Potent (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"potent"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- Hyderabad, November 17, 1972:

When Lord Śiva was being worshiped by Pārvatī, Lord Śiva was naked and Pārvatī was worshiping the śiva-liṅga, but he did not become agitated. Therefore Kālidāsa has described: dhīra. Dhīra. One who is not... The first disturbance is sexual disturbance. So anyone, although he is completely potent with all the potencies, but still, he is not disturbed with sex impulses, he's called dhīra. Actually, that is called brahmacārī. Brahmacārī is not he is impotent.

Lecture on BG 2.46-62 -- Los Angeles, December 16, 1968:

Just like your radio message, television sound, they cannot go beyond this earthly planet, at most. But there is sound which can penetrate the whole universe and go to the spiritual world. Sound is all-pervading, that is a fact, scientific fact. If that sound is potent, then it can penetrate even this material sky and go to the spiritual sky and go to Kṛṣṇa directly. That sound is Hare Kṛṣṇa. Golokera prema-dhana, hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana, rati nā janmilo kene tāya. I've given that.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.9 -- Auckland, February 20, 1973:

They do not know that immature sex life spoils the brain, spoils strength. Everything is spoiled. In student life, brahmacārī system is very nice. If he keeps brahmacārī without any sex life, then his brain becomes very potent. He can remember, memory becomes very sharp, bodily sense becomes very solid. In this way his life becomes very solid for future śreyas. But that is not being taught at the present moment. But here the ṛṣis, the great sages, they are asking, puṁsām ekāntataḥ śreyas. Tan naḥ śaṁsitum arhasi, "Kindly describe what we should accept." This is called inquiry.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Montreal, August 3, 1968:

As there are different things of different value, similarly, in each name there are potencies of the Lord. But there is degrees of potency. Just like rāma-līlā and kṛṣṇa-līlā, pastimes. Both of them are the same thing, God. But in the rāma-līlā you find less potential exhibition of the Lord, but in kṛṣṇa-līlā you find full potential manifestation of Lord. So degrees of potency... Although it does not mean the Rāma is less potent. No. Rāma is also the same potency. But under circumstances He exhibits a partial potency, not full potency. But kṛṣṇa-līlā, you will find full potency.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Montreal, August 3, 1968:

We say that God is omnipotent. That is a, I mean to say, qualification of God. So He is showing His omnipotency. That means why sixteen thousand? If He marries sixteen millions, sixteen billions, still, He is potent, full-fledged potency. So we cannot imagine even that how a person can marry sixteen thousand wives. This is inconceivable potency, to give an example of His inconceivable potency. And Rāma presented Himself as an ideal king. He did not manifest Himself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but from symptoms of authentic literature we understand that He is God.

Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- San Francisco, March 25, 1967:

Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ... kṛṣṇa-kathā means topics in, in the matter of Kṛṣṇa. The topics in the matter of Kṛṣṇa, there are two, two kinds of topics. One topic is this, Bhagavad-gītā. It is spoken by Kṛṣṇa. It is spoken by Kṛṣṇa. And another kṛṣṇa-kathā, I mean to..., topics about Kṛṣṇa, is this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. That is spoken about Kṛṣṇa. So there are two types of kṛṣṇa-kathā, and both of them are equally potent because it is connected with Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 2.3.17 -- Los Angeles, June 12, 1972:

In the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord has explained such contact in the following words. 'Endeavors in devotional service are never baffled, nor is there failure. A slight beginning of such activities is sufficient even to deliver a person from the great ocean of material fears.' (BG 2.40) As a highly potent drug injected intravenously acts at once on the whole body, similarly, the transcendental topics of the Lord injected through the ear of the pure devotee of the Lord can act very efficiently.

Lecture on SB 2.3.25 -- Los Angeles, June 23, 1972:

If the master is learned and the student is foolish, then it will be not very much pleasing. Or the master is foolish and student is also foolish, that will also not be ... Both of them should be ... Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ (SB 3.25.25). Vīrya, vīrya means potency. Just like if a potent husband and potent wife have sex intercourse, immediately there will be pregnancy. Therefore this word is used. Potent. Formerly, this was being used. Both the husband and the wife remained potent, not impotent and sterilized. They remained potent, voluntarily. But when they wanted to beget a child, that one sex intercourse is sufficient. There is child.

Lecture on SB 3.26.23-4 -- Bombay, January 1, 1975:

So kriyā-śaktir ahaṅkāras tri-vidhaḥ. Kriyā-śakti, the creative energy, kriyā-śakti. God is not impotent. He is fully potent, and His energies are acting. We can experience in our daily life. So this kriyā-śakti begins in three different categories, tri-vidhaḥ. Kriyā-śaktir ahaṅkāras tri-vidhaḥ samapadyata. Ahaṅkāra, ego, identification, "I am." Everyone is conscious of his activities, ego: "I am doing this." But this ego, this is called false ego.

Lecture on SB 3.26.47 -- Bombay, January 22, 1975:

Pumān means the puruṣa, the enjoyer, the proprietor. That is Kṛṣṇa. So immediately you can be in touch with Kṛṣṇa by vibrating this sound, Hare Kṛṣṇa. It is so potent. Nāma cintāmaṇiḥ kṛṣṇaś caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ (CC Madhya 17.133). The name of Kṛṣṇa is cintāmaṇi, transcendental. It is not this material sound, material name. Nāma cintāmaṇiḥ kṛṣṇaś caitanya. Living force, caitanya. It is not dead sound. If you want water, if you chant only "Water, water, water, water," you will not get water, because it is material sound. The water substance is different from the word water. Therefore, simply by chanting "water, water," you cannot quench your thirst. You must have the substance water. That is material sound. Anything you take, simply by chanting the name, you will not get the thing. That is material.

Lecture on SB 6.1.20 -- Chicago, July 4, 1975:

So one Ajāmila was delivered by chanting Nārāyaṇa's name, you can deliver many millions of Ajāmila. The process is the same. The process has not changed. Therefore he is quoting that itihāsam atra codāharanti imam itihāsaṁ purātanam. It is spiritual. It is not that now the mode has changed. No. What was potent millions of years ago, that is potent still. That is spiritual. It does not change. Therefore it is said, itihāsaṁ purātanam.

Lecture on SB 6.2.13 -- Vrndavana, September 15, 1975:

We interpret in our own way about the nāma. And to consider the holy name of Viṣṇu and other name equally potent, that is nāmāparādha. And nāmnād balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ. And because one is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, he thinks, "Even if I do something sinful, it will be counteracted." That is aparādha. And to instruct to a person who has no interest in hari-kīrtana, that is also aparādha. So we should not be very much interested to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness if one is not very much interested. But tactfully, if you can, just try to give him a book. In this way there are ten kinds of offenses. We have discussed many times, and I think all of you know it.

Lecture on SB 6.2.24-25 -- Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971:

If one takes shelter of the transcendental holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he hasn't got to go through the dharma śāstras or abiding by the rules and regulation of different kinds of religious scripture. Etāvat. Etāvad iti. Simply by surrendering to the holy name. So this is applicable in all ages, but especially in this age because nobody can perform the ritualistic ceremonies of any religious principle. The people are so fallen that they cannot. So this hari-nāmānukīrtanam, it is not that it is manufactured for this age. No. This is potent in all other ages also, but especially it is potent because people in this age, they are unable to execute any religious principles very nicely. Bhagavato guṇānāṁ karmāṇāṁ nāmnāṁ ca samyak kīrtanaṁ iti yat etāvatā puṁsām agha-nirṇayāya pāpa-kṣaya-mātrāya alam upayogo nāsti alam-śabdena atra varaṇe. So Śrīdhāra Swami especially stresses on the point, alam, means "It is forbidden.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Hawaii, March 21, 1969:

To become impotent is not good, but you have got full potency, but you can have sex life when it is required. To become impotent is not required. You should be fully potent but not misuse it. That is required. Similarly, there is no misuse by God or His devotee. Otherwise, there is no question of..., that the devotee or God should not be angry, but they know how to use it. That is the difference. As God knows where to use anger, similarly, devotee should also know where to use anger.

Lecture on SB 7.9.26 -- Mayapur, March 4, 1976:

The Lord has got unlimited potencies, parasya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). So one of the potency is Rādhārāṇī or Lakṣmī or Sītā. They are equal. There is no difference. Rādhā-kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir āhlādini-śaktir asmāt. These loving affairs between Rādhārāṇī and Kṛṣṇa or Nārāyaṇa and Lakṣmī or Sītā and Rāma, they are both of them the same. One is potency; another is potent. That is the difference, potent and potency. So "Such Ramā, the goddess of fortune, she also could not get this compassionate mercy or causeless mercy." So he's feeling proud that "You are so affectionate to Your devotee." Therefore Lord's name is bhakta-vatsala. He can offer to His bhakta any position, more than Himself. Just like mother Yaśodā.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

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

There are stages, or steps, one after another, if we practice. Sādhu-saṅge, sato vṛtteḥ ṣaḍbhir bhaktiḥ prasidhyati. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī says that potent love for Kṛṣṇa can be reinstated again, invoked again, by the prescribed method. Sādhu-saṅge sato vṛtteḥ ṣaḍbhir bhaktiḥ prasidhyati. Utsāhān dhairyāt niścayāt. When you get little taste of love of Kṛṣṇa... Just like we are sitting here. We have got little taste for loving Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise, why we should waste our time in this way? This is called śraddhā. So this śraddhā is also invoked by association with sādhu, devotees.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 8, 1973:

We should have discourses of Bhagavad-gītā or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or any literature about the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Mama vīrya-saṁvido those words are vīrya-saṁvido. Vīrya means potency. Just like, if a man is potent, as soon as there is sex, he gives birth, potency. Similarly, we should associate with devotees who have got potency, mama vīrya-saṁvido, bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ. Otherwise we may go on hearing for three millions of years, we are in the same position. But the words must be from the potent person. Potent person. Then it will act very quickly. Therefore Kṛṣṇa Himself advises, satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido (SB 3.25.25). Satām, devotees. That same thing Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 5, 1972:

Although He is Kṛṣṇa Himself—He could manufacture so many things—but He did not do so. That is ācārya. Ācārya will not manufacture any new type of religion, a new type of phrase of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. That is not potent. The... Just like Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. This is in the śāstra. So that is potential. Now if we add and subtract something from these sixteen words, that is my manufacture. That will have not the potency. They do not understand it. They are thinking if they can manufacture some new line, adding with Hare Kṛṣṇa, then he becomes particularly noted. But he spoils the whole thing.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

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

Therefore in this age of Kali, Caitanya Mahāprabhu has forbidden any kind of yajña because there is no, I mean to say, expert brāhmaṇa who can chant the mantras and make experiment of the Vedic mantras that "Here is coming out." That is... Before performing yajña, how the mantra is potent, that was tested by sacrificing animal and again giving new life. Then it is to be understood that the priests who were chanting that mantra, that is right. That was a test. Not for animal-killing.

Festival Lectures

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

If it is possible to a material thing which is an insignificant creation of God, if the sun is so much omnipotent... Not omnipotent. The sun's light or the sunshine is from, derived from Kṛṣṇa's spiritual potency. But we can see that it is so much potent that diffusing sunshine for millions of years. There is no decrease of temperature. So vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19) means Vāsudeva expands Himself in so many universes, so many planets, so many paraphernalia, still, He is in Goloka Vṛndāvana. That is stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilātmā bhuto (Bs. 5.37). He is enjoying in His planet Goloka Vṛndāvana, and still, He is all-pervasive. mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam jagat avyakta-mūrtinā (BG 9.4).

Initiation Lectures

Initiation Lecture -- Boston, December 26, 1969:

Kīrtana means Kṛṣṇa-kīrtana: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma... Or any name glorifying the name of the Lord. That is kīrtana. But this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is especially recommended in this age, and Lord Caitanya personally chanted, so we should follow. Although every name of Kṛṣṇa is as potent as the name Kṛṣṇa... Viṣṇu name, or there are thousands and thousands of names... Nāmnām akāri bahudhā. Bahudhā means there is no counting. Innumerable names. And each name has the same potency like Kṛṣṇa. But this is recommended, especially, those who take advantage. This is one thing.

General Lectures

Lecture on Maha-mantra -- New York, September 8, 1966:

Generally there are three things: the potent, God, and His three energies. This is the sum total: internal energy, external energy, and marginal energy. External energy is this material manifestation. Just like this body is my external energy. I am soul, so my external energy is this body. Similarly, I have got my internal energy. That is my consciousness. Consciousness is my internal energy, and this body and the mind and this material demonstration, or manifestation, is my external energy. The body has developed, the mind has developed, from me, soul, not that I, consciousness, is developed from this body. No. That is a wrong conception.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Prabhupāda: There is higher body if there is religion, if there is philosophy, if there is learned section, brāhmaṇas, Kṛṣṇa conscious people. There is higher authority.

Śyāmasundara: He says there's no potent world authority.

Prabhupāda: No, you have killed all these things, but the system is there. Therefore the brahminical culture is above the kṣatriya culture. Therefore this division must be there; brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. The administrators, the kings, they are kṣatriyas, but above them the brāhmaṇas are there. But because there is no brahminical class—they have all killed them-therefore he says there is no authority.