God says (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"The Supreme Personality of Godhead said" |"The Supreme Personality of Godhead says" |"god said" |"god says" |"godhead said" |"godhead says" |"said god"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.1-5 -- Germany, June 16, 1974:

The author or the recorder of Bhagavad-gītā... Bhagavad-gītā was spoken by Kṛṣṇa. It was a discussion between Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, and it was recorded by Vyāsadeva, and later on it became a book. Just like when we speak it is recorded and later on it is published as a book. Therefore in this book it is said, bhagavān uvāca. Vyāsadeva is the writer. He does not say that, "I speak." He says, bhagavān uvāca, means "The Supreme Personality of Godhead said."

Lecture on BG 2.11 -- Edinburgh, July 16, 1972:

So therefore I am a spirit soul. I am part and parcel of God. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. This is the Vedic education. Try to understand that you do not belong to this material world. You belong to the spiritual world. You are part and parcel of God. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). In the Bhagavad-gītā, God says that "All living entities are My part and parcels." Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). He's undergoing a great struggle for life under the impression, under the bodily impression that he is this body, but this kind of impression or understanding is animal civilization. Because the animals are also eating, sleeping, having sex intercourse, and defending in their own way.

Lecture on BG 2.46-62 -- Los Angeles, December 16, 1968:

Very big, big scientists, astronomers, mathematicians, they have written in that book, Evidence of Existence of God. And they have all agreed that if there is God at all, He must be person. He cannot be imperson. And God says personally, "There is no greater truth than Me. Arjuna, there is no greater truth than Me." Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8), "I am the source of all energy." So God says, Arjuna says, Vyāsa says, Nārada says; why should we hear a street man? (laughter) (Prabhupāda laughs) A man in the street, is he greater than Nārada? Is he greater than Vyāsa? He is greater than Kṛṣṇa? Then why should I hear him? You should ask him, "Please, keep your theory with you.

Lecture on BG 2.55-58 -- New York, April 15, 1966:

Use of the senses is not bad, but one should use when it is needed, not according to the dictation of the senses. Not according to the dictation of the senses. You'll find here in the Bhagavad-gītā later on that God says that "Sex intercourse for generating a child is Myself." God says, "I am." But beyond that, sexual intercourse is not... The Lord says, "I have nothing to do with that." So in every way, in every way, it does not prohibit that we should not use our senses. No. We shall use our senses when it is required, not according to the dictation of the senses. That should... We should be in that platform. If I am following the dictation of my senses, then I am not the master of the senses. I am the servant of the senses. So actually our position is like that.

Lecture on BG 3.13-16 -- New York, May 23, 1966:

So we have to become a yes man to the Supreme Lord. That's all. That is the perfection of our spiritual life. Now we are all "no men." God says this, I say "no." Stubborn. I say, "no." Now simply we have to say "yes". That's all. In everything we say, "no" at the present. Present formation of our existence is to say "no." Anything godly, we say "no." We shudder even by the name of God. We have come to a certain stage of our civilized life, that we want to banish God altogether. Not only saying "no," but we now prepare to agree to the point that there is no existence of God.

Lecture on BG 3.14 -- Sanand, December 27, 1975:

So here is a verse from Śrīmad-Bhagavad-gītā, third chapter, fourteenth verse. Annād bhavanti bhūtāni. When I was coming to your village I saw there are so many agricultural field producing so much. So tobacco-producing can give you some money, but you will be shortage of food grains. Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, said that if you want to make happy and prosperous the people in general, then you must produce anna, food grains. Bhagavān has not said anywhere that you produce tobacco, jute, and similar other things which are not required at all.

Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Melbourne, June 27, 1974:

What can be done?" Because you are son of God—God has got independence, full independence, almighty—therefore you have acquired the quality of your father. You have got little independence. So God does not interfere with your little independence. If you persist that "I must go and enjoy independently," so God says, "All right, you can go." This is the position. You have to take sanction. That is a fact. But when you persist, God sanctions. And you come and enjoy. Beginning from Lord Brahmā down to the worms in the stool, gradually, according to your work, according to your desire, you manufacture your different types of body and enjoy and suffer. That's all. That is explained. Prakṛti-stho hi bhuṅkte prakṛti-jān guṇān. And as soon as you, entangled in different types of punishment, not enjoyment but punishment.

Lecture on BG 4.1 and Review -- New York, July 13, 1966:

And the next verse He says, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2): "So this confidential knowledge of Bhagavad-gītā was received in such disciplic succession." Disciplic succession. Just like the Lord Kṛṣṇa said to the sun-god, and the sun-god said to Manu, and Manu said to Ikṣvāku, and He summarizes that evaṁ paramparā-prāptam: "In such disciplic succession, the knowledge of Bhagavad-gītā was received." Sa kāleneha mahatā yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa. Now, He says that "This yoga..." This Bhagavad-gītā is also called yoga. Karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, bhakti-yoga. You'll find in Bhagavad-gītā different yogas. So the whole book is called yoga.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Delhi, November 10, 1971:

So it is very nice movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to understand yourself, first of all. Then you understand what is God, and as soon as you know God, then you become a fit candidate to go back to home, back to God. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). Anyone who knows Me, God says, anyone who knows God, in Truth, then what is the result? The brāhmaṇa, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti, after giving up this body, he does not enter another material body. Then what happens to him? Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9), he comes back to Me. So try to understand Kṛṣṇa. Your life will be successful.

Lecture on BG 4.1-6 -- Los Angeles, January 3, 1969:

Therefore he is surprised: "Kṛṣṇa, how You are saying that You spoke this science to sun-god?" That is a question of millions and millions of years ago because if we take, accept this statement, that means Bhagavad-gītā was spoken not less than forty millions of years ago. Vivasvān manave prāha. Because "The sun-god said to his son, Manu," and if you simply calculate the age of this present Manu, Vaivasvata Manu, it comes to four hundred millions of years or more than that. So he is surprised. So he is clearing the matter: "How You spoke it?" Go on.

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

"Oh, sun-god? Oh, sun planet was created some hundreds of millions of years before and You say that You said to sun-god? How it is possible because You are born not even hundred years completed?" Katham etad vijānīyāṁ tvam ādau proktavān iti: "Then how I am to understand it that You spoke formerly to sun-god?" It is, here... It is very intelligent question. It is very intelligent question. Now, what Kṛṣṇa answers? Śrī-bhagavān uvāca. Now, particularly said that, bhagavān uvāca: "The Personality of Godhead says."

Lecture on BG 4.7 -- Bombay, March 27, 1974:

If the government says that "Keep to the right" is right, then you have to accept that. And the government says, "Keep to the left, that is right," then it is right. We cannot say that "In my country I keep to the left. Why shall I keep to the right?" No. That will not be accepted.

Try to understand what is religion. So God is one. God cannot say somewhere that "This is religion and this is not religion." God says, Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā... Here it is said that yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7), paritrāṇāya sādhū... In next verse He said,

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ

vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām

dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya

sambhavāmi yuge yuge

(BG 4.8)

The two business, Kṛṣṇa's. Because He has already explained, bhūtānām īśvaraḥ. "I am the controller of all living entities." Therefore when there is discrepancies in the execution of dharma, then He is to punish and reward. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām. Two things.

Lecture on BG 4.7-10 -- Los Angeles, January 6, 1969:

Now, we have to understand in this way, that He has got His hands, He has got His leg, but not this limited hand or limited leg. In another place in Bhagavad-gītā you'll find. God says that "Whatever is offered to Me in the group of flowers, fruits, vegetables, I accept for eating." Now, if we think that God is far, far away, how He eats? I offer here. How He eats? That means His eating process is different. He can eat even from millions and millions of miles away. So these things are to be understood, that God has got a form, but that form is not exactly our form. If we try to understand God's form as limited as our form, then we'll misunderstand.

Lecture on BG 4.10 Public Meeting -- Rome, May 25, 1974:

God says that "This earth, water, fire, air and ether, the mind, intelligence and ego, they are My eight different, separated energies from Me." The energy cannot be separated from the energetic. Just like the sunshine and the sun. The sunshine, although it appears to be separated from the sun, it is not separated from the sun. As the heat and light from heat from fire, although heat appears to be separated from fire, suppose there is fire in the corner of this room, and we are feeling the heat. It is apparently separated from the fire, but it is not separated from the fire. So when the energy is not utilized for the energetic, it is separated. Otherwise it is always not separated. So when you utilize this microphone for the service of Kṛṣṇa, it is no more material. It is spiritual.

Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Johannesburg, October 19, 1975:

God's law you must know. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā ultimately God says that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You just become obedient to Me, surrendered to Me. I shall give you all protection." This is the law. So if you become a surrendered soul to God, then your position is very secure. Otherwise you will suffer.

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

Just like if you make your promise that "I shall take only kṛṣṇa-prasādam," then your nonsense eating or satisfying the tongue by nonsense eating—immediately stopped. That is subdued. God does not say that "You starve." God does not say. Or "You do not eat nice things." But God says, "You eat really nice things; don't eat nonsense nice things." Instead of eating nonsense meat, you eat sweetballs. You see? It is not stoppage, but giving better.

Lecture on BG 4.39-42 -- Los Angeles, January 14, 1969:

It is not very difficult. Just like in this Bhagavad-gītā the Supreme Personality of Godhead says that He is the Supreme, and He is advising, man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ: "Just try to think of Me only, always." Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ: "And become My devotee." Mad-yājī: "Just worship Me." Māṁ namaskuru: "Just bow down unto Me." So simply these four processes, if one can do, He says, mām evaiṣyasi asaṁśayaḥ: (BG 18.65) "Surely, without any doubt, you shall come to Me."

Lecture on BG 4.39-5.3 -- New York, August 24, 1966:

So here it is stated, bhagavān uvāca: "The Personality of Godhead said, answered." What He answered? That

sannyāsaḥ karma-yogaś ca

niḥśreyasa-karāv ubhau

tayos tu karma-sannyāsāt

karma-yogo viśiṣyate

(BG 5.2)

Now, Kṛṣṇa says that "Either you renounce this world, either be you in the renounced order of life"—just like we are in renounced order of life—"or you are in ordinary working capacity," that "they are equally beneficial." But... Tayos tu. But if we examine on neutral position, then Kṛṣṇa recommends that better than this sannyāsa is to work, is better. Tayos tu karma-sannyāsāt karma-yogo viśiṣyate.

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

Everyone is working, expecting some result. Whatever you do, work, you expect some result. Here Bhagavān says, the Supreme Personality of Godhead says, that "Anyone who works without any shelter of the result..." He works. Then if he does not expect any result, then why does he work? Unless... Suppose I ask somebody to work this way. Then he will expect something, some result, some remuneration, some reward, or some salary. That is the way of working here. But Kṛṣṇa prescribes that anāśritaḥ karma-phalam, "One who works without any expectation of result or reward." Then why does he work? Kāryam. "It is my duty. It is my duty." Not with a result, but as duty. "I am duty-bound to do this." Kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ. In such a way, if somebody works, sa sannyāsī, he is actually in the renounced order of life.

Lecture on BG 6.47 -- Ahmedabad, December 12, 1972:

This is in the śāstras. God says: bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Only through devotion one can understand Me. So not the devotee has discovered. God says: "This is the only way." If you want to know God, you must know Him by the process He recommends, Don't discover your own way. Not that yato mata tato patha. You discover all rascal mata and God will be available. No. If you want to know God, then this is the only: bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). That is the only way. There is no other way. Chant.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, March 17, 1968:

Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, says "unto Me, Kṛṣṇa." You cannot interpret in a different way. When I say that "Give me a glass of water," it means that I am the person who is in want of a glass of water. And if you supply me, not to others, then it is right. So when Kṛṣṇa says "unto Me," that means Kṛṣṇa. But sometimes rascal interpreters, they say something else. Why? Even grammatically this is wrong. Kṛṣṇa says "unto Me"; therefore the action should be unto Kṛṣṇa, not of any other else.

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

So by this process, Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, God, Ajita, one who is never conquered... If you... By challenge, if you want to know God, you'll never understand. God never accepts challenge. Because God is great. Why should He accept your challenge. If you say, "Oh, my dear God, please come here. I shall see You," so God is not like that, that He will carry your order. You must carry His order. Then God realization. God says: "You surrender," sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That process, you'll learn God. Not that "Oh, I shall know God. I have got good intelligence, speculate." No.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Upsala University Stockholm, September 8, 1973:

God says that "I am the enjoyer of everything." We are acting in this material world to enjoy something. We are working day and night to get some fruit of our labor and enjoy it. Everyone, either he's doing business or he's a professional man or he's a worker or anything he is, he's working very hard, day and night, to enjoy something. So... But we cannot claim that we can enjoy everything in this world. Although we have got the desire, but limited power to enjoy. The unlimited enjoyer is Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just like we want to enjoy life, family life. We marry one wife.

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

Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, says that "If you want to know Me, then you have to increase your attachment for Me." This is the first condition. Mayy āsakta. Mayi āsakta-manāḥ. Our mind is attracted by so many things, especially in the material world. When yoga system was advised to Arjuna that "You concentrate your mind upon Me," Arjuna flatly declined, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, I cannot concentrate my mind in any particular thing." But he said that "I have got my mind on You." That is different thing. "But if you ask me to concentrate, it is very difficult for me."

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

So yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. This yoga system should be practiced, the mad-āśraya... Mad-āśraya means "under My direct supervision." This yoga system means it is not impersonal—personal. And therefore the word is used, bhagavān uvāca: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead said." Bhagavān, the Absolute Truth, He's a person. Sometimes we think... There are many, they think the Absolute Truth is impersonal. But the Absolute Truth is person. Impersonal realization of the Absolute Truth is partial. It is not complete realization. Therefore it is mentioned here, asaṁśayam, "without any doubt" and samagram, "in full." After all, yoga system means an endeavor to understand the Absolute Truth. Yoga means linking, connecting.

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

As soon as we use the word bhakti, means the process of devotion, there must be bhakta and Bhagavān. The Bhagavān is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and bhakta is Arjuna. So Bhagavān is personally teaching Arjuna the process how he can understand Him fully and without any doubt. Therefore it is mentioned here, bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān uvāca means "the Supreme Personality of Godhead said."

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- London, March 10, 1975:

This is the definition of God. A poor man, begging from door to door, he cannot become God, as it is misconceived, daridra-nārāyaṇa. Why Nārāyaṇa can be daridra? What is this nonsense? He is the richest. He is the richest. And why He can, He will be daridra? The argument is forwarded that "God is in everyone's heart; therefore everyone is God." What is this argument? Everyone's heart, God is there. God said, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Where God says that because īśvara, the Supreme Being, is situated in everyone's heart, therefore everyone is God? What is this argument? Where Kṛṣṇa says that because īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61), therefore everyone is God? Is that very sound argument?

Lecture on BG 8.5 -- New York, October 26, 1966:

"At the time of death, one who remembers Me..." Anta-kāle ca mām eva. Mām eva. Mām eva means... Eva means "certainly," and me means..., mām means "me." "Certainly Me." The Supreme Personality of Godhead says, "Certainly Me." That means Kṛṣṇa, or Kṛṣṇa's expansion, the form—not formless. Mām. Formless... This is explained in the Twelfth Chapter, that kleśo 'dhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām (BG 12.5). One who is attached to the impersonal Brahman, then his business is troublesome. Kleśa. Kleśa means troublesome. Avyaktā hi gatir duḥkhaṁ dehavadbhir avāpyate. Dehavat. Because we are in this material body and our senses are not able to understand except something form. So if by artificial way I want to think of formless, it becomes a troublesome business.

Lecture on BG 8.28-9.2 -- New York, November 21, 1966:

"I am the proprietor of all planets." Loka means planets. We are proprietor of certain extent of land here, and we are very much proud. But God says that "I am the proprietor of all the planets." And suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām. And He is the friend of all living entities. And suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati: "When a person understands that God is the proprietor of everything, God is the friend of everyone, God is the enjoyer of everything, by knowing these three things, one becomes very peaceful." That is the peace formula. You cannot become in peace so long you think that "I am the proprietor." You are not actually the proprietor. You cannot claim proprietorship. Just like take for example this land of America. Say four hundred years before, the Red American, Red Indians, they were the proprietor.

Lecture on BG 8.28-9.2 -- New York, November 21, 1966:

Therefore, bhagavān uvāca. Vyāsadeva... This Bhagavad-gītā was written by Vyāsadeva, spoken by Lord Kṛṣṇa. It was noted by Vyāsadeva, and therefore Vyāsadeva says, śrī bhagavān uvāca: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead said." What does He say?

idaṁ tu te guhyatamaṁ

pravakṣyāmy anasūyave

jñānaṁ vijñāna-sahitaṁ

yaj jñātvā mokṣyase 'śubhāt

"My dear Arjuna, now I shall speak to you the topmost part of knowledge." Idaṁ tu te guhyatamam. Guhyatamam means "most confidential." There are different kinds, grades of knowledge. But here the Lord says, "Just now I am going to explain what is the most confidential part of knowledge." Idaṁ tu te guhyatamaṁ pravakṣyāmy anasūyave. Anasūyave. This very word is used. Anasūyave means "who does not envy." Does not envy. Just like the Lord says, "I am the proprietor of all planets."

Lecture on BG 8.28-9.2 -- New York, November 21, 1966:

This very word is used. Anasūyave means "who does not envy." Does not envy. Just like the Lord says, "I am the proprietor of all planets." Somebody may say, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is claiming the proprietorship of everything. How is that?" Because in the material world we are always envious. If somebody is greater than me, I am envious: "Oh, he's..., in that way, he has so much progressed." We are envious. This is the disease of material world, envious. So we are envious of God also. When God says that "I am the proprietor," we disbelieve it.

Lecture on BG 8.28-9.2 -- New York, November 21, 1966:

So here this very word is used, anasūyave. Arjuna is hearing from Lord Kṛṣṇa without any enviousness. He's accepting what does He say. This is the way of understanding. We cannot understand by our mental speculation what is God. We have to hear, and we have to accept. Otherwise there is no way to understand what is God. So God says that "Because you are not envious, therefore, I speak to you about the most confidential part of knowledge." Jñānaṁ vijñāna-sahitam. Vijñāna-sahitam means this knowledge is not theoretical, but it is scientific. Whatever knowledge we get from Bhagavad-gītā, we should not think that it is sentimentalism or fanaticism. No.

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

That is dharma. Otherwise there is no dharma. All adharma. Otherwise how Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66), "Give up all nonsense dharma. Simply surrender unto Me"? This is dharma. Therefore it is said, pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam. You are acting some religious activities, you do not know whether it is pious or impious. But when you act under the order of Kṛṣṇa and His representative, it is pratyakṣāvagamaṁ, directly to understand, that is dharma. This is dharma: pratyakṣāvagamaṁ and su-sukhaṁ kartum avyayam. The spiritual master says, that God says, Caitanya Mahāprabhu said,

hare nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalaṁ

kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā

(CC Adi 17.21)

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

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

These things are there that Kṛṣṇa said to Arjuna that "This philosophy, yoga, the yoga system, bhakti-yoga, I spoke to Vivasvān, the sun-god." So if you take, take calculation... Because it is said there: vivasvān manave prāha, if you take calculation of Manu, then you can calculate the age of Manu. Seventy-two cycle of four ages. Four ages means, one age means forty-three lakhs of years, multiply it by seventy-two. That becomes the duration of life of one Manu. So it is said that the sun-god said to Manu. So this is the age of Vaivasvata Manu. So you can understand when it was spoken. So we have calculated, it is about forty millions of years ago he spoke this... And Kṛṣṇa says sa evāyaṁ mayā te 'dya yogaḥ proktaḥ purātanaḥ (BG 4.3).

Lecture on BG 9.4-7 -- New York, November 24, 1966:

All the other gentlemen, they also persisted. So there was some agreement. So this boy went again to Vṛndāvana to his Gopāla, and he prayed that "Sir, You have to go with me." He was so staunch devotee, just like talking with friend. He did not think that He's a statue; it is image. He knew God. That was his conviction. So God said, "How do you think that a statue can go with you? I am a statue. I cannot go." Then this boy replied, "Well, if a statue can speak, He can go also." (laughter) Then Kṛṣṇa said, "All right, I shall go with you."

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

So in the Supreme Personality, Kṛṣṇa said in the previous verse, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni na ca ahaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ (BG 9.4). That is explained in this verse that "Everything is resting upon Me. But at the same time," na ca mat-sthāni bhūtāni, "they are not also in Me." This particular portion has to be understood. When Kṛṣṇa says, God says, that everything is resting upon Him, that means everything is resting upon His expanded energy, not personally on Him. Personally He is aloof. Therefore it is said, na ca mat-sthāni bhūtāni.

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

You have got your life. If you like, you can have your life eternal without any birth and death just to get rid, just getting out of this material nature. So God creates and annihilates. So God says, Kṛṣṇa says,

na ca māṁ tāni karmāṇi

nibadhnanti dhanañjaya

udāsīnavad āsīnam

asaktaṁ teṣu karmasu

Now one may think that "Such a huge manifestation of the material world, it is once created and again annihilated. Then God must be very much concerned about this creation and annihilation." But the Lord says, "No." Na ca māṁ tāni karmāṇi nibadhnanti dhanañjaya: "My dear Arjuna, all this world is going on automatically. There is no concern about it."

Lecture on BG 9.24-26 -- New York, December 12, 1966:

So Lord says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). The real thing is love. "Anyone who is offering Me these four things in love," tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam, "because he has brought these four things with love and devotion," then God says, Lord says, tad aham aśnāmi, "I eat. I eat," bhaktyā prayatātmanaḥ, "because with devotion, with faith, and with love, he has brought."

Lecture on BG 9.26-27 -- New York, December 16, 1966:

So one of the members of the Arya-samajis, he... They do not favor the temple worship. So he asked me, "Swamiji, do you think God eats?" I said, "Yes." "Then how do you think?" "Because God says, 'I eat.' " Here is, Kṛṣṇa says, aśnāmi. So God says, "I eat." Who are you that He does not eat? I replied him like that. Who are you? You say that God does not eat, but here God says, "I eat." So whom shall I believe, a loafer like you, or Kṛṣṇa? (laughter) I am a third person, and you are also a third person, and Kṛṣṇa is recognized the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Whom shall I believe? I accept that I am the fool number one, but whom shall I accept, you or Kṛṣṇa? You said that... What you are? What is your position? You are an ordinary man. So you say that God does not eat, but God says, "I eat." Why shall I not believe?

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

Śrī-bhagavān uvāca, the Supreme Personality of Godhead said. Bhagavān, this very word, is very significant. You should try to understand what does it mean, bhaga. Bhaga means opulence and bhagavān means one who has got opulences. The Sanskrit grammar, there is a affix called vat. Vat means possessing. Atha ke vatit (?). When a, when the sense of possession is there, this vat affix is there. So bhaga, bhaga means opulence, and plus vat, that means one who has got opulence. This is the meaning of bhagavān.

Lecture on BG 10.8 -- New York, January 6, 1967:

One who has understood this fact, that God is the origin of all emanations... One who has understood this fact very nicely, scientifically, then, by loving God, you love everything, universe. If you think that "God is something manufactured by my imagination," then you cannot love universe or God. You have to understand the position of God. In every literature, in every scripture... Just like in your Bible it is said, "God said, 'Let there be creation.' So there was creation." So creation is the universe. So God created this universe. So if you love God, then you love the universe. That is automatically. If I say, "I love my body"—everyone loves his body—that does not mean I do not love my finger.

Lecture on BG 13.1-3 -- Durban, October 13, 1975:

So God is so great friend of ours. He is always witnessing, witnessing. And as I am desiring, God is giving us facility. "All right, you want to enjoy like this? You take this body and enjoy." Actually you are not enjoying. When we have no discrimination of food, we can eat anything and everything, just like the hogs and pigs, so God says, "All right, you take the body of a pig and hog, and you can eat even up to stool. I give you the facility." That is as we are desiring.

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Paris, August 11, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. That is the verdict all... Just like Vyāsadeva, the giver of the Vedic knowledge, he says, bhagavān uvāca: God says. So we have to follow that. So kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata. (aside:) Don't do that.

Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Miami, February 27, 1975:

Then why does He give sanction for our sinful activities? Because we want to do it. Because we want to do it. God does not want that you become implicated in sinful life. Therefore thief, he steals very stealthily. God says from within, "Don't steal. You will be implicated. You will be punished. Why you are stealing?" But he will do. He will do. That is ajñāna. That is ignorance. God is always helping us, but we do not care for God. That is our disease. Therefore we are getting different types of bodies and suffering. This is the philosophy, real philosophy, that God is there with me in the same bird, in the same, exactly the same, that the driver is there and the proprietor is there in the same car.

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

That is also required, superior judgement, what he has done for being promoted. Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrībhiḥ (SB 1.8.26). Janma, to take birth in high class family, to become very rich—they are not accidental. There is background, daiva-netreṇa, by the superior judgement. There are so many things to be learned. Simply to become blind without any knowledge and give some verdict, asatyam, that is nonsense. That is nonsense. Kṛṣṇa is guiding us. Don't be victims of these rascals. Asatyam apratiṣṭhaṁ te jagad āhur anīśvaram (BG 16.8). There is God. There is supreme controller. And God says, mayādhyakṣeṇa: (BG 9.10) "Under My superintendence."

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

We are missing that point. Kṛṣṇa said, God said, the clear idea, that "I am the enjoyer, bhoktā." Bhoktā means enjoyer. "I am the enjoyer." Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasām. Yajña. Yajña means satisfying the Lord. This is called yajña. Just like we are chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. It is yajña, sacrifice. At least we are sacrificing little time. Kali-yuga, nobody is prepared to sacrifice. Especially when there is question of sacrificing for God, nobody's interested. So this, because they'll not sacrifice, they will enjoy themself, forgetting the supreme enjoyer. Just like a servant.

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

Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā God said that bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasām: (BG 5.29) "I am the enjoyer of all sacrifices, all tapasya." You are engaged in some research work, tapasya, for what purpose? Now, finding out some deadly bone. A very big scholar, very big research student... So that is called asura. He has got some scientific knowledge, but he's busy to find out a nuclear weapon, how to kill other enemies. This is the research work. No. That is demonic. The same knowledge can be utilized for finding out God. That is mahātmā. This is the difference.

Lecture on BG 18.45 -- Durban, October 11, 1975:

I have already explained what is meaning of religion. Religion means to render service to God. If you do not render service to God, that is not religion; that is cheating. Therefore in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satām (SB 1.1.2), that "Cheating type of religion is completely rejected from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam." That is not dharma. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). This is dharma. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam: (SB 6.3.19) "Dharma means the codes and the law given by God." So God says that, to surrender unto Him. Mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. So if one does not surrender to God, that religion has no meaning. It is useless.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

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

Kṛṣṇa, or God, says that "I am expanded in My impersonal form everywhere. Everything is existing on account of Me. But still, I am not everything." Just like God has expanded in this microphone. The microphone is also expansion of God's energy, but that does not mean we have to worship the microphone. So God has got that power, that although He has expanded Himself in His impersonal form everywhere, still, He has got His original existence. A small example can be given in this connection. Just like a father. He has given birth to hundreds of children.

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 16, 1971:

Therefore somebody comes, "Yes, I am God." "Oh, sir, you are God? Yes. That's all right." Because he wanted to be cheated, so somebody comes and declares himself that "I am God," and he is cheated. We cannot accept such God. We shall say, "Oh, you are God? All right, you lift this hill first of all with your finger. Then I shall accept you God." We don't accept such so cheap God. The rascals may accept some cheap God. No, we don't accept. We accept Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Brahmā said, "God is here, Kṛṣṇa." Brahmā is the original person who distributes knowledge, Vedic knowledge. So we accept Kṛṣṇa. The Brahmā has said. And we see, "Yes. He is God. He is lifting hill. He is killing Pūtanā at the age of three months old only.

Lecture on SB 1.2.1 -- New Vrindaban, September 1, 1972:

So to accept God as son is a process of loving God. Just like the parents and a small child. Nobody can love the small child better than his parents. Similarly, one who wants to love God, he prays to God, "Kindly you become my child." So God is so kind, He becomes child of a devotee. Although God is the original Father, but this is a process of loving God. Just like Kṛṣṇa appeared as the son of Mother Yaśodā, because they underwent severe penance in their previous life, both the husband and wife. They underwent severe penance, and Kṛṣṇa appeared before them, "What do you want?" They said, "My dear Lord, we want a child like You." So God said, "That, where shall I find a child like Me? I shall become your child". (laughter) That's it.

Lecture on SB 1.2.4 -- Rome, May 28, 1974:

All this nonsense we have to hear, utopian." They are not interested. They are so dull. The facts... Kṛṣṇa is giving example. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāram... (BG 2.13). As you are changing your body... We have changed, every one of us, we have changed body. I was a baby. I was a child. I was a boy. I was young man. Now I have got a different body. Where have those bodies gone? They have no brain to think. I had all these bodies—that's a fact. And they are not existing now, that's a fact. And still I say, "There is no other body after death." What is the reason? What is the logic? How simple logic is given by... Not ordinary person, Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, says that "As you have changed so many bodies, passed through so many bodies..." Every... Medical science says every minute we are changing body. That's a fact.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Montreal, August 2, 1968:

So everyone, every religion, accepts "God is great," sum total definition. That's a fact. God is great. And we are minute, small. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). God says, Kṛṣṇa says, that "All these living entities, they are My part and parcel." Part and parcel means... We can understand very easily. Just like this finger is part and parcel of my body. Everyone can understand it. So we are part and parcel of God. Take the whole body of God, the virāḍ-mūrti or the gigantic universal form. In whichever you like, you take. So every one of us is part of that universal body. Mamaivāṁśaḥ. So the same example: the finger or the one piece of hair, whatever you take, it is the part and parcel of the body.

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

So from Bhagavad-gītā we understand, Kṛṣṇa or God, says, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham: (BG 4.7) "When there is discrepancies in the matter of discharging religion, then I incarnate, I descend." Why?

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ

vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām

dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya

sambhavāmi yuge yuge

(BG 4.8)

So religion is disturbed by duṣkṛtina, demons, and those who are saintly person, they execute religion. So paritrāṇāya sādhūnām. Sādhu means saintly person, devotee of God. They are sādhu. And asādhu, or demon, means persons who deny the authority of God. They are called demons.

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

The God says that "Here is injustice, so you should fight." God says that. God never says that "I am God, Kṛṣṇa. I am your friend. You sit down idly and I shall do everything." He never said that. He said that "You must fight." That is our duty, not that God has given us hands and legs and you sit down idly and let God do it. This is not devotion.

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

That God said, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir... (BG 4.7). He doesn't say, yadā yadā hindu dharmasya glānir. (laughter) So why do you speak nonsense? He never says. Why do you speak like that?

Indian man (3): It has written. I mean it was read like that.

Prabhupāda: No, no. That is your creation. That is your creation, mental speculation. He never said yadā yadā hi hindu dharmasya glānir bhavati. He never said. Why do you speak all these things?

Lecture on SB 1.2.9 -- New Vrindaban, September 7, 1972:

We do not find anyone equal to Him or greater than Him. That is God. God is great. "Great" means nobody should be greater than Him. And God says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya: (BG 7.7) "There is no other superior authority than Me." Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8): "I am the origin of everything." So other demigods like Lord Śiva, Lord Brahmā, even Lord Viṣṇu, mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate—everyone emanates from Him. And from them emanate so many things. Just like Brahmā, so many creatures have come out. But the original, ādyam, anādi... Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. Govinda is the original person.

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

So as Arjuna understood, if you understand Bhagavad-gītā as Arjuna understood, if you understand Kṛṣṇa, then your understanding of Kṛṣṇa is perfect. And if you invent some imaginary meaning, then you are śrama eva hi kevalam, waste of time. So don't do that. Try to understand Kṛṣṇa as He is, as He speaks Himself about Himself, that "I am like this." What is the difficulty? If Kṛṣṇa says, if God says, "I am like this," why you are manufacturing ways and means to understand God, uselessly wasting time? God is giving His name, God is giving His address, God is giving His activities.

Lecture on SB 1.2.13 -- Vrndavana, October 24, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa, when He says, dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge, this is real dharma. Dharma means dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma means the what is enjoined by the Lord, God. What God says, that is dharma. God says, "Do this." That is dharma. Not that you manufacture your dharma. God says, Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam... (BG 18.66). This is dharma. Anything beyond this, all nonsense. They are not dharmas. Dharmaḥ kaitavaḥ. Cheating, simply cheating. Therefore Bhāgavata says, dharmaḥ projjhitaḥ atra kaitavaḥ: "All rascaldom dharma is thrown away, kicked out." This is dharma. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). This is dharma.

Lecture on SB 1.2.22 -- Los Angeles, August 25, 1972:

So in this way, this, our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, bhāgavata-dharma, it is not sentiment. We can explain how God created. Sometimes it is, in Bible, it is said, "God said, 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation." But they cannot explain. Therefore in the modern age, scientifically advanced, they do not take it. But we can explain. Our bhāgavata-dharma can explain how, simply by desiring, there is creation. So here it is said: chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ. Chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ. One, by this, following this bhāgavata-dharma, studying from Bhāgavata, the ultimate knowledge of everything, one can become completely doubtless that God is a person, He is sentient, He is the supreme director, He's the supreme knower, He's the supreme physist, the supreme chemist—everything, supreme.

Lecture on SB 1.2.28-29 -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972:

Just like the state can give you laws. There is legislative assembly of the state. They can enact laws. You cannot do at home. You cannot do. That will not be accepted as law. Similarly, our Vedic principle is: "Religion means the codes and the rules and regulations given by God." That is religion. Kṛṣṇa says, God says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). This is religion. Vāsudeva-paro dharmaḥ. Vāsudeva-paro dharmaḥ. Dharma, here it is said that it should be given by Vāsudeva, or it must be approved by Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudeva means son of Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa. So oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.

Lecture on SB 1.3.1 -- Vrndavana, November 14, 1972:

The solid fact is the Lord created. In the Bible also it is said that God said, "Let there be creation." So it is from the person. Here also, we find the creation begins from the person. In the Vedas it is said, sa aikṣata. Sa asṛjata. Aikṣata, "By the glance, He looked over, God looked over, and He created." The reference is to the person. We also find from our experience that whenever there is something manufacturing, or creation, we do not find automatically some matter comes into being. We don't, we haven't such experience. Whenever there is anything manufactured or created, there is a person behind it.

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

Prabhupāda: In the Bible also it is said, "God said 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation." That means God is the origin of creation. Yes. Go on.

Upendra: "That is the verdict of Veda." Text 3. Translation: "It is conceived that all the universal planetary system are situated on the extensive bodily features of the puruṣa but He has nothing to do with the created material ingredients."

Prabhupāda: This is universal form of the Lord, virāṭ-puruṣa. Here is also. This is more or less imaginary. But virāṭ-puruṣa... Just like Arjuna was shown the virāṭ-puruṣa, universal form. That is not eternal. That was causal or temporary; for the time being it was shown to Arjuna.

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

Just like in the Bible it is said "God said, 'Let there be creation.' " That means before the creation, before this material creation, God was there. And the material... There was nothing material. Therefore, God's body cannot be material, because He existed before the creation of matter. So before creation of matter, there was nothing like matter, though God was there. Therefore conclusion is that God has no material body. He spoke, "Let there be creation." "He spoke" means He's a person; otherwise how He can speak? But His personality is not material, because when He spoke there was no material creation.

Lecture on SB 1.3.10 -- Los Angeles, September 16, 1972:

Similarly, all this cosmic manifestation came into existence simply by the will of God. Not that... Just like in season, there are hundreds and thousands and millions of fruits. You haven't got to create each fruit. When the season is there, the fruits are all ready, immediately. Similarly, when God says, "Let there be creation," millions of planets, immediately created. That is God. Not that cheap God, "I am God." In your country they come, and you become cheated. We don't accept such cheap God. We want this God. Simply by His will, millions of universes are created.

Lecture on SB 1.3.26 -- Los Angeles, October 1, 1972:

So as soon as we are separated from God... We are all parts and parcel of God. Separation means when I want to imitate God. I want to become exactly... Because enviousness, due to enviousness... Icchā-dveṣa samutthena (BG 7.27). When we become envious... "Oh, God is enjoyer, so why not I become an enjoyer?" "Yes," God says, "you become enjoyer." So then he falls down in this material world.

So if he falls down or contacts the mode of goodness, that is considered the fire spark falling on dry grass. Dry grass means... Goodness means one who is situated almost on the spiritual platform.

Lecture on SB 1.5.9-11 -- New Vrindaban, June 6, 1969:

Kṛṣṇa is explaining Himself. Why don't you try to understand Him in that way? Nonsense. (chuckling) What speculative power you have got? Simply you'll commit blunder. Why? Kṛṣṇa says, "I am this, I am this, I am that, I am that." In the Bhagavad-gītā, explains. God says. Why don't you understand Him as He says? If I say that "I am from India. My birthplace is in Calcutta. I have got five children. I was formerly a businessman," then why do you understand to speculate about me? What is the use of this speculation? If you actually want to know what Swamiji is, Swamiji says that "I was householder, and I was doing medical business. I have got five children.

Lecture on SB 1.5.15 -- New Vrindaban, June 19, 1969:

But our Vaiṣṇava philosophy does not say that. Vaiṣṇava philosophy says, "God is one." Not in... Vaiṣṇava philosophy, you do not think that it is a sectarian. This is based on Vedic conclusion. In the Ṛg Veda also it is said, "God is one." Tad viṣṇoḥ. Viṣṇu is paramaṁ padam. He is Supreme. Vedas does not say that Brahmā is supreme, or Lord Śiva is the supreme, or Goddess Kālī is supreme. No. Tad viṣṇoḥ paramam... This is Ṛg Veda mantra. And so far Bhagavad-gītā is concerned, it is clearly said there by Kṛṣṇa. He says, "I am the Supreme. Nobody's greater than Me." We find in Brahma-saṁhitā also the same thing, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1).

Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Vrndavana, April 23, 1975:

All these fools and rascals, if they hear with great attention from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam about the activities and glories of Kṛṣṇa... Yasyāṁ vai śrūyamāṇāyāṁ kṛṣṇe parama-pūruṣe (SB 1.7.7). He is the parama-puruṣa. That is the verdict of all Vedic literature. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). He is īśvara, parama-puruṣa, the Supreme Person. Īśvara means the Supreme Person. In the English dictionary also it is said "God means the Supreme Person." God means the Supreme Person. So that Supreme Person is Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat: (BG 7.7) "There is no more superior authority than Me." But people do not understand, because ajānataḥ. Ajānataḥ means without any knowledge.

Lecture on SB 1.7.32-33 -- Vrndavana, September 27, 1976:

So what is that truth? The truth is that īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1), everything is God's creation. And Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, God says, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). He is the proprietor, but we do not understand that, that truth, that He is the proprietor. We are creating our proprietorship. That is untruth. That is untruth. That is mithyā. Jagan mithyā. Jagat is not mithyā, but our behavior with the jagat, or the world, is mithyā. Jagat is not mithyā. How it can be mithyā? Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). It is coming, emanating from the Absolute Truth. It is truth.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- New York, April 10, 1973:

If everyone simply tries to understand Kṛṣṇa as He is in truth, then he becomes liberated, simply by understanding Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. You try to understand Kṛṣṇa not by speculation, but as Kṛṣṇa says, as God says, or as a Kṛṣṇa devotee says. Just like Kuntī. Kuntī is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. She said that "You are prakṛteḥ param." She is authority. She is authority, because devotee, every devotee, pure devotee, they are confidential. Otherwise how Kṛṣṇa has accepted to become her nephew? Just like Kṛṣṇa has accepted to become the son of Yaśodāmāyi or Devakī, similarly, He has accepted to become a nephew of Kuntīdevī.

Lecture on SB 1.8.28 -- Mayapura, October 8, 1974:

Otherwise, if everyone is God conscious, if everyone knows that God is present everywhere, "Whatever I do, He will see. He'll see as sunshine. He'll see as moonshine. He'll see as water..." Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya. No... Who can avoid water? Who can avoid sunshine? Who can avoid moonshine? Nobody can. So God says, "These things are I am." Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ (BG 7.8). So how you can avoid God's vigilance? Then how you can commit sinful... They do not believe in-godlessness. They do not believe in existence of God. They have been taught like that, and they do not know what is God.

Lecture on SB 1.8.31 -- Mayapura, October 11, 1974:

Just like Kṛṣṇa can create, Kṛṣṇa also creates through her agent. As it is stated, na tasya kāryam karaṇaṁ ca vidyate. He does not do anything directly, but as soon as He desires, "Let there..." Sa aikṣata sa asṛjata. These are the statements of the Vedas. In the Bible also it is said, "God desired: Let there be creation." Is it not like that? "And there was creation." Yes. The modern men, they cannot understand. "Eh! What is this? If somebody says 'Let there be creation,' and immediately that is ready? And He hasn't got to do it? These things are simply exaggeration." But no, that is the fact. God does not do anything by Himself. He's so powerful. Simply by His will... There are so many agents, and they are so powerful that immediately they can do it. The foolish people, they cannot see the hands of God is working everywhere.

Lecture on SB 1.8.35 -- Los Angeles, April 27, 1973 :

So actually, although we have got this arrangement that one has to work, but that work is simple. If you remain Kṛṣṇa conscious... That, after all, Kṛṣṇa is supplying the foodstuffs. That's a fact. Every religion accepts that. Just like in Bible it is said, "God give us our daily bread." That's a fact. God is giving. That you are..., you cannot manufacture bread. You can, you can manufacture bread in the bakery house, but the..., who will supply you the wheat? That is supplied by Kṛṣṇa. Eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān.

Lecture on SB 1.15.24 -- Los Angeles, December 3, 1973:

Now... Therefore we should always try to understand the will of God. That is our duty. That will of God we can understand in the human form of life. That is an opportunity. Will of God is expressed very clearly. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is said already. Nobody can say "What is the will of God? I do not know." No, you know. He says, God says, Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). "You give up all other business. You just become surrendered to Me." "And then how shall I pull on? Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: "I shall give you protection. I will give you protection and I shall release you from the effects of all sinful activity."

Lecture on SB 1.16.12 -- Los Angeles, January 9, 1974:

But we accept this Vedic knowledge, the first premises, accept, accepted. Just like we accept that God is the source of everything. God says, Kṛṣṇa says, that,

ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo

mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate

iti matvā bhajante māṁ

budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ

(BG 10.8)

Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the origin of everything. Everything emanates from Me." Mattaḥ sarvaṁ prava... Sarvam means everything. There are two things: animate and..., what is opposite? Inanimate. There are two things. So Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: "I am the source of both animate and inanimate." So Kṛṣṇa. What is Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa is life, supreme life. Kṛṣṇa is not dead. We are getting Kṛṣṇa's description. He is not a dead body. These are things very, I mean to say, elaborately described in the Vedic literature.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Mombassa, September 13, 1971:

Kṛṣṇa says, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1), "I first of all instructed this system of bhakti-yoga, Bhagavad-gītā, to the sun-god." That means Kṛṣṇa went there. Otherwise, how He could instruct the sun-god? Not only that, He says, vivasvān manave prāha manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt. So the sun-god said to his son, Manu, and Manu is the original person of the man, human being, manuṣya, man. Man, the word comes from the Manu. So Manu is the son of sun-god, so he came from the sun planet. And he begot sons here in this planet, Ikṣvāku. These are all stated by the Vedic śāstras., imaṁ vivasvate... So there was connection. In India, there are two kinds of kṣatriya family, administrator, royal family. The one royal family is coming from the sun-god, and the other royal family is coming from the moon-god. So it was not difficult to go to the sun planet if you can. Just like you are trying to go to the moon planet.

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

How can you say? Is there any bold man? You can say now like madman that "I don't believe in God." That's all right. But God will appear as death. You will have to believe at that time. That you cannot avoid. Therefore they are pramatta. If I say, "I don't believe in government," then "What is the government, sir? You will do something wrong and it will be caught up, you will be arrested, and you will be punished. You believe or not believe. It doesn't matter." Similarly, if these rascals say, "I don't believe in God," so you can say like madman, but God says, "Yes, you don't believe..." Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu. He did not believe in God. So when Nṛsiṁhadeva appeared to kill him, he had to believe: "Here is something. Here is something."

Lecture on SB 2.1.5 -- Los Angeles, August 13, 1972:

So Kṛṣṇa and His pastimes, His name, quality, paraphernalia, entourage, everything is spiritual. That is accepted by great scholars like Śaṅkarācārya. He says: nārāyaṇa parā. "Nārāyaṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is beyond this material world." There are many examples. In your Bible also, those who are Christians, God said, "Let there be creation." So there was creation. Now this world, this word is not vibration of this material world. In the material world, if I say, "Let there be some mango," so no. That is not possible. But in the spiritual vibration, that is possible. That is possible. So the study is that God said, "Let there be creation." So there was creation. Now this word existed before the creation, because "Let there be creation" means when God is speaking there was no creation. And the creation means this material world. Therefore this vibration is not material.

Lecture on SB 2.1.5 -- Delhi, November 8, 1973:

That is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā: janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti... (BG 4.9). Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti. This is the solution. Janma karma me divyam. Kṛṣṇa says, God says, that "If you try to understand Me, what is My position, why I descend, what is My activities, what is..." That is described here, śrotavya. You have to understand. How you will understand? By hearing. God has given you the ear. If you simply hear, if you simply hear... There is no question of education. It is not that one who is not educated, he will not understand what is God. He will understand, because the ear is there. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ: (SB 7.5.23) Viṣṇu, of Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, you hear. Therefore we are opening so many branches, just to give people the chance of hearing. And as soon as you perfectly hear, the next position will be to glorify.

Lecture on SB 2.8.7 -- Los Angeles, February 10, 1975:

In the Bible I think it is said, "God said, 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation." Is it not? So that is Kṛṣṇa. He simple desires, "Let there be creation," and immediately everything is ready. That is Kṛṣṇa. How it is being done? Automatically? No automatically. It is done regularly, as you do. Hetunā: there is cause. But the original cause is Kṛṣṇa's desire. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1).

Lecture on SB 3.25.9 -- Bombay, November 9, 1974:

He is within your heart. He is within everything, even within the atom. Why you cannot see God? And God says that "Try to see Me in this way. If you are so dull, then you try to see Me in this way." What? What is that easy way? Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya: (BG 7.8) "I am the taste of the water." And Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the taste of the water." So have you not tasted the water? You are drinking water. Who has not tasted? Everyone has seen God. Why he says that "I do not see God"? Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ. "I am the sunshine." Who has not seen the sunshine? Everyone has seen the sunshine. Why he says that "I have not seen God"? First of all, try to see God, A-B-C-D; then you'll see the personal God. You'll see everywhere.

Lecture on SB 3.25.18 -- Bombay, November 18, 1974:

Now, you cannot say that "We Hindus, we have made this law," "We Muslim, we have made this law," "We Parsees, we have made this law." No. What all law is given by the government you have to accept, either you are Hindu, Muslim, or Christian and Hin... It doesn't matter. Therefore dharma means to accept the law of God. Not that you manufacture something. Therefore in the Bhāgavata it is said, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). All cheating type of dharma is rejected, kicked out. Because real dharma is what is given by God. And what God says? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam... (BG 18.66). This is real dharma. This is real dharma.

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

The fact is that Kṛṣṇa is permanent, but Kṛṣṇa's material energy is not permanent. Therefore it is said, śānta-rūpe, "My dear mother," na karhicin mat-parāḥ. Mat-parāḥ. Mat means Bhagavān. Bhagavān is speaking, mat-parāḥ. Whenever... As in the Bhagavad-gītā also there are many words, mat-parāḥ, or plural number, mat-parāḥ, the same thing. So here also, Kapiladeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, says, mat-parāḥ—means "My devotees. My devotees who have taken Me as his son, friend, lover, master..." There are so many rasas: śānta-rasa, dāsya-rasa, sākhya-rasa, vātsalya-rasa, mādhurya-rasa, in so many.

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

God is teaching that "You try to see Me in this way." What is that? "When you taste the water of, the taste of the liquid, water or anything," raso 'ham apsu kaunteya, "that taste is I am." So you want to see God, but you are tasting so many liquid thing. Why don't you think that "Here is God. The taste is God"? God is teaching. You learn how to see God. Your this blunt eyes, how you can see God now? You try to see God in this way, as God says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ (BG 7.8).

Lecture on SB 3.26.40 -- Bombay, January 15, 1975:

So there is list of understanding Kṛṣṇa. Don't say that "We have not seen God. Can you show me God?" Why don't you see? The God says, "I am here," but why don't you see? God says, "I am the taste of water." So when you drink water, why don't you see God in the taste? He is visible in every step. Every working of this nature, He is doing that. Simply we have to make our eyes to see. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everything is there, present. Kṛṣṇa, God, is present everywhere. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). Kṛṣṇa is present here. Kṛṣṇa is within your heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). But when you learn the art to see Him within your heart, that is called mystic yoga. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1).

Lecture on SB 3.26.43 -- Bombay, January 18, 1975:

Kṛṣṇa says. So you haven't got to search out Kṛṣṇa anywhere. Kṛṣṇa is within you, God is within you, but still if you are doubtful, then God says, Kṛṣṇa says, "You try to understand Me in this way, tāpa apanodaḥ, the water." Everyone drinks water, very easy. So raso 'ham apsu kaunteya. Then the beginning, if you do not do anything... Just I am trying to convince you about the easy process of bhakti-yoga. Anyone, everyone, at any place, any condition of life, he can become a bhakta. Ahaituky apratihatā. This is first-class religion, to become devotee of God. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). Bhakti... When you... Bhakti means loving service. When you develop your dormant love for Kṛṣṇa and you begin to serve Him, that is called bhakti.

Lecture on SB 3.26.47 -- Bombay, January 22, 1975:

People do not understand even that what is really our distress. Kṛṣṇa says, the Supreme Personality of Godhead says personally, "These are your miseries." What? Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi: (BG 13.9) "Repetition of birth and death. This is your real misery of life." What you are thinking of this misery or that misery? They are all temporary. They are all under the laws of material nature. You cannot get out of it. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Prakṛti will force you to do something because you have contaminated the material modes of nature. Therefore you have to act under the direction of this prakṛti, material nature.

Lecture on SB 3.28.20 -- Nairobi, October 30, 1975:

So this arca-vigraha which you are worshiping, it is recommended by sādhu, by ācārya, by śāstra. It is not poetic imagination. Don't think that Kṛṣṇa's form has been carved by the sculptor by some poetic imagination. No. Sādhu śāstra guru vākya. It is confirmed by the sādhu, by śāstra, by ācārya. So why? To give us facility. Give us facility. We cannot see God by this blunt, materialistic eyes. Materialistic eyes means everything we think in the, with reference to our sense gratification. That is materialistic eyes. "Everything belongs to God"—that we cannot believe or neither we have got the power to understand it. Kṛṣṇa says, God says, sarva-loka-maheśvaram: (BG 5.29) "Everything belongs to Me." Still, we are fighting: "No, this Africa is mine," "This America is mine," or "This India is mine."

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

He said that this Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the same Lord Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa advised, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This sarva-dharmān includes all our material activities. So, but people could not understand. The instruction is still standing, Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya, "Just simply surrender unto Me." But nobody is doing that. God says that, "You surrender unto Me; I shall give you all protection." There is assurance. But we are so unfortunate that we cannot believe or cannot be assured on the words of God also. We do not believe. "Oh, God cannot give us protection. Let me try my own technology. I shall protect myself."

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

God is never opposed to sex. Who said? God said, dharmaviruddhaḥ kāmo 'smi: "Sex which is not against the regulative principle of religious life, that I am." God never says that "Stop sex." Otherwise, why there is gṛhastha āśrama? Āśrama means that there is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As soon as we say, "Here is an āśrama," we understand that there is consciousness of Kṛṣṇa. So brahmacārī āśrama, gṛhastha āśrama, vānaprastha āśrama, sannyāsa āśrama, make it āśrama and follow the rules and regulations of āśrama. Then it is all right. Otherwise you are bound up by the laws of nature.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Johannesburg, October 22, 1975:

So this Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra means... We are preaching all over the world. There is no difficulty. Everyone is joining. Everyone is chanting. So it is not very difficult task. And you can... This is yajña. And then dāna. Dāna means charity. So whatever you earn, at least some percentage of your money should be given in charity. The best charity is to give for spreading this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, God consciousness. Kṛṣṇa said, dadāsi yat kuruṣva tad mad-arpanam: "If you want to give in charity something, please give Me." Kṛṣṇa says, God says. So yajña-dāna-tapaḥ, again tapa, austerity. Yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyaḥ pāvanāni manīṣiṇām. We should not give up this practice, performing yajña, giving in charity and practicing tapasya. This is essential for the human being. This should be practiced as far as possible. So this is called pious activities. So one should be engaged in pious activities.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Johannesburg, October 22, 1975:

God is beyond speculation, that's it. But the spiritual master says what God says. He does not change. That is spiritual master. Just like a child, he asks his father, "Father, what is this?" The father says, "My dear child, it is microphone." So when the child says, "It is microphone," this is correct, although he is child. So spiritual master means he says in toto what he hears from God. That's all. That is spiritual master. He does not make any speculation. That is the qualification of spiritual master. He speaks what he has heard from God. That's all.

Lecture on SB 5.6.10 -- Bombay, December 28, 1976:

Even the so-called religionists, they have also no clear idea. Maybe some power; no clear idea. Neither they are interested to know. But so far we are concerned, we have got full description of the Lord and His pastimes, His activities. Everything is recorded in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and other Vedic literatures. And God says in the Bhagavad-gītā personally that "I was existing in the past and I shall continue to exist in the future." Similarly, the living entities, they also existed in the past and they will continue to exist in the future individually. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā in the Second Chapter. It is not that we shall be finished in future or there was no existence in the past. No. We are, both of us, we are eternal. God, Kṛṣṇa, and we, living entities, we are eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Our destruction of this material body does not mean we, as spirit soul, we are destroyed. No.

Lecture on SB 6.1.39-40 -- Surat, December 21, 1970:

Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1), that "First of all I said this principle of bhagavad-bhakti-yoga, or Bhagavad-gītā yoga, to the sun-god." Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham: "I spoke." Proktavān. Vivasvān manave prahuḥ: "And the sun-god said to his son, Manu." Manur ikṣvākave bravīt. Just see. That means the principles of Bhagavad-gītā is being accepted by the process of hearing from authority. That is the process. You cannot comment in your own way. That is not authorized. You have to hear from the authority. Therefore Kathopanisad says, tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet: (MU 1.2.12) "If anyone wants to learn the transcendental science, he has to accept." Gacchet. This is vidhiliṅ, "must." There is no exception. You cannot say that "Without going to a spiritual master, I shall learn the transcendental science." No, that is not possible.

Lecture on SB 6.1.40 -- Los Angeles, June 6, 1976:

"If you want to know who is God, what is God, then give up your, this speculative endeavor." Jñāne prayāsam. Prayāsa means endeavor: "May be like this," "Perhaps like this." No. You give up this habit. Jñane prayāsam udapāsya, give up this bad habit. Then? How? Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva: "Just become humble and meek. Don't declare yourself a great philosopher or great learned scholar and..." No. That is not the process. "Now I am a learned scholar, I can discover God, I can manufacture God." No. Give up this bad habit. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya—be humble. If you know to know God, then be humble. In the Bible also it is said, "God is for the meek and the humble," not for the impudent.

Lecture on SB 6.1.40 -- Los Angeles, June 6, 1976:

So you cannot change the words of Bhagavad-gītā. That is foolishness. Anyone who changes the orders and the words of Bhagavad-gītā, they are rascal, they'll not get any benefit. Because you cannot correct Kṛṣṇa, what Kṛṣṇa says or God says. That is not in your power. So these rascals, they want to interpret, "This is like this, this is this, I think it is this." No. Kṛṣṇa did not leave for you, for your thinking rascally. No. Kṛṣṇa is completely learned. Whatever He has said, it is perfectly in order. You cannot change.

Lecture on SB 6.1.62 -- Vrndavana, August 29, 1975:

You are collecting things for your enjoyment. But I shall... When I shall come as death, not only you shall be killed, but I shall take away whatever you possess." So this is intelligence, that... They say, "There is no God," and God says, "Yes, you see Me at the time of death." But you cannot avoid death. So before meeting death... Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu. Prahlāda Mahārāja so many times requested, "My dear father, why you are becoming atheist? By His grace you have got so much power. Just submit to Him." "No. There is no God. I am God." So this is called demon. In spite of being punished in so many ways, they will deny the existence of God.

Lecture on SB 6.2.2 -- Vrndavana, September 6, 1975:

When these rascals forget what is God, He comes. And still, they are making research. He is acting as God; He is instructing as God; He is accepted by the ācāryas as God; still, these rascals are searching out God. This is their position. Why you are searching out? Here is God. God says, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ mattaṁ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8), aham ādir hi devānāṁ maharṣīṇāṁ sa saptasaḥ (Bg 10.2). And still you are searching God? That is the folly. Even God comes before you, and if you are demon, then you cannot understand what is God.

Lecture on SB 6.2.7 -- Vrndavana, September 10, 1975:

This is the real śraddhā, faith. What is that faith? Śraddhā śabde viśvāsa. Faith means strong faith, not flickering faith, viśvāsa, "to believe." What is that viśvāsa? Śraddhā śabde viśvāsa sudṛḍha niścaya: very firm faith and with surety. Surety must be because Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, says that "You surrender unto Me, and I shall give you protection from all sinful reaction." He is assuring. Then why we shall doubt? Because we are doubting Kṛṣṇa, that is the defect, that Kṛṣṇa says; "It may be or may not be," doubt. That is called doubt. Kṛṣṇa says in many places, asaṁśaya: "Don't doubt what I say. Accept it." Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru mam evaiṣyasi asaṁśayaḥ: (BG 18.65) "You do this, and without any doubt, rest assured, you will come to Me."

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

So actually those who are religious, they have no difference, opinion, because religion means enacted by God. God is one. So not that God makes one kind of religion for one kind of person and another kind of religion for another person. Real dharma is, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead says, that "Don't manufacture your own religion. Simply surrender unto Me, the one God." That is dharma. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Whatever the Supreme Personality says, "This is dharma," that is dharma. The same example, as I have given: law means which is enacted by the king or the government. You cannot manufacture laws by your whims.

Lecture on SB 7.5.22-30 -- London, September 8, 1971:

This is godly quality. So in order to induce him to fight, Kṛṣṇa had to speak to him the whole Bhagavad-gītā. When he understood that "Although I do not wish to fight, Kṛṣṇa desires," then he took: "All right. Then I change my decision because Kṛṣṇa's desire is my first duty." That is devotee's duty. If Kṛṣṇa says, God says to devotee, that "You jump on the fire," he will do immediately. That is devotee: without any argument. So there is no consideration. Just like commander in the military active field. The commander says, "You jump in this fire," he jumps. He knows that "I'll surely die." Similarly, a devotee, fully surrendered devotee, means he is prepared to do anything for God. That is pure devotee.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 Excerpt -- Toronto, June 17, 1976:

Unless one is the best person, he cannot take up this dharma, bhāgavata-dharma. This very word is there. For whom the bhāgavata-dharma is meant for? In the beginning, so that others may not be misled that "Dharma means whatever I accept, that is dharma."... They are preaching now in India, yata mat tata path. "Whatever you accept, that is dharma." No. Dharma means bhāgavata-dharma. Whatever Bhagavān says or God says, that is dharma.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 Excerpt -- Toronto, June 17, 1976:

There cannot be different Gods. If God has got competitors, then He is not God. There cannot be Hindu God, Muslim God, Christian God, or other conception of God. God is one. God cannot be Hindu, Muslim, Christian. So... And His order is also one. That is the instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says, God says that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Real dharma is to surrender unto God. And surrender and to follow His instruction and become a lover of God. Then it is dharma. It is perfectly clear. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). In another place it is said, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). That is first-class religion. What is that? By which one can learn how to love God. This is the definition. How to love God. We have learned to love so many things, but when we love God, that is real religion. And that is first-class religion. It does not matter whether you are Hindu, Muslim, Christian or this or that.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 Excerpt -- Toronto, June 17, 1976:

This is religion. This is called bhāgavata-dharma, to understand this philosophy, that God is the supreme master and I am His eternal servant. My duty is to serve God. That's all. This is religion. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). And God comes to demand this, that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is real religion. We have manufactured so many religious systems, but God says that this is religion. Otherwise, why He would say sarva-dharmān parityajya, "Give up all other types of religion." So bhāgavata-dharma means to accept the Supreme Lord, God, as the great, and we are all His servants. Our duty is to carry out the orders of God.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 Excerpt -- Toronto, June 17, 1976:

It doesn't require that you have to pass M.A., Ph.D. examination, then you'll understand God. No. Very simple thing. What God says, Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto (BG 18.65), you hear it from Bhagavad-gītā. God says, Kṛṣṇa says that "You simply think of Me." Is it a very difficult task? Here is God, Kṛṣṇa. Either you say the image of God... We take God as He is. It is not image of God, but God Himself. He has come here in the form which you can see. God is everywhere, but unfortunately we haven't got eyes to see Him.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1-2 -- Stockholm, September 6, 1973:

First of all, you have to understand what is dharma. Dharma, as I have already explained, the order given by God. That is dharma. And what is the order of God? God says that "You surrender unto Me." Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). God says that "You always think of Me," and, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto, "You just become My devotee," and, man-manā bhava, mad-yājī, "You worship Me, and you offer your obeisances." These things we are doing. We are thinking of somebody. Because without thinking you cannot remain. But God says, "You think of Me." You cannot avoid thinking of somebody. Just like a girl is thinking of his lover, a boy, a boy is thinking of his lover. So we must be thinking of somebody. Or in grown-up stage, I am thinking something else, my child, my home. So Kṛṣṇa says, God says, that "You think of Me." So you have to change your thinking process. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto. And we are already devotees. We are devotees of the country, of the society, of the person, of the president, of the king, so many. God says, that, "You become My devotee." Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto. Mad-yājī: We are worshiping our leader. So God is the supreme leader.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1-2 -- Stockholm, September 6, 1973:

So where is the change? How we have advanced? You have selected another leader, that's all. You have to select. So the worship must go on. Either you become Communist or not Communist." So God says that "Instead of worshiping so many others, you worship Me." So, and man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). And "You offer my respect to Me." So these things... You may accept any type of religion; that doesn't matter. But think of God, worshiping God, offering obeisances God, that cannot be changed. Either you become Christian or Hindu or Muslim, it does not matter. These four things cannot be changed. Therefore, the principles of religion: thinking of God, worshiping God, offering obeisances to Him, and to become devotee of God, that cannot be changed. That is real religion.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1-2 -- Stockholm, September 6, 1973:

Materialism means that you are dealing with earth, water, fire, air, or the ether, or mind, intelligence, so far. These are the subject matters of studying materialism. But God says: "They are My separated energies." These matters, you have not produced this earth, water, air, fire. That's a fact. That is produced by the energy of God. So while dealing with material things, if you remember that this material thing is produced by God then you are perfect. And if you theorize that it has dropped from the sky, then you are materialistic. That is the difference between materialist and spiritualist. A spiritualist knows that wherefrom this earth has come, wherefrom the water has come, wherefrom this fire has come. Then he is spiritualist, God conscious.

Lecture on SB 7.9.6 -- Mayapur, February 26, 1977:

They cannot do it. Science means not only observation but experiment also. That is complete. Otherwise theory. It is not science. So they have got different theories. That anyone can put forward. That is not But real fact is that Kṛṣṇa is spiritual and He's the Supreme. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). This is the Vedic injunction. God is the supreme nitya, eternal, and the Supreme Living Being. In the dictionary also it is said, "God means the Supreme Being." They could not understand Supreme Living Being. But in the Vedas it is said not only Supreme Being, but Supreme Living Being. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetānām eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. That is the description of God.

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

Devotee: He said God means everything, and they say that God is everywhere.

Prabhupāda: Are you everywhere? Now you are on the street. Are you in your home?

Devotee: Some people say they are, though. They say, "I am everything."

Prabhupāda: That's all right. Are you President Johnson? If you are everything, then why you are abiding by the state laws? You are under the state laws. If you say in the police station, "I am everything. You cannot say anything," will it be accepted? How do you say you are everything? You are crazy. Yes.

Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Montreal, July 6, 1968:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that "All these qualifications are not good assessment for approaching the Supreme Personality of Godhead." He is nullifying. Do not think that because you have got good education or scientific knowledge, then you can understand what is God. That is not possible. Just like the other day we were, I was reading one magazine. In the Bible it is said that God said "Let there be creation," and there was creation. Similarly, in the Bhagavad-gītā also, we understand that Kṛṣṇa says, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca: (BG 7.4) "These eight gross and subtle material elements, they are My differentiated energy." So these statements of Bible or Bhagavad-gītā... We can understand that God created this cosmic manifestation. But in the paper we read the other day that the scientific men believe that there was a chunk in the beginning, and all of a sudden it burst out and the planets came out.

Lecture on SB 7.9.11 -- Montreal, August 17, 1968:

The fact is that these fools, these rascals who are thinking that this world is for their enjoyment, this money belongs to him... It is stated here, aviduṣaḥ. Aviduṣaḥ means rascal, without any education. Without any education. They have got all these university degrees and without education? Yes. Why? Because they have no spiritual education. So aviduṣaḥ. So mānaṁ janam aviduṣaḥ karuṇo vṛṇīte. When Kṛṣṇa says or God says that "Give Me this...," Just like He is begging from Bali Mahārāja, Vāmanadeva, "My dear King, will you give Me a little land?" So his spiritual master, he was a demon. He forbade Bali Mahārāja not to promise, because He is Viṣṇu. "He'll take everything from you." That's a nice story. Some of you know how Bali Mahārāja became a great devotee of the Lord. Now here it is stated that mānaṁ janād aviduṣaḥ karuṇo vṛṇīte. Whatever He wants from any person, provided he is a devotee... The Lord does not accept anything from nondevotee. That is clearly stated in Bhagavad-gītā. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26).

Lecture on SB 7.9.23 -- Mayapur, March 1, 1976:

So Kṛṣṇa says, therefore... The atheist class of men who do not believe in God, decry the authority of God, for them... Of course, everyone dies, but for them, mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham: (BG 10.34) Kṛṣṇa comes as death and takes away everything in their possession. But foolish persons, they do not see still. God says, Kṛṣṇa says, that "This death I am." Still they'll not. And it is a fact. When Kṛṣṇa comes as death, as Hiraṇyakaśipu, he was atheist, did not believe in God, but when God, Nṛsiṁhadeva came, then he was vanquished, everything, within a second. Nirastaḥ. Sa tu te nirastaḥ.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.106-107 -- San Francisco, February 13, 1967:

The Lord, God... God is out of all these imperfections. And what are the scriptures? The scriptures are the words of God. In every scripture, you'll find, "God said." In Bible it is said, "God said, 'Let there be creation.' " So therefore why God..., we are bringing God for creation? Because that will be perfect. If God said "Let there be creation," that creation will be perfect. Don't you see how this creation is perfect? We require water, so much, a large quantity. So God has created this earth in such a way that three-fourths of the earth is covered with water. And the water is salty. Why? The water is reserved. Unless it is salty, it will decompose. And how the water is distributed? Oh, there is sun. Sun evaporates the water, and that means salt is made minus and the pure water is evaporated on the sky, and that is distributed all over the world and it is kept on the highest summit of the mountain so that it can come down by gravitation throughout the whole year through the rivers, channel, and you can get water. Now see—nature study—how it is perfectly made. Can you do that? No. It is not possible.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.107-109 -- San Francisco, February 15, 1967:

So God says, "I do not know." He's such a God. And that is clearly written. Have you got that book? God, God, God... The followers of Śaṅkarācārya say that "I am God. There is no other God. Every one of us God." Then why you have become dog? "Oh, that I do not know." Is that God's, I mean to say, answer? If I ask if you are God, if I answer you, "Why you are dog?" you say, "I do not know," so are you God? God does not know? Well, God description is there in Parāśara-sūtra that He is full of all knowledge. That is God. And God says, "I do not know"? How he is...? What kind of God he is? That is clearly stated here. Why you have become dog? "I do not know. But I am God." He knows, "I am God," but he does not know why he has become dog.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.254 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1968:

She gives evidence that Kṛṣṇa is the father. Just like mother gives evidence who is your father, similarly, the Vedic literatures is compared to a mother, and the Vedic literature says that Kṛṣṇa is the father. In your Christian literature, Bible, Jesus Christ is accepted as the son of God. He presented himself as son of God. And here Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the father." So there is no contradiction. The son of God also says about God, and the father also says about the God, Himself. The son of God says that "You surrender unto God," and God says, "You surrender unto Me." Then where there is contradiction? There is no contradiction.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 8.128 -- Bhuvanesvara, January 24, 1977:

Prabhupāda: God is everywhere. That is understood. But that does not mean... God says, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ (BG 9.4). Why don't you read this?

Guest (5): No. That is true. If we will not believe that, then we will be helping people? We will be helping lot of people? No, that is not...

Prabhupāda: Well, we understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is. We don't make any interpretation.

Guest (5): In Bhagavad-gītā Śrī Kṛṣṇa says, "I live in everybody."

Prabhupāda: Who denies that? That does not mean God is everything.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 8.128 -- Bhuvanesvara, January 24, 1977:

Guest (3): Yes. God is different. And we cannot say that we are equal to God.

Prabhupāda: Yes. And God says further, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat: (BG 7.7) "Nobody is equal." Asamaurdha: "Nobody is equal to God; nobody is greater than God." That is God. All right. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.102 -- Baltimore, July 7, 1976:

So in the state of the Supreme Lord, you cannot kill even a mosquito or even a fly. You'll be punished. Because God says that "Everyone is My child." Just the same example. Suppose I have got so many brothers. One brother is a fool, so he creates me some disturbances. I kill him. So will the father be happy? If you say, "Father, your this child was disturbing me. I have killed him," the father will be sorry, "Why you have killed him?" This is natural. Because one child of the father is a fool, the other intelligent child cannot kill him. Then the father will be angry or sorry.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.110 -- New York, July 17, 1976:

So those foolish persons who are challenging, "Can you show me God?" rascal, why don't you see God here, śaśi-sūrayoḥ? You do not see the sunshine, the moonshine? Why do you say that "I did not see God"? Huh? What is this argument? If Kṛṣṇa said, God said, "Here I am. I am the moonshine, I am the sunshine," why don't you see Him? Huh? You have to see according to your capacity. You cannot see with your, these present eyes the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is not possible. Now see the illumination of God. Just like, practical, we can experience the sunshine. Everyone knows what is sunshine, but everyone is not aware of the temperature of the sun or the person within the sun. But that's a fact. Otherwise, Kṛṣṇa is liar. Kṛṣṇa said, "I spoke this philosophy to the sun-god." So sun-god is there, that's a fact. And then if the sun-god is there, his devotees or his associates are also there.

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

Now, Lord Caitanya is explaining this system, different system, ritualistic, philosophical, meditation, morality, all these in śāstra-kahe. Real Vedic instruction... Just like, what is Veda? Veda means the words of the Lord. That is Veda. Scripture means the words of the Lord. God says, "Let there be light." God says, "Let there be creation." These words are scripture. Now one who takes out... Just like sound is transmitted from a certain place, and one who catches by the machine, he gets the information. Similarly, Veda means instruction transmitted by the Supreme Lord, and there are capable personalities, just like Brahmā, that capture it, and that is distributed, either in writing or by tradition, by hearing. That is scripture. The words of God. Now, here the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is personally speaking Bhagavad-gītā. Is it not Veda? That is Veda. That is real Veda. Sarva-upaniṣade.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Verse 32 -- New York, July 26, 1971:

So people who deny existence of God, they say that "Can you show me God?" You are seeing God. Why you are denying? God says that "I am the sunshine. I am the moonshine." And who has not seen the sunshine and moonshine? Everyone has seen. As soon as there is morning, there is sunshine. So if sunshine is God, then you have seen God. Why do you deny? You cannot deny. Kṛṣṇa says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya: (BG 7.8) "I am the taste of the water." So who has not tasted water? We are drinking, daily, gallons of water. We are thirsty, and the good taste which quench our thirst, that is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Verse 32 -- New York, July 26, 1971:

So before accepting anyone as God, imitating Kṛṣṇa, one should inquire from him "Whether you can lift a hill? Whether you can show the universal form? Whether you can kill such and such demons? Then I shall accept." That is intelligence. Don't accept a foolish man, declaring himself as God, and you accept also God. God is not so cheap. You should know what is God. These descriptions are there. No more, no man, no living entity is greater than God. Therefore God is said: "God is great." Great means nobody can be greater than Him, nobody can be equal to Him. That is greatness. Six opulences. That is analytical study what is God.

Festival Lectures

Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day Lecture -- London, August 21, 1973:

Sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ. God, Kṛṣṇa, when I speak Kṛṣṇa, that means God. If there is any important name... God, it is sometimes said God has no name. That's a fact. But God's name is given by His activities. Just like Kṛṣṇa accepted the sonhood of Mahārāja Nanda, or Yaśodāmāyī, or Devakī, or Vasudeva. Vasudeva and Devakī were Kṛṣṇa's real father and mother. Nobody is real father and mother of Kṛṣṇa, because Kṛṣṇa is the original father of everyone. But when Kṛṣṇa comes here, advents, He accepts some devotees as His father, as His mother. Kṛṣṇa is the original, ādi-puruṣaṁ. Ādyaṁ Purāṇa-puruṣam nava-yauvanaṁ ca (Bs. 5.33). He is the original person. Then must be very old? No.

Sri Vyasa-puja -- Hyderabad, August 19, 1976:

Dharma means sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam. Just like the law. Law means what is given by the government. You cannot manufacture law at your home. Suppose in the street, common sense, the government law is keep to the right or keep to the left. You cannot say "What is the wrong there if I go to the right or left?" No, that you cannot. Then you'll be criminal. Similarly nowadays... Not nowadays—from time immemorial there are so many religious systems. So many. But real religious system is what God says or Kṛṣṇa says. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is religion. Simple. You cannot manufacture.

Sri Vyasa-puja -- Hyderabad, August 19, 1976:

So Kṛṣṇa says that ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān: (SB 11.17.27) "You accept ācārya as I am." Why? I see that he is a man. His sons call him father, or he looks like a man, so why he should be as good as God? Because he speaks as God speaks, that's all. Therefore. He does not make any change. Just like God says, Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). The guru says that you surrender to Kṛṣṇa or God. The same word. God says man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Guru says that you always think of Kṛṣṇa, you surrender unto Him, you offer Him prayer, you become His devotee. There is no change. Because he says as the Supreme Personality says, therefore he is guru. Even though you see that he is materially born, his behavior is like other men. But because he says the same truth as it is spoken in the Vedas or by the Personality of Godhead, therefore he is guru. Because he does not make any change whimsically, therefore he is guru.

His Divine Grace Srila Sac-cid-ananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Appearance Day, Lecture -- London, September 3, 1971:

He does not know how to worship. How he can be bona fide? Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). Why he should go to the demigods? That means he has no knowledge. Kṛṣṇa says, mām ekam. Why should you go to others? That means he's insufficiently qualified. Why should you go to the demigods? What is the necessity? He's not bona fide. Because he has insufficient knowledge. Bona fide spiritual must be sufficiently knowledge. Kṛṣṇa says, mām ekam; God says, mām ekam. Why he should go to demigods? That is his proof that he's not bona fide.

Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami's Appearance Day -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:

Narādhama means "lowest of the mankind." Anyone who does not accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead and does not surrender unto Him, he is considered the lowest of the mankind. It is not sectarian. It is a fact. Because the Supreme Personality of Godhead says Himself.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Address -- London, September 11, 1969:

Prabhupāda: I do not know what is Billy Graham, but I am following the Vedic principle, Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). God says that "You give up all nonsense occupation, simply surrender unto Me, and I take charge of you and give you protection." This is our philosophy.

Reporter: Can I ask you some questions about your general attitudes on things going on around us? For instance, what do you feel about man going to the moon? (laughter)

Prabhupāda: This is simply a waste of time. I already commented on this when I was in San Francisco. The reporters asked me this very question. I flatly replied that it is simply waste of time and money. That's all.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation of Hrsikesa Dasa and Marriage of Satsvarupa and Jadurani -- New York, September 5, 1968:

It cannot be without it. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). These four classes of divisions are there according to different qualities, and Kṛṣṇa says, or God says, "That is My creation." So there cannot be any exception of His creation. Just like God's creation is sun. In every country there is sun, not that the sun can be seen in India. In every country there is moon. Similarly, this caste system is present in every country, in every society, but it may be called in different names. So the śūdras means the lowest class of men, who have no culture, but the higher classes, the brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, they are considered highly cultured. And how they are called highly cultured? Because they are twice-born.

Initiation Lecture -- Boston, December 26, 1969:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for bringing men to the real life. Always remember this. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). It takes... Just like to cure a disease it takes little time. But if you take to the process of cure, then that is very good. In the Bhagavad-gītā, Bhagavān, the Personality of Godhead says,

api cet su-durācāro

bhajate mām ananya-bhāk

sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ

samyag vyavasito hi saḥ

(BG 9.30)

Kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā śaśvac-chāntiṁ nigacchati. Those who have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness seriously, even there are some faults, still, they are saintly persons. That is the recommendation of Kṛṣṇa. Because that fault may be due to his past habits, but that is being stopped. Just like you make the switch off, no more electric current will act, but the fan still gives some rounds due to the past force. Similarly, a Kṛṣṇa consciousness person, even if he's found in fault, Kṛṣṇa says, "No."

Initiation Sri Ranga, Romaharsana, Sridhara Dasas -- Los Angeles, July 3, 1970:

Devotee: Minimizing the authority of the scripture or...

Prabhupāda: Yes. Scriptural injunction we should not minimize. We should not think contradictory. We should accept as it is. Then it will be good for us. Or interpretation. Scriptural interpretation is not required. Therefore, we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without any false interpretation. As it is. Kṛṣṇa-Kṛṣṇa. Kurukṣetra-Kurukṣetra. Pāṇḍava-Pāṇḍava. Dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā (BG 1.1). Kṛṣṇa uvāca. Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavān uvāca: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead said." And we should not add here that... What is called? Paramātmā uvāca. No. Kṛṣṇa uvāca. Paramātmā is feature. In the Gītā Press edition you will see "Paramātmā." They never say Kṛṣṇa. They're so much afraid that "If I say 'Kṛṣṇa,' He will at once capture me." You see? (chuckles) So in a different way. "Paraṁ Brahman," "Caitanya," like this, so many impersonal ways they will say. But that is not required. Bhagavān uvāca means Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Sometimes they say, "Blessed Lord said." No.

Initiation and Brahma-samhita Lecture -- New York, July 26, 1971:

So this is going on. Therefore the ādi-puruṣa, Kṛṣṇa is ādi-puruṣa; He's a person. But because He's not a person like us, therefore ordinary person cannot understand God can be person. He thinks that "God must be a person like me." His limited knowledge, speculator, poor fund of knowledge, he thinks that "God must be like me." Therefore in some of the scriptures He's denied personality, because this rascal thinks that "God is a person like me." Therefore it is said: not person. When it is said God is not person, that means He's not a person like you. He's not a rascal like you. That is description. When it is negatively described that He's not a person, that means He's not a person like you.

Wedding Ceremonies

Wedding of Syama dasi and Hayagriva -- Los Angeles, December 25, 1968:

So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is particularly to go back to Godhead, giving up this material world, which is full of miserable life. It is actually full of miseries, but those who are thinking that "I am happy," or "We are happy," they are under illusion, māyā. That is called māyā. Actually, there is no happiness, because the Supreme Personality of Godhead says it is a place of misery.

Initiation of Sri-Caitanya dasa and Wedding of Pradyumna and Arundhati -- Columbus, May 14, 1969:

Of course, in this country it is being presented for the last two years, but the thing is not new. It is the oldest because, if we take the version of Bhagavad-gītā, Lord (Kṛṣṇa) says, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam: (BG 4.1) "This yoga system, Bhagavad-gītā, was spoken by Me to Vivasvān, the sun-god." Vivasvān manave prāha: "And the sun-god said to his son Manu." Manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam: (BG 4.2) "In this way it is coming." So kaleneha yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa: "But unfortunately that link has been broken; therefore I am speaking again to you the old philosophy, yoga system, Bhagavad-gītā, unto you, Arjuna."

General Lectures

Lecture to Technology Students (M.I.T.) -- Boston, May 5, 1968:

So any devotee of God or Kṛṣṇa is not fond of war or fighting with any others. But if there is necessity, if Kṛṣṇa wants that fight, a devotee of Kṛṣṇa will accept such fight. If you think that your Vietnam fighting is ordered by Kṛṣṇa, then it is all right. If it is not, then it is not. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If Kṛṣṇa says, if God says, "This is right," we accept it right. If God says it is wrong, we accept it wrong. Because we think, we have poor fund of knowledge. We do not know what is right and wrong. Therefore if God says or Kṛṣṇa says this is right, we accept it right. If God says or Kṛṣṇa says it is wrong, we accept it wrong. Yes?

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

He knows the pains and pleasures of everyone. These are the statements in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṣetrajñaṁ ca māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata: "As individual soul is conscious, is, only of his body, similarly, I am also conscious of everyone's body." The Supreme Personality of Godhead says that "I am conscious of everyone's body," because He is all-pervading. He is all-pervading. That is all-pervading consciousness. So this all-pervading consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we are preaching, consciousness, all-pervading consciousness, universal consciousness. So our consciousness, when it is dovetailed with universal consciousness, them our consciousness also becomes universal consciousness.

Lecture -- Seattle, September 30, 1968:

If you say that "This man is very great," now there must be an understanding how you estimate that he is great. These are different stages of understanding. So how do you understand that God is great? What is your calculation, that from, on this point, God is great? Just like in your Bible it is said, "God said 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation." Is it not? Is it not statement? So here is greatness. He simply said, "Let there be creation," and there was creation. Can you do that? Suppose you are very nice carpenter. Can you say, "Let there be a chair," and at once there is a chair? Is it possible? Suppose you are manufacturer of this watch. Can you say that "I say, let there be watch," and there is immediately watch? That is not possible.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 2, 1968:

The judge will at once say, "Who are you to interpret? You have no right." Then what is the authority of this lawbook if everyone comes, "I interpret in this way"? And interpretation when required? When a thing is not understood. If I say, "It is watch," and everyone understands that "This is watch, yes," then where is the opportunity of interpreting that this is spectacle? If anyone can understand the clear passage... Just like in the Bible, "God said, 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation." Where is the question of interpretation? Yes, God created. You cannot create. Where is the opportunity of interpretation? So unnecessary interpretation is not required and that is not bona fide, and those who are interpreting unnecessarily, they should be rejected immediately. Immediately, without any consideration. God said, "Let there be creation." So there was creation. Simple thing. Where is the question of interpretation? What can be the interpretation here? Suggest that this can be interpretation. Am I right? In the beginning of the Bible it is said like that? "God said, 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation. So what is your interpretation? Tell me what is your interpretation. Is there any possibility of interpretation? Can any one of you suggest? Then where is the opportunity of interpretation? One can explain. That is different thing, but the fact that God created, that will remain.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 4, 1968:

If I ask the scientist, "What is the cause of this chunk?" they cannot reply. So find out the cause, and you'll find that... If I cannot find, then we have to follow... Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186), we have to follow the authorized ācāryas. If you be Christian, just follow Jesus Christ. He says, "There is God." Then you accept there is God. He says that "God created this. He said that 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation." So we accept this, "Yes. God created." Here also in the Bhagavad-gītā God says, Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo (BG 10.8), "I am the origin." So God is the origin of creation. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam: (Bs. 5.1) He is the cause of all causes.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 18, 1968:

So here in the Bhagavad-gītā, the Supreme Personality of Godhead explaining Himself, Kṛṣṇa. So if you say, "How can I believe that Kṛṣṇa said? Somebody has written in the name of Kṛṣṇa that 'Kṛṣṇa said,' 'God said.' " No. This is called disciplic succession. You will see in this book, Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa, what Kṛṣṇa said, and how Arjuna understood. These things are described there. And the sādhu, saintly person, beginning from Vyāsadeva, Nārada, down to many ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, and latest, Lord Caitanya, in this way, they have accepted: "Yes. It is spoken by Kṛṣṇa." So this is the proof. If saintly persons have accepted... They have not denied. Authorities, they have accepted, "Yes." This is called sādhu. And because sādhu, saintly persons have accepted, therefore it is scripture. That is the test.

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

So "God created" means God is not one of the beings who were created. He is beyond creation. Therefore one great stalwart ācārya of India, Śaṅkarācārya, whose name you might have heard, he says, nārāyaṇaḥ para avyaktāt, avyaktāt anya-sambhavaḥ: "Nārāyaṇa, God, the Supreme Lord, He is beyond this creation. He's not one of the created beings." You try to understand. God said, "Let there be creation," and there was creation: "Yes." His word is sufficient. His word is sufficient. You can take practical example. In your country you can understand this nice example. During the fall, all of a sudden, all the leaves of the tree, they fall down.

Lecture 'Nobody Wants to Die' -- Boston, May 7, 1968:

Just like you are feeling some itching. You want to itch it. Immediately hand goes. It does not require that you have to train the hand to itch it. So you have got such energy. So just imagine—He's complete. He's full—how much His energy is perfect. He doesn't require. Immediately He desires... Just like in Bible it is said, "God said, 'Let there be creation,'—immediately there was creation." So His energy is so perfect that He wanted to see this material cosmic manifestation—immediately there was. But because we haven't got such energy we think this is all illusion or fictitious or something like that. Because if you want something immediately, you have no such energy that, immediately, the same thing is done. That is not possible.

Lecture Excerpt -- Bombay, November 10, 1970:

If He is not living, how this world is working? We have no eyes to see. Bhagavad-gītā says, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram: (BG 9.10) "Under My superintendence." Background is God. Under His direction. In the Bible also it is said, "God created this." Yes. That's a fact. Not that there was, there might have been a chunk and it was spread like this and there was sun, there was... No. Actually sa aikṣata. In the Vedas also it is said, sa aikṣata, sa (indistinct). So these are Vedic injunction. But this is fact, God created. So we have to open our eyes to see. That is ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12).

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, February 23, 1971:

Kṛṣṇa says that "This system of bhagavad-bhakti-yoga was spoken first by Me to the sun-god." Vivasvān manave prāha manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt. "And Vivasvān, the sun-god, said this philosophy to his son Manu, and Manu said to his son Ikṣvāku." Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). So from this formula, if we study Bhagavad-gītā, then taking the age of Manu, Vivasvān, Ikṣvāku, it becomes not less than forty millions of years. So Bhagavad-gītā is not a new thing. It is coming down from an age forty millions of years back. (break) And besides that, we are represented in Tokyo, in Canada, in Europe, in America, like that. We have got fifty centers all over the world.

Lecture -- Paris, June 26, 1971:

So we can know. So He says that "Simply by understanding what I am..." Kṛṣṇa says or God says, janma karma me divyam: "My appearance, or taking birth just like a human being, is transcendental." It is not exactly like the human body, but God is so kind that He comes before us as an ordinary human being. Unfortunately one who does not know about Him, he thinks that Kṛṣṇa, or God, is like one of us. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ (BG 9.11). That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. "Those who are mūḍhas, rascals, they think Me as if one of the human being." Actually He is not. So we have got the chance to know about Him. Provided we read the right literatures under right direction, we can know. That possibility is there.

Speech at Olympia Theater -- Paris, June 26, 1971, (with translator):

We can see God in every moment. But if we deny to see God, then God will be present before us as the cruel death. There are different features of the Supreme Personality of Godhead because He is the original root cause of all cosmic manifestation. In the Bhagavad-gītā there is nice description how you can gradually understand and see God personally, face to face. Just like the Personality of Godhead says therein that "I am the taste in water. I am the sunlight. I am the moonlight. I am the sound vibration in the sky and I am the supreme character of a great personality." So if we (are) actually serious to understand the science of God, if we try to follow the injunction given in the Bhagavad-gītā... Just like God is the taste of the water. Everyone is tasting water daily, not only once but several times.

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

Just like in the Bible it is said, "God said, 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation." Is it not? It is fact. It is fact. Now you find out who created this universe. If you deny this fact, "No. God does not create," then you explain how it was created. So there is no difference between Bible and Vedic literature. We accept also, "God created." But in the Vedic literature you will find how God created. That you'll find. So if you are actually serious to understand how God created, why don't you come to Vedic literature? That is the duty of every student. If you are after the knowledge, why should you stick to one particular place or...? If the knowledge is available in other places, you must have it. That is inquisitiveness, seriousness. But if you say, "No. We are Christian.

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

One thing is that nobody can understand God if he is sinful. But Kṛṣṇa says, God says, that "You surrender unto Me. I shall help you how to get rid of the resultant action of your sinful life." So to approach God, either you become sinless by your own efforts or you simply surrender unto God, and He will help you to become sinless. Whichever you like. He is giving full freedom. He is asking that you surrender. He is not forcing. God can force you—He is all-powerful—but He doesn't interfere with your independence. Because we are part and parcel of God—God is fully independent—so we have got also little particle of independence. As soon as we misuse that independence, disobey the words of God, we become sinful.

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

So there is no use of fighting like this, to kill them and take the... Let... Let them enjoy." That was his conclusion. But Kṛṣṇa induced them, induced Arjuna, "No. This is the right cause. You must fight." So similarly, war is not always bad. Nothing is bad, nothing is good, unless it is used for God. That's it. Our philosophy is everything is good. God is all-good. So if He advises to fight, that is also good. But we shall depend on the discretion of God. If God wants us to fight, then we shall fight. If God wants us to stop fight, then we shall not fight. Because we are surrendered to God, so whatever God orders, we have to do. That's all. We don't say, "This is good; this is bad." Whatever God says, that is good. What God does not say, prohibit, that is bad. This is our conclusion.

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

Guest (8): The question remains of how is one to tell what God says, and many, many people have been brought up to believe that you find what God says by asking what does the state say. Now, as I understand the Christian tradition, it was quite different to that. The conscience coming from God can often bring you into conflict with the state, as Jesus himself found. Now, I think I understand what you are saying about the Bhagavad-gītā and Kṛṣṇa can say a certain war is good because it's right. But in today's circumstances the question still remains of can you find what God thinks or God says by finding out what the state wants and...

Prabhupāda: God says... For the time being you are not in direct touch with God, but you can follow the Biblical instruction. God's agent, Lord Jesus Christ, says—you follow that. The ten commandments are there. Lord Jesus Christ said, "Thou shall not kill." So you should not kill. Why should you kill? You follow this instruction, God's representative. Then you gradually develop your God consciousness.

Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 18, 1972:

Similarly, transcendental knowledge... Just like I was speaking that there is a spiritual world. It is not the subject matter of our speculation. But when God says, "Yes, there is a spiritual world, that is My headquarters," that is all right. That is all right. Yes. So we receive knowledge from Kṛṣṇa, the best authority. Therefore our knowledge is perfect. We are not perfect, but our knowledge is perfect. Because we receive knowledge from the perfect. The same example, that I am not perfect to understand who is my father, but my mother is perfect, and because I accept the perfect knowledge of my mother, therefore my knowledge of father is perfect. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for giving perfect knowledge to the human society: what He is, what is God, what is this material world, why you have come here, why you have to undergo so much tribulation, miserable condition of life, why I die.

Lecture at Bharata Chamber of Commerce 'Culture and Business' -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973:

God inspiration comes for every work. That's a fact. But we deny... Just like... You take this simple exam, example. Just like a thief. From within, he's forbidden: "Don't commit theft." But he does it. He does it. You have got all experience about these things. God says from within, "Don't do it," but we do it. That is the defect of without being Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just like a thief. He knows that for his criminal activities he'll be punished. He has seen it, that a thief is arrested and he's taken to the prison house. And he has heard from the śāstra and from lawbooks that committing theft is not good. Why does he commit it? He knows and he has seen it.

Lecture -- London, August 23, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa says, God says, that when there is too much disobedience in the matter of law of the Supreme Lord, adharma, adharmasya abhyutthānam... Godlessness, without any knowledge of God, without any knowledge of the God's order, that is called dharmasya glānir, discrepancies in the matter of discharging the order of God. Tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham. At that time, God advents or descends. He descends personally, He descends by His representative, by His son, or by His name also. Because they are all identical. God, His representative, His name, His form, His activities, everything in relationship to God, that is also God. This evening we are discussing. Actually this world is also God.

Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

These are the Vedic information. God means na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate. He has nothing to do; He has simply to desire. I think in your Christian Bible also it is said, "God said 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation." He has to simply desire. Other things will be done by His energies. Just like big man, a king or president, his simply sanction order—"This must be done"—the things will be done by the subordinates, by... He has go so many energies, secretaries. So why not for God, the Supreme Being, God? So therefore the Vedic instruction is, God has nothing to do, practically. Simply His desire is sufficient. Na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate na tasya samaś cābhyadhikaś ca dṛśyate. There is nobody equal to Him or above Him. Everyone must be below, subordinate. That is Vedic instruction.

Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

I'm planning to enjoy this material world, but I have to die. I have to give up this body, at any moment. There is no guarantee that I shall live so many years. There is no guarantee. At any moment." Therefore the death has been described by Kṛṣṇa, mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś ca aham. Mṛtyu means death, and sarva-haraś ca means one who take away everything. Sarva-haraś ca. "That is I am," Kṛṣṇa says, or God says. Those who are demons, those who cannot see God or feel the presence of God, they are called demons. So sometimes we hear they say, "Can you show me God?" Well, God is everywhere. God is within your heart. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). God is within this universe. God is within your heart. God is within the atom also.

Lecture at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan -- Bombay, October 18, 1973:

So this may be changed in different countries and different laws, but law means which is given by the state. Similarly, dharma means which is given by God. You cannot manufacture dharma. That will not be applicable. So therefore Kṛṣṇa says, the Supreme Personality of Godhead says that "I descend." Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). What is that glāniḥ? When one forgets Kṛṣṇa, or God, and manufacture his own religion, paśu-dharma, he cannot be happy. That is not possible. Just like if you make your own laws, you cannot be happy. You must obey the laws of the state. Similarly, what is the law of God? That is dharma.

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

This is the offering obeisance to guru. Guru is described as respectable as the Supreme Personality of God. Ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyāt (SB 11.17.27). The Supreme Personality of Godhead says that "Ācārya should be accepted as I am. And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, ācāryopāsanam. Ācāryopāsanam. So therefore we have to receive the knowledge in the disciplic succession of ācārya. That is also described in the Bhagavad-gītā: evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Rājarṣayaḥ. This knowledge, they were understood by the rājarṣi. Rājarṣi means king; at the same time, saintly person. Not the king and robber, dasyu-dharma, imply exacting taxes, "Come on, give me tax, and you go to hell." That is not king. That is not government. It is government's duty to make... The government should be Kṛṣṇa conscious, and it is government's duty to see that everyone is Kṛṣṇa conscious or God conscious—you say "Kṛṣṇa" or "God"; it doesn't matter.

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

He, God said, Kṛṣṇa said, that "Out of many millions of person, one is interested to make his life success." This is not success, that "I can eat whatever I like. There is no checking. And I have got very nice car, and I have got very nice apartment. And I have got nice bank balance. So now life is, my, perfect." This is not perfection, because we are under the grip of the laws of material nature. Material nature is controlling. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). How the material nature is controlling? She has got machine, three modes of material nature.

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

And Kṛṣṇa said, God says, "One who is completely freed from sinful life, he can take to devotional service." So therefore we have prescribed four principles, regulative principles: No illicit sex. We don't say "No sex." No illicit sex. No meat-eating. There are so many things, nice things, especially in your country, America, so many nice fruits, so many nice grains, milk. Why should you kill? We are not. We have got hundreds of centers. We are strictly following. And you have taken our prasādam feast. How delicious they are. So why they should kill? The argument is sometimes offered: "The vegetable has got life." Yes, we admit also. But our process is to take the prasādam. Prasādam means we offer foodstuff to Kṛṣṇa and after eating, whatever He left, we take that. This is our principle.

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

Prabhupāda: Other religion... Why you are concerned with other religion? Talk of what God says in your Bible.

Woman: What it says in my Bible?

Prabhupāda: Yes. You are saying that God created human being after His image. Is it not?

Woman: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Then God, His image is like human being.

Lecture -- Honolulu, May 25, 1975:

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

Tenth Anniversary Address -- Washington, D.C., July 6, 1976:

So this system, one system, to accept the real principles of religion. That is, Kṛṣṇa also explained. It is explained by Kṛṣṇa, that Kṛṣṇa came, appeared. Why? What is the purpose of Kṛṣṇa's appearing? Sometimes they argue, atheist class of men, that God cannot come. Why God cannot come? God is your father's servant, that He cannot come? You are ordering? If He cannot come, how He is God? God can do everything. Why you say that God cannot come? He is not under your rules and regulations. Then He is not God. God can come. God says, "Yes, I come!"

yadā yadā hi dharmasya

glānir bhavati bhārata

abhyutthānam adharmasya

tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham

(BG 4.7)

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ

vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām

dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya

sambhavāmi yuge yuge

(BG 4.8)

So why God cannot come? So when God says, "Yes, I come for this purpose. This is My mission..." Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati. What is that glānir? Glānir means discrepancies. Not, the principles of religious..., when it is not executed properly, that is called glānir.

Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, January 29, 1977, (with Oriyan translator):

So it is our duty to understand, and some of them are trying to understand what is God. Now, here Kṛṣṇa, bhagavān uvāca, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, said that "You can understand Me perfectly." Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). Bhagavān is the last word of the Absolute Truth. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam (SB 1.2.11). So to understand Bhagavān is the last word, vedānta. Vedānta means... Veda means knowledge, and anta means the last word. Everything has some end.

General Lecture -- (location & date unknown):

So karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantor deha upapattaye (SB 3.31.1). We act, and the result of the action is just by the superior authority, daiva-netreṇa. And then, according to that result, we accept a certain type of body. So there are many discussions about this karmavāda. But these are Vedic conclusions, according to karma. So this human form of life... I was speaking of the dharma. The dharma... Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, says that "I come down, I descend, I appear, for the reason to establish, reestablish"—not establish, reestablish—"to reestablish the principle of religion," yadā yadā hi, "whenever there is discrepancies."

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant:

Hayagrīva: A man cannot establish a universal law by his own action.

Prabhupāda: No. So God can do it. Just like God says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām e.. (BG 18.66).. Because God says, it has to be accepted. But if some individual soul said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām, who will do that? Nobody will do it. That's why we are preaching that "You surrender to Kṛṣṇa." We do not say that "You surrender to me." Who will hear me? "Who are you? Why shall I surrender to you?" But if one understands that God wants this surrender, then he will agree.

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Prabhupāda: So then he has got no clear definition of religion. We define religion, is to abide by the laws of God. That is religion. God says, "You do this." When you do it, that is religion.

Śyāmasundara: So you would say that the absolute expresses itself in the laws of God...

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is religion. And should the absolute gives you direction, and if you follow that direction, then you are religious. You cannot create religion.

Śyāmasundara: That's a tangible...

Prabhupāda: That is tangible, that is tangible. That is every religion, actually. Just like in Christian religion, "Thou shall not kill." That is the order. So if you kill, then you are not religious. When you do not kill, then you are religious. So therefore it is very difficult to find out real Christian because everyone is killing, violating the law of God. In one sense there is no Christian.

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Prabhupāda: Philosophy means that there is some order of God. Just like God says "Thou shall not kill." Now if you want to kill, then you must present your philosophy why you are killing, why you are violating the order of God, or why you are accepting the order of God. This is philosophy, not dry speculation.

Śyāmasundara: He says that philosophy is highest because it can...

Prabhupāda: It is highest. But now God says, "Thou shalt not kill." Then you stop killing. That's all right, be religious but did you understand?

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Śyāmasundara: And by putting out this book, The Origin of Species, they at once did away with God to be able to... After that Nietzsche, another philosopher who said, "God is dead," he made that statement first, right after Darwin's book came out: "God is dead."

Prabhupāda: So we have to fight against all these nonsense philosophers.

Śyāmasundara: That boy Svarūpa Dāmodara is going to move into the temple for a few days, and each day we will discuss a different scientific topic. Tomorrow genetics, and something else.

Prabhupāda: Yes. He is a scientist. He will talk technical words.

Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson:

Śyāmasundara: He says that real religion is a mystic oneness with God.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Oneness means that I agree with God. God says that "You surrender," I say, "Yes, I surrender." God says to Arjuna, "You fight," he fights. That is oneness. That we have no disagreement, in any point, with God, that is oneness. Just like in this institution, our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When I say anything, there is no disagreement of any of the disciples. It is being done, taking God's representative, Kṛṣṇa's representative, so similarly with God also. But what I am doing? I am simply taking the order from God, and I am disseminating the same knowledge. I have accepted surrender unto Kṛṣṇa as my life. I am teaching others, "You also surrender." This is called disciplic succession. There is no disagreement with God. It is not that I am... (break) Yes. That means one who is God conscious, he is a mystic.

Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson:

Hayagrīva: Close? Oh, all right. Bergson maintained that God's reality can only be intuited by mystical experience. The creative effort is of God, if it is not God Himself. Knowledge of God leads to activity not passivity.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Knowledge of God is activity. Just like bhakti, we are twenty-four hours active, not that we are meditating on. So it is service. God says that anyone who preaches this message of Bhagavad-gītā, that is activity. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's order, that you, all of you, become guru. To become guru means activity, to train the disciples. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is full of activity for giving, rendering service to God, Kṛṣṇa. It is activity.

Philosophy Discussion on William James:

Prabhupāda: So the simple relationship is that God is maintainer, we are maintained. This is our relationship. In the material world, as a man may have more than one wife, so similarly God has two prakṛtis, or subordinate energies—material and spiritual. So in the material world the material nature is the mother, God is the father, and varieties of living entities, they are all maintained by the father, supreme father. This is the conception of universal brotherhood. And if we understand our relationship with God as father and son... There are so many sons. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-yoniṣu. All different forms of life, the mother is material nature, and God says, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā: (BG 14.4) "And I am the seed-giving father." So that relationship should be known, and if we act according to that relationship, there will be actual peace and prosperity and advancement of all knowledge. That is wanted.

Philosophy Discussion on William James:

Hayagrīva: He says that the natural existence often proves itself to be basically unhappy. "With such relations between religion and happiness, it is perhaps not surprising that men come to regard the happiness which a religious belief affords as a proof of its truth. If a creed makes a man feel happy he almost inevitably adopts it. Such a belief ought to be true; therefore it is true. Such, rightly or wrongly, is one of the immediate inferences of the religious logic used by ordinary men."

Prabhupāda: Yes. If you are actually in clear conception of God, and if you have decided to obey God and love Him, that is happiness. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje, ahaituky apratihatā (SB 1.2.6). This process of acting in obedience to the order of God, as we are doing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement... We have no other business than to obey the orders of God. God says that you preach this confidential philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness everywhere. So because we are trying to love God, we have got some affection and love for God; therefore we are so much eager to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise, "It is Kṛṣṇa's business. Why should we bother about Him?" No. Because we love Kṛṣṇa, and He is happy that His message is being spread, that is our happiness also, that we are trying to serve God, tacitly, without any doubt. So we also feel happy, and God says that He will be very happy if you do this. So this is reciprocation. This is religion. Religion is no sentiment. Actual realization of God, actual carrying out or executing the orders of God, then God is happy, we are happy, and our progress of life is secure.

Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre:

Prabhupāda: And the Vedānta also it is, aham evāsam evāgre. That God says that "I existed in the beginning." Here the creation is temporary, existence is temporary, and annihilation is also temporary. This is material nature. And we can understand it very easily, that this body, your body, my body is created at a certain date, it will continue to a certain date, and it will be finished. This is material understanding. Anything you will take, it has a beginning, it has a duration of period to exist, then finished.

Philosophy Discussion on Bertrand Russell:

Prabhupāda: Outside the domain of knowledge, so that means it depends on the verdict of God. If God says, "This is good," then it is good. If God says, "This is bad," then it is bad. Just like Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So if you surrender unto Him, that is religion. And any religion which does not teach to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, that is not religion. Otherwise how Kṛṣṇa can say sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66)? Any religion which does not preach to surrender to the Supreme, that is not religion.

Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:

Prabhupāda: Then there cannot be any antagonism. That perfectness of understanding God and God's regulation or order is clearly described in the Bhagavad-gītā. We are therefore advocating Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that "Here is God and here is God's instructions." So if we deliver it, and the proposal in the Bhagavad-gītā, they are all practical. Just like God says that you divide the society in four division—not only worker, but also the good brain, good administrator, and good producer of food. That is the actually the divisions of the society. So without division of the society, if you simply keep worker, who will give them instruction to work? These are all imperfect ideas. But the perfect ideas are given in the Bhagavad-gītā. If we follow that, then the human society, humanity will be in perfect order. So either you call it religion or a system to..., following which one can become peaceful. Religion means, to understand God means, a system. A system is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā in three principles. God says that He is the proprietor of everything, sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). So we see this planet, and there is different proprietors-individual proprietor of the land or the state proprietor, the king. So there is a proprietor of this earth, either you divide it nationally or you take it wholly. So similarly there are many, many millions of others, so they are called sarva-loka.

Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:

Prabhupāda: That is... Yes. Oneness means I agree with God. God says your surrender. I say, "Yes. I surrender." God says Arjuna "You fight," he fights. That is oneness, that we have no disagreement in any point with God. That is oneness. Just like in this institution, our Kṛṣṇa consciousness, as soon as I say anything, there is no disagreement of any other disciple. If there is disagreement, then it is ended. Disobedient immediately. As it is going, it is being done, taking God's representative, Kṛṣṇa's representative, so similarly with God also. And what, what I am doing? I am simply taking the order from God and I am disseminating the same knowledge. I have accepted that surrender to Kṛṣṇa is my life. I am teaching others, "You also surrender." This is called disciplic succession. There is no disagreement with God. It is not that I am posing myself, "I am God."

Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:

Prabhupāda: This is the urge for improvement. Kṛṣṇa says, God says, that "All living entities are My part and parcels." This instruction can be accepted only by human beings, not the cats and dogs. Although He claims that "Every living entity is My part and parcel," the cats and dogs, they have no capacity to understand these, I mean to say, utterances of the Personality of Godhead. Even he has got an ear. You are hearing, a dog may hear. But you can capture; the dog cannot capture. Due to his lower grade of body, he cannot. So in this higher grade of body, the Vedic instructions are there. Now you can make your choice. Yathecchasi tathā kuru (BG 18.63). As Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna that "Whatever you like you can do." So now it depends upon you. If you don't accept the real progressive life, understand Kṛṣṇa and surrender unto Him, then you will go back.

Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:

Śyāmasundara: So if this platform of consciousness is to be attained by everyone, it is the responsibility of men to cooperate with God...

Prabhupāda: Yes. That cooperation begins when God says that "You surrender unto Me," and if he agrees, that cooperation begins.

Śyāmasundara: In other words, it won't happen automatically.

Prabhupāda: Unless you surrender, where is the cooperation? Where is the cooperation? Just like all my disciples, because they have surrendered, so there is cooperation. Therefore this movement is increasing. Otherwise, alone what can we do? Because you are cooperating with me, therefore I am advancing this movement. If you noncooperate with me, I am old man. What can I do? So similarly, Lord Caitanya comes, Kṛṣṇa, to invite cooperation. He says that "Please cooperate with me. Let me spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness."

Philosophy Discussion on Aristotle:

Prabhupāda: That is nonsense. You cannot... God is unlimited. You have got limited power to see or to smell or to touch. You have got all limited, and God is unlimited. So you cannot understand God by your limited power of sensual activities. Therefore God is revelation. We say that ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). You cannot understand by speculating your senses. That is not possible. When you engage yourself in His service, then He reveals. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25). God says that "I am not exposed to everyone. I am covered by the yoga-māyā." That is fact. So unless God reveals Himself... So God not only reveals, He appears, and great authorities, they are searching. Just like Kṛṣṇa appeared, and great authorities like Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Śukadeva Gosvāmī and then the ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya and Caitanya Mahāprabhu-big, big stalwart scholars and transcendentalists—they accepted Kṛṣṇa.

Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Aquinas:

Prabhupāda: Meaning is one, but interpreter are different. Just like even in the Bible it is said, "God created the universe." So that is a fact, God created. So unless you interpret in a different way, how you can say that the universe is created by some chunk and this way and that way? So we accept scripture in that sense, without any change; therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. We cannot change the words of God. That is our principle. And interpretation with motive, there are so many interpreter, and that has spoiled the God consciousness of the human society.

Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Hobbes:

Hayagrīva: He also said that this could be not only an individual but a group of individuals.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Group of individuals can remain, provided they are all devotees. But if the group of individuals, if they are all rogues and rascals, they cannot be representative of God. But either singular or plural, if all of them or single actually representative of God abiding by the laws... Laws means actual, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). For God said that is actual religion or law. And if we manufacture in our own ways, without reference to the God's program, it will be useless and failure.

Philosophy Discussion on Blaise Pascal:

Prabhupāda: He gives. God is giving intelligence to everyone, but the nondevotee, he is not surrendered; he will not accept. The same example, when the thief goes to steal, God gives him that "Don't do this. You will suffer," and he knows that, that God says, He is speaking that "Don't do this," but still he does. So he suffers. But if he can purify and acts according to the instruction of God, then he is perfect. That is the difference between demon and devotee. Devotee strictly follows the order of God; he is happy. And demon, he also knows what is God's desire; he disobeys, he acts according to his whim, he suffers. So God is giving instruction. There is no doubt about it. Externally He is giving instructions through His agent, spiritual master, through books; and internally as consciousness, conscience.

Philosophy Discussion on Blaise Pascal:

Hayagrīva: This is by way of saying that we should not accept our faith blindly, but at the same time we should not expect everything to be comprehensible to our understanding.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That just like the father and the child. The father says, "You do this." So that is all-comprehensive. The father's idea is complete; it is good for the son. But the son says, "No. I want to act in this way." That is his folly. Similarly, what God says, that is religion, and... So there is no question of blind following. If you know, "Here is God. He is all-perfect, and whatever He is saying, that is all-perfect. Let me accept it," then you are gainer. And if apply your reasoning and change it according to your whims, then you suffer.

Philosophy Discussion on Benedict Spinoza:

Hayagrīva: He writes, "God is free from passions, nor is He affected with any emotion of joy or sorrow. Properly speaking, God loves no one and hates no one, for God is not affected with any emotion of joy or sorrow, and consequently he neither loves nor hates anyone."

Prabhupāda: Yes. He is called ātmā-pama (?). He doesn't require anything from anyone. He is complete. But if anyone offers Him something out of love, it is his benefit who is offering something to God. God doesn't require anything. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā God says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati: (BG 9.26) "A devotee, out of his love, even he offers Me a little leaf, little water, little flower," tad aham aśnāmi, "I eat that." So God is fully satisfied in Himself. Why He desires a patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam from a devotee? It is not for His benefit. But if he begins to offer something out of love, then his love begins with God. He gives him the chance. So offering to God does not mean God is benefited. It is benefit of the devotee that he begins to offer, and if he gradually develops that love, then his life is successful. So it is a chance.

Philosophy Discussion on George Berkeley:

Hayagrīva: In his last dialogue, Berkeley writes, "The apprehension of a distant Deity naturally disposes men to be negligent of their moral actions, which they would be more cautious of in case they thought Him"—that is God—"immediately present."

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

Philosophy Discussion on George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel:

Prabhupāda: His image, if God is absolute, His image is also God. If God is absolute, then His words are also God. That is absolute conception. That iw not different. So the image which we worship in the temple, if it is actually image of God, then it is as good as God. God is absolute. God says that "This earth, water..., so everything is My energy." So even if you say, "This image is made of stone," but the stone is God's energy, bhūmi, earth.

Philosophy Discussion on George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel:

Hayagrīva: Yes.

Prabhupāda: If God says that "Amongst the plants I am this plant..."

Hayagrīva: Tulasī, Tulasī.

Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be.

Hayagrīva: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So the Hindus, they worship, follow God's instruction. That is they have got in a certain sense. God has said that "Amongst the plants, I am this plant, so worship." They are not worshiping all, every plant.