Inspiration (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"inspiration" |"inspirational" |"inspirations" |"inspire" |"inspired" |"inspirer" |"inspires" |"inspiring" |"inspiringly"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 4.9 -- Bombay, March 29, 1974:

Parā bhakti. Parā-bhakti, that is real spiritual life. Parā aparā, aparā bhakti means on the material platform. Generally, the Deity worship. This is the beginning, but as you go on worshiping the Deity you realize your spiritual identity. Then you do not see the Deity as made of stone or wood. You see directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead and you can talk, you can receive an inspiration. This is the beginning.

Lecture on BG 4.10 -- Calcutta, September 23, 1974:

So today is Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī's birthday, Rādhāṣṭamī. So we called you for meeting. This Rādhārāṇī, about some, Rādhārāṇī... Because this Rādhārāṇī is the source of spiritual inspiration. Source of spiritual inspiration. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parām, jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho... Prakṛtiṁ parām (BG 7.5). The aparā-prakṛti is this material world, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4).

Lecture on BG 15.15 -- August 5, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Devotee: Śrīla Prabhupāda? Why God gave to man free will if He knew the man would fall down in the material world?

Prabhupāda: If you have no free will, then you are a stone. The stone has no free will. You want to be stone? Then you must be, must have free will. But don't misuse your free will. But don't try to become stone. That is not life.

Translator: If the artistic inspiration, like the intuition, is also coming from Paramātmā.

Prabhupāda: Yes. If you want to become something, Kṛṣṇa will give you all facilities. But that will not be good for you. But you go on manufacturing ideas, Kṛṣṇa will give you all facilities. Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam, how to... Just like a scientist is trying to manufacture something. Kṛṣṇa is giving intelligence, "All right, do like that, do like that, do like that."

Devotee: Why is it sometimes if we are sincerely trying to serve Kṛṣṇa we still make mistakes? We make in our service some mistakes.

Prabhupāda: You must always remember that service means by the order of the master. So if you should always be ready to take order from the master, there will be no mistake.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.3.25 -- Los Angeles, September 30, 1972:

So that is God or God's scripture. Past, present, and future. This Bhāgavata was written by God Himself, Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva is incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. That we have described, eleventh or some avatāra. So the Kalki will appear. The śāstra is giving indication that after such and such year. And another point is this dasyu-prāyeṣu rājasu. The..., more and more the government will be just like thieves and rogues. We are already experiencing. Now a new law has been passed in India that nobody can keep property more than five to seven lakhs of rupees. So people's incentive to earn money is now being cut down. Formerly it was freedom that you can earn your money as much as you like. Now if you think that "I will earn money, hundreds and thousands of money," but what is the use? The government will take away. That means you will be lazy. The economic development will be checked. Because one who works so hard for economic development because he is under the inspiration that "The more I earn, I will be able to enjoy more." But when this impression is given that "More we earn, it will be taken by government, and I will not be able to enjoy it," naturally he will not work.

Lecture on SB 1.5.8-9 -- New Vrindaban, May 24, 1969:

Topmost man, one who surrenders. Therefore it is very confidential. So our teaching, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, to present Bhagavad-gītā as it is, is a process of teaching people how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, or God. That's all. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says this is a confidential... Nobody will accept. But one who takes the risk, "Please, surrender..." So when you go to preach, you know the preachers are sometimes attacked. Just like Nityānanda Prabhu was attacked by Jagāi-Mādhāi. And when Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, killed... So a preacher has the risk. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, "These field workers who are engaged in preaching this Bhagavad-gītā as it is, they are very, very dear to Me. Very, very dear to Me." Na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu kaścin me priya-kṛttamaḥ (BG 18.69). "There is nobody dearer to Me than that person who preaches this confidential truth to the people."

Therefore if we want to please Kṛṣṇa, we have to take this risk. Kṛṣṇa, guru. My spiritual master took this risk, preaching work, and he inspired us also to do that preaching work. And we are also imploring you to take this preaching work. So this preaching work, however, I mean to say, I mean to say, poorly we do... Poorly—it is not poor, but suppose I am not very much educated. Just like this boy. If I send him for preaching work, he is not very educated now. He's not a philosopher. He's not a scholar. But he can also preach. He can also preach.

Lecture on SB 1.7.47-48 -- Vrndavana, October 6, 1976:

Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī, he also did the same thing. What is that? Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tuccha-vat. When he was inspired by Caitanya Mahāprabhu... He was a minister in charge of Nawab Hussain Shah's government, but he decided, "What is this nonsense ministership? Let me join Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Preach this Kṛṣṇa consciousness." So he did it. Therefore about him it is said, tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīm. He was associated with big, big men. Maṇḍala-pati. He was minister. But he gave up. "What is this nonsense? It has no value." So if we compare with C.R. Das, he also gave up his income, but he died. But what happened to Rūpa Gosvāmī? Naturally, such a rich man, minister, he gave up his position, he should have also died because no income? No. He did not die. That is the difference.

Lecture on SB 3.26.44 -- Bombay, January 19, 1975:

And in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye. Brahmā was given inspiration or lesson from within the heart. Kṛṣṇa is therefore called caitya-guru, "the guru from the heart." So He gives intelligence for doing particular thing when He is satisfied with the service. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ (BG 15.15). Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam (BG 10.10). Kṛṣṇa is ready to give intelligence to everyone because everyone is Kṛṣṇa's son.

Lecture on SB 5.5.5 -- Vrndavana, October 27, 1976:

So this is jijñāsu. And to dissipate this ignorance, get out of this ignorance, one has to approach a person who is not abodha but bodha. Budhā. Budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ, one who knows what is the destination of life. That budhā... What is that? Bhajante ananya manaso budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ (BG 10.8). So one has to approach a budhā. Therefore Lord Buddha's name is Buddha. From this bodha. He has understood everything. He was prince, and he never came out of the palace, and when he came out he saw one old man with a stick, with great difficulty walking. So inquired his servants, "What is this?" "This is old man. Everyone has to become like this." That was the inspiration of understanding. Why he should be like that? Why one should become old man? Why he should walk on sticks? So these inquiries made him Buddha, Lord Buddha, by meditation. That is his pastime. That means one should understand by nature study, why this man is diseased, why this man is old, why this man is suffering. Then bodhayantaḥ parasparam, then the inquisitiveness can lead him to the proper knowledge. And where to get that proper knowledge? That is guru. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). But if there is no inquiry, if one is dull like stone and tree, then how there will be inquiry?

Lecture on SB 6.1.1 -- Melbourne, May 21, 1975:

Sometimes there is some disagreement, that "Why one should not live outside the temple?" But that is little difficult, because in the temple you get good association. Everyone is trying to become free from this bondage of life. So there is some inspiration. But if you live outside the temple... We are making this temple commodious so that people may come here and live and learn the art, but if you do not live, there is risk. Because saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ. If you live in certain association, drunkard association, then you will learn gradually how to drink. And if you live with the association of the devotees, then you will forget drinking. You will become devotee. So we are opening these centers, giving chance everyone. There is no discrimination. It is not a religious system. It is a cultural institution. Don't take as a religious. Religious is a kind of faith. You may accept that faith or not. That is your discretion. But Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not a kind of faith. It is an cultural institution. If you, actually, you are serious that "I must stop these inconveniences of birth, death, and old age," then you must join this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. That is my request. That is called nivṛtti-mārga. And gradually, you will be elevated to the topmost position, that you have no more attraction for these material things. That is possible. It is not that impossible. Simply one has got to follow the process.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Auckland, February 22, 1973:

Madhudviṣa: This is a problem, I think, with many devotees. They have a difficulty distinguishing between their own speculation and the inspiration...

Prabhupāda: Then they should stop speculation. That is their first duty. Devotional life means stop speculation.

Madhudviṣa: Well, what is inspiration then?

Prabhupāda: Inspiration? That inspiration is there. That is very good, that "I shall do something for Kṛṣṇa." So whatever duty is assorted to you or allotted to you, you first execute that duty.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Auckland, February 22, 1973:

Devotee (2): How important is formal initiation?

Prabhupāda: Formal initiation means to accept, officially, to abide by the orders of Kṛṣṇa and His representative. That is formal initiation. Officially accept, "Yes, sir, I shall accept. I shall do whatever you say." This is initiation, official acceptance of the job. That's all. Now, you formally accept, and if you do not do the duties, then where is the question of other function? There is no question. Initiation means this is the beginning of accepting the orders of Kṛṣṇa and His representative to carry out. This is the beginning. That is initiation. Just like if you enter in an office establishment, so you accept the terms of service. That is initiation. Then you go on serving, you become promoted, you get salary increase. You become recognized. You become officer. You become big officer, like that. That very word initiation suggests, "This is the beginning." Dīkṣā, dīkṣā. Di... Divya. There are two words, divya-jñāna. Divya-jñāna means transcendental, spiritual knowledge. So divya is dī, and jñānam, kṣapayati, explaining, that is kṣa, dī-kṣā. This is called dīkṣā, dīkṣā, the combination. So dīkṣā means the initiation to begin transcendental activities. That is called initiation. Therefore we take promise from the disciple that "You chant so many times," "Yes, sir." "You observe these rules and regulations," "Yes, sir." That is initiation. He has to observe; he has to chant. Then everything comes automatically. In the beginning he is faulty; then how he can make progress? There is no question of in..., what is called? What you were asking?

Madhudviṣa: Inspiration.

Prabhupāda: Inspiration. What is that inspiration? If you have got inspiration, first of all execute this. Inspiration there is. Because we are, by nature, we are servant of Kṛṣṇa, we want to serve. But that should be regulated. That should be regulated. That is initiation. Yes?

Lecture on SB 6.1.63 -- Vrndavana, August 30, 1975:

So the one word is very significant in this connection: graha-grasto vicetasaḥ. Graha-grasto means ghostly haunted or influenced by bad star, graha-grasto. Sometimes we become... We are always graha-grasto in this material world. It is said by some Vaiṣṇava poet, piśāci pāile yena mati-cchana haya māyār graṣṭa jīvera sei dāsa upajaya. Piśāci, ghostly haunted or inspired by the witches, when one becomes so, mati-cchana, he becomes bewildered and his intelligence becomes scattered. Mati-cchana. That is the condition of all living entities within this material world in different degrees. Everyone is ghostly haunted. And what is that ghostly haunted? That ghostly haunted, tan-nimitta-smara-vyāja. This Ajāmila had seen one śūdra and one śūdrāṇī were embracing, kissing, laughing, enjoying in lusty affairs. So he became tan-nimitta. By seeing these activities of the śūdra and the śūdrāṇī, naturally the lusty desire is there, which I explained yesterday. It is called hṛd-roga-kāma. This kāma, lusty desire, is a heart disease. So he was infected by the heart disease by seeing the scene, that one woman and man is embracing kissing, immediately.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 27, 1972:

Pradyumna: (reading) "Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda and of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupāda by whose inspiration I have been engaged in the matter of compiling this summary study of Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. This is the sublime science of devotional service as propounded by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who appeared 500 years ago in West Bengal, India, to propagate the movement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī begins his great book by offering his respectful obeisances unto Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī who is his elder brother and spiritual master, and he prays that Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu may be very pleasing to him."

Prabhupāda: Yes.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 8, 1973:

Pradyumna: ...and of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, by whose inspiration I have been engaged in the matter of compiling this summary study of Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. This is the sublime science of devotional service as propounded by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who appeared five hundred years ago in West Bengal, India to propagate the movement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī begins his great book by offering his respectful obeisances unto Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī who is his elder brother and spiritual master, and he prays that Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu may be very pleasing to him. He further prays that by residing in that ocean of nectar, he may always feel transcendental pleasure in the service of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: So, Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī is first offering his respect, obeisances to Sanātana Gosvāmī who is his elder brother, at the same time, guru. So we offer our respect in that way, vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau. That is the way. We cannot jump over the highest authority directly. That is not possible. That is not the etiquette or rules, regulations we have to go.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 28, 1972:

Just like personally, up to seventy years, I was practically doing nothing. But at the age of seventy years, by the grace of God, Kṛṣṇa, there was inspiration. I went to western countries. Not to sit down there silently. So bhakti, the path is not inactivity. Actual activity begins when one is situated on devotional service. It is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā. When one is brahma-bhūtaḥ, self-realized, he's prasannātmā, joyful, ānandamaya. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). He has no desire to fulfill, neither he has lamentation. Here, in the material world, we hanker after things which we do not possess. "I want this. I want that." And we cry when the thing is lost. Na śocati. But a brahma-bhūtaḥ, when one is self-realized, when one knows that he's not this body, he's spirit soul, he's part and parcel of Brahman, at that time, he becomes joyful.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 29, 1972:

Pradyumna: "Any activities done in devotional service or in Kṛṣṇa consciousness are directly under the control of spiritual energy. In other words, energy is a sort of strength and this strength can be..."

Prabhupāda: This is spiritual energy. Just like Arjuna is fighting. That energy is inspired by Kṛṣṇa. So Arjuna took it, "I must fight. Kṛṣṇa wants it. I must satisfy Kṛṣṇa." This is spiritual energy. Just see. The other party, they are also fighting in the same energy, but they have no Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So to act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is nothing wonderful. Simply you have to divert the energy for Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everyone has got energy, but when it is enacted for one's sense gratification, that is material. And when it is enacted for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, that is spiritual. Try to understand the difference between material and spiritual. Go on.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.3 -- Mayapur, March 3, 1974:

You cannot understand Kṛṣṇa without the mercy of these Pañca-tattva. Therefore Kṛṣṇa, although He came personally, He taught the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā and asked people, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). But because we are mūḍhas, we misunderstood Kṛṣṇa. We could not take the last instruction of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa again came as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to teach us how to approach Kṛṣṇa. If we read the life of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, His acceptance of sannyāsa order, His preaching all over India, His chanting and dancing, His living at Jagannath Purī, His activities, His meeting with the devotees, His Guṇḍicā-mārjana, His Ratha-yātrā kīrtana—if we study all these activities of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, immediately you understand Kṛṣṇa.

Therefore, we are inviting you at this place of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, His birthsite, to take the inspiration given by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. That will help us understanding Kṛṣṇa. Tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā visate tad anantaram. If you simply understand Kṛṣṇa, tattvataḥ, in truth, by the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu... Namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53).

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.101 -- Washington, D.C., July 6, 1976:

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu also said the same thing, yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). He does not say, "I have manufactured something, you take it." No. He said you take up seriously what Kṛṣṇa has said, yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa. So every ācārya... Sanātana Gosvāmī is ācārya, direct disciple of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He is taking shelter. He has already taken; therefore he said, kṛpā kari' yadi more kariyācha uddhāra. He's already, he knows. Because he met Caitanya Mahāprabhu when he was minister and he got the inspiration that "I must resign from this post, my ministership. I must join Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement," then that determination, he is already liberated. That determination. Therefore he says, "I know it is not a very easy thing. I was minister, I was in a very good position." Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat. He was minister. Naturally, his associate were very, very exalted persons.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.101 -- Washington, D.C., July 6, 1976:

Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati, maṇḍala-pati, big, big leaders, big, big merchants, big, big industrialists or something like that, very, very big men. They are called maṇḍala-pati. One who has control over many people, he is called maṇḍala-pati. So who will have control unless he is a very big man? So about these Gosvāmīs it is said, tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat. They gave up such position, exalted position, tucchavat, "Eh. Insignificant. What is this?" There is no meaning of this. He was not madman, but he gave up. He understood that these exalted posts... They are hankering after, they are trying to capture the big, big post, materialistic persons, laboring so hard, spending so much money. And he already possessed that position, and out of his own, or the inspiration by Kṛṣṇa, he resigned it. The master, the Nawab Shah, was unwilling to give him release. He became very, very sorry, that "If Sanātana Gosvāmī resigns, then my empire will be ruined. I was so confident that he is managing. Now he's going to resign, the whole responsibility will be mine." So he became very much disturbed. He arrested him, "No, you cannot resign, then I'll keep you arrested." So many things happened. But still he resigned and he came to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

General Lectures

Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 12, 1971:

This Kṛṣṇa Consciousness Movement is to be learned from the very childhood. So far personally we are concerned, my father taught me this Kṛṣṇa consciousness from the very childhood. My father was a great Vaiṣṇava, and I had the opportunity of taking birth in that family. So he gave me lessons of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness from the very beginning of my life. He gave me mṛdaṅga. He engaged a teacher for learning mṛdaṅga playing. Sometimes my mother was irritated. But somehow or other, I got the inspiration from my father worshiping a small Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Deity. So Prahlāda Mahārāja says, kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). Actually the students, the children, should be given chance to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is the duty of the state, that is the duty of the parents, that is the duty of the guru, that is the duty of kinsmen. That is the instruction given in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Gurur na sa syāt sva-jano na sa syāt, pitā na sa syāj jananī na sā syāt, na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum. This human form of life, as Prahlāda Mahārāja says, durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma. Durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma tad apy adhruvam arthadam. This human form of life is obtained after many, many millions and millions of births, evolutionary process. We have already discussed this point. So that is the Vedic civilization, that a human being should be given chance to understand this Bhāgavata-dharma, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means Bhāgavata-dharma.

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

Guest: We would like to thank Swami Prabhupāda for his kindness and extreme gentleness in coming to us. We've listened with respect to the words of life (indistinct) warmed my heart, anyway, and gave me hope for a family of human brothers to which we belong. I think we are closer to one another now, to the devotees of the temple. It's very beautiful coming here tonight, and I certainly feel that this little meeting, the human brothers under a (indistinct), of particular inspiration or coming in contact with a God whom we're all reaching out for but who has many faces. Thank you very much.

Prabhupāda: Thank you. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)

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

Prabhupāda: Butcher does not get pain? Do you know that? There is a Sanskrit verse that vyādha mā jīva, mā mara: "My dear butcher, you don't live, don't die." Do you think this butcher, that butchering work is very palatable work? Can you see it, before you, a man is killed, an animal is killed? So he has become accustomed. It pains him. But that work is so abominable that he should not live for executing that work. But what is the benefit of dying? Because after death, he will be butchered. Therefore the śāstra says, mā jīva mā mara: "Don't live, don't die." Yes.

Indian man: There is some difference. When we do some good, we consider it as God-inspired, but when we do something bad, then we can't say that it is also God-inspired after we have done it?

Prabhupāda: I do not follow what he says.

Guest (2): He says that the inspiration comes from the God for the all works.

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

Lecture -- Vrndavana, March 14, 1974:

You have to accept the six Gosvāmīs of Vṛndāvana, who came here, who discovered Vṛndāvana. This Vṛndāvana is the discovery of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī, they were first deputed by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Otherwise, it was a big field only. Caitanya Mahāprabhu discovered the Rādhā-kuṇḍa. In this way, the Gosvāmīs were deputed, and Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī first of all established this Madana-mohana temple, then Govindajī. In this way all the city of Vṛndāvana... It is transcendental city, but it was begun by the inspiration, by the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu because He appeared to distribute Kṛṣṇa-prema. Kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). That is the highest perfection of life. Premā pum-artho mahān. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission is premā pum-artho mahān, to achieve love of Godhead. That is the verdict of all śāstras.

Departure Talks

Departure Conversation -- Los Angeles, June 27, 1975:

Rāmeśvara: In that same volume of Antya-līlā there is a very elaborate description of Rūpa Gosvāmī being inspired to write his different plays, and I was thinking that in that book we could print the pictures of the Rādhā-Dāmodara temple which he founded. He established that temple. And also the bhajan-kutir of Rūpa Gosvāmī.

Prabhupāda: You have got the photo.

Rāmeśvara: We have very nice pictures of both those places. Because so much of the book is describing Rūpa Gosvāmī's writings...

Prabhupāda: Everything of Rūpa Gosvāmī. We are called rūpānuga, "strictly following the footstep of Rūpa Gosvāmī." Rūpānuga-varāya te. And our Guru Mahārāja was..., rūpānuga-viruddhāpasiddhānta-dhvānta-hāriṇe: "Anything against the plan of Rūpa Gosvāmī, not accepted." Rūpa-raghunātha-pade yāra āśa, caitanya-caritāmṛta kahe kṛṣṇadāsa. What are these flags?

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant:

Prabhupāda: Transcendental means it is not in my experience, but I get the experience from higher authority, paramparā.

Śyāmasundara: I think his definition of transcendental is slightly different.

Prabhupāda: Transcendental means beyond your sense experience. That is the real meaning. You can see the dictionary. Transcendental is that which transcends.

Śyāmasundara: "Transcendental: of an a priori character, not based on experience; intuitively accepted; innate in the mind; superrational; supernatural; consisting of or dealing in or inspired by abstractions.' The way he is using "transcendental" is simply he is trying to understand knowledge through abstraction, by abstracting.

Prabhupāda: Transcendental knowledge means knowledge received from a source which is beyond the reach of my material senses. That is transcendental. Just like we are reading Bhagavad-gītā. So we have no knowledge that there is a spiritual world, but Kṛṣṇa says that there is another nature, a spiritual nature, beyond this material nature. So we understand through the source of transcendental knowledge. We cannot experience. That is explained, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi. God, His name, His qualities, His pastimes—nothing can be understood by these material senses. But if you engage yourself in service, they become revealed.

Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson:

Śyāmasundara: Just like the seasons. We just place ourselves in the seasons, take us towards something, towards springtime. (break) Yes. So the other type of morality he calls "open morality." This is determined by individuals, in a dynamic way. You blaze new trails guided by...

Prabhupāda: As soon as it is invented by individual men or society, this is all rascaldom. It has no value.

Śyāmasundara: He calls it the higher morality. Just like St. Paul or some great saint receives inspiration from God, and he blazes a new trail to morality in the society.

Prabhupāda: That is nice. Because he is God conscious, he can dictate what is real morality.

Śyāmasundara: He is speaking in this case of St. Paul.

Prabhupāda: So St. Paul, he is a sādhu. So our process is that sādhu, guru, śāstra. We have to accept everything through saintly persons, confirmed by the scripture, and described or explained by guru. Then it is perfect. The scriptures are already there, and we have to see how the scriptures are being followed by saintly persons. And if there is any difficulties, they should be explained by the spiritual master.

Philosophy Discussion on Plotinus:

Hayagrīva: He uses this following metaphor. He says, "We are like a chorus grouped about a conductor who allow their attention to be distracted by the audience. If, however, they"—that is we, the individual souls—"were to turn toward their conductor, they would sing as they should and would really be with him. We are always around the One. If we were not, we would dissolve and cease to exist. Yet our gaze does not remain fixed upon the One. When we look at it, we then attain the end of our desires and find rest. Then it is that all discord passes. We dance an inspired dance around it. In this dance the soul looks upon the source of life, the source of the intelligence, the root of being, the cause of the good, the root of the soul. All these entities emanate from the One without any lessening, for it is not a material mass."

Prabhupāda: Yes. There is good sense, that God is individual and the soul is individual. As he has given the metaphor or analogy that the con..., parties of a concert party...