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Directly (Lectures, BG chapters 5 - 18)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 5.3-7 -- New York, August 26, 1966:

So yoga, this word yoga, means to come in direct touch with the absolute light or Absolute Truth. That is called yoga. So by analytical, analytical study of this material world, that is not sufficient. Unless you come in direct touch with the Supreme Absolute Truth, this knowledge has no value. This knowledge has no value. If you want, you can study anything, any straw in the street. You can make a very analytical study of the straw. But that sort of knowledge has no value unless you come to the point of our spiritual existence. So sāṅkh... So Kṛṣṇa says... The idea of sāṅkhya-yoga, analytical study of this material world, means you have to find out the spiritual existence. And that spiritual existence you can have when you directly come to the spiritual life. So direct process is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa is just like the sun.

Lecture on BG 5.17-25 -- Los Angeles, February 8, 1969:

They are not same thing. Apparently it seems that the same thing but it is not the same thing.

Kṛṣṇa says, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya: (BG 4.9) "Just after finishing this body he does not come again to this material world. He goes directly to Me." So there must be death either of the devotee or of the nondevotee. But those who are devotees, constantly in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they will be carried to Vaikuṇṭha and others will come back to accept any form of body. Therefore the method should be that we should... sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ (BG 8.6). Twenty-four hours, we shall remain in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Even death takes place, you are not loser. That's all.

Lecture on BG 5.22-29 -- New York, August 31, 1966:

This is yoga process. Kṛṣṇa is advising that yoga process. Yoga process means to come to the point of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But one who directly goes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he hasn't got to practice this. But still, the practice is recommended here, sparśān kṛtvā bahir bāhyāṁś cakṣuś caivāntare bhruvoḥ. We have to put our eyeballs within the... What is called? Eyebrow, yes. Eyebrow. And prāṇāpānau samau kṛtvā. There are five kinds of air passing within our body: prāṇa, apāna, vyāna, udāna... There are different names of the air. So controlling them, prāṇāpānau samau kṛtvā and nāsābhyantara-cāriṇau. They are coming, breathing control. These are the process. Those who are have practiced this yoga process, they can know.

Lecture on BG 6.1-4 -- New York, September 2, 1966:

"You have no other business than to think of Me." So this is the yoga system, this is the sannyāsa system, this is the jñāna system. All perfections of jñāna, yoga, dhyāna, and whatever, sacrifice, charity, and penance, all the recommended activities for spiritual realization ends in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So if you directly become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then you are yogi, sannyāsī, and everything. As it is stated here, sa sannyāsī ca yogī ca. "He is sannyāsī, he is yogi, and he is everything." He's everything. So this simple method, to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, is the highest perfection of life. Therefore this society is established for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The techniques are there in the Bhagavad-gītā and there are Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Just try to accept this principle of life and your, this human form of life will be successful and perfect by Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on BG 6.2-5 -- Los Angeles, February 14, 1969:

These instances we see from authoritative scripture. But he was simply keeping Kṛṣṇa in his mind. And he defeated the greatest yogi. Durvāsā Muni, he was so perfect yogi, that within one year he traveled all over this material space and beyond this material space in the spiritual space, went directly to the abode of God, Vaikuṇṭha, and saw the Personality of Godhead personally. Still he was so weak that he has to come back and fall down on the feet of Mahārāja Ambarīṣa. But Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, he was ordinary king, he was simply thinking of Kṛṣṇa, that's all. These instances we'll see.

Lecture on BG 6.13-15 -- Los Angeles, February 16, 1969:

I'm claiming this is my head. But If ask anybody, "Do you know how many hairs you have got in your body?" That kind of knowledge is not knowledge. But the Supreme, Bhāgavata says that He knows everything directly and indirectly. I know I am eating, but I do not know how my eating process is helping my circulation of blood, how it is being transformed, how it is working, how it going through the veins. I do not know anything. But God must be He who knows everything, every corner of His creation what is going on He must know. Therefore the Bhāgavata explains, that Supreme Truth, from whom everything is emanated, He must be supremely cognizant. Abhijñaḥ. Abhijñaḥ means cognizant.

Lecture on BG 6.13-15 -- Los Angeles, February 16, 1969:

That this, I mean to say, process of sitting and seeing the tip of your nose and sitting straight, all these means will help you to concentrate your mind on the Viṣṇu form, or Kṛṣṇa. One should meditate upon Me. This meditation means meditation on Kṛṣṇa. So here in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, it is directly simply on Kṛṣṇa. There is nothing, therefore nobody is better meditator than these boys. They are simply concentrating on Kṛṣṇa. Their whole business is Kṛṣṇa. They're working in the garden, digging the earth, "Oh, there will be nice rose, we shall offer to Kṛṣṇa."

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

Ātmaupamyena sarvatra samaṁ paśyati yo 'rjuna. Please come forward. Sukhaṁ vā yadi vā duḥkhaṁ sa yogī paramo mataḥ (BG 6.32). Now, we have been discussing for the last few days about the perfect form of yoga. Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is teaching Arjuna directly the perfect form of yoga. If you actually want to perform the yoga system, then here is authoritative statement by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So we have discussed in details. Now, after hearing the system, Arjuna is replying. Just mind that, that the whole thing was being described in the battlefield, in the battlefield. This whole Bhagavad-gītā was taught to Arjuna in the battlefield. And when Arjuna was just going to release his arms on the opposite party, on the enemy's party, he thought... He got a sentiment: "So why this fighting with my own kinsmen?" That was his illusion, and to eradicate that illusion of Arjuna's, this Bhagavad-gītā was explained by Lord Kṛṣṇa.

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

So He has got unlimited names also. Kṛṣṇa, of course, is the chief name, but He has got many other unlimited names also. So one of the names of Madhusūdana. Madhusūdana means He killed a demon, a very great demon. Therefore since then, His name is Madhusūdana. So what is the purpose of "Madhusūdana"? Why he is addressing... He could address, "Kṛṣṇa," directly because he is more known to Kṛṣṇa as friend, Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna. Why he is asking, why he is saying, "Madhusūdana"? That means this mind is as a big demon, just like Madhu. If it is possible to kill the demon, then we can attain yoga. You see? That, the particular purpose of Madhusūdana, that "You are a killer of Madhu demon. Now I think my mind is stronger than this Madhu demon. So if You can kill it, then it is possible for me to accept this yoga system." The mind is so agitated.

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

So similarly, if what was impossible for Arjuna, such a stalwart, such an advanced and, I mean to say, in every respect, and directly a friend of Kṛṣṇa, he is admitting that "Kṛṣṇa, this process is not possible for me. Oh, I am a military man. I have to look after the administrative affairs. So how can I concentrate my mind in that way which you have prescribed? So it is not possible for me." He flatly denied. He flatly denied.

And he never attempted it also because from the history of Mahābhārata we don't find that Arjuna ever went for meditation of the yoga system. No, never. But still, he was certified by Kṛṣṇa that "You are the only man to understand Bhagavad-gītā. You are the only man." Why? Bhakto 'si: "Because you are My devotee." Priyo 'si: (BG 4.3) "You are My very dear friend." So with such a nice certificate and such favorable condition, still, he refused.

Lecture on BG 6.35-45 -- Los Angeles, February 20, 1969:

So that means if you execute these prescribed methods, then you become freed from material contamination. Then you are actually situated for linking up, for making connection with the Supreme. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Our method is directly to connect you. That is the special gift of Lord Caitanya. Immediately to contact him with Kṛṣṇa. Because ultimately you have to come to that point, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So here this method is that directly, immediately. And it is practical also. Those who have no qualification, they simply by coming in contact with the society they have become highly advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is practical. So in this age we have to give chance to the people, direct contact.

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

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 6.40-42 -- New York, September 16, 1966:

No. If you make perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then after leaving this body you go directly to Kṛṣṇa. But if you are not perfect, if you have simply executed a certain percentage only then you'll get the chance of another human body either in this planet or any other planet to execute the balance. That is... According to percentage of advancement, one is given birth in a rich family or in a pious family or in a yogi's family. That depends on the percentage of advancement. But one who has completed his spiritual consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he's at once transferred.

Lecture on BG 6.41 -- Detroit, July 17, 1971:

Therefore our business, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is to train the followers to Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that next life he gets Kṛṣṇa consciousness atmosphere. He's not promoted immediately, directly to the abode of Kṛṣṇa. That is also possible. Mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām (BG 9.25). "Those who are My devotees, they come to My place." Kṛṣṇa says. So if you perfect your Kṛṣṇa consciousness in this life, then you're guaranteed to be promoted to go back to home, back to Kṛṣṇa. If you do not perfect, then next life is guaranteed, a very nice human body, either in a rich man's family or in a Kṛṣṇa conscious family. Just try to understand how nice this movement is.

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

That is called karma-yoga. Then, by performing karma-yoga one comes to the platform of jñāna-yoga, knowledge. And from knowledge to this aṣṭāṅga-yoga, eightfold yoga system—dhyāna, dhāraṇā, prāṇāyāma, āsana—like that, those who are practicing the aṣṭāṅga-yoga. Then from aṣṭāṅga-yoga concentrating the mind on Viṣṇu come to the point of bhakti-yoga. And when one comes to the bhakti-yoga platform, that is the perfectional stage of yoga. And this Kṛṣṇa consciousness means from the very beginning, directly, that bhakti-yoga. Go on.

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

I shall go step by step," he can go. But there is chance. If you take this bhakti-yoga, immediately you take the help of the elevator and within a second you are on the hundredth floor. This is the process. Direct process. You can go step by step, following all other yoga systems. But you can take directly. Lord Caitanya has recommended in this age people are very short-living, they are disturbed, they are full of anxiety. Therefore by His grace, by His causeless mercy, He is giving you the lift immediately come to the bhakti-yoga by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Immediately. You haven't got to wait. Immediately take. That is the special gift of Lord Caitanya. Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī prays, offers respect to Lord Caitanya:

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

That is the special gift of Lord Caitanya. Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī prays, offers respect to Lord Caitanya: namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). "Oh You are the most munificent incarnation because you are giving directly love of Kṛṣṇa. To attain love of Kṛṣṇa one has to pass through so many steps and stages of yoga system, and You are giving directly. Therefore You are the most munificent." So actually that is the position. Go on.

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

So the eighth son... It was foretold that the eighth son of his sister would kill him. So when Kṛṣṇa was in the womb of his mother, Kaṁsa was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Now you see, he was also Kṛṣṇa conscious, but he was Kṛṣṇa conscious not directly, not for love's sake, but as an enemy. He was Kṛṣṇa conscious as enemy. So that is not devotional service. One who is Kṛṣṇa conscious and Kṛṣṇa's friend, Kṛṣṇa's parent, Kṛṣṇa's servant, Kṛṣṇa's lover, that is devotion.

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

And this is the ecstasy of extreme love. 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 -- San Francisco, September 10, 1968:

No. We have no interest because we are directly meditating the Supreme. Therefore if we concentrate our mind on Kṛṣṇa, that means Paramātmā is already served. If you have got one million dollars, then ten dollar service is already done. Paramātmā is partial representation of Kṛṣṇa. So if you concentrate your attention, whole attention to Kṛṣṇa, that is far, far better than... And that is, I mean to say, accepted in the Bhagavad-gītā. Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā (BG 6.47). "Anyone who is concentrating his mind upon Me, he is the topmost yogi." He's the topmost yogi.

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

If you think of your friend, if you think of your father, mother, or somebody whom you love, you can continue such thinking for hours together. But if you have no objective to fix up your mind, then it is very difficult. But people are being taught to concentrate on something void and impersonal.

So in reply to that mode of yoga, Kṛṣṇa is directly speaking here: mayy āsakta-manāḥ. If you try to concentrate your mind on the form of Kṛṣṇa, so beautiful... He's enjoying with Rādhārāṇī and His associates. Then, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogam, if you practice this yoga, mad-āśrayaḥ, yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ... You have to practice this yoga, at the same time, you have to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Mad-āśrayaḥ. Āśrayaḥ means "under My protection."

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

Avatāra means who comes from a higher sphere, higher planet. They are not living entities of this world, this material world. They come from spiritual world. They are called avatāra. So these avatāra grades are different. There are śaktyāveśāvatāra, guṇāvatāra, līlāvatāra, yugāvatāra, so many. So avatāra means one who comes directly from the spiritual world. And incarnation, of course, this avatāra is translated with the word incarnation, but I think real meaning of incarnation means "who accepts a body." Is it not? So that incarnation, everyone accepts a material body. But avatāra, there are avatāra of Viṣṇu and avatāra of devotees also. There are different grades of avatāra. You'll read it in the Teachings of Lord Caitanya, which is coming out. Yes.

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

"This is too much sectarian, that knowing simply Kṛṣṇa, everything is known." Somebody may say like that. But actually this is the fact. The Vedic statement says like that. Yasmin vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati. If you can understand the origin, person, the original person... The Upaniṣad does not say directly, "The original person is Kṛṣṇa," simply because there are so many impersonalists. But the Upaniṣad gives hint that if you can understand the original person, kasmin... This is person. Kasmin vijñāte: "If one is able to understand the Supreme Person," sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati, "then everything becomes known." How? Suppose you want to know... Say I am a foreigner. If I want to know how this American government is going on, oh, I will have to study so many things. But somehow or other, if I made friendship with Mr. Nixon, the president, and if I sit down with him a few days, oh, everything is known. Is it not? Yes.

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

Devotee: "Different types of yogas are only stepping stones on the path of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One who takes directly to Kṛṣṇa consciousness automatically knows about brahma-jyotir and Paramātmā in full."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Suppose... The same example. If you can understand the sun disc, then automatically you understand what is sunshine. But understanding sunshine, you cannot understand the sun disc. That is not possible. Therefore the origin should be understood. Root should be understood. Then everything will be under... That is knowledge. That will be explained in this chapter. Go on.

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?"

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

Devotee: "In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam this process of understanding Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, is described in the third chapter of the First Canto as follows: 'To hear about Kṛṣṇa from the Vedic literature or to hear from Him directly through the Bhagavad-gītā is itself righteous activity. And for one who hears about Kṛṣṇa, Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is dwelling in everyone's heart, acts as a well-wishing friend and purifies the devotee.' "

Prabhupāda: This is very important. The Bhāgavata statement is there. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). If somebody even does not understand the philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā—simply he sticks to the hearing process—then there is the result. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. Bhāgavata says, "One who is..." Just like these children.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Gainesville, July 29, 1971 University of Florida:

And anywhere I have introduced this saṅkīrtana movement—we have got different centers, about sixty centers—they have been received with great pleasure. Just like you saw these boys and girls. I have not imported them from India, but they have taken this movement very seriously, and they will take it, because it appeals to the soul directly. We have got different status of our life. Bodily concept of life, mental concept of life, intellectual concept of life and spiritual concept of life. So actually we are concerned with the spiritual concept of life, athāto brahma jijñāsā. If you are allured by the bodily concept of life, then we are no better than these dogs and..., cats and dogs. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). If we accept that "I am this body," then we are no better than the cats and dogs, because their concept of life is like that.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Gainesville, July 29, 1971 University of Florida:

Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti: (BG 4.9) "Such persons, after giving up this body, do not come back again in this material world to accept a material body." Then what happens to him? Mām eti: "He comes to Me, back to home, back to Godhead."

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is directly giving people how to understand Kṛṣṇa. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. Tattvataḥ, in truth. So we are giving Kṛṣṇa knowledge based on this authorized scripture, Bhagavad-gītā, Vedas. Vedas means knowledge. And what is the... Vedānta means the ultimate end of knowledge. What is that end of knowledge? That is Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). By all the Vedas, the ultimate conclusion should be Kṛṣṇa. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19).

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Diego, July 1, 1972:

Then Kṛṣṇa is gone. But if you speak as Kṛṣṇa is speaking, then it is..., Kṛṣṇa is present before you by His words. Immediately. By His word, you can see Kṛṣṇa. Just like the brāhmaṇa in South India. He was illiterate; he was reading, trying to read Bhagavad-gītā, but immediately Kṛṣṇa became present before his eyes, and he was crying. He was crying. That is reading.

So Kṛṣṇa can be present by His words. Because Kṛṣṇa's word and Kṛṣṇa is not different, Absolute. If you actually accept Kṛṣṇa in the form of Bhagavad-gītā, then you are directly associating with Kṛṣṇa, as Arjuna was doing. There will be no difficulty. Ajita. Kṛṣṇa is unconquered, but simply by your humble receptive process, you will conquer over Kṛṣṇa. How you'll conquer? He's already within your heart. You'll realize that "Here is Kṛṣṇa." That is conquer. Then?

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

So if you simply calculate the age of Manu it becomes forty millions of years. So Bhagavad-gītā is not a new theses. It is coming from time immemorial. So Kṛṣṇa is the original preceptor. So here Kṛṣṇa again personally speaking. The authority, personally... Out of compassion and friendship, love to Arjuna, He's speaking directly to Arjuna. And Arjuna understood Him: the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, puruṣam (BG 10.12). Puruṣam. Puruṣam means person. He's not imperson. Imperson is the, another feature of the person. Brahmaṇaḥ ahaṁ pratiṣṭhā. Kṛṣṇa says that "The brahma-jyotir, impersonal Brahman, that is situated upon Me." Ahaṁ pratiṣṭhā. Just like we are sitting on this platform. This is pratiṣṭhā. Similarly, the brahma-jyotir is situated on the person of Kṛṣṇa. The person is the ultimate understanding of the Absolute Truth, not the impersonal feature. That is preliminary understanding or imperfect understanding. There is brahma-jyotir.

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

So Brahman realization is for the persons who are trying to understand the Absolute Truth by philosophical speculation. That is the understanding. Similarly, the localized Paramātmā feature is realized by the yogis. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). And the devotees, they realized directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavān, ṣaḍ-aiśvarya bhagavān, with full richness, full reputation, full strength, full knowledge, full renunciation. This is the meaning of Bhagavān. I have already explained. So that Bhagavān is speaking.

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

So He's very feelingly, in a familial way, He's addressing, "Pārtha, My dear Arjuna, Pārtha, mayy āsakta-manāḥ, simply by increasing attachment for Me," mayy āsakta, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogam... This is yoga. This is perfect yoga. Yoginām api sarve... Mad-āśrayaḥ. "This yoga system should be executed directly under My direction, or under the direction of a representative of Mine." The spiritual master is the representative of Kṛṣṇa. How he becomes representative? What is the test? The test is... Just like anyone can understand, representative. Suppose a business firm's representative is going to canvass for business, what is his business? He will take the interest of the firm, not his personal interest. He will try to secure business for the firm he's working, not for his personal... That is perfect representative.

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

We have to know Kṛṣṇa as He is. So "know" means to hear about Him. Because Kṛṣṇa... We are not directly in contact with Him, Kṛṣṇa, in yoga. Kṛṣṇa-yoga means to know Kṛṣṇa, and then we become attached or make connection with Him. Sambandha. This is called sambandha. We must know what is our relationship with Kṛṣṇa. That relationship is described by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu when He was inquired by Sanātana Gosvāmī, "So what is my position? What I am?" Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that every living entity is eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa.

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

Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Nobody can create religious principle. A man cannot create. That is not possible. Any religious system which is created by man, that is not religion. Religion means what is created by God. That is religion. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣāt. Sākṣāt mean directly. So this Bhagavad-gītā is real religion, because it is directly spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead for the benefit of the whole human society. And Kṛṣṇa says also that "If you have got any other faith, religion. you give it up." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). Only one. God is one; religion is one. The process of religion is one, and the activity, who is in God-relationship, his activity's also one. That is oneness. There cannot be any different activities. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is teaching mayy āsakta-manāḥ.

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

So now it is the age of Vaivasvata Manu. This is the, out of the fourteenth Manu, this is the seventh Manu. It is going on. So this age is called Manu. Manu, the father of the humankind. Manuṣya. There is Manu-saṁhitā, to give direction to the people, how to act, how to live. That is Manu-saṁhitā. So in this way, we have to learn the philosophy of Kṛṣṇa which is directly spoken by Kṛṣṇa, not interpreted by anyone. That is Kṛṣṇa philosophy. If it is interpreted, or misinterpreted by some so-called scholar... We cannot accept them scholar who misdirect people by misinterpretation of Bhagavad-gītā. That is not very good. Otherwise why people are so much misdirected? Because the so-called scholars and philosophers, they have misdirected. They have tried to kill Kṛṣṇa from Bhagavad-gītā and pusḥ forward their own rascal philosophy. So that is not good. We have to learn Bhagavad-gītā directly from Kṛṣṇa.

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

You cannot water on the leaves, on the twigs or on the branches. You have to pour water on the root. That is the principle. So our loving propensity, when it will be properly employed, when we try to love or develop our loving propensity for God, or directly when we learn how to love God, then our loving propensity is perfect. Then you can love other things, others also. It is not... Just like watering the root of the tree, you automatically pour water in the other parts of the tree, or supplying foodstuffs in the stomach, you supply foodstuffs to all the parts of the body. Similarly, if you can develop your love for God... That is already there. It is not an artificial thing. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said that nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa bhakti 'sādhya' kabhu naya (?). Our loving propensity or our love for God is already there in every living being, but it is now covered due to our ignorance, or due to our contamination with this material nature.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hyderabad, April 27, 1974:

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says you have to develop your love and attraction for Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. "This yoga practice can be performed," mad-āśrayaḥ, "under My protection or My devotee's protection." You cannot take protection of another rascal who interprets Bhagavad-gītā in a different way. You have to take shelter directly. Of course, Bhagavad-gītā instruction is there. Everyone can take shelter of Kṛṣṇa directly. Where is the difficulty? Just like here is is said, mayy āsakta. You have to develop your attachment for Kṛṣṇa. You can do that. How these Americans and European boys, they have developed their attraction for Kṛṣṇa? There is a process. If you adopt this process... They are with me for the last two, three or four years. Now they are... You detach them from Kṛṣṇa consciousness if you have got any power. You cannot do that.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hyderabad, April 27, 1974:

Therefore it is said, bhagavān uvāca, bhagavān uvāca, full understanding. Vyāsadeva could have said, "kṛṣṇa uvāca." But because Kṛṣṇa is understood wrong way sometimes by the fools and rascals, therefore he says directly, "bhagavān uvāca." Bhagavān uvāca.

You cannot question the statement or instruction of Bhagavān. Bhaga means opulence. There are six kinds of opulences. Bhagavān means one who is full with six kinds of opulences. So nowadays there are so many bhagavāns, but because they have no full opulences, they cannot be accepted as Bhagavān. Bhagavān means full opulences.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hong Kong, January 25, 1975:

Arjuna is hearing from Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is speaking to Arjuna directly. How fortunate is Arjuna, that he is directly hearing from Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Here, therefore, it is said, bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān. Not ordinary teacher, a human being, or a living being, but Bhagavān.

There are two living beings. One is Bhagavān, and the other is the living being as we are. That is the Vedic version. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). Bhagavān means He is also a living being. He is not nirākāra. When we say bhagavān nirākāra, that means either we have no knowledge of Bhagavān or nirākāra means He is not a form like us.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hong Kong, January 25, 1975:

"There is no God." And the impersonalists, they say that there is God, but there is no head, there is no leg, there is no hand, there is no mouth, there is no, no, no... Ultimately, what is their God? If God has no head, no leg, no body, no mouth, then what is that God? That is also another way of explaining God as zero. The voidists, they directly say, "There is no God. We don't believe in God." That is understandable. But this impersonal explanation of God, that is not understandable. What is this? "God has no leg, neither God has no head, God has no hand, God has no mouth." Then what is that God? They cannot say.

So this impersonalists and the voidists, they are of the same group, denying the existence of God. But that is not the fact. There is God.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hong Kong, January 25, 1975:

Mat means "Me," and āśrayaḥ means to take shelter. That means devotee. Or mad-āśrayaḥ means one who has taken the shelter of a devotee. A devotee is also mad-āśrayaḥ. A devotee means who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa completely. So either you... Of course, it is not possible to take the shelter of Kṛṣṇa directly. That is not possible. May be possible by Kṛṣṇa's special mercy, but general process is you have to go through the mercy or process of accepting a guru. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Guru. And who is guru? Yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei guru haya (CC Madhya 8.128). There is no difficulty to find out. Sometimes they plead that "Whom I can accept as guru?" That is... Caitanya Mahāprabhu has cleared: ye kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei guru haya. You haven't got any trouble to find out guru. Anyone who knows about Kṛṣṇa, he is guru.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hong Kong, January 25, 1975:

There is no difficulty to find out. Sometimes they plead that "Whom I can accept as guru?" That is... Caitanya Mahāprabhu has cleared: ye kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei guru haya. You haven't got any trouble to find out guru. Anyone who knows about Kṛṣṇa, he is guru.

So mad-āśrayaḥ means directly we cannot take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, one who has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa, one who knows the science of Kṛṣṇa, one who knows what is Kṛṣṇa—you take shelter of that person. Mad-āśrayaḥ. Taking shelter, ādau gurv-āśrayam, that is the process of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Ādau, in the beginning, you have to take shelter of guru. Ādau gurv-āśrayaṁ sad-dharma-pṛcchā: "Then you inquire from him about Kṛṣṇa." Sad-dharma-pṛcchā, sādhu-mārgānugamanam: "Then follow the footstep of big, big devotees." Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja, a great devotee; Kapiladeva, a great devotee; and similarly, Brahmā, a great devotee.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- London, March 9, 1975:

So we have to learn the art, how to see Kṛṣṇa, how to see Kṛṣṇa. So that practice, mad-āśrayaḥ, if we want to learn this art, we have to take the shelter of the Gosvāmīs or the devotees.

So Rūpa Gosvāmī says how this āsakti can be increased. He gives formula. Mad-āśrayaḥ. Kṛṣṇa said, "Either you take shelter of Me directly or to a person who has taken shelter of Me." Just like electric power. Electric house, powerhouse, may be long away, but if the electricity is coming through some wire, and if you touch, immediately you will..., immediately in touch with the powerhouse. So either you touch the powerhouse or an wire, insig..., who is empowered by the powerhouse, you touch, you get the electricity. This is called paramparā system. Mad-āśrayaḥ. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2), yogo naṣṭaḥ paran... These are all explained. So mad-āśrayaḥ.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Fiji, May 24, 1975:

Whether Kṛṣṇa is coming to kill me?" So he also became attached, bhayāt. Kāmād bhayāt krodhāt. There are so many examples. So these are indirect attachment. And direct attachment, just think of what is the result of direct attachment. If by indirect attachment they became so exalted, when you become directly attached with Kṛṣṇa by love, just see what is your position. So that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. So this has to be done under the direction of mad-āśrayaḥ, a person, a devotee or the spiritual master, who has absolutely taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa. He is also mad-āśrayaḥ. He has no other business. So either take the shelter of the person or directly the Supreme Person, the same thing. Better to take the shelter of a person who is under the protection of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Fiji, May 24, 1975:

So if He is the proprietor of all the lokas, then He is the proprietor of Fiji also. There is no doubt about it. So the inhabitants of Fiji, if you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is the perfection of life. That is the perfection of life. Don't deviate from the instruction of Kṛṣṇa. Very directly, bhagavān uvāca, directly Bhagavān is speaking. You take advantage of it. There is solution of all problems of the world if you refer to Bhagavad-gītā. Any problem you present, there is solution, provided you take the solution.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Durban, October 9, 1975:

So this kind of yoga can be attained if we increase our attachment for Kṛṣṇa. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogam. This is yoga, real yoga. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. The... One should take shelter of Kṛṣṇa or shelter of a person who has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Mad-āśrayaḥ: "One who has taken shelter of Me," or directly. So directly it is not possible. Because Arjuna was fortunate enough that he contacted Kṛṣṇa directly—Kṛṣṇa instructed him directly... So it is not possible for everyone. But if we take the shelter of a person who has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa, that is also perfect. That is called mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. This is perfect yoga. In the Sixth Chapter it is also said that...

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

And this yoga has to be executed... Kṛṣṇa says, mad-āśrayaḥ. "You have to execute this yoga system, taking shelter of Me." "Me" means either Kṛṣṇa Himself or His representative. Just like Kṛṣṇa says in the Fourth Chapter, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). So you have to learn this bhakti-yoga directly under Kṛṣṇa or under the direction of Kṛṣṇa's representative. So if you do this, then asaṁśaya, without any doubt, and samagram, in completeness, mayy āsakta, asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). So Kṛṣṇa will explain, item by item, how you can increase your attraction for Kṛṣṇa. Then you will be able to execute the bhakti-yoga system under the guidance of Kṛṣṇa directly or directed by His representative. Then it will be successful.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hyderabad, August 22, 1976:

Because avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). The Supreme Personality of Godhead, because He descends as human being, mūḍhas, those who are rascals, they consider Him just like one of us human beings. Avajānanti. Therefore to avoid the offense on the part of the mūḍhas, he writes bhagavān uvāca. Directly.

Lecture on BG 7.1-2 -- Bombay, March 28, 1971:

These things are stated. We have to understand through śāstras. We cannot see our past, present, and future, but if we see through the śāstras... Śāstra-cakṣusā. "You should try to see from the śāstras." Actually, we understand everything through śāstras, not directly. Just like we understand in modern science from the newspaper that somebody is trying to go to the moon planet. I do not go personally to the moon planet, but I accept the newspaper. Similarly, we have to accept śāstra, how things are going on beyond our experience. Without that, we cannot have knowledge. That is called Vedic process. Śruti-jñānam. Śruti means hearing from authorities. That is real knowledge. Śrotra-panthā. It is called śrotra-panthā.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- London, August 4, 1971:

Here if you become thirsty, you want water, the substance. If you simply chant "water, water, water," it will not act. But holy name means if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, then you are associating with Kṛṣṇa personally. That is holy name. Here the name is contaminated, whatever name you... But God's name, Kṛṣṇa's name, is holy name. That is nondifferent from God. Otherwise, don't you see, they are chanting "Kṛṣṇa." If Kṛṣṇa name is not Kṛṣṇa, how they are making advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness? They are associating with Kṛṣṇa directly. That is the holy name.

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

By our mental speculation we acquire knowledge, but there are so many doubts. So many doubts. In the Ninth Chapter also, in the Bhagavad-gītā, it is said, pratyakṣa avagamaṁ dharmyam. Pratyakṣa. Kṛṣṇa consciousness knowledge is so perfect that pratyakṣa avagamam, you can directly perceive how far you are making progress. You don't require to take certificate from others, whether you are progressing or not. You'll understand, yourself. The example is given. Just like a hungry man is eating, so as he going on, eating, he's getting strength and his hunger is being satisfied. So he can understand himself. Nobody requires to certify, "Now you are satisfied," or "Now..." Similarly bhakti, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is so perfect that pratyakṣa avagamam, one can understand directly. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). This is the test of bhakti-mārga.

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

Therefore it is said here, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha, "Increasing gradually the attachment for Me." Kṛṣṇa says, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan, "practicing this yoga system," mad-āśrayaḥ, "taking shelter of Me." The mad-āśrayaḥ means two things. You can take directly shelter of Kṛṣṇa or you can take shelter of a person who has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa. That is meaning of mad-āśrayaḥ. 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.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Paris, June 13, 1974:

So the purpose of yoga practice is to promote or to leave this material atmosphere and enter into the spiritual atmosphere. All the yogis, the jñāna-yogī, they remain in the impersonal feature of the Absolute Truth. The dhyāna-yogī is practicing the localized aspect, but the bhakti-yogī, he is promoted directly in the planet which is called Goloka Vṛndāvana, and there he associates with the Supreme Personality of Godhead and enjoys life blissfully, eternally.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Paris, June 13, 1974:

In this way, there are seven steps of planetary systems up, and similarly, seven planetary systems down. So by jñāna-yoga, by bhakti-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, means mystic yoga system, we can be promoted to the higher system, but if you practice the bhakti-yoga, then you go to the transcendental world directly and associate with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The dhyāna-yogī and jñāna-yogī can also go to the Brahmaloka or brahma-jyotir, but there is chance of falling down again to this material world. But generally, jñāna-yogī remains a speculator within this material world, and dhyāna-yogī, they, as soon as they get some material miracle power, they become implicated with this power, no more going to the spiritual world.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Paris, June 13, 1974:

You can enter there and mix with the Supreme Lord just like we are here, mixing one another. I can see you, you can see me, similarly, you can go directly, see God and live with Him, dance with Him, play with Him, eat with Him. That is the perfection of life.

This perfection of yoga can be achieved by practicing bhakti-yoga as it is recommended here: mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ, under the guidance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His representative, bona fide. If you practice this yoga, then you can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead in complete, without any doubt.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Paris, June 13, 1974:

If you practice this yoga, then you can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead in complete, without any doubt. And if you practice this yoga in this life, and try to understand Kṛṣṇa, what He is, then, after giving up this body—you have to give up this body, today or tomorrow—then you go directly to Kṛṣṇa. It is therefore explained in the Fourth Chapter, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). "My dear Arjuna, anyone, if he simply tries to understand why I come in this material world, what is My mission, what do I do, if he simply one understands, then he immediately becomes fit for being transferred to the spiritual world." So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to educate people how to understand Kṛṣṇa, and then make his life perfect.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- Hyderabad, April 28, 1974 :

Similarly, we have to understand the presence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by perceiving the different energies. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate. At the present moment we are trying to understand the energy of Kṛṣṇa. We cannot see directly Kṛṣṇa. But as soon as you see the energy or you perceive the energy, you can understand there is Kṛṣṇa, there is God. That is called intelligence. This is called jñānam. And when you are directly in connection with Kṛṣṇa, or directly in the service, that is called vijñānam.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- Hyderabad, April 28, 1974 :

So, how you can understand with your limited senses, with so many defects? That is not possible. Therefore you have to understand God from God Himself, or from His representative. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said that, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ: "directly under My direction, or under the direction of My representative." You cannot understand Kṛṣṇa if you remain under your personal intelligence. Everyone says that "I shall understand this by my own dint of knowledge, by speculation." That is not possible. Kṛṣṇa says that you have to understand. Here also it is the same thing said, jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānam vakṣyāmy aham, "I shall speak to you." So this is the secret of success, if you want to understand God, what is God. Everyone, there are many philosophers, scientists, they are trying to understand God by research, but that research will not help you. You have to understand directly from God, or from God's representative. That is the way.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- Hyderabad, April 28, 1974 :

These things have to be understood, that nāma-nāminaḥ abhinnatvān, identical. So when we chant "Kṛṣṇa," "Hare," "Rāma," they are directly connection with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Even though we do not know how to chant, there are, according to śāstric, I mean to say, injunctions, there are ten kinds of offenses. When we avoid that offenses, then it is pure chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. So even if we chant with offenses in the beginning—it cannot be free of offenses—still it will act. Just like you come near the fire, you can feel the warmth, and with direct touch it becomes red hot. So, we have to be in touch with the fire, then gradually we become warmer, warmer, warmer, warmer and red hot, red hot. Just like another example, just like you take a lead, iron rod, and keep in touch with the fire.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- Hyderabad, April 28, 1974 :

The only, the figures are all, the digits are the one, two, three, four. So therefore one has to learn one, two, three, four, up to nine, and zero. Similarly, if you understand Kṛṣṇa, the, indirectly and directly, everything is Kṛṣṇa. That is the highest scientific understanding of everything. That is a fact. Kṛṣṇa is earth, Kṛṣṇa is water, Kṛṣṇa is air, Kṛṣṇa is fire, Kṛṣṇa is sky, ṛṣṇa is mind, Kṛṣṇa is intelligence, Kṛṣṇa is ego, and Kṛṣṇa is soul. So, this is required, jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānam.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Montreal, June 3, 1968:

So this Bhagavad-gītā is the essence of the Atlantic Ocean of Vedic literature, and this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means that we are presenting the, that taste of Bhagavad-gītā to the world as it is, without any interpretation. Just like milk, if you get it directly from the milkbag of the cow and taste it, you'll find very nice. But if you take it and adulterate with something, water, then it is not so tasteful. Similarly, Bhagavad-gītā, if you understand as it is, then you can have the taste of the milk, but as there are many rascal commentators... I say straightly that those who comment on Bhagavad-gītā according to their own whims, they're all rascals.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Montreal, June 3, 1968:

"Anyone who comes to My place, My abode, he never goes back." So in this way, if we accept Bhagavad-gītā as it is. But this special verse, man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ, is interpreted by Dr. Radhakrishnan, "It is not up to Kṛṣṇa that we have to surrender." Now see. Kṛṣṇa says, "directly unto Me," but he says, "It is not to Kṛṣṇa." In this way, in different books you'll find different kind of interpretations. Why? The Bhagavad-gītā is very popular book, and if one has got some nonsense idea, he wants to put forward that nonsense idea through Bhagavad-gītā. This is going on. But if you want to taste Bhagavad-gītā, then you'll relish and you'll get the benefit. By reading of Bhagavad-gītā, or the essence knowledge, quintessence of all Vedic literature, if you want to taste, just read Bhagavad-gītā as it is and you will be benefited.

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

Ah. Yes. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. That is the beginning. Mad-āśrayaḥ. One has to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa, directly you cannot take shelter. But Kṛṣṇa is not present. Kṛṣṇa is present, but we do not know how to capture Kṛṣṇa. That is another thing. Kṛṣṇa is... Just like electricity is everywhere, but one who knows the science, he can capture electricity. Telephone wire is everywhere, but still, you have to bring some expert to connect your telephone. The telephone wire is everywhere. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu (aside:) Why you are standing? Then stand.

Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Vrndavana, August 10, 1974:

So we may distinguish this, that "This is heat and this is cold." But for Kṛṣṇa there is no such distinction. That will be understood by further explanation of this chapter.

So these energies, the external energy, Kṛṣṇa says, they are separated. Separated means you cannot perceive Kṛṣṇa directly from this energy. All materialistic scientists, they cannot understand that earth is also Kṛṣṇa's energy, water is also Kṛṣṇa's energy, fire is also Kṛṣṇa's energy. But they are energy, that they can understand. They are accepting... The scientists, they are accepting that these are different energies, but whose energy, that they do not know. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is explaining herewith that "It is My energy, separated energy." If we analytically study how water can be energy of Kṛṣṇa... We should study Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's energies very intelligently.

Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Vrndavana, August 10, 1974:

It is separated because in this material world you cannot directly perceive the presence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ. "I am not present there. Although it is coming from My energy, still, I am not present there." This is simultaneously-one-and-different philosophy.

So Kṛṣṇa says that ahaṅkāra itīyaṁ me bhinnā prakṛtir aṣṭa... Everything is finer. Just like the earth is grosser than the water. Water, finer. Earth you cannot move, but water can move. Therefore it is finer. And finer than the earth is the fire, and finer than the fire is air, and finer than the air is ether, and finer than the ether is the mind, and finer than the mind is intelligence, and finer than intelligence is my identity, ahaṅkāra. And finer than the ahaṅkāra is the soul. You have to study soul—finer, finer, finer, finer, finer.

Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Nairobi, October 31, 1975:

From Kṛṣṇa everything is born, everything is emanated. He says in the Bhagavad-gītā that ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). Everything is coming from Him. So the first engineer of this universe, Lord Brahmā, he comes from Kṛṣṇa. Not directly Kṛṣṇa, but from Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. There is viṣṇu-tattva: Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Catur-vyūha, Nārāyaṇa. Dvitīya-catur-vyūha: again Saṅkarṣaṇa; from Saṅkarṣaṇa, Mahā-Viṣṇu; Mahā-Viṣṇu to Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu; Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, then Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu; in this way. So Kṛṣṇa is the origin. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8). Sarvasya means even this Mahā-Viṣṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, Nārāyaṇa, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Aniruddha, Pradyumna—everything. Then again the material world—Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara. Then from Brahmā so many demigods, in this way, this way. Therefore He is the ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ.

Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Nairobi, October 31, 1975:

It is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, janmādy asya: (SB 1.1.1) "The original person from whom everything is born," yataḥ, anvayād itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ, "He knows everything perfectly, indirectly and directly." Anvayād itarataś ca abhijñaḥ. And wherefrom He got the knowledge? Now, svarāṭ. That is His... God means svarāṭ. He hasn't got to get any knowledge from anyone else. Everyone gets knowledge from Him, but He hasn't got to take knowledge from anyone, svarāṭ, independent. So the Brahmā, the first lord, first creature, living creature, so he got knowledge from Kṛṣṇa. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye: (SB 1.1.1) "That Supreme Person gave the knowledge to the ādi-kavi." Ādi-kavi means Lord Brahmā, the first learned man.

Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Nairobi, October 31, 1975:

If you take knowledge from monkey, then you remain always like monkey. You cannot be advanced. But here it is... Bhāgavata says, tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye: We got knowledge directly from Kṛṣṇa, the most perfect. Therefore Brahmā is generated from Viṣṇu. So the first living creature, the perfect person within this material world who got instruction there, that is the beginning of creation. Beginning of creation is not crude or ignorance. Beginning of creation is first-class knowledge. That is the Vedic conception.

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

Separated energy, you can understand very easily. Just like I am speaking and it is being recorded in the tape recorder. When the tape recorder is replayed again, you'll find that I am speaking again. But that speaking and my present speaking is different. Therefore that speaking is separated energy. Now I am speaking directly. That is not separated. But when it is transferred to another matter, that is separated energy.

Lecture on BG 7.8 -- Bombay, February 23, 1974:

Just see how it is easily can be done. Nobody is without drinking something liquid. Either Coca-cola or water or this or that, something must be drinking. So Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the taste." So where is the difficulty of understanding Kṛṣṇa? If we cannot... They say, "Can you show me Kṛṣṇa?" All right, here is Kṛṣṇa, see. Seeing means directly perception. When I say, "Let me see what is this mango," you are seeing already. Here seeing means tasting. "Let me see the mango." That means seeing means tasting.

Lecture on BG 7.11-13 -- Bombay, April 5, 1971:

"If anyone surrenders unto Me, or if anyone becomes a Kṛṣṇa conscious person, a devotee, he can surmount this unsurmountable influence of the three guṇas." That is the state That is the position of the devotees. They are not under the control of māyā. They are controlled directly of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore they have no fear. The Kṛṣṇa says, "Anyone who surrenders unto Me, I take charge of him." He says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). Even if his past life was sinful, still, because Kṛṣṇa takes charge of such devotee, immediately he becomes freed from all contamination. And the guidance is there by Kṛṣṇa. Therefore He says... Here it is stated clearly. Kṛṣṇa says that "Everyone is entangled by the three modes of material nature, but anyone who has surrendered unto Me, he is free from this influence."

Lecture on BG 7.18 -- New York, October 12, 1966:

So these things are there in the Vedic literatures. But if you want some favors from the police officer, then you are also entangled, and that police officer is also entangled. You have to go by the rules. But one who is directly in touch of the Supreme Lord, they do not require to worship any other... Because actually... Suppose a man is personally in contact with your President Johnson. That does not mean he'll disobey the constable. No. Naturally he will obey, although he's direct contact. Similarly, those who are in direct contact with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they have no disregard for these demigods, but they know the ultimate supreme power is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They have got that knowledge. So their surrender is there in the Supreme Lord, not here.

Lecture on BG 7.28-8.6 -- New York, October 23, 1966:

So if anyone wants to understand on the basis of philosophy and science, oh, we have got ample philosophy and science on this point. But if you accept it, then it is the same thing. Acceptance is required—if you directly accept it. Suppose the fire, the fire, you accept it at once or you accept fire by scientific study, "What is fire? What is the quality? What is the...?" Go on! You can understand scientifically fire. But either you understand it scientifically, or philosophically, or you touch it directly, the action is the same. The action is the same. A child, without knowing the science of fire, physical constitution of fire, if he touches the fire, the fire will act.

Lecture on BG 7.28-8.6 -- New York, October 23, 1966:

This is, this is gross body, and there is subtle body. The subtle body is mind, ego and intelligence. So when you give up this gross body, the subtle body carries me to another gross body, another gross body. But when you become on the same level of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then your this subtle body also cannot act. You directly go in spiritual body to Kṛṣṇa.

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

"I will become... 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.

This philosophy you should learn. You cannot say, "But why shall I go through guru or through Vaiṣṇava to Kṛṣṇa? I can go directly. I am so qualified." No, you are not qualified. If you jump over like that, that is not... That is... In Bengal it is said, honar din ke ghaska (?). There is grass before the horse.

Lecture on BG 9.1 -- Melbourne, April 19, 1976:

In other literatures also there are slight information, but in the Vedic literature you'll find described information of the spiritual world. So Bhagavad-gītā is the nutshell, cream of all spiritual knowledge. Here, therefore, Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, He is speaking. He is giving spiritual knowledge directly. Now, śrī-bhagavān uvāca. So there cannot be any argument. The word used here...

Actually this Bhagavad-gītā is described by Vyāsadeva. So Vyāsadeva recorded it, writing. Otherwise it was being received through hearing. Before this Kali-yuga Vyāsadeva, he kept all Vedic literature in writing. Before that, there was no book. The knowledge was received through the ear, aural reception, śruti. Therefore it is called śruti. Śruti means the knowledge which is received by hearing.

Lecture on BG 9.1 -- Melbourne, April 19, 1976:

And this God, Mahā-Viṣṇu, is partial representation of Govinda. Viṣṇur mahān sa iha yasya kalā-viśeṣo govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajā... So sometimes cheap gods in the Western country. They cheat you. But God is not so cheap. This is one of the description of God, that within the breathing period of God, Mahā-Viṣṇu, who is not directly God—He is an expansion of God, Mahā-Viṣṇu—the total material energy is being created an annihilated. That is God. So that aiśvaryasya samagra. This is one opulence. If we possess one house, we become very opulent. If another possesses two house or three house... Now, here, in the breathing period of God, there are innumerable universes. You cannot calculate what is the opulence. One universe you cannot calculate. The one universe you are daily experiencing. What is the position of the sun?

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Calcutta, March 7, 1972:

We receive so many letters from our foreign student how they're feeling. Because they have taken seriously, they're feeling obliged that "We have got life pratyakṣāvagamam." Pratyakṣa means direct. Direct. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo. Just like if you eat, you will directly understand whether you are getting strength and whether hunger is being satisfied. You don't require to take certificate, that "I am eating. Am I satisfied?" You know. Why you want to take satisfaction... uh, certificate from other? You know. Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam. This is bhakti process. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅga 'tha bhajana-kriyā tato 'nartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). These are the different stages. Every stage you will find that "Yes, I am making progress."

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Calcutta, March 8, 1972:

They'll not accept. That is the difficulty. Otherwise, anyone who accepts this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, his life is successful. Very simple. Su-sukhaṁ kartum. To execute this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very pleasing. And pratyakṣāvagamaṁ, and you'll understand directly how we are advancing. So where is the difficulty? The difficulty is dog obstinacy. They'll not do it. "Oh. Why shall I do it?" This is the difficulty. Dog's obstinacy. Otherwise, no difficulty. Rāja-vidyā rāja-guhyaṁ pavitram paramam. Pavitram, very pious activities, pavitram. Anything done on account of Kṛṣṇa, that is pious. There is no contamination. Api cet sudurācāraḥ. Even in the public eye it may appear sometime that it is not pious, still it is pious. Man-nimitte kṛtaṁ pāpaṁ, if one does. But we should not do that.

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Calcutta, March 8, 1972:

"Give up all nonsense dharma. Simply surrender unto Me"? This is dharma. Therefore it is said, pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam. You are acting some religious activities, you do not know whether it is pious or impious. But when you act under the order of Kṛṣṇa and His representative, it is pratyakṣāvagamaṁ, directly to understand, that is dharma. This is dharma: pratyakṣāvagamaṁ and su-sukhaṁ kartum avyayam.

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Calcutta, March 8, 1972:

This is direct order. We execute this direct order; therefore we know that "I am carrying out the direct order of Kṛṣṇa, of Caitanya Mahāprabhu." Then, pratyakṣāvagamaṁ: directly you can understand, "Yes. We are right." There is no difficulty.

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Melbourne, April 20, 1976:

On account of your hunger you are feeling headache, you cannot see through your eyes properly, you cannot hear, you cannot work—so many things, problems, will arise. But as soon as you put some food stuff, nourishing foodstuff, immediately you'll feel strength and you'll happy, be happy. That is called pratyakṣa. Pratyakṣa means directly. Avagamaṁ dharmyam. If you are hungry and if you are given very nice, nutritious, palatable food, you haven't got to take any certificate from others. You'll understand yourself, "Yes, I am now feeling strength. I am now feeling energy." This is called pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam. Similarly, if you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness—that is the process—then you'll feel automatically how you are satisfied. Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam.

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Melbourne, April 20, 1976:

These boys, these American, European, they are all Western country, belong to the Western country. Why they are sticking to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness? Because they are feeling directly happiness. There is no doubt about it. Ask any one of them. This is pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam. And susukham. To execute this dharma, this transaction, it is very, very happy. Don't you see? What is their business? They are not going to the factories to work twelve hours. They are simply chanting and dancing. This is their business. And when they are hungry, they are taking very nutritious prasādam. This is called susukham. Very happy. They haven't got to work in the factory, in the mine, in the sea for extracting oil or coal. They haven't got. We have no such business. We are simply engaged in chanting, dancing, and eating Kṛṣṇa prasādam. Susukham.

Lecture on BG 9.2-5 -- New York, November 23, 1966:

That's all. In this way it is not accepted by everyone.

Kṛṣṇa points out them: aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣā dharma, dharmasya asya (BG 9.3). This principle of religion, those who do not accept it as authority, so the result is that they can never have any connection directly with Kṛṣṇa, and, as the, as such, aprāpya mām, because they do not have any access to Kṛṣṇa, therefore nivartante, they remain... Nivartante means remain. Where does, do they remain? Mṛtyu-saṁsāra, mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani, this life: birth, death, birth, death, birth, death. Vartmani means this life: birth, death, birth, death. Go on like that. And that birth, death, does not mean that next birth you'll have similar facilities or similar life, human being. No. Birth-death means you have risk also. You can get your next birth not exactly a human being.

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

That will continue. But the quality of eating may be different. Not the quality, but the form may be different.

So in this way things are going on. They are described in this Bhagavad-gītā very widely and expressively. So every human being is expected to receive this knowledge directly from Kṛṣṇa. Don't interpret wrong way according to your whims. Take it as it is and be benefited. If you don't take it, aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣāḥ (BG 9.3). Those who have no interest to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is, the result is mām aprāpya. Aprāpya mām. He never approaches God. He remains in this material world of repetition of birth and death. That is not a very good job.

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

So tattva-darśī, one who has seen the truth, you have to accept him as guru. Tattva-darśī. Darśī means who has practical experience. Take, for example, just like Arjuna. Arjuna is directly receiving the knowledge from Kṛṣṇa. He's guru. What he said, we accept that. But if you accept somebody who wants to kill Kṛṣṇa and become himself Kṛṣṇa, he's a rascal. He's not guru. Because his policy is to accept the place of Kṛṣṇa, not to serve Him. That is māyā.

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

That is distinctly said here: mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. Everything is emanation of God's energy, but still God is not there. If you worship the energy of God, that is not God-worshiping. Indirectly it is, but directly it is not. That is explained in Bhagavad-gītā. The kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ prapadyante 'nya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). Anya devatāḥ: they are energies of Kṛṣṇa. But there is no need..., if you approach directly to the energetic, the energy is automatically touched and worshiped. Sarvārhaṇam acyutejyā. Just like if you pour water in the root. Root is the cause of the tree. So the tree, the, I mean, the branches, the twigs, the leaves, the flowers, everything, they are also expansion of the root. So if you water on the root, the service expands to other parts of the root.

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

Their first duty is where to get money, or not money, food. Money is required for purchasing food, but the animals, they do not know that food can be purchased. They are searching after food. But we are civilized; we are searching after money. Money is required for purchasing food. Why don't you produce food directly? That is intelligence. You are getting money, very good. What is that money? A paper. You are being cheated. It is written there, "hundred dollars." But what is that hundred dollars? It is cheap of..., piece of paper only. But because we are so fool, we are accepting a piece of paper, hundred dollars, and the struggle for existence for a piece of paper. Why don't you be intelligent—"Why shall I take the piece of paper? Give me food"? But that intelligence you have lost.

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

Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ (BG 14.4). In every forms of life, as many living entities are there... I have explained, there are different forms of life. Even within the water there are 900,000 forms of life. This is Vedic knowledge. You can take directly knowledge. You can understand. You do not require to dive into the water and make study, aquatic research work. You take the knowledge from the Vedic literature. You immediately understand that there are 900,000 species of life. This is different forms. The living entity, soul, is everywhere. But according to his karma... Just like nowadays people are very fond of diving within the water and swim. This has become a fashion. So next life they are going to become fish. Yes. Because yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajaty ante kalevaram (BG 8.6).

Lecture on BG 9.5 -- Melbourne, April 24, 1976:

In this way the whole life is suffering. But under the spell of māyā, we are thinking we are happy. Therefore it is said mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani. If we want to get relief from this business of birth, death, old age and disease, let us take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness, and take His instruction directly and apply it in life. Your life will be successful. This is the subject matter of this chapter.

So how God is situated. He is explaining. Na ca mat-sthāni bhūtāni paśya me yogam aiśvaram. Aiśvaram. Aiśvaram means supremacy. How supreme He is. Everything is resting on Him; still, everything is without Him. That is very easy to understand, that we cannot exist without God's mercy.

Lecture on BG 9.5 -- Melbourne, April 24, 1976:

Therefore here it is said, bhūta-bhṛn na ca bhūta-stho mamātmā bhūta-bhāvanaḥ.

So whatever flourishing condition we are having in this body or in this life, that is also Kṛṣṇa's mercy. We want Kṛṣṇa. From Kṛṣṇa we want something and either directly or indirectly. Even if we do not ask him directly, indirectly I desire something, and Kṛṣṇa is within yourself, myself. He understands that "This particular living being is desiring something," so He gives you the facility of whatever you desire. But you do not know, whatever you desire, that is the source of your suffering. But you do not... We do not accept Kṛṣṇa's instruction, that "Do not desire any more." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). He advises that "If you desire, then you'll suffer. I'll give you facility to fulfill your desire, that you will get, but that is not good.

Lecture on BG 9.7-10 -- New York, November 25, 1966:

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, He has come before you. This Bhagavad-gītā is also His representation. Now, we are speaking of Bhagavad-gītā after five thousand years of Kṛṣṇa's disappearance, but because God is absolute, therefore these words left by God is also God. Whatever we are hearing just now, you should consider that we are hearing directly from Kṛṣṇa. Whatever I am speaking, I am not speaking something manufactured by me. I am speaking the simple words that is left by the merciful Lord in this Bhagavad-gītā. I am speaking to that. He says, mayādhyakṣeṇa (BG 9.10).

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

"Even better than viṣṇu-ārādhana is to worship the Vaiṣṇavas." Mad-bhakta-pūjābhyadhika (SB 11.19.21). Kṛṣṇa has said also that "Anyone who is worshiping My devotee, pure devotee, that is better worship than one who is worshiping Me directly."

So Śrī Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says that "I got this opportunity of human life, but instead of worshiping Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, I have worshiped so many things." Somebody is worshiping his body, somebody is worshiping his mind, somebody is worshiping his country, somebody is worshiping his something else, something else, or somebody is worshiping some other demigods also.

Lecture on BG 9.15-18 -- New York, December 2, 1966:

Now, those who are directly worshiping the Supreme Lord, Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, they have been described as mahātmā. And there are others, worshipers; they cannot conceive of the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly on account of less, on account of being less advanced. Therefore they have been described here, anye: "others." So others, they worship the Absolute Truth in three different ways. The first-class others... Amongst the others, there is first-class, second-class, third-class, as amongst the direct worshipers, there, there are first-class, second-class and third-class.

Lecture on BG 9.15-18 -- New York, December 2, 1966:

The first-class is mode of goodness, the second-class is mode of passion, and the third-class is mode of ignorance. Simi..., in every department, more or less, there are three classes.

So amongst the persons who worship the Absolute Truth not directly as the Personality of Godhead but as ahaṅgrahopāsanam... Ahaṅgrahopāsanam means taking himself as the Supreme. This we have already explained, that taking himself as the Supreme means, as the part and parcel of the Supreme, if we study myself, then I can understand also what is God. The only difference is: quantitatively, God is great and I am small. Otherwise, so far quality is concerned, that is one. So this ahaṅgrahopāsanam, that is number one. Then next upāsanā, next worship, is ekatvena pṛthaktvena (BG 9.15). Pṛthaktvena means pantheism. Just like there are persons who are worship any demigod as God.

Lecture on BG 9.15-18 -- New York, December 2, 1966:

They are better than who are just like animals, simply eating, sleeping and defending and mating. But those who have taken either of these, jñāna-yajñena, pṛthaktvena, and viśvato-mukham...

So those who are impersonalists, they prefer these three processes. And those who are personalists, they prefer directly to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. So they're all transcendentalists. They're on the line. But here in the Bhagavad-gītā, those who are directly worshiping the Supreme Lord, they have been described as mahātmā. And those who are worshiping in other processes, they have been described, anye. Anye means others. So they have not been given so much importance, although they have been accepted. They have been... Because they have come to the line.

Lecture on BG 9.15-18 -- New York, December 2, 1966:

Therefore in the Eighteenth Chapter you'll find, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). These are all partial understanding of the Supreme, but if you accept this process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you directly approach, directly approach the Su... Because after all, unless you approach to that point, that vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19), "Here is Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva. He is everything"... So those who are intelligent, they take the root. Therefore in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta you'll find in a very nice verse, kṛṣṇa yei bhaje sei baḍa catura. Catura means very intelligent. One who worships Kṛṣṇa directly, he's very intelligent. Why he's very intelligent? He does not take so much round about way. He goes directly.

Lecture on BG 9.15-18 -- New York, December 2, 1966:

"Because I do not know what I am. If I do not know what I am, then what is the use of other knowledge?" So actually, the intelligent person who knows his real position, his constitutional position, and his relationship with Kṛṣṇa, then he takes directly this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And that is recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā and all scriptures. All scripture. But if you want to go round-about way, you can go, but you have come to this ultimate point. That is the conclusion. Then there are divisions of Vedic knowledge: fruitive activities, worship and knowledge.

So Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is describing about the fruitive activities, sacrifice. In sacrifice we require so many things. Dravya-yajña. By material things... We require clarified butter, we require grains, we require mantra, chanting, and fire. So many things we require.

Lecture on BG 9.15-18 -- New York, December 2, 1966:

That's all. There are so many worshipers of mother. You worship your country. That is the same, material worship. This is called śakty-upāsanā. Śakti. Śakti means you are worshiping the energy of the Lord, not the Lord directly. You are worshiping the energy. All this nationalism or so many isms we have discovered, they are... Even the scientists. Scientists also, they worshiping the mother. He's finding out the complexities of the matter. So he's also worshiping mother. So materialism. This is called materialistic. One who is worshiping the mother, material energy, he's called śakta.

Lecture on BG 9.15-18 -- New York, December 2, 1966:

Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti, yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). The Lord says, "One can confidentially understand Me by bhakti, by devotional service, not by any other means, not by any other means." Bhaktyā. It is clearly stated. So if you want to be directly in touch, directly in touch with the president, then you have to work differently. And if you are satisfied to become a constable in the government service, that is a different thing. You cannot contact.

So there, although everything is God worship, still, there are degrees, there are differences. We must remember.

Lecture on BG 9.18-19 -- New York, December 4, 1966:

Sat means the spiritual energy, and asat means this material energy. "Because both energies are God energies, therefore these energies are also God, Arjuna." This description is given by Lord Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna about His personal position, God's position. So we have to learn from Bhagavad-gītā directly spoken by the Supreme Lord and accept it and do accordingly. That is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We think of Kṛṣṇa: He is everything, or God is everything. So let us become submissive and prosecute this, the process of devotional service. That is the way of happiness. That is the way of perfection. Thank you very much. Any questions?

Lecture on BG 9.20-22 -- New York, December 6, 1966:

"Oh, what they are doing, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa? We are meditating, we are philosophizing, and we are doing penance and austerities and following the rituals, so many things." So practically, they are, according to Bhagavad-gītā they are not directly in touch with the Supreme Lord, but they have taken different paths as ahaṅgrahopāsanam, thinking himself as one with the Lord, pantheism, thinking everything the symbol of God, and thinking the universal form as the Supreme, in different ways.

Lecture on BG 12.13-14 -- Bombay, May 12, 1974:

And materially he was very, very opulent. But because he did not care for Rāma, he is addressed as rākṣasa. This is the... He was also a great devotee of Lord Śiva. But still, in the śāstra he is described as rākṣasa. So māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. So this is the position.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa directly says how you can become devotee or dear to Kṛṣṇa. Or, in other words, how you will be seen by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is seeing your activities, but especially, to take care of you... Kṛṣṇa takes care. As soon as you become a devotee, immediately He takes care of you. Otherwise you are under the care of māyā, this material energy. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). So long you are not devotee, you are simply...

Lecture on BG 12.13-14 -- Bombay, May 12, 1974:

If you do not become directly under the care of Kṛṣṇa, then you are under the care of this material energy. He takes care. The same way as the jail superintendent takes cares of the criminals, similarly, those who are criminals, non-devotees, does not care for God, they are under the laws of material nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā mām eva ye prapadyante (BG 7.14). The jail superintendent business is to correct the criminal so that he may become a right citizen, a lawful citizen. Similarly, this māyā's business is to give you always trouble, tri-tāpa-yatana, adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika, just to kick you, those who are non-devotees, just to correct you to become a devotee of the Lord. Unless you become devotee of the Lord, the kicking of material laws, stringent laws of nature will go on.

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

So what is the cause? The cause... Then the stomach says: "Because I am not eating. So if you want to remain strong, then you must give me to eat. Otherwise... So I am the enjoyer. You are not enjoyer. You are to supply things for my enjoyment. That is your position." So they understood: "Yes, we cannot directly enjoy. It is not possible."

The enjoyment must be through the stomach. You take one rasagullā, you, the fingers, you cannot enjoy. You give it to the mouth, and when it goes to the stomach, there is immediately energy. Not only the fingers enjoy, the eyes, all other parts, they feel satisfaction and strength also. Similarly the real enjoyer is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says:

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Bombay, September 26, 1973:

Bhagavad-gītā is the instruction given by Kṛṣṇa, and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the instruction given by Vyāsadeva and other sages about Kṛṣṇa. So both of them are kṛṣṇa-kathā. So that is our mission, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). What Kṛṣṇa is instructing directly, that is also kṛṣṇa-upadeśa, and what is being spoken about Kṛṣṇa, that is also kṛṣṇa-upadeśa.

Lecture on BG 13.5 -- Bombay, September 28, 1973:

Because the author, Vyāsadeva, after compiling Vedānta-sūtra under the instruction of Nārada Muni, his guru—Vyāsadeva's guru is Nārada Muni—he was not satisfied even after compiling Vedānta-sūtra. He was not very happy. So Nārada Muni advised him that "You should directly describe the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then you'll be happy. It is indirect. All the Vedic literatures, they are indirect. You directly..." Therefore Vyāsadeva took Vedānta-sūtra and from the very beginning of Vedānta-sūtra, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), he commented on the Vedānta-sutra. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayad itarataś cārtheṣv abhijñaḥ svarāṭ/ tene brahma hṛdā ya ādi-kavaye muhyanti yatra sūrayaḥ. In this way. Here Kṛṣṇa personally gives the Brahma-sūtra. So Brahma-sūtra's commentary is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Lecture on BG 13.5 -- Bombay, September 28, 1973:

Try to understand Bhagavad-gītā very nicely, and if you can understand Bhagavad-gītā nicely, perfectly, then you try to study Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrīmad-bhāgavatam amalaṁ purāṇam. Amalaṁ purāṇam, "transcendental Purāṇa." Purāṇa means supplementary Vedic literature, "that which completes." Because directly, Vedic literature is very difficult to understand by the common man. Common man... Vedic literature is not for common man. Even by the highly learned brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas. Therefore Purāṇas are there and Mahābhārata is also there.

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

And for this disqualification he is still described as asura, rākṣasa. So harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ mano-rathenāsato dhāvato bahiḥ. If one is not devotee of the Lord, he will simply concoct on the mental platform. So that will not make.

Rāvaṇa also wanted to make a staircase to go directly to the heavenly planet. Just like we are. At the present moment, we are trying to go directly to the moon planet by sputnik. But it has failed. It is not possible. In that way we cannot go. If we want to go to another planet, the process is described in the Bhagavad-gītā: yānti deva-vratā devān piṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25). If you want to go to the higher planetary system, then that particular devata, Indraloka, Candraloka. The moon planet is Candraloka.

Lecture on BG 13.15 -- Bombay, October 9, 1973:

The real value is that the flower is offered with devotion, the food is offered with devotion.

Therefore the devotee gradually realizing that, "Yes, I am offering this flower directly to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I am offering the food directly to the Supreme Personality of Godhead." He is eating. He is perceiving. He is taking the prasādam. He's advancing. He's chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. It is self-evident. Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam. This devotional service is directly appreciated. You haven't got to take certificate from others. If you be engaged in devotional service, you actually realize. Therefore it is called pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam.

Lecture on BG 13.15 -- Bombay, October 9, 1973:

Other things will remain in theoretical, but this is such a nice thing, devotional service, that you directly understand how much you are making progress, how much you have appreciated God, how much you have understood Kṛṣṇa. Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ su-sukham. Su-sukham.

And also there is no trouble. Very easily and very happily it is performed. Just like the devotional service. One may be illiterate, one may be having no qualification, but the process is so nice, to prepare flower garland for Kṛṣṇa, to prepare food for Kṛṣṇa, for chanting Kṛṣṇa, for reading books for Kṛṣṇa, for hearing about Kṛṣṇa. You simply hear, you don't do anything. Simply if you hear, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23), you become devotee.

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

Therefore here it is said, jyotiṣām api taj jyotiḥ, param. There are different kinds of illumination, sunshine, moonshine, electricity, fire. But that jyoti which is directly emanating from Kṛṣṇa's body, that is the real jyoti. So on account of Kṛṣṇa's bodily rays, the whole creation is coming out. That is Kṛṣṇa's inconceivable power, brahma-jyotir. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Athāto brahma jijñāsā. In the Vedānta-sūtra, you have to inquire about that paraṁ jyoti, brahma-jyotir. And from that paraṁ jyoti, everything is coming out. Just like from the sunshine.

Lecture on BG 13.21 -- Bombay, October 15, 1973:

So the judge or the magistrate superficially is the cause of his punishment, but actually he's not. He's giving him punishment according to law. I have created such a situation, I have made myself a criminal, and the magistrate, according to law, giving me punishment. So actually, directly, the magistrate is not the cause of my suffering. Why he should be cause? He's not your enemy. This is going on.

Lecture on BG 1322 -- Hyderabad, August 17, 1976:

Dharmakṣetra, it is a place of religion or as our Vedic instruction, kurukṣetre dharmān yajayet. You go to Kurukṣetra and perform ritualistic ceremonies, that is recommended. So there is no question of interpreting Kurukṣetra Dharmakṣetra when you can understand it very easily and directly.

There is no use of interpretation. Interpretation is required when you cannot understand one statement. In the law court if one statement is ambiguous then two parties argue on it. "I think it is this," "I think..." But when it is clear there is no question of interpretation. Unfortunately the Bhagavad-gītā is being interpreted by unauthorized persons unnecessarily, and people are kept into darkness.

Lecture on BG 13.22-24 -- Melbourne, June 25, 1974:

One who is constantly engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, he is not associating with this material nature. He is associating directly with Kṛṣṇa, the supreme spirit.

So if you keep yourself constantly engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you are not in this material world. There is no more fear of what kind of body you will get next. You will get next body go back to home back to Godhead. This is wanted. If you go back to home, back to God, in the same style of body as Kṛṣṇa has got, spiritual body īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1)—then no more birth. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, that tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). The devotees who are constantly thinking of Kṛṣṇa, trying to understand Kṛṣṇa and engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, such personality, after giving up this body...

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

They offer oblations to the forefathers. So they will go the Pitṛloka. Yānti bhūtejyā bhūtāni. And those who are ordinary, materialistic persons, they remain in this world. And mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām. "And those who are Kṛṣṇa conscious, they will come to Me." Kṛṣṇa says. So why not become Kṛṣṇa conscious and go directly back to home, back to Godhead? This is our mission. You have to prepare for the next life.

So there are so many different types of next life. Beginning from Brahmaloka down to the... Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). So why should we try for making a better position within this material world? Why? Why should we waste our time like that?

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

So devotee is so strong. So Kṛṣṇa had to... "Yes, I'll go." First of all, He wanted to avoid. Then when He saw that "He's not ordinary devotee," He said, "All right, I'll go." So He came from Vṛndāvana to Kataka.

So don't think that He's stone Deity. Sākṣād vrajendra-nandana: "Directly Kṛṣṇa." But He is available to my capacity of understanding Him. Not that He is different from the original Kṛṣṇa. (break) Kṛṣṇa's name, Kṛṣṇa's form, Kṛṣṇa's quality, Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, everything absolute. You're chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. It does not mean that it is a sound only. It is Kṛṣṇa personally. You are in direct touch with Kṛṣṇa when you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is realization. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on BG 15.15 -- August 5, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

"We shall enjoy it," you spoil it. But if the fingers put it to Kṛṣṇa, then you'll enjoy it. Unless you know this art, that we cannot enjoy independently, that is not possible. If we enjoy through Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's prasādam, then we'll be happy. This is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness art. Directly you cannot enjoy, that is not possible. They are making this mistake. They want to satisfy their senses directly. That is not possible. That is spoiling the life. And if you satisfy the senses of Kṛṣṇa, the through Kṛṣṇa you satisfy yourself. This is the technique. The same analogy. The fingers cannot directly enjoy the sweet ball, but when the sweet ball is put into the stomach, these five fingers enjoy, also these five fingers enjoy. These five fingers, whole body will enjoy.

Lecture on BG 16.2-7 -- Bombay, April 8, 1971:

So therefore... Bhāgavata also says māyāśritānāṁ nara-dārakeṇa: "Those who are under the protection of māyā, illusory energy, for them Kṛṣṇa is ordinary person or human being." But these boys are playing, kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ (SB 10.12.11). Kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ. Puñjāḥ means stock, huge stock of pious activities. Therefore they have come to the position, directly playing with Kṛṣṇa. They have become associates. So that is possible. Anyone can become direct associate of Kṛṣṇa. That is called sāmīpya-mukti, always with Kṛṣṇa. Whenever Kṛṣṇa appears, they also appear.

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

If I want something, I can ask the supreme. Is it all right or not? What is the use? They may come to see me, "Oh, he is known to the emperor." They may come to see me. I cannot go to see them. And we have no want. Why shall I see the demigods? We have no want. Kṛṣṇa knows. What is our business? Our business is to spread glories of Kṛṣṇa. We are directly in service of Kṛṣṇa, so whatever is wanted, He will supply. Why shall I go to somebody? It is His business. So for a devotee there is no need of meeting. We have all respect for them, but there is no need of meeting any demigod. They are all servants of Kṛṣṇa. Ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa āra saba bhṛtya (CC Adi 5.142). Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ... He is the supreme controller. So why should we go to the subordinate controller? Why should w

Lecture on BG 16.8 -- Hawaii, February 4, 1975:

That also they do not know. Na śaucaṁ nāpi cācāraḥ. They do not know how to behave also. Na satyam. And no truthfulness is there. This verse we have already discussed.

Now, the next characteristic is asatyam: "This world is simply phenomenal; it has no foundation." The Māyāvādīs, they directly say, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. So Māyāvādī, at least they say that "There is Brahman. He is truth, but this phenomenal world is not truth. Manifestation of material energy, that is not true." So, according to our philosophy, Vaiṣṇava philosophy, we don't say that this māyā, or the... Māyā means this temporary manifestation. This material world is fact, but it is temporary, not false. We cannot say it is false.

Lecture on BG 16.9 -- Hawaii, February 5, 1975:

If you not dull, if you are intelligent and if you take the sūtra, this code, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), the original source of everything... That is knowledge, that is philosophy, that is science—to find out the original source. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So we are not searching after the original consciousness, but we are giving to the people directly that "Here is the original source of everything, Kṛṣṇa." (end)

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

Just like the staircase is there, but not in this country, in Europe and American countries, side by side, there is lift, elevator. So instead of going step by step to the highest flat, you take the help of this lift. You go immediately, within a second. So if you take the lift of bhakti, then immediately you come in contact with Kṛṣṇa directly. Instead of going by step by step by step. Why should you take? Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You simply surrender unto Me. Your business is finished." Why should you labor so much, step by step by step by step by...? (break)

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

First the knowledge was given to Brahmā. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye (SB 1.1.1). Brahmā received the knowledge from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vedic knowledge. Therefore it is called apauruṣeya. Veda does not mean it is written by some ordinary man, as we write some books. No. It is not like that. Apauruṣeya. Coming directly. So similarly, the Bhagavad-gītā is also coming directly from Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is Vedas. Vedānta-vid vedānta-kṛd ca aham. Kṛṣṇa says, in the Fifteenth Chapter, that:

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

"You simply spread what Kṛṣṇa has said, or what is said about Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇa-upadeśa." Upadeśa means instruction. The instruction which is given by Kṛṣṇa, or the instruction given about Kṛṣṇa, that is called kṛṣṇa-upadeśa, kṛṣṇa-kathā.

So Bhagavad-gītā is kṛṣṇa-upadeśa. Directly Kṛṣṇa giving the instruction. And Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the instruction about Kṛṣṇa. So this is our business. We have become guru, spiritual master, not with a false position, that "I have become God." No. We are servant, simply servant, ordinary servant. Just like post peon. Not very high salaried servant. Ordinary, third-class servant. What is our business? To deliver the letter. That's all. "Here is your letter, sir."

Page Title:Directly (Lectures, BG chapters 5 - 18)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:15 of Dec, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=125, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:125