Observe (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"observance" |"observe" |"observed" |"observer" |"observing"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.1 -- London, July 7, 1973:

So when the planning was complete and the warfield was set up at dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre (BG 1.1). Dharma-kṣetre means, kuru-kṣetre, that place is a pilgrimage. People still go to observe religious ritualistic performances. And in the Vedas there is injunction, kuru-kṣetre dharmam ācaret: "If you want to perform some ritualistic ceremonies, religious, then go to Kurukṣetra." So Kurukṣetra is a dharma-kṣetra.

Lecture on BG 1.24-25 -- London, July 20, 1973:

So sañjaya uvāca. Actually Sañjaya, the secretary of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, he is relating the activities in the battlefield. Dhṛtarāṣṭra is blind. How in the battlefield the fighting was going on, Sañjaya was observing, either by television or a similar method. Otherwise, how he could explain things are going on in the battlefield in the room? This Bhagavad-gītā, Sañjaya explained, all activities in the battlefield, to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, within the room. So there must have been something like television or higher than the television, he was seeing within himself everything.

Lecture on BG 1.37-39 -- London, July 27, 1973:

So, so much responsibility is there, killing the family. Because they have no responsibility at the present moment, everyone irreligious. Two things are there: religion and irreligion. Kṛṣṇa also says, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati abhyutthānam adharmasya (BG 4.7). If we cannot keep on religious principles, then... We have to do something. Then we have to enhance our irreligious principle. So this family tradition, according to Vedic civilization, was very strictly observed so that the family may be kept in order in religious principles. Why? Now, because the human life is meant for reviving his eternal position, sanātana. This word is used here. Kula-dharmāḥ sanātanāḥ. The real purpose of life, especially human life, is meant for reviving our sanātana-dharma, sanātana occupation, eternal occupation.

Lecture on BG 1.37-39 -- London, July 27, 1973:

By observing the rules and regulations of varṇāśrama-dharma, four varṇas and four āśramas..., that is called kula-dharma. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. Each one of them must strictly observe the rules and regulations of that particular āśrama. Why it should be observed so strictly? Because by observing the regulative principle of each stages of life, one will be able to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

varṇāśramacarvatā

puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān

viṣṇur ārādhyate (panthā)

nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam

(CC Madhya 8.58)

If we observe strictly the rules and regulations of kula-dharma... Kula-dharma means if you are a brāhmaṇa, you must observe the regulative principles, the qualitative principles of a brāhmaṇa. If you are in, a kṣatriya, then you must also observe the kṣatriya principles.

Lecture on BG 1.37-39 -- London, July 27, 1973:

All these are described in the Bhagavad-gītā, who is brāhmaṇa, who is kṣatriya, by symptoms. By symptoms we have to accept whether one is brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or vaiśya, not by birth. That is the injunction of the śāstras. So this has to be observed. If we want actually deliverance from this material entanglement, so these rules and regulations of kula-dharma, we must observe. If we do not observe, then immediately we become irreligious. Dharme naṣṭe kṛtaṁ kṛtsnam adharmam abhibhavati iti uta. Uta, Arjuna said, "It is said." He has learned from higher authorities. Uta, "it is said" means "said by authorities." So "If adharma, irreligious life, is propagated, on account of loss of kula-dharma, then everything is lost, my dear Kṛṣṇa. So why shall I kill?" Other things also will be described later on, that the, when the male members are killed, the female members become widow, and they, their character becomes polluted. So many things Kṛṣṇa will speak about this family life.

Lecture on BG 1.40 -- London, July 28, 1973:

You just try to understand how the society was going on strictly on the Vedic principles. So now there is no such thing. Nobody is observing Vedic principles. And because the Vedic principles were strictly being followed, the whole world was one unit, controlled by these Pāṇḍavas. Even the grandson of Pāṇḍava, Mahārāja Parīkṣit,... This is on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. Then when the battle was over, the next king was Mahārāja Parīkṣit, grandson of Arjuna. Up to that time, everything was in order, Vedic principles. All over the world.

Lecture on BG 1.41-42 -- London, July 29, 1973:

So everything becomes topsy-turvy, hellish condition. And actually it has so happened. Now there is no more jāti-dharma. Everyone is engaged somehow or other to fill up the belly. Formerly, formerly there was stricture. The brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, and the vaiśyas, these three higher castes, there were certain restrictions. The brāhmaṇa would not do this or the brāhmaṇa must do this. So that is called jāti-dharma. A brāhmaṇa cannot accept service from anywhere. I have discussed many times. A kṣatriya also cannot. And vaiśya cannot. Only the śūdra can become servant of others. Paricaryātmakaṁ karma śūdrasyāpi svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). So, at the present moment, nobody can observe the strict rules and regulations, that "I am born in a brāhmaṇa family. I cannot accept anyone's service." Then you will have to starve.

Lecture on BG 2.3 -- London, August 4, 1973:

Devotee: Inspecting.

Prabhupāda: Inspecting, yes. Inspecting. "Your touring means inspection whether the varṇāśrama, whether the brāhmaṇa is doing actually as brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya is doing actually as kṣatriya." That is king's touring. King's touring not a pleasure touring at the expense of the state go somewhere and come back. No. He was... Sometimes in disguise the king used to see whether this varṇāśrama-dharma is being maintained, properly being observed, whether somebody is simply wasting time like hippies. No, that cannot be done. That cannot be done. Now in your government there is some inspection that nobody is employed, but unemployed. But so many things are not practically inspected. But it is the duty of the government to see everything.

Lecture on BG 2.7-11 -- New York, March 2, 1966:

So here is a point, that sometimes we may do something which is approved by the general public, but it may not be approved by the supreme authority. Superficially it may appear very appealing to the sentiment of the public, but factually such thing may not be correct, may not be correct. If we accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and "Why He was inducing Arjuna to fight?" It does not mean that He was inducing Arjuna to do something wrong. But from worldly point of view, Arjuna was a very pious man and he was declining to fight, not to kill his kinsmen, not to kill his friends. This... This is a very important point. So he argued, "No, no, if I fight, my people will die, and their wives will become widow, and they will be adulterated, and then, by adulteration, unwanted population will increase, and who will offer śrāddha?" Śrāddha... There is a ceremony of śrāddha according to Hindu scripture. I do not know whether you have in your Christian religion, but according to Hindu, a dead body is offered some respect every year. Just like death anniversary observed, similarly, in the family, the descendants, they offer some foodstuff after some religious ceremony.

Lecture on BG 2.7-11 -- New York, March 2, 1966:

Śūdras means the laborer class. So these four divisions are always. Now you can name in a different way. That doesn't matter. But in every society and for all time these divisions are there. So according to Vedic system, this system is observed by generation. So he was a kṣatriya. Now, kṣatriya's duty was to fight with the enemy, and he was not executing that, I mean to say, injunction. Therefore, he is conscious that dharma-sammūḍha-cetāḥ: (BG 2.7) "Oh, I am deviating from my religion also. It is the duty of kṣatriya. No. So I am now perplexed." So yac chreyaḥ syān niścitam: "Now You should kindly, definitely say." Now, here is a position: "I do not understand what is to be done. You kindly..." Yac chreyaḥ syān niścitam. Niścitam means definitely what is right. Brūhi tan me. Now Kṛṣṇa can say, "Well, I have already saying you that you should fight, but you are not carrying out the order." So he says that śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). So he accepted that "All right, whatever arguments we have done so far, let us forget that. Now I accept You as my spiritual master, not my friend."

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- London, August 21, 1973:

So how to take Kṛṣṇa consciousness? That is also answered by Prahlāda Mahārāja. Matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām. Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot be awakened for a person who wants to stay in this material world and become happy. He cannot become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Gṛha-vratānām. Gṛha means home, and vratānām means one who has taken the house or home or this body as everything. Vrata. Vrata means... Just like you are observing this today, a Janmāṣṭamī-vrata, under vow. We shall fast, an austerity. The aim is different from the gṛha-vrata. Gṛha-vrata's aim is how to decorate the home, how to become happy in this home, in this world, in this material world. That is their... So they cannot become Kṛṣṇa conscious. One who has become callous of this material happiness, he can become Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Los Angeles, December 6, 1968:

So scientific, I mean to say, proposition is based on observation and experiment. So this is simply observation, that those who are atheistic person... Just like medical science. There are many doctors. They are observing when a man dies, observing, feeling the pulse, taking pulse beating, offering oxygen gas, trying to save him. All of a sudden the man dies, and he is sure to die, but they cannot simply observe the symptoms. They cannot observe what is that thing which is gone now. They cannot say that. Neither it is possible for them to say. But their theory that combination of matter makes symptoms of life possible, they should prove it by experiment. Then it is complete science. Observation and experiment. But there is no such experiment till now. You trace out the history of the human society. Of course, in the modern world they cannot trace out chronological history more than three thousand years. That's all.

Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Hyderabad, November 30, 1972:

So Arjuna was declining to fight. So the, for argument's sake, Kṛṣṇa says that "If you think like that, the body's everything, so it will be destroyed automatically. So why you are so much afraid?" Suppose I have combined some chemicals and it is destroyed... Say, bottles of chemicals, some way or other, it is destroyed. So who laments for that? You can purchase another bottle. That is simply for argument's sake. Actually, that is not the position. Now, if you think that the combination of chemicals can produce living force, then why don't you do it in the laboratory? The chemicals are there. You can combine and just produce a small ant, moving. Then it is... Science means observation and experiment. So if you simply observe, and cannot make any experiment, practical, so then that is not science. That is only theory. That is not possible. No scientist has ever made any living entity by combination of chemicals in the laboratory. Nobody can do that.

Lecture on BG 2.27-38 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1968:

Devotee: "Your enemies will describe you in many unkind words and scorn your ability. What could be more painful for you (BG 2.36)?" 37: "O son of Kuntī, either you will be killed on the battlefield and attain the heavenly planets or you will conquer and enjoy the earthly kingdom. Therefore get up and fight with determination (BG 2.37)." 38: "Do thou fight for the sake of fighting without considering happiness or distress, loss or gain (BG 2.38)."

Prabhupāda: This is duty. One has to execute duty without any consideration of loss and gain. That is duty, observing duty. Just see. "You are kṣatriya. There is necessity of this fighting. So you should not consider whether you are gaining or losing. It is your duty to fight." Go on.

Lecture on BG 2.32 -- London, September 2, 1973:

Śuci means always cleansed. Internally... Bāhyābhyantara-śuciḥ. Inside and outside. Outside by taking bath, washing with soda, soap, or if soda, soap is not available, with earth or oil. That is external cleanliness. Similarly, internal cleanliness, one must rise early in the morning, evacuate, then after taking bath must chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, see the maṅgala-ārātrika. In this way one has to purify himself internally and externally. God consciousness is not so cheap thing. Yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. One who is completely free from all contamination of material modes, anta-gataṁ pāpam, sinful activities, they can te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā bhajante mām (BG 7.28), they can stick to the principle of devotional service. Otherwise, if he's not free from the contamination of sinful life, he may show, make a show of devotion, but that is not actual devotion. Bhaktyābhāsa. That is called bhaktyābhāsa.

So these things should be observed. Brāhmaṇa, a brāhmaṇa's duty is to present himself an ideal human being. Satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā. Titikṣā means toleration. "Oh, it is very cold. No, I cannot take bath." No. You must tolerate. You must tolerate. Titikṣā. Ārjavam, simplicity; jñānam, full knowledge; vijñānam, practical application. Jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyam. Āstikyam means completely convinced of God and his relationship with God. That is called āstikyam. Or full faith in the statement of the Vedas. Whatever Veda says, that's right. Yes. No argument. That is called āstikyam. No argument.

Lecture on BG 2.32 -- London, September 2, 1973:

One who does not follow the regulative principle mentioned in the śāstras, śāstra-vidhim..., vidhim means regulative principle. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ, and lives whimsically, as he, whatever he likes, and that is sanctioned by some rascal swami, that, "Oh, yes, you can do whatever you like..." Yato mata tato patha. "You can manufacture your way of religious principle." These things are going on. But actually that will not help us. Śāstra-vidhim, śāstra-vidhim, that must be observed. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ na sa siddhim avāpnoti. If one violates the regulative principle mentioned in the śāstra, he'll never get success. Na sa siddhim avāpnoti na sukham, neither happiness. Na sukhaṁ na parāṁ gatim: Then what to speak of going back to home, back to...? He'll rot in this material world.

Lecture on BG 2.36-37 -- London, September 4, 1973:

So Kṛṣṇa is encouraging, inducing Arjuna to observe the duty. You cannot deviate from duty. That was the point. When there is fight, you must fight regularly, and kill the enemies. That is your credit. When you are fighting with the enemies, if you become compassionate, "How shall I kill?" that is cowardice. Therefore Kṛṣṇa concludes here: hato vā prāpsyasi svargaṁ jitvā vā bhokṣyase mahīm. There are two alternatives. For a fighter, for a kṣatriya, to fight in the battle, either gain victory or die. No via media. Fight to the last point if you are able, then become victorious. Or die. No stoppage. All this fighting were meant like that.

Lecture on BG 2.40 - London, September 13, 1973:

Prabhupāda: So when you come to the bhakti platform, that is simply to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. In the material platform, everyone is to satisfy his own whims. That is a different thing. So if you give up your material activities, tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ hareḥ, and, by sentiment or by canvassing or by seeing that "These people are Kṛṣṇa conscious people, they are very nice, they are chanting in the street, let me join," somehow or other, if you come in contact, then... (tape is wavy) I think one of our students joined, he was going to business and seeing the chanting, dancing in the street, he immediately joined. Who is that? I think Dhruva?

Devaratha: Devaratha, yes.

Prabhupāda: And he joined immediately. So, this is nice. This is nice. Tyaktvā sva-dharmam—he was meant for something else, but he joined Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujam. All right, you have joined Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that's all right. Execute it nicely, make progress. But not progress—tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer bhajann apakvo 'tha (SB 1.5.17). If he could not execute properly, he could not chant sixteen rounds, he could not observe the rules and regulations or for sometimes he could execute and then again, he became slackened. Just like sometimes we see some of our student falls down. So Nārada Muni says, bhajann apakvo 'tha. His execution of devotional service could not be completed; somehow or other, it was checked, it was obstructed, and he falls down again in the clutches of māyā, falls down. There is possibility. Māyā is very strong. Māyā is very strong. At any moment we can fall down. Therefore we have to keep ourselves very much vigilant, strong, strong. Strength, the spiritual strength is the chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and following the rules and regulations. Then māyā cannot. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). If you keep yourself strictly to the principles of bhakti-yoga, māyā's father also will not be able to do anything. No.

Lecture on BG 2.46-47 -- New York, March 28, 1966:

In our Hindu religion the people are advised to observe some ceremonies. In every religion the same system is there. They go to temple, you go to church, and the Mohammedans, they go to mosque, and similarly, there are different systems. But if one is simply sticking up to the system without seeing "How much progress I am making in my life?" then that is waste of time. That is called niyamāgraha, simply observing the rules. And niyamāgraha also means that you should not neglect also the rules. You should not neglect the rules and regulation; at the same time you should not stick up to the rules and regulation. So atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ laulyam (NOI 2). Laulyam means to be, to be greedy, to be greedy. You should not be greedy, that "I want so much. I want so much. I want so much." No, not like that. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ laulyam and jana-saṅgaś ca. Jana-saṅgaś ca means the persons who are not interested in spiritual matter, we should not associate with them. This should be... These are the, these six things, which retrograde the progress of spiritual life, and the other six things which I previously, just moment, I described, they will help us in our progressive life to the spiritual path.

Lecture on BG 3.16-17 -- New York, May 25, 1966:

Śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇam. Just like the moon rises from the new moon. Gradually the moon rises into the full moon. Therefore the candrikā, candrikā, this very word, is used. It is compared with the moon. Just like on the pratipadā, after the new moon, you see the moon just like a line. Then, next day, it becomes little more, next, little more. Just like pratipadā, on the eleventh day it is practically full. On the eleventh day we observe ekādaśī, and then, after four days, the full moon—the whole world is full of light. So śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā... As soon as this bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam, as soon as we get rid of this misconception of identifying this body, then our real blissful life begins, gradually develops just like the moon develops. Śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇaṁ vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam.

Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Madras, January 1, 1976:

Indian (9): May I ask a question, sir. The movement is very popular in the USA and few other countries. To my experience it is not quite popular... This is the country where originated... (break) ...not so much in India.

Prabhupāda: It is very popular here also. Otherwise why you have come here? (laughter)

Indian (9): But it is not so popular.

Prabhupāda: So Kṛṣṇa is popular in India very much. Every house, they observe Kṛṣṇa Janmāṣṭamī. Unfortunately (applause) you are forgetting. You are forgetting this. That is the misfortune. (laughter)

Lecture on BG 4.7-9 -- New York, July 22, 1966:

Divyam means transcendental. It is not ordinary thing. Just like Kṛṣṇa, we observe in India the Kṛṣṇa's birthday. This month of August, by the end of August, there will be Kṛṣṇa's birthday, and every Indian home, especially the Hindus, never mind in whatever sect or division they belong, they observe Kṛṣṇa's birthday. As here in the Christian world you observe the birthday of Lord Jesus Christ, similarly... So janma... Now, here Kṛṣṇa says that "My janma, My birth..." And because there is birth, so there are some activities. Just like we have taken our birth and there are some activities. So this Kṛṣṇa's birth and Kṛṣṇa's activities are transcendental. Transcendental means they are not these material activities.

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- New York, July 27, 1966:

"Any person who is devoutedly, is attached to Me and is fully Kṛṣṇa conscious with love and faith, unto him, I give dictation in such a way that he will come to Me. He will come to Me." How He will give me dictation? Oh, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati: (BG 18.61) "The Supreme Lord, by His plenary portion, He is situated within your heart." Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati. That we individual souls and the Supreme Soul, both of them are sitting in this tree of body. That is the Vedic injunction. The Veda says that two birds, just like friends, they are sitting on the same tree. One bird is eating the fruit of the tree, and the other bird is not eating the fruit but is simply observing the activities of the other bird.

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- New York, July 27, 1966:

So living entity is... According to his work, he is wandering in this circle in the cycle of different species of life. But the Supreme Lord, He is so kind and so friendly with us that He is also with us. Suppose I am sitting in this bird. As soon as I fly to another... I am sitting in this tree, and as soon as I fly to another tree, the other bird, He also follows me. He also follows me, and sits again in that tree. He is so friendly. Just imagine how much kind and how much friendly is the Lord. He is always trying to call me back again to Him. We are trying to noncooperate with Him. We are trying to noncooperate, and He is trying to cooperate. He is sitting with me in the same branch, He is witnessing, He is observing, and He is waiting, simply waiting when we shall turn my face, when I shall turn my face towards Him. That is the whole thing.

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- Geneva, June 1, 1974:

Try to understand that there is sun, the sun globe, and within the sun globe, there is the sun deity, and outside the sun globe, there is sunshine. All of them are light. The... Within the sun globe, there is light, and in the outside the sun globe, there is light, and the sunshine is also light, but still, there are differences. Another example is: just like if you try to observe a mountain from distant place, it will appear as a hazy cloud. And if you go still nearer, you will find something, greenish rock. The subject of observation is the same thing, but you are looking in different way on account of your different angle of vision. Similarly, if you actually enter the mountain, you will find there are many trees, many houses, many animals, many men. It is full of varieties. Similarly, the Absolute Truth, object of vision, is one, but according to our angle of vision, sometimes we are seeing it is hazy cloud, sometimes as greenish mountain, and when you actually in that place, you see varieties of living entities, trees and houses, everything there.

Lecture on BG 4.11-18 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1969:

The example, another example. Just like from a very distant place you see one hill. You will find just like it is a cloud. If you go further near you will see it is something green. And if you reach the mountain then you will see there are so many trees, so many animals, houses and living beings. The same example can be given here. One who is observing the absolute truth from a very distant place, their conception is impersonal. One who is further advanced, their conception is localized. God is situated in everyone's heart. That is localized.

Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Bombay, April 2, 1974:

The people known as Hindus in the world, the Hindu is a term given by the Mohammedans, from "Indus." Indus River is there. Now it is in Pakistan. So people beyond the Indus River, the Mohammedans in Arabia and other countries, they pronounce "s" as "h". Instead of "Sindhu," they used to pronounce it as "Hindu." So people living, crossing the river Indus or Hindus, they were called "Hindus." Otherwise, this "Hindu" term is not seen in any Vedic literature.

The real meaning is the people who observe the varṇāśrama-dharma, four varṇas and four āśramas. Four varṇa means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. And below the śūdras, they are called caṇḍālas, pañcama, fifth grade, less than the śūdras. That natural division is there everywhere.

Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Bombay, April 2, 1974:

Unfortunately, this system, although India was observing very rigidly, now it is slackened, or practically nil. We have lost our brahminical culture, the cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). This is the, due to the influence of Kali-yuga. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ In the Kali-yuga practically everyone is a śūdra or less than śūdra. Less than śūdra is called caṇḍāla. Śūdras, sometimes śūdras also eat meat, but the less than śūdras, they have no discrimination. They eat even dogs. The dog-eaters, they are described in the śāstra, śva-paca. Śva means dog, and paca means, pacanti, cook.

Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Bombay, April 2, 1974:

So unless there are first-class men, second-class men, at least third-class men, only fourth-class, fifth-class, sixth-class men, how they can conduct. That is not possible. Therefore it is enjoined that cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). This division of the society must be observed.

Lecture on BG 4.19-22 -- New York, August 8, 1966:

Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ. Niyamāgraha means to stick to the rules regulation. Suppose in your faith or in my faith there are certain rules and regulations to be observed. But if I go to some other place where the rules and regulations cannot be strictly observed, and if I want to observe such rules and regulations, then my main business is suffering. So we should not stick to the rules and regulations. We should see to the business.

Lecture on BG 4.19-22 -- New York, August 8, 1966:

Just like I am an Indian sannyāsī. I have come to your country, at your country. Oh, there are many rules and regulations in India which is different from your rules and regulations. But if I follow, if I stick to rules and regulations of Indian conception, then it is impossible to remain here. So I have to propagate this mission, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, so I am not so much attached to the rules and regulations, but I am attached to the preaching work. So therefore niyamāgraha. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ (NOI 2). This four, this niyamāgraha, is also against Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And niyamāgraha. And when you are in a quite convenient position, if you do not observe the rules and regulations, that is also against Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ.

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

So whole process is, sacrifice means that we have to reach to that point. The whole process of sacrifice, either by yoga system or by jñāna system or by observing the rules and regulation of the social system, everything is meant for reaching to that point. What is that? Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān mām (BG 7.19). To surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on BG 4.34-39 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1969:

Suppose you are going here. You are coming here to learn something. When you are convinced that "Swamiji knows the thing," when you are convinced, then you accept. Then you ask for initiation. Otherwise don't do it hesitatingly or knowing half. Therefore in the system it is enjoined that the spiritual master also observe the disciple at least for one year, and the disciple also studies the spiritual master at least for one year. So when both of them are convinced that "He can be my spiritual master" or "He can be my disciple," then the relationship is established. We initiate our students. The preliminary initiation is offering chanting. Then we observe at least for one year, how he is chanting, how he is doing. Then the second initiation confirms. That is the system.

Lecture on BG 4.37-40 -- New York, August 21, 1966:

Now, how that potency we can have? That is the thing we should culture. Jñānāgniḥ. And that can be achieved by jñāna, by knowledge. The knowledge... For knowledge, everything is there. We have to accept that. That... Therefore, formerly people used to observe penances and austerity to attain perfection. Now, here, in this age, oh, that, such austerities and penances are not possible, are not possible. Because our life is very short, and we are always disturbed. Prāyeṇālpāyuṣaḥ kalau asmin yuge janāḥ. Kalau. Kalau means this age, the age of quarrel and insufficiency. This age is called Kali. Kali means "the age of quarrel." We fight. On insignificant questions we fight. Therefore this is called Kali-yuga. So in this yuga we have got very short period of life.

Lecture on BG 4.39-5.3 -- New York, August 24, 1966:

Now, the Kṛṣṇa Janmāṣṭamī is just approaching on the 8th, September, the birthday of Kṛṣṇa we observe in India, and probably we may also make a program for observing the birthday ceremony here. So you'll find that just like in your country in Christmas day you all observe the birthday of Lord Christ, similarly, Kṛṣṇa, the birthday of Kṛṣṇa, will be observed in India, cent percent people.

Lecture on BG 5.22-29 -- New York, August 31, 1966:

Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). The Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, He is the enjoyer, He is the proprietor, and He is the real friend. In the Vedic scripture you'll find, He's such a nice friend that I am transmigrating from one body to another, and Kṛṣṇa is also transmigrating in the same body. Supersoul. Suppose I am transmigrating to the body of a hog. Oh, Kṛṣṇa is present there also. He's such a friend. Now, suppose we have got our friends. So when I've got richness, I am very rich, I will have so many friends. Suppose I am poverty-stricken now, no friends come to us. Kṛṣṇa is not such a friend. Kṛṣṇa is such a good friend. In whatever condition you may live, He is always with you. He is always with you. In the Vedic literature you find that two birds are sitting on the same tree. One bird is eating the fruit of the tree, and the other bird is witnessing. That witnessing bird is Kṛṣṇa, and the eating bird is myself. I am eating, I am enjoying the fruits of my work in this material world, and Kṛṣṇa is simply observing. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was talking so many things; Kṛṣṇa was observing. But when Arjuna came to his senses, he surrendered to Kṛṣṇa: śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). Similarly, the bird, the Supersoul bird, is sitting. He's simply waiting for the opportunity when he'll say, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa I surrender unto You. Now protect me. Give me instruction." He is waiting.

Lecture on BG 5.26-29 -- Los Angeles, February 12, 1969:

Sages means those who have undergone austerities, penance, and many tribulation for attaining perfection, they are called sages. "The sages knowing Me as the ultimate purpose of sacrifice." Now if you perform austerities and penances that is a kind of sacrifice. But yad icchanto brahmacaryaṁ caranti. In the Bhagavad-gītā you will find these are explained that yad icchantaḥ. Simply by desiring to go back to home, back to Godhead one is supposed to follow the vow of brahmacārī. Brahmacārī, to live the life of celibacy, this is called brahmacārī. So it has got so nice effect that if anyone from the birth to the death simply observe this life of celibacy he is sure to go back to home. Simply by observing one rule: yad icchanto brahmacaryaṁ caranti. It is so nice, brahmacarya. So this is sacrifice. Sacrifice means my senses dictate that "You enjoy," but I am not enjoying. I am not enjoying. This is sacrifice.

Lecture on BG 6.32-40 -- New York, September 14, 1966:

Bambhārambhe laghu-kriyā. Aja-yuddhe, fighting between two goats... Now, they are very serious about fighting, and somebody comes, (claps) does like this, (claps), and they go away. The fighting stops. You see? So bambhārambhe, the attempt is very great, but the effect is little. Aja-yuddhe muni-śrāddhe: "And a ceremony observed by some sages in the jungle..." What they have got? They have got some leaves and flowers. That's all. What arrangement will be made? And prabhāte megha-ḍambare: "And in the morning, thundering sound of the cloud..." And similarly, dam-pate kalahe, I mean to say, "war between husband and wife..." So these things are to be taken as insignificant. So, of course, in India the quarrel between husband and wife, nobody cares. Nobody takes very seriously. The husband may complain, the wife may complain. Everyone says, "Yes, yes. That's all right. It will be all right." They never go to court for divorce. You see? But it is... There is no seriousness. And actually it is fact. I have seen a serious. They are divorced, but still, the husband is anxious for the wife, and the wife is anxious for the husband. The divorce is artificial. The husband and wife, the combination, that cannot be cut off. So one should tolerate these things. If there is some misunderstanding, they should not go to the court for divorce. They should tolerate. These are some of the rules for spiritual advancement.

Lecture on BG 6.47 -- Ahmedabad, December 12, 1972:

So five thousand years ago, when... (pause—noise in background) Five thousand years ago, when this yoga system was discussed between Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, Arjuna frankly admitted that this system was very difficult for him. He thought himself as a gṛhastha and a military man, so concentration of the mind and sitting in a posture and looking on the point of the nose, so many systems, find out a secluded place, alone, and observing so many rules and regulation, āsana, dhyāna, prāṇāyāma, so he thought it difficult for him. Therefore Kṛṣṇa, in order to encourage him, that, although he could not practice the aṣṭāṅga-yoga system, still there was no cause of disappointment.

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

And Kṛṣṇa, because you have no direct touch of Kṛṣṇa, therefore you take shelter of Kṛṣṇa's representative. Then this yuñjan begins. He will teach you how to practice the bhakti-yoga, how to worship Him, how to think of Him, how to offer obeisances, how to observe the ceremonies. Just like yesterday we perfomed the ceremonies, Ratha-yātrā, so this dress, Jagannātha dress, and function, everything you have to learn. This is called bhakti-yoga, mad-āśrayaḥ. And this, the beginning is mayy āsakta-manāḥ, āsakta. Āsakti, we have to develop attachment. If you do not develop attachment for Kṛṣṇa, then other thing does not come.

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

So that knowledge is perfect because experimentally... Science means observation and experiment. If you are observing something, then you must experiment. Jñānaṁ vijñānam. In the previous verses we have already studied that jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānam (BG 7.2). Jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānam. Theoretical knowledge, that is observation. And sa-vijñānam means experiment. If you say, if you have observed that life is produced of chemical, then make experiment. Then it is science; otherwise it is hodge-podge. It has no meaning. Life is never produced of matter; matter is produced out of life. This is the... Therefore we are fragmental matter, life. We living entities, small portion, very small portion. That is also given in the śāstras: keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya śatadhā kalpitasya ca (CC Madhya 19.140). One ten-thousandth part of the top of the hair, that is the magnitude of soul.

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

Whatever there are in this material world, we find interaction of three qualities only: goodness, passion, and ignorance. All manifestations that you are observing, they are different combination of these three qualities. Now that can be made into nine. Three into three equal to nine; nine into nine equal to eighty-one; and so on—go on diluting. But the main background is that three qualities. So Kṛṣṇa says that "Whatever qualities are there," ye caiva sāttvikā bhāvā rājasās tāmasāś ca ye, "either goodness or passion or ignorance," matta eveti tān viddhi, "they are all produced from Me. They are all produced from Me." How is that? Na tv ahaṁ teṣu te mayi, that "Because they are produced from Me, therefore they are standing, their position is in Me, but I am not there. I am transcendental." So in another sense, even the bad things, evil things, which is produced out of ignorance, that is also Kṛṣṇa. But when? When it is applied by Kṛṣṇa.

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

Tapasya means to undergo voluntarily some inconveniences of this body. Because we are accustomed to enjoy bodily senses, and tapasya means voluntarily to give up the idea of sense gratification. That is tapasya. Tapasya. Just like Ekādaśī. Ekādaśī, one day fasting, fortnight. That is also tapasya. Or fasting in some other auspicious day. That tapasya is good, even for health, and what to speak of advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So we should accept this tapasya. The upavāsa. There are many prescribed days for fasting. We should observe. And the preliminary tapasya, no illicit sex, no gambling, no intoxication, no..., no meat-eating... There may be some inconvenience, those who were accustomed to this practice, but we'll have to accept. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). If we want to purify our existence... At the present moment our existence is not purified, impure. Therefore we are suffering. Just like when one's physiological condition becomes infected, he suffers from fever and other symptoms of disease, similarly, we are suffering in this material world on account of this material body. If we want really happiness, then we must accept tapasya. Tapasya is required. Without tapasya, if you think that very easily... Or "Without tapasya, I can get it simply by imagination," then you become sahajiyā, to take things very easily. No. Tapasya.

Lecture on BG 7.11-13 -- Bombay, April 5, 1971:

Śāstra means, as I have already told you, the orders of Kṛṣṇa or orders of God. Sādhu-śāstra-guru. They are the same thing. There is no difference. A sādhu follows the orders of the scriptures. A guru follows the order of the scriptures. And śāstra is description of the Supreme Lord. Just like we are reading Bhagavad-gītā. These are the injunction of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is śāstra. Or anyone who writes in terms of the śāstra, that is right direction. If we speak Bhagavad-gītā as Kṛṣṇa desires, then it is nice. And if we describe Bhagavad-gītā to fulfill our ulterior motives for some purpose, then it is useless. So similarly, Kṛṣṇa said, dharmāviruddho bhūteṣu kāmo 'smi bharatarṣabha. Those who are not following the principles, how to beget child, or not observing the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra—according to śāstra, immediately the family becomes converted into śūdra. No more brāhmaṇa, no more kṣatriya, if he does not follow. This is very easy to understand. If you do something illegally, against the law, immediately you become a criminal. Similarly, dharmāviruddha. The garbhādhāna-saṁskāra has to be observed. Otherwise we become śūdra, no more brāhmaṇa, no more kṣatriya.

Lecture on BG 7.11-13 -- Bombay, April 5, 1971:

So it is very difficult to say at the present moment whether garbhādhāna-saṁskāra is observed. At least, in garbhādhāna-saṁskāra we understand that "This child is born of a real brāhmaṇa," but without garbhādhāna-saṁskāra, who knows how the child is born? Nobody knows except the mother. Therefore the śāstra says, "In this age, Kali-yuga, because this garbhādhāna-saṁskāra is not observed regularly," kalau śūdrāḥ sambhavāḥ, "everyone in the Kali-yuga is a śūdra because the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra is not observed." Of course, those who are observing... But it is very hard to say who is observing. But if it is not observed, then any child born, either in the brāhmaṇa family or kṣatriya family or vaiśya family, because the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra is not observed, it is to be understood that that child is śūdra. Even if the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra is observed, still, by birth, it is accepted that every child is a śūdra. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. And if the regulative purificatory processes are adopted, then he becomes dvija. Dvija means twice-born. First-born by the father and mother, and his second birth is by the spiritual master and Vedic knowledge. Veda-mātā. Vedic knowledge and the spiritual master gives another birth.

Lecture on BG 8.20-22 -- New York, November 18, 1966:

You can understand by simple example. Just like this sky, and in some insignificant part of the sky there is some cloud, and the cloud covers us. When there is cloud or snowfall we see everything is covered. But that covering is only an insignificant part of the whole sky. That covering is not for the whole sky. Because we are very minute, small, so a few hundred miles, if it is covered, this sky, we see that everything is covered. Similarly, this material sky is within the covering, with the covering of mahat-tattva, matter. And as this cloud, when it is clear, the original sky you can see, similarly, this covering of material matter, when it begins... Just like cloud has beginning and end, similarly, this material nature has beginning and end. Just like your body. It has got its beginning and end—simply for some time. We get our birth of this body, we stay for some time, it grows, it gives some by-products, then it dwindles, then vanishes—these six transformations. So similarly, anything material, manifestation that you are seeing, observing, that is under these six kinds of transformation. So at the end it will be vanquished.

Lecture on BG 8.22-27 -- New York, November 20, 1966:

He is praying, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, my dear Lord, Your name is always invested with all the potencies of Your person." Nāmnām. "You have got all the potencies in name, and You have made it so easy that we can chant without any hard-and-fast rules and regulations." Suppose if you have to establish one temple of Kṛṣṇa. You have got to observe so many rules and regulations. You have to spend money. You have to see its management. But here, by chanting, any man can have the same benefit of becoming nearer or in company with Kṛṣṇa always and derive all the benefits out of it. Of course, there is benefit when you are associated with Kṛṣṇa. So the same benefit... Just like Arjuna is deriving the benefit, being associated with Kṛṣṇa, similarly, you can also derive the same benefit as being associated with Kṛṣṇa simply by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. This is possible.

Lecture on BG 9.1 -- Melbourne, April 19, 1976:

Jñānam. Jñānam means knowledge. And vijñānam means particular knowledge. Just like in scientific word there are knowledge and scientific knowledge or theoretical knowledge and experimental knowledge, two kinds of knowledge. Science... In the field of scientific knowledge there are things, just like observation and experiment. Things are going on. The scientists are observing that "This things is being done." Now there are so many observation, atomic observation. Proton, neutron, they are observing. And now, when that observation is complete, when they are put into experimental knowledge, that is called vijñānam. So Kṛṣṇa says that "I shall explain to you jñānam, theoretical knowledge, with practical experiment." Not that you have to accept this knowledge blindly. Practical experiment. Jñānaṁ te 'haṁ pravakṣyāmy anasū... Jñānaṁ vijñāna-sahitam.

Lecture on BG 9.3 -- Toronto, June 20, 1976:

This is confirmed in the Upaniṣad, that two birds are sitting on one tree. One bird is eating the fruit and another bird is simply observing. So the observing bird is Kṛṣṇa and the eating bird is the living entity. Two birds. In another place also Kṛṣṇa says kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata (BG 13.3). The question of the kṣetra-jña, the owner of the body and the body. In this Chapter, in the Thirteenth Chapter, it is discussed. So in that chapter Kṛṣṇa says that "I am also one of the owner of the body, but the difference of this singular individual body and Myself is this, that the individual soul knows about his own body. But so far I am concerned, I am present in everyone's body and I know everything of everyone's body." Just like you are a spirit soul, I am a spirit soul within this body. You know the pleasure and pains of your body. I know the pleasure and pains of my body. But Kṛṣṇa, he knows the pleasure and pains of your body and pleasure and pains of my body and everyone's body. That is Kṛṣṇa. That is Paramātmā. Jīvātmā and Paramātmā.

Lecture on BG 9.5 -- Melbourne, April 24, 1976:

In Upaniṣad also there is a verse that the two birds are sitting in one tree. One bird is eating the fruit of the tree and the other bird is simply observing. The observing bird is Kṛṣṇa or the Supersoul, and the eating bird is the individual soul. So as you desire... That is said, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna... (BG 18.61). He is sitting with me. He is so friendly that He is giving us guidance always and He is waiting for the time when you shall give up your desires and surrender to the other bird, the observing bird. That is Kṛṣṇa, Paramātmā. Paramātmā is so kind that I am taking the body of human being—He is there. I am taking the body of an animal—He is there. I am taking the body of a demigod—He is there. I am taking the body of a demigod—He is there. He is so nice friend, He is always... And giving me advice that "Why you are suffering in this way, creating your desires and suffering? Why you are doing this? Better you stop this. You surrender to Me. Come back to home, back to Godhead." This is... He is always asking. So īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). He is staying in everyone's heart and He is omnipotent. He understands what I desire.

Lecture on BG 9.7-10 -- New York, November 25, 1966:

"Whatever changes and wonderful things, happenings, you are observing in this material nature, that is under My superintendence, under My superintendence." There is brain, not without brain. As you cannot see anything in this material world within your experience, so everything has got... Behind everything there is a good brain, anything. You cannot prove anything that "This thing has automatically being done without a brain behind it." Can you give us any solitary example that any wonderful thing has happened without a brain behind it? You cannot say. You cannot give even a single example within your experience. How we can say that this material nature, such wonderful things, manifestation... Thousands and millions of planets, they are floating in weightlessness in the air. There is no brain behind it? You throw one mechanical sputnik, and there are thousands of scientists working in the laboratory, electronics. They are pushing on the button, and everything is recorded. A plaything only.

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Paris, August 10, 1973:

Just like the capitalist and the worker. The worker under goes strike, no more working. So all these limbs, parts of the body, they observed striking, and after two, three days, when again they met, they talked amongst themselves that: "Why we are becoming weak? We cannot work now." You see. The legs also said: "Yes, I am feeling weak." Hands also feeling weak, everyone. So what is the cause? The cause... Then the stomach says: "Because I am not eating. So if you want to remain strong, then you must give me to eat. Otherwise... So I am the enjoyer. You are not enjoyer. You are to supply things for my enjoyment. That is your position." So they understood: "Yes, we cannot directly enjoy. It is not possible."

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Miami, February 25, 1975:

So God, the Supersoul is simply observing the activities of the individual soul. And He has given freedom to the individual soul. Because the individual soul has come in this material world to enjoy independent of the Supersoul. That is the material disease. He has to remain under the protection. He is already under the protection of the Supersoul, but he is thinking that he is independent. That is called māyā. He is not independent.

Lecture on BG 13.1-3 -- Durban, October 13, 1975:

Where He is staying? Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). God is living within the core of the heart, and the living entity, he is also living within this core of heart. They are living just like two birds sitting on the branch of one tree. These are the Vedic statement. So there are two birds sitting on the branch of the same tree. One bird is eating the fruit of the tree, and the other bird, simply witnessing. This is the Vedic statement. So the eating bird, we are, living entity. We are eating the fruit as we are working, and the result of our working, we are enjoying. But God, the Supersoul, He is not interested in eating the fruits of the tree. He is self-satisfied. He is simply observing how you are working, because we are working with this body and God is situated in the same heart. So God is there, and we, individual soul, also there.

Lecture on BG 13.19 -- Bombay, October 13, 1973:

There is a story, Udarendriyāṇām in the Hitopadeśa written by Viṣṇuśarma. There, there was strike. All the hands legs eyes, they observed strike, that "This belly, the stomach is eating only, and we are working. So we shall not work. We shall not work, stop working. Just like nowadays striking goes on. So they stopped working, and after few days, all of them became weak because they were not feeding the stomach. Then they arranged another conference. "Why we are becoming weak?" Then the fault was found out that because we are not giving to eat to the stomach. So all then agreed, "Well, let the stomach eat, and let us work." So this is the nature's arrangement. The stomach will simply eat and the hands and legs and eyes, they must work.

Lecture on BG 13.19 -- Bombay, October 13, 1973:

Therefore yogis they try to find out God within the heart. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Yogi, those who are yogis, transcendentalists, they are trying to observe the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Dhyānāvasthita, by meditation. That is real meditation, to focus the mind to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead within the heart. But who can see? That is also described in the śāstra. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu (Bs. 5.38), again hṛdayeṣu, hṛdayeṣu. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ, santaḥ, saintly person, being developed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in love of Kṛṣṇa...

Lecture on BG 1322 -- Hyderabad, August 17, 1976:

When Kṛṣṇa says dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1), where is the difficulty? The Kurukṣetra is still there. Everyone knows. There is a railway station of the name Kurukṣetra and there is a place Kurukṣetra. Now it is being developed by the government. So how you can explain Kurukṣetra otherwise? Kurukṣetra is a fact, and it is a dharma-kṣetra. Still many millions of Indians go there to visit, especially during the solar eclipse occasion they go there. And when Kṛṣṇa was staying on this planet He, His brother Balarāma, and His sister Subhadrā also visited Kurukṣetra. That ceremony is observed as Ratha-yātrā. Three persons, two brothers and one sister. We are celebrating, introduced this Ratha-yātrā system in the Western countries and recently we had this festival in New York. Very successfully. Perhaps you have read in the paper.

Lecture on BG 13.23 -- Bombay, October 22, 1973:

If the living entity puruṣa is working piously, then he is getting a different type of body. Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī (SB 1.8.26). A nice body, born in rich man's family or brāhmaṇa's family, scholar's family, janma, opulence, aiśvarya, beauty, beautiful body, and very good education—these distinctions are there because the paramātma-puruṣa is observing the activities of the jīvātma-puruṣa. And according to his karma according to his desire, He is giving a different type of body. Īśvaraḥ sarva...

Lecture on BG 13.23 -- Bombay, October 22, 1973:

And so far our activities are concerned... This is also explained in the Upaniṣads, that there are two birds in this tree body. One is observing and other is enjoying. So the observing bird is the Paramātmā, Kṛṣṇa. He is upadraṣṭā. He is simply seeing your activities, how you are doing, and giving you the effect. And anumantā. Kṛṣ..., He does not want it. What you are doing now, Kṛṣṇa does not want it. But because you wanted persistently to do it, so He gives permission because without His permission, you cannot do it. This is the conclusion. Upadraṣṭā anumantā, bhartā.

Lecture on BG 13.24 -- Bombay, October 23, 1973:

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, ya evaṁ vetti puruṣaṁ prakṛtim (BG 13.24). You must learn what is this living entity. That also we do not know. Prakṛti. This body is prakṛti. And the living force which is within the body, that is puruṣa. And there are two kinds of puruṣas—the living entity and the Supersoul, Paramātmā. Ātmā and Paramātmā. The ātmā is creating his own field of activities. Paramātmā is observing only, "What you are doing?" These things we have already discussed. Upadraṣṭā anumantā. The paramātma-puruṣa is upadraṣṭā, overseeing your activities. You want to do something, but without His permission, you cannot do. Upadraṣṭā anumantā ca bhartā. He is the maintainer.

Lecture on BG 13.26 -- Bombay, October 25, 1973:

Our mission is to enlighten him, that he is not this body, he is spirit soul, there is Supersoul. Both the soul and the Supersoul are living in this body. The Supersoul is observing and the living entity is working. According to his work, he is getting the result, a different type of body. In this way, repeatedly he is taking birth and repeatedly he is dying. So one has to stop this repetition of birth and death. That is the perfection of life. That is the perfection. But they do not know how to stop this repetition, neither they do know that death can be avoided.

Lecture on BG 16.6 -- South Africa, October 18, 1975:

Then next symptom? Na śaucam: They are very unclean. These things you will find nowadays everywhere, all over the world. They are not clean. The cleanliness is next to godliness. To rise early in the morning and cleanse yourself, evacuate, then take bath, cleanse your teeth, cleanse your hands, legs, and be refreshed, that is required. Śaucam. Śuci. This is the brāhmaṇa's business. Just like brāhmaṇa's another name is śuci. And one who does not observe the cleanliness process, he is called muci, means cobbler. So this is the symptom, that the asuras, they do not know which way is their goal of life. Na śaucam: "They are very unclean." Na śaucam.

Lecture on BG 16.6 -- Hyderabad, December 13, 1976:

These are the qualification, daiva-sampada. Abhayam. One should be fearless. Who can become fearless? One of the qualification of conditioned soul is fearfulness. Only a person who is advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he can become fearless. And sattva-saṁśuddhi. Sattva-saṁśuddhi. Our, this sattva, existentional position is impure, diseased. Therefore we die, again take birth. Asunti(?). So sattva-saṁśuddhi. One should try to purify his existence. For that purpose there is necessity of tapasya. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). Tapasya means austerity. If you want to cure your disease, then you must follow some austerities, rules and regulation. One man is suffering from diarrhea. If he is allowed to eat whatever he likes, then he will never be cured. He must observe fasting for few days; then it will be cured. So this is sattva-saṁśuddhi.

Lecture on BG 16.7 -- Hyderabad, December 15, 1976:

Vicāra means consideration. That is vicāra. Just like vicāra prati. The high-court judge is called vicāra prati. Two opposite party presenting their grievances and he will consider and give his judgment. So vicāra-paṇḍita. Unless one is very learned, he cannot consider things. But ācāra. Ācāra everyone can do. Ācāra means just like to rise early in the morning, to take bath, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, have tilaka, observe maṅgala-ārati. This is called ācāra. Then there is hygienic. And vicāra means consideration. So in the asuras, both things are lacking. Neither there is ācāra nor vicāra. Therefore it is said, na śaucaṁ nāpi ca ācāraḥ. Ācārya, you have heard the name ācārya. Ācārya means he teaches by personal behavior. Just like I teach you, "no intoxication."

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.5-6 -- London, August 23, 1971:

So as we observe fire ceremony during initiation, (break) performing functions, this ceremony was held daily in the morning. That is Vedic system. There is a section of Hindus, they are called Ārya-samājis. They do it regularly in the morning. Not exactly in the same way, but they also... (break) ...fire ceremony daily in the morning. So not only the sages... (break) ...we are also holding that ceremony. Agnir nirvāpaṇād vā.