Demigods (Lectures, SB cantos 1 - 2)

Expressions researched:
"demigod" |"demigods"

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- London, August 7, 1971:

Pradyumna: Translation: "I offer my obeisances unto Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, son of Vasudeva, who is the supreme all-pervading Personality of Godhead. I meditate upon Him, the transcendent reality, who is the primeval cause of all causes, from whom all manifested universes arise, in whom they dwell, and by whom they are destroyed. I meditate upon that eternally effulgent Lord who is directly and indirectly conscious of all manifestations and yet is beyond them. It is He only who first imparted Vedic knowledge unto the heart of Brahmā, the first created being. Through Him this world, like a mirage, appears real even to great sages and demigods. Because of Him, the material universes, created by the three modes of nature, appear to be factual, although they are unreal. I meditate therefore upon Him, the Absolute Truth, who is eternally existent in His transcendental abode, and who is forever free of illusion." (SB 1.1.1)

Prabhupāda: Vyāsadeva is offering his obeisances unto the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Bhagavate, "unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is known as Vāsudeva." Vāsudeva means the son of Vasudeva. Even the leader of the impersonalists, namely Śaṅkarācārya, he has accepted that the Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared as the son of Vasudeva and Devakī. People may not misunderstand. Just like we give identification by giving the name of father, mother, similarly, Kṛṣṇa's identification is that He is son of Vasudeva or son of Nanda Mahārāja, friend of Śrīdāmā, Sudāmā, lover of Rādhārāṇī. In so many ways He has got hundreds of thousands of names.

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

So there are 330,000,000's officers of Kṛṣṇa. Must be. Such a huge affair. If for managing a small shop, we have got so many things... This is manager, this is assistant manager, this is... In such a huge universal affair, there Kṛṣṇa has got assistants. And 330,000,000 assistants within one universe, and there are innumerable universes. And each and every universe, there must be similarly 330,000,000's or like that. They are called demigods. Demigods means exactly under the position of God. Just like here there is governor. Immediately under him there are secretaries. Similarly these demigods, they are different officers, secretaries, directors under God. We don't deny the existence of demigod, but we don't worship that he is God. We worship, we give him all respect. Just like if the queen's secretary comes here, we shall give him all respect because he's queen's secretary. But we'll never accept that he is king. No. That is not possible. That is sane. It is not that... We Vaiṣṇavas, we are prepared to offer respect even to the ant, and why not to the secretary? When we offer to a big officer, it is not that we are flattering. It is the etiquette, it is the duty, to offer respect to the respectable persons.

So we give all honor to the demigods, but we don't accept the demigods as the Supreme. That is Vaiṣṇava philosophy. There may be 330,000,000's or 330,000,000's of secretaries, but we say... Just like it is stated in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta: ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). The only master, or controller, is Kṛṣṇa. Āra saba bhṛtya. And all other demigods... Just like Lord Brahmā, Śiva, so many others. Indra, Candra, Varuṇa. 330,000,000's, how many we can remember? It is not possible. But there are. So they are all servants.

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

He is pulling the wire. Just like the doll dancing, there is a man pulling the wire. These are the descriptions in the śāstras, or Vedic literatures. So we should not equalize or we should not place the demigods on the same level with God. That is offense. The Māyāvādīs, because they think that "God is formless, impersonal, but I cannot meditate upon anything which is formless. So let me imagine something." That is their theory. They say, "Let me imagine a form of God." Sādhakānāṁ hitārthāya brahmaṇo rūpa-kalpanaḥ. Kalpana, "imagine." The Māyāvādī philosophy is that, that "You imagine a form of God. Actually, there is no form of God." That is then theory. And we say, "No. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). He has got form, but not a form like me." That we know. It is a different type of form. Different material. Or we don't say material: different ingredient, spirit, complete spirit.

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

Pradyumna: "They are well-wishers to everyone, and they strive to establish a competitionless society with God in the center. The contemporary socialist conception of a competitionless society is artificial because in the socialist state there is competition for the post of dictator. From the point of view of the Vedas, or from the point of view of common human activity, sense gratification is the basis of material life. There are three paths mentioned in the Vedas. One involves fruitive activities to gain promotion to better planets, another involves worshiping different demigods for promotion to the planets of the demigods, and another involves realizing the Absolute Truth in His impersonal feature and becoming one with Him. The impersonal aspect of the Absolute Truth is not the highest. Above the impersonal feature is the Paramātmā feature, and above this, there is the personal feature of the Absolute Truth, or Bhagavān. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam gives information about the Absolute Truth in His personal feature. It is higher than impersonalist literatures and higher than the jñāna-kāṇḍa division of the Vedas. It is even higher than the karma-kāṇḍa division, and even higher than the upāsanā-kāṇḍa division, because it recommends the worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. In the karma-kāṇḍa, there is competition to reach heavenly planets for better sense gratification, and there is similar competition in the jñāna-kāṇḍa and the upāsanā-kāṇḍa. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is superior to all of these because it aims at the Supreme Truth, which is the substance or the root of all categories. From Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam one can come to know the substance as well as the categories. The substance of the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Lord, and all emanations, are relative forms of energy."

Prabhupāda: It is said, vedyaṁ vāstavam atra vastu śivadaṁ tāpa-trayonmūlanam. There is vastu. Vastu means summum bonum, original, and the vāstava. Just like Kṛṣṇa and His different energies. The different energies are called vāstava, "in relationship with vastu," and Kṛṣṇa is vastu. So here it is said that vedyaṁ vāstavam atra vastu. Vāstava, you can understand Kṛṣṇa in all His features. And if you understand, then śivadam, it is auspicious. Tāpa-trayonmūlanam. As soon as you understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, because it is auspicious, then all the tāpa-traya, three kinds of miserable condition of material existence pertaining to the body, mind, pertaining to the infliction offered by others, adhibhautika, adhidaivika, or adhyātmika... So these are, three kinds of tribulations are always going on. So when we understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the vastu, the substance, and the categories, then immediately it becomes auspicious and we become free from these threefold miseries of material life.

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

The government gives some license to a person, that "You can sell liquor to the drunkards." But this liquor is not available in every shop. There is a particular shop. One has to purchase liquor from that particular shop. That means government is discouraging, but one who is obstinate, to give him some facility, this particular shop is established. Similarly, when there is allowance for sex life or drinking or meat-eating or even gambling, that is not encouraging; that is minimizing the tendency under discipline.

But so far we are concerned, we are above this discipline. A Vaiṣṇava is transcendental. He hasn't got to train under this discipline. Because he takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa directly, he's given immediately all protection. Kṛṣṇa says ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: (BG 18.66) "I shall give you all protection from sinful life." Therefore, it is practical experience in USA the government is spending millions of dollars for stopping this intoxication habit amongst the younger generation. But the wonderful thing is they inquire also from us that as soon as they come to our movement, immediately gives up. Why? That is the special prerogative of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ. If one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, then all the good qualities of the demigods will automatically manifest in Him. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā manorathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ (SB 5.18.12). On the contrary, those who are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, they have no good qualification. Harāv abhaktasya. They are simply hovering on the mental platform, and therefore they fall down.

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

So He did not come or did not appear for establishing the so-called religious system, Hindu religion and Muslim religion or Christian religion or this religion, that... Not that type. Real religion. Therefore He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya: (BG 18.66) "Give up all these. Simply surrender unto Me." So any religious system which is teaching to divert the attention of the follower to so many things, that is cheating religion. Just like in India, there is a class of men. They are called Māyāvādīs. They recommend that "You worship any demigod. The result is the same." This is false religion. Kṛṣṇa said that mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: "Only surrender unto Me." Then one may ask that "In the Vedas there are... So many demigods' worship is recommended. Is that false?" That is not false. Because it is mentioned in the Vedas, you cannot say it is false. But they are meant for all material benefit. Material benefit means it is mentioned that "If you want to be very educated, you worship this demigod," that "If you wants a beautiful wife, then you worship this demigod; if you want to be very wealthy, then you worship this demigod." In this way there are different items, but these things are all material things. So that is mentioned in the Bhagavad... kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṁ siddhiṁ yajanta iha devatāḥ: "Those who are desirous of getting success in this material life, for them the different demigod worship is recommended."

Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said also, kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānā yajante anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20), means that "Those who are engaged in worshiping other demigods, their sense is lost by lusty desires." Suppose if I want wealth or beautiful wife or very good position or good education, what are these? These are all temporary things so long this body is there. But one should be interested for eternal things because every one of us is eternal. So if we want a beautiful wife or wealth, that is simply for this body only. In next body our desires will be different. Suppose next body I get an animal body. Then I will require a wife in different type.

Lecture on SB 1.1.9 -- Auckland, February 20, 1973:

Why one is born in high family, rich family, why other is poor family or one is born in lower animals, one is born as demigods? What is that reason, kāraṇa? The reason is kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya. He has associated with a particular type of the material qualities therefore he has to accept a particular type of body. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya. Therefore we are instructing our students, "Associate with the good qualities, good qualities." The best qualities of association is devotional service, a devotee. Because they're transcendental, above goodness, above goodness. Just like you are living in this temple. This is above goodness according to Vedic.... If you live in the forest that is goodness, association with goodness, because there is no material contamination, simple life in the forest. Or in the village, not in the village, in the forest. Therefore formerly all the sages and saintly persons they used to live in the forest. That is goodness. And if you live in the city that is association with passion. And in the city if you live in the brothel, the liquor shop, gambling, that is association with ignorance. Three kinds. But if you live in the temple, that is transcendence, that is Vaikuṇṭha. So in this way we have to detach ourselves from the association of the three guṇas. Kṛṣṇa advised Arjuna, traiguṇya-viṣayā vedā nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna. "My dear Arjuna, just become transcendental to the three guṇas." Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). Who can transcend these three guṇas, you have to go above goodness. Here in this material world goodness is supposed to be very nice quality, but here the goodness also, nice temporary.

Lecture on SB 1.2.2 -- London, August 10, 1971:

So for receiving God consciousness, we have to approach... Ādau gurvāśrayam. That is the... How to become devotee? Ādau gurvāśrayam. One has to seek out a bona fide spiritual master. Just like Sūta Gosvāmī has become disciple of a bona fide spiritual master, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, and he's describing the activities of his spiritual master, yaṁ pravrajantam. Śukadeva Gosvāmī was liberated. He remained within the womb of his mother for sixteen years because he was conscious that "As soon as I get out of the womb of my mother, I'll be immediately captured by māyā. So let me become little strong." (laughter) You see? So he remained sixteen years within the mother. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. He learned all about God consciousness from the, within the womb of his mother. Nārada Muni was teaching Prahlāda Mahārāja's mother. Because she was pregnant and she was being taken away by Indra and others, Nārada Muni rescued her, and because her husband was defeated and he fled away... He underwent severe austerities, "How to defeat these demigods?" So Nārada Muni took compassion upon this lady, and he told, "My dear daughter, you come with me. You live in my hermitage until your husband comes back."

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

There are sāttvika-purāṇa, rājasika-purāṇa, tāmasika-purāṇa. Three kinds of purāṇas. So the aim is to take the leader on the liberation platform, but according to the quality. In the tāmasika-purāṇa there are recommendations for goddess Kālī and other. And rājasika-purāṇa there is recommendation for yajña or worshiping the demigods in the heavenly planet, Indra, Candra. But in the sāttvika-purāṇa only about Viṣṇu, Lord Viṣṇu, is recommended to be worshiped. So this is called purāṇa-guhyam because in this Purāṇa you won't find any recommendation for worshiping any other demigod. Simply satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi (SB 1.1.1). Only the absolute. Satyaṁ param. The ultimate Absolute Truth, Kṛṣṇa, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.

Saṁsāriṇāṁ karuṇayāha purāṇa-guhyam. He first of all spoke Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to, being compassionate to the people suffering from these material pangs. Taṁ vyāsa-sūnum upayāmi guruṁ munīnām. Guruṁ munīnām. "He's not only my guru, but he is guru, spiritual master, of great sages and saintly persons." Even Vyāsadeva also considered his son greater than himself. When Śukadeva Gosvāmī appeared in the assembly where many saintly persons were present at the time of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, so at the time all the munis stood up to receive him. All the munis. Even there was Vyāsadeva, he also stood up. Therefore he is guruṁ munīnām. He is spiritual master of all saintly persons.

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

Ah, breaking stone. He doesn't want. But there is jail superintendent—"All right, you must break so many." And there is stick. "If you don't break, then..." So it is going on. Māyā. Māyā is kicking always, "You must do it." Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi (BG 3.27). "You wanted to eat anything and everything. All right, you take this body of hog and eat stool." That's all. This is māyā, prakṛti. He has given you a body. You have to suffer according to the body. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22). Why there are different types of bodies, different types of enjoyment? Everyone is in the material world. Why one has become hog, one has become dog, and one has become very rich man, and demigod? Why? Who is making arrangement? Who wants to become cat and dog? Who does not want to become king? But why this is arrangement? Who is doing this? This rascal cannot understand.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- New Vrindaban, September 4, 1972:

So there was a great meeting. Just like we are holding here meeting for a few days, a similar meeting was held thousands of years ago, at least four thousand years ago, in a place which is called Naimiṣāraṇya. The Naimiṣāraṇya is in India. It is near Lucknow. Here is Professor Shivasrava(?). He knows. The station is called now Nimsar. I think it is in Hardoi district? So still the place is there, and if you sometimes go to India you can visit this place. It is a very nice place for spiritual atmosphere. So formerly all the great sages used to assemble in that Naimiṣāraṇya. It is said that all the demigods used to visit that place. So in that great meeting, Bhāgavata was discussed.

The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was first discussed before Mahārāja Parīkṣit. King Parīkṣit, the emperor of this planet, he was cursed by a brāhmaṇa to die within seven days. He was very wrongly cursed, but still, Parīkṣit Mahārāja tolerated. He could counteract such curse, but he did not do it. He took this opportunity of retiring from active life and prepare for death. So he had only seven days to die. And because he was king, all the great sages and kings in all parts of the world, they came to see him, and the problem was what to do at the time of death. So many people suggested many things—not ordinary people, many great sages, brāhmaṇas—"Mahārāja you do this. You do that." Later on it was suggested, on arrival of Śukadeva Gosvāmī in that meeting... So all the sages decided that "Śukadeva Gosvāmī has recently learned from his father, Vyāsadeva, about Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam."

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

If you want peace, then you try to understand these three principles of life. What is that? That Kṛṣṇa is the supreme enjoyer. No one else. All servants. Ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa āra saba bhṛtya (CC Adi 5.142). Everyone is servant. Not that "Oh, everyone is equal to Kṛṣṇa." That has become a cheap business. So many kṛṣṇa-avatāras and so many demigods, they are counted as good as Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7), "There is no more superior authority than Me."

So therefore this kṛṣṇa-sampraśnaḥ, if simply people become inquisitive, what is Kṛṣṇa, and you simply try to answer them—we have got so many books now—then the whole world will be peaceful. Yena ātmā suprasīdati. Everyone is hankering after, "Where is peace? Where is peace?" You know, you European and American boys. You have come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness because on account of your hankering, "Where is peace?" Is it not?

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

So the question was that "After departure of Kṛṣṇa from this planet to His abode, dharmaḥ kaṁ śaraṇaṁ gataḥ, under whom the real occupational duty was entrusted?" Kṛṣṇa also came to give us the real occupational duty—not of the body or the mind. Bodily occupational duty changes, because as soon as the body is changed... I am now human being, and next time, if I become some animal, so my occupational duty changes. Or if I become demigod, my occupational duty changes. The body is born in India, so one is feeling that "It is my duty to serve my country." Similarly, an Englishman is thinking to serve his country. But these occupational duties are not para. Para means transcendental, supreme. This is temporary. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "This is your real occupation. You have got some bodily occupation, some mental occupation, some intellectual occupation, but you have to give up all these things. Simply surrender unto Me. This is your real occupation." Kṛṣṇa says. And Kṛṣṇa descends to teach us this dharma, or occupational duty. He has explained karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga. These are all occupational duties of the body, of the mind, of intelligence. But real occupation... Because soul is eternal. The body is not eternal.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Mauritius, October 5, 1975:

Therefore in the Vedānta-sūtra the first aphorism is advised that human form of life... It doesn't matter where that human form of life has happened. It doesn't matter. Either in America or in India or in Pakistan or anywhere, human life is human life. So their business is to inquire about the Absolute Truth. That is the injunction of the śāstra. Therefore we find a form of religion in the human society. It doesn't matter whether Christian society or Hindu society or Muslim society or any other society. Because they are human being, there must be a type of religion. And what is that religion? Religion means to understand God. This is the sum and substance. Religion means to understand God. In the śāstra it is said, religion means... Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Religion means the codes and the rules and regulations given by God. That is religion. This is the summary, short definition of religion. If somebody asks you, "What do you mean by religion?" the immediate reply is there in the śāstra, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam na vai vidur ṛṣayo nāpi devāḥ: (SB 6.3.19) "The principles of religion is given by God. It is unknown to the human being or the demigods." That means except God, nobody can give you religion. Just like the law, state law. Law means the principles given by the state. You cannot manufacture law at your home. That is not law. Similarly, religion means the law given by God. Therefore we must know who is God and what kind of law He is giving to us. This is religion.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Delhi, November 13, 1973:

Vāsudeva is another name of Kṛṣṇa because Kṛṣṇa appears as the son of Vāsudeva. Whenever Kṛṣṇa appears, He appears as the son of Vāsudeva and Devakī. Kṛṣṇa is the origin of everyone. So how there can be a father and mother of Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa is described as sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1), the cause of all causes. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). Devānām, the demigods. The first demigod is Lord Brahmā, the first living creature within this universe. Then Viṣṇu, then Lord Śiva, then other demigods, Indra, Candra, Sūrya-many, some millions. So how Vāsudeva can become His father so that His name is famous as Vāsudeva, "son of Vāsudeva"? The thing is that Vāsudeva formerly underwent severe austerities, and he wanted a son like Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa agreed, that "Like Me, there is nobody else." Kṛṣṇa is asamordhva. Nobody is equal to Him; nobody is above Him. Therefore Vāsudeva, in his previous birth, he wanted like..., a son like Kṛṣṇa. So he could not find anyone like Him. Therefore He agreed Himself to become his son.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Delhi, November 13, 1973:

By karma everyone is working, but even (everyone) is working in three modes of nature. This material world, there are three modes of nature: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So if you are working in tamo-guṇa, then you are preparing a body of tamo-guṇa. If you are working rajo-guṇa, then you are preparing a body for rajo-guṇa. Similarly, sattva-guṇa. Everything is described in the Bhagavad-gītā. What is the different result? Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ. Those who are working in sattva-guṇa, they will go to the higher planetary systems. There are Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Brahmaloka, Satyaloka, Siddhaloka. You'll go there. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ (BG 14.18). And if you want to remain in the middle planetary system, then that is rajo-guṇa. And jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. And those who are working in tamo-guṇa, jaghanya, most abominable behavior, they will go to the animal kingdom or the lower planetary system. This is the process. As you are contaminating, kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22). Sat and asat-janma. Why there are so many varieties of life? Cats, dogs, trees, aquatics, birds, beasts, human beings, demigods, civilized, uncivilized, so many. Why there are so many varieties? kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya. As he is associating with different types of qualities, he is getting a different types of body. This is going on.

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

Just like, in my, this life, I can experience. In each stage of my life, I have my past, present and future. You are all young boys. You had your past, as a child, as a boy. Now you are young, and your future is also there as old, as I have become old. So in any stage of life, there is past, present, and future. So why not, I am old man, so when I shall die, why there is no future? There must be future. I had my past, I am at present, and there must be future also. The future is that I must get another body. That body may be of animal or trees or demigod or God. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25). You can prepare yourself for your next body. So ultimate goal is to get a body in the kingdom of God. That is—saṁsiddhiṁ paramaṁ gataḥ—that is highest perfection. You can get a body next in, as a human being in the rich man's family, or as a king, or as a leader, or as a cat, as a dog, as a tree. That will depend on your work. Similarly you can get your next body as associates of God, Kṛṣṇa. That is stated, that you can have, mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām (BG 9.25). "Those who are My devotees, they come to Me," Kṛṣṇa says.

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

"If someone comes to Me, then he does not get any more this material body to come to this material world." What is the harm if I come to the material world? That duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). This material world is full of miseries, and that also temporary. Even if you accept that I shall adjust my miserable condition of life, but still nature will not allow you to live there. You may think that "We are Americans, we have got enough money, vast land, resources, I shall live as American." But you can live as American, say for fifty years. You'll not be allowed to live as American or as Indian or this or that. Even as Brahmā you will be not allowed. Brahmā has got his one day millions of years. He will also not be allowed. The ant will not be allowed, a cat will not be allowed, an elephant will not be allowed, a man will not be allowed, a demigod will not be allowed—to live forever. Hiraṇyakaśipu tried to live forever. He underwent severe penances to become immortal. It was not possible. That is not. Of course, the lunatic scientist says that "By scientific advancement we shall become immortal." They are lunatic. It is not possible. Because in the past there is no such incident, so in the present there is no such incident, how you can expect in the future such incident? That is not possible.

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

So na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). People do not know. (break)... svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum. Real self-interest is to become Vaiṣṇava, servitor of Viṣṇu. Viṣṇur asya devatā iti vaiṣṇava. That is real self-interest. Why people do not become Vaiṣṇava? Generally they worship various demigods-devotee of Lord Śiva, devotee of Goddess Kali, Durgā, so many. But they have been condemned by Bhagavad-gītā, spoken by Kṛṣṇa Himself: kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānā yajante anya-devatāḥ. Hṛta-jñānāḥ. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura gives his comment: hṛta-jñānāḥ naṣṭa-buddhayaḥ, "One who has lost his intelligence, they are inclined to worship other demigods." Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ (BG 7.20). Because they do not know what is his self-interest. He thinks that his self-interest is to give comfort to this body, the senses, sense-gratification. That is his misguided self-interest. Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). Bahir-artha-māninaḥ. Bahir-artha means external energy. This body, gross body and the subtle body, they are made of the external energy. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca (BG 7.4).

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

That will be decided by superior authority, daiva netreṇa, karmaṇā daiva ne. These are the scientific knowledge, but unfortunately, there is no culture of this scientific knowledge. Superficially, simply for sense gratification, that is going on in the name of advancement of civilization. Actually it is very risky civilization. Suppose after this body, human form of body, if I get the body of an animal or a tree. There is every chance. Wherefrom the tree comes? Wherefrom the tiger comes, the cat comes, the dog comes? There are demigods also. So you can get any form of life. Dehāntaram. Kṛṣṇa says personally, tathā dehāntara. This is bogus theory that after death everything is finished. No. There is another life, and the species of life are in your form, 8,400,000 of species, and we have to accept, according to our karma, a type of body given by the material nature.

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni

guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ

ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā

kartāham iti manyate

(BG 3.27)

Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā. Simply by false pride I am thinking that I am kartā, I am master. You are not master; you are under the grip of material nature. So how you can avoid? Therefore we should not indulge in sense gratification. We should try to practice how to take kṛṣṇa-prasādam. That will help us.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Hyderabad, April 22, 1974:

They are using their brain for something atrocious, simply planning how to do harm to others. That is called duṣkṛtina. For his own sense satisfaction he is plan... That is called asura. Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. Asuras, they are simply planning for his own sense gratification. And devotees, they are simply planning how to satisfy Kṛṣṇa's senses. That is the difference. How Kṛṣṇa will be satisfied. Both of them are planning, but one is planning for his own sense satisfaction and the other is planning how to satisfy the senses of Kṛṣṇa. This is the difference between asura and deva. There are two classes of men: deva and asura. Dvau bhūta-sargau loke 'smin daiva āsura eva ca (BG 16.6). Āsuras tad-viparyayaḥ. Viṣṇu-bhaktaḥ smṛto daiva āsuras tad-viparyayaḥ. Those who are devotees of the Lord, servants of the Lord, they are called deva, or demigods. Āsuras tad-viparyayaḥ. And the asuras are just opposite. Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu, Prahlāda, the father and son. Prahlāda is deva because he is devotee of Kṛṣṇa. And Hiraṇyakaśipu, because Prahlāda is devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he's trying to always tease him. Although he is a five-years-old-boy, his son, his beloved son, but since he became Kṛṣṇa conscious, he became the enemy of the asura, Hiraṇyakaśipu. This process is existing from very, very time immemorial, two classes.

Lecture on SB 1.2.9 -- New Vrindaban, September 7, 1972:

We do not find anyone equal to Him or greater than Him. That is God. God is great. "Great" means nobody should be greater than Him. And God says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya: (BG 7.7) "There is no other superior authority than Me." Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8): "I am the origin of everything." So other demigods like Lord Śiva, Lord Brahmā, even Lord Viṣṇu, mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate—everyone emanates from Him. And from them emanate so many things. Just like Brahmā, so many creatures have come out. But the original, ādyam, anādi... Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. Govinda is the original person.

So He hasn't got to do anything. Na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate. He has no duty. He hasn't got to go to office, fifty miles off, with a motorcar, running at seventy miles speed, and there is some accident, finished. He hasn't got to do like that, although He runs quicker than anyone.

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

So to take to religiosity means to get out of this pavarga. Dharmasya hy āpavargyasya. Not pavargyasya. Dharmasya hy āpavargyasya na arthāya upakalpate. We go to temple or church or mosque to get some material benefit: "O God, give us our daily bread." The Christians pray like that. And the Hindus, they also pray, go to some demigod, or Kṛṣṇa. Mostly they go to demigod, especially to Lord Śiva, because Lord Śiva's name is Āśutoṣa. If you please Lord Śiva, it is very easy. He's very easily satisfied. And whatever you want, he gives you: "All right, take it." Therefore, generally people become devotee of Lord Śiva, because easily pliable. Viṣṇu is not so easily pliable. Devī is easily pliable. Say, for a meat-eater, goes to Devī: "My dear goddess, I want to eat meat." Devī will allow: "All right. Bring a goat and sacrifice it before me, and you eat." But if you go to Viṣṇu, "Sir, I want to eat meat," He'll not allow. Therefore they are very much devotees of Goddess Kālī. Purpose is to eat meat. He's not a devotee.

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

Actually, devotion cannot be applied except to Viṣṇu. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā says, kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajante anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). These rascals, who have lost of their intelligence, they go to other demigods to pray for some temporary benefit. Antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām (BG 7.23). Now suppose if I go to Goddess Kālī to get facility of eating flesh. Then the antavat. You eat flesh and acquire so much sinful result... Because you have killed one animal, he has to kill you. You take so much responsibility. Still, your pleasure by eating flesh is finished very quickly. But if you warn, if you worship Viṣṇu, even one percent you have... Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. Worshiping the other demigods, it will be finished as soon as... I mean, suppose you go to heavenly planet. Everything will be finished, because this material world is temporary. So the benediction which you have achieved from a demigod, the demigod, the benediction, and yourself—everything will be finished. Therefore it is said, antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām (BG 7.23). Real problem is apavarga, how to get out of this entanglement of hard labor and fearfulness. That can be given by Viṣṇu. Hariṁ vinā na mṛtiṁ taranti.

Without Kṛṣṇa, nobody can save you. Other demigods... Just like Rāvaṇa. Rāvaṇa was a great devotee of

Lord Śiva. But when Lord Rāmacandra wanted to kill him, Lord Śiva's father could not even protect him. That is not possible. That is not possible. Mare kṛṣṇa rākhe ke. (aside:) Make it little... Yes. Little... Yes. If Kṛṣṇa kills you, nobody can protect, And if Kṛṣṇa protects you, nobody can kill you. Rākhe kṛṣṇa mare ke, mare kṛṣṇa rākhe ke. This is the formula.

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

First of all, material life is pariśrama, hard labor. This is called pa, pariśrama. And then, pha: the labor is so hard, sometimes foam comes. We have seen from the mouth of the horse, cows, and bulls, dogs. We sometimes, we have also, our tongue becomes dry after working very hard. There are foams. This is pha. Pa, pha. And ba means vyarthatā: in spite of so much labor, our sense gratification is not fulfilled. That is called vyarthatā. Pa pha ba, vyarthatā. And then bha. Bha means bhaya, always fearful. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca. Every conditioned soul is subjected to fearfulness, "What will happen next?" Big, big politician... Just like in U.S.A., President Nixon, he is also under fear, "How these people will drive me away?" So this bhaya must be there. Hard labor for election, then rejection, then bhaya, fearfulness, "Whether my this position will remain or not?" Nobody is free. Even Brahmā, big, big demigods, they are also fearful. Bhayaṁ dvitīya abhiniveśataḥ syāt. Śāstra says when one is attached to the other thing except God, dvitīya... Because God is one. Eka brahma. When one is not Brahman realized—the other realized means illusion realized—then there is bhaya. So apavarga, pa pha ba bha, in this way ma, means mṛtyu, death.

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

Now it has been taken as, "I am brāhmaṇa. So how to earn more money by giving somebody blessings," or "Give me some money,"or "I shall make some pūjā; he will get some material benefit, this pūjā, that pūjā," especially demigods. You worship Kālī-pūjā. So you will be able to eat meat. Then Caṇḍī-pūjā. Then he will be able to drink wine, and so many others. They are also in the scriptures. Because people want... There are varieties of men. So they have been given. These are regulative principles. Just like Kālī-pūjā, pūjā of the goddess Kālī. The real purpose is to eat meat. Because in any other demigod worship there is no animal sacrifice. But there are some demigods, the purpose is, instead of purchasing from the slaughterhouse, if they are restricted that "You eat meat after worshiping this demigod," there will be some restriction. That is the purpose, to come in, to bring him under restriction. Otherwise it is not required at all. And you will find in the Pañcāṅga that "Today meat-eating is prohibited." Actually, it is prohibited. But those who are meat-eaters, they cannot give up. Therefore one day, restriction, this restriction, that restriction—everything to bring him under regulative principle. Because real purpose is to make him detached from this material attraction and make him promoted āpavargyasya, how to get out of this material miserable condition of life. This is called dharmasya hy āpavargyasya, not that "We have got this ceremony today, Kālī-pūjā ceremony. Let us sacrifice thousands of goats and eat and drink and enjoy." That is not the purpose. Na arthāya upakalpate. Some men... Artha means material. Paramārtha means spiritual.

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

Parataḥ means by instruction or superior persons. Parataḥ. Svataḥ, by reading himself. Mitho 'bhipadyeta, or holding big, big meeting. They cannot understand. Why? Because gṛha-vrata. Gṛha-vratānām. What is the business of gṛha-vrata? Adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). By being unable to control the senses, creating another body. Another body, the sense gratification. Either as god or demigod or as dog or as hog or as human being, as tree or insect. The business is āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithuna. Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). Punaḥ punaḥ. The same thing he is doing. He does not know the real business is how to get out of this entanglement of pavarga, repetition of birth, death, old age and disease. He does not know. There is no science, there is no education. There is only education in the Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore you have to, if you want to save the world, if you want to save the human civilization, you have to make to this proposition of Bhagavad-gītā, learn it scientifically, and make your life successful.

Thank you very much. (end)

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

We therefore see Kṛṣṇa always enjoying, jaya rādhā-mādhava kuñja-bihārī. That is Kṛṣṇa. He is always in company with Rādhārāṇī, and kuñja-bihārī, and enjoying Her company in different kuñjas. And gopī-jana-vallabha, He is very dear to the gopīs or the gopas, gopī jana, in Vṛndāvana. Gopī-jana-vallabha giri-vara-dhārī. And because He loves the gopīs and the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana so much, as soon as there is some danger, He is prepared. He lifted the Govardhana Hill for them. They did not know except Kṛṣṇa. Indra, the demigod Indra wanted to punish the residents of Vṛndāvana, because on the word of Kṛṣṇa they stopped Indra-yajña. So Indra became very angry: "Who is this boy, cowherd boy? He has stopped my yajña." So the demigods become very angry if the particular type of yajña is not performed. But Kṛṣṇa proved that "Your anger is not even comparable with the, My little finger's end, that's all." So this was compromise; therefore this is Indra-yajña story, Govardhana Hill pūjā. So gopī-jana-vallabha giri-vara-dhārī. And yaśodā-nandana. When you address Kṛṣṇa as the son of Yaśodā, He becomes very, very glad. If you address Kṛṣṇa, "Oh, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma (BG 10.12)," as Arjuna did, "paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān śāśvataṁ puruṣam adyam," they're all the Vedic hymns, they're praying for Kṛṣṇa, but Kṛṣṇa is very, very pleased if you address Kṛṣṇa as yaśodā-nandana, nanda-nandana, rādhā-mādhava, He is so pleased. Immediately responds.

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

So it is possible. One has to accept the proper person who can let him know what is God. And if he is determined, then it is not difficult. But when you see God, what is your next business? Suppose you see God, what you will do? The business is to ask God, "Kṛṣṇa, please engage me in Your service." That is wanted. When Nṛsiṁha-deva was seen by Prahlāda Mahārāja, He wanted to give him. Actually his father was dead, he was to be king, so Prahlāda Mahārāja was offered, "Anything you want. You have suffered for Me so much. Now you take what you want." Prahlāda Mahārāja said, "Sir, what shall I require from You? I have seen all these material opulences. My father was so strong that even the demigods would not dare to challenge him. He was so powerful, and all this power and strength You have finished in a second. So what is the use of these powers? Please do not allure me by this material power. All this material power can be finished immediately, within a second, if You like."

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

The perfection is hari-toṣaṇam, to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It doesn't matter what you are. If you are brāhmaṇa, by your activities, satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā, by your austerity, knowledge, you satisfy Kṛṣṇa, the Sup..., Viṣṇu, the Supreme... Kṛṣṇa and Viṣṇu, the same. Viṣṇu-tattva..., Kṛṣṇa is the origin of viṣṇu-tattva. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8). Kṛṣṇa says. He is the origin of Viṣṇu also. Sarvasya. Because in the creation, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśvara. The origin of original demigods of this creation. Brahmā is the creator, Viṣṇu is the maintainer, and Maheśvara, or Mahādeva, or Lord Śiva, is destroyer. The three deities in charge of three departmental activities. So Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ. That means He's the origin of Brahmā, He's the origin of Viṣṇu, He's the origin of Lord Śiva. Ahaṁ sarvasya pra..., mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate. So therefore, here it is said, hari-toṣaṇam. If we satisfy Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He includes everything. Sarvasya prabhavaḥ. You do not require to satisfy separately other demigods. There is no need.

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

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

So this is the real dharma, saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). If you, someway or other, can satisfy Kṛṣṇa... Just like Arjuna, by killing, he sat... Killing art is not very good art. But because by killing he satisfied Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa gave him certificate, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me (BG 4.3), "Oh, you are My very dear friend." Because Kṛṣṇa's purpose was to kill the demons. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). So Arjuna helped to kill the demons and fulfill the desire of Kṛṣṇa. And therefore he became perfect by killing. So if you do anything which is sanctioned by Kṛṣṇa, or by His bona fide representative, that is real dharma. Saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13).

Lecture on SB 1.2.14 -- Los Angeles, August 17, 1972:

Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. Dhruva Mahārāja, at the age of five years old, he left his father's home, went to the forest, and with determination he saw God, Kṛṣṇa, within six months. But after coming back, when he was older, when he became king, oh, he was so powerful that there was some mischief done by the sons of Kuvera, he killed them like anything. You see? He killed them like anything, so that the Kuvera personally requested that "Mahārāja Dhruva, I know that they are criminals, you are doing your duty as king, but I request... Otherwise my whole dynasty will be finished." So immediately, Dhruva Mahārāja accepted a great man's request, Kuvera. And this Kuvera being so satisfied by the behavior of Dhruva Mahārāja that he was prepared to give him any benediction: "My dear king, you can ask me, from me, any benediction you like. You have kept my request." So what Dhruva Mahārāja asked him? He was Kuvera. Kuvera means the treasurer of the demigods. If he wanted that "The whole treasury of the universe should to given to me," he would have given him. But what he asked? He asked, "My dear sir, you are so kind, you are prepared to give me all benediction. Please give me this benediction so that I may be attached to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa."

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

So this is the easiest process. If one is very, very intelligent, then he takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, and his life becomes successful, he becomes free from so many addictions... This is the result of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). Simply by becoming a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, all the good qualities of the demigods... Demigods... Just like Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva, Nārada. There are many, many demigods. They are good qualified. Otherwise, how they are posted in such exalted position? They are very qualified. So simply by becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious, all the good qualities of the demigods, or all godly qualities, will manifest. There is no doubt about it. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra... (SB 11.2.42). They will be reluctant. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 2.59). They will find something so nice that they will give up all this nonsense. This is the process. Unless you give something better, how one can give up his bad habits?

Lecture on SB 1.2.16 -- Vrndavana, October 27, 1972:

So if this planet is made of earth, why not other planet made of fire? What is the scientific reason to deny it? Because I cannot live in the fire, it does not mean other living entities cannot live there. There are different kinds of living entities. Just like you cannot live within the water, within the ocean, but there are other living entities... Just like fish. They live very comfortably within the water. So why should we conclude that there is no life in the sun planet or moon planet? This is not perfect knowledge. From Vedic books we can understand that this moon planet is one of the heavenly planets and people live there. They are demigods. Their duration of life is very long. And one can go to that planet by performing the rituals. They are described. In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is said, yānti deva-vratā devān. If you are serious to go to the planets where demigods live, you can go. There are rules and regulations, rituals. Just like if you want to pass law examination, you prepare for that examination, and you pass, you become a lawyer. You become an engineer. Similarly, any planet you want to go, you prepare in this life. Don't degrade yourself to become again cats and dogs, but you prepare yourself to be promoted to the other, higher planetary system... As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). You can go there.

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

"My dear Arjuna, whatever forms of life you are seeing..." There are eighty-four lakhs species of life. That means eight millions and four hundred thousands of different varieties of life. Not one, two, three or one thousand, three thousand. No. We have not seen. Even the biologists, or the anthropologists, they cannot calculate. But from authoritative, revealed scripture we get this information that there are eight, eight, 8,400,000's of species of life of which human beings, they are divided into 400,000's species of life. And eighty, eighty million, eight million, there are other species of life. But Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, claims that all of them, never mind, either he is bird or beast or man or a snake or whatever he may..., god, or semi-god, demigod, anything, whatever... "There are different forms, but apart from the forms, real identity is that all of them, they are My sons. I am actually bīja-pradaḥ pitā, seed-giving father." Just like the father gives the seed, and the mother receives the seed, and the body is formed according to the mother's body. And when the body is completely formed, it comes out, either from cats, either from dog, either from man, or anything. That is the process of generation. The father gives the seed, and it takes, emulsified, two kinds of secretion within the womb of the mother, and in the first night the body is formed like a pea. Then gradually it develops. There are certain holes, the nine holes. They first of all come out, nine holes. We have got nine holes, two eyes, one mouth, two ears, and penis, and so many things. So when they are fully developed, they come out. And according to their last karma, or action, they get this body and enjoy, or suffer. That is the process of birth and death which is going on. And after finishing this life, again dies, again enters into the moth..., womb of the mother, again gets another type of body, again comes out. This is going on. This is going on.

Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- Los Angeles, August 20, 1972:

So the sun is our eyes, actually. Not only this planet, all the planets within this universe. Therefore it is said in the Brahma..., yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇām. The gāyatrī-mantra, gāyatrī-mantra, oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ, that is worshiping the sun, sun-god, savitā, savitṛ. So, yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇām. Rājā samasta-grahāṇām. Just like there is king, president, similarly, the sun planet is the king of all planets. (aside:) Those who are standing, they can stand near the wall; don't block. Yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇāṁ rājā samasta-sura-mūrtiḥ. All the demigods, they are worshiping. This gāyatrī-mantra... Yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇāṁ rājā samasta-sura-mūrtir aśeṣa-tejāḥ. Unlimited temperature, unlimited temperature. For millions and millions of years it is diffusing temperature, and if it is little more, we become, ninety millions away, ninety millions of miles away, still, little rising of temperature, we become suffocated. Aśeṣa-tejāḥ, unlimited temperature. And moving, yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇāṁ rājā samasta-sura-mūrtir aśeṣa-tejāḥ, yasyājñayā, "by whose order," bhramati, "is moving," sambhṛta-kāla-cakraḥ, "the orbit." Sun has got orbit. Sixteen thousand miles per second moving. But moving how? Not a little deviation. Exactly in the line. Because little deviation will cause havoc. Just the same way: a little pouncing over, the whole sea, finished Los Angeles. You see?

Lecture on SB 1.2.18 -- Los Angeles, August 21, 1972:

So the question was, "Which worship is best?" So Lord Śiva replied, ārādhanānāṁ sarveṣāṁ viṣṇor ārādhanaṁ param: "My dear Pārvatī, of all methods of worship, Viṣṇu worship is the topmost." There are many demigods' worship, even Lord Śiva's worship, but Lord Śiva says, "Viṣṇu worship is the best." Then he says again, tasmāt parataraṁ devi. "My dear Devi, better than that Viṣṇu worship is tadīyānāṁ samarcanam." Tadīya. Tadīya means those who are in relationship with Viṣṇu, tadīya. Just like His devotee, tadīya. Tulasī-vṛkṣa. Tulasī is tadīya. Or temple tadīya. Preaching tadīya. Tadīyānāṁ samarcanam. This is bhāgavata. So Lord Śiva recommends that "Of all methods of worship, Viṣṇu worship is the best, and better than Viṣṇu worship is to worship His devotee or things in relationship with Him."

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

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

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

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

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

Yas tu indra. Indra means the King of heaven. And there is another indra, indra-gopa. It is a, it is an insect, very small. That is called indra-gopa. So it is said, "Beginning from that Indra, the King of heaven, down to this indra, the small insect," yas tv indra-gopam athavendram aho sva-karma, "everyone is enjoying, suffering according at the karma." The, that Indra, the King of heaven, is... You can become the King of heaven, provided you have got a mass of pious activities. You are promoted. Just like if you have got sufficient education, you can become high-court judge. It is not very difficult. Similarly, this Indra, Candra, Brahmā, big, big demigods, they have got all these posts on account of their great pious activities. Puṇya. Puṇya-karma. Similarly, the hogs and dogs and other animals, they are due to the pāpa-karma, impious activities. So both of them are resultant action of our karma.

Lecture on SB 1.2.23 -- Los Angeles, August 26, 1972:

So this is a chance, these conditioned souls who have come to this material world to enjoy senses, they are given chance, they are given chance, "All right, you enjoy. You want to enjoy as human being. All right, take a body of human being. If you want to enjoy like a tiger, all right, take a body. If you want to enjoy as demigod, all right, take a body." Kṛṣṇa is so liberal, "Take, and enjoy as you like. But you'll never be happy." That is the crucial point. "If you want to happy, then surrender unto Me." This is the point. You cannot manufacture your happiness. That is not possible. Therefore this is, this creation is there. Try to understand. Why there is creation? This creation is a chance given to the conditioned soul, how to come to his senses, that living entity, that he is eternally servant of Kṛṣṇa, part and parcel. His only business is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. So here is a chance. If we don't take this chance, then again the creation will be wound up, it will be destroyed. Again there will be creation, again another chance will be given. This is going on. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate. It is manifested sometimes and maintained for some time and again destroyed.

Lecture on SB 1.2.23 -- Los Angeles, August 26, 1972:

Pradyumna: "When Viṣṇu or the Personality of Godhead appears in the material world, He comes to deliver the conditioned living beings who are under the material energy. Such living being appears in the material world with intention of lording it over falsely, and thus becomes entrapped by the three modes of nature. As such, the living entities have to change the material coverings for undergoing different terms of imprisonment. The prison house of the material world is created by Brahmā, under instruction of the Personality of Godhead, and at the conclusion of a kalpa, the whole thing is destroyed by Śiva. But so far maintenance of the prison house is concerned, it is done by Viṣṇu, as much as the state prison house is maintained by the state. Anyone, therefore, who may wish to get out of this prison house of material existence, which is full of miseries like repetition of birth, death, diseases and old age, must please Lord Viṣṇu for such liberation. Lord Viṣṇu is worshiped by devotional service only, and if anyone has to continue the prison life in the material world, he may ask for relative facilities from the different demigods like Śiva, Brahmā, Indra, Varuṇa, etc., for temporary relief. No such demigods can, however, release the imprisoned living being from the conditioned life of material existence except Viṣṇu. As such, the ultimate benefit may be derived from Viṣṇu, the Personality of Godhead."

Prabhupāda: Just like one is a prisoner. So if he pleases the superintendent of prison, he can get some little facilities. Now I have seen, practically, that one young boy, he was imprisoned for some criminal act. So he was typing in the office of the jail superintendent. So that means he was educated, but he was put into ordinary prison term. He was breaking some stone. But he satisfied the jail superintendent that "I am not accustomed to this. However, I can serve you in some other way." So, he saw that "He is educated. He knows. All right. You come to my office. Just help me, in typing."

So this facility one can have. But not released from the prison house. That is not in the power of the superintendent. Similarly, all the demigods, they can give you a temporary facility, but they cannot give you relief from this prison house. Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). People are going to heavenly planets and our planets... Just like they are going to the moon planet. But they are again coming down, again coming down.

Lecture on SB 1.2.23 -- Los Angeles, August 26, 1972:

Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated: kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajante anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). Hṛta-jñānāḥ, hṛta-jñānāḥ, those who have lost their intelligence. They are influenced by their lust and greediness. They worship different demigods to get some material temporary benefit. Therefore they are called naṣṭa-buddhi. His real problem is how to get out of this entanglement of repetition of birth and death, but he doesn't care that. He thinks, "Oh, now I am living in this way. If I live in a palatial building, then my problem is solved." That is not your problem, solution of the problem. That is not solution. But people are very much enamored by this temporary material elements. Therefore they are called by Kṛṣṇa as naṣṭa-buddhayaḥ, hṛta-jñānāḥ. They're actual knowledge is lost. Real thing is... Just like in the jail. The same example: the boy was given a little relief. Instead of breaking stone, he was allowed to type in the office. That does not mean his problem is solved. His problem is solved when he's out of the prison. That is. But that the superintendent of police cannot give. That will be given by the government. Similarly, if we want to get relief from this prison house of material existence, we must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. No other method will relieve us.

Thank you very much. (end)

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

So actually, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara, they are the principal directors of the three guṇas. Therefore Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara, they are called guṇāvatāra. Lord Viṣṇu is in charge of sattva-guṇa activities. Therefore brāhmaṇa, the symbol of sattva-guṇa, they are Vaiṣṇavas. Formerly, in each and every home of a brāhmaṇa, there was Viṣṇu worship. A brāhmaṇa cannot worship any other demigods except Viṣṇu, because Viṣṇu is in the charge of the sattva-guṇa and brāhmaṇa is also in the sattva-guṇa. So Viṣṇu asya devatā. For this reason brāhmaṇa's another title is Vaiṣṇava. Brāhmaṇa-vaiṣṇava. Or brāhmaṇa-paṇḍita.

So on account of the three guṇas, there are three types of Vedic literatures. Not directly śruti, but smṛti, the purāṇas, they are divided into three divisions: sāttvika-purāṇa, rājasika-purāṇa and tāmasika-purāṇa. Śiva Purāṇa, Devī Purāṇa, they are sāttvika, rājasika. Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa, Viṣṇu Purāṇa, Śrīmad Bhāgavata Purāṇa, they are sāttvika-purāṇas. The whole scheme is that everyone, every living entity within this material world, they are infected. That we have discussed. The most inferior infection is the rajas-tamas. And the superior rajas, uh, sattva-guṇa, that is also infection, but it is less harmful, whereas the infection of rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa is very much embarrassing.

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

So these things, śāstra says, viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt. These necessities of life, they can be obtained in any form of life. There is no scarcity. But the human form of life, if it is wasted only for these facilities of life—eating, sleeping, mating and defending—then what is the credit of getting a human form of life? The śāstra therefore says, tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovidaḥ. In human form of life one should try to achieve that perfection which was not obtained in previous lives after wandering heaven and hell and all species of life. Bhramatām upary adhaḥ. Upari adhaḥ means upwards and downwards. And we are wandering: sometimes downwards, sometimes outwards, sometimes poor, sometimes rich, sometimes man, sometimes dog, sometimes tree, sometimes demigod. In this way, we are wandering. Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore says, ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva (CC Madhya 19.151). We are wandering in this way in different species of life, in different planets, but somehow or other, if one is fortunate, he comes in contact with a devotee by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151).

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

It is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajante anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). Anya-devatāḥ means Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā and others. There are many, thirty-three crores of different demigods. Indra, Candra, Varuṇa, so many. So the chief of them is Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva. Lord Śiva is therefore called Mahādeva. He is above all these demigods. And Lord Śi... Brahmā is called pitāmaha. Pitāmaha means he's the father of all demigods. He's the father of Lord Śiva also.

So in this way, if we really want salvation, free, freedom from these clutches of māyā... That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). This māyā is very, very hard to pass over. Duratyayā. Only means is: mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti. This is the verse. Here it is also, the same thing confirmed: śreyāṁsi. If you want ultimate goal, ultimate goal means to get free from the conditional life, repetition of birth, death, old age—then you have to take shelter of Lord Viṣṇu. But people do not know that. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). For temporary benefit they go to worship other demigods. But that is not their ultimate goal. Antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām (BG 7.23). Antavat tu phalam. If you take any benediction from other demigods, that is antavat. That will be finished. That is temporary. Antavat tu phalam..., tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām. Just like Lord Śiva's name is Āśutoṣa. He's very quickly becomes pleased to offer benediction; therefore generally people go to Āśutoṣa, Lord Śiva. He does not consider. If you can please him, you can take any kind of benediction from him. He'll be ready: "All right. You take it." Because he wants to avoid botheration.

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

So, so here it is indicated: śreyāṁsi. If you want your ultimate goal, then you take shelter of Viṣṇu, the Lord of sattva-guṇa. Then you'll be benefitted. Not by others. But we are generally influenced by the rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa, lust and greediness. Therefore kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ (BG 7.20). We, we are lost of intelligence, influenced by lust and greediness, and therefore we take shelter of other demigods. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajante anya-devatāḥ. Antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām (BG 7.23). Alpa-medhasām. Alpa-medhasām means people do not know. Suppose I take some material benefit, temporary benefit... Every material benefit is temporary. Whatever benefit we have in this life, as soon as this body's finished, all our benefit finished. Then I'll have to take another body which may not be even human form of body. Sometimes we are being too much attached to our present possession. We remain in the possession, but in a different form. In a different form. There are many, I mean, Puranic, Pauranic indences(?). That is long story, that by karma, we take birth in different forms of life, and if we have got too much attachment... Sometimes a person, the proprietor of the house, after death, remains in that house as serpent, sometimes as dog, sometimes as tree. Being too much attached to the possession, they cannot get better life. And sometimes we can get the body of a hog and monkey in Vṛndāvana also.

Lecture on SB 1.2.24 -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1972:

So this gradual process of evolution means one must come to the platform of understanding Brahman. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am..., I am spirit soul, and I am part and parcel of the Supreme Soul." This understanding one must come. So for that understanding one has to come to the platform of goodness, sattva-guṇa. If one remains in the rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa, as we have explained, then we shall be entangled in this material world. We may get a different types of body, even if we get the body of demigods or European body, American body, as they are understood, very advanced. So not only European, American, but there are other improved condition of life in higher planetary system. They're all made of rajo-guṇa. Rajas-tamas. Tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye (SB 1.2.19). Because everywhere you'll find the prominence of greediness and lust, everywhere. Even in the heavenly planet, the King of Heaven, he's very, very, very much lusty. There are so many instances. He's very much fond of sex life, Indra.

Lecture on SB 1.2.24 -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1972:

So if one wants to come to that platform, then one has to accept the form of Viṣṇu. As we have already explained in the previous verse: śreyāṁsi tatra khalu sattva-tanor nṛṇāṁ syuḥ. Sattva-tanoḥ. Viṣṇu is the form of sattva-guṇa, Brahmā is the form of rajo-guṇa, and Śiva, Lord Śiva, is the form of tamo-guṇa. So actually, if we want our perfection of life, we'll not be very much benefitted by taking shelter of Lord Śiva or Lord Brahmā or any other demigod. Other demigods, they're all subordinate to Lord Brahmā and Śiva. All demigods are supposed... Even great saintly ṛṣis, they are also sons of Brahmā. Rajo-guṇa. Lord Śiva is also one of the sons of Brahmā. So either to accept other demigods or even Lord Śiva or Lord Brahmā will not help us, because we have to come to the platform of sattva-guṇa. For that purpose sattva-tanoḥ... Sattva-tanu means Viṣṇu. So we have to take shelter of Viṣṇu. In the Vedas, in the Ṛg Veda it is said, tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ. Viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam. Sūrayaḥ, those who are advanced in civilization, sūrayaḥ... Sura and asura. Asura means materialistic person, atheistic person, interested in sense gratification. That is called asura, na sura. And sura means interested in advancement of spiritual life. That is called sura. So for the asuras, the life is different, but for the suras, their aim is: tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padam. Their aim of perfection is Viṣṇu. Paramaṁ padam: the Supreme Abode of Viṣṇu, or the Vaikuṇṭhaloka.

Lecture on SB 1.2.25 -- Los Angeles, August 28, 1972:

In the beginning also of this chapter it is said, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). The same word, adhokṣaje. Ahaituky apratihatā yayātmā suprasīdati. If you want real happiness, then you engage yourself in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kṣemāya. Then you'll be happy. And if you take to other demigods, those who are material, that will not be your perfect happiness or permanent happiness.

Therefore, in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, yajante anya-devatāḥ. Kāma, kā. What is that? Hṛta-jñānāḥ. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ (BG 7.20). We have read, we have discussed, that if you want, if you want to fulfill this desire, then you worship this demigod. If you want to be beautiful, then you worship Umā. If you want money, then you worship Prajāpati, the treasurer of the demigods, Kuvera. And in this way there are different recommendations. But the conclusion is that Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ: (BG 7.20) this material kāma, lust, desires, for this purpose they go, they worship different demigods. There is no necessity. Kṛṣṇa stopped demigod worship. To His father, when His father was going to arrange a festival for worshiping Indra, and He stopped it. The father was so affectionate: "Oh, Kṛṣṇa doesn't want it. All right, stop it." But Indra became very angry. "Who is this boy, stopping my worship?" So he wanted to show his power. So for seven days torrents of rain. And Kṛṣṇa showed His power. He lifted the Govardhana Hill, giri-vara-dhārī, Govardhana Hill to protect the Vṛndāvana vāsī. Then he came to his senses, that "He's not ordinary cowherd boy. I'm... He's my master."

Lecture on SB 1.2.25 -- Los Angeles, August 28, 1972:

So we have to take instruction from Kṛṣṇa to understand Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the supreme." You have to accept that, in the Bhāgavata. You cannot interpret in a different way: "Yes, Kṛṣṇa is supreme, all right. But..." Not like that. Take it as it is. Kṛṣṇa says ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8), "I am the original source of everything." Because our inquiries, every scientist, every philosopher is trying to find out the ultimate source. That is called progressive science or philosophy. But here we get the information. Why should we take so much trouble? Kṛṣṇa says aham ādir hi devānām: (Bg 10.2) "I am the original of all demigods." Just like Brahmā. Brahmā is the first demigod within this universe, but he is not original. Original is Kṛṣṇa. Aham ādir hi devānāṁ maharṣīṇām. So He says that He is the ādi, ādi-puruṣam. Brahmā says ādi-puruṣam, the original person. Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. So He's the ādi-puruṣa, He's the original source. Every Vedic literature declares, every authority declares. He comes Himself to declare, but still we are so rascal, we are finding out, making research work, "What is the ādi-puruṣa?" This is called rascaldom. Everything is there, but the rascal will simply spoil their own time and spoil others' time making research work. This is called illusion. Everything is there. Sun is there, brilliant, and one is searching sun with a lamp. What is the use of this lamp? The sun is self-effulgent, you can see. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is self-effulgent. By śāstra, by authority, by action, everything. Why you are wasting your time? Wasting your time? Yes. What is the reason?

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

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

mumukṣavo ghora-rūpān

hitvā bhūta-patīn atha

nārāyaṇa-kalāḥ śāntā

bhajanti hy anasūyavaḥ

(SB 1.2.26)

Translation: "Those who are serious about liberation are certainly nonenvious, and they respect all. Yet they reject the horrible and ghastly forms of the demigods and worship only the all-blissful forms and plenary portions of Lord Viṣṇu."

Prabhupāda:

mumukṣavo ghora-rūpān

hitvā bhūta-patīn atha

nārāyaṇa-kalāḥ śāntā

bhajanti hy anasūyavaḥ

So the first word: mumukṣavaḥ—it is very difficult. This class of men, to find out, mumukṣavaḥ, it is very difficult to find out. They do not know what is meant by mumukṣava. Mumukṣava means "desiring to be liberated." They do not know what is liberation. The so-called scientists, philosophers of the modern age, they do not know what is meant by liberation, mokṣa. And still, they are the heads of education and public leaders. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). They do not know what is the objective of life, what for the human life is meant. They do not know.

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

So they are regulated. "All right. You want meat, you want to eat meat, all right, then sacrifice one goat before Goddess Kālī and worship her on the on the āmāvāsya, dark moon night." So many regulations. The real purpose is to restrict him, but if it is directly said that "Don't eat meat," he'll be revolting. Therefore there are so many prescription of worshiping different demigods. Otherwise, there is no necessity. There is no necessity. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajante anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). Those who are worshiping other demigods, they have become blind, they have lost their senses. Hṛta-jñāna. Hṛta-jñāna. Real knowledge is lost. Real knowledge is lost. Therefore they're after so many demigods. Kṛṣṇa says, "It is not My manufactured word." Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajante anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). There is no need of worshiping any demigods. This is the Govardhana-pūjā. This Govardhana-pūjā, Nanda Mahārāja was arranging for worshiping Indra, and Kṛṣṇa stopped it. And He engaged him for worshiping Govardhana, which is representation of Kṛṣṇa. That is the Govardhana-pūjā.

So here it is said, mumukṣavo ghora-rūpān hitvā bhūta-patīn atha. Bhūta-patīn atha. So those who are actually desiring liberation from this entanglement of material life, transmigration from one body to another... We can get different types of sense pleasure in different bodies. That's all right. But this is not a very good business. Sometimes I become a demigod, and sometimes I become a eucalyptus tree, standing for three hundred years. So why should we waste our time in that way? That is intelligence. But they do not know that "This time I am very nice American. I have got my skyscraper building and motorcar and very good bank balance. I am very happy." They don't care. But he does not know that next life he may become a cats or dog. That he does not know. There is risk. This science is not taught in any university.

Lecture on SB 1.2.27 -- Vrndavana, November 7, 1972:

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

rajas-tamaḥ-prakṛtayaḥ

sama-śīlā bhajanti vai

pitṛ-bhūta-prajeśādīn

śriyaiśvarya-prajepsavaḥ

(SB 1.2.27)

Translation: "Those who are in the modes of passion and ignorance worship the forefathers, other living beings and the demigods who are in charge of cosmic activities, for they are urged by a desire to be materially benefited with women, wealth, power and aristocratic birth."

Prabhupāda: So...

rajas-tamaḥ-prakṛtayaḥ

sama-śīlā bhajanti vai

pitṛ-bhūta-prajeśādīn

śriyaiśvarya-prajepsavaḥ

Śriyaiśvarya-prajā. (aside:) Stop that. Śrī means beauty, aiśvarya means riches, opulence, and praja means progeny, sons, grandsons, great-grandsons. In Bengal there is a proverb, nāti nāti sagye bhati(?): "If one can see grandson of the grandson, his life is successful." His door to heaven is open now. Nāti means grandson, and nāti's nāti, grandson. That means six generations. So people like this—good family and full of beautiful women and very good bank balance, motorcars—then life is successful. Śriyaiśvarya-prajepsavaḥ. But who are after this śriyaiśvarya-prajepsavaḥ? That is explained: rajas-tamaḥ-prakṛtayaḥ. Rajas-tamaḥ-prakṛtayaḥ, those who are influenced by the modes of passion and ignorance.

Lecture on SB 1.2.27 -- Vrndavana, November 7, 1972:

So those who are not in the modes of goodness, mumukṣavaḥ, they worship... Rajas-tamaḥ-prakṛtayaḥ sama-śīlā bhajanti. Sama-śīlā, according to their temperament. There are recommendations that "If you want this thing, you worship this demigod. If you want education, you worship this demigod. If you want money, then you worship this demigod. If you want very beautiful wife, then you worship Umā and..." The recommendations are there. That is not false. These are all Vedic recommendations. Because, if you want this, then... Bhagavad-gītā also, Kṛṣṇa says that yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25). "If you want to go to the heavenly planets, then you worship such and such demigod. If you want to go to the Pitṛlokas, then you worship such and such demigod." These are explained there. They are not false. They are facts. If you want... Just like they are going, trying to go to the moon planet. So how to go to the moon planet, that process is described. You can, you can adopt that process and automatically, after your death, you'll be transferred to the moon planet. You don't require this artificial sputnik. No. Neither you can go there by the sputniks. It is not possible. You must be qualified to enter into a particular type of planet.

Lecture on SB 1.2.27 -- Vrndavana, November 7, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa never says that "You do anything nonsense and you come to Me." Kṛṣṇa never says. If you, if you worship demigods, you'll be promoted to the planets of the demigods. If you want to, if you worship the Pitṛs, the śrāddha performance, then you enter the Pitṛlokas. But one who is endeavoring in devotional service, yānti mad-yājinaḥ. Mad-yājinaḥ. Mad-yājī. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī. Kṛṣṇa recommends, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). And in another place He says, mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām (BG 9.25).

So those who are devotees, those who are always engaged in the worship of Kṛṣṇa, Nārāyaṇa... Kṛṣṇa, Nārāyaṇa, Viṣṇu-They're all the same, viṣṇu-tattva. So in the previous verse: nārāyaṇa-kalāḥ śāntā bhajanti hy anasūyavaḥ. Anasūyavaḥ, they're not envious. They, they're not envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Not like the so-called scholar, envious of Kṛṣṇa. When Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī mām, he's envious of Kṛṣṇa. He's recommending, "It is not to the person Kṛṣṇa," Because he's envious. He does not like that Kṛṣṇa should be worshiped. Not only he; there are many persons. As soon as we put that Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28), "You just worship Kṛṣṇa," they will protest: "No. Why Kṛṣṇa? We have got so many other demigods. We shall worship them." They are asūyavaḥ. They are hiṁsaka, hiṁsaka. They are envious of Kṛṣṇa. And because our life, this material life has begun being envious of Kṛṣṇa... "Why Kṛṣṇa shall be the enjoyer?" Kṛṣṇa says, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). Our enviousness is "Why Kṛṣṇa shall be the only enjoyer? I also, I shall enjoy. Why He shall enjoy the rāsa-līlā? I shall imitate. Or I shall also make arrangement for rāsa-līlā." You see. This is rascaldom.

Lecture on SB 1.2.27 -- Vrndavana, November 7, 1972:

So those who are envious of Kṛṣṇa, they take to the worship of other demigods. Śriyaiśvarya-prajepsavaḥ. Because to quickly attain achievement or achieve perfection in these three things, beauty, opulence, and good generation. So Bhāgavata says that "Even though you are very much anxious to get all these things," śriyaiśvarya-prajā, "still, we recommend that you worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead."

akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā

mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhīḥ

tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena

yajeta puruṣaṁ param

(SB 2.3.10)

That is the recommendation. Akāma. Akāma means bhakta. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu is saying: na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye (Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4). "We don't want." He's called akāma, no desire. Akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā (SB 2.3.10). Sarva-kāma means this: śriyaiśvarya-prajepsavaḥ. Dhanaṁ dehi rūpaṁ dehi yaśo dehi balaṁ dehi dehi dehi dehi dehi dehi. They are sarva-kāma. Akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā (SB 2.3.10). And another, mokṣa-kāma. So mokṣa-kāma and sarva-kāma or, what is called, the yogis, siddhi-kāma. They are also siddhi-kāma. Some of them are mokṣa-kāma; some of them are sarva-kāma; some of them are siddhi-kāma—all of them are kāmīs, lusty. The yogis, the karmīs and the jñānīs—all of them—they are kāmīs. Means they want something. Only the devotee, he doesn't want anything—except Kṛṣṇa. He doesn't want Kṛṣṇa also. He simply wants to serve Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.2.30 -- Vrndavana, November 9, 1972:

So this is another proof that Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's body does not change. Kṛṣṇa, when He comes, when He appears, He comes in His original spiritual body. Therefore Kṛṣṇa has warned that avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ (BG 9.11). The Māyāvādī philosophers who think that Kṛṣṇa has accepted a material body, they are described as mūḍhas. They have no sufficient knowledge. Paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ. They do not know what is the power behind Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa creates. Before creation, aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, devānām. First of all, Brahmā was created. Then other great sages were created. Then other demigods were created. But Kṛṣṇa says, aham ādir hi devānām. Therefore He's not a created being of this material world. We have to consider in that way. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). The Vedānta-sūtra: janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). So Kṛṣṇa is the origin of everything. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8). Iti matvā bhajante māṁ budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ. One who knows Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme, ādi-puruṣam, ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca (Bs. 5.33), his knowledge is perfect. If one thinks Kṛṣṇa as one of the products of this material word, then his knowledge is imperfect. He's still in the darkness of this material creation.

Lecture on SB 1.2.30 -- Vrndavana, November 9, 1972:

That is explained in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta: ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa, āra saba bhṛtya (CC Adi 5.142). Only Kṛṣṇa is the supreme master. Ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa, āra saba bhṛtya. Now... Śiva-viriñci-nutam (SB 11.5.33). Even great demigods like Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva, they also subordinate to Kṛṣṇa. They offer their obeisances to Kṛṣṇa. Śiva-viriñci-nutam. And in the Brahma-saṁhitā it is confirmed by Brahmā: īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Īśvara. Everyone can be an īśvara. Īśvara means controller. So we are also controller of something. A business man is controller of his business; I am controller of my disciples. There are so many controllers. So in that sense, everyone is īśvara, in the sense of controller. But Lord Brahmā says, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1): "The supreme controller, the supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa." What is the difference between supreme controller and ordinary controller? Ordinary controller means that he controls and he is controlled, both. We are controller, but nobody can say that "I am not controlled." We are controlled. But Kṛṣṇa, He's controller, but not controlled. That is the difference between Kṛṣṇa and ourself.

Lecture on SB 1.2.31 -- Vrndavana, November 10, 1972:

But the modern scientists, they say "intuition," but they cannot explain how the intuition is coming. It is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). It is coming from Paramātmā, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Antaḥ-praviṣṭa ābhāti vijñānena vijṛmbhitaḥ. But Kṛṣṇa, sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi-sanniviṣṭaḥ, as Paramātmā, He has entered in everyone's heart. He is in His knowledge. He knows that "This individual soul wanted to enjoy this material world," so He gives him facility: "Now you enjoy." Those who have no discrimination of eating—all abominable things one can eat—he's given the chance of eating everything up to stool in the form of a hog. The facility's given. One who is shameless... Now this civilization has spread in the Western countries—they want to remain naked. There are so many nudie clubs. So next life they'll be given chance to become tree, to stand naked for thousands of years. This is laws of nature. They do not know how they're getting chance, different types of body for different types of enjoyments, material enjoyment. Sometimes he's put as a poor man; sometimes he's put as a rich man. Sometimes as demigod, sometimes as cat, sometimes as dog. In this way, it is going on. But they are..., there is no knowledge. The modern civilization, they do not take care of this Vedic information, neither they have got any sufficient knowledge how these 8,400,000 species of life are becoming possible. They have no science. But here it is stated: antaḥ-praviṣṭa ābhāti vijñānena vijṛmbhitaḥ.

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

So there are different types of body, and each one is acting in a different way. Different way means the... Why they are working different way? If the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Paramātmā, is the same in the..., in each and every body—īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61)—why one is acting different from the other? One is acting different... That is the action of the individual soul. The Supersoul is there, simply sanctioning: "All right, you do like this." Because he's insisting. And He's sanctioning: "All right, you do like this." Therefore nāneva bhāti viśvātmā. Viśvātmā, the Supersoul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He appears to be acting differently. He's not acting differently. Just like the magistrate. Magistrate is giving different judgment: "This man should be treated like this. This man should be treated..." The man, the magistrate, is the same, but because the culprit is different, therefore he has got to give different judgment. Culprit is different; he's not different. He's one. This is the proof that Paramātmā and jīvātmā are two different personalities. They're not one. This is the proof. Why? Nāneva bhāti viśvātmā. He's Viśvātmā, the Supersoul. Why one is acting as a hog, one is acting as a dog, one is acting as a demigod, Indra, Candra, Varuṇa? Why these differences? We are all living entities, jīva-tattva, and the Viśvātmā, the Supersoul, is the same in everyone's heart. Why they are acting differently? This is the proof that there is individual soul, jīvātmā, and the Paramātmā, Paramātmā is sanctioning. The same example: the magistrate, or judge, is giving different judgment because the criminals, or the complainers, they are different. Nāneva bhāti viśvātmā bhūteṣu ca tathā pumān.

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

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

bhāvayaty eṣa sattvena

lokān vai loka-bhāvanaḥ

līlāvatārānurato

deva-tiryaṅ-narādiṣu

(SB 1.2.34)

Translation: "Thus, the Lord of the universes maintains all planets inhabited by demigods, men and lower animals, and in His play He assumes the roles of incarnations to reclaim those in the mode of pure goodness."

Prabhupāda:

bhāvayaty eṣa sattvena

lokān vai loka-bhāvanaḥ

līlāvatārānurato

deva-tiryaṅ-narādiṣu

(SB 1.2.34)

So the Supreme Personality of Godhead, līlāvatāra, incarnates in many forms, not only in the human society, but in the demigod society, or lower than human society, the animal society also, tree society. Because as we have forgotten our relationship with Kṛṣṇa, He's always anxious to get us back to home, back to Godhead. So He incarnates Himself in so many forms. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). He has got ananta-rūpa, unlimited forms. Advaitam acyutam anādim. But all those forms are in essence one. Advaita. That is not different. Just like rāmādi-mūrtiṣu. The Lord appears as Lord Rāmacandra, or as Lord Kṛṣṇa, or as Lord Varāha. They are not different. In the material sense a varāha, a hog, is different from the man. Or the man is..., one man is different from another man. But the incarnations of Kṛṣṇa, they are not different. The same thing. Just like Kṛṣṇa, when He appeared, He, He's Kṛṣṇa when He was so-called three months old, and He was Kṛṣṇa when He was twenty years old. The same Kṛṣṇa. As we find difference that a..., the same man, when he's three months old, he's different from the twenty years old. When his age is twenty years, he's different from his age when his age is three months.

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

Now, here it is said: līlāvatārānurato deva-tiryaṅ-narādiṣu (SB 1.2.34). God is always anxious to get us back, back to home, back to Godhead. So apart from His incarnations amongst the deva, demigods... Just like Upendra, Lord Vāmanadeva, He appeared amongst the demigods. There are so many other incarnations, demigods. Tiryaṅ-narādi, tiryak. God appeared as incarnation of boar, incarnation of horse, incarnation of tortoise. Keśava dhṛta-kūrma-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare. Kūrma śarīra. Keśava dhṛta-mīna-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare. There are so many incarnations. Keśava dhṛta-narahari-rūpa jaya jagadīśa hare. Keśava dhṛta-vāmana-rūpa jaya jagadīśa hare. So He has got innumerable incarnations. As I have told you several times, just like the waves of the river, one cannot count, similarly, nobody can count how many incarnations are coming always, incessantly, one after another. So līlāvatārānurato deva-tiryaṅ-narādiṣu. And amongst the human beings, we know Lord Rāmacandra came, Lord Kṛṣṇa came, Ṛṣabhadeva came and Lord Caitanya came.

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

Upendra: "This part of the spiritual sky, called the mahat-tattva, is only an insignificant portion of the whole spiritual sky, and within this mahat-tattva there are innumerable universes. All these universes collectively is produced by the Kāraṇārṇavaśāyī Viṣṇu called also the Mahā-Viṣṇu who simply throws His glance only to impregnate the material sky to manifest." Text 2. Translation: "Another plenary part of the puruṣa is lying down within the water of the universe from the navel lake of His body which has sprouted the lotus stem (which is the body of the universe) and on the top, from the lotus flower Brahmā the master of all engineers of the universe, is generated." Purport: "The First puruṣa is the Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. From the skinholes of Him innumerable universes have sprung up. In each and every one of them the puruṣa enters as the Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. He is lying in half portion of the universe full with water of His body. And from the navel of Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu has sprung up the stem of the lotus flower the birth place of Brahmā who is the father of all living beings and the master of all the demigod engineers engaged in the matter of perfect design and working of the universal order. Within the stem of the lotus there are fourteen divisions of planetary system and the earthly planets are situated in the middle. Upwards there are other better planetary systems and the topmost system is called Brahmaloka or the Satyaloka. Downwards the earthly planetary system there are seven downwards planetary systems domiciled by the asuras and similar other most materialistic living beings. From this Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu there is expansion of the Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu who is the collective Paramātmā of all living beings. He is called Hari and from Him all incarnations within the universe are expanded."

Prabhupāda: Yes. This Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu is the father of Brahmā who has created all these innumerable planets. And in one of the planets there is Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. In that planet the ocean is of milk. There are different kinds of ocean, as we get information from Vedic literature. As we have got here the ocean of water, similarly there is ocean of milk, there is ocean of oil, there is... Just like you have got oil within earth, similarly in those planets there are oil ocean, milk ocean. So there is one planet within this universe which has got ocean of milk. And in that milk ocean there is another Viṣṇu, who is called Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. Kṣīra means milk and udaka means water. Go on.

Lecture on SB 1.3.7 -- Los Angeles, September 13, 1972:

So there are many millions and millions of forms of God. According to time, necessity, circumstances, He assumes different forms. Because it is His business:

yadā yadā hi dharmasya

glānir bhavati bhārata

abhyutthānam adharmasya

tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham

(BG 4.7)

He appears as soon as there is discrepancies in the methodical way. Another place, indrāri-vyākulaṁ lokam (SB 1.3.28). Indra. Indra means the heavenly god, and ari means enemy. So indrāri, the enemy of the king of heaven. That means demons. There are two classes of beings, human being, in the human state: the devatā and asura. So devatā means God conscious, Kṛṣṇa conscious. Anyone who is Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is devatā, demigod. And anyone who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he's demon. This is the difference. So that demon may be very big or small, it doesn't matter, but... Asuras tad-viparyayaḥ. Viparyayaḥ means "just the opposite." The devotees, they are demigods, and asura means just the opposite number of devotee; that means nondevotees. Those who are nondevotees, those who are not devotees of the Lord, they are all demons.

Lecture on SB 1.3.8 -- Los Angeles, September 14, 1972:

Third incarnation Devarṣi, ṛṣi among the demigods. Just like there are ṛṣis among the kings, they are called rājarṣi. In the Bhagavad-gītā the word rājarṣi is used. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Formerly the kings were just like great saintly persons. They were not ordinary vote collectors. They were so saintly there was no need of electing another president every five years. They are ṛṣis, these words are there. So in the third millennium, they were almost all ṛṣis. They were so enlightened that everyone of the population were just like great saints, saintly persons.

So this Devarṣi means Nārada, saintly sage among the demigods. He is also one of the demigods. So he compiled Vedic principles for executing devotional service, Nārada Pañcarātra. Our method, this devotional service, is according to the Nārada Pañcarātra. Especially in this age, Vedic system is not very much convenient. It is very strict. Just like according to Vedic system, if one wants to become a brāhmaṇa, he must be born of a brāhmaṇa father. Otherwise he cannot be accepted as a brāhmaṇa. But according to the Nārada Pañcarātra system, even if one is lowborn, he can be accepted as a brāhmaṇa by this reformatory process. Because kalau śūdra sambhavaḥ—everyone in this age is a śūdra. Śūdra means no intelligence, little better than animals, that's all.

Lecture on SB 1.3.11-12 -- Los Angeles, September 17, 1972:

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

tataḥ saptama ākūtyāṁ

rucer yajño 'bhyajāyata

sa yāmādyaiḥ sura-gaṇair

apāt svāyambhuvāntaram

(SB 1.3.12)

Translation: "The seventh incarnation was advented as Yajña, the son of Prajāpati Ruci and his wife Ākūti. He controlled the period changed by the Svāyambhuva Manu, assisted by demigods, as His son Yama and others."

Prabhupāda: So you are marking that so many incarnation of God have been described. We are now in the seventh. So there is chronological number, which incarnation, what is His chronological number, what is His father's name, what is His mother's name, what are His activities, how the bodily feature, what is the mission. Everything is described in the śāstra. Nowadays any rascal comes, and he says, "I am incarnation." What is your father's name? Whatever it is described? Whether in the śāstra? Because incarnation, we cannot accept any rascal as incarnation without proper identification. But it has become a fashion now. Any rascal comes, says, "I am incarnation of God." So where is the mention? Some rascal says, "I was formerly Rāma and Kṛṣṇa." Another rascal accepts, "Oh, you were Rāma and Kṛṣṇa?"

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

Another example of dhīra is there in Kumāra Sambhava. Kumāra Sambhava is a Sanskrit book, which I think we read in our college I.A. class, by Kālidāsa, poet Kālidāsa. So this theme of that book is that the demigods, they wanted to fight with the demons, and it was necessary that a son should be begotten by Lord Śiva. So Lord Śiva at that time lost his wife in the dakṣa-yajña. She gave up his (her) life. There was some misunderstanding between Mahārāja Dakṣa, father of Pārvatī, or Durgā. So she gave up her life because her father was against Lord Śiva. He was repudiating Lord Śiva, and she could not tolerate that "My father, you are so proud that you are blaspheming Lord Śiva because you think I am your daughter and your son-in-law is subordinate. So I am returning this body to you." So (s)he immediately gave up her body. So Lord Śiva, having lost his wife, he was on the Himalayas executing severe tapasya. So the demigods, they planned to break the tapasya meditation of Lord Śiva by sending Pārvatī, daughter of Himalaya. Lord Śiva's wife then took birth as daughter of Himalaya. So when she was young, grown-up, sixteen years old, so she was engaged to break the meditation of Lord Śiva. So Lord Śiva was in meditation, naked, and Pārvatī was induced to worship Lord Śiva and touch the genital. But Lord Śiva still was undisturbed. So at that time, Kālidāsa Kavi, that "Here is the example of dhīra. He is so much absorbed in meditation that a young girl, touching the genital, still, he is undisturbed. He is so self-controlled."

Lecture on SB 1.3.16 and Initiation -- Los Angeles, September 21, 1972:

So yasyāntaṁ na viduḥ surāsura-gaṇa devāya tasmai namaḥ.(?) The mantra, there is mantra, that yasyāntaṁ na viduḥ. One cannot understand the antam, the ultimate end of the Supreme... Yasyāntaṁ na viduḥ. Viduḥ means "does not know." Surāsura-gaṇa. Sura. Sura means demigods, theists. Those who are believer in God, they are called sura, and just the opposite-asura. Asura does not believe in the existence of God. He thinks he is God. That is asura. Āsuri-bhāvam āśritāḥ. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said āsuri. Āsuri, this word has come from this āsura. Adjective. Asura is nominative. So from āsura, it becomes āsuri. Āsuri-bhāvam āśritāḥ. Those who are atheists, they do not surrender. They do not like the idea of God or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But they do not know what is God or what is the ultimate end, who is the original cause. They do not know. Even the theists, they also do not know. They know Kṛṣṇa, but it is impossible to understand what is the limit of Kṛṣṇa's energies, just like we were discussing this morning.

Lecture on SB 1.3.17 -- Los Angeles, September 22, 1972:

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

dhānvantaraṁ dvādaśamaṁ

trayodaśamam eva ca

apāyayat surān anyān

mohinyā mohayan striyā

(SB 1.3.17)

Translation: "In the twelfth incarnation, the Lord appeared as Dhanvantari, and in the thirteenth He allured the atheists by the charming beauty of a woman and gave nectar to the demigods to drink."

Prabhupāda: This is very interesting verse. (laughs) (laughter) To have very charming wife is not very good. And in your country you have got all charming wife. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says that there are four kinds of enemies in family life. These are very experienced version. He says, mātā śatru. In family means we live with father, mother, wife, children. This is family. In your country family does not mean father-mother, only wife and children. But in our country, according to Vedic civilization, family is a large conception. Father, mother, brother, sister, sister's son, brother's son. If there are difficulty, one has to su... So on the whole, father, mother, wife and children, consisting of, family.

Lecture on SB 1.3.17 -- Los Angeles, September 22, 1972:

So I gave up that idea of marrying. Yes. So now I am realizing my father's blessing, yes, that if I would have been too much attached to my wife, then I could not have come to this position. That's a fact. So by ethical point of view, from spiritual point of view, to become too much attached to wife is an impediment for spiritual advancement.

Therefore it is said that anyān, apāyayat surān anyān mohinyā mohayan striyā. Those who are sura, demigods, they were given the nectar, and others... Others means opposite number of surān, or asurān, the atheist or the demons. They were enchanted by the beautiful form of Mohinī. Kṛṣṇa's another incarnation is female, Mohinī, charming—so much charming that even Lord Śiva was after the girl. Lord Śiva, he is supposed to be dhīra, but he became charmed, and he was after that girl. So when Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa is already beautiful, but when He takes the shape of a woman, how beautiful He became, we can just imagine. Woman are naturally beautiful. They are called "fair sex." So mohinyā. So this Mohinī, this attractive feature of woman, is advantage and disadvantage also. It requires simply handling. Then it is advantage. When Caitanya Mahāprabhu played this play, Mohinī role... Caitanya Mahāprabhu was playing drama. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very beautiful. He took the part of this Mohinī-mūrti. And she was dancing with the pot of nectar. So all the devotees, they offered their obeisances, because Mohinī-mūrti means God's incarnation. So "My dear Lord, Your this mūrti, this form, this charming form, is somewhere rākṣasī." Rākṣasī means, what is called, witches? Or the female demon. "And somewhere You are goddess of fortune."

Lecture on SB 1.3.17 -- Los Angeles, September 22, 1972:

Woman, they are generally equipped with the qualities of passion and ignorance. And men also may be, but man can be elevated to the platform of goodness. Woman cannot be. Woman cannot be. Therefore if the husband is nice and the woman follows, woman becomes faithful and chaste to the husband, then their both life becomes successful. There are three qualities of nature: sattva, rajas, tamas. So rajas, tamas generally, that is the quality of woman. And man can become to the platform of goodness. Therefore initiation, brahminical symbolic representation is given to the man, not to the woman. This is the theory. Therefore the combination should be that the husband should be first-class devotee, Kṛṣṇa conscious, and woman should be, woman should be devoted to the husband, faithful, so that she would help the husband to make progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then their both life is successful. Otherwise, if the husband simply becomes captivated by the charming beauty of woman and engages himself in the sex life, then his life is lost, and the woman, they are less intelligent, unless they are guided by proper husband, her life is also lost. So those who are not demigods... Here it is said, apāyayat surān. Sura-asura. Sura, those who are not developed to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they are asura. So every husband should be a sura. Sura means devotee. And every woman should be religious. Religious means to become chaste, faithful to the husband. And the husband should become a devotee. Then both of them will make progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and that is the perfection of life.

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

He is even within the atom. So He can come out from anywhere provided He is called by a pure devotee. And He is all-powerful. He can come out from anywhere and everywhere. He is everywhere. And this word is nara—from human being—but He is not nara, He is nara, meaning He is appearing like human being, half human being, and siṁha, half-lion. And the nails of the hands, and this great giant atheist was killed within a second. And keeping Brahmā's promise, he took benediction that he would not be killed by any man, any demigod, any animal, by any weapon, in daytime, in night, so many things, definition by negation. First of all he wanted directly, "Kindly make me immortal." So Brahmā said that "I am not immortal. How can I make you immortal? You can ask something else?" So he thought, "Let me become immortal indirectly. I shall not die in daytime, nighttime," because he has no idea that beyond day and night there is also another time. That he forgot.

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

So Prahlāda Mahārāja, a pure devotee, he did not like to make any exchange. Then again he was offered a chance, "You can at least, whatever you have desire within your mind, you can ask from Me." So again Prahlāda Mahārāja said, "My dear Lord, in this material world, who could be more powerful than my father? I have seen it. Even big demigods, they were trembling in the presence of my father, he had so much power. Practically he was the topmost of all material power. But I have seen also that within a second You have finished everything. So what is the value of this material power? Why should I ask from You? Kindly engage me as servant of Your servant. If You want to give me something, please engage me as the servant of Your servant." And still, because he was Vaiṣṇava, he prayed to Lord Nṛsiṁha, "For my personal, I am quite satisfied. If I can chant Your holy name, then there is nothing more I want. But there is one thing I want." What is that? "My father was a great atheist, and demon, and he has committed so many offenses unto You. But I request that You forgive him." This is Vaiṣṇava son. And Lord Nṛsiṁha said, "My dear Prahlāda, before you are requesting like that, your father, his father, up to fourteen fathers, all are delivered because you are his son." Such a devotee, taken birth in a family, this is a special concession. Whatever the others may be, they are all delivered.

Lecture on SB 1.3.19 -- Los Angeles, September 24, 1972:

So everything is there. God is there. His name is there. His address is there. His law is there. Everything is there. But the rascals will not accept it. That is the position. Therefore we have to follow the mahājana. So Bali Mahārāja is one of the mahājana. How he became mahājana? Because he's surrendering fully unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This Vāmanadeva, incarnation of... Keśava dhṛta-vāmana-rūpa. So the incident is that Bali Mahārāja was very powerful, and he conquered the whole universe, even the demigods all. So Viṣṇu is always in favor of the demigods because demigods, they are also devotees. The difference between sura and asura... Asura means envious of the demigods. That is called asura. Sura-dviṣa. The another name of the asura, "those who are envious of devotees." That is the only business. There, two classes of men are always there. Sometimes one class in more in number, and other class is more in number. But two classes. Dvau bhūta-sargau loke (BG 16.6). "There are two classes of men, living entities." Daiva āsura eva ca. "One is called daiva, demigods, and the other is called āsura." So who is daiva? Viṣṇu-bhakto bhaved daiva. "Those who are devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Viṣṇu, they are called demigods, or Vaiṣṇava." All Vaiṣṇavas are demigods. And those who are not... Āsuras tad viparyayaḥ. "Anyone opposite number, against Viṣṇu, they are all called asuras."

Lecture on SB 1.3.19 -- Los Angeles, September 24, 1972:

So sometimes in asura's family also, there are Vaiṣṇavas. By the grace of Nārada. Nārada makes... Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja became a great devotee by the grace of Nārada, although he was born of a father, atheist father, Hiraṇyakaśipu. So Nārada Muni's business is to travel all over the universe and make Vaiṣṇava. So this Bali Mahārāja, he conquered all over the universe, and the demigods were defeated. So Vāmanadeva, He also one of the considered demigods, Upendra. So He went to Bali Mahārāja by a trick. Because Bali Mahārāja... Kṛṣṇa knows that Bali Mahārāja was the grandson of Prahlāda Mahārāja and he was a great devotee at heart. He knew that. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Lord is situated in everyone's heart. He knows everyone. So therefore, in order to return back the kingdoms taken from the demigods, He made a trick. He went there. Bali Mahārāja was performing a great sacrifice, Bali-dhare.(?) So He went there and asked Bali Mahārāja, "Bali Mahārāja, you are performing such a great sacrifice. I am at your door. I am brāhmaṇa. Will you kindly give Me some donation?" "Yes, why not? That is my... I will give you. Whatever You want, I will give You."

Lecture on SB 1.3.19 -- Los Angeles, September 24, 1972:

So that means... That is the shastric injunction, that anyone who is not a Viṣṇu devotee, or Vaiṣṇava, he cannot become guru. That is the injunction of the śāstra. Ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ. A brāhmaṇa, very learned, he knows his duties, brahminical duties very well... Just like Śukrācārya. Ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇaḥ. Ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇaḥ. Brāhmaṇa have got six kinds of occupation: paṭhana-pāṭhana yajana-yājana dāna-pratigraha. Brāhmaṇa should be very learned, he should teach others also Vedic knowledge, paṭhana-pāṭhana. Yajana-yājana. He must be devotee or great worshiper, and he should teach others also how to worship. Yajana-yājana. Dāna-pratigraha. He will accept charity from others, and he will give in charity again to others. These are the six occupation of a brāhmaṇa. So śāstra says, ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipraḥ, "A brāhmaṇa, well conversed with these duties of brahminical duties," and mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ, "and expert in studying the mantras, Vedic mantras, and tantra, other Vedic literature," avaiṣṇavo gurur na sa syāt, "but if he is avaiṣṇava," means he does not worship Lord Viṣṇu but other demigods, "then he cannot become guru." That is not allowed. You cannot become guru. Ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro mantra...

Lecture on SB 1.3.20 -- Los Angeles, September 25, 1972:

So brahma-druha. The society must be brahminic. Vedic culture means to create every person a brāhmaṇa, not to keep him śūdra. Of course, in the modern educational system, the purpose is to elevate the general people. But they do not know how to elevate. Therefore there is so much trouble. The elevation should be... There must be some purpose, end. What purpose education is being given? It is purposeless education. Mostly, at the present moment, education means to give facilities for sense gratification. That's all. Boys and girls in the school and colleges, just from the very beginning they are given all liberty for sex life. So this is not education. Education means to lead the people gradually to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is education, God consciousness. Because human life... This is the only life. There are 8,400,000 species of life. This human form of life is the only opportunity to understand God. Cats, dogs, even demigods, they also, because their opulence, sense gratification, is so great that they have no time. Just like here in this world also, those who are too rich, they are simply after sense gratification. They have no time to understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

So to become too much materially opulent means that is another danger. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has said therefore, jaḍa-vidyā jato māyāra vaibhava. The expansion of material advancement... Material advancement means expanding the sense gratificatory process. That is material.

Lecture on SB 1.3.22 -- Los Angeles, September 27, 1972:

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

nara-devatvam āpannaḥ

sura-kārya-cikīrṣayā

samudra-nigrahādīni

cakre vīryāṇy ataḥ param

(SB 1.3.22)

Translation: "In the eighteenth incarnation, the Lord appeared as King Rāma. In order to perform some pleasing work for the demigods, He exhibited superhuman powers by controlling the Indian Ocean and then killing the atheist King Rāvaṇa, who was on the other side of the sea."

Prabhupāda: So Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). To kill the miscreants and to protect the devotees, He descends. That is avatāra. They have two business. Not that avatāra means keeping some long beard or having an artificial helmet. Rascals may be allured by them, but those who are sensible, who have got sense, they will see with reference to the śāstra, the avatāra, every avatāra...

Lecture on SB 1.3.22 -- Los Angeles, September 27, 1972:

Pradyumna: "The Personality of Godhead, Śrī Rāma, assumed the form of a human being and appeared on the earth for the purpose of doing some pleasing work for the demigods, or the administrative personalities to maintain the order of the universe. Sometimes great demons and atheists like Rāvaṇa and Hiraṇyakaśipu and many others become very famous due to advancing material civilization by the help of material science and other activities with a spirit of challenging the established order of the Lord. For example, the attempt to fly to other planets by material means is a challenge to the established order. The conditions of each and every plane are different, and different classes of human beings are accommodated there for particular purposes mentioned in the codes of the Lord. But puffed up by tiny success in material advancement, sometimes the godless materialist challenges the existence of God. Rāvaṇa was one of them, and he wanted to deport ordinary men to the planets of Indra, or heaven, by material means, without consideration of the necessary qualifications. He wanted a staircase..."

Prabhupāda: Just now they are planning that everyone will go to the moon planet without any qualification. That is their plan. It is Rāvaṇa's plan. Rāvaṇa said that "Why you are undergoing so much severe austerities to go to heaven? I shall make a staircase, and you go directly, without having performed any austerities." So to go to the moon planet, according to the Vedic description, it requires a qualification. The moon planet, that is one of the heavenly planets, and if anyone can go there, he gets ten thousands of years span of life. And the standard of living is very higher than this planet. These are the description in the Vedic literature. In the Bhagavad-gītā also, it is said, yānti deva-vratā devān (BG 9.25). If you want to be promoted to a heavenly planets, then you just perform the duties to please the particular demigod, you'll be... So these materialist scientists, they are thinking that they can go anywhere by the force of their so-called scientific advancement. But it has not proved successful till now. But still, they will say, "Yes, in future we shall go." All right, in future. "Trust no future, however pleasant." That's all. Go on.

Lecture on SB 1.3.22 -- Los Angeles, September 27, 1972:

Pradyumna: "He wanted a staircase to be built up directly reaching the heavenly planet so that people might not be required to undergo the routine of pious work necessary to enter that planet. He also wanted to perform other acts against the established rule of the Lord. He even challenged the authority of Śrī Rāma, the Personality of Godhead, and kidnapped His wife, Sītā. Of course, Lord Rāma came to chastise the atheists, answering the prayer and desire of the demigods. He therefore took up the challenge of Rāvaṇa, and the complete activity is the subject matter of the Rāmāyaṇa. Because Lord Rāmacandra was the Personality of Godhead, He exhibited superhuman activities which no human being, including the materially advanced Rāvaṇa, could perform. Lord Rāmacandra prepared a royal road on the Indian ocean with stones that floated on the water. The modern scientists have done research in the area of weightlessness, but it is not possible to bring in weightlessness anywhere and everywhere. But because weightlessness is the creation of the Lord by which He can make the gigantic planets fly and float in the air, He made the stones even within this earth to be weightless, and prepared a stone bridge on the sea without any supporting pillar. That is the display of the power of God."

Prabhupāda: So incarnation, in the śāstras... Here in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, some of the incarnations are described. But all incarnations are described in the śāstra. We should not be blind to accept any rascal and rogue as incarnation of God. Incarnation of God is not so cheap. That we should understand.

Thank you. (end)

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

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

ṛṣayo manavo devā

manu-putrā mahaujasaḥ

kalāḥ sarve harer eva

saprajāpatayaḥ smṛtāḥ

(SB 1.3.27)

Translation: "All the ṛṣis, Manus, demigods and descendants of Manu, who are especially powerful, are plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord. This also includes the Prajāpatis."

Prabhupāda: So prajāpati, the beginning there was only Lord Brahmā. The whole planetary system was to be populated. Therefore first of all Brahmā, and then the seven ṛṣis, then the Kumāras, then Rudras. In this way... Manus. Then Manu's son, his son, his son. In this way the... (aside:) What is that sound? The whole universe is populated. It is not the rascal Darwin's theory that "There was no human being. It came out of a stone, the life." The first is the most intelligent person, Lord Brahmā.

Lecture on SB 1.3.28 -- Los Angeles, October 3, 1972:

So this is the demon. He did not consider that "Here is my poor, younger sister. She's just now married. In jubilation she's going at her husband's home. How auspicious ceremony." And he was personally driving the chariot. But as soon as he heard that "Oh, there is danger from my sister," he did not care anything, no relationship, no ceremony, no auspicity, nothing. This is demon. Demon means for his self-interest, he can do anything nons..., nonsense. That is demon. And demigod means he'll consider thrice before doing anything. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was insulted in so many ways by the other party, his cousin-brothers. His kingdom was taken. They were sent to forest for thirteen years. His wife was insulted. So many things. But still, he was considering, "Whether I shall kill my kinsmen? The other side, they're all my brothers, nephews, brother-in-law. Whether I shall fight and kill them? Kṛṣṇa, I don't wish to kill them. Let them enjoy." This is demigod, In spite of the other party, aggressor in so many ways, he was thinking. And here you see Kaṁsa, simply for the news that in future his sister's son will kill him, immediately he was prepared to kill his sister. And in the marriage ceremony. This is the distinction between demigod and demon. Just try to understand. A demon has no consideration.

So in this age, Kali-yuga especially, demoniac, everything, demons, godless. Demon means godless. Indrāri. Demons means Indra, or indrasya ari. Ari means enemy. Indra is demigod. And his enemy, that is demon. Indrāri. Just like you are, when you go to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you have got so many enemies. They do not act directly, but they are very much envious: "What these nonsense are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa?" You see? They want to disturb. Just like we have to close this door because the demons will disturb. You see? So demons means enemy of the demigods, enemy of the devotees. Those who are God conscious, those who are abiding by the orders of God, they're demigods. God. Demigods means they're also God, but subordinate to God. They don't say, "I am God. I am completely." No, a Vaiṣṇava will never say so. He knows that "I am eternal servant of God." Therefore demigod. Otherwise, their qualification is godly.

So indrāri-vyākulam... Indra. Indra is demigod. He's the king of the demigods. So indrāri-vyākulam. When people become very much disturbed by this demonic government and demons... So dharmasya glāniḥ. Dharmasya glāniḥ means discrepancies in the matter of executing religious principles. In Kaṁsa's time... Just like in Russia, you cannot chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. What to speak of chanting in the street, you cannot chant even in private. That is their law.

Lecture on SB 1.3.28 -- Los Angeles, October 3, 1972:

Even there is torture..." Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. He was tortured by his father. He had... Kṛṣṇa's mother was tortured by his brother. Not outsider. So the demons are so rascal, they don't care for son, sister, mother. No. "As soon as it is against my personal sense gratification, I must finish this." But be sure that Kṛṣṇa will save. We have got so many instances. As Prahlāda Mahārāja was saved by Hiraṇyaka..., by Narasiṁhadeva from the hands of his father, Hiraṇyakaśipu; Devakī was saved, Vasudeva was saved from the hands of Kaṁsa; so you will be also saved. Because there is promise in the Bhagavad-gītā: kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). Kṛṣṇa says, "Make it a declaration throughout the whole world that anyone who is My devotee, he'll never be annihilated. He'll be protected. I'll give him protection." Samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu. Samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu na me dveṣyo 'sti na priyaḥ (BG 9.29). Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that "I am equal to everyone. Nobody is My enemy, nobody is My friend." Ye tu bhajanti māṁ prītyā. "But those who are devotees, engaged twenty-four hours, I give them special protection. I give them special protection." So the demons will be there, and they will always give trouble to the demigods, or the devotees, but you don't stop your function, devotional service. Don't be afraid of the demons. Indrāri-vyākulaṁ lokaṁ mṛḍayanti. This mṛḍayanti means "giving protection" Yes. Give protection.

Lecture on SB 1.3.29 -- Los Angeles, October 4, 1972:

This is called phala-śruti,(?) result. This chapter was describing different incarnations of God, and it is concluded that kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). There were many incarnations, and incarnations are coming incessantly just like there are waves in the ocean or in the river. You cannot sit down and count how many waves are flowing. As it is not possible, similarly, you cannot also count how many incarnations are there, how they are coming out. But the most important of them are described. And the conclusion is made that Kṛṣṇa is the origin, as it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ. "I am the origin of everything, even the incarnations." Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). Everyone, all incarnations, all demigods, all living entities, all energies. The Vedānta-sūtra also confirms, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). The Absolute Truth is that which is the original source of everything.

Lecture on SB 1.5.4 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1968:

Just like you are seeing the sunlight, but suppose if you are able to go to the sun planet, that will be still more extensive knowledge. But not only going to the sun planet, if you can meet the president of the sun globe... Everywhere there is a presiding deity. Just like you have got your president in your country, or in my country we have got a president. Similarly, in every planet there is one presiding deity. They are called demigods, and they have got their different names. We get all this information from... Take, for example, the sun planet. The sun planet is presided over by one gentleman whose name is Vivasvān. Vivasvān, Vaivasvata. And his son is Manu. These things are described. In Bhagavad-gītā also you'll find. We read Bhagavad-gītā, but we do not take information. In the fourth chapter of Bhagavad-gītā these things are stated there. Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam: (BG 4.1) "First of all, I recited this bhakti-yoga or Bhagavad-gītā yoga system to Vivasvān." You can ask me that "Swamiji, where do you get the name of the presiding deity of sun-god, sun planet, as Vivasvān?" I say, "I get it from Bhagavad-gītā. It is mentioned there." Just like in our country who has not seen America, if he has studied the Constitution of America, he knows the presiding gentleman is Mr. Johnson. There is no need of seeing. Simply from authoritative scripture, authoritative book, one can understand who is the presiding deity, who is ruling there, what is the condition. Everything is there in the scriptures and authorized books of Vedic literature.

Lecture on SB 1.5.8-9 -- New Vrindaban, May 24, 1969:

So Rāmacandra, Lord Rāmacandra, killed him. He was a great devotee of Lord Śiva, Rāvaṇa. Generally, the demons are devotees of Brahmā, Śiva, generally. They don't like Viṣṇu because there is restriction. Viṣṇu worship does not mean unrestricted sense gratification. No. In other worship there is allowed. "All right. You... Whatever you do..." Therefore, generally, people do not take to Viṣṇu worship. Vaiṣṇava, you'll find very small number of men, they are really pure Vaiṣṇava. So Rāvaṇa was a great devotee of Lord Śiva, but when Rāmacandra, Lord Viṣṇu-Rāmacandra is also Viṣṇu—He wanted to kill him, Lord Śiva could not save him.

There are many stories about it, that when Rāvaṇa was on the actual battlefield, he was praying Lord Śiva. Generally, one who worships some demigod or somebody, he remembers. And Pārvatī, the wife of Lord Śiva, was insisting that "Your devotee is in so great danger, and he is repeatedly calling you to help him. And why you are not going? You are sitting?" The Lord Śiva said, "Now he is destined to die. Lord Rāmacandra has come to kill him. Nobody can save him." That is the fact. Rākhe kṛṣṇa māre ke māre kṛṣṇa rākhe ke. If Kṛṣṇa gives protection to somebody, nobody can kill him. And if Kṛṣṇa kills somebody, nobody can give him protection, whatever he may be.

Lecture on SB 1.5.8-9 -- New Vrindaban, May 24, 1969:

So dante nidhāya tṛṇakaṁ padayor nipatya kāku-śataṁ kṛtvā ca. Śatam. Śatam means "Hundred times flattering, I have come to you to say something." "Why you are so humble? What is the... What do you want to talk? " "No, I am..." He sādhavaḥ. "You are very religious man. You are very upright man, sādhavaḥ. Very honest man, saintly man. Yes. But I request you that whatever you learned, please forget. That is my request." (break)

Sakalam eva vihāya dūrād caitanya-candra-caraṇe kurutānurāgam. You just try to submit yourself on the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya. By His mercy you'll find that, kaivalyaṁ narakāyate, you'll find that to become one with the Supreme, it will appear to you just like hell. To merge into the Supreme, that is the highest ambition of the impersonalists. But if you submit yourself to the lotus feet of Caitanyacandra, then you'll find that this conception is just like hell. Kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. Naraka means hell. You'll find kaivalyam, to become one. And tridaśa-pūrākāśa-puṣpāyate. Tri-daśa-pūra means the planets, higher planets where demigods live. Thirty-three million demigods, there are at least thirty-three million planets. Tri-daśa-pūrākāśa-puṣpāyate. They are just like phantasmagoria.

Lecture on SB 1.5.8-9 -- New Vrindaban, May 24, 1969:

So not that they are amazed with the greatness of a living entity. He thinks that his greatness is due to Kṛṣṇa's favor. Because Kṛṣṇa said in the Bhagavad-gītā, yad yad vibhūtimat sattvaṁ tat tad eva mama tejo 'ṁśa-sambhavam. Nobody can become great unless... Just like the sunshine. The sunshine, what is the sunshine? It is simply a partial reflection of Kṛṣṇa's brahma-jyotir. Similarly anyone who is great in the estimation of this material world, there is some Kṛṣṇa's favor. That's all. Yad yad vibhūtimat sattvaṁ tat tad eva mama tejo 'ṁśa-sambhavam.

Just like in the Brahma-saṁhitā, we are giving respect to all the demigods. We are giving respect to Lord Śiva, we are giving respect to Durgā, we are giving respect to Gaṇeśa, we are giving respect to the sun-god. They are very big demigods. Lord Śiva, or Durgā, Gaṇeśa, and Brahmā, and... We don't disrespect. We give respect even to the ant. Why not to Lord Śiva or Lord Brahmā? They should have their due respect, but that does not mean we consider them as the Supreme Lord. That is the mistake of the karmīs and the impersonalists. No. We know that nobody can be greater than or equal to Kṛṣṇa or viṣṇu-tattva, Nārāyaṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.5.8-9 -- New Vrindaban, May 24, 1969:

It is said in the Vaiṣṇava Tantra, that anyone who, I mean to say, considers on the equal level Nārāyaṇa with such great demigods like Brahmā and Śiva, brahma-rudrādi-daivataiḥ, such big demigods, sa pāṣaṇḍī bhaved dhruvam. He becomes pāṣaṇḍī. Pāṣaṇḍī means atheist. Atheist will compare that the Supreme Lord and other demigods are on the equal footing. No. They are never. Nobody can be greater or equal with the Supreme Lord. Therefore vidhi-mahendrādiś ca kīṭāyate.

viśvaṁ pūrṇa-sukhāyate vidhi-mahendrādiś ca kīṭāyate

yat kāruṇya-katākṣa-vaibhavavatāṁ taṁ gauram eva stumaḥ

(Caitanya-candrāmṛta 5)

These things happen simply by little merciful glance by Lord Caitanya upon us. Simply if Lord Caitanya approves our activity, "Well, this man is doing nice," oh, then you get all the success. Simply if He approves. Yat kāruṇya-katākṣa-vaibhavavatāṁ taṁ gauram eva stumaḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 16, 1969:

There are two classes of men all over the world. One class of men is called deva, devatā, or demigods, and one class of men are called demons. And what is the difference between demons and the demigods? The difference is, viṣṇu-bhakto bhaved daiva āsuras tad-viparyayaḥ: "Those who are devotees of the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu, they are demigods." Demigod does not mean that you have got a bigger head or so many legs or so... No. Simply this is the qualification: viṣṇu-bhakto bhaved daiva. Only viṣṇu-bhakta, not other, demigod's devotee. No. Viṣṇu-bhakto bhaved daiva āsuras tad-viparyayaḥ. Just like Rāvaṇa. Rāvaṇa is designated as asura. Hiraṇyakaśipu is designated as asura. Rāvaṇa is designated as rākṣasa. He was very civilized. He was materially very well-to-do. His kingdom was described as made..., "golden kingdom." Everything was there, but he's described as rākṣasa. Why? He was against Rāma. That was his disqualification. (aside:) Don't bother now. That was his disqualification.

Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 16, 1969:

So I must liquidate my debt." That's a fact. If you take one cent from somebody else without doing something good to him or without exchanging something, then you are debtor, and you have to pay him with interest and compound interest. That is the law of karma. You cannot take anything. We are debtor to so many things. People have no idea. Devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṟṇām (SB 11.5.41). These are stated in the śāstras, that we are indebted, debtor to the demigods. Just like we are getting so much sunlight. We are enjoying: "Oh, today is a very nice day." But do we pay any tax? Do we pay anything? No. But in the Vedic injunction there is sun-god worship. Therefore we find that so many demigods' worship, yajñas. The feeling that "I am taking so much advantage from the sunshine, so I must give him something," this is called sacrifice.

So everything is arranged by God. Everyone... Ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa āra saba bhṛtya (CC Adi 5.142). Everyone is... So if you worship Kṛṣṇa, then your everything is... Just like if you pay tax to the government, you satisfy all the department—the vehicle department, this department, that, light department, water department. You pay once. Similarly, sarvārhaṇam acyutejya. Acyuta means Kṛṣṇa. If anyone is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, if he, one is not sacrificing for Kṛṣṇa, he's becoming indebted to the demigods, to the sages, ṛṣi. Ṛṣi. Just like Nārada Ṛṣi is giving us good literature. He is instructing Vyāsadeva, "Give this literature to the people."

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

We find in Brahma-saṁhitā also the same thing, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). So actually in the Vedas the Supreme Lord is accepted-Viṣṇu, or Nārāyaṇa, or Kṛṣṇa, different names of viṣṇu-tattva. Even Śaṅkarācārya, he also accepts, nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ: "Nārāyaṇa is the Supreme, Nārāyaṇa."

So God is one, but there are different kinds of demigods. That is also a fact. They are accepted as different parts and parcels of God, as we are also. The demigods are also living entities. They are not viṣṇu-tattva. There are viṣṇu-tattva, jīva-tattva and śakti-tattva. Viṣṇu-tattva is the Supreme Absolute Truth, jīva-tattva is part and parcel, and śakti-tattva is the energy of God. So the demigods... You can become a demigod. You can become. If you follow the process how to become, then you become one day the demigod in the sun planet. It is not difficult. You can become one day even Lord Brahmā. Just like you can become one day President Nixon, like him. That requires your qualification. But you can... But you cannot become Kṛṣṇa or Nārāyaṇa. That is not possible. God is one. You cannot become God, but you can become part and parcel of God, more powerful. That is possible. Just like you are all Americans, but some of you can become a big officer in the government, the president, the secretary, the governor, but their position is better than ordinary man, similarly, the demigods are like that.

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

So everyone is acting under the Supreme Lord. And Caitanya-caritāmṛta says, ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa: "Yes, the Supreme Lord is only Kṛṣṇa." Ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa, āra saba bhṛtya (CC Adi 5.142). Āra, "Any other demigod or even viṣṇu-tattva, even Nārāyaṇa, Viṣṇu"—there are so many, I mean to say, manifestation of viṣṇu-tattva—"they're all subordinate to Kṛṣṇa." Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1).

So here the point is that just direct people to Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Lord. Don't misguide them that "Here is another god, here is another god, here is another..." The Bhagavad-gītā also, in the last instruction, Bhagavān says, mām ekam. Ekam means one. "Only surrender to Me." So this is the verdict of all Vedic literatures. But if somebody thinks that "I can worship Brahmā, I can worship Kālī, I can worship Śiva, or many other demigods, and still the same thing," this is impersonalist view. It is not a fact. Because according to them, "The Absolute Truth is impersonal. There is no question of personality. But because we cannot concentrate our devotional energy or attention in the impersonal feature, therefore let us imagine some form of God." This is the, I mean to say, principle of the impersonalists. They imagine some form of God, and they get perfection. And ultimately they become impersonal, merge into the effulgence, brahma-jyotir. That is their philosophy.

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

In the higher planetary systems... Just like Yamala-Arjuna... That story is narrated in our book, Kṛṣṇa. Yamala-Arjuna, they were two sons, Nalakūvara and Maṇigrīva, two sons of Kuvera. Kuvera is supposed to be the treasurer of the heavenly planets. So very rich man's son. So they were enjoying swimming in a very nice lake in the Śivaloka. That description is there. And with young girls and intoxicated. So they forgot that they were demigods, and they were naked. To become naked is the most uncivilized way. In the Vedic system, to..., nakedness is... Why Vedic system? Suppose if you go naked on the street, immediately you'll be punished. You cannot say that "I have got my independence. I can..." No. Against the etiquette. So these boys, Nalakūvara, they were intoxicated and naked and were enjoying swimming with other girls, and Nārada was passing through that way, and he saw, "Oh, they have fallen into such abominable condition? They are forgotten that they belong to very respectable family, and I am passing here with..." So they were cursed. Not cursed, they were given the benediction that... By devotee, either a man is cursed or given benediction, it is the same thing. Just like these boys, they were cursed to take birth of the tree, who has no sense. Tree is naked or a animal is, an animal is naked, but they have no sense. But if a human being becomes like that, then he is considered uncivilized. So Nārada Muni says that kālena sarvatra gabhīra-raṁhasā. We should try for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise, even if we go in higher standard of life, our, sometimes our consciousness is so degraded that, that that two sons of Kuvera, although they were, they got the body of demigods, still, they had to come down to take the birth of the life of trees, Yamala-Arjuna.

Lecture on SB 1.5.25 -- Vrndavana, August 6, 1974:

Or you cannot perform even Deity worship very nicely. There are so many flaws. Everything is very difficult. And charity... And there are so many. Śamena damena dānena tyāgena. So where is the money I shall...? There is no money even to feed me. I am eating... This morning I do not know what shall I eat in the evening. This is the position at the present moment. Prāyeṇālpāyuṣaḥ, kalāv asmin yuge janāḥ. The life is also very short duration, and so many disturbances. Not only disturbance of the Kali-yuga, but the disturbance by the government also, by the demigods. There is scorching heat, there is severe cold. And ati-vṛṣṭi, sometimes more than we want, there is rainfall. Sometimes there is no rainfall. And in this way there is scarcity of foodstuff. Anāvṛṣṭyā durbhikṣa, and taxation. These are the disturbances. So many. One side, taxation by the government, another side, by nature there is scarcity of food and there is scarcity of rain.

So these are stated in the Bhāgavatam. Durbhikṣa, anāvṛṣṭyā durbhikṣa-kara-pīḍitāḥ (SB 12.2.9). People will be so much disturbed. It is already disturbed. Gacchanti giri-kānanam. They'll leave their home, their family, and go to the forest, go to the hills, disgusted. So this is the Kali-yuga symptoms. So how one will clean the heart? He cannot sit even peacefully for a moment. Disturbed always. Disturbed in the mind, anxiety, full of anxiety. How it will be possible to meditate? This is all nonsense. This is not possible. In Kali-yuga meditation is not possible. The so-called meditation is a farce. Those who are trying to meditate... Therefore you don't see any improvement in their life. They're making a formal meditation, but they remain what they are. Don't improve anything. That is not possible.

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

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

So the best service, as recommended by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, is this preaching work. Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-kathā, kṛṣṇa-kathā. Āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa, yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). That's all. This is preaching. Doesn't require any good academic qualification. You have got your tongue. You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and whomever you meet, you ask him, "You become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa." That's all. In this way preach and live very nicely by eating kṛṣṇa-prasāda, chanting, dancing, and then get a life like Nārada Muni. This is the formula.

Thank you very much. (end)

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

So I am forgetting that my identification is spiritual—ahaṁ brahmāsmi—and I am accepting all these unnecessary things, anartha. So anartha... If you want to stop this anartha, if you want to keep yourself in your original position of spiritual identity, then you have to take to bhakti-yoga. This is the conclusion of the śāstra. Anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣāt. Directly, not indirectly. Anartha. These anartha... I am not this body, but I have to change this body after hundred years or ten years or fifty years, according to the size. The dogs and cats, they change, ten years. The cows, twenty years. And human being, utmost, hundred years. And the demigods, many millions of years. But death is there. You have to change that body. When Hiraṇyakaśipu executed very severe austerity, so Lord Brahmā came to him: "So what do you want? You are executing so severe austerities. What is your desire?" "I want to become immortal." So Brahmā said, "That is not possible. Nobody is immortal within this material world. I am not immortal. How can I give you the benediction of immortality? That is not possible." So nobody... Everyone is under the laws of nature. It may be... The duration of time may be little more or less, but everyone must die. This is... And if we want to stop this business of material existence, then here is the recommendation, anarthopaśamam... Anartha. "Why we shall die?" This question does not arise.

Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Vrndavana, April 18, 1975:

They have created the United Nations, but there is no solution because everyone is under the grip of the māyā, material energy, and they are simply creating problems. This is their business. Yayā sammohito jīva ātmānaṁ tri-guṇātmakam (SB 1.7.5). Ātmānam. I am spirit soul, but I do not belong to these material qualities; still, I am thinking, ātmānaṁ tri-guṇātmakam. One cannot go beyond these three guṇas, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa, or mixed. Three into three equal to nine, and again mix, nine into nine equals eighty-one. Therefore there are 8,400,000 species of living entities under the impression that "I am this; I am plant; I am fish; I am mosquito; I am man; I am demigod; I am tiger; I am Indian; I am American." In this way there are 8,400,000's of different types of identification. Therefore we find so many forms of life. Ātmānaṁ tri-guṇātmakaṁ manute. Yayā... This is all the work of māyā, to keep us under certain impression. And we work under certain impression and create another situation, and we get, "tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13)." Now, this life, if I create a situation like a dog, then I will get the body of a dog. That's all. Or if I create a situation like the demigod, then I can go to the heavenly planets. But if I create a situation that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa," then you go to Kṛṣṇa. This is wanted. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Create a situation. Don't create a situation that "I am this. I am that." Simply create a situation that you completely understand that "I have no other business than to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and my only duty is to serve Kṛṣṇa." This is wanted. That is called anartha upaśamam.

Lecture on SB 1.7.7 -- Vrndavana, April 24, 1975:

So we are increasing our anarthas, anarthas, and we are becoming entangled in the cycle of birth and death. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). Once we take a certain type of body, we enjoy or suffer for some time; then again we have to give up this body, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13), and there is no guarantee what sort of body you are going to get. But it is certain that you are going to get a body. And that may be offered to you by the laws of nature. It may be an important, more important body than what we have got just now, or it may be less important. It may be cats and dog or hog, and it may be the body of demigod. That is according to karma. So in this way we are passing our life eternally. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). We get one type of body, and again we give it up. Dehāntara-prāptiḥ. This is called anartha, anartha. Anartha upaśamam. What is that anartha? This is anartha. Why shall I get a new type of body? I am eternal. Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Why I am getting this temporary body? This is called brahma-jijñāsā. Unless a man is awakened to this consciousness, "Why?"—Kena Upaniṣad—he is not human being; he is animal. The animal cannot question. The dog cannot question that "Why I have got this dog's body, and my master has got the human body?" No. He has no such knowledge. But if a human being cannot consider that "I am also an animal, and this dog is also animal. I am situated so comfortably, and the dog is loitering in the street for a little food. Why this condition...?" So śāstra says, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). One should think that "If I get another body, whether I shall get the dog's body or a human body or demigod's body?" That is consideration.

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

So I'll give you sanction for independent living." Just see how Kṛṣṇa is friend. You cannot live independently. That is not possible. Because you are aṁśa. Aṁśa means part and parcel. Just like this finger. Finger is finger so long he's with the body; otherwise who cares his finger? Suppose a finger is cut and thrown in the street. Who cares for it? The finger is important so long it is with the body. Similarly, we are always with Kṛṣṇa indirectly or directly. But here Arjuna sees sākṣāt, directly. But we are forced to accept Kṛṣṇa indirectly, māyā. Arjuna is māyāṁ vyudasya. He has no intervention by māyā. And we have got intervention by māyā. Therefore we cannot see Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa is always there. Kṛṣṇa is always there.

īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ

hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati

bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni

yantrārūḍhāni māyayā

(BG 18.61)

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

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

So they have no knowledge. Therefore they can manufacture weapon or bomb with the gross things. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo—the chemicals, that is gross. But this brahmāstra is not gross. This is also material, but it is made of subtle things: mind, intelligence, and ego. Therefore Arjuna is asking Kṛṣṇa, "I do not know wherefrom it is coming, wherefrom this such high temperature is coming." It is stated here, tejaḥ parama-dāruṇam. The temperature is so high, intolerable. So we should ask the authority. Kṛṣṇa is the best authority. So Arjuna is asking from Him, kim idaṁ svit kuto veti: "My dear Kṛṣṇa, wherefrom this temperature is coming?" Kim idam. Deva-deva. Why he's asking to Kṛṣṇa? Because Kṛṣṇa is the deva-deva. Here we have got many millions of different varieties of life, 8,400,000 varieties of life. Out of them, we human form of life, and above this, the demigods in the higher planetary system, their standard of living, their duration of life is many, many times higher, superior than ours. Just like our standard of life, we are human being, it is better than the uncivilized man. And the uncivilized man's standard of life is better than the animal life. Phalgūni tatra mahatāṁ jīvo jīvasya jīvanam. The uncivilized man, they cannot produce food; therefore they kill animal. In the forest they live, and they kill some animals and eat. They cannot... They have no such knowledge that the forest can be cleared and we can till the ground and we can get very nice foodstuff, foodgrains, vegetables, so many things. Kṛṣi, agriculture. So the land is there, but this uncivilized man does not know how to get the necessities of life from land. They do not know.

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

So that is Kṛṣṇa. He can give you immediately liberation. Simply you have to surrender. Therefore He's deva-deva. Sometimes we go to this demigod, to that demigod for some material perfection or ultimate liberation. But Kṛṣṇa can give you liberation within a second. That is Kṛṣṇa. Within a second. Otherwise, it is not very easy. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). The jñānīs, they are trying for liberation and undergoing very severe type of austerity and penances. Kṛcchreṇa. Kṛcchreṇa means very severe type of austerities they undergo. But still they fall down. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). One who does not understand Kṛṣṇa, then his knowledge, his so-called jñāna... Maybe to some extent it is perfect, but it is not completely perfect. Completely perfect will be possible when you understand Kṛṣṇa.

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

So at least we Indians we are trained up like that. Not only trained up, we are born devotees. Anyone who has taken birth in India, that is special facility. In their previous birth, they had performed many austerities, much austerities. Even the demigods, they desire also to take birth in India to get this opportunity. So India... Don't think... India means this planet, Bhāratavarṣa. There is good opportunity. So we should not think. If we think that "Here is a stone statue," then it will not prolong many days. It will not... Galagraha. No more vigraha, but galagraha. Suppose I have established this temple. Now under my direction, my disciples are worshiping vigraha. Vigraha means the form of the Lord, rūpa. But if there is no following of the regulative principles, then after my death it will be galagraha, a burden, that "Our rascal Guru Mahārāja established this temple, and we have to worship, early rise in the morning, all botheration." This will be... That is called galagraha, a burden, "He has left with us a burden." This is the risk. Then this, such a big temple will be mismanaged, and you'll find that "This is breaking" and "This is unclean," and there is no attention. This will be our... That is called galagraha. "The rascal has given us a burden."

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

This is the process, going on. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). This material world, in this way, sometimes it is manifested and sometimes it is not manifested. The energy is there, but the material world means the energy sometimes manifested, sometimes not manifested. So we are in this material world. Not only. We are changing our body, one after another after some years... That is also according to our different forms of life. In one small insect, it may live for few minutes; some of them for few hours, some of them for few days, and some of them for few months, some of them for few years. And this yearly, we live, we human being, we live for a hundred years, and the demigods, they live for ten thousands of years. But wherever you live, either as insect or as demigod, there is no rescue from the process of janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). That you cannot escape. Either you become a small insect or you become as powerful as Lord Brahmā, you have to die. There is no escape. Brahmā, he has the greatest amount of years to live. His life is... We have calculation in the Bhagavad-gītā, that sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). Sahasra-yuga. One yuga means forty-three lakhs of years multiplied by one thousand. That is the one daytime duration of Brahmā. Ahar rātri means morning to evening. Morning to evening, that is sahasra-yuga, one thousand times of forty-three lakhs of years. Similarly night. Then day and night becomes one day. Similarly one month, and then twelve months, a year—such hundred years. So there is difference between our hundred years and his hundred years. Similarly, ant's hundred years and my hundred years different.

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

So I, as spirit soul, I am individual, existing. I shall continue to exist as individual in this material world either as human being or as an animal or as demigod, or a tree, plants, fish, aquatics—so many. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. So this is going on. This is material world. And if you go to the spiritual world, yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). The difference... What is the difference between the spiritual world and the material world? The difference is that if you go to the spiritual world, then you will not return again in this material world. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). Spiritual life means punar janma naiti. Punar janma means this material world. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). One janma, then death, again janma, again death. And between the death and birth or birth and death there is disease and old age. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha (BG 13.9). This is our real problem.

Lecture on SB 1.7.49-50 -- Vrndavana, October 7, 1976:

So, mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira is dharma-suta. He is not ordinary person. He is the son of Dharmarāja, Yamarāja. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's mother, Kuntī, had the power to call any demigod. She got this benediction from Durvāsā Muni. So he (she) had his (her) three sons, means Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīma, and Arjuna. She got Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira from Dharmarāja, Arjuna from Indra, and Bhīma from Varuṇa..., Vāyu, yes. Similarly, still she is one of the chaste women. These things are there. But still, they are not polluted. But in the Kali-yuga these things are prohibited. Devareṇa sutotpattiṁ kalau pañca vivarjayet (CC Adi 17.164).

In the Kali-yuga people are very much polluted. They cannot transgress. This is not transgression, this is powerful. Just like you are prohibited to go to the filthy place, prohibited. But the sunshine goes. Sunshine goes. Sunshine is not prohibited, that "Here is a filthy place, lavatory. Sunshine, you do not come here." No, sunshine doesn't require your permission. It can go anywhere. But it is not polluted.

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

To accept this material world means to accept different types of material body, and so long you have got this material body, either you have got the body of a human being or an animal or of demigod, that always there must be fearfulness, anxiety, because we have accepted something foreign. This material world is foreign to the living entities. The living entity is spiritual, so his actual residency is in the spiritual world. But somehow or other he has come in contact with this material world; therefore he is suffering threefold miseries-adhyatmic, adhibautic, adhidaivic. He must suffer. Therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to get the living entity relieved from this material miserable condition of life, and take him back to home, back to Godhead. That is also Kṛṣṇa's mission. Kṛṣṇa also came to impress that "This is not your place." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. "You are creating so many plans to live here very peacefully, but that is not possible. Therefore you give up all this nonsense plan, just come to Me, surrender to Me, and I shall give you protection." Because He is the father, father wants that the nonsense sons, they want to live independently, but he has no such means, therefore father comes to invite, "Come back."

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

So Kuntī knew it; therefore, although Kṛṣṇa was present before her as a nephew... Aunt is respectable, that Kṛṣṇa came to offer His respect, obeisances, before going home. But Kuntī is offering respect to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore she is saying namasye, "I offer my obediences unto You, Kṛṣṇa." Why? Puruṣaṁ tvā, "You are the Supreme Person; therefore I must offer my respect unto You." Namasye puruṣaṁ tvā, ādyam. Ādyam means original, original person. That is stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ, anādiḥ. Anādiḥ means who has no beginning. But He is the beginning of everything. That is Kṛṣṇa. We have got experience that anything in our experience, it has got a beginning. Beginning. But Kṛṣṇa is without beginning, and all others, they have got beginning. From Kṛṣṇa, within this material world, from Kṛṣṇa, Brahmā. From Brahmā, Nārada or many other demigods. Then from demigods, we human being. In this way we have increased. Brahmā is the first created being within this universe, and h is created by Kṛṣṇa. So they are taking account of this material, this universe, so Brahmā is therefore called grandfather, or a father of the father. But Kṛṣṇa is the great-grandfather, the father of Brahmā's. Therefore it is said ādyam, the original person. Namasye puruṣaṁ tvā, ādyam. What kind of ādyam? Īśvaram. Īśvaram means controller. Ādyam īśvaram, the original controller.

Lecture on SB 1.8.21 -- New York, April 13, 1973:

So you cannot change it. Try to change your lord, this material condition of life. That is your only business. Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ...Bhramatām upary adhaḥ. You have tried. bhramatām upary adh... Upari means higher planetary systems. Sometimes we get our birth in higher planetary system as demigods, and sometimes, adhaḥ, as animals, as cats and dogs, germ of the stool. This is going on. This is going on according to our karma. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said: ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva (CC Madhya 19.151). Only fortunate living entity gets this opportunity of association of Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's devotee. Then his life becomes sublime.

ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva

guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja

(CC Madhya 19.151)

This bhakti-latā-bīja, the seed of devotional service, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.

So Kuntīdevī is pointed that "Who is the person, alakṣya, invisible?" Here, Kṛṣṇa. "Kṛṣṇa? There are so many Kṛṣṇas." Vāsudevāya, the son of Vasudeva. "There are many Vāsudevas." No, nanda-gopa-kumārāya (SB 1.8.21), nanda-gopa-kumārāya, the foster son of Mahārāja Nanda. Three times she's pointing: "Here is Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa who officially takes His birth as son of Devakī and Vasudeva, but He enjoys the company of Mother Yaśodā and Nanda Mahārāja—the childhood company. This is Kṛṣṇa's pastime.

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

So where can be another person who is equal to God? That is not possible. God means there is no equal, there is no greater. Asamordhva. That is God. God, there cannot be any competition, that "You are God, I am God, he is God, he is God." No. These are dogs. They are not God. God means without competition: one. God is one. Nobody is great... asamordhva. Nobody is greater than Him. Nobody is equal to Him. Everyone is lower. Ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa āra saba bhṛtya (CC Adi 5.142). The only master is Kṛṣṇa, God; and everyone, servant. Never mind. Even if he's Brahmā, Viṣṇu or Śiva, big, big demigods. And what to speak of others?

Śiva-viriñci-nutam (SB 11.5.33). In the śāstra it is said that He's offered respect by Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā. They are the topmost demigods. There are demigods. Above the human beings, there are demigods. As we are humans, being above the lower creatures, lower animals, similarly, above us there are demigods. And the most important demigod is Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva. Lord Brahmā is the creator of this universe, and Lord Śiva is the destroyer of this universe. And Lord Viṣṇu is the maintainer. Lord Viṣṇu is Kṛṣṇa Himself. So for the maintenance of this material world there are three guṇas, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So each one of them has taken charge of one department.

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

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). He gives you the body, reminds you, "My dear living entity, you wanted to eat stool? Now you have got a proper body. Now utilize. Here is stool also." Similarly, if you want to become demigod, that also Kṛṣṇa gives you chance. Anything... There are 8,400,000 forms of life. If you want to engage your senses in any type of body, Kṛṣṇa is giving you: "Come on. Here is the body. You take." But we become exasperated by using our senses. Ultimately we become senseless. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "Don't do like this. Your senses are meant for serving Me. So you are misusing it. By misusing, you are being entrapped in different types of body; therefore to get relief from this tedious business of accepting one body and giving it up, again another body, again another... To continue this material existence, if you give up this process of sense gratification and surrender unto Me, then you are saved." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 1.8.24 -- Mayapura, October 4, 1974:

So Karṇa is not a kṣatriya." Karṇa's history is that Karṇa is the pre-marriage son of Kuntī. Before her being married, she was born of Kuntī from the ear. Therefore his name is Karṇa. But still, out of social fear, Kuntī did not kill the child. Nowadays they kill. But he floated the child on a boat, and the boat was let loose, go anywhere. So one carpenter collected Karṇa and raised him. But he was kṣatriya. He was Kuntī's son, born by sun, sun-god, Sūrya. So Kuntī had the power of calling. He got the benediction from Durvāsā. Durvāsā gave her the benediction that "You can call any demigod, and at once he will come by this mantra." So when Kuntī was young, not married, so Durvāsā became the guest of her father, and she served Durvāsā Muni very nicely, attending as maidservant. Although she was king's daughter, but because Durvāsā was guest, he was taken care of very nicely. So Durvāsā became very pleased and gave her this blessing, that "You can call any demigod, as you like." So out of curiosity she chanted the mantra and called the sun-god, Vivasvān. So he came. So he wanted to give her a child, benediction. She said that "I am unmarried. I cannot have child." "No, this child will be born from your ear." Akṣata-yoni. Akṣata-yoni means a girl who has no union with any other man. That is called akṣata-yoni. So in this way Karṇa was born, but he was raised by a carpenter. Therefore he was not considered to be a kṣatriya. So Draupadī knew that Karṇa, if he contests, then he will be victorious, so she played a trick that "I cannot allow anyone else except the kṣatriyas to contest in this svayaṁvara."

Lecture on SB 1.8.26 -- Mayapura, October 6, 1974:

She's (He's) my husband. We cannot separated..." Hard knot. Hṛdaya-granthi. Already there is attraction. Now this attraction becomes more and more tight, after unity. Then we require a place to live together, "Home, sweet home." Yes, very sweet. The whole day and night, work. And this is moha. He is working hard day and night. There is not a single moment leisure, and still, he's: "Sweet home." This is illusion.

So ataḥ gṛha. As soon as a man and woman or a male-female, either bird, beast or human being or demigods, everyone... Then he requires home, gṛha, then land to produce food, gṛha-kṣetra, then children. Gṛha-kṣetra. Because when a man is married, the social life, if he has no children, that is means vacant home. Putra-hīnaṁ gṛhaṁ śūnyam. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita has said, avidyaṁ jīvanaṁ śūnyam: "One who is not educated, his life is zero." Avidyaṁ jīvanaṁ śūnyam. And diśaḥ śūnyā abāndhavāḥ: "And if you want to go to some foreign place, if that place is not a holy place..." Because according to Vedic system, they go on touring to see holy places, tīrtha-sthāna, or to a friend's house. "So if you are going to some foreign countries, if there is no friend and no devatā, then it is useless." Diśaḥ śūnyā abāndhavāḥ. Or putra-hīnaṁ gṛhaṁ śūnyam: "You are married, but you have no children. That is also vacant, zero." Putra-hīnaṁ gṛhaṁ śūnyam. Sarva-śūnyā daridratā: "But if you are poor, then everything is zero." Your vidyā is zero. Your home is zero. And your friend is zero because nobody will care you.

Lecture on SB 1.8.31 -- Los Angeles, April 23, 1973:

So the friends also were very much obliged to Kṛṣṇa. There was fire all around. They do not know anything. "Kṛṣṇa." "Yes." Kṛṣṇa is ready. Kṛṣṇa immediately swallowed up the whole fire. There were so many demons attacked. Every day, all the boys, they would come back to their home and explain to their mother: "Mother, Kṛṣṇa is so wonderful. You see. This happened today." And the mother would say: "Yes, our Kṛṣṇa is wonderful." So much. That's all. They do not know Kṛṣṇa is God, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Person. Kṛṣṇa is wonderful. That's all. And their love increases. The more they perceive Kṛṣṇa's wonderful activities, they become more lover. "Perhaps he may be a demigod. Yes." That is their suggestion. When Nanda Mahārāja will talk amongst his friends and the friends will talk about Kṛṣṇa... "Oh, Nanda Mahārāja, your child Kṛṣṇa is wonderful. "Yes, I see that. Maybe some demigod." That's all. "Maybe." That is also not certain. So the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, they do not care who is God out or who is not God. That is not their business. But they want Kṛṣṇa and love Kṛṣṇa. That's all.

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

So we are thinking that we are better situated. No, we are not better situated. Our, the principle is the same, that you come here, you accept a certain type of body, and whole night, or whole life... Night means ignorance, darkness. So in ignorance you go on struggling whole life, and then you become dead, finished. The same thing. There is no difference between the life of the insect... Therefore Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī says that, that the, these big, big demigods... Yat kāruṇya-katākṣa-vaibhavavatām. There is a verse. I just now forget it. Kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī says that kaivalya, the impersonalists' theory of becoming one, monist, with the Absolute... That is called kaivalya. So he says: kaivalyaṁ narakāyate: "For a devotee who has got little favor of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, for him, this kaival ya-sukha, happiness of becoming one with the Supreme, is as good as the hell." Kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. And tri-daśa-pūra ākāśa-puṣpāyate. Tri-daśa-pūra means where thirty-three millions of demigods live, heavenly planets. It is something like phantasmagoria, ākāśa-puṣpa, which has... Just like in Bengal they say, jokingly, ghoṛā ḍim. Ghoṛā ḍim means a ghoṛā, a horse, never gives eggs. It is fantastics. It is not possible. Similarly, these heavenly planets, for a Vaiṣṇava, is ghoṛā ḍim. They don't care for it. It is no fact.

Lecture on SB 1.8.32 -- Los Angeles, April 24, 1973:

So this Malaysia is not a new name. It was known thousands and thousands of years ago. And... All these places, they were Vedic culture. So similarly she's giving the example that Kṛṣṇa has no obligation that He has to take His birth in a particular family or particular country. He has no such obligation. But to glorify a certain family or certain person because he is devotee, therefore He has taken birth.

The reason is He is appearing... Therefore it is called divyam, transcendental. He is not obliged. But we are obliged. That is the distinction between our taking birth and Kṛṣṇa. We are obliged. If by our karma, by our activities, we are fit for taking birth in a good family, then I will get my birth in good family or in the human society or demigod society. But if my activities are lower grade like animals, then I will have to take birth in the animal family. That is force. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur deha upapattaye (SB 3.31.1). We develop a certain type of body according to our karma.

In this life... This human form of life is meant for athāto brahma jijñāsā, for understanding the Supreme, the Absolute Truth. But if we do not do so, if we simply remain like animal, then again we are going to the animal form of life. Misuse of the opportunity. Then we are... Therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to save people from going down to animal life.

Thank you very much. (end)

Lecture on SB 1.8.33 -- Los Angeles, April 25, 1972:

Devotee:

apare vasudevasya

devakyāṁ yācito 'bhyagāt

ajas tvam asya kṣemāya

vadhāya ca sura-dviṣām

(SB 1.8.33)

"Others say that since both Vasudeva and Devakī prayed for You, You have taken Your birth as their son. Undoubtedly You are unborn, yet You take Your birth for their welfare and to kill those who are envious of the demigods."

Prabhupāda: So there are two purposes of incarnation. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā.

yadā yadā hi dharmasya

glānir bhavati bhārata

abhyutthānam adharmasya

tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham

(BG 4.7)

The Lord says that whenever there is irregularities, dharmasya, of religion, irregularities... Glāniḥ. Glāniḥ means irregularities. Just like you are executing some service. There may be irregularities. Then it becomes polluted. So yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati... Dharmasya glānir bhavati means development of irreligiosity. That means if your wealth is diminished, then your poverty is increased, balanced. If you increase this side, the other side will go up and if you increase that side, the other side... But you have to keep balance. That is required.

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

Nitāi: "Others say that since both Vasudeva and Devakī prayed for You, You have taken Your birth as their son. Undoubtedly You are unborn, yet You take Your birth for their welfare and to kill those who are envious of the demigods."

Prabhupāda:

apare vasudevasya

devakyāṁ yācito 'bhyagāt

ajas tvam asya kṣemāya

vadhāya ca sura-dviṣām

(SB 1.8.33)

There are... Actually Kṛṣṇa is unborn, aja, but Aja is taking birth. That is already explained. This is the bewilderment, viḍambanam. It is already explained. So this viḍambanam, speculation or bewilderment, how many types of speculation are there, that is being described by Kuntīdevī. Somebody says that Kṛṣṇa is Yādava. Yādava. Yādavāya mādhavāya keśavāya namaḥ. Yādava means born in the Yadu dynasty. And somebody says Kṛṣṇa is Vāsudeva, son of Vasudeva, Devakī. And Kṛṣṇa... And some of them, they say, nanda-kumārāya, now, son of Nanda Mahārāja. So Kṛṣṇa has many speculations, but actually He is aja. Ajas tvam asya kṣemāya.

Lecture on SB 1.8.34 -- Los Angeles, April 26, 1973:

Just like take for example, when there are too much criminals in the state, unlawful, lawlessness, the state becomes overburdened, disturbed, overburdened. At that time the administrators are puzzled what to do. Similarly when the world is overburdened by atheists, demons, nonbelievers, the world becomes overburdened. Otherwise things will go on nicely. Just like in the state, if people abide by the laws nicely, then it is very easy to administer. Things are going on very nicely. But if people become criminals, it becomes a overburden to the state administrators.

So such thing happens because this is material world. And the demons and the demigods, they are always there, existing. But when the demonic power becomes increased, then the world becomes overburdened. Sīdantyā bhūri-bhāreṇa jāto hy ātma-bhuvārthitaḥ (SB 1.8.34), ātma-bhū. Ātmabhū is Brahmā's name. He's directly born of the Supreme Soul, Viṣṇu. He's not born as usually we do from the womb of mother. So Brahmā was born from the navel of Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. Therefore his another name is Ātmabhū. Svayambhū, Svayambhū. These are different names of Brahmā. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ (SB 6.3.20). These are the... Brahmā is one, one of the authorities. He's also mentioned in the list of authorities, dvādaśa-mahājana. Twelve authorities.

Lecture on SB 1.8.34 -- Los Angeles, April 26, 1973:

Therefore śāstra says:

yas tu nārāyaṇaṁ devaṁ

brahma-rudrādi-daivataiḥ

samatvenaiva vīkṣeta

sa pāṣaṇḍī bhaved dhruvam

(CC Madhya 18.116)

These rascals says that Nārāyaṇa, Brahmā, Śiva, and all other, so many demigods, I, you, everything is equal, all, all the same, on the level. This is rascaldom. Nārāyaṇa is asamordhva. Nobody can be equal or greater than Him. Just like Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā: mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). "There is no more superior thing above Me." Neither equal to Him, asamordhva. Asama, asama means no equal, and na ūrdhva. Everyone is down. That is the position. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8).

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

So similarly, as the law means state order, similarly, religion means God's order. That's all, simple definition. Dharmaṁ tu... It is not that we have manufactured... It is stated, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Nobody knows what is dharma, neither the human being, nor the demigods, nor big, big sages, saintly person, and whatever you say, philosopher. No, nobody knows what is religion. Dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Mahājana means those who are authorized person by God, one who knows what is the law of God, he's mahājana. He mahājana. So a guru is mahājana because he knows what is religion and what is the law given by God. Therefore he's mahājana. How he has become mahājana? Because he is following the previous mahājana. That's all. It is not difficult. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). So mahājana... So therefore sampradāya. Just like we are Mādhva-Gauḍīya-sampradāya. Madhvācārya. Or Brahma-sampradāya. We are following... Brahmā is mahājana. Or there are twelve, twelve mahājanas stated in the śāstras, and Brahmā is one of them. Svayambhū. Brahmā's name is Svayambhū. The other day we were discussing Svayambhū. Or Ātmabhū. Ātmabhū. Because he is born out of the abdomen of the father, not of the mother. Not... The other... Father is the seed-giving, life-giving agent. So this life was not transferred to anyone else to take the body. The life-giver, father, gave him the body. Therefore Brahmā is called Svayambhū. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ (SB 6.3.20). They are all mahājanas.

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

A devotee, a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he always sees: "Whether my time is wasted unnecessarily?" He should be very much alert: "Why I'm sleeping so much, wasted so much time?" That is devotees, Kṛṣṇa conscious. "Oh, I am wasting so much time without any engagement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness?" That is called asakṛt. Matir madhu-pate asakṛt. And directly, addhā. It is said, ratim udvahatād addhā. Addhā means directly, not indirectly.

Indirectly, the so-called demigod worshipers, they say... Because they misuse that verse,

ye 'py anya-devatā-bhaktā

yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ

te 'pi mām eva kaunteya

yajanty avidhi-pūrvakam

They neglect this word, avidhi-pūrvakam. They simply say that to worship other demigods is also the same. No. It is not the... It is avidhi-pūrvaka. And if you... Suppose you are in trouble. You have to satisfy the police commissioner. But you are trying to satisfy the police commissioner by bribing the constable. That is avidhi-pūrvaka. If it is known, then you'll be punished.

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

That is spiritual world. Pavarga means accompanied by all these things, and apavarga means just the opposite. Just the opposite. Therefore Kṛṣṇa's name is anapavarga-vīrya. He shows you the path how you become anapavarga. Nāpavarga, anapavarga. Kṛṣṇa says here, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). Why this pavarga, why these five kinds of tribulation? Because you have got this material body. As soon as you accept a material body—it doesn't matter whether President Nixon's body or a common man's body—you have to pass through these pavargas: pa, pha, ba, bha, ma. Either you are demigod or a human being or an animal or an insect or Brahmā—whatever you may be—as soon as you have got this material body, you have to go through these tribulations. This is called material existence. And apavarga means just the opposite. That... For that purpose Kṛṣṇa comes, to give you the path of anapavarga. Nāpavarga... Anapavarga is the path.

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

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

Now the Durgā Pūjā is going on. This is also recommended in the Vedic śāstra, that those who want material opulence... Material opulence means riches and good wife. For this purpose, śāstra recommends that you can worship Durgā. There are different purposes, and different demigod worships are recommended. But at the conclusion it is said that,

akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā

mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhīḥ

tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena

yajeta puruṣaṁ param

(SB 2.3.10)

There are three kinds of men: akāma... Akāma means one who has no desire. Desire there is—not material desire. Desire you cannot kill. Desire must be there. We have to simply transfer the quality of the desire. Instead of desiring material opulence, we have to desire the favor of Kṛṣṇa. That is spiritual.

Lecture on SB 1.8.44 -- Los Angeles, May 6, 1973:

So even we offer Kṛṣṇa prayer with broken languages, because Kṛṣṇa is Absolute, Kṛṣṇa will accept it. Bhāva-grāhī, bhāva-grāhī-janārdana. Janārdana, Kṛṣṇa, sees how much your heart is pure for serving Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa does not see the wording, the grammatical composition of your prayer. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja said... When other demigods were afraid of approaching Nṛsiṁha-deva, so Brahmā requested Prahlāda that "You offer prayer." So Brahmā's prayer is very..., Prahlāda Mahārāja's prayer... So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that "What prayer I shall offer to the Supreme Lord? Such big, big demigods like Brahmā and others, they are present here. Even goddess of fortune, Lakṣmī, is present here. They are afraid or they could not offer proper prayers to Kṛṣṇa, Nṛsiṁha-deva, to pacify Him. He's very angry. So everyone is afraid." So Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "I am born in a low family. My father is Hiraṇyakaśipu. So how I can offer prayer? If big, big demigods could not offer prayer and satisfy the Lord, so what I can do?"

This is humbleness of Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava is so humble. He is induced, he's ordered by Brahmā, that "You offer prayer. Your prayer will be accepted." So then Prahlāda Mahārāja considering that viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād aravinda-nābha-pādāravinda-vimukhāt: "I can understand this, that Kṛṣṇa is not satisfied by the prayers of a brāhmaṇa who is qualified with twelve nice qualities. Kṛṣṇa is satisfied simply by devotion. I can understand. Because all these big, big demigods headed by Brahmā, they could not... They are asking me. That means Kṛṣṇa will be satisfied simply by bhakti."

Lecture on SB 1.8.47 -- Los Angeles, May 9, 1973:

So dakṣa-yajña, the Lord Śiva's devotees, they massacred all the yajña arena. You know dakṣa-yajña. Mahārāja Dakṣa was also cut off by his head, and he was put in a goat's head, in this way. So after the death of his wife, Lord Śiva was very much aggrieved. He went to the forest and engaged himself in meditation. So there was a need of one soldier commander, and the calculation was that such soldier must be there, by the demigods... Because there was always fighting between the demigods and the demons, so to kill the demons, there was need of a very great soldier who must be born by Lord Śiva, by the semina of Lord Śiva. So at that time Pārvatī, Dākṣāyaṇī, after death she has taken another body as daughter of King of Himalaya, Pārvatī. Therefore her name was at that time Pārvatī. Pārvatī means "the daughter of Parvata." Parvata means mountain. So the plan was that within the womb of Pārvatī and by the semina of Lord Śiva, one son must take birth, and later on he took and his name was Kārttikeya. Kārttikeya was born. So, but they were... Lord Śiva was in meditation, and Pārvatī was not married at that time with Lord Śiva, although she was destined to marry Lord Śiva, because in the transcendental world, the husband and wife, they are also eternal. Even the wife or husband changes body, again they become husband and wife. This is in the higher sense.

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

Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja was standing, and his father was being killed. Is it a very good thing? Suppose if I am here and somebody kills me, and if you do not protest, is it a very good business? People will be surprised that "So many disciples are there, and this man is being killed, and nobody do anything?" So from material point of view, Prahlāda Mahārāja could have asked Nṛsiṁha-deva, "My Lord, do not kill my father." He could have asked, and immediately his request would have been granted. But he did not do that. He was standing and seeing. But he knows that "This killing of the body of my father is not killing. I shall save him. I shall save him." That he did. When he was offered benediction, he did not take anything. He said, "My Lord, what shall I do, all this material benediction? I have seen in the case of my father. He was so strong that even the demigods were frightened for his presence. His position was so strong, and You finished it within a minute. So what is the benefit of taking? No, no. Please do not request me." But although he did not ask anything for his personal self, but he asked the Lord, prayed, that "One thing I request." "What is that?" "My father was a great demon, and he was against You. He has committed so many sinful life. So I know he'll have to suffer for these things. I request You to excuse him." This is Vaiṣṇava son. "Oh, yes, immediately." Immediately.

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

So their welfare is first considered. Go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca. Before that, go, cows, cows' protection. In the modern society they do not know even the preliminary knowledge of worshiping the Supreme Being by giving protection to the cows and the brāhmaṇas.

Besides that, as soon as one is born, he becomes debtor to so many things.

devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṟṇāṁ

na kiṅkaro nāyam ṛṇī ca rājan

sarvātmanā yaḥ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ

gato mukundaṁ parihṛtya kartam

(SB 11.5.41)

We become debtor to the demigods as soon as we are born on this earth. As a human being, not as cats and dogs. Cats and dogs, they are not debtor to anyone because they have no sense, nonsense. So first of all we become debtor to the demigods—the sun, moon, the Indra, Candra and many others. So how we become debtor? Because the sun is giving sunshine. We are taking advantage of the sunshine. Unless there was sunshine, you could not live even. Sunshine is so important.

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

If you want to sprinkle water even a few yards, you have to take so much trouble. But you see the cloud distributes rain like anything. More than sufficient. Even on the hill, even on the sea. So we are indebted to the demigods. Just like water department. You have to pay tax. Or the light department, you have to pay tax. If you don't pay the bill of the electrical department, it will be cut off, will be discontinued. But we are not paying any bill to the sun-god. Just see. We are taking advantage of the sunshine, but what payment we are paying? Nothing. Therefore this yajña is recommended. Saha-yajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā, in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said. Saha-yajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā. You are born with the responsibility of performing yajña. If you perform yajña or if you perform sacrifice in the name of Sūrya, in the name of Candra, in the name of Indra, Vāyu, then they will be pleased and will give you regular sunshine, regular moonshine, regular rain. Then you'll be happy. Therefore in the Vedas this deva-yajña is recommended.

But this yajña is performed not for satisfying the particular demigod. Even if you perform any yajña for satisfying the demigod, the Nārāyaṇa is situated there. The nārāyaṇa-śilā, śālagrāma-śilā is there whenever there is some yajña. Because He is the yajña-puruṣa. Actually, when you pay tax to the light department or water department, it is not that the director or the in-charge of the light department and water department takes that money. He does not take money. It goes to the government treasury.

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

There are different tax department, but if you pay the whole amount, government treasure making a bill for this department, this, this department, this, then automatically it will be distributed. Similarly the deva-yajña, to perform yajña in the name of the demigods, can all be performed in one yajña when you become Kṛṣṇa conscious. When you become... How? That is also stated in the śāstra, that devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṟṇāṁ na kiṅkaro nāyam ṛṇī ca rājan (SB 11.5.41). Nārada Muni says to Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira that we have got so many due taxes to be paid to the devatās, demigods, because we are utilizing so many material elements controlled by different devatās. And then we are debtor to the ṛṣis. Ṛṣis means saintly person. Just like we are reading this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And who has given this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam? By Vyāsadeva. So we are debtor. Vyāsadeva has given us Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, mahāmuni-kṛte kiṁ vā parair īśvaraḥ. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it is made by Vyāsadeva. So we are taking advantage of the knowledge, so we are so much indebted to Vyāsadeva. We are indebted to the demigods, we are indebted to Vyāsadeva or other ṛṣis. Manu-saṁhitā, we are indebted to the great Manu. Viṁśati,(?) we are indebted to Parāśara Muni. He has given dharma-śāstra. In this way, there are so many Vedic literatures, and we take advantage of it. Therefore we must be indebted. Deva, ṛṣi, and bhūta. We are taking milk from the cows. Bhūta, āpta. Āpta, friends, relatives. We are taking advantage in the family from the father, from the mother, from the elderly brother, from the servant.

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

Those who have taken, fully surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, bhakti-bhājām, karmāṇi nirdahati, their karma, nirdahati, means as far as possible the result is diminished or practically made nil. Even it is there, karma-phala, very slight. Just like the example is just like one is condemned to be murdered by somebody by cutting his head, but by Kṛṣṇa's grace he may be saved from cutting the head. Suppose there is some accident by knife in the hand. They are calculated like that. And generally, a devotee is completely relieved from all karma-phala. So ordinarily, we are indebted to so many persons, not only bāla, dvija, gopa, but ṛṣi, and the devatās. We have to take care of it. But if we become fully surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, sarvātmanā ye śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ gato mukundam. Not any other demigods. Mukundam. Mukundam means... Muk means liberation. So one who gives liberation. Gato mukundaṁ parihṛtya kartam. So one who takes full shelter of Mukunda, Kṛṣṇa, then He's freed from all this indebtedness to so many persons.

So this is our duty, to surrender fully to Kṛṣṇa and be saved from the reaction of so many sinful activities in our past life.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)

Lecture on SB 1.9.1 -- Los Angeles, May 15, 1973:

Just like Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the father of all living entities." Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ (BG 14.4). And He is accepting not only human society. Sarva-yoniṣu. Sarva-yoniṣu means in all species of life. Kṛṣṇa claims that "Fish, beginning from fish, aquatic life, these living entities, they are also My sons. The birds, they are also My sons. The beasts, they are also My sons. The trees, they are also My sons. The human beings, they are also My sons. The demigods, they are also My sons." Sarva-yoniṣu, "in every species of life." This is the conception of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We do not say that simply human being has soul No. Every living entity. Even a small ant, a small plant, it is living entity. By its different work, he has got a different dress only. Just like we are sitting so many persons, and we have got our different dresses according to our different choice, similarly, we get these bodies. We are all sons of God. There is no doubt about it. We (are) all spirit soul, either in the human form of body or animal form of body or tree form of body, anything. Sarva-yoniṣu. We are all living entities. But we have got different dresses. That's all.

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

So Kṛṣṇa does not force anyone to become kṛṣṇa-bhakta, but He gives the chance. He explains everything, that "If you become kṛṣṇa-bhakta, or surrendered soul, then you will be happy. Otherwise you will not be happy." This is Kṛṣṇa. Kuru. He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). He does not force. Now it is our choice, whether we shall surrender to Kṛṣṇa or not. These are the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that one's ultimate goal of life is to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. That is the ultimate goal of life. But they do not know it. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). They do not know. They think for some worldly happiness and go to some demigods... That is condemned in the Bhagavad-gītā, kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajante anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). They have lost their intelligence, those who go to worship other demigods for some paltry benefit, temporary benefit. Antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām (BG 7.23). Those who are, brain substance is not very much in good quantity... Brain substance, instead of brain substance, there is cow-dung. Such people go to worship the other demigods. There is no necessity. There is no necessity. Of course, we do not show any disrespect to any demigods. We offer all respect. But we do not accept that Kṛṣṇa and all other demigods are on the same level, as the Māyāvādī says, that "Either you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra or chant 'Durgā Durgā,' 'Kālī Kālī,' it is the same." This is rascaldom. This is rascaldom. Harer nāma. Śāstra says, harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam. Śāstra does not say that "You chant this name, that name, any dog's name, cat's name, and it is all right.

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

So this world is creation of Kṛṣṇa. Mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate. Aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). So we may think that Brahmā created this universe, but not..., that is not the fact. Kṛṣṇa said, aham ādir hi devānām: "I am prior to all the demigods." He is the origin of the demigods. Aham ādir hi devānām. Mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate. Everything emanates from Him. So therefore Kṛṣṇa's name is bhava-bhāvana. Bhava-bhāvana. This world is called bhava-saṁsāra, bhava-saṁsāra. Bhava means become. There is another nature, spiritual world, that is not bhava, that does not become. It is always existing, nitya. Nitya-loka. Vaikuṇṭha-loka. But this material world is called bhava. Bhava-saṁsāra. Bhava means it appears and again disappears. Everything here—just like your body, my body—it has appeared at a certain date and it will disappear at a certain date. Similarly, the whole universal body also, it has appeared at a certain date and it will disappear at a certain date. So bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). It becomes manifested, again it becomes disappeared. Therefore it is called bhava-saṁsāra. But still, although it is temporary, the arrangement is so nice, pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇam idaṁ pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate.. (Īśopaniṣad, Invocation). Everything is complete. It is not false.

Lecture on SB 1.10.3 -- Mayapura, June 18, 1973:

Every living entity is fallible. Only Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead... Brahmā is fallible, what to speak of others, demigods. Brahmā was attracted by seeing the beauty of his daughter. Lord Śiva was fallible when he saw the beauty of Mohinī-mūrti. So what to speak of others. And Indra, Candra, they are all fallible. Only Kṛṣṇa is infallible. All others fallible. Therefore pravṛtta-vijñāna, bhīṣmoktam atha acyutoktam. Acyuta. Kṛṣṇa was addressed by Arjuna in the battlefield, "Acyuta." Senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me acyuta (BG 1.21). Acyuta. Acyuta means... He was addressing Kṛṣṇa as Acyuta because he was feeling rather little hesitation that "Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has voluntarily accepted the position of my driver, and I have to ask Him, 'Mr. driver, please take me there.' I have to order Him, and He has to carry." Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has taken the subordinate position of carrying order of Arjuna. Therefore he purposely addressed Him, "Acyuta, my dear friend Kṛṣṇa, don't mind I am ordering You, but You have promised to carry out my order.

Lecture on SB 1.10.3 -- Mayapura, June 18, 1973:

So as Indra is powerful... Nobody can even... Indra is never defeated. Sometimes there is fight between the devāsura, asura and deva. But when there is fight between the deva and asura... Deva means the demigod, and asura means the atheist class. They are always existing, the atheist class, two classes of men, atheist class and theist class. Viṣṇu-bhakto bhaved daiva āsuras tad viparyayaḥ. Those who are devotees of Lord Viṣṇu, Vaiṣṇava, they are demigods, and anyone else—all demons. Except Vaiṣṇava, everyone is a demon. You can say, "Now I am devotee of Lord Śiva. How can I be demon?" Yes, you are demon. Because Rāvaṇa was a great devotee of Lord Śiva, but he is described as a demon, rākṣasa. Rākṣasa. Hiraṇyakaśipu was a great devotee of Lord Brahmā. Still, he is described as rākṣasa, demon.

So if you are devotee of the demigods, you can become powerful for some time. Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu became. He took benediction from Lord Brahmā that "I shall not die at daytime, at nighttime, on land, on sea, on the sky. I shall not be killed by any animal, by any demigod, by any man, by any..." So many ways, definition by negation. "Not this, not this, not this." First of all he wanted, "Make me immortal." Brahmā said, "I am not immortal. How can I make you immortal? That is not possible." Then he thought, "I am intelligent enough. I shall indirectly become mortal. I shall not be killed in this way, I shall not be killed in this way. No animal can kill me, no man can kill me, no demigod can kill me. I shall not die at night, I shall not die in daytime, not on the land, not on the sea, not in the sky." In this way, whatever imagination he could manufacture, he settled up, "Now I am immortal." But Kṛṣṇa is so cunning and intelligent that He kept all the promises of Brahmā; still, he was killed, Hiraṇyakaśipu. He was not killed at daytime.

Lecture on SB 1.10.3 -- Mayapura, June 18, 1973:

So this is the way. And here it is said, śaśāsa gām indra iva. Indra. Indra, the demigods, they are always protected by Viṣṇu, always protected. Whenever there is fight between the demigods and demons, Lord Viṣṇu takes the side of the demigods. Therefore Indra is ajita-āśraya. He is confident that "I am protected by Lord Viṣṇu, Ajita." Similarly, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira also, when he was assured that "I am also protected by Kṛṣṇa, I am also enlightened by the instruction of Bhīṣma; my brothers, such big brothers, Bhīma, Arjuna, they will follow my instruction," in this way, when everything was in complete, vijñāna-vidhūta-vibhramaḥ, then he accepted the throne. This is monarchy. This is king.

Thank you very much. (end)

Lecture on SB 1.10.3-4 -- Tehran, March 13, 1975:

So an ideal king like Yudhiṣṭhira, he can rule over not only over the land, over the seas, all over the planet. This is the ideal. (reading:) "The modern English law of primogeniture, or the law of inheritance by the firstborn, was also prevalent in those days when Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira ruled the earth and the seas." That means whole planet, including the seas. (reading:) "In those days the king of Hastināpura, now part of New Delhi, was the emperor of the world, including the seas, up to the time of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, the grandson of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. His younger brothers were acting as his minister and commanders of state, and there was full cooperation between the perfectly religious brothers of the King. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was the ideal king or representative of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa..." The king should be the representative of Kṛṣṇa. (reading:) "...to rule over the kingdom of earth and was comparable to King Indra, the representative ruler of the heavenly planet. The demigods like Indra, Candra, Sūrya, Varuṇa, Vāyu, etc., are representative kings of different planets of the universe. And similarly Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was also one of them, ruling over the kingdom of the earth.

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

We cannot be enjoyer. We each can simply be servitor; that is our natural position. Just like a dog, when it serves a nice master, he's happy. Otherwise, it is street dog. Nobody cares for it. Street dog. A street dog has no position. Sometimes they are killed. Similarly, when we live under the full protection of the Supreme Lord, that is our healthy condition, that is our real life. And as soon as we give up this position to be subordinate, to be predominated by the Supreme Lord, then we are bewildered. We are thrown into this, under the control of this material nature, and according to our work we get different bodies. There are 8,400,000 forms of bodies and we get one body after another. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). This is called ever conditioned. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). In this way, we are wandering from one species of life to another, one planet to another. In this way the brahmāṇḍa, this universe is very very big and there is immense opportunity. You become sometimes demigod, sometimes dog, sometimes cat, sometimes tree. In this way, we are wandering.

Lecture on SB 1.10.6 -- Mayapura, June 21, 1973:

In this material nature, or material world, we have got three kinds of sufferings, tri-tāpa-yantana. Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī inquired, "Why these three kinds of miseries inflict pains upon me?" Ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya. Tāpa-traya. Tāpa means painful condition, tāpa. Just like if you touch fire, it creates a painful condition by burning the part, similarly, this world is also a blazing fire, saṁsāra-dāvānala. The rascals, they do not know. They are always out of the three kinds of miserable condition. Everyone is in some way or other under these conditions. These conditions means it is... These kleśāḥ, painful conditions, they are created by three causes. What are those causes? Daiva-bhūtātma-hetavaḥ. Daiva means created by the demigods. Daiva. Devatā. Just like this rain department, water department, is under the control of Indra. So Indra can supply water just to your requirement, or sometimes he does not supply, or sometimes he supplies over, over requirement. Ativṛṣṭi, anāvṛṣṭi. Anāvṛṣṭi means no rain, and ativṛṣṭi means excessive. So we don't want excessive or less. We want just proper. So this is under the control of the devatā. You cannot say... You may be very great scientist. You cannot say that "It is under my control." When there is no rainfall, you cannot say, "All right, we are scientists. We are creating rain." You can theoretically say, "Now we are making progress. In future."

Lecture on SB 1.10.6 -- Mayapura, June 21, 1973:

Therefore it is said, there are three kinds of miserable conditions: daiva, bhūta, ātmā. Daiva means adhidaivika, and bhūta means adhibhautika, and ātmā means adhyātmika. Three kinds of miseries. Adhyātmika, pertaining to your body and mind. Body, we have got, we have got experience, so many bodily troubles, anxieties. If not body, mental. These are called adhyātmika. Then adhibhautika. I am peaceful, but another neighbor, or another animal, will give me some trouble. I am peacefully sitting here, but these flies are giving me trouble unnecessarily. I have to take precaution. So there are flies, mosquitoes, at night so many other animals, they come. Besides that, my brother, my friend, they are also prepared to give me trouble. Some way or other, other living entities causing some painful condition. This is called adhibhautika. And adhidaivika. Daivika, painful condition created by the demigods. Just like there is hurricane all of a sudden. So many trees falls down, sometimes cottages devastated, overflood, excessive rain, overflood, famine, pestilence. You have no control. You cannot control. You can simply say, "In future." That's all. But there is no control.

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

Just like Kuntī. Kuntī, so much qualified lady, she can call any demigod. She got one benediction from Durvāsā Muni. When she was young girl, she served Durvāsā Muni. Mahārāja Kuntibhoja used to invite so many saintly persons. That is the system in India still. So once Durvāsā Muni became a guest of Mahārāja Kuntibhoja, and Kuntī served the Durvāsā Muni. He was very pleased, and he gave her one benediction, that "You can call any demigod by your sweet will. As soon as you desire, the demigod will..." So Kuntī, she was a girl; she made an experiment, immediately called the Sūrya, the sun-god, and he came. So Sūrya asked him (her) that "You have called me. You take some benediction. Take a son from me." She refused. "No, I am unmarried. I cannot." "No, there is no harm. Your son will be born from the ear." Generally, the son is born from the vagina, but Kuntī's son was born from the ear. Therefore Karṇa. The first son was Karṇa. Unmarried. Therefore Karṇa was, I mean to say, given away, because she could not show, and when Karṇa was floating on the water, that one carpenter picked up and he raised him. So Karṇa was known as the carpenter's son, śūdra's son. Actually, he is Kuntī's son. So when Karṇa was killed, Kuntī began to cry. And Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja inquired, "Mother, why you are crying?" At that time she admitted, "Karṇa was my son." "Oh? Such a secret you did not disclose? We treated Karṇa as our enemy. We could have taken..." There are so many incidences like that.

Lecture on SB 1.10.11-12 -- Mayapura, June 25, 1973:

So we are eternal, nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). It requires little intelligence, that "I am eternal. Why I am in this business, accepting one body, and again giving up, giving it up? And there is no guarantee what kind of body I'm going to accept next." There is no guarantee. It will be according to your work. We can become an insect, or we can become the demigod. We can become tree; we can become animal—anything, according to our karma. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1).

So this rascal civilization, they do not understand what is bhava-sāgara, what is bhava. Nothing. They are so rascal. And they're passing on as civilized men. No knowledge. So when one is intelligent, actually, then he considers that "If I am eternal, why should I accept repetition of birth and death?" That is intelligence. But they have given (in) to birth and death—"Never mind." Even university students, they say, "If next life, if I become animal, what is the wrong?" Just see. How much degraded. In Hawaii University, one student said that "Even if I become an animal, what is the wrong there?" Just see how much degraded the human society has become. They are prepared to become animal, cats and dogs, trees, anything.

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

Na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa (Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4). This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's teaching. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has taught this philosophy repeatedly. Niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajana. Bhagavad-bhajana means He Himself become niṣkiñcana. He was Kṛṣṇa Himself, most opulent. Tyaktvā surepsitaḥ, sudustyaja-surepsita-rājya-lakṣmīm (SB 11.5.34). Caitanya Mahāprabhu had the most beautiful wife, goddess of fortune, Viṣṇu-priyā, Lakṣmī-priyā. But for the benefit of the whole world, although He is Kṛṣṇa, He showed us the example. At the age of twenty-four years, He took sannyāsa. He was not unhappy in His home. He had His very affectionate mother and... (aside:) Some fly... Affectionate mother and most affectionate wife, beloved wife. But still, it is very difficult to renounce the affection of mother and love of wife. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu did it. (aside:) The fly is still disturbing. So tyaktvā sudustyaja. Therefore in the Bhāgavata it is said, sudustyaja, very difficult to give up. Tyaktvā sudustyaja-surepsita-rājya-lakṣmīm (SB 11.5.34). And rājya-lakṣmīm, such nice beautiful wife, desired even by the demigods. Such a nice wife, He gave up.

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

So to such person, Kṛṣṇa is suhṛt. Suhṛt. Here it is said, api naḥ suhṛdas tāta, uncle, bāndhavāḥ kṛṣṇa-devatāḥ. Kṛṣṇa-devatāḥ means one who has accepted Kṛṣṇa as the worshipable Deity. He is called kṛṣṇa-devatāḥ. There are so many demigods. They have taken to worship. The Roman were worshiping demigods. The India, in India they also worship demigods. That will not make you happy. Antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām (BG 7.23). To take some benediction from the demigods, although people go there, kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṁ siddhiṁ yajanta iha devatāḥ. People are very much attached to enjoy this material world. So they worship Durgā, Kālī, or Lord Śiva. Kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṁ siddhim. They get immediately some material benefit. But tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām. What you will do with some temporary material benefit? That is the instruction of Kṛṣṇa. Don't be attracted by the temporary material benefits. Just try for permanent eternal benefit. Go back to home, back to Godhead. That is the... That is the... What you will do? Suppose you become king. How long you will remain king? Or there are so many dangers. Sometimes the kings are beheaded. King Johann(?) was beheaded. So material position is always tiltering, tilting. Yes. There is no fixed position. It will end.

Lecture on SB 1.13.12 -- Geneva, June 3, 1974:

So this was very shameful affair. So Vidura was very much attracted, attached to Mahārāja Dhṛtarāṣṭra. Therefore, bhrātur jyeṣṭhasya śreyas-kṛt. Bhrātuḥ means brother, and jyeṣṭha means elder. So actually, Vidura went there for the benefit of Dhṛtarāṣṭra. Therefore, kañcit kālam atha avātsīt. He decided to live at home along with the family members for some time.

Avātsīt. Sat-kṛto devavat sukham. He was living just like in the opulence of demigods. Because they were all nephews. Pāṇḍavas were so well-behaved, cultured devotees, and Vidura was devotee. So he was treated just like devavat, godly. That is required. Just like whenever I go anywhere, they treat me very nicely, I live very comfortably, similarly, Vidura was treated by the Pāṇḍavas to live very comfortably, devavat, just like godly standard. But he did not live there for getting some material comforts. His aim was that "This poor man, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, my elder brother, he has not yet been lessoned, that what is the value of these material comforts." He was living shamelessly. So he wanted to instruct him, and thus he lived there for some time.

Lecture on SB 1.13.12 -- Geneva, June 3, 1974:

Arjuna also went to the heavenly planets, and persons from heaven, when there was big yajñas, sacrifice, they used to come and visit Indra, Candra. And sometimes person like... (reads:) "Nārada is a spaceman who can travel unrestrictedly not only within the material universes but also in the spiritual universes." Wherever he wanted, he could go. He can go. He's still living. Not that... (reads:) "Even Nārada used to visit the palace of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, and what to speak of other celestial demigods." It is only the spiritual culture of the people concerned that makes interplanetary travel possible, even in the present body. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira therefore received Vidura in the manner of reception offered to the demigods. This example means demigods were visiting.

(reads:) "Mahātmā Vidura had already adopted the renounced order of life, and therefore he did not return to his paternal palace to enjoy some material comforts. He accepted out of his own mercy what was offered to him by the Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, but the purpose of living in the palace was to deliver his too much materially attached elder brother, Dhṛtarāṣṭra. Dhṛtarāṣṭra lost all his state and descendants in the fight with Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, and still, due to his sense of helplessness, he did not feel ashamed to accept the charity and hospitality of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira." Suppose you create some enemy, always fought with your enemy. So if you accept his hospitality and live there, thinking that "I am living very comfortably," it is not very good sense.

Lecture on SB 1.13.15 -- Geneva, June 4, 1974:

So in his absence, Aryamā, one of the demigods, he officiated Yamarāja. Therefore it is said, abibhrad aryamā daṇḍam. The office must go on, the magistrate post cannot be vacant. Somebody must come and act. So Aryamā was acting. Yathāvad agha-kāriṣu. Agha-kāriṣu. Agha-kāri means... Agha means sinful activities, and kāriṣu. Kāriṣu means those who commit sinful acts. And yathāvat. Yathāvat means exactly to the point, how he should be punished. Yathāvad agha-kāriṣu. Yāvad dadhāra śūdratvam. So long Yamarāja continued as a śūdra, Aryamā was officiating in his place as Yamarāja. This is the purport. (reads purport:) "Vidura, born in the womb of a śūdra mother, was forbidden even to be a party of royal heritage along with his brothers Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Pāṇḍu. Then how could he occupy the post of a preacher to instruct such learned...? Answer is that even though it is accepted that he was a śūdra by birth, because he renounced the world for spiritual enlightenment by the authority of Ṛṣi Maitreya and was thoroughly educated by him in transcendental knowledge, he was quite competent to occupy the post of an ācārya or spiritual preceptor." Vidura was a śūdra, born śūdra. Then how he became a preacher?

Lecture on SB 1.13.15 -- Geneva, June 4, 1974:

"Yamarāja is deputed by the Lord to a particular planet, some hundreds of thousands of miles away from the planet of earth, to take away the corrupt souls after death and convict them in accordance with their respective sinful activities. Thus, Yamarāja has very little time to take leave from his responsible office of punishing the wrongdoers. There are more wrongdoers than righteous men. Therefore Yamarāja has to do (more) work than other demigods who are also authorized agents of the Supreme Lord. But he wanted to preach the glories of the Lord, and therefore, by the will of the Lord, he was cursed by Maṇḍūka Muni to come into the world in the incarnation of Vidura and work very hard as a great devotee."

The punishment was also reward. Those who are servants of Kṛṣṇa, even they are so-called punished, there is some motive behind this. Just like Jaya and Vijaya. They were also punished to come down and..., just to become enemy of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa, when they were very much perturbed that "We are going to the material world from Vaikuṇṭha. So what will be our fate, Sir? There is some little mistake on our part. What we shall do?" So Kṛṣṇa gave him that "If you become My enemy, then you will be relieved in three births, and if you become My friend, then seven births." So the Jaya and Vijaya agreed, "Sir, we shall become Your enemy." So what is the purport? Kṛṣṇa wanted some enemy to fight. Just like we sometimes want to fight. So this desire is there, Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise, where we get this desire? So actually, it was Kṛṣṇa's service, this Jaya and Vijaya.

Lecture on SB 1.14.43 -- New York, April 7, 1973 :

But Nārada Muni has freedom. Nārada Muni is going from one planet to another. He is coming from the spiritual sky through the material sky, because he is perfect bhakta. So that is the ideal living entity. As Kṛṣṇa has got full freedom, similarly when we become perfect, Kṛṣṇa conscious, we also become free. This is our position. But not in the conditioned state that we can move. Cannot. Baddha. Brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān, we are conditioned. But in the conditioned state also, if we follow the Vedic principles we can be happy. Happy, and this human form of life especially, it is meant for that purpose, that you live happily, save time for developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that next life you are no more in this material world. You are transferred to the spiritual world. This is the purpose of human life. But these rascals they do not know. They think that we are advancing civilization , because the cats and dogs they are lying on..., on the floor and sleep, we have got 104-stories building and we lie down there. This is their advancement. But they do not understand that the sleeping, the enjoyment by sleeping, it is the same to the dog and to the man who is lying on the 104th planet, story. Similarly, sex life to the dog and to the man or to the demigod, the pleasure is the same. There is no difference. If you drink milk on a golden pot or an iron pot, the taste is the same. You cannot change the taste of the milk, or anything, putting into the golden pot.

Lecture on SB 1.15.22-23 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1973:

The story is that Yadu-vaṁśa, the dynasty of Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa had 16,108 wives, and each wife had ten sons, and each son had another ten sons. In this way the whole family was composed of hundreds and thousands of men, Yadu dynasty. And when Kṛṣṇa came, so to assist Him, all these demigods, they came to help Him, līlā. Just like if you play something dramatic, you require so many assistants, so when Kṛṣṇa comes, those who are devotees of Kṛṣṇa, they also come to assist Him. Somebody becomes His father, somebody His mother, somebody His friend, somebody His wife, somebody His son, some grandson, like that. So when Kṛṣṇa wanted to depart from this planet, He wanted to take away all others also along with Him. So these are simply material, external causes. Actual fact is Kṛṣṇa, as He went away, He wanted to take all the associates under different pleas.

Lecture on SB 1.15.22-23 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1973:

So now the most important thing is that Kṛṣṇa made this plan to kill His descendants. He did not like that they should, but who will kill them? That is the problem. They are descendants of Kṛṣṇa. Who will kill them? Therefore it was Kṛṣṇa's plan that they will kill themselves. If others come to kill Kṛṣṇa's descendants, then what is the value of Kṛṣṇa's descendants? Nobody could kill, because in Kṛṣṇa's presence, whenever there was fight, all the descendants they came out... And who will conquer them? Nobody. That is not possible. But Kṛṣṇa wanted that before His going away, all these demigods, they must also return. "Return" means this body must be killed. But who will kill them? That was the plan of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is... Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). He is planning. He made this plan.

Lecture on SB 1.15.22-23 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1973:

So the hellish condition. So we create our hellish condition. Wherefrom the hog comes? The hog comes also... He is also living entity. By process of transmigration of the soul, one is accepting sometimes as a hog, sometimes a dog, sometimes a demigod, sometimes rich man, sometimes poor man, sometimes tree. That they do not know. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva (CC Madhya 19.151). We are spoiling our time in this way, transmigrating from one type of body to another, and there are 8,400,000 types of body. So in the human form of life, if one is actually fortunate, then guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). By the mercy of guru and by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa one gets the opportunity of understanding Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise they are entrapped by māyā, intoxication, and wandering through out the whole universe in different types of body.

Lecture on SB 1.15.25-26 -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1973:

So that is our aim. Our aim is not to produce cats and dogs. There are so many cats and dogs, the world is not happy. Now there is need of producing nice children, sober, gentle, devotee of Kṛṣṇa, good brain, good character. These things are required. So they were not unwanted children, these Yadus. This is a make-show (indistinct) other. They came, they are all demigods, they descended just to fulfill Kṛṣṇa's mission. Kṛṣṇa's mission, Kṛṣṇa came down so all the confidential servants of Kṛṣṇa, they also appeared to help Him in different... So when Kṛṣṇa wanted to go, He wanted to go with the descendants also, who came to help Him. So this is a make-show that the Yadus fought amongst themselves. The real purpose is, Kṛṣṇa wanted to take them away. Otherwise, superficially, when one becomes unnecessarily powerful, disturbs the world situation, he's a burden. He's a burden. That kind of burden is vanquished by Kṛṣṇa's desire, will. There must be some catastrophe like war, pestilence, famine, and everything will be finished.

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

He says that "If I forget You and take by birth as Lord Brahmā, I don't want it. I don't want it." What is the use of taking a birth like Brahmā? "But I shall like to take my birth as even a small insignificant insect, where a devotee is there." This is the ambition of devotee. "I shall prefer to become an insect." Because there are different varieties of living entities, beginning from Brahmā down to the insect, insignificant. In the middle, there are so many varieties—aquatics, trees, plants, demigods, and men, human being. So many thing. So this is the end and one end to another. Ābrahma-bhuvanāl... Kīṭa-janma, insignificant ant, nobody cares for, and Brahmā is very important, supreme person within the... So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says that "I will not prefer a birth like Brahmā if I forget You. But I will prefer to become an insect if I remain with Your devotee." Because if one remains with a devotee, he will not forget Kṛṣṇa. That is the advantage. Just like when you go, people address you, "Hare Kṛṣṇa." Oh, it is very great benefit. Automatically they chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. We have seen it all over the world. And when I was going from London to Nairobi, we stopped at Athens, the dead of night. We are in the..., what is called? That transit room.

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

This Yadu-vaṁśa, they were Kṛṣṇa's descendants. Just like when a king comes, he comes with his associates. So when Kṛṣṇa appeared, He had to marry so many wives because it was a stage to show Kṛṣṇa's supreme authority, supremacy. So the demigods came down also from different planets to help Kṛṣṇa. So these demigods became Kṛṣṇa's family. Some of the woman denizens, they became Kṛṣṇa's wife, and some of them became their sons. In this way, a huge family of Kṛṣṇa, Yadu dynasty. One crore, very big family, 16,108 wives. Each wife had sons, ten sons, and each son had ten sons. In this way children, grandchildren, and the whole family, big dynasty, Yadu family. It is estimated 100,000 hundred times. So many. Now, Kṛṣṇa wanted to leave this planet. So what will happen there? If they remain... Although Kṛṣṇa knew that they have come from different planets, but they knew that "We are sons and grandsons and grandchildren of Kṛṣṇa." They were very much puffed up. So what is the difference between a demon and devotee? A demon is puffed up. That's all. Falsely. That is demon. And a devotee is submissive, meek and mild. This is the difference. The demons will... We go, "My dear sir, we have got these books to understand Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord. So you kindly read this book. You will be benefited." "Ah, what is God? Who is God? I am God." This is demonism. And demigod or a devotee means "Oh, here is a book, something about God, Kṛṣṇa. All right, let me read it." That is the difference. Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ means they don't care for God. That is the disease. Although they are under the stringent laws of God, still, they don't care for God.

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

So this Yadu dynasty, Kṛṣṇa thought that "In My absence they are powerful... Because they, to assist Me..." "To assist Me" means... He had two missions: paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). They have killed so many demons. Everywhere they came out victorious because Kṛṣṇa was there. Now, in the absence of Kṛṣṇa, they would be puffed up. Therefore they would be turned again into demons: "Oh, I belong to Kṛṣṇa's family." Just like in our country, Nityānanda-vaṁśa: "I belong to the Nityānanda Prabhu," exploiting people. The Muhammadans also: "I belong to the family of Muhammad, Hazrat Muhammad." Christ has no family; he did not marry. Otherwise some would have been very much puffed up, "I am family of Christ." So this material nature is such thing that as soon as you get little power, you become puffed up. That is demonic nature. That is demonic nature. So Kṛṣṇa wanted to take them with Him, because they came to help Kṛṣṇa, and after His departure, these demigods would turn into demons. That He did not like to see.

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

Prabhupāda: Yes, everyone will be sorry, that "How Kṛṣṇa's descendants could fight amongst themselves and die like this?" It was not very happy to think by other devotees. Therefore the explanation is given. Go on.

Pradyumna: "...by which they had to take away the burden of the world. The Lord and His eternal associates appeared on earth to help the administrative demigods in eradicating the burden of the world."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yadā yadā hi dharma... The beginning of Kṛṣṇa's appearance... You know that in the Kṛṣṇa book, how Kṛṣṇa appeared. There was an appeal by the earth, mother earth, that she is overburdened with demons, and it was unbearable for her what to do. So this petition was submitted to Viṣṇu by Brahmā, and Viṣṇu replied that "Kṛṣṇa is coming and He will do the needful." This was the beginning. So as soon as there is yadā yadā hi dharmasya glāniḥ (BG 4.7), the planet becomes overburdened by the sinful demons, so they require to be moved and the burden lessened. That was the function of Kṛṣṇa's coming. Whenever Kṛṣṇa comes in different incarnation, there is need. Glānir bhavati bhārata. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glāniḥ (BG 4.7). Dharmasya glāniḥ means... We have explained several times. You have read in the Bhagavad-gītā. Glāniḥ means discrepancy, discrepancy. And dharma means obedience to God. That is dharma. Religion means..., religion does not mean anything else. You can manufacture so many formulas and theses. The real meaning is obedience to God. That is religion. Simple definition. If a man is obedient to God, it doesn't matter to which religion he belongs. He may be a Christian, he may be Hindu, he may be Mussulman. It doesn't matter. Religion means... This is the... I have given.

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

Pradyumna: "He therefore called for some of the confidential demigods to appear in the Yadu family and serve Him in His great mission. After the mission was fulfilled, the demigods, by the will of the Lord, relinquished their corporeal bodies by fighting amongst themselves in the madness of intoxication. The demigods are accustomed to drinking soma-rasa beverage, and therefore the drinking of wine..."

Prabhupāda: Now, we can take one lesson that intoxication is so bad that it had a bad effect in the family of God, Yadu dynasty. And what to speak of others? Intoxication is so bad. Go on.

Pradyumna: "Therefore the drinking of wine and intoxication are not unknown to them. Sometimes they were put into trouble for indulging in intoxication. Once the sons of Kuvera fell in the wrath of Nārada for being intoxicated, but afterwards they regained their original forms by the grace of the Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa."

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is goodness. One may be intoxicated. When he comes to his senses that "This is not good," then he is godly. That is the difference. But the demon cannot understand that. They continue. Just like our devotees. They are all godly. Because they had some bad habits, it doesn't matter. But they have given up. That is difference between the demons and the devotees. A devotee understands what is what and he does according to the direction of God. Therefore he is demigod. And the demons, they will never agree. That is the difference.

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

Pradyumna: "...for the Supreme Lord, both the asuras and the demigods are equal."

Prabhupāda: Yes. All of them are sons. They, whether one is demon or demigod, both of them are sons of God. But what is the difference between them? Just like a father has got two sons or more sons. One son is very obedient to the father, and the other son is not. That is the difference here. God has not made anyone demon or demigod. For God, everyone is equal. Samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu na me dveṣyo 'sti na priyaḥ (BG 9.29). Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, "I am equal to everyone." Otherwise, how He is God? He is equal to everyone. But they are creating their own situation and becoming god or demon. So in the human form of life, advanced consciousness, instead of becoming demon, we should become demigod. That is the fulfillment of human life. And if we remain demon, then this opportunity is missed. This human form of life is missed.

All right. Thank you. (end)

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

So this is the position. You create a situation of your own. Just like when the surgical operation, you have got a boil, then you... You have created by contamination, and the surgeon is simply operating. He has not created that situation. Similarly your transference to another body is not God's creation, it is your creation. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22). Those who have read Bhagavad-gītā, you have seen. Why one is born in low-grade family, one is born high-grade family, one is born animal, one is born human being, one is born as demigod? Why? What is the cause? Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya. Kāraṇam. The cause is as he has infected the modes of material nature. The material nature is going on in three modes, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. It is up to you if you associate with tamo-guṇa, then you become next life animal or tree or fish. There are so many degraded condition. Jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ (BG 14.18). Those who are in the darkness modes of material nature, they go down, adhaḥ. Adho gacchanti, degraded.

Lecture on SB 1.15.46 -- Los Angeles, December 24, 1973:

The five Pāṇḍavas, te sādhu, they have been described as sādhu, very honest, saintly, sādhu. Kṛta-sarvārthāḥ. They have executed all their duties. The human being has got duty. There are so many duties. Devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṟṇām (SB 11.5.41). Devarṣi. We have got duties. We are ṛṇī. Ṛṇī means indebted. Whom we are indebted? As soon as you take your birth on this planet, you are indebted to so many persons. What are they? Now, first, deva. Deva means the demigods or God. Actually God. God has got many assistant demigods. So you are indebted. Just like you are getting the sunshine. Just like we are getting this electricity. Now, the bill will be presented. If you don't pay, then next day your electricity will be cut off. So by nature's or God's arrangement, there is sunshine. Therefore you have to perform yajña. If you don't perform yajña, then there will be no sunshine. Therefore, in the Western countries, there is very difficult to get sunshine. This is the natural sequence.

Lecture on SB 1.15.49 -- Los Angeles, December 26, 1973:

So there is a Pitṛloka, Yamaloka. Just like the moon planet, we are trying to go there, but there are different lokas, planets, and you can go, not by the sputnik, by force. No. You'll have to qualify yourself. Just like to come to your country, to take the permanent visa, I had to qualify in so many ways, the immigration department, not by force. Even in this planet, you cannot enter any country without being permitted. How you can enter other planets? Simply by force? No, that is not possible. You have to qualify yourself. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Yānti deva-vratā devān (BG 9.25). A person can go to the planets of the demigods, devān. There are many demigods: Indra, Candra, Varuṇa, Vāyu. Brahmaloka, Prajāpatiloka, Siddhaloka—they are in the higher planetary systems. This is... We are now situated in the middle, Bhūrloka. It is called Bhūrloka. Above this, there is Bhuvarloka. Above that, Svarloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Satyaloka, like that, ūrdhvaloka. They are higher planetary... Then middle. And then lower planetary system. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ. If you develop sattva-guṇa, the quality of goodness, then according to your degree of goodness, you get promoted to the higher planets. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ (BG 14.18). If you are in the passion modes, then you stay here in this middle planetary system. And jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. Those who are in the most abominable condition of life, adho gacchanti, they go down. Not only the down planetary system, but even to the animal kingdom, the beasts, birds, trees, plants, aquatics. You have to go.

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

There is a version in the Purāṇas, Devī Purāṇa. Pārvatī was asking questions to Lord Śiva, and Lord Śiva was replying. This is the process at home. The wife is supposed to inquire from the husband about spiritual advancement of life, and the husband must be competent to reply all the questions of wife. That will keep relation very nice. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam (SB 7.5.23). That is bhakti. So Pārvatī was asking... Because according to Vedas, there are so many demigods. Viṣṇu is sometimes taken, but Viṣṇu is not... Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara. They are the principal deities. So the inquiry was "Which worship is the best? Viṣṇu, or Lord Śiva, or Brahmā or Candra?" There are so many demigods. Sometimes they are misunderstood that all of them are Gods. No. They are called demigods. God is one. That is... Originally, God is Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1).

So the inquiry was, "There are so many gods. So which worship is the best?" So Lord Śiva replied,

ārādhanānāṁ sarveṣāṁ

viṣṇor ārādhanaṁ param

tasmāt parataraṁ devi

tadīyānāṁ samarcanam

Means "My dear wife, Devi..." Wife is addressed "Devi," not by name. The husband should address the wife, "Devi." They must be like devī. Devī means goddess. And the wife must address the husband as "lord." This is the system.

Lecture on SB 1.16.2 -- Los Angeles, December 30, 1973:

Pradyumna: "...to kill the race of serpents including the takṣaka, which had bitten his father to death. On request from many influential demigods and sages, he had to change his decision to kill the race of snakes."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Although he was determined to kill, so he was requested by many demigods, saintly persons, "Just for one snake's fault... That was also destination, destined. You cannot kill all the species of snake." Then it was stopped. Then?

Pradyumna: "But despite stopping the sacrifice, he satisfied everyone concerned in the sacrifice by rewarding them properly, and stopping further procedure of the sacrifice. In the ceremony, Mahāmuni Vyāsadeva also was present, and he personally narrated the history of the Battle of Kurukṣetra before the king. Later on, by the order of Vyāsadeva, his disciple Vaiśampāyana narrated before the king the subject matter of Mahābhārata. He was much affected by his great father's untimely death and was very anxious to see him again, and he expressed his desire before the great sage Vyāsadeva. And Vyāsadeva also fulfilled his desire. His father was present before him and he worshiped both his father and Vyāsadeva with great respect and pomp. Being fully satisfied, he made charities most munificently to the brāhmaṇas present in the sacrifice."

Prabhupāda: You can read another verse.

Lecture on SB 1.16.3 -- Los Angeles, December 31, 1973:

Pradyumna: Translation: "Mahārāja Parīkṣit, after having selected Kṛpācārya for guidance as his spiritual master, performed three horse sacrifices on the banks of the Ganges. These were executed with sufficient rewards for the attendants. And at these sacrifices, even the common man could see demigods." (SB 1.16.3)

Prabhupāda: Now, people say that "Why we do not see the demigods?" So the answer should be, "Where is your sacrifice, horse sacrifice?" The demigods, they are not so cheap. Just like the king or the president. Does he come anywhere, who is a cheap common man? No. Where the kings or the demigods or a great sage like Nārada Muni will come, that place also must be worth coming there.

So there were interplanetary system. Just like Arjuna went to the heavenly planet, similarly, in such sacrifices, if it was arranged by great kings like Mahārāja Parīkṣit and others, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, then the demigods, invited, they would come. Not only they would come, but all common men could see. Therefore it is said here, yatrākṣi-gocarāḥ, devā yatrākṣi-gocarāḥ. We are much proud of seeing everything, but we should wait for being qualified to see. Not that whimsically I want to see, "O God, please come before me. I want to see." God... God is there just suitable for your seeing power. God is very kind. Here He is present in the temple. And you go on seeing. Then you will realize that He is God.

So God or demigod, everyone can be akṣi-gocarāḥ, within the purview of your vision, provided you are qualified. This is the process. These rascals say, "Can you show me God?" But what power you have got to see? First of all gain that qualification. Then you will see.

Lecture on SB 1.16.3 -- Los Angeles, December 31, 1973:

So at the present moment, we want to see God, but we do not acknowledge that we are not qualified. How we can see? If I cannot see even an ordinary president... By my whims I want to see the president or the such and such big officer. You cannot see unless you are qualified. So how you can see God? That is not possible. You have to qualify yourself. Then you will see God. Akṣi-gocaraḥ. Akṣi-gocaraḥ means, just we are seeing—you are seeing me, I am seeing you—similarly, you will see the demigods or God, provided you are qualified.

So Mahārāja Parīkṣit was so exalted king that by his invitation, the demigods would come and public could see. That was possible. That is stated here. He was so, I mean to say, exalted king, he could invite. And the kings also were invited. Just like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira went. That was interplanetary exchange. That is now not... You cannot go by the sputniks to the heavenly planet. The moon planet is also one of the heavenly planet. Or the other planets. They are all heavenly planets. Ūrdhvam. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). When you are competent, fit, for going there, then you can go there. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ, bhūtejyā yānti.. (BG 9.25). You can go, but you must be qualified, pitṛ-vratāḥ, deva-vratāḥ. Similarly, you can go to Kṛṣṇa also if you are kṛṣṇa-vratāḥ. Mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām. What to speak of going to other planets, if one is qualified, if one is pure devotee, Kṛṣṇa says, "He also comes to Me." So this exchange of going and coming is not difficult, provided a person is qualified. Not a cat and dog can go. That is not possible.

Lecture on SB 1.16.4 -- Los Angeles, January 1, 1974:

So this is the age of Kali. So simply full of sinful activities, that's all. That is Kali-yuga. But sinful activities will not help us. That they have no brain to understand. You have to purify yourself. Sinful activities will involve you more and more in the cycle of birth and death. You will take sometimes birth as a king or as a demigod, and sometimes as the worm of the stool. Because according to your karma, you will get next body. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). Therefore the process is at least don't act sinfully. Then you will get higher-class birth. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). You will get chance of taking your birth in higher planetary system where the standard of living is many, many thousands better than this planet. Just like Svargaloka, Janaloka. From our śāstra we understand that the inhabitants of Candraloka, moon planet, they live for ten thousands of years, but these rascals are going there. They do not find any living entity. So that is the contradiction. But we believe that in the moon planet... And why we shall not believe? If the living entities are found everywhere, so why, what moon planet has done that there should be no living entity? From our experience we can see living entity is there on the land, in the air, in the water, even in the fire. So every planet is made of these five elements: earth, water, fire, air, sky. So we find by practical experience that in the water there is living entity, on the land there is living entity, within the land there is living entity. So why in the moon planet or other planet there should be no living entities? That's a wrong theory.

Lecture on SB 1.16.4 -- Los Angeles, January 1, 1974:

So we find by practical experience that in the water there is living entity, on the land there is living entity, within the land there is living entity. So why in the moon planet or other planet there should be no living entities? That's a wrong theory.

Long, long ago, sometimes in 1930, I had a talk in Allahabad with a great scientist Dr. Shah. He said that there is no reason to disbelieve that in other planets there is no living entity. And recently one Russian scientist also said that there are many planets where very, very intelligent class of men are there. So that is our theory, that the... if you go to the higher planetary system, you will find more comfortable standard of life, the duration of life is very long, and the people are very, very intelligent. They are called demigods. So whatever it may be, we have to follow our own principles, and there is no reason to disbelieve that in other planets there are no living entities. We cannot accept it.

Lecture on SB 1.16.5 -- Los Angeles, January 2, 1974:

Even the post of Lord Brahmā or Indra, the heavenly king, it has no meaning. Vidhi-mahendrādiś ca kīṭāyate. That is stated by Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī. He says that kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. Kaivalyam, the monism, to merge into the effulgence, the Absolute Truth, to become one, that is called kaivalyam, only spirit, that's all. So for a devotee this kaivalya perfection, monism, is as good as hellish condition of life. Kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. And tridaśa-pūr ākāśa-puṣpāyate. Tri-daśa-pūr means the higher heavenly planets where big, big demigods live. Just like people are trying to go to this planet, that planet. So tri-daśa-pūr. Tri-daśa means thirty, three daśa, ten times...aḥ, three times ten. So there are thirty millions of demigods. And they have got different planets also. So they are promised, "If you come to this demigod's planet, yānti deva-vratā devān (BG 9.25), you will get so much happiness, you will live for so many years, you will have better standard of life, thousand times more than in the... These are... They are described in the Vedas. But a devotee says that this tri-daśa-pūr, this heavenly planet, is as good as phantasmagoria. They have no value for these things.

Lecture on SB 1.16.6 -- Los Angeles, January 3, 1974:

So there are two things: pravṛtti and nivṛtti. But asuras, demons, they do not know "In which way I shall guide my pravṛtti and which way I shall guide my nivṛtti." This is the paśu. "In which way I will..." Pravṛtti and nivṛtti, these two things are there, but the difference between a demon and demigod is that a demon does not know how to direct these two propensities, pravṛtti and nivṛtti. And a demigod knows how to guide these two things, pravṛtti and nivṛtti. These two...One who does not know... Pravṛttir eṣā bhūtānāṁ nivṛttis tu mahā-phalā. Śāstra says that these things... Just like, loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā nityā hi jantor na hi tatra codanā. This eating, sleeping, mating and defending, every animal, every small animal, knows it very well, how to eat, how to sleep, how to have sex intercourse and how to defend. These four things, everyone knows by nature. So this is called pravṛtti. Pravṛtti. But it has to be made nivṛtti, stop. They do not know what is the perfection. The perfection is... The pravṛtti, propensity is eating, sleeping, mating, defending. And when you make it just the opposite—no more eating, no more sleeping, no more mating, no more defending—oh, that is perfection of life. Who knows this? Ask any scientist, philosopher, of this world, that "Can you show me any way, no more eating, no more sleeping, no more mating and no more defending?" That is spiritual life.

Lecture on SB 1.16.7 -- Los Angeles, January 4, 1974:

So there are different grades of life. It is called mṛtyu-loka. This material world is called mṛtyu-loka: "where everyone dies." But there are grades of duration of life. One living entity has got four minutes life, another, ten minutes, another, hundred minutes. Then days. One day, hundred days. Then year. One year, or four year, or five year, or utmost, hundred years, on this planet. So the human being can live up to utmost hundred years, but in other planets there are other living entities, demigods. And the highest, the topmost planet is Brahmaloka. And you have learned from Bhagavad-gītā, in the Brahmaloka, the duration of life, to our calculation, is very, very long. Sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). In the Brahmaloka, the duration of twelve hours, our twelve hours, morning to evening, that is many millions of years to our calculation. So even if you go to that planet Brahmaloka, as you are trying to go to the moon planet... From śāstra we understand in the moon planet, they live up to ten thousands of years according to heavenly calculation. In each planet, in each society, the calculation is different. So it is calculated that in the moon planet you can live for ten thousands of years, and that calculation is compared: our six months equal to one day in that planet. So just imagine how many years of our calculation they can live.

Lecture on SB 1.16.7 -- Los Angeles, January 4, 1974:

So he was Hiraṇyakaśipu's son. He did not appoint any teacher to teach him about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But when he was in the womb of his mother, Nārada Muni advised the mother about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. She had to live for some time at the care of Nārada Muni when her husband was out being defeated by the demigods, the Hiraṇyakaśipu. So the woman's anxiety was when her husband will come back. And at that time the child was within the womb, and she begged a benediction from Nārada, "Sir, kindly arrange in that way, that as long as my husband does not come back, I may not give birth to this child." Nārada Muni said, "All right, it will be." So Nārada Muni was giving her advice about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But her mind was absent, but the child within the womb, he was hearing. He was hearing. This is stated in the Bhāgavatam. You will find that when Prahlāda Mahārāja was asked this question by his friend, "My dear Prahlāda, we are also being taught by the same teacher. You are also being taught by the same teacher. You are a prince. You cannot go out. Wherefrom you have learned all this nice instruction?" So he replied that "This instruction was given by Nārada. So it was given to my mother, but as woman she has forgotten, and I remember."

Lecture on SB 1.16.16 -- Los Angeles, January 11, 1974:

Sometimes some philosopher says that "God has no name." That is fact. But why God has so many names? These names are calculated according to His pastimes. Just like Kṛṣṇa is known as Devakī-nandana. Because He appeared as the son of Devakī, therefore His name is Devakī-nandana. By the action. Kṛṣṇa is known as Yaśodā-nandana. Because Kṛṣṇa acted as the son of Mother Yaśodā, His name is Yaśodā-nandana. Kṛṣṇa's name is Rādhā-ramaṇa. Because Kṛṣṇa enjoyed with Rādhārāṇī, therefore His name is Rādhā-ramaṇa. Kṛṣṇa's name is Govinda. Because He gave pleasure even to the cows, therefore His name is Govinda. Or Kṛṣṇa gives pleasure to every sense; therefore His name is Govinda. There are so many thousands and millions of names of Kṛṣṇa. Actually, His name is calculated in relationship with devotee. That is Kṛṣṇa's name. And there are devotees in all fields of life, amongst human beings, among demigods, among plants, amongst trees, among animals, among insects. Everywhere, Kṛṣṇa has got His relationship. So therefore the supreme name of the Lord is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. That is the meaning. (aside:) Please sit down properly. Kṛṣṇa's name is... This is the supreme name, Kṛṣṇa, "All-attractive." He can attract everyone.

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

This is called democracy. But after all, you have to accept a man... (aside:) These legs should not be spread before the Deity. Monarchy, that is required, monarchy. Because a monarch is rājarṣi. He should be rājarṣi, a saintly person. Without being saintly person, how he can become representative of God? A king is supposed to be representative of God. So unless he has got godly character, saintly character, great devotee, how he can become the head of a state? Just like the demigods in the heavenly planets... The king of heaven is Indra. So Indra is materially very opulent, although they are after material enjoyment. You cannot compare their material enjoyment with this material enjoyment on this earthly planet. There are thousand, thousand times better standard, the duration of life, paraphernalia for enjoyment, facilities, so many things. They are higher and higher. As you go to the higher planets, they are higher and higher, thousand times. Just like in this planet also we see that some nation's standard of living is higher than other nation. Take for example you Americans. Your standard of living, from material point of view, you have got greater facilities, or you have created your own good facilities. Similarly the more the intelligent persons are, they create their own facilities by the grace of God. Just like in this America, the Red Indians were there, but they could not develop the country. But when the Europeans came and settled in this country, now this country has become the first-class country in comparison to other countries. So it is the intelligence.

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

Here Yamarāja is addressing the cow as amba, mother. "Why you are so unhappy? From your face it appears." So Yamarāja was foolish man, that he is addressing a cow as mother? This is civilization. It doesn't matter one is appearing as a cow or a man or a dog or a demigod or a civilized man, uncivilized man. One who knows that the soul is there... Unless there is soul, how Yamarāja is asking the cow, "It appears that you are very much bereaved, so what is the cause, mother, of your bereavement?"

So this culture, that Yamarāja, is asking an animal, mother... Without any soul? No. Everyone has soul. The rascals, they do not know it. One has to become paṇḍita. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18), in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said. So those who are actually learned, they know. They know that one may be a living entity, one may be a tree, one may be an animal, one may be a cow, one may be an elephant, one may be a learned brāhmaṇa scholar, one may be a caṇḍāla, untouchable. Everyone is a soul. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ.

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

Paṇḍita, one who is learned, he knows that all of them, animals, trees, plants or human being or demigods, everyone is the spirit soul. Now they are simply encaged in different bodies according to different karma. The soul, part and parcel of God, wanted to imitate God's supremacy, and they wanted to enjoy. But in the spiritual world there cannot be second enjoyer. The only enjoyer is Kṛṣṇa. Bhoktāraṁ sarva-loka, bhoktāraṁ sarva-yajñānāṁ sarva-loka... He is the supreme proprietor, supreme being. In the dictionary you will find, "the supreme being." "Supreme being" means nobody can be equal to Him, nobody can be greater than Him. That is, means supreme. So how one can become an imitator of Kṛṣṇa? That is not possible. That imitation is possible here in this material world, because they are all rascals. So one rascal may claim that "I am God," imitation, but as soon as he claims like that, any intelligent man knows that he is a rascal. That's all. That very assertion will establish that he is a rascal.

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

So here it is said... Yamarāja is inquiring the cow because she is very much threatened by the butcher. The butcher was ready to kill, and she was trembling. So Yamarāja is asking, kaccid bhadre anāmayam ātmanas te. Just like we would ask some friend or relative that "I think you are all right?" The same thing is being inquired. "Why you are appearing so much bereaved? What is the cause?" Ālakṣaye. "It appears that you are within very sorry." Ālakṣaye bhavatīm antar-ādhim. "Some distress within yourself." Dūre bandhuṁ śocasi. Because in this material world we are always distressed. It is not that we are happy. That is an illusion. That is not fact. We are always distressed. So there are three kinds of distresses: Adhyātmika, adhibhautika, and adhidaivika. Here it is inquired that bhavatīm antarādhim. Adhi. And antara means within the body or within the mind.

So, "Are you suffering some pains on account of your body or mind?" This is called adhyātmika. Adhyātmika means the body. The body and the mind. That's called adhyātmika. Adhibhautika, sufferings offered by other living entities. And adhidaivika. Adhidaivika means sufferings offered by the demigods. Just like famine, pestilence, earthquake. You have no hand. You may be a very big, big scientist, but when this trembling of the earth, "Oh, God save us, God save us, God save us." (laughter) Yes. Even that sputnik... Our scientist... Where is scientist? What is that, sputnik? They were asking, "God shall...?"

Lecture on SB 1.16.20 -- Hawaii, January 16, 1974:

So you cannot understand even. Unless you become a dhīraḥ, you cannot understand what is spiritual life, what is spirit. It is not a bogus thing that I manufacture something, concoct something, and do something, and I become a leader, I become a spiritual master. This is all nonsense. Dhīras tatra na muhyati. The word is dhīraḥ, and dhīraḥ is explained in the Kumāra-sambhava, that dhīraḥ, just like Lord Śiva... Lord Śiva lost his wife; she committed suicide before her father. That's in Dakṣa-yajña, was learned about Dakṣa-yajña. So Lord Śiva was performing yoga practice meditation, and in the meantime, his wife Devī, she took birth as daughter of Himalaya, King of Himalaya, Pārvatī. So the..., there was fight between the demigods and the demons. So there was a plan that "If by the semina of Lord Śiva, one son is born, Kārttikeya, then he'll be able to kill these demons; otherwise, it is very difficult." So Lord Śiva was engaged in meditation after the death of his wife. In the meantime, his wife took birth in the Himalaya. So now he, he has to be induced to unite with this Pārvatī. So there was plan made. The plan made that Pārvatī, young age, beautiful girl, and Lord Śiva is meditating naked, and she was offering worshipable flowers on the genital. Still, he was not disturbed. Young girl touching the genital of a person, but he is not disturbed.

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

Nitāi: (leads chanting, etc.)

pādair nyūnaṁ śocasi maika-pādam

ātmānaṁ vā vṛṣalair bhokṣyamāṇam

āho surādīn hṛta-yajña-bhāgān

prajā uta svin maghavaty avarṣati

(SB 1.16.20)

"I have lost my three legs and am now standing on one leg only. Are you lamenting for my state of existence? Or are you in great anxiety because henceforward the unlawful meat-eaters will exploit you? Or are you in a sorry plight because the demigods are now bereft of their share of sacrificial offerings because no sacrifices are being performed at present? Or are you grieving for living beings because of their sufferings due to famine and drought?"

Prabhupāda: These are the symptoms of this Kali-yuga. The first thing is that "I have lost my three legs, now standing on one leg only." At the present moment in the Kali-yuga practically there is no religion. So the bull is the representative of religious ceremony, so he is saying that "Now I have lost my three legs. I am standing, only one leg."

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

So here it is mentioned that "Or are you in great anxiety because henceforward..." Henceforward means from that time the Kali-yuga has begun. Since these four principles of unlawful activities—illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication—is freely allowed, that is Kali-yuga. So in this age, in this Kali-yuga, it is very, very difficult for persons who are interested in self-realization to remain free from sinful activities. It is very, very difficult. Māyā, or the influence of nature, in this age especially, it is very, very strong, and majority of people are therefore addicted to this sinful life: illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication. But those who are interested in the matter of self-realization, they should voluntarily give up these sinful activities. Then, "Their sacrifices will be stopped. Demigods, they will not get their share."

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

Prabhupāda: There are beings who lives with animals, who live with trees, who live with human being. So many. All of them are neighbors. Just like in the modern sense, national. What is the definition of nationality? A living entity who is born in that country, he's called national. Is it not? So why you are killing cows? Are they not national? So the human law is imperfect always. They... There is partiality always. But in God's law there is no such thing, partiality. Therefore, Christ says that you shall love your neighbor.

Devotee (1): So all living entities...

Prabhupāda: Yes, all living entities. We are taking, according to Vedic civilization, devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṟṇām (SB 11.5.41). We are indebted, we are obliged to the devas, the demigods. Just like we are indebted to the sun. Sun... You require so much heat and light, and the sun is supplying you profuse heat and light. Are you not indebted? Do you think, or not, that we are indebted to the sun?

Devotee (2): Yes.

Prabhupāda: Are you agreeing or not?

Devotee (1): Well, I guess I think.

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

We have got debts to so many people. First debt is to the demigods. Just like the sun-god, moon-god. They are supplying heat, light. The Varuṇa. In this material world. We have got so many debts. But people do not care for it. Just like we are receiving light from sun, but what we are paying to the sun? Therefore we remain debtor. This is the Vedic idea. You are getting this electricity. If you don't pay the bill, how long you will be able to use it? After some days the connection will be cut off. But although we do not pay any bill to the sunlight, because it is the order of Kṛṣṇa, it is giving us light. But how long it will go on? This is sinful. If you take something from a person and if you do not repay, that is sinful. Ṛṇa, it is called ṛṇa.

So there are so many debts. First to the demigods, then to the ṛṣis, saintly persons. Because we get knowledge, Vedic knowledge from the ṛṣi, we must be debtor. Guru-ṛṇa. Debtor to the spiritual master, to the sages, to the saintly persons, because we are getting knowledge from them. Therefore the Vyāsa-pūjā is there. Once in a year the disciples are worshiping the spiritual master and trying to repay what he has received from the spiritual master. Devarṣi-bhūta. Similarly, in our ordinary dealings also, you are my friend, I am your friend, you are getting some help from me, I am getting some from you. So we are debtors, obligation. Devarṣi-bhūta, āpta. Āpta means relatives or family. We are indebted to the father, mother, elderly family members. In this way we are implicated with so many debts. Devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṟṇām (SB 11.5.41).

Lecture on SB 1.16.22 -- Los Angeles, July 12, 1974:

Of course, it is an attempt. Not that anyone will be successful. But if everyone follows the simple rules and regulation, he will be successful. There is no doubt about it. There is no doubt about it. The four simple regulative principle: no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication, and chant sixteen rounds. Very simple method.

Because the difficulty is they do not know what is the aim of life. The aim of life, that we are conditioned by this material nature, embodied by the material elements, and that is the cause of our all miserable condition of life. Therefore Ṛṣabhadeva says, nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma. Pramattaḥ (SB 5.5.4). We are so mad under the bodily... Everyone is under the... Big, big scientists also, they are also. They don't believe there is soul. Big, big scientists, politicians, philosophers. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). They remain animals. If anyone has taken this body as the self... Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ. So the modern Kali-yuga is very, very dangerous for the human being. They are given chance by the laws of nature, "Now take your birth as human being." Because to get a body as a human being or as a demigod or as a king or as a lower class man or as an animal, as an..., that is not in our hands. That is in the nature's hands.

Lecture on SB 1.16.24 -- Hawaii, January 20, 1974:

radyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

idaṁ mamācakṣva tavādhimūlaṁ

vasundhare yena vikarśitāsi

kālena vā te balināṁ balīyasā

surārcitaṁ kiṁ hṛtam amba saubhagam

(SB 1.16.24)

Translation: "Mother, you are the reservoir of all riches. Please inform me of the root cause of your tribulations, by which you have been reduced to such a weak state. I think that the powerful influence of time, which conquers the most powerful, might have forcibly taken away all your fortune, which was adored even by the demigods."

Prabhupāda: Kālena vā te balināṁ balīyasā. Time is very powerful. Another place in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, kālena sarvatra gabhīra-raṁhasā.

tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido

na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ

tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukhaṁ

kālena sarvatra gabhīra-raṁhasā

(SB 1.5.18)

So in due course of time, everything happens. That is the nature's law. When I was also a child, I was looking very beautiful, but kālena, in due course of time, I'm now old man, a ugly man. Nobody likes. (laughter) So this is the influence of time, influence of time. So influence of time will act. You cannot check it. Influence of time, that is nature's law. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā (BG 7.14). That is māyā's strength. How you can check? It is not in your power.

Lecture on SB 1.16.24 -- Los Angeles, July 14, 1974:

Nitāi: "Mother, are you the reservoir of all... Mother, you are the reservoir of all riches. Please inform me of the root cause of your tribulations by which you have been reduced to such a weak state. I think that the powerful influence of time, which conquers the most powerful, might have forcibly taken away all your fortune, which was adored even by the demigods."

Prabhupāda:

idaṁ hi mamācakṣva tavādhi-mūlaṁ

vasundhare yena vikarśitāsi

kālena vā te balināṁ balīyasā

surārcitaṁ kiṁ hṛtam amba saubhagam

(SB 1.16.24)

So kālena, kālena means "by the time." In the Bhagavad-gītā there is, sa kāleneha yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa. So time is very powerful. Time is eternal, and it is very powerful. So the inquiry is, "Vasundhare, the reservoir of all riches, whether you have been plundered or taken away of all your fortunes in due course of time?" Vasundharā, this planet... There are innumerable planets. This is one of them. And it is referred here that surārcitam. Surārcitam. Sura means the demigods, and arcitam means worshiped. So the demigods, they live in higher planetary system. Their standard of life is far, far better, thousands and thousands times better. Therefore when this planet is more opulent, even the demigods, they eulogize, surārcitaṁ saubhagam. That kind of opulence is certainly very great fortune. So all these inquiries are being made because Kṛṣṇa left this planet. "When Kṛṣṇa was present, so the opulence of this planet was so great that even the demigods in higher planetary systems, they were also envious. So that is now... Because Kṛṣṇa is not there, so that opulence is now taken away. So whether you are so much sorry for this purpose?"

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

So when it was fixed up... Mahārāja Parīkṣit was also very powerful. He could retaliate the brāhmaṇa's cursing, but he did not do it. He accepted, "Yes." Therefore Lord Śiva said, nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve na kutaścana bibhyati: (SB 6.17.28) "When one is devotee of Nārāyaṇa, he is not afraid of anything." Nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve na kutaścana bibhyati. He was cursed that "Within the seven days you'll die." So he was not afraid. "That's all right." So he prepared himself, and many learned scholar, saintly person, kings, even demigods, all approached because he was the emperor of the world, and he was going to die. So many big, big stalwart people... Even Vyāsadeva, he was present there. And Parīkṣit Mahārāja said, "Now what is my duty? You are all big men, present here. I am going to die. Now what is my duty?"

This is very important question, that... We are working very hard in this material world, but we are not preparing ourself for death, which is a "must" fact. Everyone must die. The modern civilization, they are afraid of death, but they do not know how to counteract death. This is the modern civilization. But there is process. In the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa informs us that our real problem of life is death—birth, death, old age and disease. Birth is the beginning and then, one who has taken birth, he must die. Yāvat, yāvaj jananaṁ tāvan maraṇam. But if one does not take birth, then he does not die. This is the actual problem. Why we have to take birth? People do not know even that there is again life after death. And Bhagavad-gītā's first instruction is tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Vrndavana, March 16, 1974:

These are the nine different processes of devotional service. So generally, we are expected to execute all the nine different processes. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam about Viṣṇu, not for any other demigods. No, Viṣṇu. The Māyāvādīs, they take it that "We can hear of any demigod, of anyone," because they are Nirākāravādī. So "You can imagine anyone and hear about him." But śāstra does not say. Śāstra does not say that you can hear about anybody. No. Śāstra says, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ, about Viṣṇu.

harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam

kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā

(CC Adi 17.21)

This is the śāstra's injunction, that if you have to chant, if you have not to chant, means you must chant. Kalau nāsty eva gatir anyathā. You cannot avoid it. If you actually want relief from this conditional life, duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15), then you must... This is the only means. Kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā. Karma-jñāna-yoga, there are different processes of self-realization, karma-jñāna-yoga, but it is stressed, nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva, not karma, not jñāna, not yoga. Simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. That is required.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Paris, June 9, 1974:

So there are so many examples. We have talked. This knowledge is not... The exact word used in Sanskrit... There are two ways: āroha-panthā, avaroha-panthā. Āroha-panthā means to know something by your dint of knowledge, ascending process, ascending process. Just like these people are trying to know the moon planet, the Venus planet, or other planets. They're going, ascending by airplane. And to know it. But they're doing it for the last twenty years. They do not know what is the actual position of the moon planet. That is not known. They're coming, going. Or whether they have gone, that they know. But from the situation it is understood they're not going. Maybe some other planet they are going. That is my opinion. Because the description of the moon planet does not tally. We have got in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam... The, this moon planet is one of the heavenly planets. There, high class of demigods, they live. Or one who is elevated to the moon planet, he is living there for ten thousands of years. Ten... What kind of ten thousands of years? In the moon planet, one day equal to our six months. Such months' year, and ten thousands of years. That is the duration of life in the moon planet. Those who are karma-kāṇḍīya, perform ritualistic ceremonies very nicely, they are promoted to the moon planet. And there are other planets also. This is Svargaloka. There are seven planetary systems upwards, and seven planetary systems downwards. Now we are living in the Bhūrloka, middle. Then above this, there is Bhuvarloka. Above this, there is Svarloka. Above this is Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Brahmaloka. So this āroha... You cannot go to the Brahmaloka, although there is śāstra... Or you cannot go to the sun planet also. You are seeing every day, but go there. But you have no right. You cannot go.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Paris, June 9, 1974:

So you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, or God, or His abode by the speculative, ascending process. That is not possible. You have to inquire from. Therefore Parīkṣit Mahārāja inquired from Śukadeva Gosvāmī, "What is my duty now I am going to die?" He was cursed by a brāhmaṇa boy to die within seven days. Parīkṣit Mahārāja was quite competent to counteract the curse of the brāhmaṇa boy, but he decided that "I shall die." Because he thought that "I offended the boy's father by encircling a dead snake on the neck of the ṛṣi. So his son became angry that 'You have insulted my father. You die with this snake.' " So he accepted. So this, on the death point, he immediately left his kingdom, family, and everything, and went down to the river, bank of the river Ganges, and many... Because he was king, so many big, big men, even demigods, great saintly persons, they came to see Mahārāja Parīkṣit at his last stage of life, seven days. And so he asked, "What is my duty?" So he was a devotee, Parīkṣit Mahārāja. From his childhood, he was a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. So he inquired, "What is my duty to know about Kṛṣṇa?" And that is being welcomed by Śukadeva Gosvāmī, that "Your, to inquire about Kṛṣṇa, this question is very much welcome." Varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ (SB 2.1.1). Praśna means question. "You have asked a question about Kṛṣṇa. It is very, very good." Why? Kṛto loka-hitaṁ nṛpa: "It is good for the all human society. Because you have inquired about Kṛṣṇa, you have inquired about Kṛṣṇa, and I'll have to reply. People will hear. It will be recorded. And people will be benefitted." Loka-hitam.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-5 -- Melbourne, June 26, 1974:

So immediately he left his kingdom, family, children, and went to the bank of the Ganges and sat down there, being prepared for the coming imminent death, within seven days. So because he was emperor of the world... So he was going to die. This news was spread, and all big, big men, great saintly persons, even demigods, they also come to see him. And he was asking everyone, "What is my duty?" So at that time Śukadeva Gosvāmī also arrived there. Śukadeva Gosvāmī was young boy, but paramahaṁsa. So he was received in that big assembly as the great personality of knowledge. Even his father Vyāsadeva was present. So everyone stood up. His father also stood up to receive him, he was such a great personality. And then he was given nice seat, as is the custom, to give advice to Mahārāja Parīkṣit: "What was my duty?" But Parīkṣit Mahārāja was, from the beginning of his life, was a devotee himself, a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. And he inquired, "Whether I shall devote or I shall absorb my mind with Kṛṣṇa consciousness?" Because he was a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Many people gathered. They gave different advices: "Mahārāja, you do this at the time of death," and "Do that," "Do this." So there were many big, big persons. He was perplexed. But he was a devotee of Kṛṣṇa from the very beginning of his life, and thus he inquired, "Whether it is better to absorb the mind in Kṛṣṇa consciousness?" This was his question.

Lecture on SB 2.1.6 -- Paris, June 14, 1974:

So this Bengali proverb... So bhajana kara sādhana kara murte janla haya.(?) You are very good transcendentalist. You are practicing so many nice things. That's all right. But do you know how to die? That is the point. If you die with God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then your life is successful. (reads:) So "Nārāyaṇa is the transcendental Personality of Godhead beyond the material creation." Nārāyaṇa is not a person. The Māyāvādīs say, "Nārāyaṇa is also person like us. So I can remember anyone. I can remember my wife, I can remember my husband or my child. Still, I am going to the same goal." No, no, no. That is not possible. Therefore it is particularly said, ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ (SB 2.1.6). Not your other friend or other demigod or other, no. Nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ. So "Everything that is created, sustained and at the end annihilated is within the compass of mahat-tattva and material principle." Anything.

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

So everyone, all this description is given there: brahma-varcasa-kāma, vīrya-kāma, then vasu-kāma. Devīṁ māyāṁ tu śrī-kāmaḥ. Śrī. (aside) You can stand near the wall. Others may not... Śrī means beauty. In the Durgā-pūjā, Devī-pūjā, they ask... After offering Mother Durgā all sorts of paraphernalia, then they puṣpāñjali, they pray favor, dhanaṁ dehi rūpaṁ dehi balaṁ dehi. Dehi dehi. Dehi means "give me." After pūjā... Therefore it is called pūjā. Pūjā, just like in business circle, if you want to take some business from a big merchant, so you satisfy him, flatter him, and sometimes invite him in hotel and give him nice dinner.

In this way, after he is satisfied, "Sir, if you kindly give me this contract." (laughter) "Or if you give me this post." The ultimate aim is his post and contract, not to satisfy the person. No. He's spending some money for his own sense gratification. Similarly, all these pūjās... The demigod pūjā, that is for his sense gratification. That's all. Kṛṣṇa, therefore, condemns this: kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānā yajante anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). This very kāma. These words, kāma, kāmas, kāma, kāma. So Kṛṣṇa also says... So you won't find any difference between Bhagavad-gītā , or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, or any Vedic literature. It is to be understood through proper channels. So all these kāmas have been condemned by Kṛṣṇa. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānā yajante anya-devatāḥ. The persons who go to worship other demigods like Devī, Māyā, Durgā, Śiva, or Indra, Candra, so many ... There are 33, I mean to say, crores. One crore equal to?

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

Ten million, and thirty-three. Just see. There are so many demigods, and so many desires also. So they are not prohibited. Everything is there in the Bhāgavata, that "If you want this particular..." Kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṁ siddhiṁ yajanta iha devatāḥ. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: "Those who want quick success in fulfilling some material desires, they worship the demigods." The Māyāvādī, Shankarites, they have made a hodgepodge. They have made so much blunder in understanding the Vedic conclusion. Misleading, simply. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has especially warned that "Anyone who hears about the Māyāvāda commentation, he's doomed. He's gone forever, lost." He will have no understanding, either this way or that. The Vedas, they give us information of the demigods, but they are not imagination. And neither Kṛṣṇa is imagination. The Bhāgavata is giving this direction; Bhāgavata means Vyāsadeva is giving direction that "If you want this profit, then worship this demigod."

So he's playing childish, foolish things? He's giving some wrong information? Imagination? What business he has got to do that? But these Māyāvādī rascals will say that "the demigods are also māyā, Kṛṣṇa is also māyā, everything is māyā." Therefore we call them Māyāvādī, everything māyā. Kṛṣṇa-bhakti is māyā. They say it is good for raising oneself to the platform of impersonalism. Their process is that you, if you want to go higher platform, you take one staircase and get on it, and then throw it away. Because you don't require to come down again. That is their philosophy.

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

So you take any means, the Ramakrishna Mission also says like that. Yata mata tata patha. "You can worship brahma-varcasa, you can worship Devī-māyā; you can worship Vasūn; you can worship Rudra; you can worship anyone; ultimately, you become one with the Supreme." Most misguiding. Here it is... But if you want this particular thing, then you worship this. In the Bhagavad-gītā also, it is confirmed, yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25).

Demigod worshipers will go to the demigods. There are different planets, 33 crores of demigods, and there are thirty-three crores of planets also. The moon planet, according to Vedic literature, that is also one of the planets belonging to the demigod Candra. It is one of the higher planets. So this is the list. If you want something particular... if you want to merge into the effulgence, brahma-jyotir, then you worship... Yajeta brahmaṇaḥ patim. Brahmaṇaḥ. Brahmaṇaḥ means also Vedas, śabda-brahma. Tene brahma hṛdā, in the Bhāgavata, beginning. Brahma means this sound, transcendental sound of knowledge. That is Veda. So there is Upaniṣad. So Upaniṣad, they generally, those who are scholars in Upaniṣad, they want to become one with the... So that is not a very difficult thing. Anyone can do that. There is a process, but we Vaiṣṇavas, we do not accept that suicidal policy. We want to keep our individuality, not merge. We don't want to finish our identity.

Our real identity is eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). So we want to keep that identity, and we want to serve Him eternally. Eternally means, now we are in this material world, we are being trained up how to serve Kṛṣṇa.

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

That is Kṛṣṇa's specialty. He can appear... Just like if you have got a photograph of some of your friend, so you cannot derive the benefit of directly meeting him. But in Kṛṣṇa's form, if you have a Kṛṣṇa's photograph, it is as good as Kṛṣṇa.

That is the difference. You can get the same benefit from the photograph picture of Kṛṣṇa as you get benefit by directly meeting Him. Therefore, meeting this photograph Deity of Kṛṣṇa is as good as Kṛṣṇa. Advaya-jñāna, nonduality. Here in this material world there is duality, but in the spiritual world, there is no such duality. Brahma-varcasa-kāmas tu yajeta brahmaṇaḥ patim, indram, indram indriya-kāmaḥ. Indriya means senses. Those who are too much lusty satisfy simply... The most important indriya is the genital, sex. So for them, it is recommended that "You worship Indra." Indra, the demigod, he is number one sexually inclined demigod. He has got eyes, eyes over all his body. Śata-cakṣuṁṣi. These eyes were originally vagina. He was cursed by Gautama Muni that "You are so fond of vagina that I curse you that you get all over your body vagina only." Then, when he surrendered, he began to cry that "It will be very much, I mean to say, abominable for me."

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

That is the system. Nārāyaṇa-śilā will be there. Because the benediction you want from the particular type of demigod, he cannot give independently.

When he takes permission from Nārāyaṇa, that "He is after this benediction from me, and he's worshiping me. So shall I give him this benediction?" So with His order ... Because, after all, īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1), everything means Kṛṣṇa's property. How? Suppose somebody is cashier in our institution. He's getting a thousands of dollars in his custody. So he cannot distribute without being sanctioned. That is not good. So he must take the superior sanction, that "Shall I give him?" Similarly, all these demigods, they cannot give you anything directly. With the permission of the Supreme Personality of Godhead ... Mayaiva vihitān hi tān. That benefit which they derive from the demigod, that is ordained by Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa says. When the demigod appeals to Kṛṣṇa that "This person is hankering after this thing, and he's worshiping me," so just to keep the position of the demigod, Kṛṣṇa says "All right, give him." Because the demigods are servant of Kṛṣṇa. So one has approached the servant of Kṛṣṇa.

To keep the position of the servant, Kṛṣṇa orders, "Yes, you give." Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu. Hiraṇyakaśipu took benediction from Brahmā. So many things. "I shall not die at daytime, I shall not die at night, I shall not die on land, I shall not die on water." In this way, all definitions by negation. Brahmā said, "Yes." Now, to keep the words of Brahmā, Kṛṣṇa is so kind... Brahmā is servant. He appeared in such a way that all the prayers of Hiraṇyakaśipu was not touched. Hiraṇyakaśipu said that "I shall not die by any man or any animal or any demigod." So He appeared in Nṛsiṁha-mūrti, who is neither animal nor man nor demigod. You cannot define. Then Hiraṇyakaśipu prayed for that "I shall not die in daytime, at night." Yes. So Hiraṇyakaśipu was killed in the sandhyā, between the junction of day and night. Just in the evening. You cannot say it is day, neither it is night. In this way, Kṛṣṇa kept all the words of Brahmā, and still killed him. That is Kṛṣṇa.

That is Kṛṣṇa. That you may be very intelligent to avoid Kṛṣṇa or the laws of Kṛṣṇa, but Kṛṣṇa is more intelligent. He will also cheat you. Because you wanted to cheat Him, so He will also cheat you in such a way that (is) beyond your imagination. Yes. That is Kṛṣṇa. You cannot excel Kṛṣṇa. You have to be always under Him, even your cheating process. This is Kṛṣṇa. So take shelter of Kṛṣṇa and be happy. Thank you. (end)

Lecture on SB 2.3.1-4 -- Los Angeles, May 24, 1972:

Pradyumna: Translation: "One who wants a large stock of grains should worship Aditi. One who desires a worldly kingdom should worship Viśvadeva, and one who wants to be popular with the general mass of population should worship the Sādhya demigod."

Prabhupāda: So these are the problems. We have to cease (?). Exactly like that. Just like government departments. If you want to have this, you have to go to a particular department-building department, water department, so many... electric department... many departments. Tax department, income tax department, support tax department.

Lecture on SB 2.3.1-4 -- Los Angeles, May 24, 1972:

So these are the different departments if you want to take facility of quickly getting some benefit... Yajanta iha devatāḥ. Kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṁ siddhiṁ yajanta iha devatāḥ. For particular type of fulfillment of your desire, you can worship the particular type of demigods.

This is recommended in the śāstra for the less intelligent class of men. Still, it may be questioned that "Why Vedas have—if the ultimate goal is to reach the Supreme Personality of Godhead—why the Vedas have prescribed different demigod worship?" Yes, that is replied in the Bhagavad-gītā, tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām. Those who are less intelligent, for them, not for the first-class intelligent. Those who are Kṛṣṇa conscious, they are first-class intelligent. They don't want anything beyond Kṛṣṇa. That's all. They don't want to know anything except Kṛṣṇa. The advantage is that if you can know Kṛṣṇa, then you know everything. And if you get Kṛṣṇa, you get everything. Therefore this conclusion cannot be perceived by less intelligent class of men. Exactly like that. If one is intelligent, he goes to the river from the village, and he takes there bath. River water is never contaminated because constantly the wave is flowing. Suppose you contaminate a certain portion, but it does not stand, it flows down immediately.

Lecture on SB 2.3.1-4 -- Los Angeles, May 24, 1972:

That is the conclusion. Here Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is recommending different demigods for different purposes because there are all classes of men. So to take immediate effect, they worship demigods. Kṣipram, very soon. Generally, people do not go to worship Kṛṣṇa and Viṣṇu, because you cannot ask from Kṛṣṇa anything which is not good for you. Suppose you pray to Kṛṣṇa on the seaside, "Kṛṣṇa, give me a good fish. I want to catch." Kṛṣṇa will never fulfill your desire. That is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. Because Kṛṣṇa will not give you facility for possessing anything which will ultimately cause your falldown. Kṛṣṇa knows that "If he catches a fish, then he will have to become a fish again to be caught by the same fish. So why shall I give the facility?" So therefore our policy is not to ask anything from Kṛṣṇa. He knows what is good for me; simply I have to surrender unto Him. That's all. Why shall I bother Him, "Give me this, give me that, give me that"? Na dhanaṁ na janam.

Lecture on SB 2.3.1-4 -- Los Angeles, May 24, 1972:

That's all. Even when Kṛṣṇa played wonderful thing, so they simply thought, "Oh, He might be a demigod." You see. So they never tried to analyze Kṛṣṇa, but their love for Kṛṣṇa, there is no comparison. So that is wanted. Jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (CC Madhya 19.167). "Whether Kṛṣṇa is God or not, let me test." You can test, but pure love means whatever Kṛṣṇa may be, He is my lovable object: mat-prāṇa-nāthas tu sa eva nāparaḥ. We have no other business than to love Kṛṣṇa, whatever He may be. He may be God or He may be whatever He may be. That is called anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (Brs. 1.1.11). Then what is the business? If everything is śūnyam... Śūnyam means zero. No, we are not zero. We are positive. What is that? Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167). Simply cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness favorably: "How I can become a lover of Kṛṣṇa?" That is wanted. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā. This is first-class devotion service. Of course, we should know Kṛṣṇa; otherwise, it may be we may neglect Him.

Lecture on SB 2.3.1-4 -- Los Angeles, May 24, 1972:

Just like we are trying to explain what is Deity. But if one has got unflinching love for the Deity, he doesn't require to understand the Deity through the śāstra. Spontaneous love. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu showed, as soon as He entered the Deity room, fainted, "Here is My Lord." That is first-class position of devotee... Without any other consideration. Enhance your love for Kṛṣṇa without any condition. That is required. So these worship of different demigods are recommended in the scripture, not to mislead him, but to lead him gradually to the higher stage, to lead him to the higher stage. Because the demigods are considered different limbs of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

ye 'py anya-devatā-bhaktā

yajante śraddhayānvitāḥ

te 'pi mām eva kaunteya

yajanty avidhi-pūrvakam

Lecture on SB 2.3.1-4 -- Los Angeles, May 24, 1972:

Just like if you want to serve me... There is a routine work how to serve superior. Now, if you touch my hair, you are touching me, but that is not the service. You see. Service means there is routine work. You should touch my feet. Similarly, anywhere you go, it is Kṛṣṇa, because without Kṛṣṇa there is no other existence. So to worship the demigod, indirectly worshiping Kṛṣṇa, but avidhi-pūrvakam, without regulative principles. Yajanty avidhi-pūrvakam. The same example: if you want to touch me, so the regulative principle is that you have to touch the lotus feet of your spiritual master, not that you touch his head and do like that. You can say, "I am touching you." Oh, that's not the way. You have to touch according to the regulative principles. Similarly, those who are nonsense: "All right, you touch the hair of your spiritual master. If you cannot touch the lotus feet, then you touch..." Giving a chance to come in touch. So this demigod worship, it is an example given.

Demigod worship is recommended in the Vedas. At least, they should gradually understand "Who is this demigod? Why we are worshiping him? Wherefrom he has got this power?" Then, when one can understand that this Indra, Candra, and Sūrya, and Diti, Aditi, and fire, Lord Śiva, they are all different departmental heads of Kṛṣṇa's government... The real king is Kṛṣṇa. To understand that.

Lecture on SB 2.3.1-4 -- Los Angeles, May 24, 1972:

One who desires to attain the heavenly planets should worship the sons of Aditi. One who desires a worldly kingdom should worship Viśvadeva, and one who wants to be popular with the general mass of population should worship the Sādhya demigod. One who desires a long span of life should worship the demigods known as the Aśvinī-kumāras, and a person desiring a strongly built body should worship the earth. One who desires stability in his post should worship the horizon and the earth combined. One who desires to be beautiful should worship the beautiful residents of the Gandharva planet, and one who desires a good wife should worship the Apsarās and the Urvaśī society girls of the heavenly kingdom. One who desires domination over others should worship Lord Brahmā, the head of the universe. One who desires tangible fame should worship the Personality of Godhead, and one who desires a good bank balance should worship the demigod Varuṇa. If one desires to be a greatly learned man he should worship Lord Śiva, and if one desires a good marital relation he should worship the chaste goddess Umā, the wife of Lord Śiva.

Purport: There are different modes of worship for different persons desiring success in particular subjects. The conditioned soul living within the purview of the material world cannot be an expert in every type of materially enjoyable asset, but one can have considerable influence over a particular matter by worshiping a particular demigod, as mentioned above. Rāvaṇa was made a very powerful man by worshiping Lord Śiva, and he used to offer severed heads to please Lord Śiva. He became so powerful by the grace of Lord Śiva that all the demigods were afraid of him, until he at last challenged the Personality of Godhead Śrī Rāmacandra and thus ruined himself. In other words, all such persons who aspire after gaining some or all of the material objects of enjoyment, or the gross materialistic persons, are on the whole less intelligent, as confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (7.20).

Lecture on SB 2.3.1-4 -- Los Angeles, May 24, 1972:

It is said there that those who are bereft of all good sense, or those whose intelligence is withdrawn by the deluding energy of māyā, aspire to achieve all sorts of material enjoyment in life by pleasing the various demigods, or by advancing in material civilization under the heading of scientific progress. The real problem of life in the material world is to solve the question of birth, death, old age and disease. No one wants to change his birthright, no one wants to meet death, no one wants to be old or invalid, and no one wants diseases. But these problems are solved neither by the grace of any demigod nor by the so-called advancement of material science. In the Bhagavad-gītā, as well as in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, such less intelligent persons have been described as devoid of all good sense. Śukadeva Gosvāmī said that out of the 8,400,000 species of living entities, the human form of life is rare and valuable, and out of those rare human beings those who are conscious of the material problems are rarer still, and the still more rare persons are those who are conscious of the value of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which contains the messages of the Lord and His pure devotees. Death is inevitable for everyone, intelligent or foolish.

Lecture on SB 2.3.8, and Initiations -- Los Angeles, May 25, 1972:

Prabhupāda: Hm. Rājya-kāmo manūn devān nirṛtiṁ tv abhicaran yajet, kāma-kāmo yajet som ... No, not this. Dharmārtha uttama-ślokam (devotees chant responsively) tantuḥ tanvan pitṟn yajet, rakṣā-kāmaḥ puṇya-janān, ojas-kāmo marud-gaṇān Hm. Repeat, repeat again. (devotees chant śloka) So, word meaning?

Pradyumna: Translation: "One should worship Lord Viṣṇu or His devotee for spiritual advancement of knowledge, and for protection of heredity and advancement of the dynasty one should worship the different demigods."

Prabhupāda: Hm. Other line is not translated. Hm. Then?

Pradyumna: Purport?

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Pradyumna: "The path of religion entails making progress on the path of spiritual advancement, ultimately reviving the eternal relation with Lord Viṣṇu in His impersonal effulgence, localized Paramātmā feature, and ultimately in His personal feature by spiritual advancement of knowledge. And one who wants to establish a good dynasty and be happy in the progress of temporary bodily relations should take shelter of the pitās and the demigods in other pious planets. Such different classes of worshipers of different demigods may ultimately reach the respective planets within the universe, but he who reaches the spiritual planets in the brahma-jyotir achieves the highest perfection."

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

They do not know anything. And they are claiming to be educated scientist and Vedantists philosopher. All nonsense. All nonsense. Therefore it is said, akāmaḥ puruṣaṁ param. Give up your kāma, lusty desires, or any material desires, and surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Then that is life successful. Otherwise, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). Take once birth... These are all desires. And the so big list. "If you want this, then you can worship this." Why it is recommended that you worship these demigods? Because if one goes for fulfilling the desire to a demigod, there is connection of Viṣṇu. Because any yajña you perform, demigod, there must be Viṣṇu first. The mantra says that "With the sanction of Viṣṇu's order, you get this facility." So by worshiping the demigod, if he's sensible man, one day he will come to know that "Above the demigods there is Viṣṇu. So why I am worshiping this demigods? Why not Viṣṇu?" Suppose if I get some facility from somebody, and if I see that this man is taking sanction from another superior man.

So my intelligence should be, "Why not go direct to the superior man? Why I am flattering this man?" That is sense. So therefore demigod worship is recommended in Vedas, that one day he may come to his intelligence that "Why demigod? Why not God, personally, directly?" Therefore, it is not that it is encouragement, it is encouragement(?). Just like, you know amongst the Hindus, the flesh-eaters, they're recommended that "If you want to eat meat, then you sacrifice one goat before the goddess Kālī.

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

Similarly, marriage. Marriage—what is the meaning of marriage? Everyone can have sex without marriage. So what it means, marriage? Marriage means restriction. That's all. That you have sex, but a particular selected woman, man. That's... No more. That's all. That is marriage. So all the Vedic rules are there... Śāstra says: loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā nityā hi jantor na hi tatra codanā. Why this demigod worship, marriage, these are prescribed? They are prescribed to stop it, not to encourage it. But the foolish persons, they say, "Well, it is in the śāstra. Why shall I not do?" Therefore Lord Buddha, when he appeared, he wanted to stop this animal killing, but because these rascals will show the evidence that "Here is sanctioned by the Vedas to kill an animal before Goddess Kālī. Why you stop?" Therefore he said, "I don't care for your Vedas." Because his only idea was to stop this animal killing. Ahiṁsā.

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...

Kṛṣṇa also assures, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. These are all pāpa, sinful. Either you take the body of a Brahmā or an ant or cat or dog. All sinful. Only the person who has taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness seriously, he's pious. Akāma. The next verse will be akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā (SB 2.3.10). Thank you very much. (devotees offer obeisances.) Kīrtana. (end)

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

So they are also working hard. Because they have got kāma. The yogi, he wants to be very popular by showing magic. Because general people, they cannot walk on the water. But if somebody can walk on the water, oh, millions of people immediately go to the Pacific Ocean to see. So therefore they want siddhi. Actually, there are yogis in Siddhaloka, without any flying machine, they can go from one planet to another. Durvāsā Muni, he went. Within a year, he came back. He went to Vaikuṇṭha planet. Yogi, great yogi. He saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face, but he was not excused. He went to beg pardon so that he may be saved from the sudarśana-cakra. So he went to Lord Śiva, Lord Brahmā, and all big, big demigods: "Please save me. The sudarśana-cakra is after me." So everyone said, "We are unable to do anything. You can go to Lord Viṣṇu." So he went to Lord Viṣṇu, he saw Him, he talked with Him. And Lord Viṣṇu also said that "I cannot do anything. You must go to Ambarīṣa Mahārāja and fall down on his feet and beg his pardon. Then you can be saved." So this is the position.

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

"Hare, Rādhārāṇī; Kṛṣṇa, Lord, You are both present here. Kindly give me the chance to serve You." That's all. This is akāmaḥ. So akāmaḥ, they have no other business, simply to serve Kṛṣṇa. Mama janmani janmanīśvare bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi (Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4). "My dear Lord, I don't want anything. But give me this facility, that I may be engaged in Your service." That's all. (pause) So Bhāgavata recommends that "Even though you are a fool number one, you are demanding from Kṛṣṇa, sarva-kāmaḥ, or mokṣa-kāmaḥ, still, you worship Kṛṣṇa. Don't go to other demigods." Because... we have seen the list of demigods. If you want... The prescription is there, "If you want this, you worship this deity. If you want this, you worship this deity." But they are all kāma. In the Bhagavad-gītā these kāmīs, these lusty persons, have been condemned. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ (BG 7.20). Hṛta-jñānāḥ, lost of all intelligence. That means rascal. In good language it is hṛta-jñānaḥ, one who has lost his intelligence.

So hṛta-jñānāḥ is explained by Viśvanātha Cakravartī: naṣṭa-buddhayaḥ. Naṣṭa-buddhayaḥ, no intelligence. No intelligence. So why no intelligence? Now, that is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: antavat tu phalaṁ teṣām (BG 7.23). The benediction they get from the demigods... Just like it is recommended, we have read it, that if you want beautiful wife, you worship Umā. If you want very strong sexual powers, then you worship Indra. So the prescription is there. But they are foolish. Why foolish? Suppose you get very beautiful wife and very strong sex power, then how long you will enjoy it? Antavat tu phalaṁ teṣām. It will end.

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

So they are not anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (CC Madhya 19.167). They have desires. So how they can be bhakta? How they can be devotee? Because devotee is pure, he has no... Akāmaḥ. Why it is recommended? The recommendation is there also for demigods. That is freedom. The śāstra is giving you all freedom. "If you like, you do this." But ultimately gives this instruction... Just like Kṛṣṇa. He has spoken so many things, jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, karma-yoga. But at the end He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śara... (BG 18.66). "You give up all this nonsense, simply surrender unto Me." That is the ultimate instruction. So that means śāstra gives you freedom, at the same time gives you chance. Śāstra is not... Just like we are free, and the state laws are there, and we are free to violate it or to abide by it. Similarly, all the śāstras, everything is there. And the freedom is also there. Not, I mean to say, the ultimate freedom, but there is freedom, small freedom. We can make our choice.

Here, also, the same thing. Vyāsadeva is giving list, that "If you want this, you worship this demigod." Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25). But if you are intelligent, udāra-dhīḥ... Udāra-dhīḥ, very intelligent. Then, in spite of, despite all your desires, you become Kṛṣṇa conscious. You go to Kṛṣṇa. Puruṣaṁ param. Who is puruṣaṁ param? Kṛṣṇa. Arjuna accepted: paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). All paramam, Supreme. Puruṣam, "You are the Supreme Person." The same thing. Puruṣaṁ param. The Brahma-saṁhitā: īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). This param, supreme, superlative, is Kṛṣṇa, in every respect. He's the supreme power, puruṣottamam. Uttamam. Nobody greater than Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 2.3.11-12 -- Los Angeles, May 29, 1972:

Prabhupāda: This is the important factor. Now, translation?

Pradyumna: "All the different kinds of worshipers of multi-demigods can attain the highest perfectional benediction, which is spontaneous attraction unflinchingly fixed upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, only by the association of the pure devotee of the Lord."

Prabhupāda: This is the secret, association of the pure devotee of the Lord. Without association of pure devotee of Lord, nobody can come to the stage, unflinching faith and devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I think last purport we did not read?

Lecture on SB 2.3.11-12 -- Los Angeles, May 29, 1972:

Pradyumna: No, we didn't read the last one. "Purport. The Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is described in the Bhagavad-gītā as the Puruṣottama, or the Supreme Personality. It is He only who can award liberation to the impersonalists by absorbing such aspirants in the brahma-jyotir, the bodily rays of the Lord. The brahma-jyotir is not separate from the Lord, as the glowing sun ray is not independent of the sun disc. Therefore one who desires to merge into the supreme impersonal brahma-jyotir must also worship the Lord by bhakti-yoga, as recommended here in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Bhakti-yoga is especially stressed here as the means of all perfection. In the previous chapters it has been stated that bhakti-yoga is the ultimate goal of both karma-yoga and jñāna-yoga, and in the same way in this chapter it is emphatically declared that bhakti-yoga is the ultimate goal of the different varieties of worship of the different demigods. Bhakti-yoga, thus being the supreme means of self-realization, is recommended here. Everyone must therefore seriously take up the methods of bhakti-yoga, even though one aspires for material enjoyment or liberation from material bondage.

Akāmaḥ is one who has no material desire. A living being, naturally being the part and parcel of the supreme whole puruṣaṁ pūrṇam, has as his natural function to serve the Supreme Being, just as the parts and parcels of the body, or the limbs of the body, are naturally meant to serve the complete body. Desireless means, therefore, not to be inert like the stone, but to be conscious of one's actual position and thus desire satisfaction only from the Supreme Lord. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī has explained this desirelessness as bhajanīya parama-puruṣa-sukha-mātra-sva-sukhatvam in his Sandarbha. This means that one should feel happy only by experiencing the happiness of the Supreme Lord. This intuition of the living being is sometimes manifested even during the conditioned stage of a living being in the material world, and such intuition is expressed in the manner of altruism, philanthropy, socialism, communism, etc., by the undeveloped minds of less intelligent persons.

In the mundane field such an outlook of doing good to others in the form of society, community, family, country, or humanity is a partial manifestation of the same original feelings in which a pure living entity feels happiness by the happiness of the Supreme Lord. Such superb feelings were exhibited by the damsels of Vrajabhūmi for the happiness of the Lord. The gopīs loved the Lord without any return, and this is the perfect exhibition of the akāma spirit. Kāma spirit, or the desire for one's own satisfaction, is fully exhibited in the material world, whereas the spirit of akāma is fully exhibited in the spiritual world.

Thoughts of becoming one with the Lord, or being merged in the brahma-jyotir, can also be exhibitions of kāma spirit if they are desires for one's own satisfaction to be free from the material miseries. A pure devotee does not want liberation..."

Prabhupāda: Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "I don't want my liberation alone. Unless I deliver all these fools who are rotting in this material world, I do not want my personal liberation." This is Vaiṣṇava philosophy. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they are going to Himalayas or some secluded place for personal benefit. But a Vaiṣṇava, he has no desire for personal benefit. The personal benefit is already there in Vaiṣṇava because he's in touch with the Supreme Lord by his service.

Lecture on SB 2.3.17 -- Los Angeles, July 12, 1969:

The idea is that they are sleeping, don't disturb. So the consciousness of the trees are admitted in the Vedic literature. Similarly, the consciousness is developed from tree to worms, microbes, worms, germs—their consciousness is little more higher. Then birds, their consciousness is little more higher; then beasts, their consciousness is little more higher. This is development, gradual process of evolution. Gradual process of evolution means gradual process of developing the status, the state of consciousness. In this way the consciousness in human form of body is further developed, very nicely developed. And similarly, there are other elevated living condition in higher planets. They are called demigods. They are far advanced, very more and more intelligent. Their standard of living, their everything, is far, far above than all these planets, thousands and thousands of times. Just like we can discriminate here, even on this planet. Your standard of living, from materialistic point of view... Just like to get a motorcar in this country is ordinary thing, but in our country, in India, if somebody has got a motorcar, he's considered to be very rich man. Here even a worker goes on motorcar, but in India only a person who is very rich, he can have a motorcar. As there is difference of standard of living from one country to another, similarly, there is difference of standard of living, standard of duration of life, standard of intelligence, standard of developed consciousness, everything different.

Lecture on SB 2.3.19 -- Los Angeles, June 14, 1972:

Even George Bernard Shaw, he wrote one book that "You are what you eat." Actually, that is so. Why there are so many varieties of foodstuff? Because there are varieties of men. Those who are meat-eaters, if you give them so many varieties of fruits and sandeśa and rasagullā, he won't like it. He won't like it. If before the hog, you put nice, first-class halavā, "No sir, stool. Give me stool." Therefore hog. All right. One who has no discrimination of foodstuff, he is going to be hog next life. That is the punishment by nature. One who are loitering in the street naked, they are going to have next life trees. "Stand up naked for 10,000 of years. That's all right." But they are enjoying. They're showing beauty by nakedness. But nature will not tolerate. Prakṛteḥ... Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā... (BG 7.14). There is nature. They do not consider how one living entity has got the body of a tree, how one living entity has got the body of a hog, how one living entity has got the body of a demigod, how one has got the body of a Vaiṣṇava.

Lecture on SB 2.3.20-21 -- Los Angeles, June 17, 1972:

And who can maintain sixteen thousand wives? One cannot maintain even one wife. This is called urukrama. Great activities. Not that Kṛṣṇa remained one, and He had sixteen thousand wives. No. He also expanded Himself into sixteen thousand forms so that no wife may be displeased. His wife... If I am one, and if I have got many wives, so everyone will be displeased. He provided sixteen thousand palaces, and in each palace, there were many thousands of servants and maidservants, and each wife was blessed with ten sons. This is called urukrama, great activities. Lord Rāmacandra, He killed Rāvaṇa. Rāvaṇa was so powerful that all the demigods in higher planetary systems, they were all afraid of him. He became so powerful. And Rāvaṇa's brother, he reigned in Mexico, Brazil. Brazil. And there was subway from Ceylon to Brazil. We get information from Rāmāyaṇa. Such powerful demons. Who can make now subway from one country into another country? They can make subway from one city to another, utmost.

Lecture on SB 2.3.22 -- Los Angeles, June 19, 1972:

So we are not concerned with the imagination form. They are also not imagination. Actually, everyone, all the demigods, they have got their forms. But the difference is Viṣṇu, the form of Viṣṇu, is eternal; and the forms of demigods or the form, our forms... Just like we have got now some form. They're not eternal—temporary. We all sitting here, we have got different forms, but as soon as these forms will be changed, we shall accept another form—this form's gone forever. It will never come again. But Viṣṇu form, Lord Viṣṇu's form, viṣṇu-tattva. Viṣṇu-tattva means the forms of the original Lord, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the original form. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). But He expands in different forms. The original form is Kṛṣṇa. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is said, Kṛṣṇa, advaita, one. There is no second, I mean to say, counterpart. But He expands. Advaitam acyutam. Acyuta. Acyuta means which does not fall down. Acyuta. Cyuta means "fall down." So God's another name is Acyuta, never falls down. Just like we living entities, we fall down. From spiritual world, we fall down. Because we have fallen down, therefore we have got this material body. But Kṛṣṇa, or God, never falls down. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Ananta, endless. You cannot count how many forms are there of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They have been compared with the incessant waves of the river. Just like, in the river you stand, on a flowing river, you will find the waves are day and night flowing, flowing, flowing, flowing.

Lecture on SB 2.4.2 -- Los Angeles, June 26, 1972:

Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu. He was planning so many things, but Nṛsiṁha-deva appeared as death and smashed everything, everything.

Therefore, when Prahlāda Mahārāja was offered material benediction, so he said, "My dear Lord, what You are offering me? I have already seen all these things. My father was so powerful that even demigods would be threatened by his red eyes, and he expanded his influence all over the universe. But You have finished it within a second. So why shall I ask for such benedictions? If You want to give me some benediction, please engage me in some service of Your servant. That is real benediction." Caitanya Mahāprabhu also recommended: gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80). To become a servant of servant of servant of servant of Kṛṣṇa. This is paramparā system. In that way one can give up the deep attachment for all these, our creation, our developing attachments, gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittaiḥ. At any moment, all these production of attachments can be dismantled, and it is being done so. But they have no knowledge. They have no knowledge. They are thinking that they will be able to enjoy this expansion of attachment, ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). No. You cannot enjoy. Even if you enjoy, it is for a few years only.

Lecture on SB 2.9.4-8 -- Tokyo, April 23, 1972:

Pradyumna: (leads transliteration of verse 8 word by word.) divyam-pertaining to the demigods in the higher planets; sahasra—one thousand; abdam—years; amogha—spotless, without a tinge of impurity; darśanaḥ—one who has such a vision of life; jita—controlled; anila—life; ātmā—mind; vijita—controlled over; ubhaya—both; indriyaḥ—one who has such senses; atapyata—executed penance; sma—in the past; akhila—all; loka—planet; tāpanam—enlightening; tapaḥ—penance; tapīyān—extremely hard penance; tapatām—of all the executors of penances; samāhitaḥ—thus situated. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...memory was so sharp, that once heard, it is practiced immediately. In the Kali-yuga this memory is declining, and they are proud, "We are advanced." There is no question of advancement. It is simply degraded. But this is māyā. Falsely they are thinking, "We are advanced." In this age, memory will be reduced, duration of life will be reduced, people's merciful tendency will be reduced, strength of the body will be reduced. In this way everything will be reduced. Now we do not find very strong men, very strong memory, living for a long time, bodily strength. No. These are reducing. Now people are not merciful. One man is being killed before you in the street; nobody takes care. This is the sign of Kali-yuga. Everything will be reduced. Memory also being reduced. There are eight kinds of things reducing. One of them, these four, five, I have already mentioned. Important things. The duration of life is reducing, no sympathy, no sympathy. One is suffering from some disease; nobody is taking care. This is the sign of Kali-yuga. "Oh, let him die. Let me live." These are the signs of Kali-yuga: no memory, no sympathy, no long duration of life, no bodily strength, no education. This is the symptoms of Kali-yuga. Therefore the only means is harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma (CC Adi 17.21). They cannot in the ordinary way it is impossible to make advancement.

Lecture on SB 2.9.4-8 -- Tokyo, April 23, 1972:

This is called anuprāsa. It is literary beauty. Everything "ta." Tapas tapīyāṁs tapatāṁ samāhitaḥ. Anuprāsa. So many t's in one line. Tapas tapīyān. So in Bhāgavata, it is not that whimsically written. There is literary beauty, metaphor, simile, and what is called, symmetry, reason(?). Everything is complete. Not that whimsically a line, three lines, one line, and two lines, and it becomes a poetry. In Sanskrit poetry writing is not so easy. You have to follow so many rules and regulations. How many words in the beginning, first line, how many words in the second line. Sāhitya-darpaṇa. There is a book, Sāhitya-darpaṇa. Therefore it is called Sanskrit. Sanskrit, everything is reformed. It is not like that "B-U-T but, P-U-T put." If you say "u," "a," then you must say "B-U-T but" and "P-U-T put." But not that sometimes "put," sometimes "but." No. That will not be allowed in Sanskrit. The pronunciation must be regular. You cannot change. Saṁskṛta. Saṁskṛta means reformed, Sanskrit language. Devanāgarī. This language is spoken in the higher planetary system, even in Vaikuṇṭha. This language is spoken. Devanāgarī. Deva-nagara. Just like Tokyo is Japan-nagara, similarly... Nagara means city. And the citizens are called nāgarī. One who lives in the city, they are called nāgarī. So devanāgarī. These alphabets, letters, are called devanāgarī. But in the cities of the demigods, this language is spoken. Devanāgarī.

Lecture on SB 2.9.4-8 -- Tokyo, April 23, 1972:

To some hellish place. (laughter) Nowadays they are going airplane, sometimes diverted. Yes. So if they are demigods, they have got better brain and... There are so many questionable things, contradictions of the... We cannot take, accept it, that the statement in the Vedic literature, they are not right, but they are right. No, we cannot. Next. (devotees continue reciting verse SB 2.9.8 )

divyaṁ sahasrābdam amogha-darśano

jitānilātmā vijitobhayendriyaḥ

tapyata smākhila-loka-tāpanaṁ

tapas tapīyāṁs tapatāṁ samāhitaḥ

Lecture on SB 2.9.4-8 -- Tokyo, April 23, 1972:

So rascals will say these are all imagination. Not imagination. Because relative truth. Your speed, your power... Just like an ant. An ant lives, say, for few hours. That is also his hundred years. A germ lives for few seconds. That is also his hundred years. So this hundred years, they are relative. One hundred years calculation your, one hundred years of the demigods or one hundred years calculation of the ant, they are not the same. According to the body, according to the power, the calculation is there. Time is unlimited. Time is unlimited, but according to my body, a certain duration of period, I say it is hundred years, when we make our history. So therefore it is said, divyaṁ sahasra. One may not miscalculate, that sahasra, one hundred. No, śata is hundred. Śata is hundred. It is sahasra, means thousand. Divyaṁ sahasrābdam.

Lecture on SB 2.9.4-8 -- Tokyo, April 23, 1972:

Pradyumna: Vijita—controlled over; ubhaya—both; indriyaḥ—one who has such senses; atapyata—executed penance; sma—in the past; akhila—all; loka—planet; tāpanam—enlightening; tapaḥ—penance; tapīyān—extremely hard penance; tapatām—of all the executors of penances; samāhitaḥ—thus situated.

Prabhupāda: Then?

Pradyumna: "Translation: Lord Brahmā underwent penances for one thousand years by the calculations of the demigods. He heard this transcendental vibration from the sky and he accepted it as divine. Thus he controlled his mind and senses and the penances which he executed were a great lesson for the living entities. Thus he is known as the greatest of all ascetics."

Prabhupāda: So one has to become ascetic and therefore penance. Then these things will be learned. Not with imperfect senses, imperfect conclusion we can understand.

Lecture on SB 2.9.9 -- Tokyo, April 25, 1972, Informal Class in Room:

That means your lavatory. Therefore the demigods do not come here even to urine. (laughter) Formerly they used to come. Now they do not come because it is not fit for their urinating. Here, we are very much proud of our advancement, but the demigods do not come even to pass urine. Why they should come? Now, because another house is raised here, even a common man is not coming to urine here. A little less facility, so they are not occupying. So why the demigods will come to this nonsense place? You can understand. These apartments are lying vacant on account of a little less facility. So why the demigods? Their comforts and their standard of living is many millions times better than yours. You cannot imagine it even. The more you go to the higher planetary system, their standard of living is still higher, higher-duration of life, standard of living, beauty, other facilities. Why they are called higher planetary system? Here in this planet even you don't get the sunshine sufficiently. The bare necessities. Now you can experience that when you go above the cloud by airplane you see there is no more cloudy. The sunshine is free. You can imagine how in the higher planetary system the sunshine is so free. And here as soon as there is little sunshine, oh, today, "Good morning." Today is very good morning. In London, Lennon's gardener, he was meeting, I was walking. He was Mr. Johnson or something.

Lecture on SB 2.9.9 -- Tokyo, April 25, 1972, Informal Class in Room:

So the animal killer, they are encroaching upon others' right. These cows and goats, they are also living entities, they have got right to live. When there is absolute necessity, that is a different thing. But you cannot encroach upon their right of living simply to satisfy the taste of your tongue. That is the greatest sin. Similarly illicit sex. One has got wife and he is having illicit sex with other woman, that is, that is crime. "You want to satisfy your sex? All right. You have got legitimate wife." "No. I want to satisfy my senses." Therefore illicit sex is sinful. You have got many other foodstuff. Why should you satisfy your senses by killing some other right of living? Therefore it is... Why it is sinful anyone can understand. Just like if I have no money, that does not mean to secure money I shall take your money. Then I am thief. You cannot say, "Oh, I have no money. This man has got so much money. Therefore I have taken some money." Will the court excuse you? Even if you have no food, you cannot encroach upon other's right unless you are sanctioned. Therefore according to Vedic system, the meat-eater is given chance by sacrificing an animal before some demigod. Not free slaughterhouse. No. That you cannot do. Undergoing that process, someday he will come to his senses that "Meat-eating and killing of animal is not good." Because there are so many mantras. If you understand mantras, the mantra, when a goat is sacrificed before Goddess Kālī, before the goat being cut by his throat, the priest says that "Because you are sacrificing your life before Goddess Kālī, next life you are going to have human form of body for your, this sacrifice." Otherwise you have to undergo the process. That is gradual evolutionary process.

Lecture on SB 2.9.9 -- Tokyo, April 25, 1972, Informal Class in Room:

So after hearing all these mantras, if one takes the risk of eating meat, let him do that. But who is that sane man who will take this risk? This is the meaning of sacrifice. Not that it is a slaughterhouse substitute. No. They will understand that what kind of risk they are going to take by killing the animal under the name of sacrifice. Another thing is that to sacrifice the goat before the demigod Kālī means it is restricted. Because the prescription is that one can sacrifice a goat before Goddess Kālī on the dark moon night, amāvasyā. That is once in a month. So even the śāstra gives him the facility, the facility is restricted. As much as marriage. What is the difference between married sex and without wife? Restricted. You restrict to one woman. You don't spoil many women and get syphilis disease. You see? This is restricted. Restricted to one man, restricted to one woman, restricted once in a month.

Lecture on SB 2.9.9 -- Tokyo, April 25, 1972, Informal Class in Room:

Devotee: Can they still make spiritual advancement?

Prabhupāda: Well, spiritual advancement is going on. They are taking advice from great saintly persons, they are observing, they are performing big sacrifices, spending money, treasury. That is their spiritual advancement. You are satisfying Kṛṣṇa in spite of... All these devatās, the demigods, they also enjoy. In higher planetary system, like Indra, he is prostitute hunter number one, Indra. (laughter) But he is a great devotee at the same time.

Pradyumna: But he is still in material world.

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is material. So those who are going to directly to transfer to the spiritual world, for them all these things are prohibited. But those who want to remain here, at the same time they have got some particular duty, these are also. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu says those who are preparing bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya niṣkiñcanasya, they must give up all these things. They should be niṣkiñcana. Niṣkiñcanasya yad dhanaṁ viduḥ(?). You have read that? Niṣkiñcana. Devotee, they don't want all these, anything, any glaring possession. Even Brahmā. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says that brahma-janme nāhi mora āśa: "I don't care to take birth as Brahmā." Kīṭa-janma hau jathā tuwā dāsa: "Better let me become an insect where Your devotee is there." So our purpose is different. We don't want even the exalted place like Brahmā in this material world. We don't want. That is our determination. We want Kṛṣṇa. Go back to home, back to Godhead.

Lecture on SB 2.9.10 -- Tokyo, April 26, 1972:

Pradyumna: "Nor is there any of their influence in the matter of goodness."

Prabhupāda: Ah, yes.

Pradyumna: "There is no predominance of the influence of time, so what to speak of the illusory, external energy that cannot enter in that region. Without discrimination, both the demigods and the demons worship the Lord as devotees."

Prabhupāda: So this is the description, beginning, just to get an idea of the spiritual world. Unless we go there... Just like we have come to Japan. We are getting direct experience. But before coming here, from books and literature and maps—it is an example—we can get some information, what is Japan. Similarly, the spiritual world, what is that spiritual world, in other places, in Upaniṣad also describes. In the Bhagavad-gītā also, this description, na tad bhāsayate sūryo na candro na pāvakaḥ (BG 15.6). There is no need of sunlight, moonlight, what to speak of the stars, neither na pāvakaḥ, neither electricity. Na tad bhāsayate sūryo na candro na pāvakaḥ. Here in this material world we cannot see things without sunlight, moonlight or electricity. We are proud of our eyes, but as soon as there is no light... Now there is sunlight; we can see very nicely. The spiritual world is not like that. There is no need of sunlight, moonlight or electricity. The first impression is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. Similarly here also, pravartate yatra rajas tamas tayoḥ sattvaṁ ca miśraṁ na ca kāla-vikramaḥ, na..., na pravartate.

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

So it is so nice thing. Here is the opportunity. We get the opportunity, Lakṣmī. How Kṛṣṇa is served. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam (Bs. 5.29). If by trying in one life, I am getting the chance of entering into Kṛṣṇa's kingdom to have eternal, blissful life, if I reject it, how much unfortunate I am. Even if you fall down. But there is a chance of becoming immediately being transferred. But even there is no chance, even there is not fully completed, even it is failure, still it is said "It is auspicious," because the next life guaranteed a human form of life. And for the ordinary karmī, what is next life? There is no information. Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran loke tyajaty ante kalevaram (BG 8.6). He can become a tree, he can become cat, he can become a demigod. Not more than a demigod. That's all. And what is the demigod? They get some opportunity in the higher planetary system and again fall down. Kṣīṇe puṇye punar martya-lokaṁ viśanti. After the bank balance, the puṇya, pious activity, resultant action of pious activities is finished, again come down. Ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokan punar āvartino 'rjuna: "Even if you go to the Brahmaloka where Brahmā lives, whose calculation of one day we cannot calculate; even if you go there, then they will come back." Mad-dhāma gatvā punar janma na vidyate. "But if you come to Me, then there is no more coming down here." This is the opportunity of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.