Bhakti-yoga is... (Conv and Letters)

Expressions researched:
"bhakti yoga is" |"bhakti-yoga is"

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Those who are in devotional service, they have got two things: they can see what is māyā and what is Kṛṣṇa. Everything becomes revealed. Bhakti-yoga is so powerful.

Room Conversation -- December 11, 1971, New Delhi:

Prabhupāda: So those who are in devotional service, they have got two things: they can see what is māyā and what is Kṛṣṇa. That is perfect life. Then he can understand how this world is going on, how Kṛṣṇa is working. Everything becomes revealed. Bhakti-yoga is so powerful. Otherwise, what qualification we have got in comparison, their M.A., Ph.D., D.S.D. and so on, so on? Still they cannot touch the right point. Just like Dr. Stahl in Berkeley University. He talked with me, and at last he became silent. So we can challenge like that.

Bhakti-yoga is so nice. So you execute bhakti-yoga very nicely, and then you become the topmost learned man in the world.

Room Conversation -- December 11, 1971, New Delhi:

Prabhupāda: So bhakti-yoga is so nice. So you execute bhakti-yoga very nicely, and then you become the topmost learned man in the world. This is a fact.

bhakti-yogena manasi

samyak praṇihite 'male

apaśyat puruṣaṁ pūrṇaṁ

māyāṁ ca tad-apāśrayam

(SB 1.7.4)

yayā sammohito jīva

ātmānaṁ tri-guṇātmakam

paro 'pi manute 'narthaṁ

tat-kṛtaṁ cābhipadyate

(SB 1.7.5)

anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād

bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje

lokasyājānato vidvāṁś

cakre sātvata-saṁhitām

(SB 1.7.6)

So bhakti-yoga is so powerful. Executed properly, very simple method. Then you become the most learned man in the world.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

They've kicked out all these things. Practically you can see. They do not want anything except Kṛṣṇa. So bhakti-yoga is so powerful.

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

Prabhupāda: They've kicked out all these things. Practically you can see.

Reporter: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Or if you ask them, "Let us go to cinema," they'll never go, even at your expense. (everyone laughs) This is vairāgya. They do not want anything except Kṛṣṇa. They do not want anything except Kṛṣṇa. These boys, young boys, from twenty to thirty years old, they've got to enjoy so many things, especially in this country, the Western countries. How they have given up? Jñāna-vairāgya. Janayaty āśu.

Reporter: Vairāgya, yes.

Prabhupāda: Āśu, "very immediate."

Reporter: Hm. Instant.

Prabhupāda: Instant.

Reporter: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So bhakti-yoga is so powerful. Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ, janayaty āśu vairāgyam... (SB 1.2.7).

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Bhakti-yoga is so nice thing that if you execute it, you will understand your position.

Morning Walk -- April 2, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: If you are jñānī, karmi, yogi, you cannot immediately directly perceive whether actually you have got the thing, but bhakti-yoga is like that. Bhakti-yoga, if you perform, you will perceive that "Yes, I am in this stage. I am in this stage." That has been described by Rūpa Gosvāmī. Just like when you are hungry and you are eating something, you can understand... (aside:) Don't come very near. You can understand that how much satisfaction you have got by eating. You haven't got to ask anybody, "Whether I am eating?" You can understand. The bhakti-yoga is so nice thing that if you execute it, you will understand your position.

Bhakti-yoga is the only yoga meant for the human being.

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

Karandhara: What he's questioning, Prabhupāda, is whether or not bhakti-yoga is suitable for everyone in every instance.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is the only yoga meant for the human being. Any other yoga system practiced, they're against bhakti-yoga. (French)

Jyotirmayī: He said that bhakti-yoga's an escape.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Jyotirmayī: Bhakti-yoga brings to escaping one's responsibility.

Prabhupāda: Then he does not know what is bhakti-yoga. He does not know. (French) Arjuna did not escape. He was trying to escape, but, by bhakti-yoga, he was captured.

Bhakti-yoga is the real yoga.

Reporters Interview -- June 29, 1974, Melbourne:

Guest (2): And this path of devotional yoga, bhakti-yoga, that is the path for this time, for this age?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Bhakti-yoga is the real yoga. You'll find in Bhagavad-gītā when yoga system is described the Lord says,

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ

mad-gatenāntarātmanā

śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ

sa me yuktatamo mataḥ

(BG 6.47)

"The first-class yogi is he who is always thinking of Me," or Kṛṣṇa, "within Himself." He is first-class yogi. So our, these students, they are being educated how to think of Kṛṣṇa always, twenty-four hours, without any stop. And that is first-class yoga.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Bhakti-yoga is the only way of spiritual improvement in this age—all age, especially in this age.

Morning Walk -- May 11, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: The students, they are going to school, college, and they are talking of sex. Where is tapasya? How it is possible? So therefore bhakti-yoga is the only way of spiritual improvement in this age—all age, especially in this age. No other method will help you-yoga, karma, jñāna, nothing. Bhakti-yoga is always strong, especially in this age, Kali-yuga. Therefore it is said, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva, especially. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam, kalau nāsty eva... (CC Adi 17.21). This is the simplest.

Bhakti-yoga is said last. Sarva dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja.

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

Prof. Hopkins: So you must start with what the Gītā calls sāṅkhya-yoga then, but go on, and go on to bhakti-yoga.

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

Jñāna-yoga is helping bhakti-yoga. But bhakti-yoga is not dependent on jñāna-yoga.

Press Conference -- July 16, 1975, San Francisco:

Bhaktadāsa: Prabhupāda, one more question before we break for prasādam. That is, why do we practice bhakti-yoga instead of jñāna-yoga?

Prabhupāda: Jñāna-yoga is helping bhakti-yoga. But bhakti-yoga is not dependent on jñāna-yoga. So therefore we are giving directly jñāna-yoga.

They are different steps of the same staircase going upwards, and bhakti-yoga is the topmost level.

Room Conversation -- October 21, 1975, Johannesburg:

Prabhupāda: Bhakti-yoga is the direct method. There are many methods recommended. Karma, jñāna, yoga, and at last bhakti. They are different steps of the same staircase going upwards, and bhakti-yoga is the topmost level.

Guest: And bhakti is a devotional surrender.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Other method, jñāna, yoga, they are insufficient. And bhakti-yoga is sufficient.

Evening Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: If you are insufficiently spiritually advanced, you'll feel vacancy so much. But if you are sufficiently advanced, then you'll say, "It is all right now." It is a question of sufficiency and insufficiency. So other method, jñāna, yoga, they are insufficient. And bhakti-yoga is sufficient. Therefore you'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Find out this verse. He never recommends jñāna, yoga, karma. Bhakti. So if you take the path of bhakti, then you'll feel sufficiency. Otherwise you'll feel insufficient.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

This system, Bhagavad-gītā, it is yoga, bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga is the topmost.

Room Conversation -- November 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

This system, Bhagavad-gītā, it is yoga, bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga is the topmost.

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ

mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā

śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ

sa me yuktatamo mataḥ

(BG 6.47)

There are many yogas. The aim is how to come to the topmost yoga. That is bhakti-yoga.

1969 Correspondence

This Bhakti yoga is very pleasing, practical, and readily understandable how far we are making progress.

Letter to Mr. Mottissey -- Montreal 16 July, 1969:

Please accept my blessings. I am so glad to receive your letter dated July 10, 1968, and I embrace you thankfully that you have become so much interested in Bhakti yoga. This Bhakti yoga is very pleasing, practical, and readily understandable how far we are making progress. But in practicing Bhakti yoga, we can make immediately an estimation of our progress. For example, all our students, they are completely refrained from 4 principles of prohibition in which they were addicted in their previous life. But since they are initiated, they are not taking any meat, they are not taking any intoxicants, including tea, coffee, and cigarettes, and so many other things but very nicely they are keeping the balance. So this is practical example that at least he is saved so much botheration, and unnecessary expenditures in the matter of eating and drinking. Sometimes I think when I see on the street strewn cigarette butts, that if people in general give up cigarette smoking, how much money they can save daily without any effort. And if they contribute the money for spreading Krishna consciousness, we can prosecute so many activities to change the face of the world. So Krishna Consciousness movement is all good from all sides. From social , political, economical, hygienic and many other points of view. And at last it is the greatest gift because at the end, we become associated with Krishna.

1970 Correspondence

Bhakti Yoga is the ultimate goal of all Yogas.

Letter to Jagadisa -- Los Angeles 27 February, 1970:

Astanga Yoga is better than Karma Yoga and Jnana Yoga is on the level of Astanga Yoga. But the Bhakti Yoga is the ultimate goal of all Yogas. In other words, Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, and Astanga Yoga by proper execution culminate in Bhakti Yoga. So far yogis who meditate on the Paramatma form of the Lord within their hearts, if they see Him in that way actually they become pure devotees, but if they do not perfect the process they may remain on the lower level of incomplete realization or Paramatma realization.

1971 Correspondence

Bhakti Yoga is the process for all the ages, but the method is different in each age.

Letter to Nityananda -- Delhi 12 November, 1971:

Bhakti Yoga is the process for all the ages, but the method is different in each age. The rascal people have got some idea of Bhakti according to their whims. Some meditate on light, but real meditation means to concentrate on Krishna.

1975 Correspondence

Everyone is trying to pass on the path of yoga, but bhakti yoga is the ultimate goal.

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

In the Bhagavad-gita itself there are different processes of yoga systems, karma yoga, jnana yoga, dhayana yoga, hatha yoga, bhakti yoga and so many patterns of yoga. Others may practice different patterns of yoga, and we can understand that everyone is trying to pass on the path of yoga, but bhakti yoga is the ultimate goal, and if anyone is actually interested to understand God as he is, he has to come to the platform of bhakti yoga.

This bhakti yoga is identical with Krishna consciousness this is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita: Yoginam api sarvesam, mad gatenanteratmana, sraddhavan bhajate yo mama, sa me yuktatamo matah.

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

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