The Lord, the Supreme Lord, He is called īśvara. Īśvara means controller, and jīva, the living entities are... Jīvas, the living entities, they are not īśvara, or the controller. They are controlled. Artificially, if I say that "I am not controlled, I am free," this is not the sign of a sane man. A living being is controlled in every respect. At least, in his conditioned life he is controlled.
Artificially (Lectures, BG)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Introduction to Gitopanisad (Earliest Recording of Srila Prabhupada in the Bhaktivedanta Archives):
Nirmāna means we are after designations. Artificially we want some designations. Somebody wants to become sir, somebody wants to become lord, somebody wants to become the president, or somebody wants to become a rich man, somebody wants to become something else, king. All these designations, so long we'll have attachment for all these designations... Because after all these designations belong to the body, and we are not this body. This is the first conception of spiritual realization.
Introduction to Bhagavad-gita As It Is -- Los Angeles, November 23, 1968 :
That spiritual energy is Rādhārāṇī. You have to become under the control. That, I'll give you one concrete example. Just like a person is always under the control of government as citizen. When he is outlaw, he is under the criminal law, and who is law-abiding, he is under civil law. He cannot say that "I cannot remain within the law of the government." He has to. That is his position. Artificially he may deny, but he will be forced. Similarly, our position is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. And as part and parcel we have to render service. If we voluntarily render service, out of love, that is spiritual energy. And we are forced to render service under pressure, that is material energy. In the material energy we are forced. Who wants to become... Suppose you are American. If somebody says, "Would you like to become a dog next life?", would you like? Anybody would like? What do you think? (laughter) But according to his work, he will be forced to accept. There is no saying, "No, no. I don't like this sort of life." No. He will be forced. That is material energy. Forced, just like criminal law. "Oh, you have to go to the prison." "I don't want." You will be forced. "I don't want." He will be arrested, immediately. There is sufficient power. There is police, thre is military, there is so many things. You cannot say no.
Lecture on BG 1.13-14 -- London, July 14, 1973:
She is woman. Similarly, we are puruṣa in the sense that we are trying to imitate the supreme puruṣa, Puruṣottama. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme enjoyer. We are trying to become imitation Kṛṣṇa. Just like so many rascals, they declare that "God, I am God." That is the last snare, Māyāvāda. First of all we try to become enjoyer like the head of the family man or a minister or this and that, so many. Everyone is trying to become head, enjoyer. And at last, being baffled in every respect, he wants to become God. This is the last snare of māyā. Nobody can become God. He is Puruṣottama and we are prakṛtis. Artificially, how we can become enjoyer? Prakṛti means enjoyed. Enjoyer and... Predominator and the predominated.
Lecture on BG 1.13-14 -- London, July 14, 1973:
They pose them as so 'ham. So 'ham "I am the same." How you can be same? In the śāstra it is said that "You living entity, you are prakṛti." How you can become same, you puruṣa. This is mistake. How prakṛti, how a woman can become man? Artificially one can become. Here also so-called woman, they are also puruṣa. They are thinking puruṣa. Puruṣa means enjoyer. Here woman is also thinking to enjoy, and the so-called man is also thinking to enjoy. Everyone. Nobody wants to serve. Everyone wants to be served. Puruṣa attitude. Everyone wants to be served. Nobody wants to serve. This is the material conception of life.
Lecture on BG 1.13-14 -- London, July 14, 1973:
So when we agree to serve, not to be served, that is liberated person. When we agree to serve only, not to be served. Not to accept service from others, but to serve others—that is real liberation. But here the material disease is that everyone is making plan "How others will serve me." This is called māyā. This is called māyā. Māyā means that artificially we want to be served. That is not possible. When we agree to serve... As Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given us the path of liberation, jīvera svarūpa hoy nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa, this is our position. We are eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on BG 1.13-14 -- London, July 14, 1973:
So when we engage ourself in the service of Kṛṣṇa... The whole Bhagavad-gītā is spoken on this basis. Arjuna was artificially declining to serve Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wanted him to fight, and Arjuna was putting so many reasons, "How he could fight and kill the other side who are his kinsmen, who are nephews, who are brothers, grandfather?" This argument were being put. So that means he refused to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is material condition. He was thinking in his own terms. He wanted to enjoy the family members, the so-called nephews, brothers, that "If they are killed, then what is the use of my, this kingdom?" (break) ...but people thinks that I get kingdom I enjoy myself. That is condition. But a liberated soul will take the kingdom, but it will be used for Kṛṣṇa's service. That is liberated, soul.
In this way we should try to understand, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's name, Kṛṣṇa's fame, Kṛṣṇa's associates, Kṛṣṇa's activities, all divyam, transcendental. They are not material. Therefore it is mentioned here, divyau śaṅkhau pradadhmatuḥ (BG 1.14). Divyau śaṅkhau. The śaṅkha used by Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, they are not ordinary śaṅkha. Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)
Lecture on BG 1.21-22 -- London, July 18, 1973:
Kṛṣṇa says that "I appear when there is discrepancies in the, I mean to say, occupational duties of the living entities." Dharmasya glānir bhavati. We don't translate dharma as "religion." Religion in the English dictionary, it is "a kind of faith." Faith can be changed. But dharma is a word which cannot be changed. If it is changed, it is to be understood artificial. Just like the water. Water is liquid, everyone knows. But sometimes water becomes hard, very hard, ice. So that is not the natural position of water. Artificially, on account of excessive cold or by artificial means the water becomes solid. But the real position of water is liquidity.
Lecture on BG 1.21-22 -- London, July 18, 1973:
Therefore a conditioned soul, fallen conditioned soul, is struggling for existence. He is trying to be enjoyer, he is trying to be proprietor. That is his artificial way of life. Just like if a woman wants to become a man, that is her artificial position. She may dress herself as a man, just like in the western countries sometimes we see woman is artificially dressing like man, with hat, coat, man, riding on horse. That is artificial. So similarly, our position here in this material world is artificial. We are trying to imitate a man.
Actually the living entities are described in the Bhagavad-gītā, prakṛti. Prakṛti means woman. And puruṣa means man. So the living entities are never described as puruṣa. Puruṣa is Kṛṣṇa. Puruṣa śāśvata. When Arjuna said, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, puruṣaṁ śāśvatam adyam... (BG 10.12). Puruṣaṁ śāśvatam. Kṛṣṇa is always puruṣa. God cannot be female. God is always male, puruṣa. And we are prakṛti. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtim parā (BG 7.5).
Lecture on BG 1.43 -- London, July 30, 1973:
But if you are a Vaiṣṇava, if you have this vow that "I shall not allow my tongue to eat anything except prasādam," it is already controlled. That means, to control the senses means to engage the senses in the service of the Lord. This is control. Otherwise, by force... Just like the yogis, they try artificially by some gymnastic. That may be possible for some time, but it is... There are many instances, it became... (break) Because by force they cannot control the senses. That is not possible. You must give better engagement. (break) By force, if you think that "I shall control my tongue, I shall control my eyes, I shall control my genital, I shall control my belly." Artificial. That may be possible for some time. But they are so strong, the senses are so strong, artificially it cannot be stopped. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā... (break)... stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. You give the senses better engagement. Then you can control. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir uttamā. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena... (CC Madhya 19.170). (break) You have to purify the senses. How? By engaging the senses in the ser... (break)... tat paratvena. (break) Then you will be able to purify the senses, and with purified senses, when you are engaged in the service of the Supreme, that is called bhakti.
Lecture on BG 1.44 -- London, July 31, 1973:
They do not know. They think, "Now, Kṛṣṇa is engaging Arjuna to fight. Oh, it is immoral. Why Kṛṣṇa should engage Arjuna in the fighting business?" So therefore... Or "Why Kṛṣṇa is engaged in dancing with the gopīs? They are wives and sister of other men. It is sinful." If we enjoy with others' wife or others' daughter or others' sister, who is not bona fide my wife, if I want to enjoy life, that illicit sex... Kṛṣṇa is not doing that. But artificially, those who have nonsense, they see that "Kṛṣṇa is dancing at dead of night with others' daughters and girls. Therefore He is immoral." But that means he does not know what is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa can do anything. Tejīyasaṁ na doṣāya. Tejīyasaṁ na doṣāya (SB 10.33.29). Just like the sun is very powerful. As you see in this material world, a sun, a material thing, and it is very powerful, but the sun is soaking water, taking water from the sea as well as from filthy place. So he is also evaporating water from urine also. In filthy place, sewer ditches, he is evaporating water, as well as from the sea. But does it mean by evaporating water from the sewer ditch and urine, the sun is becoming polluted? No. Rather, he is turning that place, what is called, prophylactic, antiseptic, by his sunshine. Similarly, even though somebody comes to Kṛṣṇa with some purpose which is not moral, but the man or woman who comes there, he becomes, he or she becomes purified. And Kṛṣṇa does not become immoral. This science has to be known by the rascals before calling Kṛṣṇa immoral.
Lecture on BG 2.2-6 -- Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972:
So if actually you want to make classless society, then you have to accept this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. There is no other way. If you make artificially classless society, it will never be effective. The Communists are trying to make classless society. That classless society can be formed on spiritual platform, not on the material platform. This will be artificial. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). When one is actually advanced in knowledge... Advanced with knowledge means one should understand that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, or God." That is advancement of knowledge. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am not this body, I am spirit soul. And Kṛṣṇa is the supreme soul. I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa." Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). Simply by understanding that "I am spirit soul, I am Brahman," will not help us. You must act like Brahman. Then it will be... Janma, guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). There must be realization; that is guṇa. At the same time, there must be practical work. That is Vedic civilization.
Lecture on BG 2.11 (with Spanish translator) -- Mexico, February 11, 1975:
So this śraddhā has to be developed further, and to develop this śraddhā, or faith, one has to associate with persons who are keeping with this faith. Therefore it is said, ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ: (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15) "First of all faith, then to associate with persons who are devotees and faithful..." In this way, when further development is done, then atha bhajana-kriyā, means the learning the process of devotional service. (break) ...gambling, no meat-eating. These are not wanted. In the beginning of life nobody smokes or nobody becomes intoxicated. It is learned by bad association. Similarly, it can be given up by good association. They are called anarthas. Anartha means unwanted bad habits. So when we are children, innocent, we have no bad habits, but as we grow and associate with bad company, we also acquire all these bad habits. So to give up all these bad habits means we have to associate with sādhus or devotees, saintly persons. Then we can give it up. This is called anartha-nivṛtti, means giving up all unwanted bad habits. These things are not wanted. Nobody dies if he does not smoke or drink. Nobody dies. So artificially we learn it, so by good association we can give it up. So when we are purified out of all the bad habits, then we become fixed up in spiritual knowledge. So in this way we make advance in spiritual life, and at the last stage we become lover of God. This is the process, and one who teaches this process, he is guru. This is the definition of guru.
Lecture on BG 2.11 -- Rotary Club Address -- Hotel Imperial, Delhi, March 25, 1976:
"My dear Arjuna, you are talking like a very learned man, but the subject matter which you have touched is not at all taken seriously by the paṇḍita." Paṇḍita means learned man. That means, "You are talking like a fool. You are taking this body as self." So actually this is not the fact. The body is not the self. The self is different. If you analyze this body, what you will find? Suppose we are breathing. What is this breathing? It is air only. Now, when the breathing is stopped, a man is dead. Now, you are so much advanced in science. Why don't you replace this breathing? It is nothing but air. So you can manufacture some machine working in electric battery and put some air and fix up, and that same air will come: "Woosh, woosh, woosh, woosh. "Will that give you life? No. Even if you artificially bring breathing, just like nowadays they, with oxygen gas, as if oxygen gas is life... That is not the fact. So if you analyze every part of the body, then you will find that there is no life. This is called education. This is called scientific knowledge. Simply abruptly taking something without any proper understanding, that is not knowledge.
Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Hyderabad, November 18, 1972:
That is the struggle for existence. Everyone is trying: "I shall become the master. I shall become the Supreme." But our position is servant. So this is called illusion. I am not master. I am servant. But I am trying to become master artificially. That is struggle for existence. And mukti means, liberation means, when you give up this wrong idea that "I am master," and try to become the servant of the Supreme. That is called liberation. Liberation does not mean that after liberation we'll have a big, gigantic form or so many hands, so many legs. Liberation means to become liberated from the wrong consciousness. That is liberation. The wrong consciousness is that "I am master." So we have to change this consciousness. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. One has to understand thoroughly that he's not master. He's servant. He's completely dependent on the supreme will. If we do not surrender unto the supreme will, then we have to surrender unto the will of māyā.
Lecture on BG 2.20 -- Hyderabad, November 25, 1972:
Just like these boys, these American and European boys, they came, first of all, to hear me. By hearing, hearing, now the Kṛṣṇa consciousness is awakened, and they have taken seriously to Kṛṣṇa devotion (break) ...or Africa or India. Everyone has got Kṛṣṇa consciousness within. Our process, the saṅkīrtana movement, is to awaken that consciousness. That's all. Just like one man is sleeping. To awake him: "Get up! Get up!" Uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya varān nibodhata. So this is our process. It's not that artificially we are making somebody Kṛṣṇa conscious. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is there already. That is a birthright of every living entity. Kṛṣṇa says, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). Just like father and the son. There cannot be any separation. But sometimes it happens that the son goes out of home, by some chance, or from childhood. He forgets who is his father. That is a different thing. But the relationship between father and son is never broken.
Lecture on BG 2.23 -- Hyderabad, November 27, 1972:
In the Vedas it is said this living entity is always without any touch with this material world. It is simply a covering. It is not in touch. Just like my body, the present, this body, although it is covered by the shirt and the coat, it is not attached. It is not mixed up. The body keeps always separate. Similarly, the soul always keeps separate from this material covering. It is simply on account of various plans and desires that he's making for lording over this material nature. Everyone can see. The, every living being is trying to lord it over the material nature. That is his disease. He wants to lord it. He's servant, but artificially, he wants to become Lord. That is the disease. Everyone... Ultimately, when he fails to lord it over the material world, he says, "Oh, this material world is false. Now I shall become one with the Supreme." Brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. But because the spirit soul is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, so by nature, he is joyful. He is seeking after joy. Every one of us, we are working so hard to find out some pleasure of life.
Lecture on BG 2.25 -- Hyderabad, November 29, 1972:
That is possible. How? Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). You simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa will arrange that you are no more under māyā. Simple process. You just become, as Kṛṣṇa demands, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is sanātana-dharma. Because we are, after all, servant of Kṛṣṇa, but artificially we are trying to become master of this material..., of this world. We are therefore sent here. Just like those who are revolutionary, do not care for the state laws, they are sometimes killed or sometimes put into the prison house. That means those who are not voluntarily surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, they are put into the prison house. They are forced to surrender. Forced to surrender. They'll be forced. Just like you cannot become... You are not free, either outside the prison house or inside the prison house. But when you think that you have become free... Vimukta-māninaḥ. Vimukta-māninaḥ, falsely thinking that "I have now become liberated." Aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). But the intelligence is not very clear. This is last snare of māyā.
Lecture on BG 2.40-45 -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1968:
Samādhi. The yoga process is to achieve the stage of samādhi. That means the mind being fixed upon the Supreme. But if our mind is... Nature of mind is always agitated, and if we artificially give impetus to the mind to be more agitated, then where is the question of samādhi? There is no question of samādhi. They'll never be able to concentrate the mind. That is not possible. So in this age no process will be successful. Simply this process, this chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Anyone, it doesn't matter, in whatever condition he is, as soon as he'll hear Hare Kṛṣṇa, he'll immediately join. His mind will be attracted immediately. Simplest process. Vibration. There is no question of time to practice some breathing exercise, some sitting posture, because these things are not possible in this age. Simply we invite you to come here and simply join this chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, and very quickly you'll be spiritually advanced. This is a fact. Otherwise there is no second alternative. Go on.
Lecture on BG 2.46-47 -- New York, March 28, 1966:
Now, to keep myself fixed up in that conviction, we require to work for it. Otherwise, as I was explaining to you, just like a child, a boy, he is, I mean to say, very much addicted to play. But if you want to give him... If you want to stop his mischievous activities and if you want to stop him, then you must give him some good engagement. If you simply stop the child that "Don't play," by threatening or by some other way, you can stop him artificially for some time, but as soon as he gets opportunity he will again play. So you must engage him with some good task so that he may have attraction and he may be engaged in that good task so that he may not spoil or waste his time by playing or by mischievous activity. Similarly, consciousness is active.
Lecture on BG 2.55-56 -- New York, April 19, 1966:
Just like, I'll give you one example. A naughty boy, creating some mischievous things. The father calls him, "My dear boy, can you do this?" "Yes, father, I can do it." So he turns his attention from that mischief-making to something good. Because they want to be active. Children, they want to be active. You cannot stop them. You cannot say that "Stop and sit down here." How he can...? Artificially, you can do. By the fear of the father or the mother, he can sit down for a moment. But that is not possible. That is not possible. You must give him some engagement, good engagement. I, I have got my personal experience. My eldest son, when he was about two years old, very much naughty, always doing some mischief. So my friends who used to visit me, he would call my son. His name was Paccha(?). "Paccha, if you sit down for one minute silently, I'll give you this thing." So the boy failed. He could not sit down, even for one minute. So that is not possible. This is the nature. How can you stop your consciousness working? That is not possible.
Lecture on BG 2.58-59 -- New York, April 27, 1966:
Activities cannot be stopped. Activities cannot be stopped. Just the same example, that the Arjuna... Rather, before hearing Bhagavad-gītā, he became inactive, not to fight. But after hearing Bhagavad-gītā, he became more active, but transcendentally active. So spiritual life, or transcendental life, does not mean that we are free from activity. Simply artificially, if we sit down, "Oh, no more I shall do anything material. I shall simply meditate," oh, what meditation you will do? Your meditation will be in a moment broken just like even Viśvāmitra Muni, he could not continue his meditation. We have to always, cent percent, be engaged in spiritual activities. That should be the program of our life. Rather, in spiritual life you will hardly find any time to get out of it. You have got so much engagement. Rasa-varjam. And that engagement can only be possible when you find some transcendental pleasure in it.
Lecture on BG 2.59-69 -- New York, April 29, 1966:
Last day I cited one example that a great yogi just like Viśvāmitra, he practiced yoga and he rose to the highest platform, but still, he failed to control his senses. He came in contact with Menakā, a society woman of the heaven, and Śakuntalā was born. So here Bhagavad-gītā says that viṣayā vinivartante nirāhārasya dehinaḥ. There are some rules and regulation for drying up our sensual activities, artificially drying up. Just like "You are not to eat more than once. You are not to do this. You are not to do this." So many negative points. Just like a diseased fellow. A diseased fellow is advised by the physician to refrain from so many things. Similarly, there are rules and regulation for controlling the mind, for restraining the senses. There are so many rules and regulation, but still, those regulations, those restrictive regulation, may also fail. There are so many instances.
Lecture on BG 2.59-69 -- New York, April 29, 1966:
So this process is so perfect. The other process of restraining the senses from enjoyment, that is forced, but that forceful enjoyment may not stand. It may fail sometimes. But this process, having dovetailed oneself in the transcendental loving service of the Supreme Lord, one becomes completely detached from all these viṣayā. Viṣayā means eating, sleeping, defending and mating. Yatato hy api kaunteya puruṣasya, puruṣasya vipaścitaḥ, indriyāṇi pramāthīni haranti prasabhaṁ manaḥ. Our mind is so strong and so uncontrolled that even though we artificially try to control our senses, still, sometimes, at a certain period, we fail. Just like Viśvāmitra Muni failed. Yatato hy api kaunteya puruṣasya vipaścitaḥ. Vipaścitaḥ means a very learned man, very learned man, and still trying, not ordinary man, but learned man, trying to control his senses. Yatato hy api kaunteya puruṣasya vipaścitaḥ, indriyāṇi pramā... But the senses are so strong that at certain point it fails even by the attempt of a very learned scholar who knows everything. Therefore in social, social, I mean to say, engagement, according to Vedic injunction, especially for the brahmacārīs, especially for the brahma... Not only brahmacārīs. Brahmacārī means student life, and other three orders of life means vānaprastha, retired life, and sannyāsa life, these three orders of life are restricted from associating with women.
Lecture on BG 2.62-72 -- Los Angeles, December 19, 1968:
Everyone in this material world, they are after peace, but they don't want to control the senses. It is not possible. Just like you are diseased, and doctor says that "You take this medicine, you take this diet," but you cannot control. You are taking anything you like, against the instruction of the physician. Then how you can be cured? Similarly, we want cure of the chaotic condition of this material world, we want peace and prosperity, but we are not ready to control the senses. We do not know how to control the senses. We do not know the real yogic principle of controlling the senses. So there is no possibility of peace. Kutaḥ śāntir ayuktasya. The exact word is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. If you are not engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no possibility of peace. Artificially, you may try for it. It is not possible. Go on.
Lecture on BG 2.62-72 -- Los Angeles, December 19, 1968:
So anyway... Or that fried chicken. Yes. So tongue is dictating me. But if you can control your tongue, "No. I'll give you sweetballs. Don't go there." (laughter) Then you'll become master of the senses. You see? The others are trying that "Don't go there," only. That is impossible. The tongue must have something beautiful. Otherwise it is not possible. That is artificial. If the tongue, you give him something more beautiful than this fried chick or stick or this or that, it will stop. That is the policy. Our policy is that. We can give that, what is called, casein fried with rice. How nice it is. He'll forget meat-eating. So this is the policy, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. All the senses should be supplied something. Not artificially stop it. That is not possible. That is not possible. Others, they are simply trying artificially to stop the function of the senses. No. That is not possible. Our policy is tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). You can purify the activities of the senses, being engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then senses will not disturb you. If you want to control the senses, you have to control the tongue first of all. Then you will be able to control other senses very easily. So you give tongue the engagement of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, and for tasting Kṛṣṇa prasādam you'll find that your other senses are already controlled. This is the key of controlling our senses, the tongue. And if you give privilege and indulgence to the tongue, you'll never be able to control other senses. This is the secret of controlling senses. Go on.
Lecture on BG 3.1-5 -- Los Angeles, December 20, 1968:
Practically that is real silence. If you simply engage yourself in activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then automatically your activities in māyā become silent. Just like the same example I have given. Here is a glass. If you want to fill up with milk, the water will go automatically. You have to throw away the water. You cannot put the water and the milk at the same time in this glass. Similarly, if you become active in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you automatically become silent in material activities. Without any separate endeavor. It is so nice. And if you try artificially to stop, to become silent from material activities, it will not be possible. You may meditate for fifteen minutes or for fifteen hundred minutes or fifteen thousand years, it will not be possible. The mind is very strong. Mind's business is to accept and reject, accept and reject. You accept something, you reject something.
Lecture on BG 3.6-10 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1968:
Yes. This is very important thing. Yoga indriya-saṁyamya. Yoga, the definition of yoga means sense control, controlling the sense. So here Kṛṣṇa says that you cannot control your senses artificially. It is not possible. Those who are trying... Just like some of the yogis, they close their eyes, "Oh, I'll not see beautiful woman." That is another practice, but that does not mean that he can control his senses. No. You cannot curb down the natural force of sense. This is the secret. People do not know. And if you let the senses go on in its own way, that is also dangerous. Then you are going to hell. Adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisram. If your senses are not controlled, then your senses will drag you to the darkest region of hell. That is another problem.
Lecture on BG 3.6-10 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1968:
They are thinking they are advancing. What advancement you have made? These sufferings are there—birth, death, old age and disease. You cannot stop it. Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ, and even you go to this moon planet or to the highest planet, these four things will follow. So therefore sense gratification must be stopped. But if you want to stop it artificially it is impossible. Neither by this yoga process, neither by this jñāna process. Simply for the time being you can check.
Lecture on BG 3.6-10 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1968:
Just like a naughty boy. By force, you can stop him acting mischievously. But as soon as he gets opportunity, again he will act so. Similarly, senses are very strong. You cannot stop them artificially. Therefore the only remedy is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. These boys in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this is also sense gratification, eating nice prasāda, dancing, chanting, reading philosophy—but it is in connection with Kṛṣṇa. That is the significance. Nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe. It is the sense gratification of Kṛṣṇa. Not directly, but because I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, my senses are automatically satisfied. This process should be adopted. Artificially...
Lecture on BG 3.6-10 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1968:
This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is an art of living by which you will feel your senses are fully satisfied, but you are going to be free next life. This is the nice process. And artificially if you want to stop your senses, you will fail. That Kṛṣṇa says, "One who restrains the sense and organs of action but whose mind dwells on sense objects."
Just like Viśvāmitra Muni. There were many instances. He was a great king and he wanted to be yogi. And he went to forest, gave up his kingdom, went to forest. And he was meditating very seriously, and Indra, king of heaven, he sent some society girls of heavenly planet, Menakā. And she came. She began to dance before the closed-eyes yogi, and as soon as he heard, "Oh, there is very nice female voice and dancing," and as soon as he opened, he became captivated, embraced her. So everything gone. You see? So sense gratification, you cannot stop artificially. Nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe.
Lecture on BG 3.6-10 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1968:
Therefore we advised our students, either boys and girls, that if you have... Of course, if you are serious in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you forget all these nonsense sense gratification, but still if you are disturbed, all right, get yourself married. Live peacefully, husband and wife, and both be engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Gradually, you'll forget, both husband and wife. Don't try artificially. Artificially you'll never be successful. But if you can avoid it by advance and strong Kṛṣṇa consciousness...
Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura. But don't try to imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura. His stage was different. We cannot imitate. We can simply follow. Anukaraṇa, anusaraṇa, there are two Sanskrit words. One is imitation, and one who is following the footprints. If one tries to follow the footprints of great personalities, that is very nice, but we cannot imitate. Imitate. Imitation is dangerous.
Lecture on BG 3.6-10 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1968:
Yes. Instead of artificially trying to meditate and control the senses, just engage your senses in the activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and gradually you will be happy. Your senses will be controlled. Go on.
Lecture on BG 3.16-17 -- New York, May 25, 1966:
Now, how to supply the foodstuff to the body? The main source of supplying is this mouth. Now we have got several holes in this body, especially nine holes, big holes. Just like these two eyes, they are holes. The ears, they are holes. The mouth is one hole. And the evacuating process is another hole. This navel is another hole. There are nine holes in this body. Now, if somebody says that "I have to put foodstuff within the body..." Just like in medical treatment, sometimes, when one cannot take foodstuff from the mouth, foodstuff is injected from the rectum or somewhere else artificially. But that is not the system of supplying the foodstuff. The real process of supplying the foodstuff is through the mouth. If somebody says, "Oh, there are nine holes. You can put the foodstuff any hole," no, that will not do. You have to supply the foodstuff through the mouth.
Lecture on BG 3.16-17 -- New York, May 25, 1966:
You subsist by eating grains. Of course, nowadays we have invented so many artificial foodstuff. But however artificially foodstuff, however flesh and other things we may take, without grains we cannot live. The grains must be there. The wheat and the rice and the paddy and the cereals, there must be there. So real foodstuff is anna. Anna means this grain. So by eating grains we subsist. Our life prolongs by eating grains. So annād bhavanti bhūtāni parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ. And grains are produced by proper rainfall. Rainfall is the main source of producing everything of our necessities of life. Without rainfall we cannot produce anything of the necessities of life.
Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Montreal, August 24, 1968:
Therefore you have to give better engagement to the senses. That will be explained in the... It is already explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, Second Chapter, paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 2.59). Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. If you force one to stop, it is very difficult. Therefore so many yogis also failed. Just like Viśvāmitra Muni. By force, he was trying to control his senses, but as soon as the sense got opportunity, one Menakā, a heavenly society girl, came before him, he became captivated. He became captivated. These examples are there. And the child was born, Śakuntalā. You know, everyone. So he was a great yogi. He also failed because it was artificially being tried.
Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Montreal, August 24, 1968:
So when that perfection of jñāna comes, then he engages his senses. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). When your senses are purified and you engage them in the service of the Supreme Lord, Hṛṣīkeśa, the master of the senses, that is called bhakti. That is the highest perfection. So we have to engage our sense, sarvāṇīndriya-karmāṇi, by understanding, by coming to the, I mean to say, mature platform of knowledge. If you engage your senses in the Supreme, that is real controlling senses. Artificially if we want to control our senses, it is very difficult.
Lecture on BG 4.6-8 -- New York, July 20, 1966:
You cannot go beyond your nature. If you go beyond your nature, that is called māyā. Māyā means what is not. Therefore we are all servants, but here, in the material designation, we are trying to be master. Everyone is trying to be master. Therefore so much trouble of existence. If everyone becomes servant, there is no struggle. There is no struggle. Everyone becomes happy because he comes to his natural position. But here, artificially, we are trying to be the master, which I am not. That is my artificial life. Everyone is trying to predominate, to be the... He's trying to dominate over the material resources to his best. But he cannot have any domination of the material nature. Material nature is so strong that you cannot dominate it. That is impossible. So he's being crushed by the laws of material nature. Instead of becoming master, he's being crushed. So this is struggle for existence.
Lecture on BG 4.7-10 -- Los Angeles, January 6, 1969:
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is incarnation. They are teaching love of Godhead. We are not teaching some ritualistic process, that "You become Hindu. You become Christian. You become Muhammadan." We are simply teaching, "You try to love God. You have forgotten God. You have declared, 'God is dead.' These are all nonsense. God is there. You are here. You are suffering because you have forgotten God. You try to love God. Your normal life will come back. You will be happy." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
There is nothing, artificiality. So there is no question of sectarianism, that "In this temple the Christians will come" or "The Muhammadans will not come." Anyone. Because we are teaching what? Teaching love of Godhead. Either you become Christian or Muhammadan, Hindu, how you can deny God? Those who are denying God, their case is different. But one who is accepting God as the central figure in religion, how they can deny this movement? Because we are teaching love of Godhead. That's all. Go on.
Lecture on BG 4.8 -- Bombay, March 28, 1974:
Of course, there are devotees who are trying to become servant. They are trying. The devotional service means, Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to train people how to become servant of God. That is all.
Because everyone is under the impression that I am God, I am master, I am proprietor. This illusion. To dissipate this illusion and to put him into the right position, that "you are not master, you are not enjoyer, you are simply eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." If you remain in that position, then you are happy. If you artificially try to become Kṛṣṇa, that is your unhappiness. Artificial thing will never give us any pleasure. Prakṛti and puruṣa. Kṛṣṇa is the puruṣa. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, puruṣaṁ divyaṁ śāśvatam (BG 10.12). He is puruṣa, we are prakṛti. Aparā-prakṛti, parā-prakṛti.
This matter, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4)—earth, water, fire, air, sky, mind, intelligence and false ego—they're all material. That is described. And apareyam. These are inferior material nature and there is another superior nature. That is also described. Or energy. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parām, jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho (BG 7.5). We living entities, we are prakṛti. We are not puruṣa. But we are trying to become puruṣa. Suppose a woman artificially wants to become man. That is very troublesome. Similarly, actually position is prakṛti. Prakṛti means enjoyed, one who is enjoyed.
Lecture on BG 4.9 -- Montreal, June 19, 1968:
It is nothing artificial, that I am thinking, meditating, "I am the Supreme Lord and I am moving the sun, I am moving the..." These nonsense things are going on, meditation. Artificially thinking that "I am moving the sun, I am moving the moon, I am the Lord. I am the..." Simply wasting time. You just try to understand yourself that you are eternal servant of God. Then you are perfect. And you can enjoy God's property very nicely. There is no distress at all. The lower animals, birds, beasts, they are enjoying, and you human beings, you cannot enjoy? You are fighting with each other? What is this? Is that advancement? Is that civilization?
Lecture on BG 4.10 -- Bombay, March 30, 1974:
So this bhāva stage has to be attained. It is not that artificially we come to the bhāva stage. No. Vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhā man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ (BG 4.10). These are the qualifications. Kṛṣṇa is personally saying. Not all of a sudden we can understand Kṛṣṇa. Vīta-rāga. The first qualification is to be detached from... Our present qualification is we are too much attached to this material sense enjoyment. Material life means sense enjoyment. Therefore we have to reduce the sense enjoyment by tapasya. Tapasya. Sense enjoyment is not controlled all of a sudden. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa tyāgena śauca...śaucena yamena niyamena (SB 6.1.13). These are the statements. But if you take the devotional service, then everything become very easy to follow, tapasā. Brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13).
Lecture on BG 4.11 -- Bombay, March 31, 1974:
This is the process. So artificially, the Buddha philosophy or Śaṅkara philosophy, they, artificially if you want to make it nirvāṇa, zero, that is not possible. Avyaktāsakta-cetasām... Te..., kleśo 'dhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām (BG 12.5). Avyakta means zero, impersonal. If you become attached to simply making zero, or impersonal, that is not possible. Because we are accustomed. We are... As living beings, we want varieties. Variety is the mother of enjoyment. We cannot remain in the zero position.
Lecture on BG 4.11 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:
Now, in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). Actually, our position is eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. This is our real position. But artificially, we are trying to become master. This is called māyā. Actually, my position is servant.
Just like a woman. Natural position is to remain dependent on man. That is natural position. But if some woman artificially tries to become man or master, that is suffering. That is suffering. We have given this example that in India the women, they voluntarily surrender to the subjugation of the husband, but there are many families, hundreds and thousands even—they are happy. That's a fact. And in the Western countries they want to remain independent, so they are not happy. This is my study because I have seen the Western world and the Eastern world. Similarly, naturally, a woman is dependent.
Lecture on BG 4.19 -- New York, August 5, 1966:
That Kṛṣṇa consciousness is within you because you are originally, eternally the part and parcel of the Supreme. Artificially, I am trying to forget it. I am trying to live independently. That is not possible. We are not independent. If we want to live independently, that means we voluntarily become dependent on the influence of material nature. That's all. Actually, we are not independent. If I think I am independent of Kṛṣṇa, then I am dependent on the influence of material nature.
Just like, if I think that I am independent of government regulations, then I become dependent of the police force. My dependence is neither in this way or that way. So that is our mistaken. Everyone is trying to be, become independent. That is called māyā. That is called māyā, or illusion. Nobody can be independent. Individually, community-wise, society-wise, or nation-wise, you can extend even universal-wise—nobody can be independent. We are dependent. And this is called knowledge. When you come to the sense, that "I am dependent; I am not independent," this is called knowledge.
Lecture on BG 4.26 -- Bombay, April 15, 1974:
"These elements are inferior prakṛti." Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parām. There is another prakṛti. What is that? Jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat (BG 7.5). Jīva-bhūta, the living entity. The living entity is also prakṛti. We are not puruṣa. But we forget this.
Prakṛti means to be used by the puruṣa. Therefore our position is, real position is, we should be used be the Supreme Personality of Godhead, puruṣa, Puruṣottama. This is our position. But artificially we are trying to become the puruṣa. That is māyā. Instead of being utilized be the puruṣa, we are trying to become the puruṣa, to utilize the material nature. Yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat. The world is going on, the material world, because the living entities in the attitude of becoming puruṣa, they are trying to exploit the resources of this material nature. This is going on.
Lecture on BG 4.26 -- Bombay, April 15, 1974:
So that is being discussed by Kṛṣṇa. Here He is especially referring to the mystic yoga system, indriyāgniṣu juhvati, controlling the senses. So this controlling the senses... The simple method is that artificially if you want to practice yoga like Viśvāmitra Muni or Durvāsā Muni, very great... There are many big, big stories about these munis who were big, big yogis. This Durvāsā Muni traveled all over the universe and he went beyond the universe in the spiritual world. He saw Lord Viṣṇu personally. Still, he was defeated. There are many stories. Ambarīṣa Mahārāja. So these indriyas cannot be controlled. Durdāntendriya-kāla-sarpa-paṭalī. But these indriyas cannot do any harm to you if you take the poison teeth of this deadly snake, poison teeth. Indriya-kāla-sarpa-paṭalī protkhāta...
Lecture on BG 4.26 -- Bombay, April 15, 1974:
Because senses want engagement. If you artificially stop, it will not stay. For the time being, it may be appearing, but it is not possible. You cannot be desireless. Sometimes we say that "We should be desireless." That is not possible. The whole process should be purifying desire, purifying desire, mind. Mind is the source of desires. Therefore the bhakti process is first of all engage the mind. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ (SB 9.4.18). If you engage your mind, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru... (BG 18.65). This is the recommendation given by Kṛṣṇa.
So if you first of all engage your mind to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa says you become first-class yogi.
Lecture on BG 4.27 -- Bombay, April 16, 1974:
Actually, it is very difficult to control the mind. So artificially, by controlling the breathing system, there is the process, but still, it is difficult. As I explained yesterday, even a great yogi like Viśvāmitra, he also failed. There are many instances. There was another, Saubhari Muni. He was practicing yoga system within the water. And as soon as he was little agitated by the fish, he wanted to come out and marry and one king's daughter. He wanted to marry all the eight daughters. So there are many instances like that. It is very difficult to control the mind.
Lecture on BG 4.27 -- Bombay, April 16, 1974:
There is no question of stopping the activities of the senses. That will fail. The yoga system, Patañjali yoga system, is artificially stopping the activities of the senses. But that will be not very successful because the senses are so strong that as soon as it gets an opportunity, it acts immediately.
Therefore in the śāstra it is forbidden, mātrā svasrā duhitrā vā nāviviktāsano bhavet: (SB 9.19.17) "In a lonely place don't sit down even with your mother, even with your sister, or even with your daughter." Because generally our senses are not very much agitated in the present of mother, sister and daughter. But śāstra says, "Even though it is so, but don't sit down with your mother, sister and daughter in a lonely place." "Why? I am not a fool." But you are not a fool. But balavān indriya-grāmo vidvāṁsam api karṣati. The senses are so strong, even one is very, very learned, he is also agitated. We have got many instances. Old men, sixty, seventy years, he is agitated by seeing one young girl. You see? So senses are so strong. So therefore we have to engage all our senses in the service of the supreme senses. That is perfection of life. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170).
Lecture on BG 5.7-13 -- New York, August 27, 1966:
So sannyāsas tu mahā-bāho. If artificially I detach myself, renounce this world, then Kṛṣṇa says duḥkham āptum ayogataḥ. If there is no engagement, good engagement, better engagement, then it is a cause of misery. It is a cause of misery. It is very difficult. Suppose a family man, he renounces the family connection, but if he has no better connection and better attachment, then he will feel, "Oh, I was better in my family life. I have done mistake." Kṛṣṇa says, sannyāsas tu mahā-bāho duḥkham āptum ayogataḥ. Ayogataḥ means if we have no link with the Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then simply detachment will be cause of misery. Duḥkham āptum. It will be a cause of misery. Yoga-yukto munir brahma. But one who is in dovetail, one who is dovetailed with the Supreme, yoga-yukto munir brahma na cireṇādhigacchati. Brahma.
Lecture on BG 5.22-29 -- New York, August 31, 1966:
What is that practice? Kāma-krodhodbhavaṁ vegam. Vegam means urge. Just like sex urge. Everyone has got sex urge. Or so many things, we have got some urge. That Kṛṣṇa advises, that before quitting this body... The example is that suppose a man is diseased, is suffering from a type of disease. And doctor has asked him not to take solid food. Now, if he is thinking that... Because he is practiced to take solid food, he is thinking, "I must take solid food. I must take solid food..." But if he can tolerate—"No, doctor has advised not to take solid food"—if he can tolerate, then he becomes very easily cured. Similarly, sense perception, sense pleasure, is reserved for us in our spiritual life. That is actual sense pleasure. Here we are having sense pleasure artificially through this body. Before leaving this body, if we practice to stop sense pleasure as much as possible... There is training, of course. Without training, nothing can be done.
Lecture on BG 5.26-29 -- Los Angeles, February 12, 1969:
Now here is a hint of the yoga practice, shutting out the external sense objects. This is another process. But the bhakti-yoga process is automatically yoga process. Here it is said, "shutting out all external sense objects." Sense object, what is that sense object? Just like I want to see some beautiful woman or beautiful man. I want to smell some nice flower or scent. The flower is the sense object, woman is the sense object. There are so many sense objects. We have got five senses and there are five objects also. Otherwise what is the use of sense? Now this yoga practice is to withdraw the senses from the sense object. But the bhakti-yoga process is that if I do not like to see artificially the beauty of woman or man, if I try to see the beauty of Kṛṣṇa, naturally my, this propensity of seeing beautiful man or woman becomes extinguished. You do not require to shut your eyes. There are so many beautiful girls sitting. I do not require to shut my eyes. If my mind is concentrated on the beauty of Kṛṣṇa I can see these beautiful girls as Kṛṣṇa's gopīs. That is another vision. So artificially if I close my eyes and if some beautiful girl is in my imagination even after closing my eyes here, what is the use of closing your eyes?
Lecture on BG 5.26-29 -- Los Angeles, February 12, 1969:
So by force you cannot control the senses. That is not... This is... There are many instances. Even great yogis they have failed. This is artificial way of controlling the senses. The real sense control is that you purify your sense in the activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is real sense control. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). Hṛṣīka means senses and hṛṣīkeśa means Kṛṣṇa. When you apply your senses for satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, then it is called bhakti. And when your senses are engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa it cannot be engaged otherwise. Otherwise the sense will be engaged in the sense objects. Therefore there is failure. Those who are not engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, simply artificially trying, they fail. Viśvāmitra Muni, Durvāsā Muni, there are many great instances. These are artificial. But that is a process recommended. We may be successful to a certain extent but in this age it is very difficult to practice such things. Nobody can practice how to control the senses from the sense object.
Lecture on BG 5.26-29 -- Los Angeles, February 12, 1969:
Similarly the Upaniṣad says when Kṛṣṇa sees you or Kṛṣṇa sees, then you can see. Just like I have got these spectacles. The spectacle is not seeing, my eyes are seeing, therefore spectacle is seeing. Similarly, actually all the senses are acting because Kṛṣṇa is acting. As soon as Kṛṣṇa desires that these senses will not work, it will not work. So in spite of your claim that this is my hand, this is my eyes, this is my mouth, it will not work.
So the people they do not know. The bhakti-yoga practice says hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). When you employ your senses in the service of the proprietor of the senses, that is called bhakti. That is called bhakti. So that is real yoga, bhakti-yoga. Otherwise artificially if you try, one or two may be successful but mostly they will fail. Go on.
Lecture on BG 6.1 -- Los Angeles, February 13, 1969:
Devotee: That can't be done artificially though. Nobody can do like a trick.
Prabhupāda: Artificially?
Devotee: Yes, no one can develop a spiritual body just by His own whim, "Oh I shall develop spiritual body."
Lecture on BG 6.1 -- Los Angeles, February 13, 1969:
He flatly refused. "My dear Kṛṣṇa, it is not possible for me." He said that controlling the mind: vāyor iva suduṣkaram. "It is as difficult as to control the air." That is a fact. You have to engage the mind in Kṛṣṇa. Then it is controlled. Otherwise, artificially you cannot control. It is impossible. Arjuna said, what to speak of others. Who is Arjuna? Personally talking with Kṛṣṇa. Do you think he is ordinary man? He said that it is impossible. Vāyor iva suduṣkaram.
This very example he has given. Cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavad dṛḍham (BG 6.34). "My dear Kṛṣṇa, you are asking me to control the mind. It is so powerful, and restless," I think he is ordinary man? He said that it is impossible. Vāyor iva suduṣkaram. This very example he has given. Cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavad dṛḍham. "My dear Kṛṣṇa, you are asking me to control the mind. It is so powerful, and restless, I think to control the mind is as good as to control the air." If there is high wind, can you control it? He gives this example. You can control the mind when you fix up the mind in Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, that's all. No nonsense can come within your mind, simply Kṛṣṇa. That is perfection of meditation. Activities?
Lecture on BG 6.16-24 -- Los Angeles, February 17, 1969:
So Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement does not say that artificially you simply make some renouncement, all nonsense. And to recompensate we take to some drugs, take to some intoxication, no. You take nice food. Kṛṣṇa has given nice food. Fruits, grains, milk, you can prepare hundreds and thousands of preparations nice with these foodgrains and we are doing that. Our purpose for inviting you in the love feast is that: replace Kṛṣṇa prasāda with your all nonsense foodstuff. They are not healthy. These are healthy food. Healthy food. Palatable, healthy food. So, eat Kṛṣṇa prasāda, nice prasāda. If your tongue wants some nice palatable dishes we can supply you hundreds, thousands, offered to Kṛṣṇa. Samosā and this sweet ball, rasagullā, so many things we can supply. You are not prohibited. But don't take too much.
Lecture on BG 6.16-24 -- Los Angeles, February 17, 1969:
Because in the beginning, because we are accustomed to eat voraciously, so don't try to eat less artificially. You eat. But try to minimize. Therefore there are prescription of fasting. At least two compulsory fastings in a month. And there are other fasting days. The more you can reduce your sleep and eating, you keep good health, especially for spiritual purposes. But not artificially. Not artificially. But when you advance, naturally you'll not feel, just like Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī. There are examples. Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī was very rich man's son. And he left home. So he joined Lord Caitanya. So his father, he was the only son, very beloved son. Very nice wife. Left everything. And left means stealing, without saying anything. Somehow or other he left home. And the father could understand he has gone to Lord Caitanya at Purī. So he sent four servants, because he was very rich man. And four hundred rupees—five hundred years ago four hundred rupees means twenty times at the present value. So first of all he accepted, that, "Oh, father has sent, all right." So how he was spending money? So he was inviting all the sannyāsīs, in Jagannātha Purī there were many sannyāsīs, renounced order.
Lecture on BG 6.16-24 -- Los Angeles, February 17, 1969:
Minimizing all material necessities. Up to the point nil. You see? But that is not possible for everyone. Don't try to imitate Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī. But because they were associates of Lord Caitanya, each one of them showed some example, unique example of how Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be advanced. But our business is not to imitate them, but try to follow them. Try to follow as far as possible. Not artificially.
Therefore here it is said, "There is no possibility of one's becoming a yogi," if you try to become immediately Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī by imitating, you'll fail. Whatever progress you have made that will be finished. No. Not that. You eat. But don't eat more. That's all. Eating more is no good. You eat. If you are elephant you eat hundred pounds, but if you are ant you eat one grain. Don't eat hundred pounds imitating the elephant. You see? God has given food to the elephant and to the ant.
Lecture on BG 6.16-24 -- Los Angeles, February 17, 1969:
Don't eat too little. You eat whatever you require. But don't eat more. Similarly don't sleep more. If you can keep your health perfect, but try to reduce it. Suppose you are sleeping ten hours. But if I keep myself fit by sleeping five hours, why should I sleep ten hours? So this is the process. Don't do anything artificially. So far the body is concerned, we have got four demands. Eating, sleeping, mating and defending. The defect is that modern civilization that they are thinking that this eating process, sleeping process if we can increase, that is very nice. If we can sleep the whole day and night on Saturday and Sunday, oh it is great profit, enjoyment. That is the civilization. They think it is an opportunity to enjoy life by sleeping thirty hours a day. You see? No. Don't do that. Reduce it. Try to reduce it but not artificially. Go on.
Lecture on BG 6.16-24 -- Los Angeles, February 17, 1969:
Yes. To keep the mind in equilibrium. That is yoga perfection. To keep the mind, that how you can do if you, in the material field you cannot keep your mind in equilibrium. That is not possible. Take for example this Bhagavad-gītā. If you read daily four times you'll not get tired. But take any other book, after reading one hour you'll get tired. This chanting, Hare Kṛṣṇa. You chant whole day and night, and dance, you'll never get tired. But take another name. Just after half an hour, finished. It is botheration. You see? Therefore to fix up the mind means to keep your mind in Kṛṣṇa, then finished, all yoga. You are perfect yogi. You haven't got to do anything. Simply fix up your mind. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha (SB 9.4.18)—if you talk, talk of Kṛṣṇa. If you eat, eat of Kṛṣṇa. If you think, think of Kṛṣṇa. If you work, work for Kṛṣṇa. So in this way, this yoga practice will be perfect. Not otherwise. And that is the perfection of yoga. Devoid of all material desires. If you are simply desiring for Kṛṣṇa where is the scope of material desire? Finished, all material desire finished. You haven't got to try for it artificially. "Oh, I shall not see any nice girl. I shall close my eyes." That you cannot do. But if you fix up your mind in Kṛṣṇa consciousness you are dancing with so many beautiful girls. That's all right, as brother and sister there is no question. This is practical perfection of yoga. Artificially you cannot do.
Lecture on BG 6.25-29 -- Los Angeles, February 18, 1969:
This is the process. This is yoga system. Suppose you are trying to concentrate your mind on Kṛṣṇa, and your mind is diverted, going somewhere, in some cinema house. So you should withdraw, "Not there, please, here." This is practice of yoga. Not to allow the mind to go away from Kṛṣṇa. If you can practice this simply. Don't allow the mind to go away from Kṛṣṇa and because we cannot fix up our mind sitting in one place in Kṛṣṇa, that requires very high training. To sit down in a place and always fix up in Kṛṣṇa the mind, that is not very easy job. One who is not practiced to it, if he simply imitates, then he will be confused. We have to engage ourself always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everything we do must be dovetailed in Kṛṣṇa. Our usual activities should be molded that it has to do everything for Kṛṣṇa. Then your mind will be fixed up in Kṛṣṇa. Artificially when you are not advanced if you try to fix up your mind in Kṛṣṇa, that yoga practice as it is recommended here, that you have to sit down in this way, straight, you have to concentrate your eyesight on the tip of the nose in a secluded sacred place. But where are these chances? At the present moment, where is the chance of all these facilities?
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, March 17, 1968:
So this process of chanting is to invoke your remembrance for Kṛṣṇa. That's all. It is not that we are implementing something artificially in you. No. Kṛṣṇa is already connected with you. You have forgotten, and we are trying to give you the process how you can revive your original consciousness. So mayy āsakta-manāḥ. So when you come to this place, temple, this is the beginning. This the beginning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If you see Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa's devotees, if you chant "Kṛṣṇa..." Kṛṣṇa is not different from the name because He's absolute. He is not different. The word "Kṛṣṇa" and the person Kṛṣṇa, or God Kṛṣṇa, is not different, because everything is Kṛṣṇa. The oneness, the philosophy of monism or pantheism, is perfect. When that oneness comes in understanding Kṛṣṇa, that is perfection. If Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Absolute Truth from whom everything is emanating, then everything is Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, September 10, 1968:
At the present moment, although we remember sometimes there or the material energy, we have forgotten. So we have to establish, reestablish our forgotten relationship. It is not that you have no relationship with God and we are artificially forcing something, relationship with God, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. No. You have your relationship. Simply by hearing, by cultivation of this knowledge, you revive your relationship, that's all. Just like in the matches there is fire. You simply rub it for some time, for a few seconds, oh, the fire will come out. Similarly, your relationship with Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is there within you. Otherwise, how could you accept the Kṛṣṇa consciousness? "I've imported Kṛṣṇa from India," that is also a mistake. Kṛṣṇa is not for India or America. Just like the sun. This is same sun which I have seen in India, the same sun is in your America. So nobody can claim, "Oh, this is Indian sun and this is American sun." Sun is one. It is our miscalculation that we say, "This is American land, this is American sun, this is American atmosphere." No. Everything in relationship with God. That is jñānam. That is knowledge. And vijñānam. And practical also.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Madras, February 14, 1972:
Actually if the world want peace and prosperity, tranquillity, you must have to take this Kṛṣṇa consciousness; otherwise there is no possibility. Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, He is actually the proprietor. No land belongs to me or you. It is artificially. Just like I say to my American student, two hundred years ago the American land was there. Somebody was claiming, "America is ours." Now immigration from Europe, now they have their turn. They are thinking, "It is our country." But actually no land belongs to me or you. Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa, or God. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvaṁ yat kiñcid (ISO 1). Everything is God's property. We have got right to use the God's property because we are sons, but tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā: whatever He allows you, you can take that. Mā gṛdhaḥ kasya svid dhanam. Don't think encroach on another's property. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness philosophy, that you should always understand that Kṛṣṇa is the real bhoktā, or enjoyer. Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor of all the lokas. Kṛṣṇa is the real friend of everyone. We are seeking friendship from so many persons to improve our material condition, but you do not know the real friend is within you, everyone. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). The real friend is within everyone's heart—Kṛṣṇa—and if you take shelter of Him... "Shelter of Him" means simply hear about Him.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Sydney, February 16, 1973:
If one is simply engaged in pious activities. The most pious activity is to be engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Pure. Then these are the different stages. Adau śraddhā tato sādhu-saṅgo tato bhajana-kriyā atha anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Anartha means things we do not want. Artificially we are practiced to things. Just like meat-eating. Meat-eating, we do not practice it from the beginning of our birth. Just after birth the child, the baby, requires little honey or little milk, not the meat. But afterwards, the parents or the guardians are teaching how to eat meat. This is not our human business. Human teeth is meant for eating fruits and grains. That is scientific. Our teeth is made in that way. So anyway, meat-eating, intoxication, illicit sex, as soon as one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, these four pillars of sinful life is immediately broken.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Melbourne, June 29, 1974 :
Who has got no more material desires. Then he is fit for taking sannyāsa. Sarvopādhi. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ. Śūnyam means zero. All material desires made into zero. Then sannyāsa. Sannyāsī, anāsakta. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ sa sannyāsī... Who is a sannyāsī? Anāsakta. Anāsakta means he is working day and night, but no attachment for the result. Karmīs... What is the difference between karmī and sannyāsa? Karmī is working so hard, day and night; he is expecting that "I shall get some money out of it and I shall enjoy." That is karmī. And sannyāsī, he is working in the same way, day and night, but he is not expecting the profit for his personal use. For Kṛṣṇa. That is sannyāsa. What is the difference? There is no..., in the activities there is no difference, but the one is accepting the result for his personal benefit, and one is creating good result but not for his personal benefit, but Kṛṣṇa's service. This is the definition of sannyāsa. Anāsakta..., anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryam: he is doing as my duty. I am Kṛṣṇa's servant, I have to do it. If I do not do it, then it is my misbehavior. Anāsakta, anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma ka..., sa sannyāsī ca yogī ca. Such person is yogī, such person is sannyāsī, na niragnir na cākriyaḥ. Not that artificially I have taken the dress of a sannyāsī and talking nonsense. He is not sannyāsī. Sannyāsa means one who has completely devoted his life for Kṛṣṇa. He is sannyāsī, sa sannyāsī, and he is yogī.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:
So we are trying to make our students the first-class yogi. Always think of Kṛṣṇa. This is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And Kṛṣṇa is also saying the same thing, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogam. How you can think of Kṛṣṇa always? That is not possible unless you become too much addicted. Just like if you love somebody, then you can think of him always. Artificially, if I say, "You think of Mr. John always," how you'll be possible? Artificially it is not possible. If you have got some love for Mr. John as a friend, as a lover or as somebody, or son or master or something, then you can think of Mr. John always. Otherwise it is not possible. So that thinking, you can revive. There is relationship with you, with Kṛṣṇa. So you have to revive that relationship. It is not artificial. Just like these European, American boys, Kṛṣṇa was unknown to them. They are coming from Christian, Jews. So what they had to do with the Kṛṣṇa? They had nothing to do, but why they are mad after Kṛṣṇa? They are no longer mad after anything.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:
The nine different types of methods, that is called bhajana-kriyā. And ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo 'tha bhajana-kriyā tato 'nartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). Then anartha, all unwanted things which you have learned unfortunately, that will be finished. If you mix with, intermingle with sādhu, then you will be purified, and things which are not required at all—artificially you have learned by bad association—that will be... Anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Nobody learns to smoke from the very birth. He has to eat something. He drinks milk, the child. He doesn't say, "Give me a cigarette," but you have learned it by bad association. This is called anartha. You have learned it, drinking tea, coffee, not from the beginning of your life but by bad association. Then this is anartha. So if you engage yourself in devotional service, then these things will disappear automatically. You'll find in our temple, we are cooking so many nice preparations. Perhaps you have tasted some of them. But we are not preparing tea or coffee or meat—nothing. These are anarthas. What is the necessity?
Lecture on BG 7.1-2 -- Bombay, March 28, 1971:
It is simply awakened. Not that artificially we are imposing some impression to the minds of our students that they are hankering after "Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa..." No. It is a process to remove all the dirty things from the heart. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). And as soon as the heart is cleansed of all dirty things, material contamination, then we can see what is our relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa recommends that "Somehow or other, you try to be attached to Me." And the Gosvāmīs also, Rūpa Gosvāmī recommends, yena tena prakāreṇa manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet: "Somehow or other, try to apply your mind in Kṛṣṇa." It is not very difficult. Here is Kṛṣṇa's form, arcā-mūrti. If you constantly see Kṛṣṇa's form, śyāmasundaram acintya-guṇa-svarūpam Acintya-guṇa-svarūpam.
Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Ahmedabad, December 14, 1972:
These are all spiritual subject matter. So this is not mental. An ordinary man, if he thinks that "I am becoming go...," that is artificial. That is artificial. This is not artificial thing. And the parakīyā-rasa, the sense of paramourship, that is also there. But this is not this parakīyā-rasa, as we understand from this material world. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu, er Sanātana Gosvāmī has said that avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam, śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyam. Those, one who is not Vaiṣṇava... So it is, mental speculator, it is useless to learn from them what is the relationship between the gopīs and Kṛṣṇa. Neither it has to be practiced artificially. These things are rejected. So my request is that you should not read all these books, simply waste your time. (break)
Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Nairobi, October 31, 1975:
That is samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Not artificially you can make samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Artificially it is not possible. There will be some distinction, must be, bodily. So therefore, on the bodily platform, they are trying to become united. The United Nation is trying for the last forty years, but there is no unity; it is not possible—on the bodily platform. But on the spiritual platform there is unity. Just like in our movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you'll find all different nations, all different colors, all different religion, all different sex. They are all united in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is united nation. There is no distinction. And this is not artificial, this is practical. So the people are trying to become united, oneness. That is not possible on the bodily platform. So this bodily concept of life can be vanquished, can be, I mean to say, rejected on the spiritual platform.
Lecture on BG 7.4-5 -- Bombay, March 30, 1971:
So jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho. The conclusion is that jīva, the living entities, individual living entities, they are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa as energy. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā here, apareyam itas tv anyāṁ prakṛtim (BG 7.5), that jīva-bhūta, the living entities, they are prakṛti, not puruṣa. Puruṣa means enjoyer, and prakṛti means enjoyed. Just like for crude example: man and woman. Man is supposed to be the enjoyer, and the woman is supposed to be enjoyed. Similarly, prak ṛti is not enjoyer; prakṛti is enjoyed. If the prakṛti remains in her own position as being enjoyed, that is her natural position. And if she superficially, artificially tries to be enjoyer, a puruṣa, she never becomes happy. According to our Manu-saṁhitā it is said that woman has no independence. Na strī svātantryam arhati. According to Manu-saṁhitā, a woman should remain always dependent, and that is her real happiness. Let her remain dependent when young under the protection of the father. Let her remain dependent when she is young under the protection of the husband. And let her remain dependent in old age under the protection of elderly sons.
Lecture on BG 7.8-14 -- New York, October 2, 1966:
So raso 'ham apsu kaunteya. We can remember Kṛṣṇa, or God, when we drink water because nobody can avoid drinking water. So the God consciousness is there. How can you forget? Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ (BG 7.8). When there is some illumination, when there is some illumination... (aside:) You want to come here? I ask this... All right. When there is some illumination, that illumination is also Kṛṣṇa. The original effulgence is brahma-jyotir. That is in the spiritual sky. This material sky is covered; therefore the nature of this material sky is darkness. Now, at night we are experiencing the real nature of this material world—it is darkness. Artificially, it is being illuminated by the sun, by the moon, by the electricity. Otherwise, it is darkness. So this illumination is God. We have to understand—this illumination.
Lecture on BG 7.8-14 -- New York, October 2, 1966:
So jñāne prayāsam. Especially for understanding God, or God consciousness, speculation is useless. So Lord Caitanya, I mean to say the Bhāgavata, says that jñāne prayāsam udapāsya, that that sort of endeavor, speculating, should be given up. Namanta eva: "You just become submissive." Just become submissive, that "What I am? I am insignificant creature in this universe." This world, this earth, is an insignificant point in the universe. And within this earth, the America is a small spot. And within America, this New York City is another small spot. And in this New York City, I am there. So what is my importance? So we should understand that we are very insignificant in comparison to the creation of the whole cosmic situation and God. So we should be very submissive. We should understand our position. Artificially, we should not be puffed up, the frog philosophy.
Lecture on BG 7.16 -- Bombay, April 7, 1971:
So in order to advance in spiritual life, we have to voluntarily decrease these demands of the body. That is called tapasya. In our country especially, many great saintly persons, sages, even kings, voluntarily they would give up these demands of the body, not that artificially increasing these demands of the body. That will not help us in spiritual life. So this strī-saṅga, or association with woman, that is a demand of the body. Loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā. Āmiṣa means nonvegetarian foods. Eating flesh, fish, eggs, these are called āmiṣa. And madya means wine, liquor. So all the conditioned souls, they have got a natural inclination for sex life, intoxication, and eating fish, eat... They have got a natural inclination. Even ants, they have got all these inclinations. Expert psychologists and medical men, they have studied that even the ant, it has got also the same propensities. Loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā. So when there is legalized, or marriage under religious principle, it is to be understood a sort of concession.
Lecture on BG 7.28-8.6 -- New York, October 23, 1966:
So we materialists, we don't take into consideration that birth, death, disease and old age are the greatest miseries of our life due to our ignorance. But this ignorance has to be removed if one has to become out of these clutches of birth, death, old age and disease. This is not possible to remove by the so-called material science. Material science cannot remove these miseries. They can remove temporary, something artificially, some of our miseries. Just like we are feeling little warm. If the room was, had been air conditioned, we could feel some comfort. That is temporary. But our ultimate miseries are these four things: jarā-maraṇa-mokṣa. Jarā means old age and birth, death.
Lecture on BG 8.20-22 -- New York, November 18, 1966:
So our aim is, the human life's aim is, to reach that spiritual sky, but they do not know. Bhāgavata says, na te viduḥ: "They do not know that there is reality." There is reality. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). They do not know their self-interest, that this human life is meant for understanding that reality and prepare for being transferred into that real reality, not to remain. The whole Vedic literatures instructs us like that. Tamasi mā jyotir gama: "Don't remain in this darkness." This material world is darkness. We are artificially making it illuminated with electric light and fire and so many things, but the nature is dark. But that nature, that spiritual nature, is not dark. That is full of light. Just like the sun planet, there is no possibility of darkness, similarly, every planet there, they are self-illuminated, so there is no darkness.
Lecture on BG 9.1 -- Melbourne, April 19, 1976:
It requires little intelligence. Just like you are breathing. So when the breathing is stopped, you say, "The man is dead." But what is this breathing? This breathing is nothing but a little portion of air passing. So you can artificially make that arrangement, air passing, but does it mean that it will bring life? So therefore breathing is not life. Life is different from breathing. You have to study scientifically. Because breathing can be produced. This respiration of... Even in the, what is called, bellow there is breathing, "Hans, phans, hans, phans..." (laughter) Does it mean life? No. Therefore you have to study every part of your body. You'll find there is no life.
Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Melbourne, April 22, 1976:
You do not require to dive into the water and make study, aquatic research work. You take the knowledge from the Vedic literature. You immediately understand that there are 900,000 species of life. This is different forms. The living entity, soul, is everywhere. But according to his karma... Just like nowadays people are very fond of diving within the water and swim. This has become a fashion. So next life they are going to become fish. Yes. Because yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajaty ante kalevaram (BG 8.6). If you at the time of death, if you think of that, how to swim very nicely within the water, that means next life nature will give you a fish life. You get it. That is God's mercy. Why you artificially try to become a fish? You become actually fish. That is nature's gift. So you'll get. Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran. This is stated in the Bhagavad... Because whatever we practice in our life, so that concept of life, that imagination, continues.
Lecture on BG 9.5 -- Melbourne, April 24, 1976:
Bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā (BG 18.61). Because I am desiring something, because everything is not fulfilled by this body, therefore I have to accept. Suppose if I want to drink fresh blood. Nowadays they are drinking fresh blood. So Kṛṣṇa says, "All right, you get a body, a tiger's body, a lion's body, and you drink fresh blood. Why artificially? Just take this body." If you have no discrimination to eat anything, so Kṛṣṇa gives us the body of a pig. You can eat anything. Up to stool, you can eat without any difficulty. So, or if you want to enjoy like a demigod, so He gives you the same body. This is going on. But this is... Either I get the body of a demigod or I get the body of a hog or pig or anything, it is suffering because I have to give up one body; that is suffering. I have to accept another body; that is janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). And as soon as I get body, the disease and old age is there. Therefore any type of body you get...
Lecture on BG 9.7-10 -- New York, November 25, 1966:
So you have to take to that eternal occupation so that you can be transferred into that eternal kingdom. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the beginning of that eternal occupation. If you take to this, if you practice this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, eternal occupation, then, as we have already explained in the previous chapters, that at the time of your death when you leave this body, as soon as you think of these three eternals—Kṛṣṇa eternal; I am eternal; I want to be engaged in the eternal—you are at once transferred. It is very easy thing. You don't require any sputnik; artificially, for years together, 25,000 miles you go up. What is 25,000... Panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamyaḥ (Bs. 5.34). If you try for millions and billions of years with the force of air and mind, with your sputnik to reach... (incomplete) (end)
Lecture on BG 10.2-3 -- New York, January 1, 1967:
Our senses are imperfect. We have... Several times we have described in this meeting that our senses cannot realize the Supreme Truth. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). Our senses are so imperfect that simply by expanding the sense power artificially, speculating, we cannot realize. These are described in different way in different scriptures.
So He can be known how? That is also described—sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ: when you become in a submissive attitude and you chant. Jihvādau. Jihvādau means the realization begins from the tongue. God realization begins from the tongue. Therefore the tongue's function is to eat and to vibrate sound. So these two processes, vibration of Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare and eating kṛṣṇa-prasāda...
Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Paris, August 11, 1973:
So these people, these rascals, they are trying to become independent. They are therefore thinking... One of our student has written, "theomania", "theomania." Therefore, one... Because he cannot become independent artificially he thinks, "Now let me become God, then I'll become..." But artificial thinking God will help you—no. If you artificially think that, "This bank, this big bank belongs to me." So you can think like that, but does the bank belong to you? So these Māyāvādī philosophers are like, They meditate, "I am God, I am God, I am moving the world, I am moving the universe." They say like that. But actually does he do so? No. This is false thinking.
Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Bombay, September 26, 1973:
The Māyāvādī philosophers, they cannot understand. The servant wants to become the master. That is not possible. That is not possible. If the servant remains a faithful servant, that is perfection of his life. Artificially, if the servant wants to become master, that is only botheration. So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is educating everyone to understand this fact, that everyone is eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. Don't try to imitate Kṛṣṇa. That is botheration. You cannot be happy. Artificially, if one wants to become something else which he is not, then it is simply botheration. There is no happiness. An artificial life is not happiness. Natural life is happiness. So naturally we are servant of Kṛṣṇa. If we don't serve Kṛṣṇa then we have to serve māyā.
Lecture on BG 1322 -- Hyderabad, August 17, 1976:
This jagat is one-fourth manifestation of the material energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is called prakṛti. So puruṣa. (aside:) Don't talk.
Puruṣa. We living entities, we are sometimes called puruṣa because we artificially exhibit our propensity to enjoy this material world. So puruṣa means the enjoyer. Therefore sometimes we are called puruṣa. Here the living entities as a whole is called puruṣa. Here even the woman, she is also puruṣa. Because the same spirit. "I shall enjoy to my best capacity." Either man or woman. Therefore she is also in that sense puruṣa. She wants to enjoy. The man also wants to enjoy.
But both of them, prakṛti-stha, we are under the control of this prakṛti. This is our position. We must understand our position.
Lecture on BG 16.7 -- Hawaii, February 3, 1975:
To understand Brahman is not the business of tiny brain. Alpha-medhasam. There are two Sanskrit words, alpa-medhasa and su-medhasa. Alpa-medhasa means having little brain substance. Physiologically, within the brain there are brain substance. It is found that the brain substance in man is found up to 64 ounce. They are very highly intellectual persons. And in woman the brain substance is not found more than 34 ounce. You'll find, therefore, that there is no very great scientist, mathematician, philosopher, among women. You'll never find because their brain substance cannot go. Artificially do not try to become equal with men. That is not allowed in the Vedic śāstra. Na striyaṁ svatantratām arhati. That is called śāstra.
Lecture on BG 18.67-69 -- Ahmedabad, December 9, 1972:
He is actually the Vedānta, compiler of Vedānta, Vedānta-sūtra. The most important philosophical theses—not theses, but actually... So Kṛṣṇa knows what is Vedānta. And what He says, that is Vedānta. Veda, Veda means knowledge. Anta, anta means the last word. So what is the last word of Vedānta? Last word is to know the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Vedaiś ca sarvaiḥ. Not only Vedānta-sūtra, but also all the Vedas. Sāma, Yajur, Atharva, Ṛk, the ultimate objective is Kṛṣṇa, to know Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15), Kṛṣṇa says. So Bhagavad-gītā is also Vedānta because the Supreme Person, who spoke Vedānta... As, as Vyāsadeva, incarnation of Nārāyaṇa. So Nārāyaṇa and Kṛṣṇa, the same, identical. So therefore incarnation of Nārāyaṇa, Vyāsadeva, wrote Vedānta-sūtra. Therefore Kṛṣṇa knows what is Vedānta. And if we accept Kṛṣṇa as He's saying, that, then we become actually vedāntī. Not artificially.
Lecture on BG Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 8, 1972:
The description of mukti is given in the Bhagavad..., Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: muktir hitvā anyathā-rūpaṁ svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ (SB 2.10.6). That is mukti. Mukti means if you give up the artificial endeavor to become predominator and become situated in your original position, being predominated. Artificially... Suppose a woman is trying to become man artificially, how long it will go on? How she can be happy? That is not possible. Actually, in the Western countries at least we see that the woman class, they want equal rights with men. And there is. There is no distinction. But it is my experience, the woman class, they are not happy in the Western countries. And still in our country, although we are so fallen, still our woman class remains satisfied. Being predominated, they are happy. They are happy.
| Page Title: | Artificially (Lectures, BG) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Mayapur, Rishab |
| Created: | 03 of Dec, 2010 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=90, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 90 |