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Artistic (Lect. & Conversations)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.59-69 -- New York, April 29, 1966:

In the early in the morning, early, there will be maṅgala-ārātrika, at four o'clock. The Lord... It is understood that Lord gets, gets up from His sleeping. So the first there is offering of worship which is called maṅgala-ārātrika. Now, then there is bhoga-ārātrika. Then there is dress, dressing of the Lord, decorating the Lord. Then offering foodstuff. Then... And so on, so on. There are so many programs that all the devotees, they are engaged fully. They see nicely decorated. If you want artistic decoration, just apply it to the Lord. See how artistically He's decorated. So that satisfies the demands of my eyes. In every temple nice musical sound is going on. If you there, you sit down for a time, and you hear, and you become satisfied. So the ear is satisfied. The eyes are satisfied. Then you take very nice, palatable, I mean to say, foodstuff, offered to the Deity, and you are offered the prasādam as remnants. So these arrangements are there. And, not only in Vṛndāvana, in every town, still the system is going on. That means our senses, in a different way, they're engaged. They're engaged, spiritually engaged. So that process is very good for the neophytes. Those who are beginners, the arcanā process, the Deity worship in the temple, is very nice. But apart from all those engagements, where it is not possible, this singing or glorifying the Supreme Lord or this simple song—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare—it will elevate certainly to the highest extent if you do it very nicely and seriously. Ātma-vaśyair vidheyātmā prasādam adhigacchati. Prasāde sarva-duḥkhānāṁ hānir asyopajāyate. And as soon as you are satisfied, then your all miseries are ended.

prasāde sarva-duḥkhānāṁ
hānir asyopajāyate
prasanna-cetaso hy āśu
buddhiḥ paryavatiṣṭhate
(BG 2.65)

And with satisfaction, with satisfaction of the mind, prasanna-cetasaḥ, satisfaction of the mind, then your intelligence will be fixed up on spiritual activities.

nāsti buddhir ayuktasya
na cāyuktasya bhāvanā
na cābhāvayataḥ śāntir
aśāntasya kutaḥ sukham
(BG 2.66)

If you want actually happiness, then you must apply your intelligence to this process of spiritual emancipation.

Lecture on BG 7.9-10 -- Bombay, February 24, 1974:

There is superintendence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. He, He likes that "This kind of bīja, or the seed, will produce this kind of flower and this kind of flavor." The superintendence is there of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We fools, we say, we cannot explain. We say "Nature." What is this nature? There must be brain behind the nature. Otherwise, how a rose, so nicely it is coming? Even from artistic point of view, if you want to paint one flower, you have to take so much labor, so many colors, reflection, and so many instruments, then hardly you can paint one nice rose flower. Still, it is not as good. And not at all good in comparison to the original flower. So if this third-class flower, you have to apply so much brain, and this first-class flower has no brain behind it? Is that very good logic? What is this logic? There must be brain. And that is stated here: puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca tejaś cāsmi vibhāvasau, aham. "It is My, under My superintendence."

So Kṛṣṇa is giving us intelligence that "If you do not go to the temple or do not hear to the ācārya, you can at least try to understand My presence when you see a flower or smell a flower." Is that very difficult job? Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice. Even drinking water, even by seeing the sunshine, even by seeing the moonshine, or, if you are a Vedic scholar, by chanting om, praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu, or even by hearing the sound vibration, or by seeing a flower, or smelling a flower, something brilliant... Just like the sun is brilliant, the moon is brilliant. Tejaś cāsmi. So wherefrom this brilliance comes? The brilliance is imitation, reflection of the bodily brilliance of Kṛṣṇa. That is stated in the Brahma-sūtra, Brahma-saṁhitā: yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Then why we should disbelieve?

Lecture on BG 13.2 -- Melbourne, April 4, 1972:

If you see... A Kṛṣṇa conscious person sees a flower. He sees the flower—creation of God, Kṛṣṇa. "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is so artistic that he has created this flower by His energy so nicely, so decorately, so good flavor. So it is Kṛṣṇa's thing. Let me offer it to Kṛṣṇa." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

If you become in everything Kṛṣṇa conscious, then your life is successful. That we are teaching. It is a very scientific movement. Actually, that is the position. You cannot create a flower so nicely fragrant, so beautifully made. It is not in your power. But it must have been done by somebody. You cannot say, "By nature." What is this nature? They say, foolish persons say, "It is nature." But you explain what is nature. Nature means God's nature, God's energy. That is nature. God's energy is so fine and so subtle that we cannot see it, how it is working, but it is working. The energy of God is working there.

Lecture on BG 15.15 -- August 5, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: If you have no free will, then you are a stone. The stone has no free will. You want to be stone? Then you must be, must have free will. But don't misuse your free will. But don't try to become stone. That is not life.

Translator: If the artistic inspiration, like the intuition, is also coming from Paramātmā.

Prabhupāda: Yes. If you want to become something, Kṛṣṇa will give you all facilities. But that will not be good for you. But you go on manufacturing ideas, Kṛṣṇa will give you all facilities. Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam, how to... Just like a scientist is trying to manufacture something. Kṛṣṇa is giving intelligence, "All right, do like that, do like that, do like that."

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.3 -- London, August 19, 1971:

Touchstone. So in the spiritual world there are also houses like these trees, like this; there are cows, and the gopīs, Kṛṣṇa. So their description is given in the Brahma-saṁhitā. We should not think that we have imagined something artistic and created a Kṛṣṇa. No. It is completely supported by Vedic literature, Brahma-saṁhitā.

So in the Brahma-saṁhitā it is clearly stated about Kṛṣṇa's place, original place. This is also Kṛṣṇa's place. That is also Kṛṣṇa's place. But here, because we are forgetful of Kṛṣṇa, therefore we are accepting this place as material. Just like king: he possesses all the places of the country. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-loka-maheśvaram.

Lecture on SB 1.2.3 -- Rome, May 27, 1974:

So what Śukadeva did? Svānubhāvam. He first of all heard from his father, Vyāsadeva, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and realized it. Not a professional Bhāgavata reciter. Just like in India now there are a class of men, especially in Vṛndāvana, the gosvāmīs. They make a business. Therefore there are many, many very artistic Bhāgavata reciters, but they could not turn even one man to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because they are not self-realized, svānubhāvam. Of course, we have tried our best; so in few years there are so many Kṛṣṇa conscious persons come out. This is the secret. Unless one is svānubhāvam, self-realized, life is bhāgavata, he cannot preach Bhāgavata. That is not... That will not be effective. A gramophone will not help. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu's secretary, Svarūpa Dāmodara, recommended, bhāgavata pora giyā bhāgavata-sthāne, that "If you want to read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, you must approach a person who is life living Bhāgavata."

Lecture on SB 1.7.12 -- Vrndavana, September 11, 1976:

So how prakṛti is directed, how Kṛṣṇa is directing prakṛti to make a nice flower... Just like here, they're painting flower on the wall. It takes so much time, so much arrangement. Still, it is not as good as a natural flower. Here you have painted one rose flower, and here are roses. There is art also, and here is art also. Without art, without artistic sense, how this nice thing, beautiful thing, can come in? You'll find a beautiful flower bloom in a plant, you appreciate it. And don't think, as the rascal says, "By nature it has come automatically." No. The same energy as you are taking, you are applying your energy to paint a flower on the wall with your paints and brushes... But Kṛṣṇa is also doing that, but His energy is so inconceivable that we cannot see how He's working. But He's working. Otherwise why Kṛṣṇa says, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ: (BG 9.10) "Prakṛti is working under My direction"? Is it a bluff? No. Actually prakṛti is acting under His direction.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18-19 -- Bombay, April 9, 1971:

Whatever he sees, he sees Kṛṣṇa there, because he knows that "This thing is produced out of Kṛṣṇa's energy." Take for example a flower. A devotee sees a flower produced by Kṛṣṇa's energy. He sees the beauty of flower, appreciating Kṛṣṇa's artistic sense. When he hears the sweet voice of a bird, he immediately understands that "Kṛṣṇa is speaking so nicely through this bird." This is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everywhere he sees. Antar bahiḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.16.24 -- Hawaii, January 20, 1974:

Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Kṛṣṇa has got various forms, but His real form is Kṛṣṇa. God has got many forms, but the original form is that, playing on flute, curved in three places with barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam, with a feather on the head. These are Vedic description of Kṛṣṇa. It is not an artistic paint, but it is taken from the Vedic literature, what is the original form of Kṛṣṇa. Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. That is original form. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28).

Lecture on SB 3.25.3 -- Bombay, November 3, 1974:

That is being attempted. Anyone who has taken birth in this land of Bhāratavarṣa, it is his duty to make his life successful by taking advantage of this Vedic literature. But we are not taking advantage of Vedic literature. We are going to learn technology. That is our misfortune. Technology is śilpa-karma. Just like an artistic man. That is not real education. Real education is how to solve the problems of life, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). That is education. So this education, this transcendental education, is to enlighten people how to become relieved from this entanglement of material life, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi.

Lecture on SB 3.25.8 -- Bombay, November 8, 1974:

Suppose you are a very big engineer, and another man is ordinary electric mistri. The qualification is the same: earning livelihood by some art. If there is some wrong in the electric line, I cannot repair it. I call one mistri. He knows the art. He immediately revives the electric current. So this sort of knowledge is called śilpa, śilpa-jñāna, "artistic knowledge." That is not knowledge. Real knowledge is Vedic knowledge, Vedānta knowledge, to know oneself, "What I am, what is God, Bhagavān, what is my relation with Him, and what is my duty, and what is the ultimate goal of life." This is knowledge. Etaj jñānaṁ tad ajñānam anyathā. Kṛṣṇa says, "This is jñānam." Kṣetra-kṣetra-jña-jñānam. If one can understand oneself and the Supreme Self and what is this material world, why we have come here, what is my relation with God, what is my relation with this world, this is knowledge. They are called jñānavān. Jñānavān, they are searching after knowledge. Ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya.

Lecture on SB 3.25.10 -- Bombay, November 10, 1974:

So why I am enjoying this temporary life for ten years or twenty years or two hundred years? This is called knowledge. Etaj jñānam. Other jñānam, they are not jñānam. I have said many times. They are arts, śilpa, to live for some time and make some artistic way of living condition and forget my real problem—janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). So for this purpose one should approach guru. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta (SB 11.3.21). One who is actually interested for spiritual life, he should inquire about a guru. Not as a fashion, that "I may... Let me keep one guru and..." No. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. Just like Devahūti is doing. Uttamam, something beyond this darkness. Tama means darkness, and ut means above. Uttama. That is uttama.

Lecture on SB 6.1.40 -- San Francisco, July 21, 1975:

This is the Vedic statement, that "The Absolute Truth is so perfect, He has got so many potencies, that everything is being done so perfectly." Just like one artist. If he wants to paint one picture, one flower, he has to give his attention is so many ways. He has to move the brush in such a way and take this color, different colors. It requires so many artistic sense and so much good sense, so many things. It does not come. One who is not artist, not painter, he cannot paint. So do you think this flower which is coming out daily in your garden in different colors and different smell and flavor, they are being done without any artistic sense? This is nonsense. There is sense. There is God's potency. But parāsya śaktiḥ, His senses, His knowledge, is so perfect that it is coming automatically, and we foolish people, we think that nature is producing. No, nature is the instrument, just like the brush, but the brain is God. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. These rascal scientists, they do not know that. They deny God.

Lecture on SB 6.1.46 -- Detroit, June 12, 1976:

Everywhere there is control of Kṛṣṇa. So don't think that in the flower some nice color has come without any supervision or control. Don't think. That is nonsense. Not by chance. It is under Kṛṣṇa's direction. He has got artistic sense. Not like us. He can dictate to show(?) the various varieties of living entities, all varieties, trees and so many things, there are varieties. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi: nine hundred thousand different forms of fishes, from big to small. There are whale fishes. There is another big fish; they can swallow up the whale fishes, so big, jala-hasti. They are within the ocean. How many we know? We are... The Nirviśeṣa-vādīs' philosophy is like that, that on the ocean we see it is simply water. No, that is not actual vision. You should take knowledge from the experience. What is that? Now within the ocean there are nine hundred thousand different forms of life. You rascal, you are thinking that there is nothing, nirviśeṣa.

Lecture on SB 7.9.12 -- Montreal, August 19, 1968:

He at once transcends. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). Immediately he is spiritually identified. Immediately.

So this process of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, if we do it very nicely... Nicely does not mean that we have to become a very nice musician or very artistic singer. No. Very nicely means sincerely and with great attention. The process is the highest yoga system. This transcendental vibration, if you simply concentrate your mind on the vibration "Hare Kṛṣṇa..." Other kinds of yoga system is not possible in this age. You cannot meditate on a particular subject matter because mind is so agitating and changing that you try to fix up your mind on a particular subject matter, but mind flickers from one subject to another, another, to another. Then it becomes something else. But this vibration is so nice that even if your mind is flickering, the sound will force you to, I mean to say, draw your attention.

Lecture on SB 7.9.18 -- Mayapur, February 25, 1976:

So, na tad vacaś citra-padaṁ harer yaśo pragṛṇīta karhicit, tad vāyasaṁ tīrtham. Any literature, very nicely written, just like Shakespeare writing or some other, big, big mundane writers, their writing, it is very nicely written, grammatically very correct, and metaphorically very nicely meant... Na tad vacaś citra-padam. Citra-padam means very artistically written. There are literatures very artistical. Na tad vacaś citra-padaṁ harer yaśo pragṛṇīta karhicit. But there is no glorification of the Lord; simply literary presentation. Such kind of literature is described, tad vāyasa-tīrtham: "This kind of literature is preferred by the class of men who are like crows." Crows. But the Vedic literature, which is sung by Lord Brahmā or Lord Śiva or a devotee, even that is broken language presented, tad gṛṇanti śṛṇvanti sādhavaḥ: "They'll be accepted by saintly person. They'll sing it and they'll accept it." That is the secret of success. If your literature is exactly following the mahājano yena sa gataḥ, then it will be liked by highly advanced saintly person.

Lecture on SB 7.9.43 -- Visakhapatnam, February 22, 1972:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that "For personally I have no anxiety, because I have learned the art how to become happy. I have learned the art, always thinking of Your glorious activities." There are so many glorious activities of Kṛṣṇa, so we can think of. If you take a flower, you can think of glorious activities of Kṛṣṇa. How artistically, how nicely the flower is made. You cannot say it is made by nature. It is made by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ (BG 9.10). Prakṛti, nature, is producing, that's all right, but under the direction of Kṛṣṇa. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). Just like your mill is running. A common man cannot see where is Mr. (first name) Khatau, but it is going on under your direction, that's a fact. Similarly, everything is going on under the direction of Kṛṣṇa. If we understand this fact, that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So while drinking water, we can remember Kṛṣṇa.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.172 -- New York, December 14, 1966:

Then vakṣaḥ-sthale, then here, then here, then here, then here. In this way, twelve names there are. In this way... Of course, these are very technical. It may be not very interesting, but there are similar names of Kṛṣṇa-Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa—and how they are divided, it is an artistic... The Vāsudeva name, the four hands... How you can distinguish? The four hands you will find everywhere, and the symbolic representation in the hand, that lotus flower, club, and the wheel, and the conchshell. Now, according to the different position of these four symbolic representation, the name are different. Just like Vāsudeva. Vāsudeva, He takes the club in the first right hand and then the conchshell in the second right hand and then left, the upper left hand, wheel, and the lower left hand, lotus flower. Similarly, Saṅkarṣaṇa, there is change.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

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

Similarly, we shall see again Kṛṣṇa, and that rotation takes place according to Vedic calculation after forty-three crores of years. That is the explanation we get from Vedic śāstra.

So Kṛṣṇa's līlā, it is not an invented, we are worshiping Kṛṣṇa as something imaginary, some artistic picture. No. It is nitya-līlā. Kṛṣṇa is fact. Govindam ādi-puruṣam. He's ādi. Advaitam acyutam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣam. Purāṇa-puruṣam. The oldest man. Purāṇa means oldest. Oldest, Purāṇa-puruṣam. Puruṣam means person. Nava-yauvanaṁ ca. But whenever you'll see Kṛṣṇa, He's just a perfect young boy, nava-yauvanaṁ ca. You'll never see Kṛṣṇa's picture as He has become old, He has grown some big, big beard and... No. Kṛṣṇa, you'll never see. Kṛṣṇa is just like a twenty-years-old young boy. Nava-yauvanaṁ ca. Vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). He is not to be found in the Vedas.

General Lectures

Lecture at Art Gallery -- Auckland, April 16, 1972:

You are painting one picture, one flower, very nice flower. You have to take your brush, the color and the plate, so many things, and you are taxing your brain, how to make it beautiful. But you see one rose flower in the garden. Not only one rose flower, many millions of rose flowers, they are coming out very artistically painted. But when we ask, the answer is that "It is nature." But if we go deep into the matter, what is this nature? Nature means a working instrument, that's all, an energy. That is nature. There is energy or śakti, energy, power. There is power. Without power, how the rose flower is coming to beautiful shape from the bud? There is power. That power is Kṛṣṇa's power. But that is so subtle and working so nicely that overnight we see that a beautiful flower has come out. But there is working, there is brain. But they are working so swiftly and subtly, we cannot see how it is being worked. Just like when you paint one picture, I can see, everyone can see that you are working.

Lecture at Art Gallery -- Auckland, April 16, 1972:

Just like when you paint one picture, I can see, everyone can see that you are working. But this painting or this working of the actual rose flower, that is also being worked out by several energies. Don't think that is has coming out automatically. No. Nothing comes out automatically. It is coming out of the energy of the Supreme Lord, but the energies are so subtle, nice and artistic that all of a sudden you see a nice flower.

So He is the greatest artist. Just like nowadays, the electronic age, the artist or the scientist just pushing on one button and it is working so nicely. Nowadays it is very easy to understand. In the aeroplane the pilot is simply pushing on button, and such a huge machine, just like a small city, it is flying in the sky, and the wings are working, the machine is working. But we see that a person is simply pushing some button.

Lecture at Art Gallery -- Auckland, April 16, 1972:

So the answer is bījo 'haṁ sarva-bhūtāni. He is the seed. He is the seed. You have seen the banyan tree, a small seed. But this small seed has got so potency that if you sow it in a nice place and water it, one day it will come, a big banyan tree. Now, what are the potencies, what are the artistic arrangement, scientific arrangement, within that small seed that it grows a big banyan tree? Not only a big banyan tree, but also many millions of big fruits, and within each fruit there are millions of seeds, and each seed contains the potency of another tree.

So where is your science in that way? Where is that artist within this material world? Where is that pleasure of that artistic work? These things should be enquired. It is called athāto brahma jijñāsā. In the Vedānta-sūtra this is the first aphorism, that "In the human form of life these enquiries should be made. These studies should be made."

Lecture at Art Gallery -- Auckland, April 16, 1972:

These studies should be made." This is a fact. You cannot manufacture such machine that automatically a rose flower is coming out. You cannot make a chemical combination or a tablet which contains a big banyan tree, automatically will come out. So don't you think there is need of artistic brain and scientific brain? If you simply say, "It is nature," that is not good explanation. But the Vedas gives us information, "No." Janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) "The Absolute Truth is He from whom everything is being generated." First aphorism is athāto brahma jijñāsā. Greater thing. We are engaged in smaller thing. We become amazed when we see a small sputnik is flying in the sky, and it is trying to go to the moon planet, and we are giving all credit to the scientist, and scientist is challenging, "What is God? Science is everything."

Lecture at Art Gallery -- Auckland, April 16, 1972:

Greatest art. If we actually want to be artist, then we shall try to understand or try to be intimately associated with the greatest artist, Kṛṣṇa. For this purpose, this society is established. This Society's name is International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. The members of this Society are trained to see in everything the display of Kṛṣṇa's artistic sense. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In everything the devotee sees the artistic hand of Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And actually that is so. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that "Whatever you see, everything is emanation from Me." Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate. "Everything comes out of My energy." Mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate. Everything. Iti matvā: one who understands this fact that Kṛṣṇa is the origin of everything, sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam... (Bs. 5.1).

Lecture at Art Gallery -- Auckland, April 16, 1972:

In the Vedānta-sūtra there is another aphorism, that ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt: (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12) "By nature the Supreme Absolute Person is ānandamaya." The artistic sense... You are engaged in artistic work just to have a pleasure, ānanda. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt. That pleasure, rasa, a mellow... By painting one picture, you enjoy some rasa or mellow; otherwise why you are working so hard? There is a pleasure. So Kṛṣṇa is raso vai saḥ. Raso vai saḥ: "He is the reservoir of all pleasure." Sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). These words are used. Sat, cit, ānanda. Ānanda means pleasure. His pleasure potency is Rādhārāṇī. You have seen the picture of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. So Rādhārāṇī is the manifestation of Kṛṣṇa's pleasure potency. He has got, as I have already explained, parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). He has got multi-energies, and one of the energy is pleasure potency.

Lecture at Art Gallery -- Auckland, April 16, 1972:

"As sure as death." That death is God. So to the atheistic person death is God. And to the theistic person, they can see, premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). Those who have developed love of God, oh, they are enjoying the transcendental pleasure in every moment by seeing the artistic work of Kṛṣṇa. So that is the position of a devotee.

So we request everyone to become devotee and Kṛṣṇa conscious so that you will find everywhere the artistic work of Kṛṣṇa, everywhere. Sarvatra sphuraya tāra iṣṭa-deva-mūrti, sthāvara-jaṅgama dekhe nā dekhe tāra mūrti (CC Madhya 8.274). Just like if you are drinking water... These things are very nicely described in the Bhagavad-gītā. So you are thirsty; you require water. And when you drink water, you feel so much pleasure. Sa vai. Kṛṣṇa is the reservoir of pleasure, all pleasure. So raso vai saḥ. So that pleasure, by drinking water, that pleasure is Kṛṣṇa.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is absolute, that we can (indistinct).

Śyāmasundara: And that this absolute expresses itself in three forms again, art, religion, and philosophy. On the first level the absolute assumes a sensuous form which we call beauty, and this is art, that the spirit...

Prabhupāda: So our definition of God (is) He is all-beautiful.

Śyāmasundara: So He is all art, artful too, artistic.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So all-beautiful means includes everything, everything beautiful. (end)

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Karandhara: Actually they have. There are a number of archaeologists who have made findings like, particularly one, I can't remember his name, but he did an elaborate investigation on the Egyptian culture. And his thesis was that their culture was far more advanced than ours. They had mathematical techniques, they had...

Prabhupāda: Ajanta Caves. Ajanta Caves. Why that is? So artistic. He's unfortunate, he's simply excavated caves...

Śyāmasundara: I read about the paint in that cave. They don't know how it's still preserved. There's no chemical that they have today that will preserve paint so long.

Prabhupāda: So he's unfortunate. He could not find out Ajanta Cave; he found out some monkey's cave, that's all.

Karandhara: The Egyptians had geometric techniques that they're even..., they don't understand. They discount them...

Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson:

Prabhupāda: So this can be utilized. Suppose an artist is trying to improve this building. So if he takes instruction from an experienced artist how to improve, then it becomes easier, and if he tries himself, it takes long, long time. He should take the artistic idea from a person who is perfect in artistic idea, then his work will make progress very swiftly. Otherwise he is already imperfect, he may think "This is better," but it may not be better because he is imperfect. So he has to take instruction from a perfect person, then the progress will be very swift. (break)

Philosophy Discussion on Arthur Schopenhauer:

Prabhupāda: So why momentary? It can continue perpetually.

Śyāmasundara: By seeing pictures and art...

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. You see Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa picture, you see the Deity, well-dressed Deity, artistically, flowers. So always see. Why momentary?

Śyāmasundara: So even aesthetically, one can have permanent salvation.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Aesthetic with a—I mean to say—solid program. Because Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is all goodness. You find whatever the so-called philosophers will describe, we have got already there. Already there. If you say aesthetic salvation, this is aesthetic salvation. Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau **. To worship the Deity. And you cannot derive benefit unless the aesthetic sense is applied to the higher authority, with reverence and respect. That is wanted.

Philosophy Discussion on Arthur Schopenhauer:

Prabhupāda: And that is not possible. This is, this is simply a lack of knowledge. Just like the same philosophy, if there is danger before me I cannot protect me from the danger, I simply close my eyes, "Ahh. There is no danger." It is like that. The danger remains there. He thinks by closing the eyes, he thinks, "Now I am out of danger". That is his foolishness. You know? The small animal, rabbits or monkeys, they close the eyes. There was..., I do not know, I heard that there was an artistic competition, prize distribution, that one has to paint a picture, that the..., before the mother the son is being killed. So the artist has to paint the facial expression of the mother. So, so many artists paint so many ways. And one artist painted the mother closed the eyes. He got the first prize. Because this kind of suffering cannot be expressed. The best thing is closed.

Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:

Prabhupāda: What is that sublimation? More sex? (indistinct) sex?

Hayagrīva: Sublimation is, well let me read, "The excessive excitations from individual sexual sources are discharged and utilized in other spheres, so that no small enhancement of mental capacity results from a predisposition which is dangerous as such." In other words, he didn't believe that..., in total sexual freedom as it's conceived today, but that a man would be better, instead of trying to totally deny the sex drive, to try to redirect it, oh, perhaps in artistic activity or in, in study, or in some other activity. Not to deny it.

Prabhupāda: That means, in one word, to divert his attention.

Hayagrīva: Yes.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation With John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and George Harrison -- September 11, 1969, London, At Tittenhurst:

Prabhupāda: People can be peaceful by knowing three things. If he perfectly understands only three things, then he'll become peaceful. What is that? Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ. All the sacrifices, austerities, penances, whatever people are undertaking for perfection, the enjoyer of such activities, Kṛṣṇa says, "I am." "I am." Just like your activities. This is also a kind of austerities. Your artistic songs, they have become popular because you have undergone some austerities. You have come to the perfection. That requires penance and austerities. Or any scientific discovery, that requires austerities. So every nice thing presented in the world, that requires austerity. Very devout, painstaking. Then it becomes successful. That is called yajña. Tapasya. So Kṛṣṇa says, "The result of the tapasya enjoyer, I am." He is claiming. "The result of your tapasya should come to Me." Then you'll be satisfied. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). People are claiming, "This is my England," and "This is my India," "This is my Germany," "This is my China." No. Everything belongs to God, Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-loka.

Discussion with BTG Staff -- December 24, 1969, Boston:

Prabhupāda: Yes, why not?

Hayagrīva: Gurudāsa has some very excellent pictures from the archives taken from books that were printed several hundreds of years ago, Bhagavad-gītā and some woodcuts of Nṛsiṁha, which would be considered quite artistic, but maybe we can send them to you to see if they meet your approval and maybe reproduce them.

Prabhupāda: No, whatever card, form, we get, unless we have got arrangement for worship... Of course, we can keep, but our, any form, wooden or stone, that should be worshiped.

Hayagrīva: These are photographs, these are pictures.

Prabhupāda: Oh, pictures. Then it is all right. All right. It is all right?

Satsvarūpa: Yes. That's all.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- August 14, 1971, London:

Prabhupāda: Now, even there was no God's picture, one who is God conscious, he can see in the natural scenery presentation, he can see, "Oh, how God is artistic. How he has manufactured this flower, how he has painted, how He has made this tree." So that is higher intelligence. That is higher intelligence. Because without God, there can be nothing existing. So one has to learn how to see God in everything. That is another thing. That is higher status. Yes. But in the lower status of God consciousness one is advised that you should not see anything without God. But in the higher status, there is nothing in the world which is without God. But we should not imitate the higher status of life in the lower status of our position. Otherwise, one who has learned about God, he can see God in this flower.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- September 1, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: That there is no brain behind this creation. How foolish they are. There is no brain in this artistic work. And how wonderfully, because it is automatically coming, artist. Anything, you take flower. So, without brain how this thing can happen? But these rascals they do not understand. They say nature. What is this nature? Nature is an instrument, but the brain is God. Just like you paint a flower with the brush. The brush is not the creator of that painting, you are creating. Similarly, it appears that it is happening naturally. Nature is only brush, but the brain is God.

Guest: Yet no two are the same, are they?

Prabhupāda: Eh.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Reverend Gordon Powell, Head of Scots Church -- June 28, 1974, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: Daffodils. Oh.

Reverend Powell: No, jonquils, aren't they?

Devotee: Jonquils.

Prabhupāda: Very... Just see how God's artistic brain.

Reverend Powell: Hmm. Yeah.

Prabhupāda: You can see God in everywhere. But one must be Kṛṣṇa conscious, God conscious. Then he'll see every moment, everywhere God, nothing but God.

Reverend Powell: Is this part of the God consciousness, that in everything is the God?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Everything is made out of energy of God.

Room Conversation -- June 28, 1974, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: That's all right. Yes. Formality, you should be respectful. Suppose your enemy—that is etiquette-comes in your room. But when he has come to your room, you should offer him respect: "Come on, come on. Sit down." That is etiquette. You know that "He's my enemy." That... The etiquette according to Vedic civilization: gṛhe śatrum api prāptaṁ viśvastam akuto-bhayam. Even your enemy comes at your home, you should treat with him in such a nice way that he'll forget that you are his enemy. Gṛhe śatrum... That was... Just like Jarāsandha and Bhīma. They, they wanted that "We want to fight with you..." (Break) Unless one of the kings died... (Break) ...a strong flavor, and it is continually, continues. So long it is alive, the flavor is there. So where is that art, where is that science? When you have... Where is that scientist amongst the human society? They are very much proud of their scientific advancement. Everything see, the flowers and leaves, so artistically, beautifully manufactured that simply by seeing them you'll feel pleased. How the man can manufacture it?

Room Conversation -- June 28, 1974, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: Yes, they have been described as mūḍha. Now, we are appreciating immediately Kṛṣṇa's craftsmanship, artistic sense, and we are glorifying. So that should be done by everyone. But the mūḍhas, they will not do that. They'll explain away. They'll never admit God's hand, intelligence, brain is there. They'll never admit. Neither they will explain how it is. They know it, how it is done. It has been done, or it is being done by somebody. That they do not know, who is that somebody. And when we say it is Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa says, "It is I am," they'll not agree. This is their position. They do not know who is that somebody, and when we say, "Here is that somebody," they'll not believe it. This is mūḍha. Therefore it is said... The mūḍha cannot explain all... And at the same time, will not accept the real thing.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- March 2, 1975, Atlanta:

Prabhupāda: No, not stopped. Just like you have got ordinary car and you purchase a Rolls-Royce car. The business is the same. It is simply an artistic improvement. In the ordinary car there is much jerking and the Rolls-Royce car there is no jerking. That will not benefit you. After all it is car. You can use it for going here to there, there to here, that's all. Therefore our Vedic civilization, they are not very much eager to manufacture a motor car, they are satisfied with the bullock cart. Because after all you have to go from this place to that place. And there was no need of big, big roads, three thousand miles long for driving the car. You see. The bullock cart was sufficient, here to there, a few miles. But they were interested to cultivate spiritual knowledge. That is Indian civilization. Vyāsadeva was living in a cottage and just see literature. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita was prime minister of India and he was living in a cottage, drawing no salary and he has given his politics and moral lesson, so sublime.

Room Conversation with Carol Cameron -- May 9, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: So, this is my attribute. How you can say the creator is without attribute? This is false philosophy. I know how to create this bell. That is my artistic sense. That is my qualification. And how you say I am without qualification? As soon as you say "creator," then He has got many qualifications.

Carol: How can ignorance be removed?

Prabhupāda: The ignorant people can also learn from the learned. If you have got this idea that creator is impersonal, that means you are not a learned. You have no knowledge. And this is the simple answer. As soon as you say "creator," He has so many qualities. The bell... Suppose I am ringing. Now, when the spring is loose, it does not sound. So, others may not know, but one who has created—"Oh, the spring is loose.

Morning Walk -- December 19, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, kalā.... Kalā means artistic. Suppose a carpenter, he knows how to make a very nice, good furniture, does it mean that he is educated? He knows the art, some artistic way, that's all; but he is not educated. But nowadays it is going on that if you know some art, technology, then you are educated. This is not education. Education means culture.

Dr. Patel: Yes. And culture means...

Prabhupāda: Culture means human life. Otherwise dog's life. There is.... Adambhitvam ahiṁsā kṣāntir ārjavam. Everything is described. Amānitvam: first of all you have to learn how to become humble. And here all the people, they are educated how to become proud. What is education?

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- May 3, 1976, Fiji:

Prabhupāda: His elder brother, Udar Shankar, he became very famous man as a dancer, all over the world. Udar Shankar. And by imitating his brother, the Ravi Shankar also tried to become first-class sitarist. So family.... (break) ...was a little famous for artistic.... So that Udar Shankar was dancing in the Indian way, and there are many sculpture of dancing. Like that. That was his art. So he became famous.

Guru-kṛpā: He's not living? He's dead?

Morning Walk -- May 30, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: The thing is, father and mother is always kind. That is natural. Extraordinarily, the mother may kill. That is another thing. Crazy. But if somebody's coming to kill his child, mother gives protection: "First of all kill me." (break) So artistic competition, subject matter was that a child is being killed before the mother, and the artist has to give expression of the face. So different artists gave expression of the face of the mother when the child is being killed before her. So one artist made a picture like this. (holding hands over his eyes) He got the first prize.

Hari-śauri: She couldn't look.

Room Conversation With Scientists -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: j-ñ-a.

Rūpānuga: Is it hyphenated? Sa, hyphen?

Prabhupāda: Yes. I have given you spelling. Or Pradyumna can give it to you.

Rūpānuga: That is very artistic also, very nice, literature, very nice.

Prabhupāda: And in bracket you can give "In Scientific Knowledge."

Rūpānuga: "In Scientific Knowledge." In English?

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. (in room) Make that attempt. Then they will know, "Yes America." So these pictures are available to be seen?

Yadubara: I think today they will, by this evening, they will...

Prabhupāda: How many?

Evening Darsana -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: That doesn't matter. But it is made according to the Vedic principles. Just like in the Vedas, Kṛṣṇa's form is described, veṇuṁ kvaṇantam aravinda-dalāyatākṣam (Bs. 5.30). Kṛṣṇa is playing on His flute, veṇuṁ kvaṇantam. His eyes are like the petals of the lotus flower. So if you follow the description, then it is coming from the Vedic literature or Vedic knowledge. It is not that an artistic way of imagining some idol, the eyes are like this and He must play flute. It is not like that.

Morning Walk -- July 13, 1976, New York:

Rāmeśvara: (break) ...that by genetics they can develop the higher qualities in man, and they can arrange at birth to develop the finest qualities, strength, different talents also, like artistic talents, musical talents, better intelligence, all by chemistry.

Prabhupāda: So how much chemical he has devoured for becoming so intelligent? That man who is proposing chemicals, so how much quantity of chemical he has eaten to speak all this nonsense?

Bali-mardana: One of their programs is selective breeding. Only let the so-called intelligent people have children and let all the unintelligent people not have any children.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Then who will clean up the park if they do that?

Room Conversation -- July 27, 1976, London:

Prabhupāda: Just like George. What is his value? He's artist, that's all. From educational point of view, from things other view, he does not know anything. But he has got some money on account of his artistic play on it(?), and he's big man, that's all. Somehow or other get money, you become a big man. There is no question of culture or anything. That is stated in the Bhāgavata. The money will be the criterion—no family, culture, education. These things will not be taken into account. If you have got money, then you are big man. Never mind what you are. Therefore people are after money. Who is going to be brāhmaṇa? If you become a perfect brāhmaṇa, who will care for you? Nobody is interested to become a brāhmaṇa. "Why we shall become brāhmaṇa? Starve? For starvation?" Nowadays the colleges, they're not interested in art, philosophy, English literature. No, they.... Nobody....

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Oh. (laughs) Very nice. People will so much appreciate it. Yes. They've never seen. From artistic point of view, it should be rewarded by government. And they are prosecuting us. This... What injustice... So many young men, they're exhibiting their talents in this art, and they are trying to harass us. What is this government? Put this matter before this government, that "Just see, your lordships, we are presenting culture, religion, knowledge, philosophy, art, and they are trying to condemn us. Do you think it is all right?" Simply ask. "It was never known in this country. And it is worthy. We are the first-class nation in the world, and we are still giving something more of our talent. Instead of encouraging government help, we have to suffer this harassment. Do you think it is justice?" Just put before him.

Conversation and Instruction On New Movie -- January 13, 1977, Allahabad:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rāmeśvara: And they'll also appreciate beautiful photography showing the beauty of India. They'll appreciate that also. And beautiful temples.

Prabhupāda: Artistic.

Rāmeśvara: Yes, it'll show the higher religious culture of India. That will impress many people in America. They think of India as so backwards, but they'll see that they have these beautiful temples.

Prabhupāda: So that is due to British propaganda. British propaganda was that they were staying in India to make India civilized.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gargamuni: We went door to door for two hours.

Rāmeśvara: No, I mean it is practical that if a man comes with artistic talents, then I will try to engage him as an artist. Different talents...

Prabhupāda: No, engage him. There must be engagement. Either as a artist or bookseller, there must be engagement.

Rāmeśvara: According to different talents.

Prabhupāda: Nobody should be allowed to keep himself lazy. That is not good. Niyataṁ kuru karma tvam. That is... Find out this verse. Oh, he has taken away?

Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- January 30, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: No, you can..., every right to speak. You are qualified scientist. All doctor, they must agree to hear you, cannot deny.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: And our mathematician is very good. He's also got some good artistic ideas. He told me that he started some arts.

Prabhupāda: So he's a mathematician and another (sic:) physist, and you are chemist. So complete science. The pure science is mathematics, physics, and chemistry. So our three Ph.D.s, they are combination of pure science. Nobody can defeat. Mathematics is there, physics is there, chemistry is there. And my sentiment is this, (laughs) I challenge them, "No. Life from life, not matter." So perhaps I challenged first. Or anybody? Then life from life, not from matter?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda did it.

Room Conversation -- April 2, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That theatrical group will also be popular in Communist countries. That drama group will also be popular.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes, drama group also. That is from artistic side. And from scientific side. And gradually we are making Bombay as the headquarters. So occasionally you come and go, and if possible tackle these men and find money to be spent.

Guru dāsa: Yes, visa.

Prabhupāda: We are doing with so many temples. That is Indian property.

Guru dāsa: Yes. Now I think I should go and see a bigger man than him.

Prabhupāda: At least give permanent residence for one hundred men. Then we can manage.

Conversation with Tamala Krsna about Yadubara -- April 22, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He plans to meet with Svarūpa Dāmodara in Boston when he returns in July to discuss the possible films to make. He says he decided with Svarūpa Dāmodara that it would be best to wait before making a film until they have published their thesis and had some feedback from the material scientists. It's a good point. "Because their theories are always changing, our scientists also have to change their approach. It is for this reason that a film does not seem so suitable for their purposes, because it cannot be so easily changed as with a slide presentation. Also Svarūpa Dāmodara's presentation is highly scientific, and I feel somewhat dry for the film medium, which is more an artistic medium."

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Talk About Varnasrama, S.B. 2.1.1-5 -- June 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You said that sometimes you would be walking in the footpath, and you would watch those men cook their...

Prabhupāda: Not cook. Somebody's doing some artistic work. I'll stand. I'll see how they are doing.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Artistic?

Prabhupāda: Just like knitting. So I'll learning knitting by standing before. They're making some flower of wool, so I'll learn it, and it will come out. That was my hobby. And similarly I learned how to worship Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: By watching. You watched your father?

Room Conversation with Mr. Myer -- July 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Ah, yajñād bhavati parjanyo yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ (BG 3.14). Yajñārthe karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). All prescription of material life, spiritual life, social life, political life, religious life, artistic life—Bhagavad-gītā is full of knowledge. At least in India there must be an institution that is strictly following the principles of Bhagavad-gītā. This is my institution. We don't want anything more, other help. We simply request them that "Give some of our men permanent residentship. We shall guide it(?)." That they'll institute...(?) What help... What is the harm? Have we got...

Room Conversation With Madhudvisa and others -- August 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Something artistic, wonderful.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's really attractive. Gurukṛpā Mahārāja was telling me that the people, not just young people, but people of all ages are attracted to buying such a nice-looking thing. Even an old grandmother would be proud to have such a candle, not just young people. All ages, all types.

Prabhupāda: Get a new life all around. No depression, no hopelessness. Is it not? American boys and girls, they became so much depressed out of hopelessness. Now here is a life, future. Your latest Back to Godhead is very nice. (indistinct)

Room Conversation -- October 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Very nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think it's very beautiful. Very artistic. Very feeling... It shows a tremendous amount of feeling. It also advertises all of your books, so they place it in libraries. Libraries like to have it because you're a very..., most prominent author. People usually have a book display.

Prabhupāda: Very nice. (discussion amongst disciples about where in the room to put it)

Page Title:Artistic (Lect. & Conversations)
Compiler:Sahadeva, RupaManjari
Created:28 of Jan, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=32, Con=26, Let=0
No. of Quotes:58