Skyscraper (Lectures, SB)

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Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- London, August 6, 1971:

"We don't believe in God. God is dead. I am God." But why you are offering obeisances even to the small constable? That means you have to offer your obeisances to somebody. That is your position.

But we are offering obeisances to the relative truth. Relative truth means... That has been explained here that tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ yathā vinimayo yatra tri-sargo 'mṛṣā. We are offering obeisances to a temporary manifestation of tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ vinimayaḥ. Tejaḥ means fire, vāri means water, and mṛt means earth. So you take earth, mix with water, and put it into fire. Then grind it, so it becomes mortar and the brick, and you prepare a very big skyscraper and offer obeisances there. Yes. "Oh, such a big house, mine." Tri-sargo 'mṛṣā. But there is another place: dhāmnā svena nirasta-kuhakam. We are offering here obeisances to the bricks, stone, iron. Just like in your country especially—in all Western countries—there are so many statues. The same thing, tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ vinimayaḥ. But when we install Deity, actually the form, eternal form of Kṛṣṇa, nobody offers obeisances. They'll go to offer obeisances to the dead. Just like in British Museum. They are standing in queue to offer obeisances to a dead body. It has no value, but they are wasting time there. But here, if they are invited, "Oh, they are worshiping idol. Why shall I go? Why shall I go there?" This is called illusion. They are actually doing that, obeisances, but not to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- New York, July 6, 1972:

And thinking that in future so many fools and rascals will misuse the Vedānta-sūtra as so-called Vedantists, and send all people to hell, therefore he personally wrote this commentary on Vedānta-sūtra, the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Bhāṣyaṁ brahma-sūtrāṇāṁ vedārtha paribhṛṁhitaḥ **. This is bhāṣya. Bhāṣya means commentary. Therefore he begins from the first aphorism of Vedānta-sūtra, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), athāto brahma jijñāsā, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā, jīva, those who are conditioned souls, their only business is to enquire about self-realization. The piling of woods and stone is not advanced civilization. My Guru Mahārāja used to say, kāṭh pāthare mistri. If you are simply engaged how to have a skyscraper building, then we become craftsmen only, how to handle woods and stones, that's all. So much success but what we'll do with this woods and stones? You are spirit soul. Woods and stone will not give you any pleasure. That is not possible. You are not wood and stone, you are spirit soul, you must have spiritual food. Therefore in America especially, despite all material opulences, there you are becoming confused and frustrated and disappointed. Because woods and stone will not satisfy you. You must have spiritual food, that is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 17, 1971:

So religion is like that. There are... As this is a small state or small city, London... It is small city in comparison to the universe; it is nothing, a spot. So there are so many rules and regulation and laws, and the Supreme Lord, who is maintaining, creating this universe, there is no law? How do you think like that? For a small city, an insignificant city... In our estimation, it is not insignificant, but in comparison to the universe, what is the value of this London city or New York city? As soon as you go a little high up, say, twenty-five miles above, you cannot see your city. It is all finished. Similarly, there are so many cities in the stars and planets, upwards. So many universes, so many seas, mountains, skyscraper, houses, we cannot see. Because in the universe these are all simply insignificant particles only. So if in this insignificant particle there are so many state laws, you just imagine to manage this universal affair, the Supreme Lord, how much laws and regulation must be there. Who can deny it? Deny means he's a rascal. But intelligent man will understand that if in a small place there are so many rules and regulations, and in so big place, so universal—aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu—there are laws.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Edinburgh, July 17, 1972:

This "I" false ego is there. Ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). So forgetting Kṛṣṇa, when we concentrate only "I" and "mine," that is material world. That is material world. Material means separated. When I create, when we forget Kṛṣṇa, when I create "I" and "mine," that is material. Make it clear.(?) Otherwise, īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1).

Everything is Kṛṣṇa's energy. Kṛṣṇa is spiritual, so His energy is also spiritual. But in the spiritual energy there is the possibility of forgetting Kṛṣṇa. That is called material energy. So if we remember Kṛṣṇa, that is not material energy. A man, stone, wood, brick and constructs a big, high skyscraper building; that is material energy. But the same stone, same wood, same cement, you construct a very nice temple of Kṛṣṇa, that is spiritual energy. Now, the question is how the woods and stones which is matter, becomes spiritual. Is not that the question? We say one man is constructing big skyscraper building with woods and stones, we say this is materialism. But they can also challenge you that "You are also interested in woods and stones and constructing a big church or temple. Why is your idea spiritualism?" Now, you can compare. This is spiritualism means in this stone and earth and woods you remember Kṛṣṇa, "I am constructing something for Kṛṣṇa." Therefore it is spiritualism.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Vrndavana, October 16, 1972:

Those who are materialistic, that is called viṣaya. Viṣaya means eating, sleeping, sex intercourse, and defence. How I shall be protected, how shall I enjoy sex, how I shall eat more, I shall sleep more: this is called viṣaya. Viṣaya does not mean a very rich man, viṣayī. A poor man can be viṣayī, and a rich man can be renounced. Just like Rāmānanda Rāya. He was governor, a gṛhastha, not even sannyāsī. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted him not as gṛhastha—more than a sannyāsī. So viṣaya. Viṣayī means, does not mean that if one is very rich, then he's viṣayī. Viṣayī means one is only interested with these four things: eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. The whole world is going on like that. The modern civilization, they're simply interested how to eat, how to sleep... In your country, in America, you know very well. They're whole day working, how to construct a skyscraper building, how to own at least four cars.

So, so long we shall be attached to this viṣaya, simply, there cannot be any peace. There cannot be any peace. It is impossible. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says that viṣaya-viṣānale. Anala means fire. There are different types of fire also. Vi..., viṣānala, the burning sensation by drinking poison. Viṣaya-viṣānale, dibā-niśi hiyā jvale. "Whole day and night, twenty-four hours, my heart is burning." Viṣaya-viṣānale, juṛāite nā koinu... "I did not try, how to get out of this blazing fire." Golokera prema-dhana, hari-nama-saṅkīrtana, rati nā janmila kene tāy. "The only, only relief is this kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtana, hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana."

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Delhi, November 13, 1973:

So uttama means... This word we have..., uttama. The uttama means transcendental, beyond this material world. So there is śreya, ultimate benefit of life, beyond this material world. So one who is interested the śreya, or ultimate benefit of life beyond this material world, for him there is need of accepting a guru. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). Uttamam, not for this... Generally, people go to accept a guru for some material benefit, for cheap āśīrvāda, so that he can become more opulent in this material world. But that is not śreya. These things will be finished. These things will be finished with your body, and body is sure to be finished. Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34). Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that "I am the death, and I take away everything at the death, at the time of your... " Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham. You make all asset. You make good bank balance, skyscraper building, good family, everything, but everything will be taken away at the time of death. Then another chapter. Then you do not know what chapter begins. That will depend on your karma. The same thing, contamination. As you have made your mental condition, sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ (BG 8.6), you will get..., nature will give a similar body. This is going on.

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

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

So Sūta Gosvāmī said, nārthasya dharmaikāntasya kāmo lābhāya hi smṛtaḥ: don't spend your hard-earned money for sense gratification. Then one may say that "After all, we have got this body, and we have to eat, we have to sleep. And because we have got senses, the senses must be a little bit satisfied." No. Kṛṣṇa says, Sūta Gosvāmī says, it is not that you shall stop. That is already explained. I, the other day: nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe. You eat in relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Just like here, in this temple, what we are doing? We are also cooking. Others are also cooking at house. Then what is the difference? The difference is that we are cooking for Kṛṣṇa; others, those who have no Kṛṣṇa consciousness—I don't say everyone—they are cooking for themselves. Just like the hotel. In a hotel they are cooking for the customer palatable dishes. So that is the difference. But Rūpa Gosvāmī says that "Dovetail with Kṛṣṇa consciousness." That is yukta vairāgya. Because in this human life we require to develop jñāna and vairāgya. So if we dovetail our activities for Kṛṣṇa's service, that is yukta vairāgya. So here also it is said that nārthasya dharmaikāntasya kāmo lābhāya hi smṛtaḥ. We should not earn money for sense gratification.

Lecture on SB 1.2.9 -- Hyderabad, April 23, 1974:

That is our defect. The same thing, you can do with Kṛṣṇa. Just become Kṛṣṇa conscious and you get the opportunity. Why you are suffering here for sporting and dancing? That is called dharmasya hy āpavargyasya. Stop this, I mean to say, always painful condition of material life. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). Because we have got this material body. This material body means reservoir of all suffering. By artificial method, so-called scientific advancement, we are trying to patch up, but that is not real happiness. You can go on continuing patching up. This is called māyā. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). You cannot... The real purpose is that everyone wants to live and enjoy, but the māyā will not allow. You can have very nice skyscraper building, but have you made any insurance that you will be allowed to enjoy this house? "No, sir, there is no such insurance." At any moment the nature will call, "Please get out, immediately." "No, I have got to do some business." "No more, sir. Please get out immediately." Can you stop that? Then why you are making plan? Your real plan is not there. Whether you will be allowed to stay here? There is no insurance. And why you are taking so much trouble? Therefore, nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4), the whole day, night, they are working like ass, but there is no assurance whether the happiness for which he is laboring so hard will be allowed to be enjoyed. There is no certainty.

Lecture on SB 1.2.24 -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1972:

They cannot understand anything. So gradually, they are promoted to the human form of life, rajo-guṇa. Generally, human form of life, rajo-guṇa, activity for creation, we can very well see. Animals, cats, dogs cows, asses... And a little civilized, engaged in sense gratification in a different way, very active, passion... So these two stages of life will not help us. Because our aim is to come to the point of brahma-darśanam, self-realization, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. To remain karmīs or remain animallike life, no knowledge, simply eating, sleeping, mating, that's all... And little advancement means the same eating, sleeping, mating, but in a polished way... Mostly we find in the Western countries, the aim is animal propensities, but in a polished way. Suppose they live in very, very high skyscraper buildings, and the animals live in some cave, in some hole, in some nest.

So for living condition, improving the living condition, does not mean brahma-darśanam. Brahma-darśanam is another thing. Improving the living condition, improving the eating condition, improving the sex life condition, or improving the defending condition. Just like human civilization, they're discovering so many laser weapons, atomic bomb, so many things. So it is improving the defending condition. But modern civilization is in the opinion that if they can improve their material condition of eating, sleeping, mating and defending, that is advancement of civilization. But that is not advancement of civilization. Advancement of civilization means brahma-darśanam. That is advancement. Because so long we do not come to the platform of understanding that "I am spirit soul, I am part and parcel of the Supreme Spirit," we are in the ignorance—in different forms. The example is given very nicely. Just like raw wood, just from the trees, you cut the trees, it is raw, it is not immediately fit for burning. But when it is little dried you can ignite fire, and, igniting fire, immediately there is no flame, there is smoke. Then, after the smoke, there is flame. And that flame is required.

Lecture on SB 1.2.26 -- Vrndavana, November 6, 1972:

So here it is said, mumukṣavo ghora-rūpān hitvā bhūta-patīn atha. Bhūta-patīn atha. So those who are actually desiring liberation from this entanglement of material life, transmigration from one body to another... We can get different types of sense pleasure in different bodies. That's all right. But this is not a very good business. Sometimes I become a demigod, and sometimes I become a eucalyptus tree, standing for three hundred years. So why should we waste our time in that way? That is intelligence. But they do not know that "This time I am very nice American. I have got my skyscraper building and motorcar and very good bank balance. I am very happy." They don't care. But he does not know that next life he may become a cats or dog. That he does not know. There is risk. This science is not taught in any university. They are so fools and rascals. It is a great science, transmigration of the soul, immortality of the soul, how to elevate the soul to the highest perfection; these things are... They do not know, the rascals, they do not know. Neither do they teach. Mumukṣavo ghora-rūpān. A so unfortunate time it is.

Therefore there is great necessity of spreading this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement to actually educate the human being to the highest perfect of life. That is required. It is not a religious system, competing with some other religion. Just like they are thinking that we are making Christians, Hindus. This is nonsense.

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

This is material world. They are saying "Don't... There is no God. We don't care for God. We are, everyone, God." But māyā, the police force, is there, kicking on the face. And they are subjected to so many tribulations, miserable conditions of life. Especially birth, death, old age and disease. Now you don't care for God. So why don't you stop your death? You stop your death. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś ca aham, "To the rascals and the demons, I am death. I take away everything." Sarva-haraḥ. Sarva-haraḥ means these rascals are trying to possess so many things: cars, motorcars, skyscraper building, bank balance, big family, big friends, big empire, and so many things. But when death comes, he cannot protect himself, what to speak of protecting other things. You see? So he's under full control, the demons. And every moment, he's under control. Suppose I have got money. I can eat so much. But as soon as you eat little more, immediately you are under control; you cannot eat for three days. Indigestion, immediately. And still, the rascal says that "I am not controlled." If there is little pain here, he immediately becomes: "Where is doctor, where is doctor, where is doctor?" And still he says, "I'm not controlled," and "I am God."

He does not know what is the meaning of God. God is never controlled by anyone. That is God. That is the definition of God. If you are God, then why you are being controlled? Because they're rascals, demons, foolishly speaking something nonsense. But we should know that God means controller. He's not controlled. And when God was present on this planet, He showed what kind of God He is. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). Anyone, any demon who tried to imitate God, they were all killed, all killed. The Kaṁsa, his only policy was to kill Kṛṣṇa. "As soon as Kṛṣṇa comes, kill Him." So many plans he made. He... Kṛṣṇa happened to be his sister's son. So he imprisoned the sister and brother-in-law so that "He may beget children, but in my front... I must remain... As soon as children, child is born, I shall kill."

Lecture on SB 1.5.4 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1968:

Now, unless one is very seriously inquisitive about this subject matter, there is no need of spiritual master. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ. Jijñāsuḥ means very inquisitive. And what sort of jijñāsuḥ, inquisitive? There must be some subject matter of inquiry. Just in the market place the businessmen, their inquiry, "What is the rate? What is the price of this thing?" He's interested in purchasing and selling. The Bhāgavata says, "Not that kind of inquisitiveness. Not for any material inquiry." There is no need of asking about any material things which are hackneyed. Jijñāsuḥ śreya. "What is my ultimate goal of life?" That inquiry. Now, everyone knows that "My ultimate goal of life is to accumulate a big bank balance." Generally, we think like that. Or somebody thinks that "If I possess a big skyscraper house and several motorcars, that is ultimate goal of my life." But Bhāgavata says, "Not that kind of inquiries. You do not require to enquire about how to achieve a skyscraper house or several motorcars or very good apartment." Just materialists, as they want. That you may enquire or not enquire. What is destined to you, it will come. It will come. The Bhāgavata says that "Either you enquire..." You go to astrologer, "What is in my fate? Whether I am getting such and such things or not?" You enquire or not enquire, if you are destined to achieve that thing, it will come automatically. Everyone is bound up by the reaction of his past work.

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

This is the secret. How? One milk preparation. Milk is the origin. Rabri, you take too much and there is dysentery. And cikitsitam, the same milk converted into yogurt, add little black pepper, little salt and lime, it will cure. The origin is the milk. So one way you become diseased and the other way you become cured, but the preparation is the same—milk. Similarly, our activities in this material world with these material elements, when we violate the laws, we become entangled. But the same material activities, when it is turned into Kṛṣṇa prasādam, dovetailed with Kṛṣṇa for hearing and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, what we are doing? We are also doing the same thing. Here is the temple. What is this temple? The same ingredients, the same cement, same brick, same stone, same worker, same plan as the skyscraper. But what is the difference? Because it is cikitsitam, it is for Kṛṣṇa. You spoil your energy by the same purchase of cement, bricks, and other things for sense gratification—a theater hall, a dancing hall. The same energy spent for dancing for Kṛṣṇa, the same hall, you become liberated. By one dancing hall you go to hell, and by another dancing hall you become liberated. This is the secret.

So people have got the tendency for sense gratification. That is the material disease. So instead of satisfying your senses, try to satisfy the senses of Kṛṣṇa. Then you become liberated. This is called cikitsitam. There is sense gratification. Here when you chant and dance, this is not your sense gratification; this is Kṛṣṇa's sense gratification: "Oh, these devotees, they are glorifying Me, they are dancing. Blessed they are." Immediately you draw attention of Kṛṣṇa, because it is bhakti.

Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Geneva, May 31, 1974:

"Stop it," if he is not sober, he will not accept it. Just like in India there was prohibition. Gandhi, by his sentiment... There was no, I mean to say, education. He wanted to make all of a sudden stop. So there was illicit drinking. Illicit manufacture of wine increased so much that government saw that "We are losing the excise duty. These people are distilling illicit liquor." So now government, to save money, now they are manufacturing and inducing people, "All right, you go on drinking."

So unless we are sober, for stopping one kind of unwanted thing, we have to introduce another. This is karma-kāṇḍa-vicāra. If you have to raise, erect, a very high skyscraper building, then for the materials, you have to dig somewhere to make it a lake. You take it from there and put it here. This is karma. You cannot manufacture. Suppose a high skyscraper building you have constructed. The another place you have taken out something. The stock is the same, conservation of the energy. You cannot increase the stock. That is not possible.

So in this way we have been entangled. This is called anartha. Therefore that gentleman was... "If we take everyone..." That is not possible. Everyone is not going to take Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is not possible. But he was thinking that, that "If we..." Sometimes they put this argument, that "If everyone becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, who will look after this business, that business?" That will be looked after. Don't bother. The śūdra class, they will take care. The brāhmaṇa class, they will take advantage, and the śūdra class, they will work hard. Just like we are taking advantage of this microphone for Kṛṣṇa, but we are not going to manufacture this. That is not our business.

Lecture on SB 1.7.47-48 -- Vrndavana, October 6, 1976:

How to make them happy. This is Vaiṣṇava's concern. Vaiṣṇava concern, personal, there is no concern. Vaiṣṇava is not satisfied that "Because I have no problem, I can chant anywhere and enjoy." No. Still, Vaiṣṇava takes the risk. As Prahlāda Mahārāja said, that "I do not wish to go alone to Vaikuṇṭha or anywhere, my Lord, unless I can deliver all these rascals." This is Vaiṣṇava. He knew that all the..., Vimukha-cetasaḥ. These materialistic persons, they are engaged in planning for material happiness. They are working so hard, becoming baffled without any benefit. So māyā-sukhāya bharam ud...many, many plans, many, many skyscraper buildings, roads and motor cars. What is the real purpose? The purpose is they want to be happy. But that is not possible. Therefore they are vimūḍhān. Rascals. They are going in the wrong way. How to divert their attention to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then they will be happy.

These European, American boys, they are coming from rich family. They have, even nationally, they have got big, big skyscraper buildings, motor car, and why they have come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness? Because they were not happy. It is a fact. They were not happy. So a Vaiṣṇava can understand this, that outwardly, externally, they may have nice dress or nice building or nice motor car, but internally they are so unhappy that they rise up to the top of the skyscraper building and fall down to commit suicide. This is his position. The Vaiṣṇava can understand that bharam udvahato vimūḍhān. They are making skyscraper building, but there is no happiness. It is simply a, what is called? A Gorgeous arrangement only. Otherwise, there is not a drop of happiness. Śoce tato vimukha-cetasaḥ.

So the feeling of Vaiṣṇava is like that. Similarly, Draupadī is Vaiṣṇavī.

Lecture on SB 1.8.24 -- Mayapura, October 4, 1974:

We should not be so fool that "I am living very now comfortably." No, sir. You are in danger. That is said by Kṛṣṇa. Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). You do not take this material existence as comfortable at any moment. Then you'll not be able to make progress in spiritual life. As soon as you think that "I am very comfortable here," then you are spiritually fall down. That is māyā. As soon as...

So at the present moment, people are becoming implicated with māyā more and more because foolishly they are thinking that "I am now very comfortable. I have got this skyscraper building. I have got so much bank balance. I have got so nice wife. So I am comfortable." They are thinking like that. They do not know that it is not comfortable life. It is dangerous life because you have to change your body. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). Why don't you remember that? Because as soon as death will take place next moment... You are proprietor of this house; next moment you become dog of this house. If you have got very much attachment for the house, and at the same time your activities have been like dog's, then you get the body of a dog, and you may remain in this quarter and bark, "Gyeow! Gyeow! Gyeow! Gyeow! Gyeow!" That they do not know. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). When there is nice building, nice comfortable life, they do anything sinful without knowing that "I am not going to be escaped by these sinful activities. I will have to suffer for this. As I am enjoying now material comforts due to my some pious activities in the past, similarly, if I commit sinful life, then I'll have to suffer next life." That they do not know.

Lecture on SB 1.8.26 -- Los Angeles, April 18, 1973:

To whom this closet will belong. To the carpenter, or the man who has supplied the ingredients? To whom it will belong? The carpenter cannot say that: "Because I have transformed this wood into such nice closet, it is mine." No. It is not yours. Similarly, who is supplying the ingredients, rascal? That is Kṛṣṇa's. Kṛṣṇa says: bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva... prakṛtir me aṣṭadhā (BG 7.4). "This is My property." You have not created this sea, the land, the sky, the fire, the air. It is not your creation. You can transform these material things, tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ vinimayaḥ, by mixing and transforming. You take earth from the land, you take water from the sea and mix it and put it in the fire. It becomes a brick. And then you pile up all this brick and make a skyscraper building. But wherefrom you got this ingredient, rascal, that you are claiming this skyscraper yours? This is intelligent question. You have stolen the property of God, and you are claiming that it is your property. This is knowledge. This is knowledge.

Lecture on SB 1.8.29 -- Mayapura, October 9, 1974:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "I know..." Tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna-cittaḥ. "I can... I have no problem because I have understood what is the value of chanting Your holy name. But I have got another business." What is that? Śoce tato vimukha-cetasaḥ: "I am simply concerned with these rascals who are not Kṛṣṇa conscious." Śoce tato vimukha-cetasaḥ: "They are busy that māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43). These rascals, for māyā-sukha, temporary material happiness, they have made very, very gorgeous arrangement," very, very big, big skyscraper building and very, very nice road, very, very nice car, and nice dress, nice this, nice nightclub, this club—simply for māyā-sukhāya. "This happiness is temporary. Still, they have forgotten Kṛṣṇa, which will make their life successful and happy. They do not know." Māyā-sukhāya bharam. Bharam means humbug, humbugism. Māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43). "Those who have arranged like that, these rascals," śoce, "I am lamenting for them." This is Vaiṣṇava. Para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. kṛpāmbudhir yas tam ahaṁ prapadye (CC Madhya 6.254).

So because you are preacher, you are being trained up to become preacher, especially in the Western countries, so it is your duty. I have several times requested you that "You American people, you are fortunate.

Lecture on SB 1.8.34 -- Mayapur, October 14, 1974:

So Brahmā was approached by the earth, mother earth. She felt overburdened by the sinful activities of the demons. So Brahmā approaches Nārāyaṇa, er, Viṣṇu—not directly he can see, but he can stand on the bank of the ocean of milk, and from there he can submit his petition. And Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu gives His order. So once upon a time, when the whole world was overburdened—this is the history of Kṛṣṇa's birth—so the earthly planet approached Brahmā to appeal to Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu to have His incarnation to diminish the burden of the world. The world is, of course, it is very heavy. We can understand there are so many oceans and so many big, big hills, besides your skyscraper building, and certainly the whole lump of matter is very heavy. But not only this planet, but many other planets, even the sun planet. It is heavier by fourteen hundred thousand times. Still, they are floating in the air by... Why? Because Kṛṣṇa enters in each of them.

In each of them... Gām āviśya (BG 15.13). Dhārayāmy aham ojasā. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that "I enter into each planetary system, each universe, and by My power I hold it. It is floating." Why it is floating? Because Kṛṣṇa is there. The atheist may not believe it, but it is a fact. It is a fact. How? Just like an animal or a man, while he is living, he can float in the air or in the water. That everyone has seen. But if the man is dead, it will not float. It will fall down. Is it not a fact? So why it is floating? Because a very small particle of Kṛṣṇa's spiritual potency is there. That is living entity. Big, big... An elephant, he can also float in the water, and the horses, elephant, and what to speak of man? This is practical. Because a small particle of the Supreme is there within this body... Dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). Very small particle. How much small? One ten-thousandth part of the top of the hair, so small. It has got so power that it can hold the whole body floating in the air. Air... There are very, very big, big birds. They are floating in the air, very, very big eagle. They fly from one planet to another. Their resting place is... They start from one planet, and they go and rest in other planet. And they lay their eggs while flying. That eggs also become a bird simply by air cohesion. That's all.

Lecture on SB 1.8.35 -- Mayapura, October 15, 1974:

That is caitya-guru, Kṛṣṇa, Paramātmā. So Brahmā was also educated. That means beginning from Brahmā down to the small insect, they are all in ignorance, all fools and rascals. That is the constitutional position. Nobody should be proud of his knowledge. Everyone is a rascal, everyone. Here it is said, kliśyamānānām avidyā-kāma-karmabhiḥ. So Brahmā is desiring that "If I can get the opportunity, the post of Brahmā, and I can create a big universe..." He was also thinking like that. And the small insects, it is also thinking like that—"If I can create a small hole within the room, then I can live very peacefully and eat." The same propensity. As Brahmā is thinking to create an universe, you are thinking to create an skyscraper building, the ant is thinking to create a hole within the room—the quality of the work is the same.

But because we are fools, that these things are material... It will not stay. On account of ignorance, we are thinking that "This will be very nice. This will be very nice. This will be very nice. This will be..." Kāma-karmabhiḥ, creating some kāma, desire, and working in that way. Therefore kliśyanti. To become Brahmā, that is not very easy thing. Brahmā is such a big post, very qualified, highly advanced in austerities, penance. He is given... He's also a living entity. Just like in your America, you are also a citizen, and President Nixon or Ford, he's also citizen. But by dint of his ardent labor and diplomacy, this way, tha..., he has captured that post. But he's an ordinary citizen. Just like President Nixon. Now he's dragged down. He's no more president. Ordinary citizen. Similarly, if you like you can also become Brahmā. Kāma-karmabhiḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.15.1 -- New York, November 29, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa is so kind, that He is simply waiting, "When this rascal will turn his face towards Me." He simply is, he is so kind. But we living entities, we are so rascal, we shall turn our face to everything except Kṛṣṇa. This is our position.

We want to be happy, with so many ideas. Everyone is making his own idea, "Now this is the..." But the rascals, they do not know that, what is the actual process for getting happiness, that is Kṛṣṇa. That they do not know. na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). You, you can see in your country, they are trying so many things, so many skyscraper buildings, so many motor cars, so many big, big cities, but there is no happiness. Because they do not know what is missing. That missing point we are giving. Here is, "You take Kṛṣṇa and you will be happy." This is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa and the living entity, they are very intimately connected. Like father and son, or friend and friend, or master and servant, like that. We are very much intimately connected. But because we have forgotten our intimate relationship with Kṛṣṇa, and trying to become happy in this material world, therefore we have to undergo so much tribulations. This is the position. Kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva bhoga vañcha kare.

Lecture on SB 1.15.21 -- Los Angeles, December 1, 1973:

It is supposed that Rāvaṇa's brother was a king of..., on the other side of the globe. So it is my suggestion... I do not say it is very scientific proof. So other side of the globe... Rāvaṇa was in Ceylon, and the other side of the globe, if you go by subway, it comes to Brazil. And Brazil is supposed to have gold mines. And it is said in the Rāmāyaṇa that Rāvaṇa's brother was living on the other side of the globe, and Rāmacandra was taken through the subway. So taking this into consideration, we can suppose that Rāvaṇa imported large quantity of gold from Brazil, and he converted them into big, big houses. So Rāvaṇa was so powerful that he made his capital Svarṇa-laṅkā, "capital made of gold." Just like if a man comes from undeveloped country to your country, New York or any city, when they see the big, big skyscraper, they become astonished. Although skyscraper buildings are everywhere nowadays, formerly it was very wonderful.

So we can create everything very wonderful, but we can take the example of Rāvaṇa. Rāvaṇa was very advanced materially, and he had Vedic knowledge sufficiently. He was son of a brāhmaṇa. Everything was there. But the only fault was that he did not care for Rāma. That is the only fault. "Oh, what is Rāma? I don't care for Him. There is no need of performing yajñas and ritualistic ceremony to be promoted to the heavenly kingdom." Rāvaṇa said, "I shall construct a staircase to go to the moon planet. Why you are trying in this way or that way? I will do that." Svargesari.(?) So these people are trying like Rāvaṇa, but they should take lesson from Rāvaṇa that his godlessness made him doomed. Everything he lost.

Lecture on SB 1.15.21 -- Los Angeles, December 1, 1973:

There is an example. Just like the vulture, they have got a very good eyesight, very good eyesight. You... Seven miles away from the surface, they can see where there is a dead corpse. So they have got good eyesight, but they are searching after dead corpse only. That is their business. These so-called scientists, philosophers, they are very much advanced, but their only business is how to become happy in this planet. That's all. That is their... Not mahātmā. Durātmā. Their mind is not very broad. What is called? Ah? What is the English word? Crippled. Mind is very crippled. Durāśayā. Therefore they are hoping against hope. They will not live here. Still, they are decorating, decorating the dead body. "This is my apartment, this is my house, this is my country, this is my skyscraper building." Painting. And one day, mṛtyuḥ sarva... Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu. He's challenging, challenging, "Where is your God?" "Ah, here is God! Come on! Finished. Finished. Here is God."

So God will appear. Don't forget that you will be godless. You will see God, and death, at that time, after seeing, you will be finished, no more understanding. That is... Kṛṣṇa says, mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraḥ... When you will be taken away, everything, all your possession, all your scientific knowledge, bank balance, skyscraper, everything will be taken away, then you will understand what is God, like Hiraṇyakaśipu. So why don't you try to understand before that moment comes? Live so very nicely, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and see Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Deity, and eat nicely, live nicely. "No, that is not possible. We shall see at the time of death when everything will be finished. All intelligence, all good food, everything will be finished." So therefore in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said, kṛṣṇa yei bhaje se baḍa catura. Unless one is first-class intelligent, he cannot take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The last class fools and rogues, they cannot take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 1.15.22-23 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1973:

So without understanding our real identification, if we remain intoxicated and wander within this wonderful universe... You cannot live. It is not that because you have settled up, "Now I am in America or India. Let me live here comfortably. I have got very good arrangement." But you will not be allowed to live, sir. You must have to change. You may make very good arrangement, but who is allowing to stay here. You will not be allowed to stay here. But they do not know. Intoxicated, because intoxicated. Everyone is thinking that "I shall stay forever. Let there be very big iron skyscraper building. I will be able to stay." But because intoxicated, he cannot understand that he will not be allowed to stay. You may simply spoil your energy. That's all. The energy which was given to you to understand God, you are spoiling that energy in skyscraper building, but you will not be allowed to stay. This is nature's law.

But the rascals, they do not know because they are intoxicated already by the nature's law, māyā, and they are still being intoxicated, more drink liquor, more drink liquor, and go to hell.

Lecture on SB 1.15.32 -- Los Angeles, December 10, 1973:

So everyone should take care that after all, we have to give up this body, estate, and whatever we possess, we have to give up. So after giving up, what is next? We have to give up. That is a fact. If you don't give it up now, at the time of death you must give it up, everything. Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34). You may try to keep in possession whatever you have got, but at the time of death you have to give it up. By force it will be taken away. Everyone should think like that. That is soberness. One who is thinking that "My family, my nation, my society, my bank balance, my skyscraper building, my motorcars—these will save me," that is not possible. That is not possible. That is the conclusion of the foolish person. Pramatto nidhanaṁ paśyann api na paśyati. Those who are mad, they do not see that everything they possess will be vanished. It will not stay. He'll be vanished, his body will be vanished, everything. Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv ātma-sainyeṣv asatsv api (SB 2.1.4). Asatsu api. All these things are temporary, but I am eternal. They do not think very seriously that "I am eternal, and I am engaged with temporary things. Now, what is my eternal business?" They do not know. That they do not know. This is called foolishness, mūḍha.

But you are eternal. About you, you have heard from the śāstra, and you are experiencing that "I was a child, I was a boy, I was a young man. So my body, childhood body, boyhood body, youthhood body is gone. This body is not that body." Nobody can say, "I have got a different body." But I know that I had a childhood body, I had a boyhood body, youthhood body. That I know. So I am eternal, and this body is not eternal. It is changing. It is very simple thing. Why people cannot understand it? Very simple. Avināśi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam, antavanta ime dehāḥ. This is the instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā. This body is antavat. It will be finished. But that thing which is spreading all over the body, avināśi, that will not be annihilated. Avināśi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam. That consciousness, the consciousness is spread all over the body, and Kṛṣṇa says that that thing which is spread all over the body, consciousness, that is immortal.

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

So religion means, we have already explained, religion means the science of God. So the chance is there in the human form of body to understand the science of God. In the body of cats and dogs, it is not possible. Therefore this life should be fully utilized for understanding the science of God, and understanding... As Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja... Now he is closing the business. The business is that "I am creating this body." Just like a businessman opens a business house. Sometimes when the business is simply troublesome, he liquidates. Similarly, we should come into the understanding that our material business is always troublesome. Is it not troublesome? Practical, material business. Suppose in this life you have got all good facilities. You have got a skyscraper building, nice... Suppose you are Mr. Ford. He was a very rich man in your country. So where is Mr. Ford now? That they do not see. That they have no eyes. In Paris I saw some statue of Napoleon. There is written, "Napoleon is France; France is Napoleon." But I inquired that "Where is Mr. Napoleon? The France is there, but where is Napoleon?" Just see. This is called ignorance, māyā. When Napoleon was very victorious, he might think that "I am making my France very strong, very powerful," but that's all right. But you are not powerful. You have to go away. By one kick of nature, go away. That they do not see. This is called ignorance. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19).

Lecture on SB 1.15.44 -- Los Angeles, December 22, 1973:

So hṛdi brahma paraṁ dhyāyan. This is the principle. If you want to stop repetition of birth and death... This is our real problem, but people are so poor in knowledge, they do not know what is the problem. They are tackling some temporary problem: "There is no petrol, there is no this, there is no that." Well, even petrol is there, but what of yourself? Are you going to live here forever? That is not problem. I am making arrangement for my sense gratification very nicely-skyscraper building, and very nice car, very nice bank balance, everything. That's all right. But you are going to live permanently? What is the answer, my dear scientist? No answer. Just see. You construct a house with a hope that you shall live here, but if you are informed, "Oh, you are going to die tomorrow," will you take that responsibility, constructing, spending millions of dollars? "Oh, I am going to die?" That is natural. That is natural. So before making nice arrangement for our living condition, first of all make this condition sure that you are going to live actually, you will live comfortably. Is that guaranteed? No, that is not guaranteed. At any moment you will be kicked out. Any moment. So that is real problem. First of all make yourself assured that you will not be kicked out. Just like even we enter an apartment, we make so many agreement with the landlord, this condition, that condition. What is the idea? That I may not be kicked out, I may not be kicked out tomorrow. The landlord may say, "Get out." This is the agreement you make. So what is the agreement for your living condition?

Lecture on SB 1.15.45 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1973:

So how you can get out of the police force? When you are not criminal. That's all. Similarly, nature is like police force, this material nature. As soon as you become irreligious, making friendship with Kali and his friends, then you will be punished. Nature will... There will be severe cold, there will be this blast, that blast, and no production, and famine, pestilence, so many things. Nature can disturb you, natural. That is called adhidaivika, which is beyond your control. Adhidaivika. If the Pacific Ocean within a second overflows your Los Angeles town, what you can do? What your scientists can do? "Nothing, sir." But it can be done, at any moment. What is the difficulty? One big wave. Skyscraper building, all skyscrapers will be finished. So that is called nature's disturbance.

So there are other disturbances also. This is called natural disturbance. Then other disturbance is... Your body is the source of so many disturbances. Even you don't feel nature's disturbances, then your body friend, which you have taken so friendly, that "My body is everything. Exercise, keep this body very perfect to eat, eat meat and drink." But this body will give you trouble. The mind will give you trouble. This is called adhyātmika. Everything is analyzed. Adhyātmika and adhibhautika. You do not create any enemy, but your neighbor will be enemy, unnecessarily. Your friend will be enemy. Your brother will be enemy. Your son will be enemy. There are so many instance. This is called adhibhautika. Just like your, somebody's dog. Unnecessarily... We have seen. You are passing the road, and this dog is so faithful, he become your enemy. "Gow! Gow! Gow! Why you are passing here? Why you are passing?" You see? The mosquito will be enemy. The bugs will be enemy. The insects will be enemy. You go on killing. Go on killing with spray.

Lecture on SB 1.16.5 -- Los Angeles, January 2, 1974:

These are... They are described in the Vedas. But a devotee says that this tri-daśa-pūr, this heavenly planet, is as good as phantasmagoria. They have no value for these things.

So the..., this is the aspiration of the karmīs, to elevate life to higher standard of life. As the world is going on... The struggle is going on for having a higher standard of life. But they are becoming implicated. Now, there was bull-drawn cart or horse-drawn carriages. Now they have got nice cars also, but the problem is petrol. So the karmī world is like that. You create one kind of happiness, but side by side you create another kind of unhappiness. This is called karmī-yoga. Just like if you want to raise one big skyscraper building, then you have to dig somewhere to get the earth to make the bricks and the iron. You cannot manufacture without taking help of the nature. So if you raise here, you must dig here. This is karmī-yoga. If you want to enjoy something extraordinarily, you must create another unhappiness extraordinarily. This is called karmī. Therefore they are mūḍhas. Mūḍhas means rascals, asses. They do not know that "By increasing every year new motorcars, I am creating another problem. If there is no petrol, then the whole business will be spoiled." That they do not know. And because they do not know, they are called asses, mūḍha. The effect they do not know. So the tri-daśa-pūr, going to the heavenly planet... Just like they are going to the moon planet, but problems after problem, contemplating how to make a platform in the sky to get petrol. The problem is there, not that very easily going. The problematic... Things are problematic.

Lecture on SB 1.16.21 -- Los Angeles, July 11, 1974:

He is not well? (hears response) Hm. So this is civilization, this is culture. So at the present moment there is no respect for brahminical culture. Just like we are trying to make our disciples perfectly men of character. No illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling, no meat-eating. And people will take it very lightly. They laugh. Because they do not know what is brahminical culture, what is the perfection of human life. So all these are happening and will continue to happen till the end of this age, very, very dangerous. We must always consider. Don't be allured by big, big highways and skyscraper building with full advertisement of wine and cigarette. This is not life. This is not life. Life, here is life. Let anyone come and compare this life in this temple and outside. This is life.

So be careful that this material world is itself dangerous. Especially in this age of Kali, it is dangerous. It is stated in the śāstra, padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām (SB 10.14.58), every step there is danger. This is the position. Māyā is so strong that you should always expect simply danger. But if you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, you can overcome these dangers... Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām. It is not... This dangerous position is not for them. Who? Samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavam, one who has taken shelter of the lotus feet. It is a great ocean, just like the Pacific Ocean. It is just like a great ocean, big ocean of ignorance. As in the ocean, if you go, even on a boat, it is always dangerous, similarly, we are in the ocean of material civilization. There is always danger. But if you take shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, paraṁ padam, then you overcome the danger and you go back to home, back to Godhead.

Lecture on SB 1.16.23 -- Hawaii, January 19, 1974:

Therefore His name is Hari. Yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi, er, yasya aham anugṛhṇāmi, anugṛhṇāmi... I forget now. Kṛṣṇa says that "When I shows to somebody special favor, I take away all his possessions." That is special favor.

This question was asked by Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, no, Parīkṣit Mahārāja to Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi, hariṣye dhanam. Because here in this material world, the more we possess material wealth, it is our bondage. Ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). Because our bondage is we are entrapped here by material opulences. Material opulences are not very good for spiritual advancement. Just the Western people, they are materially advanced. They possess... They do not possess, but their energy is utilized for converting things from one shape to another, that much, the energy being wasted. It is good credit for you, materially, that you have so nice cars, nice skyscraper buildings, and so many nice things you have created. That is good credit—good credit materially. Spiritually, it is not good credit. Spiritually, it is waste of energy, waste of energy. Because however nicely you have made all these material facilities, amenities, you cannot stay here. You cannot... You have got a certain amount of energy. So that energy is meant for some other purpose. So your energy not being utilized for the real purpose of life, if you utilize it for increasing your so-called material happiness... Actually, they have not become happy. Otherwise, why so many young boys and girls, they are disappointed? Because this kind of advancement will not make us happy. That is a fact. Therefore, if you waste your energy for things which are not wanted, then you are not advancing, you are being defeated. That they do not know.

Lecture on SB 1.16.23 -- Hawaii, January 19, 1974:

When you will feel that "There is no problem. I am chanting, glorifying. So I am becoming merged into the ocean of bliss," that is life. That is the symptom.

So that Prahlāda Mahārāja said, that "I have no problem." That is pure devotee. "Then... But you seem to be very unhappy. Why?" "Yes, still, I am unhappy." What is that? Śoce tato vimukha-cetasa indriyārtha-māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān: (SB 7.9.43) "I am unhappy for these rascals, these rascals. These rascals, they have created a huge mode of civilization for temporary happiness, temporary happiness." That is not happiness. Māyā-sukhāya. Māyā, illusion. Just like you have created these skyscraper buildings. That's nice, very nice. Very good boy. Now, is there any guarantee that you shall be able to live here? Have you made any arrangement? Eh? Where is that arrangement? Just like, if you earn millions of dollars, but to keep that money, you keep in a safe custody, in a bank, so that you're assured that your money is safe and you'll be able to use it. Similarly, you have created this material civilization, very advancement. That is all right. But whether you have made any security arrangement that you'll be able to enjoy them? Is there any arrangement? Eh? This requires little brain. Because at any moment we may be kicked out of the situation. There is no guarantee. At any moment. Suppose with hard labor you create something for living. Everyone wants at old age to live very peacefully, comfortably. There must be some good bank balance, a very nice house. But where is that guarantee? That they do not understand. Therefore they are called abodha-jātaḥ. If after creating so many things for material enjoyment, if you are kicked out... But therefore they do not accept the next birth. Because it is very horrible. Because if they understand that "I have done all these things by sinful activities, these material..., and I'll have to suffer in my next life...," they'll, they'll not do.

Lecture on SB 1.16.24 -- Hawaii, January 20, 1974:

So influence of time will act. You cannot check it. Influence of time, that is nature's law. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā (BG 7.14). That is māyā's strength. How you can check? It is not in your power.

So this is another question by Dharmarāja to mother earth, "Whether you are now in tribulation by the influence of time?" Surārcitaṁ kiṁ hṛtam amba saubhagam. So we should remember saubhagam, opulence, can be taken away, in due course of time. You cannot check it. Suppose in America you are all fortunate. You have got very nice roads, very nice cars, very nice skyscraper building, government, food, everything very nice. But in due course of time everything can be taken away. You cannot check it. Śāstra says therefore, tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovidaḥ. Everything will be taken away, or ultimately, destruction. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. You can find out, somebody, the verse. Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham, mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś ca aham. In due course of time, death will come, and it will take everything, what you possess. Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham. That death is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-2 -- New York, April 19, 1973:

You become purified. Therefore it is said, varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ kṛto loka-hitaṁ nṛpa, ātmavit-sammataḥ (SB 2.1.1). Ātmavit. It is not that I am only eulogizing. Ātmavit-sammataḥ. All great personalities who is self-realized, ātmavit. Ātmavit means one who knows ātmā. General people, they do not know ātmā. But ātmavit means one who knows ātmā, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, "I am spirit soul, I am not this body," and one who is well-acquainted about this ātma-tattva. So unless one becomes aware of this ātma-tattva, whatever he is doing, he is being defeated. They are seeing... Generally people, they are thinking that "I am now constructing this big skyscraper building. I am successful. I have become Rothschild, I have become Paul(?)." That is not ātma-vit. Ātma-vit... Because he is materially opulent, that does not mean ātma-vit. That's a subject matter that will be discussed in the next verse, apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2). One who cannot see his ātmā: gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām. They are compact in this materialistic way of life, gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām. Their condition is very... Actually this is the position of the whole world. They are not ātma-vit. They do not enquire ātma-tattvam; therefore they are less intelligent. Therefore I say that we, our propaganda is to make people more intelligent. They might not have taken it very nicely. They thought that "This poor swami has come to make us intelligent." But actually that is the fact. That is the fact. This is not intelligence, that, bodily concept of life, "I spoil my whole life for bodily comforts, and then after giving up this body, I become a cat and dog." Then what is that intelligence? Is that very good intelligence? Actually it has happened. I do not wish to discuss. Our Godbrother, Śrīdhara Mahārāja, says...

Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Mombassa, September 13, 1971:

Now these materialistic men, their activities are described here. Those who have no knowledge of the spiritual world or the spiritual self, simply bodily concept of life like animal, they are gṛha-medhī, compact in this idea. If one can decorate his apartment and decorate his children and wife, he thinks he is the most successful man. Or similarly, national, nation, if you can have nice road, nice car, nice skyscraper, and all facilities for material happiness, then we think that we are perfect nation. But the thing is, unless you know ātma-tattva, self-realization, you do not know what is your next life. The next life is there. The next life will depend on your work in this life. You may become very rich nation's son, you may have very good asset, but you are not allowed to stay here. Suppose in America, you have got so many nice cities. But we sometimes come to see your cities and opulence but the fact is that in spite of your development of this national asset, you will not be allowed to stay here. That we forget. And after I leave this place, leave this body, I do not know what is going to happen to me, we are in ignorance. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ (SB 2.1.2), because we are blind.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2-5 -- Montreal, October 23, 1968:

"What? What I am? Wherefore I am come? What is this world? What is this body? Why I am getting old? Why I am getting diseased?" So many "whys" there are. This is called brahma-jijñāsā. But they are pramatta, they are mad after the struggle for existence, although they know nothing will exist, it has come just like a flash, and it will end like a flash. Then what is the actual platform of my life, my living condition? They do not inquire. They do not inquire.

So gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām. Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv ātma-sainyeṣv asatsv api, teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanam (SB 2.1.4). Everyone is seeing that it will destroy. Suppose if you know... Suppose you are constructing a very nice skyscraper building, but if you know... Somebody says that tomorrow the whole city will merge into the Atlantic Ocean. Would you like to construct such building? No. I am giving that one example, but it is a fact that the struggle for existence for living, but living condition will not be allowed. Then the next question should be that "Why this is happening? We are, everyone is struggling for existing, but existence, there is no... I will not exist. Nobody will exist." This question, unless there is in the human mind, then, Bhāgavata says, parābhavas tāvat: "His all activities are simply defeat." Yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. So ātma-tattvam. One should be inquisitive to understand, "What is my constitutional position?" Then it is perfect life. Otherwise it is crazy life. We may try to live by so much hard struggle of life, but we cannot exist. We can exist only when we understand "What I am." This is diagnosis. If I know that what is my actual need, if I know what is my actual position, if I know that wherefrom I have come and where I have to go, all these informations, if we are fully informed, that is perfection of life. Otherwise it is simply defeat, whatever we may do here. Apaśyatām. Teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanaṁ paśyann api na paśyati.

Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Paris, June 12, 1974:

So this is our civilization. At night also, we waste our time, and in daytime also, we waste our time. How? Now nidrayā hriyate naktam. At night, we sleep. Everyone sleeps. The dogs sleeps, the cat sleeps. We may sleep in a very nice apartment, skyscraper building, and the dog may sleep on the street, but the pleasure of sleeping is the same. It does not mean that because you are sleeping in a very nice apartment, a skyscraper building, your sleep is better than the dog's sleeping? How it is sleep... Sometimes you may dream something very ferocious, and the dog may sleep without any agitation, sound sleep. Sometimes you have to take tranquilizer pill for sleeping. So impartially studying, your sleep is not as nice as dog's sleep. Is it not? The dogs sleep without any anxiety. And I go to sleep with so many anxieties that the sleeping is disturbing unless I take one pill. At least, in America we have seen. In your country, in Paris, you do not? You sleep without pill? Is it? That's a good credit. Anyway, every one of us, we sleep at night. And another, our, means, advantage is that at night we enjoy sex life. Sleep or sex life. Nidrayā hriyate naktaṁ vyavāyena. Vyavāyena means sex. Vyavāya.

Lecture on SB 3.25.2 -- Bombay, November 2, 1974:

"Oh, you are being burned. I am in safe side." (laughter) He does not know that when he'll be dry, he'll be put into the fire also. So we are laughing that "President Nixon is in trouble. I am very safe. I have got so much bank balance." No, nobody's safe. They... As like the same, cow dung soft. When it will be dried up, it will be put into the fire. And that dryness will come to everyone. That is a fact. What is that? Death. You may be safe at the present, for a few years, but you cannot avoid death. "As sure as death." And what is the result of death? The same. As the president is taken out from his position, everything, all honor, all money all..., even life, similarly, at the time of death Kṛṣṇa says, mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś ca aham: "I come as death and plunder everything, whatever you have got." Your bank balance, your skyscraper building, your nice wife, your children—you have to give up. You cannot say, "My dear death, kindly give me some time. Let me adjust." "No adjustment. Immediately get out."

So foolish people, they do not know what is the miserable condition of this material life. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says real knowledge is janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9), to know that "However great I may be, these four principles of miserable condition of life, there are." It is existing in the Brahmaloka, in the Pātālaloka, everywhere, sarvatra. Gabhīra-raṁhasā. Tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukhaṁ kālena sarvatra gabhīra-raṁhasā. In the due course of time. This is the most wonderful thing. That is, that was questioned by Dharmarāja to Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, that "What is the most wonderful thing in this world?" He said, ahany ahani bhūtāni gacchantīha yamālayam: "Every moment so many people are dying." Śeṣāḥ sthāvaram icchanti kim āścaryam ataḥ param: "But those who are living, he thinks that 'My friend has died, but I will live forever.' " No. The same thing. The soft cow dung will be dried up, and the same condition.

Lecture on SB 3.25.10 -- Bombay, November 10, 1974:

This is material life, beginning. Everywhere, not only human society. Even in bird society, dog society, cat society, or demigods' society—everywhere you'll see the sex attraction. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etaṁ tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ. And... They are seeking, and as soon as they are joined together to satisfy the sex desire, their the, I mean to say, attraction becomes more and more tight. Then ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). So as soon as they are combined, they require one house or apartment or cottage or nest. Something must be private. Ataḥ gṛha-kṣetra. Then to work, to earn livelihood, one must have some land. Either you construct skyscraper building or till it for get some food grain. Ataḥ gṛha-kṣetra, suta. Then without children, married life is frustrated. Putra-hīnaṁ gṛhaṁ śūnyam. Married life without children is void. Avidyaṁ jīvanaṁ śūnyam. If one is not educated, his life is vacate, or vacant. Avidyaṁ jīvanaṁ śūnyaṁ diśaḥ śūnyā abāndhavāḥ. And if you go to some foreign country, if there is no deva, temple, God's temple, or friend, that is also useless. And putra-hīnaṁ gṛhaṁ śūnyam. And if you have no children, the so-called married life is also void. And sarva-śūnyā daridratā. And if you are poor, in poverty, then everything is zero. Even if you have got a wife, or even if you have got education, even you have got friend, everything is... That is Cāṇakya Paṇḍita's advice.

Lecture on SB 3.25.20 -- Bombay, November 20, 1974:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja said, sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt. Because we have accepted this body... So we must not accept this body, that is called mokṣa-dvāram. That should be the mission of human life. So we are not interested. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyāḥ (SB 1.1.10). In this age they are slow and, and they have got their own manufactured ideas. Why? Now, manda-bhāgyāḥ, all unfortunate. And upadrutāḥ, always disturbed. So all these are on account of this body. The śāstra always says that "Don't work in such a way that you have to accept again body after death." That is, that is your business. Not that to accumulate crores and rupees and make a very good bank balance and skyscraper house and three or dozens of motorcars. They are struggling, forgetting this. But foolish people, they do not know that Kṛṣṇa will take away all these assets at the time of death. Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34). Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ mṛtyuḥ: "I am death, and I will take away everything, what you have possessed." The foolish persons, they do not understand it. Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu. He possessed. So much so powerful that even the demigods were afraid of him. And Kṛṣṇa took away everything in a second by..., simply by the nails. Tava nakha kara-kamala nakha... Eh? What is? What is that?

Lecture on SB 3.25.41 -- Bombay, December 9, 1974:

So this class of men—those who have got merit, but it is not being used for useful purposes, for some sinful activities—they are called duṣkṛtina. This class of men, atheist class of men, they will never surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narā... Mūḍha (BG 7.15), and they do not understand that he has to face so much trouble in birth and death and old age and he has no knowledge how to stop it. Therefore they are mūḍha, rascal. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ. And lowest of the... Human mind, human brain, can understand that "I am suffering," but because he is not understanding, therefore he is the lowest of the humankind, narādhamāḥ. These things are described in the Bhagavad-gītā. "No, they have passed M.A. degree, or Phd, M.A." Now, māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ. The knowledge has no value because it is māyā. He is thinking... He is employing for temporary happiness, māyā, māyā happiness. Māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43). He has learned engineering and planning very high skyscraper building, but he does not know how long he will live in that skyscraper building. Say, twenty-five years, fifty years, that's all. Māyā-sukhāya, temporary happiness. He is engaging his brain in so stupendous, horrible work, ugra-karma. Māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43). Real business he has neglected, how to get out of these clutches of birth and death, and he's engages his brain for manufacturing a skyscraper building, and he is thinking, "Now advancement of knowledge, advancement of education." This is going on.

Lecture on SB 3.26.5 -- Bombay, December 17, 1974:

So at the present moment our position is contaminated position by the contact of the three modes of material nature. Guṇair vicitrāḥ. Guṇair vicitrāḥ. You see so many varieties of life, different varieties of life. Uccāvaca. Some of them are higher, in higher position; some of them are lower position. But this vicitra, soul, is pure. That is one quality. But this vicitra quality, why? Vicitra means variety. Because guṇaiḥ. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya (BG 13.22). Why one has become dog and one has become god? God means demigod. They are also living entities within this material world, but they live in higher planetary system. Just like here also we see some of them are living in high skyscraper building, very comfortable apartment, and some are living in the huts, jhupaṛi. In Bombay you can see. Both things are there. Similarly, these demigods—Indra, Candra, Varuṇa, and many others—they are also living very comfortably in higher planets. They are also living entities. But they are in the, mostly in the sattva-guṇa. And here, in this planet or lower than this planet, they are mostly in rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa.

Lecture on SB 3.26.21 -- Bombay, December 30, 1974:

As soon as there is some hankering, you cannot have śānti. That is not possible. And as soon as there is some possession, you cannot be without lamentation. The two things material, they are ruling over us. We are hankering after something which we do not possess, and what we possess, if it is lost, then we are lamenting. So śānti means no hankering, no lamenting. That is called śānti.

So generally, whatever we may possess, but the hankering is there. That is rajo-guṇa. That is rajo-guṇa, always hankering, even up to the stage of so-called perfection. Just like the karmīs. Karmīs, they think that perfection of life is very, very high standard of life, very happy, comfortable. Just like in the Western countries, they think that to have nice roads, nice motorcar, and very high skyscraper building, and facilities, modern comforts... What is called? So that is the standard of happiness. And we Eastern people, we are also imitating them. But actually, ask them, who possesses all them, that "Whether you have attained the position of no hankering?" No, that is not possible. The hankering is there. What to think of possessing these material facilities, even one goes to the heavenly planet, that is also included within the happiness of the karmīs. They want happiness in this world as well as after this world. After death also, they want to go to the heavenly planet, Svargaloka, where the duration of life is many, many thousands of years, and the standard of happiness is very, very high. There the place is very beautiful, the women are very beautiful, the gardens there... These descriptions are there.

Lecture on SB 3.26.22 -- Bombay, December 31, 1974:

What is called, magnetic stone? Magnetic stone naturally attracts the iron, and iron is naturally attracted by the magnetic stone. Similarly, kṛṣṇa-bhakti is not something which is unnaturally taught or unnaturally gained, artificial. This...

Another vivid example is this: These foreigners, Western boys and girls, how they became attracted with Kṛṣṇa consciousness unless it is natural? Their forefathers or they also, even four, five, six years ago, they did not know what is Kṛṣṇa, neither they cared to know. But now they are almost mad after Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise, why they are coming here? They have not come here in India to see your skyscraper building or industry. They are not at all interested. They have seen all these things in their own country. They have enough. So why they have come here? They are after Vṛndāvana. They are after Māyāpur. They are after me. What is the attraction? The attraction is Kṛṣṇa. They are not interested with anything else. They do not go to see your skyscraper building in New Delhi or in Bombay. They have seen it enough. So why it is so? Because it is natural. Kṛṣṇa-bhakti, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is natural. That is the original consciousness.

Lecture on SB 3.26.22 -- Bombay, December 31, 1974:

Here He is standing, and He is preaching, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: "I am the source of everything." Mūḍho nābhijānāti. But the rascals, they do not understand that God is speaking in everyone's presence, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ, "I am," aham "like this," aham. Mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate. Still, the rascal will not. Just see how much rascals we are.

Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja said that vimūḍhān, māyā-sukhāya. They are trying to be happy within this material existence-māyā-sukhāya bharam. Bharam means gorgeous arrangement, very gorgeous arrangement, very big, big road, big, big skyscraper building, and big machine, big industry, and so many big, big things, big, big words, big, big politician, and big, big political activities. But so mūḍha that he does not think for a moment, "How long these big, big things will be enjoyed by me? I have... Certainly there is credit for creating all these big, big things, but māyā will not allow me to enjoy these things. At any moment I shall be kicked out. And what insurance and guarantee I have made, just I can enjoy this?" Therefore it is called māyā-sukhāya: wasting time making gorgeous arrangement. Not only the sukha, but this whole thing can be finished within a second. If there is a big earthquake, everything will be finished. We have got experience many times—anything will be finished. This Bombay can be turned into sea, and the Bombay can be pushed in an island within the sea. Material nature is so strong. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). And under her spell we are trying to become happy. Māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43).

Lecture on SB 3.26.46 -- Bombay, January 21, 1975:

Vyavāya. Vyavāya means sex. "Either by sex or by sleeping." Divā cārthehayā rājan kuṭumba-bharaṇena vā: "And during daytime they are after money, 'Where is money? Where is money?' And if they get money, 'How to spend it for kuṭumba, for family members?' " This is material life. And as soon as we are united, mithunī-bhāva, then gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittaiḥ (SB 5.5.8). Then we want apartment or house, big, big house, gṛha, and kṣetra. Kṣetra means earning fee. Formerly there were agriculture. Now there are so many industries and other places. So this gṛha is the utilization of the earth. People want some gṛha. So this propensity can be utilized by constructing temple. That propensity, that "I must have a very high skyscraper building," that tendency is there, but if we utilize that tendency for constructing, as it is stated, bhāvanaṁ brahmaṇaḥ sthānam... Instead of thinking that "I will have such big building," if we transfer that thinking, that "I will construct such a nice big temple for establishing Deity worship," that is the proper utilization of this tendency. One is for sense gratification; another, the same thing... If you construct a temple, you will have to labor in the same way, how to get municipal sanction, how to get cement, how to get stone, how to get this, that, so many things. But it is nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe: it has got relationship with Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Your capacity to construct something material, residential... So if we do it for Kṛṣṇa, then it is Kṛṣṇa consciousness; your life is successful.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- London, August 30, 1971:

Darpaṇa means mirror. So it requires little cleansing. And that cleansing process is so simple, that simply by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, it will be clean. Then you will understand what is your real position, what, how beautiful is your face. That is called self-realization, ātma-jñāna. Ātma-jñāna.

So unless one will come to the platform of self-realization, we are in the trouble, so long we are not self-realized. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. Without self-realization, whatever we are acting, we are piling up the stones and woods and iron in such skyscraper building. So we may do that, but it is our defeat. It is not conquering; it is defeat. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. If we don't inquire about ourself, "What I am? Why I am put into this miserable condition of life, birth, death, old age, and there are so many other things...?" Unless you come to question why, your human life is not perfect.

So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is universal. It is meant for everyone, and the process is very simple. Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. But if you think that "I am not satisfied by..., for accepting this simple process. I must go through science, philosophy, logic," yes, we have got dozens of books, four hundred pages each, at least. We have got twelve books. You can read them. Go through science, philosophy, logic, sociology, politics, anything. You will understand what is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Delhi, November 28, 1975:

If we want to get out of these clutches of material bondage, then we must stop these forbidden activities, mad, the activities of a mad man. So if you go on like that, then we shall have to accept another material body. The problem is that we are suffering threefold miseries, every one of us. Maybe the degree different, but under being intoxicated, we do not take the sufferings as sufferings. That is another madness. But the sufferings are there. That is being pointed out by Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). You may be very perfect by arranging your material civilization to enjoy life but, you will not be allowed to live. That we do not see. There is no insurance. I am making very nice arrangement for my future enjoyment, having good bank balance, nice skyscraper building and other things, but where is the guarantee that you shall live and enjoy? That we do not see. Therefore we are madmen. If you are arranging something utopian for happiness, and if you understand that "I shall die tomorrow," then immediately my enthusiasm will decline. "Now, who is going to take so much trouble? I am going to die tomorrow."

So tomorrow not, say hundred years after, you will have to die. You cannot escape this.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Bombay, December 25, 1976:

Guru means one who can deliver me from this duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). Māyā... We are in the duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15), but under the influence of māyā we are thinking we are living very very happily, or we not trying to solve the question. No. This kind of solution will not help you, because you have to die. Whatever you make solution, Kṛṣṇa says, mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34). If you don't agree to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, "All right, make your arrangement. But at the time of death I shall come and take away everything whatever you have got." Mrtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham. Then your bank balance, your skyscraper building, your country, your family, your good name—everything will be taken away. And you have to accept another body, tathā dehāntara-prāptir. Now whatever assessment we're given in this life, everything will be taken away, and we'll be forced to accept one body which you cannot deny.

Karmanā daiva-netreṇa jantur dehopapattaye (SB 3.31.1). According to your karma you have to accept another body because you are under the laws of material nature.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- London (Tittenhurst), September 13, 1969:

Therefore He says, distinguishing the human form of life from the life of lowest class of animals, that He says ayaṁ deha, "this body." Na ayaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke. Nṛloke means in the human society. Everyone has got body. The dog has body, the cat has body, the tiger has body, the bird has body. Everyone has got body. Similarly we have also got body. Therefore He is warning, "My dear sons, in this body the aim of life should not be sense gratification after so much trouble." If the point is sense gratification, then why so much, I mean to say, manifestation of economic development? Do you think that those who are not fortunate to have these flyways or motorcars or a skyscraper building... Take for example the most aborigines, the most uncivilized nation somewhere in Africa or any other part of the world. Are they not sense gratifying? The dogs and hogs, they are not sense gratifying? So if the ultimate aim of life is simply sense gratification, then why should we take so much trouble?

There is a very nice story—these are very instructive story from Bhāgavata. There was a very nice prostitute. Her fee was, if anyone wants to visit that prostitute, she was charging one hundred thousands of, what is called, diamond pieces. Diamonds you can understand. One diamond piece is at least five hundred dollars. So she used to charge, "If somebody wants to visit my house, then he must pay one hundred thousand pieces of diamond." So there were rich men. For sense gratification she was being paid. But one poor man and diseased man, so he had his very faithful wife. Although he was very poor and diseased, his wife was serving him very nicely. The husband could not work because he was diseased, and the wife was working, and, I mean to say, maintaining her husband, herself. Fortunately she had no children. But the husband was always morose. Now the wife is asking, "My dear husband, I am trying to satisfy you in so many ways, working myself and cooking for you, giving you foodstuff, and I am getting you bathed and everything. Why you are so morose?"

Lecture on SB 5.5.15 -- Vrndavana, November 3, 1976:

Therefore our Vedic civilization is that people are satisfied in his own position, a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Whatever by God's grace he got, he was satisfied. The real energy was utilized how to become eligible to receive mercy of Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted, how to learn how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Then ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). That was the end. In India we find not that... The great sages, ṛṣis, they wrote so many books, but they used to live in a cottage. Only the kings, the kṣatriya, because they had to rule over, they used to construct big, big palaces. No one else. They lived very simple life, very simple life. Not waste time for so-called economic development, skyscraper building, subways and so on, so on. This was not Vedic civilization. This is asuric civilization.

So we have... People are becoming inclined to karma-sukha(?). So it is a very difficult position to convince them that this is not needed. The real life is to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, and for that purpose one should undergo austerities, pen... Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). You have to purify your existence. You are suffering. You are not meant for birth and death. Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit. You are not meant for that. Then you are undergoing birth and death and do not know what kind of life you are going to get next life. You have no information. Today you may be very big man and tomorrow you may be a dog. These things going on. They do not know. They simply working hard, making plan to be happy. That is not possible. Therefore it is forbidden. Na yojayet karmasu karma-mūḍhān. Engage them how to acquire Kṛṣṇa's favor. Kṛṣṇa's favor, mad-anugrahārthaḥ. Teach them like that, how. So Kṛṣṇa will be very much pleased if you simply... Kṛṣṇa says... Here it is said that mal-loka-kāmaḥ. How one can go to Kṛṣṇaloka or Vaikuṇṭhaloka? Very easy. Very easy. Kṛṣṇa personally says. It is not our manufactured word. Kṛṣṇa said, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65).

Lecture on SB 5.5.24 -- Vrndavana, November 11, 1976:

You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa regularly and you become liberated from the material contamination. And as soon as you become liberated, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati, samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu (BG 18.54). We have no distinction that "Here is American," "There is European," "Here is Indian," "Here is African." No. Samaḥ sarveṣu, even animals. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Then bhakti begins. That is practical.

So that is śuddha-sattva. Śamo damo satyaṁ anugraha. The brāhmaṇa's business is anugraha, to be just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja is unhappy for others. Śoce tato vimukha-cetasa māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān: (SB 7.9.43) "I am thinking of these rascals. They are making so many gorgeous arrangements, big, big skyscraper, big, big roads, and thousands of motorcars." Māyā-sukhāya. "They will enjoy this life for fifty years, sixty years, thirty years, and making big, big arrangement." Māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān: (SB 7.9.43) "I am thinking of these rascals, that they forget the real business, what is the problem of life. They are busy in erecting, constructing big, big skyscrapers." Not only now, formerly also the vimūḍhān, the rascals... Viśeṣa mūḍha. Kṛṣṇa says, mūḍha. Na māṁ prapadyante mūḍha. And Prahlāda Mahārāja stresses more, vimūḍhān, first-class mūḍhas. Yes. Vimūḍhān. So anyone who does not take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and is busy in other business, he's a vimūḍhān. Don't remain a vimūḍhān. Become intelligent. Kṛṣṇa ye bhaje sei baḍa catur. Be the first-class intelligent man and be Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Lecture on SB 5.6.5 -- Vrndavana, November 27, 1976:

Kāma, kṛṣṇa-kāma-karmārpaṇe. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has advised that kāma and the desire will be transformed how to serve Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇārthe akhila-ceṣṭa, the same thing. Kāma means fruitive activities for sense gratification, but this kāma can be utilized in Kṛṣṇa's service. Just like we have constructed this temple with the enthusiasm, there must be a very nice temple for Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma. The same desire, as somebody is willing that "I must have a very big skyscraper building," so the same desire. People may ask, "What is the difference between these two desires? Somebody is desiring to possess a very big house and another body is desiring to possess a very nice temple, expensive temple. So what is the difference?" Difference is one is kāma and the other is prema. That is difference. As soon as we desire, that is natural. We cannot be desireless. That is not possible. People say that you become desireless. That is not possible. I am living being. How I can be desireless? No. That is very difficult task. If we want to become desireless, that is not possible. Kleśo adhikāras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām. Desireless means your desires are suppressed by forced, "I shall not desire." That is not possible. You have got eyes, and if you want to suppress your eyesight, "I shall not see anything," is that possible? That is not possible. Yes, I have got my eyes, but I want to see Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma. That is wanted. That is wanted. Not that "No, I shall not see." Even meditation, so-called meditation, that is also seeing. Real meditation, seeing within. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasaḥ paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ. Paśyanti, this word is used. Paśyanti means sees, but within, not without. Meditation means seeing within. Not that without seeing. Concentrating the mind to see the form of Lord Viṣṇu, that is real meditation. And without seeing Lord Viṣṇu, that is (indistinct). If you want to fix up my mind into nothing, they say nothingness, that is not possible.

Lecture on SB 5.6.10 -- Bombay, December 28, 1976:

To understand this truth, the varṇāśrama system required. Without this varṇāśrama system nobody can understand that we are individual person, we existed in the past, and we shall exist in the future, and we are existing at present. Anyone can understand. There was no change in the past, neither there will be change in the future. Simply we change the dress: tathā dehāntara-praptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). This is our self-realization. This is called ātma-tattva-jñāna. But people in the present day, they are not interested. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2). Yāvan na jijñāsata krūraḥ ātma-tattvam. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. Our activities, they are all defeat. The difference... Just like you are constructing this huge, gorgeous building and another person also constructing another huge skyscraper building. So what is the difference? The difference is here we are doing on the ātma-tattva, and they are doing for being defeated in the material world. That is the difference. You'll find the same activities, dealing with stones and bricks and workers, engineers. But one is based on ātma-tattva and the other is based on without any ātma-tattva. That is the difference.

Sometimes bhakti is observed as similar to the activities of the karmīs, but there is difference. One is bhakti, one is going back to home, back to Godhead; and the other is going forward to the hellish condition of life by the same activities. This is the technique. How it is possible? It is possible. By practical example, it is said in the śāstras... Just like if you take more quantity of milk preparation, you get diarrhea. But the same milk preparation, yogurt, is there. It will stop diarrhea. Both of them are milk preparation. One has created the disease diarrhea, and another is stopping diarrhea. So why? Cikirsitam. One is by medical process and the other is without any medical process. The medical process is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Here the building is being constructed to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. To satisfy Kṛṣṇa. And in other places the building is constructed to satisfy senses. This is the difference, material and spiritual.

Lecture on SB 6.1.3 -- Melbourne, May 22, 1975:

This is the total number of different forms of life. The living entity, spirit soul, is the same, but they are passing through different forms of life. Just like I am the same man. I have passed through my babyhood body, my childhood body, my youthhood body. Now I have come to another body. So it is a fact that I was staying in a baby's body. Now it is another body. A very simple thing, that we are changing body, but I am, the soul, the same. We have to understand this thing. The evolution is going on.

Now, by nature's law the evolution brings you to a nice body, civilized human body, with higher consciousness. But if we utilize this higher consciousness simply for constructing very high skyscraper buildings and do not know what form of body I am going to accept next, that is not very good intelligence. My business is that by nature's evolutionary process I have come to this human form of life. Now I have got good intelligence, better than the animals. If I utilize that intelligence for simply having nice motorcar and skyscraper building, but I do not know what is my future, then it is not very good intelligence. You can construct a very nice skyscraper building, and you can have a nice car, but you will not be allowed to stay here. What you have done for that? You will be kicked out at any moment. Then your all labor is simply... You can solace yourself that "My children will enjoy" or "My grandsons will enjoy." But why not enjoy yourself?

Lecture on SB 6.1.3 -- Melbourne, May 22, 1975:

That is very uncertain. Any moment I shall be kicked out. And then, if it is a fact that I am going to accept another body, there is no guarantee what kind of body I am going to accept. I have constructed a skyscraper building on account of my attachment. I may be allowed by the nature's law to stay in that building, but if by my activities I become a rat or cat in that building, then what is the profit? We are under the nature's law. You cannot say that you are independent. Nature's law is very strict. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Nature's law... Just like fire. If you touch fire, it will burn. And even a child who is innocent, if the child touches the fire, it will burn. There is no excuse. You cannot say that "The child is innocent. It does not know the effect of touching fire, so he should be excused." No. Ignorance is no excuse. Especially... That is the state laws. You cannot say... Suppose you have committed some criminal act. If you plead, "My lord, I did not know that the, after doing this act, I had to suffer imprisonment. So you excuse me," no, that will be no excuse. You know or not know the law, if you have acted like that, you must suffer. This is going on.

So we don't believe in the next life just to avoid this consequence. But that will not excuse us. We have to accept a type of body. Otherwise how there are so many different types of bodies? What is the explanation? Why different forms of body, different stages of body, different standard of body? That is nature's law. Therefore this human form of life should be properly utilized, not simply engaged in sense gratification like cats and dogs. That is not very responsible life. Responsible life is that "I have got this improved form of life than the cats and dogs, and I have got more intelligence than the cats and dogs. If I simply utilize it for four bodily necessities of life..."

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

So Parīkṣit Mahārāja addressed Śukadeva Goswāmī as mahā-bhāga, the most fortunate. Because he's perfect Vaiṣṇava, therefore he addresses, "My dear, the most fortunate," mahā-bhāga. Adhunā, "Now," yathaiva narakān naraḥ, "these people are suffering in the hellish condition of life. How they can be rescued?" Nānā ugra-yātanān. Very severe punishment they are undergoing. People cannot see. They have no eyes to see, you see? They suffer in great calamities, and still they cannot see that "I am suffering." Just like when you pass through the streets of Australia, we go daily, morning walk, big, big skyscraper buildings have been constructed, and people are making plans, designs, working very, very hard, lifting so many heavy things. These are very heavy tasks, but they are thinking, "It is very happiness." (laughter) They are thinking, "We are making progress, we are making progress. We are bringing stones and irons on head and putting together, and it is progress. We are very happy." (laughter) This is going on. This is called varāta māninaḥ(?). They are enamored by the external energy of the Personality of Godhead. These material things are products of the external energy of the Lord. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vayuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca (BG 7.4). Bhūmi, the earth, the iron, stone, wood, they are nothing but transformations of earth. Similarly, apo, water. So whatever we are manufacturing here, they are simply combination of earth, water, air, fire, that's all. Nothing but. Tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ vinimayam. Exchange of teja, fire. Teja means fire, vāri means water, and mṛd means earth. Just like the bricks. What is this brick? You take earth, you take earth and mix it with water and put it in the fire, it becomes brick. So whole thing, either earth, stone or iron, anything, they are simply mixture of these five elements. So I am spirit soul. I have been engaged in mixing these five things and big, big lumps and gathering them just like children play in the sea beach, gathering so much sand and making like this, big house, and then it is fallen down. So we are engaged in these material activities, but we forget at the same time that there is ready, atom bomb. As soon as there will be declared war, these things will be finished, immediately.

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

You see how beautiful flower, rose flower, is coming into existence automatically. Don't think that there is no brain. There is brain, but the brain is so perfect and instant that you are seeing that it is becoming automatically grown. No. There is brain. Just like electric, electrons. Just like here is a machine working, and pushing some buttons it is recorded, and pushing some buttons it is stopped. A child may think that it is being done automatically. No. There is a big brain behind this machine, big brain. But a foolish man sees that it is being automatically. Similarly, nature's law is parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). Na tasya kāryam... These are the Vedic versions. Na tasya kāryaṁ kāraṇam ca vidyate. Just like if we have to construct a skyscraper building, then we have to work so hard to collect the materials and piling them and making them secure and so many things. So..., but this material creation, this universe, was created not like that. Just like it is said in the Bible, " 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation." Similarly, actually it is so. Parāsya śaktir. God's potencies are so subtle and perfect, as soon as He desires, immediately thing is ready. This is called yoga system, yoga system. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is known as Yogeśvara. Of all the yogis, He is the supreme yogi. Yathā yogeśvara. So, there is work, but do not think that "There was no work; automatically it comes." No. There was work, but it is so subtle and perfect. The same thing, the working, so many things are working, going on within the machine, that simply I push it on and it acts. Similarly, work is there for creation. The work is there, but it is actuated by the perfect potency of Kṛṣṇa. That is real understanding. Don't think that it has come like mantra. No. The mantra is like that, but we cannot see how subtle work is going on. If we cannot see even in our body... Suppose there is some injury in your finger or any part of the body.

Lecture on SB 6.1.7 -- San Francisco, March 1, 1967:

Actually, we are not meant for suffering. If we are sons of God, who is full with all opulence, why should we suffer? Does a rich man's son suffer anytime? If he suffers, it is due to his ignorance. Similarly, we are suffering, but our ignorance is so strong that we are suffering, but at the same time we are thinking that we are happy. This is the influence of ignorance. Just like last night in the television, that gentleman was talking with me. He said that "We have got good brain and we are utilizing it. So that is better for our advancement of happiness. Why Hare Kṛṣṇa?" His idea was, he plainly told me, that "If Hare Kṛṣṇa is so powerful, then why India is so poverty-stricken and they are suffering?" So I replied that "Do you think that your problems are solved because you have got a dozens or a hundreds dozens of skyscrapers? That problem is here also. It is not that because America is materially advanced, 'Oh, they are free from all sufferings.' Why there are so many hospitals? Why there are so many lunatic asylums? Why this confusion of the hippies? Why young boys are always disturbed for the draft board? So how can you say the Americans are free from all sufferings?" This is ignorance. The sufferings are there, here or India or hell or heaven—anywhere within this material world—there is suffering. But people are so foolish that simply having a nice motorcar or a skyscraper building, he thinks that "My all problems are solved." He does not know that this life is a flash only. I am eternal.

Lecture on SB 6.1.7 -- San Francisco, March 1, 1967:

Suppose I have got some comfortable situation as born as American. How long shall I remain American? Say, fifty years or hundred years. That's all. Then finish. Get out of the skyscraper building. Throw away your motorcar. Go to the graveyard. And then, what is next life? That I do not know. That I do not know. The life is continuous. Vāsāṁsi jīrnāṇi yathā vihāya (BG 2.22). I am changing my dress. Supposing I have got very nice, good dress, American body, very fair complexion, comfortable life, all these things. That's all right. But do you think what is your next dress? Are you going, are you sure that you are going to be American again? Who can say? Is there any scientist? Is there any astrologer who can say, "Yes"? No. Nobody can say.

But the śāstra can say. Śāstra means the authoritative scriptures. Just the other day we described about the symptoms of this Kali-yuga. So many things are foretold five thousand years before, and they are coming true in this age. For example, one small example: lāvaṇyaṁ keśa-dhāraṇam. In this age people will think that by keeping long hairs they have become beautiful. This is stated in the Bhāgavata. A very small example. So many other things. Five thousand years before, ago, this was foretold, that in this age people will like to keep long hairs in order to become beautiful. So this is śāstra. Śāstra means direction—both past, present, and future. Everything is there. Therefore we have to consult the Vedic literature. It is perfect. It is without any mistake, without any cheating. This is śāstra. Just like in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam you'll find the indication of Lord Buddha's birth. It is stated in the list of incarnation of God that buddha-nāmnāñjana-sutaḥ kīkaṭeṣu bhaviṣyati. Bhaviṣyati means future tense.

Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- New York, July 27, 1971:

Actually the whole thing belongs to Kṛṣṇa. Nothing belongs to anyone. Whatever you have got in possession, that is Kṛṣṇa's property. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Everything. You do..., you try to understand. The trees, the plants, the water, the land—have you produced it? Then how do you claim that it is your land, it is your country, it is your water, it is your tree? That is the wrong position. And similarly, tyāga, renouncement... What can you renounce? What you had? What is the meaning of renouncement? You had nothing. You came here in this world from the womb of your mother empty-handed, a child. Then you falsely claim: "This is my country, this is my home, this is my wife, this is my children, this is my property, this is my bank balance, this is my skyscraper building..." All these false. Because you did not brought this. You came empty-handed, and when you go, you go empty-handed. The things are there. The bank balance is there. The building is there. You cannot take anything. So what is the meaning of bhoga and tyāga? There is no meaning. Either now, neither able to enjoy, because it is not your property. If you want to enjoy other's property, then you'll be implicated in criminal offenses. And if you say others' property, "I renounce this bank, I renounce this Bank of America," when did it belong to you, that you are making renouncement? It is all lunacy.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Auckland, February 22, 1973:

If you simply try to control the senses, it is very difficult. But if you give the senses engagement, then it is automatic. Because senses must work something. Just like a child. A child at home without engagement, he will simply spoil things, so many. But if you send him to school, give him some engagement, he will be peaceful. Similarly, our senses, we cannot stop the activities of the senses. That is not possible. Just like some foolish people say that "Become desireless." How you can be desireless? I am a living man, living being. I must desire. I cannot be desireless. But if the desire is transformed to Kṛṣṇa... Suppose instead of desiring that "I shall have a very big skyscraper building," if I desire that "I shall have a very big, big temple for Kṛṣṇa." The same desire. But as soon as you desire to have a big skyscraper building, that is material. And as soon as you desire to construct a big temple for Kṛṣṇa, that is spiritual. Just like as you get a nice rose flower: as soon as you desire that you shall enjoy it, this is material. And as soon as you desire, "Oh, this is nice flower. I shall go and offer it to Kṛṣṇa," that is spiritual. Simply change the desire. There is no question of desirelessness. Why? We cannot be desireless... That is not possible. Change the... Purify the desire. Purify the desire.

Lecture on SB 6.1.19 -- Honolulu, May 19, 1976:

Therefore it is working. But these rascals, they are thinking that combination of this iron and wood and something else, it has become microphone. No. It is a machine, but machine is manipulated and manufactured by life, not that automatically the iron-wood becomes a machine. No. So these rascals, they cannot understand that... The nature is working, that's all right, but how it is working? What is the background? That they do not know. That answer is in the Bhagavad-gītā. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram: (BG 9.10) "Under My superintendence it is working," Kṛṣṇa says. That's a fact. You might have manufactured a very big machine. That is all manufactured by some light. Not that the iron and wood has come together, a skyscraper building—the bricks have come all together automatically. They say, "By chance." What is this nonsense? By chance these bricks have come and piled and become rooms? Just see. These things are going on, rascals. Therefore andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). (aside:) Let him sleep somewhere.

So this is going on. Don't be misled. Īśa-tantrya, by the laws of nature, we are bound up tight, hands and legs. We are not independent. You cannot do anything independently. You are completely under the clutches of material nature. And behind the material nature is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore our business is to surrender to Kṛṣṇa and take knowledge from Him, and then you become perfect. That is explained here, sakṛn manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor niveśitaṁ tad-guṇa-rāgi yair iha. Who will take instruction from Kṛṣṇa? Tad-guṇa-rāgi.

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

They are also mentioned, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśāḥ. Everything is analyzed.

So human civilization should be to raise the fourth-class man to the first-class man. That is human civilization. But there is no idea who is first-class man. Everyone is a drunkard, everyone is illicit sex hunter, and everyone is gambler, and everyone is meat-eater. Where is first-class man? There is no first-class man. All fourth-class man. And they are being taught simply how to manufacture big, big skyscraper, and every year, new model of car. Is that civilization? That is not civilization. You may be advanced in technology. So technology means technician. Suppose a man knows how to work in electricity, in so many things. Does it mean he is a learned man? No. Learned, first-class man, that is given in the Bhagavad-gītā: śamo damaḥ satyaṁ śucis titikṣā ārjavaṁ jñānam, vijñānam āstikyam brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). These are the first class. There is nothing mentioned that "electrician" or a "motor mechanics" and a... (laughter) So you are misled. Therefore you are facing this crisis, that "Crimes, and Why and What to Do?" So unless you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, how to create first-class man, you are doomed. You must know this. Therefore, those who have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is my request that you help your countrymen how to become... At least, there must be a section of men first-class so that people will see. They are appreciating. I know that. When I was going from Los Angeles to Hawaii, one priest in plain dress came to see me. He came to..., "Oh, Swamiji, can I speak with you?" "Yes, come here." So his first question was that "How your disciples look so bright?" They are appreciating that "Here is a first-class man." So I replied, "The process is so nice. Face is the index of mind. If you become purified within, then your faces will be bright. If you dirty within his heart, how you can be brightened? No, that is not possible. Face is the index of mind."

Lecture on SB 6.1.26 -- Chicago, July 11, 1975:

So not only in these activities, in every activity we are very busy with material activities. And we do not know that on my back side death is standing. He will take everything, what I have got. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś ca aham. The death is also Kṛṣṇa. He said, aham, mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś ca aham: "I am death. You cannot see God. You are very much proud of your eyes. Now you see I have come. I will take away everything, what have you got. Now you protect yourself and your property, your skyscraper building, everything. Now you protect." So therefore mūḍha. He does not know how to protect things, but he is creating things. That is called mūḍha. Just like I am collecting lakhs and millions of money, but next moment there is standing somebody, he will take away. So that I do not know, that one man is waiting. I am collecting. There was a caricature picture when India was struggling for independence. So the Gandhi's picture, Gandhi was fishing with the tackle, and Jinnah was standing behind with a knife and plate, that "Let this rascal struggle for independence, and as soon as (sic:) he's get, I will take share and go away, Pakistan." Actually he did so. He never went to jail, but he took the share and made Pakistan. So Gandhi, therefore, was not in favor of partition. But he had to do, accept it. Because the Britishers were very intelligent, that "Let us divide it so that India may not become a strong power." So that still, it is going on, the animosity between Pakistan and Hindustan. It is British plan. That is politics.

Lecture on SB 6.1.40 -- Los Angeles, June 6, 1976:

So that is Veda. What is... Just like the law means what the government says. You cannot manufacture law. Similarly, veda nārāyaṇaḥ sākṣāt. What Nārāyaṇa says, that is Veda. There is no other authority. And one who follows the Nārāyaṇa, he is also authority. Śaṅkarācārya says, nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ avyaktāt. Nārāyaṇa is transcendental. He's not anybody of this material world. Nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ avyaktāt. Avyaktāt anasambhavaḥ. Avyakta. The cosmic manifestation, this is called vyakta, and when it is not manifested, it is called avyakta. Just like a house is manifestation of the five elements: earth, water, air, fire. So earth, water is there already, but that is not manifested as the house. But the same combination, it becomes a house, big skyscraper building. This is difference between vyakta and avyakta. Avyakta means the whole material energy, when it is not manifested, that is called avyakta; and when it is manifested it is called vyakta. Nārāyaṇa paro 'vyaktāt. That means Nārāyaṇa is not of this material world. God is nothing of this material world. He's transcendental. Para, nārāyaṇa paro 'vyaktāt. Para means superior, transcendental.

So Veda, here it is said that vedo nārāyaṇaḥ sākṣāt. But Nārāyaṇa is nothing of this material world. Similarly, Veda is nothing of this material world. Vedo nārāyaṇaḥ sākṣāt. So you cannot... Therefore Vedic authority is so evidential... Because it is not manufactured by any material person. It is... Nārāyaṇa, or God God created this world. So God was existing before this creation, and Veda means before the creation, the laws and the words which were existing, that is Veda. Somebody may argue that "This is written by some scholar or some learned person." No, Veda is not like that. Veda is coming directly from Nārāyaṇa, and Nārāyaṇa means God.

Lecture on SB 6.1.41 -- Los Angeles, June 7, 1976:

So Nārāyaṇa, or Kṛṣṇa, He's controlling everything. And this material world is made of three modes of material nature: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). The Bhagavad-gītā also says the same thing. Prakṛteḥ, this material nature, is working under three modes of material nature—sattva-guṇa, tamo-guṇa, rajo-guṇa. In the rajo-guṇa, the material world is created. In sattva-guṇa, the material world is maintained. And in tamo-guṇa, this material world is dissolved, or annihilated. This is the way, going on. So sattva-guṇa, maintenance, in charge is Viṣṇu Himself. Without Viṣṇu, nobody can maintain. Just like one contractor, he can manufacture a very big skyscraper building, but to maintain it, it requires another management, how to manage and maintain. And dissolution, anyone can break this big skyscraper. These three things are going on. So the maintenance in charge is Nārāyaṇa, His expansion, Viṣṇu. Viṣṇu, Viṣṇu is supplying all the needs of our... We are so many living entities, innumerable, but Viṣṇu, Lord Viṣṇu, He is supplying all our needs. Just like father, he supplies the needs of the family, children. Similarly, Viṣṇu is maintaining. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. So many different varieties of living entities and they have got different demands, different necessities, everything is supplied by Viṣṇu. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. That is God.

Lecture on SB 6.1.47 -- Dallas, July 29, 1975:

So he does not do so. But now they are coming, improving, that "There is no harm if there is sex on the street. Why we should have apartment?"

So these are all due to different infection of the guṇa. Tamo-guṇa means shameless, tamo-guṇa. Rajo-guṇa means lusty desire. And sattva-guṇa means knowledge, to see things as they are. So just like here in the temple, we are cultivating sattva-guṇa, or more than that, above sattva-guṇa. Above sattva-guṇa. It is said in the śāstra that to live in the forest is sattva-guṇa. Sattva-guṇa, people have got tendency to live in a secluded place, solitary place, without any disturbance. That is sign of sattva-guṇa. And to live in the cities, big, big cities, skyscraper building, this is rajo-guṇa. And to live in the brothel, in the liquor shop, in the slaughterhouse, this is tamo-guṇa. Sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. But to live in the temple is transcendental. Transcendental. It is above sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa, to live in temple. Therefore we are introducing this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement so that the persons who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, living in the temple according to the regulative principles, they are above all these sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. That is wanted. Nistraiguṇya. Traiguṇya means three guṇas, and niḥ means negative. Nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna. That is our aim, that although we are in this material world, by this Kṛṣṇa consciousness process we shall live above these three guṇas. These three guṇas cannot touch me. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). Who? Māṁ ca vyabhicāriṇi bhakti-yogena ya sevate. Anyone who is engaged in pure devotional service avyabhicāriṇi, not mixed up, whimsical, regularly, as they are ordained, as they are prescribed. So if anyone is engaged in such transcendental loving service of the Lord, then his position is: he is above the three guṇas. He is not...

Lecture on SB 6.1.52 -- Detroit, August 5, 1975:

Today I am Indian or American, and tomorrow I may be a cat, a dog. That these people, they do not know. Ajñaḥ. These rascals, they do not know. At least one should know that "I am going to die." That's a fact, inevitable. You may be very intelligent, but Kṛṣṇa says, "You don't like Me. All right, I shall come to you as death. Then you will understand. And at that time I shall take away whatever you have accumulated." Mṛtyu aham. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that "I come as death and take away everything, whatever you have earned or collected in this life." Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34). Sarva-hara: "I will take. I will take all: your bank balance, your skyscraper building, your nice family. Your everything will be finished. I will take it away." Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś ca aham. So after death I may be very proud of my intelligence and power and talking, completely under the laws of material nature. Then nature... Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1), by superior supervision, as you have acted, jantur deha upapatti, then you will have to accept one body.

So in this way, life after life, we are changing the body. In this planet, in other planet, in this variety, in that variety, we are wandering. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says,

ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa brahmite kono bhāgyavān jīva

guru kṛṣṇa kṛpa pāya bhakti-latā-bīja

In this way we are wandering, life after life. But somehow or other, if he becomes fortunate, fortunate Unless one becomes fortunate, one cannot take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is not possible. So we are trying to make this fallen soul fortunate. Be fortunate and take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

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

So Kṛṣṇa is the supreme nitya, eternal, and we are also eternal. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mamaivāṁśa jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ (BG 15.7). We are eternal, and Kṛṣṇa is also eternal. That is qualitatively one. Kṛṣṇa is cetana, living force. We are also living force. So in that way, we are one in quality. But His living force and our living force, different in quality. His creative power, my creative power, your creative power, they are different. You can create a few skyscraper buildings, but Kṛṣṇa has created millions and trillions of universes. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48). Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi. We are simply experiencing one jagad-aṇḍa, or universe, but there are jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi, there are millions and trillions of universes. Ekāṁśena sthito jagat.

atha vā bahunaitena

kiṁ jñātena tavārjuna

viṣṭabhyāham idaṁ kṛtsnam

ekāṁśena sthito jagat

(BG 10.42)

Kṛṣṇa, when He was inquired about His opulence, about His potencies, vibhūti, Kṛṣṇa explained that "I am like this, I am like this, I am like this." But He concluded that "How much I shall describe? Try to understand this."

Lecture on SB 7.5.30 -- London, September 9, 1971:

So one who has taken... Just like if I think that "Simply by having nice shirt and coat I will be happy," is it possible? Unless you eat nicely, unless you sleep nicely, unless you have got your sense gratification, simply by putting on costly nice shirt and coat, will you be happy? No. That is not possible.

So here we have taken this... Bahir-artha-māninaḥ. We want to be happy by adjustment of this external energy. Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ. That cannot be. You are spirit soul. You must have spiritual food. You must have spiritual life. Then you can be happy. Simply as you cannot be happy by having nice shirt and coat, similarly, simply by materialistic way of life, I mean a gross and fine... Gross means this high skyscraper building, machines, factories, nice road goes motorcar. These are gross. And subtle: nice song, poetry, philosophy. That is subtle, subtle matter. So people are trying to be happy with this gross and subtle material existence. That cannot be. Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ, andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). Why they have accepted this sort of civilization? Because they are led by blind leaders. Now, suppose we are conducting this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Nobody is interested. Very few interested. But if we give some false hope that "If you follow this path, then within six months you will become God and you will be all-powerful, and then...," oh, so many people will come. You see?

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:

Formerly, in any part of the world... We have seen in your country, in my country. There are many old churches, old mosques, old temples. In India there are temples just like a fort. Acres of land occupying big, big temples. So who has constructed these temples? Must be rich men, businessmen, landlords, princely order. Why? Because they wanted to satisfy God. Either you manufacture, either you construct a church or temple or mosque, it does not matter. The idea behind is that he wanted that he has labored so hard, he has accumulated so much money, "Let me spend something for God." But at the present moment there are so many skyscrapers, but nobody is constructing a nice church. This is the result of godless civilization. The mentality is changed, that formerly they... This Bhāgavata-sūtra is saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13).

I'll give you one practical example. In my householder life I was a drugstore businessman. So one Muhammadan gentleman, he was supplying me bottles. So by doing this bottle business he accumulated some money. So one day I asked this old man, his name was Abdula. "Well, Mr. Abdula, you have got some now money, I can understand. So how you are going to use it?" So he said, "My dear sir, I am thinking of constructing a mosque." He was Muhammadan. Just see his mentality, that he wanted... He accumulated some money, but now he wants to satisfy God constructing a big temple or constructing... You'll find in India some old temples. There are so many nice workmanship in stone. That means spent thousands and thousands of dollars. In here also I find so many nice churches, they have been spent by persons. What is the idea? The idea is anyone who has got some money, he wanted to satisfy God. So it doesn't matter what you are doing, but the test of your success will be considered as successful if you try to satisfy God. Because we are, whole life, we are dragging from God.

Lecture on SB 7.6.5 -- Vrndavana, December 7, 1975:

Prahlāda Mahārāja said, "My Lord, I am not very much anxious for me because I have no trouble. As I have learned to chant Your glories, so anywhere I am happy simply by glorifying Your activities. But I am unhappy for this reason: when I see that these rascals simply for little material happiness, they are working so hard." Tato vimukha-cetasa māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43). "They have forgotten You." Vimukha cetasam. They think that "What is the use of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness?" Vimukha. And what is required? Māyā-sukhāya. For few years to live in material comforts, bharam udvahato vimūḍhān, they are manufacturing so many big, big skyscraper building, nice road, nice car. Māyā-sukhāya. In Western countries there is very... We are also imitating in India like Bombay city and others, bharam udvahato, gorgeous arrangement. And what for? For living for a few years. Then he is going to cats and dogs. He doesn't know that. Therefore māyā-sukhāya. If somebody says that "You come here at my place. I shall give you very good food, nice shelter, all comforts, and after few days I shall drive you away and I shall beat you with my shoes," will anybody agree? No. So we are doing that. Forgetting our real business, we are busy in māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43).

So Prahlāda Mahārāja concludes this instruction in this way: tato yateta kuśalaḥ kṣemāya bhavam āśritaḥ. Bhavam means this material world, where we take birth and die after some time. Bhavam. Bhavam means "become, manifest." This is material world. We take birth, we exist for some time, we grow, then there are some by-products, and then we become old and then die. This is called ṣaḍ-vikāra, six kinds of changes. But the ātmā is the same. The example is given: just like a tree, any tree, say a mango tree. During season, summer season there are flowers in the tree, and then they grow a small green mango, then it becomes yellow or reddish, and then it becomes ripened.

Lecture on SB 7.6.5 -- Vrndavana, December 7, 1975:

Suppose you worship a demigod. Yānti deva-vratā devān (BG 9.25). You can be elevated to the celestial world, heavenly planet. But what will be benefit? You'll have to die there. The same death is there. You have to struggle there. Don't think that the demigods, they are living very peacefully. No. That is not possible. Indra is always embarrassed with so many things. You have read the fight with Indra. So many asuras, devāsura, Hiraṇyakaśipu. The same thing as... Simply they have got a long duration of life, a high standard of life, but the same struggle. Just like here you see in India and Europe, America. They have got the high standard of life, they have got skyscraper building, very big, big roads, motorcar. But what is that? Simply struggling. Are they happy? We are poor country. Of course, we have no such opulence. But the standard, the janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9), is there, not that they are sitting idly and food is coming automatically. No. They have to struggle. So either you be in the heavenly planet or in the lowest planet, the struggle is there. Manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). So long we'll be in the material world, you have to... Ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokān punar āvartino 'rjuna. Even you go to the Brahmaloka or Indraloka, Candraloka... They are trying to go to the Candraloka. They are trying to go to the Candraloka, but they do not know where is Candraloka. They are going and coming, going and coming. So one must know it that "Even if I go to the Brahmaloka by our material power, that is also punar āvartino arjuna. That is bhavam āśritaḥ." So we should try to avoid the material existence and come to our original life, eternal life, blissful life, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). That is really solution of the problem, ksemāya. Kuśalaḥ ksemāya. So long this human body we have got, and especially young men, don't spoil it. That is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Lecture on SB 7.6.9 -- Vrndavana, December 11, 1975:

They're making gorgeous arrangement. Why? Because they are vimūḍhān, all rascals. "Why rascals? They are scientists, they are philosophers." That's all right, but after making all these arrangements, you are under the clutches of māyā. You are not free from the clutches of māyā. So why you are wasting time in this way? You cannot..., you did not make any solution or any assurance that whatever you are creating for enjoyment you will be able to enjoy. No. That is not possible. That they do not see. They are constructing big, big roads, motorcars, and skyscraper building, but there is no assurance that you'll be able to enjoy it. That is not possible. At any moment, finished. Your skyscraper building, your big, big road, your big, big motorcars, it will remain where you manufactured and you have to leave. That they do not see. This is called mūḍha. Mūḍho nābhijānāti. They..., they're not They are afraid of death, but on account of foolishness they declare, "Oh, we don't We are not afraid of death." They're afraid.

So actually we should not increase our foolishness. Human life is meant for utilizing our intelligence. That is human life. Instead of utilizing intelligence, if we increase our foolishness, that's the wrong type of civilization. That is not actual civilization. Caitanya Mahāprabhu very kindly inaugurated this civilization, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the same thing as it is confirmed in the Vedas: vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ projitaḥ janayaty āśu vairāgyam Āśu: "very soon." The examples are here. You are Europeans and Americans; you were attached to so many things. But because you have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, means vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogam.

Lecture on SB 7.6.9 -- Vrndavana, December 11, 1975:

"Decrease these nonsense activities. No more tire(?) civilization," they'll say "Oh, this is primitive, primitive." This tendency is present. But actually, the primitive civilization... Not primitive; that is very sober civilization, anartha. Instead of increasing unwanted necessities, decrease it. That is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje (SB 1.7.6). Lokasya ajānataḥ vidvāṁś cakre sātvata saṁhitām. This sātvata saṁhitām bhāgavata is there, simply to decrease this unwanted so-called material civilization. It is very difficult to understand, but our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for that purpose. We are interested to construct a nice temple, but we are not interested to construct a very big skyscraper building for people's generally No. We should live very humbly. But for Kṛṣṇa we can In India you'll find there are so many valuable temples which cannot be constructed at the present moment. You will see in this Vṛndāvana that the broken Govindaji's temple, it is not possible to construct such costly temples at the present moment. Even by spending crores of rupees you cannot construct. But one who has money, they used to do that. It should be engaged for Kṛṣṇa's comfort. This is bhakti. This is bhakti. For Kṛṣṇa's The Vṛndāvana means everyone is engaged how to keep Kṛṣṇa in comfort. This is Vṛndāvana. Not for personal comfort. The whole Vṛndāvana is engaged, beginning from Mother Yaśodā, Nanda Mahārāja, the young gopīs and the young cowherd boys—that is Vṛndāvana. Kṛṣṇa is the center.

So the more we become engaged with the view to give Kṛṣṇa the comfortable position, that is our aim of life. Then we can be liberated. Sneha-pāśair dṛḍhair baddham. So we should not be very much interested for personal comfort, but if the comfort of the superior, Kṛṣṇa, then it will be possible to get out of these material clutches. That is called vairāgya. Sneha-pāśair baddham. At the present we are bound up by the laws of material nature, and if we want to undo it, then we should learn vairāgya-vidyā.

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

The meaning is that He appeared as Lord Buddha, being compassionate on the animals, who were being tortured by the human being. Of course, there is law to punish them, but sometimes the Lord becomes very much tortured Himself when His sons, or may be animals, they are tortured. Otherwise, how He is father of everyone? You see.

So the torturing business of the demons is going on, going on. As soon as the demons finds somebody little weak, they will torture, weak, in their way. A devotee is not weak, but they think that "These devotees, they are weak. They cannot do any materialistic work. They cannot build skyscrapers. They cannot build a subtle machine. So they have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa." You see? They think like that. But actually, they know, the devotees know, what is this value of this materialistic advancement. People are not happy actually. Now, so far materialistic happiness is concerned, your country, America, is number one. You are all qualified boys and girls, I see. But still, if we calculate impartially, what is the advantage? The advantage: hand to mouth. You earn in the morning and eat in the evening—finished. You see? Such qualified boys that... I take, for example, Gaurasundara. He is thoughtful. He is educated. He knows so many things, artist. But for livelihood he has to go early in the morning and come late in the evening. So what is the result? This is the way of materialistic life. Life means that they should not work. Working hard, very hard working, that is the animal's business.

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

So this ugra-karma, formerly this ugra-karma was entrusted to the demons. Those who were in the sattva-guṇa, they do not like this ugra-karma. Sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. Rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ (SB 1.2.19). The... Those who are under the control of rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa, they are engaged in ugra-karma, ugra-karma: industrial enterprise, big, big roads, big, big skyscraper. This is called ugra-karma. So ugra-karma is very pleasing to the ugra-jātis (just like) Hiraṇyakaśipu. What was the trouble between the father and the son? The father was for ugra-karma, and the son, Prahlāda, was for sattvika life. So when Prahlāda Mahārāja engaged himself in sattvika life, not only sattvika, śuddha-sattvika... In the material world there are three guṇas: sattvika, rajasika, tamasika. The sattvika is the best. So, and devotional activity is śuddha-sattvika, where there is no contamination. In the material world, sattvika, a person who is a brāhmaṇa, he may be contaminated by tamo-guṇa and rajo-guṇa. Just like Ajāmila. He was the son of a brāhmaṇa, and he was executing the brahmacarya regulation very nicely, but he became infected with rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa, became attached to a prostitute and left everything, all brahminical qualification, and he became a rogue, thief, cheater, drunkard, woman-hunter, so on. There are many instances. And Jagāi-Mādhāi, they were born of very good brāhmaṇa family, rich family, but with bad association they became drunkard, woman-hunter, meat-eater. Now these things have become common thing. Avaidha-strī-saṅga, illicit connection with woman, and meat-eating and drinking, it has become a daily fashion. But formerly, at least five hundred years ago, these things were accepted as most abominable. So just like here, our Jagāi-Mādhāi. Jagāi-Mādhāi, they were zamindars and born of brāhmaṇa family, but because by bad association they became drunkard, gamblers and woman-hunters, they were condemned. They were taken as pāpī, sinful. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement is to rescue them.

Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Montreal, July 4, 1968:

So how you can conquer over the Supreme Personality of Godhead by all these material qualifications?" Suppose if you are going to see some gentleman who is very rich, just like Rockefeller, and suppose you are drawing, say, one thousand dollars per month, or say five thousand dollars. So how we can become proud of your opulence before a very rich man? So Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, means that nobody can excel Him in richness, in fame, in strength, in beauty, in wisdom, and renunciation. However you may exhibit or manifest your opulences, still it is very insignificant. We can practically experience. Just like this very nice city, perhaps the greatest city in the world, New York, with so many skyscraper buildings, industrial enterprises, everything very opulent. But as soon as you go seven miles or eight miles high by airplane, you will see just like they are matchboxes. You have practical experience. And if you still go high you will find this whole planet just like a point. As you are daily experiencing that so many planets in the sky hanging just like small spots, but they are as big or greater than this planet. So nobody can excel the opulence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is not possible. If you want to purchase the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by your material acquisition, it is impossible. It is impossible.

Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Montreal, July 6, 1968:

In the Bible it is said that God said "Let there be creation," and there was creation. Similarly, in the Bhagavad-gītā also, we understand that Kṛṣṇa says, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca: (BG 7.4) "These eight gross and subtle material elements, they are My differentiated energy." So these statements of Bible or Bhagavad-gītā... We can understand that God created this cosmic manifestation. But in the paper we read the other day that the scientific men believe that there was a chunk in the beginning, and all of a sudden it burst out and the planets came out. (break) So anyone can understand that God is all-powerful. He can create. But the scientist says that "There was a chunk, and creation took place from the chunk." Just see. When you say that God created, one can understand that God is... If a man can create such nice things, skyscraper buildings, very complicated bridge, engineering work, so God is great, He may have greater brain, so He has created this cosmic manifestation. There is a, I mean to say, standard to believe. But how the scientists believe that there was a chunk? And what is the explanation? I cannot understand. From the chunk everything come out. And who made the chunk? The next question should be that "Wherefrom this chunk came?" There is no answer. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja says that all these material qualification cannot satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Now, how God is satisfied? Ete dhanādaya dvādaśāpi guṇāḥ parasya puṁsaḥ ārādhanāya na bhavanti. You cannot purchase God by your all these material acquisitions. No. That is not possible. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ: (BG 18.55) "One can understand Me simply by devotional service." Nobody can understand. Bhaktyā mām. What is that bhakti? That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā:

Lecture on SB 7.9.19 -- Mayapur, February 26, 1976:

All right, what it is... So they, we have so many countermeasures for..., because this whole world, this material world, means duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). It is a place for suffering. And that also not permanent place. But our struggle is that "We may not suffer, and we may remain here permanently." That is foolishness. This place is meant for suffering, and you cannot stay here for permanently. This is the constitution of this place. And the whole world, this foolish world, they are struggling to stop suffering and to remain here, permanent. Just see their foolishness. Everyone is trying to remain permanently. Just like we are constructing temples very sound, very strong, but they are constructing skyscraper building, strong, permanent. But he does not know, "Whether I shall be able to live here permanently?" So they can put the argument to us also, that "This is the case with you also." But our case is different. We are constructing this temple not for our living but for Kṛṣṇa's. That is the difference. That is the difference. We do not make any temple or house for ourself. We try to give chance to the devotees, and Kṛṣṇa shall live here. Kṛṣṇa's devotees will learn how to worship Him. That is our purpose. Here it is not a free hotel for learning how to gratify senses. No. This is not our aim and object. That is the difference. Therefore nirbandhe kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yukta-vairāgyam ucyate. The same energy is being enacted here for constructing big house, but it is nirbandhe kṛṣṇa-sambandha.

Lecture on SB 7.9.21 -- Mayapur, February 28, 1976:

So they are making simply plans. And it continues for some time. Then, after fifteen or twenty years, again conflagration of war, especially in the Europe. They're all demons. How the demons can bring in peace by so-called United Nation or League of Nation? That is not possible. They have to give up the demonic activities. They have to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then they will be saved.

So we are just trying to introduce the real civilization. Actually there is no civilization at the present moment. They are simply cats and dogs and fighting one another. There is no civilization. This is not civilization. Atheists, demons, they are predominating. And because they have got big, big skyscraper building and many motorcars, India has become victimized: "Oh, without this motorcar and without this skyscraper building, we are condemned." So they are trying to imitate. They have forgotten their own culture, the best culture, Vedic culture. So it is the first time that we are trying to conquer over the demonic culture with this Vedic culture. This is the first time. So it is very pleasing that you have joined this movement. If you want to make the human society happy, give them this culture of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is being described by Prahlāda Mahārāja, that saṁsāra-cakra. If you become involved in this demonic culture, then the saṁsāra-cakra, the wheel of repetition of birth and death, will go on. You cannot stop it. It is not possible. But if you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then there is possibility. This is the purport of this verse.

Lecture on SB 7.9.36 -- Mayapur, March 14, 1976:

So at the present moment we have got a bhāva: "I am this. I am that. I belong to this family. I belong to this nation." Bhāva is ecstasy, and everyone is overwhelmed with such kind of ecstasy. The politicians, they think that we are simply wasting time in chanting and dancing. "They have no sense how to improve the position of the country." They do not like because they are in different bhāva. But we are trying to change that bhāva. The bhāva must be there. The whole Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to purify the bhāva. Bhāva. That is stated here. Pariśuddha-bhāva. We are not negativating everything. We are simply changing from material bhāva to spiritual bhāva. That's all. Here is a big building, but there are many other hundreds and thousands of big building in this district or in this country. But here the bhāva is changed. The bhāva is changed. In your country there are many big, big skyscraper buildings. In comparison to those buildings, this is nothing. But still, you have come, spending thousands of dollars here, to change the bhāva. That is the... That is required. Otherwise you American boys and girls, you have no business to come here to see this big building. No. To change the bhāva, that requires. That is very important thing.