Here and there, there were signs of all sorts, like "Be still and realize I am God'' - what is this, by becoming silent and still one becomes God?

Expressions researched:
"Be still and realize I am God" |"We saw one signboard in a yoga society in Los Angeles that" |"You become silent, and you'll become God" |"You become still, you become silent, and you become God" |"here and there, there were signs of all sorts, like" |"these are all nonsense, that" |"what is this, by becoming silent and still one becomes God"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

We saw one signboard in a yoga society in Los Angeles that "You become silent, and you'll become God." And here Kṛṣṇa says that you cannot become silent even for a moment. You see? These things are going on.

Lecture on BG 3.1-5 -- Los Angeles, December 20, 1968:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Five: "All men are forced to act helplessly according to the impulses born of the modes of material nature. Therefore nobody can refrain from doing something, not even for a moment (BG 3.5)."

Prabhupāda: Yes. They say... We saw one signboard in a yoga society in Los Angeles that "You become silent, and you'll become God." (laughs) And here Kṛṣṇa says that you cannot become silent even for a moment. You see? These things are going on.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

These are all nonsense, that "You become still, you become silent, and you become God."

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 9 -- Los Angeles, May 13, 1970:

So these are all nonsense, that "You become still, you become silent, and you become God." Oh, how I can become silent? Is there any possibility of becoming silent? No. There is no such possibility. "You become desireless." So how I can become desireless? These are all bluffs. We cannot be desireless. We cannot be silent. But our desires, our activities, have to be purified. That is real knowledge. That is real knowledge. We shall desire only to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is purification of desire. Not that desireless. That is not possible. How I can be desireless? How I can be silent? That is also not possible. For a second, I cannot be silent. So then our activities should be engaged, dovetailed, in Kṛṣṇa's service. This is real knowledge, that "I, as living entity, I have all these things, activities, desires, loving propensity. Everything is there. But that is being misguided."

1968 Correspondence

Here and there, there were signs of all sorts, like "Be still and realize I am God"—what is this, by becoming silent and still one becomes God?! The stone is silent for millions of years, does that mean it has become God?

Letter to Kris -- Los Angeles 13 November, 1968:

Regarding your question about Yogananda, you write to say that you "received the impression from his autobiography that he was a genuine saint who dedicated his life to serving God." But the thing is that you do not actually know what is a genuine saint, and what can you understand about saintly life from reading his autobiography. I may inform you that just recently I visited his so-called asrama retreat, and it was simply a hodge-podge of all nonsense. There was a Buddha statue, a Christ statue, a Gandhi's memorium labeled as "World Peace Memorium"—and what world peace he has brought? None. And what does Gandhi have to do with spiritual realization anyway? Gandhi was simply interested to get the Britishers out of India—what has this to do with self-realization, the prime goal of life? And here and there, there were signs of all sorts, like "Be still and realize I am God"—what is this, by becoming silent and still one becomes God?! The stone is silent for millions of years, does that mean it has become God? This is all conglomeration of nonsense ideas. Practically, this Yogananda has no philosophy or authority, he simply drags in Buddha, Jesus Christ, Gandhi, and whoever else he can think to put, so that whatever you like it is in his shop. He is just a good shop keeper.

Krishna says—Give up all nonsense engagements and come here and surrender unto Me!—that is real philosophy. Krishna says that anyone who is worshiping any demigod, it is all nonsense, and just give it up and come to me. Our philosophy is to worship Radha and Krishna. We don't make any hodge-podge or any compromise. If you like you can accept it, and if you are fortunate you will accept, and be happy, but this hodge-podge nonsense will never help you. Just like we prescribe certain rules and restrictions for our disciples so that they can make real advancement in spiritual life. This Yogananda gives no restrictions or regulative principles to his disciples, and thereby collects all nonsense class of men. But if you put restrictions then not so many men will come, but sincere ones will come, those who are actually sincerely searching after real spiritual life. This Yogananda accepts everything as bona fide, because he simply doesn't know what is bona fide and what is nonsense. So there is no need to waste your time.