All glories to Srila Prabhupada

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"All glories to Srila Prabhupada" |"all glories to Srila Prabhupada" |"glories to Prabhupada" |"glories to Srila Prabhupada"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 4.7 -- Bombay, March 27, 1974:

Prabhupāda: In America the government is appreciating because the people are addicted to LSD, and they are seeing practically that as soon as a boy could come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he gives up all this nonsense. They are spending millions of dollars, they cannot stop. But we can stop simply by word. "Give up this," and he immediately gives up. So this is the fact, that if you accept this dharma, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), then all the problems of the world will be solved. Therefore this is needed.

And to teach this education, to teach the people, the rascals... Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). Tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham. So Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's instruction, identical. Don't think that Kṛṣṇa is no longer... He's existing by His words. Take His word. Apply it practically in life and you will be happy. That is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya. All glories to Prabhupāda! (end)

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Melbourne, June 29, 1974 :

Prabhupāda: Anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Then you become pure. When you are pure, then your attachment for Kṛṣṇa, athāsaktis. That is called āsaktiḥ, attachment. Then tato niṣṭhā, then firm faith; tato ruciḥ, taste; tataḥ saktiḥ, then attachment; tato bhāvaḥ: in this way you will come to the platform of loving Kṛṣṇa. Then your life is perfect. This verse explains that: how you can increase your devotional life, how you can become pefect, how you can know God perfectly, samagram; asaṁśayam, without any doubt. This is the process.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda.... (break)

Prabhupāda: No question?

Devotee (1): Yes, right here Prabhupāda.

Devotee (2): What gives a man the right to take the renounced order of life, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

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

Prabhupāda: Not sixteen rounds. You can chant unlimitedly.

Indian man (8): No, minimum

Prabhupāda: Minimum because they cannot chant more than that, therefore minimum. Otherwise kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). So you must have a fixed amount of kīrtana. That is called tapasya, that "We must finish at least this much, if not more." Saṅkhyā-pūrvaka-nāma-gāna-natibhiḥ. Saṅkhyā-pūrvaka. By numerical strength one should chant. That is called vow. This is the idea. So these Europeans, Americans, they cannot imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura, who was chanting 300,000 times. So we do not advise to imitate. Really do something. One name is sufficient. If you can chant one name only, that is sufficient. But that is not possible. So to understand the value of name at least we must have some numerical strength. All the Gosvāmīs used to do that. We follow their footprints. Thank you. Now chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end)

Lecture on BG 7.5 -- Nairobi, November 1, 1975:

Prabhupāda: And you can understand by the one symptom. Just like pressing one rice from the whole pot of the rice you can understand the rice is quite all right, similarly, by one symptom you can understand who is a rascal, by one symptom. What is that? Na māṁ prapadyante. He is not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa? He's a rascal. That's all. Immediately you take it without any consideration that anyone who is not devotee of Kṛṣṇa, who is not prepared to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, he's a rascal. That's all. This is our conclusion.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotees: Haribol! All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda! (end)

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

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

Prabhupāda: I know this Christian religion, Mohammedan religion, Buddhist religion, Jain religion, this religion, that religion, this ism, that ism, they are all history. History. It is limited, within the limit of time. But this Vedic religion has no beginning or end. Therefore, Sumanda-matayo, they will theorize, "In our religion it is said this." "Oh, whatever your religion may be, but the real purpose of religion is to understand God. How far you have understood God?" That is practically nil. But the formulas and dogmas and this and that they're full of. Sumanda-matayo. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā (SB 1.1.10). And almost everyone is unfortunate. They haven't got even means to accommodate the bare necessities of life—eating, sleeping, mating. They're also deficient. mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ. And above all these there is always disturbance. Sometimes war, sometimes famine, sometimes earthquake, sometimes this, overflood. Just like recently in New York there was overflood, you know? So in this way we are so much complicated, this is the position. Now in this condition of life how you can take up very serious type of self-realization, that is not possible. Alright, thank you very much.

Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda!

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- London, August 27, 1971:

Prabhupāda: Similarly, in our diseased condition, we actually we cannot enjoy life. The sex impulse is there in the Vaikuṇṭha also. But they are so elevated that, after all, it is enjoyment. If you get better enjoyment, you give up. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 9.59). That is the nature. You are enjoying something, but if you get better enjoyment, you give up this inferior enjoyment. So don't think in the Vaikuṇṭha or in Goloka Vṛndāvana there is no sex impulse. There is—in Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. But not like this abominable way. The impulse is there in a perfect order. So they're enjoying. Not like this abominable sex life. The devotees there, they are so much absorbed in Kṛṣṇa thought, they don't like to have sex. There are beautiful women, beautiful men, very, very. But they have got other engagement, very nice engagement. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. Just like, for example, in this, our society also, you see thousands of men are standing, paying to see some dead body. Sense enjoyment. You see? But our men are not so rascal that they will stand for five hours to see some dead body. You see? Similarly, why? Why they are able not to go there, stand? Because they have seen something better.

So the more you see better thing, you give up this abominable. That is progress of spiritual life. Thank you.

Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda! (end)

Lecture on SB 2.3.1-4 -- Los Angeles, May 24, 1972:

Prabhupāda: You can read the śloka number 8 also. Dharmārtha uttama-ślokaṁ tantuḥ tanvan pitṟn yajet. (Pradyumna leads chanting of text 8.)

Devotee: Jaya Śrī Guru.

Prabhupāda: Have kīrtana.

Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. (devotees offer obeisances)

Prabhupāda: Vibration of this mantra will purify. Even if we do not understand the meaning, try to vibrate the mantra.

(end)

Lecture on SB 2.3.20 -- Bombay, March 24, 1977, At Cross Maidan Pandal:

Indian man (1): My question is whether there is distinction between Rāma and Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: The distinction is that hearing is also a process of acquiring knowledge. Why don't you accept it? Simply seeing is not acquiring knowledge. There are so many senses, and hearing is the first-class sense to understand which you cannot see. (applause)

Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda!

Girirāja: Next? Please come forward with your questions. Asking questions is a sign of intelligence. Athāto brahma jijñāsā.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think you scared them away.

Indian man (2): How could I know the unknown within the known?

Prabhupāda: This is already explained. How could you know your great-grandfather? From the paramparā system. Your father says, "Yes, I had my grandfather." So from the authority of your father you can understand. This is easy process. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). You have to hear. Therefore Veda is called śruti. Śruti means you have to hear from the right source. Then you know. That is knowledge. You don't hear from a cheater. You hear from the right source. Then the knowledge is perfect.

Lecture on SB 2.3.20 -- Bombay, March 24, 1977, At Cross Maidan Pandal:

Prabhupāda: Yes. First of all you have to step on the first step, then second step, then... Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). So everything requires training and knowledge.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. That's all.

Devotees: Jaya. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Kīrtana. (break)

Indian man (8): Can you please explain that it is our only way out for salvation?

Prabhupāda: Yes. People are so fallen that they cannot take the life of tapasya. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is the life of tapasya. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). So, tapasā brahmacaryeṇa yamena niyamena vā (SB 6.1.13). So, there is process of tapasya, but in this age, Kali-yuga, people are so fallen that they cannot undergo all the items of tapasya. It is very difficult. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu... Caitanya Mahāprabhu has not manufactured. It is mentioned in the śāstra that only by this process.

Lecture on SB 2.9.10 -- Tokyo, April 26, 1972:

Prabhupāda: Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13).

Pradyumna: "It is confirmed in the Vedas therefore that the Lord is the chief leader and all other living entities are subordinate to Him as only the Lord..."

Prabhupāda: So we have accepted the original leader, Kṛṣṇa. Why should we follow the nonsense leader who has no perfect knowledge? We have accepted the supreme leader. That is our advantage. Then?

Pradyumna: "...as only the Lord satisfies all the needs of all other living entities."

Prabhupāda: And He is so able leader that He supplies everything. He is not a false leader. Then?

Pradyumna: That is the end of the purport.

Prabhupāda: That's all. So stick to this leader. Don't deviate. That's all.

Devotee: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end)

Lecture on SB 2.9.11 -- Tokyo, April 27, 1972:

Prabhupāda: So don't take this so-called material civilization has got any value. Reject it. You see? And be prepared for going back to home, back to Godhead. That should be aim. Don't be allured by these rascal leaders. And the another rascal, the Māyāvādī, they cannot believe all these things—"Make it zero." Śūnyavāda. They also do not like the modern ways of life, disgusted, but they have no adjustment, and therefore "Make it impersonal, zero, finished." Here is not zero. Here is substance. We are not after zero. We are after substance. The substance is described here. Just try to understand. We are not fakir. Fakir, this word is used in... One who has no hope, simply loitering in the street, he is a fakir, hopeless. So all are, they are fakirs. And we are not fakir. We are hoping to go there, to live with Nārāyaṇa or Kṛṣṇa, having this greatest opulence, eternal body, blissful life, full of knowledge and opulence. That's all.

Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. (obeisances) (end)

Lecture on SB 3.28.18 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:

Prabhupāda: So we are prakṛti. Prakṛti puruṣa. So Kṛṣṇa is the puruṣa. He is the protector of all living entities. Yesterday, bhṛtyānugraha-kātaram. Just like a father is always anxious to see his children are well protected, similarly, Kṛṣṇa is also always anxious to give protection to His subordinates. But if the subordinate denounce Kṛṣṇa, "I don't want Your protection," then suffer your karma. That you are doing. Those who are in the material world, they are suffering. Why? They have given up the protection of Kṛṣṇa. They are thinking that "We can protect ourself. What is the use of Kṛṣṇa?" So this is called dharmasya glāniḥ. This is deviation from the natural way of life, when you give up the protection. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is: again go back to that protection, go back to home, back to Godhead.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...paripraśnena. To understand the subject matter submissively, to question, is one of the paraphernalia.

tad viddhi praṇipātena

paripraśnena sevayā

upadekṣyanti tad jñānaṁ

jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

(BG 4.34)

Devotee (1): You said that if we made a marble image of you and offered food to it, you would not accept it. So...

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Lecture on SB 3.28.20 -- Nairobi, October 30, 1975:

Prabhupāda: So don't be misled by the Māyāvādīs. As we have got our ācāryas, they are instructing, as Bhāgavata is instructing, Bhagavad-gītā is instructing, we have to follow. And if we cannot follow, then we should see the ācāryas, how they are doing. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). In this way we have to make our life perfect.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...on this subject matter, not bring the whole list of questions.

Girl devotee (1): Śrīla Prabhupāda, you said that the demigods, they want to take birth in India, but is there not the same Vedic culture in the heavenly planets? Why do they want to...

Prabhupāda: They are missing the opportunity. That is their misfortune. They do not take advantage of the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, Bhāgavatam. They are taking to technology. What can be done?

Lecture on SB 3.28.20 -- Nairobi, October 30, 1975:

Prabhupāda: That will be recommended to you by your spiritual master according to your position. There is no stereotyped idea. That you have to take, instruction from your spiritual master, or you have to do according to the instruction of spiritual master. That will be nice.

Girl devotee (2): Śrīla Prabhupāda, when we chant japa in front of arca-mūrti, do we then therefore, by this verse, meditate on Kṛṣṇa limb by limb?

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Brahmānanda: When we chant japa in front of the Deity, does that correspond to this verse of meditating on the Lord limb by limb?

Prabhupāda: Yes. You can see. The Lord is everywhere. You can... Anyone can think. All right. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end)

Lecture on SB 3.28.21 -- Nairobi, November 1, 1975:

Prabhupāda: If you simply follow these four principles without arguing foolishly and rascally, manmanā bhava mad-bhakto (BG 18.65), these four principles. "Always think of Me," Kṛṣṇa says. Not I am saying, but Kṛṣṇa personally saying, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto: "Just become My devotee," and māṁ namaskuru, "worship Me." So it doesn't require any M.A., Ph.D. degrees. It doesn't require that Apratihatā. Bhakti is apratihatā, without any hindrance. Nobody can say that "Because I am poor," "Because I am uneducated," "Because I am black," "Because I am white"—no "because." Any condition of life, you can become a devotee and go back to home, back to This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. No material condition can check you. This is our movement.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya! All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. (break)

Lecture on SB 6.1.56-62 -- Surat, January 3, 1971, at Adubhai Patel's House:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Is that all right?

Revatīnandana: What is going to happen to these who are left and they are..., commit offenses against you?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Revatīnandana: They have left and yet they are committing offenses against you and against Kṛṣṇa because they have become deranged.

Prabhupāda: Therefore the falling down, obeisances, is there. If there is any offense, by offering obeisances it is excused.

Yamunā: All glories to Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: And amongst yourself you should also offer obeisances, "Prabhu, please excuse this offense."

Yamunā: And then take remedial measures.

Prabhupāda: Then... Then finished. That is system. One now... Everyone should fall down. What is that? (end)

Lecture on SB 6.2.9-10 -- Allahabad, January 15, 1971:

Prabhupāda: So in the beginning we may be very much reluctant in the matter of chanting, but when you become liberated the chanting will be so sweet that you cannot give up. Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī. He has composed a śloka. He says in that śloka that "If I had millions of tongues and trillions of ears, then the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra would have been relishable. How, what can I do with one tongue and two ears?" So that is liberated stage. That is prema. But that stage is attainable. If you follow regularly the principles, everyone will attain to that stage when he simply likes to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Śyāmasundara: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: (break) ...gain commit the sins, then you have to suffer.

Guest: We say, "oṁ namaḥ śivāya, oṁ namaḥ śivāya." What is the difference, oṁ namaḥ śivāya, oṁ namo hare rāma? You say Hare Rāma mokṣa. Oṁ namaḥ śivāya is no mokṣa?

Prabhupāda: No.

Guest: Who is Śiva?

Prabhupāda: Śiva is Śiva.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- Bombay, November 9, 1975:

Prabhupāda: This is the great philosophy. Acintya-bhedābheda. Just like... I have already explained now. So 'ham, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. This is bhedābheda-prakāśa, I am the same quality of Kṛṣṇa, I am the same Brahman also, but I am not the Parabrahman. Parabrahman is Kṛṣṇa. When Arjuna... He is Brahman. When he realized Kṛṣṇa, he addressed Him, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). He never claimed equal with Kṛṣṇa. That is not knowledge. That is ignorance. So in this way, Sanātana Gosvāmī will understand his position, relationship with Kṛṣṇa, and Sanātana Gosvāmī, we shall understand. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu is describing in this Caitanya-caritāmṛta; therefore we shall discuss later on further.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end)

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.112 -- Bombay, November 24, 1975:

Prabhupāda: You simply practice. Wherever you are, you simply practice this tapasya—no illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling and no meat-eating. Then you become perfect. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyed sattva (SB 5.5.1). "This tapasya? Can we do that?" You can do it very easily. It is not said "No sex," but "No illicit sex." That is very sinful. Therefore one has to get himself married. That is allowed. But no illicit sex. No meat-eating. Why one should eat meat? There are so many nice things given by Kṛṣṇa, so many fruits, so many nice food grains. We can eat many palatable dishes mixed with milk. Take milk from the cows. Therefore Kṛṣṇa advises, go-rakṣya. Without milk you will eat all rubbish things like hogs and dogs, and your life will be spoiled. Everything is there, practical. But avidyā, on account of our ignorance, foolishness, rascaldom, we are avoiding this kṛṣṇa-upadeśa and suffering. Be saved from suffering and be happy by Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end)

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 13-15 -- Los Angeles, May 18, 1970:

Prabhupāda: So that seeing power is the bhakta's, the devotee's, because Kṛṣṇa certifies, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). Those who have developed love of Godhead by that ointment, prema, ointment... Just like sometimes... In India it is very... They have got some... What is called? Surma? Ungent, surma. Yes. If you apply that surma your sight becomes bright immediately. So if you smear your eyes with love of Godhead, then you will see God always. Santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti. Yes. So devotion. So this is the way of understanding God. By service, by enhancing love... This love can be increased only by service. Otherwise there is no possibility. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau (Brs. 1.2.234). The more you increase your service spirit, the more you increase your dormant love of God. And as soon as you are in the perfectional stage of love of God, you see God always, every moment. Twenty-four hours you can see.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: All glories to Prabhupāda. (end)

Festival Lectures

Gundica Marjanam Cleansing of the Gundica Temple, Lecture (the day before Ratha-yatra) -- San Francisco, July 4, 1970:

Devotees: All glories to Prabhupāda! Jāyate Prabhupāda! Jaya!

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. (Hindi with Indian woman, chuckles) All right. Hare Kṛṣṇa. There is no space for the... So we require bigger space. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Oh, Govinda dāsī has come? (chuckles) When you have arrived?

Govinda dāsī: About one o'clock.

Prabhupāda: Oh. That's nice. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotees: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Gundica Marjanam Cleansing of the Gundica Temple, Lecture (the day before Ratha-yatra) -- San Francisco, July 4, 1970:

Prabhupāda: There must be a class fully for business, cow protection, agriculture. That is also required. Nothing is neglected. Just like in our body there are four parts; the mouth, the arms, the belly, and the legs. So everything is required for proper upkeep of the body. Not that you ask the mouth to walk or ask the leg to eat. How it is that? The modern civilization is defective. They do not know how to maintain society. There is therefore no peace. Especially there is want of brain. Crazy. Just like throughout the whole body, the head is the most important part of the body. If you cut your hands, you can live, but if you cut your head, you cannot live. Then whole thing is gone. Similarly, at the present moment the society is headless, a dead body, or head cracked, crazy. There is head, nonsense head. Nonsense head. What is the use of nonsense head? Therefore there is a great necessity of creating a class who will act as brain and head. That is Kṛṣṇa conscious movement.

Devotees: Jaya. All glories to Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: The whole human society is suffering for want of good brain. (break) ...created a nonsense democracy. A carpenter is called to fight? A cow slaughterer is called to preside over the meeting? What is this? One must be fit for the business. If you want to make one king, he must be just like royal, ideas, always thinking of the welfare of the citizens. Just like Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja. The whole business was how the people will be happy. When Parīkṣit Mahārāja was born, the child, it is the Vedic system as soon as a child is born, immediately expert brāhmaṇas, astrologers, are called.

Ratha-yatra and Press Conference -- San Francisco, July 4, 1970:

Prabhupāda: So because we have started this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement in your country, this car festival and Lord Caitanya's taking part in this is one of the paraphernalia of our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And because it revives our consciousness about Kṛṣṇa, it is an easy process for reviving mass Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore if you participate in these car festivals, as it is stated in the scriptures, rathe ca vāmanaṁ dṛṣṭvā punar janma na vidyate... If you kindly see these Jagannātha deities riding on these cars and in procession, and as Caitanya Mahāprabhu chanted the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra in front of this car, then according to our Vedic scripture, if you participate in this festival, in your next life you'll go to back, back to home, back to Godhead.

Devotees: (roar) Jaya! All glories to Prabhupāda!

Prabhupāda: So at least I'll request you to come and see this car festival. There is no expenditure, but it is simply joyful. You haven't got to pay anything. You simply come, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, dance with us, and when you are tired we shall give you nice prasādam. So on behalf of Kṛṣṇa conscious society I invite you, all boys, girls, ladies, and gentlemen, to take part in this car festival, and I thank you very much.

Madhudviṣa: Now His Divine Grace will answer questions from the members of the press.

Pressman: Prabhupāda, hi. Why do you think...

Prabhupāda: You can sit down.

Ratha-yatra and Press Conference -- San Francisco, July 4, 1970:

Prabhupāda: So Lord Caitanya, five hundred years ago, He wanted to give the spiritual knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness throughout the whole world, and He has ordered to every Indian that anyone who has taken birth as a human being in India should preach this transcendental knowledge throughout the whole world. So perhaps previously..., means somebody have preached this Kṛṣṇa consciousness knowledge, but since 1965 or '66, since I started this movement from New York, generally all the boys and girls, younger section, they are very much kind upon me, and they are coming to me. And I am very glad to have them. I am just training them to the right spiritual standard of life and I am happy they are abiding by them.

Devotees: All glories to Prabhupāda!

Pressman: Prabhupāda, do you have any advice for ordinary Americans?

Prabhupāda: This is open for everyone, not ordinary or extraordinary. Anyone can come and chant with us and take advantage of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Unfortunately, the elderly people, they do not think that it is necessary. That is the difficulty. Rather, we invite not only these boys and girls—their fathers, their grandfathers. Let all of them come and scrutinizingly study this philosophy. We have got hundreds of books. It is the, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, it is understandable even by the child and even by the greatest philosopher of the day. Recently I had some talks with Dr. Stahl on this high level understanding of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So if philosophers, scientists, thinkers, they come to me, we can convince them how this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is important for the whole human society. Yes.

Ratha-yatra -- London, July 13, 1972:

Prabhupāda: These feelings of separation was preached by Lord Caitanya. So this Ratha-yātrā festival is still observed in Jagannath Purī in India. And five hundred years ago Lord Caitanya participated in this festival, and He was in the mode of separation as if Rādhārāṇī was taking back Kṛṣṇa to Vṛndāvana. So this Ratha-yātrā festival is a feeling festival for the Vaiṣṇavas. Lord Caitanya taught us how to feel separation of God. Lord Caitanya never taught us that He had seen God, but He felt the separation of God very severely. Similarly, His next disciples, the Sad-Gosvāmīs, they also prosecuted their devotional service by separational feelings.

he rādhe vraja-devike ca lalite he nanda-suno kutaḥ

śrī-govardhana-kalpa-pādapa-tale kālindī-vane kutaḥ

ghoṣantāv iti sarvato vraja-pure khedair mahā-vihvalau

vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau

So this Ratha-yātrā festival is very nice, feelings festival for the Vaiṣṇava. And anyone who is participating in this festival, he'll gradually develop his dormant love for Kṛṣṇa. Thank you very much for your kindness.

Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda! Jaya! (end)

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Address -- Detroit Airport, July 16, 1971:

(prema-dhvanī)

Devotee: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda!

Prabhupāda: It has become very satisfactory that so many devotees, boys and girls, are taking part in this great movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It is very important movement because it is correcting the human civilization. There is a great defect in the modern civilization, and people are accepting this body as self, and based on this mistake in the foundation, everything is going wrong. The basic principle of civilization—accepting this body as the soul—is the beginning of all problems. The great philosophers, scientists, theologists and thoughtful men, they do not know what is the defect.

Arrival Address -- Detroit Airport, July 16, 1971:

Prabhupāda: According to Vedic medicine or Vedic anatomy, it is made of three elements—mucus, bile, and air. Tri-dhātu. Apart from that medical science, this body, one who accepts this body as self and Sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu, and persons in relationship with this body as kinsmen, own men, bhauma ijya-dhīḥ, and the land where we take our birth as worshipable, sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13), he is accepted as go-kharaḥ. Go means cow, and khara means ass. That means animal. The animal, they accept this, that "I am this body." But human form of life, which is so advanced in knowledge...

Airport speaker: Ladies and gentlemen, I have to ask you to clear the boarding area so we can start our flight.

Prabhupāda: If... We shall stop? All right. Then we shall stop.

Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda! Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Prabhupāda: So, so Bhagavān dāsa...

Airport speaker: Ladies and gentlemen, I have to ask you to clear the boarding area. We have a flight leaving here in about thirty minutes. We have to check it in. So if you'll kindly clear the boarding area, please. (kīrtana) (end)

Initiation Lectures

Initiations -- New York, July 22, 1971:

Prabhupāda: Rohiṇī. Rohiṇī, the mother of Balarāma. (laughter-it's a boy?)

Devotee: Devamīra.

Prabhupāda: Devamīra.

Devotee: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Victory flag. Victory flag. That means Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (japa) Madirā. Madirā means intoxication. So you be intoxicated by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. So after performance (indistinct) they may to my room.

Devotee: After the yajña?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee: After the yajña the brāhmaṇas, those who are going to be second initiated, can come to Prabhupāda's room.

Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end)

Initiations -- Los Angeles, April 16, 1973:

Prabhupāda: Vratabhānu dāsa. That's nice. So everyone is unpleased except the devotees, for our movement. Hare Kṛṣṇa. You know the rules and regulation? (girl answers) All right, come on. What is the...?

Brahmānanda: Rasaparagni dāsī.

Prabhupāda: Rasa...?

Brahmānanda: Rasaparagni.

Prabhupāda: Rasapara... Rasa-parāyaṇī. Rasa-parāyaṇī. Correct it. One of the gopīs. Rasa-parāyaṇī dāsī, "one who wants to dance with Kṛṣṇa in rasa dance." No ball dance. Finished? All right. Now who shall explain the ten kinds of offenses and the meaning of the oṁ apavitraḥ pavitro vā and then perform yajña?

Karandhara: I shall.

Prabhupāda: So I can go?

Karandhara: Yes, Prabhupāda.

Devotees: Jaya! All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda! (obeisances) (end)

Initiation Lecture -- Toronto, June 17, 1976:

Prabhupāda: So you know the rules and regulations?

Steve: No meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling, and no illicit sex life.

Prabhupāda: And chanting?

Steve: Sixteen rounds per day.

Prabhupāda: Minimum.

Pradyumna: Sthiti-kartā dāsa.

Prabhupāda: Your spiritual name, Sthiti-kartā dāsa.

Devotees: Jaya, Haribol. (another devotee offers obeisances)

Devotee: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotees: Jaya.

Prabhupāda: You know what are the rules and regulations, regulative principles?

Devotee: No meat-eating, no intoxication, no illicit sex and no gambling.

Prabhupāda: Your spiritual name, Gauḍīya dāsa.

Wedding Ceremonies

Wedding Ceremony and Lecture -- Boston, May 6, 1969:

Prabhupāda: Now you take one banana, this part of banana, and stand up. Take each one of you. Supply. Stand up.

namo brahmaṇya-devāya

go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca

jagad-dhitāya kṛṣṇāya

govindāya namo namaḥ

(repeats twice) Now take this, silently. Yes. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. (repeats) Now bow down.

nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale

śrīmate bhaktivedānta svāmin iti nāmine

(Prabhupāda repeats twice) All right. Now chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotees: Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Prabhupāda: And be happy.

Devotees: Haribol! All glories to Śrī Guru and Śrī Gaurāṅga! Haribol! All glories to Prabhupāda!

Prabhupāda: Now chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Dance, chant now. Enjoy life. (kīrtana-Prabhupāda talking in background) (kīrtana, prema-dhvanī) (obeisances) Prasāda? You are sitting uncomfortably?

Guest: No. (devotees chant japa)

Prabhupāda: Now distribute prasāda. (bhajana: Govinda jaya jaya)

Haṁsadūta: There's no draft? The window's not open? (kīrtana in background)

Prabhupāda: No, no. That's all right. I have informed your brother in Germany, Kṛṣṇa dāsa, "Your sister is going to be married..." Stop. You can now eat. Stop. (kīrtana stops)

General Lectures

Lecture -- Detroit, July 16, 1971:

Prabhupāda: A learned man sees every living entity on the equal level. So we are trying to see in that light, and we are trying to teach others also how to accept that light, how to enjoy that light. So it is a very serious movement. You can take. Every one of you can take advantage of it. It is not very difficult to practice, because our process is very simple. You come and chant with us Hare Kṛṣṇa. Anyone can pronounce this word Hare Kṛṣṇa. Actually we are seeing all over the world. There is no difficulty to chant this mantra. It is open. There is no secrecy, that "I shall give you one mantra, a particular mantra for you." No. This mantra is one, and it is equally applicable to everyone—to the learned, to the ignorant, to the white, to the black, to the old, to the youth. Everyone can chant. And actually it is happening. It is very easy. And chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and learn how to chant. There is... Of course, there is no hard and fast rules. You begin chanting in whatever condition you are and see the result. And so far examples, we have got our temples, we have got our devotees. How they are living, how their characters are being formed, how they are becoming purified, how their faces are becoming brighter, you try to see. It is practical. So that is our request, that you take full advantage of this center. You come here. It is being guided by one of my best disciples, Bhagavān dāsa. So he and others will help you. Please come regularly to this temple and take advantage of it.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda!

Prabhupāda: So is there any other business? I shall go.

Devotee: Prasādam.

Prabhupāda: All right. Ārati? If you have got any question, you can... Sit down. Come on.

Bahulāśva: What is the thing that will please you most, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Bahulāśva: What is the thing that would please you the most?

Prabhupāda: Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture -- Bombay, March 18, 1972:

Prabhupāda: So we should take advantage of these facilities offered to human society. If we don't take advantage of it, if simply we work hard like dogs and hogs and die like cats and dogs, then what is the value of life? So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is started to educate people to understand Kṛṣṇa, that's all. We have no other concoction. There is no invention. Simply we are trying to convince people to understand Kṛṣṇa. So our main subject matter is based on the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So we have opened this center in Bombay to give you facilities. Please try to take it. Please come and encourage us, and we shall continue this movement, here in this center, as long as possible.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end)

Lecture -- Bombay, March 19, 1972:

Prabhupāda: So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for para-upakāra, for doing good to others—the best welfare activities in the world. And it is India's duty, it is India's prerogative to take this knowledge and broadcast all over the world for para-upakāra. And actually it is happening. All these European and American boys and girls, they are trying to understand this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement very seriously. So it is very scientific, authorized and practical also. So we hope that all of you who are present here will try to cooperate with this movement, and let us meet at least so long as I am here. That will be very beneficial.

Thank you very much.

Devotee: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end)

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Pradyumna: It says, "This material nature is working under My direction, O son of Kuntī, producing all the moving and unmoving beings, and by its rule this manifestation is created and annihilated again and again."

Prabhupāda: Is there any explanation?

Śyāmasundara: So that's enough for today. Tomorrow we'll take (indistinct).

Prabhupāda: The conclusion is that Mr. Hegel is not in perfect knowledge.

Śyāmasundara: No. At least he sees a purpose in the universe.

Prabhupāda: That's alright. He's trying to see in his own capacity; but he is not perfect.

Kīrtanānanda: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. (break—after this Śyāmasundara is dictating a few extra notes:)

Śyāmasundara: In this regard, later Śrīla Prabhupāda said that a man who has fever and a man who has never had fever, they enjoy... When the man who has fever recovers he enjoys equally with the man who never had fever. Therefore someone who has fallen into the material world, if he is liberated, he enjoys equally with the man who has never fallen into the material world. Neither he enjoys more, for instance, that he has learned some lesson so therefore he enjoys more his freedom, nor does he enjoy less than the man who has never fallen. (break)

Prabhupāda: Well, everything is the expression of spirit.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- August 1, 1972, London:

Indian: No, no, he lives in Europe somewhere. Switzerland, most... Sometimes coming in Hampstead Heath.

Prabhupāda: He has got a big family?

Devotee: Yes.

Prabhupāda: You said that he's producing a still child?

Devotee: Yeah, he produced last year, or two years ago. It was in Life magazine.

Prabhupāda: Hm. (pause)

Devotee: It's already about 10:30.

Prabhupāda: All right.

Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. (devotees leave)

Prabhupāda: So ask Pradyumna if he wants to give.

Devotee: Yeah. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...viṣaya chāḍiyā. Oh, yes, then it is (indistinct). Viṣaya chāḍiyā, se rase majiyā mukhe bolo hari hari, parama karuṇa, pahū dui jana. But even if we do speculation business and do it for Kṛṣṇa, that is not good.

Room Conversation -- October 25, 1972, Vrndavana:

Pañca-draviḍa: The last situation I had heard was that everybody was agreeable, that Nair himself was agreeable and that everything was proceeding, but it was in the hands of the Municipality and that was going so slow, and that Nair himself, he is saying so many dubious things on the outside, but in complete agreement once you step into a room with him. So we are not so much sure. It's more or less in the hands of the Municipality, but who knows what is going on behind the table. Something like that. (break)

Prabhupāda: Take a little breakfast?

Gurudāsa: They said you wanted to see me?

Prabhupāda: Huh? Oh, about that typing. (break) How we have secured that house in London.

Gurudāsa: Oh, jaya! All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda!

Prabhupāda: Berkshire Palace.

Devotee (1): Berkshire Palace, (indistinct).

Gurudāsa: Duke of Windsor's castle(?).

Devotee (1): He's the king there, right? The queen's husband.

Prabhupāda: He was to be the king, but he rejected for that one common girl. So the ministry asked him that "You have to give up this girl or you have to give up your throne." So he preferred to give up his throne. And the present queen's father, his second brother, he was made king, King George VI. Otherwise, this Duke of Windsor... When he refused to become the king, he became the Duke of Windsor and he was given this Berkshire Palace.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 19, 1973, Los Angeles:

Brahmānanda: We are simply your puppets, Śrīla Prabhupāda. You're giving us the books.

Prabhupāda: No. We are all set of puppets of Kṛṣṇa. I am also puppet. Puppet. This is disciplic succession. We, we have to become puppet. That's all. As I am puppet of my Guru Mahārāja, if you become my puppet, then that is success. Our success is there when we become puppet of the predecessor. Tāṅdera caraṇa sevi bhakta sane vāsa. To live in the society of devotees and to become puppet of the predecessor ācārya. This is success. So we are trying to do that. Kṛṣṇa consciousness society and serve the predecessor. That's all. Harer nāma harer nāma... (CC Adi 17.21). (pause) People will come. People will appreciate our propaganda. It will take some time.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: They are appreciating more now than a couple of years ago.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: They're starting to understand the genuine philosophy. (pause) All glories to you Śrīla Prabhupāda. Like some prasādam?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Now you distribute to all.

Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end of recording)

Morning Walk -- April 26, 1973, Los Angeles:

Devotee: I was wondering is she was alive in human form while Kṛṣṇa was on earth.

Prabhupāda: No, no. She may not be. But where is the wrong if she's not in human form? Eh? Everyone is alive, plants, beasts, everyone is alive. Why you are so much anxious for the human form of life?

Devotee: It wouldn't matter.

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa can talk with animals, with trees, with plants. That is Kṛṣṇa. Do you think that "I cannot talk with plants, therefore the plant should be in human form?" That is your conception. If I can talk with everyone, then where is the difference for me, a human being, or an insect or plant? So there is no such question that everyone should be in human form. Then one can talk with Kṛṣṇa and enjoy. No. (pause)

Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end)