Arjuna was... (Lectures, Other)

Expressions researched:
"Arjuna is" |"Arjuna was"

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

Kill him immediately." And Karṇa protested: "Arjuna, what you are doing? I am not in fighting now." So Kṛṣṇa said, "No, this is the time of... Otherwise, you cannot be able to kill him. This is the time. This is the opportunity. You kill him." Because Karṇa was greater hero than Arjuna. Dronācārya, Bhīṣma... That is explained by Parīkṣit Mahārāja, that "In the battlefield of Kuru, just like a ocean, and there were big, big crocodiles, animals, like Dronācārya, Bhīṣma, Karṇa. But by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, my grandfather was able to kill them." Arjuna was not so strong that he could kill Bhīṣma or Dronācārya, Karṇa. They were greater heroes. So these things are there.

There, there are many instances. Just like gopīs. At dead of night, when Kṛṣṇa's flute was there, they left their husband, left their father, left their brothers, children, everything, and they went away. Now, according to our Vedic system, young girls, young women, leaving the protection of father, brother or superiors, and going in the forest for another boy—oḥ, it is very sinful. Socially, it is sinful. And Kṛṣṇa instructed them, "What you have done? You go back immediately." And they began to cry. That, this description is there. So now, from the social point of view, this is sin. This is sin when the gopīs went to Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, Prahlāda Mahārāja was standing without any protest and his father is being killed. Now can any sane man see that his father is being killed, and he's standing silently, without any protest? And Bali Mahārāja, he rejected his spiritual master. When Śukrācārya said that "Don't promise. He's Viṣṇu. He'll take everything of your.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 17, 1972:

It is not a question of any personal religion or personal ambition or something manufactured by some imperfect sense enjoyer. It is authorized because Bhagavad-gītā is authorized. Bhagavad-gītā is accepted... First of all, He was, it was accepted by Arjuna in toto. Sarvam etad ṛtaṁ manye yad vadasi keśava (BG 10.14). "My dear Kṛṣṇa, whatever You are saying, I accept it in toto, without any interpretation, without any rejection." Somebody says, somebody may say, "Arjuna was Kṛṣṇa's friend. To praise Him, he might have said like that." No. Arjuna immediately gives evidence that "It is not that I am accepting but you are accepted as, as such by such great personalities as, like Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Asita." He gives authority. So that was five thousand years ago. Later on, all the ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, Nimbārka, even Śaṅkarācārya. We Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, they differ little with Śaṅkarācārya. Impersonalist and personalist. But Śaṅkarācārya even, even though he was impersonalist, he accepted Kṛṣṇa in his commentary on Bhagavad-gītā. Sai bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is no doubt about it. By all authorities. And Kṛṣṇa Himself says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). "There is no more superior authority than Me."

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 17, 1972:

And cit. Cit means knowledge. So Kṛṣṇa's knowledge is perfect. Kṛṣṇa says, vedāham, vedāhaṁ samatītāni (BG 7.26). "I know past, present, and future." When Kṛṣṇa was questioned by Arjuna, Kṛṣṇa said that "Many millions of years ago, first of all, I spoke this science of Bhagavad-gītā or bhakti-yoga, to the sun-god." Imaṁ vivasvate proktaṁ vivasvān manave prāha. "I spoke, first of all, to Vivasvān, the Sun god." The Sun god's name is there, Vivasvān. Then Kṛṣṇa was questioned by Arjuna that "Kṛṣṇa, You and me, we are born very recently. How is that You say that You spoke to Sun god? That is millions and millions of years ago." So Kṛṣṇa answered, "Yes, I said. I remember. But you do not remember. You were also present." Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, they're eternal friends. So whenever Kṛṣṇa appears, Arjuna also appears. Kṛṣṇa has got His associates. Arjuna is one of the associates. But the, that is the difference between living entity and God. God remembers and the living entity does not remember. He forgets. And another conclusion is: Why Kṛṣṇa remembers and why the living entity does not remember? The reason is that living entity changes the body, Kṛṣṇa does not change the body. Sambhavāmy ātma-māyayā (BG 4.6). When Kṛṣṇa appears, He appears in His original body, but because He looks like ordinary man, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11), the rascals and fools, they think Kṛṣṇa as ordinary man, human being.

So bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu is to taste the mellow of serving Kṛṣṇa. That is the science of serving Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we have named this book, "Nectar of Devotion." It is summary study of bhakti-rasa, the mellow, the transcendental mellow which one can taste. Everyone is tasting. Otherwise he cannot work. So yat karoṣi yaj juhoṣi. Kṛṣṇa says, "Whatever engagement you may have, kuruṣva tad mad-arpaṇam, do it for Kṛṣṇa." Don't take the result yourself. Give it to Kṛṣṇa. Then you'll taste the rel..., relish the mellow, transcendental mellow, bhakti-rasa. And then you'll be happy.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 7, 1973:

Actually, everyone's mission is that. But you cannot enjoy. As soon as there is question of enjoyment, there must be other party. You cannot enjoy alone. That is not possible. There must be other party. So you enjoy your life with Kṛṣṇa—either in sakhya-rasa or dāsya-rasa or vātsalya-rasa or ghastly rasa. Just like Bhīṣmadeva: he enjoyed Kṛṣṇa's association by ghastly rasa. As I was going to explain, that he decided to kill Arjuna with two propositions that "Either this day I shall kill Arjuna, or Kṛṣṇa has to break His promise and, to save His friend." That was his promise. So when Bhīṣmadeva was trying to kill Arjuna, his ratha, his chariot became shattered and Arjuna fell down. So when Kṛṣṇa saw, "Now Kṛṣṇa..., Arjuna is going to die," so immediately He took one wheel of the chariot and immediately appeared before Bhīṣmadeva: "Stop fighting; otherwise, I am going to kill you." So immediately Bhīṣmadeva gave up his weapons. So this is not breaking His promise, but this is another rasa, that Kṛṣṇa wanted to show Bhīṣma that "You wanted to break My promise. Now see, I am..., I have broken My promise. Are you all right?" (laughter) He wanted to please His devotee. That's all. Otherwise Kṛṣṇa could kill many millions of Bhīṣma, standing there only. But He came before him that "You wanted to break My promise. Now you see, I have broken My promise. But I have not taken My disc. Then this wheel I have taken. Please stop." So immediately he gave up his weapons. But when Bhīṣma was piercing the body of Kṛṣṇa with arrows, he was coming..., he did not spare even Kṛṣṇa, his charioteer. He pierced the body of Arjuna as well as Kṛṣṇa.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 29, 1972:

Hmm. Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). They do not act under the influence... Ordinary persons, they see that "Devotees are acting like us." No. Their activities are under the influence of spiritual energy. It, it, it looks similar like the karmīs, jñānīs, but bhaktas are different from karmīs and jñānīs. Jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (CC Madhya 19.167). They are not influenced by the tenets of jñāna and karma. They are influenced by activities which can satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam. Anuśīlanam activities, culture. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam. So they are simply engaged in Kṛṣṇa activities. Although it looks similar to the ordinary activities. Therefore they misunderstand. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna is fighting and another soldier is fighting the other side. But Arjuna's activities as soldier is devotional service. Because he's trying to please Kṛṣṇa. Other side, they're fighting for their own interest, how to become victorious and take up the kingdom. That was their idea. Here, Arjuna, he did not like to fight, but when he understood that "Kṛṣṇa desires this fighting," he engaged in it. Therefore his fighting was to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, not to satisfy his senses. As it is explained in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, to satisfy one's own senses, that is called kāma, and to satisfy the senses of Kṛṣṇa, that is called prema. That is the difference. Go on.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 29, 1972:

Prabhupāda: This is spiritual energy. Just like Arjuna is fighting. That energy is inspired by Kṛṣṇa. So Arjuna took it, "I must fight. Kṛṣṇa wants it. I must satisfy Kṛṣṇa." This is spiritual energy. Just see. The other party, they are also fighting in the same energy, but they have no Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So to act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is nothing wonderful. Simply you have to divert the energy for Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everyone has got energy, but when it is enacted for one's sense gratification, that is material. And when it is enacted for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, that is spiritual. Try to understand the difference between material and spiritual. Go on.

Pradyumna: "In other words, energy is a sort of strength, and this strength can be spiritualized by the mercy of both the bona fide spiritual master and Kṛṣṇa."

Prabhupāda: Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). We have to acquire this energy through the mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa is within as caitya-guru, and when we are serious He comes out as the spiritual master. Śikṣā-guru, dīkṣā-guru. So there is no difference between śikṣā-guru and dīkṣā-guru and Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa manifests Himself externally as śikṣā-guru and dīkṣā-guru. Go on.

Pradyumna: "In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta by Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī..."

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1972:

To attract Kṛṣṇa you cannot utilize your spirit or jñānīs or yogis. You can attract Kṛṣṇa simply by devotional service. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Kṛṣṇa says plainly that "Simply by devotional service, one can understand Me." Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti. So the activities of the karmīs, when dovetailed in the service of Kṛṣṇa, even by working so hard, our tendency, we can...

Actually, devotional service depends on the main principles, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam, arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyam (SB 7.5.23). But within the category of dāsyam,... Just like Hanumān, Hanumānjī: he was engaged in the platform of dāsyam. Arjuna was engaged in the platform of sakhyam. So they were also working very hard. The Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, it was not a place of sitting down very easily and silently. When he was fighting, he was fighting just like a soldier. He took all the duties of a soldier. But it was being fought for Kṛṣṇa. That is the attraction. That is pure devotional service. Kṛṣṇa also gave him certificate: bhakto 'si priyo 'si (BG 4.3). "My dear Arjuna, you are My dear friend and devotee." So by any action, if it is dovetailed for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, that is devotional service, and one can attract Kṛṣṇa, attention of Kṛṣṇa. Attention of Kṛṣṇa can be attracted by pure devotional service, without any personal motive. If it is... And that motive, that order, is received through the disciplic succession of the spiritual master, how Kṛṣṇa will be pleased. In the present condition, we do not know how Kṛṣṇa will be pleased, but we know from the śāstras... We can know also from the direction of the spiritual master how Kṛṣṇa will be pleased. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. So Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says you have to follow the direction of the spiritual master. He's guiding as a leader. And if he's pleased, that means Kṛṣṇa is pleased. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1972:

Even we are doing... That we are bound to do, as I have already explained, that, knowingly or unknowingly, we are committing sinful activities. But Kṛṣṇa gives His assurance: ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). So if he ... Of course, a devotee never does anything knowingly sinful, but unknowingly, he's doing. But Kṛṣṇa is taking charge of him. Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. So there, there is no question of grief.

Therefore the subject matter is relief from material distress. If you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness without any motive, sincerely, then your position is secured. Kṛṣṇa takes charge of you. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). His devotee will never be vanquished. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was considering how he could kill his kinsmen, his familymen, his nephew, his brother, his grandfather, on the other side. Actually, this killing business is not very good. It is sinful. But the same thing he committed after understanding Bhagavad-gītā. He agreed: kariṣye vacanaṁ tava (BG 18.73). "Yes, I shall fight." So does it mean...? In the beginning he was considering about the sinful effects of his activities. Why did he engage himself in the same business although he knew this is sinful? No. If you... Even it is acted so-called sinful activities, for Kṛṣṇa, under the order of Kṛṣṇa, for pleasing Kṛṣṇa, then that is also devotion. It is very difficult. We should not manufacture such concoction. But the fact is that, if actually one is acting for Kṛṣṇa, there is no question of sinful reaction. That's a fact. "Relief from material distress." And material distress means it is due to sinful activities. In another place, also, in the Brahma-saṁhitā it is said, karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām (Bs. 5.54)? Karmāṇi. Everyone is being caught up by the action and reaction of karma, but a devotee is protected from the action and reaction of karma. Karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām (Bs. 5.54). So a devotee, a Kṛṣṇa conscious person, remains free always, provided he's fully engaged in Kṛṣṇa conscious activities for pleasing the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Go on.

Pradyumna: "Sinful activities are of two kinds: those which are mature and those which are not mature. The sinful activities for which we are suffering at the present moment are called mature. The many sinful activities stored within us for which we have not yet suffered are considered immature."

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1972:

Yes. This is also another position. The, the reactions of our sinful activities we are suffering. As soon as we get a material body—it doesn't matter whether a rich man's body or a poor man's, poor man's body—the material body is itself subjected to threefold miseries of this material condition. Therefore Arjuna was advised by Kṛṣṇa: āgama apāyino anityāḥ tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata. You cannot avoid the miserable condition of this body. That is not possible. So we have to tolerate. There is no other excuse. But do not create another body. That is devotional service. Karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām (Bs. 5.54). Due to our past karma, we have got a certain type of body. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). By the supervision of superior order, superior vigilance, we get a certain type of body. This may be a king's body or a poor man's body, an animal body, or anything, we get. That is by superior order. So we should not create another body. That is the aim of human life. We should not create another body.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 5, 1972:

Pradyumna: "As evidence for this, Rūpa Gosvāmī quotes from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Eleventh Canto, Fourteenth Chapter, 18th verse. This verse is in connection with Lord Kṛṣṇa's instruction to Uddhava, where He says, 'My dear Uddhava, devotional service unto Me is just like a blazing fire, which can burn into ashes unlimited fuel supplied to it.' The purport is that as the blazing fire can burn any amount of fuel to ashes, so devotional service to the Lord in Kṛṣṇa consciousness can burn up all the fuel of sinful activities. For example, in the Gītā, Arjuna thought that fighting was a sinful activity, but Kṛṣṇa engaged him on the battlefield under His order, and so the fighting became devotional service. Therefore, Arjuna was not subjected to any sinful reaction."

Prabhupāda: Yes. So the example is that the, in the fire, you go on giving fuel perpetually, it will burn into ashes. Similarly, it doesn't matter. To become sinful... Without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, everyone is sinful. So to become sinful is not disqualification, because everyone is sinful. But if one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is just like the fire, and the sinful activities are just like wood. But when the wood is in touch with the fire, so the fire would burn all the woods, fuel, into ashes. But we should not... Once we take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we should stop the pillars of sinful activities. Whatever we did in our past life, that is excused, but if we take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and if we go on with our sinful activities, that will not help us. Just like the same fire: you take the fuel and add to the fire, it will burn into ashes. But, at the same time, if you pour some water also, then it will be useless. Similarly, our past sinful activities, that can be burned into ashes provided we don't add any more. Don't take it: "Now it will burn into ashes. So go on, this business and that business." No. That business means pouring water into the fire. It will not burn. Go on.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 9, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa is called Yogeśvara. He's also the master of all yogic mystic power. Therefore a bhakta, a true devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he does not endeavor personally to achieve all these yogic mystic power. He depends on Kṛṣṇa, and if there is necessity of exhibiting some yogic power, Kṛṣṇa will show. Kṛṣṇa will exhibit. Yatra yogeśvaraḥ hariḥ. So although Arjuna did not manifest any yogic power, but, by Kṛṣṇa's grace everything was so wonderfully performed in the Battle of Kurukṣetra. Otherwise Arjuna was a, an insignificant warrior in front of Bhīṣma, Karṇa, Dronācārya. This is admitted by Mahārāja Parīkṣit, that it is simply by the grace of Kṛṣṇa that his grandfather came out victorious in front of Bhīṣma, Karṇa, Dronācārya and similar great heroes. So if any heroic action has to be shown, the devotee does not endeavor separately for showing such heroic manifestation. Because he depends on Kṛṣṇa, if there is need, then Kṛṣṇa will show. Nimitta-mātraṁ bhava savya-sācin. Actually, the battlefield was conducted by Kṛṣṇa, and He owned the victory, but officially, historically, it is said that Arjuna owned the victory. So a devotee does not require to acquire all the talents, how to own victory. Kṛṣṇa will do that business. A devotee has only to surrender sincerely unto the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Then everything will be done wonderfully.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.2 -- Mayapur, March 2, 1974:

Just like Arjuna was fighting, kṣatriya. His business was to fight. Why he was fighting the battle of Kurukṣetra? To become master of the kingdom. But he remained eternally servant of Kṛṣṇa. This is success. Don't be satisfied simply I become master of your material position. At the same time, you try to become the servant of the supreme; then you are successful. Relative. Our mastership is relative. Under certain condition we become master, but Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is master without any condition. Namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa prema pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). Because He's master He can distribute kṛṣṇa prema very easily. Otherwise, kṛṣṇa prema... Not only kṛṣṇa prema; one cannot understand what is Kṛṣṇa.

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu

kaścid yayati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāṁ

kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ

(BG 7.3)

Out of many millions of persons, one may try to make his life successful, and out of many such person who has become successful, to understand the constitutional position of his life, one may understand—one may understand; there is no surety—Kṛṣṇa. So to understand Kṛṣṇa is very, very difficult job.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.106-107 -- San Francisco, February 13, 1967:

I do not know even the alphabets. But my Guru Mahārāja asked me to read every day eighteen chapters of Bhagavad-gītā. So what can I do? I have taken this Bhagavad-gītā in pursuance of my spiritual master. I am simply seeing the cover and trying to understand what is there." Now he's illiterate. By seeing the cover, he's trying to understand Bhagavad-gītā by the order of his spiritual master. This is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. "Because my spiritual master has ordered me to read Bhagavad-gītā—I know I'm illiterate, I cannot read—oḥ, let me see what it is." Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked him, "Well, you are illiterate, but I see that with feeling you are crying." "Yes, Sir, I am crying." "Why?" "Now, soon as I take this book, the picture of Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna comes before me. I see that Kṛṣṇa is driving the chariot and Arjuna is hearing, and I simply appreciate, 'Oh, Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He has become his chariot driver of His devotee.' Therefore I am crying. Oh, He's so kind." Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "You are reading Bhagavad-gītā." At once He embraced him. This is reading Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa—minus Bhagavad-gītā commentation, all rascaldom. Be careful of these, all these fools and rascals. That is not Bhagavad-gītā. Maybe Dr. Radhakrishnan, Swami Nikhilananda... All rascals because they have made minus Kṛṣṇa. They want to interpret. Similarly, they interpret Vedānta and all this minus God, minus God. So Kṛṣṇa, Caitanya Mahāprabhu warns you that "Don't go to such rascals." There is no mistake. Try to understand Bhagavad-gītā or Vedānta-sūtra or any scripture as it is. Don't try to change it.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.108 -- San Francisco, February 18, 1967:

The government is all-powerful. If you become a departmental secretary, oh, immediately you get five thousand dollars and everything is all right. Similarly, some way or other, if you can become a secretary of Kṛṣṇa, then your all problems solved. Don't try to enjoy independently. That is māyā. That is māyā.

Similarly, there are other statements. Sa vṛkṣaḥ kalaḥ kṛtibhiḥ paro 'nyat yasmād prapañca-parivartateyaṁ dharmavahaṁ pāpamaruddham. Then another statement, vedāham etat puruṣaṁ mahāntam āditya-varṇaṁ tamasaḥ parastād, that vedāham: "I understand that Supreme Person." Vedāham. Vedāham means "I understand." Puruṣa. He's again puruṣa. In the Bhagavad-gītā also you'll find, when Arjuna is recognizing Kṛṣṇa, he said, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān puruṣam (BG 10.12). Again puruṣam. So God is never woman. The foolish person who says that God is, can be worshiped as woman, as mother... No. That is not according to Vedic literature. God is always father. Therefore Bible is all right-conception of father, not mother. Not that "I worship Kali, goddess mother, and become God." These are all nonsense. He's always father, puruṣa. Everywhere we find puruṣa. Never we find that God is a female. No. God cannot be female. Female is energy. Just like Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Rādhā is Kṛṣṇa, but the energy of Kṛṣṇa, pleasure potency of Kṛṣṇa. There is no difference between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, and still, Kṛṣṇa is male and Rādhā is female. So God, conception of God, always...

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.151-154 -- Gorakhpur, February 14, 1971:

Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca, vedeṣu durlabham ātma-bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). The Supreme Personality of Godhead is difficult to be approached by simple understanding of the Vedas. One has to become a devotee. Just like Bhagavad-gītā. It is simple. It is the entrance book for spiritual understanding. It is not very, I mean to say, highly theosophical or theological literature. That highly theological literature is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which is the natural commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra. So in the Bhagavad-gītā we get all information how Kṛṣṇa expands Himself. Advaita... Vedeṣu durlabha. Therefore one who does not read Bhagavad-gītā through a devotee... Kṛṣṇa... Just like Arjuna is a devotee. He understands Bhagavad-gītā. Without going through a devotee, nobody can understand God or His statements. Thousands of people for thousands of years, reading Bhagavad-gītā, but they do not know Kṛṣṇa. Is it not a fact? Yes. So because they are not going through the proper channels, they are... Still, vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). Simply by trying to understand the Vedic literature, one cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Vedeṣu durlabha. Durlabha means very difficult to approach. Adurlabha ātma-bhaktau. But ātma-bhaktau, those who are devotees, for them He is very easily accepted. Take for example... Now, you have gone to see a very high officer, say, the secretary of the government. You are waiting. You have sent your card, you are waiting. But you cannot enter the room without being permitted. But an ordinary orderly, his servant, he's thousand times going and coming. There is no restriction for him. He does not require any permission. He goes within because... And the message will come through him. In Dvārakā... Perhaps you have read in the Nectar of Devotion that Brahmā, Indra, they used to come to see Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa's orderly... They were offering prayers, and Kṛṣṇa's orderly was requesting them, "Please make no noise." They were offering prayers, Brahmā, Indra, and His personal servant was prohibiting him, "Please do not make noise. Sit down here." This is the position. So vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). Kṛṣṇa is not available, not approachable, simply by studying Vedas. He has to be obedient to the orders of the devotees.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154 -- Gorakhpur, February 16, 1971:

Prabhupāda: No, Brahman he's already.

Guest (1): He is already Brahman?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest (1): And Paramātmā he is not.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Paramātmā is Param Brahman. There are two words, Brahman and Param Brahman. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna is accepting Kṛṣṇa, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). Arjuna is accepting Kṛṣṇa as the Param Brahman, the Supreme Brahman. (Hindi) Brahman, every living entity is Brahman, because part and parcel of Supreme Brahman. Just like particle of gold is gold. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūta (BG 15.7). Kṛṣṇa says that "These jīvas, they are My parts and parcels." So as part and parcel, they are also Brahman. Just like a particle of gold is gold, but it is particle, and that is mine. Spark. Spark of fire is fire, but that is qualitatively one, not quantitatively.

Guest (1): Naraji(?) Śrī Aurobindo...

Prabhupāda: Why you are quoting Aurobindo?

Guest (1): He is, he was also a saint.

Prabhupāda: There were many saints.

Guest (1): So I can ask one more question. Śrī Kṛṣṇa says...

Prabhupāda: Why don't you touch Bhagavad-gītā? Yes. Do you think Aurobindo is greater than Kṛṣṇa?

Guest (1): He says that...

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 8.128 -- Bhuvanesvara, January 24, 1977:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest (2): Is the Vyāsadeva got it out of his meditation, or how the actual thing which was conveyed to Arjuna was again in real thing took a shape in Bhagavad-gītā?

Prabhupāda: That you have no intelligence to understand. But what is given by Vyāsadeva, that is accepted by all the ācāryas. We are not so learned as you are, but we follow the ācārya. And it is recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā, ācāryopāsanam. You must follow the ācāryas, the Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, even Śaṅkarācārya, Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Then you'll get the real answer. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda: "One who follows the ācārya, he knows." Others, they do not know. So you cannot question "Why? How Vyāsadeva wrote?" That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Sañjaya says vyāsa prasāda. How one can understand? By the mercy of Vyāsadeva. So we have to see. Instead of criticizing in that adverse way, we have to follow the ācārya. Ācāryopāsanam. So you'll find Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, Nimbārka, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they have accepted in that way. So what is the use of our questioning? We should follow. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Otherwise it is not possible.

Guest (4): I think Bhagavad-gītā invisible treasure of all the sums of teaching of...

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-102 -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand:

We must approach a bona fide guru for enlightenment. And samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyam: one who has received knowledge by hearing, not by speculating. Nowadays it has become a fashion to speculate. The Vedic injunction is, "No. By hearing." You have to approach the right person and hear. Therefore the whole Vedic literature is called śruti. One has to learn very intelligently by hearing from the authority. The same example we find in Bhagavad-gītā. In the battlefield, where time is very valuable, still, Arjuna is hearing from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is instructing, and Arjuna is hearing. So this hearing process is our Vedic process. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has recommended, according to, of course, Vedic injunction: sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. You haven't got to change your position. It is not necessary that you have to take sannyāsa from gṛhastha life, you have to give up your occupation. No. That is not very important thing. The important thing is This verse was submitted by Lord Brahmā:

jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva

(jīvanti) san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām

sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir

ye prāyaśo ajito 'py asi tais...

If you want to understand God... That is the business of human life. Human life is specially... That is the chance. Because we are in the cycle of birth and death, changing, migrating from one body to another... This is our position. So except human body, lower than the human body, we can understand how they are suffering. Suppose a tree. Here we are sitting so comfortably. A few yards off from this place, there is a tree, and it is standing for thousands of years. Is not that punishment? If I tell Mr. such and such, "You stand up here for five hours," he'll become mad.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-102 -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand:

Dehinaḥ means the proprietor of the body. But every one of us, thinking "I am this body." They have no first lesson of Bhagavad-gītā. First lesson only, ABCD, that "You are not this body." This is the first lesson. When Arjuna was talking in bodily relationship, so, and he accepted Kṛṣṇa as guru... Śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). "There is perplexity. I cannot understand, Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa was his friend, but he accepted Him guru. Accepting guru means if you accept somebody guru, then whatever he will say, you have to accept. Śiṣya. Śiṣya means one who is ruled. So if you voluntarily accept somebody, that "I shall be ruled by you," that is guru. Not that "I shall rule over you by giving some money." Then it is not accepting guru. Guru means in all circumstances. Guror hitam. Brahmacārī guru-kule vasan dānto guror hitam (SB 7.12.1). Therefore the first training is to live in gurukula, to learn how to respect guru, how to abide by the orders of guru. So Kṛṣṇa is guru. So Arjuna accepted Kṛṣṇa as guru. Śiṣyas te 'ham (BG 2.7). "I am Your now disciple. Now give, teach me." Then Bhagavad-gītā was begun. Not before that.

So teaching should not begin unless one accepts the teacher as the ultimate guru. So Kṛṣṇa is teaching the same thing as Caitanya Mahāprabhu will teach Sanātana Gosvāmī. The same process: tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). So the teacher, Kṛṣṇa, first of all chastised Arjuna. Aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhasase: (BG 2.11) "My dear Arjuna, you are talking like a very learned scholar, but you are engaged in such a thing which is not at all lamentable."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- New York, November 22, 1966:

So Sanātana prabhu is, by his personal behavior, he's presenting himself that "People say that I am very learned, but actually I am not learned." This should be the position. Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttama. Now, "Because I am not learned, and very kindly You have delivered me from the māyā of illusion, kindly now let me know what is my duty." This is the position. One should present himself to the spiritual master, not that... We have to first of all select spiritual master. The selection is required. Because as soon as you accept one spiritual master, you cannot say that "I don't agree with you." No. That you cannot say. Then it is useless, simply waste of time. First of all you have to select a person who is actually representative. Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī is representative of, I mean to say, Lord Caitanya. Just like Arjuna is representative of Kṛṣṇa, because he's directly receiving instruction from Kṛṣṇa, and he's assimilating it; therefore, he is representative. So this is the paramparā system. So we have to select a person who is actually representative of the Supreme. Then we have to surrender, and then we can... Of course, before (indistinct) and do not understand, we must put our questions, then the procedure is nice.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.107 -- New York, July 13, 1976:

One who is fit to take this responsibility, he receives proper instruction and help from higher authorities. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu selected Sanātana Gosvāmī as the fit person, Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī. They were ministers, but when Caitanya Mahāprabhu first met them in Rāmakeli, in Maldah district, at that time the headquarters of Bengal government, so He thought... Not only He thought, but... These Caitanya Mahāprabhu associates, they are eternal associates. They appear somewhere... Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura appeared somewhere in Muhammadan family, Sanātana Gosvāmī was found engaged in government service, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī was a zamindar's son. In different places. But actually they appear to fulfill the mission of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Therefore they are called nitya-siddhas. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna is nitya-siddha friend, eternal friend. Otherwise how Kṛṣṇa said that "Arjuna, when I spoke to sun-god..." Arjuna inquired that "Kṛṣṇa, how can I believe? Sun-god is long, long millions of years ago. How it is that You taught him?" So what Kṛṣṇa replied? Kṛṣṇa said, "Yes, you were also present there, but you have forgotten. I have not forgotten." So similarly, whenever Kṛṣṇa goes anywhere, His eternal associates also go with Him.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.110 -- New York, July 17, 1976:

Akhilam, entire; jagat, universe. So this is the manifestation of the potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just like we read in the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa says that imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam: (BG 4.1) "I first of all spoke this yoga system to Vivasvān, the sun-god." The sun-god, the present sun-god, predominating Deity of the sun planet, is named as Vivasvān, and his son is called Vaivasvata Manu. This is the age of Vaivasvata Manu we are passing through. So Kṛṣṇa is person, and Vivasvān the sun-god is also person. Otherwise how Kṛṣṇa could speak to him? Imaṁ vivasvate yogam. How He instructed him? Just like exactly Arjuna was instructed by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is person and Arjuna is person. Person-to-person talk. Similarly, that predominating deity in the sun planet is also a person, and there are many other persons. Just like when Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna talked, there were many, many others, individual persons. Similarly, in the sun planet, not only the sun-god himself is a person, but all the population there, they are like sun-god, made of fire, their body is made of fire, they can stay in the fire. Just like the fish, their body is so made that they can live within the water. Similarly, there also there are many, many living entities. The sun planet is very, very big, fourteen hundred thousand times bigger than this earth. So it is all congested with population. And because they are all fiery, everything made there fiery, therefore it is a blazing fire, and the illumination is coming all over the universe.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.118-119 -- New York, November 23, 1966:

So sometimes, if Kṛṣṇa takes special care for you, He'll do in such a way that you will have no other way than to go back. He'll take charge, take charge. If we sincerely want Kṛṣṇa, if He sees that "Here is a person. He wants Me. But he's a foolish. He wants Me; at the same time he wants to enjoy this material world. So crush this, crush this, his material propensities, and let him become simply devoted." Yes. Sometimes we see like that. In the, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavata there is a question by Śukadeva Gosvāmī, by Mahārāja Parīkṣit. Mahārāja Parīkṣit... Because he understood that his grandfathers were put to so many difficulties although Kṛṣṇa was their friend, personal friend. So everyone became astonished: "How is that? These five brothers, the big brothers... Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. He was the most pious man. Arjuna was the greatest warrior, and Draupadī, their wife, directly the goddess of fortune. And so much nice... And above all, Kṛṣṇa is their personal friend, and still, they were put into such difficulties. They lost their kingdom. They lost their wife. And they were put into so many... For thirteen years they had to undergo so many troubles." So this was astonishing. Even Bhīṣma, he cried that "I cannot understand why these five brothers are put into so many difficulties in spite of their, all these qualities."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.125 -- New York, November 27, 1966:

If you want Kṛṣṇa, if you want God, then you don't try to follow all these processes. You just try to follow devotional service to the Lord, bhakti, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That will please Kṛṣṇa. Then by His pleasing, He will reveal to you. He will reveal to you. God being pleased with your sincere service and love, He will let you know. Just like Arjuna is being instructed by the Supreme Lord, and He says, "My dear Arjuna, I am speaking to you the most confidential part of knowledge." So if we become friends like Arjuna to Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa will reveal Himself, as He is revealing Himself, "I am this, I am that, I am this, I am that." (indistinct) So if you actually want to reestablish your lost relationship with Kṛṣṇa and God, then you have to adopt this Kṛṣṇa consciousness and nothing more.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.137-142 -- New York, November 29, 1966:

There is another verse in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The Lord says... The same chapter in which Lord Kṛṣṇa instructed Uddhava... Uddhava was also one of His cousin-brothers in the family. He was a great devotee, Uddhava. He was more advanced than Arjuna. There are different grades of devotees. The first-class devotees were the gopīs, the damsels of Vṛndāvana. Nobody could be compared with their devotional service. So next were Uddhava, then Arjuna. There are different grades of devotees also. So Uddhava was also a great devotee of (the) Lord, and he was also instructed similarly, just like Arjuna was instructed. So the Lord says to Uddhava, bhaktyā aham ekayā grāhyaḥ. Ekayā: simply by devotional service, one, this one method... God is one, and to achieve Him, the process is also one. Just like in your body there are many holes, nine holes, nine holes: these two nostrils, two ear, two eyes, one mouth, and genital and evacuation, these nine holes. So if you want to supply foodstuff within your body, that is the one way: this is the mouth. There is no other way. You cannot push the foodstuff through ears or eyes or genital. No. That is not possible. Therefore, similarly, if you want God, then the one way, bhaktyā aham ekayā... Ekayā. The foolish person says that "Whatever path you may adopt, you will go to God." There are certain rascals. They say like that. But this is misleading, completely misleading. You cannot, I mean to say, reach God by any other means except this means, this bhaktyā aham ekayā. It is clearly stated, ekayā. Ekayā means "only one." There is no second process. And the Bhagavad-gītā also, it is stated—you will find in the Eighteenth Chapter—bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Tattvataḥ. Tattvataḥ means in fact.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.6 -- New York, January 8, 1967:

The Absolute Truth in the ultimate is a person. In the Bhagavad-gītā you will see in the Eleventh Chapter that Kṛṣṇa was requested by Arjuna to show His universal form, because for ordinary persons, that universal form is..., the gigantic universal form is supposed to be... That is God. But they do not know. Paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto (BG 9.11). They do not know that this universal form is only an offshoot of Kṛṣṇa. They do not know. Less intelligent class of men, they think impersonal form or the universal form or even the four-handed Viṣṇu form... They consider that they are greater. But in the Eleventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā you will find that Kṛṣṇa, by the request of Arjuna, assumed His universal form, viśvarūpa. Now, after seeing the viśvarūpa Arjuna was afraid. He was in friendly relationship with Kṛṣṇa, and when he saw His viśvarūpa, he became too much perturbed in his mind: "Oh, what mistake I have done. I took Kṛṣṇa as my friend, and I do not know how much offenses I have committed. Friendly relation, there are sometimes very slackened languages and used sometimes calling, 'You, Kṛṣṇa,' sometimes..., so many things. Friendly relations are very relaxation relation." So he thought that "I have committed so much offenses to Kṛṣṇa," and he begged pardon. "Out of my impudence, out of my ignorance, I have done so many things. Please excuse just like a father excuses his son, just like a friend excuses his friend, just like husband excuses wife or the wife excuses." These things are there.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 1 -- Los Angeles, October 30, 1968:

Jñāna is the platform of goodness, and karma is the platform of passion and ignorance. So bhakti means anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ (CC Madhya 19.167), without any material desires, devoid of, freed from all kinds of material desire and uncovered by ignorance, passion and goodness. Goodness also. To become very good man in this world, that does not mean that he is freed from this material contamination. He's contaminated by the goodness quality. Just like Arjuna. He wanted to be very good man. Kṛṣṇa said, "Now fight." He said, "Oh, how can I fight? Oh, they are my brothers, they are my grandfathers. No, no, no. Better I shall beg. I don't want this kingdom." So this is material goodness. People appreciate very much: "Oh, just see. Arjuna is giving up claim on the kingdom." But what Kṛṣṇa replied? Kṛṣṇa said, "Wherefrom you got this foolish idea?" Kutas tvā kaśmalam idaṁ viṣame samupasthitam, anārya-juṣṭam: "This is for non-Aryans, not for Aryans." So this so-called goodness, so-called gentlemanliness, has no value in the spiritual world. Spiritual world—complete love of God, without any attachment for this... So Arjuna, this goodness, means attachment for his family. That's all. He was becoming a good man. Why? Because there is attachment for his family, for his grandfather, for his brother, nephews. So, so long there is attachment for this material world, either in the form of goodness or passion or ignorance, they're all the same. In the transcendental platform... Therefore Caitanya-caritāmṛta says that in this material world, the divisions that "This is good, and this is bad," they are simply mental concoction. The same example: the stool dried up is good, and the wet is not good. Stool is stool. That's all. For a devotee, this is stool. Either it may be dried up or moist, it doesn't matter. So those who are in ignorance and passion, they're little moist, and those who are in goodness, they're dried up. But after all, it is stool. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). There is no consideration of this goodness or badness. You have to give up all material attachment. And abhorrence. Abhorrence is also another negative attachment. "I don't like this." That means I have attachment for this "don't like." You see? (break) A devotee is simply attached to the service of the Lord and... (end)

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Verse 32 -- New York, July 26, 1971:

You can go there. The living entities are therefore called sarva-gataḥ. A living entity can go anywhere he likes, but he requires qualification. Any country, when one is admitted, he must have visa, he must have passport, he must have required money to stay in a foreign country. So many rules and regulations are there. Similarly, in the higher planetary system also, where you get ten thousand years of duration of life, and their one year is far, far greater than ours. That is scientific.

So these, this material world is also the virāṭ-rūpa, universal form, of the Lord. Aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛtti-manti (Bs. 5.32). I'm just trying to explain what is the body of the Supreme Lord. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā, Arjuna was shown the virāṭ-rūpa, the universal form of the Lord. Now why Arjuna wanted to see the universal form of Kṛṣṇa? The reason is that Arjuna knew it very well... Because in the Tenth chapter Arjuna accepts Kṛṣṇa that paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān: (BG 10.12) "You are the Supreme Lord, paraṁ brahma, and pavitra, the purest." So Kṛṣṇa..., Arjuna knew that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord, and still, in the Eleventh Chapter he requested Kṛṣṇa that "If You'll kindly show me Your universal form." Try to understand. Arjuna knew it very well that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord. Why he wanted to examine Kṛṣṇa? Not for himself, but for others. Because Arjuna knew it very well that in future so many false Gods would appear: "I am God." So before accepting anyone as God, imitating Kṛṣṇa, one should inquire from him "Whether you can lift a hill? Whether you can show the universal form? Whether you can kill such and such demons? Then I shall accept." That is intelligence. Don't accept a foolish man, declaring himself as God, and you accept also God. God is not so cheap. You should know what is God. These descriptions are there. No more, no man, no living entity is greater than God. Therefore God is said: "God is great." Great means nobody can be greater than Him, nobody can be equal to Him. That is greatness. Six opulences. That is analytical study what is God.

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Lecture -- Bombay, January 3, 1973:

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Not only difficult for us, but five thousand years ago, Arjuna was talking with Kṛṣṇa face to face. Such an exalted personality, and he was a kṣatriya. He said, "Kṛṣṇa, it is not possible to practice this." He said. We have become more than Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna? Do you think? He said. You'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā. Eh?

Indian man: Cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa...

Prabhupāda:

...kṛṣṇa

pramāthi balavad dṛḍham

tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye

vāyor iva su-duṣkaram

(BG 6.34)

"Oh, it is not possible." He was frank enough gentleman. "Oh, this is not possible." This is not possible. And these foolish persons, because they want to cheat others, they cheat themselves, they cheat others, they follow this system. It is not possible. It is not possible, frankly speaking. Do we think we are better than Arjuna?

Devotee: In Bhagavad-gītā, Arjuna's called Guḍākeśa, or one who has conquered sleep.

Prabhupāda: So this yoga process is there, but it is very, very difficult. Very, very difficult, especially in this age. Therefore in the śāstra it is said, kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum (SB 12.3.52). The dhyāyato viṣṇu, that is yoga system.

Festival Lectures

Lecture-Day after Sri Gaura-Purnima -- Hawaii, March 5, 1969:

If you have no thinking, feeling, willing, desire or working, then what is the difference between you and the stone? You are not stone. Some philosopher are trying to make you stone, but that is not possible. You cannot become stone.

So the whole process is to rectify, to purify your senses. And the purified sense means instead of using the senses for this so-called material happiness, one has to utilize the senses for happiness of Kṛṣṇa. That is purified sense. The example, the vivid example, is Arjuna. Arjuna was not willing to fight to satisfy his senses. He thought, "If I do not kill my brother or nephews or my grandfather or my teacher, the other side, that will make me happy. If they are killed, then where is my happiness?" This is material calculation, because he was giving more importance to the material body, what is his brother, what is his grandfather or teacher? He was seeing the material. Just like what is our calculation? I am thinking somebody my friend and another body as my enemy. Why? Because I make distinction on the bodily platform. I say, "American? Oh, they are my friends. Russians? They are my enemies." Why? What is the platform of this distinction? The platform is body. Because one has got the Russian body by some way or other, another bod..., has got American body, I am making distinction. So this distinction is on the material platform. And the spiritual platform, there is no such distinction because it is simply spirit.

Radhastami, Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day -- Montreal, August 30, 1968:

Rāmākhyam. Rāma means the ramanīyā, the beautiful, or the enjoyer, rāmākhyam. And jagad-īśvaram. And He is the master or the proprietor of the whole universes. Sura-gurum. Sura means the demigods and gurum is spiritual master. Sura-gurum. Just like Arjuna is sura, and his guru is Kṛṣṇa. Vyāsadeva, his guru, Nārada; Nārada's guru is Brahmā; Brahmā's guru is Kṛṣṇa. So sura-gurum. māyā-manusyam. And when He appears as human being, that is māyā. māyā means actually He is not an ordinary man. He is the Supreme Personality of God, but the rascals they think that "Because Rāma and Kṛṣṇa has appeared like one of us, He is a man, He's an ordinary man." This is the version of the rascals. That Rāma, especially there is a class who are known as Ārya-samājīs. They do not agree that the Supreme Person can, Supreme God can appear as Rāma and Kṛṣṇa. They do not know that although He appeared as one of us in the form of human body, He is not a human being. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore it is called rāmākhya, māyā mānuṣya hari. He is the Hari... Hari means the Supreme Personality of Godhead who can give you all pleasure, taking all your miserable condition. He is Hari.

Radhastami, Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day -- London, August 29, 1971:

Kṛṣṇa is Paraṁ Brahman. Brahman, Paramātmā, then Paraṁ Brahman. Absolute Truth, three different features. Someone is realizing the Absolute Truth as impersonal Brahman. Jnanis, those who are trying to understand the Absolute Truth by mental speculation, by dint of his own knowledge, he's realizing the Absolute Truth as impersonal Brahman. And those who are trying to understand the Absolute Truth by meditation, yogis, they realize the Absolute Truth as Paramātmā. Paramātmā is situated in everyone's heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). That feature, Paramātmā feature. Aṇḍantara-sthaṁ paramānu-cayāntara-sthaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi. That Paramātmā feature is one expansion of Kṛṣṇa. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, athavā bahunaitena kiṁ jñātena tavārjuna ekāṁṣena viṣṭabhyāham. Ekāṁṣena. When Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna was trying to understand about different potential existence of Kṛṣṇa, so He explained in the Twelfth Chapter, "I am this. Amongst them, I am this. Amongst them..." Like that. And He concluded that "How far I shall go on? Better try to understand that only one plenary portion of Me, by entering this universe, the whole cosmic manifestation is existing." Ekāṁṣena sthito jagat (BG 10.42). Jagat. This material world is existing on one plenary portion of Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa enters, aṇḍāntara-sthaṁ paramānu-cayāntara-stham, He enters within this universe. Without His entering, this universe cannot exist. Just like without the spirit soul's entering within this body, this body cannot exist. As soon as the spirit soul goes out, immediately the body's useless. However the body may be prime minister or anything else, as soon as the soul is out of this body, it is not worth even a farthing. Similarly, because Kṛṣṇa enters within this universe, therefore the universe has value. Otherwise it is simply a lump of matter; it has no value. Ekāṁṣena sthito jagat.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Lecture -- Mayapur, February 21, 1976:

Why more or less? Almost completely they think that this body is our self and to do some good to the body is welfare activities. But actually that is not welfare activities because in the Bhagavad-gītā we understand very clearly, antavanta ime dehaḥ nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ. This body is antavat. Anta means it will be finished. Everyone knows his body is not permanent; it will be finished. Anything material—bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19)—it has a date of birth, it stays for some time, and then it annihilates. So the spiritual education begins from the understanding that "I am not this body." This is spiritual education. In the Bhagavad-gītā the first instruction given by Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna is this, that we are not this body. Because Arjuna was speaking from the bodily platform, so Kṛṣṇa chastised him that aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase: (BG 2.11) "Arjuna, you are talking like a very learned man, but you are lamenting on the subject matter on which no learned man laments." Aśocyān anvaśocas tvam.

So such kind of welfare activity concerning the body, like hospital and so many other things, they are good undoubtedly, but the ultimate goal is to see the interest of the soul. That is ultimate goal. That is the whole Vedic instruction. And Kṛṣṇa begins from this point. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā (BG 2.13). So when Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted to do some para-upakāra...

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Address -- Detroit Airport, July 16, 1971:

And everyone is accepting this body as the self, and "There is no life after death; therefore make the best use of this bad bargain and enjoy sense gratification as far as possible." But this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is checking this wrong progress of human civilization. Our first proposition is that "You are not this body; you are spirit soul. Some way or other, you are in contact with this material world, and you have got this material body, and under illusion, you are accepting something which you are not."

So basic principle of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to correct the wrong foundation of the human civilization. In the Bhagavad-gītā this is the beginning of spiritual knowledge. When Arjuna was identifying himself with this body and bodily relationship, Kṛṣṇa first of all corrected that "You are not this body." So if we do not understand these first steps of spiritual knowledge, then where is the question of making further progress? Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ (SB 10.84.13). This is the verdict of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Yasya ātma-buddhiḥ. One who has accepted as self kuṇape tri-dhātuke, this bag of bones and flesh and blood... This body is made of... According to Vedic medicine or Vedic anatomy, it is made of three elements—mucus, bile, and air. Tri-dhātu. Apart from that medical science, this body, one who accepts this body as self and Sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu, and persons in relationship with this body as kinsmen, own men, bhauma ijya-dhīḥ, and the land where we take our birth as worshipable, sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13), he is accepted as go-kharaḥ. Go means cow, and khara means ass. That means animal. The animal, they accept this, that "I am this body." But human form of life, which is so advanced in knowledge...

Srila Prabhupada Welcomed by Governor at Hotel De Ville -- Geneva, May 30, 1974:

The thing is proved by the result, how one has learned to love God. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ. There are two kinds of religious engagements: one is called inferior and the other is called superior. The superior religious system is that which teaches the followers how to love God. Now, what kind of love? That is also expressed there: ahaitukī, without any motive, and apratihatā. Apratihatā means that religious system cannot be checked by any kind of material impediments. If we come to that platform, then ātmā-ātmā means the mind, the soul, also the body, intelligence—everything becomes fully satisfied.

So our this principle of teaching is based on Bhagavad-gītā. (aside:) Give him the book. Perhaps you have heard the name of Bhagavad-gītā, and some of you might have read it, Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā was spoken in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra to groups of cousin-brothers. They were fighting to occupy the kingdom, and in that place Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, happened to be present as the chariot driver of one group, Arjuna. So Arjuna was trying to avoid the fighting because the other side, there were relatives, brothers. At that time he was lamenting his bodily relationship: "The other side is my brother, my grandfather, my nephews, my son-in-laws." So that was the platform of speaking Bhagavad-gītā. So first of all, Kṛṣṇa explained that "We are not this body."

Initiation Lectures

Initiation of Bali-mardana Dasa -- Montreal, July 29, 1968:

So this firm conviction is the beginning of initiation. The Bhagavad-gītā teaches this firm conviction gradually. And ultimately the Lord says, Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "My dear Arjuna, you give up all other engagement. Just be engaged in My service or be engaged in executing My order." "Then what about other things?" Kṛṣṇa assures, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. If somebody thinks that "If I give up all other engagements and simply be engaged in Your service, to carry out Your order, then what about my other engagements? I have got so many other duties. I am engaged in my family affairs, I am engaged in my social affairs, I am engaged in my country's affairs, community affairs, so many things, my... Then what about those things?" Kṛṣṇa says that "That I will see, how you can do it properly." Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was a military man. So Kṛṣṇa said that "You give up all your engagements." That did not mean that Kṛṣṇa..., Arjuna gave up his engagement as a military man. To give up all other engagements means to give up the engagements of your sense gratification. Instead of... At the present moment, with all our activities we are trying to gratify our senses. That's all. And surrender to Kṛṣṇa means the beginning of satisfying the senses of Kṛṣṇa. That is called bhakti. This is the definition of bhakti. What is that bhakti? Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). One has to become free from all designations.

Talk, Initiation Lecture, and Ten Offenses Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 1, 1968:

Prabhupāda: God is one. There cannot be many Gods. If God is not one, there is no meaning of God. God means, according to Vedic definition, asamordhva. Asama means one who has no equal. Nobody is equal to God. And urdhva means nobody is greater than God. God is great. Nobody can be greater than God. Therefore God is one. Nobody is greater, nobody is equal. That means everyone is lower. Then?

Revatīnandana: "Neglecting the orders of the spiritual master."

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is one offense. These are offenses. When we accept spiritual master, it is understood that you cannot deny his order. Just like Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna was talking as friends, but when Arjuna accepted Kṛṣṇa as spiritual master, he was simply hearing, and whenever there was difficulty to understand, he was questioning. Not that he was equally arguing with Kṛṣṇa. Before accepting Him, he was arguing. So this is the position. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He said that "My spiritual master found Me a great fool (CC Adi 7.71)." Caitanya Mahāprabhu is not a fool, but it is the good qualification of a disciple to remain a fool before the spiritual master. Therefore he'll never, I mean to say, dare to argue or disobey. That is offense. Now, go on. That does not mean that when you cannot understand, you cannot question. Question must be there. That is stated in this Bhagavad-gītā, tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). Your relationship is to know from a spiritual master everything, but you should know that with three things. What is that? First of all you should surrender. You must accept the spiritual master as greater than you. Otherwise what is the use of accepting one spiritual master? Praṇipāt. Praṇipāt means surrendering; and paripraśna, and questioning; and sevā, and service. There must be two sides, service and surrender, and in the middle there must be question. Otherwise there is no question and answer. Two things must be there: service and surrender. Then answer of question is nice. Yes.

Initiation Lecture -- Los Angeles, July 13, 1971:

"I cannot accept his words verbatim," then one should not accept him as spiritual master. That is hypocrisy. One must be first of all convinced. Therefore it is the duty of the spiritual master and the disciple to associate—that is the injunction of Sanātana Gosvāmī—for some time, and both of them should study. The disciple should study, "Whether I can accept this saintly person as my spiritual master." And spiritual master also will see, "Whether I can accept this boy, this person, as my disciple." That is the way. But sometimes the time is reduced. That doesn't matter. But the principle is this, that before accepting a spiritual master you can examine him, you can scrutinize him, but not after him, after accepting. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was talking with Kṛṣṇa just like friend, on equal level. But when he saw that the solution is not yet done, then he surrendered unto Him. Śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). So after accepting as spiritual master there was no talking on the equal level. But the point where he could not understand, he put some question. Just like when He was preaching, teaching him about the yoga system, so the yoga system is controlling the mind. So Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna flatly said, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, it is very difficult for me." Cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavad dṛḍham: (BG 6.34) "Oh, it is not possible. You are teaching me this haṭha-yoga system by exercising, controlling mind. It is not possible for me." So that was not an important thing, to practice yoga. One who practices this Kṛṣṇa consciousness yoga... Then Kṛṣṇa assured him, "It doesn't matter. You practice. If you like, you can practice.

Initiations -- Sydney, April 2, 1972:

Śyāmasundara: Pārtha dāsa.

Prabhupāda: Pārtha. Come on. (devotee offers obeisances) So you know the rules and regulations? All right. Pārtha dāsa. Pārtha means Arjuna. Arjuna's mother's name was Pṛthā; therefore Arjuna is addressed sometimes as Pārtha. Pārtha means "son of Kuntī," in relationship with his mother's name. Kuntī was also great devotee of Kṛṣṇa. So Pārtha dāsa, you are trying to become, follow the footsteps of Arjuna, how he was a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That is the meaning of Pārtha das. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Come on, next man.

Śyāmasundara: Śyāmānanda dāsa.

Prabhupāda: Hm. So you know the rules and regulations? You have heard already? And how many rounds you shall chant?

Śyāmānanda: Sixteen.

Prabhupāda: Sixteen, at least, yes. So Śyāmānanda. Śyāma means Kṛṣṇa. Śyāmasundaram. So one who takes pleasure in serving Kṛṣṇa, his name is Śyāmānanda. Ānanda means pleasure. We take pleasure in serving so many nonsense things. Sometimes we take pleasure in serving a dog, but the same service attitude, when transferred to Kṛṣṇa, then our life is successful. Our... Everyone is giving service. Somebody is giving service to a country, to his society, to his wife, the children. And if he has nothing to serve, then he keeps a pet dog and gives it service. So service we must give. That is our constitutional position. But that service is meant for rendering to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So long we remain forgetful where our service should be given, that is called material life. When we come to that consciousness, that "I have to serve Kṛṣṇa," that is spiritual life. That is difference between material life and spiritual life. We are serving. There is no doubt. We cannot be master. Any one of you who are present in this meeting, none of you can say that "I am the master."

General Lectures

Lecture -- San Francisco, April 2, 1968:

Practically, it is as old as the creation of this world, but as things change in course of time, so it required rejuvenation. So this movement was rejuvenated about five hundred years ago. Before that, Lord Kṛṣṇa... You might have heard His name. Most of you have read Bhagavad-gītā, the famous philosophical doctrine of Indian Vedānta philosophy. Lord Kṛṣṇa instructed Bhagavad-gītā in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra five thousand years ago. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means the last instruction of the Bhagavad-gītā. In the Bhagavad-gītā we find everything complete so far God consciousness is required. The first and foremost qualification to understand the science of God or to become Kṛṣṇa conscious is to understand yourself. The first thing is what you are or what I am. In the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra this perplexed question was there before Arjuna. Arjuna was to fight with his brothers and relatives on the other side to decide who shall be the emperor of the region. So in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, when he actually came in front of his relatives, he decided that "It is no good fighting with my relatives and taking the kingdom. Better I shall beg. I don't want this kingdom." That is a very nice proposal, nonviolence, not to fight. But on this point the Bhagavad-gītā, or the science of God, developed from the lips of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture -- Montreal, June 26, 1968:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to cure the disease of the soul. Disease of the soul. Every soul, every person, is mistaken to accept this body as his self or the mind as his self. This is the difference. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke, sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). Anyone who is accepting this body as self, he's either an ass or a cow. Misconception. So people are not interested. We are trying, the Bhagavad-gītā is trying. In the beginning, beginning of the instruction... Just like Arjuna was identifying himself with this body in the beginning, and he was thinking that "He is my grandfather, he is my son, he is my nephew, he is my...,." so on, so on. Kṛṣṇa replied him. When Arjuna was unable to make a solution of his problems, he surrendered to Kṛṣṇa and said, śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam: (BG 2.7) "I surrender unto You as Your disciple. Please save me from this (sic:) perpetry." Then Kṛṣṇa in the first instance replied, aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase: (BG 2.11) "My dear Arjuna..." Because he accepted Kṛṣṇa as spiritual master, so spiritual master has the right to chide his disciple. So He immediately chided him, that aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase. "My dear Arjuna, you are talking just like a very learned man, but you are fool number one." That was His first words. Of course, He did not say directly "fool number one," but He said indirectly that "No learned man speaks like this, as you are speaking." That means, "You are not learned man. You are fool." He indirectly said, nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ. Paṇḍita means learned. "No learned man speaks like that. But because you are speaking like that, that means you are not learned man.

Lecture -- Montreal, June 26, 1968:

Or in one word, you are fool." Because before Kṛṣṇa, he was speaking that "If I kill my family members, then such and such thing will happen. Then the women will become polluted and there will be unwanted children, varṇa-saṅkara. And as soon as there is varṇa-saṅkara, full of unwanted children, this world will be hell." These are facts. These are facts. The world has become hell due to unwanted children. That is the fact. So Kṛṣṇa was speaking... Arjuna was speaking just like ordinary gentleman on the material field, but Kṛṣṇa, when He took up his charge, He said that "You are hovering over the material plane. That is not your learning. The learning is when you understand from the spiritual platform."

aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ

prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase

gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca

nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ

(BG 2.11)

"The paṇḍitāḥ, the learned man, he does not lament over the body, either living or dead." Because bodily platform is not the subject matter for understanding of philosophical research. Bodily platform is not very important. The spiritual platform is important, but nobody is discussing about spiritual platform. Everyone is, all the education centers, the universities, they are, I mean to say, busy studying chemistry, physics, and biology, mathematics. At most, little philosophy. That is also on mental speculation, theory. Somebody is giving some theory; somebody's giving (another) theory. But nobody discussing about the eternal spirit soul. That is the defect of this modern civilization.

Lecture -- Montreal, June 26, 1968:

Muni means mental speculator. So you cannot find any mental speculator who is not differing from another mental speculator. So tarkaḥ apratiṣṭhaḥ, the path of so-called logic and argument, is not perfect. Then, simply if you study different books of knowledge, that will also not give you perfect knowledge. If you consult so-called mental speculators, their different views, then dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyām. The ultimate goal of life is very confidential and mysterious. And how to know it? Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Mahājana means the perfect realized souls who have realized, you have to follow them. That's all. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ. Therefore this process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is accepting the mahājana, the authority. The first authority is Kṛṣṇa. From Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna is hearing. There is no question about it. Now if you simply understand as Arjuna understood, then you have got the perfect knowledge. And if you speculate, if you try to comment in your own nonsense way, then you are misled immediately. So this is the way. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Mahājana means those who are perfect personalities. That will give you (?). That will do (?). Now, there are, according to Vedic system, there are twelve mahājanas. They are all in agreement that the supreme power is the Absolute Personality of Godhead. And they have become all devotees, they have served, they have prescribed rules and regulations. You can... So if we follow these rules and regulations and the mahājana, and many... As it is stated in Bhāgavatam, that those who have followed, they have got perfection. You can get also perfection, there is no doubt about it. Simply you have to follow the footprints of the ācāryas. Then your life will be perfect.

Lecture -- Montreal, June 26, 1968:

There is a paramparā, or disciplic succession of mahājanas. Just like Kṛṣṇa is the original authority. Now the paramparā system is there. From Kṛṣṇa, Brahmā heard; from Brahma, Nārada. If we do not go so far... Now, Kṛṣṇa spoke to Arjuna. Arjuna is mahājana therefore. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā that "Because you are My devotee, you are in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness; therefore I am speaking to you this confidential yoga system, Bhagavad-gītā." Bhakto 'si priyo 'si me (BG 4.3). Rahasyaṁ hy etad uttamam. "The process was there. Now it is lost. So I am speaking to you again the old system because you are My devotee." Similarly those, or one person who is accepting the version of Arjuna, as Arjuna understood Kṛṣṇa, he is mahā jana, and you have to follow him. That's all. If somebody is speaking something against as Arjuna understood, he is not a mahājana. He's a rascal. The simple test. And you go to the Tenth Chapter, Bhagavad-gītā. Arjuna says, "Kṛṣṇa," sarvam etad ṛtaṁ manye yan vadasi keśava (BG 10.14), "whatever You are speaking, I accept it in toto, without any minus." This is mahājana. Not that according to my whims, I cut something, I accept something. No. One who is accepting the version of Arjuna or Kṛṣṇa, he is mahājana. You can follow him. That's all. It is simple thing. You haven't got to find out who is mahājana. The mahājana means who is following another mahājana, say follow Arjuna. He is mahājana. (break) ...to read Bhagavad-gītā and try to understand how Arjuna understood it, then you get... And anyone following the footprints of Arjuna, he's mahājana. (end)

Lecture Excerpt -- Montreal, July 20, 1968:

If the body is important, why it becomes nonsense immediately after the departure of the soul? Therefore the soul is important. One who does not know the soul, his all activities are defeat. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jato yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. Anyone who has not inquired about the soul, because he is born ignorant, born in darkness, he does not know what is soul, what is this body, what is this world. Therefore born in darkness. So if in that darkness and ignorance he is acting so many things, what is the profit? It is simply defeat. So a person who does not inquire into the existence of soul, his real identity, all his so-called improvement is simply waste of time. Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). Simply laboring, that's all. The whole world is doing that, beating the bush, laboring for nothing. He does not know that how long he will remain. Suppose you are in America. You are now Mr. Ford. You have constructed a very skyscraper building. But how long you shall remain in this skyscraper building? How long you shall remain American or Mr. Ford? Next life, as soon as your body is changed, then you are Mr. Dog or Mr. Cat or Mr. this or Mr. Chinaman, Mr. Indian. That means if, in my next life, I become Mr. such and such instead of Mr. Ford, then all the activities that I have done as Mr. Ford is simply waste of time. That he does not know. This is ignorance. And one who has conquered this ignorance, he is Arjuna. Is it clear?

Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Seattle, September 25, 1968:

Then you will be deceived. In a submissive way, of course, you have got right to place questions, and with service mood. So Sanātana Gosvāmī is the vivid example of this disciplic succession. Tad viddhi praṇipātena (BG 4.34). In the Vedas also the same injunction is there. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). If you want to learn that transcendental science, then you must approach to a person who is heavier than you. Guru. Guru means heavier. You don't go to a person who is lighter than you. Heavier. Heavier means heavier in knowledge. So the same thing is explained everywhere. And Sanātana Gosvāmī is ideal disciple and Lord Caitanya is the ideal teacher, and we should learn how to approach a teacher and what is the qualification of a teacher. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was talking with Kṛṣṇa in the beginning on friendly terms, just like a friend talks with his friend. But when he saw that his problem was so great that it could not be solved on friendly talks, it must be seriously understood, so he also surrendered himself. Śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam: (BG 2.7) "My dear Kṛṣṇa, now from this point I accept You, my spiritual master, and I surrender unto You. Please teach me." And then He began teaching. These are the process. Then?

Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Seattle, September 25, 1968:

So a spiritual master... Just like Kṛṣṇa is spiritual master, and Lord Caitanya is spiritual master. We are talking about Lord Caitanya's teaching to Sanātana Gosvāmī. That means Lord Caitanya is the spiritual master. Similarly, in the Bhagavad-gītā we find Arjuna is taught by Kṛṣṇa Bhagavad-gītā. So there is no difficulty to understand who is spiritual master. Is there any difficulty? Because we see that Lord Caitanya is teaching Sanātana Gosvāmī and Kṛṣṇa is teaching Arjuna. So both Lord Caitanya and Kṛṣṇa are spiritual master. Is there any difficulty to understand? So anyone who represents Lord Caitanya and Kṛṣṇa, he is spiritual master. That's all. Anyone who speaks exactly what Lord Caitanya said, exactly what Kṛṣṇa said, then he is spiritual master. Just like a teacher who says that "I have passed M.A." Now what is the proof? That means if he speaks exactly like persons who have passed M.A. examination, then he is M.A. A medical practitioner who is approved by other medical practitioners in the medical college, he is medical practitioner. Similarly, if you want to test who is spiritual master, you have to see the standard spiritual master, Kṛṣṇa and Lord Caitanya and similar. Even Lord Jesus Christ, there are..., Lord Buddha, they are also spiritual masters, but they spoke in different circumstances. That is different thing. But if you want to know who is a spiritual master, then you have to test him whether he is speaking exactly like the bona fide spiritual master. Śrī Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has explained about this, who is spiritual master. What is that? He says, sādhu śāstra guru vākya tinete kariyā aikya. If you want to advance yourself in spiritual science, then you have to test these three things. What is that? Sādhu, saintly person. Sādhu, śāstra, scriptures, and spiritual master. Now suppose you want to know who is a spiritual master. Then you have to test whether he's speaking just like other saintly persons and whether he's following scriptures. Sādhu śāstra.

Lecture -- Seattle, September 27, 1968:

For the time being, I may satisfy myself that I have taken this intoxication, and under the spell of this intoxication I may think that "I am nobody's servant. I am free," but that is artificial. As soon as the hallucination is gone, he comes to the point, again servant. Again servant.

So this is our position. But why this struggle is there? I am being forced to serve, but I don't wish to serve. What is the adjustment? The adjustment is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that if you become servant of Kṛṣṇa, then your aspiration to become master, at the same time your aspiration of freedom, is immediately achieved. Just like here you'll see one picture of Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord. Arjuna is a living entity, living being, a human being, but he is in love with Kṛṣṇa as friend. And in exchange of his friendly love, Kṛṣṇa has become his driver, his servant. Similarly, if every one of us, we become reinstated in the transcendental platform of loving Kṛṣṇa, then our aspiration of mastership will be fulfilled. That is not known at present, but if we agree to serve Kṛṣṇa, then gradually we'll see that Kṛṣṇa is serving you. That is a question of realization. But if we want to get out of this service of this material world, of the senses, then we must transfer our service attitude to Kṛṣṇa. This is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 2, 1968:

So we have to understand what is the condition of the society. Just like in the Koran it is said by Muhammad that "From this day you have no sex intercourse with your mother." Just find out the condition of the society. So we have to take account of the time, circumstances, society, and then preaching. So to society like that it is not possible to understand the high philosophical things as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. But the primary fact, the authority is God, that is accepted both in Bible and Bhagavad-gītā. Bible begins, "God is the supreme authority," and Bhagavad-gītā concludes, "You surrender." Where is the difference? Simply the description is according to the time, society, and place and people. That's all. They are not Arjuna. You see? So the things to be understood by Arjuna is not possible by the persons who had crucified Lord Jesus Christ. You have to study in that light. The same thing. A dictionary, a pocket dictionary, child's dictionary, and the dictionary, international dictionary, both of them dictionary, but the value is different. That dictionary is meant for a class of children, and that dictionary is meant for high scholars. But none of them you can say it is not dictionary. That you cannot say. Both of them are dictionaries. So we have to take consideration of the time, place, persons, everything. Just like Lord Buddha, he simply said that "Stop this nonsense animal killing." That was his propaganda. They were so low-grade people, simply taking pleasure in animal killing. So in order to elevate them, Lord Buddha wanted to stop this nonsense: "Please stop killing." So in every time a different representative of God or God comes to teach people at different circumstances. So according to the circumstances there may be some difference in explanation, but the primary factor remains the same. Lord Buddha said, "All right, there is no God, but you surrender to me." Then where is the difference? That means one has to accept the authority of God either this way or that way.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 9, 1968:

That requires training; that requires understanding. But the standard of... The same example, that the same state, the same man, when he was fighting in the battlefield, he was being elevated to higher position, rewarded. But same man coming back from the battlefield, he has killed somebody, some of his neighbor, he's hanged. But the same state is there. But man is there, the action is there, the same, but why the judgment is different? Similarly, we have to satisfy the great, and the greatest of the great is God, or Kṛṣṇa. If by your action Kṛṣṇa, God, is satisfied, then it is all right. I don't say that this fight is good, that fight is bad. Fight or no fight. Even without fighting, he may be bad. Just like the instruction which we get from Bhagavad-gītā, Arjuna was denying to fight and he was considered by Kṛṣṇa bad, because He was not satisfied. This is the evidence. And when Arjuna decided to fight to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, it was taken as good. So whole thing should be tested, judged, by the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord. Saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). The perfection of any action... In the material world, "This thing is good," "This thing is bad," that is our mental concoction. Everything is bad here. Everything is bad. We have simply manufactured by our own imagination that "This is good," "This is bad." But to keep pace with the human society or peace in the human society, there is necessity of doing or adopting something which is approved by somebody, or the state. That is different thing. That is material. But actually at the ultimate end, as we have cited the quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, good or bad means satisfaction or dissatisfaction of the Lord. If any action is approved or gives satisfaction to the Lord, that is good. If any action gives dissatisfaction to the Lord, it is bad. That is the general. Now you have to adopt yourself in the service of the Lord in such a way that you can know that this action is giving satisfaction and this action is not giving satisfaction. Then your life is all right.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 9, 1968:

Young man (6): It has been suggested that perhaps the battlefield in the Bhagavad-gītā is the battlefield of Arjuna's mind, and Kṛṣṇa is trying to push him to go into battle against the forces of his senses, as characterized by Duryodhana. What do you think about that?

Prabhupāda: That means you think that battlefield is an imagination?

Young man (6): Well, that that, the battlefield is symbolic of Arjuna's mind, and that the forces that Kṛṣṇa is...

Prabhupāda: Who is Kṛṣṇa? Who is Kṛṣṇa? Suppose Arjuna is talking with Kṛṣṇa. Then who is... Mind is Kṛṣṇa, you mean to say?

Young man (6): No. I mean to say that if the battlefield is symbolic of...

Prabhupāda: What is... You give the example, "This is this symbol," "This is this symbol." What is the symbol of battlefield? That you do not know?

Young man (6): Are you saying that it should be taken literally?

Prabhupāda: No, no. What is your idea? You are putting question. Are you clear in your question? Or you are simply questioning without any clear idea? What is your position?

Young man (6): You mean what am I asking?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Young man (6): I'm asking if the battlefield in...

Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1968:

"My dear Arjuna, whatever you do," yat karoṣi, yad aśnāsi, "whatever you eat," yat karoṣi yad aś..., yaj juhoṣi, "whatever you sacrifice," dadāsi yat, "whatever you give in charity," kuruṣva tat mad-arpaṇam, "do it for Me." This is called karma-yoga. Somebody is very much fond of giving in charity. Just like in your country there are so many foundation for giving charity. But as soon as you go that "We are spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You give us some charity," they will immediately deny, "Oh, we are, we have no concern with religious movement." You see? But Kṛṣṇa says, "If you are so much charitable, give Me something, at least portion of your charity, to Me." Dadāsi yat. Yad aśnāsi. "Whatever you eat, you offer Me." In this way, when people are not directly coming to the bhakti-yoga, so he's advised, "All right, you do like this. Whatever you eat, whatever you give in charity, whatever you make in sacrifice, do it for Me." Then... Just like Arjuna's example is karma-yoga. Arjuna is a fighter, he's a warrior, military man. And he fought for Kṛṣṇa. This is called karma-yoga. You be whatever you may be. You may be a brāhmaṇa, you may be a kṣatriya, you may be a vaiśya, you may be a intelligent man, you may be a military man, you may be a administrator, you may be a business man, or you may be ordinary worker, it doesn't matter. But if you offer the result of your work for the satisfaction of God, then you are perfect. This is the whole thing.

Lecture -- Hawaii, March 23, 1969:

He is, and how His greatness is working. That we do not know. But Kṛṣṇa conscious persons, because they are getting knowledge from Kṛṣṇa directly, they have got all this knowledge. Therefore their knowledge is perfect.

(reading:) "If one were to begin to study ISKCON techniques, what would he have to give up?" Give up... Give up means... First give up is that "I am this material body." The nonsense idea that "I am this body," that is the root of all misunderstanding. So he has to give up this bodily consciousness. That is naturally. That is the beginning of teachings of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The Bhagavad-gītā teaches Arjuna. Arjuna was overwhelmed of family affection, that "How can I fight with my members of the family? They are my brothers..." So this conception, bodily conception, was first of all eradicated in the Bhagavad-gītā. He lectured... Arjuna was talking, arguing with Kṛṣṇa, that "If I kill my family, male members, the female members will be without husband, and they will be polluted, and there will be unwanted children and this on...," so many, as far as one can, materialistic person can think. So he was talking like that as very man of wisdom. So Kṛṣṇa first of all chastised him—not in the beginning, because in the beginning there was friendly talk, but when Arjuna surrendered unto Kṛṣṇa that "You don't take me as Your friend. I accept You as my spiritual master. So You teach me."

Lecture -- Hawaii, March 23, 1969:

"Give me vegetable, fruits, liquids. I shall be very much pleased." So we offer Kṛṣṇa fruits, grains, milk, and their preparation. They're very nice. If you come here and eat with us, you'll forget meat-eating. You see? It is so nice. So our proposition is not that vegetarian-nonvegetarian. Vegetarian or nonvegetarian, it is not very important thing. Vegetable has got also life. It does not mean that one man is eating meat; therefore he is killing. But even vegetarians, they are also killing. But our process is... We... Killing is not very important or nonimportant for us. If Kṛṣṇa says, "Kill," we can kill. If Kṛṣṇa says, "Don't kill," we don't kill. Because we are simply order-carrier. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was posing himself by his family relationship that he's very perfect, nonviolent gentleman. But Kṛṣṇa induced him to fight, to kill the other party. So for us, killing or nonkilling is not very important thing because everyone is killing, knowingly or unknowingly. So our point is we take foodstuff offered to Kṛṣṇa, and whatever Kṛṣṇa eats, that is our foodstuff. We distribute that thing.

Lecture Engagement and Prasada Distribution -- Boston, April 26, 1969:

He says, "My dear Arjuna, this yoga system, I spoke to Vivasvān, the sun-god, some millions of years ago. And Vivasvān explained this yoga system to his son Manu, and Manu explained this yoga system to his son Ikṣvāku." Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam: "In such disciplic succession, the confidential knowledge of yoga was coming down, but unfortunately it is now broken, and therefore it is lost." Sa kāleneha yogaḥ naṣṭaḥ. Naṣṭa means it is lost. Now, you can think that when Kṛṣṇa was present five thousand years before, there were many big scholars, learned. Even Vyāsadeva was present. And not only Vyāsadeva, there were others also, great scholars, great sages. But Kṛṣṇa said, sa kāleneha yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa: "In course of time, that disciplic succession being broken, the purport of this yoga system is now lost. And because it is lost, therefore I instruct you to understand this system of yoga." "Why to me? I am not a scholar." Arjuna was a military man, warrior. He was kṣatriya, not even brāhmaṇa, not a Vedāntist, nothing of the sort. He knew how to fight only. That's all. That was his qualification. But Kṛṣṇa wanted to teach him. Why? That is also explained in Bhagavad-gītā. Bhakto 'si: "Because you are My devotee." Therefore, to understand Bhagavad-gītā, the yoga system, one has to become a person of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is bhakta. Bhakto 'si priyo 'si: (BG 4.3) "You are My devotee, and you are very dear to Me. Therefore I am explaining to you." So if you want to know the perfect yoga system, then you will know it from Bhagavad-gītā perfectly. It is very easy. And you have to accept it... Because it was spoken to Arjuna very confidentially, bhakto 'si, so as Arjuna understood it... That is also explained in the Tenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā, how Arjuna accepted Bhagavad-gītā. In that process, if you try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is, then you can practice yoga system at home without any difficulty, and your life will be successful.

Brandeis University Lecture -- Boston, April 29, 1969:

I don't accept any cheap student or cheap disciple. My first condition is that there is no illicit sex life, there is no intoxication, there is no gambling, and there is no meat-eating. These four principles are there, but all my students in these twenty, about sixteen centers—one in London, one in Germany—but you will be surprised that all these boys and girls, they have taken to this austerity very seriously. They're not drinking even tea or smoking a cigarette.

So spiritual life does not mean a whimsical life. It is, first of all basic principle is, that building character. In the Bhagavad-gītā you will find that when Arjuna is accepting Lord Kṛṣṇa, he is saying that paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān: (BG 10.12) "My dear Lord, Kṛṣṇa, You are the most purest." Purest. Most pure. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma: "You are the Supreme Lord. You are pure." So idea is that if you want to have spiritual life, you have also become, to become pure. Without being pure... That pureness... This evolution means gradual process of purifying process. You are not... You are distinct from cats and dogs means your body is purified than the body of the cats and dogs. So purification required. The first principle of purification are these four regulative principles. So they have taken to this very easily. Some of them, students, they were, six months ago they were not my students, but by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa they have seriously taken to these principles of austerities. That is not... That is stated by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). As soon as you come to the understanding that "I am not this ma... I am not this matter; I am spirit soul," immediately this process will follow, that you will have no unnecessary material demands. Smoking is not a necessary thing, but you have learned it by society or by company. So it is not necessary. It is unnecessary. Similarly, gambling is also unnecessary. Simply... Similarly, illicit sex life is also unnecessary. Oh, all these things are unnecessary, but we have gathered by some association for company. Similarly, you can give it up also, by association. So ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nir... (CC Antya 20.12). And unless you purify yourself, you cannot understand yourself or the position of God.

Lecture Excerpt -- Boston, May 5, 1969:

So your business is how to become happy, because by nature you are happy. Diseased condition, that happiness being checked. So this is our diseased condition, this material, conditional life, this body. So as one intelligent person puts himself under the treatment of a physician to get out of the disease, similarly, human life is meant for putting himself to the expert physician who can cure you from your material disease. That is your business. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). That is the injunction of all Vedic literature. Just like Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is teaching Arjuna. Arjuna is surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, śiṣyas te 'ham māṁ prapannam: (BG 2.7) "My dear Kṛṣṇa, so long I was speaking with You just as friends. Now I surrender unto You as Your student, as Your disciple. You become my spiritual master and teach me properly." This is the process. Arjuna is exampling himself that he's accepting Kṛṣṇa as the spiritual master, teacher. And then Kṛṣṇa began to teach the Bhagavad-gītā, and he changed his decision, and he was freed from all anxieties. This is spiritual life. So this spiritual realization is easier than any kind of material realization because we are not meant for material realization. We are meant for spiritual realization, the human form. So that we should take advantage of. That is the mission of human form of life. If we miss this, then we are committing suicide.

Lecture -- London, September 14, 1969:

A very beautiful kingdom, almost made of gold, but he set fire in that capital of Laṅka. He became very angry. But why he became angry? Not for his personal interest. But he was angry for the interest of Lord Rāma. Sītā, the Lakṣmī, wife of Lord Rāma, was kidnapped by this man Rāvaṇa, and he was very angry that "He has kidnapped my Lord's spiritual energy, Sītā. I shall set fire in his very valuable capital." So this anger, this demonstration of anger and setting fire was accepted as service.

So we should know when to be angry. Not that for our personal interest we shall be. Generally, those who are devotees, they are not angry. Just like see the example of Arjuna. Arjuna was so much harassed, all the five brothers, by the opposite party, his cousin-brothers. They insulted their wife, Draupadī. They wanted to make naked Draupadī because they lost Draupadī in the gambling. Therefore gambling is so sinful, you see. The kṣatriyas are allowed to gamble. So the bet was... They made a trick: "Now bet your wife." So if a kṣatriya is challenged to bet something, they cannot deny it. "Yes, I am betting my wife." And they lost in the game. So the wife became the property of the other party. So they wanted to retaliate only. So then, in the assembly they said, "Well, Draupadī has now become our property. Whatever we like, we can do. So we want to see her naked beauty." You see. This was the demand. So one of the brothers of Duryodhana was asked, "Make her naked. Let us see naked." So she became the property. The others, they did not protest.

Lecture -- London, September 16, 1969:

So devotional service begins from the stage of liberation, when one is freed from the concept of bodily life, from this wrong concept that "I am this body." That is the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā. Teachings of Bhagavad-gītā begins from that. Kṛṣṇa wanted to teach Arjuna in the beginning, first of all, that "You are not this body." He was talking with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa was asking him to fight, and he was placing so many pleas that "If I fight, my family will die and the women will be widows. They will be polluted." So many arguments he placed. That means Arjuna was identifying himself with this body. And Kṛṣṇa, when Arjuna submitted to Kṛṣṇa that "I am now puzzled, bewildered. I cannot understand what is my duty at the present moment; therefore I am submitting unto You," śiṣyas te 'ham: (BG 2.7) "I become Your disciple." Śādhi māṁ prapannam: "I am surrendered unto You. You please instruct me." So because they were talking like friends in the beginning, so argument like friends, talking, that cannot give any conclusion. Here is the Vedic process. Just like Arjuna said that śādhi māṁ prapannam, śiṣyas te 'ham: "I become your śiṣya." Śiṣya means disciple. That means "Whatever disciplinary action You will ask me to follow, I shall do it." This is called śiṣya. The word śiṣya comes from the word, Sanskrit word, sas-dhātu, means to rule over, sas-dhātu. So ruling by instruction, ruling by laws, and ruling by force, weapon. There are three kinds of ruling. If instruction fails, then evidences from lawbooks. And when that also fails, then force. That is the whole arrangement everywhere. The instruction is that you should not kill. But if you violate, then according to law you are arrested. If you still violate, then you are punished in so many ways by force. As this is going on in our ordinary life, the same thing is going on by God's will also. The kingdom of God... Here is also kingdom of God, and there is another, spiritual sky. That is also kingdom of God.

Lecture to International Student Society -- Boston, December 28, 1969:

If it is natural, then why it was needed that Kṛṣṇa would teach Arjuna? It is not natural. You have to select by getting knowledge from superior person. Otherwise there is no meaning of teaching, Kṛṣṇa's to Arjuna. Arjuna was perplexed. He could not understand whether he should fight or not. So that is the position of everyone. Everyone is perplexed. He requires a guidance like Kṛṣṇa. Then you can find out the... It is not natural. Natural means up to the animal life it is natural. Then come to the human form of life. Then it is discretion. As you like, you make your choice. If you like Kṛṣṇa, you can go to Kṛṣṇa. If you like something else, you can go there. That is your discretion. Everyone has got independence, little independence. Kṛṣṇa says at the end of Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "Just you surrender unto Me, giving up everything." If it is natural, then why He should say, "You should do this"? It is not natural. One has to learn it. Therefore he requires a spiritual master like Kṛṣṇa or His representative. But he has got the potency to accept it. And because he has got little independence, he can reject it. So it is not natural evolution. You have to accept the principle as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Why it is said, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7)? If it is actually evolutionary, then why there is dharmasya glānir? Tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham: "As soon as there is discrepancies in the discharge of real duties, I appear." So it is natural. If we keep ourself in natural life, it is natural. But because we are developed consciousness, we do not keep in natural life. We accept so many unnatural things. Therefore our knowledge becomes covered by unnatural material nature. So that has to be cleared by superior instruction.

Speech to Maharaja and Maharani and Conversations Before and After -- Indore, December 11, 1970:

That "If anyone has got devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then he develops all the good qualities." Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī. Because he was a devotee, he did not distinguish the king, whether he was Muhammadan or Hindu. He immediately accepted that "You are representative of Kṛṣṇa." That is the version. Arjuna, because he was a devotee, although he was in the battlefield, he was insulted, his wife was insulted, his kingdom was usurped, still, he said, "Better not to fight and kill my kinsmen." That goodness was not found on the other side, Duryodhana. Because Arjuna was a devotee, he was compassionate with his brothers, not to kill them. But Kṛṣṇa wanted that this fighting must go on because He wanted to install Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, the pious king, on the throne. So therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and the support of the royal family is very old relationship. And at the present moment people need this Kṛṣṇa consciousness very badly. Without Kṛṣṇa consciousness the whole world is going to hell. And you can practically see how they are changing, how this movement is changing character and mentality of the population. So I have come here. I wish that both of you will be kindly enough to patronize this movement to your best capacity.

Lecture -- Gorakhpur, February 18, 1971:

So we have to take, understand Bhagavad-gītā from paramparā system, not from the rascals! That will not do. So what is that paramparā system? That paramparā system... Take, for example, Kṛṣṇa is speaking to Arjuna. How? Why He is speaking to Arjuna? Arjuna was not a Vedāntist; he was a military man. You do not expect a military man to be highly learned or Vedāntist. And He was talking to him when he was fighting, very busy hour. And still, Kṛṣṇa said, "I'll speak to you this yoga system of Bhagavad-gītā because you are My devotee and dear friend." Therefore the first qualification for understanding Bhagavad-gītā is to become a dear friend of Kṛṣṇa. And if you are a Kaṁsa, what you will understand, Bhagavad-gītā? If your motive is to kill Kṛṣṇa by reading Bhagavad-gītā... Just like Dr. Radhakrishnan says, when he is explaining this verse, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), "It is not to Kṛṣṇa." He directly says. He's advising not to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. "It is the unborn which is within Kṛṣṇa." He does not know, there is no "within," "without" Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is absolute. He has no knowledge. Still, he's trying to comment on Bhagavad-gītā. This is going on.

So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to awaken the dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness which is lying within everyone's heart. It is not artificial. It is not that I have spoken to these boys and girls in America and all over the world (and) with my speeches they have been enticed and they are Kṛṣṇa conscious. No. Nobody has such power that simply by artificial, by speaking, one can convert. That is not possible.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, March 31, 1971:

"My dear sir, I am reading Bhagavad-gītā, but I am illiterate. My Guru Mahārāja asked me to read Bhagavad-gītā a few chapters daily, although he knew that I am illiterate. So I am trying to read Bhagavad-gītā, but I cannot actually read it." But Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "But I sometimes see that you are in full ecstasy and sometimes you are crying." He said, "Yes, sir. I feel some ecstasy." "What is that?" He said that "As soon as I take this Bhagavad-gītā in my hand I feel that Kṛṣṇa is the chariot driver of Arjuna. So I feel that how Kṛṣṇa is kind that He has accepted a menial service of His devotee. He is driving the chariot and Arjuna is ordering Him, senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me 'cyuta: (BG 1.21) 'My dear Kṛṣṇa, Acyuta, please put up my chariot between the two soldiers.' And He is carrying out the order. So when I see that Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He can become an order carrier of His devotee, that is giving me feeling, and I am therefore crying." Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately embraced him and said, "My dear brāhmaṇa, you are actually reading Bhagavad-gītā." That is the fact. If after reading Bhagavad-gītā we do not realize what is Kṛṣṇa, what is our relationship with Kṛṣṇa, what is our duty towards Kṛṣṇa, and what is the ultimate goal of life, then it is useless study. It has no meaning. Therefore Lord Kṛṣṇa prescribed it, how to read Bhagavad-gītā. Don't try to read Bhagavad-gītā made by some commentator who has no knowledge of Kṛṣṇa. One who is not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he has no business to comment on the Bhagavad-gītā.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 6, 1971:

Just suppose I am a great patriot. I am giving service to my country. That's very good. But I am creating many enemies at the same time because there are other persons who are also interested in their country or community. Therefore that kind of service is not perfect. That is service with designation because I am thinking... I am spirit soul, I am Brahman, I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, or God, but I am thinking that "I am servant of this country, this community, this society, this..." so many things. So one has to become free from the designation. Then his senses will be purified. At that time, with that purified senses, when he renders service to the Lord, that is called bhakti. That is called bhakti.

Bhakti is not a sentiment. It is practical. It is practical, to engage... Just like Arjuna. Arjuna is certified by Kṛṣṇa as bhakto 'si, "My devotee." Does it mean that he was sitting idly? He has gone to Himalaya? No. He was serving Kṛṣṇa personally as a fighter. That is required. That is bhakti. Some gentleman criticized, "Swamijī, your bhakti cult will make people dull because they will simply sit down and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." And "No, you have not seen a bhakta. You are misguided," I replied. In our India, two histories are there: the history of Rāmāyaṇa and the history Mahābhārata. And there were two great battles: fight with Rāvaṇa and Kurukṣetra fighting. In these two fightings the heroes were Vaiṣṇavas: Hanumānjī and Arjuna. They are still worshiped as the great Vaiṣṇavas, Vajrāṅgajī and Arjuna. So it is a mistake. Here is the definition of bhakti: tat-paratvena nirmalam, "When your senses are purified by devotional service." Not that your senses are wiped out in mukti. No. The senses are there. It cannot be wiped out. Simply it is purified. Just like if you have got some disease—the same example—in your finger, it is painful. You cannot render service. But when the finger is cured by treatment from the disease, it again gives service. Similarly, those who are not engaged in the service of the Lord, Kṛṣṇa, they are supposed to be diseased. The degree may be different, that one is very highly diseased, another is very slightly diseased. It doesn't matter. But he is diseased. Therefore this is the curing method. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). When He said? When he was cured of the disease. Kṛṣṇa asked him... (end)

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 10, 1971:

I am the same Rāma," believing on his word. All right, accept that he may be the same Rāma and same Kṛṣṇa. But when Kṛṣṇa is there, why should we accept an imitation Kṛṣṇa? Why? Suppose if you go to purchase some medicine in a drug shop and the shopkeeper says, "Here is a medicine, sir, which is equally good, but the price is very cheap. You can take it," and if you are sane man, you will say, "No, no. I don't want it. Give me that original. Why shall I take this? Let it be cheaper, but I don't want it." Similarly, why should we accept so-called incarnation of Kṛṣṇa? We should accept Kṛṣṇa, original Kṛṣṇa. Original Kṛṣṇa is there. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's words are identical. When you read Bhagavad-gītā, you are exactly in front of Kṛṣṇa, as Arjuna was in front of Kṛṣṇa while Kṛṣṇa was personally speaking. That is transcendental nature of Kṛṣṇa. Why He has left this instruction? Because if we accept the teachings of Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavad-gītā, immediately we are in presence of Kṛṣṇa. Just like the other day I cited the example of the illiterate brāhmaṇa. So that is transcendental way of understanding Kṛṣṇa. Take this formula. Kṛṣṇa says here that everything that is working in this material or spiritual world, they are different energies of Kṛṣṇa. He is the original source of creation, He is the original source of maintenance, and He is the original source of annihilation. Therefore nobody is greater than Him. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). Na anyat: "There is no other greater elevated." Kiñcid asti: "Not even one." You cannot say, "Here is something which is greater than Kṛṣṇa." That is not possible. Na anyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya, mayi sarvam idaṁ protaṁ sūtre maṇi-gaṇā iva. Just like in your necklace, pearl necklace, all the pearls are situated in the thread, similarly, Kṛṣṇa is the thread and everything existing... This will be explained more explicitly in the Thirteenth Chapter.

Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, July 5, 1971:

Unfortunately, I am illiterate." Now see. He is illiterate and he is reading Bhagavad-gītā. Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired that "How is that, you're reading Bhagavad-gītā and you say you are illiterate?" He said, "Yes, actually I am illiterate, but my Guru Mahārāja asked me that 'You should read every day eighteen chapters.' So what can I do? (laughter) I have to carry out the order of my spiritual master. So I have simply taken this book. I am seeing it." Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "Oh, you are not seeing it, simply. You are crying also." "Yes, Sir, I am crying also." "Then if you are not reading, how you are crying?" "Sir, I am not reading, but I'm feeling." "What is that?" "As soon as I take this Bhagavad-gītā in my hand, immediately I feel Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna sitting on the same chariot, and Arjuna is ordering Kṛṣṇa that 'You drive my chariot between the two soldiers,' and Kṛṣṇa is driving. So I am simply feeling how Kṛṣṇa is nice, that He can work as a servant of His devotee. When I feel like that, I cry, how Kṛṣṇa is so kind." Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately embraced him, that "You are really studying Bhagavad-gītā." So unless we develop our love for Kṛṣṇa, there is no meaning of reading. And if we can develop our love for Kṛṣṇa just like this brāhmaṇa, even without reading any book, that is wanted. That is wanted. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ. Therefore Kṛṣṇa also confirms, mayy āsakta-manāḥ, "Simply by increasing attachment for Me." Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ means "under the direction of Me or My representative." Mat.

Lecture -- Los Angeles, July 20, 1971:

Where is that technology? A man becomes dead. Something is losing. Where is that technology to replace it? Why do they not try for it? But because it is very difficult subject, they set aside. They are busy for technology, for eating, sleeping, mating and defending, that's all. Animal technology. The animals also trying their best, how to eat nice, how to have nice sex life, how to sleep and how to defend. So what is the difference between man's knowledge and animals' knowledge. The man's knowledge should be developed to find out this technology, what is the difference between a living man and a dead man, a living body and dead body. That is spiritual knowledge. That is... That was taught by Kṛṣṇa in the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā. Arjuna was talking as a friend, replying Him as a friend. Of course, he was... Whatever he was talking, that was right, but that was right to a certain point. Beyond that point, there are other subject matter of knowledge, which is called adhokṣaja, where our direct perception of material knowledge fails to approach. Just like we cannot see. There are so many microscopes, powerful microscopes. Then find out within this body where is the soul. No, there is no microscope. But soul is there. Soul is there. Bhagavad-gītā informs,

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntaraṁ prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

Asmin dehe, in this body, there is a proprietor of this body. Just like I am proprietor of my body, you are proprietor of your body. I say, "My hand." I don't say, "I hand." It is my hand. So I am different from this hand. Just like say, "It is my book," so book is different from me. "It is my table." Similarly, "my hand," "my eyes," "my leg," "my this," "my that." But where I am? Search out. That is meditation. "Where I am? What I am?"

Lecture -- Visakhapatnam, February 18, 1972:

Without being bhakta, who can become Kṛṣṇa's dear friend? "So therefore, I am speaking to you this confidential." Rahasyaṁ hy etad uttamam. It is very mysterious. The first thing is that without becoming a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, bhakta, and dear friend... Kṛṣṇa, we can establish our relationship with Kṛṣṇa in so many ways. There are five rasas. They are called śānta-rasa, dāsya-rasa, sakhya-rasa, vātsalya-rasa, and mādhurya-rasa. Of course, in this material world also we find these five rasas in a perverted reflections. Originally, it is between Kṛṣṇa and His devotee. So Arjuna was related with Kṛṣṇa in sakhya-rasa, as friend, a devotee as a friend. Anyone can become related with Kṛṣṇa. We have got our eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa because we are all parts and parcels of Kṛṣṇa. Just like the father and the son is eternally related. A son may become rebellion to the father, but the relationship of father and son cannot be broken. Similarly, we are also related with Kṛṣṇa. Somehow or other, that we have forgotten. That is our present position. That is called māyā. Māyā means when we forget our relationship with Kṛṣṇa and we establish so many false relationships. Now at the present moment, I am thinking "I am Indian," somebody is thinking "I am American," somebody is thinking "I am Hindu," somebody is thinking "I am Muslim." These relationships are all false, māyā. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa says at the end, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is real relationship. That is our real position. That is real mukti. And in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it is stated—mukti is defined—what is that? Muktir hitvānyathā rūpaṁ svarūpena vyavasthitiḥ (SB 2.10.6). Mukti means give up your false designation. That is mukti. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu begins from this mukta stage. Lord Sri Kṛṣṇa gave us information what is mukti. Mukti is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam, that is mukti. And Lord Caitanya, when he was instructing Sanatāna Gosvāmī, he began from this point: what is that real constitutional position of the living entity. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when He was asked by his disciple Sanatāna Gosvāmī that actually what I am? The exact Bengali verse, he says that grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita.

Lecture -- Tokyo, May 1, 1972:

We cannot see our eyeballs. We cannot see the eyelid, nearest. Longest, longest we cannot see; nearest we cannot see. Therefore we should not be very much proud of our seeing directly, direct perception. So direct... Anyone who is trying to understand the Absolute Truth by direct perception, he can rise up to the impersonal Brahman understanding, not more than that. And those who are trying to understand the Absolute Truth within his heart, just like yogis... Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). The yogi, by meditation, being in samādhi, they are seeing the Absolute Truth, Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, within the heart. Dhyānāvasthita. And those who are devotees, they are seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Arjuna is seeing, personally, face to face: Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the origin of everything.

As it is explained in the Vedānta-sūtra, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). What is Absolute Truth? This human form of life is meant for understanding what is Absolute Truth. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is human form of life. The cats and dogs cannot inquire about what is Brahman. That is not possible. This human form of life, they can inquire. Inquisitiveness. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. And immediately reply, the Vedānta-sūtra, "Brahman, the Absolute Truth, is that which is the source of everything." Janmādy asya (SB 1.1.1). Now that reply is given by Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā:

Lecture -- Tokyo, May 1, 1972:

What is that? Māṁ ca vyabhicāriṇi bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate. Anyone who is situated in the bhakti-yoga process, especially mentioned, bhaktyā māṁ abhijānāti, you can understand Kṛṣṇa simply by this bhakti-yoga process. Kṛṣṇa never meant jñāna-yoga or dhyāna-yoga or karma-yoga process. He especially meant that bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). If you want to know Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then you have to accept this bhakti-yoga process. There are many thousands of yogic processes, but if you want to know Kṛṣṇa, if you want to know God, then you have to take to this bhakti-yoga process.

That is also indicated by Arjuna. When Arjuna was being advised, he was assured that... Why Kṛṣṇa was advising about Bhagavad-gītā to Arjuna? He was a gṛhastha, householder, a kṣatriya, fighter, warrior. He was not a Vedāntist, neither he had any time to study Vedas. He was a gṛhastha. Study of Vedas is the business of the brāhmaṇas. So he was not a brāhmaṇa. But still, Kṛṣṇa said that "Still, I am instructing you this Bhagavad-gītā, rahasyam etad uttamam. The most confidential, secrecy, mystery of Bhagavad-gītā is difficult to understand, but I am instructing you." "Why? Why You have selected me?" Bhakto 'si: "Because you are My devotee." This is the only qualification to understand Bhagavad-gītā. Otherwise, unless one is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he cannot understand the confidential teachings of Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture -- Tokyo, May 1, 1972:

Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). The Bhagavad-gītā, the process is given there, how to study Bhagavad-gītā—by the paramparā system, not by your whimsical way. You must hear from the authorized person. Just like Kṛṣṇa said, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam: "I instructed this Bhagavad-gītā philosophy to sun-god, and he instructed to his son Manu. And Manu instructed to his son Ikṣvāku." So in this way you have to study. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam. So if you want to study Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, then you should study immediate paramparā. Arjuna was present. Arjuna was personally instructed by Kṛṣṇa. And you should catch up how Arjuna understood Kṛṣṇa.

That is explained in the Tenth Chapter. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān puruṣaṁ śāśvatam: (BG 10.12) "You are the Supreme Personality, puruṣam, the supreme enjoyer. Śāśvatam. Not that at the present moment. Eternally You are the enjoyer." And Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa, also says the same thing in another place:

Rotary Club Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 8, 1972 'The Present Need of Human Society':

So Vedic instruction is so perfect. Why this animal bone is pure, why this stool of animal is pure, that is already known. You don't require to make any research. You simply accept and get the fact. This is Vedic truth.

So that is called āstikyam. Āstikyam means to accept the Vedic instruction as it is. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. There is no need of interpreting. If we accept it, the truth, as it is, then we are benefited. In the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the Supreme." Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). "My dear Dhanañjaya, Arjuna,..." Arjuna is called Dhanañjaya. That's a background, how he became a dhanañjaya. So mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat: (BG 7.7) "There is no more superior person than Me." So we accept that way. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means we accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Not only we accept—all the authorities, whom we accept as authority. Just like Vyāsadeva. He is the authority of the Vedas. He accepts Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Nārada accepts the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Of course, that is long, long, ages ago. In the recent years, all the ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Śaṅkarācārya, all of them accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So what is the difficulty for us to accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead? There is no difficulty. If you do not accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, you must present somebody else, that "Here is another person..." Then we have to compare whether Kṛṣṇa is actually Supreme Personality of Godhead or the another person. Because there is definition of God: aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47).

Lecture at Bharata Chamber of Commerce 'Culture and Business' -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973:

So the head department is meant for culture. Without culture... Just like without head, the arms department, the belly department, the leg department are all useless. Similarly without culture, all these businesses, they creates confusion and chaos. That is the position at the present moment, because there is intermingling of different businesses. There must be one section of people, head department, who should give advice to the other departments. The brāhmaṇas, they're intelligent. They are qualified. Satya śama dama titikṣa ārjava jñānaṁ vijñānam astikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42).

So culture means that one should know what is the aim of life. Without understanding the aim of life, a man without aim is ship without, a ship without rudder. That is an English proverb. So at the present moment, we are missing the goal of life because there is no head department. The whole human society is lacking now real brāhmaṇas who can give advice to the other departments. Just like Arjuna was fighting. He was a military man. His business was to fight. He was engaged in his business, but he was taking at the same time advice of, the advice of the Brāhmaṇa deva, Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture at Bharata Chamber of Commerce 'Culture and Business' -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973:

The subtle body is made of mind, intelligence and ego. Just like we forget about this body at night, and the subtle body works. We dream. We are taken away from our home, from our bed, to some other place, and completely forget this body. And when the sleep is over, we forget about the dream and we become attached to this gross body. This is going on—in our daily experience. So I am the observer. I am sometimes in this gross body and sometimes in the subtle body. But it is changing. But I am the observer. Therefore the inquiry should be that "What is my position? At night I forget my gross body, and during daytime I forget my subtle body. Then what is my real body?" These are the questions.

So this is culture. You may do your business. Just like Arjuna: Arjuna was doing his business. He was a fighter, kṣatriya, but he did not forget his culture, hearing Gītā from the master. That is culture. If you simply do business and do not cultivate your spiritual life, then it is useless waste of time. Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8), the śāstra says. Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is being spread up that "Do not forget your cultural life." We do not say that you stop your business and become a sannyāsī like me and give up everything. We do not say. Neither Kṛṣṇa said that. Kṛṣṇa never said Arjuna that "You give up your business." "You are kṣatriya. You are declining fighting. Oh, it is very abominable. You should not say like that. You must fight." That was Kṛṣṇa's instruction. So similarly, we Kṛṣṇa conscious people, we are also advising everyone that "You do not give up your business." Caitanya Mahāprabhu said also: sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. Caitanya Mahāprabhu never said that "You give up your position." Position, giving up is not very difficult. But to cultivate spiritual knowledge, that is required. Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovidaḥ na labhyate yad bhramatam upary adhaḥ (1.5.18).

Lecture -- Jakarta, February 26, 1973:

So we are spreading this sanātana-dharma, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, throughout the whole world, not on the superficial platform of this bodily concept of life. We are teaching everyone that "You are not this body." Actually we are not, but it is because we are, at the present moment, we are educated as first-class rascals and fools, we are thinking that "I am this body." This is the defect of the modern civilization. But actually what Kṛṣṇa is trying to instruct Arjuna... Arjuna means everyone. He's not simply talking with Arjuna. Arjuna is simply via media. He's talking to the whole human society, intelligent class of men, that "We existed, we are existing now, and we shall exist also in the future." This is called sanātana, eternity. So na caiva na bhaviṣyāmaḥ: "In the future we also shall exist." Now we should consider what is the problem now: I was present in the past, I am now present in the present, and I shall exist in the future. Then what is my problem? The problem is why I am changing this position of eternity? I am sanātana. I am eternal. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That is the real existence, that I am Brahman. Brahman means eternal. But Kṛṣṇa is Parabrahman. Param means the supreme, the chief. Therefore there are two terms in the Vedic language: ātmā, paramātmā; brahman, parabrahman; īśvara, parameśvara. There are two terms. We are not parameśvara, not paramātmā, not parabrahman. We are ātmā, īśvara... We can say, "I am īśvara." What does it mean, īśvara? Īśvara means controller. So, although we are servant, at the same time we are controller. That we can experience. I am now working in the office. I am servant of the establishment, but I'm given some power to control over certain departments. So simultaneously, I am servant and controller. As controller, I can be called īśvara, īśvara, god, as controller. But I am not controller, Supreme Controller. That I cannot say. Nobody can say that "I am the Supreme Controller." That you cannot say. You can control, say, a dozen of men. Another can control a hundred men. Another can control a thousand, or millions. But nobody can say that "I am the controller of the whole universe." That is not possible. That controller is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

Otherwise, he remains like animal, and he gets no benefit by this nature's gift, human form of life. By evolutionary process, we come to the human form of life. By evolutionary process, we come to the human form of life, passing through 8,400,000, about 8,300,000 species of life. Then we come to this form of life, civilized human being. So this should not be misused in the business of cats and dogs. This should be used for better purposes. This better purpose is to understand oneself, what he is actually, whether he is this body, whether he is this mind, or whether he's different from body and mind, a spiritual spark. That is real knowledge.

So Kṛṣṇa is delivering this knowledge in the Bhagavad-gītā, and Arjuna is receiving. The beginning of His instruction was that,

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

Kṛṣṇa first began this lesson: "My dear Arjuna, you are not this body. Why you are lamenting about this body? You are not this body. Neither your so-called relatives, they are this body. They are different." Asmin dehe. In this body there is the proprietor of the body, the dehī. Just like you are the coat and shirt, you are the proprietor of the coat and shirt. Similarly, this body is also covering. The subtle body and the gross body—coat and shirt. But we are different from this coat and shirt. That is the beginning of the instruction. It is going on, and again Arjuna is asking that prakṛtiṁ puruṣaṁ caiva kṣetraṁ kṣetra-jñam eva ca etad veditum icchāmi. He's student. "My Lord Kṛṣṇa, I want to understand what is this material nature and puruṣam." Purusaṁ means enjoyer, and prakṛti means enjoyed.

Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

From the animalistic life, the animal cannot talk of God, cannot understand of God, cannot see God. But if we remain in the animalistic way of life, then it is not possible to see God and talk with Him. But if we purify ourself, if we apply the ointment of love of God on the eye, then premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ, those who are saints... I think this "saint" word has come from the Sanskrit world santaḥ. Santaḥ is Sanskrit word. Santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti. Those who are saintly persons, those who have trained themselves in the affairs of love of Godhead, they can see God constantly within their heart. That is possible.

So here, Arjuna is also a saintly person. He's not ordinary man, because he's talking Kṛṣṇa personally. If Arjuna has got the chance of making friendship with God and talking with Him personally, everyone has got the same capacity, provided we elevate ourself to that standard of life, bhakti, bhakti-yoga. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, "If anyone wants to understand Me, then the process is bhakti, devotional service." The process means how to love God, that process. And in the Bhāgavatam it is said... What is first-class religion? Sai vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje. That religion is first class which makes the follower a lover of God. This is simple definition of religion, first-class religion. If we do not awaken our dormant love for God, then śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). Then you follow any type of religion, you simply wasting your time. That's all. That is not religion. Religion means to understand God and to learn how to love God.

Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

So here Arjuna, he loves Kṛṣṇa, he's a lover of God; therefore he's asking question from Kṛṣṇa. But whatever question is answered by Kṛṣṇa, that is perfect, because He is perfect. So our process of receiving knowledge: from the perfect. Not one who (is) illusioned, who commits mistake, whose senses are imperfect and wants to cheat. Because how an imperfect person can take the position of a teacher if he has...? Now so many scientists, we ask so many things, and they simply reply, "Yes, we are trying," "In future." That means he is not yet perfect. So if you are not perfect, why you are taking the position of a teacher? First of all, you be perfect. So that is not possible. Therefore, our process of receiving knowledge is from the perfect. And who can be more perfect than God Himself? That is our process of knowledge.

So Arjuna is asking from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And the answer, the next verse is: śrī bhagavān uvāca. It is not said, kṛṣṇa uvāca. It is said, śrī bhagavān uvāca: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead replied." What is that?

idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya

kṣetram ity abhidhīyate

etad yo vetti taṁ prāhuḥ

kṣetra-jña iti tad-vidaḥ

(BG 13.2)

He's replied the answer very nicely, that "This body is the field of activity." Idaṁ śarīram. Śarīram means this body. This body is the field of activity. Idaṁ śarīraṁ kṣetraṁ kaunteya, etad yo vetti taṁ prāhuḥ kṣetra-jña iti tad-vidaḥ. And the person who knows this field of activity... Just like if we meditate upon this body, if I see my finger, if I ask, "What is this?" "This is my finger." "What is this?" "This is my head." "What is this?" "This is my leg." Everything "mine." And where is the "I"?

Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

Prabhupāda: That I have already said, that He is different.

Guest: In which we..., way do you use the concept of personality?

Prabhupāda: He is person. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. In the Second Chapter He says, "My dear Arjuna, I, you, and all these persons who assembled, it is not that we were not existing in the past, it is not that that we shall not exist in the future." When He says "I, you and all these persons," they are all persons. God is also person, Arjuna is also person, and the all other who assembled in the battlefield, they are also persons. So Kṛṣṇa says, "All these persons, they were existing in the past, now they are existing, and in future they will exist." So there is past, present, future. In no time, God is impersonal, neither we are impersonal. We are also personal. And that is also confirmed, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān, Kaṭha Upaniṣad (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13), that He is the chief person amongst other persons. We living entities, we are many persons, and God is the chief person. And what is the difference between this person and that person, the singular number person, one, and the plural number person, many? That is explained: eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. That one singular number person is supplying all the necessities of these different plural persons. That is the distinction. These things are expressed in Upaniṣad, Vedānta-sūtra. So ultimately, God is person.

Guest: But in, when Upaniṣads say there is...

Prabhupāda: Impersonal description.

Guest: The unity is unexpressible. It is,

Prabhupāda: Unexpressible...

Pandal Speech and Question Session -- Delhi, November 10, 1973:

"Now we have finished our tīrtha." No. Tīrtha is not that. Tīrtha means we have to find out sober person to take instruction from him. So people who are not interested to the sober man and lives like this, that "I am this body, and the bodily production or relation, they are my own men, and if I go to holy place, take bath and then come back..." No. Śāstra says, "No." Yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij janeṣu abhijñeṣu. You must approach abhijñaḥ person. That is the meaning of pilgrimage. As the Vedas says, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet, śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12). You must find out a sober man or guru so that he can instruct you, he can deliver you from ignorance of life.

So you'll find in this Bhagavad-gītā, when there was talks going on between Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa, friendly talks... Arjuna was speaking, "Let them enjoy this kingdom. I don't want to fight with my own men." That was his decision. Kṛṣṇa said, "No, no. This is not your duty. You are a kṣatriya. Now you are in the battlefield. You must fight." In this way, ordinary topics were going on. But when Arjuna saw it very difficult to understand, "Whether I shall fight or not fight?" he accepted Kṛṣṇa as guru. Because he thought that "Friendly talks will not make solution. Let me accept Kṛṣṇa as my..." Śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). Prapannam: "I surrender unto You. You are my guru. Now You are not my friend; You are my guru." Because a disciple cannot disobey the guru. A friend can disobey. Kṛṣṇa is asking to fight. As a friend, he was disobeying. But if a guru says that "You must fight," then you cannot disobey. Therefore he accepted, śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam.

Lecture at World Health Organization -- Geneva, June 6, 1974:

Many millions of years, sahasra-yuga. One yuga means forty-three hundred thousands of solar years, and multiply it by one thousand. That becomes the duration of one day in the Brahmaloka. So in different planets, there are different duration of life, different standard of life.

So all these information we get from the Vedic scripture, just like Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Upaniṣad, like that. And we follow the instruction. That is good for human society. Human society, if they do not follow the footprints of great ācāryas, great saintly persons, then there will be trouble. And that is happening actually. In the Bhagavad-gītā, when Kṛṣṇa was..., Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna was talking, so Arjuna presented the after-effects of war, that women will be widows and their, they will not be able to keep their character, and then adharma, irreligious principles, will begin. So he said... He was arguing like this, that,

adharmābhibhavāt kṛṣṇa

praduṣyanti kula-striyaḥ

strīṣu duṣṭāsu vārṣṇeya

jāyate varṇa-saṅkaraḥ

(BG 1.40)

The Vedic civilization is varṇāśrama-dharma. If the varṇāśrama-dharma is not properly protected, then there will be population who are called varṇa-saṅkara, mixed population. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—that is the natural division. The society must be divided... Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). (aside:) There is no need.

Lecture -- Honolulu, May 25, 1975:

That is the instruction in this... So just to try... Try to remain a devotee always, and Kṛṣṇa will give you protection in all circumstance. There is no fear. Devotees, they remain devotee of Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa does everything. If something mystic or magic has to be shown, the devotee does not take any credit for that magic, because the magic is done by Kṛṣṇa for the sake of devotee. So he doesn't require to learn the art of magic to cheat the people. That is not. When magic is required, Kṛṣṇa plays. Kṛṣṇa is called Yogeśvara. Yoga is mystic power, and He is the Yogeśvara, master of yoga, mystic power. Yatra yogeśvaraḥ hariḥ. Just like Kṛṣṇa was on the chariot of the Kurukṣetra battle, Arjuna. Arjuna was facing enemies, big, big enemies like Bhīṣma, Karṇa, Dronācārya, and many other who were very very powerful. Arjuna was nothing before them. They are compared with timiṅgila, timiṅgila, a big fish which swallows up the whale fishes. So Mahārāja Parīkṣit said that "Although they were timiṅgila-like, they could kill thousands of Arjuna, but still, because You were protecting him, sitting on his chariot, they were killed; Arjuna was not killed."

So the devotee, he doesn't require to acquire any mystic power. What mystic power Prahlāda could attain? He was only five years old. So there was no opportunity of acquiring any mystic power. But he was being protected by the supreme mystic, Kṛṣṇa. That should be a devotee's point of view. Don't waste your time for acquiring so-called mystic power. Just devote yourself to remain a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, and you become the supreme mystic. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā:

City Hall Lecture -- Durban, October 7, 1975:

So from sastric evidences, from authentic evidences, from the ācāryas, from Bhagavad-gītā itself—everywhere you will find the confirmation, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission is that yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). It is not difficult. You simply take up the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā and try to preach, yāre dekha tāre. Whomever you meet. You may remain as a businessman, you may remain whatever you are, you remain a family head, but instruct this advice of Kṛṣṇa-yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). This is our mission.

So Kṛṣṇa, when... The instruction of Kṛṣṇa begins when Arjuna was very much perplexed, very much perplexed whether to fight. Because the other side was his brother, his nephews, his son-in-law, his grandfather, his teacher. So when he saw in the battlefield all relatives, friends, and kinsmen, so he was perplexed. So Arjuna was very much compassionate that he practically said, "Kṛṣṇa, I am not going to fight." Then Arjuna also knew that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So my perplexity can be eradicated only by Kṛṣṇa." Therefore he submitted to Kṛṣṇa, śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam: (BG 2.7) "I am in great perplexity." Everyone is in great perplexity. There is no doubt. Anyone in this material world is full of anxiety and perplexity. So it is not only Arjuna's, I mean to say, problem. It is the problem of everyone. So if we want to solve the problems of life, we should accept Kṛṣṇa as the supreme teacher. This is the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā and Arjuna. Śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam: "My dear Kṛṣṇa, now I am asking You to become my teacher." (aside:) Don't disturb. "I am asking You to become my teacher and solve my problem."

City Hall Lecture -- Durban, October 7, 1975:

That is called conditional stage. And we are becoming subjected to so many changes of circumstances in different bodies. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). We are creating a different situation by utilizing senses for our personal sense gratification, and we have become bound up, bound by the laws of nature. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Yajñārthe karma anyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). Karma-bandhana. Yajña. Yajña means Viṣṇu, yajña-puruṣa. If you work for Kṛṣṇa, then you are doing right; otherwise you have become implicated. Yajñarthe karma anyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). This is the teaching of Bhagavad-gītā.

Now, just like Arjuna. What is the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā? Arjuna is a fighter. Why? He's a soldier. He knew how to fight. That's all. He's not a Vedantist; he is not a brāhmaṇa; he is not a sannyāsī. He is gṛhastha, householder. He appeared on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra for fighting on political reasons. So he knew all this business. But he utilized his talent in fighting art for Kṛṣṇa. He did not want to fight. As a Vaiṣṇava, he is very kind. He said that "My brothers, my cousins, certainly they have insulted my wife. They have taken my kingdom by gambling and so many devices. I know that. Still, because they are my brothers, I don't wish to kill them." This is Vaiṣṇava's attitude. But Kṛṣṇa, His business is yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). When there is injustice, it must be faced with fighting. That is Kṛṣṇa's version. So Arjuna, as a Vaiṣṇava, did not like to fight. But Kṛṣṇa, as the supreme mediator... That is also good for everything.

City Hall Lecture -- Durban, October 7, 1975:

That is explained in there. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). According to our desire, we are creating a different type of body, and after death, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. Just like the child is become a boy, the boy is becoming young man, the young man is becoming middle-aged man, and the middle-aged man is becoming old man. So what is next after the old body? The next is tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ: you have to accept another body. This is called chain or cycle of birth and death, or transmigration of the soul. This is going on. So if you want to... But nobody wants to die. Nobody wants to change this body. But this is a problem. One should know it. That is the first instruction given by Kṛṣṇa... (break) ...Arjuna, that we are changing. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. So this is the opportunity, human life. If we want to stop this repetition of birth and death under different obligation and different circumstances, we should take instruction from Kṛṣṇa, try to understand Kṛṣṇa—that is Bhagavad-gītā—and make our life successful so that... Understanding Kṛṣṇa means, as it is stated, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). We have come from God; we again go back to God if we simply understand Kṛṣṇa, or God. This is the whole instruction of the Bhagavad-gītā. And when Arjuna was perplexed that "How shall I kill the other side?" then Kṛṣṇa informed him in the beginning,

evam uktvā hṛṣīkeśaṁ

guḍākeśaḥ parantapaḥ

na yotsya iti govindam

uktvā tūṣṇīṁ babhūva ha

(BG 2.9)

"He completely became silent. 'Kṛṣṇa, I am not going to fight.'

City Hall Lecture -- Durban, October 7, 1975:

Then Kṛṣṇa was smiling, that "Arjuna is my friend, and he is so much overwhelmed with material consciousness of life." Therefore it is said, tam uvāca hṛṣīkeśaḥ prahasann: He was smiling, that "You are My friend. You should not have done like this." Prahasann iva bhārata senayor ubhayor madhye: "Between the two parties of soldiers," viṣīdantam, "he was lamenting."

So because Kṛṣṇa was accepted as the teacher, as the master, so He is chastising Arjuna.

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ

prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase

gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca

(BG 2.11)

nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ

"My dear Arjuna, you talk very much just like a learned man." Prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase. Prajñā-vādāṁs means talking just like a learned man. "Unfortunately, you are not a learned man because you are lamenting on this body." He said, gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ: "Anyone who is learned, he does not lament over this body whether in living position or dead position. So you are talking like a learned man, but you are not a learned man." This is the first instruction. Because Arjuna accepted Kṛṣṇa, He chastised him with little hard words, that "You are not a paṇḍita." Now, you just consider what is the position of this world. Everyone is taking care of this body. But Kṛṣṇa said, gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ. The paṇḍitāḥ, one who is learned, he knows that he is not this body. He is soul. So our first business is to take care of the soul. And this is the opportunity, this human form of body. In the human form of body we can understand Bhagavad-gītā, not in the dog's body. That is not possible.

Address to Rotary Club -- Chandigarh, October 17, 1976:

That is called Mahābhārata. So Mahābhārata... In the Mahābhārata this Bhagavad-gītā is set up, and the writer of Mahābhārata is Vyāsadeva himself, and therefore the recorder of the speech, what Kṛṣṇa said in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, is also Vyāsadeva. So Vyāsadeva, you'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā, he says everywhere, bhagavān uvāca. He never says that "I am writing." He says, bhagavān uvāca. That you'll mark, those who have read Bhagavad-gītā. (break) ...tac chṛṇu. Then you'll understand Bhagavān without any doubt and in completeness. Asaṁśayam samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). It is very easy. If you simply concentrate your mind on Kṛṣṇa, sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ (SB 9.4.18), as Mahārāja Ambarīṣa did, and many other great personalities did it... Arjuna did. Now we are concerned with Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is speaking, and Arjuna is hearing. So what is the situation? The situation is that the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas assembled together on the great battlefield. It is not battlefield, Kurukṣetra; it is dharmakṣetra.

dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre

samavetā yuyutsavaḥ

māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva

kim akurvata sañjaya

(BG 1.1)

This is the question by Dhṛtarāṣṭra. Dhṛtarāṣṭra was the father of the Kurus, and the Pāṇḍavas were the five brothers, the sons of the younger brother of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Mahārāja Pāṇḍu. So Dhṛtarāṣṭra was blind, born blind. Actually he was to inherit—the eldest son of the family. But on account of his blindness the throne was given to his younger brother, Pāṇḍu. So the sons of Pāṇḍu is known as Pāṇḍavas, and the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra are known as Kurus or Dhṛtarāṣṭra. So after all, politics, it is always very intriguing in all times.

Address to Rotary Club -- Chandigarh, October 17, 1976:

This is paramparā. The truth of Bhagavad-gītā was first spoken to the sun-god, and he spoke to his son, to Manu, Vaivasvata Manu. And Vaivasvata Manu spoke to his son, Ikṣvāku. And Kṛṣṇa said, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Rājarṣaya. This philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā, it is meant for the rājarṣi, not for the loafer class. Rājarṣi: king, at the same time, saintly person. Imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ. Kṛṣṇa does not say that ordinary scholar or so-called philosopher can understand. Only the rājarṣayo viduḥ. So Arjuna is one of the rājarṣis. So he understood Kṛṣṇa. He says, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma (BG 10.12). So we have to accept this paramparā system. If we take Bhagavad-gītā seriously then we should follow the footprints of Arjuna as he understood. He accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Paraṁbrahman. So what is spoken by Paraṁbrahman, the Supreme Lord, the Supreme Person, how we can interpret His words and squeeze out some meaning and mislead myself and mislead others? This is not good.

So our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to rectify this mistake. Bhagavad-gītā is the most authorized scripture in the Vedic literature. Vedic literature means it is not spoken by any ordinary human being. Apaureṣaya means this literature, Vedic literature, is spoken directly by the Supreme Person or Lord. So it was instructed through Brahmā, Lord Brahmā. Tene brahma hṛda ādi-kavaye. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Oṁ namo bhāgavate vāsudevāya. These are the Vedānta philosophy's beginning. The Vedānta philosophy begins with the word athāto brahma jijñāsā.

General Lecture -- (location & date unknown):

Guest: No. I thought because Lord Caitanya was incarnation of Kṛṣṇa... (break)

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest: So he would not have a guru or...

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes, yes, yes. There is no difference between devotee and God. You see? Sometimes a devotee is given a greater place than God Himself. Mad-bhaktaḥ pūjābhyādhikaḥ. Just like Kṛṣṇa is God or Arjuna is devotee. So Arjuna is given superior place, to sit on the chariot, and Kṛṣṇa is driver of the chariot. That does not mean Kṛṣṇa has degraded from His position. Kṛṣṇa, or God, in any position, He is God.

Guest: But Kṛṣṇa was not disciple of anyone.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest: Whose disciple was Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: He was also disciple of Sandipani Muni. Everyone has to become disciple. That is the Vedic system. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ gurum evābhigacchet. Without becoming disciple, nobody can understand.

Guest: No, but Kṛṣṇa was Supreme God.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz:

Prabhupāda: It is in Bhāgavata. This question was raised by Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja. So sometimes that is special favor. By force the whole plan is like that, but everyone wants to delay. By special favor he draws by force, "Come on. This time." Because that is explained in Caitanya-caritāmṛta that a rascal, he wants Kṛṣṇa, or he wants God, but at the same time he wants to enjoy this material world, because to want God means finish with material world. But sometimes he is both ways. When Kṛṣṇa sees the other way is hampering, He breaks his profit by force, so that in helpless condition. Everything is explained in the Bhāgavata. "I take away his all money. He may try to get money—again I take. So in this way, when he becomes hopeless and there is no money, then he surrenders to Me." And as soon as he has no money, his so-called relatives, friends, wife, children, they neglect, "Oh, what is this man? He is useless." So he is bereft of money, he is bereft of friends, bereft of any love from wife and children, then hopelessly he surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. So the plan is that: all these rascal living entities, those who are trying to be happy in this material world, nature's plan is to give him trouble—every attempt shall be frustrated, every attempt shall fail—so that he may come, after many, many births. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyante (BG 7.19). So He has pointed out that there is a plan, and this is the plan: to bring you back to home, back to Godhead. It is not partial, that somebody may remain here and somebody may go to Godhead. No. The whole plan is that everyone must come back. But he is obstinate, he is obstinate. Just like a bad boy, father says, "Come on," he's not. He's crying, "No, I'll not go." But the father's only business is to drag him. Therefore the final, after speaking all the proposals in the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa says finally, "I am giving you final, very confidential instructions," sarva guhyatamam. "You give up all this rascaldom, arguing with Me. Just surrender unto Me." Arjuna was arguing.

Philosophy Discussion on David Hume:

Śyāmasundara: He says that the moral sentiments which are approved by society enhance the social good, whereas immoral attitudes are egoistic and antisocial. So that a society will always approve of a certain set of moral values, and then the individual living in the society must either accept or reject them. And if he rejects them, then he must act through politics, through the social body, to try to change their attitude, their opinion.

Prabhupāda: Therefore it depends on that social body, which is authority. So ultimately we have to depend on the authority for all sanctions. So our proposition is that the supreme authority is Kṛṣṇa. So whatever He sanctions, that is morality; whatever He does not sanction, that is immorality. Just like Arjuna was thinking to become nonviolent, not to fight, is good. But Kṛṣṇa said, "Now you fight." So fight became good. So ultimately it depends on Kṛṣṇa's will, what is morality, what is immorality, what is good, what is bad. Therefore our duty is, instead of depending on social body or political... (break) ...are so many, one is different from the other—we depend on the supreme will of the supreme authority.

Śyāmasundara: He says that there is no absolute morality, that everything is relative.

Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant:

Śyāmasundara: So the real categorical imperative is to obey the Supreme.

Prabhupāda: That is right. That is moral. Other things, all immoral.

Śyāmasundara: He says that we must follow our duty—not mechanically, but out of respect for it.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Suppose if I say that "You do this," just like Kṛṣṇa says that "You go and say Droṇācārya." So unless he has got implicit faith... Yudhiṣṭhira was lacking that implicit faith. Therefore he said, "How can I say such lies?" But Arjuna is better than Yudhiṣṭhira. He thought that "Although I am thinking it is very moral not to kill my relatives, but Kṛṣṇa likes it, I must do it." That's all.

Śyāmasundara: He says that ethics or morality should be institutionalized, regardless of the individual circumstances.

Prabhupāda: He comes to the circumstances. Therefore the morality should be according to the circumstances.

Śyāmasundara: He says the opposite: regardless of individual circumstances, everyone should follow the moral imperative. But we say that circumstances determine how one follows.

Prabhupāda: Then suppose the (indistinct) state, "Thou shalt not kill." So why killing is going on?

Śyāmasundara: In wars.

Prabhupāda: In any circumstances. It is not that killing is stopped, although the state is meant for prohibiting killing. But there is still in the slaughterhouse killing is going on, in war killing is going on, and so many other places killing is going on.

Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant:

Śyāmasundara: He calls the end the golden rule, that one should act...

Prabhupāda: That is simply abstract ideas. He does not give any concrete example.

Śyāmasundara: He gives the example of breaking a promise.

Prabhupāda: Breaking a promise is sometime moral. Just like Kṛṣṇa broke His promise, Himself. Kṛṣṇa broke His promise. He promised that "In this fight, this war, I shall not take a weapon." But when Arjuna was jeopardized by the fighting of Bhīṣma, He immediately took some weapon and approached Bhīṣma, because Bhīṣma promised that either Kṛṣṇa has to break His promise or Arjuna will die, two things... "Tomorrow I shall fight in this way, then Arjuna will die, unless Kṛṣṇa takes special step." That means He has to break His promise. So he wanted to see that Kṛṣṇa breaks His promise to protect His devotee. That was his idea. So when He broke His promise, he gave up fighting. "That was my purpose, that You have to break your promise to protect your devotee."

Śyāmasundara: He says that a man should never become a mere object of utility. In other words, he should not lower his standard just because it is practical at the time.

Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant:

Śyāmasundara: It's like you say: morality may help him to transcend. He is beginning to perceive behind this moral law.

Prabhupāda: No. From this instance we find that Arjuna was trying to become moral, not killing his own men; but that did not help him. Rather, by directly abiding by the orders of Kṛṣṇa, he transcended morality. So morality does not always help.

Śyāmasundara: In this particular case of Kant, he begins to perceive that behind morality there is something higher. He says that even though a man is sinful...

Prabhupāda: Yes. Certainly there is higher. That highness is within this material world. There are two stages, two platforms: transcendental platform and physical platform. That highness is physical. Just like Mahatma Gandhi. He was known as a very high-class man, but he was a materialist, that's all. By his pious activities he may be elevated materially. Just like if you act piously, giving charity, then next birth you get very nice opulent birth, you are born in a rich family, you get enough money. But that is not the solution of your conditional life. To take birth in this family does not mean he hasn't got to undergo the process of birth, the pains of birth, the pains of death. But real problem is that I want to stop these pains of birth, death, old age and disease. Hari me nana mitinatante (?). Without love of Kṛṣṇa, nobody can escape these material conditions of life.

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Prabhupāda: Universe means his brother. And white men. That's all. (laughter) That is his universe. There is a Bengali verse, (Bengali), "My elder brother is good man, I am good man. All bad men (?). This philosophy. (Bengali-repeats saying).

Śyāmasundara: He gets as far as the state, he says that one relates with all of the citizens in the state but it is nearly impossible to relate with the citizens of another state. Therefore disputes must be settled by war between states. So he clarifies war as a means of progressing.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. War also, we, Vedic philosophy, we say, dharma-yuddha. Just like Arjuna was encouraged, dharma-yuddha. So everything has got his use. War has got also use, you(?). But that is progress?

Śyāmasundara: Yes, progress comes about through conflict of opposites. So that as states fight each other, the one that comes out victorious is the most progressive, advanced state.

Prabhupāda: When the war should be declared? Is there any philosophy?

Śyāmasundara: He doesn't believe in peace; he says that peace is a dream.

Prabhupāda: Peace cannot be possible within this material world, especially without God consciousness, there cannot be any peace. That is a fact.

Śyāmasundara: He says that the state, I will just read a segment of what he says about the state: "The state is the realization of the ethical idea. The true state is the ethical whole and the realization of freedom. The state is the march of God through the world.

Prabhupāda: March of?

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Prabhupāda: As soon as we accept a controller, all these things will come. The laws must come, the control must come, the morality must come, immorality, everything will come as soon as we accept a controller. The atheistic persons do not accept the controller, they do everything nonsense, immoral.

Śyāmasundara: He says that the free will develops in these three areas of experience of law, morality and social ethics.

Prabhupāda: That's nice. That is the field of free will activities. Unless you have got platform to execute your (indistinct), there is no meaning of free will. So that is the platform. There must be law, there must be system, morality. That is (indistinct). Just like Arjuna was advised by Kṛṣṇa, "Now, whatever you like, you do." That is free will. But He has explained to him, "This is this, this is this, now it is you have your choice."

Śyāmasundara: Here's where he may differ from you. He says that morality is where the will evaluates itself and sets its own standards.

Prabhupāda: No. Our morality is not like that. We accept morality from higher authorities. Our morality is standardized. Just like Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekāṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). We accept that is morality.

Śyāmasundara: Just like the state of California's morality may change. It may say gambling is legal tomorrow and then drinking is not legal.

Prabhupāda: Because that law is imperfect but God's law cannot be imperfect. That's perfect. Therefore we don't take others' advice. That is imperfect. We take God's advice because that is perfect. Or God's representative's advice, that is perfect.

Śyāmasundara: Then he says that the idea in and for itself expresses itself as the absolute spirit.

Philosophy Discussion on John Stuart Mill:

Prabhupāda: Morality means to abide by the orders of God. That is real morality. Other things which we manufacture, that you will find different in different countries. But religion and morality both of them are the same principle because religion means to carry out the orders of God, and morality means only the, I mean the principle to fulfill the desires of God. Just like in the battle of Kurukṣetra, Arjuna was considering, "Killing is immorality." But when he understood by the instruction of Kṛṣṇa that this fight is necessary as it is designed by Kṛṣṇa, so this is morality. Ultimately, morality means to carry out the desire of Kṛṣṇa or God. He knows what is morality. This, another example can be given, that in the warfield the soldier is there and the commander is there. The commander is asking, kill the enemy, and if he considers that "Killing is bad, why shall I kill the enemy?" That is immorality. He should be immediately killed by martial law. He is disobeying the order of commander. So similarly, what you get, orders from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, if you carry it that is morality. Any other things manufactured by you, that (is) immorality.

Hayagrīva: He believed that there is no intrinsic value in the belief of the immortality of the soul, because he said, "What..."

Prabhupāda: That is foolishness. That is not philosophical neither rational. If he cannot understand immortality of the soul, then he keeps himself in the animal kingdom. He is not even human being, what to speak of his education and philosophy.

Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey:

Prabhupāda: Because they have got imperfect philosophy. Imperfect is not perfect; therefore he is thinking of advancing further to make it perfect. So without Kṛṣṇa consciousness he remains always incomplete; therefore imperfect.

Śyāmasundara: He says that "All ideas must be tested in the laboratory of educational experience, where they can be challenged, their consequences evaluated, and where they can be continuously modified or reconstructed."

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because you see how Arjuna was perfectly good man, because he was Kṛṣṇa conscious. He was not willing to kill his enemy. He was hesitating, "What is the use of taking this kingdom?" This is Kṛṣṇa conscious. Because the other side, they were not thinking, but Arjuna, because he is Kṛṣṇa's devotee, he was considering, "What is the use of taking this kingdom, by killing (indistinct)?" In other words, nobody can be perfect without Kṛṣṇa consciousness. No philosopher, no scientist, no sociologist can be perfect without Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Śyāmasundara: But in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness philosophy the ideas are not to be re-evaluated. Aren't they absolute, the philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness?

Prabhupāda: Yes, the philosophy is absolute. Kṛṣṇa is absolute, so His consciousness is also absolute.

Śyāmasundara: His idea is that philosophy is always changing, that we always have to revise.

Prabhupāda: That is in the material platform. He has no information what is perfect state. He does not know. Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim (Nārada-pañcarātra). All tapasya finished. Samsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). If Kṛṣṇa is satisfied, then the all duty is all right. You don't require to satisfy anyone else. Whether Kṛṣṇa is satisfied. That's all.

Śyāmasundara: So that's all.

Philosophy Discussion on Soren Aabye Kierkegaard:

Prabhupāda: You cannot make decision. If you are part and parcel, then you have to take decisions from the whole. You cannot make. The finger does not make decision. I say "Finger, stand up like this, please."

Śyāmasundara: So just like when there are decisions to be made, because a self-realized soul automatically...

Prabhupāda: The decision is that I shall serve Kṛṣṇa as soon as ordered. But the order comes from the superior. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna is ordered by Kṛṣṇa to fight, so he has to fight. That is all. Arjuna's decision was wrong, but when he takes decision from Kṛṣṇa, that is right. So we have to take decision from Kṛṣṇa's representative. That is right. We cannot make our own decisions. That is wrong.

Śyāmasundara: So full will means to follow...

Prabhupāda: Full will means full will to surrender, full will to follow the orders of the superior. That is full will.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So how does he ever come to the point of religion if he wants men to make their own decisions? How can we make our own decisions according to him?

Prabhupāda: There is no own decision. If we want to become self, that means I am part and parcel, so I have no personal decision. I have to take decisions from the higher authority.

Śyāmasundara: We were talking about the decision; you were talking about the other levels. The religious stage, you said, is obedience and commitment to God.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But to get to that stage, you have to go through the second stage. So how do you get to the second stage by making your own decisions without God's..., without God's representative? In other words, how can you come to the platform of the third stage from the second stage?

Philosophy Discussion on Soren Aabye Kierkegaard:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That's very nice. He becomes qualified to understand God and to talk with God, to take direction of God. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā:

teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ

bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam

dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ

yena mām upayānti (te)

(BG 10.10)

Our ultimate goal is to give up this material world and go back to home, back to Godhead. So this being ultimate goal of life, if we offer prayer to the Supreme Lord... Not only prayer. Prayer is one of the service. This is also nine. There are different, nine kinds of service:

śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ

smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam

arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ

sakhyam ātma-nivedanam

(SB 7.5.23)

Vandanam. Prayer means vandanam. So this is also service. Either you take all the nine different items, or you take some of them, or at least one of them, then you will make progress in spiritual life. So some of them offer prayers, just like Christians, Muhammadans, they offer prayer. So it is as good as the Hindus give service in the temple, decorates the Deity, cleanses the temple and offers food. In this way they are engaged. This is called arcanam. Arcanam is also devotional service as well as offering prayer. So by this devotional service one makes progress in spiritual life, and when he is sincere in his service, then God is within him, He takes charge of him and gives him instruction how quickly and swiftly he can approach God. So this is fact. Our... He is not hankering after our service. He is complete in Himself. He doesn't require anyone's service. But if we offer service to Him, then we become purified, and... (break) ...complete purification. We can talk with God, we can see God, we can take His instruction, as Arjuna is talking with God, personally taking His instruction and acting according to His instruction.

Philosophy Discussion on Arthur Schopenhauer:

Prabhupāda: Those who are ignorant and materially covered, they sleep more. Those who are spiritually enlightened, they sleep less. Sleep is the necessity of the body, not of the soul. So those who are advanced in the platform of spiritual identity, they do not require sleeping, as we find from the life of Rūpa Gosvāmī. Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau **: they conquered over sleeping, eating, mating. That is spiritual life. To sleep is waste of time, so those who are actually interested in spiritual life, they adjust life in such a way that almost they sleep nil.

Hayagrīva: Arjuna was praised as Gudakesa?

Prabhupāda: Guḍākeśa, who has conquered over sleeping.

Hayagrīva: It appears that Schopenhauer recommends about eight hours of sleep a night, and Kṛṣṇa says not too much or too little. But what is recommended in terms of sleep, just concretely?

Prabhupāda: Sleep should be avoided, but that is not possible. Therefore it should be adjusted to the minimum. Just like Gosvāmīs, they are sleeping not less, not more than two hours. Even we hear about some karmī, just like Napoleon, he was also not sleeping. He was taking rest on the back of the horse. I do not know whether it is so.

Hayagrīva: Yes.

Prabhupāda: But I know about Gandhi. He was sleeping when he is parking his car, because he was so busy.

Hayagrīva: (laughing) He gives some examples of men, of philosophers who slept a great deal. Maybe because they speculated so hard they had to sleep more.

Philosophy Discussion on Ludwig Wittgenstein:

Śyāmasundara: Something which satisfies God's senses, that is real good.

Prabhupāda: That is absolute.

Śyāmasundara: So even words, if they are used to satisfy God...

Prabhupāda: That is good. Anything that satisfies God, that is good. Just like Arjuna was thinking fighting is bad, but when he understood that this fighting will be utilized for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction, therefore it is good. So how the same bad thing becomes good? Because it satisfies Kṛṣṇa. So anything which satisfies Kṛṣṇa, that is good. Anything which does not satisfy Kṛṣṇa, that is bad.

Śyāmasundara: His final statement was that philosophy must describe the actual uses of language, never interfere with it, in order to achieve clarification. In other words...

Prabhupāda: This is clear clarification, that God is the Supreme, God is all-good; therefore what satisfies God, that is good. What will satisfy God, that is nice.

Śyāmasundara: So our philosophy describes the actual uses of words. There may be the word good and several...

Prabhupāda: Otherwise why you are chanting the words Hare Kṛṣṇa? There are also words.

Śyāmasundara: There may be ten philosophies, and each one will purport this same word good differently. But real philosophy is (indistinct).

Prabhupāda: Absolute good means to satisfy God.

Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:

Prabhupāda: That, that means he has no clear conception of God, because God has to take power from some parliament. God does not take power from anyone. He is God. That is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataḥ ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ svarāṭ (SB 1.1.1), that the Supreme, God, or Supreme Truth, Brahman, He knows everything. He knows everything in details. And wherefrom? Abhijñaḥ. He is, abhijñaḥ means completely in awareness. Then the question may be raised that "How He got this complete knowledge? From whom He received?" The answer is immediate, svarāṭ. Svarāṭ means independent. That is God. If one has to take knowledge from Mr. Freud, then he is not God. Anyone, if you come to that person that He is independent, parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate svābhāvikī (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport), naturally He is all-perfect. He hasn't got to become perfect by some process or from some authority. That is God. He is all-perfect automatically. That is God. So anyone who is trying to be perfect, he is not God. One who is... That, that, that is in the history, we find in the history of life of Kṛṣṇa. When He was three-months-old child He, He could kill big giant like Pūtanā. That is automatic. Either He is child or He is a young man or He is old man, the godly power is there. The nowadays these so-called yogis, they are becoming God by meditation, but the three-months-old child in the lap of His mother, how He became God? The God is God always. He hasn't got to learn it from anyone. That is His svarāṭ, independent. So these people have no conception of God; therefore they are simply speculating and misleading persons. God is not the subject matter of speculation. We, if we want to know God, then we must know it from God Himself or a person who knows Him. That is the direction in the Bhagavad-gītā:

tad viddhi praṇipātena

paripraśnena sevayā

upadekṣyanti tad jñānaṁ

jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

(BG 4.34)

Tattva-darśinaḥ, one who has learned about God as fact, as you see eye to eye and you believe it. Similarly, one who has seen God eye to eye, you have to let..., get lessons of God from him. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna is talking with God. So if you have to understand God, then understand how Arjuna has taken his instruction from God and what he's understood. So Arjuna says, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, puruṣaṁ śāśvatam ādyam (BG 10.12). So we have to take lesson from Arjuna not from Mr. Freud, who has no knowledge of God. That is the way.

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Prabhupāda: Kariṣye vacanaṁ tava: (BG 18.73) "Now I simply act and do whatever You say, that's all." That is perfection. He is perfect. Everything is there.

Hayagrīva: Concerning God and the individual soul, he writes...

Prabhupāda: Now here is the perfection. Kṛṣṇa is speaking; individual soul, Arjuna, is hearing. So hearing, hearing, when he comes to the conclusion that "My all illusion is now over by Your mercy. Now I am fixed up in my original position." And what is that original position? Kariṣye vacanaṁ tava: (BG 18.73) "Whatever You say, I shall do. The Bhagavad-gītā began from the point that Kṛṣṇa said to Arjuna, "You fight," and he denied to fight. He put so many pleas, that "How can I fight with them?" and so on, so on, so on, so on, so on. This whole discussion was made. Now at the end he says, "Now my mohaḥ, illusion, is over. I am situated in my own original constitutional position." What is that? Kariṣye vacanaṁ tava: (BG 18.73) "Whatever You say, I shall do, that's all. That's my position." That conclusive platform, that we shall simply execute the orders of Kṛṣṇa, that is perfect. (break)

Hayagrīva: This is continuation of Jung. Jung noted that there are five types of rebirths, not he that particularly ascribed to them, but that he noted that in religions that there are five types of rebirth. One is called metempsychosis. He says, "According to this view, one's life is prolonged in time by passing through different bodily existences, or from another point of view it is a life sequence interrupted by different reincarnations. It is by no means certain whether continuity of personality is guaranteed or not. There may only be a continuity of karma." So this is like a transmigration of souls.

Prabhupāda: Yes. What is the technical name?

Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:

Prabhupāda: Yes. I can take it in this sense. If the Communist idea is spiritualized. So long the Communist idea will remain materialized, it is not final. We have got Communistic idea. Just like we believe... They believe that the state is the owner; we believe God is the owner. So this state is a small state, Russian state. They can be satisfied, but because it is wrong application... State is not the owner. Real owner is God. So from state, when they come to the conclusion, "Not the state but God is owner," then their Communistic idea will be fulfilled. And as they say that everything must be done for the state, we are actually teaching perfect Communism. We are teaching that Kṛṣṇa is the owner. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the supreme enjoyer. Everything is..." Just like in our society we are doing everything for Kṛṣṇa because we know Kṛṣṇa is the enjoyer. Sarva-loka-maheś... He is the proprietor. So this Communistic idea is vague, but it can be perfected when they come to the conclusion, according to the Bhagavad-gītā, that Kṛṣṇa is the supreme proprietor; He is the supreme enjoyer; He is the supreme friend of everyone. Then the people will be happy: "Oh, we have got a friend like Kṛṣṇa." Just like Arjuna was certain that "Kṛṣṇa is my charioteer. Oh, I am victorious." And it is confirmed, yatra yogeśvaraḥ kṛṣṇaḥ: (BG 18.78) "Where Yogeśvara, Kṛṣṇa, is there," yatra pārtho dhanur-dharaḥ, tatra śrīr vijayo, "there victory and everything is there." So this is an idea. This idea can be welcomed provided they are prepared to replace the so-called state by God. Then it is...

Śyāmasundara: Well, that's pretty unlikely because they consider that reality is composed of what appears to our senses.

Prabhupāda: That is not reality. Then why there is revolution? If it is reality, then why it is being changed? So in this material world there is a vague idea, reality. Nothing reality. Everything false. Śaṅkarācārya therefore says, jagat mithyā: "It is false." There is no reality. What is reality? What is definition of reality?

Philosophy Discussion on Plato:

Prabhupāda: One king, by the grace of Lord Śiva, he got information in the Himalaya some spot of gold, so he hugely manufactured gold utensils. And the yajña, everything is gold, and the brāhmaṇas are given gold plates and gold. And they, in those days brāhmaṇas are not greedy, so they thought, "Who carries this weight? Throw it. It is bothersome." The king thought that "I am giving a very valuable, contributing charity," but they thought that "What is this utensils? I have to carry this. Throw it." So they are stacked up. So when Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira finished his whole treasury on account of the war and he wanted to perform yajña, he asked Arjuna, "You bring some money somewhere." So Arjuna was little perplexed. Kṛṣṇa gave him this information: "You go there. There is stack of gold utensils you can bring." So when he brought it, his name was Dhanañjaya, "conquering over wealth." There are so many gold peaks, gold mines. Who cares for that? Those who are materialistic person, they will give some man, and those who are Kṛṣṇa conscious, they will see, "What I have to do with all gold? I require some money for making propagation. Otherwise what is the use of stacking gold? There is no use."

Hayagrīva: Plato believes that at death there is an end of the sensory life of the individual—his thoughts, his perceptions and experiences—and the individual then returns to the ideal world from which he came.

Philosophy Discussion on Plato:

Prabhupāda: That is from Vedic same. As soon as there is instruction there is form. As Kṛṣṇa is giving instruction, He is always saying "I," "you," like that, it is personal. He says Arjuna, "You," and He says Himself, "I." So Arjuna is also form and Kṛṣṇa is also form, and Kṛṣṇa also says that "Both you, Me, and all these living entities, kings and soldiers who are assembled here, they existed in the past, they are existing now, and they will continue to exist." So you can understand that "In the present I am in form, so I existed in the past in form and I shall continue to exist in the future as form. So where is formless?" From my present position I can understand my past and future. So Kṛṣṇa says that we existed in the past. So we existing now, now I mean to say, continuing. He never said that "In the past we were formless; now we have got form." This is not stated there. Rather, He condemns, that avyaktaṁ vyaktim āpannam manyante mām abuddhayaḥ (BG 7.24): "In the past I was formless, impersonal, and now I am a person," that is Māyāvādī thought, that when God takes the form, He takes the form of māyā. So they have been condemned as abuddhayaḥ, no intelligence. Avyaktaṁ vyaktiṁ āpannaṁ manyante mām abuddhayaḥ (BG 7.24). Those who have less intelligence, they think like that, that "God was formerly formless, now He is talking in form, that means He has accepted the body of māyā." This is called Māyāvāda philosophy.

Hayagrīva: Concerning education, he says, "We must conclude that education is not what it is said to be by some who profess to put knowledge into a soul which does not possess it, as if they can put sight into blind eyes. On the contrary, our own account signifies that the soul of every man does possess the power of learning the truth and the organ to see it with, and that just as one might have to turn the whole body around in order that the eye should see light instead of darkness, so the entire soul must be turned away from this changing world until its eye can bear to contemplate reality and that supreme splendor which we have called good. Hence there may well be an art whose aim would be to effect this very thing, the conversion of the soul, in the readiest way, not to put the power of sight into the soul's eye, which already has it, but to insure that instead of looking in the wrong direction, it is turned the way it ought to be.

Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Hobbes:

Hayagrīva: Spirit corporeal.

Prabhupāda: Well why invisible?

Hayagrīva: Invisible.

Prabhupāda: Why? Invisible...

Hayagrīva: Invisible...

Prabhupāda: When Kṛṣṇa says, Kṛṣṇa came, He was visible, and Arjuna was talking with Him face to face. So why is unvisible? If He likes, that is His..., that depends on His good will. He becomes visible to a competent or perfect person. He is visible. Just like Arjuna was talking with God, not only visible, was talking face to face. He was asking question, and Kṛṣṇa was answering. So one has to become qualified like Arjuna to..., then he will see Kṛṣṇa, or God, and he will talk with Him, he will get direct instruction. There is no difficulty. So He is not visible to the imperfect person, but He is visible to the perfect person. But He is not at all invisible.

Hayagrīva: Well, that's all on Hobbes. (end)

Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Henry Huxley:

Prabhupāda: No. Therefore that is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, yajña-arthāt karma. Only for yajña or Kṛṣṇa you should work. Yajña-arthāt karma, anyatra karma-bandhanaḥ. Otherwise you are entangled. This is freedom, to work for Kṛṣṇa; then you are not under entanglement. This is..., there are many practical examples. Just that a soldier, he is killing, his business is killing, and the more he kills he gets recognition. But as soon as he kills one man on his own account, he is murderer. Just like when... The soldier's business is to kill, and so long he is killing for the satisfaction of his state, of the government, he is getting recognition medals. The same soldier, as soon as he kills one man for his own sense satisfaction, he is a murderer, he is to be hanged. This is the karma-bandhanaḥ. The business the same—killing. But one killing is on the order of the state and one killing is for his sense gratification. So killing business is the same, but the position is different. Similarly, when you act for Kṛṣṇa, that is not karma-bandhanaḥ; that is freedom. And when you act for yourself, that is karma-bandhanaḥ. That is the teaching of Bhagavad-gītā throughout. Arjuna was thinking, "Killing, and suffer the sinful activities," because he was thinking on account of himself. But when he understood that "I am induced to kill on behalf of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wants this fight," then he accepted Kṛṣṇa's proposal. That is not karma-bandhanaḥ. That is not killing. One has to understand this.

Philosophy Discussion on Samuel Alexander:

Hayagrīva: "God is an individual being just as man or any other finite is..."

Prabhupāda: And now he is coming to that.

Hayagrīva: "...only that He is infinite."

Prabhupāda: He is, He is person, but He is not a person like us. But sometimes, due to our poor fund of knowledge... That is explained, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). "These rascal, because I am here talking with Arjuna just like a human being, they are thinking that I am also a human being." No. He is infinite, Arjuna is finite. That is explained in the Fourth Chapter also, that "Arjuna, you are doubtful how I can remember that I spoke this philosophy to sun-god some millions of years ago." Naturally a finite man cannot remember how one can remember. "That is the difference between you and Me, that I know everything; you forget. So although you are living being eternal, I am also living being eternal, that is the difference between you and Me."

Hayagrīva: He says, "God's body is not spaceless nor timeless, for it is space/time itself."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Everything emanates from Him, so there is nothing separate from God. God includes everything. That is the conception of God. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Everything has emanated from Him.

Hayagrīva: This is the final point. He says, "Concerning the existence of the evil..."

Prabhupāda: This description is very nice.

Hayagrīva: The description on the...?

Prabhupāda: The last description.

Purports to Songs

Purport to Parama Koruna -- Los Angeles, January 16, 1969:

Then he recommends, bhajo bhajo bhāi, caitanya nitāi. "My dear brother, just try to worship these two Lords, Caitanya and Nityānanda," sudṛḍha viśvāsa kori', "with faith and conviction." One should have faith in the words of Lord Caitanya. Lord Caitanya says that "Go on chanting. Simply by chanting, one will get all perfection of life." So this is a fact. Unless we take to chanting, we cannot realize it, but those who are chanting, they are realizing that they're getting all desired perfection of life very quickly. So we should chant this mantra with faith and conviction. But the only qualification required in this connection, he says, viṣaya chāḍiyā, se rase majiyā, mukhe bolo hari hari. We have to chant with faith and conviction at the same time we should take care, we should be guarding against sense enjoyment. Viṣaya chāḍiyā, viṣaya means sense enjoyment. And chāḍiyā means give up. One should give up sense enjoyment. Of course, in this materialistic life we have got our senses and we are practiced to use them. We cannot stop it. But there is no question of stopping, but regulating it. Just like we want to eat. Viṣaya means eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. So these things are not forbidden altogether. But they're adjusted just to make it favorable for executing my Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So we should not take... Just like eating. We should not eat just to satisfy the taste. We should eat only just to keep ourself fit for executing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So eating is not stopped, but it is regulated favorably. Similarly, mating. Mating is also not stopped. But the regulative principle is that you should marry and you should have sex life only for begetting children Kṛṣṇa conscious. Otherwise don't do it. So everything is regulated. There is no question of stopping defense also. Arjuna was fighting, defending, under the order of Kṛṣṇa. So everything is there. Nothing stop. Simply it is adjusted for executing our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Viṣaya chāḍiyā. We should not accept these viṣaya, these four principles of bodily demands, namely eating, sleeping, mating, and defending, for sense gratification. No. The politicians, they fight for sense gratification.