Leading (Lectures, SB)

Expressions researched:
"lead" |"leading" |"leads" |"led"

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.5-6 -- London, August 23, 1971:

Prabhupāda: The next verse.

Pradyumna: (leads chanting)

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ

tvayā khalu purāṇāni

setihāsāni cānagha

ākhyātāny apy adhītāni

dharma-śāstrāṇi yāny uta

(SB 1.1.6)

Prabhupāda: This purāṇāni setihāsāni... These Purāṇas... You know, first of all, there is the Veda. Originally, the Veda, Atharva-veda. That is divided now into four: Sāma, Yajur, Atharva, Ṛg. Then all the Vedic instructions are what is called skimmed, concentrated in the Vedānta-sūtra, in one. The Upaniṣads, there are 108 Upaniṣads, and many others. So all the knowledge is concentrated in the Vedānta-sūtra, or Vedānta philosophy. Then again, it is explained for common men by purāṇāni, by Purāṇas.

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

Akhila means "entire." Read the word meanings. (Pradyumna leads synonym recitation)

Lecture on SB 1.2.3 -- Rome, May 27, 1974:

Actually, they are darkness. The material world is darkness. The so-called scholars and teachers, they are also in the darkness, and they are leading other people in the darkness. Because it is darkness, therefore we require sunshine, moonshine and this electricity. As soon as it is covered, the sun is covered, you can experience it is darkness.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- London, August 27, 1971:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Thank you.

Pradyumna: Get the book?

Prabhupāda: Hm? What is that? (Pradyumna leads synonym recitation)

Pradyumna: Translation: "The supreme occupation, or dharma, for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted in order to completely satisfy the self."

Prabhupāda: So here the translation, dharma, I have purposefully given, "occupation." Actually dharma is generally translated by the English word "religion." But religion is misunderstood. It is taken as a faith. Faith I may believe, faith, or may not believe. But actually, dharma does not mean. Dharma means occupation, which you cannot change. Just like a carpenter.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972:

Actual śānti, if anyone wants śānti, as it is described in the previous verse, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). You can execute any type of religious system. It does not matter. But if it is leading you to the ultimate goal of life, bhakti, then you are successful. Why? The next verse says, vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ (SB 1.2.7). Bhakti-yoga, the Adhokṣaja. In the previous verse it has been explained: adhokṣaja. And who is that Adhokṣaja? Adhokṣaja means "that you cannot realize by your sense perception." He's called Adhokṣaja.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

We have got some demands of body—eating, sleeping, mating. That's all right. But don't use it..., don't spoil it by sense gratification. You can eat; there are so many nice thing, kṛṣṇa-prasādam. Why should you eat meat? Why should you eat, drink and all nonsense? Be little frugal. No aindriya prītiḥ, kāmasya nendriya prītiḥ jīvetayāvatā. You simply taste such foodstuff, kṛṣṇa-prasāda, so that you can lead very healthy life and execute your Kṛṣṇa consciousness business. It is not that you have to voluntarily stop and make yourself weak.

Lecture on SB 1.2.15 -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1972:

Blind men, they are leading other blind men. Therefore they are kept in ignorance, and the world is suffering therefore. They do not know what is the goal of life. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). They are trying to adjust things by illusory energy. That's all. Therefore, andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ. It is exactly like the, a blind man is trying to lead other blind men. This is going on.

Lecture on SB 1.2.16 -- Vrndavana, October 27, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa is ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8), Kṛṣṇa is the root of everything. Therefore anything you conceive of, politics, sociology, philosophy, religion, anything, there is adjustment if you become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas tat tad evetaro janaḥ (BG 3.21). Therefore we want some leading personalities to become Kṛṣṇa conscious so that others will follow. So that others will follow. But if we go some leading personality, minister or prime minister, "Oḥ, we are secular. We have rejected Kṛṣṇa." That's all. Nonsense.

Lecture on SB 1.2.18 -- Los Angeles, August 21, 1972:

There are two types of Bhāgavatas, namely the book Bhāgavata and the devotee Bhāgavata. Both the Bhāgavatas are competent remedies, and both of them or either of them can be good enough to eliminate the obstacles. A devotee Bhāgavata is as good as the book Bhāgavata because the devotee Bhāgavata leads his life in terms of the book Bhāgavata and the book Bhāgavata is full of information about the Personality of Godhead and His pure devotees, who are also Bhāgavatas. Bhāgavata book and person are identical.

Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Los Angeles, August 22, 1972:

Bhakti-yoga process means if you take to this process, then immediately, very quickly, within a second, you come to the top floor. Otherwise, you have to go by step by step, one step, two step. Although both the process leading to the target, to the topmost floor, the one is very slow and the other is very quick, immediate.

Lecture on SB 1.2.22 -- Vrndavana, November 2, 1972:

Our life, they are going in two ways. One way is liberation, and the other way is bondage. Just like you have seen the reel. The reel is rolling. One way it is rolling to roll the thread, and another it is giving way to the thread. Similarly, we can lead in two ways, our life, either towards liberation or towards darkness of bondage. This, our human life, by gradual evolutionary process, we come to the human form of life. Now we can move it two ways, either towards liberation or towards bondage.

Lecture on SB 1.2.26 -- Vrndavana, November 6, 1972:

I explained in that meeting that "After many, many births, one is given the opportunity to take birth in this holy land of Bhāratavarṣa. Unfortunately, you people, you are, by force, making them materialist. They had the opportunity to take advantage of the contribution of great sages, ṛṣis, to study and to become a successful human being, but you are, by force, dragging them from that attitude to this materialistic way of life. This is violence. This is violence. What you are speaking of, nonsense, nonviolence? This is violence." So about twenty years ago I was thinking like that. So actually, people are being killed not only in India, but outside also, by these blind leaders. They do not know how to lead people, how to make them happy, how to make them successful in their human form of life.

Lecture on SB 1.2.26 -- Vrndavana, November 6, 1972:

Mumukṣavaḥ, those who are desiring for liberation. But they do not know what is liberation, what is transmigration of the soul, what is soul—nothing. Simply rascals, and they are leading the whole people. They do not know what is liberation. The Darwin's theory, bodily concept of life, but..., and, and anthropology. That is going on in the university. A false theory, without any idea.

Lecture on SB 1.3.20 -- Los Angeles, September 25, 1972:

Education means to lead the people gradually to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is education, God consciousness. Because human life... This is the only life. There are 8,400,000 species of life. This human form of life is the only opportunity to understand God.

Lecture on SB 1.5.11 -- London, September 12, 1973:

We are confident that if the transcendental message of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is received only by the leading men of the world, certainly there will be a change of heart, and naturally the people in general will follow them. The mass of people in general are tools in the hands of the modern politicians and leaders of the people. If there is a change of heart of the leaders only, certainly there will be a radical change in the atmosphere of the world.

Lecture on SB 1.5.12-13 -- New Vrindaban, June 11, 1969:

Suppose you make lips very smiling, but actually that man is smiling? (laughter) Similarly, in India also, the cobbler class men, they, during their life, they will dress very wretchedly, not spend money, but after death they will purchase some velvet and cover the body and very nicely decorate, and with band party they'll take, lead the dead body. Aprāṇasyeva dehasya maṇḍanaṁ loka-rañjanam. So it may be very much pleasing to the relatives.

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

Those who are prepared to do good to the human society, they must have clear vision. Then where is the clear vision? Everyone is becoming leader. Everyone is trying to lead people. But he himself is blind. He does not know what is the end of life. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). So therefore Vyāsadeva can do it because he has clear vision. Nārada certifies. Nārada knows his disciple, what is the position.

Lecture on SB 1.5.17-18 -- New Vrindaban, June 21, 1969:

Now adānta-gobhiḥ. Adānta means uncontrolled. Go means senses. Such activities, impelled by uncontrolled senses, they will lead... Such activities will lead him to the darkest region of hellish condition of life. So activi..., real activity means to elevate yourself. That is, that is called karma. Karma, akarma, and vikarma. Vikarma means such activities will, which will lead him to the hellish condition of life. And karma means that activity which will promote you to the higher standard of life, in the higher planetary system, where the standard of life is far, far greater than in this planet. So that is called karma.

Lecture on SB 1.5.33 -- Vrndavana, August 14, 1974:

The Māyāvādī, they do not know this. They simply stop dancing. They do not know that this ball dancing may lead one to hell, but the chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is not like that. They do not know it. They simply take the negative side: stop dancing. We say "No. No stop it. We shall dance for Kṛṣṇa, we shall eat for Kṛṣṇa, we shall print books for Kṛṣṇa, not newspaper. We shall secure money for printing for Kṛṣṇa."

Lecture on SB 1.5.35 -- Vrndavana, August 16, 1974:

Actually, they were leader. But to pose himself as leader, but cannot control others, (Bengali) gaya mane mora āpni moro(?). Not like that. He must able be to lead them. So although Sanātana Gosvāmī was interested kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau, he was not disinterested with others who were not devotees.

Lecture on SB 1.7.41-42 -- Vrndavana, October 2, 1976:

So this is already explained in the purport that woman's nature is very mild, and man's nature very strong. That is the difference. Therefore according to Vedic civilization, the woman must be protected because they are very simple. They can be led to goodness also very easily, and they can be polluted also very easily. By nature, they are very simple. Therefore śāstra says that... Just like child. If you mold the character of a child from the very beginning, then he can become a great man. Similarly, if you train woman from the very beginning how to become chaste and faithful to the husband, they can become a very good mother, very good asset in the family.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- Chicago, July 4, 1974 :

(leads Sanskrit word-for-word with devotees responding) This is a prayer offered by Kuntī to Kṛṣṇa. After finishing the battle of Kurukṣetra, when Kṛṣṇa was leaving for His own kingdom, Dvārakā, at that time He went to take blessings from Kuntī. Kuntī happened to be Kṛṣṇa's aunt, father's sister. So He went to take leave from aunt.

Lecture on SB 1.8.36 -- Mayapura, October 16, 1974:

Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). Then why people are leading in that way, the so many political leaders, social leaders? Nobody speaks of Kṛṣṇa. They are simply making plan... This party, the Communist Party, is making one plan. The other party is making plan; another party... But the world is suffering.

Lecture on SB 1.8.36 -- Mayapura, October 16, 1974:

Śṛṇvanti means "hears." Simply hear. And gāyanti. So... Just like we say "Hare Kṛṣṇa," and all repeat, "Hare Kṛṣṇa." Gāyanti. Śṛṇvanti. First of all hear: Hare Kṛṣṇa. The leading, I mean to, singer, he says, "Hare Kṛṣṇa," and we repeat, "Hare Kṛṣṇa." So śṛṇvanti gāyanti. Very simple method. Śṛṇvanti gāyanti gṛṇanti. And takes it very seriously, accept: "Yes, this principle will alleviate all my sufferings."

Lecture on SB 1.8.40 -- Los Angeles, May 2, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa gives, gives assurance that, as soon as one surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, He immediately squares up all account. All your sinful activities finished now. Finished. Now you begin new life. That is called initiation. But don't commit anymore.

Therefore we take promise from our disciples that "Now the account is squared up. Whatever sinful life you led, that is closed now. Without any payment, I close. Now don't commit any more." That is nāma-aparādha. If you, if we think that kṛṣṇa-nāma, the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, can, I mean to say nullify so many sinful activities, so if I commit little sinful activity and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, it will be nullified.

Lecture on SB 1.9.40 -- New York, May 22, 1973:

Our difficulty is these rascals are going on as scholar, dehātma-buddhiḥ. Their life is bodily concept of life and they are passing as scientists, scholars, leaders, politicians and they are leading us andhā yathāndhair. They are blind and they are leading us, so we have, we are also put into difficulty. So only this Kṛṣṇa Consciousness movement can save the human civilization and get him raised to the platform of the gopīs. We have got such nice thing, these gopīs' unalloyed Kṛṣṇa love. That is wanted.

Lecture on SB 1.10.14 -- Mayapura, June 27, 1973:

English transliteration is there. It is not very difficult. Simply if you practice twice, thrice, four times, it will come exactly, the pronunciation. You have to learn the diacritic marks. Then it will be all right. Word meaning. (Pradyumna leads chanting)

Lecture on SB 1.13.10 -- Geneva, June 1, 1974:

Nitāi: (leads chanting, etc.) Translation: "My Lord, devotees like your good self are verily holy places personified. Because you carry the Supreme Personality of Godhead within your heart, you turn all places into places of pilgrimage."

Prabhupāda:

bhavad-vidhā bhāgavatās

tīrtha-bhūtāḥ svayaṁ vibho

tīrthī-kurvanti tīrthāni

svāntaḥ-sthena gadābhṛtā

(SB 1.13.10)

So tīrthī, tīrtha. Tīrtha means holy place of pilgrimage. In every religion there is the system that the followers, they go to the holy place of pilgrimage. Just like in India, there are many holy places: Gayā, Prayāga, Mathurā, Vṛndāvana, Haridvar, Rāmeśvaram, Jagannātha Purī, Navadvīpa. Many. Some of them are very prominent, and still there are many nonprominent.

Lecture on SB 1.15.27 -- New York, March 6, 1975:

This is the golokera... This is the proof, that this hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana, golokera prema-dhana, it is the property for loving. It is the thing which will lead you how to love God, prema-dhana. You will gradually develop your propensity to love Kṛṣṇa. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12).

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

Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). They are themselves blind, and they are accepting a leader who is also blind. So what will be the profit? If you are led by... You are blind, and if you are led by another blind man, then what will be the profit? Both of you will fall down in the ditch. That is going on.

Lecture on SB 1.15.42 -- Los Angeles, December 20, 1973:

If the president does not know, how the people will know? Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhaḥ lokas tad anuvartate (BG 3.21). Śreṣṭha, the chief man, the leader Just like I am leading this society, so what I shall do, naturally it will be followed: "Prabhupāda does it." So that is applicable everywhere. So if the president knows what is God, how to trust Him... Why shall I trust unless I know you properly? It is natural. If somebody says, "Trust this man," so my next question, "I must first of all know this man; then I shall trust." Similarly, if you do not know what is God, what is the meaning of your trust? It is all childish, slogan. Therefore the condition is so deteriorated.

Lecture on SB 1.16.12 -- Los Angeles, January 9, 1974:

Just like one blind man leads other blind man. So what he will get, knowledge? So therefore, according to Vedic civilization, it is enjoined, it is ordered, that "If you want to take knowledge," tad-vijñānārtham, "to understand the complete science," tad-vijñānārtham, "the spirit," sa gurum eva abhigacchet, "oḥ, you must approach a bona fide guru." Otherwise there is no knowledge. That is not knowledge.

Lecture on SB 1.16.17 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1974:

Rājarṣi Yudhiṣṭhira wanted to keep himself on the position of rājarṣi. And because he kept himself on the position of rājarṣi, therefore he was able to punish the Kali. Because at the present moment there is no rājarṣi, all rascals and fools and animals are on the top of government, they cannot see what is Kali. They cannot see. Because he is also one of the members of the Kali. How he can see? Therefore the whole world is now being led by the Kali's agent. So they cannot check. Here it is said that nātidūre kilāścaryaṁ yad āsīt tan nibodha me. Suppose if you are not yourself in healthy condition, you cannot understand what is unhealthy condition. If you are not a scientist, you cannot see how the other thing is not scientific.

Lecture on SB 1.16.24 -- Hawaii, January 20, 1974:

If food comes, by God's grace, they will eat; otherwise no, they'll not go anywhere. Completely dependent: "If God gives, then I shall eat. Otherwise we shall not endeavor." This is our first endeavor, what to eat, where to live, where to sleep, where to have sex life. This is our all endeavor. They stop all this endeavor. That is spiritual life. Stop everything. That is called... And I am going in a secluded place and thinking, "How many women I have hunted." What is this nonsense? Eh? And showing, "I have become very much advanced. I am leader." And my leading is I'm thinking of woman. That's all. And money.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- New York, April 10, 1969:

Devotees: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.

Prabhupāda: Yes? (Prabhupāda leads devotees in chanting SB 2.1.1-5)

Prabhupāda: Again from the beginning, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (devotees chant ślokas in unison. Prabhupāda corrects them in third verse) So Gargamuni, you can read where you left yesterday.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Delhi, November 4, 1973:

Everything is there. But we have become so unfortunate, led by rascal and fools leaders, that we are missing the opportunity of this human form of life where we can solve all the problems of life, and the indications are there, here in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Vrndavana, March 17, 1974:

Or mental speculation. They are materialistic. There are so many big, big so-called sādhus, saintly persons, simply busy on mental speculation. They are not perfect. And those who are busy in understanding the bodily concept of life, they are also materialistic. The difficulty is that these, these materialistic persons, in different forms, they are accepted as the leaders. They are accepted as leader, as politician, as sociologist, as philosopher, mental speculator, or so-called incarnation of God, and magician, yogis, so many things. They are leading the whole society at the present moment. Therefore people are in chaotic condition.

Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Paris, June 12, 1974:

You are working so hard, day and night, very busy, going this side, that side, this side, that side, and getting money, and leading a life like hog. What is this civilization? This is not civilization. Then what is civilization? That is also said, tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). This is Ṛṣabhadeva's instruction to His sons. "My dear boys, this life, this human form of life, is not meant for wasting like hogs and dogs, but tapasya, just have little restraint.

Lecture on SB 2.1.4 -- Vrndavana, March 19, 1974:

So our real problem is how to revive our original, eternal life. That is struggle. The modern people, scientists, philosophers, they even do not know what is our original constitutional position, and... Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). I do not die, even after the destruction of this body. These things are unknown. And still, they are posing themselves as leader of the society. Therefore the śāstra says, andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ: (SB 7.5.31) "One blind man is leading several other blind men." Te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ: "They do not know that they are bound up by the laws of nature very tight, hands and legs." There is no question of freedom.

Lecture on SB 2.1.6 -- Paris, June 14, 1974:

In Bengal there is a proverb, it is called bhajana kara sādhana kara murte janle hoya.(?) Means you may be very big stalwart spiritualist or yogis, or there are so many big, big things, so whatever you do, that is all right. Because they say that "Everything is leading to the Supreme, this way or that way." That has been described here, sāṅkhya-yoga, karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga or dhyāna-yoga. So many things they have manufactured, that's all right. And you say that "Whatever path we may follow, ultimately we go to the same goal." That is very nice, provided if you actually go to the same goal. Otherwise, it is misleading. That is describe here, that never mind. You say that "Whatever path one may take, it leads to the same goal."

Lecture on SB 2.1.7 -- Paris, June 15, 1974:

I am such a leader. I am such a fool. I do not know my own benefit, and I want to become leader to lead others for benefit of life.' " Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). A blind man, he does not think that he's blind. How he can lead others, other blind men? But this is cheating. All these leaders, so-called rascal leaders, they are blind themselves. They do not know what is the aim of life, and they're becoming leader. And the leader, blind leader, and the blind follower, they're all going to hell. This is the position of the world.

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

Just like a blind man is leading other blind men. What he'll do? If a blind man says, "Come on. Come along with me. I shall cross you this road." What is the benefit of this assurance? He is blind himself. Therefore in spite of so much endeavor in the United Nations for the last twenty or twenty-five years, there is no solution. Simply the flags are increasing. Instead of becoming united, the flags are increasing. I have got practical experience.

Lecture on SB 2.3.1 -- Los Angeles, May 19, 1972:

Just like one blind man is speaking other blind men, "Please follow me. I shall lead you to the right path." "But you are blind yourself, and we are also blind. What will be the help?" But no, they will follow. In our country, Gandhi promised that "I shall give you independence in one year, if you follow me—non-violence, non-cooperation." People followed, but it took thirty years. But actually, that is not independence. So these politicians, especially, they mislead us. Not only politicians, the so-called yogis, so-called... So many things. Real leader is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 2.3.1-4 -- Los Angeles, May 24, 1972:

Enhance your love for Kṛṣṇa without any condition. That is required. So these worship of different demigods are recommended in the scripture, not to mislead him, but to lead him gradually to the higher stage, to lead him to the higher stage. Because the demigods are considered different limbs of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on SB 2.3.1-4 -- Los Angeles, May 24, 1972:

Prabhupāda: You can read the śloka number 8 also. Dharmārtha uttama-ślokaṁ tantuḥ tanvan pitṟn yajet. (Pradyumna leads chanting of text 8.)

Devotee: Jaya Śrī Guru.

Prabhupāda: Have kīrtana.

Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. (devotees offer obeisances)

Prabhupāda: Vibration of this mantra will purify. Even if we do not understand the meaning, try to vibrate the mantra.

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

Blind man leading other blind men. If one has eyes to see, he can lead hundreds and thousands of men, "Please come along with me. I shall cross the road." But if the man leading, he is himself blind, how he can lead others? Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ. So Bhāgavata, there is no comparison. There cannot be. It is transcendental science. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ (SB 7.5.31). Īśa-tantryām, these blind leaders, they are bound up by the laws of material nature, and they are giving advice. What advice they can give? Then? Go on.

Lecture on SB 2.3.19 -- Los Angeles, June 15, 1972:

So this is the verdict of... That means one who does not know whom to eulogize, whom to give honor, they give votes to these classes of men, without any knowledge of Kṛṣṇa. They are becoming the great philosophers, leaders, scientists. They have no knowledge of Kṛṣṇa, no knowledge of God. Still, they are leading the society. And who praise them? This class of men-dogs, hogs, camels, and asses. This is the verdict. Now you can challenge.

Lecture on SB 2.3.19 -- Los Angeles, June 15, 1972:

Vote should be taken from the highly elevated persons, not from the lower-class dogs and asses. What is the value of their vote? What they can select? Vote should be taken... Just like Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wanted that Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira should be on the throne. That is vote. So nowadays, a vote is franchised. Any common man, any rascal can vote. So how he can elect nice man? That is not possible. Therefore, if you want real government who can lead you back to home, back to Godhead...

Lecture on SB 2.3.22 -- Los Angeles, June 19, 1972:

Spiritual knowledge must be developed by a combination of theoretical and practical knowledge, and that is the guaranteed way for attainment of spiritual perfection. The training of devotional service for a neophyte devotee completely depends on the expert spiritual master who knows how to lead his disciple to make gradual progress towards the path back home, back to Godhead.

Lecture on SB 2.3.24 -- Los Angeles, June 22, 1972:

Primitive life ... It gives you anxiety-free life, and therefore, even if you take it as primitive, the saintly persons, sages, they used to live long, long years, and their brain was so sharp, because they were taking natural food, fruits, grains, and milk that helps to develop human brain for understanding subtle subject matter. So even Vyāsadeva... You have seen the picture of Vyāsadeva. He's writing books just near a cottage only. But he's writing. Nobody can create such literature. But he was leading very simple life, in a cottage. Even, say, 2,000 years ago or little more, there was Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita, he was a brāhmaṇa, but great politician. His politics are studied even now in M.A. class. And because he was a great politician, diplomat, under his name in our India, in New Delhi, the capital, there is a neighborhood which is called Cāṇakya Purī, and all the foreign embassies are there.

Lecture on SB 2.9.4-8 -- Tokyo, April 23, 1972:

In Western countries they sleep twelve o'clock. As soon as there was kīrtana, half-naked he used to come in New York. He used to complain, Mr. Chudy, "Oh, it is..." "Mr. Chudy, sir, I cannot do anything. You request them." That was being done in our 26 Avenue. Always police complaint, police used to come. But we did not stop. So things should be learned. We have got so many books, everything is there. Now here is tapasya. Akhila-loka-tāpanam. Akhila-loka. The whole universe became perturbed by the tapasya of Brahmā. Now go on. You finished all reading? Yes. (more devotees lead chanting of verse 8, Śrīla Prabhupāda giving corrections in pronunciation)

Lecture on SB 2.9.9 -- Tokyo, April 25, 1972, Informal Class in Room:

Śyāmasundara: And every time she tried to have a child, because they lead such a decadent life, she has miscarriage every time.

Prabhupāda: That means she has got syphilitic poison. Girls who cannot bear child means there is syphilitic poison. Either the man has got syphilitic poison or the woman has got syphilitic poison. And for these men, syphilis is not very uncommon.

Lecture on SB 3.25.1 -- Bombay, November 1, 1974:

So actually the human life is meant for that purpose, because sense gratification, material happiness, the hogs also, they are enjoying. The enjoying... The hog is also whole day and night searching after stool, and after eating stool, when they get some strength, then sex without any discrimination of mother or sister or anyone. Hog's life. Therefore śāstra says, "Don't lead a hog's life." Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). Vid-bhujām means the stool-eater.

Lecture on SB 3.25.3 -- Bombay, November 3, 1974:

Andha means blind man. If one blind man is trying to lead other blind men, then what is the benefit? The leader is blind and the follower is blind. Then there will be no result. They do not know... Īśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. They are tied. They are tied hands and legs by īśa-tantra, by the regulative principles of the nature.

Lecture on SB 3.25.8 -- Bombay, November 8, 1974:

Unless you are free from the reaction of all sinful life, you cannot understand what is bhakti, what is Bhagavān. Therefore puṇya-karmaṇām. Janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. We should act piously. Piously means we must first of all give up impious activities: illicit sex life, meat-eating, drinking and gambling. Then you can lead pious life. Then you can understand what is God. Mean... These things are... Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means training people to become pious to understand Kṛṣṇa and make his life successful.

Lecture on SB 3.25.9 -- Bombay, November 9, 1974:

In order to get knowledge, we have to find out some leader. And actually, by our experience, whatever we're doing... Just like we got independence. So there was a leader, Mahatma Gandhi. He led the country. Then you came to your national consciousness, and you combined together, and the Britishers went away. The opinion was against them. So there must be leader. And that leader is a person. That leader cannot be an imperson. No. That is not possible.

Lecture on SB 3.25.10 -- Bombay, November 10, 1974:

This opportunity's given, but if you do not use it properly, you use it as cats and dogs and hogs, then the..., by nature's law, you will get the body next life cats and dogs and hogs. You eat even stool. Because you had no discrimination in eating, the "All right, you can now eat..." the pig's body, hog's body you get, and eat even up to stool. That opportunity is given. And you have sex life with your mother and sister. You see hog's life. They have no sex discrimination. They do not discriminate, "It is..., she is my mother," or "She is my sister." No. So this is hog's life. Therefore śāstra says that "Don't be foolish to lead a life like hogs."

Lecture on SB 3.25.13 -- Los Angeles, November 10, 1968:

Yoga system means to lead one to the ultimate benediction. And ādhyātmikaḥ. Ādhyātmikaḥ means "pertaining to the soul." Yoga, practice of yoga, does not mean to gain some material profit. Actually, those who have attained to perfection to some extent in the yoga process... The yoga process which is very much advertised in your country, that is more or less bodily exercise. Yoga process is very difficult for the modern age.

Lecture on SB 3.25.13 -- Bombay, November 13, 1974:

Nitāi: (leads chanting, etc.) "The Personality of Godhead answered: The yoga system which relates to the Lord and the individual soul, which is meant for the ultimate benefit of the living entity, and which causes detachment from all happiness and distress in the material world, is the highest yoga system."

Prabhupāda:

yoga ādhyātmikaḥ puṁsāṁ

mato niḥśreyasāya me

atyantoparatir yatra

duḥkhasya ca sukhasya ca

(SB 3.25.13)

Everyone in this material world trying to mitigate or trying to become free from the distress. Duḥkhasya. Ātyantika-duḥkha-nivṛtti. Ātyantika means supreme. The struggle for existence in this material world is everyone is trying to get some happiness and minimize the quantity of distress. This is called struggle for existence.

Lecture on SB 3.25.18 -- Bombay, November 18, 1974:

Nitāi: (leads chanting, etc.) Translation: "In that position of self-realization, by practice of knowledge and renunciation in devotional service, one sees everything in the right perspective; he becomes indifferent to material existence, and the material influence acts less powerfully upon him."

Prabhupāda:

jñāna-vairāgya-yuktena

bhakti-yuktena cātmanā

paripaśyaty udāsīnaṁ

prakṛtiṁ ca hataujasam

(SB 3.25.18)

The conditioned state of life means influence of material nature. When we are very much influenced by the material nature... We have already discussed: guṇa. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya (BG 13.22). Material nature means the three guṇas, three material qualities: ignorance, passion and goodness. Goodness is better than the other two qualities, ignorance and passion.

Lecture on SB 3.25.24 -- Bombay, November 24, 1974:

Unfortunately, they do not know that there is life after death, but they do not know what kind of life is going to happen next after death. They are blind, andha. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). The leaders are also blind. And they are leading them. They are also blind. Especially in this age, the human society is in great danger. They do not care what is next. But there is next life. We get it, information, from Kṛṣṇa: tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). Dehāntara-prāptiḥ there is. How you can deny it? The authority says. And we have got experience also.

Lecture on SB 3.25.31 -- Bombay, December 1, 1974:

Susukhaṁ kartum avyayam. And avyayam. Avyayam means not deteriorating. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. If you execute even partially, it has got so potency that it will lead you more and more to the ultimate goal of life. This is called perfect sāṅkhya-yoga.

Lecture on SB 3.26.16 -- Bombay, December 25, 1974:

When you are in high fever, then your so-called mastership is gone. You are under the mastership of the feverish condition. Similarly, we spirit soul, although we are better in quality than the material element... That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parām, jīva-bhūtām: "The jīva, living entities, they are better quality than the material elements." But still, on account of his viparyayo 'smṛtiḥ, forgetting God—we are leading a different type of civilization or different type of life—therefore we have been subjected to the influence of time. This is Kṛṣṇa's, or God's, influence.

Lecture on SB 3.26.22 -- Bombay, December 31, 1974:

Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, therefore, says, māyār bośe, jāccho bhese': "You rascal, you are going, floating under the spell of māyā." Khāccho hābuḍubu bhāi: "And sometimes you are drowned and sometimes in the up by the tricks of the waves. Why you are leading such life?" Jīv kṛṣṇa-dās, e biśwās, korle to' ār duḥkho nāi: "You come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and try to understand that you are eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa; you are being carried away by the whims of māyā. So that will make you happy."

Lecture on SB 3.26.26 -- Bombay, January 3, 1975:

Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ. Andha, and the leaders, they are also leading in that way. "Give up this Vedic culture. Throw away." The leaders say openly that "Throw away your śāstras in the water. No more śāstra.

Lecture on SB 3.26.26 -- Bombay, January 3, 1975:

Now you take to industry, technology, if you want to become happy just like the Americans, like the Europeans." So the leaders, such leaders, have been described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, andha. Andha means blind. They do not know how to lead people, what is the aim of life. The aim of life is not to understand or learn some technical knowledge by which we can make some bodily comforts. That is not aim of life.

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

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.

Lecture on SB 3.26.41 -- Bombay, January 16, 1975:

If you want to understand Kṛṣṇa or if anyone wants to understand Kṛṣṇa perfectly, tattvataḥ, in truth, then he has to understand it through bhakti, not any other process, although there are many other processes, different ways. Some so-called philosophers, they say that "We can adopt any process. It leads to the same goal." That's all right, provided you make progress. Then you'll reach to the same goal. But if you become stuck up with the process only, you do not make progress, then it does not lead to the same goal.

Lecture on SB 3.26.41 -- Bombay, January 16, 1975:

If you cross fifty steps, you are in a certain position. If you cross sixty steps... In this way, the final may be hundred steps. So unless you go to the hundredth step, the final position is not attained, although it is leading to the same goal. Therefore we have to make progress. From karma-kāṇḍa we have to learn what is the actual position of karma-kāṇḍa, why we are engaged in karma-kāṇḍa.

Lecture on SB 3.26.43 -- Bombay, January 18, 1975:

Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the friend of everyone." But we are taking the place of Kṛṣṇa, leadership. I am declaring to my countrymen, to my follower, that "I am your friend." So actually, I cannot be friend because I do not know what is the goal of life. I cannot lead them properly. Some immediate convenience we can offer, and people, being less intelligent, they are after immediate profit. It is called preyas.

Lecture on SB 4.14.14 -- November 16, 1971, Delhi:

Luxury leads to poverty. So we should be very much careful. Don't think that "Because I am now initiated, I am chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, now everything is guaranteed. Now I shall do whatever I like." No. Then it will deteriorate.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1976:

So in this way if we lead our life, then this life will be successful, and then the result will be yasmād brahma-saukhyam (SB 5.5.1). Brahma-saukhyam. Here brahma-saukhyam may be interpreted, as Māyāvādī says, brahma-sukha, brahma-lim. This is also brahma-lin, brahma-sukha, but it is not the Māyāvādī philosophy.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- Bombay, March 25, 1977:

Guest (2): As we heard in the beginning, one of the principal statements that a man goes on the motor train, stands there for two hours, reaches his place of business, and work there from nine o'clock in the morning to five o'clock in the evening, returns back, has his food and sex and all that. I found many a people who have worked very hard, raised children very nicely, have sex, but lead a good life. I don't think there is anything wrong with that.

Prabhupāda: Yes, if there is no wrong, it is all right. But this sort of life is not very palatable.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 13, 1975:

Acyutānanda: How can the world survive when people forget their karma and immerse themselves in Kṛṣṇa consciousness? Won't it lead to inaction and a stand-still condition?

Prabhupāda: What is that? (laughter)

Pancadravida: If they stop their karma and take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, everything will stand still.

Prabhupāda: Nothing stands still. We are not karmīs. At least, we are not doing anything. We go and become guests of Pittieji and he does everything.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Johannesburg, October 22, 1975:

The material energy's business is to keep us in slumber without any pure knowledge. This is material energy. So if we keep ourself within the material energy, that will lead us more and more in the darkest region of hellish condition of life. Tamo-dvāraṁ yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam. Those who are too much materially affected, to associate with such person means you remain within the material energy.

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

So these inquiries made him Buddha, Lord Buddha, by meditation. That is his pastime. That means one should understand by nature study, why this man is diseased, why this man is old, why this man is suffering. Then bodhayantaḥ parasparam, then the inquisitiveness can lead him to the proper knowledge.

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

These rascals, these leaders, they will simply mislead you. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās (SB 7.5.31). They are blind. They do not know how to live. They do not know. Therefore Kṛṣṇa personally comes: "All right. I shall lead you. Take My advice, take My instruction, and ultimately surrender unto Me. Then I'll lead you back to home, back to Godhead." Thank you very much. (end)

Lecture on SB 5.5.31 -- Vrndavana, November 18, 1976:

We are suffering. Therefore Ṛṣabhadeva said—we have already studied that—na sādhu manye yata ātmano 'yam asann api kleśa-da āsa dehaḥ. The mode of life which we are leading, it is not good. It is foolishness that we simply wasting our life like the animals—āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca—and for maithuna and sense gratification we are doing everything like a madman.

Lecture on SB 5.6.1 -- Vrndavana, November 23, 1976:

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) "Translation: King Parīkṣit asked Śukadeva Gosvāmī: My dear Lord, for those who are completely pure in heart, knowledge is attained by the practice of bhakti-yoga, and attachment for fruitive activity is completely burned to ashes. For such people, the powers of mystic yoga automatically arise. They do not cause distress. Why, then, did Ṛṣabhadeva neglect them?"

Prabhupāda:

na nūnaṁ bhagava ātmārāmāṇāṁ yoga-samīrita-jñānāvabharjita-karma-bījānām aiśvaryāṇi punaḥ kleśadāni bhavitum arhanti yadṛc-chayopagatāni

(SB 5.6.1)

So ātmārāmāṇām, ātmārāmāṇām, self-satisfied. There are two kinds of men: ātmārāma and apaśyatām atmā-tattvam (SB 2.1.2)—one who does not know what is the soul and what is the business of the soul. Apaśyatām atmā-tattvam (SB 2.1.2). Ātma-tattvam... First of all, one has to understand that "I am not this body. I am ātmā, soul. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi." Then we fix up our business. If I do not know what I am... Sanātana Gosvāmī approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu: grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita, satya kari māni āpanāra hitāhita kichui nā jāni. This is going on. So-called learned philosophers, scientist, educationist—people call them learned scholars. But Sanātana Gosvāmī refused to accept. He said, grāmya-vyavahāre kahaye paṇḍita satya kari māni. That is our nature. Just like a beggar comes, he gives his blessing, "Sir, you become king. You become opulent. You...," so on, so on. So he thinks, "Now this beggar is blessing me. I may be... It may be I become a king. 'All right, you take some rupees.' " So this is not... They do not know atmā-tattvam. They think that "This beggar's blessing will make me happy." No. One should know atmā-tattvam and act accordingly.

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

"So what kind of atonement I have to do?" So the bhaṭṭācārya advised him that "You take one kilo of lead and melt it and drink it, and that is your atonement." You see? So he said, "How it is possible?" "This is the atonement for such sinful activity. Yes." Just see.

Lecture on SB 6.1.7 -- Honolulu, June 15, 1975, Sunday Feast Lecture:

The Nawab called him one day and took little water from his pot and sprinkled, and it was the law, "He has become Muhammadan, he has become Muhammadan." So he went to a bhaṭṭācārya, "So what is the atonement? Now I have become Muhammadan." Just see the conception. And the bhaṭṭācārya said that "You drink one pound of molten lead." "How it is possible?" "That is the atonement." So in this way he was baffled. He went to Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He was very respectable man. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu laughed, that "This the condition of the Hindu society."

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- New York, August 1, 1971:

Nothing of the sort. But immediately, simply by accepting Kṛṣṇa consciousness, just see how they are nice. Practical proof. Now bring any yogi, any jñānī, any person undergoing severe penances, and compare with these boys and girls. He'll fail. This is practical... Simply by accepting this devotional service, kevala-bhakti, without waiting for the other penance. They're already under penance. They're already leading the life of celibacy. They have already controlled the senses. They have already controlled the mind. They're giving in charity.

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

The layman, what he can understand? If you say, physician, "Oh, how I can understand this physician?" How you can understand? You are not a physician. You become a physician, then you will understand what kind of physician he is. So when you become devotee, you will understand what kind of devotee is Tulasi. So long you are not devotee, you cannot understand. Don't expect. Therefore we have to accept the authority. That is beginning. Śāstra says, "Tulasi is the greatest devotee of Kṛṣṇa." We have to accept, that's all. Authority. How she is so great devotee, that you will understand when you become a devotee. You come to the platform; then you will understand, not before. Now chant. (kīrtana) (Prabhupāda leads prema-dhvāṇī)

Lecture on SB 6.1.19 -- Honolulu, May 19, 1976:

We want to be cheated, and there are so many cheaters. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. The Bhāgavata has discussed everything. These rascals are andhā, blind, and one blind man is promising to lead other blind men. So what will be the result? If one man is not blind, he can lead hundreds of blind men. That is fact. But if the leader is also blind, then what is the use of leading such blind men? So that is discussed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:

na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ

durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ

andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās

te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ

(SB 7.5.31)

Īśa tantra, by the laws of nature or laws of God... Laws of nature means laws of God. They accept, "By nature it is..." But they do not know who is behind this nature. That is intelligence. Nature is dead matter. It cannot... Just like this microphone. This is matter, material. What is that? Some iron, some other thing, some wood, some... But this iron-wood combination cannot take place and become a microphone. No. There is a life behind this iron and wood, and he has manufactured. Therefore it is working.

Lecture on SB 6.1.41-42 -- Surat, December 23, 1970:

Revatīnandana: And then in the Eighteenth Chapter there are different qualities described, and the qualities in the mode of goodness are said to be leading to self-realization. So is there a distinction between that mode of goodness described in the Eighteenth Chapter and the Fourteenth Chapter?

Prabhupāda: No. Goodness is a chance. If you acquire... Just like if you become a graduate, there is chance of becoming a lawyer. But if you do not become a lawyer, you remain only graduate. That's all. But without becoming graduate they cannot enter to be a lawyer. Similarly, goodness is the qualification of a brāhmaṇa. A brāhmaṇa has a chance. When you are qualified, you are following the

Lecture on SB 6.1.42 -- Los Angeles, July 23, 1975:

So all these śāstras, all these Vedas, all this knowledge, they are simply leading to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). But in the Kali-yuga it is very difficult to go step by step. People are so fallen, so much engrossed in rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa. Therefore, by the mercy of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He has empowered the holy name of God, that simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra you can make equal progress than in other ages. Kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt.

Lecture on SB 6.1.56-62 -- Surat, January 3, 1971, at Adubhai Patel's House:

A prostitute should, I mean to say, comb her hair in that way so that people can understand she is prostitute and she is chaste woman. And this sindūra, the red, red lead, these were the signs. A vidava, one who has no husband, they should wear without any skirt, sari without any skirt, vidava, without any bangles. So people will understand, "This woman is without husband," "This woman is prostitute," "This woman is chaste woman," "This woman is not married," "This woman's husband is away from home." So different dresses. Proṣita-bhartṛkā. Proṣita-bhartṛkā. The name was... A woman whose husband is away from home, she should not dress very nicely. She should not comb her hair. That is the system. There are so many systems.

Lecture on SB 6.2.1-5 -- Calcutta, January 6, 1971:

If the head..., the heads of the society, whatever they do, general people follow them. Yad yad ācarati śreyān. Śreyān means the leading personality. Yad yad ācarati śreyān itaras tat tad īhate. And the general public, they follow them. Sa yat pramāṇaṁ kurute. What the leaders accept as good, the general public they also accept so. Sa yat pramāṇaṁ kurute lokas tad anuvartate. Pitaraḥ. Pitṛ iva pālakaḥ. Now, here the government or the king is compared with the father. That is the position of father.

Lecture on SB 6.2.4 -- Vrndavana, September 8, 1975:

Practically we are seeing. So that is required, yad yad ācarati śreyān, a class of men. Maybe minority; it doesn't matter. But their ideal behavior, character, will lead other people to appreciate: "Yes. We should be like this." Now, who was telling this night? I think Praṇava was telling that some friend has told that in the Western countries they are appreciating this movement because I have stopped amongst my members this intoxication. There are.

Lecture on SB 6.2.11 -- Allahabad, January 16, 1971:

Similarly, there are twenty kinds of viṁśati-prakāśa-dharma-śāstra. How one can live faithfully, religiously, the directions are there in twenty kinds of scriptures made by Parāśara, Manu, and many other sages. There are different types. So therefore it is said here that na niṣkṛtair uditair brahma-vādibhiḥ. Brahma-vādibhiḥ. Brahma-vādī means those who are trying to lead persons to realize Brahman. The whole direction of the Vedic injunction is to understand that "I am not this material body; I am spirit soul." And in order to understand this factual position there are so many directions in the dharma-śāstra or religious scriptures. And you'll find here the Yamadūta or Yamarāja will speak, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19).

Lecture on SB 6.2.24-25 -- Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971:

When people addressed Him that "You are Kṛṣṇa..." Sanātana Gosvāmī some..., tactfully addressed Him, "Kṛṣṇa." One who directly addressed Him, "Kṛṣṇa"—immediately He used to close His ears like this: "Viṣṇu, Viṣṇu, Viṣṇu. Why you are speaking like that? Why you are addressing an ordinary man as Kṛṣṇa?" This is the teaching. And if you say, "Oh, Swamijī Mahārāja, you are Kṛṣṇa," and if I accept that "Oh, yes, I am Kṛṣṇa," then I am greater fool. You are a fool, I am also fool. Is it not? How one can accept that he is Kṛṣṇa, he is greater than Kṛṣṇa? Then he's a greater fool. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ: (SB 7.5.31) "One blind man is leading many other blind men." And that is the position. We have got manufactured so many incarnation. Still, there are so many, this mother, that father, this, that, so many. You know prac... Yes. All incarnation.

Lecture on SB 6.3.16-17 -- Gorakhpur, February 10, 1971:

Guest (2): Kṛṣṇa consciousness leads to the Supreme.

Prabhupāda: That is the highest perfection.

Guest (2): That is... When your Divine Grace asked, I told that "Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the beginning. That leads to Kṛṣṇa-prema." Then, naturally, Kṛṣṇa-prema should be superior to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Prabhupāda: No superior.

Guest (2): Because that is means, and that is the end.

Prabhupāda: Just like the mango has got a different feature when it is not ripened, and the same mango, when it is ripened, it has got a different feature. That's all. The process is to the ripened stage. It is... But all the same, it is a mango. It's a mango.

Lecture on SB 6.3.16-17 -- Gorakhpur, February 10, 1971:

Devotee (1): I mean if Kṛṣṇa consciousness leads to Kṛṣṇa-prema, then it must, must be a different enjoyment, superior...

Prabhupāda: Generally Kṛṣṇa-prema is the highest stage.

Guest (2): Is it right to say that Kṛṣṇa-prema is the perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness?

Prabhupāda: Perfect is always. That is the highest stage. That we cannot relish. Just... All the rasas in relationship with Kṛṣṇa is perfect. But according to different devotees' taste... That I already told. Everyone says, "My relationship with Kṛṣṇa is the best." Everyone thinks. But it is for the outsider to consider that "This stage, conjugal love, this is better than the Kṛṣṇa's relationship with His servants or with the trees and..." That is our calculation.

Lecture on SB 7.5.30 -- London, September 9, 1971:

So people are trying to be happy with this gross and subtle material existence. That cannot be. Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ, andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). Why they have accepted this sort of civilization? Because they are led by blind leaders. Now, suppose we are conducting this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Nobody is interested. Very few interested. But if we give some false hope that "If you follow this path, then within six months you will become God and you will be all-powerful, and then...," oh, so many people will come.

Lecture on SB 7.5.30 -- London, September 9, 1971:

One blind leader giving, leading to other blind men. Suppose one blind man says that "All right. Come. Follow me. I shall help you crossing this street, Mulberry Street. All right." So he is blind, and the followers are also blind. The result will be that he is dashed by some motorcar or truck and they all die. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ (SB 7.5.31). They do not know that we are tied up very hard by the laws, stringent laws of material nature. How we can become free from this material bondage? That is not possible. You have to take instruction who is not andhā, who is not blind.

Lecture on SB 7.5.30 -- London, September 9, 1971:

One who is giving Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is the real friend of the world. All others, leading to the external energy, they cannot give any happiness to this human society. That is the explanation given by Prahlāda Mahārāja. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ, andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31).

Lecture on SB 7.5.31 -- Mauritius, October 4, 1975:

Everything, actually it belongs to Kṛṣṇa. But we have got restriction because we see "This is America, this is India, this is..." So they have been described here as andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ: "These leaders are themselves blind, and they are leading other blind men." General public, they are blind, and the leaders are also blind. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). Why they are blind? Now, because they do not know what is the aim of life. Na te viduḥ. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatim. Everyone is self-interested.

Lecture on SB 7.5.31 -- Mauritius, October 4, 1975:

You are self-interested; I am self-interested. So that is... But you do not know what is your self-interest. Therefore you are blind. That is described here, that "These blind leaders, they do not know." They are especially mentioned, andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ. The leaders, they lead others. So, yad yad ācarati śreṣṭha tat tad evetaro janaḥ (BG 3.21). Leaders are responsible because yad yad ācarati śreṣṭha: "Those who are leaders, whatever they do, they perform, common men follow that." Therefore they must be very perfect. Common men follow the leaders.

Lecture on SB 7.5.31 -- Mauritius, October 4, 1975:

So here it is said that because the leaders, they do not know what is the aim of life, what is the goal of life, therefore common men, people in general, they are being misguided. They are being misguided. Suppose a blind man leads some other blind men. What will be the result? Both of them will meet danger. That is the result because... "Why? They are doing very nicely, with great cautiousness." No. But they do not know that they are bound up by the laws of nature.

Lecture on SB 7.5.31 -- Mauritius, October 4, 1975:

In the water there are living entities; in the air there are living entities; in the earth there are living entities. So the material elements are five: earth, water, fire, air and sky. So if everywhere there is living entities, fire is also one of the material elements. Why not in the fire? What is the reason? And Bhagavad-gītā says, adāhyo 'yam: "It is never burned." So why do you think like that, that in the fire there is no living entity? Therefore they have been described as blind. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). They are blind, and they are leading other blind men. But they do not know what is the laws of nature, how things are going.

Lecture on SB 7.6.14 -- New Vrindaban, June 28, 1976:

Everything is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And the first business is how to lead men to the highest perfection of life. That is called siddhi. Siddhi means highest perfection of life. Saṁsiddhiṁ paramaṁ gataḥ. There are different kinds of siddhis. (noise in background) (aside:) What is that? Saṁsiddhiṁ paramaṁ gataḥ. There are different kinds of siddhis. The yogis, the mystic yogis, they also try to possess some siddhi-animā, laghimā, mahimā, prāpti, īśitā, vaśitā. Eight kinds of siddhis. But such siddhis, all material.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Seattle, October 21, 1968:

Just like if in an assembly, if somebody is requested, "Please, you lead us," that means that person, that leader, is the greatest of all. So Prahlāda is accepted as the greatest personality than Brahmā, than the demigods, than the yogis. But this is the humbleness, meek. This is... In Bible also, it is said the humble and meek can enter into the kingdom of God. So out of his humbleness, meekness, he's expressing, he's presenting himself that "These great personalities, they failed to pacify the Lord. How it is possible for me, who has got this body born of a passionate father?" This is very beautiful.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10-11 -- Montreal, July 14, 1968:

Just like in this present existence I have changed my body so many times from my childhood to this old age. Similarly, I am changing my body. So this life, this body is temporary. Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ. Andhā, and I do not see my future; therefore I am blind. And the leader which is leading me, he is also blind. So a blind man leading other blind men, what is the result? The result is catastrophic. Therefore in spite of so many great leaders, politicians, scientists, educationist, the result is that problematic. The whole world is full of problems. They do not know what is their interest. The interest is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That they do not know. So it is the task of the members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness to preach this.

Lecture on SB 7.9.16 -- Mayapur, February 23, 1976:

One should be very much afraid. Prahlāda Mahārāja says... Prahlāda Mahārāja was not afraid of Nṛsiṁha-mūrti, but he is very much afraid of this material existence. It is really very, very fearful. People do not know the seriousness of material existence, and they continue and waste their, the chance, human being. Human form of life is a chance to rectify, but they do not care. Therefore the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so important. Everyone, door to door, a devotee has to go and teach them that "You are leading a very, very irresponsible life. Be responsible to your consciousness and be a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That will save you."

Lecture on SB 7.9.19 -- Hamburg, September 7, 1969, (with German Translator):

So we may make various plans to become happy in this material world, but without God's grace we can never be happy. Therefore the Bhāgavata says that the best kind of plan or best kind of occupational duties is that which leads one to the devotional service of the Supreme Lord. The exact Sanskrit verse is,

sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo

yato bhaktir adhokṣaje

ahaituky apratihatā

yayātmā suprasīdati

(SB 1.2.6)

If you actually want peace and prosperity, then you must execute such kind of occupational duties which will lead you to the devotional service of the Lord.

Lecture on SB 7.9.22 -- Mayapur, February 29, 1976:

The speed is sixteen thousand miles per second. So how it is being happenend? Yasyājñayā bhramati saṁbhṛta-kāla-cakro govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajā... It is being done under the order of Govinda. So therefore He's vibhu. He is great. But we do not know how great He is. Therefore we foolishly accept some pretender, some fraud, as God. We do not know what is the meaning of God. But it is going on. We are fools. Andhā yathāndair upanīyamānās. We are blind, and another blind man lead us: "I am God. You are God. Everyone is God." But God is not like that.

Lecture on SB 7.9.42 -- Mayapur, March 22, 1976:

We cannot understand directly. Therefore these rascals who are trying to understand Kṛṣṇa directly by interpretation, they are all rascals. They cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. May be very big man, so-called. Nobody is big man. They are also sa vai... No, what is that? No, no. Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ (SB 2.3.19). Puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. These big, big men who are so much eulogized by some rascals, all these big, big leaders, what they are? Because they are not devotee of Kṛṣṇa, they cannot lead. They simply will mislead. Therefore we take them all rascals. This is the criterion. Take this one criterion. Anything you want to learn from somebody, first of all you see whether that somebody is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 7.12.4 -- Bombay, April 15, 1976:

When I was talking with Professor Kotovsky, so I asked him this question, that "After all, you are required, you are in need of a leader. So you are being led by your Lenin philosophy and we are being led by Kṛṣṇa philosophy. So where is the difference in the procedure? You require a leader; we require a leader. That is wanted. Without leader we cannot go. But if you select a bad leader, blind leader, then you remain blind." That, our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is that you have to accept one leader. That you cannot avoid. Either you become communist or capitalist or this or that, you have to accept one leader. So take the best, first-class, perfect leader: Kṛṣṇa. Then you'll be happy. Otherwise it is not possible.