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Perverted reflection (Lectures)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Introduction to Gitopanisad (Earliest Recording of Srila Prabhupada in the Bhaktivedanta Archives):

Now the conscious īśvara, the supreme conscious īśvara, and difference between the supreme conscious īśvara, or the Lord, and the living being is, in the present circumstances, is like this. Consciousness, consciousness of, both of the Lord and the living entities, they are, this consciousness is transcendental. It is not that this consciousness is generated by the association of this matter. That is a mistaken idea. The theory that consciousness develops under certain circumstances of material combination is not accepted in the Bhagavad-gītā. They cannot. Consciousness may be pervertedly reflected by the cover of material circumstances, just like light reflected through a colored glass may seem according to the color. Similarly, the consciousness of Lord, it is not materially affected.

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

So whatever we are seeing in this material world, the origin is in Kṛṣṇa. But here it is perverted. That is the only difference. Just like a tree. The original tree is standing erect. But when you see the perverted reflection of the tree, everything is topsy-turvied. The upside has gone downside. You have seen the reflection of the tree. So the upside, downside. When the upside of the tree becomes downside, that is called perverted reflection. So this material world is perverted reflection of the spiritual world. It is false in this sense because it is reflection. Otherwise, exactly the same things are there in the spiritual world.

Lecture on BG 2.25 -- Hyderabad, November 29, 1972:

All the rasas that we have got experience within this world, they are coming from Kṛṣṇa. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). The Vedānta-sūtra says, "Everything, whatever we see within our experience, we cannot experience anything if it is not in Kṛṣṇa." That is Kṛṣṇa. He was stealing, which we consider not very good business. That stealing is also in Kṛṣṇa. He's, He's famous as Mākhana-cora, the stealer of butter. So this is Kṛṣṇa. So everything is there. Whatever our dealings in this material world we find, that is only perverted reflection of our dealing with Kṛṣṇa in the spiritual world.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Montreal, August 24, 1968:

Therefore we have to purify our senses. These senses will give you opportunity to hear His transcendental name, to see His transcendental form, to understand His transcendental quality, and so many things. He has got His name, He has got His qualities, He has got His form. Then He has got His associates. Everything. Whatever we see in this material world, they are simply perverted reflection of the reality. Real form is there. Real name is there in the spiritual world.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Montreal, August 24, 1968:

So here, that master and servant is there, but both of them are cheaters and cheated. That's all. But if we really want to be master and servant, the supreme master is Kṛṣṇa and you engage yourself in His service. You'll never be cheated. You'll never be cheated. You want to love. You love Kṛṣṇa as your husband or lover, you'll never be cheated. You love children. You love Kṛṣṇa as your child—just like Yaśodāmāyi accepted Kṛṣṇa as his child—you'll never be cheated. So the same relationship is there, but it is perverted reflection, and there is no happiness. But when we become bhakta or establish one's relationship with Kṛṣṇa... Just like Arjuna.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Montreal, August 24, 1968:

So bhakta means when we revive our relationship, how I am connected with Kṛṣṇa. Then he is bhakta. Then he is bhakta. That relationship is pervertedly reflected in this material world. That relationship. Somebody is related with Kṛṣṇa as master and servant. That is reflected here also. There is master and servant, but both of them are cheating one another. The master is trying to exploit the servant, and the servant is trying to exploit the master. They are also forming unions, how to exact money from the capitalists, and the capitalists trying to exploit this labor from the laborers.

Lecture on BG 4.1-6 -- Los Angeles, January 3, 1969:

So one has to establish this relationship. Just like Arjuna is in relationship with Kṛṣṇa as a friend, similarly, you can be in relationship with God as a lover. You can be in relationship with God as master and servant. You can be in relationship with God as father and son. There are so many relationships. As we have got relationship within this material world, this is only perverted reflection of that five relationship with God. But we have forgotten that. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to revive that consciousness. It is nothing new. To forget God means that is abnormal condition, and to have relationship with God is normal condition.

Lecture on BG 4.7-9 -- New York, July 22, 1966:

For example, we are speaking on the Bhagavad-gītā. Just see the position of Kṛṣṇa. He has taken the position of servant, chariot driver of Arjuna. Arjuna is practically, in his constitutional position, he is the servant of Kṛṣṇa, but in behavior we see, sometimes the Lord becomes the servant of the servant (CC Madhya 13.80). So we should not carry the materialistic idea in the spiritual... Although anything that we materially experience is a perverted reflection only of the spiritual life...

Lecture on BG 4.9-11 -- New York, July 25, 1966:

Actually this material world is described in the Bhagavad-gītā as the perverted reflection of the actual spiritual world. You will find in the Fifteenth Chapter that this material world is described as the obverted tree whose root is upwards and the branches are downwards. Have you have experience of this obverted tree whose root is upward and the branches and the leaves are downwards? Have you seen any tree like that? You have seen it, but you have forgotten. You have seen... When you see a tree on the bank of a river or bank of a reservoir of water, you find the reflection of the tree, just the opposite number.

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- New York, July 27, 1966:

So similarly, whatever we see, paternal affection, conjugal love, friendship, or master and servant... There are so many things we are related in this material world. We must always know that all these sentiments, they are coming from the Supreme. So here the paternal affection which we see here or the conjugal love which we see here, that is simply a perverted reflection of the Supreme. So you just... If we can study this material relationship between one living being to another living being, then if, a sober student, a philosophical-minded student, can understand what is our relation with God.

Lecture on BG 5.7-13 -- New York, August 27, 1966:

So my visit, I am a visitor. My visit is temporary. But this temporary visit is not false. Is it false? Oh, I am sitting here, I am talking with you, I am eating, and so many things. They are all false? No. They are not false. They are not false, but temporary. Therefore hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ. Everything has got connection with Kṛṣṇa. That realization is required. Everything. Whatever we see here, they are only perverted reflection of the reality. That's all.

Lecture on BG 5.7-13 -- New York, August 27, 1966:

This perverted reflection I have tried to explain many times. Just like if there is a tree on the bank of a lake you'll find that tree is perverted, reflected, pervertedly reflected within the water. That means the top has gone to the down and the root has come up. And in the Fifteenth Chapter it is described in that way. So this world is a perverted reflection. And because it is reflection of the reality, therefore it appears so nicely that we take it as actual fact. That is called illusion. But if we understand that, "It is temporary, I should not be attached. It is temporary. My attachment should be to the reality not to the unreality,"... So reality is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 6.1-4 -- New York, September 2, 1966:

Similarly, here also, there is relationship between friend and friend. But in slight difference of opinion the friendship breaks. The friend becomes enemy. Therefore it is perverted reflection. Similarly, the relationship between... (aside:) Come on here. Relationship between mother and son. A slight difference of opinion breaks the relationship, and the son becomes out of the relationship of mother, mother becomes out of... Every way. Husband and wife, a slight difference of opinion, there is divorce, separation.

Lecture on BG 6.1-4 -- New York, September 2, 1966:

So no relationship here in this material world is actual. Always remember that all relationship in this material world is perverted reflection of that relationship which we have got eternally with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is simply reflected. Just like the sunshine. The sunshine is reflected in the glass, and that reflection comes to your, in my apartment.

Lecture on BG 6.1-4 -- New York, September 2, 1966:

That reflection of the sunshine is not real, but it appears just like sunshine. Similarly, all our relationship here, either as master and servant or as friend and friend or as parents and child or as husband and wife or as lover and the beloved, any relationship, whatever we see here, that is the perverted reflection of our eternal relationship with God.

Lecture on BG 6.1-4 -- New York, September 2, 1966:

Now, the whole process of spiritual realization is to come to this stage, transcendental stage. This relationship with the Supreme Lord is pervertedly reflected in this material world. And therefore we have got this relationship here, master and servant. But because it is perverted, therefore that relationship is not master and servant. That relationship is with the money and the benefit. There is no love. There is no love. Here in this material world, the master and the servant, that relationship continues so long the master is able to pay the servant. As soon as the payment is stopped, the relationship of master and servant also stops. Therefore that is not eternal.

Lecture on BG 7.18 -- New York, October 12, 1966:

Similarly, these kinds of worship of different kinds of gods, the Bhagavad-gītā condemns them. They're not required. The Lord says, kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ prapadyante anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). One person does not surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but they worship different kinds of gods. Why? Now, kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ: "They have lost their sense out of lust, material lust." That's all. Because our life, this material life, is simply based on lust. We want to enjoy this world. We love this material world because I want to satisfy my senses. So this lust is the perverted reflection of my love of God. In my original constitution, I am made to love God, but because I have forgotten God, therefore I love matter.

Lecture on BG 8.12-13 -- New York, November 15, 1966:

Therefore this Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you'll have full pleasure, full pleasure, the same pleasure. Not the same pleasure. Just like here the highest pleasure of this world is sex life. That is also perverted, so diseased. So even in the spiritual world there is sex pleasure in Kṛṣṇa, but that's not... We should not think that this is something like this. No. But janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Unless that sex life is there, it cannot be reflected here. It is simply perverted reflection. The actual life is there, in Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is full of pleasure.

Lecture on BG 9.27-29 -- New York, December 19, 1966:

Premāñjana. When you have got your developed love of God... This is quite natural. Just like you somebody, loves somebody. You love some person or... You always think of him. That is quite natural. Anyone. That is the objective of love. But because we are..., our love in this material world is a perverted reflection of the love of God, love can be applied only to God. In this material world there is no love. It is all lust. There cannot be any love. The word love can be applied only to God. So these are only perverted reflection, what is going on in the name of love. There is no love. So the nature of love is this, that the lover wants every moment to see without any remuneration, without any return. That is real love.

Lecture on BG 13.20 -- Bombay, October 14, 1973:

These are pañca, five kinds of rasas, śānta, dāsya, sākhya, vātsalya, mādhurya. So you can select any one of them, because there must be varieties. Because we are living entities, everyone, we want to enjoy. Therefore variety is the mother of enjoyment. You cannot make everything impersonal, no. There is varieties. Even in the spiritual world there is varieties. That varieties are reflected in this material world. Therefore here also, we love somebody as friend; we love somebody as wife; we love somebody as father; we love somebody as mother, like that. The same thing is pervertedly reflected. And because it is illusion, therefore you are not satisfied.

Lecture on BG 15.1 -- Calcutta, February 26, 1974:

If Brahmā is the center of all manifestations, then this material world is a manifestation of the center by 180 degrees, and the other 180 degrees constitute the spiritual world. The material world is the perverted reflection, so the spiritual world must have the same variegatedness, but in reality. The prakṛti is the external energy of the Supreme Lord, and the puruṣa is the Supreme Lord Himself, and that is explained in Bhagavad-gītā. Since this manifestation is material, it is temporary. A reflection is temporary, for it is sometimes seen and sometimes not seen. But the origin from whence the reflection is reflected is eternal.

Lecture on BG 15.1 -- Calcutta, February 26, 1974:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So this material world is a perverted reflection of the transcendental spiritual world. Everything that we find here can somehow..., we can trace its origins to the spiritual world. Just like we have...

Prabhupāda: Therefore it is said, ūrdhva-mūlam. Mūlam means root. Just like from the root the tree grows and becomes expanded. So now, this experience, the mūla is upside and the tree is expanding in this way... Ūrdhva-mūlam. Adhah-śākham (BG 15.1). The branches are down. Here we have got experience, all these trees, the root is down and the branches are spread up. But here is, experience is... That means this material is created not from this matter. From spiritual world. Go on.

Lecture on BG 15.1 -- Calcutta, February 26, 1974:

If you, somebody takes your legs and catches you and your head down, then it is not very comfortable. So this whole material world is like that, ūrdhva-mūlam. The mūlam should have been down, but it is up. Therefore it is discomfortable. And another explanation is the, it is perverted reflection. We have got experience of the ūrdhva-mūlam. I think I have explained that, that a tree... On the bank of a river or the bank of a pond, tree is standing, but the reflection, we find that the same tree has become ūrdhva-mūlam and adhah-śākham. So by this statement, Kṛṣṇa says that this is not real.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- New Vrindaban, September 6, 1972:

So similarly, if we develop our propensity to hear about God and His activities, with His cowherd boys friend, with His girlfriends, gopīs, with His mother, with His father, with His teacher, so many! Everything is imitation, perverted reflection here also you have got those relationship. Relationship between father and the son, relationship between conjugal lover, the boy and the girl, relationship between friend and friend, relationship between master and servant. Everything is here also, but because they are material, they do not stand. I am servant of somebody. If he does not pay me salary, I give up his service.

Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Delhi, November 16, 1973:

So this perfection of love. We are also after love. A young man is after love; a young boy is after love. So wherefrom this love comes? Because originally the love is there in Kṛṣṇa. That is the version of the Vedānta-sūtra. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante. So this loving affair has come from the Supreme Absolute Truth, but it is pervertedly reflected only. Pervertedly reflected. Yatra tri-sargaḥ amṛṣā. Here in the material world we are simply seeing the perverted reflection of the spiritual world.

Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Delhi, November 16, 1973:

Satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi. Here everything is perverted. Reflection, shadow. The example is given. Just like in the desert, sometimes we find water. The reflection of the sunshine makes a false replica of water, exactly. But there is no water. There is no water, and the reflection of water. Similarly, in this material world there is only reflection of that love. Actually, there is no love. It is the mirage on the desert. Therefore, if we want really love, this word can be applied only to Kṛṣṇa, all-attractive.

Lecture on SB 1.3.1-3 -- San Francisco, March 28, 1968:

Take for example our love, what you call love. Of course, it is perverted reflection of love. Several times I've repeated. In this material world there is nothing like love. It is only, everything perverted reflection of love. Just like you have got affection for children. That is there also, but that is without any inebrieties. Here also the same man and woman, male and female, there is attraction between one another. Similarly there is also, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. But there is no inebriety. That is full and that is perfect. Here it is imperfect due to material contamination.

Lecture on SB 1.7.16 -- Vrndavana, September 14, 1976:

So these love affairs between young girls and young boy, is there in Brahman. That is the dealing of Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs. So that dealing is pervertedly reflected within this material world. It is not the same thing. It is different. But those who are not in the knowledge, they take it that the dealings... Idam Viṣṇu and the vraja-vadhū... It is so nice that actually if one hears about the dealings of the gopīs and Kṛṣṇa, then he becomes so elevated in devotion that he forgets the lusty dealings between man and woman. That is the result.

Lecture on SB 1.15.36 -- Los Angeles, December 14, 1973:

The Vedānta-sūtra says, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Whatever you are experiencing, wherefrom it has come? It has come from the Absolute. That is the Absolute idea. But here, in the relative world, it is pervertedly reflected, and because it is not reality, therefore you are confused, baffled. So our proposition is come to the reality. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2-5 -- Montreal, October 23, 1968:

Romantic love is in the spiritual world, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. That is the origin of romantic love. And here we are trying to imitate, although we are on the platform of lust. It is imitation, shadow, perverted reflection. So actually, Kṛṣṇa consciousness means we are trying to reach that platform of real love, exchange of love. The example... One example can be given: just like in diseased conditioned, actually there is no enjoyment, but still, the doctor gives some diet: "You eat this." But he does not enjoy. Eating enjoyment is in healthy life, not in diseased condition.

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

A naughty child means that child is going to be very intelligent boy or girl in future. That is a fact. Naughtiness means that child is very intelligent. So in course of time that naughtiness will fructify into intelligence. So here all the godly qualities are misrepresented, perverted reflection. Just like love. Now our worshipable God is Kṛṣṇa and Rādhā, conjugal love perfection. The same love is descended here also, love between boy and girl, but that is perverted.

Lecture on SB 2.3.20 -- Los Angeles, June 16, 1972:

Just like foolish persons sometimes commit suicide or they talk of suicide. The whole thing is zero, wants to make the life zero. That is their happiness. Śūnyavādi. Because they have no experience that there is another life, going back to home, back to Godhead. There also, Kṛṣṇa is eating; Kṛṣṇa is dancing; Kṛṣṇa is playing; Kṛṣṇa is killing; Everything is there. They are all transcendental. Everything is there. Here, only perverted reflection, false reflection only. There are five principal rasas: śānta, dāsya, sākhya, vātsalya, mādhurya. Here also, the same rasas are here, śānta, dāsya.

Lecture on SB 2.9.2 -- Melbourne, April 4, 1972:

Prabhupāda: Yogamāyā means... Here, this is also Kṛṣṇa's exhibition of māyā, but it is temporary. In the another, spiritual world, that is also exhibition of Kṛṣṇa's māyā, but it is permanent. Here is a perverted reflection, we say. Just like shadow, shadow, the shadow of the tree in the water—everything is perverted, opposite. So that shadow is not the substance. The substance is there. On the bank of the river, that is really. Similarly the spiritual world is There also, everything is there.

Lecture on SB 2.9.13 -- Melbourne, April 12, 1972:

Here it is only perverted reflection. Here the beauty... Just like the beauty is described there, bhrājiṣṇu. Bhrājiṣṇu, all glowing. Lasad-vimāna. Lasat, brilliant. There is also aeroplane, but not this tin aeroplane. You see? There the airplanes are made of jewels and gold, brilliant. And their beauty. There also men, women there are, not that simply men devotees, no. But the men and women, they are creation. The both sexes are there, Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. So nothing is different from here, but they are permanent, real. Here everything are temporary and false. This is the difference.

Lecture on SB 3.25.29 -- Bombay, November 29, 1974:

You associate with Kṛṣṇa as servant or as friend or as father, as mother, as conjugal lover. There are five rasas: śānta, dāsya, sākhya, vātsalya, mādhurya. Here also in this material world we have got the same rasas. We are related with somebody as father, or somebody as son, somebody as lover, somebody as beloved, somebody as master, somebody as servant. This is relationship. This is the perverted reflection of the spiritual world. Therefore although we have got the same relationship for relishing... Today I am loving my son and tomorrow my son may be the greatest enemy. There is no eternity of such love.

Lecture on SB 3.26.19 -- Bombay, December 28, 1974:

Nitāi: "This impregnation of material nature is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, Fourteenth Chapter, third verse. Material nature's primal factor is the mahat-tattva, or breeding source of all varieties. This part of material nature, which is called pradhāna as well as Brahman, is impregnated by the Supreme Personality of Godhead and delivers varieties of living entities. Material nature in this connection is called Brahman because it is a perverted reflection of the spiritual nature."

Prabhupāda: These varieties... According to the Western Darwin's theory, they do not give any nice description of the varieties. But the varieties of living entities are there before creation. They become manifest in next creation. Just like in this creation one is dying as demigod, I mean to say, at the last dissolution, and one is dying as dog, or one is dying as a fish.

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

Ramaṇa means sense gratification. Just like Kṛṣṇa's name is Rādhā-Ramaṇa. His sense gratification is with Rādhārāṇī. So the sense gratification is also there, but not this sense... Don't consider like this. Here it is only... Sense gratification is a perverted reflection of the spiritual sense gratification. The whole devotional line of service is also sense gratification. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanam (CC Madhya 19.170). Hṛṣīka means senses, and Hṛṣīkeśa means the master of the senses. The master of the senses is Kṛṣṇa. So when your senses will be applied for the sense gratification of Kṛṣṇa, that is your transcendental position. And when your senses will be employed for your sense gratification, that is material.

Lecture on SB 5.5.6 -- Vrndavana, October 28, 1976:

Just like if you love somebody, the intense love is that your lover or beloved is everything. That is love. Just like a mother loves her child. So she is always anxious to take care of the child. Whole attention is on the child. These are examples. These are not actually love, but a perverted reflection of love. We can understand what is love. This love does not stand, but nature dictates that you love your child like this, you love your husband like this, your wife like this, your country like this, your society like this.

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Indore, December 13, 1970:

Jaraṭhaḥ vṛddhaḥ. So although he was very old, still he was enjoying the child's play, pastimes, the same thing. Just like Mahārāja Nanda and Yaśodā were enjoying the childish pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the same thing is pervertedly reflected in this material world. Father's affection, child's activities. Because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, the same thing you'll find in the transcendental world.

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

So here it is also said that yena svadhāmni bhāvāḥ. The svadhāmni bhāvāḥ. This goodness, this passion, this mode, they are also represented in the spiritual world. They are also represented in the spiritual world, svadhāmni bhāvāḥ, but a perverted reflection is represented here only. Everything is there. Otherwise, there cannot be any creation. The Vedānta says, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Everything, whatever we see, it has got a source of generation, and that is Brahman, Absolute Truth. So these guṇas, these material guṇas, they are also generated from the Absolute Truth. That is explained in Bhagavad-gītā also. But here everything is perverted reflection. Therefore we see in a different way it is represented.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 Excerpt -- San Francisco, March 16, 1968:

Prabhupāda: The soul is the production of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore ultimately, He is our dearmost friend. We are trying to love somebody. That somebody is a perverted reflection of Kṛṣṇa. Actually... Just like the child. The child is searching after the mother's breast. And it is crying. If somebody takes the child, he's not satisfied. Because he cannot express that "I want my mother." Similarly, we are hankering after loving Kṛṣṇa in a perverted way.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 1, 1973:

The Vedānta-sūtra says, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). The, everything is emanating from the Absolute. So there is love. Just like Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa love, Kiśora-kiśorī, young Kṛṣṇa, young Rādhārāṇī. This love is pervertedly reflected in this material world which is in the name of love, but it is lust; therefore it is called perverted reflection. Lust because the, a young boy, a young girl mix together, they love together, but a slight disagreement, they separate. Why? Because that is not love. That is lust. The lust is going on in the name of love.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 28, 1972:

Here also, we have got taste for any relationship. Just like we have got our relationship with master and servant. So this relationship is a perverted reflection of the real master and servant. Here it is perverted because the master also does not love the servant, and the servant also does not love the master. The servant serves the master so long there is payment. If the payment is stopped, then no more the servant will be available. But in the eternal world, the Kṛṣṇa's servant... So that is eternal, without any payment.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 10, 1973:

Material enjoyment is limited. You cannot enjoy unlimitedly. That is not possible. Just for few seconds, for few minutes, or for few hours, then it becomes disgusting. That is the material enjoyment. But the spiritual enjoyment, spiritual bliss is different. That is simply increasing. So, therefore in the śāstra it is said, ramante yoginaḥ anante (CC Madhya 9.29). Those who are yogis, bhakta-yogi, they enjoy unlimitedly. Rāmante yoginaḥ anante, and that is satyānande. That ānanda bliss is real bliss. This is artificial. This is perverted reflection.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 9, 1972:

Prabhupāda: The material variety is the perverted reflection of the spiritual variety. As it is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, Fifteenth Chapter: ūrdhva-mūlam adhah-śākha. This tree, this material world (is) compared with a aśvattha vṛkṣa. The root is up, upstairs, upwards, and the branches and leaves are down, downwards. Why? Because it is reflection, chaya, or māyā. The real tree is in the Vaikuṇṭha planet or in the spiritual world. It is only simply reflection. Just like a tree standing on the bank of reservoir of water, on the bank of a lake or a river, you'll see the tree is reflected downwards. So this description in the Fifteenth Chapter of this material world, downwards... Ūrdhva-mūlam adhah-śākha means this is only a perverted reflection of the spiritual world. The real tree is in the spiritual world.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 9, 1972:

But it is only reflection. It is compared with the mirage. Just like the desert, there is reflection of water. Actually there is no water. Similarly, all this perverted reflection of śānta rasa, dāsya rasa, sākhya rasa, this is just like mirage. It is simply a reflection. It has no actual fact. Here nobody's friend, nobody's servant, nobody's parent, nobody's lover. It is simply a bondage of some self-interest. The servant is not actually serving the master; it is serving the money which the master gives him. As soon as the payment will be stopped, there will be no more service. Therefore it is a perverted reflection of that service attitude in the Vaikuṇṭha planet.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.5 -- Mayapur, March 29, 1975:

So there is no difference between these different phases of loving affair, but great devotees and learned scholars, they have given their decision that the loving affairs of Kṛṣṇa in the conjugal platform between husband and wife, or above that, between lover and beloved... That is very much prominent in the Western countries, friend, boyfriend, girlfriend. In the spiritual world that platform of remaining as friend without marriage, that is considered as the highest. And whatever we see here—a perverted reflection of that loving affairs. Just like perverted reflection... It is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, ūrdhva-mūlam adho-śākha aśvatthaṁ prāhur avyayam.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.5 -- Mayapur, March 29, 1975:

Ādi-rasa means the loving affair between man and woman. This is called ādi-rasa. So, Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura explains, janmādy asya means the ādi-rasa, loving affairs between man and woman, that is from the Supreme Person. That's a fact. Unless the loving propensity is there in the Supreme, how it can be reflected? Because this is perverted reflection only, so there must be the origin. So the Māyāvādī philosophers, they cannot understand this. Because they have got bitter experience of this material world, they try to make zero or without any varieties the ultimate goal.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.5 -- Mayapur, March 29, 1975:

Because we are after happiness, every one of us. But we are seeking happiness in the perverted reflection. That is not possible. Therefore one has to give up this perverted happiness and come to the real fact. 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.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.5 -- Mayapur, March 29, 1975:

We have got experience: a tree on the bank of a river. The tree is reflected adho-śākha, on the root upward, shadow. So this is shadow. Real thing is in the spiritual world. Therefore it is called adho-śākha. Śākha. In the spiritual world the topmost part is this conjugal love, and here, the same thing, when pervertedly reflected, it is the lowest abominable thing. We should know this, that in the spiritual world, to remain as girlfriend and boyfriend, that is the topmost pleasure, and in the material world, the same thing is the most abominable thing. Therefore it is adho-śākha. We cannot imitate the loving affairs of Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī unless we understand the real fact.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.6 -- Mayapur, March 30, 1975:

He's self-sufficient. Why He should feel separation from Sītā? This question may be raised. But actually there are different phases of loving affairs, and the separation is also one of them. The separation, feeling of separation, is one of them. We have got experience in our present life that intense love... Still there is feeling of separation. All these things are there in the spiritual world. Only perverted reflection of those spiritual feelings are manifested here in this material world. Therefore it is called perverted reflection. But everything is there, but they are not material. We should always understand that. Kṛṣṇa is perfect, Rādhārāṇī is perfect, and They are always constantly accompanied.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.8 -- Vrndavana, March 15, 1974:

The Vedānta-sūtra says that everything is born of the Absolute Truth. So unless the Absolute Truth has got this dancing propensity, wherefrom we get it? This is the logic. We cannot have anything without that thing being present in the Supreme Absolute Truth. That is the meaning of janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). But this dancing, our dancing, ball dancing, and that dancing is not the same. This is perverted reflection with inebrieties, dissatisfaction, frustration. But in the dancing of Kṛṣṇa there is no such things. No inebrieties, no frustration. Because that is not false; that is real.

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

Bhāgye sei premā tomāya karila udaya: "So I am very glad, Caitanya, that You have developed that symptoms by chanting. So it is very good, and it is very nice. You are very fortunate." Premāra sva-bhāve kare citta-tanu kṣobha: "When one becomes..." Just like a man in love in this material world, also, he sometimes becomes just like madman, so similarly... Material manifestation is simply perverted reflection of the real love. Here there is no love. It is simply a reflection.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.142 -- New York, November 30, 1966:

Now, we are aspiring after possessing something, possessiveness. What we should possess? The possession is Kṛṣṇa, and desire is reciprocation between Kṛṣṇa and myself, and the ultimate end is love. That's all. Just like we have got perverted reflection of that love here between the two lovers.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.142 -- New York, November 30, 1966:

This is only perverted reflection of the real love, which is reciprocated with Kṛṣṇa. Here there is no possibility of love. This is all lust. But we call it love because it is just a reflection. Just a real... That is real, and this is unreal. Just like shadow and reality. There is gulf of difference between the shadow and reality. So whatever love we see in this world, that love is only a perverted reflection of that real love with Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.164-173 -- New York, December 13, 1966:

In the rāsa dance, Kṛṣṇa performed the rāsa dance, not exactly the ball dance... But it is an imitation of that rāsa dance. Because you cannot have any idea of anything without its being originally in Kṛṣṇa. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). That is the version of Vedānta-sūtra. Any idea, whatever you... But they are simply perverted reflection. That's all. You cannot get anything, any idea, without its being situated in Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.391-405 -- New York, January 2, 1967:

Now this connection of Kṛṣṇa and with the gopīs, apparently it is abominable, but in the spiritual sense, it is the highest, highest perfectional stage of love of Godhead. So this world is perverted reflection. There... There is such psychological things that a married woman wants to mix with his, with her friend, or a married man wants to mix with another. Wherefrom this idea comes, this psychological...? It comes from God. In God there is. But there, it is in perfect order. Here it is contaminated.

Festival Lectures

Ratha-yatra -- London, July 13, 1972:

In the material covering, the senses are not properly being used. The enjoyment which you are now having, it is simply a perverted reflection of our spiritual self. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for purifying our senses. In the Vedic literatures it is said, sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). When we become free from the designation, at that time we become spiritually purified.

Six Gosvamis Lecture, Sri Sri Sad-govamy-astaka -- Los Angeles, November 18, 1968:

Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Lord, has many multifarious energies. Whatever we are seeing, it is all manifestation of His energy. So we are praying both to the energy. We are praying to the material energy also—material energy also, perverted reflection of the spiritual energy. Actually, there is no material energy. Everything is spiritual. But when the spiritual energy is covered by ignorance... Just like when the sky is covered by cloud it becomes dark.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 18, 1972:

Wherefrom everything is coming? The original source, the original source of this love, is there in the Absolute. Rādhā-kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtiḥ. It is the manifestation of the pleasure potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So the thing as it is originally is perfect, but here, the same thing is only perverted reflection. Here, the boys and the girls meeting, because it is simply a reflection... Just like a reflection of the tree on the river, it is just topsy-turvied, similarly, that reflection, reality, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa love, is topsy-turvied here.

Wedding Ceremonies

Paramananda & Satyabhama's Wedding -- Montreal, July 22, 1968:

So apart from that argumental point of view, our presentation is that this conjugal love between man and woman is not unnatural. It is quite natural because it is in the Absolute Truth, as we find from Vedic description, that the Absolute Truth, Personality of Godhead, is engaged in conjugal loving affairs, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. But the same Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa love matter has permeated through matter. Therefore it is perverted reflection. Here in this material world, the so-called love is not actual love. It is lust.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Seattle, September 27, 1968:

Jaya-gopāla: Is past, present and future, in the material sense, a perverted reflection of the same...

Prabhupāda: Yes, past, future, present is according to the different kinds of relativity. That is a scientific proof. Professor Einstein has proved it. Just like your past is not past of Brahmā. Your present is not the present of an ant. So past, present, future-time is eternal. It is according to the different dimension of body relativity. Time is eternal.

Lecture -- Seattle, September 30, 1968:

But that sort of love will not give you happiness. You'll be frustrated because this body is temporary. Therefore all these loving affairs are also temporary and they are not pure. They are simply a perverted reflection of the pure love that is existing between you and Kṛṣṇa. So if you want really peace, if you really want satisfaction, if you don't want to be confused, then try to love Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 7, 1968:

The bow down to surrender to somebody is not bad, but because we are in a different situation, by surrendering to other, it is very uncomfortable. Just like nobody wants to be dependent on other nation, nobody wants to be dependent on other people. Everyone wants to be independent, because this material world is perverted reflection of the spiritual world. But in the spiritual world, the more you surrender, the more you are servant, you are happy.

Class in Los Angeles -- Los Angeles, November 15, 1968:

Kṛṣṇa is ye yathā māṁ prapadyante (BG 4.11). "Anyone who worships Me or loves Me in any way, I am prepared to answer." He can answer... Just like Nṛsiṁhadeva. Because Hiraṇyakaśipu wanted to love Kṛṣṇa by becoming enemy, so He also answered as enemy. So there are twelve kinds of reciprocal exchange—seven secondary and five primary. So all these rasas... Rasa means rasa. Rasa means humor. All these humors are present even in this material world in different way, as perverted reflection of the spiritual rasa.

Engagement Lecture -- Buffalo, April 23, 1969:

Brahman means the greatest. As I told you from the Vedānta-sūtra, athāto brahma jijñāsā, so what is the Brahman life, so there is Brahman pleasure also. In the Brahman pleasure there is also dancing, there are young girls, young boys—everything. These are only reflections. Whatever we are finding in this material world, the last evening we explained, that it is that perverted reflection of the spiritual world

Lecture -- Boston, April 25, 1969:

A young boy is attracted by a young girl, or young girl is attracted by young boy. That is not unnatural, because it is in the Supreme Lord. That nice love attraction is Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is a boy, sixteen-years-old boy, and Rādhārāṇī is also a fifteen-years-old girl. Not even one year's... I think, fifteen days younger. So our worshipable object is that spiritual love, Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. But the so-called love in this material world is only a perverted reflection. It is only lust. So you have, by austerity, you have to change that lust into love.

Lecture -- Visakhapatnam, February 18, 1972:

Of course, in this material world also we find these five rasas in a perverted reflections. Originally, it is between Kṛṣṇa and His devotee. So Arjuna was related with Kṛṣṇa in sakhya-rasa, as friend, a devotee as a friend. Anyone can become related with Kṛṣṇa. We have got our eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa because we are all parts and parcels of Kṛṣṇa. Just like the father and the son is eternally related. A son may become rebellion to the father, but the relationship of father and son cannot be broken.

Lecture -- Jakarta, February 26, 1973:

So this ānanda potency... We are seeking after ānanda. Every one of us, we are seeking after pleasure. This is struggle for existence. Everyone wants to be happy, peace and pleasure. But wherefrom this idea comes? The Vedānta-sūtra says janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) it also comes from Parabrahman. So if Parabrahman has no such tendency how to enjoy, wherefrom this so-called love in this material world between young boy and young girl comes? There cannot be any existing. It is only perverted reflection of that pleasure potency of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. It is only perverted reflection. It is not false. It is temporary, perverted.

Lecture on Gurvastakam at Upsala University -- Stockholm, September 9, 1973:

Although there are varieties, these varieties, the spiritual varieties, are simply reflection in this material world. Just like there is a tree on the bank of the river. That is reflected in the water. But reflected how? The top has gone down. The topmost thing has gone down. So this material world is the reflection of the spiritual world—but perverted reflection. In the spiritual world, there is love between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is always young. Nava-yauvanaṁ ca (Bs. 5.33). And Rādhārāṇī is also always young. Pleasure potency of Kṛṣṇa.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Śyāmasundara: The Kant philosophy, and he took this idea from Plato, is that there is an ideal on which these temporary objects are representatives. For instance the idea of tableness is an abstract idea of perfection. It's represented before me in this table in a perverted form. This table represents the ideal, expresses the ideal, but it is not the ideal.

Prabhupāda: That we say, that this material world is perverted reflection of the spiritual world. This is reflection.

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Prabhupāda: The table concept.

Śyāmasundara: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Because there is a real table, therefore I am considering this table. This is not table, this is wood. Somebody (may say), "This is not wood, but it was tree." All right, it is tree. Then what? It is not tree, it is seed. All right it is seed. No, it is not seed, it (indistinct) You see. Therefore it is perverted reflection. But there is a real table.

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Śyāmasundara: Oh, I see.

Prabhupāda: There is a real table. Therefore the whole material creation is a perverted reflection and people are enamored by it. People are taking, "This is real table. This is real body. This is real happiness. This is real country. This is real society."

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Kīrtanānanda: So the question is that, these forms that are here, are they actually eternal forms?

Prabhupāda: No. There is eternal..., this is not eternal. This is imitation. Perverted reflection. Reflection is not eternal. As soon as the condition is gone, there is no reflection.

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Śyāmasundara: So beauty in the material world is Kṛṣṇa's, Kṛṣṇa...

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa's perverted reflection. Just like now the sky is clear, now the sunshine is bright, but even if the sky is covered by clouds, you will understand it is daytime because the glaring, shining of the sun is still to be understood. Similarly, whatever little beauty we find in this material world, that is a perverted reflection of Kṛṣṇa's beauty.

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Śyāmasundara: When we were discussing Plato, Plato has this idea also that the ideal precedes the physical representation and you said yes, that the ideal was in spiritual realm, it exists in the spiritual realm. Because of that we are able to conceptualize some idea.

Prabhupāda: Not that that idea is like this. Just like we have found that in the spiritual world and this is perverted reflection so in the śāstra we hear, cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu, the houses are made of touchstone. So we have never seen touchstone, neither you have seen a house made of touchstone. We have seen house made of bricks or wood. So this is, this may be an idea but that idea comes by hearing from authority. Not that we manufacture that spiritual world must be made up. Like this.

Philosophy Discussion on Socrates:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is our opinion. Beauty, knowledge, strength and opulence—everything—they are transcendental. Here, in this material world, it is perverted reflection. Just like the example is the mirage. A fool, animal, is thinking there is water in the desert, and he is running after it, and after sometimes he dies of thirst because there is not.

Philosophy Discussion on Socrates:

Prabhupāda: But another thing is that because there is no water in the desert, it does not mean there is no water. Water is there, but not there. Similarly happiness, beauty, opulence—everything is there. That is in the spiritual world. Here it is only a perverted reflection. So generally people have no information of the spiritual world; therefore they imagine something God, something spiritual world.

Philosophy Discussion on Aristotle:

Hayagrīva: Plato would say that the flower is a shadow of reality, a perverted reflection of reality. So which point of view would be...?

Prabhupāda: Yes, it is... When the flower is in the material world..., material world is perverted reflection of the spiritual world. That's a fact. We have got experience that material things are created, but in the spiritual world things are not created; they are already there, everlasting. So it appears Aristotle has no knowledge of the spiritual world.

Philosophy Discussion on Aristotle:

Hayagrīva: But for happiness, or ānanda, isn't bhakti essential, love, or ānanda?

Prabhupāda: Ānanda means... God is full ānanda, sac-cid-ānanda. He is eternal, sat; He is spiritual; and He is ānanda, bliss. So unless one comes in contact with God, there is no question of ānanda. (Sanskrit). In the Vedic literatures we understand that God is reservoir of all pleasure, unlimited. So when you come in contact with God, then you will taste what is pleasure. So material pleasure is only perverted reflection of the real pleasure. Real pleasure is possible when we come in contact with God.

Philosophy Discussion on Aristotle:

Hayagrīva: There's no correspondence there. That is to say, a beautiful body does not necessarily house a beautiful soul. There's no correspondence.

Prabhupāda: No, there is correspondence, because we say this material world is perverted reflection. So originally the soul is beauty, but here the beauty is covered. But we can simply have a glimpse of the real beauty from the material covering, but we have to wait to see the beauty of the soul. That is real point.

Page Title:Perverted reflection (Lectures)
Compiler:Labangalatika, Parthasarathi
Created:22 of Jan, 2010
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=81, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:81