Admit (Lectures, BG)

Expressions researched:
"admit" |"admits" |"admittance" |"admitted" |"admittedly" |"admitting"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

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

So formerly people were religiously trained up. So they could not speak lies in a dharma-kṣetra. That is still the practice. Just like in the western world, the Christians go to the church, they admit, confession, "Yes, I have done it." But that has become a formality. But actually, one should admit in religious place that "Yes, I have done this." But that does not mean you admit and again do it. No. You admit once, then you are excused. But don't do it again.

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

So here Dhṛtarāṣṭra says, samavetā yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1). "All these people, my sons, māmakāḥ..." Māmakāḥ. That means "my sons," and pāṇḍava, "my brother Pāṇḍu's sons." Samavetā, "they assembled." What is the purpose? The purpose is yuyutsavaḥ. This word yuyutsu is still used in Japan. Perhaps you know, yuyutsa, fighting. So yuyutsu, those who are desirous of fighting. Now, both the parties were desiring to fight, and they assembled. Why he is asking question, kim akurvata: "What did they do"? Because he was little doubtful that "These boys, after being assembled in dharma-kṣetra kuru-kṣe..., they might have changed their ideas. They might have settled up." Actually, the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra might have admitted, "Yes, Pāṇḍavas, you are actually the owner. What is the use of unnecessarily fighting?" So he was very much anxious whether they had changed their decision.

Lecture on BG 1.2-3 -- London, July 9, 1973:

They swallow up the whales. Timi. Timi means whale fish. And timiṅgila means... Just like small fish are swallowed up like this. So just imagine how big such fish is. So these commanders, Karṇa, Dronācārya, and Bhīṣma, were compared with the timiṅgila. And Arjuna although very powerful, he was compared with timi. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja admitted "That it was not possible for my grandfather to win over the battle before these big, big commanders. It is only by the grace of Kṛṣṇa he was saved." So the conclusion is if Kṛṣṇa saves, nobody can kill; and if Kṛṣṇa wants to kill, nobody can save. Therefore our conclusion should be that we should always be under the protection of Kṛṣṇa. Avaśya rakṣibe kṛṣṇa. This is śaraṇāgati. Śaraṇāgati, surrender. Surrender means that "I am surrendering to Kṛṣṇa with full faith that He is quite competent and able to give me protection." This is called surrender. Not that hesitation: "Oh, I will surrender to Kṛṣṇa, and in case of danger, He may not be able to give me protection.

Lecture on BG 1.13-14 -- London, July 14, 1973:

This is the difficulty. So we should know from the very beginning that Kṛṣṇa is transcendental. And all His activities, they are all transcendental. Although Kṛṣṇa appears just like ordinary human being... He does not appear like ordinary human being because Kṛṣṇa, when He was three months old only, He killed the Pūtanā rākṣasī. A three month's old child cannot kill such giant demon. It is not possible. Kṛṣṇa, when He was six or seven years old, He lifted the Govardhana Hill. So what is the difficulty for Kṛṣṇa? If Kṛṣṇa can float big, big gigantic planets in the air just like cotton swab floating, so is it very difficult for Kṛṣṇa to lift a mountain with His hand, with His finger? That is not difficult for Kṛṣṇa. But those who want to be cheated, when Kṛṣṇa shows His transcendental strength, they don't believe it, another cheating. They, they'll admit, "Oh, these are... What is called?

Lecture on BG 1.28-29 -- London, July 22, 1973:

This is government's first business to see. A brāhmaṇa is engaged as a brāhmaṇa, a kṣatriya is engaged as kṣatriya.

So Arjuna was not a coward. He was a competent warrior. But still, dehātma-buddhi, the bodily concept of life is so strong... That Arjuna admits, dṛṣṭvā tu svajanaṁ kṛṣṇa: (BG 1.28) "My dear Kṛṣṇa, I have to kill my own men." What is that "own men"? "Own men" means this bodily relationship. Why others are not own men? Everyone is own men. Because everyone is Kṛṣṇa's son. So when one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, he can see everyone own men. And when he is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he simply sees own men where there is bodily relationship. This is the defect. They are advertising, humanitarian work, philanthropic work, communism, this "ism," but when there is question of bodily relationship, immediately everything is changed. You know, the Communist country, the Khruschev was driven out because he was patronizing his own men. That was the defect.

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

We must admit that we have created hellish condition of society by producing unwanted children, and disobeying the jāti-dharma or kula-dharma. That one has to admit, everyone. So what is the remedy? Only remedy is to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is canvassing that: "Even you can give up your jāti-dharma, but simply surrender unto Me. I shall give you protection."

There is another verse in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: tyaktvā sva-dharmān caraṇāmbujaṁ harer (SB 1.5.17). Sva-dharma. Sva-dharma means jāti-dharma. So I may be born in a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya, so I have got sva-dharma. A kṣatriya or brāhmaṇa has got his own regulative principles. So Bhāgavata, Nārada says, Bhāgavata says and Nārada says that if one has given up his jāti-dharma..., because Kṛṣṇa is asking: sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). Sarva-dharma means this sva-dharma, jāti-dharma, or so many other dharmas man created for the nice keep-up of the society.

Lecture on BG 2.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 6, 1972:

Therefore, when in the Vedic literature or in authorized statement we find "nirākāra," that means His form does not belong to this asat, acit, or nirānanda. But He has His form. Divyam. Janma karma me divyam (BG 4.9). Divyam, transcendental. And Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya also, who especially preached impersonalism, he also admits that nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ avyaktāt: "Nārāyaṇa, the form of Nārāyaṇa, is beyond the range of this avyakta." Avyakta and...

This world is creation... Avyaktād anya-sambhavaḥ. This world is creation of this avyakta. And beyond this avyakta, there is another nature. That is spiritual nature. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: paras tasmāt tu bhāvaḥ anyaḥ avyaktaḥ avyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). So this situation... Kṛṣṇa is advising... No. I mean to say, Arjuna advising, rathaṁ sthāpaya me acyuta. Acyuta. Kṛṣṇa is not cyuta. Kṛṣṇa is acyuta. Cyuta means those who are fallen in the material world. They are cyuta. We are fallen in the material world. Therefore we have accepted this material body.

Lecture on BG 2.1-10 and Talk -- Los Angeles, November 25, 1968:

Softer than the flower and harder than the thunderbolt. Two sides. When Kṛṣṇa is strict He's harder than the thunderbolt, and when He's soft, He's softer than the flower. These two examples are given. Vajrād api kaṭhora, kusumād api kamala. So Kṛṣṇa is not lenient to His friend or to His devotee. Because that leniency will not help him, will not help him. Sometimes He appears to be very hard for the devotee, but He's not hard. Just like father sometimes becomes very strict. That is good. That will be proved, how Kṛṣṇa's hardness will prove his salvation. At the end Arjuna will admit, "By Your mercy, my illusion is now over." So this sort of stricture by..., from God on the devotee is sometimes misunderstood. Because we are always accustomed to accept what is immediately very pleasing, but sometimes we'll find that we are not getting which is immediately very pleasing, but we should not be disappointed. We shall stick to Kṛṣṇa. That is Arjuna's position.

Lecture on BG 2.1-11 -- Johannesburg, October 17, 1975:

Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. Ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). So here Bhagavān, the Supreme Person, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa means, as Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya: (BG 7.7) "There is no more superior person or element more than Me." And when Arjuna understood Kṛṣṇa he also admitted, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12).

So Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is the origin of Brahman. He is the origin of Paramātmā. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). The Absolute Truth is experienced in three ways—Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. So Bhagavān is the last word of the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Person. Therefore Vyāsadeva has purposefully written here, "śrī bhagavān uvāca." Bhagavān uvāca means you cannot exceed the Supreme Person. Nobody can be equal to the Supreme Person; nobody can be more than the Supreme Person.

Lecture on BG 2.4-5 -- London, August 5, 1973:

The demons who challenge Kṛṣṇa, who want to compete with Kṛṣṇa, who want to share with the property of Kṛṣṇa, they are all enemies of Kṛṣṇa, and they should be killed. So killing business is all right here for the enemies, not ordinarily. Then the next question is, "All right, enemies, you can kill, admitted. But how you advise me to kill my gurus? Gurūn ahatvā. But if for Kṛṣṇa's sake, if there is need, you have to kill your guru also. That is the philosophy. For Kṛṣṇa's sake. If Kṛṣṇa wants, then you cannot... If Kṛṣṇa wants that you should kill your guru, then you have to do it. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Of course, Kṛṣṇa will not ask you to kill guru, but... Because guru and Kṛṣṇa are the same. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya (CC Madhya 19.151). We get Kṛṣṇa consciousness through the mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa. So real guru is never to be killed, but the so-called guru has to be killed. The so-called, pseudo guru, false guru, he should be killed. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. While Prahlāda Mahārāja... He was standing.

Lecture on BG 2.7 -- London, August 7, 1973:

So really Ārya-samāna means Kṛṣṇa conscious person. Otherwise, bogus, bogus ārya-samāna. Because here from the Bhagavad-gītā says, Kṛṣṇa says Arjuna, rebuking, because he was refusing to fight, because he does not know what is his duty, again Arjuna is admitting here that kārpaṇya-doṣopahata-svabhāvaḥ (BG 2.7). "Yes, I am anārya. I have become anārya. Because I have forgotten my duty."

So actually āryan samāja means Kṛṣṇa conscious society, International Society for Kṛṣṇa... That is Ārya. Not bogus. So here, Arjuna is explaining, putting himself: "Yes, kārpaṇya-doṣo. Because I am forgetting my duty, therefore upahata-svabhāvaḥ, I am bewildered in my natural propensities." A kṣatriya should be always active. Whenever there is a war, there is fight, they must be very much enthusiastic. A kṣatriya, if another kṣatriya says: "I want to fight with you," he, oh, he cannot refuse. "Yes, come one. Fight. Take sword." Immediately: "Come one" That is kṣatriya. Now he's refusing to fight. He's forgetting his duty, kṣatriya duty. Therefore, he's admitting: Yes, kārpaṇya-doṣa. Kārpaṇya-doṣopahata-svabhāvaḥ (BG 2.7)

Lecture on BG 2.10 -- London, August 16, 1973:

Then at that time he said, "No, I shall not marry. That's all. I promise. I shall not marry." So he remained brahmacārī. Therefore his name is Bhīṣma. Bhīṣma means very solid, firmly fixed. So he was a brahmacārī. For the sake, for the satisfaction of his father's senses, he remained brahmacārī.

So Bhīṣmadeva, in Rājasūya-yajña, admitted that "Nobody is better brahmacārī than Kṛṣṇa. He was within the gopīs, all young girls, but He remained a brahmacārī. If I would have been within the gopīs, I do not know what was, what would have been my condition." So therefore Kṛṣṇa is the perfect brahmacārī, Hṛṣīkeśa. And these rascals they are saying that Kṛṣṇa is immoral. No. Kṛṣṇa is perfect brahmacārī. Dhīra. Dhīra means one who is not agitated even there is cause of being agitated. So Kṛṣṇa is such a brahmacārī. In spite of in His just on the verge of youthhood at the age of 15, 16, years, all the village girls were friends, they were very much attracted with Kṛṣṇa's beauty. They used to come to Kṛṣṇa for dancing in the village. But He was brahmacārī. You will never hear that Kṛṣṇa had some illicit sex.

Lecture on BG 2.11 -- Edinburgh, July 16, 1972:

Simply if you chant... Why do you not make an experiment and see by chanting? That is our request. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. One may object, "Why shall I chant your Hindu Kṛṣṇa's name?" So we don't say that Kṛṣṇa, or God. God has got many names. That we admit. It is not... God is unlimited. Therefore, He must have unlimited names. But this Kṛṣṇa word is very perfect because it means all-attractive. You can discuss, "God is great." That's all right. How He's great? That is another understanding. So if you think that "Kṛṣṇa is the name of Hindu God, why shall I chant this?" So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, "No." If you have got a name, another alternative name of God, then you chant that. Our only request is that you chant the holy name of God. If you have got any name of God, you can chant. You'll be purified. That is our propaganda.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 7, 1966:

Although they are five, they have got different theses and philosophies, little, little difference, not, I mean, conclusion, but still... Now, Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya, he, he is supposed, he is considered to be impersonalist. Impersonalist means he does not believe in the personal form of God. But still, he has commented in this, of this Bhagavad-gītā, Śaṅkara-bhāṣya. He has admitted there that "Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Personality of Godhead." He has also admitted. Others, they are Vaiṣṇavites, other ācāryas, other authorities, they are Vaiṣṇavites. They have naturally admitted because they believe from the beginning. But even Śaṅkarācārya, who is impersonalist, he has also clearly written that sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ: "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." And there are many evidences in many scriptures and Vedic scriptures that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 7, 1966:

And they are authoritative persons. Now, just... I am therefore reading his version. What does he say? The yoga system. Now, "As distinguished from the Sāṅkhya, the yoga is theistic." Yoga system is theistic. Theistic means believing in God. (From here for about four pages, Prabhupāda is mostly reading from the Indian Philosophy book.) It admits the existence of God and both practical and theoretical Gods. Patañjali himself, however, has not felt the necessity of God for solving any theoretical problem of philosophy. For him, God has more a practical value than a theoretical one. This is the version of Patañjali. You see?

Devotion to God is considered to be the great practical value, as much as it forms a part of practice of yoga. Those who are practicing yoga, they must be devotee of God. Otherwise, yoga will be a failure. You see? So inasmuch as it forms a part of practice of yoga and is one of the means for the final attainment of samādhi-yoga or the restraint of the mind... That yoga, citta-niruddha.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 7, 1966:

According to the yoga, God is the Supreme Person who is above all individual... Individual, now here you see the individual. The every, every living entity is individual. That, this particular word, that individual self and is free from all defects. And because He's free from all defects, His statement is defectless. And therefore we must admit. My statement, because I am imperfect, my statement is also imperfect. I have no idea of the past and future. How can I say that in future you will be like this, or in the past you were like this? I cannot say. That, who is defectless—who can see past, future and present equally, and there is no defect—he can say.

So here is the statement of the Supreme Person. We have to believe it. We cannot go out of it. If we don't believe it, then we are loser. If we don't believe it, then we are loser. He is the perfect being who is eternal and all-pervading. Just see, all-pervading. That means, although you can see Him as a person.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 9, 1966:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes. I admit that. I admit that. They are stout and strong. They are stout and strong. Yes. The squirrel, I see. I saw the squirrel in the park. Oh, they are also bigger.

Woman: They are bigger.

Prabhupāda: They are bigger. That is also natural. You see. Just like in African people. They are taller. They are taller than the Āryan people, even in your, this black negroes, they are taller than American people. So there is little difference of course. That is all right. But on the primary facie, prima facie, there is no difference. Similarly, in the sun planet, in the moon planet, there are also human beings like us, and they are called devas because they are high, intellectual. They are all very powerful than ourself, and they have got different bodies with different power and everything. Otherwise, there is no question.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Hyderabad, November 18, 1972:

We are Brahman; Para-brahman. So Para-brahman, Paramātmā, Parameśvara, all these are applicable to Kṛṣṇa. Just like Arjuna, after hearing Bhagavad-gītā, he admitted, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, puruṣaṁ śāśvatam ādyam (BG 10.12). That is the position of Kṛṣṇa. Ādi-puruṣam. Govindam ādi-puruṣam. Kṛṣṇa also says, in the Bhagavad-gītā, aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). Devānām, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara... Then, after Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara, there are other demigods, Indra, Candra, Varuṇa, so many. So Kṛṣṇa says, aham ādir hi devānām. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ. He's the origin of everything. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). "Everything emanates from Me." In the Vedānta-sūtra also the Absolute Truth is described as janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). The Absolute Truth is that from whom everything emanates.

Lecture on BG 2.23-24 -- London, August 27, 1973:

Now rascals will think that "How there is a god or there is a person in the sun planet?" They'll think like that. Everything from his own angle of vision. This is modern science. "I cannot think of such thing. Therefore, there cannot be any such thing." Just like everything should be within my experience. This is going on. They never admit that "What is your experience?" You are imperfect, your senses are imperfect, how you can be perfectly experienced? It is not possible. Acintya. There are so many inconceivable powers acting on behalf of Kṛṣṇa. What are you? You may cheat some people that you have become God. That is another thing. But the inconceivable potency of Kṛṣṇa, they are working differently. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī says that unless we accept this principle that Kṛṣṇa or God has got inconceivable power, acintya-śakti, we cannot understand. If we put Kṛṣṇa within the jurisdiction of my limited understanding, that is not understanding of Kṛṣṇa.

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

You are asking me to sit down in a solitary place, in a sacred place, and in perpendicular state, simply looking on the point of your nose, of my nose, so many things You are... But it is not possible for me." He frankly refused. So Kṛṣṇa, just to encourage His friend and devotee... He could understand that Arjuna is becoming disappointed. He's frankly admitting that it is not possible for him. Actually, he's a politician. How it can be possible for him to become yogi? But our politicians, they're advertising they are practicing yoga. What kind of yoga? Has he become more than Arjuna? In this age of fallen age? Five thousand years ago, how much favorable condition was there. And now, in such unfavorable condition, deteriorated condition, you want to become a so-called yogi? It is not possible. Kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum (SB 12.3.52). Yoga means to meditate upon Viṣṇu. That was possible in the Satya-yuga. Just like Vālmīki. He meditated for sixty-thousands of years, and became perfect.

Lecture on BG 2.48-49 -- New York, April 1, 1966:

That is the prerogative of the Supreme Lord.

I have given you several times the example that the sun is far, far away from us. Still, he can distribute his heat and light to us. So if we work with God consciousness, although we are here in this platform, material platform, that work is admitted by the Supreme Lord. That is called yoga-sthaḥ. Yoga-sthaḥ... Yoga means keeping touch with the Supreme. That is called yoga. There are different kinds of yoga mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā, especially jñāna-yoga, karma-yoga, and bhakti-yoga. And within jñāna-yoga there are many other yogas—dhyāna-yoga, haṭha-yoga, so many things. Now, here it is said that yoga-sthaḥ kuru karmāṇi: "You be situated in your yoga or in meditation." Generally yoga is understood as meditation. But yoga, real meaning of yoga—to keep in touch with the Supreme—that is called yoga, to keep in touch.

Lecture on BG 3.1-5 -- Los Angeles, December 20, 1968:

Take for example our students. We may not be very much highly advanced. Admitting that, but at least if any gentleman comes, if he's sincere, he'll appreciate how pure they are. At least they are practiced. You see? So by the result, one has to see. But we have seen so many meditators, they cannot change even their daily nonsense habits. So what result they have obtained, they have achieved? I cannot understand? By the result one has to take account. Not by simply jugglery of words.

Just like there is examination. One student says, "Oh, I have studied so much." But when the examination was taken, he failed. So what does it mean that he studied? That means he did not study, that's all. The test is that spiritual advancement means minimizing material activities. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42).

Lecture on BG 3.17-20 -- New York, May 27, 1966:

So these things are going on now in India. Because his forefather was a brāhmaṇa, or his father was a brāhmaṇa—and although he has no qualification of a brāhmaṇa, he also claims to be a brāhmaṇa. But the scripture, the Vedic scripture, that does not allow. They will call, "No, you are not a brāhmaṇa. You are brāhmaṇa's son. That's all. We can admit so far. There is no harm admitting you, that you are the son of a brāhmaṇa, but we cannot admit you a brāhmaṇa." That is quite reasonable. So the Mahābhārata was written for such persons who are son of a brāhmaṇa, but actually, by qualification, he is less than śūdra. So Mahābhārata was written for them.

And in the middle of Mahābhārata, Bhīṣma-parva, this Bhagavad-gītā is inserted. Not inserted. Practically, in the battlefield of Mahābhārata this Bhagavad-gītā was spoken. And it is... You will be surprised. In those days television was in the heart, television.

Lecture on BG 3.17-20 -- New York, May 27, 1966:

Similarly, if you want to know Kṛṣṇa, then here is Bhagavad-gītā, spoken by Kṛṣṇa Himself. You just try to understand and you learn Kṛṣṇa. Or you learn confirmation. Suppose if you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa by reading Bhagavad-gītā, or by hearing Bhagavad-gītā, then you know that Bhagavad-gītā was spoken to Arjuna, and Arjuna has admitted about his understanding in the Tenth Chapter. So just try to understand Arjuna. How he understands? Either you understand Kṛṣṇa directly, or you understand through the authority who was spoken directly by the Lord.

So there is no difficulty to understand Kṛṣṇa. And if you understand Kṛṣṇa, your life is perfectly, I mean to say, all right. Then you get your life, complete perfection of your life. That is the whole literature. So here the Lord says, yas tu ātma-ratir eva syāt. Ātma-rati, one whose focus of life is simply for self-understanding... Ātma-ratiḥ, syād ātma-tṛptaś ca mānavaḥ. He is simply satisfied with his self-understanding, that "I am pure consciousness.

Lecture on BG 3.21-25 -- New York, May 30, 1966:

So Lord Kṛṣṇa says that whatever is practiced by the top list men, that is followed by the ordinary class of men. Sa yat pramāṇaṁ kurute. And the top list man, whatever he adopts or whatever scripture or whatever instruction he admits, lokas tad anuvartate. Ordinary class of men, they generally follow. The whole idea is that Kṛṣṇa wants Arjuna to become an ideal person, ideal person, so that ordinary men can follow. And generally the practice is also the same. Any leader, if the leader of the people, they are ideal, he is ideal... A leader of the man, if he is ideal, the followers also become ideal. And if the leader of the society or country is not an ideal man, then the followers or the countrymen or the members of the society, they are also of the same type.

Lecture on BG 4.1-2 -- Columbus, May 9, 1969:

Every one of us, anyone who is in this material world, they are subjected to these defects: he is sure to commit mistake—"To err is human"—he is subjected to be illusioned, and he has a cheating propensity. Just like a mundane scholar. I do not wish to name. A mundane scholar, he admits, his introduction, that it is very difficult to interpret Bhagavad-gītā in one's own way. It is so tightly fitted. Actually it is so. Unless you contradict yourself, you cannot interpret Bhagavad-gītā according to your own way.

So Arjuna is clearing that, and Kṛṣṇa is saying, "The difference is that I take, I appear..." As you will find later on, Kṛṣṇa says, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). Whenever there is discrepancies in the procedure of religious function and there is predominance of irreligiosity, at that time God or God's representative comes to this world to make things nicely. So Kṛṣṇa appears. Kṛṣṇa appears, and we also appear.

Lecture on BG 4.1-6 -- Los Angeles, January 3, 1969:

There is a secret. Just like in the ordinary educational field, nobody is allowed to study law unless he is a graduate of the degree college. At least in India that is the law. Nobody can be admitted in the law college unless he is a graduate because he will not be able to understand.

Similarly, in the Vedas it is also said, "Unless one has acquired brahminical qualifications, he should not study Vedas." So in every department, if you want to take education in a particular line, you have to qualify yourself to enter that school or college. Similarly, if you want to study Bhagavad-gītā, then you have to become a devotee. Simply academic educational qualification will not help you, because it was spoken to the devotee.

Lecture on BG 4.3-6 -- New York, July 18, 1966:

Even Śaṅkarācārya, who is, who has got a different opinion from the Personality of Godhead. Because we, we, the Vaiṣṇavas, we are, we accept the personal Godhead, but there are other philosophers who do not accept the personal feature of the Supreme Absolute Truth. Śaṅkarācārya was the head of this impersonal school. Still, he has admitted in his commentation of Bhagavad-gītā that sa kṛṣṇaḥ svayaṁ bhagavān: "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord. He's the Supreme Lord." So Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord, and He's accepted.

Now, now Śrī Kṛṣṇa says that "This Bhagavad-gītā, this science of Bhagavad-gītā, was first spoken by Me to the sun-god, sun-god. So whatever I am speaking to you, Arjuna, it is not a new thing." The Vedic knowledge, whatever Vedic knowledge you know, it is not, nothing like some discovery of knowledge. No. Everything is old, revealed knowledge. Everything is old, revealed knowledge. Going on. Just like history repeats itself. Just like this is, this is summer season.

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

The so-called incarnations of God, they declare that "I am God." But... He may be God. God means a subordinate god. Not the Supreme God. The Supreme God is Kṛṣṇa. God means controller. You have, you may have some controlling power, admitted, but you are not Supreme Controller. The Supreme Controller is Īśvara. Therefore here Kṛṣṇa... Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, bhūtānām īśvaro 'pi. Īśvaraḥ. All bhūtas... Bhūtānām means all living entities, or everything which has appeared within this material world. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). He is the Supreme Source of everything. That is also described in the Tenth Chapter that aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). Mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate. Everything. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7).

Lecture on BG 4.6-8 -- New York, July 20, 1966:

Now, now the principal religions of the world—Hindu religion, Muslim religion, Christian religion, and Buddha religion—most of them believes some supreme authority or personality coming down from the kingdom of God. Just like in your Christian religion Lord Jesus Christ, he claimed to be the son of God and coming from the kingdom of God to reclaim you. So this claim of Lord Jesus Christ, we admit. We, the followers of Bhagavad-gītā, we admit this claim. So there is no difference of opinion between the followers of Hindu religion and Christian religion. In details there may be, according to country, climate and people, in details there may be difference, but that does not make any material difference.

So far devotional service is concerned, now, there are several items for offering devotional service to the Lord.

Lecture on BG 4.8 -- Montreal, June 14, 1968:

You are eating, it is going to the stomach, and it is transforming into different secretions. Then it is pumped up to the heart. And in the heart it becomes reddish blood, and the blood is transfused or transported to different parts of the body through the veins. There is a big mechanical arrangement undoubtedly. Every scientist or every sane man will admit. But it is just like a machine. It is just like a machine. Any machine you take, motor car, typewriting, whatever you have got experience... There are many in your country; it is machine country.

So the constructor, construction of the machine may be very complicated, wonderful, very nice, everything is all right, but a living entity required to pull on the button. Without pulling on the button, however nice arrangement may be in the machine, it cannot work. That is our experience. We cannot deny it.

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

Prabhupāda: Study, yes. Study, simply study will not help you. You must study from a bona fide teacher. Otherwise it will be misleading. Just like if you want to be a medical practitioner if you purchase books from the bookstore, medical books, and you study, that will not help you. You have to admit yourself in a medical college and study there. Then you will understand. If you say that "I have studied all the medical books," the government will not recognize you as a medical practitioner. When he will see and the government will see or any person will see that you have regularly passed medical examination from authorities then you will be accepted.

Lecture on BG 4.12 -- Vrndavana, August 4, 1974:

So... There must be some brain. All big, big scientists... Even Professor Einstein, he also admitted. So there is brain. That brain is Kṛṣṇa. That brain is Kṛṣṇa. So people are working.

In the previous verse we have discussed, ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham (BG 4.11). Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Father. He's very loving father. So He has given freedom to His sons. We are, all sons. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4). Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the bīja-pradaḥ pitā. Material nature is the mother." Tāsāṁ yonir mahad brahma ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā. So the original father is Kṛṣṇa, and mother is this material nature. So I am the soul, spirit soul, very minute position. My, my magnitude is very, very small. That is also given in the śāstra: keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya śatadhā kalpitasya (CC Madhya 19.140).

Lecture on BG 4.34 -- New York, August 14, 1966:

Or any art. Suppose if you want to become an engineer. So you have to enter yourself in an engineering college or technical college and learn there. Nobody can become a medical practitioner simply by purchasing book from the market and reading at home. That is not possible. You have to admit yourself in a medical college and undergo training and practical examination, so many things. Simply by purchasing book, it is not possible.

Similarly, if you want to learn Bhagavad-gītā or any transcendental subject matter, here is the instruction by Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself. Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself, because He is the speaker of this Bhagavad-gītā, He says that tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). You must go to a person where you can surrender yourself. That means you have to check, "Who is the real person who can give me instruction on Bhagavad-gītā or any Vedic literature, or any scripture, right?" And not that, to search out a person as a, whimsically.

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

Suppose if you want to learn engineering, so you cannot go to a butcher. You must find out an engineer. You must admit yourself into the engineering college, learn how to practice engineering. Suppose if you want to become a medical practitioner, so you have to admit yourself in some medical college. Similarly, if you want to know about spiritual matter, then you must approach a spiritual master who knows the things. How you can learn it from anywhere and everywhere? One must be expert in spiritual knowledge. From him you have to learn. Therefore it is said here, "Just try to learn the truth by..."

Here truth means the Absolute Truth, not relative truth. Or even if you want to know relative truth, you have to approach a particular expert. But here, it is indicated, truth means the Absolute Truth.

Lecture on BG 4.39-42 -- Los Angeles, January 14, 1969:

And that is real knowledge. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Negation... Just like there is no fever. In diseased condition one is trying to get out of the feverish condition. So by medicinal treatment one gets out of fever. But that is not healthy condition. That is not final. There is negation of fever. That's admitted. That's all right. But that is convulsion (convalescent) stage. You may relapse again. When you actually come to the healthy state, that is your life. So negation of fever is not as good as your healthy life. So negation of this materialistic idea, impersonalism, is not complete knowledge. Because I am spirit soul, I am active even in this material diseased condition. How much active I must be in my healthy condition. That is real knowledge. Healthy condition does not mean that I am dead. This is no treatment.

Lecture on BG 5.14-22 -- New York, August 28, 1966:

So therefore ajñānena āvṛtaṁ jñānam. This is, this sort of advancement of knowledge in the material science is also another type of ignorance. The Lord says, ajñānena āvṛtaṁ jñānam: "Real knowledge is now covered. Real knowledge, being covered by nescience," ajñānena tena muhyanti jantavaḥ, "therefore they are actually perplexed." So by the name of so-called advancement of knowledge the whole population of the world, they are now perplexed. Even we do not go into the details, but any sane man will admit that we are not advancing. Actually we are degraded in so many ways.

Lecture on BG 6.16-24 -- Los Angeles, February 17, 1969:

That is the fact. Even in your rebellious condition Kṛṣṇa is giving you protection. Without Kṛṣṇa's protection you cannot live even for a second. He's so kind. But when you admit it, when you recognize it, then you become happy. Now Kṛṣṇa is giving you protection but you do not know it because you have taken your life at your own risk. Therefore He has given you freedom, "All right, do whatever you like. As far as possible I will give you protection." But when you fully surrender, the whole charge is to Kṛṣṇa. That is special. That is special protection. Just like a father. The child who has grown up doesn't care for the father, he's acting freely. What the father can do? "All right, do whatever you like." But the child who is fully under the protection of the father, he takes more care.

Lecture on BG 6.30-34 -- Los Angeles, February 19, 1969:

Because he was on the warfield to fight for the kingdom. So he's supposed to be an ordinary man. So for ordinary men who are engaged in these worldly activities for earning livelihood, family life, children, wife, so many problems, it is not practical. That is the point here. It is practical for one who has already renounced everything completely. In a secluded sacred place, just like in the hill or in the cave of the hill, alone, no public disturbance. So where is the opportunity for ordinary man, for us, especially in this age? Therefore this yoga system is not practical. It is admitted by Arjuna, who was a great warrior. And he was so advanced, he belonged to the royal family and very expert in so many things. He said that it is impractical. Just try to understand. And what we are in comparison to Arjuna? If we try this system, it is not possible. Failure is sure. Go on reading the purport.

Lecture on BG 6.30-34 -- Los Angeles, February 19, 1969:

Prabhupāda: Yes. He was not prepared to become a pseudoyogi, false, simply by practicing some gymnastic. He was not a pretender. He said that, "I am a family man, I am a soldier, so it is not possible for me." He frankly admits. He does not ... something which is impossible. That is simply a useless waste of time. Why should one do that? Go on.

Viṣṇujana: "Even though he was favorably endowed in many ways, He belonged to the royal family and was highly elevated in terms of numerous qualities: he was a great warrior, he had great longevity."

Prabhupāda: Yes. One thing is the age. Five thousand years ago when Arjuna was living, the longevity was very very long. At that time people used to live up to one thousand years. Just like in the present age the limit is one hundred years, similarly in the Dvāpara-yuga, the age limit was one thousand years.

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

He is asking, "Let me know how much water this is?" You see? So similarly, if what was impossible for Arjuna, such a stalwart, such an advanced and, I mean to say, in every respect, and directly a friend of Kṛṣṇa, he is admitting that "Kṛṣṇa, this process is not possible for me. Oh, I am a military man. I have to look after the administrative affairs. So how can I concentrate my mind in that way which you have prescribed? So it is not possible for me." He flatly denied. He flatly denied.

And he never attempted it also because from the history of Mahābhārata we don't find that Arjuna ever went for meditation of the yoga system. No, never. But still, he was certified by Kṛṣṇa that "You are the only man to understand Bhagavad-gītā. You are the only man." Why? Bhakto 'si: "Because you are My devotee." Priyo 'si: (BG 4.3) "You are My very dear friend." So with such a nice certificate and such favorable condition, still, he refused.

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

"Just it is impossible to control the hurricane wind, similarly, it is impossible for me to control my mind. It is not possible." Then? How to control the mind? That, the same thing, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You can control the mind if you fix up your mind always in Kṛṣṇa. That is the only remedy. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18). That is the only perfect yoga. Our subject matter for today's lecture is perfect yoga. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the perfect form of yoga system. That is admitted five thousand years before. At that time there was all circumstances, very good. And in the śāstra also, it is said that

kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ

tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ

dvāpare paricaryāyāṁ

kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt

(SB 12.3.52)

You'll find in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Twelfth Canto, Śukadeva Gosvāmī is recommending to Mahārāja Parīkṣit that kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum. In the Satya-yuga when people used to live for ten millions of years, at that time this yoga system was nice, for that time. Kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum.

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

So, now, Arjuna flatly says that "My dear Kṛṣṇa, the process which You have described is very nice process. But so far I am concerned, I admit that it is not possible for me. It is not possible." Now, we have to think that "What was not possible for Arjuna in such favorable conditions, and five thousand years before, how it is possible for me, a tiny living entity and disturbed by so many things at the present moment. My..." Kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum. They used to live for ten millions of years, and it is very difficult to live for fifty years or sixty years at the present moment. Utmost, a man lives eighty years. That's all. Then again, we are not such much advanced. We are always disturbed in our circumstances. There is disease; there is war; there is pestilence; there is famine—so many disturbances. So our duration of life is smaller, and at the same time, we are disturbed, and we are not intelligent, and we are unfortunate at the same time.

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

"Yes, I admit. It is very difficult." He also said, "Yes, My dear Arjuna, it is very difficult." Asaṁśayaṁ mahā-bāho: "Oh, you are mighty-armed, mighty soldier. But still I think it is... What you are saying, it is nice. It is really fact." Asaṁśayaṁ mahā..., mano durnigrahaṁ calam: "Mind is very difficult to control. Yes, what you are saying... But it can be controlled." How? Abhyāsena tu kaunteya: "If you practice, the mind can be controlled." So the controlling of the mind by practice... Vairāgyeṇa. Vairāgyeṇa means by renunciation. Vairāgya means renunciation. And what is that renunciation? Oh, I cannot renounce even smoking. I cannot renounce even drinking so many things. I cannot renounce so many things, but still, I am going to yoga class for practice. Is it possible? So many rules and regulations are there, and I am unable to give up even the small thing, smoking. Here it is said, vairāgyeṇa. There is a, I mean to say, big list of vairāgya: "You cannot do this, you cannot do this, you cannot do this, you cannot do this.

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 -- San Francisco, March 26, 1968:

We do not know even what is this moon planet. We are trying for so many years, trying to go there in sputnik and... Even one planet. Even we do not know what varieties are there even in this planet. If you go on the sea, if you go on the sky, you are perfectly illusioned. So our knowledge is always imperfect. That we must admit. Foolishly, if we think we have acquired all sorts of knowledge, we have advanced in science, this is another foolishness. It is not possible. So when it is not possible to understand even the material things which we are daily seeing with our eyes and perception, what to speak of spiritual? And the Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is the Supreme spiritual form. So it is not possible for us to understand Kṛṣṇa by our limited senses. Then why we are bothering so much for Kṛṣṇa consciousness if it is not possible?

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, September 10, 1968:

So this yoga system, Kṛṣṇa consciousness yoga system, is to begin with developing attachment for Kṛṣṇa. And the process of developing attachment I have already explained to you for the several last meetings. So for the beginners, attachment for God, everyone, people in the lowest stage, he has to admit the greatness of the Supreme Lord. God is great; there is no doubt about it. Everyone, even in the lowest status of life, he can admit. I don't speak of the animals. Animals, they have no sense of God. I am speaking of the human being. There are different, different grades of human civilization—the highest type of civilization and the lowest aboriginal—but every one of them has got a sense of God. That is there. This is the special prerogative of human being. Not that only the civilized men. Perhaps you know all, when you came here from European countries in America, the Red Indians. They are considered as aboriginals; still, they have some religion, they have some conception of God.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, September 10, 1968:

So God is great. That is admitted by the human civilization. Now what is that greatness? Generally when we speak of greatness...(coughs) (aside:) Water. We think of the greatness of the sky. That is the simple example how thing can be great: "As great as the sky." But in the sky you have no perception. As there is development of these material elements from finer, I mean to say, existential form, to grosser form, and the grosser form becomes tangible for our understanding, similarly, in every religion or in every society, the greatness of God is admitted. But how that greatness becomes tangible, that you can find in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Suppose you have got conception of a sky, but you cannot have a definite idea of the greatness of sky because your experience and knowledge is gathered by sense perception. In the sky there is no sense perception. Just like we are sitting in this room. Within this room there is sky, but we cannot understand the sky.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Gainesville, July 29, 1971 University of Florida:

Arjuna belonged to the royal family. He was a great warrior and intimate friend of Kṛṣṇa and constantly living with Him. He, after hearing this process of yoga, aṣṭāṅga-yoga, he said, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, it is not possible for me." He flatly said, admitted that "For me, these rules and regulation and practice and controlling the mind is not possible." He flatly denied.

So we have to think, five thousand years ago a personality like Arjuna, he expressed his inability to practice this aṣṭāṅga-yoga system, and what to speak of us? Therefore the conclusion is that in this age when people are very short-living... At least, in India the average duration of life is thirty-five years. In your country it may be more than that, but actually, as your grandfather lived for one hundred years, you cannot live. The things are changing. Especially the duration of life will be reduced. There are prediction in the śāstras.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Calcutta, January 27, 1973:

Anyone who has taken birth on the land of Bhāratavarṣa as human being, he should make his life perfect and distribute the knowledge to the others who are in ignorance. Because transcendental knowledge, spiritual knowledge, that is only in India. That is a fact. That is nowhere else. Even one Chinese educationist, he has admitted that "If we want to know what is religion, then we have to approach India." There is no other source.

So my request is that we Indians, we shall take this order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu very seriously. People are suffering for want of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is immense field for preaching this philosophy all over the world. You can see the example, the European and American boys, how they have been attracted, how they are singing in ecstasy. They have taken it seriously.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Calcutta, January 27, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the origin of everything." And in Vedānta says the Brahman, Absolute Truth is that, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), wherefrom everything is emanating. And here Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). All the ācāryas, they have admitted this. Even Śaṅkarācārya, who is not Vaiṣṇava. Still he accepts: sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇa devakī-nandana. He has admitted. So Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is no doubt. If you want to know Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, here is Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. Try to understand, and your life will be successful.

Lecture on BG 7.1-2 -- Bombay, March 28, 1971:

So in order to understand asaṁśayam... Asaṁśayam means "without any doubt." At the present moment we have got many doubts whether actually there is God or not. In Europe and America, when I first went there in 1965, I was informed even by some clergymen that "God is dead." Then again, when I was chanting in the Tompkinson Square in New York, they admitted, and they published a very big article in one of the important papers of New York. They admitted that "We thought God was dead, but actually now we see God is there in the saṅkīrtana movement started by Swamiji." They admitted.

So these are saṁśayam, or doubts: whether there is actually God or not, whether God is dead or alive. But here Kṛṣṇa says that if we develop our attachment for Kṛṣṇa... Take Kṛṣṇa as a historical personality. Still, if you develop your attachment for Kṛṣṇa by the prescribed methods, then you will understand God without any doubt. Asaṁśayam. And samagram. Samagram, "in fullness."

Lecture on BG 7.1-2 -- Bombay, March 28, 1971:

Then if you increase your śraddhā... Suppose this function is going on. If this function continues and if you come continually, then gradually your attachment for Kṛṣṇa will increase. That's a fact. We have seen it in the Western countries. When I began this movement, I never said that "Only such and such persons will be admitted." No. There was no such restriction. Anyone could enter in our meeting room. And they, simply they were given chance for hearing. So gradually, they developed, they awakened their Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and now you see how they are chanting and dancing in ecstasy. It is possible for everyone. It is possible for you also. That is mayy āsakta-manāḥ, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. This is a particular type of yoga which is called bhakti-yoga.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:

Prabhupāda: Christ. We offer our all respect to Jesus Christ. Yes. We call "Lord." We offer our sincere respects to him. That is all right. His teaching is all right. He gives you the message of God. We are doing the same thing. So therefore he is bona fide. Anyone who is spreading the knowledge of God, he is bona fide representative of God. That we admit. But unfortunately, his instructions are not being followed. That is our lamentation. Otherwise it is very nice.

Swedish man (2): Now, a question concerning the 8,400,000's of lives which man has to evolve through. A spiritual being, having entered, or placed(?), the way of man, can he ever gain a reincarnate in the kingdom of animals?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Swedish man (2): What happens to his consciousness which he has achieved as a man during that time which he is in the animal kingdom?

Prabhupāda: Yes, consciousness is according to the body.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- Nairobi, October 28, 1975:

To commit mistake and to become illusioned, and even if we try to become perfect, our senses are imperfect.

Just like we are very much proud of our eyes. Somebody, they say, "Can you show me God?" Now, how you will see? "Now, with my eyes." But your eyes are imperfect. That he will not admit. He forgets that "So long the light is there, I can see. My pride for possessing the eyes is valid so long the light is there. As soon as there is no light, in spite of possessing the eyes, I cannot see." So you can see under certain condition. If there is sunlight, then you can see. If there is no sunlight you cannot see. So what is the value of your seeing? Imperfect eyes.

So similarly, our eyes are imperfect, our all senses are imperfect. We gather knowledge by the sense, five knowledge-gathering senses and five working senses and mind. So if the senses are imperfect, then how can I gather real knowledge? And without getting real knowledge, if I preach, that is cheating.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- Nairobi, October 28, 1975:

They're thinking like that. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. So why they are...? Now, if they have become liberated, so advanced, and feeling that they have become Nārāyaṇa, so what is the objection? The objection is ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas tvayy asta-bhāvāt (SB 10.2.32). They do not know what is Nārāyaṇa, these rascals. Śaṅkarācārya admits, nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ avyaktāt: "Nārāyaṇa is not a being within this material world." That is Nārāyaṇa. And they have become Nārāyaṇa, namo nārāyaṇāya. Nārāyaṇa is so cheap thing? Therefore śāstra says, ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. These rascals, they are thinking they have become Nārāyaṇa, but they do not know what is Nārāyaṇa. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. Why they do not under...? Tvayy asta-bhāvāt. They never tried to understand what is really God. They thought, "God is very cheap thing. Everyone can become God." So therefore they have become vimukta-māninaḥ.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- Nairobi, October 28, 1975:

"Where is stool?" That's all. "Where is stool? Where is stool?" And as soon as he gets stool, he eats it, become fatty because stool contains all the vitamins. That is the essence of all good food that you take, and the essence is rejected. But it is scientifically true. Perhaps doctor will admit. Stool contains all hydrophosphates. Is it not? Then who is going to eat stool? Hydrophosphates is very good for brain, but now eat. Therefore these hogs very easily become fat. You see? So does it mean that we shall work very hard where to find out where is stool and then become fat and somebody will eat me? This is not civilization. Civilization is that you must know what is your real position and act accordingly, and then you become liberated. Sva-rūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ. That is perfection of your life. Don't be misled by the bodily concept of life. That is condemned. The whole Vedic civilization is based on this point.

Lecture on BG 7.5 -- Bombay, February 20, 1974:

Not that the material force is working independently. Apareyam itas tu anyām. Anya means it is different. It is not material energy. Anyām, completely. Prakṛti. But it is prakṛti, not puruṣa. Puruṣa means the worker. Puruṣa is Kṛṣṇa. Puruṣa is Kṛṣṇa. As it will be admitted by Arjuna after hearing Bhagavad-gītā, puruṣaṁ śāśvatam. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, puruṣam (BG 10.12). "You are puruṣa." Puruṣa means enjoyer, and prakṛti means enjoyed. So here jīva, the living entities, they have been described as prakṛti, not as puruṣa. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they think that living entity is puruṣa, the Supreme, but that is, that is not the fact. Prakṛti. Prakṛti means subordinate. Energy acts under the direction of the Puruṣa. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Just like a machine is made by a person, and the machine is working. That machine is working, that is prakṛti, but who has made the machine or pushing on the machine, that is puruṣa.

Lecture on BG 7.7 -- Bombay, February 22, 1974:

The audience, Kṛṣṇa, I mean to say, Arjuna, is accepting, and Kṛṣṇa is confirming.

Therefore Bhagavad-gītā is perfect. Otherwise where is the authority of Bhagavad-gītā. If we do not accept the author, or the speaker, of the Bhagavad-gītā, and if we do not accept the student of Bhagavad-gītā, Arjuna, then where is the study of Bhagavad-gītā? It is something nonsense. You have to accept the version of Bhagavad-gītā as it is stated by Kṛṣṇa, and you have to accept the version of Arjuna as it is admitted by Kṛṣṇa. Then you are perfect in Bhagavad-gītā. Otherwise you have simply wasted your time.

Lecture on BG 7.7 -- Bombay, February 22, 1974:

Sir Alistair Hardy. He came. He admitted. He's making research. So these things are going on. Why research? Everything is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. Everything is explained and commented by so many, many great, stalwart, I mean to say, commentator, especially Śrīdhara Svāmī, Rāmānujācārya, Viśvanātha Cakravartī, Baladeva Vidyābhūṣana. So many great scholars, they have commented upon Bhagavad-gītā. So try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is. That is the real necessity of life. That we have explained several times.

This human form of life. The... Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says that, hari hari bifale janama goṅāinu. "My dear Lord, Hari, I have simply spoiled my life." Bifale jan..., hari hari bifale janama goṅāinu. "I have wasted my time." Why? Manuṣya-janama pāiyā, rādhā-kṛṣṇa nā bhajiyā, jāniyā śuniyā biṣa khāinu. "I got this nice human form of body especially for worshiping Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, but I have not done that. Therefore willingly I have drunk poison."

Lecture on BG 7.7 -- Vrndavana, August 13, 1974:

Therefore, as Arjuna understood Kṛṣṇa, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān... (BG 10.12). Arjuna has said that "I heard from the śāstras about Yourself, and You are personally speaking that You are the Supreme. And not only that, the great sages like Vyāsadeva, Asita, Devala, great authorities, they also admit that You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Therefore there is no doubt. The conclusion is the Supreme Personality of Godhead is Kṛṣṇa. As it was in the beginning said by Kṛṣṇa, asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). Asaṁśayam, "without any doubt."

So that... The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means... You can understand who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are so many societies all over the world, so many religious systems, but they cannot give exact idea of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Some has got some idea, others have got other idea, but so far we are concerned, we are fixed up in Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.7 -- Vrndavana, August 13, 1974:

Some has got some idea, others have got other idea, but so far we are concerned, we are fixed up in Kṛṣṇa. And that is rightly. Because Kṛṣṇa is supported not only by the Vedas and by the demigods, headed by Lord Brahmā, and authorities like Vyāsadeva, Asita, Devala. And Arjuna, who heard Bhagavad-gītā personally from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he also admits. All the ācāryas. Even Śaṅkarācārya, although he was impersonalist, he admits, "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead," sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ. Nārāyaṇa... He also admits that "Nārāyaṇa is not a person of this created material world," nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ avyaktāt. And he admits also, kṛṣṇas tu..., sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ, "He has appeared as the son of Devakī and Vasudeva." He admits.

So Kṛṣṇa is admitted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead by all authorities. There is no doubt about it. And Kṛṣṇa personally confirms, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat: (BG 7.7) "There is no more superior being than Myself."

Lecture on BG 7.14 -- Hamburg, September 8, 1969:

So am I meant for meeting death like cats and dogs? Then what kind of human being I am? No. The śāstra says that labdhvā su-durlabham idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte. After many, many evolution of different kinds of body... You understand the evolutionary theory. It is not exactly like Darwin's theory, but this evolutionary process is there. That is admitted in Vedic literature. From lower grade of animal life to the higher grade of animal life. So this human form of life is to be understood. We have got this human form of life after many, many lower grades of life. Labdhvā su-durlabham. And it's very rare. You count, those who are biologists, you count how many kinds of living entities are there. There are 8,400,000 species of life. Out of that, the human being are very small quantity. Out of 8,400,000, the human species of life are 400,000; compared with other animals, a very small quantity. Out of that, there are uncivilized men, many. They are almost animals. Then there is civilized form of human being, just like we are. Out of them, they do not know.

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

We have to serve Kṛṣṇa favorably, not unfavorably. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam. We want to serve God with some material purpose, some material gain. Of course, that is also nice. If somebody goes to God for some material gain, he is far greater than the person who never goes to God. That is admitted in the Bhagavad-gītā. Catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtino 'rjuna, ārto arthārthī. That is a better man. But we should not be... We should not go to God with some purpose of material benefit. We should be free from this. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). And jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam. Jñāna-karma. Karma means work with some fruitive result. "I am working in Kṛṣṇa consciousness just to get some profit out of it"—no, this should not be done. And jñāna. Jñāna means I am trying to understand Kṛṣṇa. Of course, we shall try to understand Kṛṣṇa, but God, or Kṛṣṇa, is so unlimited, we cannot actually understand. We cannot understand. It is not possible for us.

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

Prabhupāda: Everyone has, that does not mean because..., that does not mean... Everyone is now suffering from this winter season, but that does not mean that is not suffering. So we have to admit that we are always in suffering.

Student: If I've never known happiness, I feel sure I've never known suffering either.

Prabhupāda: That is due to your ignorance. We are in suffering. We don't want to die. The death is there. We don't want to be diseased. The disease is there. We don't want to become old. The old age is there. So we don't..., so many things we don't want, but they are forced upon us. And any sane man will admit that these are sufferings. But if you are accustomed to these sufferings so you say, "It is all right," that is a different thing. But naturally, any sane man, he won't like to be diseased. He won't like to be old. He won't like to die. You see. Why this movement? Because if there is war, there will be death. So people are afraid.

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

When he is free, if he thinks, ponders, that "Why I was put into this miserable condition of six month prison life? It was so botheration," then he becomes actually human being. So similarly, the human being has got advanced power of deliberation. If he thinks that "Why I am put into this miserable condition?" Everyone has to admit that he is in miserable condition. He is trying to become happy, but there is no happiness. So how that happiness can be achieved? That chance is in the human being. But if we receive, by the mercy of the material nature, a human being and we do not utilize it properly, if we misuse this benediction as cats and dogs or other animals, then we have to accept again the animal form, and when the term is finished... It takes long, long duration of time because there is evolutionary process. So again you'll come to this human form of life, when the term is finished. Exactly the same example: A thief, when he has finished his term of imprisonment, he's again a free man.

Lecture on BG 9.2-5 -- New York, November 23, 1966:

Why not give something? Is it love, simply going on taking, taking, taking, and no offering? We are taking from Kṛṣṇa so much light. We are taking from Kṛṣṇa so much air, so much water. So many things Kṛṣṇa is supplying for our subsistence, fruits, grains. Without supplied by Kṛṣṇa, you cannot have. You cannot manufacture all these things. So you must admit that God is supplying us so many things. And why not offer something? Is it love? Therefore offering is required. Love means you take and you give also. Suppose if you love somebody... You simply take from him, but you don't give. Oh, do you think it is very good? No. It is not good. That is not love. That is exploitation. If I go on simply taking from you, and if I don't offer you anything, that is simply exploitation. So love means you must take, you must give. Dadāti pratigṛhṇāti bhuṅkte, bhuṅkte bhojayate. You must eat, and you must give to eat. Simply don't go on eating kṛṣṇa-prasāda, but give something to Kṛṣṇa for eating.

Lecture on BG 9.11-14 -- New York, November 27, 1966:

Who stops?" These things are to be thought. How can I deny? There is something. If I don't believe in God, but I must believe some power beyond me which is controlling me every step. Either call it God or anything, nature, but there is a controlling power. You have to admit. How can you deny it? Therefore anyone who denies the existence of God, he is a foolish man. He is not very intelligent man. No intelligent man will deny. So Kṛṣṇa says, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Kṛṣṇa is saying here, because He was present on this earth just like a human being with some supernatural power. But mostly, 99% of people, they could not recognize Him, could not recognize Him that He is the supreme power, Supreme Personality of Godhead. Paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ. Because they have no eyes to see.

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

That's all right. But you cannot learn them by your own study. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). One must go and learn it from the spiritual master, exactly you purchase some scientific book, medical science, or engineering and study at home. Oh, you will never be acknowledged as a medical practitioner. You have to admit yourself into the, that disciplic succession, medical college. You have to attend lectures. Then, when you pass degree, then you will be admitted.

So śrutayo vibhinnāḥ, and nāsāv ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam. And if you consult different kinds of philosophers, you will be bewildered. Because one philosopher is giving one opinion, another philosopher is... Because nāsāv ṛṣir yasya...: "A philosopher is not philosopher if he does not cut another philosopher." That is going on. Nāsāv ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam, dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyām: "Therefore the purport of spiritual life is very confidential."

Lecture on BG 9.27-29 -- New York, December 19, 1966:

This is reciprocation. Although He is neutral... He says, "I am neutral, but still, I cannot deviate Myself from My devotee. Who is always thinking of Me." This is His admission.

There is another admission by Kṛṣṇa about the gopīs. The gopīs loved Him so extensively that Kṛṣṇa admitted that "I cannot return your loving dealings. I am unable. So please be satisfied with your activities. I cannot return." Now, just see. God, who is so powerful, He fails to return the loving objective of the devotee. Samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu na me dveṣyo 'sti na priyaḥ, ye tu bhajanti māṁ prītyā. Prītyā means "with love." We should worship... The word worship is not applicable to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The exact word is sevā, bhajanti. Here it is bhajanti. Whenever you'll find the dealings between the Supreme Lord and the devotee, the word is used, bhajanti.

Lecture on BG 10.1 -- New York, December 27, 1966:

A devotee becomes related with Kṛṣṇa in five different transcendental mellows. One can be related as silent devotee. Silent devotee means he knows Kṛṣṇa is very great. Kṛṣṇa is very great. God is great. To accept this principle, that is also devotion. He does not do anything for God, but he admits God is great. That is called silent devotion.

Now, if one advances a little more, he wants to do something for Kṛṣṇa. Just like if you think somebody is very great, very noble, then if you think that I must do something for that man. So this is called dāsya. First, śānta, neutral, then activity begins. This is later stage than the śānta stage. In the śānta stage a devotee simply admits the greatness of God. But when he makes a further advancement in the understanding of that greatness, that is the beginning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When one wants to do something for Kṛṣṇa.

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

So some of them... Just like the materialist scientists, they are simply trying to know the prakṛti. But they do not know the puruṣa. Prakṛti means the enjoyed, and puruṣa means the enjoyer. Actually enjoyer is Kṛṣṇa. He's the original puruṣa. That will be admitted by Arjuna: puruṣaṁ śāśvatam. "You are the original enjoyer, puruṣam." Kṛṣṇa is the enjoyer, and every one of us, the living entities, and the prakṛti, nature, everything, is to be enjoyed by Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa's... Another puruṣa, we living entities. We are not puruṣa. We are also prakṛti. We are to be enjoyed. But in this material condition, we are trying to be puruṣa, enjoyer. That means when the prakṛti, or the living entities, wants to become puruṣa, that is material condition. If a woman tries to becomes a man, as that is unnatural, similarly when the living entities, who is by nature to be enjoyed.

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Paris, August 11, 1973:

So in these material ideas, we cannot understand that such a small particle, smaller than the atom, has got so power. Therefore, because it is so small, these so-called rascal scientists, they cannot find it, where it is; therefore say, "There is no soul." The rascals will not admit their inefficiency to know and still they will say, "no soul." And if there is no soul, then how it is working? They have no even common sense.

Similarly, as I am very small, smaller than the atom, and I am living within this body and my body is working so nicely. My brain is working so nicely. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is also, according to our conception, Kṛṣṇa is person, individual, but He has got a very gigantic body. This is the material world, material expression. That is expressed in the next verse: kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi.

Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Paris, August 12, 1973:

Just like a small bird, immediately he can fly in the sky. And although we are very intelligent, if I want and if you want to fly in the sky, no you cannot. Although he's supposed to be very intelligent, scientist, but I cannot fly. But a small bird will immediately fly. That is his prabhavaḥ. You must have to admit that this is his special power. Similarly, a vulture, he goes four miles up and his eyes are very small. But from the four miles away he will find out where there is a dead body, immediately jump over. And we have got so many big eyes. But we cannot say, after... This spectacle required. You cannot see even one feet. So this is his prabhavaḥ, influence. A vulture, most, but a nasty bird, still it has got so much influence that you cannot compete with him. So you'll find in every creature, every living entity, a special prerogative than the others, than the others. So, with the body.

Lecture on BG 13.5 -- Bombay, September 28, 1973:

So when one accepts Kṛṣṇa as the supreme authority, then he can be... Just like after passing your entrance examination, you can be admitted in the degree college, similarly, Bhagavad-gītā is the ABCD of spiritual knowledge. People even cannot understand the ABCD, what to speak of graduation, bas, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. They have become so fool, so degraded. Simple thing they cannot understand. This is the position. Therefore our Kṛṣṇa consciousness is trying its best to make people to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without any nonsensical interpretation. This is our mission. But people will not take that.

If we give some bluff, that "Kṛṣṇa means... You are also Kṛṣṇa. I am also Kṛṣṇa. Why Kṛṣṇa alone shall be God? You are also God, I am also...," these things will be very much appreciated. Because he bluffs.

Lecture on BG 13.6-7 -- Montreal, October 25, 1968:

They have produced so many things by material mixture, but nobody has produced. In India, of course, we heard so many news that "In America they have produced life in chemical laboratory." And sometimes they say, "In Russia they are trying." But this is not possible. Nobody has found. And greatest scientists, they have admitted that the problem of life is beyond the scope of material science.

So we have to take it from authoritative scriptures like Bhagavad-gītā, the Vedic literatures, that soul is different from this body, and... Of course, according to the mentality of the soul, we develop different kinds of body. And that is being described by Lord Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna. Pradhānam indriyāṇi śrotrādīni pañca vagadini ca pañceti daśa bāhyāni rajasahaṅkārakarya(?). Now, we have got ten different kinds of senses: five senses, working senses, and five senses acquiring knowledge. But these senses are also products of the ahaṅkāra, false ego.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, September 30, 1973:

Those who are intelligent, budha, complete in knowledge. So after knowing Kṛṣṇa, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19), after becoming mahātmā, sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ, bhajante. Mahātmanas tu māṁ pārtha daiviṁ prakṛtim āśritaḥ bhajanty ananya-manaso (BG 9.13). Without any deviation, ekam. So if you take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness without any deviation, then... There are other demigods, that is admitted. But Kṛṣṇa is the root.

yathā taror mūla-niṣecaṇena

tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ

yathā prāṇopahārāc ca yathendriyānāṁ

tathā sarvārhanam acyutejya

(SB 4.31.14)

You don't require to worship any other demigods. All demigods, they're our respectable. We offer all respect.

Lecture on BG 16.4 -- Hawaii, January 30, 1975:

That is the sublime. Therefore gopīs are so held in estimation even by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Ramya kecid upāsanā vraja-vadhu-vargabhir ya kalpita: "There is no better type of upāsanā, worship, than it was conceived by the gopīs." Caitanya Mahāprabhu admitted that the topmost method of worshiping Kṛṣṇa is the type of worship offered by the gopīs. Topmost. Gopī-bhāva-rasāmṛtābdhi-laharī-kallola-magnau muhur vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau. The Gosvāmīs were always thinking of the gopīs' service to Kṛṣṇa. Gopī-bhāva-rasāmṛtābdhi.

So now the two things are there. The divine characteristic and the demonic characteristic. Both of them are there, now you have to select which one you want. If you actually want to love Kṛṣṇa, then take this divine characteristic. There is no cause of helplessness. You can... Just like amānitvam. Here it is said, dambhaḥ, adambhitvam. Adambhitvam, without any dambhaḥ.

Lecture on BG 16.5 -- Calcutta, February 23, 1972:

Arjuna accepts Kṛṣṇa, after understanding Bhagavad-gītā, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitram-paramaṁ bhavān: (BG 10.12) "You are paraṁ pavitra." And God is paraṁ pavitra is admitted in the Īśopaniṣad. Apāpa-viddham, asnāviram. Asnāviram means in the body of God there are no veins, and therefore apāpa-viddham. Veins, as soon as you have got this veins, that is material body. The body is maintained under certain material condition. You eat, and this eating substance transformed into secretion, then through the veins this comes to the heart, and heart it becomes red, corpuscle, the blood, the blood is diffused. Therefore there are so many channels, veins. And these things are pushed on with the air, and if there is shortage of air circulation, the man becomes paralyzed. This is scientific. So these things are required for the material body, not for the spiritual body. In spiritual body, asnāviram, there is no vein.

Lecture on BG 16.5 -- Hawaii, January 31, 1975:

This is my ambition." "Oh, very good ambition. This ambition the dogs also have got. So why you are working so hard?" "No, that is my ambition. That's all. I am less than dog. Dog gets opportunity of sex life in the street without any working hard, but I will have to work hard to enjoy the same thing. So I am less than dog." One should admit that, that "I am less than dog." Dog gets sex life without any... Viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt. Śāstra says that viṣaya... Viṣaya means the sense enjoyment. The primary sense enjoyment is eating, sleeping, sex life and defense. So where there is want of these four facilities? The birds have got these facilities. The beasts, they... For sex life, the birds and beasts, they have got automatically. Two birds are born, two eggs one male, one female, from the very beginning. We are also born brother and sister. But human society does not allow sex between brother and sister. Still formality is there. But that is also going on.

Lecture on BG 16.8 -- Hawaii, February 4, 1975:

He is mixing the chemicals, hydrogen, oxygen, acid and alkaline. He's mixing, and there is reaction. Then something is coming out. He's doing that. Still, he says, "There is no God." What is this foolishness? Why do they say like that? Therefore they are asuras. They do not admit the existence. Big, big chemist...

Recently there is a book "Chemical Evolution." He wants to prove it, that by combination of chemicals the life has come in. That is not the fact. The fact is: life has come from life. You cannot manufacture life by combination of chemical. Chemical comes from life. In our book... What is that book? "Life Comes From Life." I have given this reason, that even though you think that chemical combination brings the living force, but the chemical is coming from life. Just like citric acid. The citric acid we see practically. There is a tree, lemon tree. This is life. The lemon tree is life. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarāḥ.

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

That is accepted by Vyāsadeva and all... Nārada, Devala. So our proposition is "Follow Kṛṣṇa." Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). The original person. Ādi-puruṣam. Govindam ādi-puruṣam. Śaṅkarācārya is, say, one thousand five hundred years, but Kṛṣṇa, He's the original puruṣa, before the creation. The creation was made... Śaṅkarācārya also admits in his commentary on the Bhagavad-gītā: nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ avyaktāt. And he accepts Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead: sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ. So you cannot supersede Kṛṣṇa by accepting Śaṅkarācārya. Śaṅkarācārya admits, sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ. So Śaṅkarācārya admits Kṛṣṇa is the authority, but Kṛṣṇa says that this material body is prakṛti. How you can say it is puruṣa? Kṛṣṇa says that bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ, bhinnā me prakṛtir aṣṭadhā: (BG 7.4) "These eight kinds of prakṛti, they are My separated energy." How you can say it is puruṣa?