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Ascertain (Lectures)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

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

We have to take things from the śāstra. In the Bhagavad-gītā also woman's position has been equated with śūdra. Striyaḥ śūdrās tathā vaiśyas te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. So position must be ascertained. But this position is artificial. Here either woman or man, they are in artificial position. Because a woman may be in women's dress, but her mind is like man. She also wants to enjoy. And the others, the so-called man.... The so-called man is also not man; he is woman. Prakṛti. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parā (BG 7.5). Prakṛti. As the earth, water, air, fire, sky, they are also controlled, the supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa, similarly, the so-called man or woman in this material world, they are also controlled. Nobody can say that "I am not controlled." Who is here? You must be controlled.

Lecture on BG 1.32-35 -- London, July 25, 1973:

So Arjuna is speaking of trailokya-rājyasya. He is ascertaining that "Even if I get the kingdom of the three worlds, what to speak of only this earthly planet, what is insignificant, even if I get the kingdom of trailokya, svarga, martya, pātāla, like that, still, I am not prepared to fight with my kinsmen, what to speak of this earthly planet." He decided like that. This is called family attachment. He is speaking, "Even in exchange of kingdom of the three worlds, I am not prepared to fight."

Lecture on BG 2.11 -- Edinburgh, July 16, 1972:

Prabhupāda: Therefore, you are not absolutely controller. You are both controlled and controller. That everyone is. Just like you are controller in your family, but you are controlled in the office. Similarly, everyone is dualistic. He's controller and controlled. But if you find somebody that He's only controller, not controlled, that is God.

Man: If God is the controller and I am a part of God, then I'm a controlled part.

Prabhupāda: Yes, part of controller, part of God means you have got little power of controlling. But that you are not absolute controller. (man speaks—too faint) But first of all you have to ascertain whether you are an absolute controller or you are controlled. First of all you answer this question. Are you absolutely controller?

Man: I am not...

Prabhupāda: Therefore, nobody is absolutely controller. He's controlled by the laws of nature. How he's absolutely controller? You are controlled by death, you're controlled by birth, you're controlled by disease, you're controlled by old age. How you became controller? So therefore you are not God!

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Hyderabad, November 18, 1972:

There is dimension of the living entity—one ten-thousandth part of the tip of the hair. So it is very difficult with our, these material eyes. We are very much proud of our eyes. But here is the indication from the śāstra, the length and breadth of the living soul. Now, you find out, with your eyes, your microscope. That is not possible. Because they cannot find out, they say, nirākāra. Nirākāra. In one sense, it can be supported that we cannot ascertain the forms of the soul. And what, how we can ascertain the form of the Lord? Aṇor aṇīyān mahato mahīyān. So spiritual education means, spiritual enlightenment means, first of all, we must try to understand the jīva. Because jīva is the small particle of the Lord. So that we can understand the quality of the Lord.

Lecture on BG 2.18 -- London, August 24, 1973:

Now Kṛṣṇa here also says ukta. Ukta means "it is said." Not that dogmatically I am speaking, I am putting up some theory. No. It is said. It is already settled, it is already ascertained. And in the Vedic literature, by authorities it is so said. This is the way of presenting evidence. Even Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He does not theorize. He said, "It is said," authorized. Anāśino 'prameyasya. Anāśinaḥ. Nāśinaḥ means destructible, and anāśinaḥ means not destructible. Śarīriṇaḥ, the soul, anāśinaḥ, it will never be destroyed. And aprameyasya. Aprameyasya, immeasurable. It cannot be measured also. In the Vedic literature the measurement is described there, but you cannot measure it.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Montreal, August 24, 1968:

To understand Kṛṣṇa is to begin chanting His name, nāma. Nāmādi. Ādi means in the beginning. Therefore we recommend the students to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi. Nāma means after you understand or realize nāma, then you'll understand His qualities, transcendental qualities. When, in the Vedic scripture, when it is said that the Absolute Truth is nirguṇa... Nirguṇa means, guṇa means quality, and nir means negative. And nir, nir, na arthe. Nir also used to ascertain. So nirguṇa can be used in two senses. The first sense is negative, "no guṇa, no quality," and the second is "it is difficult to ascertain." So both can be applied in the understanding of the Absolute Truth.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Montreal, August 24, 1968:

So after the Battle of Kurukṣetra, everyone died. That child was the only, I mean to say, descendant of the whole Kuru dynasty. So he was very carefully protected, and the attempt was made to kill this child also by the other party, but Kṛṣṇa saved him. Anyway, when the child was born, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, his grandfather... Five grandfathers, no son. Only one grandson. So the system is when a child is born, great paṇḍitas and brāhmaṇas are called to ascertain the future history of the child. Nāma-karaṇa. What is called? There is a particular name. So Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was very much anxious to know how this child will be affectionate to his praja. Just see. The astrologer was speaking so many things about the child, that "He'll be like this, he'll be like this, he'll be like this." But he was anxious that "Whether he'll be worthy of our dynasty." Because in this dynasty, this sūrya-vaṁśa, all the kings were just like father of the citizens, "Whether he'll be like that or he'll be exploiter?" Then the brāhmaṇas explained, "No, this child will be like this," and actually he was that.

Lecture on BG 4.5 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

This is explained, authority. There are many other authoritative statements about Lord Caitanya's becoming Kṛṣṇa Himself. Idānīṁ kṛṣṇatām. Śuklo raktas tathā pīta idānīṁ kṛṣṇatāṁ gataḥ. When Kṛṣṇa appeared, the nāma-karaṇa, when Gargamuni was ascertaining His name he said that this child, He has other colors, śuklo raktas tathā pīta. Pīta means yellow. That means some other Kali-yuga He appeared as Lord Caitanya. Idānīṁ kṛṣṇatāṁ gataḥ, therefore He should be named Kṛṣṇa. These things are there.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bhuvanesvara, January 22, 1977:

Unfortunately we have rejected at the present moment the persons who are actually brāhmaṇa. On the other hand, in the name of brāhmaṇa, some persons claiming as brāhmaṇa, they are ruling over the society. But that is not the way. The brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or vaiśya, śūdra, they are ascertained by the symptom. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is clearly said, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ: (BG 4.13) "I have created these four divisions of society, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, and śūdra. So that should be divided according to the qualification and work." Just like if you are qualified as a medical man and if you are practicing as a medical man, then you are medical man. Simply by posing yourself that "I am the son of a medical man; therefore I am medical man," this is useless. In the śāstras, a person born of a brāhmaṇa family or a person born of a kṣatriya family but his qualities are not brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, he is called brahma-bandhu, kṣatri-bandhu, not brāhmaṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Vrndavana, August 9, 1974:

How Kṛṣṇa is truth, the Absolute Truth, although the Absolute Truth is described in three phases in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam... Just like vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam (SB 1.2.11). This tattva. Here it is said, tattvataḥ. The truth, Absolute Truth, is called tattva. So vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam (SB 1.2.11). Tattva-vid. Vid means knowledge. Vetti veda vido jñāne. One who has got complete knowledge, he is called vid, tattva-vid. So tattva-vid, they ascertain the tattva, the truth, in three ways. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam (SB 1.2.11). So knowledge of the truth is nondual. Absolute means nondual, no relative, absolute, advaya-jñāna.

Lecture on BG 13.5 -- Paris, August 13, 1973:

So about the soul and Supersoul, ṛṣibhiḥ, great sages, saintly persons, they have also discussed. Just like in the present age also, we are different parties, the impersonalist and the personalist. Śaṅkara-sampradāya, they ascertain the Absolute Truth as impersonal, nirviśeṣa, and the Buddhists, they ascertain, "The Absolute Truth is zero." We are struggling—nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi. We are struggling against these nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi, voidists and impersonalists. So it is not now new.

Lecture on BG 13.5 -- Paris, August 13, 1973:

The Brahma-sūtra, or Vedānta-sūtra, is called nyāya-prasthāna. There are three different processes for understanding the Absolute Truth: nyāya-prasthāna, śruti-prasthāna, smṛti-prasthāna. Brahma-sūtra is nyāya-prasthāna. Nyāya-prasthāna means everything, all the sūtras and codes, are there with full reasoning. Hetumadbhir viniścita. And whatever Brahma-sūtra says, that is viniścita, means ascertained. There is no doubt. Just like Brahma-sūtra says, athāto brahma jijñāsā. Brahma-sūtra says, "Now it is the time for inquiring about the Absolute Truth."

Lecture on BG 13.5 -- Bombay, September 28, 1973:

Nārada Muni says, yad anyatrāpi dṛśyeta tat tenaiva vinirdiśet (SB 7.11.35). Every has got qualification. That is very natural. That is very natural. Yasya hi yal-lakṣaṇaṁ syād varṇābhivyanjakam. To ascertain which class a man belongs, whether he is a brāhmaṇa, or a kṣatriya, or vaiśya, there are qualifications. Just like ordinarily we know. We understand an engineer by qualification, a medical practitioner by qualification. We don't ask, "Whose son you are, Mr. Engineer?" No. If you have got engineer's qualification, you are engineer. Otherwise, how can you be engineer? Similarly, yasya hi yal-lakṣaṇaṁ syād varṇābhivyanjakam. Varṇa. This is brahminical quality.

Lecture on BG 13.5 -- Bombay, September 28, 1973:

In Bhagavad-gītā it is said, satyaḥ śamo damas titikṣaḥ arjavam. Sauryaṁ tejo yuddhe cāpy apālayanam. Kṣatriya. Kṣatriya must be very heroic. He'll never go away from fighting. If a kṣatriya is challenged, "I want to fight with you." "Yes, come on." That is kṣatriya. Similarly, brāhmaṇa. These are qualifications. So if such qualification is acquired by somebody else, even though he's not born in that family, Nārada Muni says, tat tenaiva vinirdiśet (SB 7.11.35). If a brāhmaṇa has not acquired the brahminical qualifications but a kṣatriya qualification or a vaiśya qualification or a śūdra qualification, then, according to the quality, guṇa, and work, he should be ascertained. Similarly, others also. Yad anyatrāpi dṛśyeta. This is śāstric injunction.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, September 30, 1973:

So Kṛṣṇa says that, ṛṣibhir bahudhā gītam. Because everyone is trying to be superior. Nāsau ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na bhinnā, that every philosopher must give his own opinion and it must be refuted by another. Therefore śāstra says that in this way you cannot ascertain what is the reality. Tarko 'pratiṣṭha. If you want to understand the reality by your arguments, reasoning power, that is not possible. Because I may be very nice arguer, but another person may be better arguer, he can defeat me. And that is going on.

Lecture on BG 16.6 -- South Africa, October 18, 1975:

There are two classes of men throughout the whole universe. One class is called daiva and the other class is called āsura. Daiva āsura eva ca. Daivo vistaraśaḥ proktaḥ. So far the devas are concerned, Kṛṣṇa has explained in various ways in the last chapters, ahiṁsā, kṣānti, ārjavam, how to practice this things. So viṣṇu-bhakto bhaved devaḥ asuras tad-viparyayaḥ. These two classes, how they are ascertained? One who is a devotee of the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu, they are called deva, or demigods, and persons who know Viṣṇu or may not know—on the whole, they are not devotees of Viṣṇu—even they are devotee of other demigods, they are called asura. Just like Rāvaṇa. Rāvaṇa, he was a great devotee of Lord Śiva, but he is described as asura, rākṣasa. Similarly, Hiraṇyakaśipu was a great devotee of Lord Brahmā; still, he is accepted as rākṣasa. So unless one is Vaiṣṇava or devotee of the Lord Viṣṇu, he is asura or rākṣasa. This is the instruction of the śāstra.

Lecture on BG 16.7 -- Hawaii, February 3, 1975:

So don't believe your so-called senses as the source of knowledge. No. The source of knowledge should be by hearing. That is called śruti. Therefore Vedas' name is śruti. Śruti-pramāṇa, śruti-pramāṇa. Just like a child or a boy wants to know who is his father. So what is the evidence? That evidence is śruti, hearing from the mother. Mother says, "He is your father." So he hears; he does not see how he became his father. Because before his body was constructed the father was there, how could he see? So by seeing, you cannot ascertain who is your father. You have to hear from the authority. The mother is the authority. Therefore śruti-pramāṇa: the evidence is hearing, not by seeing. Seeing... Our imperfect eyes... There are so many obstacles. So similarly, by direct perception, you cannot have the truth.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- Caracas, February 21, 1975:

So it is explained here, namo bhagavate vāsudevāya, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya (SB 1.1.1). This is already ascertained, that Vāsudeva, the Supreme Lord, the Supreme Lord is Vāsudeva because He is present everywhere. This evening there was some discussion that God has no particular name, but His names are there on account of His different type of activities. Just like God is present everywhere, therefore His name is Vāsudeva. In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is said that God is within this universe, aṇḍāntara-stham, and not only within the universe, but He is in everyone's heart, and also He is within the atom.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Montreal, August 2, 1968:

Now, you should understand Kṛṣṇa as God. When we speak of Kṛṣṇa... Last week I explained that if there can be any name of God... There are many thousands of names of God. Somebody says, "God has no name." Yes, God has no particular name because, as I explained, God's name is ascertained according to His activity. Just the other day I explained. God appeared as the son of Nanda Mahārāja, so He is called son of Nanda. That is another name, Nanda-nandana. Nanda-nandana means one who gives pleasure to Nanda. So everyone's son, child, gives pleasure to his parents. So Kṛṣṇa, by His activities, childhood activities, He gave pleasure to His father and mother, Yaśodā and Nanda. Therefore He is known as Yaśodā-nandana, Nanda-nandana. He was lover of Rādhārāṇī; therefore He is called Rādhā-ramaṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Montreal, August 2, 1968:

We have seen many men, wise men, but if you find out somebody—nobody is wiser than him—then he is God. In this way, the six opulences, when they are full represented in one person, he is God. He is Kṛṣṇa. When Kṛṣṇa was present on this planet, He exhibited all these opulences in fullness. Nobody could conquer Him. Nobody was richer than Him. Nobody was beautiful. In the history of the world, you cannot compare with Kṛṣṇa anybody has more rich, more beautiful, more wise, in this way. Therefore, Bhāgavata ascertains, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam: "The original Personality of Godhead is Kṛṣṇa." So the Bhāgavata-dharma is: if anyone is taught how to love Kṛṣṇa, that is first-class religion.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Delhi, November 13, 1973:

If you actually want jñānam and vairāgyam, then vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ, janayaty āśu (SB 1.2.7). Very soon. Ahaitukam. Nobody can give any reason how this man has become... Actually, our Indians are appreciate..., "How these Europeans, Americ..., become so nice devotees." But ahaitukam. Ahaitukam. You cannot ascertain how the reason. It is Kṛṣṇa's favor. It is Kṛṣṇa's favor. So anyone can take advantage. We are preaching this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that "You take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, your life will be perfect." And what is the perfection of life? Jñāna and vairāgya. Because everyone is working under the wrong impression that "I am this body," therefore he is ajñāna. He does not know that "I am not this body." As soon as he comes to the understanding that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul," then jñāna, immediately he will inquire, "Then what is the activities of the spirit soul? So far I have worked for the interest of my this body, but I have done nothing with the interest of my spirit, as I am. I am spirit soul." That is bhakti-yoga.

Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

Now, to be ascertained, education, that why it is called Kṛṣṇa is the origin. That is research work. How it has been...? Just like I give you the hint of research work that, Kṛṣṇa says that "The earth is my energy, separated energy." And earth is the cause of the wood. And wood is the cause of the fire. Fire is the cause of melting... So many, so many. You can go. So idaṁ hi puṁsas tapasaḥ...kavibhir nirūpitaḥ. Describe the attributes of Kṛṣṇa. You can write. Just like you can write volumes of books on this table. If you are intelligent enough, you can make research work on the table. But in that research work, conclude that Kṛṣṇa is the origin. A carpenter can, he can write about Kṛṣṇa, if he's thoughtful. Anyone. Therefore it is said, yad-uttamaśloka-guṇānuvarṇanam. Whatever your profession is there, you know that the original cause is Kṛṣṇa. Now make research work and find out how Kṛṣṇa is the original cause. That is education. That is wanted.

Lecture on SB 1.7.27 -- Vrndavana, September 24, 1976:

The four things are restricted. No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication. Nobody dies. But it is a habit. It is a habit. So in this way we have to mold our life, and the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the best process. Therefore those who are sinful, those who are atheist, they have become a little afraid of this movement. Therefore we have got so many enemies, and now in India especially the papers are criticizing us in so many ways. In other countries also. So we have to face this danger. It is not danger. We don't care for their criticism. But if we remain sincere in our actions, there will be no obstacles. Ahaituky apratihatā. It is ascertained that Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, apratihatā. It cannot be checked provided if you remain to the principles. What is that principle? Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). If you stick to the principle of bhakti-yogam then ahaituky apratihatā. Nobody can check you. You'll make progress.

Lecture on SB 1.7.38-39 -- Vrndavana, September 30, 1976:

So Kṛṣṇa is encouraging Arjuna to kill Aśvatthāmā on so many grounds. First of all, he has killed the boys who were sleeping at night. And another very important point is that ātatāyī. Ātatāyī means the enemy aggressor. Unnecessarily one who attacks, he is called ātatāyī. One who sets fire in your house, one who kidnaps your wife or somebody in the family, and one who gives poison, and they are so many, a list of ascertaining an ātatāyī. So He described, Kṛṣṇa described the Aśvatthāmā as ātatāyī. He's not a brave soldier, so he should be killed. So many faults Kṛṣṇa found in his behavior. And bhartuś ca vipriyaṁ vīra. He could not satisfy his master also. Sometimes the servants do something abominable for pleasing the master. But he could not please even the master.

Lecture on SB 1.8.44 -- Mayapura, October 24, 1974:

So anyone who is being educated, anyone who is engaged in research work for the benefit of the whole human society... Idaṁ hi puṁsas tapasaḥ śrutasya vā ca buddhi-dattayoḥ (SB 1.5.22). Or somebody is giving in charity, opening hospital, schools, or other good, good purposes. Ca buddhi-dattayoḥ. So why they are doing that? What is the purpose? The purpose is avicyutaḥ arthaḥ. Avicyuta means infallible, and artha means purpose. Avicyutaḥ arthaḥ kavibhir nirūpitaḥ. It is ascertained, the purpose. Why one should be engaged in research work? Why one should be engaged in getting good education? Why one should perform charity, or why one should be intelligent? This is higher-class activities. So what is the purpose? The purpose, it is said, kavibhir nirūpitaḥ: "By high-class scholars, they have ascertained." What is it? Yad uttama-śloka-guṇānuvarṇanam: (SB 1.5.22) "God is to be worshiped simply by glorifying Him by the best words, uttama-śloka." Not that "My dear God, You have no eyes. You have no leg. You have no hand. You have no mouth." What is this? It is the indirect way of insulting God.

Lecture on SB 1.8.45 -- Los Angeles, May 7, 1973:

The Caspian, Caspian Sea, that was the place of Kaśyapa Muni. Kaśyapa. From Kaśyapa the Caspian has come. Just like formerly the capital of Afghanistan was known as Gandhar. Now it has become Kandahar. So by historical references, it will be ascertained that the whole, this planet was known as Bhāratavarṣa. What is now India is now known Bhāratavarṣa, but formerly the whole planet was known as Bhāratavarṣa. Formerly, this planet was known as Ilāvṛtavarṣa, but since the time of King Bharata, who also, the forefathers of the Pāṇḍavas, the planet is called Bhāratavarṣa. So everywhere there was Vedic culture. The treasures are still available, and the history of the whole world is called Mahābhārata. The same point, Bhārata. And Mahābhārata means "greater Bhārata," greater.

Lecture on SB 1.8.48 -- Mayapura, October 28, 1974:

Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja says that this body is meant for others. It is others' body. Everyone should be interested for his own body. Who is interested for other's body? I eat for maintenance of my body, not that your body. It is the very good argument given by Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja that "First of all ascertain whether it is your body. If for the bodily sense gratification, satisfaction, you are committing so many sinful life, but first of all consider whether this body is yours."

Lecture on SB 1.9.1 -- Los Angeles, May 15, 1973:

As you, if you rebel against the king, it is also a great fault, similarly, if you rebel, revolt against the prajās, that is also great fault. Therefore he is afraid. Bhītaḥ prajā-drohāt. "Now what to do?" Sarva-dharma-vivitsayā. This is the position to approach a guru, when you are bewildered. When things are not in order, brain is puzzled... Just like Arjuna accepted Kṛṣṇa as guru when he could not ascertain whether he shall fight or not, bewilderment, so similarly, Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja also became bewildered, that "I have killed so many prajās. What is my position? I have become so much sinful. How can I rule over the empire?"

Lecture on SB 2.9.1 -- Tokyo, April 20, 1972:

Sarva-haraś cāham. The death means... Kṛṣṇa says, "I am death. I take it away, all, everything. Gone." Now just think of our past life. Suppose I was a king or something like that. From Bhṛgu-saṁhitā it was ascertained. They said—I do not know—that I was a big physician in my last life, very spotless character, no sins, like that. He explained me. So it may be. But actually I have no remembrance that I was a physician. So what do we know? I might have been a very big physician, influential physician, having a good practice, but where is all...? All gone. So this situation, our contact with matter, is just like dream. Actually we are not fallen. Therefore, because we are not fallen, at any moment we can revive our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As soon as we understand that, "I have nothing to do with. I am simply Kṛṣṇa's servant. Eternal servant. That's all," immediately he becomes liberated.

Lecture on SB 3.26.3 -- Bombay, December 15, 1974:

This is Prahlāda Mahārāja's instruction, that this materialistic individuality, on account of accepting this asad-grahāt, asat, not permanent, not true, sadā samudvigna-dhiyām. Always full of anxiety. So in the material world you are trying to be free of anxiety. That is not possible. That is not... Therefore it is required, ātma-darśanam. Jñānam ātma-darśanam. Jñānaṁ niḥśreyasārthāya puruṣasya ātma-darśanam. First of all you know what is your position. Just like when one man is diseased. The physician first of all diagnose that what is the disease; then he gives medicine. Similarly, first of all you ascertain what is your constitutional position. You try to understand. That is the beginning everywhere. That is Vedic literature.

Lecture on SB 3.26.23-4 -- Bombay, January 1, 1975:

So some way or other, originally, we are all Kṛṣṇa conscious, pure, svaccha. Svacchatvam avikāritvam. Now vikurvāṇāt, now, being transformed or agitated somehow or other... Anādi karama-phale, paḍi' bhavārṇava-jale. We cannot ascertain when this transformation took place. There is no necessity of making research how we fell in this material contamination or envelopment. But we should be intelligent enough to understand that we are fallen now. That is... How we fell—you can trace out the history, but it is very difficult because anādi karama-phale, nobody can ascertain. Just like when a man is diseased he goes to doctor. So when he goes to the doctor, the doctor gives him medicine according to the symptoms and the diagnosis. There is no necessity of find out the history, how he fell diseased. There is history, but that is not possible to trace out. Therefore it is said, anādi karama-phale.

Lecture on SB 3.26.29 -- Bombay, January 6, 1975:

Vedic knowledge is called apauruṣeya. It is not manufactured or concocted by some mental speculator. It is coming from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and it was imparted first of all to Lord Brahmā, not by personal presentation, but through the heart. Brahmā is the original person to understand Vedic knowledge. So after his birth he meditated for hundreds of years, and by meditation, through his heart the knowledge of Vedas, śruti, became revealed. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye. Ādi-kavi means Brahmā. And Brahman means Vedic knowledge. So we have to accept in that way. There is no physical science which can ascertain all this, how the things are taking place. But they are coming. In this way we have to learn from the śruti. Dravya-sphuraṇa-vijñānam indriyāṇām anugrahaḥ.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- London (Tittenhurst), September 13, 1969:

The Candragupta was during the time of Alexander the Selkar(?) in Greece. He also visited India to conquer. That history is there. So at that time Candragupta was the emperor of India, and he had his prime minister Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. And he was not charging a farthing. And he was vastly learned man. You see. His politics is studied in the M.A. class in India university. And those who are the students of politics, they might have known this gentleman's name, Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. And in India, New Delhi, there is a quarter where foreign ambassadors are supplied place. So that quarter is known as Cāṇakyapuri. Cāṇakyapuri. Because he was politician, under his name that place is ascertained Cāṇakyapuri. So the prime minister, the great scholar, the great scientist, they used to live in a cottage. They gave us so much contribution how to make scientific advancement. Because the brāhmaṇas, they were meant not for material enjoyment. Simply for... Therefore four classes. Only the kṣatriyas and vaiśyas were meant for economic development.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Bombay, November 6, 1970:

Devotee: Caucasaus Mountains is near Afghanistan.

Prabhupāda: Yes. All white. In Punjab, you'll find, they are as white as Europeans. Oh, yes. Kashmir.

Himāvatī: Also in Vṛndāvana (indistinct). And they're tall.

Prabhupāda: Tall. So Aryan family, whole Aryans, they are white. And śūdras are called kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇa, black.

Revatīnandana: But the śūdras have handsome bodily features also. In Amritsar the people have, I think, handsome bodily features.

Prabhupāda: Yes, Aryan family, the structure of body... From the... There is a science called physiognomy. No? Yes. So it can be ascertained. But we have got forget all these material. We have to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is white skin... So you have all taken your bath? So, give me little oil. I shall also take bath.

Lecture on SB 6.1.14 -- Bombay, November 10, 1970:

So these nirākāra vādīs, they are..., they cannot think of that there can be any eye which can act from Vaikuṇṭha, which we cannot ascertain how far it is, still you can keep traveling. We can simply think of that "I can see three yards; therefore Kṛṣṇa can see also three yards." But the actual fact is Kṛṣṇa can see you from any distant place. Sarvata pāṇi pādas... sarvato. He has got eyes everywhere. That eyes is not exactly your eyes. Therefore it is called apāṇi acakṣur. Acakṣur means his eyes are not like your eyes. So as soon as we consider "Kṛṣṇa like me, Kṛṣṇa like me," that is natural for a foolish person. That is the first consideration. Because they cannot adjust that God can have eyes different from me, therefore they take nirviśeṣa, nirākāra. Nirākāra means He has no form, He has no eyes, no leg.

Lecture on SB 6.1.16 -- Denver, June 29, 1975:

So supposing you have to take both the ways and think over it... You are simply thinking on the point that there is no life. Now, why don't you take my proposition, "If there is life"? Because you have not ascertained whether there is life. We say there is life. We take the example: just like this child has got his next life. The child may say, "There is no life next life." But actually that is not the fact. The fact is, there is life. The child will change this body and he will become a boy. And the boy will change this body; he will become young man. That is a fact. But by simply obstinacy if you say there is no life, that you can say. But take this argument: if there is life, then how much irresponsibly you are making your future life so dark? The same example: if a child does not go to school, does not take education, if he thinks, "There is no other life than this life, I shall play all day.

Lecture on SB 6.1.17 -- Denver, June 30, 1975:

Therefore the greatest contribution to the human society is knowledge. To keep them in ignorance, in darkness, that is not human society, that is cats' and dogs'... Because they are in ignorance, nobody can give them knowledge, neither they can take. Therefore in the human society there is institution for giving knowledge. That is the greatest contribution. And that knowledge, the supreme knowledge, is there in the Vedas. Vedaiś ca sarvaiḥ. And all the Vedas ascertain that one should know what is God. That is wanted. (aside:) Don't make that sound. Vedaiś ca sarvaiḥ. People do not know it. This whole material world, they do not know what is the actual knowledge. They are busy in temporary things for sense gratification, but they are not aware what is actual the goal of knowledge. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum: (SB 7.5.31) the goal of knowledge is to know Viṣṇu, God. That is goal of knowledge. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā.

Lecture on SB 6.1.39 -- Los Angeles, June 5, 1976:

I have given translation in many places: "occupational duty." Everyone is fit for a certain occupation. And the duty ascertained for such occupation, that is dharma. Natural. Or, in one word, it can be explained as characteristic. So, just like a chemical, it has got some characteristic in the chemical analytical book, that... Take soda bicarb. The characteristic—it tastes like this, the color is like this, the, like this, so many things. Hmm. (aside:) That child is coughing. So dharma means characteristic. So what is the dharma of the living entity? We are all living entities. What is the dharma? What is the characteristic? Common. Not that because I am Hindu, my characteristic is different from your characteristic. As living being, our characteristic is the same.

Lecture on SB 6.1.48 -- Detroit, June 14, 1976:

So those who are saintly persons or those who are following the path of Yamarāja... Yamarāja is mahājana. As Yamarāja knows, anyone who follows the mahājana... Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). We cannot ascertain what is our aim of life, so we have to follow these mahājanas. Yamarāja is mahājana. Baliḥ vaiyāsakir vayam. So, (reading:) "One should not consider Yamarāja an ordinary living being. He's as good as Lord Brahmā. He has the complete cooperation of the Supreme Lord, who is situated in everyone's heart, and therefore by the grace of the Supersoul he can see the past, present and future of a living being from within. The word anumīmāṁsate means that he can decide in consultation with the Supersoul.

Lecture on SB 7.6.9 -- Vrndavana, December 11, 1975:

Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya explained this verse in connection with Caitanya Mahāprabhu's activities, that "Who is this personality?" So he explained. He composed one hundred verses with reference to Caitanya Mahāprabhu's activities. Some of them are available, mentioned in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. So first of all, ascertaining Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya says that "This movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement enunciated by, inaugurated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, what is this? Vairāgya-vidyā. This is the instructional lesson, or education, vidyā, education." It is vairāgya-vidyā, detachment education. It is not attachment education. The material education means attachment education.

Lecture on SB 7th Canto -- Calcutta, March 7, 1972:

A poor man has got, say, ten rupees, he is thinking, "Oh, I am very rich man." And a rich man to our consideration, another man, he has got ten lakhs of rupees, he is thinking, "I am poor man because I have no ten crores of rupees." So it is not the money which makes one rich. Because it is a status of mental concoction. The poor man, he hasn't..., he gets one paise, two paise, he sometimes he gets ten rupees, he thinks, "I am very rich man." And another man, he earns one lakh, two lakhs at a time. So unless he comes to ten crores of rupees, he does not think himself rich man. So which one is rich and which one is poor? It is very difficult to ascertain. So the fact is that bhakti does not depend on such poverty or richness. That is to be understood. It is not that the poverty-stricken man will be a great devotee. No. That is also not a qualification. And it is also not a qualification that a very rich man can become devotee. No. Therefore, Caitanya Mahāprabhu suggests... Not the suggestion of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, it is in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. Sthāne sthitāḥ. You remain in your place, it doesn't matter. In your consideration whether you are rich or poor, it doesn't matter.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.4 -- Mayapur, March 4, 1974:

Tattva... Kṛṣṇa has spoken about tattva in the Bhagavad-gītā, and in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also there is statement of tattva, vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam (SB 1.2.11). Tattva, the truth, can be learned from the tattva-vida, one who knows. The Absolute Truth can not be ascertained by imaginative speculation. One has to learn the tattva from the tattva-vit. Therefore the tattva-vid vadanti. Vadanti means they explain, tattva-vit, one who is tattva-vit, he explains. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam. One who knows, he's not silent. He is to preach, he is to speak. Nowadays it has become a fashion to be maunī-baba, does not speak. So these are, may be very good device for professional business, but so far we are concerned, in the Vedic culture, the tattva-vit must speak. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. The tattva-vit must hear from the authorized person; then he'll speak. That is nice.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.27-31 -- New York, January 15, 1967:

Just like in the sunlight. During night, in darkness, we cannot understand what is what. Suppose in darkness, at night, you go up to the roof of the house and you want to see where is your home. You cannot ascertain. But in the light, when the sun is up, you can see: "Oh, that direction is my house." Similarly, as in the sunlight everything becomes clear for our seeing, similarly, in touch with Kṛṣṇa consciousness everything becomes clear, what it is. So for a Kṛṣṇa consciousness person, these material activities appear to be merely false. Not false, but temporary. But he is eternal. Every living entity is eternal. He's interested with eternal happiness. He's not interested, I mean to say, temporary happiness.

Festival Lectures

His Divine Grace Srila Sac-cid-ananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Appearance Day, Lecture -- London, September 3, 1971:

So śrutayo vibhinnāḥ. Scriptures are different. Arguments, that is also not helpful. One man may argue better than me. Then philosophy. The philosophy, it is said, nāsau munir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam. One philosopher is differing from another philosopher. Just now today Śyāmasundara has purchased one book about different philosophers. So that you also cannot ascertain what is truth. Therefore śāstra says, dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyām. The truth is very confidential. So if you want to know that truth, mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186), you should have to follow the great ācāryas. Then you will understand. Therefore ācārya-upāsanā is essential. Ācārya-upāsanā is very essential. In all the Vedic śāstras the injunction is that. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet, śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12). Tasmād gurum prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). Anyone who is inquisitive to understand higher truths, he must surrender to guru.

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

This place, Māyāpur, was formerly known as Miyapura. Mostly it is inhabited by the Muhammadans. Some way or other it converted into the name of Miyapura instead of Māyāpur. Still, people are very much doubtful where is the birth site of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. And Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura was researching to find out the actual place. So under the direction of Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, this present Yogapīṭha was ascertained to be the birth site of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in the beginning wanted to develop this place very gloriously, befitting the holy name of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So he started this movement of developing Māyāpur. He could not finish it, so it was handed down to Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. So under his effort, assisted by his disciples, this place has gradually developed, and our attempt is also to develop this place.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 18, 1972:

By these six opulences, one can ascertain what is God. What are those opulences? That He's the proprietor of all riches. Here, we have got experience, one rich man. One may be very rich man, but nobody can say that he is the richest, there is no other man who is not richer than him. Nobody can say. But Kṛṣṇa, when He was present, those who have read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the history of Kṛṣṇa... We have described in our book, Kṛṣṇa. He had 16,108 wives. And each wife had a big palace, made of marble, bedecked with jewels, the furnitures made of ivory and gold. The descriptions are there. So in the history of the human society, you cannot find out any person who had 16,000 wives and 16,000 palaces. Not only that, it is not that He used to go to one wife's house one day, or one night. No. He was present in every one house personally. That means He expanded Himself in 16,108 forms. That is not very difficult. If God is unlimited, then He can expand Himself in unlimited forms; otherwise there is no meaning of unlimited. If God is omnipotent, He can maintain 16,000. Why 16,000? He can maintain 16,000,000's still, it is imperfect. Otherwise there is no meaning of omnipotency.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on David Hume:

Hayagrīva: As far as we can ascertain, Hume personally had no religion, no faith in the Christian or any other God. He also rejected that argument or reason could justify a faith. Thus Hume is a complete skeptic who denies the possibility of ascertaining certainty outside of a mere sequence of perceptions or ideas.

Prabhupāda: This, then the argument comes. If he does not believe in anyone's statement, why he is thinking his statement will be accepted? Then he is foolish. He is a child. Instead of becoming a philosopher, he is a child, talking all nonsense.

Hayagrīva: He maintains that man cannot know ultimate reality or possess knowledge of anything beyond a mere awareness of phenomenal sensory images.

Prabhupāda: That is sufficient. But if man cannot have any knowledge, so who is going to take your knowledge? Better you stop, don't talk. Is it not?

Hayagrīva: So much for Hume. (laughs) That's the end of Hume.

Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant:

Śyāmasundara: He says the mind is aware that there is an ultimate reality, or a thing in itself, a noumenon, which produces each phenomenon, but the mind is not equipped to sense this ultimate reality. So the mind must remain forever content to be agnostic.

Prabhupāda: No. He should go to higher authorities. Why should he remain agnostic? If there is possibility, mind cannot go beyond this, but if the same thing, we say upon the roof there is some sound, now we speculate, but we cannot ascertain what is the sound. But if somebody is actually there, he says, "This sound is due to this." So why I shall remain satisfied with agnostic position, that I could not ascertain what is the sound, and therefore I shall remain satisfied? I shall say, "Is there anybody on the roof?" If somebody says, "Yes. I am here," "Will you kindly say what is the sound?" "Yes: this, that, this, that." Therefore Vedic injunction is tad vijñānārtham: that which is beyond your senses, you must approach a spiritual master. He will give you information. That is our system, accepting guru. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). One who is inquisitive to understand the transcendental subject, he must approach a guru.

Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant:

Śyāmasundara: Actually, he is just exploring this possibility, that because we can't know it by our senses therefore we must...

Prabhupāda: That is misleading. Nobody can ascertain in that way. That is not possible. In the śāstras it is said that panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamya. He is thinking he is a man living for fifty or sixty or a hundred years. But if somebody is there, just like modern, these sputnik scientists, they say that if one can go forty thousands of years at the speed of light, he can approach the topmost planet. So śāstra says even one goes forty thousands of years, still you won't find where is Kṛṣṇa, where is Kṛṣṇa's abode. Not only at the speed of light, but he says the speed of mind and air. Panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamyo vāyor athāpi manaso muni-puṅgavānām: (Bs. 5.34) still, the subject matter which is beyond my senses will remain the same, beyond my senses. This material attempt will not help. Never. There is another verse that adhane gopī chindan vidhena ataḥ pudedevo padamjadayan (?): "Dear Lord, a devotee who has got a little grace from your lotus feet, padamjadaya (?), he can understand You. Others, they may speculate for millions of years. Still it is not possible." Just like Kṛṣṇa says that manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu: (BG 7.3) "Out of many millions of people, one is interested to make his life successful, and out of millions of successful..." Successful means one who understands that I am not this body.

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Prabhupāda: Everyone will die. Everyone will die means change his apartment. Now at the time of changing apartments... Suppose I am here, I have to change another, so I can select my apartment, what kind of apartment I shall have. But that apartment is already there. I'll have to simply make arrangement, that's all. It is not that I am creating that apartment.

Śyāmasundara: The elements, material elements, ingredients are already there.

Prabhupāda: Already there.

Karandhara: The possibilities are unlimited so it's not possible to make such a close...

Prabhupāda: And that apartment is fixed up 8,400,000. Now you can enter into any apartment. Or it is to be ascertained that you cannot think beyond this. Just like a hotel owner, he has got different types of apartments, and he knows the customer cannot think beyond it. So any customer wants, "I'll give this apartment." So by nature's way there are 8,400,000's of apartments. You simply change according to your mentality: "I want this," "All right. Come on."

Karandhara: There's a range. To go back to the...

Prabhupāda: It is, apartment is not evolving. I am evolving in this sense that I am changing one apartment to a better apartment. The better apartment is already there.

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Hayagrīva: So, so much... It's the end of Darwin. (break) ...Thomas, Thomas Henry...

Prabhupāda: In that case, all defect is that nobody could ascertain the beginning of life, but here is the solution. The beginning of life is from the very beginning of creation.

Hayagrīva: Simultaneous creation.

Prabhupāda: Simultaneously. That we see practically. That pregnancy, in the beginning of the body that is the beginning of life also. No that first of all one becomes pregnant and then the life comes. You have got a daily experience. Rather, the life is there, therefore the pregnancy is there. Is it not? But they say, modern rascals, that the, the body develops to a certain extent and then the life comes. So before the life coming, if the body is destroyed there is no killing. Is not that the theory at the present moment, they are killing child?

Devotee: Yes.

Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey:

Prabhupāda: That is practical. That is practical. No theoretical knowledge is necessary.

Śyāmasundara: But do the results of an idea have to be predictable?

Prabhupāda: Idea may..., if it is a concocted idea, the result cannot be ascertained. If it is fact, then the result can be predicted.

Śyāmasundara: He says that the object of inquiry or asking questions is belief; that because we want to believe something we often ask questions in order to find something to believe in. This is the nature of inquiry.

Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre:

Śyāmasundara: Just like moods. For instance, today I may be happy, tomorrow I may be unhappy. So I'm not definite. There is no definite nature that I have.

Prabhupāda: That can be admitted to some extent, that it has not cause. Just like if you are put into the sea, so there you have no control and you are moving according to the waves. That means you have controlling power, but you are put in a certain condition where you lose your controlling power. So it is to be admitted that you are in an awkward position; therefore you cannot ascertain what change is going to take place next. That means you are not in a good situation. Just like a man, when he is on the land, he has got control. If a car is coming, he can take care. He can save from the accident. But when he is put into the ocean, the waves are floating him. So it is circumstantial, not accidental.

Philosophy Discussion on Bertrand Russell:

Dr. Rao: (indistinct) between chance of from one apartment to another?

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is said... Just like you step forward. You first of all put your leg. When you see that it is fixed up, then you get up (indistinct). Unless you are firm, that "Now I am solid," then you take up the other leg. Similarly death takes place when it is ascertained that this soul has to enter such-and-such body, when it is settled up by higher authority, then he gives up this body and enters into (another) body.

Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner and Henry David Thoreau:

Prabhupāda: That is primitive life, jungle life. Monkey civilization. Of course they claim to be descendant of monkey, that they will go on like that. But that is not human civilization, to keep the monkey in the jungle. We want life, very peaceful life without any unnecessary, what is called, necessities. That is all right. But the aim should be spiritual perfection. Therefore the first thing is what is the aim of life, that should be ascertained. Without aim, if you lounge on this ocean, where you are going? That is useless attempt. We must first of all know what is the aim of life. These people, they do not know what is the aim of life. Simply, superficially they are trying to adjust, "This will be done, this will be done." No. These are all mental speculation. First of all you must know what is the aim of life, and to this, to that direction, we have to adjust things. That is perfection.

Page Title:Ascertain (Lectures)
Compiler:SunitaS, Serene, Labangalatika
Created:25 of Jul, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=55, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:55