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Identification (Lectures, SB cantos 1 - 2)

Expressions researched:
"identifiable" |"identification" |"identifications" |"identified" |"identifier" |"identifies" |"identify" |"identifying"

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- London, August 7, 1971:

Bhagavate, "unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is known as Vāsudeva." Vāsudeva means the son of Vasudeva. Even the leader of the impersonalists, namely Śaṅkarācārya, he has accepted that the Supreme Personality of Godhead appeared as the son of Vasudeva and Devakī. People may not misunderstand. Just like we give identification by giving the name of father, mother, similarly, Kṛṣṇa's identification is that He is son of Vasudeva or son of Nanda Mahārāja, friend of Śrīdāmā, Sudāmā, lover of Rādhārāṇī. In so many ways He has got hundreds of thousands of names. So people who protest that God cannot have any name... They say that God cannot have any name. Yes, we agree with them. God cannot have any name. Or God has so many names, how we'll address Him? The śāstra says that He has got many names, but the chief name is Kṛṣṇa. In the Atharva Veda it is said. Kṛṣṇa is the son of Devakī, Vasudeva. Those who are very much strict to understand everything on the evidence of Veda, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī has given them quotation from Vedas, that "In the Vedas, Kṛṣṇa's name is there, His father's name is there." Like that.

Lecture on SB 1.1.4 -- London, August 27, 1973:

And slow means slow in spiritual realization. Slow. The human form of life is meant for spiritual realization. That is the distinction between human form of life and animal form of life. The animals are not interested, or they do not know what is spiritual life. But the human form of life with developed consciousness is meant for understanding our identification. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This human form of life is meant for inquiring about our spiritual identity. That is real business. So in that line of thought we are manda. Manda means very slow. "All right. We shall take it later on. Now I have got strength. Let me enjoy senses. Then we shall see later on." That is called manda. Not serious.

Lecture on SB 1.2.3 -- London, August 24, 1971:

We are seeing Kṛṣṇa: here is Kṛṣṇa. But still, because we are conditioned souls, sometimes we think that "This is not actual Kṛṣṇa; this is a statue of Kṛṣṇa." But that is not the fact. Fact is Kṛṣṇa is one. Kṛṣṇa is absolute, advaya-jñāna. He is identified to everything. What is everything? Everything means manifestation of His energy.

So energy is not different from the energetic. Śakti-śaktimatayor abhedam. There is no difference. Just like the sun and the sunshine, or heat of the sun. Heat of the sun and the sunshine, or heat of the sun. Heat of the sun and the sunshine, they appear to be different from the sun, but actually it is not, because they are simultaneous. Wherever there is sun, there is heat and light. Or wherever there is heat and light, there is sun. In the morning, when you see that it is now clear, there is no more darkness, immediately you understand that there is sunrise.

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

He is giving chance to the living entity to travel, to wander," sarva-bhūtāni, "all over the universe." Yantrārūḍhāni māyayā, riding on a car, driving a car given by the material nature. So actual our position is that I am soul, I have been given a nice car—it is not a nice car but as soon as we get a car, however rotten it may be, we think that it is very nice, (laughter) and identify with that car. "I have got this car, I have got that car." One forgets if one drives a very costly car, he forgets himself that he is a poor man. He thinks that "I am this car." This is identification.

So yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ (SB 10.84.13). One who thinks this body as himself, as self, and bodily relations, sva-dhīḥ, "They are my own, my brother, my family, my nation, my community, my society," so many things, my, I and mine Misconception of "I" as this body and misconception of "my" in relationship with body.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Hyderabad, November 26, 1972:

That is artificial. That is artificial. "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am Buddhist," "I am this," "I am that." These are all in relationship with this body. Accidentally if I am born in a Hindu family, or Muslim family, or Christian family, I identify myself, "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian." But real identification is, as I have already explained to you, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, I am Brahman. I am the spirit soul. So when you come to that platform of spiritual understanding then our characteristic should be manifested. What is that? That is explained here, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). Bhakti—to become devotee of the Supreme Lord. That is our real characteristic. To become devotee is already manifest. I am devotee to my country, I am devotee to my society, I am devotee to my family, I am devotee to my husband, to my wife, to my children. So devotion is already there. But that is not paro dharmo. When we become devotee of the Supreme Lord, that is our real characteristic. Devotion is already there, service is already there. Nobody can say that, "I do not serve anyone."

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Rome, May 24, 1974:

Turks, oh, yes. So, so he was a big scholar and born in brāhmaṇa family. Everything was all right. But still he presented himself before Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu that he is not a bona fide learned man because he did not know what is his identification. That is very important thing. One should know his identification. At the present moment, identification is going on by the skin. "I am Indian," "I am American." This is going on. But that is not our proper identification. The proper identification is ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am spirit soul." This is to be understood in human form of life. Otherwise, the dog is also puffed up, "I am a big dog." So similarly, if a man becomes puffed up simply by the bodily concept of life, "I am a big Roman," "I am big Indian," "I am big...," there is no distinction between the dog's conception of life and the big Roman's conception of life—because the center is the body.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Rome, May 24, 1974:

So here Kṛṣṇa came to establish this fact, that "You are neither Roman, nor Indian nor brāhmaṇa nor śūdra. You are My eternal servant. Therefore give up all this nonsense identification." Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). Because due to your wrong identification, you have created so-called "isms:" Hinduism, Muhammadanism, nationalism, this "ism," that "ism." This is all nonsense. This is the understanding of religion. Whatever we have created with the bodily concept of life, they are all nonsense. The real religion is that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." That is real religion. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when He was questioned by Sanātana Gosvāmī, "My dear Sir, I have come to You to surrender to You because You are my spiritual master. You have asked me to give up my family life. So by Your word I have given up. Now I have come to You. So this is my first question." One should be very inquisitive. After initiation, ādau gurvāśrayam. This is our system. So just to become enlightened in the spiritual affairs of life... As Arjuna also said, śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7).

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Rome, May 24, 1974:

There must be question. If one is actually seeking after spiritual realization, there must be intelligent question. The first intelligent question was put forward by Sanātana Gosvāmī, that ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya: "Sir, please let me know what is my identification, why I am put into this miserable condition of material life." People do not know it. Just like cats and dogs. The cat or the dog does not know that his life is very abominable. No, he is happy. This is māyā. Even the hog, he is also thinking, "I am very happy." This is called māyā, moha. Jīvasya moha, ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). So when human life is there, at least, one must be awakened to this consciousness, that actually "I am not happy." That is the beginning of human life, not to remain in darkness like cats and dog. He is unhappy in every respect, in every step, and still, he is thinking, "I am happy." Cats, dogs, hogs, their whole day working, day and night, and for some food, and sense gratification. This is the modern life.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Rome, May 24, 1974:

Actually, it is not. So therefore Sanātana Gosvāmī was intelligent. He inquired that, ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya, first question to the spiritual master, that "What is my identification? Why I am suffering these threefold miseries?" They do not know what is threefold... Miseries are there, but they do not know, so dull-headed people. Adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika, three kinds of miseries, there must be. Either three or two or at least one must be. No, three are always there. Adhyātmika means pertaining to the body or mind. "Today I am very weak." "Today I have got jaundice." "Today I have got this some stomach trouble, dysentery." These are called adhyātmika. Or mind is not very nice. And adhidaivika. Just like severe cold, severe heat, earthquake. These are... Famine, pestilence. There are so many things, adhidaivika. And adhibhautika, miseries offered by another living entity. In this way we are always implicated. Adhyātmika.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Delhi, November 13, 1973:

Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā you will find, māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate (BG 14.26). Avyabhicāreṇa, unadulterated bhakti-yoga. Yaḥ sevate. Anyone who is engaged in unadulterated bhakti-yoga, sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate, immediately he realizes his identification as Brahman. Sa guṇān. These sattva-rajo-tamo-guṇa, I have described already, he immediately transcends. Mukti means to get out of the influence of the sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. That is mukti. Now, here is the assurance by the Lord Himself: "Anyone who is engaged in unadulterated, without any mixture, without any adulteration, pure bhakti, then..." Avyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena yaḥ sev... Same thing as it is said in the Bhāgavata. Bhakti-yogena. Bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ (SB 1.2.7). Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). He immediately becomes transcendental to these material modes of nature and he becomes Brahman. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na... (BG 18.54).

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Hyderabad, April 21, 1974:

So the mission of human life is to acquire knowledge, jñānam, and vairāgyam, detachment. Jñānam means real identification, "What I am." In the conditioned stage of life we are passing on our days not in jñānam but ignorance, just like the animals. The animals, they have no jñānam. They are pulling on their life with the bodily concept of life. The dog is thinking, "I am dog. I am this body." He does not know whether he is "dog" or "cat". These names we have given him. But he knows it well that "I am this body." So this is not jñānam. This chance is available when we are no longer cats and dogs but human being. Then we can understand that "I am not this body." This is the difference between cats and dogs and human beings. The cats and dogs, they do not know that they are not the body. They are spirit soul. That they do not know. They know simply that "I am this body, and the necessities of body must be fulfilled somehow or other." That is their business. Whole day and night, they are working just to fulfill the necessities of his body, because there is no jñānam.

Lecture on SB 1.2.9 -- Detroit, August 3, 1975, University Lecture:

They know that Christ is son of God. They have heard it. Now convince them that "Yes, there is no fighting between Christian or Kṛṣṇa-ite. One is worshiping the father; one is worshiping the son. So there is no difference." But īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Kṛṣṇa... He says that,

sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya
sambhavanti mūrtayaḥ yāḥ
tāsāṁ mahad yonir brahma
ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā
(BG 14.4)

He is the father. That's all right. He identifies Himself as being the father, and Christ identifying himself as the son, then where is the difference? There is no difference. Either you learn from the son or from the father, the teaching will be the same. Only a minority is Christian only.

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

This upādhi. The bodily conception of life is called upādhi.

So sarva upādhi, when you become completely freed, no more thinking like American, Indian, brāhmaṇa, śūdra, no... "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80). Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave His identification in this way: "I am not a brāhmaṇa, I am not a śūdra, neither I am a king, neither I am a vaiśya, neither I am a sannyāsī. I am nothing of this." Because this material designation, varṇa-āśrama. Four varṇas, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and four āśramas, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. So anybody must be within these eight categories. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that "I don't belong to any of these categories." Nāhaṁ vipro na ca nara-patir na ca yatir vā. Then what you are? Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80). "Gopī-bhartuḥ, the maintainer of the gopīs, gopī-bhartuḥ, and the master of the gopīs, Kṛṣṇa, pada-kamalayoḥ, lotus feet—I am His servant, dāsa, and his servant, his servant, his servant, his servant, his servant, his servant, in this way servants' servant."

Lecture on SB 1.2.21 -- Vrndavana, November 1, 1972:

This process is helped by the Supersoul within such devotees. That is the perfect way of learning transcendental knowledge. This enlightenment perfectly enables the devotee to distinguish spirit from matter, because the knot of the spirit and matter is untied by the Lord. This knot is called ahaṅkāra, and it falsely obliges a living being to become identified with matter. As soon as this knot is loosened, therefore, all the clouds of doubt are at once cleared off. He sees his master and fully engages himself in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, making a full termination of the chain of fruitive action. In material existence a living being creates his own chain of fruitive work and enjoys the good and bad effects of those actions life after life. But as soon as he engages himself in the loving service of the Lord, he at once becomes free from the chain of karma. All his actions no longer create any reaction."

Lecture on SB 1.2.30 -- Vrndavana, November 9, 1972:

This is the Vaiṣṇava philosophy. We are trying to be servant. We don't identify with anything material. As soon as we identify with anything material, we become under the clutches of māyā. Kṛṣṇa-bhuliyā. Because, as soon as I forget my relationship with Kṛṣṇa... I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). That is the eternal identification of the living entity, to remain servant of Kṛṣṇa. As soon as we forget this, that is māyā. As soon as I think that "I am Kṛṣṇa," that is māyā. That māyā means this māyā, illusion, can be rejected by advancement of knowledge. That is jñānī. Jñānī means this is real knowledge, to understand his real position. This is not knowledge, that "I am equal to God. I am God." This is not knowledge. I am God, but I am sample of God. But the Supreme God is Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Arjuna accepted Kṛṣṇa like that: paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12).

Lecture on SB 1.2.30 -- Vrndavana, November 9, 1972:

You have to still go further. Simply to understand that "I am Brahman," "I have now realized myself as Brahman," that is not perfection of knowledge. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). One who becomes realized souls, self-realized, he becomes immediately perfectly joyful. Because our all lamentation is due to our material identification. Śocati kāṅkṣati. We are simply lamenting for our loss, and we are simply hankering for some gain. This is material activities. Everyone is struggling to gain something which he does not possess, and he's lamenting for something which he has lost. But when he realizes himself that "I have nothing to gain and nothing to lose; I have nothing to do with this material world," that is called brahma-bhūtaḥ. That is Brahman realization. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati, samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu (BG 18.54). At that time, he realizes that all living entities, they are spirit soul, paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). That is equal vision—not the bodily vision.

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

So every human being should be educated to accept this sanātana-dharma, how one can go back to home, back to Godhead. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. So sanātana-dharma is not meant for a particular class of men. It is meant for all living entities. Unfortunately, the Hindu dharma, or sanātana-dharma, they have identified. And..., as if others have no right to enter into the sanātana-dharma. No. That's not a fact. The fact is every living entity is sanātana. And the process by which a living entity is transferred to the sanātana dhāma, sanātana place, that is called sanātana-dharma. It is... Sanātana-dharma is misunderstood. Just like in India there are classes of men who call: "We are sanātanists." Everyone should be sanātanist. Sanātana-dharma is not meant for a particular class of men or country or society. Sanātana-dharma means it is meant for the living entities.

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

So they become very much devoted. Their love for Kṛṣṇa increased by seeing Kṛṣṇa's activities, beauty, opulence. Similarly, the gopīs. So they did not think Kṛṣṇa is God. They did not know. Even Mother Yaśodā, Nanda Mahārāja, all the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, they did not know, neither they did care to know whether Kṛṣṇa is God or not. They simply loved Kṛṣṇa, without any identification. We are worshiping God, Kṛṣṇa, because we are impressed with so many things, that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord, He is the Absolute Truth. And therefore we are little inclined. "All right, let us serve Kṛṣṇa if He is God." You see? There is some condition: "If Kṛṣṇa is God, so if I do not love, if I do not worship, there may be something wrong." So that is business. But amongst the gopīs and the cowherds boy and the Vṛndāvana inhabitants, there is no business. "We love Kṛṣṇa unconditionally. That's all. We do not know anything except Kṛṣṇa." This is Vṛndāvana atmosphere.

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

Everything is described in the śāstra. Nowadays any rascal comes, and he says, "I am incarnation." What is your father's name? Whatever it is described? Whether in the śāstra? Because incarnation, we cannot accept any rascal as incarnation without proper identification. But it has become a fashion now. Any rascal comes, says, "I am incarnation of God." So where is the mention? Some rascal says, "I was formerly Rāma and Kṛṣṇa." Another rascal accepts, "Oh, you were Rāma and Kṛṣṇa?"

So this kind of rascalism is not very good. You must accept the incarnation of God according to the description in the śāstras. Not one rascal cheats you and you also become another rascal to accept it. Don't do that. You must know what are the indication of incarnation. This question was raised by Sanātana Gosvāmī to Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Because in this age of Kali, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's incarnation is stated in the śāstra, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the Upaniṣad, in Mahābhārata.

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

In India the system is still that when a man will give you name, the first name is his own name, the second name is his father's name, and the third name is his village name. So that by three names he will understand that "This man is the son of such and such gentleman and coming from such and such village." Complete name. Just like when we give our identification, we give our own name, our father's name and address. That is complete identification. So still, not in everywhere, in almost all provinces of India, the system is still current. State..., especially in Maharastra province. Maharastra province, they exactly will give you his own name his father's name, and his village name.

So here also, Vaivasvata Manu. Vaivasvata Manu means the son of the gentleman whose name is Vivasvān. He is the president of this solar world, of the sun, sun planet. There is also president. You have got your president here. Why not in the sun planet?

Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 13, 1969:

So ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8), this is the disease. And Kṛṣṇa consciousness is to cure the disease, this cure diseases, to cure this illusion. What is that? When I understand that "I have no existence without Kṛṣṇa. I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. In that sense, I am Kṛṣṇa's," then my... That means to understand one's identification. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). Because I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, then what is my duty? To serve Kṛṣṇa. There is no other duty. Any other duty I manufacture, that is illusion. That is māyā, any duty I manufacture. So under illusion, I am manufacturing duties. This is called conditional life. So Vyāsadeva is advised that akhila-bandha-muktaye:"People are under illusion, 'I' and 'mine.' So, just try to get them liberated from this illusion." This is Vaiṣṇava's duty. Just like Nārada is advising Vyāsadeva, Vyāsadeva is advising his disciple Madhvācārya. He is advising his disciple. This is Vaiṣṇavism. They are not concerned for personal self.

Lecture on SB 1.7.5-6 -- Johannesburg, October 15, 1975:

Now, tomorrow, or the next life, I may not be Indian; I may be Chinese or I may be European. Then my whole business program changed. Again another nationality, another feeling. So in this way... And if I become cats and dogs, then another mentality. This is going on.

So I am forgetting that my identification is spiritual—ahaṁ brahmāsmi—and I am accepting all these unnecessary things, anartha. So anartha... If you want to stop this anartha, if you want to keep yourself in your original position of spiritual identity, then you have to take to bhakti-yoga. This is the conclusion of the śāstra. Anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣāt. Directly, not indirectly. Anartha. These anartha... I am not this body, but I have to change this body after hundred years or ten years or fifty years, according to the size. The dogs and cats, they change, ten years. The cows, twenty years. And human being, utmost, hundred years. And the demigods, many millions of years. But death is there.

Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Vrndavana, April 18, 1975:

Three into three equal to nine, and again mix, nine into nine equals eighty-one. Therefore there are 8,400,000 species of living entities under the impression that "I am this; I am plant; I am fish; I am mosquito; I am man; I am demigod; I am tiger; I am Indian; I am American." In this way there are 8,400,000's of different types of identification. Therefore we find so many forms of life. Ātmānaṁ tri-guṇātmakaṁ manute. Yayā... This is all the work of māyā, to keep us under certain impression. And we work under certain impression and create another situation, and we get, "tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13)." Now, this life, if I create a situation like a dog, then I will get the body of a dog. That's all. Or if I create a situation like the demigod, then I can go to the heavenly planets. But if I create a situation that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa," then you go to Kṛṣṇa. This is wanted. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Create a situation.

Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Vrndavana, April 18, 1975:

Because we have created so many problems under the impression of different guṇas... "I am this. I am that." To become sannyāsī, that is also another problem. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said that "I am not a brāhmaṇa. I am not a sannyāsī. I am not a brahmacārī I am not a gṛhastha. I am not a kṣatriya." All "not, not." "I am not this, I am not this. My only identification is that I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80). This is required. So how this position you can attain, that is described in the next verse, anartha upaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje. This is the remedy. Anartha, these are all anarthas. So long I will think, "I am this; I am that," "I am this; I am that," or even if you think that "I am big gosvāmī" or big brāhmaṇa, that is also anartha. That is also anartha.

Actually gosvāmī means who has control over the senses. Svāmī means the control over the senses.

Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Vrndavana, April 18, 1975:

We have to control over the senses and identify ourself that "I do not belong to anything of this material infection, but I am eternally servant of Kṛṣṇa." Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya... (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). This is called svarūpa-upalabdhi. This is called self-realization. This is called mukti. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam the definition of mukti has been given that muktir hitvā anyathā rūpam. Anyathā rūpam. I am identifying now myself as this and that. "I am American; I am Indian; I am brāhmaṇa; I am gosvāmī; I am this, that..." No. This is all anarthas, unwanted. So therefore hitvā anyathā rūpam. We are living under the impression of something else. Hitvā means when we give up this wrong impression. And sva-rūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ, when you are situated in your original position, that is called mukti. Mukti does not mean anything else. This is the definition of mukti.

Lecture on SB 1.7.7 -- Vrndavana, September 6, 1976:

We must know it. All rascals. Abodha-jataḥ. Everyone who is born in this material world, either he may be... Even Lord Brahmā, and down to the small insect. Anyone who has come to this material world... Because we are not material. We are spiritual identity. Na jāyate na mriyate vā. Never takes birth, never dies. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). This is the identification given by Lord Kṛṣṇa. But we are so foolish and rascals we never question that "My position is na jāyate na mriyate vā. I never take birth, never I die. Then why I am afraid of death and why I am actually undergoing birth and death? I am born, everyone knows. I come out from my mother. Therefore jāyate. So why I have taken birth? And again everyone knows, 'As sure as death,' mriyate vā. So why this discrepancy?" This is human being. The cats and dog, they cannot question these things.

Lecture on SB 1.7.7 -- Vrndavana, September 6, 1976:

Abodha-jataḥ. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jataḥ. So long we keep ourself in this misunderstanding that "I know everything. I am very great person," then whatever he is doing, it is his defeat. Abodha-jataḥ. Parābhavaḥ. That is going on. The so-called leaders, they do not know what is their spiritual identification, and becoming unnecessarily proud, they are doing anything and everything. Abodha-jataḥ. They do not know they'll have to suffer for this ignorance. We have repeatedly said that if you keep yourself in the ignorance and if you do... Because wrong thing is done by rascals and ignorant. No intelligent man will do any wrong thing. That's a fact. Violation of the law is done, either a criminal willfully doing or a person, one who does not know the law, he commits. But you know or not know, if you have violated the law, then you have to be punished.

Lecture on SB 1.7.16 -- Vrndavana, September 14, 1976:

Then Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begins. So don't jump over the kṛṣṇa-līlā or jump over Rādhā-kuṇḍa unless you are a liberated person. This is the instruction. Acyuta. You must be also acyuta—not falling down from the standard of pure devotional service. Acyuta-gotra.

A Vaiṣṇava, when he's asked about his identification, he gives acyuta-gotra. "Now I belong to the Acyuta, not to my original family." Therefore for a sannyāsī, when he's asked "What is your identification?" it is said, pūrvāśrama. Pūrvāśrama means "Formerly I belonged to such and such family. Now I belong to the family of Kṛṣṇa, acyuta-gotra." This is the etiquette. One should not... Sannyāsī should not be inquired about his identification because he has given up the family relationship. So he should not be bothered. That is not etiquette. Even somebody inquires, he should inquire like that, pūrvāśrama: "What was your pūrvāśrama? Before taking sannyāsa, what was your identification?" So to take sannyāsa means to become in the family of Acyuta.

Lecture on SB 1.7.51-52 -- Vrndavana, October 8, 1976:

Ātma-māyayā, cit-śakti. So Kṛṣṇa, there is no difference between Kṛṣṇa's soul and Kṛṣṇa's body. Just like we have got. We are different from this body. And Kṛṣṇa is not different from the body. He does not change His body. Although He assumes several avatāra, but he does not change His body. Advaitam acyutam... Acyuta, not different from the original personification, identification. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Although He assumes so many varieties of viṣṇu-tattva, still, advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca (Bs. 5.33). Therefore viṣṇu-tattva is, never looks like old man. Nava-yauvanam. Always young. Kṛṣṇa always young. Nava-yauvanaṁ ca.

So in order to confirm Kṛṣṇa's position, here it is not Devakī-suta. Because one may doubt, that "Devakī-suta is ordinary human being or living being." No. Here it is said, catur-bhuja. Here it is said, bhagavān. Here it is said, catur-bhuja.

Lecture on SB 1.8.21 -- New York, April 13, 1973:

Now you are Kṛṣṇa conscious. So others can be awakened also. There is no difficulty. The process is the same. So by following the footprints of devotees like Kuntī, we shall be able to understand as she's pointing out: kṛṣṇāya vāsudevāya devakī-nandanāya ca, nanda-gopa-kumārāya (SB 1.8.21). This is Kṛṣṇa's identification. Just like we take identification of a person: "What is your father's name?" So here we're giving, presenting God with His father's name, with His mother's name, with His address. We are not impersonalists, vague idea. No. Everything complete. Perfect. The identification. If you take advantage of this propagation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you are certainly benefited.

Lecture on SB 1.8.21 -- Mayapura, October 1, 1974:

Therefore, to teach these rascals, Kuntī is pointing out, kṛṣṇāya vāsudevāya: (SB 1.8.21) "You rascal, you don't take Kṛṣṇa otherwise. I am speaking of Kṛṣṇa, the son of Vasudeva, Vāsudeva." Just like to identification in the court, if you give your name, then you must give the father's name, your village, your district, like that. That is identification. So therefore Kuntīdevī is pointing out: "It is no other Kṛṣṇa. The Kṛṣṇa whose father's name is Vasudeva, whose mother's name is Devakī, whose father's name is Nanda Mahārāja, whose mother's name is Yaśodāmāyi. That's all." When that Vallabha Ācārya... He wrote some essays and books, The Meaning of Kṛṣṇa. The Meaning of Kṛṣṇa. And he went to Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and he wanted some eulogization that he has so many meanings of Kṛṣṇa. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "No, no, I know Kṛṣṇa's name, only two or three. That's all." He said, "I know Kṛṣṇa is the son of Yaśodāmāyi, Yaśodānandana. Kṛṣṇa means the boy who sucked the breast of mother Yaśodā. I know that."

Lecture on SB 1.8.23 -- Mayapura, October 3, 1974:

So Kṛṣṇa... Actually, Kuntī is presenting the characteristics of Kṛṣṇa. He is transcendental, puruṣaṁ prakṛteḥ param. Then He is person. In so many ways, he, she has already described. Now... That is identification. Now Kṛṣṇa's activities... Because we have to know Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, janma karma me divyam (BG 4.9). His birth and His activities, both of them are transcendental, not material, because He is puruṣaṁ prakṛteḥ param. He is the person beyond this material nature who is not a created being of this material nature. That we should understand. Puruṣaṁ prakṛteḥ param. The original creator.

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

That is called dharma. Dharma means to bring one to his original position. That is dharma. So there may be degrees. But the original position is that we are part and parcel of God, and, when we understand that we are part and parcel of God, that is our real position of life. That is called brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20) stage, understanding his Brahman realization, identification. So Kṛṣṇa comes... This explanation...

Just like Kuntī says that: apare vasudevasya devakyāṁ yācito 'bhyagāt (SB 1.8.33). Vasudeva and Devakī prayed to the Supreme Personality of Godhead that: "We want a son like You. That is our desires." Although they were married, they were, they did not beget any child. They engaged themselves in tapasya, severe tapasya. So Kṛṣṇa came before them: "What do you want?" "Now we want a child like You." Therefore here it is said: vasudevasya devakyāṁ yācitaḥ. Yācitaḥ. "Sir, we want a son like You." Now what, where there is possibility of another God? Kṛṣṇa is God. God cannot be two.

Lecture on SB 1.8.33 -- Mayapura, October 13, 1974:

The same... Just like the scientist. He would propose that life is made by combination of chemicals, but when another scientist says, "Suppose I give you the chemicals. Can you produce life?" he will, the rascal will say, "That I cannot say." Similarly, they are rascals. We are presenting herewith, "Here is Kṛṣṇa. Take His address. Take His name. Take His father's name, mother's name, all identification, His activities, His glories, everything." Kṛṣṇa proves that He's the Supreme Personality of Godhead:

aiśvaryasya samagrasya
vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ
jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva
ṣaṇṇāṁ bhaga itiṅganā
(Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47)

Bhagavān. Bhagavān means the proprietor of all wealth, aiśvarya, samagrasya. Not any limited amount, but samagra, everything. Kṛṣṇa says that. Bhoktāraṁ yajña..., sarva-loka-maheśvaram: (BG 5.29) "I am the proprietor of all the planets." Kṛṣṇa says that. So you check Him, that "How He is the proprietor of all the planets?" Therefore He showed Viśvarūpa, the universal form, how everything is within Him.

Lecture on SB 1.10.3 -- Mayapura, June 18, 1973:

Everyone is uneducated. Everyone is born rascal and fool. He should be enlightened, elevated, by vijñāna-vidhūta. Vijñāna-vidhūta-vibhramaḥ. This can be achieved when one is interested in the matter of self-realization, if one is interested. Ātma-tattvam. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. If one is not interested in understanding his identification, what he is, ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya. As Sanātana Gosvāmī presented himself before Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and his question was, "Ke āmi?" Tad-vijñānārthaṁ gurum eva abhigacchet. Strictly according to Vedic principles. Sanātana Gosvāmī approached the spiritual master, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, tad-vijñānārtham. What is that? "What I am?" To understand this, tad-vijñānārtham, the ātma-tattvam, self-realization.

So to become a disciple of spiritual master, unless there is awakening of this knowledge, to know "What I am?" there is no need of making a show, accepting a spiritual master. There is no need. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). For whom guru is needed? Guru, spiritual master, is not a farce, that "Let me have a guru, nice guru. Then I become perfect."

Lecture on SB 1.15.22-23 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1973:

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu denied all these: "No, I am a not brāhmaṇa, nor I am a śūdra, nor am I gṛhastha, nor I am kṣatriya." "Then what You are?" Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ: (CC Madhya 13.80) "I am the servant of the servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa, who provides the gopīs." This is our real identities.

So without understanding our real identification, if we remain intoxicated and wander within this wonderful universe... You cannot live. It is not that because you have settled up, "Now I am in America or India. Let me live here comfortably. I have got very good arrangement." But you will not be allowed to live, sir. You must have to change. You may make very good arrangement, but who is allowing to stay here. You will not be allowed to stay here. But they do not know. Intoxicated, because intoxicated. Everyone is thinking that "I shall stay forever. Let there be very big iron skyscraper building. I will be able to stay." But because intoxicated, he cannot understand that he will not be allowed to stay. You may simply spoil your energy.

Lecture on SB 1.15.29 -- Los Angeles, December 7, 1973:

So spiritual life means anxiety-less. This is the difference between material life and spiritual life. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54), in the Bhagavad-gītā it is described what is spiritual life. As soon as you are identified with the Absolute Truth, Brahman, then symptoms will be prasannātmā, jubilation: "Oh, I do not belong to this material world. I belong to the spiritual world. I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Why should I suffer so many things?" That is jubilation. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). The prasannātmā means na śocati na kāṅkṣati. He has no lamentation, no hankering. Here people are always full of anxieties because they have got hankering, "I want this. I want that." And there is lamentation. What they possess, if it is lost, they cry, "Oh, my things are lost." And what they do not possess, they hanker. So their anxiety is there, either he possesses or not possesses. This is material anxiety. If you have no money, then you will hanker after money, "How to get money, how to get money, how to get money?" And when you get money, then how to utilize it, how to, where to keep it, in the bank, or in the house, or who will take away?

Lecture on SB 1.15.29 -- Los Angeles, December 7, 1973:

"How to get money, how to get money, how to get money?" And when you get money, then how to utilize it, how to, where to keep it, in the bank, or in the house, or who will take away? Somebody will take away. So where is anxiety-less? You possess or not possess, the real disease is anxiety. So when one becomes brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20), self-realized, identified with the Absolute Truth, then he has no more anxiety. This is the best education, when you become anxiety-less. That is perfection of education.

So when Prahlāda Mahārāja was enquired by his father that "What nice thing you have studied, my dear boy, in your school?" so he replied, "My dear father, the best education I have received, how to become anxiety-less." That's all. Tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehinām. "Not only for me, but for everyone. But you will not understand, my dear father, because you are demon number one." (laughter) He is addressing his father, asura-varya, asura-varya.

Lecture on SB 1.15.31 -- Los Angeles, December 9, 1973:

Prasannātmā means there is no more lamentation and no more hankering. That is prasannātmā. We are subjected to two things. Aḥ... If our possessed... If our possession is lost, then we lament, and if we don't possess, then we hanker. So here, viśokaḥ sampattyā. When one is fully identified with Brahman... Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So when you fully surrender and you become freed from other desires: only surrender to Kṛṣṇa. That is our only business. No more any other business. That is brahma-sampattyā. Sanātha-jīvitam.

Just like the child is sitting on the lap of the father. So the child is confident that "I'm secure." So it has no more any second desire. In the material world, because we have not surrendered to Kṛṣṇa we are always wandering helpless. Everyone here feeling helpless. Even though one is millionaire, even though one is president, but he's feeling helpless. This is the position, material conditional life.

Lecture on SB 1.15.31 -- Los Angeles, December 9, 1973:

Sometimes you are carried by the doggish cars, sometimes goddish car. These are all cars, but we are different from the car. We wanted to sit down in a certain car, so Kṛṣṇa is giving us the chance. Bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni (BG 18.61). Yantra means car or machine. It is very easy to understand. So this is going on because we are identifying with the car. Just like foolish man, if he rides on a Rolls Royce car, he's thinking "Now I am very rich man. I have bought a Rolls Royce." Similarly, if one body has got inferior car, he thinks that "I am poor"; identifying with the car.

But he's not car. He's different from car. This knowledge is required. This is called viśoko brahma-sampattyā. When we understand our spiritual identity, then we are no more lamenting or jubilation, equilibrium. Read the purport. It is very important verse.

Lecture on SB 1.16.5 -- Los Angeles, January 2, 1974:

We must take all advantage, but for Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We shall encourage people, but the thing is that we may not forget. If by material opulence we forget Kṛṣṇa, then that is suicidal. That is sui... Therefore we have to be little careful. We may drive the Rolls Royce car, but may not identify with the car: "Oh, now I've become Rolls Royce. You are Chevrolet. I'm Rolls Royce." (laughter) Don't become nonsense like that. Rolls Royce car is different from you, and Chevrolet car is also different from you. You can take advantage of them. Don't identify. They are identifying with the matter. That is the defect. That is called māyā. He's not identifying with Kṛṣṇa, that "I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. I am not part and parcel of these Rolls Royce cars." If one keeps himself, I mean to say, awakened in this way, so in any condition of life, he is liberated, any condition.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-5 -- Melbourne, June 26, 1974:

"I am black," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am śūdra," this way—"I am this body." Ātmavit means "I am the self; I am the soul." Bhāgavata... This is the Vedic word. If one understands that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul," he is called ātmavit, or he is liberated. He is not bodily conscious platform. There are three platforms of identification with self. Those who are grossly in ignorance, exactly like animals... Just like a dog. A dog thinks that he is the body. He cannot think that he is not the body, he is the soul. That is not possible. Because he is born in such a body, he is entrapped in such a body, animal body, they cannot think that the animal, the cat and dog, is different from the body. But at the present moment, so many big, big scholars and professors and educationists, they are also the same category as the dog. As the dog is thinking, "I am this body," he is also thinking, "I am this body." And on this bodily concept there are so many nations, big, big nation, they are on the bodily concept of life. Not ātmavit. Ātmavit is different, that "I am not this body; I am soul," Bhāgavata,.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-5 -- Melbourne, June 26, 1974:

Prabhupāda: Then you must attention give to temple. When you have got the eyes to see Kṛṣṇa everywhere, you may not require temple worship. But why do you try to imitate that? You have no eyes to see that. Yes.

Devotee (2): Śrīla Prabhupāda, you mentioned three states of identification. One was like the animals. What was the other two?

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Devotee (2): One was to identify with the body as the self like the animals. And then you mentioned... You said there were three altogether.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Bodily conception, mental conception and spiritual conception. When one is ignorant, he is like animal. When he is farther advanced, he is a philosopher. And when he is farther advanced, he is a devotee.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2-5 -- Montreal, October 23, 1968:

Yes. Why not? Ego... I am thinking at the present moment ego falsely. "I am somebody belonging to this material world," either I may think that "I am American," either I think "I am Indian," something of this material world. But similarly, when you think ahaṁ brahmāsmi, "I am spirit soul," that is also aham, ahaṅkāra. Ego means ahaṅkāra, identification, self-identification, ahaṅkāra, "I am." Everyone has got the sense, "I am." Now, that "I am" thinking, at the present moment I am thinking in my material concept. So when I will think in spiritual concept, that is my pure ego, pure identification. So ego will remain. Ego will not vanish. This "I" consciousness will remain, but here, at the present moment, I am misidentifying myself, and when I actually know myself, that identification is pure ego.

Lecture on SB 2.2.5 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1968:

The purification process is stated in Nārada-pañcarātra. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). You have to free yourself from the designation. Designation. The same example can be given. Just like Arjuna. He was designating himself with the Kuru family; therefore he was impure. When he gave up this designation, he identified his interest with Kṛṣṇa, he became devotee. So we have to give up this designation, "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am Christian," "I am Hindu," "I am this," "I am that"—"I am Kṛṣṇa's. I am God's. I am servant of God." And if you act in that way, then whole thing becomes purified. And if you keep your designation accidentally... Just like you are American. This is accidental. By somehow or other, you have come to accept a body from the American family. Now this will be changed. You do not know what is your next body. So this is changing. This is not my permanent settlement. But your permanent settlement is to identify yourself that "I am Kṛṣṇa's." That is your permanent settlement.

Lecture on SB 2.3.2-3 -- Los Angeles, May 20, 1972:

Pradyumna: "Almost all of them have a wrong conception of life, for they identify themselves with the gross and subtle material bodies, which they are not in fact."

Prabhupāda: This is their, I mean to say, less intelligence. Everyone thinks that "I am this body." Or little further off, one thinks, "No, I am not this body. I am mind." There are two bodies, one gross body made of these physical elements: earth, water, air, fire, sky, and another... Just like shirt and coat. You have got your coat, and within the coat there is shirt, and within the shirt, you are. This is gross example. Similarly, we have got this gross body and when the gross body is finished, then I keep myself in this mental body. That is called ghostly body. The ghostly body means one who is living in the subtle body. Ghost is a fact; it is not fictitious. So the subtle body carries me to another gross body. That is called transmigration of the soul. I must have some vehicle. The subtle body... Gross body is finished. That is gone. Now, the subtle body is there; therefore my mentality will create another gross body. If I am dog mentality, then I'll create another body, dog's body. And if I am God mentality, then I'll create another body like God.

Lecture on SB 2.3.15 -- Los Angeles, June 1, 1972:

The dirty things are that "I am a material body; I am American; I am Indian; I am Hindu; I am Muslim; I am this; I am that." These are all different types of covering of the soul. The uncovered soul is fully conscious that "I am eternal servant of God." That's all. One has no other identification. That is called mukti. When one comes to the understanding that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, God, and my only business is to serve Him," that is called mukti. Mukti does not mean that you will have another two hands, another two legs. No. The same thing, simply it is cleansed. Just like a man is suffering from fever. The symptoms are so many, but as soon as the fever is not there, then all the symptoms gone. So our, this fever in this material world is sense gratification. Sense gratification. This is the fever. So when we become engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this sense gratification business ceases. That is the difference. That is the test how you are becoming advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 2.3.17 -- Los Angeles, June 12, 1972:

Prabhupāda: So you read purport.

Pradyumna: "This verse indirectly confirms the greater importance of utilizing the human form of life to realize our lost relationship with the Supreme Lord by acceleration of devotional service. Time and tide wait for no man. So the time indicated by the sunrise and the sunset will be uselessly wasted if such time is not properly utilized for realizing identification of spiritual values. Even a fraction of the duration of life wasted cannot be compensated by any amount of gold. Human life is simply awarded to a living entity, jīva, so he can realize his spiritual identity and his permanent source of happiness. A living being, especially the human being, is seeking happiness, because happiness is the natural situation of the living entity. But he is vainly seeking happiness in the material atmosphere.

Lecture on SB 2.3.20 -- Bombay, March 24, 1977, At Cross Maidan Pandal:

Yes. Therefore you have to understand your spiritual identification. Because you are fools and rascals, you are thinking, "I am this body," and Kṛṣṇa gives instruction in the beginning that you are not this body. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā (BG 2.13). Asmin dehe: you are within this body, not this body you are. So Kṛṣṇa is authority. You have to take it. Kṛṣṇa is not only simply speaking authoritatively but He is giving practical example. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā (BG 2.13). Because the soul is within the body it is changing. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). You have to become a dhīra, not adhīra. There are two classes of men: dhīra and adhīra. So in order to become a dhīra, you have to go... Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). You have to be trained up. Then you'll understand, not so quickly, without being dhīra. Dhīras tatra na muhyati.

Lecture on SB 2.9.1 -- Tokyo, April 20, 1972:

He is dreaming there is a tiger and he is creating a situation, fearful situation. Actually there is no cause of fear. There is no tiger. That situation is created by dream. Actually there is no tiger. Similarly we have created this material world and activity. People are running, "Oh..., sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh," identifying that "Oh, I am the manager. I am the factory owner. I am this, I am that. We have got his politics. We have to defeat such competitors." All these things are created exactly like that, svapna-draṣṭur ivāñjasā, just like a man is creating his particular situation simply by dream. That's all.

Lecture on SB 2.9.2 -- Melbourne, April 4, 1972:

To become on the platform of brahminical, satya śama dama titikṣa ārjava, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyam brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). So even This is the platform of goodness, brahminical qualification. So even in brahminical qualification, it's still māyayā. He is thinking, "I am brāhmaṇa. I am so pure. I am better than him." But he does not know that he is identifying himself with māyā. "I am not brāhmaṇa, I am not śūdra, I am not kṣatriya, I am not vaiśya, I am not a sannyāsī, I am not a brahmacārī, I am not a gṛhastha. Nothing of the sort." Then what you are? Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80). I am the's qualities. So this identification also will not help. Today I may be brāhmaṇa, and tomorrow I shall become a bhangi. A (indistinct), nothing of the sort." Then what you are? Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ. "I am the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa." This pari bhram (?) Kṛṣṇa's servant.

Page Title:Identification (Lectures, SB cantos 1 - 2)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:10 of Nov, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=51, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:51