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Equality (Lectures)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- London, August 19, 1973:

So spiritual rejuvenation required. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am not this body. I am Brahman, spiritual soul." Then you will be happy. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54), samaḥ sarveṣu... Then there will be equality, fraternity, brotherhood. Otherwise it is all bogus, simply high-sounding words. There cannot be all these things. Come to the spiritual platform, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na... (BG 18.54), samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Then you can see equally. Otherwise you will see that "I have become human being. I have got my hands and legs, and the poor cow has no hands and legs. Kill him and eat." No. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Asamata. Unequality. Why? What right you have got to kill another animal? Because you have no vision of equality, for want of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore so-called education, culture, fraternity, in this material world, all these are bogus, humbug. Simply Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the right subject matter to be studied by sane, sober, dhīra. Then the society will be happy; otherwise not. Thank you very much. (end)

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- London, August 19, 1973:

So spiritual rejuvenation required. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am not this body. I am Brahman, spiritual soul." Then you will be happy. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54), samaḥ sarveṣu... Then there will be equality, fraternity, brotherhood. Otherwise it is all bogus, simply high-sounding words. There cannot be all these things. Come to the spiritual platform, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na... (BG 18.54), samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Then you can see equally. Otherwise you will see that "I have become human being. I have got my hands and legs, and the poor cow has no hands and legs. Kill him and eat." No. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Asamata. Unequality. Why? What right you have got to kill another animal? Because you have no vision of equality, for want of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore so-called education, culture, fraternity, in this material world, all these are bogus, humbug. Simply Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the right subject matter to be studied by sane, sober, dhīra. Then the society will be happy; otherwise not. Thank you very much.

Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Los Angeles, December 6, 1968:

That rubbish literature is compared with the enjoyable things of the crows, and spiritual literature, they are enjoyed by the white swans. There is difference between the white swans. You have seen natural. They are also birds, crows are also birds. But you'll see white swans, they take pleasure in clear water where there are lilies, and they take nice pleasure there. And crows they will go, where you throw all rubbish things, they'll go there. You see nature. People say everyone is equal. How you can say equal? Even in the bird society there is no equality, in the animal society there is no equality. Then how you can make equality? On the material platform it is not possible. You have to come to the spiritual platform; then equality is possible.

Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Hyderabad, November 30, 1972:

Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate. Māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate (BG 14.26). Unless we come to that platform of bhakti-yoga and become re-related, not related, again revive our Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we, there cannot be equality. That is not possible. There must be distinction, some higher class, some middle class, some lower class. Even in European countries, there are, in America there are, so are in India. So it is not very astonishing. Because the whole world is being conducted, the whole material nature is being conducted by the three guṇas, and anyone associating with a particular type of guṇa, he must suffer or enjoy according to that guṇas. Jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. Tāmasa, they, those who are in the tāmasika-guṇa, they go adhaḥ. Madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ. And via media, those who are in touch with the rajo-guṇa. And ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ: (BG 14.18) those who are in the goodness, they go up, in the upper platform of the society or in the universe. But Kṛṣṇa says, ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). Either you go even to the Brahmaloka, one day you have come to the hellish loka. This is the way. So some, cakravat parivartante sukhāni ca duḥkhāni ca. Just like the wheel turns round, sometimes up, sometimes down, so this is the position of this material world. There is no question of lamenting. You cannot say, "These people are suffering and that people are enjoying." The man who is enjoying, he'll also suffer next moment.

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

And otherwise how we can explain so many abominable forms of life? Even up to the worm in the stool. This is also a life. And Brahmā is also a life. Why the differences? According to karma. Karmaṇā daiva... Infection. As you infect, as you associate. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya (BG 13.22). These are all explained. Why one is the stool worm, and why one is Lord Brahmā? Now, kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya. As we are associating with the laws of material nature, we are infecting and we are getting the next body. So this is our position.

We are spirit soul, pure, as Kṛṣṇa is pure. We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, we are also pure. That is qualitative equality. Not quantitative. Kṛṣṇa is the great, we are the small. Aṇor aṇīyān mahato mahīyān. He is mahato mahīyān, we are aṇor aṇīyān. We are aṇu, atomic. Atomic sparks of Kṛṣṇa. So actually, we are pure, but as we associate with the qualities of material nature, we become impure. Therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to purify, to purity(?) the impure living entities. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam (CC Antya 20.12). If you become purified, ceto-darpaṇa...

Where the purificatory process begins? From the heart. Ceto-darpaṇa. Cittaḥ. Desires. We have got so many desires and Kṛṣṇa is so kind, He fulfills your desire, my desire. Whatever you like you can do. But you'll never be happy in that way. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, "Give up all these nonsense desires. Simply surrender unto Me. That is your only business."

Lecture on BG 6.30-34 -- Los Angeles, February 19, 1969:

Prabhupāda: Yes, that example I have already given. As the sun can be present in many places simultaneously, similarly, Viṣṇu form or Kṛṣṇa can be present in everyone's heart, He is actually present: īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna (BG 18.61)—He's sitting. The localization is also stated. Hṛd-deśe. Hṛd-deśe means in the heart. So concentration of yoga means to find out from the heart where Viṣṇu is sitting. There is. Go on.

Viṣṇujana: Verse thirty-two: "He is a perfect yogi, who, knowing that the self dwells in all, sees the true equality of all living entities, both in their happiness and distress, O Arjuna."

Prabhupāda: This is universal vision. Not that God is sitting in your heart and not in the cat's heart or dog's heart or cow's heart. He's sitting everyone's heart. It is said sarva-bhūtānām. Sarva-bhūta means all living entities. He's sitting in human heart, He's sitting in the ant's heart. He is sitting in the dog's heart, he is sitting everyone's heart. But the cats and dogs, they cannot realize. That is the difference. But a human being, if he tries, if he follows the yoga system sāṅkhya-yoga system, bhakti-yoga system, then he is able to find out. That is the prerogative of this human form of life. And if we miss this opportunity, if we don't find out, if we don't identify our existence with the Lord, then we are missing this opportunity. This, after the evolutionary process, coming through 8,400,000 species of life, when we get this human form of life, if we miss this opportunity, then how much loss we suffer you do not know. So we should be conscious about that. We should not miss this opportunity.

Lecture on BG 10.4-5 -- New York, January 4, 1967:

So we have to understand these qualifications. Intelligence. Buddhiḥ means intelligence. Jñānam means knowledge. Asammohaḥ means freedom from illusion. Kṣamā. Kṣamā, forgiveness. Satyam, truth. Damaḥ. Damaḥ means controlling the senses, and samaḥ, to keep the mind equibalanced. Sukham means happiness. Duḥkham, distress, bhava means birth. Abhāva. Abhāva means death, bhayam, fear, and abhayam, fearlessness. Ahiṁsā, nonviolence; samatā, equality; tuṣṭiḥ, satisfaction; tapaḥ, penance; dānam charity; yaśaḥ, fame; ayaśaḥ, defamation; bhavanti, "all these become," bhāvāḥ... Bhāva means state of being. Bhūtānām, "of all living entities;" mattaḥ, "from Me;" eva, certainly; pṛthag-vidhāḥ, differently. Because Kṛṣṇa has declared already, aham ādir hi devānām (BG 10.2). Maharṣīṇāṁ ca sarva. He is the original cause of everything.

Now... Then He must be the cause of all good qualification and bad qualification also. Whatever we see in this material world, we consider, "This is bad, and this is good." We have divided that, according to our calculation. But actually there are... They are varied manifestation of the qualities of Kṛṣṇa. Here in the material world, those qualities, transcendental qualities, they are in Kṛṣṇa and they are in living entities. Just like we have all these qualities.

Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Hyderabad, April 20, 1974:

That is real sama-darśinaḥ. And so long we are on the material platform we may preach sama-darśinaḥ, so many ism, philanthropism, nationalism, this ism, that... These are all false. You cannot come into the equal level. Only spiritual level, through spiritual understanding that "Now, we are all soul," brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54).

Then, when you come to that understanding, then actual bhakti begins. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām (BG 18.54). Therefore in the bhakti platform, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no such distinction, "Here is American, here is an Indian, here is an African, here is this and that." No. Everyone is Kṛṣṇa conscious. So actually if we want equality, fraternity, then we must come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the purpose of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

And actually, it is becoming fact, factual. These boys and these girls, they are no more thinking that they are American or European or Canadian or Australian and Indian also. They are equal. So if you want equality, fraternity, friendship, love and perfection, solution of problems, all problems, economic, political, social, religious, then come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Come to this platform. Then all your ambitions will be fulfilled and you will be perfect. Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 5, 1973:

That is very essential. This morning I was talking with Tamal Kṛṣṇa Gosvāmī. Cleanliness is... As soon as you give up cleanliness, you become mleccha and yavana. Mleccha, yavana, these two names have come into Vedic śāstras, one who is unclean." Why there was always misunderstanding between the Hindus and the Muslims? I am talking of practical life. Because the Muslims were very unclean and the Hindus are supposed... now Hindus are less than Muslim, less than Muslim. And still, they are claiming... Śaucam. They are most unclean at the present moment, so deteriorated. Publicly it is being advertised, "Here is beef shop. Come on. Equality. Equality by eating beef, drinking wine." Now this is coming. Śaucam. Śaucam. Cleanliness. Cleanliness is next to godliness. You must take twice bath at least. It is required. And in tropical countries like India, there is no difficulty taking bath three times. Of course, if your body does not permit... But that is Śaucam, to clean. Śaucam. Śaucaṁ bāhyābhyantaram.

Lecture on BG 18.41 -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

Just like in this body, the head, the arms, the belly and the legs, they are cooperating for the proper upkeep of the bodily health. Similarly, if we actually want the human society should be organized, then the intelligent class of men, the administrative class of men, the mercantile class of men, and the worker class of men, they should cooperate for understanding Kṛṣṇa, or God. Then there will be harmony in the human society. Without God consciousness, everyone will think "I am very important, others are not important. I should be given only protection, not others." No. As soon as you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, as soon as you become brahma-bhūtaḥ, then you'll see samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Samaḥ, samaḥ means equality to all kinds of living entities. Not only human being.

How many human beings are there out of 8,400,000 species of life? A few only. Only 400,000 species. This information we get from the śāstras, Vedic literature. Bhagavad-gītā is the summary of all Vedic literature. Therefore, it is advised here that how the first-class of men should be trained up. How the second-class men should be trained up, how the third-class men should be trained up and how the fourth-class men should be trained up. Not that everyone should become first-class.

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

"I am śūdra." "I am this." "I am that." So when one understands that "I am not this body," then he comes to the point: "Why I am working so hard for this body?" Misunderstanding. That is called brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā. Immediately your so many responsibilities go away. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati, samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu (BG 18.54). Then you understand that "Why I am envious of this man or that man, this animal or that animal? They are all part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. They are all brāhmaṇas." So samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu, paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). He sees brahma-darśī. In this way, when samatvam, samatvam, he comes to the point of samatvam, equality, mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām (BG 18.54), that is the beginning of devotional life. That is the beginning of... It is not a sentiment. It is a great science to become a devotee, to come to the platform of devotional life. Mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām (BG 18.54). When one comes to that stage of devotional life, then bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). At that time, one can understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Tattvataḥ. The same thing. In three places, Kṛṣṇa has been described: tattvataḥ. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid vetti māṁ tattvataḥ (BG 7.3). How to understand tattvataḥ? Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55).

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

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

This is our business. So long we do not get, we hanker. And when we get, then "How to keep it?" That is anxiety. And when it is lost, that is also anxiety. This is the material position. And when you come to the spiritual position there is no such thing—no more lamentation, no lamenting, no hankering. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati, samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu (BG 18.54). At that time it is possible to see that everyone is equal because he can see. He does not see "Here is American." He does not see "Here is Indian." He does not see "Here is a brāhmaṇa." He does not see "Here is a dog." He sees all living being part and parcel of God. That is called samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. That equality is possible when you are brahma-bhūtaḥ. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Artificially you have opened this United Nation, but your conception is, "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim." So how it can be, there can be unity? It is not possible. That is not brahma-bhūtaḥ stage. That is prakṛta stage, identifying with this body. So long you identify with this body when you are in the material conception of life, there is no question of spiritual understanding, there is no question of joyfulness, there is no question of freedom from lamentation and hankering and there is no question of equality. It is all false show.

Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Los Angeles, August 22, 1972:

Then you will be able to see everyone on the spiritual platform. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). Then you are learned. You are seeing the cats and dogs and a human being, a learned man, because you don't see the dress, outward covering, tabernacle, but you see, "Here is a spirit soul, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa." That is universal brotherhood. Not by passing resolution with the United Nations and fighting. That is not possible. You have to come to the stage of spiritual platform; then there is question of love, brotherhood, equality, fraternity, otherwise, all bogus propaganda. It's not possible. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām (BG 18.54). Then real, pure devotional service begins. Then we become completely fit to serve Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa accepts your service at that time.

This is the process, but if we follow the rules and regulations given by spiritual master, śāstra, then gradually, gradually... Therefore we should be very careful. We should be very cautious that māyā may not attack us. Because she is always ready to attack. Rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ (SB 1.2.19). Even in goodness also, māyā, there is māyā. Therefore in the material platform, even goodness is not pure. Therefore there is another stage, which is called śuddha-sattva. Goodness is sattva, sattva-guṇa. There is another stage, transcendental stage, which is called śuddha-sattva. Sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vāsudeva-śabditam. That is called vāsudeva stage, and in the vāsudeva stage, Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, appears. You can see Kṛṣṇa. Not that a rascal inviting everyone, "Come on. I shall show you God, I shall show you God," and some rascals are going there to see God. God is not so cheap. One has to qualify himself to see God. These are the processes.

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

This is material activities. Everyone is struggling to gain something which he does not possess, and he's lamenting for something which he has lost. But when he realizes himself that "I have nothing to gain and nothing to lose; I have nothing to do with this material world," that is called brahma-bhūtaḥ. That is Brahman realization. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati, samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu (BG 18.54). At that time, he realizes that all living entities, they are spirit soul, paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). That is equal vision—not the bodily vision. So long we have got bodily vision, there cannot be any equality. That is not possible. When one sees only to the spiritual existence of a living entity, there is question of seeing equally, equal vision, universal brotherhood. That is possible. Not on the bodily platform. That is not possible.

So after acquiring this knowledge, the life of devotional service begins.

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

It has no other duty. The finger cannot go elsewhere and serve something else; it must serve my body. Therefore, it is part and parcel. Similarly, if I am part and parcel of God, then my only duty is to serve God. This is Vaiṣṇava philosophy. So therefore, in Vaiṣṇava philosophy, everything in relationship with God is service.

You have seen the picture in our Nectar of Devotion. Kṛṣṇa's friends... Kṛṣṇa is resting. They are all engaged in service. Somebody is fanning, somebody is massaging. Although they are friends, there is equality, none of them think that Kṛṣṇa is greater than them. No. They think, "Kṛṣṇa is our friend, very nice friend, very beautiful friend, and very powerful friend." Every day they go to the forest, and they see one demon is killed by Kṛṣṇa. So they become very much devoted. Their love for Kṛṣṇa increased by seeing Kṛṣṇa's activities, beauty, opulence. Similarly, the gopīs. So they did not think Kṛṣṇa is God. They did not know. Even Mother Yaśodā, Nanda Mahārāja, all the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, they did not know, neither they did care to know whether Kṛṣṇa is God or not. They simply loved Kṛṣṇa, without any identification. We are worshiping God, Kṛṣṇa, because we are impressed with so many things, that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord, He is the Absolute Truth.

Lecture on SB 1.8.46 -- Los Angeles, May 8, 1973:

Just like when Parīkṣit Mahārāja was going on tour, he saw one black man was trying to kill a cow. Immediately saw, "Who are you? You are trying to kill cow in my kingdom? I shall kill you." He immediately took out his sword. This is king, that... Not that animals should not be given protection, only man should be given protection. No. Prajā. Prajā means one who taken birth in the kingdom. That is called prajā. So animal is also American, man is also American, but there is no protection for the animal by the government. So that kind of government, rascal government, was not there. Equal right. Your country says equality given. Why not equality to the animals? That is defect. It is due to, I mean to say, absence of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person will not distinguish like that. For eating animal, they will philosophize that animal has no soul; therefore it can be killed. No. This is nonsense. Everyone has got soul. Even a small ant has got soul. But they have to kill. They have to eat. They are philosophizing different way. Lord Jesus Christ said, "Thou shalt not kill," and now they are interpreting, "Killing means murdering human being." But that is not in the Bible.

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

That's all. According to karma. This is the philosophy. So we cannot make that "These dressed living entities are important than the other dressed living entities." No. Everyone. The paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). Those who are actually learned, paṇḍita, sama-darśinaḥ, they are equal, equipoised: "Never mind, here is a dog, he is also living entity; and here is a brāhmaṇa, he is also living entity. By his work he has got the body of a brāhmaṇa, and here he has got the body of a dog. But as living entity, they are all equal.

So without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the philosophy of equality, fraternity, as in your country they profess, it is not possible. Artificial. Without coming to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that every living entity is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, or God, this equality, fraternity, big, big words, universal brotherhood, it is impossible. That is not possible. Therefore one has to become learned scholar, paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). Then he will be able to see equally. Just like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira is thinking of all prajās, not only... Otherwise, the language would have been "human being." No. Prajā, "All, all kinds of prajā." This is universal understanding.

So deva-vrata. Deva-vrata is Bhīṣmadeva. Vrata means vow, and deva means God. So he took brahmacārī-vrata: "I'll, I remain ever-celibate. I'll never marry." It is called deva-vrata. Naiṣṭhika-brahmacārī. This is possible in high-class society, that "I shall remain celibate all the life, naiṣṭhika-brahmacārī." They do not marry. Naiṣṭhika-brahmacārī. So Bhīṣmadeva was naiṣṭhika-brahmacārī. Therefore his name is deva-vrata.

Lecture on SB 1.15.42 -- Los Angeles, December 20, 1973:

In this way everything in this material world, nothing is permanent. But the soul within the body, that permanent. That is the conservation of energy. That they do not know. Where the energy is reserved and wherefrom the energy is manifested, again wound up... A living entity... As God and we living entities, we have got the same quality... As God is the reservation, conversation of all energy, material energy, similarly, I, you, we being small particle of God's fraction... Just like spark, spark of fire, big fire, and the small spark. That small spark has all the qualities of fire. All the chemicals composition of fire is there in the small spark, but in very, very small quantity. A drop of seawater has got the all chemical composition of the ocean. That is equality. Qualitatively. And quantitatively, where is the comparison between the drop of ocean water and the ocean? There is no comparison. That is difference. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy is perfect. Acintya-bhedābheda, inconceivably, simultaneously one and different. We are one with one, but these rascals who have no thorough knowledge, they simply take this oneness, "I am one with God." That is rascaldom. There are two things: one and different simultaneously. Qualitatively one, quantitatively different.

Lecture on SB 1.16.8 -- Los Angeles, January 5, 1974:

Because it is nṛ-loka. Every human being. Superficially, externally, there may be, this nation is better than that nation. That is fact. The Aryans and non-Aryans. There are divisions: civilized, noncivilized; educated, noneducated; cultured, noncultured; black, white; this and that. There are... Externally these divisions... But that distinction is of the body.

But spirit soul is not this body. He is spirit. That quality is one. There is no such distinction, "This is better," "This is lower," "This is black," "This is white," "This is civilized." In the spirit soul platform, everyone is one, one. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Samaḥ. Samatā. Samatā means equality. Where? Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). When one is self-realized, ahaṁ brahmāsmi... "I am not this body. I am not Christian, I am not Hindu, I am not black, I am not white, I am not fat, I am not thin. I am Brahman." Brahmāsmi. That is called Brahman. "I am spirit soul, part and parcel of God. My only business is to serve God, because I am part and parcel of God." Just like I have given several times: the part and parcel of my body is this finger. What is the duty? To serve the whole body. I ask the finger, "Come here immediately. Do this." "Yes." Natural. If I am part and parcel of God, then my only duty is to serve God. That's all. I have no other duty.

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

So this statement, that "God has no name," that is fact, but He has got His name in relationship with His activities with devotees. So Kṛṣṇa worked as sārathi, as it is stated here, sārathyam. He acted as the chariot driver of Arjuna. Therefore Kṛṣṇa's name is Pārtha-sārathi. So Kṛṣṇa did all these things. He acted as a chariot driver. He acted as the president of the assembly. Not that He is eternally chariot driver. Eternally servant is the human being or the living entities. Eternally master, that is. In Vaikuṇṭha, in the spiritual world, there is equality with God and the living entities. They enjoy on equal level. But everyone knows that "Here is the Supreme." That is spiritual world. When Kṛṣṇa drives the chariot, Arjuna does not forget, that "He is my chariot driver." He knows that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme. But He is so kind, He has accepted the post of my chariot driver." This is spiritual sense. And sometimes, by the influence of yoga-māyā, Kṛṣṇa also forgets that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the devotee also forgets that he is eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. That is the action of yoga-māyā.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, there are so many things to learn. And when practically one learns everything—not everything; as far as possible, perfection—then his position is janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). Anyone who learns about Kṛṣṇa, His janma... He has no father, but He is accepting a father. Therefore janma. Janma means birth. When there is birth, there must be father and mother.

Lecture on SB 2.2.5 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1968:

There are two kinds of philosophers. One class of philosopher, they say that we are one with God. Another class of philosopher says that we are different, God is different from living entity. But Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu has adjusted that we are simultaneously one and different. Just like the father and the son. The father is one with the son, but at the same time, the son is different from the father. The son cannot claim cent percent equality with the father. That is not possible. But the son's body is nondifferent from the father's body. Similarly, living entities, we are simultaneously one and different from God. One in this sense: that all the qualities that God has, the same qualities the living entity has. But the difference is God has all the qualities in fullness, and so far we are concerned, we have got all the godly qualities in minute. That is the difference. Aṇu and vibhu. Vibhu means unlimited, and aṇu means limited. So we have got opulence, fame, beauty, strength, influence, knowledge, all good qualities that God has. But God has got in full, we have got in minute quantity.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 11, 1975:

After realizing Brahman identification, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, that is called brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20). And the symptom of that brahma-bhūta stage is na śocati na kāṅkṣati. There is no more lamentation. So long we are in the bodily platform, there are two things prominent, lamentation and aspiration, hankering, two things. We hanker after things which we do not possess, and what we possess, if we lose, then we cry. This is our position. So if actually he's Brahman realized, then he has no more hankering or lamentation. Na śocati na kāṅkṣati. Then samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Then, from that platform, you can think of equality, not on the material platform. It is not possible.

So long we are in this material platform, bodily concept of life, then there will be distinction: "I am Indian," "You are American," "You are Englishman," "You are this," "...that," so many things, so many designations. Therefore, if you want to rise up to the platform of spiritual realization, then the formula is sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170).

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 13, 1975:

That is svarūpa. After Brahman realization, when one is perfectly free from all material anxieties, that is beginning of svarūpa. And then the conception of equality, samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu, paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). Those who are learned, they have no such distinction that "I am Indian," "You are American," "You are Bengali," "I am Andhra," and this... No. This is all virūpa, all virūpa. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). We have several times explained, we have to be free from all these designation. That is svarūpa, designationless.

But we are now busy with designation and fighting. That means we are not yet completely educated. Kṛṣṇa also chastised Arjuna in the beginning, (sic:) asatyam anvaśocas tvam prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase, "You are talking like a very learned scholar, but you are lamenting only the body, bodily concept of life." Gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ (BG 2.11). "So far the body is concerned, either it is dead or alive, a learned man does not care for it." That is svarūpa. Now we are simply concerned with this body; therefore we are missing our svarūpa, therefore missing mukti. I have already explained, mukti means to be situated in his own original, spiritual life.

Lecture on SB 7.6.9 -- New Vrindaban, June 25, 1976:

This is the only meaning. If we become pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then my love will be extended to everyone. Not only my society, but to everyone. It is not that "This is my children, that is other's children." All children. All human being. Not my countrymen—all other countrymen. Not only human beings, but even animals also. That is sneha. It is not that "I am safe, and let the animals be killed in the slaughterhouse." No, that is not love. Love means for everyone. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Equality to all living entities. That is real love. That is real concern, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. A lover of Kṛṣṇa will hesitate to kill even one ant. You know the story, Mrgrari. That is love. Because one has got... Just like this child. If I like I can kill him, there is no difficulty. But does it mean that I shall kill him? No. Similarly, a small ant, anyone can kill. No. Here is a living entity, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Samaḥ sarveṣu—he should not be unnecessarily killed. We should be careful, not that "Trample over the ants and let them be killed." No, everything should be carefully done. Of course, we cannot stop this, but we should be careful, and if it is done, then if we remain Kṛṣṇa conscious, Kṛṣṇa will excuse. Yajñārthe karmaṇo 'nyatra. Therefore the business should be, if we walk at all, we shall walk for Kṛṣṇa.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 1, 1973:

Just like if one becomes secretary or servant of a very big man, he's in the same position. He's sitting on the same place. He's eating the same way. He's in the same atmosphere. So everything is same. Simply the relationship is different. That's all. So when one goes to the spiritual world... Just like the cowherd boys, the gopīs, they are on the same platform of Kṛṣṇa. They do not think that "We are lesser than Kṛṣṇa." The cowherds boy, they sometimes chastise Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is obliged to take them on the shoulder. Sometimes. They do not know that Kṛṣṇa is God, or "Kṛṣṇa is greater than me." That is the position. Equality.

Therefore Śukadeva Gosvāmī said:

itthaṁ (satāṁ) brahma-sukhānubhūtyā
dāsyaṁ gatānāṁ para-daivatena
māyāśritānāṁ nara-dārakeṇa
sākaṁ vijahruḥ kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ
(SB 10.12.11)

These cowherd boys who are playing with Kṛṣṇa, they are not ordinary human being. They are very, very advanced in spiritual assets. Kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ. When they are... Just like you accumulate money. When you have got too much accumulation, ten crores of rupees, like that... When one's pious activities becomes accumulated in voluminous attitude, at that time, one is... That means when one is completely free from the material contamination, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu (BG 18.54).

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 1, 1973:

This sama-darśinaḥ, equality, cannot be possible in material vision. That is not possible. One must elevate himself to the spiritual platform. Then paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ. That is after brahma-bhūtaḥ stage. Brahmā bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati, samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu (BG 18.54). When one has attained this stage, then he can enter mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām. That is, that is really bhakti's platform. That bhakti platform means elimination of all material contamination.

So one who becomes engaged immediately in pure devotional service, he immediately becomes liberated. Immediately. Without any distant time. Immediately. Tad kṣaṇāt śraddhā bhavati, śraddhā savanāya kalpate. Jīva Gosvāmī (says) that one who, even one is born in the lowest degree, śva-pācaḥ, śraddhā savanaya kalpate, he becomes immediately eligible for performing sacrifices. There are śāstra evidences. And Śukadeva Gosvāmī says,

kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā
ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ
ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ
śudhyanti (tasmai) prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ
(SB 2.4.18)

Even born in kirāta family, the aborigines... They, these, these names are of the caṇḍālas. They are not Aryans. Non-Aryans. So kirāta-hūṇā... In the Bhagavad-gītā also Kṛṣṇa says, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Pāpa-yoni. Striya śūdra tathā vaiśyās te 'pi yānti paraṁ gatim.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.118-121 -- San Francisco, February 24, 1967:

He is person. The difference is that He's sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). And so far the living entities are concerned, they are His energies." Energies.

So the distinction between energy and energetic we have discussed several times. Energy is almost the same qualitative as the energetic. The same example, that the sun planet is hot; therefore the energy of the sun planet, sunshine, it is also hot. Sunshine, the sun is illuminating; therefore the energy of the sun, sunshine, it is also illuminating. So there are so many qualitative equality with the supreme, I mean to say, living entity. But Śaṅkarācārya's statement that "We living entities, we are God, and now we are illusioned in māyā. As soon as we become free from this māyā, we become God," that is not fact. You do not become God, but you are already in godly quality, qualities, to some extent, not fully. So when you are free from these material clutches, you attain your original quality, spiritual quality. And that spiritual quality you can serve. Because service means the person who is served, he is also person, and the servant is also person. Otherwise there is no question of service. Service, whenever we say service, there must be a person to take, to accept the service, and there must be one person who renders the service. Therefore dvaita-vāda, duality, the, this predominator and the predominated.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.119 -- Gorakhpur, February 17, 1971:

So although Kṛṣṇa is playing just like a cowherd boy, His supremacy as the Supreme Personality of Godhead is never absent there. That is God. God is not created by meditation. God is God. God is never manufactured. We should know this. God is God, and we living entities, we are living entities. That is the Vedic version. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). Equality, when there is question of equality, the equality is that Kṛṣṇa, or God, is nitya, eternal; similarly, we are also eternal. So equality in eternity. Kṛṣṇa is conscious, cetana, and we are also conscious. That is equality: equality in quality. Because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, therefore there is so many things equality. But that equality is just like the ocean and a drop of water of the ocean. If you analyze the ocean, you'll find the same chemical ingredients, and if you analyze the drop of ocean, you'll find the same chemical ingredients. That is equality. But you cannot think that the drop is equal to the ocean. That is not possible. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is vibhu. God is great, and we are anu, infinitesimal. Kṛṣṇa is infinite, we are infinitesimal. So when there is question of merging into the existence of the Supreme, that means we remain in the effulgence, Brahman effulgence, as the minute particle of Brahman.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154 -- Gorakhpur, February 16, 1971:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu is quoting from Viṣṇu Purāṇa. As I have told you the other day, there are eighteen purāṇas: sattvika-purāṇa, rajasic-purāṇa, and tamasic-purāṇa. The whole scheme of Vedic culture is to reclaim all fallen conditioned souls to the platform of transcendental realization. That is the scheme. There are different status of human understanding according to the association of the qualities. The living being is just like a spark of the complete fire. Brahman is the complete fire, and the living entities are just like sparks. The equality with Param Brahman and individual living entity is on the qualitative basis. The quality is the same. Brahman, Param Brahman. Jivātmā, Brahman, spiritual, and Paramātmā, or Parameśvara. He is supreme, complete.

So Viṣṇu Purāṇa is for the persons who are on the platform of sattva-guṇa, those who are associating with the modes of goodness. This is not correct that everyone is one the same platform. Generally, at the present moment, people are in the platform of tamo-guṇa and rajo-guṇa, mixed. So one has to rise to the platform of sattva-guṇa. And then, after transcending the sattva-guṇa, also when one is situated in śuddha-sattva, or pure sattva-guṇa... In this material world, even sattva-guṇa is sometimes contacted with rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa; therefore it is not completely pure. No guṇa is pure. It is mixed-up always. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. So one has to transcend these guṇas; then God realization, or understanding of Kṛṣṇa, can be achieved.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.125 -- New York, November 27, 1966:

So after understanding our relationship with Kṛṣṇa... Every understanding has its ultimate goal. So the understanding is that we are eternally related with Kṛṣṇa. Forgetting this relationship, we are now engaged in relationship with this material body, which I am not. Therefore I have to revive my activities which is directly in relationship with Kṛṣṇa. And that is called to act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And development of that Kṛṣṇa consciousness will be ended in love of, full love of Kṛṣṇa. When we reach that stage, love of God, love of Kṛṣṇa, then we love everyone because Kṛṣṇa is everyone. Without coming to that central point, our love on the material conception of life—equality, fraternity, brotherhood—are all simply cheating process. That is not possible. So come to that stage.

kṛṣṇa-mādhurya-sevānanda-prāptira kāraṇa
kṛṣṇa-sevā kare, (āra) kṛṣṇa-rasa-āsvādana

Kṛṣṇa-mādhurya-sevā, prāptira kāraṇa. Just like in the material world, when we serve somebody, we become tired. We become detestful. We do not like to serve. But if we serve Kṛṣṇa, then we shall feel some ecstasy in increasing the service. There is no payment. There is, I mean to say... Materially, there is no payment. Still, a person engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he will be encouraged to serve more and more.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Lecture -- New York, July 28, 1971:

If you find that in a filthy place there is some gold, take it out. You are not to take the filthy stool, but you take the gold. Nīcād apy uttamāṁ vidyām. Nīcā. According to Vedic system, education has to be taken from high class, intellectual person like the brāhmaṇas. But if you find that a person who is not a brāhmaṇa—he's less than a brāhmaṇa, or even lower caste—but if he has got some nice education, just accept him as your teacher and learn. Not that "Because he's lowborn or not brāhmaṇa, I shall not take the education from him." The point is that you have to take the education. And strī-ratnaṁ duṣkulād api. In India still the marriage takes place in equal family. The boy and the girl must be equally rich, equally cultured, equally educated. Equality. They find out. Even by horoscope, they test whether their astronomical calculations are also equal, so that after marriage they may not be unhappy. So many things, they are taken care of by the parents, and the marriage takes place. It is not that in youthful age the boy and girl mixes and... No. There are so many. But these things are now gone. So the point is that they were calculating especially to accept a girl from a family, they must be equal. But Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says that if a girl is well qualified, strī-ratna... Strī-ratna means... Ratna means jewel. If a girl is just like jewel, very qualified, even she is born in low family, accept her. Nīcād apy uttamāṁ vidyāṁ strī-ratnaṁ duṣkulād api. Duṣkulād api means born of low family. Never mind. Don't care for her parentage. If she's qualified, accept her. There are many instances. Similarly, if you are serious about understanding God, don't consider that "I am Christian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "Why shall I go this? Why shall I hear from Swamijī?"

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Lecture -- Philadelphia, July 11, 1975:

So what is that seeing? If I invite one learned scholar, and if I ask him, "Please sit down with the dog," will he be pleased? He will feel insulted. But I see that within the dog, there is spirit soul, and within the learned scholar, there is spirit soul. Paṇḍitāḥ sama... Sama-darśinaḥ means from different platform. On the material platform, if I say, "Oh, you may be a learned scholar, and you may think the dog is dog, but I see you are all equal," so it will be insult. So the fact is that we cannot disturb the equality, er, different position materially; at the same time, we have to understand what is the position, spiritual. That is wanted. If we make distinction between man and woman, black and white, then how in our temple we are enjoying together? Because we... Actually, we are equal on the spiritual platform. We do not say that "You are woman. You cannot become my disciple," or "You are black; therefore you cannot become my disciple" No. We welcome everyone. So they may not misunderstand. Just you can issue one statement that "We say that if you want to see everyone equally, treat everyone equally, then you have to come to the spiritual platform, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Materially, it is not possible."

Arrival Lecture -- Philadelphia, July 11, 1975:

"When woman becomes polluted, then there is unwanted population." So if in one place it is stated that paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18), man and woman is equal, or paṇḍita, or learned, dog and brāhmaṇa, in another place He says, strīṣu duṣṭāsu vārṣṇeya, so the fact is that, in order to make progress towards the end of spiritual realization, that we must make distinction, but the aim should be one. If you artificially do not make distinction, that will not stay. Just like in your country the black and white, they have got equal rights, but why they fight sometimes, racial fight? Because it is on the material platform. So our point is that you come to the spiritual platform, then this equality will be possible. If you keep yourself on the material platform, then artificially you may say, "We are equal," but at last we shall fight. This is our proposition. Therefore we request everyone that you come to the spiritual platform. Then everything will be very nice. There will be no distinction, because brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā. When one is spiritually realized, then he becomes happy. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). There is no more lamentation. There is no more hankering. Just like one man is trying to become another man's position. That is hankering. So in spiritual platform there is no hankering, because he understands that spiritually we are one.

Arrival Lecture -- Philadelphia, July 11, 1975:

So despite artificial distinction... Just like a man's body and a female's body, woman's body, the bodily structure is different. How you can say they are equal? No. When you see the external structure of the body of man and woman, there is difference. But despite this difference, when the man and woman think in connection with Kṛṣṇa, they are equal. That is wanted. Our proposition is that artificially you do not try to make equality. That will be failure. It is already failure. Now how you can...? Just like I have seen in London, woman police. So woman police, so I was joking with her, "If I capture your hand and snatch you, what you will do? You are policeman. (laughter) You will cry simply. So what is the use of your becoming policeman?" Policeman requires bodily strength. If there is some hooligan, you can give him one slap or catch him, but what the woman will do? So we say that be practical. Artificial equality will not endure. We are equal, undoubtedly, because we are all spirit souls. Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā, tathā dehāntara-prā... (BG 2.13). Asmin dehe, within this body, there is the spirit soul. That we have to understand first of all. And then, if we cultivate on that platform of spirit soul, then we shall feel equal and there will be no disturbance. Everyone will be peaceful. That is wanted. We are stressing that point, that artificially, if you say that "We are all equal," it will not act. But spiritually, when you understand equality, that will continue, and that will bring peace and happiness all over the human society.

Arrival Lecture -- Philadelphia, July 11, 1975:

That I explained today. But we are trying to go above the distinction. But when I say that distinction is already there, they misunderstand that I am making distinction. I am not making distinction. That already there. Why a woman is differently dressed and a man is differently dressed? Why the structure of the body, woman, is different from the man? Why there is no equal right—I was yesterday talking—that woman also become pregnant and man also become pregnant? (chuckles) That distinction is there by nature. But if you come to the spiritual platform, then you will understand that "I am not this body. These distinction are on the bodily platform. I am spirit soul. My function is how to serve God." Then it is equality. It is clear thing. But because they do not understand that there is distinction between spirit and matter—they amalgamate or they have no brain that spirit is different from matter-therefore they think that I am making distinction. No. So we should understand the real position, and then automatically there will be equality, there will be no misunderstanding. Yes?

Arrival Address -- Paris, August 11, 1975:

Yes, go on. So France is very cultured country historically, but where is fraternity? The history will read there was seven years war with England, hundred years war with England. Then Napoleon, he conquered, so all the parts, where is fraternity, eternity? Last time when I came in your country in Paris, somebody showed me one church, that from that church there was ringing of the bell, and immediately people would come and kill the Protestants or something like that. Is it not a fact?

So anyway, on the material platform, there is no possibility of equality, fraternity, or nothing. It is not possible. Unless you come to the spiritual platform, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54), there is no question of equality, fraternity. So in the United Nation, they are trying for that unity, united nation, but where is unity? Every year there is a new flag. There is no question of fraternity or equality. Just like in animal life, there is no question of fraternity or equality. Similarly, if we keep ourself in the bodily concept of life, that is animal life.

Arrival Address -- Paris, August 11, 1975:

So anyway, on the material platform, there is no possibility of equality, fraternity, or nothing. It is not possible. Unless you come to the spiritual platform, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54), there is no question of equality, fraternity. So in the United Nation, they are trying for that unity, united nation, but where is unity? Every year there is a new flag. There is no question of fraternity or equality. Just like in animal life, there is no question of fraternity or equality. Similarly, if we keep ourself in the bodily concept of life, that is animal life. So long we keep ourself as :I am French man," "I am German man," "I am English man," "I am Indian man," or so many there are nationalities, there cannot be any fraternity, equality. We have come to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or brahma-bhūtaḥ, then there will be fraternity, equality. And factually you can see in this movement all classes of men, all nationality, all religion, all color, they are coming together and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and dancing. This is wanted. So don't be misled by the leaders of so-called eternity and fraternity. It is not possible. That are called andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās (SB 7.5.31), just like a blind man is trying to lead other blind men. So come to this platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this fraternity and equality, also eternity.

Arrival Address -- Toronto, June 17, 1976:

We cannot understand on account of our ignorance. I am not this body, everyone sees practically. Still, he's identifying with this body. This is called ignorance or, in common words, rascaldom. Mūḍha. They are called mūḍhas, rascals. So the United Nations, for the last thirty, forty years, they are struggling, but there is no unity of the nations. That is not possible. So long you are in the bodily concept of life, there cannot be any unity. When you actually come to the platform to understand that I am not this body, I am spirit soul, then there will be... Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām (BG 18.54). Then the question of equality, fraternity, justice and everything will come. Unless we do not understand what I am—I misidentify myself with this body—we shall remain in the darkness of the animal. There cannot be any peace and prosperity. That is not possible.

Initiation Lectures

Lecture & Initiation -- Seattle, October 20, 1968:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Just like there are many nonsense, they say that demigods... Of course, you have no affairs with demigods. Vedic religion there are hundreds and thousands of demigods. Especially it is going on that either you worship Kṛṣṇa or Lord Śiva or Kali, the same thing. This is nonsense. You should not, I mean to, place on the same level with the Supreme Lord. Nobody is greater than Lord. Nobody is equal than the Lord. So this equality should be avoided. Then?

Madhudviṣa: "Number three: Neglecting the orders of the spiritual master."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Spiritual master's order should be as your life and soul. Then everything will be clear. Then?

Madhudviṣa: "Number four: Minimizing the authority of the Vedas."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Nobody should minimize the authorized scripture. This is also offense. Then?

Madhudviṣa: "Number five: Interpreting the holy names of God."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Now just like we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, just like the other day some boy was: "a symbolic." It is not symbolic. Kṛṣṇa... We are chanting "Kṛṣṇa," addressing Kṛṣṇa. Hare means addressing Kṛṣṇa's energy, and we are praying that "Please engage me in Your service." That is Hare Kṛṣṇa. There is no other interpretation. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. The only prayer is, "O the energy of Lord, O Lord Kṛṣṇa, Lord Rāma, please engage me in Your service." That's all. There is no other second interpretation. Then?

General Lectures

Lecture at a School -- Montreal, June 11, 1968:

So our consciousness, when it is dovetailed with universal consciousness, them our consciousness also becomes universal consciousness. What is that? I will give you one example. Just like a motorcar is running at hundred miles speed, and you are running on your cycle at ten miles speed. But if you catch that motorcar, you will also run in hundred miles speed. Although your capacity of bicycle is only ten miles speed, you also run at hundred miles speed. So unless we dovetail our activities with the supreme consciousness, or God consciousness, there cannot be equality, fraternity, or universality as we are hankering after. It is not possible. You can go on crying in the wilderness for universal fraternity, friendship, equality, but if you keep your individuality, individual consciousness, selfish consciousness, there is no possibility of peace or tranquillity in the world. Therefore people are very much anxious at the present moment for peace and tranquillity over the world, but they do not know how that peace can be attained. Peace can be attained. The formula is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). You can attain peace only when you understand that God is the proprietor of everything.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 18, 1968:

The quarrel, they, those who are not in love of Godhead, they must quarrel. That is the... Because they are cats and dogs. You cannot expect any peaceful condition between cats and dogs. They will fight. So whatever they may be, so long they are fighting, that means they are not on the perfectional stage. Where is the fighting? If you love God, then you love everyone. That is the sign. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām (BG 18.54). After attaining the stage of equality, then you can enter into the realm of loving God. Before that, you have to pass. Just like before entering law college you have to become graduate, similarly, before entering the realm of devotional service you have to realize that all living entities are on the same platform. That is realization. You cannot make any distinction that "This is lower," "This is higher." No. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). When a person is fully learned, he does not make any distinction that "He is human being, he is cow, he is dog." He sees that he is spirit soul covered in different dress. That's all. That is his vision, universal equality vision. You cannot say that dog has no life, the cow has no life. How can you say that there is no life? That is lack of your knowledge. What is the symptom of life? You will find the symptom of life is there in human being, in ant also. How you can say that small creatures, lower animals have no life? That is lack of your knowledge. Even trees, plants, they have got life. So perfect knowledge required. So love of Godhead on the basis of perfect knowledge is real love of God. Otherwise it is fanaticism. So the fanatics, they may fight.

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

So bhaga... Bhaga means opulence. And what are the opulences? That also, we can very easily understand. If one man is very rich, we call opulent. If one man is very famous, reputed, he's opulent. If a man is very advanced in learning, in wisdom, he's al... That is also opulence. A scientist, a philosopher... If one is very beautiful, he is also opulent. So there are six kinds of opulences: richness, reputation, strength, influence, beauty, and wisdom. So asamaurdhva, that equality and greatness... When you'll find a certain man is in such a position that nobody is richer than him and nobody is famous, more famous, than him, nobody is more stronger than him, nobody is more influential than him, nobody is more beautiful than him, and nobody is wiser than him—if you find somebody full in six opulences... These are the definition given in Vedic literature.

Lecture -- Hawaii, March 23, 1969:

Real Kṛṣṇa consciousness, when one achieves, he becomes prasannātmā, joyful. That is the first symptom of becoming full, Kṛṣṇa conscious. Prasannātmā, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). He has no hankering. He has no lamentation. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. This is the highest stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Samaḥ means equality; sarveṣu, "all"; bhūteṣu, "entities." This is third stage. First stage is joyfulness, second stage is no want, no lamentation, and third stage, to see all living entities on the same... Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). When one is actually learned, he sees... Mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām (BG 18.54). Then he becomes eligible to be a devotee of the Lord. To become devotee of the Lord is not so easy. These are the conditions. The beginning is joyfulness. The second stage: no want, no lamentation. "My father is Kṛṣṇa, so I'll be fully sup..." Just like a child. He knows, "My father is there. I have no want." Everything is there. Prasannātmā. "Why shall I hanker him? My father..." (break) ...is now diseased. He's now lunatic. Similarly, tiger is my brother, but not that because originally he's my brother, I shall go and embrace. No. I shall be careful.

Lecture -- Bombay, November 2, 1970:

When we see equal not only the learned brāhmaṇa... The learned brāhmaṇa or the elephant or the cow or the dog or the caṇḍāla—no matter. Whatever the bodily condition is there, the spiritual condition is the same. Paṇḍitāḥ sama. This samatā, this communism, equality, is perfect. The modern theory of communism, that "I am good, my brother is good, and all bad," this is not communism. When we are..., we can see that "I am good, my brother good, the dog is good, the cat is good," or "the Englishman is good, the every living entity is good," that is perfect. That is perfect communism.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, or the Bhāgavata-dharma, there is ideal communism. You'll find in Śrīmad-Bhagavatam in the Seventh Canto, Nārada Muni is instructing to Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira about this communism, that "A gṛhastha, before taking lunch, he must see that every insect, every lizard, every cat, every rat..." (break)...whether a snake in that house must have been fed, must have taken their food. This is so hospitable that the householder, the owner of the house, not only see that his wife, children, servants are well fed, but even the rats, cats, or the insect or the lizard or even the snake has got his food. That is the ideal communism. Because when you are paṇḍita, learned, you cannot distinguish that "This is animal and this is human being." You can treat them differently because their consciousness... But on the basic principle, the living entity, any living entity—it doesn't matter whether is animal or man—he's part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. So you cannot kill one living entity for the satisfaction... (end)

Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 12, 1971:

"The most confidential part of knowledge I am giving you, Arjuna, that you surrender unto Me. That is better." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). He is canvassing door to door. He is coming from Vaikuṇṭha, from Vṛndāvana, to teach us how you can become friend of Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana, how you can become mother of Kṛṣṇa, how you can become father of Kṛṣṇa. Here the jñānīs, they try to be equal with Kṛṣṇa, but a devotee can become the father of Kṛṣṇa. What is the value of equality? It is greater than equality. Kṛṣṇa is so kind, He accepts His devotee as father and He accepts his punishment also. Just like Kṛṣṇa accepted the punishment of Mother Yaśodā very willfully. He wants that. He likes that. Because everyone goes to God, Nārāyaṇa, Viṣṇu, and prays with adoration and respect. But Kṛṣṇa wants that one may think of Him as inferior to him. Just like Nanda Mahārāja was thinking, "He is my child, have to protect." Kṛṣṇa is giving protection to everyone, but Nanda Mahārāja is thinking that "I have to give protection to Kṛṣṇa." This is the devotee's position. So He is so nice friend that whatever enjoyment you want in this material world, that will break. If you have got a son, either the son will leave you or you have to leave your son. But if you accept Kṛṣṇa as your son, this is eternal relationship. You will never be cheated. If you accept Kṛṣṇa as friend, you will never be cheated. If you accept Kṛṣṇa as lover, you will never be confused. So therefore Kṛṣṇa is actually ātmeśvaraḥ suhṛt. Prahlāda Mahārāja teaching that, that "Just take to this Bhāgavata-dharma." Actually you want to love Kṛṣṇa, but by the intervening of māyā, you are loving something else. That will not make you happy. You just try to love Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture -- Bombay, March 19, 1972:

Unless you come to the platform of brahma bhūta (SB 4.30.20) consciousness, you cannot treat everyone on the same level. It is not possible. The so-called universal brotherhood is not possible on this material condition of life. Therefore you can see that materially there are so many attempts to find out a platform of universal brotherhood. But there is no universal brotherhood. There is simply platform of enemy. The United Nation is trying to come to the platform of universal brotherhood. When I go to New York, I see the great institution. There are hundreds and thousands of flags. Instead of being united, the flags are increasing, because this universal brotherhood, this equality, fraternity, cannot be established on this material platform. It is not possible. You have to come to the point, to the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or brahma bhūta stage, then it is possible.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, January 14, 1973:

The learned brāhmaṇa or the elephant or the cow or the dog or the caṇḍāla. No matter. Whatever the bodily condition is there, the spiritual condition is the same. Paṇḍitāḥ sama... This samatā, this communism, equality, is perfect. Their modern theory of communism, that "I am good, my brother is good, and all bad," this is not communism. When we are, we can see that "I am good, my brother good, the dog is good, the cat is good, the Englishman is good, the every living entity is good," that is communism. That is perfect communism. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, or the Bhāgavata-dharma, there is ideal communism. You will find in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the Seventh Canto, Nārada Muni is giving, instructing to Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira about this communism that "A gṛhastha, before taking lunch, he must see that every insect, every lizard, every cat, every rat, even a snake in that house must have been fed, must have taken their food. This is so hospitable that the householder, the owner of the house, not only sees that his wife, children, servants are well-fed, but even the rats, cats or the insect or the lizard. Or even the snake has got his food. This is the ideal of communism. Because when you are paṇḍita, learned, you cannot distinguish that "This is animal and this is human being." You can treat them different because their consciousness is... But on the basic principle the living entity—any living entity—it doesn't matter whether it is animal or man—he is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. So you cannot kill one living entity for the satisfaction of the tongue of other... (end)

Pandal Speech and Question Session -- Delhi, November 10, 1973:

There is no śocana. Here in the material world I have got something. If I lose it, I cry, "I have lost, I have lost, I have lost." And if I do not possess, then kāṅkṣati, "I must get it. I must." These two businesses are going on. But when you become brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā, these two things will go away. Na kāṅkṣati na śocati.

And samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu: equally seeing all living entities. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). Brahma-bhūta means he is learned scholar, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, self-realized; therefore he has no such distinction that "Give protection to the human being and send the poor animals to the slaughterhouse. Equality." What equality? What the poor animals have done that you are sending them to the slaughterhouse? Is that civilization, this rubbish civilization, maintaining hundreds and thousands of slaughterhouse? So simply speaking "love," "fraternity..." Where is your fraternity? Where is your love? This cannot be possible. This may be big talks only—but to be understood by the nonsense. Unless you become brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20), self-realized, Kṛṣṇa conscious, God conscious, these things are only stories. It is not possible. This is the description in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Śyāmasundara: And he said that each culture, or civilization, religion, they have the same understanding of the duality of existence, that there's an equal amount of dark, an equal amount of light, which he calls the yin and yang aspect or the anima and animus aspect. Under different names the same understanding is there in all religions.

Prabhupāda: Is that equality, darkness?

Śyāmasundara: Darkness and lightness—the duality of nature. Unconscious and conscious, he calls; these two things. He says that everyone has..., understands these are equal, balanced, these two stages, states of existence.

Prabhupāda: Not necessarily equal. Sometimes it may be imbalance. One side may be heavier than the other.

Śyāmasundara: Yes. Actually he says that most personalities are imbalanced and that the goal of life is to become balanced, or integrated.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Hmm.

Śyāmasundara: So he says that not only individual analysis and dream interpretation are there, but also we must examine folklore, myth, religions, symbolisms and all these, to get a better psychological insight into the unconscious process.

Philosophy Discussion on George Berkeley:

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is a fact. We say, the Vedic śāstra says, that God is everywhere; He is not distant. In the Kuntī's prayer it is said, "God is distant and nearest also." So nearest, by God's paramātmā feature, He is living in everyone's heart, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe... (BG 18.61). So He is within our heart; how He can be distant? But at the same time He is in His personal feature, He is in Goloka Vṛndāvana, which, beyond, far, far beyond this material existence. So that is God's all-pervasive equality, that although He is far, far away, still He is near, nearest. The crude example is there that the heater, the original source of heat and light, is far, far away, ninety-three millions miles according to the modern scientist calculation, the sun. But still the light is in my room. So God is both far away and also within my heart. So one who is expert to see God, he sees both way. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūto (Bs. 5.37). Although He is living in His own abode eternally, and enjoying with His associates, still He is present everywhere. That is God.

Page Title:Equality (Lectures)
Compiler:Mayapur, RupaManjari
Created:22 of Sep, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=50, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:50