Salt (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"salt" |"salted" |"saltiness" |"saltless" |"salts" |"saltwater"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.16 -- Mexico City, February 16, 1975:

Hṛdayānanda: (translating) What is the difference between God and ourselves and what is the relationship?

Prabhupāda: God is great; we are small. Otherwise, we the same. God is also living entity; you are also living entity. God is eternal; you are also eternal. God is full of bliss; you are also full of bliss. So quality, there is no difference. Only difference in quantity. Just like a drop of sea water. It is salty. So this means in the drop there is salt. But the quantity of the salt in the drop is not equal to the quantity of the salt in the vast water. And there is another example. Just like the big fire and the sparks of the fire. The spark of the fire, when it falls on your cloth, a pointlike space it can burn. But the big fire can burn the whole building. So the quality of God is in every one of us.

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

So this position, this dharma, is not exactly a kind of created faith. It is the constitutional position. Dharma means the constitutional position. Just like sugar. Sugar's constitutional position is to become sweet. Salt—constitutional position is to become salty, alkaline taste. And water is liquid. Stone is solid. These specifical, specific qualification is called dharma. Similarly, we living entities, we have got a specific qualification: the eternal attitude to serve others. So that, how to serve Kṛṣṇa, how to attain Kṛṣṇa consciousness, how to give up our material engagement in different designations—this science and this truth is described in the Bhagavad-gītā. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). Paritrāṇāya sādhūnām (BG 4.8).

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

He's by nature simply enjoying. Enjoying. That is Kṛṣṇa.

So we are also Kṛṣṇa's part and parcel. Therefore in minute quantity we have got the same propensities, how to enjoy life. This is... Because we are Kṛṣṇa's part and parcel. The same... Just like the drop of sea water has the same chemical composition. Analyze. The same percentage of salt, proportionately. Just like two upon fifty, proportion, what is called, ratio. The ratio is the same, only in small quantity. Otherwise the percentage is the same. Only in small quantity.

So we are ānandamaya. Our nature is to remain always jubilant in pleasure. But because we are in this material contact, we are not jubilant. This is our problem. That Kṛṣṇa is suggesting here, how to solve your problem. He says, vīta-rāga. "Give up this attachment, sense attachment." Rāga. Rāga means attachment. Vīta-rāga-bhaya.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:

Yes, yes. Just like you are sitting here. If you don't like, you can go away. That's your free will. There is free will. Because we are part and parcel of God, God is completely free to do anything. And because we are part and parcel of God, therefore we have got minute quantity of freedom. Just like a drop of ocean water, it is also salty, but the quantity of salt in that drop is not equal to the salt in the ocean. Similarly, you have got a little quantity of freedom, but not as freedom as God has got. That is not possible. You are subordinate. Your freedom is subordinate to God's freedom. Therefore if you misuse your freedom, then you become punishable. The government gives you freedom, but if you misuse your freedom, if you violate the laws, then you are criminal. Yes?

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

Therefore the conclusion should be the chemicals come from life; life does not come from chemical. If life comes from chemical, then you produce. I give you the chemical, whatever chemicals you want. So chemical is produced. Just like you have got experience when there is perspiration. You taste the perspiration; there is salt. Wherefrom the salt comes? Salt is... what is the chemical name? Sodium carbonate, no?

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Melbourne, April 20, 1976:

The granules are like this. The taste is like this. The reaction is like this. If you put with this, it will react like this." So many. If certain chemical complies with all the characteristic, then it is declared pure. So suppose what is the characteristic of sugar? Everyone knows. It must be sweet. Sugar and salt, both of them externally seem the same, white. But you have to understand which is sugar and which is salt by tasting. So there are different test of characteristic. If sugar becomes salty, immediately, "Oh, it is not sugar. Throw it." And if salt become sweet, you throw it. Similarly, dharma means everything has got a special characteristic. That is called dharma.

Lecture on BG 9.10 -- Calcutta, June 29, 1973:

So similarly we are also producing, with our perspiration, water. And the water is salty also. We have got, everyone, experience. Now it is the question of limited and unlimited. We are limited. We are producing a little quantity of water by perspiration which contains salt, salty water. If I am able to produce unlimited quantity of water, salty, that is sea and ocean. That is sea and ocean. What is the (this) sea and ocean? That is perspiration of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He has got such potency, unlimited. Unlimited potency. So where is the difficulty to understand that when Kṛṣṇa says: ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8), "I produce everything..." The chemists, the scientists, they're beginning from chemical, but wherefrom the chemical came? That came from Kṛṣṇa.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.1 -- New Vrindaban, September 1, 1972:

Just like Atlantic Ocean and a drop of Atlantic Ocean water. Chemically it is the same. If you taste one drop of Atlantic Ocean water it is salty. Immediately direct perception. And if you analyze the whole ocean you will find it is salty. But the difference is the Atlantic Ocean contains millions and trillions of tons of salt, but the drop of water contains a grain of salt. Similarly, whatever propensities you have, that is result of God. If you can study yourself, that is called meditation, study yourself and you will find that you are sample of God. He is vibhu, God is great, and we are small. That is difference. Therefore our knowledge is imperfect. But God's knowledge is perfect, abhijñaḥ. Abhijñaḥ. Abhijñaḥ means fully conversant.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Delhi, November 11, 1973:

We have to serve. Nobody can say... In this meeting there are so many ladies and gentlemen. Nobody can say that "I do not serve anyone. I am free." That is not possible. You must have to serve. And that service is called dharma. Just like salt is salty taste, sugar is sweet taste. The sweet taste is the dharma of sugar. The pungent taste of chili, that is the dharma. It cannot change. If sugar is salty, you do not accept. "Oh, this is not sugar." Similarly, living entity has got a permanent occupational duty. That is service. That service is being carried on in different names: "service of the family," "service of the country," "service of the community," "service of the nation," "service of the humanity," so many names. But there is service. But this service cannot be complete unless the service goes up to the transcendental loving service of Kṛṣṇa. That is perfection of service. And that is called dharma. Try to understand what is dharma.

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

You have also learned how to do it. (laughter) In India there are varieties. If you sometimes go to India... In Delhi there are shops, many varieties of foodstuffs, all from grains and fruits, that's all. Grain, fruits, ghee, sugar, and salt. Varieties, hundreds. So eating, sleeping, the basic principle is eating, sleeping, mating. So Carvaka Muni says that "Live very joyfully, and eat very nicely, enjoy your senses, finish your life. That is atheism. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2). They have no vision that there is soul.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

He approached Sanātana Goswāmī. Sanātana Goswāmī was sitting underneath the tree, and his Madana-mohana was hanging in the tree. He had no place, no temple, no cloth. Madana-mohana was asking Sanātana Goswāmī that "Sanātana, you are giving Me dried bread, without even salt. How can I eat?" So Sanātana Goswāmī replied, "Sir, I cannot go to ask for salt. Whatever I've got, I offer You. I cannot help." This was their talks. So one salt merchant came, Sindhi salt merchant, he was passing from Vṛndāvana to Delhi side, and he offered his service, and Sanātana Goswāmī asked him to construct the temple of Madana-mohana. That temple is still existing, Madana-mohana's temple. So this is the proper use. If you have got some money, don't use it for constructing a big skyscraper building. Better you try to construct a very nice temple for Kṛṣṇa's situation. That is proper use.

Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Vrndavana, October 30, 1972:

Why it should be mithyā? But because he has no knowledge, sufficient knowledge of the Vedic instruction, īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam, pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate (ISO 1), he does not know that creation of God is complete.

There is no defect. When God created this world, he created it perfect. Take, for example, we require water. So in every planet there is sufficient water, these oceans and seas. And they are very nicely preserved, adding with, what is called? Salt? What is the chemical name? Sodium...?

Lecture on SB 1.3.1 -- Vrndavana, November 14, 1972:

The real occupational duty of the living entity is called sanātana-dharma. Dharma means not religion. Dharma means the natural characteristic. That is dharma. We don't mean dharma is a certain type of faith. No. Faith or no faith, the characteristics must be there. Just like salt. It has got a particular type of taste. So you like it or not like it, the taste is there. It is... That is... If you think that "I have faith that salt should be sweet," no. That cannot be. You may have faith. You may create that faith that salt has the sweet taste. But that's not a fact. Similarly, if you say, "I have got my faith that sugar will be pungent." No. That cannot be. Sugar has got a particular type of taste. That will continue.

Lecture on SB 1.5.33 -- Vrndavana, August 14, 1974:

The same milk. The milk is the cause of your dysentery, but the same milk, when it is medically treated, can cure it. This is the secret. How? One milk preparation. Milk is the origin. Rabri, you take too much and there is dysentery. And cikitsitam, the same milk converted into yogurt, add little black pepper, little salt and lime, it will cure. The origin is the milk. So one way you become diseased and the other way you become cured, but the preparation is the same—milk. Similarly, our activities in this material world with these material elements, when we violate the laws, we become entangled. But the same material activities, when it is turned into Kṛṣṇa prasādam, dovetailed with Kṛṣṇa for hearing and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, what we are doing?

Lecture on SB 1.8.27 -- Los Angeles, April 19, 1973:

This is Kṛṣṇa's business. It's full freedom. Although we have got minute quantity of freedom, because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has got full freedom, but the freedom quality is there in me because I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. The chemical composition. The drop of sea water has got a drop of salt also. Although it is not comparable with the salt containing in the sea water. But the salt chemical is there. This is our understanding. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Whatever we have got in minute quantity, the same thing, in fullness is there in Kṛṣṇa. In fullness. Just like Kṛṣṇa says: mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś ca aham.

Lecture on SB 1.8.40 -- Los Angeles, May 2, 1973:

By nature's way such... Just like you see in the ocean, how the water is clear and crystal. By nature's way, it is kept very nice clear and crystal, and from the ocean the water is diverted by the process to come into the river, the same water, but it is crystalized without any salt. By nature's way. By nature's way means Kṛṣṇa's way. So you take nice water from the river. What is the use of constructing huge waterworks supplying water? Nature has already given you. You take fruits, nice fruits. You take grains. You take milk products. You take silk. You take pearls. You take jewels. Everything is... You want richness, you collect the pearls—you become rich. There is no question of to become rich by starting some huge factory, producing these motor bodies. You see.

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

He's one; we are many. God is worshiped because He provides everyone. He gives food, maintenance..., all the necessities of life, God is supplying. Therefore, He should be worshiped. We require water; God has given the oceans of water, stocked. Utilize it. How nicely arranged: clear water, mixed with salt so that it will not decompose. Such arrangement. And when you require drinking water, the same water is distilled. By God's arrangement, the sunshine evaporates the water, took it on the high sky, and then distributes clear, distilled water.

Lecture on SB 1.16.26-30 -- Hawaii, January 23, 1974:

We must remember always that we are part and parcel of God. So we have all the good qualities of God; that is our nature. Just like the drop of the ocean water, it has got all the qualities of the ocean. There is no doubt about it. Therefore, even if we take a little drop of ocean water, because the ocean water is salty, we taste the water salty. The salt is there also, but in minute quantity. The ocean has got millions and trillions of tons of salt, and here, in the drop of the water, there is a grain of salt. But salt is there. Another example: just like a little portion of gold. So that is also gold; it is not iron. So naturally, in our original position we have got all the good qualities of God. Now, due to the material contamination, the godly qualities are now covered. The godly qualities are there, but it is covered. That covering is possible due to our very minuteness, very small quantity. Therefore we are fallible, but Kṛṣṇa is not fallible.

Lecture on SB 1.16.26-30 -- Hawaii, January 23, 1974:

Just like if you go to the chemical laboratory, you are testing the characteristic. In the book there is characteristic, even an ordinary chemical. Now, they say... Take, for example, salt. It is called? Chemical name is sodium chloride. Eh? Sodium chloride. So in the book you'll find sodium chloride, and the characteristics, "It is like this. It is like this. It is like this." The color, the taste, the composition, so many things are there. Similarly... How we are testing the purity of sodium chloride? From the books. Similarly, here is the characteristic of pure devotee.

Lecture on SB 2.3.10 -- Los Angeles, May 28, 1972:

Prabhupāda: Who is he? Who is she? I want to know.

Devotee: Tell her to come out of the kitchen ... (devotees chant japa.)

Prabhupāda: Why you have no responsibility? You have added salt instead of sugar. Why?

Girl devotee: I didn't read the-

Prabhupāda: No. You shouldn't make anymore. One responsible should make it. Somebody, give him charge. This is great mistake. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Where is Pradyumna? Chant.

Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya (etc., leads chanting of verse and reads synonyms)

Lecture on SB 3.25.27 -- Bombay, November 27, 1974:

The government does not say. But you have selected to become a thief. That is it because we have got little independence, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is fully independent; therefore we have got the quality of independence. But because we are very small, minute particle we have got minute particle of independence. Minute... Just like you take a drop of water from the sea. That is also salt, but very minute particle. The salt is there because it is part and parcel of the big sea. It must be salty. Similarly, Brahman, Para-brahman, Kṛṣṇa, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramam... (BG 10.12). So here we have got all the qualities.

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

So similarly, originally we are all pure, Kṛṣṇa conscious, but as we have got little independence... Because we are part and parcel of God, therefore—God has got full independence—so we have got independence according to the quantity. Just like a small drop of ocean water has got a little quantity of salt also, similarly, we are aṇu, and God is vibhu; He is Prabhu, and we are servant; He is master, we are servant. The master has got independence, and the servant has also independence, not that because one is servant, he has no independence. He has got independence. If he likes, he can give up the service of the master and live independently. This is crude example. Similarly, our material contamination means that, when we desire to live without Kṛṣṇa consciousness: "Why we shall be subservient to Kṛṣṇa? We shall live independently..." That is going on.

Lecture on SB 3.26.39 -- Bombay, January 14, 1975:

Nitāi: "Visible forms are understood by analytical study of their constitution. The constitution of a certain object is appreciated by its internal action. For example, the form of salt is appreciated by the interaction of salty tastes, and the form of sugar is appreciated by the interaction of sweet tastes. Tastes and the qualitative constitution are the basic principles in understanding the form of an object."

Prabhupāda: So actually, everything has got form, and there is—why not?—the form of God also. He has got virāḍ-rūpa, and He has got small, also, rūpa. We have got experience of the virāḍ-rūpa in the Bhagavad-gītā. But that is not permanent rūpa. Permanent rūpa of Kṛṣṇa: Dvi-bhuja-muralīdhara. He has got two hands and playing on flute. That is permanent rūpa. Virāḍ-rūpa, as it was shown to Arjuna, it is called naimittika, "under certain conditions." That is not eternal rūpa.

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

So whole material world is nothing but tejo-vāri-mṛd-vinimayaḥ, exchange of, elementary, this earth, water, and fire. The same principle here also: taste. Just like we cook the same oil, ghee, and salt and turmeric, but we prepare different preparations, hundred, two hundred preparation, simply by the process of mixing earth. So that is going on. Now, by Kṛṣṇa's energy... Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). His energy is working in such subtle way, mysterious way. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is known as Yogeśvara. The same earth, same water, but the seed different. So one tree is coming to produce chili, another tree is coming out to produce tomato, another tree is coming out to produce mango. Different taste.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Boston, April 28, 1969:

The animals, they follow also do not, but by their natural intuition. But we have got developed consciousness. We have got also natural intuition, but because we have got developed consciousness, we sometimes misuse our opportunity and therefore we suffer. Just like... I'll give you another example. We require little salt with our food, but if you take more salt, the food becomes (indistinct), and if there is no salt, you cannot take it. Salt must be there, but to the point. Similarly, so far our sense gratification, we have got our senses. We have got our mouth, we have got our stomach. We require to eat. So we do not stop your eating, but we regulate your eating that if you eat like this, kṛṣṇa-prasādam, then your life becomes full of austerity.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Stockholm, September 9, 1973:

And from cheese, if you... We are daily doing that. You can make nice preparation, chānā. That is very nutritious, full of protein. And you can make rasagullā, sandeśa, so many other preparations from the casein of the cheese. But they do not know. Crude civilization, and take a lump of flesh and boil it and give little salt and black pepper and eat like animal. This is civilization. This is civilization. Just try to understand. You have to convince your countrymen that what is this civilization, nonsense civilization? Stop this kind of civilization. Learn how to become civilized. Don't claim yourself as civilized man and eating like tigers and dogs and cats.

Lecture on SB 5.5.18 -- Vrndavana, November 6, 1976:

Even in this life. If you can eat one chatta, and if you will eat little more, immediately you will become diseased. Immediately. Nature will punish you, three days' starvation. You have taken more. So this is the law of nature. You cannot violate the... There is salt is required, little in the food. If it is a little more, you cannot take. If it is a little, you cannot take. So stricture, you cannot violate even a slightest degree the laws of nature. But these rascals are thinking that "I am independent." Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate (BG 3.27). We should take guidance of the spiritual master or the guru or Kṛṣṇa. Guidance of guru means guidance of Kṛṣṇa, because ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān nāvamanyeta karhicit (SB 11.17.27).

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Sydney, February 17, 1973:

Just like I have got some pain in this finger, I scratch some nail, that I should not have done. Immediately there is reaction, I'm suffering. Every... You cannot do anything whimsically. As soon as you do it, there is reaction. Take for example just like salt. Salt is necessary. Unless you put little salt in the foodstuff, you cannot eat it. So salt is necessary, but if you put little more, immediately you cannot eat. It will not, not eatable. Because God has given you salt, the seas and oceans of salt, you cannot make it use more than is necessary. If you think that "There is so much salt, let me eat it," no, you can not do. Any, any action. Just like in this material world, sex life is very pleasing, but if you enjoy more, then you become impotent, the reaction. If you can eat say four ounce, and if you eat five ounce, immediately there is indigestion; two days you will have to starve.

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

Suppose you can eat eight ounce. If you eat nine ounce, then you will have to starve for three days. There is no excuse. "Why you have eaten more than eight ounce?" The nature says... Just like we require salt in our foodstuff, everyone. But if the salt is little more, it is useless. And if the salt is little less, that is also useless. It must be exactly to the quantity. So nature's law is like that. People, if they simply study nature's law, he becomes a learned scholar. There is no need of going to school, college. But if he sees how nature is working... You can see this flower. Every flower is so beautiful, nicely constructed symmetrically. You'll find two flowers, the small fiber coming out exactly in the same way. There is no question of accident.

Lecture on SB 6.1.40 -- San Francisco, July 21, 1975:

So what is the taste? Taste is that jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa: (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109) we are eternal servant of God. This is our dharma, or constitutional position. Just like sugar is sweet. That is the taste. If sugar is salty, although both of them looks the same, white powder, but if I give you sugar and if it is actually salt, then immediately you will say, "Oh, this is not sugar. This is not sugar." How? By taste. Similarly, everything has got his constitutional position. The sugar is sweet, and the chili is pungent. If sugar is pungent and chili is sweet, then you throw it away. It is not real. It is not real. Similarly, what is the constitutional position of human being, dharma?

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 3, 1967:

This is perfection of life. It is called bhāgavata-dharma.

So what is our relationship with God? I have already explained that the six opulences are there in God in full and the same six opulences are in me, but in particle. Just like the ocean water. It contains tons, millions of tons salt, ocean water, salt. You take a drop of ocean water. You analyze. You will find a grain of salt also. The salt is there also. Similarly, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, what is our relationship?

Lecture on SB 7.9.6 -- Mayapur, February 26, 1977:

Because it is the kingdom... This is also kingdom of God. But we have made it hell by unnecessarily fighting. That's all. Otherwise it is... For a devotee—pūrṇam. Viśvaṁ pūrṇaṁ sukhāyate. Why there should be fight? God has supplied everything. You want water? Three-fourths of the earth is full of water. But that water is salt. God has process how to make it sweet. You cannot do this. Water you want. There is sufficient water. Why there should be scarcity? Now we heard in Europe they were contemplating importing water. Was not that? Yes. In England they were thinking of importing. Is that possible?

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Calcutta, March 5, 1972:

I know you don't take much. But if you take too much chilis and spices, then you will be considered amongst the non-brāhmaṇas. You can take more sweets. (laughter) So if the bill was submitted containing more sugar, then he would accept, "Yes, that man is brāhmaṇa." (laughter) So these three guṇas means sweet, salt, and chili. Sattva-guṇa is sweet, and rāja-guṇa is salt, and tama-guṇa is chili.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Calcutta, March 5, 1972:

Then he considers that gunair api, jam nārādhituṁ na pipruḥ tat purna saktai tyaktva sa harir me katham toṣṭum praptam arhati (?). Sa hareḥ, "That Supreme Personality of Godhead, how He can be pacified by me?" Toṣṭum arhati. In other words, that God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot be achieved by persons who are polluted by the chili quality and salt quality, or tama-guṇa and raja-guṇa, rajas tamaḥ. Rajas tamo bhāvāḥ (SB 1.2.19). If we are infected with... There are three qualities within this material world, sattva-guṇa, raja-guṇa, tama-guṇa. So generally people are infected with tama-guṇa and raja-guṇa. There are very few persons who are under the sattva-guṇa. But Kṛṣṇa says that one can overcome the influence of raja-guṇa and tama-guṇa by simply hearing about Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā or from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. That is the recommendation.

Lecture on SB 7.9.12 -- Mayapur, February 19, 1976:

You cannot claim that because you are serving Kṛṣṇa in a type, and therefore, if somebody is serving in a different way—must be approved by the authority... You cannot criticize him. Varieties. Variety is the mother of enjoyment. The same vegetable, the same ghee, the same salt, same spices, but there are varieties of preparations. That is required. We Vaiṣṇava, we want varieties. Bahūnmukhi-sevā. How... The central point is how... The Vṛndāvana-Kṛṣṇa is the central point. The cowherd boys, they are satisfying Kṛṣṇa by going in the forest, playing with Him, mock-fighting with Him.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.7 -- Mayapur, March 31, 1975:

In this way the whole creation of universes takes place. Garbhodakaśāyī. And after creation of this universe, then same Viṣṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī, within this universe He creates His own Vaikuṇṭha where there is an ocean of milk. There are different kinds of oceans, we learn from śāstra. We have got experience of the salted ocean, but there are many other oceans, just like milk ocean and ghee ocean, oil ocean and yogurt ocean. There are. We get this information from the śāstra.

So the Mahā-Viṣṇu, first of all He enters in each universe as Garbhodakaśāyī.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.106-107 -- San Francisco, February 13, 1967:

We require water, so much, a large quantity. So God has created this earth in such a way that three-fourths of the earth is covered with water. And the water is salty. Why? The water is reserved. Unless it is salty, it will decompose. And how the water is distributed? Oh, there is sun. Sun evaporates the water, and that means salt is made minus and the pure water is evaporated on the sky, and that is distributed all over the world and it is kept on the highest summit of the mountain so that it can come down by gravitation throughout the whole year through the rivers, channel, and you can get water. Now see—nature study—how it is perfectly made. Can you do that? No. It is not possible.

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

Yes. It becomes spiritual. How? That we have to understand by the result. Phalena paricīyate. If you eat this spiritual food, you'll get spiritual strength. That is practical. Just like I'll give you another example: milk. You take more milk preparation, you get diarrhea. You go to a physician, he'll say, "Yes. Today you take only yogurt mixed with little salt and black pepper." Cured, diarrhea cured. Now, you can say, "The same milk?" But it is treated. Therefore it cures. You can say, "Oh, the same milk? Yogurt is also milk." But it is treated. Therefore it cures. So you'll find that your material disease is being cured by spiritual foodstuff. That is practical. Therefore it is spiritual.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.113 -- London, July 23, 1976:

They are doubting also in the Mars planet. But we get information from the śāstra that every planet is full of living entities. Every planet. Janakīrṇa. This very word is said in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, janakīrṇa, and there is vivid description of different planets and different types of oceans, just like milk ocean. We have got here examples, sweet water and salted water. So there is sweet ocean also. That is mentioned in the śāstra. Not that in this planet there is salted ocean and... There are other planets where there is sweet water ocean and milk ocean and liquor ocean and oil ocean, ghee ocean, butter ocean, milk, butter ocean, and so many different types.

Festival Lectures

Lecture-Day after Sri Gaura-Purnima -- Hawaii, March 5, 1969:

So we are trying to clear the consciousness without any cover, without any color. Just like there is water, pure water. Take sea water. It is very clear. But if you take clear water and if you color it, then it is colored water. It is not pure water. Or if it is not distilled, if you add some chemical, sugar or salt, then the taste is different. That is not the real taste of water. Just like if you thirsty, if you want water, if I give you some adulterated water, you are not satisfied. If you get clear water, pure water, then your thirst is quenched: "Oh, I am satisfied." Because the taste is there in the clear water, not in the colored water. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa says sukham ātyantikaṁ yat (BG 6.21). That superhappiness, super-sense gratification, can be achieved by your transcendental sense, not by these covered sense.

Sri Sri Rukmini Dvarakanatha Deity Installation -- Los Angeles, July 16, 1969:

There is a Vaṁsīdāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, he was talking with his Deity. And Kṛṣṇa... Just like Madana-mohana, He was talking with Sanātana Gosvāmī. Madana-mohana... Sanātana Gosvāmī at that time had no temple; he was hanging his Deity on the tree. So Madana-mohana was talking with him, "Sanātana, you are bringing all these dry capatis, and it is stale, and you don't give Me even little salt. How can I eat?" Sanātana Gosvāmī said, "Sir, where shall I go? Whatever I get I offer You. You kindly accept. I cannot move, old man." You see. So Kṛṣṇa had to eat that. (chuckles) Because the bhakta is offering He cannot refuse. Ye māṁ bhaktyā prayacchati. Real thing is bhakti. What you can offer to Kṛṣṇa? Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. What you have got? What is your value?

General Lectures

Lecture to College Students -- Seattle, October 20, 1968, Introduction by Tamala Krsna:

Just like sugar. Sugar's characteristic is sweetness. If you are given some sugar, if you find it, it is not sweet, you at once reject it: "Oh, it is not sugar. It is something else." So that sweetness is the characteristic of sugar. Similarly, sour taste is the characteristic of salt, pungency is the characteristic of chili. Similarly, what is your characteristic, living entity? That you have to study. That is your religion. Not that Christian religion, Hindu religion, or this religion, that religion. Your eternal characteristic, what is that eternal characteristic? You want to love somebody, and therefore you want to serve. That is your characteristic. You want your society... You love your society, you love your family, you love your country, you love your community.

Press Release -- Los Angeles, December 22, 1968:

Just like the drop of sea water and the vast mass of sea water—both are qualitatively one. The chemical composition of the drop of sea water and that of the mass of sea water are one and the same, but the quantity of salt and other minerals in the whole sea is many, many times greater than the quantity of salt and other minerals contained in the drop of sea water. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement maintains the (sic:) speciality of the individual soul and the Supreme Soul. From the Vedic Upaniṣads we can understand that both the Supreme Person, or God, and the individual person are eternal and living entities.

Pandal Lecture at Cross Maidan -- Bombay, March 26, 1971:

The same thing, the same philosophy, as I have already explained, that there is no restriction in accepting the bodily necessities of life, but you accept so much only as it will help you to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Don't take less, don't take much. Accept properly. That is the law of nature. Nature does not allow you to take more or less. Just like salt. Salt is an ingredient which you want very badly in every, I mean to say, morsel of foodstuff. But if you take more salt, it will spoil the foodstuff, and if you take less, then it will not be tasteful. So you have to take salt simply as much as you require, neither more nor less.

Lecture -- Bombay, March 19, 1972:

Not only conscious, abhijñaḥ, but He is independent. But we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa; therefore the quality of independence of Kṛṣṇa is there, but in minute quantity. Our independence and Kṛṣṇa's independence is not the same. Just like here is the Arabian Sea. You take a drop of water from the Arabian Sea, you taste it, you'll find it is salty. The salt is there in a drop of the Arabian Sea water, and salt is there in the Arabian Sea. But the quantity of salt in the whole Arabian Sea and the quantity of salt in the drop of water, they are different. Similarly, because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, all the qualities of Kṛṣṇa, they are also present within us in minute quantity. And because it is in minute quantity, sometimes it becomes lost. Therefore our consciousness, originally, because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, our original consciousness is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but somehow or other, being in contact with this matter, we have lost our Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture at Christian Monastery -- Melbourne, April 6, 1972:

The example is just like the ocean. Ocean water is vast, and drop of ocean water, you analyze chemically, you will find all the chemical ingredients in that drop of water as there is in the water. The difference is of quantity. In the drop of water there is salt, and in the vast mass water in the ocean there is also salt. But the salt containing in the ocean water is very, very big quantity than the salt containing in the drop of water. And another example can be given. These are Vedic examples. Just like the fire and the sparks of the fire. We have seen, experienced. When there is fire, sometimes there is some sound, "Phut!" immediately hundreds and thousands of sparks coming out. Now these sparks, they are also fire, but not as big as the original fire.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Ludwig Wittgenstein:

Prabhupāda: This is evidence: that there is no soul. The self, the individual soul, is now departed; therefore this body is lump of matter. This is evidence. And because the soul is there, therefore the body changes or develops. Just like if a child is born dead, then the body does not develop or changes. It remains in the same condition. But so long the soul is there, the child grows or changes his body. That is evidence. Because the soul is there, therefore the child is growing or changing body from childhood to boyhood, boyhood to youth. Suppose a child is born, doctor says it is dead child. You say something is wanted, but what is that something? You do not know. Otherwise, if you know, you add it. What is that something? Suggest, what is that something? Simply vague idea something, that is nonsense idea. That is not science. You must give, "This is wanting." Suppose that you say that the blood, the redness, just like nowadays blood supply is the theory, so what is this blood? Blood is a liquid, red liquid, like chemical or something, with some salt. So you can add salt, just like in cholera cases, they add saline injection.

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Prabhupāda: The thing is that these people, they do not understand what is religion. Religion you cannot avoid. That is characteristic. Just like we gave several times this example, that everything has got a particular characteristic. Just like salt, salt is never sweet, and sweet is never salt. It has got a characteristic. A chile is pungent. Similarly, living entity, we are..., what is our characteristic? Our characteristic is to render service. Either you take Communism or this "ism" or that "ism," your real characteristic to render service, that will not change. The, in the capitalist country they are asking people that "You work in the factory and work for me, and whatever I say, you do," and the same thing is being dictated by the Communist leaders. Where is the difference? There is no difference, but it is only difference of nonsensical idea.