Philadelphia (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"Philadelphia" |"Philadelphia's" |"Philadelphians"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- London, August 4, 1971:

Guest: (indistinct)

Devotee: If you must have a spiritual body in order to go back home, she asks, is it only with this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and by taking prasāda that we achieve that body?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Devotees: Haribol! Jaya! Haribol!

Prabhupāda: You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and eat nice kṛṣṇa-prasādam, you go back to home. Rest assured.

Devotees: Jaya, Prabhupāda!

Prabhupāda: That's all right. It is so nice. And don't you feel how you are becoming nicer and nicer? Practically. The news reporter... One lady in Philadelphia, she saw our students and she was surprised. She inquired, "Are you Americans?" So we are creating such devotees that people are becoming surprised how this is possible. Yes, it is possible by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is simple method. Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and take Kṛṣṇa prasāda. That's all. Don't require any education, philosophical theorizing. Simply do these two business, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and take kṛṣṇa-prasāda. And our temple is open for that. Everyone. No fee. No charge. So why do you lose this opportunity? Yes?

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.8.39 -- Los Angeles, May 1, 1973:

So it is not only applicable when Kṛṣṇa was present and Kuntī was speaking. It is not that the truth was there. It is always. With the advancement of our civilization, if we don't bring..., we cannot..., if we cannot bring Kṛṣṇa in the center, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then it will never become beautiful. This is the philosophy. You bring Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Practically anyone can appreciate that this... You are all boys and girls. When you were outside this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, just think over, your beauty was there, but, at the present moment, because you are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you look very, very beautiful. That's a fact. Nobody can deny. You compare with other boys and girls and the boys and girls here. Anyone... In your country, they have given you the name "bright-faced." Do you know? The newspapers... Yes. In Philadelphia, one lady was inquiring that "Are you Americans?" Perhaps you know all these things. So actually your countrymen, those who are sober, they are seeing that "How these boys and girls are becoming so nice and jolly, beautiful." Because at the present moment in your country all young generation mostly they are confused, hopeless. We see every day-morose, black-faced. Why? Because they're missing the point. There is no aim of life. But these devotees, Krsnized, they look so beautiful. Why? Because Kṛṣṇa is there. That's all. It is a fact. Any sane man will admit.

Lecture on SB 5.5.10-13 -- Vrndavana, November 1, 1976:

So our this simple living... We are introducing the simple living, that go to the village, have sufficient food grains and milk, and the experiment is successful in the Western countries, in New Vrindaban, in Philadelphia, in New Orleans. So now the leaders of European and American countries, they are threatened: "This kind of civilization, if it is advanced, then where he'll stand?" This simple living... In Australia, one psychiatrist, he remarked that "If this kind of simple living is introduced, then where you stand?" So they want ugra-karma. They want to work day and night in the factories, and to pacify themselves, they immediately require drinking, illicit sex. Thence, by working on motorcars, they have no enough food, they want to eat meat, kill animals; and to digest the meat, he must drink. One after another. One after another.

Festival Lectures

Ratha-yatra -- Philadelphia, July 12, 1975:

Prabhupāda: Ladies and gentlemen, first of all I wish to thank you, the inhabitants of this great city, Philadelphia. You are so kind, enthusiastic, in taking part in this movement. So I am very much obliged to you. I am especially obliged to the American boys and girls who are helping me so much in spreading this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement in the Western countries. I was ordered by my spiritual master to preach this Kṛṣṇa consciousness in the Western countries. So in 1965 I first came in New York. Then in 1966 this society was regularly registered in New York, and from 1967 this movement is regularly going on in America, Europe, Canada, and south of Pacific Ocean, Australia, and throughout the whole world.

Ratha-yatra -- Philadelphia, July 12, 1975:

So we observe this incidence annually in as many places in the Western countries. At the present moment we hold this ceremony in London, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, and where else? Buffalo, Melbourne, yes. So this is a very feeling festival. So I thank you very much. You have come here. And try to understand our philosophy. You are all educated boys and girls. We have got fifty-seven books. Try to read, and try to understand. And take it very seriously, and you will be happy.

Thank you very much. (end)

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival -- Philadelphia, July 11, 1975:

Reporter (2): Your celebration is tomorrow: Of what will that celebration consist?

Prabhupāda: Celebration? It is remembering Kṛṣṇa, or Lord. He, with His brother and sister, visited Kurukṣetra, a place in India. So in memory of that visit we observe this Ratha-yātrā. (break) (in car:) ...is nice there.

Kīrtanānanda: Very nice. You're looking beautiful. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...delphia, and I think I came while going to New Vrindaban? No.

Kīrtanānanda: I don't think so.

Ravindra-svarūpa: That was Pittsburgh.

Prabhupāda: Pittsburgh, yes. I came Philadelphia in the beginning...

Ravindra-svarūpa: You were here in 1967, before there was a temple, '67 or '68.

Prabhupāda: No.

Ravindra-svarūpa: You spoke at Temple University. You came from New York.

Prabhupāda: Temple University, yes.

Arrival -- Philadelphia, July 11, 1975:

Prabhupāda: So a very learned scholar, brāhmaṇa, and a dog. So materially, how they can be equal? If I say, "The President Ford and a dog is on the same level," then it will be very nice? Spiritually, we are one. That is real observation. Artificially, to make man and woman equal, that may be artificially your sentiment, but actually it is not the fact. (break) ...other university in Philadelphia?

Kīrtanānanda: Yes. The University of Pennsylvania.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Brahmānanda: Oh, yes. That... You also visited there in 1965.

Arrival Lecture -- San Francisco, July 15, 1975:

Just coming here from Philadelphia we were talking with the aeroplane crews, the captain, the pilot. They (were) very patiently hearing us. The question was very intelligent, question pilot made, that "If everything is created by God..." Yes. That is a fact. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). The Vedānta-sūtra says everything is emanated from God. Without a thing being present in God, there cannot be any existence of anything. That's a fact. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). So his question was, "Then what is this evil?" The evil is also God's creation. So I explained like this, that for God there is no good or evil; everything is good. So I gave him this example that good, or piety, that is God's frontage, and evil means God's back side. So taking this example, the chest or the back of my body, they are equal. It is not that when there is some pain on the back side I don't care for it; I simply take care of when there is pain in the chest. No. Although it is back side, it is as important as the front side. Then evil and good is also of the same importance? No. Evil... That I gave the example, that for God there is nothing evil. I gave another example. Just like the sun, there is no darkness. Anywhere of sun's body, there is no darkness. But for us there is light and darkness. Just like if you keep the sun back side, you will find darkness, a very long darkness, your shadow. And if you keep yourself in front, sun, there is no darkness. So it is my business; I create darkness. As soon as I change my position—instead of remaining in front of God, I keep God back side—then there is darkness. Otherwise there is no question of darkness. But in the sun as it is, there is no such darkness. Therefore God is all good. And for us, when we forget God, that is evil. And when we are in God consciousness always, everything good. Is that example all right?

Devotees: Jaya!

Bahulāśva: Perfect.

General Lectures

Evening Address to Pandas and Scholars -- Jagannatha Puri, January 26, 1977:

Prabhupāda: You'll be very much pleased that in the year 1967 I introduced Ratha-yātrā in San Francisco. And it is going on continually for the last six or seven years, and the government, they have fixed up a holiday for Ratha-yātrā. We have got 25th July as government fixed-up day, holiday, for Ratha-yātrā. And people take part in the Ratha-yātrā, not all my devotees, even outsiders. Ten to twelve thousand people attend, and we distribute prasādam to all of them. They feel very much obliged. And the newspaper writes that "People in general never felt such ecstasy as they are feeling in the Ratha-yātrā festival." And the police said that the crowd... In the Western country, as soon as there is some big crowd, there is some disturbance. So police were surprised that "This crowd is not window-breaking crowd." And next we introduced Ratha-yātrā in London, in the London, Trafalgar Square. That is the most famous square within the city. And there is a big column. It is called Nelson Column. So our ratha was so high that the Guardian paper, they criticized that "This Ratha-yātrā is rival to Nelson Column." Next we introduced Ratha-yātrā in Philadelphia, and this year we have introduced Ratha-yātrā in New York and...

Hari-śauri: Melbourne.

Prabhupāda: Melbourne, Sydney.

Hari-śauri: Paris.

Prabhupāda: Paris. So in the Western countries Ratha-yātrā is being introduced one after another, and Jagannātha Swami is attracting the attention of the Western people.