Laksmi (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"Laksmi" |"Laksmidevi" |"Laksmiji" |"Laksmis"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.36 -- London, July 26, 1973:

Lord Rāmacandra could marry hundreds and thousands of Sītās. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He could create Sītā, Rādhārāṇī, Lakṣmī. They are the pleasure potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot have a material wife or material companion. Kṛṣṇa's Rādhārāṇī or Lord Rāmacandra's Sītādevī, Nārāyaṇa's Lakṣmīdevī, they are pleasure potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Rādhā-kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vṛkitir āhlādinī-śaktir asmāt. Āhlādinī-śakti. Kṛṣṇa, God, has got many potencies.

Lecture on BG 2.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 7, 1972:

When it is mismanaged, then sometimes Kṛṣṇa comes in His Vāsudeva form. Not the original Kṛṣṇa. Original Kṛṣṇa never leaves Vṛndāvana. Padam ekaṁ na gacchati. He's always in His abode.

cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-

lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam

lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānaṁ

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(Bs. 5.29)

He is very much adhered to His cows. Surabhīr abhipālayantam. And He's surrounded by hundreds and thousands of goddesses of fortune, these gopīs. He is surrounded. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam (Bs. 5.29). We are, we are praying goddess of fortune to have some favor, but in the spiritual world, Kṛṣṇa is served by hundreds and thousands of goddess of fortune. This is Kṛṣṇa's position.

Lecture on BG 2.6 -- London, August 6, 1973:

Similarly, Arjuna also, his flag is kapi-dhvaja, his flag is marked with Hanumān. He knew that. So Hanumān, a great fighter, fought with Rāvaṇa, not for his personal interest. The interest was how to get out Sītājī from the hands of Rāvaṇa, kill the whole family, and get out and let her sit down on the side of Rāmacandra. This is the policy of Hanumān, devotees. And the Rāvaṇa policy is "Take away Sītā from the clutches of Rāma and enjoy it." This is Rāvaṇa policy. And the Hanumān policy is: "Take out Sītā from the hands of Rāvaṇa and get her seated by the side of Rāma." The same Sītā. Sītā means Lakṣmī. So Lakṣmī means Nārāyaṇa's property, God's property.

Lecture on BG 2.8-12 -- Los Angeles, November 27, 1968:

And we get information from Brahma-saṁhitā, lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānaṁ surabhīr abhipālayantam (Bs. 5.29). So He's not impersonal. He's raising cows, He's with hundreds and thousands of goddesses of fortune, His friends, His paraphernalia, His kingdom, His house, everything is there. So there is no question of impersonalism.

Lecture on BG 2.24 -- Hyderabad, November 28, 1972:

You can simply become free from all contamination, sinful life, when you are a surrendered soul. Mām eva ye prapadyante. Kṛṣṇa therefore comes to teach us this. He's teaching. He's so much compassionate with our suffering that He's coming personally. Otherwise, what is the purpose of His coming? He's always being worshiped by lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam (Bs. 5.29). So He has no business to come here to ask you any food. But Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati, tad aham aśnāmi (BG 9.26). Is He poor? Still, He says, universal: patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam.

Lecture on BG 2.24 -- Hyderabad, November 28, 1972:

Kalpa-taru you cannot have here, but there is a kalpa-taru in the spiritual world. Cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam (Bs. 5.29), lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam aham... So there is kalpa-vṛkṣa. You have to learn from the Vedic literature. But you, you have no experience of kalpa-vṛkṣa here. That is not possible.

Lecture on BG 4.5 -- Bombay, March 25, 1974:

There is a paramparā system. Kṛṣṇa, He instructed Lord Brahmā. Lord Brahmā instructed Nārada. Nārada instructed Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva instructed Madhvācārya. Madhvācārya instructed in so many ways. Then Mādhavendra Purī. The Mādhavendra Purī, Īśvara Purī. From Īśvara Purī, Lord Caitanya. In this way, there is a paramparā system. There are four Vaiṣṇava sampradāyas. The Rudra-sampradāya, Brahma-sampradāya, Kumāra-sampradāya, and Lakṣmī-sampradāya, Śrī-sampradāya.

Lecture on BG 4.6 -- Bombay, March 26, 1974:

Personal, personal energy, or personal form. Kṛṣṇa is... He has got His personal form, that Śyāmasundara, with flute. That is described in the Brahma-saṁhitā: cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam (Bs. 5.29). He's very fond of tending cows. Surabhīr abhipālayantam. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam aham... Veṇuṁ kvaṇantam. He's very fond of playing on flute. Aravinda-dalāyatākṣam. His eyes are just like petals of the lotus flower. These are described in the Vedic literature.

Lecture on BG 4.9 -- Bombay, March 29, 1974:

He's not poor. Kṛṣṇa is all opulent. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam (Bs. 5.29). He's always being worshiped by many hundreds and thousands of goddesses of fortune. Here we worship Goddess Lakṣmī, goddess of fortune, "Mother, give me some money." And that also does not stay. Lakṣmī's another name is cañcala, sometimes she favors and goes away. But Kṛṣṇa is so opulent that millions of godesses of fortune are engaged in His service. So why He's asking you, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ (BG 9.26)? He's asking out of love. That, "You try to love Me. If You are so poor you cannot give Me anything, alright, give me little flower, little fruit. I will be satisfied." Kṛṣṇa is so kind.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hong Kong, January 25, 1975:

Brahma-sampradāya. Our this Gauḍīya-sampradāya belongs to that Brahma-sampradāya. In this way there is Rāmānuja-sampradāya. This sampradāya comes from the goddess of fortune, Lakṣmījī. Śrī-sampradāya. In this way there are twelve mahājanas. They are stated in the śāstra. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). We have to take the path of mahājana, and the purpose is how to increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa. This is the business. And this business, you can occupy yourself in this human form of life.

Lecture on BG 7.9 -- Vrndavana, August 15, 1974:

He simply wants to see how you have learned to love Kṛṣṇa, bhakti, how you are eager to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is... Kṛṣṇa wants to see. Otherwise He does not require your service. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam (Bs. 5.29). He's always being served by hundreds and thousands of goddess of fortune. They are so much afraid. They are goddess of... We are praying here goddess of fortune, "My mother, Goddess of Fortune, give me some fortune." They are... The goddess of fortune is afraid if Kṛṣṇa may reject. Just like Rukmiṇī. When Kṛṣṇa was joking with her, she thought, "Maybe Kṛṣṇa is going to leave me." Immediately fainted. Immediately fainted. That is the goddess of fortune.

Lecture on BG 7.9 -- Vrndavana, August 15, 1974:

It doesn't matter. But give Me with bhakti." Yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. This is real business. (?) If you have no bhakti, if you officially make, Kṛṣṇa does not touch it. Kṛṣṇa is not so poor. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam... (Bs. 5.29). So whatever you do, you should always be humble: "Kṛṣṇa, I am quite unfit. So whatever I could collect with my capacity, kindly accept." This is our only plea. Otherwise, don't be proud that "I am doing so much for Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa will be obliged to accept it." It is not like that. Tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā. This is wanted.

Lecture on BG 9.26-27 -- New York, December 16, 1966:

Similarly, if you offer anything to the Supreme Lord, He is full. He does not require your offering. He is always being served by hundreds and thousands of goddess of fortune. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam (Bs. 5.29). We are, in the material world, we are seeking the favor of goddess of fortune, but in the spiritual world, hundreds and thousands of the goddess of fortunes, they are eagerly trying to serve the Supreme Lord. So He is full. He has nothing to accept from you. But He likes that you should offer Him something.

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

This is the mission of Bhagavad-gītā. The best chance. And Kṛṣṇa comes here to give you the idea what is the function of the Kṛṣṇaloka. That He displays in Vṛndāvana here. Rādhā-mādhava kuñja-vihārī. That is His business, simple life, village life. They're all young boys and girls, the gopīs and the cowherds boy. They're enjoying, dancing. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānaṁ surabhīr abhipālayantam (Bs. 5.29). And Kṛṣṇa, just like we have got some hobbies, we keep some cats and dogs, Kṛṣṇa has got also hobby. What is that? Surabhīr abhipālayantam (Bs. 5.29). He's always engaged in taking care of the surabhī cows. Gopāla. That is His business. So He's so simple, life.

Lecture on BG Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 8, 1972:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu's spiritual master was Īśvara Purī. Īśvara Purī's spiritual master was Mādhavendra Purī. And Mādhavendra Purī belonged to the Madhvācārya-sampradāya. Therefore we present ourself belonging to the Madhva-Gauḍīya-sampradāya. Similarly... From Brahmā, there is one sampradāya. Similarly, there is another sampradāya from Lord Śiva, Rudra-sampradāya. And there is another sampradāya, Kumāra-sampradāya. Kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ. That is Nimbārka-sampradāya. Similarly, there is another sampradāya from Lakṣmī, Śrī-sampradāya, Rāmānuja-sampradāya.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

San-nimit, if you have got some money, it will be spent up. In your life or your next life, your son's life, it will be spent up. Vināśe niyate sati, that is the nature's way. Suppose you earn crores of rupees. It will not stay after one generation, after two generations. It will not stay, because in this material world, Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune, is called cañcalā. She does not remain at one place. We have got experience. Today one man is very rich; next generation is no longer rich. That is also nationwise applicable. Just like we have seen British Empire.

Lecture on SB 1.7.43 -- Vrndavana, October 3, 1976:

Sītā-devī is the origin of all potencies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Cit-śakti. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). The Supreme Personality of Godhead has got many potencies, multipotencies, and one of the potency is hlādinī-śakti, pleasure potency. That pleasure potency is Sītā, Rādhārāṇī, Lakṣmī-devī. This has been described by Svarūpa-dāmodara Gosvāmī, rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī-śaktir asmād ekātmānāv api bhuvi purā deha-bhedaṁ gatau tau (CC Adi 1.5). These are described, that the Kṛṣṇa's pleasure potency, Rādhārāṇī, is Kṛṣṇa. But to take pleasure They became two. Ekātmānāv api bhuvi purā deha-bhedaṁ gatau tau. They became divided into two, Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Again, Śrī Caitanya, prakaṭam.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- Chicago, July 4, 1974 :

Kṛṣṇa says, "My devotee, with affection," yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. Kṛṣṇa is not hungry. Kṛṣṇa has not come to you for accepting your offering because He is hungry. No. He is not hungry. He is self-complete, and in the spiritual world He is served, lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam, He is served by hundreds and thousands of goddess of fortune. But Kṛṣṇa is so kind, because if you are seriously lover of Kṛṣṇa, He is here to accept your patraṁ puṣpam. Even you are the poorest of the poor, He will accept whatever you can collect—a little leaf, a little water, a little flower.

Lecture on SB 1.8.34 -- Los Angeles, April 26, 1973:

So Brahmā is getting knowledge from Kṛṣṇa and Brahmā is distributing Vedic knowledge. Therefore he's authority. We, we belong to the Brahma-sampradāya. Our, this Caitanya Mahāprabhu's sampradāya... There are four sampradāyas. One from Brahmā, one from Śrī, Lakṣmī, one from Śambhu, Lord Śiva, and one from Kumāra. Kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ. So there are four Vaiṣṇava sampradāyas. So we have to approach the authoritative representative of Brahmā, Kṛṣṇa. Then we can get the real knowledge.

Lecture on SB 1.8.34 -- Los Angeles, April 26, 1973:

This is all-powerful. Kṛṣṇa is omnipotent. When we want to beget a child, we require the help of a wife. I cannot beget a child alone. Of course, there are some instances, but generally this is not possible. But Kṛṣṇa, Lord Viṣṇu, produced Brahmā without taking the help of His wife, Lakṣmī. She was present there. That is called omnipotency. He's not dependent on anything. That is all-powerful. Try to understand. We say God is omnipotent. Here is the instance of omnipotency. That if I want to beget a child I must marry a wife, but Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu, even in the presence of wife, without taking her help, He produced Brahmā. This is omnipotency.

Lecture on SB 1.8.34 -- Mayapur, October 14, 1974:

So Brahmā's another name is Ātma-bhū. He is born from Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu without the help of Lakṣmī. Lakṣmī was there; she was massaging on the lotus feet of the Lord, but the Lord did not take help of Lakṣmī, and He gave birth to Brahmā. Therefore Brahmā's another name is Ātma-bhū, "born from the father directly, without taking the help of the mother." So another name is Svayambhū. Brahmā's another name is Svayambhū.

Lecture on SB 1.8.40 -- Mayapura, October 20, 1974:

In our childhood also we have seen. As soon as there was a new function or pūjā, there was new cloth. Even household pūjā... That takes place practically every month. Lakṣmī-pūjā, Kārttika-pūjā... Bara mase tara upara bhan.(?) The... Actually there are twelve months, but the festivals are thirteen. It was very difficult to adjust where the another festival, in which month it should be observed. So we have got experience—in Lakṣmī-pūjā, all new cloth. The children, at least, at least the children and the housewife will have new cloth for every function. And what was the price of cloth? Very cheap. One rupee, four annas; one rupee, six annas, per pair. So we have seen it.

Lecture on SB 1.8.44 -- Los Angeles, May 6, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa does not see the wording, the grammatical composition of your prayer. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja said... When other demigods were afraid of approaching Nṛsiṁhadeva, so Brahmā requested Prahlāda that "You offer prayer." So Brahmā's prayer is very..., Prahlāda Mahārāja's prayer... So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that "What prayer I shall offer to the Supreme Lord? Such big, big demigods like Brahmā and others, they are present here. Even goddess of fortune, Lakṣmī, is present here. They are afraid or they could not offer proper prayers to Kṛṣṇa, Nṛsiṁhadeva, to pacify Him. He's very angry. So everyone is afraid." So Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "I am born in a low family. My father is Hiraṇyakaśipu. So how I can offer prayer? If big, big demigods could not offer prayer and satisfy the Lord, so what I can do?"

Lecture on SB 1.13.11 -- Geneva, June 2, 1974:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu has taught this philosophy repeatedly. Niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajana. Bhagavad-bhajana means He Himself become niṣkiñcana. He was Kṛṣṇa Himself, most opulent. Tyaktvā surepsitaḥ, sudustyaja-surepsita-rājya-lakṣmīm (SB 11.5.34). Caitanya Mahāprabhu had the most beautiful wife, goddess of fortune, Viṣṇu-priyā, Lakṣmī-priyā. But for the benefit of the whole world, although He is Kṛṣṇa, He showed us the example. At the age of twenty-four years, He took sannyāsa. He was not unhappy in His home.

Lecture on SB 1.15.22-23 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1973:

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu very much liked that he is, in devotion and in ecstasy of Hanumān, he is thinking like that. So at that time Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "So don't be sorry. Sītā, Lakṣmījī, she cannot be touched by Rāvaṇa. It was māyā Sītā, māyā Sītā. I will tell you. I will give you evidence from the śāstra." So brāhmaṇa believed Him because Caitanya... "Oh, she is there? Sītā was not taken? A māyā Sītā was taken?" "Yes." Then he become encouraged. He cooked and sufficiently gave Him food.

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

That meekness, that humbleness, "Kṛṣṇa, I am most insignificant. I have nothing to give You, neither You are very much hungry or You... You have got many, many..." Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam (Bs. 5.29). Kṛṣṇa is served by the goddess of fortune, not one, many millions. Here we are praying to goddess of fortune, "My dear goddess of fortune, kindly give me little fortune. I am very poor." That is our position. We are praying. But Kṛṣṇa's position is that lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam. The goddess of fortune is praying Kṛṣṇa. Just like the gopīs, they are all goddess of fortune. "Kṛṣṇa, kindly take little service..." This is the position.

Lecture on SB 1.16.11 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1974:

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, a very young age, twenty-four years only, He took sannyāsa. Why? Tyaktvā, rāja-lakṣmī. There is that verse? Vande mahā-puruṣa te caraṇāravindam. That is predicted. "The Lord will give up His Lakṣmī and will take sannyāsa and preach." These are stated in the Vedic literature. So this is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. There are many evidences in the śāstras about Śrī Caitanya, the Lord, Supreme Lord's taking of sannyāsa and preaching. So we accept Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu not only by His uncommon action, but also on the evidence of the śāstra. You can accept. Not that any rascal comes, that "I am incarnation of God." No, no. We cannot accept that.

Lecture on SB 1.16.21 -- Los Angeles, July 11, 1974:

So the example is... He was at that time hardly twenty years old, but how much influence He had that simply by His order 100,000 people collected and chanted Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and challenged the Kazi, that "You are forbidding. We shall continue. Do whatever you like." So this is His popularity. And Lakṣmī-devī, the, directly the goddess of fortune, wife, most beautiful young wife. And seventy-years-old mother. So He has got obligation. But still, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Vaiṣṇava, para-duḥkha-duḥkhī... That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Tyaktvā su-dustyaja-surepsita-rājya-lakṣmīṁ dharmiṣṭha ārya-vacasā yad agād araṇyam (SB 11.5.34).

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

Why do you think like that? No. Balarāma is... Rādhā... As Kṛṣṇa has expansion, similarly, Rādhā has also expansion. So as Rādhārāṇī is directly connected with Kṛṣṇa, similarly, Rādhā's another expansion is connected with Balarāma. All Lakṣmī are connected with the..., not exactly Rādhā directly. As Kṛṣṇa expands Himself in multi-forms, similarly, Rādhā also expands Herself. That is stated in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta you will find.

Lecture on SB 2.9.14 -- Melbourne, April 13, 1972:

So this is not impersonal, the actual description of the spiritual world, all personal varieties. There are the bees, there are goddess of fortune, and followed by her associate, and there is service and so many things, all opulences, śrī. Śrīr yasya. Aiśvaryasya ṣriyaḥ yaśasaḥ. The definition of the Lord is given that He's full of beauties. In the Brahma-saṁhitā also, Lakṣmī. And not only one, all of them are lakṣmīs. The associates of Lakṣmī, the maidservants of Lakṣmī, they are also lakṣmīs. They are not ordinary women, just like Rādhārāṇī is the chief gopī and all Her young girl friends, they are also gopīs. They are of the same category.