Elementary

Expressions researched:
"elemental" |"elementary"

SB Canto 2

SB 2.2.29, Purport:

Beyond the sky there are subtle coverings, resembling the elementary coverings of the universes. The gross coverings are a development of partial ingredients of the subtle causes. So the yogī or devotee, along with liquidation of the gross elements, relinquishes the subtle causes like aroma by smelling. The pure spiritual spark, the living entity, thus becomes completely cleansed of all material contamination to become eligible for entrance into the kingdom of God.

SB 2.5.14, Translation:

The five elementary ingredients of creation, the interaction thereof set up by eternal time, and the intuition or nature of the individual living beings are all differentiated parts and parcels of the Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva, and in truth there is no other value in them.

SB 2.7.49, Translation and Purport:

The Personality of Godhead is the supreme master of everything auspicious because the results of whatever actions are performed by the living being, in either the material or spiritual existence, are awarded by the Lord. As such, He is the ultimate benefactor. Every individual living entity is unborn, and therefore even after the annihilation of the material elementary body, the living entity exists, exactly like the air within the body.

The living entity is unborn and eternal, and as confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (BG 2.30), the living entity is not exhausted even though the material elementary body is vanquished. As long as the living entity is in material existence, actions performed by him are rewarded in the next life, or even in the present life. Similarly, in his spiritual life also actions are rewarded by the Lord by the five kinds of liberation. Even the impersonalist cannot achieve the desired merging into the existence of the Supreme without being favored by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (BG 4.11) that the Lord awards similar results, as one desires, in one's present life. The living entities are given freedom to make their choice, and the Lord awards them accordingly.

SB 2.8.19, Translation:

Kindly explain all about the elementary principles of creation, the number of such elementary principles, their causes, and their development, and also the process of devotional service and the method of mystic powers.

SB 2.9.33, Purport:

The demigods like Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara, Indra, Candra and Varuṇa are undoubtedly different forms of the Lord for execution of different functions; the different elemental ingredients of material creation, as well as the multifarious energies, also may be of the same Personality of Godhead, but the root of all of them is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. One should be attached to the root of everything rather than bewildered by the branches and leaves.

SB 2.10.3, Translation:

The elementary creation of sixteen items of matter—namely the five elements (fire, water, land, air and sky), sound, form, taste, smell, touch, and the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, skin and mind—is known as sarga, whereas subsequent resultant interaction of the modes of material nature is called visarga.

SB 2.10.3, Purport:

In order to explain the ten divisional symptoms of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, there are seven continuous verses. The first of these under reference pertains to the sixteen elementary manifestations of earth, water, etc., with material ego composed of material intelligence and mind. The subsequent creation is a result of the reactions of the above-mentioned sixteen energies of the first puruṣa, the Mahā-Viṣṇu incarnation of Govinda, as later explained by Brahmā in his treatise Brahma-saṁhitā (5.47) as follows:

yaḥ kāraṇārṇava-jale bhajati sma yoga-

nidrām ananta-jagad-aṇḍa-sa-roma-kūpaḥ

ādhāra-śaktim avalambya parāṁ sva-mūrtiṁ

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

The first puruṣa incarnation of Govinda, Lord Kṛṣṇa, known as the Mahā-Viṣṇu, goes into a yoga-nidrā mystic sleep, and the innumerable universes are situated in potency in each and every hair hole of His transcendental body.

SB Canto 3

SB 3.5.11, Purport:

The qualities of both ignorance and passion strongly bind one to the illusory bodily conception of the self. The best among the fools who are thus deluded are those who engage in altruistic activities under the spell of the material mode of passion. Bhagavad-gītā, which is direct kṛṣṇa-kathā, gives humanity the elementary lesson that the body is perishable and that the consciousness which is spread throughout the body is imperishable. The conscious being, the imperishable self, is eternally existent and cannot be killed under any circumstances, even after the dissolution of the body.

SB 3.20.13, Purport:

The primordial matter, or prakṛti, material nature, consisting of three modes, generates four groups of five. The first group is called elementary and consists of earth, water, fire, air and ether. The second group of five is called tan-mātra, referring to the subtle elements (sense objects): sound, touch, form, taste and smell. The third group is the five sense organs for acquiring knowledge: eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin. The fourth group is the five working senses: speech, hands, feet, anus and genitals. Some say that there are five groups of five. One group is the sense objects, one is the five elements, one is the five sense organs for acquiring knowledge, another is the senses for working, and the fifth group is the five deities who control these divisions.

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

SB 10.85.9, Translation:

You are the directions and their accommodating capacity, the all-pervading ether and the elemental sound residing within it. You are the primeval, unmanifested form of sound; the first syllable, oṁ; and audible speech, by which sound, as words, acquires particular references.

SB 12.4.6, Translation:

O King, upon the annihilation of the material elements, the universal egg, comprising the elemental amalgamation of creation, is confronted with destruction.

SB 12.4.26, Translation:

Just as clouds in the sky come into being and are then dispersed by the amalgamation and dissolution of their constituent elements, this material universe is created and destroyed within the Absolute Truth by the amalgamation and dissolution of its elemental, constituent parts.

SB 12.4.38, Translation:

In this way the progress of time is described in terms of the four kinds of annihilation—continuous, occasional, elemental and final.

SB 12.7.17, Translation:

There are four types of cosmic annihilation—occasional, elemental, continuous and ultimate—all of which are effected by the inherent potency of the Supreme Lord. Learned scholars have designated this topic dissolution.

SB 12.12.9, Translation:

The creation effected by the agitation of the modes of material nature, the seven stages of evolution by elemental transformation, and the construction of the universal egg, from which arises the universal form of the Supreme Lord—all these are thoroughly described.

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 6.14-15, Purport:

“The Sāṅkhya philosopher Kapila has connected the different elementary truths according to his own opinion. Material nature, according to him, consists of the equilibrium of the three material qualities—goodness, passion and ignorance. Material nature produces the material energy, known as mahat, and mahat produces the false ego. The ego produces the five objects of sense perception, which produce the ten senses (five for acquiring knowledge and five for working), the mind and the five gross elements. Counting the puruṣa, or the enjoyer, with these twenty-four elements, there are twenty-five different truths. The nonmanifested stage of these twenty-five elementary truths is called prakṛti, or material nature. The qualities of material nature can associate in three different stages, namely as the cause of happiness, the cause of distress and the cause of illusion.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 8:

The first descent of the Supreme Personality of Godhead from the expansion of Saṅkarṣaṇa is the puruṣa incarnation, Mahā-Viṣṇu. It is confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.3.1) that when the Supreme Personality of Godhead descends as the first puruṣa incarnation of the material creation, He immediately manifests sixteen elementary energies. Known as the Mahā-Viṣṇu, He lies within the Causal Ocean, and it is He who is the original incarnation in the material world. He is the Lord of time, nature, cause and effect, mind, ego, the five elements, the three modes of nature, the senses and the universal form. Although He is master of all objects movable and immovable in the material world, He is totally independent.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 25:

In Bhagavad-gītā the living entity is described as one of the energies of the Supreme Lord. Although inseparable from the energetic, energy is still energy, and it cannot be equal with the energetic. In other words, the living entity is simultaneously one and different from the Supreme Lord. Bhagavad-gītā (7.4-5) clearly states that earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego are the eight elementary energies of the Supreme Lord and are of inferior quality, whereas the living entity is of superior quality. The Vedic literatures confirm the fact that the transcendental form of the Supreme Lord is eternal, blissful and full of knowledge.

Nectar of Instruction

Nectar of Instruction 2, Purport:

When human society gives up these elementary faults enumerated by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī (atyāhāra, etc.), all enmity will cease between men and animals, capitalists and communists, and so forth. In addition, all problems of economic or political maladjustment and instability will be solved. This pure consciousness is awakened by the proper spiritual education and practice offered scientifically by the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Nectar of Instruction 5, Purport:

A madhyama-adhikārī is a śraddhāvān, a staunchly faithful person, and he is actually a candidate for further advancement in devotional service. Therefore in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta (CC Madhya 22.64) it is said:

śraddhāvān jana haya bhakti-adhikārī

'uttama', 'madhyama', 'kaniṣṭha'—śraddhā-anusārī

"One becomes qualified as a devotee on the elementary platform, the intermediate platform and the highest platform of devotional service according to the development of his śraddhā (faith)."

Renunciation Through Wisdom

Renunciation Through Wisdom 1.9:

The successive, step-by-step spiritual path is not the same as step-by-step progress in the material world. In the mundane process the rules of progress are strict and cannot be transgressed. If one wants to acquire a doctorate at a university, he has to begin from the elementary school level and gradually work upwards. It is impossible to go directly to the university without prior schooling. In spiritual life, however, although there are strict regulations, by the Supreme Lord's grace one can bypass many intermediary stages and reach the top, or "doctorate" level.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

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

There is no cause of lamentation. It was void and it is going to be void. So where is the cause of lamentation? But actually that is... Originally, it was not void. That is a Bhagavad-gītā and Vaiṣṇava theory. Just like Kṛṣṇa said that there was "No such time when we did not exist." That means not there was... There was no void. There was life. And in future also, there will be life. But accepting the theory of voidism, this manifested body is combination of matter. Originally, void means the matters, elementary matters, were not combined.

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

Now suppose you study very analytically these twenty-four elements. And what is the idea of studying these elemental, analytical study of this material world? Because we have to find out what is the main principle which is working behind these twenty-four elements. What is the main principle? Now, suppose I have got these senses, and suppose there are material elements, earth, water, fire, all these things are there. But are they sufficient by themselves? No. They are not sufficient by themselves. Unless that spirit soul is there, so they are lying down.

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

Just like modern scientists. They are trying to understand. Scientific laboratory means they are analytically studying earth, water, air, physical. Physical studies. Metaphysical. Not metaphysical, physical, physical studies. But they do not know that there are other things of the physical world. That is guṇa. Traiguṇya-viṣayā vedā nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna. How physical changes are taking place, how one physical element is valuable, one physical element is not valuable—that is due to different interactions of the modes of material nature, guṇa. Guṇaiḥ saha. So simply physical elementary study is not sufficient. You must know the guṇaiḥ saha, how the qualities are acting. Ya evaṁ vetti puruṣaṁ prakṛtiṁ ca guṇaiḥ saha, sarvathā vartamāno 'pi.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 3.26.11-14 -- Bombay, December 23, 1974:

So these elementary principles are there, but they are growing into, or changing into different body by the interaction of the guṇas. That is going on. That is called prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Whatever is being done, that is by the interaction of the three modes of material nature. Actually, it is the prakṛti, or pradhāna. Pradhāna change, come into manifestation. That is called prakṛti.

Lecture on SB 3.26.42 -- Bombay, January 17, 1975:

So whole material world is nothing but tejo-vāri-mṛd-vinimayaḥ, exchange of, elementary, this earth, water, and fire. The same principle here also: taste. Just like we cook the same oil, ghee, and salt and turmeric, but we prepare different preparations, hundred, two hundred preparation, simply by the process of mixing earth. So that is going on. Now, by Kṛṣṇa's energy... Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). His energy is working in such subtle way, mysterious way. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is known as Yogeśvara. The same earth, same water, but the seed different.

Lecture on SB 11.3.21 -- New York, April 13, 1969:

So one who is actually convinced that "The materialistic way of life cannot make me happy," his duty is to seek after a bona fide spiritual master to be enlightened in the transcendental science of understanding oneself and what is God. There are five elementary truths. The living entity... We are all living entities, cats and dogs or animals. There are 8,400,000's of different kinds of... According to different kinds of bodies... The living entity is one spirit soul, but according to his body he is claiming.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation Lecture -- London, August 22, 1971:

So this initiation means beginning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You are already associating with our society. You have already learned some of the elementary knowledge, and you should be careful about the four principles of prohibition. What are those? You tell me what are our prohibitions? Huh?

Devotee: No meat, no eggs, no intoxicants...

Prabhupāda: Tell me loudly so that others hear.

General Lectures

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Los Angeles, January 19, 1969:

If you take advantage of this Vedic literature, especially of the... Bhagavad-gītā is the preliminary study, ABCD. Bhagavad-gītā is not very high standard spiritual knowledge. It is simply elementary, ABCD knowledge of spiritual life, rudimentary knowledge. And if you want to study more and more, there is Vedānta-sūtra, there is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Upaniṣad, so many things. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to give people chance to take advantage of this Vedic literature.

Lecture -- Bombay, March 18, 1972:

So this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam gives you instruction how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Bhagavad-gītā is the elementary lessons how to understand Kṛṣṇa, then become Kṛṣṇa conscious. If you do not understand Kṛṣṇa... It is not very easy thing to understand Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says,

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu

kaścid yatati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāṁ

kaścin vetti māṁ tattvataḥ

(BG 7.3)

Kṛṣṇa says Himself that "Out of many, many millions of people, one may be interested how to make life successful. One may know what is the aim of life." That is called siddhi.

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Interview with LA Times Reporter About Moon Trip -- December 26, 1968, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Just like... You try to understand me, that this matter, consisting of five elements, earth, air; earth, water, air...earth, water, fire, air, ether. And then, still subtler than ether is the mind, and then, subtler than the mind is intelligence, and subtler than intelligence is the spirit soul. So before we reach our spiritual platform, there are so many elementary material platforms. So in different planets one of the element is prominent. Just like we can experience in the ocean and sea the water is prominent. In the land earth is prominent. Similarly, in different, just like in the sun planet fire is prominent. So in each and every planet there are particular type of body, particular type of residents. You cannot expect that the same type of body and same type of residents are there.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation with Dai Nippon -- April 22, 1972, Tokyo:

Sudāmā: He is waiting to have a very nice pose of Your Divine Grace. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: Oh, that's nice. So Veda, Veda means knowledge. So every human being should be interested for advancement of knowledge. So our movement is not a religious movement. It is a movement for advancement of knowledge. And this knowledge, God consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is especially meant for this human body. Because knowledge cannot be given to animals. I cannot speak to the other animals about knowledge because they are imperfect. Their body is imperfect. They are not suitable for receiving knowledge. Only elementary knowledge for maintaining this body, they have got: where to secure food, where to sleep, how to have sexual intercourse, and how to defend. These knowledges are there in animals also. So human being requires further knowledge. That is special prerogative, gift by God, by nature. Whatever you say. So we should utilize this human body for furtherance of knowledge. And the first important knowledge is that we should know that there is life after death. That is the basic principle of knowledge.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Anna Conan Doyle, daughter-in-law of famous author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle -- August 10, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. Very nice.

Anna Conan Doyle: Yes, yes. That is a very complicated book. To read many, many, many times.

Prabhupāda: That is the elementary ABCD. Yes. Here is a statement of my interview with the Vice-president. (break) Just Arjuna, he was a family man. Is it not?

Guru-gaurāṅga: Arjuna, in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Anna Conan Doyle: Yes, Arjuna, yes.

Prabhupāda: Not only family man, he was in the battlefield. So if he could understand Bhagavad-gītā in that position, why we cannot?

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Yoga Student -- March 14, 1975, Iran:

Indian man: Guruji, according to the bhakti-yoga, a person starting at least in the elementary way of bhakti-yoga...

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Indian man: In the elementary way, if he starts...

Prabhupāda: What is that elementary way?

Indian man: Half-heartedly.

Prabhupāda: No, no what is that process elementary?

Indian man: In the dvaita way. In the dvaita way, not in the advaita way, assuming that He is different and I am different. That is the elementary way of starting worship.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is always. Why elementary?

Indian man: He is considering in that way.

Indian man: No, no. Assuming there had been, supposing bhakti-yoga...

Prabhupāda: Bhakti-yoga... First of all try to understand what is bhakti-yoga.

Morning Walk -- May 21, 1975, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: But the varieties of creation, not that everything is coming like that. Just like Brahmā was first created, the first intelligent man. So although there was water, he was above water. He was on the lotus flower, which is not in the water. So that is also creation. So suppose this part is not covered by water—you see grass. But where there is lake there is no grass. So both things are there. Somewhere where there is water, unless the water is dried up, there is no grass. But somewhere you will find, immediately, grass. But there is no water. Or above water. So far the material elements are concerned, that is this stage. But the material elementary presentation, in different places, different way.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 16, 1976, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: That's right. I am talking to my scientist friends, sir. That is which medium they move.

Prabhupāda: The protons, electrons, and they have not come to any conclusion. They are still dividing. NDA? They have found some NDA?

Dr. Patel: Elementary particles.

Prabhupāda: No, NDA?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: DNA.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 31, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Satsvarūpa: No, I don't know what's wrong with them. They seem to be all right. But the thing is they want to make a book that will be so nice that any teacher, elementary school teacher, would say "This is very good."

Prabhupāda: No, everything is good, and again sometimes, again improvement, again...

Hari-śauri: I think their idea is that if they have a good quality, then they could even be distributed to the schools.

Prabhupāda: That is to be decided by the GBC. How can I know what is good quality, bad quality? But I know there are some books made. Again you translate; again you make another.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Jadurani -- Vrindaban 9 September, 1967:

Regarding Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, he decended from higher planet for being liberated in the association of Lord Caitanya, so his conditioned life came to an end after he contacted Lord Caitanya. The distinction between subtle and gross bodies is elementary. There are eight elements: five gross and three subtle. When a living entity has only subtle body he is considered to be a ghost, and when he has both, he is considered in full strength. To remain in subtle body in this material world is very uncomfortable.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Jananivasa -- ISKCON; Akash-Ganga Bldg, 7th floor; 89 Warden Road Bombay-26 INDIA 23rd March, 1971:

I am glad to hear how you are lecturing in college classes also. That is very good program. Take as many such college classes as possible. You write to say that there is some difficulty in distriuting books because religious teachings are unlawful in public schools. How is that? In every university there is a department of religion. Unless they understand religion in elementary schools, what they will understand in college? Our philosophy and teachings should be studied in childhood, just after reaching five years of age.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Nairobi 26 September, 1971:

Yes, if we can establish such a Krishna Conscious school, certainly it will be very much attractive. That was my first suggestion in Bombay. The first thing is that we will have to select teachers. Whether our men who are already there will be able to teach. Of course teaching will be elementary. Satyabhama in New Vrindaban has written a book for children. So you can immediately ask her. I think many of our girls can take up this business. Lilavati, Satyabhama and I don't know who else; there are many who may take up this work. Some of them may go to India. But factually, so far I have studied the situation, American boys and girls are a little restless. So it is subject matter to be decided by the GBC and I think you should consult with all other GBC members how to do it.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Nairobi 9 October, 1971:

Regarding your teacher problem, I have advised Pradyumna to go there and teach students primary Sanskrit lessons at least to learn the alphabet, so that in the future when they go to India they may learn Sanskrit very easily. The students should be taught Sanskrit both in Devanagari and Bengali alphabets. Satyabhama in New Vrindaban has written a nice book for elementary lessons in English. I think this book may be printed immediately. If not the manuscript may be used to teach the students. The important matter is that the children are taken care of nicely. Bhavananda was talking with me that in New Vrindaban students were very much neglected. Therefore they were immediately transferred to New York. Every parent wants to see that their children are taken care of very nicely. That is the first duty.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Aniruddha -- Bombay 10 January, 1972:

The children should be trained in early rising, attending mangal arati, some elementary education: arithmetic, alphabet, some of our books, like that. They should go to bed by 8 p.m. and rise by 4 a.m. for mangal arati, getting 8 hours sleep. If they take 8 hours sleep, they will not fall asleep during arati. When they get up they should wash with a little warm water, at least three times wash face. They may sleep one hour in the afternoon and there is no harm. Encourage them to chant as much japa as possible, but there is no question of force or punishment. If there is need you may shake your finger at them but never physical punishment is allowed.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Mayapur 28 February, 1972:

Sanskrit should be compulsory for all our children to learn, and anyone who has elementary knowledge of alphabet and grammar can begin to teach it. In addition, English reading and writing, a little mathematics, history and geography or we shall be thought fools if we do not know—that's all. Main thing is that by attendance of our routine programme, that is, rising early, cleansing, chanting, eating Krsna prasada, street Sankirtana, looking at books, etc., in this way, if the children associate with their elders in the regular schedule of devotional practices, that is best way to train.

Letter to Lilavati -- Sydney 26 March, 1972:

I am very glad to hear that you are happy in your service in Los Angeles. Your letters show that you are very much talented in writing, so my proposal is that you engage yourself in editorial work. Or if you like, you can learn elementary Sanskrit, and when I come there we shall see how it can be put to use. Your book distribution program is very much encouraging to me. The more such literatures are read and distributed, the more auspicity will be there in the world. Please continue this program with ever-increasing enthusiasm.