This was practically introduced by my Guru Maharaja, that living in palatial building and riding on first-class cars, one can become the best devotee

Expressions researched:
"this was practically introduced by my Guru Mahārāja, that living in palatial building and riding on first-class cars, one can become the best devotee"

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Live very comfortably, gentlemanly. Kṛṣṇa never says that "You live like wretched urchins." Kṛṣṇa never says that. Yuktāhāra-vihārasya yogo bhavati duḥkha-hā. And this was practically introduced by my Guru Mahārāja, that living in palatial building and riding on first-class cars, one can become the best devotee. Not that one has to live underneath a tree, imitating Rūpa Gosvāmī. That is not possible in this age.

Morning Walk -- December 11, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Human life is meant for tapasya, for understanding God. That is human life. This dog's life, cat's life, this is not human life. If you become a very powerful tiger, is that human life? They're thinking like that, "If I become as strong as a tiger, then there we are perfect nation." Then what is the use of tiger? It is simply kill only. What other intelligence he has got?

So in your country there are so many things to be done. I give you the idea, now you take the leadership. (break) Rascal. Sentimental. Be excel leader. (break) . . . you give up all this material advancement. But there must be Kṛṣṇa consciousness, otherwise it is waste of time. Live very comfortably, gentlemanly. Kṛṣṇa never says that, "You live like wretched urchins." Kṛṣṇa never says that. Yuktāhāra-vihārasya yogo bhavati siddhaye (BG 6.17). And this was practically introduced by my Guru Mahārāja, that living in palatial building and riding on first-class cars, one can become the best devotee. Not that one has to live underneath a tree, imitating Rūpa Gosvāmī. That is not possible in this age.

That is the contribution of my Guru Mahārāja, yes, that if one is sincere he can remain a first-class devotee even in this material opulence. And if he would not have introduced, then it was not possible to come here and preach this gospel. That because the principle was to live underneath a tree, go to Vṛndāvana and have loincloth, just like the bābājīs are imitating. No. Even in full material opulence we can become a perfect devotee, provided you follow the principles. It doesn't matter. Gṛhe vā . . . it was sung by Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura long ago, gṛhe vā banete ṭhāke. Either you live in the forest or in the city, opulent city, the business is gaurāṅga bole rākhe: always thinking of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Narottama māge tāra saṅga. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says: "I want their association, who is a devotee of Lord Gaurāṅga." It doesn't matter whether he lives in the forest or in the opulent city. It doesn't matter. He must be devotee. (break)

Household life or in city life we should not be extravagant, unnecessarily eating, unnecessarily enjoying. No, that is not the path. "One man's food, another man's poison." We must know this philosophy. (break) . . . and even we . . . my health is not always going on nicely. Still, why I am trying? That is my ambition. I want to begin one revolution. Their godless civilization, against godless civilization. That is my ambition.

And the America will be the best person to be educated in this line and to lead, to become the leader. They're already leader, but they must be real leader now, so that the whole world may be happy. That I can give direction. If the topmost American gentlemen come to me, I can give them direction how they can become the world leader. Actual leader, not bogus leader. Because God has favored them so many things. And this movement has been started from America. I started this movement from New York. So it should be taken very seriously by the government.