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Every living being (Lectures)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

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

So Arjuna was a devotee in relationship with the Lord as a friend. The Lord can become a friend. Of course, this friendship and the conception of friendship which we have got in the mundane world, there is a gulf of difference. This is transcendental friendship which... Not that everyone will have the relationship with the Lord. Everyone has got a particular relationship with the Lord and that particular relationship is evoked by the perfection of devotional service. At the present status of our life we have not only forgotten the Supreme Lord, but also we have forgotten our eternal relationship with the Lord. Every living being, out of many, many millions and billions of living beings, each and every living being has got a particular relationship with the Lord eternally. That is called svarūpa. Svarūpa. And by the process of devotional service one can revive that svarūpa of oneself. And that stage is called svarūpa-siddhi, perfection of one's constitutional position. So Arjuna was a devotee and he was in touch with the Supreme Lord in friendship.

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

Now, Arjuna says, after hearing Bhagavad-gītā from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he accepts Kṛṣṇa as paraṁ brahma, the Supreme Brahman. Brahman. Every living being is Brahman, but the supreme living being or the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Supreme Brahman or supreme living being. And paraṁ dhāma. Paraṁ dhāma means He is the supreme rest of everything. And pavitram. Pavitram means He is pure from material contamination. And He's addressed as puruṣam. Puruṣam means the supreme enjoyer; śāśvatam, śāśvata means from very beginning, He's the first person; divyam, transcendental; devam, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ajam, never born; vibhum, the greatest.

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

Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). The Lord lives within the core of heart in every living being, therefore He is conscious of the psychic movements, activities, of the particular jīva. We should not forget. It is also explained that the Paramātmā, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is living in everyone's heart as īśvara, as the controller and He is giving direction. He is giving direction. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭhaḥ (BG 15.15), everyone's heart He is situated, and He gives direction to act as he desires. The living entity forgets what to do. First of all he makes his determination to act in a certain way, and then he is entangled in the actions and reactions of his own karma.

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

Now this consciousness is... What is this consciousness? This consciousness is that "I am." What I am? When in contaminated consciousness this "I am" means that "I am the lord of all I survey." This is impure consciousness. And "I am the enjoyer." The whole material world is moving that every living being is thinking that "I am the lord and I am the creator of this material world." The consciousness has got two psychic movement or two psychic division. One is that "I am the creator," and the other is "I am the enjoyer." So the Supreme Lord is actually the creator and He is actually the enjoyer. And the living entities, being part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, he's not actually the creator or the enjoyer, but he's a cooperator. Just like the whole machine.

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

That part of constant companion of the living being is his eternal quality, and the eternal part of the living being's quality is his eternal religion. When Sanātana Gosvāmī asked Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu about the svarūpa—we have already discussed about the svarūpa of every living being—svarūpa or real constitution of the living being, the Lord replied that the constitutional position of the living being is to render service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But if we analyze this part of the statement of Lord Caitanya, we can very well see that every living being is constantly engaged in the business of rendering service to another living being. A living being serves another living being in different capacities, and by doing so, the living entity enjoys life.

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

Devotee: "Now Arjuna was a devotee, and he was in touch with the Supreme Lord in friendship. Thus the Bhagavad-gītā was explained to him. How he accepted it should be noted. This is mentioned in the Tenth Chapter. After hearing the Bhagavad-gītā from the Lord, Arjuna accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Brahman. Every living being is Brahman, or spirit, but the supreme living being is the Supreme Brahman."

Prabhupāda: Now here is another point, that everyone is reading Bhagavad-gītā. The..., it is clearly stated how Bhagavad-gītā should be accepted. Bhagavad-gītā was spoken to Arjuna, and Arjuna accepted it in his own understanding, whatever he understood. That is also stated. Therefore we have to place ourselves in the position of Arjuna and accept the truth as Arjuna directly received it.

Lecture on BG 2.11 (with Spanish translator) -- Mexico, February 11, 1975:

Śrī bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān means the Supreme Being. In the English dictionary when you consult the word God, it is stated there, "the Supreme Being." What is that Supreme Being? We are all living being, but amongst ourself there is comparative, superlative positions. I am here; you are here; he is there. So you may be better than me, he may be better than you, and somebody else may be better than him. In this way you go on searching after one better than the other. When you ultimately come to a point that nobody is better then him, that is Bhagavān.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 7, 1966:

We are seeing that we are existing. And in the future, we shall also exist in the same way." "In the same way" means individually. Just like I am an individual person. You are an individual person. He is an individual person. So I, you, he, or they—first person, second person and the third person—so that individuality continues. Individuality of every living being is a fact. Therefore in the actual field also, we see that we have got difference of opinion. What I think, you may not agree with me because you have got your individuality. Similarly, your thinking may not be agreed by another gentleman. So everyone has got his individuality.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- New York, March 11, 1966:

So this is the arrangement. Every living being has got a particular type of body. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). And what is the nature of that body? Now, here the matter is being explained that how we change our body, how... But, but, but, because that is a difficult problem for us because we are engrossed with the idea of identifying this body with the soul. Now, the first A-B-C-D of spiritual knowledge is to understand that "I am not this body." Unless one is firmly convinced that "I am not this body," he cannot progress in the spiritual line. So the first lesson in the Bhagavad-gītā is taken in that way. So here it is, that dehino 'smin. Now, dehī, the soul, soul. Dehī means soul.

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- Hyderabad, November 21, 1972:

So which position we should like—birth, death, old age and disease, or no birth, no death, no old age, no disease? Which one we should like? Hmm? I think we should like no birth, no death, no old age, no disease. So that is called amṛtatva. So amṛtatvāya kalpate. Every living being is amṛta. That will be explained. Amṛta... As we are, in our own original, constitutional position, we are not subjected to birth, death, old age and disease. Just like Kṛṣṇa is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1), eternal, blissful, knowledgeable, similarly, we, being part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, we are also of the same quality.

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- Hyderabad, November 21, 1972:

One who knows the Absolute Truth, from where everything begins. Janmādy asya yataḥ. That is the beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

So the natural commentary of Vedānta-sūtra is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā na, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. This is our life. Jīvasya, of every living being. Every living being means especially human beings. Because cats and dogs, they cannot inquire about Brahman, or the Absolute Truth. Therefore the conclusion is that the human form of life, one should not be engaged simply in the animal propensities of life. That is simply waste of time. He must inquire of the Absolute Truth. Athāto brahma jijñāsā.

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- Mexico, February 15, 1975:

"If I get some permanent apartment, it is very good." Actually we want that. Nobody wants to die. Even a person or living being in the most wretched condition of life, if you propose that "Let me kill you," he'll not agree. Therefore the psychology is that every living being does not want to die. So, but actually we are not subject to death or birth. That will be discussed. We have somehow or other, by chance or by coincidence, we have acquired this material body. Actually it is not by chance, but we wanted to lord it over the material world, therefore we have got this material body.

Lecture on BG 2.23 -- Hyderabad, November 27, 1972:

The body keeps always separate. Similarly, the soul always keeps separate from this material covering. It is simply on account of various plans and desires that he's making for lording over this material nature. Everyone can see. The, every living being is trying to lord it over the material nature. That is his disease. He wants to lord it. He's servant, but artificially, he wants to become Lord. That is the disease. Everyone... Ultimately, when he fails to lord it over the material world, he says, "Oh, this material world is false. Now I shall become one with the Supreme." Brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. But because the spirit soul is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, so by nature, he is joyful. He is seeking after joy. Every one of us, we are working so hard to find out some pleasure of life.

Lecture on BG 2.55-56 -- New York, April 19, 1966:

Now, just see that here is an example that God desires to eat something from your hand. He's not poor man like me that He wants some contribution for eating. No, no, no. He's not poor man like me. He is feeding everyone. His name is Bhūta-bhṛt. Bhūta-bhṛt. Bhūta-bhṛt means one who feeds every living being. Perhaps you know it. You can practically see it. Now, besides human beings, there are innumerable living beings. If you take votes, then the number of human beings will be very small all over the world. It is four to eighty. If living, I mean to say, human beings, including all civilized, uncivilized, any, any number of whatever, Indian, American, and European, anything, take altogether, they will be four, four parts, and all other living creatures, they'll be eighty parts. The proportion is so big. But in the human society you'll find that we have got some occupation for our livelihood.

Lecture on BG 2.58-59 -- New York, April 27, 1966:

The Lord says, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa says, "Whatever forms of life, living entities, you are seeing before you, all of them are born of Me. They are My part and parcel. I am..." Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā. "I am the father. I am the father." So Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, or God, He is the father of every living being. He does not like to see that His sons undergo unnecessary miseries. He does not like to see. Why? If we are sons of God, and what is the position of God? All powerful, all opulence, all wealth, all beauty, all knowledge, everything in full. That is the conception of God. Now, if we are sons of God, then we are very rich man's son. Then why should he suffer?

Lecture on BG 3.8-13 -- New York, May 20, 1966:

The Vedic literature is created for guidance of the conditioned souls. Every living being who is in this material world is conditioned by the laws of material nature. And it is a chance, this creation, and especially this human body, is a chance to get rid of this material entanglement. And the chance is open by acting for the satisfaction of Viṣṇu. Saha-yajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā. Prajāḥ. Prajāḥ means the living entities, after being created, they were advised that "You perform yajña, or sacrifice, for the satisfaction of Viṣṇu. That will..." Anena, "By this," prasaviṣyadhvam, "you increase your enlightenment." Prasaviṣyadhvam. "And whatever you want, that will be satisfied by this yajña." Devān yajña. That sacrifice.

Lecture on BG 3.8-11 -- Seattle, October 22, 1968:

After the creation it was so announced that "If you want to be happy, you must perform sacrifices." Sacrifices.

The Vedic literature is created for guidance of the conditioned souls. Every living being who is in this material world is conditioned by the laws of material nature. And it is a chance. This creation, and especially this human body, is a chance to get rid of this material entanglement, and the chance is open by acting for the satisfaction of Viṣṇu. Saha-yajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā. Prajāḥ. Prajāḥ means the living entities. After being created, they were advised that "You perform yajña, or sacrifice for the satisfaction of Viṣṇu." That will... Anena, "by this," prasaviṣyadhvam, "you increase your enlightenment."

Lecture on BG 3.21-25 -- New York, May 30, 1966:

So this may be astonishing, but for God is nothing astonishing. If it is a fact that everyone is the son of God... Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ (BG 14.4). You will find in the Bhagavad-gītā that "In every species of life, in whatever form you may see them, I am the father of all of them." Now, if He is the father of all living beings, just calculate how many living beings there are throughout the whole universe or in the creation. In comparison to that, if He displayed that He had only ten millions of sons and grandsons and grandchildren, that was nothing more. So these are things. Kṛṣṇa was equipped in that way.

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

Similarly, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa comes here with a purpose. What is that purpose? He comes here to reclaim these fallen souls. We are part and parcel... We are... Kṛṣṇa loves us more than we love Him. We do not love Him. But Kṛṣṇa loves. Kṛṣṇa loves every living being. He says, sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ: (BG 14.4) "Every living being, whatever form he is, that doesn't matter, I am the bīja-pradaḥ pitā, I am the seed-giving father."

So the father is always affectionate to the sons. The sons may forget the father, but the father cannot forget. So Kṛṣṇa comes here out of His love for us to deliver us, to give us the right path. Sarva-dharmān parityajya: (BG 18.66) "My dear sons, why you are rotting in this miserable world? You come to Me.

Lecture on BG 4.6-8 -- New York, July 20, 1966:

Whenever there is water, it is liquid. Nature is like that. Whenever there is fire, it is hot. And if you ask, "Why fire is hot?" oh, it is a very difficult question to answer. We have to trace out the whole natural course, why water, fire has become hot. Similarly, every living being is a servant. That is the natural sequence. How it has become, that will take some time to understand. It is not very difficult to understand. Because the small is meant for rendering service to the great. If God is great, and we are part and parcel of the Supreme, so our natural sequence, natural life, is to render service. That is our nature.

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- New York, July 27, 1966:

The bird which is not eating the fruit of the tree, he is the Supersoul. And the bird which is eating the fruit of the tree, he is the soul, individual soul. That is, we are. We are sitting in this tree of body, and we are eating. This body means every one of us has got a particular body for particular type of distress or enjoyment. Every living being is responsible for his past acts, and he gets a body, either human body or animal body, American body or Indian body or African body. There are different kinds of... I have several times repeated that 8,400,000's of different bodies.

Lecture on BG 4.11-12 -- New York, July 28, 1966:

Tyaktvā deham. Tyaktvā deham means that giving up this material body, he develops his spiritual body and then goes to the kingdom of God, or Kṛṣṇa. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). So when he goes to Kṛṣṇa, he goes in spiritual body. So there is potency of every living being. Just like he has got the potency of developing this material body, similarly, he has got the potency of developing spiritual body. Is it any difficulty to understand?

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

"Oh, I am greater than you." The Hindus think, "Oh, we are greater than Muslim." The Muslim thinks, "We are greater than the Hindus." The Christian thinks that "We are greater than the Jews." The Jews thinks, "We are greater than..." This is material conception. But for Kṛṣṇa there is no lower or higher. Every living being—His part and parcel. He comes here to claim every one of you, "Come on. Come on, My dear sir. Why you are suffering here? It is not for you. Take this chance." Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7).

So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice, but one who does not care for it, they are satisfied by some temporary relief, and they take to other courses. They do not take the leadership of Kṛṣṇa. Kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṁ siddhiṁ yajanta iha devatāḥ. Iha devatāḥ means these material gods. Material gods means their existence is so long this material world.

Lecture on BG 4.13-14 -- New York, August 1, 1966:

So Kṛṣṇa says, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya: (BG 4.9) "After leaving this body, no more birth in this miserable world. He comes unto Me." We should stick to that point. And that will make us successful in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Anything, any more questions? (break) ...very ideal prayer to follow. What to ask from Kṛṣṇa? That is the goal of every living being. What is that?

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

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

Lecture on BG 4.34-39 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1969:

Madhudviṣa: Thirty-five: "And when you have thus learned the truth you will know that all living beings are My parts and parcels, that they are in Me and are Mine (BG 4.35)."

Prabhupāda: This is knowledge. When one understands that God is such and such by the mercy of spiritual master, by studying, by serving, then what is that understanding? "When you have thus learned the truth you will know that all living beings are My part and parcel." This is real knowledge. Part and parcel is not the whole. This finger is part and parcel of my body, but it is not the whole body, although you can call it body. Suppose somebody touches my finger. I can say, "Oh, why you have touched my body?"

Lecture on BG 6.25-29 -- Los Angeles, February 18, 1969:

Therefore to see the self means first of all see the Supreme Self. The Supreme Self is Kṛṣṇa. In the Vedas it is said, Kaṭhopaniṣad, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). The Supreme Self is the chief eternal of all eternals. He is the chief living being of all living beings. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to fix up in self. To, the same example. If you fix up your mind in Kṛṣṇa, then you can fix up your mind in everything. The same example again, if you take care of your stomach, then you take care of all the bodily limbs. If your stomach is supplied nice nutritious food, the stomach is cleared of all disturbances then you keep good health. So if you pour water in the root of the tree, then you take care of all the branches, leaves, flowers, twigs, everything, automatically.

Lecture on BG 6.25-29 -- Los Angeles, February 18, 1969:

Forgetting this consciousness he suffers. That is to see Kṛṣṇa in everything. Not that everything has become Kṛṣṇa. Don't see like that, then you'll be mistaken. Every being is, just like if I see somebody, that this boy is the son of such and such gentleman. That means I see such and such gentleman in this boy. Is it clear? If I see every living being is son of God or Kṛṣṇa, then that means I see God in every beings. Is there any difficulty to understand?

Lecture on BG 6.25-29 -- Los Angeles, February 18, 1969:

So let me help this cat, give it some Kṛṣṇa prasāda so that in some day he will come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is to see in him Kṛṣṇa. Not that, "Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa, let me embrace this cat." This is nonsense. Here is a tiger, "Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa, come on Please eat me." This is rascaldom. You should take sympathy with every living being, that he is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca. Not that we shall embrace him, "Come on Kṛṣṇa." So "the true yogi observes Me in all beings."

Lecture on BG 6.25-29 -- Los Angeles, February 18, 1969:

It will not excuse the child, that, "Oh, he is child, he does not know." The fire will act. Similarly if Kṛṣṇa is the supreme spirit, a child who may take part in it, Kṛṣṇa will act. You may know it do not know it. It doesn't matter. Because Kṛṣṇa is there. So it is so nice. Therefore every living being should be given chance. These boys are inviting outsider, "Come on," this love feast. What is the idea? The idea, let them come, take little prasāda and it will act someday in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It will act. So that is their propaganda. They are seeing everyone. Kṛṣṇa, they are seeing Kṛṣṇa in everyone, in that way. Not that everyone is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 6.25-29 -- Los Angeles, February 18, 1969:

Not that everyone is Kṛṣṇa. Don't make this mistake. Kṛṣṇa is all-pervading. Why in this human being, He is there in the atom also. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). You'll find in the Brahma-saṁhitā. Paramāṇu means atom. So he's there within atom also. Why not every living being? You should have that knowledge. So "the true yogi observes Me in all beings. And also sees every being in Me." How "in Me"? Because everything what you see that is Kṛṣṇa. You are sitting on this floor so you are sitting in Kṛṣṇa. You are sitting on this carpet, you are sitting on Kṛṣṇa. You should know it. How this carpet is Kṛṣṇa? Because carpet is made of Kṛṣṇa's energy.

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

Religion is described in the English dictionary as "a kind of faith." Actually, religion does not mean. The Sanskrit word dharma, that dharma means characteristic. It is not a kind of faith—characteristic, or occupational duty. Generally it means characteristic. The characteristic is that every living being, whether it is animal or human being or tree or plants or insect... (loud noise from speaker system) (aside:) What is it? Every living being has a particular characteristic that is visible in all kinds of forms of living being. That is service. Everyone is rendering service. Here we have so many ladies and gentlemen present, but every one of us is rendering some service to the superior. That is our position.

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

That is already there. It is not an artificial thing. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said that nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa bhakti 'sādhya' kabhu naya (?). Our loving propensity or our love for God is already there in every living being, but it is now covered due to our ignorance, or due to our contamination with this material nature. So simply we have to awaken that love. That is our business. That awakening of love cannot be possible in other living condition than the human being. The human being, the human form of life, is therefore the perfectional stage, how to develop our love for God, or how we can love God.

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

We are not preaching to Christian or Hindu or Muslim. We are preaching to human being. We do not see, "Here is a Christian. Here is a Muslim. Here is a Hindu. Here is a white man. Here is a black man." No. Every living being, his duty is to understand God. This is our preaching. This is our preaching, that "You are living being. You are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. This designation, that 'You are Hindu,' 'You are Muslim,' 'You are Christian,' 'You are this'—these are all designations. Actually you are living being, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore your main duty is to understand Kṛṣṇa." This is our preaching.

Lecture on BG 10.1 -- New York, December 27, 1966:

"My dear Arjuna, we find so many species of life, eight, eight thousand, no, eight millions four hundred thousand, eight million four hundred thousands of species of life. All of them, they are My sons. I am the seed-giving father." He accepts that every living being, either man or beast or ant or bird, everyone, anywhere, they're all sons of God.

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

Pradyumna: Translation: "The Supersoul is the original source of all senses, yet He is without senses. He is unattached, although He is the maintainer of all living beings. He transcends the modes of nature, and at the same time He is the master of all modes of material nature."

Prabhupāda: Now we can see, these are contradictory. Sarvendriya-guṇābhāsaṁ sarvendriya-vivarjitam. He's the origin of all senses, but He has no senses. Sarvendriya-guṇābhāsaṁ sarvendriya-vivarjitam. Asaktam: He has no attachment, but at the same time, sarva-bhṛc ca, He's maintainer of everyone. Nirguṇam, without any qualities. Guṇa-bhoktṛ ca, but He is the enjoyer of all qualities. So this requires elucidation, how these contradictions are adjusted. This requires knowledge.

Lecture on BG 13.16 -- Bombay, October 10, 1973:

Cats, dogs, human beings, and flies, and so many living beings, they are moving. And other living beings, just like trees, plants, they are standing one place. Sthāvara-jaṅgama. Sthāvara means one place. Caram acaram. Sūkṣmatvāt, in every living being there is the Supreme Lord. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). Even within the atom. Sūkṣmatvāt avijñeyam. Because it is so small, minute... That minute means that Kṛṣṇa's part and parcel. Kṛṣṇa is the gigantic virāṭ or vibhu, and we living entities, we are aṇu. Sūkṣmatvāt. So... (aside:) Don't talk.

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

In the human form of life there are two classes of men. First of all living being. Amongst the living being there are some living being which can move or can walk from one place to another. And there are certain other living beings which cannot move, just like the trees, plants. They are also living being, but they are standing in one place for many thousands of years. They have no independence to move. Now, in the moving living beings there are so many. The flies, the insects, the reptiles, the birds, the beast. In this way, by evolutionary process, one after another, one comes to the form of human being. This human being is therefore very, very rare.

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

This is called pravṛtti and nivṛtti. So the pravṛtti and nivṛtti... Why a person is not accepting tea or smoking or something else, and why other person accepting the same thing? Amongst the animal also, you give something to animal. He will reject and another thing he will accept. These two things are there in every living being: accepting something and rejecting something. This is called pravṛtti and nivṛtti. So far the human form of life is concerned, there must be some pravṛtti and nivṛtti. There is that inclination, pravṛtti and nivṛtti, but they should be synchronized, systematized, what things we should accept and what things we should reject. That we must learn. Therefore we have got so many books, literature, education, what things we should accept and which things we should reject. But what is the basic principle?

Lecture on BG 16.10 -- Hawaii, February 6, 1975:

Then he is happy. Then he's happy. Otherwise it is not happy. Is it not? Otherwise it is street dog. Sometimes it is killed by the municipality.

Similarly, our position is dog. We must understand it. We cannot live independently. It is not possible. Every living being. Therefore, in the Vedic injunction is nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). God and the living entities, they're... Both of them are living entities, being. But what is the difference between God and living entities? The living entities are maintained by God, and God is the maintainer. That is the difference. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- Caracas, February 20, 1975:

"Who is the manufacturer of this microphone?" Just like we enquire about a child, "Whose son he is? Who is his father?" similarly, this is human mind, to enquire about the origin. That is the only business of human being. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā, means the jīva, means human being especially... Jīva means all living being, but above all living beings, the human being is the most awakened consciousness. Therefore his business is to enquire about the Absolute Truth. It is said, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā.

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- Caracas, February 20, 1975:

Such desires are based on four principles of bodily demands. Every living being is busy, the lower animals and the human being, in finding out where is food, where is shelter, where is sex and where is defense. So they have selected four businesses: where to find out food, where to find out shelter, where to find out sex indulgence and how to defend ourself. These propensities are prominent both in animal and man. So these things are common for both the animals and the human being. A dog is also searching after food; a hog is also searching after food; a bird is also searching after food; a man is also searching after food. Now, in the broad road so many cars are going in seventy mile speed.

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

"My dear Arjuna, these gross and subtle material elements, they are inferior energy. Beyond that, there is another, superior energy." What is that superior energy? Jīva-bhūtaḥ mahā-baho yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat: (BG 7.5) "That is that living being." We are all living being. So we are superior energy. We are exploiting the material resources; therefore we are superior. We are molding the material energy to our satisfaction, so we belong to the superior energy.

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

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.

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

Kṛṣṇa, this sound, transcendental sound. Kṛṣṇa means the highest pleasure. Highest pleasure. Everyone, every living being, is seeking after pleasure, but he does not know how to seek pleasure. Therefore in this material conception of life we are being frustrated in every step for satisfying our pleasure. Because we have no information from which platform we can have pleasure. That we are discussing for the last few weeks, that we are not this body. We are consciousness. Not exactly consciousness. Consciousness is the symptom of my real identity. I am pure soul. I am merged within this material body... And the modern material science, they have no stress of it.

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

"The transcendental Lord is indirectly associated with the three modes of material nature, namely passion, goodness and ignorance, and just for the material world's creation, maintenance and destruction He accepts the three qualitative forms of Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva. Of these three, all living beings can derive ultimate benefit from Viṣṇu, the form of the quality of goodness."

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

So there are different types of human being; therefore there are different types of śāstras, to attract all classes of men. So the meat-eaters, for them, the Vedas says, "Yes," loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā nityā hi jantoḥ, "every living being, entity, has a general tendency..." Because he has come here to enjoy, to satisfy the material senses, and material senses means eating meat, drinking wine, and have sex life. This is material, satisfying the material senses. So they are regulated. "All right. You want meat, you want to eat meat, all right, then sacrifice one goat before Goddess Kālī and worship her on the on the āmāvāsya, dark moon night." So many regulations.

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

He is lying in half portion of the universe full with water of His body. And from the navel of Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu has sprung up the stem of the lotus flower the birth place of Brahmā who is the father of all living beings and the master of all the demigod engineers engaged in the matter of perfect design and working of the universal order. Within the stem of the lotus there are fourteen divisions of planetary system and the earthly planets are situated in the middle. Upwards there are other better planetary systems and the topmost system is called Brahmaloka or the Satyaloka.

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

Downwards the earthly planetary system there are seven downwards planetary systems domiciled by the asuras and similar other most materialistic living beings. From this Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu there is expansion of the Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu who is the collective Paramātmā of all living beings. He is called Hari and from Him all incarnations within the universe are expanded."

Lecture on SB 1.8.32 -- Mayapura, October 12, 1974:

Just like Kṛṣṇa appeared, matsya-avatāra, in the family of fish. Keśava dhṛta-mīna-śarīra, jaya jagadīśa hare. Kṛṣṇa took birth as a pig. Keśava dhṛta-varāha-śarīra, jaya jagadīśa hare. Kṛṣṇa is free. He can appear anywhere, everywhere. That is... Just like īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). He's situated in everyone's heart. So He is with everyone's... Every living being has got Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa is already there in the heart. From the heart, if He appears in front... Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. He was meditating that Viṣṇu form of Kṛṣṇa, and all of a sudden he saw that Viṣṇu is not there. Then he opened his eyes. He saw Viṣṇu is in his front. So what is the difficulty for Kṛṣṇa? If He is within the heart and if He comes in your front, is it very difficult task for Him?

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

Therefore he's honored. His business is... Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is maintainer, eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). God means the supreme living being. Nityo nityānām. We are also living beings. We all living beings in different forms, 8,400,000 forms. We are all living beings. And Kṛṣṇa is also a living being. Kṛṣṇa is not impersonal. God is not impersonal. Just like we are persons, you are person, every one of us sitting here, we have got person, personality. We have got individuality. So the impersonalists, they cannot adjust that we are individual persons and how the Supreme, the original cause of everything, He also can be person.

Lecture on SB 1.10.13 -- Mayapura, June 26, 1973:

Pradyumna: Purport: "Kṛṣṇa is naturally attractive for all living beings because He is the chief eternal amongst all eternals."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Kṛṣṇa, the very name, suggests attractive. Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. He has got, because He's complete, pūrṇa, so He has got all the attractive features, from material point of view, spiritual point of view. Therefore His name is Kṛṣṇa. And He delivers the fallen souls from the miserable condition. He attracts and He delivers. Kṛṣṇa. Therefore kṛṣṇa means Paraṁ Brahman. Paraṁ brahman iti śabdyate. Rāma also, the same thing, Paraṁ Brahman.

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

The rose flavor, wherefrom it is coming? It is there. Anyone can understand. But you cannot extract that. Kṛṣṇa requires His hand. When Kṛṣṇa is there in the form of seed... Kṛṣṇa says, bījo 'haṁ sarva-bhūtānām: (Bg 7.10) "I am the seed of all living beings." The seed. That... Just like there is sex. Unless the seed is there, there is no child. Similarly, unless the seed is there, there is no plantation. The banyan tree is there because the seed is there. And the rose tree is there because the seed is there. And Kṛṣṇa claims, bījo 'haṁ sarva-bhūtānām. And Kṛṣṇa's potencies are there in the seed so that different types of seeds producing different types of flowers, fruits, colors, flavor. This is Kṛṣṇa's supervision. Mayādhyakṣeṇa (BG 9.10).

Lecture on SB 2.1.4 -- Delhi, November 7, 1973:

That is their idea. Therefore Europe and America, they say sometimes that "Kṛṣṇa is Hindus' God." Why Hindus' God? He says, sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ (BG 14.4), ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā: "I am the seed-giving father of all different forms of life." Kṛṣṇa claims that He is... Therefore, because He is the father of all living beings, therefore there is response from Europe and America. Otherwise what connection they have got? They have got their Jesus Christ or something else. But why they are attracted to Kṛṣṇa?

Lecture on SB 2.1.4 -- Vrndavana, March 19, 1974:

Then you'll not have to come to this material world again simply to suffer.

This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness philosophy. This material world is called world of death. Every living being, beginning from the Brahmā... It is not that... Brahmā has got very long duration of life. We cannot even calculate Brahmā's one daytime. Forty-three lakhs of years, multiplied by one thousand, that is twelve hours of Brahmā. So he will also die. Beginning from Brahmā, whose duration of life is some thousands of millions of years, down to the microbial germs, who live for a few seconds only, he's struggling for existence.

Lecture on SB 3.25.32 -- Bombay, December 2, 1974:

We have already discussed this verse.

So how this can be possible? This suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām is possible when one has surrendered himself to the Supreme Being. On His account, because he has surrendered to the Supreme Being, he is friend to all living being. Artificially you cannot. Artificially you select some section, the poorer section, and worship him like Nārāyaṇa, and you call him daridra-nārāyaṇa. But a devotee, if he has got vision of Nārāyaṇa, he will see the daridra-nārāyaṇa, the rich Nārāyaṇa, the chāga-nārāyaṇa, and the every Nārāyaṇa, paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18).

Lecture on SB 3.26.16 -- Bombay, December 25, 1974:

These "isms" will not help us unless you come to the platform of Kṛṣṇa-ism, that "Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa." Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Practically. If we accept... The United Nations, is working so hard, but they cannot make that the whole world belongs to all living being. Then immediately it will be... All questions will be solved. I was discussing this evening: there is so much land still uncultivated. And if the overpopulated people are allowed to go there and cultivate and grow their food grains, ten times of the living entities on this face of the globe can be fed without any difficulty. Annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14).

Lecture on SB 6.1.3 -- Melbourne, May 22, 1975:

It is equally important for the Americans; it is equally important for the Indians; equally important for every living being, especially for the civilized man. This is self-interest. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. What is that Absolute Truth? Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. That should be our first business. Of course, we require a living place and eating materials and sex arrangement or defense arrangement. That is required. You do that. But don't forget your main business. Then you are cats and dogs. Your main business is God realization.

Lecture on SB 6.1.8 -- Honolulu, May 9, 1976:

To become diseased is not our normal life. To remain healthy is our normal life. When we become diseased, that is abnormal condition of life. Therefore we want to treat, get out of the disease. Similarly, this material life is the diseased condition of the living being. We are all living beings, but because we have accepted this material body, we are suffering. Mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ (BG 2.14). Now we require this fan. Why? Because feeling some pains on account of heat. That heat is felt by the body, not the soul. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Vrndavana, December 2, 1975:

This is called mukti. Mukti does not mean that after mukti one is finished; one becomes nirākāra or another two hand grow. Not like that. It is a change of consciousness. That is called mukti. Real mukti means change of consciousness. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). Actually, every living being is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). So when we forget this position—I do not become the servant of Kṛṣṇa but I become the servant of my society, my family, my nation, my dog, my cat—this kind of dharma is not mukti. When one understands ahaṁ brahmāsmi, when one understands properly that "I am not this body.

Lecture on SB 7.6.2 -- Vrndavana, December 3, 1975:

We have expanded. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). Every living entity is part and parcel of Viṣṇu, and they are separated. Not separated but given freedom to serve Viṣṇu. To serve does not mean no freedom. It is not dull stone. Every living being... Just like you are trying to serve the cause of Kṛṣṇa conscious. It does not mean that you have no freedom, you are like stone. No. You have got freedom but you are utilizing the freedom how to render best service to Kṛṣṇa. That freedom is required. You must have freedom. Otherwise it is a dull stone. We have constructed this temple with freedom that "The temple should be constructed in this pattern, in this fashion. It should be decorated like this."

Lecture on SB 7.6.8 -- New Vrindaban, June 24, 1976:

So, otherwise, śeṣaṁ gṛheṣu saktasya pramattasya. Gṛheṣu saktasya, those who are too much attached... Everyone is attached in material way of...Gṛheṣu means not only family. Somebody is very much attached to the body. That is natural for every living being, body, bodily attachment is there. Even an animal like hog is living in filthy place and eating stool, still, he has got affection for the body. When the hog is taken from the flock for being killed, he screams very loudly, "Don't want. I don't want to be killed." Although the life is very abominable, still he's attached to the body.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 24, 1972:

Pradyumna: "Our loving propensity expands just as a vibration of light or air expands, but we do not know where it ends. The Nectar of Devotion teaches us the science of loving every one of the living entities perfectly by the easy method of loving Kṛṣṇa. We have failed to create peace and harmony in human society, even by such great attempts as the United Nations, because we do not know the right method. The method is very simple, but one has to understand it with a cool head. The Nectar of Devotion teaches all men how to perform the simple and natural method of loving Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If we learn how to love Kṛṣṇa, then it is very easy to immediately and simultaneously love every living being."

Prabhupāda: Yes. This... Everyone in the human society is trying to establish love in the society, but it is being failed.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 4, 1973:

Pradyumna: (reading) "The basic principle of the living condition is that we have a general propensity to love someone. No one can live without loving someone else. This propensity is present in every living being. Even an animal like a tiger has this loving propensity, at least in a dormant stage, and it is certainly present in the human beings. The missing point, however, is where to repose our love so that everyone can become happy. At the present moment, the human society teaches one to love his country or family or his personal self, but there is no information where to repose the loving propensity so that everyone can become happy."

Prabhupāda: Yes. This point is missing. We cannot... It is not possible that we can approach everyone and offer our loving service. Just like people are very much attracted by the humanitarian services. They take it very great, loving service to the human society.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.31-38 -- San Francisco, January 22, 1967:

He is the greatest. He is greater than the, far million, million times or unlimited timely greater than sun. Then He is reflected in everyone's heart. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Īśvara, that Supreme Personality of Godhead, is situated in the heart of every living being.

Now, this reflection, although there is no difference between this reflection of the Supreme Lord, Supersoul, and the Supreme Lord, still, He is not Supreme Lord. You have to still go further. You have to search out the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore Brahmā said, "Now I am seeing Your personality. So there is nothing beyond this."

Festival Lectures

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Lecture -- Mayapur, February 8, 1977:

Prahlāda Mahārāja said to Nṛsiṁha-deva, "My Lord, I have nothing to grieve, because wherever I shall sit down, glorifying Your activities, I immediately become merged into the ocean of nectarine. So I have nothing to grieve. But one thing I am sorry, I am in grief for these vimūḍhas." Vimūḍhān. Mūḍha means rascal, and vimūḍhai, particularly rascals. Every living being within this material world, they are mūḍhas because they are forgetting their relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Mūḍho nābhijānāti māṁ param avyayam. This is mūḍha. All living entities more or less, we are all mūḍhas, particularly vimūḍhān, because there are different types of living entities. Jalajā nava-lakṣani sthāvarā lakṣā viṁśati kṛmayo, species of life.

General Lectures

Pandal Lecture at Cross Maidan -- Bombay, March 26, 1971:

Sometimes I am questioned in European countries that "What is the difference between patraṁ puṣpam? That is also eatables. They are also vegetables. They have got life. Why do you ask us not to eat meat because they are living beings?" So answer is that it is not the question of living being. Every living being has to eat another living being. That is the law of nature. Jīvo jīvasya jīvanam. Those who have got hands, they are eating the legless. Just like the vegetables. Just like cows, goats, or other animals, they are eating grass. The grass is also a living entity, but it has no legs. It is being eaten up by another animal which has got legs. Similarly, we are also a kind of animal with hands. We are eating another animal which has no hands.

Lecture at Christian Monastery -- Melbourne, April 6, 1972:

In the Vedas it is stated that nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān: (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13) "God is the supreme living being amongst all living beings." Nityo nityanam: "And He's the supreme eternal amongst all the eternals." We are also eternal. Because we are part and parcel of God, we have got all the qualities of God, but because we are minute part and particle of God, therefore all the qualities of God are there in minute particle. The example is just like the ocean. Ocean water is vast, and drop of ocean water, you analyze chemically, you will find all the chemical ingredients in that drop of water as there is in the water.

Lecture -- London, August 23, 1973:

So many humanitarians, philanthropists, they are thinking of good welfare for the human being, but they are not thinking any welfare for the poor animals. They are being sent to the slaughterhouse under some plea. So they are all punishable because every living being is the son of the Supreme Person. Bhagavad-gītā says. We also address the Supreme Being, God, as "Father." Father means every one of us, we are sons. But we are disobedient son. One who is obedient son, he is perfect. One who is disobedient son, he is imperfect. Therefore we have to ask. Father is giving food even to the disobedient son. He is so kind. So God is always kind upon us. But we are suffering because we have forgotten God.

Lecture at the Hare Krsna Festival at La Salle Pleyel -- Paris, June 14, 1974:

No, no, it is not example. It is stated in the Vedic literature. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām. He is the chief living being amongst all living beings. God, is eternal; we are also eternal. God is also a living being; we are also a living being. This is the meaning. But God is one; we are many. And what is the significance of that one? That is stated: eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. "That one is maintaining so many living beings." That is God. So because He is a person, we are also person, but He is the person who maintains us. Therefore we go to God and beg for our daily bread. So our constitutional position is that we are predominated, and God is predominator.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Atlanta, March 2, 1975:

This is to be understood. So the science of God, that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You try to understand scientifically what is meant by God, what is meant by religion. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's preaching. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). He begins His teaching on this principle, that every living being is eternal servant of God. That's all. And this is religion. Religion does not mean stamping in different way. Religion means to know God the great and we are subordinate, maintained by God. This is religion.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Atlanta, March 2, 1975:

So we can use it as much as we require. We cannot collect it and keep it in stock for my future son, grandson, this son, that son. No. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is actually perfect communism. The Communists are thinking in terms of the human being, and that also within the state, but a Kṛṣṇa conscious person, he is thinking in terms of all living beings. Vidyā-vinaya-sampanne brāhmaṇe gavi hastini, śuni caiva śva-pāke ca (BG 5.18). In the Bhāgavata it is stated that a householder, before taking his lunch, he should invite on the street, "Sir, if anyone is still hungry, please come at my place. There is still food. You can take it." And he should see that in the household even the lizard he is not hungry.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Atlanta, March 2, 1975:

It is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted to give you. Now He has come here. You take advantage of it. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is kind to everyone. He has no discrimination that this cult should be spread only in India or amongst the Hindus or amongst the brāhmaṇas. No. He wanted to spread this movement to all living being. Never mind. Pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. So now He has come. If you want, accept Caitanya Mahāprabhu's order, "Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." That is sufficient. But if you want to know more, further, through philosophy, through science, we have got already thirty or fifty books. Read them.

Lecture -- Honolulu, May 25, 1975:

That is law. That is God's law. You may be very much advanced in knowledge or so-called science, but because God says that in the material life you must die, you cannot avoid this law. That is called dharma. Dharma means the characteristic, that God has given this law that everyone should die; therefore all living beings' characteristic is that he must die. This is called religion. Similarly, God says that "You are My eternal servant. You must obey Me." That is religion. You try to understand the meaning of religion. Religion means the law given by God, and you must accept it. That is religion.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on William James:

Prabhupāda: Yes. God is person. If He is the supreme father, the father is a person. We have got no experience of father being imperson. My father is person, his father is person, his father is person. In this way go on, father's father's..., searching. So the ultimate father is also person. There is no doubt about it. Either human father or animal father, every living being is a person. Therefore the right conclusion is God the father of all living being is person. Personal conception of God is there in every religion-Christian religion, Muhammadan religion, or Vedic religion. In the Vedic religion, oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayoḥ. Those who are sura, means advanced in spiritual knowledge, or the brāhmaṇas, one who knows the Supreme, they find the supreme father is Lord Viṣṇu. Lord Viṣṇu and Kṛṣṇa is the same category, or same substance. So God is person and the ultimate end.

Philosophy Discussion on William James:

Prabhupāda: This is religion. Therefore I was talking in this morning that accept God as the supreme father and the material nature is the mother and we living entities, in 8,400,000 forms, we are all sons of God. So everyone has got the right to live at the cost of the father. The father is the maintainer—that is natural—and we are maintained. So every living being should be satisfied in the condition given by God. Man should live in his own condition, the animal also should live in his own condition. Why the man should encroach upon the rights, living right of other living entities like the animals? No. Nobody should encroach upon other's right. Everyone is son of God. Let him be maintained by the orders of God. That is ideal life, family life. All living entities are the members of the same family.

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Prabhupāda: Vedic culture or non-Vedic culture, there are so many similarities. It doesn't matter. Because you are living being, the similarities are there. Just like every living being eats. It is similar to everyone. Every living being sleeps. It is similar to everyone. Every living being mates. It is similar to everyone. Every living being fears. So you have to take the greatest common factor. There are so many similarities.

Śyāmasundara: He would say also that every human being may draw a circle to represent something which is whole and complete.

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Morality, as we understand from Bhagavad-gītā, that nobody can approach God without being purified of all sinful reaction. Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. A person who has finished all sinful activities, and simply standing on the platform of pious activities, they can understand what is God and be engaged in God's service. And another place it is said by Arjuna, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān: (BG 10.12) "You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, param brahma." Every living being is Brahman, spiritual, but Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Being; therefore He is paraṁ brahma, and the paraṁ dhāma, and the resort of everything, ultimate resort of everything, and pavitra, purified, there is no material contamination. So, what is this? What does he say in this?

Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre:

Prabhupāda: But he does not know what, what is the meaning of God. We have several times repeated this. God is the Supreme, Supreme Being. So we have defined in so many ways. Another thing that God is the Supreme, Supreme means He is supreme father. The Supreme everything means He is supreme father also. The conception of father is there. So as we are standing, we are talking with that gentleman priest, that mother nature, nature is giving, producing so many living entities. So she is supposed to be the mother. And as soon as we accept mother, there must be father. Mother cannot, alone cannot give birth to any offspring, so there must be the conception of father. And that is, practically we are seeing that mother nature... We say "mother nature" because she gives birth to so many forms of life, and if we accept mother, then you must to accept father, and that God is supreme father. How he can deny it? Father's duty is to maintain the children. So all living beings are being maintained, so there must be father. How he can deny that?

Philosophy Discussion on St. Augustine:

Prabhupāda: They... It is, our Vedic conception is also like that, that the mankind has come from Manu. From Manu, human being, or manuṣya... The Sanskrit word is manuṣya, "coming from Manu." So Manu is also coming from Brahmā. In this way, as the conception of a first creature, Adam, similarly, a first living being is Lord Brahmā. Therefore our proposition is that a living being coming from the living being. Brahmā is living being, or Adam is living being. Then the living being does not come from matter. Brahmā is also coming from the Supreme Lord as raja-guṇa avatāra, incarnation of raja-guṇa. So all living being, they are coming from the Supreme Living Being. So Brahmā is also the first creature within this universe.

Page Title:Every living being (Lectures)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:04 of Dec, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=80, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:80