Los Angeles (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"L.A." |"LA" |"Los Angeles"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.11 -- London, August 17, 1973:

Good trees means which are producing nice fruits and flowers. They are good trees. And there are trees, no fruit, no flower, very long standing. No use. No useful purpose. I've seen in Los Angeles, big, big palm trees, very long, but there is no fruit. In India there are palm trees like that, they bear fruit, very nice fruit, tal. Very sweet fruit. So any tree which does not give us nice fruit or nice flower, that is sinful.

Lecture on BG 2.62-72 -- Los Angeles, December 19, 1968:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: 64: "One who can control his senses by regulative principles and who is free from attachment and aversion can attain the mercy of God."

Prabhupāda: Yes. We have fallen down. How we have fallen down? Fallen down to the platform of sense enjoyment. Therefore you have to begin rising up from the senses, controlling of the senses. That is the way of self-realization. Either you practice yoga or practice bhakti, devotional service, the beginning is to control the senses. So the yogis and other methods, they are trying to control the senses by force. "I shall go to the Himalayas. I shall not see any more beautiful woman. I shall close down my eyes." These are forceful. You cannot control your senses. There are many instances. You don't require to go to Himalaya. You just remain in Los Angeles city and engage your eyes to see Kṛṣṇa, you are more than a person who has gone to Himalayas. You'll forget all other thing. This is our process. You don't require to change your position.

Lecture on BG 2.62-72 -- Los Angeles, December 19, 1968:

This is the prayer by Prahlāda Mahārāja. He says, "My dear Lord, lotus-eyed, Aravindākṣa," ye anye. "Some third-class men, they are very much proud of ending this material life, these nirvāṇa or these impersonalists." Vimukta-māninaḥ. Vimukta-māninaḥ means they are simply falsely thinking that they have surpassed the clutches of māyā. Falsely. Vimukta-māninaḥ. Just like if you falsely think that "I am the proprietor of this Los Angeles city," is it not your false thinking? Similarly, if anyone thinks that "Now I have attained nirvāṇa or I have merged into the Supreme." You may think like that. That māyā is very strong. You may be puffed up by such false prestige.

Lecture on BG 3.1-5 -- Los Angeles, December 20, 1968:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Five: "All men are forced to act helplessly according to the impulses born of the modes of material nature. Therefore nobody can refrain from doing something, not even for a moment (BG 3.5)."

Prabhupāda: Yes. They say... We saw one signboard in a yoga society in Los Angeles that "You become silent, and you'll become God." (laughs) And here Kṛṣṇa says that you cannot become silent even for a moment. You see? These things are going on.

Lecture on BG 3.11-19 -- Los Angeles, December 27, 1968:

For a Kṛṣṇa conscious person there is no distinction that this is hell, this is heaven. Just like we have come here to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We have no distinction between Los Angeles and Vṛndāvana. Wherever I am, I am in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is Vṛndāvana. That's all. I don't live in Los Angeles or anywhere. I live in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, I preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness, therefore I live in Kṛṣṇa. So your principle should be like that. You be fully in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you forget all other things. Kṛṣṇa is all-pervading, therefore your living is all-pervading.

Lecture on BG 3.18-30 -- Los Angeles, December 30, 1968:

Jaya-gopāla: Is it all right to disturb the mind of the envious?

Prabhupāda: Envious?

Jaya-gopāla: Yes. So many people are so envious of God...

Prabhupāda: Everyone is envious. This world is envious. They have declared that God is dead. You see. (laughs) (Bengali) There is a proverb in Bengali that one person wanted to see how many thieves are there in this village, and when he began to scrutinize, he saw that everyone is a thief. (laughter) Similarly, envious, you begin from President Johnson and go to anyone, they are all envious of God consciousness. You see? Otherwise in Los Angeles city, there are millions and trillions of people, and only a dozen people are coming here. You see? Why? They are envious. "What is this nonsense God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness?" You see?

So we have to disturb them. That is our duty. We have to disturb these envious persons, "Hare Kṛṣṇa!" (laughter) That is our duty, to disturb them. And that is the greatest service.

Lecture on BG 4.19-25 -- Los Angeles, January 9, 1969:

Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. They are simply thinking like that. Māninaḥ. Māninaḥ means actually he is not, but he's thinking. You can think that "I am the proprietor of all the banks of this Los Angeles city." You can think. Who checks you? But are you actually the proprietor of all the banks of this Los Angeles city? Anyone can think intoxication like anything. He has got the liberty. But that is not the fact.

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

So hearing is very important. Therefore our bhakti process, bhakti-yoga process is hearing. The more you give aural reception to the transcendental message, more you become expert. You haven't got to become a Ph.D. or very learned fellow, or very scholar. No. Even a child, without any education, he can also become Kṛṣṇa conscious simply by hearing. In New Yor... In Los Angeles, our child friend, he's only three years old. Oh, he cites so many mantras. He has learned. Yes. So many. Of course, one child may be specially intelligent, but anyone can learn. The method is simply hearing and seeing the behavior. You put one child in this association; automatically, with his growth, he'll become a Vaiṣṇava, a Kṛṣṇa conscious devotee. Automatically,

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

Muni-puṅgavānām, great saintly persons, sages, if they travel for millions of years... Panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara. Koṭi, again multiplied by hundreds and hundreds. Vāyor athāpi, on the airplane of air. Not this metal airplane, but actually air airplane or by the airplane of mind. Mind speed, we know. Mind can run within a second many thousands of miles, immediately. Suppose I am sitting here. So I have got my apartment in Los Angeles, ten thousand miles away. I can immediately go... This is called mind-speed. So with the mind speed, with the velocity of air, if one runs on, to find out the Kṛṣṇa planet, or Kṛṣṇa, still, avicintya-tattva, still, it is inconceivable tattva.

Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Bombay, February 19, 1974:

Recently, when I was in Los Angeles, one German scientist came there. He has written one book, Chemical Evolution, and he has got Nobel Prize. Now he's touring for lecturing on his theory. So in the California university there is our student, Dr. Svarūpa Dāmodara. He's my disciple. He's doctor in chemistry. So, when this German chemist was lecturing, theorizing that life has come from chemicals, so he put the question that "Suppose if I give you these chemicals, whether you can prepare a life?" He answered in the meeting, "That I cannot say." That means he's not certain; still, he's theorizing, that from chemical, life has come. No, from chemical, life has not come; from life, chemical has come. This is real theory.

Lecture on BG 7.11-12 -- Bombay, February 25, 1974:

So Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. As sun is always there in the sky, Now it is, say, half-past eight. So the morning, half-past eight, is also there, present. In America it is half-past eight, morning. There you'll see sun. So because at night in India, in Bombay, half-past eight we cannot see the sun, it does not mean the sun is finished. If you go to America, in Los Angeles, you'll see the sun. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is always present. Simply you have to prepare your eyes to see Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Hyderabad, April 19, 1974:

Where is the proof that by combination of matter life comes out? This was discussed by a big professor in California University. He was touring, lecturing all over the world. So when I was in Los Angeles he also came there. So in the Los Angeles University there is one Dr. Svarūpa Dāmodara. He is PhD in Chemistry. He is my student. He challenged the professor that "If you say that life is combination of some chemicals, suppose I give you the chemicals. Can you produce life?" The professor said, "That I cannot say."

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:

I have several times cited the example that in Los Angeles, when I was taking my morning walk in Beverly Hills, many hippies were coming out from a very respectable house. It appeared that his father, he was (indistinct), a very nice car also, but the dress was hippie. So there is a protest against the so-called material arrangement, they do not like. Actually we cannot be happy by material prosperity, that is a fact.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- New Vrindaban, September 6, 1972:

In London, I have seen. In your country also, there are so many churches vacant. We have purchased so many churches. In Los Angeles we have purchased that church. When it was running as a church, it was a deserted (indistinct). Since we have taken that, every night, every day, hundreds of people are gathering like this, because there is words of Kṛṣṇa. And people are hearing about Kṛṣṇa. Viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ. So you can have your churches, temple or mosque, but if you do not develop your tendency to hear about God, then it will not be successful, śrama eva hi kevalam. Śrama eva hi kevalam.

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

Money has got its use. Just like in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement we get money also. But we are spending for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Our need is very great. People will be surprised what we are expending per month. We have got more than one hundred branches all over the world, and each branch, there is expenditure... In Los Angeles, we spend twenty thousand dollars per month. In New York, we spend ten thousand per..., dollars per month. Or more than that. Similarly, on the average, we spend not less than ten thousand dollars per each branch.

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

So the fact is that we do not require to, I mean to say, endeavor for finding out food. The food is already there. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. We should sit down tightly, depending on Kṛṣṇa... That we have already explained, that this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is going on. We have got heavy expenditure, but Kṛṣṇa is supplying. This is a fact. None of our boys and girls, they go to office or to factory or they earn. The... In Los Angeles, our neighborhood men, they're very envious. They say, "How you maintain such huge establishment and you do not work?" They cannot dream that without working one can eat. Yes. So here the fact, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā nārtho yaś ceha karmabhiḥ. It is not that you have to work very hard.

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

There is no knowledge of the value of life, and they are becoming more and more attached to this material world. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that so-called advancement of education, education means māyayā apahṛta-jñāna. The māyā, the illusory energy, is plundering the real purpose of knowledge. Therefore they are narādhamas, simply spoiled. In Los Angeles, from the University, many scientists come, many psychologists and psychiatrists... We have got many students also, they are Doctor of Science.

Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- Los Angeles, August 20, 1972:

Sun has got orbit. Sixteen thousand miles per second moving. But moving how? Not a little deviation. Exactly in the line. Because little deviation will cause havoc. Just the same way: a little pouncing over, the whole sea, finished Los Angeles. You see?

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

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

Lecture on SB 1.3.9 -- Los Angeles, September 15, 1972:

So cats and dogs, they're voting. So what they will vote, cats and dogs? They will vote another big cat, big dog, that's all. So what the big dog, big cat can do? That is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ (SB 2.3.19). A leader means voted by some hogs, by some dogs, by some camels, and by some asses. This is the position of the society. Suppose there are many dogs in this Los Angeles city... Of course, camels you haven't got, but there are many asses also. At least in Indian cities we find there are many hogs, many dogs, many camels, many asses. So if they are called for votes, "Now we are taking vote for this, for this," what is the value of that election? Is there any value?

Lecture on SB 1.3.15 -- Los Angeles, September 20, 1972:

After the span of life of Cākṣuṣa Manu, there is another inundation. And then again everything comes out gradually and the water dries. Just like you see the Pacific Ocean, it is drying. Of course, we shall not live, but if hundreds years after, if somebody comes here, he will see that the Los Angeles city has expanded and the Pacific Ocean has diminished. This is going on. In this way, one day will be, there will be no Pacific Ocean. And therefore, without water, everyone will die.

Lecture on SB 1.3.27 -- Los Angeles, October 2, 1972:

The material world is everyone is forgetting Kṛṣṇa. Their only business is to forget Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is material. But if Kṛṣṇa consciousness is there, the mat..., no more material world.

Just like this temple. This temple is spiritual, Vaikuṇṭha. It is not Los Angeles. Don't think like that. It is Vaikuṇṭha. Because here every second the remembrance of Kṛṣṇa is there. Therefore it is not Los Angeles. Or anyone who remembers Kṛṣṇa always, twenty-four hours, he is living in Vaikuṇṭha. He is not in the kingdom of māyā. That is required.

Lecture on SB 1.5.4 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1968:

Just like a foolish man sometimes, in very grave thought that "What is the ultimate goal of my life? I do not know what to do," so "You are thinking like that."

So answer, vyāsa uvāca. Now, Vyāsa's answer is asty eva me sarvam idaṁ tvayoktaṁ tathāpi nātmā parituṣyate me. "Yes, sir. You are right. I have studied about Brahman, I have inquired about Brahman, and I know what is Brahman." He says, "I know what is Brahman." Asty eva me sarvam idaṁ tvayoktaṁ tathāpi nātmā parituṣyate me. "But I do not know why I am not satisfied. I'm not satisfied." Tan-mūlam avyaktam agādha-bodhaṁ pṛcchāmahe tvātma-bhavātma-bhūtam: "Therefore you are my spiritual master. I am asking you to find out what is the defect in me. What is the defect in me that, in spite of my so advancement of knowledge in spiritual science by studying..., by inquiring, and by writing so many books, the..." You'll be glad to know that this Vyāsadeva is the original writer of Vedānta-sūtra. You have heard about Vedānta-sūtra. There are many, I mean to say, classes in here in your Los Angeles. There is a Vedānta Church. This Vedānta philosophy was written by this Vyāsadeva. But after even writing this Vedānta philosophy, he was not satisfied. That is the conversation is going on. Sa vai bhavān veda samasta-guhyam upāsito yat puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ. "Now I am asking you what is the defect in me because you know the Supreme Personality of Godhead."

Lecture on SB 1.5.11 -- New Vrindaban, June 10, 1969:

Prabhupāda: The Māyāvādīs, they are called Vedantists. The Ramakrishna Mission here, they are also preaching Vedānta philosophy. They are called... Vedānta Church there is in Los Angeles. And in New York there is a Vedānta... What is that?

Disciple: Vedānta Society.

Prabhupāda: Vedānta Society. But we, actually we find they are enjoyed by a crow class men. Because they do not know what was the intention of writing Vedānta philosophy. That Vedānta philosophy explanation is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Vyāsadeva actually did it.

Lecture on SB 1.5.11 -- London, September 12, 1973:

Our literatures are selling. In London also, they sell at least $200, er, pounds, in the street. Similarly, in New York, in Los Angeles, every city we are selling about thirty-to forty thousand rupees' worth books daily. People are appreciating. But if the publishers and the book sellers also help us in this movement, then people will be very much benefited. That is our request.

Lecture on SB 1.7.27 -- Vrndavana, September 24, 1976:

In Western countries also the churches are being closed-big, big churches. In London I have seen, very big, big churches, but they're closed. When there is meeting on Sunday, the caretaker, two, three men, and some old lady, they come. Nobody comes. And we are purchasing. We have purchased several churches. Because it is now useless. It is useless. In our Los Angeles we have purchased and several others. In Toronto. That recently we have purchased. Big, big churches. But they would not sell us.

Lecture on SB 1.8.21 -- New York, April 13, 1973:

These Kṛṣṇa consciousness persons, they have no problem, economic problem. Everything is sufficiently supplied by Kṛṣṇa. In Los Angeles, the neighbors, they are very envious, that "You do not work. You have no anxiety. You have got four cars. You are eating so nicely. How is that?" They inquire from our devotees. That is the actually the fact. We are spending so much money, we have got so many centers. The calculation is about $70,000 we are spending. Who is supplying? Somehow or other, we are getting. So there is no problem. You simply become sincere servant of Kṛṣṇa. Everything is there. This is the test.

Lecture on SB 1.8.28 -- Los Angeles, April 20, 1973:

The same example as I have repeated many times. Just like we see sometimes the hills from our room. Here there are many hills in Los Angeles. But they are not distinct. When you are seeing the hills from a distant place, it looks like something cloudy. But if you go still further towards the hill, you'll distinctly find that there is something, hill. And if you come to the hill, then you'll find so many persons are working there, so many houses are there. There are streets, motorcars, everything, all varieties. So similarly, when one wants to know the Absolute Truth by his teeny brain, "I shall make research to find out the Absolute Truth," then you'll have vague idea, impersonal idea. And if you become a meditator, then you will find that God is situated within your heart.

Lecture on SB 1.8.36 -- Mayapura, October 16, 1974:

Even a, a thief, he is risking his life not to work hard, but he's risking his life. Especially in the Western countries, the burglars, they risk their life because there the law is that anyone trespassing within your house, even ordinarily, you can kill him. Is it not? The law is so hard that even if you, if you enter anyone's gate, anyone's property, without permission, he can kill you. Is it not I am right? Yes. Here in India we don't take it so seriously. So many people are passing here and there. But in your country... I know that one of our boy went to pick up some flowers in Los Angeles, and he was fired. Of course he did not like to kill him, but the firing was there. So just see. For sense gratification the thief taking the risk of his life... The working... Not only working hard. Those who are not thief, they are working very hard to get some money, honestly or dishonestly, and those who are not very honest, to steal they make so many plans, so many devices to steal at the risk of life.

Lecture on SB 1.8.42 -- Los Angeles, May 4, 1973:

This Deity worship, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyam (SB 7.5.23), so many engagements. But it is on account of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore those who are strictly following the regulations of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he's living in the spiritual world. He's not in the material world. Just like we are not living in Los Angeles; we are living in Vaikuṇṭha. Yes. That's a fact. It is consciousness. The consciousness... I can give you another example. Just like in this seat there is a bug. But the bug and myself sitting on the same place, but because the bug has no consciousness, therefore he is bug, and I have got consciousness, I am your spiritual master. But we are sitting in the same place. Sitting in the same place. Because the bug has not developed his consciousness, he remains a bug, and one who has developed the consciousness, therefore he becomes spiritual master. But the position is the... Similarly either you remain in the material world or, spiritual, there is no question, if your Kṛṣṇa consciousness is very strong, then you are not in the material world. You are not in the material world.

Lecture on SB 1.8.48 -- Los Angeles, May 10, 1973:

So for a devotee there is no such distinction: "Here is hell" or "Here is heaven," "Here is Vṛndāvana" or "Here is Los Angeles," "Here is..." No. Because Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. Wherever He gets the opportunity of serving Kṛṣṇa, that he wants. That's all. Nothing more. Mama janmani janmanīśvare (Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4). Janmani janmani, it doesn't matter. What kind of janma will be... Of course, from the śāstras we can understand that śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate (BG 6.41). To take birth by a devotee is different little than another's. Because one who has dedicated to Kṛṣṇa, He is under Kṛṣṇa's control, direct. Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). So that bhakti means he is sinless, spotless. So therefore there is no possibility of his taking birth in lower animal group.

Lecture on SB 1.9.48 -- Mayapura, June 14, 1973:

...this class, when it is held in Los Angeles, this full hall would have been compact. This is the difference between India and foreign countries. They are receiving this message of Kṛṣṇa consciousness very seriously. Here they are rejecting. Indians, they're rejecting. There is a proverb: āpanār dhana bilāye diye bhikṣā māge parer dvāre(?). They have lost their own culture, and they are now beggars. They are going to beg from door to door in the foreign countries.

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

Pleasure means because there is no loss. Ānandāmbudhi-vardhanam. There is ānanda, and ānanda ambudhi. Ambudhi means the ocean. Here the ocean does not increase. If the ocean increases, then whatever small land we have got, it would have been finished. No. Ocean does not increase. We have seen that Los Angeles on the beach, the big Pacific Ocean, but just about three yards or four yards off from the ocean we are walking. We are confident that "Although the Pacific Ocean is so big, powerful, it cannot come here." Only a few yards off we are walking, confident. So everyone is working under the direction of the Supreme Lord. Ocean, although very powerful, very big, still, by the order of Kṛṣṇa, it cannot go beyond the limit. It cannot go.

Lecture on SB 1.15.34 -- Los Angeles, December 12, 1973:

Religion means the laws of God. There must be laws. God is the Supreme. As the state laws are there, now the so many affairs in the cosmic manifestation is going on, how they can think of that there is no law? There is law. The sun is rising exactly in time. The Pacific Ocean is exactly in its position. It is not coming even a few yards beyond the area. Such a huge water, it can overflood immediately the whole Los Angeles city in a second. But why it is not coming? You are sure. We are walking by the beach. We are sure that "The water cannot come here." By whose order? By whose law? But these rascals they cannot understand. They are saying, "Nature." They give the explanation, "Nature." But nature is dull. Nature, material nature is dull.

Lecture on SB 1.15.35 -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1973:

This karma is not created by Kṛṣṇa, or God. You create your karma. You like this. Somebody wants to come here and somebody does not want to come. That independence is there. That independence is; otherwise there are millions of people here in Los Angeles. Who is coming here? Nobody. Because they are not interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So this is the position. You create a situation of your own.