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Society, friendship and love (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"friendship, love and society" |"love and society, friendship" |"society, friendship and love" |"society, friendship or love" |"society, friendship, and love" |"society, friendship, love" |"this friendship, this love, this society" |"this society, this friendship, this love"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

"Society, friendship, and love, divinely bestowed upon man." They say. (laughs) It is not divinely bestowed. It is not. It is entanglement. It is entanglement.
Lecture on BG 1.26-27 -- London, July 21, 1973:

So this is the problem. This material world is problematic, especially when we have got these family relationships. "Society, friendship, and love, divinely bestowed upon man." They say. (laughs) It is not divinely bestowed. It is not. It is entanglement. It is entanglement. Dehāpatya. There is verse in the Second Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Dehāpatya. What is that verse? Dehāpatya-kalatrādi (SB 2.1.4). Deha, first affection is with our body. "I am this Mr. Such and such. This is I am, this body." I have got attraction for this body. Then the offsprings, the by-products of this body. Apatya. Apatya means children. And how this by-product is made? Kalatra, through wife. Strī. Strī means which expands. Vistara, expands. I am alone. I accept wife, strī, and with her cooperation I expand. So one who helps me to expand, that is called strī. Every Sanskrit word has got meaning. Why woman is called strī? Because she helps, expanding myself. How expanding? Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu (SB 2.1.4). I get my children. First of all I was affectionate to my body. Then, as soon as I get a wife, I become affectionate to her. Then, as soon as I get children, I become affectionate to children. In this way I expand my affection for this material world. This material world, attachment. It is not required. It is a foreign thing. This material body is foreign. I am spiritual. I am spiritual, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. But because I wanted to lord it over the material nature, Kṛṣṇa has given me this body.

Where this idea came from, that "I shall be happy within society, friendship and love, children?" Wherefrom this idea came? Where is the origin? The origin is there in Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on BG 1.26-27 -- London, July 21, 1973:

To remain in household life, enjoy in the company of wife, children, friends. This is... One can understand. Why I take so much responsibility of family? I was alone. Why I get married? Why I beget children? Why I make friends? Because I want to enjoy. So Kṛṣṇa is also a person. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). He has produced so many children, these living entities. Why? To enjoy along with them. Just try to understand the psychology. Yato vā imāni bhūtāni jayante, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Where this idea came from, that "I shall be happy within society, friendship and love, children?" Wherefrom this idea came? Where is the origin? The origin is there in Kṛṣṇa. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Janmādy asya yataḥ. The origin of love. Just like Kṛṣṇa is loving Rādhārāṇī. So the loving idea came from Kṛṣṇa.

Here is the problem. Because we are attached to our this so-called family, society, friendship and love...
Lecture on BG 1.26-27 -- London, July 21, 1973:

In the Bhagavad-gītā you will find in the Fifteenth Chapter. Ūrdhva-mūlam. Here, this material world, the origin—mūlam means root—is upside, upside. Because it is reflection. This tree is erect, and this is reflection. So the root has gone upside. So here is the problem. Because we are attached to our this so-called family, society, friendship and love... When Arjuna was faced, then he became kṛpayā parayāviṣṭo viṣīdann idam abravīt (BG 1.27). "How it is possible, Kṛṣṇa, that I have to kill the other side, my fathers, my father-in-law, my grandfather, my sons, my grandsons, my brother, my so many friends?" So it is natural. Kṛpayā parayā āviṣṭaḥ. He becomes overwhelmed with compassion.

By training, by education, we have to become detached. Detached from this society, friendship and love.
Lecture on BG 1.26-27 -- London, July 21, 1973:

So this problem, attachment for this material world, gradually we have to cut it. That is the Vedic civilization. If you want to go back to home, back to Godhead, then at the same time, if you remain attached to this material world, so-called society, friendship and love, then it is not possible. So long you will have a pinch of attraction with this material world, there is no possibility of being transferred to the spiritual world. This is the position. Therefore by training, by education, we have to become detached. Detached, this society, friendship and love.

We have to understand the falsity of this so-called society, friendship and love.
Lecture on BG 1.26-27 -- London, July 21, 1973:

We have to understand the falsity of this so-called society, friendship and love. It is just like... because we are being carried away by the waves of māyā. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung, māyār bośe, jāccho bhese, Khāccho hābuḍubu bhāi. Just like we see sometimes in rainy season, so many plants and creepers and vegetables and so many other things are floating in the river, going. Similarly, we also, all floating in the waves of māyā. Māyār bośe, jāccho bhese, khāccho hābuḍubu. Sometimes drowned, sometimes on the surface, sometimes on the other shore, sometimes on this shore. This is going on. So long we are in this material world, we are being tossed by different currents, and sometimes I am here as the master of some kingdom, and sometimes I am dog of somebody else. This is my position. The same thing. Very good example, that we are being carried away by the waves of māyā. Sometimes we are gathering together. So many straws and vegetables, they gather together. And sometimes the same vegetables and straws are thrown asunder. One is there, one is here. So here also, we assemble here as society, friendship and love exactly like that. In the waves of māyā.

If we are thinking that "In this material existence I shall be safe, assisted by my society, friendship, love, country, and politics and sociology," "No, no, sir, it is not possible." It is not possible. You have to take care of yourself.
Lecture on BG 1.26-27 -- London, July 21, 1973:

Then nobody is your father, nobody is your mother, nobody is your sister, nobody. It is simply māyic, illusory combination. Illusory combination, temporary combination. And we are so much attached to this combination that we are refusing to go back to home, back to Godhead. This is our position. Therefore we have to meet them in the battlefield of Kurukṣetra, and if required, we have to kill them and execute the order of Kṛṣṇa. This is our position. If we are thinking that "In this material existence I shall be safe, assisted by my society, friendship, love, country, and politics and sociology," "No, no, sir, it is not possible." It is not possible. You have to take care of yourself. Your so-called society, friendship, love, country, nation, and this, never will be able to help you. Because you are under the clutches of māyā.

One who is too much attached to this society, friendship and love, he is pramatta. Pramatta means crazy, madman.
Lecture on BG 1.26-27 -- London, July 21, 1973:

A teacher can give you hints. The ācārya can give you hints that "You can be saved in this way." But the execution of the duties, that is in your hand. If you perform the spiritual duties rightly, then you are saved. Otherwise, even ācārya gives you instruction, if you don't follow, so how he can save you? He can save you by instruction, by his mercy, as much as possible. But you have to take it in your hands seriously.

So this problem is... Arjuna is facing now this problem. That is general problem. Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu. Dehāpatya. Deha means this body. Apatya means children. Kalatra means wife. Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv ātma-sainyeṣv asatsv api (SB 2.1.4). We are thinking that "We shall be protected by my these soldiers. I have got my sons, grandsons, my grandfather, my father-in-law, my brother-in-law, my so many society, friendship and love." Everyone is thinking like that. "My nation, my community, my philosophy, my politics. No. Nothing can save you. Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu asatsu api. They are all temporary. They come and go. Asatsu api. Pramatto tasya nidhanaṁ paśyann api na paśyati. One who is too much attached to this society, friendship and love, he is pramatta. Pramatta means crazy, madman.

Actually Kṛṣṇa gives you protection always. Not your society, friendship and love. They will be finished.
Lecture on BG 1.26-27 -- London, July 21, 1973:

One who is too much attached to this society, friendship and love, he is pramatta. Pramatta means crazy, madman. Paśyann api na, tasya nidhanam. He does not see. Although he is seeing that "My father has died. When I was a child, my father was giving me protection. Now my father has gone away. Who is giving me protection? Is my father alive to give me protection? Who is giving me protection? My mother was giving me protection. Now who is giving me protection? I was in family, my sons, my daughters, my wife, but I left them. Now who is giving me protection?" And actually Kṛṣṇa gives you protection always. Not your society, friendship and love. They will be finished. As your father is finished, as your grandfather is finished, similarly, your sons, grandsons, will be finished. None of them will be able to give you protection. Only Kṛṣṇa will be giving you protection. Therefore you surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣa... (BG 18.66). "I shall give you protection." Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati: (BG 9.31) "My devotee is never vanquished." So the best thing is to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, fully surrender unto Him, and you will be protected. Otherwise, there is no other way of being protected. We'll be carried away by the waves of māyā. This is the position.

"With whom I shall enjoy?" Arjuna is thinking like that. Society... The same thing: society, friendship and love. Everyone wants to enjoy life with society, friends. Nobody wants to enjoy life alone. That is not possible. This is not natural.
Lecture on BG 1.31 -- London, July 24, 1973:

So Arjuna is considering with reference to his future, that "If I kill my kinsmen, what benefit there will be? I want victory, I want kingdom, to become happy, but if my all kinsmen are killed, then what is the value of my victory? With whom I shall enjoy?" He is thinking like that. Society... The same thing: society, friendship and love. Everyone wants to enjoy life with society, friends. Nobody wants to enjoy life alone. That is not possible. This is not natural. So wherefrom we got this idea, that I cannot enjoy alone? Just like generally a person is alone, but he gets a wife with a hope for enjoying family life, children, wife, friends.

This is illusion. Everyone is trying to become happy with society, friendship and love, children, wife, friends, money and house and land.
Lecture on BG 1.31 -- London, July 24, 1973:

Ultimate good is not that "We live with family—that is good." No. When you live with family because you cannot renounce, so that is allowed. But you live with family with Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa is there, but he is thinking in terms of material role, that "If my kinsmen are dead, I kill them, then where is my good? It is no good. What shall I do with the victory and happiness? Where is happiness? I cannot live without them." This is the conception. Ataḥ gṛha... Ataḥ gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya moho 'yam (SB 5.5.8). This is illusion. Everyone is trying to become happy with society, friendship and love, children, wife, friends, money and house and land. This is the conception of material.... So Arjuna is thinking in material concept of life. He is not thinking that "My ultimate good is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa." This is the Bhagavad-gītā's purport. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One has to change to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, not to satisfy himself or the family or the society or the nation, no. Whether Kṛṣṇa is satisfied, that is the criterion. That is ultimate good.

So Arjuna is pious, but still he wants the family benefit. This is his defect. Family prosperity. He wants to be happy with society, friendship and love.
Lecture on BG 1.31 -- London, July 24, 1973:

Kṛtī means very expert in acting worldly activities. So one who are engaged in pious activities, they are called sukṛtī. There are two kinds of activities: impious activities, sinful activities; and pious activities. So one who goes to pray in the church or in the temple, "O God, give us our daily bread," or "God, give me some money," or "God, give me relief from this distress," they are also pious. They are not impious. The impious people, they will never surrender to God, Kṛṣṇa. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ, prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). These class of men, sinful men, rascal, lowest of the mankind, whose knowledge has been taken away by māyā, and demon—these classes of men will never surrender to God. Therefore they are duṣkṛtina, impious. So Kṛṣṇa is pious, but still he wants the family benefit. This is his defect. Er, Arjuna. Family prosperity. He wants to be happy with society, friendship and love. Therefore he says that na kāṅkṣe vijayam... This is called vairāgya. Śmaśāna-vairāgya. It is called śmaśāna-vairāgya. Śmaśāna-vairāgya means that in India, the Hindus, they burn the dead body. So relatives take the dead body for burning to the burning ghāṭa, and when the body is burned, everyone present there, for the time being, they become little renounced: "Oh, this is the body. We are working for this body. Now it is finished. It is burnt into ashes. So what is the benefit?" This kind of vairāgya, renouncement, is there. But as soon as he comes from the burning ghāṭa, he again begins his activities.

Arjuna is playing the part that he does not know that Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate goal of life, not this so-called society, friendship and love. He is playing that part, that he does not know.
Lecture on BG 1.31 -- London, July 24, 1973:

So Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna is thinking of the śreyas and preyas. Actual śreyas means to achieve Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is wanting in Arjuna. He is showing that feature of life, that he wants better the society, friendship and love. He does not want to kill them. Then everything will be finished. But actually the fact is that even after killing the so-called kinsmen, if he can satisfy Kṛṣṇa, that is his śreyas. That is his śreyas. That he does not know. And because he does not know, therefore this Bhagavad-gītā is there. He is playing the part that he does not know that Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate goal of life, not this so-called society, friendship and love. He is playing that part, that he does not know. He is thinking that "Kṛṣṇa is not important." Kṛṣṇa has already asked him to fight, but he is considering that "Kṛṣṇa, You are asking me to fight, and I have to kill my own kinsmen. Then where is my victory?" So therefore he said... Here in the previous verse, he has said, paśyāmi viparītāni keśava: (BG 1.30) "You are asking me to fight, for my victory, for my happiness, but I see it will be just the opposite." Paśyāmi viparītāni. This is his problem. And to solve this problem, Arjuna became the disciple of Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa advised him this Bhagavad-gītā, and that is the prelude.

This material world, so-called love, society, friendship and love—everything is depending on that sense gratification, maithunādi, beginning from sex.
Lecture on BG 2.9 -- London, August 15, 1973:

This material world, so-called love, society, friendship and love—everything is depending on that sense gratification, maithunādi, beginning from sex. Yan maithunādi gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham. So when one becomes free from this maithunādi-sukham, he is liberated, he is liberated, svāmī, gosvāmī. So long one is attached to this maithunādi, sex impulse, he is neither svāmī nor gosvāmī. Svāmī means when one becomes master of the senses. As Kṛṣṇa is the master of senses, so when one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, he becomes master of the senses. It is not that senses should be stopped. No. It should be controlled. "When I require, I shall use it; otherwise not." That is master of senses. "I shall not act impelled by the senses. Senses should act under my direction." That is svāmī.

"These rascals have become servant of so many things: society, friendship, love, religion, this, that, so many things, nationality, community. So these rascals should stop all this nonsense business." Sarva-dharmān parityajya: "Give up all this nonsense. Simply just become surrendered unto Me."
Lecture on BG 2.9 -- London, August 15, 1973:

As soon as Rūpa Gosvāmī and Sanātana Gosvāmī became acquainted with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, immediately they decided that "We shall retire from this ministership and join Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to help Him." To serve Him, not to help Him. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu doesn't require anyone's help. But if we try to associate and try to serve Him, then our life becomes successful. Just like Kṛṣṇa says... Kṛṣṇa came to preach Bhagavad-gītā. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That was His mission, that "These rascals have become servant of so many things: society, friendship, love, religion, this, that, so many things, nationality, community. So these rascals should stop all this nonsense business." Sarva-dharmān parityajya: "Give up all this nonsense. Simply just become surrendered unto Me." This is religion. Otherwise, how Kṛṣṇa is advising that sarva-dharmān parityajya, (BG 18.66) "You give up all religious system?" He came—dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya. He came to reestablish the principles of religion. Now He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya: "Give up all." That means anything without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, without God consciousness, they are all cheating religion. They are not religion. Religion means dharmāṁ tu sākṣat bhagavat-praṇītam, the order of the Supreme Lord. If we do not know who is the Supreme Lord, if we do not know what is the order of the Supreme Lord, then where is religion? That is not religion. That may go on in the name of religion, but that is cheating.

We are attracted with this material world, society, friendship and love. But in a second we can be slapped by the material nature and get out of this illusion, just like dream.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bhuvanesvara, January 22, 1977:

Illusion means it is temporary. Just like you dream something. That is called illusion. But dream is actually not illusion. Because although in dream you see some tiger, he's attacking, that is illusion. And you are crying, "Save me! Save me! Here is a tiger!" But one who is awakened, he say, "Why you are crying?" "There is a tiger." "Where is tiger?" This is illusion. But when you are dreaming that there is a tiger, you are crying, that is not illusion. It is acting. Similarly, this material manifestation, it is not illusion, but for the time being it is illusion. We are attracted with this material world, society, friendship and love. But in a second we can be slapped by the material nature and get out of this illusion, just like dream. So in this sense it is illusion, but so long it is there, it is fact also.

We have created this society, friendship and love in this material world for becoming happy. Everyone wants to be happy, because that is his natural inclination.
Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Vrndavana, August 10, 1974:

Vidyāpati, a great poet, Vaiṣṇava poet, he has sung that... We are happy within this material world. How? Suta-mita-ramaṇī-samāje. Suta. Suta means children, and mita means friends, and ramaṇī means woman. So actually, our material life, existing, is society, friendship and love. If there are nice, beautiful women at home, children and friends, we are taking, "This is our life." But that is not life. Real life is to understand what I am, ātma-tattvam. Ātma-tattvam. Without understanding ātma-tattvam, the life is failure. Therefore Vidyāpati sings, tātala saikate vāri-bindu-sama, suta-mita-ramaṇī-samāje. We have created this society, friendship and love in this material world for becoming happy. Everyone wants to be happy, because that is his natural inclination. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). As Kṛṣṇa is happy always... You will see. Kṛṣṇa is enjoying His life with Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and the gopīs or the cowherds boys or His father, mother. That is spiritual, everything. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhiḥ (Bs. 5.37). That is ānanda-cinmaya. A similar imitation here in this material world.

Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura therefore says, kṛṣṇera saṁsāra kara chāḍi' anācāra. If you enter into the society, friendship and love of Kṛṣṇa, that is perfection of life.
Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Vrndavana, August 10, 1974:

The same thing, suta-mita-ramaṇī-samāje. But it is false. Just like you see water in the desert. You'll see there is vast mass of water in the desert, and the animal falsely go to drink the water and dies. Similarly, in this material world, this suta-mita-ramaṇī-samāje, what we are trying to become happy, that is like will-o'-the wisp, false thing. Real life is in the society of Kṛṣṇa.

Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura therefore says, kṛṣṇera saṁsāra kara chāḍi' anācāra. If you enter into the society, friendship and love of Kṛṣṇa, that is perfection of life. Not in this false, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4). They are separated energy. This is also made by the Kṛṣṇa's energies, but it is separate, reflection, false representa... Chāyeva. Chāyeva means just like shadow. Just like you see your face in the mirror, but it is not actually the face. It is simply... The face is here, and the shadow is there. Similarly, this material world, made of bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhiḥ, they are just like reflection of the real life in the spiritual world. Therefore it is called separated energy.

Worldly men have made it vow, that, to maintain the family and to have some enjoyment from family life. Family life means society, friendship and love.
Lecture on BG 9.1 -- Vrndavana, April 17, 1975:

We can see so many magazines—technical, musical and cinema and ordinary news and so many editions of every newspaper in every city. So this is a fact. Śrotavyādīni rājendra nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ (SB 2.1.2). Sahasraśaḥ means thousands and thousands and thousands. Why they are busy with so many newspapers, and why they are not interested in hearing Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam? Because apaśyatām ātma-tattvam; (SB 2.1.2) "They do not know that the real purpose of life is to understand ātma-tattva." Apaśyatām. Why you are forget? Gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām. They have made it vow, that, to maintain the family and to have some enjoyment from family life. Family life means society, friendship and love.

That (is) Vidyāpati's song. What is that? Can you remember? Tatala seikate vari-bindu-sama, suta-mitā-ramaṇi-samāje. Suta-mitā-ramaṇi-samāje.(?) The exact English equivalent is "society, friendship and love." Everyone is busy—society, family, friends, country, nation, community, in this way, suta-mitā-ramaṇi-samāje. And what is the composition? Now, children, suta; mitā means friends; and ramaṇi, some woman. If they are beautiful woman, that is also very nice. So they are busy. They are busy. The other day we had been guest in Hyderabad. He is very busy with this suta-mitā-ramaṇi-samāje. Everyone is. Everyone is busy with suta-mitā-ramaṇi-samāje.

Similarly, we are, in this material world, we are trying to be happy in the society, friendship and love. But the happiness we are getting, that is compared with a drop of water in the desert.
Lecture on BG 9.1 -- Vrndavana, April 17, 1975:

So somebody can say, "Unless there is happiness, why people should be interested?" There is happiness certainly. So that happiness is compared by Vidyāpati, the great Vaiṣṇava poet, that it is just like tatala seikate vari-bindu sama.(?) Just like desert. You have seen desert. Desert means it requires huge quantities of water. Nowadays, practically, in every country, especially in India, every land is just like desert for want of water. So you see in Vṛndāvana so much land lying vacant, no agriculture. Why? There is want of water. There is no sufficient supply of water. So in this way, if there is scarcity of water, then gradually these places will be converted into desert. Converted into desert. So the "desert" word is used because it requires huge quantity of water. Similarly, we are, in this material world, we are trying to be happy in the society, friendship and love. Suta-mitā-ramaṇi-samāje. But the happiness we are getting, that is compared with a drop of water in the desert. If in the vast desert, Arabian desert, if we say that "We want water," and somebody brings a drop of water and take it, it will be very insignificant, has no meaning.

We are hankering after Kṛṣṇa. That is our inner desire. And what happiness we shall get with this society, friendship or love? This is not possible.
Lecture on BG 9.1 -- Vrndavana, April 17, 1975:

Similarly, we are... Our heart is desiring real pleasure, transcendental bliss. So if we are put into this desert, suta-mitā-ramaṇi-samāje, where is the benefit? This song is confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2). They do not know what is the aim of life. They are satisfied with this drop of water in the desert. It will never mitigate. Desert is very vast tract of land dry, and if somebody says, "All right, take one drop of water," then what is the meaning? It has no meaning. Similarly, we are spirit soul. We are hankering after Kṛṣṇa. That is our inner desire. And what happiness we shall get with this society, friendship or love? This is not possible. That is not possible. There is some happiness, temporary happiness, very small quantity, so-called happiness. It will never satisfy you.

I am living very comfortably with my society, family. "Society, friendship and love, divinely bestowed upon man." There is one poetry. That's all right, but it is so nice, it is so pleasing, but one day comes, "Please get out." Finished. You cannot protest.
Lecture on BG 13.2 -- Melbourne, April 4, 1972:

I am living very comfortably with my society, family. "Society, friendship and love, divinely bestowed upon man." There is one poetry. That's all right, but it is so nice, it is so pleasing, but one day comes, "Please get out." Finished. You cannot protest. You cannot say that "I have worked so hard. I have made my country, my family, my house so nice. Why I shall get out?" "No. You must leave." "Oh, let me stay here for some days more." "No, not even a second. You must get out." We cannot consider all these points. We are simply attached. "Oh, this is my country. This is my family. This is my land. This is my kinsmen. This is..." So many. "This is my, my, my, my, my." But if it is yours, why you are forced to get out of these things? What is the answer? Who will answer this? Huh? And there is no certainty.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

You can live alone." How long you will live? Because as a living entity, as part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, you want ānanda. So ānanda, you require society, friendship and love. That is ānanda. That is not impersonalism. That is personalism.
Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Delhi, November 18, 1973:

Just like here in the sky there are millions and millions of planets, similarly, in the brahmajyoti there are also millions and millions of planets. They are called Vaikuṇṭhaloka. But in those Vaikuṇṭhalokas only bhaktas are admitted, not the nondevotees. They can go to the Brahmaloka. Brahmaloka is combination of the spirit souls. But spirit soul means part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, who is ānandamaya. So they do not get that ānanda. They simply are elevated to the position of eternity. But eternity without ānanda. Just like you just imagine: suppose you are given a very nice place. You are ordered that "You live here eternally, but don't allow nobody else. You can live alone." How long you will live? Because as a living entity, as part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, you want ānanda. So ānanda, you require society, friendship and love. That is ānanda. That is not impersonalism. That is personalism. So unless you enter to the personal activities of Kṛṣṇa, there cannot be ānanda. There cannot be. Unless you are qualified to dance with Kṛṣṇa or to play with Kṛṣṇa, to become father of Kṛṣṇa, mother of Kṛṣṇa, and enjoy the ānandamayam, ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhiḥ (Bs. 5.37), you cannot be happy. Therefore āruhya kṛcchreṇa. The brahma-pada, the Supreme, paraṁ padam, it is called paraṁ padam... Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Adhaḥ. They fall down. Therefore we see sometimes, big, big sannyāsīs, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā, they give up this world, take sannyāsa, but after some time they come to politics, to sociology. Why? If the jagat is mithyā, why you are interested in politics and sociology an welfare acts? That means anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ: He could not get ānanda without being in touch with the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they come this ānanda. Ānanda. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa. This is practical.

The purpose is that one has to become detached from this so-called society, friendship, love. This will entangle us. One has to become free from this attachment.
Lecture on SB 1.8.41 -- Los Angeles, May 3, 1973:

at is Kṛṣṇa, he's no better than animal. He's animal. So this is going on.

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave this concession to the fallen souls of this age, that "You simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, you'll be delivered." Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet (SB 12.3.51). That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's special concession. Otherwise, a devotee... Kuntī is not ordinary devotee. She has become one of the relatives of Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa has come to offer her respects. So Kuntī's not an ordinary devotee. Still, she says that "Kṛṣṇa, kindly help me to become detached from my, this family attachment. I am attached to two families, my father's family and my husband's family, vṛṣṇiṣu and pāṇḍuṣu." So the purpose is that one has to become detached from this so-called society, friendship, love. This will entangle us. One has to become free from this attachment. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). So long I shall think that "I belong to this family, I belong to this nation, I belong to this religion, I belong to this color, I belong to..." So many things we have created, there is no possibility of become Kṛṣṇa conscious. No. So long I shall think, "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am African," then we are attached. So long I am thinking that "I belong to this family, that family," then I'm attached. So long I'm thinking, "I'm father of this, mother of this, husband of this, wife of this," that is attachment.

Kuntī is praying, that sneha-pāśam imaṁ chindhi dṛḍham . So in this way we can get rid of the so-called affection for society, friendship, love, country, nationalism... No. Our sneha, affection, is completely transferred to Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Lecture on SB 1.8.41 -- Mayapura, October 21, 1974:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted Jagāi-Mādhāi on this condition, that "You have to stop your sinful activities. Whatever you have done, that is done." So we make this condition. The demonic activities, we say, you have to stop. Whatever is done is done. Strictly following Caitanya Mahāprabhu, there is no consideration. Because one, you were previously a demon; therefore you cannot become a Vaiṣṇava—no. Anyone can become Vaiṣṇava provided he stops his demonic activities. Anyone. Anyone is welcome provided he accepts this philosophy, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66).

So this is the way that Kuntī is praying, that sneha-pāśam imaṁ chindhi dṛḍham . So in this way we can get rid of the so-called affection for society, friendship, love, country, nationalism... No. Our sneha, affection, is completely transferred to Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

We are, I mean to say, bounded here by the material energy in so-called sneha-pāśa, society, friendship and love. People do not want to leave this material world. Even at the time of death... I have seen so many persons.
Lecture on SB 1.8.42 -- Mayapura, October 22, 1974:

"The aim of human life, the goal of human life, is to satisfy the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu."

Viṣṇur ārādhyate.
Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum
(SB 7.5.31).

These rascals, they do not know that human life is meant for pleasing the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Kuntīdevī therefore requested Kṛṣṇa, sneha-pāśam imaṁ chindhi. We are, I mean to say, bounded here by the material energy in so-called sneha-pāśa, society, friendship and love. People do not want to leave this material world. Even at the time of death... I have seen so many persons. That is natural. The old man is dying, and he is thinking that "So many of my business remained unfinished." So he calls his dear son, "My dear son, if, if you... You take charge of the family, and so many things I could not finish, you do it." You see? He does not know where he is going. I have seen in Allahabad one big man. He was dying at the age of fifty-four. He was of my age. And he was requesting the physician, "My dear doctor, can you not give me four years more to live so that I could finish my business?" This so much attraction, so much attraction. They sometimes cry, that "What will happen to my this boy, that children, that..."

So therefore the family attraction especially, the family attraction is so strong that life after life one is bound up again in this material world, and he gets one body. To get body means to suffer.

Those who are not God-realized, they think that they will be protected by their society, friendship, love, country, nation, like that. But that is not possible.
Lecture on SB 1.15.20 -- Los Angeles, November 30, 1973:

How it is possible?" But one who does not believe in Kṛṣṇa, he thinks that he will protect himself. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām (SB 2.1.2). Those who are not God-realized, they think that they will be protected by their society, friendship, love, country, nation, like that. But that is not possible. Just like you are flying in the sky, so many aeroplanes at a time. Sometimes in a bunch, a group they fly. But if one of the aeroplane is in danger, no other aeroplane can help him. He'll finish. So similarly, we are also flying as aeroplane in the open sky. The protection... You don't expect protection from your so-called society, friendship and love, materially. When there is question of danger, you have to protect with your own strength.

Therefore if we want actually protection, we should take protection of the Supreme, Kṛṣṇa, or His devotee. Kṛṣṇa is suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram, suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām: (BG 5.29) "I am the friend of everyone." He can become friend. He is living within our heart as friend. But we refuse the guidance of such a nice friend. That is our misfortune. Kṛṣṇa is so kind, so friendly, that you are... Just like one bird is flying from one tree to another, and another bird is following him. So similarly we are flying from one body to another. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). But Kṛṣṇa does not leave us. He's also going with you just to give you guidance. But we won't give Him. Just like father... It is very natural. Father naturally wants to guide the son without any motive. That is father's nature. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa, or God, the supreme father, is naturally inclined to give us protection, naturally. Therefore He comes, Kṛṣṇa comes.

Therefore Vedic injunction is that how you will be saved? Then tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12), that "You must approach to a bona fide spiritual master." He will let you know how you will be saved. Otherwise, your so-called society, friendship and love will not save you.
Lecture on SB 1.15.37 -- Los Angeles, December 15, 1973:

When the aeroplane, they are going on, but if one aeroplane is in danger, no other aeroplane can save him. But he's finished. Similarly, every one of us is responsible for my own work. Nobody. Even in material world, suppose you have done something wrong. Now you are condemned. You are criminal; you are condemned to death. Will your wife, will your children, will your family, will your community, will save you? No. Nobody can save you. So therefore those who are thinking that "This material atmosphere, relatives, will save me," they are mistaken. They are ass. They do not know that every individual being is responsible for his own work. Therefore we must be very careful that "Why should I waste my time in working hard? What is my problem?" These things have to be known. Therefore Vedic injunction is that how you will be saved? Then tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12), that "You must approach to a bona fide spiritual master." He will let you know how you will be saved. Otherwise, your so-called society, friendship and love will not save you.

So by nature a living entity wants society. "Society, friendship and love, divinely bestowed upon man." That is required. And if you live in a forlorn place, nobody's there, no society, no friends, then how long can stay there? You cannot stay.
Lecture on SB 1.16.5 -- Los Angeles, January 2, 1974:

So by nature a living entity wants society. "Society, friendship and love, divinely bestowed upon man." That is required. And if you live in a forlorn place, nobody's there, no society, no friends, then how long can stay there? You cannot stay. Just like if you go on the sky by airplane, after four, five, six hours you, you become disturbed: "When the plane will get down? When the plane will get down?" This is natural. Why...? Why the plane...? You are flying very nicely, huh? There is no turmoil, no noise in the sky. Go nicely. No. Similarly, in the ship also, you travel for many days. So it will be disturbing. People are searching after when we shall land in some place. So living entity by nature, he wants association. Artificially he wants to... Just like some of, some of the devotees, they like that "Now we shall go in a solitary place and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." That is a different position. It is not possible for the ordinary man. So going to the Brahman effulgence, simply realizing that "I am a spirit soul, I have nothing to do," that will not be beneficial. You will again come down. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). If you do not get shelter, simply to remain in the impersonal Brahman effulgence will not make you happy. Artificially, you can stay there for some time; otherwise, you will again fall down in this material world for varieties of enjoyment.

Similarly, so long we do not love Kṛṣṇa, then whatever those so-called love we are showing to the society, friendship and love and country and community, they are all futile. Therefore, in spite of so much advancement of so-called civilization, there is no love between one another.
Lecture on SB 1.16.16 -- Los Angeles, January 11, 1974:

So when you love Kṛṣṇa, automatically you love other thing. But at the present moment, we do not love Kṛṣṇa, only the other things. But love is there. Just like to keep the tree quite fitness, you have to pour water in the root. But if you simply you give up the watering to the root, if you simply water the leaves, twigs, and the branches, then what you will get? Naturally there will be declination of the tree, automatically. If you do not give food to the stomach and if you supply food to the eyes, to the ears, to the... Then what will be your health? Similarly, so long we do not love Kṛṣṇa, then whatever those so-called love we are showing to the society, friendship and love and country and community, they are all futile. Therefore, in spite of so much advancement of so-called civilization, there is no love between one another. You try to love Kṛṣṇa. Then everything will be perfect.

Society, friendship, and love, so-called, it is simply full of thorns. That's all. But the camel likes that thorns. Therefore those who do not understand what is the value of materialistic way of life, they are just like camels.
Lecture on SB 2.3.19 -- Los Angeles, June 14, 1972:

Is it not materialistic way of life? He's lying down on thorns. Is it not like that? So many people in old age, they are so distressed, "Now I want to be killed." Because the thorns have disturbed so much that they don't feel any value of life. So the so-called materialistic way of life, tātala saikate vāri-bindu-sama suta-mita-ramaṇi-samāje. Society, friendship, and love, so-called, it is simply full of thorns. That's all. But the camel likes that thorns. Therefore those who do not understand what is the value of materialistic way of life, they are just like camels. Camel is eating thorn and cutting the tongue, and blood is coming out. It is mixed with thorn. He is thinking that it is very nice food. Actually, he is tasting his own blood, and he is thinking, "Thorn is very nice." Similarly, those who are materialistic person, working day and night very hard, eating his own blood, and he's thinking he is very happy man. That's all. Therefore they are camels.

If I am rich man, I must have a very nice motor car, I must have very nice society, friendship, love, buildings. Then that will give me pleasure. And if I have got millions of dollars bank balance and if I think, "Oh, I am so rich man, I am so rich man, I am so rich man." That will not give you pleasure.
Lecture on SB 2.9.3 -- Melbourne, April 5, 1972:

This Māyāvādī philosophy, they are thinking of Brahman, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, "I have become Nārāyaṇa." So how long they will think like that? Therefore they fall down. Artificially he is Brahman. That's all right. Everyone is Brahman. But simply thinking, "I am Brahman, I am Brahman." Suppose you are rich man. So if you simply think, "I am rich man, I am rich man, I am rich man," will that give you pleasure? You must act like a rich man. If I am rich man, I must have a very nice motor car, I must have very nice society, friendship, love, buildings. Then that will give me pleasure. And if I have got millions of dollars bank balance and if I think, "Oh, I am so rich man, I am so rich man, I am so rich man." That will not give you pleasure. Is it not practical? Try to understand. Will any rich man, if he thinks simply that "I am rich man, I am rich man," will he be happy in that way? Rather, a poor man who has got variegated life, he is happy.

Therefore ultimately I give service to my senses. The so-called service to the society, friendship, love, country, nation—all bogus. I do service to my senses, sense gratification. That's all.
Lecture on SB 2.9.16 -- Tokyo, April 30, 1972:

So this service... Here in this material world, service means neither master or servant. Service means to the senses. That's all. We are servant of our senses. We give service to the master—not to the master. I give service to the money—he pays me—not to the master. I have no love for the master. Here anyone goes to the office or goes to service, he does not... He has no business to give service to a certain man, but because he will pay, that means he gives to the, service to the money. And why he gives service to the money? Because it is required for my sense gratification. Therefore ultimately I give service to my senses. The so-called service to the society, friendship, love, country, nation—all bogus. I do service to my senses, sense gratification. That's all. Therefore here service means service to my sensuous kāma, lust. Kāmādīnām, kāma. First of all I am lusty; therefore anyone who is not, who does not require money, he does not go to give service. So because I am lusty—I require some money to fulfill my lusty desires—I go to serve. So therefore kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā. And I give service to a man. If he proposes that "I will give you $5,000. You go and kill that man," oh, I will do immediately. I will go because I want money. As it happened. Even the president is killed. Why the president is killed? You can hire anyone and kill anyone, especially in Western countries. So I want money, so even something which I should not have done, if it is ordered, "You do this. I will give you this money," I will do because I want money. Without money I cannot satisfy my senses.

So this is our position. Kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā. And even... Just like this man who killed President Kennedy, he was also killed. So although he accepted to kill President, which he should not have done, but still, the man who paid him or engaged him, he was not satisfied. He also killed him. This is the position. Even if you do something abominable, still, the man for whom you are doing, he will not be satisfied. He can kill you. This is going on. This is the sense of service here in this world. Try to understand.

Persons who are conditioned in the society, friendship, and love, this is the attraction for material life.
Lecture on SB 3.25.13 -- Los Angeles, November 10, 1968:

So śreyaḥ means... Preyaḥ means sense gratification. We have got our senses, material senses, and we want to satisfy them without consideration, the sequence, the bad results of sense gratification. In the Bhāgavatam there is one passage in which it is stated that yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham (SB 7.9.45). Persons who are conditioned in the society, friendship, and love, this is the attraction for material life. "Society, friendship and love," they think, "divinely bestowed upon man." But that, it is not divinely bestowed upon man. From spiritual point of view, it is the gift of māyā.

Society, friendship and love is the gift of māyā, illusion. Actually, the society with which we associate, and friendship which we make here, and so-called love, how long?
Lecture on SB 3.25.13 -- Los Angeles, November 10, 1968:

Society, friendship and love is the gift of māyā, illusion. Actually, the society with which we associate, and friendship which we make here, and so-called love, how long? Now, supposing I am now in human society. How long I shall remain in human society? I am preparing for my next life, or the next society. I may be transferred to dog society. And I may transfer, I may be transferred to god society. That will depend on my work.

So we like society, friendship. Oh, I do not know how many intimate friendship I had, but those are now just like dream, everything finished. Now I am making new friendships with your countrymen, with you younger boys of this country, and I have forgotten the friendship which I made the whole life in India. So this friendship, this love, this society, this country—everything illusion. Just like dream. At night we dream, "Oh, I have been made a king," and in the morning I see everything finished. So we should not be attached to these temporary attractions.

That is niḥśreyasāya. That is the ultimate benediction. To be repaired(?), enamored by the temporary society, friendship and love.
Lecture on SB 3.25.13 -- Los Angeles, November 10, 1968:

Similarly, the scriptures, the sages, the saintly persons, the devotees, the representative of Kṛṣṇa, God, they're very much anxious to take us back to Godhead, back to home. That is niḥśreyasāya. That is the ultimate benediction. To be repaired(?), enamored by the temporary society, friendship and love. And it has become a thankless task for the saintly persons, devotees of God, to drag them: "Oh, please come here. Please chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Please be Kṛṣṇa conscious. Please be God conscious." Nobody likes it. They think it botheration, "Why Swamiji comes here and bothers us?" But it has become the business. Therefore the qualification of a saintly person is titikṣava, very tolerant, very tolerant.

Sannyāsī means tyakta-karmāṇas tyakta-svajana-bāndhavāḥ. You cannot give up karma if you live with your relatives, svajana, and bāndhavāḥ, society, friendship and love.
Lecture on SB 3.25.22 -- Bombay, November 22, 1974:

If you cannot handle your business nicely, then you become poor man. And if you can handle your business nicely, you become rich man. That is karma. Karma means you have to enjoy the result, fruitive result. That is called karma. And vikarma means punishable, pāpa. And akarma means you do something, but you are neither punishable nor rewardable. It is rewardable, practically. And that is bhakti, or satisfying Kṛṣṇa. There is no result. There is result; ultimate result is go back to home, back... But the material... Materially, if you expect some material profit by becoming a devotee, that is not possible. That is not possible. Māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate (BG 14.26). Then you become above all the resultant action of karma.

So tyakta-karma. Sannyāsī means tyakta-karmāṇas tyakta-svajana-bāndhavāḥ. You cannot give up karma if you live with your relatives, svajana, and bāndhavāḥ, society, friendship and love. If you live, then you cannot give up karma. You have to do, either karma or vikarma. But if you become sannyāsī, then you become akarma. Whatever you do, it is for Kṛṣṇa, and there is no reaction.

Now I understand that You are everything." That is knowledge. That is real knowledge. Therefore it is said, jñānena vairāgya-vijṛmbhitena. This jñāna means vairāgya—no more attachment for serving the so-called society, friendship, love, country. These are all foolishly engagement. But people do not understand it.
Lecture on SB 3.25.27 -- Bombay, November 27, 1974:

So when one becomes devotee, he's not a fool. Pure devotee is full knowledge. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). After many, many births, when one is actually jñānavān, actually wise, he surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. How? Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). He surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. "Kṛṣṇa, I forgot You so long. Now I understand that You are everything." That is knowledge. That is real knowledge. Therefore it is said, jñānena vairāgya-vijṛmbhitena. This jñāna means vairāgya—no more attachment for serving the so-called society, friendship, love, country. These are all foolishly engagement. But people do not understand it. They'll think that "This is my first service. This is my first..." How long you'll serve, my dear sir? But if you serve Kṛṣṇa, this service automatically becomes possible. Just like we are giving prasādam every week on Sunday, distributing prasādam. That is the bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga means that sympathetic to persons who are not devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Devotee or not devotee, by eating kṛṣṇa-prasādam, he'll gradually become devotee. As yesterday I explained that kṛṣṇa-bhakti begins from the tongue, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). If you engage your tongue in the service of the Lord, then Lord manifests. He reveals Himself. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. How it is possible that jihvādau, beginning from the tongue? This is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Jihvādau, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Very easy. You can begin Kṛṣṇa consciousness simply by chanting. And as soon as you chant, go on chanting, then ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam means cleansing the heart. Because all congestion or dirty things within your heart—"I am this. I am that. I am this. I am that"—that if you chant, then gradually you'll understand that you are spirit soul. You're not Indian, not American, not this, not that, not that. This is self-realization.

Ataḥ gṛha, first of all attachment for man and woman, then attachment for the apartment, gṛha, then land, gṛha-kṣetra, then suta, children, then āpta, friends, society, friendship, love. Suta, āpta, then vitta, money. In this way we increase our, the knot, one after another.
Lecture on SB 3.26.2 -- Bombay, December 14, 1974:

So hṛdaya-granthi, we are, how we are becoming tied up between so-called one heart to another. Ataḥ gṛha, first of all attachment for man and woman, then attachment for the apartment, gṛha, then land, gṛha-kṣetra, then suta, children, then āpta, friends, society, friendship, love. Suta, āpta, then vitta, money. In this way we increase our, the knot, one after another. One knot, two knots, three knots, fourth knot, it is going on. And self-realization means opening the knots, opening the knots. The knots began like that. Janasya moho yam ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). And here it is said, hṛdaya-granthi-bhedanam. Bhedanam means separate them. Separate them. That is self-realization. Self-realization means that "I am spirit soul," ahaṁ brahmāsmi. So 'ham, "I am as good as the Supreme Spirit, Kṛṣṇa. Somehow or other I am now in contact with this material attachment." This is called ātma-darśana. And that is clearly explained, ātma-darśana means hṛdaya-granthi-bhedanam. Ātma-darśanam does not mean hṛdaya-granthi vṛddhi or increasing. Therefore, real ātma-darśana, real liberation, real consciousness is separation from this material attachment. Voluntarily, forcefully, or by knowledge, that is required.

Therefore we have to take shelter of the eternal. Then we'll be happy. And so long we shall take shelter of the temporary thing, asat, this material world, material society, friendship, love, state, community, nation—anything you take, they are not permanent—so you cannot be happy.
Lecture on SB 3.26.43 -- Bombay, January 18, 1975:

Asat and sat. Sat means eternal, and asat means temporary. So we are eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). We are not annihilated after the annihilation or destruction of this body. Therefore we have to take shelter of the eternal. Then we'll be happy. And so long we shall take shelter of the temporary thing, asat, this material world, material society, friendship, love, state, community, nation—anything you take, they are not permanent—so you cannot be happy. But if you take shelter for security at the lotus feet of the Supreme, then you are actually secure.

It should be used for Kṛṣṇa's service. We are using our senses for the service of society, friendship, and love. But that service should be transferred to Kṛṣṇa. Then it is bhakti.
Lecture on SB 3.26.44 -- Bombay, January 19, 1975:

So Kṛṣṇa says, puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca. When you smell something very fragrant... Just like in the flower. There are different varieties of flower, and they are exacting different varieties of aroma from the earth. So the good smell of the flower... In some other place it is said in the Bhāgavatam that the..., when you see flower, you see Kṛṣṇa smiling. That is the seeing of Kṛṣṇa smiling. Therefore the flower should be utilized for Kṛṣṇa's service. Because these flowers, everything, is Kṛṣṇa's energy. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). So specifically good fragrance of flower, Kṛṣṇa says that "I am that." Kṛṣṇa's particular presence is there. So we can remember Kṛṣṇa immediately. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is that you remember always Kṛṣṇa. Always Kṛṣṇa. Just like Mahārāja Ambarīṣa did. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ (SB 9.4.18). He engaged his mind at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa simply by engaging the mind. Vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane. If we utilize our senses always in the service of the Lord, that is bhakti. At the present moment we are utilizing our senses for material objectives. That is to be purified. It should be used for Kṛṣṇa's service. We are using our senses for the service of society, friendship, and love. But that service should be transferred to Kṛṣṇa. Then it is bhakti. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). Bhakti means... This flower, we are smelling; we are enjoying. That is sense gratification. Similarly, this same flower, if it is offered to Kṛṣṇa as garland, that He will smell it and feel pleasure, that is bhakti.

Everyone is seeking some friend. That is a fact. The businessmen or lawyers or politicians, everyone is seeking some friend. Without friend... Society, friendship and love, these things are required. But a mahātmā householder, he is seeking actual friendship with Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- London, September 17, 1969:

A householder mahātmā has only one aim: how to attain the perfectional stage of love of God. That is the aim. Generally, a householder in the modern civilization, they are simply trying to accumulate money, increase the bank balance and make the society, friendship and love as the aim and object of life, and they have no other business. But a person who is mahātmā, his aim is different. His aim is "How to make my life perfect in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. How to please Kṛṣṇa, how to make friendship with Kṛṣṇa." Everyone is seeking some friend. That is a fact. The businessmen or lawyers or politicians, everyone is seeking some friend. Without friend... Society, friendship and love, these things are required. But a mahātmā householder, he is seeking actual friendship with Kṛṣṇa. Īśe sauhṛdārthāḥ. Because he knows, "If Kṛṣṇa is my friend..." Just like Arjuna sought friendship with Kṛṣṇa; Duryodhana sought friendship with Kṛṣṇa's power. Kṛṣṇa divided Himself. Because it was a family warfare between two cousin brothers, and Kṛṣṇa was also related with both of them by family relationship, so He said, "How can I take part with one and not with the other? Then that will be partiality. So anyway, I divide Myself into two. I am alone, one side, and in which side I shall go, I shall not fight. I shall not touch even a weapon. And the other side, all My soldiers." Kṛṣṇa had many soldiers. So Duryodhana thought that "I shall take Kṛṣṇa's soldiers," and Arjuna thought, "I shall take Kṛṣṇa only, even He does not fight."

This is a material bag. And if one takes this bag as he himself, then, according to that conception of life, yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu... (SB 10.84.13). Kalatra means wife, and through wife there are children, society, friendship and love and so many things. Sva-dhīḥ. And that is our own thing.
Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 11, 1975:

Go means cow, and khara means ass. If one is under the bodily concept of life, ātma-buddhi, yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātu... This body is made of three dhātus: kapha, pitta, vāyu. If we take this body, this bag made of bones and flesh and blood and urine and stool and so many other things, muscles... Kuṇape tri-dhātuke... This is a material bag. And if one takes this bag as he himself, then, according to that conception of life, yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu... (SB 10.84.13). Kalatra means wife, and through wife there are children, society, friendship and love and so many things. Sva-dhīḥ. And that is our own thing. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ. The nationalism is also like that. Sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ: and the land of birth as worshipable. Bhauma ijya-dhīḥ. This bhauma ijya-dhīḥ is nationalism. Of course, there is no such thing in the Vedic literature as nationalism. This is modern product. But this word is there, bhauma-ijya-dhīḥ, the land of birth... That is also explained in some other Vedic literature, jananī janma-bhūmiś ca svargād api garīyasi(?). People like it, but this is... All are on the bodily concept of life.

Our so-called society, friendship, love, in this material world, they are all, they are called illusory, phenomenal. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya said, jagan mithyā. He says little bluntly, but actually it has no meaning, because this social condition of life is existent so long this body is there.
Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Hyderabad, April 15, 1975:

So the symptom is described, how even a gṛhastha can become fully Kṛṣṇa conscious. The negative side is described that he's not interested with this worldly, so-called advancement of social position, or advancement of economic problem. So many things they have created. These are described here. Gṛheṣu jāyātmaja-rātimatsu. Ātmaja-rātimatsu na prīti-yuktā yāvad-arthāś ca loke. Neither neglectful as far as possible, yāvat-arthāḥ, not too much overwhelmed, because after all this is temporary. Our so-called society, friendship, love, in this material world, they are all, they are called illusory, phenomenal. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya said, jagan mithyā. He says little bluntly, but actually it has no meaning, because this social condition of life is existent so long this body is there. As soon as I change my body, even in this country We are very much fond of our country, janani janma-bhūmiś ca svargād api gariyasi, but the country is so ungrateful.

That is the intelligent, that I have served the so-called society, friendship and love just to serve my own lusty desires, that's all. Kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā pālitā durnideśās. Everyone is serving the so-called societies, and for his own satisfaction, sense gratification.
Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Hyderabad, April 15, 1975:

Mahatma Gandhi, he worked so much for his country. The result was that he was killed by his countrymen. So, just see the example. So, in this material life, you will never be able to make anyone happy by your activities. That is not possible. Neither you will be happy.

Kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā pālitā durnideśās teṣāṁ mayi na karuṇā jātā na trapā nopaśāntiḥ. That is the intelligent, that I have served the so-called society, friendship and love just to serve my own lusty desires, that's all. Kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā pālitā durnideśās. Everyone is serving the so-called societies, and for his own satisfaction, sense gratification. Nobody wants to serve anyone. He wants to serve himself. That is the position, real position. So in this way, if we spoil, spoil our life We are serving, but serving our senses, lusty desires. We have to change this mood of service to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We have to serve. We cannot become master. That is not possible. As soon as you become master, you will be kicked. But that is also false position. We cannot become master, we are servant, but instead of serving Kṛṣṇa, we are serving māyā. That is our position. So we have to change this position. We, instead of serving māyā, we have to transfer our service to Kṛṣṇa. That is perfection of life.

The waves of water gathering together the straws, leaves, and other, and another wave, finished. All society, friendship, love, children, wife, everything, national—finished. This is going on.
Lecture on SB 6.1.23 -- Chicago, July 7, 1975:

"By the waves of māyā you are being carried away, and hābuḍubu, sometimes being drowned within the, under the water, and sometimes rising, floating on the water." This is our life, material life. We are being carried away by the waves of nature. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). And sometimes... Just like in the waves of water you will find many straws and vegetables and leaves, they gather together. You will find. And again, by another toss, they are separated. One straw goes this way, another straw, leaf, goes this way, no combination. Similarly, we are, gathering together: society, friendship, love, community, society, and so on, so on, nationality, family, sons, daughters, wife. The same thing: the waves of water gathering together the straws, leaves, and other, and another wave, finished. All society, friendship, love, children, wife, everything, national—finished. This is going on.

There is a poetry in English, "Society, friendship and love, divine (indistinct)." But that society is not this society. If we become husband of the prostitute, no, that is not possible. Then sad-ācāra will be finished.
Lecture on SB 6.1.25 -- Honolulu, May 25, 1976:

Therefore in the Vedic civilization two things are very much stressed: to teach the man from childhood how to become expert in sad-ācāra, and woman trained up how to become chaste. So this chaste woman and this sad-ācāra, brāhmaṇa, ideal is brāhmaṇa, he'll become married. Then there will be peace, there will be progress, there will be peace in the society, peace in the family. There is a poetry in English, "Society, friendship and love, divine (indistinct)." But that society is not this society. If we become husband of the prostitute, no, that is not possible. Then sad-ācāra will be finished. Nāmnā sad-ācāra. Dāsyāḥ saṁsarga-dūṣitaḥ: as soon as you become associated with prostitute, then everything will be lost.

So in this way, our attachment increases. So when we are old enough, Prahlāda Mahārāja says that ko gṛheṣu pumān saktam. The older we are, our attachment for home—home, society, society, friendship, love—increases.
Lecture on SB 7.6.9-17 -- San Francisco, March 31, 1969:

The materialistic attraction means, the first attraction is sex. This whole world, not only human society, in animal society also... There are 8,400,000's of different kinds of societies according to different kinds of species of life. "Birds of the same feather flock together." As it is said, that a species, a particular type of species of life... Not only that, we human beings, we have flocked together. Birds of the same feather. This is not very important thing. If you combine together as American or Indian or Chinese or many other names, oh, same thing in there in the lower animals also. Therefore this saying is very nice, that "Birds of the same feather flock together." So this propensity of combination of society, community, amongst the human being, is not very important improvement. So in this way, our attachment increases. So when we are old enough, Prahlāda Mahārāja says that ko gṛheṣu pumān saktam. The older we are, our attachment for home—home, society, society, friendship, love—increases.

When our attachment becomes too much strong, it is not possible to give up this material society, friendship, love, and attachment.
Lecture on SB 7.6.9-17 -- San Francisco, March 31, 1969:

The real purpose of life is, especially for the human being, is how to get away from this material bondage. So in the old age, Prahlāda Mahārāja says, when the attachment is too much grown Ko gṛheṣu pumān saktam. The attachment for home, society, friendship, is natural. But when that attachment is very solid and grown strong, at that time he says, sneha-pāśair dṛḍhair baddham. When the affection with one another is very firmly settled, how one can leave? (aside:) I am feeling warm. Wretched(?). I want to take off, yes. (sound of Prabhupāda removing sweater) It is inconveniently turned. (pause) Sneha-pāśair dṛḍhair baddham utsaheta. When our attachment becomes too much strong, it is not possible to give up this material society, friendship, love, and attachment.

Therefore according to Vedic civilization, as I was explaining the other day, at a certain point one has to, by, I mean to say, voluntarily, one has to give up the so-called society, friendship and love, and engage fully for cultivation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Lecture on SB 7.6.9-17 -- San Francisco, March 31, 1969:

So therefore the whole stress is given, Prahlāda Mahārāja giving, that if we want to begin Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then we have to begin immediately because the more we grow older, our attachment for material things becomes more and more strong, and at that time it is very difficult. Therefore according to Vedic civilization, as I was explaining the other day, at a certain point one has to, by, I mean to say, voluntarily, one has to give up the so-called society, friendship and love, and engage fully for cultivation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Now, in this meeting I shall request those who are not very much attached to this materialistic way of life... They are seeking after something tangible, for, I mean to say, spiritual consciousness or spiritual life. So for them I present with submission that this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the only solace for the human society if they are actually hankering after something spiritual.

Just like in the dream we see so many things, and in the morning we forget everything. This is subtle dream. And this existence, this bodily existence and relationship to this body, society, friendship, and love and so many things, they are also gross dream. It will finish.
Lecture on SB 7.6.9-17 -- San Francisco, March 31, 1969:

What we call māyā... Māyā means Mā means "not," and yā means "this." What you are accepting as fact, it is not a fact. This is called māyā. Ma-ya. Māyā means "Don't accept it as truth." It is simply flickering flash only. Just like in the dream we see so many things, and in the morning we forget everything. This is subtle dream. And this existence, this bodily existence and relationship to this body, society, friendship, and love and so many things, they are also gross dream. It will finish. It will stay Just like dream stays for a few minutes or few hours when you are asleep, similarly, this gross dream also will remain, say, for few years. That's all. It is also dream. But actually we are concerned with the person who is dreaming or who is acting. So we have to take him out from this dream, gross and subtle. That is the proposition.

And if you can control the tongue and draw a straight line, then you control your belly and control your sex also. That is the formula. Because these three things are making us too much attracted to the society, friendship and love.
Lecture on SB 7.6.9-17 -- San Francisco, March 31, 1969:

So according to Vaiṣṇava philosophy or Vaiṣṇava activities, because this tongue is very strong to be conquered, to be win over, the tongue is given Kṛṣṇa prasādam. First thing is tongue is controlled, that "You should not eat such and such things, you should not drink such and such things, you should simply take Kṛṣṇa prasādam." That means that is the process of controlling the tongue. And if you can control the tongue and draw a straight line, then you control your belly and control your sex also. That is the formula. Because these three things are making us too much attracted to the society, friendship and love. Kuṭumba-poṣāya viyan nijāyur na budhyate 'rthaṁ vihataṁ pramattaḥ. In this way, for maintaining the family members—kuṭumba, kuṭumba means family members—he is in madness. Pramattaḥ. The very word is used here, pramattaḥ. In madness, he is forgetting his real business and he's simply wasting time in this way for maintaining family or society and friendship.

If we forget that I have to use this car and go to such and such destination and simply take care of the car, that is our foolishness. So society, friendship, love, and everything should be so adjusted that it may not disturb our real purpose of life.
Lecture on SB 7.6.9-17 -- San Francisco, March 31, 1969:

Suppose we are cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness... So this body has to be maintained. Suppose my body is sick. I must go to the doctor, take help, and keep it very nicely. And I must take foodstuff so that the body is maintained nicely. That care should be taken. But not that we forget our real business. The same example: If we forget that I have to use this car and go to such and such destination and simply take care of the car, that is our foolishness. So society, friendship, love, and everything should be so adjusted that it may not disturb our real purpose of life. Not that we forget our real purpose of life and we become more and more entangled in the so-called society, friendship and love. That is the instruction of Prahlāda Mahārāja.

We are always unhappy due to these three kinds of miseries inflicted by the laws of nature, but still, we think that we are very nice. But actually we are duḥkhitātmā, we are always sorry. Nirvidyate na kuṭumba-rāmaḥ. But there is no satiation because the only solace is that he is within the so-called friendship, love and society.
Lecture on SB 7.6.9-17 -- San Francisco, March 31, 1969:

So here it is said, tāpa-traya-duḥkhitātmā. Duḥkhi. That is our ignorance. We are always unhappy due to these three kinds of miseries inflicted by the laws of nature, but still, we think that we are very nice. But actually we are duḥkhitātmā, we are always sorry. Nirvidyate na kuṭumba-rāmaḥ. But there is no satiation because the only solace is that he is within the so-called friendship, love and society. That's all. Kuṭumba-rāmaḥ. Vitteṣu nityābhiniviṣṭa-cetā vidvāṁś ca doṣaṁ para-vitta-hartuḥ. And being too much attached to money matters, even learned persons, even very, I mean to say, advanced intellectually, they also try to steal others money. Para-vitta. Although it is a fault. Although it is fault. Vitteṣu nityābhiniviṣṭa-cetā. Nitya, perpetually too much attached to money. Nityābhiniviṣṭa. Niviṣṭa means profoundly attached. Profoundly attached to money. Vidvāṁś ca doṣaṁ para-vitta-hartuḥ. Although to take other money or to steal others' money is a fault It is a fault not only to the law of the state, but it is a fault to the law of the Supreme God also. You can avoid the state law by stealing, but you cannot avoid the law of the Supreme Person.

Although we know that in this world it is faulty and also next world it is faulty, but because we have our senses uncontrolled, we cannot change. Aśānta kāmo harate kuṭumbī. And the main attraction is all these nonsense things are done simply being attached to the so-called society, friendship, and love.
Lecture on SB 7.6.9-17 -- San Francisco, March 31, 1969:

You can avoid the state law by stealing, but you cannot avoid the law of the Supreme Person. You see, He can see everywhere. You can steal very stealthily so that police constables or police force cannot see. You are think that "I am doing very nicely. Nobody can see me." But you cannot avoid the eyes of the Supreme. So doṣa, it is fault. Either in this world or in the next world, it is faulty. But we are so accustomed, we are so, I mean to say, profoundly attached to money that we take illegally others' money. Para-vitta-hartuḥ. Pretyeha vāthāpy ajitendriyas. Although we know that in this world it is faulty and also next world it is faulty, but because we have our senses uncontrolled, we cannot change. Aśānta kāmo harate kuṭumbī. And the main attraction is all these nonsense things are done simply being attached to the so-called society, friendship, and love.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

So when we give up these designations, then that is mukti. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena-nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). And so long we are designated, we don't care for Kṛṣṇa, we care for society, friendship, love, country, philanthropism, this "ism," that "ism," that is our bondage.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:

Liberation, mukti,... Mukti means to be situated in his own constitutional position. That is mukti. So our constitutional position is eternal servitorship of Kṛṣṇa. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇera dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). So if we can simply understand that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. Let me again engage, be engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service," and if he's actually engaged, then immediately he's liberated. So devotees are already liberated. Those who are actually serious. Mukti svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ (SB 2.10.6). Hitvā anyathā rūpaṁ svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ. This is the definition of mukti. Mukti means hitvā anyathā rūpam. We are acting at the present moment anyathā. Anyathā means somebody's thinking that "I am the maintainer of this family. I am the minister of this state. I am this. I am that." So many. Upādhis. So when we give up these designations, then that is mukti. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena-nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). And so long we are designated, we don't care for Kṛṣṇa, we care for society, friendship, love, country, philanthropism, this "ism," that "ism," that is our bondage.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

We are trying to be happy here in this material world—how? Suta-mitra-ramaṇī-samāje. Suta means children. Mitra means friends. Society, friendship and love, wife, children... Tāta... So one may say, "Unless there is no happiness, how they are struggling for this suta-mitra-ramaṇī-samāja?"
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.8 -- Mayapur, April 1, 1975:

So Vidyāpati has sung a song, tātala saikate, vāri-bindu-sama, suta-mitra-ramaṇī-samāje. We are trying to be happy here in this material world—how? Suta-mitra-ramaṇī-samāje. Suta means children. Mitra means friends. Society, friendship and love, wife, children... Tāta... So one may say, "Unless there is no happiness, how they are struggling for this suta-mitra-ramaṇī-samāja?" So Vidyāpati says, "Yes, there is happiness." Certainly there is happiness. Otherwise why these vimūḍhān, foolish people, running after it? So he says that the value of their happiness is a proportion of a drop of water in the desert. Tātala saikate. Tātala means, very hot, and saikate means sand. Those who have seen desert, they have got experience how it is intolerable during sunshine, vast, I mean to say, tract of land with sand. So naturally they require water. So if somebody says, "Yes, I'll give you water," and a drop of water... What is called? Proportionate, token. It is called token. "Yes, you want water. Take this water, drop." "What this water will do? This is desert. I want ocean of water and you are giving me drop of water? What is the value?" So still, we are seeking water there.

"A person in the conditional stage of material existence is in an atmosphere of helplessness. But the conditioned soul, under the illusion of māyā or the external energy, thinks that he is completely protected by his country, society, friendship and love, not knowing that at the time of death none of these can save him."
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.1 -- Atlanta, March 1, 1975:

So (reading:) "A person in the conditional stage of material existence is in an atmosphere of helplessness. But the conditioned soul, under the illusion of māyā or the external energy, thinks that he is completely protected by his country, society, friendship and love, not knowing that at the time of death none of these can save him." This is called māyā. But he does not believe. Under the illusion of māyā, he does not also believe that what is the meaning of saving. Saving. Saving means saving oneself from this repetition, cycle of birth and death. That is real saving. But they do not know. (reading:) "The laws of material nature are so strong that none of our material possessions can save us from the cruel hands of death." Everyone knows it. And that is our real problem. Who is not afraid of death? Everyone is afraid of death. Why? Because any living entity, he is not meant for dying. He is eternal; therefore birth, death, old age and disease, these things are botheration for him. Because he is eternal, he does not take birth, na jāyate, and one who does not take birth, he has no death also, na mriyate kadācit. This is our actual position. Therefore we are afraid of death. That is our natural inclination.

Festival Lectures

So persons who are too much attached to sense gratification, and they have made it their conclusion that "We shall be happy within our family life or this social life..." Vidyāpati sings, tātala saikate vāri-bindu sama suto-mita-ramanī-samāj(?). Our society means... Society, friendship, and love.
Nrsimha-caturdasi Lord Nrsimhadeva's Appearance Day -- Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.22-34 -- Los Angeles, May 27, 1972:

So persons who are too much attached to sense gratification, and they have made it their conclusion that "We shall be happy within our family life or this social life..." Vidyāpati sings, tātala saikate vāri-bindu sama suto-mita-ramanī-samāj(?). Our society means... Society, friendship, and love. There must be woman, must be children, suto-mita-ramanī-samāje. So there is some pleasure, undoubtedly. Otherwise, why people are working so hard to stick to this position? Vidyāpati sings that tātala saikate vāri-bindu sama suto-mita-ramanī-samāj(?). There is undoubtedly some pleasure, but that pleasure is so insignificant that it can be compared: a drop of water on the desert. Desert, if you want to utilize desert to make it a garden or productive field, you have to pour water. The whole ocean water you have to pour there. Now, if somebody says, "All right, you want water. Now take this one drop water," then what it will do? Similarly, our heart is hankering after so many things. We are hankering... Actually we are hankering after Kṛṣṇa, but we do not know. We are trying to satisfy our hankering in so many ways in material life. Actually we are hankering after Kṛṣṇa. Just like a small child, it is crying. It cannot express, but it is wanting the mother's breast feeding. So you cannot stop him crying unless it is transferred to the mother. Similarly, actually we love Kṛṣṇa. That is a fact. Because we love Kṛṣṇa... Therefore you, who did not hear even the name of Kṛṣṇa, say, four or five years ago, why you after so much Kṛṣṇa? This is the proof, that actually we are after Kṛṣṇa. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is being accepted in Western countries by the younger generation. Why? Because every one of us, we love Kṛṣṇa. But it is now covered by māyā. We have to simply take out the covering, māyā; then we are Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Nitāi nā bolilo mukhe, majilā saṁsāra-sukhe. He who has no connection with Nityānanda Prabhu, and he does not say, "Jaya Nitāi! Jaya Gaura!" And majilo saṁsāra-sukhe, he thinks that this society, family, and... "Society, friendship and love, divinely bestowed upon man."
Lord Nityananda Prabhu's Avirbhava Appearance Day Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, February 2, 1977:

"My dear Vaiṣṇava Ṭhākura, kindly accept me as your dog, as your dog. I am dog already, but I am māyā's dog. I'm not Vaiṣṇava's dog. So kindly accept me." If you become a Vaiṣṇava's dog... Chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava sevā, nistār pāiche kebā. If you do not become a dog of Vaiṣṇava and Nityānanda Prabhu... Nityānanda is guru. So if you do not become a dog of Nityānanda Prabhu, Vaiṣṇava, or guru, there is no question of happiness. Se sambandha nāhi yār, bṛthā janma gelo... se paśu boro durācār. Nitāi nā bolilo mukhe, majilā saṁsāra-sukhe. He who has no connection with Nityānanda Prabhu, and he does not say, "Jaya Nitāi! Jaya Gaura!" And majilo saṁsāra-sukhe, he thinks that this society, family, and... "Society, friendship and love, divinely bestowed upon man." These materialist persons, they say like that. That is called majilo saṁsāra sukhe. In saṁsāra there cannot be any sukha, but he's attracted by that. Majilo saṁsāra sukhe. Vidyā-kule ki koribe tār. What we'll do with university education or born in big family or... This will not help. This is not possible. Vidyā-kule ki karibe tār. Why they're accepting this false? Ahaṅkāre matta hoiyā, nitāi-pada pasariya, asatyere satya kori māni. On account of being misled by false prestige and false egotism, asatyere satya kori māni, we are accepting this body which is asat, which will not exist. That we have taken as reality.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Everyone is serving society, friendship, love, family, country, but none of them are satisfied.
Arrival Address -- Los Angeles, February 9, 1975:

Anyone who is engaged very seriously, satata-yuktānām, twenty-four hours, thinking, "Kṛṣṇa, how can I serve you...?" This is the only business. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Four things: Always think of Kṛṣṇa... This Hare Kṛṣṇa means "O the energy of Kṛṣṇa, O Kṛṣṇa, please engage me in Your service. I have given service to this material world so much, but I could not satisfy the master, neither I am satisfied." Everyone is serving society, friendship, love, family, country, but none of them are satisfied. None of them sat... Even your President, he could not satisfy you. You had to drag him down. Neither he could satisfy himself. Even Gandhi could not satisfy his countrymen. Although he gave so much service, he was shot dead. So this is the material world. You cannot satisfy anyone, neither you become satisfied, materially engaged. This is called material world. We may show some artificial satisfaction, but there cannot be satisfaction in the material world.

General Lectures

If I have got a nice arrangement for defensive measure, then I feel confident. Similarly, we are thinking that "This home, this wife, this children, this society, this friendship, this love, this nation, that will give me protection."
Lecture -- New York, April 16, 1969:

As soon as you get money there are nice shops, all advertising, "Come here. Take this garment. Take this. Take that. Take that car." Always advertisement. Anyone who has got his money in the pocket, he's immediately spending. So for earning money and to spend them or to sleep at night or to enjoy sex life at night. So this is the engagement of a materialistic man throughout the whole day and night. So dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv ātma-sainyeṣv asatsv api (SB 2.1.4). But they are so fool that dehāpatya. This body and these children and this wife, this home, dehāpatya-kala..., ātma-sainyeṣu. Just like one feels very confident when he has got a great number of soldiers. Suppose we are fighting somewhere. If I have got a nice arrangement for defensive measure, then I feel confident. Similarly, we are thinking that "This home, this wife, this children, this society, this friendship, this love, this nation, that will give me protection." Teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanaṁ paśyann api na paśyati. But they are so mad that although they are seeing that others' children are dying, others' wife is dying, one, another friend is dying, other nation is being defeated, other social custom or social friendship or any attachment, they are being spoiled, they are attached to all these things only. Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu (SB 2.1.4). They have no other information.

Somebody is serving country, society, friendship, love, and so many things. They have created service. At last dog service, cat service. But because they have forgotten Kṛṣṇa's service, therefore they are called fallen.
Lecture -- Tokyo, April 20, 1972:

So Vaiṣṇava is the patitānāṁ pāvana... Fallen. Fallen means when one falls down from his actual position. That is called fallen. So every conditioned soul is fallen because he has fallen down from his actual position. What is his actual position? The position is that he is eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. That is the constitutional position of living entity. But he has fallen means he has given up the service of Kṛṣṇa and he has taken the service of māyā, means so many things. Somebody is serving country, society, friendship, love, and so many things. They have created service. At last dog service, cat service. But because they have forgotten Kṛṣṇa's service, therefore they are called fallen. These fallen conditioned soul are claimed by the Vaiṣṇavas. Patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ. That is Vaiṣṇava's duty.

Philosophy Discussions

So real happiness means "which is increasingly unlimited." That is happiness. Temporary happiness... Vidyāpati sings, tātala saikate vāri-bindu-sama suta-mita-ramaṇī-samāje, that we are trying to enjoy in this material world, happiness in the society, friendship and love.
Philosophy Discussion on Jeremy Bentham:

Prabhupāda: But physical senses cannot actually cannot give you the greatest happiness. Just like a man is sensuous. So he can enjoy one woman, two women, but he cannot enjoy unlimitedly. But our standard of happiness means "which is increasingly unlimited." That is happiness. Therefore it is said, ramante yogino 'nante satyānande cid-ātmani. Those who are yogis, they enjoy. So enjoyment... Without enjoyment, nothing is relished. Just like you are taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is some enjoyment, transcendental bliss. Otherwise how you can stick to it? So real happiness means "which is increasingly unlimited." That is happiness. Temporary happiness... Vidyāpati sings, tātala saikate vāri-bindu-sama suta-mita-ramaṇī-samāje, that we are trying to enjoy in this material world, happiness in the society, friendship and love. Suta-mita-ramaṇī-samāje, friends, children, wife, like that. That is in the society. But Vidyāpati says, "Yes, there is happiness undoubtedly, but that happiness is just like a drop of water in the desert. Desert means it is hankering after water. Dry desert, he requires water, but if you go there and put a drop of water, "Now here is water." So our, we are, who are hankering after so great happiness that these rascals' sense gratification happiness is not giving us. It is just like a drop in the desert. Therefore we are changing, changing simply. The same thing, punaḥ punaś carvita-car... The same thing, we do not know what is real happiness so simply changing the posture. Now woman should be mini-skirted. Why they should be fully dressed? (laughter) Now they're also trying. Ultimately they're coming to the position of (indistinct) (laughter). Just see. Here, here in the (indistinct). They are attracting tourists by showing the vagina(?). That's all. This is happiness. They have no other information. "Come on, here is vagina, open. This is their standard of happiness. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham (SB 7.9.45), most abominable thing they have taken as happiness. So what do they know about happiness? These so-called philosophers, they do not know what is happiness. And why they are philosophizing about happiness? Happiness is also our aim, but that happiness is different from this happiness. Just like a hog is enjoying happiness eating stool. No man will be happy by eating stool neither he will agree to enjoy such happiness. It is the standard of happiness according to the body.

So ultimately the conclusion is, because a supreme living entity is in the body or within the universe, therefore we have manufactured so many activities of love and society, friendship, nationality, community. Ultimately, when it culminates with love of God, then it is perfect.
Philosophy Discussion on Samuel Alexander:

Prabhupāda: As soon as I give up this body, the body is neglected, it has no value, throw it. So, so long the living soul is there, the body has value. So why the living soul is valuable? Because he is the part and parcel of God. So God is there also within this body. This is explained is the Bhagavad-gītā. There are two living entities. One is..., they all..., both of them are known as kṣetra-jña. One kṣetra-jña only knows about his body, and the other kṣetra-jña knows all other bodies. That is God and the living entity. So the body is important because the living entities are there. The subordinate living entity is the part of the supreme living entity. So ultimately the conclusion is, because a supreme living entity is in the body or within the universe, therefore we have manufactured so many activities of love and society, friendship, nationality, community. Ultimately, when it culminates with love of God, then it is perfect. So the conclusion is that we are searching after the platform where God is love, but it is going on, I mean to say, by degrees, one after another, in different names.

Purports to Songs

Then, one may say that "If I associate with the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, then how my family affairs will go on? Who will look after my wife and children, society, friendship, love? I have got so many business."
Purport to Bhajahu Re Mana -- Los Angeles, May 27, 1972:

Then, one may say that "If I associate with the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, then how my family affairs will go on? Who will look after my wife and children, society, friendship, love? I have got so many business." There, therefore he says, śīta ātapa bāta bariṣaṇa ei dina jāminī jāgi re: "My dear mind, you are working so hard." Śīta ātapa. "In severe cold you are going to work. In scorching heat you are going to work. Torrents of rain... You cannot stop your work." Śīta ātapa bāta bariṣaṇa. "Night duty, whole night working." People are doing that. Śīta ātapa bāta bariṣaṇa ei dina jāminī jāgi re. Whole day work, again I'll get some more money, I'll let you work at night also, extra. In this way we are working. Why? Why you are working? Why you are working?

"In this way I have wasted my time," biphale sevinu, "to serve kṛpana durajana, some so-called society, friendship and love. Kṛpaṇa, they will not, never, be engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but I am engaged in their service."
Purport to Bhajahu Re Mana -- Los Angeles, May 27, 1972:

"In this way I have wasted my time," biphale sevinu, "to serve kṛpana durajana, some so-called society, friendship and love. Kṛpaṇa, they will not, never, be engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but I am engaged in their service." So this is general, not that every, every family. Mostly 99.9. So biphale sevinu, "In this way I am wasting my time. And what is the pleasure?" Capala sukha-labha lāgi' re. "Few minutes' sex, that's all." Behind the sex, so many labor. Therefore Govinda dāsa says that "You are trying to enjoy wealth," ei-dhana, yauvana, putra, parijana. Material happiness means to acquire money, dhana;, and then jana, many adherents or dependents-wife, children, friends, society, so many things, country. So putra, parijana, ithe ki āche paratīti re. "You cannot have any transcendental bliss in this." kamala-dala-jala, jīvana ṭalamala. The life is tottering. You cannot say when the life will be finished. The example is given, kamala-jala-dala. Just like lotus leaf. If you put water on the leaf, it will not stay; it will be tiltering. At any moment it slips. Similarly, our life is like that, tiltering. At any moment—finished. Kamala-jala-dala, jivana..., bhajahu hari-pada nīti re. Therefore engage yourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness as much as you can. Finish before the death comes. That is your mission. And what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness? Śravana, kīrtana, smarana, vandana, pāda-sevana, dāsya re, pūjana, sakhī-jana, ātma-nivedana, the nine kinds of devotional service, govinda-dāsa-abhilāṣa re.

Page Title:Society, friendship and love (Lectures)
Compiler:Labangalatika, Gopinath
Created:07 of Nov, 2009
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=66, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:66