A first-class prisoner is also prisoner. You cannot say that he's free. No, free is different from a first-class prisoner. Sometimes, any respectable gentleman, some political offense, he's put into jail. Just like Gandhi also went to jail. And so many others. But they were given the place, first-class prisoners. They got servant. They got separate bungalow and books, library, all facilities. But they cannot go out of the prison house. They are called first-class prisoners. So to become a brāhmaṇa means to becomes a first-class prisoner. That's all. So our, our point of view is not to become a first-class prisoner. To get out of the prison. That is Vaiṣṇava vision.
My point is (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Lecture on BG 2.2 -- London, August 3, 1973:
Thousands of millions of such activities may be very good in the estimations of the fools and rascals, but it may not be accepted by Kṛṣṇa. That is the crucial point. But our point is that unless accepted by Kṛṣṇa, it is simply śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8), simply waste of time. Our philosophy says. We have to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. We haven't got to satisfy ourself that "I am doing very nice work in this way."
Lecture on BG 2.9 -- Auckland, February 21, 1973:
Recently, within, say, two thousand years, there have been many ācāryas like Śaṅkarācārya, Madhvācārya, Nimbārka, Rāmānujācārya. They have all accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And, say, within five hundred years, Lord Caitanya, He also accepted Kṛṣṇa. By His symptoms, by the historical fact, by the evidence of the Vedas, He is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, when Kṛṣṇa is speaking, the very words are used, śrī bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān means the Supreme Personality of Godhead is speaking. Uvāca means speaking. Then our point is that we should have to receive Godhead from the highest perfectional person.
Lecture on BG 2.11 -- Edinburgh, July 16, 1972:
So our point is that Kṛṣṇa informs Arjuna that "Why you are deviating from your duty? Do you think that your brother or your uncle or your grandfather on the other side, they will be dead after fighting? No. That is not the fact." The point is that Kṛṣṇa wanted to teach Arjuna that this body is different from the person.
Lecture on BG 2.11 -- Edinburgh, July 16, 1972:
So we become intelligent after death. And while we are living, we are in ignorance. This is the modern civilization. While living... Just like people have insurance policy to get some money. So that money is received after death, not during life. Sometimes during life also. So my point is that so long we are living, we are in ignorance. We do not know "What is my father, what is my brother, what I am." But everyone is under the impression, "This body is my father, this body is my child, this body is my wife." This is called ignorance.
Lecture on BG 2.12 -- New York, March 7, 1966:
In Germany there are great, great scholars, in England, in Japan, in all countries. So why? Because it is spoken by a great personality. Apart from... We may... We Hindus, we accept Him the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but others, even not accepting Him the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they accept it as, at least, that He was a great personality. Therefore, besides the Hindu community, others, they are also consulting the knowledge. Now, my point is that when such a great personality, and when a..., we accept Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then His version is right.
Lecture on BG 2.13 -- New York, March 11, 1966:
Now, the, our point is, as from the mother's womb, from the very beginning of our birth, as the body develops, develops, similarly, after coming out of the body, it also develops. But the spirit spark is there, the same.
Lecture on BG 2.20 -- Hyderabad, November 25, 1972:
So Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very much pleased by his proposition and He smiled. He said that "This brahmāṇḍa, this universe, is only just like a mustard grain in the bag of mustard seeds." Our point is that there are so many universes. Just compare. You take a bag of mustard seeds and pick up one grain. In comparison to the pack of mustard seeds what is the value of this one grain? Similarly, this universe is like that.
Lecture on BG 2.26-27 -- London, August 29, 1973:
The Arya-samajists view... They are called... There is a English name, what is called? I forget now. Moralists. The technical name there is. Anyway, this is their point of view, how to avoid God. So I replied that if one is not God conscious, he cannot be moralist, he cannot be truthful, he cannot be honest. This is our point of view. You study the whole world only on these three points, morality, honest, and dutiful. So many nice things are there. But if he's not God conscious, he cannot continue such thing. He must fail.
Lecture on BG 4.14-19 -- New York, August 3, 1966:
Now, taking it for granted that I am doing all pious work. That's all right. And I am getting my birth in a very rich family or very pure family, just like brāhmaṇa family or something like that. I am getting myself very good education. I am very beautiful to see. And I am very rich man, all these. But our point is that suppose if you are rich man, suppose if you are very learned man, but you are not free from the stringent laws of material world. The whole point of vision should be targeted there, that "I am not going to be under the stricture of this material world." If we miss that point, then we shall be captivated by this aristocratic family or good education or beautiful body or richness.
Lecture on BG 4.19 -- New York, August 5, 1966:
My point is that war is not only the only disturbing principle. There are many other disturbing principles. So we have to make a wholesale solution of all principles. That is the point.
Lecture on BG 4.37-40 -- New York, August 21, 1966:
So my point is that the living entity has got the tendency to move freely, to move freely. There are living entities in other, higher planets which is called Siddhaloka. We get this information from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In the Siddhaloka planet there are also living entities or human being like us. But they are so powerful that, without any help of airplane or without any help of sputnik, they can travel from one planet to another. We have got this information. So our... When we are free from this material bondage, we have no information how much powerful we are. We are satisfied here by manufacturing something, sputnik, that we are very much satisfied that we have advanced so much in material science without knowing that without any help of this sputnik and aeroplane, I can travel all planets. That potency I have got.
Lecture on BG 4.37-40 -- New York, August 21, 1966:
...which are beyond the topics. Just like we also talk something on some subject matter, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the highest knowledge. So we have heard so many things about this. If there is any doubt about that statement you can ask me. That was my point. Otherwise, any question...
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, March 26, 1968:
My point is that Kṛṣṇa's name is Yogeśvara. Nobody can be better yogi than... Or the master of yoga. There are different systems of yoga, and Kṛṣṇa is the master of yoga. And Lord Śiva is called Yogīśvara.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Madras, February 14, 1972:
The idea of classless society can be achieved when people become Kṛṣṇa conscious. It is so important movement. Therefore I am speaking that the matter is placed before these Justices. Just try to understand. And for the benefits of the society, for the human society, for the human being, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement must be very seriously taken up by you. That is my point. Kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva bhoga. Here, either you become this party or that party, the real purpose of forming party is to enjoy, and they bluff the people that "I shall give you this thing, that thing." But actually I want somehow or other the post and I, bhoga vañcha... Either you become communist, socialist or capitalist or this "ist" or that "ist," the real disease is bhoga-vañcha, "How I shall enjoy this world." That is the real disease.
Lecture on BG 9.34 -- August 3, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):
Either you love your family or your country or your society or your wife, your children, by loving there is happiness. But this loving process is not giving us happiness. We are becoming frustrated. Therefore the real lovable object being Kṛṣṇa, if we make progress to that point, then we shall be happy. This is the point. Mām evaiṣyasi asaṁśayaḥ (BG 18.65). So if this is concluded, then where is difficulty to execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness? That is my point. Now it is concluded that if we come to Kṛṣṇa and love Him, then that is the highest perfection of our life. Now to attain that highest perfection of life, where is the difficulty? That is the point I am asking.
Lecture on BG 9.34 -- August 3, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):
Bhagavān: Only if one is envious of Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: Huh? Then there is no question of love, that is another thing, but if you actually want to love Kṛṣṇa, where is the difficulty?
Devotees: There is no difficulty.
Prabhupāda: That is my point. (laughter) If you don't want to love somebody, then there is no question of process. But if you know, by loving such and such person you'll be happy, then there is process and the process is very easy. And open to everyone. That is my point. Now discuss on this point.
Lecture on BG 9.34 -- August 3, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):
This meditation is man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. Always think of Kṛṣṇa. So those who are engaged in this way, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, worshiping Kṛṣṇa, for such persons, Kṛṣṇa says yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 9.22), "I personally carry all the necessities of life. I personally carry." My point is that here in this New Māyāpura, if you simply carry on this man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ, then all your necessities will come automatically, don't bother. (laughter) That is my point, Yes. You'll get sufficient food, sufficient milk, sufficient fruits, flowers, all necessities. Simply you act on behalf of Kṛṣṇa and think of Kṛṣṇa, and don't bother about the necessities of life. It will be automatically supplied. Don't be disturbed from that point of view. Simply engage yourself in this business of man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). That is my point.
Lecture on BG 10.1 -- New York, December 27, 1966:
Wealth, strength, and then fame. If a man is very famous, just take any famous man of the world, if he comes in this room, oh, thousands of people will come here. When Gandhi was alive I read one news from the newspaper in India that in some Italian city, there was great crowd, innumerable people gathered in the station. And nobody could understand why these people are assembled here. So when they are asked, they replied that, "We have heard that Gandhi is coming here." Mahatma Gandhi, perhaps you heard his name. He was very famous man, politician. So actually the news they are published that one, there was one Mr. Glandi. So he was coming. And people misunderstood as Gandhi. So my point is that a famous man also attracts. These things are attraction, richness, wealth, and strength, and famous, fame.
Lecture on BG 16.8 -- Tokyo, January 28, 1975:
Japanese man: Yes, I have one question. You mentioned that we can hear a car from outside, but we cannot see car. But...
Prabhupāda: No, we can see car. But just like here we are sitting. We do not see the car, but the sound is there, but you conclude that there is a car. So therefore seeing is not always the sound reasoning. Even without seeing, we can conclude there is car. That is my point.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Lecture on SB 1.2.2 -- Rome, May 26, 1974:
Our point is that Kṛṣṇa says everyone should be given chance how to come back to home, how to approach Kṛṣṇa. So whose duty it is? It is the duty of Kṛṣṇa's servant. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja said, "My Lord, I do not wish to go back to home, back to Godhead alone. I want to take all of them who are godless or not devotee. I want to take. Unless I educate them how to go back to home, back to.,., I alone am not prepared to..." This is Prahlāda. This is Vaiṣṇava.
Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Melbourne, April 3, 1972, Lecture at Christian Monastery:
Guest (4): (indistinct) ...man and God?
Śyāmasundara: What is the relationship between man and God?
Prabhupāda: Man is servant of God, and God is the Supreme. God is asamordhva. Nobody can be equal to Him, nobody can be greater than Him. This is our point.
Lecture on SB 1.2.13 -- Los Angeles, August 16, 1972:
So our point is not to disregard anything, but everything use for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, that is called saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam: (SB 1.2.13) means satisfying Kṛṣṇa. You have manufactured, you have discovered something, but you will get perfection by manufacturing this. Anything you do, if you can satisfy Kṛṣṇa by your art and intelligence and education, by your work, then your life is perfect.
Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- San Francisco, March 25, 1967:
You are doing good thing. That's all right. And you'll have the good result of it. But that, having that good result, does not mean that you are free from the reaction. Now, our problem is that we want to be free from the reaction. So long... Now... The same answer is there, that reaction of my good work, that I get good birth, I get good education, I get sufficient wealth or I get good features of body. These things are goodness of this material world. But that does not make solution of the disease in which... (break)...vyādhi, birth, death, old age and disease. The whole problem is that we have to get out of this material existence. So the, from the material point of view, or platform, any act, good or bad, that will have material reaction. And we are, we want to get out of this material reaction. That is our point of view.
Lecture on SB 1.2.22 -- Vrndavana, November 2, 1972:
So the, my point is that how swift is the spirit soul that either he goes to one of the universes... One of the universes means there are millions and trillions of universes. That we do not know. We have got information of this universe, materially. But from Vedic literature, we get information there are millions and trillions of universes like this. We can see only one universe.
Lecture on SB 1.2.24 -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1972:
This is gradual process of evolution. Pārthivād dāruṇaḥ. Just like raw wood. Then, when it is dry, then it is fit for igniting fire. Then, when you ignite fire, first there is smoke, and after it is mature, the flames come out. And agnis trayīmayaḥ. And when the flame is there... Just like we generally perform fire sacrifice. Unless the flame comes, we do not chant the mantra or pour the ghee and the grains. Because that is the beginning of yajña. Trayīmaya. Trayī means Vedic yajñas. So our point is to come to the platform of performing yajña. Yajña means Viṣṇu, the platform of satisfying Viṣṇu. This is the perfection of life.
Lecture on SB 1.3.11-12 -- Los Angeles, September 17, 1972:
So our point is that you do not become so foolish and rascal, that any rascal comes and poses himself as God, incarnation of God... You kick on their face. Please consult the śāstras whether his name, his father's name, his mother's name, his features of the body, his activities, are corroborating with the śāstra. Then accept. Otherwise don't.
Lecture on SB 1.3.30 -- Los Angeles, October 5, 1972:
So our point is that the small spiritual spark develops this body, as we have developed this body. Similarly, this huge gigantic body of universal form is the development of Kṛṣṇa's external body. This is also body. Therefore as your bodily functions are going on nicely because that spiritual spark is within, similarly, you see all these material activities, they are going nicely because the Supreme Lord is there.
Lecture on SB 1.5.8-9 -- New Vrindaban, May 24, 1969:
Therefore our point was how to please the Supreme Lord. This is the way. If you want to please Kṛṣṇa, you spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the point Nārada is pointing out to Vyāsadeva.
Lecture on SB 1.5.8-9 -- New Vrindaban, May 24, 1969:
These things happen simply by little merciful glance by Lord Caitanya upon us. Simply if Lord Caitanya approves our activity, "Well, this man is doing nice," oh, then you get all the success. Simply if He approves. Yat kāruṇya-katākṣa-vaibhavavatāṁ taṁ gauram eva stumaḥ. Therefore our point was how to please the Supreme Lord. This is the way. If you want to please Kṛṣṇa, you spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Lecture on SB 1.8.18-19 -- Bombay, April 9, 1971:
So anyway, our point is that paramahaṁsa means one who has no such dirty things in the heart, bhukti-mukti-siddhi. All, they are dirty things. Bhukti means material enjoyment, mukti means to become, to merge into the existence of the Supreme Lord, and siddhi means yoga-siddhi. So they are all dirty things. So such dirty..., a person with such dirty things, he is not paramahaṁsa. He may be a sannyāsī, but he's not a paramahaṁsa. Paramahaṁsa means who has no dirty things.
Lecture on SB 1.8.39 -- Los Angeles, May 1, 1973:
Kṛṣṇa is always there. Simply you have to invite Him, "My Lord, please come and be in the center." That's all. Everything will be beautiful. The same example, sometimes as I give you, that there are zero... Zero has no value. But you bring one by the side of zero, it becomes ten times beautiful, immediately. So our point is that you do whatever you are doing. We don't stop you. We never say that "Stop everything of material..." But we have to stop anything which is against Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because we do not stop, it doesn't mean that we shall not stop meat-eating. We must stop. This is against advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Lecture on SB 1.15.22-23 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1973:
So our point is to know this is a play only, background. Actually, Kṛṣṇa wanted to take them away. And nobody could kill them. Therefore He planned a killing plan amongst themselves. This is the fact. But we should know that vipra-śāpa-vimūḍhānām: if any person is cursed by vipra, brāhmaṇa, Vaiṣṇava, then they are finished. Therefore according to the Vedic civilization, brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas are always honored so that they may not be dissatisfied. This is the rule. Brāhmaṇa and Vaiṣṇava. The devotees and the brāhmaṇas. Veda-pāṭhād bhaved vipro brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. Those who are spiritually advanced, such persons should not be offended. Then you are finished in according to our philosophy, vaiṣṇava-aparādha...
Lecture on SB 1.15.36 -- Los Angeles, December 14, 1973:
So our point is that Kṛṣṇa, or God, is there, and He is working through His potencies. Just like a big man, he is sitting on his parlor. He hasn't got to go. Just like we have seen Mr. Birla in... Those who are with me, they have seen. He is sitting in his home, but he has got many potencies. He has got secretaries, clerks, and this and that, so many things. So they are doing all work. He hasn't got to work. A big man means he hasn't got to work personally. He has got so many assistants. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa, He is the Supreme. He hasn't got to work Himself. He hasn't got to work. Vṛndāvanaṁ parityajya padam ekaṁ na gacchati. He is always engaged in His playing flute and dancing with the gopīs. That's all. Pleasure.
Lecture on SB 1.16.36 -- Tokyo, January 30, 1974:
In Kali-yuga even with the spiritual master there is disagreement. That is due to influence of Kali. That is my point. So this influence of Kali-yuga has been discussed in so many pages in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Vrndavana, March 17, 1974:
Just like our students. Although they are gṛhastha, they are interested in ātma-tattva. They are not gṛhamedhi. But those who are not interested in the science of soul, ātma-tattva, but they are interested only in the science of body and mind, they are gṛhamedhi. Gṛhamedhi. They are not gṛhastha. So my point is that our philosophy, Kṛṣṇa consciousness philosophy, is meant for understanding ātma-tattva.
Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Paris, June 12, 1974:
This is Kali-yuga. A man has to work like an ass simply for bread. Simply for bread. This is Kali-yuga. So I saw that one side, there is the wife, and the other side, there is the husband, pulling on that ṭhelā, and they have got a child. On the top of the loaded articles the child is sat down. So he's sitting very comfortably. And the father and mother, they are pulling on ṭhelā. My point is that even a man, very poor, who has to work just like an ass, still, he has got family and he's maintaining him. That is my point. Still. You'll find the poorest man—he has got his wife, he has got his children. He has got... Anyway, some home. Although it is not very nice apartment, but he has got home. That means even in material life, if one has got peaceful home, then he..., there is something. But even that is now not possible in the modern, artificial civilization.
Lecture on SB 2.3.15 -- Los Angeles, June 1, 1972:
So our point is that as this hankering after sex or the opposite sex is natural, it doesn't require to be educated, similarly, kṛṣṇa-bhakti is also natural. It is not that because we have established this temple and people are here... Of course, there is practice, but that practice is also very simple. Simply you have to hear. That's all.
Lecture on SB 3.25.44 -- Bombay, December 12, 1974:
So my point is: by serving the Supreme Lord, one gives the best service to the family, because if one becomes a Vaiṣṇava, pure Vaiṣṇava, the whole family, up to fourteen generations, they become liberated. Therefore tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena. We should not divert our attention for any other service. We should simply concentrate for rendering service to the Supreme Lord. This is the conclusion.
Lecture on SB 4.14.14 -- November 16, 1971, Delhi:
So our point was that this Mādhavendra Purī, when he got that pot of condensed milk, kṣīra, and the priest praised him, "Oh, you are such a great devotee that Kṛṣṇa has stolen for you this earthen, I mean to say, the condensed milk. So you take it." And he bowed down before him, took his dust of the lotus feet. Then Mādhavendra thought that "Now I have got this pot of condensed milk, next morning it will be advertised, and people will come in throng to congratulate me. So better leave this place immediately." That means he did not want to be advertised as a great devotee.
Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Boston, April 28, 1969:
From Vedic history we understand that in the creation, when everything was all water, at that time, a lotus flower grew out of the abdomen of Viṣṇu and there was creation of Brahmā. So Brahmā is supposed to be the most intellectual personality within this universe. My point is that in the beginning the creation was the most intelligent personality, not that in the creation there was lower animals, no. Lower animals were there.
Lecture on SB 5.5.20 -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1976:
So when My point is that how the fighting was in a sporting spirit. So Arjuna, when came to the camp of Duryodhana, Duryodhana well received him: "Yes, my dear brother, come. What do you want? Why you have come?" "Now, you promised something to give me. I have come to take that." "Yes, I will give you. You want without fight the kingdom? Take it immediately. You want that?" "No, no, no. I don't want that. Fighting must go on. That is not I have not come to beg you that. We shall I have come to take that weapons which you have kept." Immediately he delivered. He kept the safety for killing them, and because he has come to beg "A kṣatriya should not beg, but he is begging? All right, take it." This is India. This is India's civilization.
Lecture on SB 6.1.18 -- Honolulu, May 18, 1976:
Then, even in this childhood, there are so many pains. Just like our... Here are children. They are crying. There is some pain. But we cannot understand what is the pain. Suppose some bug is biting. He's crying and mother is thinking that "He is hungry, so he's not stopping. So just..." Our point is: just try to study this life, how much painful it is. This is the human body and what to speak of the dog's body, cat's body? You study very minutely. You'll find, from the beginning of my life in the womb of my mother up to the death point, simply miseries. Simply miseries.
Lecture on SB 6.1.44 -- Los Angeles, June 10, 1976:
Kṛṣṇa can do everything. He can change sattva-guṇa into tamo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa into rajo-guṇa, rajo-guṇa into sattva-guṇa. That is as He likes. Just like a expert electrician: he can turn the heater into cooler and cooler into heater. The electric energy is the same. Similarly, parasya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). He has His energy. If He likes... My point is that this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has come to your country by the will of Kṛṣṇa. So here is favorable situation because the will of Kṛṣṇa is there, that "Now the Westerners, especially the Americans, they should become Kṛṣṇa conscious." That is His will. So you take the opportunity, cooperate with Kṛṣṇa, and you will be successful.
Lecture on SB 6.2.11 -- Vrndavana, September 13, 1975:
This Durvāsā Muni penetrated through the universe, went to the Vaikuṇṭhaloka, personally saw Viṣṇu. Still, he was not protected. And this time took about one year. So yogic power... My point was how yogis are powerful, that they cannot..., they can go through the space very swiftly. The modern scientists, they say that to go to the topmost planet within this universe, it will take forty thousands of years. That is their calculation. But this yogi, Durvāsā, could go through the universe—not only universe, other, Vaikuṇṭha—so, within one year. This is called yogic power.
Lecture on SB 7.7.22-26 -- San Francisco, March 10, 1967:
Now, our point is: never mind what kind of body we are getting next, but I am existing. Whether I am intelligently working during the time when I am awake, or whether I am working under dreams, or whether I am being transferred to another body—I am having sound sleep under chloroform—I am the same. I am the same. I am that eternal soul. This is self-realization. So under all circumstances, either this body or that body, either sleeping or working or under sound sleep, any condition, I am there. This is my identification.
Lecture on SB 7.9.35 -- Mayapur, March 13, 1976:
If you are pious, then you get good opportunity of taking your birth in good family, aristocratic family, brāhmaṇa family, like that. You become beautiful, become educated. So Brahmā is also a similar living entity, but he's very, very pious. Very very pious. And Brahmā... Brahmā's post is so exalted that when there is no living entity available, then Lord Viṣṇu Himself becomes Brahmā. The post is so important. My point is that although he's so pious, greatly exalted, still, he had to purify himself.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972:
Now our point was that how to see Kṛṣṇa in everything? Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). By these blunt, material senses, we cannot appreciate, or we can see, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It has to be purified. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). One must be relieved from all designations. So long one thinks that "I am Hindu. I am Christian. I am Muhammadan. I am this. I am brāhmaṇa. I am śūdra. I am kṣatriya. I am man. I am woman. I am black. I am white." These are all designations. One has to become free from all these designations.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 28, 1972:
Our point is that these people... First of all, whether they are going to the Moon planet, that is doubtful. At least, I am doubtful. Because we get information from the śāstra , that there is a planet which is called Rāhu. That is very near to Moon. And that Rāhu sometimes comes in front of the Moon planet, and that is called candragrahāṇa. Moon, lunar eclipse. So that, that Rāhu planet is dark. So they might be going to this Rāhu planet, not to the Moon planet. Maybe. Because that is very near.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 28, 1972:
But the, our point is very strong, that you cannot get perfect knowledge from imperfect person. That is not possible. That's a fact. You can get knowledge only from the perfect. That is real knowledge. The modern scientific knowledge, taking perfection. The next year, again changes. "This theory is changed." So they, they say that this is advancement. We are making progress. This means that whatever knowledge you are making your basis, that is imperfect. Progress means then you have to go to the perfect.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 9, 1973:
So our point is, from śāstra we can understand,
- ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas
- tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ
- āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
- patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ
- (SB 10.2.32)
The point is that simply mixing with the sea water is not final salvation. Because the same example. The water is evaporated, again turns into cloud, then again falls, the same water again falls on the ground, then again glides down. So that is not very safe position. But if you take shelter of the ocean as a fish, then there is no question of evaporation. Just try to understand this analogy.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 6, 1972:
Let us immediately become surrendered to Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet. Think of Him always. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ, to become His devotee, always think of Him. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). "Always worship Me. Always offer obeisances." These are the four principles. Anyone can do it. There is no restriction for any caste, creed, nation. Everyone. It is open to the human being. So if we actually want to be happy, we must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no alternative. That is our point.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 29, 1973:
People are going on in the name of nationality, big leaders, but from our point of view, that neither as nation or community or person you are the proprietor of things. Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor of... So if you expand your selfishness in the name of nationality—"I possess this land"—we do not approve. We say, īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. Why you are claiming yourself, as nation or individual or community? That's not proper.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.5 -- Mayapur, March 29, 1975:
So our point is that "Because Kṛṣṇa is Paraṁ Brahman, so how He can take pleasure in this material world?" This is the argument. So those who are wrongly thinking, foolishly thinking, that "Kṛṣṇa enjoyed with the gopīs like we enjoy in the company of many girls," they are great fools. They have no knowledge. They are misled because it appears, perverted reflection, it appears like that. But the reflection is different from the reality. So we should not take in that way. We should follow the footsteps of Caitanya-caritāmṛta kar, that we should understand that this praṇaya-vikṛtiḥ, this transformation of loving affairs between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, this is not like this, the ordinary boy and girl.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100 -- Washington, D.C., July 5, 1976:
I mean to say that Gandhi gave the best service to you, but your country is so ungrateful that he killed him. That is my point. So the point is that the best service you can give, but you cannot satisfy everyone. That is material.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.110 -- New York, July 17, 1976:
So anyway, our point is, either the sun or the moon, they are localized. They are situated in one place, we can see. But the illumination, the heat or the cool illumination... Sun illumination is hot, and moon illumination is cold, very soothing. Kṛṣṇa is so kind that both things are there, and both things are required. It is not that unnecessarily. No.
Festival Lectures
His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Lecture -- Los Angeles, February 7, 1969:
My point is that originally the Gosvāmīs came from ordinary person. There is no caste. But they manufactured a caste of Gosvāmī, you see, this brāhmaṇa class. This brāhmaṇa class, the hereditary brāhmaṇa class, played so many havocs in the history of India. The Pakistan is also due to this hereditary brahmanism. You see? They hated so much the Muhammadans and the śūdras. First of all they hated the śūdras, and then, when the śūdras, they became Muhammadans, they hated the Muhammadans. And gradually it developed that the so-called śūdras and Muhammadans, politically the Britishers took advantage, agitated them. They cut up India into Pakistan and Hindustan.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
Arrival Lecture -- Philadelphia, July 11, 1975:
If you artificially do not make distinction, that will not stay. Just like in your country the black and white, they have got equal rights, but why they fight sometimes, racial fight? Because it is on the material platform. So our point is that you come to the spiritual platform, then this equality will be possible. If you keep yourself on the material platform, then artificially you may say, "We are equal," but at last we shall fight. This is our proposition. Therefore we request everyone that you come to the spiritual platform. Then everything will be very nice.
Wedding Ceremonies
Wedding Lecture -- November 17, 1971, New Delhi:
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, the initiation ceremony, the marriage ceremony, the sacred thread ceremony, whatever we observe, they are strictly according to the śāstra. That is our point. So for spiritual progress of life, it is necessary that all kinds of sinful activities must be stopped. Without being free from contamination of sinful life, nobody can make progress in spiritual life. Therefore, who is strictly observe these four principles to avoid sinful life, one of them is avaida stri saṅga. Therefore marriage is necessary.
General Lectures
Speech to Indian Audience -- Montreal, July 28, 1968:
So we Indians, we should know that we cannot imitate the Western countries. They are far advanced. So far materialistic way of life is concerned, you cannot compete with them. Just like some years before there was industrial exhibition in India in which the government was very proud to show that they are manufacturing cycle and sewing machine. When Western part of the world, they are manufacturing so many complicated machineries, we are proud of manufacturing cycle and sewing machine. Similarly, in every respect... In medicine also, there are so many laboratories in India, but still, seventy-five percent of the medicines are imported from foreign countries, because they are lagging behind. So my point is that in every country, in every human society, there is a special qualification.
Lecture -- Seattle, September 30, 1968:
Prabhupāda: Just try to understand. Who is here... That means biological force. You are subordinate to biology. Then why do you say that you are independent?
Young man: Well, I feel that I'm...
Prabhupāda: You are feeling wrongly. That is my point. That is your disease.
Lecture -- Los Angeles, January 15, 1969:
So our point is, when we speak of Kṛṣṇa, we mean with all His different forms, Rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan (Bs. 5.39). So bhakti-yoga can be applicable to any one of these form, either Kṛṣṇa or Rāma or Viṣṇu or Nārāyaṇa, so many forms. Generally, Vaiṣṇavas worship the form of Kṛṣṇa, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, and Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa. In our conditional stage, we cannot worship Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa-sevā is for them who has developed spontaneous love for God.
Lecture -- Hawaii, March 23, 1969:
So our proposition is not that vegetarian-nonvegetarian. Vegetarian or nonvegetarian, it is not very important thing. Vegetable has got also life. It does not mean that one man is eating meat; therefore he is killing. But even vegetarians, they are also killing. But our process is... We... Killing is not very important or nonimportant for us. If Kṛṣṇa says, "Kill," we can kill. If Kṛṣṇa says, "Don't kill," we don't kill. Because we are simply order-carrier. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was posing himself by his family relationship that he's very perfect, nonviolent gentleman. But Kṛṣṇa induced him to fight, to kill the other party. So for us, killing or nonkilling is not very important thing because everyone is killing, knowingly or unknowingly. So our point is we take foodstuff offered to Kṛṣṇa, and whatever Kṛṣṇa eats, that is our foodstuff. We distribute that thing.
Northeastern University Lecture -- Boston, April 30, 1969:
Still, I wish to narrate one short story, that one man, one boy, was attracted by a beautiful girl. So the girl does not agree, and the boy is persistent. So in India, of course, the girls, they keep their chastity very strict. So the girl was not agreeing. So she said, "All right, I agree. After one week you come." She appointed, "Such and such time, you come." So the boy was very glad. And the girl took some purgative throughout the seven days, and she was passing stool, day and night, and vomiting, and she kept all these vomits and stool in a nice pot. So when the appointed time came, the boy came, and the girl was sitting on the door. The boy inquired, "Where is that girl?" She said, "I am that girl." "No, no. You are not. You are so ugly. She was so beautiful. You are not that girl." "No, I am that girl, but I have now separated my beauty in a different pot." "What is that?" She showed: "This is the beauty, this stool and vomit. This is the ingredient." Actually anyone may be very robust or very beautiful—if he passes stool for three or four times, everything changes immediately.
So my point is that, as stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that this bodily concept of life is not very sanguine. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). This body, composition of several things like bones and skins and blood and urine and stool and secretions, so many things, that is not right calculation of self-realization.
Lecture to International Student Society -- Boston, December 28, 1969:
So our point is that if we actually want to expand this international feeling, then we must find out the real center. That center is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa, or God, I have already explained. Kṛṣṇa said in the Bhagavad-gītā... You'll please always remember that this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means placing Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Whatever I am speaking, it is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. Unfortunately, Bhagavad-gītā has been misinterpreted by so many commentators that people have misunderstood the Bhagavad-gītā.
Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, March 31, 1971:
All these boys and girls who are dancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, four years ago, four years back, they never heard of Kṛṣṇa. Of course, some of them knew Bhagavad-gītā, because Bhagavad-gītā is very widely read. But because Bhagavad-gītā was not properly presented, although for the last hundred or two hundred or more than that years, Bhagavad-gītā is widely read all over the world, there was not a single Kṛṣṇa-bhakta. But since Bhagavad-gītā is being presented as it is, within four years there are hundreds and thousands of Kṛṣṇa-bhaktas. That is our point, that you present the thing as it is, without any adulteration.
Pandal Lecture -- November 14, 1971, Delhi:
So we have been taken, accepted as the beggar's country. But in the Berkeley University, when one Indian student protested that I am spreading this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement... The only protest was by an Indian student. He said, "Swamiji, what benefit will be there by spreading this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement?" In another place, a girl asked me, "Swamiji, what is God?" So I asked her, "Are you Indian? You should be ashamed of being called as Indian, because you are asking what is God. You are coming from India, the land of God, and you do not know what is God."
So this is our position. The land where Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared, just ninety miles from Delhi in Vṛndāvana-Mathurā, we are not concerned. I have seen it personally. I do not discuss...I do not want to discuss these things. But my point is that this Caitanya Mahāprabhu's instruction,
- bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra
- janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra
- (CC Adi 9.41)
This Bhāgavata-dharma should be taught to our children. There is no use of calling ourself that we are secular.
Town Hall Lecture -- Auckland, April 14, 1972:
In those days—those days means at least five thousand years ago—they selected a place, and "Let us fight and decide our fate," kṣatriyas. Why the public should suffer? So in this way Kurukṣetra was selected to fight between the two parties. And still it is existing. It is a great field. And dharma-kṣetre... Just try to understand that there is no need of our imperfect comments on the Bhagavad-gītā. That is my point.
Lecture -- Tokyo, April 20, 1972:
So my point is that you are all Vaiṣṇavas, try to do something good to the people, because they are all suffering. All suffering. For want of, lack of Kṛṣṇa consciousness they do not know what is the aim of life, what is to be achieved. Simply they are working hard like hogs and dogs for sense gratification. They have no other ambition. They do not believe in the next life although it is a fact there is next life. And they do not know. They are not educated there is next life. How much irresponsibly we are working. Nature's law is very stringent. If you work irresponsibly, then you can, you have to accept... Sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ (BG 8.6). If you become attached to this material enjoyment, then you will have to accept a body, and there are 8,400,000 different forms of body. You have to accept. But this education is not there, whole world. So simply these Kṛṣṇa conscious people, they are trying to educate people on this point.
Hare Krishna Festival Address -- San Diego, July 1, 1972, At Balboa Park Bowl:
So in this way, our point is sex life, that, the, a gṛhastha, a householder, he has got debts towards his parents, towards his father, towards his mother, towards his wife, towards his children. The society should be human society, not the cats' and dogs' society. That is Vedic conception. So in the Vedic conception of life the sex life is there, but you become indebted. You must repay the debts. If you simply beget children like cats and dogs and go away, then you become responsible for the sinful activities. You must take responsible.
Lecture at World Health Organization -- Geneva, June 6, 1974:
Yogeśvara: His first question was do we use machines and modern methods on our āśramas and farms.
Prabhupāda: We have no objection. We want to be self-sufficient. That is our point of view. We have no objection with... It is not that we don't touch machine. We don't say like that. But we want to be self-sufficient. That is our point. We have not taken a vow that we shall not touch any machine. No, no. We're not like that.
Life Member House Lecture -- Hyderabad, April 14, 1975:
So try to make the people uttama, although at the present moment they are narādhama, without understanding Kṛṣṇa. So these are not exaggeration. This is stated in the śāstra. And our point is that anyone who is not taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he's among these groups-duṣkṛtina, mūḍha, narādhama, māyayā apahṛta-jñānā āsuriṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. The basic principle is āsuriṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. Asura. Asura means against God always. Rāvaṇa was asura. Hiraṇyakaśipu was asura. They are very learned scholar, son of a brāhmaṇa and very powerful. The only fault was they did not believe in God; therefore they are called asuras. So anyone who does not believe in God, he's asura. This is the verdict of the śāstra. And this asuric civilization is going on all over the world. So we are making little effort to make the asuras devotees. That's all. This is our business.
Address to Rotary Club -- Chandigarh, October 17, 1976:
In New Delhi there is a Cāṇakya Purī. He was a great politician, very learned scholar, brāhmaṇa and great moralist also. So he has instructed about this Brahman knowledge in various ways. So our point is that we should not spoil this life. We should utilize every moment of our life very properly. This Cāṇakya Pandit I am referring because he has given very good instruction how to utilize our life. He says,
- āyuṣaḥ kṣaṇa eko 'pi
- na labhyaḥ svarṇa-koṭibhiḥ
- na cen nirarthakaṁ nītiḥ
- kā ca hānis tato 'dhikā
We are calculating of loss and gain. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says that "Even one moment of our life, if it is lost, then you cannot get it back even by paying hundreds and thousands of dollars." One moment of this day, if it is lost, you cannot get it back by paying hundreds and thousands of dollars. So if the moments of your life is spent uselessly, then how much loss you are suffering, you just imagine. Therefore our request is that we have got this valuable life, human form of life, bahu-sambhavānte, after many, many births in the evolutionary process. Now we should try to understand what is Brahman. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Don't spoil it otherwise.
General Lecture -- (location & date unknown):
Because the Māyāvādī philosophers, they interpret Vedic mantras by grammatical jugglery, therefore Śaṅkarācārya has warned that "Your grammatical jugglery, this dukṛn-pratyaya, karaṇe, will not save you." Mūḍha-mate: "You foolish person, you kindly take shelter of Govinda." Bhaja govinda. So this is the verdict of all ācāryas. So our point is that this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is nothing like manufactured religious principle. No. It is authorized. There is great background, all these, supported by all the ācāryas and summarized by Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Philosophy Discussions
Philosophy Discussion on Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz:
Prabhupāda: My point is that he says that there are two types of truth. No. There cannot be two types of truth. That is my protest. I say there is only one truth. When you think two types of truth, then you are mistaken. Then same thing: when you think that two plus two equals five, then you are mistaken. Two plus two is always four. That is truth. Similarly, snow is white always. That is truth. When you think it is red, it is untruth. But you cannot say it is another type of truth. Mistake cannot be accepted as another type of truth. Mistake is mistake.
Philosophy Discussion on Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz:
Prabhupāda: Just like a living entity is trying to become master—"I am the monarch of all I survey." That is untruth. The truth is that he is eternal servant. You cannot say that because one is trying to be imitation God, that that is another truth. You cannot say that. That is māyā. There cannot be a second God. God is one. That is truth, absolute truth. Our point is that we do not accept this proposition, that there are two types of truth. That is not at all acceptable. Truth is one.
Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:
Prabhupāda: But evolution we accept. Evolution we accept but it is not that there was no existence of human being. That we do not accept. Evolution we accept. Just like my childhood manifestation is extinct but there are many other child. Same time. So our point is all the species of life, they are existing simultaneously. Evolution there is, we accept that but it is not that one is missing, one has gone away, and another is come, ten million, thirty millions there was no human being. This is all nonsense. He cannot find in the layer, that is not evidence.
Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:
Śyāmasundara: They may be existing, but on this planet we have no evidence...
Prabhupāda: That doesn't mean... That means you limit your study in one planet. That is not full knowledge.
Śyāmasundara: I just want to find out for the time being about...
Prabhupāda: Why time being? If you are not perfect in your knowledge, then why should I accept your theory? That is my point.
Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:
Śyāmasundara: But you just said, for instance, the industrialist and farmers are two different species of men, but there could be a Negro industrialist...
Prabhupāda: I already said that. Why don't you listen? Species, definition of the scientists is different from ours. We say class.
Śyāmasundara: I'm trying to understand, because you said class but then you also said bodies. Negro bodies are different from white Caucasian bodies.
Prabhupāda: Maybe difference of bodies. But that does not...; therefore our classification on the basis of soul. The soul is equal. In spite of different types of body, the soul is one. There is no change of the soul. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that he does not see the species or the class or definition. He sees one: paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). Paṇḍita, one who sees to the (indistinct), the soul, he does not find any difference of these species or (indistinct). This is our point.
Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:
Prabhupāda: What is that purple men? But you have not also seen, why you are speaking like that?
Śyāmasundara: I'm using it as an example of an exception.
Prabhupāda: No, no. What, you are scientist, what you have never seen, why you are thinking of like that? That is my point.
Śyāmasundara: I'm using it as an example of an exception...
Prabhupāda: Why example? Why you give a fictitious example which you have no experience?
Śyāmasundara: All right. So let's say no one has ever seen a...
Prabhupāda: No, no. That is another thing. You cannot say which you have never seen, at least. Because yours is experimental, I may say, but you at least, cannot say like that.
Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson:
Prabhupāda: Anything manufactured by man, that is not religion. That is not religion. That I have already answered. Religion is not manufactured, but it is given by God. That is our point, that God is giving religion, "Here is religion: surrender unto Me." So any religious system may be different in method, but ultimately if it comes to this point, (surrendering to God), then it is religion. Otherwise it is not religion; reject it.
Philosophy Discussion on John Stuart Mill:
Prabhupāda: So the raw tiger is kept in the cage and the trainer comes for several days, he simply whips. Then for several days whips and gives some food, and then he comes with the whip and food. So he does not whip, he gives some food. In this way tiger becomes tamed by him. So he plays before the trainer only. He has got that whip. Because he is animal, he has got that impression, "He will kill me." Therefore he plays. As soon as this man goes away, he will immediately attack, anyone comes. Just like dog, he fears the (master); for others he jumps over. So it is a question of training. So he has got the conscience. My point is that he has got the conscience, "Oh, here is my trainer. He will kill me." He has got this conscience. This is good. "If I attack, oh, he will kill me. But here is an ordinary man, I can kill him." So he has difference of conscience. Even the tiger, even the cats, and the dogs. This discrimination, power of discrimination, is there in the animals also. But that is not consciousness. Real consciousness is to accept Kṛṣṇa. That is real consciousness.
Philosophy Discussion on John Stuart Mill:
Śyāmasundara: Yes. He says that in this way by everyone being free to compete, the best ones will come out.
Prabhupāda: That is another thing. That is not freedom; that is competition.
Śyāmasundara: Competition. But in order to compete, there has to be freedom.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is another thing. But nobody is independent. That is our point of view. Everyone is dependent. Somebody is voluntarily dependent on Kṛṣṇa and somebody is by force dependent on māyā. That's all. But he must be dependent.
Philosophy Discussion on Soren Aabye Kierkegaard:
Śyāmasundara: This is the most prevalent philosophy today, guiding people. It says that because God is dead, that we don't know where we came from, all we know is that we're here existing, the only way we can genuinely know ourself and exist authentically...
Prabhupāda: But our point is that we do not know genuinely. What we know, that is foolishness, that is asses' knowledge. Just like ass knows that "I am this body. I am the servant of this washerman." So this knowledge, like this. So he has made the decision. The ass has made this decision that "I shall take a morsel of grass and whole day I shall carry tons of cloth of this washerman." He has made this decision, that's all. Then is it that the decision is very nice? This is asses' decision, that's all.
Philosophy Discussion on Ludwig Wittgenstein:
Devotee: But the past and the future are simply reminiscences and projections of (indistinct), but the present is existing for everyone.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That past means, just like what you say. The past, present, future for an ant is different from your past, present, future.
Devotee: Why?
Prabhupāda: Because your body is different.
Devotee: The experience of the past, present and the future is different.
Prabhupāda: My point is there is no past, present, future. This experience is gathered according to your body.
Philosophy Discussion on Edmund Husserl:
Prabhupāda: Now we are coming to (indistinct). He says that we are concerned with only the phenomenon, what we see.
Śyāmasundara: Starting with that. Starting with that. Reducing everything to the...
Prabhupāda: Starting with that, that's all right. But how he'll come to the perfect knowledge? Not by speculation. That is our point.
Philosophy Discussion on Edmund Husserl:
Śyāmasundara: No. I'm just giving you example. These Western philosophers, they have no..., they're starting from zero, from zero point. They have no knowledge whatsoever. So I begin with the idea...
Prabhupāda: But zero, that is our point. From zero knowledge you cannot go to the perfection by zero speculation. That is our point. You, if you are zero, you must go to someone who is one. And when zero is added to one, it becomes ten. Otherwise you go on adding zero, zero, zero—it is all zero.
Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:
Prabhupāda: The cost price of the rectified spirits is about Rs. 1/59 per gallon, and the government is selling at 60 rupees. For us it was five rupees, because we were manufacturers. So why (indistinct)? Restriction. Because unless the government takes this matter in their hands, people will distill... It is not very difficult. There are many illicit distillers also. That's why it is the duty of the excise department to arrest them. My point is that why is the government increasing the price? So that restricting, that people may not pay so much price, they may not drink (indistinct).
Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:
Prabhupāda: Our point is that religion is not sentiment. Leadership has to be accepted, either by the Communist or the theist or atheist. There is leadership. So when the leadership is selected and the direction given by the leader, you can take it as some "ism." So religion is the same thing. When we accept the leadership of God and His direction, that is religion. I don't think on principle the Communist can change this idea. The same leader is Lenin or Stalin, and he is giving his direction, and people must follow it. So where is the difference of philosophy? Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is there, His instruction is there, and we are following. So where is the difference in fact?
Philosophy Discussion on Mao Tse Tung:
Śyāmasundara: He thinks in this philosophy, Marxist philosophy, that that is the truth so that he can present slogans to the people in such a way that they become controlled by that truth.
Prabhupāda: What is the value of your slogan if you are yourself controlled? Our point is that if you are yourself blind, how you can lead other blind men?
Philosophy Discussion on Mao Tse Tung:
Śyāmasundara: He says the only criterion for truth is its practical application in society.
Prabhupāda: The practical... First of all, you prove practically that you are independent.
Śyāmasundara: It wouldn't make any difference because...
Prabhupāda: Why not difference? My point is if your basic principle is wrong, then how you can make a perfect proposal?
Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:
Śyāmasundara: But, for instance, in ancient Greece, they fabricated so many myths, mythology...
Prabhupāda: Well, that I have already answered. Anything manufactured by man, that is not religion. That is not religion. That I have already explained. Religion is not manufactured, but it is given by God. That is our point. God is giving religion, "Here is religion. Surrender unto Me." So any religious system may be different in method, but ultimately, if it comes to this point, surrendering to God, then it is religion. Otherwise, it is not religion. Reject it
Philosophy Discussion on Socrates:
Prabhupāda: Now this so-called civilization is darkness. That is my point.
Hayagrīva: Yes.
Prabhupāda: It is not in the light. They are fighting within darkness. Just like if immediately this room become dark, everyone (indistinct). There is fighting. Stop it. You are asking me, "Prabhupāda, where you are?" I say "Here," and you are going in the other room.
Philosophy Discussion on Aristotle:
Prabhupāda: It may be that you know something about God. Then you have to admit that you do not know everything about God. So their knowledge is imperfect. Our point is that we know everything of God from God. So that knowledge is perfect.
Philosophy Discussion on Auguste Comte:
Hayagrīva: "Those who look wisely into the future of society will feel that the conception of man becoming without fear or boast, the arbiter, within certain limits, of his own destiny, has in it something far more satisfying than the old belief in providence, which implied our remaining passive." So he felt that man's improvement on nature is better than a passive belief in God.
Prabhupāda: So he is..., he does not believe..., there is no belief in God is there? There is no question of? No. But our point of view is different: that God is the ultimate decider of everything. That is called daiva-netreṇa. He may be acting through different agents, but ultimate decision is given by Him. And He is sitting in everyone's heart. He is observing the activities of the individual soul as witness, giving permission. Without God's permission, nobody can act. So He is giving intelligence also, and He is the cause of forgetting. Two things are there, remembering and forgetting. Both these things are coming from God. If He keeps him in forgetfulness, then he cannot remember, and if He gives him the power to remember, he can remember for long, long past activities. So ultimately God is the final director.
Purports to Songs
Purport to Parama Koruna -- Atlanta, February 28, 1975:
The civil disobedience movement, perhaps you know that it was inaugurated by Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi, in India against the British government. But long, long before, five hundred years before, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He started this civil disobedience movement against the order of Kazi. So He was so popular. My point is that not only He was a very learned scholar... He was young man, twenty, twenty-two years, but He was so popular that He could call 100,000 people at once to start this civil disobedience.
| Page Title: | My point is (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Labangalatika |
| Created: | 28 of Nov, 2010 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=97, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 97 |