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Reading Bhagavad-gita (Lectures, BG)

Expressions researched:
"Bhagavad-gita should be read" |"Professor Einstein, he was reading regularly" |"rascal is reading" |"read Bhagavad-gita" |"read at least one chapter of Bhagavad-gita" |"read from Bhagavad-gita" |"read the entire Bhagavad-gita" |"reading Bhagavad-gita" |"reading and hearing such scriptures" |"reads Bhagavad-gita" |"reads the scriptures—never mind"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

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

The Lord says, yaḥ prayāti sa mad-bhāvaṁ yāti nāsty atra saṁśayaḥ (BG 8.5). There is no doubt. One should not disbelieve. That is the question. So you are reading Bhagavad-gītā throughout the whole life, but when the Lord speaks something which does not tally with our imagination, we reject it. That is not the process of Bhagavad-gītā reading. Just like Arjuna said that sarvam etaṁ ṛtam manye, "I believe in everything, whatever You have said." Similarly, hear, hearing. The Lord says that at the time of death, whoever thinks of Him, either as Brahman or Paramātmā or the Personality of Godhead, certainly he enters into the spiritual sky and there is no doubt about it. One should not disbelieve it. And the process is, general rule is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, how one can, how it is possible to get into the spiritual kingdom simply by thinking of the Supreme at the time of death.

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

So another advantage is that if one reads Bhagavad-gītā very sincerely and with all seriousness, then by the grace of the Lord, the reactions of his past misdeeds will not act upon him. The Lord says very loudly in the Bhagavad-gītā in the last portion, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ (BG 18.66). The Lord takes the responsibility. One who surrenders unto the Lord, He takes the responsibility to indemnify, to indemnify from all reactions of sins.

Introduction to Bhagavad-gita As It Is -- Los Angeles, November 23, 1968 :

Prabhupāda: Somebody come read Bhagavad-gītā. You will read? Come on. Our publication by Macmillan Company, Bhagavad-gītā, is out.

Devotee: Where shall I read from?

Prabhupāda: Introduction.

Devotee: This is the introduction to Bhagavad-gītā As It Is.

nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale
śrīmate bhaktivedānta-svāmin iti nāmine

"The Bhagavad-gītā is also known as the Gītopaniṣad. It is the essence of the Vedic knowledge and one of the most important Upaniṣads in Vedic literature. There are many commentaries on the Bhagavad-gītā, and the necessity for another should be explained in the following basis. An American lady asked me to recommend an English edition of the Bhagavad-gītā which she could read. I was unable to do so in good conscience. Of course there are many translations, but of those I have seen, not only in America but those also in India, none can be said to be authoritative, because in almost every one of them the author has expressed his personal opinion through the commentaries without touching the spirit of the Bhagavad-gītā as it is.

Introduction to Bhagavad-gita As It Is -- Los Angeles, November 23, 1968 :

Now here is another point, that everyone is reading Bhagavad-gītā. The..., it is clearly stated how Bhagavad-gītā should be accepted. Bhagavad-gītā was spoken to Arjuna, and Arjuna accepted it in his own understanding, whatever he understood. That is also stated. Therefore we have to place ourselves in the position of Arjuna and accept the truth as Arjuna directly received it. That is understanding of Bhagavad-gītā. That is stated in the Tenth Chapter, how Arjuna accepted Bhagavad-gītā and Kṛṣṇa. That is explained. Yes.

Lecture on BG 1.4-5 -- London, July 10, 1973:

The question may be raised there. But the thing is that nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe, whenever there is connection with Kṛṣṇa, that also becomes Kṛṣṇa. This is a subtle form of philosophical understanding. Nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe. If there is relationship with Kṛṣṇa... Therefore the sahajiyās, they do not read Bhagavad-gītā. They say, "We have nothing to do with Bhagavad-gītā." They jump over to the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Tenth Canto, Kṛṣṇa's rāsa-līlā, as if Kṛṣṇa is connected with rāsa-līlā and not with this līlā. They make distinction. Kṛṣṇa's this fighting līlā, pastimes, and the rāsa-līlā pastime, they are all the same because Kṛṣṇa is the center. Kṛṣṇa being center, whatever in connection with Kṛṣṇa is there, that becomes also Kṛṣṇa. This is the idea.

Lecture on BG 1.28-29 -- London, July 22, 1973:

As soon as you get some opportunity, preach. What is that preach? Preaching, Caitanya Mahāprabhu has advised us, yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). This is preaching. "Whoever you meet, simply speak of the instruction of Kṛṣṇa." So if you are advanced, if you know what is the instruction of Kṛṣṇa by reading Bhagavad-gītā, you can preach to others. And if you have not read anything, suppose you do not know anything, then you can also preach. What is that? "Just become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, my dear sir." That's all. This is also preaching. "Just surrender to Kṛṣṇa." You go door to door. If you cannot do anything, simply say, "My dear sir, you are very good man. Oh, you are very intelligent man. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." Sakalam eva vihāya dūrāt. This preaching was taught by Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī. Dante nidhāya tṛṇakaṁ padayor nipatya kāku-śataṁ kṛtvā ca ahaṁ bravīmi. This is the preaching process. Dante nidhāya tṛṇakam.

Lecture on BG 1.41-42 -- London, July 29, 1973:

Utmost, half an hour. Not more than that. So within half an hour, this Bhagavad-gītā was taught to Arjuna, and he could understand it, and then he agreed to fight. Yes, naṣṭo mohaḥ smṛtir labdhā, kariṣye vacanaṁ tava. (BG 18.73) How much advanced he was in education and learning, just imagine. At the present moment they are reading Bhagavad-gītā years after years, big, big scholars, big, big theologians and... But they cannot understand. After reading Bhagavad-gītā, they are accusing Kṛṣṇa as immoral. One professor in Oxford University, he is a student or professor of Bhagavad-gītā, has written book. Now his conclusion is that Kṛṣṇa is immoral. That means he could not understand Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā cannot be understood by any demon or third-class man. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa said to Arjuna that: "I am speaking to you the same Bhagavad-gītā (BG 4.1), science of God, which I spoke millions of years ago to the sun-god, because the paramparā is lost and I have picked up you because bhakto 'si me priyo 'si (BG 4.3), you are very dear friend and bhakta."

Lecture on BG 1.44 -- London, July 31, 1973:

No. Don't think like that. It must be guided, it must be confirmed by guru. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). Bhakti line is there. So our business is, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is that we have to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. That reference by that Professor Zaehner, that one rogue, he did by his whims, and he alleged that "After reading Bhagavad-gītā violence, he committed this violence." So did he take permission from Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa's representative? But he does not know the technique. He has unnecessarily accused, committed a great offense to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. So therefore inexperienced persons, they should not try to teach Bhagavad-gītā to others because he has no knowledge. This knowledge has to be received by paramparā system. Evam paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). So simply by academic career, by knowledge of ABCD, you cannot understand Bhagavad-gītā. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me (BG 4.3), without becoming bhakta...

Lecture on BG 2.1-10 and Talk -- Los Angeles, November 25, 1968:

He's so beautiful, His instructions are so nice. If we simply remember Kṛṣṇa... That was the perfection approved by Lord Caitanya. I think I have narrated the story. When Lord Caitanya was traveling in South India in a big temple, Raṅganātha temple, He went to see the Deity, and He saw one brāhmaṇa was reading Bhagavad-gītā. And people were joking him, "Oh, Mr. brāhmaṇa, how you are reading Bhagavad-gītā?" Because they were the neighbors, they knew that this brāhmaṇa was illiterate and he was studying Bhagavad-gītā. So they were joking. But the brāhmaṇa did not care them. He was taking the book and in his own way he was reading. Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw this incident, He came to the brāhmaṇa. So He asked the brāhmaṇa, "My dear brāhmaṇa, what you are reading?" So he could understand "This persons is not joking with me; He is serious." So he explained, "My dear sir, I am reading Bhagavad-gītā. Unfortunately, I am illiterate. I do not know even the alphabets." "Why you are reading Bhagavad-gītā?" So he said that, "My spiritual master knows that I am illiterate, but still, he has asked me to read Bhagavad-gītā. What can I do? Therefore I have taken this book. I am seeing simply. I do not know how to read." "Oh, that's all right. You cannot read.

Lecture on BG 2.7-11 -- New York, March 2, 1966:

We are not reading, but Dr. Radhakrishnan, one of the greatest scholars of the world—now he is the president of India—he is discussing. Professor Einstein, he was living here in America. He was a German Jew, and I think he was living in America. He was a great student of this Bhagavad-gītā. Hitler. Hitler was a great student of Bhagavad-gītā. And there were many scholars still reading Bhagavad-gītā, trying to understand. Just see what best depth of knowledge He has given. It is made by Kṛṣṇa. So in knowledge, in wealth, in strength, in beauty, and in everything He was opulent. Therefore He is Bhagavān. You cannot accept any ordinary man as Bhagavān. So therefore Bhagavān. Now, bhagavān uvāca. And because He has been accepted as the spiritual master... Just like a teacher has the right to sometimes rebuke the student, so in the first instance He is rebuking Arjuna in the following words that

aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ
prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase
gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca
nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ
(BG 2.11)

that "Arjuna, you are speaking just like a very great, learned man, but you are... You are... In other words, you are a fool. You do not know how things are going on because paṇḍitāḥ, those who are learned men, they would not have lamented just like you are doing."

Lecture on BG 2.10 -- London, August 16, 1973:

And because he is devotee, he is perfectly playing in such a way that Kṛṣṇa is giving instruction. So perfect teacher and the perfect disciple, Arjuna. We have to learn from their de... Our position... Arjuna is representing just like ordinary man like us, and Kṛṣṇa is Hṛṣīkeśa, giving His advice, perfect advice. If we take, if we read Bhagavad-gītā in the spirit of understanding like Arjuna, the perfect disciple, and if we accept the advice and the instruction of Kṛṣṇa, the perfect teacher, then we should know that we have understood Bhagavad-gītā. By my mental speculation, by rascal interpretation, by showing one's scholarship, you cannot understand Bhagavad-gītā. That is not possible. Submissive. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). So we have to surrender as Arjuna, he surrendered. Śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam: (BG 2.7) "I surrender unto You. I become Your disciple." To become disciple means to surrender, voluntarily accepting the instruction, the advice, the order of the spiritual master. So Arjuna has already accepted that. Although he is speaking that na yotsye, "Kṛṣṇa, I shall not fight." But master, when He explains everything, he will fight. Master's order. Not to fight, that is his own sense gratification. And to fight in spite of he had no desire to fight, that is the satisfaction of the master. This is the sum and substance of Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- London, August 18, 1973:

What is called? Homogeneous spirit. No. Then Kṛṣṇa is false. The Māyāvādī theory accepted, that we become one lump sum, then Kṛṣṇa's theory... Not theory, Kṛṣṇa's actual knowledge. Then it becomes false. And if Kṛṣṇa speaks false, something defective, then where is the use of reading Bhagavad-gītā? Why should we read Bhagavad-gītā which is spoken by a person who is defective? No. That's not... What Kṛṣṇa is speaking, that is fact. Otherwise, why Bhagavad-gītā is given so importance? So, so Māyāvādī philosophers, they try to interpret in a different way, " 'I' means this, 'you' means that," some... (end)

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Hyderabad, November 19, 1972:

So it is dharma-kṣetra by Vedic version, by practical example. Dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre (BG 1.1). But somebody's interpreting Kurukṣetra as this body. From which dictionary he can get this meaning, that Kurukṣetra means this body? This kind of interpretation is going on. But our proposition is that if you want to be benefited by reading Bhagavad-gītā, don't read such malinterpretation. Read Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Then you will be benefited. Kuru-kṣetre dharma-kṣetre. It is a fact. Kurukṣetra is dharma-kṣetra. Samavetā yuyutsavaḥ: (BG 1.1) And the persons assembled there, namely, the Pāṇḍavas and the Kauravas, they wanted to fight. Yuyutsavaḥ. That's all right. Where is the interpretation? They wanted to fight. They selected a nice place, dharma-kṣetra, Kurukṣetra, and there they fought. So it is, meaning is clear. Why there should be interpretation that "The Pāṇḍava means the five senses and the Kurukṣetra means this body"? Why? Why? Where is the necessity of such interpretation? Interpretation is required where things are not clear.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Hyderabad, November 19, 1972:

Because there was no adulteration. So our request is try to understand Bhagavad-gītā without adulteration. Try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is presented. Then you will get knowledge. Otherwise, you will remain in the same ignorance, before reading Bhagavad-gītā and after reading Bhagavad-gītā. This is our proposal.

Here Kṛṣṇa says that dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). Dehī, deha. Deha means this body, and dehī means the owner of the body. There is the owner of the body. Now, modern scientists, modern philosophers, hardly they do know that there is a proprietor, owner of this body. This body is not the person. The person is within. Asmin dehe. Within this body, there is the proprietor of the body, soul. Asmin dehe. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). Now kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā. The changes that are taking place, it is not of the owner of the body, but it is of the outward, external body. Just like if you live in a house. The house becoming older, it does not become, does not mean you are becoming older. The owner of the house does not become deteriorated. It is a crude example. Similarly, the changes, difference, the different types of body, the soul is migrating, transmigrating through different types of body.

Lecture on BG 2.13-17 -- Los Angeles, November 29, 1968:

Prabhupāda: Why you forget? I told you. I told you that we shall play and still you forgot?

Govinda dāsī: Well, I didn't.

Prabhupāda: Why do you forget that? All right, read Bhagavad-gītā. Where is Bhagavad-gītā? If possible, you can make shirts of flannel so that you keep warm. The same shirt, Punjabi, as it was brought from India? Same pattern shirt.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Sudāmā dāsa is making a shirt. Is that the kind?

Harṣarāṇī: We're making kurtās, but they're thin. But we're going to get... We'll make flannel also.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So that in cold also you'll...

Lecture on BG 2.14 -- London, August 20, 1973:

This is called ignorance. Therefore the śāstra says, tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovidaḥ. You are transmigrating from so many bodies, this body to that body. Now you have got the chance, human body. Now you can read Bhagavad-gītā. Now you can learn from Kṛṣṇa what is the problem of life. Utilize for that purpose. Don't be perplexed with this problem of this body. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ (BG 2.14). You should know... Just like the summer season comes. You should know, "It has come; it will go away. The winter season has come. It has come; it will go away." So just to try to protect yourself as far as possible, but you are not affected by such summer season or winter season. You should not be affected. Just like in India the temperature is sometimes 120, during... (break) ...season. Does it mean people will stop all their work? Or in your country, in the Western country, the winter is so strong that sometimes below zero, 30 degree. Does it mean that all of his work, everything, will be stopped?

Lecture on BG 2.16 -- London, August 22, 1973:

They cannot imagine. Their brain is so dull that they cannot think of, that we can become immortal. Then how Kṛṣṇa is speaking about immortality? Is He speaking something nonsense, utopian? No, He is speaking the fact. Otherwise, if Kṛṣṇa speaks something nonsense, utopian, then nobody would be interested to read Bhagavad-gītā. We may be third-class men, that we indulge in Bhagavad-gītā, and Kṛṣṇa is speaking something utopian, nonsense. But there are big, big ācāryas—Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya. Why they are giving attention to the reading of Bhagavad-gītā? Kṛṣṇa does not speak anything nonsense. It is fact. So if it is the fact that there is possibility of becoming immortal... That is sat.

So sat... Our business should be to be engaged in the sat platform, not in the asat platform. Asat platform, nonpermanent, or according to somebody's opinion, false. So false or nonpermanent, whatever it may be, the real human civilization should be based on the purpose of becoming immortal, sat, not asat.

Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Los Angeles, December 6, 1968:

So what is the number of Hindus? That is the, what is called, minority in the whole world. If you take calculation of other religion... I have seen the other day in the World Almanac the Hindus, the Hindus are the lowest. So how many Hindus are reading? In India not that 90% people are illiterate. So what they will read? And who is reading Bhagavad-gītā? It is all over the world. Still, you'll find in Germany Bhagavad-gītā is being read. In England you'll find. Even in Muhammadan countries you'll find, and what to speak of your country. There are so many editions of Bhagavad-gītā. I mean to say that see the importance of real literature.

Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Hyderabad, November 30, 1972:

Abhigacchet means "He must!" There is not that "I may go or I may not." No, you must. If you really serious. In our vaiṣṇava-paramparā also... vaiṣṇava-paramparā is actually Vedic paramparā. That ādau gurvāśrayam... Ādau gurvāśrayam: "To enter into the spiritual life, first thing is first of all to accept a guru." That is... All big, big stalwarts... Even Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva, the wonderful literature. This reading. We are reading Bhagavad-gītā. It is Vyāsadeva's literature. He heard from Kṛṣṇa and wrote it. And not only this. The Mahābhārata, the Purāṇas, the Vedānta-sūtra, and the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Wonderful literatures. There is no possibility of producing such literature by any scholar of these days. It is not possible. But he accepted guru, Nārada, Nārada Muni. When, after compiling all the Vedas, and Purāṇas, even Vedānta-sūtra, Vyāsadeva was not satisfied himself, he was seeming very morose, at that time, his spiritual master, Nārada, came, and he asked that "Why you are morose? You have done so much nice literary work. So why you are not very happy?"

Lecture on BG 2.27-38 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1968:

Hear about the soul, (for) the general people, it is amazing. Still, in the modern society, which is so proud of scientific advancement, so far soul is concerned, it is amazement. Nobody understands, still. And those who are hearing about the existence of soul, some of us also in amazement. It is a mysterious thing. And even after hearing... Just like some student. There are many students, they are reading Bhagavad-gītā, which confirms from the very beginning the existence of soul, but still, Bhagavad-gītā they are reading daily, they cannot understand what is soul. Amazement.

So about the soul and about God, the Supreme Soul, this is the problem of the material world. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavata says, naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghriṁ spṛśaty anarthāpagamo yad-arthaḥ (SB 7.5.32), niṣkiñcanānām... What is that? Mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo-'bhiṣekaṁ niṣkiñcanānāṁ na vṛṇīta yāvat.

Lecture on BG 2.49-51 -- New York, April 5, 1966:

So now, from Arjuna's activity, you can understand that what is spiritual platform and what is material platform.

Now, those who have studied Bhagavad-gītā up to the end, and I hope some of you have already read Bhagavad-gītā... Arjuna was a military man, and Kṛṣṇa was trying to induce him to his duty as military man, that "You must fight." But Arjuna was declining that "I cannot kill my relatives, my friends, my brothers, my teacher, my grandfather." That was his consideration. Now, this consideration is material platform. When we think of in relation with this body, that is material platform. Anything done in consideration of this body... This body means senses. The body means the senses. That means anything which we do for sense gratification, that is material. And anything which we do for the satisfaction of the Supreme, that is spiritual platform. That's all. So we have to discriminate "Whether I am working for sense gratification or whether I am working for the satisfaction of the Supreme?" If this art we can learn, then our life becomes spiritualized.

Lecture on BG 2.51-55 -- New York, April 12, 1966:

Now, Mahatma Gandhi, his philosophy was nonviolence. How could he prove that Bhagavad-gītā gives evidence of nonviolence? No. Therefore, anyone, Mahatma Gandhi or anyone, who has got his own ulterior motive, to prove it from the topics of Bhagavad-gītā, he must adulterate it. But that is not the process of reading Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā, how to read Bhagavad-gītā, that is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. When we come to the Fourth Chapter, we'll know. So anyway, apart from the process of... But rest assured, we are speaking here of the Bhagavad-gītā as it is. We are not going to add, add in it something for fulfilling our own philosophy, our own points of view.

Now here Lord Kṛṣṇa says that if you want to get rid of this entanglement of... What is that entanglement? Now, janma-bandha, janma-bandha. Oh, it is a great entanglement. People do not take it very seriously. Birth. Birth means, as soon as birth... Only the one word has been used here, janma. Janma means birth. Birth means other things. Birth means death. Birth means old age. Birth means disease. Whenever there is birth, the other things are corollaries.

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

The former "I" is the representative of mental speculation, when Arjuna decided that "I shall not fight. They are my relatives, they are my brothers; I cannot fight with them for the matter of kingdom. Rather, I shall forego; I shall become a beggar. I shall... I don't want this kingdom." He argued like that. But after reading Bhagavad-gītā, he said that "My illusion is now removed." Naṣṭo mohaḥ smṛtir labdhā: "My illusion is now removed, and I have got my consciousness by Your mercy. By Your mercy."

So here is the point, that without Lord's mercy, we cannot stand up on the pure consciousness platform. Therefore we have to pray to the Supreme Lord always. That is the instruction of Lord Caitanya. He, He has put up His prayers. I have got this paper. I'll distribute you, to you, after the meeting is over. That He says that "My dear Lord, Kṛṣṇa, somehow or other, I am fallen into this ocean of misunderstanding. Ocean of misunderstanding." The prayer is just like this.

Lecture on BG 3.17-20 -- New York, May 27, 1966:

That is authentic. That is authentic. Or from a confidential person who is confidence of me. Similarly, if you want to know Kṛṣṇa, then here is Bhagavad-gītā, spoken by Kṛṣṇa Himself. You just try to understand and you learn Kṛṣṇa. Or you learn confirmation. Suppose if you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa by reading Bhagavad-gītā, or by hearing Bhagavad-gītā, then you know that Bhagavad-gītā was spoken to Arjuna, and Arjuna has admitted about his understanding in the Tenth Chapter. So just try to understand Arjuna. How he understands? Either you understand Kṛṣṇa directly, or you understand through the authority who was spoken directly by the Lord.

So there is no difficulty to understand Kṛṣṇa. And if you understand Kṛṣṇa, your life is perfectly, I mean to say, all right. Then you get your life, complete perfection of your life. That is the whole literature. So here the Lord says, yas tu ātma-ratir eva syāt. Ātma-rati, one whose focus of life is simply for self-understanding...

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

Hare Kṛṣṇa. Yes. That's fine. (pause) Hare Kṛṣṇa. We shall begin Bhagavad-gītā. So I request you to come regularly so long I shall speak on the Bhagavad-gītā, and from the very beginning, I shall try to make you understand the process of reading Bhagavad-gītā and the conclusion of the Bhagavad-gītā. By analytical study, I shall try to present.

So Bhagavad-gītā is the science of God. Everything has scientific process of understanding. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, jñānaṁ me parama-guhyaṁ yad vijñāna-samanvitam. Knowledge or science of God is very confidential. This science is not ordinary science. It is very confidential. Jñānaṁ me parama-guhyaṁ yad vijñāna-samanvitam. Vijñāna means... Vi means specific. It is a specific knowledge, and it has to be understood by a specific process. Generally, we understand, we acquire knowledge by direct perception, experimental knowledge, direct perception. But bhagavad-vijñāna, the science of God, is so extensive and so intricate that it is not possible to apply our imperfect senses to understand the science of God. Then we have to understand with our senses. Otherwise what is the meaning of understanding?

Lecture on BG 4.2 -- Bombay, March 22, 1974:

As kṣatriya's business is to give protection to the citizens, human being, similarly, vaiśya's business is to give protection to the cows, not to send them to the slaughterhouse—to see the cows are very well-fed, they are fatty, strong, that they must be given food, sufficient food.

So because they do not read Bhagavad-gītā, they do not know how to maintain the whole society, therefore there is now chaos. Therefore it is needed. Imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ. The rāja, the kings, the government, or the government, they must study Bhagavad-gītā. Then it will be nice. Imaṁ rāja... And ṛṣayaḥ. Ṛṣayaḥ will give you... Ṛṣayaḥ means great saintly persons, the brāhmaṇas. They should give to the government men... But who is consulting the saintly persons? Just like we are trying to preach this Bhagavad-gītā. We are trying to give the essence of knowledge. Satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 9.14). Mahātmā. The symptoms of mahātmā is that he is always engaged in chanting the glories of the Lord. Satataṁ kīrtayanto mām (BG 9.14). The Bhagavad-gītā says that catur-vidhā bhajante mām: "Four classes of men comes to worship Me." Bhajana means sevā. Sevā. So sevā means bhakti. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam, arcanaṁ vandanam... (SB 7.5.23).

Lecture on BG 4.2 -- Bombay, March 22, 1974:

He's advanced. And because he's chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, he's creating nuisance. This is the government. Therefore the first teaching of Bhagavad-gītā should be taken by the persons who are going to be elected in the government service. The public should be aware of this. If somebody comes to canvass for votes, you should first inquire, "Whether you have read Bhagavad-gītā? Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi showed Bhagavad-gītā. Why should you not? Do you know what is Bhagavad-gītā? Then I shall give you vote. Otherwise get out." Rājarṣayo viduḥ. This is required now, if you want to be saved from the crisis that is coming very gradually. Crisis means there will be... Now in black market you can get things, means eatables, rice, wheat. But if you don't take to Bhagavad-gītā, there will be no more even if you pay black price. Just time it... That time is coming. There will be no more available. There will be no milk. There will be no more sugar, sugar. There will be no more rice. There will be no more wheat. No more fruits. Then you have to eat meat.

Lecture on BG 4.3-6 -- New York, July 18, 1966:

Now, here is Kṛṣṇa, the direct, I mean to say, highest authority. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). The Lord says that "There is no other superior personality than Me." And it has been accepted by great scholars. Otherwise, why Dr. Radhakrishnan would take so much trouble for commenting or reading Bhagavad-gītā? Why there are so many foreign scholars also in America, in England, in France, in Japan? All, they have... Why? Because it is an authority. So therefore we have to accept. To accept...

If we do not accept Kṛṣṇa the supreme authority and so not take His words as they are, then we cannot derive any benefit... It is not dogmatic. It is actually fact. It is not dogmatic. If you study scrutinizingly what Kṛṣṇa says, you'll find it is right. You'll find it, and if you take, if you follow... (kids screaming outside) Oh, they are making too much noise. Can you not ask them?

Lecture on BG 4.3-6 -- New York, July 18, 1966:

You'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā that ekāṁśena sthito jagat (BG 10.42). Ekāṁśena sthito jagat. This material manifestation, with innumerable universes, is only a one part of manifestation of the Supreme Lord. Ekāṁśena sthito jagat. These descriptions are there in the Bhagavad-gītā.

So we should always remember that we are reading Bhagavad-gītā and we should understand it as it is. We should not make any interpretation. That is a wrong thing. And if there was some necessity of interpretation, we should not think that Kṛṣṇa left the matter for being interpreted by in later age by some scholar. Oh, He could have disclosed it Himself. He was quite competent. No. There is no question of interpretation. We have to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is. If we cannot understand, that is a defect in me, not in the Bhagavad-gītā. So we have to find out the defect in me. So Lord Kṛṣṇa says, ajo 'pi sann avyayātmā bhūtānām īśvaro 'pi san: "Although I am the Lord, I am the Supreme Lord of everything and although I am unborn, aja, and avyayātmā, I have no change, still, prakṛtiṁ svām adhiṣṭhāya." Prakṛtiṁ svām.

Lecture on BG 4.5 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

Why spiritual knowledge? Even material knowledge. Now there are so many attempts to go to the moon planet. They are trying to go there by so many ascending processes, sputnik, airplanes, and so many things. Still, we do not know what is this planet.

But you read Bhagavad-gītā or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, you understand immediately what is this moon planet. It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā nakṣatrāṇām ahaṁ śaśī. Śaśī means this moon planet. You immediately understand that this moon planet is one of the stars. Just like the constitutional position of other stars, you understand the moon is like that. And they are searching after whether in the moon planet there is life or not, there is living condition or not. But you open Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, you'll find the description of the moon planet, how they are living, what is the constitution of the living creatures there. The soma-rasa, you have heard this word. The soma-rasa is beverage in the moon planet. So everything is there. And who can go there, and how one can go there. So this is perfect knowledge, to hear from the authorities.

Lecture on BG 4.6 -- Bombay, March 26, 1974:

So this rāsa-līlā is to relished by the paramahaṁsas, liberated souls. Nivṛtta-tarṣair upagīyamānāt. Vāstavaṁ vedyam. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsarāṇām (SB 1.1.2). Paramo nirmatsarāṇām. Vāstavaṁ vastu vedyam atra.

So we should not jump. First of all we should read Bhagavad-gītā very carefully. Try to understand Kṛṣṇa, what is Kṛṣṇa. Then we shall be fit to understand what is Bhāgavatam. The last conclusion of Bhagavad-gītā is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). If we can surrender to Kṛṣṇa wholeheartedly, then we become eligible to understand what is Kṛṣṇa. That is the... Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). We, if we are advanced in devotional service, then we become fit to understand Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 4.7 -- Montreal, June 13, 1968:

Similarly, in the temple of Guru-dvāras, Sikhs... (break) ...like the Hindus. And they also offer flower, fruits, and sweetmeat, but they read their Granthasahib. As we are reading Bhagavad-gītā they read Granthasahib enunciated by Guru Nanak. So this temple worship or accepting some authority, either you accept Kṛṣṇa or you accept Lord Jesus Christ or Jehovah or Lord Buddha or Guru Nanak, that is a different, I mean to say, kinds of faith, but this acceptance of authority is there in everywhere. Now who is the highest authority, that we have to see by understanding Vedic literature, by our arguments, by our sense, by our understanding. But this acceptance of authority is there.

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

So there are some philosophers. They do not agree to accept that God comes as incarnation. They do not believe in this theory. They say that "Why God shall come to this rotten world?" That is their vision.

But here, from the Bhagavad-gītā, we understand that God comes. We shall always remember that we are reading Bhagavad-gītā, and whatever is spoken in the Bhagavad-gītā, we have to, at least, we have to accept that. Otherwise, there is no question of reading this Bhagavad-gītā. Here the Lord says that "I am, I am present here as incarnation, and this is My mission." And as He comes with a mission, there are some activities.

Just like Lord Kṛṣṇa is taking part with Arjuna, and He's taking part in the battlefield of the Kurukṣetra. Just like ordinary man. When there is war between two parties, somebody takes part with this party, or somebody takes part, or some nation takes part with one party or another nation takes part with another nation.

Lecture on BG 4.8 -- Bombay, March 28, 1974:

Just like demons like Kaṁsa. He was also Kṛṣṇa conscious. What was his purpose? He was conscious Kaṁsa, he was making plan how to kill Kṛṣṇa. That's all. That is not anukūla. Ānukūlyena. We should be Kṛṣṇa conscious favorably. "What Kṛṣṇa wants and how can I serve Him?" That is anukūla. And "Kṛṣṇa wants this, I'll not do this. Rather I shall kill Kṛṣṇa. I shall read Bhagavad-gītā to kill Kṛṣṇa. There is no Kṛṣṇa. There was no Kṛṣṇa. There was no battlefield of Kurukṣetra. It is imaginary," that means the Kaṁsa's program, for killing Kṛṣṇa. So we should not adopt that. That is pratikūla, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, reading Kṛṣṇa's books but trying to kill Kṛṣṇa. So this is going on. "Not to Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa says man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), and a learned scholar, commentator is saying, "It is not to Kṛṣṇa, not to the person Kṛṣṇa." This is going on. This kind of consciousness will not help us. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167).

Lecture on BG 4.9 -- Bombay, March 29, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa is very kind. As soon as he begins reading Kṛṣṇa book with a little faith and adherence, Kṛṣṇa will be very much pleased. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). As soon as Kṛṣṇa is within your heart so when you read Bhagavad-gītā or Kṛṣṇa book with little seriousness, then Kṛṣṇa understands, "Now he is serious to understand me." He's with the.... You haven't got to search out Kṛṣṇa, He's already within you. Simply you have to become little serious. "Kṛṣṇa, kindly give me knowledge so that I can understand." Buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam. If you are serious devotee, if you are in love with Kṛṣṇa, teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10). If you are engaged in His worshiping, in chanting, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). If you simply follow these four principles, simply thinking of Kṛṣṇa, simply, always, sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ (SB 9.4.18). Simply meditate. This is meditation.

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

The Bhagavad-gītā is a standard literature. Most of you know this Bhagavad-gītā. But generally the Bhagavad-gītā is read very superficially, not very critically. We do not understand Kṛṣṇa, the author of Bhagavad-gītā, neither we understand what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, although it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. We read Bhagavad-gītā superficially, not very critically, neither there is any edition so far... Of course, in Sanskrit there are many editions, annotation by Śrīdhara Svāmī, annotation by Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa, annotation by Viśvanātha Cakravartī, annotation by Śrī Rāmānujācārya. There are many great scholars. But we have no information of those in the western countries. You have no information of those scholars. Ordinary persons with some academic career, they think they are very learned, they can comment on Bhagavad-gītā. Oh, that is not possible. That is not possible. The other day we have already discussed that Bhagavad-gītā can be understood by a person who is Kṛṣṇa conscious, nobody else. Bhakto 'si priyo 'si me rahasyaṁ hy etad uttamam (BG 4.3). So here is a chance.

Lecture on BG 4.12-13 -- New York, July 29, 1966:

Kṛṣṇa is neither foreign to you or foreign to me. He is for everyone. Therefore love of Kṛṣṇa is there permanently, but it is covered. Simply it has to be invoked.

And what is this process of invoking? This is the process. Just like we are discussing, we are chanting, and we are reading Bhagavad-gītā, we are reading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. This association will help us. This association will help us to invoke that dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So if we at all want...

You will be interested in hearing a story. Not story. It is actual fact. One of my Godbrother who is no longer in this world... His name was Bhaktisāraṅga Goswami. He went to London. Just as I have come to your New York, he went to London and he formed a society also there in which Lord Rolandcey(?), the Marquis of Zetland... He was formerly governor of Bengal during British period, and in our childhood, when we were college student, in boyhood, I saw him. He is very interest in India philosophy.

Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Bombay, April 2, 1974:

Not a single person became a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Now you will find thousands. Why? The Bhagavad-gītā is being accepted as it is. This is the secret of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

So our only request is that if you want happiness, if you want to prosper, make your life successful, you must read Bhagavad-gītā thoroughly, as it is, as Kṛṣṇa says. Don't try to misinterpret. "Kṛṣṇa means this" and "pāṇḍava means this" and "This means this." Don't make this foolish rascaldom. Take as it is, Bhagavad-gītā.

Kṛṣṇa says that mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7), aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2), cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). Here it is said. Kṛṣṇa says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam, you cannot cancel this system of varṇāśrama. Then you will suffer. You cannot cancel. You must accept, that there must be a class of men, real, brāhmaṇa. Not that "I am born in a brāhmaṇa family and I am doing the work of a cobbler. Still, I am a brāhmaṇa. No, not like that. Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ. Kṛṣṇa never says that brāhmaṇa is born in a brāhmaṇa family. Here it is clearly said, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Guṇa means quality.

Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Johannesburg, October 19, 1975:

He is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa came, He left behind Him this instruction of Bhagavad-gītā. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). We can consult Bhagavad-gītā at any time and we can associate with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's instruction—nondifferent. When you read Bhagavad-gītā, you'll, if you read very seriously, you will feel Kṛṣṇa is present before you and He is instructing.

But unfortunately, although Kṛṣṇa personally appeared and He left behind Him this Bhagavad-gītā to be read by the human society and make his life progressive and be liberated from this material condition of life, we did not care for it. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu five hundred years ago, again He appeared as a devotee, not as Kṛṣṇa. He is Kṛṣṇa, but He appeared as a devotee of Kṛṣṇa to teach us how to become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Again this movement is started to enlighten the human society how to come to his original position of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Johannesburg, October 19, 1975:

And there is no difficulty to understand Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is explaining in the Bhagavad-gītā what He is. You read this book very carefully and try to understand Kṛṣṇa. And as soon as you understand thoroughly Kṛṣṇa, then tyaktvā... You have to give up this body. That's a fact. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). Then no more accepting material body. Then what happens? Mām eti, Kṛṣṇa says, "He comes to Me, back to home, back to Godhead." That is the solution of life, and everything is described in the Bhagavad-gītā and all the Vedic literature.

We have published about hundreds of books. If you simply read these books regularly, then you will understand everything very clearly. And first of all you try to read Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. Then the life's problem will be solved.

Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Johannesburg, October 19, 1975:

Prabhupāda: He is revealing. Read Bhagavad-gītā. You understand Him. He is explaining Himself. What you want more? Suppose if you want to know something about Me and I explain to you, "I am like this," then where is your difficulty? Where is your difficulty? You can conjecture that, "Swamiji may be like this, may be like that," and if I say, "All right, sit down. I shall explain what I am." Then where is the difficulty?

Devotee (3): You are incarnate. God is...

Prabhupāda: I am not incarn... I am giving this example. Anyone, if you want to know, if that person explains to you elaborately, then where is your difficulty to know the person? You said, "How can I know God?" You said? That is your question?

Lecture on BG 4.13-14 -- New York, August 1, 1966:

This is a fact. So this idea of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is very important factor, although people are, I mean to say, they are unknown to this fact, although it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā.

In the world, Bhagavad-gītā is very popular book. They are reading Bhagavad-gītā. And in Dr. Radhakrishnan's book we understand that Bhagavad-gītā has been so important book throughout the whole world that there is a sect in Germany who are called Indo-German religious sect. Perhaps some of you may know. They are acting on the principle of Bhagavad-gītā. So actually, in the Bhagavad-gītā, the most important part is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In every verse, in every chapter, in every conclusion, you'll find Kṛṣṇa, the speaker of Bhagavad-gītā is giving stress on His personal self.

Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ... (BG 9.32). Mām, this mām. Mām means "Me," "Unto Me." Kṛṣṇa says, "Unto Me."

Lecture on BG 4.14 -- Bombay, April 3, 1974:

This is our misfortune.

But we should not do that. There is Kṛṣṇa. Here is Kṛṣṇa, in His words. Kṛṣṇa is Absolute. He is not different from Kṛṣṇa. The words of Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa, there is no difference. When you read Bhagavad-gītā, if you feel like that, that "Here Kṛṣṇa is speaking before me," then your life is successful. Kṛṣṇa is speaking. Actually, it is a fact. It is a fact. It is not that "Kṛṣṇa is no longer here. Five thousand years He spoke. Therefore this Bhagavad-gītā has become null and void." This is nonsense. Kṛṣṇa can speak at every moment, at every second. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). Those who are santas... Therefore it is said here, iti māṁ yo 'bhijānāti. Does He say that "Simply in this age"? No. At any time. Iti māṁ yo 'bhijānāti. One who understands Kṛṣṇa, at any time, at any place, iti māṁ yo 'bhijānāti karmabhir na sa badhyate (BG 4.14)," he comes liberated person, simply by this understanding that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord. He is not bound up by the laws of karma and He is not conditioned by this material nature."

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

Indians are meant for para-upakāra, because outside India they are in darkness. But unfortunately, Indians are now imitating the western kind of life. It is very regrettable.

You have to make your life successful by reading Bhagavad-gītā and preach the truth all over the world. Then world will be happy and you will be happy. This is required. Yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). That is recommended here, evaṁ jñātvā kṛtaṁ karma pūrvair api mumukṣubhiḥ. This kind of business can be done by whom? Mumukṣubhiḥ, not ordinary men. Those who are aspiring after liberation. Those who are thinking of stopping this nonsense business of repetition of birth and death, for them. They are not ordinary men. Mumukṣubhiḥ.

When Viśvāmitra Muni approached Mahārāja Daśaratha for help, taking Rāmacandra and Lakṣmaṇa for killing that rākṣasī... Viśvāmitra Muni could kill that rākṣasī, but because he was brāhmaṇa, it was not his business to kill. He begged help from Mahārāja Daśaratha to lend Lord Rāmacandra and Lakṣmaṇa, to take Him there. This is the systematic way. The brāhmaṇas should be engaged in knowledge and distributing knowledge. That means their business is not fighting. The kṣatriyas, they should fight. The killing business is meant for the kṣatriya. That is also required.

Lecture on BG 4.22 -- Bombay, April 11, 1974:

So this is the indirectly speaking Kṛṣṇa, yadṛcchā-lābha-santuṣṭaḥ.

You establish Kṛṣṇa at home. This center, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness center, what is the purpose? You can also establish at home Deity. You can also perform the Deity worship. You can also perform kīrtana at home. You can also read Bhagavad-gītā at home. It is not that we are, we have made this business that you come here and pay something and we profit by your payment. No. It is education, how one should be satisfied by accepting kṛṣṇa-prasādam, for working Kṛṣṇa. Then you will be feeling satisfaction. You do business for Kṛṣṇa, you do your occupational duty for Kṛṣṇa, you cook for Kṛṣṇa, you offer to Kṛṣṇa, take prasādam of Kṛṣṇa. You will feel very happy. That is the description. Yadṛcchā-lābha-santuṣṭo dvandvātīto vimatsaraḥ.

A Vaiṣṇava is never matsaraḥ. Matsaraḥ means.... It is described by Śrīdhara Svāmī.

Lecture on BG 4.23 -- Bombay, April 12, 1974:

That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate: (BG 14.26) "Anyone who is engaged according to the principles, rules and regulations in bhakti-yoga..."

Just these boys are being trained up all over the world to rise early in the morning, to perform maṅgala-ārātrika, to chant the holy name, to read Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, then take some prasādam, then go to preach, distribute books.... When we go to distribute books, we are doing this very organizedly all over the world, and it has become very successful, very successful.

So why not in India? Why you are neglecting this process? Why you are manufacturing something nonsense? That will not help you.

Lecture on BG 4.24 -- Bombay, April 13, 1974:

"Why shall I surrender to Kṛṣṇa? Why? Oh, He is also as good as I am; maybe little learned." Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Because He is asking, demanding your surrender, and I am thinking He is an ordinary man, so I am losing the chance. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ (BG 9.11). So our jealousy business has begun from Kṛṣṇa. "Oh, why shall I accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead?" Although in the śāstras Kṛṣṇa says personally mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya: (BG 7.7) "There is no more superior truth than Me," but we don't believe it. Although you read Bhagavad-gītā, but we don't accept Kṛṣṇa's version. This is our disease. Because jealousy. Jealousy. "Why shall I accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme?" This is jealousy. Therefore so long we are jealous, we cannot understand kṛṣṇa. Paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satām (SB 1.1.2). And who is not jealous? Satām. Satām. Those who are devotees.

Lecture on BG 4.24 -- Bombay, April 13, 1974:

No. Kṛṣṇa, in spite of expanding in so many ways—as Paramātmā, as Brahman, as cosmic manifestation, material energy, everything, still, Kṛṣṇa is there, person. So there are so many ways explained in the Bhagavad-gītā to understand Kṛṣṇa, and if we get this opportunity to understand Kṛṣṇa.... If we cannot understand Kṛṣṇa by reading Bhagavad-gītā and śāstra, Kṛṣṇa therefore giving us the very easiest method. "All right, you cannot understand Me? You are drinking water every day, four times, three times. You just remember, 'This taste is Kṛṣṇa.' " That's all. Smaraṇam. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam (SB 7.5.23). Because you'll remember Kṛṣṇa, you life will be successful, simply by drinking water.

It is so easy. You don't require to undergo very severe austerities and penance. Simply try to follow one instruction of Kṛṣṇa, that while drinking water, the taste is Kṛṣṇa. Begin this life and your life will be successful. Thank you very much.

Lecture on BG 4.39-42 -- Los Angeles, January 14, 1969:

They are chanting Kṛṣṇa. That means thinking of Kṛṣṇa. They are devotees of Kṛṣṇa. They are bowing down before the Deity of Kṛṣṇa. They are eating Kṛṣṇa prasādam.

So the process is very easy, but we do not want to follow the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, but simply falsely I am proud that "I am reading Bhagavad-gītā." There are so many Bhagavad-gītā readers even in your country, so many. I know. But the real instruction they will not follow. They will interpret in some way, this way, that way. Or some rascal commentator will also induce the reader, "Oh, here Kṛṣṇa says that you become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. It is not up to this Kṛṣṇa. There is another Kṛṣṇa." Just see.

You see? Kṛṣṇa directly says that man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ (BG 9.34), and the commentator says, "not to Kṛṣṇa." So how people can understand, you see, a misleading misinterpretation?

Lecture on BG 6.32-40 -- New York, September 14, 1966:

You are not going there, but you are receiving the knowledge from some authority whom you believe.

So don't you think Kṛṣṇa is the highest authority? So whatever knowledge you receive from Kṛṣṇa is far better than the newspaper knowledge. We are always in the lowest stage. Either I read Bhagavad-gītā or newspaper, I am not with the sputnik, but newspaper says that sputnik has gone 25,000 up, so I believe it. So I believe the newspaper, not that, "Oh, I want to see." Now, can you see how sputnik is flying? And why do you say, when Bhagavad-gītā is spoken, "Oh, I want to see." You just take complete knowledge from Kṛṣṇa, the complete person. That's all. That will make you perfect. Yes. So bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān uvāca. That does he say? Pārtha na eva iha nāmutra vināśas tasya vidyate. You mind that. "One who is making, attempting for spiritual advancement, oh, either in this life or in the next life, he'll never be vanished. He'll never be vanished."

Lecture on BG 6.47 -- Ahmedabad, December 12, 1972:

So unless one has got faith. Why one should consider himself that "I must be completely surrendered to Kṛṣṇa," unless one has got faith? Therefore faith is the beginning. And to create faith, Kṛṣṇa has explained about Himself in the whole Bhagavad-gītā. So one who is fortunate, after reading Bhagavad-gītā thoroughly, he'll have a strong faith in Kṛṣṇa. If you have failed to achieve this status of faith, then there is no question of progress. That is explained by Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī: śraddhā-śabde viśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha niścaya (Cc. Madhya 22.62). Śraddhā means firm faith, with conviction, "Yes, if I surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then all my business will be perfect, all my spiritual life will be perfect." Therefore Kṛṣṇa says: śraddhāvān bhajate. With śraddhā, with full faith. Ādau śraddhā. Beginning is śraddhā. If one has developed a little śraddhā. Just like we are giving chance throughout the whole world by this propaganda, opening centers to create little śraddhā.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Auckland, April 15, 1972:

How He can be gagana-sadṛśa? Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48). Jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ. Jagad-aṇḍa means universe, and the gagana is within the universe. Gagana, we cannot see beyond this gagana, but beyond this gagana there is another gagana. In the Bhagavad-gītā... You are reading Bhagavad-gītā. You must know it. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvaḥ anyaḥ: (BG 8.20) "There is another sky, spiritual sky." Sanātana. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvaḥ anyaḥ avyaktaḥ avyaktāt sanātanaḥ, sarveṣu naśyatsu na vinaśyati. This gagana will be annihilated at the time of destruction, but that does not annihilate.

So the idea of gagana is not perfect idea of the Supreme. Gagana-sadṛśa, that is limited within the purview of our knowledge because we cannot think that anything can be greater than this big sky. No, He is mahato mahīyān, bigger than the biggest, aṇor aṇīyān, smaller than the smallest. Just like we can imagine atom, the smallest. But atom we can see by some way or other atom. Six atoms, trasareṇu.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Auckland, April 15, 1972:

We are also part and parcel. Just like the sun and the sunshine. The sunshine is combination of small atomic molecular parts, shining parts. They are also different. They are not combined together. That is scientific. Similarly, we are also sparks of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). You are reading Bhagavad-gītā. You know. That aṁśa, that is described already—one ten-thousandth part of the point. Mamaivāṁśo jīva bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). In another place, jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat (BG 7.5). This material world is important because it is being manipulated by that small spiritual spark, jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho.

So we are small particles, part and parcel of the Supreme, and they are distributed all over His creation, brahmajyoti. That is nirākāra. But the brahmajyoti is not the ultimate truth. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). The first realization... Just like light in the morning.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Auckland, April 15, 1972:

Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). When you surrender, and by that surrendering process, when you are free from the resultant action of sinful activities, then you can appreciate God, not that God is my order-supplier: "Please come. I will see You." No. Yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya. You are reading Bhagavad-gītā. You know all these things.

yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ
janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām
te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā
bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ
(BG 7.28)

These things are there in the Bhagavad-gītā. One who is completely free from the resultant action of sinful activities, they can be engaged fully in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So these students are being trained how to become free from sinful activities. They are forbidden not to have illicit sex. These are four pillars of sinful activities: illicit sex life, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling. Yatra pāpaś catur-vidhā. These are exactly to the injunction of the Vedas.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Auckland, April 15, 1972:

Prabhupāda: Well, you are in my front. You are a soul. What is the difficulty? Everyone, you are all souls. You are in my front. Simply you are dressed only. Suppose you come in a dress. You are my friend. Do I see your dress or you? Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ. Vidyā-vinaya-sampanne (BG 5.18). You are reading Bhagavad-gītā. You know all these things. When you are learned, you won't see the dress. You will see the soul.

Indian guest (5): My real object... Still, I want to... The chanting would be the primary stage, but it is not the stage that it will stay on all the time for a person who is really seeing the truth.

Prabhupāda: No. If you take the process, you will come to the perfectional stage very easily.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Auckland, April 15, 1972:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. That is for material purpose. Those who are after material benefits, they can worship different demigods. That is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā. That is the point. You are reading Bhagavad-gītā. You should note all these things. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānā yajante anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). Those who are bewildered or lost of intelligence, they go to worship other demigods.

Indian guest (5): Basically we accept...

Prabhupāda: So those who are interested in spiritual salvation, they need not worship other demigods, but those who are interested for material profit, they can worship demigods. Yajante anya-devatāḥ. Karmaṇā... There is a verse. Just to have immediate result of material profit, the Vedas recommend, "All right, you worship this demigod, that demigod." So our concern is we don't want any material profit; we want Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we do not require to worship demigods.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Diego, July 1, 1972:

If you pollute the words... Kṛṣṇa is speaking something, and you are rascal, nonsense, explaining in a different way, then it has no meaning. Then Kṛṣṇa is gone. But if you speak as Kṛṣṇa is speaking, then it is..., Kṛṣṇa is present before you by His words. Immediately. By His word, you can see Kṛṣṇa. Just like the brāhmaṇa in South India. He was illiterate; he was reading, trying to read Bhagavad-gītā, but immediately Kṛṣṇa became present before his eyes, and he was crying. He was crying. That is reading.

So Kṛṣṇa can be present by His words. Because Kṛṣṇa's word and Kṛṣṇa is not different, Absolute. If you actually accept Kṛṣṇa in the form of Bhagavad-gītā, then you are directly associating with Kṛṣṇa, as Arjuna was doing. There will be no difficulty. Ajita. Kṛṣṇa is unconquered, but simply by your humble receptive process, you will conquer over Kṛṣṇa. How you'll conquer? He's already within your heart. You'll realize that "Here is Kṛṣṇa." That is conquer. Then?

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bombay, January 13, 1973:

Strength, influence. Vīryasya. Yaśasaḥ, reputation, fame. Just like Kṛṣṇa spoke this Bhagavad-gītā five thousand years ago, but still it is adored all over the world. Not only in India, but all over the world. Bhagavad-gītā is known in any country, irrespective of religion or faith. Everyone, any intelligent man, any scholar, any philosopher reads Bhagavad-gītā. That means Kṛṣṇa is so famous. Everyone knows.

So aiśvaryasya. And when He was present, He showed His riches. Nārada Muni wanted to see how Kṛṣṇa is managing His sixteen thousand wives, 16,108 wives. So when Nārada Muni came, he entered each and every palace. There were 16,108, all marble palaces, bedecked with jewels. There was no need of electricity or light at night, all the palaces were so bedecked with jewels. And the furnitures were made of ivory and gold. Opulences. The gardens were full of pārijāta trees. And, not only that, Nārada Muni saw that Kṛṣṇa was present with each and every wife and He's doing..., He was doing different types of business also. Somewhere He was sitting with His wife, children. Some..., somewhere marriage ceremony was going on of His children.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bombay, January 13, 1973:

So they don't care for this so-called criticism. They are fixed up. And people are accepting.

So this is called increasing the śraddhā, faith. Ādau, ādau śraddhā. To increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa, the basic principle is śraddhā, faith. Then the faith is created by reading Bhagavad-gītā. You can understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Then you can have your faith: "Oḥ, here is God." That much. And sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is the beginning of faith, that "Now I must engage myself in the devotional service of Kṛṣṇa." If you decide like that, then your reading of Bhagavad... (break) ...you have simply wasted your time. You may write very, so-called scholarly comment, but you have simply wasted your time. If you have not come to the conclusion that "Now I shall engage myself in the service of Kṛṣṇa..." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). If you do that, that is the beginning of śraddhā. Then other things. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Calcutta, January 27, 1973:

So I thank you very much for your giving time. But my only request is that all of you try to chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and, if possible, read Kṛṣṇa book, Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. Don't read Bhagavad-gītā where the attempt is to kill Kṛṣṇa. Don't read. Then it will be spoiled. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said: māyāvādi-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-nāśa (CC Madhya 6.169). Sarva-nāśa. If you hear the rascal commentary that "Kṛṣṇa means this, Kurukṣetra means this, body means, Pāṇḍava means this," in this way, if you drag some concocted meaning, then you'll never understand what is Bhagavad-gītā. You'll simply spoil your time. Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). That is simply wasting time. Read Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the Supreme."

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Sydney, February 16, 1973:

Then recently, in this 1972, we have published this Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, complete edition. And Macmillan Company published fifty thousand copies in others, but it was finished in three months and they are arranging for second edition.

So this Bhagavad-gītā should be read by every individual person to know the science of God. It is a great science. God is not a fiction or an imagination, as people take it. Not always, but in human society, everywhere in civilized human society there is some conception of religion, and the purpose of executing religious faith means to understand God. There is no other purpose of any religion. If in any religion the understanding of God is lacking, that is not first-class religion. So we are preaching not any particular type of religion. Religion is described in the English dictionary as "a kind of faith." Actually, religion does not mean. The Sanskrit word dharma, that dharma means characteristic.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hyderabad, April 27, 1974:

The yogi, the first-class yogi, yoginām api sarveṣām... "There are different kinds of yoga systems, but the person who has accepted this bhakti-yoga, he is thinking of Me always." Just like these boys and girls they are being taught always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, "Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare." So if you read Bhagavad-gītā and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, immediately you learn the whole science, how to become attached to Kṛṣṇa. This is called mayy āsakta-manāḥ. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan, to practice yoga... This is bhakti-yoga. Mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ means "under My direction," or "under My protection." Āśraya.

So if you read Bhagavad-gītā as it is, that is mad-āśrayaḥ. But if you interpret Bhagavad-gītā according to your rascal imagination, that is not Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore it is called mad-āśrayaḥ, "under My protection, as I am tea..." We are therefore presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. We do not change.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Durban, October 9, 1975:

So it does not mean because you have turned your attachment, therefore your family attachment should be withdrawn. No. It will be polished. The family attachment will be polished. If you train your family in Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Just early in the morning rise up. You can control your family in that way: "Now get up. Take your bath." Have maṅgala-ārati. Then chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, read Bhagavad-gītā. Then take prasādam. Then go to office or work. So in this way, if your mind is in Kṛṣṇa and if you act accordingly, then that is perfection. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommended this process, that you stay in your position. There is no question of changing your position. But from that position you become Kṛṣṇa conscious. And the easiest process is: chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. It is not at all difficult provided we agree to accept it. Then we can gradually understand "What is God, what I am, what is my relationship with God," and so on, so on. Everything will be clear.

"Everything will be clear" means for the time being our heart is very dirty.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Durban, October 9, 1975:

In the Vedic literature it is said, kasmin vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati: "If you understand that one Supreme, then you will understand everything." So Rāmāyaṇa, Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, not other Rāmāyaṇa, the so-called Rāmāyaṇa... Authority, Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa... If you read Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, that is also as good as reading Bhagavad-gītā. But if you read Bhagavad-gītā, you understand the transcendental science very easily. There is no difficulty. So we shall advise to read Bhagavad-gītā. It is very widely read all over the world, not only by the Hindus, but others also, by all scholars, all philosophers. They read Bhagavad-gītā. So we recommend you all to read Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Do not distort the meaning. Try to understand as it is.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:

Indian man (5): Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the oldest teaching of God, or Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is mayy āsakta-manāḥ. That is explained.

Indian man (5): But the Gītā was written about five thousand years ago.

Prabhupāda: No. You have not read Bhagavad-gītā. Did you read? Did you read Bhagavad-gītā?

Indian man (5): Yes, I read some portion.

Prabhupāda: Then why do you say like that, five thousand years?

Indian man (5): All the scriptures were written (indistinct).

Prabhupāda: Hm? What does he say?

Indian man (5): Then how come in the locational(?), archaeological and ontological records, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not mentioned by other religions?

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bombay, December 20, 1975:

So our Vedic culture, Vedic culture means that human culture, not animal culture. Animal culture means to satisfy the needs of the body, and Vedic culture or human culture means to satisfy the needs of the soul. That is the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā. One who is reading Bhagavad-gītā... In India practically everyone reads, but because one does not take the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā as it was instructed by Kṛṣṇa, he cannot take the benefit of Bhagavad-gītā's instruction. One tries to understand Bhagavad-gītā by erudite scholarship, or good position in the society, political, social, economical, but that is not the way to understand Bhagavad-gītā. It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā,

tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
updekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ
(BG 4.34)

Unless you approach a person who is representative of Kṛṣṇa and tattva-darśī, who has seen the truth, jñānī, and full of knowledge, from him you can understand what is Bhagavad-gītā, what is Bhagavān. Otherwise you cannot understand. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25).

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hyderabad, August 22, 1976:

The name, fame, form, quality, pastimes, entourage, everything, they are nondifferent. When we read Bhagavad-gītā, you must know when this writing is there, bhagavān uvāca, you must know Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa, is speaking just before you, immediately. Bhagavān uvāca. In this way you have to understand tattva. Jānāti tattvataḥ.

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu
kaścid yatati siddhaye
yatatām api siddhānāṁ
kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ
(BG 7.3)

Tattva. Tattva means the Absolute is the same either by His name, by His form, by His pastimes, by His entourage—everything absolute same. Advaya-jñāna. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas yaj jñānam advayam (SB 1.2.11). There is no difference. This is tattva-jñāna.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hyderabad, August 22, 1976:

So Kṛṣṇa is personally explaining, read Bhagavad-gītā, see the Deity, come here daily, take caraṇāmṛtam. If possible, bring patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam (BG 9.26). In this way you become the topmost yogi and attached to Kṛṣṇa. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18). In this way, he'll be attached to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa and he'll try to understand and explain, just like these devotees are doing. They're going outside for preaching. Vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane. What is their business? Simply describing Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's activities. So similarly, if we engage our mind unto the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa and we describe about His pastimes and see His form... Mind, we have got senses. So eyes engaged in seeing the form, nose engaged in smelling the flowers offered to Kṛṣṇa, tongue engaged in tasting caraṇāmṛta and prasādam, hands engaged in cleansing this temple or touching the feet of the devotees. In this way, when all your senses will be engaged, your life will be successful. This is wanted. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- London, August 4, 1971:

Indian man (4): Prabhupāda, is the best method to read Bhagavad-gītā?

Prabhupāda: To surrender to Kṛṣṇa. You do not know this? You read Bhagavad-gītā? You'll see that is the best method, to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. That is the best method. What is the difficulty?

Indian man (5): Prabhupāda, how can we (indistinct).

Prabhupāda: That you have to practice and see.

Indian man (5): We can persuade my family to my religion. Instead of worshiping...

Prabhupāda: First of all you persuade yourself; then you talk of your family and relatives. If you understand factually, then you will be able to convince others. But if you don't understand yourself, what is the use of talking family and friends? First of all you. Āpani ācari' prabhu jīvera śikṣāya. First of all, you have to act accordingly; then you can teach others. And if you are not pure, if you indulge in all kinds of sinful activities and you talk of Bhagavad-gītā, what will be effect? There will be no effect. This is going on. They are doing all nonsense, and talking of Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- San Francisco, September 11, 1968:

Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He comes Himself to be known by everyone. And He's so kind also that before His departure from this material world, He leaves behind Him this Bhagavad-gītā so that you can know from His personal talks what is God. So if you read Bhagavad-gītā rightly, as it is spoken by Kṛṣṇa, not foolishly interpreting nonsensically, but as it is, as it is... Call the spade a spade. Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Don't interpret this version with your foolish interpretation, but accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And by His acts, by His sastric knowledge, wisdom... Everyone accepted previously, all the ācāryas.

So we have to follow the footprints of the ācāryas. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). We cannot understand higher things unless we follow the footprint of great personalities. Just like even in the scientific world, the law of gravitation. You do not know anything about law of gravitation, but Sir Isaac Newton, he said that there is law of gravitation. You accept it. That's all. That means you follow a great personality. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa should be accepted the Supreme Personality of Godhead not by whims. But He has been accepted like by personalities like Lord Caitanya, Rāmānujācārya, Śaṅkarācārya, great personalities who are guiding the destiny of spiritual world. Therefore you have to accept in that way.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- Nairobi, October 28, 1975:

The devotees always see Kṛṣṇa. For him, He is always present. And for the rascals, He cannot be seen. That is the difference. So you have to become nonrascal; then you will see. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). In everyone's core of the heart Kṛṣṇa is present. But do you know that? Can you see? Can you talk with Him? He is within your heart, He is present. But He talks with whom? Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam, dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ tam (BG 10.10). He talks with the devotee who is twenty-four hours engaged in His service. These are stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Don't you read Bhagavad-gītā? So everything requires qualification. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means we are trying to make the people qualified to see Kṛṣṇa. Without being qualified, how can you see? That requires qualification.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Montreal, June 3, 1968:

Different interpretation. But we should accept Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Then we can relish.

So we shall very shortly present our Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. It has been taken by Messrs. MacMillan and Company to publish it. Most probably in the month of October it will be published. So I shall request you to read Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without any interpretation. Just like I'll give you some examples. The first verse of Bhagavad-gītā is stated as follows:

dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre
samavetā yuyutsavaḥ
māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva
kim akurvata sañjaya
(BG 1.1)

The first word is dharma-kṣetra. The second word is kuru-kṣetra. Now, the meaning is that Kurukṣetra is a place which is considered as the holy place of pilgrimage. Now, this dharma-kṣetra, kuru-kṣetra, is still present. Even in the modern days, if you go to India, it is about hundred miles from New Delhi. There is a place, Kurukṣetra, and which is, according to Hindu rites, Vedic rites, that is a place of pilgrimage. Many people go there, to the sacred place. And in the Vedic literature it is stated that kuru-kṣetre dharmaṁ yājayet: "If you want to perform religious rites, then you should perform at Kurukṣetra."

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Montreal, June 3, 1968:

Why? The Bhagavad-gītā is very popular book, and if one has got some nonsense idea, he wants to put forward that nonsense idea through Bhagavad-gītā. This is going on. But if you want to taste Bhagavad-gītā, then you'll relish and you'll get the benefit. By reading of Bhagavad-gītā, or the essence knowledge, quintessence of all Vedic literature, if you want to taste, just read Bhagavad-gītā as it is and you will be benefited.

So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means that we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is and in a practical way. Just like we are recommending the members of the society to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ: (BG 9.14) "Those who are mahātmās, great souls, they are always engaged in glorifying Me." Satatam. Satatam means always. And who is a mahātmā? Oh. We have got conception that Mahatma Gandhi, a great politician, he is called mahātmā. But in the Bhagavad-gītā the definition of mahātmā is different.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- London, March 11, 1975:

Why you are speculating, wasting your time? Why not take full knowledge here? Everything is ready. No, that they will not take. They will speculate. So let them speculate. They will never be successful. But if you want success, you Kṛṣṇa conscious men, then you read Bhagavad-gītā thoroughly and understand and try to understand Kṛṣṇa perfectly. You'll understand because Kṛṣṇa is giving His own identity, identification, what He is. Then where is the difficulty? And if you understand Kṛṣṇa, you become perfect. You become perfect, So perfect that... Janma karma ca me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). If you understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, then immediate benefit is that tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). You have to give up this body. It is a fact. But after giving up, this is your last material body. No more material body. Your spiritual body.

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

"These eight kinds of materials, gross and subtle, they are My energy." It is coming from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is not talking any nonsense. He's not bluffing you. At least those who are advanced, why you are reading Bhagavad-gītā? Because it is authoritative; Kṛṣṇa is speaking. That is fact. The most exalted authority. We have to take knowledge from the authority; we cannot manufacture knowledge. That is not... That is imperfect knowledge, because our senses are imperfect.

We have got four deficiencies. We commit mistakes, we become illusioned... We commit mistake, everyone knows. I have several times talked that even a personality like Gandhi, he committed so many mistakes. So, so long you are conditioned by the material nature, you must commit mistake. There is no escape. Similarly, we are illusioned. Illusioned means we accept something for something.

Lecture on BG 7.7 -- Bombay, April 1, 1971:

So to become Kṛṣṇa conscious is not very difficult job. Simply you have to follow the direction. That's all. But if you manufacture your own meaning, commentation on Bhagavad-gītā, then you are deviated. You are lost. Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). Then such kind of reading Bhagavad-gītā is simply waste of time and energy. That's all. Therefore those who are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, who are not hearing from Kṛṣṇa conscious personalities, they are simply wasting time. The so-called reading of Bhagavad-gītā, lecture on Bhagavad-gītā, without Kṛṣṇa... God, kingdom of God without God. We want kingdom of God, peace and prosperity, but without God. There must not be God. That is our secular government. We want kingdom of God, but without God. That is not possible. If you give up God or God's relationship, there is no question of kingdom of God or peace and prosperity.

Lecture on BG 7.8-14 -- New York, October 2, 1966:

So a sannyāsī is forbidden not to talk even in private place with woman. But a householder, he, if he associates woman under marriage tie, then it is religious. And without this, this is irreligious. And that religious sex life is God. Religious sex life is God. This should be followed. If we, every one of us reading Bhagavad-gītā, every one of us, at least... So far India is concerned, that is a different thing. In America also, I find so many American gentlemen, they read Bhagavad-gītā. But I am afraid if they are reading Bhagavad-gītā so scrutinizingly, as it is stated here, dharmāviruddho bhūteṣu kāmo 'smi bharatarṣabha: "Sex life which is not against religious principle, that is I am." So in, I mean to say, regulated sex life, married life, that is Kṛṣṇa. So that is not without Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.11-13 -- Bombay, April 5, 1971:

If these things are done on account of Kṛṣṇa or as enjoined in the śāstra... Śāstra means, as I have already told you, the orders of Kṛṣṇa or orders of God. Sādhu-śāstra-guru. They are the same thing. There is no difference. A sādhu follows the orders of the scriptures. A guru follows the order of the scriptures. And śāstra is description of the Supreme Lord. Just like we are reading Bhagavad-gītā. These are the injunction of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is śāstra. Or anyone who writes in terms of the śāstra, that is right direction. If we speak Bhagavad-gītā as Kṛṣṇa desires, then it is nice. And if we describe Bhagavad-gītā to fulfill our ulterior motives for some purpose, then it is useless. So similarly, Kṛṣṇa said, dharmāviruddho bhūteṣu kāmo 'smi bharatarṣabha. Those who are not following the principles, how to beget child, or not observing the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra—according to śāstra, immediately the family becomes converted into śūdra. No more brāhmaṇa, no more kṣatriya, if he does not follow.

Lecture on BG 8.21-22 -- New York, November 19, 1966:

Either they may be theist or atheist, that doesn't matter. Bhagavad-gītā is accepted by all classes of men in India. And so far outside India is concerned, all scholars, all religionists, all philosophers, they have accepted this Bhagavad-gītā as authority. So there is no doubt about Bhagavad-gītā's being authority. Even Professor Einstein, he was reading regularly this Bhagavad-gītā, such a great scientist. So there are many evidences. So you believe this, that there is a spiritual atmosphere and that is the kingdom of God. And here it is stated that yaṁ prāpya na nivartante, if you somehow or other, you can reach that spiritual atmosphere, then the result is na nivartante, you'll have no more to take this material body, na nivartante. Tad dhāma paramaṁ mama. So you'll become quietly and happily situated in your eternal life. Don't you think?

Lecture on BG 9.1 -- Vrndavana, April 17, 1975:

Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). But when you really surrender, that is practical science. That is practical. If you decide to surrender—that is called śaraṇāgati—then you have to learn the science how to become surrendered. That is vijñāna. Jñāna means theoretical knowledge and vijñāna means practical knowledge. So we have to do it practically, not that "I have read Bhagavad-gītā and Bhāgavata. So I have become a devotee." No. You should practically demonstrate in your life that you are actually devotee. That is called vijñāna-sahitam. Jñānaṁ vijñāna-sahitam.

And yaj jñātvā. If you learn this science, yaj jñātvā mokṣyase aśubhāt, the result is you become liberated from this aśubha, inauspicious condition of life, aśubha. What is that inauspicious condition of life? This materialistic life. If you want to get out of this materialistic way... This is aśubha. There is no śubha. People are thinking, "We shall make it śubha." Śubha means auspicious by material adjustment.

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Calcutta, March 8, 1972:

Ryaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti... These things are there. So you should (read) Bhagavad-gītā very carefully with attention, as it is, without malinterpretation, with rascal interpretation. Try to understand, make your life successful. This is our propaganda, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not a manufactured movement. It is simply based on this Bhagavad-gītā—Kṛṣṇa. Bhagavad-gītā means Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa, everything Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are simply placing Bhagavad-gītā as it is. And if we are fortunate enough to understand Bhagavad-gītā, our life is successful. The Bhagavad-gītā is there, the teaching is there, the example is there. Why should we not accept and make our life successful? That is the first law.

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

That will depend according to your work. So this is the... This is called the path of birth and death. Mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani. Have your birth, remain for some time, enjoy or suffer. Then again give up this body and enter into the womb of another mother, human being or animal. Then prepare your another body. Then come out. Then begin your work. This is called mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani.

If anyone wants to avoid this path of birth and death, this risk, then they must take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is not my version. The Lord says Himself. If you want to study Bhagavad-gītā seriously, then here is a point. Here is a point. If you read Bhagavad-gītā as a matter of relaxation, that is different thing. But if you want to take benefit out of Bhagavad-gītā, this instruction is very much important.

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

There is death. They may be living for so many hundreds and millions of years, but they will die. So present sun-god, who is existing there, his name is also there in the Bhagavad-gītā, Vivasvān. So if you believe Bhagavad-gītā, then you have to believe that there is a sun-god whose name is Vivasvān. If you don't believe, then why you take so much trouble to read Bhagavad-gītā? If you have no faith in it, then what is the use of reading it? And if you have faith in it, then you have to believe. There is sun-god. In every planet there is a predominating feature predominant.

So similarly, over and above all of them, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ... (Bs. 5.1). The Brahma-saṁhitā says that everywhere you'll find the īśvara... Īśvara means controller. In your New York City the Mr. Lindsay is the controller. And in New York State, Mr. Rockefeller, he is controller. In your United States, Mr. Johnson is the controller. Finish. Then you go to another state, and similarly, in every planet, every place, there is a controller. So sun-god is the controller of the sun planet.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Melbourne, April 23, 1976:

You have to understand from authoritative statements. That is called Veda. Vedas means knowledge which is perfect knowledge and if you study Vedas, then you get perfect knowledge of everything. And the cream of the Vedic knowledge is here in the Bhagavad-gītā. So if you read Bhagavad-gītā carefully, then you get all the knowledge very perfectly. Here it is said, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā. And that expansion, that impersonal expansion, avyakta, not manifested... You cannot see God in person in this expansion. Therefore sometimes we foolishly say that "Can you show me God?" God is there. You have to make your eyes to see. Just like God is here in the temple but somebody is thinking that "This is not God. This is a statue or an idol. They are worshiping idol." Supposing it is idol, but if God is everywhere, why He is not in the idol? What is the argument? If God is everywhere, then why He is not idol? God has the power. And actually this is not idol.

Lecture on BG 10.1 -- New York, December 30, 1966:

Similarly, at the present moment, there are so many commentaries and people have taken that anybody can interpret in his own way. This is the modern view. Everyone is perfect and he can interpret any scripture in his own way. But so far we are concerned, we are not agreeable to that point. We agree to read Bhagavad-gītā in terms of the instruction as it is given in the Bhagavad-gītā. The Bhagavad-gītā says that this knowledge has to be taken by the paramparā system or the disciplic succession. It is not that anyone can interpret. This viewpoint no bona fide student of Bhagavad-gītā will accept.

So this Bhagavad-gītā is being taught by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to Arjuna. He says again the same thing. He's repeating that yat te 'haṁ prīyamāṇāya vakṣyāmi hita-kāmyayā. "Because you are My dear friend, I desire that you become prosperous, you become happy. Therefore I am speaking to you."

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

That is śāstra. And guru means who speaks... Guru means who speaks on behalf of Kṛṣṇa. Sādhu-śāstra-guru. This is called. So Kṛṣṇa is asked. And the answer for Kṛṣṇa, which He gives, that is final. No experiment. No "future." Whatever answer He gives, that is final. Otherwise, why people read Bhagavad-gītā so carefully? Not now. Thousands of years. Thousands of years. Not only in India, in other countries also. So answers, real answers are there.

So this chapter, thirteenth chapter, is very important chapter. So many rascals are there. They're talking so many things. But if you want real answer, that is described by Kṛṣṇa to the six questions, Kṛṣṇa immediately answers in nutshell.

The first question was: prakṛtiṁ puruṣaṁ caiva. Prakṛtiṁ puruṣam will be answered later on. The first answer He gives: idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram ity abhidhīyate (BG 13.2). You want to learn what is the field of activities.

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Bombay, December 30, 1972:

That Kṛṣṇa explained to Arjuna that. "I first of all explained this Bhagavad-gītā to the sun-god." Arjuna, to clear the matter, inquired from Him: aparaṁ bhavato janma paraṁ janma vivasvataḥ. So Arjuna knew that Kṛṣṇa can remember forty millions of years ago He spoke to the sun-god, but to clear the misconception of others who will later on read Bhagavad-gītā, he inquired the question that "My dear Kṛṣṇa, we are born very recently. How is that You say that You explained this Bhagavad-gītā forty millions of years ago?" In that answer, Kṛṣṇa said that: "Yes, you were also present at that time, when I explained." Because Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, they're constant companions, friends. Pārṣada. Eternal associate.

When Kṛṣṇa comes, He comes with His associates. Just like if you invite King. That does not mean the king alone. The king comes along with secretaries, commander, ministers, soldiers, so many things. Similarly whenever Kṛṣṇa comes... Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7).

Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Hyderabad, April 20, 1974:

This is the recommendation by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that people should be given chance for hearing. Especially in this age, Kali-yuga, they cannot do anything, but if they simply agree to hear, sitting for some time... That can be introduced in every house, every home.

The Bhagavad-gītā is there, and everything is explained there. If family-wise everyone sits down in the evening or in the morning for half an hour and reads Bhagavad-gītā, chants Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, just see the result. Every home will be happy. This is our propaganda, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Simply try to hear about Kṛṣṇa.

So about Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is personally speaking this Bhagavad-gītā about Himself. So why not take this opportunity? Why you are losing the opportunity given in this human form of life to hear about Kṛṣṇa? Everyone can do that. But don't misinterpret according to your own, I mean to say, fertile brain. No. Just hear Kṛṣṇa, what Kṛṣṇa says, as it is. Kṛṣṇa... Don't try to interpret, mal-interpretation. That will not make you profit? Try to hear Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Miami, February 27, 1975:

These dirty things will be cleansed if we regularly hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or Bhagavad-gītā. Nityaṁ bhāgavata...

And bhāgavata means the book Bhāgavata and the person bhāgavata. The person bhāgavata is spiritual master or any exalted devotee. He is bhāgavata, mahā-bhāgavata, bhāgavata. So bhāgavata-sevayā means not only reading Bhagavad-gītā and Bhāgavatam, but we have to study from the person bhāgavata. That is required. Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised, bhāgavata paṛā giyā bhāgavata-sthāne: "If you want to learn Bhāgavata, then go to the person bhāgavata who is realized soul."

Not professional. That will not help you. Official professional—I go to a temple, to a church, and go back again to hellish condition of..., no. You just associate with the person bhāgavata who is realized soul and hear from him this the same book, the same knowledge. Kṛṣṇa's representative. Just like Kṛṣṇa says, tat samāsena me śṛṇu. Me śṛṇu: "Hear from Me or My representative. Then you will benefit."

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 5, 1973:

You will not be recognized by the government. You will not get the practitioner's registration. You will not. Unless you have passed through the medical college, your medical examination, you will not be accepted, even if you say that "I have read all the books." Similarly, if you simply think that "I have read... As we see generally, "Oh, I have read Bhagavad-gītā hundred times." But you ask him what is Kṛṣṇa, he cannot say. Because he has not approached the ācārya. This is the difficulty. He might have read Bhagavad-gītā a thousand times, but he will not understand a single word because he has not approached.

Therefore Vedic literature says tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Abhigacchet." This word is used when the sense is "You must." This is vidhi-lin form of verb, gacchet, abhigacchet. You must. There is no excuse. You cannot learn. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). If you want to know uttamam subject matter... Ut, ut means udgatam, transcending.

Lecture on BG 13.19 -- Bombay, October 13, 1973:

"My dear Arjuna, now I have explained to you in summary, not in detail, what is this body, who is the knower of the body, proprietor of the body, kṣetra-jña, and what is knowledge, and what is the object of knowledge. These things I have explained to you." So Kṛṣṇa is explaining, everything. Everything is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. You can become fully in knowledge if you read Bhagavad-gītā carefully. But you must have the qualification. If you are a rascal, nonsense you cannot understand. This is plain thing. Rascals and nonsense cannot understand Bhagavad-gītā. That is the first condition.

When Bhagavad-gītā was taught to Arjuna, he said, bhakto 'si me sakhā ceti rahasyaṁ hy etad uttamam. "My dear Arjuna, I am speaking to you this mystery of Bhagavad-gītā which was spoken long long ago to the sun-god, but now it is lost because the paramparā is lost. Disciplic succession is lost. Therefore I am again speaking to you the same truth so that from you people will understand what is Bhagavad-gītā."

Lecture on BG 1322 -- Hyderabad, August 17, 1976:

Unfortunately the Bhagavad-gītā is being interpreted by unauthorized persons unnecessarily, and people are kept into darkness. We are trying to protest against this process.

We are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is, and people are taking advantage of it in the Western countries. They are taking good interest, they are reading Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in very large scale, increasing our book sales every year, millions and millions dollars. we are already selling, I have already stated. unexpected, sixty hundred thousand, sixty thousand dollars per day. People are taking so much interest in this literature.

Lecture on BG 13.24 -- Bombay, October 23, 1973:

Simply like cats and dogs, they are engaged in sense gratification, eating, sleeping, mating. And this Bhagavad-gītā is the ABCD, preliminary knowledge of spiritual understanding. People are unaware of... And misleaders, they give misinformation, mal-interpretation.

And there are so many people. They are very much proud. He has read Bhagavad-gītā hundred times, but he does not know anything. He does not know anything. Because... The difficulty is that the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, they do not follow.

The instruction of Bhagavad-gītā is evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). One has to learn from the disciplic succession. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). You have to learn from a person by full surrender. You cannot surrender to a third-class man. Unless one is very advanced, naturally you surrender. But this is the process. Unless you are prepared to surrender.

Lecture on BG 16.5 -- Calcutta, February 23, 1972:

Better you touch the electric and you become electrified. Simply by, simply by māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicārena bhakti-yogena sevate (BG 14.26). That Kṛṣṇa advised. Simply avyabhicāreṇa, pure devotional service. If you engage yourself in pure devotional service to Kṛṣṇa, then sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kal... (BG 14.26), immediately you become elevated to the position of brahma. These things are described very nicely, explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Our only propaganda is that you try to avoid these four principles of sinful life: illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication. And chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and read Bhagavad-gītā—your life is successful.

Thank you very much. (break) ...on this side.

Lecture on BG 16.6 -- Hawaii, February 2, 1975:

Just like everyone knows that he has got a father. That is not difficult. Anyone who is in this material world, in material world or spiritual world, there is a father. Everyone knows that. But who is my father, how he is, how great he is, what is his qualification, what does he do, what is his father's name, what is his address—that you can understand from Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore it is essential that everyone should read Bhagavad-gītā. Simply to know God is great, that is also good. He is accepting the greatness of God. But if you want to know in detail how great He is, to what extent great He is, how the actions of His greatness are going on, how His activities of greatness are going on, then you read Bhagavad-gītā.

Bhagavad-gītā says that mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). Kṛṣṇa says, "There is no more greater factor than Me." Everyone knows God is great. Great means everyone is small. He is great. Nobody is equal to Him. Nobody is greater than Him. That is the meaning of greatness.

Lecture on BG 16.9 -- Hawaii, February 5, 1975:

Similarly, anyone, the demons, they have no sense of God. They do not like to offer. They want to eat anything nonsense, like hogs and dogs, and... That is demonic life.

Ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt. In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find. Read Bhagavad-gītā very carefully. Bhuñjate te tv aghaṁ pāpā ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt: (BG 3.13) "Those who are eating and cooking for themselves, for satisfying the taste, such persons are eating the resultant action of sinful acts." They are all sinful. They are, who are cooking for themself without offering to the proprietor, to the master, they're all sinful. Therefore our program is to eat kṛṣṇa-prasādam, the foodstuff, remnants of foodstuff, left by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is very kind. If you offer something to Kṛṣṇa, He eats the offering. It is not that He's not eating. He is eating but at the same time keeping it for you as it was offered. He's not like us. If you give me something to eat, I'll finish the whole plate.

Lecture on BG Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 8, 1972:

Here is Bhagavān. Why you are searching after Bhagavān? Here is Bhagavān. I give the name and address of Bhagavān. His father's name and everything. Why you are being misled? Where is the scope for searching out where is Bhagavān? Here is Bhagavān. Śrī-bhagavān uvāca. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said... It does not say kṛṣṇa uvāca. Śrī-bhagavān uvāca. Its name is Bhagavad-gītā, spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhagavad-gītā. Śaṅkarācārya says: bhagavad-gītā kiñcid adita.(?) Śaṅkarācārya says. Kiñcid adita. If, if somebody wants to understand Bhagavān he must read Bhagavad-gītā. Kiñcid adita. He never challenges Kṛṣṇa. So we have to understand the whole thing, whole philosophy, whole science of God through Bhagavad-gītā. Then our life is perfect. Why Śaṅkarācārya says bhagavad-gītā kiñcid adita? Why? Can you say? (break) ...little of Bhagavad-gītā.

Page Title:Reading Bhagavad-gita (Lectures, BG)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:30 of Oct, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=97, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:97