Father of... (Lectures, SB)

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Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- Caracas, February 21, 1975:

He is not dull matter. So therefore it is stated here, abhijñaḥ. Abhijñaḥ means perfectly knower. Now, it can be said that abhijñaḥ... perfect knowledge is received from the superior person. Just like I do not know what is the mechanical arrangement of this microphone. But if I want to know it, then I must go to a perfect knower who can explain (to) me that these ingredients or these parts of the machine are there. Therefore the question may be raised that "The original source of everything is knower of everything, accepting, but where He got the knowledge?"

Just like sometimes the atheist class of men enquire that "If God is the original father, the supreme father of everyone, then who is God's father?" The answer is that God has no father; He is self-sufficient. Therefore this word is used, svarāṭ. Svarāṭ means self-sufficient. So far we are concerned, I have got my father, my father has got father, his father has got father, father, father, go on. When you come to a person who has no more father, that is God. (laughter) That is the test. If we find somebody that he has no father, then He is God. And if some rascal comes and says, "I am God," then you ask him, "Whether you have got father?" As soon as he says that "Yes, I have got father," then he is dog. So in your country so many imitation gods come. I know this. But you ask them, to test him, "Whether you have got father?" If he says, "Yes, I have got father," then you say, "You are dog." Therefore God's another name is unborn. Unborn means He is not begotten by any father. That is stated in the Vedic language, that advaitam acyutam... govindam ādi-puruṣam. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1), anādir ādiḥ. Anādi means He has no source of emanation. But He is ādi. He is the original source of everything. Therefore it is said, anādir ādiḥ. Anādi means He is without any source. But everyone is on account of His presence. Now, it is simple understanding. There is no difficulty to understand God. Anādir ādiḥ. Everyone has got ādi. Just like I have got my father, father has got his father, his father, his..., ādi. Ādi means the original source. But when you go to Kṛṣṇa, or God, He has no ādi. He is self-sufficient. Try to understand the simple formula of understanding God, that God has no origin, but He is the origin of everything.

Lecture on SB 1.1.3 -- Caracas, February 24, 1975:

That is also mentioned in the Vedas. There are not only aeroplanes; there are three other sciences. It is called kapota-vāhī. Kapota-vāhī means... The ka means the sky, and pota means ship. So as there is science how to manufacture the airship, that is there. There is another science of the same type, it is called kapota-vāhī. Kapota means pigeons. You can train up pigeons, and they will carry you from one place to another. There is another science which is called ākāśa-yānam. Ākāśa-yānam means in the ākāśa, in the sky, you can fly with any vehicle. There are mantras... Suppose I am sitting on this throne. By chanting those mantras this seat will be, fly in the sky. We read from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that Kapiladeva? No, Kardama Muni, father of Kapiladeva, he made an aeroplane or a exactly a township with big, big buildings, with lake, garden and so many people, that was flying in the sky and visited all the planets.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Melbourne, April 3, 1972, Lecture at Christian Monastery:

"Don't try to for this," but your particular knowledge, to know yourself, to know God, why you are dismissing that? That is not very good idea. These śāstras... I have quoted so many things from the śāstra, from the books of knowledge. It is meant for the human being, not for the cats and dogs. We have called this meeting. We have not invited cats and dogs, we have invited human beings, because the human being can understand. The cats and dogs, however I may speak from Vedic literature, from Bhagavad-gītā or from Bhāgavata, it is not possible for the cats and dogs to understand. Their body is different. But our body, human being, is especially meant for this purpose.

Therefore Ṛṣabhadeva, the father of Mahārāja Bharata, under whose name the India is called... Not India. This whole planet is called Bhāratavarṣa. In the Vedic literature Bhāratavarṣa means this planet. And it is consisting seven islands. That is also mentioned in Vedic literature. Seven islands means Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, South America, Australia, and Oceania. These seven islands are mentioned. Description is there. So this Bhāratavarṣa... This planet is called Bhāratavarṣa. Now it is divided. Now it is divided because on account of loss of the old Vedic culture we have now divided. I am thinking, "I am Indian," you are thinking, "Australian." Another is thinking, "American" or "Englishman." These divisions have come very lately, say about three thousand, four thousand years ago. Before that, this planet was one. There was only one king. We get this information from Vedic literature. And he was ruling all over, then. The culture was one. That is Vedic culture. Still, I hear some of my student was telling that in Australia there is some Hindu temple somewhere.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Calcutta, February 26, 1974:

So this is the position. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is teaching, educating, all over the world. There is no distinction. There is no distinction. Don't think that "These Europeans, Americans, they are mlecchas and yavanas. They cannot take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is only meant for the brāhmaṇas or kṣatriyas." They are brāhmaṇa. Caṇḍālo 'pi dvija-śreṣṭho hari-bhakti-parāyaṇaḥ. Anyone who becomes a devotee, he is better than a brāhmaṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). It doesn't matter wherever he is born. Pāpa-yonayaḥ. Striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim.

So Kṛṣṇa is open for everyone. And He is father of all forms of life. Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya (BG 14.4). He is neither Indian nor Hindu nor Muslim. He is Kṛṣṇa. He is Supreme Person. So our only request is that you try to love Kṛṣṇa. Then your religious life will be perfect. Yato bhaktir adhokṣaje. Adhokṣaje, He is beyond the sense perception, akṣaja. Akṣaja-jñāna means sensual perception. He is beyond that, transcendental. But you have to love. So this loving process is the devotional service. First of all... (break) ...try to hear about Kṛṣṇa from Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Don't mal-interpret by your whimsical way. Then you will lose the opportunity. Don't follow these rascals who interpret Bhagavad-gītā. There is no question of interpretation. Take Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Accept that. And the Caitanya-caritāmṛta kaṛacā says, kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya: "Simply by serving Kṛṣṇa you do all of your other duties." So such a nice thing, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Take it very seriously and do the needful.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:

That is reputation. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ, and śrī, śrī means beauty. God is the most beautiful. Just like, see Kṛṣṇa here, you have got Kṛṣṇa's figure here, how beautiful He is. God must be, He is young, always. An old man cannot become beautiful. That is stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā, advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca (Bs. 5.33). That is the description of Ādyaṁ Purāṇa, He is the original person, the oldest of all but he is nava-yauvanam, just like a beautiful boy, say sixteen or twenty years old. So that is beautiful, the most beautiful. And the most wise, jñāna. Nobody can be wiser than God. These are the description given by Parasara Muni, father of Vyāsadeva. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47), jñāna-vairāgya and at the same time renounced.

Now God has created this universe, God has created the cosmic manifestation, innumerable universes but He is not interested in it. He is interested because He has created. He has given us facility to live here, but He is not coming here to enjoy this. He has got better. Or He doesn't care for all these opulences. That is another qualification of God. So this human form of life is meant for understanding God and scientifically, with full knowledge. That is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Therefore we are preaching this Bhāgavata discourse. In the beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam what is the nature of God? That has been described, janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ svarāṭ (SB 1.1.1).

Lecture on SB 1.2.9-10 -- Delhi, November 14, 1973:

That's all. Just like we forget. At night, when we dream, we accept another body, and we forget this body. And in the daytime we forget the night dream body and accept this body. We have got daily experience. So death means forgetting the past life. Otherwise, there was past life. That's a fact. But as we forget daily night body in the daytime and day body at nighttime, so similarly, we are changing our body according to the infection of the quality or material nature, and we are entangled in this material world. Although we are part an parcel of Kṛṣṇa, God, or we ar sons of God, but unfortunately, we have come in contact of this material modes of nature. This is going on.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes. Kṛṣṇa is the father of everyone. He canvasses, "My dear children, why you are rotting in this material world? Come back."

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

(BG 18.66)

This is the message of Bhagavad-gītā. So dharma means to understand my relationship with God. That is dharma. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Just like a good citizen means who knows the relationship with the state. That is good citizenship. Bad citizenship means who doesn't care for the state. That is criminal. They are put into the prison house. So similarly, the living entities, they are part and parcel of God. But when they are not ready or prepared to abide by the laws of God, they are put into this material world. Beginning from Brahmā, ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16), they are rotating in this way. So dharma means to abide by the la

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Delhi, November 18, 1973:

Brahmaloka is combination of the spirit souls. But spirit soul means part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, who is ānandamaya. So they do not get that ānanda. They simply are elevated to the position of eternity. But eternity without ānanda. Just like you just imagine: suppose you are given a very nice place. You are ordered that "You live here eternally, but don't allow nobody else. You can live alone." How long you will live? Because as a living entity, as part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, you want ānanda. So ānanda, you require society, friendship and love. That is ānanda. That is not impersonalism. That is personalism. So unless you enter to the personal activities of Kṛṣṇa, there cannot be ānanda. There cannot be. Unless you are qualified to dance with Kṛṣṇa or to play with Kṛṣṇa, to become father of Kṛṣṇa, mother of Kṛṣṇa, and enjoy the ānandamayam, ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhiḥ (Bs. 5.37), you cannot be happy. Therefore āruhya kṛcchreṇa. The brahma-pada, the Supreme, paraṁ padam, it is called paraṁ padam... Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Adhaḥ. They fall down. Therefore we see sometimes, big, big sannyāsīs, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā, they give up this world, take sannyāsa, but after some time they come to politics, to sociology. Why? If the jagat is mithyā, why you are interested in politics and sociology an welfare acts? That means anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ: He could not get ānanda without being in touch with the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they come this ānanda. Ānanda. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa. This is practical.

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

Now, this is His omnipotency. Omnipotency means that He is not different from His name, from His quality, from His pastimes, from His instruction, everything. Therefore the discussion on Bhagavad-gītā is as good as you are discussing certainly with Kṛṣṇa. And not only that; Kṛṣṇa is seated in your heart, in my heart also. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 18.61). God, God is situated in everyone's heart. God is not away from us. He's friendly. He's so friendly that in my repeated change of birth, He's with us. He's trying to see when we shall turn to Him. Rather, He's canvassing. He's canvassing. He's so kind that we may forget Him, but He has not forgotten us. He is with us. Just like the father never can forget the son, however the son may forget the father. That is, that is natural. Similarly, God is the original father of everything, everybody, all living entities. We may have different bodies. That is our shirt-coat. It has nothing to do with our real identity. Our real identity is pure soul. That pure soul is the part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). You'll find in Bhagavad-gītā. And that part and parcel of the Supreme Lord is encaged in this material body.

Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Calcutta, September 27, 1974:

How you can chant? You cannot, because your mind is not fixed up. Your mind is not... Na śocati na kāṅkṣati. Unless you are purified, your mind is always disturbed. That is the material condition. The mind must be disturbed.

Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām. Prahlāda Mahārāja says. That is the material symptom. What is the material symptom? Always full of anxiety. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām. Why? Asad-grahāt. Because he has accepted the temporary position, asat. Asat means "which will not exist." Here everything will not exist. This body, it will not exist. But I have taken this body as everything. "I am Indian." "I am American." "I am the father of this family." "I am the manager of the so big business." And so on, so on, so on, so on. Asad-grahāt. But everything concentrated on this body. So you must be an..., full of anxiety. Asad-grahāt. You accepted this body as fact. But it is not fact. Similarly, the whole world. Asad-grahāt samudvigna-dhiyām. This was a question several times. This is very nice question.

Hiraṇyakaśipu asked his son, Prahlāda Mahārāja, "My dear boy, what you have learned the best thing? You are student." He said, tat sādhu manye asura-varya. He addressed his father, he addressed him as asura-varya, "the best of the asuras." He did not address him as "Father." But he said, "My dear the best of the asuras..."

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

Now, if you ignite the wood, first of all there is smoke, then there is fire. So my necessity is fire, neither the wood, nor the earth, nor the smoke. Similarly, for getting out of these material clutches one has to take shelter of Viṣṇu—not of Lord Brahmā nor Lord Śiva. It is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajante anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). Anya-devatāḥ means Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā and others. There are many, thirty-three crores of different demigods. Indra, Candra, Varuṇa, so many. So the chief of them is Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva. Lord Śiva is therefore called Mahādeva. He is above all these demigods. And Lord Śi... Brahmā is called pitāmaha. Pitāmaha means he's the father of all demigods. He's the father of Lord Śiva also.

So in this way, if we really want salvation, free, freedom from these clutches of māyā... That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). This māyā is very, very hard to pass over. Duratyayā. Only means is: mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti. This is the verse. Here it is also, the same thing confirmed: śreyāṁsi. If you want ultimate goal, ultimate goal means to get free from the conditional life, repetition of birth, death, old age—then you have to take shelter of Lord Viṣṇu. But people do not know that. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). For temporary benefit they go to worship other demigods. But that is not their ultimate goal. Antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām (BG 7.23). Antavat tu phalam.

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

Upendra: "This part of the spiritual sky, called the mahat-tattva, is only an insignificant portion of the whole spiritual sky, and within this mahat-tattva there are innumerable universes. All these universes collectively is produced by the Kāraṇārṇavaśāyī Viṣṇu called also the Mahā-Viṣṇu who simply throws His glance only to impregnate the material sky to manifest." Text 2. Translation: "Another plenary part of the puruṣa is lying down within the water of the universe from the navel lake of His body which has sprouted the lotus stem (which is the body of the universe) and on the top, from the lotus flower Brahmā the master of all engineers of the universe, is generated." Purport: "The First puruṣa is the Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. From the skinholes of Him innumerable universes have sprung up. In each and every one of them the puruṣa enters as the Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. 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. 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."

Prabhupāda: Yes. This Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu is the father of Brahmā who has created all these innumerable planets. And in one of the planets there is Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. In that planet the ocean is of milk. There are different kinds of ocean, as we get information from Vedic literature. As we have got here the ocean of water, similarly there is ocean of milk, there is ocean of oil, there is... Just like you have got oil within earth, similarly in those planets there are oil ocean, milk ocean. So there is one planet within this universe which has got ocean of milk. And in that milk ocean there is another Viṣṇu, who is called Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. Kṣīra means milk and udaka means water. Go on.

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

Because children, they take service from the mother and father. They give, render very little service to the father and mother. Every children, every man, every woman has taken so much services from the father and mother. Everyone knows that. Just like those who are mothers here, how much service they are giving to the little children, how much careful they are that their child may not be in some difficulty, always anxious. Similarly, this philosophy, to accept God as son, means opportunity for rendering more service than to accept God as father.

God is neither father nor... He is father. Actually He is father, because He is the origin of everything. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Kṛṣṇa also says, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4). Pitā means father. So actually, God's position is father. He is father of everything. Not... All living entities, all material energy. As... If you discover something, it is called "the father of this scientific discovery." So He has discovered everything, material and spiritual both. Therefore He is original father of everyone. Not only of the living entities, but also stones, woods, earth, water, fire, everything. He has created. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva..., prakṛtir me aṣṭadhā, bhinnā prakṛtir me aṣṭadhā (BG 7.4). In the Bhagavad-gītā. So He has created everything. He is actually the father. But out of love, the devotees, they accept the father as son, to give more service. Father is obliged to give service to the son. He has given birth; therefore he has obligation to maintain the son, to give service.

Lecture on SB 1.3.13 -- Los Angeles, September 18, 1972:

Another example of dhīra is there in Kumāra Sambhava. Kumāra Sambhava is a Sanskrit book, which I think we read in our college I.A. class, by Kālidāsa, poet Kālidāsa. So this theme of that book is that the demigods, they wanted to fight with the demons, and it was necessary that a son should be begotten by Lord Śiva. So Lord Śiva at that time lost his wife in the dakṣa-yajña. She gave up his (her) life. There was some misunderstanding between Mahārāja Dakṣa, father of Pārvatī, or Durgā. So she gave up her life because her father was against Lord Śiva. He was repudiating Lord Śiva, and she could not tolerate that "My father, you are so proud that you are blaspheming Lord Śiva because you think I am your daughter and your son-in-law is subordinate. So I am returning this body to you." So (s)he immediately gave up her body. So Lord Śiva, having lost his wife, he was on the Himalayas executing severe tapasya. So the demigods, they planned to break the tapasya meditation of Lord Śiva by sending Pārvatī, daughter of Himalaya. Lord Śiva's wife then took birth as daughter of Himalaya. So when she was young, grown-up, sixteen years old, so she was engaged to break the meditation of Lord Śiva. So Lord Śiva was in meditation, naked, and Pārvatī was induced to worship Lord Śiva and touch the genital. But Lord Śiva still was undisturbed. So at that time, Kālidāsa Kavi, that "Here is the example of dhīra. He is so much absorbed in meditation that a young girl, touching the genital, still, he is undisturbed. He is so self-controlled."

Lecture on SB 1.3.14 -- Los Angeles, September 19, 1972:

So this refers to King Pṛthu, Mahārāja Pṛthu. So his father's name was King Veṇa. And his father's name was... I don't remember. Perhaps Aṅga, like that. So the Veṇa's father married one woman. She was the daughter of Death, means the family was not very good. So as a result of this marriage, a son was born, whose name was Veṇa, who came out to be first-class rogue. So the father of Veṇa wanted to reform him in so many ways, but he could not. The son was not to be corrected. So the father became disgusted, and one day he left home without any knowledge of the family members or the officers and king. He left.

Then the great sages and brāhmaṇas, because without king there was irregularities in the kingdom... Just like we have got experience. If there is no good government, strong government, the rogues, thieves, smugglers and so many other disrupting elements, they will grow. Because they are always existing. They find out the opportunity. As soon as there is some revolution, political upsurge, or mismanagement of the government, these undesirable elements, they come out. So when the father of Veṇa Mahārāja left home, the kingdom became unruly. Therefore the sages and saintly persons, they asked the queen that "Your son, although he is worthless, so let him become king. There must be some king."

Lecture on SB 1.3.15 -- Los Angeles, September 20, 1972:

Now here it is said Vaivasvata Manu. Vaivasvata Manu. There are different manus. Just like first of all it is said Cākṣuṣa Manu. Similarly, next it is said Vaivasvata Manu. So this Vaivasvata Manu is the son of sun-god. There are two kinds of kṣatriya families within this planet: one coming from the moon and the other is coming from the sun. The first person, I mean to say, first father of this kṣatriya family from sun, his first son is manu. And his name is Vaivasvata Manu. Because he is the son of Vivasvān, therefore his father's name is also added. In India the system is still that when a man will give you name, the first name is his own name, the second name is his father's name, and the third name is his village name. So that by three names he will understand that "This man is the son of such and such gentleman and coming from such and such village." Complete name. Just like when we give our identification, we give our own name, our father's name and address. That is complete identification. So still, not in everywhere, in almost all provinces of India, the system is still current. State..., especially in Maharastra province. Maharastra province, they exactly will give you his own name his father's name, and his village name.

Lecture on SB 1.3.21 -- Los Angeles, September 26, 1972:

So this Parāśara actually was not husband of Satyavatī. When Satyavatī was not married, Parāśara gave birth to Vyāsadeva. Later on Satyavatī became the wife of Mahārāja Śantanu, father of Bhīṣmadeva. This Satyavatī was the daughter of a fisherman. She was neither born of a brāhmaṇa father or kṣatriya father. So formerly, a higher-caste man could accept a girl born of lower caste, but a lower-caste man could not accept a girl born of higher caste. That was the system. Because in the śāstra it is... Ordinary, I mean to say, instructive śāstra.

Just like Cāṇakya, in his moral lessons, he says that viṣād apy amṛtaṁ grāhyam. When there is a tub of poison, but, if there is little nectar, then you take it. Don't think that "It is in the poison pot, why shall I take it?" No, you can take it. Viṣād apy amṛtaṁ grāhyam amedhyād api kāñcanam. Suppose in a very filthy place where people pass stool, urine, there is some gold. So you should take it. Don't think that because the gold is in the polluted place, gold has become polluted. No. You take it. Viṣād apy amṛtaṁ grāhyam amedhyād api kāñcanam, nīcād apy uttamā vidyā. Vidyā, education, was to be received from a brāhmaṇa, because it was the brāhmaṇa's business to become highly learned scholar and make others educated. Teacher's business was entrusted to the brāhmaṇas, administration to the kṣatriyas, production to the vaiśya, and labor to the śūdra. So because generally we have to take education from highly learned brāhmaṇa, but if a person born in low family, he has got some talent, education, so don't hesitate. Take from him. Not that, "Oh, he is low born. Why shall I take education from him?" No.

Lecture on SB 1.3.21 -- Los Angeles, September 26, 1972:

Then she was again attractive to Mahārāja Śantanu. Mahārāja Śantanu became attracted by Satyavatī, and he wanted to marry. But Mahārāja Śantanu had his son. So her father objected. So king proposed to the fisherman that "I want to marry your girl." So the father said, "No, no, I cannot allow my girl to marry with you because you are already married. You have got your son, elderly son, Bhīṣmadeva." So he was a little sorry, Śantanu Mahārāja.

The son could understand that "The father is sorry because he was refused the hand of the girl Satyavatī." So he approached father. Not father. He approached the father of Satyavatī, that "Why you are refusing my father?" "No. You are present. How can I offer my daughter?" "No. Even if I am present..." Because the law is the eldest son will be enthroned after the death of the father. So he was eldest son. So Satyavatī's father was hesitating. So Bhīṣmadeva promised that "I will not accept the throne. The child born of Satyavatī, he will accept, he will be given the throne. You give your daughter to my father." He still refused. He still, "Well, our son may be king, but then again, your son will become the king." In this way, he was hesitating. So Bhīṣmadeva immediately promised that "I shall never marry. Don't hesitate." So in this way he induced the fisherman to give his daughter to his father.

Lecture on SB 1.4.25 -- Montreal, June 20, 1968:

"My dear King Parīkṣit, you have put very nice question. And to hear about Kṛṣṇa is the topmost subject of hearing." Śrotavyādiṣu yaḥ paraḥ. Paraḥ means topmost, the highest. "So your question, whether to hear about Kṛṣṇa, is welcome." Varīyan eṣa te praśnah kṛto loka-hitaṁ nṛpa: (SB 2.1.1) "This praśna, this question, is very much beneficial to the people in general," loka-hitaṁ. Because Parīkṣit Mahārāja was questioning, and Śukadeva Gosvāmī was answering, but there were many other persons. Although the questions and answers were only for Parīkṣit Mahārāja, not for others, but everyone expected that because Śukadeva Gosvāmī was speaking to the king, that speaking must be very important to everyone. So all the great sages... Even the father of Śukadeva Gosvāmī, Vyāsadeva, who is the compiler of so many Vedic literatures, he also came there to hear his sixteen-years-old boy. He was so elevated. It does not matter whether a man is old or young; it is the question of knowledge. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī was so elevated that so many persons assembled there. And the Sūta Gosvāmī, who spoke the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam for the second time amongst the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya, he was also present in that meeting, and he heard from Śukadeva Gosvāmī, and he repeated to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya. So śrī-kṛṣṇa-śravaṇādhi-prāyeṇa parama-praśna kṛta eṣa tu varīyan. Śukadeva Gosvāmī is congratulating Mahārāja Parīkṣit, that "You have raised the question of Kṛṣṇa, understanding Kṛṣṇa. It is very welcome." Yaḥ praśno 'pi śrotavyādiṣu paraṁ: "Such kind of question is the topmost question, topmost question. There is no more better question than this." In other words, when you become inquisitive to understand the Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then that very questions will elevate you to the highest perfectional stage.

Lecture on SB 1.5.4 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1968:

I say, "I get it from Bhagavad-gītā. It is mentioned there." Just like in our country who has not seen America, if he has studied the Constitution of America, he knows the presiding gentleman is Mr. Johnson. There is no need of seeing. Simply from authoritative scripture, authoritative book, one can understand who is the presiding deity, who is ruling there, what is the condition. Everything is there in the scriptures and authorized books of Vedic literature.

So here Vyāsadeva says that sa vai bhavān veda samasta-guhyam. "My dear Nārada, my dear spiritual master, you can answer why I am unhappy because you know the presiding Deity of the whole creation, purāṇa-puruṣaḥ." Purāṇa means old, and puruṣa means the Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is the oldest. He must be oldest because He is the father of everything. So nobody can be older than Kṛṣṇa. Here it is said purāṇa-puruṣaḥ. In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is also described how is that purāṇa-puruṣaḥ the oldest man, Kṛṣṇa. So it is described there, advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca (Bs. 5.33). That Purāṇa-puruṣa, that oldest man, Kṛṣṇa—not man, God—He is oldest. Advaitam acyutam, and He is infallible, and He is without any second. Nobody is greater than Him, nobody is equal than Him. Advaitam acyutam anādim. And he has no origin. These are the description of God. He has no origin. Just like I have got my origin. I am generated by my father, you are generated by your father, your father is generated by his father, his father... You go on. But the Supreme Lord, Purāṇa-puruṣaḥ, He has no father. But in His pastimes, as you see Nanda Mahārāja is His father or Vasudeva is His father... They are His devotees. When God comes, appears on this planet, He appears just like ordinary man. He's born, and He accepts His devotee as father. These are the intricate questions there.

Lecture on SB 1.7.9 Excerpt -- Vrndavana, September 8, 1976:

Ātmārāma. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). People are anxious, especially the karmīs, how to maintain this body, but when one comes to the conclusion that "I am not this body," naturally his interest for maintaining the body, diminishes. Practically, it becomes nil. Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau **, you will find from the behavior of the Gosvāmīs, they practically conquered over the necessities of this body. But that does not mean he has to cease all activities. The Māyāvāda philosophy, they say that when one becomes brahma-bhūtaḥ, ātmārāma, he has nothing to do any more. No. The śāstra does not say that. Śāstra says that when you become ātmārāma, or brahma-bhūtaḥ, your material anxieties, material activities, they become stopped. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54), prasannātmā, he has nothing to do.

Suppose if somebody is assured that now, henceforward you haven't go to do anything, everything will come automatically, naturally one becomes prasannātmā, very jolly. I am free from the anxieties. Because this material world means full of anxieties, sadā samudvigna-dhiyām, that is material world. And when you come to the spiritual platform, there is no anxiety, no na śocati na kāṅkṣati. That is anxiety-free. So anxiety-free does not mean you haven't got to do anything. Your material life is purified, sarvopādhi vinirmuktaṁ tat paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). When we become free from the designation, "I am this body, therefore I am American, I am Indian, I am the father of this family, so I have got my wife, I have got my children," so many things, this is material relationship, so... (break—end)

Lecture on SB 1.7.19 -- Vrndavana, September 16, 1976:

Lakṣaṇam. Brāhmaṇa's lakṣaṇam, kṣatriya's lakṣaṇam. Lakṣaṇam means symptoms. One must act as a brāhmaṇa. So he is accepted as brahmātmaja. Of course, everyone can claim that his father is like that. But that does not mean he has acquired the father's qualifications. That is not meaning. And onward the son may claim that "Such and such big man is my father." Of course, from social point of view, we sometimes give respect, as it will be seen. Aśvatthāmā, because he happened to be a great personality, Droṇācārya, so he was excused from capital punishment. Otherwise, Arjuna decided to kill him. But because he was a very great man's son, guru-putra, considering that "If he dies, then guru's wife will be very much unhappy," Draupadī advised... She was unhappy on account of death of her sons. So they considered that Aśvatthāmā's mother, she's innocent, but on account of the son's death, she would be unhappy. So considering all these points he was excused from the capital punishment.

So yadā aśaraṇam ātmānam aikṣata. He was running on on the back of a horse, but when he saw that Arjuna is coming nearer, so he has no other alternative, protection. Then he thought of the brahmāstra. Brahmāstra is the last weapon. Just like it is similar to modern nuclear weapon, brahmāstra. As by releasing nuclear weapon there is radiation, similarly, we have got description that when Aśvatthāmā released his brahmāstra, there was a big radiation, people were feeling very terrible heat. And then Kṛṣṇa informed that "This heat is due to the Aśvatthāmā's release of brahmāstra," and Arjuna was advised counteract it. Now they do not know how to counteract this nuclear weapon. Formerly they knew.

Lecture on SB 1.7.44 -- Vrndavana, October 4, 1976:

Pradyumna: "Dhanur-veda or military science, was taught by Droṇācārya with all its confidential secrets of throwing and controlling by Vedic hymns. Gross military science is dependent on material weapons, but finer than that is the art of throwing arrows saturated with Vedic hymns, which act more effectively than gross material weapons like machine guns or atomic bombs. The control is by Vedic mantras, or the transcendental science of sound. It is said in the Rāmāyaṇa that Mahārāja Daśaratha, the father of Lord Śrī Rāma, used to control arrows by sound only. He could pierce his target with his arrow by hearing the sound only, without seeing the object. So this is a finer military science than that of the gross material military weapons..."

Prabhupāda: It is called śabda-vedī. He who... Just like I cannot see where is the bird. He's chirping. But śabda-vedī, I can throw wherever the bird is, it will go and kill. That is called śabda-vedī. Mahārāja Daśaratha used it. Therefore he was cursed that he would die being aggrieved when Rāmacandra will be banished. Go on.

Pradyumna: "So this is a finer military science than that of the gross military military weapons used nowadays. Arjuna was taught all this, and therefore Draupadī wished that Arjuna feel obliged to Ācārya Droṇa for all these benefits. And in the absence of Droṇācārya, his son was the representative. That was the opinion of the good lady Draupadī. It may be argued why Droṇācārya, a rigid brāhmaṇa, should be a teacher in military science. But the reply is that a brāhmaṇa should become a teacher, regardless of what his department of knowledge is. A learned brāhmaṇa should become a teacher, a priest and a recipient of charity. A bona fide brāhmaṇa is authorized to accept such professions."

Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- Mayapura, September 28, 1974:

"How to perform yajña? It requires so much money, so much ghee, so much food grains to offer as oblations." But Kṛṣṇa has made it very easy. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32). Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyaiḥ. I know, the śāstras know that in the Kali-yuga it will be very difficult to perform the ritualistic yajña ceremony because people will be poor, poverty-stricken. Where they will get ghee, and where they will get grains? No. This is yajña: kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). This is yajña.

So people are so rascal, they will not even chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Kṛṣṇa, svayaṁ bhagavān... Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He introduced. Saṅkīrtanaika-pitarau. Gaura and Nityānanda is the father of the saṅkīrtana movement. Therefore Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura has offered his prayer, saṅkīrtanaika-pitarau ajanu-lambita-bhujau kanakavadhatau, saṅkīrtanaika-pitarau kamalayatakṣau vande mahā-puruṣa te caraṇāravindam(?). So Kṛṣṇa is teaching. Kṛṣṇa is so kind. He's personally teaching. That is perform yajña. He's personally chanting, dancing, Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The picture is in our front. Personally He's teaching us, "Perform this yajña, you rascal, and you'll get everything. You'll get everything." Now, where is the proof? The proof is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We are simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and spending crores of rupees. Simply. What we are doing? We are not doing any business. We have not many professional men. But why we are getting...? We are spending eight lakhs of rupees per month. And we have got food, we have got milk. We are, rather, feeding others also, bringing food. So why don't you see practically how these Kṛṣṇa conscious people... They... They know that we are fabulously rich. This question was raised in Parliament also. So how we became fabulously rich? We do not do anything. I have not taught you anything magic. I simply request you, "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra sixteen times please!" But you... We are not even following that. This is the only remedy. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32).

Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- Chicago, July 4, 1974 :

Namasye puruṣaṁ tvā, ādyam. Ādyam means original, original person. That is stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ, anādiḥ. Anādiḥ means who has no beginning. But He is the beginning of everything. That is Kṛṣṇa. We have got experience that anything in our experience, it has got a beginning. Beginning. But Kṛṣṇa is without beginning, and all others, they have got beginning. From Kṛṣṇa, within this material world, from Kṛṣṇa, Brahmā. From Brahmā, Nārada or many other demigods. Then from demigods, we human being. In this way we have increased. Brahmā is the first created being within this universe, and h is created by Kṛṣṇa. So they are taking account of this material, this universe, so Brahmā is therefore called grandfather, or a father of the father. But Kṛṣṇa is the great-grandfather, the father of Brahmā's. Therefore it is said ādyam, the original person. Namasye puruṣaṁ tvā, ādyam. What kind of ādyam? Īśvaram. Īśvaram means controller. Ādyam īśvaram, the original controller.

Now, we have got experience about controlling. Suppose I am controlling this institution, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. But that does not mean I am the original controller. Similarly, there are many, many big men, business magnates, controlling his factories, office, but he is not original controller. He is controlled by the government, and the government is controlled by somebody, the people. In this way you will see in this world there is one controller. Everyone is controller. If you..., one has nothing to control, he keeps a dog to control. That is very good experience in your country. He has no children to control, no wife to control-keep a dog. So the controlling propensity is there, everywhere, but he is not Supreme Controller. So if you study, that here is a controller, controlling a dog, but he is controlled by his master, he is controlled by somebody, somebody, somebody, in this way you will find that Brahmā is the original controller of this universe, but he is also controlled by Kṛṣṇa. Therefore H is the original controller, and the original controller means God, who is not controlled by anyone. Within our experience we see that one is controller, but he is controlled by somebody else. But in this way, when you, if you can, you approach a person who is controller, but never controlled by others, that is God. Therefore here it is said, namasye puruṣaṁ tvā, ādyam īśvaram.

Lecture on SB 1.8.24 -- Mayapura, October 4, 1974:

Viṣāt: "from poison." The Dhṛtarāṣṭra group, Dhṛtarāṣṭra and his sons, they conspired to give them poison. They were transferred to a house. They were so obedient because Dhṛtarāṣṭra happened to be the superior in the house, and he took care of the Pāṇḍavas when they were small children because their father died at an early age. So it was the duty of the elderly members of the family. After all, they were very respectable kṣatriya family. So the elderly members means Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Vidura and Bhīṣmadeva. Bhīṣmadeva was the grandfather of the family, and Dhṛtarāṣṭra was the elder brother of Pāṇḍava, and Vidura was also brother, Vidura, also elder. Pāṇḍu was the youngest, the father of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira and... So it is, after all, a, what is called, varṇāśrama family, Vedic family. So the elderly people had the responsibility to raise the fatherless children. So Dhṛtarāṣṭra took charge as the eldest member. So māyā is very strong. He began to think that "Actually this kingdom belongs to me. I am the eldest son, but because I am born blind, therefore it was given to my younger brother. Now he is dead. Now he's dead, so the property belongs to me. Some way or other, it was transferred to my younger brother. Now the younger brother is dead. Then again I become proprietor. So at least I could not rule over the kingdom, why not my sons?" This was the beginning.

Lecture on SB 1.8.26 -- Los Angeles, April 18, 1973:

These communists, these Moscow, Moscowites, or the Russian, or the Chinese, they are thinking state-wise. But we are thinking not state-wise. We are thinking God-wise. Everything belongs to God. The same philosophy. You extend. Simply you require little intelligence, little intelligence. Why do you think that this state belongs to a few number of people? If you think that there are population, American population, this land of America belongs to this population. Why do you think like that? You think this is property of God.

So every living entity is a child of God. God is the Supreme Father. Kṛṣṇa says: ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā. "I am the seed-giving father of all living entities." Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya (BG 14.4). "In whichever form they may live, they're all living entities, they're My sons." Actually that is the fact. We all living entities, we are sons of God. But we have forgotten. Therefore we are fighting. Just like in a nice family, if anyone knows: "Father is supplying us food. So we brothers, why should we fight?" Similarly if we become God conscious, if we become Kṛṣṇa conscious, this fighting will be over. "I am American, I am Indian, I am Russian, I am Chinese." These all nonsense things will be over. Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so nice. As soon as people become Kṛṣṇa conscious, this fighting, this political fighting, national fighting, will be over immediately. Because they'll come to real consciousness that everything belongs to God. And as the children, a child of the family has got right to take advantages from the father, similarly if everyone is part and parcel of God, if everyone is child of God, then everyone has got the right to use the property of the father. So that right is not that right, the right belongs to the human being. According to Bhagavad-gītā, this right belongs to all living entities. Never mind whether he's living being or animal or trees, or birds or beast or insect. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We do not think in terms of that simply my brother is good, I am good. And all bad. This kind of narrow, crippled consciousness we hate, we kick out. We think: paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find.

Lecture on SB 1.8.30 -- Los Angeles, April 22, 1973:

You have seen sometimes in the book you'll find one insect is running. The shape is smaller than the full stop. This is Kṛṣṇa's craftsmanship. Aṇor aṇīyān mahato mahīyān. He can create bigger than the biggest and the smaller than the smallest. Now human being, according to their conception, they have manufactured the 747 airplane, supposed to be very big. All right. According to your consciousness, you have produced something big. But can you produce a small airplane like insect flying? That is not possible. Therefore greatness means that who can become greater than the greatest and smaller than the smallest. That is greatness. If you can act one-sided... That is also not perfectly.

Supposing you can manufacture still more bigger. I don't think that the modern age they have manufactured the biggest. We get information from Bhāgavatam. Kardama Muni, the father of Kapiladeva, he manufactured a plane, a big city. A big city, with lakes, with gardens, with big, big houses, street. And the whole city was flying all over the universe. And Kardama Muni showed to his wife all the planets, all the planets. He was a big yogi, and his wife, Devahūti, was Vaivasvata Manu's daughter, very big king's daughter. So Kardama Muni wanted to marry, desired. So immediately Vaivasvata Manu... His daughter, Devahūti, she also said: "My dear father, I want to marry that sage." So he brought the daughter: "Sir, here is my daughter. You accept her as your wife." So she was king's daughter, very opulent, but coming to her husband, she had to serve so much that she became lean and thin, not sufficient food and working day and night.

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

"Whenever I want to stay in Ashoka Hotel, he'll send money," not that "I will send money to father. He may stay at Ashoka Hotel." Nobody thinks like that. "Father may send money, and I shall stay in Ashoka Hotel." This is the idea of father. Father means to exploit him, to exploit.

So the father conception of God, mother conception of God, is not bad. Just like in Bengal especially, they have got mother conception. Mother conception means the same thing, to exploit, take from mother, or father. But the Vaiṣṇava conception is not to accept God as father or mother but as son. Son means to give. Father means to take from him, and son means to take from the father. So if you become father of God, then your business will be to give, not to take. That is Vaiṣṇava conception. From the very beginning of the son's life, the mother is giving service to the son, the father is giving service. Therefore the service is there. Even Kṛṣṇa is afraid of mother Yaśodā. Why? Why mother Yaśodā was trying to bind Kṛṣṇa? Because He disrupted the process of service of mother Yaśodā to Kṛṣṇa. That is... Mother Yaśodā tried that "You have broken the butter, and You have distributed to the monkeys, You rascal. Then how You will live? I kept the butter for You so that You will eat and You'll become fatty. And You have broken that, and You have distributed the butter to the monkeys, so You must be punished." So the aim is to serve Kṛṣṇa, not that Yaśodā is thinking, "My butter is spoiled by this child. Therefore He should be punished." He (she) is anxious to see that "Kṛṣṇa may not starve for want of butter. He's child. He does not know. He has distributed the butter to the monkeys." But Kṛṣṇa knows that "These monkeys are not ordinary monkeys." Those monkeys, they have taken birth in Vṛndāvana and come to Kṛṣṇa. Do you think they're ordinary monkeys? They're devotees. They're devotees. They're playing as monkey for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction. These are the intricate meanings of understanding Kṛṣṇa's līlā. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9).

Lecture on SB 1.8.33 -- Los Angeles, April 25, 1972:

So people say that because Vasudeva and Devakī wanted Kṛṣṇa as their son, He appeared. Kecit. Somebody says. Vasudevasya devakyāṁ yācitaḥ. Being requested, being prayed for, abhyagāt, He appeared. Ajas tvam asya kṣemāya vadhāya ca sura-dviṣām. Others says the same thing, as I was explaining. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). Actually Kṛṣṇa comes to pacify His devotee. Just like He appeared to pacify, to satisfy His devotee, Vasudeva and Devakī. But when He comes, He does the other business. What is that? Vadhāya ca sura-dviṣām. Vadhāya means killing. Sura-dviṣām.

There is a class of men, they are called asuras. They are sura-dviṣām. They are always envious of the devotees. They are called demons. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja and his father Hiraṇyakaśipu. Hiraṇyakaśipu is the father of Prahlāda Mahārāja, but because Prahlāda Mahārāja was a devotee, he became envious. That is the nature of the demons. So much so envious, that he was prepared to kill his own son. The only fault is that little boy, he was chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. That is his fault. The father could not. Therefore they are called sura-dviṣām, always envious of the devotees. Demon means always envious of the devotees. This material world is so nuisance place that...

Just you have got a very nice example. Just like Jesus Christ, Lord Christ. So what was his fault? But the sura-dviṣām, the envious persons killed him. And if we find, if we analyze, what is the fault of Jesus Christ, there is no fault. The only fault he was preaching about God. And still he'd find so many enemies. He was cruelly crucified. So you'll always find this, sura-dviṣām. So Kṛṣṇa comes to kill these sura-dviṣām. Therefore vadhāya ca sura-dviṣām. These envious persons are killed.

But this killing business can be done without the presence of Kṛṣṇa. Because there are so many natural forces, war, pestilence, famine. Anything. Just set on working. Millions of people can be killed. So Kṛṣṇa does not require to come here to kill these rascals. They can be killed simply by Kṛṣṇa's direction, nature's law. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā (Bs. 5.44). The nature has got so much power that it can create, it can maintain, it can annihilate, dissolute, everything. Nature is so powerful.

Lecture on SB 1.8.41 -- Los Angeles, May 3, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa has come to offer her respects. So Kuntī's not an ordinary devotee. Still, she says that "Kṛṣṇa, kindly help me to become detached from my, this family attachment. I am attached to two families, my father's family and my husband's family, vṛṣṇiṣu and pāṇḍuṣu." So the purpose is that one has to become detached from this so-called society, friendship, love. This will entangle us. One has to become free from this attachment. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). So long I shall think that "I belong to this family, I belong to this nation, I belong to this religion, I belong to this color, I belong to..." So many things we have created, there is no possibility of become Kṛṣṇa conscious. No. So long I shall think, "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am African," then we are attached. So long I am thinking that "I belong to this family, that family," then I'm attached. So long I'm thinking, "I'm father of this, mother of this, husband of this, wife of this," that is attachment.

So we have... These are designations. Because I am spirit soul. All these attachments, they belong to the body. But I am not this body. That is the essence of understanding. If I am not this body, then I am whose father? If I am not this body, then I am whose mother? The supreme father, mother is Kṛṣṇa. We are simply playing the part of father, mother, sister, this, that. They're on the stage. The māyā, the material nature, is causing to dance like this, that "You are father of this, you are mother of this, you are member of this family, member of this nation." This is our dancing, monkey's dancing. Yes.

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

That all the children that will be begotten, they will be thrown in the Ganges water. This was the condition. If the king agreed, then she would marry. So when a man becomes mad after woman... So he agreed, "Yes, I shall throw all the children. Never mind. (laughter) Come on." Māyā-mohita. Māyā-sukhāyā bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43). This whole world, rascal world, they are captivated by this woman. Woman is captivated by man, man is captivated by woman. This is the tie here in this material world. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etam (SB 5.5.8). I have explained several times. The whole material existence means this attraction. (break) Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham (SB 7.9.45). There are so many instructory verses. Here sex enjoyment is the most prominent, and people are captivated by this. This is life. So anyway even the father of Bhīṣma, he was captivated. so this was the condition. So in this way every child was being thrown in the Ganges water. So after all... Bhīṣmadeva's father became very mortified. So Bhīṣma, when Bhīṣma was going to be thrown in the water, he objected, "No, I cannot allow. I cannot allow." "Then I am going." "Now you can go. I shall keep this child."

So Ganges, Mother Ganges, left Bhīṣma's father. And Bhīṣma was raised by his father. He became grown-up. Again this father became captivated with Satyavatī. Satyavatī. Satyavatī, before her marriage... Satyavatī is the daughter of a fisherman. The fishermen... In your country there is no such distinction. But in our country there are classification. A fishermen, there is a class. So their girls and women, very well-figured, very enchanting figure. So Satyavatī was the daughter of a fisherman, and Bhīṣma's father become enchanted. So he went to the fisherman. He was king. So "Give me your daughter. I shall marry." "Oh, you are already married. You have got son. Why shall I give my daughter to you?" "No, I am king. I shall maintain her." "No, no, No. I don't want to give." In India still, if a man wants to marry, and if he has got children by his former wife, people will hesitate to give him daughter, because there are stepsons. So nobody wants that "My daughter will be troubled by the stepson,—daughter. No." Still they are practiced. To marry for the second time becomes a problem. But nowadays these things are gone.

Lecture on SB 1.8.46 -- Mayapura, October 26, 1974:

The monarchy, as it is conceived in the Vedic civilization, that is not this monarchy. Just like we have got experience in the history, a monarch means get money and spend it for wine and woman. Not that kind of monarch. Monarchy means the king... The ideal monarchy—Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, Mahārāja Parīkṣit—they were very much advanced in spiritual knowledge, in administrative knowledge, in economic development. Everything, perfectly they were educated, and they were being guided by saintly persons like vyāsādyaiḥ. Vyāsādyaiḥ. Mahārāja Rāmacandra was being guided by Vasiṣṭha. So the kings were guided by a committee of saintly persons. Big, big learned, saintly persons, brāhmaṇas, they would give advice to the king. He is already learned. There was a case, Veṇa Mahārāja, the father of Pṛthu Mahārāja. He was very much upstart. Therefore the committee of the learned brāhmaṇas and saintly persons killed him. Because he was not hearing to the committee of the saintly persons, brāhmaṇas, he was killed, and his son, Mahārāja Pṛthu, was enthroned. There were many cases. If the king was an upstart, the brāhmaṇas, they were so powerful, they did not require any weapon; simply by their words they will kill him.

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

Just like "Animal has no soul." This is not dharma. Without any scientific knowledge, if somebody says in some religion, for eating meat, that "Animal has no soul. You can kill as many as you like," so that is not dharma. Dharma, real meaning is occupational duty, not a sentiment. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). It is just like state laws. The state laws are given by the state. You cannot manufacture laws. Similarly, dharma, which we call religion generally, you cannot manufacture by your concoction. It is stated by the Supreme Lord. That is dharma.

Just like Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the father of all living entities." Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ (BG 14.4). And He is accepting not only human society. Sarva-yoniṣu. Sarva-yoniṣu means in all species of life. Kṛṣṇa claims that "Fish, beginning from fish, aquatic life, these living entities, they are also My sons. The birds, they are also My sons. The beasts, they are also My sons. The trees, they are also My sons. The human beings, they are also My sons. The demigods, they are also My sons." Sarva-yoniṣu, "in every species of life." This is the conception of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We do not say that simply human being has soul No. Every living entity. Even a small ant, a small plant, it is living entity. By its different work, he has got a different dress only. Just like we are sitting so many persons, and we have got our different dresses according to our different choice, similarly, we get these bodies. We are all sons of God. There is no doubt about it. We (are) all spirit soul, either in the human form of body or animal form of body or tree form of body, anything. Sarva-yoniṣu. We are all living entities. But we have got different dresses. 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.

Lecture on SB 1.9.2 -- Los Angeles, May 16, 1973:

That is opulent. That is opulence. Formerly a person was considered rich by two things: dhānyena dhanavān. How much grain stock he has got at his home. A big, big barn, filled with grains. Still in India, if I am going to give my daughter to some family, to see the family's opulence, I go to see the house, and if I see there are many, many barns' stock of grains and many cows, then it is very good. It is opulent. Dhānyena dhanavān, gavyaṁ dhanavān. A man is considered to be rich when he has got enough quantity of grains, enough quantity of, I mean to say, number, enough number of cows. Just like Mahārāja, Nanda Mahārāja, the foster father of Kṛṣṇa. He was keeping 900,000 cows. And He was rich man. He was mahārāja, king. But see the behavior. His beloved son, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, he has entrusted to take care of the calves or cows: "Go in the forest." He is well dressed with ornament, and nice dress, everything. All the cowherds boys, they are very rich. They have got enough grains and enough milk. Naturally they will be rich. But not that the cows and the calves will be taken care of by some hired servant. No. They would take care himself.

Lecture on SB 1.9.48 -- Mayapura, June 14, 1973:

So Gāndhārī did it. Gāndhārī... In India still, marriage does not take by canvassing all of a sudden. The father and mother, especially in aristocratic family, royal family, even in Western countries, the father, mother select the husband or wife. Even in England, the Kind Edward VIII, he was intimately in friendship with a common girl. So the state would not allow him that "You can marry a common girl." So at that time the prime minister, one Mr. Baldwin, he said to him that "Either you have to give up the company of that common girl or you have to give up this empire." So out of sentiment, he gave up the empire. Later on he was very sorry. And his second brother, George VI, he... George VI means the father of the present Queen, Elizabeth. So still this is current in aristocratic family, that the husband and wife should be selected by the parents.

So Gāndhārī, she was the daughter of Afghanistan, Ghandahar. Still, the name is there Gandahar. Gandhar. Formerly the name was Gandhar. So Gāndhārī means the daughter of Gandhar country. So when she was informed that her would-be husband is a blind man—Dhṛtarāṣṭra was blind from birth—so immediately she practiced austerity. Voluntarily she closed her eyes with cloth that she would also live as blind. "My husband would be blind. So, although I'm not blind, I must live also as blind." This is the beginning of austerity, Gāndhārī. So Gāndhārī was so faithful, one of the most exalted chaste wife mentioned in the śāstras, Gāndhārī, that in all conditions she followed the husband. At last, when everything was finished in the Battle of Kurukṣetra, no Kaurava, none of the sons or grandsons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra was living, neither of the Pāṇḍavas, still, Gāndhārī was faithfully serving her husband. And Dhṛtarāṣṭra was living with the nephews, Yudhiṣṭhira and his brothers. They were keeping the uncle very comfortably as elder uncle, all respect.

Lecture on SB 1.15.20 -- Los Angeles, November 30, 1973:

Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). But Kṛṣṇa does not leave us. He's also going with you just to give you guidance. But we won't give Him. Just like father... It is very natural. Father naturally wants to guide the son without any motive. That is father's nature. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa, or God, the supreme father, is naturally inclined to give us protection, naturally. Therefore He comes, Kṛṣṇa comes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). Kṛṣṇa's two business. First of all, preaching, these rascals who have forgotten Kṛṣṇa, that "We are very intimately related. I am the father of all living entities. So you come to Me, come to home. You will be happy. I am not poor. I can provide you with all necessities." Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. That one can provide everyone with necessities of life, actually He is doing. What government is doing for the cats and dogs and the ants and the trees? They are not doing anything. Rather, they are cutting. When there is jungle, for their paper mill, they are cutting all the trees. No protection for the trees. They are all cutting all the throats of the cows and animals for eating. So the government cannot give protection. Nobody can give protection. Only Kṛṣṇa can give you protection. Therefore we should always seek the protection of Kṛṣṇa. That is our security, not any other thing.

Lecture on SB 1.15.38 -- Los Angeles, December 16, 1973:

No. He was also posthumous child. He was within the womb of his mother. His mother was simply pregnant. His father, sixteen years old only, Abhimanyu, Arjuna's son, he went to fight in the battle. He was so great warrior. So seven big men required to kill him: Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Karṇa, Duryodhana, like that, all combined together. So there is no mercy. This Abhimanyu was grandson, great-grandson of all the heroes who encircled him to kill. Very beloved grandson or great-grandson... Bhīṣma's great-grandson, Duryodhana's grandson. But it is fight, kṣatriya. When you have come to fight, you must kill the opposite party. It doesn't matter whether he is my beloved son or grandson or great-grandson. This is duty.

So this Abhimanyu, father of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, only sixteen years old... His mother Uttarā... So king of..., Mahārāja Virāṭa... So when he was born... There is Vedic ceremony, jāta-karma ceremony. After a child is born... Oh, what a horrible age we are now! We are killing before the birth of the child. This is Kali-yuga. Such... It is so welcome, auspicious, a child is born in the family. There is ceremony, jāta-karma ceremony. Before the child is born there is ceremony, garbhādhāna ceremony, sarva-bhaksana(?) ceremony. Such a nice culture. Where it has gone now? Now child is killed within the womb of the mother by the mother. This is called Kali-yuga. And it is scientific advancement. The scientists, the priests, they give order. The doctor gives out, "Yes, do it." Just try to understand what is Kali-yuga. So anyway, this is the Vedic system, that when a child is born, immediately his horoscope is made. Astrological science is so perfect. The moment the child is born, immediately calculated, "What is the position of this moment?" Then they derive calculation, "This child will be like this, this will be this, will be this, this." I had also horoscope—the other day I was talking—and it was clearly written, that horoscope, that "This child, after seventy years, he will be great religious propagator and establish so many temples."

Lecture on SB 1.15.49 -- Los Angeles, December 26, 1973:

I think they will not agree to this the state. And what prayer will do? No. God is not so foolish that you go on doing all nonsense, and simply by prayer you become out of it, punishment. No. That is not possible. Therefore I am speaking of the Viduras.

So that saintly person accepted to be punished by Yamarāja, but he also cursed him, that "Because in my innocence I committed some sin, you are punishing me in this way, so I also curse you that next life you will have to become a śūdra. Because you have no intelligence of a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya." So Vidura became a śūdra. Śūdra means he was born by a king, he was begotten by king, but his mother was śūdra, maidservant. That was the system, that when a king is married, the father of the princess also gives so many girls to go with the princess, as maidservant. And sometimes the maidservants also gave birth. So they are called dāsī-putra. Such son could not claim to the throne, but were provided, dāsī-putra. So Vidura's history was like that. He was a dāsī-putra, brother, a step-brother, not exactly step-brother, but brother, of Mahārāja Dhṛtarāṣṭra. But he was a very saintly person, because formerly, in the previous life, he was Yamarāja. So he was not ordinary man. So he cultivated spiritual consciousness. Now, after leaving this body, he returned again, pitṛbhiḥ sva-kṣayaṁ yayau. He again returned to his original post. Temporary, he got the life of a śūdra; again he returned back by his pious activities. Similarly, there are many narrations in the Purāṇas. Sometimes Indra, the king of heaven, he was also cursed by Bṛhaspati to become a hog in this planet.

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

So Mahārāja, the Yamarāja... Yamarāja is representative. There are twelve recognized representative of God. We have many times cited this verse. Svayambhū, Brahmā. Lord Brahmā is representative. And Nārada, great sage Nārada, he is representative. Śambhu, Lord Śiva, he is representative. Kapila, Kapiladeva, he is also representative. Kumāra, the four Kumāras, Sanaka, Sanat-kumāra. And Manu, Manu, Vaivasvata Manu. This is the age of Vaivasvata Manu. Manu received the transcendental knowledge from his father, Vivasvān, the sun-god. So... And Prahlāda. Prahlāda Mahārāja is also representative of God. Prahlāda, Janaka. King Janaka, father of Sītādevī or father-in-law of Lord Rāmacandra. He is also representative. Gṛhastha. This Janaka-rāja is gṛhastha, householder, and Nārada is brahmacārī. Lord Brahmā is also gṛhastha. Lord Śiva is also gṛhastha; Kumāra, brahmacārī; Kapila, brahmacārī. So there are many. Yamarāja is also gṛhastha. Śukadeva Gosvāmī is brahmacārī. So it doesn't matter whether one is brahmacārī or householder or a sannyāsī. He must try to become confidential servant of the Lord. Then he becomes the representative, representative of God, Kṛṣṇa.

So Yamarāja is a great devotee Vaiṣṇava. We should not be afraid of Yamarāja. Those who are devotees, they are... Yamarāja says that "I offer them respect, my obeisances." He advised his messengers that "Don't go to my devotees. They are to be offered respect by me. You go to persons who are reluctant to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. You go there and bring them here for judgment." The Christian also believe, "the day of judgment." The judgment is given by Yamarāja. But who goes to his court for judgment? The criminals, those who are not devotees, those who are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, they go to the court of Yamarāja.

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

So although Kṛṣṇa is master, but He became a servant. Just like Kṛṣṇa, when He was playing as a child of mother Yaśodā, so He was taken with stick, "Kṛṣṇa, if you become again very naughty, then see the stick." So Kṛṣṇa used to cry. There are very nice verses in the Kuntī's prayer, that "The whole universe is afraid of Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is afraid by the stick of mother Yaśodā." (laughter) Just see. This is Kṛṣṇa. This is spiritual world. When Kṛṣṇa was a little boy playing, Nanda Mahārāja, father of Kṛṣṇa... Yaśodā and Nanda Mahārāja, they are foster father and mother. Real mother, father, is Vasudeva and Devakī. So Nanda Mahārāja came within the house and saw little Kṛṣṇa, "Yes." He was playing. So Nanda Mahārāja challenged Yaśodāmāyi, "Your Kṛṣṇa can do something work." "Oh, yes, why not? He can do anything." Immediately Yaśodā-mātā, mother Yaśodā, ordered Kṛṣṇa, "Just carry the wooden slipper of Your father and go there." So Kṛṣṇa immediately took the slipper on His head and brought it to Mahārāja Nanda. Then Nanda Mahārāja said, "Oh, your Kṛṣṇa is very good. Come on, come on, come on." These were, that, the childhood pastimes of Kṛṣṇa was enjoyed by the foster father and mother.

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

Therefore all the sages were surprised that "What pious activities this mother Yaśodā did that Kṛṣṇa is completely under her control? Completely." The supreme controller. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Kṛṣṇa is the supreme controller. There is no controller of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, govindam ādi-puruṣam, He is the original person. So who can be His father and mother? He is the father of everyone, the supreme father. Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ (BG 14.4). Kṛṣṇa says, "In all species of life, as many forms as there, I am the seed-giving father of all of them." So nobody can be Kṛṣṇa's father. Nobody can be controller of Kṛṣṇa. Nobody can be master of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat: (BG 7.7) "Nobody is superior than Me." But He accepts inferior position out of love. If you love Kṛṣṇa... The Māyāvādī philosophers, they are very much eager to become one with Kṛṣṇa, merge into the existence of Kṛṣṇa. That is their perfection. And Vaiṣṇava philosophy is: "What is there becoming one with Kṛṣṇa? We want to become father of Kṛṣṇa." This is Kṛṣṇa philosophy. "Why I shall be one with my son? We want to become master of Kṛṣṇa." Just like gopīs. Gopīs were addressing Kṛṣṇa with very slanting language, but Kṛṣṇa enjoyed that. That is service to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa... Everyone worships Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme. So sometime Kṛṣṇa becomes disgusted, that "Everyone is coming, simply offering Me respectful obeisances. Nobody comes to chastise Me." So who can chastise Kṛṣṇa? His devotee. Therefore a devotee who comes to the position of chastising Kṛṣṇa, he is more liked by Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa's position.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Vrndavana, March 16, 1974:

Particularly śrī-nanda-nandana. Nanda-nandana means that Kṛṣṇa has got many forms: Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, then Viṣṇu, Mahā-Viṣṇu. Ananta, advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). But His real form is in Vṛndāvana, the son of Nanda Mahārāja. Therefore he is advising, bhaja huṅ re mana śrī-nanda-nandana. Kṛṣṇa... There are Māyāvādī philosophers, they say that the Absolute Truth, the Supreme, has no name. Yes. For the persons with poor fund of knowledge, they may not find out Kṛṣṇa's name. But in the śāstra we have got thousands of name. Viṣṇu-sahasra-nāma. But what are those names? Name means His behavior with His devotees. Just like "Nanda-nandana." Kṛṣṇa is the father of everyone—ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4)—everyone. So how He has got a father? Oh, that is His mercy. He accepts one devotee as His father. And when He's addressed in relationship with His devotee... Nanda Mahārāja wanted Kṛṣṇa as his son. Kṛṣṇa agreed, "Yes, I shall become your son." So everyone, if you want Kṛṣṇa as your son... Not to become God, but to become the father of God. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they want to become God. But we Vaiṣṇavas, we want to become the father of God. This is Vaiṣṇava philosophy. Father of God means he controls God. He's not controlled by God. So a devotee can get such position. Everyone is being controlled by God, but a devotee is so exalted that Kṛṣṇa says that "I wish to be controlled by you." This is Kṛṣṇa's position. Therefore the Vaiṣṇava kavi advises, bhaja huṅ re mana śrī-nanda-nandana, abhaya-caraṇāravinda re. Durlabha mānava, durlabha mānava-janama sat-saṅge taraha e.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-2 -- New York, April 19, 1973:

There is no distinction. "Come here and chant," loka-hitam. And a sādhu, a saintly person should always think of loka-hitam. That is the difference between sādhu and ordinary man. Ordinary man, he thinks only of himself, or expanded himself, for family, for community, for society, for nation. These are all expanded selfishness. Expanded. When I am alone, I am thinking of my benefit only. When I am little grown up, I think of my brothers and sisters, and when I am little advanced, I think of my family. Little advanced, I think of my community. Little advanced, I think of my country, my nation. Or I can think of the whole human society, internationally. But Kṛṣṇa is so big that Kṛṣṇa includes everyone. Not only human society, animal society, bird society, beast society, tree society—everything. Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā: (BG 14.4) "I am the seed-giving father of all these forms." There are 8,400,000 different kinds of forms. Kṛṣṇa claims "They, all of them, are My part and parcel living entities, but they are now covered by different dress only. But they are living entities." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness vision.

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

We were not very interested. But later on, when I read Bhagavad-gītā, "Here is witness, upadraṣṭā anumantā. Here is witness." Perpetual witness. Not only of this life, but many, many lives past, He knows everything. Vedāhaṁ samatītāni vartamānāni (BG 7.26). He knows everything. That is Kṛṣṇa. He knows everything, what you have done or what you want to do. Everything knows He. But in spite of all this, because Kṛṣṇa is your friend, most intimate friend, naturally... Just like father becomes friend. There is no better friend like father or mother. Naturally. They will never advise the son anything for his, I mean to say, suffering. No father will give... Even the father is a debauch, he will never advise his son that "You do this." No, no. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is the father of everyone. Everyone. How He can give wrong advice? He does not give. He is the only friend. Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhū... So if you take shelter of the only friend, the just friend, that will give us protection. Not anyone else. Everyone has got some self-interest.

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

That is finished. Means you are limited. But Kṛṣṇa, He is sitting everyone's heart; still, He is in Goloka. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they, another kind of fools, they think Kṛṣṇa like us. They consider that "If I am sitting here, how can I sit everywhere?" They think that "Kṛṣṇa is like me." Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). These rascals, they think Kṛṣṇa like himself. Because he is sitting one place, he cannot be anywhere else, similarly, Kṛṣṇa also, if He is in India, He is not in Europe. 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?

Because actually the father is the... Kṛṣṇa is the father not only of the human society—of the bird society, the beast society, dog society, cat society, everyone's father, sarva-yoniṣu. That is Kṛṣṇa. Try to understand Kṛṣṇa. And if you simply try to understand and little understand, then your life is successful. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Simply by understanding even little, your life is successful. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. Mahato bhayāt. This is bhaya. They do not know what is bhaya, fearfulness. They are very proud of becoming this and that, but they are not afraid of death, how much painful it is. And if you are sinful, then you will be allowed to enter in the womb of your mother and your mother will kill you. They are not afraid. They are so rascal. These risks are there. So make your life in such a way, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9)— don't enter into the mother's womb. Punar janma naiti. Then? Go directly to Kṛṣṇa. That is success of life.

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

This is struggle. Everyone wants to live, but... He may live for some time—for few seconds, for few minutes, or for few years, or for few millions of years. But death will come. And our struggle is how to overcome death. In the human form of life a living being is competent enough to come to an understanding of this great struggle for existence, but being too attracted to the family members, society, country, etc., he wants to win over the invincible material nature by the aid of bodily strength, children, wife, relatives, etc. Although he is sufficiently experienced in the matter by dint of past experience and previous examples of the diseased predecessors, he does not see that the countrymen are all fallible in the great struggle. One should examine the fact that the father or father's father has already died, and therefore he himself is also sure to die. And similarly his children, who are the would-be fathers of their children, will also die in due course. No one will survive in the struggle with material nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14).

So our real problem is how to revive our original, eternal life. That is struggle. The modern people, scientists, philosophers, they even do not know what is our original constitutional position, and... Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). I do not die, even after the destruction of this body. These things are unknown. And still, they are posing themselves as leader of the society. Therefore the śāstra says, andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ: (SB 7.5.31) "One blind man is leading several other blind men." Te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ: "They do not know that they are bound up by the laws of nature very tight, hands and legs." There is no question of freedom.

Lecture on SB 2.1.5 -- Paris, June 13, 1974:

Aham, Kṛṣṇa says, that "I am the seed-giving father of all living entities." "Of all" means sarva-yoniṣu, in different forms, in different species of life.

This outward dress is different. Somebody has become ant and somebody has become elephant or bigger than that, whole fish. Another fish there is timiṅgila. That perhaps we have not seen. Whale fish, some of them have seen. It is just like as big as a big house. And still, whale fish, just like you swallow up some small nut, they are called timiṅgila. So there are so many varieties of life. We do not know. But we know from the śāstras. In the śāstra we can know. Therefore we should consult Vedic literature to have full knowledge. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi: "In the water there are 900,000 species of life." Now, who can deny it? If you deny, then I shall tell you that "Go and count." (laughs) But we can get the full knowledge from the śāstra. This is called Vedic knowledge. Everything is complete.

tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet

samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham

(MU 1.2.12)

So you learn from the Vedic literature. Every information is there. And all the Vedic literature is summarized in this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalam idam (SB 1.1.3). Nigama. Nigama, the Vedic literature... Vedic literature, it is compared with desire tree. Every word used in the Vedic literature is peculiar to the ordinary man. But desire tree, they have no experience. But there is a tree which is called desire tree, kalpa-taru. What is the business of the desire tree? Now, desire tree means whatever you desire, you get from that tree.

Lecture on SB 2.1.5 -- Paris, June 13, 1974:

We are trying to go to the moon planet and wasting our time and energy, but if you consult Vedas, you get full information of the moon planet, sun planet or any other planet. There are millions and millions of trillions of planets. You can get all, Brahmaloka, up to the topmost planet. Jyotir-veda. That is called Jyotir-veda. And the Dhanur-veda. Āyur-veda. Āyuḥ means duration of life. And nobody wants to be diseased. So that means medical science. That is also fully there.

So this is the prescription given by Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, "If you want to become without any fear..." Because the material life means we are all full of fearfulness. And therefore Kṛṣṇa, the supreme father of everyone, of all living entities, in all forms, sarvātmā, He says in the Bhagavad-gītā that "I am the seed-giving father of all these living entities." Just like father impregnates the mother by giving the seed, similarly, this material world, material nature, is our... This body is also material. Similarly, this huge material cosmic manifestation is supposed to be the mother, and the father is God, or Kṛṣṇa, who impregnates this seed of the living entities, and therefore, when there is creation, they come out as children of this material world. Just like a woman is pregnant and the child comes out, similarly, this material world is impregnated by the seed-giving father. So that is a different article from this matter. Otherwise, why a woman does not become pregnant automatically? Why? Can anyone answer? Why the seed-giving father is necessary? Let women produce children automatically. No, that is not possible. Therefore, for producing all these living entities in different forms of life, the seed-giving father is required, and that is God, Kṛṣṇa. Is there any bad logic? There is confirmation in the śāstra. Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā: (BG 14.4) "I am the seed-giving father." And is it possible to produce life without the father? Is it possible?

Lecture on SB 3.1.10 -- Dallas, May 21, 1973:

The father was the king. The father was the same, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, er, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and the father, Vidura, the same, and the mother different. So Vidura, because he was not born of the queen, he had no share in the throne. But Dhṛtarāṣṭra loved him very much. Although stepmother's son, he would like him very much because he was very intelligent. So on every occasion he would consult him, and his consultation was so valuable that later on it became vaidurikam, "consultation as expert as given by Vidura." So he was invited. Diplomacy, politics were going on, how to cheat the Pāṇḍavas. That was his politics, Dhṛtarāṣṭra. Dhṛtarāṣṭra was born blind, although he was eldest son of his father, but he was born blind. So he could not occupy the throne. His next brother, younger brother, Pāṇḍu, the father of the Pāṇḍavas, he occupied. He became king. Now, this Pāṇḍu died at an early age, and the sons of Pāṇḍu, they were minor children. So Dhṛtarāṣṭra took charge for their maintenance as his other sons. But his policy was that "I could not be elevated on the throne because I was blind, but actually the kingdom belongs to me. So anyway, my brother occupied the throne. Now he is dead and gone. So why his sons should be king? My son should be king." This was the politics. So he was trying how to kill the Pāṇḍavas from the very beginning. And Vidura was restricting him, restraining him. So this is the subject matter. He called Vidura, "What is to be done?" Vidura, he disclosed everything to Vidura. Vidura said, "No, you cannot do that." That will be discussed next morning.

Lecture on SB 3.25.15 -- Bombay, November 15, 1974:

That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. They'll plunder. The rogues and thieves, they seek opportunity secretly, and government, by law, they will plunder. And still, they will go on as big minister. This is all stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

So people will be so harassed in this age that out of disgust they will give up their family life. Ācchinna-dāra-draviṇā gacchanti giri-kānanam. Svīkāra eva codvāhe. There will be no marriage. This is also Vedic culture, to get married. But there will be no marriage. One woman, one man will live together by agreement. And as soon as the agreement is finished, they'll be separated. That is now very prominent in Western countries. Svīkāra eva codvāhe. There is no such thing... Just like the father of the girl, they'll find out a suitable boy, and the father of the girl, they will also find out... In this way... The horoscope... Formerly, these things were very current. Without there is, I mean to say, coincidence of the horoscope, that "This boy and this girl would live very happily," by horoscopic calculation, then marriage would not take place. Then the family consideration, whether the boy is coming from suitable family or the girl is coming from su... So many things were there. Then the marriage would ta... But that kind of marriage is practically already stopped. Here, at the present moment, means simply agreement. "I like you. You like me. That's all right. Let us live together." Svīkāra eva codvāhe. Dāmpatye ratim eva hi. Husband and wife relationship means sex. There is no other purpose. As soon as there is some difficulty in sex enjoyment, they will be separated. These are all mentioned. Lāvaṇyaṁ keśa-dhāraṇam.

Lecture on SB 3.25.15 -- Bombay, November 15, 1974:

If you want to awaken your dormant love for Kṛṣṇa... There is, because we are part and parcel. Just like father and son. There is natural love. But somehow or other, son is out of home and forgotten. Father, of course, thinks, "My such-and-such son has gone out. If he comes back..." So Kṛṣṇa thinks like that. Because we are sons of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is more anxious to get us back to home, back to Godhead. Therefore He comes and says, "You rascal, give up all these engagements." Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). "You have manufactured so many dharmas: deva-dharma, samāja-dharma, deśa-dharma, this dharma, that dharma, Hindu dharma, Muslim dharma, this... No! Simply surrender unto Me." That is dharma. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ek... (BG 18.66). Kṛṣṇa comes to teach us. Kṛṣṇa is very, very anxious.

yadā yadā hi dharmasya

glānir bhavati bhārata

tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham

(BG 4.7)

Kṛṣṇa comes Himself, Kṛṣṇa leaves behind Him His word. Vapu and vāṇī. Vāṇī means the words. That is also Kṛṣṇa. That is also... Just like we do not see Kṛṣṇa now. We can see Kṛṣṇa if we actually advance. Here is Kṛṣṇa. But they will say, "Oh, this is an idol. This is an idol. This is not Kṛṣṇa." But Kṛṣṇa, if you think that you have not seen Kṛṣṇa, so Kṛṣṇa is present by His word also, Bhagavad-gītā. That is vāṇī, kṛṣṇa-vāṇī.

Lecture on SB 3.25.20 -- Bombay, November 20, 1974:

Sādhu's business is to become very tolerant. Because everyone becomes enemy. If you become a devotee, everyone will become enemy, because they're asuras. Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. Even the father. Hiraṇyakaśipu is the father of Prahlāda Mahārāja. The boy, five-years-old boy. What is his fault? He's chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. And his father became enemy. Up to which, what strength? Now, he was prepared to kill. He was insisting the boy that "Why you are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa? Why you are speaking of a separate God? I am God." That is the asuri. Those rascals who claim to become God Himself, they are demons, Hiraṇyakaśipu. So Prahlāda Mahārāja will not accept. Prahlāda Mahārāja, even the father insisting that "I am God. Why you are talking of any other God? I am God," and Prahlāda Mahārāja will not accept that. He will accept the father as asura. Sometimes it was quarrel between father and son. Sometimes the father would call, "My dear Prahlāda, all right, let me know what you have learned, the best thing, from your teachers."

Lecture on SB 3.25.33-34 -- Bombay, December 3, 1974:

You cannot equalize Nārāyaṇa even with such exalted demigods as like Lord Śiva or Lord Brahmā. Amongst the devas, demigods, Lord Śiva is called Mahādeva. He is the foremost demigod, and similarly Brahmā. Brahmā is less than Lord Śiva, but because in this material world Brahmā appeared to be the father of Rudra, therefore he is given a little more respect. But actually, Lord Śiva is more than Lord Brahmā. But even Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā—rudrādi-daivataiḥ—Rudra means Śiva and Brahmā means..., not..., they also cannot be equalized with Nārāyaṇa. And we are so foolish that we are making daridra-nārāyaṇa: "Nārāyaṇa has become daridra." Śāstra says, "Don't equalize even with such exalted demigods like Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva," and these foolish rascals, they are making equal Nārāyaṇa with daridra. How Nārāyaṇa can be daridra? He is Lakṣmī-pati. We are asking for the favor of mother Lakṣmī, "Give me some money, mother." Dhanaṁ dehi rūpaṁ dehi rūpavatī-bhāryāṁ dehi, dehi, dehi. And Nārāyaṇa is worshiped by Lakṣmījī. Not one Lakṣmījī, śata-sahasra. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam (Bs. 5.29). Nārāyaṇa is being worshiped by many thousands of goddess of fortune, sambhrama, with great fear. Just like Rukmiṇī-devī. She is Lakṣmī-devī, and she was always afraid of Kṛṣṇa, that "He may not leave me away," always afraid. Sometimes Kṛṣṇa was joking with Rukmiṇī-devī, "My dear Rukmiṇī-devī, rāja-kanyā, you are the daughter of a king, and you, it was better you could have married Śiśupāla. I am simply a cowherd boy." In this way, husband and wife, joking. Kṛṣṇa was joking. And Lakṣmī, Rukmiṇī-devī, became so afraid that immediately she fainted, that "Kṛṣṇa is now finding out the way to give me up." This is called lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam (Bs. 5.29). The Lakṣmīs are so with great respect and that Nārāyaṇa has become daridra. Just see the logic.

Lecture on SB 3.25.38 -- Bombay, December 7, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa therefore comes in person just to teach us how you can enjoy with Kṛṣṇa the same relationship. You can-Kṛṣṇa-accept your master as the Supreme. You can accept Kṛṣṇa as your friend. You can accept Kṛṣṇa as your son, vātsalya-rasa, just like mother Yaśodā. Mother Yaśodā and Nanda Mahārāja, Vasudeva or Devakī, they are all devotees. Nobody can become the father or mother of Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is not possible. He is the supreme father. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā. He is everyone's father. Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya (BG 14.4). Therefore those who are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, those who do not know how our relationship can be established with Kṛṣṇa, they ask that "Who is the father of Kṛṣṇa? If Kṛṣṇa is the father of everyone, then who is the father of Kṛṣṇa?" That is natural question. Because we are thinking Kṛṣṇa like us. But the śāstra says that He is the father of everyone, but nobody is His father. Anādir ādiḥ, govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. Anādi. Anādi means He has no beginning. Just like we have beginning from our father. Our life begins from our father. The father begets the child, and the birth is the beginning of our life. Similarly, we think that Kṛṣṇa is also child of Vasudeva and Devakī; therefore He has the beginning.

Lecture on SB 3.25.38 -- Bombay, December 7, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa is not like that. In the Bhāgavata it is described about the Kṛṣṇa's birth. Kṛṣṇa appeared as Nārāyaṇa, Catur-bhuja, before Vasudeva and Devakī. But Devakī, because previously her seven sons were killed by Kaṁsa, so Devakī immediately prayed to the Lord that "This time You have appeared as the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu. Now immediately Kaṁsa will kill You. Formerly my so many sons appeared as human child. They were killed. And Kaṁsa is searching after killing God, Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord. Now You have appeared, exactly four-handed Nārāyaṇa. Immediately You will be killed." That is affection. That is called yoga-māyā affection. "So kindly You appear as ordinary human child." This is the description in the Bhāgavatam about Kṛṣṇa's birth. So He did not appear immediately as a human child. He appeared first of all as the four-handed Nārāyaṇa. Then, on the request of the father and mother, He became a child. This picture we have got in our Kṛṣṇa book.

So that is the position of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the father of everyone. That is said in Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on SB 3.25.38 -- Bombay, December 7, 1974:

There is... Unless there is some ānanda, how he can take? So the relationship has got ānanda. But this ānanda is flickering, illusion. Ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya moho 'yam (SB 5.5.8). This is moha. It will not stay; it is temporary, illusion.

So don't be attached to this illusion. Tamasi mā. Tamasi means ignorance. In ignorance, if you accept somebody as son or wife or friend, that is darkness. It is not actual fact. It is ignorance. Tamasi mā jyotir gama: "Go to the light." Have real friendship, real fatherhood, real lover, real beloved, real son. So if... And another point is that a devotee, real devotee, he doesn't want to be the son of God. He wants to be the father of God. Why? The father means he will simply give to the son. And son means he will simply take. So just like in the Christian philosophy it is said, "O God, give us our daily bread." This is one philosophy. That's a fact. God is giving. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. God is feeding everyone. That's a fact. But a devotee does not want to take anything from God. He does not worship God for his daily bread. One who asks daily bread from God, they are pious, but they are not devotees.

Lecture on SB 3.25.38 -- Bombay, December 7, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa says there are four kinds of beginners of devotional service, four kinds. What are..., who are they? Ārtaḥ. Ārtaḥ means one who is distressed; artha-arthī, one who is in want of money; ārto ar...jijñāsuḥ, one who is searching after knowledge; and jñānī, and wise man. So out of these, ārto and arthārthī, they are low-grade worshiper. Those who are jñānī and jijñāsuḥ, they are higher grade. Generally, they are lower grade. But they are not pure devotees.

Pure devotees, as we have explained yesterday, they do not want anything from God. Even liberation they do not want, what to speak of this material... Therefore the philosophy of becoming the father of Kṛṣṇa is very perfect. Because one hasn't got to ask like the son asks from the father, "Father, give me this, give me this." Because devotee want..., doesn't want to ask anything from. Then how he can become son? Son business is to ask from father. Therefore they do not aspire to become the son of Godhead, but they aspire to be father of God. This is perfection-Nanda Mahārāja, father, Vasudeva, father. Kṛṣṇa will always ask. Just like Kṛṣṇa is always asking to suck the breast of mother Yaśodā. Always demanding. And if she refuses, He'll create disturbance. And mother Yaśodā is always thinking that "If I do not feed Kṛṣṇa nicely, He'll die." This is love. This is love. Therefore it is said that yeṣām ahaṁ priya ātmā sutaś ca. The devotee accept Kṛṣṇa as suta, as son, not as father. Father means exacting.

Lecture on SB 3.25.43 -- Bombay, December 11, 1974:

So by giving up Kṛṣṇa... We have now given up Kṛṣṇa. We are canvassing. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we are canvassing everyone, every door, "Please come to Kṛṣṇa." This is our business. But they will not come. They have forgotten Kṛṣṇa or they have rejected Kṛṣṇa. This is the position. Therefore they are always in fearfulness position, always fearful. Bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syāt. This is certain(?). When there is fear? When one understands there is something else than Kṛṣṇa, then he is fearful. Then he is fearful. Dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ. Dvitīya means forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa. "I am Kṛṣṇa's eternal servant. I am Kṛṣṇa's eternal part and parcel, son, or most intimate relationship." Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā, Kṛṣṇa says. Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya (BG 14.4), Kṛṣṇa says. There are so many forms of life, 8,400,000. But Kṛṣṇa claims ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā, "I am the seed-giving father of everyone." So where is Kṛṣṇa Hindu or Indian? Where it is stated? Why people take like that? That is not fact. Therefore they are in the fearful condition of life, always afraid, "What will happen next?" Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). Asad-grahāt. People have taken something which is asat. The Vedic instruction is asato mā sad gama: "Don't remain in the asat, in the untruth. Come to the Truth." So at the material world we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa, and we are situated in the asat, which is not truth. Therefore there is bhaya, fearfulness. Just like a child, if he is forlorn by the father and mother, then he is always in fearful condition, crying on the street, "Where is my father? Where is my mother?" This is our position.

Lecture on SB 3.26.6 -- Bombay, December 18, 1974:

Being influenced by... (aside:) It is not working? Being influenced by the modes of material nature, he is, the living entity, is identifying himself with the particular type of material nature, particular modes of material nature. We are getting different types of bodies according to the modes of material nature. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27), in the Bhagavad-gītā it is also said. Whatever we are doing, we are doing under the spell of material nature. Just like a madman. A madman is insulting his father. Why? Naturally a man is not supposed to insult his father, but being maddened, sometimes we have seen that insults his father. I... One friend... I went to the Poona lunatic asylum with the father of the patient. The complaint was that the son who is mad was kept in Poona at the lunatic asylum. He would attack his father immediately he sees. His only anger was with his father. So similarly, nature is the father, son is respectful to the father. But sometimes, in madness, he is not only disrespectful, but he want to insult actually.

As this is quite happening in our daily experience, similarly, we are sons of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is a fact. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ: (BG 14.4) "All different types of bodies, they are born of the mother, material nature, and I am the seed-giving father." This is the fact. We living entities... Just like father gives the seed within the womb of the mother, and then the son develops a body from the ingredients supplied by mother's body, and when the body is completely developed, the child comes out with a particular type of body given by the mother, in the same way, we living entities, we are part and parcel of God.

Lecture on SB 3.26.8 -- Bombay, December 20, 1974:

We are trying to be happy, but that is not possible. Just like if you are put into the ocean, you may be very good swimmer, you may struggle very nicely, but you are under the control of the prakṛti. You cannot be happy in the water. But if somebody helps you to get out of the water, then you will be happy.

So our business is to pray to Kṛṣṇa to get me out of this struggling, hard struggle for existence in this material world. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaching us this prayer, no other prayer. Ayi nanda-tanuja patitaṁ kiṅkaraṁ māṁ viṣame bhavāmbudhau. "O Kṛṣṇa..." Kṛṣṇa is very pleased when we address Him with His devotee. Nanda Mahārāja is devotee playing as the father of Kṛṣṇa. So therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu is addressing Kṛṣṇa, ayi nanda-tanuja: "Kṛṣṇa, You are born out of the body of Mahārāja Nanda." This is very pleasing to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore He is addressing, ayi nanda-tanuja, patitaṁ kiṅkaraṁ māṁ viṣame. Patitaṁ kiṅkaram. Kiṅkaram means servant. "I am Your eternal servant, but somehow or other, I am now fallen in this ocean of nescience, repeated birth and death." Patitaṁ kiṅkaraṁ māṁ viṣame bhavāmbudhau. Kṛpayā: "By Your causeless mercy, because I am servant... I have somehow or other fallen." Kṛpayā tava pāda-paṅkaja-sthita-dhūlī-sadṛśaṁ vicintaya: "Kindly fix me again as one of the dust particle in Your lotus feet." This prayer has been tak...

Lecture on SB 3.26.18 -- Bombay, December 27, 1974:

That is the difficulty. Otherwise, God, Kṛṣṇa, is always ready to help us. How? Here it is said, antaḥ puruṣa-rūpeṇa kāla-rūpeṇa yo bahiḥ. He is inside and outside. Antaḥ, antaryāmī. Caitya-guru. He is acting as caitya-guru.

Kṛṣṇa is very much anxious because we are suffering and we are sons of Kṛṣṇa. We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. He is unhappy to see that you are suffering. That is natural. If the son is suffering from ailment, the father also suffers: "How the son will be cured?" The son may not know it, but the father is suffering without having that ailment. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa, the..., He is the father of all living entities. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā. Kṛṣṇa says. It is not my word, but Kṛṣṇa says. Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya: (BG 14.4) "All different forms of life." Sambhavanti, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā. So Kṛṣṇa is the father of everyone, and He is very much anxious for us, to get us back. Therefore He is ordering, "You rascal, why you have created so many isms? Just surrender to Me. I will give you protection. Just surrender." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). For this purpose He comes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). Dharma-glāni, discrepancies in the matter of religious principle, glāni... What is that glāni? The glāni is forgetfulness of God: "No God. I am God. You are God." This is glāni. But this is going on as dharma. This is Kali-yuga. What is not dharma, that is going on as dharma. Dharma means to understand God. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). What is dharma? Dharma means the laws and instruction given by God. But at the present moment, what is God? "There is no God." Then where is dharma? Where is dharma?

Lecture on SB 3.26.26 -- Bombay, January 3, 1975:

So we have to revive this old consti... That is the whole subject matter of the Sāṅkhya philosophy, Kapiladeva, how we are becoming degraded from the original state of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So our only business is how to revive again. That revival is possible only by this process, bhaja vāsudevam. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). Sudurlabhaḥ mahātmā, not ordinary mahātmā. Mahātmā, mahān ātmā yasya iti mahātmā. Not cripple ātmā: "This is my community. This is my nation. This is my family. I have to maintain it. I have to make them..." This is not mahātmā. Mahātmā means one who is broader, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Sarva-yoniṣu. Kṛṣṇa is the supreme father of all living entities, and they are suffering. Tato vimukha-cetasa māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43). Prahlāda Mahārāja says that "I am simply anxious, perplexed only for these persons who are bereft of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So I am thinking of them." This man is mahātmā. He is thinking of all living entities who are bereft of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and making plan how to again take them to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Because this is the cause of all unhappiness, they are suffering, and they are making plan. Māyā-sukhāya. Māyā-sukhāya means the happiness which has no standing, false, illusory. For this purpose, bharam udvahato vimūḍhān, big, big adventure, big, big things, they are contemplating, planning. That is called ghora, ghora-rūpa. Here it is called ghora. Śānta-ghora. If you go to some industrial place in a factory, iron factory like Tata's, you will see how they are engaged in ghora activities, horrible activities—after all, you have to eat something—but they have planned a ghora activity, very fierceful, ugra-karma. By nature's way, Kṛṣṇa has given us everything.

Lecture on SB 3.26.39 -- Bombay, January 14, 1975:

Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). Kṛṣṇa can be served by all our senses according to the direction of the śāstra and guru-sādhu, śāstra, guru. Just like Ambarīṣa Mahārāja. He is devotee. We have to follow. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ (SB 9.4.18). The senses... The mind is the chief of the senses, and immediately under the mind, ten senses are working, ten: five knowledge-gathering senses, jñānendriya, and five working senses, karmendriya. And they have got different types of activities—hands, legs, tongue, ear, eyes. And above these, there is ahaṅkāra, false ego in the material world. The eleven senses, and the twelfth is the false ego. The false ego means I am thinking, "I am this body. I am body." Then expansion of body: "I belong to this family"; "I am the husband of this body"; "I am the father of this body"; "I am the brother of this body." Or "I belong to this nation"; "I belong to this species." This is called twelfth conception. It is different consciousness according to different body. And then "It is mine." With all these eleven senses, I form an idea of "I" and then my possession, "mine." Ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). Janasya moho 'yam. This is called illusion, māyā.

So mind, it is expansion of the mind, different way. Mānasa-vṛtti. This is called the characteristic of the mind. Then subtle action of mind: thinking, feeling, willing. And the mind is expanding in hundreds, thousands, millions of ideas. In this way I am becoming entangled. So when this mind is controlled... The yoga system is for that purpose. Those who are too much bodily concept of life, bodily consciousness, they should practice this yoga, haṭha-yoga, aṣṭāṅga-yoga, so that the mind can be purified. As soon as the mind is purified, then all this expansion into thousands and millions of ideas will be controlled, and the only idea will be Kṛṣṇa. This is called yoga system, concentrating. Dhyānāvasthita yogena paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ. Dhyānāvasthita-manasā: "The mind is controlled, and the focus of the mind is on Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu." Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Then we can see the effulgence, and the localized, and then the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on SB 3.28.1 -- Honolulu, June 1, 1975:

So here Devahūti (s)he is taking lesson from his (her) son. The son is given birth by the mother. She may think that "I have given birth to you. What you will teach me?" No. Because he knows the science of Kṛṣṇa. Or He is Kṛṣṇa Himself. Therefore she is taking lesson from her son, exalted son. She is very fortunate lady, Devahūti. She is addressed here, nṛpātmaje. Nṛpa means king; ātma-ja means offspring. So she was the daughter of the emperor of the higher planetary system, Manu, Vaivasvata Manu. The Vaivasvata Manu's name you have heard in the Bhagavad-gītā. Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam, vivasvān manave prāhuḥ (BG 4.1). This Manu, Vaivasvata Manu, vivasvān manave prāhuḥ. The sun-god, whose name is Vivasvān, he spoke to his son, Manu. This Manu is the father of Devahūti. She is not ordinary girl. So how fortunate she was. She was the daughter of Vaivasvata Manu. She... Vaivasvata Manu was the emperor of the heavenly planet. And the wife of Kardama Muni. Kardama Muni was a great yogi. So while practicing yoga, he thought of marrying. That, it is natural among young men. So this Devahūti's father... The Devahūti proposed to her father, "My dear father, I wish to marry the Kardama Muni. He is practicing yoga in such and such place. If you will take me there then I shall be very pleased." So Manu, the king, he thought that "My daughter wants to marry this yogi. All right, let me take her there." And she was brought by the king, and Kardama Muni was said that "I have brought my daughter and you marry him (her)." And he thought that "I wanted to marry, so Kṛṣṇa has sent such a beautiful, exalted girl, daughter of the emperor of the..." So he accepted. And he left the daughter with Kardama Muni and he went away.

Lecture on SB 3.28.17 -- Nairobi, October 26, 1975:

"I am the seed-giving father of all living entities." It doesn't matter in different forms. He does not say that "I am the father only of the white, not of the black." He never says. He has no such distinction: white, black, European, American, or poor, rich, bird, beast, human being. No. He does not make any discrimination. He is always ready to bestow favor as the original father. That is God.

Therefore this very word, bhṛtyānugraha-kātaram. "How this rascal will give up this material job and come to Me and take all My favors?" This is God's desire. And we are so obstinate, we want to take some favor from this minister, that minister, this person, that person this... Failure. Kṛṣṇa says, suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām: (BG 5.29) "I am friend of everyone." And here is the word, bhṛtyānugraha-kātaram. And He's very, very eager to give all His favors, and still people are not becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious. Just see how rascal they are. So we say, anyone who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is a rascal. Is he not a rascal? He is claiming that "I am the seed-giving father of everyone," sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya (BG 14.4), "in all species of life." He does not make any discrimination, that "I am the seed-giving father of this class of men or this species of men or for the human being." No. He says, sarva-yoniṣu. Yoni means the form. Just like you have got your different forms. But that form doesn't matter. Form is external. But the internal is the same, spirit soul. Therefore you are seeing now a new thing in the history of the world, that the Africans and Indians and the Americans and the Europeans are dancing—Hare Kṛṣṇa. Just understand. Don't be rascal and fools, that you do not understand what is the potency of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Delhi, November 28, 1975:

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is full of spiritual information. If we take advantage of this great Vedic literature, then we become fully aware of Bhagavān and the devotees of Bhagavān. Therefore it is named Bhāgavatam. But this Bhāgavatam has to be studied from the very beginning and take the lessons from live bhāgavata. There are two kinds of Bhāgavatam—one, this grantha bhāgavatam, and the other is a person bhāgavatam. Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised that if you want to understand Bhāgavatam, then you must approach a person whose life is Bhāgavatam. He said, bhāgavata para-giya bhāgavata sthane, that "If we learn, listen, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from the person bhāgavatam, then it is very easy to understand the spiritual knowledge given in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam."

So here Ṛṣabhadeva... Ṛṣabhadeva was the father of Mahārāja Bhārata, under whose name this land is called Bhāratavar\ sa. Bhāratavarṣa is derived from the name of Mahārāja Bhārata. So his father, Ṛṣabhadeva, He is accepted as incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. So He is giving instruction to His sons before retiring. In our Vedic culture there is compulsory retirement. There is compulsory retirement. That is Vedic civilization, varṇāśrama-dharma. What is going on... As we are going on in the name of Hindus, but Hindu is not mentioned in the Vedic literature. In the Vedic literature the principles or the institute followed by the inhabitants of Bhāratavarṣa is called varṇāśrama-dharma. That is real occupation.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- Bombay, March 25, 1977:

So Mr. Jyesthish(?) Gandhi, ladies and gentlemen, the instruction of Ṛṣabhadeva is very important. Ṛṣabhadeva was the father of Mahārāja Bhārata, under whose name this planet is called Bhāratavarṣa. So before retirement, Ṛṣabhadeva instructed His one hundred sons about the aim of life. So this is Vedic civilization. So He says, "My dear boys, don't spoil your life by living like hogs." This very word has been used. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛ-loke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). Viḍ-bhujāṁ. Viḍ-bhujāṁ means there are hogs who are very much enthusiastic to eat stool. So why this particular animal has been named? Because we can find especially in Indian villages, the hogs, day and night, they are working very hard to find out where there is stool. And as soon as he eats stool, the hog very easily become fatty and strong. Therefore a class of men, they like to eat the flesh of hog because it becomes easily fatty. And the hog's business is, as soon as he gets little strength, then next business is sex, without any discrimination. The hog has no discrimination who is sister, who is mother, who is daughter. So therefore this particular animal has been named, and Ṛṣabhadeva warns His sons that "Don't live the life of hogs. Live like human being."

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-8 -- Stockholm, September 6, 1973:

What is that sound? Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). This daytime, or nighttime, we work so hard, but what is the aim. Aim is to satisfy senses. Ask these people all over the world, especially in the western country. They are making so many plans. Yesterday, when we were coming by the plane, the whole two hours one man was working, making some calculation. So everybody is busy, very, very busy, but if you ask him, "Why you are working so hard? What is the aim?" The aim, he has nothing to say except sense gratification, that's all. He has no more aim. He may think that "I have got a big family, I have to maintain them," or "I have got so much responsibility." But what is that? That is simply sense gratification. Even we manufacture so many "isms", philanthropism, humanitarianism, nationalism, socialism, so many. But what are these "isms"? That is also sense gratification. I satisfy my senses. I want to see that the senses of my brothers, senses of my sisters, senses of my friends, or senses of my society people, or my nation, countrymen, they are satisfied. The business is sense gratification. Just like in our country we got Mahātmā Gandhi. So he started, he is supposed to be father of the nation. There are many leaders in different countries. But if we, I mean to, take account of their business, it is sense gratification, that's all. Extended sense gratification. These are just like Marx, what is his name, full name?

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-8 -- Stockholm, September 8, 1973:

So I have got some obligation to you. I want to reward you." (aside:) Stop that sound. So (the) young man said, "Sir, why you are thinking like that? It is my duty. You are just like my father; whatever service possible, I have given you. There is no question of rewarding me." Actually, that is not service. If we serve somebody and with expectation of some reward, that is not service, that is business.

So the old man said, "No, I feel myself." So he said that "My youngest daughter I'll give you." So he said, "Sir, don't say like that, because you are rich man. I am poor man." Because in India, still, the father, parents, they arrange for marriage. So they want equal status. If the father of the girl is rich man, then he must find out a son-in-law who is coming also from rich family. If he's educated, he wants a son-in-law who must be educated. So this young man was neither very much educated, nor at all rich. But this old man was aristocrat, rich man, and educated, complete different. The young man said that "Why you are promising like this? You do not know you are talking before the Deity. You should not talk like that. Because it will not be possible. Even though you agree, your sons, your wife will not agree. So it will be failure and you are talking before the Deity, you should be careful." So the old insisted, "No, maybe they protest, but it is my daughter, I shall give you. Who can protest? I promise." So the young man said, "Now, it is up to you, but you are promising before the Deity. Mind that."

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

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is for everyone. Kṛṣṇa never says, "I am for Indian" or "for American." Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya. (applause)

sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya

mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ

tāsāṁ brahma mahad yonir

ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā

(BG 14.4)

Kṛṣṇa is father of all living entities in any form of life, not only human, but the cats, dogs, and everyone. He is the father of all living entities.

Acyutānanda: "Why doesn't the Kṛṣṇa conscious movement stop cow slaughter? Five thousand cows are slaughtered daily. Why?"

Prabhupāda: Then? Why?

Acyutānanda: Cows are slaughtered.

Prabhupāda: You are killing cows? Or what is that?

Guest (2): Why doesn't Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement stop cow slaughter? Every day five thousand cows are being slaughtered.

Prabhupāda: Yes, we are teaching don't eat meat. So don't eat meat means don't slaughter cows and goats and everyone. You are after stopping cow slaughter, but you are advocating goat slaughter. But we are not for any slaughter. Don't eat meat, that's all.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Boston, May 4, 1968:

Prabhupāda: Not necessarily all Hindus are vegetarian. Not necessarily. There are many Hindus who are worse than others. So it is not that because one is Hindu or one is Indian, he's vegetarian. No. But generally Hindu culture is based on this Vedic civilization. So those who are strictly following, they're following the rules and regulations. So any other questions? Yes, you can ask. We are very glad to discuss all this. This should be discussed.

Guest (2): Well, I don't feel that the issue I brought up before was entirely clarified... (noise)

Prabhupāda: They have no training, you see. These children, no training. So it is a risky civilization. We don't train our children and they are going to be future... Child is the father of man, or what is called?

Guest (4): Child is the father of man.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So if from the beginning there is no training, so how we can expect good father and good children?

Guest (4): They're the divine folk.

Prabhupāda: Divine folk? They don't require any training?

Guest (4): They're born divine; they have their own divine religion.

Prabhupāda: They don't require any training?

Guest (4): They have the religion. They have the one and only religion.

Prabhupāda: That's all right, but religion does not mean that one should be not trained up. Does it mean?

Guest (4): They're supposed to be divine.

Prabhupāda: They're supposed. That's all right. Yes?

Lecture on SB 5.5.20 -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1976:

"I am the father not only of the human society, but I am the father of other forms of life."

There are different forms of life, 8,400,000 forms of life. They are all sons of Kṛṣṇa. It may be a small ant or he may be exalted personality like Lord Brahma. Everyone. So if we know the Kṛṣṇa science, then we can understand it. This universal brotherhood, that we all, in different forms of life we are all sons of the Supreme Lord, supreme father... He says in another place, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ: (BG 15.7) "All the jīvas, they are My part and..." Just like the son is part and parcel of the body of the father, similarly, we are also sons, everyone, of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. And if you are really advanced in knowledge, then paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). Then you are actually paṇḍita, not falsely to be called paṇḍita and number one fool. That is not paṇḍita. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ. The defect of the modern civilization is that there is no paṇḍita. All rascals. All rascals. Therefore they have demarcated, "This is India," "This is America." No. Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. Then there will be peace. If in the United Nation they simply pass one resolution with determination, that "The whole planet belongs to Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and we are all His sons," there is no trouble.

Lecture on SB 5.5.24 -- Vrndavana, November 11, 1976:

Therefore, to practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness we have to practice other things. That is the position of sattvaṁ paramaṁ pavitram. That is called śuddha-sattva. Sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vāsudeva-śabditam, there is a verse. Pure goodness. Pure goodness means there is only Vasudeva. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). That is pure sattva, when there is no other conception, simply Vasudeva. Vasudeva is the platform. Just like Vasudeva was the father of Kṛṣṇa. When Kṛṣṇa appeared, Vasudeva was the father. So śuddha-sattva is Vasudeva. Vasudeva means there is no contamination of ignorance or passion, simply sattva-guṇa. Tato rājas tamo bhāvā kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye, ceta etair anāviddham. When your mind and consciousness will not be contaminated by the modes of ignorance and passion, that is śuddha-sattva. That is śuddha-sattva. That is spiritual platform, vasudeva. Then Vasudeva will beget Kṛṣṇa. Sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vasudeva-śabditam. So if we purify our existence, another Kṛṣṇa comes or Kṛṣṇa's devotees come. They come in śuddha-sattva. Sattvaṁ paramaṁ pavitram. Then naturally there is śamo damo titikṣa ārjavaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānaṁ āstikyam (BG 18.42). Naturally there is brāhmaṇa behavior. And when one becomes brāhmaṇa, pure, no material contamination, then bhakti appears, after becoming brāhmaṇa or brahma-bhūtaḥ, not material platform. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). In the material platform, jīva-bhūtaḥ. But in the spiritual platform, brahma-bhūtaḥ.

So ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "Yes, I am already Brahman because my constitutional position is part and parcel of Parabrahman." Kṛṣṇa is Parabrahman. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ (BG 10.12), pavitraṁ paramam, this same thing, pavitraṁ paramam. So naturally, because we are part and parcel of the pavitraṁ paramaṁ, Parabrahman, we are also the same thing, a small particle, aṁśa. Mama aṁśa. Aṁśa and aṁśi. A small grain of gold, by quality it is gold, not that because it is small, it is something else. It is the same thing. Similarly, we are also pavitram, pure, but that small can fall down sometimes and becomes apavitra. So we are just like sparks of fire, so so long we are in the fire, this quality of the spark is also fire.

Lecture on SB 5.5.31 -- Vrndavana, November 18, 1976:

So we cannot conceive in our present stage what is the difference between prākṛta and aprākṛta. The description in the śāstras we have to accept. Just like practically Kṛṣṇa, when He was in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, He was great-grandfather. His grandchildren also had sons. It is said that the whole family of Kṛṣṇa consisted of about one crore of living entities, Yadu-vaṁśa, very big family. So grandchildren, their children, their children, like that... But still, Kṛṣṇa was looking just like a boy of sixteen to twenty years. That is aprākṛta. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca (Bs. 5.33). This is the description. He is the oldest person because... Kṛṣṇa says, aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). Even Brahma, Lord Śiva, they also are born of Him. Prapitāmahā. Brahmā is called Pitā-mahā, and Kṛṣṇa is described, Prapitāmahā (BG 11.39). So He is the father of Brahma; still, advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣam (Bs. 5.33)—the oldest. Because Brahmā is the first living being within this material world... First Brahmā was created in the lotus flower from Garbhodakaśayī Viṣṇu, so Brahmā is the first creature, living creature, but he also is born of Viṣṇu. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). Then Brahma, Lord Śiva was born, Rudra. In this way, Viṣṇu or Viṣṇu-tattva, that is original. Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrti..., ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4). Still, he is nava-yauvanaṁ ca. Nava-yauvanam means it begins from the sixteenth year. He looked like that, a boy of sixteen to twenty years old, and... This is only description of His transcendental body, sac-cid-ānanda vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1).

Lecture on SB 6.1.11 -- New York, July 25, 1971:

The first... Tapasya means you have to accept some austerity. The same example can be given that the doctor says... Suppose a diabetic patient. So doctor prohibits him that "You cannot eat. You have to starve for some days." So I do not like to starve, nobody likes to starve. But because doctor says you have to starve, if you want to cure a disease, then I have to voluntarily accept, accept starving. This is called tapasya: voluntarily accept some miserable condition of life. That is good. And human life is meant for that purpose.

When Ṛṣabhadeva, the father of Mahārāja Bharata, after whose name this planet is called Bhāratavarṣa The name Bhāratavarṣa is not only the name for India, but it is the name for this planet. Formerly, five thousand years ago, the whole planet was known as Bhāratavarṣa. The Vedic culture was all over the world. These Europeans and Americans, they are coming of the same stock, Indo-Aryan stock. There is a great history behind this, how some of the kṣatriyas, they left India during the time of Paraśurāma. He declared war against the kṣatriyas and he was incarnation of God. He was killing the kṣatriyas like anything and some of the kṣatriyas fled from India and came to this part of the world. So from historical point of view you Europeans and Americans, you belong to the kṣatriya stock of old India, and somehow or other you have forgotten this Vedic culture. Originally you belonged to this Vedic culture. The Vedic culture was all over the world, even in America—different types of worship or concept of God. The Red Indians also had some religion.

Lecture on SB 6.1.32 -- Surat, December 16, 1970:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That's nice. Very good. Yes. Mā Yaśodā wanted Kṛṣṇa to be his (her) child, and therefore He comes. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). Other things are secondary. He comes for the devotees. That is the transcendental. He is so kind that mother Yaśodā wanted Him as child. He played so nicely, as if completely dependent on mother Yaśodā. So mother Yaśodā had full enjoyment of his (her) child, Kṛṣṇa. This is transcendental. As the devotee wants to please the Lord, similarly, the Lord also wants to please the devotee. That is transcendental. Now you know. (break) And "I am the cause of all the devatās." Brahmā is the first creature, and he is father. Now, how He can take birth like that? He is the father of Brahma, Purāṇa, the oldest. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta, purāṇaṁ nava-yauvanam (Bs. 5.33). The oldest, but He is always young. This is very nice. He has said that He appears for the devotees' pleasure. That's nice. So you should always think. You must be thoughtful. Janma karma me divyam yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). So you have become liberated. You are liberated now.

Devotee (3): Become liberated?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee (3): I would ask back in, Prabhupāda, in order to...(?)

Prabhupāda: Because Kṛṣṇa says, "Anyone who knows Me in My transcendental nature, he immediately becomes liberated." (end)

Lecture on SB 6.1.34-39 -- Surat, December 19, 1970:

Who can challenge this statement? Is there anyone within this hall, that "I don't serve anyone"? Is there anyone? And somebody is claiming that "I am God." Just see. This is called illusion, māyā. This claim is made by the illusioned living entity. Here, this material world means everyone is trying to become the master. And there is competition between one master to another. Because nobody is master, that competition, that "I shall become master," that is illusion. So in this illusory fighting and competition, when one fails, that "I could not become the master..."

For example, in our country we respected Mahātmā Gandhi as the father of the nation or the master of the nation. But actually, he was servant. As soon as there was little discrepancy, immediately he was put to death. Immediately. Similarly, in USA also, President Kennedy, he was very popular president, but as soon as there was little discrepancy, he was also killed. So this position we must know, that nobody is master here; everyone is servant. But the real position is to become the servant of God. That he is, but because... Just like a criminal. He thinks that "I don't care for any law." But he is forced to obey the laws in the prison house. Outside or inside, he has to obey the laws of the government, but under illusion he thinks that "I don't care for the government." Similarly, those who are rascals, they think that "There is no God. I am God. I don't care for anyone." That is another class, demonic class. And those who obey the laws of God, they are called demigods. Dvau bhūta-sargau loke daiva āsura eva ca (BG 16.6).

Lecture on SB 6.1.37 -- San Francisco, July 19, 1975:

You must know what is religious system and what is not religious system. Simply one side is not full knowledge. Upayaṁ ca cintayet prajñā, apayaṁ ca cintayet(?). Just like if you want to do some business, you have calculated that "I shall invest so much money, and I shall get so much profit. So let us do this business. It is very nice." But śāstra says, "No, you have simply calculated the profit, and you also calculate no profit, not one-sided." Similarly, to know dharma, you must know adharma also, the opposite side. If you know white, you should know what is black. Otherwise the knowledge is not... Relative. This world is... If you know the father, then you must know the son. Or if you know the son, then you must know the father. So in the religious system, if one knows the son, the further improvement is to know the father. That is required. Otherwise incomplete. If you simply know the son of God, then it is incomplete. If you know the father of the son of God, then it is complete.

So here, in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, there are... In all other religious system, they say that "Our this leader is son of God." Somebody says, "He is... Our leader is a servant of God." So now, because you did not know who is the master, who is the father, therefore gradually it has dwindled. Now we must know. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is awarding, "Here is the father of the son of God—Kṛṣṇa. Here is the master of the servant."

Lecture on SB 6.1.37 -- San Francisco, July 19, 1975:

This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So there is no quarrel with other religious system. They know simply the son of God, but they do not know who is the father of the son. That is Kṛṣṇa. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā. Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the seed-giving father." Whose father? Sarva-yoniṣu. "In all forms of living entity." Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti (BG 14.4). Beginning from the microscopic living entities up to the Brahmā, the biggest, so Kṛṣṇa claims that "I am the father of Brahmā as well as the microscopic germ." Sarva-yoniṣu. So you should know. And if anyone understands Kṛṣṇa, how He is father of Brahmā and father of this microscopic germ, then he becomes perfect, immediately. Therefore Kṛṣṇa recommends, janma karma ca me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). The tattva, truth, if you simply try to understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, how He is father of Lord Brahmā and how He is father of the microscopic germ, and if you in truth understand what is this microscopic germ and what is this Brahmā, what is this human being, what is this tiger, what is this tree, so to know Kṛṣṇa means to know everything.

Therefore in the Vedas it is said, kasmin tu bhagavo vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati: "If you simply understand Kṛṣṇa, then you become full knowledge." That is complete knowledge. Etaj jñānam. This is... Bhagavad-gītā says, "This is knowledge." If you simply study Kṛṣṇa, so what is the difficulty? Kṛṣṇa is explaining Himself. Suppose if you want to study somebody, you may guess that this body, this man, may be like this, like that. That is going on all over the world, what is God. Some theosophist, some theosophist and theologist, all are speculating, "Maybe," "Perhaps," "This, that." And the God is explaining Himself, "I am this, like this," that they will not take. Just see. God is canvassing that "Here I am. I have come."

Lecture on SB 6.1.44 -- Los Angeles, July 25, 1975:

So anyone who has got this material body, he cannot stop even for a moment working something. Na hy akarma-kṛt. This is the nature. He must do some... Just as child. Child is always restless. Similarly... "Child is the father of man." One who becomes father, the same restlessness because that is the nature. Na hi dehavān akarma-kṛt. So if you are not engaged in good work, then you must act badly. That is natural. You have to work. Therefore idle brain is devil's workshop. If you are sitting idly, then brain also will work, mind also will work. The bodily function will go. So if you don't engage yourself in good work, then you must be engaged in bad work. And if you are not engaged in good work and if you are engaged in... There are two things, good or bad. So in one of them we must be engaged.

So if we are not instructed or trained up to act in good work, then we must be doing bad work. Bad work means māyā and good work means God. There are two things, God and māyā. If we do not act in godly situation then we must be acting in māyā's clutches. That is explained in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta in a very simple verse, nāna māyāra dāsa, kari nāna abhilāṣa: "As soon as I become servant of māyā, then I shall create so many rascaldom in the name of philosophy and science." This is going on. So-called philosophy and science means all rascaldom, bad work. It is very challenging word, but this is the fact. If we do not... Take for example... There are so many scientists, so many philosophers and so many hippies also, LSD men. Why this has happened? Because there is no good engagement. Some are passing in the name of so-called scientist and so-called philosopher, and some of them are hippies, but all of them are engaged in bad, asat. Asat and sat. Sat means permanent, and asat means temporary.

Lecture on SB 6.1.47 -- Dallas, July 29, 1975:

Brahmā's past, present, future and the ant's past, present, future are not the same. Similarly, our past, present, future or the ant's past, present, future are not the same. Time is eternal, but according to the quality of the body, the past, present, future is calculated. So it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā... Kṛṣṇa says vedāhaṁ samatītāni (BG 7.26). Because Kṛṣṇa is not changing body, therefore He has no past, present, future. Those who are changing body, they have got past, present, future. I had my childhood. I have changed the body in this old age. Therefore I think, "In the past I was like this, or future, I will be like this." So this is relative. Time is eternal, we are eternal, but because we have accepted this temporary body, therefore we have to calculate past, present and future. So future means... Just like there is ordinary word in English, "Child is the father of man," future. The same child will be father or grandfather in future.

So this future, past, present, future, is being controlled by the three modes of material nature. If we practice in this life sattva-guṇa, then ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ: (BG 14.18) then we shall be promoted to the higher planetary system. Madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ. If we cultivate rajo-guṇa... Rajo-guṇa means kāma-lobha, kāma, simply desiring. This is called rajo-guṇa. "I want this, I want this, I want this." Because there is no satiation of want, therefore every man or woman planning something, "How my sense gratification will be fully satisfied." This is rajo-guṇa, kāma. Everyone is forgetting his real business. His real business is he should know, one should know, that "I am eternal. I have taken this temporary body and subjected to the laws of nature, birth, death and old age. So my real problem is how to become again eternal, not accepting any more birth, death, old age. That is my real business." But because I am infected with the material modes of nature, we are making different plans. Everyone is busy. Everyone is busy in different plans, forgetting his real business. This is called māyā. Māyā means..., ma means not; ya means this. Therefore māyā means when you understand, "This is not my business," then you are out of māyā. "This is not," mā-yā.

Lecture on SB 6.1.50 -- Detroit, June 16, 1976:

Actually, they are suffering. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). We are getting these elements according to the circumstances, according to the body. The same encagement, but quality. A dog has got body, I have got body. The body is made of the same ingredients, but according to the body or quality of the body, the thinking, feeling, willing and activities are different. Because mind, mind's sphere of activities is thinking, feeling and willing, psychology. So according to the body... Just like a child. His thinking, feeling, willing is different from the child's father. Why? Because he has got a body, child, and the father has got a different body. People cannot understand. We are changing. Child is the father of man. So the same child, he has become now father, but he's not talking nonsense now because the body has changed. The child is talking so many nonsense things. People laugh, enjoy. But if the father talks nonsense, then he'll be called, "Here is a rascal." Because the body has changed. So in this way, body is being changed. The child is becoming father, the body has changed. Still, you cannot understand how the change of body, transformation of the body, does not make any transformation of the owner of the body. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanam (BG 2.13). He is there, but according to the body he is behaving differently. When he's in the cat's body, he's behaving differently. When he's in a dog's body, he's behaving differently. When he's human body, he's behaving differently. When he's child's body... This is all due to the body.

Lecture on SB 6.2.5-6 -- Vrndavana, September 9, 1975:

Now, at the present moment, education means you learn technology and learn how to earn money, and then, after earning money, you spend it for sense gratification: eating meat, eating wine, going to the brothel, prostitute. This is modern civilization. So therefore it is the civilization of paśu, animal civilization, polished animal. It is not civilization. It is the duty of the guardian, father, guru, government or elderly relative. Everyone should be compassionate with the dependent. The father should be compassionate to the children, that "My children, they have come to me. They are now innocent. If I do not train them nicely..." What kind of training? Na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum. That is the duty of the father, of the guru, how to save the dependent from the clutches of death. This is the duty. The government also. Because death is sure. As soon as we get this material body, the death is sure.

So we are eternal spiritual spark. Kṛṣṇa says that the living entity is eternal. Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). This is the information we get from the authority, that "The living entity is eternal," nitya, śāśvata, "and ever-existing, and does not die on the death or annihilation of the body." Then what is the duty of the father? What is the duty of the government? Duty of the guru? Now how to save him from this repetition of birth and death. And that is the duty. Otherwise to give some food... That also, people cannot give now. Rather, killing their children in the womb. This is Kali-yuga. Whereas it is the duty of the parents how to save the child or the son from the clutches of death, they are now killing. This is advanced civilization. This is going on all over the world. They are going to the medical man and taking help and killing the child within the womb. This is Kali-yuga.

Lecture on SB 6.2.8 -- Vrndavana, September 11, 1975:

So therefore this age, Kali-yuga, is the ocean of faulty things. Doṣa-nidhi. Nidhi means ocean. And you will find... Just like unfathomed water in the ocean, Pacific Ocean, similarly, this Kali-yuga is the ocean of unfathomed sinful activities. Kalau doṣa-nidhe. But Śukadeva Gosvāmī said to Parīkṣit Mahārāja, kalau doṣa-nidhe rājan hy asti eko mahān guṇaḥ. In this age this ocean of faults, there is a very valuable thing. That is special concession to these fallen souls of this age. Because Kṛṣṇa is so kind, He is always anxious to deliver us. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmyaham (BG 4.7). He is father. He is the seed-giving father of all living entities. We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, mamaivāṁśaḥ. So He is very unhappy. Of course, He cannot be unhappy. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). But at least, because we are His sons and we are rotting in this material world for sense gratification, in this way He is very sorry. Therefore He comes and teaches us, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām: (BG 18.66) "You rascal, why you are going here and there? Just surrender unto Me. I will give you..." But still, the rascals will not take.

Lecture on SB 6.2.11 -- Vrndavana, September 13, 1975:

I want more." Kṛṣṇa is assuring that yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 9.22). Teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham: "If one is fully surrendered, I supply him personally. I carry his personal necessities," yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham, "Not that I ask somebody but I carry Myself." He is giving assurance. So why we should be hankering after other things to become happy? It is foolishness. Kṛṣṇa assures, teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 9.22).

So this is the special mercy for the unalloyed devotee. So unalloyed devotee means anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam, sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (Brs. 1.1.11). Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). Upādhi means artificially. "I am the husband of this wife." "I am the father of these children." "I am the inhabitants of America." "I am American." "I am Hindu." "I am Muslim." "I am Christian." "I am brāhmaṇa." "I am fat." "I am thin." "I am white." "I am black." So many. These are all upādhis. So one has to become free from these upādhi. "I am not this. I am not that. I am not this." Then what you are? Gopī-bhartur pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsa. When one becomes like that... "I am the servant of the servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa, gopī-bhartuḥ (CC Madhya 13.80)." This is called paramparā system. This is our real identification. Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). So if you want to be happy, you cannot become happy by your so-called endeavor, by tidbits: "This I will do and I will be happy." No, this is all nonsense. You can be happy only when you fully surrender to Kṛṣṇa without any abhilāṣa.

Lecture on SB 6.3.18-19 -- Gorakhpur, February 12, 1971:

There are so many instances. For Kṛṣṇa's sake they sacrificed everything. They became, I mean to say, social outcaste. They transgressed the laws of the Vedas. But because they did it for Kṛṣṇa, they have been accepted as mahājanas, as authorities.

So prahlādo janako bhīṣmo balir vaiyāsakir vayam. These are twelve mahājanas. Just remember. The first one is Lord Brahmā, the second is Nārada, the third is Lord Śiva, and the fourth, the Kumāras, and the five, Kapila, and then Manu, Vaivasvata Manu. Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam, vivasvān manave prāha (BG 4.1). This Manu, he is also mahājana. This, this time is going on, Vaivasvata Manu. Vivasvān manave prāha. Manu is also mahājana, Prahlāda Mahārāja, and Janaka, Janaka Mahārāja, the father of mother Sītā, he is also mahājana. And Bhīṣma. Bhīṣma, the grandfather Bhīṣma, he is also mahājana. Therefore Bhīṣma's instruction in the Bhāgavata should be taken seriously. And on his deathbed, he instructed Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, and Kṛṣṇa also heard. So these are mahājanas. Bhīṣmo baliḥ, Bali Mahārāja. Vaiyāsaki, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the son of Vyāsadeva, he is mahājana. And vayam. Vayam means Yamarāja himself. He says, "We are also."

Then he says, guhyaṁ viśuddhaṁ durbodhaṁ yaṁ jñātvā amṛtam aśnute. Dvādaśaite vijānīmo dharmaṁ bhāgavataṁ bhaṭāḥ: "My dear boys, these twelve men..." Dvādaśa. Two and ten, dvādaśa. Dvādaśaite vijānīmaḥ: "We know what are the principles of dharma. We know, we twelve personalities, authorities." Dharmaṁ bhāgavatam. Dharmam means bhāgavata-dharma, the relationship with God and the living entity. That is dharma. Bhāgavataṁ bhaṭāḥ, guhyaṁ viśuddham: "This is very confidential and without any material contamination," durbodham, "and very difficult to understand, the principles of religion, very difficult." They are reading Bhagavad-gītā so many years together, but when the question comes that "Surrender unto Me," they cannot understand. Durbodham: "It is very difficult to understand." Durbodhaṁ yaṁ jñātvā:

Lecture on SB 6.3.18-19 -- Gorakhpur, February 12, 1971:

Yamunā: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Kumāra-sampradāya, yes. Kumāra-sampradāya. That is called Nimbārka-sampradāya. Nimbārka. N-i-m-b-a-r-k-a. Nimbārka-sampradāya.

Yamunā: And Janaka, isn't he...?

Prabhupāda: Janaka. Janaka Mahārāja. Yes. King Janaka. He's the father of Sītā, Janaka Mahārāja. He was a great king, but he had no attachment. Even great sages used to go to learn from him about spiritual affairs. He was so..., such a great personality, although he was a king and gṛhastha. All of them were gṛhasthas. Lord Svayambhū, Brahmā, he is also gṛhastha. Nārada is brahmacārī. Śambhu, he is also gṛhastha; he has his wife. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kapilaḥ (SB 6.3.20), he is also gṛhastha. Kumāraḥ, they are brahmacārīs. And Manu, he is also gṛhastha, Prahlāda Mahārāja, gṛhastha; Janaka, gṛhastha; Bhīṣma, brahmacārī; and Yamarāja, a gṛhastha. So the number of gṛhasthas are greater than the brahmacārīs, but they are mahājanas. It doesn't matter whether he is a gṛhastha or brahmacārī. Just like we are practically following. We are giving equal rights to everyone. Either gṛhastha or brahmacārī or sannyāsī, the main center is Kṛṣṇa. One who is advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is all right. It doesn't matter what he is. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's recommendation.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 15, 1968:

We have been discussing Prahlāda Mahārāja's instructions to his class fellows. Fortunately, we have got some little boys. So it is very interesting. Prahlāda Mahārāja was five years old boy, and he was preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. All the boys, and Prahlāda Mahārāja himself, belonged to the atheist class, most materialist. They did not know anything beyond sense enjoyment. That's all. All the fathers of the students, classfellows of Prahlāda Mahārāja, they belonged to the atheist family. In Sanskrit language the atheist is called asura, asurian. And the persons who are God conscious, they are suras or āryans. So they belonged to the family of Assyrian(?) or asura. So Prahlāda Mahārāja is fortunately, although he is born of a father, completely atheist, by the grace of Kṛṣṇa and by the grace of his mother, he became a great devotee. From very childhood, from his birth, he was a devotee. Why he became such devotee, that is explained in later chapters. We shall come to that.

So he was agitating in the school amongst his classfellows to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. So he's preaching. Just in the tiffin hour, in the recess hour, as soon as the teacher's gone, he took the opportunity and stood up on the bench and began to agitate his friends, "My dear friends," kaumāra ācaret prājñā, "now we should become Kṛṣṇa conscious from this childhood. Don't wait for your old age." Generally, people think that "When we shall become old, we shall take care of becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious or God conscious or go to the church or temple. At present, let us play and enjoy life." So Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "No." Kaumāra ācaret prājñā. Prājñā means intelligent. Intelligent means who does not waste time.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- New York, April 9, 1969:

Angry means that is Rudra. So from that anger Lord Śiva was born. Therefore he is called Rudra. And he was Rudra, his name was Rudra because he was crying from the very beginning of his birth. So anyway, Rudra is also one of the authorities, Rudra, or Lord Śiva.

Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kumāraḥ kapilaḥ (SB 6.3.20). Kapila is the son of Devahūti, and he's also considered as the incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kapilaḥ kumāraḥ manuḥ (SB 6.3.20). And manuḥ, manuḥ means the father of the mankind. From manuḥ, the word man is derived. Or, in Sanskrit word, manuṣya. So in Latin and Sanskrit, man, manuṣya, and manuḥ, they are almost on the same level. So svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kapilo kumāraḥ manuḥ (SB 6.3.20), then prahlādo janako bhīṣmaḥ. So now this Prahlāda's name comes. Prahlāda's name comes. Prahlāda and Janaka, the great king, Janaka, whose daughter was married to Lord Rāmacandra. Jānakī. Therefore, Sītā's name is Jānakī, daughter of Mahārāja Janaka. So he is also a great authority. Prahlādo janako bhīṣmaḥ, and Bhīṣma, you have heard the name of Bhīṣma, the grandfather of Arjuna. He is also one of the authorities. And, prahlādo janako bhīṣmo balir, Mahārāja Bali, a king. He was a grandson of this Prahlāda Mahārāja. He became mahājana. All these persons, they became authorities by their exemplary character for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore they are considered as authorities. So, balir vaiyāsakir vayam. Vaiyāsakiḥ means the son of Vyāsadeva, Śukadeva Gosvāmī. He's also authority. And vayam, it is, this statement is made by Yamarāja, the controller of sinful activities. Superintendent of police, appointed by Kṛṣṇa. So he is also one of the authorities. How you can deny the superintendent of police as authority? As he is also authority in the state, similarly he is also authority.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- New York, April 9, 1969:

So that was his business, and he wanted to train his boy in that way. But fortunately, this boy happened to be a great devotee by instruction of Nārada. So this boy, although born in the family of atheist—his father is great atheist—but because he was bestowed benediction by a great devotee, Nārada, he became a great devotee. Now he took the opportunity of spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness where? In his school. In his school. He was five years old boy, and as soon as he would get opportunity he would spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness to his classfellows. That was his business. And so many times the father of Prahlāda Mahārāja called the teachers, "So, what education you are giving to my child? Why he is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa? (laughter) Why you are spoiling my boy?" (laughter) You see? So don't think that I am spoiling these boys and girls by teaching them Hare Kṛṣṇa. So that teacher said, "My dear sir, I teach your son very nicely about politics, economics, and as you want, to become very clever man in the material world. But unfortunately I do not know wherefrom your son has learned this Hare Kṛṣṇa. So please excuse me. I am trying to make your son forget this nonsense Hare Kṛṣṇa, but I do not know. By nature, he chants Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, and not only he's spoiling himself, he's spoiling my whole school. (laughter) Because as soon as he chants Hare Kṛṣṇa, all the boys join with him and they clap and they dance. So this is going on." So he's teaching his classfellows now. Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1).

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- New York, April 9, 1969:

Such post can be occupied by you also if you become qualified. Just like you can become the President. Similarly, you can also occupy the predominating post in the sun planet, in the moon planet, and all the other planets. That is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, devān deva-yājo yānti, that anyone who aspires after to be elevated to such planetary system which is inhabited by the demigods, they can go.

So anyway, that is a different story. So Kṛṣṇa says that "First of all, I narrated this yoga system to Vivasvān." Vivasvān means the predominating deity whose name is Vivasvān, Vivasvān. He was instructed Bhagavad-gītā. And He says, vivasvān manave prāha. "And Vivasvān, this gentleman, he spoke the truth about Bhagavad-gītā to Manu." We have already mentioned the name of Manu. Manu means the father of the mankind. Vivasvān manave prāha, that means the, from sun planet the message of Bhagavad-gītā was handed down to the chief man of this planet, the father of the mankind, Manu. Just like in your scripture also it is said Adam and Eve, similarly Manu. So vivasvān manave prāha manur ikṣvākave 'bravit. And Manu handed over this knowledge to his son whose name is Ikṣvāku. This Ikṣvāku, he's also a great king. He happens to be the original king in the family in which Lord Rāmacandra appeared. So it is called sūrya-vaṁśa, the descendant from the sun. There are two classes of kṣatriyas. The one is coming from the sun planet, another is coming down from the moon planet. So the history, Mahābhārata, says that the Indo-European stock, they also belong to this kṣatriya family. That is, that's a long history. Now this, this paramparā system This Vivasvān handed over the knowledge to Manu, Manu handed over this knowledge to his son, Ikṣvāku.

Lecture on SB 7.6.19 -- New Vrindaban, July 2, 1976:

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) "Translation: My dear sons of demons, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, is the original Supersoul, the father of all living entities. Consequently there are no impediments to pleasing Him or worshiping Him under any conditions, whether one be a child or an old man. The relationship between the living entities and the Supreme Personality of Godhead is always a fact, and therefore there is no difficulty in pleasing the Lord." (SB 7.6.19)

Prabhupāda: Read the purport also.

Pradyumna: One may ask, "One is certainly very attached to family life, but if one gives up family life to be attached to the service of the Lord, one must undergo the same endeavor and trouble. Therefore, what is the benefit of taking the trouble to engage in the service of the Lord?" This is not a valid objection. The Lord asserts in Bhagavad-gītā (14.4):

sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya

mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ

tāsāṁ brahma mahad yonir

ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā

"It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kuntī, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father." The Supreme Lord, Nārāyaṇa, is the seed-giving father of all living entities because the living entities are parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord (mamaivāṁśo. .. jīva-bhūtaḥ (15.7)). As there is no difficulty in establishing the intimate relationship between a father and son, there is no difficulty in reestablishing the natural, intimate relationship between Nārāyaṇa and the living entities. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt: if one performs even very slight devotional service, Nārāyaṇa is always ready to save one from the greatest danger.

Lecture on SB 7.9.1 -- Mayapur, February 8, 1976:

So the anger is there, Kṛṣṇa, but His anger is worshiped. And our anger is different. That is the distinction between spirit and matter. So here surādayaḥ sarve brahma-rudra-puraḥ sarāḥ na upaitum aśakan manyu. There is anger. Kṛṣṇa, to kill Hiraṇyakaśipu, He became so angry that even big, big stalwart demigods, brahmādaya... Because demigods... The list of demigods begins from Lord Brahmā. He is the original father of the demigods and all other living entities. He's therefore known as prajā-pati or called pitā-maha, grandfather, prajā-pati. He is the origin of everything. The Darwin's theory, a rascal theory, that there was no life, but according to Vedic knowledge there were the best life, Brahmā. From there begins life, and gradually they become degraded, material contamination. Not that there was no life. From low type of living condition one is elevated higher and higher. That is a wrong theory. The real theory is that life begins from the most exalted person, Lord Brahmā, prajā-pati. So in any auspicious matter they are forward, because you cannot approach God in your lower condition of life. You see? Lower condition of life means sinful reaction. In that condition you cannot approach God. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). (aside:) Who is talking? Pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān. Kṛṣṇa is the supreme pure, pavitraṁ paramam. Paramam means extreme. So nobody can approach Kṛṣṇa while He is impure. That is not possible. Just like some rascals, they say, "It doesn't matter what you are eating, what you are doing. There is no hindrance for your spiritual advancement." These rascals, these fools, misleading the whole world that in the matter of understanding the Supreme Person one can behave like the low-grade persons. No. That is not possible. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12).

Lecture on SB 7.9.4 -- Mayapur, February 18, 1977:

He even loves those who are dviṣatsu. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja, his father was very very envious. Still, Prahlāda Mahārāja refused to accept any benediction for his personal benefit, but he begged Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva to excuse his father, that "My father has..." He did not ask anything personal... But still, he knew that "Throughout my life my father had played the part of enemy, offended in so... (break) So this is the opportunity. I shall beg Lord to excuse my father." So Kṛṣṇa knew it. His father was already excused. Because he became the father of Prahlāda Mahārāja he already became benedicted. It is not ordinary thing to have such a nice son. So as soon as Prahlāda Mahārāja requested Nṛsiṁhadeva to "Kindly excuse my father," so He immediately said, "Not only your father—his father, his father, his father, everyone is delivered."

So we should take lesson from Prahlāda Mahārāja that if a child becomes a devotee in the family, he is the best child, the best. He is giving the best service to the family. But the rascals, they are taking otherwise, that "My son has become devotee. Bring him back by deprogramming, by kidnapping." People are so rascal. You see? They do not take it a great benefit that "My fortunate son has become a devotee. My whole family will be delivered." But they have no knowledge. They have no brains. Therefore I say it is not brainwashing, it is braingiving. They have no brain. (laughter) So take it very seriously and do nicely.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Hawaii, March 21, 1969:

That is not very new thing. That is old. Even the father. So when he was too much teased, then Lord appeared in Nṛsiṁha-mūrti to kill the demon, and He was very much angry. You see? Even a neighbor's child, if he is tortured by his father, you will be angry that "Why you are torturing this little child?" And what to speak of Kṛṣṇa? And especially His devotee, Prahlāda Mahārāja, was being tortured. Kṛṣṇa appeared as Lord Buddha because people tortured these ordinary animals. Sadaya-hṛdaya-darśita-paśu-ghātam. We pray in that keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra. The meaning is that He appeared as Lord Buddha, being compassionate on the animals, who were being tortured by the human being. Of course, there is law to punish them, but sometimes the Lord becomes very much tortured Himself when His sons, or may be animals, they are tortured. Otherwise, how He is father of everyone? You see.

So the torturing business of the demons is going on, going on. As soon as the demons finds somebody little weak, they will torture, weak, in their way. A devotee is not weak, but they think that "These devotees, they are weak. They cannot do any materialistic work. They cannot build skyscrapers. They cannot build a subtle machine. So they have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa." You see? They think like that. But actually, they know, the devotees know, what is this value of this materialistic advancement. People are not happy actually. Now, so far materialistic happiness is concerned, your country, America, is number one. You are all qualified boys and girls, I see. But still, if we calculate impartially, what is the advantage? The advantage: hand to mouth. You earn in the morning and eat in the evening—finished. You see? Such qualified boys that... I take, for example, Gaurasundara.

Lecture on SB 7.9.12-13 -- Montreal, August 20, 1968:

They do not go to the church to pray, "My dear Lord, father, give us our daily grains," but they are supplied without prayer. So that arrangement is already there. Therefore one who is intelligent, his prayer should be simply gratitude, that "My dear father, You have supplied the necessities of my life so much amply, I must be feeling very grateful. So these preparations I have made for You because it is Your goods. You have supplied these grains, so You kindly first of all take. Then I will take." So Kṛṣṇa-prasādam. This is Kṛṣṇa-prasādam, acknowledgement. So we are not prepared even to do that, neither we are prepared to follow the rules and regulation. We must follow the rules and regulation, what is allotted for us or what should be offered to Kṛṣṇa. If we want to offer Kṛṣṇa something, then we must offer such things which Kṛṣṇa wants to eat. So we do not know, neither we care to know. We simply ask, "Oh, give me my bread or grains. Then my business is finished." No. That is the difference. But this man who is going to church or temple to ask for food is better than that man who has no connection with God, so much better that he has some relationship with God: "My dear father, You give me." At least, he accepts—"The father sends the bread." That is very good. But when the son will be intelligent, he will know, "The father sends the bread even without my prayer. Therefore I must offer my gratitude." That is intelligence. That is pure devotion. (break) Father is not only my father; He is father of all living entities. So He is supplying other living entities. They cannot offer any gratitude. The beast, the birds, they cannot offer any gratitude. But I am human being, I have got developed consciousness. I must feel grateful for God's mercy and offer my gratitude. That is my duty. (end)

Lecture on SB 7.9.35 -- Mayapur, March 13, 1976:

He first of all wanted to search out "Wherefrom my birth is?" Then he saw the stem of the lotus flower on which he was sitting, and then he found there is water. So he went within the water. It is said, apsu. And there he executed tapasya.

So this human form of life, we are born out of Brahmā. Brahmā is called, therefore, great-grandfather. Not great-grand... Grandfather. He is called grandfather. Because Manu, from Manu we have come, therefore our name is mānuṣya, "man," from the word Manu. That Manu is born of Brahma. Therefore he is called grandfather, pitāmahā. And Kṛṣṇa has been addressed in the Bhagavad-gītā, "the great-grandfather." So He is the father of Brahmā also. Ātma-yoni. So this is the position of Brahmā. So he had to undergo so great austerity to understand his position, so how much austerity we have to perform to understand our position: "What I am? What is my business? Why I have come here? Why I am suffering?" Everyone is suffering, but we are so callous, so rascal, we don't take care of it. We say, "That's all right. I shall die peacefully." Yes. I met one very exalted man, lord, in London.

Lecture on SB 7.9.39 -- Mayapur, March 17, 1976:

That is disturbing us. We are covered by the tamo-guṇa and rajo-guṇa, rajas-tamaḥ. So rajas-tamaḥ means greediness and lusty desires. This is rajas-tamaḥ. So we have to... If we actually want to become free from anxieties, then we have to learn how to kill this, or how to avoid this anxiety due to rajas-tamo bhāvaḥ (SB 1.2.19).

So first of all we have to try to come to the platform of goodness. There are three platforms: tamo-guṇa, rajo-guṇa and sattva-guṇa. So immediately we cannot come to the pure sattva-guṇa, śuddha-sattva. Sattvaṁ viśuddhaṁ vāsudeva-śabditam, vasudeva platform... Just like Vasudeva is the father of Kṛṣṇa, so there is vasudeva platform also. Unless one comes to the vasudeva platform, there is no question of Kṛṣṇa, because Vasudeva can beget Kṛṣṇa, or Vāsudeva. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). So actually we have to come to the platform of Vāsudeva, Vāsudeva-śabditam, and that is śuddha-sattva. But it is not immediately possible. Therefore gradually, from the platform of tamo-guṇa and rajo-guṇa, we have to come to the sattva-guṇa. Or in other words, we have to acquire the qualities of a brāhmaṇa. Therefore this is initiation, how to bring one to the platform of brāhmaṇa. Catur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). So this is necessary. From this material platform to come to the spiritual platform one has to become a qualified brāhmaṇa.

Lecture on SB 7.9.43 -- Visakhapatnam, February 22, 1972:

If anyone thinks that Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa, or Viṣṇu... They're all viṣṇu-tattva, bhagavat-tattva, Rāma. If somebody thinks that Nārāyaṇa is as good as Lord Siva or Lord Brahma, sa pāṣaṇḍi bhaved dhruvam, he becomes a pāṣaṇḍī.

So this human form of life is meant for realizing our relationship with the Supreme Lord. That is the mission of this human form of life. So our duty in this human form of life is to realize our original relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Prahlāda Mahārāja says... There is a stotra offered by Prahlāda Mahārāja. When Prahlāda Mahārāja's father, Hiraṇyakaśipu, was killed by Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, He was very angry. Because this Hiraṇyakaśipu, although father of Prahlāda Mahārāja, he persecuted him in so many ways. The only fault was that he was a devotee. That is the nature of the demoniac world. Even one's son becomes a devotee and if the father is demon, then he'll be angry. That was actually happening. So Prahlāda Mahārāja, Vaiṣṇava, he is speaking to the Lord, naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitaraṇyāḥ, "My dear Lord," para. Para means He is transcendental, not of this material world. Udvije, "I am not anxious." Because everyone is anxious. In this material world, everyone is always anxious, either in peace or war, it doesn't matter. In peace, so-called peace, there is no peace. Actually, it is a place for struggle for existence with māyā. So there cannot be any peace.

So everyone is full of anxiety. That is also explained by Prahlāda Mahārāja that sadā samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). When his father... After all, father and son, the relationship is very affectionate. So even though father was not happy that his son was growing to be a great devotee, still one day he called his son, "My dear son, what best thing you have learned from your teachers?" So Prahlāda Mahārāja is answering. He knew that his father was a demon, so he is addressing directly. Tat sādhu manye asura-varya dehinām. Asura-varya. "My dear father, you are the best of the asuras." Asura-varya. Varya means the best. "My dear father," tat sādhu manye asura-varya dehinām. "I think," dehinām, "for the living entities who have accepted this material body..."

Lecture on SB 7.9.53 -- Vrndavana, April 8, 1976:

We may not understand.

Just like Kṛṣṇa says, aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). Aham ādir hi devānām. Devānām means all the demigods, beginning with Brahmā. So Kṛṣṇa says, "I am prior to Brahmā," ādi. Ādi means at the beginning. So who will understand Him? Even one who believes in the śāstra, believes in the Brahmā's āyuḥ... Sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). His one day, twelve hours, is forty-three lakhs of years multiplied by one thousand—means forty-three crores of years, our calculation. So Kṛṣṇa says, aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). We cannot calculate the duration of life of Brahmā. And when Kṛṣṇa says, aham ādiḥ, "I am the father of Brahmā," so ordinary man, how he'll understand? He'll not understand. He cannot understand. Kṛṣṇa says, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam: (BG 4.1) "Some forty millions of years ago I spoke this philosophy to the sun-god." So ordinary man, how he'll understand? They'll say "Mythology." It is not mythology; it is fact. This was cleared by Kṛṣṇa, er, Arjuna, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, You said that You have spoken, You had spoken so many years ago to the sun-god. How can I believe it? You are my contemporary, of my age. How can I believe it?" Kṛṣṇa said that "Yes, you cannot believe it, but you and..., both you and Me, because you are My eternal friend, so you were also present that time when I spoke to sun-god. But you have forgotten, I have not forgotten." That is the difference. The difference is man and God, so God knows everything eternally and we forget. This is our nature.

Lecture on SB 7.12.3 -- Bombay, April 14, 1976:

This is this." No. As machine work, everyone should attend the class, rise early in the morning, attend maṅgala-ārati. This is called suyantritaḥ, working like machine, no discrepancy. That is wanted. Suyantritaḥ. Then upakrame avasāne. In the beginning the students should come and offer obeisances to the lotus feet of guru. This is begin. Ādau gurv-āśrayam. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. This is the principle. If you offer your respectful obeisances to guru, he becomes pleased. Anyone, even one is offender, if he comes and offers obeisances to the superior guru, then even there was offense, he forgets. Father. Father of... The son may be offender, but when he comes and offers his respect to the father, he forgets. So that should be done regularly, suyantritaḥ, just like machine. As soon as one sees guru, immediately he must offer obeisances. Beginning, end also. When he comes to see guru he must offer obeisances, and when he leaves that place he must offer obeisances. And in the in-between, coming and going, he should learn from the guru Vedic understanding. This is the principle of living in gurukula.

So upakrame avasāne ca caraṇau śirasā namet. Just at the lotus feet of guru the brahmacārī... So our students, they are very obedient. And if our students see the guru hundred times, he practices this process, offering obeisances while meeting and while going. These things are to be practiced. Then dānta. Brahmacārī guru-kule vasan dānta (SB 7.12.1). Then he'll be controlled, self-controlled. Obedience is the first law of discipline. If there is no obedience, there cannot be any discipline. And if there is no discipline you cannot manage anything. That is not possible. Therefore this is very essential, that the students should be very disciplined. Disciple means one who follows discipline. This is disciple, śiṣya. The Sanskrit word is also the same, śiṣya. I have several times explained. Śiṣya, it comes from the verb śās, śāsana, ruling. So śiṣya means one who voluntarily accepts the ruling of the spiritual master. He is called śiṣya. Śiṣya, śāsana, śāstra, śāstra, śāsana—these things are the same, from the same root. So this is the instruction.