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Muslim (Lectures, Other)

Lectures

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

The superintendent of jail, he was working under him. He was minister. So the Sanātana Gosvāmī requested him that "I had done so many times your benefit. So you do me one benefit. You let me go. Let me go al..., the, although the Nawab has imprisoned me." (aside:) That's not required. So "I am going to be a pir (?)." Because the Muslims, they respect very much the pir. So actually he was going to be a pir. They renounced the family life and became gosvāmīs. "So I am sacrificing my life for God, and you just help me in this service. And not only that, you get some material profit also. I have got this, that, about..." First of all, he offered five thousand, five thousand gold mudras (?). But when he was not very happy, then he offered ten thousand. In this way, it was settled and the superintendent of jail let him go. And he inquired from Sanātana Gosvāmī, "What I shall explain to the Nawab when he'll ask me explanation, call for explanation? You are going." So he gave him a trick that... Formerly, people used to evacuate on the field. So he was imprisoned.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

The aim is how to own victory. Although there are so many international laws, they don't care for it. Just like bombing. Bombing. Sometimes the opposite party, they keep soldiers under Red Cross, because Red Cross is not bombed according to international... But they, they get information and they bomb also. These are common practice. Just like in India, in the Hindu-Muslim fight, the Muslims were keeping weapons within mosques. You know that. Everyone knows. So there (are) so many international law of the fighting, but when there is necessity, they neglect all international law and they take advantage.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 17, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa says, does not say that "The Indians are My son, or the Hindus are My son." No, Kṛṣṇa does not say. So Kṛṣṇa cannot be a sectarian God. God is one. God is for Hindus. God is for Muslims, God is for any other religious sect. And the definition of religion is that the law given by God. That's all. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Just like law means the code or the order given by the state. You cannot manufacture law at home. When the state gives something to the citizens, that "You must follow this," that is law. It may be very insignificant thing, but it is law. Just like when we go on the street, the law is, in, in this country, the law is "Keep to the left." In other countries the law is "Keep to the right." Yes. Germa... In America it is "Keep to the right."

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:

Under the circumstances, if this man is crazy, that depends on your judgement, what to do. But in my opinion, every man is a crazy man." So this is a fact. This is a fact. Anyone who is under the control of the material energy, he's a crazy man. He's thinking "I am this, I am that, I am this," "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am Hindu," "I am a Muslim," "I am so on, so on, so many things." But he's nothing of all this. These are all creation of māyā.

Just like if I am sitting on a certain type of motorcar, does it mean I am that motorcar? If I am... Suppose I am sitting on a Rolls Royce motorcar. If I say, "I am Rolls Royce," is that my identification? No. Actually... And this is a fact. If a man is driving a very nice car, and if in his front there is a thela walla... I've seen it. The driver says, "He thela." As is if that man has become thela. And he has become motor. So actually, this is the fact. Piśācī pāile yena mati-cchanna haya. Neither he's thela, nor he's motorcar.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:

And he has become motor. So actually, this is the fact. Piśācī pāile yena mati-cchanna haya. Neither he's thela, nor he's motorcar. He's living entity, pure living entity. Therefore in Bhagavad-gītā it is said, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). When one actually is self-realized, that "I am not American, not Indian, not Hindu, not Muslim, not man, not woman. I am spirit soul. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi," at that time, he does not lament. Na śocati na kāṅkṣati. We are fighting with one another, lamenting and hankering due to this misidentification of the self with this body.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 24, 1972:

Then if we are conversant with the science of Kṛṣṇa, then anyone who is such enlightened, he is perfect spiritual master. It doesn't matter what he is. Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura. He was born in Muhammadan family. Sanātana Gosvāmī, Rūpa Gosvāmī, they were rejected from the brāhmaṇa community and they took the Muslim names, Sākara Mallika, Dabira Khāsa. But it is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's preaching that He collected all these exalted personalities. They were associates of Kṛṣṇa, Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

But the universality of Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement is such that anyone can become Kṛṣṇa conscious, and anyone can accept or be elevated to the exalted post of gosvāmī, namācārya. Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura was made the Namācārya. And Sanātana Gosvāmī, Rūpa Gosvāmī, although rejected by the brāhmaṇa community, they were the exalted Gosvāmīs, six Gosvāmīs.

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

Yes. Without being Kṛṣṇa conscious, there cannot be blissful life. If, if... You may rest assured. You may try in so many ways. Andhā yathāndair upanīyamānāḥ. Leaders may try. It will not be possible. Take, for example, in India. We thought, "If the Britishers go away, so, then we'll be happy. There will be no Hindu-Muslim riots. There will be..." So many things we conjectured. "It will be Rāma-rājya." But what is the Rāma-rājya? Now everything there is fight. Now there is no Hindu-Muslim riot. Now Andhra and other provinces, they're fighting. So fighting will remain, unless we are Kṛṣṇa conscious. Go on.

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

We haven't got eyes to see Him. So we have to prepare the eyes. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). When you make your eyes nirmala, when you give up all these titular designations—"I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am black," "I am white..." These are all designations. When you give up, become brahma bhutaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54)—"I am nothing of this; I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa"—when you come to this consciousness, you will see Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is always there. (break) ...Kṛṣṇa. A devotee's seeing factual Kṛṣṇa, and nondevotee's seeing a brass doll. That's all. Kṛṣṇa is here. Why they say, "Where is your Kṛṣṇa?" Here is Kṛṣṇa. Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu, he challenged Prahlāda Mahārāja, "Where is your Kṛṣṇa? All right, let me kill you. Let your God come and protect you." So the atheist class, they say like that. But one who has got training in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he has got eyes to see Kṛṣṇa always.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 11, 1973:

This is human life. Dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa. The religious life you cannot find in animal society. In the human society, either he may be Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Buddha, Jews, anything, there is a kind of religious principles.

So that is the beginning of human life—religion, dharma. Then generally, because we are in the bodily concept of life, therefore economic development: "I want money. I want comfortable position, comfortable situation, so that I can eat, drink, sleep nicely." This is called economic development. So dharma, artha... Then why I don't, why I want economic development? Now kāma. Because I have got my senses, I have to gratify it. I'll gratify my senses. When my children grow up, I also give them chance to gratify their senses. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham (SB 7.9.45). So we think by sense gratification we shall be happy. That is called kāma. And when we are dissatisfied or frustrated by this process of sense gratification, economic development, then we give up. Brahmā satyaṁ jagan mithyā: "This is all false. Now I shall merge into Brahman." This mokṣa. But Bhāgavata says this is not life. This is not life. What is that verse? Dharmasya... Dharmaikāntasya.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 11, 1973:

One was chief minister, one was finance minister. Very responsible post, Rūpa Gosvāmī. And they almost became Muhammadans. Because formerly the brahminical society was very strict. If any brāhmaṇa accepts service of another person... Generally kṣatriyas. And he, they were Muslims. So they were, I mean to say, rejected from brāhmaṇa society, and they changed their name also. Almost they became Muhammadans. Sākara Mallika and Dabira Khāsa—both the brothers, Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī. And they met Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Then they decided to resign from the government post and join this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not new. It, it, it is continuing, it is going on since Kṛṣṇa appeared. And later on, five hundred years ago, Caitanya Mahāprabhu revived it, this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma iva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21).

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 1, 1972:

No. As soon as seva... Sevā means activity. One has to preach, one has to write, one has to do this, do that, cook, offer the prasādam, everything. Sevā, activity.

So that activity and karmīs' activity, there is difference. The karmī's activity is on upādhi. "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian." With this upādhi, we are acting. But bhakti means without upādhi. Sarvopādhi-virnirmuktam. Activity without upādhi. Working not as American. Working not as Indian. Working not as Hindu. Working not as Muslim. That is sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). If we think that "I am Christian," "I am Hindu," "I am American," that is with upādhi. When we purely think that "We are...," or "I am servant of Kṛṣṇa. My only business is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa," that activity is called bhakti. If I become interested in some party, that is not... Sometimes people criticize these American and European devotees, that they think that "They are American devotee; we are Hindu devotee. There is difference."

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 2, 1972:

He said, "I am not a brāhmaṇa. I am not a śūdra. I am not a kṣatriya. I am not a brahmacārī." He denied. At last He said, gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayoḥ dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80). This is our position. We are not Indian; we are not American; we are not Hindu; we are not Muslim. These are all designations. Therefore (the) Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to make people free from designation. Just like, actually, you see. Here are American, European boys and girls. They have forgotten that they are American or European or they come from Christian group or Jewish group. Similarly, we should also forget that "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," or "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am śūdra," "I am kṣatriya." No. This is the only platform, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, where we can unite on spiritual platform. We cannot be united by resolutions. Just like the United Nations: they are trying for the last thirty years to become united—simply resolution. On that platform we cannot be united.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972:

Actually our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, has attained little success on this principle. When we began this movement we never asked people that "You have to do this; you have to do that." No. "Please come and hear Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra." This was our policy. Never mind what you are. You may be Christian. You may be Jews. You may be Muhammadan or Hindu, Muslim. Whatever you may be, it doesn't matter. Please come and join with us, the Hare Kṛṣṇa chanting. Actually, that has become successful. In Tompkins Square, I was sitting underneath a tree and chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra alone. And these young men, they used to assemble and dance also in the tune, for three hours—from two to five. In this way, we got our followers, associates. And gradually it developed into organization. So in the beginning we did not impose so many rules and regulations. There is no rules and regulations. First thing required: ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Unless one's heart is cleansed, he cannot accept rules and regulations. That is not possible. Cora nasane dharme khaiḥ (?).

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 28, 1973:

They changed their name. Dabira Khāsa. Sākara Mallika. But Caitanya, by association of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they became Gosvāmī. Sanātana Gosvāmī... Ei chaya gosāi yāra tāra mui dāsa, Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says. That it is not to be considered, "Oh, these people..." This is the defect. So many people converted to Muslim, and we did not take care. Therefore the whole country is spoiled. Kṛṣṇa says, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ.

So we should take care of everyone. That is the verdict of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, verdict of Kṛṣṇa. Now we are doing that in our Māyāpur. All the Muhammadans and Hindus, they are taking prasādam together. This has been a unique thing. People are very much appreciating. But some of them, some envious persons are there. They are taking it otherwise. Why? In Jagannātha Purī, still the regulation is that anyone can come and take together jagannātha-prasādam. It doesn't matter whether he's a baṅghi, camara or brāhmaṇa. They take actually. Prasāda. Prasāda is transcendental, nirguṇa.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.1 -- Mayapur, March 25, 1975:

This is our material disease. Material disease means... Just like a gold is covered by dirty, dirty things. Similarly, we are actually gold, because part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. We are a small Kṛṣṇa, very small, but we are also the same quality. But it is covered. This is our disease. And these coverings are going on in different names—socialism, communism, and this "ism"—so many. "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am white," "I am black"—these are all designations.

So it is the business of the guru to clear up these designations, dirty things. Therefore, vande gurūn īśam. Guru, first offering because he is the agent of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa said that "You give up all these designative dharma; take to real dharma." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). "That is your real business." But even Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa does not fail... But Kṛṣṇa does not force. So even upon the request of Kṛṣṇa we do not give up our designation. This is the difficulty.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.15 -- Dallas, March 4, 1975:

Because mandāḥ sumanda-matayo (SB 1.1.10), they have got some nasty ideas, they manufacture different types of religion. Religion is one. That is eternal. God is one. That is eternal. Take anything, like gold. Gold is gold, always gold. Millions of years ago the what was gold, the metal, the same metal is still there. You cannot say, "This is Hindu gold," "This is Muslim gold," "This is Christian gold." Gold is gold. Similarly, God is one. You cannot say, "This is Hindu God," "This is Muslim God," "This is Christian God." God is one, and eternal. Therefore religion is one, eternal. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness. God is one. You are also one because you are part and parcel. But you have created your struggle for existence because you are thinking otherwise without Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). Because you have created different types of mind, different types of desires, and you are trying to fulfill it, that is called struggle for existence.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.1 -- Atlanta, March 1, 1975:

Generally, in the material world everyone has necessity of gratifying his senses. So sometimes, under the cover of religiosity, they want to satisfy senses. The same thing... Just like one goes to church or temple to mitigate some material necessities. Just like the Christians go to the church for meeting the problems of bread; similarly, the Hindus or the Muslim, everyone goes to church, temple or mosque to pray something material: "God, I am very distressed. Kindly get me relief from this distressed condition." Or "God, I am in need of money, I am very poor. Kindly give me some money." Or any other, "I am now implicated in war." Just like Churchill, he introduced that everyone should go and pray for victory. So England was also praying for victory, and Germany was also praying for victory. So (chuckles) God is perplexed. (laughter) The thief is praying to God that "This night, I may steal without any hindrances." And the householder is praying, "My Lord, thief may not come here and steal my goods." And God has to adjust everything.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.39-47 -- San Francisco, February 1, 1967:

Just like in Christian religion, those who do not follow the Bible, they are called heathens. Similarly, in Muslim, those who do not follow the Koran, they are called kafirs. Similarly, those who do not follow the Vedic principles, they are called nāstika or mlecchas. Nāstika means those who do not believe in the Vedic principles, they are called nāstika, atheist. And those whose behavior is not very clean, they are called mlecchas. So in comparison to Hindu mode of living and others in the world, there is very great difference, social sanctity and personal sanctity. So therefore, formerly the mlecchas means the Muhammadans, because they are meat-eaters, they do not take bath daily and there are so many things. So even those persons who were delivered by Lord Caitanya, but the author says that He could not deliver the Māyāvādīs, the impersonalist sannyāsīs. That means it was easier for Him to deliver the mlecchas, but it was difficult for Him to deliver the Māyāvādīs. In other words, the author is trying to place the position of the Māyāvādī sannyāsī less than the mlecchas. Less than the mlecchas.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.80-95 -- San Francisco, February 10, 1966:

What are the four perfectional stage? In the material world there are supposed to be four perfectional stage of human life. What is that? First perfectional stage is that when one becomes very expert in following the religious principles. That is also another perfectional stage of common man. You have got your principles of religions, say, either Hindu or Muslim or Christian or Jew. You have got your own Bible or Testament or Koran or Vedas. There are rules and regulation, rituals, everything. So one who follows those rules and regulations, they are called religionist. And what is the effect of becoming religionist? The effect is that you can live very peacefully without any material want. Simply by following the rules and regulation of your scripture, it doesn't matter in which religion you belong to, but if you follow the rules and regulation, then your life will be peaceful and there will be no material want. That is not, of course, peaceful. You cannot expect any peace in this material world because the major problem is birth, death, old age and disease. So you cannot check this.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- Bombay, November 9, 1975:

This is the most confidential part of... It is not understood by general public, but this is the only knowledge, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. Kṛṣṇa came, appeared on this planet, for dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya. He did not come to establish the conception of Hindu religion and Muslim religion or Christian religion or this religion. No. Real religion. Real religion. What is that real religion? To surrender unto the Supreme Lord. That is real religion. So just like our real citizens means..., citizenship means that we surrender to the government regulation, similarly, dharma means dharmāṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). You cannot manufacture dharma as you cannot manufacture law at home. That is not. Now they are manufacturing and it is being supported, yata mat tata pat. Whatever... (break)...manufacture, it is all right. It cannot be all right. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is the Supreme.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.101 -- Washington, D.C., July 6, 1976:

These things should be discussed. But still we got to work, why? Only for love. That is the only cause. I love my children, I love my wife, or I love my country, my society. Love is there. But this love is not giving me satisfaction. We are disappointed. As I, yesterday I cited the example of Mahatma Gandhi. For his country's love, he did so much. He wanted Hindu-Muslim unity, and he wanted nonviolence. In this way he was organizing. But the world is so ungrateful that instead of unity of Hindu-Muslim, in India we experienced complete partition, Hindustan and Pakistan. So he was baffled. And so far nonviolence was concerned, he was killed by violence. So he died very disappointed. So everyone... This is giving the best example, typical example. Everyone. We are attached to the love of this material world, but we are all disappointed. From everyone's experience, you'll find. Everyone is disappointed. Both sides, the lover and the beloved, both sides. You have got very good experience in this country. They marry, again they are divorced, because disappointed.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.101-104 -- Bombay, November 3, 1975:

So here we are talking about Caitanya's instruction to Sanātana Gosvāmī. This Sanātana Gosvāmī was one of the important ministers in the government of the then Pathan Nawab Hussein Shah. He is very important person. He was very great scholar in Persian language, in Arabian language, and Sanskrit. And because he joined the Muslim government, he accepted the service of a Muslim government, he was rejected by the brāhmaṇa community. He was born in brāhmaṇa community, Sārasvata-brāhmaṇa. There are many Sārasvata-brāhmaṇas in Bombay. So he belonged to that community. And because the brāhmaṇa community exterminated him, then he became almost like Muslim. Their name was also changed, Dabira Khāsa and Sākara Mallika, two brothers. Later on, by the association of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, these half-converted Muslim brāhmaṇas were again claimed by Caitanya Mahāprabhu to become the first-class brāhmaṇa, gosvāmī. They were Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī. So this Sanātana Gosvāmī retired.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.137 -- New York, November 28, 1966:

Dharma means rituals. Everyone has got some faith, and faith means... Just like Hindus are going to the church, er, in temple, and the Christians are going to the church, or Muslims, they are going to the mosque, they..., with idea that "Here is God." That is, of course, beginning. It is nice. But because they are trapped in simply the rituals, they have no other, further knowledge, so that also cannot help to reach because they are trapped. Every religious faith, because the fai... Of course, that conviction must be there. But they do not try to make any further advance. They think that "Here it is ended. Everything is ended here." Therefore they cannot make any progress. (aside:) Please sit down. Don't... So they cannot also. Then svādhyāya. Svādhyāya means study, study of these Vedic literatures. Without any guidance, if you... Just like so many ladies and gentlemen, they purchase books from the market.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.137-146 -- Bombay, February 24, 1971:

"You have given this man some drug so that he's fainted, and you wanted to plunder him. So we arrest you." Then they said, "No, sir. We have not done anything such. He faints like that while chanting. Now He'll be... Very soon He'll get up, because we are also chanting. Hearing, hearing, He will get up." So in this way, when He came to His consciousness, the Muslims, these Pathan soldiers, they were very happy to see Him. So there was a Mullah. So he talked with Him. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu... I am summarizing the story; this story is very big. He talked with that Mullah, and He proved from the Koran that there is kṛṣṇa-bhakti. He proved from the Koran that there is kṛṣṇa-bhakti, there is hint of kṛṣṇa-bhakti. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says here also that indirectly... When I speak of Kṛṣṇa, you should know, Kṛṣṇa means the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You may call Him by any other name; that is a different thing. But Kṛṣṇa means the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.137-146 -- Bombay, February 24, 1971:

As have got pilgrimage, everyone has got pilgrimage. Muslims have got, Christians they have got, Hindus they have got. That means they go to pilgrimage with God consciousness. So in Koran there is God consciousness, in Bible there is God consciousness, in Vedas God consciousness. Now you have to utilize it, develop it. The aim and objective is already there. But in the Vedic literature they are very explicitly presented. That is the difference. The Christians, they agree, "God is great." We also agree, "God is great." But how God is great, that is explained in the Vedic literature. That is the difference between... There is no difference of opinion if one is actually religious. God created this world, God is the supreme father, God is great. This is accepted by everyone, either Hindu or Muslim or Christian. There is no doubt about it. But in the Vedic literature you'll understand how God is great, how He is acting as father. That's all. Even God's name is there, God's address is there. Do you agree to this point? Yes, that is the difference. Any other scriptures, if you ask what is the name of God, what is His address, what He is doing, they cannot give you. But we can give. We do not give; God Himself gives, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, "My address is like this."

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 1 -- Los Angeles, May 3, 1970:

Just like in Calcutta... You have been in Calcutta? And there is a street, College Street. Now it is differently named. I think it is named Vidhan Raya (?). Just like... Anyway, so there are some slaughterhouses. So slaughterhouses means the Hindus, they do not purchase meat from Muslims' shop. That is impure. (laughter) The same thing: stool this side and that side. They are eating meat, and Hindu shop is pure, Muslim shop is impure. These are mental concoction. Religion is going on like that. Therefore... Therefore fighting: "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian." Nobody knows religion. You see? They have given up religion, these rascals. There is no religion. The real religion is this, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which teaches how to love God. That's all. That is religion. Any religion, it doesn't matter whether Hindu religion, Muslim religion, Christian religion, if you are developing love of God, then you are perfect in your religion. That is the test.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Lecture -- New York, July 28, 1971:

Ratna means jewel. If a girl is just like jewel, very qualified, even she is born in low family, accept her. Nīcād apy uttamāṁ vidyāṁ strī-ratnaṁ duṣkulād api. Duṣkulād api means born of low family. Never mind. Don't care for her parentage. If she's qualified, accept her. There are many instances. Similarly, if you are serious about understanding God, don't consider that "I am Christian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "Why shall I go this? Why shall I hear from Swamijī?" If you are serious about understanding God, to love God, then here is the nicest process. That is practical. There is no question of grudging, "Oh, why shall I go there? They are following some Hindu, Vedic scripture." No. There is no question of Vedic scripture. We, our business is how to love God. That's all. Just like many students come here to take higher education. As there is no consideration that "Why shall I go to America or Germany? They are different people. Oh, I don't take higher education." No. Everyone goes.

Festival Lectures

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

Everyone should become Kṛṣṇa conscious. If he does not become, then he's risking his life. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for saving all members of the human society without any distinction. There is no such question, Hindus, Muslim, Christian, or... no. Everyone can join. Even one is born in low grade family. That is Kṛṣṇa's order. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Kiṁ punar brāhmaṇaḥ punyā bhaktā rājarśayas tathā (BG 9.33). Even one is born in low grade family, he has got the facility of joining this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and everyone has the capability to understand it, every human being. Otherwise how in the western world, all these boys and girls who have joined, in number, so they are coming from different family. But they have taken Kṛṣṇa consciousness so seriously. So if you yourself become serious and distribute this Kṛṣṇa consciousness knowledge, the inhabitants of this island, Fiji Island, they will be also benefited and they will be also delivered. We have no such distinction. But everything must be done under proper direction and under the rules and regulation. So try to carry out and construct the temple very nicely and enjoy spiritual.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Address -- London, September 11, 1969:

No. We are not Christian nor Hindu nor Muslim. We are God's servant. That's all. Anyone who is God's servant, there is no disagreement. And when one is māyā's servant, servant of māyā, illusion, there is disagreement. So it doesn't matter. Our test is, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). That system of religion is first class which teaches how to love God. That's all. It doesn't matter whether it is Christian religion, Muhammadan religion or Hindu religion. We shall see. If the follower of the religion has learned how to love God, then his religion is perfect. Otherwise it is useless.

Arrival Lecture -- Gainesville, July 29, 1971:

Just like covered fire. Sometimes fire is covered by the ashes, and if you'll fan over the fire and put some new charcoal, again the fire will awaken, very bright. So similarly, somehow or other, our love for Kṛṣṇa is covered by these material designations: "I am American," "I am Christian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am this," "I am that." These are all ashes. The fire is the spirit soul. So if you rightly fan it over, and you'll see very soon, the fire will come out again. So how fanning? Śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte. You kindly hear about Kṛṣṇa śuddha-citta, without any embarrassment, without being biased to something else. Śuddha-citte. If you... then Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or love for Kṛṣṇa, will automatically awaken, simply by hearing. That is happening. What we are doing? We are chanting everywhere "Hare Kṛṣṇa," and people are coming for hearing. We're not bribing them that "You take some money and become a member of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement." Rather they are paying. So how it is happening, unless that Kṛṣṇa consciousness (is) within him? Try to understand that. Everyone, it doesn't matter when he is born, what he is, what profession he's not—whatever he may be. Simply if he hears about Kṛṣṇa.

Arrival Address -- New York, April 5, 1973:

Bhagavad-gītā is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead for the benefit of the whole human society. Do not take Bhagavad-gītā or Kṛṣṇa as something sectarian—"Hindu God," "Hindu scripture." No. It is meant for everyone. These names, "Hindu," "Muslim," "Christians," or "Buddhist," these are the designation of the body. Actual religion is different. Actual religion means to understand God and to develop your love for God. That is actual religion. It doesn't matter through which religion you develop your love for God, but the test is, you are first-class religionist if you have developed your dormant love of God. So this movement is meant for awakening the dormant love of God. So the subject matter is very serious. We are distributing the subject matter in so many books. We have already big, big books, about twenty books, and small books also. Just now one book published, "Rāja-vidyā, the King of Knowledge." There are different kinds of knowledges. But as there are different types of citizens but in the state there is a king or the president, similarly, there are different types of knowledge, but we are distributing the king of knowledge, God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Srila Prabhupada Welcomed by Governor at Hotel De Ville -- Geneva, May 30, 1974:

Paṇḍita means learned, and in spiritually learned (life), he sees that a very learned scholar, brāhmaṇa, and a dog, an elephant, a cow, or a low-born man, creature—all on the same platform of spiritual life. So unless we come to that point, this so-called fighting and sectarianism will go on. So we want to teach people... Not only sectarian people in India or the so-called Hindus or Muslims or Christians. Everyone. Because everyone is spirit soul, and as soon as he understands that "I am not this body. I am spirit soul," then he becomes completely happy. Yenātmā samprasīdati. So people will not be happy, will not be satisfied, unless and until he comes to that spiritual understanding. So our humble method is on this principle, that "I am not this body. I am spirit soul." And the spirit soul is eternal; therefore he has got to come to the platform of eternal happiness, eternal life and full knowledge. That is the perfection of life. And any type of religion—it doesn't matter what it is—which teaches this philosophy of life, that is first-class religious system.

Arrival Address -- Los Angeles, February 9, 1975:

That is also not very easy, siddha. Siddha means perfectly self-realized. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That is siddhi. That is the siddhi of human life. The dogs', cats' life, they cannot understand that "I am Brahman," ahaṁ brahmāsmi. They think, "I am dog." So if you think like that—"I am American," "I am Indian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim"—then you are no better than the dogs and cats because they are also thinking like that. But when you think yourself that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul," that is called brahma-bhūtaḥ. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). After that, after being brahma-bhūtaḥ-samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām—then bhakti life begins. After being liberated, after being self-realized, then bhakti begins. And as soon as bhakti begins, then you understand Kṛṣṇa. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). You cannot understand Kṛṣṇa by any other process—by jñāna, by yoga, by tapasya, by karma, by sacrifice, by charity. You cannot understand.

Arrival Lecture -- Calcutta, March 20, 1975:

Many scholar, Muhammadan, came to see me. So everyone is understanding the importance of this movement. So in Tehran I discussed about chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that there are many names. Nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktiḥ. Kṛṣṇa's name, manyfold. So I pleaded to the Muslim audience that "You can chant the name of Allah also. Not necessarily that you have to chant the Kṛṣṇa name, but any name indicating the Supreme Lord can be chanted." Because in the śāstra it is said, harer nāma, harer nāma, (CC Adi 17.21) the holy name of the Lord. But it must be the name of the Lord. Actually, Kṛṣṇa has thousands of names, and His names are enumerated by His activities. Just like Kṛṣṇa accepted to become the son of mother Yaśodā; therefore He is called Yaśodā-nandana. Kṛṣṇa accepted Vasudeva as His father, or Nanda Mahārāja; therefore He is called Nanda-nandana, Vāsudeva, or Devakī-nandana. Kṛṣṇa acted as the charioteer of Arjuna; He is called Partha-sarathi. So Kṛṣṇa's name means attached with the activities along with His devotees. This is Kṛṣṇa's name.

Arrival Lecture -- Calcutta, March 20, 1975:

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam does not name any particular type of religion. It says, "That religion, that system of religion, is first class," sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ, "transcendental." This "Hinduism," "Muslimism," "Christianism," they are all prākṛta, mundane. But we have to go, transcend this prākṛta, or mundane conception of religion—"We are Hindus," "We are Muslim," "We are Christian." Just like gold. Gold is gold. Gold cannot be Hindu gold or Christian gold or Muhammadan gold. Nobody... Because a lump of gold is in the hand of Hindu or in the Muslim, nobody will say, "It is Muslim gold," "It is Hindu gold." Everyone will say, "It is gold." So we have to select gold, not the Hindu gold or Muslim gold or Christian gold. When Lord Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), He did not mean this Hindu religion or Muslim religion. These are designated. So we have to come to the platform where it is pure; there is no designation. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa." This is real religion. Without this conception, any kind of designated religion, that is prākṛta. That is not transcendental.

Arrival Address -- Mauritius, October 1, 1975:

"What you are? Are you this body or different from this body?" This is essential. And if you go on constructing your big building on a defective foundation, then it will not stay. There will be danger. So modern civilization is based on this defective idea that "I am this body." "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian"—these are all bodily concept of life. "Because I have got this body from a Christian father and mother, therefore I am a Christian." But I am not this body. "Because I have got this body from a Hindu father and mother, therefore I am Hindu." But I am not this body. So for spiritual understanding, this is the basic principle to understand, that "I am not this body; I am soul," ahaṁ brahmāsmi. This is the Vedic instruction: "Try to understand that you are spirit soul; you are not this body." The yoga system is practiced just to understand this. Yoga indriya saṁyamaḥ.

Arrival Talk -- Aligarh, October 9, 1976:

Indian man (2): Mahārāja, I had a gentleman talking to me who is very intimate with Sanjaya Gandhi. And he was telling me that Sanjaya Gandhi very forcefully hinted, "Why are you people not working now? Why is the Arya-samaj silent? Why the other powerful sects and movements are not working? Why have you taken this country into the hands of Muslims?" These were his words. "Why do you want that the country should depend, or the government should depend, on the support of Muslims? What are you doing? Why don't you come up?"

Indian man (1): But our government is supporting them, you see.

Indian man (2): Swami Mahārāja said that they are forces which when if you want to keep yourself in power, you have to sometimes ban and this...

Indian man (3): That's true.

Prabhupāda: No. Apart from government, the first thing is... Sometimes we say, "Rāma-rājya." The Rāma-rājya means... There is a verse in Bhāgavatam that when Lord Rāmacandra took charge of the, after coming back from the forest, His brother Bhārata surrendered and He took charge of the kingdom. So the residents, the subjects, are described as a varṇāśrama guṇanvita (?).

Arrival Talk -- Aligarh, October 9, 1976:

So as this boy, he was a child, now he has become a boy, then after few years he'll become a young man. And then he'll become middle-aged man, then he'll become old man. So this is not our religion, your religion. This is fact. Scientific. When Bhagavad-gītā says dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā, that is not meant for the so-called Hindus. It is meant for the Muslims, meant for the Christians, everyone. It is science. Religion is a kind of faith. That they describe. But religion is also not a blind faith. Religion means the order of God. That is religion. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Just like law means the order of the state. Similarly, religion means the order of God. So if you have no conception of God, if you do not know what is God, what is order, then where is religion? It is all bogus.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation Ceremony of Visnujana -- San Francisco, March 24, 1968:

They are called intelligent class, because unless one is intelligent, he will simply consider that this body is he, identification of the body. That is foolishness. Brāhmaṇas means brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. One who knows that "I am ahaṁ brahmāsmi," and he has actually realized that "I am not this body, I am pure spirit self." It is not the question of Hindu, Muslim. Anyone. Anyone who knows this knowledge, that "I am the self," and acts in that way, he is a brāhmaṇa. So these initiation formalities are there. You are instructed, you are guided, but you have to act. Unless you act, then the same thing as in India—the so-called brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas are degraded. There will be no meaning. So guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). You have to stick to the brahminical qualities, and at the same time work. Brahma-karma. Brahman is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the last word of Brahman. So you have to engage yourself, brahma-karma, means Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Initiation of Bali-mardana Dasa -- Montreal, July 29, 1968:

That is called bhakti. This is the definition of bhakti. What is that bhakti? Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). One has to become free from all designations. So long we are in the material conditional life, we have got various designations—"I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am this," "I am that," so many designations, "I am nationalist," "I am Communist," "I am socialist," so many designations. So sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66), means you have to give up the designations. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam. Now I am thinking, "I am nationalist," "I am Communist," "I am American," "I am Indian." So I have to give up these designations. And what I have to think? There must be thinking. I am not stopping my thinking what I am. That is indicated in the Vedas. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That aham, my identity, is not lost, but at the present moment I am thinking that "I am this, I am that," but you have to think, you have to identify with Brahman, the Supreme Brahman. And when you identify with the Supreme Brahman, that is your liberated stage. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54).

Gayatri Mantra Initiation -- Boston, May 9, 1968:

He happened to be born in a Muhammadan family, and Lord Caitanya made him the ācārya, nāmācārya, the authority of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, nāmācārya, by His grace. This Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī were rejected from brāhmaṇa society because they engaged themselves as ministers in the Muslim government.

So brāhmaṇa society was so strict that if anyone becomes a servant of, of a mleccha, he at once falls down. There are many such social, I mean to say, injustice. And by that, following such thing, the, practically the Vedic civilization is now demolished practically. There is simply fragmental things are there. But Lord Caitanya's principle is very nice, and Gosvāmīs, they recommended, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma. His mission should be preached not only in India but pṛthivīte, means all over the world.

Initiation Lecture -- Los Angeles, July 13, 1971:

This is a misconception that especially in your country, in the Western countries, it is advertised that the Hindus have many Gods. We are not concerned with the Hindu-Muslim; we are concerned with Kṛṣṇa. So actually in the Vedas accepted one God. Eka brahma dvitīya nāsti. There is no second. God cannot be two. God is one. It is a misconception, there are many Gods. There are Māyāvādī philosophers, they say that "You worship any demigod. It is the same thing." They misinterpret the Bhagavad-gītā śloka, ye yathā māṁ prapadyante: (BG 4.11). "You can worship Me in any way." The Māyāvādī philosophers, there is a great missionary activities in India. They have got their branch here also. They propagate that "You may worship any demigod, goddess Kali or this or that. Everything is all right." No. God is one, and that is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān (SB 1.3.28). Even incarnation of God, they are part and parcel.

Initiations and Lecture Sannyasa Initiation of Sudama dasa -- Tokyo, April 30, 1972:

Although the body is silent, I, the spirit soul, I create another subtle body, and with that subtle body I create so many things and try to enjoy it or suffer it. Therefore a living entity is not inactive even for a second. So these activities, when they are performed in the bodily concept of life—"I am this body," "I am Indian," "I am Japanese," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian"—in this way, so long we act on this bodily concept of life, it is called material existence. But when we understand that we are not this body—"I am spirit soul"—and on this understanding I understand that I am the part and parcel of the Supreme Absolute Person, that is called brahma-bhūtaḥ situation.

It is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). Now, this boy is very tender age. He has renounced this material life. He has got young wife, but still, he has given up with mutual consent. The wife also has agreed that "You take sannyāsa for the service of Kṛṣṇa."

Sannyasa Initiation Lecture -- Calcutta, January 26, 1973:

Just like in our temples, everywhere, we are daily feeding so many daridras. So many. In Los Angeles, in New York, and Māyāpur also, daily we are feeding five hundred to one thousand people. They are daridras. So that is the duty of every temple. There we're feeding not only Hindus and, only, but Muslims also. Anyone. Anyone come here and take prasādam. And the whole village is so satisfied with these activities. Temple means there must be sufficient foodstuff. Anyone who comes for foodstuff, he should be given. So by worshiping Kṛṣṇa, these things automatically done. There is no need of extra endeavor. Parātma-niṣṭhā. This is called parātma-niṣṭhā. Etāṁ sa āsthāya parātma-niṣṭhā. Not only now. From time immemorial, all the temples in India, they have got sufficient foodstuff. Even at Nātha-dvāra, if you pay them only one anna or four annas, they'll give you so much nice prasādam. The two annas, four annas, the priestly order, they take. Otherwise, prasāda is distributed. So by worshiping Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa is not hungry. He's fully satisfied. He doesn't require to eat. Temple worship means to distribute the prasādam to the poor. That is temple worship.

Sannyasa Initiation -- Mayapur, March 16, 1976:

It was Caitanya Mahāprabhu's desire that especially those who are born in India, and especially in Bengal, because Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared in this land of Bengal, so it is the duty to spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. But unfortunately they are not coming forward.

Anyway, it doesn't matter whether he is Bengali or am Hindu or Muslim. Anyone who knows the science of Kṛṣṇa, he can spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And there is great necessity, great necessity. And the preaching work is meant for the sannyāsīs. So we have got some sannyāsīs who are doing very nicely, so today we shall make a number of sannyāsīs more to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world. And those who are going to take sannyāsa, they should remember how much responsibility they have got. So live like a very strict sannyāsī. Caitanya Mahāprabhu took Himself sannyāsa at the age of twenty-four years. So it is not that in old age one has to take sannyāsa. That is not in the śāstra. From brahmacārī āśrama one can enter into the gṛhastha-āśrama or vānaprastha-āśrama or sannyāsa-āśrama as he thinks fit. There is no such rules and regulation that only the old man without any energy, he'll take sannyāsa. No. Rather, the young men...

Sannyasa Initiation -- Mayapur, March 16, 1976:

So there are so many things. I especially appeal to the native of this land to take part in this movement of Caitanya Mahāprabhu for the benefit of the world. And we are trying to construct a very attractive temple here. Let them cooperate. It doesn't matter whether he is Hindu, Muslim. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is for everyone. Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted Haridāsa Ṭhākura as His chief disciple. Haridāsa Ṭhākura was born in a Muhammadan family, and his mission was to introduce this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra chanting. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma iva kevalam, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva... (CC Adi 17.21).

General Lectures

Lecture to Technology Students (M.I.T.) -- Boston, May 5, 1968:

If you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, nobody is taxing you, nobody is bothering you. But if by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, if you derive some benefit, why do you neglect it? That is our submission. So this movement is for making solution of the problems of life, and it can be easily done. And anyone can accept it. It doesn't matter whether he is Indian or American or Hindu or Muslim or Christian. It doesn't matter. Simply this vibration: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

So I shall thank you if you join us with this kīrtana and at least for few minutes you chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Thank you very much. Any question you can put. Yes?

Lecture to Technology Students (M.I.T.) -- Boston, May 5, 1968:

You can accept it. At least, the Indians, they accept. So in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said in the beginning that yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati: (BG 4.7) "Whenever there is discrepancy in the matter of discharging religious principles, I appear." Now, if you accept this religion means the Hindu religion or Muslim religion or Christian religion or Buddhist religion, Kṛṣṇa does not propose such religion. He, at the end of Bhagavad-gītā, He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You give up all other religious principles. You simply surrender unto Me." So religion, either you take it Hindu religion or Muslim religion or Christian religion, religion means to surrender unto God. And the Bhāgavata explains, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). That is the perfect type of religion which teaches surrendering unto the Supreme Lord. That is religion. Either you take it Hindu religion or Christian religion or Muslim religion or any religion, real religion means surrendering unto God. If there is no surrender unto God, that is no religion.

Lecture to Technology Students (M.I.T.) -- Boston, May 5, 1968:

Prabhupāda: Why do you ask for India? I am talking of religious principle. How many of you Christian, you surrender unto God? First answer this. Then you go to India. Anyone, Christian or Muslim or Hindu, it doesn't matter. The conception of God is there. If you do not surrender unto God, you have no religion. Yes?

Student (5): In the Bhagavad-gītā, when Kṛṣṇa asks Arjuna to go forth in the battle and not to, to slay his relatives and not to be caught in the material world and see that the slayer and the slain are one, should the young American faced with the war in Vietnam go forth to Vietnam realizing that the slayer and the slain are one and that all this slaughter, just slaughter karma, and follow the way of the sage.

Prabhupāda: In the Bhagavad-gītā, Arjuna, he was a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, a friend of Kṛṣṇa. Perhaps you know it. So in the beginning he did not like to fight. He denied. So any devotee of God or Kṛṣṇa is not fond of war or fighting with any others. But if there is necessity, if Kṛṣṇa wants that fight, a devotee of Kṛṣṇa will accept such fight. If you think that your Vietnam fighting is ordered by Kṛṣṇa, then it is all right. If it is not, then it is not. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

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

"I am learned." Now, this Sanātana Gosvāmī, he was formerly known as Dabira Khāsa. He was born in a high aristocratic family, brāhmaṇa family, and he was finance minister in the government of Nawab Hussain Shah, the then Bengal governor of Bengal. It is about five hundred years ago India was governed by the Pathans, Muslims, and in Bengal the governor was known as Nawab Hussain Shah. Under his government this Dabira Khāsa was minister of finance, and his brother also, Sākara Mallika, he was also a departmental minister. So both the brothers were in very high position. They were great scholar in Sanskrit and Parsi, Urdu. Parsi, Urdu, you know the language spoken in Arabia, in that part of the world. So they were very good scholar and born in very aristocratic family and associated with rich men, aristocratic persons. Because they were ministers, no ordinary person could mix with them. So that was their position. And when they met Lord Caitanya, they decided to retire from the service and propagate the movement of Lord Caitanya, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 2, 1968:

You can sound it in English tone also: "Hare Kṛṣṇa." Is there any difficulty? These boys, they are also sounding in Hare Kṛṣṇa. So there is no difficulty. It is the sound that matters. It doesn't matter who is sounding. Just like in piano, if you touch, there is "dung." It doesn't matter whether an American is striking or an Indian striking or a Hindu striking or Muslim striking, the sound is sound. Similarly, this piano, Hare Kṛṣṇa, you just touch it and it will sound. That's all. Yes?

Lecture to College Students -- Seattle, October 20, 1968, Introduction by Tamala Krsna:

And one may offer his respectful obeisances unto such personality.

So people should not be put into darkness, but they should be brought into light. Therefore in every human society, there is a sort of institution which is called religious institution. Take it for granted—Hinduism, Muslimism, or Christianism or Buddhism—any "ism" you take—what is the purpose? The purpose is to bring the persons to the light. That is the purpose of religion. And what is that light? That light is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Religion means the codes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Just like in the state, there is king's law. The king gives you some law, and if you are a good citizen, you are to obey those laws, and you live peacefully. This is crude example. Similarly, dharma or religion means to obey the laws of God, that's all. It may be different according to time, circumstances, people.

Lecture to College Students -- Seattle, October 20, 1968, Introduction by Tamala Krsna:

That is your characteristic. Either you are Christian or either you are Muhammadan, either you are Hindu, this characteristic will go on. Suppose today you are Christian, tomorrow you become Hindu. That service mood, that loving spirit, goes with you, either you become Hindu or Muslim or Christian. Therefore that service spirit and love, the tendency to love and service spirit, is your characteristic, and that is your religion. That is the universal form of religion. You have to apply your natural characteristic in a certain place, where you will be satisfied. Your service spirit is (indistinct). You have to apply your natural characteristic in a certain place, where you will be satisfied. Your service spirit is there, your loving spirit is there, but because it is misplaced, you are not happy, you are frustrated, you are confused. The Bhāgavata gives you indication, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6).

Lecture to College Students -- Seattle, October 20, 1968, Introduction by Tamala Krsna:

Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is that: it is the postgraduate movement of all kinds of religion. We are inviting either Christian or Muslim or Hindus or this or that—we do not mind—"Please come with us and try to love God." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And the method is very simple. Method is very simple. You chant this holy name: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. All these, my students, all of them are Americans, and they come from Christian or Jewish group. None of them came from Hindu or India. But what is the process I have given to them? The process is chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. It is very simple method. By chanting this mantra... Mantra. Mantra means... The Sanskrit word mantra, man means mind, and tra means deliverance. Mantra means that which delivers you from the mental concoction or hovering on the mental plane. Every one of us is hovering on the mental plane. By mind we are creating so many things: "I shall be happy in this way. I shall be happy in this way. I shall be happy in that way." But mantra means when you are delivered from that concoction, speculative way of your mind, and you come to the transcendental platform. That is the effect of mantra.

Northeastern University Lecture -- Boston, April 30, 1969:

Therefore our, this method, we don't say "Stop sex life," but we say "Don't have illicit sex life." Illicit sex life, of course, even there is no question of transcendent life, that is a question of civilized life. Civilized life. In every civilized society—it may be Hindu society or Muslim society or Christian society—any civilized human society, there is the system of marriage. And beyond marriage, if there is sex life, that is called illicit sex life. That is never indulged in any society. So what to speak of transcendental life? Transcendental life must be purified from mental concoction or bodily concept of life. It is the transcendental platform. Tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ.

So these things are very restricted in order to reach that transcendental platform. But in this age, in this age of Kali, where everything is disturbed, always full of anxieties, and the life is very short... That is also explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: prāyeṇa kalau asmin yuge janāḥ. Life is very short, and they are not interested for any transcendental subject matter.

Conway Hall Lecture -- London, September 15, 1969:

There are so many theories how to become liberated, how to become mahātmā, how to become religionist, how to become philosopher. There are many thoughts and theories, but real success of life is to become a mahātmā, broader, broad-minded. Mahātmā means broader-minded. They are not, I mean to say, short-minded, that "I am this," "I am that"—"I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am Indian," "I am German," "I am Englishman"—no. Mahātmā is sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). He is freed from all designation. These are all our designations. When I think, "I am Englishman" or "I am Indian," this is my designation. Because as soon as I change this body, I accept another body. Then all my philanthropy as Englishman or Indian—immediately finished. Just like President Kennedy's presidentship and philanthropy all finished. Now we do not know where is Mr. Kennedy and what he is doing. But he has got a body. That's a fact. That I have already explained. But neither you know, neither he knows that "I was President," or "I was this or that." Therefore this is called illusion, māyā. So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, keno māyāra bośe, yāccho bhese: "My dear friends, my dear brothers, why you are being washed away by the waves of this illusion? Don't be wasted. Don't be washed away."

Lecture -- Bombay, November 2, 1970:

They are becoming disunited. Just like in India, our independence movement was started by Mahatma Gandhijī for uniting all the different section of the people, but actually, the result was that instead of being united, India was partitioned. And the partition has become so poisonous that formerly there was only sporadic Hindu-Muslim riots in some place; now there is organized fighting between Pakistan and Hindustan. So although the tendency is to unite, but in fact, it is not being united; they are becoming disunited more and more—not only the Hindus and Muslims. Now in India, there are many provincial questions. Just like in Andhra the fight is going on for separation. Punjab is already separated. So actually, we are not being united. We are being separated. So the ideals of human society "is broader than in the Middle Age, and the world tendency is towards one state or one human society. The ideals of spiritual communism, according to Śrīmad-Bhāvagatam, are based more or less on the oneness of the entire human society, nay, on the entire energy of living beings."

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, February 23, 1971:

And Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4). There are 8,400,000 species of life in different forms. The father, the seed-giving father, is Kṛṣṇa, or the Lord, the Supreme Lord. By misunderstanding, we are thinking that "I am Indian, you are American," or "You are brāhmaṇa, I am śūdra," or "You are Hindu, I am Muslim." These differences are only designations. So as soon as we are freed from the designation—sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170)—when we become nirmalam, clear—clear consciousness and Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the same thing—then all our misunderstanding is vanquished immediately. Then we can understand what is God, what I am, what you are, what is our relationship, and when we act accordingly, there is no controversy, no misunderstanding.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 11, 1971:

That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Gradually, as we contact the material contamination, we become different conscious. Just like we are sitting, so many ladies and gentleman here. Some of us thinking that "I am American," some of them are thinking that "We are Indian," some of them are thinking "German," or this or that—"I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am white," "I am black." In so many way we are. Our consciousness are polluted. Actually, my position is, as it is said in the Vedic literature, ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am Brahman, or spirit soul." In the Bhagavad-gītā we find that when a person becomes realized as Brahman, means spirit soul... Now I am identifying not with Brahman, but I am identifying with this body: "I am American," "I am Englishman," "I am Indian." Because by accident I have got this Indian body, I may think, "I am Indian." You may have American body; you may think, "I am..." But we are neither American nor Indian. We are pure spirit soul. This is only an outward dress. Suppose you have got green dress.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 11, 1971:

Suppose you have got green dress. You don't say that "I am green dress." You say, "I am Mr. John." Similarly, if we say that "I am American," "I am Indian," that is not my real identification. Exactly like that, if somebody says that "I am Mr. green dress," "I am Mr. white dress," as that is not identification, similarly, if I say "I am American" or "I am Indian" or "Englishman," or so many, "Hindus" or "Muslims," that is not my pure identification. My pure identification is that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, or God." That's all. That is pure identification. When comes to this understanding, that "I am eternal servant of God," that is called brahma-bhūtaḥ stage, ahaṁ brahmāsmi.

And what is the characteristic of that brahma-bhūtaḥ stage? The characteristic of brahma-bhūtaḥ stage is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā by Kṛṣṇa Himself:

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 11, 1971:

Then you can think of universal brotherhood. So long you are under the category of hankering and lamenting, you cannot think of universal brotherhood. That is impossible. Therefore in spite of so much of conferences in the United Nations, the fighting is going on. The Pakistan is separated on the ground of religion: Hindu, Muslim. Now they are fighting between Muslim and Muslim. Why? Because that disease, hankering and lamenting, is there. It is not brahma-bhūtaḥ stage. And they cannot be on the platform of seeing everyone on equal terms. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. That is not possible. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu means when one is actually on the spiritual platform, he can see everyone on the same category because everyone is spirit soul. Then not only in human society—in other animal society also... Just like there are 8,400,000 species of life. That means the living entity is passing through different types of bodies. This is called learning. This is called understanding.

Lecture -- London, August 11, 1971:

That technique is love of Godhead. If you learn, it doesn't matter what religion you profess. It is no concern. We do not say that "You become Hindu," "You become Muslim," or "Christian." No. We say that "You become lover of God." You learn how to love God. Your loving propensity is there, but it is being misplaced. It is placed on dog instead of God; therefore you are unhappy. When your loving propensity will be placed in the proper place, you will be happy. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, love of Godhead.

Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 12, 1971:

The children should be taught from the age, as we send our children to school in minor age, similarly we should send our children to understand this Bhāgavata-dharma. I am very pleased, I have seen practically in this Delhi that the Muslim children are given instruction of Koran from very early age. Actually, this should be done for everyone. I am very pleased. Not I am pleased, I may please or not, but that is the way of life. A human child should be given instruction about Kṛṣṇa consciousness from the very beginning, and that was our Vedic system, brahmacārī. Brahmacārī should go to the house of the teacher or spiritual master at the age of five years old, and he should remain there for twenty years to understand the value of life. And the brahmacārī would accept any kind of menial work for satisfying the spiritual master. It is stated that nīcayeva, just like menial servant.

Pandal Lecture -- November 14, 1971, Delhi:

So bhakti-yoga is the sublime religious principle of the human society. The human society is not human society without sense of religious principle. Dharmeṇa hīnāḥ paśubhiḥ samānāḥ. That is the distinction of human society and animal. In the animal society, there is no religion. But in the human society, may be in any part of the world, there is some concept of religion, may be Hindu religion, Muslim religion, Christian religion, Buddha's religion, Jewish religion, and so many others. But according to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, there is a test of religion. The test of religion is how much one has advanced in his love for God.

Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 20, 1971:

And without being pure, you cannot be engaged in the loving service of the Lord. The Lord is pure. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). So you cannot approach Lord being impure. Even I do not indulge in illicit sex life or meat-eating or very much moralist, still I am impure if I think myself "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim." These are also impurities.

So the bhāgavat-dharma means to become completely pure. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). And you cannot keep your purity without being in touch with Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, so many moralistic movement has failed. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā (SB 5.18.12). Even one has got brahma-jñāna, even one is elevated to become mixed or amalgamated with the brahmajyoti, still he is not pure. That is the statement of śāstra.

Lecture -- Visakhapatnam, February 18, 1972:

That is our present position. That is called māyā. Māyā means when we forget our relationship with Kṛṣṇa and we establish so many false relationships. Now at the present moment, I am thinking "I am Indian," somebody is thinking "I am American," somebody is thinking "I am Hindu," somebody is thinking "I am Muslim." These relationships are all false, māyā. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa says at the end, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is real relationship. That is our real position. That is real mukti. And in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it is stated—mukti is defined—what is that? Muktir hitvānyathā rūpaṁ svarūpena vyavasthitiḥ (SB 2.10.6). Mukti means give up your false designation. That is mukti. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu begins from this mukta stage. Lord Sri Kṛṣṇa gave us information what is mukti. Mukti is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam, that is mukti. And Lord Caitanya, when he was instructing Sanatāna Gosvāmī, he began from this point: what is that real constitutional position of the living entity.

Lecture at Christian Monastery -- Melbourne, April 6, 1972:

You know also very well. In England there are many, many churches, they are vacant now, redundant. And they are..., in the Parliament they have passed law that these redundant churches can be sold for any other purpose. So it doesn't matter whether one is Christian, one is Hindu, or one is Muslim. Our simple request is that whatever you may be, you make cultivation of God consciousness. That is our program. Scientifically try to understand what is God. And if you consult Vedic literature you'll get very accurate, scientific, authentic information.

So if anyone is serious to understand God, so there is no objection. Just like if one is serious to understand some particular science, he goes to some other university in other country. That does not mean that person is fallen. No. He is searching after that particular scientific knowledge. Similarly, our request is... We invite everyone that "There is great necessity of God consciousness at the present moment throughout the whole world. Without God consciousness, all qualification are useless."

Lecture at Christian Monastery -- Melbourne, April 6, 1972:

So when the soul is off from the body, if somebody decorates that dead body, what is use? It is simply concoction. That's all. Therefore according to Vedic system, as soon as a body is dead, there is no question of decorating. Immediately burn it and finish. Make it into ashes. That's all. The body has no importance. Real, the soul is important, the living force. So we have no education about that living force, and the original living force is Kṛṣṇa, or God. So we have no information. So therefore this education is very, very essential, at least at the present moment. You may educate in any way—Christian way, Hindu way, Muslim—but educate all the people about God consciousness. Otherwise there is doom.

Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 18, 1972:

Then human beings. And out of the human beings also, there are so many uncivilized. Civilized human beings are very few. And out of the civilized human beings, very few take to religious life. Very few. And out of these so-called religious human society, most of them, they simply designate, "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," but they do not know about religion. And one who knows about—not knows, little attracted—they are engaged in philanthropic work. To give help to the poor, or to open a school, hospital. This is called karma-kāṇḍa. Out of many millions of these karma-kāṇḍa people, one is jñānī. Jñānī means "one who knows." And out of millions of persons who know, one is liberated. And out of millions of liberated persons, one can understand what is Kṛṣṇa. This is the position of Kṛṣṇa.

Hare Krishna Festival Address -- San Diego, July 1, 1972, At Balboa Park Bowl:

He is the seed-giving father for all living entities. So Kṛṣṇa is for everyone. Don't think that Kṛṣṇa, as it is stated in your English dictionary, "Kṛṣṇa is a Hindu God." He's not Hindu, He's not Muslim, or He's not Christian. He's God. God is neither Hindu nor Muslim nor Christian. It is bodily designations, "I am Hindu, you are Christian." This is bodily... Just like dress. You have got some black coat. Another has got some white coat. That does not meant we are different because we are in different coat or shirt. As human being, we are all sons of God. We are one. That is the conception. So at the present moment, we have divided the world on account of this shirt and coat. That is not. That is not good. Actually, the whole world or the whole universe belongs to God. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, January 14, 1973:

They are becoming disunited. Just like in India our independence movement was started by Mahatma Gandhiji for uniting all the different section of the people. But actually, the result was that instead of being united, India was partitioned. And the partition has become so poisonous that formerly there was only sporadic Hindu-Muslim riots in some place; now there is organized fighting between Pakistan and Hindustan. So although the tendency is to unite, but in fact it is not being united. They are becoming disunited more and more. Not only the Hindus and Muslim. Now in India there are many provincial questions. Just like in Andhra the fight is going on for separation. Punjab is already separated. So actually we are not being united. We are being separated.

Lecture at Bharata Chamber of Commerce 'Culture and Business' -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973:

When one is serving his own countrymen, Indian, he does not care for the Englishman. So don't speak of humanity. Nobody can serve the whole humanity in the present way. But if you spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is the best service to the humanity. Just like we are doing. We have no discrimination, that "These are Indians. These are Americans. They are Hindus. They are Muslims. They are Christians." No. Or "They're cats or dogs." That oneness you can see only when you are Brahman-realized. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Why humanity? Why not the cats and dogs and cows? You are very much anxious to give service to the humanity, but you are sending animals to the slaughterhouse. Why? (indistinct) the lack of knowledge. You do not (indistinct) is part and parcel of God. You cannot select this part and... Therefore the śāstra says, yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ (SB 4.31.14). Just like by watering the root, you can water automatically the branches, the trunks, the twigs, the flowers, the fruits, the leaves—everything is watered. Sarvārhaṇam acyutejyā.

Lecture -- Jakarta, February 27, 1973:

His business, coming down on this planet: to reestablish the religious principles. Dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya. And what is that religious principle? The religious principle is not man-made. Just like we have manufactured so many religious principles: this is Hindu dharma, this is Muslim dharma, this is Christian dharma, and this is this, this is that. So many. Kṛṣṇa does not come to reestablish the principles of this man-made religion. No. He has nothing to do. Because they are manufactured, concocted by imperfect men, they are not religious principles. The religious system means, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Religion means the principles which is given by God Himself. That is religion. You cannot imagine. Just like I have already explained. You cannot make law at home, that "I am a big man. I make my own law." That you can do. You may go on amongst some of your friends or your servants, but that law will not be accepted by everyone. But the law given by God, that will be accepted by everyone. Just like law given by the state government is accepted by everyone. So religion means dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam. The principles of religion means which is given by God.

Lecture -- Jakarta, February 28, 1973:

Because we are eternal servant of God, and that service attitude, being misplaced, we have divided our service spirit in so many ways. Everyone is trying to render service. Big, big leaders, they also want to give some service. So this is our service attitude. It is our eternal attitude. It cannot be changed. Just like faith. Today I am Muslim and tomorrow I may become Hindu. Today I am Christian and tomorrow I may become Muslim. Faith can be changed, but my character is still that I am servant. That cannot be changed. It does not mean... Suppose you are working in office. Now today you are Hindu or tomorrow you become Muslim. Does it mean in the office you be, become master? No. The service is there. Either you change your faith or don't change your faith, your character is still to serve, will continue. That is the reality. That is sanātana. Sanātana means eternal. Try to understand.

Lecture -- Jakarta, February 28, 1973:

This human form of life is meant for this knowledge. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is teaching. This is brahma-jñāna. This Bhagavad-gītā is actually brahma-jñāna. To make one brahma-bhūta by understanding the Bhagavad-gītā, teachings of Bhagavad-gītā, one realizes that he's Brahman. That is called Brahman. And as soon as one realizes—brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20). Now we are jīva-bhūta, jīva-bhūta. We have accepted this body as "I am." "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am Indonesian," "I'm a Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I'm black," "I'm white." This is bodily. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). One who is in bodily concept of life... Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ. Bhauma ijya-dhīḥ. Now everyone is mad after bhauma. Bhauma means the land. Because my body, by accident, my body is produced in certain land, therefore I take this land as worshipable. Now it is going on, nationalism. (break) ...bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19).

Lecture -- Jakarta, March 2, 1973:

Devotee (2): Like the Muslims, they chant...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee (2): I remember in Allahabad they used to have some camps that were doing that every morning.

Devotee (3): In Māyāpur they play tapes all day.

Devotee (1): With big speakers like that?

Devotee (3): Yeah. Be heard all around.

Devotee (1): That's very nice. (end)

Arrival -- Dallas, May 19, 1973:

This Bhāgavata-dharma especially, first thing is, the children from the very beginning of their life should be given instruction on religious principles of life. What are the religious principles? Religious principle means to understand what is God. That is religious principle. It doesn't matter whether you are Christian or Hindu or Muslim or any... There are many hundreds and thousands patterns of religious system, but according to our Bhāgavata school, we accept that religion as first class which teaches how to love God. That is religion. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). That system of religion is first class wherein the followers are given lessons how to love God. Unfortunately, at the present moment there is no question of how to teach them for loving God. They deny the existence of God. This is the present situation. People have become so rascal that they do not believe in the existence of God. Or somebody believes... Not believes. That is affirmed. Some of them say, "God is dead.

Lecture -- London, August 23, 1973:

The sound production from the microphone is the dharma, is the religion, natural characteristic. So what is the natural characteristic of human being? The natural characteristic is that we serve the superior. That is natural characteristic. Either you become Christian or Hindu or Muslim or Buddhist, nobody can say that "I do not serve any superior." Nobody can say. One must serve. That is dharma. Faith, ritualistic—I am today Hindu; I can accept the ritualistic process tomorrow of the Christian faith; or a Christian may take another ritual—but his business, to serve the superior, that does not change. Either you become Christian or Muslim or Hindu, it doesn't matter. It is not that Hindus, they only serve in the office; the Christian do not. No. The service is there. So actually the service is his dharma, not this rubberstamp, "Hindu," "Muslim," "Christian." No. That is designation. Actual dharma means the characteristic. If you take sugar, if you taste sugar, it is sweet. The sweetness is the characteristic of sugar. That is dharma.

Lecture -- London, August 23, 1973:

And if you are fortunate enough to understand what is religion, then you become immortal; next life is immortal life. This is the purpose of dharma. We should not be satisfied that "I have got a dharma made by somebody, my some relative or somebody else." That is not dharma. Dharma means to understand God. It doesn't matter whether you are Christian or Hindu or Muslim. It doesn't matter. If you think that by your principle, you have understood God and you have learned how to love God, and you have learned how to obey God, that dharma is perfect. That religious system is perfect. It may go on under any name, it doesn't matter. But if you have achieved the result, that is wanted. Just like if you pass your M.A. examination. It doesn't matter whether you pass it from London University or Calcutta University or Berlin University. You have passed your examination. That will be taken into consideration. So similarly, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). That system of religion is perfect by which one can learn what is God and how to love God. That is perfect.

Lecture at Upsala University Faculty -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

That is Vedic instruction. And that has been selected or that has been concluded, who is that Supreme Being. That we also get from Vedic information. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1): that Supreme Being means Kṛṣṇa. The Kṛṣṇa, the word, means "all-attractive." It is not that God is attractive for the Hindus or God is attractive for the Muslims or the Christians. No. If He is God at all, then He must be attractive for all. That is the meaning of the word Kṛṣṇa, "all-attractive." So that is very nice word. Actually, God has no name, but we call Him by different holy names according to His activity. Just like we believe that God is great. So this is fact. The Vedic instruction is also there, na tasya samaś cābhkyadhikaś ca dṛśyate: "Nobody is equal, nobody is greater than Him." Therefore God is great. Now who is that great? That is decided: īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Being. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. Īśvaraḥ means controller. That is the exact equivalent for the word God. God means controller, supreme controller.

Lecture at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan -- Bombay, October 18, 1973:

This is dharma, that every living entity is eternally servant of Kṛṣṇa. He cannot give it up. If he does not serve Kṛṣṇa, then he will have to serve māyā. Service is there. Nobody can say that "I don't serve anyone." Is there anybody who can say boldly that "I do not serve anyone?" You must serve. That is your dharma. Either you become a Christian or a Muslim or a Hindu or this or that, your real characteristic is that you have to serve. That service attitude, when it is misunderstood, it is applied to māyā, and we are not happy. When it is applied to Kṛṣṇa, then we are happy. Service you must render. That is your position. You cannot become master. Even the politicians, they promise, "I shall give you such and such service. Please give me vote." So the service is promised, because we have to serve.

Lecture at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan -- Bombay, October 18, 1973:

So what for Kṛṣṇa comes? Does he come to establish Hindu dharma, Muslim dharma or Christian dharma? If Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, why He should be interested in particular type of dharma, Hindu dharma, Christian dharma or Muslim dharma? No. Therefore after giving instruction throughout the whole Bhagavad-gītā, at last says Kṛṣṇa, "The most confidential part of My instruction, Arjuna," sarva-guhyatamam, "is this: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66)." This is dharma. If you are not surrendered soul to Kṛṣṇa, or God, your dharma has no meaning. It is useless. And where the definition of dharma is given by Kṛṣṇa at the last stage of His instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, if one can catch up this point, then he begins bhāgavata-dharma. Bhāgavata-dharma.

Pandal Speech and Question Session -- Delhi, November 10, 1973:

So what is that dharma? Dharma, it is said, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma, the simple description of dharma is "the codes which are given by God." It doesn't matter whether you are Hindu, Muslim or Christian or any. Everyone, any civilized man has got some religion. Because dharmeṇa hīna paśubhiḥ samānāḥ. If you haven't got no religion... It doesn't matter whether Hindu religion, Muslim religion. You must have some religion. Religion means to understand God. That is religion. Religion does not mean I manufacture something. No. You cannot manufacture religion. Religion means... Just like you cannot manufacture laws. Law is given by the state, by the government. Similarly, religion means the codes, the orders given by God. Therefore you must know what is God, what is His order and how to carry out it. Then you will be success..., your life is successful. Otherwise, just like the cats and dogs, they do not know how to carry out the laws of the state... Of course, they are excused. The "Keep to the right," "Keep to the left," the cats and dogs, they can violate. Law is not meant for the cats and dogs. Law is meant for the human being.

Lecture at the Hare Krsna Festival at La Salle Pleyel -- Paris, June 14, 1974:

So therefore a human being should not be educated only for these four principles of animal necessities. The human necessity is to understand God. Therefore in civilized human society, there is some system of religion. Either you call it Christianity, Muhammadanism, or Hinduism, in civilized society there must be some form of religion. And a human being is supposed to follow the principles to have complete knowledge about God and himself, to know "What is the relationship between God and me?" and what is the goal of life.

So it doesn't matter whether you are Christian, Hindu, Muslim. The real purpose of life is to know God. And in the Vedic literature it is said, dharmaṁ tu sākṣāt bhagavat-praṇītam: Dharma, or religion, means the codes given by God. Just like in the state we have got practical experience. We, if we abide by the laws of the state, then we are good citizen, peaceful citizen... (yelling noises and applause in the audience) (aside:) What is that?

Lecture at St. Pascal's Franciscan Seminary -- Melbourne, June 28, 1974:

It is said here that that is first-class religious system. It does not say Hinduism, Muslimism or Christianism. General definition: "That is first-class religion..." Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo. Why it is said, para? Para means the supreme, not ordinary thing, supreme. "The supreme religious system is that which teaches the follower how to love God." That is supreme. It does not matter you learn to love God through Christianism or Hinduism or Muslimism, any "ism," but the result should be how much you have advanced in the art of loving God. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). Bhakti, this word, Sanskrit word is used, "devotion," bhakti. To render service to God, that is bhakti. We are rendering service to so many things. That is not bhakti. Bhakti means to render service to God. And adhokṣaje. There are many terminology of understanding God, but here in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, God is mentioned as adhokṣaja. Adhokṣaja means beyond your sense perception. Another word is used, avāṅ mānasa-gocaraḥ, "beyond the expression of your mind, words." Avāṅ gocaraḥ. And another meaning, literal meaning, adha: adha means subdued.

Lecture at St. Pascal's Franciscan Seminary -- Melbourne, June 28, 1974:

One who is completely free from the reaction of sinful life, he can completely devote in the service of the Lord. So the common platform is there. God is neither Hindu nor Muslim, nor the method of approaching God may be different, but the ultimate end is how to love God or how to serve God. One cannot serve anybody without love. In the material world one serves another for matter of money exchange, reward. But serving God is not that. Here it is stated, ahaituky apratihatā. Service of God is without motive. Here in the material world we serve somebody with a motive, for some material gain. But in the spiritual world, to serve God means "It is my duty. I love him. I want to serve Him." Just like mother loves child. It is not like the maidservant who is paid. Mother loves spontaneously child, as duty. He (she) loves to serve the child. Similarly, when our love of God will be spontaneous, without any motive, and without being impeded... Love of God cannot be checked by any material condition. It is not that because a man is poor, therefore he cannot love God.

Lecture at St. Pascal's Franciscan Seminary -- Melbourne, June 28, 1974:

So in this human life, this is a prerogative, how to get out of this material energy and put again into the spiritual energy. So this process is described: sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). To put ourself again into the spiritual energy means we have to get free from the designation. What are the designation? "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am this," "I am that"—these are designation. And to become free from designation means "I do not belong to any of these categories. I am eternal servant of God." If you come to that position, then that is the common platform. Let everyone perceive that he is eternal servant of God. Then all the problems will be solved.

La Trobe University Lecture -- Melbourne, July 1, 1974:

Yes, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not a sentimental religious system. It is science and philosophy. The attempt is to awaken God consciousness. God is neither Christian nor Hindu nor Muslim. God is God. There may be angles of vision to approach God, but God is one. Therefore our attempt is that you become God conscious. Don't be limited by Christianism or Hinduism or Muhammadanism. So our formula is explained in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. We have got the copies there. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje: (SB 1.2.6) "That is first-class religious system by which the followers become a lover of God." This is the, our formula. Either you go through Christianism or Hinduism or Muslimism. If you understand what is God and if you know what is your relationship with God—in this way your goal of life how to learn to love God, that is achieved—then it doesn't matter through which religion you achieve that perfection. But if you can achieve that perfection, that system is perfect. This is our formula.

Ceremony Speech Excerpt -- Vrndavana, August 18, 1974:

So this is the movement that kṣatraṁ dvijatvaṁ ca parasparārtham. We are trying to cooperate with the political power, and we are trying to impart spiritual instruction. This is our attempt. And another thing is that according to our Vedic literature, there cannot be different religions. It is not possible. Because God is one. God cannot be two. "This is Hindu God, this is Muslim God," or "This is Christian God..." No. God is one. And dharma means dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam: (SB 6.3.19) "The law which is given by God, that is dharma." This is the simple definition of dharma. And at the end of Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is the ultimate religion. One has to surrender to the Supreme Lord. This is religion.

Ceremony Speech Excerpt -- Vrndavana, August 18, 1974:

If we actually want peace, samprasīdati, then we must learn how to surrender to the Supreme Lord. It doesn't matter through which process. Either by Hindu religion or Muslim religion or Christian religion, it doesn't matter. We want to see that everyone is becoming a perfect lover of God. This is our definition of God. It may be, due to circumstantial changes in the country, the Muslim religion may be little different from Hindu religion so far the ritualistic ceremonies are concerned, but actually we want to see whether you have advanced in the matter of loving God. Not that "Superficially I am very advanced in religion, but I do not know how to love." This is the test. Sarve sukhino bhavantu. This is the test. A devotee wants to see that everyone is happy. It doesn't matter whether he is a Hindu or a Muslim or a Christian. It doesn't matter. We want to see that everyone is happy.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Atlanta, March 2, 1975:

He will say, "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am this," "I am that," that's all. Bodily. This is going on. And he is fool number one, and he is passing on as the great scientist, great philosopher. One who does not know himself, what is the value of his learning? One must know his own identity. So everyone is identifying with this body—"I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am German," "I am Englishman"—and fighting is going on. Why fighting is going on? The living entity is part and parcel of God. He is spiritual spark. He is covered by this material body. Just like we are all human beings. Now we are covered by different dresses. That does not mean we are different. We are one as human being, as inhabitants of this earth, but on account of this dress, I am thinking you are my enemy, you are thinking I am your enemy.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Atlanta, March 2, 1975:

So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement is, the starting point is, the spirit soul. And automatically, unless... In the Bhagavad-gītā, the Lord said the sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You give up the so-called man-made duties or occupation or dharma. You just surrender unto Me." So actually this is dharma, or religion, to surrender to God. God is one. He is neither Hindu nor Muslim nor Christian. God is one. If there is another God, then there is competition. God cannot be two. God is one. Eko brahma dvitīya nasti. That is the Vedic injunction. So God is one. So either you become Hindu or Muslim, the God is one. This is to be understood. So the science of God, that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You try to understand scientifically what is meant by God, what is meant by religion. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's preaching. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109).

Speech -- Vrndavana, April 20, 1975:

And this is confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that dharma-projjhita kaitavo atra. Except surrendering to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, anything which is going on in the name of dharma, that is not dharma. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). When Kṛṣṇa came, He did not come to reestablish Hindu religion or Christian religion or Muslim religion. No. Religion is religion. Gold is gold. You cannot say "Hindu gold," "Muslim gold," "Christian gold." That is not possible. That is not possible. That is called kaitava-dharma, cheating dharma. Gold is gold, pure gold. Therefore Bhāgavata says, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam: (SB 6.3.19) "Dharma means the order or the law given by God." That is dharma. This is the simple explanation of dharma. If you want to know what do we mean by dharma, then dharma means dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Just like law. Law means which is given, sanctioned by the governor. You cannot make your law at home. You cannot say, "The law given by the government or by the governor, I don't care for it. I shall make my own law." That is not possible. That will never be accepted as law.

Lecture -- Honolulu, May 25, 1975:

There is no question that the government is Christian government or Muhammadan government or Hindu government. It doesn't matter. The law given by the government, you must accept. You cannot deny it. So actually God is neither Hindu God nor Muhammadan God nor Christian God. God is God. His power is omnipotent. It is equally applicable to Hindu, to Muslim, to Christian—anyone—to animal, to human being. Just like God has given this law, "You must die." This is applicable to everyone—Hindu, Muslim, Christian, man, animal, trees, birds, beasts, everyone. It cannot be disobeyed. That is law. That is God's law. You may be very much advanced in knowledge or so-called science, but because God says that in the material life you must die, you cannot avoid this law. That is called dharma. Dharma means the characteristic, that God has given this law that everyone should die; therefore all living beings' characteristic is that he must die. This is called religion. Similarly, God says that "You are My eternal servant.

City Hall Lecture -- Durban, October 7, 1975:

This Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the best welfare activities in the world because people are in ignorance. They are... Everyone, practically 99.9%, at the present moment, they are under the conception, bodily conception: "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," like that. That is ignorance. That will be discussed in the Bhagavad-gītā very elaborately. So the question may be raised that "How I can do welfare activities for the welfare of the whole world?" The Caitanya Mahāprabhu encourages. He says that āmāra ājñāya hañā tāra ei deśa: "Wherever you are staying," ei deśa, "in that country... You may not go outside, but wherever you are staying," āmāra ājñāya, "by My order," guru hañā, "you must become a guru"—by the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. "Then? I have no education. How can I become a guru? How can I instruct?" Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, "Yes, that I know. But you take My order." Āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra ei deśa (CC Madhya 7.128). "Then what shall I do?" Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa: "You become guru. You haven't got to manufacture anything, any philosophy. You simply instruct whatever is spoken by Kṛṣṇa. That's all. You become a guru."

Lecture Engagement at Birla House -- Bombay, December 17, 1975:

That is first-class religion, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo (SB 1.2.6). Parā means supreme. There are different types of religion, but the supreme religion is parā dharma, that is yato bhaktir adhokṣaje, that religious system which instructs the followers how to become a perfect devotee of the Supreme Lord. That is first-class religion. We are fighting in this material world. "You are Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Sikh," "I am Jain," "I am this," "I am that," but this not paro dharma; this is aparo dharma. Parā and aparā, there are two qualities, just like material and spiritual. Material is called aparā, and spiritual means parā, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, apareyam.

Speech Excerpt -- Mayapur, January 15, 1976:

I am very glad, especially to see that the small children from all other countries and Indian, Bengalis, all together, forgetting their bodily consciousness. That is the greatest achievement in this movement, that everyone forgets the bodily conception of life. Nobody thinks here as "European," "American," "Indian," "Hindu," "Muslim," "Christian." They forget all these designation, and simply they are ecstatic in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. So kindly what you have begun, do not break it. Continue it very jubilantly. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the master of Māyāpur, He will be very much pleased upon you and ultimately you will go back to home, back to Godhead.

Tenth Anniversary Address -- Washington, D.C., July 6, 1976:

So that law is being instructed by the God Himself. That is Bhagavad-gītā. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). Dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya. So Kṛṣṇa did not come to establish some sectarian religious system. That is not God's system. God is for everyone. God is not for the Hindus, for the Muslims, for the Christians, or anyone. God is for everyone. He is for animals, trees, plants, aquatics, insects, everyone.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- London, July 25, 1976:

We have got big, big learned scholars' opinion.

So the idea is that you must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Otherwise you are drinking poison knowingly. Anyone, it doesn't matter what you are. Either you are Indian or Englishman or American or Hindu or Muslim, it doesn't matter. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means God consciousness. I may say, "Kṛṣṇa;" you may say some other name. But this human form of life is meant for this purpose, to understand Kṛṣṇa, or God. Not vague idea, clear idea what is God, how he looks, what does he do—so many things we have to know. It is not vague idea. Simply to have a vague idea of God, that is also good, but that is not perfect. You must know that is God. So how you can know God? The God is explaining Himself, coming down for your benefit. That is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is explaining Himself, "I am like this. You see Me. You know Me. I am explaining Myself." And still, if we do not take advantage of understanding God, then just imagine how we are drinking poison knowingly. How rascal we are, that God Himself is explaining before me everything about Him, and we are not taking advantage of this opportunity, and I am thinking I am independent and... This is rascaldom.

Lecture -- Bombay, April 1, 1977:

And because guru enlightens that divya-jñāna, he is worshiped. That is required. The modern... Modern or always; this is māyā. That divya-jñāna is never, I mean to say, manifested. They are kept in the darkness of adivya-jñāna. Adivya-jñāna means "I am this body." "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," this is adivya-jñāna. Dehātma-buddhiḥ. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri. I am not this body.

So the beginning of divya-jñāna is there when we try to understand that "I am not this body. I am superior element, I am spirit soul. This is inferior. So why should I remain in this inferior knowledge?" We should not remain in the inferior... Inferior knowledge means darkness. Tamasi mā. The Vedic injunction is, "Don't remain in the inferior knowledge." Jyotir gamaḥ. "Come to the superior knowledge." So to worship guru means because he gives us superior knowledge. Not this knowledge—how to eat, how to sleep, how to have sex life and defend.

General Lecture -- (location & date unknown):

"Dharma means the laws given by God." Now, what is this law? He says that "Don't manufacture religion. Even if you have manufactured, give it up." Sarva-dharmān parityajya. This sarva-dharmān includes all religious principles.

The human society has manufactured in Hindu society, Muslim society or Christian society, and there are so many... Buddha society... So, but Bhagavad-gītā says that "You can give up sarva-dharmān, all sorts of religious principles. You simply surrender unto Me." This is the position. Kṛṣṇa said in the beginning that "I come here to reestablish the religious principle." And what is that religious principle? To surrender unto Him. To surrender unto Kṛṣṇa. This is real religious principle. And in the Naimiṣāraṇya, when this Sūta Gosvāmī was asked what is the best religious principle, so, he replied, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje: (SB 1.2.6)

General Lecture -- (location & date unknown):

"It doesn't matter what is that religion. Any religion is first-class religion provided it gives you opportunity to develop your dormant love of God. That's all." You follow any religion; it doesn't matter. Either you become a Hindu, Muslim, or Christian, or Buddhist, or so many other religions there are, but the test is that whether your religious principle is first class or third class or second class, the test will be whether you have developed your dormant love of God. That's all. If you are lacking in that, that you have not..., instead of developing your dormant love of God, you are developing your love for so many other things...

Caitanya Mahāprabhu has instructed in Caitanya-caritāmṛta that just like when you seed some plants, there are..., some other plants also grow. So the gardener takes out the unnecessary plants in order to give impetus to the real plant to grow.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz:

Prabhupāda: But this is also scientific truth. Just like, according to Vedic scripture, this black body is a sign of sinful life. Therefore brāhmaṇas are called śukla. Brāhmaṇas are fair complexioned. Still it is said if a brāhmaṇa is black, then he is not a real brāhmaṇa born. Kalu-ban means black man. Black brāhmaṇa is to be understood that his father is not real brāhmaṇa. He is born of somebody else, but he is known as brāhmaṇa. Similarly a śūdra, if he is fair-complected, he is also not real. Kalba kata śūdra bete mussulman. Muslim, if he is a dwarf, he is not real Muslim, because Muslims from Afghanistan are very tall. And kaṅki chale, the son of a prostitute, and puṣṭi putra, adopted son, all of them are rascals. Puṣṭi putra, adopted son, he gets money because a rich man, when he hasn't got a son, he takes somebody else, adopted son, and he gets money for nothing and spends like anything. We have seen it in London. One Mr. Sil, he got immense money, and he died a penniless street beggar. And he was an adopted son. I have seen it. His only business was how to spoil his adopted father's money. And we have seen, he was such a rich man, died a street beggar. This I have seen.

Philosophy Discussion on Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz:

Prabhupāda: Yes. We can construct such city immediately if the League of Nation—they are trying to be united—they come to their right sense, that this planet does not belong to any particular nation; it belongs to God. This simple fact, if they accept and cultivate on this point, then immediately the whole world will be the city of God. But they will not do this. They have gone to the United Nation to settle up all problems of the world, but they keep themselves in the dog's mentality: "I am this body." "I am American," "I am Indian." But he is not. But if they give up this designation, that "I am American," "Indian" or "Hindu" or "Muslim," "Christian..." We are all part and parcel of God, and the whole planet belongs to God. We are His sons, and we can live peacefully as the sons of father. Father is supplying everything, so we can utilize. Now they, in some country, just like in Australia or New Zealand we find enough cows to supply milk, and in India practically there is no milk.

Philosophy Discussion on Soren Aabye Kierkegaard:

Prabhupāda: That is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We are learning how to love God, and we are teaching the same principle to the whole world, without any discrimination, that "God is one." Not that there are different Gods of different faiths. God cannot be two. Eko brahma dvitīyaṁ nāsti. God is one. There cannot be any competitor. His name is Asamaurdhva; nobody is equal to Him, nobody is greater than Him. Therefore God is great. Nobody is equal. So in any form of religion, if love of God is instructed, that is first-class religion. It doesn't matter whether it is Christian religion or Hindu religion or Muslim religion. The test is how the followers have learned to love God. And now God being the center of love and everything being God's expansion, so a lover of God is lover of everyone. He does not discriminate that "Only man should be loved, and man should be given service." No. He is interested with all living entities, never mind in which form he is existing. So he is interested in..., lover of God loves everyone, and the love reaches everyone.

Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:

Prabhupāda: Man cannot do without education. Without education a man remains an animal. Therefore in the human society there is a school, college, an institution, teacher—not in the animal society. So the principle is, the man is meant for being learned or being educated. That you cannot deny, that man life should not be like cats and dogs, simply eating, sleeping, mating, and dying. That is not man's life. Man's life is to become advanced in knowledge and education. And as I have already described, the ultimate knowledge: to understand God. If he is so-called educated, without any understanding of God, then his education is imperfect. You can deny the existence of God, but the God conception is there in the human society. Some may accept it, some may not accept it—that is another thing—but the conception of God, the whole civilized world, they have got some type of religion. Either you become Christian or Buddhist or Hindu or Muslim, religion means there is some cultivation of knowledge to understand God. And to understand God is the ultimate knowledge. That is called Vedānta. Veda means knowledge, and the ultimate knowledge: Vedānta. So ultimate knowledge, it, what is that? That is the beginning of Vedānta education. What is that ultimate knowledge? Athāto brahma jijñāsā.

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Prabhupāda: That individual, I, I know that I am individual person, I have got my own ideas, my own activities. Where is the difficulty? Simply it has to be purified. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). I am identifying with America or India or Hindu or Muslim or this or that. This should be purified. I should identify with Kṛṣṇa, that "I am only servant of Kṛṣṇa and devotees." Then I am purified.

Hayagrīva: He did... He speaks of the soul in this way. He says, "If the human soul is anything, it must be of unimaginable complexity and diversity, so that it cannot possibly be approached through a mere psychology of instinct."

Prabhupāda: That he does not know. As soon as we train ourself, that just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "I am not a brāhmaṇa, I am not a kṣatriya, I am not a śūdra, I am not a sannyāsī, I am not brahmacārī." By negation. "I am not, I am not, I am not." Then what is your actual? That gopī-bhartuḥ kamalayor dāsa-dāsānu: (CC Madhya 13.80) "I am the servant of the servant of the servant of the maintainer of gopīs." That means Kṛṣṇa. "That is my real identification." So I have, so long we do not identify as the eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, there will be so many varieties of identification, and bhakti, devotional service, means to become purified from all this false identification.

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Hari-śauri: Tvat-prasādān mayācyuta.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Tvat-pradāda, "by Your mercy." This mohaḥ, the illusory existence, that "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am black," "I am white," "Hindu," "Muslim," this is all mohaḥ. So it can be liberated. From this mohaḥ we can be liberated by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa. Naṣṭaḥ mohaḥ smṛtiḥ labdhā prasādāt tvat, "by Your mercy." Then?

Hari-śauri: Sthito 'smi gata-sandehaḥ kariṣye...

Prabhupāda: Sthito 'smi gata-sandehaḥ: "Now all my doubts are over. I am fixed up now in my original position." So what is that original position?

Hari-śauri: Kariṣye vacanaṁ tava.

Prabhupāda: Kariṣye vacanaṁ tava: (BG 18.73) "Now I simply act and do whatever You say, that's all." That is perfection. He is perfect. Everything is there.

Hayagrīva: Concerning God and the individual soul, he writes...

Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:

Prabhupāda: In the family also, the father wants to give service. In state also, the prime minister wants to give some service. So this service spirit will be there. Now, we are giving service to so many things, and we are becoming confused and (indistinct). Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that you give up all other service, give Me service, I will (indistinct). You cannot remain without giving service. That's a fact. Either you give service to your country or to your family or even you have to give service to a dog. That you cannot do. Therefore the service is not... You may be a Hindu,you may be a Muslim, you may be anything, but that service spirit is there. And that service spirit is religion. But actually, by rendering service to so many objectives, we are frustrated. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66), you give service to Me and you'll be (indistinct).

Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:

Hayagrīva: Well, evidently Marx never got over the antagonism between his father and his mother—his mother who was Jewish and his father who was a Christian convert. He says, "As soon as Jew and Christian recognize their respective religions, there is nothing more than different stages of evolution of the human spirit, as different snakeskins shed by history, and recognize man as the snake who wore them. They will no longer find themselves in religious antagonism but only in a critical scientific and human relationship. Science constitutes their unity. Contradictions in science, however, are resolved by science itself." So that, in other words, science, material science, is to replace this religion, and religion is to be shed by mankind just as a snake sheds its skin. And in this way the antagonisms created between Jew and Christian or, or Hindu and Muslim are reconciled.

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

Philosophy Discussion on Plotinus:

Prabhupāda: Kingdom. Yes. That is his falldown. When he decides to give up the spiritual life, he falls down in the material life, and that is the beginning of his material tribulations. And so long he will maintain a tinge of material happiness, the nature's life, that he has to accept, a type of material body, and there are varieties. So in all condition the spirit soul remains the part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, but according to the different body he gets different circumstances. A dog is thinking, on account of the dog's body, that he is a dog. A man is thinking that he is a man on account of the human body. The same thing—an American is thinking, because the body has been gotten from America, he is thinking "American." That similarly an Indian, a Hindu, Muslim, Christian, all these designations, due to the body. So when he understands that "I am not this body," this is spiritual education. That "I am different, I am part and parcel of God," then he becomes liberated, impersonally. And when he makes further advancement, and he comes to the platform of understanding the Supreme Truth as the Supreme Person, Kṛṣṇa, and he engages himself in Kṛṣṇa's service, that is his actual life. Kṛṣṇa, in the spiritual world, in the Vaikuṇṭha planets, in the Goloka Vṛndāvana planets, so they can be promoted to any one of them—in the Vaikuṇṭha planets or Goloka Vṛndāvana planet. Then he is happy as associate of Kṛṣṇa. He can enjoy life eternally.

Purports to Songs

Purport to Parama Koruna -- Atlanta, February 28, 1975:

Govinda-viraheṇa: "Being separated from Govinda, God, my life is vacant." This is required. It doesn't matter whether you follow Christianity or Hinduism or Muslimism. Whether you are feeling vacancy, everything vacant without Kṛṣṇa, without God—that is the test. Yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa. Every moment... Because one who is feeling separation from the Lord, he is feeling also, "When I shall see Him?" So this anxiety, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa: "A moment is seeming to Me a millenium, hundreds and millions of years' separation." That is love. If you love somebody and if you... Of course, in the material world, this love is not possible. There is no love in the material world. It is all lust. So love means loving God. That is love. So the Caitanya Mahāprabhu is teaching this, yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam: "I am feeling one moment as a millenium, being separated from Kṛṣṇa. And the torrents of tears are coming just like torrents of rain." And śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvam: "And the whole world is seeming to Me vacant," govinda-viraheṇa me, "being separated from Govinda." This is love. So it doesn't matter what religious system you are following, but the result should be this, that you should be mad after God.

Page Title:Muslim (Lectures, Other)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:09 of Sep, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=112, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:112