Spiritual power

Expressions researched:
"spiritual and will have powerful" |"spiritual mantra is powerful" |"spiritual power" |"spiritual powers" |"spiritual soul is so powerful" |"spiritual sound is so powerful" |"spiritual spark has that power" |"spiritual, and powerful" |"spiritually more powerful" |"spiritually powerful" |"spiritually very powerful"

SB Canto 1

SB 1.11.16-17, Purport:

When Subhadrā was kidnapped by Arjuna by the organized plan of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Baladeva was very angry with Arjuna and wanted to kill him at once. Śrī Kṛṣṇa, for the sake of His dear friend, fell at the feet of Lord Baladeva and implored Him not to be so angry. Śrī Baladeva was thus satisfied. Similarly, He was once very angry with the Kauravas, and He wanted to throw their whole city into the depths of the Yamunā. But the Kauravas satisfied Him by surrendering unto His divine lotus feet. He was actually the seventh son of Devakī prior to the birth of Lord Kṛṣṇa, but by the will of the Lord He was transferred to the womb of Rohiṇī to escape the wrath of Kaṁsa. His other name is therefore Saṅkarṣaṇa, who is also the plenary portion of Śrī Baladeva. Because He is as powerful as Lord Kṛṣṇa and can bestow spiritual power to the devotees, He is therefore known as Baladeva. In the Vedas also it is enjoined that no one can know the Supreme Lord without being favored by Baladeva. Bala means spiritual strength not physical.

SB 1.19.4, Purport:

Mahārāja Parīkṣit was a great devotee of the Lord and a bona fide candidate for entering into the kingdom of God, but even though he was so, his material assets as the Emperor of the world were setbacks to perfect attainment of his rightful status as one of the associates of the Lord in the spiritual sky. As a devotee of the Lord, he could understand that the cursing of the brāhmaṇa boy, although unwise, was a blessing upon him, being the cause of detachment from worldly affairs, both political and social. Śamīka Muni also, after regretting the incident, conveyed the news to the King as a matter of duty so that the King would be able to prepare himself to go back to Godhead. Śamīka Muni sent news to the King that foolish Śṛṅgi, his son, although a powerful brāhmaṇa boy, unfortunately had misused his spiritual power by cursing the King unwarrantedly. The incident of the King's garlanding the muni was not sufficient cause for being cursed to death, but since there was no way to retract the curse, the King was informed to prepare for death within a week.

SB Canto 3

SB 3.11.17, Translation:

O spiritually powerful one, you can understand the movements of eternal time, which is the controlling form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Because you are a self-realized person, you can see everything by the power of mystic vision.

SB 3.21.12, Purport:

According to Patañjali, when one becomes free from all material desires he attains his real, transcendental situation, and realization of that stage is called spiritual power. In material activities a person engages in the modes of material nature. The aspirations of such people are (1) to be religious, (2) to be economically enriched, (3) to be able to gratify the senses and, at last, (4) to become one with the Supreme.

SB 3.21.12, Purport:

The oneness of understanding that the Supreme Lord is fully spiritual and that in full spiritual realization one can understand what He is—the Supreme Personality of Godhead—is called kaivalya, or, in the language of Patañjali, realization of spiritual power. His proposal is that when one is freed from material desires and fixed in spiritual realization of the self and the Superself, that is called cit-śakti.

SB Canto 4

SB 4.8.80, Purport:

As explained in the previous verse, Dhruva Mahārāja, because of his spiritual advancement, became almost the total heaviness, and thus he pressed down the whole earth. Moreover, by such spiritual power his unit body became the total body of the universe. Thus when he closed the holes of his unit body to firmly concentrate his mind on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, all the units of the universe—namely all the living entities, including the big demigods—felt the pressure of suffocation, as if their breathing were being choked.

SB 4.14.14, Purport:

Unfortunately, in the present age of Kali, the head of government does not follow the instructions given by the saintly persons; therefore neither the citizens nor the men of government are very happy. Their duration of life is shortened, and almost everyone is wretched and bereft of bodily strength and spiritual power. If citizens want to be happy and prosperous in this democratic age, they should not elect rascals and fools who have no respect for saintly persons.

SB 4.14.41, Translation:

The great sages began to think that although a brāhmaṇa is peaceful and impartial because he is equal to everyone, it is still not his duty to neglect poor humans. By such neglect, a brāhmaṇa's spiritual power diminishes, just as water kept in a cracked pot leaks out.

SB 4.20.25, Purport:

A pure devotee always engages in the service of the Lord, taking shelter of His lotus feet, and therefore he has a direct connection with the saffron mercy-particles that are strewn over the lotus feet of the Lord. Although when a pure devotee speaks the articulation of his voice may resemble the sound of this material sky, the voice is spiritually very powerful because it touches the particles of saffron dust on the lotus feet of the Lord. As soon as a sleeping living entity hears the powerful voice emanating from the mouth of a pure devotee, he immediately remembers his eternal relationship with the Lord, although up until that moment he had forgotten everything.

SB 4.23.18, Purport:

When Pṛthu Mahārāja became spiritually powerful by the enhancement of his spiritual knowledge (jñāna) and renunciation of material desires, he became a prabhu, or master of his senses (sometimes called gosvāmī or svāmī). This means that he was no longer controlled by the influence of material energy. When one is strong enough to give up the influence of material energy, he is called prabhu. In this verse the word svarūpa-sthaḥ is also very significant. The real identity of the individual soul lies in understanding or attaining the knowledge that he is eternally a servant of Kṛṣṇa. This understanding is called svarūpopalabdhi. By culturing devotional service, the devotee gradually comes to understand his actual relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This understanding of one's pure spiritual position is called svarūpopalabdhi, and when one attains that stage he can understand how he is related with the Supreme Personality of Godhead as a servant or friend or as a parent or conjugal lover. This stage of understanding is called svarūpa-sthaḥ. Pṛthu Mahārāja realized this svarūpa completely, and it will be clear in the later verses that he personally left this world, or this body, by riding on a chariot sent from Vaikuṇṭha.

SB Canto 5

SB 5.4.7, Purport:

These brāhmaṇas were certainly very expert in chanting the Vedic mantras. They were competent in the performance of the Vedic rituals, and over and above this they were Vaiṣṇavas. Therefore by their spiritual powers they could call on the Supreme Personality of Godhead and enable their disciple, Mahārāja Nābhi, to see the Lord face to face. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura comments that the word ojasā means "by dint of devotional service."

SB 5.18.13, Purport:

When the living entity remains in contact with the all-pervading Vāsudeva, the Personality of Godhead, he manifests his spiritual power, exactly as the crocodile exhibits its strength in the water. In other words, the greatness of the living entity can be perceived when he is in the spiritual world, engaged in spiritual activities.

SB 5.18.18, Purport:

This verse offering respectful obeisances unto the Lord was composed by Ramā, the goddess of fortune, and is full of spiritual power. Under the guidance of a spiritual master, everyone should chant this mantra and thus become a complete and perfect devotee of the Lord. One may chant this mantra for complete liberation from material bondage, and after liberation one may continue to chant it while worshiping the Supreme Lord in Vaikuṇṭhaloka.

SB 5.19.9, Translation:

(Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued:) The glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are inconceivable. He has appeared in the form of Nara-Nārāyaṇa in the land of Bhārata-varṣa, at the place known as Badarikāśrama, to favor His devotees by teaching them religion, knowledge, renunciation, spiritual power, sense control and freedom from false ego. He is advanced in the opulence of spiritual assets, and He engages in executing austerity until the end of this millennium. This is the process of self-realization.

SB Canto 6

SB 6.7.16, Translation:

While Indra, the King of the demigods, thought in this way and repented in his own assembly, Bṛhaspati, the most powerful spiritual master, understood his mind. Thus he became invisible to Indra and left home, for Bṛhaspati was spiritually more powerful than King Indra.

SB 6.8.42, Purport:

All mantras should be received through the authorized guru, and the disciple must satisfy the guru in all respects, after surrendering at his lotus feet. In the Padma Purāṇa it is also said, sampradāya-vihīnā ye mantrās te niṣphalā matāḥ. There are four sampradāyas, or disciplic successions, namely the Brahma-sampradāya, the Rudra-sampradāya, the Śrī sampradāya and the Kumāra-sampradāya. If one wants to advance in spiritual power, one must receive his mantras from one of these bona fide sampradāyas; otherwise he will never successfully advance in spiritual life.

SB Canto 7

SB 7.8.43, Translation:

All the saintly persons present offered their prayers in this way: O Lord, O supreme maintainer of those sheltered at Your lotus feet, O original Personality of Godhead, the process of austerity and penance, in which You instructed us before, is the spiritual power of Your very self. It is by austerity that You create the material world, which lies dormant within You. This austerity was almost stopped by the activities of this demon, but now, by Yourself appearing in the form of Nṛsiṁhadeva, which is meant just to give us protection, and by killing this demon, You have again approved the process of austerity.

SB Canto 8

SB 8.15.28, Purport:

Bṛhaspati, the spiritual master of the demigods, informed Indra, "Ordinarily, Bali and his forces could not achieve such strength, but it appears that the brāhmaṇa descendants of Bhṛgu Muni, being pleased with Bali Mahārāja, endowed them with this spiritual power." In other words, Bṛhaspati informed Indra that Bali Mahārāja's prowess was not his own but that of his exalted guru, Śukrācārya.

SB 8.15.28, Purport:

Especially for spiritual advancement, one should carry out the bona fide order of the spiritual master. By the paramparā system, one can thus be endowed with the original spiritual power coming from the Supreme Personality of Godhead (evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2)).

SB 8.15.29, Translation:

Neither you nor your men can conquer the most powerful Bali. Indeed, no one but the Supreme Personality of Godhead can conquer him, for he is now equipped with the supreme spiritual power (brahma-tejas). As no one can stand before Yamarāja, no one can now stand before Bali Mahārāja.

SB 8.19.26, Translation:

A brāhmaṇa who is satisfied with whatever is providentially obtained is increasingly enlightened with spiritual power, but the spiritual potency of a dissatisfied brāhmaṇa decreases, as fire diminishes in potency when water is sprinkled upon it.

SB Canto 9

SB 9.6.55, Translation:

O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, by observing their husband progressing in spiritual existence, Saubhari Muni's wives were also able to enter the spiritual world by his spiritual power, just as the flames of a fire cease when the fire is extinguished.

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

SB 10.31.9, Translation:

The nectar of Your words and the descriptions of Your activities are the life and soul of those suffering in this material world. These narrations, transmitted by learned sages, eradicate one's sinful reactions and bestow good fortune upon whoever hears them. These narrations are broadcast all over the world and are filled with spiritual power. Certainly those who spread the message of Godhead are most munificent.

SB 10.85.44, Translation:

What to speak of ourselves, O Lord of all perfect yogīs, even the greatest mystics do not know what Your spiritual power of delusion is or how it acts.

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 1.60, Translation:

"The spiritually powerful message of Godhead can be properly discussed only in a society of devotees, and it is greatly pleasing to hear in that association. If one hears from devotees, the way of transcendental experience quickly opens, and gradually one attains firm faith that in due course develops into attraction and devotion."

CC Adi 10.162, Translation:

Each and every branch of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's devotees has unlimited spiritual power and glory. Even if one had thousands of mouths, it would be impossible to describe the limits of their activities.

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 9.7-8, Purport:

The holy names of Kṛṣṇa and Hari, or the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, are so spiritually powerful that even today, as our preachers go to remote parts of the world, people immediately begin chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. There cannot be anyone who can compare to Him or His potencies. However, because we are following in His footsteps and are also chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, the effect is almost as potent as during the time of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Our preachers mainly belong to European and American countries, yet by the grace of Lord Caitanya they have tremendous success wherever they go to open branches. Indeed, everywhere people are very seriously chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

CC Madhya 14.13, Translation:

""My Lord, the nectar of Your words and the descriptions of Your activities are the life and soul of those who are always aggrieved in this material world. These narrations are transmitted by exalted personalities, and they eradicate all sinful reactions. Whoever hears these narrations attains all good fortune. These narrations are broadcast all over the world and are filled with spiritual power. Those who spread the message of Godhead are certainly the most munificent welfare workers.""

CC Madhya 15.264, Purport:

As far as Ṣāṭhī, the daughter of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, was concerned, she was advised to give up her relationship with her husband. Concerning this, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.5.18) states, na patiś ca sa syān na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum: "One cannot be a husband if he cannot liberate his dependents from inevitable death." If a person is not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and is bereft of spiritual power, he cannot protect his wife from the path of repeated birth and death. Consequently such a person cannot be accepted as a husband.

CC Madhya 22.86, Translation and Purport:

“"The spiritually powerful message of Godhead can be properly discussed only in a society of devotees, and it is greatly pleasing to hear in that association. If one hears from devotees, the way of transcendental experience quickly opens, and gradually one attains firm faith that in due course develops into attraction and devotion."

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.25.25). For an explanation see Ādi-līlā 1.60.

CC Madhya 23.16, Translation and Purport:

“"The spiritually powerful message of Godhead can be properly discussed only in a society of devotees, and it is greatly pleasing to hear in that association. If one hears from devotees, the way of transcendental experience quickly opens, and gradually one attains firm faith that in due course develops into attraction and devotion."

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.25.25).

CC Madhya 25.73, Translation:

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued, “You are a great, spiritually advanced personality, and therefore you cannot worship a person like Me. I am far inferior. If you do so, My spiritual power will be diminished, for you are as good as the impersonal Brahman.

CC Antya-lila

CC Antya 16.29, Translation:

"Such a position may befit others, but I do not possess such spiritual power. I belong to a lower class and have not even a pinch of devotion to Kṛṣṇa."

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter Prologue:

The Kazi then wept and admitted that he had felt a keen spiritual influence which had cleared up his doubts and produced in him a religious sentiment which gave him the highest ecstasy. The Kazi then joined the saṅkīrtana party. The world was astonished at the spiritual power of the Great Lord, and hundreds and hundreds of heretics converted and joined the banner of Viśvambhara after this affair.

Easy Journey to Other Planets

Easy Journey to Other Planets 1:

The whole process of transferring oneself to the spiritual sky involves gradually liquidating the material composition of the gross and subtle coverings of the spirit soul. The above-mentioned five items of devotional activities are so spiritually powerful that their performance by a devotee, even in the preliminary stage, can very quickly promote the sincere executor to the stage of bhāva (the stage just prior to love of Godhead), or emotion on the spiritual plane, which is transcendental to mental and intellectual functions. A complete absorption in bhāva, or love of God, makes one fit to be transferred to the spiritual sky just after leaving the material tabernacle. The perfection of love of God by a devotee actually situates him on the spiritual platform, even though he may still maintain a gross material body. He becomes like a red-hot iron which, when in contact with fire, actually ceases to be iron and acts like fire. These things are made possible by the Lord's inscrutable and inconceivable energy, which material science has not the scope to calculate.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 2:

The Lord also declared to Yogamāyā, "My plenary expansion Ananta Śeṣa is within the womb of Devakī. On account of being forcibly attracted to the womb of Rohiṇī, He will be known as Saṅkarṣaṇa and will be the source of all spiritual power, or bala, by which one can attain the highest bliss of life, which is called ramaṇa. Therefore the plenary portion Ananta will be known after His appearance either as Saṅkarṣaṇa or as Balarāma."

Krsna Book 2:

One must have the spiritual strength which is infused by Balarāma, or Saṅkarṣaṇa. Ananta, or Śeṣa, is the source of the power which sustains all the planets in their different positions. Materially this sustaining power is known as the law of gravitation, but actually it is a display of the potency of Saṅkarṣaṇa. Balarāma, or Saṅkarṣaṇa, is the source of spiritual power, or the original spiritual master. Therefore Lord Nityānanda Prabhu, who is also the incarnation of Balarāma, is the original spiritual master.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.14 -- Mexico, February 14, 1975:

Yes, by your present position. You can simply take the information that the dimension of the spirit soul is one ten-thousandth part of the tip of your hair. Very small particle, that is spirit soul. The dimension is given. You have got your hair. You can just imagine only; you cannot measure. And you divide the top of your hair into ten thousand parts, and that one part is the measurement of the spirit soul. That small particle is so powerful. Just imagine what is spiritual power. It is less than the atom. Therefore it is described in the Vedic lit..., aṇor aṇīyān mahato mahīyān: "The spirit is greater than the greatest, and the smaller than the smallest."

Lecture on BG 2.48-49 -- New York, April 1, 1966:

There is calculation that suppose God is cent percent perfect. So when you get your spiritual body, you may not be as powerful as God, but almost near to God. You get seventy-eight percent. You get seventy-eight percent of the whole power. That is a calculation by the great sages. They have calculated that a living entity can attain to the perfection of seventy-eight percent. Now, in our present material condition we have no spiritual power at all. We are always encumbered and conditioned by material forces.

Lecture on BG 3.21-25 -- New York, May 30, 1966:

Na anavāptam avāptavyam: "It is not that I am deficient in My possession." We work because we find deficient ourself. In any power, in any, either spiritual power or material power, we have to work because we are deficient. So Kṛṣṇa is not deficient so that He has to fill up the deficiency. No. Na anavāptam. So still, varta eva ca karmaṇi. Now, He says that "Arjuna, you see that still, I have engaged Myself in the worldly duties." Why? Just to become the ideal man.

Lecture on BG 5.3-7 -- New York, August 26, 1966:

So study of, analytical study of this material world, they are not sufficient by themselves. You have to find out the spiritual power behind it. So sannyāsa means, generally, the sannyāsa, those who have taken up the renounced order of life, they search after the Supreme Truth and make an analytical study of this material world. That is called sāṅkhya-yoga. Kṛṣṇa says, sāṅkhya-yoga... Sāṅkhya and yoga. And yoga means direct connection with the Lord, direct connection with the Lord.

Lecture on BG 6.40-43 -- New York, September 18, 1966:

Now, there is a story. There are many stories. One of them I am citing. It is very interesting. Viśvāmitra Muni. Viśvāmitra Muni, he was a great king, kṣatriya, but his priest, Vasiṣṭha Muni, he had great spiritual power. So he renounced his kingdom. He wanted to advance. He was kingly, royal order, but still, he wanted to advance in the spiritual orders. So he adopted yoga process, meditation. That time it was possible for adopting this process, yoga process.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, February 18, 1974:

They act against the Vedic principles. Therefore it is said that even though one gets this human form of life after many, many millions of years, the living soul, still, there are so many divisions in the human form of life; therefore it is said, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu: (BG 7.3) "Out of many millions of human beings," kaścid yatati siddhaye. Siddhaye. Siddhaye means to get the spiritual power, or spiritual rejuvenation. That is called siddhi.

Lecture on BG 7.18 -- New York, October 12, 1966:

There are different kinds of men under different mixture of the modes of nature, and generally, they are not after liberation from this material stage. They want to gain something out of spiritual power. Just like somebody goes to a swami: "O Swamiji, can you give me a medicine? I am suffering from this disease." He thinks, "A doctor is very expensive. Let us go to a swami who can play miracles, and my disease will be cured."

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

So if it is possible by ordinary material thing—Kṛṣṇa, God, is full spiritual—how much spiritually powerful He is, that He can expand Himself all over the universes? This is called thoughtful consideration. So Kṛṣṇa... When Kṛṣṇa says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam, "I am expanded everywhere," where is the difficulty to understand? There is no difficulty—if we are sane person. If we can see that "In one universe there is one sun and the sun is so powerful, it is a material thing, and there are innumerable universes and there are innumerable suns. One who has created these suns, how much powerful He is, "this is the calculation, common sense. If one sun, which is material, if it is so powerful that for millions and millions of years it is giving its energy, heat and light—still, it is so bright and powerful and temperature is so high—how much powerful temperature is of God, you can just imagine.

Lecture on BG 16.2-7 -- Bombay, April 8, 1971:

Our process is that if anyone wants to be cured from this bad habit, then let him come, live with us. That's all. Sit down here. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. See the ārati, and take prasādam." And there is no... We don't supply any tea or coffee. No. We cannot supply. And nobody grudges also, that "You are not supplying us tea or coffee or cigarettes." No. So the spiritual power is so nice that automatically forget.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.5-6 -- London, August 23, 1971:

There are many instances. Just like in this country also, British nation was very powerful nation, but at the present time it is different. So simply by taking birth in England, one cannot be proud. Your forefathers were very enthusiastic, colonized. So at the present moment that is not possible. So I request you, all English boys and girls present here, now you become greater than your forefathers by taking this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That will make you more powerful, spiritually powerful. You can render service to the humanity, to you, I mean to say, family, your nation, it is so nice. Try to understand. Everyone, every human being should try to become very important. That importance can be achieved by culture, and not by simply "I belong to this nation. I belong to this family. I am the son of such big father." No. You must be also qualified.

Lecture on SB 1.5.2 -- Los Angeles, January 10, 1968:

Now, the whole material world is produced from sound. That is scientific fact. Scientists are researching the importance of sound, physical science. Sound, light, and transmission of sound and light. There are so many things, electronics. So this sound vibration, this is material sound. They have got so much wonderful power. And just try to understand what is the power of the spiritual sound. Real sound is coming from the spiritual world. It is simply just like gramophone. The sound is coming originally from the person; the gramophone is reproducing. That is not the original source of the sound. Similarly, whatever sound is there in this material world, the original sound is produced by God. Just like in your Bible it is said, "Let there be creation." It is, simply it was sound and there was creation. So spiritual sound is so powerful. And we are trying to catch you directly from that sound vibration, Hare Kṛṣṇa, and I am sure it is acting. Simply, śabdād anāvṛttiḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.7.19 -- Vrndavana, September 16, 1976:

So mantra is powerful. This is mundane. Now you can imagine how spiritual mantra is powerful. Even in mundane world the mantra acts. This is very subtle thing. Then how much... Because

indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur

indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ

manasas tu parā buddhir

yo buddheḥ paratas tu saḥ

(BG 3.42)

So gross understanding—the senses, the body, directly sense perception—this is gross. I see you, you see me. I touch you, you touch me. I taste something... This is gross. Above this gross there is mental platform. So mantra is also on the mental, little above, intelligence. And above that there is spiritual platform. So if on the material platform, mental platform, the mantra can act so wonderfully, how much spiritually the mantra can benefit you. You have to simply imagine. So this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is completely spiritual. If you chant it, spiritually enlightened, then surely it will act. Paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam. It will act. Therefore chanting is so important.

Lecture on SB 1.15.49 -- Los Angeles, December 26, 1973:

So these are yogic, I mean to say, perfection. Anything you like... The most perfect yogi can create even one planet. They become so powerful. But still, that is all material power. That is not spiritual power. The real spiritual power is that you give up this body, you give up this material world, go to the spiritual world, go back to home, back to Godhead. That is your perfection, and that is very easily obtained by this Kṛṣṇa consciousness attitude.

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

Yes. You have got body, shape, very minute shape. That we cannot see, we cannot measure. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, anumeyam, or... What is that? You cannot measure. What is that word used? Aprameyam. Aprameyam. You cannot measure. But it has a form. How, what is the length and breadth of that form, that is not in your power. In your power, but not materially. That is... If you have got spiritual power, then you can measure it. And that measurement is also given in the śāstra. What is that? One ten-thousandth part of the tip of the hair. Hair is a very small point. And divide it into ten thousand parts. That one part is the measure, magnitude of the soul.

Lecture on SB 3.25.13 -- Bombay, November 13, 1974:

Similarly, if we connect with Kṛṣṇa, then we are illuminated. As Kṛṣṇa is illuminated, we are also illuminated, although we are small. But if we fall down from Kṛṣṇa, the original fire, we become extinguished. Our spiritual power, our spiritual illumination, becomes extinguished. Therefore yoga system means again connecting the link. That is called yoga. Yoga, the Sanskrit word, means connect, and viyoga means disconnect.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- London, September 17, 1969:

A spirit soul, being part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, he is by nature very powerful. We do not know how much spiritual power we have got, but that is being suppressed by the material covering. Just like this fire. This fire, if there are too many ashes, the heat of the fire is not properly felt. But you move the ashes and just fan it, and when it is blazing, then you get the proper heat and you can utilize it for so many purposes.

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Indore, December 13, 1970:

Absolute Truth must be that which is the source of everything and reservoir of everything and who is maintaining everything. That is the meaning of... Now, Bhāgavata, because it is interpretation of the Vedānta-sūtra, it begins from that sutra, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Now, how that janmādy asya yataḥ? It is explained, janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ. If the original source... How the characteristics of the original source should be? The original source must be cognizant indirectly and directly of everything. The original Absolute Truth should be cognizant, abhijñaḥ. If He is the source of everything, then He must be cognizant of everything, either directly or indirectly. Just like for example this body is my product. I am spiritual spark. This spiritual spark, as soon as takes shelter into the womb of a woman, it develops this body. The spiritual spark has that power, develops body. So I am a spirit soul, I have developed this body. That means I am a spiritual spark, which is source of this body, all mechanisms. And similarly, the whole creation, it is..., there is supreme spirit. The whole creation, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). So He knows everything because He is perfect. But I do not know. Although it is by my energy this body is produced. I do not know how these veins are created, how these bones are created. I do not know.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Seattle, October 21, 1968:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that "These demigods, these great saintly persons, these siddhas, how they have become so powerful?" Sattvaikatāna: being situated in the material modes of goodness. If you put yourself, keep yourself in the modes of goodness, then you get more and more your spiritual power. And if you keep yourself in the modes of ignorance and passion, then you cannot make progress.

Lecture on SB 7.9.18 -- Mayapur, February 25, 1976:

Just like we offer prayers from Brahma-saṁhitā. We cannot offer prayer from any other persons, written by any other nonsense. No, that is not possible. Viriñca-gītāḥ. There is power. If you recite the prayers composed by mahājana, it has got spiritual power. Just like in your country, Mr. Max Mueller, he's very famous as translator of Vedas. But... Many scholars, they have read the translation of Max Mueller, but nobody could understand what is the purpose of Vedas because he's not in the line.

Festival Lectures

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, SB 6.3.24 -- Gorakhpur, February 15, 1971:

Just like in nationalism they are counting upon the power. In this way, they realize some sort of power, I mean to say, moving force or the soul. That is the stage of... They say, śivo 'ham. Śivo 'ham. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That is the stage of śaiva. And when they expand that, that "This power, this spiritual power, soul, is all over, all-pervading, impersonal Brahman," that is... They, sometimes they accept Viṣṇu. Viṣṇu means all-pervading. But their realization of Viṣṇu is impersonal.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Seattle, October 2, 1968:

Don't you see that a small spiritual spark which no physician, no medical science has still discovered, where is the soul, but the soul is there. That is a fact. As soon as the soul is gone from this body, it is useless. Find out what is that important particle. That is not possible, because it is so small that your, with these material eyes or microscope or any scope you cannot find out. Therefore they say there is no soul. But they cannot explain what is gone. Even that small particle of spiritual soul is so powerful that as long as it is within this body, it keeps it fresh, nice, beautiful. And as soon as it is gone, immediately it becomes to decompose. Just see. Just like a drug, injection. A little, one grain, it keeps fit. It is something like that, it is so powerful. You do not know what is the power of that soul. That you have to learn. Then that is self-realization. This meditation process, sitting in a silent place, is recommended in the grossest stage of bodily concept of life. Let one thing, meditate, "Am I this body?" then make analysis. You'll see, "No. I am not this body. I am different from this body." Then further meditation: "If I am not this body, then the bodily actions, how it is being done?" It is being done for that presence of that small particle, myself. How the body is growing?

Lecture -- Seattle, October 11, 1968:

The Sanskrit name of the world is jagat, "which is moving, making progress." That movement is not possible without the spiritual touch. Just like my body, your body is moving because there is spiritual spark within you, within me. So if you can understand this simple fact, that nothing can move without spiritual power, touch... Just like this watch. This watch is moving. You can say it is machine, but not machine. If I wind, then it will move. Therefore there is spiritual touch.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Plotinus:

Prabhupāda: In this way, that One has got all spiritual qualities in fullness; we have got spiritual qualities in minute quantity. That is our constitutional position. But we are like sparks, and the Supreme One is like big fire. When we leave the association of the big fire, as sparks we become extinguished, means our illumination stops. That is called māyā, māyā andhakāra, darkness. That we can revive also, again be put with the One and revive our illuminating power, spiritual power, and live with the Supreme One peacefully, eternal life of bliss.

Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Aquinas:

Hayagrīva: That is, he felt the secular rulers should remain subservient to the Church, and he felt that the Church could excommunicate, that means throw out, a monarch or ruler, in which case the ruler could no longer claim his throne. In other words, that the church has not only spiritual power but secular power on earth. Should have.

Prabhupāda: Yes, because the world activities must be regulated to the ultimate goal, understanding of God. Human civilization is meant for understanding God. So although the Church or the brāhmaṇas may not directly handle administrative activities, but it must be done under their supervision, or under their instruction. That is Vedic system.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- June 29, 1972, San Diego:

Guest (Indian man): Obviously, they have got some other work, this, that.

Prabhupāda: Hm. But anyway, because you are living in this country, you must have some friends. Whenever you talk with your friends, you talk about Kṛṣṇa. Don't waste your time in other ways. That will be beneficial for you and for your friends. And before talking about Kṛṣṇa, you should know about Kṛṣṇa. And you can know about Kṛṣṇa very easily by understanding Bhagavad-gītā. So read Bhagavad-gītā thoroughly. Try to understand it and you can distribute it. That is a great service to Kṛṣṇa, to your personal self, and to the person you are speaking about Kṛṣṇa. And four principles of impious life, as it is accepted by our Vedic followers, namely, no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication. That will give you strength and over and above that, if you can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra... You can chant. It is not difficult. There is no loss. You can chant. That will give you spiritual strength. And in this way try to become spiritually powerful and serve Kṛṣṇa. It doesn't matter where you are. It doesn't matter. Everywhere is Kṛṣṇa's kingdom. Sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). He is the proprietor everywhere. So if you be in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, so wherever you may be, you'll be with Kṛṣṇa. And as soon as you remain with Kṛṣṇa, you are not living within this material world. You are living in the spiritual world.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 1, 1973, Jakarta:

Prabhupāda: Later on it became political, because as soon as the spiritual power, culture become diminished, the whole thing became material. So people wanted material advantage, so separated from Vedic culture. Just like Buddhists. Buddhism was a Hindu culture. But Lord Buddha wanted to stop animal sacrifice. In the Vedas, animal sacrifice is recommended under certain conditions. He even denied that, "No that also cannot be done."

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 2, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ. They do not know what is the all-omniscient nature of Kṛṣṇa.

Dr. Patel: The spiritual power of Kṛṣṇa. No. Paraṁ bhāva? Moghāśā mogha-karmāṇo mogha-jñānā vicetasaḥ (BG 9.12).

Prabhupāda: Therefore, as soon as these rascals, they get little power, yogic perfection, they think, "I have become God. I have become God."

Room Conversation with Mr. C. Hennis of the International Labor Organization of the U.N. -- May 31, 1974, Geneva:

C. Hennis: I think that your effort of philosophy and teaching must really be directed, in the present state of affairs where countries are organized in the form of national states, must really be directed to the national leaders of government, the people who exercise temporal and spiritual power in the various sovereign states. And the United Nations is a forum for these sovereign states. The International Labor Organization is a forum for the sovereign states on certain subjects related to labor...

Prabhupāda: No, whatever subject may be, our point is the same. You just try to understand. If... You can organize so many, but if there is lack of brain, the brain is not in order, then any amount of suborganization, organization, will never be successful. That is my point.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Evening Discussion -- May 6, 1975, Perth:

Paramahaṁsa: No one else can do it. He must be some spiritual power." So therefore someone like Ravi Shankar, a lot of people either they become envious or they worship him as being an incarnation or something like that.

Prabhupāda: That is also stated, yad yad vibhūtimat sattvaṁ.

Room Conversation with writer, Sandy Nixon -- July 13, 1975, Philadelphia:

Prabhupāda: So they understand the problem of life is birth, death, old age and disease. And they want to solve it, how to become immortal. So they have conclusion that "If I merge into God's existence, then I become immortal or immune from birth, death, old age and disease." This is called jñānī. And some of them are yogis. They try to acquire some spiritual power to make a show how he can play wonder.

Room Conversation -- October 5, 1975, Mauritius:

Prabhupāda: And gradually, when you are well behaving, then you shall be initiated to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. That will give you strength, spiritual power. Strictly observe the regulative principles—no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling. It is very simple. Read these literatures, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and observe these regulations. Then you will become gradually powerful. Your speeches will be effective. People will like you.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India:

Jagadīśa: In the Kṛṣṇa book, when Kamsa was being a little lenient with Vasudeva, Nārada Muni thought to speed things up, so he instigated Kamsa to become frightened about Vasudeva and Devaki and their children. So similarly, it appears that in order to speed up Kṛṣṇa consciousness's infiltration and overtaking this materialistic society, that all of these brainwashing charges and...

Prabhupāda: It has got... The chanting has got spiritual power. That will rectify everything. Even there is misunderstanding, it will be rectified. That is spiritual power.

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Sri Padampat Singhania -- Kanpur 7 May, 1957:

In other words to accept the supremacy of Lord Siva means Namah Sivaya. Therefore the conclusion is that in Mantra the name of the deity is unavoidably amalgamated. And in the Mantra the spiritual power, by the Rsis like Narada etc. is surcharged like the copper is electrified by magnetic force. The etymological alphabets are so surcharged with spiritual potency and as such all Mantra indicating the transcendental holy name of God or Godhead is to be understood in that way.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Mukunda, Janaki -- Los Angeles 28 February, 1968:

I thank you very much for that nice sketch done by Janaki, and I shall have Jadurani begin a painting from that pose. So far the spirit soul is concerned, if conditions are for some reason not favorable in some place, he is forced to leave that womb and take shelter in another. And if there is chanting of Hare Krishna, even the soul is there for a short time, oh, he will hear and become advanced. This sound vibration is not material, it is spiritual, and powerful beyond our conception. So it cannot be hindered in any way by something material; it surpasses all these material barriers. So you can know it that when you are chanting, you are also giving benefit to even the child in the womb. I hope you are feeling much healthier by this time, and I shall be very glad to see you when I arrive in San Francisco. Hope you are both well.

Letter to Christopher -- Montreal 13 July, 1968:

I can challenge all this so-called yoga societies in the western countries that they are not standard in terms of Vedic yoga system. The preliminary processes of yoga system is to control the senses, and practice some bodily position by which the mind can be made fixed up on the point of Visnu Murti. But none of them do practice like that, but generally they are attracted by the bodily exercises only, haphazardly. And they take it as yoga practice. And others, they are addicted to sex indulgence and intoxication habit. Our system is completely different from theirs. In the beginning, we simply invite men to come and join us in the transcendental vibration by chanting Hare Krishna. We do not say that you pay me something and I give you this chanting. But this chanting is open without any secret, and we do not ask anyone to pay for it. But the chanting is transcendental, and therefore, simply by vibration, one gradually becomes spiritually advanced, and thus he offers himself to become my disciple. In that discipleship also, I do not charge anything. Neither do I offer anything new. I offer the same Hare Krishna beads, but it becomes spiritually powerful on account of being delivered in disciplic succession. And practically we see that the students who are initiated in this way, they are advancing slowly and surely, and any one of my students can challenge any student of so-called yogis, and that is practical evidence.

Letter to Sivananda -- Los Angeles 11 November, 1968:

Persons who want to take advantage of cheap reputation they imitate great personalities like Haridasa Thakura, who was alone chanting 300,000 of Holy Names daily. By such chanting, lonely chanting he got so much spiritual power that he could convert even a harlot to become a great devotee whereas an ordinary person falls easily a victim to such allurement.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Jagadisa -- Los Angeles 27 February, 1970:

Please push our Sankirtana movement and improve the program of Deity worship as the centers of your activities, and see that all the devotees remain steady in their execution of daily chanting of sixteen rounds of beads and strict adherence to the four principles of spiritual life and all other regulative principles, this will keep them strong in Spiritual power. And you may note that when these regulative duties are performed, and the devotee becomes fully absorbed in Krsna activities, Krsna as Supersoul will dictate from within the answers to all questions and will give the needed intelligence to progress more and more in Krsna Consciousness.

Letter to Giriraja -- Los Angeles 7 April, 1970:

I have received your beads also, and I am returning them to you duly chanted. Now please increase your enthusiasm for pushing on this Krsna Consciousness movement and Krsna will inspire you with all intelligence for serving Him as much as you engage yourself with sincerity and devotion. Therefore to keep advancing in your spiritual power always be sure to chant at least the prescribed sixteen rounds of beads daily. This is the fundamental program for advancing more and more in Krsna Consciousness.

Letter to Sridama -- Los Angeles 8 July, 1970:

It is very good news also that you have received permission in Providence for chanting and distributing literature and incense as well as collecting. Now you should concentrate to develop your spiritual power to attract the fallen souls to Krsna consciousness. The daily regulative duties must be performed by everyone very strictly, the beads chanted sixteen rounds, and our literatures read and discussed.

Letter to Tulsidas -- Tokyo 28 August, 1970:

It is sure and certain that if you all continue to follow the rigid schedule of chanting sixteen rounds daily with vow, going on Sankirtana and studying our literatures will increase your spiritual power to attract more sincere persons to Krsna Consciousness. So please see that all the devotees in your center are performing their regular duties in Krsna Consciousness and everything will be all right by Krsna's Grace.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Jayadharma -- Ahmedabad 13 December, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 10, 1972, and I have noted the contents, along with the drama-script from Srimad-Bhagavatam. It is very nice. This kind of play-acting is wanted. Now introduce it to your country-men very nicely presented. Emphasis should be given to the words of Bhagavat, they are spiritual and will have powerful effect if someone only hears them with attention, do not be very much enamoured by fancy costumes and stage-decorations, they will only distract. Real acting art is to know how to speak. The greatest dramas, even in your western culture, they can be played without any extra equipment. Just like your Shakespeare—sometime I saw they were playing one drama, I think Hamlet or something like that, and only two men were there on the bare stage and everyone was praising. So the art is catching their ears. Now in that spirit go on with your work and try to do something wonderful.