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Grace of God

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Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 1

If one is engaged in hearing the glories of the Lord, gradually he realizes his real position. By the grace of God such a devotee gets sufficient strength to defend himself from the state of disturbances, and gradually all disturbing elements are eliminated from his mind.
SB 1.2.17, Purport:

One cannot enter into the kingdom of God unless one is perfectly cleared of all sins. The material sins are products of our desires to lord it over material nature. It is very difficult to get rid of such desires. Women and wealth are very difficult problems for the devotee making progress on the path back to Godhead. Many stalwarts in the devotional line fell victim to these allurements and thus retreated from the path of liberation. But when one is helped by the Lord Himself, the whole process becomes as easy as anything by the divine grace of the Lord.

To become restless in the contact of women and wealth is not an astonishment, because every living being is associated with such things from remote time, practically immemorial, and it takes time to recover from this foreign nature. But if one is engaged in hearing the glories of the Lord, gradually he realizes his real position. By the grace of God such a devotee gets sufficient strength to defend himself from the state of disturbances, and gradually all disturbing elements are eliminated from his mind.

By God's grace, water can be easily obtained from any place if there is facility for boring the ground.
SB 1.15.17, Purport:

In the warfield, scarcity of water is a well-known fact. Water is very rare there, and both the animals and men, working strenuously on the warfield, constantly require water to quench their thirst. Especially wounded soldiers and generals feel very thirsty at the time of death, and it sometimes so happens that simply for want of water one has to die unavoidably. But such scarcity of water was solved in the Battle of Kurukṣetra by means of boring the ground. By God's grace, water can be easily obtained from any place if there is facility for boring the ground. The modern system works on the same principle of boring the ground, but modern engineers are still unable to dig immediately wherever necessary. It appears, however, from the history as far back as the days of the Pāṇḍavas, that big generals like Arjuna could at once supply water even to the horses, and what to speak of men, by drawing water from underneath the hard ground simply by penetrating the stratum with a sharp arrow, a method still unknown to the modern scientists.

A devotee has no suffering at all because so-called suffering is also God's grace for a devotee who sees God in everything.
SB 1.17.22, Purport:

A devotee's conclusion is that no one is directly responsible for being a benefactor or mischief-monger without the sanction of the Lord; therefore he does not consider anyone to be directly responsible for such action. But in both the cases he takes it for granted that either benefit or loss is God-sent, and thus it is His grace. In case of benefit, no one will deny that it is God-sent, but in case of loss or reverses one becomes doubtful about how the Lord could be so unkind to His devotee as to put him in great difficulty. Jesus Christ was seemingly put into such great difficulty, being crucified by the ignorant, but he was never angry at the mischief-mongers. That is the way of accepting a thing, either favorable or unfavorable. Thus for a devotee the identifier is equally a sinner, like the mischief-monger. By God's grace, the devotee tolerates all reverses. Mahārāja Parīkṣit observed this, and therefore he could understand that the bull was no other than the personality of religion himself. In other words, a devotee has no suffering at all because so-called suffering is also God's grace for a devotee who sees God in everything. The cow and bull never placed any complaint before the King for being tortured by the personality of Kali, although everyone lodges such complaints before the state authorities. The extraordinary behavior of the bull made the King conclude that the bull was certainly the personality of religion, for no one else could understand the finer intricacies of the codes of religion.

SB Canto 2

The swine accepts any kind of foodstuff, including stools, and a human being who has developed such indiscriminate taste must be prepared for a degraded life in the next life. Such a life is also God's grace because the conditioned soul desired a body like that for perfectly tasting a particular type of foodstuff.
SB 2.10.19, Purport:

If the human being develops taste without discrimination, as does the swine, then the controlling deity is certainly certified for the next term to award him the body of a swine. The swine accepts any kind of foodstuff, including stools, and a human being who has developed such indiscriminate taste must be prepared for a degraded life in the next life. Such a life is also God's grace because the conditioned soul desired a body like that for perfectly tasting a particular type of foodstuff. If a man gets the body of a swine it must be considered the grace of the Lord because the Lord awards the facility. After death the next body is offered by superior control, not blindly. A human being, therefore, must be on his guard as to what sort of body he is going to have in the next life. An irresponsible life of indiscrimination is risky, and that is the declaration of all scriptures.

SB Canto 3

Where there are women and meat, there must be liquor and sex indulgence. When these are prominent in society, by God's grace one can expect a change in the social order by the Lord Himself or by His bona fide representative.
SB 3.14.40, Purport:

Demoniac activities are predominant when innocent, faultless living entities are killed, women are tortured, and the great souls engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness are enraged. In a demoniac society, innocent animals are killed to satisfy the tongue, and women are tortured by unnecessary sexual indulgence. Where there are women and meat, there must be liquor and sex indulgence. When these are prominent in society, by God's grace one can expect a change in the social order by the Lord Himself or by His bona fide representative.

Only by God's grace can one get a nice wife just as he desires. Similarly, it is only by God's grace that a girl gets a husband suitable to her heart.
SB 3.21.28, Purport:

The Lord awards all benedictions according to the heart's desire of a devotee, so the Lord informed Kardama Muni, "The girl who is coming to be married with you is a princess, the daughter of Emperor Svāyambhuva, and so just suitable for your purpose." Only by God's grace can one get a nice wife just as he desires. Similarly, it is only by God's grace that a girl gets a husband suitable to her heart. Thus it is said that if we pray to the Supreme Lord in every transaction of our material existence, everything will be done very nicely and just suitable to our heart's desire. In other words, in all circumstances we must take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and depend completely on His decision. Man proposes, God disposes.

Devahūti desired from the beginning that first she be pregnant and then she be empowered with the achievement of God's grace and love of God.
SB 3.23.10, Purport:

Kardama Muni was a great soul, and therefore he was under the spiritual energy, which means that he was directly connected with the Supreme Lord. The symptom of this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, constant engagement in devotional service. This was known to Devahūti, yet she was anxious to have a son by bodily union with the sage. She reminded her husband of his promise to her parents: "I will remain only until the time of Devahūti's pregnancy." She reminded him that for a chaste woman to have a child by a great personality is most glorious. She wanted to be pregnant, and she prayed for that. The word strī means "expansion." By bodily union of the husband and wife their qualities are expanded: children born of good parents are expansions of the parents' personal qualifications. Both Kardama Muni and Devahūti were spiritually enlightened; therefore she desired from the beginning that first she be pregnant and then she be empowered with the achievement of God's grace and love of God. For a woman it is a great ambition to have a son of the same quality as a highly qualified husband. Since she had the opportunity to have Kardama Muni as her husband, she also desired to have a child by bodily union.

It cannot be expected that one planet is exactly like another. By God's grace, by nature's law, each and every planet is made differently and has different wonderful features.
SB 3.23.43, Purport:

It cannot be expected that one planet is exactly like another. By God's grace, by nature's law, each and every planet is made differently and has different wonderful features. All such wonders were personally experienced by Kardama Muni while he traveled with his wife, yet he could return again to his humble hermitage. He showed his princess-wife that although he was living in the hermitage, he had the power to go everywhere and do anything by mystic yoga. That is the perfection of yoga. One cannot become a perfect yogī simply by showing some sitting postures, nor by such sitting postures or so-called meditation can one become God, as is being advertised. Foolish persons are misled into believing that simply by some caricature of meditation and sitting postures one can become God within six months.

A devotee is not anxious to possess anything. He is satisfied with whatever is obtainable by God's grace.
SB 3.25.39-40, Purport:

A pure devotee is not anxious to elevate himself in his next birth. He has already given up that sort of hope. In any life in which one is born, as a householder, or even as an animal, one must have some children, some resources or some possessions, but a devotee is not anxious to possess anything. He is satisfied with whatever is obtainable by God's grace. He is not at all attached to improving his social status or improving the status of education of his children. He is not neglectful—he is dutiful—but he does not spend too much time on the upliftment of temporary household or social life. He fully engages in the service of the Lord, and for other affairs he simply spares as much time as absolutely necessary (yathārham upayuñjataḥ).

In the human form of life, by the grace of God, the consciousness is so developed that a man can evaluate his exceptional position and thus realize the self and the Supreme Lord.
SB 3.31.19, Purport:

The human form of life is supposed to be the highest, for it offers consciousness for getting out of the clutches of birth and death. The fortunate child in the womb of his mother realizes his superior position and is thereby distinguished from other bodies. Animals in bodies lower than that of the human being are conscious only as far as their bodily distress and happiness are concerned; they cannot think of more than their bodily necessities of life-eating, sleeping, mating and defending. But in the human form of life, by the grace of God, the consciousness is so developed that a man can evaluate his exceptional position and thus realize the self and the Supreme Lord.

SB Canto 6

Although sex life is the topmost enjoyment in the material world and although one may have an opportunity for sexual enjoyment by the grace of God, this entails a risk of committing offenses.
SB 6.4.52, Purport:

One should not think that Dakṣa received the favor of the Lord by receiving the facilities for unlimited sex. Later verses will reveal that Dakṣa again committed an offense, this time at the lotus feet of Nārada. Therefore although sex life is the topmost enjoyment in the material world and although one may have an opportunity for sexual enjoyment by the grace of God, this entails a risk of committing offenses. Dakṣa was open to such offenses, and therefore, strictly speaking, he was not actually favored by the Supreme Lord. One should not seek the favor of the Lord for unlimited potency in sex life.

SB Canto 7

As far as our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is concerned, we are getting money naturally, by the grace of God, by selling our literature.
SB 7.13.32, Purport:

The result of the greedy capitalist's unnecessary accumulation of wealth is that he must suffer from a blazing fire of anxiety and always be concerned with how to save his money and invest it properly to get more and more. Such a life is certainly not very happy, but because of the spell of the illusory energy, materialistic persons engage in such activities.

As far as our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is concerned, we are getting money naturally, by the grace of God, by selling our literature. This literature is not sold for our sense gratification; to spread the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement we need so many things, and Kṛṣṇa is therefore supplying us the requisite money to advance this mission. The mission of Kṛṣṇa is to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world, and for this purpose we naturally must have sufficient money. Therefore, according to the advice of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, we should not give up attachment to money that can spread the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Whatever money a gṛhastha accumulates by the grace of God he should spend in five activities, namely worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, receiving Vaiṣṇavas and saintly persons, distributing prasāda to the general public and to all living entities, offering prasāda to his forefathers, and also offering prasāda to his own self.
SB 7.14 Summary:

Factually, according to the instructions of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, every gṛhastha is a great communist who provides the means of living for everyone. Whatever a gṛhastha may possess he should equally distribute to all living entities, without discrimination. The best process is to distribute prasāda.

A gṛhastha should not be very much attached to his wife; he should engage even his own wife in serving a guest with all attention. Whatever money a gṛhastha accumulates by the grace of God he should spend in five activities, namely worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, receiving Vaiṣṇavas and saintly persons, distributing prasāda to the general public and to all living entities, offering prasāda to his forefathers, and also offering prasāda to his own self. Gṛhasthas should always be ready to worship everyone as mentioned above. The gṛhastha should not eat anything not offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Adi-lila

By the grace of God, we have complete freedom. Because the Lord is kind to us, we can live anywhere—either in the spiritual sky or in the material sky, upon whichever planet we desire. However, misuse of this freedom causes one to fall down into the material world and suffer the threefold miseries of conditioned life.
CC Adi 5.22, Purport:

For the perfect yogī who has attained success in the method of leaving his body in perfect consciousness, transferring from one planet to another is as easy as an ordinary man's walking to the grocery store. As already discussed, the material body is just a covering of the spiritual soul. Mind and intelligence are the undercoverings, and the gross body of earth, water, air and so on is the overcoating of the soul. As such, any advanced soul who has realized himself by the yogic process, who knows the relationship between matter and spirit, can leave the gross dress of the soul in perfect order and as he desires. By the grace of God, we have complete freedom. Because the Lord is kind to us, we can live anywhere—either in the spiritual sky or in the material sky, upon whichever planet we desire. However, misuse of this freedom causes one to fall down into the material world and suffer the threefold miseries of conditioned life. The living of a miserable life in the material world by dint of the soul's choice is nicely illustrated by Milton in Paradise Lost. Similarly, by choice the soul can regain paradise and return home, back to Godhead.

Having missed the goal of life, materialists run after self-sufficiency, not knowing that material nature is already self-sufficient by the grace of God.
CC Adi 5.51, Purport:

The Personality of Godhead is the direct, or remote, cause of creation, and material nature is the indirect, or immediate, cause. Materialistic scientists, puffed-up by the magical changes their so-called inventions have brought about, cannot see the real potency of Godhead behind matter. Therefore the jugglery of science is gradually leading people to a godless civilization at the cost of the goal of human life. Having missed the goal of life, materialists run after self-sufficiency, not knowing that material nature is already self-sufficient by the grace of God. Thus creating a colossal hoax in the name of civilization, they create an imbalance in the natural self-sufficiency of material nature.

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

My dear sister, you know that we were very much harassed by King Kaṁsa, and by his persecutions we were scattered here and there. We were always full of anxieties. Only in the last few days have we returned to our own places, by the grace of God.
Krsna Book 82:

Vasudeva replied to his sister, "My dear sister, do not be sorry, and do not blame me in that way. We should always remember that we are all only toys in the hands of providence. Everyone is under the control of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is under His control only that all kinds of fruitive actions and their reactions take place. My dear sister, you know that we were very much harassed by King Kaṁsa, and by his persecutions we were scattered here and there. We were always full of anxieties. Only in the last few days have we returned to our own places, by the grace of God."

After this conversation, Vasudeva and Ugrasena received the kings who came to see them, and they sufficiently welcomed them all. Seeing Lord Kṛṣṇa present on the spot, all the visitors felt transcendental pleasure and became very peaceful. Some of the prominent visitors were as follows: Bhīṣmadeva, Droṇācārya, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Duryodhana, Gāndhārī along with her sons, King Yudhiṣṭhira along with his wife, and the Pāṇḍavas along with Kuntī, as well as Sañjaya, Vidura, Kṛpācārya, Kuntībhoja, Virāṭa, Bhīṣmaka, King Nagnajit, Purujit, Drupada, Śalya, Dhṛṣṭaketu, the King of Kāśī, Damaghoṣa, Viśālākṣa, the King of Mithilā, the King of Madras (formerly known as Madra), the King of Kekaya, Yudhāmanyu, Suśarmā, Bāhlika along with his sons, and many other rulers subordinate to King Yudhiṣṭhira.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Fortunately, by God's grace, Prahlāda Mahārāja heard all the instruction of Nārada when he was in the womb of his mother. And the result was, from the beginning of his life, he is Kṛṣṇa conscious.
Lecture on BG 1.28-29 -- London, July 22, 1973:

Prahlāda Mahārāja recommends therefore,

kaumāra ācaret prājño
dharmān bhāgavatān iha
durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma
tad apy adhruvam arthadam
(SB 7.6.1)

He was five years old, Kṛṣṇa conscious, from the womb of his mother. He heard instruction of Nārada. Nārada was instructing his mother. He was in the womb. Fortunately, by God's grace, he heard all the instruction of Nārada when he was in the womb of his mother. And the result was, from the beginning of his life, he is Kṛṣṇa conscious. From the beginning. As soon as he took birth, he was Kṛṣṇa conscious. So he was advising his class friends, preaching. Just see. He was five-years-old boy, but he was taking the opportunity of preaching. Because the teacher... He is born of demon family. So all those class friends, they were also sons of demons. So there is no question of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But he learned Kṛṣṇa consciousness from the womb of his mother.

Out of 8,400,000 forms of life there are only 400,000 forms of human life. And 8,000,000 forms they are lower animals, birds, beasts, aquatics. Who is supplying their foodstuff? Everyone is sumptuously fed by the grace of God.
Lecture on BG 3.11-19 -- Los Angeles, December 27, 1968:

The modern theory—the population has increased—this is a nonsense theory. If there is production is sufficient, where is the question of population increasing? Let population increase. The supplier will give you. In the Vedic literature we find, eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. That Supreme Lord is supplying everyone food. Why do you think of human society? What is the human society? Out of 8,400,000 forms of life there are only 400,000 forms of human life. And 8,000,000 forms they are lower animals, birds, beasts, aquatics. Who is supplying their foodstuff? Everyone is sumptuously fed by the grace of God.

The arrangement is so nice in the administration of nature that we shall get all our necessities of life by the grace of God.
Lecture on BG 3.13-16 -- New York, May 23, 1966:

Lord Kṛṣṇa says that things which are eatable, we receive by the grace of the Lord. We should acknowledge it. We should not be forgetful, that our eatables, which come to us, they can be manufactured by our sweet will. No. The arrangement is so nice in the administration of nature that we shall get all our necessities of life by the grace of God, and our duty is to advance ourself in the right knowledge of our spiritual existence without unnecessarily engaging ourself for sense gratification. That is the difference between human civilization and animal life.

A bank clerk or a bank cashier should be satisfied with his post and the wages he gets. He should be satisfied. If God pleases he will be elevated to higher position. That is God's grace.
Lecture on BG 4.19-25 -- Los Angeles, January 9, 1969:

The theory of the communist theory. They have tried to attack others that they have snatched our money. Actually one should be satisfied. Just like a bank clerk or a bank cashier should be satisfied with his post and the wages he gets. He should be satisfied. If God pleases he will be elevated to higher position. That is God's grace. But we should not be disturbed. We should be śāntas... And thus disturbance can be checked only if we are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

If everybody thinks like that, that "I don't want more," then where is the trouble in this world? There is no trouble. Because by grace of God, there is enough food, enough sufficient stock.
Lecture on BG 5.7-13 -- New York, August 27, 1966:

Jitendriyaḥ means that greedy, greediness. I want more. As soon as he becomes Kṛṣṇa consciousness, his greediness goes away. "I don't want more. I don't want more." So if everybody thinks like that, that "I don't want more," then where is the trouble in this world? There is no trouble. Because by grace of God, there is enough food, enough sufficient stock. Simply it is the anomaly of distribution by the human society that is creating one starving and one... And that starvation is also due to his own work. There are so many. But for perfection, the perfection of the world situation, this is required. Yoga-yukto viśuddhātmā. When one is dovetailed with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is pure soul.

Those who are rich in this world, or those who have got birth in a very pious family, brāhmaṇa family, they should understand that "It is God's grace that I have got my birth with such, so much facilities of life."
Lecture on BG 6.40-43 -- New York, September 18, 1966:

So those who are rich in this world, or those who have got birth in a very, I mean to say, pious family, brāhmaṇa family, they should understand that "It is God's grace that I have got my birth with such, so much facilities of life." Why śucīnām? In a pious family one gets the chance of spiritual advancement. I shall say practically, from my whole life. I was fortunate to get my, I mean to say, birth, in a very pious family. Yes. My father was very pious man, and I wanted to imitate him in my childhood. Of course, our family was not very poor, but we were not very rich men. But my father was very pious man. So he was worshiping Kṛṣṇa. So in my childhood, when I was five or six years old, I requested my father that "Father, give me this Deity. I shall worship." So father purchased for me little Kṛṣṇa, Rādhā, and he gave me, and I was imitating. Whatever foodstuff I was getting, I was offering to Kṛṣṇa and eating. In this way I got my life developed. And there was a temple in our neighborhood. So I was seeing the Kṛṣṇa Deity.

Even unconscious, the child's development of the body goes on. That is nature's arrangement, but you cannot do that. It is by God's grace the child lives. Otherwise, by your so-called scientific calculation, nobody can live in that condition.
Lecture on BG 7.14 -- Hamburg, September 8, 1969:

So you have to live within the mother, compact, air-tight packed, for ten months, at least. Just imagine if you are packed in a bag and put in a air-tight compartment, locked up, would you like? You'll die within three seconds. But the arrangement is so nice, by nature's law, the intestine, that the mother (child) breathes with the mother's breathing, mother's fooding. Even unconscious, his development of the body goes on. That is nature's arrangement, but you cannot do that. It is by God's grace the child lives. Otherwise, by your so-called scientific calculation, nobody can live in that condition. You just try it. Take any man, pack him, and put him in the air-tight condition. He'll die within three seconds.

Those who are intelligent, those who by God's grace, Kṛṣṇa's grace, or by good association can understand that "This sort of life is not desirable. I must perform dṛḍha-vrata, with great determination and vow, in this life so that I may be transferred into the Kṛṣṇaloka planet where going I shall not have to return back..."
Lecture on BG 9.20-22 -- New York, December 6, 1966:

That seriousness, one who has taken that serious attitude, they can actually perform this Kṛṣṇa consciousness very nicely. But those who are still under the impression that "Material advancement will make me happy," they are still under the spell of illusion. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). This planet, that planet, that planet, that planet, that planet. But in no planet nowhere you can have perfect peace of life. That is impossible. Therefore those who are intelligent, those who are by God's grace, Kṛṣṇa's grace, or by good association one who can understand that "This sort of life is not desirable. I must perform dṛḍha-vrata, with great determination and vow, in this life so that yad gatvā na nivartante (BG 15.6), I may be transferred into the Kṛṣṇaloka planet where going I shall not have to return back..."

We may do whatever by God's grace or by nature's freaks we are situated. That doesn't matter. But if you take this formula, always think of Kṛṣṇa, then the result will be that you will never be unhappy.
Lecture on BG 9.22-23 -- New York, December 8, 1966:

Everyone has to do something to keep his body and soul together. That is the law of nature. Niyataṁ kuru karma tvaṁ karma jyāyo hy akarmaṇaḥ. Arjuna was Kṛṣṇa's friend, but He never said that "You stop your working." Rather, He engaged him in his real work. He was a fighter. He was a soldier. He was declining to do the duty of a soldier. But Kṛṣṇa induced him, "No. You must become a soldier." So we may do whatever by God's grace or by nature's freaks we are situated. That doesn't matter. But if you take this formula, ananyāś cintayanto mām, always think of Kṛṣṇa, then the result will be that you will never be unhappy. Just try. Make an experiment.

When we get by evolutionary process, come to this human form of life by God's grace, nature's mercy, we can understand what is what.
Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Miami, February 27, 1975:

So when we get by evolutionary process, come to this human form of life by God's grace, nature's mercy, we can understand what is what. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is explaining to Arjuna, a human being, not to a cat and dog. Therefore He says, tat kṣetram, "That body," how it has become varieties, what is the ingredients. The ingredients are the same. This material body, the ingredients are the four primary gross elements, means earth, water, air, fire and ether or sky, the mind, intelligence and ego. This is the composition of this body. And beyond this composition, I am there, soul.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Without God's grace, you cannot live.
Lecture on SB 1.2.1 -- New Vrindaban, September 1, 1972:

Guest: You say that we have eternal relationships with the Supreme?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest: Does that mean that at one time we had this relationship and now we still have it, and then we will still have it later?

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes, not once you have it, still. Without God's grace, you cannot live. You are still, but you have forgotten. Just like a prisoner. A prisoner is put into prison house. That does not mean he has lost his relationship with the state. Before coming to the prison house he was a state citizen, and in the prison also, he is also a state citizen. And the government has concern both ways, when he was free, and when he is in prison. So our relationship with God is not broken, or it cannot be separated. It is there always, but at the present moment, we are covered. We are thinking there is no God. That is our ignorance. Therefore you are suffering.

So if you all are responsible, if you know your duty, try to save the society, especially in your country, America. By God's grace you have enough of everything. And you have got intelligence also, otherwise how you are coming?
Lecture on SB 1.2.13 -- Los Angeles, August 16, 1972:

So when you come to the system of varṇāśrama, this is by nature. It is creation of God, just like in your body there are four divisions—the brain, arms, belly and legs divisions. So how can you avoid? This is natural. Unless you have got brain, if your head is cut off from the body, then what is the value? It is dead body. Similarly, at the present moment there is no brahminical culture. There may be very strong arm department, there may be very well-equipped economic department or labor department, but because the head is not there, it is a dead body. Therefore the whole society is suffering; there is no brāhmaṇa, or the head. We are creating brāhmaṇas so that the society may be saved. We are not creating rascals; we are creating brāhmaṇas. So if you all are responsible, if you know your duty, try to save the society, especially in your country, America. By God's grace you have enough of everything. And you have got intelligence also, otherwise how you are coming? Unless you are born of intelligent father and mother, how you are taking this?

By God's grace, nature has sufficiently given opportunity for enjoying these things: eating, sleeping, mating and defending.
Lecture on SB 1.2.23 -- Vrndavana, November 3, 1972:

So many people have gone so much down that they cannot understand that low-grade life is not desirable. They do not make any distinction. In whatever life it may be, if there is sufficient arrangement for eating, sleeping, mating, then they are happy. Viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt. By God's grace, nature has sufficiently given opportunity for enjoying these things: eating, sleeping, mating and defending. Just like these monkeys, they have got enough facilities for eating, sleeping, mating, especially mating, they have got very good facility. Beginning from the morning, they are going on in sex matters. And defending also, they have got nails and teeth.

A brāhmaṇa is not supposed to improve his economic condition. He's not interested. He's simply satisfied: "By the grace of God, whatever I have got, that is sufficient."
Lecture on SB 1.5.28 -- Vrndavana, August 9, 1974:

When you are in, in the platform of satisfaction, sattva-guṇa... Just like the brahminical qualification. They are satisfied with anything. A brāhmaṇa is not supposed to improve his economic condition. He's not interested. He's simply satisfied: "By the grace of God, whatever I have got, that is sufficient." God is supplying everyone, even birds and beasts and cats and dogs. Eko yo bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān. He is giving food to everyone. So sattva-guṇa means to remain satisfied whatever is obtained by, from God, by His free will. That's all. They are not after economic development.

You American boys and girls, you are born of rich father, mother, nation. So this is, in one sense, it is God's grace.
Lecture on SB 1.8.26 -- Los Angeles, April 18, 1973:

So these are the disqualifications. Material opulence, these things... Janma, to take birth in very aristocratic family or nation. Just like you American boys and girls, you are born of rich father, mother, nation. So this is, in one sense, it is God's grace. That is also... To take birth in nice family or in nice nation, to become opulent, very rich, to become advanced in knowledge, education, all, everything material. And beauty, these are the gifts of pious activities. Otherwise, why a poor man, he does not attract anyone's attention. But a rich man attracts. An educated man attracts the attention. A fool, rascal, does not attract attention. So similarly in beauty, in opulence, these things are materially very beneficial.

So by the grace of God, Kṛṣṇa, you have become so powerful nation, rich, beautiful, educated. By grace of Kṛṣṇa you have become, but if you forget Kṛṣṇa, then you are again going to be mouse. Remember that.
Lecture on SB 1.15.20 -- Los Angeles, November 30, 1973:

So you American people, you have become tiger now, Nixon tiger. But if you don't behave obligely, if you don't feel obliged, if the tiger feels obliged that "By the grace of the saintly person, I have come to the stage of becoming a tiger, I must be very much obliged to him..." But instead of becoming obliged, if you want to eat, then again become a mouse. If the saintly person has got the power to make you from mouse to tiger, then he can convert you again from tiger to mouse. You must always remember this. So by the grace of God, Kṛṣṇa, you have become so powerful nation, rich, beautiful, educated. By grace of Kṛṣṇa you have become, but if you forget Kṛṣṇa, then you are again going to be mouse. Remember that.

You get power by the grace of God, by grace of Kṛṣṇa. If you misuse it, then you become a burden, a burden.
Lecture on SB 1.15.25-26 -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1973:

So here the example is given, jalaukasāṁ jale yadvan mahāntaḥ adanti. Adanti means swallows up. Similarly, when the Yadus became very powerful... Because they are descendants of Kṛṣṇa, who can be...? So they were fighting anywhere, conquering anywhere, and everywhere they were victorious. So that was bhū-bhārān. Bhū-bhārān means burden of the world. When one becomes extravagant and misuses his power, that is burden of the world. You cannot misuse your... You get power by the grace of God, by grace of Kṛṣṇa. If you misuse it, then you become a burden, a burden. As soon as there is burden, then it is dharmasya glāniḥ. Kṛṣṇa says, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). As soon as there is a misuse of power, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham, He comes. So Yadu-vaṁśa, Kṛṣṇa's dynasty, when Kṛṣṇa saw that they are becoming so powerful, that unnecessarily they are fighting, therefore to kill them, that fighting spirit was engaged for fighting amongst themselves, one another.

The more the intelligent persons are, they create their own facilities by the grace of God.
Lecture on SB 1.16.17 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1974:

Take for example you Americans. Your standard of living, from material point of view, you have got greater facilities, or you have created your own good facilities. Similarly the more the intelligent persons are, they create their own facilities by the grace of God. Just like in this America, the Red Indians were there, but they could not develop the country. But when the Europeans came and settled in this country, now this country has become the first-class country in comparison to other countries. So it is the intelligence.

One who is opulent in this life, they should be very much careful that "By the grace of God, I have got this opportunity. Now the opportunity should be utilized to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness."
Lecture on SB 1.16.19 -- Los Angeles, July 9, 1974:

So one who is opulent in this life, they should be very much careful that "By the grace of God, I have got this opportunity. Now the opportunity should be utilized to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness," means to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is advancement. If anyone understands Kṛṣṇa, that "Kṛṣṇa, You are the greatest..." God is great, we have heard so many times from so many people. But what is God? We did not know. Now we understand that Kṛṣṇa. So if you engage yourself simply to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, simply by thinking of Kṛṣṇa, then your life is successful. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

If food comes, by God's grace, they will eat; otherwise no, they'll not go anywhere. Completely dependent: "If God gives, then I shall eat. Otherwise we shall not endeavor."
Lecture on SB 1.16.24 -- Hawaii, January 20, 1974:

We require, āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithuna. We require little, little everything... (break) ...for spiritually advancing. They remain without dress. Even in the severest type of cold, they remain without dress, sitting, only smearing the body with some ashes. They'll take bath in the morning and cover the body with ashes, not very thick. But he'll sit down whole day and night and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. No business. No endeavor for food. If food comes, by God's grace, they will eat; otherwise no, they'll not go anywhere. Completely dependent: "If God gives, then I shall eat. Otherwise we shall not endeavor." This is our first endeavor, what to eat, where to live, where to sleep, where to have sex life. This is our all endeavor. They stop all this endeavor. That is spiritual life. Stop everything.

This human form life, durlabham. After many, many millions of evolution, we have got it. So it is very durlabha. We have got this opportunity by the grace of God, or the material nature has given us this opportunity. Now we should utilize it properly. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
Lecture on SB 3.26.44 -- Bombay, January 19, 1975:

We can understand from Vedic knowledge what is our position, what is our relationship with God, how we shall act in that relationship. These are the opportunities in this human form of life—not in the form of cats and dogs. So in spite of getting this opportunity, if we do not understand God, if we do not understand what is our relationship with God, then according to śāstra it is called ātma-han. Ātma-han means suicide. If you cut your throat yourself, who can save you? So we should not become ātma-han and spoil this life. Durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma tad apy adhruvam arthadam. This human form life, durlabham. After many, many millions of evolution, we have got it. So it is very durlabha. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. We have got this opportunity by the grace of God, or the material nature has given us this opportunity. Now we should utilize it properly. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Don't spoil it.

A pure devotee, although he does not artificially try to increase the duration of life, by God's grace his duration of life is increased.
Lecture on SB 4.14.14 -- November 16, 1971, Delhi:

Everyone has got a destination that "This person will live for so many years, this person will live for so many years." But a pure devotee as a yogi can increase the duration of his life. Similarly, a pure devotee, although he does not artificially try to increase the duration of life, by God's grace his duration of life is increased. He is... A pure devotee is no longer within the rules and regulation of material nature. Brahma-bhūyāya kalpate. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). Māṁ ca 'vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate. Anyone who engages himself in pure devotional service, avyabhicāreṇa, he is no longer under the rules and regulation of this material nature.

I have got nice children in a foreign country. They are taking so much care of me, I could not expect such care from my own children. So this is God's grace. We should depend on Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Tittenhurst, London, September 12, 1969:

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. On the other hand, by Kṛṣṇa's grace, I have got better family members. I have got nice children in a foreign country. They are taking so much care of me, I could not expect such care from my own children. So this is God's grace. We should depend on Kṛṣṇa. If Kṛṣṇa is kind, wherever we go, everyone will be pleased, everyone will be kind. And if Kṛṣṇa is unpleased, even in your family life you'll not be comfortable.

They don't care for whether they have got to eat or not to eat. By God's grace somebody is coming, somebody is giving something, somebody is giving something.
Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- London (Tittenhurst), September 13, 1969:

There are many saintly persons residing on the bank of the river Ganges. Early in the morning they cleanse the body. They go to evacuate on the field. After evacuating they come to the river, cleanse the body very nicely, and smear the body with the clay received from the river, and they sit down at a place and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa—whole day. They don't care for whether they have got to eat or not to eat. By God's grace somebody is coming, somebody is giving something, somebody is giving something. Just like in your country also you are offering, somebody is offering food, somebody is offering something. So there is arrangement by God's law, everyone shall eat.

God has supplied your country is, by God's grace, you have got sufficient foodstuff.
Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- London (Tittenhurst), September 13, 1969:

Prabhupāda: Our program is to eat kṛṣṇa-prasāda.

Devotee (1): I know, but I mean if we're not in a position, like we're away from... Like we're on the road at lunchtime or something.

Prabhupāda: Lunchtime you can eat bread, butter, fruit, milk. There are so many things. Dry fruits. So there are so many. God has supplied your country is, by God's grace, you have got sufficient foodstuff. You can use potato, vegetables.

Our Vedic civilization is that people are satisfied in his own position, a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Whatever by God's grace he got, he was satisfied. The real energy was utilized how to become eligible to receive mercy of Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted, how to learn how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 5.5.15 -- Vrndavana, November 3, 1976:

"Nobody is taught how to cry or how to laugh or how to enjoy sex life." There is a Bengali saying. That is natural. You don't require any education for this karma. Now they are making big, big plans to educate people how to work hard. This is waste of time. Educational institution should be for teaching people how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, not to become this or that. That is waste of time, because that program will never be successful. Tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukhaṁ kālena sarvatra gabhīra-raṁhasā. The nature's law is working Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Whatever... Therefore our Vedic civilization is that people are satisfied in his own position, a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Whatever by God's grace he got, he was satisfied. The real energy was utilized how to become eligible to receive mercy of Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted, how to learn how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa.

If he thinks over that "The cats and dogs and the birds and beasts, they are very nicely eating. They are not stealing anyone's... Whatever he gets by the grace of God, he is happy," this is knowledge.
Lecture on SB 6.1.11 -- Honolulu, May 12, 1976:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to purify the designation. And so long we are in the darkness of this designation, that "I am this," "I am that," "I am this," "I am that," that is ignorance. Suppose a thief—he is thinking that "If I do not steal, I cannot exist. I'll die. So I cannot stop stealing. I must go on." So this is ignorance. But if he thinks over that "The cats and dogs and the birds and beasts, they are very nicely eating. They are not stealing anyone's... Whatever he gets by the grace of God, he is happy," this is knowledge. Vimarśanam. Vimarśanam. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Everything God's property. And we are all part and parcel, sons of God, so the property is for us. It is not for others.

The child remains packed within the womb of the mother. It is very, very painful. But by the grace of God he lives.
Lecture on SB 6.1.18 -- Honolulu, May 18, 1976:

Every step there is punishment. Just study your life or my life. What is that? That beginning from the womb of my mother, when the body is formed, the soul, spirit soul, is injected in the womb of the woman, and then the formation of the body takes place. So the body grows. And now imagine when we are in the womb of the mother, how much difficult position packed up in a bag, airtight bag. If we, at the present moment, if I put into some airtight condition, within three minutes I shall die. Within three minutes. But similarly, just like packed the child remains within the womb of the mother. It is very, very painful. But by the grace of God he lives. He lives. Otherwise it is suffocating. Just imagine if you are put in a airtight box, tied up, hands and legs. How long you can live? So we remain in that condition, unconscious stage. Then, when the body is formed, we get our consciousness. Therefore at the age when the child is seven years, er, seven months old, it moves because he feels the pains.

Ajāmila is fortunate that he named his son Nārāyaṇa. This is God's grace. This was done—Kṛṣṇa is so kind—because in his youthhood he was a devotee. Not devotee; he was trying to become a devotee.
Lecture on SB 6.1.24 -- Chicago, July 8, 1975:

Gṛhamedhī life means darkness. He will know simply how to beget child, that's all, up to the eighty-fifth year. He is going to die next moment. So he is fortunate that he named his son Nārāyaṇa. This is God's grace. This was done—Kṛṣṇa is so kind—because in his youthhood he was a devotee. Not devotee; he was trying to become a devotee. Dvija, he was initiated. We have begun his life that kānyakubje kaścid dvijaḥ. He was initiated, but he fell down. Later on, he fell down in contact with a prostitute. Therefore he lost his all qualification, and he was busy... Instead of serving Kṛṣṇa, he was busy in begetting children, up to the eighty-fifth year. Therefore pravayasaḥ. Although he had made... The last one is tenth. Although he had nine sons, still, at the eighty-fifth year he is begetting another. That is called kṛpaṇa.

The idea is that by God's grace, because in the beginning of his life he engaged himself to be Kṛṣṇa conscious, and he was initiated, but later on... But the first assessment of his life, that helped him that Kṛṣṇa gave him the advice, "All right, you keep your this youngest son's name Nārāyaṇa..."
Lecture on SB 6.1.24 -- Chicago, July 8, 1975:

So we should not be like this Ajāmila, go on begetting children, children, children, children, up to eighty-fifth year. No. Teṣāṁ yaḥ avamaḥ. The most junior, the small, the latest edition, they are very much fond, father and mother. It is said, bālo nārāyaṇo nāmnā pitroś ca dayito bhṛśam. Pitroḥ, pitroḥ means parents, father and mother, naturally, dayitaḥ, very merciful upon him than all other, bhṛśam, sufficiently. So the idea is that by God's grace, because in the beginning of his life he engaged himself to be Kṛṣṇa conscious, and he was initiated, but later on... But the first assessment of his life, that helped him that Kṛṣṇa gave him the advice, "All right, you keep your this youngest son's name Nārāyaṇa, because you will be naturally attached to this boy and you will call him, 'Nārāyaṇa, please come here. Nārāyaṇa, take your food. Nārāyaṇa, take your drink.' So you will chant 'Nārāyaṇa.' "

Everyone has got the tongue by the grace of God. Everyone can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. So just continue and be happy.
Lecture on SB 6.1.49 -- Detroit, June 15, 1976:

Now we should purify this bodily existence. And that purification in this age, it is very, very simple: chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That's all. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's contribution. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam (CC Antya 20.12). If you chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, paraṁ vijāyate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam. So very simple thing. There is no question of cast, creed, nationality, color, richness. No. Everyone has got the tongue by the grace of God. Everyone can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. So just continue and be happy.

Our relationship with God cannot be separated. God is supplying us everything, although we think, "There is no God, God is dead," and all nonsense you may say. But it is due to God's grace that you are eating daily.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 3, 1967:

Just like a boy, his father is very rich man, but he has left his home, so he is separated. The same boy, when he comes to his senses, "Oh, my father is so rich, and I am simply suffering for want of money. Let me go back to my father." And the father is always anxious to receive the boy. So he goes back to his father. The father says, "Yes, my dear boy, please come. I was so much anxious." So this separation means the father and the son relationship cannot be separated. But the son's rebellion to the father is separated. Similarly, our relationship with God cannot be separated. God is supplying us everything, although we think, "There is no God, God is dead," and all nonsense you may say. But it is due to God's grace that you are eating daily. That's a fact. Either you say, "God give us our daily bread," or you don't say, God is anxious to supply you bread. He is so kind because you are His son.

The arrangement is there by God's grace. There is ample food. There is no economic problem. We have created our economic problem by so-called social arrangement. So Bhāgavata says that there is no economic problem.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 6, 1967:

Prabhupāda: Bhāgavata communism says that even if you have got a lizard in your room, you must give him something to eat. If you have got a serpent in your room, you must give it something to eat. Nobody in your house should starve. You see? This is Bhāgavata communism, not that "Only my brother and sister will not starve, and other animals should be killed." This is not communism. Here is communism. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness communism, that a Kṛṣṇa conscious person is thinking even for the ant, even for the lizard, even for the serpent. That is real communism.

Devotee: Yes, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Not that, "Oh, my brother is good and I am good, and my father is good or my countrymen is good, my society, and all are bad." This is not communism. So the arrangement is there by God's grace. There is ample food. There is no economic problem. We have created our economic problem by so-called social arrangement. So Bhāgavata says that there is no economic problem.

This human form, or the facility of this human form of life, which was given to us by grace of God or by the mercy of material nature, Prahlāda Mahārāja says that "Don't misuse it. Don't misuse it like animals, simply eating, sleeping, and mating and defending."
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja is stressing that this God consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness should be learned from the very beginning of life. Kaumāra ācaret prājña. Prājña means one who is intelligent. So children, they have no intelligence. They have intelligence, but they have to be put into intelligence by the guardians. So if the guardian, if the father and mother is intelligent, if the teacher is intelligent, if the government policy is intelligent, then the process should be to teach the small children from the very beginning of life God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise this world is going to hell. It has already gone and it will go. The result will be that I'll kill you, you'll kill me. So both of us will be killed. And this human form, or the facility of this human form of life, which was given to us by grace of God or by the mercy of material nature, Prahlāda Mahārāja says that "Don't misuse it. Don't misuse it like animals, simply eating, sleeping, and mating and defending."

Each and every one of us has got a different type of mentality. That mentality is going on, and according to that mentality you are getting different types of body. So this body means to give me opportunity to satisfy a different type of mentality. That is God's grace.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

Indian man: Are we duty-bound to maintain our body?

Prabhupāda: You are not maintaining your body. You are given a body to fulfill your desire. You get a particular type of body to fulfill your desire. You desire... Just like we have got, you analyze each and every one of us, each and every one has got a different type of body. Why? Each and every one of us has got a different type of mentality. That mentality is going on, and according to that mentality you are getting different types of body. So this body means to give me opportunity to satisfy a different type of mentality. That is God's grace. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham (BG 4.11). You wanted this body, God has given you this body. If you want a tiger's body, God will give you a tiger's body. If you want a demigod's body, God will give you a demigod's body.

Although we are disobedient, still, God is supplying all the necessities of our life. He's supplying light, He's supplying water, He's supplying air—the essential necessities of your life. Without sunlight you cannot live. Without water you cannot live. So by grace of God, you are getting; still, you are so ungrateful that we do not remember God or offer our gratitude.
Lecture on SB 7.9.12 -- Montreal, August 19, 1968:

Everyone is God's son. And the whole property belongs to God. If this philosophy is taught, then there will be peace. Otherwise there is no question of peace. So bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). And suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām. And He is the friend, the sinceremost friend of everyone. Why not? If we are sons of God, who can love more than the father? Naturally, there is affection and love of the father towards children. Don't you find it, how He is providing? Even, although we are disobedient, still, He is supplying all the necessities of our life. He's supplying light, He's supplying water, He's supplying air—the essential necessities of your life. Without sunlight you cannot live. Without water you cannot live. So by grace of God, you are getting; still, you are so ungrateful that we do not remember God or offer our gratitude. That is the cause. This godless civilization is the cause of disturbing peace.

We may make various plans to become happy in this material world, but without God's grace we can never be happy.
Lecture on SB 7.9.19 -- Hamburg, September 7, 1969, (with German Translator):

So we may make various plans to become happy in this material world, but without God's grace we can never be happy. Therefore the Bhāgavata says that the best kind of plan or best kind of occupational duties is that which leads one to the devotional service of the Supreme Lord. The exact Sanskrit verse is,

sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhokṣaje
ahaituky apratihatā
yayātmā suprasīdati
(SB 1.2.6)

If you actually want peace and prosperity, then you must execute such kind of occupational duties which will lead you to the devotional service of the Lord.

Here in this material world Brahmā is also a materialist, Brahmā, what to speak of ourselves, Brahmā, who is directly appointed the creator of this universe by the grace of God.
Lecture on SB 7.9.24 -- Mayapur, March 2, 1976:

Viriñci means Lord Brahmā. So beginning from Brahmā... "A." "A," this word, is used, this affix is used, with this meaning of beginning. So here in this material world Brahmā is also a materialist, Brahmā, what to speak of ourselves, Brahmā, who is directly appointed the creator of this universe by the grace of God. Why he is in this material world? Because he has got some desire that "I shall be the master of a brahmāṇḍa." Just like everyone is trying to become the master of his house or the society or the community or the country. Just like in your country so many people are trying to become the President. Everywhere, everyone is trying to become master. It doesn't matter it is a small circle or big circle. This is material disease. So Brahmā is also trying to become the master of this universe. The same mentality is there.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

Personally, up to seventy years, I was practically doing nothing. But at the age of seventy years, by the grace of God, Kṛṣṇa, there was inspiration. I went to western countries. Not to sit down there silently. So bhakti, the path is not inactivity.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 28, 1972:

Just like personally, up to seventy years, I was practically doing nothing. But at the age of seventy years, by the grace of God, Kṛṣṇa, there was inspiration. I went to western countries. Not to sit down there silently. So bhakti, the path is not inactivity. Actual activity begins when one is situated on devotional service. It is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā. When one is brahma-bhūtaḥ, self-realized, he's prasannātmā, joyful, ānandamaya. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). He has no desire to fulfill, neither he has lamentation. Here, in the material world, we hanker after things which we do not possess. "I want this. I want that." And we cry when the thing is lost. Na śocati. But a brahma-bhūtaḥ, when one is self-realized, when one knows that he's not this body, he's spirit soul, he's part and parcel of Brahman, at that time, he becomes joyful.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

The devotee, he can understand. By the grace of God he can understand wherefrom the energy is coming, how it is acting.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.111 -- New York, July 19, 1976:

So whatever intelligence we have got, that is not our intelligence; that is God's intelligence. Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said. That intelligence is coming, but the intelligence, why you'll find different? So just like the bulb. There are fifteen-candle-power, there is fifty-candle-power, hundred-candle-power—according to the bulb, the energy is exhibited. Similarly, according to our power of reception, we can exhibit our intelligence, merit. But actually it is coming from God. Anything... The same principle. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), the Vedānta philosophy, "Absolute Truth means the original source of everything." Everything may be of different varieties, but the original source is Kṛṣṇa.

ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo
mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate
iti matvā bhajante māṁ
budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ
(BG 10.8)

The devotee, he can understand. By the grace of God he can understand wherefrom the energy is coming, how it is acting.

Yaśodāmayī is constantly seeing so many wonderful things played by Kṛṣṇa, still she is thinking, "Oh, He is my child. These things are happening by some supernatural power. It is God's grace. It is God's grace that my child is saved." She is simply anxious to save her child.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.31-33 -- New York, January 16, 1967:

Yaśodāmayī thought, "Oh! God has saved my child! This demoness, they came to cheat me." Yaśodāmayī does not know that here is God on her lap. This is another māyā. This is called yogamāyā. If Yaśodāmayī understands He is God, then (s)he cannot, I mean to say, bring up the child just like her own child, ordinary child. Therefore she must be in ignorance, that she... Because there is the connection of love only. That's all. So out of love, as somebody forgets what he is or she is, similarly Yaśodāmayī constantly seeing so many wonderful things played by Kṛṣṇa, still she is thinking, "Oh, He is my child. These things are happening by some supernatural power. It is God's grace. It is God's grace that my child is saved." She is simply anxious to save her child. That's all.

That sir, he was honest man to admit, "It is God's grace that so many patients are being cured in my hand, but I say I have no credit."
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.29 -- San Francisco, January 21, 1967:

So that sir, he was honest man to admit, "It is God's grace that so many patients are being cured in my hand, but I say I have no credit." This is really. So we should not take any credit. Everything is under the laws of the Supreme Lord, through the agency of this material external energy. Just like a government is working under different departments, similarly, God is working under His different energies. That's all. He's sitting with you, He's seeing everything, He knows everything.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

Nothing is scarcity. Everything is complete by the grace of God for everyone.
Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Lecture -- New York, July 28, 1971:

The food is already there. Don't bother. If you have to bother, if you have to tax your brain, just do it for Kṛṣṇa, for God. That is proper utilization of your time. Bread is already there. There is no scarcity of bread in the kingdom of God. Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ (SB 1.5.18). The Bhāgavata says one should try for that thing which is not available by traveling all over the universe. What is that? This is kevalayā bhaktyā, simple pure devotion. That is wanting. Nothing is scarcity. Everything is complete by the grace of God for everyone. Just like even in jail the government supplies sufficient food. But why people come into the jail? Because they are not honest. Dishonest, criminal. Food is outside jail, inside jail. But what is the difference outside and inside? Inside jail, the men are criminals. Outside jail, they are not criminals; they are lawful.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

By God's grace, wherever I go they welcome me like that.
Arrival -- Chicago, July 3, 1975:

Prabhupāda: So if you are serious, you can take our method and suggestions. Then you can stop this crime.

Royal Kennedy: You have a way to stop the crime?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, I have.

Royal Kennedy: Can you explain a little bit more? How do you do it?

Prabhupāda: That we have to suggest. The social, political, educational, cultural—everything has to be changed. So if you come, we can give you in details how it can be done.

Royal Kennedy: Can you tell me how you feel about this welcome that you got?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Of course, by God's grace, wherever I go they welcome me like that.

Royal Kennedy: Are you used to anything a little bit more serene?

Prabhupāda: Serene? Of course, our whole propaganda is serene. Yes. We are distributing God consciousness. It is the most serene movement. People has to learn it very nicely.

Initiation Lectures

That man, he was posing himself as yogi, and he is living with one woman. It was God's grace that he came with that woman so that he disclosed himself. By Kṛṣṇa's grace.
Initiation Lecture -- New York, July 28, 1971:

One can develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness in association with devotee. The same thing Caitanya Mahāprabhu said in a different way, asat-saṅga-tyāgī, not to associate with nondevotees. That is vaiṣṇava-ācāra. So in future we shall be very careful, all the devotees, not to talk with rascals, nondevotees. It will be impure, it will have poisonous effect, and that will kill Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I do not know how this man was allowed to stay here for so many months. Nobody could detect that here is a serpent?

So you should be very careful in future. That is very easy to understand, who is a serpent. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said, because one may inquire, "Who is asat? How can I understand?" asat eka strī-saṅgī kṛṣṇābhakta. Asat means who is attached to, very much attached to woman. You see that man, he was posing himself as yogi, and he is living with one woman. It was God's grace that he came with that woman so that he disclosed himself. By Kṛṣṇa's grace.

Wedding Ceremonies

So I am very happy that Professor Howard Wheeler, he is very obedient student. And by God's grace, Kṛṣṇa's grace, we practically met on the street.
Wedding of Syama dasi and Hayagriva -- Los Angeles, December 25, 1968:

So I am very happy that Professor Howard Wheeler, he is very obedient student. And by God's grace, Kṛṣṇa's grace, we practically met on the street. You see. When I first started my class in New York, 26 Second Avenue, I was just going out after entering the storefront and this boy met me. He asked me, "Swamijī, you are coming from India?" And I told him, "Yes, my dear boy." So that was our first acquaintance, and I think that is eternal.

General Lectures

By Kṛṣṇa's grace, by God's grace, everything is there, provided you depend on Him. There is no fear.
Lecture -- London, September 16, 1969:

So this is called tapasya. I do not like to go out of my home, very comfortable home, happy home, but śāstra says, "You must." So I have to accept inconveniences. If I leave my home, comfortable home, I do not know where to live, how to eat, where to stay. These are experienced. When we took sannyāsa, in the beginning, we thought like that, but by the grace of God, Kṛṣṇa, we are not uncomfortable. We have got... We left only three or four children; now we have got hundreds of children, without any botheration of wife. (laughter) And they are so obedient and so beautiful, so nice, that I could not expect even the children which I begot at home. So by Kṛṣṇa's grace, by God's grace, everything is there, provided you depend on Him. There is no fear.

We sometimes forget and sometimes remember. That is by God's grace.
Lecture at Christian Monastery -- Melbourne, April 6, 1972:

If there is sunrise, then we can see. That condition is made by God. Therefore in the Upaniṣad it is said, "When God sees, you can see. When God walks, you can walk." These are the description in the Upaniṣad. Practically, that is the fact. We are completely helpless, simply dependent upon God. The word that "Not a single blade of grass moves without the sanction of God," that's a fact. In the Bhagavad-gītā also, it is said, sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ: "I am living in everyone's heart." Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca: (BG 15.15) "From Me there is remembrance and forgetfulness." We sometimes forget and sometimes remember. That is by God's grace.

If you want sunshine, then you have to wait til morning, when by the grace of God, by the order of God, sun will rise: you'll get sunshine. Not by your scientific method.
Lecture -- London, August 23, 1973:

However advanced you may be in science, however scientific machineries you have discovered, but you cannot get sunshine in this night, dark night. No scientist can say, "Now we have discovered a scientific method by which at night also sun will rise." No. That is not possible. Of course, they sometimes say like that, rascallike, but that is not possible. You cannot change the law of God. If you want sunshine, then you have to wait til morning, when by the grace of God, by the order of God, sun will rise: you'll get sunshine. Not by your scientific method.

We can use whatever we need by the grace of God—the supply is there; there is no question of scarcity—and thus save your time, be peaceful, and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture -- London, August 26, 1973:

If one takes more than what he needs, then he becomes a criminal. So similarly, we can live very comfortably on this planet, because this planet belongs to God. We should not designate ourself as "Englishman," as "American," as "Indian," as "African," and fight amongst themselves. We should always know that we are all sons of God. The property is God's. We can use whatever we need by the grace of God—the supply is there; there is no question of scarcity—and thus save your time, be peaceful, and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Philosophy Discussions

Impersonal conception of God is a troublesome business.
Philosophy Discussion on Soren Aabye Kierkegaard:

Hayagrīva: He writes, "God is certainly personal, but whether He wishes to be so in relation to the individual depends on whether it pleases God."

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hayagrīva: "It is the grace of God that He wishes to be personal in relation to you. If you throw away His grace, He punishes you by behaving objectively, or impersonally, towards you."

Prabhupāda: (laughing) That's right. That is very good. Impersonal conception of God is a troublesome business. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: kleśaḥ adhikataras teṣām avyakta āsakta cetasām. Find out this verse.

Salvation means when you are engaged in our eternal activities, that is called salvation, or liberation. When you are engaged in false activities, that is called māyā.
Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Aquinas:

Hayagrīva: (indistinct) Again, like Augustine, Aquinas believed that sin and man go together due to Adam's, the first man's original sin. All men require salvation. Salvation can only be attained through God's grace. The individual living entity has to assent by his free will in order for God's grace to function.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is bhakti. Bhakti is devotional service. So you, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau (Brs. 1.2.234), and bhakti is our eternal engagement. So salvation means when you are engaged in our eternal activities, that is called salvation, or liberation. When you are engaged in false activities, that is called māyā. Muktir hitvā anyathā rūpaṁ sva-rūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ. Muktiḥ means to remain in one's own constitutional position. In the material world we are also engaged in different types of activities, but they are with reference to the particular body. In the spiritual world spirit, as he is, is engaged in the service of the Lord. That is liberation.

Tapasya means voluntarily self-denial, sense gratification denial.
Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Aquinas:

Hayagrīva: Continuation of Aquinas. Aquinas felt that the monastic vows of poverty, celibacy and obedience gave one a direct path to God but that they are not meant for the masses of men. He conceived of life as a pilgrimage through the world of the senses, through the world of nature, and to the spiritual world of God's grace. These, when a..., when one enters a monastery he takes a vow of poverty, chastity and obedience, these three vows.

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is called tapasya. According to Vedic instruction one must take to the path of tapasya. Tapasya means voluntarily self-denial, sense gratification denial. That is tapasya. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). Tapasya, our austerity begins with brahmacarya, celibacy, no sex life. That is the beginning of tapasya. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena damena vā, controlling the senses, controlling the mind.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

By the grace of God, Kṛṣṇa, you are leaders. Thousands of young men follow you. They like you. So if you give them something actually nice, the face of the world will change.
Room Conversation With John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and George Harrison -- September 11, 1969, London, At Tittenhurst:

Prabhupāda: Yes. There is a verse in Bhagavad-gītā,

yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas
itaras tad anuvartate
sa yat pramāṇaṁ kurute
lokas tad anuvartate
(BG 3.21)

The idea is that anything which is, I mean to say, accepted by the leading persons, ordinary persons follow them. Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas. Śreṣṭhas means leading persons. Ācarati, acts. Whatever leading persons act, people in general follow them. Sa yat pramāṇaṁ kurute. If the leading person says, "It is nice. It is all right," the others also accept it. So by the grace of God, Kṛṣṇa, you are leaders. Thousands of young men follow you. They like you. So if you give them something actually nice, the face of the world will change. So our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, it is not a manufactured new thing. It is, from historical point of view, at least, it is five thousand years old. Because Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means Bhagavad-gītā as it is.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

When there is detachment, there must be another attachment.
Room Conversation -- February 12, 1972, Madras:

Guest: So all the egotistic weaknesses apply to organizations also. Therefore I was wondering whether it would not, if you had convinced that your mission was to spread the Gītā Ācārya's teachings as to how to act with detachment and with faith in the grace of God, where you go wrong, could not be having better done without making yourself separate.

Prabhupāda: No. The thing is, when there is detachment, there must be another attachment.

Guest: Yes. To God.

Prabhupāda: Yes. But that is required.

By God's grace he is a successful businessman.
Room Conversation with Dai Nippon -- April 22, 1972, Tokyo:

Dai Nippon representative: This factory(?) is going to have ninety-seventh year anniversary. And Mr. Tajima has been working for this company since...

Prabhupāda: What is his age?

Dai Nippon representative: ...twenty-seven years old, for forty-three years.

Prabhupāda: He is in connection. So by God's grace he is a successful businessman. Nice. So I take your permission.

According to our Vedic formula, when a man is born in rich family he is understood to be possessing the grace of the Lord. So you Americans, you have got sufficient riches, you are sons of rich men. So this is the grace of God, to take birth in a high family, to possess riches; to become learned scholar.
Interview -- July 5, 1972, New York:

Guest (2): What can appreciation of Kṛṣṇa do for the Americans (indistinct)?

Prabhupāda: That, that I have repeatedly said, that you Americans, you are..., you have already the grace of the Lord. According to our Vedic formula, when a man is born in rich family he is understood to be possessing the grace of the Lord. So you Americans, you have got sufficient riches, you are sons of rich men. So this is the grace of God, janma aiśvarya, to take birth in a high family, to possess riches; janmaiśvarya śruta (SB 1.8.26), to become learned scholar. Just like you are going to the moon planet. Your scientific knowledge is advanced. And śrī, śrī means beauty. So you are beautiful also. So considering all these four points, it is to be understood that you are in favorable condition, favorable consideration of the Absolute Truth Supreme Personality of Godhead. Now, if you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness, then all your these material opulences plus Kṛṣṇa consciousness makes your life perfect.

Actually, we are spending not less than seven lakhs of rupees per month throughout the whole our institution. But by the grace of God, Kṛṣṇa, we are selling our books very nicely.
Introduction Speech By Dr. Kapoor and Conversation -- October 15, 1972, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So I had no money, (laughter). But one nice boy—his name is known all over the world, George Harrison—he has promised to give me loan.

Dr. Kapoor: Kṛṣṇa has all the money.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So actually, we are spending not less than seven lakhs of rupees per month throughout the whole our institution. But by the grace of God, Kṛṣṇa, we are selling our books very nicely.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Anyone who is accepting prasādam as grace of God, he must be considered as very pious.
Room Conversation with Lord Brockway -- July 23, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: Yes, we say,

mahā-prasāde govinde
nāma-brahmaṇi vaiṣṇave
svalpa-puṇyavatāṁ rājan
viśvāso naiva jāyate

Mahā-prasāda, the foodstuff offered to the Deity, this is not ordinary foodstuff. Mahā-prasāde govinde. And to the Lord. Mahā-prasāde govinde nāma-brahmaṇi. "And in the holy name of the Lord." Svalpa-puṇyavatāṁ rājan viśvāso naiva jāyate. "Those who are less pious, they cannot have faith in these things." So anyone who is accepting prasādam as grace of God, he must be considered as very pious. This is the way. So you can take it.

By the help of God, the man can revive his perfection.
Room Conversation with Cardinal Danielou -- August 9, 1973, Paris:

Cardinal Danielou: Yes. Is true. The man must imitate God, imitating His bounty, His...

Prabhupāda: Power.

Cardinal Danielou: Yes. His mind and His knowledge of the spiritual sense. But it is possible to man without the helping of God to realize his perfection?

Prabhupāda: No, no, no.

Cardinal Danielou: It is necessary that the grace of God help the...

Prabhupāda: Yes. By the help of God, he can revive. That is stated in Caitanya-caritāmṛta...

Cardinal Danielou: Because man is, himself, is not capable to attain...

Prabhupāda: No.

Cardinal Danielou: ...the divinity.

Prabhupāda: By the help of Kṛṣṇa...

We have got this freedom by the grace of God or Kṛṣṇa. Because we are children. He has given freedom. "All right, if you want this, take it."
Room Conversation with Graham Hill Former World Champion Race Car Driver -- London, August 26, 1973:

Prabhupāda: So every body, every living entity is getting a certain type of body according to his desire. According to his desire. So that desire means material enjoyment. Just like you have got certain desire to become champion in racing. Another body has got desire to become something else. Another body has got desire for something else. So we have got this freedom by the grace of God or Kṛṣṇa. Because we are children. He has given freedom. "All right, if you want this, take it." In this way our life is going on. This is called birth and death.

Without adopting the prescribed method, nobody can advance. But in this age the prescribed method is very simple. Simply to hear the holy name of the Lord.
Room Conversation -- September 2, 1973, London:

Śrutakīrti: To become restless in the contact of women and wealth is not an astonishment, because every living being is associated with such things from remote time, practically immemorial, and it takes time to recover from this foreign nature. But if one is engaged in hearing the glories of the Lord, gradually he realizes his real position. By the grace of God such a devotee gets sufficient strength to defend himself from the state of disturbances, and gradually all disturbing elements are eliminated from his mind.

Prabhupāda: The prescribed methods are there. We have to adopt it. Without adopting the prescribed method, nobody can advance. But in this age the prescribed method is very simple. Simply to hear the holy name of the Lord.

ārto arthārthī jñānī jijñāsuḥ. Four classes of men. So ārto arthārthī. They, after benefiting by the grace of God, they may forget. But those who are jñānī, they will not forget. That is the difference.
Morning Walk -- December 21, 1973, Los Angeles:

Guest (1): Yes, but a pious man in his prosperity sometimes forgets, as Sugrīva had the tendency to forget and he had to be reminded.

Prabhupāda: No, that is very rarely. Sugrīva forgot. Anyway, there is chance of such thing because the distressed man, although he is pious, as soon as his distress is moved, then he forgets. There is such chance. Therefore ārto arthārthī jñānī jijñāsuḥ. Four classes of men. So ārto arthārthī. They, after benefiting by the grace of God, they may forget. But those who are jñānī, they will not forget. That is the difference.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

The sea comes here and washes everything. That is God's grace. Without machine, they keep it clean.
Morning Walk -- March 27, 1974, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: Because the sea comes here, right. Here is the water line, high water line, high tide.

Prabhupāda: And washes everything. That is God's grace. Without machine, they keep it clean.

It is by the grace of God one can remember about his past life.
Morning Walk -- April 14, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That past life, because the body is changed, you forget.

Dr. Patel: Some of the people...

Prabhupāda: Some of the...

Dr. Patel: I don't know how it is, it is difficult to explain.

Prabhupāda: That is special. That is special.

Dr. Patel: There is a big research going on in the parapsychology, here in India and America.

Prabhupāda: No, it is by the grace of God one can remember about his past life. (break) ...practical experience. In our family, my mother's eldest sister, her son of a previous birth came to see her. Old man, very old man.

In Calcutta it was dangerous to go out because the next... You do not know whether you'll come back. People are so afraid. He's going to work in the office. It will be God's grace if he returns back. It is such a city.
Room Conversation with devotees about Twelfth Canto Kali-yuga, and Conversation with Guest -- June 15, 1974, Paris:

Prabhupāda: Anywhere. In Calcutta it was dangerous to go out because the next... You do not know whether you'll come back. People are so afraid. He's going to work in the office. It will be God's grace if he returns back. It is such a city. Actually so happened. We were sitting, I was at that time in a... I was guest in our life member's. Sitting in morning, afternoon, o'clock (?). "Oh, that gentleman is killed." He was very important businessman. He went to the temple, a Marwari, and on his coming back, he was killed from the backside. Life is still so, but it is little diminished.

You haven't got to undergo this or that. Simply chant and it will..., you'll become perfect. So easiest.
Room Conversation with Professor Durckheim German Spiritual Writer -- June 19, 1974, Germany:

Vedavyāsa: :He's speaking of the gradual process of self-realization. First of all...

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Vedavyāsa: We are speaking of the gradual process of self-realization, first adopting these brahminical qualities and going further and further. So he asks if he's missing, if it's not possible to become illuminated at once by God's grace, to become converted without undergoing these...

Prabhupāda: Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That will do. Yes, you haven't got to undergo this or that. Simply chant and it will..., you'll become perfect. So easiest. But still they will not accept. That is the difficulty. When you give the easiest way they won't accept. Easiest way is we are recommending the chant the holy name of God.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

God knows past, present, and future, and others who are favored by God, he also knows by the grace of God.
Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor, other Guests and Disciples -- February 12, 1975, Mexico:

Prabhupāda: One who knows past, present, and future, he doesn't require to make calculation. He knows everything. So God knows past, present, and future, and others who are favored by God, he also knows by the grace of God. Because he hears from God. God knows past, present, and future. Then he simply reproduces God's words, that's all. He doesn't require to calculate.

I repeatedly say this to American boys, that "By the grace of God you are very much opulent materially. So if you don't take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you will have to become beggar again."
Room Conversations -- July 26, 1975, Laguna Beach:

So sometimes one who is possessing more than required, he wants to become a beggar again. So I repeatedly say this to American boys, that "By the grace of God you are very much opulent materially. So if you don't take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you will have to become beggar again because we know these two things: sometimes beggar, sometimes rich; sometimes beggar, rich..." We do not know third way. Renouncing and possessing. But both these two things are wrong because you haven't got anything, so what you can renounce?

Growing, cultivating, producing, there will be not possibility of, and we don't want more than the necessity. If by God's grace we get more then you can make sale, we are not going to work for selling purpose.
Room Conversation -- July 31, 1975, New Orleans:

Prabhupāda: Everyone should be engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then life is successful. And self-sufficient. If we have got spoiling living program, these are necessities. Growing, cultivating, producing, there will be not possibility of, and we don't want more than the necessity. If by God's grace we get more then you can make sale, we are not going to work for selling purpose. Then money will be there. How to get money, how to get money? And as soon as you get money, more than necessity, then sense gratification, then this, that, this, that, then you become implicated.

Hiraṇyakaśipu, father, who is threatening with his life and so many ways he tried that "You become atheist, godless. Otherwise I shall kill you." Prahlāda did not agree. And similarly, the son also solicited the father that "You have got so much power by the grace of God. Why you are becoming atheist?" Both of them could not turn to their side.
Morning Walk -- October 17, 1975, Johannesburg:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: What is the sign that someone is actually having change in heart?

Prabhupāda: By his action. (break) ...kasipu tried to make Prahlāda atheist. He failed. And Prahlāda tried to make his father theist. He failed. Don't you see?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So unless one agrees you cannot turn him. It is not possible. Five-years'-old boy, staunch devotee, and the powerful Hiraṇyakaśipu, father, who is threatening with his life and so many ways he tried that "You become atheist, godless. Otherwise I shall kill you." He did not agree. And similarly, the son also solicited the father that "You have got so much power by the grace of God. Why you are becoming atheist?" Both of them could not turn to their side. Prahlāda remained Prahlāda, and Hiraṇyakaśipu remained Hiraṇyakaśipu. (break) ...can expect that without agreeing, conceding, one can be reformed. No, that is not possible. Impossible.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Kṛṣṇa's instruction is not for the Hindus. Nowhere it is mentioned.
Morning Walk -- January 8, 1976, Nellore:

Acyutānanda: "Well, all religions say that they are the best. Jesus Christ says, 'Everyone who comes to me, they will get the grace of God.' So the same thing. But still they are Christians and you are Hindus."

Prabhupāda: So this cannot stay in the court. Kṛṣṇa's instruction is not for the Hindus. Nowhere it is mentioned.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The word "Hindu" doesn't appear in the Vedas anywhere.

Acyutānanda: Then why do you use in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness the Hindu caste marks, Hindus caste marks and tilakas? This is all Hinduism.

Prabhupāda: No, this is not Hinduism. Appears like Hindu. Just like you appear like an Indian sannyāsī, but you are not Indian.

If your patient comes, that "It is by Kṛṣṇa's wish I have become diseased," then where is your department?
Morning Walk -- April 17, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Not mental. No mental concoction. Factual. Factual.

Dr. Patel: That is factual. That everything is...

Prabhupāda: No, mental concoction is not factual.

Dr. Patel: Sir, but I am.... You don't let me speak. I say that everything which is happening, a phenomena, is nothing but by the grace of God or by Kṛṣṇa's own order, and if that...

Prabhupāda: And you have no responsibility.

Dr. Patel: And that mental process, if you are working, is it a wrong mental process?

Prabhupāda: So here is a greatest wrong. No, no. If your patient comes, that "It is by Kṛṣṇa's wish I have become diseased," then where is your department? You don't...

Dr. Patel: But by Kṛṣṇa's grace I have become a doctor. Both the ways. Why see on one side?

Prabhupāda: Then say that. Why do you say one side?

God is omniscient, so a pure devotee can become omniscient by the grace of God.
Morning Walk -- June 8, 1976, Los Angeles:

Bharadvāja: I understand, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that the pure devotee can be as pervasive as Supersoul?

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Bharadvāja: By the mercy of Supersoul, he can be present in many places at once?

Prabhupāda: Yes. By the grace of Kṛṣṇa, a devotee can become anything.

Duryodhana-guru: So in other words that means the pure devotees can be omniscient?

Prabhupāda: Everything. God is omniscient, so a pure devotee can become omniscient by the grace of God.

By the grace of God, these four principles of necessities of the body are already there.
Garden Conversation -- June 9, 1976, Los Angeles:

So they know, everyone knows, how to enjoy this viṣaya-eating, sleeping, mating and defending. So the śāstra says, viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt. "These four principles of necessities of the body are available anywhere." Either you are born as a human being or a cat or a dog or a bird or beast or demigod, these are available. So we should not bother about these things. The arrangement is already there. By the grace of God, things are already there. So Nārada Muni said, "Don't bother about these things."

Those who are striving to acquire knowledge, such persons, after many, many births, when actually by the grace of God and by the grace of a devotee comes to the knowledge, then he agrees, "Oh, everything is Kṛṣṇa."
Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana:

Knowledge, half-way knowledge is not knowledge. Complete knowledge. That complete knowledge is possible, as it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). Those who are striving to acquire knowledge, such persons, after many, many births, when actually by the grace of God and by the grace of a devotee comes to the knowledge, then he agrees, "Oh, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19), everything is Kṛṣṇa." Sa mahātmā, that mahātmā, great soul is very rare to be found. Sudurlabhaḥ. Durlabhaḥ means very rare to be seen but the word is used sudurlabhaḥ, very, very rare. So you cannot find such a mahātmā who understands clearly Kṛṣṇa.

If God sees that the rascal is trying for so many years, "All right, give him a chance." That is His mercifulness. So what they call chance theory, that is grace of God.
'Life Comes From Life' Slideshow Discussions -- July 3, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Devotee: "I've succeeded not on account of my painful effort, but by the grace of God. Like a sudden flash of lightning, the riddle happened to be solved. I myself cannot say but when the conducting thread which connected what I previously knew with what made my success possible."

Prabhupāda: So the chance theory is the grace of God.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Grace of God?

Prabhupāda: Yes, because if God sees that the rascal is trying for so many years, "All right, give him a chance." (laughter) That is His mercifulness. So what they call chance theory, that is grace of God.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: So God is all-merciful.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. That is the proof.

By God's grace, you have got some stock of oil, and there is good demand of oil. Then you are proud of making advancement. You are depending on the oil. The oil is supplied by God. You're dependent. Where is your independence? When the oil is finished, then your all pride is finished. Where is your independence?
Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Dayānanda: They think that the countries that have the materialistic advancement or scientific advancements, that they are very well situated.

Prabhupāda: Well, scientific advancement, all this nonsense you can say. Just like Iran. God has given the oil underneath the ground, you are so proud. But if God would not give you the oil, then you starve in the desert. Then talk of improvement, nonsense. You're dependent on the oil. That is given by God. By God's grace, you have got some stock of oil, and there is good demand of oil. Then you are proud of making advancement. You are depending on the oil. The oil is supplied by God. You're dependent. Where is your independence? When the oil is finished, then your all pride is finished. Where is your independence?

Dayānanda: But we do not believe in God and still...

Prabhupāda: Do or do not believe in God, but you are not independent, that's a fact. You don't believe or do believe, it doesn't matter. But you are dependent. You are not independent.

Atreya Ṛṣi: Yes, we are dependent on nature.

Prabhupāda: That's all right, but you cannot say that you are independent. That is the point that we are discussing. You call nature, I call God, it doesn't make any difference. But you are dependent on something else. You can call it nature, but nature is also God's nature. Anyway, accept nature.

By God's grace we can produce everything from the lands. You can get everything. If they are satisfied with this simple life, then they save time for Kṛṣṇa consciousness and happy life.
Room Conversation -- November 3, 1976, Vrndavana:

By God's grace we can produce everything from the lands, sarva-kāma-dughā mahī, sarva-kāma-dughā mahī? You can get everything. If they are satisfied with this simple life, then they save time for Kṛṣṇa consciousness and happy life. In India they don't require even cottage. One katiya (?) is sufficient. Keeping in one place and lay down. Eight months, at least six months, it is very nice. At night, even in daytime it is very hot, at night it is cool. So you have got very good sleep, soothing, then you become refreshed in the morning. If you have got good sleep at night, then you become refreshed, your health is regained.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

In villages no sannyāsī starves.
Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Mr. Asnani: And in countryside they consider, "Grace of God is our culture." In villages...

Prabhupāda: In villages no sannyāsī starves. As soon as there is a sannyāsī in the village, so many villagers, "Baba, aiye, prasāda paiye. (Hindi)" Daily. Still in Punjab, any sannyāsī goes, he gets invitation. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when He was in tīrtha... That is the system.

Correspondence

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Now by the Grace of God that illusion is going to be cleared and thus your faithful friends like Acarya Kripalini and others are accusing you for your inability at the present moment to give them any practical programme of work as you happened to give them during your glorious days of non-co-operation movement.
Letter to Mahatma Gandhi -- Cawnpore 12 July, 1947:

I tell you as a sincere friend that you must immediately retire from active politics if you do not desire to die an inglorious death. You have 125 years to live as you have desired to live but you if you die an inglorious death it is no worth. The honour and prestige that you have obtained during the course of you present life time, were not possible to be obtained by any one else within the living memory. But you must know that all these honours and prestiges were false in as much as they were created by the Illusory Energy of Godhead called the maya. By this falsity I do not mean to say that your so many friends were false to you nor you were false to them. By this falsity I mean illusion or in other words the false friendship and honours obtained thereby were but creation of maya and therefore they are always temporary or false as you may call it. But none of you neither your friends nor yourself knew this truth.

Now by the Grace of God that illusion is going to be cleared and thus your faithful friends like Acarya Kripalini and others are accusing you for your inability at the present moment to give them any practical programme of work as you happened to give them during your glorious days of non-co-operation movement. So you are also in a plight to find out a proper solution for the present political tangle created by your opponents. You should therefore take a note of warning from your insignificant friend like me, that unless you retire timely from politics and engage yourself cent per cent in the preaching work of Bhagavad-gita, which is the real function of the Mahatmas, you shall have to meet with such inglorious deaths as Mussolini, Hitlers, Tojos, Churchills or Lloyd Georges met with.

1969 Correspondence

In the spiritualistic life one knows that God has provided food for everyone, so we shall live on whatever things are contributed by the Grace of God.
Letter to Krsna dasa -- Los Angeles 13 February, 1969:

In the Western World, people are simply interested more in politics because the problems here is materialistic. In the material way of life, people are embarrassed with the thoughts of how I shall sleep, how I shall eat, how I shall mate, and how I shall defend. That is the way of material life. In the spiritualistic life one knows that God has provided food for everyone, so we shall live on whatever things are contributed by the Grace of God. God has provided immense land on this globe, so so we have enough place to lie down. Mating is possible even in the bird's and beast's life, so that is not a problem, and defending is always incomplete. Nobody can defend himself with utmost precautionary methods unless one is protected by the Lord. Therefore, in all circumstances a devotee is cent per cent dependent on the mercy and protection of the Lord, as much as a child is cent per cent dependent on the mercy of the mother.

I started this movement in 1966, single-handedly, but by the Grace of God, I have now hundreds of intelligent young student disciples, who have taken up this movement seriously.
Letter to Swami Bhaktivedanta -- Hawaii 14 March, 1969:

We think the whole world or the entire human society is dwindling their faith in God so much so that some of them are declaring God is dead, and some of them are in frustration, manufacturing different kinds of isms, under different names. This state of affairs in the world is not very satisfactory at least for the advanced and civilized human society. It is essential therefore that scientific God consciousness which we are preaching under the name of Krishna Consciousness, should be broadcast very widely. I came to this country with this mission, because I know that America, although richest nation in the world, still there are so many frustrated youngsters both boys and girls. I started this movement in 1966, single-handedly, but by the Grace of God, I have now hundreds of intelligent young student disciples, who have taken up this movement seriously.

1971 Correspondence

America, by the grace of God, is got everything sufficiently and if they are trained in this Krishna Consciousness, they will be first-class country in the world with all riches, beauty, rich philosophy, so many things.
Letter to Bhagavan -- Los Angeles 7 July, 1971:

We will change the present derogatory confused state amongst the younger section. Let us start centers from town to town and give our members facility to travel freely from center to center. Let them distribute our books in all government schools, libraries, etc. Then just see the result. We can send our men to all schools and colleges for lecturing. So let us cooperate. America, by the grace of God, is got everything sufficiently and if they are trained in this Krishna Consciousness, they will be first-class country in the world with all riches, beauty, rich philosophy, so many things. So why the government is callous to our movement? There is no good reason. So let them come forward and cooperate with us.

1975 Correspondence

It is a very good news that you have received the NOC for the construction of the temple. So, you begin the work, and money will come to you by the grace of God.
Letter to Giriraja -- Evanston, Illinois 4 July, 1975:

I have received your report via telephone and it is a very good news that you have received the NOC for the construction of the temple. So, you begin the work, and money will come to you by the grace of God. Don't worry, just finish the buildings as soon as possible and somehow or other money will come. In Bombay you collect as much as you can, and the balance money will be sent rest assured. I am instructing Ramesvara to send Gurukrpa's collection to Bombay. So you just finish all the buildings as soon as possible. You must also keep proper account. Not a single farthing should be wasted. I will see the accounts personally when I return to Bombay.

A living being lives by the grace of God. He cannot eat nuts and bolts, however nicely they may be manufactured. We live by food grains, vegetables and milk products as it is stated in the Bhagavad gita.
Letter to Tulsi -- Bombay 18 December, 1975:

Generally India people are not taking up this movement, although it is their original culture, they are now in favor of economic development and technological advancement which can never do any good to the people in general, neither material nor spiritual. After all a living being lives by the grace of God. He cannot eat nuts and bolts, however nicely they may be manufactured. We live by food grains, vegetables and milk products as it is stated in the Bhagavad gita "All living bodies subsist on food grains which are due to rains come by proper proformance of sacrifice" Human life is meant for sacrifice to please Visnu. Bhoktaram yajna-tapasam, sarva-loka-mahesvaram (BG 5.29), "The sages knowing me to be the ultimate purpose of all sacrifices, the Supreme Lord of all planets, and the well wishing friend of all living entities, attain peace from the pangs of material miseries"

Page Title:Grace of God
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Alakananda
Created:22 of Sep, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=13, CC=2, OB=1, Lec=53, Con=27, Let=6
No. of Quotes:102