Bible (SB Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"bible" |"bible's" |"bibles" |"biblical"

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

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

Guest: (translated by Hṛdayānanda) ...there's only one path straight. He was saying how Columbus also, if he would have kept going, he could have...

Prabhupāda: But he is going to the... Yes, you are right. If Columbus would have gone still farther, farther, western side, and he could have gained India. That means if you take other path, then you will achieve God after many, many lifes, not... (break)

Hṛdayānanda: ...God is light and that, within us, inside of us.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That everyone will say, one who is (in) knowledge. So if you follow Bible, you also get knowledge. That is knowledge. We are after seeing people, that he has got knowledge of God. It is not a question of Bible or Bhagavad-gītā. We want that you become God conscious. That is our movement. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there is no such mention as Christian religion, Hindu religion, Muslim religion or Buddha religion. There are so many... No. Bhāgavata says, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje: (SB 1.2.6) "That is first-class religion which helps one to love God." So we are propagating teaching people how to love God. That is our mission. We don't say that you become Christian or Hindu or Muslim or..., no. You become a lover of God. So comparatively, the process which we are recommending, that is the easiest process. That is admitted by one priest in Boston. He said that "These boys and girls are our countrymen or our boys. Before this movement, they did not come to the church, and now how they are mad after God?" So therefore this is the easiest process, to become pure and go back to home, back to Godhead.

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 17, 1971:

So that is our philosophy. God is a person like you and me. As we are sitting together; you are seeing me, I am seeing you. Similarly, if you become elevated to the perfection of devotional service, you'll go to God and you'll see Him as you are seeing me, I am seeing you. You'll see Kṛṣṇa. Try to understand. Therefore there are so many religious systems which say, "God has no form. There is no God. Let us imagine." These are, this kind of religion is cheating religion. Therefore it is said here, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). Cheating. Because there is no real information. Real information is īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1), the Supreme Lord has got His spiritual body, and He is... In the Christian Bible also, it is said, "Man is made after God." Is it not? So unless God has got form, two hands, two legs, like that, how man has got two hands, two legs? If we are imitation of God, then God must be person. This is natural conclusion.

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 18, 1971:

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. Therefore He says particularly, mām ekam, "Only unto Me alone." Because if one understands Kṛṣṇa, then gradually he understands other things. But in the beginning if it is said... Similarly, in Bible also, I have seen that "Through me." Because they were so fool, if they are allowed to go elsewhere, they will commit mistake. Therefore that was nice. To the foolish person such stress required to be given. Mām ekam. But still, the foolish person misunderstood Kṛṣṇa, misinterpreted Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore Māyāvādīs. Therefore same Kṛṣṇa came as Lord Caitanya, as devotee. This time not as the Supreme Personality of Godhead but as devotee, to teach us how to approach Kṛṣṇa. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Lecture on SB 1.2.1 -- New Vrindaban, September 1, 1972:

So sound is the original element of creation. In Sanskrit language it is called śabda-brahma. Brahman, or the Absolute Truth, is first appeared Absolute Truth becomes knowable by sound. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, the Lord says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ (BG 7.8), śabdaḥ khe. Śabda means sound. If we want to see God, so let us hear first of all the sound vibration, because that is the beginning. In the Bible also it is said, "The Lord said, 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation." So "Let there be creation," this is sound, transcendental sound. So one who says this word, "Let there be creation," He is not within the creation. Because He, God, is speaking, "Let there be creation" means He is existing before creation.

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

But it is very difficult to say, but bhāgavata-dharma, that which is called bhāgavata, simply relationship with Kṛṣṇa... In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam you will find no other topics except to establish the original relationship with Kṛṣṇa, and therefore it is first class. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje ahaitukī (SB 1.2.6), without any... In the material field... What can be done? Some way or other, although it is..., in the Bible it is said... They go to church for asking bread. But that is not paro dharmaḥ, because there is hetu, some cause. But this cause... Similarly in the Muhammadan religion also, just to be promoted to the heavenly kingdom more. No. That is not first class. First class means ahaitukī, without any cause. Not that "I shall go to church, I shall go to mosque, I shall go to temple for asking something from God." That is not first class. That is good in this sense, that these rascals have at least come to pray to God. So much it is. But such kind of prayer does not make the first-class religion. The prayer, as offered by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye: (Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4) "My dear Lord, I do not want any amount of money," na dhanam, "or any number of disciples or followers," na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sun..., "neither any beautiful wife."

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- New Vrindaban, September 6, 1972:

That's all. So dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsām. In the human society, there is always some kinds of religious institution. That is called dharma, faith. Real dharma means—that I have already explained—occupational duty. Constitutional duty, that is called dharma, functional duty. So real dharma, real religion is to become servant of God, or to render service to God. That is real religion. But we have manufactured so many religions. Different societies, different circumstances, different country. Therefore it is advised herewith that you may execute any kind of religious faith or (break) ...principle, but the result should be (break) ...perfect. You can say, "I am very perfectly executing the ritualistic ceremonies, and the tenets described in my scripture, Bible or Veda or Koran." That's very good. But what is the result? The result is that you must develop or increase your tendency to hear about God. But if your ultimate truth is impersonal Mostly they consider God has no form. Then if God has no form then what he'll hear about Him. Simply formless, formless, formless. How can you, how long you can go thinking like this, "God is formless"? If God is formless, then your idea of hearing about Him is finished, because formless, there is nothing, activities.

Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- San Francisco, March 25, 1967:

Muhammadans also, they worship the Koran. And similarly, in your Christian also, you worship Bible.

So it is a fact that Lord Jesus Christ is present by his words, Bible. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is present by His words. These personalities, either God or son of God, who come from the transcendental world, they keep their transcendental identity without being contaminated by this material world. That is their omnipotency. We are practiced to say that God is omnipotent. Now, this is His omnipotency.

Lecture on SB 1.2.22 -- Los Angeles, August 25, 1972:

So in this way, this, our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, bhāgavata-dharma, it is not sentiment. We can explain how God created. Sometimes it is, in Bible, it is said, "God said, 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation." But they cannot explain. Therefore in the modern age, scientifically advanced, they do not take it. But we can explain. Our bhāgavata-dharma can explain how, simply by desiring, there is creation. So here it is said: chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ. Chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ. One, by this, following this bhāgavata-dharma, studying from Bhāgavata, the ultimate knowledge of everything, one can become completely doubtless that God is a person, He is sentient, He is the supreme director, He's the supreme knower, He's the supreme physist, the supreme chemist—everything, supreme.

Lecture on SB 1.2.32 -- Vrndavana, November 11, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram. The prakṛti, the material nature, is working under His direction. And you can verify it, how nature is working correctly, exactly. Unless there is some systematic order, how everything is working systematically. As soon as there is spring, immediately thousands and millions of trees, immediately the foliage comes out. Immediately. And as soon as there is fall, September, last, all the leaves fall down, immediately. So this is the process of creation. Just like in Bible it is said, "Let there be creation," and there was creation. So it is fact, actually. But we cannot understand how much powerful is Kṛṣṇa, or God. Simply by His will, simply by His will, everything takes place. Millions and millions of things come out immediately, and millions and millions of things immediately annihilated. That is Kṛṣṇa. That is God.

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

The solid fact is the Lord created. In the Bible also it is said that God said, "Let there be creation." So it is from the person. Here also, we find the creation begins from the person. In the Vedas it is said, sa aikṣata. Sa asṛjata. Aikṣata, "By the glance, He looked over, God looked over, and He created." The reference is to the person. We also find from our experience that whenever there is something manufacturing, or creation, we do not find automatically some matter comes into being. We don't, we haven't such experience. Whenever there is anything manufactured or created, there is a person behind it.

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

In the Bible also it is said, "God said 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation." That means God is the origin of creation. Yes. Go on.

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

Just like in the Bible it is said "God said, 'Let there be creation.' " That means before the creation, before this material creation, God was there. And the material... There was nothing material. Therefore, God's body cannot be material, because He existed before the creation of matter. So before creation of matter, there was nothing like matter, though God was there. Therefore conclusion is that God has no material body. He spoke, "Let there be creation." "He spoke" means He's a person; otherwise how He can speak? But His personality is not material, because when He spoke there was no material creation.

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

There is no difference between Kṛṣṇa and Rāmacandra, Nārāyaṇa, Viṣṇu, because They are viṣṇu-tattva. Baladeva. They are equally powerful. But jīva-tattva, we living entities, although we are part and parcel of God, we are not equally powerful. That is called the philosophy of acintya-bhedābheda-tattva, simultaneously one and different. Simultaneously one and different. Just like in Bible also, Jesus Christ is claimed as one with God, but at the same time different. As son, he is different. As representative of God, he is one. That is the philosophy, perfect philosophy. All living entities, anything within this manifestation, even this whole world, is one with God. Idaṁ hi viśvaṁ bhagavān ivetaraḥ Nārada Muni said to Vyāsadeva. Idaṁ hi viśvam. This whole universe is God. Idaṁ hi viśvaṁ bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, ivetaraḥ. But it appears like different.

Lecture on SB 1.5.1-8 -- New Vrindaban, May 23, 1969:

Parāvareśo manasaiva viśvaṁ sṛjaty avati. Manasaiva, "simply by thinking." Just like in the Bible it is said, "Let there be creation." Immediately there is creation. Manasaiva. We can compare just a very rich man, many assistants, many managers. Just like, take, in your country, Rockefeller or somebody like that. He thinks something to do, business. Simply he orders his secretary, "This should be done," it is done. Without his personal effort, immediately done. Because why? Because he has got superior energy or power. In the material world... Material world means this monetary strength he has got. So simply by his desire, the secretary arranges everything and everything is nicely done. But he is sitting in his room. If it is possible for a person who is little materially rich, just imagine how much it is possible by God, the Supreme. Simply by willing, everything will be done. He hasn't got to do anything. Na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate. Veda also.

Lecture on SB 1.5.2 -- Los Angeles, January 10, 1968:

Now, the whole material world is produced from sound. That is scientific fact. Scientists are researching the importance of sound, physical science. Sound, light, and transmission of sound and light. There are so many things, electronics. So this sound vibration, this is material sound. They have got so much wonderful power. And just try to understand what is the power of the spiritual sound. Real sound is coming from the spiritual world. It is simply just like gramophone. The sound is coming originally from the person; the gramophone is reproducing. That is not the original source of the sound. Similarly, whatever sound is there in this material world, the original sound is produced by God. Just like in your Bible it is said, "Let there be creation." It is, simply it was sound and there was creation. So spiritual sound is so powerful. And we are trying to catch you directly from that sound vibration, Hare Kṛṣṇa, and I am sure it is acting. Simply, śabdād anāvṛttiḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.5.2 -- Los Angeles, January 10, 1968:

So it is the... Śāstra means that you cannot throw it away. Nobody has thrown Bhagavad-gītā at any time, anywhere, because it is perfect. Nobody has thrown Bible—because they are perfect in knowledge. Jijñāsitam adhītaṁ ca. Jijñāsitaṁ susampannam api te mahad-adbhutam: "You have done wonderful work." And kṛtavān bhārataṁ yas tvaṁ sarvārtha-paribṛṁhitam: "And you have created the great literature Mahābhārata, in which everything is there." Eh? Jijñāsitam adhītaṁ ca. "And not only simply you have inquired, but you have studied fully." There are many inquisitive persons, inquire so many things, but do not study. Reciprocation, there must be study and inquiry. Just like a nice scholar in the college, he inquires from the professor, at the same time studies. So the process of acquiring knowledge is to study and to inquire.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- New York, April 10, 1973:

Another understanding is that because Kṛṣṇa is controller, beyond this material nature, therefore He is not a product of this material nature. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they cannot understand. Their poor fund of knowledge... If God has created this material world, then He must not be anything of this material world. Because before creation He was existing, and after creation, after annihilation, He will remain, then how He can be anything of this material world? Material world, anything has got a beginning and end. But God is beyond this material world. He was existing... He said, "Let there be creation." Just like in your Bible it is said. So there was creation. So how He can be one of the created beings? By His wish there was creation. And another thing is then His desires, His wish, they are nothing of this material world. They are spiritual. Prakṛteḥ param means "superior to this material world."

Lecture on SB 1.8.19 -- Chicago, July 5, 1974 :

Who can see Kṛṣṇa? Who is not sinful. Yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpam (BG 7.28), one who has finished his life of sinful activities, he can understand Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is our request to everyone: Please do not commit these four kinds of sinful activities—illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication. This is the preliminary qualification to understand God. Especially one must not kill animals. The Bible also.Therefore it is said, "Thou shalt not kill. You rascal, if you want to understand what is God, you must stop this killing art. Thou shalt not kill." But these rascals will not understand. This is the mis..., misfortune. And therefore God is always covered to their eyes. Kuntī Devī therefore said, māyā-javanikācchannam. Māyā-javanikācchannam ajñā. Ajñā means rascal, who has no knowledge, dull, dull-headed, mūḍhāḥ, ass. These words are used in the śāstra. Why mūḍhāḥ? The word is used as an, an ass.

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

So the idea is... Try to understand this fact. Kṛṣṇa does not require your nice dress or nice flower or nice food. Kṛṣṇa does not require. But if you give Him, then you become benefited. It is Kṛṣṇa's favor that He's accepting. The example is given: Just like if you decorate the original person the reflection of the person in the mirror, it also appears decorated. So we are reflections. In the Bible also it is said that man is made after the image of God. So our, as Kṛṣṇa is transcendental, we... He has got two hands, two legs, one head. So man is made after God means we are reflections of the image of God. Not that we manufacture, imagine some form according to our form. That is mistake.

Lecture on SB 1.8.31 -- Mayapura, October 11, 1974:

So that fearful agent, Durgā, is also fearful of Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa's position. Because she is servant. Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni bibharti durgā (Bs. 5.44). She is so powerful, Durgā, that she can create one universe. Just like Kṛṣṇa can create, Kṛṣṇa also creates through her agent. As it is stated, na tasya kāryam karaṇaṁ ca vidyate. He does not do anything directly, but as soon as He desires, "Let there..." Sa aikṣata sa asṛjata. These are the statements of the Vedas. In the Bible also it is said, "God desired: Let there be creation." Is it not like that? "And there was creation." Yes. The modern men, they cannot understand. "Eh! What is this? If somebody says 'Let there be creation,' and immediately that is ready? And He hasn't got to do it? These things are simply exaggeration." But no, that is the fact. God does not do anything by Himself. He's so powerful. Simply by His will... There are so many agents, and they are so powerful that immediately they can do it. The foolish people, they cannot see the hands of God is working everywhere.

Lecture on SB 1.8.35 -- Los Angeles, April 27, 1973 :

Now at the present moment, since two years, there is scarcity of water. There is no rainfall. So these tractors are now crying. You see? It is useless. Simply by so-called tractors, implements, you cannot produce, unless there is favor by Kṛṣṇa. He must supply water, that for want of... Recently the news is that people are so exasperated that they went to the secretary, they demanded food, and the result was they were shoot, shot down. Yes, so many people died. So actually, although we have got this arrangement that one has to work, but that work is simple. If you remain Kṛṣṇa conscious... That, after all, Kṛṣṇa is supplying the foodstuffs. That's a fact. Every religion accepts that. Just like in Bible it is said, "God give us our daily bread." That's a fact. God is giving. That you are..., you cannot manufacture bread. You can, you can manufacture bread in the bakery house, but the..., who will supply you the wheat? That is supplied by Kṛṣṇa. Eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān.

Lecture on SB 1.8.46 -- Los Angeles, May 8, 1973:

Your country says equality given. Why not equality to the animals? That is defect. It is due to, I mean to say, absence of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person will not distinguish like that. For eating animal, they will philosophize that animal has no soul; therefore it can be killed. No. This is nonsense. Everyone has got soul. Even a small ant has got soul. But they have to kill. They have to eat. They are philosophizing different way. Lord Jesus Christ said, "Thou shalt not kill," and now they are interpreting, "Killing means murdering human being." But that is not in the Bible.

So they are manufacturing their own ways of understanding Bible and ethical principles. Therefore it is becoming valueless. It is becoming valueless. No value. One cannot change the words of the authority.

Lecture on SB 1.10.5 -- Mayapura, June 20, 1973:

This is the arrangement. But these rascals, they'll not chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. They want to predominate over these hills, mountains, rivers, animals. In the Bible, it is said the animals are given under the control of human beings, man. Is it not? They have taken it. And because the animals are given under the control of man, therefore man should open slaughterhouse and eat them? Suppose if somebody gives his son, "Sir, will you take my son? Keep him under your control." Does it mean I shall eat him? These rascals interpret in that way. Because the animals are given under the control of man, therefore there should be slaughterhouse, the animals will be killed, and they will eat. This is their interpretation of the Bible, is it not? Who knows Bible? Anyone? Nobody knows Bible? Have you forgotten? Anyway...

Lecture on SB 1.10.7 -- Mayapura, June 22, 1973:

Tattva-vit, those who are in knowledge of the tattva or the Absolute Truth, they know that ultimately the Absolute Truth is manifested as a person like you, like me. Not exactly like you, like me, but so far personality is concerned, individuality is concerned, He is like us. In the Bible it is said, "Man is made after God." Because God is person, therefore we are person. Otherwise, where from our personality comes? God is the origin of everything. Therefore He is the origin of personality, individuality, otherwise how we are persons? How we are individuals? Wherefrom we get this personality, individuality?

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

The desire is never satiated that "You have killed so many animals. Now you don't..." No, he will go on, go on killing, killing, killing, killing, killing, killing. He is never satisfied, "Now I have killed so many. No more, stop." No, there is no stoppage. That will go on. Kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā. The injunction is "Thou shalt not kill," but he will kill and kill and kill and kill, and still, he want to be satisfied. Just see. The Bible says, "Thou shalt not kill," and they are simply engaged in killing business, and still they want to be happy. Just see the fun. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, "Yes, you be killed by occasional world war. You must be killed. You have created this situation. You must be killed. You may be American or Englishman or German or this or that. You may be very proud of your nationality. But you must be killed." This is the position. Īśvarasya viceṣṭitam. "You have killed so many animals. Now wholesale killing, one bomb. One atom bomb. Be killed."

Lecture on SB 1.15.30 -- Los Angeles, December 8, 1973:

So you can give up this impious activities provided you are engaged fully in devotional service. Otherwise it is not possible. Simply by moral instruction, that "Stealing is very bad. Don't steal," nobody likes it. Nobody likes it. It is practical. One man has stolen, and he's arrested and he's going to the police custody. So everyone has seen, and he has heard also that the government says that if you steal, you'll be punished. In the Bible or in any other religious scripture it is said that stealing is not good. So he has heard it, and he has seen it that a man who has stolen, he is going to jail. So these two things are experienced: hearing and seeing. In spite of all his experience, why does he steal? Because he has no good association. He knows that stealing is bad; otherwise why he steals at night? Nobody can see. He knows he is doing some bad thing. But why he cannot give up that bad thing? Because he's not associating with good person. That is it.

Lecture on SB 1.16.19 -- Hawaii, January 15, 1974:

One, all four hundred pages, like this. We don't publish a book less than this volume. So just imagine how much we have to learn about our spiritual life. In no other system—religious system you may call, or cultural system—can give you so many books to read. There is no comparison. The Christians, they can present only one small Bible, and the Muslims they can present one little Koran. But here, the Vedic culture is so great that we can simply give you sixty volumes like this only for Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And Bhāgavata is the eighteenth Purāṇa. So there are seventeen Purāṇas, still more, not yet touched. Beside that, there are 108 Upaniṣads. Then there is big Mahābhārata, the great history of India. Then Rāmāyaṇa. There are so many books. So we are trying to present all these books into English translation.

Lecture on SB 1.16.20 -- Los Angeles, July 10, 1974:

Now, sometimes, in..., the Christians, they say the Lord Jesus Christ sometimes ate fish. Is not that? But... Might have done so. One thing is Christ is powerful. Under certain circumstances, even if he had eaten some fish, that is not fault for him. Tejīyasāṁ na doṣāya (SB 10.33.29). In the śāstra (it) says, those who are very powerful, if they sometimes do something which is prohibited for common man, that is special case. But even if you accept that Christ ate fish, "Therefore we shall eat meat and maintain big, big slaughterhouse, although in the Bible it is clearly said 'Thou shalt not kill,' " this is not Christianity. This is against, violating the rules and regulation of Christianity. Factually, one should not kill. But under some pressure or under certain condition, if it is needed, that is another thing. But generally, one should not kill.

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

The Christian parties, they do not believe in karma. So in our childhood, when we were student in Scottish Churches College, Calcutta, we had to attend the Bible class. So one professor, Dr. Urquhart, he said that "If I am suffering the result of my past karma, where is the witness that I have done this bad or good?" But he had no knowledge of Bhagavad-gītā. We also at that time did not know. We were not very interested. But later on, when I read Bhagavad-gītā, "Here is witness, upadraṣṭā anumantā. Here is witness." Perpetual witness. Not only of this life, but many, many lives past, He knows everything. Vedāhaṁ samatītāni vartamānāni (BG 7.26). He knows everything. That is Kṛṣṇa. He knows everything, what you have done or what you want to do. Everything knows He. But in spite of all this, because Kṛṣṇa is your friend, most intimate friend, naturally... Just like father becomes friend. There is no better friend like father or mother. Naturally. They will never advise the son anything for his, I mean to say, suffering. No father will give... Even the father is a debauch, he will never advise his son that "You do this." No, no. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is the father of everyone. Everyone. How He can give wrong advice? He does not give. He is the only friend. Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhū... So if you take shelter of the only friend, the just friend, that will give us protection. Not anyone else. Everyone has got some self-interest.

Lecture on SB 2.1.5 -- Los Angeles, August 13, 1972:

So Kṛṣṇa and His pastimes, His name, quality, paraphernalia, entourage, everything is spiritual. That is accepted by great scholars like Śaṅkarācārya. He says: nārāyaṇa parā. "Nārāyaṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is beyond this material world." There are many examples. In your Bible also, those who are Christians, God said, "Let there be creation." So there was creation. Now this world, this word is not vibration of this material world. In the material world, if I say, "Let there be some mango," so no. That is not possible. But in the spiritual vibration, that is possible. That is possible. So the study is that God said, "Let there be creation." So there was creation. Now this word existed before the creation, because "Let there be creation" means when God is speaking there was no creation. And the creation means this material world. Therefore this vibration is not material. So when God is saying, "Let there be creation," then He's a person. Therefore His personality is also transcendental, spiritual. Otherwise how He speaks? These things are there in the Vedic literature. Sa aikṣata: "He glanced over, and there was creation." And Bhagavad-gītā also it is said that mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10).

Lecture on SB 2.2.5 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1968:

Therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is postgraduate position of all religions. It is not any sectarian religion. You accept Christianity—very good. You accept Muhammadanism, Islamism—very good. You accept Hinduism—that's all right. We have no quarrel with Hindus and Muslims or Christians or Buddhists. But our objective is that religion means there is connection, relationship with God. Take, for example, Christian religion. They accept God: "God created this," the beginning of Bible. That's a fact. So the God consciousness is there. "God is great," the God consciousness there. Now these Christmas holidays you have begun in your country. Throughout the whole month of December you'll observe nice festivals, festivities. Why? Where it began? God consciousness. Lord Christ he came to give you God consciousness, and in his relationship these festivities are going on. It may be degraded in another form. The beginning is God consciousness, but we have lost it. So people cannot be happy without reviving God consciousness. It may be named in a different way—"Kṛṣṇa consciousness."

Lecture on SB 2.8.7 -- Los Angeles, February 10, 1975:

In the Bible I think it is said, "God said, 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation." Is it not? So that is Kṛṣṇa. He simple desires, "Let there be creation," and immediately everything is ready. That is Kṛṣṇa. How it is being done? Automatically? No automatically. It is done regularly, as you do. Hetunā: there is cause. But the original cause is Kṛṣṇa's desire. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1).

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ

anādir ādir govindaḥ

sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam

(Bs. 5.1)

The original desire is Kṛṣṇa's. What we are doing also, that is also... The original cause is Kṛṣṇa. We cannot do anything independently. If I go to heaven or go to hell, that is also sanctioned by Kṛṣṇa. Without Kṛṣṇa's desire I cannot do anything.

Lecture on SB 3.25.31 -- Bombay, December 1, 1974:

That is not possible. Tarko 'prati... Therefore it is useless waste of time. Tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnāḥ. Scriptures, even you take the Vedic scriptures, there are so many: four Vedas... Some of them are following the Yajur-veda, some of them following Ṛg-veda, some of them Sāma-veda, Atharva-veda. Then there are Upaniṣads. Then there are Purāṇas, then Brahma-sūtra, the Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata. They are all right. But because I am ill-advised, I take conclusion differently. Śrutayo vibhinnāḥ. Or you take Bible or Koran. So by simply reading all the scriptures, it is very difficult also. So śrutayo vibhinnā nāsāv munir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam. Muni, means thoughtful men, philosophers, they are also defeating, one thoughtful man, another thoughtful man. Unless he defeats another man, philosopher, he does not become a very big philosopher. Therefore it is said, nāsāv munir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam. Why? You cannot become a muni unless you propound a different system of philosophy. So this is the position. Dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyām. Therefore the truth of spiritual life is very complicated. It is very difficult to understand. Then how I shall be able to understand? The conclusion is mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). You follow the mahājana. Out of these twelve mahājana, you follow any one of them, and you will be successful.

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

You become benefited. So therefore there are stotra. Therefore Kṛṣṇa's another name is Uttamaśloka. Uttamaśloka mean He is worshiped, God is worshiped, by the best selected words, not patchy words. No. All selected words. So you will find in so many prayers, not only in our Vedic scripture and other scripture also, in Bible, in Koran, the prayer. Prayer is also devotion. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam, arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyam (SB 7.5.23). Vandanam, this vandanam. The Christians and the Muhammadans, they offer vandanam. Although they do not worship the Deity, but they offer prayers to the Lord. That is also good. That is also bhakti.

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

Kṛṣṇa to show the universal body, virāḍ-rūpa. You cannot show. You cannot show. It was Arjuna's request to exhibit the virāḍ-rūpa because Arjuna knew it that "Because I am accepting Kṛṣṇa God, so many God will be there later on. A man will claim to become God. But as I am requesting Kṛṣṇa to show the virāḍ-rūpa, similarly, if some fool accepted the another fool as God, he should request him, 'Please show your virāḍ-rūpa.' Then accept him. Otherwise don't accept." So God has virāḍ-rūpa. So both God and we are, living entity, are of the same quality. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi means so 'ham. These words, Vedic words, are there to indicate that "Qualitatively, I am as good as God. He is spirit soul; I am also spirit soul. He has got creative power; I have got creative power. He has got senses; I have got senses." Everything just similar, facsimile. In the Bible it is said, "Man is made after God." Is it not said like that? That means God has exactly the same form. And therefore man is made also, the same form. So in this way both God and the living entities, they are anādi. Anādi, there is no beginning.

Lecture on SB 3.26.31 -- Bombay, January 8, 1975:

They are no more interested with this nonsense talking of the newspaper. Vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane. This is advancement of spiritual life. I have heard one story from a gentleman, how newspaper is important in Western country. We have seen also big, big bunch of newspaper thrown in every door. They subscribe. So one priest was preaching among the miners in Sheffield, where there are many coal mines, in England. So he was speaking that "You become devotee, followers of Jesus Christ," and in this way he's preaching Bible. So one of the miners, he never heard of Bible nor Jesus Christ. So he inquired, "What is his number?" That means he thought Christ may be one of the miners, and they have got specific number. So he said, "No, you are mistaking. Jesus Christ is Lord. He is not one of you, like worker, no. He's Lord. So if you don't appreciate him, don't worship him, then you will go to hell." Then another man asked, "What is hell?" And he described that "Hell is very dark. It is very moist," and so on. "There is no air there, no light, and..." So they are living always in the mine. There was no response, because they are habituated with this hellish life.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Johannesburg, October 22, 1975:

But God has no such body. His body is different, sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). So that sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ, spiritual body, can be expanded, reduced. Aṇor aṇīyāh mahato mahīyān. He can expand this body, spiritual body, bigger than the biggest, and He can reduce the body smaller than the smallest. That is God's body. You cannot do that. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-caya... God is within the atom. How He is within the atom? Then anor anīyāh. He can become smaller than the smallest. He can become the bigger than the biggest. So Arjuna, when he saw the viśvarūpa, He showed him the bigger-than-the-biggest form. But His usual form is two-handed and two leg. Just like it is said in the Bible, "Man is made after the image of God." So God has got two hands, two legs exactly. But He is the omnipotent, almighty. Our power is limited, His power is unlimited. Otherwise He has got form.

Lecture on SB 6.1.1-4 -- Melbourne, May 20, 1975:

Yes, human form. God is also human form. "Man is made after the shape of God." I think there is in the Bible. Is it not? So God is also like human form. Here you see Kṛṣṇa, two hands, two legs.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Los Angeles, January 3, 1970:

Similarly God is the father. He is supplying us. In the Vedic mantra it is said, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). He is the supreme living entity amongst all living entities. He is singular number, nitya. And nityānām, plural number—we are all plural number. We are also as living entity, as good living entity as Kṛṣṇa or God. God is also living entity, we are also living entity. Just like father and son. The father is also living entity and the son is also living entity. There is no difference so far living conditions are there. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's sons, or God or God's sons. Now, in the Bible, Lord Jesus Christ is described as the son of God. Now, so far I have heard, that it is claimed that he is the only one son of God. Now according to Bhagavad-gītā, every living entity is son of God. Now how to adjust? If the Bible says that Lord Jesus Christ is the only one son, then how these so many innumerable sons can be adjusted? There is adjustment. There is very nice adjustment. One should know it. He is the only one son means one who can sacrifice his life for God, he is real son. And one who is simply taking from father, "Oh, God, give us our daily bread," and He is supplying and eating and enjoying sense enjoyement, he is not real son. The real son is he who sacrifices his life for glorifying his father.

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

But in the śāstras there are... In every scripture... Just like in Christian, their prāyaścitta is to confess, similarly, there are different types of prāyaścitta. So here Parīkṣit Mahārāja is advised, yathā puraiva. Yathā evaṁ tasmāt pāpasya niṣkṛtau prāyaścitta yateta kadā mṛtyu puraiva. So prāyaścitta. If you want to be free from the reaction of the sinful activities in this life—exactly in the same way as Christian Bible advises that you have to make some atonement, go to the church and confess your sinful activities and pay some fine—exactly in the same way in Vedic scriptures also, that "Before death you must make some atonement; otherwise you will continue in your next life." Tasmāt puraivaṣv iha pāpa-niṣkṛtau yateta mṛtyor avipadyatātmanā (SB 6.1.8). "Before you meet your death, that you should take." Doṣasya dṛṣṭvā guru-lāghavaṁ yathā. And you have to make atonement according to the gravity of your sinful activities. Yathā bhiṣak cikitseta rujāṁ nidānavit. Just like nidānavit. Nidāna means a expert physician. He prescribes medicine and advises treatment according to the gravity of the disease. Similarly, you have to undergo atonement for the sinful activities according to the gravity. That is the treatment. Then... The king is very intelligent. He is not only king but he's a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa conscious. So he replied, "What is the use of this kind of atonement?"

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

These are the Vedic versions. Na tasya kāryaṁ kāraṇam ca vidyate. Just like if we have to construct a skyscraper building, then we have to work so hard to collect the materials and piling them and making them secure and so many things. So..., but this material creation, this universe, was created not like that. Just like it is said in the Bible, " 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation." Similarly, actually it is so. Parāsya śaktir. God's potencies are so subtle and perfect, as soon as He desires, immediately thing is ready. This is called yoga system, yoga system. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is known as Yogeśvara. Of all the yogis, He is the supreme yogi. Yathā yogeśvara. So, there is work, but do not think that "There was no work; automatically it comes." No. There was work, but it is so subtle and perfect. The same thing, the working, so many things are working, going on within the machine, that simply I push it on and it acts. Similarly, work is there for creation. The work is there, but it is actuated by the perfect potency of Kṛṣṇa.

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

No. Suppose if you commit some sin and counteract it by some other thing. What is called? Just like in Christian Bible there is...?

Lecture on SB 6.1.7 -- San Francisco, March 1, 1967:

Therefore simply by argument and logical conclusion, you cannot approach to the Absolute Truth or real truth. Tarko apratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnāḥ. And if you consult yourself scriptures... Just like Bhagavad-gītā, if you read yourself, you get one kind of impression, and if you hear explanation from an authorized person, you get another impression. The book is the same, but by hearing from the authorities, you get a better impression, better understanding. There are so many examples like this. Tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnāḥ. Now there are many scriptures in the world. The Hindus have got the Vedas; the Christians have got the Bible; the Muslims, they have got Koran. Now, if you read all these scriptures, you will find something contradictory. Just like animal killing. Animal killing, more or less, there are in every scripture, restricted or nonrestricted. There is none nonrestricted. Restricted. Even in the Koran, the animal killing is restricted. Animal is to be killed in the, in certain Bakri Eid ceremony and in the Masjid. Similarly, animal killing amongst the Hindus, they are to be done in the temple of Goddess Kālī. But no slaughterhouse is recommended. Anyway...

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

So atonement is prescribed in every scripture. Even in Christian Bible there is atonement. So in other scriptures also there is atonement. Just like a man who has committed murder, he must die. "Life for life." This is atonement. When the government punishes a murderer with capital punishment, death, that is a mercy upon him. That punishment is accepted practically all over the world from time immemorial. So there must be atonement. So if a person who has committed murder, killed somebody else, then if he is punished by death, then the sinful activities which he has committed, that is counteracted. Otherwise he will have to suffer next life very severely, four times. So people do not believe even in the next life, and what to speak of atonement and punishment. They are kept in darkness. Otherwise they would have been... If they would have followed actually the injunction of the śāstras... First of all one should not be killing anyone. In the Bible also it is said, "Thou shall not kill." Why it is forbidden? Because if he kills, he'll have to suffer. But they do not care for it. Therefore they suffer.

Lecture on SB 6.1.8 -- New York, July 22, 1971:

So on the whole, the Manu-saṁhitā, life for life is sanctioned. And that is practically observed all over the world. But similarly, there are other laws, that you cannot kill even an ant. Then you are responsible. You have no right to kill. And in the Bible also, we see, Lord Jesus Christ says, "Thou shalt not kill." So killing is not allowed in any religious principle. Anyone who is killing, he's not considered in the human society. You cannot kill. The... Lord Buddha's also principle is ahiṁsā paramo dharmaḥ, no killing. Lord Jesus Christ also says, "Thou shalt not kill." In our Bhagavad-gītā it is also said, amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṁsā (BG 13.8). Ahiṁsā means not to become violent, not to kill.

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

Kindly deliver all these people now present on this earth, and take them to Vaikuṇṭha. And if You think that they are so sinful that they cannot be delivered, then please transfer all their sins unto me. I shall suffer. You take them." This is Vaiṣṇava: "So for all their sins, I shall suffer. You take them." This philosophy is also expressed in Bible, Lord Jesus Christ, that he agreed to suffer himself for the sins of all the people. But that does not mean that Jesus Christ or Vāsudeva Datta should make a contract for ourself and we shall go on committing sins. This is most heinous proposal. A Vaiṣṇava and a devotee suffers for all humanity, human race. But that does not mean that human race, or the particular followers should take advantage of this facility and go on committing sins. That is not a good proposal.

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

Therefore there are different atonements. According to Vedic law, if one cow dies while he's locked up on the neck... Because the cow is on the safe.(?) Somehow or other, it dies and the rope is round the neck, the proprietor of the cow has to make some atonement. Because it is to be supposed that the cow has died on account of being locked up with the rope, there is atonement. Now if you are willingly killing cows and so many animals, so how much we are being responsible? Therefore at the present moment there is war, and the human society becomes subjected to be killed in mass massacre—the nature's law. You cannot stop war and go on killing animals. That is not possible. There will be so many accidents for killing. The wholesale kill. When Kṛṣṇa kills, He kills wholesale. When I kill—one after another. But when Kṛṣṇa kills, they assemble all the killers and kill. Therefore there is atonement in the śāstras. Just like in your Bible also there is atonement, confession, paying some fine. But after performing atonement, why people commits the same sin again? That is to be understood.

Lecture on SB 6.1.11 -- New York, July 25, 1971:

Back to Godhead means God is a person, a person like you and me. Jut like your father is a person. That is a practical knowledge. Your father's father is also a person. His father is also a person. His father is also a person. Immediately you can understand. Therefore the supreme father must be a person. It is very difficult to understand? Any one of you can say it is very difficult to understand? God is called supreme father, not only in your Bible, but in the Vedas also. In all literature. And actually He's father, because the Vedānta says the Absolute Truth is the original father, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), from whom everything has taken birth or emanated. So the supreme father cannot be impersonal. He's a person. And in the Vedas, it is confirmed: nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). He is the supreme eternal amongst all eternals. We are all eternal, living entities, and He's the supreme eternal. And we are all living entities, cetana, life symptoms.

Lecture on SB 6.1.20 -- Honolulu, May 20, 1976:

So we have forgotten. There is no education. So anyway, nature gives us the chance. So either you take the Biblical truth or Vedic truth... So this is... The human form is given to us. Now you make your choice: whether you are going to hell or you are going to heaven. That's a fact. If you want, you can go to back to home, back to Godhead, or if you want to remain in this material world and go under the rules and regulation of birth and death, then make your choice. That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Indore, December 13, 1970:

So therefore so quickly we have become popular in the foreign countries. Even the priestly class, the Christian priestly class, they have recognized that "We are preaching about God, Bible; we could not create such nice boys and girls. And all these young boys, they were Christians and they are attracted, attached to Swami, and they are so nice." They can appreciate that their character and their behavior, everything is so godly. They are astonished.

Lecture on SB 6.1.30 -- Philadelphia, July 14, 1975:

There are many millions and trillions of living entities, and there is another living entity: that is God. So this another, one, singular number. There is no second, duplicate, of this one. But we ordinary living entities, we have got many millions of duplicates. Therefore two things are used: nitya, nityānām. Nityānām means plural number. Many, many, innumerable. You cannot count. Asaṅkhyā. The jīva is. Asaṅkhyā means nobody can count. And above this asaṅkhyā innumerable living entities, there is one prime living entity. God is also a living entity. He is also like us. In your Bible there is there: "Man is made after God." Is it not? So God is living entity, and we have got this form after the form... God is two-handed; we have got two hands. So that is a fact. This human form of life is made according to the form of Lord. It is imitation; that is real. Sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). But we are thinking that God has no form. Why? Wherefrom you got your form? You are daily praying, "O God, O Father, give us our daily bread," and we accept God as the supreme father.

Lecture on SB 6.1.40 -- Los Angeles, June 6, 1976:

Don't declare yourself a great philosopher or great learned scholar and..." No. That is not the process. "Now I am a learned scholar, I can discover God, I can manufacture God." No. Give up this bad habit. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya—be humble. If you know to know God, then be humble. In the Bible also it is said, "God is for the meek and the humble," not for the impudent.

So jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva. Then what will I be I become humble? Yes? Then what is my next duty? San-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. You just try to hear from the saintly person, devotee.

Lecture on SB 6.1.42 -- Los Angeles, June 8, 1976:

In the Christian religion they do not believe karma, that I did something in my past life. "Where is the evidence that I did something; therefore I am suffering?" They take the analogy: just like a criminal in the court is convinced when there is sufficient witness, not that I have complained against you, and you go to the court, you are punished. No. My charges against you should be corroborated by sufficient witness. So the Christian religionists, they do not believe in the next birth, transmigration of the soul, something like that. So they do not believe also in the fruitive activities' resultant action of our past life. This very word "witness"... It is my personal experience. I was student in the Scottish Churches College, and we had to attend half an hour Bible class. So Dr. W.S. Urquhart, he was teaching, Reverend W.S. Urquhart. He said, I remember, that "Where is the evidence? The Hindus believe in the karma, but where is the evidence that I did it?"

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

So this man, Ajāmila, by his association with the prostitute, he degraded. Therefore it is the duty of the guardians, of the government, of the father, to protect the civilization from degradation. But nobody cares for that. Therefore, at the present moment, everything is chaotic. They are degraded. Prostitution is allowed freely, bad association, and they are encouraging by opening liquor shop, brothel, restaurant, meat-eating. So how you can expect a very nice civilization? That is not possible. We are suffering the consequence of our own degraded life. So how we can protect ourself from degradation? The śāstra is there. Śāstra, the scriptures, are there. Never mind whatever scriptures you have got—Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Buddha, or any. Every religion has got scripture. Just like the Christians have got Bible, the Muslims have got Koran, and Hindus, they have got Vedas. They should abide by the injunction of the śāstra. Lord Kṛṣṇa also recommends that you must follow the sastric injunction.

Lecture on SB 6.2.1 -- Vrndavana, September 5, 1975:

So two parties, Yamadūta and the Bhagavad-dūtā. So this human life is the junction, which way to go, to the Yamadūtas or to the Bhagavad-dūtās. There is no three. Two alternative. In the Bible also it is said, "Either you go to hell or go to heaven." Is it not? This is right. Yamadūta means go to hell, and Bhagavad-dūtā means go to Vaikuṇṭha. This is the junction.

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

So the atheist class men, they say openly they don't believe in God. That is honest. And those who have taken the shelter of Vedas and talking of God as armless, legless, and headless, and earless, they are saying the same thing. Vedāśraya nāstika-vāda bauddha ke adhika. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said that veda nā māniyā bauddha haila nāstika: "Persons who do not agree with the Vedic authority..." He called them nāstika. As the Mussulman, they say one who does not believe in the Koran, he is kafir, and Christian, one who do not believe in the Bible, they are called heathens, similarly, according to our Vedic civilization, anyone who does not accept the authority of Vedas, he is called atheist. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that veda nā māniyā bauddha haila nāstika. Buddha philosophy, they do not accept the authority of Vedas, although Lord Buddha is accepted as incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. Keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare. But for the time being, he did not accept the authority of Veda. Nindasi yajña-vidher ahaha śruti-jātam.

Lecture on SB 6.3.18-19 -- Gorakhpur, February 12, 1971:

So our movement, the chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, that is authorized. Here it is stated, tan-nāma-grahaṇādibhiḥ. And you have seen that our..., in Back to Godhead, Hayagrīva has also quoted many passages from Bible, the chanting, Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra chanting. So this chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, or God, is authorized. And actually the effect is being felt, because we are advised to execute this kind of religious principles according to the law, offenseless, and avoiding these four regulative principles. Simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and observing these rules and regulations, one is sure to go to home, go to back to Godhead. There is no doubt about it.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Boston, May 8, 1968:

This is confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and all Vedic literature. So that suhṛt is simply looking to the opportunity when the other bird, instead of eating the fruit, looks to his friend. That's all. He's simply waiting for the opportunity. And He's sending His servant, He's coming Himself as incarnation, He is leaving books like Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bible, just to attract me. "My dear friend, come this side. Come this side." Suhṛt. And He is ātmeśvara. And He is the proprietor of myself because I am part and parcel of God. So therefore He is the Supreme. So He is Just like you are part and parcel of your father. Similarly, everyone of us we are part and parcel of the Supreme Father. So as we (end)

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 12, 1968:

It was constructed by Emperor Shah Jahan, say, about three hundred years or little more than that. So the Muhammadans, they are very particular to teach the Koran from the very beginning. That's a very nice system. Either you teach Koran or you, Koran, Bible, or you teach Bhagavad-gītā, it doesn't matter. One should have the idea of God consciousness. Then he can develop. So this opportunity should be offered to the children. If not, they are not real guardians, real parents, or real teachers. Why? Durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma. This Prahlāda Mahārāja teaching is not this Bhāgavatam. Just mark it. Prahlāda Mahārāja says, dharmān bhāgavatān, "the religion of God consciousness." He does not say Hindu religion or Muhammadan religion or Christian religion.

Lecture on SB 7.7.25-28 -- San Francisco, March 13, 1967:

So we have got this opportunity, this human form of life with sense so that we can understand the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā, or Bible or Koran. These are meant for civilized human society. So if we don't take care of these things and simply pass on in this dreaming... Just like animals. They have no sense, simply eating, mating, sleeping and defending. "Gow! Gow! Gow!" As soon as another dog comes, oh, he at once barks, "Gow! Gow! Gow!" So this is dog's qualification. So this defending is also like that. It is defending in its own way. We are defending in our own way. So we must be above this, transcendental, as advised by Kṛṣṇa. Nistrai-guṇyo bhavārjuna: "Just become transcendental to these qualitative activities." And what is that unqualitative, uncontaminated activity?

Lecture on SB 7.7.25-28 -- San Francisco, March 13, 1967:

We are executing the will of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says that "Anyone who takes up this responsibility of spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness, he is very dear to Me." Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' sarva deśa. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is also Kṛṣṇa in the form of devotee. He said that "By My order, you become a spiritual master." "Oh, I have to become a spiritual master? What I have to do? Oh, I have no qualification." "Oh, you don't require any qualification." "Then what is to do?" Yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa: (CC Madhya 7.128) "Whomever you meet, you just try to give him some instruction of Kṛṣṇa." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If you cannot do, if you cannot speak on Bhagavad-gītā or Bhāgavata or Bible or Koran—they're all books of knowledge, of Kṛṣṇa consciousness—you can simply say, "My dear friend, I've got one request to you." "What is that?" "Oh, please chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Please chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." Is it very difficult? But this is very difficult also, because people will take it very lightly: "Oh, what is there, Hare Kṛṣṇa?" because he does not know that the Hare Kṛṣṇa has so much potency that one day you can catch the Supreme Personality of Godhead within your grip.

Lecture on SB 7.7.30-31 -- Mombassa, September 12, 1971:

Just like in the Bible it is said, "Man is made after the form of God." Not that God is made after the form of man. Somebody imagines that his formation of Kṛṣṇa is a painting of an artist who by imagination they have painted very nice form of Kṛṣṇa, very good-looking. No, that's not the fact. Kṛṣṇa is originally vibhus(?) Śyāmasundara. We get this information from Brahma-saṁhitā.

Lecture on SB 7.7.32-35 -- San Francisco, March 17, 1967, (incomplete lecture):

So here, niśamya karmāṇi guṇān atulyāni. So just like you are kindly hearing the description given by Prahlāda Mahārāja. So this is the process. So when one becomes highly elevated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, so as soon as he hears Bhagavad-gītā or Śrīmad-Bhāgavata or Bible, anything description of Kṛṣṇa, or God, then atiharṣotpula kāśru-gadgadaṁ protkaṇṭha udgāyati rauti nṛtyati, as soon as he hears, he becomes so much ecstatic that immediately he begins to dance and sing and becomes very happy. As soon as he hears. Just like somebody hears that in some business he has earned ten millions of dollars. He becomes so much, I mean to say, enthusiastic, "Oh, I have got this," and dances and like that.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Seattle, October 21, 1968:

How can I please Lord when they have failed?" This is Vaiṣṇava. He's not proud. He's not proud. Because the Brahmā, Lakṣmī, and all the demigods and saintly persons have requested him, "My dear Prahlāda, you try." That means he is greater than all the persons present there; otherwise how they could request him? Just like if in an assembly, if somebody is requested, "Please, you lead us," that means that person, that leader, is the greatest of all. So Prahlāda is accepted as the greatest personality than Brahmā, than the demigods, than the yogis. But this is the humbleness, meek. This is... In Bible also, it is said the humble and meek can enter into the kingdom of God. So out of his humbleness, meekness, he's expressing, he's presenting himself that "These great personalities, they failed to pacify the Lord. How it is possible for me, who has got this body born of a passionate father?" This is very beautiful.

So Vaiṣṇava, Caitanya Mahāprabhu has taught us that how we shall preach this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Don't be disheartened because the police is obstructing, because the people are complaining. They will do that. Just like... Why this police and public? This poor, innocent boy, five years old, because he was chanting, his father became his enemy.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Hawaii, March 21, 1969:

That you also, you have to get. That's all right. He was once God, he was once rich. That's all right. But how he has become poor? He was at sometimes God, accepted. But how he has become dog instead of God? But God is susceptible to such falldown? Then what kind of God he is? If God is subjected sometimes to fall down, then he is not all-powerful. Then the cause which has made him fall down, that is powerful. Therefore he is not God. God is all-powerful. So why other power will make him to come down from the position of God? Then that power is powerful. But God is all-powerful; therefore he is not God. This is common reasoning. God cannot be subjected to any other external... Just like according to Biblical philosophy, "God and Satan." God is never under the influence of Satan. Is there any statement in the Bible that "God has become under the influence of Satan"? Then Satan become great. God is not great. Similarly, if by some cause, by Satanic cause, one has fallen down from the position of God to the position of dog, then that Satan is greater than God. But God is great. Therefore he is not God. Gaursundara? How do you think this argument?

Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Montreal, July 4, 1968:

Impersonal understanding of the Absolute Truth is the beginning of transcendental knowledge. But if you make further progress, you will find Him the Supreme Person. The Supreme Person... Just like we offer our humble prayers, govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ. He is the original person. In the Bible you will see, "Man is made after God." This feature, this form, is just in imitation of Kṛṣṇa's form. Because Kṛṣṇa has got two hands, because Kṛṣṇa has got two legs, one head, so we are imitation. We are sample God. So just imagine how the original person, the original Personality of Godhead, is opulent, rich, beautiful, famous, so many. All good qualifications, all opulences, are present there.

Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Montreal, July 6, 1968:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that "All these qualifications are not good assessment for approaching the Supreme Personality of Godhead." He is nullifying. Do not think that because you have got good education or scientific knowledge, then you can understand what is God. That is not possible. Just like the other day we were, I was reading one magazine. In the Bible it is said that God said "Let there be creation," and there was creation. Similarly, in the Bhagavad-gītā also, we understand that Kṛṣṇa says, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca: (BG 7.4) "These eight gross and subtle material elements, they are My differentiated energy." So these statements of Bible or Bhagavad-gītā... We can understand that God created this cosmic manifestation. But in the paper we read the other day that the scientific men believe that there was a chunk in the beginning, and all of a sudden it burst out and the planets came out. (break) So anyone can understand that God is all-powerful. He can create. But the scientist says that "There was a chunk, and creation took place from the chunk." Just see.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Montreal, July 9, 1968:

So that is not the way. Tarko apratiṣṭhaḥ. If you want to understand the Absolute Truth by your arguments, it is not possible. Tarko apratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnam. Śrutayo means scriptures. If you want to understand the Absolute Truth by studying different scriptures... Just like the Hindus have got their different scriptures. They have got four Vedas, eighteen Purāṇas, Mahābhārata, Rāmāyaṇa, Vedānta-sūtra, 108 Upaniṣads, so many, similarly, in other countries also, they have got Bible or Buddhist literature or Muhammadan. They are all scripture. But you cannot conclude about the Absolute Truth simply by studying scriptures. It is not possible. Śrutayor vibhinnaḥ. 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.

Lecture on SB 7.9.11 -- Montreal, August 17, 1968:

Just like if you decorate your face very nicely, how your face has become beautiful you cannot see. You cannot see. But as soon as you bring one mirror before your face, you'll see that in the mirror the reflection of your face is very nicely decorated. The same example is given here. We are reflection. We are reflection of God. Just like in the Bible it is said, "Man is made after God." God is not made after man. That is a mistake. The modern atheist class of men, they suggest that we manufacture a form of God according to our own form. Just like Kṛṣṇa and Rādhā, the picture is there. They allege that we have made a Kṛṣṇa form, maybe very beautiful, according to my form. But actually it is not. The Biblical truth is that man is made after God. Because we are sons of God, therefore God has got two hands, you have got also two hands. Just like your father has got two hands and you have got two hands, so you are made according to the body of your father, not that your father's body is made after your body. This is rationalism. Similarly, God's body is not made according to your body, but your body is made according to God's body. But this body is material; therefore we have to change. When we come to the spiritual platform, we get as good a body as that of Kṛṣṇa, which is eternal, full of bliss and full of knowledge. This is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 7.9.13 -- Montreal, August 21, 1968:

So when God appears, incarnates, descends, His business is to protect the devotees, paritrāṇāya sādhūnām. That is His first business. Vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām: and to kill the unfaithful, miscreants. For them, God does not require to come Himself. Side by side, He does so. If God likes, He can kill thousands of miscreants by one stroke. So that business does not depend on Him, that He would come to kill a demonic person. The real business is to protect the devotees, the faithful. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja says, kṣemāya bhūtaya utātma-sukhāya cāsya vikrīḍitam: "Actually, You have appeared for these persons, to protect them, for their happiness," sukhāya, "and for their elevation." Just like Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, or Vedic literature, or any scripture. For whom they are meant? Those who are godly, for their elevation, so that they can elevate more and more. It is not for the atheistic persons. They do not believe in God. So Bible or Bhagavad-gītā or Śrīmad-Bhāgavata, they are not meant for the atheistic persons. So whatever auspicious things are in the world, they are meant for the faithful, not for the atheistic persons.