I have several times explained this word dharma

Expressions researched:
"Dharma means occupation, I have explained" |"Dharma means, I have already explained" |"Dharma, I have explained" |"Dharma, as I have already explained" |"Dharma, as I have explained" |"I have already explained. Dharma" |"I have explained last night, dharma" |"I have explained many times. Dharma" |"I have several times explained that dharma" |"I have several times explained this fact. Dharma" |"I have several times explained this word dharma" |"That I have already explained" |"That I have several times explained" |"dharma means—that I have already explained" |"dharma, I have already explained" |"dharma, I have several times explained" |"dharma, the... Just like I have several times explained" |"dharma. As I have many times explained"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

In the dictionary we find religion means a particular type of faith. But dharma does not mean that. Dharma means natural occupation. That is called dharma. I have several times explained this word dharma in this class. Just like heat of the fire. Without heat, a fire has no meaning. Wherever there is fire, there is heat and light.

Lecture on BG 4.7 -- Montreal, June 13, 1968:

Now let us consider what is our occupational duty. I purposely do not translate this word dharma as religion. Religion is imperfect conception of the word dharma. In the dictionary we find religion means a particular type of faith. But dharma does not mean that. Dharma means natural occupation. That is called dharma. I have several times explained this word dharma in this class. Just like heat of the fire. Without heat, a fire has no meaning. Wherever there is fire, there is heat and light. Therefore heat and light is the dharma or religion of fire. That means fire cannot change its dharma. As this dharma, as we generally understand by the word faith, that we can change. Today I am Hindu. I can become tomorrow a Christian. You are Christian today. You can become, I mean to say, Hindu or Muslim tomorrow. So this faith can be changed, but this dharma, as I explain, that natural sequence, natural occupation or natural intimately connection...

Just like the fire, heat and light. This cannot be changed. Either the fire is in America or the fire is in India or a fire is in Russia, the heat and light is there. That is actually the dharma.

Now here Kṛṣṇa says that yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). As soon as there is discrepancy in the discharge of that natural, I mean to say, sequence of the living entity... Abhyutthānam adharmasya. Abhyutthānam means uprising of unnatural activities or unnatural occupation, which is not for him. Abhyutthānam adharmasya tadā, at that time, ātmānam, self, sṛjāmy aham. Sṛjāmy aham means "I descend or appear." Now, this sequence of dharma is explained in the last paragraph, I mean to say, not last, in the last chapter, sixty-seventh verse of the Eighteenth Chapter. The Lord says that sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). "You just give up all kinds of occupational duty or religiosity." We have created all kinds of religious formula. So Kṛṣṇa says that "You give up all kinds of religious formula." But what is to be done? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). "You just surrender unto Me."

This is real dharma. To execute the order of Kṛṣṇa, that is real dharma. We cannot manufacture dharma, I have several times explained. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma means the order of Kṛṣṇa. That is dharma. Otherwise there is no dharma.

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

Dharma. This is real dharma. To execute the order of Kṛṣṇa, that is real dharma. We cannot manufacture dharma, I have several times explained. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma means the order of Kṛṣṇa. 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.

Dharma means occupation, I have explained yesterday. I am servant of God, this is my real occupation, but giving up my service to God, I am giving service to māyā.

Lecture on BG 9.3 -- Melbourne, April 21, 1976:

This is really knowledge. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is giving such knowledge that they will never remain a dog or cat; they will become actual human being. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore it is said, aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣāḥ. Those who have not faith in this process of understanding, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣā dharmasya asya... (BG 9.3). Now, this is real dharma. Dharma means occupation, I have explained yesterday. I am servant of God, this is my real occupation, but giving up my service to God, I am giving service to māyā. Therefore I am servant of my senses, my family, my society, my country, my nation, and if you haven't got to serve anybody, then I'll keep one dog. I become a servant of the dog. Somebody was just telling me that in Japan the dog passes stool, and the master collects it and put it somewhere. Yes. You see? This is going on. Your position is to become servant, but in māyā, in illusion, you are thinking, "I am master." Therefore the best thing is that instead of becoming at last the servant of a dog, just immediately become servant of God. That is your success of life. And if you don't agree, then you have to serve up to the dog, up to the cat. Many Europeans, Americans, they have no children, but they keep one cat, one dog, to serve. You see? But you have to serve because you are meant for that.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Human civilization should be based on first of all religion, dharma. And what is that dharma? That I have several times explained. According to Prahlāda Mahārāja, dharmān bhāgavatān. Dharma means God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is dharma.

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 15, 1971:

Therefore human civilization should be based on first of all religion, dharma. And what is that dharma? That I have several times explained. According to Prahlāda Mahārāja, dharmān bhāgavatān. Dharma means God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is dharma. That is religion. Dharmān bhāgavatān. So from the very beginning, in school, in primary schools, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness should be taught. That is real civilization. Unfortunately, there is no such arrangement. So you go to the authorities and the so-called authorities, rascals. Inform them that "Take this education. Introduce in the schools, colleges. Then there will be peace and prosperity. Otherwise there will be hippies. That's all. You may have very big, big universities, educational system, but the production will be hopeless, confused hippies. That's all." From the very beginning, the whole system should be changed, rascal civilization. Religion first. First religion, then pious activities. "I belong to this religion," but what is your activities? "Now, I'm debauch number one." You see? And the other day the boy was asking religion, blasphemy, but from his appearance it looked like he's debauch number one. You see? So they fight simply on false prestige of so-called religion. Religion means pious life. That is religion. No meat-eating, no illicit sex, no gambling, no intoxication—that is religion, religious life, pious life.

Dharma is translated in English as "religion," but actually, it does not convey the real import of dharma. As I have many times explained in these meetings, that dharma means some particular characteristic which you cannot change. That is called dharma.

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

"Kṛṣṇa appeared for reestablishing the religious principles, but after His disappearance, who has taken charge for this department?" That was their question. So Sūta Gosvāmī is congratulating them, that "This question is very auspicious," loka-maṅgalam. Loka means this world, and maṅgalam means auspicious. So first of all he is explaining what is dharma. Dharma is translated in English as "religion," but actually, it does not convey the real import of dharma. As I have many times explained in these meetings, that dharma means some particular characteristic which you cannot change. That is called dharma. Dharma does not mean a particular type of faith. Faith is different thing. Faith is followed blindly or by social custom or something else. Faith is different. But dharma, either you change social custom, country, time, space, it cannot be changed. That is dharma.

So that dharma is enacted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just like Kṛṣṇa says, dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya: "For the matter of reestablishing the principles of dharma." There is difference of understanding between dharma and "religion," although the Sanskrit word dharma is translated into English as "religion." Religion in the dictionary it is explained as faith, but dharma is different. Dharma you cannot change. In whichever condition you are, you have to follow the special characteristic. And that I have already explained. That special characteristic is that every living entity is engaged in service for others, every living entity. Human being, birds, beasts, animal—every living entity is giving service to somebody else. That is dharma.

Dharma means, I have already explained, dharma means occupational duty. So everyone has got occupation and he is trying to get out of the inconveniences of material existence.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:

So he says, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ. Dharma means, I have already explained, dharma means occupational duty. So everyone has got occupation and he is trying to get out of the inconveniences of material existence. So here it is suggested, because the question was dharma, dharmaḥ kaṁ śaraṇaṁ gataḥ, under whose protection is dharma now existing? So he is coming to that point. First of all he's explaining what is dharma, what is occupational duty. Actually dharma means occupational duty. Religion, I have already said, it is a kind of faith. Faith can be changed, but our constitutional position, occupational duty, that cannot be changed. We are eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, but without serving Kṛṣṇa we are serving māyā. We have accepted a false occupational duty, therefore it is called māyā. Māyā means false. Just like if I have got a body of America, American body, then my occupational duty is different from the body of an Indian, or from the body of a dog or a cat. So according to the body, our occupational duties change. But real occupational duty is of the soul. When you come to that platform—the occupational duty of the soul—that is the highest class of religion. That is explained here, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ.

In the human society, there is always some kinds of religious institution. That is called dharma, faith. Real dharma means—that I have already explained—occupational duty. Constitutional duty, that is called dharma, functional duty.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- New Vrindaban, September 6, 1972:

So dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsām. In the human society, there is always some kinds of religious institution. That is called dharma, faith. Real dharma means—that I have already explained—occupational duty. Constitutional duty, that is called dharma, functional duty. So real dharma, real religion is to become servant of God, or to render service to God. That is real religion. But we have manufactured so many religions. Different societies, different circumstances, different country. Therefore it is advised herewith that you may execute any kind of religious faith or (break) ...principle, but the result should be (break) ...perfect. You can say, "I am very perfectly executing the ritualistic ceremonies, and the tenets described in my scripture, Bible or Veda or Koran." That's very good. But what is the result? The result is that you must develop or increase your tendency to hear about God. But if your ultimate truth is impersonal Mostly they consider God has no form. Then if God has no form then what he'll hear about Him. Simply formless, formless, formless. How can you, how long you can go thinking like this, "God is formless"? If God is formless, then your idea of hearing about Him is finished, because formless, there is nothing, activities.

If you want to take to religiosity Practically dharma. I have several times explained that dharma means... (aside: ) What you are doing? It is disturbing me. Yes. Don't you see? He cannot do it. Yes. Do it. Dharma, to become religious, the purpose is to go up to the point of mukti.

Lecture on SB 1.2.9 -- Vrndavana, October 20, 1972:

Without Kṛṣṇa, nobody can save you. Other demigods... Just like Rāvaṇa. Rāvaṇa was a great devotee of Lord Śiva. But when Lord Rāmacandra wanted to kill him, Lord Śiva's father could not even protect him. That is not possible. That is not possible. Mare kṛṣṇa rākhe ke. (aside:) Make it little... Yes. Little... Yes. If Kṛṣṇa kills you, nobody can protect, And if Kṛṣṇa protects you, nobody can kill you. Rākhe kṛṣṇa mare ke, mare kṛṣṇa rākhe ke. This is the formula. Here it is said that dharmasya. If you want to take to religiosity Practically dharma. I have several times explained that dharma means... (aside: ) What you are doing? It is disturbing me. Yes. Don't you see? He cannot do it. Yes. Do it. Dharma, to become religious, the purpose is to go up to the point of mukti. Dharma artha kāma mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90). Gradually. Gradually, step by step. But generally, people stuck up for some material gain. Ārtaḥ arthārthī jñānī jijñāsuḥ. Four kinds of people approaches the Supreme Personality of Godhead for evolution, but the, those who are going to the Supreme Person for some material gain, as soon as their material gain is finished, they also finish worship. "Now I have got the money. There is no need of worshiping."

So here Bhāgavata says that dharma... You take to, to the principles of religion for going up to the point of liberation, āpavargyasya. Dharmasya hy āpavargyasya. This is meant for getting out of this entanglement of birth, death, old age, and disease. That is real... The first step is religiosity. Unless you are pious, religious, there is no possibility of getting liberation. Therefore there are different types of dharma prescribed, twenty types of dharma. The beginning is varṇāśrama-dharma. The people have lost even varṇāśrama-dharma, what to speak of other dharmas. The first beginning is varṇāśrama-dharma, to become brāhmaṇa, to become kṣatriya, to become vaiśya. So in the Kali-yuga the time is so bad that even there is no fixity of this varṇāśrama-dharma. Nobody knows who is brāhmaṇa, who is śūdra. Because the quality is the same now, eating, sleeping, mating—animal quality. You can become a brāhmaṇa by sacred thread. That is a different thing. But there are brāhmaṇa and brahminical qualifications. That is real brāhmaṇa.

Dharma means religion. Actually, "religion" is not exact equivalent of the word dharma. Dharma, as I have explained several times, you know... Dharma dhṛ-dhātu. Dharma means you exist by some natural symptom. That is called dharma. Everyone has got some natural symptom.

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

Ātmānaṁ sarvato rakṣet tato dharmaḥ. Dharma. This dharma. Dharma means religion. Actually, "religion" is not exact equivalent of the word dharma. Dharma, as I have explained several times, you know... Dharma dhṛ-dhātu. Dharma means you exist by some natural symptom. That is called dharma. Everyone has got some natural symptom. That is dharma. According to Sanskrit meaning, that is dharma. Just like this light is a substance. What is his dharma, religion? To give light, to illuminate. So without illumination, there is no meaning of light. Similarly, your dharma, what is your religion? Your religion is to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is your religion. Now you serve in a different way according to time, circumstances, country. That is a different thing. But your religion is to serve God. That is your religion. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately gives you the definition of religion, or your occupation, natural duty, natural function. Always mind that. Just like the light's natural function is to give illumination. Prakāśa. Similarly, your natural function is to serve Kṛṣṇa. That's all. You have no other business. That is dharma. No other business. When we understand this convincingly, then we are situated in our religion. Just like Kṛṣṇa said. In the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā He says, dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya. Just to reestablish religion. Dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya. People forget. Nature's, material nature's function is that, to put you into illusion always. So our forgetfulness is also another illusion. We forget our relationship with God, or Kṛṣṇa. Then adharma. That is... Instead of becoming servant of Kṛṣṇa, I become servant of so many things. I become servant of my family, servant of my country, society, humanity, cats, dogs, so many things. Servant I remain, but I become servant of so many things.

Here there are so many living entities, of course, in the human society. I have explained many times. Dharma, religious system, is in the human society, not in the animal society.

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

"So if you are actually servant of Dharmarāja, then you must know what is dharma and what is adharma." Yūyaṁ vai dharma-rājasya yadi nirdeśa-kāriṇaḥ. "That will be your bona fide representation. You cannot do any mistake if you are servant of Dharmarāja." Dharmarāja means... Here there are so many living entities, of course, in the human society. I have explained many times. Dharma, religious system, is in the human society, not in the animal society. The animals does not... They have no knowledge; neither they have capacity to distinguish what is dharma, what is adharma. Their business is simply eating, sleeping, mating and defending. That's all. It is the human society, another extra, not only simply eating, sleeping, mating. That is required because we have got this body. But we have got extra intelligence. Why this extra intelligence? That is for understanding dharma, religion.

But unfortunately, the modern rascal society, they utilizing that extra intelligence than the cats and dog for the same purpose: eating, sleeping, mating and defending. That is the defect of the modern civilization. In spite of advancement of education, scientific knowledge, technical knowledge, this knowledge, that knowledge, they remain the same cats and dogs. This is the defect. Therefore people are dissatisfied, disappointed.

Adharma I have already explained. Dharma means to become servant of Kṛṣṇa, and adharma means to become servant of māyā. This is the distinction between dharma and adharma, religious and irreligious

Lecture on SB 6.1.45 -- Laguna Beach, July 26, 1975:

So here it is said generally, yena yāvān yathādharmaḥ. Adharma I have already explained. Dharma means to become servant of Kṛṣṇa, and adharma means to become servant of māyā. This is the distinction between dharma and adharma, religious and irreligious. Dharma means the order of God, Kṛṣṇa. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). As I have explained several times... Just like law. Law means the order of the government. If somebody, ordinary man, makes some law, nobody will accept that law. That is not law. But government gives some law that "Keep to the right," you have to obey it. If you break this law, you will be punished. You can say, "What wrong I have done? Instead of going to the right, I have gone to the left. Both ways there are roads and streets." The government says, "No, I ordered you to keep to the right. You have violated. You must be punished." Simple thing. This is adharma: "You have violated the laws of the government. You must be punished." So a dog, of course, if he violates the law, he is not punished. The punishment is meant for the human being, because he has got developed sense. He cannot violate the laws. If he violates... All the books, laws, everything—education, culture, philosophy, science—it is all meant for the human being, not for the cats and dogs. So the human being must know what is the actual law. That is dharma. Therefore in the human society there is some form of dharma. Either you are Christian or Hindu or Muslim or Buddhist, throughout the whole world, any civilized nation, they have got some dharma or religious system. Why? Through it, you should understand what is the goal of your life. If you do not know that, then proportionately, as you are ignorant, fool, you will be punished. You will be punished.

Bhāgavata-dharma, what is that Bhāgavata-dharma? That I have already explained. Again we can repeat. Bhāgavata-dharma means to reestablish our lost relationship with God. This is Bhāga-vata.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Boston, May 8, 1968:

This verse we have been discussing for the last three days. So Prahlāda Mahārāja's argument is that everyone, if he is intelligent... If he's a rascal, that is a different thing. Because the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness or God consciousness is not meant for the rascals. It is meant for the intellectual person. Kṛṣṇa yei bhaje sei baḍa caturā. Unless one is very intelligent, he cannot be God conscious or Kṛṣṇa conscious. Therefore this word is used, prājñā. Prājñā means... Pra means prakṛṣṭa-rūpena, specifically. Jñā, jñā means a man of intellect. So Bhāgavata-dharma, what is that Bhāgavata-dharma? That I have already explained. Again we can repeat. Bhāgavata-dharma means to reestablish our lost relationship with God. This is Bhāga-vata.

Therefore in every section of human society there is attempt to reestablish our relationship with God. But at the present moment there is systematic propaganda to forget whatever little relationship we have got. We do not understand what is the science of God, but still, people know that there is something like God. So we are just trying. This is the symptom of this Kali-yuga. They will manufacture objects of worship, but not worship God. They will present so many false god, but they will not worship the real God. One has to worship something. Because it is my nature. I worship. Somebody worships God and somebody worships dog. Because I cannot remain without worshiping. Worshiping means loving. Without love there is no worship, there is no question.

This is the statement of Yamarāja about the authorities of dharma. Dharma means bhāgavata-dharma. I think I have explained last night, dharma means bhāgavata-dharma.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Madras, January 2, 1976:

This is the statement of Yamarāja about the authorities of dharma. Dharma means bhāgavata-dharma. I think I have explained last night, dharma means bhāgavata-dharma. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītaṁ (SB 6.3.19). Just like our Mr. Chief Justice gives judgment on the law, so the law cannot be manufactured by any common man or any businessman, no. Law can be manufactured only by the state, by the government. Nobody can manufacture. That will not give us... If in the high-court, if somebody pleads, "Sir, I have got my own law," Mr. Justice will not accept. (laughs) So similarly, dharma you cannot manufacture. Either you are a very big man... Even Chief Justice, he cannot make a law. The law is given by state. Similarly, dharma means bhāgavata-dharma and other so-called dharmas, they are not dharmas. They will not be accepted. Exactly in the same way, law manufactured at your home is not accepted. Therefore dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītaṁ (SB 6.3.19).

And what is bhagavat-praṇītaṁ dharma? That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, we know, everyone. He came, Kṛṣṇa came. His mission was dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya, for establishing the religious principles, or reestablishing. Dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). So sometimes there is glāni, discrepancies in the matter of discharging the principles of dharma. At that time, Kṛṣṇa comes.

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."

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.

And anything, so-called dharma, that is not dharma. That you manufacture, so many things. That is another thing. But real dharma, the... Just like I have several times explained, law means given by the government. You cannot manufacture law.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Mayapur, February 17, 1976:

But śāstra does not say that without... Even if you are born in a high family, brāhmaṇa family, kṣatriya family, and if you do not act or if (you) have not the qualification of brāhmaṇa, dvi-ṣaṭ, twelve qualifications... What is that? Dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād aravinda... That is explained, what are the twelve qualifications. Dharmaḥ: "He must be strictly religious principles." Dharmaḥ. Dharmaḥ begins strictly when one is fully surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. There begins dharmaḥ, because Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). He says that dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge. He comes to establish the principles of dharma. And why He is speaking, sarva-dharmān parityajya? Why? If He has come to reestablish the principles of dharma-dharma-saṁsthāpanārtha—then why He says sarva-dharm...? Sarva so-called dharmas, they are not dharma. Dharma means... Dharmāṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma means the order that is given by God. That is dharma. And anything, so-called dharma, that is not dharma. That you manufacture, so many things. That is another thing. But real dharma, the... Just like I have several times explained, law means given by the government. You cannot manufacture law. That is not law. Similarly, dharma means the order given by God. That is dharma. Just like Kṛṣṇa says. He said, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham: (BG 4.7) "When there is discrepancies, misuse of dharma, I appear." So He has appeared. He therefore said that "This is not dharma." You are declaring, "This is Hindu dharma," "This is Muslim dharma," "This is Jain dharma," "This is Christian dharma," "This is family dharma," "This is country dharma," so on, so on, so on. You have created so many dharmas. But Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya: (BG 18.66) "You give up all these dharmas." "Then what I..., shall I accept?" Mam ekam śaraṇaṁ vraja. That is dharma. Otherwise there is no dharma.

Festival Lectures

Dharma, according to Sanskrit word, dharma does not mean that which you can change. I have several times explained this fact. Dharma cannot be changed. Therefore we must find out what is our dharma, what is our religion.

Govardhana Puja Lecture -- New York, November 4, 1966:

So, ya evaṁ visṛjed dharmam. Dharmam means one must execute. That is dharma. Just like to become hungry, it is my religion. This is called religion. We should know what is the meaning of religion. Religion means which we cannot separate from myself. The religion which you can change, that is not religion. Suppose I am Hindu; I become Christian. So neither this Hinduism is religion or Christian is religion. It is a dictionary, English dictionary, word. But dharma, according to Sanskrit word, dharma does not mean that which you can change. I have several times explained this fact. Dharma cannot be changed. Therefore we must find out what is our dharma, what is our religion. Which we are professing, that "Christianity is my religion," "Hinduism, my religion," that is not religion. That is faith. Religion is different. Religion you cannot change. You cannot change. That is the meaning of religion. Here it is said that ya evaṁ visṛjed dharmam. Dharmam means you cannot change. So pāraṁ paryāgataṁ naraḥ, kāmāt, kāmāt lobhāt. Now, religion sometimes, when it is taken as faith, they have changed. How they have changed? Kāmāt. For some gain. Just like in India formerly Christian religion was preached, giving some facilities. And generally we see that Christian priests who go to foreign countries... I have seen. They offer some hospital facilities, some economic facilities. The poor men, they supply clothing and education. So those who are poor, they become captivated, and they... They have practically no religion. Anyway, they are facing the economic problems. So kāmāt. Kāmāt means for some gain. For some gain, kāmāt, and lobhāt... Lobhāt means by some greediness. And bhayāt. Bhayāt means out of fear. And dveṣāt. Dveṣāt means out of enviousness. For all these things one should not give up his faith or religion.

General Lectures

Dharma, I have explained, occupational duty. So long we have got this material body we have got particular type of occupational duty. We are preaching to the world not any occupational duty but we are preaching eternal duty.

Lecture -- Delhi, December 13, 1971:

Dharma, I have explained, occupational duty. So long we have got this material body we have got particular type of occupational duty. We are preaching to the world not any occupational duty but we are preaching eternal duty. This occupational duty is in connection with the body. That is not eternal. Suppose this life I've got a body, human body, or brāhmaṇa birth, or a son in the Rockefeller family, and according to that body, I have got a particular type of duty, standard of living. Deha-yogena dehinām. But as soon as the body's changed, I get another body, the whole duty change. Now I may have a very comfortable body, American body, Rockefeller family body, but next life, according to my karma, we are preparing our next life. Suppose if I get the body of a dog, then my occupational duty will be (indistinct). Because according to the body the duty is changed. So these occupational duties they are not permanent. But I am eternal, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). By the destruction of this body, I am not destroyed. I remain, I simply enter another body. I, as spiritual soul, I remain. Just like I'm entering different bodies in this life. I was a child, I enter another body. Just like this small child, Sarasvatī. According to the body, she is acting. She's acting sometimes nonsense, but we take it delight, because she is child. But the same nonsense if I do in another body, grown up body, that will be ridiculous. In this child body, she is naked, but people enjoy it. But when she is grown up and she is lady-like, she is young girl, if she becomes naked, oh that is ridiculous. So, here in this life also we see according to the change of the body, the duty is changed. The activities are changing. So, this body is changing, that's a fact.

We should try to understand Bhagavān. Bhāgavata-dharma, I have already explained. Bhagavān and the bhakta or bhāgavata, their relationship, that is called bhāgavata-dharma.

Speech -- New Vrindaban, August 31, 1972:

So our human being has got a particular type of business. That business is to study or to discuss on the bhāgavata life. That is our natural. Bhāgavata-dharma. We should try to understand Bhagavān. Bhāgavata-dharma, I have already explained. Bhagavān and the bhakta or bhāgavata, their relationship, that is called bhāgavata-dharma. So it is very easy. How? Now simply you have to hear about Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavān, and we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Just like suppose we have forgotten our home. I left my home since a long time, I've forgotten my father. So if somebody reminds me, "Do you know such gentleman? He is your father. You were playing in such a way, his father was helping you," in this way, if you simply talk of his father, he remembers his home: "Oh, yes." Similarly, we have forgotten our father, our relationship with father. If we simply hear about Him, then we remember. A simple process.

śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ

hṛdy antaḥ 'stho hy abhadrāṇi

vidhunoti suhṛt-satām

(SB 1.2.17)

Simply we have to hear about Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is situated in everyone's heart, and we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa or forgotten our supreme father on account of material contamination. So if we hear about Kṛṣṇa attentively, just like you are doing now, kindly, it is very good opportunity. I thank you very much. You are all young boys and girls, but you are very fortunate. Your fathers, grandfathers, do not come here. But you have come. So because you are fortunate. So similarly, continue this. Just try to hear about Kṛṣṇa. Your life will be successful. You haven't got to do anything.

This is a question made by the great saintly persons who assembled in Naimiṣāraṇya to hear about Bhāgavata-dharma. Real dharma, as I have already explained, just like... Dharma means bhāgavata-dharma. Bhāgavata-dharma is not a faith.

Lecture -- Jakarta, February 27, 1973:

This is a question made by the great saintly persons who assembled in Naimiṣāraṇya to hear about Bhāgavata-dharma. Real dharma, as I have already explained, just like... Dharma means bhāgavata-dharma. Bhāgavata-dharma is not a faith. It is a fact, characteristic of the human being. Bhāgavata means in relationship with God, bhagavān, bhāgavata-tattva. This word... From bhāgavata-tattva there is bhāgavata. The root is the bhaga, and from that root this word is derived, bhāgavata. It is pertaining to the Personality of Godhead and His devotees. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the book of knowledge which is dealing with the Supreme Personality of Godhead with His different devotees. That is called Bhāgavata. There are two kinds of bhāgavata. One bhāgavata is this book, book bhāgavata. This book Bhāgavatam is the sound incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And there is another bhāgavata, who is spiritual master or the Vaiṣṇava, a devotee of the Lord. He's also called bhāgavata. A great devotee is called mahā-bhāgavata. So there are two kinds of bhāgavatas. The mercy representation of God is book bhāgavatam. Sound vibration, sound representation of God is from the book bhāgavatam. And the mercy representation of God is called the devotee bhāgavata.

So here the question is that "After Kṛṣṇa's departure..." Kṛṣṇa lived or stayed in this planet for 125 years. After that, He went back to own abode. Here the question is, brūhi yogeśvare kṛṣṇe. Yogeśvara means the controller of all mystic power. Yoga is mystic power, and Kṛṣṇa is the master or the controller of all mystic powers. Therefore He's called Yogeśvara. Lord Śiva, he's called Yogīśvara. He's the best amongst the yogis. And Kṛṣṇa is called Yogeśvara.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

So far Vedic religion is concerned, it is not for the Hindus. That is to be understood. The sanātana-dharma. It is for all living entities, all human beings. It is called sanātana-dharma. That I have already explained. The living entity is sanātana, God is sanātana, and there is sanātana-dharma.

Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So far Vedic religion is concerned, it is not for the Hindus. That is to be understood. The sanātana-dharma. It is for all living entities, all human beings. It is called sanātana-dharma. That I have already explained. The living entity is sanātana, God is sanātana, and there is sanātana-dharma. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). And where Kṛṣṇa is described sanātana in the Eleventh Chapter. Do you remember? He is described as sanātana. Sanātanam. So actually, the Vedic system is called sanātana-dharma. Not Hindu dharma. This is a wrong conception. The sanātana-dharma is meant for all living entities, not the so-called Hindus, Muslims, Christians. For everyone. That is sanātana-dharma. These are later misconceptions, Hinduism and this ism, that ism, that ism. Actually, it is called sanātana-dharma, or varṇāśrama-dharma. That is meant for everyone. But because it was being followed regularly in India and Indians were called by the Muslims on the other side of the River Sind, or Sindu, and they pronounce Sind as Hind. Therefore they called India as Hindustan, means on the other side of Sindu, or Hindu River. Otherwise, it has no Vedic reference. So this Hindu dharma has no Vedic reference. The real Vedic dharma is sanātana-dharma, varṇāśrama-dharma. First of all he has to understand this. Now that sanātana-dharma, or Vedic dharma, being distorted, not being obeyed, not being carried properly, it has come to the understanding of Hinduism. That is a freak understanding. That is not real understanding. We have to study sanātana-dharma or varṇāśrama-dharma. Then we'll understand what is Vedic religion.

The worship of Viṣṇu is the supreme worship. So actually everyone should be worshiper of Viṣṇu. And that is Vaiṣṇavism. So Vaiṣṇavism means for everyone or sanātana dharma. That I have already explained. The human.... The living entity is sanātana. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ jīva-loke sanātana (BG 15.7). He is sanātana. God is sanātana. The exchange between God and the living entity is called sanātana-dharma or Vaiṣṇavism.

Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes, they are worshiping... This is... First of all, you must forget that this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not Hinduism. It is Vaiṣṇavism. Vaiṣṇava means Viṣṇu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and one who loves Viṣṇu or loves God, he is Vaiṣṇava. So Hinduism is not like that. Present conception of Hinduism, they have got so many demigods. Demigods are there in the Vedas, but demigod worshipers, they are all materialistic persons. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā that kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajanti anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). Those who are worshiper of demigods, they are lusty. Kāmuka. And the kāmuka platform is material world, lusty. Everyone is trying to enjoy sense gratification. So demigod worship is for sense gratification. If you worship Durga, then you pray, "Mother Durga, give me name, fame, wealth, good wife, and so on, so on." Dhanaṁ dehi rūpaṁ dehi rūpavati-bhāryaṁ dehi. Simply demanding for sense gratification. So that is not love of Godhead. That is to select one agent of God and exact from him as much as you can for your sense gratification. That is not recommended in the Vedic religion. Vedic religion, although there are demigods, but the ultimate is oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ. Those who are sūraya, actually advanced, they see to the Viṣṇu paramaṁ padam. Viṣṇor aradhanaṁ param. The worship of Viṣṇu is the supreme worship. So actually everyone should be worshiper of Viṣṇu. And that is Vaiṣṇavism. So Vaiṣṇavism means for everyone or sanātana dharma. That I have already explained. The human.... The living entity is sanātana. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ jīva-loke sanātana (BG 15.7). He is sanātana. God is sanātana. The exchange between God and the living entity is called sanātana-dharma or Vaiṣṇavism. So we are teaching that. We are not teaching Hinduism, Muslimism, Christianism. We are teaching how to love God. That's all. There is no question of proselytization. It is the natural. We are, by nature we are lover of God. Just like father and son. The love is already there. It cannot be extinguished. The father and son may be separated for many, many years, but when they come together the affection immediately revives. So we are teaching that, that we have got eternal relationship with God and revive it. We are embarassed by establishing artificial relationship with my family, country, and society, and so-called religions. These are all artificial. Real relationship, that "God is great and I am His servant," that is real religion. So we are teaching that thing.