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Affirm (Lectures)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is teaching the science of God. And if you accept the name of the God, name of God, Kṛṣṇa—this is also affirmed in other system also—then you will be able to associate with God immediately.
Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Melbourne, June 27, 1974:

It is very scientific movement, scientific movement because at the present moment we are all godless, forgotten what is God and what to speak of His name. They do not believe in God and what to speak of His name, fame, His place, His activities, His form, His qualities. How we can know? There is no educational system about the science of God. This movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is teaching the science of God. And if you accept the name of the God, name of God, Kṛṣṇa—this is also affirmed in other system also—then you will be able to associate with God immediately. Because God is Absolute. Absolute means there is no difference.

Just like in the relative world... This is relative world. Material world means the relative world. Relative world means the son. As soon as I say "the son," there must be a father. As soon as I say, "friend," there must be another man, friend. As soon as I say, "water," there must be something as water. But in the Absolute world, the name water and the water is the same. This is called Absolute, no different separation. So in the kingdom of God, the God is God and His son is also God. There the everything—there is no difference between the name and the substance. Here in this material world the name and the substance different.

The Brahma-saṁhitā affirms, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ, the supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on BG 7.2 -- San Francisco, September 11, 1968:

So in every way, you are under control. So there is a controller. And the supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa. There is one controller over another controller. If you go on searching out who is the ultimate controller, then you'll find Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1). The Brahma-saṁhitā affirms, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ, the supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Īśvaraḥ means controller. So we have to get knowledge of this controller, how He is controlling. (child making noises) (aside:) It is disturbing. So jñānaṁ vijñānaṁ te sahitam. Not only to know the controller, but to know how He is controlling, how many energies the controller has got and how He is one controlling—that is vijñānam. So jñānaṁ vijñānaṁ te nate tubhyāṁ prapannāya aśeṣataḥ.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

First of all, if we say to the biologists that "There are 900,000 different forms of life or species within the water," they will say, "How it is you are affirming in, so positively, without experiment, without research?" They'll say.
Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

But we do not depend on the theories. We depend on the Vedic conclusion. We do not require to make any research. Just like ordinarily we say there are 900,000 forms of body in the water. We get it from Vedic knowledge. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi. Now, the biologists, let them confirm it. Or deny it. Because... They cannot confirm it because their knowledge is experimental. Unless they find it actually, by actual experience, that there are so many living forms within the water, they cannot say yes. Neither they are able to find it out. Is it not the position? First of all, if we say to the biologists that "There are 900,000 different forms of life or species within the water," they will say, "How it is you are affirming in, so positively, without experiment, without research?" They'll say. Then we'll ask, "Then you say." That they cannot say. This is their position. They'll say, "In future..." Future, there is no question. You do not know now. Admit this. So this is their position. Therefore this experimental knowledge is always imperfect. Always imperfect. It cannot be perfect. Because our experience, our power of perception, advancement of knowledge, they are imperfect. They are deficiency.

The demigods are as factual as we are, but they are much more powerful due to their being engaged in the direct service of the Lord in managing different departments in the universal government. The Bhagavad-gītā affirms this, and the different planets of the demigods are mentioned there, including the one of the supreme demigod, Lord Brahmā.
Lecture on SB 2.3.11-12 -- Los Angeles, May 29, 1972:

Actually human life is meant for making a solution to the problems of life. One can never solve such problems by satisfying the different demigods, by different modes of worship, or by so-called scientific advancement in knowledge without the help of God or the demigods. Apart from the gross materialists, who care very little either for God or for the demigods, the Vedas recommend worship of different demigods for different benefits, and so the demigods are neither false nor imaginary. The demigods are as factual as we are, but they are much more powerful due to their being engaged in the direct service of the Lord in managing different departments in the universal government. The Bhagavad-gītā affirms this, and the different planets of the demigods are mentioned there, including the one of the supreme demigod, Lord Brahmā. The gross materialists do not believe in the existence of God or the demigods. Nor do they believe that different planets are dominated by different demigods. They are creating a great commotion about reaching the closest celestial body, Candraloka, or the moon, but even after much mechanical research they have only very scanty information of this moon, and in spite of much false advertisement for selling land on the moon, the puffed-up scientists or gross materialists cannot live there, and what to speak of reaching the other planets, which they are unable even to count. However, the followers of the Vedas have a different method of acquiring knowledge. They accept the statements of the Vedic literatures as authority in toto, as we have already discussed in Canto One, and therefore they have full and reasonable knowledge of God and demigods and of their different residential planets situated within the compass of the material world and beyond the limit of the material sky.

However you may be great in material science, knowledge, opulence, economic development, or everything, but if you want to see God, then you have to accept this process, bhakti. In the Bhagavad-gītā also the same thing affirmed. Not only in the Bhagavad-gītā—in all Vedic scriptures the same thing is affirmed.
Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Montreal, July 4, 1968:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja recommends that the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot be satisfied by your material opulences. That is not possible. You cannot excel Him. However you may be great in material science, knowledge, opulence, economic development, or everything, but if you want to see God, then you have to accept this process, bhakti. In the Bhagavad-gītā also the same thing affirmed. Not only in the Bhagavad-gītā—in all Vedic scriptures the same thing is affirmed. Simply if you want to see God, if you want to make your relationship with God, then it is bhakti. And our process, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is not for proselytizing, that "You are Christian. You become Hindu," or "You are Hindu. You become Christian," or "You are Muhammadan. You..." No. We don't recommend in that way. You remain in your religious faith, but we simply request you that you develop your love of God. That's all. We want to test your religion capacity—how much you have developed your love of God. That's all. We do not want to see how, what kind of rituals and performances you are doing. Phalena paricīyate. We want to see the result, how much you have tried or how much you have developed your love of Godhead. That's all. That is the Bhāgavata recommendation.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

In that statement, Haridāsa Ṭhākura affirmed it that by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra loudly, the trees, the birds, the beasts—everyone—will be benefited. This is the statement of Namācārya Haridāsa Ṭhākura.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 7, 1972:

Just like this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement: it is welfare activities for all the people of the world. It is not a sectarian movement, not only for the human being, but also for the animals, birds, beasts, trees, everyone. This discussion was made by Haridāsa Ṭhākura with Lord Caitanya. In that statement, Haridāsa Ṭhākura affirmed it that by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra loudly, the trees, the birds, the beasts—everyone—will be benefited. This is the statement of Namācārya Haridāsa Ṭhākura. So when we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra loudly, it is beneficial for everyone. This statement was put forward in Melbourne in the court. The, the court inquired that "Why do you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra loudly in the street?" The reply we gave that "Just to benefit all the people." Actually, it is the fact.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Even Śaṅkarācārya, who is a impersonalist, he has accepted Lord Kṛṣṇa as the supreme Nārāyaṇa. In his comment on Bhagavad-gītā he says, "Nārāyaṇa is beyond this material creation." And while describing Nārāyaṇa, he has affirmed, "That Nārāyaṇa is Kṛṣṇa."
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.3 -- Mayapur, March 27, 1975:

In many Vedic literature Kṛṣṇa is described as the purāṇaḥ puruṣaḥ, the oldest. Purāṇaḥ puruṣaḥ nava-yauvanaṁ ca (Bs. 5.33). Although He is the oldest of all, still, He is always like fresh youth, nava-yauvanaṁ ca. So how it is possible? They are trying to understand God. Sometimes they paint the picture of God as very old man. Because He is the original person, so by this time He must have become very old. This is imagination. This is not actually the form of the Lord. The form of the Lord is there in the Brahma-saṁhitā and other Vedic literatures. Even Śaṅkarācārya, who is a impersonalist, he has accepted Lord Kṛṣṇa as the supreme Nārāyaṇa. In his comment on Bhagavad-gītā he says, nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ avyaktāt: "Nārāyaṇa is beyond this material creation." And while describing Nārāyaṇa, he has affirmed, sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ: "That Nārāyaṇa is Kṛṣṇa." And he has clearly mentioned, "Now He has appeared as the son of Devakī and Vāsudeva," to confirm just like identification is confirmed when the father's name is there.

Caitanya Mahāprabhu is affirming that "You are authorized by Kṛṣṇa. Therefore you have come for My help. My mission is to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness..." So He is Kṛṣṇa Himself, but He posing as a devotee.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.105 -- New York, July 11, 1976:

So Sanātana Gosvāmī is teaching us... Kṛṣṇa-śakti dhara tumi, jāna tattva-bhāva (CC Madhya 20.105). Caitanya Mahāprabhu is affirming that "You are authorized by Kṛṣṇa. Therefore you have come for My help. My mission is to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness..." So He is Kṛṣṇa Himself, but He posing as a devotee. Therefore He is saying that "By the grace of Kṛṣṇa, you are empowered, so you have come to Me to help Me. You are asking. That is very good on your part because," jāni, "you know everything." Dārḍhya lāgi' puche sādhura svabhāva. A sādhu, a saintly person, although he knows everything, still he remains very humble and tries to confirm from the higher authorities, "I think this is right. Is it not right?" He knows it is all right, but still, he waits for the higher authority to confirm it. So this is the relationship, Sanātana Gosvāmī and Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Study all of them very nicely and be advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Festival Lectures

When Arjuna understood Bhagavad-gītā, he affirmed Kṛṣṇa, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān. So Kṛṣṇa is Param Brahman.
Radhastami, Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day -- London, August 29, 1971:

So Kṛṣṇa is Param Brahman, as you know from the Bhagavad-gītā. When Arjuna understood Bhagavad-gītā, he affirmed Kṛṣṇa, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). So Kṛṣṇa is Param Brahman. So in this material world we see that a great, saintly person, simply to enjoy brahmānanda, he gives up everything of material enjoyment. He becomes sannyāsī. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. Just to understand that he is in Brahman realization. So if one has to give up everything material for Brahman realization, do you think that Paraṁ Brahman, the Supreme Brahman, can enjoy anything material? No. Kṛṣṇa's enjoyment is nothing material. This point should be understood.

General Lectures

So Śukadeva Gosvāmī affirms that "This is a very nice inquiry, and your selection is also very nice."
Lecture -- New York, April 16, 1969:

So because he inquired about Kṛṣṇa, therefore the speaker, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, who was inquired from Parīkṣit Mahārāja, he's first replying,

varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ
kṛto loka-hitaṁ nṛpa
ātmavit-sammataḥ puṁsāṁ
śrotavyādiṣu yaḥ paraḥ
(SB 2.1.1)

"My dear king, your question is very superexcellent. Superexcellent." (reads Sanskrit commentary) "You have inquired whether I shall now simply absorb my mind simply for hearing and chanting of Kṛṣṇa." That was his question. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī affirms that "This is a very nice inquiry, and your selection is also very nice." Śrotavyādiṣu yaḥ paraḥ. We have got to hear so many things. As soon as we get out of this Kṛṣṇa temple, many, many friends will ask me so many things, and I'll talk with him so many things about politics, economics, social affairs, this country's position, this, that. Because without chanting and hearing, we cannot live for a moment. Either we shall talk nonsense or we shall talk about business or we talk of sex or talk some this or that, talking and chanting. You talk I hear, and I talk, you hear. That is the business going on everywhere. Now here Śukadeva Gosvāmī says that "You wanted to hear about Kṛṣṇa. That is your superexcellent proposal." Varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ kṛto loka-hitaṁ nṛpa (SB 2.1.1). "And because you have inquired and I'll have to say something about Kṛṣṇa, so it is the most beautiful and superexcellent welfare activities for the all people of the world." Loka-hitam. And ātmavit-sammataḥ. And this sort of question and answer is confirmed by persons who are self-realized, ātmavit.

People have become so rascal that they do not believe in the existence of God. That is affirmed. Some of them say, "God is dead. Now we have to take to social work, political work. Let the subject matter of God be set aside."
Arrival -- Dallas, May 19, 1973:

There are many hundreds and thousands patterns of religious system, but according to our Bhāgavata school, we accept that religion as first class which teaches how to love God. That is religion. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). That system of religion is first class wherein the followers are given lessons how to love God. Unfortunately, at the present moment there is no question of how to teach them for loving God. They deny the existence of God. This is the present situation. People have become so rascal that they do not believe in the existence of God. Or somebody believes... Not believes. That is affirmed. Some of them say, "God is dead. Now we have to take to social work, political work. Let the subject matter of God be set aside." Especially in India. In India, the country where still God consciousness is so strong, the government wants that they should forget about this God business. So this is Kali-yuga. Kali-yuga means simply for fight on trifling things and forget God.

Arjuna immediately rectifies this impression, that "Not only myself, but great authorities like Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Asita, they are also affirming."
Tenth Anniversary Address -- Washington, D.C., July 6, 1976:

So we'll find in every Vedic literature, Kṛṣṇa is the supreme father. When Arjuna understood Bhagavad-gītā, in the Tenth Chapter you will find, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān puruṣaṁ śāśvatam ādyam (BG 10.12). And he also confirmed that "I am accepting You like this, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma (BG 10.12). So people may be in doubt because I am Your friend. So they may say, 'Out of friendship, regard or affection, out of sentiment, he is speaking like that, that Kṛṣṇa is the supreme person, paraṁ brahma.' " But Arjuna immediately rectifies this impression, that "Not only myself, but great authorities like Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Asita, they are also affirming." Vyāsadeva is authority. Veda-vyāsa, he is the giver of Vedic knowledge. So he is accepting. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam he is writing, ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). He has given description of the incarnation of God, then he concludes that "All these incarnations, they are part and parcel or plenary expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but the name which I have mentioned as Kṛṣṇa, that Godhead, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam, He is the Supreme Original Personality of Godhead." That is Vyāsadeva's... So we have to accept. And Arjuna also says, svayaṁ caiva bravīṣi me, "You are also personally speaking that mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7), 'There is no more superior authority than Me.' " So this is confirmed.

We are not this body; we are within this body. This is brahma-jñāna. In another place also, the same thing has been affirmed in Bhagavad-gītā. Kṣetra kṣetrajñaḥ.
Evening Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, January 19, 1977:

So Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, giving the first instruction to Arjuna, dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā, tathā dehāntara-prāptir (BG 2.13). The Brahman, the spirit soul, the part and parcel of Parabrahman, is dehi. Asmin dehe. In this body he is the proprietor of the body. Dehi and deha. Deha means this body, and dehi means the proprietor of the body. So that dehi, or the proprietor of the body, is Brahman. Brahma-jijñāsā. If we are inquisitive to know about Brahman, first of all we must know that I or you, any spirit soul, is Brahman, and he's within this body. We are not the... Other words, we are not this body; we are within this body. This is brahma-jñāna. In another place also, the same thing has been affirmed in Bhagavad-gītā. Kṣetra kṣetrajñaḥ. Arjuna inquired from Kṛṣṇa, "What is kṣetra and what is kṣetrajña?" That answer is given in the Thirteenth Chapter: idaṁ śarīraṁ kṣetram ity abidhīyate. It has been explained that this kṣetra... Just like we work in the field, the owner of the field and the field, similarly, this body is the field, and the owner, the dehi, I or you, we are working on this field, kṣetrajña.

Philosophy Discussions

Yes. That is called in Sanskrit language saṅkalpa and vikalpa: You accept something and reject something. That's all.
Philosophy Discussion on Edmund Husserl:

Śyāmasundara: Yes. But now he's discussing the phenomenological ego, or what we would call the false ego, the sense of "I." He says that this ego is an act, an activity—of doubting, understanding, affirming, denying, ruling, refusing, imagining, feeling...

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is called in Sanskrit language saṅkalpa and vikalpa: You accept something and reject something. That's all. You can make a different branches of these two words.

Page Title:Affirm (Lectures)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Labangalatika
Created:29 of Dec, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=14, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:14