People suffer out of ignorance. That is called pāpa, sin. Any criminal... Mostly, he does not know the real law. He commits something unknowingly, by ignorance, and he becomes a subject of criminal punishment. Therefore ignorance is sinful life. Ignorance. So people should be enlightened from ignorance. And that is real religion. One should be enlightened himself, and one should enlighten others also. That is the mission of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya janma haila yāra. Not the cats and dogs, animals. Manuṣya. On the land of Bhāratavarṣa, one who has taken his birth as a human being... This point is very important.
Cats and dogs (Lectures, Other)
Lectures
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 28, 1972:
You cannot say that "I am Indian. I have got my love for India. And I'll get again birth as Indian leader." You, you may get birth in India because you have got strong attachment, but it may not be as leader. It may be as cats and dogs. Or cows or goat. Then you'll be sent to the slaughterhouse, you, even though you are Indian. Or any country, American... So these are simply sentiments. This is, this is, there is no use... But people do not know this science. They think that "I am doing right as philanthropist, as nationalist, as..." But you, he, he forgets that he's under the full control of material nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot plan. The ultimate plan is sanctioned by God, or by His agent, the prakṛti. You cannot make your plan. You get the result of your present activity. Karma phala.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 24, 1972:
So this increase of our loving propensity will not be satisfied unless it reaches the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We love. The loving propensity is there. Even we have no family... Sometimes we keep pets, cats and dogs, to love. So we are, by nature we used to love somebody else. So that somebody else is Kṛṣṇa. Actually, we want to love Kṛṣṇa, but without information of Kṛṣṇa, without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, our loving propensity is limited. Within certain circle. Therefore we are not satisfied. Nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti. That love affair, loving propensity, is eternally existing, to love Kṛṣṇa. Just like Dhruva Mahārāja, when he met the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he became fully satisfied. Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce (CC Madhya 22.42).
The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 7, 1973:
So this Bhagavad-gītā should be taken as it is. One should assimilate. The Indian people, those who are... As Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra (CC Adi 9.41). Those who are actually human beings, not cats and dogs, for them, this is the duty. The duty is to assimilate. What is our asset? Our asset is spiritual asset. Now we are giving up. Bhagavad-gītā's not allowed to be instructed in the schools and colleges. How much degraded we are! And we are becoming very proud of our advancement of civilization, material assets. This is simply... Māyayāpahṛta-jñānā. These are described as māyayāpahṛta-jñānā. There is school, college, not only in India, everywhere, all over the world, they... Actually there is no jñāna, knowledge. They're all fools and rascals. We can clearly declare—it may not be very palatable—the whole world is full of rascals and rogues. That's all.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 12, 1972:
It is the duty of the brāhmaṇa. Paropakāra. And without being human being, how he can become a brāhmaṇa? Cats and dogs cannot become brāhmaṇa. The perfect human being means brāhmaṇa, the first-class, perfect being. That is brāhmaṇa. And brāhmaṇa's duty is for paropakāra. Paṭhana pāṭhana yajana yājana dāna pratigraha. Ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ, avaiṣṇava-gurur na sa syāt. A... One who is Vaiṣṇava... Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He becomes guru because He's udāra. Vaiṣṇava means para-duḥkha-duḥkhī.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.1 -- Mayapur, March 25, 1975:
Real business is athāto brahma jijñāsā. This human life, nature, gives us the opportunity to inquire about the Absolute Truth. We have got the intelligence. The cats and dogs, they have no intelligence to inquire about the Absolute Truth. The trees, the plants, the aquatics, the animals, the beasts, the uncivilized man—so many, 8,400,000 forms and species of life. Out of that, the civilized men, the Aryans... Ārya. Ārya means the person who has got godly qualification. This is the meaning of Āryan. Āryan, advanced. Āryan does not mean godless society. They are non-Āryans. Real Āryan means... Because we are part and parcel of God, naturally we have got, in minute quantity, the qualities of God. That is natural. But on account of our material association, those qualifications are covered now by upādhi, by various designations. This is our material disease. Material disease means... Just like a gold is covered by dirty, dirty things. Similarly, we are actually gold, because part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. We are a small Kṛṣṇa, very small, but we are also the same quality. But it is covered. This is our disease. And these coverings are going on in different names—socialism, communism, and this "ism"—so many. "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am white," "I am black"—these are all designations.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.3 -- Mayapur, March 27, 1975:
So therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, in very simple Bengali song, he says, hari hari biphale janama goṅāinu. This is our life. We have got this human form of life, but we are simply spoiling it. This is the whole situation. In our this movement we are traveling all over the world, and according to our views, how they are spoiling their very valuable human life in false identification that "I am this body," everyone, in big, big names, "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am German," "I am...," and they are spoiling their life under this bodily concept of life. According to śāstra, anyone who is identifying himself, this body... That is the first instruction of the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa brought Arjuna to fight with the Kurus, and he identified himself as this body, and therefore he thought, "Killing of my cousin-brothers, it will not be good because I have got bodily relation." So to dissipate this conception of life—that is the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā—Kṛṣṇa chastised him, Arjuna, aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase (BG 2.11). We are talking very, very big, big talks and plans, but actually we are nothing better than cats and dogs. This is our position because we are identifying with this body. "My country, my community, my society, my family, my..." Ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). Jīvasya moho ayam ahaṁ mameti. They do not know. This is the ignorance, basic ignorance. "I" and "my." "I am this body, and anything in relationship with the body is mine." This is ignorance. But this ignorance is going on all over the world. That's a fact, this ignorance.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.10 -- Mayapur, April 3, 1975:
So this is the process of... Loka-sraṣṭuḥ sūtikā-dhāma dhātuḥ. Dhātu. Dhātu means one who creates. So Brahmā is the secondary creator. Kṛṣṇa, or Viṣṇu, He creates the situation. Then He gives him a seat, that lotus-flower like, and when he was puzzled... In the beginning, everything was dark. He could not understand "Wherefrom I am coming? What is my duty? Why I am sitting here?" When he was puzzled, then from within there was dictation that "You meditate, tapaḥ. You undergo austerities. Then you'll gradually understand." So even Brahmā, the first creature of this creation, he had to meditate—"Why I am here, and what is the purpose of my coming here?" So we are also this, in the same position. We are the, I mean to say, dynasty expansion of Brahmā. Brahmā's son is Manu, or this sun-god. Manuṣya. Manuṣya means coming from Manu; therefore we are called manuṣya. So the same process: we are born ignorant, born ignorant. Human life is the chance to dissipate this ignorance, and that requires tapasya, not to live like cats and dogs, frivolous life. That will not help us. Tapaḥ. Tapo divyaṁ yena putrakā śuddhyet sattva (SB 5.5.1). That human life is meant for tapasya, austerities, not to live extravagant life, irresponsible life like cats and dogs. No. That is not human life. That is animal life. So therefore śāstra says that you undergo austerities. Then your existence will be purified, and then pure knowledge you will get, and you will understand what is your position, why you are in this material world, why you are suffering the threefold miseries, why you are obliged to die, why you are obliged to become old man. So many things you have to learn. But if we learn like cats and dogs, then we spoil our life.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.10 -- Mayapur, April 3, 1975:
As Brahmā, the first created being, had to undergo tapasya to get information from the Supreme... The Supreme Lord is within you. He's there. But He will advise. When you are fixed up by tapasya, determined with vow, then He will talk to you. He's ready to talk, but you require to acquire the qualification to hear Him. And what is that qualification? This Kṛṣṇa consciousness, devotional service. As it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10). Such persons... (aside:) Don't do it. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānām. Satata means always, twenty-four hours, not that five minutes I meditate and rest of the time I live like cats and dogs. No. This kind of meditation will not help you. Kṛṣṇa says, satata. Satata means twenty-four hours. You have to mold your life in such a way that twenty-four hours you'll think of Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If you think, "Now I have chanted my sixteen rounds. Now I've finished my business. Now I can do whatever nonsense I like," no. Kṛṣṇa says no. Satata. Therefore we have to plan our life in such a way that we haven't got any other engagement than service of Kṛṣṇa. This is required.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.2 -- Mayapur, March 2, 1974:
When Kṛṣṇa was born, Gargamuni, the family priest... It is the system among the Vedic culturalists that as soon as a child is born, immediately his horoscope is made and his past, future is calculated. Janma-grasthi (?). So that function, on account of poverty and many other causes, nobody practically practices. But this is also one of the saṁskāra. Before birth there is saṁskāra, garbhādhāna saṁskāra. While the child is within the womb, there is saṁskāra. In this way, a human body is purified by different kinds of saṁskāras, or purificatory methods. Daśabhidasaṁskāra. Saṁskārād bhaved dvija. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. If in... Anyone is born by father and mother, even cats and dogs they have got father and mother. Any life you get, there is father and mother.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.2 -- Mayapur, March 2, 1974:
In any birth, you'll get father, mother. That is not a very difficult thing. Without father and mother there is no birth. So to get father and mother is usual. It is not very difficult. But, kṛṣṇa guru nahi mile bhaja hari ei: in every birth, you cannot get Kṛṣṇa or you cannot get bona fide spiritual master. Kṛṣṇa guru nahi mile bhaja hari ei. Guru-kṛṣṇa kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). These are the statements of Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Those who have read Caitanya-caritāmṛta, they know it. So, perfection of human life is possible by the mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa. And that mercy can be achieved in the human form of life, not in the life of cats and dogs. Therefore it is said, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is acting both as guru and Kṛṣṇa-combination of guru and Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.106-107 -- San Francisco, February 13, 1967:
Caitanya Mahāprabhu's point is this, that why the foolish persons go to interpret and comment on Vedānta, which is perfect itself? Do you require to see the sun with this light? How it is possible? The sun is itself illuminated so nicely that you don't require any other light to see sun. If I say, "My dear boy, please come with me and take this light. I'll show you sun in the sky," oh, you'll think, "Oh, Swamijī is a nonsense. What is the use of this light? What is the use of this light?" Similarly, what knowledge you have got that you have to..., you want to comment on the Vedānta-sūtra? It is already illuminated. In the beginning: athāto brahma jijñāsā. Now you have got this human form of life. Now you have got full consciousness. You are not like animal. We are not like dogs and cats. Now you try to understand what you are, Brahman, what is spirit. Is it not your duty? You should simply be satisfied like animals, eating, drinking and mating and begetting children, and sometimes death is come and gone? Do you think that is your perfection of life? No. The Vedānta says, athāto brahma jijñāsā. This life is for spiritual realization. It is not meant for cats' and dogs' life, sense gratification. They are doing, the hogs are doing sense gratification all day, eating, and as soon as there is female, oh, there is sex. Do you think this is human life? No. Vedānta says it is not human life. The human life is to understand what is spirit, what is the background of this manifestation, janma. So at once the Vedānta-sūtra replies, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). "Brahman, the Supreme Absolute Truth, is that who is the background of all this manifestation."
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.107-109 -- San Francisco, February 15, 1967:
You are not forbidden to enjoy. Just like we say that illicit sex relation not ordered, not allowed. You should take it because it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Dharmāviruddho kāmo 'smi aham: "The sex desire which is sanctioned by religion, that is I am." That is Kṛṣṇa. Sex desire to fulfill—it does not mean that like cat, we are free. What is this freedom? That freedom has cats and dogs. They are so free that on the road they have sexual intercourse. You have not so much freedom. You have to find out a parlor, er, apartment. So do you want that is freedom? This is not freedom. This is, I mean to say, going to hell. This is not freedom. Therefore Vedic literatures enjoins that if you want sex life, then you become householder. You marry a nice girl, and then you have got very good responsibility. This, this concession, sex life, is allowed so that you have to serve the all others. That is the responsibility. Now there are four divisions of social order—brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. The brahmacārī does not, I mean to say, earn anything. They depend on the society. Sannyāsī—depend on the society. Vānaprastha—depend on the society. Only the householder who is living with wife and children, he has got the whole responsibility to provide these brahmacārī, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. You see. In India still, if a brahmacārī, if a sannyāsī goes to a householder, immediately offers something. So they do not want more, but they want little for their maintenance of this body and soul together. It is the duty of the householder. So unless one becomes responsible householder, how he'll execute his responsibility? If he thinks, "Oh, what is the use of keeping a cow when the milk is available in the market? Oh, sex life is so cheap. Why shall I take the responsibility of marrying?" This is going on. This is going on. Just like cats and dogs. So the cats and dogs cannot understand Vedānta philosophy. First condition. It is not meant for the cats and dogs. It is meant for human beings. So we should be human being first of all. Then we shall try to understand... Our life is so wretched that it is less than cats and dogs, and we try to understand Vedānta philosophy. It is not possible.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154 -- Gorakhpur, February 16, 1971:
Why you are..., we have come in contact with māyā? Because artificially we're thinking that "I am the lord." Everyone is trying to be lord here in this material world. And when he's frustrated, he says, "Oh, it is false." Nobody is master. Everyone is servant. Try to understand this fact. Who is not a servant here? Is anyone, that "I am not servant, anyone's servant"? Everyone is servant. If anyone has nothing to serve, he keeps a dog and cat and becomes servant of the dog and cat. I have seen in America. He has no family responsibility; still, he keeps a dog and serves whole day, and he says, "The dog is the best friend." Because you want to serve. That is your attitude. That is your constitutional position. You want to serve; you want to love somebody. And if is misplaced, that is māyā. When it is properly done, that is liberation.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.97-99 -- New York, November 22, 1966:
In the Bhagavad-gītā also, the Lord says that bhaktyā mām abhijānāti. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti, tattvataḥ, yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). In another place the Lord says that "To understand Me, actually what I am, is very difficult." Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye: (BG 7.3) "Out of many millions of human beings, somebody tries to make a perfection of his life." Otherwise they are all working like cats and dogs, that's all, simply āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca. They have no other information. "Work hard, eat, be merry and enjoy, and have mating, that's all." So out of millions and millions of persons like this, engaged in animal propensities of life, only a few persons, selected person... Because the illusory energy has grasped us under her clutches very tightly, to get out of the clutches is very difficult.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-99 -- Washington, D.C., July 4, 1976:
So what is our real interest? By evolutionary process, after going through so many forms of life, jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati kṛmayo rudra-saṅkhyakāḥ, in this way, eight million forms of life, and we have got this human form of life. So this life especially meant for athāto brahma jijñāsā. Simply to understand our spiritual identity, the Absolute Truth, that is the only business. But we are... We have got the intelligence more than the cats and dogs. They cannot inquire about the spiritual identity, and if we keep ourself in darkness without understanding our spiritual identity, then we are no better than the dogs and cats. Therefore he said, nīca jāti: "I have no information about the soul." Nīca jāti. Just like dogs. It is a class. So nīca. Of course, in your country dog is very pet. Now we are learning also, India, how to keep a dog and become aristocratic. (laughter) So now there is big, big dog show in New Delhi. But actually in India, although dog was not neglected, in a neighborhood, if there is a dog, people will give him food but not allow to enter into the house. He'll be not allowed. A dog is also trained up. They'll come to a door and sit down and move his tail: "Give me some food." And people will give. But he's not allowed to enter, the dog or caṇḍālas are not allowed.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-102 -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand:
Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūto jīva-loke sanātanaḥ. In the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa says that "These living entities, they are My part and parcels, qualitatively as good as I am." So the Vedānta-sūtra says, "The living entities or God, they are meant for enjoyment." Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). By nature ānandamaya. So "Why I am put into this miserable condition?" This is the questions by intelligent human being. And if he remains satisfied with the miseries of this material life, then he's no better than the cats and dogs. Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13).
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-102 -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand:
Sanātana Gosvāmī is also placing that grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita, tāi satya māni: "These fools and rascals call me paṇḍitajī, and I accept, 'Oh, I am paṇḍita.' But actually my position, āpanāra hitāhita kichui nā jāni: I do not know what I am and what is the goal of my life. I am thinking, 'I am this body, and the body is finished then everything is finished.' This is my knowledge." So just compare. This knowledge is going on all over the world, "I am this body." And anyone who is thinking that he's this body, he's no better than cats and dogs. The dog is also thinking like that, "I am this body." Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātu... It is not my manufactured word. It is stated in the śāstra. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). This body is made of these elements. I can call earth, water, air, fire. Or you..., blood, bone, and so many things. So if the..., take this combination of blood, bone, muscles, and veins, and urine and stool is the life, then he..., you are no better than the cats and dogs. Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). Go-kharaḥ. Go means cow, and kharaḥ means ass. So the ass is also thinking like that, a cow is also thinking like that. If you are thinking like that, then you are... So one has to learn what he is.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-102 -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand:
"My Lord, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, very kindly You went to my place and You have delivered me so that after Your visit I decided to resign from the government service, and I have come to You. So You have delivered me from the pitfalls of this materialistic way of life. Now tell me what is my duty." This is student. This is disciple. Approach a bona fide guru, a spiritual master, and abide by his orders and do accordingly. Then your life will be successful. And if you keep yourself in the darkness, that "I am very rich man. I am very learned man, but unfortunately, I do not know what I am," so what is the use? The Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura: vidyā-kule hi karibe tāra. So if you do not know yourself, then what your so-called education and high family, high nationality, will help you? Nature's law is different. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). If you do not cultivate spiritual knowledge, if you remain like cats and dogs, then prakṛti, nature, will give you the cats' and dogs' body next life. Suppose you become very big businessman and you have got nice, very big balance and so on, so on, but by your activities you remain like a dog mentality is, then you are going to get the body of a dog. Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran loke tyajaty ante kalevaram (BG 8.6). The test is at the time of death. At the time of death, if my mentality is different, so according to that mentality I shall get the body. This is called transmigration of the soul. There is no teaching of this science throughout the whole world, and we are trying to educate people. Of course, it is very difficult to understand, but this is the science, that there is transmigration of the soul. And if we do not take care of this, that "What I am going to become next life?" if you simply waste your time simply on the matter of eating, sleeping, mating and defense, then we are wasting our time. This is the subject matter of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- Bombay, November 9, 1975:
So anyway, this Sanātana Gosvāmī, he is approaching Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu very humbly and tolerantly, putting himself that he is fool number one. Yes. Grāmya-vyavahāre kahaye paṇḍita: "These general people, they do not know what is a paṇḍita, but they call Me paṇḍitajī, but actually I know what kind of paṇḍita I am. I do not know what I am." Grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita satya kari māni. So his first proposal is, ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya: "What is my position? What I am? I do not want to suffer, but in this material world, three kinds of suffering are always there, and they are giving me trouble." This consciousness is not there. People have become so dull-headed that they are always suffering by three kinds of suffering: adhyātmika, adhibhautika and adhidaivika; still, they are thinking they are very happy. This is called māyā. This morning we were discussing. Āvaraṇātmikā-śakti. Māyā has got a covering power so that everyone, even he's a cat and dog, he's thinking that he is very happy. This is māyā. Nobody can be happy in this material world. That is the fact. Why? Kṛṣṇa says. The creator of this world, He says, duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam: (BG 8.15) "It is the place for suffering. How you can be happy? It is meant for suffering."
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.101-104 -- Bombay, November 3, 1975:
So again he says, sādhya-sādhana-tattva puchite nā jāni: "Actually I do not know. It is my duty to put questions upon you." That is also indicated in the Bhagavad-gītā.
- tad viddhi praṇipātena
- paripraśnena sevayā
- upadekṣyanti tad jñānaṁ
- jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ
- (BG 4.34)
Tad viddhi. If you want to understand things which is beyond this material world... Tamasi mā jyotir gamaḥ: "Don't remain within this darkness of material existence. Try to transcend, to go to the spiritual world, jyoti, where it is light." Here it is always darkness, and there there is always light. So everyone should be interested, especially in this human form of life, not to remain here like animals, cats and dogs, but to become brahma-bhūtaḥ. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. One must know. This is the duty of human life. So he says, sādhya-sādhana-tattva puchite nā jāni: "Now I am little interested how to become spiritually advanced, but I do not know how I shall put the question before You and what is the ultimate goal of life. These things I do not know. But I have got an inquiry." That is natural.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.102 -- Baltimore, July 7, 1976:
We are not independent. Just like in the state, in your country, although you have observed the independence ceremony, but you are not independent. If you go... "Keep to the right," you go to the left, immediately your independence finished. You'll be punished. So this so-called independence is conditional. It is not absolute independence. If you want absolute independence then you have to go back home, back to Godhead. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are hankering after independence, but so long we remain in this material world, there is no question of independence. So intelligent man, when he inquires about, when he thinks over, that "I want independence from so many things, but I am not independent. I am forced to accept, then where is my independence?" When this question arises, then he is human being. Otherwise he's as good as the cats and dogs. Because the cats and dogs, they cannot inquire. Just like an animal is being sent to the slaughterhouse, he cannot say "Why I am... What I have done? Why you are sending me to the slaughterhouse?" He cannot protest. Even he protests, nobody hears him. Nobody hears. He protests by crying, by screaming, but we have made our own theories: "This crying is nothing. It has no soul. We can kill."
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.103 -- Washington, D.C., July 8, 1976:
The goal of life is, as Caitanya Mahāprabhu will explain, that we are intimately related with God. Someway or other, we are fallen down in this material world, and we are by mistake accepting this body as self, and we are being trained up also only to see the bodily interests just like cats and dogs. The animals also, they are interested with the body only. They have no other interest. But if a human being is kept in the same darkness, simply bodily interest, that is a great disadvantage.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.104 -- New York, July 10, 1976:
In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find this knowledge, kṣetra-kṣetrajñaḥ. Kṛṣṇa says that "This body is called kṣetra." Arjuna inquired from Kṛṣṇa "What is kṣetra, what is kṣetrajñaḥ, what is jñāna, and what is subject matter of jñāna?" So Kṛṣṇa answered that kṣetra means this body, and kṣetrajñaḥ means one who knows that "This is my body." He is kṣetrajñaḥ. You study your own body. You study your finger, you'll never say "I finger." "My finger." Nobody says. Even a small child, you ask him, "What is this?" He'll say, "My finger." He'll never say, "I finger." I am not finger. I'm not this. So one who knows that this body is mine, that is kṣetra, ah, kṣetrajñaḥ. And the body is kṣetra. Ksetra means the field of activities. We have got this body, field of activities. We are very much proud of civilized... But subject matter is the same. The dog is thinking, "I am this body." He is jumping with four legs, and you are jumping with four wheels, that's all. Because the knowledge is the same, that "I am this body." There is no improvement. So we are thinking that "Dog is running on the street without any car, and we have got a nice car we are running, so therefore we are civilized." No. This is not civilization. This is the same civilization as the dog and cat has got. Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13).
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.106 -- New York, July 12, 1976:
So this sad-dharma means the occupational duty of the soul. That is sad-dharma. And except that duty, whatever we are doing, that is asad-dharma; it will not stay. Now I have got this body, Indian body or Christian body or American body. But this, everything, this conception of Christianity or Indian nationality or American nationality—everything will be finished with this body. Everything will be finished. Therefore all our engagements in this connection, they are all asad-dharma. It is very difficult. We are all engaged in occupational duties, all asad-dharma. But the Vedic injunction is asato mā sad gama: "Don't remain in this asat platform. Come to the sat platform." And the same thing is described here, sad-dharmasyāvabodhāya. So the human life begins when we can distinguish between sat and asat. If we remain in darkness without understanding what is sat and asat, then we are no better than dogs and cats. So the modern civilization, not only... Nowadays very big problem. People are very much attached to asad-dharma. They are not... Because they are so dull-headed, they cannot understand what is sat and what is asat. They cannot understand, dull-headed. Therefore brain requires to be clarified.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.108-109 -- New York, July 15, 1976:
Now, we are grouped under the taṭasthā-śakti, and there are other two potencies, or energies. That is called spiritual energy and material energy, the spiritual world and material world. We have got experience of the material world not completely. We do not know even what are going on in the whole material world. We see the universe. We see at night so many stars and planets, but we have no idea. So we do not know even what is this material world perfectly, and what to speak of spiritual world. But the spiritual world is there, as there is this material world, and the living entity belongs to the spiritual world. Actually he belongs to the spiritual world. By chance or some way he has come to the material world. So when he goes back again to the spiritual world, then he gets his normal condition of life. Unfortunately, in the modern education there is no information of the spiritual world, the spiritual identity, and go on, our relationship with God—nothing. Simply they are working like cats and dogs under the influence of māyā and the suffering. To stop this suffering, one must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and understand the position of his life and be perfect.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.110-111 -- Bombay, November 17, 1975:
That is the advice. We have to do our own business, self-realization. That is tapasya. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). Existence... To purify the existence we have to practice tapasya, not running like cats and dogs here and there. This will not make solution of life. Human life is meant for tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvaṁ yasmād brahma-saukhyam anantam. This is the process. Mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimukteḥ (SB 5.5.2). If you want to get out of this entanglement of distressed condition of material body, then mahat-sevām: you associate with mahātmās and serve him. Mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes tamo-dvāraṁ yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam. And if you want to enjoy senses, then the path of darkness is there: tamo-dvāram. Then you do not know where you are going. Today you are human being. Tomorrow, after this body, you may become a plant or tree or something else. That is tamo-dvāram. We are pushing through darkness. But we should not remain in darkness. Jyotir gamaḥ, tamasi mā: "Don't remain in darkness. Come to the light."
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.112 -- New York, July 20, 1976:
So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to bring back the human society, because it is not possible to bring back the monkeys and cats and dogs to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is not possible. So those who are of the dog's mentality, cat's mentality, monkey mentality, it is difficult for them. They have to change their mentality by sat-saṅga. This is called sat-saṅga. Just like you are hearing from the śāstra, and we are speaking from the śāstra. This is called sat-saṅga. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ (SB 3.25.25). By sat-saṅga, by real spiritual association, by talking with them, by mixing with them-satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido—then we can learn about the unlimited potencies of Kṛṣṇa. Mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ. Then it becomes very pleasing to the heart and to the ear, by satāṁ-prasaṅgān. Otherwise it is not possible. If you go to a professional reciter, it will enter in this ear and go out this ear, that's all. Because there is no life; it is business. So you cannot do business with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is not agreeable to this proposal. He's master. You cannot utilize Him for your service. You must engage yourself to His service. That is wanted. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Then if we be in that attitude, that "Kṛṣṇa is my master; I must serve Kṛṣṇa. I shall not take Kṛṣṇa an instrument to become my servant..." That is not possible, although it is said that catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtino 'rjuna: "Four kinds of men," sukṛtina, "whose background is pious, they come to Kṛṣṇa." One who is impious, he cannot come.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.125 -- New York, November 27, 1966:
Without working you cannot live. But you work in such a way so that you may not be entangled. That is called work, karma. Now, this work is not the solution of your human life. You can get some morsel of bread and eat and drink and sleep and just enjoy your life and die like cats and dogs, that's all. And then you will take with you the result of your good work or bad work. That is karma. That is not solution. Then the next stage is, above this karma, this ordinary, general people, there is a class, they are thinkers. They are thinkers: "Whether this is the solution of life?" So thinkers, some of them are dry thinkers, they have no knowledge, but they think only. They do not get the source of knowledge from higher authorities; they manufacture their own way.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.294-298 -- New York, December 19, 1966:
Whatever we are enjoying, it is due to His mercy. In the Kaṭhopaniṣad, er, Māṇḍūkyopaniṣad, it is stated, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām, eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). Now, He is the supplier whatever we want. So as pālana-kartā, as the maintainer, as the Supersoul, He is supplying. He is supplying whatever you want: "All right." So we should not approach God as supplying agent. That is the lowest stage. He is supplying even to the cats and dogs. Then what is the difference between human being and the cats and dogs? Just like a small child, he is supplied all necessities by the father, but when the child is grown, he wants to serve the father, similarly, to make God as order-supplier, "O God, give us this. Give us that..." God is giving. You ask or not ask, He will give you because, after all, you are all children. So He takes care of His children. But you may say that "Why the childrens are differently treated? Somebody is supplied sumptuously, and somebody is not. Why this difference of treatment?" That difference of treatment is also for good. How? Just like a mother has got five children. One of them is suffering from fever, is ill. Now, very nice foodstuff is prepared. All the children come, and mother is supplying. And when the feverish child comes, "Oh, you don't sit here. You cannot take." "Why?" "Oh, you are diseased. You cannot take." Do you think that mother is partial to this child and that child? No.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.313-317 -- New York, December 21, 1966:
Always remember that this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a sort of declaration of war with this illusory material nature. So there is war. She will always try to get you fall down. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). It is very strong, powerful. How you can save yourself? Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. If you persistently simply adhere to the devotional service of Kṛṣṇa, there will be no more strength of this illusory nature to drag you. No more. There will be no more power to get you into this province of sense gratification. Material nature means the jurisdiction of sense gratification. That's all. Simply people are engaged by sense gratification like cats and dogs. That's all. This is material atmosphere. And in the spiritual atmosphere there is no sense gratification; there is only activity for satisfying the Supreme, Kṛṣṇa. That is the difference.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.330-335 -- New York, December 23, 1966:
So in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there is quotation when Kṛṣṇa was born. It is the system of Vedic system. There are ten kinds of saṁskāras, reformation. And how much careful this Vedic civilization is, that a child will be born and he is taken care of since the day of the, I mean to say, joining, conjugation of the father and mother. Garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. How much they were expecting that a good son will come, and he will be so good that the society will be happy, the country will be happy, the world will be happy. Never they prescribed unwanted children like cats and dogs. No. So therefore there was garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. Before the father and mother conjugate there is ceremony, garbhādhāna, for the higher caste. The higher caste were made not artificially. They had to follow nine great principles, then they are higher caste, not by rubber stamp, just like Gandhi wanted to do, taking the banghis, the sweepers, and rubber-stamping "harijana." No. This is a process. Everyone is open to become a harijana, but not by rubber stamp but by training.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.11-15 -- New York, January 9, 1967:
What is the difference between the two? Those who are eternally free, liberated, they are godly. They are always ready to render transcendental loving service to the Lord. They are satisfied in that way. Just like mother is satisfied simply by loving child, or friend is satisfied simply by loving. Of course, that sort of love is not possible in this material world, but there are some rare instances. At least we can get an idea that... Similarly, the eternal liberated souls, they are satisfied simply by loving Kṛṣṇa. That is their satisfaction. Everyone wants to love. That is natural propensity. Everyone. When there is no loving object, then in this material world we sometimes love cats and dogs. You see? Because I must love somebody. If I don't find any suitable person lovable, then I turn my love to some hobby, to some animal, like that, because the love is there. So this is dormant. Our love for Kṛṣṇa is dormant. It is within us, but because we have no information of Kṛṣṇa, therefore we are reposing our love to something which is frustration. That is not the object of love. Therefore we are frustrated. So many instances we have got, we did not describe. But here in this material world, love is 99.9% all frustration, because the love is not reposed to the proper place. The proper place is Kṛṣṇa. If we love Kṛṣṇa, then we can love everyone. Just like if we pour water on the root of the tree then the other parts of the tree, leaves and flowers and fruits and branches, automatically... So if we learn to love Kṛṣṇa, then we can perfectly love others.
Sri Isopanisad Lectures
Sri Isopanisad Invocation Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, April 27, 1970:
So here it is stated, "There is complete facility for the small complete units, namely the living being, to realize the complete." To realize the complete, what is my relationship with the complete. "And all forms of incompleteness are experienced only on account of incomplete knowledge of the complete." We are thinking that "I am equal to God. I am God." This is incomplete knowledge. But if you know that "I am part and parcel of God," that is complete knowledge. The Māyāvādī philosophers, the atheists, they are claiming that "Who is God? I am God." That is incomplete knowledge. "The human form of life is a complete manifestation of the consciousness." Now, this complete consciousness you can revive in this human form of life. The cats and dogs, they cannot understand. So if you don't take the facility, then you are ātma-hanaḥ janāḥ. You are killing yourself, committing suicide. As it is said, ātmā andhena tamasāvṛtāḥ tāṁs te pretyābhigacchanti ye ke cātma-hano janāḥ. After death, pretyābhi... Pretya means after death. So don't be ātma-hano janāḥ. Utilize your life in complete facility. That is our business.
Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 9 -- Los Angeles, May 13, 1970:
So this Īśopaniṣad teaches us that we should be very careful. We should not be very much advanced... We may be advanced. That doesn't matter. We don't say that you don't advance in material education. You advance, but, at the same time, you become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is our propaganda. We don't say that you don't, you do not manufacture motorcar or you do not manufacture these so many machines. We don't say. But we say, "All right, you have manufactured this machine. Employ it in Kṛṣṇa's service." That is our proposal. We don't say stop it. We don't say that you have, don't have any sex life. But we say, "Yes, you have sex life—for Kṛṣṇa. You produce Kṛṣṇa conscious children. Hundred times you have sex life." But don't create cats and dogs. That is our proposal.
Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 9-10 -- Los Angeles, May 14, 1970:
Kṛpaṇā means miser. Just like if you get one million dollars and you could not utilize it, simply you see that "Oh, I have got this bank balance," you are happy simply by seeing it, then you are kṛpaṇā. You do not know how to utilize. And one who has got one million dollars and utilizing it and making millions and millions dollars, he is intelligent. Similarly, this body is invaluable. One who is utilizing it for culture of spiritual knowledge, he is brāhmaṇa. That is the difference between brāhmaṇa and kṛpaṇā. And one who is utilizing this body like cats and dogs for sense gratification, he is miser. He does not know how to utilize one million dollars. Everyone does not know. But it is the duty of the father, duty of the state, duty of the teachers to educate from the very beginning. Bhāgavata says that one should not become a father, one should not become a mother, one should not become a teacher, one should not become a king unless they are able to elevate their dependents to this spiritual knowledge, which can save him from repeated birth and death.
Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 9-10 -- Los Angeles, May 14, 1970:
And one who quits this body without knowing the mystery of life, he's a kṛpaṇā. Kṛpaṇā means miser. Just like if you get one million dollars and you could not utilize it, simply you see that "Oh, I have got this bank balance," you are happy simply by seeing it, then you are kṛpaṇā. You do not know how to utilize. And one who has got one million dollars and utilizing it and making millions and millions dollars, he is intelligent. Similarly, this body is invaluable. One who is utilizing it for culture of spiritual knowledge, he is brāhmaṇa. That is the difference between brāhmaṇa and kṛpaṇā. And one who is utilizing this body like cats and dogs for sense gratification, he is miser. He does not know how to utilize one million dollars. Everyone does not know. But it is the duty of the father, duty of the state, duty of the teachers to educate from the very beginning. Bhāgavata says that one should not become a father, one should not become a mother, one should not become a teacher, one should not become a king unless they are able to elevate their dependents to this spiritual knowledge, which can save him from repeated birth and death.
Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 9-10 -- Los Angeles, May 14, 1970:
One who quits this body after knowing things as they are, he is brāhmaṇa. And etad aviditvā yaḥ prayāti... And one who quits this body without knowing the mystery of life, he's a kṛpaṇā. Kṛpaṇā means miser. Just like if you get one million dollars and you could not utilize it, simply you see that "Oh, I have got this bank balance," you are happy simply by seeing it, then you are kṛpaṇā. You do not know how to utilize. And one who has got one million dollars and utilizing it and making millions and millions dollars, he is intelligent. Similarly, this body is invaluable. One who is utilizing it for culture of spiritual knowledge, he is brāhmaṇa. That is the difference between brāhmaṇa and kṛpaṇā. And one who is utilizing this body like cats and dogs for sense gratification, he is miser. He does not know how to utilize one million dollars. Everyone does not know. But it is the duty of the father, duty of the state, duty of the teachers to educate from the very beginning. Bhāgavata says that one should not become a father, one should not become a mother, one should not become a teacher, one should not become a king unless they are able to elevate their dependents to this spiritual knowledge, which can save him from repeated birth and death.
Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 9-10 -- Los Angeles, May 14, 1970:
And one who quits this body without knowing the mystery of life, he's a kṛpaṇā. Kṛpaṇā means miser. Just like if you get one million dollars and you could not utilize it, simply you see that "Oh, I have got this bank balance," you are happy simply by seeing it, then you are kṛpaṇā. You do not know how to utilize. And one who has got one million dollars and utilizing it and making millions and millions dollars, he is intelligent. Similarly, this body is invaluable. One who is utilizing it for culture of spiritual knowledge, he is brāhmaṇa. That is the difference between brāhmaṇa and kṛpaṇā. And one who is utilizing this body like cats and dogs for sense gratification, he is miser. He does not know how to utilize one million dollars. Everyone does not know. But it is the duty of the father, duty of the state, duty of the teachers to educate from the very beginning. Bhāgavata says that one should not become a father, one should not become a mother, one should not become a teacher, one should not become a king unless they are able to elevate their dependents to this spiritual knowledge, which can save him from repeated birth and death.
Festival Lectures
Gundica Marjanam Cleansing of the Gundica Temple, Lecture (the day before Ratha-yatra) -- San Francisco, July 4, 1970:
That is called jāta-kriyā. There is a function. There are ten kinds of functions. From the point of begetting a child up to the point of death, there are saṁskāras, or reformatory process. By that process a human being is made perfect. That is called daśa-vidha-saṁskāra, ten kinds of processes. This upanayana, this initiation, offering the sacred thread, that is also out of those ten processes. The beginning of the process is called garbhādhāna, begetting a child. It is not sex enjoyment; it is a process by which you produce nice child. If you produce nice children, then the world is peaceful. But if you produce cats and dogs, how can you expect peace and prosperity? Therefore that is a process, garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. In this way the Vedic system is the perfect process for creating civilized human being. So that is another chapter. Our present meeting is concerned with the Ratha-yātrā.
Ratha-yatra -- New York, July 18, 1976:
So under the circumstances we propose that every one of you become God conscious. The paragraph which I was mentioning, that we see the mother, mother earth, and we see the children in different forms... Then we must accept that there is father. Because without father there is no possibility of mother begetting children. If you simply understand this philosophy of father, mother and children, then you can very easily understand that there is God, the supreme father. There is no difficulty. But if you do not become reasonable as human being, if you remain as animal like cats and dogs... The dogs cannot understand that there is the supreme father, God, but a human being can understand. He has got intelligence. So with this advanced intelligence, if we do not understand about the existence of God, our relationship with Him and what is our duty in that relationship, then our, this human form of life will be spoiled. Our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is checking the human society from spoiling the human form of life. This human form of life, by the evolutionary process we have got after millions and millions of years, and if we spoil this life eating, sleeping, mating and defending like the cats and dog without any sense of God, then our life is spoiled. So please do not take this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement as any sectarian movement. It is the science of God. Try to understand the science of God. We have got so many... (man yelling in background) What is that?
Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day Lecture -- London, August 21, 1973:
Our human life, the ultimate goal of human life is to achieve immortality. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9), This is our..., we have forgotten this. We are simply leading the life of cats and dogs, without any knowledge that we can achieve that perfection of life when there will be no more birth, no more death. We do not understand even that there is possibility of amṛtatvam. But everything is possible. Amṛtatvam. Nobody wants to die. That's a fact. Nobody wants to become old man, nobody wants to become diseased. This is our natural inclination. Why? Because originally, in our spiritual form, there is no birth, no death, no old age, no disease. So after evolutionary process down from the aquatics, birds, beasts, plants, trees, when you come to this form of human form of body after... Aśītiṁ caturaś caiva lakṣāṁs tād jīva-jātiṣu.
Sri Vyasa-puja -- Hyderabad, August 19, 1976:
So I request you follow the Caitanya Mahāprabhu's instruction that you also, you become a guru at your home. It is not that you have to make a gigantic show of becoming guru. The father has to become guru, the mother has to become guru. Actually, in the śāstra it is said one should not become father, one should not become mother if he does not become a guru to his children. Na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum. If a person is unable to save his child from the clutches of birth and death, he should not become a father. This is real contraceptive method. Not that have sex like cats and dogs and when the child is there kill it and abortion. No. That is greatest sinful activity. Real contraceptive method is that if you are unable to deliver your son from the clutches of birth and death, do not become a father. That is wanted. Pitā na sa syāj jananī na sa syāt guru na sa syāt na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum. If you cannot save your children from the clutches of birth...
His Divine Grace Srila Sac-cid-ananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Appearance Day, Lecture -- London, September 3, 1971:
The whole world is suffering for want of knowledge. The present civilization is animal civilization. They do not know anything beyond eating, sleeping, mating and defending. That's all. This is animal civilization. Animal does not know beyond these four principles of life: eating, sleeping, mating and defending. That's all. No. Human life is meant for something else: "What I am? What is God? What is my relation with God? What is this material world? Why I am here? Where I have to go next?" So many things one has to learn. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is human life. Not that eat and sleep and have sex life and die someday like cats and dogs. Therefore, there is need of ācāryas, teachers, for propagating spiritual knowledge, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura was... Although he was a gṛhastha, householder, a government officer, magistrate, but he was ācārya. So from his dealings, from his life, we should learn how one can become a preacher in any stage of life. It doesn't matter what he is.
His Divine Grace Srila Sac-cid-ananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Appearance Day, Lecture -- London, September 3, 1971:
Second-class knowledge is trying for liberation. Third-class knowledge means in bondage, like animal. The animals, they are bound up by the particular type of body and has no, I mean to say, possibility of becoming liberated. That is animal life. But human life is better than animal life because he, if he likes, he can make himself liberated from this bondage of material body. That is the facility. He can understand himself what he is. He can understand what is God. He can understand the relationship between God and himself. He can understand what is this material world. Because there are thousands of books of knowledge. Take it for Bhagavad-gītā. Everything is there. And it is meant for human being, not for the cats and dogs. Cats and dogs cannot understand, but a human being can understand.
His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1973:
First of all one must know what he is, whether he is this body or something beyond this body. This is the beginning of spiritual knowledge. So that advantage is there in India, by culture, by education. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu requested that Indians, bharatiya, Bhārata-varṣa, those who have taken birth as human being... He doesn't speak to the animals. Bhārata bhūmīte mānuṣya janma. Mānuṣya janma means human being. Because without being a human being, nobody can understand these things. The cats and dogs, they cannot understand. So a person whose behavior is like cats and dogs, he also cannot understand. Therefore He said, janma sārthaka kari. First of all make your life perfect and then distribute this knowledge. This is the Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission.
His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Bombay, December 22, 1975:
So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is teaching this pravṛtti-mārga, nivṛtti-mārga, both. "You do not do this" or "You do this." "Do this" means rise early in the morning, maṅgala-āratrika. Of course, you must sleep, but not sleep like cats and dogs, animals. Simply sleeping means waste of time. The more you reduce sleeping, then you become perfect. Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau **. All the gosvāmīs in Vṛndāvana, they conquered over these things.
His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Lecture -- Atlanta, March 2, 1975:
So you have taken a very nice line of activities, spiritual activities. Of course, as far as possible, we have tried to give you instruction, books. But remain always faithful to the spiritual master and try to understand Kṛṣṇa. And if you simply understand Kṛṣṇa, then your life is successful. Janma karma ca divyaṁ me yo jānāti tattvataḥ. The human life is meant for understanding Kṛṣṇa. That is the perfection of life. Any other so-called understanding, that is simply waste of time because we are under the grip of the material nature. You may be very learned scholar. You may be a fool. It doesn't matter. You are under the laws of material nature. So before finishing this small span of life... We have got this human form of life. It will be finished, as the cats' and dogs' life also finished. But if we try through the guru and Vaiṣṇava, then, we can achieve in this life the full success, not failure like cats' and dogs' life. That is the opportunity. So as far as possible, we are trying to lead you in this line, and you kindly follow. Then your life will be successful. That is the mission of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He wanted to deliver these fallen souls, the conditioned souls rotting in this material world. So Kṛṣṇa Himself... Kṛṣṇa comes Himself, Kṛṣṇa sends His devotees, Kṛṣṇa comes as devotee—just to execute this mission to reclaim the fallen souls from the clutches of illusory energy, material world.
His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Lecture -- Mayapur, February 8, 1977:
Darwin's evolutionary theory it may be, but in the Vedic literature the evolutionary theory it is existing since very, very, millions of... It is not crazy fellow's evolutionary theory. It is fact. So in this evolutionary theory, fact, we see that the, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante, bahunāṁ sambhavān (BG 7.19). After many, many evolution, millions of years, we get this chance of human being, to become human being. In this human form of life, if we still remain a mūḍha, then we are vimūḍhān. Vimūḍhān means, vi means viśeṣa. Here is chance. And Kṛṣṇa personally is giving his instruction to the human being. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is the chance. But still, we are not accepting. Therefore vimūḍhān. Mūḍha, the cats and dogs, they cannot understand. If we give instruction to the dog, "My dear dog, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa..." But a human being, either he may be known to Kṛṣṇa or not known to Kṛṣṇa, he can be trained up. Just like in your country, in Europe and America, they did not know even what Kṛṣṇa. But since we have started this movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, you have become so many devotees of Kṛṣṇa. That is possible because human being. They can be trained up. So in spite of all these facilities for the human being, if he's not trained up to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then he is vimūḍha. He does not take the advantage. Na mām... This human form of life, he is classified as duṣkṛtina, mūḍha, narādhama, māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ (BG 7.15). He's described. He must be either of these categories. So things have degraded so low that India they're asking what is God. This is Kali-yuga. In India, where Kṛṣṇa comes personally, where Lord Rāmacandra comes, where Lord Buddha comes, where Caitanya Mahāprabhu comes, in that country now young men are asking, "What is God?" This is Kali-yuga.
His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Lecture -- Mayapur, February 8, 1977:
The value of life one should understand that we are in the cycle of birth and death. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). Once we take birth and again we die. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi duḥkha-doṣānu-darśanam (BG 13.9). So one should be intelligent to understand that I am eternal. I learn from Bhagavad-gītā and Vedic literature that ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am eternal." Why I am dying? This is intelligence. This is intelligence. Otherwise cats and dogs. A dog, a cat, does not know why he is dying. Neither he knows that he is eternal. But a human being can take information from the śāstra that he is eternal and he does not die on the destruction of the body. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Kṛṣṇa is giving this information. Tathā dehāntara. This is our real unhappiness. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. But if we are kept in darkness about this and simply we become busy with some superficial things, bahir-artha-māninaḥ. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇu, durāśayā. It is durāśayā. So all these leaders, the political leaders, they do not know what is the value of life.
Jagannatha Deities Installation Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.13-14 -- San Francisco, March 23, 1967:
Ask him to come. (someone goes out) Please, please take prasāda. Give him first. (break) Human life is not for, I mean to say, playing, sense gratification. Very important life. So Kṛṣṇa says manuṣyāṇām. But they do not know. Foolish people, they do not know. They are simply wasting life in sense gratification. They are thinking, "By sense gratification we shall be happy." One day the cruel death will come, at once give him a slap: "Come on! Go! Finish your business. No more human life. Become a cat and dog." So these risks are there. So we should be very responsible. So we are not responsible. Kṛṣṇa says, "They are not responsible." Therefore manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3). Out of many thousands of people, a person desires to utilize his human form of life very nicely. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye. Kaścit means somebody tries to make his life perfect. And yatatām api siddhānām (BG 7.3). And among such millions of persons who are trying to make his perfect, one can understand Kṛṣṇa.
Sri Sri Kaliya Krsna Deity Installation -- Lautoka, Fiji, May 2, 1976:
So therefore, guru's business is to deliver the disciple from the suffering condition. Saṁsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka-trāṇāya kāruṇya-ghanāghanatvam **. So one who has got this mercy from the Supreme Lord, and he can deliver his guru. guru's out of many other businesses, one business is śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā **. To establish temple for regularly worshiping the Deity of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā. And to worship the Deity very nicely, to decorate, to dress, to cleanse the temple, to offer nice foodstuff, distribute prasādam these are the activities of the temple. Unfortunately, people are in so much ignorance that they have forgotten everything. They're living like cats and dogs, animals. So this is a great opportunity that you are going to open a nice temple here. So not only open temple but you take part yourself How to decorate the Deity, how to cleanse the temple, how to offer nice prasādam, how to distribute prasādam, how to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
Arrival Address -- New York, April 5, 1973:
So the necessity of this movement is that we are creating brain. At the present moment the human society is lacking brain. Exactly they are living like cats and dogs, not with human brain. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). The human society must be divided into four classes of divisions, or divisions, catur-varṇya: the brāhmaṇa, the kṣatriya, the vaiśya, and the śūdra. Brāhmaṇa means the most intelligent class of men, and kṣatriya means administrators, and the vaiśya means mercantile people, and śūdra means ordinary workers. All of them are required proportionately. Just like to keep up your body you require your head, you require your arms, you require your belly, and you require your legs also. Comparatively studying, head is very important than the leg, but that does not mean leg is unimportant. Everything wanted for the upkeep of the body. Similarly, for upkeep of the society, human society, there must be intelligent class of men, there must be administrator class of men, there must be productive class of men and there must be worker class of men. At the present moment, the human society is giving stress on the mercantile class of men and worker class of men. Actually, there is no intelligent class of men or administrative class of men. So our movement is creating some intelligent class of men. According to our Vedic knowledge, the first-class intelligent man is he who knows what is God. He's first-class intelligent man. Otherwise cats and dogs, they also eat, sleep, have sexual intercourse, and die.
Arrival Address -- Paris, June 8, 1974:
As you have got a body and you, the soul, is the important thing, active principle within this body, similarly this gigantic body, the active principle is there, that is we call from the śāstra Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, the same comparison. But because they are mūḍha, rascal, they cannot understand. No brain. We have no brain, we are all not very intelligent. But we can understand if there is the active principle soul within this body, there must be a Supersoul within this huge structure of body. And that is called God. Mohitaṁ nābhijānāti mām ebhyaḥ param avyayam (BG 7.13). Those who are bewildered, narādhamāḥ. Narādhamāḥ, the lowest of the mankind. These things cannot be understood by the cats and dogs. Their body is constituted in such a way that they cannot think of there is an active principle within the body and there is active principle in this huge gigantic body. The cats and dogs cannot understand, but a human being can understand. And that active principle is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. As the active principle within this body is all-attractive, this beautiful body of French boys and girls, why? The active principle is there; therefore they are attractive. Many people come to see your city. Why? The active principle is there.
Arrival Address -- Paris, June 8, 1974:
The active principle is everything. From His energy, material energy, this huge gigantic material man..., cosmic manifestation is there, from His energy. And we are also His energy. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca (BG 7.4). The five material elements are also Kṛṣṇa's energy, and we living entities, we are also. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parā, jīva-bhūtaṁ mahā-bāho yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat (BG 7.5). Everything is explained there. But the mūḍhas, these duṣkṛtinas, the narādhamas, they cannot understand. Narādhama means lowest of the mankind. Why? Because cats and dogs cannot understand this philosophy. But a human being can understand. He has got the brain. Nature has given the fertile brain, but they are misusing it, duṣkṛtina, only for sense gratification. The brain was given to understand God, but the rascal is using for illicit sex, meat-eating, drinking, and gambling. This is the position of the whole human society.
Arrival Address -- Paris, June 8, 1974:
If you simply try to understand Kṛṣṇa, the result will be that after giving up this body, you will not accept any more material body. You will remain in your spiritual body and go back to home, back to Godhead. That is your eternal life, blissful, full of knowledge. That is wanted. Otherwise, now you have got this very beautiful body, French girl, French boy, if you don't take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if you lose the opportunity, then you may get, because you have got very good friend, dogs. So yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvam (BG 8.6), so at the time of dying, you will think of dog and you will get a body of dog. This is a fact. Because you are under the grip of material nature. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). As you infect some disease, you must suffer from that disease. Similarly, the infection of ignorance, tamo-guṇa, will give you a tamo-guṇa body. Jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ (BG 14.18). Go down. Nature gives you the opportunity: get a nice human form of body, nice brain, try to understand what is God. But if you misuse it, then again go to become cats and dogs and hogs. This is nature's law. Don't risk your life. Always think of Kṛṣṇa. Sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ (BG 8.6). These things are explained.
Arrival Lecture -- Mayapur, September 27, 1974:
People, unfortunately, they have no sense what is spiritual life. The modern civilization, they do not know that we have to change this body, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13), just like animals, cats and dogs, they do not know that they have to change the body or they are not the body, they are beyond, something. This is the modern civilization. They try to make the best use of a bad bargain in this way, that "We have got this body. Let us enjoy senses to the utmost." But that is not the fact. Sense enjoyment means infection of the material modes of nature. That is sense enjoyment. Just like we infect some disease, and that disease will come out some day, will be manifested. They are called kutastha, phalonmukha, and prārabdha. Three stages. Infection... The same example. Infection remains in dormant stage, not manifest immediately. Then phalonmukha, fructifying; and then prārabdha, one gets it and suffers. This is the nature's way, going on. But people do not know it.
Arrival Address -- Los Angeles, February 9, 1975:
To understand Kṛṣṇa is very, very difficult, even for the siddhas, those who have attained perfection of life. Kṛṣṇa said, yatatām api siddhānām (BG 7.3). First of all, out of many, many millions of person, one endeavors to become siddha, perfect. That is also not very easy, siddha. Siddha means perfectly self-realized. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That is siddhi. That is the siddhi of human life. The dogs', cats' life, they cannot understand that "I am Brahman," ahaṁ brahmāsmi. They think, "I am dog." So if you think like that—"I am American," "I am Indian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim"—then you are no better than the dogs and cats because they are also thinking like that. But when you think yourself that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul," that is called brahma-bhūtaḥ. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). After that, after being brahma-bhūtaḥ-samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām—then bhakti life begins. After being liberated, after being self-realized, then bhakti begins. And as soon as bhakti begins, then you understand Kṛṣṇa. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). You cannot understand Kṛṣṇa by any other process—by jñāna, by yoga, by tapasya, by karma, by sacrifice, by charity. You cannot understand. Simply, Kṛṣṇa says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti. If you want to know Kṛṣṇa as He is, then you have to take to this process, very simple process. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru: (BG 18.65) "Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your respectful obeisances unto Me." Four things. That is here. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That will be thinking of Kṛṣṇa, man-manā. And unless you are devotee, you cannot engage your time in that way. Then if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, automatically you become devotee. Then you worship Deity. Unless you are a devotee, you cannot worship Kṛṣṇa.
Arrival Lecture -- Dallas, March 3, 1975:
So these children... Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). That is Prahlāda Mahārāja's instruction, that you produce children as much as you can train them to become eternally family members of Kṛṣṇa. That is spiritual contraceptive. Don't produce children like cats and dogs. This is our philosophy. If you can produce Kṛṣṇa conscious children, produce one hundred children. There is no objection. But if you cannot do that, then either don't produce children or produce children as much as you can manage. This is Kṛṣṇa philosophy. Our philosophy is not simply a negation. It is positive. They, general people, they are unnecessarily producing children, then cannot manage. So they are adopting so many sinful activities, so much so that they are now killing their own child within the womb and becoming implicated in sinful activities and prolong the life in this material world very miserably. Just see the miserable condition of the child, baby within the womb. She is... It is in the mother's womb, and the mother, at the advice of the doctor, is killing.
Arrival Address -- Paris, August 11, 1975:
And the body changes so long the soul is there. Therefore, the conclusion should be the body and the soul, they are different. It is very simple truth, but because we have accumulated so much garbage dirty things within our heart, we cannot understand even this simple thing. We are advancing education in civilization and so many big, big words, but we are so dull that we cannot understand this simple thing. And to understand this simple thing is the beginning of life. Otherwise, without understanding this simple thing, to exist is just like the cats and dogs. The cats and dogs, they have no such thing as nationalism, this ism, that ism. They simply eat, sleep, have sex, and defend.
Arrival Address -- Mauritius, October 1, 1975:
So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very important movement. We are inviting all intelligent persons, the leaders of the society, to understand the basic principle of this movement. And if the leaders of the society lead the people in the proper channel on the basic principle of spiritual life, then everything will be solved. Everyone will be happy. These instructions are there in the Bhagavad-gītā very elaborately. Simply we have to follow the instruction. It is not at all difficult. Then all the questions—social problem, political problem, economical problem, religious problem—everything will be nicely solved. We are presenting, therefore, Bhagavad-gītā as it is. And you take any question and the answer is there in the Bhagavad-gītā, very nicely given. Just like, say, our first problem is economic problem. So Bhagavad-gītā says, "Yes. Economic problem will be solved very easily if you produce food grains." Annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14). You produce food grain. Just like in your country I see there is enough land. If you people produce your food grain, within three months you can get all the necessities of life for the whole year. And the balance time you can save, nine months. And these nine months you can utilize for advancing in spiritual life, because your life or my life, this human form of life, it is distinct from the cats' and dogs' life. The cats and dogs, they cannot understand what is the basic principle of life. But a human being can understand. If he takes little care, he can understand that his problem of life is due to misunderstanding, accepting this body as self. This is the problem.
So we shall advise according to Bhagavad-gītā that "Make your life very simple, plain living, but the thinking should be very high." Plain living and high thinking. So thinking is that "I am the soul. I am not this body. I am eternal. I am changing only body. And due to change of body I am suffering."
Arrival Address -- Mauritius, October 1, 1975:
So if you want to be happy, then this is the opportunity. This human form of body is the opportunity. Don't waste this human form of body like cats and dogs. The cats and dogs, they cannot understand that he is not this body, he is spirit soul, but a human being can understand. There is so, so many books of knowledge, and so many self-realized persons. So if anyone wants to understand what he is, he can understand in the human form of body.
Arrival -- Honolulu, May 3, 1976:
These are the six principles we should always remember: enthusiasm, patience, conviction, following the regulative principles, becoming honest, and in the association of devotees. So I am very glad to see that you are all very enthusiastic, and you follow the other principles. Then be sure that you are advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And that will save you from the dangerous civilization which do not understand the future of life. As the cats and dogs, they do not understand what is the future of life, similarly, if human beings, getting this opportunity of very intelligent, developed consciousness, if a human being does not understand what is the goal of life, what is the future of life, then he remains a cat and dog. Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). So those who have joined this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, my request is they follow the regulative principles, as instructed by Rūpa Gosvāmī, with enthusiasm, read books and distribute books. And that is a very great service. I'll speak something, you may forget, but if you read from the book, you will get good opportunity to understand the philosophy. So our principle is to study the books as well as to distribute the books. People will be benefited and their life will be successful. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
Arrival Address -- Toronto, June 17, 1976:
This is the first education of Bhagavad-gītā, that within this body the living entity is there. The living entity is there, but the body is changing. The child is becoming boy, the boy is becoming young man, the young man is becoming middle-aged man, middle-aged man becoming old man. The body is changing. We know, every one of us. But I am the same spirit soul. This misunderstanding, that I am not this body, still, I am identifying with this body, this is our ignorance. And so long this ignorance will continue, we shall remain like cats and dogs, There cannot be any peace. It is not possible. When we come to the real understanding that we are spirit soul and part and parcel of God, then we become actually learned.
Arrival Lecture -- Calcutta, February 4, 1977:
So our mission is para-upakāra, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission, para-upakāra. This para-upakāra mission was entrusted to the Indians. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, bhārata bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra (CC Adi 9.41)—"to the human beings," not to the cats and dogs. Unfortunately, we have become like cats and dogs. We do not take the responsibility of an Indian. It is the duty of the Indian.
Arrival Lecture -- Calcutta, February 4, 1977:
So our mission is para-upakāra, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission, para-upakāra. This para-upakāra mission was entrusted to the Indians. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, bhārata bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra (CC Adi 9.41)—"to the human beings," not to the cats and dogs. Unfortunately, we have become like cats and dogs. We do not take the responsibility of an Indian. It is the duty of the Indian.
Initiation Lectures
Initiation Lecture -- Hamburg, August 27, 1969:
So the initiation process means to give the conditioned soul a chance. This chance can be available in this human form of life. The cats and dogs, they cannot take chance of entering into the spiritual kingdom, or they cannot... It is not possible they can take initiation for purifying the body. So everybody, every human being, should take advantage of this form of life, human form of life, and cultivate this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And it is very simple and easy also. For this age, Lord..., by the grace of Lord Caitanya, we have got very easy method: simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. This mantra also which we uttered just now, it is said, yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣam: "Anyone who remembers puṇḍarīkākṣam, Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, immediately he becomes purified." Śuci. Śuci. Śuci means purified. Śrī viṣṇu śrī viṣṇu śrī viṣṇu. Three times.
Initiations -- Sydney, April 2, 1972:
This Kṛṣṇa consciousness marriage does not mean sense gratification. No. The marriage is for producing nice children, Kṛṣṇa conscious children. Because at the present moment the population is not being produced very nicely; therefore there is disturbance of peace all over the world. But if there are Kṛṣṇa conscious children, they'll grow up and they will possess all good qualities. So peace automatically will come if people become Kṛṣṇa conscious, because they become highly qualified, without committing any sinful activities. If such population is there in the world, there is no question of disturbance. Everyone will be peace, peaceful and happy. So our marriage, Kṛṣṇa consciousness institution encouraging marriage, on this ground: not to produce cats and dogs, but to produce highly qualified devotees. So you should always remember that. And there is no... Once married, there is no question of divorce or separation. That you should remember. We don't allow any divorce and separation. The husband and wife, there may be sometimes disagreement, but according to Vedic literature, when there is fight or disagreement between husband and wife, it should be neglected. Nobody take it seriously.
Lecture and Initiation -- Chicago, July 10, 1975:
Human life is meant for performing yajña, give in charity and practice austerities, three things. Human life means that. Human life does not mean to live like cats and dogs. That is failure. That kind of civilization, dog civilization, is failure of human life. Human life is meant for three things: yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyā. One should know how to perform sacrifices, how to give in charity, and how to practice austerities. This is human life. So yajña-dāna-tapasya, in other ages they were performing according to the means. Just like in the Satya-yuga, Vālmīki Muni, he practiced austerities, meditation, for sixty thousands of years. At that time people were living hundred thousands of years. That is not possible now. Meditation was possible in those ages, but now it is not possible. Therefore the śāstra recommends that yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyaiḥ: "You perform this yajña, saṅkīrtana." So by performing saṅkīrtana-yajña, you can get the same result. As Vālmīki Muni got the result after meditation of sixty thousands of years, you can have the same result simply by performing saṅkīrtana-yajña maybe a few days. It is so kindness.
Initiation Lecture -- Toronto, June 17, 1976:
Before retirement and making Bhārata Mahārāja the emperor of the world, He gave them advice. It is the duty of the father. Generally, we do also. Before retirement, the instruction is given by the father how to rule over the kingdom or manage the business. Anyone, as it is. So retirement was compulsory. Not that unless he's shot dead he's not going to retire. No. This was not Vedic civilization. At the present moment there is no Vedic civilization. Nobody is going to retire unless he shot dead. But Vedic civilization was not like that. Retirement compulsory. Brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. Four divisions of spiritual order. Human life is meant for spiritual realization. And sense gratification is animal life. This meeting is for the human beings, not for the cats and dogs. They cannot come here, neither they will understand what is going on here. A human body, human being, has the chance to understand the philosophy of life as it was enunciated by Ṛṣabhadeva.
Initiation Lecture -- Toronto, June 17, 1976:
So lower than human being up to the animals, there are so many forms of life. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. In this way, varieties of life. But Ṛṣabhadeva said, "Now you have got this human form of life, don't spoil it like the hogs and dogs simply by sense gratification." Sense gratification is available by the hogs and dogs also. That was the instruction of Ṛṣabhadeva. And what is the duty of human life? Tapo, tapasya. Tapasya. Voluntarily accepting some inconvenience. That is called tapasya. Generally, we want loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā nityasta jantu. Jantu, when one is not on the platform of spiritual understanding, they are called jantu. Jantu means anyone who has got life. The cats and dogs, they have also got life. So loke, in this material world, vyavāya āmiṣa madya sevā. Vyavāya means sex indulgence, sex life. And āmiṣa means meat, fish, egg-eating. Āmiṣa. Therefore vegetarian diet is called nirāmiṣa, not āmiṣa. So it is general tendency of the living being to become āmiṣa, to eat meat. That is the general laws of nature. Jīvo jīvasya jīvanam. One living entity is the life for another living entity. Ahastāni sahastānām. There are animals, two-legged animals, and there are four-legged animals. The four-legged animals is the food for the two-legged animals. So long we remain as animals, then there is the necessity of eating meat.
Initiation Lecture -- Toronto, June 17, 1976:
So human life is meant for tapasya. Tapo-divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyed sattvam (SB 5.5.1). Don't be carried away by the general, menial, abominable tendencies. Therefore tapasya required. Tapa, we prescribe for tapasya no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication and no gambling. This is tapasya. This is tapasya. We have to accept if we want superior position of life. Tapo divyam. Tapasya, the aim of tapasya is to be situated on the transcendental platform of knowledge. Tapo divyam. So this life, this human form of life, is meant for tapasya and transcendental knowledge. This is the purport. Not to waste this life, this human form of life, ayaṁ deha. The cats and dogs also have deha, body. The... Analyze the body of a dog and analyze your body, what is the difference? No difference. There is blood, there is flesh, there is vein, there is so many things, all common things. Then what is the difference between the cat's body and dog's body and your body? The advancement of knowledge and consciousness. So for that divyam, knowledge, one has to be initiated. Divyam, dīkṣā means beginning of transcendental knowledge. So Vedic civilization is janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. By birth, everyone is born a śūdra, fourth-class man.
Initiation Lecture -- Hyderabad, August 22, 1976:
So this brahma-jijñāsā, if one is actually interested in brahma-jijñāsā, then he requires a guru. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). If one is actually interested. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). So guru is required for one who is actually interested in the highest status of life. Those who are like cats and dogs, they do not require guru. A dog does not require. He knows very well how to eat, how to sleep, how to have sex life, how to defend. That does not require any guru. By nature all animals know it. So the human life has got special knowledge, special advancement of consciousness. He can understand. So if he is refused or if he is kept in darkness, as it is being done by the modern civilization... Everyone is being kept on the platform of eating, sleeping, sex and defending. That's all. This is going on in the name of humanity, nationality and so on. But the business is the same. The business is the same: eating, sleeping, mating and defending, as the cats and dogs are doing. In a different way only. The dogs, they enjoy sex life on the street without any shame, and if a human being arranges for the same purpose, nice apartment, sixth-floor building and all... But the purpose is the same. Eating is the same. No. Beyond this one has to go. Therefore the Vedic injunction is tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12).
Cornerstone Ceremonies
Cornerstone Laying -- Bombay, January 23, 1975:
So make this center successful, you ladies and gentlemen of Bombay. We have got very nice place. We are building so that you can come here, stay, at least in weekend. If you stay, all those who are retired or elderly gentlemen, ladies, they can come here and stay. We will have sufficient place. But try to organize these principles of Bhagavad-gītā all over the world. That will be the gift of India. Caitanya Mahāprabhu desired that anyone who has taken birth in India as human being, not cats and dogs... Cats and dog cannot take any part for doing good to others.
Wedding Ceremonies
Paramananda & Satyabhama's Wedding -- Montreal, July 22, 1968:
This marriage is for purification of life. So there is no question of divorce. There is no question of separation. So don't get into married life if you have got such propensity. Our first principle is to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, and other things, secondary. Putrārthe kriyate bhāryā. If you can produce nice children, Kṛṣṇa conscious children, it will, you will do greatest service to the human society. Because the human society is producing children like cats and dogs, the whole human society is in trouble. How you can expect peace and prosperity in the society of cats and dogs? Therefore there is necessity. There is necessity to produce children of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to train them from the very beginning. You will be all glad to know that some of our students, very small boys in San Francisco, they are being trained, and they are making wonderful progress. So there is no fault of these hippie boys and girls. They have not been trained. Not only here, every part of the world, the educational system is not very satisfactory. From the very beginning of their life they are allowed to mix freely, and they are allowed to enjoy sex life unrestricted. This is neither good for their health nor for education. So therefore we are getting now the result of education: communists and hippies. So people, those who are guardians of the society, should take serious note of it and make life very regulated.
Paramananda & Satyabhama's Wedding -- Montreal, July 22, 1968:
Our first principle is to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, and other things, secondary. Putrārthe kriyate bhāryā. If you can produce nice children, Kṛṣṇa conscious children, it will, you will do greatest service to the human society. Because the human society is producing children like cats and dogs, the whole human society is in trouble. How you can expect peace and prosperity in the society of cats and dogs? Therefore there is necessity. There is necessity to produce children of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to train them from the very beginning. You will be all glad to know that some of our students, very small boys in San Francisco, they are being trained, and they are making wonderful progress. So there is no fault of these hippie boys and girls. They have not been trained. Not only here, every part of the world, the educational system is not very satisfactory. From the very beginning of their life they are allowed to mix freely, and they are allowed to enjoy sex life unrestricted. This is neither good for their health nor for education. So therefore we are getting now the result of education: communists and hippies. So people, those who are guardians of the society, should take serious note of it and make life very regulated.
Paramananda & Satyabhama's Wedding -- Montreal, July 22, 1968:
The necessities of this life is, because we have got this material body, we must eat, we must sleep, we must defend, and we must mate. These are the demands of this body. But they should be so regulated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness that it will not be disturbing element, but we shall make progress further and further towards spiritual realization of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore, not only the new bride and bridegroom, I request every one of my students who are present that this... The aim of married life is to produce nice children, Kṛṣṇa conscious children. That is the best service to the human society: produce nice children. Don't produce cats and dogs. That is my request. Otherwise don't produce. Remain separate. Separate means there is no separation, but don't produce children. That is my request. Putrārthe... Pitā na sa syāj jananī sā syāt. The Bhāgavata says, "One should not become a father, one should not become a mother, unless they are able to protect the children from the imminent danger of death." What is that? The cycle of birth and death. If you can train your children to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then your child will go back to Godhead in this life. That should be the aim. As you will try to go back to Godhead in this life, similarly, you shall take charge of your children that he can also go in this life back to Godhead. The mother's and father's duty should be that "This child is born out of my womb, and this is the last phase of his life, to come into this womb of any animal or man—no more material body." That should be the responsibility of father and mother. That is the direction of Bhāgavata.
General Lectures
Lecture -- San Francisco, April 2, 1968:
So our problems of life, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, is to solve these four things: no more birth... Because we are... Always remember that we are all eternal. Just like in this body, beginning from my mother's womb up to this old age, I am the same eternal soul, but my body is changing. So after changing this body also, I shall remain the same. Simply I shall have another body. This plain truth, there is no difficulty to understand. Now if I am eternal... If I am eternal means no death, no birth, no disease, no old age. That is eternal. So if I am eternal, whether it is possible to get an eternal body? Or eternal happiness? That is the problem of human society. If you can solve that problem, then you be proud of your civilization. Otherwise there is no difference between cats' and dogs' civilization and your civilization. Because you are simply trying to solve the problems of eating, sleeping, defending and mating. But these problems are already solved by nature's law.
Lecture -- Seattle, October 4, 1968:
So what we able to enjoy? Every, each, they have got party, and each party, one monkey has got a least fifty, sixty, not less than twenty-five. So a hog's life, they have got also dozens of... Dozens. And they have no distinction, "Who is my mother, who is my sister, who is my relative." You see? So they're enjoying. So do you mean to say that human life is meant like that—like monkeys and hogs and cats and dogs? Is that perfection of human life, to satisfy sense gratification? No. That we have enjoyed in various forms of life. Now? The Vedānta says, athāto brahma jijñāsā. This life is for inquiring and understanding Brahman. What is that Brahman? Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ brahma or parama, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). And Kṛṣṇa is Para-brahma. Brahman, we are all Brahman, but He is Para-brahman, the Supreme Brahman. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Just like you are all Americans, but your President Johnson is the supreme American. That is natural. Vedas says that the supreme of everyone is God. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). Who is God? He is the most perfect eternal, He is the most perfect living force. That is God. Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān.
Lecture -- Seattle, October 9, 1968:
And Kṛṣṇa has given many proof. I have spoken in this meeting many times. There is next life. So we should be responsible. This human form of life should not be wasted simply for sense gratification. That sense gratification facility is in every... Even in the cats and dogs, there is that facility. By nature it is already arranged. But the special qualification of this human form of life is to know himself, and to try to understand that "Why I am in miserable condition? Wherefrom I have come? Where I have to go? What is God? What is this world?" This is called Vedānta. Vedānta means to understand all these things.
Lecture -- Seattle, October 18, 1968:
Upendra: Prabhupāda, sometimes there may be differences between what is love of Godhead between Christian and Moslem, Moslem and Buddhist, Buddhist, Hindu. They may quarrel at what is love of Godhead.
Prabhupāda: The quarrel, they, those who are not in love of Godhead, they must quarrel. That is the... Because they are cats and dogs. You cannot expect any peaceful condition between cats and dogs. They will fight. So whatever they may be, so long they are fighting, that means they are not on the perfectional stage. Where is the fighting? If you love God, then you love everyone. That is the sign. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām (BG 18.54). After attaining the stage of equality, then you can enter into the realm of loving God. Before that, you have to pass. Just like before entering law college you have to become graduate, similarly, before entering the realm of devotional service you have to realize that all living entities are on the same platform. That is realization. You cannot make any distinction that "This is lower," "This is higher." No. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18).
Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1968:
One has to become freed from all designations. Freed from all designation. What is the designation? "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya," "I am this," "I am that." These are all designations. Actually, I am spirit soul. I have got this designation on account of my accepting this material body, but I am not this body. This is the first instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā. Spiritual instruction begins from this platform, that "I am not this body." Because bodily concept of life is animal life. The dog thinks that "I am this body"; the cat thinks, "I am this body." But if a human being thinks that "I am this body," then what is the difference between cats and dogs? Human being must try to understand, "What I am?" This is called knowledge. And when he comes to the understanding ahaṁ brahmāsmi, "I am spirit soul, oh, I am spirit soul..." Just like Socrates, he realized. When he was asked by the judge, "Mr. Socrates, how you want to be entombed?" he answered, "First of all, capture me; then you entomb me. You are seeing my body. You have no vision that I am soul." This is right vision.
Lecture -- Hawaii, March 23, 1969:
So, (reading:) "Is the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa the answer to living successfully in today's world?" Oh, that is the only successful living in this, today's world. So long people do not understand it, they are still in the darkness. This is the only. Why it is the only? Just see these boys, these girls. I have not imported from India. I came here single-handed with seven dollars. I have got hundreds of students like that. How they have changed, their character, their behavior. I have given them life. Some of them are married. They are living very nicely. They have got children, and they have given up their all bad habits. You see? They are not, I mean to say, eating meat. They have no illicit sex life. They are strictly vegetarian. They are preparing nice foodstuff from vegetable and grains. They do not take part, intoxication. They do not smoke even. Just see practically. If everyone becomes like them, then what is the trouble? If you encourage them to indulge in illicit sex life, to become intoxicants, to gambler and eating everything, without any discrimination, then how you can expect to have very good men in this world? They are mad. So this question, that "Is this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa the answer to living successfully in today's...?" What do you mean by "successfully living"? Successfully living does not mean that you work hard just like cats and dogs, and eat something and have sex life at night. That is not successful life. That successful life is there even in the cats and dogs and hogs. The hogs are also laboring very hard. The cats and dogs, they are also for their food. And the sex is there. Everything is there. That is not successful life. Real successful life is how to understand his real constitutional position as part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. That is successful life. This is not successful life.
Lecture Excerpt -- New York, April 12, 1969:
People do not know what is God; therefore they accept. Just in Los Angeles airport, one boy was asking, some person in your country is declaring himself as God, Meher Baba. So he asked him..., asked me, "Whether you accept Meher Baba as incarnation?" So I asked him, "What do you mean by incarnation?" So he replied that because Kṛṣṇa or God is everyone's heart, therefore everyone is incarnation. Then he... I said, "Then what is difficulty? Then we are all incarnation. What is the specific quality of Meher Baba?" Because īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). The Lord is situated in everyone's heart. The Lord is situated in the heart of cats and dogs also. Sarva-bhūtānām. Sarva-bhūtānām means all living entities. It is not that God is not situated in the cat's heart or dog's heart. He is there. Therefore he is also incarnation. If that is the formula... These impersonalists... Because... Just like in Ramakrishna mission, they say, "Because Nārāyaṇa is in everyone's heart, therefore everyone is Nārāyaṇa." This is not very good logic. Even Nārāyaṇa or God, He is omnipotent, omnipresent, He can be present everywhere, that does not mean everyone is God. This is not very good logic. Anyway, then when I asked him that "If everyone is incarnation, then what is the speciality of Meher Baba?" Then, "He knows more than others." Then next reply is that somebody may be more than Meher Baba. So if you go on searching like that, you will find Kṛṣṇa. Nobody is greater than Kṛṣṇa. Therefore He is the Supreme. By logic. You go on by logic. If everyone is incarnation and if everyone, out of many, one who is still more advanced, he is accepted as God, then you have to search more—if there is any other person who is greater than that person.
Engagement Lecture -- Buffalo, April 23, 1969:
Forget Ṛṣabhadeva's sons. I will speak to the American boys and girls. Now you have got very nice body, very beautiful body, very nice country. You have no poverty. So many ways, you have an advantage than other nations. So if you apply this instruction of Ṛṣabhadeva to His sons... Ṛṣabhadeva spoke to His sons does not mean only it was meant for His sons. It is meant for the whole human race. So he said that "My dear sons, this body, this nice body, beautiful body, this own flesh(?) body, is not meant for sense gratification like the cats and dogs and hogs." He says that kaṣṭān kāmān na arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye: "By hard labor, by hard work, culminating into sense gratification, simply for that satisfaction, if we spoil our life, oh, it is not very good." Take that instruction to your life also, that you are very nicely placed, but according to Ṛṣabhadeva's instruction, you should not spoil this beautiful life simply for sense gratification. Why? Ṛṣabhadeva answered, "That sense gratification process is there, viḍ-bhujām." Viḍ-bhujām means the stool-eaters. What animal is the stool-eater? The hog. This kind of sense gratification, working day and night hard, is available even in hog's life. Therefore... You have got so nice, beautiful body. You should not imitate the hogs. You see? I was surprised to hear from one of my principal disciples, Brahmānanda—I was walking in Central Park—that the groups of the hippies, they have begun to worship hogs. You can explain that, why they are doing. This is not very hopeful. You see? After having this nice body, nice country, nice civilization, nice education, the result is hog worshiping. Will you explain today. Still silent?
Lecture -- Boston, April 25, 1969:
So when one is very nicely situated, sense gratification can be seen, can be acquired, can be had, even in the lower animals. So Ṛṣabhadeva instructed His sons, "My dear boys, you do not misuse your opportunity simply by sense gratification. Because sense gratification is also possible in the lower animals like cats, dogs, and hogs. They have got also ample opportunity for sense gratification." The dog in the street, he can gratify his senses, sex life, with so many dogs. The hogs also, he can also satisfy his senses in so many she-hogs. So that opportunity is there in the cats' and dogs' and hogs' life. So Ṛṣabhadeva advised His sons, "Don't spoil your opportunity simply by imitating the cats, dogs and hogs."
Lecture -- Boston, April 25, 1969:
So austerity means we are not imposing upon you that you go to the forest and live in a cave or you don't eat or don't see any human being—you just meditate for three hundred years. No. That is not possible. That is not possible. You cannot go to the forest, you cannot go to the mountain, neither you can meditate. All these are not recommended in this age. That is not possible. If somebody imitates or tries to imitate, he is simply wasting time. Only austerity is that don't have illicit sex life just like cats and dogs, because marriage is recommended in the human society. There is no marriage in cat society, dog society, hog society. Any human society you take, either in the Western world or in the Eastern world, or in Christian society, Hindu society, Muhammadan society—in every civilized human society there is a ceremony called marriage. And that is also Vedic system, that one should not have any illicit sex life, but one should be combined according to religious rite and live peacefully and execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This much austerity.
Brandeis University Lecture -- Boston, April 29, 1969:
Most of you, many of you may be students of anthropology, of Darwin's theory, that the life is evolving. This anthropology long, long years was stated in the Padma Purāṇa. There it is, it is stated, aśītiṁ caturaś caiva bhramadbhiḥ jīva-jātiṣu. Bhramadbhiḥ jīva-jā... These very words are there. These are Sanskrit words. What is that? Aśītiṁ caturaś caiva lakṣāṁs... That means 8,400,000 species of life, and you have got this human form of life, civilized form of life. This life has to be properly utilized. That is the whole purpose of Vedic literature. It is not to be spoiled like cats and dogs simply for sense gratification. One has to control the sense life or animal life and take to tapa. This very word is used there. Tapa means austerity, penance. We have read in the Indian history that there were many, many great sages, even kings; they left everything, they went to the forest for practicing austerity and penances. Recent, very recently... Every one of you know it that Lord Buddha... He was also Indian. He was also a kṣatriya, a prince, but he left everything and he went to the forest for self-realization.
Brandeis University Lecture -- Boston, April 29, 1969:
So spiritual life does not mean a whimsical life. It is, first of all basic principle is, that building character. In the Bhagavad-gītā you will find that when Arjuna is accepting Lord Kṛṣṇa, he is saying that paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān: (BG 10.12) "My dear Lord, Kṛṣṇa, You are the most purest." Purest. Most pure. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma: "You are the Supreme Lord. You are pure." So idea is that if you want to have spiritual life, you have also become, to become pure. Without being pure... That pureness... This evolution means gradual process of purifying process. You are not... You are distinct from cats and dogs means your body is purified than the body of the cats and dogs. So purification required. The first principle of purification are these four regulative principles. So they have taken to this very easily. Some of them, students, they were, six months ago they were not my students, but by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa they have seriously taken to these principles of austerities. That is not... That is stated by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12).
Lecture at International Student Society -- Boston, May 3, 1969:
In the material stage of our life, we have got birth, growth, sustenance, by-product, then dwindling, then this body vanishes, again accepting another body. This is called cycle of birth and death. But in this human form of life one can understand what he is, what is this world, who is controlling, what is God, what is his relationship with God, what is this time factor, what are his activities. These things are to be learned, not that simply like animals, cats and dogs and hogs, whole day working for getting food. You see? And satisfied only by some sense gratification, business finished. No. That is animal life. Simply people are engaged for eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. That is the modern trend of civilization. Everyone is busy how to eat and how to sleep nicely in big palatial building, nice apartment, very good room, sleeping, the business of sleeping. And economic condition, developing the business of economic condition, means the business of eating. And defending—either you defend with atomic energy or with your nails and claws, the process is defending. That is in the animal life also. And mating, sex intercourse or sense gratification.
Lecture at International Student Society -- Boston, May 3, 1969:
So in the modern educational system, universities, there is no such information, we see. It is very lamentable, but these knowledges are there in the Vedic literature. The summary of all Vedic literature is Śrīmad-Bhagavad-gītā and the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. There are many other literatures-Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata, eighteen Purāṇas. They are meant for human society, not for these cats and dogs. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is just to awake people to their rightful position, which is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to understand how he is related with Kṛṣṇa. When we speak of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa means God. The word Kṛṣṇa, Sanskrit word, means all-attractive. So without God, nobody can be all-attractive, all-powerful, all-opulent. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is directed to awake people to the rightful position of his spiritual existence, the, I mean to say, process. Of course, there are many different kinds of processes recommended in the Vedic literature.
Lecture at Engagement -- Columbus, may 19, 1969:
You know, every one of you, your forefathers, your grandfather lived for hundreds, at least one hundred years. I have seen my grandmother, she died at the age of ninety-six years. My father died at the age of eighty-four years. So, I do not know how long I shall live—I am now seventy-three—maybe a few years more; but actually the duration of life gradually decreases. This is the symptom of this age, practically. And it is said that at the end of this millennium, that if somebody lives from twenty to thirty years, he will be considered as very old man. So, memory is decreasing also. People's sentiment for doing good to others, or to become merciful, that is also decreasing. Strength is decreasing, stature is decreasing. So this is one side. Another side, mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā (SB 1.1.10). One side they're decreasing so many nice things, another side they're very slow for self-realization. Practically, they have no interest. This human form of life is meant for self-realization. This life is not meant for working hard like cats and dogs and hogs for sense gratification. No. This life is not meant for that purpose. We have got developed consciousness, intelligence. We should ask, "What is this life?" The Bhāgavata says, parābhavas tāvad abodha-jātaḥ. We are ignorant, we are born ignorant, and we are doing so many things, activities, we are engaged. But we should see whether we are gaining or losing, whether we are conquering or being defeated. That should be our business to see.
Lecture at Engagement -- Columbus, may 19, 1969:
So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to let people know how much valuable life is his, and utilize it in that way. Our movement is sarve sukhino bhavantu: everyone become, be happy. Not only human society, even animal society. We want to see everyone happy. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And it is practical; it is not dream. You can become happy. Don't be disappointed, don't be confused. Your life has value. You, in this life, you can realize your eternal life, eternal blissful life of knowledge. It is possible; it is not impossible. So we are simply transmitting this message to the world, that "Your life is very valuable. Don't waste it just like cats and dogs. Try to utilize it fully." That is the statement in the Bhagavad-gītā. We have published Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. Try to read it. In that Bhagavad-gītā in the Fourth Chapter it is said, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ: if simply tries to understand what is Kṛṣṇa, what is His business, what is His life, where does He live, what does He do...., janma karma. Janma means appearance and disappearance; karma means activities; divyam—transcendental. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. One who knows the appearance and activities of Kṛṣṇa in fact, in truth—not by sentiment but by scientific study—then the result is tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Simply by understanding Kṛṣṇa, you'll no more have to come back to this miserable condition of material existence. This is fact. Even in your life, in this life, you'll understand, you'll be happy.
Lecture at Engagement -- Columbus, may 19, 1969:
So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to preach the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā as it is, not to interpret it any nonsensical way and mislead the people. We don't try to mislead the people. We give without any changes and without any cost, any loss on your part. But, give a try, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, simple thing, just chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, these sixteen words: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. You practice it, you chant anywhere you like, either in your home or anywhere. There is no restriction, there is no hard and fast rules and regulation for chanting, and anyone can chant. You see all our..., you also chanted just a few minutes ago. You chanted. So it is not difficult. Give it a try. That is our request. We request you, most humbly, that you take these sixteen words, you chant, and your heart will be cleansed of all dirty things. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Every dirty things. Our, we do not know how long we are changing births—900,000 species of births in the water, and two million species of life as plants and leaves and trees, and so many lives as reptiles, and cats and dogs and so many... Now we have come to this, by evolutionary process, this civilized form of life, human form of life, very beautiful form of life. Why you should waste this life, again go to that cycle of changing birth after birth, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9)?
Address to Indian Association -- Columbus, May 11, 1969:
So this is practical, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12), cleansing the dirty things from the heart simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Yes. And the next thing is that bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam. As soon as your heart is cleansed of all dirty things, then all the problems of material existence immediately solved. Bhava-mahā-dāvāgni. It has been compared with dāvāgni. Dāvāgni means the blazing fire in the forest. In this material existence, nobody wants unhappiness, but it comes, forced, by force. That is the law of material nature. Nobody wants that there may be fire, but especially in this country, wherever in a city we go, the fire brigade is always active. You see? Nobody wants fire, but the fire brigade is active. Yes. There is fire. Similarly, nobody wants so many things. Nobody wants death; there is death. Nobody wants disease; there is disease. Nobody wants old age; oh, there is old age—against my, against my desire. We should have to think that what is the status of this material existence. This human form of life is meant for understanding. The human form of life is not meant for wasting the valuable life like cats and dogs in the matter of eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. That is not advancement of civilization. The Bhāgavata says that "This body is not meant for working very hard simply for sense gratification.
Lecture -- New Vrindaban, June 22, 1969:
Anyone who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and full in the understanding of science of Kṛṣṇa, he can become a spiritual master, a teacher. So in this Vṛndāvana, New Vrindaban, you should live in such a way, ideal way, that people will learn that what is actually human life, what is human civilization, how, what is, it is meant for. That we have to teach to the world. So those who are conducting this institution, my request is that you develop this place in such a nice way. And you can practically see. If we train... Just this child is dancing. This child is trying to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa with beads. Simply they are to be instructed. They must have the association. Then there will be a new growth of population, not like cats and dogs, but actually demigods, devatā. Demigods means devotees of Kṛṣṇa. That's all. And asura means nondevotee. So there is enough population of asura in this world. And the people are not happy because āsuriṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. This demonic civilization is killing the human race. So it is the responsibility of the members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness to save so many ignorant, innocent people. They have got this human form of life to end all miserable condition of material existence. They are being misguided simply just like animals. It is not a good civilization. So this place is out of contact. It is Kṛṣṇa's desire that here no man of ordinary interest will come here. It is in a very nice location. It is beyond the reach of the ordinary class of men. (laughter) Just like Howard's father said that "I'll never come here." (laughter)
Conway Hall Lecture -- London, September 15, 1969:
The spirit soul or the Supreme Soul, both of them are ānandamaya. Ānanda means blissful, by nature blissful. Always wants to enjoy. That is the nature of spirit. But at the present moment, because we have forgotten that I am..., we are spirit soul, part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7), identifying ourself with something else which is transitory, we are suffering. This is the cause. There are many places. Bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syād īśād api etasya viparyayo 'smṛtiḥ. Viparyayo 'smṛtiḥ means converted thinking. I'm not this, any product of this material world, but I am thinking, "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am Englishman," "I am German," "I am Chinaman," "I am Russian," or "I am cats and dogs," these so many. These are all designations. These are all designations. My real identity is ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am Brahman. I am the part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman. Qualitatively, I am one with God." Just like a particle of gold is also gold. A small particle of the ocean is also salty. The chemical composition of the small particle of ocean water is the same as the big ocean. So qualitatively, I am one with God, or Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture -- London, September 26, 1969:
If actually one has realized Brahman, then he should be free from all anxieties. Prasannātmā. Prasanna means joyful. Because all our anxieties are due to this identification of this body—"I am Englishman," "I am Indian," "I am this," "I am that." Therefore I am..., we are always anxious, anxiety. Even the cats and dogs, they are also anxious for their body, protection. As in nationwise, everyone is anxious, "Oh, let them... Russians, they may not come." The Russians thinking, "Here... Yes. They may not come." Oh, should be... Oh, wars and peace.(?) All anxiety! Advancement, so-called nonsense advancement is increasing anxiety. That's all. But brahma-bhutaḥ means no anxiety. That is the first stage. That is the first stage, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā. And what is that? How? What is that quality of prasannātmā? Na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). There is no hankering and there is no lamentation. So long we have got this bodily identification, we have got sense gratification. What we haven't got for sense gratification, we hanker after it. And if we lose something, then also we lament.
Lecture at Harvard University -- Boston, December 24, 1969:
In the Garga Upaniṣad it is said, etad viditvā ya prayāti sa brāhmaṇa. Etad aviditvā ya prayāti sa kṛpaṇa. Brāhmaṇa, brāhmaṇa means broadminded, liberal. So one who... Everyone will die. The cats and dogs and human being, everyone will die. But the Garga Upaniṣad says that if one dies after understanding the science of God, then he is perfect. He is brāhmaṇa. His life is broader, mahātmā. And if one dies without understanding this, he is kṛpaṇa. Kṛpaṇa means miser. Miser means... Suppose if you have got millions of dollars. If you cannot utilize it, if you simply waste it, then you are kṛpaṇa, miser. You do not know how to spend money. Similarly, we have got this body which is worth..., not millions-trillions and more than that, because we can realize in this life what is our relationship with God, what is God. We can understand. But if we don't do that, simply we waste our time in sense gratification, then we are kṛpaṇa, miser. We are losing our opportunity. So these things are there. So in whatever way you like, either this evangelistic way or this way or that way, try to understand what is God and what is your relationship with God and try to invoke your dormant love of God. Then your life will be perfect. That is our mission. If you have got your own method, that's all right. You take it. Otherwise we are giving this method, very simple. You take it. Your life will be sublime. That is our request.
Lecture at Harvard University -- Boston, December 24, 1969:
Student (8): How important is your diet?
Prabhupāda: Oh, that is a very important thing. If you read Dr. George Bernard Shaw's book, You Are What You Eat, you see. So if you eat like human being, then you can increase your qualities of human being. If you eat like cats and dogs, you increase the quality of cats and dogs. That's all. So we must have discrimination what to eat. That is there in the human world. Eating is there, but everything eatable. Even stool is eatable by a certain kind of animal, but that does not mean that stool has to be eaten by human being. Human being must have discretion what kind of food will be just suitable for my health, for my intelligence, for my brain. So these things are prescribed. If we eat things which are in goodness... They are prescribed in the Vedic literature that wheat, rice, sugar, milk product, vegetables, fruits, these things are in goodness.
Lecture to International Student Society -- Boston, December 28, 1969:
In the Bhāgavata there is a verse. It is said there, labdhvā su-durlabham idam. Idam. Idam means "this." This body, labdhvā, you have got it. Labdhvā su-durlabham idam. Su-durlabham means it is very rare. This is not very cheap. The body of cats and dogs or animals, they are cheap, but this is not very cheap. Su-durlabhaḥ. Bahūnāṁ janman... Labdhvā su-durlabham idaṁ bahu-sambha-vānte. After many, many births, at least, 8,000,000 births of different species of life, we get this human form of life. It is stated in the Bhāgavata, and similarly, all Vedic literatures, they corroborate one another. It is... The person who can understand, he doesn't find any contradiction. The same statement is there in the Bhagavad-gītā: bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). So this human form of life is obtained after many, many births of lower animal or other than human form of life. But even in this human form of life also, if one is cultivating that knowledge to find out the central point, what is the central point, then that also requires he gets many, many births in human form of life also. But he has to find out that central point. That central point is there, Kṛṣṇa is saying, that bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān (BG 7.19).
Lecture to International Student Society -- Boston, December 28, 1969:
So this is the definition we get from Bhagavad-gītā, that we are expanding our feelings of love, different types of love—love of the country, love of the nation, love of the society, love of the community, love of the family, or love of the cats and dogs. Love is there. Love is there, but we are expanding it according to our expansion of perfect knowledge. That perfect knowledge comes to exist when we come to the point of loving Kṛṣṇa. That is perfection. Sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ. But it is very difficult to find out such person who has developed love of Kṛṣṇa. But that is the aim of life. That is the aim of all activities. Similarly, in the Bhāgavata, there is another verse.
Lecture to International Student Society -- Boston, December 28, 1969:
He is claiming that "I am the father of all forms of life." Sarva-yoniṣu, "all species of life." "The material nature is the mother, and I am the seed-giving father." Just like without father and mother nobody can appear, similarly, in this material world, whoever has come, every one of us, beginning from Brahmā down to the ant, everyone, the mother is the material nature. The mother supplies this body. So our, this body is material; therefore it is the gift of the material mother, material nature. But I, the spirit soul, that I am part and parcel of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). "All these living entities, they are My part and parcel." So if you try to wide your feelings of internationality, please try to understand Bhagavad-gītā. You'll be getting enlightenment, you'll understand what is international feeling. Sarva-yoniṣu. Sarva-yoniṣu means then you will feel international even for the cats and dogs and animals and reptiles. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam... These people are manufacturing communism, but in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Seventh Canto, we'll find a statement given by Nārada Muni that if in your house there is a snake even, you should give him something to eat. Just see how the feeling. Even there is a snake, what to speak of other animals.
Lecture -- Gorakhpur, February 18, 1971:
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is sitting in your heart along with you as friend and witnessing what you are doing. And if you are desiring unlimited sex life and unlimited eating without any restriction, then Kṛṣṇa gives you... Because the human society, it is not possible. There are so many restrictions even from social laws, political laws. But animal life, there is no restriction. Anyone can have sex life—the dogs and hogs on the street in open place—because they are animals. There is no law. But a human being, if he does so, then he is punishable. So why? Because human being. All the laws, all the books, are meant for human being. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said, anādir bahir mukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli gela, ataeva kṛṣṇa veda purāṇa karila. Why these Vedas and Purāṇas and the Vedic literature there? It is for human beings, not for the cats and dogs.
Lecture -- Los Angeles, July 20, 1971:
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, there is austerity, but it is not very difficult. We recommend our students not to have illicit sex. We don't stop sex, but regulate. We don't stop eating, but regulated, Kṛṣṇa prasādam. No meat-eating. No... We don't say, "No eating," but "No meat-eating." So what is the difficulty? Now see. In our Kṛṣṇa-prasādam, we have got so many varieties of fruits, vegetables, nicely cooked. What is the difficulty? No illicit sex means don't be cats and dogs. Be married man and have one wife, one husband, and be satisfied. So unless we regulate, unless we undergo austerity... We cannot under go such severe type of austerity as Dhruva Mahārāja went, that every three days a little fruit or vegetable, then every six days a little water. That is not possible in these days. If you want to imitate Dhruva Mahārāja, it will be impossible. So we don't prescribe any impossible method, but possible method. But if you take to these principles, then you make advance in spiritual consciousness, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and as you make advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you become perfect in knowledge. Otherwise, what is the use of becoming scientist or philosopher who cannot say what is next life? But these students, they can very easily say what is next life, what is God, what I am, what is our relationship. This knowledge, you'll find perfectly, because they are reading perfect book of knowledge, Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 12, 1971:
So this is the position of this material world. Tri-tāpa yantraṇā trisura. You have seen the picture of Goddess Durgā, she is piercing the trisura on the chest of the asura, and he is suffering, his struggle for existence, fighting with the lion, rajo-guṇa. So this is the position of the material world, and the certificate is given by Kṛṣṇa, the Lord Himself, that this place is duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). Duḥkhālayam, always full of miseries. So the human form of life is meant for understanding what is my position. In the animal life we cannot understand that we are in a very, very miserable condition of life in this material world. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja says, mānuṣam, durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma, tad apy adhruvam. It will not stay. You can say, "All right, there is suffering. Let me suffer for some time, I shall get next life again or I shall be finished." But Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "Why do you think like that? Why you want to die like cats and dogs? Just acquire the benefit which you can have in this human form of life, Kṛṣṇa consciousness." Mānuṣam. Durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma, tad apy adhruvam. Although it will not stay, but it is arthadam. Arthadam means you can achieve the highest goal of life.
Lecture -- Bombay, March 18, 1972:
So actually we are begetting like cats and dogs, and how can you expect peace and prosperity in the society of cats and dogs or hogs? It is not possible. So in this age especially, kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. The population is increasing simply śūdras. But there is great necessity of brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas. There are some population who are vaiśyas and śūdras, but practically the civilization is going on in the hands of vaiśyas and śūdras. I don't mean that brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdras by birth-right; by qualification. These are all explained in Bhagavad-gītā. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). The society must be divided into four classes of orders. There must be intelligent class of men, who are called brāhmaṇas. They must give spiritual education to society. Not that everyone should remain laborer and work hard day and night like hogs and dogs for sense gratification. It is a very dangerous civilization. You cannot expect any peace and prosperity in this type of civilization. Therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very, very essential, very, very essential. I am very glad to inform you that this movement is being especially received in the Western countries by the younger generation. I am very much hopeful. I am old man of seventy-six years age. Now, I can pass away at any moment, but I am confident that my disciples, who are mostly Europeans and Americans, they will continue this movement, and I wish there will be considerable change on the face of the globe.
Lecture -- Bombay, March 18, 1972:
We cannot surpass the vigilance of material nature by committing or by executing sinful life. That is not possible. Therefore in our movement we ask everybody, especially our serious students, to refrain from four kinds of sinful activities: illicit sex life, intoxication, gambling and meat-eating. These are the pillars of sinful life. If you think that you are enjoying life by indulging in these four kinds of sense gratification, that means you are implicating yourself. The chance of human body which you have got now to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if you misuse it and indulge in sinful life, then next life is waiting as cats and dogs. That is nature's law. But if we forget the nature's law, if you simply become puffed-up by false education, that is another thing. You can do that. But real fact is this: vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya (BG 2.22).
Lecture -- Bombay, March 18, 1972:
You have to change this dress. You have to change this body. And next body is depending on your activities. If you act sinfully, then you have to take the body, by force of nature, as cats and dogs. That is certain. Don't risk your life. Take the opportunity of human life and be Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is the message of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Kṛṣṇa personally comes to canvass, to "Please give up all this engagement, please come to Me, surrender unto Me, and I will give you all protection." This is the lesson we understand from Bhagavad-gītā. And if we actually surrender unto Kṛṣṇa, if we actually understand Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then your bhāgavata-dhima(?) begins. That is Vyāsa... These are all contributions of Śrīla Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva, the last contribution of Vyāsadeva, after compilation of Vedānta-sūtra... He personally wrote the comments of Vedānta-sūtra in the form of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Bhāṣyaṁ brahma-sūtrānāṁ **. Vyāsadeva has written personally that "This is the real commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra." Because he knew that many foolish persons would comment on the Vedānta-sūtra differently, atheistically, that "There is no God. I am God. You are God." Therefore he protected the readers of Brahma-sūtra. (break) ...form of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And because it is commentary of the Vedānta-sūtra, therefore he begins with first aphorism of the Vedānta-sūtra: janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1).
Lecture -- Bombay, March 18, 1972:
So this is the beginning, as I have told you. Parābhava. Without understanding our relationship with the Supreme Lord, whatever we are creating by our industrialization, economic development or so on and so on, it is all defeat, because we are losing the chance. Lord Jesus Christ also said in one place that "If we are lost of our souls and if we gain the whole world, then what is the gain?" Actually that is the fact. We are losing ourselves. Suppose after making huge amounts of money in the bank balance, and if I die and if I take birth in the next life as a cat and dog, then what is the benefit of amassing such a huge amount of bank balance? We should understand this. Therefore unless we inquire about the Brahman or the Absolute Truth, then whatever activities we are performing without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, without the knowledge of the Brahman, then they are all defeat. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. Therefore human life actually begins when this inquiry is there. If this inquiry is not there, then it is animal life. That is stated in the Upaniṣads: etad viditya (...Sanskrit). If anyone passes away from this material world, from this body, after understanding what is Brahman, what is Kṛṣṇa, what is this world, what I am, then he is a brāhmaṇa. (Sanskrit) And if one passes away like cats and dogs without understanding, then he's a kṛpaṇa. Kṛpaṇa means miser, who could not properly use his property or assets. He's called a miser. So we have got this human form of life. Don't become a miser simply by seeing that "How I can enjoy?" How I can enjoy, that is also very much nicely explained, that if you think that, "If I can live for three hundred years, or say one thousand years, then my life is successful." The Bhāgavata says, "Why three hundred years? There are many trees who are living for ten thousand years." So do you think that by living for ten thousand years your life is successful?
Lecture -- Bombay, March 18, 1972:
So we should take advantage of these facilities offered to human society. If we don't take advantage of it, if simply we work hard like dogs and hogs and die like cats and dogs, then what is the value of life? So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is started to educate people to understand Kṛṣṇa, that's all. We have no other concoction. There is no invention. Simply we are trying to convince people to understand Kṛṣṇa. So our main subject matter is based on the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So we have opened this center in Bombay to give you facilities. Please try to take it. Please come and encourage us, and we shall continue this movement, here in this center, as long as possible.
Lecture -- Tokyo, May 1, 1972:
As it is explained in the Vedānta-sūtra, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). What is Absolute Truth? This human form of life is meant for understanding what is Absolute Truth. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is human form of life. The cats and dogs cannot inquire about what is Brahman. That is not possible. This human form of life, they can inquire. Inquisitiveness. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. And immediately reply, the Vedānta-sūtra, "Brahman, the Absolute Truth, is that which is the source of everything." Janmādy asya (SB 1.1.1).
Sunday Feast Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 21, 1972:
Higher science is brahma-jijñāsā, to inquire about Brahman. That is higher science. This science, earning money and fulfilling the hungry belly, this science the birds and beast also know how to do it. It does not require much education. There is no scientific education how to enjoy sex life. Everyone knows how to do it. Similarly, there is no need of scientific education, how to eat or how to find out your food. The birds and beast, they are also finding out, and are they also eating. So these are not higher sciences. The higher science is to inquire, athāto brahma jijñāsā, to inquire about God, the Supreme. And that can be done by the human being, not by others. Not the cats and dogs. So if we do not give education of this higher science to the human society, if we keep them dumb about this, or if we make secular state, prohibitive injunction to understand God, then it is an animal society. It is an animal society. So such things happen sometimes.
Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, June 8, 1972:
The person in knowledge, he must see that "I cannot avoid death, I cannot avoid birth, I cannot avoid old age, I cannot avoid disease so long I have got this material body." But Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ: "Anyone who understands Me in reality, what I am, then he immediately becomes immune from these four things." Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). After giving up this... This body we have to give up. And then next body, tathā dehāntara-prāptir... So a devotee at least is not going to be cats and dogs or trees. The nondevotees, they are. Now they are... Now the modern advancement is to be naked. So these people are going to be trees. You know Yamalārjuna. You have seen the picture. They were dancing and they were taking bath naked, and they were not ashamed when Nārada Muni was passing. So he cursed them that "You are so fool, you have lost your sense. All right, next life you become a tree, immediately." So these senseless, shameless persons who are advancing in their knowledge by becoming naked, they are going to be tree next life. The naked tree is standing naked for many thousands of years. Or animals—they have no shame. So if human being becomes so shameless, then next life is to become animal and trees. But in the universities they say that "What is the wrong if I become an animal?" I asked them, "Do you like to be animal?" "Yes." "Then all right, next time you become animal. (laughter) This is your... I give you this blessing. That's all." (laughter) Flatly said, "Yes, yes, I will be happy." All right, say it. Kṛṣṇa is so kind: "You want to be naked? All right, you become naked for ten thousand years and stand up."
Hare Krishna Festival Address -- San Diego, July 1, 1972, At Balboa Park Bowl:
Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has arranged so many things. Just like in your city there is department of water supply, there is department of light supply, there is depart..., different departments, similarly, in the kingdom of God there are departments. But because we are foolish, we do not know how the departments are being conducted. So we are not paying any bills. The bills are paid, according to the Vedic injunction, by performing sacrifices. So in this way, our point is sex life, that, the, a gṛhastha, a householder, he has got debts towards his parents, towards his father, towards his mother, towards his wife, towards his children. The society should be human society, not the cats' and dogs' society. That is Vedic conception. So in the Vedic conception of life the sex life is there, but you become indebted. You must repay the debts. If you simply beget children like cats and dogs and go away, then you become responsible for the sinful activities. You must take responsible. So this man was suggesting, he wants sex life at least once in a month. Yes, that is allowed. That is allowed in the Vedic civilization. When the wife is in menstrual period, after five days of the menstrual period, the wife and husband can have sex life for begetting rightful children. And before be getting a child, one must go... If he is in the higher orders of society, one must accept the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. Garbhādhāna-saṁskāra means that child born out of the sex life of the father and mother must come out a very nice child, not like the cat and dog. That is called garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. Those who are in the higher position of the society, they are obliged to observe ten kinds of purificatory processes, out of which, the first purificatory process is garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. So the parents, when they take to sex life for begetting nice children, there is garbhādhāna-saṁskāra, and if one does not observe this garbhādhāna-saṁskāra, he immediately falls down to the group of śūdra from brahminical position. These are the injunctions in the Vedic literature. Sex life is not denied, but one must take responsibility for sex life; otherwise, he becomes entangled in so many sinful activities.
Hare Krishna Festival Address -- San Diego, July 1, 1972, At Balboa Park Bowl:
Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has arranged so many things. Just like in your city there is department of water supply, there is department of light supply, there is depart..., different departments, similarly, in the kingdom of God there are departments. But because we are foolish, we do not know how the departments are being conducted. So we are not paying any bills. The bills are paid, according to the Vedic injunction, by performing sacrifices. So in this way, our point is sex life, that, the, a gṛhastha, a householder, he has got debts towards his parents, towards his father, towards his mother, towards his wife, towards his children. The society should be human society, not the cats' and dogs' society. That is Vedic conception. So in the Vedic conception of life the sex life is there, but you become indebted. You must repay the debts. If you simply beget children like cats and dogs and go away, then you become responsible for the sinful activities. You must take responsible. So this man was suggesting, he wants sex life at least once in a month. Yes, that is allowed. That is allowed in the Vedic civilization. When the wife is in menstrual period, after five days of the menstrual period, the wife and husband can have sex life for begetting rightful children. And before be getting a child, one must go... If he is in the higher orders of society, one must accept the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. Garbhādhāna-saṁskāra means that child born out of the sex life of the father and mother must come out a very nice child, not like the cat and dog. That is called garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. Those who are in the higher position of the society, they are obliged to observe ten kinds of purificatory processes, out of which, the first purificatory process is garbhādhāna-saṁskāra.
Lecture -- London, July 12, 1972:
So we can, by the help of this human form of body, we can achieve some very great profit. That is required. That is the human mission. Not like that, we take our birth like cats and dogs. Everyone takes birth. The process of birth is the same: the male-female sexual intercourse, and there is some child. So there is no difference between the human process of birth and the animal process of birth. There is no difference of living condition of the animal and the human being. Because the animal eats; we also eat. The animal sleeps; we also sleep. The animals have facility for sex life; we have also got the facility of sex life. The animal also defends according to his own way; we can defend with atom bomb. That's all right. But it is defending, nothing more. Therefore, about these four things—eating, sleeping, mating, and defending—they are common. The special feature of this human form of body is that he has developed consciousness how to understand God. The animal hasn't got this. And the process of understanding God and to revive our relationship with God is called bhāgavata-dharma. This is explanation of bhāgavata-dharma. The eating, sleeping, mating, this is also dharma.
Lecture -- London, July 12, 1972:
Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit, nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). The living entity, the soul, is never born; it never dies. It is the oldest. Nityaḥ śāśvataṁ purāṇa. Purāṇa means very old; nitya, eternal; na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre, does not die after the destruction of this body. The death and birth is of the body, not of the soul. Therefore when we are actually intelligent, cultured, advanced, then we should be inquisitive that "If I am eternal, then why I am subject to these tribulations of birth, death, old age, and disease?" That is intelligence. It is not intelligence that "The cats and dogs are eating on the footpath; I am eating (in) a very nice plate, nice hotel or nice table." You are eating, that's all. It is not advancement of civilization when you think that you have got good apartment, good house, and sleeping in a nice bedstead, and the cat and dog is lying on the floor or in the street. No. She sleeping; when you sleep, the enjoyment is as good as of the cats and dogs. Similarly, sex life also. They also enjoy, you also enjoy. Then what is your special prerogative? The special prerogative is that you can understand in this life that you are eternal, you are Brahman. Therefore the, in the human form of life, if one is not so advanced as to inquire about the Brahman, athāto brahma jijñāsā... This human form of life is meant for inquiring about Brahman, or spirit soul. So long this inquiry is not there, one is animal. That's all.
Lecture at Bharata Chamber of Commerce 'Culture and Business' -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973:
Now you are thinking service to the humanity means a section of humanity. And why should you stick your service to the humanity? When one is serving his own countrymen, Indian, he does not care for the Englishman. So don't speak of humanity. Nobody can serve the whole humanity in the present way. But if you spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is the best service to the humanity. Just like we are doing. We have no discrimination, that "These are Indians. These are Americans. They are Hindus. They are Muslims. They are Christians." No. Or "They're cats or dogs." That oneness you can see only when you are Brahman-realized. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Why humanity? Why not the cats and dogs and cows? You are very much anxious to give service to the humanity, but you are sending animals to the slaughterhouse. Why? (indistinct) the lack of knowledge. You do not (indistinct) is part and parcel of God. You cannot select this part and... Therefore the śāstra says, yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ (SB 4.31.14). Just like by watering the root, you can water automatically the branches, the trunks, the twigs, the flowers, the fruits, the leaves—everything is watered.
University Lecture -- Calcutta, January 29, 1973:
Now Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission is being spread all over the world, but our Indian brothers are not joining it, although it is the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya janma haila yāra. He requested to the humankind who has taken birth in this land, in this puṇya-bhūmi, Bhāratavarṣa. Not to the cats and dogs, but to the human beings. That time has come now. If you want to prove that you are actually human being in this land, then you must take seriously the mission of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and spread all over the world. That is the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. And it is not very difficult.
University Lecture -- Calcutta, January 29, 1973:
That is my reply. Otherwise, I have not come to teach you something invented by me. I have come to teach you about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And if you are not interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you must be amongst these four classes of men: duṣkṛtinaḥ mūḍhāḥ, narādhama, māyayāpahṛta-jñānā. This is my first reply. So far economic condition is concerned, then I may say, eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. God supplies you everything. God is supplying food to the elephant who is eating at a time forty kilos of food, and He's supplying to the ants also. So your anxiety for food, that is not humanly. Even the cats and dogs, they are not anxious for their food. Even the birds, they rise early in the morning, they are also not anxious for the food. God has arranged for food, everyone. Tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukham. As you do not try for getting distress, it comes upon you according to your karma, similarly the so-called happiness also will come upon you without any endeavor. But because you have no faith in God, you are thinking that you will die out of hunger. That is not the position. Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateto kovido. Our only business is how to become advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no other problem in human life. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is the human life. But you have been deviated from that high standard of life. You are now questioning in this way. That is my reply. Thank you very much.
Lecture -- London, August 23, 1973:
There are different planetary system, and in each and every planetary system, there are different types of living beings or human beings. As we have got on this planet different parts of the world, different parts of this globe, we have got different types of persons. We are talking of persons only, human being. Other living entities we are not taking into consideration. Because the dharma is meant for the human being, not for the cats and dogs. Religious system is there in the human society. Any civilized human society there is a system of religion—it doesn't matter what is that religion. That is civilized human civilization. Dharmeṇa hīna paśubhiḥ samānāḥ. In the human society, in the civilized human society, if there is no conception of God, if there is no conception of God's order or God's law, that is not human society; that is animal society. The cats and dogs or other animals, big, big animals, they have no sense what is the law of God, what is God, how to execute that. That is not expected there. Take, for example, in your country, the law is "Keep to the left" while you drive your car. That is the order of the state. But if you do not obey the state order, instead of driving on the left side, if you drive on the right side, you immediately become a criminal, punishable. But the same right and left consideration, if a dog or a cat or a cow violates, instead of going on the left side, if he passes—he has no fault. He's animal. He's animal. Or a child—if he violates law. If I take anything without your permission, that is called stealing. If I enter your house without your permission, that is trespassing. So these are laws, and it is applicable to the grown-up men, intelligent men, civilized men. It must be. If you want to enter somebody's house, and if you see the signboard, "No admission without permission," you'll never go there, because you are civilized. But a cat and dog will enter. A child will enter. Therefore these laws of dharma or religious system is meant for the civilized human being, not for the uncivilized cats and dogs. No. Therefore when a civilized man, so-called civilized man, has no knowledge of God, no knowledge of the laws of God, it is simply animal society, that's all. Dharmeṇa hīna paśubhiḥ samānāḥ. They are animals. They are not to be considered as human being. This is dharma. This is religion. You cannot violate the laws of God. You cannot disobey the laws of God. You cannot say that "I do not know the laws of God." You must know. Just like a good citizen, you must know what is the law of the state. If you say in the court, "My lord, I did not know this law," that is not excuse. You'll not be excused. As a citizen, good citizen, you are expected. Similarly, we must know what is dharma, what is God. That is humanity.
Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:
The first defect is that a person in the material body must commit mistake. Must commit, less or more. And the..., anyone who possessing this material body, he must be illusioned. Illusioned means that accepting something for something. Just like we are accepting this body as self. But this is illusion. I'm not this body. I am spiritual spark, part and parcel of God. That is my position. But anyone identifying himself, he thinks that he's this body... Especially the animals. The animals have no knowledge that he's different from the body. Therefore a human being, if he's under the impression that he is this body, he's no better than the animal. Therefore in the human form of life, one can understand his real identity, he can understand what is God, he can understand what is his relationship with God and act accordingly. If he does so, then his human life is perfect. Otherwise, he remains like animal, and he gets no benefit by this nature's gift, human form of life. By evolutionary process, we come to the human form of life. By evolutionary process, we come to the human form of life, passing through 8,400,000, about 8,300,000 species of life. Then we come to this form of life, civilized human being. So this should not be misused in the business of cats and dogs. This should be used for better purposes. This better purpose is to understand oneself, what he is actually, whether he is this body, whether he is this mind, or whether he's different from body and mind, a spiritual spark. That is real knowledge.
Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:
But anyone identifying himself, he thinks that he's this body... Especially the animals. The animals have no knowledge that he's different from the body. Therefore a human being, if he's under the impression that he is this body, he's no better than the animal. Therefore in the human form of life, one can understand his real identity, he can understand what is God, he can understand what is his relationship with God and act accordingly. If he does so, then his human life is perfect. Otherwise, he remains like animal, and he gets no benefit by this nature's gift, human form of life. By evolutionary process, we come to the human form of life. By evolutionary process, we come to the human form of life, passing through 8,400,000, about 8,300,000 species of life. Then we come to this form of life, civilized human being. So this should not be misused in the business of cats and dogs. This should be used for better purposes. This better purpose is to understand oneself, what he is actually, whether he is this body, whether he is this mind, or whether he's different from body and mind, a spiritual spark. That is real knowledge.
Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:
So Arjuna's inquiry is "What is this prakṛti?" Everyone is trying to... Now, yesterday we had lectured in the university, technology. One technologist questioned me. That technology means the process by which we can enjoy this material world. That is technology. So the spirit is how to enjoy. So prakṛtim puruṣaṁ caiva, and kṣetram. Kṣetram means the field of activities. Although everyone is trying to enjoy, but he cannot enjoy according to his whims. He is limited with the body. A man is trying to enjoy and a cat and dog is also trying to enjoy. But the enjoyment of the cats and dogs are different from the man's enjoyment because on account of different body. The facility of enjoyment has been given by nature according to different body. Therefore we find intelligent man and less intelligent man; cats and dogs and human being and different types of men, different types of plants, different types of animals—varieties, 8,400,000's. The nature is so acute.
Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:
Just like you have got this human form of body. It is a great opportunity. But if we do not utilize as human being, if we utilize it as cats and dogs, again I'm going to be cats and dogs. This is the process. Idaṁ kṣetram. This body is the field of my activities, and I, the proprietor of the body, I am the knower of the body. Idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram ity abhidhīyate etad yo vetti (BG 13.2)—this is real knowledge. Etad yo vetti, that is knowledge. The knowledge of technology is not knowledge. That is ignorance. The knowledge of self-realization is actual knowledge. That is possible in this human form of life. That is not possible by the cats and dogs. If we misuse this body for propensities like cats and dogs, we are misusing.
Lecture on Gurvastakam at Upsala University -- Stockholm, September 9, 1973:
So there is eternal love between Rādhārāṇī and Kṛṣṇa. Therefore in the Vedānta-sūtra, it is said, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). This Absolute Truth means wherefrom everything comes, emanates. Just like here we find love between mother and son, love between wife and husband, love between master and servant, love between friends and friends, love between master and the dog or the cat or the cow. Same thing. These are only reflection of the spiritual world. The same thing is there. Kṛṣṇa is also good lover of the animals, calves and cows. As we love here dogs and cats, Kṛṣṇa loves there cows and calves. You have seen the picture of Kṛṣṇa. So the propensity to love even an animal is there. Otherwise how it can be reflected here? This is simply shadow reflection. If, in the reality, there is nothing like that, then how it can be reflected here? So everything is there. Therefore, that mellow, to understand, you have to practice. Here we have got frustration. Here we love. A man loves a woman or woman loves a man.
Lecture -- Hong Kong, January 31, 1974:
Sthāvara means the living entities which cannot move, stand in one place. This is a punishment, those who are too much dull. Means..., dull means cannot understand what is God. That is dullness. Otherwise for eating, sleeping, sex life and defense there is no need of university education. Nobody goes to the university to learn how to eat, how to sleep, how to enjoy sex life and how to defend. There is no education required, because these four kinds of bodily necessities of life are known even to the animals. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca sāmānyam etat paśubhir narāṇām. How to eat, the animal knows. Even the newborn child who has no education, no experience, he still... Even the cats and dogs, cubs, as soon as born, they find out the nipples of their mother and eat or suck. Even the eyes are blind at that time, but still he knows where is their food. Similarly, human child also knows.
Lecture -- Hong Kong, January 31, 1974:
So for eating, sleeping, mating and defending, there is no need of education. Education means athāto brahma jijñāsā. That is education. How to know the Supreme Absolute Truth—that is education. But the university, they are educating people how to eat, how to sleep. Eh? They are manufacturing so many eatables, different types of eatables, although God has given immense foodstuffs for human society. Just like these fruits, they are made for human beings. They are not eatables for the cats and dogs. They are meant for human beings. So eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān. Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has supplied, He is supplying immense foodstuffs for all living entities. Tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā (ISO 1).
Pandal Speech and Question Session -- Delhi, November 10, 1973:
Go means cow and khara means ass. This is the verdict of the śāstra, that "If anyone is in the bodily concept of life, he is not better than the animals go and khara, ass and cow." So this ignorance, when this ignorance prevails, that is called dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata. Kṛṣṇa said, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). When people are become like cats and dogs, the bodily concept of life, and working whole day and night without any spiritual understanding, without the aim of life... So this human life is not meant for that purpose. This is the mistake. It is not that the dogs and cats are eating in a different way. Now we eat in a nice table, in nice plate, and very nicely dressed, and you are eating... But eating process is there. Either you nicely eat or wrongly eat, but you have to fulfill your bell(y) and satisfy your hunger. That is not advancement of civilization. To eat nicely, to sleep nicely, to defend nicely and to have sexual life nicely, that is not advancement of civilization. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca sāmānyam etat paśubhiḥ narāṇām. Sexual intercourse with beautiful woman and sexual intercourse with the female dog, the pleasure is the same.
Pandal Speech and Question Session -- Delhi, November 10, 1973:
So at that time Śukadeva Gosvāmī said, "My dear King," śrotavyādīni, nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ, apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām (SB 2.1.2), that "Those who are gṛhamedhī..." Gṛhamedhī means has made the home, country, society, family as the only means of advancement. They are called gṛhamedhī. But there is another word, what is called gṛhastha āśrama. Āśrama. Brahmacārī āśrama, gṛhastha āśrama, vānaprastha āśrama, sannyāsa āśrama. Āśrama. As soon as... Any common man can understand. As soon as we say āśrama, there is some spiritual idea. Āśrama. Here is a āśrama. So gṛhastha āśrama is different, and gṛhamedhī is different. Gṛha-medhī means one who does not know what is the ultimate goal of life and living like... Cats and dogs also, they live with their children, wife. They also find out food. They also try to defend, protect. Simply with these ideas, if we live, that is called gṛhamedhī. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2).
Pandal Speech and Question Session -- Delhi, November 10, 1973:
Therefore our Vedānta-sūtra is there to give enlightenment. As our student Śrīman Pradyumna dāsa Adhikārī said, athāto brahma jijñāsā, this life is not meant for wasting time like cats and dog. Because after all, we have to give up this life. But before giving up this life, we must gain something. That is described in the Upaniṣad. Etad viditvā yaḥ prayāti sa brāhmaṇaḥ. We'll have to die like cats and dogs, but we have got the chance to understand what is the value of life. The cats and dogs have no chance. So simply if we waste our time like cats and dogs and do not know what is the aim of life—sa kṛpaṇa. Etad viditvā yaḥ prayāti, aviditvā yaḥ prayāti sa kṛpaṇaḥ. There are two things: brāhmaṇa and kṛpaṇa. Kṛpaṇa means miser. A person who got this valuable body... Just like if you get millions of dollars, if you do not utilize it, if you simply see in the treasury that you have got so much money, then you are kṛpaṇa. It is practical. But if you utilize that money and instead of one crore you make ten crores, then you are called intelligent. Similarly, if we think that "I have got this human form of life, better standard of eating, sleeping and mating," then you remain kṛpaṇa. You could not utilize it. But if you know in this life, which is possible, "What is the value of this life? What is Brahman? What I am? What is my connection with Brahman? Why I have come here? Where I shall go again? Why I am put into the miserable condition of life? I do not wish to die. Why death is enforced upon me?" this is called brahma-jijñāsā, inquiry, "Why?" Therefore there is a Kena Upaniṣad, "Why?" Unless this "why" inquiry comes in the human body, then he is failure. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jātaḥ yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. Whatever we are doing, we are being defeated, because we are doing everything in ignorance. "I am this body." "This is my country." "This is my kinsmen." And in this way I die like cats and dogs.
Lecture -- Vrndavana, March 14, 1974:
If you want really peace, then you develop your dormant love of God, Kṛṣṇa. Then you'll be happy. Otherwise you'll never be happy. Because we want to love somebody. That is natural. So we have placed our loving propensity in so many things, even to cats and dogs, but that will not satisfy us, because that is sense gratification. That is not real love. Real love is to love Kṛṣṇa, love of Kṛṣṇa. So this is the highest philosophy of life, highest perfection of life, how to learn to love Kṛṣṇa. The Vṛndāvana means simply loving Kṛṣṇa. The cowherds boy, the gopīs, the Nanda Mahārāja, Yaśodāmayī, Rādhārāṇī—the only focus is to love Kṛṣṇa. That's all. This is Vṛndāvana. Vṛndāvana does not mean a city or town or this or that. Vṛndāvana means where everyone is in love, in intense love with Kṛṣṇa. So you have come to Vṛndāvana. Try to learn how to love, intensified love, Kṛṣṇa. That is perfection of life. And that is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's contribution. Kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53).
Lecture at World Health Organization -- Geneva, June 6, 1974:
This is the instruction of Ṛṣabhadeva to his sons. "My dear sons, this human form of body, ayaṁ deha, this body, na, not..." Na ayaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke. Everyone has got a body. The cats and dogs, they are also possessing a body, and the human being also possessing a body. So what is the difference between the cats and dogs and human society? So Ṛṣabhadeva says, ayaṁ deha-bhājāṁ nṛlo..., kaṣṭān kāmān na arhati yad viḍ-bhujām. To accept too much labor for the necessities of life, kāmān... Kāmān means the necessities of life. This life, this human form of life, is not meant for that. It is meant for viḍ-bhujām, the hogs and dogs. They are... The hog is whole day working to find out "Where is stool? Where is stool?" The human life should not be like that. Human life should be very peaceful and prosperous and save time for spiritual culture.
Lecture at World Health Organization -- Geneva, June 6, 1974:
In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). After all, we have to change this body; however big plan we may make, we have to give up this plan, and we have to change this body. But there is no guarantee what kind of body we are going to get. Suppose I, this time, this life, I am very busy for constructing a big skyscraper building, and next time, next life, if I get the body of a cat or dog, so I'll have to live in that house because I have got attraction as a cat and dog, and who will care for me? So these are the facts. Because nobody can change the nature's law. Nature's law is exactly like infectious disease. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-sango 'sya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22). They do not even believe that there is life after death. I talked, in Moscow, a big professor, Kotovsky. He said, "Swamijī, after death there is nothing." You... He's a big professor. He has no knowledge of the soul. And he's a big professor. Just see. This is going on.
Lecture at the Hare Krsna Festival at La Salle Pleyel -- Paris, June 14, 1974:
So the present Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for understanding God. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is started not now, say, in your country, Western countries say, for the last six or seven years, but the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is on this planet for the last five thousand years. When I say Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it means God consciousness. So human being, human life, is meant for understanding God and become God conscious. In the animal life there is no possibility of understanding God. When we invite by advertisement, "Please come here in this meeting. We shall discuss something about God," the human being comes, not the cats and dogs. This is... (big applause) So human being is the chance given by nature to understand about God. If we do not take chance, if we do not fulfill this chance—that means we have got this chance to understand God—then our next life may not be human being. The soul is within your body. The soul is the part and parcel of God. If you try to understand what is the soul, then partially you understand what is God.
Lecture at the Hare Krsna Festival at La Salle Pleyel -- Paris, June 14, 1974:
So this human form of body is given to us by nature to understand God. In other forms of life there is no chance of understanding God. Therefore it is our duty, everyone's duty, before the next death comes, we must understand what is God. If we simply misuse this body like cats and dogs, then we are missing the chance. We cannot say that we are free. That is not possible. We are completely under the control of the material nature.
Lecture at the Hare Krsna Festival at La Salle Pleyel -- Paris, June 14, 1974:
Darkness means without any knowledge of the soul and God. So long I am thinking that "I am this body," it is in darkness. Except the human being, any other living being, they are all in darkness. Therefore human being's business is not to keep himself in darkness, but come to the light. So long we have got this material body, there are four necessities of life. They are eating, sleeping, sex intercourse and defense. So the cats and dogs, they also eat, they sleep, they have sex life and they can defend also. So therefore a human being should not be educated only for these four principles of animal necessities. The human necessity is to understand God. Therefore in civilized human society, there is some system of religion. Either you call it Christianity, Muhammadanism, or Hinduism, in civilized society there must be some form of religion. And a human being is supposed to follow the principles to have complete knowledge about God and himself, to know "What is the relationship between God and me?" and what is the goal of life.
Public Speech -- Bad Homburg, Germany, June 22, 1974:
So that is our position, that we are completely under the clutches of material nature, and according to the modes of material nature, we are acting and changing our body in different species of life. So our real business in this human form of life is to get, try to accept the process by which we can get free from this conditioned life. The process is that we have to give up all our false consciousness. We are under false consciousness. I am thinking, "I am Indian," you are thinking you are German, and the dog is thinking, "I am dog," and cat is thinking, "I am cat." So this bodily consciousness, bodily concept of life, will keep us conditioned within the material nature. Therefore our first business is how to get free from all these designations. Just like I am putting on this saffron cloth, but I am not saffron cloth. Or you are putting red cloth or black coat; you are not black coat. Within the coat, you are the person. Similarly, within the dress, I am the person. So at the present moment we are on the dress consciousness: "I am German dress," "I am Englishman dress," "I am Indian dress," "I am male dress," "I am female dress." So this is called conditioned life. So in this conditioned life we are accepting one type of body and we are dying.
Lecture at St. Pascal's Franciscan Seminary -- Melbourne, June 28, 1974:
We cannot understand what is Kṛṣṇa, or God—His name, His form, His attributes, His pastimes... We cannot understand by these blunt material senses. Then how it is to be understood? After all, this human life is meant for understanding God. That is the only business of human life. The nature, material nature, gives us this opportunity to have this human form of life. The facility of this life, of this form of life, is given to us just to understand God. Other forms of life, cats and dogs, trees and so many other things... There are 8,400,000 forms of life. So in other forms of life it is not possible to understand what is God. If we call all the dogs of your country, "Come here. We shall talk about God," no, there is no possibility of understanding. But in the human form of life there is possibility. It doesn't matter whether it is in India or America or Australia. Any human being, if he tries and if he reads the scriptures—never mind, Bible, Bhagavad-gītā, Bhāgavata—then he will understand God. Therefore this life, human form of life, is only meant for understanding God. If we divert our attention to any other business, that means we are spoiling our energy. Because what are the activities? That... Everyone is active for sleeping, eating, having sexual intercourse and defending. So these things are present even cats and dogs. They also eat, they also sleep, they also have propensity for sex intercourse and they also defend, in their own way. So if human life is also spoiled only on these activities, then you are missing the chance. Human activities should be to understand God or the Absolute Truth. That is the philosophy of Vedānta philosophy. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Vedānta. Veda means knowledge, and anta means ultimate.
Lecture at St. Pascal's Franciscan Seminary -- Melbourne, June 28, 1974:
So original characteristic means that cannot be changed. That quality, that characteristic is always with us. So Vedic version is that the living entity is eternal servant of God. When he forgets this relationship, that he is eternal servant of God, that means his material existence. In the material existence, nobody is prepared to become servant. Everyone is prepared to become the master. That is struggle for existence. Everyone is trying to become master. Even in the cats' and dogs' society you will find one dog is trying to predominate by barking that "I am better than you." So this is called struggle for existence. Everyone, individual to individual, nation to nation, society to society, religion to religion, so-called religion—everyone is trying to become the master. Nobody is trying to become the servant. But real position is we living entities, we are eternal servant of God. As soon as we forget this formula, we are in the material existence. And as soon as we revive this, our original consciousness, that is called spiritual platform. Therefore we are propagating Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness, to come to the point to understand that we are eternal servant of God.
Lecture at St. Pascal's Franciscan Seminary -- Melbourne, June 28, 1974:
So we have to learn the art how to utilize everything for God. Just like we are. We are also living in the house. Without a house, where can you live? We are also human being. We cannot lie down on the street. We have got some house, some protection. We are also eating, we are also sleeping, and we are also mating, and we are also defending. But it is in a different way. These boys and girls, some of them are married, so they are also begetting children, and that means mating. But you see in our temple, even small child, he is offering obeisances, he is offering a flower, he is also chanting, he is also dancing. So to make sex for begetting such children, it is also God. But if we beget children like cats and dogs, then it is material. Because there is no God consciousness. So everything can be turned. Hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ: without any attachment. Just like these boys, they are collecting money, but not a single farthing they are spending for themselves, not a single farthing. Everything collected is being utilized for God's book publication, for propaganda, for distribution. They are not earning less. We collect some day one thousand dollars, and we are collecting all over the world about thirty thousand dollars. Yes. But not a single paisa for personal use. Everything is utilized for propagating God consciousness. So in this way everything can be utilized. After all, it is God's property. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1).
Sunday Feast Lecture -- Atlanta, March 2, 1975:
So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's preaching was to distribute love of God. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's... Because this human life is specially meant for understanding what is God and loving Him. That's all. This is the only business. The cats and dogs or other lower animals, if you preach to them Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is not possible. They will not understand. But human being... Just like our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is being spread all over the world, and you can see here also in your country, in America, in Europe, they are all understanding. That is the special advantage of human life. One Christian priest in Boston, he was astonished by seeing our devotees.
City Hall Lecture -- Durban, October 7, 1975:
So our only request is that you, all of you, you try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Don't interpret in a different way. Then you will understand Kṛṣṇa. And as soon as you understand Kṛṣṇa, you become free from this material bondage, no more accepting... Tyaktvā deham. We have to give up this body, that is certain. The cats and dogs will also give up their body, we'll have also give... But before giving up this body, if we simply understand Kṛṣṇa, then our life becomes successful. What is that success? That after giving up this body we are not going to accept anything, our material body. Then we stand in our original, spiritual body. The spiritual body is there within the body. That will be explained very nicely. So we... Our mission is to come to the platform of our spiritual body. It is very simple, simply by understanding the instruction of Kṛṣṇa. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu has made it still simplified. What is that? He advises, "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra."
Lecture with Translator -- Sanand, December 27, 1975:
So Bhagavān says, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme authority, says that "You require to transfer your āsakti, attachment, to Me." Everyone has got āsakti. Aśakti means attachment, this material attachment. Someone has got attachment for his family, some to society, some to nation, some in business and so many things. Aśakti is there. But to make your life perfect, you have to transfer the āsakti to Kṛṣṇa. In the Western countries, I have seen, most of them, they have got no family, no āsakti family, but because the āsakti is there, every one of them keeps a dog. So they are accustomed to place their āsakti to cats and dogs. That means āsakti cannot be finished. That is not possible. So you haven't got to learn what is āsakti. Aśakti is there. Everyone has got experience. Simply that āsakti, that tendency of attachment, should be transferred to Kṛṣṇa. That is Vṛndāvana life. In Vṛndāvana the center of āsakti is Kṛṣṇa. There is Nanda Mahārāja, Yaśodā—they have āsakti to Kṛṣṇa. The young girls, they have got āsakti to Kṛṣṇa. The cowherd boys, they have got āsakti to Kṛṣṇa. The trees, they have got āsakti to Kṛṣṇa. The fruits, flowers, they have got āsakti to Kṛṣṇa. The water, Yamunā River, the āsakti to Kṛṣṇa. So if we make our central point of āsakti, then you can create Vṛndāvana everywhere. So this is the success of life. We have to change the āsakti to Kṛṣṇa. That is the highest form of mystic yoga.
Lecture -- Nellore, January 4, 1976:
So according to the infection of different qualities, we are preparing the next body, karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). This is karma. You work as a brāhmaṇa, you work as a kṣatriya, svakarma, according to your capacity, quality. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā, guṇa. These guṇa... As we are associating with the qualities and acting, then we are creating a body next life. So next life, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ... (BG 2.13). As we pass from one form of body even in this life, from childhood to boyhood, boyhood to youth-hood, youth-hood to old age... Kṛṣṇa begins His instruction with this point, that we must know what we are. We are not this body. If we remain in the bodily concept of life, then we are no better than cats and dogs. Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13).
Tenth Anniversary Address -- Washington, D.C., July 6, 1976:
Dharma means the law given by God, that's all-three words: God and His words. So if we do not know who is God, if we do not know what is His order, then we are lost. If we do not know God and if we... Just like if we do not know what is the government and if we do not know what is the order of government, then what is our position? We'll commit every step some mistake, and we shall suffer. So we must know what is dharma and... A cat, dog cannot understand dharma, but a human being is supposed to understand dharma. Lawbooks are made for the human being, not for the cats and dogs. "Keep to the left" or "Keep to the right," the signboard is there in the street. Or the red light is there, blue light is there—for whom? For the human beings, not for the cats and dogs. The cats and dogs may disobey; there is no criminality on their part because they are cats and dogs. So there is law of God, there is God. If human being does not know what is God and what is the law of God, then he's no better than the cats and dogs. He must know. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19).
Sunday Feast Lecture -- London, July 25, 1976:
Gṛhastha means although he's living with wife, children, family, but his purpose is how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, how to go back home, back. They are called gṛhastha. So gṛhasthāśrama is as good as other āśramas. There are four āśramas. Vedic civilization means four varṇas and four āśramas. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. So those who are not following this principle of varṇāśrama-dharma, living like cats and dogs, they also live with wife, children. That sort of living is called gṛha-vrata. Gṛha-vratānām. Matir na kṛṣṇe: "They cannot become Kṛṣṇa conscious." Matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām. Why? Now, adānta-gobhiḥ. Go means senses. Go means cow. Go means land also. So anyone who has taken the vow of sense gratification... That is the modern world, that "Somehow or other, satisfy senses." They cannot control the senses. Adānta-go. Adānta. Dānta means control. Adānta, not controlled. Adānta-gobhiḥ. So what is that? Viśatāṁ tamisram: "They are going towards hell," because this sense gratification process, unrestricted sense gratification process, he is creating a situation of different mentality and that mentality will be prominent at the time of death, and according to that situation he'll get his next birth.
Sunday Feast Lecture -- London, July 25, 1976:
Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajaty ante kalevaram (BG 8.6). Therefore we have to become very, very careful. This life I maybe born in big nation, America, or English nation or some other nation or family, but if I create a mentality of cats and dogs or if I do not take advantage of this human form of life—I remain dull as the trees or the animals—then next life we have to accept a similar body. This is the law of nature. You can say or I can say that "I do not believe in the next life," but that is not the fact. The fact is... Just like if a child says, "I do not believe the next stage or next life, to become a boy," or if a boy says that "I don't believe next stage, to become a young man," so a young man says, "I do not believe that I shall become an old man," that is concoction. The nature's law will drag him, one after another. Similarly, the old man's body, when it is finished, you'll have to accept another body according to your mentality at the time of death. This is the law of nature.
Excerpt of Speech at Fire Yajna with South Indian Brahmanas -- Hyderabad, August 16, 1976:
Anyone who has taken birth as a human being on the land of Bhārata-varṣa... He does not mean the cats and dogs; He means the human beings. Manuṣya. So in order to fulfill the mission of manuṣya-janma, we shall try to reestablish the varṇāśrama-dharma, Varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān, viṣṇur ārādhyate (CC Madhya 8.58), and spread this movement all over the world. There is no charge. Let us cooperate and do the needful.
Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, January 29, 1977, (with Oriyan translator):
So God is there, and there is no doubt of it, but because, due to our foolishness, we think there is no God, there is no father, that is our foolishness. But what is that God, how He is, what is His business, how He is formed—all these things we want to learn, and human life is meant for that purpose. In the life of cats and dogs we cannot understand God, but in the human life we can understand. Therefore in the Vedānta-sūtra the first aphorism is that athāto brahma jijñāsā. This life, in the human form of life... Because we get this human form of life after many, many evolutionary... (break)
Departure Talks
Conversation -- Hawaii, June 20, 1975:
Kṛṣṇa doesn't require your service. When He says, "You surrender to Me," it does not mean that Kṛṣṇa is suffering for your service. Kṛṣṇa is self-sufficient. He can create millions of servants like you. So He doesn't require your service. But if you serve, then it is your benefit. You become saved: "Now I am under the protection of a very able..." (break) ...and every respect, opulence of master. You are serving cats and dogs. Why not serve the most supreme, able and opulent master? This is going on. You have to serve. You cannot say, "No, no. I will not serve. I am independent." That is not possible. You have to serve. You have to serve, and you will be exploited, by the imperfect masters. So why not serve the perfect master so that you will not be exploited again? It is simple.
Philosophy Discussions
Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:
Śyāmasundara: So Hegel glorifies this war, he says, "There is an ethical element in war."
Prabhupāda: No, war, we also say dharma-yuddha, dharma-yuddha. Just like battle of Kurukṣetra is concluded by Sañjaya that, what is that? Yatra yogeśvaro hariḥ (BG 18.78). Yatra yogeśvaro hariḥ, he said to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, "My dear sir, I think the side on which Kṛṣṇa is there, he'll be victorious." So actually even there is war, the party who is God conscious, they"ll be victorious. Yatra yogeśvaro hariḥ. What is that verse? Eh?
Śyāmasundara: What about between America and Germany, for instance? Neither one of them were God conscious.
Prabhupāda: Then it is demonic. This is not justified war, this is where two demons, we fight, just like cats and dogs fight. That's all. But there is, according to Vedic literature, yuddha, dharma-yuddha.
Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:
Śyāmasundara: He says that the dominant nation in any epoch represents the dominant phase of the absolute idea during that time. Just like now America is the dominant nation in the world so that the dominant phase of the truth is being expressed through America.
Prabhupāda: Therefore Mr. Nixon supported Pakistan. (laughter) Everyone knew, all other nations knew that this Pakistan is creating havoc, genocide, they're killing innocent men in Bangladesh, and Nixon, Mr. Nixon publicly supported. And still he is angry about India because India is the richest country. He has withdrawn all help. So he is supporter of mischievous activities.
Śyāmasundara: Just like before, the British were the dominant nation and then again some other country would be the dominant nation, he says that this dominant nation expresses at the time what the, the absolute truth expressing itself in time.
Prabhupāda: Yes, the dominant nation is, it is connected with the absolute truth that up to Mahārāja Parīkṣit, five thousand years ago, the king of Hastināpur, they were dominating the whole world. Because Mahārāja Parīkṣit, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira were actually representing God, therefore their domination was possible. Now, that being lost, there are so many small states, they are not God conscious, therefore fighting each other, that's all, like cats and dogs. But it is a fact that the Vedic culture kings like Mahārāja Rāmacandra, Mahārāja Prthu, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, Mahārāja Parīkṣit, and later on some other kings also, they were actually representative of God, so there was no trouble. One king was ruling all over the world.
Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:
Hayagrīva: He further writes, "He who believes in the advancement of man from some low organized form will naturally ask, 'How does this bear on the belief in the immortality of the soul?' " He says, "At what precise period does a man become an immortal being?" That is to say, he doesn't know at what stage the immortal soul inhabits the species.
Prabhupāda: Yes, soul is always important. He is put into different bodies. That is the defect of Darwin's knowledge. He does not know about the soul. So the existence of soul, to understand this is the first education. One who does not know this, he remains animal, sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13), if one continues the bodily concept of life without any understanding of the soul. And it is very easy to understand that the child is becoming boy, a boy is becoming young man. So the soul is there, and we remember that "I was a child, I was a boy, I was a young man." So I continue to exist, the bodily changes, and this is confirmed in every Vedic scripture, and that is the beginning of knowledge. If one does not understand how the soul is changing body, he remains on the level of cats and dogs.
Philosophy Discussion on John Stuart Mill:
Śyāmasundara: The orders of the authority as my duty, then my conscience keeps me following that order. My conscience.
Prabhupāda: Yes. If you agree.
Śyāmasundara: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Authority means we agree to follow.
Śyāmasundara: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Just like we follow Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, "You give up everything. Surrender unto Me," we accept that. So similarly, that is the duty. Now I may accept Kṛṣṇa, you may accept Christ, but that doesn't matter. But duty means what the higher authority orders, you must follow. That is duty.
Śyāmasundara: And if I am aware what is that duty...
Prabhupāda: You will be aware as soon as you approach the higher authority. He'll give you order, "Do this," "Do not do this."
Śyāmasundara: Then my conscience tells me if I am doing it right or wrong, my inner conscience, it tells me...
Prabhupāda: Yes. That anyone can understand. Even a dog can understand. You see, if the dog is trying to enter the room, I say "Hut!" he can also, he has got conscience, "Oh, the master does not want me to enter." That conscience is there in cats and dogs. That is not very high consciousness. Real consciousness is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That discrimination is there.
Philosophy Discussion on Arthur Schopenhauer:
Śyāmasundara: His idea is that we must love those who are suffering. If we love those who are suffering, then we lose our desire.
Prabhupāda: That is... Why you should love the suffering and not those who are enjoying?
Śyāmasundara: Well, he says everyone is suffering.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Actually we say actually everyone is suffering. Anyone who is under the condition of material nature, he is suffering. That is real love. Patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo. Vaiṣṇava is described as the deliverer of all the fallen souls. Patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ. Vaiṣṇava... Just like why have you taken sannyāsa? You are going... Why, what is the meaning of preaching. You are not going to preach for earning some money. Money you can earn. Just like Mukunda, when he was here he could not earn, now he is earning some money. So not for money you have taken sannyāsa, but for sympathy of the others. Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī, they took sannyāsa, gave up. Government said, "Why?" Out of love for the mass of people. Lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau. Being compassionate to the poor fellows, those who are simply wasting their time like cats and dogs, just to show them some sympathy, the sannyāsa order is there. Just to inform them that "This is not your life. Here is life: be Kṛṣṇa conscious." This is sympathy.
Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:
Śyāmasundara: So he says that the cure for many of our present conflicts is to try to recall these painful experiences and analyze them and try to correct them.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Śyāmasundara: Just like for instance a person may have a hatred toward a member of the opposite sex. Why is this hatred? By tracing back in his childhood we may find that there was some horrible experience with his father or with his mother which caused him to hate that particular sex.
Prabhupāda: Just like if some woman does not like to give birth to a child...
Śyāmasundara: Because she was repressed when she was a child, or beaten by her father...
Prabhupāda: Not only that. A person does not like to bear children; therefore this contraceptive method is there. It is botheration, painful. It is called pain. (indistinct) (indistinct) means pain. So nature is prohibiting that, (indistinct), child delivery, so the man is also given so much trouble. The woman is also given so much trouble. So why is the trouble there? The (indistinct) for everything is don't be implicated in this sex life. If you simply tolerating a little itching sensation, then you will not have so much pain. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham (SB 7.9.45). These ordinary men who are attached to the materialistic way of life, their only happiness is this sexual intercourse. So śāstra says this happiness derived from sexual intercourse is very, very insignificant. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham. This is not happiness. It is very (indistinct) third class or even lower than happiness. But because we have no idea of other happiness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the materialistic way of life, that is the happiness. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham. That is a very insignificant happiness. Then how is this happiness experienced? Kaṇḍūyanena karayor iva duḥkha-duḥkham. You have got itching, and if you scratch like this, so you get some happiness, but aftereffects of that happiness is very abominable. So even if you have legal sex, the mother has to undergo the labor pains and the father has to take responsibility for raising the children nicely, give them education. Of course, one who is irresponsible like cats and dogs, that is another thing. But those who are actually gentlemen, for them it is not painful. Therefore they are avoiding children by contraceptive methods, because they know to raise children is a very difficult job. So śāstra's injunction is simply to try to tolerate this itching sensation and you save so much pain. This is real psychology. That itching sensation can be tolerated if one practices this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then you will not be very much attracted by this sex life.
Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:
Hayagrīva: He says, "I disagree with you when you go on to argue that man cannot in general do without the consolation of the religious illusion, that without it he would not endure the troubles of life, the cruelty of reality."
Prabhupāda: Man cannot do without education. Without education a man remains an animal. Therefore in the human society there is a school, college, an institution, teacher—not in the animal society. So the principle is, the man is meant for being learned or being educated. That you cannot deny, that man life should not be like cats and dogs, simply eating, sleeping, mating, and dying. That is not man's life. Man's life is to become advanced in knowledge and education. And as I have already described, the ultimate knowledge: to understand God. If he is so-called educated, without any understanding of God, then his education is imperfect. You can deny the existence of God, but the God conception is there in the human society. Some may accept it, some may not accept it—that is another thing—but the conception of God, the whole civilized world, they have got some type of religion. Either you become Christian or Buddhist or Hindu or Muslim, religion means there is some cultivation of knowledge to understand God. And to understand God is the ultimate knowledge. That is called Vedānta. Veda means knowledge, and the ultimate knowledge: Vedānta. So ultimate knowledge, it, what is that? That is the beginning of Vedānta education. What is that ultimate knowledge? Athāto brahma jijñāsā.
Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:
Hayagrīva: He says, "I disagree with you when you go on to argue that man cannot in general do without the consolation of the religious illusion, that without it he would not endure the troubles of life, the cruelty of reality."
Prabhupāda: Man cannot do without education. Without education a man remains an animal. Therefore in the human society there is a school, college, an institution, teacher—not in the animal society. So the principle is, the man is meant for being learned or being educated. That you cannot deny, that man life should not be like cats and dogs, simply eating, sleeping, mating, and dying. That is not man's life. Man's life is to become advanced in knowledge and education. And as I have already described, the ultimate knowledge: to understand God. If he is so-called educated, without any understanding of God, then his education is imperfect. You can deny the existence of God, but the God conception is there in the human society. Some may accept it, some may not accept it—that is another thing—but the conception of God, the whole civilized world, they have got some type of religion. Either you become Christian or Buddhist or Hindu or Muslim, religion means there is some cultivation of knowledge to understand God. And to understand God is the ultimate knowledge. That is called Vedānta. Veda means knowledge, and the ultimate knowledge: Vedānta. So ultimate knowledge, it, what is that? That is the beginning of Vedānta education. What is that ultimate knowledge? Athāto brahma jijñāsā. The Vedānta begins with this word, "Now this human form of life is to acquire the ultimate knowledge." Athāto brahma. Brahma means the ultimate. So, the absolute. Now it is the time to understand. So far understanding of sex, the dog also knows. You don't require to give him any education. So nobody is given education... Now of course they have adopted, but there is a Bengali proverb, "How to cry and how to enjoy sex, it doesn't require any education." When you are aggrieved, you cry automatically. When there is a sex impulse, you enjoy it automatically. It doesn't require any Mr. Freud. Without the help of any educator, everyone knows-cats, dogs, animals, human being—everyone knows how to enjoy sex life. It doesn't require any education.
So the Vedānta says that this kind of education is there in the animal kingdom also, sex philosophy. There is no question of philosophy, it is already there; anyone can enjoy it. Now, at this time, atha ato brahma-jijñāsā, now this human life is to inquire about the Absolute Truth, Brahman, because that is the ultimate knowledge. This ultimate knowledge can be acquired by the human being, not by the cats and dog. So if a philosopher, without any knowledge of God, doubtful knowledge of God, so he is imperfect, he is not even human being. He is cats and dogs. (break) God means supreme controller. So everything we see is controlled. The government is controller, but the supreme controller there must be. That's a fact. Now, if you want to know it clearly, then be educated. That is Vedānta. That is very reasonably said, that "What is that Brahman, God?" Immediately answer is, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1).
Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:
Hayagrīva: He saw that the soul was always longing for light, the urge to rise out of the primal darkness, and he says, "That is the pent-up feeling that can be detected in the eyes of primitives," that is primitive people, "and also in the eyes of animals. There is a sadness in animals' eyes, and we never know whether that sadness is bound up with the soul of the animal or is a poignant message which speaks to us out of that existence."
Prabhupāda: Yes. Everyone is seeking, that constitutionally he is servant. He is seeking serve master. That is natural potency. So in the animal kingdom, animal life, just like a small cat... What is called? Child of cat and dog, what is called? Cat? A baby chi..., a baby dog, what is called, puppy?
Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:
Śyāmasundara: And actually it may be true that the lower forms are trying to emulate the higher forms, but it is also the reverse is true. Just like the hippies, they are trying to emulate the hogs.
Prabhupāda: Well, the hippies, they are nonsense. What is the value of their anything? They have no value. They are crazy, mad fellows. That's all. There is no philosophy, nothing of the sort.
Śyāmasundara: He calls... What you said is that māyā is the urge within nature to desire the next step of evolution.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Śyāmasundara: He wants this, he wants that. Is that right?
Prabhupāda: Next step... No. Up to human form of life, by nature one is making progress automatically. One after this, one after this. That evolution. Jalajā nava... Just like from aquatics, you become trees, plants. (aside:) Telephone. Telephone. Somebody go. From trees, you become insect. From insect, you become birds or reptiles. From birds, you become beast. From beast, you become a human being. This is going on by nature's way. Just like a goat. A goat has to live in this body for certain years. Then he becomes something, other animal, and he has to live in that body for some years. Then he becomes another body. This is change . In this way he comes to the human form of life when his consciousness is developed. Now, when... Amongst the human form of life, there are many species of human form of life. So when one comes to..., I may say, in India, when he's born in India, that is the highest perfectional point because there is Vedic knowledge. So he can take advantage of the Vedic knowledge. And by taking advantage of Vedic knowledge, he understands that "I am part and parcel of God. Therefore my real business is to go back to God. Why I am suffering in this material world?" That is perfectional stage.
Śyāmasundara: But the urge to improve oneself, to attain the next stage...
Prabhupāda: This is the urge for improvement. Kṛṣṇa says, God says, that "All living entities are My part and parcels." This instruction can be accepted only by human beings, not the cats and dogs. Although He claims that "Every living entity is My part and parcel," the cats and dogs, they have no capacity to understand these, I mean to say, utterances of the Personality of Godhead. Even he has got an ear. You are hearing, a dog may hear. But you can capture; the dog cannot capture. Due to his lower grade of body, he cannot. So in this higher grade of body, the Vedic instructions are there. Now you can make your choice. Yathecchasi tathā kuru (BG 18.63). As Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna that "Whatever you like you can do." So now it depends upon you. If you don't accept the real progressive life, understand Kṛṣṇa and surrender unto Him, then you will go back.
Philosophy Discussion on Plato:
Hayagrīva: In his Politics, Plato changes his mind later in life. In the beginning he believed that in an ideal state the leaders should possess nothing of their own, neither property nor family. He felt that they must live together in a community where wives and children are held in common to guard against corruption, bribery and nepotism in government. He felt that the elite philosophers should mate with women of high qualities in order to produce the best children for positions of responsibility. Now, how does this view of common wives and children correspond to the Vedic version?
Prabhupāda: Yes, Vedic civilization is that, that putrārthe kriyate bhāryā. A man should accept a wife for putra, for son. Why son? Putra-piṇḍa-prayojanam: a putra should be responsible for offering piṇḍa, so that after death, even by mistake or somehow or other I am in a wrong position, by the piṇḍa I am elevated. This is idea. So marriage is for having good son, that's a fact, who will deliver me even if I am in the hell. Therefore the śraddhā ceremony in there. So even the father is in hell, by this śraddhā ceremony he will be delivered. This is the idea. So unless one has got son, nobody is going to offer him śraddhā oblation, and even one may be very benevolent, but it is not expected. But it is the duty of the son, as it is said, putra. Pu means there is a hell pundama (?). The hell's name is pundama, pun. So I mean, pu and tra, tra means one who delivers. If by chance I am put into pundama naraka trayate, one who delivers me from that hellish condition of life, he is putra, and for this kind of putra I accept a wife, not for my sex enjoyment. And it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, one who uses his sex for these religious activities, that "I shall get good father, a good son who can deliver me," then marriage is required. Otherwise it is useless. Dharmāviruddho kāmo 'smi. Kṛṣṇa says, "Sex life which is not against religious principle, that is I am." And sex life which is, which has no religious principle, that is sense gratification leading one to hell. So this theory: that we should marry, we should have sex life for creating good progeny. And my Guru Mahārāja used to say—he was a sannyāsī brahmacārī—but he said that "If I could produce really Kṛṣṇa conscious children, I can use hundred times sex life. Otherwise why shall I use my sex for cat, producing cats and dog?" He has said like that. So the śāstra also says, pitā na sa syāt janani na sa syāt: the father's, mother's duty is how to rescue their children from the cycle of birth and death. That is real father and mother. Otherwise cats and dogs, they are also father and mother. That is not wanted. Vedic culture is different. Produce children for such education and such accomplishment that he can be saved from the cycle of birth and death, and the putra should be such qualified that even his father goes to the hellish condition of pundama, he will deliver him. That is the idea of becoming father and family.
Purports to Songs
Purport to Nitai-Pada-Kamala -- Los Angeles, December 21, 1968:
Sambandha means connection or contact. "So anybody who has not contacted a relationship with Nityānanda," se sambandha nāhi jā'r, bṛthā janma gelo tā'r, "then he is supposed to have spoiled his human birth." In other song also Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, hari hari biphale janama goṅāinu: "Anyone who does not approach Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa through the relationship of Nityānanda, his life is uselessly spoiled." Se sambandha nāhi jā'r, bṛthā janma gelo tā'r. Bṛthā means useless, janma means life, tāra means his, and sambandha means relationship. "So anyone who has no relationship with Nityānanda, he is simply spoiling his, the boon of human form of life." Why he is spoiling? Se paśu boro durācār. Se means that; paśu, animal; durācār, dura, misbehaved, mostly misbehaved. Because without our elevation to Kṛṣṇa consciousness through the mercy of Lord Caitanya-Nityānanda, the life is simply animal propensities. That's all. Sense gratification. And Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says that ordinary animal, he can be tamed, but a human being, when he is animalistic, when he has simply animal propensities, oh, he is horrible. He cannot be tamed. Ordinary cats and dogs, even tiger, can be tamed. But a human being, when he goes out of his way, because human life is meant for being elevated to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if he doesn't take to that, then his higher intelligence will be simply misused for animal propensities, and it is very difficult to tame him.
| Page Title: | Cats and dogs (Lectures, Other) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, MadhuGopaldas |
| Created: | 21 of Feb, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=164, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 164 |