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Lower grade (Lectures)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

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

So from last night discussion, it is to be concluded that we are not going to die. Kṛṣṇa said not only He, but also Arjuna and all other who were present in the battlefield, they will continue to exist. So how we shall exist? That is also discussed, that as we are existing now—we have accepted a type of material body and existing—similarly, after finishing this body, I'll accept another body and exist. Now, the question is that "In what kind of body I shall exist after finishing this body?" That is also explained, that if we like, we can exist in the higher planetary system where the duration of life is very, very long, the sense enjoyment is very, very perfect, more than this world. This we can have. Similarly, we can exist in lower grade of life like cats, dogs, insects, trees, aquatics, like that. And we can exist also in the same way as we are existing now. And we can exist also exactly like God—eternal life of bliss and knowledge.

Lecture on BG 2.20-25 -- Seattle, October 14, 1968:

So if I like, I can utilize this body for higher grade of life. Kṛṣṇa will give us all facilities. And if I like, I can utilize this body for lower grade of life. Kṛṣṇa will give us facilities. So He's always friendly. And He gives us also friendly advice, that "Don't act independently. Just act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness under Me. Then you'll be happy." That is His actual instruction. But the living entity does not care for the instruction of the Supersoul. He wants to act independently, and he has to suffer the consequence. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā in the Fourth Chapter. Yajñārthāt karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). Yajña means Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa. Whatever you do, or what... Not whatever you do. You have to do only for Kṛṣṇa. Yajñārthe karma.

Lecture on BG 2.27-38 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1968:

Everyone is devotee. Only the madmen, they are not devotees. Any sane man is devotee of... Sanity means become devotee. That is sanity. And one who is not devotee is insane, insanity. So how you can expect that Lord Śiva is not devotee? He's not insane. We are, the material, the ordinary living entities, in the lower grades of life, they are all insane.

Lecture on BG 2.40-45 -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1968:

The whole material world is working under three modes of material nature. The modes of goodness, modes of passion, and modes of ignorance. Those who are acting in the modes of goodness, they are being elevated to higher standard of life. Those who are acting in the modes of passion, they'll remain in the same position as they are now, and those acting in the modes of ignorance, darkness, without any knowledge, they are being degraded in lower grades of life. This is material world. But Kṛṣṇa is advising Arjuna that either goodness or passion or ignorance, after all, they are activities of this material world. You have to come above, transcend this position of goodness also. So goodness is not qualification for spiritual advancement, but it is helping. If a man is very good man, then it is helping to spiritual life. But that is not the cause. Here the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, this chanting, is directly offering spiritual life.

Lecture on BG 4.12-13 -- New York, July 29, 1966:

So janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. Birth. Birth is not all, everything. The culture, saṁskāra. Saṁskāra means culture. One has to take his birth, rebirth, by culture, by education, by knowledge. That is called cultural birth. So unless one is in the cultural birth, he is to be considered the lower grade person, or the śūdra.

Lecture on BG 4.24-34 -- New York, August 12, 1966:

Just like to understand the sun, somebody is studying the sun rays. He is also studying the sun and somebody is studying what is the sun disc. So he is also studying sun and somebody is trying to enter into the sun planet to see who is there. Everything is the sun. But the persons who are studying the sunshine, their grade is lower than the person who is trying to understand the sun disc. And their position is lower grade than the person who wants to enter into the sun. So the bhaktas, they are trying to see the sun-god within the sun. Just like they want to see Kṛṣṇa. In the Upaniṣad we'll find... There is a prayer that the Brahman is said, "Will You kindly push off Your glaring, dazzling glare so that I can really see You." So within the Brahmajyoti there is Kṛṣṇa. So we have to see that.

Lecture on BG 4.37-40 -- New York, August 21, 1966:

Now, either you enjoy the reaction of good work or bad work, your material bondage is there. Suppose by bad work I am born... Because, according to work, there are different position of life. Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrībhir edhamāna-madaḥ pumān (SB 1.8.26). By good work we get good heritage, birth in a very good place, in a high family, in rich family, aristocratic family. And with bad work we may get our birth even in the animal kingdom or lower grade family, poor family. These are Vedic estimation of good work and bad work. But for a person who is going to be Kṛṣṇa conscious, he has no need either for good work or bad work because he has no need bondage again.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, March 29, 1971:

There are so many different names. Of course, if we research from history, from the world history, we can find out where there are. But there are varieties of human beings. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3). All human beings are not of the same standard. There are different standards. But Kṛṣṇa is so kind, Kṛṣṇa is so powerful, that anyone out of this human society can be claimed to become a Vaiṣṇava. Anyone. That is the statement of Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Kirāta-huṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ, ye 'nye ca pāpāḥ (SB 2.4.18). These names are mentioned, but there are many others whose names are not mentioned. Ye 'nye ca pāpāḥ. They are called pāpāḥ. Pāpa means very sinful life. Yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ. If such persons, such lower-grade persons even, they take shelter of a pure devotee, then they become purified. Śudhyanti, they become purified. How? Prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. That is the special prerogative power of Lord Viṣṇu. He can deliver anyone in any condition of life. Prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. That is extra, extraordinary, inconceivable power.

Lecture on BG 7.14 -- Hamburg, September 8, 1969:

The śāstra says that labdhvā su-durlabham idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte. After many, many evolution of different kinds of body... You understand the evolutionary theory. It is not exactly like Darwin's theory, but this evolutionary process is there. That is admitted in Vedic literature. From lower grade of animal life to the higher grade of animal life. So this human form of life is to be understood. We have got this human form of life after many, many lower grades of life. Labdhvā su-durlabham. And it's very rare. You count, those who are biologists, you count how many kinds of living entities are there. There are 8,400,000 species of life. Out of that, the human being are very small quantity. Out of 8,400,000, the human species of life are 400,000; compared with other animals, a very small quantity. Out of that, there are uncivilized men, many.

Lecture on BG 9.20-22 -- New York, December 6, 1966:

So here it is mentioned, trai-vidyā soma-pāḥ pūta-pāpāḥ. They, after preparing themselves to be transferred in other planets, they become free from all sinful reaction. The higher planet, as you go, you have to become free from sinful action. The lower grade life and higher grade life in this material world means those who are proportionately less sinful, they are promoted in higher planets. You cannot be free from sinful reaction in this material world. There will be some portion, some percentage. So the higher grade life and lower grade life means those who are proportionately greater sinful, they have got lower grade life, and those who have got greater pious life, they get higher grade life in higher planets, in Brahmaloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka. Tapoloka means those who have performed here severe penances, and they are transferred there in Tapoloka. In Tapoloka, when there is destruction, annihilation of this material world, in the Tapoloka there is no destruction. They get information, "Now annihilation has begun." There is a great fire, and they still feel that heat, and at that time they transfer themselves to the spiritual sky. That mention we have got. So yajñair iṣṭvā svargatiṁ prārthayante.

Lecture on BG 10.1 -- New York, December 30, 1966:

There are different kinds of species of life. Some of them are considered as lower. Some of them are considered higher. That is our material conception. And actually, according to the different qualities, according to the different modes of nature, there are different situations and there are lower grade, higher grade understanding also. That is a fact. But Kṛṣṇa says that, "Anyone, never mind what he is, pāpa-yonayaḥ..." Pāpa-yonayaḥ means "those who are in the lower birth." So, so Bhagavad-gītā is transcendental subject matter. It does not depend on the qualification of the student. Anyone. Anyone can understand Bhagavad-gītā provided he agrees to understand according to the principles. That's all.

Lecture on BG 13.5 -- Bombay, September 28, 1973:

Yesterday we were discussing tat kṣetram, kṣetram, this body, how we enter into different types of bodies, how it is obtained. There are eight million four hundred thousand forms of bodies according to the qualities. Three qualities. Three multiplied by three, it becomes nine, nine multiplied by nine, it becomes eighty-one. So at least, in the lower grades of forms, there are eighty-one lakhs or eight million one hundred thousand and above that, about four hundred thousand forms of human beings. So one has to understand.

Lecture on BG 13.22 -- Bombay, October 20, 1973:

So Kṛṣṇa says that ābrahma lo... If... You may get very long duration of life, very comfortable life, in higher planetary system. Just like people are engaged in doing, I mean to, pious activities. The result of pious activities is that you get your birth in a very good family, in a rich family, you get beauty, you become educated, janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrībhiḥ (SB 1.8.26). Janma means birth, high-class birth. And aiśvarya means opulence, riches. And śruta means education, and śrī means beauty. So by pious activities you can get all these things. And impious activities, the opposite number: in a family, abominable, pāpa-yoni, lower-grade family, not very beautiful, not educated, suffering in so many ways. So either you get this life or that life, the janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi is there. It is not that because you have got very beautiful body and born in very high-class family and highly educated, you will avoid janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. That is not possible. The real problem is janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi.

Lecture on BG 13.22 -- Bombay, October 20, 1973:

So kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad... Sad-yoni (BG 13.22), high-class life, and asad-yoni, pāpa-yoni... So why one is born in lower grade family? Why one is born in high-grade family? Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya. The cause is as he has associated with different types of qualities. So unfortunately, this science, that there is birth after death, and there is, actually, we are experience, we are seeing, but they do not inquire. They think that one can improve. That is not possible. Unless he changes the quality, he cannot improve. That is not possible. They do not know it. They are falsely trying to improve the position. Nobody is trying to become poor. Everyone is trying to become rich. But it is not possible. Because he has got a particular type of body, and that body is already destined, and he has to achieve happiness or suffer distresses according to the body.

Lecture on BG 13.22-24 -- Melbourne, June 25, 1974:

Those who are lower grade living entities, there... This is the struggle. One living entity is the food for another living entity. That is lower grade life. In the higher grade life, no, they cannot kill anyone for eating purposes. Therefore in the Bible the First Commandment is "Thou shalt not kill." But all these Christians, they are violating the First Commandment. That is their business. Simply engaged in killing, big, big slaughterhouse.

Lecture on BG 13.24 -- Bombay, October 23, 1973:

Big, big leaders, they say like that, that "After death, there is no life. Everything is finished." Big, big professors, big, big learned scholars, they are of this opinion, that after death there is no life. Everything is finished. And wherefrom all these different forms of life come, they cannot answer. There are eight million four hundred thousand forms of life. Wherefrom they come? What is the purpose of so many forms of life. What is the purpose of life? What is the distinction between the form of human life and these lower grades of life. Higher grades of life—no knowledge, no knowledge. Everyone is ignorant, foolish. Therefore they have been addressed as mūḍha, mūḍha, all rascals.

Lecture on BG 16.7 -- Hyderabad, December 15, 1976:

So you have come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Be very careful. Do not waste your time. Do not fall down again. Mām aprāpya nivartante mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani. If in this life you neglect to achieve Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you have to return back again to the lower grade of life according to your karma. You can become next life a dog, a cat, a tree, according to your karma. So don't degrade yourself again because nature's law you cannot avoid. Daivī hy... You may be very proud so long this body is there, that "I don't care for anything." My dear sir, you don't say that. You are not independent. You have to care. You will be obliged to take care, but because you are a fool, you are rascal, unnecessarily you are proud and you are thinking that you are independent. Don't do like that.

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

We do not disrespect anyone in the government service, but if I know the supreme person in the government, why shall I go and beg from the lower grade officer? If I want something, I can ask the supreme. Is it all right or not? What is the use? They may come to see me, "Oh, he is known to the emperor." They may come to see me. I cannot go to see them. And we have no want. Why shall I see the demigods? We have no want. Kṛṣṇa knows. What is our business? Our business is to spread glories of Kṛṣṇa. We are directly in service of Kṛṣṇa, so whatever is wanted, He will supply. Why shall I go to somebody? It is His business. So for a devotee there is no need of meeting. We have all respect for them, but there is no need of meeting any demigod. They are all servants of Kṛṣṇa. Ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa āra saba bhṛtya (CC Adi 5.142). Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ... He is the supreme controller.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Vrndavana, October 30, 1972:

So nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). Naṣṭa-prāyeṣu abhadreṣu. Abhadra. Abhadra means the quality of ignorance and passion. They are abominable. Ignorance is most abominable, abominable, and passion is abominable. These two things must be given up. But simply by hearing about Kṛṣṇa, simply by hearing about Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, from the person bhāgavatam, one can get rid of these dirty things, namely mode of ignorance and mode of passion. Then the balance is the mode of goodness. There are three guṇa, modes, ignorance, passion and goodness. So if we can, somehow or other, can avoid the lower-grade modes, namely ignorance and passion, then naturally we come to the platform of goodness. That is also not sufficient. Therefore it is said here, naṣṭa-prāyeṣu, almost finished all dirty things. "No, I am now situated in goodness, in brahminical qualifications."

Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Vrndavana, October 30, 1972:

So tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye (SB 1.2.19), if we can come to that platform, śuddha-sattva... Sattvaṁ viśuddham. Sattvaṁ viśuddham. When we, our existence becomes completely purified from the influence of these material qualities... The beginning is the modes of goodness. Then at that platform, at least, the other lower-grade modes, namely passion and ignorance, cannot attack us. Ceta etair anāviddham. When a man is in the platform of goodness, he's satisfied in any circumstances. That these boys, European and American boys, they are coming of rich family and rich nation. They are accustomed to so many material advances. Each and every one of them knows how to drive car, and they were driving cars also. They had cars. But now, because they have to come to the platform of goodness, they don't care for anything. They can lie down on the street underneath a tree. Ceta etair anāviddhaṁ sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati. Because their heart now cannot be pierced by the desires, lusty desire and greediness. So in this way we have to make progress in spiritual life and advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Calcutta, September 27, 1974:

You are under the complete subjugation of nature. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). These guṇaiḥ. The prakṛti is forcing you to work because you have infected a kind of guṇa. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu (BG 13.22). Kāraṇam. Why one man is born, one living entity is born as a very rich man and one is born as a dog? Sad-asad-yoni. Yoni means mother, and bīja means father. Yathā yoni yathā bījaḥ. So the every living entity is born—bīja and yoni, father and mother. So why there are varieties? Nature is working. Why not one, one kind of living entities? No. Sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu. There are 8,400,000 of species. One has to take. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). You have to change. But why one is in the lower grade birth, why in the higher grade? Now, kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya. These guṇa. These guṇa, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.3.8 -- Los Angeles, September 14, 1972:

Brāhmaṇa means knowledge and śūdra means no knowledge, that is the difference. One who knows... Just like in this age there are so many scientists, so many philosophers, but they have no perfect knowledge. Therefore they are śūdras. One scientist putting forward one theory—after a few years this theory is changed. That means knowledge is not perfect. They take it as advancement in research, but actually the knowledge is imperfect. Otherwise, where is the necessity of research and advancement? Advancement means you are in the lower grade. So all their advancement, the same lower grade. Because it is going on, they do not know what is the end of advancement. Therefore all their knowledge is imperfect; they are all śūdras.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- New York, April 10, 1973:

When one is affected by the lower qualities, rajas-tamaḥ, passion and ignorance, his symptoms are that he is very greedy and lusty. These are the symptoms. As soon as you find a person is very greedy and lusty, he is to be understood under the control of the lower-grade qualities of this material world. And sattva-guṇa means prakāśa, illumination. When one is situated in the goodness, that is brahminical qualification. Satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā (BG 18.42). He is truthful, he is controlling the mind, controlling the senses, śama, dama; titikṣā, he is tolerant; titikṣā, ārjavam, he is simple, simplicity. Śamo damas titikṣā śuci, he is clean; jñānam, he knows things what it is; vijñānam, he can apply the knowledge in practical life, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyam. Āstikyam means to have firm faith in God. He knows that God is there. God is there and he knows that God is within, God is without. These are the symptoms of a person who is in goodness.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- New York, April 10, 1973:

So Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to bring persons from the wretched, low qualities, ignorance and passion, to bring him to the platform of goodness. And that goodness also has to be purified. In the material world the goodness is also attacked by the other, lower qualities. Big, big men, very good men, but there are so many defects. Because unless... First of all you have to come to the platform of goodness, brahminical position. Then you have to purify that goodness, sattvaṁ viśuddham, viśuddha-sattva, vasudeva-sattva, vasudeva platform. Then you will be able to understand what is God. It is not so cheap thing that one can understand God so easily while he is in the modes of material nature, especially the lower grade modes.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- New York, April 10, 1973:

So at the present moment, most people, they are in the lower grades of the material qualities, ignorance and passion. Therefore you see all over the world, rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobha (SB 1.2.19). Every man is greedy and lusty. Every man. So in this position, it is very difficult. Alakṣyaṁ sarva-bhūtānām (SB 1.8.18). So unless you change this quality... This quality can be changed. It is not that it is stereotyped. How these European, American boys and girls, they are coming to Kṛṣṇa consciousness? How? They have changed their quality. By the process, we have got this process. In this process we can change the quality.

Lecture on SB 1.8.20 -- New York, April 12, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa says. Although ordinarily we take striya, means women, śūdra and vaiśyas in the lower-class grade, but when one becomes a devotee, the, the, he is or she is no more in the lower grade. Te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. The devotional service is so nice that anyone... Ordinarily women is taken less intelligent; śūdra is taken less intelligent; vaiśya is taken less intelligent. But if he takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is the most intelligent. Kṛṣṇa yei bhaje sei baḍa catura. This is the statement in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Anyone who has taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is the most intelligent. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu says: guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151), kona bhāgyavān jīva. Ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not for the wretched, unfortunate class of men. No. It is meant for the most fortunate man.

Lecture on SB 1.8.20 -- New York, April 12, 1973:
This bhakti-yoga is meant for the cleansed hearted, not the lusty and greedy. That is not... They may try. They'll gradually advanced. But once one is situated in bhakti-yoga, there is no more lust and greediness. Viraktir anyatra syāt. This is the test, whether one has become free from lusty desires and greediness. Then he is situated in bhakti-yoga. He's paramahaṁsa. So Kuntīdevī, by humble submission, that "You are meant for the paramahaṁsa, for the amalātmanām, for the munīnām and who are engaged in bhakti-yoga. And what we are? We are simply woman. We are in the lower grade. How we can understand You?" This is humbleness. Although she understands everything, but still she's taking the position of an ordinary woman, that "How can I understand You?"
Lecture on SB 1.8.32 -- Los Angeles, April 24, 1973:

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

Lecture on SB 1.9.48 -- Mayapura, June 14, 1973:

If a woman becomes faithful, chaste wife, then the next life there is chance of her becoming a male. Because according to Vedic literature, to take a birth as woman is low-grade. Striyaḥ śūdrās tathā vaiśyā ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ. In the Bhagavad-gītā the... As there are higher grade and lower grade births, so according to Vedic understanding, the women, the body of woman is lower grade birth. Therefore if she's fortunate to have a good husband, devotee, and if she becomes faithful to that husband, then her life is successful. That is called tapasya.

Lecture on SB 1.10.2 -- Mayapura, June 17, 1973:

A Vaiṣṇava, he knows how to utilize everything for Kṛṣṇa. The aim of this creation is giving these conditioned souls another chance for liberation. That is the purpose. When the whole world is annihilated, then all the living entities again enter into the body of Mahā-Viṣṇu. Then, when there is again creation, then the living entities again come out, according to their past position. We do not accept this rascal theory, Darwin's, that from lower-grade life they... There is a promotion like that, but in the creation everything is there. All the 8,400,000 species, they are all there. Although the gradations are there. So according to the past karma, karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1), everyone comes out again, gets a different type of body, and begins his work. Again another chance. "Yes. You come to the point of human understanding. Try to understand your relationship with Kṛṣṇa and get yourself liberated. Go home, back to home, back to..." If you lose this opportunity—this creation is made for that purpose—then again you remain. Again, when everything is annihilated, you remain in dormant stage, millions of years. Again you become created.

Lecture on SB 1.16.21 -- Los Angeles, July 11, 1974:

This human civilization, human being, human form of life, was given by God or the nature for cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness, spiritual. That is not possible in the lower form of life, animals, the cats and dogs. And this is an opportunity given by nature's law. Now we get this body. Now you understand your position, what you are, to understand that you are not this body. So long in the lower grade of life you were under the impression that you are a body, the cats and dogs. They do not know that the body and soul is different. But it is the human form of life to understand that "I am not this body."

Lecture on SB 1.16.23 -- Los Angeles, July 13, 1974:

One after another. As soon as there is drinking, then there is illicit sex. And so many things complicated. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā warns, yajñārthe karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). You must work. You should not be idle. But yajñārthe, for Kṛṣṇa. Then you'll not be implicated. Otherwise, you'll be implicated. By the grace of māyā, you'll be so implicated that you have got this human form of life, and after giving up this body, you'll have to accept, according to your karma, one of the 8,400,000 species of life; maybe it may be a tree, it may be a cat, it may be a dog, or it may be something lower grade.

Lecture on SB 1.16.23 -- Los Angeles, July 13, 1974:

Because in this age our activities are all sinful, lower grade. Therefore you cannot expect higher-grade life. That is not possible. Higher grade life you can get. You can go in the higher planetary systems. You can get long duration of life, better comforts, better nice body. There are arrangement. Svargaloka. Bhūr bhuva... Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyaṁ bhargo devasya dhīmahi... This is gāyatrī. There are three lokas: bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ. So svaḥ, heavenly, they've no some information, there is heavenly planet. Actually there is. There are... Svargaloka is not so very comfortable. Above the Svargaloka there is Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Satyaloka, Brahmaloka, like that, seven lokas. So who will go there? Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). If you are situated in the modes of goodness, then you can be promoted to the higher planetary systems. And madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ, and if you are in the modes of passion, then you'll remain within this bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ, three worlds. And jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ, and if you are simply in darkness, you do not know how to enjoy spiritual life or material life, just like cats and dogs, then you are degraded. You take the body of trees, plants, lower animals, insects, worms of the stool, and so many things. So one should know that.

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

Those who are developing the modes of good qualities, they are gradually being promoted to the higher planetary system, heavenly planet-Satyaloka, Janaloka, Maharloka. In those planets the duration of life is very long, the possibilities of sense enjoyment is very nice. Everything thousands, thousands times better than this. This is not very difficult to understand. Just like in your country... Although within this planet the standard of living is far, far nice, better than some other countries, similarly there are hundreds and millions of planets, other planets, where the standard of living is far, far better. So we are, according to our work, we are sometimes promoted to those planets and sometimes to the lower-grade planets, adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ.

Lecture on SB 3.25.7 -- Bombay, November 7, 1974:

Suppose in your laboratory (lavatory?), in a very filthy place, there is gold. So it doesn't matter. You should take it, gold. It is not that the gold is in the filthy place, therefore you should not touch it. Other metal you cannot touch. That is the Vedic injunction. But gold you can take. Amedhyād api kāñcanam. Viṣād apy amṛtaṁ grāhyam amedhyād api kāñcanam, nīcād api..., duṣkulād api. You can take some teachings even one is born in lower-grade family. And the wife you can accept even she is, if she is qualified, and... Strī-ratnaṁ duṣkulād api. Strī-ratnam. Ratna means jewel. If one girl is very qualified or beautiful, even she is born of lower family, you must accept. You can marry. This is Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. Strī-ratnaṁ duṣkulād api. Viṣād amṛtaṁ grāhyam amedhyād api kāñcanam, nīcād apy uttamā vidyā. If a man born in nīca, in lower-grade family, but if he's qualified, it doesn't matter. That is practically being done.

Lecture on SB 3.25.25 -- Bombay, November 25, 1974:

One who has got background, pious life, not impious life, sinful life, such pious men, out of them, four classes of men, catur-vidhāḥ, they come to devotional life, begins. Who are they? Ārtaḥ, those who are distress; Ārtaḥ arthārthī, those who want some money; jijñāsuḥ, those who are inquisitive; and jñānī. So ārto arthārthī, they are in the lower grade. And jñānī and jijñāsuḥ, they are in the higher grade. But still, they are not pure devotee, because they want something. Ārtaḥ, the distressed, he comes to Kṛṣṇa in the temple or in the church to beg something, material profit. That is also good because he has come to Kṛṣṇa. "Kṛṣṇa, I am distressed. Kindly save me from this distressed condition." "Kṛṣṇa, I require some money. Kindly, if You give me some money, I can live very peacefully." Generally. So because they have come to Kṛṣṇa, therefore they are called sukṛtinaḥ. Sukṛtinaḥ means pious.

Lecture on SB 3.25.38 -- Bombay, December 7, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa says there are four kinds of beginners of devotional service, four kinds. What are..., who are they? Ārtaḥ. Ārtaḥ means one who is distressed; artha-arthī, one who is in want of money; ārto ar...jijñāsuḥ, one who is searching after knowledge; and jñānī, and wise man. So out of these, ārto and arthārthī, they are low-grade worshiper. Those who are jñānī and jijñāsuḥ, they are higher grade. Generally, they are lower grade. But they are not pure devotees.

Lecture on SB 3.26.2 -- Bombay, December 14, 1974:

So this human life is after many, many evolutionary process. We have forgotten that. So this life is meant for jñānam, ultimate knowledge. In the lower grade of life, there is jñānam, there is consciousness, there is knowledge. A mosquito bug, mosquito knows where to bite. The knowledge is there. They will bite on the joints. Therefore there is mosquito, you have to eat(?) your hands and legs, the joints, but they know where to bite. This knowledge is there, for eating, sleeping and sex life. Nobody takes education for sex life. Nobody takes education for eating or sleeping. Where is the education that you shall eat like this, you shall sleep like this, you shall have sexual intercourse like this? That is automatically known. This knowledge is automatically known. So human civilization does not mean that scientifically you have to do this, do that, eating, sleeping, mating. That is going on, scientifically. Now this science of mating is that we shall have sex intercourse, but there will be no pregnancy. Contracept. So this is not knowledge. Knowledge is different thing.

Lecture on SB 3.26.5 -- Bombay, December 17, 1974:

All these living entities and their living condition, their mode of life, standard of life, everything, they are simply contamination of the three guṇas: tri-guṇair vicitrāḥ. Sṛjatīṁ sa-rūpāḥ prakṛtiṁ prajāḥ. Sa-rūpāḥ prakṛtim. They are getting this form according to the tendency of the mind, sa-rūpāḥ. If I contaminate tamo-guṇa, then I get lower-grade life. If I contaminate rajo-guṇa, then middle-grade life. And if we contaminate... That is also contamination, but it is better than the other two.

Lecture on SB 3.26.35-36 -- Bombay, January 12, 1975:

So adhok... We have to approach that Adhokṣaja. There are different stages of knowledge: pratyakṣa, parokṣa, aparokṣa, adhokṣaja, aprākṛta. So we have to approach the aprākṛta, transcendental, above the material nature. Adhokṣaja is almost nearer than the lower grade of knowledge, pratyakṣa, parokṣāparokṣa. They are in the kaniṣṭha-adhikāra.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Tittenhurst, London, September 12, 1969:

Just like in this planet also, in some portion of this world there are savages, uncivilized persons, and in some portion of the world there are civilized persons, intelligent persons, God conscious persons, as there are different grades of persons in this planet, similarly, there are different grades of beings, living beings or human beings, in different other planets. The higher and lower grades are calculated in terms of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Consciousness is there everywhere, every living entity. Not only human being but also animals, the consciousness is there. But the difference is, consciousness without Kṛṣṇa is lower grade, and consciousness of Kṛṣṇa in different degrees, they are higher grade. And when the consciousness is completely Kṛṣṇa, that is the highest position, or that is the real position of the living entity.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Stockholm, September 9, 1973:

So here, it is suggested that in this human form of life, you have got two choices. Either you again go to hell or you go back to home, back to Godhead. Two choices, that in, by evolutionary process, you come to the human form of life after going through eight million forms of lower-grade life. Then you come to this human form of life, when your consciousness is developed. You are not exactly like animals. The animal propensities are there, but it is decent. Because you have got good, advanced consciousness. The animals eat; we also eat. But our eating process is more decent than the animals. We have got nice kitchen. We can prepare varieties of foodstuff by mixing so many eatables. Because we have got intelligence, we can do. The animals cannot do. So similarly, sleeping. There are animals. There are animals. They also sleep. We also sleep, but our apartment is very nice, we have got nice bed—in a improved way.

Lecture on SB 5.5.5 -- London, September 3, 1971:

Because (the) advanced intelligence is not being properly used. They are being used for these lower-grade activities: eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. The human being, being advanced in consciousness, they should have used the advanced intelligence for self-realization. But that, they are... There is no such education in the universities. That... I raised this question in the Massachusetts Technical Institution when I was asked to speak, that "Where is your technical department where a man after death can be alive again, injecting some...?" Just like motor stops, so a mechanical technologist go and makes the, I mean to say, machine correctly. Then it again runs. That I understand that there is technology. But when a man stops running, where is the technology to give him again the energy to go on? Because it is Massachusetts Institute of Technology, this technology must be there. So I asked the university, "Where is your that department?" The rascal could not answer. (laughter) Yes. And they appreciated, the students. Later on, they surrounded me and they appreciated: "Actually, where is that technology in the university?" That is called parābhava.

Lecture on SB 6.1.43 -- Los Angeles, July 24, 1975:

So anyway, this is a machine, and the machine is given by God. Bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā (BG 18.61). God has nothing to do. He simply orders His maidservant, this material nature. The material nature is God's maidservant, lower-grade maidservant. He has got many maidservants, Lakṣmīs. They are all goddess of fortune. Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam (Bs. 5.29). He has got so many. The gopīs are maidservants. The Lakṣmīs are maidservant. You will find this description in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Kṛṣṇa book, that all the queens of Kṛṣṇa they were discussing with Draupadī, female talk. Draupadī was asking, "How you were married?" So they were narrating the incidence, how (s)he was married to Kṛṣṇa. But the conclusion is there: every queen was speaking, "In this way, I have been maidservant of Kṛṣṇa." Nobody says that "I have become queen," although they were queen. They were also coming from royal family, very good family. Kṛṣṇa had to conquer such queen by fighting. They're not ordinary wife. But still, they say that "In this way I have become maidservant." So everyone is maidservant. We are also maidservant, prakṛti.

Lecture on SB 6.1.43 -- Los Angeles, July 24, 1975:

So every living entity who has forgotten Kṛṣṇa, trying to imitate Kṛṣṇa, that is sinful. So these sinful activities we are doing in ignorance, in lower grade of life. Just like cats and dogs and birds and trees and the..., they do not know, there is no capacity. They are so much covered with ignorance that a tree is standing, you cut it: there is no protest because it is so dull. Similarly, you take the animal, slaughterhouse, it cannot protest. These are the symptoms of ignorance. And as soon as there is awakening of Kṛṣṇa consciousness or advanced consciousness, then if I pinch you, immediately you protest, "Why you have pinched me?" That is the difference between the lower-grade life and higher-grade life. So if in the higher-grade life we do not understand Kṛṣṇa, then we are making suicide, cutting our own throat. That is sinful. So here is a chance, the human form of body. Death will come to the dog and to me also. Then where is the difference? The difference is so long I am living, I can try to understand Kṛṣṇa; others cannot. If we miss this opportunity, then we are committing suicide. This is the verdict of the śāstra.

Lecture on SB 6.1.48 -- Dallas, July 30, 1975:

Therefore a human being should be very, very cautious and conscious. They should not do anything irresponsibly. And how to work with responsibility and how to work irresponsibly? Therefore śāstra required. Śāstra, these books, Vedic knowledge, books, why they are? So that a human being may take advantage of it and he act responsibly or irresponsibly. If he works irresponsibly, then his punishment is awaiting, lower grade of life. So human being should be educated how to... Therefore these children are being educated from the very beginning of their life how to become responsible man. This is the idea of our gurukula. So these children should be taught.

Lecture on SB 6.1.67 -- Vrndavana, September 3, 1975:

Now, in this human form of life, what is further evolution? The further evolution is that if you are keeping in sattva-guṇa, in goodness, then you can be promoted, elevated, to the higher planetary system. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). And if you keep yourself in the rajo-guṇa, then you will keep within this Bhurloka. And if you are infected with the tamo-guṇa, then you again go to lower grade life, again animal life, plant life. This is the nature's process. You cannot avoid it. You may be very much proud falsely, but after death, after giving up this body, you are completely... You are already completely under the regulative principle of nature. You cannot violate even. But if you foolishly violate, then you are preparing your next life according to your karma. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1).

Lecture on SB 6.2.1 -- Vrndavana, September 5, 1975:

To revive our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpta-varān nibodhata. This is the Vedic injunction. So long you were in the lower grade of life it was not possible for you to take the path of Vedas and Purāṇas. That was not possible. But now, even if getting the human form of life, if you live for sense gratification like cats and dogs, then the Yamadūta... Yamadūta. Kṛṣṇa nāma kara bhāi āra saba miche, palaye barā kathā naya yo māche piche.(?) These are very easily understandable. You cannot avoid Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is not possible. If you avoid, then yo māche piche—the Yamadūtas will carry you. You can say, "I can do whatever I like. Why you are forcing me to become Kṛṣṇa conscious? I can do whatever I like. There is no need of your preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I am independent. I don't believe in the next life." That is the general statement of the rascals and fools. But the fact is different.

Lecture on SB 6.2.17 -- Vrndavana, September 20, 1975:

In the Bhagavad-gītā also, Kṛṣṇa says the same thing. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Pāpa-yoni. Puṇya-yoni means according to the infection of the heart with different qualities of these material modes of nature. That is called pāpa-yoni. One whose heart is too much engrossed with tamo-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, they are lower grade, pāpa-yoni. And gradually one who is free from the tamo-guṇa, rajo-guṇa... Even sattva-guṇa. Of course, sattva-guṇa is taken—the platform of goodness. That is the only hope in this material world, that one has to come by endeavor to the sattva-guṇa platform. Then the heart disease, kāma... hṛd-roga-kāma(?). It is a heart disease. Kāma means lusty desires simply to enjoy senses. This is called kāma. Hṛd-roga-kāma āpṛṇoti.

Lecture on SB 6.3.12-15 -- Gorakhpur, February 9, 1971:

So yasya ca līlā durvibhavya ity aham iti vādyam. Na spṛṣṭaṁ rajas-tamaṁ ye iti tam abhyehi pretam ceṣṭitaṁ vā na viduḥ.(?) Although they are freed from the contamination of the lower-grade qualities, still they could not understand, although there is possibility. There is possibility. Sattva-guṇa-pradhānāḥ. The brāhmaṇas..., it is for the brāhmaṇas. By quality, they can understand to some extent. Brahma jānāti iti brāhmaṇaḥ. He has to become Vaiṣṇava. Simply brahminical qualification will not help him. That is the greatest qualification within this material world. But still, he has to surpass that... Just like postgraduate. The brāhmaṇas may be graduate. Others, they are not graduate. They are, say, ISA matriculate, like that. But even the brāhmaṇa has to become... That is also stated. Ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipraḥ, nipuṇa, mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ. A brāhmaṇa, his qualification is that he knows what is his business. And that business is ṣaṭ-karma. Ṣaṭ-karma means a brāhmaṇa has to become very learned.

Lecture on SB 7.6.6 -- New Vrindaban, June 22, 1976:

Next life will be given by the laws of nature. Just like you are in the forest, you see so many trees are standing. You do not know how many years they will stand. Yes. It is possible. If I have acted just like a tree, nonsense, no-sense... Just like tree has no sense. If you cut it, he does not reply. Because practically it has lost the senses. There is some senses, consciousness, but it is not developed. It is not developed. The animal, little more developed. The human, fully developed. This is with all the consciousness, stages of different consciousness. And when we come to the stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this is perfect. Otherwise, in the lower grade. So if we neglect in this life, human form of life, to develop our Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then there is chance to become an animal, to become a tree.

Lecture on SB 7.7.32-35 -- San Francisco, March 17, 1967, (incomplete lecture):

I shall be either attached to this matter or I shall be attached to spirit. If I am not attached to spirit, then I must be attached to matter. And if I am attached to spirit, then my material attachment is gone. This is the process. So Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "In this process, if a person advances in his spiritual consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then vāsudeve bhagavati..." The Vāsudeva means Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudeve bhagavati: the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Yayā saṁlabhyate ratiḥ: "He becomes automatically attached." And so long we are not attached to Vāsudeva, then our attachment for this matter will oblige me to transfer or transmigrate from one body to another, and I'll have to circumambulate in the 8,400,000 species of life, lower grade, higher grade. That will continue. Therefore this is the opportunity, this human life, to become a devotee of Vāsudeva or to become fully Kṛṣṇa conscious.

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

The birds and beasts, they are also doing the same thing. In the morning they find out any tree, anywhere they stop, and small fruits they can eat. So the eating arrangement is already there, although they have no kitchen or hotel. The eating arrangement is there. And then sleeping: they have got a small nest. Or without nest, they sit down on the top of the tree and sleep. Eating, sleeping, and mating, sex. There is always a pair, one male, one female. They are born like that. The sex is there. Eating is there, sleeping is there, and being afraid of other animals, that is also there. As soon as they are little afraid, immediately the sparrow goes up to the... You cannot catch him. So these things are there even in the animal life, lower grade of life. But is that human life is also meant for that, the same thing? There is no other aim of life? No. That they do not know. Therefore śāstra says, na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). They do not know what is the aim of life.

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

This is aim of life. One has to become mahātmā, greater soul, great soul, must understand. So therefore there must be training. Without training, how... Because after all, we are coming from the lower grade of life, animal life, and they are very expert scientist that "Man is coming from monkey." That's all right, but shall you remain a monkey or you shall become a better person than the monkey? But they have preferred to remain as monkey. That's all. When there is impotency, they borrow glands from the monkey for increasing their sex appetite. That means again going to the monkey. Punar mūṣiko bhava.

Lecture on SB 12.2.1 -- San Francisco, March 18, 1968:

This book, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, was written... Not written, pratically it was recorded. All Vedic literatures, they are recorded from hearing or tradition of... (break)... five thousand years before, the statements of authorities, people could keep in mind without any book record. At that time the memory was so sharp that one could keep in his memory simply by once hearing from the spiritual master. There was no need of written books to consult. So five thousand years ago this book was recorded by Vyāsadeva because he could understand that in future people will be born of so lower grade that it would be not possible to keep in memory without book record. So formerly, these books were written in hand on palm leaves, and... Because there was no press or type. So if you wanted a book, you had to copy from other's book. That was the system.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:

Māyā creates a car for you, a carrying conveyance, this body. So that conveyance is according to karma. So if you act piously in this life, then next life you get good body. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā (BG 14.18). Sattva-sthā. If you are in goodness, then, in the modes of goodness, then you are promoted to higher standard of life. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ. And if you are in passion, then you remain here. And adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. And if you are ignorant, then you go to animal life or lower grade of life. This is the law of karma. But instead of improving your karma, karma-kāṇḍīya-vicāra, fruitive activities, if you take to devotional service and simply try to understand what is Kṛṣṇa, then you are no longer within the influence of this good work or bad work. You are transcendental. Immediately after death, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9), you are no more subjected to this gross body...

Festival Lectures

Ratha-yatra Lecture at The Family Dog Auditorium -- San Francisco, July 27, 1969:

So try to understand this philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is not a new thing. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness philosophy was taught five thousand years ago. Not only five thousand years—Bhagavad-gītā is the philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and although it was five thousand years ago in our memorable history, but in the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated that it was spoken some millions of years ago to the sun-god. So apart from that reference, Bhagavad-gītā is eternal because it teaches what is your relationship with God, what is your eternal duty to God, and what is the ultimate end of life. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, and the last instruction of the Bhagavad-gītā is that one has to give up all sorts of rascaldom or concocted religion. Simply one has to surrender to God. That is religion. We have developed this human form of life after passing through many millions of lower grades of life, and similarly we have to now develop this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, love of God. If you will take this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement very seriously, then we have volumes of books to convince you what is your relationship with God, what is your duty, what is your ultimate goal of life—these things are all very nicely explained in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Sri Sri Kaliya Krsna Deity Installation -- Lautoka, Fiji, May 2, 1976:

So the opportunity has come by the endeavor of our Mr. Punja. He's to be known as Vāsudeva dāsa henceforward. His wife, Bhagavati, and his mother . So my request is, I of course I am traveling all over the world. It may not be possible for me to see you very frequently. But I expect to come again and again. But I entrust the matter to you all. I'll send help also as far as possible. Now you have to take care of your own business, this temple, and always remember that according to your capacity you can serve the Lord. It is not that one who is worshiping the Deity, decorating the Deity, offering arotik, he's in better position than the person who is cleansing the temple. Both of them equal. In the spiritual world there is no such distinction. Absolute. As here there is distinction between higher grade and lower grade service, in the spiritual world there is no such thing. Everything is spiritual service. So that you realize one after another.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Speech -- New Vrindaban, June 21, 1976:

This modern civilization, it is not modern, but in modern civilization it has become very prominent, that to improve the economic condition. Economic condition means we improve the standard of sense gratification. This is called going on economic condition. But we require a little sense gratification. Dharma artha kāma mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90). This is the gradual process of evolution. Real purpose is mokṣa, how to become free from this entanglement of repetition of birth, death, old age and disease. This is the real aim of life. But because we are coming from the lowest grade of living condition, jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati-like that, 8,400,000 different species of life—our tendency is only for sense gratification. Because in the lower grade of life there is no other pleasure except sense gratification. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca. A small ant, some information has come to him that on the third floor there is a grain of sugar, and he's running there. Āhāra: something eatable is there. So sense enjoyment means these four things: eating, sleeping, sex and defense. This is called sense enjoyment. But this is common to everyone.

Arrival Speech -- New Vrindaban, June 21, 1976:

Now, if you study the lower grade of life, they are having all these things without any plan for economic development. Lower grade, just like animals, say, other lower grade... Lower grade means less than the animal or the aquatics, the plants, the insects, the birds, then come to the beast, then come to the human form of life, civilized. Uncivilized, then civilized. In this way there is a gradation. So this happiness, sense gratification, that is already there. Prahlāda Mahārāja says, sukham aindriyakaṁ daityā deha-yogena dehinām. The sense gratification is there in different bodies, but the standard may be different. Standard means our calculation; otherwise, the standard is also the same. The sex life between dogs and sex life between human beings, the pleasure is the same. There is no change.

General Lectures

Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Seattle, September 25, 1968:

Our inquiries should be how to get out of the threefold miseries. In the conditioned state... Just like an animal. Animal is always suffering. That is a fact. Everyone knows. In the lower grade of life than human being, every animal is always under very strict condition. Why? What is the difference between civilization and not civilization? The difference is that their life is most conditional life. In the civilized life there is a pinch of liberation. So what is that statement? Yes. Threefold miseries. Threefold miseries are there in every living condition, but when a man is enhanced or advanced in knowledge he can understand that "I am under always threefold miseries." What are those threefold miseries? Miseries, that I explained the other day. The threefold miseries means first, pertaining to the body and mind, and second, miseries inflicted by other living entities, and miseries by nature or higher authorities.

Lecture at International Student Society -- Boston, May 3, 1969:

This evolutionary process is very nicely explained in Vedic literature. Aśītiṁs caturaś caiva bhramadbhiḥ jīva-jātiṣu. These Sanskrit words are there in the Padma Purāṇa, that "A living entity is traveling or evolving from lower grades of life to the higher grades of life in 8,400,000 species of life." There are 900,000 species of life in the water. There are 2,000,000 species of life of plants and vegetables. Similarly, microbes, reptiles, there are 1,100,000 species of life. Then birds, 1,000,000 species of life. Then beasts, four-legged beasts, there are 3,000,000 species of life. Then, from beastly life, he comes to the human form life. There also variety, 400,000's of varieties. In this way we come to the point of civilized human form of life. The evolution is coming. Just like we evolve our body or grew our body from the womb of our mother. It is stated... Everything is there in the Vedic literature.

Lecture -- London, September 26, 1969:

Therefore those who are sensible, they do not aspire for all these temporary things. Temporary bodily acquisitions, good birth, good opulence, good beauty, and good knowledge—these are bodily acquisitions. (affections?) Everyone is very much proud if he's born in a nice family or nice nation. Oh, he's very proud, "I am Englishman," or "American," "I am this," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am this, first class." Why? Good birth. Then, if one is very rich, oh, he's very proud. Then, if one is very much learned, he is very proud. And if one is very beautiful, he's also very proud. Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrībhiḥ (SB 1.8.26). These are our objects of being proud. But this can be finished within a second, because it is due to this body. So actually, those who are in the bodily concept of life, they're in lower grade of human civilization. Just like animals. They are considered as animals. Just like the animals, they are fully absorbed in the thought that "I am this body," similarly, if a man is absorbed in such thought, that "I am this body," then he is equal to animal. That's all. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13).

Lecture to International Student Society -- Boston, December 28, 1969:

Śva-pāk means the dog-eaters. In India there are many types of flesh eaters. Not higher caste, amongst the lower grade. But anyone who eats the flesh of dog, he is called caṇḍāla, lowest of the mankind. But here Bhagavad-gītā says even if he is caṇḍāla, the paṇḍitaḥ, he sees equally like the brāhmaṇa because he sees the spirit soul.

Lecture -- London, August 26, 1973:

There are nine hundred thousand varieties in the water, and two million varieties as trees and plants. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. And then insects, reptiles, there are eleven hundred thousand varieties. Then there are one million varieties of birds. Pakṣiṇāṁ daśa-lakṣaṇam. Then beasts, three million. Three million varieties of animals, beasts, four-legged beasts, and then there are four hundred thousand forms of the human being, out of which the civilized men, they are taken into consideration. All other varieties, they are in the lower grade of life. They cannot understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is not possible. It is in the human form of body when the consciousness is developed. In the tree also, there is consciousness. It is now scientifically proved. When you cut tree or take its leaves, it feels, and that is recorded in the machine. This machine was discovered by Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose, a great physicist in Calcutta. So everyone has got consciousness, there is no doubt about it. But the developed consciousness is found in the human being.

Lecture -- Bombay, September 25, 1973:

So there is another statement of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura that kṛṣṇera saṁsāra kara chāḍi anācāra. To turn your home into Vaikuṇṭha is not very difficult job. Simply you have to adopt the method. Kṛṣṇera saṁsāra kara chāḍi anācāra. Anācāra means sinful activities. You cannot associate with God if you become sinful. That is not possible. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpam: "One who is completely free from sinful life," te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 7.28), "He can worship Me." So therefore our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is that we do not recommend that "You give up your occupation, you become a sannyāsī, give up your wife and children." No. That is not our movement. Amongst ourself here there are sannyāsīs, brahmacārīs, gṛhastha, vānaprastha. Everyone is there. Everyone can worship Kṛṣṇa. There is no such thing that "This class of men, only the brāhmaṇa or the sannyāsīs or brahmacārī or Hindus..." No. Kṛṣṇa is open for everyone. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Even lower born, born in the lower grade family, he is also open. Simply one has to adopt the means.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Hayagrīva: He points out that there's a paradox surrounding death. "On the one hand, from the point of view of the ego," or what we call the false ego, "death is a horrible catastrophe, a fearful piece of brutality. On the other hand, from the point of view of the psyche, the soul, death is a joyful event, in the life of eternity it is a wedding."

Prabhupāda: Yes. In all cases it is eternal, but it is, death is horrible for the person who is going to accept a lower grade of life, and it is pleasure for the devotee, that he is going back to home, back to God. That is the difference.

Hayagrīva: So it's not always a joyful event for the soul.

Prabhupāda: No.

Hayagrīva: Oh.

Prabhupāda: How it can be? If he is, if he is not developed...

Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:

Śyāmasundara: But the urge to improve oneself, to attain the next stage...

Prabhupāda: This is the urge for improvement. Kṛṣṇa says, God says, that "All living entities are My part and parcels." This instruction can be accepted only by human beings, not the cats and dogs. Although He claims that "Every living entity is My part and parcel," the cats and dogs, they have no capacity to understand these, I mean to say, utterances of the Personality of Godhead. Even he has got an ear. You are hearing, a dog may hear. But you can capture; the dog cannot capture. Due to his lower grade of body, he cannot. So in this higher grade of body, the Vedic instructions are there. Now you can make your choice. Yathecchasi tathā kuru (BG 18.63). As Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna that "Whatever you like you can do." So now it depends upon you. If you don't accept the real progressive life, understand Kṛṣṇa and surrender unto Him, then you will go back.

Philosophy Discussion on Plotinus:

Hayagrīva: Accepted in..., the soul living in animals and also in plants.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the fact. He is right. That is Vedic conclusion. Sarva-yoniṣu, all different forms of life, there is soul, part and parcel of God. How some foolish person can think of animal has no soul? What is the reason? There is no very strong argument. The animals may be less intelligent. A child may be less intelligent than the father; that does not mean there is no soul. This gross and doggish mentality, animal mentality, is killing the human civilization. Now they have degraded so much that they think that the embryo has no soul. In this way man is being put into darker and darkest region of ignorance. Everyone has soul. That is real. We get it from Kṛṣṇa: sarva-yoniṣu. In different forms of life the soul is there, undoubtedly. That is real conception of soul. Evolution means he is evolving from one lower grade of body to another, higher grade of body, and in this way by evolution he comes to the human form of life. And in this human form of life he can understand the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā, that if he likes, he can surrender to the Supreme Lord and go back to home, back to Godhead, and if he does not, then he remains in this material world, undergoing the tribulations of the repetition of birth, death, old age, and disease. Corporal body.

Philosophy Discussion on Plotinus:

Hayagrīva: Concerning the fall of the soul, Plotinus believes that the human soul never entirely leaves the spiritual realm.

Prabhupāda: Because he is constitutionally spiritual being, he is not any product of this material world. He is part and parcel of the Supreme One. But he is embodied by the material elements, and the material elements requires change. It becomes old. Just like our shoes, our dress, it becomes old. I can have one shirt and coat, but as soon as I change the body, the shirt and coat is no more fitting the body, so I have to change. So material life means to change. It is called jagat. Jagat means changing. But we are eternal, the same spirit soul. That this material life is not very happy, because it will change. Even if we are in the very comfortable condition of life or in miserable condition of life, it will change to better or lower grade of life. That is going on. So in order to save ourselves from the repetition of changing body, if we want to remain in our original, eternal, spiritual form, we must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and then we are relieved from this rotten business of repetition of birth, death, old age and disease.

Philosophy Discussion on St. Augustine:

Hayagrīva: Augustine disagrees with Origen, who looked on the body as a prison. He says, "If the opinion of Origen and his followers where true, that matter was created, that souls might be enclosed in bodies as in penitentiaries for the punishment of sin, then the higher and lighter bodies should have been for those whose sins were slight, and the lower and heavier ones for those whose crimes were great." So...

Prabhupāda: That is Vedic conception. The soul, he, as he is, he is part and parcel of God, but he is imprisoned in different types of body. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that "I am the seed-giving father of all different forms of life, and the mother, material nature is the mother." That is actually very logical. Through the matter different varieties of living entities are coming out. From water, from earth, from air, even from fire, ether, everywhere, sarva-gataḥ, life, living entities are visible. Therefore the combination of five elements—earth, water, fire, air—that is the body of the living entities. And the soul is the part and parcel of the Supreme, and the souls are impregnated within this material world by God, and they come out through the womb of the mother, nature or individual mother, whatever you say. The soul is coming out of matter but it is not matter. The living entities, part and parcel of God, assuming different types of body, either you say according to pious or impious activities, or according to his pious and impious desires. Vāsanāḥ. So the desire actually is the cause of higher and lower grades of body, but the soul is the same. Therefore those who are advanced in spiritual consciousness, they see the same soul in, in each and every body. Either in the body of a dog or in the body of a brāhmaṇa, the same soul is existing, but according to different desires and karma one gets a different types of body.

Philosophy Discussion on St. Augustine:

Hayagrīva: Augustine believes that the physical body comes first, and then the spiritual. "What is so in a natural body arises a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. But it is not the spiritual which comes first, but the physical and then the spiritual. The first man was of the earth, earthy. The second man is from heaven, heavenly. But the body which, by the life-giving spirit will become spiritual and immortal, will under no conditions be able to die." So that man must first come as a, as man, as a mortal, physical being first, in order to attain immortality.

Prabhupāda: Why man? Every living entity has a mortal body. So to enter into the mortal body, that is a kind of punishment. And then there is evolutionary process from lower grade of body to higher grade of body. That is quite reasonable, that every living entity or soul is part and parcel of God, but on account of some sinful activities or disobedience to God, as they believe Adam on account of disobedience to God they lost Paradise and came to this material world, similarly, the soul belongs to the Paradise, or heaven, or Kṛṣṇa, but somehow or other he falls down within this material world, and he gets first a body like Adam. But again, on account of his further, low-grade activities, he goes down, sometimes as human being or sometimes as more than human being—the demigod—and sometimes as animal, trees, plants. In this way he goes down, degradation, or goes up by elevation. But he is always aloof from the material body, but according to his desires and activity he gets different body. This is quite reasonable and confirmed by the Vedic literature. But his actual life is when he is freed from this material contamination, getting different bodies life after life.

Page Title:Lower grade (Lectures)
Compiler:Labangalatika, Serene
Created:09 of Aug, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=72, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:72