As important as

Expressions researched:
"as important as"

BG Chapters 1 - 6

BG 2.11, Purport:

And because he was lacking in that knowledge, he should not have posed himself as a very learned man. As he did not happen to be a very learned man, he was consequently lamenting for something which was unworthy of lamentation. The body is born and is destined to be vanquished today or tomorrow; therefore the body is not as important as the soul. One who knows this is actually learned, and for him there is no cause for lamentation, regardless of the condition of the material body.

SB Canto 1

SB 1.7.12, Purport:

They are under the false impression that the other cantos are not concerned with Kṛṣṇa, and thus more foolishly than intelligently they take to the reading of the Tenth Canto. These readers are specifically told herein that the other cantos of the Bhāgavatam are as important as the Tenth Canto. No one should try to go into the matters of the Tenth Canto without having thoroughly understood the purport of the other nine cantos. Kṛṣṇa and His pure devotees like the Pāṇḍavas are on the same plane. Kṛṣṇa is not without His devotees of all the rasas, and the pure devotees like the Pāṇḍavas are not without Kṛṣṇa. The devotees and the Lord are interlinked, and they cannot be separated. Therefore talks about them are all kṛṣṇa-kathā, or topics of the Lord.

SB 1.9.44, Purport:

Any part of the machine removed from the whole is no longer important. Similarly, any part and parcel of the Absolute detached from the service of the Lord is useless. The living beings who are in the material world are all disintegrated parts and parcels of the supreme whole, and they are no longer as important as the original parts and parcels. There are, however, more integrated living beings who are eternally liberated. The material energy of the Lord, called Durgā-śakti, or the superintendent of the prison house, takes charge of the disintegrated parts and parcels, and thus they undergo a conditioned life under the laws of material nature. When the living being becomes conscious of this fact, he tries to go back home, back to Godhead, and thus the spiritual urge of the living being begins. This spiritual urge is called brahma-jijñāsā, or inquiry about Brahman. Principally this brahma-jijñāsā is successful by knowledge, renunciation and devotional service to the Lord.

SB 1.18.2, Purport:

A self-surrendered devotee of the Lord is called nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇa. Such a person is never afraid of any place or person, not even of death. For him nothing is as important as the Supreme Lord, and thus he gives equal importance to heaven and hell. He knows well that both heaven and hell are creations of the Lord, and similarly life and death are different conditions of existence created by the Lord. But in all conditions and in all circumstances, remembrance of Nārāyaṇa is essential. The nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇa practices this constantly. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was such a pure devotee. He was wrongfully cursed by an inexperienced son of a brāhmaṇa, who was under the influence of Kali, and Mahārāja Parīkṣit took this to be sent by Nārāyaṇa.

SB Canto 2

SB 2.2.15, Purport:

Such devotees do not need to seek an opportune moment to leave the present body. But those who are mixed devotees, alloyed with fruitive action or empirical philosophical speculation, require an opportune moment for quitting this body. For them the opportune moments are stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (8.23-26). But these opportune moments are not as important as one's being a successful yogī who is able to quit his body as he likes. Such a yogī must be competent to control his senses by the mind. The mind is easily conquered simply by engaging it at the lotus feet of the Lord. Gradually, by such service, all the senses become automatically engaged in the service of the Lord. That is the way of merging into the Supreme Absolute.

SB 2.2.27, Purport:

They create instead their own interpretations, which are as foolish as they themselves, and thereby only help to put a stumbling block on the path of real understanding, misdirecting the innocent followers who are less intelligent, or the śūdras. It is said that one should become a brāhmaṇa before one can understand the Vedic statements, and this stricture is as important as the stricture that no one shall become a lawyer who has not qualified himself as a graduate. Such a stricture is not an impediment in the path of progress for anyone and everyone, but it is necessary for an unqualified understanding of a particular science. Vedic knowledge is misinterpreted by those who are not qualified brāhmaṇas. A qualified brāhmaṇa is one who has undergone strict training under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master.

SB Canto 4

SB 4.6.43, Purport:

The mode of ignorance, or tamo-guṇa, is considered very much lower than the others, but in the higher sense it is also auspicious. The example may be given herein that the government has both an educational department and criminal department. An outsider may consider the criminal department inauspicious, but from the government's point of view it is as important as the education department, and therefore the government finances both departments equally, without discrimination.

SB 4.23.31, Purport:

The fact is explained herein that hearing and chanting about a Vaiṣṇava is as good as hearing and chanting about Viṣṇu, for Maitreya has explained that anyone who hears about Pṛthu Mahārāja with attention also attains the planet which Mahārāja Pṛthu attained. There is no duality between Viṣṇu and the Vaiṣṇava, and this is called advaya-jñāna. A Vaiṣṇava is as important as Viṣṇu, and therefore Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura wrote in his Gurv-aṣṭaka:

sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair

uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ

kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya

vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam **

"The spiritual master is honored as much as the Supreme Lord because he is the most confidential servitor of the Lord. This is acknowledged in all revealed scriptures and is followed by all authorities. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master, who is a bona fide representative of Śrī Hari."

SB 4.24.16, Purport:

At the meeting of Naimiṣāraṇya, where Sūta Gosvāmī spoke Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to all the great sages, Sūta Gosvāmī was also asked about the talks between Mahārāja Parīkṣit and Śukadeva Gosvāmī, for the sages believed that the talks between Śukadeva Gosvāmī and Mahārāja Parīkṣit must have been as important as the talks between Lord Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna. As everyone is still eager to learn the subject of Bhagavad-gītā in order to become perfectly enlightened, Vidura was similarly eager to learn from the great sage Maitreya about the talks between Lord Śiva and the Pracetās.

SB Canto 5

SB 5.1.21, Purport:

Therefore instead of looking upon Brahmā with resentment, they very feelingly offered him their respect. Lord Brahmā then returned to his celestial abode, known as Satyaloka, which is described here as being impeccable and being unapproachable by words.

It is stated in this verse that Lord Brahmā returned to his residence, which is as important as his own personality. Lord Brahmā is the creator of this universe and the most exalted personality within it. His lifetime is described in Bhagavad-gītā (8.17). Sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ. The total duration of the four yugas is 4,300,000 years, and when that is multiplied a thousand times, it equals twelve hours in the life of Brahmā. Therefore we cannot factually comprehend even twelve hours of Brahmā's life, to say nothing of the one hundred years that constitute his entire lifetime. How, then, can we understand his abode?

SB 5.20.3-4, Purport:

It may be argued that the demigods are as important as Lord Viṣṇu because the names of the demigods are different names of Viṣṇu. This, however, is not a sound conclusion, for it is contradicted in the Vedic literatures. The Vedas declare:

candramā manaso jātaś cakṣoḥ sūryo ajāyata; śrotrādayaś ca prāṇaś ca mukhād agnir ajāyata; nārāyaṇād brahmā, nārāyaṇād rudro jāyate, nārāyaṇāt prajāpatiḥ jāyate, nārāyaṇād indro jāyate, nārāyaṇād aṣṭau vasavo jāyante, nārāyaṇād ekādaśa rudrā jāyante.

"The demigod of the moon, Candra, came from the mind of Nārāyaṇa, and the sun-god came from His eyes. The controlling deities of hearing and the life air came from Nārāyaṇa, and the controlling deity of fire was generated from His mouth. Prajāpati, Lord Brahmā, came from Nārāyaṇa, Indra came from Nārāyaṇa, and the eight Vasus, the eleven expansions of Lord Śiva and the twelve Ādityas also came from Nārāyaṇa."

SB Canto 6

SB 6.1.20, Purport:

The Purāṇas, or old histories, are sometimes neglected by unintelligent men who consider their descriptions mythological. Actually, the descriptions of the Purāṇas, or the old histories of the universe, are factual, although not chronological. The purāṇas record the chief incidents that have occurred over many millions of years, not only on this planet but also on other planets within the universe. Therefore all learned and realized Vedic scholars speak with references to the incidents in the Purāṇas. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī accepts the Purāṇas to be as important as the Vedas themselves. Therefore in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu he quotes the following verse from the Brahma-yāmala:

SB Canto 8

SB 8.5.25, Purport:

We may also sing the songs of Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura and Locana dāsa Ṭhākura, but these two songs—"śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya" and the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra—are sufficient to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although we cannot see Him. Seeing the Lord is not as important as appreciating Him from the authentic literature or the authentic statements of authorized persons.

SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13

SB 10.3.18, Purport:

The world is not false.

Jñānīs reject this world, and foolish persons accept this world as reality, and in this way they are both misguided. Although the body is not as important as the soul, we cannot say that it is false. Yet the body is temporary, and only foolish, materialistic persons, who do not have full knowledge of the soul, regard the temporary body as reality and engage in decorating this body. Both of these pitfalls—rejection of the body as false and acceptance of the body as all in all—can be avoided when one is fully situated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If we regard this world as false, we fall into the category of asuras, who say that this world is unreal, with no foundation and no God in control (asatyam apratiṣṭhaṁ te jagad āhur anīśvaram). As described in the Sixteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā, this is the conclusion of demons.

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 13.86, Purport:

After some time, when we find that they are actually situated strictly in the line of brahminical behavior, śālagrāma-śilā worship will be introduced.

In this age, the worship of the śālagrāma-śilā is not as important as the chanting of the holy name of the Lord. That is the injunction of the śāstra: harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalaṁ/ kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā (CC Adi 17.21). Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī’s opinion is that by chanting the holy name offenselessly one becomes completely perfect. Nevertheless, just to purify the situation of the mind, worship of the Deity in the temple is also necessary. Therefore when one is advanced in spiritual consciousness or is perfectly situated on a spiritual platform, he may take to the worship of the śālagrāma-śilā.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 5:

It is also significant that Vasudeva inquired about the welfare of Nanda Mahārāja's animals. The animals, and especially the cows, were protected exactly in the manner of one's children. Vasudeva was a kṣatriya, and Nanda Mahārāja was a vaiśya. It is the duty of the kṣatriyas to give protection to the citizens, and it is the duty of the vaiśyas to give protection to the cows. The cows are as important as the citizens. Just as the human citizens should be given all kinds of protection, so the cows also should be given full protection.

Vasudeva continued to say that the maintenance of religious principles, economic development and the satisfactory execution of meeting the demands of the senses depend on cooperation among relatives, nations and all humanity. Therefore, it is everyone's duty to see that his fellow citizens and the cows are not put into difficulty. One should see to the peace and comfort of his fellow man and the animals.

Krsna Book 90:

For example, the members of the Yadu dynasty lived in the family of Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa was the center of all their activities.

Renunciation is not as important as enhancing one's attachment to Kṛṣṇa. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is especially meant for this purpose. We are preaching the principle that it does not matter whether a man is a sannyāsī or gṛhastha (householder). One simply has to increase his attachment for Kṛṣṇa, and then his life is successful. Following in the footsteps of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, one can live with his family members or within the society or nation, not for the purpose of indulging in sense gratification but to realize Kṛṣṇa by advancing in attachment for Him.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.21-22 -- London, July 18, 1973:

He has fallen down from good citizenship. Similarly, we are all parts and parcels of Kṛṣṇa. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhuta (BG 15.7). So as part and parcel, our position is to live with Kṛṣṇa. Just like this is my finger, part and parcel of my body. The finger must remain attached with this body. When this finger is cut off and fallen, although it is finger, it is no longer as important as it was formerly when it was attached with this body. So anyone who is not attached with the service of the Supreme Lord, he is fallen. This is the conclusion.

Lecture on BG 2.8-12 -- Los Angeles, November 27, 1968:

Devotee: Verse 11: "The Blessed Lord said: While speaking learned words you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor the dead (BG 2.11)." Purport: "The Lord at once took the position of a teacher and chastised his student, calling him indirectly a fool. The Lord said, 'You are talking like a learned man, but you do not know that one who is learned, one who knows what is body and what is soul, does not lament for any stage of the body, neither in the living nor in the dead condition.' As explained in the later chapters, it will be clear that knowledge means to know matter and spirit and the controller of both. Arjuna argued that religious principles should be given more importance than politics or sociology, but he did not know that knowledge of matter, soul and the Supreme is more important than religious formularies. And because he was lacking in that knowledge, he should not have posed himself as a very learned man. As he did not happen to be a very learned man, he was consequently lamenting for something which was unworthy of lamentation. The body is born and is destined to be vanquished today or tomorrow. Therefore the body is not as important as the soul. One who knows this is actually learned. For him there is no cause for lamentation in any stage of the material body."

Prabhupāda: He says, Kṛṣṇa says, that "This body, either dead or alive, has nothing to be lamented." Dead body, suppose when the body is dead, it has no value. What is the use of lamenting? You can lament for many thousands of years, it will not come to life. So there is no cause of lamenting on dead body. And so far spirit soul is concerned, that is eternal. Even it appears to be dead, or with the death of this body, he does not die. So why one should be overwhelmed, "Oh, my father is dead, my such and such relative is dead," and crying? He's not dead. This knowledge one must have. Then he'll be cheerful in all cases and he'll be interested simply in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is nothing to be lamented for the body, either alive or dead. That is being instructed by Kṛṣṇa in this chapter. Go on.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, March 29, 1971:

And the śūdras are considered to be the working class. But the intelligent class, the brāhmaṇas, and the administrative class, the kṣatriyas, and the productive class, the vaiśyas, and the working class, the śūdras, they are equally important. If you take the whole body, you cannot say that the leg is unimportant than the head. Head is as important as the legs. But comparatively, because the head, the brain, gives direction, therefore it is more important as the legs. But comparatively, because the head, the brain, gives direction, therefore it is more important than the legs. But without leg, the brain also cannot work. Without hand, the brain also cannot work, simply by brain. Brain is of course most important. Similarly, in the social order, the brāhmaṇas, the intelligent class of men, are very important undoubtedly, but śūdras are not less important. They are also important. That is the system given by the Lord Himself.

Lecture on BG 18.41 -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

Why nature has not made only the head? No leg, no arms. No. They are required. But they should not cooperate. It doesn't matter that one is brāhmaṇa, one is kṣatriya, one is śūdra. Just the same example of the body. The head is there, very important department of this body. But the leg is not unimportant. Although the leg is not as important as the head, still leg is also required. There is necessity. You cannot avoid the leg. Similarly, there should be first-class intelligent men, administrative class of men, mercantile class of men and the worker class of men, but they should cooperate.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Vrndavana, April 18, 1975:

We are part and parcel of the body of Kṛṣṇa. The brāhmaṇa is the mouth of Kṛṣṇa, and the kṣatriyas are the arms of Kṛṣṇa. The vaiśyas are the abdomen of Kṛṣṇa, and the śūdras are the legs of Kṛṣṇa. Mukha-bāhūru-pādebhyaḥ jajñire catvāro varṇā viprādayo guṇair pṛthak. The... Nobody should be hated. Just like in your body your leg is as important as your head, especially of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is advaya-jñāna, absolute. We may make some difference from head to leg. Leg is less important, head is... No. But Kṛṣṇa's any part is as important as other part. So you become the part of... You are already. But if you come to realize that you are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's body, so either you act as Kṛṣṇa's leg or as Kṛṣṇa's head, there is no difference. There is no difference. Here in the material world we have misunderstood that "Because I am head, therefore I shall hate the legs." Why? We first of all offer tulasī and flower to the legs of Kṛṣṇa, not to the head. The bhakti-yoga begins from the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. So how you can say the legs of Kṛṣṇa are inferior than the heads of Kṛṣṇa?

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Lecture -- San Francisco, July 15, 1975:

So I gave him this example that good, or piety, that is God's frontage, and evil means God's back side. So taking this example, the chest or the back of my body, they are equal. It is not that when there is some pain on the back side I don't care for it; I simply take care of when there is pain in the chest. No. Although it is back side, it is as important as the front side. Then evil and good is also of the same importance? No. Evil... That I gave the example, that for God there is nothing evil. I gave another example. Just like the sun, there is no darkness. Anywhere of sun's body, there is no darkness. But for us there is light and darkness. Just like if you keep the sun back side, you will find darkness, a very long darkness, your shadow. And if you keep yourself in front, sun, there is no darkness. So it is my business; I create darkness. As soon as I change my position—instead of remaining in front of God, I keep God back side—then there is darkness. Otherwise there is no question of darkness. But in the sun as it is, there is no such darkness. Therefore God is all good.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on William James:

Prabhupāda: He does not know that evil does not exist independently. He does not know. In our śāstras it says that evil is the back side of God. But it is not independent of God. But either back side or front side, it is God; therefore it is absolute. I cannot neglect my back side. I cannot say that "You can beat me on my back side. Go on, kick me." That I cannot say. The back side is as important as the front side. But comparatively it is explained that evil is back side, pāpa, sin. That is back side of God.

Śyāmasundara: He says that we can cooperate with God...

Prabhupāda: That means when you are not in front side of God, you are sinful.

Devānanda: If one doesn't stand before God, he stands in darkness.

Śyāmasundara: He says that we can cooperate...

Philosophy Discussion on Johann Gottlieb Fichte:

Hayagrīva: This is Fichte. He's not as important as Kant or Hegel, but he followed pretty much in the footsteps of Kant. His first work was entitled Our Belief in a Divine Government of the Universe, and he writes, "Our belief in a moral world order must be based on the concept of a supersensible transcendental world."

Prabhupāda: But thing is that what is morality? If he cannot define what is morality, simply saying on moral principles, what is this morality? First of all you have to understand what is morality. Simply imaginary moral principle. We want practical understanding what is morality. That they have not defined.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- August 1, 1972, London:

Prabhupāda: You have got?

Devotee (2): No, it's not a million dollars. It's only 600,000.

Dhanañjaya: Well they said between 250,000 and 350,000 pounds.

Devotee (2): Oh, the money, the money won't be as important as the place. If we get the place, we can get the money, I think.

Dhanañjaya: But still there is a congregation. It's not available immediately.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Dhanañjaya: There's a congregation there still.

Devotee (Revatīnandana?): You have no idea when it would be available?

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 20, 1974, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Yes. But he cannot do the work of a brāhmaṇa. He cannot be trained as a preacher. But he can help. Just like my legs. The legs cannot do the work of brain, but it can help me. I am walking. So leg is as important as the brain. Similarly, śūdra is as important as the brāhmaṇa, provided he helps the movement, Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is wanted, not that artificially a śūdra should be working as a brāhmaṇa, no. But everyone should be engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is required.

Nitāi: So in that case he is a śūdra, and he is also doing the work of a...

Prabhupāda: Then he is not a śūdra. One who is engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, he is neither brāhmaṇa nor śūdra. He is devotee. He is brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20). Brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). Apparently he looks like śūdra. Just like we have got so many men from different quarters, but we do not belong to that quarter any more. Vaiṣṇave jāti-buddhiḥ. Therefore anyone who takes, "Oh, here is an American Vaiṣṇava, here is an Indian Vaiṣṇava," that is nārakī. He is Vaiṣṇava. That understanding required.

Room Conversation with Roger Maria leading writer of communist literature -- June 12, 1974, Paris:

Prabhupāda: This is not very clear. (laughs) Now, dualism means two, and monism is one. So he says monism, advaita. So monism, what is the center of monism? (French)

Yogeśvara: So he says that to discuss what is that center of monism is not as important as it is living the...

Prabhupāda: But you cannot... If you have no objective, then you cannot live in one way. (French for some time)

Prabhupāda: (aside:) I'm feeling hot.

Yogeśvara: He says...

Prabhupāda: Yes?

Room Conversation with Roger Maria leading writer of communist literature -- June 12, 1974, Paris:

Yogeśvara: He says that he recognizes that, and he says it is one interpretation, as you have your interpretation, as there are many. He doesn't think that these interpretations are as important as the art of knowing how to live, which is, he thinks, the essence of all religion, how to live. He says the interpretation is not so...

Prabhupāda: But he thinks Ramakrishna lived very well than others? (French)

Yogeśvara: I think one... If I've understood, he's insisting on one point. That is the that the public opinion is actually the most important thing, just as this Ramakrishna expressed the spirit of the Gītā in a way that was most popular, was most favorable to the public.

Prabhupāda: Who is that public? Amongst you, who accepts Ramakrishna.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 6, 1975, Mayapur:

Jagadīśa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, in your books you've stated that the position of the cow is as important as the position of the brāhmaṇa.

Prabhupāda: Hm ? Yes. Go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca. We offer respect to Kṛṣṇa as the well-wisher of the cows and the brāhmaṇas. Brahminical culture and preparation from milk makes a man perfect for spiritual understanding. Therefore they are two very important items, go-brāhmaṇa hitāya ca. In the society, if there is no brahminical culture and no cow protection, that is animal society. That is not human society. We are trying to bring the animal society to human society to fulfill the mission of human life. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Conversation with Governor -- April 20, 1975, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya saṁsiddhiḥ labhate naraḥ (BG 18.46). That is another way, that "I have no other means of earning livelihood." But if he becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, then even though he is acting as an electrician, he is in touch with Kṛṣṇa. That is recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā, sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya. That I explained in the varṇāśrama-dharma, that even though leg is leg, it is not as important as the head. But the leg is also required to keep the body in healthy condition. So that electrician who has connection with Kṛṣṇa, he is no more electrician; he is Vaiṣṇava because he has got his relationship with Kṛṣṇa. So that is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Find out Bhagavad-gītā. Sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya saṁsiddhiḥ labhate naraḥ. You can get perfection.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Evening Darsana -- August 12, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Yes. He was posing himself as the body. So he should not consider himself as a learned man. Nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ. Then?

Harikeśa: "As he did not happen to be a very learned man, he was consequently lamenting for something which was unworthy of lamentation. This body is born and is destined to be vanquished today or tomorrow; therefore the body is not as important as the soul. One who knows this is actually learned, and for him there is no cause for lamentation, regardless of the condition of the material body."

Prabhupāda: The people are not aware of these things, neither they are interested to know that the soul is more important than the body. This is the beginning of the Bhagavad-gītā. Still, they are placing themselves as learned scholars in Bhagavad-gītā. But sticking to the body. And one who is sticking to the bodily concept of life, he's no better than sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). The whole civilization is going on this understanding of body. And then Kṛṣṇa begins that instruction, dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). That is very vividly explained, that the soul is important because it is eternal, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20).

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation Varnasrama System Must Be Introduced -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Therefore why a śūdra artificially should be a brāhmaṇa? Let them, let him remain a śūdra, and if he follows strictly the rules and regulation of śūdra, he'll also be as good as a brāhmaṇa. The same example: Just like head is as important as my leg. It is not that because it is leg, it is less important than my head. And if you ask the head, "Do the work of a leg," it is impossible. And if you ask the leg to work as a brain, that is impossible. Let him remain brain, let him remain leg, and do your duty and you become perfect.

Satsvarūpa: Today you've been saying that the Vaiṣṇava is the highest, above the brāhmaṇa. But then we've also understood that everyone in ISKCON is a Vaiṣṇava.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Vaiṣṇava everyone, even if he's not brāhmaṇa. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). But you have to gradually bring him to that pure consciousness that "I am servant of Kṛṣṇa." Here the bodily conception is going on, "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am this," "I am that."

Room Conversation 'GBC Resolutions' -- March 1, 1977, Mayapura:

Hṛdayānanda: He wanted to work in the Mid-East.

Prabhupāda: And do you think that is all right?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: No, that's not as important as...

Kīrtanānanda: We felt he was too important a man to put there. So then we said, "Well, better that you stay in France if you're that determined..."

Rāmeśvara: "...to avoid America."

Kīrtanānanda: We really wanted him to come to the United States and help there.

Hṛdayānanda: But he was discouraged by that idea.

Kīrtanānanda: He said he could not get enthusiastic about that.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Brahmananda -- Calcutta 19 October, 1967:

I am very glad that you are trying to understand this philosophy & there is nothing to be sorry about your being misled by Kirtanananda. It is not in his power to mislead a sincere soul such as yourself; but I must congratulate Gargamuni, the simple boy, who never believed in impersonalism. He is your younger brother as important as Lord Laksmana was younger brother to Lord Rama. I am very glad that that this simple & honest boy has saved you from calamity. I am praying to Krishna to bless you, your brother Gargamuni, Rupanuga etc. for their eternal life in Krishna Consciousness. Hope you are well.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Los Angeles 22 January, 1968:

Children grow to be the topmost leaders of the human society. In the Bhagavatam it is said that the Brahmanas are the head of the social body, the Ksatriyas are the arms of the social body, the Vaisyas are the waist of the social body, and the Sudras are the legs of the social body. The legs may be placed in a lower position than the head ephemerally, but actually the legs are as important as the head for maintaining the body as it is. It is not that the legs should not be taken care of and just the head should be cared for. But it is a fact that if there is not a head it is a dead body. The modern civilization is a sort of a social body without a head, or actually it is a dead body. The body is dead since the very beginning of it's birth, and it is the spirit that keeps it moving. Therefore, spiritual enlightenment is the basic principle of civilization. The modern civilization is lacking in that respect and there are so many disadvantages on account of this deficiency.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Cidananda -- Los Angeles 3 July, 1969:

I thank you very much for your letter dated June 24, 1969, and I have carefully noted the contents. Madhudvisa has already gone there as desired by you, and I am sure he will be very helpful. He is now a veteran trained man, and the Los Angeles temple is now an ideal place for all centers to take example. Now I hope you will be able to make San Francisco as important as Los Angeles temple in cooperation with Madhudvisa and the other devotees there. Please convey my blessings to Jayananda, who is helping so much now in organizing for the Rathayatra Festival. Regarding Karatieya, if he wants to go to Germany, he can go, but if you require him in San Francisco at present, don't encourage him to go at present. But in Germany there is a need for brahmacaris, and Karatieya knows a little German language. In Germany they are now printing a very fine German edition of Back To Godhead, and I am enclosing some clippings and a leaflet they have printed there.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Mandali Bhadra -- Los Angeles 3 February, 1970:

Upendra is already advanced for going to Australia, and in his place Hamsaduta and Himavati, in my opinion, will be a nice replacement.

I have asked Devananda to give you a Deity worship chart because he is actually doing the job. I am so pleased to learn that you are trying to make Hamburg center as important as L.A. This center three years before, when I first visited, was in very poor condition but for the last year, since we are regularly sending Sankirtana Parties, the situation has improved with great speed. Now we are negotiating for a property which has got a big church as well as a residential house attached, and let us see if Krishna will help us.

Our simple process of chanting and distributing Prasadam and selling BTG will surely make our Movement successfully advance.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Ramesvara -- West Bengal 25 October, 1974:

"We should make a scheme so that everybody will come here and not there. We are not competing with Yoga Pith but with the proprietor of Yoga Pith. Actually the birthplace of the Lord is not as important as the place of His activities. Kurukshetra is more important than Mathura, because the whole world knows the Bhagavad-gita. It is because of the activities of the Lord that people take interest in His birthplace. The "karma" is more important than the "janma." Even when Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was present people went to see him at Jagannath Puri, but they did not come to His birthplace, because His activity was more important than His birthplace. To His birthplace we offer our namaskars, but from the place of His activities we get inspiration. And, what was the Lord's activity at Puri? It was preaching. Our temple must be active with preaching and not a dead place."

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Adi-kesava -- Bombay 2 January, 1975:

The thing is, we should have a little common sense in all activities. The example can be given that women by nature do not forget to dress very nicely although always engaged in household affairs. Deity worship or lecturing in the colleges is just as important as book distribution. So, these things must be done very nicely and at the same time, book distribution should be done. Not that we should do one thing at the sacrifice of another. That requires a little common sense. Factually, we should be engaged 24 hours in Krishna's service and everything should be done very nicely and perfectly.

Letter to Laksmimoni -- Bombay 2 January, 1975:

The thing is, we should have little common sense in all activities. The example can be given that women by nature do not forget to dress very nicely although always engaged in household affairs. Deity worship is just as important as book distribution. As we sing in the Gurvastakam prayers, srivigrahara dhana-nitya-nana-srngara-tanmandira-marjanadau. So, it should be very nicely done, and at the same time, book distribution should be done. Not that we should do one thing at the sacrifice of another. That requires a little common sense. Factually, we should be engaged 24 hours in Krishna's service and everything should be done very nicely and perfectly.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Bombay 19 January, 1975:

Regarding your question about the controversial talks going on, this kind of talk is not befitting my advanced students. This is childish. In Krishna's service, there is no inferior and superior. Deity worship is just as important as book distribution. It is not material. As mentioned in the Bhagavatam.

sravanam kirtanam visno smaranam pada-sevanam

arcanam vandanam dasyam sakhyam atma-nivedanam

Sravanam kirtanam is the beginning—to chant and hear. Book distribution is under this category of sravanam kirtanam. The next item is smaranam. If somebody simply remembers the Supreme Lord, that is also as good as sravanam kirtanam.

Letter to Lokamangala -- Honolulu 2 February, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated Jan. 30, 1975 and have noted the contents. You have asked me what I feel is the best engagement for you at this time and in response, I kindly request you to continue to distribute my books full-time. You are very expert in this matter and you can also teach others how to do it. At the present moment, the plays are not as important as our book distribution. So, my desire is that you increase your book distribution more and more and be blessed by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Letter to Bhakta dasa, Jayananda, Bahulasva -- Honolulu 17 June, 1975:

I have never approved of this action. You can tell them. Everyone is concocting something of their own. It must be checked. The sannyasis should work with what men they have got and they cannot secretly convince men in the temples to leave their duties. Those duties also must be done and they are just as important as any other service.

Regarding the books being sold for less than $4, that we shall discuss in L.A. with Ramesvara.