Krsna consciousness movement is trying to...

Expressions researched:
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SB Canto 5

SB 5.10.10, Purport:

Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has sung: deha-smṛti nāhi yāra, saṁsāra-bandhana kāhāṅ tāra. One who is spiritually advanced has no connection with the body or with the bodily actions and reactions. When one comes to understand that he is not the body and therefore is neither fat nor skinny, one attains the topmost form of spiritual realization. When one is not spiritually realized, the bodily conception entangles one in the material world. At the present moment all human society is laboring under the bodily conception; therefore in the śāstras people in this age are referred to as dvipada-paśu, two-legged animals. No one can be happy in a civilization conducted by such animals. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to raise fallen human society to the status of spiritual understanding. It is not possible for everyone to become immediately self-realized like Jaḍa Bharata. However, as stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.18): naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā. By spreading the Bhāgavata principles, we can raise human society to the platform of perfection. When one is not affected by the bodily conceptions, one can advance to the Lord's devotional service.

SB 5.14.29, Purport:

It is stated: hariṁ vinā mṛtiṁ na taranti. No one can save himself from the cruel hands of death without being favored by Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In Bhagavad-gītā it is stated, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te: (BG 7.14) whoever fully surrenders unto Kṛṣṇa can be saved from the cruel hands of material nature. The conditioned soul, however, sometimes wants to take shelter of a demigod, man-made god, pseudo incarnation or bogus svāmī or yogī. All these cheaters claim to follow religious principles, and all this has become very popular in this age of Kali. There are many pāṣaṇḍīs who, without referring to the śāstras, pose themselves as incarnations, and foolish people follow them. Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has left behind Him Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā. Not referring to these authorized scriptures, rascals take shelter of man-made scriptures and try to compete with Lord Kṛṣṇa. That is the greatest difficulty one encounters when trying to promote spiritual consciousness in human society. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying its best to bring people back to Kṛṣṇa consciousness in its pure form, but the pāṣaṇḍīs and atheists, who are cheaters, are so numerous that sometimes we become perplexed and wonder how to push this movement forward. In any case, we cannot accept the unauthorized ways of so-called incarnations, gods, cheaters and bluffers, who are described here as crows, vultures, buzzards and herons.

SB 5.14.31, Purport:

Materialistic people are sometimes called śūdras, or descendants of monkeys, due to their monkeylike intelligence. They do not care to know how the evolutionary process is taking place, nor are they eager to know what will happen after they finish their small human life span. This is the attitude of śūdras. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is trying to elevate śūdras to the brāhmaṇa platform so that they will know the real goal of life. Unfortunately, being overly attached to sense gratification, materialists are not serious in helping this movement. Instead, some of them try to suppress it. Thus it is the business of monkeys to disturb the activities of the brāhmaṇas. The descendants of monkeys completely forget that they have to die, and they are very proud of scientific knowledge and the progress of material civilization. The word grāmya-karmaṇā indicates activities meant only for the improvement of bodily comforts, presently all human society is engaged in improving economic conditions and bodily comforts, people are not interested in knowing what is going to happen after death, nor do they believe in the transmigration of the soul. When one scientifically studies the evolutionary theory, one can understand that human life is a junction where one may take the path of promotion or degradation. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (9.25):

yānti deva-vratā devān

pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ

bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā

yānti mad-yājino 'pi mām

"Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods; those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings; those who worship ancestors go to the ancestors; and those who worship Me will live with Me."

SB 5.14.31, Purport:

In this life we have to prepare ourselves for promotion to the next life. Those who are in the mode of rajo-guṇa are generally interested in being promoted to the heavenly planets. Some, unknowingly, are degraded to lower animal forms. Those in the mode of goodness can engage in devotional service, and after that they can return home, back to Godhead (yānti mad-yājino 'pi mām). That is the real purpose of human life. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to bring intelligent human beings to the platform of devotional service. Instead of wasting time trying to attain a better position in material life, one should simply endeavor to return home, back to Godhead. Then all problems will be solved. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.17):

śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ

hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi

vidhunoti su-hṛt-satām

"Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramātmā (Supersoul) in everyone's heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses the desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who relishes His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted."

One simply has to follow the regulative principles, act like a brāhmaṇa, chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and read Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In this way one purifies himself of the baser material modes (tamo-guṇa and rajo-guṇa) and, becoming freed from the greed of these modes, can attain complete peace of mind. In this way one can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead and one's relationship with Him and thus be promoted to the highest perfection (siddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ).

SB Canto 6

SB 6.2.4, Purport:

Although Ajāmila was not punishable, the Yamadūtas were insisting on taking him away to Yamarāja for punishment. This was adharma, contrary to religious principles. The Viṣṇudūtas feared that if such irreligious acts were allowed, the management of human society would be spoiled. In modern times, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to introduce the right principles of management for human society, but unfortunately the governments of Kali-yuga do not properly support the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement because they do not appreciate its valuable service. The Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is the right movement for ameliorating the fallen condition of human society, and therefore governments and public leaders in every part of the world should support this movement to completely rectify humanity's sinful condition.

SB Canto 7

SB 7.13.25, Purport:

In Bhagavad-gītā (13.22) it is clearly stated that different forms of life are obtained by association with the three modes of material nature (kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-yoni janmasu). According to one's association with the material qualities of goodness, passion and ignorance in this life, in one's next life one receives an appropriate body. Modern civilization does not know that because of varied association in material nature, the living entity, although eternal, is placed in different diseased conditions known as the many species of life. Modern civilization is unaware of the laws of nature.

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni

guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ

ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā

kartāham iti manyate

"The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself the performer of activities that are in actuality carried out by nature." (BG 3.27) Every living entity is under the full control of the stringent laws of material nature, but rascals think themselves independent. Actually, however, they cannot be independent. This is foolishness. A foolish civilization is extremely risky, and therefore the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to make people aware of their fully dependent condition under the stringent laws of nature and is trying to save them from being victimized by strong māyā, which is Kṛṣṇa's external energy. Behind the material laws is the supreme controller, Kṛṣṇa (mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sacarācaram (BG 9.10)). Therefore if one surrenders unto Kṛṣṇa (mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14)), one may immediately be freed from the control of external nature (sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26)). This should be the aim of life.

SB 7.13.29, Translation and Purport:

Just as a deer, because of ignorance, cannot see the water within a well covered by grass, but runs after water elsewhere, the living entity covered by the material body does not see the happiness within himself, but runs after happiness in the material world.

This is an accurate example depicting how the living entity, because of lack of knowledge, runs after happiness outside his own self. When one understands his real identity as a spiritual being, he can understand the supreme spiritual being, Kṛṣṇa, and the real happiness exchanged between Kṛṣṇa and one's self. It is very interesting to note how this verse points to the body's growth from the spirit soul. The modern materialistic scientist thinks that life grows from matter, but actually the fact is that matter grows from life. The life, or the spiritual soul, is compared herein to water, from which clumps of matter grow in the form of grass. One who is ignorant of scientific knowledge of the spirit soul does not look inside the body to find happiness in the soul; instead, he goes outside to search for happiness, just as a deer without knowledge of the water beneath the grass goes out to the desert to find water. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to remove the ignorance of misled human beings who are trying to find water outside the jurisdiction of life. Raso vai saḥ. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya (BG 7.8). The taste of water is Kṛṣṇa. To quench one's thirst, one must taste water by association with Kṛṣṇa. This is the Vedic injunction.

SB 7.15.65, Translation and Purport:

When the ultimate goal and interest of one's self, one's wife, one's children, one's relatives and all other embodied living beings is one, this is called dravyādvaita, or oneness of interest.

The actual interest of all living entities—indeed, the goal of life—is to return home, back to Godhead. This is the interest of one's own self, one's wife, one's children, one's disciples and one's friends, relatives, countrymen and all humanity. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement can give directions for management by which everyone can partake in Kṛṣṇa conscious activities and reach the ultimate goal, which is known as svārtha-gatim. This objective of everyone's interest is Viṣṇu, but because people do not know this (na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31)), they are making various plans by which to fulfill so many concocted interests in life. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to bring everyone to the highest interest. The process may be differently named, but if the aim is one, people should follow it to achieve the ultimate goal in life. Unfortunately, people are thinking of different interests, and blind leaders are misleading them. Everyone is trying to reach the goal of complete happiness materially; because people do not know what complete happiness is, they are materially diverted toward different interests.

SB Canto 8

SB 8.16.19, Purport:

"As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change." (BG 2.13) Unfortunately, this spiritual education is completely absent from modern human civilization. No one understands his real self-interest, which lies with the spirit soul, not with the material body. Education means spiritual education. To work hard in the bodily conception of life, without spiritual education, is to live like an animal. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛ-loke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate vid-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). People are working so hard simply for bodily comforts, without education regarding the spirit soul. Thus they are living in a very risky civilization, for it is a fact that the spirit soul has to transmigrate from one body to another (tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13)). Without spiritual education, people are kept in dark ignorance and do not know what will happen to them after the annihilation of the present body. They are working blindly, and blind leaders are directing them. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ (SB 7.5.31). A foolish person does not know that he is completely under the bondage of material nature and that after death material nature will impose upon him a certain type of body, which he will have to accept. He does not know that although in his present body he may be a very important man, he may next get the body of an animal or tree because of his ignorant activities in the modes of material nature. Therefore the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to give the true light of spiritual existence to all living entities. This movement is not very difficult to understand, and people must take advantage of it, for it will save them from the risky life of irresponsibility.

SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13

SB 10.1.40, Purport:

This is the process of the soul's transmigration from one body to another. At the time of death, according to his mental condition, the living being is carried by the subtle body, consisting of mind, intelligence and ego, to another gross body. When higher authorities have decided what kind of gross body the living entity will have, he is forced to enter such a body, and thus he automatically gives up his previous body. Dull-minded persons who do not have the intelligence to understand this process of transmigration take for granted that when the gross body is finished, one's life is finished forever. Such persons have no brains with which to understand the process of transmigration. At the present moment there is great opposition to the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, which is being called a "brainwashing" movement. But actually the so-called scientists, philosophers and other leaders in the Western countries have no brains at all. The Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is trying to elevate such foolish persons by enlightening their intelligence so that they will take advantage of the human body. Unfortunately, because of gross ignorance, they regard the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement as a brainwashing movement. They do not know that without God consciousness one is forced to continue transmigrating from one body to another. Because of their devilish brains, they will next be forced to accept an abominable life and practically never be able to liberate themselves from the conditional life of material existence. How this transmigration of the soul takes place is very clearly explained in this verse.

SB 10.4.3, Purport:

The word kālaḥ is significant. Although the child was born to kill Kaṁsa, Kaṁsa thought that this was the proper time to kill the child so that he himself would be saved. Kāla is actually another name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead when He appears only for the purpose of killing. When Arjuna inquired from Kṛṣṇa in His universal form, "Who are You?" the Lord presented Himself as kāla, death personified to kill. By nature's law, when there is an unwanted increase in population, kāla appears, and by some arrangement of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, people are killed wholesale in different ways, by war, pestilence, famine and so on. At that time, even atheistic political leaders go to a church, mosque or temple for protection by God or gods and submissively say, "God willing." Before that, they pay no attention to God, not caring to know God or His will, but when kāla appears, they say, "God willing." Death is but another feature of the supreme kāla, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. At the time of death, the atheist must submit to this supreme kāla, and then the Supreme Personality of Godhead takes away all his possessions (mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34)) and forces him to accept another body (tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13)). This the atheists do not know, and if they do know, they neglect it so that they may go on with their normal life. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to teach them that although for a few years one may act as a great protector or great watchman, with the appearance of kāla, death, one must take another body by the laws of nature. Not knowing this, they unnecessarily waste their time in their occupation as watchdogs and do not try to get the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As it is clearly said, aprāpya māṁ nivartante mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani: (BG 9.3) without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one is condemned to continue wandering in birth and death, not knowing what will happen in one's next birth.

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 7.118, Purport:

The living entity is not a product of the material energy; he is spiritual energy, but in contact with matter he forgets his identity. Thus the living entity identifies himself with matter and enthusiastically engages in material activities in the guises of a technologist, scientist, philosopher, etc. He does not know that he is not at all a material product but is spiritual. His real identity thus being lost, he struggles very hard in the material world, and the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is trying to revive his original consciousness. His activities in manufacturing big skyscrapers are evidence of intelligence, but this kind of intelligence is not at all advanced. He should know that his only real concern is how to get free from material contact, for by absorbing his mind in material activities he takes material bodies again and again, and although he falsely claims to be very intelligent, in material consciousness he is not at all intelligent. When we speak about the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, which is meant to make people intelligent, the conditioned living entity therefore misunderstands it. He is so engrossed in the material concept of life that he does not think there can be any activities that are actually based on intelligence beyond the construction of skyscrapers and big roads and the manufacturing of cars. This is proof of māyayāpahṛta-jñāna, or loss of all intelligence due to the influence of māyā. When a living entity is freed from such misconceptions, he is called liberated. When one is actually liberated he no longer identifies with the material world. The symptom of mukti (liberation) is that one engages in spiritual activities instead of falsely engaging in material activities.

Transcendental loving devotional service is the spiritual activity of the spirit soul. Māyāvādī philosophers confuse such spiritual activity with material activity, but the Bhagavad-gītā (14.26) confirms:

māṁ ca yo ’vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate

sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate

One who engages in the spiritual activities of unalloyed devotional service (avyabhicāriṇī-bhakti) is immediately elevated to the transcendental platform, and he is to be considered brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20), which indicates that he is no longer in the material world but is in the spiritual world. Devotional service is enlightenment, or awakening. When the living entity perfectly performs spiritual activities under the direction of the spiritual master, he becomes perfect in knowledge and understands that he is not God but a servant of God. As explained by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, jīvera "svarūpa" haya—kṛṣṇera "nitya-dāsa": the real identity of the living entity is that he is an eternal servant of the Supreme (CC Madhya 20.108). As long as one does not come to this conclusion, he must be in ignorance. This is also confirmed by the Lord in the Bhagavad-gītā (7.19): bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate . . . sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ. "After many births of struggling for existence and cultivating knowledge, when one comes to the point of real knowledge he surrenders unto Me. Such an advanced mahātmā, or great soul, is very rarely to be seen." Thus although the Māyāvādī philosophers appear to be very much advanced in knowledge, they are not yet perfect. To come to the point of perfection they must voluntarily surrender to Kṛṣṇa.

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 7.128, Purport:

This is the sublime mission of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Many people come and inquire whether they have to give up family life to join the Society, but that is not our mission. One can remain comfortably in his residence. We simply request everyone to chant the mahā-mantra: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. If one is a little literate and can read Bhagavad-gītā As It Is and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that is so much the better. These works are now available in an English translation and are done very authoritatively to appeal to all classes of men. Instead of living engrossed in material activities, people throughout the world should take advantage of this movement and chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra at home with their families. One should also refrain from sinful activities—illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication. Out of these four items, illicit sex is very sinful. Every person must get married. Every woman especially must get married. If the women outnumber the men, some men can accept more than one wife. In that way there will be no prostitution in society. If men can marry more than one wife, illicit sex life will be stopped. One can also produce many nice preparations to offer Kṛṣṇa—grain, fruit, flowers and milk. Why should one indulge in unnecessary meat-eating and maintain horrible slaughterhouses? What is the use of smoking and drinking tea and coffee? People are already intoxicated by material enjoyment, and if they indulge in further intoxication, what chance is there for self-realization? Similarly, one should not partake in gambling and unnecessarily agitate the mind. The real purpose of human life is to attain the spiritual platform and return to Godhead. That is the summum bonum of spiritual realization. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to elevate human society to the perfection of life by pursuing the method described by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in His advice to the brāhmaṇa Kūrma. That is, one should stay at home, chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and preach the instructions of Kṛṣṇa as they are given in the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.1-11 -- Johannesburg, October 17, 1975:

The whole material civilization, the whole population of the whole world, they are like this aśocyān anvaśocas tvam (BG 2.11). When the body is living, when the body is moving, they are busy how to make the body comfort. And when the body is not moving they are lamenting. That is the business. Therefore brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). The..., our business is, the material civilization means, śocati kāṅkṣati, two business. Kāṅkṣati means desiring. While the body is moving we are desiring, making plan: "I want this. I want this. My son requires this. My nation requires this. My community requires this." This is, means, kāṅkṣati, desiring to possess this, possess... And when the body is lost, then śocati: "Oh, my father is lost. My brother is lost. My son is lost." Two business. So long there is no spiritual knowledge, we have got on the material conception of body two business—śocati, kāṅkṣati: desiring for things which we do not possess and lamenting for things which we have lost. This is our two business. But if you become self-realized, if you become aware actually what you are, then na śocati na kāṅkṣati.

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā

na śocati na kāṅkṣati

samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu

mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām

(BG 18.54)

This is the business. So our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to educate people to give up this bodily concept of life. This is the sum and substance of this movement. And unless we come to understanding that "I am not this body; I am a spirit soul. My aim of life is missing," then we remain cats and dogs.

yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke

sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ

yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij

janeṣv abhijñeṣu sa eva go-kharaḥ

(SB 10.84.13)

Anyone who is leading his life on the bodily concept of life, he is no better than the dogs and hogs. So in order to stop this civilization of dogs and hogs, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is essential. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to take instruction from Kṛṣṇa. This is the first instruction. Aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase (BG 2.11). So gradually He will give instruction.

So it is our request that you try to study Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Don't try to distort it by your so-called education. Try to understand Kṛṣṇa as He is saying. Then you will be benefited. Your life will be successful.

Lecture on BG 2.9 -- Auckland, February 21, 1973:

Just like in education anyone can become engineer, anyone can become medical practitioner or anyone can become lawyer if he takes such education from the very beginning, similarly, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, there are natural division of the society. But at the present moment there is scarcity of brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa means who has got very nice intellectual brain, who can understand the Absolute Truth. He is called brāhmaṇa. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to create some good brains so that he can understand, one can understand what is the Absolute Truth. This is the movement.

So here the same instruction is there in the Bhagavad-gītā, which is spoken by Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So when Arjuna was perplexed whether to fight or not to fight, he was very much perplexed, and he accepted Kṛṣṇa as his spiritual master. Śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam: (BG 2.7) "My dear Kṛṣṇa, just now we are talking like friends, but this is a very important factor. I have to decide. Now I accept You as my spiritual master and You give me the right guidance." The whole transaction of the Bhagavad-gītā is based on the talking of Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna only.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Hyderabad, November 18, 1972:

So here is Kṛṣṇa. From śāstric evidences, by His opulences, by His power... Because Bhagavān means full of six opulences. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47). He must be the richest. He must be the strongest. He must be the most famous. He must be the most beautiful. He must be the great renouncer. In this way, that is the definition of God. So that definition is confirmed by Lord Brahmā: īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Īśvara means controller. Unless one is powerful, how he can control? So every one of us is little, a small controller. Somebody controls in his office. Somebody controls in his family life. Somebody controls a few factories. There are controllers. But nobody can say that "I am the supreme controller." That is not possible. The supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means we are trying link up our connection with the supreme controller. We do not wish to become the controller. We want to be controlled—but by the supreme controller, not by others. That is our proposition. Just like generally, one who is in service, he hankers after government service. Because it is natural conclusion that "If I have to serve somebody, why a petty merchant? Why not take government service?" So that is our proposition, that we have to serve. We cannot do but serve. Any one of us. That is our constitutional position. Any one of us, we are sitting here, we are servant. Every one of us is servant. So our proposition is that you are servant in any case. Why not become servant of God? That is our proposition. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Melbourne, June 27, 1974:

There are two classes of men, demon and god. Those who are engaged in God consciousness they are not God but godly. And those who are not... Because this human life is meant for this purpose. Forgetting our father, forgetting our God, we are criminal within this material world. Therefore our only business is how to get out of this prison house and go back to home, back to Godhead.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to liberate these foolish persons who are entangled in this material world and changing one body after another, sometimes very happy and sometimes very distressed. This is going on.

Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja said, tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehinām: "My dear father, or the best of the demons, you are asking me, so I say, I have learned this. What is that? That these people who are always full of anxiety," asad-grahāt, "because they have accepted this material world," tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehināṁ sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5), "these persons, either in human being or animal or bird and beasts—full of anxieties."

Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Madras, January 1, 1976:

So this morning these press reporters asking me, "What is the purpose of your movement?" So I said, "To educate the mūḍhas, that's all." This is the sum and substance of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that we are trying to educate the mūḍhas. And who is mūḍha? That is described by Kṛṣṇa. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). Why? Māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ. Why māyā has taken away his knowledge? Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. We have got very simple test, just like a chemist in the small test tube can analyze what is the liquid. So we are not very intelligent. We are also one of so many mūḍhas, but we have got the test tube. Kṛṣṇa says... We like to remain mūḍha, and take education from Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We do not pose ourselves as very learned scholar and very erudite scholar—"We know everything." No.

We are... Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He also tried to remain a mūḍha. He, when He talked with Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī... He was Māyāvādī sannyāsī. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was dancing and chanting. So these Māyāvādī sannyāsīs were criticizing Him that "He is a sannyāsī, and He's simply chanting and dancing with some sentimental persons. What is this?" So a meeting was arranged between Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī and Caitanya Mahāprabhu. In that meeting Caitanya Mahāprabhu attended as a humble sannyāsī. So Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī questioned Him, "Sir, You are a sannyāsī. Your duty is to study Vedānta always. So how is that, You are chanting and dancing? You are not reading Vedānta." Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "Yes, sir, that's a fact. I am doing because My Guru Mahārāja saw Me a mūḍha, rascal." "How is that?" "He said, guru more mūrkha dekhi' karila śāsana (CC Adi 7.71). My Guru Mahārāja saw Me a fool number one, and he chastised Me." "How he has chastised You?" Now, " 'You have no jurisdiction to studying Vedānta. It is not possible for You. You are a mūḍha. You better chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.' "

Lecture on BG 4.1-2 -- Columbus, May 9, 1969:

Ātma-mātā guroḥ patnī brāhmaṇī rāja-patnikā. Rāja-patnikā means a queen. And now there is no king, queen, but formerly there was king and queen. So queen is also mother because king is father. He is giving protection to the citizens. Ātma-mātā guroḥ patnī brāhmaṇī rāja-patnikā dhenuḥ, cow. Cow is our mother. Why? She is supplying milk. You are drinking milk. So you are killing cows? Oh, that's not good, killing mother. Ātma-mātā guroḥ patnī brāhmaṇī rāja-patnikā, dhenur dhātrī tathā pṛthvī. Pṛthvī, that material nature, is also mother because by the material nature, I got this body.

So if you study Vedic literature very nicely and if you try to understand, then your life will be sublime. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to give you all the authoritative information from Vedic literature. They are not manufacturing anything. They are not empiric philosophers presenting something, mental concoction. No. Therefore this Bhagavad-gītā, we have presented: Bhagavad-gītā As It Is.

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

What is that incarnation theory? You are going to get another body. That is reincarnation. Now, what kind of body you are going to get, that will depend on your work. There are 8,400,000 different types and forms of body. So you are at liberty to work. Therefore the direction is there in the Bhagavad-gītā, "You work like this. Then you get the body like this." So this is risky life. Without knowing the law of God, without knowing how nature is working, how the living entity is getting different types of body, without this knowledge, if we simply keep ourself on the business of eating, sleeping, sex and defense like cats and dogs, this is very, very risky life.

So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to save the human society from this risky life and to understand what is God, how he can go back to home, how he can get eternal life. This is our business.

Lecture on BG 4.18 -- Bombay, April 7, 1974:

Just like the greatest example is the United Nations. The United Nations is trying to adjust things, the whole worldly affairs, by a United Nations organization, UNO. But they could not do anything. Because they do not know that how the nation should be united. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum. They do not know. All their activities are without God, without God consciousness. Therefore they have failed. Everyone will fail, because they do not know what is the aim of life. That is the mistake.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to teach people that the ultimate goal of life is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, either you, Kṛṣṇa or God. Kṛṣṇa is the most explicit explanation of God. If God can have any name, the "Kṛṣṇa" name is the most perfect name, because Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. I have explained many times. Unless God is all-attractive, how He can be God? If God is attractive for a certain limited person or limited area, then he is not God. Then you will say, "Our God, your God, his God, that God." But if Kṛṣṇa is all-attractive, that is real God. And that is Kṛṣṇa. That is being proved. Now Kṛṣṇa is all-attractive all over the world. Otherwise, how in America, in Russia, in China, in Europe, all countries?

Recently I have got several literatures printed in Swedish language. We are printing Kṛṣṇa literature almost in all languages of Europe, in English language, in Spanish language, in French language, in Swedish language, in Dutch language and German language, and then Italian language, we are publishing, and it is being sold like hotcakes, anything.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Fiji, May 24, 1975:

So we have got everything perfectly in the Vedic literature, and if we follow... The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to educate people on this principle. We are not manufacturing anything. That is not our business. Because we know we are imperfect. Even if we manufacture something, that is imperfect. We have got four faults in our conditional life: we commit mistake, we become illusioned, we cheat others, and our senses are imperfect. So how we can get perfect knowledge from a person who is, I mean to say, possessing all these faults? Therefore we must get knowledge from the Supreme Person, who is not affected with these faults, mukta-puruṣa. That is perfect knowledge.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bombay, December 20, 1975:

So the Bhagavad-gītā was spoken by Kṛṣṇa personally when He was present for the benefit of the human society, for all nations. It is not for the Hindus or the Indians, it is for everyone. God is for everyone. Kṛṣṇa also says, sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayaḥ, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4). Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7), every living entity is part and parcel and He is the supreme father of everyone. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to re-establish the real dharma, not fictitious dharma. That is bhāgavata-dharma. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also the same thing is spoken where Kṛṣṇa ends Bhagavad-gītā: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). From the same point Vyāsadeva begins Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, janmādy asya yato 'nvayād itarataś cārtheṣv abhijñaḥ svarāṭ (SB 1.1.1), and he describes about dharma: dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). All cheating type of religious system are projjhita. Projjhita means to throw away, kick out.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bhuvanesvara, January 22, 1977:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to reestablish daiva-varṇāśrama, where brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, everyone. Systematic. We are, therefore, proposing to start a college, varṇāśrama college. It is proposed... We are trying so many things, but this is also one of the programs, that the people of the world, they should be educated according to the quality and work: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. In the Viṣṇu Purāṇa it is said when Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired from Rāmānanda Rāya... Rāmānanda Rāya belonged to your province. So when there was talk between Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Rāmānanda Rāya, the first topic was "Where is the beginning of human society?" Rāmānanda Rāya replied, quoting from Viṣṇu Purāṇa,

varṇāśramācāravatā

puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān

viṣṇur ārādhyate panthā

nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam

(CC Madhya 8.58)

The human society is meant for not only inquiring Brahman but to worship Brahman, Parabrahman. That is human society. So there is necessity of the four classes. At the present moment they are trying to create classless society. That is chaotic society. That is not real society. That is not Vedic civilization. Vedic civilization means when there is classified society begins: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. And without this classification, the whole society will remain in chaotic condition. Just like the comparison is given, mukha-bāhūru. Just like in our body there is mouth, there is ūru, there is leg, there is bāhu. These divisions are required. Mukha means brāhmaṇa, bāhu means kṣatriya, and ūru means the vaiśya, and pāda means śūdra. The body can be maintained when four things are properly maintained. So these things are required, and they should be classified by quality and work. In this way we have to organize society. Then there will be no scarcity of real human being. Otherwise they will remain as animal.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- Hyderabad, April 28, 1974 :

Others, who are simply speculating, they cannot understand You. Therefore, people are bewildered how God is person. But they cannot understand, because they have not taken shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, or His representative. It is impossible for him. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samā... (BG 7.25). Kṛṣṇa cannot be exposed to the nondevotees. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya. Not anyone, ordinary common man, can understand. Therefore, we have to understand Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, from Kṛṣṇa, not from anyone who is simply speculating or wrongly interpreting Bhagavad-gītā. They cannot understand. That is the way.

jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānam

idaṁ vakṣyāmy aśeṣataḥ

yaj jñātvā na iha bhūyaḥ anyat

jñātavyam avaśiṣyate

(BG 7.2)

Therefore our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is just to try to understand what is Kṛṣṇa. That's all. What is Kṛṣṇa. Because if you perfectly understand Kṛṣṇa, then immediately you become liberated, and you become eligible to be transferred to the spiritual world. That is stated, divyam. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). If one can understand Kṛṣṇa, why He appears, why He disappears, and... And these are, they are all transcendental; they are not ordinary. Because we understand Kṛṣṇa as a historical person, a person like me, maybe a very great personality with more power than me. Yes, that He is, but you do not know how much powerful He is. Because He is God, He is powerful in full. There is no deficiency in His power. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ. He is powerful in complete, pūrṇam, pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate (Iso Invocation). Even though Kṛṣṇa, from Kṛṣṇa all His power is taken away, still He is pūrṇam, He is still all-powerful. So, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. So we haveto understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, not superficially.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- Nairobi, October 28, 1975:

Brahmānanda: Why did He not manifest Himself all over the world so that all living entities could have equal chance...?

Prabhupāda: Yes, He manifested all over the world, but you have no eyes to see Him. That is your defect. Kṛṣṇa is present everywhere. But just like sun is present in the sky. Why don't you see now? Huh? Answer this. Do you think the sun is not in the sky? Do you think that sun is not there? So go on the roof and see the sun. (laughter) Why you prove yourself a rascal, that "No, no, there is no sun"? Will it be accepted by learned men? Because you cannot see the sun, there is no sun? Will it be accepted by any learned scholar? At night you cannot see the sun, so if you say to any learned man, any, who knows things, "No, no, there is no sun," so will he accept that? He will say that "Sun is there. You rascal, you cannot see." That's all. "You just get out of your rascaldom. Then you'll see." Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25), Kṛṣṇa said. He is not exposed to the rascals, but one who knows, he is seeing.

premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena

santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti

yaṁ śyāmasundaram acintya-guṇa...

(Bs. 5.38)

The devotees always see Kṛṣṇa. For him, He is always present. And for the rascals, He cannot be seen. That is the difference. So you have to become nonrascal; then you will see. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). In everyone's core of the heart Kṛṣṇa is present. But do you know that? Can you see? Can you talk with Him? He is within your heart, He is present. But He talks with whom? Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam, dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ tam (BG 10.10). He talks with the devotee who is twenty-four hours engaged in His service. These are stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Don't you read Bhagavad-gītā? So everything requires qualification. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means we are trying to make the people qualified to see Kṛṣṇa. Without being qualified, how can you see? That requires qualification.

Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Nairobi, October 31, 1975:

Spiritual, you are spiritual... Unless you understand that you are spirit, there is no question of practicing yoga or jñāna or bhakti. That is material platform, karmīs, mūḍhas. Unless you understand that you are Brahman, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, there is no question of other higher processes. Higher, other processes, there are four things: karma, jñāna, yoga, bhakti. So karma is meant for the grossest persons who are simply interested with this body. That is karma. And who are baffled in this bodily concept of life, wants to know what is the actual life, that is jñāna. And then practice of yoga. And the ultimate is bhakti. All these are yoga, karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, bhakti-yoga, haṭha-yoga, but Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, yoginām api sarveṣām: "Of all the yogis," mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā, "one who is thinking of Me always," śraddhāvān, "with faith." Bhajate. Bhajate means bhakti. From the word bhaja, bhakti comes. Bhaja sevā. So bhaja-dhātu, it's called bhakti. So here the very word is used, bhajate mām. Śraddhāvān bhajate mām. That means bhakti-yoga. So one who is engaged in bhakti-yoga, he is recommended as the first-class yogi.

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ

mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā

śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ

sa me yuktatamo mataḥ

(BG 6.47)

Kṛṣṇa says, "He is first-class yogi." So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means we are trying to make all first-class yogis.

Lecture on BG 9.3 -- Toronto, June 20, 1976:

So our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to enlighten people so that they can accept these principles of Bhagavad-gītā. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission is para-upakāra. And He advises everyone, especially Indians, to become guru. He said, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Every one of you, you become a guru, and try to deliver the persons where you are living. So how can I become guru? Yes, it is very easy. What is that? Yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Then you become guru. You simply repeat what Kṛṣṇa has said in the Bhagavad-gītā, you become guru. To become guru is not... But if you want to be a bluffer, cheater, then you can talk all nonsense. But if you actually talk only Kṛṣṇa's words, then you become a guru. It's not very difficult.

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

It is a very dangerous type of civilization without any spiritual knowledge. Very, very dangerous position. Risky. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement on authoritative basis trying to enlighten people to release him from these clutches of māyā and ignorance. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And it is authorized because we are speaking on the basis of Bhagavad-gītā. On the basis of Vedic knowledge. And Bhagavad-gītā is the essence of Vedic knowledge.

Bhagavān says in the Bhagavad-gītā, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). What is the purpose of Vedic knowledge? The purpose of Vedic knowledge to understand Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ. Bhagavad-gītā is also the process to know Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is the essence of Vedic knowledge. Because if it is a fact that by studying Vedas one has to understand Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). So Kṛṣṇa is explaining Himself, what He is. So therefore it is essence of Vedic knowledge. This essence of Vedic knowledge is there. It is very simple. Anyone can understand. There is no difficulty.

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

So our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is a humble attempt to awaken the whole human society to this spiritual knowledge and act according to the instruction of spiritual life and be happy and be prepared for the next life. The perfection of next life is to become free from the laws of material nature. That is the highest perfection. Saṁsiddhiṁ paramaṁ gataḥ. That can be possible when you go back home back to Godhead. That is not very difficult at the same time. Janma karma ca divyaṁ me jānāti tattvataḥ tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). Very simple thing. You simply try to understand Kṛṣṇa. Why Kṛṣṇa comes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). What is dharmasya glāniḥ? What is dharma? Why does He come? Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). Who is sādhu, who is duṣkṛta? These things are to be studied.

If you neglect, if you remain like animal without studying all these what is the value of your life? So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to awaken people. "Wake up!" Uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya varān nibodhata. You have got this opportunity. Try to understand yourself. Why you should go on like animals and imperceptibly change your body from one to another, one to another. This is bhava-roga. This is not very good position. we shall request you to take advantage of this movement, join it, study, and inquire, and be actually in knowledge. Jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). This is the business of brāhmaṇa. One who knows Brahman. Jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyam. Āstikyam means to have faith in the authoritative Vedic knowledge. That is called āstikyam.

Lecture on BG 16.5 -- Hawaii, January 31, 1975:

So people are unaware, and they are not interested what is vimokṣāya, what is nibandhāya. Exactly like cats and dogs, they are after these four principles of material body. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying little bit. Success or no success does not matter. As we are servant of Kṛṣṇa, it is our duty to present the real thing. Now you accept, not accept. That is not my business. I can request you that you accept this principle and be liberated from these sufferings of material life. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. But we have become careless. "Never mind I shall again take my birth, again die, I shall become dog." In this Hawaii sometime I was speaking in the university. So when I was speaking like that, one student said, "What is the wrong there if I become dog?" Yes, he flatly said. "I shall forget everything." So this is the university education, that one is not afraid of becoming a dog. He thinks that "This is also very good." So where is the humanity? Where is the human civilization? People are gone so down-trodden, so fallen. Therefore it is very, very difficult to raise them. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, and the śāstras say, that people in this age are so fallen. It is very difficult to raise them by properly giving education. They will not take education. They will not be able. Therefore He has recommended, harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva... (CC Adi 17.21). So we are trying our best. So only request is, those who do not comply with our rules and regulation at least, they may chant Hare Kṛṣṇa wherever they may remain. That is my request. Thank you very much.

Lecture on BG 16.6 -- South Africa, October 18, 1975:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Everyone... Even if we don't surrender to Kṛṣṇa in this life, will everyone surrender to Kṛṣṇa? Will everyone go back to Godhead eventually?

Prabhupāda: Hm? So you have got doubt? Rest assured not everyone will do that. So you have no worries. It is not that everyone will do that. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva (CC Madhya 19.151). Unless one is bhāgyavān, very fortunate, he'll not go back to home, back to Godhead. He will rot here. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means we are trying to make people bhāgyavān. If he wants, he can become bhāgyavān. That is our attempt. We are creating so many centers. We are teaching how to become bhāgyavān, fortunate, how to go back to home, how he can be happy. Now, if one is fortunate, they will take this instruction and turn his life. Therefore this is mission. But without becoming bhāgyavān, nobody can go. Fortunate. So we are giving them chance to become fortunate. This is our mission. The most unfortunate is getting the chance of becoming fortunate. Any one of us can consider this, how from unfortunate life they are coming to fortunate. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that we are giving chance to the unfortunate. Everyone is unfortunate, everyone is a rascal. We are giving chance how to become intelligent and fortunate. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If the people are not so unfortunate and rascal, then what is the meaning of preaching? Preaching means that you have to turn the rascals and unfortunate to become intelligent and fortunate. That is preaching. But unless you are fortunate and intelligent, you cannot take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is a fact.

Lecture on BG 16.7 -- Tokyo, January 27, 1975:

Simply if we take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it does not matter whether we are born in pāpa-yoni or puṇya-yoni. Puṇya-yoni, those who are born in puṇya-yoni, in nice family, for them it is very easy and natural. But even those who are born in asura family... Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja became a great devotee. He is one of the authorities of devotees. But his father was asura. Asura does not mean one community is simply asura, and other community is simply sura. No, that is not. Any community, any person, if he follows the principle of sura, he becomes sura. If he follow the principles of asura, even if he was born in sura family, then he is asura. These are the injunction of the śāstra.

People do not know it. So we Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we are simply trying to make the asuras as sura. This is our movement. Anyone who is not devotee, he is asura. It doesn't matter whether he is born in some country or some family. It doesn't matter. If he is not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then he is asura. When we speak of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa means God. Anyone who is nondevotee of God, who is not God conscious, he is asura. That is the injunction. Viṣṇu-bhakto bhaved daiva asuras tad-viparyayaḥ. This is the distinction. Devatā means viṣṇu-bhakta, great devotee of the Supreme Lord. Viṣṇu means the Supreme Lord, all-pervading. Viṣṇu-bhakto bhaved daiva asuras tad... And those who are not devotees, Godless, without any God consciousness, they are all asuras. So this movement is to make asuras as suras.

Lecture on BG 16.7 -- Hawaii, February 3, 1975:

Kṛṣṇa did not say Bhagavad-gītā to the loafer class. Kṛṣṇa said rājarṣi. Arjuna was a rājarṣi. So there are... Because king would take responsibility. If the head man is taught very nicely everything about society, economic development and religion, if he is taught very nicely, then he can, I mean to say, introduce the ideas in the country. Therefore there was monarchy. The king would learn from the brāhmaṇas how to rule over the citizens. That was perfect. Imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ. Rāja and ṛṣi. Or rāja means king and ṛṣi means saintly person. So either the ṛṣis did know or the kings did know. Or a king who is not less than a ṛṣi, he could know and he could rule over. That is the Vedic injunction. Imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ. But without being rājarṣi, without being highly qualified, nobody can understand.

Therefore our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to purify the people in general to the brāhmaṇa stage. Then they'll be... you'll be able to understand. Otherwise, na śaucaṁ nāpi cācāraḥ (BG 16.7). If he's not clean, if he has..., he does not know how to behave, it is difficult. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu is still more kind that "Never mind whatever you are. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and you become purified." This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. It doesn't matter whether what you are. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and you'll be purified. Then you'll understand everything, what is God, what you are, what is your relation. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Lecture on BG 16.8 -- Hyderabad, December 16, 1976:

Why? What is the difficulty to understand Kṛṣṇa? And simply if you understand Kṛṣṇa... Janma karma ca me divyam (BG 4.9). They are not ordinary activities. Janma karma ca me divyam-transcendental. If you simply understand Kṛṣṇa, then we can save from this botheration of repetition of birth and death. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). He does not accept any more this material body. Then where does he go? Mām eti: "He comes to Me, back to home, back to Godhead." So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to introduce this movement in the human society. It is not meant for any particular class of men, a particular country or particular religious system. No. It is meant for everyone. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that it is the duty of the Indians.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

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

Unless we take shelter under the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, Hari, so long we shall be full of anxiety. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to bring everyone under the shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, so that they may become free from all anxieties. This is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Otherwise, unless one comes under the shelter of Kṛṣṇa, he cannot be free of anxiety. That is not possible. Therefore it is explained here that rajas-tamaḥ-prakṛtayaḥ. Those who are on the platform of the modes of goodness, brāhmaṇa platform, satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavam āstikyaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam. This, these are the qualities of brāhmaṇa. Not that because one is born of a brāhmaṇa father, he will be brāhmaṇa. No. Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). He must have the qualities of brāhmaṇa and must act as a brāhmaṇa. Then he'll be accepted as brāhmaṇa. Otherwise he'll be called brahma-bandhu, dvija-bandhu. Strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhu. Strī, woman, śūdra and dvija-bandhu. Dvija-bandhu means born of a brāhmaṇa father but his actions are like something else. He's called dvija-bandhu. Or born of a kṣatriya father. Dvija means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, and vaiśya also—those who are born for the second time by initiation. First birth is by the father and the mother, and the second birth is by the spiritual master and Vedic knowledge. Vedic knowledge is the mother, and spiritual master is the father. So when one approaches a bona fide spiritual master, his second birth is there by advancement of spiritual knowledge, and that sacred thread is offered to him. Upanayana. Upa means "near," and nayana means "bringing."

Lecture on SB 1.3.23 -- Los Angeles, September 28, 1972:

In the Vedānta-sūtra it is said that spirit soul, the Supersoul or the individual soul, their nature is to become happy. Ānandamaya. Happy. Spiritual life means happiness. There is no distress. But that happiness can be attained in cooperation with the Supreme. We are sparks of fire. So with the fire, if the sparks are "fut-put"... You see sometimes, the sparks; it looks very beautiful. The same spark, as soon as falls down from the fire, extinguished. The fiery quality immediately extinguished. So our material condition is like that. We have given up the company of Kṛṣṇa, and we wanted to be happy in this material world; therefore we are suffering. So same spark, particle of carbon, if you put again to the fire, it will again become red hot and fire. So this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that we are trying the sparks, which by chance has fallen down from the fire, to pick it up again and put it in the fire. That is real happiness.

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

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to induce people how to become attached to Kṛṣṇa. That is bhakti-yoga. Yena tena prakāreṇa manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet. Then? Vidhi-niṣedhāḥ. There are so many rules and regulations for bhakti-yoga. Yes, there are. And Rūpa Gosvāmī says, sarve vidhi-niṣedhāḥ syur etayor eva kiṅkarāḥ. Some way or other, if you become attached to Kṛṣṇa, then all the vidhis and regulative principles and rules and regulations, they will act as your servant. They'll, automatically there will be... Because as soon as you become attached to Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa said, kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā.

Lecture on SB 1.8.28 -- Mayapura, October 8, 1974:

This is the misfortune of the present civilization. Present godless civilization... Therefore they have created simply chaotic situation all over the world. Therefore the movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is very, very important and essential. Those who are sober, they are understanding it. Just like in Australia, the priestly class, they understood that this movement is trying to (?) people to see towards God, back to Godhead. You have advanced in civilization by so-called material advancement, scientific..., but what you have done? You have created simply chaos. Therefore we say... Our magazine is named Back to Godhead. "Now you have finished your business—now see back to Godhead." Just like if you do not see the sun, if you keep the sun backside, then you'll simply see a long shadow of your body, black shadow. That's all. But if you turn towards the sun, you'll not see the black shadow; you'll see all light. Simply you have to turn. So we have named this Back to Godhead very scientifically. You see towards God; then everything is light. "Where there is God, there is no nescience."

Lecture on SB 1.8.32 -- Los Angeles, April 24, 1973:

Now 5,000 years ago, Kuntī is offering this prayer. That means before 5,000 years, the sandalwood was growing in the Malaysia. So this Malaysia is not a new name. It was known thousands and thousands of years ago. And... All these places, they were Vedic culture. So similarly she's giving the example that Kṛṣṇa has no obligation that He has to take His birth in a particular family or particular country. He has no such obligation. But to glorify a certain family or certain person because he is devotee, therefore He has taken birth.

The reason is He is appearing... Therefore it is called divyam, transcendental. He is not obliged. But we are obliged. That is the distinction between our taking birth and Kṛṣṇa. We are obliged. If by our karma, by our activities, we are fit for taking birth in a good family, then I will get my birth in good family or in the human society or demigod society. But if my activities are lower grade like animals, then I will have to take birth in the animal family. That is force. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur deha upapattaye (SB 3.31.1). We develop a certain type of body according to our karma.

In this life... This human form of life is meant for athāto brahma jijñāsā, for understanding the Supreme. the Absolute Truth. But if we do not do so, if we simply remain like animal, then again we are going to the animal form of life. Misuse of the opportunity. Then we are... Therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to save people from going down to animal life.

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

So don't remain mūḍhāḥ. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to educate people not to remain mūḍhāḥ. Be intelligent. It is a very nice cultural movement that it is trying to awaken people to their God consciousness. "Here is God." This is the sum and substance of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And the process is also bona fide because Kṛṣṇa Himself is teaching the process. Kṛṣṇa, first of all, generally He told, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66), because this is the process. But because they are mūḍhas, rascals and sinful, they could not understand. They could not understand. Therefore Kṛṣṇa came personally to teach people how to surrender. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Āpani ācari prabhu jīvere śikhāya.

Lecture on SB 1.8.46 -- Los Angeles, May 8, 1973:

You can say that "There is no need of kṣatriya; let there be all śūdras." No, then there will be social scandal. Everything must be there. The brāhmaṇa must be there, the kṣatriya must be there, the vaiśyas must be there and the śūdras must be there, and the state should look that these things are observed scientifically and they are being educated in that way. That is king's business. He must see that the kṣatriyas, those who are kṣatriya spirited, they are being trained up as kṣatriya. The brāhmaṇas are being trained up as brāhmaṇa. Everything is required. Just like in your body, all the four divisions... Just like head, that is brāhmaṇa; the arms, that is kṣatriya; the belly, that is vaiśya; and the legs, they are śūdra. So as much as the head is required, so much the legs are also required. You cannot say, "One class will do." No. But the modern tendency is one class of men. And therefore therefore there is confusion. There must be four classes. That is scientific.

So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to educate some brāhmaṇas. If the society take our help and conduct the business of the society—kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—then there will be peace and prosperity. Otherwise there will be chaos and confusion.

Lecture on SB 1.15.1 -- New York, November 29, 1973:

We living entities, we are trying to become happy within this material world, "Why you are in the material world, why not in the spiritual world?" The spiritual world, nobody can become the enjoyer, bhokta. That is only Supreme, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva... (BG 5.29). There is no mistake. There are also living entities, but they know perfectly well that real enjoyer, proprietor, is Kṛṣṇa. That is spiritual kingdom. Similarly, even in this material world, if we understand perfectly well that we are not enjoyer, Kṛṣṇa is enjoyer, then that is spiritual world. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to convince everyone that we, we are not enjoyer, enjoyer is Kṛṣṇa. Just like, this whole body, the enjoyer is the stomach, and the hands and legs and eyes and ears and brains and everything, these should be engaged to find out the enjoyable things and put it in the stomach. This is natural. Similarly, we are part and parcel of God, or Kṛṣṇa, we are not enjoyer.

Lecture on SB 1.15.36 -- Los Angeles, December 14, 1973:

That is Kṛṣṇa conscious movement, that we are trying to take the misled people from illusion to the reality. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they see that there is no more any pleasure in this dancing. "Make it zero. Forget it." No. We don't say that. We say that this dancing is there in the original conception in the Absolute Truth. That is... The Vedānta-sūtra says, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Whatever you are experiencing, wherefrom it has come? It has come from the Absolute. That is the Absolute idea. But here, in the relative world, it is pervertedly reflected, and because it is not reality, therefore you are confused, baffled. So our proposition is come to the reality. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The same dancing... Just like here is a picture, Kṛṣṇa is dancing with the gopīs. We also like, anybody of us here. Even in old age they are dancing with young girls. In Paris there is club. All going to die, such old men, they are coming in the club, paying fifty dollars as entrance fee; then they have to pay for young girls and wine. But still, they come. They cannot actually enjoy. Vayasi gate kim yuvati nārī:(?) "When one is old man, what is the use of mixing with young girls?" Yes. But they like it. They like it. They pay for it. But they do not enjoy, Because if they have enjoyed, they would have been satisfied, but they are not satisfied. Frustrated.

Lecture on SB 1.16.19 -- Hawaii, January 15, 1974:

Living entities, they are in this material world in different forms. That is accepted by Kṛṣṇa, sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ (BG 14.4). There are as many forms of life amongst the living entities. Tāsāṁ mahad yonir brahma ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā. The mahad yoniḥ, mahat, this material world, material elements, or the sum total of material elements... Mother Durgā, she is the mother. And God is the father. Just like father and mother gives birth to a child, similarly, we spirit soul, the part and parcel of the supreme father, and the material elements, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4), they're the recipient. Tasmin garbhaṁ dadāmy aham. Just like father gives the seed in the womb of the mother, then the child gets a body and it grows and come out, similarly this body is given by mother, material, material energy, but the father is the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4). This is the factual position. We are not this material body.

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

So we have got all information in the Vedic literature beginning from Bhagavad-gītā and then described further in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, four Vedas. The four Vedas—Sāma, Yajur, Ṛk, Atharva—they are concentrated in the Vedānta-sūtra, and the Vedānta-sūtra is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Therefore, our propagation, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is that we are trying to get our students well conversed in Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So those who are our students, we have got our books now ready published so nicely. People are accepting it.

Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Vrndavana, March 18, 1974:

So therefore you have to go back to home, back to Kṛṣṇa, where there is everything variety, spiritual varieties. You can play with Kṛṣṇa. You can dance with Kṛṣṇa. You can talk with Kṛṣṇa. You can fight with Kṛṣṇa. That is also... Cowherd boys, they fight. They enjoy. That is also enjoyment. Everything enjoyment. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to give information to the rascals who are mentioned as apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2), one who does not know what is the nature of ātmā, what does he want, how he'll be happy. That is... They are called apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2). They have no information. Therefore gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām. They are trying to be happy here within the cage. That's all. That is not possible. So without knowing this Kṛṣṇa conscious philosophy, within the cage and without the cage, they are unhappy. Is it clear? Their imagination of liberty without the cage, that is also unhappiness. Because he does not know where to go. Therefore after remaining for some time in that impersonal stage, again he comes back to the cage. So this kind of going and coming will not help him. Tyāga and bhoga.

Lecture on SB 3.25.16 -- Bombay, November 16, 1974:

So people have become... Especially in this Kali-yuga. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). But this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to give these rascals little sense, that "Don't remain animal. Become human being." This is the propaganda. The Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that,

kṛṣṇa bhuli' sei jīva anādi-bahirmukha

ataeva māyā tāre deya saṁsāra-duḥkha

(CC Madhya 20.117)

Kṛṣṇa-bhuliyā, forgetting his relationship with Kṛṣṇa, one is simply acting foolishly, and the māyā is giving him miseries one after another, one after another, one after another. Another place it is said that,

anādi-bahirmukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli' gela

ataeva kṛṣṇa veda-purāṇa kailā

We have forgotten Kṛṣṇa. Therefore there are Vedas and Purāṇas and Vedic literature. It is for human being. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). If we study this Vedic literature,... Vedic literature means four Vedas, eighteen Purāṇas, and Vedānta and Upaniṣads, Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata, and any literature which is connected with this Vedic literature. That is also Vedic literature. So Veda-Purāṇa, this Vedic literature, should be utilized. They have got time to read so many nonsense literatures, rubbish literature, and waste time, but if you invite them that "Come here, we shall discuss Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or Vedānta-sūtra, similar literature," nobody will come. But simply by hearing... If we want... Vītaṁ yadā manaḥ śuddham. If we become free from this contamination of tamo-guṇa and rajo-guṇa, that is the highest stage of perfection.

Lecture on SB 3.26.1 -- Bombay, December 13, 1974:

So in this age it is very difficult to become exactly Vedic brāhmaṇa. That's very, very difficult because everyone has become śūdra. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. In the Kali-yuga you cannot find out exactly a qualified brāhmaṇa. Very rare, very rare. Therefore Vedic brāhmaṇa is not possible. It is... Our movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is creating pāñcarātriki-vidhi. Pāñcarātriki-vidhi-brāhmaṇa means there is no evidence of, there is no certainty whether one is brāhmaṇa or son of brāhmaṇa because so many things are lacking. But, if he has got little taste of Kṛṣṇa understanding, he should be encouraged. That is pāñcarātriki. Just like if there is little fire you fan it-fan it and it will come out a big blazing fire. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to do that, and it is easier because in the śāstra it is said by Śukadeva Gosvāmī that there is one opportunity. "My dear King, Parīkṣit, I've described to you about the faulty nature of this Kali-yuga, but there is a very good opportunity for the people, fallen conditioned souls, of this Kali-yuga." "What is that?" Kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ: "The, in the Kali-yuga, it is like the ocean of fault. But still there is one very good opportunity." "What is that?" Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet: (SB 12.3.51) "You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and become liberated and go to back to home, back to Godhead."

Lecture on SB 3.26.11-14 -- Bombay, December 23, 1974:

So service we have to... That is our natural, natural instinct. We are giving service. But being contaminated, that consciousness, citta, being contaminated by these material elements, we are trying to give service in different way. Somebody is interested in giving service to the family, to the community, to the society, to the nation, to the humanity, to the more and more, but all these services, they are contaminated. But when you begin your service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is perfect service. That is perfect life. So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to raise the human society to the perfect platform of rendering service.

Lecture on SB 3.26.31 -- Bombay, January 8, 1975:

Andha, the leaders of this class of man, they are also blind. We are blind, and the leaders, so-called leaders, he also does not know what is the aim of life. And they are misleading us in so many ways by so-called political emancipation, this party, that party, but they do not know actually what is the aim of life. Therefore they are andhas. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ. And we are also andhas. So andha leading andha. So how there can be any peace and prosperity? Therefore the whole world is unhappy, chaotic condition, and everyone is manufacturing his own way of life to become happy. But they are not becoming happy because they do not know what is the aim of life. This is the position.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is at least trying to give the people what is the aim of life, how he can be happy, how he can regain his eternal position of blissful life. These are the things. And they are authorized. What we are presenting, that is nothing manufactured by concoction of the brain. No. It is all authorized, all authorized. So if we take advantage of this movement, then we become happy, we become in the perfect knowledge, blissful life, even in this life, and next life you go back to home, back to Godhead.

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

If you want to become mahātmā really, then you have to come to this point, to understand the, originally, the Vāsudeva is the supreme cause of all causes. That is perfection of life. And our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to teach this knowledge to the world, the best welfare activities. They are all in illusion. Some of them are thinking there is no Kṛṣṇa, and some of them are thinking, "If there is Kṛṣṇa"—Kṛṣṇa means God—"I am also God. I am equal." And some of them are thinking that "By meditation, by spiritual advancement, now I am greater than Kṛṣṇa." Yes. They are not, neither equal nor below, but they are thinking greater than Him. "With the progress of time the human being is advancing in knowledge. So by their meditational power, they can become greater than Kṛṣṇa." So that is foolishness. That is not possible. This is also māyā.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- London, August 30, 1971:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to give the whole human society the direction how he can enjoy unlimitedly. Yena śuddhyet sattvam. Ramante yoginaḥ anante. Really, those who are yogis, they enjoy. These Kṛṣṇa conscious persons, people, they are also yogis, bhakti-yogīs. They are the best of the yogis. As we see in the Bhagavad-gītā, in the chapter in which Sāṅkhya yoga has been explained, the conclusion is, yoginām api sarveṣām: (BG 6.47) "Of all the yogis..." Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā: "One who is thinking within himself about Me, Kṛṣṇa," mad-gaten... śraddhāvān, "with faith and love," bhajate mām, "engaged in My devotional service," sa me yuktatamo mataḥ, "he is the first-class yogi. He is the first-class yogi." So we are preaching in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, "Everyone should become a first-class yogi. And when one becomes a first-class yogi, perfect yogi, then ramante yoginaḥ anante, then they enjoy eternal, blissful life of knowledge. Ramante yoginaḥ satyānande, that is real happiness, satyānande. In this material world it is mithyānande. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. Jagan mithyā. The material world, wherein you are trying to find out happiness, that is false, illusion. If you want real happiness, that is in the spiritual world. That is the verdict of Vedas. Tamasi mā jyotir gama. Don't try to be happy in this darkness. But real happiness is in the light, jyotir gama. Light. The spiritual world is light. The material world is dark. It is... Because this material world is dark, therefore we require sunlight, moonlight, electricity and so many things. In the spiritual world there is no need of this sunlight, moonlight or electricity. Na tad bhāsayate sūryaḥ. There is no need of sun, moon, or electricity. These are explained in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- Paris, August 12, 1973:

So the instruction is very long, so (to) make it shorter I beg to inform you that this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to save person from going to the way of darkness. (break) ...go farther and farther on the path of darkness we become more and more entangled. More entanglement means: there are 8,400,000 forms of body. So after death we have to accept another body. (break) ...in the Bhagavad-gītā, tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13), as we are passing from one body to another in this life... I was a child, you were a child, everyone, but that child body is no more existing. I am existing in a different body, and I have to pass through many different bodies. So this is also dehāntara-prāptiḥ, changing the body. So similarly after death we shall change the body. Dehāntara-prāptiḥ means to accept another body. Now as I have already said, there are 8,400,000 forms of bodies. So we have to accept one of them at the time of death on the basis of our mental condition. So if we are accustomed to the beastly mentality like dogs and hog, then naturally we are going to get such body. But if we practice during this life, human form of life, while we are intelligent enough, godly life, then you are going back to home, back to Godhead. It is up to us to decide whether we are going to the dogly life or Godly life, that is our choice. According to the instruction of Ṛṣabhadeva, he says that this human form of life is a chance to practice Godly life and go back to home, back to Godhead.

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

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to educate men that "After all, you are servant. You have to serve somebody. You are now serving your senses. Now just divert your service to Kṛṣṇa, or God, and you will be happy. That's all." The service, constitutional position, will not change. That is my position. In Bengali there is a proverb, dheki svarge gelo dhana bhange.(?) The dheki, that's a wooden machine for husking grain. So I do not know whether it is used in your country. It is a big... It is peddled by the legs, and the grains are taken away the skin. So if this dheki, this machine, is sent to heavenly planet, what he will do? The same business: "Dag! Dag! Dag!" That's all. So either you go to the heavenly planet or you remain here or you remain in animal kingdom, your... Even the trees, they are standing—they are giving service. They are giving you fruits, they are giving you flowers, and if you want his service, by the wood, by the body, you cut; it will not protest. "All right, you take my body." So that is the way to understand that we must render service to somebody higher. So why not go to the Supreme, the great—"God is great"—and render service? This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then we'll be happy. You can go on giving service in this material world under so many designation, but you will never be happy, and the person to whom you are giving service, he will be not happy. This is material world. Try to understand.

Lecture on SB 6.1.8 -- Los Angeles, June 21, 1975:

The modern civilization is so foolish. Simply like cats and dogs, they are eating and sleeping and sex life and little defense, that's all. They have no knowledge. So therefore we are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Lokasya ajānataḥ, they do not know what kind of risky life they are conducting. So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to make them awakened to the consciousness. That is the duty of a sane man or a gentleman. That is the instruction of the Vedas, to awaken people. Uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya varān nibodhata. This Vedic instruction is, to the human society, uttiṣṭhata: "Get up." Jāgrata: "Don't sleep. Be awakened." Uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya varān nibodhata. "You have got a boon. Try to understand it." Nibodhata. Prāpya varān. Varān means benediction. What is that benediction? The benediction is this human form of life. You should understand that you are not cat and dog, simply you shall spoil your life by eating, sleeping, and sex and defense. No. This is very valuable life. Labdhvā su-durlabham idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte. This is the instruction of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. "No, don't spoil it. You have got this boon, this human form of life, after many, many births, evolutionary process. Don't you see so many different varieties of life? And you had to undergo through all these life. Now you have come to human form of life, so you should utilize it."

Lecture on SB 6.1.19 -- Los Angeles, January 15, 1970:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to create a population of paramahaṁsa. That is our propaganda. We are not trying to create a class of men like crows or cats and dogs, but like the haṁsas. Of course, it is very difficult. When you try to create some M.A., pass boys and girls, their number will be very little. Because anything valuable, the customer is very little. If you want to sell jewel, in the jewelry shop hardly you will find one customer in a day, or two customer in a day. But in a beef shop or a meat shop you will find hundreds of... You see? So as soon as a thing is valuable, the number of customer will be less. So don't consider the quality of the good by estimation of the number of customers. The customer may be very little, but you should try to understand what is the quality of the thing. So in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement you will please try to understand what kind of things we are going to deliver. Don't try to understand that "These people have no very many customers." The customers will be less because we have so many restriction. So people do not like it. Everyone thinks "why I shall be restricted? I shall be free." But actually, he is not free.

Lecture on SB 6.1.23 -- Chicago, July 7, 1975:

So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to remove this rascaldom, foolishness. That is the purpose of this movement, that "Sir, you are not independent. You are completely under the grip of material nature, and after death, your all independence finished. You are under the control of material nature, and you have to accept. A type of body will be forced upon you." Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur deha upapattaye (SB 3.31.1). So how the next body is formed? Karmaṇā, by your activities. You are forming your next body. You are responsible for your next body. Therefore you should not become a tenth-class man like Ajāmila. Of course, Ajāmila is better than anyone. That will come. But we are creating this tenth class... No. Everyone has the chance to become first-class man and come to the understanding, the value of life, and mold our life so that we can, next life we can get better chance. The so-called Darwin's evolutionary theory... Some way or other, he brings to the human body, but he has not discussed what is after human body. He has avoided. But after this, that depends on your work. Because your consciousness is developed than the animal, than the cats and dogs. And the śāstra is giving you information, how you can get the other body, next body.

Lecture on SB 6.1.39 -- San Francisco, July 20, 1975:

So here, veda-praṇihita, the Veda. The Vedic literature, that is dharma, no manufacturing. Nowadays it has become a fashion. So Vedas, that is beginning. Millions, nobody can give any description, since when the Vedas are coming down by the paramparā system. But after this Vedic period, so many religious system has come out. Up to five thousand years before, the Vedas were accepted all over the world, Vedic civilization. Then later on, gradually, they, the Christianity has come, the Muhammadanism, Islamism has come, Buddhism come, and now there are so many other, this samāja, that samāja, this religion, this religion, this religion. Because that means people are getting out of the touch of the Vedic civilization. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means we are trying again to bring them to this Vedic civilization. Here it is stated, veda-praṇihito dharmaḥ. If you take to the Vedic principles of life, then you become religious. And what is that Vedic principle? Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). Kṛṣṇa says, "Vedic principle means to know Me, Kṛṣṇa." Vedaiś ca sarvaiḥ. Veda-praṇihito dharmaḥ. And what is Veda? Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ. So... "But there is Vedānta?" Yes. Vedānta-kṛd vedānta-vid aham: "I am the compiler of Vedānta, and I know what is Vedānta." So whatever Kṛṣṇa says, that is Vedānta. And other so-called Vedantists, they are nonsense. They do not know what is Vedānta. Here is. Kṛṣṇa says, vedānta-vit: "I know what is Vedānta." "Why You know?" Vedānta-kṛt: "I have compiled Vedānta." In the incarnation of Vyāsadeva, Vyāsadeva incarnation, Kṛṣṇa-dvaipāyana Vyāsa... Mahā-muni-kṛte. Mahā-muni, the great sage, Vyāsadeva, is incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. So he has compiled Vedānta-sūtra. Therefore he knows what is Vedānta. And because Vedānta is being misinterpreted by the rascals, therefore Vyāsadeva personally has commented on Vedānta-sūtra by writing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Therefore he begins Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with the first aphorism of Vedānta, janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ sva-rāṭ (SB 1.1.1).

Lecture on SB 6.1.44 -- Los Angeles, July 25, 1975:

The sastric contraception means that "If you cannot educate your sons how to stop repetition of birth, then don't become a father. Don't become a mother." This is śāstric... "Don't become a guru. Don't become so on, so on, well-wisher, if you cannot stop." So how it can be stopped? Unless there is spiritual education, unless one is spiritually enlightened, you have to undergo the process of birth, death, old age and disease. You may talk very highly and foolishly, but the process of nature, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9), that you cannot stop. That is... Therefore any education which does not give enlightenment on the subject matter of how to stop death, they are all foolish talking. That's all. This is the conclusion, not bhadrāṇi, abhadrāṇi. Sambhavanti bhadrāṇi viparītāni cānaghaḥ, kāriṇāṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sti. Guṇa-saṅgaḥ. Therefore the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to give the association of goodness. There are three guṇas. Just like in a brothel, they are giving the association of darkness, similarly, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is opening so many centers to give the facility to the people in general the association of goodness. That is the difference. Saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ. If you associate with persons addicted to so many drugs or brothel men, then you will become like that. And if you associate with the Kṛṣṇa conscious men, then you become Kṛṣṇa conscious; you understand what is your real position, what is the aim of life, how to stop birth, death, old age. This is the profit of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And actually, learned, educated circle, they are appreciating that "Government spends so much money for stopping the drug habit, but they have failed. But this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement have saved so many hippies and young men from this fallen condition of life." That is the practical way. Anyone who has got intelligence, they will see to it.

Lecture on SB 6.1.44 -- Los Angeles, June 10, 1976:

So how one is intelligent, how one is dull, how one is via media—that is due to these three guṇas: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. If one is intelligent, that is one of the qualification of sattva-guṇa. Jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyam. The brahminical qualification... Satyaḥ śamo damo titikṣa arjavam eva ca, jñānam vijñānam āstikyam brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). In the society, human society, there must be a class of brāhmaṇa, intelligent class. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to create a section of the human society—real brāhmaṇa, intelligence. And the intelligence means Veda. Veda means knowledge. Knowledge... One who has got sufficient knowledge, he is intelligence, not the fool, rascal. So therefore the... There is Vedas, and there are Vedānta, Vedānta. Veda, Vedānta, source of knowledge. So Vedas means knowledge, and Veda-anta... Anta means the last word. So that anta knowledge, or the last word in knowledge, is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Vidyā bhāgavatāvadhiḥ, they say. Knowledge, expansion of knowledge, the last word is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So it is the explanation of Vedānta. Bhāṣyaṁ brahma-sūtrāṇām **. Vedānta's another name is Brahma-sūtra. In India there are Māyāvādī sannyāsīs. They advertise themselves as the Vedāntists, "one who knows Vedānta." But actually they do not know Vedānta. Real Vedānta is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, because this is commentary. Bhāṣya ayaṁ brahma-sūtrāṇām. Brahma-sūtra is Vedānta.

Lecture on SB 6.1.47 -- Dallas, July 29, 1975:

If you do not accept anybody as guru, then don't put question before him to waste his time and your time. This is the process. First of all find out whom you like to accept as guru. Then put question. But sometimes we have to talk with persons who is not student: outsider. That is preaching work. But śāstra says that one should approach a guru, and with surrender he would ask him, and guru will talk with a person who is surrendered. Otherwise, there is no necessity of talk, because he will not accept. One who has come to challenge the guru, so he will simply waste time. He will not accept. But a disciple who has surrendered, he will accept. Therefore talking is recommended between guru and disciple, not outsider. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). This is essential. And guru trains the disciple according to the Vedic principle. Therefore there are division of varṇa and āśrama. So these are very scientific things. The whole world is unaware of these scientific things, this animal civilization; and this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to elevate to the standard of human being.

Lecture on SB 6.1.47 -- Detroit, June 13, 1976:

So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to establish this science. Our real mission is how the human society will be happy. That is the duty of all saintly persons. The, according to our paramparā system... Just like the Gosvāmīs, Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī. They were very exalted personalities, minister in government. Still, they resigned from the service and joined Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. That is the history. All the direct disciples of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they were very big personalities. Just like Rūpa, Sanātana. They were minister. Then Bhaṭṭa Raghunātha, Dāsa Raghunātha. Raghunātha Dāsa, he was coming, more than minister. His father and uncle were the biggest zamindar, landlord, in those times. And he was the only son of the father and the uncle. Huge estate, beautiful wife, everything—he left and joined this movement, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's. Similarly, Gopal Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, he also coming from a very aristocratic brāhmaṇa family in South India. And Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, the nephew of Rūpa Gosvāmī, in the learned circle, still, in Bengal, they say such a big scholar and philosophy, there was none, and nobody expects a similar philosopher and learned scholar in the future. He was such a big personality, Jīva Gosvāmī. Big, big Māyāvādīs, they were afraid of Jīva Gosvāmī's logic and argument to establish the Vaiṣṇava philosophy.

Lecture on SB 6.1.51 -- Detroit, August 4, 1975:

What Kṛṣṇa says, we have to do that. Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna to fight. So we have to meet the situation as Kṛṣṇa desired by. Sometimes He may say, "You sit down." So we have to carry out only. The Kṛṣṇa is not dead. He can give us varieties of order, and our position is that we shall simply carry out the order. That is life. Otherwise we are under the clutches of māyā, or material nature. Prakteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ. We are thinking that "I am the lord of everything." That is not the fact. The fact is that we have to work under somebody. That is our real position. Jīvera 'svarūpa' haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). We are workers. We are not enjoyer. But unfortunately we are trying to take the position of enjoyer. That is māyā. That is māyā. And if we agree to work under the direction of Kṛṣṇa, then our original life is revived. That is wanted. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means that we are trying to educate people to change the consciousness. We have got so many desires under different consciousness. So one desire, that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa," this is called mukti, as soon as Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is mukti. If we give up all other desires and agree to accept Kṛṣṇa's desires, that mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, "You surrender unto Me," that is mukti; that is liberation. Otherwise, under the influence of these twenty-four elements and the material nature and the three guṇas, infection, dhatte anusaṁsṛtiṁ puṁsi harṣa-śoka-bhayārtidām, you go on changing any body. The subject matter is very difficult, but we have to learn it from śāstra what is our position. Otherwise, to realize these things, it is not very easy. But if we accept the direction of the śāstra, that this is our position We cannot know what is my disease, but if I go to a doctor, physician, he can feel the pulse and he can recommend, "This is your disease. You do like this."

Lecture on SB 6.1.52 -- Detroit, August 5, 1975:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to take you there. The foolish persons, they are being deviated. They do not know what is the value of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. They are trying to give the human society the topmost benefit, position. They don't want to become one with God, but they are giving the right to control God. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. What is the use of becoming one with God? Nobody can become. But Kṛṣṇa is willing to be controlled by the devotee. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. So from this position, ajño ajita-ṣaḍ-varga, forced to work by the spell of material energy, from this rotten condition of life, we are trying to raise him to the platform where he can control Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 7.5.30 -- Mauritius, October 2, 1975:

So we do not know subtle laws of nature, subtle laws of God, how things are happening, how things are going on. And without knowing these facts, our human life is spoiled. So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to convince, educate people the value of life, how the process of living conditions are going on. Not we have manufactured all this. It is received from the Vedas. Vedas means the book of knowledge. Veda means knowledge. Vetti veda vido jñāne. Jñāna means knowledge. So human life is meant for taking knowledge, jñāna. Jñāna-vairāgya. So vāsudeve bhagavatir bhakti-yoga-prayojitaḥ, janayaty āzu vairāgyam. When we understand... We are now implicated in so many sinful life, and we have to reap the result. We have to suffer for it in dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). We are not going to die. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). It is not that everything... The atheists thinks like that—"When this body is finished, everything is finished." That is not the fact. There were atheists in India also. They say, bhasmī-bhūtasya dehasya kutaḥ punar āgamano bhavet, yāvaj jīvet sukhaṁ jīvet. That is the atheistic theory, actually, that we are not, I mean to say, this, subjected to death. Na jāyate na mriyate vā. We are not subjected. This... We are simply changing the dress, this body. But as soul, I am eternal, you are eternal, and on account of our uncontrolled senses, unbridled senses, we are changing different types of body. Suppose I am now human being, I am enjoying life very nicely, but if, next life, I become a dog, street dog, we can see how miserable life it is. Or even I become a very powerful, strong animal, a tiger or a lion, there is still... It is miserable life. Miserable life. So long we shall be in the material world, changing different bodies, it is miserable. Kleśada āsa dehaḥ. Any body, it is kleśada, painful, miserable.

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

Just like in the court, there is no such race or caste as lawyers. Anyone who knows law, he is accepted a lawyer. Similarly, the quality of brāhmaṇa is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, śamo dama titikṣa satyaṁ śaucam ārjavam, jñānaṁ-vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). So you can train anyone. Just like you can train anyone as lawyer, you can train anyone as an engineer or medical practitioner, similarly, you can train anyone as brāhmaṇa. That is wanted. That is wanted. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is like that. We are trying to train some men as real brāhmaṇa because brāhmaṇa is the head, is the brain of the society. If the society has no brain, it is in chaotic condition. Brahma-jānāti iti brāhmaṇaḥ. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. So some section of the people must know what is Brahman, what is God, and they should preach all over the world. That is the greatest necessity at the present moment. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to do that although we are captivating or attracting some younger section, especially in Western countries. But Prahlāda Mahārāja recommends that kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān (SB 7.6.1). Training should start immediately from the childhood.

Lecture on SB 7.6.4 -- Toronto, June 20, 1976:

So this life is not meant for becoming a pig or hog. One should become a saintly person. That is human civilization. Therefore in the Vedic civilization—brāhmaṇa, the first-class men. There is no first-class men now in this society. Everyone third class, fourth class, fifth class. Satya-śama-dama-titkṣa ārjava jñānaṁ-vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). This is first-class man. Truthful, very peaceful, full of knowledge, very simple, tolerant, and believer in the śāstra. These are the symptoms of first-class men. So where is that first-class man throughout the whole world? So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to create at least one section first-class men so that people may see, "Oh, here are ideal men." Therefore my request to persons who have joined this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, they should very carefully keep them as first-class men. People will appreciate and they will try to follow. Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas tat tad evetaro janaḥ (BG 3.21). If there is a class of men first class, then people will appreciate. At least, they will try to follow, even though are unable to become first class. They will try to follow. Tat tad eva, sa yat pramāṇaṁ kurute lokas tad anuvartate. So that is first-class man required. If he acts, then others will follow. If a teacher does not smoke, the students also will stop smoking naturally. But if the teacher is smoking, how the students...? They are also smoking in the class. I have seen in New York. At least in India this is not yet begun. It will begin. Because they are also making progress.

Lecture on SB 7.9.35 -- Mayapur, March 13, 1976:

Just see how much the human society has degraded. One side, they're killing their own child, and after killing it, they're cooking it, and it becomes a very good delicacy. Just see. So this is the surety of become a pig, less than a pig. You see? But they do not know. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). This human life was meant for understanding Viṣṇu, God, but they did not use it. So thus, try to understand how much important is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, how we are trying to save the whole human society from their irresponsible life.

Lecture on SB 7.9.39 -- Mayapur, March 17, 1976:

So we got this human form of life, we could..., we are advanced in consciousness, and if we increase this consciousness to the ultimate goal, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then our life is successful. And if we could not do it—we remain in the same cats and dogs consciousness, kāmāturam... Just like a dog is lusty dog, one dog, one female dog, and dozen of dogs is after her... You have seen nature's instruction. So that is kṛpaṇa life. We should not spoil our life by becoming a kṛpaṇa. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to raise the standard of the human society to become brāhmaṇa from the position of kṛpaṇa. This is the attempt. It may be a tiny attempt, humble attempt, but our aim is how these dogs and cats will become brāhmaṇa. This is our aim. We do not want to keep them in the position of cats and dogs and pigs. This is our attempt. So we may be successful or not successful, but our endeavor is very, very great. We should always remember that.

Lecture on SB 7.9.53 -- Vrndavana, April 8, 1976:

Therefore sometimes we forget Kṛṣṇa. And therefore Kṛṣṇa comes to remind that "Why you are forgetting Me? We are eternally related. So forgetting Me, you are suffering here. Give up all this nonsense." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). That is wanted. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to educate people to cure his disease of forgetfulness. He has forgotten simply. Just like a madman forgets who is his father, who is his mother, he talks nonsense, sometimes he calls ill names. Mad. So similarly, we in this material world, without any Kṛṣṇa consciousness we are all mad, forgetful. This disease has to be cured. The best medicine is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Nature's way, we have got this human form of life, but because on account of lack of proper education, we remain in forgetful condition from the animal life. But there is chance. That is said in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Anādi bahir-mukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli gela, ataeva kṛṣṇa veda-purāṇa karilā. These rascals, from time immemorial they have forgotten Kṛṣṇa. And just to remind him, these Vedas, the Purāṇas, they are there.

Lecture on SB 7.12.2 -- Bombay, April 13, 1976:

So if there is varṇa-saṅkara population, that means the human civilization is lost. Therefore here is the civilization, how... In this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Nārada Muni is describing how civilization should be advanced. The first proposal is brahmacārī, how to create brahmacārī. Brahmacārī guru-gṛhe vasan dānto guror hitam. What is that? So what is the duty of the brahmacārī, it is now said. The first duty is that sāyaṁ prātar upāsīta: "They should be taught how to worship the Supreme Lord at least twice in a day," sāyaṁ prātaḥ, "in the morning and in the evening." Tri-sandhya. The prescription is for tri-sandhya. One should take bath three times. In India there is no difficulty. Even in Western countries you have got very good arrangement, hot water and cold water. You can arrange and can take bath. This is essential. Not that sleeping up to ten o'clock. This kind of civilization will not help you. This asuric civilization will degrade the human society. He got the opportunity of elevating himself, even going back to home, back to Godhead. But for want of real civilization they are going again back to monkey and cats and dogs. This is a fact. So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to save them from going back to become cats and dogs. Instead of going back there, they are trying to send him back to God. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Lecture on SB 7.12.3 -- Bombay, April 14, 1976:

This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very scientific movement. It is trying to save the human society from risky life. Risky life means that if we are not cultured, if we do not take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and properly trained up, there is every chance to become again cats and dogs next life. This is the understanding. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). I repeatedly say you. Kṛṣṇa confirms. Kṛṣṇa says and we are repeating Kṛṣṇa's word. Dehāntara-prāptiḥ: You have to change this body to another. And if you do not properly work like human beings, and if you keep yourself like cats and dogs, then dehāntara-prāptiḥ means you get the body of cats and dogs and pigs. So they do not know this science. Therefore they want to forget that there is life after death. They think after death everything is finished, but that is not the case. So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to help everyone so that he may not fall again to the cycle of birth and death at the risk of becoming cats and dogs.

Lecture on SB Lecture -- Melbourne, May 19, 1975:

Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). The human society, by the will of God there are four classes of men. The first-class is the brāhmaṇa; the second-class, the kṣatriya; the third-class, the vaiśyas; and all others, fourth-class, śūdras. So at the present moment, practically there is no brāhmaṇa, no kṣatriya, no vaiśya, only śūdras, fourth-class men. So you cannot expect any happiness guided by the fourth-class men. That is not possible. Therefore throughout the whole world there is chaotic condition. Nobody is happy. So this is essential that the human society must be divided into four divisions. The brāhmaṇa class means the first-class ideal men, so that by the seeing their character, their behavior, others will try to follow. Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhaḥ (BG 3.21). So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means we are trying to create some first-class men. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this movement. So therefore we have got these rules and regulation: no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling. This is the preliminary qualification of a first-class man. So we are trying our bit to make some men ideal first-class men. But formerly it was there. Catur... Still there is.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 4, 1973:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means we are trying to make people dhīra, not adhīra. Adhīra cannot understand. But even adhīra can understand. Dhīrādhīra. Kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau premāmṛtāmbho-nidhī, dhīrādhīra-jana-priyau. A perfect devotee is dear, both for the dhīra and adhīra. Dhīrādhīra-jana-priyau priya-karau nirmatsarau pūjitau śrī-caitanya-kṛpā-bharau bhuvi bhuvo bhārāvahantārakau vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau. So for a devotee, both the dhīra and adhīra welcome. We do not say only the perfect persons should come here. No. Perfect or imperfect, come here. Take part with this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Dhīrādhīra, it doesn't matter. Because one who's adhīra, by associating with the dhīras, he'll also become dhīra. Just like one is not drunkard, but associating with the drunkards, he becomes a drunkard. Saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ. So similarly, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is giving chance to everyone. Not to speak of... Kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā bhaktā rājarṣayas tathā (BG 9.33). Api cet sudur... What is that verse? Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). They also... Te 'pi yānti, yānti parāṁ gatim. Kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā. Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so nice, even the most sinful person can go back to home, back to Godhead. And what to speak of the pious brāhmaṇas? Kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā bhaktā rājarṣayas tathā (BG 9.33). They will go. Even those who are sinful, if they take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they'll also go. It is so nice.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 5, 1973:

So one has to become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Then we can understand the teachings of the Vedas. Vedas means vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). Any way you go, either... Bhagavad-gītā is also Vedic literature. Bhāgavata is also Vedic literature. So either you take directly Vedas, Īśopaniṣad, or Upaniṣad, the ultimate goal is to understand Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to give Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa se tomāra, kṛṣṇa dite pāra. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung that vaiṣṇava ṭhākura, tomāra kukura baliyā jānaha more. He's presenting himself, "My dear sir, Vaiṣṇava, kindly accept me as your dog."

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

Just like Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, tāṅdera caraṇa-sevi-bhakta-sane vāsa. Tāṅdera caraṇa-sevi. Our main business is..., (uproar in background, sounds like monkey attacked audience) (pause) Hut! Hut! (laughter, applause) So our main business is to serve the ācāryas. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means why..., we are trying to serve the ācāryas. Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His direct disciples, the Ṣaḍ-gosvāmīs, and their disciples. Rūpa-raghunātha-pade haibe ākuti. That is required.

tāṅdera caraṇa-sevi-bhakta-sane vāsa

janame janame mora ei abhilāsa

So this society is attempting to create a society of devotees all over the world, without any discrimination of caste, creed, color. One must be a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei guru haya (CC Madhya 8.128). One must know the science of Kṛṣṇa. Then he can preach to others. Sei guru haya. That is our purpose.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

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

Everything should be understood in truth. So our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to understand the Absolute Truth. So in another place Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ: (BG 4.9) anyone who understands the Absolute Truth factually as He is, not by mental speculation, but by the paramparā system... So therefore, the author of Caitanya-caritāmṛta is beginning with guru, pūrve gurv-ādi. Beginning is the guru, the spiritual master, because he is the representative of the paramparā system, disciplic succession. Therefore, whatever we do, we must first of all try to understand from guru.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.112 -- New York, July 20, 1976:

So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to bring back the human society, because it is not possible to bring back the monkeys and cats and dogs to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is not possible. So those who are of the dog's mentality, cat's mentality, monkey mentality, it is difficult for them. They have to change their mentality by sat-saṅga. This is called sat-saṅga. Just like you are hearing from the śāstra, and we are speaking from the śāstra. This is called sat-saṅga. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ (SB 3.25.25). By sat-saṅga, by real spiritual association, by talking with them, by mixing with them-satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido—then we can learn about the unlimited potencies of Kṛṣṇa. Mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ. Then it becomes very pleasing to the heart and to the ear, by satāṁ-prasaṅgān. Otherwise it is not possible. If you go to a professional reciter, it will enter in this ear and go out this ear, that's all. Because there is no life; it is business. So you cannot do business with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is not agreeable to this proposal. He's master. You cannot utilize Him for your service. You must engage yourself to His service. That is wanted.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Lecture -- Bombay, January 3, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa also says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti, asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). There is no more parā-tattva, superior source, except Kṛṣṇa. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is therefore..., we are trying to place before the civilized human society that the ādi-puruṣa, the original Supreme Personality of Godhead. They are searching after God. There are so many societies—theological society, theosophical society—they are searching after God. But here is God. Why don't you take reference from the Vedic literature? God's reference is there in the Vedic literatures, and God Himself appeared, and He explained Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā. And God is accepted, not (only) now, even when Kṛṣṇa was present, five thousand years ago, all great sages, saintly persons, great ṛṣis, they also accepted. Nārada, Devala, Vyāsa. When Arjuna, in the Bhagavad-gītā... It is explained in the Tenth Chapter. You know, all, Kṛṣṇa as paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). He, he is addressing Kṛṣṇa as person, bhavān. This bhavān śabda, this word is used, "person," not imperson. Bhavān. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, puruṣam (BG 10.12). He's not imperson. Puruṣam. Puruṣam means person. Not female also. Puruṣam means male. Puruṣaṁ śāśvatam. Śāśvatam, original; ādyam, the first. So in this way. And Arjuna has also given reference that all the great sages... At that time, Vyāsadeva... Vyāsadeva is still present. So "Vyāsadeva accepts You, Nārada accepts You, and Asita, Devala, big, big, great sages accepts You. You are personally speaking, and I have realized that You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead." This is Kṛṣṇa.

Festival Lectures

Ratha-yatra -- Philadelphia, July 12, 1975:

So our movement is that "Why not stop this material, conditional life, repetition of birth, death, old age and disease?" This is intelligence. "Why should we remain in this material body and undergo repetition change of body? Let us have our original, spiritual body." That is wanted. That is intelligence. The human life is therefore meant, as it is stated in the Vedānta philosophy, athāto brahma jijñāsā: "Now this life is meant for enquiring about the Absolute Truth." So that is required. That is human intelligence. And if we spoil our life like the animals... They are also eating; we are also eating. They are also sleeping; we are also sleeping. They are also having sex intercourse; we are also having sex intercourse. They are also defending; we are also defending. These four principles are common to the human being and to the animal. The special advantage of human being is that if he likes, he can stop this repetition of birth and death and go back to home, back to Godhead. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to educate people about this science, how to go back to home, back to Godhead. It is not a so-called religious movement. Of course, anything which has connection with God, you can take it as religious movement. But it is very scientific movement. For the big scientists, philosophers, thinkers, they should try to understand this movement. We have got fifty-seven books for convincing the philosophers, scientists. If you want to know the value of this movement through science, philosophy, we have got enough ingredients to supply you. Otherwise, it is simple, very simple.

Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day Lecture -- London, August 21, 1973:

So everything is there. Especially in India, we have got so much asset for understanding God. Simple thing. Everything is there ready made. But we won't accept. So what is the remedy for such disease? We are searching after peace, but we won't accept anything which is actually giving us peace. This is our disease. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to awaken the dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness in everyone's heart. Otherwise, how these Europeans and Americans and other countrymen, they never heard of Kṛṣṇa four or five years ago, how they are taking Kṛṣṇa consciousness so seriously? Kṛṣṇa consciousness is there in everyone's heart. It has to be awakened only. That is described in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta

nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti 'sādhya' kabhu naya

śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya

It is awakened. Love for Kṛṣṇa, devotion for Kṛṣṇa, is there within everyone's heart, but he has forgotten. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is simply meant for awakening that Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the process. Just like when you are sleeping, your, I have to call you loudly—"Mr. such and such, such and such, get up. You have got this business." No other senses will act when you are sleeping. But the ear will act. Therefore, in this age, when people are so fallen they will not hear anything, if we chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, he'll be awakened to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is practical.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Lecture -- Mexico, February 11, 1975, (With Spanish Translator):

Kṛṣṇa says that "This material energy is inferior, and the superior energy is the living being." So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to help the living being to come out of the encagement of material energy. And how to become free, that information is in the Vedic literature. So what we are giving in different literatures... We are publishing books and magazines. Simply we are trying to give information how the superior living being can get out of this material encagement. So I am very glad to see you, so many Kṛṣṇa's part and parcel. You have come to understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So stick to the principles, then your life will be successful. The principle is to purify ourself.

Arrival Lecture -- Calcutta, March 20, 1975:

So lokasya ajānataḥ. The foolish people, they do not know it. Lokasya ajānataḥ vidvāṁś cakre sātvata-saṁhitām. Because people, they do not know what is religion, what can give them actual relief, therefore vidvān, Vyāsadeva, vidvān, Vedavyāsa, vidvāṁś cakre sātvata-saṁhitām... The sātvata-saṁhitām. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is sātvata-saṁhitā.

anartha upaśamam sākṣād

bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje

lokasya ajānataḥ vidvāṁś

cakre sātvata-saṁhitām

(SB 1.7.6)

People are suffering from anartha, unwanted things. They do not know how to get relief from this entanglement. Therefore vidvān, the most learned scholar, Vyāsadeva, compiled Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Bhagavate mahā-muni-kṛte. Mahā-muni is Vyāsadeva. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to preach this sātvata-saṁhitā. Saṁhitā means Vedic scripture. Sātvata-saṁhitā. So people are responding, especially in the Western countries. In Africa also, they are responding. Many Africans, they have become Vaiṣṇava now. That is the latest news. And they are receiving very well.

Arrival Address -- Mauritius, October 1, 1975:

So unless we understand this philosophy... It is not philosophy. Philosophy you can call, because the philosophy means the science of sciences. Philosophy is not a mental speculation. Philosophy is the prime science from which all other sciences are derived. That is philosophy. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to educate people on this science of sciences to understand first of all that "What you are? Are you this body or different from this body?" This is essential. And if you go on constructing your big building on a defective foundation, then it will not stay. There will be danger. So modern civilization is based on this defective idea that "I am this body." "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian"—these are all bodily concept of life. "Because I have got this body from a Christian father and mother, therefore I am a Christian." But I am not this body. "Because I have got this body from a Hindu father and mother, therefore I am Hindu." But I am not this body. So for spiritual understanding, this is the basic principle to understand, that "I am not this body; I am soul," ahaṁ brahmāsmi. This is the Vedic instruction: "Try to understand that you are spirit soul; you are not this body." The yoga system is practiced just to understand this. Yoga indriya saṁyamaḥ. By controlling the senses, especially the mind... Mind is the master or the chief of the senses. Manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). We are undergoing a struggle for existence with this mind and the senses under the false conception of identifying this body as self. So if we concentrate our mind by controlling the senses, then we can gradually understand. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1).

Cornerstone Ceremonies

Foundation Stone Ceremony Speech -- Bhuvanesvara, February 2, 1977:

Unless you come to that brahma-bhūtaḥ stage, that "I am not this body. I am soul, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. I am part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman"—paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12)—there is no question of unity. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted to introduce this movement how actually there can be possibility of being united. That is possible. That is not difficult because they are all sons of Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhevanti..., ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4). He's the original father. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to introduce in the human society, and not on my conviction, on the assurance of the śāstras, that if you want to be united, you'll have to come to this platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness; otherwise it is not possible.

General Lectures

Press Release -- Los Angeles, December 22, 1968:

So it is understood from any source of scriptural injunction that the Supreme Lord, or Kṛṣṇa, is the maintainer of the individual living entities, and it is the duty of the individual entity to feel obliged to the Supreme Lord. This is the whole background of religious principle. Without this acknowledgement, there is chaos, as it is happening in our daily experience at the present moment. Everyone is trying to become the Supreme Lord, either socially, politically or individually. Therefore there is competition for this false lordship and there is chaos all over the world, individually, nationally, socially or collectively. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to establish the supremacy of the Absolute Personality of Godhead. The human society is meant for this understanding because this consciousness makes his life successful. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not a new introduction of the mental speculators. Actually this movement was started by Kṛṣṇa Himself in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. At least five thousand years ago the movement was presented by Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā. From this Bhagavad-gītā we can understand that this system of consciousness was spoken by Him long, long before—He imparted to the sun-god Vivasvān.

Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, February 9, 1969:

So śaraṇāgati, surrender to Kṛṣṇa, is our only business. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to teach people to, not to declare independence, which is not possible, nor to try to make this world happy without Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. That is our propaganda. Whatever you do, you take shelter of Kṛṣṇa, or God. "Kṛṣṇa" is the most explicit term for God. God may have many names. Kṛṣṇa is the perfect name. God has no name; some philosophers say like that. No name means that His name is understood by His different action. Just like Kṛṣṇa is sometimes called Yaśodā-nandana. Because He has accepted mother Yaśodā, to become her son, therefore Kṛṣṇa's name is Yaśodā-nandana. Kṛṣṇa's name is Pārtha-sārathi. Why? Because Kṛṣṇa has accepted to become a chariot driver of Arjuna. Pārtha means Arjuna, and sārathi means chariot driver. So Kṛṣṇa's name became Pārtha-sārathi. Kṛṣṇa used to steal butter from the stock of His mother's butter stock; therefore Kṛṣṇa's name is Mākhana-cora. So in this way Kṛṣṇa's name are varieties. Kṛṣṇa has unlimited number of activities, and according to such activity He has got unlimited names. But the primary name which is applicable in all circumstances is "Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa means "all-attractive." Kṛṣṇa attracts everyone.

Speech at Olympia Theater -- Paris, June 26, 1971, (with translator):

I thank you very much for your kindly participating in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. This movement is very important. It is a movement to save the human society from a suicidal policy. The suicidal policy is... Just this evening I expressed my desires to the press conference that the human society is being misled by leaders who are blind themselves. Take for example just like there a few blind men, and one, another blind man, is proposing to help them, crossing over the street. So this blind following is there in this sense, that we do not know what is the aim and objective of human society. The aim and objective of human life is self-realization and reestablishing our lost relation with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the missing point. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to enlighten the human society on this important point. According to Vedic civilization, the progressive march towards perfection of life is to realize one's relationship with Kṛṣṇa, or God. There is a book, perhaps you read or you know, Bhagavad-gītā. That Bhagavad-gītā is accepted by all ācāryas, or authorities in transcendental science, as the essence of all Vedic knowledge. In this Bhagavad-gītā we understand that the living entities, not only human beings, but other than human beings... There are many types of living entities. All of them are parts and parcels of God.

Lecture -- Los Angeles, July 20, 1971:

So there is supreme control. The modern civilization, they do not understand it due to lack of knowledge. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to enlighten people to come to this point of knowledge. They're all crazy, conducted by the influence of the three modes of material nature. They're not in normal condition. So it is very important movement. We invite... This morning also I said at the press representative meeting at the airport that there are so many universities and, especially in your country, department of knowledge, but why they are not discussing this point? Where is the department of knowledge? Sometimes past, I think sometimes in 1968, when I went to Boston, I was invited to speak in the technical institute. So my first question was that "Where is that technological department which is making investigation between the dead man and the living man?" Where is that technology? A man becomes dead. Something is losing. Where is that technology to replace it? Why do they not try for it? But because it is very difficult subject, they set aside. They are busy for technology, for eating, sleeping, mating and defending, that's all. Animal technology. The animals also trying their best, how to eat nice, how to have nice sex life, how to sleep and how to defend. So what is the difference between man's knowledge and animals' knowledge. The man's knowledge should be developed to find out this technology, what is the difference between a living man and a dead man, a living body and dead body. That is spiritual knowledge. That is... That was taught by Kṛṣṇa in the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā.

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

The living entity is the same, but when he comes into this material world, he associates with three kinds of material qualities, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So one who is in sattva-guṇa, brahminical qualification, actually, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). One who has got the brahminical qualities by work and actually in life, satya, śama, dama, titikṣa, ārjavam, jñānaṁ-vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). So he can understand. Brahma jānāti iti brāhmaṇaḥ, he can understand, so how, what is my relationship with the Supreme Lord. So similarly, one who is in the rajo-guṇa, the example is given. There is a spark. When it falls down on dry grass, the dry grass becomes blazing. Although the spark is fallen, it causes the atmosphere lighten(?). And if the spark falls on the wet ground, then it is, the sparking, the glowing quality may remain for sometime, but it will be extinguished. And if it falls down on the water, it is extinguished. Similarly, when the living entity comes to this material world, if by chance he is in the association of the goodness, he keeps God consciousness. And if he is in the association of passion, he is materially busy. And if he associates with the quality of ignorance, he becomes animals or animal-like man. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is giving everyone the chance of to become again (indistinct) by association of Kṛṣṇa. The same spark, that extinguished charcoal, or karma, if you put into the fire, it will be again light. Similarly this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to bring forth again the dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness in every living entity.

Life Member House Lecture -- Hyderabad, April 14, 1975:

So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to save people from the hog civilization or dog civilization to human civilization. That is... Human civilization means plain living and advancing in spiritual consciousness, not to increase unnecessarily artificial way of life. But we should know what is the aim of life and try to actually (achieve) success in the aim of life in any condition. That is Vedic civilization. Any condition. Any condition means in the material world we find that somebody is well situated and somebody... We think like that. Nobody is well situated. But we think like that. So if we want to cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in any material condition we can do that. Ahaituky apratihatā. Any material condition cannot check our advancement in spiritual life. Just like these European, American boys and girls, they're not accustomed to sit down on the ground. In their country that is not their civilization. They sit down very nicely on chairs and very nice apartment. But because they have taken to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they do not hesitate to sit down in any condition of life. This is advancement.

Excerpt of Speech at Fire Yajna with South Indian Brahmanas -- Hyderabad, August 16, 1976:

The Lord questioned Śukrācārya, "What was the discrepancy in the performance of yajña arranged by Bali Mahārāja that you cursed him?" Of course, he did not ask that "you cursed him," but it was understood. Śukrācārya admitted that there was no fault. This is the verse. When the Supreme Personality of Godhead is worshiped, there is no discrepancy. In the Kali-yuga it is said in the śāstras that yajña is now practically impossible; therefore it is recommended yajñair saṅkīrtanair prāyair yajanti hi (SB 11.5.32). So we are very glad that here in southern portion of India, still there are so many respectable yajñic brāhmaṇas, and we see practically how they have nicely performed the yajñas. Now this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to spread this brahminical culture.

namo brahmaṇya-devāya

go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca

jagad-dhitāya kṛṣṇāya

govindāya namo namaḥ

Jagad-dhitāya kṛṣṇāya. Kṛṣṇa wants welfare of the whole universe. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). He comes personally. So we are trying to establish this brahminical culture, go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca. You'll be very much pleased that in a country where go-hatyā is so prominent, now we have established so many farms in Europe and America. We shall show the pictures how we are giving protection to the cows and how we are trying to revive this brahminical culture all over the world. And they are accepting. It is not that they are rejecting. You can see the presence of so many European and American devotees here. And they are very sincere.

Address to Rotary Club -- Chandigarh, October 17, 1976:

So our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to rectify this mistake. Bhagavad-gītā is the most authorized scripture in the Vedic literature. Vedic literature means it is not spoken by any ordinary human being. Apaureṣaya means this literature, Vedic literature, is spoken directly by the Supreme Person or Lord. So it was instructed through Brahmā, Lord Brahmā. Tene brahma hṛda ādi-kavaye. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Oṁ namo bhāgavate vāsudevāya. These are the Vedānta philosophy's beginning. The Vedānta philosophy begins with the word athāto brahma jijñāsā. This human form of life is meant for inquiring about Brahman. The human life is not meant for any other purpose. That is the distinction between a dog's life and a human being's life. A dog cannot inquire about Brahman. That is not possible. But a human being can inquire about Brahman. Therefore this life is meant for brahma-jijñāsā about Brahman. So if we accept these aphorisms of the Vedānta-sūtra... Vedānta-sūtra is supposed to be the most authorized summary, cream of all the Vedas. So Kṛṣṇa has said in the Bhagavad-gītā, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaṁ vedānta-vid vedānta-kṛd ca aham (BG 15.15). So if we accept these words of Kṛṣṇa, then we become actually Vedānti.

Evening Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, January 23, 1977:

So we should understand Kṛṣṇa, how He is ānanda-cinmaya vigraha. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is ānanda-cinmaya vigraha, combination of hlādinī śakti, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, and Kṛṣṇa together. Therefore the Vaiṣṇava sings, śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya rādhā-kṛṣṇa nahe anya. Rādhā-kṛṣṇa nahe anya. If we take shelter of the lotus feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu, then there is possibility to understand the Kṛṣṇa science. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to impregnate or push this movement throughout the world through the mercy of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. And actually it is happening. By taking shelter of the lotus feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu, these Europeans and Americans, although they are supposed to be born in mleccha, yavana family, they are taking Kṛṣṇa consciousness so seriously. Otherwise it is very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:

Prabhupāda: Reconciled can be only when you actually know what is God. Simply by stamping oneself Christian, Jewish, or Hindu and Muslim, without knowing who is God and what is his desire, that will naturally create antagonism. Therefore the conclusion is, as Mr. Marx giving stress on science, so we should understand scientifically what is religion, what is God. Then this antagonism will stop.

Hayagrīva: He felt that the state should eventually assume the role of Christ. He said, "As Christ is the mediator on whom man unburdens all his own divinity and his whole religious burden, so also the state is the mediator on which man places all his unholiness and his whole human burden." So, in other words, that Christ, of course, relieves man of all his burdens and his sins through his message of salvation, and instead of Christ it would be the state that would assume this role.

Prabhupāda: So Christ gives the knowledge how one can be relieved of the material burden. That is the business of all religious preacher. The religious preacher should give information to the people in general the exact position of God or idea of God, and when people will learn scientifically about God's existence and his relationship with God, then everything will be adjusted. That is wanted. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to give people exact idea of God, exact definition of God, and exact instruction of God. If we take that, take to that, then our religious life will be perfect.

Philosophy Discussion on Plotinus:

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...

Devotee: Conductor and a chorus.

Prabhupāda: ...they are singing in the tune, sometimes attention diverted by the audience, it becomes out of the tune. Similarly we, when we divert our attention to the illusory energy, then we fall down, and although we remain the same part and parcel of the Lord, but the influence of the material energy covers us, and we identify with the covering elements, and life after life bodies changing, and we are identify with the covering, and this is our miserable condition of material existence. And therefore first education is that "I am not this covering." That is spiritual education. That is the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā instruction, that "You are not this body. Arjuna, you are not this body. Why you are taking this bodily concepts of life, your relatives, your family, so seriously? It is all foolishness. It is accidental. You are born in this family, and you have got so-called relatives. You are actually spirit. So now you are identifying with this bodily concept of life, you are member of the Kuru family. Then as soon as this change of body takes place, you will again enter into the dog's family or cat's family or demigod's family. Again you identify, 'I am dog,' 'I am cat,' 'I am demigod.' " So this is the, our ignorance. We have to stop this mentality of bodily concept of life, identify ourself as a spirit soul, part and parcel of the Supreme Spirit, and act according to His direction. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167). What Kṛṣṇa says, if we act, then gradually, sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170), we become immediately free from all upādhi, designation, and gradually develop our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the instruction of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to spread this knowledge all over the world.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Television Interview -- July 29, 1971, Gainesville:

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa consciousness means that every living being, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has got many expansion. That is called personal expansion and separated expansion. So separated expansions we are, we living entities. But although we are very intimately connected with Kṛṣṇa, somehow or other we are now separated by contact of material nature. So we have practically forgotten that we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Actually that is the fact. And because... Just like a rich man's son. Somehow or other, he has forgotten his father, and he's loitering in the street as a poor man. But actually that is not his position. He has forgotten simply. So our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means we are trying to invoke that original consciousness that he's part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Why he should remain in this material world and suffer the threefold miseries? So we want to revive that original consciousness. The original consciousness is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just like a man born of a lord's family, his title should be the lord's family. But unfortunately, forgetting his own home, he is accepting some menial title. So our whole Vedic literature is meant for that purpose, to revive his original consciousness. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi.

Room Conversation -- July 18, 1971, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: We require help from personalities like you, because it is very important movement, checking a great mistake in the modern world. Modern civilization is very risky. Risky in this sense: that the human form of life is an opportunity for self-realization, but our leaders, they are miseducating that "You are this body." A basic mistake. But I am not this body, but just like you are sitting there, if I take account of your shirt and coat only, not you as a person, then there is a great mistake. Similarly, the modern civilization, education, everything is based on this bodily concept of life. But actually we are not body. Body is my shirt and coat. Mind, intelligence and ego, that is the shirt, finer dress. And this five element body—earth, water, fire, air, ether—this is gross. Just like shirt and coat. Similarly, we are dressed, the spirit soul. The spirit soul is also a measure one ten-thousandth part of the tip of the hair. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very important in this sense, that they are trying to bring people to the constitutional position. A living entity is transmigrating from one body to another, as well in our present body also, we are transmigrating. In my childhood I had a small body. That body is no longer existing, but I am existing. So there is no reason to believe that when I give up this body, I'll not exist. No. I shall exist, but in another body. So people are not interested to make the research work how the soul is working. This is ignorance. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to revive the pure consciousness of the human society so that he can know himself and act accordingly. Then his life is successful.

Interview -- July 29, 1971, Gainesville:

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa consciousness means that every living being, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has got many expansions. That is called personal expansion and separated expansion. So separated expansions we are, we living entities. But although we are very intimately connected with Kṛṣṇa, somehow or other we are now separated by contact of material nature. So we have practically forgotten that we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Actually, that is a fact. And because he forgets, just like a rich man's son, somehow or other he has forgotten his father, and he's loitering in the streets a poor man. But actually that is not his position. He has forgotten simply. So our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means we are trying to invoke that original consciousness that he is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Why he should remain in this material world and suffer the threefold miseries? So we want to revive our original consciousness. The original consciousness is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just like a man born of a lord's family, his title should be the lord family, but unfortunately, forgetting his own home, he's accepting some menial title. So our whole Vedic literature is meant for that purpose, to revive his original consciousness, ahaṁ brahmāsmi.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Interview -- July 5, 1972, New York:

Guest (1): I think religion is what I see right here.

Prabhupāda: Right religion.

Guest (1): I think it's great.

Prabhupāda: Thank you very much. Yes. (laughter). Yes. So, what is our business with this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement? (child makes noise) (aside) This child will disturb. Our, this movement is that we are trying to love Kṛṣṇa. If I love Kṛṣṇa, or God, then naturally I will be obedient to the laws of God. It is not? Just like these, my students, when, say four or five years ago, I came here, I had no student. I was loitering in the street. Nobody was caring for me. Now I have got hundreds and thousands of student. They can do whatever I order. So I did not pay them anything, neither I brought any money from India, but they are executing my order simply out of love. Is it not a fact? Because they have developed a love for me... The reason may be whatever it may be, but unless they have developed love for me, how they can execute my order without any personal profit? Therefore this is first thing required, that religion means to abide by the orders of God. Simple thing. And this obedience to the laws of God will be automatically performed if everyone loves his dormant love for God. We have taken this science. We are teaching everyone how to love God.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Indian Guests -- July 11, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: If you want to remain within this planetary system,... yānti mad-yājino 'pi mām. "And anyone who is engaged in devotional service, he comes to Me," Kṛṣṇa says. So why not go back to Kṛṣṇa? Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). "If one comes to My place, he never comes back again in the material world." That is intelligence. Why not go back to Kṛṣṇa? But they have no intelligence. They're spoiling their life, simply living like cats and dogs. This is the position. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to save them, that "Don't go again to the cats and dogs category; go back to home, back to Kṛṣṇa." There is... Here is the possibility. Kṛṣṇa says. Why don't you take advantage of this? Kṛṣṇa says: janma karma ca me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ: (BG 4.9) "Anyone who tries to understand Me, Kṛṣṇa, what I am..." Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). Simply by understanding Kṛṣṇa, one stops his rebirth in this material form. He goes back to Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are training people that "You have to take another body. So what is the use of taking...? Even if you take the body of demigod, like Brahmā, millions of years age..." That is stated in the Bhag ... ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16).

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Professor Durckheim German Spiritual Writer -- June 19, 1974, Germany:

Prabhupāda: Now, the efficiency, just like medical treatment. If you know what is the end... Āyurvedic treatment it is called nidāna, nidāna, or diagnosis. First of all, before treating a patient you first of all diagnose what is the disease. Then you can give the proper medicine. But these people do not know how to diagnose. The diagnosis is that they must realize the Supreme. That is the disease. Because they have forgotten the Supreme, they are suffering. The symptoms are different. But they are treating only for the symptoms, not for the root cause. And this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to treat the patient from the root cause. They have forgotten God. Let them remember God. Then everything will come into...

Professor Durckheim: There is no disease of the human being which the animal has not, which has not this source. Any kind of human malady and disease which is reserved to the human being has always this source of being separated from the innermost reality.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Not only that. The other than, lower animals, birds, beast, and other, they have no problem. And we have created so many problems. They have no eating problem. Thousands and thousands of sparrows are here. They have no problem of eating. They are very nicely jumping, flying, eating.

Professor Durckheim: And eating each other without complex.

Room Conversation -- June 20, 1974, Germany:

Guest: The process of change of consciousness which is actually taking place in you under many influences, I think.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Guest: Under many influences.

Prabhupāda: No, influence should be only Kṛṣṇa or God. Kṛṣṇa, when we speak of Kṛṣṇa, God, but they have no clear idea what is God. How does He speak, how does He act. Where does He live. What is His form. What is his color. Nobody knows. Ask any religious people, "Do you know about all these?" (tape too faint to hear) (indistinct) If they think about it at all. First of all, generally they think of something impersonal or void. The Buddhists they think God is zero. And others they think God has no form. So, two classes. The Hindus they think God has not particular form, (indistinct). And you can imagine any of them(?) That is Śaṅkara. The pañcopāsanā. But still Śaṅkara is very careful. He has given five particular forms—the Goddess Durgā, Lord Viṣṇu, Lord Siva, the sun. Therefore there are sections—the sun worshipers, the fire worshipers. Originally, (indistinct). That is Vedic culture. Their Vedic culture means many demigods. But the original God is accepted, Viṣṇu. And original to Viṣṇu is Kṛṣṇa. īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Kṛṣṇa also says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). "There is no superior form or authority than Me." That is confirmed by Lord Brahmā, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇah (Bs. 5.1). Kṛṣṇa is controller. There are different grades of controller but the supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says mām ekam, "Unto Me, no one else." Now our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to convince people to give Him our attention, therefore we have published so many books only about Kṛṣṇa. On every page you'll find Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa. Either in Kṛṣṇa Book or in Caitanya-caritāmṛta, or in the Bhāgavatam or in Nectar of Devotion, Teachings of Lord Caitanya. The word(?) is Kṛṣṇa, that is simply explained in the (indistinct).

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Press Conference -- October 2, 1975, Mauritius:

Prabhupāda: So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means we are trying to eradicate this conception of life, bodily conception of life. The animals... An animal, he is also thinking, "I am dog," "I am cat," "I am cow," "I am ass," on account of this bodily concept of life. And if we human beings, we also remain in that bodily concept of life, then we are no better than the animals. So if we remain animals, there cannot be any peace. You bring a dozens of dogs, and if you keep them, they cannot be improved. They will remain as animal. They have no capacity. And if you ask them to live peacefully, it is not possible, because they are animals. Similarly, if we human beings, although we are not animals, but we are not being educated as human being, and therefore we remain as animal, so how there can be any peace? The animal eats; we eat. The animal sleeps; we sleep. The animals have sex life; we have got sex life. The animal defends; we also defend. So if we remain engaged only on the principles of four demands of body, then we remain animal. Our extra education requires that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul." And there is necessity of the soul. If we don't come to this platform, then we remain animals. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means we are trying to bring human being to the platform of spiritual consciousness or real human being.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

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

Prabhupāda: As by chemical process the bell metal can be turned into gold by adding with the mercury.... This is a chemical process. If you can add in the bell metal proportionately mercury, then it will turn into gold. Here is the process given in the śāstra. If you are able to do it, you can do it, turn gold some of these bell metals. So the example is given that as the bell metal, base metal, can be turned into gold by chemical process, similarly, by dīkṣā-vidhānena, by proper initiation by the bona fide spiritual master, everyone can be turned into dvija, twice-born. Dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṛṇam. Nṛṇam means all men. It is not there is no discrimination, that only the Hindus, only the Indians, or only the so-called brāhmaṇas can be turned. Everyone can be turned. That is the injunction. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to do that, trying everyone to become a bona fide brāhmaṇa. Without becoming a brāhmaṇa you cannot become Vaiṣṇava. So this reformatory process is recommended in the śāstras.

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

Prabhupāda: When one comes to the real understanding of his position, then that will continue. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is that. Bringing one to the original position. He's in diseased condition, he's thinking otherwise than servant of Kṛṣṇa. Now this movement is trying to bring everyone to the position that he is eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. It is not a rubberstamp proselytization that "You are Hindu, now you are Christian." Or "You are Christian, now are Hindu." So if he does not know what is his position by simply stamping that he is Hindu or Muslim or Christian, what benefit he will derive?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: The same ignorance. Prabhupāda: If you keep him in the ignorant platform, then what is the benefit of making a Hindu Muslim or Muslim Hindu? That was going on, "holy war," between Christians and the Muslims. Because both of them will die. (chuckles) And they are engaged in holy war. War, but "holy war." "Holy impiety." Artificial change of "ism" will not help. One must know the philosophy of life. One must know what is God. One must learn how to love God. That is real life.

Evening Darsana -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Devotee (4): Śrīla Prabhupāda? The karmī is thinking that service to humanity is the real high platform because...

Prabhupāda: Yes, this is the best service to humanity, to raise them from gross ignorance of animal life. This is best service. People are in gross ignorance of animal life, and Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to raise him from that animal life to spiritual life, that is the best service.

Guest (2): Prabhupāda? Is Kṛṣṇa right here in the room?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Don't you see Kṛṣṇa there? (laughter)

Evening Darsana -- July 13, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Human life is meant for making a solution of all material problems.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: That they do not know. That point is missing that there is another life which is eternal, blissful, life of knowledge. But they have no idea that we can eternally live without birth, death, old age, and disease. There is no information, neither education, but there is a life very... If you get eternal life, then the tribulations of material life no longer are there: birth, death, old age, and disease. But they have no idea or information because there is no intelligent man to understand that there is another life which is eternal, and life of bliss and knowledge. There is no information. That is the defect of the modern civilization, they are living like animals. No intelligence. So actually human life is meant for purifying our existential condition so that we may not be subjected to birth, death, old age, and disease. That they are missing. They do not know, neither there is any education, nor university. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to educate people on that line. It is not a sentimental religious system, it is an educational system. How one can transfer himself to eternal blissful life.

Evening Darsana -- July 13, 1976, New York:

Devotee: Sometimes they say it's just a dream and they say if you are bothering me, and you are just my dream; I don't have to worry about it, I'll have another dream and you'll go away.

Prabhupāda: No but dream is... It may be, but when there is fire, you call it dream, but why do you call fire brigade? When you are diseased why you go to physician? Dream it. (laughter) The major problem is birth, death, and old age, and disease. You do not want that. You must seek the measures. That is human life. Whether birth, death, old age, disease can be stopped? If there is any such life that there is no more birth, death, that is human life. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. That is the Vedānta philosophy: "Now the human life is meant for enquiring about these things." If you don't enquire, then you remain animal. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to save the human society from this animal life. To bring him to the real human life. Animal life means there is suffering—go on suffering. Human life means there is suffering—how to get, how to counteract. That is human life. Suffering—so long you have got this body, there must be suffering.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Darsana and Room Conversation Ramkrishna Bajaj and friends -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Well, saṅga means execution. When you associate with medical association or sharebrokers' association, simply go there and sit down is not your business. You have to do something. You have to do something. Sat-saṅga means that. Tad-yoṣanāt aśu apavarga-vartmani. Sat-saṅga means you have to take the knowledge and use it for practical purpose. That is sat-saṅga. So our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to give the sat-saṅga, opening centers all over the world. If people take advantage of it they'll be benefited. But if he is ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā, then it is very unfortunate. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). This is Kali-yuga. The leaders also do not associate with sat, and they create their own imagination. Sat, oṁ tat sat. Bhagavān is the supreme sat. So they do not care for Bhagavān, so there is no sat-saṅga. Asat-saṅga.

Conversation on Roof -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: We must know what is the suffering. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha (BG 13.9). Duḥkha means suffering. And the real suffering is to take birth and then again die. And between birth and death there is old age and disease. Who can deny it? Where is the scientist. "Yes, we shall end all this nonsense." (chuckling) Nobody can end it. It is not possible. But they are trying. Durāśaya. Hoping something which will never be fulfilled. Is it not? Their material adventure for mitigating suffering, will it be possible? (aside:) Bring some sugar cane, er, sugar candy. The mode of ignorance is very, very bad. Little more advance, mode of passion. Further advanced, mode of knowledge. Further advanced is spiritual position. Just see. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to give the human society the best knowledge and they have combined together to oppose it. How mode of ignorance is prominent. The simple method is to hear about Kṛṣṇa. That's it. Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya (SB 12.3.51). Simple. We have given so many books. Always we should hear about Kṛṣṇa, speak about Kṛṣṇa. Then this base quality, ignorance and passion, will go. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). So wherever you remain, you should continue this. Otherwise māyā will attack. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam. So we should hold classes very repeatedly and preach.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Rayarama -- Seattle 17 October, 1968:

This point should be clearly discussed, that without God conciousness, Krishna Consciousness, any attempt of human civilization so-called philosophical or political or economical or labor, they are all zeros. The human society should be divided as a social order, as the intellectual men, the administrator class, and the mercantile class, and the laborer class. And so far spiritual order, they should be divided as the renounced order of life, retired order of life, householder, and student life. Third point, all these 8 divisions are meant for understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and this Krishna Consciousness movement is meant for teaching this necessities of human civilization. Fourth point, so far the administrator class of men, or mercantile class of men, and laborer class of men, there are many institutions but to train a first class intellectual man, there is no institution all over the world. And there is no institution for spiritual training also. So this Krishna Consciousness movement is trying to help the human society on these two points, which they are lacking. So we have therefore taken a large tract of land to begin with, in W. Virginia, the place is called New Vrindaban. So we want to train students for becoming the first class intellectual person, and instruct the whole human society about the aim of life, and Krishna Consciousness or God consciousness. So we are inviting the desiring or intending students to join in our institution and we invite the public and government to cooperate with our movement.

Letter to Tosana Krsna -- Los Angeles 13 November, 1968:

The beginning of contact with Krishna Consciousness is the beginning of good fortune. That some people may come and others may not, this is also due to association. Suppose a man accidentally comes in contact with our society and gives some service willingly or unwillingly, that is the beginning of his fortunate life. We go from door to door canvassing people to join Krishna Consciousness movement means that we are trying to make them fortunate. Anyone who gives some service to this Krishna Consciousness movement is fortunate proportionately. At least the seed of his fortunate life is sown there. Whether he gives service of some sort, willingly or even unwillingly, the seed is sown, and the fortune will come proportionately. Even if somebody looks shabby and unclean, if he simply says this Krishna Consciousness is very nice thing, even he is not able to take full advantage of it at the time, still he is far more fortunate than any Rockefeller.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Colin Jury -- Columbus, Ohio 12 May, 1969:

Several days ago I got three pairs of boys and girls married, and this married life is different from the material married life. The example is already there in London how six disciples there are all working so nicely in pushing the Krishna Consciousness movement. Actually, we are trying to give real life to the human society by purifying the activities in Krishna Consciousness. The method is very simple: By chanting Hare Krishna one becomes purified immediately and by constant practice, there is no chance of being contaminated again. Please continue to follow there principles, and your life will surely be sublime.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Tittenhurst 15 October, 1969:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated October 10, 1969 with the deeds enclosed. I do not understand the technical language, but I can follow that there is a property in the name of the society. Yes, Krishna is the Proprietor of not only this property, but all the properties of all the universes. He is the Supreme Enjoyer of everything, and He is the most Beloved, Sincere Friend of everybody. That is a fact. People do not know it or they have forgotten it, and our Krishna Consciousness Movement is trying to understand this philosophy and make others understand it. So you are a sincere devotee of Krishna and He has given you a great opportunity of service, perhaps #1 in all the centers. You are the only pioneer center who possess your own property and press. I am so glad to learn that things are going on nicely and Krishna is giving you good income also. Please therefore manage things very nicely, both husband and wife and other assistants. You are also very fortunate to have an assistant like Giriraja. This boy has so quickly taken up the Krishna Consciousness cause and I am very much pleased with his behavior.

1977 Correspondence

Letter to Sri Guptaji -- Bombay 3 January, 1977:

Krishna Consciousness movement is trying to save the people in general, religionists and philosophers, to save them from the downfall. Opening our center means to educate people in this great science. Krishna Consciousness is not a ism or simply blind following. It is based on authority; scientific and logical. I am so glad that you are trying to help us in opening this educational center in Chandigarh. Thank you very much for your help.