Learn how to... (Lectures, BG)

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Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.21-22 -- London, July 18, 1973:

This is the qualification of sādhu. Sādhu is titikṣava, tolerates all kinds of miserable conditions. He is sādhu. Because this is a place of miserable condition. A sādhu learns how to tolerate. Sādhu is never disturbed. Yasmin sthito guruṇāpi duḥkhena na vicālyate (Bg. 6.20-23). A sādhu, who has got the shelter of Kṛṣṇa, if he is placed in the severest type of dangerous condition, he is never disturbed.

Lecture on BG 1.26-27 -- London, July 21, 1973:

You are under the clutches of māyā. you have no independence. Neither anyone has got any independence to save you. That is not possible. The same example as I gave sometimes, that you learn how to drive aeroplane. So you go high in the sky. But if you are in danger, no other aeroplane can help you. You are finished. Therefore you must be a very careful pilot to take care of yourself. Similarly, in this material world everyone individually has to take care of himself. How he can be saved from the clutches of māyā. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Lecture on BG 2.1-10 and Talk -- Los Angeles, November 25, 1968:

So one who has learned to think of Kṛṣṇa always, he is already on the perfectional stage. Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim (Nārada-pañcarātra). If one has come to this stage, just to understand Kṛṣṇa the great, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and he's surrendered soul, "Kṛṣṇa, whatever You like You do. I am surrendered."... This is ārādhana. Then he doesn't require to undergo any austerities or penance. His everything is finished.

Lecture on BG 2.1-10 and Talk -- Los Angeles, November 25, 1968:

Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim, nārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim (Nārada-pañcarātra). So that is the perfection. Kṛṣṇa and gopīs. They were cowherds girl. Their father, mother, they were only ordinary village men, keeping cows. That's all. What was their education? They were not Vedantists. But they learned to love Kṛṣṇa. That was their qualification. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu certifies, ramyad upāsanā vraja-vadhu-vargeṇa va kalpita. "Oh, there is no better worship than that which was contemplated by the gopīs." Because they did not know what is Kṛṣṇa but they loved Kṛṣṇa. That's all. They loved Kṛṣṇa, that because Kṛṣṇa was God or Kṛṣṇa was something great? No. Their natural affection was for Kṛṣṇa. They could not stay even for a moment without seeing Kṛṣṇa. That was their qualification. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

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

So Kṛṣṇa fulfills your desire: "All right." And if I think, "If I get a machine in which I can directly suck blood of other animal," "All right," Kṛṣṇa says, "you take the machine of a tiger's body and use it." So this is going on. Therefore His name is Hṛṣīkeśa. And when we understand properly that "I am not the proprietor of this body. Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor of the body. I wanted a certain type of body to use it for my sense gratification. He has given it and I am not happy. Therefore I shall learn how to use this machine for the proprietor," this is called bhakti. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). Because Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor of the senses—He is the proprietor of this body—so when this body will be utilized for Kṛṣṇa's service, that is our perfection of life.

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

This is called paramparā system. You have to learn how to become servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa. The more you become in the lower position—servant, servant, servant, servant, servant, hundreds times servant, servant—then more you are advanced. Here in this material world everyone is trying to be master of the master. Just opposite. And the spiritual world, the endeavor is to become servant's servant. This is the secret.

Lecture on BG 2.2-6 -- Ahmedabad, December 11, 1972:

Parantapa means one who can give trouble to the enemies. It is the duty of the kṣatriya. Enemies, aggressor, they should be killed. There is no ātatāyī. Ātatāyī means one who is aggressor. One who kidnaps one's wife, one who take away by force one's wealth, one who sets fire in one's house, these are called aggressor. So aggressor should be killed. Aggressor should be given trouble. So Kṛṣṇa does not teach unnecessarily nonviolence. If kṣatriya becomes nonviolent, then the whole state will be in chaos. They must learn how to kill any criminal. He should be immediately killed.

Lecture on BG 2.6 -- London, August 6, 1973:

The most abominable. For a young girl to leave the care of husband, father, and go to another young boy, according to Vedic culture, it is the most abominable. So still, because, it was, the center was Kṛṣṇa, it is accepted as the highest type of worship. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We have to learn how to act only for Kṛṣṇa, how to love only Kṛṣṇa. Then our life is successful. And the human life... Because we have also come down from Vaikuṇṭha some millions and millions of years ago. Anādi karama-phale. Anādi means before the creation.

Lecture on BG 2.9 -- London, August 15, 1973:

So real success of life is that when you learned how to love God. Then your heart will be satisfied. Yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ. If you get Kṛṣṇa or God... Kṛṣṇa means God. If you have got another name of God, that is also accepted. But God, the Supreme Lord, the Supreme Person. When you have got this... Because we are loving somebody. The loving propensity is there. In everyone. But it is misdirected. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, "Kick out all these loving objects. Try to love Me." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). In this way your loving will never be able to satisfy you.

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

So one of the devotional quality is titikṣā, tolerance. That should be learned, how to tolerate in every condition of life. Just like those who are actually brāhmaṇas in India... We have got also brāhmaṇas in the Western countries, now created. So because it is pinching cold, they do not forget to take bath early in the morning. It is simply practice. It may be painful for one day or two day, but if you practice, it is no longer painful. So one should not give up the practice of taking bathing early in the morning because it is severe cold. That is not.

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

We have to learn how to tolerate. Therefore Kṛṣṇa advises, tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata: "My dear Arjuna, the good descendant of Bharata Mahārāja, you try to tolerate this." Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has advised, therefore, just to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, how one should be tolerant. He has said, tṛṇād api sunīcena: "Just you become humbler than the grass." Just like one grass so many people are trampling over. It does not protest. Tṛṇād api sunī..., taror api sahiṣṇunā: "And tolerant more than the tree..." Just like tree. Somebody is taking his branches, somebody is snatching its fruit, sometimes cutting it, but still, the tree is giving you shelter, fruit, and leaves and fruits and flowers. Very good example. So anyone who is desiring to go back to home, back to Godhead, he has to learn to be tolerant and forbearing.

Lecture on BG 2.24 -- Hyderabad, November 28, 1972:

Prabhupāda: That's all right. Come on. Live with him. Come on. You are welcome, very welcome.

Indian (2): I'm not talking that...

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Indian (2): I'm not asking that...

Prabhupāda: No. Then you come and learn how to surrender. Learn it. As these boys and girls, they have surrendered. That is required. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). If by, you surrender, then you will understand. This is a science for understanding by surrender, not otherwise. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet, samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12). Tasmād guruṁ prapadye... If you are serious to solve all your doubts, then you must surrender. You must find out a person where you can surrender and ask him. Then your everything will be all right.

Lecture on BG 2.25 -- London, August 28, 1973:

The real factor is the soul. We have to take care of the soul, not of the body. So far body is concerned, there are pains and pleasure like climatic changes. Āgamāpāyinaḥ anityāḥ, such bodily pains and pleasures come and go; they are not permanent. Tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata. So you have to learn how to tolerate these bodily pains and pleasures, but you have to take care of the soul. But the modern civilization, they have no knowledge of the soul, what to speak of taking care of it, and, like animals, they are in the bodily concept of life, taking much care of the body, but they have no information of the soul, and what to speak of taking care of it.

Lecture on BG 2.39 -- London, September 12, 1973:

Āsura-jana, those who are asuras, they do not know what to do and what not to do. Therefore one has to learn how to live, what to know, what to forget. Every... Every educational or progressive method has got do's and do not's. So the asuras, they do not know what they should do and what they should not do. That is asura. And a devotee, he knows what to do and what not to do. There is no illicit sex. That is "do not." But there is "do" also, that "If you want sex life, then get yourself married according to religious principle and get a wife and beget nice children." That is "do." And "No illicit sex," that is "do not." Side by side. "You do not take intoxicants"—that is "do not." But "You take Kṛṣṇa prasādam and be intoxicated with Kṛṣṇa's love"—that is "do."

Lecture on BG Lecture Excerpts 2.44-45, 2.58 -- New York, March 25, 1966:

This body means senses. Without senses, the body has no meaning. So our position is that eyes dragging to some place, ear dragging to some place, tongue dragging to some place, hand dragging to some place, leg dragging to some place. So we are perplexed. Now, we have to learn how to control these senses. That is called svāmī. Svāmī, this very word svāmī suggests that he is the controller of the body. He is not controlled by the body. Svāmī or gosvāmī. Go means senses, and svāmī means master. One who is the master of the senses, he is called gosvāmī or svāmī.

Lecture on BG 2.49-51 -- New York, April 5, 1966:

Just like unwanted things which we don't like, we throw it aside. Suppose something is given to me in my, during my dinner which I don't like... Sometimes we throw it, "Oh, I don't want it." You see? So similarly, our discrimination... "Discrimination is the best part of valor." Simply we have to learn how to discriminate whether we are working on material platform or on the spiritual platform. That's all.

Lecture on BG 2.49-51 -- New York, April 5, 1966:

This abhigacchet is the form of verb which is imperative, "You must." Abhigacchet. This, this form of verb is used when the sense is "You must." So the Vedic Upaniṣad directs that tad-vijñānārtham: "In order to be situated, or in order to learn how to act on the spiritual platform, you must seek out a bona fide spiritual master who can guide you." So Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna has selected Kṛṣṇa as the spiritual master. We have already explained that Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna surrendered unto Arjuna (Kṛṣṇa).

Lecture on BG 2.58-59 -- New York, April 27, 1966:

One should know "When I shall properly use the senses." That is the sign of a person who is situated in pure consciousness. He knows properly, "How to use my senses." That is the difference by the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, we'll find, that in the beginning Arjuna did not know how to use his senses, and after hearing Bhagavad-gītā, he learned it. He became a learned man, how to use his senses. And when he did not know how to use his senses, he said, "I shall not fight." And when he learned how to use senses, he said, "Yes, I'll fight." Now, what is the difference between "yes" and "no"? That means when our senses are engaged in the service of the supreme consciousness, then we are in pure consciousness situation.

Lecture on BG 3.1-5 -- Los Angeles, December 20, 1968:

The more you spend, more you become balanceless for spending Kṛṣṇa, then more you are benefited. This is the process. That will be taught in the karma-yoga section. And how one can, unless one is spiritually advanced how he can sacrifice his hard-earned money for Kṛṣṇa? Everyone thinks, "Oh, I have earned this money working so hard. Why shall I spend it for Kṛṣṇa? Let me keep it. I shall do it for my sense gratification." This is, this kind of advancement is no value. You see. How one has learned to sacrifice everything for Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 3.13-16 -- New York, May 23, 1966:

Now you are thinking, "Let me purchase from the store this nice thing. It is very palatable to my taste." And when you actually become a learned scholar of Bhagavad-gītā, at that time you will have to think whether this thing will be palatable to Kṛṣṇa. That's all. The whole thing is there. When you learn that thing, when you want to please Kṛṣṇa and not yourself, then you become an expert spiritualist. That's all. So it is not very difficult thing. Very easy. Simply we have to learn how to reach that stage of life.

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

We should learn how to do good to the people in general. They have forgotten their relationship with God. You should be sympathetic for them. That they're suffering on account of their forgetfulness of God, let us do some service to them. (indistinct) Awaken them. Awaken their Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It is the best welfare activities to the human society. Because he has got, he has forgotten Kṛṣṇa, he's suffering and if you awaken his Kṛṣṇa consciousness then he will be happy.

Lecture on BG 4.10 -- Bombay, March 30, 1974:

Take, for example, one smokes. Nobody learns smoking from the birth. By bad association one learns how to smoke. Similarly drinking, similarly meat-eating. Because from the birth we require milk, not meat-eating. But then after all we understand that "Beef is very nice. There must be a beef shop." And... This is going on. You see? These are anarthas, not required. You require simple food: rice, wheat, little milk, vegetable, and little sugar. That's all. You don't require all these nonsense. But you have been habituated.

Lecture on BG 4.10 Festival at Maison de Faubourg -- Geneva, May 31, 1974:

So far I am concerned, I am Indian. I am coming from a poor country. But they are not coming from poor country. From their childhood they are accustomed to all comforts of life. How they have sacrificed everything for Kṛṣṇa? That is practical example. So the point is when one learns how to love Kṛṣṇa, how to serve Kṛṣṇa, immediately he becomes detached from all material comforts. That is explained, vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhā man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ (BG 4.10). If you accept Kṛṣṇa... We are serving. We cannot do without serving. But we are serving our senses. So instead of serving our senses, if we serve the senses of Kṛṣṇa, that is perfection of life. So you learn how to serve the senses of Kṛṣṇa, you'll be happy. That's all.

Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Bombay, April 2, 1974:

If you cut the head of a man, then, in spite of possessing the arms, belly and legs, he is dead man. But if you cut the hand or the leg, he can live, and the brain can work. This is an example. Similarly, when the society is divided nicely in these four divisions, the brahminical culture, the kṣatriya culture, the vaiśya culture, and the śūdra culture... Brahminical culture means people should learn how to speak truth, satya, śama, how to control the mind, how to control the senses. Satya, śama, damaḥ, titikṣā, how to become tolerant, ārjavam, how to become simple in life, how to become cleansed, how to acquire knowledge and how to practically apply the knowledge in daily life.

Lecture on BG 4.13-14 -- New York, August 1, 1966:

That is quite natural, that any person who achieves some success, he wants to show it before his friends and relatives and countrymen. That is quite natural. So he came back to his village, and all the villagers, they assembled, and they were very much anxious to know: "Oh, my dear friend, you have been ten years to learn yoga perfections. So what you have learned, please let us know." So he said that "I am finished the laghimā-siddhi perfection. That means I have learned how to become the lightest." And what is the result? He said, "Oh, I can walk over the river." So everyone was very anxious because people are very inquisitive and curious. So all of them requested him, "All right, let us have some demonstration. Please show that you'll walk over the river." So there were, all the villagers came and requested him. "All right, I shall show tomorrow morning."

Lecture on BG 4.34-39 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1969:

Suppose if you want to learn engineering, so you cannot go to a butcher. You must find out an engineer. You must admit yourself into the engineering college, learn how to practice engineering. Suppose if you want to become a medical practitioner, so you have to admit yourself in some medical college. Similarly, if you want to know about spiritual matter, then you must approach a spiritual master who knows the things. How you can learn it from anywhere and everywhere? One must be expert in spiritual knowledge. From him you have to learn. Therefore it is said here, "Just try to learn the truth by..."

Lecture on BG 4.34-39 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1969:

That dharma is directly from the Supreme Lord, bhagavat-praṇītam. It cannot be manufactured by any man or any demigod or any somebody else, no. It is eternal. And that is taught in Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "My dear Arjuna, the most confidential knowledge I am giving you, that you give up all your occupational duties. Simply surrender unto Me." This surrender process is dharma, is your business, and nothing more, That's all. If you learn how to surrender to God, or Kṛṣṇa, then you actually, you are religious or you are in dharma. And if you practice so many things without surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, or God, then it is all useless labor. That's all.

Lecture on BG 5.14-22 -- New York, August 28, 1966:

Even there are distress in this material world, we should learn to tolerate because these are ephemeral. They are not neither real distress, neither real ha... We should be callous either of this happiness or distress. So one who is like that, he... Sa brahma-yoga-yuktātmā sukham akṣayam. Akṣayam means "which does not deteriorate." That sort of happiness he enjoys. Ye hi saṁsparśajā bhogā duḥkha-yonaya eva te (BG 5.22). And one who is attached with the touchstone, I mean to say, sense touch, he must know that he is inviting miseries of life.

Lecture on BG 6.6-12 -- Los Angeles, February 15, 1969:

So according to the quality, the religious conception is also created. But the purpose of religion is to understand God. And to learn how to love God. That is the purpose. Any religious system. If it teaches you how to love God, then it is first-class. Otherwise it is useless. You may prosecute your religious principles very rigidly and very nicely, but your love of God is nil. Your love of matter is simply enhancing, that is no religion.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, March 17, 1968:

So one must know how to connect Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. This is Kṛṣṇa conscious movement. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One must know how we can derive from these features of Kṛṣṇa's forms in wood or iron or metal... That doesn't matter. Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. You have to learn how to contact Kṛṣṇa with everything. That will be explained in this system of yoga. You'll learn it. So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness is also a yoga, the perfect yoga, the highest of all yogic systems.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Gainesville, July 29, 1971 University of Florida:

You have forgotten that "My body is lying there on the bed, and now I am flying in the air," dreaming. So this sleeping method, if you improve, that is not advancement of civilization. Similarly mating. The dog has no social custom. Whenever there is another she-dog, he mates on the street, and you may do very silent in a secret place, but the mating is there. But people are learning how to mate like dog. So in this way defending. A dog has also his defending measures. He has got teeth and nails. He can defend himself. And you might have atom bombs. But the measure is defending. That's all.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Auckland, April 15, 1972:

First of all you begin, how to try to learn how to love God. And when you are actually on the platform of love, prema, premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti, you will see God always in His form. He becomes revealed. You haven't got to try to see, but He will reveal. Svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). When you engage your tongue... That beginning is tongue. Jihvādau sevonmukhe. If you begin your service... God cannot be understood by our challenging mood. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, "First of all surrender. Then try to understand."

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Auckland, April 15, 1972:

So you come and take the advantage of this center and learn how to do it. This center is open for this purpose, that people may take advantage how to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just like you go to a school and you learn how to read and write, and then you pass M.A. examination, similarly, if you think that you have forgotten, you have no knowledge, please come, take the process. And just like these people, they were not born in India. They are not Hindus. They are not Vaiṣṇavas. Their forefathers never heard what is Kṛṣṇa, neither they heard. How they are taking? It is the process. That process we are giving to everyone without any discrimination.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Diego, July 1, 1972:

Here is another point. We have to learn by listening from somebody. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). We approach guru for hearing from him the truth. Just like child listens from the parents and he learns to speak, he learns to know what is what. The father says, "This is dish"; the child also says, "This is dish." The father says, "This is spoon"; the child also says, "This is spoon." So he learns by hearing. "Mother language" means if the child is handed over to some other person whose mother, whose language is different from the mother, he'll learn, from the very beginning he'll learn that language.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Diego, July 1, 1972:

So this is the process of the more you become purified, the more you'll be advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And your advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness will be tested, how you are developing good qualities. Officially I'm Kṛṣṇa conscious yogi, but I am still addicted to so many nonsense habits—that means you are not advancing. That is the test. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). He hasn't got to learn how to become good. Simply by executing this devotional service, he'll be all good. That is the test.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 13, 1972:

Dviṣat means envious. The four classes of men: God, His devotee, innocent person, and envious person, demons. So the person who is promoted to the second stage, he'll deal with these four classes of divisions differently. Īśvara-prema. One should try to learn how to love Kṛṣṇa. Yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). That is first class. And tad, īśvare tad-adhīneṣu bāliśeṣu dviṣatsu ca, prema, prema, love for Kṛṣṇa, and maitrī, and to make friendship with the devotees. Prema-maitrī. And kṛpā: those who are innocent, one should be merciful. The devotee should be merciful, just to awaken their Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Calcutta, January 27, 1973:

The material nature is being conducted by three modes: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So those who are in the modes of material nature, in the modes of goodness, their body is different. Just like brāhmaṇa. Simply getting the body of brāhmaṇa is not sufficient. One has to learn how to become brāhmaṇa. Satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā. But there is opportunity. If one is born in a brāhmaṇa family, he has got the opportunity to develop the brāhmaṇa qualities. Similarly, if one is born in the family of a kṣatriya, he gets the opportunity of kṣatriya spirit. Similarly vaiśya. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13).

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

You cannot water on the leaves, on the twigs or on the branches. You have to pour water on the root. That is the principle. So our loving propensity, when it will be properly employed, when we try to love or develop our loving propensity for God, or directly when we learn how to love God, then our loving propensity is perfect. Then you can love other things, others also. It is not... Just like watering the root of the tree, you automatically pour water in the other parts of the tree, or supplying foodstuffs in the stomach, you supply foodstuffs to all the parts of the body. Similarly, if you can develop your love for God... That is already there. It is not an artificial thing. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said that nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa bhakti 'sādhya' kabhu naya (?).

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

If you want actually peace of your mind or yourself, then you must learn how to love God. Because you are hankering to love the Supreme, but because you have no information of the Supreme, you are placing your love to your body, your society, your country, your family, or if you haven't got anything to love, then you get a dog, cat, and you love it. The loving propensity is there. This is the psychology. Now that loving propensity can attain its perfection, and as soon as you reach that perfectional point, you become happy. This is the formula for happiness.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- London, March 9, 1975:

How you can think of somebody else unless you are very much attached to him? Just like a boy is attached to some girl or a girl is attached to some... That is natural. So when he becomes too much attached, he always or she thinks always. Otherwise it is not possible. To come to this attachment platform you have to learn how to love Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise how it is possible? Unless you love somebody, how can you think of him twenty-four hours? That is not possible.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:

They have not come as a businessman to exploit African resources like other Europeans. They have come to distribute Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Why? Why the responsibility they have taken? Because they have learned to love Kṛṣṇa. This is the basic principle. Anyone can understand. Otherwise, do you think they are poor men? They have come here to earn some money? They are not poor men. The Americans are the richest country. Any third-class man, he earns there 400,000's rupees, any third-class man, and what to speak of the first-class man. This is America.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:

If you mix with, intermingle with sādhu, then you will be purified, and things which are not required at all—artificially you have learned by bad association—that will be... Anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Nobody learns to smoke from the very birth. He has to eat something. He drinks milk, the child. He doesn't say, "Give me a cigarette," but you have learned it by bad association. This is called anartha. You have learned it, drinking tea, coffee, not from the beginning of your life but by bad association. Then this is anartha. So if you engage yourself in devotional service, then these things will disappear automatically. You'll find in our temple, we are cooking so many nice preparations. Perhaps you have tasted some of them. But we are not preparing tea or coffee or meat—nothing. These are anarthas.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Nairobi, October 29, 1975:

That he has to learn, how to become humble. Tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahi... If you preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness, so many people will chastise you. The government will not allow you to go on the public street, and you'll not get visa. You'll be refused to enter. So you have to tolerate all these things. That is humbleness.

Lecture on BG 7.8 -- Bombay, February 23, 1974:

I have already explained. Therefore we have to take advantage of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And wherever there is a chance of hearing about Kṛṣṇa, we should take the opportunity. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And learn from the... It is not our manufacture. Kṛṣṇa says. Learn how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Simply you try to understand Kṛṣṇa in every step of life. In every step of life. They will be all explained in this chapter, how you can perceive Kṛṣṇa. The beginning is tasting. Everyone drinks water or drinks something else. So try to taste the liquid, thinking that "This taste is Kṛṣṇa." You see in the morning the light of sunshine: "Here is Kṛṣṇa."

Lecture on BG 7.9 -- Vrndavana, August 15, 1974:

Real thing is bhaktyā, not official. Not official. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). He does not accept anything even it is not offered with bhakti and by the bhakta. He does not accept. Why He shall accept? Is He hungry like me? No. He simply wants to see how you have learned to love Kṛṣṇa, bhakti, how you are eager to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is... Kṛṣṇa wants to see. Otherwise He does not require your service. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam (Bs. 5.29). He's always being served by hundreds and thousands of goddess of fortune. They are so much afraid. They are goddess of... We are praying here goddess of fortune, "My mother, Goddess of Fortune, give me some fortune." They are... The goddess of fortune is afraid if Kṛṣṇa may reject. Just like Rukmiṇī.

Lecture on BG 9.3 -- Melbourne, April 21, 1976:

If you cannot believe in the words of somebody whom you are going to appoint as your teacher, if you have no faith in his words, then what is the use of going to such teacher? There is no use. Don't waste your time and don't waste his time. Therefore those who are going to learn to become a disciple or teacher, he must believe in the words of teacher. Or if you are doubtful, you should not go to such teacher. This is first qualification. If you do not believe somebody, then you find out someone else upon whom you can put your faith. "Yes, here is the right man who can teach me." Otherwise there is no use of going to a teacher. This is the Vedic principle.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Calcutta, March 9, 1972:

They cannot see that how Kṛṣṇa is eating. They say that "You offered something to Kṛṣṇa, but He has not eaten. It is lying there; you are eating." But no, Kṛṣṇa has eaten. They do not know how they eat, how Kṛṣṇa eats. That is their fault. Poor fund of knowledge. One has to learn how Kṛṣṇa can eat. Kṛṣṇa can eat simply by seeing. Simply, Kṛṣṇa's all parts, all the indriyas, different parts of the body, limbs, they're as good as Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa can eat, just like we eat through our mouth, but Kṛṣṇa can eat with His eyes. That is absolute. We have, because we are not absolute, we have got distinction between my, our eyes and our hands, our mouth.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Calcutta, March 9, 1972:

You have simply learned to push one button, but there are vividhaiva button. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate. So simply by His willing, everything is being done. That is Kṛṣṇa. Simply by His willing. Vicamati. Just like in the Bible it is said, "Let there be creation," and there was creation. Simply by this will, "Let there be creation," there is creation. But there is action of the energy of Kṛṣṇa, but the energy is so subtle that immediately it performs: svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca. You see, study one flower, how finely it is constructed, how... The botanist can study that it is running in this way, the veins are running in this way, the system is like this. But who has made the system, that is to be studied.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Melbourne, April 22, 1976:

To love Kṛṣṇa. If you become expert how to love Kṛṣṇa... The idea of loving is not unknown to you. You love somebody. You love your wife. You love your children. You love your country. You love your society. There are so many loving aspect. But when you love Kṛṣṇa, then your life is perfect. That we have to...

sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo

yato bhaktir adhokṣaje

ahaituky apratihatā

yayātmā suprasīdati

(SB 1.2.6)

That is the perfection of life, perfection of religious life, if one learns how to love Kṛṣṇa and without any motive, ahaituki. Just like here in this world there is no love because within this so-called love there is a motive. I love a beautiful girl because she is beautiful. A girl loves a man because he has got money. So this is the meaning of this material love.

Lecture on BG 9.24-26 -- New York, December 12, 1966:

So in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find that the Lord advises people in general that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vra...: (BG 18.66) "Just try to surrender unto Me, and I shall give you all protection." Then Caitanya Mahāprabhu... He's also Kṛṣṇa Himself. As a devotee, He's explaining Kṛṣṇa further. Not only surrender, but after surrender, what are the activities, that is explained by Lord Caitanya. So for the general, people in general, the first requisition is that they must learn how to surrender unto God. Tattvena na te abhijānanti: "They do not know what is the," I mean to say, "accurate situation of the Supreme Lord."

Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Miami, February 27, 1975:

This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for this purpose. They are giving the opportunity to the human society that "You are suffering on account of your whimsical desires. Now you learn how to purify your desire. Then you become happy." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Desire cannot be stopped. That is not possible. You have to purify your desire. That's all. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). I am thinking that "I am this American," I am thinking, "I am this Indian," or I am thinking this and that, and creating my desires accordingly. "It is my duty because I am American." "It is my duty because I am Russian. So let us fight." So this is going on. So you have to change your desire.

Lecture on BG 13.5 -- Paris, August 13, 1973:

His real name is Souyle(?), German. So when he came to India, in a meeting he said that "So far mystic power is concerned, that we have solved by science. So we have nothing to learn about the mystic power. I have come to India to learn how to understand God and His service, loving service." So actually that is the position. Forty years ago he said. So the Europe and America, they have enough of material enjoyment. Meat-eating, wine, woman—they have got sufficient. So they are not very much interested with all these things, although, because they have no other alternative for enjoyment, so they are enjoying or trying to satisfy them. But that is not giving them real satisfaction.

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

Formerly our, some swamiji, he also wanted to preach Vedānta-sūtra, but while preaching Vedānta-sūtra he learned how to eat meat and how to drink. That's all. This was done, Vedānta-sutra. And "Everyone is God." That was his conclusion. And this same message, it was not fruitive. But actually, Vedānta-sūtra, because Kṛṣṇa is the vedānta-vid, vedānta-kṛd... Kṛṣṇa says,

sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭho

mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca

vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo

vedānta-kṛd vedānta-vid cāham

(BG 15.15)

So Kṛṣṇa is vedānta-kṛd, the compiler of Vedānta-sūtra. Because Vyāsadeva is incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, therefore Kṛṣṇa is vedānta-kṛd. And one who has compiled Vedānta-sūtra, he is vedānta-vid also. He knows what is Vedānta. Not by others.

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

What Kṛṣṇa says? Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is Vedānta. If you learn how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, that is real understanding of Vedānta. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). This conclusion comes of the Vedantist, so-called Vedantist. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate. This is the ultimate understanding of Vedānta.

Lecture on BG 13.15 -- Bombay, October 9, 1973:

But a man with poor fund of knowledge, they cannot understand that without material body, how there can be possible of possessing a body. Because we are accustomed to see the material things, we have no eyes to see spiritual, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136), therefore Kṛṣṇa, to benefit us, to become merciful upon us, He appears in this form, arcā-vigraha, so that we can see Him. Because we have learned to see wood, stone, earth, some solid materials. We cannot see subtle things.

Lecture on BG 13.26 -- Bombay, October 25, 1973:

Because human life is meant for realization of God. That is the only necessity, not to increase a type of civilization how instead of eating simple thing, how you can eat beef. That is not advancement of civilization. That is animalism. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca sāmānyam etat paśu... What is that advancement? A flesh is eaten by tigers, dogs. So if you have learned how to eat flesh, does it mean that you advance in civilization? It is the business of tigers and dogs. The dog civilization.

Lecture on BG 15.1 -- Bombay, October 28, 1973:

Because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, therefore we are Brahman. Now we are identifying with this matter. So mukti means when we stop identifying with this matter and we learn how to realize ahaṁ brahmāsmi. Simply realization not. To act as Brahman, Brahman, that is perfection of knowledge. Not to simply realize. Just like for example a person he feels that "I am Indian." That is very good. But Mahatma Gandhi, he also was Indian, but he acted as a first-class Indian. Therefore Mahatma Gandhi is so much adored.

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

Ācāra means one should learn how to behave. That makes a gentleman and a rough person. Nāpi cācāraḥ. Ācāraḥ means... Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Ācāraḥ, this is... Ācāraḥ means he learns from the śāstra how we should live, that, preliminary, that you must take bath, you must wash your hands after eating or you must take bath after evacuating. So many things are there. Nitya-karma-vidhi. In the Vedic literature you find all these directions, but now they have given up. Especially Vedic culture was there long, long ago all over the world. But now that is finished.