Simultaneously one and different (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"nondifferent and different simultaneously" |"one and different" |"one with and different" |"oneness and difference"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.15 -- London, July 15, 1973:

The same object. So the Brahman realization is impersonal realization. Just like the sun, the sun globe, and the sunshine. They are one, but the sunshine, realization of the sunshine, is not realization of the sun globe. Or realization of the sun globe is not realization of the sun god who is within the sun globe. Vivasvān. His name is Vivasvān. The present predominating Deity in the sun planet, his name is Vivasvān. And his son Manu is called Vaivasvata Manu. This is the age of Vaivasvata Manu. So at the... This is very nice example, that the sunshine, the sun globe and the sun god. They are all one, but still, the sun globe is not the person, sun god; neither the sunshine is not the person sun, although they are one. This is called acintya-bhedābheda-tattva, inconceivably one and different simultaneously.

So Brahman realization is also God realization, but it is partial. The Supreme Lord is sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). He is person. But He is not a person like us. He is sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Vigraha means person. So He is person, Bhagavān. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). Three features, realization of the Absolute. The first realization, imperfect realization, is impersonal Brahman. Further advanced realization—Paramātmā realization. And ultimate realization—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. These are the three stages.

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

Prabhupāda: Yes. Dvaita and advaita. Just like this finger is, is my finger. So it is part of this body. So you can, you can say, "This finger is also body." But, at the same time, the finger is not the body. Is it clear? You cannot say "This finger the whole body." But at the same time, you can say, "Yes, finger is body." If you say, "This is my body," there is no wrong because finger is also part of the body. But if you say that "The finger is body," that is also wrong. This is dvaita-advaita. It is simultaneously one and different. Similarly, the soul and the Supreme Lord, equal in quality. Kṛṣṇa says, mamaivāṁśa. The small particle of gold is gold. That is advaita. You cannot say, because it is small particle of gold, you cannot say, "It is iron." It is gold. That is advaita. But the gold mine and the gold earring, there is difference. You cannot say the gold earring is as good as the gold mine. That is dvaita. so in this way, as so far our spiritual existence is concerned, we are one. But so far our energies are concerned, that is different. That is dvaita-advaita. You have no such big energy as God has. In that sense you are different. God can create millions of universe by His breathing. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48). You can create one small sputnik, and take credit. But God can create innumerable universes simply by breathing. So your energy, your power, is different from God's power. But in quality, you are one with God.

Indian: Then you must prove it is dvaita.

Prabhupāda: Both advaita and dvaita. Both...

Indian: How? How? Prove, how?

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Hyderabad, November 18, 1972:

Prabhupāda: Paramātmā and ātmā, it is not very difficult to know. Just like you are father and you have got many children at home. So they, because they are children, they are, I mean to say, as ingredients, you and your children are the same, but still, you are superior, and the children are dependent. Your children are not different from you, but still, you are superior and they are inferior or junior. So qualitatively one, but quantitatively different. So quantitatively different—ātmā, Paramātmā; and qualitatively one—ātmā is spirit, Paramātmā is spirit. It is called acintya-bhedābheda-tattva, simultaneously one and different. One in quality, different in quantity. You can create. You are also qualitatively one with God. You have got creative power. Just like we are creating this flying machine, sputniks. That is also flying in the sky, and the Paramātmā has created the millions of planets floating in the sky. So you have got the creative power, but you cannot create like that, Paramātmā. That is the difference. Can you?

Indian: My question was very simple.

Prabhupāda: Yes. The answer is also very simple. Paramātmā is great. You are small. That's all.

Indian: But whether the, our ātmā is the part and parcel of the ātmā, Paramātmā.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Indian: Paramātmā is entirely different from the ātmā and...

Prabhupāda: That I will explain. In quality, you are one. Because a particle of gold is also gold. But the gold mine is not equal to the gold earring. That is mistake.

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

That is spoken by God Himself, Kṛṣṇa: mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ (BG 9.4). Mayā tatam idam, avyakta-mūrtinā. So this impersonal feature, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti (SB 1.2.11), the impersonal feature is Brahman. Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. That means sarvedam akhilaṁ jagat, parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktiḥ sarvedam akhilaṁ jagat. Just like the sunshine. You are in the sunshine. That is a practical faith. The sunshine is not different from the sun. The sun is ninety-three millions of miles away, but still, because you are in the sunshine, you are in sun. Can you deny it? That is the thing. You are in the sunshine. The sunshine is not different from the sun. But still, it is not the sun. This is the philosophy, inconceivably, simultaneously one and different. The sunshine is not different from the sun, but still, it is different. Similarly, the whole manifested, the cosmic manifestation is God, but still He is..., it is not God. This is, therefore it is called inconceivable, acintya. With our teeny brain, we cannot accommodate how it is one and different. Therefore it is called acintya. Acintya-bhedābheda: different and separate, simultaneously. Everything. Idaṁ hi viśvo bhagavān ivetaraḥ. The whole world is Bhagavān, but it appears different from Bhagavān. So how? To a mahā-bhāgavata, who understands actually what is Bhagavān, he does not see any difference. Because he, everywhere he sees his worshipable Deity, Kṛṣṇa. He does not see anything. I am seeing a tree, but a devotee is seeing tree: "Oh, it is the energy of Kṛṣṇa." Immediately he remembers Kṛṣṇa and worships Him. So this is higher stage of realization of God, how the inconceivable things, simultaneously one and different, can be perceived. Therefore, there are three stages of devotional life, kaniṣṭhādhikārī, madhyamādhikārī, and uttamādhikārī. So to become uttamādhikārī, it is not so easy, but we are generally in the kaniṣṭhādhikārī. But we shall try to come to the madhyamādhikārī. Then our life will be successful.

Lecture on BG 2.46-47 -- New York, March 28, 1966:

We are in quality... Just God is..., similarly, we are also in quality the same, chemically or constitutionally or qualitatively. But God's power and my power is different. Just like the mass water in the ocean, it can play a havoc. But a drop of water, that... It is not possible by the drop of the water.

Similarly, that is the difference between ourself and God. We are minute particles, minute particles, just like the sun and the sun rays. The sunshine, the sun rays, they are also combination of molecules of some shining material, material. So shining material... So that sunshine is not different from the sun, but at the same time, sunshine is not the sun. This is called simultaneously one and different. This philosophy was, I mean to say, expounded by Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, acintya-bhedābheda, acintya-bhedābheda, "simultaneously one and different." Now, in order to keep our position intact, that is to... That theoretically we understand or we have understood that "I am not this body, but I am consciousness, pure soul," that is our theoretical... Not theoretical, but it is practical. Anyone can understand. Any sane man can understand that "I am not this body; I am the soul." Now, to keep myself fixed up in that conviction, we require to work for it. Otherwise, as I was explaining to you, just like a child, a boy, he is, I mean to say, very much addicted to play. But if you want to give him... If you want to stop his mischievous activities and if you want to stop him, then you must give him some good engagement. If you simply stop the child that "Don't play," by threatening or by some other way, you can stop him artificially for some time, but as soon as he gets opportunity he will again play. So you must engage him with some good task so that he may have attraction and he may be engaged in that good task so that he may not spoil or waste his time by playing or by mischievous activity. Similarly, consciousness is active.

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

No. Rādhā is the internal potency, we are marginal potency. Of course, originally, in that sense, everything is Kṛṣṇa's expansion. Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. But even there are expansions... That is the difference between Māyāvāda philosophy and Vaiṣṇava philosophy. Caitanya Mahāprabhu...acintya-bhedābheda. We are always simultaneously one and different. Always. We should remember. We are, because we are expansion of Kṛṣṇa, we are expansion of Rādhā also because Rādhā is also expansion of Kṛṣṇa. But still, different.

That is the philosophy. One and different simultaneously. Acintya-bhedābheda. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy is inconceivable simultaneously one and different. Energy. This will be explained in the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā. The energies and the energetic is the same. Śakti-śaktimator abheda. Just like sun and the sunshine, they are the same. There is no difference. But the molecules of the sunshine particles, that is not equal to the sun. These truths we shall always remember. Acintyāḥ khalu ye bhāvāḥ. Therefore these are inconceivable. We are simultaneously one with Kṛṣṇa and Rādhā, and at the same time different. (break)

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

Expand means the things are there, now it is expanded. Just like the sun and sunshine. Sunshine is not created. Wherever there is sun, there is sunshine. But if you get sunshine in the morning, if you say, "Now the sunshine is created," that is a mistake. It is our misconception. The sun and the sunshine are always there. It is a question of appearance and disappearance, that's all. Everything expansion of Kṛṣṇa. Without any exception. Some of them are expansion of His material energy, some of them are expansion of His spiritual energy, some of them are expansion of His marginal energy. So everything expansion of Kṛṣṇa. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). So because everything expansion of Kṛṣṇa's, therefore nothing but Kṛṣṇa. But still they are different. This is the whole basic principle of philosophy. Simultaneously one and different.

Lecture on BG 4.12 -- Vrndavana, August 4, 1974:

So that bīja, that spiritual spark, is given by Kṛṣṇa, and the material nature, kṣitir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca... This body is, in this way we have got. So because we are now in the material world, we have got the propensity to enjoy, to exploit the resources of material nature. Kṛṣṇa has given us the opportunity. Therefore He said in the previous verse that ye yathā māṁ prapadyante (BG 4.11). If you want... Because material nature is also Kṛṣṇa. Or Kṛṣṇa's energy. Not Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's energy, there is no difference.

That I have explained last night. Just like the fire and heat, that is the same quality. In the heat there is warmth, and the fire there is warmth. Still, the heat is not the fire. This is called inconceivable, simultaneously one and different. This is the perfect philosophy. Everything is one with the Supreme, and at the same time it is different. This is perfect philosophy given by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Acintya-bhedābheda-tattva.

So here, in this material world, people are trying to enjoy. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṁ siddhim. Everyone is working very hard. Any business he is doing, he is praying, "O My Lord, give me the opportunity that I may get success in my business." So Kṛṣṇa is giving. That is also very nice.

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

Just like the sun and the sunshine. What is the difference? The difference is... You see the sun globe. That is also number one. And what is the sunshine? The sunshine is a combination of very, very small, atomic, bright particles, the sunshine. Molecules. In the science they are called molecules. But there are many millions of small atomic parts combined together. That appears to be sunshine. So eka, the sun is one, but the sunshine means combination of many small atomic particles. Similarly, God is one, and we, part and parcel of God, we are many. Try to understand this. This is authoritative statement. So quality, the sun and the small atomic molecule particle, both of them are bright shining. But the sun as it is and the small particle, they are not equal. Equal in quality, not in quantity.

This is perfect understanding of philosophy. This is called acintya-bhedābheda-tattva, inconceivably one and different simultaneously. We are one with God in quality, but we are different in quantity. This is the understanding. Because we are particle of God, we have got all the qualities. Not all the qualities. They have calculated, big, big saintly persons, we have got seventy-eight percent of the qualities of God in very minute quantity. Say God is cent percent, hundred. So we are, when we are perfect, means without any material contamination, then we possess... We have already; it is now covered.

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

Actually, the sacrificer, the ingredients.... Just like grains and ghee is being offered in the fire. So the fire is also Brahman, the ingredients are also Brahman, the person who is offering ingredients, he is also Brahman, but in different categories. Not that because everything is Brahman, therefore everything is God. No. Everything is...

This is called, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy, acintya-bhedābheda-tattva. The example can be given. Just like a drop of sea water and the sea, chemical composition is the same, but the drop of sea water is not equal to the sea. This is Vaiṣṇava philosophy. The Māyāvāda philosophy is the drop, when it is taken, then it is separate, and again you put it there, then it is one. So the Vaiṣṇava philosophy accepts it is one and separate, both. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy, acintya-bhedābheda, simultaneously one and different.

And it is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā that mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā: (BG 9.4) "I am spread all over the universe," jagad avyakta-mūrtinā, "non-manifested mūrti." He has got His mūrti. He says, mayā: "by Me." "Me" means person. Mayā.

Lecture on BG 4.24 -- August 4, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Huh? "I am not in them" because you cannot see there. Kṛṣṇa is there, but you cannot she Him. You are not advanced. Just like another example. Here is, the sunlight is here. Everyone experiences. But that does not mean sun is here. It is clear? Sun is here means... Sunshine is here means sun is here. But still, because you are in the sunshine, you cannot say "Now I've captured the sun." Sunlight is existing in the sun, but sun is not present in the sunshine. Without sun there is no sunshine. That does not mean the sunshine is sun. At same time, you can say the sunshine means sun.

This is called acintya-bhedābheda, simultaneously one and different. In the sunshine you feel the presence of the sun, but if you are able to enter in the sun globe, you can meet the sungod also. Actually, the sunshine means the rays of the body of the person living in the sun globe.

That is explained in the Brahma-saṁhitā, yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). On account of Kṛṣṇa's... You have seen Kṛṣṇa's effulgence is coming. That is the source of everything. That expansion of that effulgence is the brahma-jyotir, and in that brahma-jyotir, innumerable spiritual planets, material planets, are generated. And in each and every planet there are varieties of presentation.

Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Vrndavana, August 10, 1974:

It is separated because in this material world you cannot directly perceive the presence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ. "I am not present there. Although it is coming from My energy, still, I am not present there." This is simultaneously-one-and-different philosophy.

So Kṛṣṇa says that ahaṅkāra itīyaṁ me bhinnā prakṛtir aṣṭa... Everything is finer. Just like the earth is grosser than the water. Water, finer. Earth you cannot move, but water can move. Therefore it is finer. And finer than the earth is the fire, and finer than the fire is air, and finer than the air is ether, and finer than the ether is the mind, and finer than the mind is intelligence, and finer than intelligence is my identity, ahaṅkāra. And finer than the ahaṅkāra is the soul. You have to study soul—finer, finer, finer, finer, finer. It is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā in another place that indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ, manasas tu parā buddhiḥ... (BG 3.42). In this, say, finer, finer. And the soul is very small magnitude finer. Keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya śatadhā kalpitasya ca (CC Madhya 19.140). So everything is explained in the Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā. If we accept, then we get full knowledge. The beginning of the Bhagavad-gītā... In this chapter, Kṛṣṇa says, asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu: (BG 7.1) "Without any doubt and in full, as you can understand Me, I am going to explain."

Lecture on BG 7.4-5 -- Bombay, March 30, 1971:

So we are energies of Kṛṣṇa. The Māyāvāda philosophy claims that we are the same Brahman or Paramātmā. But Bhagavad-gītā says that the living entities, as we are, we are simply energy; Kṛṣṇa is the energetic. So there is difference between the energetic and the energy. Just like fire. Fire is the energetic, and light and heat are the energies of fire. So the sun and the sunshine. The sunshine is the energy of sun. If you think because the sunshine has entered in your room, if you think the sun has entered your room, that is wrong. So energy and energetic, they are simultaneously one and different. That is the philosophy of Lord Caitanya. Acintya-bhedābheda. There are many philosophers, they say that God and the living entity the same; it is covered by māyā. Yes. It is covered by māyā. That is accepted. But God cannot be covered by māyā. That is not possible. The same example. Just like the clouds, cloud covering my eyesight. Not that cloud is covering the sun. That is not possible. Similarly, māyā also, being another energy...

Lecture on BG 7.5 -- Nairobi, November 1, 1975:

Just like in our body there are some superior part and some inferior part. We have got the brain, that is superior part. But there are other parts where we pass stool and urine. Everything is part of my body, but the position is different, superior and inferior. Similarly, everything is God—sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma—but still, there must be distinction between the superior and the inferior. Although it is Brahman, still, for practical use there is superior and inferior distinction. Those who do not make this distinction foolishly, they are called nirviśeṣavādī, impersonalist, without any varieties. But there are varieties actually. Although the body is one, there is no doubt about it, but different parts of the body are considered as superior and inferior.

This is called acintya-bhedābheda philosophy, simultaneously one and different. As part of the body, the anus or the genital, it is part of the body, and the brain is also part of the body. Both of them are part of the body, but still, brain is superior than the anus and genital. So in this way, and upon this philosophy... It is called acintya-bhedābheda. Bheda means distinct, and abheda means one. We should not take one part of the philosophy, that "Everything is one." No. Everything is one, that is a fact, and still, they are different. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā in the Thirteenth Chapter. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā: "In My impersonal form I am all-pervading," jagad avyakta, "but," mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni (BG 9.4), "everything is maintained by Me," mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ, "but I am not there." Just like the jail department is also part of the government, but the president does not live in the jail. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni.

Lecture on BG 7.6 -- Hyderabad, December 11, 1976:

Therefore different forms of bodies are there, but Kṛṣṇa is the cause. Kṛṣṇa... Just like father. Father is the cause of the sons, but the sons may be different. Not exactly all the sons are on the equal pattern. Similarly, we are originally all part and parcel or sons of God. Therefore God's qualities are there in us, very minute quantity, because we are very small. So the quality is there. Just like drop of water from the ocean. The taste is there. The taste of the ocean, salty, is there in the drop of ocean water. There is no difference. Only the difference is quantity... In quality they one one. Quality, that salty taste, quality, that is one. Any drop of the ocean, you can take the salty taste, but the drops may be of different quantity and the ocean is very, very big. This is called acintya-bhedābheda, simultaneously one and different. One in quality.

So qualitatively we are one. God is good, so in quality we are good; we are not bad. But why you have become bad? Because we are now differently dressed. Dehātma-buddhiḥ. A dog is thinking, "I am dog," and a man is thinking, "I am man." A cat is thinking, "I am cat." He is neither cat, neither dog, neither human being. He is part and parcel of God. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. This is self-realization, "I am not this body." Just like we are differently dressed. So I am not the dress. I am human being; you are human being. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). Therefore, those who are learned scholar, they do not find any difference between cat and a brāhmaṇa because the brāhmaṇa is also a living entity and the cat is also a living entity, differently dressed.

Lecture on BG 7.8 -- Bombay, February 23, 1974:

So we have got so many senses. And we taste different senses. We can see by eyes. We can taste by the tongue. We can hear by the ear. We can smell by the nose. We can touch by the hand. So we have got all senses. And by senses we get experience. So if you try to experience Kṛṣṇa by this process, that whenever you drink something liquid and taste it very nicely, you consider "This taste is Kṛṣṇa," is it very difficult for Kṛṣṇa realization? And because you'll remember Kṛṣṇa... Actually that taste is Kṛṣṇa. Because that water is also Kṛṣṇa. Water is Kṛṣṇa in this sense: the energy of Kṛṣṇa. Just like fire and the heat. Heat is the energy of Kṛṣṇa. So heat and fire is not distinct. They are the same. Still, the heat is not fire. This is called acintya-bhedābheda philosophy, simultaneously one and different. Simultaneously. Everything. Idaṁ hi viśvaṁ bhagavān ivetaraḥ. It requires only realization that "Whole universe is Kṛṣṇa." Idaṁ hi viśvaṁ bhagavān. But it appears different from Bhagavān. Actually, it is not different. You have to understand by purified senses. That is required. Unless you have got purified senses, you cannot understand. But this is the beginning: raso 'ham apsu kaunteya (BG 7.8). You just try to understand. This rasa... It is said by Kṛṣṇa. It is not our manufacture. When... If I say that "The taste of water is Kṛṣṇa," that may be different. But Kṛṣṇa says raso 'ham apsu kaunteya. So why not think of Kṛṣṇa?

So this thinking of Kṛṣṇa is a process of devotional service, out of the nine processes. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam (SB 7.5.23). So if you remember Kṛṣṇa, you advance in your spiritual life, and you become perfect yogi. How?

Lecture on BG 7.9 -- Vrndavana, August 15, 1974:

So these features of Kṛṣṇa, how He is simultaneously one and different, acintya-bhedābheda... Kṛṣṇa is this electric lamp, and still, He's not the electric lamp. Kṛṣṇa is this pillow, but He's not the pillow. If, when we say that Kṛṣṇa is everything, therefore... Just like some big mission, they say, "Anything we accept as God, it is all right." No. We do not say like that. Neither Kṛṣṇa says. When Kṛṣṇa speaks of worshiping, He does not say that you worship the electric light or something else. Mām ekam, that is the instruction. Not that "Kṛṣṇa has become everything; therefore everything has to be worshiped." No. This is wrong. This is acintya-bhedābheda. We have to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa personally—mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja—not the varieties. You have to understand that varieties are dependent on Kṛṣṇa, but not that "Because there are varieties, therefore Kṛṣṇa is finished." No, that is not the philosophy. Jīvanaṁ sarva-bhūteṣu tapaś cāsmi tapasviṣu. Especially tapasvī...

Lecture on BG 7.9 -- Vrndavana, August 15, 1974:

So guru is helping from inside and from outside. Antar-bahiḥ. So Kṛṣṇa is so kind. Therefore Kṛṣṇa manifests Himself as spiritual master. Therefore Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says, sākṣād-dhari, sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ. Manifestation of empowered. One who is pure devotee, he's empowered by Kṛṣṇa to act as spiritual master. Therefore spiritual master should be accepted: sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktaḥ **. It is described there. Tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ. Those who are learned scholars, actual devotees, they accept. But that does not mean guru is Kṛṣṇa. Kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya. Now, that, if you accept, you... Accept means you honor spiritual master as good as Kṛṣṇa, because he's representative. But not that Māyāvāda philosophy that guru and Kṛṣṇa is the same. This is simultaneously one and different. Kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya. He is as good as Kṛṣṇa because he is very, very dear to Kṛṣṇa. Why dear? Because he's preaching on behalf of Kṛṣṇa. What Kṛṣṇa wants, he's doing that. Therefore he's very dear.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Calcutta, March 9, 1972:

So they are working. But who is working? Actually working these living entities, and he is utilizing this material energy. This is going on. Yayedaṁ dharyate..., the whole world is going on like this: a combination of material energy and spiritual energy. The spiritual energy is superior and the material energy is inferior. Therefore whatever we are seeing, they are simply display, manifestation of two energies of Kṛṣṇa. Parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktiḥ sarvedam akhilaṁ jagat. This is jagat.

So although energy and the energetic, they are nondifferent, still energy is not the energetic. This is called acintya-bhedābheda, simultaneously one and different. The energy is not different, just like the fire and the heat and the light. The heat and light is from the fire. Wherever there is fire, there is heat and light, but still heat and light is not fire. Try to understand. This is acintya-bhedābheda. Heat is not different from fire, light is not different from fire, but still heat and light is not fire. Similarly, the everything, whatever we see, they are simply manifestation of the two energies of God, Brahman. So they are not different from Brahman, at the same time different from Brahman. This is called acintya-bhedābheda-tattva. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says here that mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni: (BG 9.4) "Everything is resting on My energy, but I am not them." The Māyāvādī philosophers, they are mistaken, mistaking that when everything is expanded as God's energy, then why there is separate God? This is material conception. God is always separate from His energy. That is distinctly said here: mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam.

Lecture on BG 9.5 -- Melbourne, April 24, 1976:

This particular portion has to be understood. When Kṛṣṇa says, God says, that everything is resting upon Him, that means everything is resting upon His expanded energy, not personally on Him. Personally He is aloof. Therefore it is said, na ca mat-sthāni bhūtāni.

The same example. Just like when we say everything is resting on the sunshine, that does not mean everything is in the sun but the sunshine is not different from the sun. Therefore you can say that, expanded form, everything is resting on the sun. Try to understand this analogy. So nothing can exist without God, nothing is except God, but still, everything is not God. That has to be understood. This is called acintya-bhedābheda-tattva, simultaneously one and different. So the conclusion is, the Māyāvādī philosophy, impersonalists, they say that if God has expanded in everything there is no particular personal existence of God. That is Māyāvāda philosophy. But that is not the fact. Fact is that although God is personal, He is person. Just like you are person, I am person, He is person, but He is the Supreme Person. And everything is expanded by His energy. In another place, in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa, it is explained very nicely that parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktis tathedam akhilaṁ jagat.

Lecture on BG 9.15-18 -- New York, December 2, 1966:

That is also true. Because there is nothing beyond God. If you think, "I am God," yes, you are also God. Because there is nothing beyond God. Ahaṅgrahopāsanam. If you think everything is God, that is also true. Because in the higher conception, there is nothing beyond God. Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. Sarvam, everything.

But the Vaiṣṇavas, those who are personalists, they take it in a different way. Why? Because in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said by the Lord, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā: "I am spread all over the universe, all over the manifestation, in My impersonal feature." Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ: (BG 9.4) "Everything is resting on Me, but I am not there." Paśya me yogam aiśvaram. So this simultaneously one and different, this philosophy, is accepted by Lord Caitanya, but it is also accepted in the Bhagavad-gītā; mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). But this form, these two hands, with flute, Kṛṣṇa, form of Kṛṣṇa, there is nothing beyond this. So one has to come to this point. You may go in different way, accepting yourself as God, accepting everything as God, accepting the universal form of God. If you make actually progress, then you have come to this point. Sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. Again He says, mahātmā. When he comes to that point of Kṛṣṇa, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante... (BG 7.19). This process you have to proceed, you have to make progress, many, many births. That is line. You have taken the line. That's all right, but it will take some time. Not in one life you'll come to that point.

Lecture on BG 10.3 -- New York, January 2, 1967:

Just like in the fire there is always the sparks of fire. The sparks of fire are not born. It appears... When it is manifested, it appears just like born from the fire. But actually it is not born; it is there. It is there. You have seen fireplace, "phut!" and you see thousands of sparks at once, and again comes down. Similarly, we are not born. We are also not born. But there is difference because the sparks come out of the original fire. So we are all sparks, spiritual sparks. We come out from Kṛṣṇa. So even though we are not born, but the cause is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is different from us. Is not that logic right?

So we cannot be Kṛṣṇa. Fools claim that "I am Kṛṣṇa." How you can be Kṛṣṇa? There is difference. This is the difference. Also not different. Therefore Lord Caitanya's philosophy, acintya-bhedābheda, simultaneously one and different. The same example: take it that the sparks of the fire, they are fire. They are not anything. But they are not the original fire, the sparks. They are fire. So therefore, so far the fiery qualities concerned, we are all one with God, but because we are generated from God, therefore we are different. So God is different, simultaneously one and different, actually different.

Lecture on BG 10.3 -- New York, January 2, 1967:

Just like father and son. The same example: father and son, different and nondifferent at the same time. Because son is born, is the expansion of the body of the father. Therefore he is nondifferent. But still, the son is not father. If the son claims in all respects that "I am as good as father," oh, that is nonsense. So this is philosophy. Adyasya sa-pariṇāmena deha... Anādim loka-maheśvaram iti muktyādi-vargāt prakṛti-kalaṁ ca veda.(?) And because he is declaring Himself loka-maheśvaram, loka-maheśvaram—that means He is the supreme proprietor of everything—therefore He is different from everything. He is different from everything.

Suppose I am proprietor of New York State, but still, I am different from New York State. These things are to be carefully analyzed. Those who are monists, they say, "everything one." How you can say one? How you can say one? In every step different. In every step different. This is dvaita-vāda, duality. So this philosophy of Lord Caitanya, that simultaneously one and different, that is the perfect philosophy. Nobody can say that we are completely different from God, and nobody can say we are completely one with God. We are both, one and different. These things are to be understood analytically like this, as it is explained here. This is understanding of Kṛṣṇa. If you try to understand Kṛṣṇa and your position in such nice analytical way from authoritative sources, then at once you become free from all sinful activities. This process.

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

So these are not solution. Real solution is here in the Bhagavad-gītā. You get real knowledge, jñānam, jñeyam, the object of knowledge. As it is stated by Bhagavad-gītā, by Kṛṣṇa Himself, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Become His devotee, etad vijñāya, then, what is that? Mad-bhāvāyopapadyate.

Then, originally we, are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa just like a part and parcel of gold is gold. It is not earth or dirt, it is gold. But when it is covered by something else then it becomes something else. No. Similarly we are also as good as Kṛṣṇa because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Acintya-bhedābheda. That is the philosophy of simultaneously one and different. We are one with Kṛṣṇa in the sense by quality. As Kṛṣṇa is sac-cid-ānanda, eternal life, blissful life, knowledge, full of knowledge, we are also like that in minute quantity, not like Kṛṣṇa. But there is the same quality. But now we are covered by this material energy. That Kṛṣṇa is never covered. That is the difference between Kṛṣṇa and ourselves although the quality is the same.

Lecture on BG 17.1-3 -- Honolulu, July 4, 1974:

Both of them are fire, but you cannot compare the small fragment of fire with the big fire. That is not possible. The big ocean and a small drop of water from the ocean. Because the taste of the small drop of ocean is the same, the Māyāvādī philosophers, they conclude that "I am the same." But they have no common sense that the small drop of water, although the quality is the same, it is very small. So our knowledge is therefore imperfect. Although we are qualitatively one with God, still, being very small quantity, our power, our knowledge, our understanding—everything is proportionately small. You must first of all understand that, that we are simultaneously one and different. One means qualitatively one. A small particle of gold, you can call it gold, but it is not the gold mine, This is called dvaita-vāda, advaita-vāda. The rascals they think "Because I am gold, I am as good as the gold mine." No, That is not. Gold mine is very big, powerful, immense value. So we should not forget this.

Therefore it is said... Now, tri-vidhā bhavati śraddhā: "This śraddhā, this faith," Kṛṣṇa says, "there are three kinds." Tri-vidhā bhavati śraddhā. Tri-vidhā bhavati śraddhā dehināṁ sā svabhāva-jā. Dehinām. Always remember, dehinām means the possessor, the owner of this body. Therefore the owner is different from the body. Those who are under the conception that there is no owner, and the body is everything, they are less than tamo-guṇa. Actually animals. They have been described as being animal. Those who are thinking like the dog that "I am this body..." The dog is also thinking, "I am this body," and a man is also thinking, "I am this body." Then where is the difference between the dog and the man? When man comes to the understanding that "I am not this body; I am soul," then knowledge begins. Before that, he is ignorant like animal. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13).

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Delhi, November 12, 1973:

I am not there." It is very simple to understand. Just like the sunshine. The sunshine is expanded all over the universe. But if you are in the sunshine, you cannot say that "I am in the sun planet." No, that is not. Sun planet is 93,000,000's miles away. But the sunshine is not different from the sun. That is also fact. But still, you cannot say, because the sunshine has entered in your room, you cannot say that "I am in direct connection with the sun-god or the sun planet." No.

This is called acintya-bhedābheda philosophy: "simultaneously, inconceivably, one and different." So everything is God. That is a fact. And still, everything is not God. That is also fact. So we have to understand this philosophy. Everything is God. Without God's energy... The same thing, that the whole material world is existing on the sunshine. All scientists know it. But at the same time, the sunshine is different and nondifferent from the sun. Similarly, whatever we are experiencing, that is energy of God. Brahmaṇaḥ śaktiḥ. These are energies of God, tathedam akhilaṁ jagat (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 1.22.53), the whole creation, cosmic manifestation. But when there is question of love, you have to find out the origin of this energy. That is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.2.9 -- Detroit, August 3, 1975, University Lecture:

Prabhupāda: Only a minority is Christian only.

Guest: The majority believe that Christ is also God, not just His son, but he is God also.

Prabhupāda: Yes. No, to... God... God and God's son, they are one and different simultaneously. That you, anyone, can understand, that a father and the son... The son is born out of the body of the father. So if the father is spirit, the son is also spirit because the son is born out of the body of the father. So, so far the body is concerned, it is spiritual. But still, the relationship is father and son. It is called acintya-bhedābheda-tattva, simultaneously one and different. Anyone can understand. The child is the father's body. In that way it is one. But a child is the son, and the father is the father. So simultaneously one and different. So Christ is God and not God simultaneously.

Guest: Are you saying that through the unity of Kṛṣṇa is also a unity of non-Kṛṣṇa?

Jagadīśa: He's saying that within the unity of Kṛṣṇa is also...

Guest: There is also the unity of non-Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: Well, in the higher sense there is nothing but Kṛṣṇa, or God.

Guest: It is also non-Kṛṣṇa?

Lecture on SB 1.3.27 -- Los Angeles, October 2, 1972:

There is no equal, no greater. That is called great. Nobody can be equal with God and nobody can be greater than God. Everyone under God. Asamordhva. Therefore God's another name is Asamordhva. "A" means none. Sama means equal. Ūrdhva means greater. Asamordhva So everyone is emanation from God, but nobody is equal with God. But the viṣṇu-tattva, They are the same. There is no difference between Kṛṣṇa and Rāmacandra, Nārāyaṇa, Viṣṇu, because They are viṣṇu-tattva. Baladeva. They are equally powerful. But jīva-tattva, we living entities, although we are part and parcel of God, we are not equally powerful. That is called the philosophy of acintya-bhedābheda-tattva, simultaneously one and different. Simultaneously one and different. Just like in Bible also, Jesus Christ is claimed as one with God, but at the same time different. As son, he is different. As representative of God, he is one. That is the philosophy, perfect philosophy. All living entities, anything within this manifestation, even this whole world, is one with God. Idaṁ hi viśvaṁ bhagavān ivetaraḥ Nārada Muni said to Vyāsadeva. Idaṁ hi viśvam. This whole universe is God. Idaṁ hi viśvaṁ bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, ivetaraḥ. But it appears like different.

Lecture on SB 1.7.34-35 -- Vrndavana, September 28, 1976:

Now there is sunshine, that is also Brahman, or heat and light. But the heat and light here, ninety-three millions miles away from the sun, and the heat and light in the sun—a difference. That temperature is different. So when you go to the sun-god, that position, and to enjoy heat and light from ninety-three millions miles away, that is also difference. Although heat and light is there in the sun globe and heat and light in the sunshine, but still, sunshine is not the sun globe. Sun globe is not the sun-god. Similarly... This is a crude example. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy is acintya-bhedābheda-tattva: everything is God, and everything is not God. Bheda-abheda. Bheda means not, different, and abheda means one. Acintya-bhedābheda-tattva. Acintya... For us, how we can adjust, at the same time one and different? Therefore it is acintya. Not cintya, cintanīya. In our present sense it is difficult to adjust things how we are one and different with the Supreme Absolute Truth. Acintya-bhedābheda-tattva.

So in this way we have to understand. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Through paramparā system. Just as Arjuna is in the paramparā system, Arjuna was being taught directly by Kṛṣṇa, so you should learn from Arjuna. That is paramparā system. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Then you will understand. If you take the words of Arjuna, how he appreciated Bhagavad-gītā and how he appreciated Kṛṣṇa, then your knowledge is perfect. If you manufacture meaning and manufacture idea by your concocted, poor fund of knowledge. Acintyāḥ khalu ye bhāvā na tāṁs tarkeṇa yojayet. Which is beyond your sense perception... Adhokṣaja. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is called adhokṣaja. Adhah-kṛtaṁ akṣajaṁ indriya-jñānaṁ yena. Adhah-kṛta, subdued. You cannot approach Kṛṣṇa by material sense perception. It is not possible. Therefore His name is adhokṣaja. Still you have to offer your service to the Supreme. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). Adhokṣaje. This is the idea, that unless we approach the adhokṣaja, Kṛṣṇa... And Kṛṣṇa... Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). Those who are trying to study Kṛṣṇa by these blunt senses, they'll never understand Kṛṣṇa. They'll never understand.

Lecture on SB 1.10.3 -- Mayapura, June 18, 1973:

No. Supreme Brahman is Kṛṣṇa. I am Brahman, because I am part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman. Just like in your country, in America, you are American and the president Nixon is also American. Because you are American, therefore you are not President Nixon. That is rascaldom. President Nixon is different. Similarly, because you are Brahman, that does not mean you are Para-brahman. Para-brahman, is Kṛṣṇa. There must be distinction between the Para-brahman and the individual Brahman. This is dvaita-vāda philosophy. And the Māyāvāda philosophy, they say, "Because Para-brahman is Brahman, I am also Brahman; therefore we are one." No. You are one qualitatively, Brahman. As Brahman you are one. But as Para-brahman and Brahman, you are different. This is acintya-bhedābheda, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy, simultaneously one and different. As Brahman we are one, but as Para-brahman... Vibhu and aṇu. The Supreme is vibhu, all powerful. I am aṇu, infinitesimal. Infinite and infinitesimal.

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

Yes. So now what do we mean by "everything"? Just like this planet. Everything with this planet—the trees, the rivers, the mountains, the cities, the cars—everything within this planet, that is an unit. So this is one planet. And there are millions and millions, trillions of planets. But how they are existing? Existing on the sunshine. So wherefrom the sunshine comes? The sunshine comes from God, or the sun comes from God. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Everything is born, everything is emanating form the Absolute. Therefore, indirectly, everything is depending on Kṛṣṇa's potency. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni: (BG 9.4) "Everything is resting on My potency." Na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ: "But I am not there." This is the acintya-bhedābheda-tattva, simultaneously one and different. This is our philosophy.

So our point is that Kṛṣṇa, or God, is there, and He is working through His potencies. Just like a big man, he is sitting on his parlor. He hasn't got to go. Just like we have seen Mr. Birla in... Those who are with me, they have seen. He is sitting in his home, but he has got many potencies. He has got secretaries, clerks, and this and that, so many things. So they are doing all work. He hasn't got to work. A big man means he hasn't got to work personally. He has got so many assistants. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa, He is the Supreme. He hasn't got to work Himself. He hasn't got to work. Vṛndāvanaṁ parityajya padam ekaṁ na gacchati. He is always engaged in His playing flute and dancing with the gopīs. That's all. Pleasure. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). That is pleasure. So His potencies are working. What kind of potency? That is described. I have given the example. Just like the sun is there and the sunshine is there, and the sunshine is working everything. By the sunshine, the trees are coming out, the leaves are coming out. They are dropping when there is no sunshine. Everything is depending on sunshine. That is explained in the Vedic literatures:

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

As God is the reservation, conversation of all energy, material energy, similarly, I, you, we being small particle of God's fraction... Just like spark, spark of fire, big fire, and the small spark. That small spark has all the qualities of fire. All the chemicals composition of fire is there in the small spark, but in very, very small quantity. A drop of seawater has got the all chemical composition of the ocean. That is equality. Qualitatively. And quantitatively, where is the comparison between the drop of ocean water and the ocean? There is no comparison. That is difference. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy is perfect. Acintya-bhedābheda, inconceivably, simultaneously one and different. We are one with one, but these rascals who have no thorough knowledge, they simply take this oneness, "I am one with God." That is rascaldom. There are two things: one and different simultaneously. Qualitatively one, quantitatively different.

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

"We are in māyā, and as soon as the māyā is taken away, we are God." So we are not God, but we manifest our godly qualities when māyā is taken away. So long we are covered by māyā, our godly qualities are not manifest, but we are not God. Or you are God, but not that God, that big God, but you are a particle of. You can say, "I am God," but you are not that original, chief God. That you are not. This is our philosophy. And that is very genuine. How can I be God? If I am God, then why I have lost my godly qualities? Or why my godly qualities are now covered? This is very common sense. The godly qualities are there. Just like a small particle of the spark, it is carbon. When it comes out of the fire, then it is extinguished. But if you put again to the fire, it is carbon, again bright, brightened. Similarly, we are part and parcel of God, but if we fall down from the association of God, then we become..., appearing like material. But we are not material. It appears that extinguished. This is simultaneously... Acintya-bhedābheda-tattva. We are simultaneously one and different. As part and parcel in quality, we are one; but in quantity God is great, we are small particle.

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

In many places in the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa claims all living entities as His sons, parts and parcels. Just like your children, they are part and parcel of your body. They are not different from you. The same blood is running in his body. Similarly, our constitutional position is that the same blood of God is running in our body. We are not different in that way from God.

There are two kinds of philosophers. One class of philosopher, they say that we are one with God. Another class of philosopher says that we are different, God is different from living entity. But Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu has adjusted that we are simultaneously one and different. Just like the father and the son. The father is one with the son, but at the same time, the son is different from the father. The son cannot claim cent percent equality with the father. That is not possible. But the son's body is nondifferent from the father's body. Similarly, living entities, we are simultaneously one and different from God. One in this sense: that all the qualities that God has, the same qualities the living entity has. But the difference is God has all the qualities in fullness, and so far we are concerned, we have got all the godly qualities in minute. That is the difference. Aṇu and vibhu. Vibhu means unlimited, and aṇu means limited. So we have got opulence, fame, beauty, strength, influence, knowledge, all good qualities that God has. But God has got in full, we have got in minute quantity.

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

"Just surrender to Kṛṣṇa." Therefore, message being the same, they are identical. The persons are identical. But not identical in the Māyāvādī sense, that he has become now God. No. He is not God, but he is the most confidential servant of God. This is Vaiṣṇava philosophy. Because spiritual master has to be accepted, sākṣād-dhari, directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead, therefore the so-called spiritual master should not be puffed up, that "Now I have become God." This is Māyāvāda. This is rascaldom. He is most confidential servant of God, Kṛṣṇa. Therefore the disciple accepts him as good as God. Therefore the conclusion is simultaneously one and different. Acintya-bhedābheda. Bheda, different, means the spiritual master is a confidential servant, or the servant God. To the disciple he is servant God.

Just like in Christian philosophy, they say, "The father and the son, the same." Is it not? Yes. So similarly, here the father and son, or the spiritual master and God, they are same, but at the same time not same. It is simultaneous. This is called acintya-bhedābheda-tattva, simultaneously one and different. I think the Christian philosophy is like that. Christ, son, and God, Holy Ghost—they are simultaneously one and different? Is that? So that is the position. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ, kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya **. So we can interpret... When the Christian people say that... Just like they say "only son." So we can interpret... Of course, we are not going to interpret. We can take it that anyone who becomes confidential... Just like father position. He has got many sons. One son who is very obedient, he says, "He is my only son, and others not sons." Does he not, father say, sometimes? "Actually he is my son." Sometimes father says like that. But that does not mean that he has got only one son. He has got many sons, but all of them are useless, worthless. He is only bona fide.

Lecture on SB 3.12.19 -- Dallas, March 3, 1975:

Therefore, adhokṣajam. Adhokṣajam, adhah-kṛtaṁ akṣajaṁ jñānam. Our knowledge is what we see. We can see stone. We can see metal. We can see other material elements, wood. So Kṛṣṇa has appeared as we can see Him. Because we cannot see more than stone, wood, metal, therefore Kṛṣṇa has appeared as stone statue. But He is not stone statue. That we have to understand. He is Kṛṣṇa, but He is so kind that He has appeared before us as we can see Him. This is the philosophy, not that stone is Kṛṣṇa. Stone is also Kṛṣṇa in the ultimate sense because stone is the expansion of energy of Kṛṣṇa, material energy. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva..., bhinnā me prakṛtir aṣṭadhā (BG 7.4). This is called philosophy of inconceivable one and different. The same example can be given: just like the sunshine. In the sunshine there is heat and temperature. (break) ...say the sunshine has come... (aside:) Why you are standing? If you stand... This side. "If the sunshine has entered my room, therefore sun has entered my room." This is Māyāvādī philosophy. No. By the entrance of sunshine within your room, the sun has entered and has not entered. This is right philosophy. Acintya-bhedābheda. Acintya, simultaneously one and different. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy, acintya-bhedābheda. We cannot think, adjust, that how one thing can be the other thing. That we cannot experience due to our little fund of knowledge, poor fund of knowledge. But in case of Kṛṣṇa, God, that is possible, simultaneously one and different. So here, if you think... To the atheist this form is made of stone, and they are thinking that "These crazy fellow, they are worshiping a stone." In that sense, Kṛṣṇa is not there. If a crazy man breaks the statue, he does not break Kṛṣṇa, but he breaks the stone. This is simultaneously one and different. For the devotee, He is Kṛṣṇa. All the time He is Kṛṣṇa. Because even if you take it as stone, stone is also Kṛṣṇa because it is expansion of Kṛṣṇa's energy. The same example: the sunshine is also sun. And Kṛṣṇa is, being omnipotent, He can accept your service any way. Provided you want to render service, Kṛṣṇa is ready to accept it.

Lecture on SB 3.26.17 -- Bombay, December 26, 1974:

Therefore the original prakṛti and puruṣa is represented by śiva-liṅga, and devī-patha(?). Those who are worshiper of śiva-liṅga, they know the devī-patha(?) and the śiva-liṅga, they are worshiped. The original father, Kṛṣṇa, says, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā: "I am the seed-giving father." Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ (BG 14.4). There are varieties of forms of life. How they are being begotten? Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā. That pitā, father, is Lord Śiva.

So when Kṛṣṇa comes in touch with prakṛti for giving birth of these varieties of forms of life, that is Śiva. That is Śiva. Śiva is not different from Kṛṣṇa, but still, Śiva is not Kṛṣṇa. This is called inconceivable one and different. Inconceivable one and different. The example is given: just like milk and yogurt, dahi. Dahi is not different from milk. It is milk—it is milk, everyone knows—but it is not milk at the same time. You cannot get the benefit of milk by drinking dahi, or yogurt. Milk is used for different purpose, and dahi is different purpose. When you take too much milk, you get dysentery, and if you go to the physician, he gives you some medicine to take with yogurt, dahi. So dahi or yogurt, is not different from milk, but it is not milk. Similarly, all these demigods, especially Lord Śiva, Lord Brahmā... They are the original chief demigods from Viṣṇu.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 13, 1975:

"Everything is resting in Me." But if you'll see, if you say, "Then everything is Yourself..." No. Nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ, Kṛṣṇa is everything; at the same time everything is not Kṛṣṇa. This is called acintya-bhedābheda, simultaneously one and different. So Lord Śiva is also expansion of Kṛṣṇa. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4), that form is Lord Śiva. So but, he said that dadhi vikāra. Dadhi. Dadhi means yogurt. Milk is transformed into yogurt, dahi. And when it is dahi, it is no more milk. This is the idea. If you require milk for some purpose and if I give you dahi, "That is same thing, sir. Why don't you take?" "No. It will be different effect."

Lecture on SB 6.1.32 -- Surat, December 16, 1970:

Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa, taṭastha-śakti acintya bhedābheda, taṭastha-śakti prakāśa. The jīva is the manifestation of the marginal potency of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has many potencies. Parasya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport)—in the Vedic injunction. The Absolute Truth has many varieties of energy. Those energies are consolidated into three divisions: spiritual energy, material energy and marginal energy. So these jīvas are products of this marginal energy, bhedābheda prakāśa. Bhedābheda means... bheda means different, and abheda means one. So jīva is one and different simultaneous. He is one in quality; he is different in quantity. So when you are free from all these designations,

sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ

tat-paratvena nirmalam

hṛṣīkena hṛṣīkeśa

sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate

(CC Madhya 19.170)

At that time, when we are purified, when we have purified our senses, when in that sense we shall engage ourself in the matter of satisfying the owner of the senses, Hṛṣīkeśa—Kṛṣṇa is Hṛṣīkeśa—that is called bhakti. Bhakti is not a sentiment. Bhakti is practical, by purified senses ... (end)

Lecture on SB 7.5.1, Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, January 12, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa is fully independent. But because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, we are minutely possessing almost, not all, all the qualities of Kṛṣṇa in proportionately in minute quantity. Just like the particle of gold is also gold. That is nothing else but gold. But the value of that particle is different from the gold mine. Our relationship with Kṛṣṇa is like that. Kṛṣṇa is just like the gold mine, and I and you, just like gold earring. The gold earring or gold finger ring or any golden ornament, that is gold undoubtedly, but is not as big as the gold mine. That is the difference between God and ourself. That is the difference. Qualitatively, we are one, being part and parcel of the Supreme Absolute Truth, but quantitatively we are different. Therefore, simultaneously, we are one and different. This is called acintya-bhedābheda tattva. Acintya. We cannot conceive in our present status of life that one thing can be equal and different from another. But if we think over it (a) little soberly, we can understand. This is the example. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ jīva-loke sanātanaḥ (BG 15.7).

So aṁśa, particle, that is also sanātana. Not that, as the Māyāvādī philosophers say, that because we are now under the illusion, therefore we are thinking as different; otherwise, God and we are the same. This Vaiṣṇava philosophy, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy, acintya-bhedābheda-tattva. There are other Vaiṣṇava philosophers also—viśuddha-dvaita, dvaitādvaita, advaita, like that. So many philosophies are there. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the latest ācārya who appeared five thousand years ago, er, five hundred years ago, I'm sorry, He preached this acintya-bhedābheda-tattva. Means that jīva, simultaneously one and different, one in quality and different in quantity. This is very reasonable. And it is confirmed in the Vedas, Upaniṣad. Just like in Kaṭhopaniṣad it is said:

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Madras, January 2, 1976:

So a Vaiṣṇava can understand what kind of part he is playing. So in this way there are different activities going on, and they have been taken as different types of dharma. But real dharma is bhāgavata-dharma. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is dharma. That is called bhāgavata-dharma, intimate relationship with the Lord, Bhagavān. Brahmeti bhagavān iti... Brahmeti paramātmā iti bhagavān iti. Tattva-vit. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam (SB 1.2.11). There is no difference between Brahman and Paramātmā and Bhagavān. But still, there is difference. This is called acintya-bheda-bhedābheda. There are two kinds of philosophers, bheda and abheda, oneness and different. So these bheda, abheda, combine together. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy, acintya bheda abheda, simultaneously one and different. So other gods, they are also gods. We are also god. You are also god because god means controller. Your Honor, Chief Justice, he is also controlling the whole high-court. I am controlling this institution, you are controlling your family or office or factory. So in that sense everyone is god, controller. But he is not Supreme God, that is not. Supreme God is Kṛṣṇa. We may be īśvara, god, but Supreme God is Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). That is the verdict of Lord Brahmā.

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

This is the mistake committed by the Māyāvādīs, that "If everything is Brahman, then whatever I worship, that is all right." That is nonsense. Kṛṣṇa says, nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ. Just like this microphone: it is Kṛṣṇa. But if I worship this microphone instead of the Deity, then I am a fool. Then I am fool. This is the mistake the Māyāvādīs commit. They put the argument, "If everything is Kṛṣṇa, everything is Brahman, so whatever I worship, that is Brahman." Kṛṣṇa says, "No. That is not. Everything is Myself." This is called simultaneously one and different, acintya-bhedābheda-tattva. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūtaḥ (Bs. 5.37). This is there in the Brahma-saṁhitā. Kṛṣṇa is always in Goloka. Just like here is Kṛṣṇa. He's in Goloka, but He's so powerful, omnipotent... This is called omnipotency. In spite of His becoming in Goloka, He's everywhere. That is Kṛṣṇa. That is the difference between Kṛṣṇa and you or me. I am here; I'm not in upstairs. I'm here only. But Kṛṣṇa simultaneously can be everywhere. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). So many pretenders, they claim that they are God: "I am God." But are you present everywhere? Can you say what I am thinking now? No, that he cannot. Still, he claims, "God." Nonsense. How he can become God? If you cannot say what I am thinking now, then how you can become God? God is situated everywhere. Aṇḍāntara-sthaṁ paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham. Everywhere. Paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham. Even within the atom there is God. So how you can claim God? Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Then they will answer, "I'm not in God now I am God, but māyā... Therefore I cannot say now." That... "Why you have become under the control of māyā? Then māyā is greater than God. Then how you can become God? Māyā is greater than God." So they cannot answer this. Because their theory is foolish, they cannot answer all these things. Actually, unless one is a devotee, he'll have all these bad qualification.

Lecture on SB 7.9.48 -- Vrndavana, April 3, 1976:

You cannot... You cannot say that "He is working on the garden; therefore he is inferior. I am working directly on the Kṛṣṇa altar." No. The person who is working in the garden, Kṛṣṇa's garden, he should be as careful as the man who is worshiping the Deity in the temple. That is wanted. Kṛṣṇa has expanded. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. Tatam means expansion. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You cannot neglect anything, because everything is Kṛṣṇa. You should worship everything. Don't neglect anything. Kṛṣṇa is everything, varieties. At the same time, He is in His original form. The original form is not there, but everything is Kṛṣṇa. This is simulta... Acintya-bhedābheda-tattva, inconceivably, simultaneously one and different. This philosophy, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy, you should always remember. Don't neglect anything of Kṛṣṇa. Everything should be, every small thing. It is Kṛṣṇa's. It is worshipable.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

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

Therefore Bhagavān is Paraṁbrahman. That is accepted by Arjuna, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). So Brahman is spiritual, undoubtedly, but more than Brahman is Paramātmā, and more than Paramātmā is Paraṁbrahman, Kṛṣṇa. Yad advaitaṁ brahma upaniṣadi. If you study the Upaniṣads, then you can realize Brahman. And if you practice yoga, then you can realize Paramātmā. And if you practice bhakti-yoga, then you can realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the process. The more you advance... Just like the sunshine. Sunshine and the sun globe or the sun-god—they are of the same quality, heat and light. But the sunshine is not the sun globe, neither the sun globe is the sun-god. It is this; therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy, acintya-bhedābheda, inconceivable one and different simultaneously.

So when you go to the platform of understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead... As Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā,

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu

kaścid yatati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāṁ

kaścin vetti māṁ tattvataḥ

(BG 7.3)

You have to understand Kṛṣṇa tattvataḥ, in truth, not superficially. Then you'll misunderstand. Without understanding Kṛṣṇa, if we try to understand Kṛṣṇa's pastimes with Rādhārāṇī, that is foolishness. But they do not know Kṛṣṇa. How can understand His pastimes with the gopīs? That is foolishness.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.5 -- Mayapur, March 7, 1974:

"This is śakti-tattva; this is prakāśa-tattva; this is incarnation tattva; this is marginal potency; this is external potency." Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). There are many multipotencies. Because the original is Absolute Truth, in one sense everyone is in the same absolute platform. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there is a verse, idaṁ hi viśvaṁ bhagavān ivetaraḥ: "This viśva, the whole cosmic manifestation, is Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Just like Kṛṣṇa manifested His universal form. So every part and parcel is Bhagavān, but still, it is different. This is the philosophy of Caitanya Mahāprabhu's acintya-bhedābheda: simultaneously one and different, inconceivable. We cannot conceive at the present moment how one thing can be the same, at the same time different; therefore it is called acintya, inconceivable. But bhedābheda... Just like we are—everything—you study. It is acintya-bhedābheda, one and different. Take for example your own body and you, soul. The soul is different from the body. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā (BG 2.13). The dehi, the soul, is within the body. The body is not the soul. So this is different. Soul is different from the body. We have studied. But in another sense, soul is not different from the body, another sense. How? Because the body, the material body, is also coming from the same source, and the spiritual soul is coming from the same source, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, apareyam. Kṛṣṇa said, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva (BG 7.4). "These material elements, they are My bhinnā prakṛtir aṣṭadhā, eight kinds of separated energy." Even though it is separated energy, it is the energy of the Supreme Lord. We have discussed many times. Just like the fire and the heat and light. Light is separated from the fire, heat is separated from the fire, but at the same time, heat and light is not different from the fire. This is to be understood. This is called simultaneously one and different, inconceivable.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.5 -- Mayapur, March 7, 1974:

The Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa līlā is not material. One who understands Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa līlā as material, they are misled. Kṛṣṇa cannot enjoy anything material. He's supreme pleasure... If you say that "We are seeing daily that you are offering prasāda, the vegetable, rice. They are all material," no, they are not material. This is real understanding. How it is not material? That is acintya, inconceivable. Kṛṣṇa can turn material into spiritual and spiritual into material. That is Kṛṣṇa's inconceivable power, acintya-śakti. Unless you accept acintya-śakti of Kṛṣṇa, you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. Acintya-śakti.

So this is simultaneously one and different. This acintya-bhedābheda-tattva you'll find everywhere in Vaiṣṇava philosophy. Similarly, here the author of Caitanya-caritāmṛta is trying to explain that pañca-tattva eka-vastu, they are one Kṛṣṇa, but āsvāda, taste... Akhila-rasāmṛta-sindhu. Kṛṣṇa is the ocean of all pleasure, reservoir of all pleasure. There are different types of pleasure. Just like pleasure like master and the servant. The master is also pleased by the service of the servant, and the servant is pleased by rendering service to the master. This is taste. Husband and wife: Husband is pleased having a wife, wife is pleased having... These are the different tastes: between master and servant, between friend and friend, between father and son, mother and son, between the lover and the beloved. These are different tastes. So this taste is required, transcendental mellow. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they cannot understand this taste. They think everything is one. And in the material world also, we accept, "Variety is the mother of enjoyment." Without varieties, although everything is spiritual... In Vṛndāvana everything is spiritual. Gauḍa-maṇḍala-bhūmi, yebā jāne cintāmaṇi. Just like this place, Gauḍa-maṇḍala-bhūmi, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's place of pastimes, and the Vṛndāvana-dhāma, the place of pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa, they are one and the same. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says that gauḍa-maṇḍala-bhūmi, yebā jāne cintāmaṇi, tā 'ra haya vraja-bhūmi vāsa. These are the theses given by great ācāryas.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.151-154 -- Gorakhpur, February 14, 1971:

Suppose one man has got a factory, say Birla. They say "Birla Factory," "Birla Jute Mill," "Birla..." Birla's name is there, although Birla is a person, he's not there. It is very easy to understand. Birla is a person. He is not present in that factory, but everyone says "Birla's factory." That means Birla's money, Birla's energy is there. If there is any loss in that factory, the suffering goes to Birla. Or if there is any gain in that factory, the profit goes to Birla. Therefore Birla's energy is there in the factory. Similarly, the whole creation is the manifestation of Kṛṣṇa. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam (BG 9.4). "I am all-pervading." But that does not mean in everything... Everything there is Kṛṣṇa, His energy. He is represented by His energy. This is called simultaneously one and different. Acintya-bhedābheda-tattva, this philosophy of Lord Caitanya. Acintya, simultaneously one and different. The Birla factory is not different from Birla because his energy is working there. At the same time Birla is not there. Similarly, in this material manifestation, everything is God. Idaṁ hi viśvaṁ bhagavān ivetaraḥ.

In the Bhāgavata there is statement by Nārada. Idaṁ hi viśvam, the whole universe is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But itara, but still, different from Him. This philosophy is very sound philosophy, simultaneously one and different. That is the statement in the Bhagavad-gītā. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam: "I am expanded; I am all-pervading." Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni: (BG 9.4) "Everything is resting on Me." Nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ: "But I am not there."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.108-109 -- New York, July 15, 1976:

This is wrong service. Nobody is satisfied. The so-called master is not satisfied, and the so-called servant is not satisfied. The so-called servant means that "Unless you pay me, I am not going to serve you." Strike. "I am your master. You pay me. Then I shall serve you." So nobody is servant actually. Everyone wants to become master, either collectively or individually. That is māyā. This is material world. And when one understands that he is not a master—he is servant—and the real master is Kṛṣṇa, that is liberation.

So bhedābheda-prakāśa. So the living entity is simultaneously one and different. The two philosophies are going on. One philosophy, Māyāvāda, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, miscalculation, so 'ham—this is to become one. And another philosophy, Vaiṣṇava philosophy—that we are different. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that both are true. Bhedābheda-prakāśa. A living entity is one with God and is as different from God. Bhedābheda-prakāśa. One? How one? Because Kṛṣṇa says that "Living entities are My part and parcel." Just like this hand, this finger, is part and parcel of my body, so therefore it is one. But the finger is not the whole body. Different. It is very simple thing. Bhedābheda-prakāśa. Anyone can understand. The finger... The tree... Just like the leaf, the twigs, the flowers, the fruits. They are all tree. But at the same time, it is not tree; it is leaf, it is branch, it is twig, it is flower. It is very simple philosophy. Caitanya Mahāprabhu explained, taṭasthā-śakti, marginal. Marginal means the living entity has to become servant. That is his position. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). But when the servant wants to become master, he is under the clutches of māyā. And when he understands that "I am not master; I am servant," he is under Kṛṣṇa. That is taṭasthā. Taṭasthā means marginal. That taṭa... Taṭa means the beach. Sometimes the beach is covered with water, and sometimes it is land. That is called taṭasthā. So that land, sometimes water.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 7 -- Los Angeles, May 10, 1970:

Fire is the original cause of heat and light. Similarly, whatever we see within this universe, within material world and spiritual world, the spiritual world is expansion of Kṛṣṇa's internal energy, and this material world is Kṛṣṇa's expansion of external energy, and we living entities, we are expansion of marginal energy. So three energies. He has got multi-energies. All the multi-energies grouped in three headings: antaraṅga-śakti, bahiraṅga-śakti, taṭastha-śakti. Antaraṅga-śakti means internal energy, bahiraṅga śakti means external energy, and taṭastha-śakti means these living entities. We are śakti; we are energy. We are not the energetic. The Māyāvādī philosopher says that because the energies are not outside Brahman, therefore they're all the same. This is monism. Our Vaiṣṇava philosophy is that energy (is) simultaneously one and different. When you perceive heat, we understand, "Oh, there is fire." But that does not mean that because I am getting some heat, I am on the fire. Try to understand this philosophy. Therefore here it is said vijānataḥ.

So their ekatvam, Māyāvāda philosophy's ekatvam, oneness, and our ekatvam of oneness—a little different. They say that the energy's false; the Brahman is real. Brahmā satyaṁ jagan mithyā. We say that because Brahman is truth, therefore His energy's also truth. That is the difference between Vaiṣṇava philosophy and Māyāvāda philosophy. We cannot say that energy is false. Energy is temporary; this external energy is temporary, not false. Although... Suppose we have got some trouble. There are so many kinds of troubles pertaining to the body, mind, external affairs. But that trouble comes and goes. But when the trouble is there, it is true. We feel the consequence. We cannot say it is false. The Māyāvādī philosophers say that it is false. But when he's troubled, why he's so much disturbed? So that is not false. Therefore this very word is used: vijānataḥ, "one who knows." Perfect knowledge must be there, vijānataḥ. When one is actual knower of the things, tatra ko mohaḥ, then there is no illusion. Illusion is for him who does not know things. But one who knows, there is no illusion. Tatra ko mohaḥ kaḥ śoka. No lamentation. When you are perfectly in conviction that there is nothing except Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa's energy, the same, then there is no moha—moha means illusion—and śoka.

Festival Lectures

Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day -- Bhagavad-gita 7.5 Lecture -- Vrndavana, August 11, 1974:

That is education. The education does not mean to become atheist, "There is no God. I am God, you are God, everyone is God." This is not education. This is ajñāna. The Māyāvādīs, they think that they have become one with God. That is not education. That is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. They are thinking that they have become liberated, but actually, aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ (SB 10.2.32), their intelligence is not purified. Therefore falsely claiming. If one is God, then how he has become dog? This much common sense there is not. God is God; dog is dog. This Dvaitavāda philosophy is perfect. Acintya-bhedābheda, simultaneously one and different. We have got... Because we are spiritual energy, therefore... Kṛṣṇa is Supreme Spirit. Therefore we are in one in quality, but Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme. Aṇor aṇīyān mahataḥ. He's mahato mahīyān, and we are aṇor aṇīyān. We are smaller than the smallest. This relationship with Kṛṣṇa is perfect. If we had been actually God, then why we are fallen? This is not possible. God is God. He's never... God's name is Acyuta. He never falls down. But jīva-bhūta, jīva, living entities, they are cyuta. They falls down from the spiritual platform to the material platform.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation of Lokanatha dasa -- New Vrindaban, May 21, 1969:

I create something in this life. As much as this body is created by the father and mother, similarly, I also create. That creative energy is there in me because I am part and parcel of God. So God creates; I also create. That creative energy is within me, but a very minute quantity. That creation is nothing in comparison with God's creation. God has created this whole universe, and what you can create? You can create, utmost, a city like New York. That's all. You can create. That's all right. In that sense you are god also. Part and parcel of God is also god, but small god. Just like your earring. That is gold. So that gold is not equal to the gold mine. That gold mine is different. Therefore the philosophy is, "simultaneously one and different." We are, every one of us, we are simultaneously one with God and different from God. One in quality. The quality of God is also in me. I am of the same quality. Just like a drop of sea water and the vast water, ocean. The quality analytical, chemical composition, is the same, but the quantity of component parts are different. This is called acintya-bhedābheda-tattva: "inconceivably, simultaneously one and different." The Māyāvāda philosophy, they say that "We are God. Everyone is God." But we say that "Yes, everyone is God, but not that God, the Supreme God." Everyone is American, but not that American like President Nixon. This common sense knowledge the Māyāvādī hasn't got. But they are puffed up: "Oh, I am the same. I am..." So 'ham: "I am the same." How you are the same? If you are the same, why you are fallen in this condition? They will say, "It is māyā. It is illusion." No. Why you are in illusion? If you are great—"God is great"—if you are that great, then why you are captured by illusion? Then illusion is great, not God is great. This commonsense philosophy they do not understand. Therefore my Guru Mahārāja used to say, "Poor fund of knowledge." Whenever he used to designate these Māyāvādī philosophers, he would say, "Poor fund of knowledge."

Initiation Lecture -- Hamburg, August 27, 1969:

So actually, there is one energy, spiritual energy. Kṛṣṇa, or God, is the whole spirit, and the energies emanating from Him, that is also spiritual. Śaktiḥ śaktimator abhinnaḥ. In the Vedic language we understand that the śaktimān, or the energetic, Kṛṣṇa, and the energy, they are nondifferent. So this material energy is also nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa. In other words of Vedic language it is said, sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma: "Everything is Brahman." In the Bhagavad-gītā also, Lord Kṛṣṇa says that māyā tatam idaṁ sarvam. Sarvam means all; idam, this manifestation, this cosmic manifestation, whatever you are experiencing... Kṛṣṇa says that "I am expanded as this cosmic manifestation." Māyā tatam idaṁ sarvam avyakta-mūrtinā. This impersonal feature, avyakta, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ: (BG 9.4) "Everything is resting on Me, or everything is expansion of Myself." Nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ: "But I am not there." This philosophy, acintya-bhedābheda, simultaneously one and different, is our philosophy, inaugurated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, although it is in the Vedānta-sūtras. So everything is simultaneously one and different from the Supreme Lord. But there are two classes of philosophers. One class says that God and the living entities are different, and there is another philosopher, monist philosopher. They say God and the living entities are one. So this acintya-bhedābheda philosophy adjusts that "God and the living creatures, they are simultaneously one and different." They are one in quality, just like the energy and the energetic, the sun globe and the sunshine. In quality, in sunshine there is heat, there is illumination, light. In the sun globe also, there is heat, there is illumination. But the degrees are quite different.

General Lectures

Lecture at Engagement -- Boston, May 8, 1968:

Qualitatively one, but quantitatively different. So those who are simply accepting the feature of being qualitatively one, they are called Advaitavādis. They are mistaking that quantitatively they cannot be equal. If quantitatively the living entity is equal to God, then why he is fallen in this conditional life of material existence? That means being his constitutional position very infinitesimal, he is prone to be caught up by the influence of māyā. And if you say that you are also the Supreme, then how you are caught by the māyā? Then māyā becomes great; God is not great. These things are to be considered. So our philosophy, the Vedānta philosophy, acintya-bhedābheda: we support the philosophy of simultaneously being one and different from God. Simultaneously. We are qualitatively one with God, but quantitatively we are different. That is our philosophy. That is Vaiṣṇava philosophy. So advaitavāda and dvaitavāda, they are facts. Dvaitavāda means different, and advaitavāda means nondifferent. So we are both nondifferent in quality, different in quantity. That is perfect philosophy. Is that clear to you?

Lecture -- Seattle, September 27, 1968:

Yes. The Lord and the devotee, they are on the same status. Every one of them. Lord, His name, His form, His quality, His associates, His paraphernalia. Everything, they are absolute. Nāma guṇa rūpa līlā pari... And pastimes. Just like we are hearing about Kṛṣṇa, so this is nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa. When there is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, this Hare Kṛṣṇa, this vibration, is not different from Kṛṣṇa. Everything is absolute. Therefore pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa is nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa. This is simultaneously one and different. Acintya-bhedābheda-tattva. This philosophy has to be understood, that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Person energetic, and everything, what we see, what we experience, they are all different energies of Kṛṣṇa. And the energy and the energetic cannot be separated. Therefore they are all on the absolute platform. Simply when it is covered by māyā or ignorance, it is different. That's all.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 2, 1968:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: " 'The superior energy of Kṛṣṇa is spiritual in constitution, and the external energy is material. You are between the material energy and the spiritual energy, and therefore your position is marginal. In other words, you belong to the marginal potency of Kṛṣṇa. You are simultaneously one with and different from Kṛṣṇa. Because you are spirit, therefore you are not different from Kṛṣṇa, but because you are only a minute particle of Kṛṣṇa, you are therefore different from Him.' "

Prabhupāda: Now here is one word used, marginal potency. Marginal potency, the exact Sanskrit word is taṭastha. Just like at the end of the land, the sea begins. So there is a marginal land. Just you go on the coast of the Pacific beach, you'll find some land. Sometimes it is covered by water and sometimes it is open land. This is marginal. Similarly, we spirit souls, although we are constitutionally one with God, but sometimes we are covered by māyā and sometimes we are free. Therefore our position is marginal. When we understand our real position, then... The same... Just like the same example. Try to understand. On the beach you'll find a certain portion of land which is sometimes covered by water, and again it is land. Similarly we are sometimes covered by māyā, the inferior energy, and sometimes we are free. So we have to maintain that free state. Just like in open land, there is no more water. If you come little far away from the sea water, then there is no more water; it is all land. Similarly, if you keep yourself from the material consciousness, come to the land of spiritual consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you keep your freedom. But if you keep yourself on the marginal position, then sometimes you'll be covered by māyā and sometimes you'll be free. So that is our position. (aside:) Go on.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 2, 1968:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "This simultaneous oneness and difference always exists in the relationship between the living entities and the Supreme Soul."

Prabhupāda: Now this simultaneously one and different, just take the same example, land. Somebody says, "Oh, I saw that portion is water." And somebody says, "No. I saw that some portion is land." So simultaneously one and different. Simultaneously one and different. Our position is... Because we are spirit soul and Kṛṣṇa, God, is spirit... He is whole spirit and I am particle of that spirit. Just like sun, the sun globe, and the sunshine, molecules of shining particles, they are also sunlight. The combination of those atomic particles of sunshine giving us the sunshine rays. So we are also shining just like the particles of the sun globe, but we are not equal to the complete sun. The glowing particles, molecules of the sunshine, is not equal in quantity with the sun globe, but in quality it is the same. Similarly, we living entities, we are minute particles of that supreme spirit soul, Kṛṣṇa or God. Therefore we are also shine. We are of the same quality. Just like a small particle of gold is gold. It is not iron. Similarly, we are spirit soul; therefore we are one. But because I am minute... Just like the same example. The marginal portion being very small, it is being sometimes covered by the water. But the large portion of the land, that is without any water. Similarly, māyā can cover the minute particles of the spirit soul, but māyā cannot cover the supreme whole. Just like the same example, the sky, the sunshine. The sunshine, portion of the sunshine, is covered by cloud. But if you go by airplane, jet plane, above the cloud, you'll find the sunshine is without any cloud. The cloud cannot cover the whole sun. Similarly, māyā cannot cover the supreme whole. Māyā can cover the small particles of Brahman.

Lecture -- Bombay, March 19, 1972:

We are not śaktimān-tattva. It is not corroborated. One who thinks that "I am God," śaktimān-tattva, that is false. We are śakti-tattva. Śaktimān means the powerful, one who possesses the power, and śakti means the power or energy. Or one who controls the energy, He is called śaktimān, and the energy acts in different way. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). There are different kinds of, millions of energies, of the śaktimān. So we are energy of Kṛṣṇa. We cannot be Kṛṣṇa. Just like fire and heat or light. Heat is not different from fire, but heat is not fire. If you feel heat, it does not mean that you're touching the fire or that you are being burned. So simultaneously one and different. This philosophy of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, acintya-bhedābheda-tattva: simultaneously, inconceivable one and different. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy, Vaiṣṇava philosophy. We are neither different nor one, simultaneously, and therefore it is called inconceivable, acintya. In our material conception we cannot think that one thing may be simultaneously one with another and different from another. So this is our position: jīva is śakti-tattva and bhagavān is śaktimān-tattva. But śakti, śaktimān abheda, there is no difference. There are many other examples. Just like the sun and sunlight. Sunlight is not different from the sun, and still the sunlight is not the sun. In the morning, when you find that there is sunlight within your room, you can say that the sun is within your room. You can say that, but the actual sun is far, far away, 93,000,000 miles away from us. So there are so many examples that we are energy of the Supreme Lord, we living entities.

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

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. But they are fire. Therefore our philosophy, we, following the footsteps of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu: acintya bhedābheda-tattva. The difference is simultaneously we are one with God and different from God. One in quality. God is spirit; we are also spirit. He is Supersoul; we are individual. But God is great, and we are minute fragment. That is difference. Therefore, simultaneously we are one and different, one in quality but different in quantity. You accept also, "God is great." And we say that nobody can be greater than God, neither anyone can be equal to God. That is our philosophy. Asama urdhva. Asama. Sama means equal. Nobody can be equal to God. That is not possible. God is one. You may have some understanding that in the Vedic literature there is mention of many demigods. But the demigods, they are also living entities, a little more powerful than the human beings. That's all. Just like here, in this world also, we find somebody is more powerful than others. But that does not mean he is God. God is supreme, all-powerful. Here you may be a little more powerful then me, but another may be found who is more powerful than you, another you can find more powerful than him. In this way go on. There is no limit. Anyone, you will find somebody lower than him and higher than him. But nobody can say that "I am the supreme." Nobody can say. That is not possible.

Lecture -- Laguna Beach, September 30, 1972:

So one is called material energy, another is called spiritual energy, although both of them coming from the supreme spirit, exactly like heat and light is coming from the sun. But heat is not light; light is not heat. There is distinction. This is called inconceivable one and difference simultaneously. Acintya-bhedābheda tattva. This is our philosophy. Nothing is different from God, but not that everything is God. Simultaneous one and different. So two energies are working, material and spiritual. The spiritual energy is called superior, and the material energy is called inferior. Just like matter. Material energy means earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence, ego, and spiritual energy means spiritual force, the living force. So every one of us, combination of two energies, spiritual energy and material energy. You can understand it. As soon as the spiritual energy is off from the combination of this material energy, it is simply lump of matter. It cannot move. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: yayā idaṁ dhāryate jagat. The whole world is moving by the combination of material and spiritual energy, and both of them coming from one source, exactly like that, that both heat and light is coming from the sun. But they are working differently or working combinedly.

Lecture on Science of Krsna -- Hyderabad, April 14, 1975:

There is no difference. The real business is that Kṛṣṇa is asking to surrender. That is Kṛṣṇa's mission. And if we voluntarily surrender, then Kṛṣṇa becomes very pleased. So this is surrender. "Oh Kṛṣṇa, Oh energy of Kṛṣṇa, kindly engage me again in Your service." That's all. This is Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa means, "Oh Hara, Oh Kṛṣṇa." Because Kṛṣṇa's there, Kṛṣṇa's energy is there. Kṛṣṇa is not alone. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). So Kṛṣṇa's one energy is this material energy, mama māyā. This māyā is also Kṛṣṇa's energy. It is not different from Kṛṣṇa. Śakti śaktimatayor abheda. There is no difference between fire and the heat. Heat is also fire. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's energy, they're one. At the same time, different. This is called acintya-bhedābheda-tattva. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's. Simultaneously one and different.

So we are praying to Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's energy. If we pray to Kṛṣṇa's energy, she is Kṛṣṇa's energy, she will understand, "Now, he is now correct." So she gives facilities. She gives facilities, "Yes, now you can serve Kṛṣṇa. I give you... I give you freedom. You are no more under my clutches." Māyām etāṁ taranti te. Immediately you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, you are immediately liberated. We haven't got to search out liberation separately. Immediately surrender to Kṛṣṇa, immediately you are liberated, immediately, simultaneous. Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). At that time māyā takes another feature.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Prabhupāda: Object as it is, it is spirit.

Śyāmasundara: It is spirit, as it is.

Prabhupāda: As it is. Because, just like sunshine. Sunshine is not sun, in one sense, but it is sun because in the sunshine there is heat and light and in the sun there is heat and light. So there is no difference. But still sunshine is not the sun. Therefore that is our philosophy, acintya bhedābheda, simultaneously one and different.

Śyāmasundara: So in a sense this is spirit.

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is spirit actually. But because I have no sense of Kṛṣṇa, I am taking it as matter. Just like sometimes people criticize that "You are spiritualists, you hate materialism, why you are using this table, why you are using this typewriter, microphone." But our reply is that it is not matter, it is spirit. But when you use it for your sense gratification then it is material. Just like prasādam—the people will say "What is this nonsense, prasādam, we are taking also dahl, rice, capātī, how it becomes spiritual?" They can argue like that and sometimes they do that. But, they do not know that we are accepting this dahl, rice, capātī in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Actually it belongs to Kṛṣṇa. They, you cannot produce dahl, rice, it is Kṛṣṇa's production; everything is Kṛṣṇa's production. But when you forget Kṛṣṇa, his relationship with Kṛṣṇa, then it is material. Therefore you revive the relationship with Kṛṣṇa, you offer to Kṛṣṇa, then you understand Kṛṣṇa has eaten, now let us take. Therefore it is spiritual. The consciousness is spiritual.

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That we agree. Viruddha (Sanskrit), viruddha, contradictory thing can be adjusted in Kṛṣṇa. Because what is viruddha, opposite, that is also coming from Kṛṣṇa, and what is substance, that is also coming from Kṛṣṇa. We are thinking viruddha. Just like this same example, cooler and heater. They are opposite but they are coming from electricity. Therefore in electricity power, both can be adjusted(?). You can say, "Electricity can be cooler, electricity can be heater." That is called viruddha (Sanskrit). Contradictory things adjusted in Kṛṣṇa. Inconceivable, therefore we say inconceivable. Simultaneously one and different. That is our philosophy. Simultaneously we are all equal, one with God, and different. In our..., this material world, it is impossible to think like that, therefore it is called inconceivable.

Śyāmasundara: Everything we can conceive of, that must exist somewhere?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Śyāmasundara: Just like I conceive of a gold mountain. Now in this world there is no gold mountain...

Prabhupāda: There is actual gold mountain. You have not seen. That information (is) from Bhāgavatam.

Śyāmasundara: Then let us say I can conceive of a building eight hundred stories high.

Prabhupāda: Eight hundred, eight million stories. (laughter)

Śyāmasundara: It doesn't exist.

Prabhupāda: It exists.

Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Same in this sense: just like the sun and the sunshine is the same. The sunshine is light and the sun is also light. The sun is hot and sunshine is also hot. But still, you cannot say that the sunshine and the sun are the same. Therefore Lord Caitanya's philosophy, simultaneously one and different, that is perfect. He is taking only the oneness, but there is still difference. Just like the fire and the heat. You cannot separate heat from fire, but still heat is not fire. That is perfect knowledge. So therefore heat is simultaneously one and different from fire. That is perfect. You are getting heat, but that does not mean that you are touching the fire. So this is perfect theory. One and different, both.

Śyāmasundara: He says that opposite to this objective being is the subjective individual, which he calls "being for itself." And he says that the nature of this subjective individual is that it is incomplete, it has potency, but the structure is indeterminant. There is no mass or no density. These things all have density and mass—they are heavy, gross—but the "being for itself," or the subjective individual, has no mass or density.

Prabhupāda: This is like the sense and sense objects. Just like we have got the senses smelling. This is concrete. But the smell is not concrete.

Śyāmasundara: Subtle.

Philosophy Discussion on Socrates:

Prabhupāda: That is preliminary stage of understanding the Absolute. Because the..., the beginning, Brahman realization, impersonal, and then further advanced Paramātmā realization, localized, God is everywhere. And God is everywhere, that's a fact. That is God. But He has got His place, abode. That is God, that goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhuto (Bs. 5.37), that God is Person, He has His own abode, He has his own associates and everything. Difference is that although He is in His abode, He is present everywhere, even within the atom. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). So Socrates or any other philosopher, they cannot understand the potency of God, how He can remain in His own place, simultaneously in every atom. That is the conception of God. So everywhere He is staying. Everything is His expansion, His energy, the bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca (BG 7.4). The material world is bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ-land, water, earth, air. So these are different expansion of God's energy. So He can be present everywhere because His energy is expanded everywhere. So energy and the energetic, they are not different, but at the same time energy is not the energetic. This simultaneously one and different, acintya-bhedābheda-tattva, this is perfect philosophy.

Hayagrīva: For Socrates, he taught a kind of a process of liberation. For him, liberation meant freedom from passion.

Prabhupāda: Freedom from?

Hayagrīva: Passion, passion.

Prabhupāda: Passion, yes.

Philosophy Discussion on George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel:

Prabhupāda: "On service of his origin." What is? On His Majesty's service. What is that slogan?

Devotee: "On His Majesty's service."

Prabhupāda: Ah. (indistinct) That does not mean the..., Her Majesty is there. The Majesty, Her Majesty's power, order, is everywhere. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni. The government is acting with the seed on Majesty's service, but that does not mean Her Majesty is there. This is simultaneously one and different, acintya-bhedābheda. Majesty is there because the order is there, but still personally he is not there. So the, another, that begun already, is that daridra, in daridra Nārāyaṇa is there, but not that daridra is Nārāyaṇa. But he has no vision. He is talking of this daridra-nārāyaṇa. This is mistake. Nārāyaṇa is there undoubtedly, but not that daridra is Nārāyaṇa. This is impersonalism, Māyāvāda mistake. That is pantheism.

Hayagrīva: Pantheism. So when Kṛṣṇa says, "I am sex life according to dharma," then this means that He can be perceived in this way.

Prabhupāda: Yes. If you, just like garbhādhāna ceremony. That is not a secret thing. That garbhādhāna ceremony is that "I am going to beget a child. I am going to have sex with my wife for begetting a Kṛṣṇa conscious child," so that Kṛṣṇa is remembered. While having sex, if he remembers, "Kṛṣṇa, give me a child who will be Your devotee," that is the duty of the father. So this kind of sex is Kṛṣṇa. And if we have sex for enjoyment, that is not. That is demonic. That is the, Kṛṣṇa says...

Hayagrīva: But Kṛṣṇa is present nonetheless.