Original cause (CC and Other Books)

Expressions researched:
"original cause"

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 2.18, Purport:

One of the expansions of Mahā-Viṣṇu is Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, the Supersoul within every living entity. As the Supersoul of the total aggregate of living entities, or the second puruṣa, He is known as Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. As the creator or original cause of innumerable universes, or the first puruṣa, who is lying on the Causal Ocean, He is called Mahā-Viṣṇu. The three puruṣas direct the affairs of the material world.

CC Adi 2.37, Translation:

“As the earth is the original cause and shelter of all pots made of earth, so You are the ultimate cause and shelter of all living beings.

CC Adi 5 Summary:

As the source of the material elements, the material energy is known as pradhāna, and as the source of the manifestations of the material energy it is known as māyā. But material nature is inert in that she has no independent power to do anything. She is empowered to make the cosmic manifestation by the glance of Mahā-Viṣṇu. Therefore the material energy is not the original cause of the material manifestation. Rather, the transcendental glance of Mahā-Viṣṇu over material nature produces that cosmic manifestation.

CC Adi 5.41, Purport:

From Vāsudeva, who is the primary expansion, come Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha in that order. Another name of Vāsudeva is Paramātmā, another name of Saṅkarṣaṇa is jīva (the living entity), another name of Pradyumna is mind, and another name of Aniruddha is ahaṅkāra (false ego). Among these expansions, Vāsudeva is considered the origin of the material nature. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya says that Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha must be creations of that original cause.

CC Adi 5.41, Purport:

As explained above, Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha are all changeless, transcendental plenary expansions of the Supreme Lord who have no relation to the material modes. The Saṅkarṣaṇa form in the second quadruple is not only a representation of Balarāma but also the original cause of the Causal Ocean, where Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu lies asleep, breathing out the seeds of innumerable universes.

CC Adi 5.51, Purport:

To think of material nature as all in all, not knowing the original cause, is ignorance. Lord Caitanya appeared in order to dissipate this darkness of ignorance by igniting the spark of spiritual life that can, by His causeless mercy, enlighten the entire world.

CC Adi 5.54, Translation:

The water of the Kāraṇa Ocean, which is the original cause, is therefore spiritual. The sacred Ganges, which is but a drop of it, purifies the fallen souls.

CC Adi 5.61, Translation:

Therefore Lord Kṛṣṇa is the original cause of the cosmic manifestation. Prakṛti is like the nipples on the neck of a goat, for they cannot give any milk.

CC Adi 5.62, Translation:

The māyā aspect of material nature is the immediate cause of the cosmic manifestation. But it cannot be the real cause, for the original cause is Lord Nārāyaṇa.

CC Adi 5.63, Translation:

Just as the original cause of an earthen pot is the potter, so the creator of the material world is the first puruṣa incarnation (Kāraṇārṇavaśāyī Viṣṇu).

CC Adi 5.66, Purport:

Material scientists and philosophers conditioned by the spell of material nature suppose that material energy acts automatically, and therefore they are frustrated, like an illusioned person who tries to get milk from the nipplelike bunches of skin on the neck of a goat. As there is no possibility of getting milk from these bunches of skin, there is similarly no possibility that anyone will be successful in understanding the original cause of creation by putting forward theories produced by the material energy. Such an attempt is a manifestation of ignorance.

CC Adi 5.66, Purport:

Kṛṣṇa is the original cause of the spiritual world, and He is the covered cause of the material manifestation. He is also the original cause of the marginal potency, the living entities. He is both the leader and maintainer of the living entities, who are called the marginal potency because they can act under the protection of the spiritual energy or under the cover of the material energy. With the help of the spiritual energy we can understand that independence is visible only in Kṛṣṇa, who by His inconceivable energy is able to act in any way He likes.

CC Adi 6.14-15, Purport:

There are two kinds of research to find the original cause of creation. One conclusion is that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the all-blissful, eternal, all knowing form, is indirectly the cause of this cosmic manifestation and directly the cause of the spiritual world, where there are innumerable spiritual planets known as Vaikuṇṭhas, as well as His personal abode, known as Goloka Vṛndāvana. In other words, there are two manifestations—the material cosmos and the spiritual world.

CC Adi 6.14-15, Purport:

The first conclusion is accepted by the Vedānta philosophers, and the second is supported by the atheistic philosophical system of the Sāṅkhya smṛti, which directly opposes the Vedāntic philosophical conclusion. Material scientists cannot see any cognizant spiritual substance that might be the cause of the creation. Such atheistic Sāṅkhya philosophers think that the symptoms of knowledge and living force visible in the innumerable living creatures are caused by the three qualities of the cosmic manifestation. Therefore the Sāṅkhyites are against the conclusion of Vedānta regarding the original cause of creation.

CC Adi 6.14-15, Purport:

The impersonal manifestation of the Supreme Person is another display of His energy. Therefore the conclusion that matter is the original cause of creation is completely different from the real truth. The material manifestation is caused by the glance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is inconceivably potent. Material nature is electrified by the supreme authority, and the conditioned soul, within the limits of time and space, is trapped by awe of the material manifestation. In other words, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is actually realized in the vision of a material philosopher and scientist through the manifestations of His material energy. For one who does not understand the power of the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His diverse energies because of not knowing the relationship between the source of the energies and the energies themselves, there is always a chance of error, which is known as vivarta.

CC Adi 6.14-15, Purport:

“If matter were accepted as the original cause of creation, all the authorized scriptures in the world would be useless, for in every scripture, especially the Vedic scriptures like the Manu-smṛti, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is said to be the ultimate creator. The Manu-smṛti is considered the highest Vedic direction to humanity. Manu is the giver of law to mankind, and in the Manu-smṛti it is clearly stated that before the creation the entire universal space was darkness, without information and without variety, and was in a state of complete suspension, like a dream. Everything was darkness. The Supreme Personality of Godhead then entered the universal space, and although He is invisible, He created the visible cosmic manifestation.

CC Adi 6.20, Translation:

In the form of Advaita He infuses the material ingredients with creative energy. Therefore, Advaita is the original cause of creation.

CC Adi 7.121, Purport:

This is also confirmed in the Taittirīya Upaniṣad (3.1): yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante. "This entire cosmic manifestation is made possible by the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead." In this verse it is indicated that Brahman, the Absolute Truth, is the original cause and that the living entities (jīvas) and the cosmic manifestation are effects of this cause. The cause being a fact, the effects are also factual. They are not illusion. Śaṅkarācārya has inconsistently tried to prove that it is an illusion to accept the material world and the jīvas as by-products of the Supreme Lord because (in his conception) the existence of the material world and the jīvas is different and separate from that of the Absolute Truth. With this jugglery of understanding, Māyāvādī philosophers have propagated the slogan brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā, which declares that the Absolute Truth is fact but the cosmic manifestation and the living entities are simply illusions, or that all of them are in fact the Absolute Truth and that the material world and living entities do not separately exist.

CC Adi 7.127, Purport:

Modern science believes that it is by sunshine that the entire cosmic manifestation is maintained, and actually one can see how the actions and reactions of sunshine maintain order throughout the universe. The growth of vegetables and even the rotation of the planets take place due to the heat and light of the sun. Sometimes, therefore, modern scientists consider the sun to be the original cause of creation, not knowing that the sun is only a medium, for it is also created by the supreme energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Aside from the sun and the touchstone, there are many other material things that transform their energy in different ways and yet remain as they are. It is not necessary, therefore, for the original cause, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to change due to the changes or transformations of His different energies.

CC Adi 12.73, Purport:

In other words, the branches or descendants of Advaita Ācārya who considered Advaita Ācārya the original cause of the devotional creeper, and who thus neglected or disobeyed the instructions of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, deprived themselves of the effect of being watered and thus dried up and died. It is further to be understood that not only the misguided descendants of Advaita Ācārya but anyone who has no connection with Caitanya Mahāprabhu—even if he is independently a great sannyāsī, learned scholar or ascetic—is like a dead branch of a tree.”

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 6.81, Purport:

The disciples of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya wanted evidence to show that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was actually the creator of the cosmic manifestation. Only then would they accept Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the original cause of creation. Gopīnātha Ācārya replied that one could not understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead by guesswork.

CC Madhya 19.152, Purport:

Bhakti-latā-bīja means "the seed of devotional service." Everything has an original cause, or seed. For any idea, program, plan or device, there is first of all the contemplation of the plan, and that is called the bīja, or seed. The methods, rules and regulations by which one is perfectly trained in devotional service constitute the bhakti-latā-bīja, or seed of devotional service. This bhakti-latā-bīja is received from the spiritual master by the grace of Kṛṣṇa.

CC Madhya 20.268, Translation:

“That original Personality of Godhead, named Saṅkarṣaṇa, first lies down in the river Virajā, which serves as a border between the material and the spiritual world. As Kāraṇābdhiśāyī Viṣṇu, He is the original cause of the material creation.

CC Madhya 20.274, Purport:

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.26.19). Lord Kapila is explaining to His mother the relationship between the Supreme Personality of Godhead and material nature. He is informing her how the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the original cause of the living entities who are conditioned by material nature. Over and above the twenty-eight elements of the material creation is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes. Life comes not from matter but from life itself. As explained in the Vedas: nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). The Supreme Lord is the original source of life.

CC Madhya 21.38, Translation:

“This is only a general description. Please try to understand another meaning of tryadhīśa. The three puruṣa incarnations of Viṣṇu are the original cause of the material creation.

CC Madhya 25.52, Translation:

“The Pātañjala philosophers say that when one is self-realized, he understands the Lord. Similarly, according to the Vedas and Vedic principles, the original cause is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

CC Madhya 25.56, Purport:

They do not accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the cause of all causes. (3) Nyāya philosophers like Gautama and Kaṇāda have accepted a combination of atoms as the original cause of the creation. (4) Māyāvādī philosophers say that everything is an illusion. Headed by philosophers like Aṣṭāvakra, they stress the impersonal Brahman effulgence as the cause of everything. (5) Philosophers following the precepts of Patañjali practice rāja-yoga. They imagine a form of the Absolute Truth within many forms. That is their process of self-realization.

CC Antya-lila

CC Antya 14.14, Purport:

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura explains that the purport of the word abhimāna, or "self-conception," is that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu thought Himself to be in the position of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and was always ready to render Kṛṣṇa service in that way. Although Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa Himself, He assumed the complexion and emotions of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and remained in that status. He never assumed the complexion or status of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Of course, Kṛṣṇa wanted to experience the role of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī; that is the original cause of His assuming the body of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Therefore pure Vaiṣṇavas never disturb Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's conception of being Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 20:

The conditional state of the living entity is his diseased condition. Originally the living entity and the original cause of this cosmic manifestation exist outside the state of transformation. However, mistaken thoughts and arguments can overcome a person when he forgets the inconceivable energies of the Supreme Lord. Even in the material world there are many examples. The sun has been producing unlimited energy from time immemorial, and so many by-products result from the sun; yet there is no change in the heat and temperature of the sun itself.

Nectar of Devotion

Nectar of Devotion 44:

The steady ecstasy of conjugal love is the original cause of bodily enjoyment. In the Padyāvalī this original cause of union is described when Rādhārāṇī tells one of Her constant companions, "My dear friend, who is this boy whose eyelids, dancing constantly, have increased the beauty of His face and attracted My desire for conjugal love? His ears are decorated with buds of aśoka flowers, and He has dressed Himself in yellow robes. By the sound of His flute, this boy has already made Me impatient."

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book Introduction:

For affairs of the material creation, Lord Mahā-Viṣṇu, the plenary portion of Kṛṣṇa, is in charge. Thus, when the Lord descends, the incarnation emanates from Viṣṇu. Mahā-Viṣṇu is the original cause of the material creation, and from Him Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu expands, and then Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. Generally, all the incarnations appearing within this material universe are plenary expansions from Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. Therefore, the business of minimizing the overload of sinful activities on this earth does not belong to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa Himself. But when Kṛṣṇa appears, all the Viṣṇu expansions join with Him.

Krsna Book 16:

We therefore offer our respectful obeisances unto You. You are Yourself the whole universe, and yet You are the creator of the whole universe. You are the superintendent and maintainer of this whole universe, and You are its original cause. Although You are present within this universe by Your three qualitative incarnations, Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara, You are transcendental to the material creation. Although You are the cause of the appearance of all kinds of living entities—their senses, their lives, their minds, their intelligence—You are to be realized by Your internal energy. Let us therefore offer our respectful obeisances unto You, who are unlimited, finer than the finest, the center of all creation, and the knower of everything. Different varieties of philosophical speculators try to reach You.

Krsna Book 40:

Even demigods like Lord Brahmā, being covered by the influence of material nature, do not exactly know Your transcendental existence beyond the cosmic manifestation of the three modes of material nature. Great sages and mystics worship You as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the original cause of all living entities, all cosmic manifestation and all demigods. They worship You as all-inclusive. Some of the learned brāhmaṇas also worship You by observing Vedic ritualistic ceremonies. They offer different kinds of sacrifices in the names of different gods. And there are others also, who are fond of worshiping transcendental knowledge. They are very peaceful, and after giving up all kinds of material activities, they engage in the sacrifice known as jñāna-yajña, the philosophical search for You.

Krsna Book 48:

“My dear Lord Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, it is very kind of You to have killed Kaṁsa and his associates. You have delivered the whole family of the Yadu dynasty from the greatest calamity. The Yadus will always remember Your saving of their great dynasty. My dear Lord Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, both of You are the original personality from whom everything has emanated, the original cause of all causes. You have inconceivable energy, and You are all-pervasive. There is no cause and effect, gross or subtle, but You. You are the Supreme Brahman realized through the study of the Vedas. By Your inconceivable energy, You are actually visible before us.

Krsna Book 52:

Reaching the gate of Dvārakā, the brāhmaṇa informed the doorkeeper of his arrival, and the doorkeeper led him to the place where Kṛṣṇa was sitting on a golden throne. Since the brāhmaṇa had the opportunity to be Rukmiṇī’s messenger, he was fortunate enough to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa, the original cause of all causes. A brāhmaṇa is the spiritual teacher of all the social divisions. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, in order to teach everyone the Vedic etiquette of how to respect a brāhmaṇa, immediately got up and offered him His throne. When the brāhmaṇa was seated on the golden throne, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa began to worship him exactly as the demigods worship Kṛṣṇa. In this way, He taught everyone that worshiping His devotee is more valuable than worshiping Him.

Krsna Book 57:

Unfortunately, persons bewildered by the illusory energy cannot understand the strength of Kṛṣṇa, although the whole cosmic manifestation is fully under His control.” He cited, as an example, that Kṛṣṇa, even at the age of seven years, had lifted Govardhana Hill and had continued to hold up the mountain for seven days, exactly as a child carries a small umbrella. Akrūra plainly informed Śatadhanvā that he would always offer his most respectful obeisances to Kṛṣṇa, the Supersoul of everything created and the original cause of all causes. When Akrūra also refused to give him shelter, Śatadhanvā decided to deliver the Syamantaka jewel into the hands of Akrūra. Then, riding on a horse which could run at great speed and up to four hundred miles at a stretch, he fled the city.

Krsna Book 63:

My Lord, You are complete knowledge, and there is not a pinch of material contamination in Your personality. Lord Śiva may be a powerful demigod because of his specific power to annihilate the whole creation, and, similarly, Lord Brahmā may be very powerful because he can create the entire universe, but actually neither Brahmā nor Lord Śiva is the original cause of this cosmic manifestation. You are the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Brahman, and You are the original cause. The original cause of the cosmic manifestation is not the impersonal Brahman effulgence. That impersonal Brahman effulgence rests on Your personality.” As confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, the cause of the impersonal Brahman is Lord Kṛṣṇa. This Brahman effulgence is likened to the sunshine, which emanates from the sun globe. Therefore, impersonal Brahman is not the ultimate cause.

Krsna Book 63:

We have all taken shelter of You because we have accepted You as the Supreme Lord and the dearmost life and soul of all of us. You are the original cause of this cosmic manifestation, You are its supreme maintainer, and You are the cause of its dissolution also. You are equal to everyone, the most peaceful supreme friend of every living entity. You are the supreme worshipable object for every one of us. My dear Lord, let us always be engaged in Your transcendental loving service so that we may get free from this material entanglement.

Krsna Book 69:

All the queens in Dvārakā, more than sixteen thousand in number, engaged their feminine attractive features in the transcendental service of the Lord by smiling and serving, and the Lord was pleased to behave with them exactly like a perfect husband enjoying household life. One should know definitely that such pastimes cannot be performed by anyone but Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is the original cause of the creation, maintenance and dissolution of the whole cosmic manifestation. Anyone who attentively hears the narrations of the Lord's pastimes in Dvārakā or supports a preacher of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement will certainly find it very easy to traverse the path of liberation and taste the nectar of the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa. And thus he will be engaged in Lord Kṛṣṇa's devotional service.

Krsna Book 84:

Dear Lord, You are enjoying Your pastimes in the role of a human being, concealing Your real character of transcendental opulence; therefore, none of the kings present here, even the members of the Yadu dynasty, who constantly mingle with You, eat with You and sit with You, can understand that You are the original cause of all causes, the soul of everyone, the original cause of all creation.

Krsna Book 85:

“My dear Supreme Personality of Godhead, You are the original cause of all causes, exactly as the earth is the original cause of different kinds of trees, plants and similar varieties of manifestation. As the earth is present in everything, so You are present throughout this material manifestation as the Supersoul. You are the supreme cause of all causes, the eternal principle. Everything, in fact, is a manifestation of Your one energy.

Krsna Book 87:

Everything is created by His superior energy, and everything in His creation appears to be perfectly done, without deficiency. Those who aspire for liberation from this material world must therefore worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the ultimate cause of all causes. He is just like the total mass of earth, from which varieties of earthly pots are manufactured: the pots are made of earthly clay, they rest on the earth, the original cause of all varieties of manifestation.

Krsna Book 87:

Similarly, there are Sāṅkhya philosophers, metaphysicians or materialistic scientists who study this cosmic manifestation by their invented scientific method and do not recognize the supreme authority of God as the creator of the cosmic manifestation. They wrongly conclude that the reactions of the material elements are the original cause of creation. The Bhagavad-gītā, however, does not accept this theory. It is clearly said therein that behind the cosmic activities is the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Krsna Book 87:

The conclusion of the atheistic Sāṅkhya philosophy is that because the effects—the phenomena of this material world—are temporary, or illusory, the cause is therefore also illusory. The Sāṅkhya philosophers are in favor of voidism, but the actual fact is that the original cause is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and that this cosmic manifestation is the temporary manifestation of His material energy. When this temporary manifestation is annihilated, its cause, the eternal existence of the spiritual world, continues as it is, and therefore the spiritual world is called sanātana-dhāma, the eternal abode. The conclusion of the Sāṅkhya philosophers is therefore invalid.

Krsna Book 87:

Then there are the philosophers headed by Gautama and Kaṇāda. They have minutely studied the cause and effect of the material elements and have ultimately come to the conclusion that atomic combination is the original cause of creation. At present the materialistic scientists follow in the footsteps of Gautama and Kaṇāda, who propounded this theory, called Paramāṇuvāda. This theory, however, cannot be supported, for the original cause of everything is not inert atoms. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, as well as in the Vedas, wherein it is stated, eko nārāyaṇa āsīt: "Only Nārāyaṇa existed before the creation." Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and the Vedānta-sūtra also say that the original cause is sentient and both indirectly and directly cognizant of everything within this creation. In the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8), "I am the original cause of everything," and mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate, "From Me everything comes into existence." Therefore, atoms may form the basic combinations of material existence, but these atoms are generated from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus the philosophy of Gautama and Kaṇāda cannot be supported.

Krsna Book 87:

According to their theory, the material manifestation is temporary and unreal, whereas the impersonal Brahman effulgence is reality. But this theory cannot be supported either, because the Lord Himself says in the Bhagavad-gītā that the Brahman effulgence rests on His personality. It is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā that the Brahman effulgence is the personal bodily rays of Kṛṣṇa. As such, impersonal Brahman cannot be the original cause of the cosmic manifestation. The original cause is the all-perfect, sentient Personality of Godhead, Govinda.

Krsna Book 87:

The Vaiṣṇava accepts this material world according to the regulative principles of the Vedic injunctions and works without attachment. Since the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the original cause of everything, the Vaiṣṇava sees everything in relationship with Kṛṣṇa, even in this material world. By such advanced knowledge, everything becomes spiritualized. In other words, everything in the material world is already spiritual, but due to our lack of knowledge we see things as material.

Krsna Book 87:

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is ever-existing with His varied energies. Because the material creation is an emanation from Him, we cannot say that this cosmic manifestation is a product of something void. Kṛṣṇa is not void. Whenever we speak of Kṛṣṇa, He is present with His form, qualities, name, entourage and paraphernalia. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa is not impersonal. The original cause of everything is neither void nor impersonal but is the Supreme Person. Demons may say that this material creation is anīśvara, without a controller or God, but such arguments ultimately cannot stand.

Krsna Book 87:

It is concluded in the Brahma-saṁhitā, therefore, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ / anādir ādir govindaḥ sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1). After much deliberation and consideration, when one has attained the perfection of knowledge, one comes to the conclusion that Kṛṣṇa, or God, is the original cause of all causes. Instead of speculating about the measurement of God—whether He is so long or so wide—or falsely philosophizing, one should come to the conclusion of the Brahma-saṁhitā: "Kṛṣṇa, or God, is sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1), the cause of all causes." That is the perfection of knowledge.

Krsna Book 87:

The atheistic Sāṅkhyaite philosophers will of course offer their arguments that the material cosmic manifestation is due to prakṛti and puruṣa—material nature and the living entity, or the material cause and the effective cause. But Kṛṣṇa is the cause of all causes. He is the cause of both the material and the effective causes. Prakṛti and puruṣa are not the ultimate cause. Superficially it appears that a child is born due to the combination of the father and mother, but the ultimate cause of both the father and the mother is Kṛṣṇa. He is therefore the original cause, or the cause of all causes, as confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā.

Message of Godhead

Message of Godhead 2:

The Personality of Godhead is the original cause of all causes, and He is the life of the whole creation. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, is the root of the tree of the whole creation. That is the statement of Bhagavad-gītā. It is also said in Bhagavad-gītā that there is no person superior to Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself. He is the supreme enjoyer of all sacrifices and activities. But still, those who are utterly sinful do not surrender unto Him, even though He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and all other living beings are His transcendental, eternal servitors, part and parcel of Him.

Sri Isopanisad

Sri Isopanisad 16, Purport:

The Lord is the cause of all causes. In other words, since there is nothing that caused Him, He is the original cause. Consequently He enjoys His own Self by manifesting His own internal potency. The external potency is not exactly manifested by Him, for He expands Himself as the puruṣas, and it is in these forms that He maintains the features of the material manifestation. By such expansions, He creates, maintains and annihilates the cosmic manifestation.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.9 -- Auckland, February 21, 1973:

So developed consciousness means to understand the Absolute Truth. That is the special function of the human being. Therefore the Vedānta-sūtra says, "Now this human form of life is meant for understanding the Absolute Truth, what is the original cause of everything." Because there must be some cause. That is education. Just like your appearance is caused by your father. Your father's appearance is caused by his father. Similarly you go on researching, his father, his father, his father... Then ultimately you will come to the original father, whom you call God, Kṛṣṇa, or whatever you call. There must be some original father. So the Vedānta-sūtra explains when the question is that what is the original cause of everything... What is Brahman? What is the Absolute Truth? Athāto brahma jijñāsā: "Now this human form of life is meant for inquiring about the Absolute Truth."

Lecture on BG 2.9 -- Auckland, February 21, 1973:

What is that Absolute Truth? The next answer is janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), means "The Absolute Truth is that from whom everything emanates," or "The Absolute Truth is the original cause of all causes." This is the... So this knowledge, anyone who has knowledge, not only this knowledge, absolute knowledge as well as relative knowledge, such class of men is called the brāhmaṇas, the most intelligent class.

Lecture on BG 2.21-22 -- London, August 26, 1973:

So here in the Vedic literatures we find that both the Lord and the living entity, they are situated in the heart. The living entity, jīva, is desiring, and the master is sanctioning, and the prakṛti or the material nature is giving the body. "Here is the body, ready, sir. Come here." Therefore the original cause of our entanglement or liberation is our desire.

Lecture on BG 4.15 -- Bombay, April 4, 1974:

Cause of all causes. When one is fully aware of this, he is brāhmaṇa Vaiṣṇava. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇa. This brahma jānāti means paraṁ brahma is Kṛṣṇa. One who knows what is Kṛṣṇa, "Kṛṣṇa is the origin. He's the original cause of all causes," sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1), so he is brāhmaṇa. He is Vedantist. He knows everything. And if he acts like that, then what to speak...

Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Bombay, February 19, 1974:

Sodium chloride. So sodium chloride, wherefrom it comes? It comes from your body, and body comes from the soul. Therefore the original cause of sodium chloride is the soul. So as you can analyze a little quantity of chemicals from your body, from tree's body, from any body, so you just imagine the unlimited body, gigantic body of Kṛṣṇa, virāṭ-puruṣa, how much chemical it can produce. Therefore, don't take it that this is all imagination.

Lecture on BG 7.6 -- Hyderabad, December 11, 1976:

This material world is emanating from Kṛṣṇa. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: (BG 10.8) "I am the origin of everything." Everything means there are two things, one jaḍa and one cetanā, matter and spirit. There are two things. Matter is coming from Kṛṣṇa, and the spirit is also coming from Kṛṣṇa. Therefore He is the original cause. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1).

Lecture on BG 10.4-5 -- New York, January 4, 1967:

Abhāva means death, bhayam, fear, and abhayam, fearlessness. Ahiṁsā, nonviolence; samatā, equality; tuṣṭiḥ, satisfaction; tapaḥ, penance; dānam charity; yaśaḥ, fame; ayaśaḥ, defamation; bhavanti, "all these become," bhāvāḥ... Bhāva means state of being. Bhūtānām, "of all living entities;" mattaḥ, "from Me;" eva, certainly; pṛthag-vidhāḥ, differently. Because Kṛṣṇa has declared already, aham ādir hi devānām (BG 10.2). Maharṣīṇāṁ ca sarva. He is the original cause of everything.

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

That is tattvataḥ, the cause of all causes. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Cause of all causes. Everything has got cause and effect, cause and effect. So Kṛṣṇa is the original cause.

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

The living entity, although... Prakṛti-sthaḥ means this material world. The living entity, although part and parcel of God, spiritual entity, but he has come to this material world to enjoy. Anyone who is in this material world, his original cause of coming down from the spiritual platform to this material platform means he wanted to enjoy.

Lecture on BG 16.7 -- Tokyo, January 27, 1975:

Aryan means going forward. And what is the destination of going forward? The destination is to understand the original cause of creation, God. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). That is the Vedānta philosophy. Janmādy asya yataḥ. The original cause from where everything is coming into being, by whose management everything is maintained, and after annihilation everything will enter into Him—that is the original person. So human form of life is meant for understanding the original cause of all causes.

Lecture on BG 16.7 -- Tokyo, January 27, 1975:

So all over the world the civilized man has got some religion. It may be professing the Vedic religion, somebody the Buddhic scriptures. Just in your country, most of you, you are Buddhists. There are similarly Mohammedan scriptures, Christian scriptures. But in each and every scripture there is rules and regulation to follow to become more and more aware of the topmost principle, the original cause of all causes. That is, means, religion. So one who does not care to understand this philosophy, they are called asura. And one who understands this philosophy of life, they are called sura or devatā, god, demigods, they are called.

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

So therefore he can become... One who has understood thoroughly Kṛṣṇa as the supreme controller, he is guru. He is guru. Otherwise one cannot be guru. Yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei guru haya (CC Madhya 8.128). Who can (be) guru? Guru is not artificial thing, "Guru Mahārāja," "this Mahārāja...," no. One who has firmly understood that Kṛṣṇa is the original cause of everything, He is the Supreme Person—nobody can remove him from that firm convictional position—then he is guru. Otherwise he is not guru. Guru is not so easy thing. Budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ (BG 10.8).

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- London, August 6, 1971:

The cause of all causes. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Vedānta-sūtra says, "The Absolute Truth is that which is the origin, original cause." Original cause. The scientists, they are trying to find out the original cause of creation, but they are creating their own imagination. "There was a chunk, and it burst out, and then planets came out." Like that. (laughter) And wherefrom this chunk came, you nonsense? So this is going on.

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- Caracas, February 20, 1975:

A cat and dog cannot enquire about the origin of a thing. But a human mind is developed in such a way that he enquires, he makes research to find out the original cause. Just like nowadays the scientists are enquiring about the origin of life. But unfortunately, they are finding out the original cause which is not. Just like they are trying to research out what is the origin of life. And there are many, many learned scientists. They think that the origin of life is chemical combination. So that is not the fact.

Lecture on SB 1.2.11 -- Tirupati, April 26, 1974:

This is against our Vedic knowledge. Vedic knowledge says, as it is said in the Brahma-sūtra, Vedānta-sūtra, that the original cause of the Absolute Truth is a living entity. It is not matter. Just like Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). That aham, Kṛṣṇa, is not a dead matter. He is the living entity, supreme living entity. And we also understand from Upaniṣad, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). The Absolute Truth is person, a living entity.

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:

What is that tattva? Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). The original cause of everything, the cause of all causes. That is already mentioned in the Vedas, that Kṛṣṇa:

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ

anādir ādir govindaḥ

sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam

(Bs. 5.1)

The cause of all causes. Why you have come to this material world? Why you are under the threefold miserable condition of life: adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. These things are to be inquired. "I do not wish to die, but death is forced upon me.

Lecture on SB 1.2.28-29 -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972:

So Kṛṣṇa is the original cause of everything, cause of all causes. But He is independent, svarāṭ. That is described in the beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayāt itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ svarāṭ (SB 1.1.1). Svarāṭ means completely independent. He's not caused by any, anyone. And He says also in the Bhagavad-gītā: mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). So He's the origin, Vāsudeva. Therefore all activities should be targeted to Vāsudeva. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). This is the aim of life.

Lecture on SB 1.3.16 and Initiation -- Los Angeles, September 21, 1972:

Those who are atheists, they do not surrender. They do not like the idea of God or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But they do not know what is God or what is the ultimate end, who is the original cause. They do not know. Even the theists, they also do not know. They know Kṛṣṇa, but it is impossible to understand what is the limit of Kṛṣṇa's energies, just like we were discussing this morning.

Lecture on SB 1.5.9-11 -- New Vrindaban, June 6, 1969:

So if we try to understand everything in relationship with Kṛṣṇa, then we understand vāstava reality. That is reality. If we study something minus Kṛṣṇa, that is not real knowledge. Actually, Kṛṣṇa is the original cause of all. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1). So unless we come to the point of Kṛṣṇa, any understanding, any knowledge is imperfect.

Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

So this is our mission, that find out the original cause. That is scientific research. All the scientists, they are trying to find out the original cause. That is advancement of education. They are analyzing one after another. But till now, they could not find it out. Big, big scientists have tried. But they could not... Only theory: "This is the original cause. This is the original cause."

Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

Here it is said that idaṁ hi puṁsas tapasaḥ... Every knowledge... Just like here is our Dr. Svarūpa Dāmodara. He has got the doctorate title. We have seen your book. It is a learned scholarship, research work. So that is nice. But he has admitted the original cause is Kṛṣṇa. So we are asking everyone that "Whatever knowledge you have got..." It doesn't matter whether you are a chemist or physicist or an engineer or medical man... Any... There are so many. Lawyer, politician. So many departmental knowledge.

Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

So, so in this way our proposition is that if we want perfection, then in whatever position we are, either I am a brāhmaṇa, or I am a kṣatriya, or I am a vaiśya, or I am a śūdra—it doesn't matter, if we simply take this vow, that Kṛṣṇa is the original cause of everything... A śūdra is also a, the original cause is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that He is the cause of the śūdras. You should not hate anyone, because everyone is born of Kṛṣṇa. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4). Kṛṣṇa says. Sarva-yoniṣu. It doesn't matter in what form the living entity is there, but Kṛṣṇa claims that He is the father, He is the father. So either brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya or vaiśya or śūdra or mleccha, yavana, or white, black, European, American—anyone—he should know that the original cause is Kṛṣṇa. This is perfection of life.

Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

So if everyone says that "Original cause of my existence is Kṛṣṇa," this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It doesn't matter. Not that a brāhmaṇa... Brāhmaṇa is the mouth of Kṛṣṇa, and kṣatriya is the arm of Kṛṣṇa, and vaiśya is the belly of Kṛṣṇa, and śūdra is the leg of Kṛṣṇa. But do we distinguish that "Here is Kṛṣṇa's mouth, or head; all the flowers should be offered here, not to the leg"? Do we make any such distinction? When we worship Kṛṣṇa, rather, our first duty is to offer to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

And Kṛṣṇa says that śūdra, in Bhāgavata says, śūdra is the leg. So there may be distinction of profession, occupation, caste, creed, color... It doesn't matter. But if everyone tries to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, that "The original cause of my existence is Kṛṣṇa," then there is life... Life is perfect. This is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Not blindly, but by research work, that how the original cause is Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8): "I am the original cause of everything. Everything emanates from Me." How can I deny that Kṛṣṇa is not cause? This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore, those who are advanced devotee, he does not see anything else but Kṛṣṇa. Because Kṛṣṇa is the cause of everything. That is required. Therefore he's Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

We may think, see varieties of things. It doesn't matter. But if we know that the original cause of this thing is Kṛṣṇa, that is perfection. We are seeing this table. It is wood. But if we know... It is a fact. You know or not know, that doesn't matter. The original cause is Kṛṣṇa. The microphone, the original cause is Kṛṣṇa. These karatālas, the original cause is Kṛṣṇa. This pitcher, original cause is Kṛṣṇa. Everything. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And it is fact. Not that we are imagining. Just like... Take, for example, these material things. Material things, this table.

Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

It is... How it is caused by Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa says, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca (BG 7.4). Bhūmi, this earth... Bhinnā prakṛtir me aṣṭadhā: "That is My energy." So, so bhūmi, the earth, is the cause of the tree, wood, and the wood is the cause of this table. Therefore, originally, Kṛṣṇa is the cause of the table. There is no doubt about it. Anything you take. Either you take this wood or you take this water or this ether or chemical, the original cause is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

Just like you can write volumes of books on this table. If you are intelligent enough, you can make research work on the table. But in that research work, conclude that Kṛṣṇa is the origin. A carpenter can, he can write about Kṛṣṇa, if he's thoughtful. Anyone. Therefore it is said, yad-uttamaśloka-guṇānuvarṇanam. Whatever your profession is there, you know that the original cause is Kṛṣṇa. Now make research work and find out how Kṛṣṇa is the original cause. That is education. That is wanted. Am I right?

Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

So everyone can write books. Everyone wants to write books, wants to show some scholarship. Do it. But the conclusion should be that "Here is the original cause." And it is already said in the śāstra... Kṛṣṇa personally says that

ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo

mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate

iti matvā bhajante māṁ

budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ

(BG 10.8)

This is budhāḥ. Those who are actually educated, they're called budhāḥ, in full knowledge. So there are departmental knowledge. So by research work, when one understands that Kṛṣṇa is the original cause of everything, then that is siddhānta.

Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

So whatever subject matter you have got, you study. Then when you come to this conclusion, "Yes, actually Kṛṣṇa is the original cause," then your devotion of Kṛṣṇa immediately increases. If you accept blindly Kṛṣṇa, that is one thing, another one thing. And if you study, make research work, and find out Kṛṣṇa is the original cause, then your love for Kṛṣṇa will increase. So this is required. This is required.

Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

So this verse is very important thing. And everyone should make research work. But a devotee, one who has concluded, one who has perfectly known that Kṛṣṇa is the original cause of everything, he hasn't got to do anything. His business is finished. He doesn't require any more to go, undergo severe austerities to find out whether Kṛṣṇa is cause or not cause. Because he has already known. He has already known. Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim (Nārada-pañcarātra). No more tapasya. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. But if you have got doubt, make research work. You'll have to come to the conclusion. But if you have concluded it, "Yes, Kṛṣṇa is the original cause of everything," then your business is finished. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. But if you have got doubt, then do it. That is your business. Don't be blind. Either you accept here the words of Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the original cause of everything." That's all right. If you believe that "Kṛṣṇa says," it is all right. If you do not believe, then make the research and find out. That is perfection. In both ways you'll have to come to the...

Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

Because the fact is fact. Either... Suppose somebody says, "Don't touch fire. It will burn your hand." If you accept it, your father's advice or your teacher's advice, "Don't touch fire," it is as good. And if you want to make research, "No, why shall I believe my father, my teacher. Let me experiment, touch," the result will be the same. Result will be the same. But if you want to make experiment, do it. But come to this conclusion, that Kṛṣṇa is the original cause of everything. Then your life is perfect.

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

So here it is said that hari-toṣaṇam. Bhagavat-paritoṣaṇam. The root must be satisfied. If you want to maintain the tree, then the root or the original cause of the tree should be satisfied. Then everything is satisfied. So here in this material world they are trying to be happy, but they do not know how to become happy. They are put into the ocean of nescience. May be very expert swimmer, but simply swimming will not save you. You must know how to save. So here it is said, yad atra kriyate karma. Everyone is doing something. Vaidikī laukikī vā.

Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Vrndavana, April 18, 1975:

Vid means vetti veda vido jñāne. Vid means jñāna, knowledge. So one who has knowledge... Knowledge means ultimately to understand the originally source of everything. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). This is knowledge, to... Everyone is... The scientists, the philosophers, everyone is searching out what is the original cause. Just like modern scientists. They are searching out what is the original cause of life. That is good enquiry. But because they are surrounded by anarthas, they cannot know it. That is called māyā. So long one is illusioned by the māyā he cannot have perfect knowledge. This subject matter has been discussed in the previous verse. It is said, yayā sammohito jīvaḥ. Before that, the one verse is that Vyāsadeva, the vidvān... Vyāsadeva is addressed here as vidvān, full knowledge. So he was unhappy even after compiling Vedānta-sūtra.

Lecture on SB 1.8.34 -- Los Angeles, April 26, 1973:

This is the beginning of creation. Those who are finding out the original cause of material creation, they should know this fact, that creation takes place when there is spirit soul. That means living. The matter is not created. Matter is created by the spirit soul. Not the soul is created by matter. This is rascal theory, that this living condition, living force, living energy which we have got, it is created by material condition. This is Buddhist theory. At the present moment, the whole world is going on on this Buddhist theory.

Lecture on SB 1.8.34 -- Los Angeles, April 26, 1973:

Why a dead child does not grow? Because the spirit is not there. A tree grows so long there is life in it. A small seed of banyan tree, you sow in the soil and pour water favorably, then it grows. Because the spirit soul is there. But if somehow or other... Take for example you take one grain and fry it in the fire. If you sow it, it will not grow. Because the spirit soul is not there. Therefore they are searching after what is the original cause of creation. The original cause of creation is the spirit soul as everything is growing. Matter is growing, developing on account of the spirit soul. Similarly the whole universe is growing on account of presence of Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. Creation. Go on.

Lecture on SB 1.8.34 -- Los Angeles, April 26, 1973:

Take for example Brahmā. He grew from the lotus flower. So one can say this lotus flower is matter. No. The lotus flower has grown from the navel of Viṣṇu, the original cause is Viṣṇu. If you take the lotus flower as matter, then it has also grown from the spirit. This is the beginning. The spirit soul is the basis of creation. What is the difficulty to understand? We can see practically. Unless there is spirit soul, there cannot be...

Lecture on SB 1.8.41 -- Los Angeles, May 3, 1973:

This should be one of the propaganda of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Because these people, the so-called scientists and philosophers, is misleading-misleading in this sense that they have no information that everything is coming out from life. They are proposing that everything is coming from matter. Their basic principle, the original cause, original cause, they are find out some material adjustment. The other day our, in the California University, one big man came. He's proposing same thing. So our Svarūpa Dāmodara proposed that "If we supply you all the ingredients, can you produce life?" He said, "I do not know." You see. He's in the category of "I do not know," and he's still a professor, he's a scientist. How he can be scientist if he do not know? If he's in the list of "I do not know," how he can be teacher. This is cheating.

Lecture on SB 1.8.43 -- Los Angeles, May 5, 1973:

We have got individuality. So the impersonalists, they cannot adjust that we are individual persons and how the Supreme, the original cause of everything, He also can be person. Because we have our experience that my knowledge or any individual persons knowledge, opulence, they're limited. But how the unlimited can be person? Because we are limited and God is unlimited, therefore these Māyāvādīs, with poor fund of knowledge, that, because we being persons, we are limited, therefore God, being unlimited, He must be imperson. He must be. They compare the material things. Just like the sky. We think it unlimited. The sky is impersonal. So their philosophy is because God is unlimited, therefore he must be impersonal.

Lecture on SB 1.15.34 -- Los Angeles, December 12, 1973:

Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam. He is cause of all causes. Because He is anādi, means He has no cause. Ādi, He is the original cause. This is to be understood.

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

Veda means knowledge, and anta means the ultimate. Vedānta. Vedānta philosophy. So Vedānta philosophy gives you direction that what is the object of knowledge. Athāto brahma jijñāsā: "Now object of knowledge is to understand the Supreme, the origin of everything." That is object of knowledge, philosophy. Philosophy means science, anything. Science also trying, "What is the original cause of this creation? What is the original cause of life?" But because andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31), the so-called philosophers, scientists, they have been taught by another unscientist, not scientist, so he is also not scientist, not philosopher, because he has been taught by another andha. Just like one blind man leads other blind man.

Lecture on SB 2.3.17 -- Los Angeles, July 12, 1969:

Viṣṇujana: Prabhupāda, you described that the Lord is the cause, the original cause, and since no one knows the Lord, how is it possible for the people to know how they are controlled? How can they know how they are controlled since no one knows Kṛṣṇa and He is the original cause? How can they know that it's because of Kṛṣṇa that things are happening?

Prabhupāda: How can you know that you are controlled by the state? How can you know?

Lecture on SB 2.8.7 -- Los Angeles, February 10, 1975:

In the Bible I think it is said, "God said, 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation." Is it not? So that is Kṛṣṇa. He simple desires, "Let there be creation," and immediately everything is ready. That is Kṛṣṇa. How it is being done? Automatically? No automatically. It is done regularly, as you do. Hetunā: there is cause. But the original cause is Kṛṣṇa's desire. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1).

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ

anādir ādir govindaḥ

sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam

(Bs. 5.1)

The original desire is Kṛṣṇa's. What we are doing also, that is also... The original cause is Kṛṣṇa. We cannot do anything independently. If I go to heaven or go to hell, that is also sanctioned by Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 3.26.8 -- Bombay, December 20, 1974:

So this prakṛti, this material nature, is creating the situation—we have discussed already many times—according to our... Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya (BG 13.22). As we are associating with different modes of material nature or infecting different modes of material nature, so we are getting different situation, different body, different activities. The original cause is the material nature. Then we can say, "Then why we are suffering? Everything is given by the material nature. Why?" No. That is stated here, that bhoktṛtve sukha-duḥkhānāṁ puruṣaṁ prakṛteḥ param. The material nature is creating the situation for your suffering, so she is not responsible. You have to suffer. This is our position. You cannot say that "Material nature is creating.

Lecture on SB 3.26.25 -- Bombay, January 2, 1975:

By the desire of Kṛṣṇa we are doing different parts, but Kṛṣṇa is the original master, and He is also origin of the Saṅkarṣaṇa. And Saṅkarṣaṇa origin is of the puruṣa-avatāra, Mahā-Viṣṇu. And Mahā-Viṣṇu is the avatāra, is the origin, of these universes. In this way, if you try to find out the original cause, the cause of all causes, then you come to Kṛṣṇa: sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1), cause of all causes.

Lecture on SB 3.26.32 -- Bombay, January 9, 1975:

Otherwise wherefrom the scent is coming? The rose flower, you are smelling so nicely, but where it has got this smell? From the earth. The earth is there. Rūpa, rasa, gandha, śabda, and sparśa. Then, in the water, one thing is minus. And then, in the fire, two things are minus. And from the air, three things are minus. And from the sound, four things are minus. Only sound is there. The sound is the original cause of this creation where we are materially bound up.

Lecture on SB 3.26.42 -- Bombay, January 17, 1975:

That is not possible. That is not... Therefore you cannot simply say that prakṛti is the cause of everything, no. Prakṛti is there, the same water. Prakṛti means earth, water, air, fire. The same water is there, the same fire is there, same water is there, and same earth is there. So why varieties are coming? You take from the water, from the earth, varieties of smell, varieties of taste. So that you cannot do. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We have to accept the statement of Kṛṣṇa, as He says, bījo 'haṁ sarva-bhūtānām: (Bg 7.10) "I am the cause." And the śāstra confirms it, sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam: (Bs. 5.1) "He is the original cause of everything."

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

So these three qualities... As from Viṣṇu, Brahmā is generated, and from Brahmā, Lord Śiva is generated, so original cause is Viṣṇu. And Viṣṇu's cause is Kṛṣṇa. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam.

Lecture on SB 7.9.30 -- Mayapur, March 8, 1976:

He is cause and effect both, sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam: (BG 9.4) "I am the original cause."

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

So Kṛṣṇa is bhava-sambhava-lopa-hetoḥ. Everything which is going on—creation, maintenance, and also annihilation—the original cause is Kṛṣṇa. When there is need of creation, the cause is Kṛṣṇa. When there is need of maintenance, the cause is Kṛṣṇa. Everything, the cause is Kṛṣṇa. And there is annihilation—the cause is Kṛṣṇa. So sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya, although it is being done... Sṛṣṭi means creation; sthiti means maintenance; pralaya means destruction. These things are going on in the material world. Everything is created. Just like your body, my body, it is created at a certain date. There is history. And it will maintain, say, utmost, for fifty, sixty or hundred years. It will never be eternal. Because it is created, it cannot be eternal. Anything created cannot be eternal. So this sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana is actually being done by Kṛṣṇa, whatever way. But because we cannot see Kṛṣṇa in the background, we see only the wonderful activities of the nature.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.9 -- Mayapur, April 2, 1975:

You can go on observing, one after another, by many, many years, many, many years. Just like if you start your jet plane from here to see where is the original cause, panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara, and go on for many, many millions of years with the speed of mind, panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampra... Koṭi-śata-vatsara... Millions and millions of years. And panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamyo vāyor athāpi. These airplanes, vāyu-ratha... Vāyu-ratha means airplane. There is airplanes. There are different speeds. What is the speed? The speed is mental speed. Now their speed, say, eighteen thousand miles per hour. But if there is question of mental speed, it is more speedier than the vāyu speed. We have got experience. Many thousand miles, by your mind, you can reach within a second. So with the mental speed, airplane, if you start today and go for many millions of years, still it will be not possible to find out wherefrom the explosion is coming. That's it.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.112 -- Bombay, November 24, 1975:

He is the original cause of everything. So he has got... He is working the whole cosmic manifestation is exhibited by His potency. That is described here: viṣṇu-śaktiḥ parā proktā (CC Madhya 6.154). That is spiritual potency.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 7 -- Los Angeles, May 10, 1970:

When one understands that things are manifested in this system exactly like the fire, heat and light... Fire is the original cause of heat and light. Similarly, whatever we see within this universe, within material world and spiritual world, the spiritual world is expansion of Kṛṣṇa's internal energy, and this material world is Kṛṣṇa's expansion of external energy, and we living entities, we are expansion of marginal energy. So three energies. He has got multi-energies. All the multi-energies grouped in three headings: antaraṅga-zakti, bahiraṅga-śakti, taṭastha-śakti. Antaraṅga-śakti means internal energy, bahiraṅga śakti means external energy, and taṭastha-śakti means these living entities.

General Lectures

Lecture -- New Vrindaban, June 7, 1969:

So everything is depending on sunshine. The sunshine is also depending on Kṛṣṇa; therefore Kṛṣṇa is the original cause of all causes. That is Kṛṣṇa realization. You can realize Him personally, you can realize Him impersonally, and you can realize Him localized. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati: (BG 18.61) "Arjuna, that Supreme Personality of Godhead is situated, localized, in everyone's heart." Just like the sun globe is there, and the sun globe's effulgence is the impersonal representation of the sun-god.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 10, 1971:

So Kṛṣṇa is the original cause of the material energy, the spiritual energy. And by combination of this material energy and spiritual energy, the whole cosmic manifestation is there. There are two kinds of energies working.

Lecture Excerpt -- London, August 13, 1971:

So here, the original cause is being explained by Vyāsadeva. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Now, what type of that supreme cause is that? Is it a stone or sentient? No. Vyāsadeva informs, no. The original cause, how it can be a stone? Original cause cannot be. It must be sentient. Creator must be sentient. Without brain, without creative power, how there can be creation? Where is your argument? No, that is not. These are false arguments. Therefore Vyāsadeva gives you information that He is sentient, in full knowledge. In full knowledge. What kind of knowledge? Anvaya-vyatirekābhyām, directly and indirectly. That is full knowledge.

Lecture Excerpt -- London, August 13, 1971:

Prabhupāda: What is that original cause, chunk? Can you say?

Śyāmasundara: Something gas.

Prabhupāda: Gas.

Śyāmasundara: Liquid gas.

Prabhupāda: So anyway, that is not sentient. That is material. Gas is also material. Gas is another form, vapor. Vapor. Vapor is made out of water. Water or... Vapor is air, major portion of air and minor portion of water. In this way, vapor. So that means it is airy. But no. Air has got its cause. They do not know. Air has got its cause, the sky. The sky has its cause. In this way there is creation. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam everything is explained.

Departure Talks

Departure -- Los Angeles, October 5, 1972:

So we are worshiping the original person, Govinda. People are embarrassed to find out the cause of all causes. The scientists, the philosophers, they are embarrassed, the religionists. But we have got information of the original cause.

Departure -- Los Angeles, October 5, 1972:

There must be some cause. We do not accept anything as chance. No. There is no chance. There is cause. Everything has got cause. So the original cause is Kṛṣṇa. So our knowledge is perfect therefore. We know the cause. So you chant this mantra, govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **, and you will be in full knowledge. Yasmin vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavanti. In the Vedānta-sūtra, Vedic language, it is said, "If you know simply Govinda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then you know everything. All knowledge is perfect."

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz:

Prabhupāda: That is nature. Nature is instrumental. Just like the potter: his wheel is going around and the clay is making a pot, but the original cause is the potter. He has given force to the wheel. After the wheel is running, then so many pots are coming out. So nature... Foolish people are seeing that the wheel is moving. They do not see that behind the movement of the wheel there is a potter who has given force. So there is no question of nature. Everything is God, Kṛṣṇa. This is imperfect vision, that the wheel is moving without any direction. So this kind of knowledge is imperfect. Real knowledge is, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, you take it from Bhagavad-gītā that mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ: (BG 9.10) "Under My direction the material energy is working."

Philosophy Discussion on Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz:

Prabhupāda: So the Veda says, sa aikṣata. Sa aikṣata. The Supreme Lord, simply by glancing over... In Bhagavad-gītā also it is said that. But just like we impregnate a woman by sex behavior, but here it is said that He simply glanced over the material nature, total material energy, and the creation begins. Sa aikṣata. So because He is omnipotent, He can impregnate the material nature not by sex behavior but simply by glancing, and the material nature immediately becomes agitated, and things begin to happen. So the original cause is glancing over material nature by God. But we materialists, we cannot think how by simply glancing, the material nature is set into motion. That is material conception.

Philosophy Discussion on Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz:

abhupāda: Yes. Substance means the original cause, so He is completely able to act.

Śyāmasundara: He says to be is to be active.

Prabhupāda: Yes, to be means to be active. Without activity, what does it mean to be?

Śyāmasundara: He says that these monads change in their appearances because the inner desire impels it to pass from one phenomenal representation to another.

Prabhupāda: The monad does not change, but his mind has changed. But I do not know what this means, monads. He is complicating. He cannot express what is this monad.

Philosophy Discussion on Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz:

Prabhupāda: Ultimately everything is spiritual, because the matter is Kṛṣṇa's energy and spirit is also Kṛṣṇa's energy. If Kṛṣṇa is the original cause, therefore the matter can be changed into spirit, spirit can be changed into matter. Just as it is the same electric energy acting as heater and as cooler, but the electrician, he can change the cooler to heater and the heater to cooler, because the original cause is electricity. Similarly, the original cause is Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa can change matter into spirit, spirit into matter. That is in His power. The rascals and fools, when Kṛṣṇa appears in His own body, ātmamāyā, they think it is just like material body, but they do not know that to Kṛṣṇa there is no such distinction of material and spiritual.

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Śyāmasundara: He might say the same thing about us.

Prabhupāda: No. He cannot say the same thing about us. We accept Kṛṣṇa, not blindly. Our predecessors, our ācāryas, our learned scholars, they have accepted. So we are not blind. Rather, he cannot say anything. As soon as he says chance, that means he has no knowledge. We don't say chance. We have got an original cause. But he says chance; therefore he has no knowledge.

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Karandhara: Scientists often take the shelter of this premise, that it's not..., we don't..., we're not trying to find out. Whenever they're asked what is the original source, they say, "We're not concerned with that. We're concerned with just examining the phenomenon of that source."

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is childish. That is childish. Just like I have seen the phenomena, without man there cannot be singing. In the box there must be one man there. This is childish calculation, that's all. Phenomenal study means childish. A fan, in our childhood we will think that a fan is running, there must be some ghost who is running it. So this sort of phenomenal study is not scientific study. It is not scientific. (If) we don't find the original cause, that is not scientific.

Philosophy Discussion on John Stuart Mill:

Prabhupāda: Any phenomenon that has natural law, so that is the cause. And if we go on, so what is the cause of that natural law? Then ultimately we find Kṛṣṇa. Everything, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), everything has got a cause, original source. So if you make actually research work what is the cause of this, what is the cause of this, that is called darśana. Darśana means seeing, finding out the cause. Therefore philosophy is called darśana-śāstra, to see the cause of the cause, cause of the cause, cause of the cause. So ultimately they have found Kṛṣṇa is the cause, original cause of everything.

Philosophy Discussion on William James:

Śyāmasundara: Unless I have the experience, inner experience of that...

Prabhupāda: This is inner experience. It is very simple. Because my father is, therefore I am born of him. He is born of his father, he is born of his father. Go on, that's it. That is, our śāstra says, ultimately you will come to Brahmā, the father of this universe. The Brahmā is also born of Nārāyaṇa, how you say, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, and the Garbhodakaśāyī, wherefrom He comes? Mahā-Viṣṇu, Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. Wherefrom Mahā-Viṣṇu comes? From Saṅkarṣaṇa. Wherefrom Saṅkarṣaṇa comes? From Nārāyaṇa. Wherefrom Nārāyaṇa comes? He comes from Baladeva. Wherefrom does Baladeva comes? Kṛṣṇa. Therefore the Brahma-saṁhitā says,

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ

anādir ādir govindaḥ

sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam

(Bs. 5.1)

He is the original cause of all causes.

Philosophy Discussion on Ludwig Wittgenstein:

Śyāmasundara: So, for instance, the ring may be gold under one set of conditions...

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is gold under certain conditions, but the original cause is Kṛṣṇa. Everything. Under certain conditions something is wood, something is gold, something is metal, something is this, something is... These are different conditions. I am also conditioned. Under certain conditions I am talking that "I am human being." Otherwise animal, he is under certain conditions, he is an animal. So everyone is under conditions. Who is not under conditions? Everything is under conditions. Therefore this world is called conditioned world or relative world. Nothing is absolute.

Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:

Prabhupāda: Human intelligence, unless he comes to the point of the Absolute Truth and the original cause of everything, then how his intellect is perfect? One must make progress. Progress means to go to the ultimate goal. If the human being does not know what is the ultimate cause, ultimate goal, then what is the value of his intelligence?