Innumerable planets (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"innumerable Vaikuntha planets" |"innumerable material planets" |"innumerable number of planets" |"innumerable other planets" |"innumerable planetary" |"innumerable planets" |"innumerable spiritual planets" |"innumerable stars and planets" |"innumerable varieties of planets"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG Introduction -- New York, February 19-20, 1966:

Because the Lord comes as one of us and just like plays with us as a human being, therefore we need not consider that Lord is one of us. It is His omnipotency that He presents Himself with His real form before us and displays His pastimes, just the prototype of His abode. So that abode of Lord, there are innumerable planets also in that brahma-jyotir. Just like we have got innumerable planets floating on the sun rays, similarly, in the brahma-jyotir, which is emanating from the abode of the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇaloka, Goloka, ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis (Bs. 5.37), all those planets are spiritual planets. They are ānanda-cinmaya; they are not material planets.

Lecture on BG Introduction -- New York, February 19-20, 1966:

Similarly, there is Pitṛloka. Similarly, one who likes to approach the supreme planet, supreme planet... The supreme planet means the Kṛṣṇaloka. In the spiritual sky there are innumerable planets, sanātana planets, eternal planets, which are never destroyed, annihilated. But of all those spiritual planets there is one planet, the original planet, which is called Goloka Vṛndāvana. So these informations are there in the Bhagavad-gītā and we are given the opportunity for leaving this material world and get our eternal life in the eternal kingdom. Now in the 15th Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā, the real picture of this material world is given.

Lecture on BG Introduction -- New York, February 19-20, 1966:

The Lord says yaḥ prayāti, one who goes, sa mad-bhāvaṁ yāti (BG 8.5), mad-bhāvam, he gets the same spiritual body as the Lord has or the same spiritual nature. Now, there are different kinds of transcendentalists as we have already explained above. The brahmavādī, paramātmavādī and the devotees. In spiritual sky or in the brahma-jyotir there are spiritual planets, innumerable spiritual planets, we have already discussed. And the number of those planets are far, far greater than all the universes of this material world. This material world is ekāṁśena sthito jagat (BG 10.42). This is one-fourth part manifestation of the whole creation. Three-fourths part of the creation is the spiritual world and in the one-fourth part of this creation there are millions of universes like this which we are experiencing at the present moment. And in one universe there are millions and billions of planets. So there are millions and billions of suns and stars and moons in all this material world, but all this material world constitute only one-fourth manifestation of the whole creation.

Lecture on BG Introduction -- New York, February 19-20, 1966:

Mad-bhāvam means that brahma-jyotir as well as the spiritual planets in the brahma-jyotir. And the devotees, who want to enjoy in the association of the Lord, they enter into the planets, Vaikuṇṭha planets. There are innumerable Vaikuṇṭha planets, and the Lord, Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, by His plenary expansion as Nārāyaṇa with four hands with different names, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, and Mādhava, Govinda... There are many innumerable names of this four-handed Nārāyaṇa. So one of the planets, that is also mad-bhāvam, that is also within the spiritual nature. So any transcendentalist who at the end of life, either he thinks of the brahma-jyotir or meditates upon the Paramātmā or thinks of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa, in either case, they enter into the spiritual sky. But only the devotees, those who have practiced personal touch with the Supreme Lord, they enter into the Vaikuṇṭha planets or in the Goloka Vṛndāvana planet.

Lecture on BG 1.10 -- London, July 12, 1973:

As soon as we speak of king, we must understand the king, king's kingdom, king's secretaries, king's ministers, king's queen, king's palace, so many things. Similarly, when the Vedas says that eko nārāyaṇa āsīt, "Before creation there was only Nārāyaṇa." So Nārāyaṇa with His paraphernalia, with His expansion... Nārāyaṇa has expansion in the spiritual world, vaikuṇṭha jagat, innumerable Vaikuṇṭha planets. You have seen the picture. Innumerable. We have given only twenty-four names, but there are innumerable.

So actually, either in this material world or in the spiritual world, all planets, Vaikuṇṭha planets or kuṇṭha planets... Here in this material world, kuṇṭha planets. Kuṇṭha means anxiety. Here, in any planet you go, the anxiety will be there. This is material. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). Why anxiety? Because we have accepted something asat, which will not stay. But we are eternal, we want to stay. Our natural position is eternity. So we don't want this temporary body.

Lecture on BG 1.24-25 -- London, July 20, 1973:

And it is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā: yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Jagad-aṇḍa. Jagad-aṇḍa means this universe. Brahmāṇḍa, jagad-aṇḍa. Koṭi, innumerable. Jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam (Bs. 5.40). And each universe there are innumerable planets. And each planet is different from others. This is God's creation. And these rascals are manufacturing God. And there is other description also. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48). This jagad-aṇḍa, the universe. And there, in each universe, there is a controller of the universe, Brahmā. He is called jagad-aṇḍa-nātha, master of this universe. Because it is controlled by Brahmā, therefore each universe is called brahmāṇḍa. It is controlled by Brahmā. So in the Brahma-saṁhitā we get information: jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ, plural number. There are many, many thousands jagad-aṇḍa...

Lecture on BG 2.20 -- Hyderabad, November 25, 1972:

So there is no question of thinking that in the sun planet there is no living being. There are living beings, suitable for the planet. We learn from Brahma-saṁhitā that koṭiṣu vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam. Vasudhā. Vasudhā means planet. There are innumerable planets in each and every universe. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam (Bs. 5.40). This is only one universe. There are millions of universes also. When Caitanya Mahāprabhu was requested by one devotee of Lord Caitanya that "My dear Lord, You have come. Kindly You take away all these conditioned souls. And if You think that they are horribly sinful, they cannot be delivered, then You transfer all the sins upon me. I shall suffer. You better take them away." This is Vaiṣṇava philosophy. Vaiṣṇava philosophy means that para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. Actually, a Vaiṣṇava is unhappy by seeing others unhappy. Personally, he has no unhappiness.

Lecture on BG 2.20 -- Hyderabad, November 25, 1972:

Even according to their calculation, if they want to go to the topmost planet, which we call Brahmaloka, it will take forty-thousand of years in the light-year calculation.

So in God's creation everything is unlimited. It is not limited with our perspective of knowledge. So there are so many, innumerable universes, innumerable planets, and there are innumerable living entities. And all of them are rotating according to their karma. And birth and death means changing, one body to another. I make one plan in this life and... Because everyone is in the bodily concept of live. So so long we are in the bodily concept of life... "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya," "I am vaiśya," "I am śūdra," "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am so and so." These are all bodily concept of life designations. So so long I am in bodily concept of life, I think, "I have got this duty to do. As brāhmaṇa, I have got to do such and such things." "As American, I have got to do so many things."

Lecture on BG 2.20 -- Hyderabad, November 25, 1972:

We are disgusted with these material varieties. Therefore some is trying to make these varieties zero and some is trying to make these varieties impersonal. But that will not give us the exact transcendental pleasure. If you can go up into the Brahman effulgence and take shelter of Kṛṣṇa or Nārāyaṇa... There are innumerable planets in the Brahman effulgence. They are called Vaikuṇṭhaloka. And the topmost Vaikuṇṭhaloka is called Goloka Vṛndāvana. So if you are fortunate enough to take shelter in one of these planets, then you are eternally happy in blissful condition of knowledge. Otherwise, simply to merge into the Brahman effulgence is not very safe. Because we want ānanda. So in impersonal zero standard there cannot be any ānanda. But because we have no information, the Māyāvādī philosophers, of the Vaikuṇṭha planets, they come back again to these material planets. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Adhaḥ means in this material world. That I have explained many times. There are so many big, big sannyāsīs.

Lecture on BG 2.23 -- Hyderabad, November 27, 1972:

Everything is existing in that Brahman effulgence. Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is said, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ (BG 9.4). Everything existing on His effulgence, Brahman effulgence...

Just like the whole material world, innumerable planets, they are existing on the sunshine. The sunshine is impersonal effulgence of the sun globe, and there are millions of planets resting on the sunshine. Everything is happening on, on account of the sunshine. Similarly the Brahman effulgence coming out, the rays coming out from the body of Kṛṣṇa, and everything is resting on that Brahman effulgence. Actually, different types of energies. Just like from the sunshine there are different types of colors, energies. That is creating this material world. Just like we can experience practically. When there is no sunshine in Western countries, when there is snow, all the leaves of the tree immediately falls down. It is called fall, the season.

Lecture on BG 2.51-55 -- New York, April 12, 1966:

That is the position of God. Now here, Arjuna, he accepts Kṛṣṇa and he says that "You are Paraṁ Brahman." Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma (BG 10.12). Dhāma means in which everything rests. We are resting, everything is resting. Just like... This is scientific and practical, you know, that the innumerable planets that the, that you can see at night as, I mean to say, luminaries, stars in the sky, each and every one of them, more or less, they are all different kinds of planets. But do you know how they are floating in the space? They are floating on the sunshine, on the sun rays. They are floating. That you can see. Similarly, the sunshine is the imitation of the brahma-jyotir that is coming out of the body of the Supreme Lord. So everything is resting on the shine of the Supreme Lord. Therefore He is called paraṁ dhāma. Paraṁ dhāma means "everything resting on You." Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitram (BG 10.12).

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Bombay, March 21, 1974:

If we construct a building, how much attached we become to that building. But Kṛṣṇa has constructed this whole universe. Whole universe means... We have no idea what is the universe. We have no idea what is this planet. We are trying to go to the moon planet. We have no exact idea even of the moon planet. And there are innumerable planets. Vasudhā. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-koṭiṣu vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam (Bs. 5.40). Each planet is of different type, different climate, different facilities, different standard of life. And there are ananta, innumerable planets. You cannot count even. So this is only one universe, and there are millions of universes. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). So Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Lord, is creator of these all universes. Still, He does not come here. He comes occasionally. But He does not claim. You utilize. He has given to you. "You living entities, you wanted to enjoy this material world. All right, I give you. Enjoy."

Lecture on BG 4.5 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

Similarly, if this is possible for a material object... sun is nothing but a material object, lump of material matter, very powerful, predominantly fiery. That's all. Everything in the material world, they're made of five elements: ether, air, and fire, water, and earth. So in somewhere the earth is predominant, somewhere the air is predominant, somewhere the fire is predominant. So there are innumerable planets, and the sun is one of them. So this is also material object. If it is possible for the material object to disappear and appear within our limited senses, what to speak of God and His devotees. So God does not mean that because He is not visible to our imperfect senses, therefore God has no existence. This is foolishness. God is existent. But one who has got eyes to see...

What is that eye? Just like a small child. If I say to the small child, so "Sun is there in the sky, and the child will say, "Show me where is the sun." And if somebody says, "Yes, come on, I shall show you sun. Come on the roof. I have got a torch-light."

Lecture on BG 4.8 -- Bombay, March 28, 1974:

Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48). Jagad-aṇḍa means universe. Jagad-aṇḍa-nātḥāḥ. Plural number. There are innumerable universes, and on each universe there is a predominating deity who is called Lord Brahmā.

Similarly, in each and every universe there are innumerable planets. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam (Bs. 5.40). In each universe there are innumerable planets and each planet is of different atmosphere. The atmosphere of one planet is not equal to another. This is God's creation. Ekāṁśena sthito jagat. All these innumerable universes, they are sustained by one plenary portion of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 4.11-12 -- New York, July 28, 1966:

Liberated soul, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). That person who is liberated simply by knowing the transcendental nature of Kṛṣṇa, he is liberated, and he at once transferred to the spiritual sky into that planet which I am describing, Vaikuṇṭha planet. There are innumerable Vaikuṇṭha planets, and each and every planet, Kṛṣṇa is there in different Nārāyaṇa forms.

So this is the opportunity in the human life to understand this. We are submitting to different energies of Kṛṣṇa. But if we directly submit ourself to Kṛṣṇa, what He, Kṛṣṇa, what He is, that is not very difficult to know because Kṛṣṇa comes in this material world and displays His real nature. Anugrahāya manuṣyāṇām, in Bhāgavata. Just to inform the human society that "If you have no knowledge of Kṛṣṇa, just see. I have incarnated. How I am doing, you can see. You can have."

Lecture on BG 4.24 -- August 4, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

That is explained in the Brahma-saṁhitā, yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). On account of Kṛṣṇa's... You have seen Kṛṣṇa's effulgence is coming. That is the source of everything. That expansion of that effulgence is the brahma-jyotir, and in that brahma-jyotir, innumerable spiritual planets, material planets, are generated. And in each and every planet there are varieties of presentation.

Actually, the origin is the Kṛṣṇa's rays of the body, and the rays of the body's origin is Kṛṣṇa. Any other questions? (break) ...or not?

Lecture on BG 5.22-29 -- New York, August 31, 1966:

Here it is called yajña-tapasām. Yajña and tapasya, that is good. They are pious activities. So Kṛṣṇa says that if anyone can understand that all result of pious activities, the enjoyer is Kṛṣṇa... Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). And He is the proprietor of all planets. Not only this earth, but there are innumerable planets, innumerable universes, and the Lord is the proprietor of all these universes. Then suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām, and He is the only friend of all living entities. Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati. If anyone can understand this secret of life, that nobody is proprietor... Everyone is claiming that "I am proprietor of this house. I am proprietor of this land. I am proprietor of this country." Or "I am proprietor of this planet." You can go on increasing. There are many instances who became proprietor of many other planets also. In the history I have got. Not only this planet, but many other planets. But this is mistake. Actually, the proprietor is the Supreme Lord. We are just guest in His house.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Madras, February 14, 1972:

That Kṛṣṇa showed. Kṛṣṇa, when He was present, when He was seven years old, He lifted the Govardhana Hill. We have to accept that, not that we make some comment upon it, because we think Kṛṣṇa is ordinary boy, "How seven-years-old boy can lift?" But we forget that He is Kṛṣṇa. If Kṛṣṇa can throw so many innumerable planets in the sky, floating just like cotton swab, is it very difficult for Kṛṣṇa to lift a mountain?

But they do not accept Kṛṣṇa as God. That is the difficulty. You do not accept Kṛṣṇa as God, but you accept Kṛṣṇa as ordinary human being; therefore you are mūḍhāḥ. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāh. Again the same thing, mūḍhāḥ. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ. He has used very strong word to tell you, because He is the father, and the father can chastise the son using very strong.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hyderabad, April 27, 1974:

Therefore the living entities are called sarva-ga. Sarva-ga means the living entity can go anywhere. As we are now trying to go to the moon planet, so we may go or not go, but there are living entities in all the planets, in different positions. There are innumerable planets and innumerable universes also. And beyond this material world, there is another nature. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvaḥ anyaḥ avyaktaḥ avyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). That nature is permanent.

This material nature is not permanent. It is bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). Everything here, in the material world, everything comes into existence, takes birth, janma, then stays for sometimes, grows the body, then produces some by-products, then dwindles, and then finished. This is the material nature.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Vrndavana, August 9, 1974:

So yasyaika, yasya prabhā. This brahma-jyotir, brahma-jñāna, is just like the rays. As the sunshine is the rays of the sun globe, similarly, the rays of the body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is brahma-jyotir. And within that brahma-jyotir, there are innumerable universes. So in each universe... We have given the picture in our title cover of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So in each universe there are innumerable planets. In this way, this is a partial expansion, partial exhibition of Kṛṣṇa. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on BG 7.4-5 -- Bombay, March 30, 1971:

Anything you take, matter, material, it has no power to work independently. Behind that, there is spiritual existence.

Now, Kṛṣṇa says, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4). When we cannot accommodate that how from a person all these material manifestation, the gigantic sky, the innumerable planets with different varieties of energies, how it is possible that it is produced from a person... Therefore, those who are in poor fund of knowledge, they think just the opposite way. Because personally, how it is possible? Therefore they think of the Supreme Absolute Truth as imperson, but that is not fact. Person. We can again study. Just like your body, my body, although it is gigantic... Just like elephant's body... Or there are many other animals. Just in the ocean there are many big fishes. One fish is called timi, the whale fish. It is sometimes as big as one big house. And it is understood from the śāstras that there is another fish which is called timiṅgila.

Lecture on BG 7.16 -- Bombay, April 7, 1971:

It is not a function that there is no planet as Kṛṣṇaloka. No. There is. From Bhagavad-gītā you have understood. There is another nature. Besides this material nature, there is another nature, which is called sanātana-dhāma. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyaḥ (BG 8.20). And there are innumerable planets, they are called Vaikuṇṭhalokas, as much as there are innumerable planets within this material world.

So these are all facts. If you believe śāstra, if you have got faith in the śāstra, then you have to take this path of Kṛṣṇa consciousness in order to transfer yourself to the spiritual world. There is a spiritual world. Because we are spirit soul, without being transferred to the spiritual world we cannot have real happiness or real enjoyment. That is a fact. All these informations are there very explicitly. You do not try to understand Bhagavad-gītā by malinterpretation or malcommentary. Try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is, and you will benefit. That is our request.

Lecture on BG 8.12-13 -- New York, November 15, 1966:

Nirudhya means just arresting the mind within the heart. Mūrdhni, mūrdhny ādhāyātmanaḥ prāṇam āsthito yoga-dhāraṇām. And in this way, when we transfer the air—life on the top of our head, that is the perfection of yoga. And a perfect yogi, then he fixes up where he shall go. There are innumerable planets, and beyond the planets, there are spiritual world.

So yogis, they have got information. How they have got information? From the scriptures, from Vedic literature, they have got. Just like before I came to your country I got the description of your country from the books, similarly, we can have all the description of higher planets and the spiritual world. They are mentioned there. The yogi know. The yogi knows everything, and he can transfer his self, any planet he likes. He does not require the help of any sputnik. The sputniks, they are trying for so many years, and they will go on trying for one hundred or one thousand years more. They'll never reach any planet. Be rest assured. This is not the process.

Lecture on BG 8.22-27 -- New York, November 20, 1966:

That is not possible. We cannot go. We cannot travel even in the outer space of this material sky. So we have got very limited potency. But this is the situation.

So there, in the spiritual sky, there are spiritual planets, and on each planet the Lord is manifested. There are innumerable planets. So here it is, that information is given in the Bhagavad-gītā, that puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha: "That spiritual sky, the predominating Personality of Godhead is transcendental." Just like here, in every country, in every planet, there is a predominating personality. In your country, the predominating personality is President Johnson. Similarly, in every country there is a predominating personality. Similarly, every planet there is a predominating personality. So the same system is there also. But there is no rival. Puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha. There, the Personality of Godhead, there is nobody rival.

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

This material world is maintained as one-fourth of the creation. The three-fourths of the creation is the spiritual world. Paras tasmāt tu bhāva anyaḥ (BG 8.20). There is another nature. So we do not know that. There is no education. We are simply interested with this one planet. There are so many material planet, but above that there is another, spiritual world, and there are innumerable spiritual planets also. They are called Vaikuṇṭha-loka, and the topmost Vaikuṇṭha-loka is Goloka Vṛndāvana, Kṛṣṇaloka. So we have no information.

So if we execute this devotional service, rāja-vidyā, then we can go back to home, be transferred to the spiritual world. They do not know. Aśraddadhānaḥ. Then, aprāpya mām: they do not know how to go back to home, back to Godhead. Aprāpya. Then what happens? Aprāpya māṁ nivartante mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani (BG 9.3). He remains here in this material world and goes on transforming, transmigrating from one body to another, one body to another.

Lecture on BG 10.2-3 -- New York, January 1, 1967:

And there are many expansions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead: Nārāyaṇa, Adhokṣaja... There are many innumerable planets in the spiritual world, and all of them are emanation from the Kṛṣṇa planet. And the Kṛṣṇa planet, the supreme deity is Kṛṣṇa.

This description we have got in several Vedic literatures, Brahma-saṁhitā and Vedānta-sūtra, Bhāgavata, in Purāṇas, in Upaniṣad. Everywhere these descriptions are there. Those who are scholarly student, they'll get information, and the whole thing is summarized in Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā is known also as Gītopaniṣad. At the end of every chapter you'll find these things are written, gītāsu or upaniṣatsu. It is one of the Upaniṣads. You have read Upaniṣad.

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Paris, August 10, 1973:

So it is borrowed from Kṛṣṇa's shine. So yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Jagad-aṇḍa means these universes. There are millions, koṭi. And each universe... Jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam (Bs. 5.40). And each universe there are innumerable planets. This is material creation. So how we can know about this material creation? But we can know from Kṛṣṇa. Because He knows everything. Because everything is manufactured from Him. Mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate. So we have to know like that. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). So He can speak perfectly what is the plan, the, of this creation, creation of the universal, universe. The plan is that we living entities, kṣetra-kṣetra-jña... Kṣetra means this body. Idaṁ śarīraṁ kṣetram ity abhidhīyate. It is said: idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram ity abhidhīyate (BG 13.2). "You have asked the question: 'What is kṣetra, field of activities, and who is the knower of this field,' so I answer: idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram (BG 13.2).

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Bombay, December 30, 1972:

And about two, three years ago, in San Francisco the press reporters asked my opinion about the moon, moon planet. So I told them: "it is simply waste of time and money." Now, now it is happening. Long, long ago, I said this. This is not possible.

Although there are innumerable planets, but even if you go to the moon planet, your problem is not solved. What is the benefit? If you... Suppose if you go to moon planet. How your problem is solved? The real problem is that I am forced to accept different types of body. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). And as soon as I accept body, I have to be under the tribulation of material nature.

That was advised by Ṛṣabhadeva: nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). All these foolish rascals, being mad, they're acting against the laws of nature. Vikarma. Vikarma means against the laws of nature. That is vikarma. Karma means prescribed duties. And akarma means doing something which will have no effect.

Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Paris, August 12, 1973:

So one has got nails and jaws, one has very nice beautiful hand, fingers. There are varieties. Kṛṣṇa says that sa ca yo yat prabhavaś ca. Prabhavaś ca. And each body has got a different type of influence. Each type of body. This is God's creation.

There are innumerable planets. Each planet has got a different atmosphere. Just like we have got experience within this planet, Europe has got another atmosphere, India has got another atmosphere. Similarly, all the planets, they are of different atmospheres and each and every planet there are varieties of living entities. Just imagine the living entities are eight million four hundred thousand species. So even if you divide so many thousands and hundreds, still, eight million. This is God's creation. God's creation means all these living entities, they want to enjoy this material world in a different capacity and God has given the facility, "Yes, you can enjoy. You can enjoy." He is giving facility. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo (BG 15.15).

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, September 30, 1973:

That point is missing. Real enjoyer or proprietor is Kṛṣṇa. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram. He's the proprietor. Sarva loka, not only of this loka, earthly planet, but there are innumerable planets within this universe and there are innumerable universes also, not one universe. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Jagad-aṇḍa means universe. It is just like egg shape. anda. You can see this universe, the sky is..., horizon. So it is just like egg shape. All the planets and the universes, they are egg shaped. Therefore they are called anda, jagad-aṇḍa, brahmanda. So this jagad-aṇḍa...

Lecture on BG 13.18 -- Bombay, October 12, 1973:

This is called pūrṇimā. So one is borrowing the illumination from the other. But there is the supreme source of illumination. That is Kṛṣṇa.

That is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā: yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Yasya prabhā, the bodily rays of Kṛṣṇa, being illuminated... In that illumination, which is called brahma-jyotir, there are innumerable Vaikuṇṭha planets. The Vaikuṇṭha are self-illuminated. Therefore in the spiritual world there is no darkness. Tamasaḥ param. Therefore is said here that taj jyotis tamasaḥ param ucyate: "That spiritual world is beyond this material world." This material world is called tamaḥ. Tamaḥ means darkness. Just like this night, it is darkness. Why it is darkness? By nature it is dark. Simply by the sunshine, moonshine, electricity, we keep it brightened for some time. Otherwise, by nature it is darkness.

Lecture on BG 13.18 -- Bombay, October 12, 1973:

Jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ means... Jagad-aṇḍa means universe. Each universe has a principle living being. That is Lord Brahmā. So there are many innumerable Brahmās also, innumerable Śivas, innumerable suns, innumerable moons, because there are innumerable universes. And each and every universe, there are innumerable planets. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi (Bs. 5.40). Vasudhā means this planet.

Vibhūti-bhinnam. Each planet has got different atmosphere. Therefore these people, they cannot understand what is the atmosphere. They understand. Some scientists, they say the atmosphere in the moon planet is two hundred degrees below zero. So there are difference of scientists' opinion, but according to Vedic literature we understand that there are innumerable planets, and one of the planets is the moon planet. Nakṣatrāṇām ahaṁ śaśī. Nakṣatrāṇām: "Among the stars and planets," Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the moon."

Lecture on BG 1322 -- Hyderabad, August 17, 1976:

The material energy, this cosmic manifestation, as we see one universe and each universe is filled up with many planetary systems, suns, moons, and other planets. This is one universe. Similarly there are many millions of universes. We get information from Vedic śāstra, yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi. Jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40).

Jagad-aṇḍa means this universe and there are hundreds and millions. Numberless. And each universe is filled up with innumerable planets. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam (Bs. 5.40). Vasudhā, planets. So all these manifestations of material energy. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

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

In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is stated that goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūtaḥ (Bs. 5.37). Kṛṣṇa lives at His home, Goloka Vṛndāvana. Just like Kṛṣṇa is in Goloka Vṛndāvana. So still, He emanates, He expands Himself. Akhilātma-bhūtaḥ. Akhilātma-bhūtaḥ means throughout the whole creation. He has creation; that is also innumerable. We are seeing this creation, this universe. There are innumerable planets. But... Akhilātma-bhūtaḥ (Bs. 5.37), in everywhere Kṛṣṇa is there. Still, He is existing in His own abode. We cannot imagine because we have no such experience. Just like we are sitting in this room. We are not sitting in the other room. Try to understand the distinction between Kṛṣṇa and ourselves. But Kṛṣṇa is here and He's not only in the other room, other building, other city, other universe—everywhere. That is Kṛṣṇa.

It is stated—not that we are imagining, because we take evidence from the Vedic literatures. In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is stated like that:

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

Again, from this Saṅkarṣaṇa there is another expansion, Nārāyaṇa. From Nārāyaṇa, another expansion. Again, second status of Saṅkarṣaṇa, Vāsudeva... Not only one Nārāyaṇa, but innumerable Nārāyaṇas. Because in the Vaikuṇṭhaloka, the spiritual sky, there are innumerable planets. How many? Now, just imagine here in this universe there are planets. This is one universe. There are millions of planets. You cannot count. You cannot count. So similarly, there are innumerable universes also. That also you cannot count. Still, all these universes taken together is only one-fourth manifestation of Kṛṣṇa's expansion. In the Vaikuṇṭhaloka there is three-fourths expansion. So we cannot count even one planet how many Kṛṣṇa's expansions are there, because He is aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). He's within the atom also. The scientists are perplexed to analyze one atom. More and more they're finding components. Kṛṣṇa... Therefore His name is Ananta.

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

He's not conditioned. But because we are conditioned, we cannot travel in the space without the help of some machine or something else. This conditional life is going on anywhere you go within this material world. There are innumerable universes, and each and every universe, there are innumerable planets of different climatic conditions. Just like we find the climatic condition in the moon is different from the climatic condition of this earth. The climatic condition of sun is different from the climatic condition in the earth or from the moon. Every, each and every planet, each and every universe is differently conditioned. That is the beauty of Kṛṣṇa's creation. Keśava tuwā jagat vicitra. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung: "Keśava, my dear Lord Kṛṣṇa, Your creation is so full of varieties." That's a fact. But all these conditions are not very liking to us. We are trying to be liberated from all conditions. Therefore liberation is the ultimate goal.

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

They accept sārūpya-mukti. Sārūpya-mukti means to have the same features of the body like Viṣṇu. In Vaikuṇṭhalokas all the living entities, devotees, they have got four hands. And only in Kṛṣṇaloka, Kṛṣṇa has got two hands and His devotees also have two hands. In other lokas, Vaikuṇṭhalokas... There are innumerable Vaikuṇṭha planets, Nārāyaṇa is the predominating Deity, Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa. And those who enter such planets, they get the same bodily feature, exactly looking like Nārāyaṇa. You have seen the picture of the Viṣṇudūtas who came to deliver Ajāmila. They were exactly looking like Nārāyaṇa. The same helmets, the same ornaments, exactly. You can understand. Just like your president or queen, if you are also dressed, you'll also look like queen. Or if you are dressed, you'll look like the president. But that does not mean you are president or you are queen, simply by dressing.

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

That you cannot go. That is not possible. Therefore these people who are trying to go to the moon planet, they are now frustrated. So whatever it may be, the chance is there. We have written one small booklet in this connection: Easy Journey to Other Planets. If you like, you can read that. So there are innumerable planets, innumerable living standard, standard of living innumerable. Just like your standard of living materially is very nice or far greater than the Indian standard of life or any other standard of life, so if you go to other planets you will find still thousand times better standard of living. If you go still up, thousand times better standard of living.

This is God's creation. There is God. As you have created this Melbourne city by your energy, similarly the whole creation is manifestation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You cannot defy it.

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

Jagad-aṇḍa means this universe is a big, I mean to say, volume. Just like aṇḍa, egg. Everything, every planet is just like egg. This brahmāṇḍa, this universe, is also like egg. So there are many many, many millions of jagad-aṇḍa. And in each and every jagad-aṇḍa, koṭiṣu vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam, there are innumerable planets also. So these are the information we get from Vedic literature. If you like, you can accept. If you don't like you can reject. That is up to you. Yes?

Lecture on SB 1.2.27 -- Vrndavana, November 7, 1972:

Those who are in the platform of goodness, they worship nārāyaṇa-kalāḥ śāntāḥ, Nārāyaṇa and His expansions. In the spiritual world, there are innumerable Vaikuṇṭha planets. As we have got experience within this material world, within this universe, there are innumerable planets, similarly there is another sky. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). That sky is eternal. This sky is not eternal. It is created. It has got a date of creation, and it will be annihilated at a certain date. So beyond the sky there is another sky, which is called paravyoma, or sanātana, eternal sky. And in that sky there are innumerable Vaikuṇṭha planets. Vaikuṇṭha means vigata-kuṇṭha hy asmāt. There is no anxiety. Here in this material world everyone is full of anxiety. This is the material nature. Even a small bird—you give some grains to the small bird, he'll be full of anxiety. He'll look like this, look like this. Yes. "If somebody's coming to kill me? Somebody's coming to kill me?" That is explained by Prahlāda Mahārāja: sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5).

Lecture on SB 1.2.32 -- Vrndavana, November 11, 1972:

Every account is kept. Because He has to be offered again another body, taking account of his activities. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). He's acting. Innumerable living entities. So how big brain is Kṛṣṇa, you can just imagine. And not only one planet—there are innumerable planets, there are innumerable universes. Everything innumerable. That is called unlimited. Everything innumerable. And still, some rascal claims that he is God. How much brain a God requires, he does not know. How big brain... Anvayād itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ. These are analyzed, what is the nature of the Absolute Truth. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. How He is? What He is? Immediately the answer is janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) "From Him, everything is emanating." Everything is taking birth from Him. Janma. Not only janma, birth, but existence, maintenance, janmādi. Janmādi means birth, maintenance and death. Creation, maintenance and annihilation. Janmādi.

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

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

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

Therefore He is called Parameśvara. Parameśvara means the supreme controller. And Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ (BG 15.15). "I am living in everyone's heart." Now, imagine. There are innumerable universes, and each and every universe, there are innumerable planets, and in each and every planet, there are innumerable towns and cities, and each and every town, there are innumerable living entities, and Kṛṣṇa has to manage all of them. That is Kṛṣṇa. Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). Kṛṣṇa has to act in such a way that whatever we are doing, that is under the direction of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says mattaḥ smṛtiḥ. Just like in the morning you get up and immediately you understand that you were sleeping, "Now I have got to do so many things." So wherefrom this memory comes? Kṛṣṇa says mattaḥ, "from Me." So just imagine how Kṛṣṇa is busy. So this māyā as described here, apaśyat puruṣaṁ pūrṇaṁ māyāṁ tad-apāśrayam.

Lecture on SB 1.16.24 -- Los Angeles, July 14, 1974:

In the Bhagavad-gītā there is, sa kāleneha yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa. So time is very powerful. Time is eternal, and it is very powerful. So the inquiry is, "Vasundhare, the reservoir of all riches, whether you have been plundered or taken away of all your fortunes in due course of time?" Vasundharā, this planet... There are innumerable planets. This is one of them. And it is referred here that surārcitam. Surārcitam. Sura means the demigods, and arcitam means worshiped. So the demigods, they live in higher planetary system. Their standard of life is far, far better, thousands and thousands times better. Therefore when this planet is more opulent, even the demigods, they eulogize, surārcitaṁ saubhagam. That kind of opulence is certainly very great fortune. So all these inquiries are being made because Kṛṣṇa left this planet. "When Kṛṣṇa was present, so the opulence of this planet was so great that even the demigods in higher planetary systems, they were also envious. So that is now... Because Kṛṣṇa is not there, so that opulence is now taken away.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Paris, June 11, 1974:

The material world means innumerable universes are coming out through the breathing of Mahā-Viṣṇu. Innumerable universes. We cannot account for one universe in which we are. There are innumerable planets. Everyone has experience in stars and planets. This is one universe. And such universes are coming out, millions, through the breathing period of Mahā-Viṣṇu. When He exhales, they come out. When He inhales, they go within. That is the creation and not creation. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā... (Bs. 5.48)

So the purpose was that this material world is only a manifestation, exhibition, of one-fourth energy of Kṛṣṇa. And within this material world, there are so many universes. And each and every universe, there are so many planets. So this is one of the planets, in which we are living.

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

"You are issuing a paper daily, simply discussing about God?" So my Guru Mahārāja said, "Yes. Why not?" Then he gave him a nice example, that in the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated that ekāṁśena sthito jagat: (BG 10.42) This material world is only one-fourth part manifestation of God's energy. Now, apart from material... There are innumerable universes and innumerable planets in each universe. Out of that, this earthly planet is very tiny. And in this planet there are so many countries and so many cities. And each and every city there are so many periodicals, so many newspapers, and each paper having so many editions daily. So in comparison to the whole universe or whole material creation, this planet is nothing and this city is nothing. If you can produce so many news, then what about the three-fourth energy, Vaikuṇṭha?

Lecture on SB 3.26.19 -- Bombay, December 28, 1974:

He is also controller, but not the controller like Lord Śiva, Lord Brahmā, Indra, Candra, or president this, president that. We are... There are so many controller. And even in this planet there are so many controller: the president of India, president of America, and so on, so on. Similarly, there are many presidents in innumerable planets. The president of the sun planet, that is also mentioned in the śāstra. His name is there: Vivasvān. The president of the sun planet, his name is Vivasvān. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. The Candra is the president of the moon planet. Sūrya, Sūrya is Vivasvān. So everywhere there is a president or predominating deity. But above all of them is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore He is called paraḥ pumān, param, not within this material world. So He is controlling everything, and His two energies, material energy and spiritual energy, is acting like the heat and light of the fire.

Lecture on SB 3.26.32 -- Bombay, January 9, 1975:

Prakṛti is working, interaction of two chemicals or many chemicals. They are accepting it that the chemicals were already there. But wherefrom the chemicals came? They say that hydrogen and oxygen mixed together, and the water... Now you see the vast water, not only here, but there are so many other oceans, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean. And not only in this planet, but there are innumerable planets, and innumerable Pacific Oceans are floating in the air. Where you got so much chemical? Who supplied it? If the hydrogen-oxygen is the cause of water, then wherefrom so much chemical came into existence? Of course, they came in existence the same process, as it is stated here. It is coming from the sky, and the sky is generated by bhagavad-vīrya in the tamo-guṇa.

Lecture on SB 3.26.45 -- Bombay, January 20, 1975:

So some of them are material forms, and whatever differentiation of forms we see in the material world, they are all Kṛṣṇa's form. But in the spiritual world there are also many forms—just like Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma, then Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Aniruddha, Pradyumna, Nārāyaṇa, and the puruṣa-avatāra. There are many. And there are innumerable planets also. In each and every planet there is one form. And when incarnation comes, one of the forms from Vaikuṇṭha, They come as incarnation. So many forms are called svāṁśa. In the Varāha Purāṇa you will find the description of the forms: svāṁśa and vibhinnāṁśa. The forms exhibited in this material world as living being, they are vibhinnāṁśa. Bhinnā prakṛtir me aṣṭadhā. As there are separated energies, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4), the five elements, material elements, mahā-bhūta, they are also forms of Kṛṣṇa. This big mountain, Himalayan mountain, that is also form of Kṛṣṇa. The big Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, that is also form of Kṛṣṇa. He says bhūmir āpaḥ.

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Indore, December 13, 1970:

Do you think, "Now I am liberated from worldly connection. I am far, far away, or high"? But unless you have shelter, you have to fly. This is crude example. Similarly, these impersonalists, they are in the liberated atmosphere, that's a fact. Brahman. He has realized that "I am not this matter. I am Brahman." And because he has no information in the brahma-jyotir there are innumerable planets, he thinks that "This is all in all, this jyoti, brahma-jyotir." That is his imperfect knowledge.

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

As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, paras tasmād tu bhava anyaḥ: "There is another nature." This is one nature, material nature, where millions and trillions of universes are clustered together in the corner of the spiritual sky. This is only one universe, within which there are innumerable planets. But there are millions and trillions of universes also. That is material creation. Material creation means one-fourth part of the whole creation. Three-fourths part is spiritual creation. Ekāṁśena sthito jagat (BG 10.42). Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, "This whole material world is existing in one fourth of My energy." kiṁ devā upadevā vā bhṛśaṁ kiṁ siddha-sattamāḥ.

Sarve padma-palāśākṣāḥ. They were very much satisfied by seeing the Viṣṇudūtas. Just like in your country they are very much satisfied by seeing your face. They have named you "bright-faced." Why? You are naturally very beautiful, but they understand, your countrymen, that you have become more beautiful by Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

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

Yes. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Jagad-aṇḍa. Jagad-aṇḍa means this universe, aṇḍa, round sphere(?). Koṭi. Koṭi means innumerable. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam (Bs. 5.40). And in each of them there are innumerable planets, and each planet, the atmosphere is different from one another. Vibhūti-bhinnam. Just like sun planet. It is a different thing from this planet, but... And the moon planet is a different thing from this planet. And the scientists, they are thinking that the sun planet being fiery, there cannot be any living entity. No. There are. There are living entities. Their bodies are also fiery. Fire is also one of the elements. Here we have body with material elements. Major portion is earth, and there major portion is fire. So somewhere major portion is water. So therefore there are vibhūti-bhinnam, different atmosphere. That is God's creation.

Lecture on SB 6.1.33 -- Honolulu, June 1, 1976:

Not mythology. We have no knowledge. In the śāstra we understand, yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Yasya prabhā. The rays of Kṛṣṇa's body, when it is expanded, brahma-jyotir, within that brahma-jyotir there are innumerable universes. Just like within the sunlight, sunshine, there are innumerable planets. We are seeing daily. Similarly, there are innumerable universes in the brahma-jyotir. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). And koṭiṣu, and each and every universe, millions, koṭiṣu. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-koṭiṣu aśeṣa-vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam (Bs. 5.40). Vasudhā, vasudhā means planet. Just like this is also vasudhā, this planet here. We can see there are so many millions of planets, at night you can see, and each of them is peculiar, different from the others. Why they have failed to utilize the moon planet? It is a different atmosphere. It is different atmosphere. These rascals cannot go there. It is not possible. They have simply made false propaganda. They cannot go there.

Lecture on SB 6.1.40 -- Surat, December 22, 1970:

Just like God is creator; I am also creator. So in this way I am one. I have got creative power; God has also creative power. But God creates innumerable universes, and you can create a motorcar. That's all, no more. Or atom bomb—to kill. You cannot create a planet; you can create a sputnik. With great difficulty it flies in the sky. But God's creation—innumerable planets, they are floating without any machine. Still, the rascal says, "There is no God. I am God." You do like God; then you become God. What you have done like God? You have created a toy flying in the sky. Therefore you are so much proud that you compare yourself with God? This is called demons, demonic. Unnecessarily, without any authority, when a man claims that "I am God," that is demonic.

Now, just like Hiraṇyakaśipu, Rāvaṇa. Rāvaṇa was materially very much powerful, but he defied Rāma: "What is Rāma? I am more than Rāma. I shall kidnap His wife, and I shall enjoy." So this is Rāvaṇa, Rāvaṇa spirit. Sītā... Sītā is Lakṣmī.

Lecture on SB 7.7.30-31 -- Mombassa, September 12, 1971:

Those who are desiring to enter into the higher planetary system where demigods live, Candraloka, Sūryaloka, Indraloka, Varuṇaloka, Vāyuloka, Brahmaloka, Dhruvaloka, Bhūr, Bhuvar, Svar, there are different millions of..., vibhūti-bhinnam. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam (Bs. 5.40). In the brahma-jyotir of Kṛṣṇa, there are innumerable planets. The spiritual portion, there are innumerable Vaikuṇṭhas. Vaikuṇṭha means... Kuṇṭha means anxiety. Where there is no anxiety, simply pleasure, that is our life. Here also we want a very happy life without any anxiety. That is our tendency. We try to make a very nice comfortable house, a very good bank balance, all secure so that I can live there very comfortably. That competition is going on. But that is not possible here. Here saṁsāra-dāvānala. This saṁsāra, it is meant for suffering. Dāvānala, just like forest fire. Nobody sets in the forest fire, but it takes automatically. So however you may try to live here comfortably, happily, peacefully, eternally, it is not possible.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Calcutta, March 5, 1972:

We do not know how many planets and stars are there. When we are very much advanced in scientific knowledge, we are trying to go to the moon planet after spending millions and trillions of dollars. But still we could not fix up anything in the moon planet. That is the nearest planet. And what to speak of other planets. There are innumerable planets. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagadaṇḍa-koṭi-koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi vibhūti-bhinnam (Bs. 5.40). So these are the explanation. So the Brahma, you have one Brahma, there are innumerable Brahmas and innumerable Śivas and innumerable demigods, as many universes are there. Innumerable suns and moons and planet, innumerable. And all this taken together, that becomes one fourth of the whole creation of God. Ekāṁśena sthito jagat (BG 10.42). The three-fourth portion of Kṛṣṇa's creation, God's creation, is in the Vaikuṇṭha jagat. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). There is another nature, that is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, which is permanent.

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

In the effulgence, bodily effulgence of Govinda, just like the sunshine is effulgence of the sun planet, similarly, Govinda's planet, the original planet, which is called Goloka Vṛndāvana, that is the original effulgence, light. And when that light is distributed there are innumerable universes created. Just like within the sunlight there are innumerable planets. So in each and every planet there are different kinds of living entities, so why not a planet belonging to Christ? There is no doubt about it. There must be. (break) The Fifth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the description of different planets are there. (break) Question?

Lecture on SB 7.9.29 -- Mayapur, March 7, 1976:

And what to speak of devotees? Devotees never enter to that impersonal Brahman. Devotees enter directly in the Vaikuṇṭha planet. Mām eti. Mām eti. Kṛṣṇa said, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāmaṁ paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). If you enter the Vaikuṇṭha planets... There are innumerable Vaikuṇṭha planets, and above them there is the Goloka Vṛndāvana planet, Kṛṣṇaloka. So in either of them, if you enter, then that is not impersonal. Personal. Impersonal Brahman is outside. Although impersonal Brahman is also spiritual existence, but it is outside the Vaikuṇṭha planets. So the demons and the impersonalists, they cannot enter into the Vaikuṇṭha planet. And because they cannot enter into the Vaikuṇṭha planet, they again fall down, again fall down in this material world. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho 'nādṛta-yusmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Patanty adhaḥ. Adhaḥ means in this material world.

Lecture on SB 7.9.30 -- Mayapur, March 8, 1976:

Everything unlimited. The universe... It is also stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā, yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). In the effulgence of Brahman... The example is also there. It is not very difficult. Just like in the sunshine is the effulgence, shine. Sun is there, and the shining is there, but within the shining there are innumerable planets. In the daytime we cannot see, but at night we can see wherefrom these stars and planets coming. They are already there. In the sunshine, due to the bright sunshine, we cannot see them, but they are existing. As our planet is existing within the sunshine, so similarly, there are millions of planets. They are also existing. Yasya... Similarly... Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). This is only universe, but these each universe, millions of universes, they are existing within the Brahman effulgence, brahma-jyotir, both spiritual and material. Everything is there.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972:

Above this material universe, there is another spiritual sky, paravyoma. It is called paravyoma. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, paras tasmāt tu bhāvaḥ anyaḥ 'vyakta 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). There is another nature. As this is material nature, there is spiritual nature. And in that spiritual nature there are innumerable spiritual planets. They are called Vaikuṇṭha planets. And the highest Vaikuṇṭha planet is called Kṛṣṇaloka, or Goloka Vṛndāvana. This Vṛndāvana is replica of that original Vṛndāvana. When Kṛṣṇa comes on this planet or within this universe, He comes in this Vṛndāvana. This is called Bhauma-Vṛndāvana. Of course, there is no difference between Bhauma-Vṛndāvana and Paravyoma-Vṛndāvana. So if we want to see Kṛṣṇa, then we must be freed from designations. That is the process. Not only designations, but from all kinds of desires.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.146-151 -- New York, December 3, 1966:

Every planet is round, and the universe is also round, and the Vaikuṇṭhas are also round, all round. Vaikuṇṭha, brahmāṇḍa-gaṇa-śakti-kārya haya. So all these universes, the universe which we experience... There are innumerable universes that we cannot see. We can see only one universe, and in one universe there are innumerable planets. Similarly, there are innumerable universes, and in each universe there are innumerable planets. This information we get from Brahma-saṁhitā.

yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-

koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi vibhūti-bhinnam

tad brahma niṣkalam anantam aśeṣa-bhūtaṁ

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(Bs. 5.40)

That brahma-jyotir, in that brahma-jyotir there are all these universes and Vaikuṇṭhas. All, they are resting in that brahma-jyotir. Just like in the sunshine so many planets are resting, similarly, in the brahma-jyotir, the personal shining of Lord Kṛṣṇa, in that shining which is called brahma-jyotir, all the universes and Vaikuṇṭha planets or universes, they are all resting.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.154-157 -- New York, December 7, 1966:

Aśeṣa-tejāḥ, unlimited potency, sunlight, is coming from the sun. This material world, we can practically experience. But the sunlight is also emanating from that light which is emanating from that Goloka Vṛndāvana. That is the real light, which is called brahma-jyotir. So in that brahma-jyotir there are innumerable spiritual planets also. So in the spiritual sky, in that spiritual light, in that spiritual planets, there are innumerable liberated living entities, and each, each and every planet, there is expansion of Lord Kṛṣṇa. They are named by different names. (break) Ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa yāṅra goloka-nitya-dhāma. So origin. He is the origin. His planet, Goloka Vṛndāvana, is the original planet, and from that planet, that brahma-jyotir, light, is coming. And in that light, everything is resting. And in an insignificant portion of that light, this material world is situated. In that place there are innumerable universes as we are seeing one.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.156-163 -- New York, December 11, 1966:

"I worship the primeval Lord, Govinda, whose bodily effulgence is brahma-jyotir." The brahma-jyotir, that is nothing but His bodily effulgence. And in that brahma-jyotir... Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Or that brahma-jyotir being manifested, there are innumerable planets and universes. There are. The same example: just like in the sun, sunshine, there are innumerable planets, so similarly, in the original shine, Kṛṣṇa shine—this is sunshine; the original shine is Kṛṣṇa shining—in that effulgence there are innumerable Vaikuṇṭha planets, spiritual planets. Ekāṁśena sthito jagat (BG 10.42). In the Bhagavad-gītā, you'll find, all these planetary manifestations is situated in one fourth of His effulgence. Three fourths of the manifestation are in the spiritual sky. Tad brahma niṣkalam anantam aśeṣa-bhūtam. Aśeṣa-bhūtam. It is so much extended that nobody can calculate how far.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.164-173 -- New York, December 13, 1966:

Then He says, "There are unlimited expansions of Kṛṣṇa in the spiritual world, and..." Nāhi mūrti-bheda. Just like His expansions in the spiritual world... He is originally two-handed, but in the spiritual planets... There are innumerable spiritual planets, and He is situated in each of them in four hand. Now this four hand, each hand... There are four symbols: conchshell and wheel and club and a lotus flower. Now, these four symbols are differently manifested in. Just like four hands. Beginning from right, this is lotus flower, club, and then conchshell, then wheel. And some of them, here begins wheel, here begins club. In this way the four has about sixteen divisions, and they are represented... Not sixteen. Twenty-four. Twenty-four, I mean to say, change of the place of the symbols. And according to the change of symbols, you will find different names. In the cover of the book Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, you have seen.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.172 -- New York, December 14, 1966:

So God's kingdom is not vacant. Just like we are thinking that except this earthly planet, all planets are vacant. Somebody is suggesting it is a lump of ashes. Just like they are thinking of this moon planet—a lump of dust. I cannot, of course, think like that. How dust can remain in a lump and how so much illumination come out from the dust? But they are putting the theory that the moon planet is a lump of dust. So let them do. But from the scripture we understand that there are innumerable universes, and each and every universe is full with innumerable planets, and each planet is full with innumerable living entities, and God's incarnation is working somewhere, other, to reclaim these conditioned souls.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.281-293 -- New York, December 18, 1966:

You will find in Caitanya-caritāmṛta, it is quoted from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that one sometimes... It is called līlā, pastimes, that Brahmā, when Kṛṣṇa was here on this planet, so Brahmā was very much proud that "Kṛṣṇa is now in the earthly planet, and this earthly planet is one of the innumerable planets under my control." Brahmā is the controller, is the primal, principal living entity in this universe, so he was little proud that "Kṛṣṇa is within my control." So therefore Kṛṣṇa, because He is Paramātmā, He knows everything, what one thinks, what one does. So Kṛṣṇa asked Brahmā to come and see Him. So Brahmā came. Brahmā came. His doorman informed Kṛṣṇa that... Doorman asked Brahmā, "Who are you, please?" "Now, you say Kṛṣṇa that I am Brahmā. I have come to see Him." So when the doorman informed Kṛṣṇa that in Dvārakā, when Kṛṣṇa was there as king, so Kṛṣṇa asked, "Oh, which Brahmā? Which Brahmā?" The doorman came back again and informed that "Which Brahmā you are?"

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.385-394 -- New York, January 1, 1967:

So Lord Caitanya says, "Just like the time calculation of the sun is always present in the orbit of this earthly planet, similarly, in the orbit of Kṛṣṇa-līlā, everything is happening in some universe." That is called nitya-līlā. Because it is happening eternally and continually, in either of innumerable planets, which we cannot calculate, therefore His pastimes, appearance and disappearance are all eternal. We are not worshiper of a dead thing. Just like if a foolish person says at night, "Oh, sun is finished." How? "I cannot see. Because I don't see in the sky, it is finished." Similarly, the foolish person thinks, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is..., I cannot see; therefore He's finished." This is foolish calculation. Now, from the description of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, we can understand that Kṛṣṇa is not dead and gone. He's present always and every time, everywhere. And if we are sincerely in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that Kṛṣṇa is always with us, He gives us protection, His mercy is there. Everything is there.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 21.1-10 -- New York, January 3, 1967:

Now, so far the spiritual sky is concerned, there are innumerable Vaikuṇṭha planets, and nobody can measure how great those Vaikuṇṭha planets are. Therefore how great that space of spiritual sky is, nobody can calculate.

ananta vaikuṇṭha-paravyoma yāra dala-śreṇī

sarvopari kṛṣṇaloka 'karṇikāra' gaṇi

Now, all these planets... Just like in a stem there are so many branches and flowers, take it for granted it is something like that. And the topmost flower... Just like if you take a rose flower, there are so many leaves, and on the topmost there is the nice flower, so the topmost planet in the spiritual sky, that is called Kṛṣṇaloka. Karṇikāra. That is just like... The shape of the Kṛṣṇaloka is just like a lotus flower.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 21.13-49 -- New York, January 4, 1967:

So in the spiritual world, that Vṛndāvana planet is the highest planet, and below that planet there are innumerable Vaikuṇṭha planets which are called Viṣṇuloka.

tāra tale paravyoma-'viṣṇuloka'-nāma

nārāyaṇa-ādi ananta svarūpera dhāma

And the presiding Deity, predominating Deity in those planets is called Nārāyaṇa. Nārāyaṇa is also expansion of Kṛṣṇa. Generally, Nārāyaṇa is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but from authentic scripture we understand that Nārāyaṇa is expansion of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 21.13-49 -- New York, January 4, 1967:

His own personal planet is Goloka Vṛndāvana, and below that planet there are many other, innumerable planets which are known as Vaikuṇṭha. And below that spiritual world there is material world. And between material world and spiritual world there is another space, which is called Śivaloka. And below that Śivaloka is this Devī-dhāma. This material is called Devī-dhāma. Durgā. The presiding deity of this Devī-dhāma is Durgā. He's giving evidences from many authentic Vedic literatures. One of them is Brahma-saṁhitā. Then He's giving another evidence from Padma Purāṇa, the existence of spiritual planets. In Indian spiritual society the evidences are given from Vedic literature. Then it is accepted, not that mental speculationist's theory, "I think this. I think that..." No. Just the same example I have several times cited before you, that the law court, they give evidences from the lawbook, sections from the lawbook. Similarly, the process is whenever we speak something transcendental subject, if we can pick up evidences from Vedic literatures... There are many authentic Vedic literatures.

Festival Lectures

Sri Sri Radha Gokulananda Deity Installation -- London, August 21, 1973:

Goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni. There is a planet in the spiritual world. The material world, you can see the material sky, limit of the sky, the horizon, but you are not able to reach even the moon planet, the nearest planet. But within this universe, within this horizon, there are innumerable planets. Aśeṣa. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi vibhūti-bhinnam (Bs. 5.40). By the shining effulgence from the body of Kṛṣṇa... That is called brahma-jyotir. Within that brahma-jyotir or effulgence there are innumerable universes. Ananta-koṭi. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi. Koṭi means innumerable. One million, ten millions equal to one lakh. Such hundred lakhs makes a koṭi. So actually we see there are innumerable planets but beyond this creation, this is material creation, one-fourth manifestation, one-fourth manifestation of God's creation, this, this material world... This is also only one universe.

General Lectures

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

If you want to enter into another planet, say moon planet or sun planet or Venus planet... There are innumerable planets. The ultimate, highest planet is called Brahmaloka. And the advantage of going to Brahmaloka is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, that you can get a life, sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). You can get there life for millions and millions of years. But still, there is death and there is birth and there is that old age and there is that disease. But mad-dhāma gatvā punar janma na vidyate. But if somebody is transferred to that planet which is called Kṛṣṇaloka, Goloka Vṛndāvana, or Vaikuṇṭha, then one hasn't got to come back to this material, I mean to say, temporary existence. So these informations are there, and they are very scientific. They are not dogmatic.

Lecture -- Hawaii, March 23, 1969:

Ekam means one part. Even you take... One part, maybe, one hundred. But even not going so far, one part means divide the whole thing into four parts. That will be one fourth. This material world is only one fourth of the whole creation, and the three-fourth part is spiritual world. In the spiritual world there is similarly innumerable planets, innumerable living entities. Just like, as I have already explained, that this material world is the just like prison house of the criminals. So our criminal department in the state, say, jail or prison house, that is not the countrywise, as big as the country. That is a fractional part only. Maybe a few hundred people or few thousand people living there, but the state is very big. Similarly, the Lord's state is so big, though the criminal living entities are living in a corner only. This material world is in a corner. So what information we can get about God? "God is great," we simply theoretically say, but we do not know how great it is, He is, and how His greatness is working. That we do not know.

Engagement Lecture -- Buffalo, April 23, 1969:

God was existing. Therefore God is not under this creation. If God is under this creation, then how He can create? He becomes one of the object of the material creation. So God is not under creation. He is the creator. Before creation, He was existing. That is called sanātana. That means He is also sanātana. And there is a spiritual nature, sky, where there are innumerable spiritual planets also. And there are innumerable spiritual living entities also. And some of them, those who are not fit to live in that spiritual world, they are, I mean to say, sent to this material world. The same idea is expressed in Milton's Paradise Lost.

Pandal Lecture at Cross Maidan -- Bombay, March 26, 1971:

Panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamyaḥ. (microphone goes out) Just like in the material science they are trying to go to the moon planet or other planets also by certain standard of speed in the sputnik. (aside:) It is not working? (microphone comes back on) They are finding it difficult even to go to the moon planet, which is the nearest planet to the earth. And there are innumerable other planets. And the modern scientists calculate that the highest planet, if we want to go there, it will take the sputnik speed, which is running eighteen thousand miles per hour, in that speed if we go forty thousands of years, we can reach the highest planetary system within this material world. But so far the kingdom of God, which is called Vaikuṇṭhaloka, or sanātana-dhāma..., as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nya 'vyakta 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). That is sanātana-dhāma. There is—we get this information from the Bhagavad-gītā—the kingdom of God, where everything is permanent. Within this material world, everything is nonpermanent, temporary.

Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 13, 1971:

So this body, if you like, you can get the body of a human being, or you can get the body of a tiger, or you can get the body of demigod, or you can get the body of Lord Brahmā, or you can get the body of the microbic germ in the stool. This will depend on your work. This is going on. There are innumerable planets, there are innumerable universes, and the living entities are all innumerable, and they are getting innumerable types of bodies, and every account is kept. Now just imagine what is the government of Kṛṣṇa. And this is being managed, ekāṁśena sthito jagat (BG 10.42). This whole worldly affair is being managed by one Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. This information we get from the śāstras.

Lecture at Caitanya Matha -- Visakhapatnam, February 19, 1972:

Therefore, qualitatively we are one with God. The quality of burning. Another example is just like the drop of the ocean water. Chemical composition of this drop of ocean water is the same as the chemical combination of the big mass of water. So Kṛṣṇa, He is all-powerful. We are also powerful. Kṛṣṇa can create. We also can create. Kṛṣṇa can create, just like innumerable planets floating in the air. We can create a small, teeny aeroplane or sputnik flying in the air. You see. So the creative power is there, but there is far difference between Kṛṣṇa's creative power and my creative power.

Lecture at Art Gallery -- Auckland, April 16, 1972:

What is that? Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi. By the effulgence, glaring effulgence of the rays of the body of Kṛṣṇa, yasya prabhā prabhavato, there are innumerable universes. We cannot study even one universal position, but we get information from this Brahma-saṁhitā that there are innumerable universes. And in each and every universes there are innumerable planets. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi. Jagad-aṇḍa means universe, and koṭi means hundreds and thousands. One hundred times of one hundred thousand. That means innumerable. There are innumerable universes—innumerable suns, innumerable moons, innumerable planets. So this is being possible in the effulgence, brahma-jyotir, of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa's bodily effulgence is called brahma-jyotir. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, brāhmaṇaḥ ahaṁ pratiṣṭhā. The brahma-jyotir... Those who are jñānīs, those who are trying to approach the Absolute Truth by mental speculation, by dint of our teeny knowledge, they can, utmost, approach to this brahma-jyotir.

Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 18, 1972:

Therefore we have to know from authoritative sources. That authoritative source is Kṛṣṇa. Because we have already described, nobody is wiser or in knowledge than Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa gives this knowledge, that paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo (BG 8.20). "Beyond this material world there is another spiritual sky." There are also innumerable planets. And that sky is far, far greater than this sky. It is one-fourth only. And the spiritual sky is three-fourths. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, ekāṁśena sthito jagat (BG 10.42). This is only one-fourth, this material world. The other spiritual world is three-fourths. Suppose God's creation is one hundred. It is only twenty-five percent; seventy-five percent is there. Similarly, the living entities also, a very small fragmental portion of the living entities are here. And there, in the spiritual world, the major portion are there.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 21, 1972:

The brahma-jyotir, yasya prabhā, is the bodily effulgence of God, Kṛṣṇa, Govinda. So on that effulgence, jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi, there are innumerable universes. It is not very difficult to understand. Just like you see, in the sunshine innumerable planets are floating. So what is the difficulty to understand that there is a shining effulgence from the body of God, Kṛṣṇa, and in that shining effulgence, innumerable universes are floating? What is the difficulty? There is no difficulty. It is most scientific proposal.

So these are the potencies of God. Not that I can show some magic and immediately I become God. Just see the magic, real magic of God. Don't accept cheap God. God must show godly magic. Just like we are showing little magic, floating some airplane or sputnik or jet in the sky. We are taking so much credit, so much credit that scientists are declaring, "There is no God. I am God, because I have made this airplane." And what is your airplane in comparison to these planets? So intelligent person, they will give more credit to God than to these scientists or philosophers. Because he can see the potencies, how much potency is there.

Rotary Club Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 5, 1972:

I have got the desire to go this planet, to that planet. Just like we make tour, even on this planet. We want to go this place, that place, that place. So this is natural. Therefore here in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, sarva-gataḥ. You can go anywhere, everywhere. There are innumerable universes, and there are innumerable planets of different nature. And you can go. Sarva-gataḥ, sthāṇur acalo 'yam. So according to the different features, we get... Just like the aquatics. They have got a different type of body. They can very easily and very pleasingly, they can live within the water. But if you are pushed within the water, you'll die. You'll suffocate. So by nature's way, there are different types of body. They are going to the moon planet, but to live in the moon planet, you require a different type of body. That we get information from Vedic literature.

Lecture -- London, August 23, 1973:

So it acts very wonderfully, but there must be a expert man to push the button. Otherwise, it will not act. Without that expert man, this wonderful machine is lump of iron. That's all. It has no value. Take any machine. Similarly, this huge, gigantic machine of cosmic manifestation where innumerable planets are floating in the sky just like cotton swabs, don't think that it is so acting automatically. No. There is direction behind it, or there is brain behind it. And that brain, that big brain, is God. God is also like us, a being, but He is Supreme Being. As we are being, we have got our brain, we have got our creative power, we can do something, we can manufacture something like airplane, sputnik, but God has got big brain. We may float one mechanic airplane in the air, but by the God's brain, millions and trillions of heavy planets are floating in the air. That is God's brain. He has got also brain; He has got also creative power.

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

There are many who worship demigods. So they will go to the planet where demigods reside. There are innumerable planets. This, according to Vedic literature, this moon planet is also a place where demigods reside. The sun planet also like that, and many other planets. The Bhagavad-gītā says, yānti deva-vratāḥ devān. If you want to go to the moon planet, sun planet, Venus planet or any other planet, you just prepare yourself in this life, and at the time of death, you'll be transferred to such and such condition of life. Similarly, pitṛ-vratāḥ, there are Pitṛ-lokas, bhūtejyā, bhūtejyam ghost worshiper. They will also go to such planet. And mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām, Kṛṣṇa says. "Those who want to go to Me, back to home, back to Godhead, they can also go there. They can also go there."

Lecture on Gurvastakam at Upsala University -- Stockholm, September 9, 1973:

We have got our book, Easy Journey to Other Planets. So guru can help you to transmigrate from this planet directly to the spiritual sky, where there are innumerable spiritual planets. They are known as Vaikuṇṭhaloka. And the topmost planet in the spiritual sky, that is called Goloka Vṛndāvana. That is Kṛṣṇa's planet. By Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement we are trying to give information how one can be transferred directly to the Goloka Vṛndāvana planet, Kṛṣṇaloka. That is our mission.

So what is the difference between this material world and the spiritual world? The difference is that in the material world you have to change your body, although you are eternal. Nityaḥ śāśvato na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). You are not destroyed after the annihilation of this body, material body, but you transmigrate to another body. And that body may be one of the 8,400,000's of forms. There are 8,400,000's of forms. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi. There are 900,000 forms in the water, two millions forms of trees and plants, eleven hundred thousand forms of the insect, and then one million forms of the birds. And then three million forms of the beasts. And then we come to this human form of life. Now it is our choice, whether you are going to be transferred again through the cycle of this transmigration of the soul from the one body to another in the lower species of life, or you want to be transferred to the spiritual sky. And you can transfer yourself to the highest spiritual platform, which is known as Goloka Vṛndāvana. That is your choice.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Hobbes:

Prabhupāda: No. God is situated in everyone's heart, and He is seeing every minute action of the soul—what he is desiring, how he is manipulating the machine. This is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Specifically it is indicated that God is situated in the heart of the living being and He is observing what he desires. So according to his desire, God is so kind He is supplying a machine. If he wants to enjoy this material world as a human being, God gives him opportunity to become a human being, and if he wants to enjoy this material world as a dog, He gives him the body of a dog. If he wants to enjoy as a hog, He gives the body of a hog. If he wants to enjoy as demigod, He gives him the body. So this is God's mercy. So long the individual living being wants to enjoy this material world, so according to his eagerness to enjoy in that way, He gives the facility, and that facility is the particular body. This body is material. It is supplied by the material nature, bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā (BG 18.61). The machine is made by the material ingredients, upon the order of Kṛṣṇa, or God, for the enjoyment of the living entity. So he sits in that machine and travels. Just like we have got a car, we can travel, similarly we get particular machine and we travel in some species of life in some planet. There are innumerable planets, and 8,000,000 species of life. So according to the contact with material nature, the living entity is desiring something, and God is so merciful that He is giving him facility.