BG 18.55 bhaktya mam abhijanati... cited (Con & Let)

Expressions researched:
"One can understand Me as I am" |"bhaktya mam abhijanati" |"tato mam tattvato jnatva" |"visate tad-anantaram" |"when one is in full consciousness of Me by such devotion" |"yavan yas casmi tattvatah"

Notes from the compiler: VedaBase query: "18.55" or "One can understand Me as I am" or "bhaktya mam abhijanati" or "tato mam tattvato jnatva" or "visate tad-anantaram" or "when one is in full consciousness of Me by such devotion" or "yavan yas casmi tattvatah"

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 17, 1971, Allahabad:

Prabhupāda: If anyone knows what is Kṛṣṇa's birth he becomes liberated. Janma karma me divyam yo jānāti tattvataḥ. So that knowledge is not tattvataḥ knowledge, that Kṛṣṇa's birth. Kṛṣṇa's birth is every moment. Just like sun. Now here it is not sunshine but in another place the sunshine is rising. So is that the birth, or when the sun will rise here, that will be birth? Which will be the birth of sun?

Guest (3): It will always be there.

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is already there but when you see, you see, you see that it is birth. The sunrise is already somewhere, and the sunset is also already somewhere but in your angle of vision there is no sun. That is going on. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa's birth, every moment; Kṛṣṇa's disappearance, every moment; Kṛṣṇa's existence, every moment. You have to learn that. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, janma karma me divyam (BG 4.9), transcendental. Yo janati tattvataḥ. Anyone who knows it perfectly, in truth, he becomes liberated. If you have known Kṛṣṇa, then you are liberated. But Kṛṣṇa knowing is not so easy. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścid vetti māṁ tattvataḥ (BG 7.3). It is very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa in truth. Then how one can understand? That is also stated: bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Not by speculation of knowledge. Bhaktya. And what is that bhakti? Anyābhilaṣita-śunyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam, ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlānaṁ bhaktir uttama (CC Madhya 19.167)(Brs. 1.1.11). So these things you have to learn. Then there is possibility of knowledge, tad-vijñāna. The difficulty is at the present moment the theory that everyone can invent his way of understanding God. He can speculate. Therefore there is chaos. There is chaos.

Room Conversation -- February 17, 1971, Gorakhpur:

Prabhupāda: Why don't you understand like that? So that you have to get. That is very simple. Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma me divyam yo jānāti tattvataḥ. One who does not know what is Kṛṣṇa, he thinks that somebody is greater than Kṛṣṇa. But anyone who knows Kṛṣṇa as he is, immediately he gets that permanent body. Simply by knowing Kṛṣṇa. Janma karma me divyam yo jānāti tattvataḥ, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mam eti (BG 4.9). Is it clear? Yes. So you have to do that. You have simply to understand Kṛṣṇa. The whole problem is solved. (Prabhupāda is pounding on the table, stressing points.)

Guest: (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) You cannot concoct. (Hindi) Try to understand Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa can be understood simply by devotional service. Kṛṣṇa says, bhaktya mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). (Hindi) If you want to understand Kṛṣṇa, you have to accept this devotional service. You cannot propose any other alternative. It is useless. Don't spoil time. Kṛṣṇa says, bhaktya mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). And that begins: first of all, surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). Whatever nonsense you have known, thrown away. Simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa. That is the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā.

Room Conversation -- February 17, 1971, Gorakhpur:

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān. Forty millions of years ago what He did, He remembers. Therefore His maraṇa. His janma is different. (Hindi) He remembers. You do not remember. You sambhava(?), but you do not remember. Why don't you understand the difference between your activities and Kṛṣṇa's activities? That is wanted. Why do you think that "Kṛṣṇa is as good as I am"? Then you'll be able to understand Him. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā. As soon as you think that "Kṛṣṇa is as good as I am," then you are mūḍha. "Because He has appeared as a human being, therfore He is as good a human being like me." That is the conclusion of the mūḍha, rascals. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍha mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam, paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto (BG 9.11). He does not know what is Kṛṣṇa. (Hindi) ...bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). (break) ...understands Kṛṣṇa as He is, then he's allowed to, "Come on. Enter." Not before that.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- April 2, 1972, Sydney:

Prabhupāda: By this devotional service. You practice it to love Kṛṣṇa. And then when you come to the actual stage, you will be mad after Kṛṣṇa. This is the process to bring to you..., bring you to the platform.

Śyāmasundara: No other way can replace...

Prabhupāda: Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti: (BG 18.55) by devotional service. Neither by jñāna, yoga, karma, no, that will not touch. You cannot become mad after Kṛṣṇa by any means except by this devotional service. Therefore, we are so much conservative. Because if we are actually after Kṛṣṇa, then we must accept the real method.

Devotee (2): Though we must be eager for devotional service, we still have to have this patience and determination, then create some...

Prabhupāda: Yes, because māyā is strong, sometimes you are deviated. Therefore we have to be determined.

Conversation with Bajaj and Bhusan -- September 11, 1972, Arlington, Texas, At Their Home:

Prabhupāda: Guṇa, develop. They are... They are developing these brahminical qualifications, coming to sattva-guṇa. From rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa, they are coming to sattva-guṇa. Sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati. Tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye (SB 1.2.19). Tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ. Rajas-tamaḥ, these qualities are manifested by lust and greediness. Tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye, ceta etair anāviddhaṁ sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati. When one's heart will not be disturbed by these two qualities, tamo-guṇa and rajo-guṇa, then he will be situated in sattva-guṇa. Ceta etair anāviddhaṁ sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati. Then he becomes satisfied. At that time he becomes jolly. Evaṁ prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ, bhagavat-tattva-vijñānaṁ mukta-saṅgasya jāyate (SB 1.2.20). When he becomes jolly, being situated in sattva-guṇa, at that time he can understand what is bhagavat-tattva, what is the Absolute Truth, not in the rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. That is not possible. That is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā,

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā

na śocati na kāṅkṣati

samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu

mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām

(BG 18.54)

bhaktyā mām abhijānāti

yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ

(indistinct)

(BG 18.55)

Guest (2): The problem is most of the time we spend our life in rajo-guṇa.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Guest (2): The problem is most of the time...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with David Wynne, Sculptor -- July 9, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: Yes. What, what is the value of those jewels to her? But if some citizen offers in good faith and love, she accepts. That's all.

David Wynne: Is it right thinking to think that one, although one can't give anything... Kṛṣṇa, of course, has everything. Should one not praise Him? Because...

Prabhupāda: No, no. You should praise Him, certainly. That is bhakti. That is bhakti. Yes.

David Wynne: Because what I...

Prabhupāda: Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). (People enter room, pause, moving tables, etc.) Take prasādam. Prasādaṁ prāpti-mātreṇa bhoktavyam. ("Prasādam should be eaten as soon as one obtains it.") Take.

Śyāmasundara: You must be hungry after all that hard work. (Eating, etc.)

Prabhupāda: This is halavā?

Devotee: Yes.

Room Conversation with Indian Guests and Devotees -- July 11, 1973, London:

Guest (1): You want to ask anything? (pause)

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) It is very difficult to, to guru, but when guru comes, they also do not accept him. What can be done? They are so fallen. Only fortunate. Ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva (CC Madhya 19.151). So to go to guru, to Kṛṣṇa, that requires fortune. Kona bhāgyavān jīva. Some fortunate person. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). By the mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa, he gets the seed of this bhakti. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). And when he's a bhakta, then he can understand what is God. (To disciple:) Get the light. Bhaktyā mām abhijānā... No, there. That's all right.

Room Conversation With David Lawrence -- July 12, 1973, London:

Śyāmasundara: We talked with Professor Zeiner (Zayner?), and he may come. He's trying... He's going to see...

Prabhupāda: That is only interpretation. Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna. Kṛṣṇa is speaking to Arjuna. He is plainly speaking that "I am speaking to you this Bhagavad-gītā because You are My devotee." Bhakto 'si priyo 'si me rahasyaṁ hy etad uttamam (BG 4.3). So first condition to understand Bhagavad-gītā is to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. So in the Bhagavad-gītā, the only talk is about devotion. There is no other talk. There are other talks, but they are subordinate. They are not principal talks. The principal talk is to understand Kṛṣṇa through bhakti-yoga. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). You understand Sanskrit? You...?

David Lawrence: Yes, yes, I'm there.

Prabhupāda: So if He says, "One can understand Me only through bhakti,"... He has spoken about jñāna, karma, yoga, everything, but if anyone wants to know Kṛṣṇa, then He says, it is His direct order, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Tattvataḥ, "In truth, what I am, if anyone wants to know, that can be known through bhakti-yoga. No other method."

Room Conversation with Reporter from Researchers Magazine -- July 24, 1973, London:

Reporter: By devotion, by listening you receive and see the self...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Reporter: ...within the self.

Prabhupāda: Yes, within the self.

Reporter: Ātmani ātmānam. (break)

Prabhupāda: What is the purport?

Pradyumna: "The Absolute Truth is realized in full by the process of devotional service to the Lord Vāsudeva, or the Personality of Godhead..."

Prabhupāda: This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Never says by jñāna or karma you'll get.

Reporter: Only bhakti, yes.

Prabhupāda: Go on.

Room Conversation -- August 11, 1973, Paris:

Bhagavān: (break) He asked you a question about transcendental knowledge, and actually you explained that knowledge is not one thing, but it's composed of three things, it is the object, the knower and the process. That is all knowledge.

Prabhupāda: Knower, knowledge and the object. The object is Kṛṣṇa and you are knower, or trying to know. And the process is bhakti. That's all. If you want to understand Kṛṣṇa, then you have to adopt the process of bhakti. No other process. It is clearly stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). No other process. No speculative philosophy or meditation. It is not possible. So bhakti is the process, you are the knower, and Kṛṣṇa is knowable. That's all. (break) ...vādī, impersonalists, they say ultimately the knower, knowable and the known becomes one. That is their philosophy. Monists. There is no more knower, no knowable, the knower... Simply knowledge. They say simply knowledge. Oneness.

Morning Walk -- August 30, 1973, London:

David Lawrence: They're being, lacking in imagination really because they can't imagine what happens when God possesses a man.

Prabhupāda: Because Kṛṣṇa is lifting the Govardhana Hill, they are thinking this is imagination. But if actually Kṛṣṇa is God, is it very difficult for Him to lift a mountain? He's floating so many heavy planets in the air, so, weightlessness. If Kṛṣṇa can make weightless so many heavy planets, is it very difficult for Him to make the Govardhana Hill weightless?

David Lawrence: Not at all.

Prabhupāda: So these things have to be understood.

David Lawrence: So once again you'd say that this was a...

Prabhupāda: Therefore, in the Bhagavad-gītā, it is clearly said bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Simply through devotional service one can understand Me. Others will misunderstand. (break)

David Lawrence: Yes, one doesn't become concerned with these what really are the superficials of an inner state. You accept and appreciate the validity of bhakti.

Prabhupāda: What is this?

Śyāmasundara: It's a sentry post for watchguards.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Room Conversation -- September 19, 1973, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: The Māyāvādī philosophers, they think that "I am also Kṛṣṇa, I am also Kṛṣṇa." But people who follow, they do not ask him that "If you are Kṛṣṇa, you show something as Kṛṣṇa showed. Kṛṣṇa lifted the Govardhana Hill when He was seven years old. And you are seventy years old. What you have done like that?" (laughs) So everyone wants to become Kṛṣṇa, but he cannot manifest Kṛṣṇa's pastimes. Kṛṣṇa showed the virāṭ-rūpa to Arjuna. What you have got? So this is Māyāvāda. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). Kṛṣṇa says, "Nobody can be superior than Me or equal to Me, equal to Me." Therefore Kṛṣṇa's another name is Asamordhva. Nobody is equal; nobody is above Him. Asamordhva. So in this way if we understand Kṛṣṇa, then we become liberated. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). And this tattvataḥ is very significant. How you can know Kṛṣṇa as He is, in truth? That is also explained. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). If you want to understand Kṛṣṇa in tattva, in fact, in truth, then you have to adopt this process of bhakti. Not jñāna, not yoga, not karma. Karma, jñāna, yoga, bhakti. So Kṛṣṇa is understandable simply by bhakti, not by other methods. Not by karma, not by jñāna, not by yoga. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). The jñānīs, karmīs, yogis, they are trying to come to the Absolute Truth, but they will take many, many births to come to this point to surrender. Therefore intelligence means if one understands that "Ultimately I have to come to Kṛṣṇa for my highest perfection; then why not immediately? Kṛṣṇa is canvassing, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Why not take this process?" This is intelligence. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān: (BG 7.19) "After many, many births when one actually becomes wise, jñānavān, he surrenders, he surrenders." If one remains still unwise, not fully in knowledge, he hesitates, "Oh, why shall I surrender to Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa is as like me; He is also a man. Maybe a powerful man, a very learned man." No. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So anyone who understands Kṛṣṇa, tattvataḥ, in truth... "Simply by understanding Kṛṣṇa, even if he does not understand fully, if he tries to understand Kṛṣṇa, that is also very good." That is also.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- February 19, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Simply "gad, gad, gad, gad, gad, gad."

Mr. Sar: "Gad, gad, gad, gad, gad, gad, gad."

Prabhupāda: That's all. Teṣāṁ kleśala eva śiṣyate nānyad yathā sthūla-tuṣāvaghātinām. So these impersonalists, they are trying to approach the Absolute Truth, but the method is not very good.

Mr. Sar: (mumbles verse) ...avyaktam.

Prabhupāda: Hm. No, Kṛṣṇa says...

Mr. Sar: ...teṣāṁ paryupa...

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa says that, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55).

Mr. Sar: Ah. Yāvān yaś cāsmi...

Prabhupāda: He never says that "By mental speculation, one can understand." He never says.

Mr. Sar: He's beyond the reach of the mind.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu... (Hindi)

Morning Walk -- April 12, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No. That śaraṇa means... That includes... That is bhakti.

Indian man (1): Even a tulasī dala and a little water is not necessary?

Prabhupāda: No necessary, necessary, necessary because mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. That is the path of bhakti. It is also confirmed, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55).

Indian man (1): Bhakti is in the mind, in the heart.

Prabhupāda: No, not in the mind. No, no. Bhakti is in the heart, but there must be... Just like if you have got love for me in the heart, it must be demonstrated. Just like a husband and wife. The wife is says, "Now we are married and I have got love for you. Let me remain here. You go to your home." The bridegroom comes, "Now we are married and I love you, you love me. You go home, I remain here." Is that very good proposal?

Room Conversation with Christian Priest -- June 9, 1974, Paris:

Prabhupāda: Tukārāma, Tukārāma.

Priest: Tukārāma.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Priest: I have proceeded to (indistinct).

Prabhupāda: Tukārāma is in the line of Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Priest: That's right.

Prabhupāda: He was initiated by Caitanya. His avanga, avanga, that is written there, he was initiated by Caitanya.

Priest: It's a great bhakti tradition.

Prabhupāda: Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Find out. If we want to know God, then we have to accept the process recommended by God. That is bhakti.

Pradyumna:

bhaktyā mām abhijānāti

yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ

tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā

viśate tad-anantaram

(BG 18.55)

"One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God."

Prabhupāda: So in another place also it is said, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), mām evaiṣyasi, asaṁśaya. "If you want to enter in the kingdom of God, always think of Me," man-manā, "and you just become My devotee and worship Me and offer your obeisances." These four principles, it is not difficult. To achieve the kingdom of God is not at all difficult. It is very easy. Anyone can go. But they are not prepared to accept the process. That is their misfortune. Otherwise, always thinking of God. We are thinking something, but the thinking should be turned towards God. That is our teaching. They are always chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. So by uttering the word Kṛṣṇa, immediately you think of Kṛṣṇa. This is the process. It is not difficult at all. And you can always think of, just like these boys have been taught, walking on the street, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma... Just like we have got this. I am talking with you, but two minutes I talk with you, as soon as I stop, I chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma... What is the difficulty? It is simply practice. No difficulty.

Morning Walk -- June 14, 1974, Paris:

Guru-gaurāṅga: They say one man's food is another man's poison. So perhaps this process isn't practical for everyone.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So you take the poison and die. Because you do not understand easily, better you take poison and die.

Paramahaṁsa: What does it mean when they say that failure is the pillar of success?

Prabhupāda: Yes. For whom? Who is actually searching after success? Not for the fool. Anyone who is trying for attaining success, for him, failure is also success because he's making progress. Harer nāma harer nāma... (CC Adi 17.21). God says, "Many ways." That's all right. But why does He says that "If you want to know Me perfectly, and without any doubt, then this is the process, bhakti"? Other processes are there but by those processes you cannot understand. Just like practically, call anyone, so-called yogis, so-called jñānīs, they'll not understand Kṛṣṇa. They'll not understand Kṛṣṇa. So all other paths that are recommended, by those paths you cannot understand God perfectly and without any doubt. Therefore God says clearly, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ: (BG 18.55) "Actually, what I am, that can be understood by bhakti-yoga." Other systems, you'll... I explained that last night. That is partial understanding. That is not full understanding.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Press Representative -- March 21, 1975, Calcutta:

Prabhupāda: Anyway, He is supreme. We are not supreme. But this subordinate person, he wants to take the position of the supreme by manufacturing a drop of water in the laboratory.

Guest: So what is the easiest way to see the Supreme Being with our own eyes?

Prabhupāda: That you have to take advice from the Supreme. The Supreme says, "If you want to know Me..." Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). You have to take the way of the Supreme. "Simply by devotional service one can understand Me, what I am actually, is." You have to take this way. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We are teaching everyone this bhakti-yogam so that one can understand the Supreme and submit to Him, yes. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). When one understands by acquiring knowledge after many, many births, then he surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). This is the first-class mahātmā. That we are teaching. It is not a sentiment. Most scientific.

Morning Walk -- April 2, 1975, Mayapur:

Pañcadraviḍa: So the devotee went on, "To want to become one with the Lord, that is material desire." So the Māyāvādī, he answered, he said, "No, to want to remain separate from the Lord and enjoy rasa, or exchange, with Him, that is also material desire. Because you want to stay two, God and you, so you can be separate just so you can enjoy an exchange. That is also a desire."

Prabhupāda: Therefore, because you have no brain, therefore you cannot understand the rasas with Kṛṣṇa. That is spiritual; that is not material. Ānanda-rasa. Ananda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhiḥ (Bs. 5.37). That is the Vedic statement. There is cinmaya. In the spiritual world there is ananda. You... You have no knowledge. You, due to your poor fund of knowledge, you think that in the spiritual world there is no rasa; it is simply void, negation of this rasa. Just like a diseased man. He is practiced to drink bitter medicine and pass stool on the bed and so many inconveniences, so if some of his friends says, "When you'll be cured, you'll be able to pass stool in the lavatory. You haven't got to, haven't got to pass stool..." Then he shudders: "Again I have to pass stool after becoming cured? Again I have to eat? No, no, this is not good. Make it zero." He has no idea what is the meaning of passing stool in healthy stage. It refreshes the body. We get good energy. That he cannot conceive. He thinks that "If there is passing of stool again, then it must be the same suffering as I am undergoing now in this condition." So the Māyāvādī's idea of spiritual life means negation of these material activities. But they have no idea that similar activities are there in spiritual life, but that is not material. That is their poor fund of knowledge. Therefore we are... You are not understanding Caitanya-caritāmṛta, the rādhā-kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtīv hlādinī-śaktir asmāt. That I am explaining for the last few days. That is not at all this material. So unless there is loving affair in the spiritual world, how here it is as perverted reflection? It is the reflection of the reality. The reality is there. That they cannot understand. That is also hinted in the Bhagavad-gītā, that "There is another feature, or another nature," paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyaḥ (BG 8.20), "which is sanātana, is eternal." Here the rasas, on account of being material, they are flickering. But there, real rasa is permanent. Here the loving affairs between two parties finish as soon as the bodies finish. But there, there is no question of finishing. Increasing. Ānandambudhi-vardhanam, increasing. Harer nāma... (Break)...in reality, "what I am," that can be understood through devotional service, not by karma, jñāna, yoga. But... Give this example, I mean to say, authoritative statement of Kṛṣṇa, that bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55).

Pañcadraviḍa: I didn't speak with him. Another devotee did.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Pañcadraviḍa: Another devotee spoke with this person.

Prabhupāda: So what is your answer, that you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, as Kṛṣṇa says, without bhakti.

Morning Walk -- June 10, 1975, Honolulu:

Bali-mardana: That is what they are studying.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is another thing. Just like if you get millions of dollars, ten dollars is already there. You haven't got to endeavor for ten dollars. Similarly, if one who is on the platform of soul... Yasmin vijñāte sarvam evaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati (Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.3). If you understand the platform of soul, then you understand the other platforms: the intellectual platform, mental platform, bodily platform. And platform of knowledge, pratyakṣa, parakṣa, aparakṣa, adhokṣaja, aprakṛta. So aprakṛta is this platform of the soul. Kṛṣṇa's activities, that is aprakṛta, completely far beyond these material ideas, material platform. Material platform, pratyakṣa. Just like you want to see the arrangement. That is pratyakṣa. Then aparakṣa, accepting the authority's version. Pratyakṣa, parakṣa. Then aparakṣa, then adhokṣaja, beyond your mental speculation. Then aprakṛta, spiritual. Spiritual platform is not understood by machine, material machine. Then what is the spiritual platform? Kṛṣṇa is understood not by machine. Kṛṣṇa says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti: (BG 18.55) "Through devotion only." So devotion is not machine. That is spiritual activity.

Room Conversation with writer, Sandy Nixon -- July 13, 1975, Philadelphia:

Prabhupāda: A yogi can become very small. If you put him in a room, he will come out. You lock it. He will come out. If there is little space, he will come out. That is called anima. He can fly in the sky, float in the sky. That is called laghima. In this way, if somebody can show this magic, then immediately he is accepted as very wonderful man. So yogis, they... The modern yogis, they simply show some gymnastic, but they have no power. So I am not speaking of these third-class yogis. Real yogi means he has got some power. That is material power. So yogis also want this power. And jñānīs also want salvation from the unnecessary working like ass, the karmī. And karmīs want material profit. So they want, everyone. But the bhaktas, devotees, they don't want anything. They want to serve God out of love. Just like a mother loves her child. There is no question of profit. Out of affection, she loves. So when you come to that stage, to love God, that is perfection. So these different processes, karmī, jñānī, yogi and bhakta, out of these four processes, if you want to know God, then you have to accept this bhakti. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). "Simply through the process of bhakti, one can understand Me, God." He never says by other processes, no. Only through bhakti. So if you are interested to know God and love Him, then you have to accept this devotional process. No other process will help you.

Sandy Nixon: What are the methods used in attaining Kṛṣṇa consciousness? How does one get to...

Prabhupāda: Yes, by Kṛṣṇa consciousness you achieve the goal of life. In the present condition we are accepting one body, and we are dying after a few days. Then accept another body. And that body is according to your activity.

Conversation with Professor Hopkins -- July 13, 1975, Philadelphia:

Prabhupāda: Bhakti-yoga is said last. Sarva dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). People are not prepared to take the sublime lesson immediately. Then he has to go step by step. So that is the system of Bhagavad-gītā.

Prof. Hopkins: Are there other ways besides Kṛṣṇa consciousness to reach that same goal?

Prabhupāda: No.

Prof. Hopkins: Or is that the only goal?

Prabhupāda: That is only. That is stated in Bhagavad-gītā. Bhaktyā mām abhi... If you want to know God and your relationship with God then only through bhakti, no other. That is stated in the... Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Otherwise you will never be able to understand.

Prof. Hopkins: If the highest reality is Puruṣottama and Puruṣottama is manifested in many different ways in the world, can people come to Puruṣottama through various paths?

Prabhupāda: Various path means bhakti is the only path. Now all other paths they must come to bhakti. Without bhakti there is no possibility.

Prof. Hopkins: But must bhakti be directed to Kṛṣṇa only or...

Prabhupāda: Because Kṛṣṇa is Bhagavān. Bhakti means our transaction with Bhagavān. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). So original Bhagavān is Kṛṣṇa.

Morning Walk -- July 24, 1975, Los Angeles:

Jayatīrtha: I don't know. They came there recently. It wasn't there a few months... Oh, they're tearing down that pier. They're tearing down that amusement park. (break)

Jayādvaita: The scientists say that material nature is supreme, but because we're unable to accept nature as the supreme entity, different cultures have gotten different ideas of God. They've made these things up. The Greeks had one idea, the Romans had another idea, the Indians had one idea. So we've accepted that instead of accepting nature, although nature is actually the supreme.

Prabhupāda: No, God is realized only by the devotees. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). So actually, God is realized through devotion. There is no other way. So in the proportion of one's development of devotional spirit, one realizes God. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham (BG 4.11). The proportion, devotion, required. But real process is devotion.

Jayādvaita: But how can that be scientifically presented? How can we accept that scientifically?

Prabhupāda: No, no, these rascal scientists, they cannot understand God. Those who were actually advanced, just like Professor Einstein and others, they believed so, that there is God; there is brain. (break) ...somebody was talking about another scientist, big scientist? Who was talking about?

Morning Walk -- September 30, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Clouded, yes. Aviśuddha. Therefore confirms this. Because the aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ, it takes many, many lives to purify it. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). When they come to the purified stage, then they surrender vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabha (BG 7.19). They... (break) ...to be aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ unless they come to the point of surrendering to Kṛṣṇa. And we are unintelligent persons. We do it immediately. Let us do it immediately. Why we shall wait for many, many births?

Dr. Patel: It is not that, sir. I think complete surrendering of our ego at the sacred feet of Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes, and they cannot.

Dr. Patel: That is bhakti.

Prabhupāda: Yes, but they cannot do it.

Dr. Patel: Because they are egoistic toward the body.

Prabhupāda: Not only that. They think they are very intelligent, overintelligent. They do not take advice of Kṛṣṇa. They are so intelligent that Kṛṣṇa says sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66), Kṛṣṇa says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55), and still they will stick to their jñāna, yoga, karma. Kṛṣṇa clearly says that "You cannot understand Me by this process." Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi : (BG 18.55) "If you want to know Me in truth, then bhakti. Nothing else." And still, they will stick to those.

Dr. Patel: No, but I think they have not understood even Śaṅkarācārya. Śaṅkarācārya has composed stotras on Viṣṇu and... Bhaja govindam, bhaja govinda, govindaṁ bhaja mūḍha-mate.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They have become more than Śaṅkarācārya.

Morning Walk -- November 13, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes. We don't make any experiment. We don't make any. We say, "Kṛṣṇa is God." That's all. No experiment.

Dr. Patel: If, sir, Edison had not made experiment...

Prabhupāda: Edison, Fedison, all, these are rascals. All these... Edison...

Dr. Patel: You would not have electricity today in the streets.

Prabhupāda: We don't make any experiments.

Dr. Patel: This is a matter of worshiping. He experimented with the method of worshiping.

Prabhupāda: No, experiment means one who is making experiment, he is a fool.

Dr. Patel: I mean the experiment of making..., method of worshiping, sir. You worship this way, other...

Prabhupāda: There is no method. Only method-bhaktya mam abhijanati (BG 18.55). That is method. All rascals. All rascals. Yes, all rascals.

Dr. Patel: No, sir. The Christians, they go to the temple to worship God in the same way.

Prabhupāda: No, I don't say Christian and Hindus, Muslims. Anyone who is not a bhakta, he is a rascal. That's all. That is our conclusion. Therefore we say all rascals. Muḍḥa. Kṛṣṇa says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Why should we experiment other than that?

Dr. Patel: But that is the way of bhakti, sir. My contention is this, with all my...

Prabhupāda: You cannot make.

Morning Walk -- November 13, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Truth is truth. There is no experiment. Truth is truth. You cannot make experiment. "All right, let us see. The sun may rise this side." Can you do that?

Dr. Patel: I think I am not explicit to you, sir. What I mean to say is way of worshiping...

Prabhupāda: There is no other way of worshiping except bhakti.

Dr. Patel: No, but that is also a bhakti, sir.

Prabhupāda: Yes, but... Only way. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). God is one, and to understand God is one. That is it. Now...

Dr. Patel: He has saints in the same God by all the ways. If I...

Prabhupāda: There is no other way. That is foolishness. That is explained. Ye 'py anya-devatā bhaktā yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ, mām eva te 'pi bhajanty avidhi-pūrvakam. That is avidhi. That is not vidhi.

Dr. Patel: They are bhajanti. Still they are bhajanti, sir. They are not non-bhajanti like so-called mūḍha scientists and like Hoffer.(?)

Prabhupāda: Bhajanti... It is, think, yajanti, not bhajanti. Yajanty avidhi-pūrvakam. That is not the way.

Morning Walk -- November 18, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: There are some scientists...

Dr. Patel: If other fellows say any damn thing, that does not mean... Even though he may be a Nobel Prize winner, that does not mean that he is really a true scientist. He may be all right. He is looking through a long narrow tube in his own subject, a specialist. I have my definition about a specialist is a one who sees through long narrow tube and he got this much vision of the horizon. Such a man may be saying like this to you. I don't think we should deride that science... Scientists are trying to approach God through their own way, sir. That is what I think.

Prabhupāda: That is rascaldom.

Dr. Patel: That doesn't matter if you call them "rascal" or no rascal, but that is their way. That's all. Our way is this; their way may be that. We must not... By many...

Prabhupāda: No, no. God says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55).

Dr. Patel: That's right.

Prabhupāda: How you can manufacture your own way? That is rascal.

Dr. Patel: But that is their bhakti.

Prabhupāda: That is rascaldom. That...

Morning Walk -- December 23, 1975, Bombay:

Indian man: So I was telling my wife, she said that you read that Bhāgavatam, where that Bāṇ(āsura) is there, that Śiva means having, producing jvārā, fever, so Viṣṇujvārā is cold only, so that Viṣṇujvārā will bring down the fever. So you were just reading more Bhāgavatam only, when you are sick. Anybody who is suffering from fever means you read such and such a portion, so it should come down.

Prabhupāda: No, Viṣṇu should not be utilized for curing your fever. (laughter) That is not bhakti. That is business.

Indian man: So you are always reaching for bhakti point. That is too high for mundane people to reach.

Prabhupāda: That is bhakti, high, highest. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). If you have real bhakti, then you can understand Vaiṣṇava. To know Viṣṇu-avan manasā-gocara: it is very difficult.

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahareṣu

kaścit yatati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāṁ

kaścid māṁ vetti tattvataḥ

(BG 7.3)

To understand Viṣṇu—very, very difficult. And.... If, but you can understand Viṣṇu by bhakti. So bhakti is so easy thing.

Kīrtanānanda: How about if a disciple wants to use the help of Viṣṇu for the spiritual master?

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Kīrtanānanda: A disciple wants to take the aid of Viṣṇu for serving the spiritual master.

Prabhupāda: Hah. That is nice. That is for curing Viṣṇu's representative. When we were in danger, there was so much obstruction for constructing the temple, and we prayed to Kṛṣṇa that it should stopped. We prayed to Kṛṣṇa, "Please give your protection." That is for Viṣṇu's purpose. (break) ...Bhagavad-gītā, arto 'rthārthī jijñāsur: when one is in distress, he comes to Kṛṣṇa. So that is not pure bhakti. Pure bhakti means, "I shall not take a farthing from Kṛṣṇa; I shall give everything to Kṛṣṇa." That is pure. "I shall not take any return from Kṛṣṇa." Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "I am not a merchant, that for my service I take some return for it." No. But sometimes when, since we are not pure devotees, we have no other alternative than to beg Kṛṣṇa for some material benefit. That is also good.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 15, 1976, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: Then the kariṣye vacanam...

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is bhakti. "Never mind, I do not agree with Kṛṣṇa, but I see that He wants it, I must do." This is bhakti. Kṛṣṇa should be given preference. That is bhakti, not my whimsical way. That is not bhakti. And because we cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, therefore Kṛṣṇa is giving direction.

tad viddhi praṇipātena

paripraśnena sevayā

upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ

jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

(BG 4.34)

Go to the person who has seen actually and take information. Simply by reading you will be misleaded. Even persons like Gandhi or Dr. Radhakrishna, Aurobindo, they were misled because they wanted to manufacture their own meaning. They did not like to act as Kṛṣṇa says.

Passerby: (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: Hm. You are very good devotee. Jaya. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). So if one offers his namaskāra, that is also taken into account, asset. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt.

Dr. Patel: Dharmasya means that dharma which is affixed to find(?) God is dharma.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is bhakti. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). You can understand Kṛṣṇa only by bhakti, not by jñāna, yoga, karma. So a little bhakti will help you to make further progress. It is... No... Now, what is that? "It is never lost." What is that verse? Nehābhikrama-nāśo 'sti (BG 2.40).

Dr. Patel: Nehābhikrama-nāśo 'sti.

Prabhupāda: Nāśo 'sti. So if you do little, it will remain ever, permanently. Then you will make increase. You'll increase again.

Indian (1): As soon as you start chanting, bhakti starts, and then further development is the result of chanting?

Prabhupāda: Yes. But if we think that "I am chanting. I can do all nonsense," then it is wrong.

'Life Comes From Life' Slideshow Discussions -- July 3, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Now we want to describe something about this Absolute Truth. His Divine Grace Śrīla Prabhupāda has explained that Absolute Truth is that from which everything comes: janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Now what is the Absolute Truth, and how the Absolute Truth is to be known? Now in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Absolute Truth is described anādir ātmā puruṣo nirguṇaḥ prakṛteḥ paraḥ. The Absolute Truth or the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Supreme Soul, and He has no beginning, anādi, He has no beginning. And He is also nirguṇa, He's transcendental to the material modes of nature. And prakṛteḥ para, beyond the existence of this material world.

Prabhupāda: The same thing is explained also in the Brahma-saṁhitā, anādir-ādi. He's anādi, He has no beginning, but He is the beginning of everything. Anādir-ādi, govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi. He is the beginning of everything, but He has no beginning.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: And He is puruṣa, He's a person. Now how the Absolute Truth is to be known? In Bhagavad-gītā it is described bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). The Absolute Truth must be understood as He is only by devotional service. So...

Prabhupāda: Otherwise, it is not possible. That I explained this morning, panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamyo vāyor athāpi manaso muni-puṅgavānām, so 'pyasti yat prapada-sīmny avincintya-tattve (Bs. 5.34). Without bhakti, if you go on speculating for many, many years with the speed of mind, if you want to go, still avincintya-tattve, it will remain inconceivable.

'Life Comes From Life' Slideshow Discussions -- July 3, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: So these are some of the axiomatic truths that are necessary steps in order to study this problem between life and...

Prabhupāda: In Bhagavad-gītā it is said bhaktyā mām abhijānāti: (BG 18.55) "One can understand Me through bhakti." And the Vedic injunction is that "If one knows Me, or knows the Absolute Truth, God, then he knows everything." Kasmin tu bhagavo vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati. If somehow or other one knows the Absolute Truth, then he knows everything. Kasmin tu bhagavo vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati. That is the benefit of knowing the Absolute Truth. So a devotee knows everything. How it is possible? That is explained in Bhagavad-gītā,

teṣām evānukampārtham

aham ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ

nāśayāmy ātma-bhāva-stho

jñāna-dīpena bhāsvatā

(BG 10.11)

One may challenge, "How a person can know everything?" So Kṛṣṇa immediately replies that "I help him specifically." Teṣām evānukampārtham. "Just to show My personal, especial favor upon him, I light up the torch of knowledge, and he knows everything." So if Kṛṣṇa helps one to know everything, who can check it? That is not possible. This science must be there. We are not all-powerful. Kṛṣṇa is all-powerful means He can do everything.

Evening Darsana -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). When one becomes actually in understanding that "I am not this body, I am spirit soul," then my all responsibility of this bodily condition immediately ceases. I am not this body. And why I am working for this body? Why I am in ignorance? That is called brahma-bhūtaḥ. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). That is liberated stage. So we are already Brahman, there is no question of becoming Brahman. We are mistaking something else, that "I am not Brahman." So when we come to the actual understanding, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, that is called brahma-bhūtaḥ stage. Brahmā-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati samaḥ sarveṣu... (BG 18.54). Then he see everyone on equal level, that every soul is Brahman.

vidyā-vinaya sampanne

brāhmaṇe gavi hastini

śuni caiva śva-pāke ca

paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ

(BG 5.18)

That is sama-darśinaḥ. He sees the same soul within a learned brāhmaṇa and within a dog. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. That is the stage of bhakti.

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā

na śocati na kāṅkṣati

samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu

mad-bhaktiṁ labhate param

(BG 18.54)

So when you come to the standard of bhakti, then you can understand Kṛṣṇa. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Unless you come to that stage, you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, you will mistake. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). This siddhi means to become liberated from the bodily concept of life. So out of many millions of people, one gets the opportunity of becoming siddha, brahma-bhūtaḥ, and yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ (BG 7.3). And those who are siddhas, liberated, out of many of them, kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ. So how this Mr. Bannerji will understand Kṛṣṇa? He is not a bhakta, he cannot understand. He can talk of the honey within the bottle. He cannot taste it. If he wants to taste, somebody must be able to open the bottle and give him little. Then he'll get. Otherwise, let him lick up the bottle. (laughter) That's all. So those who are licking the bottle, they cannot say what is the taste of the honey. One must actually taste. That is possible, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55), that taste is available by the bhaktas, not by the so-called scholars. That is not possible. Nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyaḥ. That is Vedic injunction. Na medhayā, na bahunā śrutena. You cannot realize self by your intelligence or by your learning or by your brain. Nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyaḥ na bahunā śrutena. So when the ātmā, Paramātmā, reveals Himself to somebody, he can understand. And that revelation is possible when you are a bhakta. Otherwise, it is not... It clearly says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). It never says "By brain, one can understand." Never says, "By speculation, one can understand." No, this is not the process. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). In the beginning, He said kaścin vetti māṁ tattvataḥ. Yatatām api siddhānām (BG 7.3). Those who are siddhas, already liberated, out of them, many, many, still, they are unable to understand, tattvataḥ, in truth. But here He says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Only through bhakti one can understand in truth what is Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise it is not possible. Because one is scholar he can understand Kṛṣṇa, that is not the fact.

Evening Darsana -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: He is Param Brahma, He is the supreme great. You study and then you will understand. But without understanding, if we take that He is also a human being, that is mistake. Paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto mama bhuta-maheśvaram (BG 9.11). "He does not know what is My background, he's a mūḍha." Therefore mūḍha, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā. We should not remain a mūḍha; we should be intelligent to understand Kṛṣṇa. And that is possible only through bhakti. Kṛṣṇa specifically mentions, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). He never says, "By jñāna, yoga, karma, one can understand Me." No. Bhakti. Bhakto si, "You will understand, Arjuna, because you are My bhakta." That is first qualification to understand Kṛṣṇa. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena (BG 4.34). A bhakta is submissive. And nondevotees, they are not submissive. They are so proud that they say "I am Bhagavān, I am God." So that attitude will not help to understand. (Prabhupāda converses in Hindi with an Indian lady about how one does not have to renounce family life to understand Kṛṣṇa.) He says paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). He understands perfectly. There is no question of gṛhastha or sannyāsī. It is a question of understanding. And Arjuna is gṛhastha, politician, fighter, and still he is selected to understand Bhagavad-gītā. So gṛhastha. (Hindi) ...in gṛhastha life or sannyāsī, Caitanya Mahāprabhu also says like that, kibā vipra kibā śūdra nyāsī kene naya. (Hindi) I shall speak in English so that others.... Kibā vipra, whether one is a brāhmaṇa, kibā śūdra, or whether he is a śūdra, nyāsī kene naya, or whether he is a sannyāsī. That means whether he is a gṛhastha or brāhmaṇa, or.... There are eight varṇāśrama—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, whatever he may be, out of these eight categories.

Room Conversation with Professor Francois Chenique -- August 5, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Bhūgarbha: He's asking that since he first read the Gītā when he was very young, since that time he's been trying to compact paths of jñāna and bhakti and follow the teachings of all the great religions. And he's wondering if he should continue on that same path.

Prabhupāda: No, jñāna means that to understand the Absolute Truth. If you do not understand the Absolute Truth, what is the meaning of this jñāna? That means knowledge is imperfect. But if you want to know the Absolute Truth, ultimately, then bhakti is required. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). If you want to know the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Being, then you have to go through bhakti. Jñāna, so-called jñāna, bhakti includes. Just like bhakti includes everything, but jñāna does not include bhakti. It is imperfect. In jñāna there is little touch of bhakti, but in bhakti there is full jñāna. Because unless you... Absolute Truth is realized in three stages, brahmeti, paramātmeti, bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). So those who are on the stage of Brahman and Paramātmā, they're not in the Absolute Truth. Part of it. But when one understands Bhagavān, then he understands Paramātmā and Brahman. That is full knowledge. There are three things—sat, cit, ānanda. So Brahman realization is sat. Paramātmā realization is cit. But ānanda is not there. But if he does not get ānanda, then falls down.

Evening Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:

Peter: In the last chapter which he read, he was, I think you read about the yogis who can get to this high level of consciousness and then they can still fall back. That's like, my question, what was the cause for this?

Prabhupāda: If you do not come to the point of fulfillment of your appetite—you are eating, but if you have not sufficiently eaten, then you want more to eat. But if you have sufficiently eaten, then you will say, "No, no, no, no more I want." Even if you are offered, "Take more food." You'll say "No, I have enough." It is a question of sufficiency and insufficiency. If you are insufficiently spiritually advanced, you'll feel vacancy so much. But if you are sufficiently advanced, then you'll say, "It is all right now." It is a question of sufficiency and insufficiency. So other method, jñāna, yoga, they are insufficient. And bhakti-yoga is sufficient. Therefore you'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Find out this verse. He never recommends jñāna, yoga, karma. Bhakti. So if you take the path of bhakti, then you'll feel sufficiency. Otherwise you'll feel insufficient. To some extent, although it is perfect, but it is not completely perfect.

Pradyumna:

bhaktyā mām abhijānāti

yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ

tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā

viśate tad-anantaram

(BG 18.55)

"One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God."

Prabhupāda: That's it. Now unless you enter into the kingdom of God, you'll not feel full satisfaction. Even if you go to the moon planet or Mars planet, there is no question of satisfaction.

Atreya Ṛṣi: So your question is whether one can enter this kingdom of God with this body.

Prabhupāda: No, that is already explained—tyaktvā dehaṁ. Giving up this body, one can enter in the spiritual world. Viśate tad-anantaram—after death. By bhakti, when he's mature and he gives up this body, then he enters into the spiritual world. Tyaktvā deham, giving up this body. You cannot enter, although by devotional service the material activities of the body will stop, but you have to wait for the moment when this material body is no more existing, then with spiritual body you can enter. Tyaktvā deham, mām eti. Viśate tad-anantaram. Tad-anantaram after death. And if you have got little pinch of material attachment, then you'll have to accept another material body. So we have (to) come to the point that no more I want anything material. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). I am no more anyone's servant. I am neither American nor Iranian nor Indian nor Hindu nor Muslim, not this, not that, I'm simply servant of... That is my position. And so long I shall keep attachment for this designation, temporary... What is this Iranian, American, Indian? Say for few years. Because you have to change this body. Tyaktvā deham. Tathā dehāntaram. So after giving up this body, you have to accept another body. If I am in the next body I become a sparrow, then where is my conception of Iranian, Indian and Hindu, and Muslim? I am a sparrow. Jumping like sparrow, that's all. So these are designations, temporary designations. So one has to become free from these temporary designations. Then he's liberated. That is bhakti.

Room Conversation -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That they do not understand. That as soon as you accept a material body, either a very rich man's body or poor man's body or any body, either brāhmaṇa's body or śūdra's body, to accept material body means undergo miseries.

Indian Doctor: But you have no choice to accept. By the will of God...

Prabhupāda: No, you have got... You can become free. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti...

Indian Doctor: Bhakti-avyabhicāriṇī. I have got that tendency, bhakti, avyabhicāriṇī-bhakti.

Prabhupāda: No, no, simply to know Kṛṣṇa. Māṁ ca 'vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena ya... So you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa without bhakti. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). So without bhakti there is no possibility to understand Kṛṣṇa. But if you understand Kṛṣṇa, then you'll become free from this process of accepting material body.

Indian Doctor: Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66).

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is only business, to become Kṛṣṇa conscious and avoid this botheration of repeating body, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). Dehāntara-prāptiḥ is there. If you want to stop dehāntara-prāptiḥ, then you have to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. There is no other way. But if you think that it is very pleasure to enter within the womb of mother and accept one body, and again come out and again work, and again die, and again enter. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). If you want this business, that is your choice. You can do it. But if you want to stop it, then this is the only way. Therefore śāstra says na sādhu manye. It is not good. Nūnam, read that verse.

Meeting with Endowments Commissioner -- August 24, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: You have to teach them like that. Satataṁ kīrtayanto mām. As we are doing. We're always chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. But if you manufacture in your own way, that you can do. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ na sa siddhim avāpnoti (BG 16.23). That will never be successful. If you have to execute the mission of Kṛṣṇa, you have to take instruction of Kṛṣṇa and do it rigidly. Then you'll be successful. Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's mission is that one must know Kṛṣṇa and surrender to Him. This is mission. Kṛṣṇa does not say that by karma-yoga one can understand Him. Kṛṣṇa says bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). You cannot say "We are karma-yogīs." Karma-yogī means the third-class. He's karmī and little mixed up with bhakti. Adulterated. Jñāna-yogī, he's not a bhakta. He's jñānī, but just to bring him gradually, a little bhakti. You see? And real bhakti is anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (Brs. 1.1.11). When it will be tintless of any karma and jñāna, then it is pure bhakti. That is Kṛṣṇa's mission. Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). Not mixed up with jñāna, karma, yoga. Otherwise, how Kṛṣṇa says bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). He could have said, "Any way," as these rascals say, "Any way go, you will get Kṛṣṇa." That Kṛṣṇa does not say. Kṛṣṇa says bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid vetti māṁ tattvataḥ (BG 7.3). Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). So that tattva, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). So we have to take this. You manufacture in your own way, and still you carry out the mission of Kṛṣṇa. That is contradiction. You have to take the lesson from Kṛṣṇa. Then it will be successful. Karma-yoga is for the third-class. They are addicted to karma, a little bhakti, that's all. That is not pure. Jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (CC Madhya 19.167). When there is not a tinge of karma and jñāna, that is pure bhakti. That is Kṛṣṇa's mission. So everything is there, direction is there. We can guide you, not according to our whims, but according to śāstra. And if you agree to accept, then we can also cooperate with you. But if you manufacture your own way, then how we can possibly... Kṛṣṇa's mission is this: yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). Except kṛṣṇa-bhakti, bhaktyā, everything is glāniḥ. All glāniḥ. And that can be awakened, kṛṣṇa-bhakti. Just like these boys are doing. That is enunciated in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta-nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa—everyone has kṛṣṇa-bhakti. You have to awaken simply. Nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema sādhya kabhu naya (Cc. madhya 22.107). It is not artificial.

Evening Darsana -- September 1, 1976, Delhi:

Guest: Apnāra praśna hai? (Hindi conversation continues for some time)

Prabhupāda: But so far you must fix up, what you want.

Guest: What is realization?

Prabhupāda: Realization, everything is realization. If you can do business well, that is also realization.

Guest: Realization of God.

Prabhupāda: Then you, if you want...

Guest: Realization of God.

Prabhupāda: Realization of God, (Hindi), bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). So if you want to know me, then bhaktyā, bhakti. (Hindi) Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ. If you want to know God really, then you have to take this path, bhakti. If you want something else, that is a different thing.

yānti-deva vratā devān

pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ

bhūtejyā yānti bhūtāni

mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām

(BG 9.25)

(Hindi conversation for some time)

Prabhupāda: Find out this verse. (Hindi) Somebody, you can read? (rings bell) (more Hindi) Somebody... Why don't you send? What they are doing? All these rascals, that they cannot read.

Devotee: Someone should come in?

Prabhupāda: Yes. But they do not know that somebody should remain here. Why are there? What they are doing there?

Evening Darsana -- September 1, 1976, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: Ah. Avyaktā hi gatir duḥkham. (Hindi) Read it.

Pradyumna: "For those whose minds are attached to the unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Supreme, advancement is very troublesome. To make progress in that discipline is always difficult for those who are embodied."

Prabhupāda: Yes. (Hindi) You are expecting happiness by thinking of impersonal form of the Lord. That is not possible. You simply get troubles, that's all. (Hindi) What is the purport?

Pradyumna: "The group of transcendentalists who follow the path of the inconceivable, unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Supreme Lord are called jñāna-yogis, and persons who are in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness, engaged in devotional service to the Lord are called bhakti-yogis. Now here the difference between jñāna-yoga and bhakti-yoga is definitely expressed."

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa personally says bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). (Hindi) If you like to tolerate adi-kleśa, that is your choice. Otherwise, Bhagavān, sac-cid-ānanda...

śrī vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-

śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau

yuktasya bhaktāṁś ca niyuñjato 'pi

vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam **

(Hindi) You can accept any way. That is your choice.

ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis

tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ

goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūto

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(Bs. 5.37)

Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa vigraha. Sac-cid-ānanda vigraha (Bs. 5.1). (Hindi conversation for some time)

Indian man (1): Your Divine Grace, how long are you staying in Vṛndāvana?

Prabhupāda: I'm going to... Oh, Vṛndāvana, three weeks.

Indian man (1): Where are you spending your...

Prabhupāda: Any time in your home.

Room Conversation -- December 20, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So to understand Kṛṣṇa is not so easy job. First of all one has to become siddha. And not only you become siddha, yatatām api siddhānām (BG 7.3), even one is siddha it is very difficult for him to understand-tattvataḥ. What Kṛṣṇa means, to understand, it is not so easy job. And again He said, He explains that bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Only the devotees can understand. It is not the business of the karmīs, jñānīs, yogis. He has strictly specified-bhaktyā. Bhakto 'si priyo 'si. When He wanted to instruct Arjuna... Arjuna was a householder, a kṣatriya, not even a brāhmaṇa, not a Vedantist. The question may be why He selected Arjuna to preach Bhagavad-gītā which is so (indistinct) and (indistinct). That Kṛṣṇa says bhakto 'si. "Without being bhakta nobody can understand Me." And again He confirms, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). If we interpret Bhagavad-gītā in a different way, karma, jñāna, yoga, you'll never get Kṛṣṇa. So these things are there. So to understand Bhagavad-gītā one has to become a devotee, pure devotee. Not because he's learned scholar, he's a big politician or a big yogi or big jñānī. Because He plainly says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). If you do not understand Kṛṣṇa, tattvataḥ, what He is, then it is natural he'll interpret in his way, his own philosophy. That is not (indistinct). If you take jñāna, yoga, karma, or other.... But it is not possible. You have to receive it through the paramparā system. The paramparā system is clear. As Arjuna understood, you have to take it. And if you preach, that will be effective. I...

Guest: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: If you say my idea then I become one of you. (laughter) So I don't want that. I say I am foolish man. I have no idea. Whatever Kṛṣṇa says, that is idea. Just like a child, he speaks the words of the father. If the father... The child asks,"Father, what is this?" The father says, "This is a stick." So if the child says, "That is a stick," so that is correct. He may be a child. Because he repeats the words of the father... (Hindi) If the people are fools and rascals, then other will be fool and rascal. Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ (SB 2.3.19). (Hindi) If you accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme then where is the question of interpretation? (Hindi conversation) But who accepted? This is a fact. You try to understand that before me for 200 years so many swamis, yogis were there. Not a single man became Kṛṣṇa conscious. (Hindi conversation) He is not teacher he is cheater.

Room Conversation with Indian Man -- December 22, 1976, Poona:

Indian man: Simply misfortune.

Prabhupāda: If I want to come to point of misfortune, that is my disease. Otherwise, we can understand little, Kṛṣṇa is explaining. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says,

janma karma ca me divyaṁ

evaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ

tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma

naiti mām eti...

(BG 4.9)

Simply to understand Kṛṣṇa is liberation. And that is also explained. What is that tattva? How one can understand tattvataḥ, that is explained by Kṛṣṇa. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). That tattva is bhakti, not karma, jñāna, yoga. Everything is there. And still if we want to be misled that is our misfortune.

Indian man: I am a seeker; I want to know.

Prabhupāda: Therefore I am taking this trouble. Otherwise, I have no business.

Indian man: I want to know Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is wanted. If you want to know, then there is way. And as soon as you understand Kṛṣṇa, you are liberated.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation with Yogi Amrit Desai of Kripalu Ashram (PA USA) -- January 2, 1977, Bombay:

Trivikrama: And the spiritual body? Spiritual body means...

Prabhupāda: Soul. Spiritual body is now covered with the material body. So anything material, that will not exist. So body is finished; then he has to find new body. Just like the dress is old; it is finished, you take another dress. And when you haven't got to take dress, or this material body, and you remain in your spiritual body, that is called mukti. That can be achieved only in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). Mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām (BG 9.25). If you practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness then it is possible; otherwise not. Tyaktvā deham. Everyone has to give up because this body will be old, and one has to give it up. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma (BG 4.9), he doesn't accept any more material body. Then? What does he...? He's finished? No, he's not finished. Mām eti. He becomes eligible to go back home back to Godhead, and there he dances with Kṛṣṇa. That is real mukti. Muktir hitvā anyathā rūpaṁ sva-rūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ. Anyathā rūpam. Now this rūpa is not spiritual, it is material. And mukti means when he gives up this material body and no more accepts any material body, he is transferred to the spiritual world to play with Kṛṣṇa, to dance with Kṛṣṇa, to talk with Kṛṣṇa. That is real... Paramaṁ siddhi. Mām upetya kaunteya duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). (break) And so long one is the material things, he... The lowest stage is the karmīs, the little higher stage, jñānī, and little higher stage, yogi. And the highest stage? Bhakti-yogī.

Yogi Amrit Desai: Bhakti. No matter what path you follow, without bhakti it is incomplete.

Prabhupāda: So you cannot go to God...

Yogi Amrit Desai: No, without bhakti, no.

Prabhupāda: No. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Kṛṣṇa never says, "By karma, jñāna, yoga one can achieve Me." Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ. So unless you take to bhakti, a little advancement it may be, but that is material.

Yogi Amrit Desai: It's not of the highest nature.

Prabhupāda: So you can take... You have taken to bhakti-yoga, but take it seriously, pure bhakti-yoga. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (Brs. 1.1.11). (break) ...favorable, according to bhakti-yoga, then he is successful.

Conversation with Yogi Amrit Desai of Kripalu Ashram (PA USA) -- January 2, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Ajñāna. None of them.

Yogi Amrit Desai: Prema-bhakti is sac-cid-ānanda. (?)

Prabhupāda: No, tattva-jñānārtha-darśanam. Tattva. Tattva, what is tattva?

vadanti tat tattva-vidas

tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam

brahmeti paramātmeti

bhagavān iti śabdyate

(SB 1.2.11)

"One who has understood these three features of the Absolute—Bhāgavata—Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān, he knows tattva." That is tattva. Yo jānāti tattvataḥ. So where is that tattva-jñāna? Tattva-jñānārtha-darśanam. That is philosophy, when he is trying to understand the tattva. And Bhagavān says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). That is tattva. So everything is there, Bhagavad-gītā. And they are distorting the meaning of Bhagavad-gītā, explaining in their own way and cheating people. We are presenting, therefore, Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Then it is acting. So he is now in the West Coast?

Yogi Amrit Desai: Who? Yes.

Prabhupāda: What you are doing there? (break) Actually, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. Asat mithyā. (break) ...asat, but we are now situated in this asat situation life after life. That is called mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani. Accepting one body after another, another, another, another, it is going on. Therefore, asat-saṅga-tyāga ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra (CC Madhya 22.87). Then what is that asat? That Caitanya Mahāprabhu..., strī-saṅgī eka asādhu kṛṣṇābhakta āra. There are two asats. Two asats. Asat-saṅga-tyāga. And to give up asat association... Then the next question is: "How you will know who is asat, who is sat?" So He said, asat eka strī-saṅgī. Anyone who has association with woman, he is asat.

Roof Conversation -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Māyāvādam asac... He has to preach this Māyāvāda. He has to present himself in that way. Otherwise he is Vaiṣṇava. Māyāvādam asac-chāstraṁ pracchannaṁ bauddham ucyate.

Dr. Patel: Pracchannam Buddha, Śaṅkarācārya.

Prabhupāda: Mayaiva vihitaṁ devi kalau brāhmaṇa-mūrtinā. (break)

Dr. Patel: The most important group in all Vaiṣṇavas. Vaiṣṇava-bhakti-sat-saṅga anyathā yānti vido apy adhaḥ.(?) Even well-versed man will come down if he does not understand. All the branches of Vaiṣṇavism, they give the same comment.

Prabhupāda: Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ (SB 3.25.25). Without sat-saṅga, nobody can understand Kṛṣṇa. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55).

Morning Darsana and Room Conversation Ramkrishna Bajaj and friends -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Guest (10): Is it, just to satisfy their own ego that they are doing in this way?

Prabhupāda: Some reason anyābhilāṣitā. He has got other purpose, not the purpose of preaching Bhagavad-gītā. That is called anyābhilāṣa. So people are infested with anyābhilāṣa, everyone. Therefore he is living this material life. But that should be zero. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). That you have to... That is sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). If you have got other purposes within yourself, then you'll never understand Bhagavad-gītā. This is bhakti.

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ

jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam

ānukūlyena kṛṣṇanu-

śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttama

(Brs. 1.1.11)

And Kṛṣṇa says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). You cannot understand Kṛṣṇa without bhakti. And this is bhakti, anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ (CC Madhya 19.167). So they have got full of anyābhilāṣa, jñāna-karma, so they are not bhaktas; they cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. They are talking nonsense. This is the position. Because they are not bhaktas-karmī, jñāni, yogi—they have got some purpose. Karmī is flatly that "We want this enjoyment." And jñānī, he says superficially that brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā: "The jagat is mithyā. So we don't want this jagat, but I want mukti, to become one with the Supreme." So that is also anyābhilāṣa. He does not know it. He's thinking that "I'm better than these karmīs. The karmīs have got anyābhilāṣa. So I have rejected that. Brahma-satya. I have taken to Brahman." But that is also anyābhilāṣa because he wants to become one with the Brahman. Subtle. And yogis, they also want mystic power to show magic. So he also anyābhilāṣitā-pūrṇa. So none of them are fit to understand Bhagavad-gītā.

Morning Walk -- February 1, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Gurukṛpā: They find it convenient to accept what these scientists say.

Prabhupāda: No, accept, we accept, but we accept the real scientist, Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we are triumphant. We understand.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Śrīla Prabhupāda, in an audience like that, in, let's say, one hour lecture, we cannot say that "You go to the temple and chant and do all these things."

Prabhupāda: No, that is later on. First of all you have to accept that there is original father. That is God. Now, how to realize that God, that is another detail.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: So we made an attempt... I made an attempt to show this, that bhakti-yoga is science, but it is a subtle science. But it has...

Prabhupāda: To understand God.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: It needs to...

Prabhupāda: It is a science. It is the only science by which you can understand God. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55).

Svarūpa Dāmodara: It needs to change our thinking. So we approached like this, that...

Prabhupāda: But because they are not accepting the process, they cannot understand what is God. Therefore they are bewildered. This is the only process. So if they take to bhakti-yoga, they will see, "Yes, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). Oh, everything is Vās... Kṛṣṇa is the origin." No, they are struggling to know the origin, but because they have not taken the right process, they are bewildered. Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate (BG 3.27). By false ahaṅkāra, egotism, they are rejecting, that "There is no God," and they remain in the darkness. Mūḍha janmani janmani (BG 16.20). Birth after birth they remain in darkness. (pause) Mūḍha janmani janmani, birth after birth.

Room Conversation -- March 31, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes, it is gorgeous.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Even the vyāsāsana is very beautiful. The most beautiful I have ever seen anywhere in the movement.

Prabhupāda: They come to see the painting.

Dhanañjaya: They come to see everything—the painting, the way the Deities are dressed. Now we are offering many sets of clothing for the Deities. We have offered already four sets of new clothing to the Deities. And everyone comes to see the beauty of the arrangement in the temple. The clothing and the painting. Everything is improving so nicely. They are becoming....

Prabhupāda: If you become nice devotee, everything will be improved. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). The more you increase your devotional service, everything will be increased. Who expected such temple here? You wanted from me fourteen lakhs. I had no fourteen hundred even. With so much difficulty we collected the money. Bali-mardana sent from New York, ten lakhs. Girirāja, you were from the very beginning, no? At that time you were in Calcutta.

Room Conversation -- April 2, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: You have to print more copies, at least fifty thousand.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They are going to sell very quickly.

Gargamuni: Gopāla has only made soft cover, but the libraries won't take soft cover, so I have asked him to make hardbound also.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Do it.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, in America, whatever we make, we always make hardbound for the libraries.

Gargamuni: Yeah, you have to. They won't take softbound.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In America everything we print, we also have to consider special printings for the libraries and standing orders.

Gargamuni: The man at the Sampurnanand Sanskrit Library at BHU, when he saw the Hindi Bhāgavatam, he said, "I will order fifty sets for our various sub-libraries." He said, "This is wonderful." Because the only Hindi Bhāgavatam is that Gītā Press, which is useless. There is no commentary, it is so unattractive.

Prabhupāda: Prepared by nondevotees. How you can expect? Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Without being devotee, who will understand Bhāgavatam? It is not so easy. Big, big paṇḍitas, they cannot understand Bhāgavatam even.

Second Meeting with Mr. Dwivedi -- April 24, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Bhagavad-gītā is for bhakti. Bhakto 'si priyo 'si me rahasyaṁ hy etad uttamam: (BG 4.3) "I am speaking to you..." When Kṛṣṇa spoke to Arjuna Bhagavad-gītā to understand, he was not a vedāntī. He was not even a brāhmaṇa. He was not a sannyāsī. So why he was selected? Bhakto 'si. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Without becoming kṛṣṇa-bhakta, what one will understand Bhagavad-gītā? A politician cannot understand. His motive is different. He cannot understand. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī... Bhakta... How to become bhakta? Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Kṛṣṇa says, "By bhakti one can understand." He never said, "By jñāna, karma, yoga..." No. Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gata... (BG 6.47). Eh? What is that? Antar-ātmanā, śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ sa me yuktatamo... So if you want to organize on that line, then it will be successful. Otherwise it is waste of time. That is real cooperation, that we must accept Bhagavad-gītā as it is and preach as it is. Then people will be happy. Otherwise waste of time. Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8).

vāsudeve bhagavati

bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ

janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ

jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam

(SB 1.2.7)

Now, that is wanted. (Hindi) Those who lead the sevā-saṅga, they must learn how to do benefit to the people. They must practically assimilate, apply in their practical life, and teach others. Then it will be successful. There is no doubt. And the proof is here. In our foreign countries, they are foreigners. They are practicing different religious systems. Now, why they are taking to Kṛṣṇa con...? Millions of copies, Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, we are selling. Kṛṣṇa book, how many?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Now about three and a half million copies, thirty-five lakhs copies.

Prabhupāda: In Christmas festival they are performing Christmas festival and purchasing our book, Kṛṣṇa book. Now they have accepted this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is three thousand years old or some thousands of...

Kārttikeya: Five thousand.

Prabhupāda: No, thousands of years.

Kārttikeya: No, thousands of years.

Prabhupāda: So do something—the people will be benefited, actual. And the whole instruction is there. Then it will be success. Otherwise... Moghāśā mogha-karmāṇo mogha-jñānā vicetasaḥ (BG 9.12). Find out this verse. Moghāśāḥ.

Second Meeting with Mr. Dwivedi -- April 24, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) But

kecit kevalayā bhaktyā

vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ

aghaṁ dhunvanti kārstnyena

nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ

(SB 6.1.15)

Nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ. Nīhāra... (Hindi) (Hindi conversation continues for some time) That is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa

bhakti-yogena sevate

sa guṇān samatītyaitān

brahma-bhūyāya kalpate

(BG 14.26)

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā

na śocati na kāṅkṣati

samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu

mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām

(BG 18.54)

Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi... (BG 18.55), tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā viśate tad-anantaram. (Hindi) So if you want, you can come also.

Kārttikeya: No, I'll talk to Tamāla Kṛṣṇa. When are you going?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, we're going to go tomorrow to book the tickets. We'll be going...

Kārttikeya: After 6th.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, on the... We'll be leaving on the 6th.

Prabhupāda: Wait next day.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, well, we want to leave, I guess...

Prabhupāda: Ah, Friday.

Talk with Svarupa Damodara -- June 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Mad-bhaktiṁ labhate param. It is the last stage of knowledge. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). When you surpass all the stages... Mad-bhaktiṁ labhate param. It is the last word of knowledge. Yasmin vijñāte sarvam evaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavanti. So unless you understand the supreme cause, Kṛṣṇa, there is no knowledge. And if you understand Kṛṣṇa, then you understand everything. Yasmin vijñāte sarvam evaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavanti. Kṛṣṇa also says, aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2), ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). If you understand Kṛṣṇa, then everything.... And how Kṛṣṇa can be understood? Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). No other way. You cannot understand by any other way. Therefore bhakti-vedanta is last knowledge. There is.... Argument there is.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: The reaction from that Dr. Kundu... As soon as I said Bhaktivedanta, he immediately realized that this is the personal aspect or, they would say, the personalism or Vaiṣṇava philosophy. So it is also a good fact on those who know some meaning about this. So we can make it...

Prabhupāda: Unless there is personal conception, there is no question of bhakti. (break) Bhakti means the way to understand the person. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Mām means person, aham, mām. Vague idea, Brahman; distributed idea, Paramātmā; and the personal idea can be applied here. It is said, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). It is not impersonal, not scattered. Particular person, Kṛṣṇa. When Yaśodā-mā was allowing her child to suck her breast, the child was.... And Yasoda mother was enjoying the beautiful face, patting. But all of a sudden she saw within the mouth the whole universe. Immediately she became disturbed: "Another danger is coming." She's not concerned with Kṛṣṇa's expansive, gorgeous.... She's only concern is to Kṛṣṇa, what.... She became disturbed: "What is this nonsense? Again something is coming, danger? Let me remember Nārāyaṇa. He'll save my child from all..."

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Dr. Chaudhuri -- Los Angeles 6 February, 1969:

In the meantime, I wish that you may stock a few copies of our books in your bookstall and just have a test how the members of your institution will like this Vaisnava philosophy. Generally, people are not very much inclined to accept Vaisnava philosophy because for the common man it is not very easy to understand. In the Bhagavad-gita we find the statement that out of many thousands of people, one may be interested in the values of human life, and out of many persons who have understood the values of life, only one may be found who can understand Krishna. It is further stated that Krishna can be understood only through devotional mysticism. Bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah (BG 18.55). On hearing from you I will ask my San Francisco temple to deliver you some copies of Bhagavad-gita As It Is if you so desire.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Dr. Jagadisa Bhardawaj -- Vrindaban 3 September, 1975:

Generally it is very difficult to understand Krishna tattvatah, as it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita, manusyanam saharasresu/ kascid yatati siddhaye/ yatatam api siddhanam/ kascin mam vetti tattvatah. "Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth." (BG 7.3) But, Krishna is available through the process of devotional service, bhakti yoga, bhaktya mam abhijanati (BG 18.55), and anyone who actually understands about Krishna, about His appearance and disappearance, he goes back to home, Back to Godhead, janma karma ca me divyam/ evam yo vetti tattvatah/ tyaktva deham punar janma/ naiti mam eti so 'rjuna (BG 4.9). Therefore in the Brahma Samhita we learn: vedesu durlabham adurlabham atma bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). It is further stated in the Padma Purāṇa: atah sri krsna namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih/ sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah (Brs. 1.2.234). "No one can understand the transcendental nature of the name, form, quality, and pastimes of Sri Krishna through his materially contaminated senses. Only when one becomes spiritually saturated by transcendental service to the Lord are the transcendental name, form, quality, pastimes of the Lord revealed to him." Krishna cannot be known by the materially blunt senses. When you utilize your tongue in the service of the Lord then Krishna reveals Himself. You cannot order Krishna please come and I will see you.

Letter to Sri Krishna C. Batra -- Vrindaban 8 December, 1975:

So this bhakti yoga is practiced by varieties of rendering service to the Lord, They are divided into nine prescribed methods as it is called sravanam, kirtanam visnoh, smaranam pada sevanam, arcanam vandanam dasyam, sakhyam atma nivedanam (SB 7.5.23). The actual path to understand God is bhakti yoga as it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita, bhaktya mam abhijanati, yevan yas casmi tattvatah, tato mam tattvato jnatve, visate tad anantaram. (BG 18.55) "One can understand the Supreme Personality as he is only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God." This bhakti yoga is identical with Krishna consciousness this is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita, Yoginam api sarvesam, mad gatenanteratmana, sraddhavan bhajate yo mama, sa me yuktatamo matah. (BG 6.47) And of all yogis, he who always abides in me with great faith, worshiping me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with me in yoga and is the highest of all.