Devotees of Krsna (Lectures, BG)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG Introduction -- New York, February 19-20, 1966:

Therefore Bhagavad-gītā should be taken up in a spirit of devotee of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. One should not think that he is equal, on the same level of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, or one should not think that He is an ordinary personality, maybe a very great personality. No. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So at least theoretically, on the statement of Bhagavad-gītā or on the statement, assertion of Arjuna, the person who is trying to understand the Bhagavad-gītā, we should accept Śrī Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and then, with that submissive spirit... Unless one receives this Bhagavad-gītā in a submissive spirit and aural reception, it is very difficult to understand Bhagavad-gītā because it is a great mystery.

Introduction to Bhagavad-gita As It Is -- Los Angeles, November 23, 1968 :

The disciplic succession is now broken. Therefore I am speaking to you the old system of yoga, Bhagavad-gītā, again, unto you." "Why unto me, Kṛṣṇa?" "Because you are My devotee." That was the answer. So only qualification to understand Bhagavad-gītā is to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa; otherwise it is not possible. Just give this challenge to everyne: "So what do you understand about Bhagavad-gītā? You don't..., you are not devotee of Kṛṣṇa. How you can understand Bhagavad-gītā? So you are speaking of Bhagavad-gītā and cheating people."

Lecture on BG 1.1 -- London, July 7, 1973:

This is mahātmā. Mahātmā means he has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa cent percent, and his only business is to worship and glorify Kṛṣṇa. That is mahātmā. So Gandhi never believed that there was Kṛṣṇa, but he became mahātmā by popular vote. That's all. That kind of mahātmā is not accepted by the śāstra. Mahātmā is, first symptom of mahātmā is that he must be a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That is mahātmā. That is.... Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). And he is not under any material world. He is in the spiritual world. Daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ. And what is the symptom? Bhajanty ananya-manaso. Ananya-manaso, without any diversion, he's simply devoted to Kṛṣṇa. This is mahātmā. Everything is there in the Bhagavad-gītā, therefore I request you to study Bhagavad-gītā thoroughly as it is. Then you become perfectly powerful, spiritual. Now chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)

Lecture on BG 1.6-7 -- London, July 11, 1973:

That is the aim. Because Kṛṣṇa's mission is: yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7), paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). There is two mission: not only to give protection to the devotees, but also to kill the demons. To kill the demons, that is one side. So the devotees of Kṛṣṇa should be trained up both ways: not only to give protection to the devotees, to give them encouragement, but if need be, they should be prepared to kill the demons. That is Vaiṣṇavism. It is not cowardism. It is not cowardism. When need be. Generally, a Vaiṣṇava is non-violent.

Lecture on BG 1.6-7 -- London, July 11, 1973:

"Your non-violence will not help. You become violent. You kill them. I want." So if Kṛṣṇa wants we shall be prepared to become violent also. And Kṛṣṇa, that is open secret, that paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). Two business of Kṛṣṇa, two side. So those who are devotees of Kṛṣṇa, they should be trained up both ways, they should be prepared. But generally, there is no question of becoming violent, unnecessarily. As the modern politicians, unnecessarily they declare war, a Vaiṣṇava does not do so. No, unnecessarily, there is no need of war. When it was completely impossible to settle up the things between the Pāṇḍavas and the Kauravas, then Kṛṣṇa said, "All right, then there must be fight."

Lecture on BG 1.20 -- London, July 17, 1973:

"So how you can say such a great man. You are saying that animal." Our business is very thankless task. We say any man who is not a devotee, he is rascal. We say generally. It is very harsh word, but we have to use it. As soon as we see that he is not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then he's a rascal. How do we say? He is not my enemy, but we have to say because it is stated by Kṛṣṇa.

If we are really Kṛṣṇa conscious, then our business is to repeat the words of Kṛṣṇa. That's all. What is the difference between a Kṛṣṇa's representative and non-representative? The representative of Kṛṣṇa will simply repeat what Kṛṣṇa says. That's all. He becomes representative. It doesn't require much qualification. You simply repeat with firm conviction. As Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So one who has accepted this fact, that, "If I surrender to Kṛṣṇa, my all business is successful," he is Kṛṣṇa's representative.

Lecture on BG 1.21-22 -- London, July 18, 1973:

"Yes, I'm ready." He ate up all the fire. So for Kṛṣṇa He could eat anything He likes. He is God. But still, He recommends, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. Why? Because we have to take Kṛṣṇa's prasādam, so therefore He is recommending, "These things you can give Me." Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ. So that is our food. We are devotees of Kṛṣṇa. We are meant for eating the remnants of foodstuff offered to Kṛṣṇa.

That is our... Jihvā, tāra madhye... If you want to conquer the tongue, then you fix up your mind that you shall not take anything which is not offered to Kṛṣṇa. Then your tongue will be controlled. Tāra madhye jihvā ati lobhamaya sudurmati. Tongue is the bitterest enemy of the living being. The tongue is dragging. Jihvā. "Kindly give me this immediately. Kindly give me this wine immediately. Kindly give me this tea immediately. Kindly give me this cigarette immediately.

Lecture on BG 1.28-29 -- London, July 22, 1973:

This is preaching. "Whoever you meet, simply speak of the instruction of Kṛṣṇa." So if you are advanced, if you know what is the instruction of Kṛṣṇa by reading Bhagavad-gītā, you can preach to others. And if you have not read anything, suppose you do not know anything, then you can also preach. What is that? "Just become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, my dear sir." That's all. This is also preaching. "Just surrender to Kṛṣṇa." You go door to door. If you cannot do anything, simply say, "My dear sir, you are very good man. Oh, you are very intelligent man. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." Sakalam eva vihāya dūrāt. This preaching was taught by Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī. Dante nidhāya tṛṇakaṁ padayor nipatya kāku-śataṁ kṛtvā ca ahaṁ bravīmi.

Lecture on BG 1.31 -- London, July 24, 1973:

So Arjuna is in gṛhastha-āśrama. He wants to serve Kṛṣṇa. He's Kṛṣṇa's friend. He is a devotee. Kṛṣṇa has already recommended. In the Fourth Chapter He will declare, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me (BG 4.3). "You are My dear friend. You are My devotee." So he is qualified, gṛhastha-āśramī. He is devotee of Kṛṣṇa, but he is also family man. He has his wife, children. So here the problem is what is śreyas? What is ultimate good? That is mistaken here. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā is required. He is thinking that "Kṛṣṇa is not so important. My family is important. My family." Although he is devotee. Therefore kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, in the lower stage of devotee, in the lower stage of devotion, one may be interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but his real interest is how to improve this material life.

Lecture on BG 1.31 -- London, July 24, 1973:

That is yoga. So all these powers, they are simply fragmental. The yogis, they can attain. Although they can become, they are already smaller than the smallest. So Kṛṣṇa is the supreme master of all mystic power. Therefore He is called Yogeśvara. He is called Yogeśvara. So if Kṛṣṇa is on your side, then you do not require to practice yoga. If you are a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, because how much power you shall get. You may gain some power by this mystic process, but you cannot be equal with Kṛṣṇa's power. Just like aṇimā, laghimā. To make everything very light, or become very light, the yogi can fly in the air without an aeroplane. He can go even in the sun planet, moon planet, without any sputnik. Simply (break)

Lecture on BG 1.36 -- London, July 26, 1973:

So Nārada said, "No, no. That child is not asura child. He is coming, a great devotee, mahā-bhāgavata of Kṛṣṇa." Because Nārada knew that when... Not before. After all, he knew. But before also, he knew. Because they are saintly persons, they can understand that here is a child is coming who will be a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa. So mahā-bhāgavata. So "Don't try that. You don't take her to your custody. Better give her in my custody. I shall take care." So immediately he abided by the order of Nārada, immediately. He released. And not only released, circumambulated the woman. So here is a mahā-bhāgavata, in the womb of this woman. So let us offer our obeisances. This is Vaiṣṇava. As soon as understood, that there is a Vaiṣṇava mahā-bhāgavata, in the womb of this woman, "She is to be respected, offered obeisances." This is called Vaiṣṇava. But the asura would not do that.

Lecture on BG 1.36 -- London, July 26, 1973:

So this is the proof of Arjuna's character, a devotee's character. A devotee is always devatā, demigod. So one who is devotee, one who is Kṛṣṇa conscious, sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). Sura means devatā. All the good qualities of devatā. A devotee of Kṛṣṇa will never accept that killing is very good. No. "For the satisfaction of my tongue, I shall kill so many animals." A devotee will never accept. Ahiṁśa. Ahiṁśa. That is the third quality. Amānitvam adambhitvaṁ ahiṁśā kṣāntir ārjavam (BG 13.8). These are... Everything is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. Amānitvam. Amānitvam means to accept this body as "I am." This is amānitvam, er, not to accept. That is amānitvam. Everyone is proud that "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Englishman." So it is boastful, very proud of this body. So knowledge means "I am not this body. I am not this body."

Lecture on BG 1.36 -- London, July 26, 1973:

So knowledge means "I am not this body. I am not this body." That is amānitvam. Adambhitvam. As soon as we become aware that "I am not this body," then my false pride immediately goes. Amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṁśā. Then ahiṁśā, nonviolence. Ārjavam, simplicity. There are eighteen qualifications of the demigods. So one who becomes a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa conscious, these, all these good qualities develop. So here is the proof, that Arjuna, because he is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he is considering, "Whether I shall kill them or not?" Ahiṁsā. It is consideration, not that it is final settlement.

Lecture on BG 1.36 -- London, July 26, 1973:

So people are trying to elevate the status of the society by so many things. But they do not know the secret. The secret is that if one is trained only to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, all good qualities automatically will be visible in his person. There is no need of separate endeavor, how to make a man honest, how to make a man religious, how to make a man high-thinking, simple living. These are good... Śamo damas, titikṣa ārjavaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyam (BG 18.42). All these qualities immediately develop. Because a living entity, spirit soul, he is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Mamaivāṁśo jīvaḥ (BG 15.7). Kṛṣṇa says all this. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4). "They have come to this material world. I am the seed-giving father. They wanted to enjoy. So I have given them chance.

Lecture on BG 1.36 -- London, July 26, 1973:

It is meant for, this Bhāgavat-dharma. Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for the paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ those who are not envious. How they can be envious? Paramahaṁsa, one who has understood what is this creation, who is the creator, what are these living entities, one who has got this knowledge, he is called paramahaṁsa. So how a paramahaṁsa can be envious of others? Therefore it is said paramo nirmatsarāṇām (SB 1.1.2). Matsaratā. Matsaratā means envious. So without becoming Vaiṣṇava, without becoming a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, you do not think that anyone is a human being. He is simply animal.

Lecture on BG 1.37-39 -- London, July 27, 1973:

He is saying not "I" or "by me." He is including Kṛṣṇa: "You are in this side; so because You are on my side, You are my charioteer, if I do not consider all these things, what people will say? That 'Arjuna is such a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa is there. He is committing such sinful activities.' " Therefore he says, kathaṁ na jñeyam asmābhiḥ. He is dragging Kṛṣṇa also. That is right, yes. A saintly person, a devotee, should consider all these things, before acting, "Whether I am doing it property or improperly?" This is Arjuna. The other party, lobha-upahata-cetasaḥ. Upahata-cetasaḥ. They have lost their sense. But we cannot. A devotee must be very responsible. He must act in such a way that nobody can blame him. Otherwise everyone say, "What kind of devotee he is?" So this is the duty. They should be very cautious.

Lecture on BG 1.41-42 -- London, July 29, 1973:

So Bhagavad-gītā is not meant for the demons or the abhaktas. The first condition is that he must be a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Then it will be revealed. Otherwise it is not possible. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛitaḥ (BG 7.25). Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhā prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). These things are there. So if one is devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he can understand Bhagavad-gītā very easily. Just like Arjuna understood within half an hour. Others, they cannot understand. In one sense, the people at that time were so educated, advanced, that they could talk about the Absolute Truth and understand within half an hour, one hour. There was no need of books in those days. People were so sharp memoried. Once heard from the spiritual master they'll never forget.

Lecture on BG 1.41-42 -- London, July 29, 1973:

Akāma means devotee. Devotees have no desire. They have got desire just to become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That is natural desire. If the son desires that: "I shall be obedient son of my father," that is natural desire. Or the son desires that: "I shall depend on my father, and I shall be happy," that kind of desire is natural desire. Similarly, if one desires that: "I shall become a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa," that is natural desire. But when I desire to lord it over the material nature and forget my service to Kṛṣṇa, that is called vāsanā. That is material desire, abhilāṣa. So we have to give up these material desires. Then it is bhakti. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñānaṁ karmādy anāvrtam anukūlyena kṛṣṇa... (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11).

Lecture on BG 1.43 -- London, July 30, 1973:

No, there is no possibility. They are dogs, animals. They are simply busy with four principles of life: eating, sleeping, sex-life and defending. That's all. They cannot be trained up that "You become very obedient to Lord Viṣṇu. Become a devotee." Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). "You become the devotee of Kṛṣṇa." No, that is not possible. Therefore it is said that manuṣyāṇāṁ. Manuṣyāṇāṁ. It is the duty of the manusya, not of the dog. Manuṣyāṇāṁ. Utsanna-kula-dharmānāṁ manuṣyāṇāṁ janārdana (BG 1.43).

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

Not only He claims, at least, any fine religious system claims, "God is the original father." That's a fact. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvam pravartate (BG 10.8). Everything has come from Him. He is the supreme father. So if Kṛṣṇa is the supreme father, He is father of everyone. Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya (BG 14.4). In all species of life, in all forms of life, they are all our svajana, kinsmen. How it cannot be? Because Kṛṣṇa is the original father. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore a devotee of Kṛṣṇa does not want to commit a little harm to any living entity. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

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

These are the different mellows, different tastes. Every living entity has got his own taste, how to love Kṛṣṇa. But the central point is to love Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa also reciprocates. He has no discrimination that "Here is gopī, beautiful girl. Therefore I shall love her more than the calf." No. Kṛṣṇa is not so partial. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa's devotees also, because he has... Kṛṣṇa consciousness means he has got now in minute quantity Kṛṣṇa's quality. Therefore he is also equal to everyone. He thinks everyone svajana, the member of the same family. It does not matter if one has become ant or one has become elephant. The living spark, the soul, is the same dimension, either within the ant or in the elephant. This dimension of the soul

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

Avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇa-pūta-hari-kathāmṛtaṁ śravanaṁ na kartavyam. Pūta-hari-kathāmṛtam. Hari-kathā, talks of Kṛṣṇa, they are by themselves pure. But still, it is prohibited that if it is spoken by an avaiṣṇava, nondevotee, one should not hear, should not hear. Must immediately reject. First of all, we have to see who is going to speak about Kṛṣṇa. Is it a devotee of Kṛṣṇa? Is he a Vaiṣṇava or not? If he is not, then immediately reject: "Oh, we are not going to hear from you." But people do not know. Any rascal speaking about Bhagavad-gītā we hear. That is not the process. Then you will misunderstand.

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

Then you will misunderstand. Avaiṣṇava-mukhod..., sarpocchiṣṭaṁ payo yathā. Just like milk is very good food, everyone knows. But when it is touched by the tongue of the serpent, it is poison immediately. So we cannot drink poison. Don't hear Bhagavad-gītā or any talk about Kṛṣṇa from a person who is not a Vaiṣṇava, who is not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. We'll misunderstand. Just like they will say, they will say, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is engaging Arjuna for fighting, for committing so many sinful activities." No, that is not the fact. Kṛṣṇa is engaging Arjuna fighting, to fighting, just to serve His purpose. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtam (BG 4.8). And Arjuna is executing the mission of Kṛṣṇa not for his personal benefit. These are the things.

Lecture on BG 2.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 6, 1972:

My sons are one hundred in number. So they would be killed, and my sons will be without any rivalry."

This is the background of Kurukṣetra. But another thing is the dharma-kṣetra, effect of dharma-kṣetra was visible in Arjuna. Dharma-kṣetra. He, because he's devotee of Kṛṣṇa... Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). Because he's devotee of Kṛṣṇa, therefore he felt: "What is this? Why shall I kill these, my brothers?" Because he was devotee. This sentiment came into the mind of Arjuna, not on the other side, Duryodhana. He never thought. Although they were placed, both of them placed at dharma-kṣetra. The effect of dharma-kṣetra was manifest in the body of Arjuna, not Duryodhana.

Lecture on BG 2.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 7, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa saw that "My friend, Arjuna, has become too much illusioned." So He wanted to kill the demon of illusion. Therefore He's mentioned herein as Madhusūdana. Kṛṣṇa comes. He has got two business: paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). Side by side, giving protection to His devotees, sādhu... Sādhu means devotee. Devotee of Kṛṣṇa is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā as sādhu. Api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk, sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). One who is strictly a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he is mentioned as sādhu. Sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ samyag vyavasito hi saḥ (BG 9.30). He is first-class sādhu.

Lecture on BG 2.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 7, 1972:

Even if he's a gṛhastha, it doesn't matter. Generally, we understand sādhu means with saffron cloth. No. Sādhu's qualification is that he must be a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇaḥ. Sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇaḥ. So now Kṛṣṇa speaks, śrī bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān. This Bhagavān means one who is full with six kinds of opulences. He's called Bhagavān.

aiśvaryasya samagrasya

vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ

jñāna-vairāgyayaś caiva

ṣaṇṇāṁ bhaga itīṅganā

(Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47)

Bhaga. Bhagavān and Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). There are other great personalities. Lord Śiva is also sometimes described as Bhagavān. Similarly, Lord Brahmā, Nārada, others are also sometimes described as Bhagavān.

Lecture on BG 2.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 7, 1972:

"Now I shall fight." And Kṛṣṇa gave him certificate: bhakto 'si priyo 'si me (BG 4.3). "You are very dear friend, and My great devotee." Now, fighting is not very good business, killing. But sometimes, by killing, one can become a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa. He was a warrior, fighter. His business was to fight, but he fought for Kṛṣṇa. Then he became a devotee. That is sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya (BG 18.46). He... Arjuna, brāhmaṇa and kṣatriya. Similarly, our..., means sva-karma, guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ. Our, according to Vedic system, there are four divisions. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Not by birth, but by quality and actual activities. So there are brāhmaṇas. There are kṣatriyas. There are vaiśyas. There are śūdras. There are brahmacārīs. There are gṛhasthas, vānaprasthas, sannyāsa. So everyone should be engaged to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. That is the whole philosophy.

Lecture on BG 2.2 -- London, August 3, 1973:

He is not an ordinary writer, material description or material name and faith. He cannot be mistaken. As Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa cannot be mistaken. Similarly, Vyāsadeva, incarnation of Bhagavān, he also cannot be mistaken. Neither devotee of Kṛṣṇa can be mistaken. Devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he does not say anything as his own opinion. He never says. What Kṛṣṇa says, he says. He may be not perfect, but what Kṛṣṇa has said, that is perfect.

Therefore, a pure devotee, who does not say anything beyond which was spoken by Kṛṣṇa, therefore his statement is also without mistake. Common man within this material world, he commits mistake: "To err is human." Even big, big personalities, they commit mistake. But nārāyaṇa paraḥ. He is transcendental.

Lecture on BG 2.2 -- London, August 3, 1973:

We haven't got to satisfy ourself that "I am doing very nice work in this way." So all these people, they are manufacturing concocted ideas. Mano-rathena asato dhavato bahiḥ. By mental concoction. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā mano-rathena āsato dhāvato bahiḥ (SB 5.18.12). One who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, not devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he has no good qualification. "No, he's a very big man. He has opened such big, big hospitals, big, big schools, big, big, big..." Yes, that may be good from the material estimation, but because he's not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, these are not good qualifications. Harāv a... This one word: Harāv abhaktasya, harāv abhaktasya. If one has no devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he cannot have any good qualities. These are not good qualities. Actually that is so. Suppose if you, the... According to karma-kāṇḍa vicāra, if you open a school, so in the next time, you will have good education.

Lecture on BG 2.4-5 -- London, August 5, 1973:

Similarly, to become a devotee is the greatest qualification. He has got everything. Yatra yogeśvaro hariḥ yatra dhanur-dharaḥ pārthaḥ (BG 18.78). When there is Kṛṣṇa and when there is devotee, all victory, all glories are there. That is guaranteed.

So gurūn ahatvā. A devotee of Kṛṣṇa, if need be, if he's unqualified guru... Unqualified guru means who does not know how to guide the disciple. Guru's duty is to guide. So such kind of guru can be at least rejected. That is Jīva Gosvāmī's... Kārya-kāryam ajānataḥ. A guru who does not know what to do and what not to do, but by mistake, by mistakenly I have accepted somebody as guru, he can be rejected. By rejecting him, you can accept an actual bona fide guru. So guru is not killed, but he can be rejected. That is the injunction of the śāstra.

Lecture on BG 2.7 -- London, August 7, 1973:

Can you give me some medicine?" "Yes, yes. Take this medicine." "Yes." Not that guru. If you are suffering from some disease, you go to a physician. It is not guru's business to give you some medicine. A guru's business is to give you Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa sei tomāra, kṛṣṇa dīte pāra. A Vaiṣṇava is praying guru: "Sir, you are devotee of Kṛṣṇa. You can give me Kṛṣṇa if you like." This is the position of śiṣya. Guru's business is how to give you Kṛṣṇa, not any material things. For material things, there are so many institutions. But if you want Kṛṣṇa, then guru's required. Who is, who requires a guru?

Lecture on BG 2.7-11 -- New York, March 2, 1966:

And what sort of spiritual master? Kṛṣṇa, the most perfect man, the most perfect man. So a spiritual master is representative of Kṛṣṇa. Of course, Kṛṣṇa is not present before us. But at least we must have a person as our spiritual master who represents Kṛṣṇa. And who can represent Kṛṣṇa? One who is devotee of Kṛṣṇa, in the line, disciplic succession. You see? So see here. Arjuna accepts Kṛṣṇa as the spiritual master. Now, question may be that "Why Arjuna...? There was many learned men, not only Kṛṣṇa, but there were Vyāsadeva and other great sages and brāhmaṇas. Why...?" Kṛṣṇa was also kṣatriya. Kṛṣṇa was not a brāhmaṇa. Of course, He took His, mean... He appeared in the family of a kṣatriya. And they were cousin-brothers. Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, they were cousin-brothers. Kṛṣṇa was the son of the brother, and Arjuna was the son of the sister. Arjuna's mother and Kṛṣṇa's father, they were brother and sister. So they are in the family relation.

Lecture on BG 2.9 -- London, August 15, 1973:

That is master of senses. "I shall not act impelled by the senses. Senses should act under my direction." That is svāmī.

Therefore Arjuna is called Guḍākeśa. He is master of... He is also, when he likes. He is not a coward, but he is compassionate because he is devotee. Because he is devotee of Kṛṣṇa... Anyone who becomes a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, all the good qualities manifest in his body. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). All godly qualities. So Arjuna, he is also... Otherwise how he can become intimate friend of Kṛṣṇa unless of the same position? Friendship becomes very strong when both the friends (are) on equal level: same age, same education, same prestige, same beauty.

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

He does not require. He is self-sufficient. He does not require anyone's help for His sense gratification. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is Hṛṣīkeśa, the master of the senses.

So at least Kṛṣṇa's devotees... There are many instances of Kṛṣṇa's devotees. They are also... Why many? Almost all devotees, they are master of the senses, gosvāmī. Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura, you know. Haridāsa Ṭhākura was young man, and the village zamindar, he was Mohammedan. So everyone was eulogizing Haridāsa Ṭhākura, such a great devotee. So the zamindar, the village zamindar, he became very much envious. So he employed one prostitute to pollute Haridāsa Ṭhākura. And she came at dead of night, nicely dressed, attractive. She was also young, very beautiful. So she proposed that "I have come, being attracted by your beauty." Haridāsa Ṭhākura said, "Yes, that's all right. Come on, sit down. Let me finish my chanting. Then we shall enjoy."

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

So Kṛṣṇa-bhakti is like that. Full control over the senses. As Kṛṣṇa has got full control over the senses, similarly, those who are actually Kṛṣṇa devotees, they have got full control over the senses. Hṛṣīkeśa. Just like Yamunacārya. He is praying, he is speaking, yad-avadhi mama cittaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravinde nava-nava-dhāmany udyataṁ rantum āsīt: "Since I have begun to feel transcendental bliss being taken shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa," yad-avadhi mama cittaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravinde, kṛṣṇa-padāravinde, the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. "Since my citta, my heart, has been attracted by the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa," tad-avadhi bata nārī-saṅgame, "since then, as soon as I think of sex life," bhavati mukha-vikāraḥ, "I hate, I spit on it." This is Kṛṣṇa-bhakti. Kṛṣṇa-bhakti is like that.

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

Simply by chanting Kṛṣṇa's name, all immoral persons are becoming moral. And Kṛṣṇa is immoral. And it is spoken by a rascal professor.

So it is very difficult. Nobody can understand Kṛṣṇa without becoming a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Because Kṛṣṇa says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yas cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Tattvataḥ, in truth. Tattvataḥ means truth. If one wants to understand Kṛṣṇa as He is, then he has to take this process of devotional service, bhakta, bhakti. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). When one is employed as the servitor of Hṛṣīkeśa, the master of senses. Master, and hṛsīkeṇa, when your senses are also engaged in the service of the master of the senses, then you also become master of the senses. You also.

Lecture on BG 2.11 -- Rotary Club Address -- Hotel Imperial, Delhi, March 25, 1976:

Bhāratavarṣa means the whole world, and the capital was here, Hastināpura. This information we get, Mahābhārata. Mahā means greater, and bhārata means India. Mahābhārata. So there was trouble, who will occupy the throne. So there was fight. So when fight was arranged, then Arjuna... He was a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. (aside to someone talking:) Please stop. He declined fight. He said to Kṛṣṇa, "My dear Kṛṣṇa"—Kṛṣṇa was his friend—"I don't like this fight because they are my cousin-brothers. Although they have usurped my kingdom, let them enjoy it. I don't wish to fight with them." But Kṛṣṇa declined. Kṛṣṇa said, "No, you have to fight. Your duty is to fight." Then Arjuna placed before Him so many ideas that "If I kill my brother, then my brothers' wives will be widow and they may be polluted, then unwanted children, varṇa-saṅkara, will come out, and when the varṇa-saṅkara population is filling, then the whole world becomes a hell."

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Hyderabad, November 19, 1972:

Because there are six hundred and forty different editions of Bhagavad-gītā, and almost every one of them has got a different interpretation. That is the system going on now. Therefore, before me, many persons, many swamis, went to Western countries and they presented Bhagavad-gītā in their own way, but not a single person became a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Throughout the whole history. Now Bhagavad-gītā is being presented as it is, and thousands of them are becoming devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Practical. Thousands of them. The simple thing. I presented Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and they accepted it, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and by following the principles, within the four years, so many devotees of Kṛṣṇa have come out. Because there was no adulteration. So our request is try to understand Bhagavad-gītā without adulteration. Try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is presented.

Lecture on BG 2.22 -- Hyderabad, November 26, 1972:

Due to these rascal scholars, so-called scholars. Because they simply misinterpret.

Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). We say, we are preaching this cult: "Be Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Offer your respects..." You have to offer your respect to anyone. You are not supreme. You have to flatter somebody to get some service. That is an... Even if you get nice position, you have to flatter. Even if you get a president, become president of the country, you have to flatter your countrymen: "Please give me vote. Please... I shall give you so many facilities." So you have to flatter. That is a fact. You may be very big man. But you have to flatter somebody. You have to accept some master.

Lecture on BG 2.25 -- London, August 28, 1973:

If you actually accept Kṛṣṇa as a great personality, at least you must follow the instruction of Kṛṣṇa. And know.(?) That also they'll not do. And still they are Arya-samaj. Ārya means advancing party. They are degrading party. Real advancing party is Kṛṣṇa conscious persons, the devotees of Kṛṣṇa. They're Aryan. Just like Arjuna, when he was trying to neglect the instruction of Kṛṣṇa, "Sir, I'll not fight," He said, anārya-juṣṭam. Anyone who disobeys the instruction of Kṛṣṇa, he's anāryan. And one who obeys the instruction of Kṛṣṇa, he's Aryan. That is the distinction. Therefore, the so-called Arya-samaj, they disobey the instruction of Kṛṣṇa, and still they claim to be Aryan. Actually they are anāryan. Anārya-juṣṭam. These things are in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on BG 2.26-27 -- London, August 29, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa says that "Always think of Me." These karma-vādīs, they will say, "Why shall I waste my time thinking of Kṛṣṇa? If I do my duty nicely then I will get good result. Why shall I be devotee of Kṛṣṇa?" This is their argument.

One Arya-samaji postmaster, long ago, not very long ago, 1956, 1956... In Delhi at that time I was publishing this Back to Godhead. So we had concession rate for posting, and it was to be delivered to the postmaster. So the postmaster was talking with me about the paper, Back to Godhead. He raised the same question. He said, "If we do our duty nicely then what is the use of worshiping God? If we become honest, if we become moral, if we do not do anything which is harmful to anyone, in this way, if we act, then where is the...?"

Lecture on BG 2.26-27 -- London, August 29, 1973:

Wherever you go, the Bhāgavata conclusion, harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ. We have to keep in point of view that to become... Kṛṣṇa also says in Bhagavad-gītā: api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). Even one is found su-durācāraḥ, not very strictly following moral principles, but he is an unflinching devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he's sādhu. These things are there. Therefore the point should be that we should not accept this karma-vāda or the bauddha-vāda or Māyāvāda, there are so many vādas. We shall simply take kṛṣṇa-vāda. Simply, simply accept Kṛṣṇa. And whatever He orders, whatever He likes, for His satisfaction, we shall do anything and everything. That is our morality.

Lecture on BG 2.27-38 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1968:

He hasn't got to try separately. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā (SB 5.18.12). Anyone. Take for example nonviolence. Nonviolence is good quality. Now here, you see Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna. Arjuna is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Automatically he's trying to be nonviolent. "Why should I fight?" This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because he is devotee of Kṛṣṇa, nonviolence is already his quality. People are starting vegetarian society to become vegetarian, a very uplifted society. But the persons who are in Kṛṣṇa conscious, they are already vegetarian. That means the people in the ordinary status, they are trying to acquire some good qualities, but in Kṛṣṇa conscious person you will find all the good qualities automatically. That is the difference.

Lecture on BG 2.27-38 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1968:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Pārvatī. Satī. Everyone has got wife. Yes. Śakti.

Devotee: Is Lord Śiva a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Everyone is devotee. Only the madmen, they are not devotees. Any sane man is devotee of... Sanity means become devotee. That is sanity. And one who is not devotee is insane, insanity. So how you can expect that Lord Śiva is not devotee? He's not insane. We are, the material, the ordinary living entities, in the lower grades of life, they are all insane. What is that? Yes?

Lecture on BG 2.30 -- London, August 31, 1973:

We cannot think of anyone unless we love him. If you love somebody, then you can think of him always. Just like both lover and beloved. Say one boy, another girl. So they are in love. So both of them think of both of them always. "When we shall meet again, when we shall meet again?" So similarly, man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. You can become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, you can think of Kṛṣṇa always, provided you have developed love for Kṛṣṇa. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena (Bs. 5.38). By bhakti, you can develop your love for Kṛṣṇa. That is required.

Lecture on BG 2.30 -- London, August 31, 1973:

They do not like this. This is sahajiyā. They, for their debauchery, for their business of debauchery, they like to be supported by Kṛṣṇa. "Kṛṣṇa has done this." "Kṛṣṇa has become immoral. So therefore we are also immoral. We are great devotee of Kṛṣṇa, because we are immoral." This is going on. Therefore, to understand Kṛṣṇa, it requires a little better intelligence. Better intelligence. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān (BG 7.19). Jñānavān means the first-class intelligent wise. Māṁ prapadyate. He understands what is Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. Such kind of intelligent mahātmā... You can find out rascal mahātmā, simply by changing dress, without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, declaring himself as God or Kṛṣṇa. Kick on their face. Kṛṣṇa is different from all these rascals.

Lecture on BG 2.40-45 -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1968:

Guest: Well, is everybody who is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, initiated, do they all have perfect enlightenment?

Prabhupāda: Yes. That I just now explained. That is liberation. I am identified just now with this matter. "I am this body, I belong to this country, I belong to this world." This is illusion. And as soon as I can understand that I belong to none of these, I belong to Kṛṣṇa, that is enlightenment. Simply changing the understanding. It is not very difficult. But it is difficult one who cannot understand. That is another thing. But if one can understand this fact, then he's immediately enlightened. Just like this light, it is now enlightened. There is illumination. And as soon as the switch is off, immediately darkness. And switch is on, immediately light. So it is not very difficult to understand what is enlightenment. Enlightened means ahaṁ brahmāsmi.

Lecture on BG 2.40-45 -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1968:

That's all. You are going somewhere, purchasing the plane ticket. Do you ask, "How many tickets you have sold?" Huh? What is the use of? You just purchase your ticket and get on the airplane and go. (laughter) Don't waste your valuable time in that way. If you are serious, just purchase ticket and get on the airplane and pass on. That's all. (pause) All right. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. (devotees offer obeisances) Śyāma dāsī, tomorrow morning, while Govinda dāsī will come, you will come in my apartment. Yes, chant.

Lecture on BG 3.1-5 -- Los Angeles, December 20, 1968:

Sometimes the so-called devotees of Kṛṣṇa... In Vṛndāvana you'll find that they are keeping themself in a secluded place and supposed to be chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. But practically it has been seen that by such artificial way of becoming Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it does not make anyone advanced. I have seen practically. They are living in a secluded place, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, but practically, when he comes out, he's smoking. You see. He cannot give up even smoking, and what to speak of this material world? You see? That is artificial. This is not recommended. First of all you become mature. Then secluded place.

Lecture on BG 3.1-5 -- Los Angeles, December 20, 1968:

So everyone can test how far he has advanced simply by this, "How far I have become prepared to sacrifice everything for Kṛṣṇa?" He doesn't require to take certificate from others. He can test himself, "How far I am prepared?" Then it is all right. This is the standard. All right. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. (devotees offer obeisances) You are not getting another mṛdaṅga? You have no money?

Lecture on BG 3.6-10 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1968:

Sudāmā: "One should therefore act very diligently under the expert guidance of a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa or under the direct instruction of Lord Kṛṣṇa, under whom Arjuna had the opportunity to work. Nothing should be performed for sense gratification, but everything should be done for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. This practice will not only save one from the reactions of work but will also gradually rise one to the platform of the transcendental loving service of the Lord which alone can uplift one to the kingdom of God."

Verse number 10: "In the beginning of creation the Lord of all creatures sent forth generations of men and demigods along with sacrifices for Viṣṇu, and blessed them by saying 'Be thou happy by this yajña (sacrifice) because its performance will bestow upon you all desirable things (BG 3.10)."

Prabhupāda: Yes. In the creation, after creation, the yajña was also created and everyone, created being, was ordered to perform the yajñas. One cannot... Yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyā na tyājyam. In the Bhagavad-gītā also you'll find that you may be a renouncer, sannyāsī. A renouncer, you have renounced this world. But the four things, yajña... Yajña means working for satisfaction of Viṣṇu, yajña. Dāna, charity. Yajña, dāna, tapaḥ. Tapaḥ means austerity, following the rules and regulation for spiritual upliftment.

Lecture on BG 3.18-30 -- Los Angeles, December 30, 1968:

There are many pseudo-devotees of Lord Śiva who want to indulge in smoking gāñjā (marijuana) and similar intoxicating drugs, forgetting that by so imitating the acts of Lord Śiva they are calling death very near. Similarly, there are some pseudo-devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa who prefer to imitate the Lord in the matter of the rāsa-līlā or dance of love, forgetting their inability to lift the Govardhana Hill. It is best, therefore, that one not try to imitate the powerful, but simply endeavor to follow their instructions. Nor should one try to occupy the posts of the powerful without qualification. There are so many 'incarnations' of God without the powers of the Supreme Godhead."

Lecture on BG 4.1 and Review -- New York, July 13, 1966:

So such position, I mean to say, Arjuna, did, I mean to say, manifested. He manifested himself as one of us. Otherwise, there was no possibility of speaking Bhagavad-gītā. Although Arjuna... (aside:) You can take your seat. Come here. Come here. Yes.

So Arjuna, although he is a personal devotee of Kṛṣṇa, a personal friend of Kṛṣṇa, he is... Just like we are trying to have Kṛṣṇa consciousness just to make our life perfect. Now, the person who is not only Kṛṣṇa conscious but, I mean to say, constant associate, such a person, Arjuna, he was in bewilderment, "Whether I shall fight with my kinsmen, my brothers and my nephews, my brother-in-laws, my father-in-law, my grandfather, my other friends, so many all?" Because it was a family war, so he was afraid, that "I shall not fight. I shall not fight." It is quite natural.

Lecture on BG 4.1 and Review -- New York, July 13, 1966:

You know that I am the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore you have surrendered yourself unto Me, accepted Me, Myself, as the spiritual master. You know. You are My devotee."

So now, herein we have to understand that unless one is devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa it is not possible for him to understand what is Bhagavad-gītā. It is not possible. Nobody can understand Bhagavad-gītā unless he is a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. That is the first qualification. It is clearly said here. You cannot go beyond Bhagavad-gītā. If you want to understand Bhagavad-gītā, you cannot take help of other methods. You have to take the help as it is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā. He clearly says that bhakto 'si: "You are not only My friend.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Montreal, August 24, 1968:

Why You are speaking to me?" This may be questioned. Why specifically it was spoken to Arjuna? The reply is, bhakto 'si. "The only qualification is that you are My devotee. That's all."

Therefore from the very beginning it is to be understood one who is not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he cannot understand what is Bhagavad-gītā. Those who are not devotees... There are different classes of men. Some of them are karmīs, some of them are jñānīs, some of them are yogis, and some of them are bhaktas. The enlightened, cultivated persons, they can be divided into four groups.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Montreal, August 24, 1968:

And if a rascal thinks that "I am licking this bottle, I am eating honey, I am tasting honey," he's a rascal number one. Simply. So similarly, if one is not bhakta, if one is not Kṛṣṇa's devotee, that rascal cannot understand Bhagavad-gītā. Plainly. Plainly it is stated here. First of all, try to become the devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Then try to understand what is Bhagavad-gītā. Not by your scholarship or by your speculation. Then you'll never understand Bhagavad-gītā. If you have to understand Bhagavad-gītā, then you have to understand by the process as stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, not by your own mental speculation. This is the process of understanding. Bhakto 'si me sakhā ceti.

Lecture on BG 4.3-6 -- New York, July 18, 1966:

It was spoken long, long before. It is that oldest system of yoga I'm speaking to you." Bhakto 'si. Bhakto 'si: "And why I am speaking to you?" This is the point to be noted, that bhakto 'si. This Bhagavad-gītā yoga is to be understood by a person who is a bhakta, who is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Nobody can understand it. Bhakto 'si me sakhā ceti rahasyam... Because there is a mystery, mystery of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which is impossible to be adopted by a person who is not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That is the qualification. To understand, to become Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is rather a difficult job because unless one is a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, it will be a difficult problem. This, this very word, it suggests, bhakto 'si, that one's qualification must be that he's a devotee of Kṛṣṇa so that he can understand Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on BG 4.4 -- Bombay, March 24, 1974:

The mystery of Bhagavad-gītā can be opened, disclosed, to the devotees, not to the nondevotees. The nondevotees may speculate in their specific platform of activities, as politician or as mundane philosopher or mundane scientist, but that is not the fact. The fact should be learned from the devotees of Kṛṣṇa.

Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, and it is being accepted all over the world. We have the greatest sale of our edition, this Bhagavad-gītā. Just three months before I got report. In London, in two months, we sold about thirty thousand copies. And the trades manager of Macmillan Company, he has sent me letter that while the other editions, they're diminishing, this edition is increasing by sale. Why? Because it is presented as it is, without any wrong interpretation. People are appreciating. This is a fact.

Lecture on BG 4.4 -- Bombay, March 24, 1974:

We are now jīva-bhūtaḥ. But people are not interested to become brahma-bhūtaḥ or devotee of Kṛṣṇa. They are interested to continue this material way of life, changing the body. They do not know. They think this body is all in all, but that is not the fact. That is the first instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). You have to change your body, as you are already changing. These are stated there. So yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ (BG 7.3). Even those who are siddha... There are many big, big sannyāsīs, impersonalists. They cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. It is a fact. They consider Kṛṣṇa as ordinary human being. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ (BG 9.11). So it is very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 4.6 -- Bombay, March 26, 1974:

So Kṛṣṇa is not formless. It is not that the devotees of Kṛṣṇa, by imagination, they have... As the Māyāvādī rascals say, that Kr..., "They have made a form by imagination." No. This is, this is described in the Vedas. So... And Kṛṣṇa, when appeared on this planet, the same thing was visible. Those who have seen, authorities... Just like Vyāsadeva, Arjuna. He has seen personally. He has described in the Bhagavad-gītā: paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān: (BG 10.12) "Your personality is unknown to the so-called scholars. But authorities like Vyāsa, Devala, Nārada, Asita, they accept Your this form."

Lecture on BG 4.8 -- Bombay, March 28, 1974:

You have to come back here again. Kṣīṇe puṇye punar martya-lokaṁ viśanti.

These are the statements of Bhagavad-gītā. We should study Bhagavad-gītā very nicely. We can understand. But mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām (BG 9.25). If you prepare your life to become a perfect pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then you go to Kṛṣṇa. What is the difference between going to the Brahmaloka and Kṛṣṇaloka? If you go to Kṛṣṇaloka, yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6), then you haven't got to return again to accept another material body. You go to Kṛṣṇa means you go with your spiritual body. No more material body. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9).

Lecture on BG 4.8 -- Bombay, March 28, 1974:

Glānir bhavati bhārata. Glāniḥ. We should not desire anything except serving Kṛṣṇa. That is our fulfillment of life. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). Or anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11). We should not desire anything except we simply desire how to serve Kṛṣṇa, how to remain a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Then our life is successful.

Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (CC Madhya 19.167). Even we should not speculate so-called knowledge. What kind of knowledge we can get? We are deficient, imperfect in so many ways. So what is the use of speculating, of our knowledge? Therefore jñāna. And karma, fruitive activities. "Let me work hard and get the result and enjoy." This is called karma.

Lecture on BG 4.9 -- Bombay, March 29, 1974:

So if you want to control your tongue, then give him Kṛṣṇa prasādam. That "I'll not accept anything which is not offered to Kṛṣṇa." Then your tongue becomes controlled. And if you can control your tongue, your other senses will be automatically controlled. And yogic perfection means controlling the senses. Yoga indriya-samyamaḥ. So a devotee of Kṛṣṇa is the first-class yogi. That is accepted by Kṛṣṇa.

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

That is being described. Vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhāḥ. Vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhā man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ (BG 4.10). Mām upāśritāḥ, to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. To become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, to become Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Therefore we are canvassing. We are going door to door, country to country, continent to continent, city to city, village to village, "Please become Kṛṣṇa conscious." We are teaching them how you can be happy, vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhāḥ (BG 2.56), how you can be a man of knowledge. That is our business. It is not very difficult. The examples are here. These Europeans, American boys and girls, four or five years ago, they were different persons. But how they have taken to it? People are surprised. Because they have followed what we have said according to the śāstra. They have followed, and they are following. They are trying to follow, sincerely. Therefore they are making progress.

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- Geneva, June 1, 1974:

He is the origin of everything, one who can understand, He is supposed to be mahātmā, the liberated soul, or the great soul. Mahātmā. Mahā means great. Ātmā means soul. But sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. It is very difficult to find out such mahātmā. So the Kṛṣṇa devotees who are engaged in these missionary activities, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, they are not ordinary persons. They are mahātmā, but very rarely to be found. Sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. So although everyone is searching after Kṛṣṇa, either in impersonal Brahman or localized Paramātmā, the person who has understood Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Person, he is the greatest, I mean to say, successful man within this world.

Lecture on BG 4.12-13 -- New York, July 29, 1966:

Because Kṛṣṇa is neither brāhmaṇa nor śūdra nor kṣatriya or anything, anything of the material world. He is transcendental. When we go to Kṛṣṇa with spiritual body, we also become like Kṛṣṇa in transcendental body. That chance is given here. So just it is our duty, everyone.

Lord Caitanya, He is Kṛṣṇa Himself. He appeared as a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, but He never said that "I am Kṛṣṇa." But from Vedic references we understand that He is Kṛṣṇa. But the same mission. The Kṛṣṇa's mission and Lord Caitanya's mission is the same. How it is same? Kṛṣṇa, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He said that "You surrender unto Me," and Lord Caitanya said, "You surrender unto Kṛṣṇa." The same thing. Lord Caitanya said...

Lecture on BG 4.12-13 -- New York, July 29, 1966:

Because it is transcendental subject matter, it does not depend on any material condition, on any material condition. There is no consideration of material impediment. So it is open for everyone. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). That is a chance given, that you can become a brāhmaṇa, you can become a great devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and you can become the spiritual master of the world. That is the... And I think you should take seriously.

I am old man. If you, some of you at least understand this science and take up this science, you become future hope of the, this country or the world. That is my request to you, that you should take this chance and become a spiritual master for all the people.

Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Bombay, April 2, 1974:

Bhagavad-gītā, but they read these faulty commentaries. They cannot understand. Now we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is, and they are now understanding what is real Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore they are now devotees. For the last two hundred years, so many swamis and yogis went there and talked about Bhagavad-gītā. Not a single person became a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Now you will find thousands. Why? The Bhagavad-gītā is being accepted as it is. This is the secret of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

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

Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu five hundred years ago, again He appeared as a devotee, not as Kṛṣṇa. He is Kṛṣṇa, but He appeared as a devotee of Kṛṣṇa to teach us how to become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Again this movement is started to enlighten the human society how to come to his original position of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

So our request is that this movement at least it has come to your country in South Africa and you are welcome. So try to understand this movement, how much it is important. It is not a sentimental movement, neither a so-called... It is actually religious movement, but not so-called religious movement, simply some sentiments and formalities, no. It is practical application in life.

Lecture on BG 4.14 -- Bombay, April 3, 1974:

Because I have prescribed this for the systematic life of all the conditioned soul, it does not mean I am also one of them." Kṛṣṇa is not one of them. And some foolish rascals they say that "Kṛṣṇa is also bound up by the laws of karma."

No. Kṛṣṇa is... Not only Kṛṣṇa, but Kṛṣṇa's devotees also. That is stated here. Iti māṁ yo 'bhijānāti karmabhir na sa badhyate (BG 4.14). Simply by knowing, simply by knowing that Kṛṣṇa is transcendental. Kṛṣṇa gives us prescription how to live in this conditional state, but He is not one of us. He is not one of us. He is above, transcendental. Therefore He says, na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti.

Lecture on BG 4.14 -- Bombay, April 3, 1974:

Because Kṛṣṇa is fighting in the battlefield... He is not fighting. He is directing. Still, you may call that He is inducing Arjuna to fight. That does not mean he is becoming entangled in the karma-phala. Na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti. Apāpa-vidham. Kṛṣṇa is killing so many demons. He is not bound up by karma. Similarly, if we also become devotee of Kṛṣṇa and if we abide by His order, then karma-phala cannot touch us. This is bhakti. Karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām (Bs. 5.54).

Lecture on BG 4.14 -- Bombay, April 3, 1974:

This is the secret. That is clearly stated. Na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti (BG 4.14). He is the Supreme. He can direct, but He is not under the direction. He is free.

Similarly, those who are Kṛṣṇa's devotees, they are also free. Yo mām. Yo mām abhijānāti. Abhijānāti means one who knows that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is not ordinary human being, He is nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13), He is the supreme living entity amongst all living entities, He is the Supreme Living Being amongst all living beings"—that is abhijānāti. Abhijānāti, know with complete experience, not superficially. Iti mām, yo mām abhijānāti. Abhijānāti means "Knows Me perfectly well, that 'Kṛṣṇa is transcendental.' "

Lecture on BG 4.14-19 -- New York, August 3, 1966:

Similarly, the all the energies—the material energy, spiritual energy, lower energy, higher energy—everything is coming out of Kṛṣṇa. So one who has understood this science, the Kṛṣṇa science, budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ... Then what he becomes? His sign that, what is the sign that he has understood? Oh, he becomes a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. He becomes completely Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the sign of being well-versed, well-versed. And this is the sign of becoming the paṇḍita, the learned, paṇḍita, learned.

Lecture on BG 4.17 -- Bombay, April 6, 1974:

The first line is muci haya śuci haya yadi kṛṣṇa bhaje: "One who takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even he is born in the family of cobbler, muci..." Everyone knows, Indians. So muci haya śuci haya, although he is born in the family of a muci, cobbler, he becomes śuci, a brāhmaṇa, by, yadi kṛṣṇa bhaje, if he is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, if he is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And muci haya śuci haya yadi kṛṣṇa bhaje or śuci haya muci haya yadi kṛṣṇa tyaje: "If one is born of a brāhmaṇa family, but gives up Kṛṣṇa bhajana, devotional life, he becomes a muci." Karmaṇā. Because he's changed his karma.

Therefore cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13).

Lecture on BG 4.19 -- New York, August 5, 1966:

Nothing is, I mean to, can be, can exist in this material world unless it is in Kṛṣṇa. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). So these things have to be studied very scientifically and from books like Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and when he is perfectly learned, then his symptom is that he becomes a, a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8): "I am the source, fountainhead," Kṛṣṇa says. "I am the source and fountainhead like, of everything. One who understands this science, then he takes to Kṛṣṇa." How? Now, budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ, with full knowledge, and he becomes a devotee of Kṛṣṇa.

Similarly, so far mahātmā... Mahātmā is a Sanskrit word which is used for great soul. That is also described in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on BG 4.19-22 -- New York, August 8, 1966:

So when they are maintaining their body, they have to commit sins. They have to eat other animals or vegetables. Never mind. So how they are not committing sins? These are very intelligent questions. There is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

A devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, he does not eat anything which is not offered to Kṛṣṇa. Just like you take the remnants of your master. Just like servant takes the remnants of master. The master eats. In India the process is that husband and wife, that after the husband eats, the remnants are taken by the wife. The wife does not eat along with the husband. That is the old system.

Lecture on BG 4.19-22 -- New York, August 8, 1966:

The husband is supplied by the wife all kinds of good dishes, and when the husband is satisfied, some foodstuff is left, and that is taken by the wife. So similarly, a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he does not take anything, does not accept anything, which is not offered to Kṛṣṇa. This is the process. Because his life is full of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

And Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, you will find... Suppose if you want to take things which have been eaten by Kṛṣṇa, then you have to ask Kṛṣṇa, "What do You desire to eat, sir?" Suppose if you want me, to feed, give me some foodstuff, naturally you ask me, "Swamiji, what sort of foodstuff you'll like?" I have got experience here in your country. I was invited in Butler, here also, by some churches, and they wanted to give me some food.

Lecture on BG 4.20-24 -- New York, August 9, 1966:

This is knowledge.

Just like when you chant Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, actually the fact is Kṛṣṇa is dancing on your tongue by sound vibration. Kṛṣṇa is not away. It is stated in the scriptures, nāhaṁ tiṣṭhāmi vaikuṇṭhe. He is addressing Nārada, Nārada, a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa. He is explaining to Nārada, nāhaṁ tiṣṭhāmi vaikuṇṭhe yogināṁ hṛdayeṣu ca. The yogis, the mystic yogis, they try to find out the Supersoul within themself. That is the yoga system. Yoga, actual yoga system, is to concentrate the mind, to focus the mind on the Supersoul. That is yoga system. So Kṛṣṇa says that nāhaṁ tiṣṭhāmi vaikuṇṭhe. In the scriptures we find that kingdom of God, that is called Vaikuṇṭha. Vaikuṇṭha means vigata-kuṇṭha yatra. Kuṇṭha means anxieties. The place where there is no anxieties, that is called Vaikuṇṭha.

Lecture on BG 4.24 -- Bombay, April 13, 1974:

So we have to discuss about Kṛṣṇa amongst the Kṛṣṇa's devotees, not outsiders. Outsiders, they cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. They simply waste their time by commenting upon Bhagavad-gītā. Because they are mūḍhas, they cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa said to Arjuna, "I shall explain Bhagavad-gītā because you are My bhakta." Bhakto 'si priyo 'si (BG 4.3). So who can understand Bhagavad-gītā unless he is a bhakta of Kṛṣṇa?

Lecture on BG 4.24 -- Bombay, April 13, 1974:

"That is now lost. Therefore I shall revive it again, and I shall speak to you, because you are My bhakta, you are My friend."

So this is the qualification of understanding of Bhagavad-gītā: first of all to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise, it is licking the bottle of honey. Here is honey. "Oh, it is honey," and if you go on licking at the bottle, what taste you will get? It must be opened. Then inside.... rahasyaṁ hy etad uttamam. And who can open? The devotee can open. Otherwise lick up, go on, bottle, licking the bottle for many thousands of years. You will never taste what is within.

So those who are actually advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they can understand that everything is Kṛṣṇa. That is really Brahman realization.

Lecture on BG 4.39-42 -- Los Angeles, January 14, 1969:

"Surely, without any doubt, you shall come to Me."

So is there any difficulty? These boys, these girls, what they are doing? Man-manā bhava. They are chanting Kṛṣṇa. That means thinking of Kṛṣṇa. They are devotees of Kṛṣṇa. They are bowing down before the Deity of Kṛṣṇa. They are eating Kṛṣṇa prasādam.

Lecture on BG 4.39-42 -- Los Angeles, January 14, 1969:

So the process is very easy, but we do not want to follow the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, but simply falsely I am proud that "I am reading Bhagavad-gītā." There are so many Bhagavad-gītā readers even in your country, so many. I know. But the real instruction they will not follow. They will interpret in some way, this way, that way. Or some rascal commentator will also induce the reader, "Oh, here Kṛṣṇa says that you become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. It is not up to this Kṛṣṇa. There is another Kṛṣṇa." Just see.

Lecture on BG 4.39-42 -- Los Angeles, January 14, 1969:

Prabhupāda: So we shall stop here? Hare Kṛṣṇa. (devotees offer obeisances) Any questions?

Male devotee (1): When it listed, when in the Gītā it listed the different kinds of sacrifices, it said that sacrifices to the demigods can bring us to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. How is this?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. Because sometimes people are inclined to make some sacrifices to appease the demigods, so these prescriptions are there. Just like somebody is recommended that "If you want to be cured of your disease, then you worship the sun-god. If you want to get a very nice beautiful wife, then you worship Umā, the wife of Lord Śiva." In this way... "If you want to be very learned, then you worship the goddess of learning."

Lecture on BG 6.40-42 -- New York, September 16, 1966:

Either any yoga system, any spiritual life is called yoga. Yoga means to link. We are part and parcel of the supreme absolute, Brahman or Bhagavān, whatever you call, Paramātmā, it doesn't matter. But yoga means linking. So the linking, either you link with impersonal formless, the Supreme Brahman, that is also linking. And if you by meditation you link up with the Supersoul within yourself that is also transcendental activity. Or you directly worship as a devotee, Kṛṣṇa. Anything you adopt, that is spiritual life. But to become Kṛṣṇa conscious or a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, that is the ultimate goal. That we have in the Bhagavad-gītā:

Lecture on BG 6.46-47 -- Los Angeles, February 21, 1969:

Devotee: Prabhupāda, we were reading earlier this morning in Bhagavad-gītā, on the universal form of Kṛṣṇa when He revealed Himself to Arjuna, and He said that celestial beings and devotees and the demons both were fearful when they saw this universal form. How is it that devotees of Kṛṣṇa like demigods can be fearful even if they see Viśvarūpa?

Prabhupāda: Because they cannot love Viśvarūpa. Is that all right? Can you love Viśvarūpa? If Kṛṣṇa comes before you with Viśvarūpa, (laughs) you'll forget your love. Don't try to love Viśvarūpa. Love Śyāmasundara, that's all. We have seen Kṛṣṇa in Viśvarūpa during wartime. I remember I think in 1942, December, date I forget. I was just eating and there was siren of bombing in Calcutta. So the arrangement was as soon as there will be siren of bombing the government selected a place, shelter room, this room in your house will be shelter room.

Lecture on BG 6.47 -- Ahmedabad, December 12, 1972:

A sādhu, the first qualification is he must be a staunch devotee of Kṛṣṇa or God. Whatever you say. That is sādhu. That is the basic definition... Religion means to abide by the orders of God. And sādhu means who is staunchly a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. These are the description of sādhu. Therefore sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83) means to associate with devotees, those who are devotees of Kṛṣṇa. That is sādhu-saṅga. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, in another place, says: sādhu-saṅga sādhu-saṅga sarva-śāstre kaya, lava-mātra sādhu-saṅga... Sādhu-saṅga sādhu-saṅga sarva... lava-mātra sādhu-saṅge sarva-siddhi haya (CC Madhya 22.54).

Lecture on BG 6.47 -- Ahmedabad, December 12, 1972:

That, Kṛṣṇa says: dharmāviruddhaḥ kāma, which is not against religious principle, that sort of lust I am. So when Caitanya Mahāprabhu says: asat eka strī-saṅgī, that means one who is not satisfied. His, I mean to say, religious life with wife. That, that kind... He's asādhu. He's asādhu. Kṛṣṇa... Strī-saṅgī and kṛṣṇa-abhakta. He summarizes the description of asādhu in two words. One who is too much addicted to sense enjoyment and one who not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. He's asādhu.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, March 17, 1968:

Kṛṣṇa is already connected with you. You have forgotten, and we are trying to give you the process how you can revive your original consciousness. So mayy āsakta-manāḥ. So when you come to this place, temple, this is the beginning. This the beginning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If you see Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa's devotees, if you chant "Kṛṣṇa..." Kṛṣṇa is not different from the name because He's absolute. He is not different. The word "Kṛṣṇa" and the person Kṛṣṇa, or God Kṛṣṇa, is not different, because everything is Kṛṣṇa. The oneness, the philosophy of monism or pantheism, is perfect. When that oneness comes in understanding Kṛṣṇa, that is perfection. If Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Absolute Truth from whom everything is emanating, then everything is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, March 26, 1968:

So there is such relationship with Kṛṣṇa and His devotees. Rādhārāṇī, the greatest devotee, the greatest lover of Kṛṣṇa. (break) Nanda-Yaśodā, the lover as parent. Sudāmā, a friend, lover as friend. Arjuna, lover as friend. Similarly, there are millions and trillions of different kinds of devotees of Kṛṣṇa. They are directly playing.

So this yoga system, as described herein, bhakti-yoga, it can be practiced by such persons who have developed such attachment for Kṛṣṇa. Others cannot. And if anyone is able to develop such attachment, then the result will be that he will understand God, or Kṛṣṇa, perfectly. However we may try to understand what is God by our different theories or speculation, it is a very difficult job to understand what is God. We may say that I have..., we have understood what is God, but it is not possible to understand God as He is, because we have got our limited senses and He is unlimited. How you can capture the Unlimited with your limited sense? But it is possible.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Los Angeles, March 12, 1970:

Therefore you have to seek person, from where you have to hear. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Therefore you have to select person, from where to hear. That is the... Either you search or by Kṛṣṇa's grace you get a person who is authorized. Then your life is successful. Some way or other, you have to come. Just like Mahārāja Parīkṣit. He was devotee of Kṛṣṇa from the beginning of his life. Kṛṣṇa sent him, Parīkṣit..., Śukadeva Gosvāmī. "Now Mahārāja Parīkṣit is going to die within seven days. He is very anxious what to do. Please go there." Because Kṛṣṇa is sitting within yourself. As soon as Kṛṣṇa finds that you are very sincere, seeking Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa will immediately give you chance: "Here is chance. Here is chance."

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Los Angeles, March 12, 1970:

Devotee: "One has therefore to learn from Kṛṣṇa directly or from a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa and not from a nondevotee upstart, puffed up with academic education."

Prabhupāda: Yes. If somebody says, "Oh, I am very good scholar in Sanskrit and English and this language, that language. I can explain. I have read so many books, and I can comment. I can give footnote and waste your time," then "Oh, he is very nice." Simply for wasting time and energy, everyone is ready. And as soon as the right thing is given... Right thing... If you say, "Oh, you haven't got to go through so many, I mean to say, process. You simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa," "Oh," they'll say, "this is all nonsense. Simply by chanting?" They will not accept. You see? There are many stories in this connection, how people are not accustomed to take things very simply. They want something bombastic. Yes. You see? Go on.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Auckland, April 15, 1972:

No, that is not the fact. The fact is, as Kṛṣṇa says, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me rahasyaṁ hy etad uttamam: (BG 4.3) "Because you are My devotee, because you are My dear friend, you can understand the mystery of Bhagavad-gītā."

So the ordinary man who is either Kṛṣṇa conscious nor a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he cannot explain Bhagavad-gītā. Whatever they are explaining they are simply spoiling their time and others' also, big, big scholars—I do not wish to discuss—simply misled. Now this movement has begun to present Bhagavad-gītā as it is, and people are taking. People are accepting. So you Indians who are present here, that is my request, that you can do tremendous service on behalf of your country.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 13, 1972:

Similarly, Kṛṣṇa's representative means one who speaks about Kṛṣṇa as Kṛṣṇa speaks. And if he adulterates, he's a liar. He's not representative. He's not representative. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), and if the representative says, "Just become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Just worship Kṛṣṇa. Just offer your obeisances to Kṛṣṇa," he is representative. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), and the representative will say that "You give up all other process. You simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa." He will never say that "I am Kṛṣṇa." He'll never say. He's not representative of Kṛṣṇa. He's a liar. He's not representative.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bombay, January 13, 1973:

He wanted to kill him. You know Prahlāda-caritra. If there is opportunity, we shall speak. It is horrible. Five-years-old boy, because he was chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Nārāyaṇa, the father became enemy. Titikṣava. Therefore a sādhu has to become very tolerant.

Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Haridāsa Ṭhākura became a sādhu, a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. He came from Muhammadan community. In those days, the Muhammadan Kazi, magistrate, called him, that "You are Muhammadan and why you are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, the Hindu's God's name?" So he very mildly replied: "My dear sir, there are many Hindus, they have also become Muhammadans. So suppose I have become a Hindu. So what is the fault?" Oh, he become very angry, and he was ordered to be caned in seven markets. You see. So there are so many dangers. Although the time has..., is not so much polluted. People are liberated, liberal.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Sydney, February 16, 1973:

Api cet sudurācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk, sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ. One who has unflinching faith in Kṛṣṇa, one who is cent percent engaged to render service to Kṛṣṇa, he is called sādhu. Sādhu does not mean a kind of dress or kind of beard. No. Sādhu means a devotee, perfect devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That is a sādhu. Therefore it is recommended, sādhu-saṅga. We have to associate with sādhu, means who have completely dedicated life for Kṛṣṇa's service. That is the injunction in the Bhagavad-gītā. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). This process is very simple. Kṛṣṇa advises Himself how to become a sādhu, how to become a saintly person. That is also. Only follow four principles: man-manā bhava mad-bhakto. You simply think of Kṛṣṇa, man-manā. You just become devotee of Kṛṣṇa, man-manā bhava mad-bhak... Mad-yājī—you simply worship Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Melbourne, June 29, 1974 :

The guru will teach his disciple that "You surrender to Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa is God, He is saying "Surrender to Me," and guru is saying "You surrender to Kṛṣṇa." Therefore the statement is the same. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru, so guru will say the same thing, that "You always think of Kṛṣṇa, you become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, you offer worship to Kṛṣṇa, you offer your obeisances." This is guru's business. Not that because in the śāstra it is said that guru should be honored as Kṛṣṇa, as bhagavān, therefore guru will think, "I have become bhagavān." No. That is māyāvāda. The disciple will offer as respect, as much respect he offers to Kṛṣṇa, to guru. That is the śāstric injunction. For that reason the real guru will not think that "I have become Kṛṣṇa." Kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo. By the mercy of guru, you get the mercy of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:

Just like you have come here with some śraddhā, some faith. This is required. And you have to increase this śraddhā, this faith, more and more. How it can be increased? Sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83), to intermingle with the persons who are engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ. Sādhu means who is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise he is not sādhu. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). That is sādhu. You cannot create sādhu unless he is devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. He is sādhu. So if you want to increase your advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you have to intermingle with the person who is sādhu, who are sādhu, mean devotees. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ.

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

He does not say tulasī leaf. So what is the difficulty to secure a little water, a leaf, or a small flower? Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam. The real thing is bhakti. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam. So, mad-bhakta, if you are poorest of the poor you can become a devotee. Ahaituky apratihatā yayātmā suprasīdati. If you want to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, there is no impediment throughout the three worlds within the universe. You can become a devotee, it is so easy. If you want to be a rich man it requires so much trouble. Rather, so long you do not desire to become a rich man, you are peaceful. And as soon as you desire to become a rich man, it will be all activities: how to acquire money this way or that way, this way... Everyone tries to become rich man because generally one thinks that at old age I'll get some income and I shall sit down very peacefully. So you are already sitting down peacefully. Why you take another means?

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Ahmedabad, December 14, 1972:

They are called karmīs. Koṭi-karma-niṣṭha-madhye eka jñānī śreṣṭha. One becomes jñānī, he is chief. Then koṭi, koṭi-jñāni-madhye haya eka-jana mukta. Out of many thousands of jñānīs, one becomes actually liberated. And koṭi-mukta-madhye durlabha eka kṛṣṇa-bhakta. He says, "Out of many muktas, liberated souls, it is very difficult to find out a kṛṣṇa-bhakta, a devotee of Kṛṣṇa." These things are there.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Ahmedabad, December 14, 1972:

So this is not the subject matter of the mental speculators. Better not to read all these books. Because they are not realized souls, neither they are devotees of Kṛṣṇa. Neither do they know what is Kṛṣṇa. So what they will understand about Kṛṣṇa? So if we want to understand Kṛṣṇa, er, gopīs, then we have to learn it from the perfect devotee of Kṛṣṇa, not from the speculators, mental speculators. This is simply a waste of time. Just like Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, rūpa-raghunātha-pade haibe ākuti, kabe hāma bujhabo se yugala-pīriti. Yugala-pīriti, the love between Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī... The gopīs are expansion of Rādhārāṇī, pleasure potency of Kṛṣṇa... These are all spiritual subject matter. So this is not mental. An ordinary man, if he thinks that "I am becoming go...," that is artificial.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:

That is the system of paramparā. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). If you increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa, that attachment, and if you increase your attachment for a person who is devotee of Kṛṣṇa, it is the same. Just like electricity. If one thing is charged with the electricity power, if somebody touches it, he also becomes electrified. We have got daily experience that from the electric powerhouse, the electric wires are distributed, and as soon as we join the plugs, immediately it is electrified. Similarly, paramparā system... Kṛṣṇa is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead. The words given by Kṛṣṇa. If you carry as it is carried by other disciplic succession, then you are in touch with Kṛṣṇa. That is called yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ, always being linked up with Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, February 18, 1974:

You can understand that "Kṛṣṇa was an India in...," He was born like that. Just like Arjuna also said, aparaṁ bhavato janma paraṁ janma vivasvataḥ, katham etad vijānīyām. So he also... Arjuna understood Kṛṣṇa because Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna was devotee of Kṛṣṇa. But to clear the idea of Kṛṣṇa, as the rascals take, he asked this question, aparaṁ bhavato janma, that "Your birth is just recently, say a hundred years ago, but the sun planet? Millions, millions of years. How can I believe that you spoke this philosophy, or science, to the sun-god, Vivasvān?"

Lecture on BG 7.5 -- Nairobi, November 1, 1975:

And you can understand by the one symptom. Just like pressing one rice from the whole pot of the rice you can understand the rice is quite all right, similarly, by one symptom you can understand who is a rascal, by one symptom. What is that? Na māṁ prapadyante. He is not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa? He's a rascal. That's all. Immediately you take it without any consideration that anyone who is not devotee of Kṛṣṇa, who is not prepared to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, he's a rascal. That's all. This is our conclusion.

Lecture on BG 7.7 -- Bombay, February 22, 1974:

If you don't accept in this life... But if you are sincere to understand what is God, then you'll have to wait for many other lives. Life after life, you have to struggle. And then, by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, if you come in touch with a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then you'll understand what is Kṛṣṇa. That is the beginning, teaching of Kṛṣṇa. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu. Out of many, many millions of persons, one is trying to make his life perfect. Everyone, mostly, 99.9%, they are blind. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ. They are being led by blind men. They are blind, and they are led by blind men. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). They do not know that the ultimate goal of life is to understand Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa, and go back to Him.

Lecture on BG 7.9 -- Vrndavana, August 15, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa wants everyone, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). A guru's business is that. Guru does not mean that he takes the position of Kṛṣṇa. He simply teaches people that "You accept Kṛṣṇa the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You surrender unto Him. You always think of Him. You always offer your obeisances. You become a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa." This is guru's business. It is not very difficult. Anyone who is sincerely following Kṛṣṇa's instruction and instructing others also to do that, that is ācārya. Āpani ācari prabhu jīvere śikhāya. This is ācārya. You behave yourself exactly as it is stated in the śāstra, as it is ordered by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, as it is ordered by Kṛṣṇa... Āpani ācari jīvere śikhāya. And you teach all your disciples, who comes to you as your disciples, teach them. This is ācārya.

Lecture on BG 7.11-12 -- Bombay, February 25, 1974:

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that dharmāviruddho bhūteṣu kāmo 'smi bharatarṣabha. Who is following the, strictly the regulative principles, even in sex life he can see Kṛṣṇa. Which is considered abominable, but even in sex life, if you are following the rules and regulations, you can see Kṛṣṇa. Therefore when such sons are begotten, they become devotees of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore according to Hindu principles, there is garbhādhāna-saṁskāra, ten kinds of saṁskāras, reformative measures. So the sex life should be also open to the saṁskāra. It is a saṁskāra. Garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. Garbhādhāna-saṁskāra means when you are going to make your wife pregnant, there is saṁskāra, there is ceremony.

Lecture on BG 8.22-27 -- New York, November 20, 1966:

Yes, at any moment, there may be danger of war declaration and all these innocent youths may be called to fight. So it is always, however you may think that "I am independent nation" and this and that, you should always remember that this material world is full of danger. It is a dangerous spot. Therefore, who are Kṛṣṇa conscious, who are devotee of Kṛṣṇa, for them, this dangerous place is not suitable. This dangerous... Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām (SB 10.14.58). Padaṁ padam. In every step there is danger. This place is not suitable for the devotees of the Lord. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām. In the Bhāgavata... They are not meant for remaining this miserable, dangerous place. Yes.

Lecture on BG 9.1 -- Vrndavana, April 17, 1975:

I am envious to the devotees, but I am not envious to Kṛṣṇa," no, no, Kṛṣṇa does not accept that kind of business. You... First of all, you should be nonenvious to the devotee. Mad-bhaktaḥ pūjyābhyadhikaḥ. "If you are envious to My devotee and if you become a devotee, that is not." That is stated that one who is directly devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he is not devotee. One who is devotee through His devotee, he is devotee.

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- New York, November 22, 1966:

He's American," or "He's black. He's white," or "He's educated. He's noneducated." No. "Everyone should come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness." That is his viewpoint. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. When one is qualified in that way, then mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām (BG 18.54). Lord Kṛṣṇa says "Then he becomes eligible for becoming a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa." So practically this process, under regulative principles, is not very easy, especially in this age. In this age, the description of the people are that prāyeṇa alpāyuṣaḥ: "Their duration of life is very short." And prāyeṇālpāyuṣaḥ mandāḥ. Manda means very slow. Sleeping, out of twenty-four hours, sleeping twelve hours, and out of twelve hours, they're busy in earning money ten hours. Then two hours left. What he can do for spiritual understanding. There's no time.

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

Kṛṣṇa preached this Bhagavad-gītā, five thousand years ago, but it was not broadly preached. It was spoken on the battlefield of Kurukṣetra. Arjuna knew it and some of his other friends. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu is also Kṛṣṇa. He appeared as a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. And He distributed this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and He wanted that every Indian should seriously take this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, make his life perfect, and distribute the knowledge. This is India's duty. So you have got one opportunity, you Indian people, that you take this advantage of distributing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is good for you and for everyone who takes the knowledge very adherently. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says... This is Ninth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā where He is speaking plainly about bhāgavata-bhakti. And this knowledge is described as rāja-guhyam.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Calcutta, March 9, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa says, "It is meant for you, Arjuna, because you are My devotee," bhakto 'si, priyo 'si me (BG 4.3). Nobody can understand Bhagavad-gītā unless one is very dear to Kṛṣṇa and bhakta of Kṛṣṇa. Nobody can understand. That is the first step. One must be very dear to Kṛṣṇa and one must be a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then he can touch Bhagavad-gītā. Of course, there are so many things, jñāna-yoga, bhakti-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, haṭha-yoga, karma-yoga. So many yogas are there. But Kṛṣṇa says, "The most confidential part of knowledge, My dear Arjuna, I am giving you, because you are so, My dear friend," sarva guhyatamam, the Eighteenth Chapter, that, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ (BG 18.66), man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namas...

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Melbourne, April 22, 1976:

To surrender to Kṛṣṇa is the best tactful and if you surrender, He will give you instruction. Then all tactfulness will be there. Teṣām aham.

teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ

bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam

dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ

yena mām upayānti te

(BG 10.10)

If you become completely surrendered, devotee of Kṛṣṇa—He is within your heart—He will give you right instruction so that every sphere of life you'll be perfect.

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

Not the rascals and nonsense, but those who have intelligence, budhāḥ. Bodha. Bodha means knowledge, and budha means one who possesses knowledge. So those who are devotees of Kṛṣṇa, they are not rascals. They are not rascals. They are budhāḥ. Not only budhāḥ, but also bhāva-samanvitāḥ. Bhāva-samanvita means a person who has understood Kṛṣṇa or who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he feels the presence of Kṛṣṇa everywhere. Bhāva-samanvitāḥ. Budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ. The same thing is confirmed in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. The mahā-bhāgavata, one who is advanced in spiritual consciousness, he sees everywhere Kṛṣṇa. And that is a fact. He does not see anything...

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

He is canvassing, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). He is canvassing. But the mūḍhas, they will not accept it. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ. "Oh. Why shall I accept Kṛṣṇa? I have got my own God. I manufacture my God." So we have got very short-cut criterion to understand a rascal and intelligent man. What is that? If he is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then he is intelligent man. If he is not, then he's rascal. That's all.

"No, he does not accept Kṛṣṇa as God, but he has many other gods." Especially in our Hindu society, they say, the Māyāvāda philosophers, they say that everyone is God. How everyone can be God? If everyone is God, then what is the significance of God? Even not demigods... In śāstra it says, yas tu nārāyaṇaṁ devaṁ brahma-rudrādi-daivataiḥ (CC Madhya 18.116).

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

Those who are budhas, they are Kṛṣṇa conscious. They are devotees of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa ye bhaje sei baḍa catura. Without being very, very intelligent, nobody can become Kṛṣṇa conscious, devotee of Kṛṣṇa. These mūḍhas cannot become. It is not possible. If you want to remain a mūḍha, then you can not understand. When your mūḍhatvam, your "unwisdom" will go... How it will go? Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). If you cultivate knowledge, spiritual knowledge for many, many births, bahūnāṁ janma. Because you will not accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead simply by saying by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, "Yes, I am the Supreme Personality of Godhead." If you don't believe it, then you have to cultivate knowledge for many, many births. You have to take birth and cultivate spiritual knowledge, again die, again come, again come, again take birth. This will go on continuously. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19).

Lecture on BG 9.15 -- New York, December 1, 1966:

And namanta eva: "And be submissive." Namanta eva jīvanti san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. In this way, if one lives and hears, san-mukharitām, from the realized soul... Just like Arjuna is hearing from Kṛṣṇa, from the perfect person, san-mukharitām. Kṛṣṇa or His representative. His representative is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is just like... Arjuna. Arjuna was made representative of Kṛṣṇa. How? Because Arjuna, Kṛṣṇa said, bhakto 'si: "You are My devotee." So nobody can become representative of Kṛṣṇa, or God, without becoming His devotee. One who thinks that "I am God," he cannot become the representative of God. Suppose some of your representatives... You are a businessman.

Lecture on BG 9.29-32 -- New York, December 20, 1966:

So now, somebody may say that "If a devotee is engaged in the service of the Lord, that's all right, but if his behavior is not up to the standard, then what happens to him?" Of course, a devotee is naturally developed, developing the twenty-six good qualities, but even if he does not develop those qualities... Of course, that very quality, that he is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, that is sufficient. But still, if somebody is not up to the point, but he is unflinching, not moving, he is perfect devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then Lord Kṛṣṇa says, api cet su-durācāraḥ. Api cet su-durācāraḥ. Durācāraḥ means his conduct is not good, and su-durācāraḥ means still further. So api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk.

Lecture on BG 9.29-32 -- New York, December 20, 1966:

That simple one qualification, that he is Kṛṣṇa conscious, and he is acting sincerely, but failing sometime, but still, he is to be taken as sādhu." Sādhu means honest, religious, pious. Sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). And one may say that "Yes, because he is devotee of God, devotee of Kṛṣṇa, we may call him sādhu, but not cent percent." But Kṛṣṇa says, "No, cent percent sādhu. In spite of his bad character, he is cent percent sādhu."

So this is the recommendation. Why? Why is Kṛṣṇa stressing on this point, that "whatever he may be, still he is honest, he is sādhu, he is religious, he is pious"? Why? That is to be understood in the next... So this su-durācāraḥ... Su-durācāraḥ means that according to time, according to circumstances, according to so many... There are influences.

Lecture on BG 10.1 -- New York, December 30, 1966:

I like this portion, therefore I accept it. This sort of studying Bhagavad-gītā is useless, nonsense. Sarvam etad ṛtaṁ manye (BG 10.14). "Whatever You have said, I accept it." That is stated.

Similarly, a teacher of Bhagavad-gītā should be a representative of Kṛṣṇa. Representative of Kṛṣṇa means a confidential devotee, unalloyed devotee of Kṛṣṇa. The same thing. He also accepted Kṛṣṇa as his... The student also should be like that. Then the study of Bhagavad-gītā is perfect. Otherwise, it is useless waste of time.

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Paris, August 10, 1973:

Laws means it is meant for the human being. Laws means: "You should do this, you should not do this." This is law, as state law, or any law. Nature's law. Everywhere. So human being, for human being, Kṛṣṇa is advising: patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). Because every human being must be a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That is his first business. So for a devotee, Kṛṣṇa says: patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. This is the order.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 2, 1973:

This is the central point. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanāḥ sarvair guṇair tatra samāsate surāḥ. All the qualities of the demigods, sura... Sura and asura. Sura means demigods or gods, and asura means demons. So if one becomes devotee of Kṛṣṇa... Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanāḥ. Akiñcana. Pridelessness. Akiñcana. Kṛṣṇa's another name is Akiñcana-gocara. He can be understood by akiñcana, one who thinks himself as very humble, meek. That is also said in the Bible, that one has to become meek and humble. Then he can understand. And that is also Kṛṣṇa demanding, that "First surrender. Become humble and meek." This is the verdict of all Vedic śāstras.

Lecture on BG 13.18 -- Bombay, October 12, 1973:

Somebody says jñāna. Somebody says yoga. Somebody says bhakti.

But actually Bhagavad-gītā is meant for bhaktas. Bhakto 'si sakhā ceti. Bhagavad-gītā was instructed to Arjuna for his only qualification, that he was a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Bhakto 'si me sakhā ceti. So the whole Bhagavad-gītā is the essence of Vedic knowledge, and the Vedic knowledge means to understand Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). Vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). Even if you study Vedic literature, without bhakti, without studying the Vedic literature, you cannot understand the Absolute Truth. Bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā. Tac chraddadhānā munayo jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā (SB 1.2.12). Tac chraddadhānā munayaḥ.

Lecture on BG 13.19 -- Bombay, October 13, 1973:

Unless one is devotee, one cannot.

That is so the politicians they cannot understand Bhagavad-gītā. They will simply misuse. The politicians, the scholars, the so-called scholars, they cannot understand. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25). They cannot understand. You have to become a devotee. Mad-bhakta. Devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Not that... deśa-bhakta. "That I am deśa-bhakta. I am a bhakta of my wife, I am bhakta of my country." No no, you cannot understand. You get out. Mad-bhakta, kṛṣṇa-bhakta. It is clearly said. How these rascals try to explain Bhagavad-gītā without becoming kṛṣṇa-bhakta?

Lecture on BG 13.20 -- Bombay, October 14, 1973:

They are not false. But they are manifested, sometimes not manifested.

And when we do not like to obey Kṛṣṇa we cannot live in the spiritual world. In the spiritual world there is no such thing, disobedience. There is always... They are all devotees. Just like in Vṛndāvana. They are all devotees of Kṛṣṇa. Somebody is serving Kṛṣṇa as father and mother, Nanda Mahārāja, Yaśodā, and somebody is serving as friend; somebody is serving as servant; somebody is serving as conjugal lover. In this way there are five kinds of service, mellows, whatever you like. Everybody is not like... There is taste. "I like to serve Kṛṣṇa as a conjugal lover." "I like to love Kṛṣṇa as my son." "I like to love Kṛṣṇa as my friend." "I like to love Kṛṣṇa as my master." "I simply love Kṛṣṇa by glorifying Him."

Lecture on BG 13.24 -- Bombay, October 23, 1973:

Sometimes foolish people say that "Bhakti-yoga is meant for the less intelligent class of men." But he is less intelligent. Unless one is very, very intelligent, he cannot take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore Caitanya-caritāmṛta author says, kṛṣṇa yei bhaje sei baḍa catura: "Unless one is very intelligent, he cannot become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa." Because he knows everything.

Lecture on BG 16.5 -- Calcutta, February 23, 1972:

Now you can say that "Arjuna was a fighter, and there was great need of the Kurukṣetra fighting, so he satisfied Kṛṣṇa, but I am a poor man, I am not Kṣatriya, not (indistinct)." That doesn't matter. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). No, you come here. Here is Kṛṣṇa. You always think of Kṛṣṇa, man-manā. You become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Whatever you can, offer to Kṛṣṇa. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī: you worship Kṛṣṇa. If you don't come here, you can do it in, at your home. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Somehow or other, you become Kṛṣṇa conscious. There is no difficulty. "No, I have no money. I cannot worship Kṛṣṇa in this way, so gorgeously." No. That Kṛṣṇa does not say. Kṛṣṇa says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalam: "If you are poor man, all right, you give Me little fruit, little flower, little water, I'll eat it." Then what do you want more? Or if you cannot do anything, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 16.5 -- Calcutta, February 23, 1972:

He immediately takes up, Arjuna: mā śucaḥ. "You are, you are already developed with daivī, daivī sampat." Mā śucaḥ: "You haven't got to worry."

Abhijāto 'si, "From the birth you are born devotee; therefore daivī sampat. You are born devotee." The Pāṇḍava, whole Pāṇḍava family, they are devotees. Therefore, simply if you become devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, then you acquire all the daivī sampat, and then your life is successful. You become.

In another place also Kṛṣṇa says, in the Fourth Chapter, that janma karma me divyam (BG 4.9). Without daivī sampat nobody can understand Kṛṣṇa. Without daivī sampat. Both ways. If you try to understand Kṛṣṇa, then automatically the daivī sampat will be developed; or by developing daivī sampat you can understand Kṛṣṇa. But that is very difficult.

Lecture on BG 16.7 -- Tokyo, January 27, 1975:

People do not know it. So we Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we are simply trying to make the asuras as sura. This is our movement. Anyone who is not devotee, he is asura. It doesn't matter whether he is born in some country or some family. It doesn't matter. If he is not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then he is asura. When we speak of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa means God. Anyone who is nondevotee of God, who is not God conscious, he is asura. That is the injunction. Viṣṇu-bhakto bhaved daiva asuras tad-viparyayaḥ. This is the distinction. Devatā means viṣṇu-bhakta, great devotee of the Supreme Lord. Viṣṇu means the Supreme Lord, all-pervading. Viṣṇu-bhakto bhaved daiva asuras tad... And those who are not devotees, Godless, without any God consciousness, they are all asuras. So this movement is to make asuras as suras.

Lecture on BG 16.7 -- Sanand, December 26, 1975:

Desiring liberation, that is called mukti, and... Or become one with the Supreme Brahman, that is mukti. And siddhi, yogis, they are trying to achieve some success in aṣṭa-siddhi, aṇimā, laghimā. So everyone is desiring. So therefore Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, kṛṣṇa-bhakta niṣkāma: "A devotee of Kṛṣṇa is not desirous of anything, either bhukti, mukti, or siddhi." The purport is, so long you desire something, you'll never get peace of mind. And a bhakta does not desire anything. He is satisfied with any position, whatever is offered to him by Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 16.8 -- Tokyo, January 28, 1975:

Any wonderful work, if somebody has done, that is Kṛṣṇa. So you have to see Kṛṣṇa in this way, as Kṛṣṇa advises. Then very soon you will see Kṛṣṇa. There is no question of not seeing Him. You will see in every moment. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva (Bs. 5.38), twenty-four hours. Those who are actually Kṛṣṇa devotees, they are seeing Kṛṣṇa. They are seeing nothing but Kṛṣṇa. There is no question of not seeing Him, but you have to adopt the method how to see Him. And that is given there. You adopt it, and you will see Kṛṣṇa. Where is the difficulty? Any other question? This Bhagavad-gītā, if you study minutely—this is the science of God—you will see God, you will see Kṛṣṇa, and you will understand everything. Therefore we are present...

Lecture on BG 16.11-12 -- Hawaii, February 7, 1975:

You cannot stop thinking even for a moment. Simply you have to practice. Instead of thinking these material things, you think of Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted.

That Kṛṣṇa advises, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī mām. Man-manāḥ... If you think of Kṛṣṇa always, then naturally you become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. And mad-yājī, and if you actually become devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then you shall worship Kṛṣṇa. And if you actually worship Kṛṣṇa, then you must offer obeisances to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa advises four things, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Then what will be the result? Mām evaiṣyasi. Simply by practicing these four things... It does not require any MA, PhD, degree. Simply you have to agree, "Yes, I shall think of Kṛṣṇa, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa."

Lecture on BG 18.67 -- Ahmedabad, December 10, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This simple fact cannot be understood by any man who has not undergone some austerities, penances, and who has not become a devotee. It is not possible. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is warning: "Don't speak to these nonsense. They will not understand." But a devotee of Kṛṣṇa tries to make them devotee. Because Kṛṣṇa, in the next verse, says, ya idaṁ paramaṁ guhyaṁ mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati (Bg 18.68). Mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati. Here, in this verse, it is said, nābhaktāya: "Don't speak this truth of Bhagavad-gītā to the abhaktas," but if you can speak to the bhaktas... Ya idaṁ paramaṁ guhyam. Paramaṁ guhyam. It is the most confidential knowledge, most confidential part of Vedic knowledge. It is said in the beginning: sarva-guhyatamam.

Lecture on BG 18.67 -- Ahmedabad, December 10, 1972:

So our request is, those who are actually intelligent: "Take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement seriously, especially Indians, and try to preach all over the world." They are also hankering after it. And Kṛṣṇa says that simply by trying to preach the philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā as it is, then he become a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Bhaktiṁ mayi parām. Parā-bhakti. That parā-bhakti, already explained:

Lecture on BG 18.67 -- Ahmedabad, December 10, 1972:

Prabhupāda: Nistraiguṇya. As soon as you become a devotee, you become nistraiguṇya. As soon as you become a devotee, pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, you are situated on the platform of nistraiguṇya.

Indian man (1): Traiguṇya-viṣayā vedāḥ...

Prabhupāda: Traiguṇya means these three qualities: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So the whole Vedic literature is describing how to get out of this entanglement of three guṇas. So as soon as you come out of these three guṇas, then you become nistraiguṇya.

Indian man (1): Nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna.

Lecture on BG 18.67-69 -- Ahmedabad, December 9, 1972:

Why You are selecting me? I am not a Vedantist. I am not a sannyāsī. I am ordinary gṛhastha. That also, I am a soldier, fighting man. Why You are selecting me?" Bhakto 'si: "Because you are My devotee." Nobody can understand Bhagavad-gītā unless he's a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. It is not a rascaldom, that you speculate some interpretation, speculation. No, these things are not allowed, strictly. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without any malinterpretation. This is the significance. And people are appreciating. Macmillan Company, our publisher, they printed fifty thousand copies of this book in August, and it was finished by October. Not in this country, of course. In Europe and America. We have got very good demand for our books, all these books. We are selling twenty-five to thirty thousand rupees' worth books daily all over the world.

Lecture on BG Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 8, 1972:

Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without nonsensically interpreting. Therefore it is being effective. Before me, many swamis went to the Western countries to preach this Bhagavad-gītā. Not a single person became a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Not a single person. There is not in the history. And now Bhagavad-gītā is being presented as it is, thousands are becoming devotee of Kṛṣṇa. This is the secret. People give me credit that "Swamiji, you have done wonderful. Nobody could do it." I am not a wonderful man. Neither I do know anything magic. I have presented Bhagavad-gītā as it is. That's all. This is the secret. Anyone can do that. You present the thing as it is. Don't adulterate it. Then it will be accepted. Just like paramānna, kṣīra. Kṣīra is very nice food, but if you adulterate it with some grains of sand, it is spoiled. It is spoiled.

Lecture on BG Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 8, 1972:

Because Arjuna was not a Vedantist. He was a military man. He's not supposed to become a great philosopher. He was a gṛhastha. But the real qualification is to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Then one can understand what is Bhagavad-gītā. Not by so-called knowledge. No. Knowledge is not perfect unless one understands Kṛṣṇa. That is not knowledge. That is still illusion. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). Māṁ prapadyate: "He surrenders unto Me."

Lecture on BG Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 8, 1972:

We must try to understand Kṛṣṇa as He is. Then our life will be successful. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Go back to home, go back to Godhead. This is very simple philosophy. And everything is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. If we are fortunate enough, we should study Bhagavad-gītā as it is. And then we become successful in the mission of our life.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (devotees offer obeisances) (break)

Page Title:	Devotees of Krsna (Lectures, BG)
Compiler:	Mayapur, RupaManjari
Created:	04 of Oct, 2011
Totals by Section:	BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=138, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:	138