Intelligent question

Expressions researched:
"intelligent question" |"intelligent questions"

Notes from the compiler: Excluding "very intelligent question" and "very intelligent questions" (goal will be less than 75)

SB Canto 6

SB 6.13.3, Purport:

This, of course, is a very intelligent question. When a demon is killed, certainly all the demigods are happy. In this case, however, when all the demigods were happy because of Vṛtrāsura's having been killed, Indra was unhappy. Why? It may be suggested that Indra was unhappy because he knew that he had killed a great devotee and brāhmaṇa. Vṛtrāsura outwardly appeared to be a demon, but inwardly he was a great devotee and therefore a great brāhmaṇa.

SB 6.14.8, Translation:

Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī said: After hearing Mahārāja Parīkṣit's very intelligent question, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the most powerful sage, began answering his disciple with great affection.

Nectar of Instruction

Nectar of Instruction 1, Purport:

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (6.1.9-10) Parīkṣit Mahārāja placed a number of intelligent questions before Śukadeva Gosvāmī. One of these questions was: "Why do people undergo atonement if they cannot control their senses?" For instance, a thief may know perfectly well that he may be arrested for his stealing, and he may actually even see a thief arrested by the police, yet he continues to steal. Experience is gathered by hearing and seeing. One who is less intelligent gathers experience by seeing, and one who is more intelligent gathers experience by hearing. When an intelligent person hears from the lawbooks and śāstras, or scriptures, that stealing is not good and hears that a thief is punished when arrested, he refrains from theft. A less intelligent person may first have to be arrested and punished for stealing to learn to stop stealing. However, a rascal, a foolish man, may have the experience of both hearing and seeing and may even be punished, but still he continues to steal. Even if such a person atones and is punished by the government, he will again commit theft as soon as he comes out of jail. If punishment in jail is considered atonement, what is the benefit of such atonement?

Easy Journey to Other Planets

Easy Journey to Other Planets 1:

The intelligent candidate places intelligent questions to the spiritual master in order to clear his path of all uncertainties. The spiritual master shows the way, not whimsically, but in accordance with the principles of the authorities who have actually traversed the path. The names of these authorities are disclosed in the scriptures, and one has simply to follow them under the direction of the spiritual master. The spiritual master never deviates from the path of the authorities.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 29:

The question is, If it is possible for a devotee to get free from the material, contaminated stage simply by thinking of Kṛṣṇa, then why should this not be possible for others who are also thinking of someone? If one is thinking of a husband or son, or if anyone at all is thinking of another living entity, then, since all living entities are also Brahman, why are all those who thus think of others not freed from the contaminated stage of material nature? This is a very intelligent question, because there are always atheists imitating Kṛṣṇa. In these days of Kali-yuga, there are many rascals who think themselves to be as good as Kṛṣṇa and who cheat people into believing that thinking of them is as good as thinking of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.2 -- London, August 3, 1973:

The intelligent conclusion is: tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). That is intelligent. After giving up this body, no more coming to material world. That is intelligence.So how many people do understand this intelligence? And where is the teaching? Therefore one who is not devotee, he has no good qualifications. If he's still under the distresses of this material world, that is not very intelligent question. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, bahūnām janmanām ante jñānavān (BG 7.19). Jñānavān means intelligent, wise.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- Mexico, February 12, 1975:

So we should acquire knowledge from the authority. Kṛṣṇa is the authority. He says that "All of us—you, me, and all the others who have come to join this fighting—it is not that they did not exist in the past. They existed. We existed, all, in the past, we are existing now, and after so-called death, or after quitting this body, we shall still exist." Now, the question will be "How I shall exist, either as American, Indian, or something else?" So that is very intelligent question. First of all, we have to understand that I, you, every one of us existed in the past, so how I existed in the past and how I shall exist in future? So past is past; that is gone. Now I am existing as a human being. It is my duty to understand how I shall exist in future. That is intelligence.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- London, August 19, 1973:

So therefore the question is that I am eternal and why I have been put into this temporary life? This is intelligent question. This is the problem.

Lecture on BG 2.14 -- Mexico, February 14, 1975:

Then the question is that "If I am eternal, why there are so many miserable condition of life? And why I am forced to die?" So this is actually the intelligent question, that "If I am eternal, then why I shall remain in this material body which is subjected to death, birth, old age and disease?" Therefore Kṛṣṇa instructs that this miserable condition of life is due to this material body.

Lecture on BG 4.3-6 -- New York, July 18, 1966:

So even if you believe it, or do not believe it, that position is being cleared by Arjuna. Because Arjuna knew it perfectly well that it is quite possible by Kṛṣṇa to speak such and such thing forty millions of years before because He's the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But for others, who will hear this Bhagavad-gītā in future, for them, he's making the point clear and asking Kṛṣṇa, aparaṁ bhavato janma paraṁ janma vivasvataḥ: "My dear Kṛṣṇa, You are born just... You are contemporary of me. Say, eighty years or ninety years before You were born along with me. Your age and my age, practically the same. How it is possible that forty millions of years before you spoke to sun-god?" Just see. It is very intelligent question by Arjuna so that the point may be cleared in future, people may not misunderstand Kṛṣṇa. Aparaṁ bhavato janma paraṁ janma vivasvataḥ.

Lecture on BG 4.3-6 -- New York, July 18, 1966:

Vivasvataḥ means the sun-god. "Oh, sun-god? Oh, sun planet was created some hundreds of millions of years before and You say that You said to sun-god? How it is possible because You are born not even hundred years completed?" Katham etad vijānīyāṁ tvam ādau proktavān iti: "Then how I am to understand it that You spoke formerly to sun-god?" It is, here... It is very intelligent question. It is very intelligent question.

Lecture on BG 4.3-6 -- New York, July 18, 1966:

Kṛṣṇa says, "My dear Arjuna, yes, your question is very intelligent question that you are asking Me how it is possible that forty millions of years before I spoke this science of Bhagavad-gītā to the sun-god. Yes. But you, you should know it that bahūni me vyatītāni janmāni tava cārjuna, You and Myself... Although I am God, I take incarnation many, many times. And you are a living entity; you are also taking your birth repeatedly so many times. So we have passed already. The difference between you and Me is this, that tāni veda, tāny ahaṁ veda sarvāṇi, I, I remember what I did in the past, long, long years before, but you cannot remember." That is the difference between God and man, or God and living entity.

Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Johannesburg, October 19, 1975:

And ultimately, as Kṛṣṇa points out, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). You may have solved all other problems. Very good. But what about your birth, death, disease and old age? These are the intelligent questions. We have to answer. We have to make solution.

Lecture on BG 4.19-22 -- New York, August 8, 1966:

"Those who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they are not entangled in these sinful acts." How? They are also maintaining their body. So when they are maintaining their body, they have to commit sins. They have to eat other animals or vegetables. Never mind. So how they are not committing sins? These are very intelligent questions. There is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on BG 4.34-38 -- New York, August 17, 1966:

Not that you have to submit yourself blindly. Although your spiritual master may be self-realized and experienced in the Absolute Truth, still, you have to question. You have to understand from him all critical points by your intelligent questions. That is allowed. So it doesn't matter. If anyone is able to answer about the science of Kṛṣṇa, he is spiritual master.

Lecture on BG 4.34-38 -- New York, August 17, 1966:

So we are all being punished. As we are making progress, as we are violating the law of nature, the law of God, we are being punished in every step. But due to ignorance, we do not know how we are being... We have been accustomed. We have been callous, "Oh, let us be punished. Go on. Go on like this. Go on." Oh, this is not human life. We must make a solution of this punishment. That is human life. Because I am put into jail, "All right, it is very good. Without working, I am getting three times food. Let me remain in the jail." Oh, that is not very intelligent question. You see. We must get out of the jail. So this material world is just like a prison house. We must get out of it. We must get our freedom, the absolute freedom, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1), full of knowledge, full of bliss and eternal. That is our mission.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Sydney, February 16, 1973:

Similarly, this material world is subjected to the seasons or changes. It is called jagat. Jagat means which is changing. But we do not like this changing because we are eternal. We have been put into this condition, changing condition; therefore we are not happy. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to get ourselves out of this changing condition to the eternal condition. It is very, I mean to say, what is called, intelligent question: Why there is Kali-yuga? Kali-yuga means these ages are change.

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

But Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, "You have solved all your problems by your so-called scientific advancement; that is all right. But where is your solution of janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi, repetition of birth, death, old age and disease? Where is your solution?"This is very intelligent question. Kṛṣṇa says therefore that "You have solved all the problems of miserable condition of life. That is all right. But you should always keep in front these problems, prominently: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānu..."

Lecture on BG 16.6 -- Hawaii, February 2, 1975:

If you want to see what is mind, what is intelligence, what is soul, what is Supersoul, that is not possible to see by your these blunt eyes, conditional eyes. Everyone is very proud of his senses. Somebody says, "Can you show me God?" But have you got the power to see God first of all? So these things are not very intelligent questions and answer. You have to practice according to the direction of the śāstras.

Lecture on BG 16.8 -- Tokyo, January 28, 1975:

Yes, I have met Indra or I have not met Indra. So if I met Indra, what benefit you get? And if I did not meet Indra, what is your loss? That is my question. Then why do you ask this question? You have no profit, no loss. Any other question? Put some intelligent questions. Then we can understand that you are studying really.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Vrndavana, October 16, 1972:

So if you want friendship, you make friendship with Kṛṣṇa. And because He's the proprietor, He'll protect you. These are the three points. Is that clear? Or you have got any question, you can question. Let it be clear. This is very intelligent question. So if we have to search out a friend, just search out Kṛṣṇa. Make friendship with Kṛṣṇa. Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām. He'll satisfy you in all respects.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Montreal, August 3, 1968:

Now, when you say that "Why do you say like that, 'Only persons who are joining this movement, they are intelligent and others are not intelligent?' " that is our challenge. Now you can defend on behalf of those who do not accept this proposal. This is my challenge. This is a fact. As I... Now you can talk. It is very intelligent question also.

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

Similarly, Sanātana Gosvāmī also, he said, "Sir, You asked me. I am now surrendered to You. So this is my question."What is that question? There must be question. If one is actually seeking after spiritual realization, there must be intelligent question. The first intelligent question was put forward by Sanātana Gosvāmī, that ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya: "Sir, please let me know what is my identification, why I am put into this miserable condition of material life." People do not know it.

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

Therefore Sanātana Gosvāmī inquired that "I do not want this. I do not want this. But why they are imposed upon me?" This is very intelligent question. "If there is any solution?" That is intelligence, not temporary mitigation of... Temporary... Weather... Just like it is summer or winter.

Lecture on SB 1.8.26 -- Los Angeles, April 18, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa says: bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva... prakṛtir me aṣṭadhā (BG 7.4). "This is My property." You have not created this sea, the land, the sky, the fire, the air. It is not your creation. You can transform these material things, tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ vinimayaḥ, by mixing and transforming. You take earth from the land, you take water from the sea and mix it and put it in the fire. It becomes a brick. And then you pile up all this brick and make a skyscraper building. But wherefrom you got this ingredient, rascal, that you are claiming this skyscraper yours? This is intelligent question. You have stolen the property of God, and you are claiming that it is your property. This is knowledge.

Lecture on SB 1.16.7 -- Los Angeles, January 4, 1974:

So martyānām ṛtam icchatām. Martyānām. They should be conscious that "I do not wish to die. Why death is forced upon me?" This is intelligent question. This is the most intelligent man's question. "I do not want death." Just like if there is immediately some natural disturbance... I have got experience. Sometimes there was little trembling in the front house. People were crying, especially ladies, screaming. And that I have seen many times. As soon as there is a big trembling, everyone becomes afraid, "Now we are going to die. We have to die." So everyone is afraid of death, but nobody thinks how to make a solution of this problem.

Lecture on SB 2.3.25 -- Los Angeles, June 23, 1972:

But when he was cursed that he would die in seven days, he became very serious, and all the sages and saintly persons agreed that "Mahārāja Parīkṣit, for the last remaining days of his life, seven days, he should hear attentively Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam." So śrī-viṣṇoḥ śravaṇe parīkṣit. He got salvation simply by hearing about the glories of the Lord or activities of the Lord, which is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrī-viṣṇoḥ śravaṇe parīkṣid abhavad vaiyāsakiḥ kīrtane. And Vaiyāsaki... Vaiyāsaki's name is mentioned here. Vaiyāsakir ātma-vidyā. Vaiyāsaki means Śukadeva Gosvāmī.He simply went on narrating. In the middle, there were some questions, intelligent questions, by Parīkṣit Mahārāja. Question is also required. If you simply hear, do not understand, just like dumb stone, that's not good. You should hear attentively, and as soon as there is some difficulty, you should question.

Lecture on SB 2.8.7 -- Los Angeles, February 10, 1975:

This question is almost inquired by intelligent persons, that "We have come to this material world and suffering, but the living entity is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, or God. How he has come to this material world?" That is very intelligent question. Therefore it is said here, yadṛcchayā: "It is automatically, by nature's law," or hetunā, "or there is some cause? Whether there is any cause about the living entities coming down in this material world? Which one is correct?" So without any cause, there cannot be anything. That is logic.

Lecture on SB 3.26.9 -- Bombay, December 21, 1974:

Para, the Supreme Lord, Absolute Truth, has multi-energy. So the multi-energy is divided into three division. That is called antaraṅga-śakti, internal energy, external energy, and the marginal energy. All of them are energies, or prakṛti. So in the Sāṅkhya philosophical discussion, Devahūti—she is also the mother of Kapiladeva—she asked this intelligent question: "What are the characteristic of the prakṛti, and what are the characteristic of the puruṣa?"

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Boston, April 28, 1969:

Unless one is not conversant with this principle of life, he cannot actually seriously take up what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Those who are very intelligent persons, those who can understand what is the situation of our life, "What I am..." These things are very intelligent questions. Unfortunately, in the educational system anywhere in the world there is no system for infusing a student to inquire about this.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Bombay, November 6, 1970:

"Sir, what is the value of this atonement? If people continue to act sinfully, then what is the use of this kind of prāyaścitta?" This is a very intelligent question. Suppose a man suffering from venereal disease goes to a doctor and he prescribes some medicine and gives him some diagnosis that "You should live in this way, in that way." But after the disease is cured, immediately if he commits the same sinful act, then what is the value of the treatment?

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Bombay, November 6, 1970:

He has been habituated. Automatically he commits the same sin, vivaśa. Prāyaścittam atho katham. Then, if he remains always a victim to the sinful reaction and if he is habituated to do that, so artificially this kind of confession in the church or giving some bribe to the bhaṭṭācārya, what is the meaning of this? It is practical question. If the man is habituated to commit sinful activities throughout the whole week, what is the use of his going to the church and confessing and give some bribe or... You take in any, any field. So it is very intelligent question. There is practically no use. If you remain a thief always, so for your theft you are put into the prison, and as soon as you get out of the prison again you commit theft.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6-15 -- San Francisco, September 12, 1968:

"Please explain to me how one can become free from this hellish condition of life." We are not only living very unhappy while we are in life; after death there are so many miserable conditions, hellish conditions, transmigration of the soul from one body to another. That is also very miserable condition. And to remain in the body of a dog or hog, that sort of degradation is also there. And again to come even in the human body, in the womb of the mother, that is also very miserable condition. Now this child, the small child, he's protesting that "I'm not in comfortable condition. Mother, take me in this way." So mother is trying to satisfy him. So always, always. That thing has to be understood, that so long we are in this material world, the miseries will continue. So a very intelligent question, that "How one can get out of this miserable life?"

Lecture on SB 6.1.6-15 -- San Francisco, September 12, 1968:

Very intelligent question. "My dear sir, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, I can understand that one should take care of his sinful reaction and atone for it as prescribed in the śāstras. But my question is that," dṛṣṭa-śrutābhyāṁ yat pāpam (SB 6.1.9), "one sees that due to this sinful activity one is suffering." Dṛṣṭa. Dṛṣṭa means actually personal experience, face to face. How is that? A man has killed somebody, murder, and he's going to be hanged. Everyone sees it. Then why does he commit the same thing? He has seen it that "My friend committed a murder." Or forget murdering..., committed something else which is against the law of the state, and he's punished.

Lecture on SB 6.1.9 -- Honolulu, May 10, 1976:

"Sir, you have spoken about atonement, but they are doing atonement. Every moment they are suffering, but still, again he is committing the sinful activities. So what is the use of this atonement?" Just like in the Christian church they go to confess every weekly, "Sir, I have done it." "All right, give some fine." And again, next week, again, the same thing going on. So this is very intelligent question. The atonement is there in every religion. In the Vedic process there is atonement, but what is the use of this atonement if he does not cease committing the same sinful activity?

Lecture on SB 6.1.9 -- Honolulu, May 10, 1976:

So this is very important question. The world, whole world nowadays... I say sometimes that in the airport it is proved that... (break) ...punishment the practice of committing criminal activities is going on. This is very intelligent question, and Parīkṣit Mahārāja will reply... Śukadeva Gosvāmī will reply. But this is student. Just see how intelligent question is put. The Śukadeva Gosvāmī said that for any sinful action one has to atone. So immediately catches the word, this is intelligent disciple, that "What is the value of this atonement? If he cannot correct himself to commit the sinful activity, then what is the value of atonement?" This is very nice question.

Lecture on SB 6.1.8-13 -- New York, July 24, 1971:

One man is suffering from venereal disease, and it is painful. Doctor gives some painful injection. Some way or other, he's cured, but again he's attacked with venereal disease, again comes to the doctor. There are many instances like that. A man has committed theft and he was punished. He was taken to the government custody and he was punished for six months or one year. And comes back. Again he commits the theft. Why? This is intelligent question. So, so Parīkṣit Mahārāja inquires from Śukadeva that 'Atonement, that's all right. You are prescribing atonement. That is all right, to counteract the sinful activities. But why a man commits again the same sinful activities? What is the remedy for that?"

Lecture on SB 6.1.8-13 -- New York, July 24, 1971:

This is intelligent question. He says: dṛṣṭvā, dṛṣṭa-śrutābhyāṁ yat pāpam (SB 6.1.9). Dṛṣṭa means just like one man sees this man has committed murder and he's hanged. Everyone sees. And in the lawbook it is said that if a man commits murder he'll be hanged. So śruta means we have heard it from authoritative sources; lawbook is authoritative source. Just like śāstra. Śāstra and lawbook is the same. Śāstra means that which controls.

Lecture on SB 6.1.10 -- Honolulu, May 11, 1976:

o this is going on. Actually it will be explained in the next verse. Parīkṣit Mahārāja puts a very intelligent question, that "What is the use of this kind of prāyaścitta, atonement? It has no use." So as the student is intelligent, the spiritual master is also gradually giving him more intelligence.

Lecture on SB 6.1.11 -- New York, July 25, 1971:

If one is suffering from certain type of disease, goes to a doctor, physician, he gives some medicine, it is cured for the time being, and again if he's attacked with such disease and goes to the doctor, again he gives medicine, then what is the use of this business? Again and again. That is the question, very intelligent question. How to cure the disease completely?

Lecture on SB 6.3.18-19 -- Gorakhpur, February 12, 1971:

Devotee (1): Does one have to be a pure devotee to be a...? The twelve authorities, are they all pure devotees?

Prabhupāda: Why do you ask this question? You have no sense. Without pure devotee, how they became authority? You are ask the question, "Is Mr. Rockefeller a rich man?" Your question is like that. He is known a very rich man, and he has foundation. If you ask, "Is he a rich man?" is that very intelligent question? Unless pure devotee, how they are authorized?

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

Yes. It is intelligent question. You forget because you have got this material body, and because the material body is changing every moment, every second, therefore we forget. Is it not? You are forgetting. You do not know what exactly you were doing at this time, because your body has changed. Similarly, you do not exactly remember last year on this date at this time what you were doing because body has changed. Similarly, it is the nature of the body to change and you forget.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

Guest: Someone asked me today what was Candra's function...

Prabhupāda: What is this? You say that... That, you are not dictionary. So you have to answer all these questions, what Candra's function. What business you have got Candra's function? You ask for Kṛṣṇa. Candra's function don't you know? It is giving light. That is his function. Candra means moon. You mean to say? Then moon is giving the light. That's all. Everyone knows. A child knows Candra's function. What is that? Candra's function is to give light at night. That's all. Any fool knows. That is not question. You must put some intelligent question, to understand Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 7.7.19-20 -- Bombay, March 18, 1971:

Question may be put by opposing party that simply by becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious how one can know God? What will be your answer? What will be your answer? Suppose an opposing party says that "All right, I accept that you are Kṛṣṇa conscious or God conscious, you have devoted your life for Kṛṣṇa, so how do you find, how do you see Kṛṣṇa that you are working for Him?" What will be the answer? Are you following blindly or you have experience of Kṛṣṇa? Yes. What will be the answer? It's a very intelligent question. People will ask you, perhaps they ask, "Have you seen Kṛṣṇa?" "Why you are Kṛṣṇa conscious?" What is your answer?

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.102 -- Baltimore, July 7, 1976:

"What is my position? Why these threefold miseries always give me trouble? Why I die? Why I become old? Why I become diseased? Why I have to take birth?" They are simply struggle for existence, that here is a child, and the child-bearing is very troublesome, and if I give birth to a child... The mother is killing. This is going on. But that means she is implicating herself again in another way of life. This is going on.So this question, at the present moment, nobody asks this question. But this is very intelligent question. We are completely under the laws of nature.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.120 -- Bombay, November 12, 1975:

When we are diseased, then we cry. But nobody inquires that "Why I am put into this condition?" That is intelligence. That is called brahma-jijñāsā. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. So this Caitanya Mahāprabhu's disciple Sanātana Gosvāmī is inquiring that, that "What I am? Why I am put into these difficulties?" This is intelligent question. One should go to the spiritual master, guru, for answering or making solution of these problems, not for getting some material profit, that "I have got some disease," and the guru says, "All right, you take this dust and you become cured." "I am poor," "All right, I am creating some gold for you. Take it." This is not relationship with guru.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Lecture -- San Francisco, July 15, 1975:

Just coming here from Philadelphia we were talking with the aeroplane crews, the captain, the pilot. They (were) very patiently hearing us. The question was very intelligent, question pilot made, that "If everything is created by God..." Yes. That is a fact. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). The Vedānta-sūtra says everything is emanated from God. Without a thing being present in God, there cannot be any existence of anything. That's a fact.

General Lectures

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

Sales tax, present here, and he has asked me (loud applause) one intelligent question, which I, I was just going to answer. So I shall try to answer, here in this meeting, what is the objective of this movement. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is a purificatory process. Consciousness is there, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, avināśi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam, there are two kinds of consciousness. One consciousness is limited, another consciousness is unlimited. The unlimited consciousness is there in God, and limited consciousness is there in you, in me, and of all living entities.

Lecture -- Jakarta, February 27, 1973:

So you can make so many questions—intelligent questions must be, of course—about (indistinct), and the answers are there in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or Bhagavad-gītā. So every (indistinct) this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is there, that not just in this meeting we shall discuss about Kṛṣṇa but at every home, every family, you can sit down together at the end of their work and simply question about Kṛṣṇa and try to understand the answers.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Martin Heidegger:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Because I am true, therefore why I am here, that is truth. The basic principle is "I am truth." Therefore "Why I am here?" This is intelligent question. So that... These questions was asked by Sanātana Gosvāmī to Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The first question: "Actually what I am? I don't want miserable condition of life, but this world is full of miserable condition of life. So why this is?"

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- October 27, 1968, Montreal, With First Devotees Going to London On Evening of Their Departure:

Mālatī: Even at the temple when there would be lectures, and then the lecturer says, "Are there any questions?" Tora would raise his hand, and he'd ask very intelligent questions.

Prabhupāda: Then why not keep him with me, your mother and he?

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- April 27, 1969, Boston:

Prabhupāda: That's all right. That's all right. So chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and everything will be all right. And Buffalo is also doing nice. Oh, yes. The students are educated circle. They are taking interest, both the boys and girls. And three meetings I attended. Every meeting was full, two hundred boys and girls. They were dancing, chanting, asking very intelligent questions. And Rūpānuga is holding class. There will be some examination of the students. They accept papers. Yes. Some Indians are coming from long distance. One Indian gentleman, he came to see me from, what is that place? Ninety-two miles away from Buffalo.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 26, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: That I am struggling. That is my business here. I am simply struggling. Laws of nature is obstructing my process of enjoyment, and I want to enjoy. Why this position? We inquire these intelligent questions. What they are inquiring? They do not know what to inquire.

Morning Walk -- April 26, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is, that is the question of human life, that: "I want to enjoy. Why there is obstruction of my enjoyment?" Then the next question will be then what I am and what is this nature? These are intelligent questions. That is called brahma-jijñāsā. Where shall I eat? Where shall I sleep? These are very minor questions. They are questions for animals.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- February 13, 1974, Vrndavana:

Guest (1): You can't love the formless, it's true.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Fictitious love. Why don't you ask this intelligent question? If you say formless, then where is the love?

Room Conversation -- February 13, 1974, Vrndavana:

Śyāmasundara: Sometimes people ask what is, what is God's ultimate goal? What is, why is God creating everything and are all these manifestations...

Prabhupāda: These are very old questions. These are not very intelligent questions. God is not creating. God is giving you chance. The conditioned souls who are not with Kṛṣṇa, they wanted to enjoy this material world. Therefore God is giving them chance. "All right enjoy (indistinct)," and giving instruction also that you enjoy in this way, so that you may come back again.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Evening Darsana -- July 7, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Professor Flemings: How do you know if you have satisfied God?

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is the intelligent question. If you do not know who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and how He is satisfied, then you are lacking knowledge. That is being instructed in the Bhagavad-gītā. God Himself is instructing how you can satisfy Him. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). It is not very difficult. Anyone can do it. "Just always think of Me," God says, Kṛṣṇa says. "Always think of Me." Just as we think of our friend, of our master, of our beloved, similarly we can think of God also. There is no difficulty. But if you have no knowledge about God, how you can think of God? That is the defect.

Interview with Newsweek -- July 14, 1976, New York:

Bali-mardana: After you realize that you're not the body, then what comes next?

Prabhupāda: Ha! That is intelligent question. Then one has to find out that "I am engaged only in this bodily concept of life. Then what is my engagement?" That is the inquiry of Sanātana Gosvāmī, that "You have relieved me from this material engagement. Now let me know what is my duty." For that reason one has to go to the spiritual master, to know, understand that what is his duty now. "If I am not this body, then what is my duty?

Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Atreya Ṛṣi: In the beginning how does the spirit become ignorant, falls into ignorance?

Prabhupāda: He's not... Just like the same question, a criminal, if you say, "In the beginning, how he became criminal," is that very intelligent question? What do you think? A prisoner, criminal, is living in the prison house since a long time, and if you raise this question, "In the beginning, how he became a criminal," is that very intelligent question?

Press Interview -- October 16, 1976, Chandigarh:

Interviewer: What is the reason of the success of your mission in the foreign countries?

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is very intelligent question. We are after material civilization, and they are fed up with material civilization. That is the position. We are now trying to imitate them, a skyscraper building, but they are disgusted with skyscraper building. These boys, they are coming from very respectable family, rich family, and especially in America there is no question of poor man. There is no question of poor man. But still, they do not like the materialistic way of life of their father and grandfathers.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 29, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Hari-śauri: One cannot say that he does not believe in the power of the state.

Prabhupāda: Then that is not leadership. That is misleader. These are very intelligent questions, nice. King means he has to see that the citizens are doing nicely, and that is king's duty.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Jadurani -- San Francisco 13 April, 1968:

I have replied Yadunandana's letter, and I wish that you all should read that letter, because it contains some valuable information about our preaching method, and many intelligent questions by him have been replied in that letter. Hoping you are all well.

Letter to Krsna Devi -- Montreal 21 August, 1968:

I thank you very much for your letter dated August 1, 1968, which I received just yesterday, after the mail strike. Anyway, I am so much pleased to read the contents of the letter for your intelligent questions and many other things, and all mentioned there. The first thing is about your husband's endeavor to produce films of our activities. I very much appreciate this attempt and try to help your husband as much as possible in this matter.

Letter to Sivananda -- Los Angeles 11 November, 1968:

You have the tendency for botany, you can grow nice flowers and fruits for Krishna, that is the utilization of your natural tendency. If you have got specific training in this connection, then after establishing this center in Hamburg you can come to our New Vrindaban and grow things, or you can grow things in Hamburg also. Fruits and flowers can be produced anywhere.Yes, these your questions are very intelligent questions.

Letter to Aniruddha -- Los Angeles 14 November, 1968:

Therefore a living entity is called on the marginal state, sometimes this side, sometimes that side. These are very intelligent questions. And I am very glad that you are putting such intelligent questions and trying to understand it. It is very good. But best thing is that one should know he is in conditioned life and try to cure it.

Letter to Saradia -- Los Angeles 12 December, 1968:

I am in due receipt of your recent letter and I have noted the contents with pleasure. Your kind thoughts which you expressed are very nice and encouraging to me. Also you have asked some intelligent questions and I am answering them here.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Syamasundara -- Los Angeles 11 January, 1969:

So it will be a great event if the Beatles try to understand this science of Krishna Consciousness with intelligent questions and try to understand it seriously. Anyway, I am expecting your next letter wherein you will mention "at last, at last", as you had mentioned in your letter dated January 2, 1969.

Letter to Madhusudana -- Los Angeles 24 January, 1969:

Regarding your question about why we dress the Deities in very opulent fashion and not as simple cowherds boy and girl, this is an intelligent question and the answer is that according to the regulative principles we cannot worship Radha-Krishna now. Radha-Krishna worship is meant for persons who have already developed spontaneous love of God. In the training period we are only worshiping Laksmi-Narayana.

Letter to Pradyumna -- Tittenhurst 13 October, 1969:

Regarding Nectar of Devotion, although it has been little procrastinated, things should be done slow but sure. Your questions certainly are not stupid. They are very intelligent questions and I am just pleased to discuss all these matters threadbare. I quite approve of your way of thinking. So do the work and Krishna will help you.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Kenya 15 September, 1971:

Yes, this program is very nice to try to attract the attention of the students seriously. That will be a great success. They should put intelligent questions and they should be answered properly with reference to modern science and philosophy. That will be very much convincing.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Chaturbhus -- Bombay 21 January, 1972:

I am happy to receive your nice letter of January 10, 1972, and I am pleased to note that you are asking very intelligent questions. that is natural position for the neophyte devotee who is sincerely seeking to understand what is the Absolute Truth.

Letter to Ksirodakasayi -- Calcutta 18 February, 1972:

our son Caturbhuja is coming out a very good devotee. I am in receipt of his letters and he is asking very intelligent questions, so I have instructed London center to take special care of him. I am thinking he will come out a very good devotee. You are so fortunate to have such a nice son. Now you encourage him also, and he will be your great gift to Krishna.

Letter to Surasrestha -- Los Angeles 14 June, 1972:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 25, 1972, and I have noted the contents. The article you have sent which was published in the newsletter there is very nice. The interviewer asked intelligent questions and you have given very nice answers also.

Letter to Revatinandana -- Ahmedabad 10 December, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 3, 1972, from Edinburgh, and I am so much pleased that you are doing the real work of a sannyasi, travelling, preaching and training the devotees to preach. I am too much proud of you on account of seeing the newspaper items. Yes, if there is good response for purchasing our books and asking intelligent questions, that is the test of your preaching capacity. I can well remember that Woodstock Hall or Woodside Hall in Glasgow, so I can very well appreciate how nice these Scottish people listen to our discourse.