BG 18.66 sarva-dharman parityajya... cited (Lec SB)

Sarva-dharmān... As soon as you surrender: "Kṛṣṇa, I was misled so long. Now, today, I am surrendering unto Your lotus feet. Now, if You like, You kill me or protect me, as You like." Then everything is all right.

The entrance study is Bhagavad-gītā. Just like you pass your entrance examination, matriculation examination, then you are entered into college, then you become graduate; similarly, after reading Bhagavad-gītā, you are allowed to enter into the understanding of God. Because in the Bhagavad-gītā the ultimate instruction is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). There are discussion of the yoga, karma, jñāna, bhakti... Everything is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. But ultimately the last instruction is that "This is the secret of success, My dear Arjuna," guhyatamam. "You simply surrender unto Me, and I shall give you all protection." Mā śucaḥ, "Don't bother." This is required. This is the beginning of God consciousness. So unless we have finished nicely the study of Bhagavad-gītā or unless we have accepted this proposition of God that "You surrender," there is no entrance in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

So our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is bhāgavata-dharma. Bhāgavata-dharma means one who has at least understood what is God. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu begins His teaching where Kṛṣṇa ended. Kṛṣṇa and Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the same Personality of Godhead. As Kṛṣṇa, He demanded... Because God can demand like that. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You just surrender unto Me." What God can say? God cannot say that "You jump over My head." God can say like that, "You surrender." That is God's word. God cannot allow you that you jump over His head. You can jump over His head, but that requires great advancement of love for God. That is another thing. Just like the cowherd boys, they are jumping over Kṛṣṇa.

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore begins... People misunderstood Kṛṣṇa. There are rascal scholars; they misunderstood. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). "Give up everything. Simply surrender unto Me alone." Mām ekam. He doesn't say even to Nārāyaṇa or Viṣṇu. Because we are so fool. As soon as Kṛṣṇa will say, "I am Viṣṇu, I am all," then "Everything is one. Everything is one." That's all.

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- Caracas, February 23, 1975:

You have learned it from Caitanya..., Teachings of Lord Caitanya. So He begins from that point where Kṛṣṇa ended. Where Kṛṣṇa ended? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). And Caitanya Mahāprabhu begins from there. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). When Sanātana Gosvāmī inquired from him, "What I am?" so He replied that "You are eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." This is the beginning of bhāgavata-dharma. Unless we understand that we are eternal servants of Kṛṣṇa, there is no beginning of spiritual life. It is still material life. That conviction must be there.

At the present moment, under the spell of illusion in this material condition, we have forgotten our real religion. Real religion means to revive our consciousness—we say, "Kṛṣṇa consciousness"—or God consciousness, by which we agree to abide by the laws of God. So Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā at the end, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). He says that "You have manufactured so many religious system. So you give up all these. You simply surrender unto Me." Therefore real conclusion is, real religion means, to surrender unto God.

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

He comes and canvasses. What is that canvassing? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). "Why you are engaged in so many so-called occupations? You simply surrender unto Me." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi.

Lecture on SB 1.1.3 -- London, August 20, 1971:

One has to purchase liquor from that particular shop. That means government is discouraging, but one who is obstinate, to give him some facility, this particular shop is established. Similarly, when there is allowance for sex life or drinking or meat-eating or even gambling, that is not encouraging; that is minimizing the tendency under discipline.

But so far we are concerned, we are above this discipline. A Vaiṣṇava is transcendental. He hasn't got to train under this discipline. Because he takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa directly, he's given immediately all protection. Kṛṣṇa says ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: (BG 18.66) "I shall give you all protection from sinful life." Therefore, it is practical experience in USA the government is spending millions of dollars for stopping this intoxication habit amongst the younger generation. But the wonderful thing is they inquire also from us that as soon as they come to our movement, immediately gives up. Why? That is the special prerogative of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 1.1.3 -- Caracas, February 24, 1975:

Mukti means give up the false conception of life and take the real conception of life. That is mukti. So Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā gives mukti in these words, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Sarva-dharmān means all kinds of these bogus religious system. You... Sarva-dharmān parityajya. Otherwise why He is advising parityajya, "Give it up."? Because it is bogus; it is cheating. The real dharma is mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: "Only surrender unto Me." Mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. Yes. This is religion.

Lecture on SB 1.1.3 -- Caracas, February 24, 1975:

So Kṛṣṇa appeared for reestablishing the real principles of dharma, or religion. So He did not come or did not appear for establishing the so-called religious system, Hindu religion and Muslim religion or Christian religion or this religion, that... Not that type. Real religion. Therefore He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya: (BG 18.66) "Give up all these. Simply surrender unto Me." So any religious system which is teaching to divert the attention of the follower to so many things, that is cheating religion.

Lecture on SB 1.2.3 -- London, August 24, 1971:

Everyone is suffering, māyār bośe. Under the influence of māyā, the illusory energy, they are being carried away by the waves. Waves mean the three modes of material nature. And suffering. Sometimes being drowned, sometimes up, sometimes relief, sometimes distress. This is going on. So the only way to get out of this anxiety or to stop the perpetual being carried away is to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa also says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You are suffering; you simply surrender unto Me."

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

Kṛṣṇa says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ: (BG 18.55) "Only through devotional service." Devotional service means submission, surrender. First of all surrender. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You cannot understand Me by your so-called karma, jñāna, or yoga, dhyāna. No, it is not possible." Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Bhaktyā means to surrender.

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

So when one learns how to render service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, direct service, then that is the ultimate goal of religious principles. In the Bhagavad-gītā also, the Lord says, sarva-dharmān parityajya: (BG 18.66) "You give up all types of religious principles." Sarva-dharmān. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: "Simply just surrender unto Me," because this is religion. Anything which does not teach how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa of God, that is not religion.

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

And here Kṛṣṇa says that "You give up all types of faiths," because we have created so many faiths within this world, according to time, circumstances, country, atmosphere, everything, we have got different faiths. But Kṛṣṇa says it is not the question of faith; it is the question of actual relationship. Because every living entity is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, and the duty of part and parcel is to render service to the whole, therefore Kṛṣṇa came to establish this type of religion, this first-class religion. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So any religion.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Vrndavana, October 16, 1972:

The sum and substance of religious principle is to surrender to God. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is religion. Religion means the order given by God. That's all. This is the simple definition of religion. If you, anyone asks "What do you mean by religion?" Religion means to abide by the orders of God. That's all. Just like good citizen means who abides by the order of the government. That's all. There is no difficulty to understand what is good citizen.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Delhi, November 11, 1973:

They can see God, one who is fully washed of all sinful reaction of life. That can be done very easily. That can be done very easily. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā,

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Delhi, November 11, 1973:

Everyone in this material world, we are suffering the sinful reaction of our past life or this life. That is a fact. But Kṛṣṇa says that "I can give you protection from all reaction of sinful life if you surrender unto Me."

Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). You are coming here. Here is God. You are offering obeisances. It will go to your credit. Yes. This is called ajñāta-sukṛti. Those who are coming here, taking part in this ārātrika ceremony, dancing or offering some respect, everything goes to your credit. Everything will go to your credit. In this way... Just like if you make bank balance, one rupee, one rupee, one rupee, sometimes you will see, "It is now 100,000 rupees." Similarly, we are giving chance all over the world, opening this Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temple, giving them chance to chant the glories of the Lord. That means it is going to their credit. If they take it immediately, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), that is very nice. But if he cannot, this chance will never go in vain. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- London, August 27, 1971:

The body is born in India, so one is feeling that "It is my duty to serve my country." Similarly, an Englishman is thinking to serve his country. But these occupational duties are not para. Para means transcendental, supreme. This is temporary. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "This is your real occupation. You have got some bodily occupation, some mental occupation, some intellectual occupation, but you have to give up all these things. Simply surrender unto Me. This is your real occupation."

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Vrndavana, October 17, 1972:

So these are siddhāntas, that one should be simply serving, engaged in the service of the Lord-favorably. Not unfavorably. What He wants. So in this age... Not only in this age, in all the ages, Kṛṣṇa wants that all these bewildered living entities who have come here to enjoy material happiness, they should be given the information that this is not very nice plan for the living entities, to enjoy material enjoyment. The best plan is to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That will save him. This is the necessity for all the ages, especially in this age. Therefore if you can educate people to surrender unto Kṛṣṇa, that is the best service to Kṛṣṇa. That is the best service to Kṛṣṇa. Ānukūlyena. Because Kṛṣṇa wants it. Kṛṣṇa wants it. Personally He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). And He comes again as devotee, as Lord Caitanya, He's teaching how to serve Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is teaching how to serve Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Vrndavana, October 17, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa says, "This is upadeśa, this is My instruction: 'You surrender unto Me.' " And Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, "You surrender unto Kṛṣṇa." So if we follow both the Kṛṣṇas, that is the best service. You simply go... Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Simply preach this Bhagavad-gītā. Instruction of Bhagavad-gītā says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). You say that "Give up all nonsense engagement. You simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa." That is the best service. And nobody can check you. Ahaituky apratihatā. You have no desire.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Calcutta, February 26, 1974:

So why there should not be crisis in food grain and crisis in human...? There must be. Because we are not abiding by the orders of the Supreme Lord, and dharma means to abide by the orders of the Supreme Lord... Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). You cannot manufacture dharma: "This is this religion; this is that religion." These are all bogus. Real dharma is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is dharma. All bogus type of dharma—Hindu religion, Muslim religion, this religion, that religion—they are not dharma.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Calcutta, February 26, 1974:

So here it is said sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ. Dharma... You have to execute your occupational duty, but, as Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is real dharma. "I am this. I am following this dharma, that dharma"—that is not dharma. Dharma means the natural instinct. The natural instinct is to obey the superior person.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Calcutta, February 26, 1974:

We are searching after so many things to become satisfied, but if we try to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead—that we do not know—and without any motive—it cannot be checked—then yayātmā suprasīdati. If you want really peace of mind, then you search out Kṛṣṇa and surrender unto Him. Where is the difficulty? Kṛṣṇa personally canvassing you, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). Still, you are not... You are so fool. Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. He is giving assurance that "I shall give you protection from all sinful reaction." We are suffering in this material world because we are continually making our life in sinful activities. Sinful activities means gratifying the senses.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Calcutta, February 26, 1974:

Akṣaja-jñāna means sensual perception. He is beyond that, transcendental. But you have to love. So this loving process is the devotional service. First of all... (break) ...try to hear about Kṛṣṇa from Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Don't mal-interpret by your whimsical way. Then you will lose the opportunity. Don't follow these rascals who interpret Bhagavad-gītā. There is no question of interpretation. Take Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Accept that. And the Caitanya-caritāmṛta kaṛacā says, kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya: "Simply by serving Kṛṣṇa you do all of your other duties." So such a nice thing, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Take it very seriously and do the needful.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Rome, May 24, 1974:

So here Kṛṣṇa came to establish this fact, that "You are neither Roman, nor Indian nor brāhmaṇa nor śūdra. You are My eternal servant. Therefore give up all this nonsense identification." Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). Because due to your wrong identification, you have created so-called "isms:" Hinduism, Muhammadanism, nationalism, this "ism," that "ism." This is all nonsense. This is the understanding of religion. Whatever we have created with the bodily concept of life, they are all nonsense. The real religion is that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." That is real religion.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:

Somebody is declaring himself as God. No, try to understand God scientifically and become a devotee, a lover of God, your life will be successful. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It is not that "My God," "Your God," "This religion," "That religion." God is one and religion is one. What is that religion? Love of God. That's all. There is no other second religion. This is the religion. Therefore God comes and says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is religion. Don't be after so-called religion. You become a lover of God, you are first-class religionist. That's all. That is taught by God, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ... (BG 18.66) This is religion. And if you don't love God, if you simply love dog, and how you can be religious?

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:

Dharma generally means occupational duty. We have several times explained. (In) the English dictionary, dharma is explained as faith. So faith may be changed. But actually, what is meant by dharma, that is constitutional position, activities in one's constitutional position. This has been explained by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). Real dharma, constitutional position of the living entity, is to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is real dharma. Kṛṣṇa also confirms in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, simply unto Kṛṣṇa, surrender, that is real dharma. Otherwise it is pseudo-religious principles, pretension, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.2.9 -- Vrndavana, October 20, 1972:

So actually dharma does not mean that. Dharma means to come to the point to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), this is dharma, real dharma. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Sākṣād Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa, is ordering like that. That is dharma. Na arthāya. Not for material gain. People generally execute religious principles for some material gain. That is warning. Bhāgavata is warning, na arthāya upakalpate: don't execute religious performances simply for material gain.

Lecture on SB 1.2.9 -- Hyderabad, April 23, 1974:

But this thing can be purely enjoyed not alone in this material world, but you have to go back to home, go back to Kṛṣṇa, and there is your real life. Kṛṣṇa comes therefore. He displays His rāsa dance in Vṛndāvana to attract these fallen souls, that "If you want enjoyment, why not come back to Me? Here is the enjoyment. Here is the enjoyment, eternal enjoyment. Why you are rotting in this material world and becoming implicated, sometimes as Brahmā and sometime as the worm in the stool? Enjoyment, varieties of enjoyment. Why? Why you are so become fool?" Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, He comes here, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You come to Me. Why you are bothering in this way and suffering?" But people will not hear. That is the difficulty. That is the difficulty. Kṛṣṇa displays what is the standard of happiness with Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana.

Lecture on SB 1.2.9 -- Detroit, August 3, 1975, University Lecture:

One should execute religion just to become free from this māyā and go back to home, back to Godhead. That is dharma. Therefore Kṛṣṇa personally comes and instructs that "My dear sons, My dear part and parcel, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). You are suffering here in this material world repeatedly, birth after birth. Still, you are not in sense." Therefore He said to Arjuna that "Because you are My intimate friend, I am just instructing you the most confidential part of dharma." What is that? Now, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "This is your duty." So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is teaching the same principle. What Kṛṣṇa taught five thousand years ago in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra to Arjuna, we are broadcasting the same message. We have not manufactured anything new. That is not dharma.

Lecture on SB 1.2.9 -- Detroit, August 3, 1975, University Lecture:

Dharma is... Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). That is the definition. Just like law is made by the government. The government makes the law, "Keep your car to the right." That has to be accepted by everyone. You cannot say, "Why not left? In India we keep our car on the left side. Why not here?" No. Then it will be unlawful. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa says, "This is dharma." Not that yata mat tata pat, whatever you manufacture, that is dharma. No. That is rascaldom. This is dharma: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66), only one. That is dharma.

Lecture on SB 1.2.9-10 -- Delhi, November 14, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa is the father of everyone. He canvasses, "My dear children, why you are rotting in this material world? Come back."

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

Lecture on SB 1.2.9-10 -- Delhi, November 14, 1973:

This is the message of Bhagavad-gītā. So dharma means to understand my relationship with God. That is dharma. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Just like a good citizen means who knows the relationship with the state. That is good citizenship. Bad citizenship means who doesn't care for the state. That is criminal. They are put into the prison house. So similarly, the living entities, they are part and parcel of God.

These things are very nicely explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. That is the preliminary study of spiritual life. And if we are actually convinced of the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā, then we surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wants that. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That He wants. When we actually take to this process, this is called śraddhā. Śraddhā. That has been explained by Kavirāja Gosvāmī, what is the meaning of śraddhā.

śraddhā-śabde viśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha niścaya

kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya

(Cc. Madhya 22.62)

This is called śraddhā. Śraddhā means firm faith. What is that firm faith? Firm faith means that... Kṛṣṇa says that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). When you take this conclusion, "Yes, by surrender to Kṛṣṇa, by surrendering unto the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, everything is done very nicely," this is called śraddhā. And the more you increase this śraddhā, the more you become perfect.

Lecture on SB 1.2.9-10 -- Delhi, November 14, 1973:

Sādhu means Kṛṣṇa conscious person. Sādhu does not mean having a big beard and nice dress or saffron-colored dress. That is not sādhu. Sādhu is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk, sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). That is sādhu, who has no other business than to serve Kṛṣṇa. He is sādhu. He is sādhu because he has accepted the principle, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). Sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ samyag vyavasito hi saḥ (BG 9.30). You cannot say, "Oh, he has got some bad principle in his life. Although he is worshiping Kṛṣṇa wholeheartedly, but he has got some defect."

Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Bombay, December 28, 1972:

Don't try to speculate yourselves as great philosophers and waste your time and become puffed-up, that "I am now realized, I am God." These puffed-up positions must be given up. You must be submissive.

Kṛṣṇa therefore wants this submissiveness. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). Just like we speak sometime to our disobedient son, "First of all you submit. Then I shall do whatever you are require." The same. We have to... Our, this material position is we are all puffed-up, unnecessarily. Although we are on the grip of material nature, we are very much puffed-up. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamāyī (BG 7.14). We are beaten every step, we are so beaten by the material nature, still I am thinking, "I am God." Every step. This position should be given up, and we have to become namanta eva, submissive.

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:

This is called śraddhā, beginning, one... Bhagavān, Śrī Kṛṣṇa is teaching in the Bhagavad-gītā,

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:

This is the beginning. If I am firmly convinced that simply by surrendering unto the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa I'll be saved by Him... Because He assures, "I..." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. People suffer on account of sinful activities. The resultant actions are reserved there. What we are suffering now, it is the resultant action of our past sinful activities.

Kṛṣṇa says, "You can go back to Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa comes here. He takes His incarnation here to canvass, "My dear sons, please come back home. Why you are suffering here?" Kṛṣṇa comes, Kṛṣṇa canvasses. Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). "Why you have created so many rascaldom, politics and economics and this and that, So many things are encumbered. Please come to Me. You'll be happy." This is the whole instruction of Bhagavad-gītā. He comes. He shows His vṛndāvana-līlā, that "You can dance also with Me. You can play with Me just like cowherds boy. And I shall give you protection. There are so many demons. They're coming to attack us. But I'll give you protection." Jolly life. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Delhi, November 18, 1973:

This is called śraddhā, when you firmly believe. Śraddhā-śabde viśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha. Without any shaking. Not shaking platform. Firmly. What is that? Kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya. If you become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then all perfection is there. This is called śraddhā. Because Kṛṣṇa says at the last stage of His instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Śaraṇaṁ vraja: "Voluntarily you surrender unto Me. Then I take charge of you." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ. "There is no question of considering. Do it immediately." That Kṛṣṇa says.

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Delhi, November 18, 1973:

So this is jñāna, as Caitanya Mahāprabhu enunciates, not to become master or God, to become servant of the God. Not only servant, but servant, servant, servant, servant, hundred times downward. Then you become perfect. That is the demand of Kṛṣṇa, that you first of all become servant. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). Because that is your real position. Caitanya Mahāprabhu confirms it. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). This is our position. This is jñāna.

Lecture on SB 1.2.13 -- Los Angeles, August 16, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā never said that you claim yourself to have become Kṛṣṇa. No. He claimed sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). "You come under My shelter." He does not say that You become equal with Me. That is nonsense. So Kṛṣṇa will be satisfied because your business is how to satisfy Hari, and Hari says, Kṛṣṇa says, that you surrender. That will satisfy Kṛṣṇa, not that you falsely claim that "I am Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is now dead, and now I have come." These rascals will not satisfy Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.2.13 -- Vrndavana, October 24, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa, when He says, dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge, this is real dharma. Dharma means dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma means the what is enjoined by the Lord, God. What God says, that is dharma. God says, "Do this." That is dharma. Not that you manufacture your dharma. God says, Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam... (BG 18.66). This is dharma. Anything beyond this, all nonsense. They are not dharmas. Dharmaḥ kaitavaḥ. Cheating, simply cheating. Therefore Bhāgavata says, dharmaḥ projjhitaḥ atra kaitavaḥ: "All rascaldom dharma is thrown away, kicked out." This is dharma. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). This is dharma.

Lecture on SB 1.2.13 -- Vrndavana, October 24, 1972:

Everyone should try to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). This is perfection of life. Always think of Kṛṣṇa, man-manāḥ. "Always become My devotee," mad-bhakta. "Always worship Me," mad-yājī. "Always offer your obeisances unto Me," māṁ namaskuru. "But I have got other religion, Sir. Why shall I think of You only? I have to think of Goddess Kālī. Otherwise I cannot eat meat." Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān paritya... "It is all nonsense. Give up all this nonsense." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). "Simply unto Me." Ekam. "Don't bother with other demigods. They are My servants. You are not to satisfy My servants." Of course, those who are real servants, that is different.

Lecture on SB 1.2.15 -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1972:

Just like in Christian church, there is a system, confession at the end of the week. They go to the church and they confess before the priest, "I have done so many sinful activities." So pray something and he says, "All right, excused." Again, from Monday, he begins sinful activities. Yes. Not like that. Once you stop sinful activities, you cannot commit again. Then Kṛṣṇa will save you. Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). Kṛṣṇa is not so fool that you simply once surrender to Him and then commit sinful activities and again surrender to Him. No. That will not be allowed. Kṛṣṇa can excuse you once or twice, but if you commit... (break) ...offense, then it will act and people will be benefited. Chindanti kovidās tasya ko na kuryāt kathā-ratim.

Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- Vrndavana, October 28, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa is situated in everyone's heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Kṛṣṇa and I, both are living together within the heart as friends. Kṛṣṇa is so sincere friend that He's trying always to take me back again, back to home, back to Godhead. That is His business. But I am denying, "No, Sir, I shall remain as hog. I shall be happy by eating stool." Kṛṣṇa says, "No, give up this business." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). "I'll give you protection." "No, Sir, I'll eat meat, I shall eat the stool. I have got very good facility for sex life without any discrimination." There are so many so-called... I don't wish to discuss, but sex life is so strong that they cannot give up even in so-called devotional life. So this is dirty things.

Lecture on SB 1.2.18 -- Calcutta, September 26, 1974:

That śraddhā, he has said, śraddhā-śabde viśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha niścaya. Śraddhā means firm faith, viśvāsa, sudṛḍha niścaya, unflinching. What is that sudṛḍha niścaya? Kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya. This is the beginning of śraddhā. Śraddhā means... As in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). If one is agreeable to this condition, that kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile, if one agrees, "Yes, if I surrender to Kṛṣṇa, my all perfection of life is achieved," this is śraddhā. Not that "Kṛṣṇa is also good, and this demigod is also good, you are also good, I am also good. You are also God, I am also God." There is no śraddhā. Just like a chaste woman cannot say that every man is good. She'll say, "Only my husband is good." That is chastity. If some woman says that "Any man is good..." Similarly, śraddhā means to become chaste, pure kṛṣṇa-bhakta. That is śraddhā.

Lecture on SB 1.2.18 -- Calcutta, September 26, 1974:

So the, the Vaiṣṇava philosophy begins from surrender. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is the order of Kṛṣṇa. And what is the difference between Kṛṣṇa and His representative? The representative says that "You surrender to Kṛṣṇa." He never says that "You surrender to me. I have become Kṛṣṇa." That is a nonsense, rascal. He will say the same thing. Therefore he's Kṛṣṇa's representative. Kṛṣṇa is personally asking that "You surrender to Me," and it is the duty of the bona fide spiritual master, guru, to say to his disciple that "You surrender to Kṛṣṇa." He'll never say that "You surrender to Me. I have become Kṛṣṇa. Now I have realized soul. I have become Bhagavān." He's a rascal.

Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Vrndavana, October 30, 1972:

First of all, one has to wash off all these dirty things from the heart. Then he can come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Not abruptly. But Kṛṣṇa is so kind that even without washing, if one comes seriously to the shelter of Kṛṣṇa's lotus foot, then He takes charge. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā,

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Calcutta, September 27, 1974:

He takes charge. If we... So there are two processes. Either you can go through the prescribed method, as they are described in the Vedic injunctions... Tapasā, brahmacaryeṇa, tyāgena, śamena, damena (SB 6.1.13). These are the processes. One must undergo austerity, penance, tapasā; brahmacarya, one must be brahmacārī, not unnecessarily using sex life.

You have to attend Bhāgavata class and serve the bhāgavata person nityam, daily. If you cannot, that is a different thing. But this is the process. Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā. Naṣṭa-prāyeṣu abhadreṣu. This conclusion comes when one is partially advanced. Naṣṭa-prāyeṣu. Not fully. Then it will come. He'll be ready to serve Bhāgavatam-Bhāgavata, he person bhāgavata and the book Bhāgavata. Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā, bhagavaty uttama-śloke bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī. Niṣṭhā, I have explained already yesterday. Tadā, at that time, when you are fixed up, "Now I shall devote my life in Kṛṣṇa consciousness," when you come to this conclusion... Nityam. That will come. Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā, bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī (SB 1.2.18). Not deviated. But... Not this worship, that worship, this worship, this worship... No. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānā yajante anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). Those who are worshiping other demigods... That is recommended for the less intelligent class men. Tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām. These things are recommended for the persons who are less intelligent, whose brain is packed up with cow dung, not intelligent persons. Intelligent persons-sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is intelligence.

Lecture on SB 1.2.21 -- Los Angeles, August 24, 1972:

Karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām (Bs. 5.54). In the Brahma-saṁhitā this is, that "Those who have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, their karma, their action of, resultant action of karma, is stopped." How it is stopped? Kṛṣṇa gives you assurance in the Bhagavad-gītā: ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). "I shall give you protection from all kinds of resultant action of your sinful life. You just surrender to Me." Kṛṣṇa can do everything. Just like king can give you, excuse you. Although by law you are condemned to death, but if you appeal to the supreme executive, the king or the president, if he likes, he can excuse you. Similarly, by nature's law we cannot be freed from the resultant action of our sinful life. That is not possible. But if Kṛṣṇa desires, if Kṛṣṇa is pleased upon you, He can excuse, He can excuse you.

Lecture on SB 1.2.21 -- Vrndavana, November 1, 1972:

So everyone is suffering or enjoying the resultant action of his karma. Yas tv indra-gopam athavendram aho sva-karma-bandhānurūpa. Bandhana. As he's bound up by the resultant action of karma... Bandhānurūpa-phala-bhājanam āta... They are getting different results of their karma. It is very easy to understand. But for the devotees it is said, karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām (Bs. 5.54), those who have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness in devotional service, their karma is cut off. There is no resultant action. Just like you know chick peas. Chick peas, if you sow on the ground, it will fructify into a plant. But the same chick pea, if it is fried and you sow on the ground, it will not fructify. So our karma should be fried up by devotional service. Then it will not produce any result. And Kṛṣṇa also says in the Bhagavad-gītā, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). So there is no resultant action of a devotee's activity. Therefore here it is said, kṣīyante ca asya karmāṇi. Unless you have completely finished your resultant action of karma, you cannot be promoted to the spiritual world. You have to accept a type of material body so long karma will go on. Therefore in another place, Bhāgavata, it is said that people are engaged as karmīs, and Ṛṣabhadeva says na sādhu manye. One is engaged in karma. It is not very good.

Lecture on SB 1.2.23 -- Vrndavana, November 3, 1972:

Now if we take instruction of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, as it is indicated, every one of us should take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is clearly said, śreyāṁsi tatra khalu sattva-tanoḥ, sattva-tanor nṛṇāṁ syuḥ. Lord Viṣṇu. And Viṣṇu, the original Viṣṇu, is Lord Kṛṣṇa. So if we take to Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's shelter... Kṛṣṇa also says: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So if we take shelter of Kṛṣṇa, according to the injunction of the śāstras and Vedas... Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). That is stated in Bhagavad-gītā. The purpose of all Vedic Knowledge is to understand Kṛṣṇa, and as soon as we understand Kṛṣṇa, what He is, then tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9), then hariṁ vinā na mṛtiṁ taranti. If we want to stop this repetition of birth, death, old age and disease, then we must take shelter of Lord Viṣṇu. And Kṛṣṇa is the origin of all viṣṇu-tattva. That means we must become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is our highest benefit of life.

Lecture on SB 1.2.26 -- Vrndavana, November 6, 1972:

So there is great necessity of educating people what is the aim of life. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. Therefore He said that bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra (CC Adi 9.41). He was appealing to the human beings, those who are actually human being, not to the cats and dogs. He was appealing to the human being that "You study the contribution of the great sages and make your life successful and go outside, preach this mission." That is going on, under the name of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It is not a sentimental movement. It is scientific movement. Mumukṣavo ghora-rūpān. We are therefore restricting not to worship any other. Therefore when I started this mission many friends advised me "Why don't you make it 'God consciousness'?" This is bogus, God consciousness. "Kṛṣṇa consciousness." Otherwise, they'll put so many gods. "Here is another god, here is another god, here is another god, here is another god, here is another incarnation, here is another avatāra," all nonsense. Place actual who is God. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Nārāyaṇa-kalāḥ śāntāḥ. So try to understand our mission. Here it is said. We have to accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kṛṣṇa also says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śa.. (BG 18.66). "Unto Me only. Then you'll be saved." Otherwise you'll go to hell.

Lecture on SB 1.2.28-29 -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972:

Hindu dharma we don't find, any Vedic literature. Neither in the Bhagavad-gītā. It is a, a nomenclature given by the Muhammadans—"Hindus." From Sindhu, "Hindu." Anyway, now we are known as Hindus. The "Hindu" is a vague term. Real term is varṇāśrama, varṇāśrama, four varṇas and four āśramas. This is dharma and this is given by God Himself. Just like Kṛṣṇa says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). It is given by God. You cannot manufacture dharma, religion. No. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam: (SB 6.3.19) "Dharma means the codes, the regulations given by God." That is dharma. That is dharma. Otherwise, it is not dharma.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is dharma, obedience to God. Religion means obedience to God. Nowadays it has become a fashion to drive away God and make a so-called show of religion. Drive away: "No God." Just like our secular state. "Don't think of God. This is botheration. Kill God." Kaṁsa. Kaṁsa secular state. "Don't talk of God." Rāvaṇa's secular state. Without God, what is life? Without... If you do not follow the codes or the rules or the laws given by God, then what is your religion? That is not religion.

Lecture on SB 1.2.34 -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972:

So at the present moment, the whole civilization is a set of rascals only. That's all. There is no education. They do not know. And because they do not know, Kṛṣṇa comes. Just to make these rascals, to inform that "I am," Kṛṣṇa says, "I am," aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī. Canvassing. Canvassing, "My dear sons, why you are rotting in this material world? Please come. You are My beloved son. I do not tolerate, or I do not, I cannot see that you are suffering." This is Kṛṣṇa's business. He's more kind. He's more anxious to get us back. Therefore He comes personally. Therefore He comes personally. Then again, when we mistake Him... Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). The rascals, they thought, "Oh, why He's demanding so much? Why He's demanding so much? This is sophistry. Why shall I surrender to You?" That is our position. Kṛṣṇa says that "You surrender. I take charge of you." Mā śucaḥ, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. "I shall give you relief from all difficulties." "No, why shall I?" Just see how much rascals we are. And they are going on as civilized men. All fools, rascals and rogues and thieves.

Lecture on SB 1.2.34 -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972:

Just like Kṛṣṇa was misunderstood because Kṛṣṇa demanded that "You surrender unto Me." So we misunderstood because we are mūḍhas. The mūḍhas, they do not surrender. Kṛṣṇa says they are, they are very good scholars of Bhagavad-gītā. But they cannot understand these simple things. Kṛṣṇa is demanding, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), but he'll not do that. And he is a scholar of Bhagavad-gītā. The simple truth, he cannot understand. Neither he can follow. If I am actually follower of Bhagavad-gītā, then Kṛṣṇa says that "You surrender unto Me," then, if I am actually follower, I shall surrender unto Him. That is my business. But no. I shall not surrender. "I am Kṛṣṇa. Why shall I surrender to You?"

Lecture on SB 1.3.1 -- Vrndavana, November 14, 1972:

Dharma means the natural characteristic. That is dharma. We don't mean dharma is a certain type of faith. No. Faith or no faith, the characteristics must be there. Just like salt. It has got a particular type of taste. So you like it or not like it, the taste is there. It is... That is... If you think that "I have faith that salt should be sweet," no. That cannot be. You may have faith. You may create that faith that salt has the sweet taste. But that's not a fact. Similarly, if you say, "I have got my faith that sugar will be pungent." No. That cannot be. Sugar has got a particular type of taste. That will continue. You may believe it or not believe it. It does not depend. And faith means you believe, you can change it. Therefore dharma, the exact word, dharma, is different from the dictionary meaning, English dictionary, "a kind of faith. Religion means a kind of faith." We don't mean that.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That means the so-called faith, you should give up. It is a faith. "I am Hindu." "I am Muslim." "I am Christian." Or "I am this," "I am that." This is a kind of faith. You are neither Hindu, neither Muslim nor Christian; you are servant of Kṛṣṇa. That is real characteristic. And actually we are servant. We are serving. That is our characteristic. Either he may be Hindu or Muslim or Christian, but the real business is that everyone is serving. It is not that because I am Hindu, I don't serve. Or because one is Christian, he doesn't serve. No. Everyone is serving. But he's serving māyā. He's serving kāma, krodha, lobha, mātsarya. He's serving. In this material condition, we are serving our whims, kāma. Sometimes I become angry and I serve my anger—I beat others. That means I am serving anger. I am serving my lust. I am serving my greediness.

Lecture on SB 1.3.1-3 -- San Francisco, March 28, 1968:

Just like there is a English version, that "Not a grass moves without the sanction of God." So without sanction of God, we cannot do anything. You may say that when we do something bad, why God gives us sanction? God does not give us sanction, but we force Him to give us sanction. Therefore He gives us sanction. Otherwise, He does not give sanction. But because we want to do it persistently, so God gives us sanction: "All right. You can do it. And you have to enjoy or suffer the result." Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā, the last instruction is that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "Don't try to do according to your whims. You just surrender unto Me. Abide by Me. Then I shall give you all protection. But if you want to do according to your own whims, and if you do not hear Me, what can I do? You do that and enjoy the result."

Lecture on SB 1.3.15 -- Los Angeles, September 20, 1972:

So Vedic laws are not like that. You cannot change. Five thousand years ago Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You give up all other religious principles. Simply surrender unto Me." We are preaching the same thing. No change. No change. There is no possibility of change. Then how Kṛṣṇa is authority? So change means imperfect knowledge. This very change. And perfect knowledge... You will find that one who is very experienced medical practitioner, he gives you a prescription, and you visit him again and again, he gives you the same prescription unless you are cured. His prescription is so nice that he doesn't change. But a nonexperienced physician, every time you go, he will change the prescription. But actually, those who are experienced, he knows "This is the disease, and ultimately this medicine will cure. So let him repeat that medicine." So our is that platform. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). We repeat only. We don't change: "Now hari-nāma is not curing so let me add, instead of Hare Kṛṣṇa, 'John Kṛṣṇa,' if I may." No. No "John Kṛṣṇa." (laughter) That same Hare Kṛṣṇa must be repeated. And you will be cured. So change means imperfect knowledge. No change means that is perfect knowledge. So we follow that no change policy. No, not that because I think I have become now advanced, I change this to that. That mean I am not advanced. My knowledge is imperfect. Therefore I am changing.

Lecture on SB 1.3.18 -- Los Angeles, September 23, 1972:

Kindly engage me as servant of Your servant. If You want to give me something, please engage me as the servant of Your servant." And still, because he was Vaiṣṇava, he prayed to Lord Nṛsiṁha, "For my personal, I am quite satisfied. If I can chant Your holy name, then there is nothing more I want. But there is one thing I want." What is that? "My father was a great atheist, and demon, and he has committed so many offenses unto You. But I request that You forgive him." This is Vaiṣṇava son. And Lord Nṛsiṁha said, "My dear Prahlāda, before you are requesting like that, your father, his father, up to fourteen fathers, all are delivered because you are his son." Such a devotee, taken birth in a family, this is a special concession. Whatever the others may be, they are all delivered.

Therefore the best service one can do or render to his family, to his country, to his society, to his person, is to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the best service. Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ (BG 18.66). If anyone has become Kṛṣṇa conscious, he has finished all other business. If he simply sticks to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then all other business is automatically finished.

Lecture on SB 1.3.26 -- Los Angeles, October 1, 1972:

So working, beginning from Brahmā down to the hog, they are trying to be happy by working themselves. But they will not surrender to Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa wants them back to home, back to Godhead. Therefore He says in the Bhagavad-gītā that,

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

Lecture on SB 1.3.27 -- Los Angeles, October 2, 1972:

"You have committed so much sinful activities during your material existence. There is no limit. But if you surrender unto Me, I immediately make you immune from all reaction of your sinful life. Immediately." Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu. When He met Jagāi and Mādhāi... You know the story. Their life was sinful. What is that sinful? That illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating, and gambling. This Jagāi-Mādhāi.

This is the so-called scientists, philosophers. They have got a teeny brain, which they cannot accommodate so many big things. Therefore they disbelieve. And therefore they are nāstika. But every description in the Vedic literature, they are fact. That is called āstikyam, to have staunch faith. Our process is, therefore, whenever we speak something, we have to quote some Vedic version. Then it is corroborated. It is fact. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Vedas, Vedānta says, The Absolute Truth is that which is the origin, source of everything. There must be something, original source. Otherwise how things are coming? This conviction means faith. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. So those who will argue, "Why shall I surrender to Kṛṣṇa?" But one who will accept, he becomes benefited.

Lecture on SB 1.5.9-11 -- New Vrindaban, June 6, 1969:

So I have to convert from this servitorship to Kṛṣṇa's servitorship. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, dharma-saṁsthāpana. This is dharma. Saṁsthāpana. What dharma, what kind of religion Kṛṣṇa established? He said that "I incarnate to establish religion." He never came to establish Hindu religion or Christian religion or Muhammadan religion or Buddha religion. He established real religion. What is that real religion? Sarva-dharmān parityajya: (BG 18.66) "You give up all these nonsense, so-called religion and faith. You simply surrender unto Me." That is religion. That is real religion. All other, any other religion which does not teach how to surrender unto God, that is pretension. That is not religion. According to Vedic understanding, this is religion. This is natural function.

Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 13, 1969:

"My dear son of Kuntī, Arjuna, if somebody knows actually what are My activities, then simply by knowing what are My activities, he becomes liberated." Just see how Bhagavad-gītā and Bhāgavata is working. What is said by... This is called paramparā system, that the what is spoken in the Bhagavad-gītā by the Lord Himself is here also confirmed by Nārada. You don't find any contradiction. In the Bhagavad-gītā... Just like Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). And what we are saying? That "You give up everything. Just become Kṛṣṇa conscious." The same thing. Therefore it is for liberation. What was spoken by God Himself directly, the same thing is spoken by Nārada, and same thing we are speaking also.

Lecture on SB 1.5.15 -- New Vrindaban, June 19, 1969:

The boatman said that "We were plying the whole night. We do not know how it happened." Then one boatman found out that the anchor was not taken out. The anchor was fixed up, and the whole night they were plying meant the boat was round about the anchor only, moving, and it was... It did not go a step forward.

Similarly, if our anchor, that we want this material happiness, for which we can worship God, we may go to the temple, go to the church, offer our respect... Ārto arthārthī. That is accepted as good. But one has to go far above that position. That means if one, being distressed, approaches Kṛṣṇa, that "My Lord, I am in distress. Please help me," the qualification is good in this sense, that he, somehow or other, he has approached God. But his motive is not pure. His motive is material enjoyment. So Vyāsadeva says, "This kind of instruction in your book will not help people to come to the standard of pure devotional service, which can save him from all material bondage." That is the whole purport. Then what is to be done? The same thing, as Kṛṣṇa advises, that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). You haven't got to do anything. Simply be engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 1.5.17-18 -- New Vrindaban, June 21, 1969:

So we were discussing in our last meeting that if a person, by sentiment or by persuasion or by some material gain or somehow or other, decides to accept the statement of Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa says that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Ekam: "Only unto Me." He even does not say that there are many incarnations of Kṛṣṇa, but He says, mām ekam. So this ekam can be understood in this way, that when we speak "Kṛṣṇa," this term includes everything Kṛṣṇa, all-attractive. But we can capture everything in Kṛṣṇa simply by... Just like the same example, as we have repeatedly..., that by supplying food in the stomach, you supply food to all the limbs of the body. You don't require... This is practical. Or pouring water on the root of the tree, you supply water to all the branches, leaves, everywhere.

Lecture on SB 1.5.18 -- New Vrindaban, June 22, 1969:

So our whole program is that Kṛṣṇa is very kind, always kind upon us, but we have to become little willing to take Kṛṣṇa's favor. That... What is the example? My Guru Mahārāja used to give a very nice example. I remember. Just like here is a well. Somebody has fallen down; he's crying, "Please get me out! Get me out! Get me out!" Now, if somebody drops a, a, I mean to, tight, strong rope and asks him, "All right, you catch this rope tightly. I'll get you out," and if he says, "No, that I cannot do," then how he'll be saved? That much endeavor he must have, to catch the rope. Then he'll be lifted immediately. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa says that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So we have to do that. Simply to surrender unto... Then everything is there. That is the only. Because... Now the rope is there. Now we have to capture. Now, if you don't use your independence to catch it, then how can you expect to be lifted? That much you have to do.

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

That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. (aside:) Let him sit down properly. That is scholarship. You make research work, but... In the śāstra it is said that Kṛṣṇa is the original person of this departmental knowledge. Suppose you are a lawyer. So Kṛṣṇa gives the law. This is research work. Just actually Kṛṣṇa gives. What is Kṛṣṇa gives? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is law. The first giver of law is Kṛṣṇa, that "You give up all nonsense. Surrender unto Me." This is law. Then you'll understand everything. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Religion means the law given by Kṛṣṇa, or God. That is religion. Otherwise, it is not religion. That is cheating. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). This is cheating religion. If you do not follow Kṛṣṇa, that is cheating.

Lecture on SB 1.5.24 -- Vrndavana, August 5, 1975:

Spiritual master is pledged to become kind, but anyone, if you follow, if you obey, then he becomes merciful: "This boy is very nice. He obeys orders. He serves very nicely." That is required. Cakruḥ kṛpāṁ yadyapi tulya-darśanāḥ. Tulya-darśanāḥ. Because saintly persons, they have no discrimination that "This man should be shown special favor." They have no such discrimination. They are merciful to everyone. Sama-darśinaḥ. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). So... But still, although they are equal to everyone, still, one who is very much inclined to render service, especially inclined. Therefore it is said, yadyapi tulya-darśanāḥ. It is not that saintly person is partial, showing somebody special favor and somebody no favor. No. They are open to everyone. Just like Kṛṣṇa, He's open to everyone. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). It is not it is meant for only Arjuna. He's open to everyone. Just like sunlight. Sunlight is open to everyone. Everyone can enjoy sunlight. But if you keep your doors closed voluntarily, then what sun will do? Sun is tulya-darśanaḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.5.30 -- Vrndavana, August 11, 1974:

Aśāśvatam, duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). This is confidential knowledge. You are trying to be happy... Suppose Brahmā. He lives for many millions of years. Still, it is duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). That life is also temporary. What is millions of years' duration of life in comparison to the eternal life? So beginning from Brahmā down to the small ant, whoever is within this material world, it is to be understood their understanding is very poor. And the mahātmā, being kind upon these poor souls, they deliver the same knowledge as Kṛṣṇa gives. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam.. (BG 18.66). This is guru's business. Do not manufacture anything. There is no question of... There is no need of manufacturing anything. Simply you speak to the suffering humanity the same thing which Kṛṣṇa says. Sākṣād bhagavatā uditam. This is the business of guru. It is clearly said.

Lecture on SB 1.5.30 -- Vrndavana, August 11, 1974:

Paramparā means they do not change the word of Kṛṣṇa. That is paramparā. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), and the paramparā system says the same thing. No change. They never said that "I have now become Kṛṣṇa and you surrender unto me, think of me." There are many so-called incarnations who are preaching like that: "You think of me." Same, repeating the same words in his own favor, not in Kṛṣṇa's favor. That is not mahātmā. That is durātmā. Mahātmā means who always speaks in Kṛṣṇa's favor. That is mahātmā. This is the purport of this verse. Jñānaṁ guhyatamaṁ yat tat sākṣād bhagava... Bhagavān says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66).

Lecture on SB 1.5.30 -- Vrndavana, August 11, 1974:

Yathecchasi tathā... The word is used there, yathecchasi tathā kuru. We have got the little independence. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). But why people are not doing that? Because they have got little independence. Every living entity is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has got the quality of full independence. Naturally, the part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, it has also independence. But that is not absolute independence. Just like independent country. America, independent country. We are also now independent country. But the citizens, they have independence dependent on the state independence. Not absolute independence.

Lecture on SB 1.5.30 -- Vrndavana, August 11, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa says that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is the guhyatamam. Jñānaṁ guhyatamam. The same thing, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā is the preliminary study of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. One who has understood Bhagavad-gītā properly, he can understand what is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Where Bhagavad-gītā ends? Bhagavad-gītā, teachings of Bhagavad-gītā ends at the point when Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), to surrender. And the Bhāgavata begins from that point. Janmādy asya yataḥ... (SB 1.1.1), satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi. Satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi. Surrender. Otherwise, in the next paragraph of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the beginning, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra: (SB 1.1.2) "Except surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, there cannot be any religious system." The real religious system... Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is religion, to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise, as it is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). All cheating type of religious system is kicked out from Bhagavad, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Kicked out, projjhita. To merge into the Supreme, to become God, to become incarnation of God—these kind of religious systems is very rigidly kicked out from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Because they are not religion. Real religion is to surrender to Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.5.30 -- Vrndavana, August 11, 1974:

So dīna-vatsalāḥ, the sādhus, they should be very much compassionate to the suffering humanity and give them the message which is spoken directly by Kṛṣṇa, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam... (BG 18.66). This is the mission of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 1.5.32 -- Vrndavana, August 13, 1974:

So our business is how to get out of this tāpa-traya. That is first-class civilization. Otherwise hackneyed. Again and again, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). That is not. Now, those who are thinking of worshiping other demigods, that is not recommended. That is not recommended because Kṛṣṇa clearly says, kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ prapadyante 'nya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). Even there are some inconveniences, Kṛṣṇa is completely able to remove your inconvenience. Kṛṣṇa assures, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). So we should stick to the position of devotional service, execute regularly the orders of the spiritual master and the śāstra, and try to understand Kṛṣṇa. And you can understand Kṛṣṇa only by service. There is no other way. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). If you want to see Kṛṣṇa or want to understand Kṛṣṇa, then it can be possible only by your service, nothing else.

Lecture on SB 1.5.36 -- Vrndavana, August 17, 1974:

The process is there, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). Not others. (break) ...the whole world can be purified. But the secret is that one who is chanting, he must be very pure. (break) They have got so many hodgepodge ideas, that they are not pure. It is very difficult. (break) I say that "Here is Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa." They accept it. (break) Here... If I say, "Here is Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa," he'll bring dozens of other Bhagavāns. Or more than that—hundreds. "Why Kṛṣṇa is God?" (break) They are being deviated. So many... Therefore we are student of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In the beginning it is said that dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). All types of cheating religious system is thrown away from this. And Śrīdhara Svāmī gives his comments on this, that kevala bhagavad-upāsanā. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satāṁ vāstavaṁ vastu vedyam atra (SB 1.1.2). Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, kiṁ vā paraiḥ. Mahā-muni-kṛte. Mahāmuni Vyāsadeva has given us. What is the use of studying any other book? Śrīmad-bhāgavatam amalaṁ purāṇam. It is the spotless Purāṇa. Spotless Purāṇa means that which gives you spiritual knowledge without any adulteration. Simple. Without any adulteration. As Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is without any adulteration.

Lecture on SB 1.7.5-6 -- Johannesburg, October 15, 1975:

Yayā sammohito jīva ātmānam: the spirit soul, ātmānaṁ tri-guṇātmakam... This body is tri-guṇātmakam. The body is made according to the modes of material nature: kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya (BG 13.22). Everything is very clearly explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. This is further development. Bhagavad-gītā... If you understand Bhagavad-gītā, and if you actually surrender to Kṛṣṇa... The last word of Kṛṣṇa is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). If you actually understand Bhagavad-gītā, this will be the result. And in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ hareḥ (SB 1.5.17). Sva-dharma. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya. So that means every one of us... Dharma means occupational duty. That is dh arma, characteristic. So Kṛṣṇa orders, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). If we accept it, even by sentiment... That is confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ hareḥ patet tato yadi, bhajann apakvo 'tha. Nārada Muni says that "If somebody, even by sentiment-'All right, Kṛṣṇa says sarva-dharmān parityajya. Let us stop any other business, become Kṛṣṇa conscious'—even one accepts by sentiment, not thoroughly understanding, he is also fortunate." He also fortunate because he accepts the real thing.

Lecture on SB 1.7.5-6 -- Johannesburg, October 15, 1975:

By bhakti-yoga... The bhakti-yoga is also mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā is bhakti-yoga, but about jñāna-yoga, karma-yoga, haṭha-yoga and other yogas there are description, but at last Kṛṣṇa advises that "The most confidential part of knowledge I am speaking to you, Arjuna, is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66)." This is real gain.

Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Hyderabad, August 18, 1976:

Bhagavad-gītā is the preliminary study of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Bhagavad-gītā ends sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekāṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is the end of Bhagavad-gītā's instruction, that "Give up all nonsense, just take shelter under My lotus feet." If you hesitate that "If I give up everything..." You haven't got to give up everything, but you have to understand the meaning of life. Arjuna, when he understood Bhagavad-gītā, he did not give up his profession as a military man. But what was the change? The change is Kṛṣṇa inquired from Arjuna: "What is now your decision? I have spoken to you everything about jñāna and guhya-guhyatamam. Now you consider upon it and whatever you like you do." Yathecchasi tathā kuru (BG 18.63).

Lecture on SB 1.7.7 -- Vrndavana, September 6, 1976:

Just like the Christian people go to church, that "I am a devotee of Christ. I can do any nonsense, and on Sunday I shall go, I shall admit, 'Yes, my Lord, I have done this.' " "All right. Excused." Then? Then I'll do again tomorrow." This is not wanted. That is pāpa-buddhiḥ, that "Somehow or other let me be atoned today, and from tomorrow I shall begin my business. And again I shall come Sunday." This is pāpa-buddhiḥ. Such persons are never excused, but they do not know. But by mistake or by chance, unknowingly if we commit some mistake, that is excused. Sapada-mūlaṁ bhajatāṁ priyasya. Because he is engaged in the service of the Lord. Not only that, one who is engaged, if you simply admit, "Sir, from today I shall be Your servant," immediately, immediately you become free from all... Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You just surrender to Me." And you do it, and immediately ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. Immediately. But don't commit again. He can excuse immediately. Api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). Not that you take advantage of Him. Don't take advantage of Him, and "Because I have become so-called sādhu I can do all nonsense and Kṛṣṇa will excuse." No. That is nāma-aparādha. If by mistake or by chance you do something wrong, that can be excused. That is natural. Suppose you are servant, you have committed some mistake. The master immediately does not dismiss. He warns you: "Why you have done this thing? Do not do it again." That is natural.

Lecture on SB 1.7.16 -- Vrndavana, September 14, 1976:

If one is eligible to hear the dealings of gopīs and Kṛṣṇa, the result will be he'll forget the lusty desires of this material world. Therefore it is not for all. These dealings of gopīs and Kṛṣṇa is meant for the liberated person. They can hear, not the ordinary persons. Therefore this kṛṣṇa-līlā is given in the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So don't jump over. First of all you try to understand Kṛṣṇa, Acyuta. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś cārtheṣv abhijñaḥ svarāṭ (SB 1.1.1). To understand Kṛṣṇa, not only... The Bhagavad-gītā is the ABCD, and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begins when one is actually Kṛṣṇa conscious. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). Then Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begins. So don't jump over the kṛṣṇa-līlā or jump over Rādhā-kuṇḍa unless you are a liberated person. This is the instruction. Acyuta. You must be also acyuta—not falling down from the standard of pure devotional service. Acyuta-gotra.

Lecture on SB 1.7.23 -- Vrndavana, September 20, 1976:

This rascal, he wants to wander within this material world in different capacities. Sometime he's demigod, sometime he's dog, sometime he's tree, sometime he's fish, sometime he is president, sometime he's a nonsense. In this way, in different ways, he is suffering in this material world, and Kṛṣṇa is with him, trying to get him back. And whenever there is opportunity, He's asking, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam: (BG 18.66) "You rascal, why you are suffering in this way? You give up all this nonsense business. You simply surrender to Me." That is Kṛṣṇa's ambition, that "This rascal is suffering, so better give him good instruction."

Lecture on SB 1.7.23 -- Vrndavana, September 20, 1976:

Simply, if you simply think of Kṛṣṇa, you become advanced. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā (BG 6.47). There is no expenditure, no loss. The gain is great. Simply if you think of Kṛṣṇa: man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. Where is the difficulty?

But we are so rascal that we do not take advice of Kṛṣṇa, we manufacture our own ways, the suffering goes on. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti. This is māyā. He's thinking that he'll make his own plan and be happy. That will never be possible. The only plan you have to accept—what is that? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). That is the only plan. You have to get yourself relieved from all other engagements. Simply engage yourself... Not immediately. First of all, you must ready: "Kṛṣṇa, from this day, I am now ready. Whatever You'll say, I'll do." That's... Immediately you become liberated. Liberated. How liberated? Liberation is achieved after so many years tapasya? No. Immediately. As soon as you surrender to Kṛṣṇa. How? Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi.

Lecture on SB 1.7.24 -- Vrndavana, September 21, 1976:

Gṛha-vratānām. Matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā mitho 'bhipadyeta. Mithaḥ, not by conference, by meeting, by passing resolution, "If we want to become Kṛṣṇa conscious," that is not possible. It is all individual. I have to surrender to Kṛṣṇa individually. Just like when you go to the sky on airplane, it is all individual. If one airplane is in danger, other airplane cannot save him. That is not possible. Similarly, it is all individual. It is all parataḥ svato vā. One has to take it seriously, personally, that "Kṛṣṇa wants, so I'll surrender. Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), so I'll do it." Not that "When my father will do, then I shall do," or "My husband will do, then I shall do," or "My wife will do." No. It is all individual. It is all individual. And there is no restraint. There is no restraint. Ahaituky apratihatā. If you want to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, nobody can check you. Ahaituky apratihatā yayā ātmā suprasīdati. When you do that individually... If you... Collectively if it is done, it is good, but it has to be done individually.

Lecture on SB 1.7.25 -- Vrndavana, September 22, 1976:

Just like in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we have got so much expenditure. In New York we are spending twelve lakhs of rupees alone per month. Now, we have got... This morning I was calculating. We have got 25 lakhs of rupees expenditure per month all over the world. But we have no anxiety. That is practical. We have no anxiety. One man who has got to spend 25 rupees, he has got anxiety. But we have to spend 25 lakhs of rupees, but we have no anxiety. Because we have taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Mā śucaḥ, Kṛṣṇa says. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, ahaṁ tvāṁ mokṣayiṣyāmi sarva-pāpebhyaḥ (BG 18.66). "Oh, Kṛṣṇa will take care of me in such a way?" "Yes." "Oh, let me consider." Mā śucaḥ. There is no consideration. You do it immediately. Mā śucaḥ. Why mā śucaḥ? If you... Kṛṣṇa is unable to feed you? Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). Why you talk of nonsense, population? There is no question of population. But if you are sinful, if you are godless, then however restrictive means you take... What is that? Sterilization? You have to starve. There is no question of diminishing the population. It is a question how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Otherwise, everything will be finished.

Lecture on SB 1.7.26 -- Vrndavana, September 2, 1976:

Suppose one rich man gives you, that "You haven't got to work. Take this one lakh of rupees or one crore of rupees. You take it." That is another way. Ordinary way to accumulate crores of rupees, it may not be possible in your life. But if some friend or some rich man becomes kind upon you and delivers you, "Take it," you can get it immediately, without any hard labor. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa, the supreme rich man, supreme rich being, is offering you, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām... (BG 18.66). "You haven't got to do anything. Come on. You surrender unto Me, and I give you immediately liberation." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ. There is no anxiety.

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

This is śraddhā. According to our Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas, this is śraddhā. What is that? Kṛṣṇa is asking, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). He's asking, demanding. So when we have faith in the words of Kṛṣṇa: "Yes, Kṛṣṇa says sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). Yes, I shall do," then śraddhā begins. Otherwise, there is no śraddhā. That is the beginning of śraddhā. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). If you have got faith in these words of Kṛṣṇa, that "Yes, whatever Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam... (BG 18.66), accept it," then śraddhā begins. Otherwise there is no śraddhā. Ordinary śraddhā is..., they are going this temple or another Kālī's temple or Durgā's temple. They say that "Everyone is all right." Yata mata tata patha: "Whatever you like." That is not śraddhā; that is whims. And śraddhā means when you firmly believe on the words of Kṛṣṇa, that Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Therefore Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī said, śraddhā-śabde viśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha niścaya (Cc. Madhya 22.62). Kṛṣṇa said that "Give up everything, I shall give you..." "Yes, it is fact. Why shall I bother with..." That is śraddhā. Viśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha niścaya. Sudṛḍha means very firm faith. Not flickering faith.

Lecture on SB 1.7.30-31 -- Vrndavana, September 26, 1976:

Śūnyavādī. So we can understand their position, and the Māyāvādīs, they're so dangerous that they will not say that God is zero. They will say, "Yes, there is God, but He's handless, legless, eyeless, this-less, that-less, that less." What is the meaning? Say zero. We can understand. But why you say indirectly zero? Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said that veda nā māniyā bauddha haya ta' nāstika. Nāstika means one who does not believe in the statement of the Vedas. He's nāstika, atheist. Just like here, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Kṛṣṇa is person. This is Vedic literature. Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa is person, aham. Always He says. Aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). He's person.

Lecture on SB 1.7.32-33 -- Vrndavana, September 27, 1976:

Buddha's philosophy: zero, śūnyavādi; and Śaṅkara's philosophy: nirviśeṣa-vādi, impersonal. So we defy these, nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi. But we have got all respect for them. Don't think that we disrespect. Keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare. And the Vaiṣṇavas know Śaṅkarācārya. Śaṅkara, svayaṁ śaṅkara, he is incarnation of Lord Śiva, and Lord Buddha is incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. So they come for particular purpose, to benefit the whole world. But that is for the time being. That is not permanent. The permanent solution is mataṁ ca vāsudevasya. That is permanent. Mataṁ ca vāsudevasya. That is permanent.

So vāsudevasya matam? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is vāsudevasya. "You simply surrender unto Me." That is real mata. Everyone is surrendered. Even Śaṅkarācārya says bhagavad-gītā kiñcid adhita(?). If you read little, a portion of Bhagavad-gītā, your life will be successful. That is the recommendation given by... Sva bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇa vāsudeva devakī-vasudevasya nandana(?). He has admitted. Nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ avyaktāt. Actually nirviśeṣa-vāda is for this material world because it is mithyā. They say, the Shankarites, they say mithyā. We Vaiṣṇavas, we don't say mithyā, because mithyā it cannot be.

Lecture on SB 1.7.36-37 -- Vrndavana, September 29, 1976:

So nobody can protect anyone. That is not possible. Everyone has to take care of himself. This world is like that. Don't depend. Only Kṛṣṇa can protect you—nobody else. If you know this, then you are not pramatta. And if you do not know this, if you are a rascal, then you are pramatta. Only Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa therefore said, He gives assurance, that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām: (BG 5.29) "I am the friend of everyone. I can give you protection." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. So you have to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa, otherwise you are a pramatta, rascal, mūḍha. Kṛṣṇa is giving advice that "Do this." But we are rascals, pramatta. We think that "My son will give me protection, my wife will give protection, my friend will give me protection, my government will give protection." All these are nonsense, pramatta. This is the meaning of pramatta. Just try to understand. Pramattaḥ tasya nidhanaṁ paśyann api.

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

So Kṛṣṇa can make you immediately mukta. Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. That is Kṛṣṇa's power. Prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. He can make the lowest class of men... Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye 'nye ca pāpāḥ (SB 2.4.18). They are considered as the most sinful, less than the śūdras, caṇḍālas. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā... Or more sinful, śudhyanti. They can be purified by the mercy, by the power, prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. Viṣṇu has got so much power. So that power you can have the benefit if you surrender to Viṣṇu. Therefore Kṛṣṇa personally comes and requests you,

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

Lecture on SB 1.7.41-42 -- Vrndavana, October 2, 1976:

So here is Kṛṣṇa's direction. You take always Kṛṣṇa's direction, then that is bhakti, and you remain brahma-bhūyāya kalpate. (BG 14.26) You are always immune from the sinful reactions of this material world. It does not mean... You cannot manufacture. Actually you have to follow the orders of Kṛṣṇa. Just like Arjuna is being advised. You simply follow Kṛṣṇa. Not that whimsically he was going to punish Aśvatthāmā. Under direction of Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, in every step of your life, if you take Kṛṣṇa's direction or His representative's direction, then you are safe.

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches from this point, that you are dāsa. Give up this idea that you are independent master, or one with God, or so many rascal ideas. That is not good. It begins with this point. As Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches that jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches from the point when Bhagavad-gītā ends. Bhagavad-gītā says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is the relationship. We are trying to become master here, everyone. Kṛṣṇa says, "You give up this idea. You are planning so many things, to become master of the world, 'I am the monarch of all I survey.' Give up this idea. Then you'll be in proper position." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). That means "I am master. If you want to be peaceful, then accept this proposition that I am master; you are servant."

Lecture on SB 1.7.41-42 -- Vrndavana, October 2, 1976:

Anātha means no father, mother, no protection. That is called anātha. And he's aspiring to become sanātha. Sanātha means, "Yes, I have got my protector. Kṛṣṇa will protect me." Prakṣiṣyati iti viśvāsa-pālanam(?). "Yes, I am surrendered to Kṛṣṇa and He'll give me protection." This is surrender. Śaraṇāgati means... This is one of the item of śaraṇāgati, that "I have surrendered to Kṛṣṇa fully. So Kṛṣṇa says ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). Then I am fully protected. He'll give me protection." To believe in this word of Kṛṣṇa, that is fully surrender.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- Chicago, July 4, 1974 :

This material world is foreign to the living entities. The living entity is spiritual, so his actual residency is in the spiritual world. But somehow or other he has come in contact with this material world; therefore he is suffering threefold miseries-adhyatmic, adhibautic, adhidaivic. He must suffer. Therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to get the living entity relieved from this material miserable condition of life, and take him back to home, back to Godhead. That is also Kṛṣṇa's mission. Kṛṣṇa also came to impress that "This is not your place." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. "You are creating so many plans to live here very peacefully, but that is not possible. Therefore you give up all this onsense plan, just come to Me, surrender to Me, and I shall give you protection." Because He is the father, father wants that the nonsense sons, they want to live independently, but he has no such means, therefore father comes to invite, "Come back." Sarva-dharmān..., vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhaḥ. These things are explained in the Bhagavad-gītā.

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

So this sannyāsī can be accepted even in gṛhastha life, even in householder life. Because in one sense, all these boys and girls who are working for Kṛṣṇa, they have no other desire. They are all sannyāsīs because they have no desire to achieve any result out of their work. The only thing they want: the kṛṣṇa-bhakti, how Kṛṣṇa will be satisfied. They are engaged in preaching work because they want to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). They are teaching all over the world the same principles, the same philosophy, that "Please surrender unto Kṛṣṇa and you will be happy." That is their message. They have no other message. Therefore anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryam karoti. They are all sannyāsīs.

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

So Kṛṣṇa comes to teach this highest science of devotion to make people paramahaṁsas. Not these dirty karmīs, jñānīs, and yogis. Kṛṣṇa's business is... Therefore Kṛṣṇa, first condition, says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam: (BG 18.66) "Just you surrender unto Me and I shall make you a paramahaṁsa." Then you will be able to see always Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.8.20 -- Mayapura, September 30, 1974:

So here Kṛṣṇa comes to teach bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam... (BG 18.66). That is bhakti-yoga. When we do not want anything except Kṛṣṇa, that is bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga-vidhānārthaṁ kathaṁ paśyema hi striyaḥ. Kuntī appeared to be as woman. So woman generally, they are not interested in spiritual matter. That is the fact. Therefore, if they are somehow or other interested... That is also accepted. Kṛṣṇa says, striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. Striyo vaiśyās..., these three names, why He has taken specifically? So women, they are not very much interested. Generally. Maybe a special woman. But they are... Otherwise, they sometimes become devotee.

Lecture on SB 1.8.23 -- Los Angeles, April 15, 1973:

There are 8,400,000 forms of life. If you want to engage your senses in any type of body, Kṛṣṇa is giving you: "Come on. Here is the body. You take." But we become exasperated by using our senses. Ultimately we become senseless. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "Don't do like this. Your senses are meant for serving Me. So you are misusing it. By misusing, you are being entrapped in different types of body; therefore to get relief from this tedious business of accepting one body and giving it up, again another body, again another... To continue this material existence, if you give up this process of sense gratification and surrender unto Me, then you are saved." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Los Angeles, April 17, 1973:

Those who are in devotional service, they are: ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). Kṛṣṇa assures that: "I give you protection from the reaction of sinful life." So when there is very, very grievous criminal activities behind his, sometimes it is like that. Instead of hanging him, there may be little cut by the knife on the finger. This is the position. So why should we be afraid of danger? We should simply depend on Kṛṣṇa consciousness, because if we live Kṛṣṇa conscious, in any circumstances, then my benefit is that I am not coming again in this material world.

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Vrndavana, October 5, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa is jagad-guru, and one who speaks on behalf of Kṛṣṇa or one who speaks as Kṛṣṇa says, he is guru. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā: (CC Madhya 7.128) "You just become guru on My order." You cannot become guru automatically without following the order of jagad-guru. The government servant... Who is government servant? Who is strictly following the government order, that is government servant. Anyone can say, "I am government servant." No. How you can be? Similarly, guru means who is following the principles given by the jagad-guru. The... He's guru.

So the principle... What is that principle? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is principle. "You give up all these nonsense activities. Simply surrender." So one who has surrendered to Kṛṣṇa fully, no other business, he is guru. This is the definition of guru. There is no difficult to understand who is guru. One who follows strictly the principles laid down by jagad-guru, he is guru. So the jagad-guru says... Because we have to learn everything, especially spiritual subject matter, from guru.

Lecture on SB 1.8.28 -- Los Angeles, April 20, 1973:

So this liberation is open for everyone. Samaṁ carantam. Kṛṣṇa does not say that: "You come to Me. You become liberated." No. He's open for everyone. He says: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). He speaks to everyone. Not that He's speaking to Arjuna only. He's speaking to everyone. Bhagavad-gītā is spoken not only for Arjuna. Arjuna is the, just like the target. But it is spoken for everyone, for all human beings. So one has to take advantage. Samaṁ carantam. He's not partial that: "You become..." Just like the sunshine. The sunshine is not partial that: "Here is a poor man, here is a low-class man, here is a hog. I shall not distribute my shining there." No. Sun is equal. One has to take advantage of it. The sunshine is there open, but if you close your door, if you want to keep yourself in airtight darkness, that is your business.

Lecture on SB 1.8.29 -- Los Angeles, April 21, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa does not require your service. But He kindly accepts. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Kṛṣṇa is asking you that: "You surrender unto Me." It does not mean that Kṛṣṇa is lacking one servant, and if you surrender then He'll be profited. Kṛṣṇa can create millions of servants by His only desires. So that is not the point. But if you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, you becomes saved. You become saved. That is your business.

Lecture on SB 1.8.30 -- Los Angeles, April 22, 1973:

So therefore Kṛṣṇa's, this plan of appearance and disappearance, they are to be very greatly understood. Not that whimsically Kṛṣṇa has come. He has got a great plan. Otherwise why He should come here? He is very much eager to take you back to home, back to Godhead. That is Kṛṣṇa's business. Therefore He says:

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

Lecture on SB 1.8.33 -- Mayapura, October 13, 1974:

He is giving assurance. "My dear..." Everyone of us, we are children of Kṛṣṇa, God. So He is more unhappy. Because we are unhappy on account of this material body, we are undergoing repetition of birth, death, old age and disease. That is not very comfortable situation. But we are so fool, rascal, that we do not take care of this. We are busy for a temporary comfort of this life. But we are neglecting the real discomforts of life, birth, death, old age and disease. This is our ignorance. This is our foolishness.

So don't remain mūḍhāḥ. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to educate people not to remain mūḍhāḥ. Be intelligent. It is a very nice cultural movement that it is trying to awaken people to their God consciousness. "Here is God." This is the sum and substance of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And the process is also bona fide because Kṛṣṇa Himself is teaching the process. Kṛṣṇa, first of all, generally He told, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66), because this is the process. But because they are mūḍhas, rascals and sinful, they could not understand. They could not understand. Therefore Kṛṣṇa came personally to teach people how to surrender. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Āpani ācari prabhu jīvere śikhāya.

Lecture on SB 1.8.35 -- Mayapura, October 15, 1974:

Everyone in this material world—always anxiety. Kliśyamānānām. Therefore it is called... Asmin bhave kliśyamānānām. Why kliśyamānānām? Why they are always suffering in anxiety? Avidyā-kāma-karmabhiḥ. Because they are rascals. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is giving so much stress: "You rascal, give up all this business. You surrender unto Me," because everyone is rascal. That is Kṛṣṇa's very good mercy. He's the supreme father. Therefore directly He says that sarva-guhyatama: "This is the most confidential knowledge I am giving you: rascal, you give up everything and simply surrender unto Me." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Yes. That is required.

Lecture on SB 1.8.36 -- Mayapura, October 16, 1974:

We have repeatedly that... Therefore Kṛṣṇa says nothing, that "The most confidential knowledge, Arjuna, I am giving you. I have spoken to you Bhagavad-gītā in so many detail, but because you are My intimate, dear friend, I give you the most confidential knowledge." Guhyatamam. This word is used. What is that? "Surrender, that's all." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām... (BG 18.66). "This is the most confidential... Simply surrender and do what I say." That is the fact. If we act as Kṛṣṇa says, then we shall be very, very happy. There is no doubt about it. And if we do not act, then we shall suffer. This is fact. There is no question about it.

Lecture on SB 1.8.39 -- Los Angeles, May 1, 1973:

We never say that "Stop everything of material..." But we have to stop anything which is against Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because we do not stop, it doesn't mean that we shall not stop meat-eating. We must stop. This is against advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You cannot commit sinful activities. Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). Kṛṣṇa says that "You surrender unto Me and I shall rescue you, make you liberated from all kinds of sinful reactions."

Every one of us, life after life, we are committing simple sinful activities, knowingly or unknowingly. Knowingly, I may kill one animal. That is sinful certainly. Even we do it unknowingly, that is also sinful.

Lecture on SB 1.8.39 -- Los Angeles, May 1, 1973:

Just like fire. A child unknowingly touches the fire. Does it mean that the fire will excuse the child? No. The nature's law is so strict, so stringent, that there is no question of excuse. In the ordinary law also, ignorance is no excuse for legal obligation. If you go to the court, and if you say, "My lord, I did not know that the result of this action is this, criminal," that is not pleading that you'll be excused. So therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness must be there. If we actually want to be free from the reaction of sinful life, that we are doing, knowingly or unknowingly, then Kṛṣṇa consciousness must be there. Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). Therefore it is recommended, kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). Always we have to be engaged in chanting: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma..., so that Kṛṣṇa will save us. Knowingly we cannot commit any sinful activities. That is one thing. Unknowingly also we cannot do it. Then we'll be liable.

Lecture on SB 1.8.40 -- Los Angeles, May 2, 1973:

Just like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura is teaching us: so, "I depend on You." Mārobi rākhobi jo icchā tohārā. "My dear Lord, I simply surrender unto You, depend on You. Now, if You like, You can kill me or You can give me protection." This is wanted. And Kṛṣṇa says in reply, "Yes." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Ekam. He does not say, "Yes, you depend on Me and depend on your slaughterhouse and factory also." No. He says, "Simply depend on Me, one." Mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. So "I will rescue you from the resultant action of your sinful activities." Because you have lived so many years without being Kṛṣṇa conscious, you have lived sinful life only. So Kṛṣṇa gives, gives assurance that, as soon as one surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, He immediately squares up all account. All your sinful activities finished now. Finished. Now you begin new life. That is called initiation. But don't commit anymore.

Lecture on SB 1.8.41 -- Mayapura, October 21, 1974:

So dharma means the codes or the law given by God. That is dharma. And our life is meant for dharma. Dharma. But unfortunately we have created so many dharmas. But there cannot be so many dharmas. There cannot be. Suppose if gold... Gold is gold, pure gold. There cannot be... Just like they have made twenty-carat gold, fourteen-carat gold, sixteen-carat gold. That is mixture. That is not pure gold. We are preaching, "If you say it is religion, it is pure religion, not carat." "Fourteen-carat religions" or "Twenty-carat religion," no. Real, pure religion. What is that pure religion? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam... (BG 18.66). We are teaching, "Just surrender to Kṛṣṇa," Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is pure religion, original gold, no carat gold. Therefore our Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura has said very clearly, pṛthivīte yāhā kichu dharma nāme cale: "Whatever is going on, all over the world, in the name of dharma," bhāgavata kahe tāhā paripūrṇa cale,(?) "according to the opinion of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, all this rascaldom is simply cheating." Now, if you say that, everyone will be rebellious. But that is the fact, because if dharma means the order of God, then what is God's order? That "You become My devotee." Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namas... (BG 18.65). Four things: "You always think of Me, and you become My devotee, you offer your obeisances," man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ, "and worship Me."

Lecture on SB 1.8.41 -- Mayapura, October 21, 1974:

That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mercy, that He did not kill Jagāi-Mādhāi. Although He wanted to kill them because they insulted Vaiṣṇava, but still, Nityānanda Prabhu reminded Him that "In this incarnation, You promised that You'll not kill. So have mercy upon them." So their demonic activities were killed. That is also killing. Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted Jagāi-Mādhāi on this condition, that "You have to stop your sinful activities. Whatever you have done, that is done." So we make this condition. The demonic activities, we say, you have to stop. Whatever is done is done. Strictly following Caitanya Mahāprabhu, there is no consideration. Because one, you were previously a demon; therefore you cannot become a Vaiṣṇava—no. Anyone can become Vaiṣṇava provided he stops his demonic activities. Anyone. Anyone is welcome provided he accepts this philosophy, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66).

Lecture on SB 1.8.42 -- Mayapura, October 22, 1974:

Suppose you are in trouble. You have to satisfy the police commissioner. But you are trying to satisfy the police commissioner by bribing the constable. That is avidhi-pūrvaka. If it is known, then you'll be punished. So don't try to satisfy Kṛṣṇa-avidhi-pūrvakam. Vidhi-pūrvakam. That vidhi-pūrvakam is direct. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is wanted. That is vidhi-pūrvakam. Otherwise avidhi-pūrvakam. And how? The avidhi... The vidhi-pūrvaka, how? Just as the Ganges water is flowing automatically toward the sea, similarly, your devotional service like that, automatically, without any check... Then your life is perfect.

Lecture on SB 1.8.43 -- Los Angeles, May 5, 1973:

So you have to accept. Kṛṣṇa says, very frankly says, "Surrender unto Me, I give you anapavarga." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66), "I shall give you protection." So He is the power for this purpose, and govindam... Govinda means He is the giver of pleasure to the cows and to the senses. Govinda. Govinda, go-dvija-sura-arti-hara-avatāra. Avatāra means incarnation. Govinda, govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **, He's the ādi-puruṣa. Aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2), He is the original person, even of the demigods, Brahmā, Viṣṇu. People may not misunderstand that Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara, they are original. No. Kṛṣṇa says, "They are not original, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara." Aham ādir hi devānām, "I am the original person, above the..., of these demigods also."

Lecture on SB 1.8.43 -- Mayapura, October 23, 1974:

"If you come to Me..." Kṛṣṇa is saying to us, indicating Arjuna, that "If you come to, come back to home, back to Godhead... Why you are rotting in this material world, temporary world?" "No, I have got so many responsibilities, Sir. How can I join You?" So Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān pari...: "Give it up." "Then, I'll be in trouble?" "No, you'll not be troubled." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ (BG 18.66). Kṛṣṇa is giving assurance.

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

So this is the way, that "Don't speculate nonsensically." That is the injunction of Lord Brahmā, jñāne prayāsam, that "You are very much learned scholar. You are a great politician-'So I can speculate some religious system by misinterpreting this Bhagavad-gītā'—no, you should stop this." That is the recommendation. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva: "Just become submissive, submissive." That is the only way, to become submissive first of all. Then you can understand what is God. Therefore Kṛṣṇa demands, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So jñāne prayāsam udapā..., namanta eva. And what is the next business? San-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. One should hear bhavadīya-vārtām, the message of Kṛṣṇa, from a realized soul, not a professional man. A realized soul.

Lecture on SB 1.8.45 -- Mayapura, October 25, 1974:

So we should try to become a devotee simply by service. You can become a perfect devotee simply by service. There is no other method. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Bhakti means service, simply. That is bhakti. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau (Brs. 1.2.234). Simply the spirit, bhakti... Bhaktir uttamā. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā (CC Madhya 19.167). Ānukūlyena. Whatever Kṛṣṇa orders, if you discharge that, that is bhakti, simply favorable to Kṛṣṇa. Whatever Kṛṣṇa says...

So Kṛṣṇa says very simple thing, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). If we become intelligent enough, then we fully surrender to Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). We take up the principle, to think of Kṛṣṇa always, twenty-four hours. Satataṁ cintayanto, kīrtayanto mām. If you chant Kṛṣṇa's name, then satatam, twenty-four hours... That is possible.

Lecture on SB 1.8.47 -- Mayapura, October 27, 1974:

Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya wrote hundred verses appreciating Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, of which two verses are available, because when he sent the hundred verses glorifying Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He immediately torn the papers, but the devotees collected the torn papers and saved one or two ślokas. So one of the most important śloka is,

vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yoga-

śikṣārtham ekaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-śarīra-dhārī

kṛpāmbudhir yas tam ahaṁ prapadye

(CC Madhya 6.254)

Who is this Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu? He immediately recognized, "He is Kṛṣṇa. He is Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa, as the Supreme Person, He ordered this vairāgya-vidyā, "Just give up, nonsense, all these things. Just surrender to Me." This is vairāgya-vidyā. The so-called affection and duty and so on, so on, sarva-dharmān parityajya: (BG 18.66) "Give up." This is vairāgya-vidyā. So Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya could understand that "He is the same Kṛṣṇa, same Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead ordered, but He did not personally teach how to become elevated in vairāgya-vidyā.

Lecture on SB 1.8.48 -- Los Angeles, May 10, 1973:

So for a devotee there is no such distinction: "Here is hell" or "Here is heaven," "Here is Vṛndāvana" or "Here is Los Angeles," "Here is..." No. Because Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. Wherever He gets the opportunity of serving Kṛṣṇa, that he wants. That's all. Nothing more. Mama janmani janmanīśvare (Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4). Janmani janmani, it doesn't matter. What kind of janma will be... Of course, from the śāstras we can understand that śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate (BG 6.41). To take birth by a devotee is different little than another's. Because one who has dedicated to Kṛṣṇa, He is under Kṛṣṇa's control, direct. Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). So that bhakti means he is sinless, spotless. So therefore there is no possibility of his taking birth in lower animal group. That is not. He will get birth; that is assured—śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe—either in a very rich family or in a pure brāhmaṇa's family.

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

Out of ten kinds of offenses, the serious offense is guror avajñā, disobedience of the order of guru. This is the verdict of the śāstra. Kṛṣṇa is helping us in so many ways. He comes personally to help us, to deliver us from these clutches of māyā, and He advises, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). And when He's not physically present, He keeps Bhagavad-gītā left by Him so that others may read and take advantage of this sublime instruction of Kṛṣṇa. So He is helping us from within—buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam—from within. Tene brahma hṛdā.

Lecture on SB 1.8.49 -- Mayapura, October 29, 1974:

One who has taken full shelter of Kṛṣṇa, sarvātmanā, without any reservation, he's no more ṛṇī. He's no more. He's fully liquidated. How? Kṛṣṇa says,

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

Lecture on SB 1.10.1 -- Mayapura, June 16, 1973:

"If you think that without liquidating the debts of so many persons, devatā, ṛṣi, bhūta, āpta, general people, if you think by simply surrendering to Me you will be liable to punishment for not paying bills to so many persons," Kṛṣṇa assures, mā śucaḥ: "don't bother, I'll give you protection."

Dharma means which is given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is dharma. You cannot manufacture dharma. Just like nowadays so many dharmas have been manufactured. They are not dharma. Dharma means the order which is given by the Lord. That is dharma. Just like Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). We have manufactured so many dharmas: Hindu dharma, Muslim dharma, Christian dharma, Parsee dharma, Buddha dharma, this dharma, that dharma. They are not dharma. They are mental concoction, mental concoction. Otherwise, there will be contradiction. Take for example, the Hindus think cow-killing is adharma, and the Muslims think that cow-killing is their dharma. So which is correct? Whether cow killing is adharma or dharma?

Lecture on SB 1.10.1 -- Mayapura, June 16, 1973:

So these are mental concoction. Caitanya-caritāmṛta kaṛacā says, ei bhāla ei manda saba manodharma, "Mental concocted." Real dharma is what is ordered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is dharma. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "Give up your all manufactured dharma. Here is the real dharma." Śaraṇaṁ vraja. "Just become surrendered unto Me, and that is real dharma." Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Just like law. Laws can be manufactured or can be given by the government. You cannot make any law at your home. That is not law. Law means the order given by the government. The supreme government is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 10.8). There is nobody better than Kṛṣṇa. Therefore the order given by Kṛṣṇa is dharma. Our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is that dharma. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You give up all other so-called dharmas, this dharma, that dharma, so many dharmas. Simply just surrender unto Me."

Lecture on SB 1.10.1 -- Mayapura, June 16, 1973:

So Kṛṣṇa does not force anyone to become kṛṣṇa-bhakta, but He gives the chance. He explains everything, that "If you become kṛṣṇa-bhakta, or surrendered soul, then you will be happy. Otherwise you will not be happy." This is Kṛṣṇa. Kuru. He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). He does not force. Now it is our choice, whether we shall surrender to Kṛṣṇa or not. These are the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that one's ultimate goal of life is to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. That is the ultimate goal of life. But they do not know it.

Lecture on SB 1.10.2 -- Mayapura, June 17, 1973:

So these rascals, nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa, eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, when he forgets Kṛṣṇa, "Why shall I serve Kṛṣṇa? I shall become Kṛṣṇa," that is māyā. As soon as you forget the service of the Lord... That is your business, because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Just like this finger is part and parcel of my body. The finger's business is to carry out my order. I say, "Finger, come here." It comes immediately. I say, "Finger come here," it comes immediately. That is the business of the part and parcel of the body. I desire the leg now should go upstairs: the leg immediately goes. Similarly, we being part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, our only duty is to carry out the order of Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66).

Lecture on SB 1.10.2 -- Mayapura, June 17, 1973:

Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is always ready to help us, provided we are also ready to cooperate with Him. If we cooperate with Him, what Kṛṣṇa desires, if we want to do little, immediately Kṛṣṇa will help you. If you work one percent, Kṛṣṇa will help you ten percent. Again, if you work one percent, Kṛṣṇa will help you another ten percent. But the cent percent credit you get, by the help of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa gives you intelligence. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam (BG 10.10). If you are engaged satatam, twenty-four hours, without any other engagement... Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66), giving up all other nonsense business... Sarva-dharmān. Simply if you are engaged in Kṛṣṇa's business... Prīti-pūrvakam, with love. Not as hackneyed: "Oh here is the duty, chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa. All right, Harekṛṣṇaharekṛṣṇaharekṛṣṇa..." (Prabhupāda chants very quickly and indistinctly) Not like that. With prīti, with love. Chant every name, "Hare Kṛṣṇa," and hear. Here is Kṛṣṇa; here is Rādhārāṇī. That kind of chanting, quality. Not "Harekṛṣṇaharekṛṣṇakṛṣṇakṛṣṇaharehare..." Not like that. Not like that. Prīti.

Lecture on SB 1.10.4 -- Mayapura, June 19, 1973:

So Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja was that type of religious man, dharmeṇa. And as soon as you become, then ajitāśraya. Your shelter becomes under the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. It is not story. Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ (BG 18.66). It is not story. Kṛṣṇa says, confirms: "You just become My devotee, and I'll give you all protection." Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). So many assurances. "Immediately I give you protection." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mo... If I am released from all reaction of my sinful activities, then where is my difficulty? Difficulty's there so mo..., so long one is sinful. We suffer the reaction of sinful activities. But if there is no sin, I become purified, then where is suffering? There is no question of suffering.

Lecture on SB 1.10.5 -- London, August 28, 1973:

Pearls is muktā. Yes. And corals. Huge quantity. Simply because this material world, the supply is immediate. Just like in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness you can get one example. Just like in 7 Bury Place we were congested. So we were feeling. Kṛṣṇa immediately supplied you this, Bhaktivedanta Manor, "Take it." Huh? You cannot construct this house even in your own life. That is not possible. So we have to depend fully on Kṛṣṇa. That is called full surrender. Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). And serve him. All supplies are there. There is no botheration. It will come automatically. It will come automatically. Because after all, the supplier is Kṛṣṇa. Eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān.

Lecture on SB 1.13.11 -- Geneva, June 2, 1974:

Actually, Kṛṣṇa is the only friend, and He is sitting in everyone's heart. He is so nice friend that He is simply trying to induce us to turn our faith towards Kṛṣṇa. He is coming as avatāra, incarnation. He is giving us advice from within. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). He's such a nice friend. Although we have left Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa has not left us. Here He is living with Me within my heart to give me advice, "Please come back." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66).

Lecture on SB 1.15.1 -- New York, November 29, 1973:

Pramattaḥ teṣāṁ nidhanaṁ paśyann api na paśyati, because we have become mad after this so-called independence, independence of God, we are thinking these things will help us, will protect us, but that is māyā. Teṣāṁ nidhanam, everyone will be destroyed. Nobody will be able to give us protection. If real protection is wanted, he will have to take protection of Kṛṣṇa. That is the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). You rascal, you are thinking that so many things will give you protection. That will not be possible. You will be finished, and your so-called protector, and friends, and soldiers, they will be finished. You don't depend on them. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam... (BG 18.66), you just surrender unto Me, I'll give you protection, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ. This is real protection.

Lecture on SB 1.15.20 -- Los Angeles, November 30, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa is giving protection, but not as much as He wants to give you protection, because you deny to accept it. Because you deny to accept His protection, therefore He is giving protection to you as much as you want. And if you want full protection, then the condition is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "Give up your own manufactured, concocted means of protection. You just surrender unto Me, and I will give you protection." Protection for what? "Protection from sinful activities." We are victimized by our sinful activities due to ignorance. We do not know what to do, what not to do. Out of ignorance we do something, and we become victimized by the laws of nature. But if you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, He will give you protection. You will never be victimized. You will never be victimized.

Lecture on SB 1.15.20 -- Los Angeles, November 30, 1973:

So suhṛt means... Kṛṣṇa is suhṛt, suhṛt means who always, I mean to say, trying for our welfare. He comes Himself. And even though we do not accept... Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). He gives plain advice that "You always think of Me, become My devotee, offer your respectful obeisances unto Me. That will make your life perfect." But we shall not do that. We shall not do that. We shall think of so many other things, but we will never accept thinking of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.15.21 -- Los Angeles, December 1, 1973:

These rascals, they do not know what should be the aim of life. The aim of life is God realization, God realization, that "There is God, His name is Kṛṣṇa, His address is Vaikuṇṭha, His number is this, He has got so many friends, He has got so many lovers." Everything we are giving. But still, the rascal will not take. We are giving the name, address, activities, everything. "You come, go there." But no, they will not do that. This is called misfortune. He is coming Himself, canvassing, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām (BG 18.66), but still they are researching God. God is canvassing, and they are researching God. Somebody's failure, "There is no God." Somebody says, "God is dead. He is finished. Now we are God." These things are going on.

Lecture on SB 1.15.24 -- Los Angeles, December 3, 1973:

Therefore we should always try to understand the will of God. That is our duty. That will of God we can understand in the human form of life. That is an opportunity. Will of God is expressed very clearly. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is said already. Nobody can say "What is the will of God? I do not know." No, you know. He says, God says, Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). "You give up all other business. You just become surrendered to Me." "And then how shall I pull on? Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: "I shall give you protection. I will give you protection and I shall release you from the effects of all sinful activity."

Lecture on SB 1.15.24 -- Los Angeles, December 3, 1973:

Now we have to learn that we have been frustrated by serving so many things. Now we have to turn that service attitude to Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa's mission. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You are serving already. You cannot be free from service. But your service is misplaced. Therefore you just turn your service unto Me. Then you become happy." That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā pālitā durnideśāḥ. Because we are greedy... Just like a greedy man, he is suffering by eating more. There are so many diseases, just like diabetes or dysentery. There are so many things. These are the diseases for eating more. That's all.

Lecture on SB 1.15.24 -- Los Angeles, December 3, 1973:

So we therefore must submit to Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-dharmān parityajya... (BG 18.66). Because we cannot become free. We cannot go out of the laws of God. That is not possible. Therefore we must surrender that "Kṛṣṇa, God, I have acted freely so many births. I did not become happy. Neither I am happy at the present moment. So now I surrender unto You. You say that 'I give you protection.' So kindly give me protection." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Lecture on SB 1.15.29 -- Los Angeles, December 7, 1973:

So anyone who is not taking to Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, as Kṛṣṇa advised, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66), he is simply drinking poison. Drinking poison. That's all. And what is the effect of poison? You will die. Not only this life, life after life, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). He will accept this life, again he'll give up, again another body, again another. And that you do not know. There is no guarantee what kind of body you are going to get. But they are so rascals, they do not understand that "I am going to get another body." And there are so many varieties of body. If I get the body of a tree, now standed up for seven thousand years... How much risk we are taking. But all this risk can be avoided in this human form of life simply by thinking of Vāsudeva, simply by thinking of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.15.31 -- Los Angeles, December 9, 1973:

Prasannātmā means there is no more lamentation and no more hankering. That is prasannātmā. We are subjected to two things. Aḥ... If our possessed... If our possession is lost, then we lament, and if we don't possess, then we hanker. So here, viśokaḥ sampattyā. When one is fully identified with Brahman... Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So when you fully surrender and you become freed from other desires: only surrender to Kṛṣṇa. That is our only business. No more any other business. That is brahma-sampattyā. Sanātha-jīvitam.

Lecture on SB 1.15.34 -- Los Angeles, December 12, 1973:

Actually, Kṛṣṇa does not want you to do anything else except to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is Kṛṣṇa's desire. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is His desire. People say foolishly, "What is the desire of God?" And here is the the desire of God. Openly it is said that "You give up all other occupations. Simply take to this occupation, how to become a devotee." Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. That is Kṛṣṇa's desire. But we shall not do that thing. We shall do everything except that thing. That is our problem. And therefore we are suffering. That is demoniac. That is demoniac. Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ, disobedient to Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.15.35 -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1973:

We cannot create religion, "This is my religion." Then everyone will escape(?) in the name of religion. Because you have created so many rascaldom as religion, therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya: (BG 18.66) "You rascal, you give up all these religion. Real religion is surrender to Me." This is religion. Otherwise why Kṛṣṇa says, "Give up all religion"? Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66), He says in the beginning. Dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya. "I come, I descend just to reestablish the principle of religion." Does it mean that He came to support Hindu religion, Muslim religion, Christian religion? No. He came to reestablish religion. People do not know what is that religion. They have created their own religion. And some rascal swami is supporting, yata mata tata patha. How you can create? Religion is personal? "You can create your own religion and be satisfied"? This is going on. In the name of religion, every rascal is creating his own religion and he is satisfied. He is satisfied, "I have got my own religion."

Lecture on SB 1.15.37 -- Los Angeles, December 15, 1973:

Jagad-dhitāya. He comes for the welfare of the whole world. So sometimes it is necessary to take part in the politics. But unless one is perfectly free from all designation, he will be implicated in politics. If I become an American politician or Indian politician, then I will be implicated. But if I become a politician on behalf of Kṛṣṇa, then I will not be implicated. If my aim is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa's mission is that He said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So if we teach people this philosophy, that "You surrender to God, either by politics or by philosophy or by culture or by anything," that is perfection. If you teach people that "You feel like American," "You feel like Indian," "You feel like Hindu," "You feel like Christian, " this will never give you happiness, because it is polluted. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena... (CC Madhya 19.170). Therefore Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was exalted.

Lecture on SB 1.15.40 -- Los Angeles, December 18, 1973:

We are following Kṛṣṇa, the supreme perfect. I may be imperfect. That's a fact. I am imperfect. Just like a child is imperfect. That's a fact. But so long he follows the father, catching his hand, he is perfect. He is perfect. He has no danger. He has no danger. Similarly, anyone who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, and following blindly some rascal, he is imperfect and he will suffer. And because we have taken Kṛṣṇa's shelter, Kṛṣṇa says sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). He will give guidance. If you follow perfectly, you surrender unto Him, He will guide you. He is within you, everyone.

Lecture on SB 1.15.51 -- Los Angeles, December 28, 1973:

This confidential service, preaching of Bhagavad-gītā... What is that? Bhagavad-gītā preaching essence: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Simply go and preach. This very thing. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). This is Kṛṣṇa's desire. Preach to the world, "Just be Kṛṣṇa conscious." Man-manāḥ. "Just become Kṛṣṇa's devotee." Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī. "Just worship Kṛṣṇa." Mad-yājī mām... "Just offer your obeisances to Kṛṣṇa." Four words. Then you become a preacher. It is not very difficult to become a preacher and to become a spiritual master. How? Very simple thing. Go and speak what Kṛṣṇa says. That's all. You have nothing to manufacture, Dr. Frog. There is no need of manufacturing. We are very safe because we don't manufacture. We simply repeat, parrotlike, what Kṛṣṇa has said. That's all, finished. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "Let aside everything. Just become My devotee, surrendered soul." So we are preaching that. We don't make compromise. Therefore all people are against me. Because "This man simply says, 'Kṛṣṇa.' " But I cannot say anything more. That's all.

Lecture on SB 1.15.51 -- Los Angeles, December 28, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa says,

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

Lecture on SB 1.16.12 -- Los Angeles, January 9, 1974:

One who has got firm faith in declaration, that "If I become devotee of Kṛṣṇa, if I fully surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then all perfection is there," this is called faith. This is called faith. Not flickering faith: "Let me adopt this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and when there is opportunity, let me go to some rascal who has appeared as Bhagavān." That kind of faith will not help. That will not help.

So what is that religion? That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). This is religion, to surrender to God. It doesn't matter what religion you profess. It doesn't matter. But you must learn how to obey the Supreme Lord. That is religion. Religion does not mean that you stamp some stereotype religion, "I am Christian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Buddhist," and then fight. That is not religion. That is fanaticism. Religion means how one has become devoted to God. That is religion.

Lecture on SB 1.16.12 -- Los Angeles, January 9, 1974:

Yesterday we were speaking of digvijaya. So every devotee should be so sincere to Kṛṣṇa, or God, that he must execute Kṛṣṇa's mission. Kṛṣṇa Himself comes. Kṛṣṇa comes as devotee. When He came personally, He established His position as God, with all opulences, six opulences. And He asked, through Arjuna, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is Kṛṣṇa's demand, "You rascal..." Because we are all parts and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. We are suffering. Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhāni indriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati.

Lecture on SB 1.16.17 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1974:

So our simple test is whether a man is devotee or not. If we find that He is a devotee, then we respect, "Yes, here is nice Vaiṣṇava." Even Yamarāja says, "Offer my respect to the Vaiṣṇava." But if we see that he is not a devotee, he is claiming himself as God, as the supreme, then immediately, according to the formula of Bhagavad-gītā, we accept-mūḍha. Because a mūḍha does not surrender. Mūḍha. That is the test. Anyone who has not surrendered to the principle of Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja... (BG 18.66). That is the test. If he has not surrendered to God, or Kṛṣṇa, then he is mūḍha. That is also explained in the Bhāgavata that ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. Why they are so mūḍhas?

Lecture on SB 1.16.19 -- Los Angeles, July 9, 1974:

Religion is one. God is one. Therefore religion is one. Because religion means the law or the order given by God. That is religion. Simple definition. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, "Surrender unto Me," that is religion. So one has to surrender. Either he is a Hindu or a Christian or Muhammadan, he has to surrender. That is religion. One cannot say that because we are professing Christian religion, we haven't got to surrender to God. Will anybody say? Will any Christian will say like that? Or any Hindu will say like that? Or any Muhammadan will say like that? No. Everyone has to surrender to God. That is religion.

Lecture on SB 1.16.19 -- Los Angeles, July 9, 1974:

So those who are going to religious life, making God as their servant, they will be failure. You must approach God as master. You should become servant. The so-called religionist, they accept God as their order-supplier servant: "I must pray to God." Whenever there is some inconvenience, "I must pray," or "I must... " Not "must." "At that time I shall pray, and then I shall finish that prayer, and God must supply. If God does not supply, then there is no God." This is the general attitude. But that should not be done. The real religion is, as Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). First of all surrender. Then talk of mercy and this or that.

Lecture on SB 1.16.21 -- Hawaii, January 17, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyaḥ (BG 18.66). Because you are habituated to commit sinful life only, so if you want to be saved, then you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise, you have to be punished, in this life or next life. And you do not know what is your next life because you are all ignorant. But there is next life. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). But if you are most sinful, then you are going to become abominable living creatures. Adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ (BG 14.18). You go down. And if you become pious, then you are promoted. But our program is not to become pious, not to become sinful: to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That will save us.

Lecture on SB 1.16.21 -- Los Angeles, July 11, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. If you cannot liquidate your debts, you become sinful. But if you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa says,

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

Lecture on SB 1.16.23 -- Hawaii, January 19, 1974:

"I shall get you released." This is one side. And... From spiritual angle of vision. But from material angle of vision ṛṇa, debts, you can become insolvent. "I cannot pay." If you apply to the court... I do not know whether this act is there in your country. In India there is insolvency act. If one is debtor, then his assets, then he submits to the court that "I have got so much asset and I have got so much debt. So people may not harass me, the court may divide amongst my creditors whatever I have got." This is called insolvency.

A child is going to capture fire. The father, parents says, "No, my dear child, don't touch it. It is harmful." That is the duty, natural. So this, in this material world, we have come here, we are sons of God, part and parcel of God, and doing all nonsense. So Kṛṣṇa is not happy; therefore He comes, avatāra, avatāra. He comes, "My dear child, why you are doing this?" And He advises, sarva-dharmān parityajya: (BG 18.66) "Give up all this nonsense business. Come to Me. I shall give you protection." But we are so foolish rascal that we are prepared to become servant of the most abominable activities of our senses, but we are not prepared to surrender to Kṛṣṇa and become His servant.

Dharma means occupational duty. Everyone has got some occupational duty. So dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). That occupational duty is assigned by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Tena tyaktena bhuñjīthāḥ (ISO 1). Actually, the dharma principle, as we learn from Bhagavad-gītā... Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Don't create, manufacture, your principle of religion, concocted. That is the difficulty. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). We have several times explained this, that dharma means-dharma, as it is translated in English, "religion"—religion means to obey the laws of God. That is religion, not a sentimental system of religious system we manufacture. That kind of dharma will not help us.

The real dharma is stated by God Himself. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). You haven't got to learn from anywhere else but from God Himself. So that is explained very nicely in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām... (BG 18.66). To surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is religion. Not only surrender, but to act as He desires, or you become a lover of God. This is first-class religion. We have several times explained. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). That type of religion is first-class which teaches you how to become a lover of God.

That type of religion is first-class which teaches you how to become a lover of God. If you become lover, then your life is successful. Then you'll do everything for God. Otherwise, you'll simply question, "Why shall I do that? Why shall I do that? Why shall I...?" That means there is no love. That is training. Just like a novice is being trained up, and he has no love, so he'll question that "Why shall I do it? Why shall I do it? Why shall I do? What benefit I shall get?" So many questions will be there. But when there is love, there is no question. So therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā, after teaching so many things, yoga, jñāna, karma and so many other things, at last, Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-guhyatamam: "Now I am speaking to you the most confidential instruction." What is that? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja... (BG 18.66). This is the most confidential.

Lecture on SB 1.16.26-30 -- Hawaii, January 23, 1974:

So generally, a human being accepts four principles, namely dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90). Dharma means religious principle; artha means economic principle, how to develop economic principle; dharma, kāma, how to satisfy our senses; and mokṣa, and ultimately, salvation. But this is material principles. We have to surpass this material principle, then come to the spiritual platform. That is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam... Sarva-dharmān (BG 18.66). This is also dharma. So just like people are engaged formally. Their temple, church, is sometimes, simply formality. Real, their real business is how to satisfy their senses. "If for satisfying my senses I'll have to pose myself as a religious person, so let me do that." That is their religion. But that is not religion. Real religion is no sense satisfaction, simply to satisfy the Supreme Lord. That is real religion.

So eating, sleeping, mating and defending. And defending, we are defending in so many ways, but still, war is there, and the onslaught of material nature... Your country is defending so nicely, but now the petrol is taken away. You cannot defend. Similarly, everything can be taken away at any moment. So depend on Kṛṣṇa for defending, defenses. Avaśya rakṣibe kṛṣṇa. This is called surrender. Surrender, means... Kṛṣṇa says that "You surrender unto Me," sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). Let us believe this, that "Kṛṣṇa is asking to surrender. Let me surrender. He must protect me in danger." That is called surrender. "Now, I am surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, but for my defense I'm making another arrangement." Then I have no faith in Kṛṣṇa. If I believe in Kṛṣṇa, then we must believe that Kṛṣṇa will... Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. Believe. Satyaṁ śaucaṁ dayā kṣāntiḥ. Kṣānti means toleration? What is that? Hm? See kṣānti.

Lecture on SB 1.16.35 -- Hawaii, January 28, 1974:

Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes, the puruṣottama, to take us back. "Why you are now covered, your shining is stopped? You are morose. You are suffering threefold miserable condition of material existence. Why you are rotting here?" Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Kṛṣṇa comes Himself. He is within everyone's heart. He's instructing. He is ready to instruct, but He'll only instruct to such persons who have engaged themselves in devotional service. Kṛṣṇa is there, just like the master is there and many workers are there also. The master speaks to the important persons, not to the ordinary person. Similarly, the master is there in everyone's heart.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Delhi, November 4, 1973:

This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission, that "I give you order. You, every one of you become a spiritual master." "Oh, I have no qualification. How can I become spiritual master? It requires high knowledge, Sanskrit understanding." "No, you don't require anything. Simply you speak kṛṣṇa-upadeśa." What is kṛṣṇa-upadeśa? Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). You simply go door to door and say, "Please surrender to Kṛṣṇa." Then you are spiritual master. I have done this. What I have done? I have gone to your country to say this thing, that "Here is Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You surrender; you become perfect." That is being done.

Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Delhi, November 6, 1973:

Unless you are a devotee, unless you are constantly engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, He will not speak to you. He speaks, but you cannot hear. You have no ears to hear Him. That is not possible. Kṛṣṇa is speaking. Just like Kṛṣṇa is speaking in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). It is open speaking, but who is hearing? Nobody is hearing. Nobody is hearing. They have got their own conception of life.

Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Delhi, November 6, 1973:

Simply by hearing, you become pious. Because we are all impious. Unless we are impious, we don't accept this material body. There may be difference of degrees. That does not make... Anyone who has come to this material world, he is to be considered as impious.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). Because all of us are now in this material body means there is pāpa. Otherwise why there is... Just like in the prison house, anyone, he may be Gandhi or he may be a small pickpocket, anyone who is in the prison house, it is to be considered that he is criminal. He is a criminal in the eyes of the government. We may worship Gandhi, that's all right, or any political leader, but government think that he is a criminal.

Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Delhi, November 6, 1973:

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyaḥ: "If you surrender to Me... Because you have rebelled against Me. Rebelling against Me, you have come to this material world to enjoy. So I have given you all chances. I have given you chance to become Brahmā, to become Indra or become Candra, to become Nixon, to become Gandhi, to become Jawaharlal Nehru, to become ant, to become cat, to become dog. I have given you all chances, and you have enjoyed. But you are not satisfied. Now, if you have got sense, just surrender to Me."

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Paris, June 12, 1974:

"If you actually want real happiness, then you surrender to Me. I will give you protection from this sinful reaction of life."

He's situated within your heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 18.61). Just see how much He loves you. He's trying always to get you back to home. And He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You rascal, why you are engaged in such nasty things, material life? You come to Me. You'll be happy. I shall give you all protection." "No, Sir, I am not going. I shall become a hog, and I shall eat stool. That, that is my advancement of material civilization."

Lecture on SB 2.1.4 -- Delhi, November 7, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa is sarvātmā. He is situated in everyone's heart as friend. He is the real friend. He is giving me advice. He is within, conscience, which we..., or good instruction, counsel. He says that "Don't be materially attached." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam: (BG 18.66) "Come to Me. Just become surrendered to Me. I will give you protection. I will give you intelligence." No. I reject Him: "I don't want You. I have got my friend, I have got my nation, I have got my community, I have got my wife, I have got my children, I have got my bank balance. Why shall I take protection of You?" This is the... Paśyann api na paśyati. The rascal does not see that these things will not give you protection.

Lecture on SB 2.1.4 -- Delhi, November 7, 1973:

Anumantā means you cannot touch any fruit of this world without the sanction of the Supersoul. Therefore He is anumantā. If you say, "Then if He is giving me sanction for any action, then how I am responsible?" No. He is not giving. Because you are insisting, therefore He says, "All right, do it, at your risk." He is insisting, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "Simply surrender." He is insisting that. But you are insisting in a different way: "I want to steal, I want to this, I want to this." But Kṛṣṇa knows everything, that "This rascal will do. All right, do it at your risk." Anumantā upadraṣṭā. And He remains witness: "Because you have done this, now you suffer. Now you suffer."

Lecture on SB 2.1.5 -- Paris, June 13, 1974:

Anyone who is weak, he must not be given freedom. That is good for him. Similarly, we are weak. God is great. God is all-powerful. We are very teeny. We have no power. Therefore our normal life is voluntarily accept the controlling power of God. That is human life. And God comes and He pleads, He requests that "My dear boy, why you are struggling here? You will never be happy." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You have manufactured so many plans to be happy, but you will never be happy. Therefore your only business is that you come under My control and you will be happy." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ: "I will give you all happiness." This is the sum and substance of Bhagavad-gītā. And anyone who agrees to be controlled, then success of life begins from that point, when he agrees. Unfortunately, at the present moment the whole world population has been taught in such a way that they do not want to be controlled. Therefore there is always chaotic condition.

Lecture on SB 2.3.1 -- Los Angeles, May 19, 1972:

Real leader is Kṛṣṇa. So if we surrender to Kṛṣṇa as Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), "Give up all other occupation, duties. Simply just surrender unto Me." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ. "Don't hesitate. Do it." Kṛṣṇa is personally canvassing. He's so kind. He comes personally. He speaks the whole truth in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on SB 2.3.1-3 -- Los Angeles, May 22, 1972:

Tejas-kāmo vibhāvasum. Vibhāvasum. There are Vasus, eight kinds of Vasus. So you can worship one of the Vasus. If you want to be very influential person, like Mr. Nixon, then you worship Vibhāvasum. Vasu-kāmo vasūn rudrān. Vasu means "wealth." If you want wealth, riches. So list is there, but Kṛṣṇa says, "This will not make you happy, My dear friend. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). You kick off all this nonsense! You just surrender unto Me." That is Kṛṣṇa's instruction. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Because He's the Supreme, He's giving supreme advice. But there are other persons. To regulate them... Because... These they are called yajñas. Saha-yajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā. There is little touch of devotion, indirectly. Because if you want to worship Indra, you must worship at the same time Nārāyaṇa. That is the system. Nārāyaṇa-śilā will be there. Because the benediction you want from the particular type of demigod, he cannot give independently.

Lecture on SB 2.3.9 -- Los Angeles, May 26, 1972:

The varieties of life is there because we have desire, kāma. "I want this." "All right, take this." Kṛṣṇa is immediately prepared. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante (BG 4.11). "If you want, you can take it." But Kṛṣṇa says, ultimately, that "You'll never be happy in this way. Therefore you give up this business. Simply surrender unto Me." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). So that is called akāma. So here it is said that akāmaḥ yajet puruṣaṁ param. If you want to be akāma, devoid of all material desires, then surrender to Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 2.3.10 -- Los Angeles, May 28, 1972:

The śāstra is giving you all freedom. "If you like, you do this." But ultimately gives this instruction... Just like Kṛṣṇa. He has spoken so many things, jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, karma-yoga. But at the end He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śara... (BG 18.66). "You give up all this nonsense, simply surrender unto Me." That is the ultimate instruction. So that means śāstra gives you freedom, at the same time gives you chance. Śāstra is not... Just like we are free, and the state laws are there, and we are free to violate it or to abide by it. Similarly, all the śāstras, everything is there. And the freedom is also there. Not, I mean to say, the ultimate freedom, but there is freedom, small freedom. We can make our choice.

Lecture on SB 2.3.13-14 -- Los Angeles, May 30, 1972:

If I have surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa has taken my charge, Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66), then why shall I bother myself? If I am thinking, "I am suffering," it is also Kṛṣṇa's grace. We should take like that. Even in my consideration, I am in a position which is apparently suffering, we must accept as Kṛṣṇa's grace: "All right, I have surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. If Kṛṣṇa is giving me suffering, that's all right." That is surrender. "Oh, I have surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, and now Kṛṣṇa is giving me suffering? Oh, leave Kṛṣṇa consciousness." That is not surrender.

Lecture on SB 2.3.19 -- Los Angeles, June 15, 1972:

We get this chance, and if we are not educated by our teachers, by our fathers, by our leaders, by our government men, by our gurus, by our relatives, how to accept the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, who is canvassing... Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "Give up all this nonsense engagement, trying to become Kṛṣṇa, or God. Give up this. Surrender unto Me." This is education. This is education. The father should give education at home. The leaders should give education in institution. The politicians should give education in their assemblies, congress. The guru should give education how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. The father should educate, the mother should educate.

Lecture on SB 2.3.20 -- Bombay, March 24, 1977, At Cross Maidan Pandal:

Dharma means the law given by God. That is dharma. You cannot manufacture. Who cares for your manufactured system? Just like nobody cares for if you make some law, that "I have made some law," and go to the court, "Sir, I have made this law. Please accept." "He's lunatic. Drive him away." That is not possible. This is dharma, as Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is dharma. Don't manufacture dharma. (break) Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). What is that glāni? Discrepancy. So glāni is disobedience to the order of God. That is glāni. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata. So the whole world is denying, śūnyavādi, nirviśeṣa-vādi, nirākāra-vādi: "No God. God is dead." So what kind of religious system they'll manufacture? They are simply misled. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ (SB 7.5.31). Very tightly regulated by the laws of nature, and still, we are independently manufacturing religion. This is not possible. Give us this... Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). Actually this is dharma. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). It doesn't matter whether you are Hindu, Muslim, Christian, or any other sect. The test is how much you are advanced in understanding God. That is the... If you do not understand God, if you have no obedience to God, that is not dharma.

Lecture on SB 2.3.21 -- Los Angeles, June 18, 1972:

The same disease. Up to the end, the same disease. God means "enjoyer." So this disease can be cured only by surrender. That is the only medicine. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Here, also, the same thing: bhāraḥ paraṁ paṭṭa-kirīṭa-juṣṭam. A princely order, a king, he has been given the chance of ruling over, over a kingdom, but if he forgets his position, he actually becomes the proprietor, then this kingdom will be burden. Just like it became so in the case of Rāvaṇa, and he was finished.

Lecture on SB 2.3.25 -- Los Angeles, June 23, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa is canvassing personally,

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

Lecture on SB 2.4.1 -- Los Angeles, June 24, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa personally comes to canvass. Because we are all Kṛṣṇa's children, He's very sorry that we are in this miserable condition of life. He's very sorry. But we are so fool, we do not know that what is the condition of our life. We are thinking we are very much happy. This is called māyā. He's suffering, he's kicked by the shoes of māyā every moment, and still, he's thinking "I am very happy. Why shall I go back to home? I shall remain in America." But you cannot be allowed to remain in America.

Even little, very insignificant part. That means, insignificant part, that is, Kṛṣṇa is teaching Himself, "Just surrender." So this much mercy every one of us we can take. How? "Kṛṣṇa, I was wandering throughout the whole universe in so many lives. I did not know that You are my supreme master. Now, from this day, I surrender unto You." Kṛṣṇa is ready: ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). "Yes, you do it. I shall give you protection from all sinful resultant action. Immediately." A simple process. So this much mercy we can take, if we will. But we are not willing. We surrender to some rascal, but not to Kṛṣṇa. That is our position. We shall surrender to this man, that man, this man, this one ... Why not Kṛṣṇa? "No," māyā will say. "No, no, no. What is Kṛṣṇa? You surrender to such big politician, big yogi, big bluffer, cheater. You surrender there." Māyā is always after you to bewilder you. Because we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa by our independence, misusing our independence, so māyā wants to give us some good lesson, that "Forgetting Kṛṣṇa, you are trying to be happy. All right, I shall give you nice happiness." This is going on.

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

I am Kṛṣṇa's eternal servant. These are all nonsense"—he immediately becomes liberated. Just try to understand. Immediately, within a second. Liberation can be attained within a second, provided we abide by the order of Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is the position. We are not fallen. We are thinking fallen. So we have to give up this nonsense thinking. Then we are liberated. There is no Is there any difficulty to understand? Just see how important this verse. It is already there, but you are not reading. Each verse, read every day carefully. Try to assimilate, understand, and you will get more profit, every day, hundred yards forward, hundred yards forward, yes. They are so important verses. How nicely composed by Vyāsadeva. In two lines the whole thing is explained. This is called śāstra. In two lines.

Lecture on SB 2.9.7 -- Tokyo, April 24, 1972:

Suppose if I ask somebody to do something very confidential, so that means he is identical with me, because otherwise, how can I trust? Therefore it is clear, not like Māyāvādīs, that "Because I have been deputed by Kṛṣṇa to carry some message," not that I have become. But I am equal because the business is the same. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), and the spiritual master says the same thing, sarva-dharmān parityajya: "Just surrender to Kṛṣṇa." Therefore, message being the same, they are identical. The persons are identical. But not identical in the Māyāvādī sense, that he has become now God. No. He is not God, but he is the most confidential servant of God. This is Vaiṣṇava philosophy.

Lecture on SB 2.9.14 -- Melbourne, April 13, 1972:

One should take a little risk. That is advised by Nārada. And the same instruction, while he was giving, that First of all he said, "All this nonsense, that jugupsitam: They are abominable. Because you are writing books, dharma artha kāma mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90), so later on You are authority, Vyāsadeva. People will stick to this. And if even Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66), 'You give up all this nonsense, you simply surrender,' they will not hear because you are writing so many nonsense books." He chastised him like that. Jugupsitam, this very word. Jugupsitam. "You are authority, so you have done such, so many nonsense books." He wrote Mahābhārata, he wrote Aṣṭadaśa-Purāṇa, he wrote, I mean to say, Upaniṣad, and after all, Vedānta-sūtra, all these books which are so highly recognized all over the world. Still, that was condemned, "But you have written all these nonsense books." Jugupsitam. "Because you are authority, they will stick to it." "Oh, here is."

Lecture on SB 2.9.14 -- Melbourne, April 13, 1972:

So Nārada Muni advised, tyaktvā sva-dharmam: "You give up all these occupational duties according to the modes of nature. Tyaktvā. You take immediately shelter of Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa, as Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). Sarva-dharmān means all kinds of this dharma: brāhmaṇa's dharma, or the kṣatriya's dharma, or the... Give up all this. Then? Mām ekaṁ śaraṇam. So Nārada also says that same thing. That is the characteristic of devotee. What the Lord says, the devotee will say. He will not make any addition, alteration, and amalgamate and comment. No. He will say the same thing. Kṛṣṇa says that "You surrender unto Me, giving up all your occupational duty."

Lecture on SB 2.9.16 -- Tokyo, April 30, 1972:

Prasanna-hāsāruṇa, aruṇa-locanānanam. This is God. He doesn't require any service. Still, if you, somehow or other, if you approach there with this service attitude only... Because you cannot approach God in challenging mood. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, "Surrender first of all." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is bhakti. If you surrender, then, Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. We suffer on account of our sinful activities. So here everything is sinful. Anything you do in this material world, that is sin.

Lecture on SB 3.25.1 -- Bombay, November 1, 1974:

So unless one is enlightened by the spiritual knowledge, he remains only just like cats and dogs. And to understand spiritual identification, that is called dharma. Dharma means that. And the ultimate goal of dharma is spoken by Kṛṣṇa, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). We have created so many dharmas: Hindu dharma, Mussulman dharma, Christian dharma. These are manufactured. Of course, there is indication how to execute dharma, but real dharma—when you come to the conclusion, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19).

Lecture on SB 3.25.1 -- Bombay, November 1, 1974:

Nobody knows what is dharma. This is the position. Because dharma means the order of the Supreme Being. That is dharma. Just like law means the order of the government, similarly, dharma means the order of the Supreme Being. That is dharma. This is the simple definition of dharma. So God is one; His order is one. How there can be different dharmas? It is not possible. That is ignorance. When we create different dharma, that is due to ignorance: Hindu dharma, Muslim dharma, Christian dharma or this dharma, that dharma... No. Gold is gold. Does it mean that if a Christian possesses some gold, it becomes Christian gold? Or Hindu possesses some gold, it becomes Hindu gold? No. Gold is gold. Either it is in possession of Hindu or Muslim or Christian, it doesn't matter. Gold is gold. So we are preaching that, that "Here is dharma, to surrender unto the Supreme Being." That is dharma. Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). This is bhāgavata-dharma. Everyone should be taught how to surrender to God.

Lecture on SB 3.25.2 -- Bombay, November 2, 1974:

Just like in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We have got more than one hundred centers. And one center... We were just reading from the statement of Nava Bhārata Times how they are well managed. But we have no business. We have no source of income. That is the only source of income—Kṛṣṇa's shelter. Samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavam. Therefore śāstra says that "You take shelter of Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa comes also to say the same truth. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). He never said that "You do this and do that. Then I shall give you for your maintenance." No. Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: "Not only I shall give maintenance, but I shall protect you from the resultant action of sinful life." So much assurance is there.

Lecture on SB 3.25.4 -- Bombay, November 4, 1974:

That is also recommended in the Śrīmad-Bhagavad-gītā: tad viddhi praṇipātena. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). Simply going and asking the spiritual master or guru, and not to accept his instructions, then don't waste your time. Don't waste your time. In a challenging spirit, if you go to a spiritual master, without any service, sevayā, and praṇipātena... Praṇipātena... Prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa nipāta. Nipāta means fall down, and pra means prakṛṣṭa-rūpa, sufficiently. No reservation. This knowledge, the transcendental knowledge, is based on this praṇipāta. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You just surrender unto Me." And similarly we have to surrender to Kṛṣṇa or His representative.

Lecture on SB 3.25.5-6 -- Bombay, November 5, 1974:

So dharmasya tattvam is explained by the Dharmasetu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa; sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is actually dharma. And all these mahājanas—svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kapilaḥ (SB 6.3.20)—they also follow the same principle. Therefore we cannot understand very easily what is the truth of religious system, but if we follow these mahājanas, then we can understand. So that Kapila Muni is explaining to His mother the glories of devotional service. So if we follow Him, then we also get informed what is the truth of devotional service.

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

When this dharma is disobeyed, Kṛṣṇa comes. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna that "Because you are My friend, I am just talking to You the most confidential dharma. Because I have spoken to you in so many ways, but because you are My intimate friend, so I am talking to you now the most essential part of dharma." What is that? "Now, whatever I have said, you can give up." Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). "I have explained to you about so many yoga systems, but this is the real yoga system: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Bas."

Lecture on SB 3.25.11 -- Bombay, November 11, 1974:

We cannot hide anything. Therefore we get the resultant action of our karma. Because the witness is Kṛṣṇa Himself within your heart, how you can avoid? Upadraṣṭā, anumantā. And without Kṛṣṇa's permission, you cannot do anything. So why Kṛṣṇa gives permission to do something wrong? Because we want to do it. We persist. Kṛṣṇa does not say that you do anything else than to "Surrender to Me." He says only these things, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam... (BG 18.66). But we want to do something else. But anything else, you cannot do without Kṛṣṇa's permission. Exactly like the child. The child persists to do something, but still wants to take permission from the mother: "Mother, I want this. I want to do this. I want to do this." Mother sometimes says, "No, no, you don't do this." But when he persists, "All right, you do it." It is like that. We are... Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca. I wanted to do something, and Kṛṣṇa sanctions, and we do. But we do it at our own risk. Kṛṣṇa is not responsible. But without sanction of Kṛṣṇa you cannot do anything. That is a fact.

Lecture on SB 3.25.11 -- Bombay, November 11, 1974:

Real dharma. Dharma artha kāma mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90), this is ordinary dharma. Real dharma is, as Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is real dharma. And all other dharmas, so-called dharmas, they are simply cheating. Because that will not benefit anybody, the followers or the dictators. So real dharma is... And Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begins from there. if you accept the principles of Bhagavad-gītā, that is the preliminary study, A-B-C-D of dharma, and if you accept this principle, that to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyam...

Lecture on SB 3.25.11 -- Bombay, November 11, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa also says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). But if you take shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, then you are no more debtor to anyone. You are no more debtor. Nāyam ṛṇī na kiṅkaraḥ.

Lecture on SB 3.25.11 -- Bombay, November 11, 1974:

Bhakti-yogam means vairāgya-vidyā, the learning in the science of detachment. That is bhakti-yoga. Vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yogam. This verse was composed by Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya. When he understood Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he composed one hundred verses. He was a very learned logician of India, Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya. So some of the verses are available. Because when the verses were offered to Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He torn it and... Because He was a sannyāsī. That was His another vairāgya. Anyway... So this verse is that "You are, Sir, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, You are the same Kṛṣṇa. You formerly came to teach people this vairāgya." Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). This parityajya means vairāgya. "Don't care for all this material world. Surrender unto Me." This is vairāgya. Jñāna and vairāgya. Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ (SB 1.2.7). Bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ. If you apply bhakti-yoga to Vāsudeva-vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19)—on this platform, then janayaty āśu vairāgyam. Āśu, "very soon." This is the sign of bhakti-yoga. Janayaty āśu. If a person is advancing in bhakti-yoga, the result will be that he is detached from material attraction. That is the sign.

Lecture on SB 3.25.11 -- Bombay, November 11, 1974:

So because we cannot do it ourself, by our own endeavor, therefore we have to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. He will help. Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). He'll help. Our only business is to take shelter. Therefore Devahūti says, gatāhaṁ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyam. "You are the only shelter. Therefore I am taking shelter. And You can cut my attachment for this material life. And why You shall do it? Because I am Your eternal servant." Bhṛtya. Somehow or other... Anādi karama phale paḍi' bhavārṇava-jale, taribāre nā dekhi upāya. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, that "Somehow or other, I am fallen..."

Lecture on SB 3.25.11 -- Bombay, November 11, 1974:

That is stated here: sva-bhṛtya-saṁsāra-taroḥ kuṭhāram, jijñāsayāhaṁ prakṛteḥ pūruṣasya namāmi sad-dharma-vidāṁ variṣṭham. Sad-dharma. Not sad-dharma. Asato mā sad gama. So sad-dharma required. The, in this material world the so-called dharmas, this Hindu dharma, Muslim dharma and Christian dharma and Buddhist dharma and so many... They are not sad-dharma. They are asad-dharma. "Because I am born in the family of a Christian, I am Christian." "Because I am born in the family of Hindu, I am Hindu." And next time I may (be) born in the family of a dog. There is no dharma. So these are not sad-dharma. These are all asad-dharma, for the time being. Asad means "that will not stay." You are Hindu. How long you are Hindu? Say, fifty years. Or you are Indian. How long you are Indian? Say, fifty, sixty, hundred years. But again you have to become something else. That we do not know. We are working very hard, "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Indian," "I am American." These upādhi. But the upādhi may be changed next moment. At any moment. So what is your real dharma? This is temporary dharma for the body. What is your real dharma? Real dharma is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is sad-dharma. That is sad-dharma. That will continue eternally.

Lecture on SB 3.25.11 -- Bombay, November 11, 1974:

So sad-dharma... Here it is said, namāmi sad-dharma-vidāṁ variṣṭham: "There are many propounder of sad-dharma. But actually, You are the best of the propounders of the sad-dharma because You know the reality." And that is the actual reality. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam... (BG 18.66). That is sad-dharma. So the Gosvāmīs worked... Sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau. Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau. So these Gosvāmīs, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's direct disciples, they tried to establish sad-dharma, and we are trying to follow their footprints, footsteps, to establish real dharma all over the world. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Lecture on SB 3.25.13 -- Bombay, November 13, 1974:

So that is wanted. That is ādhyātmika. That is called bhakti-yoga, to reconnect our connection with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa also comes to instruct that "You rascal, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Just revive your connection with Me, you rascal. Give up all these manufactured so-called types of yoga and religion." Sarva-dharmān paritya... That is Kṛṣṇa's instruction. That is the differ... That is the proof. Kṛṣṇa says the same thing, and Kṛṣṇa's representative or incarnation or guru says the same thing. That is the qualification of guru. Here Kapiladeva, although He is the incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, He's acting as the representative of Kṛṣṇa, as guru. He's saying the same thing. He does not say another thing. Yoga ādhyātmikaḥ. Yoga ādhyātmikaḥ puṁsāṁ mato niḥśreyasāya me. Niḥśreyasa means the ultimate benefit. Kṛṣṇa also says the same thing, that paraṁ guhyatamam: "I have instructed you so many things, but because you are My dear friend, I am just disclosing to you the most confidential thing." What is that? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). If you accept this principle, then you become actually transcendental to this so-called material happiness and distress. That is yoga.

Lecture on SB 3.25.14 -- Bombay, November 14, 1974:

One can stick to Kṛṣṇa consciousness when one is completely free from all sinful reaction of life. So you may say that "It will take some time. If I have to get free from sinful reaction, then I'll have to take some time." Kṛṣṇa says, "No, no time. Immediately."

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

Lecture on SB 3.25.15 -- Bombay, November 15, 1974:

"I will immediately do that. You just do this business. Surrender unto Me, and I take guarantee." Then your life begins. Sarva-pāpa-vinirmuktam, sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170).

If you want to awaken your dormant love for Kṛṣṇa... There is, because we are part and parcel. Just like father and son. There is natural love. But somehow or other, son is out of home and forgotten. Father, of course, thinks, "My such-and-such son has gone out. If he comes back..." So Kṛṣṇa thinks like that. Because we are sons of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is more anxious to get us back to home, back to Godhead. Therefore He comes and says, "You rascal, give up all these engagements." Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). "You have manufactured so many dharmas: deva-dharma, samāja-dharma, deśa-dharma, this dharma, that dharma, Hindu dharma, Muslim dharma, this... No! Simply surrender unto Me." That is dharma. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ek... (BG 18.66). Kṛṣṇa comes to teach us. Kṛṣṇa is very, very anxious.

Lecture on SB 3.25.18 -- Bombay, November 18, 1974:

So to become free from pāpa, sinful life, one may say that "It will take many years..." Because yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. Unless we act piously, it is not possible to become free from impious, or sinful, life. But there is very simple process. What is that process? Kṛṣṇa says that process:

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

Lecture on SB 3.25.18 -- Bombay, November 18, 1974:

Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. If you simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa, sarva-dharmān... Sarva... There are many dharmas, or many activities or function. Some of them are pious; some of them are impious. There are two kinds. So Kṛṣṇa says, "You give up, pious and impious, both." That is sarva-dharmān. Because we are acting piously and impiously. So you can give up both pious activities and impious activities. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was thinking that "Fighting with my brother, it is impious."

So Kṛṣṇa was insisting that "You must fight." So how Arjuna could take impious activities? Because Kṛṣṇa's service is above these pious and impious activities. That is called sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). Just like the gopīs. The gopīs went to Kṛṣṇa at mid..., midnight, by simply hearing the flute of Kṛṣṇa. So young girl, going to Kṛṣṇa at midnight, this is impious activities. According to śāstra, according to moral, it is impious activities. But because it was done for Kṛṣṇa, it is understood as the most pious. Recommends. Who recommends? Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that ramyā kācid upāsanā vraja-vadhū-vargeṇa yā kalpitā. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He was sannyāsī. He was very, very strict. And no woman could come near Him to offer respects. He was very strict about woman.

Lecture on SB 3.25.18 -- Bombay, November 18, 1974:

People are searching after God, but God is canvassing, "Please understand Me. Here I am." But people will not understand. So what God will help you? How can He help you? He says everything. Now, "I come from My Vaikuṇṭha, or spiritual world." Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). "At that time I come. And I teach. And what do I teach? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66)." This is dharma. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma means the law given by God. That is dharma. You cannot make Hindu dharma, just like you cannot make any law. This is... Suppose the government is there. Now, you cannot say that "We Hindus, we have made this law," "We Muslim, we have made this law," "We Parsees, we have made this law." No. What all law is given by the government you have to accept, either you are Hindu, Muslim, or Christian and Hin... It doesn't matter. Therefore dharma means to accept the law of God. Not that you manufacture something. Therefore in the Bhāgavata it is said, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). All cheating type of dharma is rejected, kicked out. Because real dharma is what is given by God. And what God says? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam... (BG 18.66). This is real dharma. This is real dharma.

Lecture on SB 3.25.21 -- Bombay, November 21, 1974:

If you want perfection of your activities... Different men have got different activities. That's all right. But try to make it perfect, saṁsiddha. Siddhaye, brahma-siddhaye. We have discussed all these things. And how it can be done? Saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). If you satisfy Kṛṣṇa, Hari, by your talent, by your activities, then you are successful. That should be the aim of human life. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). You don't try to engage yourself, entangle yourself for repetition of birth and death.

Lecture on SB 3.25.21 -- Bombay, November 21, 1974:

Titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām, ajāta-śatravaḥ (SB 3.25.21). Because he is living in that way, why others will be enemy? Or, he does not create enemy. They become enemy out of their own character. We do not create enemy, but due to the demonic qualification... How we can create enemy? Kṛṣṇa says that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). We are simply teaching, "My dear human being, my dear friend, you become a surrendered soul to Kṛṣṇa." So what is our fault? So we don't create enemy, but they become enemy. We don't create enemy. Why shall I create enemy? Suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām.

Lecture on SB 3.25.22 -- Bombay, November 22, 1974:

Nitāi: "Such a sādhu engages in staunch devotional service to the Lord without deviation. For the sake of the Lord he renounces all other connections, such as family relationships and friendly acquaintances within the world."

Prabhupāda:

mayy ananyena bhāvena

bhaktiṁ kurvanti ye dṛḍhām

mat-kṛte tyakta-karmāṇas

tyakta-svajana-bāndhavāḥ

(SB 3.25.22)

This is the explanation of the last version of Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). We have got so many obligations. As soon as we take birth—human being, not cats and dogs—we are immediately indebted to so many persons: devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṟṇām (SB 11.5.41). We are indebted to the demigods. The body, the material body, which we have got, it is running by the direction of the demigods. There are different demigods controlling different parts of the body. So that means as soon as we get a body, we become indebted to the demigods. Then, when we are educated, we take knowledge.

Lecture on SB 3.25.22 -- Bombay, November 22, 1974:

Just like Bhagavad-gītā ends with the assertion of the Lord: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Sarva-dharmān. We have created so many dharmas. But dharma cannot be so many. Dharma is one. Or religious system... What is that, religious system? The all religious system, the author of religion, author of religion... Just like author of law is government, similarly author of religion is God, Kṛṣṇa. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). You cannot manufacture dharma, just like you cannot manufacture law at your home. That will be not feasible. That will be not useful for anyone.

Lecture on SB 3.25.22 -- Bombay, November 22, 1974:

You have to take knowledge from the tattva-darśī, one who has seen the truth. Otherwise, you'll be frustrated. Similarly religion. Religion you cannot manufacture: "This is our religion. This is this religion, that religion, that religion." So that is not religion. Religion is this: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Mayy ananyena bhāvena bhaktim. This is religion. Anything else, that is cheating. That is not religion.

Lecture on SB 3.25.22 -- Bombay, November 22, 1974:

Therefore if one can understand Bhagavad-gītā perfectly and he takes to this system of religion, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), then he can understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Because where Bhagavad-gītā is ended, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begins from that point. Because in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the introductory verses, Vyāsadeva says, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsarāṇām (SB 1.1.2). "This, this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is not ordinary type of religious system, because from this Bhāgavatam, kaitava, cheating type of religion, is completely swept away, kicked out, thrown away." Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2).

Lecture on SB 3.25.24 -- Bombay, November 24, 1974:

Ajāta-śatravaḥ: A Vaiṣṇava is not enemy of anyone, ajāta-śatravaḥ śāntāḥ, always peaceful. Sādhavaḥ sādhu. This is the first, preliminary symptoms of a sādhu. The next? Mayy ananyena bhāvena: "simply attached to Kṛṣṇa," ananyena bhāvena. These are the external, and these are internal. Ananyena bhāvena bhaktiṁ kurvanti ye dṛḍhām. Simply as Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), so a devotee, a pure devotee, is simply attached to Kṛṣṇa. They are not dis... A devotee is not disrespectful to other demigods. That is a mistake, that "These Kṛṣṇa devotees, they do not care for other demigods." No.

Lecture on SB 3.25.24 -- Bombay, November 24, 1974:

Amāninā. Everyone is given respect by Vaiṣṇava. Mat-kṛte tyakta-karmāṇas tyakta-svajana-bāndhavāḥ. But they are ready to give up family, relatives, everything. Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). Mat-kṛte, only for Kṛṣṇa's sake, they can... This is sādhu. Then what is their business, activities? Mad-āśrayāḥ kathā mṛṣṭāḥ. They simply take pleasure in talking about Kṛṣṇa. They simply take pleasure, śṛṇvanti kathayanti ca, by hearing about Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 3.25.27 -- Bombay, November 27, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa says

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

Lecture on SB 3.25.28 -- Bombay, November 28, 1974:

So why don't you do that? Why you are so much eager to serve the modes of material nature? Why not serve Kṛṣṇa. Here is Kṛṣṇa. Where is the difficulty? No difficulty at all. Just there's Kṛṣṇa. Just give Kṛṣṇa nice foodstuff. Just chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Eat sumptuously and keep your health very good, nicely. Where is the difficulty? Mām eva ye... This very difficult? The only difficulty is that I cannot give up all these sinful activities. I cannot give up smoking. I cannot give up drinking. I cannot give up meat-eating. I cannot give up gambling. I cannot give up illicit sex. That is difficulty. Otherwise to serve Kṛṣṇa is not at all difficult. There is no difficulty. But I cannot give up the service of my sinful activities.

The representative is he who canvasses business for Kṛṣṇa. That is guru. Kṛṣṇa wants this business. What is that? "You rascal, give up everything and surrender unto Me, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66)." Kṛṣṇa wants this business. And Kṛṣṇa's representative also says that you give up everything, simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa's representative. Sometimes we are very much eulogized, "I have done a wonderful thing, but I have done as representative of Kṛṣṇa." Same thing. I have told all these boys and girls nothing magic. I never showed any gold-making magic. I simply said to them the "Here is Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, you surrender unto Him." That's all. Ask any (indistinct). I never said anything. So that is actually representative.

Lecture on SB 3.25.30 -- Bombay, November 30, 1974:

Guru is very confidential servant of Kṛṣṇa. Why confidential servant? Because he is canvassing door to door, "Please become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Please surrender to Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), and guru takes that very mission, but does not say like Kṛṣṇa, that "Your surrender to me." He says, "Surrender to Kṛṣṇa." One has to surrender to Kṛṣṇa through the via media of guru, directly. This is the process. Therefore guru accepts respects from the disciple not for his personal self, but conveying the respect to Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 3.25.30 -- Bombay, November 30, 1974:

This Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mercy, kṛṣṇa-prema distribution, is the best, topmost para-upakāra, welfare activity. Therefore every Indian should understand the philosophy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu or the philosophy of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the same philosophy. Kṛṣṇa says His philosophy is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "Just surrender to Me. I will give you protection." And Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy is the same. He is Kṛṣṇa, but as He has appeared as devotee. He says, yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa: (CC Madhya 7.128) "Whomever you meet, you Indian, bhārata-vāsī, you just try to understand this Kṛṣṇa philosophy, Bhagavad-gītā, and make your life successful and go door to door and say this 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. Bas. You become guru. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission.

Lecture on SB 3.25.33-34 -- Bombay, December 3, 1974:

Just like Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66), as "you surrender." Then what...? Immediately you become purified. Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyaḥ. We are contaminated by sinful activities. We are getting different types of bodies on account of our sinful activities—or pious activities, you take it. Pious activity or sinful activities, they, they are meant for giving you different types of body. That is suffering.

Lecture on SB 3.25.35 -- Bombay, December 4, 1974:

One has to qualify himself to be sinless. Na māṁ duṣkṛtinaḥ... This is said, and another paragraph is there, yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām: "Those who are completely free from sinful activities," yeṣāṁ tu anta-gatam, "no more touch with sinful life," te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 7.28), "they can fix up their devotional service to Kṛṣṇa." It is not so easy. But one can become immediately a santa, within a second. How? That also, Kṛṣṇa says, that,

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

Lecture on SB 3.25.36 -- Bombay, December 5, 1974:

The qualification is: unless one is sinless, he cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. He cannot understand what is kṛṣṇa-bhajana. But if one is eager—he's actually very eager—he can do it immediately. What is that? Surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-dharmān parityajya: (BG 18.66) Give up all these nonsense so-called religious principle. Simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa, "Kṛṣṇa, I was forgotten about You. Now I surrender unto You fully. If You like, You can kill me; if You like, You can give me protection." This is surrender, not business. "Kṛṣṇa, if You give me this nice thing, then I will surrender." That is not surrender. That is business.

Without reading Bhagavad-gītā, there is no question of faith in Kṛṣṇa. So what is that faith? That Kṛṣṇa says that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You give up all other engagements. You just surrender to Me, and I shall give you protection." So if we have got faith, if we believe in the words of Kṛṣṇa, that is called faith. If we don't believe in the words of Kṛṣṇa, if we study as a literary thesis and then throw it away, that is not faith.

Lecture on SB 3.25.36 -- Bombay, December 5, 1974:

When Kṛṣṇa advised Brahmā after creation, then He said, jñānaṁ me... This is called catuḥ-śloki-bhāgavata, the four ślokas which is the basic principle of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (SB 2.9.33/34/35/36). Jñānaṁ parama-guhyaṁ me. The knowledge of Kṛṣṇa is very confidential, guhyam. Guhyād guhyatamam. In the Bhagavad-gītā is said, "My dear Arjuna, I have spoken to you so many things, but now, because you are My very dear friend and devotee, therefore I am disclosing the most confidential knowledge." What is that? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam: (BG 18.66) "Just surrender unto Me. That's all. This is the confidential knowledge. Don't try to understand many things, or if you have heard, if you could not understand Me here, then I tell you. This is the most confidential part of knowledge, that sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66)." Before this verse... Guhyād guhyatamam. Guhyād guhyatamam. Guhya means very confidential. So this guhya, this Brahman realization, is also very confidential. But Paramātmā realization is guhyatara, still more confidential. And to understand Kṛṣṇa is guhyatama, superlative degree. Guhyād guhyatamam.

Lecture on SB 3.25.37 -- Bombay, December 6, 1974:

A pure devotee is kept in the hand of Kṛṣṇa. Just like if you keep something very carefully, jewels, in your hand, you are very careful. Similarly, when Kṛṣṇa takes care of you, as He says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66), then you are just in the, at the care of... Just like if a big man, a very rich man, if he assures you, "Oh, don't bother, I'll take care of you for everything," just imagine what is your position, if a big man gives you assurance that "I'll take care of you. Don't bother. You haven't got to do anything. I shall take." So when Kṛṣṇa says, the Supreme Lord, who is the proprietor of all opulences... Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ. Ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa. Aiśvarya. Six kind of opulence. Kṛṣṇa has got full control over six kind of opulences.

Lecture on SB 3.25.37 -- Bombay, December 6, 1974:

You cannot imagine God. God is fact. God is not subjected to your imagination. And your senses are imperfect. How long you will simply speculate? Give up this practice, foolishness. Don't... Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya nam... Just become submissive. Jñāne prayāsam udapā..., namanta eva: "Be submissive." That is bhakti-mārga. Bhakti-mārga is submissive.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Śaraṇaṁ vraja: "Be submissive, rascal. You are manufacturing so much, so many things. Give up this practice. Just surrender unto Me." This is wanted. If you do that, Caitanya Mahāprabhu advises... This is spoken by... Then sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatām. If you become very, very humble and submissive and pray to Kṛṣṇa sincerely, "Kṛṣṇa, it is not possible for me to know You. If You kindly please explain how can I know You, then it is possible. If You please, if You become, if You think I shall be able to understand You..." Just like Arjuna said, that "Kṛṣṇa, it is not possible to under... But if You kindly think that I am fit to understand of Your vibhūti, please tell me." This is submission.

Lecture on SB 3.25.38 -- Bombay, December 7, 1974:

God has no competitor. God is one. Ekaṁ brahma dvitīyaṁ nāsti. This is the... Kṛṣṇa therefore says, mām ekam. Mām ekam. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). Kṛṣṇa is one, but Kṛṣṇa can expand. That is Kṛṣṇa. The Māyāvādī philosophers say that "If Kṛṣṇa has become everything, then where is Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa is finished." This is Māyāvādī philosophy. That is materialistic idea.

Lecture on SB 3.25.38 -- Bombay, December 7, 1974:

Today you have got a father, human being, and tomorrow you may have a father who may not be human being. You have to accept a dog as your father, or a cat as your father. So your father is changing with the change of your body. So first of all select who is your father. This dog is your father? The man is your father? The cat is your father? Who is your father? The tree is here. The seed is your father? Then you become devotee of father. But that we cannot do. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam: (BG 18.66) "You accept Me as your son, as your friend, as your master. Then you will be happy."

Lecture on SB 3.25.41 -- Bombay, December 9, 1974:

He is the father. So as father is very unhappy, seeing the unhappy condition of the sons, although the son does not know, but father is unhappy, so Kṛṣṇa is unhappy. Therefore He comes. He canvasses that "Why you are captivated by this false, so-called happiness? You give up this." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). "I will give you relief. You come to Me. You will live happily, eternally, blissful life, without any scarcity, without any trouble."

Lecture on SB 3.25.42 -- Bombay, December 10, 1974:

So they do not know what is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore when Kṛṣṇa demands, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), we foolish people, we think, "Oh, it is too much. Kṛṣṇa is so proud that He is commanding us that 'You surrender unto Me.' Oh, I am not so fool. I am not going to do that." This is the position. Mūḍha. Because mūḍha, they are taking Kṛṣṇa as ordinary human being. Because He is so kind He comes as human being and gives you the right information, right instruction. But we are so rascal that we do not accept it, do not accept it. That is our misfortune. Those who are fortunate enough, they accept Kṛṣṇa. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). That fortune comes not so easily—after struggling, after associating with Vaiṣṇavas, with devotees, after cultivating knowledge for many, many births.

Lecture on SB 3.25.42 -- Bombay, December 10, 1974:

So we are after giving chance to the bewildered persons, mislead person, materialistic person, to take up this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and their success is guaranteed. Because Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). If you think Kṛṣṇa is ordinary person, how? Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that "Don't think Me that I am ordinary person. Under My direction the wind is blowing, the sea is working, the sun it heating, and the so many things are going on." Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ (BG 9.10). "Don't take Me so slightly." Everything is explained. Now it is our business to accept it or not accept it.

Lecture on SB 3.25.43 -- Bombay, December 11, 1974:

Why the foolish men take it that Kṛṣṇa Hindu, Kṛṣṇa Indian? Kṛṣṇa says that suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām: "I am friend of all living entities," sarva-bhūtānām. Not only human society, but animal society, the plant society, the aquatic society, there are so many living entities. Ananta-koṭi. Sa anantyāya kalpate. The living entities, there is no limit. There are so many quantities. And Kṛṣṇa says that suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati: "When one understands that I, Kṛṣṇa, is the friend of everyone..." Kṛṣṇa, when says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), He does not say to Arjuna. He says to all living entities, without any exception. Sarva-bhūtānām. Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām. This is position of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 3.25.43 -- Bombay, December 11, 1974:

So if you want to be not fearfulness, no more fear, abhayaṁ sattva-saṁśuddhiḥ, if you become out of fearfulness then you have to take shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is begging. Because we are Kṛṣṇa's sons or we have got very intimate relationship with Kṛṣṇa and we have given Him up and we have forgotten Him, therefore we are suffering. So Kṛṣṇa, being father, Kṛṣṇa, being friend of everyone, He comes, and He canvasses, and at last He says, "You rascal," sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam... (BG 18.66), ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyaḥ. "You are rotting here by repeatedly committing sinful life. Therefore you are changing from one body to another, and this is your material condition."

Lecture on SB 3.25.43 -- Bombay, December 11, 1974:

And what is the real thing? That is explained by Kṛṣṇa: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). You take this mission, "My dear sir, you give up everything nonsense. You simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa." Then you become guru. Is it very difficult to become guru? No. But we shall not take this business. We shall talk all nonsense and become guru and incarnation and God and so on, so on, and cheat others and cheat oneself. This is going on. Otherwise, to become guru is not at all difficult. Simply you surrender yourself to Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 3.25.43 -- Bombay, December 11, 1974:

In the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā He says to Arjuna, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me: (BG 4.3) "I am talking to you the same old system of yoga, Bhagavad-gītā, because you are My devotee." So if you actually want liberation or fearlessness, no more fear, and if you want actually to become immortal, no more birth, death, old age, and disease, then you have to accept the words of Kṛṣṇa. As He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is bhakti. That is bhakti. So you have to take.

Lecture on SB 3.25.44 -- Bombay, December 12, 1974:

Another name of bhakti-yoga is renunciation. Vairāgya-vidyā. Bhakti-yoga means the education of renouncement. Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, he explained bhakti-yoga, vairāgya-vidyā. Vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yogam (CC Madhya 6.254). Yes. The bhakti-yoga begins when we accept Kṛṣṇa's instruction, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). We have to renounce all nonsense engagement. That is called sarva-dharmān. We have accepted everything as dharma, saṁsāra-dharma, gṛhastha-dharma, rāja-dharma, samājika-dharma. There are so many we have created. And we are still going on. Dharma means function, characteristic.

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

Actually, Kṛṣṇa wants that "You don't try to eat forbidden apple, the, this apple tree, but You give up this. You come to Me." That Kṛṣṇa wants. But because we want to eat, we want to enjoy this material world, He is so kind, He is sitting along with us and giving us... Just like you sometimes take your dog, and whatever the dog wants, you allow him to do, out of love; similarly, whatever we wanting to do, Kṛṣṇa is allowing, "All right." Kṛṣṇa's real desire is "You rascal. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66)," but I'll not do. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is giving me all chances: "Do whatever you like. But if... You reap the result. If you hear My word, then you give up this. You come again. Because your position is prakṛteḥ paraḥ.

Lecture on SB 3.26.5 -- Bombay, December 17, 1974:

If You kindly take me again." And He is ready. Kṛṣṇa is ready. Therefore He comes personally to canvass, that "Why you are rotting in this material world?" Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Just like fathers, sane father, request the bewildered son, "Why, my dear son, you are suffering in this way? Why don't you come back to home, and live peacefully and blissfully?" But no, we are determined. We are determined. Although Kṛṣṇa is canvassing, His devotees are canvassing, "No. No, sir. We shall enjoy here." What is enjoyment? Birth and death, disease and old age—is that enjoyment? But they have no brain to understand.

Lecture on SB 3.26.5 -- Bombay, December 17, 1974:

So in order to save ourself from this contamination, the only process is, as Kṛṣṇa says,

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

Lecture on SB 3.26.5 -- Bombay, December 17, 1974:

Here the so-called pious activities, that is also sinful activities. That is our mental concoction. We have made, "This is pious and this is impious." But to remain in this material world is itself impious, because it is contamination. So when you are diseased, contaminated, so where is the difference of pious activities and impious activities? It is simply imagination. In the material world there cannot be any pious activities—because the result is suffering birth and death and old age. Then where is your pious activities? So it is simply concoction.

So when Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66), sarva means "all." What is that "all"? Because we have created something pious and impious, something good, something bad, so Kṛṣṇa says, "You rascal, give up all this bad and good. Your so-called bad and good has no value. The only value is that you surrender unto Me." And then that is value. Otherwise you concoct, "This is very good; this is very bad." In the prison house, if you think a first-class prison is very nice, but after all, it is prison house. Your independence is cut down.

Lecture on SB 3.26.9 -- Bombay, December 21, 1974:

So we have come to this material world. Kṛṣṇa is always anxious to get us back to home, back to Godhead. Therefore He comes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). What is that dharma? That dharma is not this dharma, Hindu dharma, Mussulman dharma. No. That dharma is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That's... So in this way, our position, although we are both in this material world, one is the controller; one is the controlled. And the one who is controlled by the prakṛti, by the material nature, if he accepts to be controlled by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then his controlling by the material nature upon him, that is finished, no more control.

Lecture on SB 3.26.10 -- Bombay, December 22, 1974:

So what is the duty of the part and parcel? That is also very easy to understand. Just like this finger is the part and parcel of my body. So what is the duty of the finger? I ask the finger, "Please come here." It comes immediately. I ask the finger, "Come here." So that means service. Therefore part and parcel's duty is... Just like in a office, if I say, "This man is one of our part," or "one of my partner," a partner means he is working for the same interest. That is partner. So similarly, we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa—that means we must be partner of Kṛṣṇa. And what Kṛṣṇa wants? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). He wants. So as partner of Kṛṣṇa, you should preach that "You surrender to Kṛṣṇa." That is your business.

Lecture on SB 3.26.15 -- Bombay, December 24, 1974:

We require a leader. Any field of activities, we require a leader. Suppose for getting independence, we had to follow one leader, Mahatma Gandhi. Therefore for guidance we require a leader. And the supreme leader is Kṛṣṇa. So if we follow Kṛṣṇa, the supreme leader, then our life is successful. And if we do not follow... Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, "You rascal, you fool, mūḍha, you just follow Me." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is the whole story of spiritual life. Kṛṣṇa is the supreme leader. He is also a living being, He is also person like you and me, but He is ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa. Therefore He is called Bhagavān.

Lecture on SB 3.26.15 -- Bombay, December 24, 1974:

Dharma means the laws of God. This is the simple definition of dharma. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). So when we defy the religious principles... Religious principle means that dharma, not your created dharma. You cannot create law at home. It is given already. What is that? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam... (BG 18.66). This is dharma. All other dharmas, so-called dharmas, they are all cheating. Therefore Bhāgavata says, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ atra: "All cheating type of religious system is kicked out, rejected." Actually, it is not required. It is simply bogus. Real dharma is here, to abide by the laws of God. That is real dharma.

Lecture on SB 3.26.16 -- Bombay, December 25, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa assures, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ (BG 18.66). He gives shelter and assurance that "Don't be afraid of. When you have taken shelter of Me, then there is no cause of fear."

samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavaṁ

mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ

bhavāmbudhir vatsa-padaṁ paraṁ padaṁ

padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām

(SB 10.14.58)

This material world is padaṁ padaṁ vipadām, only danger. Every step there is danger. That's a fact. So if we take shelter of that abhaya-caraṇāravinda, then we have no fear. This is a fact. Abhayaṁ sattva-saṁśuddhiḥ. Sattva-saṁśuddhiḥ. Our existence, when it is purified... So this bhakti-mārga, or devotional service, is the process of purifying, purifying process.

Lecture on SB 3.26.18 -- Bombay, December 27, 1974:

That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). Who is prapadyate? Who surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. Unless one understands Kṛṣṇa perfectly, why one should surrender? Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Big, big scholars they, "It is too much," they say. "It is too much. Kṛṣṇa is demanding, mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. This is too much." This is not too much; this is the real position. If he is actually advanced in his knowledge... Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). That is not attainable in one life. If he persists in knowledge, understanding of the Absolute Truth, then, after many, many births, when he is actually in knowledge, then he surrenders to Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 3.26.18 -- Bombay, December 27, 1974:

Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā. Kṛṣṇa says. It is not my word, but Kṛṣṇa says. Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya: (BG 14.4) "All different forms of life." Sambhavanti, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā. So Kṛṣṇa is the father of everyone, and He is very much anxious for us, to get us back. Therefore He is ordering, "You rascal, why you have created so many isms? Just surrender to Me. I will give you protection. Just surrender." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). For this purpose He comes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). Dharma-glāni, discrepancies in the matter of religious principle, glāni... What is that glāni? The glāni is forgetfulness of God: "No God. I am God. You are God." This is glāni. But this is going on as dharma. This is Kali-yuga. What is not dharma, that is going on as dharma. Dharma means to understand God.

Lecture on SB 3.26.19 -- Bombay, December 28, 1974:

Again I am to remain for millions of years in darkness. Then again there will be creation. And again I shall get body." And in one millennium we are changing so many bodies. This is our problem. But there is no education; there is no knowledge. But we find this education, this knowledge, from Vedic literature. Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes Himself, He teaches Himself Bhagavad-gītā personally, and He asks, mūḍha, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), but still, we are so dull, we cannot take His words, take His instruction, and bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19), and going on, one after another, birth and death. This is going on.

Lecture on SB 3.26.20 -- Bombay, December 29, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). This sarva-dharmān means everyone has got a particular type of occupational duty. That is called sva-dharma. Generally, the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, they have got particular type of duties. And as Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya: (BG 18.66) "You give up your brāhmaṇa-dharma, or kṣatriya-dharma, or vaiśya-dharma or śūdra-dharma, or Hindu dharma, Muslim dharma, this dharma, that dharma." Sarva-dharma means everything. Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). If we are little inclined, that is called..., that is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ hareḥ (SB 1.5.17). He gives up all other duties: "I am no more any followers of any dharma. I am followers of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet." If this determination is there, then everything is possible.

Lecture on SB 3.26.20 -- Bombay, December 29, 1974:

So this uttiṣṭhata jāgrata is... Sva-tejasāpibat tīvram. Sva-tejasā, we have got that potency to come to the light. Everyone, we have got that potency. Simply we must be willing. That independence is there. I may not like it. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You do it." Kṛṣṇa is all-powerful; He can force you to accept this principle; but that He will not do. He will not touch your independence. He will ask you to do it, but He will not force you to do it. If you do not take it, that is your choice. But this is the assurance. To become illuminated, to become awakened to spiritual consciousness—we can do it at any moment if we want to accept it. Sva-tejasā, we have got that potency. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for giving enlightenment to the people that "If you like, you can take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and then your life is successful." Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim (Nārada-pañcarātra). That is the most welfare activities.

Lecture on SB 3.26.21 -- Bombay, December 30, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa-bhakta has no desire. Why he shall desire? He knows, "Kṛṣṇa is there. Whatever I need, He will supply." And Kṛṣṇa said, yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham, teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānām: (BG 9.22) "Those who are constantly engaged in My service, I take care how to supply their necessities of life." Then why shall I disbelieve Kṛṣṇa if I am Kṛṣṇa conscious? Let me do my duty as servant of Kṛṣṇa, and whatever necessities are required, He will arrange for them. If you become confident about this thing and completely engage yourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is the stage of śānta. That is the stage of śānta. Completely dependent. Avaśya rakhibe kṛṣṇa viśvāsa pālana. "I surrender to Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66), so I give up everything. Even my livelihood, I give up. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān.

Lecture on SB 3.26.21 -- Bombay, December 30, 1974:

So if I give up everything that I may be doubtful, "Then how things will go on? How I shall live if give it?" No, you shall live if you believe in Kṛṣṇa. Rakṣiṣyati iti viśvāsa pālanam. If Kṛṣṇa says that "I shall give you protection," so why shall I not believe it? This is called surrender, full surrender, that "Kṛṣṇa, let me engage myself in Kṛṣṇa's service as Kṛṣṇa orders."

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

Lecture on SB 3.26.21 -- Bombay, December 30, 1974:

If we take this assurance from Kṛṣṇa, then there is śānti. Otherwise there is no śānti. That is called sattva-guṇaṁ svaccham. "So I am taking to this worship of Deity, but at the same time let me have something privately so that in case of my distress, if Kṛṣṇa fails to help me, this money will help me." That is not svaccham. Svaccham means clear.

Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām. He is well-wisher, friend, of everyone. Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati. If we actually believe in Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, that "He is friend of everyone. And why He is not my friend?" Everyone means I am included also. So this kind of faith, when there is this faith, then bhagavad-bhakti begins. When we take up this instruction of Kṛṣṇa very seriously,

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

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

vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti

sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ

(BG 7.19)

This is the beginning of mahātmā. Sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ.

So mahātmā's business is: ananyāś cintayanto māṁ ye janāḥ paryupāsate. A mahātmā has no other business than devotional service, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ, always hearing about the Supreme Lord, always glorifying the Supreme Lord, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. Viṣṇu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Cittete koriyā aikya, ār nā koriho mane āśā. That is liberation. Otherwise we shall be implicated. And what guru says? Guru says the same thing as Kṛṣṇa says. That is guru. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Kṛṣṇa also... Guru also says the same thing. That is guru's business, that "You surrender to Kṛṣṇa and fully be engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service." So therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura advises, "Take this very seriously." Ār nā koriho mane āśā: "No more. Stop any other desires." Then your life is successful. Ār nā koriho mane āśā.

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

Ādi means the creation. Creation... Before creation, I contaminated this desire, icchā-dveṣa samutthena (BG 7.27). I became revolting to the desires. Kṛṣṇa says... Every one of us revolting now also. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), but we are revolting, "Why? Why shall I surrender to You? This is too much You are demanding." This is going on. This is going on. This is the disease. And to cure the disease Kṛṣṇa Himself comes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmi (BG 4.7). But we are so stubborn that we won't, do not like to be cured.

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

As Kṛṣṇa is the supreme friend, well-wisher, suhṛt... Suhṛt means good heart. Friend, mitra, it is little different from suhṛt. Mitra means I make friendship with you with some motive. But a father, he is suhṛt, mother is suhṛt, always well-wishing. Or there may be some friend also, always well-wishing. But the best example, that the father is always well-wishing: "How my son will be well situated? How he will be happy?" Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is... Kṛṣṇa says that "When one can understand Me as suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām," then śāntim ṛcchati, "then he will get śānti, śāntatvam." When we accept it, firmly convinced that "Kṛṣṇa is my father, Kṛṣṇa is my friend, Kṛṣṇa is my well-wisher..." And Kṛṣṇa says. Where is the difficulty? Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). He takes charge. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). He is giving assurance.

Lecture on SB 3.26.25 -- Bombay, January 2, 1975:

We are getting rains from Indra, the moonshine from the Candra or the moon-god, and the sunshine from the sun-god. These are essential things, heat and light. So we are obliged, certainly. But if you take shelter of Kṛṣṇa, then you are free from all obligation. Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). If you don't pay tax, then you are liable to be punished. That is pāpa. Similarly, we are obliged to so many living entities, demigods, saintly persons. Certainly we are obliged. We are receiving so much benefit from them. But if we surrender to Kṛṣṇa... Śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ gato mukundam. Śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ mukundaṁ parihṛtya kartam. Giving aside all other duties, if we simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then we are no more obliged. Nāyaṁ kiṅkaro na ca ṛṇī ca rājan.

Lecture on SB 3.26.27 -- Bombay, January 4, 1975:

If I become desireless, I become dead. So long I am living entity, I must desire. I cannot check it. Therefore kāma means desire. So at the present moment, we are desiring how to become happy in this material world, how to acquire so much money, how to acquire this, how to acquire this, how to get this, how to get that. This is kāma. So this brain taxation, if you engage in Kṛṣṇa's service—how to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness, how to convince people about Kṛṣṇa, how to take them to the Kṛṣṇa's desire, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66)—and in this way, if you go on making plan for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then your mind is controlled.

Lecture on SB 3.26.27 -- Bombay, January 4, 1975:

So dharma... generally, people think that "Becoming religious, we shall be economically developed." Dharma artha. "We shall get artha. We shall be..." That is... Automatically it comes. If you are actually following the religious principle, artha will come. There is no doubt. And... But we do not know what is dharma. That is the difficulty. That you have to learn from Kṛṣṇa, athāto brahma jijñāsā, from the guru. And what guru says, Kṛṣṇa says? sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is dharma. Anything else, that is all cheating.

Lecture on SB 3.26.27 -- Bombay, January 4, 1975:

Kṛṣṇa wants everyone to surrender unto Him. When Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), He does not say only to Arjuna; He says to everyone. So that is Kṛṣṇa's desire, and if you want to serve Kṛṣṇa, to fulfill His desire, that means you canvass everyone to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. This is preaching. Kṛṣṇa wants it. It is declared. So your business is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. So do it. Why don't you do it? Why you are aspiring after mukti, siddhi, and bhukti? These are all personal.

In the Bhagavad-gītā there is a statement: "Those who are doubtful about the existence of God," vinaśyati, "they are finished." Their progress is finished. Saṁśayātmā vinaśyati. That niścayātmā, that is very good, to believe, to have faith, niścaya, by full assertion. Just like Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So if by your intelligence you become doubtful, "Whether Kṛṣṇa is able to give me protection?" then you are finished. Saṁśayātmā vinaśyati. But if you have faith in Kṛṣṇa's words, niścaya, "When Kṛṣṇa says that if I surrender unto Him, He will give me protection, there is no doubt about it," that is called faith. Niścayātmikā. Vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ. Buddhi, intelligence, vyavasāyātmikā, niścayātmikā, that is very good.

We are in an atmosphere of being finished. That everyone, we know. This body... I am concerned with this body, and the body is to be finished. But the soul is not finished. Therefore our bhakti-mārga... How one can make progress in bhakti-mārga? If we have got faith in the words of Kṛṣṇa, that Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), if we apply our intelligence, niścayātmikā, then our spiritual life begins. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). These are the different methods to make advance in spiritual life, especially in bhakti-yoga, devotional life.

Utsāha means enthusiasm: "Yes, Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). I will accept it and work enthusiastically on the principle, as Kṛṣṇa says." Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), and we have to do it, execute it enthusiastically: "Yes, I shall always think of Kṛṣṇa." Man-manāḥ. Kṛṣṇa says directly. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ, "You just become My devotee." So we have to be enthusiastic, "Yes, I shall become Kṛṣṇa's devotee." Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī. Kṛṣṇa says, "Worship Me," so we should be very much enthusiastic to worship Kṛṣṇa, offer maṅgala-ārātrika, rise early in the morning.

Utsāhād dhairyāt. Dhairya means patience, not that "Because I have begun devotional service with great enthusiasm..." So you are already on the perfectional platform, but if you become impatient that "Why I am not becoming perfect? Sometimes why māyā is kicking me?" Yes. That is habitual. That will go on. It will stop. Niścayāt. Dhairyāt, niścayāt, that "When Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), now I have given up everything. I have no other occupational duties. Simply to serve Kṛṣṇa. So when I have taken to it, then niścaya, Kṛṣṇa will surely give me protection." That is called niścaya. Don't be disappointed. Kṛṣṇa is not a false speaker. He says ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi.

Lecture on SB 3.26.32 -- Bombay, January 9, 1975:

The jñānīs, yogis, will not be able to understand what is Kṛṣṇa. From the very beginning they think they have become Kṛṣṇa. Vimukta-māninaḥ. They think like that. Actually it is not. Kṛṣṇa is not so cheap thing that one can become Kṛṣṇa. One can become Kṛṣṇa's most confidential servant—that is possible. But one cannot become Kṛṣṇa. That is another illusion, māyā.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa said that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This cult, who will understand unless he is devotee? A jñānī, yogi cannot understand. It is not possible. Because they are not bhakta, they cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Kṛṣṇa never says, "By jñāna or by yoga, by karma one can understand Me." No, that is not possible. Therefore jñānī, yogi, karmī, they cannot understand. Therefore they are misled.

So to get out of this, only the mercy of Kṛṣṇa... He can do everything. He can immediately take out from this entanglement. Otherwise how he is Almighty? I cannot get out. The fish cannot get out, but the, if the fisherman wants, he can get him out immediately and throw in the water. Then he gets life again. Similarly, if we surrender to Kṛṣṇa, He can get out immediately. And He says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ (BG 18.66). You simply surrender. As the fisherman is seeing, "Fut! Fut! Fut!" but if the fish surrenders... He wants to surrender, but he does not know the language. Therefore he remains within the network. But if the fisherman likes, he can take it out and throw in the water. Similarly, if we surrender to Kṛṣṇa... For that surrendering process this human life is meant. In other life, the fish cannot, but I can.

Lecture on SB 3.26.32 -- Bombay, January 9, 1975:

What the ācārya says, if you follow, then you become perfect. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). If you follow the instruction of ācārya, then you understand perfectly everything. Tad viddhi praṇi... But you have to understand by praṇipātena, by submission, not by challenging. If you challenge, then you will never be able to understand. This whole process is submission. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). If you are not prepared to submit, then you will never understand. You will remain in this tamas, tamas. Tamasi mā. But don't remain in tamas. Come to the light.

Lecture on SB 3.26.34 -- Bombay, January 11, 1975:

Daṇḍa, daṇḍa means "rod"; vat means "like." Just like one stick falls straight on the ground, similarly, if we fall straight before the Deity, that is called daṇḍavat, "like the stick." Daṇḍavat-praṇāma. Prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa namratā. Namratā is required. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva. Namanta. Be submissive. So this daṇḍavat is the symbolic presentation of submission. And Kṛṣṇa wants that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), submission. The bhakti process is simply submission. So mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām (BG 9.25).

Lecture on SB 3.26.41 -- Bombay, January 16, 1975:

The chance is given to the personal living being to take this chance but not misuse your little independence. Chance is given everyone. And Kṛṣṇa's another business is: He does not interfere with the little independence given to the living being. So he must voluntarily surrender his little independence. Does not..., Kṛṣṇa does not force; Kṛṣṇa desires, He orders, that "You do this." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). But He does not interfere with the little independence. That is Kṛṣṇa's mercy, how He can do that. Kṛṣṇa is not like us, that I give you something and again I ask you to return it. No. Whatever Kṛṣṇa has given to us, that is permanent.

Lecture on SB 3.26.43 -- Bombay, January 18, 1975:

Kṛṣṇa-bhakta, one who is fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is śānta. He is fully confident. Kṛṣṇa consciousness or God consciousness, he is fully confident that "Kṛṣṇa, I have surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. I have taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa, and He has promised, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). Then where is the cause of my anxiety?" Therefore he can become... He has understood Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality, almighty, all-powerful, full of all opulences. "So if he has taken my charge, then where is my anxiety?" That is śānti. That is śānti.

Lecture on SB 3.28.17 -- Nairobi, October 26, 1975:

So Kṛṣṇa wanted as Kṛṣṇa that "All these rascals may give up their so foolish engagements and surrender unto Me." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ (BG 18.66). That was Kṛṣṇa's last word in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa wants this, that "These rascals they are suffering in this material condition of life, three miserable condition, and still, they are so rascal, they do not come to their senses. Still, they want to remain servant of māyā. So let Me directly say, 'You rascal, give up all this engagement. Surrender unto Me.' " That is Kṛṣṇa. But they will not do it. "

Lecture on SB 3.28.21 -- Nairobi, November 1, 1975:

We have to become completely zero about material desires. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam. Then you become qualified. So long you have got any pinch of material desires, you are disqualified. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva dharmān parityajya mām ekam śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Parityajya means giving up completely, cent percent, no reservation. In this way, surrendered, that is the qualification. Everything is there. No reservation. And Kṛṣṇa will give you chance: "All right, if you have got still desire for material enjoyment, do it." "I want to become a king." "All right, become a king." Then "I want to become a dog." "All right, become a dog." He gives you both opportunity. And we are doing that. We're doing that.

Lecture on SB 4.14.14 -- November 16, 1971, Delhi:

Because a living entity is not enjoyer, he is servitor. But when he wants to enjoy, he is sent into this material world. Kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva bhoga vañcha kare. Because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, our only duty is to serve Kṛṣṇa. There is no other duty. Therefore Kṛṣṇa demands, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). We have no other duty, just to serve Kṛṣṇa. But when we forget our position, constitutional position, and we try to enjoy this material world, that is called materialistic way of life or conditioned life. So just like drinking. Drinking is not good. Nobody supports.

Lecture on SB Questions & Answers -- Hyderabad, April 10, 1975:

What is your duty? That is the first thing. Do you know what is your duty? You manufacture your duty, but you do not know what is your duty. Duty is: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is your duty. Anything you manufacture duty, that is not duty; That is cheating. (applause) First of all, you learn what is your duty; then talk of duty. In your office if you go, if you say, "Anything I do, it is my duty," no. You must know the particular work you are advised to act by the superintendent or the director, not that you can manufacture your duty. If you execute that duty, then you are dutiful. Otherwise, you are simply creating trouble. Just like a monkey. They create their duty, and wherever he goes, "Get out! Get out! Get out! Get out!" The monkey's duty is no duty. A man must know what is duty, and he should execute. That is duty.

Lecture on SB Questions & Answers -- Hyderabad, April 10, 1975:

Indian man (1): As you have explained, Lord Kṛṣṇa forbade(?) Arjuna to do this duty.

Prabhupāda: Well, first of all you try to understand Kṛṣṇa, what He says. Then, if you are dutiful, then you can say who is the other dutiful. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). If you come to that stage of life, then you are dutiful. Otherwise, if you create your duties as monkey, that is not duty. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Delhi, November 28, 1975:

By Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām (Bs. 5.54). Others cannot change their fate, but only the devotees can change. How? Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). Kṛṣṇa says, "I shall give you protection from all the resultant action of your sinful life." That is fate changed. If you don't surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then you have to suffer or enjoy the actions of your fruitive activities. But when you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, He takes charge of squaring up all your sinful activities and their reaction. That is... So you surrender to Kṛṣṇa; then your fate is changed. Otherwise it is not possible.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Bombay, December 25, 1976:

We are not enjoyer. So that is mistake. That is our māyā. We are not enjoyer. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu gives us the direction, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa-dāsa: (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109) don't try to become puruṣaḥ, enjoyer, artificially. Better instead of serving your senses you become servant of the Supreme Lord. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We are trying to convince people that "Don't try to become master artificially. You'll never be successful. Just agree to become servant of Kṛṣṇa." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ (BG 18.66). That is your perfection.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- Paris, August 12, 1973:

Guest: ...to know the will of God.

Prabhupāda: You want to know? That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), you give up all other occupation, simply surrender unto Him. That's all. This is the way.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

He said that this Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the same Lord Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa advised, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This sarva-dharmān includes all our material activities. So, but people could not understand. The instruction is still standing, Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya, "Just simply surrender unto Me." But nobody is doing that. God says that, "You surrender unto Me; I shall give you all protection." There is assurance. But we are so unfortunate that we cannot believe or cannot be assured on the words of God also. We do not believe. "Oh, God cannot give us protection.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 11, 1975:

Purified senses. In the impurified senses I am thinking, "This body is Indian; therefore I am meant for serving India," "This body is American; therefore I am meant for giving service to America." This is upādhi. But spiritual sense means the sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam—"I am no more Indian, no more American, no more brāhmaṇa, no more śūdra." Then what I am? As Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, as Kṛṣṇa also said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam... (BG 18.66). That is spiritual platform, that "I am no more belonging to this dharma or that dharma. I am simply surrendered soul to Kṛṣṇa."

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 11, 1975:

What Kṛṣṇa said, Caitanya Mahāprabhu said the same thing. The difference is that Kṛṣṇa commanded as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but Caitanya Mahāprabhu—He's also Kṛṣṇa—He's teaching as a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That is the difference. The same thing. Kṛṣṇa said that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), and Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). He never said that "Whatever I am saying, you say." No, this is not paramparā system. A guru or a preacher or an ācārya does not manufacture anything concocted.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 11, 1975:

Acyutānanda: "Why does Kṛṣṇa allow us to commit mistakes and later punishes us?"

Prabhupāda: That is His mercy. You want to do something bad, Kṛṣṇa says, "Don't do it," but if you want to do it at your risk, Kṛṣṇa allows, "All right, do it, and suffer yourself." Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). He does not say anything. But if you want to do something else, do it at your risk. That's all right. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 12, 1975:

Anyone who has taken birth in this holy land of Bhārata-varṣa, he has got special advantage. He has got special advantage in this, that he can learn all this Vedic literature, mahat-sevā. Then he makes his life perfect. He understands what is his life, what is the value of this life, why he's suffering, how to mitigate it. This is, these things are required, and when one is very versed and practiced by example, then let him preach all over the world, para-upakāra. Because they do not know. Actually that is happening. By one man's endeavor all these foreigners they're getting real life of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They have sacrificed everything practically. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is required. That is human life. Otherwise, if we simply work very hard just like the stool-eater hogs, "Where is food? Where is food? Where is sex? Where is..." This is... Therefore this particular name has been mentioned here, viḍ-bhujām. It is very peculiar.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 12, 1975:

Pañcadraviḍa: Do you agree with the work of the Ramakrishna Mission, Mahesh Yogi, and Divine Light Society that are working in America?

Prabhupāda: I do not study them. I simply study Bhagavad-gītā, that's all. And Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). I believe that. That's all.

So why we should become followers of Rūpa Gosvāmī? Because śrī-caitanya-mano 'bhīṣṭaṁ sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale. He wanted to establish the mission of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Mano 'bhīṣṭam. Śrī Caitanya, mano 'bhīṣṭam, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the same thing. This is called disciplic succession. Kṛṣṇa wanted that "Everyone be surrendered to Me." He personally therefore comes and He speaks Bhagavad-gītā aiming at Arjuna, who was perplexed in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, and He explained karma, jñāna, yoga, so many things. But ultimately, He assured Arjuna, "My dear Arjuna, you are very dear friend to Me; therefore I am speaking to you the real purpose of life, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ... (BG 18.66). This is the real purpose of life." So Kṛṣṇa wanted that people should take shelter of His lotus feet, sarva-dharmān parityajya. But people misunderstood Him. Therefore Kṛṣṇa came as a devotee, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Rūpa Gosvāmī could understand that.

So Kṛṣṇa personally appeared as devotee to reestablish the mission of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wanted sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66), and Caitanya Mahāprabhu preached Kṛṣṇa consciousness, kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣa akṛṣṇa. This is a statement in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The real identification of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. That is in this age there was talk between Nimi Mahārāja and Navayogendra. So what is the duty of the people of Kali-yuga to worship the Supreme? In that connection, Karabhājana Muni, he said,

kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ

sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam

yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair

yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ

(SB 11.5.32)

This is the method of worship. What is that? That Supreme Personality of Godhead who is always chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.

Just like if you take bathing in a river, deep down you'll become refreshed. Similarly, one has to take śābde pare ca niṣṇātam. And what is the symptom? How I shall know that he has taken bathing fully in the ocean of Veda? Brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam, he has finished all desires for material happiness or distress. He is brāhmaṇy upaśamāśrayam. He has taken shelter of Brahman—the same thing, Parabrahman, Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), one who has taken fully shelter under the lotus feet of Parabrahman, Kṛṣṇa, you have to take shelter of such a guru. Otherwise you'll not be able to get out of these clutches of māyā. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta (SB 11.3.21), every śāstra you go.

And Kṛṣṇa consciousness does not mean to stop the activities—some group of lazy people. No. We are the most active people, touring all over the world. Who can become a karmī like us? In this old age I am traveling all over the world. Can any karmī do that? So if you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then karma, jñāna, yoga, everything becomes perfect. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just like if you get one lakh of rupees, ten rupees is there. You haven't got to separately to acquire ten rupees. Similarly, karma, jñāna, yoga, they are ten rupees, twenty rupees, fifty rupees, like that. And Kṛṣṇa consciousness is one lakh of rupees. As soon as you get Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you'll get everything. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ (BG 18.66), you'll get everything there. It is confirmed.

akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā

mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhīḥ

tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena

yajeta puruṣaṁ param

(SB 2.3.10)

Akāma. Akāma means bhakta. Praśāntā. He doesn't want anything. They are called akāma. Sarvakāma means karmī. He wants everything. Bring these dānaṁ dehi, rūpaṁ dehi, yaso (?) dehi, dehi, dehi, dehi. That is karmī. Akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā mokṣa-kāma (SB 2.3.10), mokṣa-kāma means those who are desiring after liberation. So whatever you may be, never mind.

There are three classes of men, akāma, sarva-kāma, mokṣa-kāma, so whatever you may be, Kṛṣṇa is competent. He says, therefore, that tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena yajeta paramaṁ puruṣa. The only method that Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya... (BG 18.66). If you, even if you want to be karmī, even you want the karmī's desire, that you want everything, to enjoy, that will also be fulfilled if you become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena yajeta paramaṁ puruṣa. You haven't got to work separately for fulfilling your desire of karma or jñāna or yoga. Everything will be there. Kṛṣṇa is so powerful. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham (BG 4.11). If you want from Kṛṣṇa the result of your karma, good result, Kṛṣṇa will give you. Kṛṣṇa is not unable to award you this. So better you simply worship Kṛṣṇa. You get all your desires fulfilled. And the ultimate result will be that you will no more desire, because so long you'll desire, you'll never get peace. But by worshiping Kṛṣṇa for some material motive, you'll get that, (but) at the end you will not ask anything more. You'll be śāntā, praśāntā. This is the result.

Śiva is dahi and Kṛṣṇa is milk. Dahi, the preparation of dahi that you take milk, pure milk, and mix it with little sour thing, then it becomes dahi. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is pure spirit, and when this pure spirit is mixed up with māyā, that is Śiva. Lord Śiva is the māyā-adipati. There are many narrations. This was once inquired by Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja that Lord Śiva, he appears to be like a beggar. He does not possess even a house. He lives underneath a tree. And the devotee of Śiva becomes very rich, opulent materially, although he's a beggar, whereas Viṣṇu is lakṣmī-pati, vaikuṇṭha-pati, and the Vaiṣṇavas become beggar. Just opposite. By worshiping the beggar one becomes rich, and by worshiping the rich one becomes beggar. What is this contradiction? So this is answered by Kṛṣṇa, yasyāham anugrhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ (SB 10.88.8), "My first benediction to my devotee is that I take away all his riches. That's all. Then when he becomes helpless, he becomes firmly convinced and he has no other shelter." Then automatically he takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa, what Kṛṣṇa demands, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām (BG 18.66). When he has no other help, he fully surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa's special mercy. And so far Lord Śiva is concerned, he is the husband of mother Durgā, and Durgā is the supreme material power, sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya sādhana-śaktir ekā chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni vibharti durgā (Bs. 5.44). So he gets all material benediction, and Vaiṣṇava, instead of material benediction, he gets all spiritual benediction. That is the difference.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Hyderabad, April 15, 1975:

Acyutānanda: The last question. What is the real meaning of religion?

Prabhupāda: Religion means to abide by the laws of God. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma is the core. Just like the state gives you law. So you cannot manufacture law at home. That is not possible. Nobody will accept that. When it is given by the state government, that is law. Similarly, what is given by God, that is religion, and that is given in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is religion. And other things cheating. That's all. Dharmaḥ projjhita kaitavo atra (SB 1.1.2), all cheating type of religious system is rejected. In the Bhāga... Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begins, dharmaḥ projjhita kaitavo atra. Śrīdhara Swami says, "Kaitava means cheating." Mokṣa vāñchā api nirasta, even desiring for liberation, that is also cheating type of religion. Simply to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, that is religion. Otherwise no religion. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). This is religion. That's all right? Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Yogi's business is to see in meditation always Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu within the heart. That is real yogi. Dhyānāvasthita, by meditation one has to see continually. That is called samādhi.

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ

mad-gatenāntarātmanā

śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ

sa me yuktatamo mataḥ

(BG 6.47)

He is first-class yogi. So everything is there ending in bhakti. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā, the only talk is about bhakti, in a different way, either through karma-yoga, or jñāna-yoga, or haṭha-yoga. The point is how to become a devotee, and at the end He concludes, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is the conclusion of, so these things cannot be understood by anyone who is not a devotee. Without being devotee, you cannot understand. Therefore there are so many, the politicians, the scholars, they are commenting Bhagavad-gītā in so many ways, but they are misled. Because they are not devotee of Kṛṣṇa. They cannot poke their nose in the Bhagavad-gītā. It is not possible. So Arjuna was bhakta, therefore Bhagavad-gītā was spoken to him. Not to a yogi, not to a karmī, not to a jñānī. This is the answer.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Hyderabad, April 15, 1975:

Acyutānanda: (reads questions put by audience) Kṛṣṇa says in the end of the Gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66), but in another place in the Gītā, twice it is mentioned śreyān sva-dharmo, para-dharmo bhayāvahaḥ, one should perform his own duty rather than another's duty.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Acyutānanda: How can we...

Prabhupāda: I may say many things to you, but when I say something directly, "Do it," your first duty is to do that. You cannot argue, "Sir, you said me like this before." No, that is not your duty. What I say now, you do it. That is obedience. You cannot argue. Of course, Kṛṣṇa never said anything contradictory, but if when one thinks foolishly that Kṛṣṇa said something contradictory, no, that is not to be. You could not understand. So even though you could not understand, you take My direct orders now. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām e... (BG 18.66), that is your business. The master says like that, and the servant's business is to accept it as it is, without any argument. That's all right.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Hyderabad, April 15, 1975:

Acyutānanda: How is that there are different types of religion in the world?

Prabhupāda: There is no religion. This is manufactured religion. Real religion is to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66), therefore it is advised that you give up all these so-called religions, sarva-dharmān. You become surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. That is real religion. All others, cheating religion, that's all. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Just like there may be so many laws, but the real law is what is given by the government. Similarly, there may be so many so-called religious system, but the real religious system is what is spoken by God Himself. That is real.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3-4 -- Bombay, March 29, 1977:

So Kṛṣṇa is so friendly that He always lives with us just to turn our face towards Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). What is His business? He is simply waiting for the time when we shall turn our face to Kṛṣṇa. That is His business. But unfortunately, we do not want Kṛṣṇa. We want something which is not Kṛṣṇa. That is our disease. Still, Kṛṣṇa is giving us facility. Bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā (BG 18.61). Kṛṣṇa gives intelligence, mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15), that "You are My part and parcel. Why you are struggling so hard in this material world? Come to Me. I will give you all protection." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). He is ready. But I'll not do. That's my obstinacy. At that time what Kṛṣṇa will do? He is affectionate father. "All right, what do you want to do?" "I want to do like this." "All right." Bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā (BG 18.61). He immediately orders prakṛti... Mayādhyakṣena prakṛteḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). "This living entity wants a body like this. So give him a body like that." Yantra. That is called yantra. It is a machine. This body is the machine. And therefore we are changing, one body to another, yantrārūḍhāni māyayā. This is our business.

Lecture on SB 5.5.5 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:

Unless you become devotee of Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa... Therefore Kṛṣṇa personally comes and He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is for your interest. Kṛṣṇa says that "You surrender unto Me." It is not Kṛṣṇa's interest. If you surrender, not interest, Kṛṣṇa does not lose anything. He is omnipotent. He can create millions of devotees like you by His desire. He doesn't canvass. He is not canvassing, that "You become My devotee and I shall be very rich." No. Not the purpose. It is for your interest. The same thing. If you become a devotee of Vāsudeva, then you are saved from this repetition of birth and death. It is not Kṛṣṇa's interest. It is Kṛṣṇa's interest in this way, that because you are part and parcel, you are son of Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa is the ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā... (BG 14.4). As the father, rich father, He does not like to see that His son will become a crazy, mad fellow and loiter in the street. He doesn't want it. But if you do not come back to home, there is no loss of the father. But if you back to home of a rich father, then it is your interest. It is your interest.

Lecture on SB 5.5.5 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:

So Kṛṣṇa is canvassing, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). It is for our interest. So those who are fortunate, they will accept this offer of Kṛṣṇa and... Atha yāvad vāsudeve mayi prītir prīti rūpa bhakti.(?) Prīti means bhakti. Prīti means love. So there is Prīti-sandarbha by Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, how one can become lover of Kṛṣṇa. Ṣaṭ-sandarbha. He has written six theses. One of them is the Prīti-sandarbha, Bhāgavata-sandarbha, six sandarbha, very highly philosophical books. So this prīti means bhakti. Bhakti is not official transaction. Bhakti means prīti, real love. When I actually love Kṛṣṇa, that is called prīti. Just like we love our beloved, our child or husband or wife... That is also not love. That is a temporary sentiment.

Lecture on SB 5.5.5 -- Vrndavana, October 27, 1976:

The God's law or nature's law, will not take account of your premiership, prime ministership. What you are actually—that is nature's law. Kṛṣṇa is there within your heart. Outwardly you become a very big man—minister, president and so on—and God is seeing within what you are. Within. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Within you are a dog, and outside if you are a president, that will not help you. That will not help you. Abodha-jātaḥ. Therefore whatever plan they are making, that's all defeat. Plan-making is already there. Kṛṣṇa has given plan gradually. The last plan is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is real plan. This is Kṛṣṇa has given so many plans: karma-yogi, dhyāna-yogi, this yogi, that. But everywhere He has concluded that the real plan is how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is real plan. Yoginām api sarveṣām mad-gatenāntarātmānā śraddhāvān... (BG 6.47). You are trying to be yogi, that's all right. This is haṭha-yoga. Go to a secluded place, sit down in this way, looking. Not sleeping. Eyes half-open. See to the point of your nose. So on, so on. Complete celibacy. These things Kṛṣṇa has said everything, how to become a yogi, how to become a jñāni, how to become a karmi. But everywhere He has concluded about Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 5.5.6 -- Vrndavana, October 28, 1976:

Those who were so-called mlecchas and yavanas, they are also taking to Vāsudeva. Their love for Kṛṣṇa is increasing. That is natural. It is said in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, nitya siddha kṛṣṇa bhakti. Nitya siddha. Just like I am, or you are, we are eternal. Nityo śāśvato 'yam na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). We are not destroyed by the destruction of the body. We remain, continue to remain. Similarly, our devotion to Kṛṣṇa continues. It is simply covered. Avidyayātmāny upādhiyamāne. Avidya. This is avidya. We forget Kṛṣṇa, that is avidya. And as soon as we take Kṛṣṇa as our life and soul, that is vidya. You can do. Anyone can do very easily. Kṛṣṇa says, therefore, sarva dharmān parityajya mam ekam śaraṇaṁ (BG 18.66). Why? Any other so-called religious system, that is avidya—will keep you in ignorance. There is no light. And the Vedic injunction is that "Don't keep yourself in the darkness of ignorance." Tamasi mā jyoti gamaḥ.

Lecture on SB 5.5.7 -- Vrndavana, October 29, 1976:

When one cannot eat, the foodstuff is forced through the body, through the rectum, through the nose. That is very troublesome. But the real process is, one process, you put the foodstuff through the mouth. It must go to the stomach and then the energy will be distributed, everyone will be happy. Similarly, if we serve Kṛṣṇa, if we abide by the orders of Kṛṣṇa, and satisfy Him, as He says, Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), that is the perfection of life. If we work otherwise, forgetting Kṛṣṇa... Here it is said, gata-smṛtir vindati tatra tāpān. If we forget Kṛṣṇa, if we make our own plan to satisfy myself, community, society, nation, this is forgetfulness and the result will be, gata-smṛtir vindati tatra tāpān. You get simply trouble. That is being done, actually. The whole world is forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa, or God. Kṛṣṇa, forgetfulness, and they are making so many plans to become happy but the result is vindati tāpān, simply suffering, simply suffering. It will never be successful.

Lecture on SB 5.5.8 -- Vrndavana, October 30, 1976:

So Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to learn how to be predominated, not to become predominator. Just the opposite. And Kṛṣṇa comes personally, and He says that "I am the predominator." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). "I am predominator. Why you are trying to be predominator? That is not possible." So as soon as artificially we want to be predominator, immediately the māyā is there.

Lecture on SB 5.5.8 -- Vrndavana, October 30, 1976:

So if possible we should try to remain. But Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice if we accept Kṛṣṇa very seriously, with Kṛṣṇa anyone, either man or woman, we can remain very happy with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa can become my friend, Kṛṣṇa can become my husband, Kṛṣṇa can become my son—whatever you want. So in this way, if we advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then we can save ourselves, janasya moho 'yam. In this illusory galaxy of illusory, this material world, we may be saved, and that is wanted that we have to give up the attraction for this material world. Then there is possibility of spiritual advancement. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is canvassing personally that "You give up all these plans, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That will save you from this precarious position of material world, threefold miseries, suffering after suffering after suffering."

Lecture on SB 5.5.9 -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1976:

So, Caitanya Mahāprabhu made this condition, that if you promise that you will give up these four principles of sinful life, then I will accept you. Never mind whatever you have done in the past. Every man is sinful, there is no doubt about it, more or less. That is not disqualification. If he agrees to give up that, then immediately he becomes liberated. That is Kṛṣṇa also says in the Bhagavad..., ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. Liberation is not very difficult. It can be obtained in one minute, provided you want to take it. Just like Kṛṣṇa says,

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

Lecture on SB 5.5.14 -- Vrndavana, November 2, 1976:

So, if you are free from the resultant action of sinful life, then you are liberated. If you get shelter at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, and do not act in such a way that you again fall down, then you are liberated.

To live with the devotees. If we associate with the karmīs or the jñānīs or the yogis, then it will not be possible. Then you will be mislead. Therefore it is said that mad-deva-saṅgāt. Mad-deva-saṅgāt means one who has absolutely taken the shelter of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, mad-deva. There are many others, of course nobody is deva, deva is Kṛṣṇa. But there are others, demigods. There are thirty-three millions of devas. But Kṛṣṇa especially, He says, mad-deva, one who has taken Kṛṣṇa as the only worshipable deity. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66), that is it. One who has taken such vow, that kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28), I shall take to the shelter of Kṛṣṇa, that is not very easy thing. But, that is the ultimate point.

Lecture on SB 5.5.15 -- Vrndavana, November 3, 1976:

Therefore our Vedic civilization is that people are satisfied in his own position, a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Whatever by God's grace he got, he was satisfied. The real energy was utilized how to become eligible to receive mercy of Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted, how to learn how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Then ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). That was the end. In India we find not that... The great sages, ṛṣis, they wrote so many books, but they used to live in a cottage. Only the kings, the kṣatriya, because they had to rule over, they used to construct big, big palaces. No one else. They lived very simple life, very simple life. Not waste time for so-called economic development, skyscraper building, subways and so on, so on. This was not Vedic civilization. This is asuric civilization.

Lecture on SB 5.5.16 -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1976:

This material world, where there is danger in every step, it is not for them. It is not for them. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has warned that niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya. Anyone who is desirous of rendering service, dedicates life for the service of Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa demands that. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). For such person, one who has decided, "Yes, I shall fully surrender to Kṛṣṇa," for such person, niṣkiñcanasya... Surrender means he has finished his all material business. No more. No more business. That is called niṣkiñcana. Kiñcana means "something," and niṣkiñcana means that something also nothing. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (Brs. 1.1.11). There are so many achievement by karma, jñāna, yoga, and so many things. But bhakti means finish this, all this nonsense business, karma, jñāna, yoga. Simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167).

Lecture on SB 5.5.25 -- Vrndavana, November 12, 1976:

Bhagavad-bhajana means niṣkiñcana. If we want to enjoy something material, oh, there is no question of bhagavad-bhajana, because even if you have little pinch of desire to enjoy material comforts, you'll not be admitted. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). Fully. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). Then Śūnya means zero. Unless you make material, ara nare bapa(?): "No more. Enough of this mateial enjoyment," then bhakti-yoga begins. Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). Even brahma-bhūtaḥ, Brahman realization, that is also not akiñcana. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am in brahmajyoti. I have become something important." No. Even brahmajyoti also neglected. Kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. This is the position of the devotee, akiñcanānām. Akiñcanānāṁ mayi bhakti-bhājām.

Lecture on SB 5.5.25 -- Vrndavana, November 12, 1976:

So bhakti, devotional service, is not easy, but at the same time very easy, one moment's business, one moment's. But I must be willing. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). If I do it, immediately... But that, I am not willing. We have seen so many persons. Kṛṣṇa says directly that "You surrender unto Me," sarva-dharmān parityajya. Still, he says, "When Kṛṣṇa will be merciful, then I shall do." What is this nonsense? Kṛṣṇa is directly asking you. Again He has to become merciful? What kind of mercy? These are all pleas, different pleas. Actually He doesn't want that "I shall not surrender unto You, sir. I shall place some pleas. That's all." In that way... When we become actually niṣkiñcana or akiñcana, then, as Caitanya Mahaprabhu advises, niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya. Bhagavad-bhajanonmukha means niṣkiñcana.

Lecture on SB 5.5.29 -- Vrndavana, November 16, 1976:

In Europe and America they are now combining to oppose this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, that we are brainwashing him, controlling the mind by hypnotism. That is the charge against us. We are placed in the court also in many cases. So this is "What is this nonsense, bhagavaj-jana-parāyaṇam, Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa? This is simply a sophistry," they say. Even a big scholar say. When Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), a big scholar, he has remarked, "This is sophistry."

So this is the age. So everyone is trying to be happy. That happiness is not possible. That peace is not possible unless you have got a leader or king like Bharata Mahārāja, after whose name this planet is called Bhāratavarṣa, this Bharata Mahārāja. So we have to find out such leader.

Lecture on SB 5.5.30 -- Vrndavana, November 17, 1976:

Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10). If you try your best, Kṛṣṇa will give you strength. Kṛṣṇa is always ready to help you, provided you want to take his help. He is ready. He has come to help you. Otherwise what is the use of Kṛṣṇa's coming here and canvassing, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66)? That is for our interest. You surrender to Kṛṣṇa or not surrender, it doesn't matter to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa does not depend on your service. He is completely perfect. He can create millions of servants like you in a moment. So why does He require your service? Why He should canvass for your service? His service is not suffering for want of you. But it is your interest to surrender to Him. It is your interest. This Kṛṣṇa wants to see, that you surrender to Him and become perfect and go back to home, back to Godhead. That is Kṛṣṇa's mission.

Lecture on SB 5.5.31 -- Vrndavana, November 18, 1976:

Destiny means that so long we are under the laws of nature, that is to happen. You cannot change it. That is not possible. Only... Such law can be changed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). You cannot. That is not possible. Nobody can do it. If you have done something wrong, sinful, you must suffer. There is no escape. But He can do that. Just like if you are condemned by the law court to be hanged, nobody can change it. Even the judge who has given you the punishment, even if you appeal to him, "Sir, excuse me," no, he cannot excuse you by law. But if you file petition to the president or the king—that is called king's mercy—he can change. Similarly, whatever we are doing, we must enjoy or suffer. There is no question of enjoyment.

Lecture on SB 5.6.1 -- Vrndavana, November 23, 1976:

So in this way, if we remain entrapped in the laws of material nature, then it is not good. Na sādhu manye yata atmāno yam asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ (SB 5.5.4). This practice we should give up. Mano-dharma. Mental concoction. We should immediately accept Kṛṣṇa's instruction and be situated in atmā-dharma. That is ātmārāma. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekāṁ śaraṇam vraja (BG 18.66).

Lecture on SB 5.6.7 -- Vrndavana, November 29, 1976:

Amalam means there is no material contamination, pure description. Therefore Vyāsadeva, from the very beginning he says that dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsarāṇām: (SB 1.1.2) "This book is not meant for the person who is envious." Envious... You begin enviousness from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). The envious person will say, "Oh, this is too much. Why shall I surrender to Kṛṣṇa? I am also Kṛṣṇa. I am also God. This is too much." This is rascaldom. The actual fact is that we are eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, we have forgotten it, and therefore we have become servant of māyā. We are suffering, and Kṛṣṇa, out of His kindness, He comes to prove that the living entities are eternal servant and He is the eternal master.

Lecture on SB 5.6.8 -- Vrndavana, November 30, 1976:

And what is the confidential servant of Kṛṣṇa? Everything is explained. Kṛṣṇa says, ya imaṁ paramaṁ guhyaṁ mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati. This paramaṁ guhyam. What is that paramaṁ guhyam? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is paramaṁ guhyam, Kṛṣṇa said. Guhyād guhyatamam. What is that verse? Who can say? Just before saying, sarva-dharmān parityajya, Kṛṣṇa said that "You are My very dear friend. Therefore I am talking to you the most confidential part of knowledge." Is it not? What is that confidential part? Sarva-dharmān parityajya: "Give up everything. Simply surrender unto Me." This is confidential knowledge. Jñāna, karma, yoga, this will not help. It will take some time. You can waste your time in that way, you are at liberty, but real dharma is that "You fully surrender unto Me. Don't talk nonsense." Arjuna was talking so many nonsense things. So Kṛṣṇa ultimately said, "My dear Arjuna, you are My confidential friend. Therefore I am asking you. You do this. Don't waste your time. It will not help." It will help—bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). You can go on with your learning, with your study of Vedas, with your practice of yoga or ritualistic ceremonies, karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa, but unless you come to this point—sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66)—there is no happiness. That is not possible. This is the confidential...

Lecture on SB 6.1.2 -- Honolulu, May 6, 1976:

Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). You have to take birth according to your desire, either as Brahmā or as ant, as a cat, as a dog, as demigod, and according to your capacity, Kṛṣṇa will give you: "All right." Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham (BG 4.11). If you want from Kṛṣṇa sense enjoyment, He will give you all facilities. But Kṛṣṇa does not want. Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is His mission, that "You will never be happy in this process of pravṛtti-mārga."

Lecture on SB 6.1.2 -- Honolulu, May 6, 1976:

Aśraddadhānāḥ. What Kṛṣṇa is speaking in the Bhagavad-gītā, if we take it, "Let Kṛṣṇa speak. I am not going to accept anything..." Aśraddadhānāḥ: there is no faith in the words of Kṛṣṇa. Aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣa dharmasyāsya: "The religious system which I am speaking." What is that? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ (BG 18.66), this religion. So if one is neglectful, does not like this proposal, then what is the result? Aprāpya mām: "He'll never get Me." Aprāpya mām nivartante mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani. Then he will have to continue this process, mṛtyu-saṁsāra vartmani. He'll take birth, again die, again take birth, again die. That will continue. Mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani.

Lecture on SB 6.1.3 -- Melbourne, May 22, 1975:

Desire must be there. Any living being, he must have desires. Otherwise how he is living? He is dead stone. So desire must be there. But is should be proper desire. The proper desire is... Because we are part and parcel of God, so our desire should be how to meet Him again and work with Him conjointly. That should be the only desire. Therefore when Kṛṣṇa comes, He orders, or He commands, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You give up all other desires. Simply desire how to surrender unto Me." This is required. And that can be understood by the human being. And because we have got different desires... I have already explained.

Lecture on SB 6.1.3 -- Melbourne, May 22, 1975:

Madhudvīṣa: We have been here for many lifetimes performing sinful activities. So is it possible to counteract all those sinful activities in one lifetime, or does it require many...?

Prabhupāda: One minute. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. One minute. You are not reading Bhagavad-gītā? What Kṛṣṇa says? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam śaraṇaṁ vraja, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: (BG 18.66) "You surrender unto Me. Give up your all business. I will give you relief from all sinful reaction immediately." So it requires one minute. "My dear Kṛṣṇa, I was forgotten. Now I understand. I fully surrender unto you." Then you become immediately free from all sinful reactions. Without any reservation, without any politics, if you fully surrender, Kṛṣṇa is assuring, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ. He reassures, "Don't worry whether I will be able to give you relief from all reaction." Mā śucaḥ. "Finished, guaranteed. You do this." So how much time it requires to surrender to Kṛṣṇa? Immediately you can do that. Surrender means you surrender and work as Kṛṣṇa says. That is surrender.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Sydney, February 17, 1973:

A Vaiṣṇava is most fortunate. Vaiṣṇava is most fortunate because he has got the shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says,

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi (mā śucaḥ)

Lecture on SB 6.1.6-8 -- New York, July 21, 1971:

If one takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa, he's immediately released from these resultant actions of sinful activities. So mahā-bhāga means those who have no sufferings, they're always possessed of all good fortune, he is called mahā-bhāga. Bhagavān. The Sanskrit word is used, bhagavān, fortunate.

This is Vaiṣṇava. He says, naitān vihāya kṛpaṇān vimumukṣa ekaḥ: "Then what is your process? You are very ambitious. That's all right. You want to take all of them with you to the kingdom of God, but what process?" People may ask, "How you are going to do that?" He says, nānyam tvad asya-śaraṇaṁ bhramato 'nupaśye: "I simply want to teach them how to surrender unto You. That's all. That is my process." Because he knows, as soon as he surrenders, his path is clear. Because Kṛṣṇa assures,

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi...

Lecture on SB 6.1.6-15 -- San Francisco, September 12, 1968:

So simply, somehow or other, let them bow down before Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Very simple method. As soon as you bow down before Kṛṣṇa with faith: "My Lord, Kṛṣṇa, I was forgetful of Yourself so long, so many lives. Now I have come to consciousness. Please accept me." That's all. If people simply learn this technique and sincerely surrenders himself to the Lord, his path is immediately open.

Another thing, this is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā also, that the Lord says that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You give up all kinds of bodily religious principles of life." What is that? Kṛṣṇa is asking sarva-dharmān. Dharma means religious principles. Now in one place He says that dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya, "I have come to reestablish the religious principle," and at the end He says sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). Sarva-dharmān. This sarva-dharmān, all kinds of religious principles pertaining to the bodily concept of life. We present ourselves that "I am Hindu" or "I am Christian," "I am Muhammadan..." (break) (kīrtana) (end)

Lecture on SB 6.1.7 -- Honolulu, May 8, 1976:

Kṛṣṇa has come to you to give you nice instruction how you can go back to home, back to Godhead. Back to home, back to Godhead. That is Kṛṣṇa's mission. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtam (BG 4.8). He comes Himself, Kṛṣṇa, and He comes as Caitanya Mahāprabhu, as devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa, but because people misunderstood that Kṛṣṇa is asking sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja... (BG 18.66). These rascals thought that "It is too much. Why I shall surrender to Kṛṣṇa? I am also as good as Kṛṣṇa. Why shall I surrender?" That is our mentality. If somebody says, good man, that "You surrender. I shall give you good instruction," "Oh, why shall I surrender to you?" That is material life. But our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement begins when you are ready to surrender. That is beginning.

Lecture on SB 6.1.8-13 -- New York, July 24, 1971:

Nārāyaṇa: Prabhupāda..., question? (pause) Could you elaborate on the position of the person who comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and has committed all these sinful activities in this lifetime. For instance, let's say a person has been in the, involved in the Vietnam War due to his relation with the material world and has been drawn into this activity. And now he's in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. How is he then relieved of the law of karma for his activity?

Prabhupāda: You come and live with us. That's all. Is it very difficult? Our students, they are living with us. You simply come and live with us—you are free from all karma. Is it difficult? Then do that. We shall give you food, we shall give you shelter, we shall give you nice philosophy. If you want to marry, we shall give you good wife. What you want more? So come and live with us. That's all. That I've already explained: māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate (BG 14.26). We employ you immediately in the devotional service of Lord, and you become free. Kṛṣṇa says, not that we have concocted this idea. Kṛṣṇa says that "Anyone who's engaged in My devotional service, without any hypocrisy, avyabhicāreṇa, then immediately he's freed, immediately." And in another place Kṛṣṇa says,

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- New York, July 27, 1971:

So this assurance is there. You believe it and see, practically. You hear and you see practically, what is being done. What is the difficulty? So increase the volume of the society. The whole world will be happy. That's a fact. That's all right. Join us. Try to understand the philosophy, and preach, make others happy. Kṛṣṇa will be pleased upon you. Then your life is successful.

So what is the meaning of bhoga and tyāga? There is no meaning. Either now, neither able to enjoy, because it is not your property. If you want to enjoy other's property, then you'll be implicated in criminal offenses. And if you say others' property, "I renounce this bank, I renounce this Bank of America," when did it belong to you, that you are making renouncement? It is all lunacy.

Then what to do? That is direction given by Kṛṣṇa: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). You have created different types of religion on the basis of this bhoga and tyāga. So you give up all them. Then? Mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: "You surrender unto Me." Because you cannot enjoy nor make any renunciation. But here it is said tapasā, tyāgena, by renouncing. Renouncing means that you're falsely possessing. So you give it to Kṛṣṇa, the original proprietor.

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

So karma-kāṇḍa for ordinary man it is not condemned, but those who are in devotional service, they do not require the guidance of karma-kāṇḍa or jñāna-kāṇḍa. Therefore sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). All dharmas, they are in karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa. And bhakti is jñāna-karmādy anāvṛtam (CC Madhya 19.167).

anyābhilāṣitā śūnyaṁ

jñāna karmādy anāvṛtam

ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-

śīlanam...

(Brs. 1.1.11)

So bhakti is above karma-kāṇḍa and jñāna-kāṇḍa. Rather bhakti should not be tinged or polluted by karma-kāṇḍa conception.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- London, August 3, 1971:

It is very difficult to understand. Because Kṛṣṇa says out of many millions of people, one is perfect, and out of many millions of perfect men, one can hardly understand Kṛṣṇa. So it is very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa. But if one is fortunate, he can understand. How? Now, Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). "There is no more higher truth than Me." So if one is fortunate to understand Kṛṣṇa, that there is no more higher truth than Kṛṣṇa. And if he follows the advice of Kṛṣṇa, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), then he's fortunate. Fortunate means everyone has got his discretion. So one who has the fortune to discriminate, then he can understand Kṛṣṇa very easily.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- London, August 3, 1971:

We are propagating this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement just to make everyone Kṛṣṇa conscious. Never mind what is his past background. If one takes to this process, he becomes purified. That is our propaganda. We are not taking account of his past deeds. In the Kali-yuga everyone's past deeds is not very happy. Therefore we don't consider about the past deeds. We simply request that you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And Kṛṣṇa also says that,

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣ...

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Auckland, February 22, 1973:

It might be I was very sinful in my past life, but when I surrender to Kṛṣṇa He gives me shelter and I am free. That is our proposal. We don't consider about the past deeds. Everyone may be sinful in his past deeds. That doesn't matter. But if he takes to Kṛṣṇa's shelter as Kṛṣṇa says, then Kṛṣṇa will give us protection. That is our propaganda.

In the Satya-yuga people used to live for 100,000's of years. In the Tretā-yuga, ten times reduced: ten thousand years. In Dvāpara-yuga, ten times reduced: one thousand years. And the Kali-yuga, again ten times reduced: hundred years. So our life is very short. Where is the time? Therefore to accept this process of devotional service is very deserving, sadhrīcīnaḥ. Sadhrīcīnaḥ sādhavaḥ yatra. Sadhrīcīno hy ayaṁ loke panthāḥ kṣemo akuto-bhayam. Akuto-bhayam, there is no fear. It is completely secure. Once you take to devotional service, you become directly protected by the Personality of Godhead. If you remain a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa says, kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati: (BG 9.31) "My dear Arjuna, you just..., you can declare, anyone who has become My devotee, he will never be vanquished. I will give him all protection." And Kṛṣṇa says also,

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi...

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Denver, June 28, 1975:

"I shall give you protection."

So Kṛṣṇa is the supreme powerful. He is giving assurance. Therefore, instead of accepting the other way, to practice penance and becoming, observing brahmācārya and so many other things—by one stroke, simply by surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, you will achieve all the benefits, all other benefits.

So there are many yoga-siddhis. People become very much puzzled by seeing these yoga-siddhi. But Kṛṣṇa says, yatatām api siddhānām: (BG 7.3) "Amongst many such siddhas, who have got yoga-siddhi," yatatām api siddhānām kaścid vetti māṁ tattvataḥ (BG 7.3), "somebody may understand Me." So one may achieve some yoga-siddhis; still it is not possible to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. Kṛṣṇa can be understood only such persons who has dedicated everything to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa wants that, demands, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam śaraṇaṁ (BG 18.66). Kṛṣṇa is only understandable by His pure devotee, not anyone else. Athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvayaṁ prasāda-leśānugṛhīta eva hi, jānāti tattvaṁ na cānya eko 'pi ciram vicinvan (SB 10.14.29). Those who are favored by the causeless mercy of Kṛṣṇa, they can understand Kṛṣṇa. Others, na cānya eko 'pi ciram vicinvan. Ciram means for long time, for many years, if they speculate only what is God or what is Kṛṣṇa That process will not help us.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Denver, June 28, 1975:

So one who becomes fit for going to the spiritual world, Kṛṣṇaloka, Vaikuṇṭhaloka, where is the question of his sinful reaction? Aghaṁ dhunvanti. No sinful man can go back to home, back to Godhead. So if one is actually, somehow or other, becomes fit for going back to home, back..., that means automatically his sinful reaction of life... One may question how it is. If a man is sinful for many, many lives, how simply by becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious he becomes free from the reaction? Yes. Kṛṣṇa says. You haven't got to take proof from anyone else. Kṛṣṇa says,

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi...

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Nellore, January 8, 1976:

Kṛṣṇa says, "I shall give you release from all sinful reaction which you have committed for many, many births." Kṛṣṇa says. Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ. There is no question of worrying about it, that "Oh, I have committed." But the thing is that after surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, don't commit any more sinful life. Then you are perfect. Whatever you have done is done. It doesn't matter. But after surrendering, if you think, "It is a good business. I have surrendered," no, that is not surrender. Surrender is that sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). He has no other business. That is surrender. You cannot become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa and engage in sinful activities. Then it is not surrender. You want to do your business on the strength of Kṛṣṇa's blessing—no. That is not allowed. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). All kinds of activities, occupational duty, you should give up. Simply be engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service.

The jīva soul is kṣetrajñā. He knows, just like you know, I know, "It is my body." So there are two kṣetrajñas. One kṣetrajña I am. Just like I know this is my body, you know this is your body, but I do not know what is going on in your body, you do not know what is going on in my body. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says ca, eva, kṣetrajñaṁ ca api māṁ viddhi: "Not only you are kṣetrajña; I am also kṣetrajña because I am Parambrahman, or Supersoul." But what is difference between these two kṣetrajñas ? The difference is that one kṣetrajña knows about his own body, but the super-kṣetrajña, he knows everyone's body. So in this way if we understand our position, that Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the great and we are small, that is perfect knowledge. Therefore Kṛṣṇa commands, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). As the master commands the servant that "What, rascal, you are doing? What I say, you do it." (break) There are two living entities: one, the superior, who orders, and the other, inferior, who carries out the order. This is further explained in the Fifteenth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭho mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). He says, Lord Kṛṣṇa said, that "I am situated in everyone's heart. I am giving order." Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam. And then the jīvātmā gets knowledge and carries it out.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Nellore, January 8, 1976:

So in the previous verses the mode of progress is tapasa brahmacaryeṇa śamena damena vā (SB 6.1.13). These things are to be executed. But here in these verses, simply if you become a pure devotee, then it is to be understood that you have already executed tapasā, brahmācārya, śama, dama, everything. As soon as you surrender to Kṛṣṇa...

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇam

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi...

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

That our miserable condition of life is due to our material attraction or pāpa, impious activities. Here it is confirmed that kevalayā bhaktyā, aghaṁ dhunvanti kārtsnyena: totally you can kill all reaction of sinful activities. And a very good example is given here: nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ. Nīhāra means fog. In the fog you cannot see what is there in your front. But as soon as there is sunrise, immediately fog is dissipated.

Nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇāḥ means devotees. Nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇa, one who has taken Nārāyaṇa as the ultimate goal of life. Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu—They are of the same tattva, viṣṇu-tattva. So people do not know this, that to approach the platform of worshiping Nārāyaṇa or Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa, that is the most exalted and assured platform. Just like we get insurance, so this is assured. Assured by whom? Assured by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is assuring, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). Api cet sudurācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk, sādhur eva sa man... (BG 9.30). So many assurances there. Nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇa. Kṛṣṇa says personally that "I shall protect you." People suffer on account of sinful reaction, ignorance. Out of ignorance, they commit sinful action, and sinful action reacts. Just like a child, ignorant, he touches blazing fire, and it burns the hand, and he suffers.

Lecture on SB 6.1.18 -- Denver, July 1, 1975:

Everything is washed very nicely. If you go to the river, you can wash very nicely. But just see how much infectious is liquor that the any pot or any bottle which was filled up with liquor, they cannot be purified. This is Vedic civilization. How much condemned is liquor! Because a pot was filled up with liquor, you cannot use it for any other purpose. It is lost. Even if you wash it very nicely, no, it will not be accepted. Finished. Similarly, there are many processes of purification; they cannot be as useful as bhagavad-bhakti. Bhagavad-bhakti is so nice that Kṛṣṇa says that "You surrender to Me," sarva-dharmān parityajya, "and immediately you become immune from all reaction of sinful activity, immediately."

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

Lecture on SB 6.1.18 -- Honolulu, May 18, 1976:

Bhagavad-bhakti is so strong. In many places it is stated in the śāstra.

So there are different methods how to get out of the suffering condition, karmī, jñānī, yogi. But ultimate, very easy process is, if you become a devotee, if you become engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then it is very easy. Kṣemaḥ akuto-bhayaḥ. Then your prosperity, your auspicity, is guaranteed. Kṣemaḥ akuto-bhayaḥ. Akuto-bhayaḥ means "without any fear." You can keep yourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness as it is prescribed. Then your life is secure, akuto-bhayaḥ. Therefore no more fear. Because why? Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: (BG 18.66) "If you become surrendered unto Me and if you keep yourself under My instruction, then I'll give you protection." Therefore it is said, akuto-bhayam. Then your character will be formed, you'll become... You'll manifest your all good qualities simply by becoming nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇa. And so far atonement... We began this atonement.

Lecture on SB 6.1.23 -- Chicago, July 7, 1975:

Those who are in ignorance, they do not know what is the value of life, what is next life. Just enlighten them. That is a good business. Kṛṣṇa will recognize. Anyone who is pushing on this movement, he is immediately recognized. Because Kṛṣṇa wants... We are all sons of Kṛṣṇa. He wants us back to home, live with Him comfortably, without any disadvantage of conditional life, freedom. Kṛṣṇa wants. Therefore he comes: yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). That dharmasya glāniḥ means... Dharma means religious. Glāni means pollution. What is that? We are manufacturing so many rascal type of religion. This is dharmasya glāniḥ. But real religion is as Kṛṣṇa says. What is that? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is religion. Religion means the order of Kṛṣṇa. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). You cannot manufacture religion. Religion means you carry out the order of God. That is religion. That is religion.

Lecture on SB 6.1.31 -- Honolulu, May 30, 1976:

So there are two kinds of religious systems. The karmīs... Karma-kāṇḍa and jñāna-kāṇḍa. The Vedas, there are three kāṇḍas; therefore Vedas' name is trayi. Trayi means there are three different phases of activities—karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa and upāsana-kāṇḍa. That is the teaching of the Vedic literature. So when Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vrāja... (BG 18.66). Because there are two kinds of men in this world. One is karmī, and one is jñānī. Karmīs are trying to use all the money of the world and utilize it for sense gratification. They are karmīs, sarva-kāmo... They're described in the śāstra-sarva-kāmo. Akāmaḥ sarvo-kāma, mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhīḥ. So when Kṛṣṇa says that sarva-dharmān patityajya, sarva means "all." So generally, in the material world two things are going on. The karmīs are busy try to earn money for their sense gratification, and the jñānīs, they've given up the world as mithyā. Brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. "Brahman is truth, and this is all mithyā." So Kṛṣṇa said, "You give up all this business." Mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vrāja: "You do everything for Me. That's all. Don't utilize the assets of the world for your sense gratification, neither you give it up as mithyā. Why mithyā? I've created." Why it should be mithyā? Mithyā means false.

Lecture on SB 6.1.31 -- Honolulu, May 30, 1976:

So Kṛṣṇa is bhakta-vatsala. He came and released them and killed the Bhaumāsura and asked them, "Now you can go to your father's house." So they began to cry. Why? "Now our fathers will not accept us because we have been kidnapped." Just see. "We have been kidnapped. I have no right to go to the father. And we're not married also." "Then, what you want?" "You kindly marry us." "All right. Come on." (laughter) This is Kṛṣṇa. Yes. "You have no shelter. You're taking My shelter? Come on. I shall give you all palaces. Come on." This is Kṛṣṇa. Take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Never mind what is your position. Kṛṣṇa will accept you and give you all comfort. Ahaṁ tvaṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). He will not kick out, even you are a prostitute. "I will give you protection." So why shall..., we should not take shelter of Kṛṣṇa? This is very natural conclusion.

Lecture on SB 6.1.37 -- Los Angeles, June 3, 1976:

Just like gopīs are going to Kṛṣṇa at dead of night, at midnight. And how they're going? Kṛṣṇa is playing the flute, and gopīs are running, giving up all their engagement in the family. Somebody was lying with her husband, somebody was engaged in the kitchen, somebody was taking care of the children, so on, so on. But they left everything and went to Kṛṣṇa. This is transcendental. When we go to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, giving up everything, that is transcendental platform. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66).

So this word is a very important word, vāsudevokta-kāriṇaḥ. A devotee has nothing to do anything more except to execute the order of Kṛṣṇa. That is transcendental platform. They do not know what is transcendental plat... Transcendental meditation means to think of Kṛṣṇa always. That is transcendental meditation.

Lecture on SB 6.1.37 -- Los Angeles, June 3, 1976:

So the Kṛṣṇa conscious life is not very difficult. It is very easy. In one second, if he agrees: "Yes, Kṛṣṇa, whatever You say, I shall do..." That Arjuna did at last, after hearing the whole Bhagavad-gītā. When Kṛṣṇa asked, inquired from him, "Now, what is your decision...?" Kṛṣṇa never interferes with your decision. You have got little independence. Kṛṣṇa has given you. But if you use your independence, do not like to obey the orders of Kṛṣṇa, that is your business. You can do that. Kṛṣṇa will not interfere with you. But Kṛṣṇa says that "If you want actual happiness, liberation, then follow what I say." That is Kṛṣṇa's request. As we are subordinate, Kṛṣṇa can order that "You must do it." That Kṛṣṇa does not say, never. Kuru. He says sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), "You do it." He doesn't say "You must." That is your option. You can deny it. That is going on. Kṛṣṇa is instructing everything perfectly, but why people are not doing? That is his discretion. That Kṛṣṇa gives always. After teaching Bhagavad-gītā thoroughly, He asked Arjuna: "Now, Arjuna, I have spoken to you everything. Now it is up to you to do it or not to do it." Yathecchasi tathā kuru (BG 18.63). Yathā-icchasi: "Whatever you like, you do." He doesn't force, but Arjuna, that is, means knowledge, Arjuna said naṣṭo mohaḥ: "My illusion is now over."

Lecture on SB 6.1.39-40 -- Surat, December 21, 1970:

We have to accept like that. That is the following of Vedic rules. Similarly, in the Bhagavad-gītā you will find, Kṛṣṇa has explained so many ways karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, haṭha-yoga, so many other things, but ultimately He says bhakti-yoga is the Supreme. Sarva dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja means this is bhakti-yoga. One has to simply obey or surrender unto Kṛṣṇa, giving up all other types of religious principles. So one can say that Lord Kṛṣṇa said in some places of the Bhagavad-gītā that this yoga, karma-yoga is nice, jñāna-yoga is nice. No. The last word, what He says, that is to be accepted. You cannot argue that Kṛṣṇa said karma-yoga is also good. You cannot argue that "I shall take to karma-yoga." That is, karma-yoga, different stages of evolution. One who is fit for simply karma-yoga, that process is recommended for him. But if one ultimately wants the supreme benefit, then this is the injunction of Bhagavad-gītā, that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66).

Lecture on SB 6.1.39-40 -- Surat, December 21, 1970:

It is to be settled up that dharma means the injunction of the Supreme Nārāyaṇa. And adharma means that you manufacture something out of your own fertile brain. That is adharma. And dharma means the injunction. Dharmāṁ (tu) sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam: (SB 6.3.19) "Dharma means what is spoke by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is dharma." Therefore we take it for acceptance that Kṛṣṇa says... That is actually the fact. Mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. To surrender unto Kṛṣṇa, that is dharma. Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). And in another place of the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). Those who are thinking themselves as advanced in knowledge, such persons, after many, many births take to the surrendering process to Kṛṣṇa. So the version of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and version of the Vedas and version of Bhagavad-gītā, there is no difference. It has to be studied a little carefully.

Lecture on SB 6.1.40 -- Surat, December 22, 1970:

Liberation from this material hankering. And what is that material hankering? To satisfy the senses. So these devotees, they are not for satisfying their senses. They are simply trying to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa said that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). They are determined to preach this cult, that "You surrender to Kṛṣṇa." Therefore they are actual representative of Kṛṣṇa. Immediately they are liberated. So, so far liberation is concerned, there is. So far ahiṁsā, nonviolence, there is. So far love of God is there, there is. So combination of Hindu religion, Muslim religion... And Muslims also, they also say their bandeḥ.(?) They also pray in the mosque. I do not know, of course, all other religions. These principal things I know. They also accept "Allah akbar", "God is great." We are all bandehs,(?) all servants. So that is also... Vaiṣṇavism, that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. "Kṛṣṇa is great."

Lecture on SB 6.1.42 -- Los Angeles, July 23, 1975:

We are all servant of Kṛṣṇa; therefore our only aim is to serve Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa wants that "Save these rascals from rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. Bring them transcendent to sattva-guṇa, and they will be happy." This is Kṛṣṇa's desire. Nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna: "Arjuna, you become above the three guṇas." That is the Kṛṣṇa's desire. "Why you are bothering with these guṇas? 'This is my body. This is my family. This is this. This is this. This is this.' You are arguing so much." So therefore Kṛṣṇa said, nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna: "These are on the material platform. Come to the spiritual platform." Ultimately he said that "You are My very dear friend. Therefore I am disclosing to you the most confidential knowledge." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). This is the whole instruction.

Lecture on SB 6.1.43 -- Los Angeles, June 9, 1976:

So here, adharmaḥ vijñātaḥ, the degrees. Real dharma is, Kṛṣṇa is explaining in the Bhagavad..., sarva-dharmān parityajya... (BG 18.66). You have created, man-made, so many dharmas. So one Bengali Vaiṣṇava, he has mentioned, pṛthivite yaha kichu dharma nāme cale, bhāgavat kahe taha paripūrṇa chale. Bhāgavata, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra: (SB 1.1.2) "In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam all kaitava"—kaitava means cheating—"cheating type of religious religious system is kicked out." Projjhita, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo atra. So dharma is one; religion is one. There cannot be different types of religion. That is concoction. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). I have several times... So dharma and adharma. These witnesses are there to see who is disobeying the orders of the Lord. That is adharma. A clear order is that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is dharma. Everything is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, what is jñāna, what is dharma, what is vairāgya.

Lecture on SB 6.1.45 -- Laguna Beach, July 26, 1975:

So we have not manufactured this; this is the standard. Just like Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). "Why you are unnecessarily running just like dog?" That street dog, we have seen just now on the beach, he has no master. So sometimes he is running this way, sometimes this running way, and he saw us. He knows—after all, he is a living being—that "There are some Vaiṣṇavas. So let me go with them if they will give us shelter." That is the purpose. He was coming. You were making, "Hut!" (laughter) But he wanted some master, because a dog without master, his position is very precarious.

Lecture on SB 6.1.50 -- Detroit, August 3, 1975:

So this is the age of Kali, and we are in darkness, and a mode of life just like animals. So this is our position. But the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, He is sympathetic. He comes, therefore. He comes... He came in the Dvāpara-yuga, by the end of Dvāpara-yuga, and He left behind Him this Bhagavad-gītā, being merciful upon these conditioned soul, that "You make your life perfect by reading this Bhagavad-gītā. I am leaving behind him. Arjuna is My friend." So in the way of questions or answers and in the way of Arjuna's falling in difficulty... Arjuna was not difficulty. He is personal friend of Kṛṣṇa. But in order to derive the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, he showed himself as in ignorance. The benefit is our, that we have got this Bhagavad-gītā. But still, we are so fallen. Because Kṛṣṇa said that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, therefore people misunderstood. Again Kṛṣṇa came in this Kali-yuga as Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya nāmne. The Rūpa Gosvāmī, he prayed to Caitanya Mahāprabhu, namo mahā-vadānyāya. Kṛṣṇa came. That's all right. But He was not so liberal. He wanted first of all surrender.

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi...

Lecture on SB 6.1.51 -- Detroit, August 4, 1975:

Kṛṣṇa made condition. Kṛṣṇa is personal Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. He came to show His mercy, and therefore He left Bhagavad-gītā to be read by common... Any common man can understand. But the rascals are so rigid that they will misinterpret. Kṛṣṇa left it for reading it by everyone. Any common man can understand.

And jñāna means one who understands that, by analysis, that "These wrappers, material wrappers, these fifteen, five, five, five—five sense organs, five object of sense enjoyment—in this way twenty-four wrappers, so how I am to get out of these wrappings?" That is intelligence. That is jñānī. But a jñānī does not know that "I get out from this entanglement. Then where I stay?" That they do not know. So that information is given by Kṛṣṇa, that "Give up this, and take up Me," negative and positive, both. Sarva-dharmān parityajya: (BG 18.66) "Give up this nonsense desires." Then? What to do? Now, mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: "Come to Me, under Me." This is required. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu. Mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. That is not varietyless, that "I surrender unto You; then business finished." No. Śaraṇaṁ vraja means ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam: (CC Madhya 19.167) what Kṛṣṇa says, you do that. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was not willing to fight, but when he listened Bhagavad-gītā from Kṛṣṇa, then he agreed to fight.

Lecture on SB 6.1.51 -- Detroit, August 4, 1975:

The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means that we are trying to educate people to change the consciousness. We have got so many desires under different consciousness. So one desire, that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa," this is called mukti, as soon as Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is mukti. If we give up all other desires and agree to accept Kṛṣṇa's desires, that mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, "You surrender unto Me," that is mukti; that is liberation. Otherwise, under the influence of these twenty-four elements and the material nature and the three guṇas, infection, dhatte anusaṁsṛtiṁ puṁsi harṣa-śoka-bhayārtidām, you go on changing any body. The subject matter is very difficult, but we have to learn it from śāstra what is our position.

Lecture on SB 6.1.63 -- Vrndavana, August 30, 1975:

Just like the flood is going on in many parts of the world. So this is due to our sinful life. Nature is punishing. Adhidaivika. You cannot control. Nature will punish. Why nature is punishing? Because we are godless. That is nature's business. The more we become godless, the more we'll be punished by the laws of nature. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā. You cannot surpass. You make many scientific plans to overcome—it is not possible. Then how it is possible? Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti. Unless you surrender to Kṛṣṇa That is your business.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa openly says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). The Ajamila, he was brāhmaṇa, undoubtedly, but he fell a victim to māyā. But you know the story of Haridāsa. He was young man at that time, and one man instigated a prostitute, young prostitute, to deviate him, but she was unable. On the other hand, the prostitute became a Vaiṣṇavī. This is the difference between a devotee and a nondevotee. A nondevotee cannot surpass the stringent laws of material nature. But a devotee can do that because a devotee is not affected by the influence of material nature.

Lecture on SB 6.1.63 -- Vrndavana, August 30, 1975:

Vanaṁ gato. One should go in the vana, in Vṛndāvana. Then what to do there? Harim āśrayeta. Otherwise, if we live in Vṛndāvana like monkeys and other animals, that will not be beneficial. Harim āśrayeta. Come here, live here and take shelter of Hari. That is the ultimate goal. Therefore Hari personally says, Kṛṣṇa, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Harim āśrayeta.

Lecture on SB 6.1.67 -- Vrndavana, September 3, 1975:

So we must follow the rules and regulations as given by God. That is religion. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Religion means the law which is given by God, and if you follow, then your life is successful. This is religion. Religion is not that concocted, you manufacture some religion. That is not religion. Just like you cannot manufacture law. The law is given by the state, by the government. That is law. Similarly, religion means the law given by God. So therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā the real religion means sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Don't manufacture concocted religion, this samāj, this religion, that, all nonsense. The only religion is how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, or God. That is religion. But nobody will surrender to God, and they will manufacture religion.

Lecture on SB 6.1.68 -- Vrndavana, September 4, 1975:

You are not independent. If you violate the laws, you'll be punished. Similarly, dharma means the laws of God. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). So if you violate the laws of God, the principles of dharma, then you will be punished. What is that principle of dharma? This Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). We have manufactured so many different types of religious faith, but they are man-manufactured. They are not laws. And now it is being supported by many so-called swāmīs, that "You can manufacture your own religion. It doesn't matter. Whatever nonsense type of religion you follow, you get the same result." This is going on. But that is not the fact. Dharma is that, only one. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). To surrender unto Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is real dharma. And what of others? They are cheating. That is stated in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). Kaitava means cheating. Cheating type of religion is rejected.

Lecture on SB 6.2.1-5 -- Calcutta, January 6, 1971:

Gosvāmī means refuse to follow the dictation of the senses. Simply he has to follow the dictation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That dictation comes through the paramparā system. Kṛṣṇa dictated Arjuna, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). If you follow Arjuna, then you (are) in directly contact with Kṛṣṇa. There is no difficulty. The dictation comes through disciplic succession. Now Kṛṣṇa is teaching to His disciple, Arjuna. Arjuna accepted, śiṣyas te 'ham: (BG 2.7) "Just now I become Your disciple." Śiṣya means one who voluntarily accepts the ruling of a spiritual master. He is called śiṣya. Nobody wants to follow the dictation of others—that is another independent nature of living entity—but when one voluntarily agrees to serve the dictation of the spiritual master..., means to follow the dictation of Kṛṣṇa... Ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyāt. Kṛṣṇa says, "Ācārya is My self." Nāvamanyeta karhicit: "Never disobey." Na martya-buddhyāsūyeta: "And do not think him as ordinary person and become envious of his position." Then there is fall down. Ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān nāvamanyeta karhicit, na martya-buddhyāsūyeta (SB 11.17.27).

Lecture on SB 6.2.2 -- Vrndavana, September 6, 1975:

Dharma means bhāgavata-dharma. Otherwise it is not dharma; it is cheating. Otherwise, why Kṛṣṇa said sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66)? Because that is bhāgavata-dharma. Bhagavān is speaking. Therefore, what Bhagavān is speaking, that is in relationship with Bhagavān. Therefore it is called bhāgavata-dharma. Bhāgavata means in relationship with God, or Bhagavān. Bhāgavata-śabda and then Bhāgavata. That is dharma. So bhāgavata-dharma. Dharma means bhāgavata-dharma. Dharma does no mean I manufacture at my home some religion and it becomes dharma. No. That kind of religion is rejected. Dharmaḥ projjhita kaivato 'tra: "That kind of cheating religion is rejected." Projjhita.

Lecture on SB 6.2.7 -- Vrndavana, September 10, 1975:

Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate. Prapadyate. This is bhakti-yoga. And still clearly explained. What is that prapatti? Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ: (BG 7.19) "When one comes to this understanding that Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is everything. I surrender to Kṛṣṇa.' " Kṛṣṇa is canvassing personally. Kṛṣṇa is so kind that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That we'll not take. "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is claiming too much." But that is the ultimate goal, that you have to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. That is the highest perfection.

Lecture on SB 6.2.7 -- Vrndavana, September 10, 1975:

So this vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19), we are distributing on the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. People may take that Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means that we are preaching vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19)—no compromise, only Vasudeva, Kṛṣṇa. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. If people can take it without any hesitation... As Kṛṣṇa says, mā śucaḥ: "Don't be worried." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Kṛṣṇa says Even out of sentiment we take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, believing on the word of Kṛṣṇa, out of sentiment, still, we are benefited. Tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ hareḥ (SB 1.5.17). It is said that if by sentiment one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, tyaktvā sva-dharmam Everyone has got his occupational duty.

Lecture on SB 6.2.7 -- Vrndavana, September 10, 1975:

Just like these European, American boys, they belong to Jewish religion, they belong to Christian religion, but out of their pious activity or even by sentiment, they have given up. Now they have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But they are perfect. You may say that some of them are fallen. So śāstra says that "Even one has fallen, where is the wrong there? And another person, who has not taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, who has not fallen, what is the benefit there?" Even one has not fallen, sticking to his own particular religious system, he is not gainer. But a person who has taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness even by sentiment and has fallen, he has great benefit because once he has taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Kṛṣṇa becomes attached to him. That is ajñāta-sukṛti. Therefore, in all circumstances, we should accept the Kṛṣṇa's instruction, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), and surely we shall be benefited.

So it doesn't matter whether he is advanced. Of course, everyone should try his best to advance more and more in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but even though one falls down circumstantially... Tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer patet tato yadi bhajann apakvo (SB 1.5.17). Bhajan means this execution of devotional service.

Lecture on SB 6.2.8 -- Vrndavana, September 11, 1975:

Just like we are chanting all over the whole world that "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and you will be happy." Still, they are not very much interested. Mandāḥ, slow: "All right, I shall do it at the time of death. Now let me enjoy." Mandāḥ. And manda-matayo. And if one is interested for spiritual advancement of life, he will go to some rascal, some avatāra, some yogi, some bluffer, some magician, as spiritual salvation. Mandaḥ manda-matayo. Why they are attracted by these rascals? Manda-bhāgyā, unfortunate. Kṛṣṇa says directly, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). They will not hear Kṛṣṇa. They will hear these rascals, so-called yogis, so-called avatāras, so-called mahātmās. Manda-bhāgyāḥ. Therefore upadrutāḥ. They are always, constantly, disturbed. This is the position.

Lecture on SB 6.2.8 -- Vrndavana, September 11, 1975:

We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, mamaivāṁśaḥ. So He is very unhappy. Of course, He cannot be unhappy. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). But at least, because we are His sons and we are rotting in this material world for sense gratification, in this way He is very sorry. Therefore He comes and teaches us, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām: (BG 18.66) "You rascal, why you are going here and there? Just surrender unto Me. I will give you..." But still, the rascals will not take.

Lecture on SB 6.2.11 -- Allahabad, January 16, 1971:

If you practice devotional service even for some time and if you fall down, then it will also help sometime. Nārada therefore says, tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi (SB 1.5.17). He says that a person who takes to devotional service, giving up all his prescribed duties... Just like Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Now, in course of prosecuting the devotional service, even he falls down there is no loss. Because whatever he has done, that remains his credit. Whereas a person who is following the ritualistic principles but does not develop devotional service, what will be benefit? He may get a promotion to the heavenly planet. What is that gain?

Lecture on SB 6.2.11 -- Vrndavana, September 13, 1975:

Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadam. If you want to stay within this material world, then padaṁ padam—"in every step there is danger." Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadaṁ na teṣām. Na teṣām. "Not for them." Who? Samāśritā ye pada-pallavaṁ plavaṁ mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ: "One who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of the lotus feet of Murāri," means Kṛṣṇa. Samāśritā. Samyag āśritā. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). Samyak, fully. Sama means samyak, no reservation: "Kṛṣṇa, I do not know anything more. I simply surrender unto You. Now whatever You do, accepted. If you like to kill me, kill me. If you want to give me protection, that's all right. Anyway, I am surrendered." This is called full surrender.

Lecture on SB 6.2.14 -- Vrndavana, September 17, 1975:

Just like you worship Gaṇeśa for siddhi, ṛddhi-siddhi. You will find in mercantile shop, namo gaṇeśāya namaḥ ṛddhi-siddhi kurdan mile(?). So similarly, we worship Goddess Durgā for beautiful wife. These are prescribed in the śāstras, that "If you want this, then you worship this Deity. If you want this, then you worship this Deity." So different worshipers of demigods, they are meant for satisfying the senses. But Kṛṣṇa is not that. You cannot satisfy your senses by worshiping Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. Kṛṣṇa is not order-supplier: "My dear Kṛṣṇa, please give me this. Then I shall worship You." Kṛṣṇa does not accept such worship. Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam: (BG 18.66) "You first of all surrender to Me. I am not your order-supplier." This is Kṛṣṇa's worship. So those who are not taking Kṛṣṇa as order-supplier, those who are accepting Kṛṣṇa as order-carrier, he will be successful. Otherwise it will take time. Don't take Kṛṣṇa as your order-carrier, order-supplier. You become. Hṛṣīkena-hṛṣīkeśa sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). Bhakti means when you engage your senses for satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. That is bhakti. And if you take Kṛṣṇa for satisfying your senses, just like you worship other demigod, that is not bhakti. That is not bhakti.

Lecture on SB 6.2.16 -- Vrndavana, September 19, 1975:

Father entreats, "My dear son, why you are rotting in this way? Come home. You'll be comfortable. You'll be happy." But these rascal sons will not go. They are thinking, "We shall make plan here and live peacefully." That is going on. And God is coming, Kṛṣṇa is coming, canvassing, that "Come back to home, back to Godhead," and we are not interested. We are making plan here. This is our misfortune. But this plan will be frustrated. That is the nature's law. Daivi hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Whatever plan you make, it will be frustrated. It will never be successful. Therefore śāstra says, bahir-artha-maninaḥ. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). Where is the destination of life, they do not know it. Na te viduḥ. These rascals, those who have come to this material world, they do not know where is the goal of life because they are rascals, mūḍha, narādhama. Kṛṣṇa is canvassing that "Give up all this nonsense business." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Nobody will hear. He will manufacture his own way. This is the disease. Why? Because under the spell of māyā.

Lecture on SB 6.2.24-25 -- Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971:

Guest: And some people I have told that they are the friends of Kṛṣṇa...

Prabhupāda: Yes. Anyone, not only they. Anyone. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Anyone who will accept this principle, he will be elevated. That's all. But his brain is filled, "Then why Kṛṣṇa? Why not Aurobindo? He is greater than Kṛṣṇa." You see?

Guest: I don't think he is greater than Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: No.

Lecture on SB 6.3.12-15 -- Gorakhpur, February 9, 1971:

Nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo na medhayā na bahunā śrutena. These are Vedic injunctions. Bahunā śrutena. Śruti means education. Not by medhā, brain, and not by education, not by lecturing, but simply by surrendering. Or... Surrendering, or simply by the mercy, by the causeless mercy of the Lord. By... His causeless mercy to this age is simple. Immediately says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66), sarva-guhyatamam: "The most confidential part of My instruction is this, that you simply surrender unto Me." Sarva-dharmān. Sarva-guhyatamam. What is that verse? Mahārāja, you can say? Sarva-guhyatamam. No, no. In the Bhagavad-gītā. Before this sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66), there is another verse. Where is the Bhagavad-gītā? Not English. I want original Sanskrit. Sarva-guhyatamaṁ bhūyaḥ. Sarva-guhyatamaṁ bhūyaḥ śṛṇu me paramaṁ vacaḥ: "The most confidential instruction, just try to understand." (Hindi) "Surrender unto Me." They cannot understand: "Why shall I surrender?" But it is the most confidential instruction. Those who cannot understand Bhagavad-gītā, they will put forward, "Why should we surrender? Kṛṣṇa has said about jñāna, about karma, about yoga. Why not these processes?" But he does not know that is the ultimate process.

Lecture on SB 6.3.12-15 -- Gorakhpur, February 9, 1971:

Kṛṣṇa does not say everyone that sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66), only to a selected devotee. Because unless one is very highly elevated devotee, he cannot accept this proposition. He is puffed up with his material, contaminated life. That's all. "I am this. I am that. I am this. I am that. Why shall I surrender?" Actually they forgot. Dr. Radhakrishnan says, "This is sophistry, that Kṛṣṇa is demanding like that." He is proud of his becoming a great philosophy, but he does not know he is a fool number one. He comments on the Bhagavad-gītā in a different way. That he does not know. Therefore he is surprised: "How this gentleman, Kṛṣṇa, is asking to surrender? I am so proud. I am so learned." But this is the only process.

Lecture on SB 6.3.12-15 -- Gorakhpur, February 9, 1971:

Priyo 'si me: "Because you are My very dear friend, you have fully surrendered unto Me, therefore I am speaking to you." Then He says,

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

Lecture on SB 6.3.16-17 -- Gorakhpur, February 10, 1971:

These three verses are the ultimate instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-guhyatamam.

So people do not understand, and they read Bhagavad-gītā daily. And they are very much proud: "I am reading Bhagavad-gītā daily." If anyone actually reads Bhagavad-gītā, then he will be Kṛṣṇa conscious. It is meant for that purpose. But they do not read actually. They simply make a show. Neither do they understand what is Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Is that all right? So we have to preach in that spirit.

Bhakti means the bhakta's only business is to understand whether Kṛṣṇa is pleased by my activity. That is bhakta's business. But because they have no relationship with God, they are puzzled that "How I shall understand whether Kṛṣṇa is pleased or not?" They are puzzled. That answer is given by Viśvanātha Cakravartī, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ: ** "If you please the representative of Kṛṣṇa, guru, then He is pleased." Yasya prasādād bhagavat... Otherwise you cannot understand whether Kṛṣṇa is pleased or not. You can understand also, because if you follow the Kṛṣṇa's instructions... Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). If one is completely surrendered to Kṛṣṇa and he has no other business than to serve Him, then he can understand that "I am now... Even if I do not understand whether Kṛṣṇa is pleased or not, by the formula I can understand that because I am fully surrendered—I have no other business—then Kṛṣṇa must be pleased." That is the... And practical.

Lecture on SB 6.3.25-26 -- Gorakhpur, February 18, 1971:

Devotee is bhagavat-prapannāḥ. Bhagavat means to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Prapannāḥ means fully surrendered. Bhagavat-prapannāḥ. The same thing is corroborated here. So just like Kṛṣṇa said, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66), "I shall protect you from all sinful reaction," because there is declaration by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, therefore His servant, the executor of the criminal department, Yamarāja, he also says that te deva-siddha-parigīta-pavitra-gāthā ye sādhavaḥ samadṛśo bhagavat-prapannāḥ, that "A devotee who has fully surrendered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they are worshiped by devaloka, siddhaloka." The demigods also, they worship. They show full respect.

Lecture on SB 6.3.27-28 -- Gorakhpur, February 20, 1971:

So simply become Kṛṣṇa devotee, your life is successful. That's all. You are well protected and you are very recognized. Your qualities, your everything becomes all transcendental, immediately. It is so nice. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām (BG 18.66). "I'll give you." That is... These are things are stated. Tān nopasīdata harer gadayābhiguptān naiṣāṁ vayaṁ na ca vayaḥ prabhavāma daṇḍe. "They are not our candidates and neither we have got any power to punish them. Even he's in wrong, that is not our jurisdiction. That is Kṛṣṇa's jurisdiction. Kṛṣṇa will see to it what to do, even if he's wrong." That is called departmental punishment. That is Kṛṣṇa's departmental punishment. Not outside. "Kṛṣṇa may punish him or excuse him; that is Kṛṣṇa's business, not ours." Therefore a devotee knows, when he's fully surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, if there is some punishment from the side of Kṛṣṇa, they accept it as mercy of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 7.5.30 -- London, September 9, 1971:

The māyā, the stringent laws, are there. Just like what is the purpose of this police force or material force or military force? The purpose is to keep the citizens obedient to the state. That is the purpose. So long... At any time, if a citizen becomes disobedient to the state laws, he is immediately put into the police custody. And if he is more powerful, then under military custody. Similarly, anyone who has rebelled against the superiority of God, he is put into the stringent laws of material nature and he is suffering. That is the position. Therefore his self-interest is to seek out the Supreme Personality of Godhead and surrender unto Him. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That will make you happy. Otherwise, if you simply try to adjust material things and become happy, that is not possible. This is the explanation of Prahlāda Mahārāja.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: So if the activities is going on with the laws of nature, then how do you become Kṛṣṇa consciousness? Do you (indistinct) yourself completely?

Prabhupāda: That Kṛṣṇa said, that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ... (BG 18.66). "You nonsense. You give up all this nonsense business. Come to Me." So we have, you have to develop such knowledge. "Oh, Kṛṣṇa says like this, let me do this." (break) "...faith that whatever engagement you have manufactured, it is simply troublesome, miserable for your life. Don't try to manufacture any more. Please come to Me." "Oh, how shall I live?" Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ (BG 18.66). "Don't bother. I shall give you protection." Unfortunately, we do not follow. We have no business to maintain this body or that body, but simply to surrender to God. Then everything will be done.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

You have to purify your senses and be engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa. We have to first of all see whether I am actually in my own function. That is the sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is the function. We have to give up all other functions. Simply to be engaged in Kṛṣṇa's function. That is my duty. So everyone's function is that. Candra's function, he is giving light under the order of Kṛṣṇa. He is servant of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Vrndavana, December 2, 1975:

Kaumāra means from five year to fifteenth year, or five year to tenth year, then kiśora, kaiśora. That is division. So anyway, Just like we send our children to a school at the age of five years, every country. In India also that is the system. When a child is five year, four years, some months he is old, his education begins. So Prahlāda Mahārāja says from the very beginning of education the bhāgavata-dharma must be taught. This is kaumāra ācaret prājño, if one is intelligent. If one is ass or cow or animal, he cannot understand. Prājña: "One who has known." One who knows the value of life, he is called prājño. Prakṛṣṭa-rūpena jñā. Jñā means one who has knowledge. So he says, Prahlāda Mahārāja, that kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). There are dharmas according to country, society, but real dharma is bhāgavata-dharma. That is instructed in the Bhagavad-gītā also. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Who is mām? Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavān. You will see in the Bhagavad-gītā, śrī-bhagavān uvāca. So Bhagavān says that "surrender unto Me." Opportunity. Kṛṣṇa comes to give the opportunity. He is canvassing.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Madras, January 2, 1976:

So a Vaiṣṇava can understand what kind of part he is playing. So in this way there are different activities going on, and they have been taken as different types of dharma. But real dharma is bhāgavata-dharma. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is dharma. That is called bhāgavata-dharma, intimate relationship with the Lord, Bhagavān. Brahmeti bhagavān iti... Brahmeti paramātmā iti bhagavān iti. Tattva-vit. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam (SB 1.2.11). There is no difference between Brahman and Paramātmā and Bhagavān.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 Excerpt -- Toronto, June 17, 1976:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "My dear friends, it is not that we have to wait up to our old age because there is no guarantee of life. Where is the guarantee that we shall become old? We may die tomorrow or today. There is no guarantee. Therefore immediately we shall begin how to learn bhāgavata-dharma." Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān (SB 7.6.1). Dharmān means religion. And specially, he has specifically, Prahlāda Mahārāja says dharmān bhāgavatān. Dharma, religious, religion means bhāgavata-dharma. The other dharma cannot be dharma. Therefore you'll find in Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Mam, Kṛṣṇa is bhagavān. If you follow the instruction of Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa, that is bhāgavata-dharma.

There may be other dharma, just like deśa-dharma or samāj-dharma. There are many other dharmas. Brahma-dharma, this dharma, that... But that is not dharma. Real dharma means bhāgavata-dharma. That is real dharma. Otherwise, why Kṛṣṇa says sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja? Mām ekam. He is bhagavān. You'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā, it is said, bhagavān uvāca. Whenever you find the instruction, bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān, bhāgavata-śabda. The original word is bhagavat.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 Excerpt -- Toronto, June 17, 1976:

And God is one. There cannot be different Gods. If God has got competitors, then He is not God. There cannot be Hindu God, Muslim God, Christian God, or other conception of God. God is one. God cannot be Hindu, Muslim, Christian. So... And His order is also one. That is the instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says, God says that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Real dharma is to surrender unto God. And surrender and to follow His instruction and become a lover of God. Then it is dharma. It is perfectly clear. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). In another place it is said, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). That is first-class religion. What is that? By which one can learn how to love God. This is the definition. How to love God.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 Excerpt -- Toronto, June 17, 1976:

If one is in need of some money or need of some material necessities, and if he begs or if he prays to God, "Please give me," he's also considered as pious. But real religious system is to understand that God is great, I am His servant, I am supported by Him, it is my duty to serve Him. This is religion. This is called bhāgavata-dharma, to understand this philosophy, that God is the supreme master and I am His eternal servant. My duty is to serve God. That's all. This is religion. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). And God comes to demand this, that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is real religion. We have manufactured so many religious systems, but God says that this is religion. Otherwise, why He would say sarva-dharmān parityajya, "Give up all other types of religion." So bhāgavata-dharma means to accept the Supreme Lord, God, as the great, and we are all His servants. Our duty is to carry out the orders of God.

So here is the order of God: sarva-dharmān parityajya... So where Bhagavad-gītā ends, the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begins there, from that point. So here is another instance. Prahlāda Mahārāja, he is teaching that: kaumāra ācaret prajño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). Iha, in this life, our only duty is to understand the bhāgavata-dharma, how to serve God. That is the only business. There is no other business. That is the only business of human life.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 Excerpt -- Toronto, June 17, 1976:

This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, don't think that it is a sectarian religious system, no. It is a science, bhāgavata-dharma, the science of Kṛṣṇa. Try to understand the science of Kṛṣṇa. We have got so many books to educate people about this science. Not that simply we are talking sentimentally. It is... Everything is scientific reason, philosophy. But the simple method is so easy to perform that anyone can understand very easily. What is that? Sarva-dharmān parityajya... (BG 18.66). What Kṛṣṇa says, you accept. Then you will understand what is bhāgavata-dharma, what is God, what you are, what is this world, what is the relationship, why you should become a devotee of God. Everything is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Try to understand this bhāgavata-dharma and be happy in your life.

Lecture on SB 7.6.2 -- Vrndavana, December 3, 1975:

Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha durlabhaṁ mānuṣa (SB 7.6.1). We are serving. The birds are serving. They have got small, kiddie, children. They are picking up food and working very hard and bringing it in the mouth, and the small kiddies, they are chanting, "Mother, mother, give me, give me," and eat food. There is service. There is service. Don't think that anyone is without service. Everyone is serv... A man is working hard day and night. Why? To give service to the family, to the children, to the wife. The service is going on but he does not know where to give service. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ: (BG 18.66) "Give Me service. You'll be happy." This is this philosophy, bhāgavata-dharma. Thank you very much.

Lecture on SB 7.6.4 -- Vrndavana, December 5, 1975:

Everyone knows that "I'll not live forever." But even though it is temporary, adhruvam, not eternal, it is arthadam. It is said, arthadam. Whatever little life you have got, you can attain perfection. This is the advantage. You can attain perfection.

How perfection? Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā,

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mam ekam śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi...

Lecture on SB 7.6.5 -- Vrndavana, December 7, 1975:

This is perfection. Kṛṣṇa says that "You give up all these nonsense engagement. Simply surrender unto Me, and I shall give you relief." Our continuation of material life means full of sinful activities. We act some way, and we get a similar body. And again the life continues and again we get another body, another body, another body. But in the human form of body, you can get the highest perfection, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and that will stop your continuation of this material life.

So how time can be utilized very nicely, that was also explained yesterday, mukunda-caraṇāmbujam. Just to take shelter of Mukunda. Mukunda means who can deliver you from this conditional life. He is called Mukunda. That is the whole thing. Kṛṣṇa comes... The whole Bhagavad-gītā teaching ultimately ends with this order, mukunda-caraṇāmbujam. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is the ultimate. But because people have become deviated, fallen, they do not know what is the aim of life, what is the goal of life. They are simply wasting time. Vimara-cetaḥ (?). Prahlāda Mahārāja said, "My Lord, I am not very much anxious for me because I have no trouble. As I have learned to chant Your glories, so anywhere I am happy simply by glorifying Your activities. But I am unhappy for this reason: when I see that these rascals simply for little material happiness, they are working so hard."

Lecture on SB 7.6.5 -- Vrndavana, December 7, 1975:

Everything is explained. So if you simply try to understand Bhagavad-gītā and don't play rascaldom by interpreting in a different way, then your life is successful. Simply. Kṛṣṇa has left, therefore, before His leaving this world. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmi (BG 4.7). He comes when you forget all these things. He comes again. He establishes dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya. What is that dharma? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "All this rascaldom, cheating dharma, give up. Simply surrender unto Me."

Lecture on SB 7.6.6-9 -- Montreal, June 23, 1968:

So these eight divisions of human society, scientific division of human society, is now lost. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu instructed that kalau, "In this age," nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā, "there is no other alternative for advancement of human society's goal of life." Because human society is meant for advancing in the goal of life, and that goal of life is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says... That is the sublime gift of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. And Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī adored Him, namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te: (CC Madhya 19.53) "My dear Lord, You are the most munificent, magnanimous incarnation, because You are distributing love of Kṛṣṇa." This is very rare thing, love of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa personally failed. He canvassed, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You give up everything. Just surrender unto Me, Kṛṣṇa, personally." But nobody surrendered; only a few persons of the Pāṇḍavas, Arjuna, Bhīma, or the gopīs in Vṛndāvana. But at that time there were others. And later age, people misunderstood Him. But the idea is that Kṛṣṇa also came to distribute love of Kṛṣṇa, but He actually could not induce people to this cult. They misunderstood Him. But Lord Caitanya, by His grace, by this saṅkīrtana movement, He very easily distributed this love of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 7.6.6-9 -- Montreal, June 23, 1968:

As you had misused your independence in your past life or in past, similarly, you can immediately, properly use your independence. Do you follow? You... Somehow or other, you misused your independence. Similarly, immediately, if you use your independence properly, then the result of that misuse of independence is corrected. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Because the conditioned souls here in this material world, they have all misused their independence... Anyone, beginning from the highest planet down, beginning from Brahmā down to the small ant, everyone has misused his independence. This conditional life, this material body, is due to that. Therefore our reactions of that misuse is going on life after life. Now, Kṛṣṇa says that "If you surrender immediately, then I take charge of you." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You just give up all your other engagements. Just surrender unto Me." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: "I shall give you protection from all reaction of your misuse of independence."

Lecture on SB 7.6.7 -- Vrndavana, December 9, 1975:

And those who are trying for going to the heavenly planet for enjoying life more and more, increasing happiness, they are also wasting time. And the whole system of dharma is like that, increasing happiness and decreasing distress. So Kṛṣṇa says both these processes, increasing happiness or decreasing distress, this is sarva-dharmān parityajya: (BG 18.66) "Avoid these two ways of life. Simply surrender unto Me." Then shall I go on suffering? Due... "When there is happiness, it is all right. Then I shall go on suffering without any attempt to minimize it?" "Yes. Yes." That is said in the Bhagavad-gītā. Taṁs titikṣasva bhārata: "My dear Arjuna, even if you think there is some distress, still, you should tolerate."

Lecture on SB 7.6.7 -- Vrndavana, December 9, 1975:

He is advising to the sons of the demons because the demons, they cannot understand. But it is the duty of the Vaiṣṇava to preach, although Kṛṣṇa advises that "You don't preach the truth of Bhagavad-gītā to the demons." He said, "Those who have not undergone austerities, those who are not very serious, don't speak about these lessons of Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66)." Means they'll not understand. But still, the devotees, they take the risk that "All right, let me try to convince this person that 'Take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.' " Even Kṛṣṇa says that "Don't try, because they will not be able to understand," still, they try. That is a devotee. Therefore devotee is more merciful than Kṛṣṇa. Devotee is more merciful. Even there is no hope to understand, still, he goes door to door: "Please take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Please take to Kṛṣṇa, and you'll be happy."

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

So this is vairāgya. And the whole Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means vairāgya-vidyā, the education of vairāgya, detachment. Vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yogam (CC Madhya 6.254). Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa, and He wanted to teach the people this vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yogam. As Kṛṣṇa He commanded, "Just give up all this nonsense engagement." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "Just surrender unto Me. That is good for you. I shall save you from the reactions of your sinful activities." Material life means simply sinful activities. Simply. Even though there is some covering of pious activities, that is also sinful. You are in this world It is said in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, dvaite bhadrābhadra jñāna. Dvaite means "in this world of duality," bhadra and abhadra. We have manufactured so many things. We say "This is very good" and "This is bad." Bhadra abhadra. Bhadra means good, and abhadra means bad.

Lecture on SB 7.6.10 -- New Vrindaban, June 26, 1976:

To become Kṛṣṇa conscious means that is our interest. Kṛṣṇa doesn't want that you become... Kṛṣṇa wants, but if you do not become Kṛṣṇa conscious, He has nothing to lose. But if we do not become Kṛṣṇa conscious, it is, our chance is lost. This is the problem. So when Kṛṣṇa comes and He advises sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), it is for our interest. If we do that, then we become happy. Because we want happiness, so little tapasya. Just like if you want to cure your feverish condition you have to accept some rules and regulations ordered by the physician. If we want to cure, bhavauṣadhiḥ. So simple thing: tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyed sattvam (SB 5.5.1). Little tapasya. It is not very difficult. But if we undergo a little tapasya—no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication—little, not very... Now those who have given up these bad habits, they are not dying for want of these. But this little tapasya, tapasā brahmacaryeṇa... (SB 6.1.13).

Lecture on SB 7.7.30-31 -- Mombassa, September 12, 1971:

Prabhupāda: But Kṛṣṇa point is that you... Your point is Kṛṣṇa knows your destiny, is that (indistinct)?

Devotee (2): That's correct.

Prabhupāda: But He can change your destiny. That is Kṛṣṇa's power. Nobody can change, but He can change. Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). Suppose your life is full of sin, sinful actions. So your destiny is already there. But Kṛṣṇa says ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi, "I shall give you protection." So He can change what you (indistinct). You haven't got to undergo the result of your destiny. Brahma-saṁhitā also says, karmāṇi nirdahati ca bhakti-bhājām (Bs. 5.54). Bhakti-bhājām, those who are engaged in devotion, they are karmāṇi nirdahati. (end)

Lecture on SB 7.7.29-31 -- San Francisco, March 15, 1967, (incomplete lecture):

So you haven't got to labor very hard. If you simply follow mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186), if you follow the footprints of great personalities like Arjuna, like Nārada, like Brahmā, like Śaṅkarācārya, like Rāmānujācārya, oh, they are there. Their precepts and their injunction is there. But you have to select a person, a bona fide spiritual master. You have to see that whether he's actually in that disciplic succession. And how you can test it? You'll test it that a bona fide spiritual master will instruct you the same thing as Kṛṣṇa instructed. How it is that? That Kṛṣṇa said that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You give up all engagements and you just surrender unto Me," the spiritual master will say the same thing, that "You surrender to Kṛṣṇa." He'll not say, "Not to Kṛṣṇa, but to something else, nonsense." He's not a spiritual master. Just try to understand. This is paramparā system. There will be no difference between the instruction of Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master. The same thing. Kṛṣṇa said that "You surrender unto Me," and the spiritual master will say, "You surrender unto Kṛṣṇa." Not that "Not to Kṛṣṇa, but to me." Just... This is the point. Therefore a bona fide spiritual master means there is no difference of instruction from the original instructor and down to this point.

Lecture on SB 7.9.3 -- Mayapur, February 10, 1976:

So material conditions, they are not practically applicable to spiritual life. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, therefore, He said, eho bāhya āge kaha āra. Whatever Rāmānanda Rāya was proposing, "This is the beginning of bhakti..." He suggested varṇāśrama-dharma, karma-tyāga, karma-sannyāsa, even full surrender, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). All, everything, Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, eho bāhya āge kaha: "These are external formality. If you know something better than this, please explain." So Rāmānanda Rāya, when, I mean to say, quoted a verse from Brahma's prayer, sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ prāyeṇa ajita api jito... Kṛṣṇa is ajita. Nobody can conquer Him. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). Nobody is greater in every respect. Not that "Kṛṣṇa is shorter at least in this respect." He is shorter in one respect, that He could not repay back the obligation He received from the gopīs. He was only shorter to the gopīs. That is His grace.

Lecture on SB 7.9.3 -- Mayapur, February 10, 1976:

So these puffed-up persons cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. One has to become very humble. Christ also says, "The kingdom of God is for the humble and the meek." That is actually... And Kṛṣṇa also says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is the beginning of humbleness: "Yes, I have nothing, insignificant." Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān mām (BG 7.19). This is real knowledge, to remain always insignificant before guru—Kṛṣṇa. Then it is profit. If somebody thinks that "I have become more than my guru, more than Kṛṣṇa," then he is finished. So one should become very humble and meek. It doesn't matter where he is situated, either this institutionally, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. Even one has taken sannyāsa, he should remain always humble. So never we should think that "I have become very big personality." That was the instruction of my Guru Mahārāja, that baḍa vaiṣṇava—"I am very big Vaiṣṇava. Everyone should come and obey my orders"—this is condemned position. The real position is one should be very humble and meek. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva. Namanta means humble.

Lecture on SB 7.9.7 -- Mayapur, February 14, 1976:

This is śraddhā. Śraddha-śabde, this śraddhā, faith, means sudṛḍha niścaya, śraddhā-śabde viśvāsa. Kṛṣṇa says

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi...

This is called faith. Yes, Kṛṣṇa says that simply by surrendering at His lotus feet one becomes immediately a liberated person. Kṛṣṇa says that.

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi...

Lecture on SB 7.9.7 -- Mayapur, February 14, 1976:

Just like if I offer you that if you do this work, I shall give you immediately fifty thousand rupees. So, who will believe me? "This man is a beggar, sannyāsī, how he'll give fifty thousand rupees?" So there is no śraddhā. But we cannot do so with reference to Kṛṣṇa. When Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66), that is a fact. That is not a bogus promise, because Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, all-powerful. Whatever He likes, He can do. This is called faith.

You cannot get prema state artificially, crying, falling down and then smoking bidi, this is not prema. Prema you have to learn by the kramaḥ pantha. That kramaḥ pantha is the same, ādau śraddhā. Ādau śraddhā. Śraddha means faith. "Yes, Kṛṣṇa says that, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66), it is right." This is faith, this is beginning of faith. Now to keep the faith or to increase the faith, you have to live with faithful servants of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Montreal, July 1, 1968:

Asat means temporary, that will not exist. So Prahlāda Mahārāja suggests the remedy that if anyone wants to get free from anxieties... Because the anxiety is sure and certain for everyone who has got this material body. But if he wants to get free from it, then hitvātma-ghāṭam gṛham andha-kūpaṁ, the so-called atmosphere of material happiness, he should give up, and vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta (SB 7.5.5), and go to the forest and accept the lotus feet of Hari, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The same instruction is everywhere. In the Bhagavad-gītā also the same instruction is there: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). The one word is that unless and until we take shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is no, I mean to say, possibility of our getting free from the anxiety of material existence.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Montreal, July 2, 1968:

As you have read it, the author of Caitanya-caritāmṛta, such a great devotee, who could produce in his ripe old age such nice transcendental literature, which is certified by my Guru Mahārāja as the postgraduate study of the devotees... So Bhagavad-gītā is the study for the neophytes, those who are inquiring, those who are trying to understand the science of God, for them. That means it is primary study. And after studying Bhagavad-gītā, just like the boys, after passing the school final examination, they are allowed to enter into the degree college, similarly, one who has understood Bhagavad-gītā very nicely and taken up the instruction, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), such person is eligible to enter into the study of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. He accepts Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is a preliminary qualification.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Montreal, July 2, 1968:

So after understanding Bhagavad-gītā, if one becomes faithful that "I shall devote my life for service of Kṛṣṇa," then he is eligible to enter into the study of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. That means Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begins from the point where Bhagavad-gītā ends. Bhagavad-gītā ends at the point: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), one has to surrender fully unto Kṛṣṇa, giving up all other engagements. Always remember, all other engagement means not that you have to give up. You... Try to understand that Kṛṣṇa said that "You give up everything and surrender unto Me." So that does not mean that Arjuna gave up his fighting capacity. Rather, he took to fighting more vigorously. So "Give up all other engagement" means don't take the fruit of your engagement. Give up. Just sacrifice the fruit of the engagement. That is to be given to Kṛṣṇa. This is surrender. Just like a good boy surrenders to his father means whatever he earns, the money, at the end of month he puts in the hand of the father: "Oh, this is my month's earnings"; similarly, we have to sacrifice the fruits of our labor to Kṛṣṇa. This is the beginning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Seattle, October 21, 1968:

Religion means to obey the laws of God. That's all. Religion. Religion you cannot manufacture, just like you cannot manufacture law. Law is made by the state. You cannot manufacture law. If you say, "I have manufactured this law," who cares for your law? Similarly, so-called religion, nonsense religion, there are so many manufactured, who cares for? That is not religion. Religion means God's law. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). That is religion. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā we understand Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You give up all other things. Simply you become Kṛṣṇa conscious." This is religion. This is the order, this is the word. So to become Kṛṣṇa conscious is to become religious, is to remain in goodness, and is to make progress and advancement in self-realization. Everything is complete. There is no comparison of any religion with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We can challenge any religionist, "Come and see, and test and compare." So the same advertisement: "You all, in '69, match this." So nobody can match Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is so nice.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Calcutta, March 5, 1972:

That means Kṛṣṇa has given us little independence. Independence, because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is fully independent, sva-rāṭ. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ svarāṭ (SB 1.1.1). He is fully independent. But we are, because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, we have got also little independence. That quality is there. Kṛṣṇa does not touch that independence quality. You can utilize it. You can use it properly, you can misuse it also. That is independence. Kṛṣṇa does not force that "You must do this." He can give you instruction. Just like Kṛṣṇa gives instruction, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Now it is my independence, I can give up everything, all other engagements, and I can simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa. And I cannot also, I may not. If I don't like, Kṛṣṇa does not interfere. Kṛṣṇa says, "Whatever you like, you do." Yathecchasi tathā kuru (BG 18.63). That is, Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna, "Now whatever you like you do." So this independence is always there.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Calcutta, March 5, 1972:

So these four things, unfaithful wife, a dupli..., a cheating friend, and servant disobeying order, and a snake within the room, all these things are causes or the..., will cause death at any time. At any time, they can do anything. There are many instances. So these moral instructions are very nice given by Cānakya Paṇḍita. So all living entities who have disobeyed the order of Kṛṣṇa, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66), that is the principle. Every living entity must be obedient to Kṛṣṇa. But by misuse of his little independence, if he does not obey the orders of Kṛṣṇa, he immediately becomes arrested by māyā.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Calcutta, March 5, 1972:

So Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme God. If we say God, it remains a vague thing. It is not clearly understood. Everyone can be God. God, this word can be applied to everyone. God means controller. So everyone can be controller. Therefore, we have distinctly mentioned Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So in our society, anyone who joins, that means he is interested in Kṛṣṇa, little. May not be very much. At least they come here out of inquisitiveness to hear what they speak about Kṛṣṇa, what do they do about Kṛṣṇa. But our everything is open. There is no secrecy. We worship Kṛṣṇa, we think of Kṛṣṇa, we work for Kṛṣṇa, we glorify Kṛṣṇa, we chant for Kṛṣṇa, we dedicate our life for Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etām... This is our philosophy. We think of Kṛṣṇa, as Kṛṣṇa says, we are devotees of Kṛṣṇa, man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ, we worship Kṛṣṇa, mad-yājī, we offer our obeisance to Kṛṣṇa, māṁ namaskuru, this is our... Sarva-dharmān parityajya, we have no other religion, we don't approve any other religion except Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is our philosophy.

Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Montreal, July 6, 1968:

That is the order. In this old age I have come to your country. Why? Because we are trying to follow the footprints of Lord Caitanya; therefore we have come. Otherwise, in old age who goes out of home? Nobody goes. And anyway, it is our duty to present. What is that presentation? The presentation is yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa, very simple thing. You haven't got to manufacture anything. Just like there are many swamis, they come from India, but they manufacture something. But we have no power to manufacture. We simply present what is ordered by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He has ordered, yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa: (CC Madhya 7.128) "Whomever you meet, you simply present the instruction of Kṛṣṇa." And this instruction of Kṛṣṇa is Bhagavad-gītā. And what is that Bhagavad-gītā? Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Just be surrendered to Kṛṣṇa; be Kṛṣṇa conscious. This is... So everything is there. We haven't got to manufacture anything. And simply by strictly following the orders of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu everyone can become the spiritual master. Spiritual master means who is strictly following the orders of his superior. He is spiritual master. Spiritual master does not mean that he has got four hands or eight legs or three heads. No. One who is strictly following the orders of his predecessor, he is spiritual master. Just like Arjuna was told by Kṛṣṇa that "This system, paramparā system, disciplic succession of spiritual masters, is now lost." Sa kālena yogo naṣṭaḥ: "That yoga, that system of yoga is now lost. Therefore I am making you again My disciple."

Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Mayapur, March 1, 1977:

Śrīdhara Swāmī has said that mukti is also another cheating. Why mukti? Kṛṣṇa does not demand that "Unless you are mukta, liberated, you cannot serve." No. You can serve in any condition. Ahaituky apratihatā. Not that because first of all we have to become liberated... Because as soon as you begin bhakti, you are already liberated. The platform is so great that a bhakta, without any other ultra-motive, he's already liberated. Brahma-bhūyāya kalpate.

māṁ ca ya 'vyabhicāreṇi

bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate

sa guṇān samatītyaitān

brahma-bhūyāya kalpate

(BG 14.26)

Immediately.

sarva dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi...

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Montreal, July 9, 1968:

If Kṛṣṇa takes charge of vanquishing all your reaction of sinful life, that means immediately you are mukta, you are liberated.

Vibhinnaḥ means there are different... Every scripture is made according to the time, atmosphere, persons—so many things there are conditional. Therefore we sometimes find differences in one scripture from another. That is due to circumstances. So Śrutayor vibhinnā nāsau munir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam. So far philosophers, great thinkers, muni... Muni means great thinker. They have got their different theses. One muni, thinker, or philosopher, is trying to defeat another philosopher. This is going on. So that is also not the way to understand the Absolute Truth; neither by argument nor by study of scriptures, nor by following different kinds of thinkers and philosophers. Why? Dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitam guhāyāṁ. The essence of spiritual realization is very secret and confidential. Therefore Lord Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that "I am... Just now I am speaking to you the most confidential part of knowledge." Sarva-guhyatamaṁ. "Why You are speaking to me the most confidential...?" "Because you are My very dear friend." And what is that? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "Give up everything. Simply surrender unto Me."

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Mayapur, February 17, 1976:

Dharmaḥ begins strictly when one is fully surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. There begins dharmaḥ, because Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). He says that dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge. He comes to establish the principles of dharma. And why He is speaking, sarva-dharmān parityajya? Why? If He has come to reestablish the principles of dharma-dharma-saṁsthāpanārtha—then why He says sarva-dharm...? Sarva so-called dharmas, they are not dharma. Dharma means... Dharmāṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma means the order that is given by God. That is dharma. And anything, so-called dharma, that is not dharma.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Mayapur, February 17, 1976:

You cannot manufacture law. That is not law. Similarly, dharma means the order given by God. That is dharma. Just like Kṛṣṇa says. He said, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham: (BG 4.7) "When there is discrepancies, misuse of dharma, I appear." So He has appeared. He therefore said that "This is not dharma." You are declaring, "This is Hindu dharma," "This is Muslim dharma," "This is Jain dharma," "This is Christian dharma," "This is family dharma," "This is country dharma," so on, so on, so on. You have created so many dharmas. But Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya: (BG 18.66) "You give up all these dharmas." "Then what I..., shall I accept?" Mam ekam śaraṇaṁ vraja. That is dharma. Otherwise there is no dharma.

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

In the spiritual platform there is no such consideration. Tasmād ahaṁ vigata...īśvarasya sarvātmanā. So the qualification is, without any reservation—"So much for God, so much for my sense gratification," there is reservation. In the Bhagavad-gītā also the same thing is ordered by Kṛṣṇa: sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). Don't divide your energy, that "So much energy for God, so much energy for māyā, or matter." No. Sarvātmanā. Fully. Then whatever energy you have got, that is sufficient to approach God. It doesn't matter what you are.

Lecture on SB 7.9.16 -- Mayapur, February 23, 1976:

So Kṛṣṇa is always kind, but when He sees that you are very eager to go to Kṛṣṇa, He calls. He calls. Just like He explained to Arjuna, "My dear Arjuna, because you are My very dear friend," sarva-guhyatamam, "I am just disclosing the most confidential part of knowledge." Sarva-dharmān parityajya māṁ ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "This is the most confidential part of knowledge. Don't be entangled with this pavarga. Take shelter of Me." So this is calling Arjuna. So Prahlāda Mahārāja expecting, "When the Lord will call me?" That is real mercy. You cannot call God, or Kṛṣṇa, "Please come to me and save me." Kṛṣṇa is not your servant; He does not agree to be your servant. But when He's pleased, He says, He calls you, "Please come and surrender unto Me." Therefore we must expect, "When the master will call me?" Don't try to see God, but act in such a way that God will call you, "Please come here." That is wanted. That is bhakti, not that "O God, please come. I will see you." Why God will come to see you? He is very busy.

Lecture on SB 7.9.17 -- Mayapur, February 24, 1976:

So this is the right prayer, that unless you engage yourself in the service of Kṛṣṇa, you'll never get peace. This is a fact. We can discover so many plans and remedial measures, and that will not help us. Only solution is to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa gives this nice advice: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). That will cure your all disease. And this mentality comes by practical experience after many, many births, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyante (BG 7.19), when one understands properly that without becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious, without being servant of Kṛṣṇa, there cannot be peace or happiness. Jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati. Kṛṣṇa says. Everything is directly said. Bhoktāram.

Lecture on SB 7.9.19 -- Hamburg, September 7, 1969, (with German Translator):

If you are in agreement with the state laws, your life is secure and safe. But if you are in disagreement with the state laws, your life is not safe. Similarly, when we are in agreement with the supreme consciousness, then we become immediately peaceful and happy. That is the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā. The Bhagavad-gītā says at the ultimate end, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "My dear Arjuna..." He is teaching to Arjuna—not only Arjuna, but all human society—that "You give up your all manufactured occupational duties. You simply agree to My proposal, and I shall give you all protection." It does not mean that we lose our individuality. Just like Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna, "You do it," but He does not force him: "You do it." "If you like, you do it." Kṛṣṇa does not touch your independence. He simply requests you, "You do it."

Lecture on SB 7.9.19 -- Mayapur, February 26, 1976:

Rich men, they are taking care of the diseased person, good physician, good medicine. Why the diseased person is dying? Why the children suffering? So, these are to be observed. Why these things happen? That means the ultimate control is in the hand of Kṛṣṇa. If Kṛṣṇa sanctions, then everything will be possible. So why not take shelter of Kṛṣṇa? This is the idea. You take shelter of Kṛṣṇa, and if Kṛṣṇa likes, He will give you all protection. And He promises that "I'll give protection."

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi...

Lecture on SB 7.9.19 -- Mayapur, February 26, 1976:

Because we become diseased, we become subject to birth and death, we... This is all due to our sinful activities. Why are repeatedly...? We are eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). This is our position, that we do not die even after the body's destruction.

So your tiny boat or big ship, that is not safe side. We have got experience. When I was going to New York on ship—I had no money to go by plane—so in the deep sea ocean, especially in the Atlantic Ocean, it was nothing, like a small ball, tottering like this. At any moment can be capsized. Although very big ship with very big load, but it is nothing in the sea. So that is not sure. There is no surety that because you are in a big ship you'll be saved. No. In your country, it happened, say, fifty, sixty years, the Titantic, or what is that? In the first voyage, everything was drowned, all big, big men. So nature's freak is so strong that you cannot say that "Because I have got a nice ship, I'll be saved." No, that is not possible. Without Kṛṣṇa's protection, this, all these counteracting measures, will be all useless.

Therefore teach people how to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). You can say that "Does it mean that God is partial? He take only care of the devotees and not others?" He takes care of everyone, but everyone is not fortunate to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. When He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam, He does not say to His devotees only. He says to everyone. But everyone is not fortunate to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Unfortunate. Samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu. He's not partial.

Lecture on SB 7.9.21 -- Mayapur, February 28, 1976:

Actually our position is to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is real position. Caitanya Mahāprabhu starts His instruction from this point, that we are eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, and because we have rebelled not to serve, therefore Kṛṣṇa, out of His unlimited mercy and compassion, He comes down and teaches, "You rascal, surrender. Why you are suffering unnecessarily?" Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ: (BG 18.66) "You rascal, you give up all these so-called engagements. You surrender to Me."

Lecture on SB 7.9.21 -- Mayapur, February 28, 1976:

Māyā is very strong. You have seen the picture of Māyā, Durgādevī, and the Mahiṣāsura is fighting, very strong, just like Hiraṇyakaśipu. There are many asuras. So Mahiṣa... Sometimes Kṛṣṇa Himself comes to kill the asura, or sometimes His agent, Māyā, Durgādevī, kills. You have seen the picture of Goddess Kālī. She is killing simply the asuras, chopping one after another, one after another, one after... Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā (Bs. 5.44). She can create, she can maintain, and she can make pralaya, devastator. That is her business. But so powerful, still, she is under the control of the Supreme Lord. Therefore here it is said, saṁsāra-cakram aja ko 'titaret tvad-anyaḥ. "A strong māyā. I cannot get out of her clutches." So Prahlāda Mahārāja knows it. Ko 'titaret: "Who can surpass? Who can get rid of this clutches of māyā?" Tvad-anyaḥ. That is the fact. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that "You surrender to Me, and you'll be free from māyā." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ sara..., ahaṁ tvām: (BG 18.66) "I'll give you protection." Mām eva ye prapadyante.

Lecture on SB 7.9.22 -- Mayapur, February 29, 1976:

So anyway, if by reading all these literatures, explanation, given by God Himself, we come to our senses that He is so great and so merciful, then it becomes possible to surrender unto Him. So for a fortunate person it takes even a second, because God Himself says,

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi...

Lecture on SB 7.9.30 -- Mayapur, March 8, 1976:

So if one is intelligent, he takes immediately: "Oh, it is so nice. He'll give me all protection? Let me surrender." Business finished in one second. But if he's a rascal, he wants to search out, make research work, then bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). After many many births it will take... So best thing is, Prahlāda Mahārāja says, prapannam. Arjuna says, prapannam, śādhi māṁ prapannam. This is wanted. Be surrendered to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, and be saved from these clutches of māyā.

Kṛṣṇa says that mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat: (BG 7.7) "There is no more superior truth than Me." And the same Kṛṣṇa is Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. Namo mahā-vadanyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te, kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmne (CC Madhya 19.53). Rūpa Gosvāmī... Therefore we have to follow Rūpa Gosvāmī. He says that "My Lord, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, You are Kṛṣṇa. You have simply changed the name: Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. You are Kṛṣṇa." Similarly, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya says that vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yoga-śikṣārtham ekaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ (CC Madhya 6.254). The same purāṇa-puruṣa... Ādyaṁ puruṣa. Puruṣam ādyam, Kṛṣṇa. Vairāgya-vidya-nija-bhakti-yoga-śikṣārtham ekaḥ puruṣaḥ... (CC Madhya 6.254), śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-śarīra-dhārī: "The same Supreme Person, Kṛṣṇa, You have now appeared in a body which is called Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. Actually You are the same Kṛṣṇa." So where... Why He has come? Now, kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). As Kṛṣṇa, He could not give Him to everyone. Kṛṣṇa ordered—because He is the Supreme Person, He can order—sarva-dharmān parityajya māṁ ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), but He could not induce. We are so rascal that we could not take even directly the order of Kṛṣṇa. We are so rascal. Therefore Kṛṣṇa again thought that "These rascals, they could not understand Me. All right, now let Me appear as a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, and I shall give not only Kṛṣṇa but kṛṣṇa-prema." This is mahā-vadānyāya. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Therefore He is mahā-vadānya. He's not only giving Kṛṣṇa but kṛṣṇa-prema. That is wanted.

Lecture on SB 7.9.43 -- Calcutta, March 23, 1976:

So the Vaiṣṇava's duty is... That is Prahlāda Mahārāja's proposal, that "Personally I have no problem. I am begging Your mercy for everyone, not for me, sir. I am quite sure. Because You are assuring, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14), so I have no such māyā. I have fully surrendered unto You. And You also promise, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). So I am simply fully surrendered unto You. Then as far as I know, I have done it. I shall continue it. So I have no problem." Therefore Vaiṣṇava is worshiped as para-duḥkha-duḥkhī.

vāñchā-kalpa-tarubhyaś ca

kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca

patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo

vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ

Para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. Vaiṣṇava... That is Vaiṣṇava's duty, because they practically see that these rascals are engaged only in false activities which will not help him. They are planning this "ism," that "ism," that "ism," that "ism," simply wasting time, because he knows. He knows, everyone knows, but Vaiṣṇava understands; the non-Vaiṣṇava does not understand. He is a fool. He's a fool, does not understand.

Lecture on SB 7.9.43 -- Calcutta, March 23, 1976:

And mūḍha means rascal. Not only rascal—"particularly rascal." That is the problem for the Vaiṣṇava. Therefore, following the footprints of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and before that, Prahlāda Mahārāja, Nārada Muni, many, many ācāryas... So Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He is Kṛṣṇa Himself. He also, He is thinking of these fallen souls. He has come again. First of all He came as Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You rascal, you are creating so many plans. It will not help you. You just surrender unto Me." He said, but still, we are so rascals, we could not take up the proposal of Kṛṣṇa: "Oh, why shall I surrender? Kṛṣṇa is also as good as I am. I am also a man; He is also man." Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritāḥ (BG 9.11). These rascals, they are so rascal that Kṛṣṇa, because Kṛṣṇa comes to bestow His mercy as human being, they think that "Kṛṣṇa is like me." Paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto. The rascal means he does not understand what is Kṛṣṇa, paraṁ bhāva. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). And these other rascals, they are declaring that "Kṛṣṇa is dead and gone; now I am Kṛṣṇa." So this is going on.

Lecture on SB 7.9.46 -- Vrndavana, April 1, 1976:

Material means unwanted. Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja has said, dvaite bhadrābhadra sakali saman. In this material word we sometimes say, "This is very good, and this is very bad." Kavirāja Gosvāmī says, "This 'bad' or 'good,' it has no meaning. They are simply mental concoction." Because in the material world everything is bad. The so-called good is bad, and bad is bad. Therefore we have to search out how to get out, āpavarga. This is there, how to make these material activities null and void. They are useless. That is the recommendation of Prahlāda Mahārāja, and that can be done directly simply by becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious. It is not Prahlāda Mahārāja's own word, but Kṛṣṇa says.

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi...