Praise (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"praise" |"praised" |"praiser" |"praisers" |"praises" |"praiseworthiness" |"praiseworthy" |"praising"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.20 -- London, July 17, 1973:

As it is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra kharaiḥ (SB 2.3.19). What is that verse? Uṣṭra-kharaiḥ, saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. They.... in this world we see there are many great men, so-called great men, and they are very much praised by the general people. So Bhāgavata says, that anyone who is not a devotee, who never chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, he may be very great man in the estimation of rascals, but he is nothing but an animal.

Lecture on BG 1.20 -- London, July 17, 1973:

Just like the lion. Lion is respected in the forest by dogs, hogs, camel and asses and other animals. Because lion is the king of the animals. But does it mean, because he is designated as the king of animals, it has got any use? Has it got any use for any purpose? Similarly, these political leaders, they may be lion, but who respects them? These dogs, hogs, camels and asses, that's all. He may be a big animal, but he is animal, no better than a big animal. That's all. And other animals praises, dogs, hogs, camels.

Lecture on BG 2.8-12 -- Los Angeles, November 27, 1968:

The modern Māyāvādī philosophers, they do not disclose this statement of Śaṅkarācārya. To cheat people. But Śaṅkarācārya's statement is there. We can give evidence. He accepts Kṛṣṇa as the supreme authority. He has written so many nice poems praising or worshiping Kṛṣṇa. And at the last time he says, bhaja govindaṁ bhaja govindaṁ bhaja govindaṁ mūḍha-mate. "You rascal fools. Oh, you are depending on grammar to understand. This is all nonsense." Bhaja govindam. "Just worship Govinda." Bhaja govindaṁ bhaja... Three times he says. "Just worship Govinda." Bhaja govindaṁ bhaja govindaṁ bhaja govindam. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu says three times, harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma (CC Adi 17.21). Three times means giving too much stress.

Lecture on BG 2.55-58 -- New York, April 15, 1966:

People become very much disturbed, agitated, but one who is actually situated in this position of pure consciousness—brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54)—he has no distress. He has no distress. And sukheṣu, sukheṣu vigata-spṛhaḥ. This is the, I mean to say, platform of distresses. And there are sometimes happiness also. Happiness also. Sometimes suppose I get some good foodstuff. Somebody praises me, "Oh, Swamiji, you are very great soul," and so on, so on, so on... So that praising, that praising... Sometimes we are offered some, I mean to say, decoration, some degrees of praises from institutions. These are the signs of our happiness. But one who is situated in pure consciousness, he's neither disturbed by all those distresses, neither he is actually happy by all these designative offerings.

Lecture on BG 2.55-58 -- New York, April 15, 1966:

Now, na, na abhinandati. Now, suppose one has done very marvelous work. So we should not be very much enthusiastic to praise for such work. What is that work? That work is material. It will vanish. Nābhinandati. Neither, when it is vanished, he is also sorry for that. These symptoms are for a person who is situated in the pure consciousness platform. Tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā. His prajñā, his intelligence... You mind that. Intelligence is above the mind. The first stage is... The general stage of our life is the activities of the senses. Those who are ordinary persons, without any knowledge, they are acting, whole day and night to satisfy the senses. That's all. This is ordinary life.

Lecture on BG 4.10 -- Vrndavana, August 2, 1974:

Just like everyone in this country. In the morning the manager of the Central Bank came. He was very much praising that how these European, American boys have become so nice. Because they have taken to bhakti-yoga. It is compared: nīhāram, nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ. Nīhāram iva bhās... Nīhāram means... What is called? Mist or frost? The...? In the morning sometimes?

Lecture on BG 7.28-8.6 -- New York, October 23, 1966:

Just like a person who does not know the laws of the state, he commits something which he does not know, but he is captured, he is arrested under the law. So similarly, all kind of sins we perform, it is due to ignorance. And ignorance is no excuse at the same time. Suppose a child does not know that fire burns, but the child catches fire. The fire is so cruel that it will not excuse. The laws of fire will act, even on the child. The child is innocent or ignorant. Innocence is also sometimes ignorance, due to ignorance. We sometimes praise the quality of child, the ignorance. But that child, when grown up, becomes a vicious man. So this ignorance, or innocence, they are not very good qualities.

Lecture on BG 9.2-5 -- New York, November 23, 1966:

They write commentaries, great scholars, great philosophers. So it is also a dharma. But, but there are persons, in spite of its acceptance by the ācāryas and scholars, they have no faith. They do not think that it is a book of authority or book of knowledge. Aśraddadhānāḥ. They have no faith. They think that it is simply aggravating or exaggeration or a person who is known as Kṛṣṇa and His principle. So therefore they have no faith. Dhīra vrsatvena tam bhinna mataḥ śruti-mātra eva. Śruti-mātra means it is simply praising some principle. That's all. In this way it is not accepted by everyone.

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Paris, August 10, 1973:

So according to Bhāgavata direction, these Nobel Prize winners are exactly like dogs, camels, hogs, śva-viḍ-varāha-uṣṭra and asses. And they are praised by similar animals. That's all. The Nobel Prize winner and the Nobel Prize giver. Both of them are like dogs hogs animal and asses. That's all. This is a fact. They... If, if a person has written some theory, evolution of chemicals, and all rubbish things, it is very nice thing for the so-called dogs and camels, but those who have got eyes to see, one who has heard from Kṛṣṇa, he'll understand this is nonsense. How, from chemical, you can produce life? When he's asked: "Well, sir, if I give you these chemicals, can you produce life?" Immediately he says: "That I cannot say." Why?

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.3 -- Caracas, February 24, 1975:

Vaiṣṇava means visnrasya(?) devatā, one who worships the Supreme Personality of Godhead Viṣṇu. And Viṣṇu is the expansion of Kṛṣṇa. It is said in the Vedic literature,

rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan

nānāvatāram akarod bhuvaneṣu kintu

kṛṣṇaḥ svayaṁ samabhavat paramaḥ pumān yo

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(Bs. 5.39)

means that Lord Kṛṣṇa has plenary expansions in many, many forms, beginning with rāmādi, Lord Rāmacandra and Paraśurāma and Balarāma. There are three Rāmas and matsya-avatāra, kūrma-avatāra, vāmana-avatāra, kalki-avatāra, many. Some of them are mentioned in the Bhāgavatam. So the original person is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇaḥ svayaṁ samabhavat paramaḥ pumān yaḥ. The idea of praising Śukadeva Gosvāmī means he is not a professional Bhāgavata reader; he is realized soul. Therefore hearing of Bhāgavata from Śukadeva Gosvāmī is recommended.

Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Bombay, December 28, 1972:

He wants! He disgusted some, that "Everyone praise Me; nobody comes to chastise Me." You see. "Ah, here is another devotee, 'Yes, I am prepared to chastise You.' " Just like in Vaikuṇṭha there is no fight, but Kṛṣṇa wanted to fight. Therefore some of His devotees, Jaya and Vijaya, they came as Rāvaṇa, and he fought with Kṛṣṇa, Rāmacandra. Otherwise, who can fight with Rāmacandra? He is also devotee when he is satisfying. Kṛṣṇa wanted to fight, the devotee is prepared, "Yes, I shall fight You." And He'll kill you. This is (indistinct); this is devotee.

Lecture on SB 1.2.16 -- Los Angeles, August 19, 1972:

Those who are engaged in hearing with faith, śraddadhāna... Ādau śraddhā. Without faith, you cannot make any progress. This is the beginning of spiritual life. Ādau śraddhā. "Oh, here is..., Kṛṣṇa consciousness is going on. It is very nice. They are preaching nice." People still, they are praising our activities. If we keep our standard, then they will appreciate. So this is called śraddhā. This appreciation is called śraddhā, śraddadhānasya. Even he does not join, if one says, "Oh, it is very nice, it is very... These people are good." Sometimes they, in papers they say that "These Hare Kṛṣṇa people are nice. We want more of them." They say. So this appreciation is also an, also a lift for such person.

Lecture on SB 1.3.17 -- Los Angeles, September 22, 1972:

So I think I have spoken about my own life. You know that I was a married man. So after being married, I did not like my wife. (laughter) Somehow or other, I did not like. I must say she is very faithful, very everything... Everyone praised. But I did not like, somehow or other. So I was preparing for next marriage. Next marriage. Because in India, at that time it was allowed, a man can marry more than one wife. Now the law is there. So my father, he was a saintly person. So he called me one day and said, "My dear boy, you are trying to marry again. I request you don't do that. You do not like your wife. That is a great fortune for you." (laughter) So I gave up that idea of marrying. Yes. So now I am realizing my father's blessing, yes, that if I would have been too much attached to my wife, then I could not have come to this position. That's a fact. So by ethical point of view, from spiritual point of view, to become too much attached to wife is an impediment for spiritual advancement.

Lecture on SB 1.3.28 -- Los Angeles, October 3, 1972:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu, such a big sannyāsī, who never allowed any woman to come near to offer respect... He was so strict. They would offer respect from distance. He says, ramyā kacid upāsanā. He says that the worship, the method of worship conceived by the gopīs, that is, there is no comparison. Ramyā kacid upāsanā vraja-vadhū-vargeṇā yā kalpitā. Now, He was so much strict about women. Why He is praising the external sinful activities of the gopīs? Why? Because it is in connection with Kṛṣṇa. There are many instances.

Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Vrndavana, September 5, 1976:

In Europe, and especially in America, their government is spending millions of dollars to stop this LSD habit. They cannot do it. They praise our movement in this connection. And as soon as one comes to this movement, he immediately gives up. Immediately, without any hesitation. I make this first condition, that you have to give up all kinds of intoxication. Not only LSD, but even drinking tea, coffee, smoking, everything you have to give up. Chewing pān, everything. And they agree. We do not make any compromise that "You can do any nonsense and still you become initiated. Give me some money." No. We don't make such compromise. You must first of all agree to give up all these sinful activities. Then I can accept you. I can initiate you. This is our process.

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

So to become a devotee of the Lord, we have to be completely cleansed of all material attachment. That is the qualification. Vairāgya. That is... Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya wrote one hundred verses praising Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu when he became a student of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So out of that, one or two verses are mentioned in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

Lecture on SB 1.15.37 -- Los Angeles, December 15, 1973:

So Bhāgavata says, śva-viḍ-varāha uṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. Anyone who is not a devotee, Kṛṣṇa conscious devotee of God, then he may be in a exalted post, but he is praised by some people who are exactly like śva. Śva means dog, and viḍ-varāha means pigs who eat stool. Śva-viḍ-varāha. Viḍ-varāha. And uṣṭra, uṣṭra means camel. And uṣṭra-kharaiḥ. Khara means ass. Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ (SB 2.3.19). If a person who is not a devotee, he is praised or he is exalted, then the praisers, the persons who is praising him, he must be among these animals: dog, camel, pig and ass.

Lecture on SB 1.15.37 -- Los Angeles, December 15, 1973:

If you takes votes from the camels, to whom he will vote? Another big camel, that's all. If you take votes from the dog, then whom he will elect? Another big dog. Therefore, anyone who is not a devotee of God, Kṛṣṇa, he is either of these animals. And if he is praised, it is to be understood that he is being praised by the similar type of animals. So if we remain śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-khara, then we must elect another big śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-khara. So how there can be good situation of the state? It is not possible. Therefore the public must be educated so that they may not elect another big dog or big camel or big ass to the exalted post. It is the public's fault.

Lecture on SB 1.15.42 -- Los Angeles, December 20, 1973:

. Now you are fighting against your president that he must resign because he is just like animal. The charge is. But he is animal undoubtedly. But who has selected the animal? Other animals. You are also animal. Otherwise how you can select one animal? Therefore in the Bhāgavata it is said, śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ (SB 2.3.19). Paśu. Anyone who is not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is he is praised, those who are praising, they are also animals. Not to become Kṛṣṇa conscious is animalism. That is animalism. So anyone who has not developed his consciousness to understand God... Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to understand God and then trust Him. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 1.16.17 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1974:

Therefore in Bhāgavata, in another place, it is said that śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ (SB 2.3.19). Puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. If one person who is not devotee, if he is praised as very exalted, so wherefrom these praising words are coming? Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ. Such praising comes from the persons who are like dogs. Śva-viḍ-varāha, the stool-eater pigs. Śva-viḍ-varāha uṣṭra, camels, and khara means ass. These classes of men, they praise such another big, big animal, śva-viḍ-varāha uṣṭra. Because anyone who is not a devotee of the Lord, he is not rājarṣi, devarṣi. He is not praiseworthy at all. He is a fool. He is a rascal. That is our conclusion. No, it is real conclusion. Because Kṛṣṇa says, mūḍha. Mūḍha means rascal. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15).

Lecture on SB 2.3.19 -- Los Angeles, June 14, 1972:

Therefore Vedas are called śruti. Śruti means this is not experimental knowledge. This knowledge is acquired by hearing, that's all. If you have got nice receptive power through the ear, then your life can be successful. You don't require to use any other sense. This one sense will make you correct. Therefore those who are not taking advantage of this facility of hearing... He may be a very big man in the estimation of persons who are like dogs, asses, camels, and such nice animals. You can say, "Oh, here is a big man, and... Mr. such and such, such a great politician, great scientist, great... So we must praise." But the Bhāgavata says, "Whether he has given any aural reception about Kṛṣṇa, that is the test." No. He has no knowledge about Kṛṣṇa. Then he must be praised by persons who are like camel, asses, dogs, hogs. That means, "No human being will praise him." If he is voted or praised, the vote must be coming from the asses, dogs, hogs, like that. That is going on. Asses, hogs, dogs, camels, they are giving vote.

Lecture on SB 2.3.19 -- Los Angeles, June 15, 1972:

To realize Kṛṣṇa and go back to Him, that should be our main business. But these karmīs, they do not know what is the mission of this human form of life. They are busy working hard, day and night, for a morsel of grass. That's all. Yan maithunādi-gṛha... There are many other verses. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham (SB 7.9.45). So śāstra, intelligence, knowledge, means one should study everything very critically, "What is my position? What is my duty?" We should not be like the animals. Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-khara. Now we have got our great personalities, leaders. They are praised, eulogized, our, these political leaders. "Our Hitler," "Our Gandhi," "Our Churchill," "Our Nixon." But śāstra says these leaders, those who are not spiritual leaders, those who cannot give our life, they are worshiped by these classes of animals, animals.

Lecture on SB 2.3.19 -- Los Angeles, June 15, 1972:

They are becoming the great philosophers, leaders, scientists. They have no knowledge of Kṛṣṇa, no knowledge of God. Still, they are leading the society. And who praise them? This class of men-dogs, hogs, camels, and asses. This is the verdict. Now you can challenge. You can talk, if it is right or wrong. This is the challenge given by Bhāgavatam, that "Persons who have no knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they are praised by these dogs, hogs, camels, and asses." This is the challenge. Now how can you refute it? Can you refute it? This is a great challenge.

Lecture on SB 2.9.7 -- Tokyo, April 24, 1972:

Everyone is son of God, but one who is acting as real son of God, he is praised, "He is my only son." This idea, not that God is limited to produce only one son. Why? God has unlimited sons. He is unlimited. If an ordinary man can beget hundreds of sons, just like Dhṛtarāṣṭra... There are many instances..., Ṛṣabhadeva. So why God should be restricted to beget only one son? I asked this question in church to some Christian priest, that "God is limited or unlimited?" He said, "Unlimited." "Then why you are restricting, limited one son?" He could not answer. You know that? Why you are limiting? He is unlimited.

Lecture on SB 3.25.5-6 -- Bombay, November 5, 1974:

Just like these Māyāvādīs, they cannot understand that this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa name is actually getting direct association with Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī in Benares, He considered Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as a crazy fellow. Crazy fellow. Why? Now, because He was sannyāsī, and He was not reading Vedānta-sūtra. He was simply chanting and dancing. So some devotee of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu very much praised Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu at the, in the presence of Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, and Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī became very angry, "Ah, don't talk of this rascal sannyāsī. He is a sannyāsī, He does not read Vedānta-sūtra, and in sentimental moods He chants and dances. Don't talk about Him. Better don't go there." So that devotee became very sorry, and he arranged a meeting between this Māyāvādī sannyāsī and Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Lecture on SB 4.14.14 -- November 16, 1971, Delhi:

So our point was that this Mādhavendra Purī, when he got that pot of condensed milk, kṣīra, and the priest praised him, "Oh, you are such a great devotee that Kṛṣṇa has stolen for you this earthen, I mean to say, the condensed milk. So you take it." And he bowed down before him, took his dust of the lotus feet. Then Mādhavendra thought that "Now I have got this pot of condensed milk, next morning it will be advertised, and people will come in throng to congratulate me. So better leave this place immediately." That means he did not want to be advertised as a great devotee. He left, but immediately as he reached Jagannātha Purī, the news was already there, and every man came to congratulate him, "Oh, Mādhavendra Purī, you are so great devotee that Kṛṣṇa has stolen this condensed milk. We have heard it."

Lecture on SB 5.5.17 -- Vrndavana, November 5, 1976:

Here is our prime minister. But what is he? He is elected by the śūdras, so he is a big śūdra, that's all. How you can expect nice things? If you say, "Now he is elected President, he is so much honored and he's exalted post, His Excellency," so Bhāgavata says, "Yes. This is all good, but by whom he is praised?" Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. Just like lion. Lion is very strong animal. He is considered to be the king of the forest. So all other small animals, they are very much afraid of, very respectful. But does it mean because he is lion he is not an animal? He is animal. He may be lion, very powerful, very strong, he can subdue others. But that does not mean he is any advanced intelligent person like brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya. This is going on.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Honolulu, May 7, 1976:

The nature is instrument. Just like any machine. Take typewriter machine. The typewriter machine or any machine, working very nicely, but the machine is not working nicely. The man, the person who is typing, he is doing nicely. There may be wonderful machine, computer, but there must be one actor, one manipulator. So the, this nature is an instrument only. The actually worker is Kṛṣṇa. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā: mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). But these rascals, they are praising the machine. They have no information that who is the person, what is the brain behind this machine. That is ignorance. That is the difference between the so-called scientists and devotee. A devotee knows that all these wonderful things which are happening, behind this thing there is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 6.1.9 -- Los Angeles, June 22, 1975:

Lion is considered as the king of the animals, paśu rāja. Actually, he is the king in the jungle. Everyone is afraid of him, he is so powerful. Even the elephant is afraid of the lion. So if the lion is praised by some small animals, does it mean the lion is not animal? Has it any value like the human being? No. Still he is animal. Even though the small animals are praising, giving votes, "You become president," (laughter) but who is these voters? Another animal. This is democracy. The small animals are voting the big animal. So how you can expect peace? That much I have already explained. So this is not civilization, that the small animals giving vote to the big animals to occupy the government. That is going on. This will not help.

Lecture on SB 6.1.50 -- Detroit, August 3, 1975:

So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is very kind that without considering whether he is a siddha or viddha or anything else—"Let them take Kṛṣṇa-prema." Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī prayed to Caitanya Mahāprabhu,

namo mahā-vadānyāya

kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te

kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-

nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ

(CC Madhya 19.53)

He understood that "Here is Kṛṣṇa, but He has come now in the most liberal way. Everyone He is giving kṛṣṇa-prema." How? "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, dance, and become a lover of Kṛṣṇa." So nice. Simply by chanting and dancing, one is becoming... Practical it is. All these boys and girls, four or five years ago they did not know who is Kṛṣṇa. That is surprising to everyone. The whole world is praising this movement because they see practically that how these European-American boys and girls are so much absorbed in the thought of Kṛṣṇa. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's gift. Namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te, kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmne (CC Madhya 19.53).

Lecture on SB 7.5.23-24 -- Vrndavana, March 31, 1976:

According to Nārada-pañcarātra, one should be free from all designation. Just like you boys from America and Europe, you have forgotten your designation. Therefore you are advanced, and people are very much praising that "How these Europeans, Americans have become nice devotee." They do not know that they are no longer Americans or Europeans. They are devotees, Kṛṣṇa's servant. This is sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). So long we shall think that "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am African," there is no possibility of advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This teaching we have got from the greatest authority, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He said that "I am not a brāhmaṇa; I am not a kṣatriya; I am not a vaiśya; I am not a śūdra; neither I am a brahmacārī or gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. I am simply servant of the servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa (CC Madhya 13.80)."

Lecture on SB 7.9.3 -- Mayapur, February 10, 1976:

Just like here, these boys. If you insult, he doesn't care for it because he is child. Or if you praise him, he does not think himself very much puffed up. This is child's nature. So Prahlāda Mahārāja was in that position. He didn't care. His father wanted to chastise him in so many ways. He didn't care. He (was) always thinking, "He is my father. He is joking. That's all." This is simplicity. This is simplicity. This simplicity is very valuable. So Prahlāda Mahārāja was in that position. Therefore Brahmā selected him, that "My dear Prahlāda, my dear child, please approach the Lord. You can try to pacify Him."

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Montreal, July 2, 1968:

Kṛṣṇa is also so nice that He will be pleased if anything offer. You offer little water, little flower, little... And devotees are still higher. If you simply offer a devotee a little sweet words, oh, he is very pleased. You see? That is the nature of devotee. Devotee does not want anything from you. They simply want that you... Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, he said... He has got a nice song that "If you simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, oh, I become sold to you." Nityānanda Prabhu also says like that. So to please a devotee is very nice. Therefore our process is to take shelter of a devotee. Directly we don't approach Kṛṣṇa. Gopī-bhartur pāda-kamalayor dāsa-dāsanudāsa. Therefore in Vṛndāvana you will see everyone is praising Rādhārāṇī because Rādhārāṇī is very quickly pleased. And as soon as Rādhārāṇī is pleased, Kṛṣṇa is automatically pleased. This is the process.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Mayapur, February 15, 1976:

Prahlāda Mahārāja is considering himself born of a father, Hiraṇyakaśipu, as ugra-karma. So he's saying, harir ugra-jāteḥ, that the... Brahmādayaḥ sura-gaṇa, "Lord Brahmā and other demigods, they are coming from the higher planetary system, and they are in the sattvika guṇa, sattva-guṇa. They are not ordinary person." Just like coming from some pious pilgrimage, he's supposed to be very nice man, similarly, brahmādayaḥ, they are coming from svarga-loka. Why svarga-loka is better than this loka? The thing is, in the svarga-loka, although they are attached to material enjoyment, still, they are great devotees. Therefore svarga-loka is praised. They are not like us. Here, those who are attached to material prosperity, they forget Kṛṣṇa, or God.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Mayapur, February 15, 1976:

There are many lokas, Caraṇaloka, other. They are all described. So if there is chance, we shall present these lokas, how they are situated, where they are situated, how they are moving, how the sun is moving around them. The sun is not fixed up; sun is moving. So all these things, we have got such dream to show. If there is opportunity, we shall do, the Siddhas, and the sura-gaṇās and the munayas. But because they are on the planetary system, higher planetary system... There are three planetary systems. One is called higher, ūrdhvaloka, and middle, madhyaloka, bhūr, bhuvaḥ, sva, up to Svargaloka... We are chanting Gāyatrī, om bhūr bhuvaḥ sva tat savitur vareṇyaṁ bhargo devasya dhīmahi. These are praising the lokas, different planetary system, of which the sunlight is the chief. Savitur sakala-grahāṇām. He is the chief of all planets.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Mayapur, February 17, 1976:

I think in China and Korea they are very much fond of dog-eating. So they are the lowest. So if... So here it is proof that dog-eaters or pig-eaters or any low-grade man is not prohibited to become a devotee. That is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. They say that without becoming a Hindu or born in India, nobody can become brāhmaṇa, nobody can become sannyāsī. But here is the proof. In the śāstra it says, śvapacaṁ variṣṭham. The dog-eater is also highly praised. When? Tad-arpita-mano-vacana: "When he sacrifices everything—his body, his mind, his words—only for Kṛṣṇa." This is called tri-daṇḍa-sannyāsa.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

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

It is not a question of any personal religion or personal ambition or something manufactured by some imperfect sense enjoyer. It is authorized because Bhagavad-gītā is authorized. Bhagavad-gītā is accepted... First of all, He was, it was accepted by Arjuna in toto. Sarvam etad ṛtaṁ manye yad vadasi keśava (BG 10.14). "My dear Kṛṣṇa, whatever You are saying, I accept it in toto, without any interpretation, without any rejection." Somebody says, somebody may say, "Arjuna was Kṛṣṇa's friend. To praise Him, he might have said like that." No. Arjuna immediately gives evidence that "It is not that I am accepting but you are accepted as, as such by such great personalities as, like Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Asita." He gives authority. So that was five thousand years ago.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973:

Just like there is a famous joker, Gopāla Bon, in Bengal. So one day the king asked him, "Gopāla, what is the difference between you and an ass?" So he immediately measured the distance from the king. He said, "It is three feet only, sir. The difference is only three feet." So everyone began to laugh. And the king enjoyed that insult. Because sometimes it is required. So Kṛṣṇa also... Everyone praises Him in exalted position. Everyone. That is Kṛṣṇa's position—the Supreme Lord. In Vaikuṇṭha, there is only praising. There is no such thing. But in Vṛndāvana Kṛṣṇa is free to accept insult from His devotee. The people do not know that, what is Vṛndāvana life. So devotees are so exalted.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

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

Kṛṣṇa Caitanya is Kṛṣṇa. That was observed by Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya. He composed one hundred verses praising the glories of Lord Caitanya, but because Caitanya Mahāprabhu was playing the part of a devotee, He threw away the ślokas, because "This is not for Me." That was Caitanya Mahāprabhu's humbleness. But the devotees know that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa Himself. Śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya rādhā-kṛṣṇa nahe anya. Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa combination of Śrī Caitanya... Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu means Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa combined. In the beginning there is Kṛṣṇa, and then Kṛṣṇa divided into two, Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. And then again combined, that is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

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

Just like in human society, those who are dog-eaters, they are considered the lowest of the human society, similarly, amongst the animals, the hog is considered to be the lowest of the animals because it eats stool. But Kṛṣṇa took the appearance of a hog. That does not mean that Kṛṣṇa has become a hog. He is fully independent. And what sort of hog? That hog was covering practically half of the universe. It, He was so big. And in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, there is very nice explanation of the incarnation of hog. The... And They were being praised. The incarnation of hog was being praised from higher planets. The higher planets, three higher planets, they are resided by most pious men. They are called Janaloka, Tapoloka and Satyaloka.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.109-114 -- San Francisco, February 20, 1967:

Śaṅkarācārya was covered devotee. He's covered devotee. His aim was to bring men to the standard of devotional service, but the time and circumstances in which he was preaching, he could not place his real object because they were unable to understand. At last, at the end of his life, he composed so many poetries in praise of Vṛndāvana-līlā, and especially his very famous Catpar pandika (?), that is, he has stated,

bhaja govindaṁ bhaja govindaṁ

bhaja govindaṁ mūḍha-mate

prāpte sannihite kāla maraṇe

na hi na hi rakṣati ḍukṛñ-karaṇe

"My dear foolish brothers, you kindly worship Kṛṣṇa, Govinda..." Thrice he has said, bhaja govindaṁ bhaja govindaṁ bhaja govindaṁ mūḍha-mate. Mūḍha-mate means "You foolish nonsense, you kindly worship Govinda." Why? Now, prāpte sannihite kāla maraṇe: "When death will be nearer, your this grammatical interpretation, ḍukṛñ karaṇe, this pratha (?), that pratha (?), arguing, jugglery of words, will not save you, will not save you. You please worship Govinda." That is his instruction. And there are many others.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.149-50 -- Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971:

Brahmājī is praising the fortune of the residents of Vṛndāvana, vrajaukasām, headed by... Vrajaukasām means the residents of the Vrajabhūmi, headed by Nanda Mahārāja. Aho bhāgyam aho bhāgyaṁ nanda-gopa-vrajaukasām, yan mitraṁ paramānandaṁ brahma. Kṛṣṇa was there. So Brahmā is admitting that this Kṛṣṇa is parabrahman sanātanam. So we have to take evidence from the authorities. There are twelve authorities according to śāstra. Brahmā is one of the authorities.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- New York, November 22, 1966:

Everyone who has no spiritual knowledge, who does not know what he is, still, he is very much proud that he's very learned. So such kind of learning may be praised materially, but spiritually it has no value. Spiritually it has no value, because this is temporary, temporary. Just like by force, so many people is posted on the king's position, but after five years, ten years, again he's a common man. So similarly, all this material acquisition, they have no permanent value. Therefore those who are actually learned, they don't give any importance to this material acquisition.

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

Vedic culture does not mean to become a big dog. No. That is not Vedic culture. In the śāstra it is said that śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ (SB 2.3.19). Puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. In this material world, without any spiritual knowledge, if one is adored, it is just like the small animals in the jungle is praising the big animal, the lion. The lion is an animal and the small rabbit or other animals, they are also animals. So the rabbits are very much afraid of lion. That is a fact. And they worship the... This morning we were discussing one story, how a rabbit entangled one lion and saved his life. So here in this material world, similarly, the small animal may be afraid of the big animal, but the big animal or small animal, they are animals.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 21.62-67 -- New York, January 6, 1966:

The introduction was there. They sat down. And then Nimāi Paṇḍita requested, "So, I have heard that you are a very vastly learned scholar, and from your feature also I can understand, so best thing will be that you compose some poetry in praising Ganges." Because they were on the bank of the Ganges, and it is a Hindu system... Ganges water is considered very sacred, and there are many prayers of Ganges. Patita-dharaṇī gaṅge. Patita-dharaṇī gaṅge. Ganges is the shelter for all the fallen souls. She can deliver. Śaṅkarācārya had composed many poems on the Ganges. There are many poetry on the Ganges. So Keśava Kāśmīrī was very learned scholar. Without any hesitation, he began to compose Sanskrit verses in praising Ganges. So he composed about one hundred verses immediately while talking.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.19-31 -- San Francisco, January 20, 1967:

Amongst the Māyāvāda sannyāsīs, the etiquette is to address one another as Nārāyaṇa. They say, "namo nārāyaṇa," "Everyone is Nārāyaṇa." I address you, "namo nārāyaṇa," and you address me, "namo nārāyaṇa." A mutual praising society of Nārāyaṇas. Nārāyaṇa eko āsīt. In the Vedas it is said that only Nārāyaṇa was before creation. So after creation, all these living entities became Nārāyaṇa. This is their philosophy, that "There is no separate Nārāyaṇa. Nārāyaṇa has manifested pantheism. Nārāyaṇa has manifested Himself in so many varieties. And the varieties is closed; then again, Nārāyaṇa remains." So this Māyāvāda sannyāsīs, they address one another as "Nārāyaṇa." And Caitanya Mahāprabhu was also a sannyāsī, so he is addressing Caitanya Mahāprabhu as the supreme Nārāyaṇa, as the chief Nārāyaṇa.

Festival Lectures

Sri Vyasa-puja -- Hamburg, September 5, 1969:

All this eulogization about me, people, outsider, may think that "This man is being flattered and he is hearing his own eulogization." But that is not the fact. It is the test, how they are receiving the message sincerely and they (are) expressing their feeling. So it is going to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As it has come through the channel of disciplic succession, all these praises will also reach to Kṛṣṇa through that disciplic succession. So it is not personal thing. These things are required. Just like in the military training, they are taught by the officers in a different way, in so many ways. Similarly, this is also training of Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that the feeling of pure consciousness will reach to Kṛṣṇa.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Lecture -- Atlanta, March 2, 1975:

When Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that all over the world His message will be broadcast, does it mean that it will be simply a cinema show? No. He wanted that everyone should become perfect Vaiṣṇava. That is His purpose. It is not to make a farce, some lecturing and..., or some mutual praising society. No. It is Krishna Society. Everyone who will join this Krishna Society movement, he is more than a brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa, what is brāhmaṇa? Brāhmaṇa is also material. A devotee is more than brāhmaṇa. The brahminical culture is included already. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ: "Brāhmaṇa means one who knows the Absolute Truth, Brahman." He is brāhmaṇa. But that is not very fixed up. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). Brahman is impersonal effulgence, and then further progress, realization of the localized aspect, Paramātmā, Antaryāmī, and finally, understanding the Supreme Person, Kṛṣṇa, Supreme Person, that is the final understanding.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Lecture -- San Francisco, July 15, 1975:

So deva means the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is praised by the Vedic mantra. Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva and all the demigods, they are offering their prayers. The Sāma Veda is singing in glorification of the Supreme Lord. The yogis, they are always seeing the Supreme Lord within the heart, core of heart. So that is deva. Devāya tasmai namaḥ. So yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau (ŚU 6.23). Anyone who has got unflinching faith in God... God means Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). So anyone who has got unflinching faith in God and similar faith in guru, then the Vedic purpose becomes revealed to him.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation of Satyabhama Dasi and Gayatri Initiation of Devotees Going to London -- Montreal, July 26, 1968:

In any country, in any religion, anyone who has tried to spread God consciousness to the people, they are all respectable persons. Those who are atheist, those who do not believe in God or those who personally declare that "I am God," we have nothing to do with such persons. But anyone in any country who accepts God as the Supreme, Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28), such persons are respectable persons and we should offer our always respect to them. We have... Unnecessarily we do not want to criticize anyone. But when there is necessity, because we are preacher, it may be sometimes you'll be faced with opposite elements, so we have to criticize in that respect. Generally we don't praise or eulogize somebody or criticize somebody. That is not our business. Our business is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, God consciousness, always thinking that we are eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa.

General Lectures

Address to Indian Association -- Columbus, May 11, 1969:

They are not sannyāsī, neither they are Vedāntist, neither they are Hindus, neither they are Indian. But they have taken this movement very seriously. Here one lady from London, she has come. She was very much praising about their movement. And in London Times there was an article. They said that "Kṛṣṇa Chanting Startles London." So we have got many followers now. All my disciples till now, at least in this country, they are all Americans and Europeans. They are chanting, dancing. They are issuing paper, Back to Godhead. Now we have published so many books, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, Teachings of Lord Caitanya.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Śyāmasundara: Just a few more minutes and then it's finished. He says that art is a combination of spiritual content and sensuous form, that this is really art, that the artist should try to form spiritual content with these material...

Prabhupāda: That we are doing, whenever we are painting picture, art, music, we are praising Kṛṣṇa with it. Our music, our painting, our anything, we center Kṛṣṇa.

Śyāmasundara: He says that of all arts, that music and poetry are the highest.

Prabhupāda: Yes, so therefore we write, Vyāsadeva has written so many nice poetries in praise of Kṛṣṇa. Brahmā is writing, cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam (Bs. 5.29). All sages, they write praise of Kṛṣṇa.

Philosophy Discussion on Plato:

Hayagrīva: ...for when it deteriorates, it degenerates into mob rule.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes, that's a fact, very good. But the best thing is monarchy, because if the monarch is rājarṣi, he is not only king... That is necessary. Kṛṣṇa wants that, that the government should be ruled; therefore we praise, offer so much respect to Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, Mahārāja Parīkṣit and Lord Rāmacandra, how to become an ideal king. He is Personality of Godhead. He showed how to become Rāma-rājya. So this is very good because it is not expensive. One man is maintained by the state very nicely, and nowadays these democracies' mob rule means instead of one king there are 300,000 kings in a state, and they are looting the hard-earned money by income tax, and everything is so polluted. So the condemnation of democracy is supported by us. It is mob rule. It has no value.

Purports to Songs

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

He is Kṛṣṇa, but at present He has assumed the name of Kṛṣṇa-caitanya. Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya also appreciated Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He made one hundred verses about Caitanya Mahāprabhu, but Caitanya Mahāprabhu, just to teach us, He destroyed the ślokas, "Oh, it is too much praising Me." So anyway, some of the ślokas were saved. Two of them are mentioned in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta.