Come to Krsna

Expressions researched:
"came to krishna" |"came to krsna" |"come to Krsna" |"come to krishna" |"come to krsna" |"comes to krishna" |"comes to krsna" |"coming to krishna" |"coming to krsna"

Notes from the compiler: VedaBase query: "comes to krsna" or "coming to krsna" or "come to krsna" or "came to krsna" or "comes to krishna"or"coming to krishna"or"come to krishna"or"came to krishna" not consciousness

SB Canto 6

SB 6.9.49, Purport:

The kṛpaṇas, who always desire material benefits, are foolish, whereas brāhmaṇas, who always desire spiritual benefits, are intelligent. If a kṛpaṇa, not knowing his self-interest, foolishly asks for something material, one who awards it to him is also foolish. Kṛṣṇa, however, is not a foolish person; He is supremely intelligent. If someone comes to Kṛṣṇa asking for material benefits, Kṛṣṇa does not award him the material things he desires. Instead, the Lord gives him intelligence so that he will forget his material desires and become attached to the Lord's lotus feet. In such cases, although the kṛpaṇa offers prayers to Lord Kṛṣṇa for material things, the Lord takes away whatever material possessions the kṛpaṇa has and gives him the sense to become a devotee.

SB Canto 7

SB 7.15.47, Purport:

"The supreme occupation (dharma) for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted in order to completely satisfy the self." Nonetheless, those who act piously have a better chance to become devotees. As Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā (7.16), catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ janāḥ sukṛtino 'rjuna: "O Arjuna, four kinds of pious men render devotional service unto Me." One who takes to devotional service, even with some material motive, is considered pious, and because he has come to Kṛṣṇa, he will gradually come to the stage of bhakti. Then, like Dhruva Mahārāja, he will refuse to accept any material benediction from the Lord (svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce (CC Madhya 22.42)). Therefore, even if one is materially inclined, one may take to the shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, or Gaura and Nitāi, so that he will very soon be purified of all material desires (kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā śaśvac chāntiṁ nigacchati). As soon as one is freed from inclinations toward pious and impious activities, he becomes a perfect candidate for returning home, back to Godhead.

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 21.15, Purport:

This verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.87.41), which was spoken by the personified Vedas, is confirmed by Lord Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā (7.19):

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate

vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ

"After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare." Even after searching for the Absolute Truth throughout the universe, learned scholars and Vedic experts cannot reach the ultimate goal. In this way they come to Kṛṣṇa.

CC Madhya 24.50, Translation and Purport:

“"Dear Kṛṣṇa, we have simply surrendered ourselves as Your maidservants, for we have seen Your beautiful face decorated with tresses of hair, Your earrings falling upon Your cheeks, the nectar of Your lips, and the beauty of Your smile. Indeed, because we have also been embraced by Your arms, which give us courage, and seen Your chest, which is beautiful and broad, we have surrendered ourselves.""

This verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.29.39) was spoken by the gopīs when they arrived near Kṛṣṇa for the rāsa dance on a full-moon night. The attracted gopīs were awestruck, and they began to speak about how they came to Kṛṣṇa to enjoy the rāsa dance.

CC Antya-lila

CC Antya 4.64, Translation and Purport:

""O dear Kṛṣṇa, by Your smiling glances and melodious talk, You have awakened a fire of lusty desire in our hearts. Now You should extinguish that fire with a stream of nectar from Your lips by kissing us. Kindly do this. Otherwise, dear friend, the fire within our hearts will burn our bodies to ashes because of separation from You. Thus by meditation we shall claim shelter at Your lotus feet.""

This verse (SB 10.29.35) was spoken by the gopīs when they were attracted by the vibration of Kṛṣṇa's flute in the moonlight of autumn. All of them, being maddened, came to Kṛṣṇa, but to increase their ecstatic love, Kṛṣṇa gave them moral instructions to return home. The gopīs did not care for these instructions. They wanted to be kissed by Kṛṣṇa, for they had come there with lusty desires to dance with Him.

Nectar of Devotion

Nectar of Devotion 3:

It is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā that after many, many births, when one becomes actually wise, he surrenders unto Vāsudeva, knowing perfectly well that Kṛṣṇa (Vāsudeva) is the origin and cause of all causes. Therefore, he sticks to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa and gradually develops love for Him. Although such a wise man is very dear to Kṛṣṇa, the others are also accepted as very magnanimous, because even though they are distressed or in need of money, they have come to Kṛṣṇa for satisfaction. Thus they are accepted as liberal, broad-minded mahātmās.

Nectar of Devotion 28:

In the Tenth Canto, Twenty-ninth Chapter, verse 30, another example of faltering of the voice was exhibited by the gopīs when they came to Kṛṣṇa, desiring to dance with Him. Kṛṣṇa asked them to go back to their husbands and homes. The gopīs apparently became very angry and began to talk to Kṛṣṇa with faltering voices.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 6:

Kṛṣṇa showed the nature of a small baby and closed His eyes, as if to avoid the face of Pūtanā. This closing of the eyes is interpreted and studied in different ways by the devotees. Some say that Kṛṣṇa closed His eyes because He did not like to see the face of Pūtanā, who had killed so many children and who had now come to kill Him. Others say that Pūtanā hesitated to take the baby on her lap because something extraordinary was being dictated to her from within, and in order to give her assurance, Kṛṣṇa closed His eyes so that she would not be frightened. And yet others interpret in this way: Kṛṣṇa appeared in order to kill the demons and give protection to the devotees, as stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). The first demon to be killed was a woman. According to Vedic rules, the killing of a woman, a brāhmaṇa, cows or a child is strictly forbidden. Kṛṣṇa was obliged to kill the demon Pūtanā, and because the killing of a woman is forbidden according to Vedic śāstra, He could not help but close His eyes. Another interpretation is that Kṛṣṇa closed His eyes because He simply took Pūtanā to be His nurse. Pūtanā came to Kṛṣṇa just to offer her breast for the Lord to suck. Kṛṣṇa is so merciful that even though He knew Pūtanā was there to kill Him, He took her as His nurse or mother.

Krsna Book 29:

The gopīs had come to Kṛṣṇa to enjoy His company, to dance with Him, embrace Him and kiss Him, and when Kṛṣṇa began to receive them very officially, showing all kinds of etiquette, they were surprised. He was treating them like ordinary society women. Therefore they began to smile among themselves, and though they very eagerly listened to Kṛṣṇa talk in that way, they were surprised. Then Kṛṣṇa began to instruct them: "My dear friends, you must know that it is now the dead of night and the forest is very dangerous. At this time all the ferocious jungle animals—the tigers, bears, jackals and wolves—are prowling in the forest. Therefore it is very dangerous for you. You cannot select a secure place now. Everywhere you go you will find that all these animals are loitering to find their prey. I think, therefore, that you are taking a great risk in coming here in the dead of night. Please turn back immediately, without delay."

Krsna Book 35:

"When Kṛṣṇa returns, He is garlanded with tulasī leaves," a gopī described Him to a friend. "He puts His hand on the shoulder of a cowherd boyfriend and begins to blow His transcendental flute. The wives of the black deer become enchanted upon hearing the vibration of His flute, which resembles the vibration of the vīṇā. The deer come to Kṛṣṇa and become so charmed that they stand still, forgetting their homes and husbands. Like us, who are enchanted by the ocean of the transcendental qualities of Kṛṣṇa, the she-deer become enchanted by the vibration of His flute."

Krsna Book 47:

All these different ways of determining the ultimate goal of life are compared to rivers, and Kṛṣṇa is compared to the ocean. As the rivers flow down toward the ocean, all attempts for knowledge flow toward Kṛṣṇa. After many, many births of endeavor, when one actually comes to Kṛṣṇa, he attains the perfectional stage. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, kleśo ’dhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām: (BG 12.5) "All are pursuing the path of realizing Me, but those who have adopted courses without any bhakti find their endeavor very troublesome." Kṛṣṇa cannot be understood unless one comes to the point of bhakti.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.44 -- London, July 31, 1973:

If we enjoy with others' wife or others' daughter or others' sister, who is not bona fide my wife, if I want to enjoy life, that illicit sex... Kṛṣṇa is not doing that. But artificially, those who have nonsense, they see that "Kṛṣṇa is dancing at dead of night with others' daughters and girls. Therefore He is immoral." But that means he does not know what is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa can do anything. Tejīyasaṁ na doṣāya. Tejīyasaṁ na doṣāya (SB 10.33.29). Just like the sun is very powerful. As you see in this material world, a sun, a material thing, and it is very powerful, but the sun is soaking water, taking water from the sea as well as from filthy place. So he is also evaporating water from urine also. In filthy place, sewer ditches, he is evaporating water, as well as from the sea. But does it mean by evaporating water from the sewer ditch and urine, the sun is becoming polluted? No. Rather, he is turning that place, what is called, prophylactic, antiseptic, by his sunshine. Similarly, even though somebody comes to Kṛṣṇa with some purpose which is not moral, but the man or woman who comes there, he becomes, he or she becomes purified. And Kṛṣṇa does not become immoral. This science has to be known by the rascals before calling Kṛṣṇa immoral.

Lecture on BG 2.10 -- London, August 16, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa is perfect brahmacārī. Dhīra. Dhīra means one who is not agitated even there is cause of being agitated. So Kṛṣṇa is such a brahmacārī. In spite of in His just on the verge of youthhood at the age of 15, 16, years, all the village girls were friends, they were very much attracted with Kṛṣṇa's beauty. They used to come to Kṛṣṇa for dancing in the village. But He was brahmacārī. You will never hear that Kṛṣṇa had some illicit sex. No. There was no such thing description. The dancing is description, but no contraceptive pill. No. That is no described here. Therefore He is Hṛṣīkeśa. Hṛṣīkeśa means perfect brahmacārī. Vikāra-hetu, even there is cause of being agitated, He is not agitated. That is Kṛṣṇa. He has got thousands and thousands of devotees, and some of the devotees, if they want Kṛṣṇa as lover, Kṛṣṇa accepts that, but He does not require anyone else. He does not require. He is self-sufficient. He does not require anyone's help for His sense gratification. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is Hṛṣīkeśa, the master of the senses.

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- London, August 21, 1973:

The aim is how to become happy here. And that is not possible. These rascals they cannot understand. If you want to become happy, then you must come to Kṛṣṇa. Mām upetya tu kaunteya duḥkhālayam aśāśvataṁ nāpnuvanti (BG 8.15). Kṛṣṇa says, "If somebody comes to Me, then he does not again get this place which is full of miseries," duḥkhālayam. This material world is explained by Kṛṣṇa as duḥkhālayam. Ālayam means place, and duḥkha means distress. Everything is distressful here, but fools being illusioned, covered by the illusory māyā, that distress he accepts as happiness. That is māyā. It is not at all happiness. A man is working whole day and night, and because he's getting some paper where it is written, "We trust in God. Take this paper, hundred dollars. I cheat you." Is it not? "We trust in God. I promise to pay you. Take this paper now. Not even one cent worth. It is written there hundred dollars." So I am thinking I am very happy: "Now I have got this paper." That's all. Cheaters and cheated. This is going on.

Lecture on BG 4.10 -- Bombay, March 30, 1974:

Tapasya. Here it is said, jñāna-tapasā pūtāḥ, purified. Jñāna, knowledge, and tapasya. Then he's purified. Not that "You can do whatever you like. It has nothing to do with the religion." There are so many rascals" program. "You can eat anything. You can do anything, and still you become a Vedantist." This kind of rascal Vedantists are going on. But here it is said by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, jñāna-tapasā. Jñāna-tapasā pūtā mad-bhāvam. Without knowledge, without tapasya, you cannot make any spiritual progress. Not by simple words. That is not possible. Because in the previous verse it has been said that janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). So how one can come to Kṛṣṇa? Mām eti. That is being described. Vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhāḥ. Vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhā man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ (BG 4.10). Mām upāśritāḥ, to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. To become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, to become Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- Bombay, March 31, 1974:

So everyone is seeking for happiness, but they are misled. Although they are trying to approach Kṛṣṇa, they are misled. One can directly come to Kṛṣṇa, but they do not want. They indirectly. So indirectly and directly, everyone is seeking Kṛṣṇa. Mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is stated that

vadanti tat tattva-vidas

tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam

brahmeti paramātmeti

bhagavān iti śabdyate

(SB 1.2.11)

The Absolute Truth, tattva, that is tattva. Vadanti tat tattva-vidaḥ. Who can speak of tattva unless one is completely conversant with the tattva? Tattva means truth. So vadanti tat tattva-vidaḥ. Those who are conversant with the Absolute Truth, they say. What do they say? Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam (SB 1.2.11). The Absolute Knowledge without any duality, advayam.

Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Johannesburg, October 19, 1975:

Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). God is ānandamaya, always full of pleasure. You will see Kṛṣṇa's picture. Just see so many pictures—ānandamaya. He is sitting down on a small rock and enjoying the association of the small animals. Just see. They are also coming to Kṛṣṇa. Simply by touching Him, they are feeling blissfulness. And Kṛṣṇa also embracing, "Yes, come on." So this is ānandamaya. Both of them are enjoying. Kṛṣṇa as a child in the lap of mother Yaśodā—enjoying. Then Kṛṣṇa as a friend of Rādhārāṇī, He's enjoying. So you'll find always Kṛṣṇa enjoying. This is Vṛndāvana.

Lecture on BG 4.24-34 -- New York, August 12, 1966:

So we, if we are intelligent enough, then we should consider that "If I have to do this job after many, many births—I am getting myself to very much experience—and Lord Kṛṣṇa says that this is the last point of knowledge, why not accept it immediately? Why not accept immediately? If I have to come to Kṛṣṇa at the last stage of mature knowledge and I surrender unto Him, then why should I wait for many births? Why should I wait for many births? Let me surrender unto me (Him)."

Lecture on BG 4.34-38 -- New York, August 17, 1966:

Therefore knowledge, we must seek knowledge. And the perfection of knowledge, as we have several times explained in this meeting, the perfection of knowledge is to understand Kṛṣṇa. That's all. As in the Seventh Chapter you'll find, that, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). Now, after culturing many, many births knowledge, one comes to Kṛṣṇa and he understands, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa is everything, all causes of causes. He's the cause of all causes. Always remember. When I speak of Kṛṣṇa, He's God. God. God is the cause of all causes.

Lecture on BG 6.32-40 -- New York, September 14, 1966:

Suppose I have got ten dollars, and if you ask, "Oh, give me all these ten dollars," oh, I shall ten times think before renouncing these ten dollars. But Kṛṣṇa, He is the proprietor of all riches, but He can renounce anything. So these are the definition of bhagavān. Here it is, the bhagavān word is, used; therefore I give you a little definition of bhagavān. So bhagavān uvāca. Now, because He is complete in knowledge, therefore His instruction is valuable. Our knowledge is not complete. Now, we are taking knowledge from Bhagavad-gītā, from bhagavān, but there is no history that Kṛṣṇa had this knowledge from any spiritual master. No. He had not to go because He is complete. There was no need of Kṛṣṇa for going to any spiritual... Arjuna has come to Kṛṣṇa for knowledge because He is complete always.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1968:

Material disease is just like the tail of the dog. You see. The dog's tail is like this. And however oil it and try to make it straight, it comes like this. (laughter) You see. So these people, they want material enjoyment. "If Swamiji can offer us material enjoyment cheaply by some mantra," they'll come. You see. "When Swamiji says 'This is all rascaldom; come to Kṛṣṇa,' this is not good. This is not good." Because he wants to keep the tail like this. However apply ointment, it comes like this. (laughter) This is the disease. They want material things. That's all. "If by mantra, if by some tricks, we can enhance our material enjoyment, oh, it is very nice. Let us take some drug and become in the fools' paradise and think, 'Oh, I am in the spiritual world.' " They want like this. They want to remain in fools' paradise. But when we offer real paradise, they reject.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bombay, December 20, 1975:

We have to approach. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). We have to approach a superior person, guru, and take knowledge from him. The most superior person is Kṛṣṇa. You may doubt others, that may be, but when you come to Kṛṣṇa, that is perfect knowledge. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1).

Lecture on BG 7.4-5 -- Bombay, March 30, 1971:

So if we think over all these material objects, then actually, at the end we come to the platform of spirit soul. And the spirit soul, being part and parcel of the Supreme Soul, Kṛṣṇa, then ultimately you come to Kṛṣṇa. As such, Kṛṣṇa is the origin of everything—janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1)—both material and spiritual. There are different kinds of energies of Kṛṣṇa. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). This material energy is one of them. It is called external energy. Just like my body, your body is external energy, similarly, the whole material manifestation, cosmic manifestation, is manifestation of the external energy of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 9.3 -- Toronto, June 20, 1976:

Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). These four things. Very, very easy to do it. It is universal. There is no restriction. It is not that "I am not a brāhmaṇa, I am not an Indian, I am not a Sanskrit scholar, I cannot go to the temple." No, that is not. Kṛṣṇa says, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Never mind whether he is Indian, brāhmaṇa or this or that. Even if he's born in the lowest, lowest grade of family, pāpa-yoni. They are kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ (SB 2.4.18), there are so many. They're pāpa-yoni, almost animal. Śudhyanti, they also become purified and comes to Kṛṣṇa. It is so wide, universal, easy and especially you are Indian, why you should not take advantage of this facility. You take it and be happy. That is my request.

Lecture on BG 9.10 -- Calcutta, June 29, 1973:

Just like I am person. You are also person. You may be bigger in quality, in opulence, than me. And somebody else may bigger, may be bigger than you. Somebody else bigger than him. So similarly you go on, searching after who is the biggest? Then you come to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is person. Simply go on searching. As we search. Here is a big man, and here is a bigger man. Here is another biggest man. So go on, go on, you go up to Brahmā. Then after Brahmā, Brahmā is also not the ultimate. Because from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam we understand: tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye (SB 1.1.1). Ādi-kavaye. Ādi-kavi (means) is Brahmā. Brahmā is also educated by superior person. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ. Brahmā is also educated. He's not self-sufficient. He gets education from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa haite catur-mukha. So in this way, if we try to find out, if we'll find out, if we are actually sincere to find out the ultimate source of everything, then you will come to Kṛṣṇa. Which is confirmed by Kṛṣṇa: ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8). Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). Kṛṣṇa says this. And we have to take it. With intelligence, with good brain. Otherwise, we cannot understand. Therefore those who are less intelligent, foolish rascals, they cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. Because they cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, they do not take to Kṛṣṇa. They do not surrender to Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 9.11 -- Calcutta, June 30, 1973:

You can become God, I can become God, He can become God, but Supreme God is Kṛṣṇa. If we accept that we are all gods... But still, there is distinction. Here is male god, here is female god, here is child god, here is an educated god, here is a foolish god. If we are all gods, then we have to qualify these gods in this way. There are differentiations from one god to another. That means one god is superior than another god. That you have to accept. So in this way, if you go on making progress, who is the best God, then you come to Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ. So the param, paraṁ brahma, impersonal they say. No. Vigraha, person, just like you and me, person. But they cannot imagine how a person can become so powerful, as in the previous verse it is said, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). A person is directing.

Lecture on BG 13.26 -- Delhi, September 22, 1974:

Just like in that story, the old brāhmaṇa and the young brāhmaṇa, Sākṣi-gopāla. Sākṣi-gopāla. So the young man came to Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana, "Sir, You have to go to give witness because the old man is not keeping his promise." So Kṛṣṇa said to the young devotee that "How you are proposing that I shall go? Can a stone Deity, He can walk? Do you think?" He said, "Yes, if the stone Deity can speak, He can walk also." (laughter) So devotee is so strong. So Kṛṣṇa had to... "Yes, I'll go." First of all, He wanted to avoid. Then when He saw that "He's not ordinary devotee," He said, "All right, I'll go." So He came from Vṛndāvana to Kataka.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Los Angeles, August 15, 1972:

So some way or other, we should come in contact with Kṛṣṇa. Some way or other. Then we'll be purified. Kāmād bhayād dveṣyāt. Just like the gopīs... The gopīs came to Kṛṣṇa being captivated by His beautiful features. They were young girls, and Kṛṣṇa was so beautiful. So actually, they came to Kṛṣṇa being lusty, but Kṛṣṇa is so pure that they became first-class devotees. There is no comparison of their devotion. Because they loved Kṛṣṇa with heart and soul. That is the qualification. That is the qualification. They loved so much Kṛṣṇa that they didn't care for family, for reputation. When they were going at dead of night... Kṛṣṇa's flute was there, and they were all fleeing. Their father, their brother, their husband: "Where you are going? Where you are going in this dead of night?" They didn't care. They neglected their children, their family, everything: "We must go to Kṛṣṇa." So this is required.

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

So this mumukṣavo ghora-rūpān, we don't advise that you..., either you worship Kālī, or either you worship Śiva, either you worship... Oh, it is all the same. yata mata tata patha. We don't speak all this nonsense. We simply say, "Come to Kṛṣṇa. Then you'll be saved."

Lecture on SB 1.3.13 -- Los Angeles, September 18, 1972:

You'll find rāsa-līlā, Kṛṣṇa was dancing with so many young girls, but you won't find there was any sex relation. There was nothing like that. So that is dhīra. They were devotees, gopīs. They used to come to Kṛṣṇa. But there is no such thing written, as pregnancy and abortion. No, nothing of the sort. That is called dhīra, that in spite of presence of the cause of disturbance... The gopīs came to Kṛṣṇa because He was very beautiful young boy. Actually they were attracted by His beauty. That is stated, kāmāt. They came as a lust. But when they came to Kṛṣṇa, they became purified. That is dhīra. Kṛṣṇa was kind enough. The gopīs, they wanted Kṛṣṇa, to associate with Him. So Kṛṣṇa gave them chance, "Yes, come on." The gopīs wanted Kṛṣṇa as husband. They made tapasya, austerity, to have Kṛṣṇa as husband. But at that time Kṛṣṇa was... The gopīs and Kṛṣṇa were of the same age.

Lecture on SB 1.3.23 -- Los Angeles, September 28, 1972:

Happiness can be attained when you come to God—because you are part and parcel of God. The same example. A little child is crying. Nobody could pacify it. As soon as the child is put on the breast of the mother, immediately happy. Because the child is the part and parcel of the mother. And immediately he understands that "Now I have come to safe, my mother." Immediately happy. This is practical. Similarly, we are all part and parcel of God, Viṣṇu. So unless we come to Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu—Kṛṣṇa is Viṣṇu there is no happiness. It is not possible. It is not possible. But the rascals, they do not know. They are trying to become happy by so-called scientific advancement. What is this science? Ātyantika-duḥkha-nivṛtti. The aim of life is to come to the platform of happiness, where there is no distress at all, simply happiness. That is our aim. There cannot be any distress. Only happiness. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12).

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

Brahmā is ādi-kavi. In this material world, in this universe, ādi-kavi. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye (SB 1.1.1). So he's the ādi, original, first created being. Then who is his ādi? Wherefrom Brahmā is coming? That is Kṛṣṇa. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye. So in this way, when you come to Kṛṣṇa... Brahmā is coming from Viṣṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. Svayambhū. He's born of the lotus flower. That Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu is coming from Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. And Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu is coming from Saṅkarṣaṇa. Saṅkarṣaṇa is coming from Aniruddha; Aniruddha from Pradyumna, like that. Ultimately-Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is ādyam. And Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). There is no more. So that is God. You go on researching, researching, ādyam, ādyam, ādyam—when you come to a point, there is no more ādyam, that is God.

Lecture on SB 1.8.32 -- Mayapura, October 12, 1974:

Why mother Yaśodā was trying to bind Kṛṣṇa? Because He disrupted the process of service of mother Yaśodā to Kṛṣṇa. That is... Mother Yaśodā tried that "You have broken the butter, and You have distributed to the monkeys, You rascal. Then how You will live? I kept the butter for You so that You will eat and You'll become fatty. And You have broken that, and You have distributed the butter to the monkeys, so You must be punished." So the aim is to serve Kṛṣṇa, not that Yaśodā is thinking, "My butter is spoiled by this child. Therefore He should be punished." He (she) is anxious to see that "Kṛṣṇa may not starve for want of butter. He's child. He does not know. He has distributed the butter to the monkeys." But Kṛṣṇa knows that "These monkeys are not ordinary monkeys." Those monkeys, they have taken birth in Vṛndāvana and come to Kṛṣṇa. Do you think they're ordinary monkeys? They're devotees. They're devotees. They're playing as monkey for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction. These are the intricate meanings of understanding Kṛṣṇa's līlā. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9).

Lecture on SB 1.9.40 -- New York, May 22, 1973:

Generally, they worship God, needy ārtaḥ arthārthī. Ārtaḥ means diseased, arthārthī means in need of money. People generally go to church (or) temple when they are suffering from some ailments or need of money, these two classes. Another two classes, jijñāsuḥ jñānī. Jñānī means who is after pure knowledge and jijñāsuḥ means inquisitive—what is the nature of God. These are, they are higher section but they are not bhaktas. Just like there are many philosophers, they also talk of God, but they are not bhaktas. But because they are talking of God, they are getting some benefit. Just like if you handle with fire, you perceive some warmth automatically. So these four classes of man they are not bhaktas, devotees, ārtaḥ, arthārthī, jñānī, and jijñāsuḥ. But because they come to Kṛṣṇa for some benefit, somehow or other they offer their service, because praying is also another service. There are nine kinds of services: śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam, arcanaṁ vandanam (SB 7.5.23). Vandanam, this is also service. But because this service is rendered for some motive to mitigate the sufferings, ārtaḥ arthārthi, or to satisfy some inquires, they are not pure devotion.

Lecture on SB 1.9.40 -- New York, May 22, 1973:

Just like if you love somebody, what he is, is he rich man, poor man, educated or non-educated? There is no consideration. Love has no such thing, consideration. Similarly, gopīs' love for Kṛṣṇa was pure. There was no consideration that Kṛṣṇa was God, therefore they wanted to dance with Him. No, Kṛṣṇa wanted to dance with them, therefore they came to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is now calling by the vibration of His flute at this dead of night. So, all these young girls, they are all married—some of them are mothers—so immediately (they) left their home. That is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Some of them were cooking, some of them were feeding, breast-feeding the children, some of them were feeding the husband or the father. In this way everyone was engaged, but as soon as Kṛṣṇa's flute was heard at dead of night, they left home immediately. All the guardians. Generally in India for young girls, the guardians are the father, the husband, the brother, all male members they forbid, "Where you are going? Where you are...?" Nobody cares. No love for so-called children, no love for home, no love for brother, father or no respect. Kṛṣṇa. That is gopīs' super-excellence. So that is being explained, and Bhīṣmadeva, at the point of his death, he is relishing. These are to be learned. Unless we are practiced to think of Kṛṣṇa always, how at the time of death we can think of Him?

Lecture on SB 1.15.36 -- Los Angeles, December 14, 1973:

The is description of the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Person. Because it is said, tasya. Tasya means He's a person. So what kind of person? Like me? Whole day working, for money? No. Na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vid... He has nothing to do. See here. Kṛṣṇa has nothing to do. Simply He is enjoying, playing on flute and enjoying with Rādhārāṇī. That's all. He hasn't got to go to office, to the factory. (laughter) He hasn't got. He is simply to enjoy. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). And we also take, imitate that enjoyment. We also want to mix, young boys and girls, dance together. Because we imitate Kṛṣṇa. The same thing is there. With gopīs Kṛṣṇa is dancing. Here also we are dancing, in nightclub, and this club, that club. But that will not give you satisfaction, because it is imitation. If you want real dancing, come to Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted.

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

So we should know, whenever there is sanction in the śāstra for meat-eating, for sex intercourse, or for drinking, it is not for encouraging; it is for prohibiting, restricting. So the next question should (be), "Why it is restricted?" Restricted means so long you'll be addicted to this habit, you'll have to accept a body. So one who cannot stop it immediately, he's restricted. "All right, you want to do it. All right. Go to this demigod." That is the list. If you want this, all right, go to this demigod." Means somehow or other, this lusty person is being brought before a demigod to understand that this is not good. This is implicating. Therefore it is said akāma. If you become completely free from all material desires, or if you want that position, then come to Kṛṣṇa. No other demigod. If you actually want freedom from this material bondage, then Kṛṣṇa...

Lecture on SB 3.25.19 -- Bombay, November 19, 1974:

Those who are engaged twenty-four hours with love and faith in devotional service. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam, dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ tam. The buddhi-yogam. He directs, "Do like this, do like that." Then... What for buddhi? Yena mām upayānti te. Then, gradually, you come to Kṛṣṇa, back to home, back to Godhead. Therefore it is recommended here, na yujyamānayā bhaktyā bhagavaty akhilātmani, sadṛśo 'sti śivaḥ panthā. Śiva means auspicious. Śiva means auspiciousness. So if you actually interested for self-realization, if you want to become perfect in this life, śivaḥ panthā, the most auspicious, most perfect panthā is... What is that? Now, bhaktyā bhagavati. You just become a devotee and engage yourself in devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Not the so-called rascal Bhagavān, but bhagavaty akhilātman. One, the..., that Bhagavān who is present everywhere. That Bhagavān. Not this false bhagavān. Akhilātmani. These are the shastric injunction.

Lecture on SB 3.25.25 -- Bombay, November 25, 1974:

One who has got background, pious life, not impious life, sinful life, such pious men, out of them, four classes of men, catur-vidhāḥ, they come to devotional life, begins. Who are they? Ārtaḥ, those who are distress; Ārtaḥ arthārthī, those who want some money; jijñāsuḥ, those who are inquisitive; and jñānī. So ārto arthārthī, they are in the lower grade. And jñānī and jijñāsuḥ, they are in the higher grade. But still, they are not pure devotee, because they want something. Ārtaḥ, the distressed, he comes to Kṛṣṇa in the temple or in the church to beg something, material profit. That is also good because he has come to Kṛṣṇa. "Kṛṣṇa, I am distressed. Kindly save me from this distressed condition." "Kṛṣṇa, I require some money. Kindly, if You give me some money, I can live very peacefully." Generally. So because they have come to Kṛṣṇa, therefore they are called sukṛtinaḥ. Sukṛtinaḥ means pious. And there are others, who are duṣkṛtina, impious, sinful. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). They are not even human being who do not accept the authority of the Supreme Lord. Duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ. And they have been described as mūḍhāḥ. Mūḍha means rascal, foolish. Real meaning of mūḍha is ass. So those who are like that, duṣkṛtinaḥ, and full of impious activities, narādhamāḥ, lowest of the mankind, māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ, whose knowledge has been taken away by the illusory energy, na māṁ prapadyante, they do not accept Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

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

So if you want to be guided by somebody, he must have opened eyes. Tattva-darśinaḥ, upadekṣyanti tad jñānaṁ tad jñānī tattva-darśinaḥ. Darśana. Darśana means who have got eyes to see what is the absolute truth. Don't go to a blind man, who has no knowledge about the absolute truth. The absolute truth is there, Kṛṣṇa. The sun is there, everyone can see. Sun is not hiding but I am hiding. I am closing my door, how can I see sun? Come to the field, open to the sun and you will see sun. There is sun, there is light. Similarly God is there, Kṛṣṇa. You come to Kṛṣṇa. Take His lesson, Bhagavad-gītā, you will learn what is God.

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

By the desire of Kṛṣṇa we are doing different parts, but Kṛṣṇa is the original master, and He is also origin of the Saṅkarṣaṇa. And Saṅkarṣaṇa origin is of the puruṣa-avatāra, Mahā-Viṣṇu. And Mahā-Viṣṇu is the avatāra, is the origin, of these universes. In this way, if you try to find out the original cause, the cause of all causes, then you come to Kṛṣṇa: sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1), cause of all causes.

Lecture on SB 3.26.29 -- Bombay, January 6, 1975:

So ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ. Kṛṣṇa is enjoying, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1), by expanding His ānanda-cinmaya-rasa, transcendental bliss and spiritual, cinmaya, not material. And so unless we do not know the difference between the material and spiritual, we should not try to understand Kṛṣṇa's pleasure potency. If we try to understand Kṛṣṇa's pleasure potencies, then we will misunderstand that "Kṛṣṇa is also like us. He is enjoying amongst the young girls. Let us imitate it." That is falldown. Yes. That is called sahajiyā. But Kṛṣṇa's this enjoyment is not material. They are all spiritual. They are explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that when the gopīs came to Kṛṣṇa, they came in their spiritual body. The material body was lying down with their husband. The husband could not know that "My wife has gone to Kṛṣṇa." These are explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Boston, May 4, 1968:

Guest (4): Is this Kṛṣṇa in this painting here? Right here. No, no, the next one.

Prabhupāda: He is Kṛṣṇa. Yes. He's loving the calf.

Guest (4): It is a calf?

Prabhupāda: Yes. The calf has come to Kṛṣṇa like this, and He is embracing: "Yes, come on." You... Just see. The calf has no education, no knowledge...

Lecture on SB 5.5.23 -- Vrndavana, November 10, 1976:

Those who are engaged in bhajana never think of their poverty. No. They are not poor. Otherwise, if Sudāmā Vipra, externally he looked very poor, lean and thin, not very nice cloth... Kṛṣṇa is: "My dear friend, sit down here." He brought water, washed the feet, just respectable person, guru, brāhmaṇa. This is etiquette. Kṛṣṇa is showing personally. He is the king. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He also respects a brāhmaṇa. When Nārada used to come to Kṛṣṇa, immediately He would get down from the seat and offer obeisances, and Nārada was smiling, "Just see Kṛṣṇa's līlā."

Lecture on SB 5.5.27 -- Vrndavana, November 14, 1976:

Mind and the indriyas combined together, we are trying to be happy in this material world, but there is no happiness, simply struggling. Prakṛti-sthāni karṣati. Puruṣaḥ prakṛti-stho bhuṇkte prakṛti-jān guṇān. He is put into this prakṛti, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ buddhi, bhinnā me prakṛtir aṣṭadhā (BG 7.4). So we are put into this prakṛti. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ buddhi mano. These are material. There is also mana. Mind is subtle matter; it is not spirit. So in this way, separated energy and the jīva, the living entity, although he is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, he wanted to enjoy life separately or independently without Kṛṣṇa, and that is called material world, struggle for existence. Without Kṛṣṇa. Therefore he has to come to Kṛṣṇa if he wants to stop his struggle for existence with mind and senses, then he must come to Kṛṣṇa. That is the natural position.

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

Lakṣmī, goddess of fortune, she simply engaged herself in massaging the lotus feet of Viṣṇu. Pāda-sevanam. Arcanam: Pṛthu Mahārāja, he engaged himself in the arcana. Vandanaṁ. Dāsyam: Hanumān. Akrūra, Akrūra, he simply offered prayers to Kṛṣṇa. Akrūra came to Kṛṣṇa Balarāma to take Them to Mathurā. So he got salvation simply by offering prayers. Vandanaṁ dāsyam. Hanumān, he simply offered his bodily service to Lord Rāmacandra. He got perfection. So śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam, arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ sakhyam... Arjuna. Arjuna simply kept friendship with Kṛṣṇa. He got perfection. Sakhyam.

Lecture on SB 6.1.21 -- Chicago, July 5, 1975:

So these are the different stages, how to become a brāhmaṇa. Śamaḥ damaḥ, then satyam, truthful. Truthful means in one sense ordinary truthful. But real truthful means to know the Absolute Truth. Absolute Truth. So that Absolute Truth, who is Absolute Truth? Kṛṣṇa. We are searching after truth, what is the truth, what is the relative truth. But when you come to Kṛṣṇa, that is Absolute Truth. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1). This is truth. Then what is the cause of this truth? This is the... This is the... Neti, neti. So when you come to Kṛṣṇa, so above Him there is no more truth. Kṛṣṇa has no cause, but He is the cause of everything, sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ, anādiḥ (Bs. 5.1). He has no... People ask generally that "Everything has cause. What is the cause of Kṛṣṇa?" The answer is anādi: "He has no cause." That is God. Anādir ādiḥ: "He is the cause of everyone." Anādir ādir govindaḥ sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1).

Lecture on SB 6.2.3 -- Vrndavana, September 7, 1975:

The demigod worship, there is injunction that "You do this." But for whom? For the less intelligent person. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajanti anya-devatāḥ: (BG 7.20) "Except God, the Supreme Lord, when the other demigod worship is allowed, that is for the person, hṛta-jñānāḥ, one who does not know his ultimate goal of life, for them." But one who is interested to stop the cycle of birth and death, they must come to Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise it is not possible. Hariṁ vinā na mṛtiṁ taranti. Kṛṣṇa, Hari, also says, Kṛṣṇa also says, māṁ ca yo What is that? What is that verse? Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Janma karma me divyam. Kṛṣṇa says that "I appear." Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). "I take birth as the son of Devakī, or I am raised as the son of Mother Yaśodā. So one should understand that ajo 'pi sann avyayātmā: I am aja, I never take birth, but why I come and take birth as a child of Devakī or Yaśodā?" If we simply understand this fact, janma karma me divyaṁ, janati yo tattvataḥ, if anyone understands, then he becomes free from the cycle of birth and death. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9).

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

Just like spiritual master of Bali Mahārāja, he tried to advise his disciple Bali Mahārāja not to give to Viṣṇu. Viṣṇu, as Vāmanadeva, came to ask some alms from the Bali Mahārāja, "Give Me some alms. I want three feet of land." And Śukrācārya prohibited: "He is Viṣṇu. He is asking you three feet of land, but He will take everything from you." So in this way, he was against this charity. And when Bali Mahārāja understood that "For his personal interest, he is going against Viṣṇu," he immediately gave up his connection. Similarly, the gopīs also, they flaunted the social law. At midnight they left their husbands and home and came to Kṛṣṇa. There are so many instances. For Kṛṣṇa's sake they sacrificed everything. They became, I mean to say, social outcaste. They transgressed the laws of the Vedas. But because they did it for Kṛṣṇa, they have been accepted as mahājanas, as authorities.

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

Just like the calf. He came to Kṛṣṇa: "Kṛṣṇa, I want You. That's all." And Kṛṣṇa embraces. That's all. If you simply want Kṛṣṇa, that is all perfection. Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim. If you have simply accepted Kṛṣṇa, there is no need of any more austerities or penances and knowledge. You have taken the real thing. And nārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim. And if you have not come to that stage, to accept Kṛṣṇa, then all your energy wasted in so-called penance and religion and—all spoiled. So if you actually began to love Kṛṣṇa, it is very nice.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Montreal, July 10, 1968:

Just see." There is a picture. Perhaps you have seen. And Viśvamitra is doing like this: "Don't show me anymore. Let me go away." Of course, he was very much advanced. He could go. But this allurement is always there. But Kṛṣṇa is so beautiful and so nice that if you increase your love for Kṛṣṇa, then you have no more any attachment for anything, any beautiful thing of this world. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. Just like Kṛṣṇa and these gopīs. They came to Kṛṣṇa, giving up their all engagements. Some of them were engaged in, I mean to say, loving children, some of them were engaged in serving their husband, or unmarried girls, they were engaged to serving her father, brothers. But as soon as Kṛṣṇa blew His flute, they came, all.

Lecture on SB 7.9.37 -- Mayapur, March 15, 1976:

The Vedic injunction is, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Everyone is conscious of the struggle for existence, but they are not serious enough that "Why this struggle for existence?" That "Why?" required. That is human life. The dog is suffering. He is hungry, he's going to a place for some food, and instead of food, he's getting a stroke by the stick. He barks very... He's disappointed that "I wanted food, but I got the stick." (laughter) "I wanted bread; I got stone." This is going on. This is going on. And therefore, in the human society also, they are also struggling and making plans for economic development so that instead of stone, they can get bread. But the struggle is going on. There is no settlement. That is not possible. That is not possible. Either you go to this country or that country, you accept this "ism" or that "ism," unless you come to Kṛṣṇa, there is no possibility of peace. That is stated, very simple words, in the Bhagavad-gītā, that how to stop this struggle for existence.

Lecture on SB 7.9.53 -- Vrndavana, April 8, 1976:

Just like a naughty boy is doing something. The mother immediately capture and hits(?) him. But Kṛṣṇa does not want to do that, force. No. You do it voluntarily. That is wanted. So we must voluntarily come to Kṛṣṇa. Then He'll been seen. So how we can satisfy Him? He says that "You satisfy Me. You surrender to Me; I'll be satisfied." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣa... (BG 18.66). "Immediately I'll excuse from all reaction of sinful activities." Because He becomes pleased. He wants your surrender. And if you surrender, immediately He becomes pleased. Just like a son might have committed so many offenses to the father, and immediately if he comes, "Father, I have done wrong. Please excuse," immediately becomes... Immediately. That is the relationship of father and son. The father wants that "Somehow or other, if this rascal surrenders to me, I excuse him and immediately give my property to him." This is natural. So we have to surrender. That will please Kṛṣṇa.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1972:

Just like Pūtanā. Pūtanā wanted to kill Kṛṣṇa. That was his, that was her purpose. But when Pūtanā was killed by sucking her breast and life both, then Pūtanā was given the position of Kṛṣṇa's mother. Because Kṛṣṇa took it the bright side. Kṛṣṇa thought that "Whatever her intention may be, she came to Me just like a mother, and I sucked her breast. Therefore she is My mother." She came as enemy, but Kṛṣṇa did not take the inimical side. The motherly side. Tejīyasāṁ na doṣāya (SB 10.33.29). Similarly, the gopīs, they came to Kṛṣṇa out of lust, but out of lust, they became purified. Just like the sun. The sun soaks the water from urinal, but sun is not polluted, but the urinal becomes sterilized. This is the process. So you try to approach Kṛṣṇa, some way or other. Then your life is successful. It doesn't matter. Kāmāt krodhād bhayād dveṣāt.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 9, 1972:

Although the sun and the sunshine are light, illumination, still there is difference between the sun and the sunshine. Similarly, impersonal Brahman effulgence and Vaikuṇṭha planets, both of them, absolute, but still Brahman effulgence and entering into the Vaikuṇṭha planets or Goloka Vṛndāvana planets are not the same. Or, in other words, those are not, those who are not devotees, but impersonalists, they can stay outside the Vaikuṇṭha planets in the Brahman effulgence, but they cannot enter into the Vaikuṇṭha planets. Anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ. Because they have not adored or glorified the lotus feet of the Lord, they are not allowed into the Goloka Vṛndāvana or Vaikuṇṭha planet. And they cannot remain perpetually in the impersonal Brahman effulgence. They come down again to these material varieties. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32). They cannot go upwards. They come, come down. That we have practically seen. All big, big swamis, all Vedantists, but they could not find. Even big, big swamis, they are now taking to Bhāgavata and other Vaiṣṇava literature at the present moment. Because their own literature is finished. How long they'll simply call for Brahman? Unless they come to Kṛṣṇa, there is no varieties of enjoyment.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.6 -- New York, January 8, 1967:

This is the last stage of knowledge, as it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). "After struggling for many, many births to acquire knowledge..." So when one comes to this point—bhavān eva śaraṇam, "You are the ultimate shelter"—that is the perfection of knowledge. Our editor has written very nice article, "Kṛṣṇa, the End of Knowledge." Yes. When you come to Kṛṣṇa point, then everything is knowledge, knowable. Of course, so far our knowledge is concerned... But so far Kṛṣṇa is concerned, He is unlimited. Nobody can know Him. But at least to that point, if we can reach... That is also very difficult. Simply to reach to that point, there are the struggle. So many scholars, so many still, coming to the nearest point, still, they say, "Oh, not Kṛṣṇa, not Kṛṣṇa. It is impersonal. It is impersonal." So this knowledge is acquired by the grace of the Supreme Lord, by the association of pure devotees. Satāṁ prasaṅgāt mama vīrya-saṁvidaḥ, one can attain this qualification. And if some way or other, either by faith or by knowledge or by association or by accident, if one comes to this point, that "Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme, is the ultimate goal," then his life is perfect.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 8 -- Los Angeles, May 11, 1970:

This question was put to Parīkṣit Mahārāja after rasa-līlā that "Kṛṣṇa came to establish the principles of moral and religious life. How He enjoyed the company of so many young girls who were not...? They were wives of other persons. So how it is so?" So the answer was given that Kṛṣṇa cannot be contaminated. Rather, anything comes to Kṛṣṇa, even with contaminated mind, becomes purified. The same example: the sun cannot be contaminated, but anything contaminated, if you put into the sunshine, it becomes purified. So you approach Kṛṣṇa with any desire... Akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā (SB 2.3.10). The gopīs... Of course, that is not this material thing. Still, as young girls, they were captivated by the beauty of Kṛṣṇa. So they approached Kṛṣṇa with a view to accept Him as parmour. But actually, they became purified.

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 11 -- Los Angeles, May 16, 1970:

So avidyāya, if we advance in avidyā, or material science, then we have to repeat this birth and death, birth and... And there is no guarantee where I shall get my next birth. That is not in your hand. You cannot dictate. Now you are happy American, but after quitting this body you cannot dictate, "Please give me again an American body." No. That is not possible. You may get an American body, but you may get the American animal's body. Then you are meant for slaughterhouse. So this material knowledge, this nationalism, this socialism, they are simply spoiling time. Real knowledge is the Vedic knowledge and the knowledge of Kṛṣṇa. That is real knowledge. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyante (BG 7.19). Therefore one who is in real knowledge, after many, many births, he comes to Kṛṣṇa and surrenders unto Him, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti: (BG 7.19) "Vasudeva, Kṛṣṇa, You are everything."

Festival Lectures

Jagannatha Deities Installation Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.13-14 -- San Francisco, March 23, 1967:

Just like we are interested with Kṛṣṇa. Here is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa's form is there, Kṛṣṇa's color is there, Kṛṣṇa's helmet is there, Kṛṣṇa's advice is there, Kṛṣṇa's instruction is there, Kṛṣṇa's sound is there—everything Kṛṣṇa. Everything Kṛṣṇa. There is no difficulty. But if you turn your attention to the impersonal and to the Supersoul, it is very difficult. It is very difficult. You cannot fix your attention to the impersonal. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that kleśo 'dhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām: (BG 12.5) "Those who are attached to the impersonal feature of the Absolute Truth, their business is very troublesome, very troublesome," not like that, chanting, dancing and eating. Oh, it is very nice. That is very troublesome-speculate, "This is not, this is not. This is not Brahman. This is not Brahman." Go on. And the result is also achieved—by working so hard for many, many lives you'll have to come to Kṛṣṇa.

General Lectures

Lecture Excerpt -- New York, April 12, 1969:

That has been searched in Vedic literature by Lord Brahma, and he said, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1): "We have searched out all types of gods, all types of gods, but the Supreme God is Kṛṣṇa." "Everyone is God," that's nice. But there is bigger God and little God also. So if you go on searching after bigger God, bigger God, bigger God, when you come to Kṛṣṇa you'll find nobody bigger than Him. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Mattaḥ parataraṁ nasti. In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find, Kṛṣṇa said that "Nobody is greater than Me." And actually when Kṛṣṇa was present on this earth, there was no contemporary who was greater than Kṛṣṇa. Neither even at the present moment, there is anyone who can claim that "I am greater than Kṛṣṇa." In opulence... Greatness in six kinds of opulences: in richness, in reputation, in strength, in beauty, in wisdom, and in renunciation. If you analyze, you'll find nobody is greater than Kṛṣṇa even in material richness.

Lecture -- London, September 14, 1969:

Kṛṣṇa gives you assurance, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: (BG 18.66) "I shall give you liberation from all sorts of sinful reaction of your life." Then immediately I will come to Kṛṣṇa. Of course, it does not mean that anyone who comes to Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa's representative, he has finished all the reaction of his past sinful activities. That is not possible. Everyone is full with the result of his past sinful... Here in the material world, whatever you do, it is more or less all sinful activities. So therefore, our life is always full with sinful activity. So when you surrender to Kṛṣṇa through his transparent via media, not that immediately your sinful activities are stopped, but because you surrendered to the Supreme, He absorbs your sinful activities. He makes you free. But you should be conscious that "I shall not commit any more." Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when He accepted Jagāi-Mādhāi, great sinful brothers, He simply asked them, "You simply promise that 'Henceforward we shall not commit any sinful activities.' Whatever you have done I am taking. I am absorbed." That is the process.

Lecture -- Gorakhpur, February 18, 1971:

Just to remind us. Not only he has given us Vedas and Purāṇas to remind us that "Your position is different than you are thinking. You are thinking that you are a material product. That is illusion. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. You are brahma-vastu. You are part and parcel of Brahman..." Therefore there are so many literatures-vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15)—just to draw your attention to come to Kṛṣṇa. Just to draw your attention, that "You are My part and parcel. You are My eternal son. Why you are rotting in this miserable condition of life, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9)?" Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Therefore Kṛṣṇa's advice is give up all nonsense engagement; simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167). Just try to understand Kṛṣṇa favorably, not like Kaṁsa or so-called scholars, but with natural affection for Kṛṣṇa. Then you'll be happy. That is our program.

Lecture Engagement at Birla House -- Bombay, December 17, 1975:

That is successful. If one can understand Kṛṣṇa, about His activities, why He comes, He explains, yadā yadā hi dharmasya (BG 4.7), (break) ...change this body. But we do not know what kind of body I am going to get. These information are there. But any kind of body you get, even in the higher planetary system as demigod, ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16), that is not good. The best thing is you get a body, a spiritual body, like Kṛṣṇa, sat-cit-ānanda-vigraha. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti... (BG 4.9). Then you haven't got to accept any more this material body. Then what happens to me? Mām eti, you come to Kṛṣṇa and enjoy with Him. That is success of life.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant:

Śyāmasundara: He says that phenomena are so endless that it is impossible to arrive at ultimate reality by the reason alone, because there are certain what he calls transcendental illusions.

Prabhupāda: Therefore you have to take Kṛṣṇa's assertion. I am puzzled with these varieties of phenomenal changes, and you cannot understand how these things are being done. But as soon as you come to Kṛṣṇa, He says that "I am behind this. I am doing it." Then your conclusion is perfect.

Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is called philosophy. That inquisitiveness is called philosophy. Cause of the cause: this is caused by this; what is the cause of this? Unless he comes to the final cause, this research goes on. That is the nature of advanced mind. They are called munis, those who are very thoughtful. So that is the nature of greater mind, mahātmā, to find out the ultimate cause. That is human nature. Therefore, athāto brahma jijñāsā. The Vedānta-sūtra says this jijñāsā, inquiry, "What is after this? What is after this? What is brāhmaṇas? What is Brahman? This is not Brahman. This is not Brahman..." The next answer is that "Brahman means janmādy asya (SB 1.1.1), the supreme source from where everything emanates." So unless he goes to the supreme source, he is not satisfied. So those who are going by mental speculation, they come to that impersonal feature. Then, if he makes further advancement, just like in Īśopaniṣad, that "You wind up Your glaring impersonal feature so that we can see You brightly." So this glaring impersonal Brahman, if you go, penetrate, again through this impersonal Brahman, when you come to Kṛṣṇa, then you will be satisfied. That is explained in Bhagavad-gītā. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante: (BG 7.19) after researching in this way, speculating, researching and researching and researching, bahūnāṁ janmanām, birth after birth, and when he comes to the conclusion that Kṛṣṇa is the cause of all causes, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti, sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (BG 7.19), that mahātmā is rare.

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Prabhupāda: So, that means he wants to arrive at the absolute, that there is no duality. That is Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa. Because Kṛṣṇa says that His mission is to protect the devotees, paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). And killing the demons. Kṛṣṇa actually did it. Just like He killed the Pūtanā, the great giant Pūtanā. Superficially he killed, but she got salvation exactly like His mother. Kṛṣṇa gave Pūtanā a position like His mother Yaśodā. Then, what is the difference between loving Yaśodā and killing Pūtanā? Because He is absolute, whatever He does, it is good. God is good. So superficially you may see, "Now God is doing bad," but it is not bad, it is good. Therefore two opposing, viruddhatta samanvaya(?), the Sanskrit word is viruddhata samanvaya(?). Coinciding two opposing elements, and that He can do. Therefore if he comes to Kṛṣṇa, he becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, he surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, then his philosophical aim will be fulfilled.

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Śyāmasundara: Art is the expression of the spirit in sensuous form.

Prabhupāda: That is there. We are worshiping Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, there is love of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, but that is sensuous, sensual. The gopīs are coming to Kṛṣṇa, lusty. Kṛṣṇa is beautiful, they are attracted. So these are there: sensuous, beautiful, art.

Śyāmasundara: What about a tree? We say a tree is the artful display of absolute.

Prabhupāda: Yes, tree, tree is also art. Because in a place, if you find so many green trees to (indistinct) nice. And in a barren land, in a desert, you don't think nice. Therefore there is art.

Philosophy Discussion on William James:

Prabhupāda: Of course, to reach the Kṛṣṇa consciousness platform the process is not man-made.

Śyāmasundara: No.

Prabhupāda: The process is also God-made. Just like Kṛṣṇa said that, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is the process. This is not man-made; this is God-made. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). This is God-made. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā mām eva ye prapadyante (BG 7.14). This is God-made. So to come to Kṛṣṇa conscious platform also, you have to follow the God-made method, not your method. You cannot give any definition.

Philosophy Discussion on Jacques Maritain:

Śyāmasundara: His idea is that because he comes from a Christian background, where there is no...

Prabhupāda: Under some background he is speaking of conscience. But I say there are different consciences according to different backgrounds. So unless one comes to Kṛṣṇa background, his conscience has no value. That is our...

Śyāmasundara: Yes. He says that the speculative faculty is intelligence, that we can understand...

Prabhupāda: Then he is also speculating. Just like the butcher killing, he is also speculating, "What is the wrong there? Why people are protesting?" That is also speculating. But because his background is different, his conscience does not help him.

Philosophy Discussion on Bertrand Russell:

Prabhupāda: Fire, the same example: fire you touch in any way, it will act. So in that way, Kṛṣṇa does not become polluted. Even superficially it appears to be wrong, the gopīs were others' wives, but because He is Kṛṣṇa, He cannot be polluted. The example is given, just like the sun. The sun absorbs water from urinal, so that place where you pass urine, that becomes sterilized, purified, but sun does not become impure. Similarly, you may go with Kṛṣṇa, even with lust, it doesn't matter, but because you come to Kṛṣṇa, you become purified. And Kṛṣṇa remains pure always. So those who do not know this science, they think, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is being (indistinct)." Kṛṣṇa is not being (indistinct), Kṛṣṇa is giving chance to everyone, "You come to Me, anyway, I give you protection." This is all. Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). That is Vaiṣṇava. Even if you are sinful... For a married woman who goes to another man, it is sinful, but because they are going to Kṛṣṇa, so Kṛṣṇa makes them pure, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. Therefore the transgression, according to the, if you are sinful, becomes purified in touch with Kṛṣṇa. As the example is very nice, (indistinct). Yan-nāma-śruti-mātreṇa pumān bhavati nirmalaḥ: simply by chanting Kṛṣṇa's name one becomes purified.

Philosophy Discussion on Bertrand Russell:

Indian man: By His beauty. Not that they realized that He is God and...

Prabhupāda: No. The Vṛndāvana, they did not know Kṛṣṇa, even Yaśodā-mayī did not know that He is God. Otherwise, how the transaction of pleasure will be done, if they knew that He is God? Then they could not show, I mean to say, freely mix with Kṛṣṇa. They did not know that Kṛṣṇa is God. "Kṛṣṇa is our friend, boy friend." They're all neighborhood children. From childhood they are grown up, and the girls, when they are twelve, thirteen years old, they're married. So Kṛṣṇa was not married. (indistinct) wait up to twenty years. But the girl friends, so they are coming to Kṛṣṇa, they could not forget Kṛṣṇa. And they wanted to serve their husbands, but it was not possible. Because in our India, twelve-years-old boy, they got married. But a girl, twelve years, thirteen years, she is (indistinct) young. But the girls had love for Kṛṣṇa, but they are married—some of them had children—but still, they used to come to Kṛṣṇa due to old friendship. That is a fact. But this kind of friendship is not allowed in the society. Therefore it appears like immorality. And Kṛṣṇa also instructed them, when the gopīs came at midnight. He said that "What you have done?" He (indistinct) immediately. That instruction is there. But still they insisted. Their love for Kṛṣṇa is so intense that He must dance with them. They have come and they are not going back. So Kṛṣṇa is always servant to His devotees. And that another point is that Kṛṣṇa is the real enjoyer. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). So even He danced with others' wives, actually He's the proprietor. So from that sense, angle of vision, there is no immoral.

Philosophy Discussion on Bertrand Russell:

Prabhupāda: Self... Most people may be foolish. Therefore we don't take social or in that way. Our Vedic civilization is from the higher authorities. Just like law we take from Manu, Manu-saṁhitā.

Devotee: Most people wanted to drop the bomb. And he was against it. So therefore his own philosophy is negated by himself.

Śyāmasundara: And his idea is that you have to educate...

Prabhupāda: And what is the ultimate goal of that education? So ultimate goal of education is to come to Kṛṣṇa. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). That is education. (indistinct), she is educated. Why? So ultimate knowledge is that, to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate. Surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (BG 7.19).

Philosophy Discussion on George Berkeley:

Hayagrīva: Well, in what way is God concerned with the moral or immoral actions of man? Is God indifferent to them, or has He simply set the laws of nature in motion and allowed men to follow their own course and reap the fruit of their own karma?

Prabhupāda: The nature's course is that because we have disobeyed God, therefore we are thrown into this material world under the supervision of the material nature to correct him. So, so long he is in the material world, there is distinction between moral and immoral. Although both of them are material, it has, actually has no meaning, moral or immoral. But in the material world that conception is there, moral or immoral. But when one is in the spiritual world, there is no such thing as immoral; everything is moral. Just like gopīs, they were others' wives, but they were coming to Kṛṣṇa in dead of night. That is immoral. But because they are coming to Kṛṣṇa, it is not immoral. Therefore in the spiritual world there is no such thing as moral or immoral. Everything is moral. In the material world there must be moral and immoral; otherwise this material transaction cannot go properly.

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- April 11, 1969, New York:

Prabhupāda: The Lord is joyful. So there is joy in fighting also sometimes. So your question that everything is there, that is a fact. Everything is there. Otherwise if everything is not there, they cannot be manifested here because it is reflection. Just like in... Of course, this discovery is by the Vaiṣṇava, Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava. Just like the love between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, it is called parakiya. They are not married husband and wife. But Rādhārāṇī appears to be wife of some other gentleman. But Kṛṣṇa, from childhood, They were friends. So Radhārāṇī could not forget Kṛṣṇa. She used to come to Kṛṣṇa and stand like that. That's all. And He was playing. Kiśora-Kiśorī, They were boy and girl. But there is no inebriety. Just like here the boy and girls mix and there are so many abominable things. Distressful, which is binding their material bondage. So that friendship between boy and girl is there, but without inebriety. Kṛṣṇa had so many gopīs, girlfriend, but there was no contraceptive pills. (laughter) That is the beauty. Here, the so-called love is lust. And there, that is the highest. The same thing, obverted, perverted reflection. Just like in the original tree the topmost part has come down to the down. Similarly, in the spiritual world the highest, topmost level of love, parakiya... Parakiya means love not by marriage life, by friendship. That is there. But there is no such inebriety. It is pure. So perverted means the topmost thing has come down to the lowest.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation with Prof. Kotovsky -- June 22, 1971, Moscow:

Prabhupāda: That is full stop, no more surrendering.

Guest: Final surrendering.

Prabhupāda: Other surrender you have to change by revolution, but when you come to Kṛṣṇa, then it is sufficient. You are satisfied. Just like... I'll give you one example, that a child is crying, and people changing laps, "Oh, you are crying." It is not stopping. But as soon as the small baby comes to the lap of his mother, he stops: "Yes, full satisfied."

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 20, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: But the real progress is that when they will understand that: "We are rascals." That will be real progress, when they come to understand that: "We are all fools and rascals." That will be real progress. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu presented Himself that: "My Guru Mahārāja found me a rascal number one. Yes." That is real progress.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Science is nearing that stage. Science...

Prabhupāda: Because they're going to accept that they're all rascals? That will be the real progress. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). After many, many births of rascaldom, when he comes to Kṛṣṇa and surrenders. Yes. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). He is everything. That is real knowledge.

Morning Walk -- April 29, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Just like we are seeing this ocean. We find it a vast ocean. But this vast ocean is nothing but a drop of water in the universe. There are so many, thousands or millions of vast oceans in the sky. So therefore the sky becomes the biggest. Then again, if you try to find out what is the bigger than this universe. We get information that these universes are coming out from the nostrils of Mahā-Viṣṇu. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam... (Bs. 5.48). Just like with our breathing so many germs are coming out and going. So these all these universes are coming and going. So long it is exhaling, the universes are coming out. And inhaling, all finished. Then He becomes the biggest. Then you search out wherefrom this biggest personality comes? Then you come to Saṅkarṣaṇa. If you come to Saṅkarṣaṇa, then you come to Nārāyaṇa. If you come to Nārāyaṇa, then you come to Baladeva. If you come to Baladeva, then you come to Kṛṣṇa. And therefore Kṛṣṇa, the biggest.

Morning Walk At Cheviot Hills Golf Course -- May 17, 1973, Los Angeles:

Kṛṣṇa-kāntī: The doctors are marveling at the complex nature of the human brain. They are amazed.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. But they are rascal. It is not the brain that is working. It is the spirit soul that is working. The same thing: the computer machine. The rascal will think that a computer machine is working. No. The man is working. He pushes the button, then it works. Otherwise, what is the value of this machine? You keep the machine for thousands of years, it will not work. When another man will come, put the button, then it will work. So who is working? The machine is working or the man is working? And the man is also another machine. And it is working due to the presence of Paramātmā, God. Therefore, ultimately, God is working. A dead man cannot work. So how long a man remains living? So long the Paramātmā is there, ātmā is there. Even the ātmā is there, if Paramātmā does not give him intelligence, he cannot work. Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). God is giving me intelligence, "You put this button." Then I put this button. So ultimately Kṛṣṇa is working. Another, untrained man cannot come and work on it because there is no intelligence. And a particular man who is trained up, he can work. So these things are going on. Ultimately comes to Kṛṣṇa. What you are researching, what you are talking, that is also Kṛṣṇa is doing. Kṛṣṇa is giving you in... You, you prayed for this facility to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is giving you. Sometimes you find accidentally the experiment is successful. So when Kṛṣṇa sees that you are so much harassed in experimental, "All right do it." Just like Yaśodā Mā was trying to tie Kṛṣṇa, but she could not do. But when Kṛṣṇa agreed, it was possible. Similarly, this accident means Kṛṣṇa helps you: "All right, you have worked so hard, take this result." Everything is Kṛṣṇa. Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). Everything is coming from Kṛṣṇa.

Room Conversation With Three College Students -- July 11, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: So when you understand Kṛṣṇa, then there is no need of yoga.

Student (1): I don't think you could ever understand God.

Prabhupāda: No, if you go to the place... Just like if you go to the airport, then you can understand which airship is starting from which gate, which gate. There are so many things you can see. But if you do not approach the airport, simply in other place, how you can study airport? First of all come to Kṛṣṇa. Then try to understand Kṛṣṇa. And if you understand Kṛṣṇa you become liberated. First of all we have to know that "Here is Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Then you try to understand. But if you do not approach there, where is your question of understanding Him?

Student (1): Yeah, but somebody else will say, "You come to us, and I'll do this to you, and you'll see God."

Prabhupāda: We do... We are not concerned with "some." We are concerned with the authorities, that's all. Somebody says, "He is not your father." We are not concerned. My mother says, "He is father." That's all.

Room Conversation with Educationists -- July 11, 1973, London:

Guest (2): Somebody has to go and do the work to make the food, keep the country running.

Prabhupāda: No. We don't hate to work. That is not our business. If we get work, we work for Kṛṣṇa. The income comes to Kṛṣṇa. But if we don't get work, we are not bothered, that "There is no work. Where shall I eat? Where shall I sleep? Where shall I go?" No, there is no such botheration. So all the members, I think, eighty, ninety percent, they do not go to work outside.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 31, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Now, those who cannot realize the supreme cause, they are instructed how to realize. How to realize... If, while drinking water, you think, "Now this taste is Kṛṣṇa," raso 'ham apsu kaunteya. He says that "I am the taste of the water." So everyone is drinking water. There is no man who does not drink water. At least. So if he remembers, "Now, the taste, this taste is Kṛṣṇa," then he remembers Kṛṣṇa. And that is bhakti. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ (SB 7.5.23). Even by remembering, he becomes a devotee, gradually.

Mr. Sar: Prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ.

Prabhupāda: Yes. And even if you cannot understand this, that how the taste of the water becomes Kṛṣṇa, all right, you see the sunlight. You inquire, "Wherefrom the light is coming?" Then you come to Kṛṣṇa. And if you are not foolish, ordinary person, if you are Vedantist, then try, "the oṁkāra, Myself." Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam... He's learned. He's thinking, "Nirākāra." "No, I am. Praṇavaḥ, the oṁkāra, the beginning of all Vedic mantras, the oṁkāra, that I am."

Morning Walk Excerpts -- May 2, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: ...to becomes angry by Kṛṣṇa is auspicious, auspicious. It is a very nice verse. "It is very auspicious that you have become angry upon him. He is getting salvation." (break) ...the punishment of Kṛṣṇa, one has to execute many pious activities in his past life, just to get the punishment of Kṛṣṇa. And what to speak of love of Kṛṣṇa, how much pious activities one has to do. If for being punished by Kṛṣṇa, one has to undergo lots of pious activities in the past life, then just see, to be loved by Kṛṣṇa, how much one has to undergo pious activities. Kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ (SB 10.12.11). That is described. Kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ. Puñja means heaps, volumes, volumes of pious activities. Then one can come to Kṛṣṇa. Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. Nobody can come to Kṛṣṇa unless he has background of pious activities and one who has become freed from all sinful activities. Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. This is the qualification.

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

Prabhupāda: So "Nobody is superior to Me," there is nobody controller. Kṛṣṇa is not controlled by anyone. Therefore, He is īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). That is final God. Otherwise God... You will find, you are more powerful than me, he is more powerful than you, and somebody is more powerful than him, go on, go on, seeing, seeing. But when you come to Kṛṣṇa, nobody is more powerful than Him. Mattaḥ parataram. Parataram means better or higher principle, no.

Jyotirmayī: (French)

Prabhupāda: Then it is confirmed by Arjuna, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, puruṣam (BG 10.12). "You are person"—puruṣam means person—śāśvatam, "eternally." Then he says that "It is not that You have said. I see from Your instruction, and it is confirmed by Vyāsadeva, by Devala, by Nārada." Then it is final.

Room Conversation with devotees about Twelfth Canto Kali-yuga, and Conversation with Guest -- June 15, 1974, Paris:

Yogeśvara: He says, "But God reveals Himself to us."

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is fact. If you are actually devotee, then God will reveal. That is... That is stated in the Vedic language, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ: (Brs. 1.2.234) "You cannot understand the form, name, attributes, pastimes of God by these blunt senses." These senses, present (the ten) senses, cannot realize. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ. Indriya means sense. Then how to realize? Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. When you begin service with your tongue, then gradually God reveals. So tongue means you can do two business with the tongue. One is talking, and one is eating. So if you engage your tongue in glorifying God, and if you eat God's prasādam, then you realize God. Therefore these young boys and girls from Europe and America, they have been, they are being taught, "Use the tongue for Kṛṣṇa. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and eat Kṛṣṇa prasādam." And as practical result, although they are very young, still, they have realized God, Kṛṣṇa, far advanced than anyone else. They have forgotten all material things: illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication, gambling. They are simply devoted in the service of Kṛṣṇa. So because they have engaged their tongue in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, they have forgotten all kinds of intoxication, meat-eating. The American Government spent millions of dollars to stop their LSD habit. They could not stop even one man. But as soon as they come to Kṛṣṇa conscious, immediately give up.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- May 8, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: They are trying. That is admitted. But, they are concluding that there is no operator. That is their foolishness, because they have failed to find out. They have to go further, further, and see, "Yes, there is operator." That is the final part of the... That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān mām (BG 7.19). So after many, many births of sincere inquiry, when he is actually intelligent, he will see, "Oh, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). Here is Vasudeva. He is everything." That is stated. He'll enquire. Go on enquiring, life after life. And then he'll come to understand vāsudevaḥ-sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ. You did not read this verse? They will come, after much trouble, much enquiry, they will come to the same conclusion, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). But they'll waste time. That's all. When we say, "Here is operator," they will not take. But they'll waste time, and life after life laboring, one day they will come.

Jayadharma: Does that mean that everybody is ultimately on the way back home? Back to Godhead?

Prabhupāda: Yes, everyone is enquiring, but according to his intelligence, perfection, he is making progress. Everyone. Everyone, because he is meant for that purpose. He has forgotten Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is the reservoir of all pleasure. He is trying to find out pleasure other than Kṛṣṇa, therefore he is being baffled. Unless he comes to Kṛṣṇa there is no pleasure. That he does not know.

Garden Conversation with Dr. Gerson and devotees -- June 22, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: But we don't follow that process. We follow one standard knowledge. That is Kṛṣṇa. That is our distinction between the ordinary scholars and our... And we are on the safe side because we don't manufacture, speculate. That is troublesome. If I have to defeat you, then I will have to speak so many things. I will have to find out the device how can I defeat you. But we have got one standard knowledge. I may be fool, rascal, but we repeat Kṛṣṇa. So our method is very easy. We are challenging everyone. Just like there are many scientific disciples. So I am not a science man. I have never studied science. But scientists, they are becoming my disciple. From material point of view, I have no education in science, but why the scientist is becoming my disciple? Is he becoming fool? After taking his doctorate title, he is becoming fool so that he is accepting me as spiritual master? Therefore the Vedic injunction is correct when it says, yasmin vijñāte sarvam evaṁ vijñātam bhavanti. "If you know Kṛṣṇa perfectly well, then you know everything well." That is the Vedic injunction. So unless you know Kṛṣṇa well, your knowledge is imperfect. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). Veda means knowledge. So there are different departmental knowledge. So Kṛṣṇa says, vedaiś ca sarvaiḥ. All departmental knowledge, when they come to the understanding of Kṛṣṇa, then it is perfect. So long he does not come to Kṛṣṇa, he is imperfect.

Garden Conversation with Dr. Gerson and devotees -- June 22, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Research. So by searching, searching, searching, if you do not come to Kṛṣṇa, then your searching is incomplete. That is the defect. And when you come to Kṛṣṇa understanding, then it is perfect. Then your research work is complete. That is... Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). Research work means... Actually, that is science, to find out the original source. Just like they are claiming, "The original source of life is chemical." That is not knowledge, imperfect knowledge. The perfect knowledge is as Kṛṣṇa says. What is that? Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8). "I am the origin of everything." So when they come to Kṛṣṇa, then he finds out the original source. So that is possible by this research worker after many, many births, not many, many years, but many, many births. And bahūnāṁ janmanām ante: (BG 7.19) "After many, many births," bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān, "one who is actually advanced in knowledge, he surrenders unto Me." Why? Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19), that "Kṛṣṇa is the original cause of everything." Sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ: "Such research scholar, mahātmā, is very rare." And then He describes in the next verse that what is the symptom of these mahātmās, perfect soul. Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ: (BG 9.13) "They are no more under the control of this material nature, they are fully under the control of spiritual nature." So what is the symptom that he is under spiritual nature, not...? Bhajanty ananya-manaso: "He is simply engaged in Kṛṣṇa." Bhajanti, "engaged in service." Bhajanty ananya-manaso: "He has no other business than to serve Kṛṣṇa." That is the symptom of a mahātmā. The Bhagavad-gītā does not say, "One who has got political business, he is mahātmā," no. Mahātmā means bhajanty ananya-manaso: "Without any diversion, simply engaged in Kṛṣṇa's business. That is mahātmā." So everything is there.

Morning Walk -- July 1, 1975, Denver:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, svakarmaṇā. Anyone, he likes to do something, that is his karma. But by that karma, he can serve Kṛṣṇa. Svakarmaṇā tam abhyarcya saṁsiddhiṁ labhate navaḥ. Saṁsiddhi means perfection. (break)

Devotee (1): ...in our preaching work we will be able to maintain our temples, and with our business activities, we will be able to expand and buy all these farms, do so many things.

Prabhupāda: Yes. If it is favorable, do it, business.(?) Therefore we have made program: 50% must come to Kṛṣṇa, at least. Jaya. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break) (In car:)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...because that many people are involved.

Prabhupāda: Dieting, the best thing is to take prasādam.

Morning Walk -- September 30, 1975, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: Gopīs... Those who worship with Kṛṣṇa with sort of a sexual intention, but they became beyond the, I mean, guṇas, nirguṇa (Hindi), because Kṛṣṇa was nirguṇa. That is the thing.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They became purified. That is simply so they are purified. So...

Dr. Patel: Then, in ordinary social conditions also, when you have a friend, you become a great lover...

Prabhupāda: Any condition, if you come to Kṛṣṇa, then you become purified.

Dr. Patel: I know. But what I mean to say, when you have conditioned yourself with Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's guṇas will come to you, I mean...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- October 4, 1975, Mauritius:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda, if Kṛṣṇa is the reservoir of pleasure, then what does He need us for? If Kṛṣṇa is all blissful, then what... We're so, it seems, incapable of pleasing Kṛṣṇa. He is so magnanimous. What does He need us for?

Prabhupāda: He does not ask for Himself. For you. If you come to Kṛṣṇa and enjoy with Him, that is your good. He is self-sufficient. He doesn't require.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Sometimes, Prabhupāda, when they see your Bhagavad-gītā, they say, "Oh, it is too big for me to read." They don't know that the purport.... They've never read.

Prabhupāda: Therefore I say that bring them, let them chant and dance and take prasādam. That, everyone will hear, agree.

Morning Walk -- October 7, 1975, Durban:

Prabhupāda: No, they say, "There is no pleasure," so then why you are wasting your time for pleasure?

Devotee (2): Yes, but they are confused.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They want to enjoy, but they're not finding pleasure.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So we give you enjoyment. Come to Kṛṣṇa. No tree?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: There are some mango trees behind the house where we're staying, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Morning Walk -- November 7, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, it is practically. Yes. You cannot cross over the sea by capturing the tail of a dog because you see the dog is swimming. So all this karma, jñāna, yoga, they are all failure. It is just like dog tail. You cannot cross over the nescience by capturing dog's tail. You must capture the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Tan aham... Eh?

Yaśomatīnandana: eśa tat...

Prabhupāda: No. Samuddhartā mṛtyu-saṁsāra-sāgarāt. And explain the Bhagavad-gītā śloka. Mṛtyu-saṁsāra-sāgarāt. From this ocean of birth and death, if one wants to be saved, he must come to Kṛṣṇa, not to the dog's tail.

Dr. Patel: Come to the ship of Kṛṣṇa. That is what we are deciding.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Morning Walk -- November 21, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yena tena prakārena mana kṛṣṇa niveṣayet. Somehow or other, come to Kṛṣṇa. Kāmād prayat deśāt. Any way come to Kṛṣṇa.

Yaśomatī-nandana: Then actually that means that it depends upon Kṛṣṇa's devotee rather than Kṛṣṇa, because only by association...

Prabhupāda: No, if he comes to Kṛṣṇa on any account he will become devotee.

Yaśomatī-nandana: Right. But he will come to Kṛṣṇa only if he comes in contact with His devotee.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Yaśomatī-nandana: It appears that we came to Kṛṣṇa consciousness even though we were in a very low stage.

Prabhupāda: That is the process, but if somebody comes to Kṛṣṇa with some material motive, he also becomes... (break) ...civilization and other civilization.

Morning Walk -- December 23, 1975, Bombay:

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

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

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- June 18, 1976, Toronto:

Prabhupāda: Because he has approached Kṛṣṇa.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Even he may be in the bodily concept?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. That will be rectified. Kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā. Huh? What is that? Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). Api cet sudurācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk (BG 9.30). When one has come to the fire, some way or other, he'll be warm, gradually. That is the.... He has come to the right path. (break) ...kāmād bhayāt, krodhāt. Either.... Anyone who comes to Kṛṣṇa.... Just like gopīs, they were captivated. They were village girls. They did not know what is God, what is Brahman, nothing. But they were captivated: "Kṛṣṇa is very beautiful boy." That's all. Even they forgot their own husbands. (break) ...or other, we have to develop our intense love of Kṛṣṇa. Then life is perfect. (break) (in car) One who is accepting this body as self, sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13).

Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Just like law is obligatory. You cannot say that "I don't take this law." No. You have to take it if you want to have a happy. You cannot become outlaw. Then you'll not be happy. You'll be punished. So God says mayā sṛṣṭam. "It is given by Me." So how we can deny it? And that is religion. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharmam means the order given by the God. The God says that cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). "For the proper management of the human society, there should be these four divisions, social divisions." So you have to take it.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: This would be the prescription for all people? Prabhupāda: Everyone, for all people. There must be on the head the intelligent class of men who will give advice. Then next class, the... That is all given in the Bhagavad-gītā. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. But when you become Kṛṣṇa conscious you can give up all these regulative principles directly. Therefore Kṛṣṇa, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). A brāhmaṇa-dharma, kṣatriya-dharma, or this dharma, that dharma, Hindu dharma, Mussulman dharma. If you have everything, simply... Because the ultimate aim of dharma is to come to Kṛṣṇa. "You directly come to Me; then everything is all right."

Evening Darsana -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: That's it. God is there, the dictionary is there. Sometimes pocket dictionary, sometimes big national encyclopedia dictionary. The Christians, they have no idea what is God. They believe in God, but if you ask them what is God, who is God, they cannot say. But we can say. That is the difference.

Woman guest (2): It is not as good.

Prabhupāda: So if you want more knowledge about God, then you must come to Kṛṣṇa.

Guest (2): That's how I believe.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Woman guest (2): Is it not as good to serve God as a Christian in a church?

Prabhupāda: That is have already explained, that you serve God in any position, but if you want to know about God more, then you have to come here. Now ask any Christian what is God, who is God, what is His form, what He is doing. Can he answer? Nobody can answer. He knows God is great. How great He is, who is that God, they cannot answer. To some extent it is all right, but if you want to know full extent, then you have come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. "Two plus two is equal to four" is mathematics, but if you want to know higher mathematics, you have to go some higher college. "Two plus two" is also mathematics, is it not? Everyone knows two plus two equal to four. So when you go to higher university, that "two plus two" does not change, but you know more about it. Because one has gone to higher university, the previous education, "two plus two," has changed, it is not that. But as a Christian you understand God is great, "two plus two," but how He is great, that you have to learn in the Vedas. That is real education. Because you do not know how He is great, therefore you do so many sinful activities. Otherwise, how it is possible to maintain slaughterhouse? Christian doctrine says "Thou shall not kill." But he does not understand; therefore his business has become to kill only. This is the defect. Why you are disobeying the orders of Christ, "Thou shall not kill"? Because you do not understand him properly.

Room Conversation -- July 27, 1976, London:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Who will understand this philosophy?

Harikeśa:

sa vai puṁsām paro dharmo

yato bhaktir adhokṣaje

ahaituky apratihatā

yayātmā suprasīdati

(SB 1.2.6)

"The supreme occupation, dharma, for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted in order to completely satisfy the self."

Prabhupāda: So the communist teaching that "You love Lenin," and the capitalist teaching that "You love Washington," so nobody's satisfied. Unless the love comes to Kṛṣṇa, there is no question of satisfied.

Jayatīrtha: There's no reciprocation.

Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Everything is explained there. If somebody comes to Kṛṣṇa even with material motive, ārto arthārthī... There are four classes of men: ārto, arthārthī, jñānī, jijñāsur. So jñānī, for the sake of knowledge, tries to understand what is God, what is Kṛṣṇa. Jijñāsur, inquisitive, actually what is Kṛṣṇa. And those who are less than them, when they become distressed, artha, or in need of money, they pray to Kṛṣṇa. Still, they have gone to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they are called sukṛtinaḥ. And one who has not gone to Kṛṣṇa, simply speculating, that description, māyayāpahṛta-jñānā. These things are there.

Mr. Sahani: Māyā is also very attached to everybody, it still can be jijñāsur and jñānī, (Hindi). Prabhupāda: No, no. (Hindi) Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. Your first business is to surrender. Then māyā will not touch you.

Room Conversation with Life Member, Mr. Malhotra -- December 22, 1976, Poona:

Prabhupāda: Yes, He says, "You surrender. I square up all your karma."

Mr. Malhotra: Then only square up. Otherwise, no. Otherwise continue in this vicious circle.

Prabhupāda: Dharmasyāsya parantapa mām aprāpya nivartante mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani (BG 9.3). Karma-cakra, this mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani. One after another, one body after another, one body after another. This will continue. If you don't come to Kṛṣṇa, then nivartante, mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani, you have to return again to that karma-cakra.

Mr. Malhotra: The only way out is to surrender your...?

Prabhupāda: To accept Kṛṣṇa, that "You are my Lord. I forgot it. I surrender. Kindly accept me."

Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: After many, many lives acquisition of pious activities, now he has got this opportunity to play with this boy, the source of brahma-sukha. Itthaṁ brahma-sukhānubhūtyā. They are not playing with ordinary child. He is the source of brahma-sukha. This is the statement of Śukadeva Gosvāmī. So if we come to Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa is personally presenting Himself, that is Vedānta. Otherwise, bahūnāṁ janmanām... We have come to that point, but if we neglect, then it will take many, many births to come to that point. Because that is the ultimate. Unless we come to that point, to understand Kṛṣṇa, there is still scarcity of knowledge. And Kṛṣṇa says that "When there is scarcity of knowledge, then I appear." Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). When the scarcity of knowledge is polluted... Not only scarcity, but it is polluted. Glāniḥ. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glāniḥ. This is dharma, to come to the perfect knowledge. Human being must come to the perfect knowledge, because this is a boon. Not the cats and dogs can understand. Human being. So when there is glāniḥ, they are accepting the preliminary beginning of knowledge as the perfect knowledge, that is glāniḥ. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca... (BG 4.8). These things are there. Dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya. To establish real religious system. Sambhavāmi yuge yuge. What is that real religious system? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66).

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: He is very sick, so he said, "Now this is with me for the rest of my life unless some spiritual sādhu does some magic." So I could see that he is, because of this illness, he has probably become more spiritual now, which is also Kṛṣṇa's arrangement.

Prabhupāda:

catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ

janāḥ sukṛtino 'rjuna

ārto jijñāsur arthārthī

jñānī ca bharatarṣabha

(BG 7.16)

When one is distressed, ārtaḥ, if he is pious then he comes to Kṛṣṇa. If he is pious. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). Those who are not pious, they will never come.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Jadurani -- Montreal 9 July, 1968:

Brahma came to Krishna because he has very exalted idea about Krishna, and he was doubtful how his Lord could come into the material world and become a cowherd boy. This incidence is known as Brahma Bemohan lila, or the pastime of bewildering Brahma. In the beginning of Srimad-Bhagavatam, it is stated that great personalities like Brahma become bewildered in the understanding of the Absolute Truth. So sometimes such pastimes are manifested by the Lord in order to teach the so-called mental speculators. Even Arjuna was bewildered, although he was His constant companion. Arjuna also was talking from the material view point of standing. All this bewilderment of great devotees are created by the Lord, for 2 purposes: one purpose, is that even great personalities like Brahma and Arjuna sometimes become bewildered, and therefore, unless they present themselves in such position of bewilderment, the common men do not have the chance to understand Krishna. If Brahma would not have posed himself as not knowing the whole truth, then some truths about the transcendental position of Krishna would not have been explained.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Bombay 12 June, 1971:

re very nice. She is serious about you being fully engaged in Krishna Consciousness and I have given her advice in this connection.

I am enclosing one letter from a new boy in Japan. He was going to commit suicide but came to Krishna instead. This may make an interesting topic for BTG in the new type of article you described in your last letter.

Letter to Sudama -- Bombay 12 June, 1971:

Just recently I have received one very interesting letter from Damari Toshio Inove and the reply to his letter is enclosed herewith. His letter I am sending to Satsvarupa and he may publish it in Back To Godhead. Here is a boy who was about to commit suicide, but he came to Krishna instead and now he is perfecting his life. That is most encouraging news.