." So just to satisfy him we are trying to publish this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā, Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Caitanya-caritāmṛta, very, very authoritative books, in English.

Lecture on SB 1.7.19 -- Vrndavana, September 16, 1976:

Pure devotion means to pray to the Lord, begging some service. "My Lord, kindly engage me in Your service." That is the perfection of life, when one is engaged in the service of the Lord in love. You can become a very great saint and live in a secluded place and become puffed-up that you have become very great personality, and people may come to see him, that "He's not to be seen, he's engaged in chanting." My Guru Mahārāja has condemned this. He said, mana tumi kisera vaiṣṇava. "My dear mind, your mental concoction, you are thinking that you have become a very big Vaiṣṇava. You do not do anything and sit down in a secluded place and imitating Haridāsa Ṭhākura, chanting. So you are a nonsense." Mana tumi kisera vaiṣṇava. Why? Nirjanera ghare, pratiṣṭhāra tare. To get some cheap adoration as a great chanter. Because if one is actually chanting, why he should be attracted by woman and biḍi? If he is actually in such position like Haridāsa Ṭhākura then why he should be attracted by material things? That is a false show only. That is not possible for ordinary person.

Lecture on SB 1.7.19 -- Vrndavana, September 16, 1976:

Therefore ordinary person must be physically engaged. That is not physical, that is also transcendental. Always busy in some business of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is wanted. Not that, "Oh, I have become a great scholar and I have now learned how to become a great Vaiṣṇava. I chant sixty-four rounds, and think of my wife somewhere, and then good-bye to Govindajī and leave Vṛndāvana." These rascaldom do not follow. Govindajī drives such rascals away from Vṛndāvana. So Vṛndāvana, one who is living in Vṛndāvana, he must be very anxious how to spread the glories of Vṛndāvana-candra all over the world. That is wanted. Not that Vṛndāvana-candra is my private property and I sit down in a place and lick up. No, that is not wanted. That is not wanted. That is condemned by my Guru Mahārāja.

Lecture on SB 1.7.19 -- Vrndavana, September 16, 1976:

He has said that. One must be ready very vigorously. And that is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's also order. Caitanya Mahāprabhu never said that "You chant." He has given certainly the chanting, but so far His mission is concerned, He said that "Everyone of you become guru." Āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa (CC Madhya 7.128). And deliver, preach, that people understand what is Kṛṣṇa.

yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa

āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa

(CC Madhya 7.128)

Pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi. That is His mission. It is not that "Become a big Vaiṣṇava and sit down and imitate." This is all rascaldom. So don't follow this thing. So at least we cannot advise you in that way. We have learned from our Guru Mahārāja that preaching is very, very important thing, and when one is actually an experienced preacher, then he is able to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra without any offense. Before that, this so-called chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, you may practice without any offenses... And giving up all other business to make a show of a big Vaiṣṇava, that is not required. Thank you very much.

Lecture on SB 1.8.19 -- Mayapura, September 29, 1974:

The mahājanas are there. So we have to follow. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). We should not remain mūḍha-dṛśā. We should follow the mahājanas and the sādhus, śāstra. And they recommend... The most important process is śravaṇam. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). If we don't hear about Kṛṣṇa, then how we'll make advance? We have to hear. My Guru Mahārāja was very kind upon me because I was very much interested to hear him. That you know. I hear him. I did not understand him, actually. In the beginning I could not understand him. He was speaking in so high philosophical way that it was not... Still, I wanted to hear him. That was my only qualification.

Lecture on SB 1.8.20 -- Mayapura, September 30, 1974:

Just like I am speaking in English. Those who cannot understand English, they do not understand what I am speaking. But in the middle I am talking of Kṛṣṇa. So that Kṛṣṇa hearing is sufficient: "Kṛṣṇa." My Guru Mahārāja, when some article was presented to see whether he approved for publication, he would simply say, or see, how many times he has uttered "Kṛṣṇa" and "Caitanya Mahāprabhu." That's all. If he has uttered in his writing "Kṛṣṇa," "Caitanya," like that, so if he hears that many times he has written—"That's all right. That's all right." It is so nice.

Lecture on SB 1.8.20 -- Mayapura, September 30, 1974:

There is meter. Every śloka, there is meter. So even it is not written to the standard meter, and sometimes there are broken, so still, because there is glorification of the Supreme Lord... Nāmāny anantasya. Ananta is the Supreme, Unlimited. His names are there. Therefore my Guru Mahārāja accepted. If anantasya, of the ananta, the Supreme, the name is there—"Kṛṣṇa," "Nārāyaṇa," "Caitanya," like that—so śṛṇvanti gāyanti gṛṇanti sādhavaḥ. Sādhavaḥ means those who are saintly persons. Such kind of literature, although it is written in broken language, they hear it. Hear it. Because there is glorification of the Lord.

Lecture on SB 1.8.26 -- Mayapura, October 6, 1974:

I have told you that I was thinking when I was dreaming that "Guru Mahārāja is asking me to come out, and I was going..." Did I say this story? Yes. So I was afraid: "Oh, I have to give up my family. And I become... I have to become sannyāsī? And I have to go behind my Guru Mahārāja? No, no, it is horrible." I was thinking. But he forced me to it. He is so kind that he forced me, somehow or other. That is mercy. I can understand now that how much merciful was my Guru Mahārāja that he forced me to take this life.

Lecture on SB 1.8.26 -- Mayapura, October 6, 1974:

The more and more we shall think, "This is mine. This is mine." Ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). This is illusion. Nothing belongs to him, but by illusion, he will think, "This is mine. This is mine." Just like we have got this nice, grand building in this district. If we think, "This is my building" or "My building," then there will be mishap. My Guru Mahārāja said. Personally he said that "When we were living in a rented house, if we could collect two hundred, three hundred rupees... We were living very nicely at Ultadanga. And since then—Jayavidatta has given us this marble palace, Gauḍīya-Maṭha—there is friction between our men. 'Who will occupy this room? Who will occupy that room? Who will be proprietor of room?' "

Lecture on SB 1.8.26 -- Mayapura, October 6, 1974:

Attachment must be there—for Kṛṣṇa's service. The temple must be very cleansed. The establishment must be very nice. What for? For attracting devotees. This is the purpose, not for our personal benefit. That is the way. My Guru Mahārāja introduced these big, big palaces, temple. That is the contribution of Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, because the Gosvāmīs, they worshiped Kṛṣṇa in a different method—going to Vṛndāvana, living underneath the tree, and one night underneath one tree, next night, next tree. This vairāgya is not possible for the Western people. Therefore we require this building. That is the contribution. Unless they live comfortably, it is not possible. And we have to preach all over the world.

Lecture on SB 1.8.27 -- Los Angeles, April 19, 1973:

My Guru Mahārāja ordered me when I was twenty-five years old that: "You go and preach." But I thought: "First of all, I shall become a rich man, and I shall use that money for preaching work."

So that's a long history. I got good opportunity for becoming very rich man in business. And some astrologer told me that: "You should have become like Birla." So there was some chances, very good chances. I was manager in a big chemical factory. I started my own factory, the business was very successful. But everything was dismantled. I was forced to come to this position to carry out my order of my Guru Mahārāja. Akiñcana-vittāya. When everything was finished, then I took Kṛṣṇa, that: "You are the only..." Therefore Kṛṣṇa is akiñcana-vitta. When one becomes finished of all his material opulences

Lecture on SB 1.8.29 -- Mayapura, October 9, 1974:

Kaniṣṭha-adhikārī Vaiṣṇava, he remains compact in temple worship, that's all, to show the Deity and get some money and fill up the belly. My Guru Mahārāja condemned this process. Of course, it is condemned in this sense, that those who are thinking that "I have got this temple. Let people come here out of sentiment and they'll pay, and it will be a source of income for my filling up belly..." This is most condemned. My Guru Mahārāja used to say that ṭhākura dekhiyepayesara ujgarache, rastaya jara diye jivika bharyam kara bhalo(?). One should be honest. He should work for getting some money. Just like Arjuna. Kṛṣṇa never said that "Arjuna, you sit down. I am your friend. I shall do everything for you. You sleep." No. Arjuna was a kṣatriya. He should fight.

Lecture on SB 1.8.41 -- Mayapura, October 21, 1974:

And in Vṛndāvana you'll find so-called bābājīs, they have imitated the dress of Rūpa Gosvāmī—half loincloth—but a biḍi in the mouth. What is this nonsense? Rūpa Gosvāmī used to smoke biḍi? (laughter) Not only that. You'll find in Vṛndāvana so many Rūpa Gosvāmīs are making biḍi. Have you seen in the Gopīnātha Bazaar? They're making trade, biḍis, and shameless. Therefore my Guru Mahārāja introduced this. Of course, sannyāsa is there in the Vaiṣṇava... All the ācāryas, they were sannyāsa, but later on, it so degraded that these biḍi-smoker, gāñjā-smoker, they imitated Rūpa Gosvāmī. Therefore to purify, Guru Mahārāja introduced this sannyāsa system, below the paramahaṁsas, not that artificial means I become a paramahaṁsa, No.

Lecture on SB 1.8.41 -- Mayapura, October 21, 1974:

So many people, they have been entrapped by this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and they are nothing, they are doing nothing for the society, nothing for the nation, nothing for the family. So they are useless parasite." They are thinking like that. Even Subhash Chandra Bose, he was a politician. He came to my Guru Mahārāja that "So many people, you have captured them. They are doing nothing for nationalism." So Guru Mahārāja said, "Well, for your national propaganda you require very strong men, but these people are very weak. You can see. They are very skinny. So don't put your glance upon them. Let them eat something and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." He avoided like that.

Lecture on SB 1.10.7 -- Mayapura, June 22, 1973:

And what to speak of ourselves, we want to become independent. What is the meaning of independence? Even the sun, moon, or the sea, ocean, nobody is independent. And how we can be independent? We are teeny, very small. There is no question of independence. The so-called independence, as we fight for independence, that is māyā. There is no question of independence. When I first met my Guru Mahārāja, on the first meeting, he said that "You go to preach in the Western countries." I was surprised. There was no acquaintance. So "Caitanya Mahāprabhu's message, you are all educated young men, you should go and preach." I replied that "We are dependent nation, Indians. Who will hear us? Nobody will hear." So at that time he explained dependence and independence—temporary, it has no meaning.

Lecture on SB 1.15.41 -- Los Angeles, December 19, 1973:

So God can understand. God is omnipotent. He can understand that "This living entity is now serious. He wants to hear about God." So this inquisitiveness is very good. My Guru Mahārāja accepted me as a disciple because he saw in the beginning I was very inquisitive to hear him. So in the beginning, when many gentleman... I was one of them, was introduced to my Guru Mahārāja, that "They are to be initiated. They want to be initiated, to become your disciple." So when my turn came, he immediately said, "Yes, I will accept this boy as disciple because he is very inquisitive to hear." That was my recommendation. And actually, I was very inquisitive. I could not follow what Guru Mahārāja was speaking, but still, I was asking others, that "When Guru Mahārāja will speak? I will hear." I could not follow. He was speaking in a very high philosophical term. So at that time I had no capacity to under... Still, I wanted to hear him, I understand or not understand. So this is very good qualification. So those who are coming here to listen about God, they are very fortunate. Kṛṣṇa will help them. Śravaṇam.

Lecture on SB 1.15.47-48 -- Los Angeles, December 25, 1973:

So we have got enough material to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. My Guru Mahārāja was questioned by one big politician. He came to see him. So my Guru Mahārāja... He was asking, "What are your activities?" So at that time he was publishing one paper. I think it is still published in Māyāpura. It is called... What is called, Dainik? Daily news, it was a daily newspaper, small. Navadvīpa Prakash, like that. Nadiya Prakash. Nadiya Prakash. So daily. So this politician inquired from Guru Mahārāja, "You are publishing a daily paper about God consciousness?" "Yes." "No, what you are writing?" He was surprised. The politicians think that newspaper can be filled up with rubbish political news only. That's all. They cannot think that newspaper can be filled up by news from spiritual world. Yes. They have no idea. They have no idea there is spiritual world. So my Guru Mahārāja explained that "Why you are thinking of only one small newspaper? You do not know what is spiritual world. This material world is one-fourth portion of the whole creation of the Lord. And the three-fourths' portion is the spiritual world. And in this one fourth portion there are innumerable universes. And in one of the universes... This is one of the universe. And in each universe there are millions of planets. And this planet, earthly planets, is only a small planet in that universe. And on this earthly planet, there are so many cities. And in each city, there are so many newspapers. And each newspaper has got so many editions. This is the position of the material world. Now, think over the spiritual world. It is... The spiritual world is three fourths, three times bigger than this material... And there are so many planets, so many universes, and so many activities. So we can produce not one newspaper daily, but every minute a newspaper. We can produce. Unfortunately, there is no customer. You see? This is the difficulty.

Lecture on SB 1.16.10 -- Los Angeles, January 7, 1974:

So Parīkṣit Mahārāja had no desire to fight, but he got the news that the Kali has entered. His grandfathers, the Pāṇḍavas, left the kingdom, that "Now the Kali is coming. Let us retire timely. So the next king, our grandson, will look after it." Not that everyone should remain at home until he is forced by death to get out of home. That is not very nice principle. One should retire timely. That is the system, Vedic system. Brahmacārī... Suppose one lives for hundred years. Twenty-five years remain brahmacārī at the shelter of guru, twenty-five years. So guru teaches him to remain brahmacārī, naiṣṭhika-brahmacārī. Just like my Guru Mahārāja, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda. He was brahmacārī. He was brahmacārī, strict brahmacārī, ideal personality.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Vrndavana, March 16, 1974:

Nityam. Not that for seven days. Seven days is meant for Parīkṣit Mahārāja because he had no more time. His seven days was sufficient nityam. So we should not imitate that, that "I'll hear seven days." That is also a formality. Actually to understand one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it requires at least seven months. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ sva-rāṭ (SB 1.1.1). My Guru Mahārāja explained this verse in Dacca for three months. Janmādy asya. Actually, it is so important. The beginning. So we must be very serious to understand Bhāgavatam. If we can understand even one line, one verse, our life becomes sublime. It is so nice. There is no comparison of this literature, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Vrndavana, March 17, 1974:

The whole world is suffering from the material disease, and they are always unhappy. So let us preach this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They should try to save at least one man. That was the version of my Guru Mahārāja, that "I have got so many temples and buildings. If by selling all these buildings, if I can save one man from this material disease, then my mission will be successful." He used to say like that. So that is gosvāmī. They are trying, always trying, how to save.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Paris, June 11, 1974:

Now, subject matter of hearing long, long, very... Not long, long, say, about sixty, seventy years ago, one big politician of India, Madanmohan Mayabhya,(?) he came to see my Guru Mahārāja. So he was inquiring about our activities. So he was informed, amongst other activities, my Guru Mahārāja was publishing papers monthly in English, in Bengali, in Hindi, in Oriya, in Assamese, and one Bengali daily, Nadiya Prakash. So this politician was surprised that "Oh, you are publishing daily a Bengali paper?" "Yes. Why you are surprised?" He was surprised. He was politician. He was thinking that "What one may speak of God, or Kṛṣṇa, daily in a paper?" He was surprised. Because they think that "Sometimes we go to the temple, 'O God, give us our daily bread,' " finished God's business. And my Guru Mahārāja replied that "Why you are surprised? This Calcutta city is most insignificant part of this universe."

Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Paris, June 11, 1974:

"Millions and millions, subject matter for hearing." This is a fact. Every paper is publishing three, four editions daily, especially in the Western countries. So if they have got so much news in the material world in this insignificant planet, just imagine how much news are there in the three-fourths' manifestation of His energy. So my Guru Mahārāja said that "You are surprised, Mr. Mayabhya, that we are publishing a paper daily. So we can publish every minute a paper. Unfortunately, there is no customer." They have customer for using this newspaper, but our news, we have to canvass, "Will you kindly take this? Will you kindly take this." They are not interested. They're interested in this material news-Radio, paper, magazine, edition after edition.

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

One political leader... Perhaps you have heard his name. His name was Madan Mohan Mallabhya.(?) In India. He came to see our Guru Mahārāja, and he inquired that "What are your activities?" So then some of our Godbrothers presented that "We have got six periodicals in six languages: one in English, one in Bengali, one in Hindu, one in Oriya, one is Assami. And we have got one paper, Bengali, daily." So this Madan Mohan Mallabhya was astonished that "You are issuing a paper daily, simply discussing about God?" So my Guru Mahārāja said, "Yes. Why not?" Then he gave him a nice example, that in the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated that ekāṁśena sthito jagat: (BG 10.42) This material world is only one-fourth part manifestation of God's energy. Now, apart from material... There are innumerable universes and innumerable planets in each universe. Out of that, this earthly planet is very tiny. And in this planet there are so many countries and so many cities. And each and every city there are so many periodicals, so many newspapers, and each paper having so many editions daily. So in comparison to the whole universe or whole material creation, this planet is nothing and this city is nothing. If you can produce so many news, then what about the three-fourth energy, Vaikuṇṭha? So we can give you a minute edition of the transcendental news of the spiritual world. But unfortunately, there is no customer. There is no customer.

Lecture on SB 3.25.32 -- Bombay, December 2, 1974:

That bhakti is animittā bhāgavatī. That bhakti should be animittā, not with a motive that "I shall go to the temple and serve Kṛṣṇa for this purpose." Kṛṣṇa can fulfill any purpose you desire. It is not very difficult for Him, because He is almighty, full with all opulences. So if you want something, material happiness, from Kṛṣṇa, it is not very difficult for Kṛṣṇa. He can give you mukti even. But to ask from Kṛṣṇa anything else than bhakti is foolishness. That is foolishness. My Guru Mahārāja used to give this example: just like if you go to a rich man and he says, "Now whatever you like, you can ask from me. I shall give you," then if you ask him that "You give me a pinch of ash," is that very intelligent?

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Tittenhurst, London, September 12, 1969:

Everything is being done by the laws of nature. You cannot change it. There is a plan, God's plan. It will go on. You don't have to bother yourself, that without you, everything will be topsy-turvied. No. You cannot do anything. You are falsely thinking that your leadership is very much needed. No. I was thinking. When I was householder, several times there was indication given by my Guru Mahārāja that I should give up family life and become a sannyāsī and preach this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. In several way there was hints from my spiritual master, but still, I was not willing. I was thinking, "If I go away, then my family, my sons, my daughters, they will suffer." But actually, I have left my family connection in 1950. Actually '54, but introductory in '50. For the last twenty years. But they are living; I am living. They are not dying in my absence, and I am not suffering without being in my family.

Lecture on SB 5.5.8 -- Vrndavana, October 30, 1976:

There are so many married life, they haven't got son, children—they are very unhappy. They spend so much money to get a children. They go to the saintly persons and beg blessing, "Give us one children, one child." There was one great big man long ago, he had no child, so he came to my Guru Mahārāja and he offered, "Guru Mahārāja, if I get a child, I can give you the whole estate." So these are natural demands. First of all husband and wife and child, then apartment, then land, then friends, then money, in this way we become entangled more, ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). So instead of sukhera lagiya ei ghara bandhun, I became a householder for happiness, agune puriya gela, now there is blazing fire.

Lecture on SB 5.5.29 -- Vrndavana, November 16, 1976:

Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya quoted this when Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired from him what is sādhya-sādhana. "What is the business of the human society and what is the aim of human society?" This was the question put forward by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He first of all quoted varṇāśrama. The human society begins when there is varṇāśrama-dharma. Otherwise it is animal society. There is no human society. That is beginning of human society, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. Kṛṣṇa says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). My Guru Mahārāja also wanted to establish daiva-varṇāśrama. Yes. There must be the human society, not this, daiva-varṇāśrama, not this āsuric varṇāśrama. Āsuric varṇāśrama... Just like Rāvaṇa. He was also son of a brāhmaṇa, but he was rejected, that "You are not brāhmaṇa; you are rākṣasa because you do not care for Bhagavān Rāmacandra." So this is the verdict of the śāstra. So therefore daiva-varṇāśrama. Varnāśrama should be established on the principles of devata, to make people devata.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Bombay, November 6, 1970:

Because the guru sees that "If I say no, this rich disciple will be lost. So better let him do whatever he likes. I get my fees. That's all." This is going on. That statement of my Guru Mahārāja, "the society of the cheaters and the cheated," is a fact everywhere. In a law court also, you bribe; you get justice. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Arghyeṇa nyāya-rahitam: "If you have got no money, then you cannot get justice in this age. You cannot get justice." It is clearly stated here. That is the symptom of this age. In the law court you have to bribe.

Lecture on SB 6.1.14 -- Bombay, November 10, 1970:

Prabhupāda: (break) When we chant, when we utter the bīja mantra that we utter loudly. That is required. That is japa. So this mantra is mahāmantra and it should be chanted loudly, or as you like. There is no such restriction. Niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ. Nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis tatrārpitā niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ. (Hindi) And we have to follow the great personalities. Haridāsa Ṭhākura, he was chanting very loudly; Caitanya Mahāprabhu chanted very loudly. So what more evidence you want? My Guru Mahārāja chanted loudly, we are chanting loudly. Whole business finished. (chuckles) Is that all right? Eh?

Guest: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Our process is very easy. We have to see whether my Guru Mahārāja, his Guru Mahārāja has followed this. Then there will be no more doubt. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2). We receive things by paramparā system. Mahājano yena gataḥ. Sādhu mārgānu-gamanam. We have to follow the footsteps of sādhu.

Lecture on SB 6.2.1 -- Vrndavana, September 5, 1975:

First of all awaken your own Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you understand Kṛṣṇa, and then go out, kara para upakāra. Because people are in darkness. People are in darkness. They have forgotten Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness meant, not that "I have understood Kṛṣṇa. Now pack it up in the box and see sometimes: 'Oh, I have become Kṛṣṇa conscious.' " My Guru Mahārāja condemned this. He said, mana tumi kisera vaiṣṇava: "My dear mind, you are thinking that you have become a very good Vaiṣṇava and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, imitating Haridāsa Ṭhākura, and smoking bidi." This imitation has no value. My Guru Mahārāja condemned it. He said, mana tumi kisera vaiṣṇava: "What a rascal you are. You are thinking that you are Vaiṣṇava."

Lecture on SB 6.2.24-25 -- Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971:

Generally, they are attracted for karma-kāṇḍīya vicāra. That is explained here. Puspitāyāṁ puṣpatanair artha-vādi-mano harāyāṁ trayyāṁ jaḍi-kṛta abhiniviṣṭa matir yasya ata eva mahaty eva karmāṇi agni-stomādau śraddhāya yujyamāno narake pravartate. If you do not arrange for this gorgeous system, people are not attracted. Therefore we have to do sometimes to attract people, this gorgeousness. Otherwise, chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra without any offense is sufficient. Therefore our Guru Mahārāja introduced both the processes. This arca, arca, this is pañcarātriki-vidhi. According to pañcarātrika system, Nārada-pañcarātra, this worship of the Deity is there. And bhāgavata-mārga, the path of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, is simply śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Out of the nine processes recommended, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam (SB 7.5.23), so up to śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ smaraṇam, that is Bhāgavata-mārga. That is the best. And pāda-sevanaṁ arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyam, that is pañcarātriki-vidhi. So both the viddhis, both the systems have been introduced. One will help the other. That is the way.

Lecture on SB 6.2.24-25 -- Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971:

Bhāgavata-mārga will help the pañcarātrika-mārga, or process, and the pañcarātrika process will help Bhāgavata process. Both together is helpful. Therefore my Guru Mahārāja introduced... You have seen the, what is called? That signia? One side, pañcarātriki-vidhi, one side bhāgavata-viddhi. That is... I have seen that Gauḍīya Math emblem. Yes. And, so actually, Bhāgavata-mārga is very strong. That is sufficient. But without pañcarātrika-vidhi this polluted body, polluted mind of the devotee, cannot be purified. Therefore both the process should be adopted in preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Lecture on SB 6.2.24-25 -- Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971:

My Guru Mahārāja introduced the sacred ceremony because foolish people, they used to... Vaiṣṇave jāti-buddhiḥ. They used to consider Vaiṣṇava as belonging to some jāta, some particular caste. No. Vaiṣṇava is not in the particular caste. As soon as he is fixed up... He may be coming from the pāpa-yoni, from the most abominable family, but as soon as he is fixed up, immediately he is fixed up in the position of a brāhmaṇa because sattva-guṇa... Naṣṭa-prāyeṣu abhadreṣu. Naṣṭa. Tato rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ (SB 1.2.19). He has no more inclination to be attracted by the activities of tamo-guṇa and rajo-guṇa. They have no more attraction for drinking, no more attraction for meat-eating, therefore no more attraction for smoking, drinking tea.

Lecture on SB 6.3.16-17 -- Gorakhpur, February 10, 1971:

So we have to execute devotional service in such a faithful way that Kṛṣṇa will see us. Then you will be successful. "Don't try to see Kṛṣṇa. Try to become seen by Kṛṣṇa." That was my Guru Mahārāja's instruction.

Lecture on SB 6.3.16-17 -- Gorakhpur, February 10, 1971:

Haṁsadūta: Suppose someone is satisfied simply being related with the spiritual master.

Prabhupāda: That is everyone's business. Everyone's business. That is not a particular taste. That is the duty of all devotees.

Revatīnandana: Śrīla Prabhupāda, you are like Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa-dūta. You are a devotee of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: I am not Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa-dūta. My Guru Mahārāja is Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa...

Revatīnandana: Well, we would say that you were.

Prabhupāda: No, no, no. My Guru Mahārāja is Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa-dūta. I am simply trying to carry his order. That's all. I am not Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa-dūta.

Revatīnandana: But we have become your followers.

Prabhupāda: That is your duty. Dāsānudāsa. That is the process.

Revatīnandana: Somebody else might become a follower of a devotee of Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa.

Prabhupāda: It is not that I am directly connected with Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu. I am directly connected with my spiritual master, and my business is to carry out his order. That's all. If I can do that well, that is my purpose. That's all.

Lecture on SB 6.3.18 -- Gorakhpur, February 11, 1971:

As soon as they got a little shelter under the name of Maṭha, or temple, and a few dozen of..., not few dozen, one dozen, then he is settled up there. Now he is bhajana, "Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa," showing that he is very great chanter. And what is your preaching? Lord Caitanya ordered you pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi. Why don't you go? How you are Indian?

Therefore my Guru Mahārāja condemned this policy. Mana tumi kisera vaiṣṇava: "What kind of Vaiṣṇava you are?" Pratiṣṭhāra tare nirjanera ghare: "And simply for cheap popularity, 'Oh, he is a Vaiṣṇava. He is chanting. All right.' " Pratiṣṭhāra tare nirjanera ghare tava hari..., nirjanera ghare. No botheration, because if there is no preaching, there is no botheration. You can sit down and show people, "I have now become a very liberated soul," and chant and meditate. That means sleeping. This sort of business is condemned by my Guru Mahārāja. Pratiṣṭhāra tare nirjanera ghare tava hari-nāma kevala. This is simply cheating. He did not approve this kind of business. He did not approve. He wanted to see that everyone is engaged in preaching work, some sort of preaching work, either indoor or outdoor. When you are indoor you have to be busy writing articles for a magazine and proofread and so many things indoors. And outdoors you have to go door to door, make them members, make them interested in this movement, collect money for expenses, outdoor. Preaching, you have to meet opposing elements. So many will criticize, so many will attack. Nityānanda Prabhu was hurt personally, but still, outdoor. This is missionary work, not that "Whenever I find some opportunity, go to some solitary place and sleep." This is not missionary life.

Lecture on SB 6.3.20-23 -- Gorakhpur, February 14, 1971:

In Rādhā-kuṇḍa, sometime in 1934, my Guru Mahārāja was living, and he was discussing Upaniṣad. He was discussing Upaniṣad regularly. And the bābājīs... There are many bābājīs in Rādhā-kuṇḍa. First of all, they came, that "Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura has come, such a learned scholar and the establisher of Gauḍīya Maṭha." So out of curiosity they came. And when they saw that he was discussing Upaniṣad, gradually they stopped coming. So my Guru Mahārāja recommended that "These people are not living in Rādhā-kuṇḍa. They are living in Nāraka-kuṇḍa." I have heard it personally.

Lecture on SB 6.3.20-23 -- Gorakhpur, February 14, 1971:

We have got so many items. That is also accepted.

śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ

smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam

arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ

sakhyam ātma-nivedanam

(SB 7.5.23)

In whatever activities you are engaged... My Guru Mahārāja condemns the... Mana tumi kisera vaiṣṇava, pratiṣṭhāra tare nirjanera ghare, tara hari-nāma kevala kaitava, He says that in a corner, in a secluded place, you are chanting in a cheating process for cheap adoration. Why? Because he knows that those who are neophytes, if they imitate the chanting, they simply waste their time. Therefore, he should be engaged in other activities because he has got the power at the present moment, karma... Karma means activities. This whole world is full of activities.

Lecture on SB 7.6.6-9 -- Montreal, June 23, 1968:

Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja is teaching. Brahmacārī, a boy from five years old is taught, and up to twenty-five years. And if he is not... Of course, he is properly taught, but if he is not properly convinced that "Worldly life is botheration. Better remain brahmacārī for throughout the whole life..." There are many brahmacārīs in India still, naistika-brahmacārī. They are called naistika-brahmacārī. That means they had never any experience of sex. They are called naistika-brahmacārī. Just like my Guru Mahārāja was naistika-brahmacārī. He never married. So boys are taught like that, the inefficiency of this family life, encumbrances, because the aim is to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 7.6.8 -- New Vrindaban, June 24, 1976:

So family attachment is the greatest impediment in the matter of advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but if the whole family is Kṛṣṇa conscious, that is very nice. Just like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. He was a family man, but all of the, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, his wife, his children—and the best children is our Guru Mahārāja, best child... So he has sung by his experience, ye dina gṛhe bhajana dekhi gṛhete goloka bhaya. If family-wise, everyone is engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, that is very nice. That is not ordinary family. That attachment is not ordinary attachment. But generally people are attached materially. That is condemned here.

Lecture on SB 7.9.3 -- Mayapur, February 10, 1976:

So one should become very humble and meek. It doesn't matter where he is situated, either this institutionally, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. Even one has taken sannyāsa, he should remain always humble. So never we should think that "I have become very big personality." That was the instruction of my Guru Mahārāja, that baḍa vaiṣṇava—"I am very big Vaiṣṇava. Everyone should come and obey my orders"—this is condemned position. The real position is one should be very humble and meek. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva. Namanta means humble. One should be prepared to learn from... Namanta eva san-mukhari... Those who are pure devotee. From them one should be very much anxious to hear.

Lecture on SB 7.9.5 -- Mayapur, February 25, 1977:

We must be busy always. But to sit down in one place and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra continuously, that is not possible for any conditioned soul—unless he is liberated. So don't try to imitate. My Guru Mahārāja has strictly forbidden, "Don't try to imitate big personalities like Haridāsa Ṭhākura, Rūpa Gosvāmī." He used to say, rūpa gosvāmī ke mogha vāñchā (?). Rūpa Gosvāmī, because he used to put on a loin cloth... Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthā... So it is no use imitating Rūpa Gosvāmī, to imitate the dress, and then, as soon as there is opportunity, smoke bidi. (laughter) Don't do this nonsense. This is no use, imitation.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Montreal, July 2, 1968:

So this is the Vaiṣṇava devotee's temperament, humble and meek. They, although they are always in the exalted position, they never advertise that "I am in exalted position." He is never puffed up. As you have read it, the author of Caitanya-caritāmṛta, such a great devotee, who could produce in his ripe old age such nice transcendental literature, which is certified by my Guru Mahārāja as the postgraduate study of the devotees... So Bhagavad-gītā is the study for the neophytes, those who are inquiring, those who are trying to understand the science of God, for them. That means it is primary study.

Lecture on SB 7.9.13-14 -- Montreal, August 22, 1968:

When I was in Allahabad, in my bed there was a snake. I do not know how it came, but I informed to the servants, and they came with all stick immediately. So when the bed seat was taken away, it was under the, I mean to say, quilt. So that snake was there, and from the face of the snake I could understand that she was, it was so afraid. He could understand that "Now I'm going to be killed by so many people. They have come." So I told them that "Don't kill this poor fellow. Better take it and send it to the forest." But they took it away, but I later on understood they killed it. So once I saw in our Māyāpur, Lord Caitanya's birthplace, so a snake was going, a black snake with... In Bengal there are many snakes. So my Guru Mahārāja was on the upstair and everyone asked the permission whether this should be killed. He said immediately, "Yes. He should be killed." So at that time I thought that "How Guru Mahārāja ordered for killing the snake?" Then, after so many years, when I began to read Bhāgavatam and came to this passage, Prahlāda Mahārāja assertion, modeta sādhur api vṛścika sarpa-hatyā, then I thought that "My Guru Mahārāja did right thing." Here also, modeta. Even a sādhu. Then why a sādhu is pleased when a sarpa, a scorpion, or snake is killed? The reason is that these two kinds of creatures, they bite innocent persons without any fault. Without any fault. Or for little fault. The venomous snake. Immediately. By nature they are so angry and so envious that they feel pleasure if somebody is bitten and immediately die. That is their nature. Therefore killing a snake and scorpion means to save it from so many sinful activities. Because it is nature. It will kill so many persons, so many animals, because its nature is innocent person, bite innocent person, kill him.

Lecture on SB 7.9.22 -- Mayapur, February 29, 1976:

When my Guru Mahārāja was alive, we had one temple, one of his, in Burma, in Rangoon. So when they were making puris with nice ghee, all the inhabitants will come, "Oh! What you are doing? What you are doing? (laughter) What you are doing? Intolerable. It is..." The flavor of ghee was intolerable, and the flavor of naphi is tolerable. So nānā yoni bhraman kare, kadarja bhakṣaṇ kare. Very peculiar condition we are in this material world. But do not think that when Kṛṣṇa comes, He also is subjected to this suffering. No. That is īśitā.

Lecture on SB 7.9.44 -- Delhi, March 26, 1976:

In my Guru Mahārāja's day there was a paper, Dainika Nadiyā Prakāsh. It was being published daily, a piece of paper, just like I was publishing Back to Godhead. And if a small brahmacārī would go to Navadvīpa and would sell a few copies, one paisa a copy, that would be taken as a great preaching by Guru Mahārāja: "Oh, you have sold five copies? Very good." Because people are so reluctant—they are not at all interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness—therefore we become very much engladdened when we see that some of our books and literatures are sold. They will read and be benefited.

Lecture on SB 7.9.47 -- Vrndavana, April 2, 1976:

In Vṛndāvana you'll find many devotees, they are in a very secluded place. But my Guru Mahārāja did not like this process, secluded. We have discussed many times. Sometimes if you sit down in a secluded place, imitating Haridāsa Ṭhākura, then you'll complain, "I am being disturbed in this way." One, that African boy, came? So he became disturbed. You must be disturbed. Because your mind is not controlled, if you sit down to get some extra credit, that "I have become so great devotee. I can remain in a secluded place and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa like Haridāsa Ṭhākura," it is cheating. It is cheating.

Lecture on SB 7.9.47 -- Vrndavana, April 2, 1976:

My Guru Mahārāja used to say, man tumi kisera vaiṣṇava. It is mental speculation that "I shall do like that. Raha, I shall... In a secluded place, I shall chant." You cannot do that because your mind is not yet trained up. It is for the highest perfection stage that anywhere one can sit down and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and remain happy. That is not possible for the ordinary stages. Therefore my Guru Mahārāja criticized, man tumi kisera vaisnava. Because it is all mental speculation, therefore he's chastising his mind, "My dear mind, you have become a Vaiṣṇava?"

Lecture on SB 7.9.53 -- Vrndavana, April 8, 1976:

And bhakti means the activities which will please Kṛṣṇa. Without that bhakti, means sitting down silently... No. "No, no. I am chanting. I do not want to go out. I am busy." Means excuse. What you will chant? You will think of money and woman, that's all. Just work. Go to sell books and work hard. That is wanted. Therefore we do not give that opportunity. My Guru Mahārāja did not give this opportunity, and we are following the same principle: no opportunity of sitting idle. No. You must work. That will rectify.

Lecture on SB 7.12.2 -- Bombay, April 13, 1976:

If you become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa... Just like in our institution they are being trained up as devotee, so to rise early in the morning is automatically there. There is no separate training. Because he is devotee, he has to rise early in the morning for offering maṅgala-āratika, and you have got our order that everyone must attend the maṅgala-ārati. That is automatically brahmacārī. Eh? Sāyaṁ prātar upāsita. And what is the upāsana? The first guru. Guru, agni, arka—means sun—and then God. Therefore you see in our Deity room there is picture of guru first of all. First of all your guru, then his guru, then his guru—at least four, five generation, because the spiritual knowledge is received through the paramparā. I have received from my guru; you are receiving from your guru; and my guru received from his guru; he received his guru. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Ādau gurvāśrayam. You cannot learn to become a perfect human being without accepting guru. Then you remain a rascal. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). That is the Vedic injunction. If you want to learn that transcendental science, you must approach a guru. Guru principle is the same, not that your guru and my guru will be different. If he is actually guru, then there is no difference between my guru and your guru.

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

So the Gosvāmīs have given their principles, especially for general public in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. We have translated this book into Nectar of Devotion. So our business is everything is there, we have to follow. And my Guru Mahārāja is described as rūpānuga-viruddha-apasiddhānta-dhvānta-hāriṇe. He was strictly to follow the rūpānuga principle. Rūpānuga principle, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī directs in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, "You somehow or other engage people in Kṛṣṇa consciousness."

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

So imitation is not required. Real thing is required. How, what is the purpose of Gosvāmī? They say that yena tena prakāreṇa manaḥ kṛṣṇe. Somehow or other first of all engage him in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is my Guru Mahārāja's gift. He first of all started that there is no need of going to Vṛndāvana and imitate the Gosvāmīs. Live in big, big cities, in big, big palatial houses, but preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness. People may understand. Give chance to the people how they will understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He opened many centers. Similarly, in big, big cities. So we are doing that. And because we are following strictly the principles of Rūpa Gosvāmī, rūpānuga, therefore it is somehow or other coming out very successful. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement should be pushed according to the rūpānuga principle.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 16, 1972:

Here is a couple, Gurudāsa and his wife, Yamunā, and where is Mālatī? Mālatī's not here? Eh? Mālatī and her husband, Śyāmasundara. And another couple, Jānakī and Mukunda. I sent them first, missionary to London to start the temple. And for one year, they struggled very hard and they called me that "I started the temple." So my Guru Mahārāja wanted to start a temple in London. He sent two sannyāsīs but it was not possible. But these gṛhasthas, they started. So we want to see that the mission is fulfilled. It doesn't matter whether he's a gṛhastha or sannyāsī. Kibā vipra kibā śūdra nyāsī kene naya. So by getting them married, I am benefited. They have helped me.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 16, 1972:

My Guru Mahārāja, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja, he used to advise us to read Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. Everyone, after initiation. At least, he advised me. So this Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu is very important as study book for the Vaiṣṇavas. It is the science of devotional service. And people are, in Western countries, taking interest.

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

We asked this question, bhoga-tyāga, to our Guru Mahārāja. So... What is the difference...? Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī, he left everything for Caitanya Mahāprabhu's service. His lucrative service, minister post and everything, he re... Tyāga. And Rāmānanda Rāya, he was governor. He was governor and gṛhastha, and living very luxuriantly. He's bhoga, he's bhoga platform. Now both of them were devotees of Lord Caitanya. So what is the difference? This question was put. So our Guru Mahārāja replied: Just like a woman. According to our Vedic system, when the husband is out of home, the women is not supposed to dress herself very nicely. Proṣita bhartṛkā. It is called proṣita bhartṛkā. The system was that one should dress herself in such a way that people can understand what is her position—whether she's unmarried, whether she's married, whether she's widow, whether her husband is away, whether she's a pro..., she's a prostitute, everything. By the dress one should understand. "She is, she is widow," "She has got her husband," "Her husband is now away from home." "Oh, she is a prostitute," "She's not married." In this way. Because she's not to be asked. Simply by the dress one can understand. So the proṣita bhartṛkā. She does not dress herself, she lies down on the floor, does not change her clothes very nicely, does not dress the, comb the hair, proṣita bhartṛkā. And the same woman, when her husband is at home, she take twice bath and dresses herself, applies oil and very nice dress, ornaments, and so many things.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 24, 1972:

They becomes purified according to śāstra. Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī gives direction, tathā dīkṣā-vidhānena dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṛṇām. By dīkṣā-vidhāna, by proper initiation, any person can attain the stage of dvijatvam. So our method is not against the śāstra. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya. If we give up the direction of the śāstra, then we are faulty. If we do not deviate the injunctions of the śāstra... Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya tinete kariyā aikya. In the śāstra it is sanctioned. My Guru Mahārāja, he also ordered. Caitanya Mahāprabhu also ordered.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 8, 1973:

My Guru Mahārāja, if somebody would write some article, he would hear, he would simply see how many times there is Kṛṣṇa and Lord Caitanya. Then he'll pass, "Yes, it is all right." (laughter) Because, because there are so many times Kṛṣṇa uttered, it is already nice.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 8, 1973:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80). So He presents Himself as the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa. So in order to become Kṛṣṇa's servant, we have to become the servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa. So, my Guru Mahārāja is servant of Kṛṣṇa, his guru, his guru is servant of Kṛṣṇa, his guru is servant of Kṛṣṇa. I am also servant of Kṛṣṇa, but I have to approach through the other servants, not directly. That is not possible. Kṛṣṇa will not accept that service.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1972:

So it is the duty of the spiritual master to promote the devotees from the kaniṣṭha-adhikāra to the madhyama-adhikāra. Not to keep them. My Guru Mahārāja, sometimes he used to lament because so many disciples he had, but nobody was coming out very nice preacher. He was lamenting, "So only kaniṣṭha-adhikārīs, we are keeping simply people in the kaniṣṭha-adhikāra and engaging them in the arcana-mārga." So that is not required.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972:

We are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is all over the world, and it is becoming successful. Not adulteration. That is spoiling. Adulteration means... The example is given..., it was given by my Guru Mahārāja that there is a cup of sweet rice, and you mix with some grains of sand. Then it is, whole thing is spoiled. You cannot comment on Bhagavad-gītā according to your whims. Kṛṣṇa did not leave Bhagavad-gītā to be understood by your commentation. Try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is. You'll be benefited. That is sādhu-mārga-anugamanam.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.1 -- Mayapur, March 25, 1975:

So study this Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Now we have got this English edition, very elaborately described, following the footsteps of our Guru Mahārāja, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda. So there is no such edition of Caitanya-caritāmṛta, very elaborately described. But it can be understood by the advanced student.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.13 -- Mayapur, April 6, 1975:

So generally, goṣṭhyānandī means one who wants to increase the number of devotees. He's called goṣṭhyānandī. And one who is self-satisfied, that "Let me do my own duty," he is called bhajanānandī. So my Guru Mahārāja, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, he was goṣṭhyānandī. He wanted to increase the number of devotees. And the more you increase the number of devotees, the more you become very much recognized by Kṛṣṇa. It is Kṛṣṇa's business. Kṛṣṇa personally comes as He is, Kṛṣṇa, to spread this bhakti cult.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.13 -- Mayapur, April 6, 1975:

So we have to follow the ācārya. Then, when we are completely, cent per cent follower of ācārya, then you can also act as ācārya. This is the process. Don't become premature ācārya. First of all follow the orders of ācārya, and you become mature. Then it is better to become ācārya. Because we are interested in preparing ācārya, but the etiquette is, at least for the period the guru is present, one should not become ācārya. Even if he is complete he should not, because the etiquette is, if somebody comes for becoming initiated, it is the duty of such person to bring that prospective candidate to his ācārya. Not that "Now people are coming to me, so I can become ācārya." That is avamanya. Nāvamanyeta karhicit. Don't transgress this etiquette. Nāvamanyeta. That will be falldown. Just like during the lifetime of our Guru Mahārāja, all our Godbrothers now who are acting as ācārya, they did not do so. That is not etiquette. Ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyāt na avaman... That is insult. So if you insult your ācārya, then you are finished.

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

Therefore the common saying is that "Man proposes; God disposes." Therefore a devotee, he never depends in himself. He never considers himself, "I am independent." He simply depends on the supreme will of the Lord. That is devotion. "If God desires... If Kṛṣṇa desires..." Whenever we used to ask our Guru Mahārāja something, "Is it going to be happened like that?" some work, he never said, "Yes, it is going to happen. Yes, we are going to do it." No. "Yes, if Kṛṣṇa desires, it may be." He never said like that, positively. "If Kṛṣṇa desires." Actually this is the fact. If Kṛṣṇa desires, God desires, anything wonderful can be done. If He does not desire, however you may try, it will never be done. So just like we are praying to Kṛṣṇa, if He desires, we'll have a nice house. If He does not desire, we may remain here. It doesn't matter. But we shall prosecute our business, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is nothing to stop, in whatever condition we may be.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.1 -- Mayapur, March 1, 1974:

The Bhagavad-gītā is the A-B-C-D to entrance, and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the graduate study, and Śrī-Caitanya-caritāmṛta is the postgraduate study of spiritual life. My Guru Mahārāja, His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, whenever he got some time he used to read Caitanya-caritāmṛta. And he predicted that the whole world like to read Caitanya-caritāmṛta, and for this reason they'll learn Bengali. Therefore, following his footsteps, I have kept the Bengali character and tried to give the literary meaning of each word of the Bengali poem. This is, of course, Sanskrit. This book is full of Sanskrit verses. Some of them are composed by the author himself, Kavirāja Gosvāmī, and some of them are quoted from various literature, Vedic literature.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.4 -- Mayapur, March 4, 1974:

You'll be surprised that my Guru Mahārāja, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura... Sometimes Paṇḍita Madanmohan Mahalabhya (?), a great politician, well-known political leader, he came to see him. So he inquired from my Guru Mahārāja, "What are your activities?" So in describing his activities he said that "We have got six magazines, and out of them, one is daily, Nadiya Prakash." Those who are resident of this place might know. So he was publishing one paper daily, Nadiya Prakash. So Madanmohan Mahalabhya inquired that "You are publishing daily one paper about spiritual subject?" He said, "Yes, why not?" Now, he explained that this universe is only one of the millions universes. This small universe is one of the many, many. Many, many... We get information from the śāstra, yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭiḥ (Bs. 5.40). Jagadānda means this universe.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.4 -- Mayapur, March 4, 1974:

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that "You do not require to take their sinful reaction, but even without your transferring they can be delivered. But this is only one universe." And He compared that this universe is just like a grain of mustard in the mustard bag. Say, hundred kilos, kg., mustard bag, and there is one mustard seed. So this universe is like that. So many universes are there. So my Guru Mahārāja explained that "This universe is only just like a grain of mustard seed among millions and trillions of universes, and in each and every universe there are millions and trillions of planets, and this earthly planet is one of them, and in this planet, the earthly planet, there are so many cities, and in each city there are so many daily papers, and each daily paper has got so many editions. So this is only one-fourth exhibition of God's creation. If in one city there are so many news, people can read, so from the three-fourth creation of the world, Vaikuṇṭha-jagat, we can give so many news that we can overflood them with news. Unfortunately we have no customer."

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.5 -- Mayapur, March 7, 1974:

So we may read herewith one commentary by my Guru Mahārāja Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. "In his Anubhāṣya commentary Śrī Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura describes the Pañca-tattva as follows: The supreme energetic, the Personality of Godhead, manifesting in five kinds of pastimes, appears as the Pañca-tattva. Actually there is no difference between them because they are situated on the absolute platform, but they manifest different spiritual varieties as a challenge to impersonalists to taste different kinds of spiritual humors, rāsas..."

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

They are called Sarasvatī, Bhāratī, I mean to say Vana, Araṇya—in this way, there are ten names. My Guru Mahārāja, my spiritual master, he was sannyāsī, and his title was Sarasvatī. Sarasvatī. So Sarasvatī, Bhāratī, Tīrtha, Vana, Araṇya, Parvata, just like so many titles. So there was a sannyāsī who was the chief amongst other sannyāsīs. His name was Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī. He was great scholar.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.91-2 -- Vrndavana, March 13, 1974:

Even one is very great scholar, and if his spiritual master says that "You are a great fool," he should accept it. This is called full surrender. For example, I'll give you a practical... My Guru Mahārāja was very great scholar, and his Guru Mahārāja, from literary point of view, he could not even sign his name, Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja. And Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura asked Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura to accept Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja as his, as his spiritual master, that "You go and take your initiation from Gaura-kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja." So he thought that "I am a great scholar, and I am son of a magistrate, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, and great Vaiṣṇava. He'll be very much pleased to accept me." Of course, he was very much pleased. But in the beginning he refused. He refused. Because... Of course, that is only show. He was not proud. Just to teach us.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.66-96 -- New York, November 21, 1966:

So that is the relation between spiritual master and the student, not that the spiritual master, because he has officially accepted the post as spiritual master, he should remain as... He should accept the students also as his spiritual master. This is the reciprocation. Prabhu. Everyone would address the other as prabhu. But officially one may be a spiritual master. But in spiritual platform there is no such difference. But officially, custom is that spiritual master is considered in the place of Supreme Lord, and therefore he is given the such respect. But the spiritual master, bona fide spiritual master, he thinks that "I am your disciple. I am your disciple." And practical example I have seen: our Guru Mahārāja, when we offered obeisances, he used to return me, dāso 'smi: "I am your servant." He used to return me this way, "I am your servant."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.164-173 -- New York, December 13, 1966:

Āveśa means that empowered. There is always difference between the individual soul and the Supreme Absolute Soul. When the individual soul is specially empowered by the Supreme Soul, that is called āveśa. He can act almost like God. We accept, according to this āveśa, āveśa-avatāra incarnation, authorized incarnation, we accept, my Guru Mahārāja accepted Lord Jesus Christ and Hazrat Muhammad, this āveśa incarnation, almost the same power.

Festival Lectures

Sri Vyasa-puja -- Hamburg, September 5, 1969:

In 1920 I joined the noncooperation movement and gave up my education because Gandhi's program was to boycott the British educational institution. So most of the university students... I was also. I passed my final examination, B.A., but I gave up. I did not appear, and I joined this movement. Fortunately, in 1922 I also met my Guru Mahārāja, and he, on my first visit, I do not know why, he told that "You should preach this Caitanya philosophy to the outside world." I replied that "We are dependent nation. Who will hear us? In the world, nobody hears any person who is coming from dependent nation, so we must have first of all independence." A young man I was at that time, and I was also misled in so many ways. But my spiritual master saved me, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja.

Sri Vyasa-puja -- London, August 22, 1973:

Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura wanted that European and American people may understand the philosophy of Caitanya cult and take part in it. That was his desire. My Guru Mahārāja, His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, he also attempted to send his disciples to preach Caitanya cult in the Western world. One of them, he advised me also. First meeting, perhaps you know, he asked me to preach. So at that time I was young man, only twenty-five years old, and I was also householder. So I should have joined and executed his desire immediately, but due to my ill luck I could not immediately execute his order, but it was in my heart that it is to be done. So better late than never, I executed his order at the age of seventy years, not at the age of twenty-five. So actually I wasted so much time, I can understand that.

Sri Vyasa-puja -- London, August 22, 1973:

From twenty... The message was there when I was twenty-five years old, but I began at the age of seventy years. But I did not forget the message. Otherwise, how could I do? That was, that is a fact. I was simply finding out the opportunity, how to do it. So anyway, although I began very late, at the age of seventy years, so by the help of my disciples this movement is gaining ground and is spreading all over the world. So therefore I have to thank you. It is all due to you. It is not my credit, but it is your credit that you are helping me in executing the order of my Guru Mahārāja.

Sri Vyasa-puja -- London, August 22, 1973:

Just like our books. All our books, they are not mental speculation. Whatever I have learned from my Guru Mahārāja, I am presenting. That's all. It is not mental speculation—this philosophy, that philosophy. We kick out all these things. Unless we get the knowledge from the authorized source, we don't accept. Because how we can accept?