Spiritualism

Expressions researched:
"spiritualism" |"spiritualism's" |"spiritualistic"

BG Chapters 1 - 6

BG 3.7, Purport:

For self-realization, one can live a controlled life, as prescribed in the śāstras, and continue carrying out his business without attachment, and in that way make progress. A sincere person who follows this method is far better situated than the false pretender who adopts show—bottle spiritualism to cheat the innocent public. A sincere sweeper in the street is far better than the charlatan meditator who meditates only for the sake of making a living.

BG Chapters 7 - 12

BG 9.25, Purport:

Similarly, one can attain the Pitā planets by performing a specific yajña. Similarly, one can go to many ghostly planets and become a Yakṣa, Rakṣa or Piśāca. Piśāca worship is called "black arts" or "black magic." There are many men who practice this black art, and they think that it is spiritualism, but such activities are completely materialistic. Similarly, a pure devotee, who worships the Supreme Personality of Godhead only, achieves the planets of Vaikuṇṭha and Kṛṣṇaloka without a doubt.

SB Canto 4

SB 4.6.30, Purport:

The women there are hundreds and thousands of times more beautiful than the women here in this material world, and the spiritual atmosphere is also many times better. Yet despite the pleasant atmosphere, the minds of the denizens do not become agitated because in the spiritual world, the Vaikuṇṭha planets, the spiritualistic minds of the inhabitants are so much absorbed in the spiritual vibration of chanting the glories of the Lord that such enjoyment could not be surpassed by any other enjoyment, even sex, which is the culmination of all pleasure in the material world.

Message of Godhead

Message of Godhead 1:

It is said that the living spirit is eternal, all-pervading, unchangeable, indestructible, and so forth. What is known in India as sanātana-dharma, or "the eternal religion," is meant for this living spirit. That is to say, real spiritualism is transcendental to the various religions that focus on the gross material body or the subtle material mind.

Message of Godhead 2:

It is admitted that in the Western countries the people have done their best to advance in the culture of material science, centered on the material body and mind. But it is admitted, also, that notwithstanding all such advancement of material knowledge in the West, the people in general there are suffering the pangs of the poisonous effects of materialism because they have cared very little for the culture of spiritual science. Great thinkers in the Western countries must therefore look to the people of India if the message of Godhead, of genuine spiritualism, is to reach their ears.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.1-5 -- Germany, June 16, 1974:

So spiritual understanding means first of all to know what is spirit. If you do not know what is spirit, then where is spiritual understanding? People are too much engrossed with the body. That is called materialism. But when you understand what is spirit and you act accordingly, that is called spiritualism.

Lecture on BG 2.62-72 -- Los Angeles, December 19, 1968:

Night means when people sleep, and day means when they are awake. This is the understanding of day and night. So one, the materialistic persons, they are sleeping in the matter of spiritual understanding. So therefore the activities which we find in daytime of the materialistic person, actually that is night. For the spiritualistic person, they see that these people they got the facility of self-realization, this human form of life. How they are wasting by sleeping. And the materialistic persons, they are seeing, "Oh, these Kṛṣṇa conscious young boys, they have given up everything and they are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. How nonsense. They are sleeping." So you see?

Lecture on BG 3.6-10 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1968:

Sudāmā: "...or goal of self-interest is to reach Viṣṇu. The whole varṇa and āśrama system is designed to help us reach this goal of life. A householder can also reach this destination by regulated service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. For self-realization one can live a controlled life as prescribed in the śāstras and continue carrying out his business without attachment, and that will lead him gradually to the progressive path. Such a sincere person who follows this method is far better situated than the false pretender who adopts show-bottle spiritualism to cheat the innocent public. A sincere sweeper in the street is far better than the charlatan meditator who works only for the sake of making a living."

Prabhupāda: Yes. My Guru Mahārāja used to say that don't accept spiritual life for living. Just like we are sending the saṅkīrtana party. If we take it, "Oh, it is very easy method for living without working. We are getting money for our livelihood," this is not wanted.

Lecture on BG 6.25-29 -- Los Angeles, February 18, 1969:

We living entities we are marginal energy. The whole material world is material energy. And there is spiritual energy. The spiritual world. And we are marginal. So we are sitting either in the material energy, marginal means this way or that way. You can become spiritual or you become material. No third alternative. Either you become materialistic or become spiritualistic.

Lecture on BG 6.41 -- Detroit, July 17, 1971:

The spiritualistic duties, transcendental duties, Kṛṣṇa conscious duty is so nice that even if you fall down, whatever you have done, that is your guaranteed property. That is your guaranteed property.

Lecture on BG 8.5 -- New York, October 26, 1966:

Bhaktijana: The Indian poet, Rabindranath Tagore, is he nice? Do you know Rabindranath Tagore?

Prabhupāda: Yes, why not.

Bhaktijana: Is he a nice poet?

Prabhupāda: He is nice poet from materialistic point of view. That's all. To satisfy the materialistic person. He is not a nice poet from spiritualistic point of view. We have nothing to do with him. (chuckles) We have to do with the poet like Vyāsadeva.

Lecture on BG 9.34 -- New York, December 26, 1966, 'Who is Crazy?':

Now spiritualism, spiritualism means that we should identify ourself as God's party. That's all. That is spiritualism. They ask so many things, that, why the materialists are called crazy by the spiritualists? Oh, that is also partyism. These materialists also call, say to the spiritualists, they are crazy. Just like we are, we have formed some Society of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, and, and those who do not like it, they say we are crazy fellows. We are assembly of crazy fellows. And, similarly, we call others who do not associate with us, they are crazy fellows. So there is, we have written pamphlet, booklet, "Who is Crazy?". Now how to decide?

Lecture on BG 9.34 -- New York, December 26, 1966, 'Who is Crazy?':

Therefore what is the difference between materialism and spiritualism? The same typewriter is there. The same dictaphone is there. The same mimeograph machine is there. The same paper is there. Same, I mean, ink is there. The same hand is there. Everything is same, but everything is done for Kṛṣṇa's account. That's all, Kṛṣṇa's account. This is spiritualism. Don't think spiritualism something uncommon. You can turn the whole material world into spiritualism, if you simply become Kṛṣṇa conscious. This is spiritualism.

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

When there is forest fire, people understand, when the smoke is coming from the forest, then can immediately understand there is forest fire. So smoke is, although indication of the fire, but it is not fire. So similarly, so-called meditation, so-called spiritualism, concocted idea, there is some touch of spiritual life, but that is not spiritual life. One should understand. That is not spiritual life. It is called ābhāsa. Ābhāsa means just like day, sunlight, full sunlight. But early in the morning, you cannot see the sun, but there is light. There is no darkness.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

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

We say one man is constructing big skyscraper building with woods and stones, we say this is materialism. But they can also challenge you that "You are also interested in woods and stones and constructing a big church or temple. Why is your idea spiritualism?" Now, you can compare. This is spiritualism means in this stone and earth and woods you remember Kṛṣṇa, "I am constructing something for Kṛṣṇa." Therefore it is spiritualism.

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

So the conclusion is when we forget Kṛṣṇa, that is materialism. And when we constantly remember Kṛṣṇa, that is spiritualism.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Rome, May 24, 1974:

So formerly there was no meetings of the śūdras. The meeting was held about, amongst the brāhmaṇas, saintly persons, to consider how people will remain happy, how their spiritualistic life will be advanced. Therefore the brāhmaṇas were the heads, and others, kṣatriyas and vaiśyas and śūdras, they used to take instruction from the brāhmaṇas, for their livelihood. That was very good system. That is natural.

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

There are two kinds of men within this world. Materialistic person and transcendentalist, or man interested in spiritualism. So those who are interested in spiritual life, they talk of self-realization. And those who are materialistic person, they also talk. They talk about this body, how to keep this body nicely. There are politics, sociology, welfare activities, so many things, all concerning to the body.

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

The aim of civilization is to understand Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But they're missing the point. They're thinking motor tire civilization, very nice road and running motorcar in seventy, eighty miles speed, that is civilization. Not to understand Viṣṇu. That is the difference between materialism and spiritualism.

Lecture on SB 1.5.14 -- New Vrindaban, June 18, 1969:

Everyone is hankering after happiness, either materialistic or spiritualistic, but the difference is that materialistic, materialistic persons, they are satisfied with temporary happiness, and those who are transcendentalists, they are also seeking happiness. That is real happiness, spiritual happiness, eternal happiness.

Lecture on SB 1.8.26 -- Mayapura, October 6, 1974:

Here in this material world, everyone is trying to possess more—more wealth, more education, more beauty, more family prestige, aristocracy. This is materialism. And spiritualism means just the opposite. Therefore people are not attracted to spiritualism.

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

So in this way, if people become irreligious or not spiritual, the burden of the world becomes heavier, unbearable. That you can understand. I have already explained. This body, this body, you weigh it. Say, it is one man, fifty seras or something like... But as soon as it will be dead, the burden will... The weight will increase. Is it not? What do you think? The weight will increase. Not the same weight. So, so long people are materialistic, the burden will increase. And so long people are spiritualistic, there will be no burden.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Vrndavana, March 17, 1974:

Go-dāsa means the mind is dictating, "Please eat more, please sleep more, please have sexual more, please have defense fund more..." So this is materialism. Defense fund means to keep money. That is defense fund. So... So this is materialism. The spiritualism means, "No, that is no." Nidrāhāra. The senses dictating, "Do this, do that, do that," and you have to become so strong that you'll rightly reply, "No, this is not." Then gosvāmī. This is gosvāmī.

Lecture on SB 2.2.5 -- New York, March 5, 1975:

Ask any materialistic person, 'Why don't you come to our temple, sir? Why don't you hear Bhagavad-gītā?" "We have not time."Because they're wasting time in that way. You see? So this is the materialistic life. And spiritualistic life means that one should be trained up as brahmacārī. Then regulated life in gṛhastha, regulated life. Gṛhastha is not bad. Family life is not bad. Therefore it is called gṛhastha-āśrama.

Lecture on SB 6.1.39-40 -- Surat, December 21, 1970:

That is the material disease. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). This roguism has to be purged. Then talk of spiritualism. At heart, dirty things are so much hugely accumulated by millions of years' contamination of this material world. It is very difficult to get out of this roguism.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- New York, April 9, 1969:

Nobody's interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, spiritual life. Everyone is busy. How they are spoiling their life! That is the version of Śaṅkarācārya. He's lamenting, that the boys, the youths, the old man, they are very happy in their materialistic way of life, but a spiritualistic man like Śaṅkarācārya or Lord Jesus Christ, they are unhappy, "Oh, what foolish things they are doing." That is the thankless task of persons who are spiritually enlightened. They can see it plain that how they are spoiling their valuable life. Simply for sense gratification.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Hong Kong, April 18, 1972:

Arjuna was a fighter in the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā. He remained a fighter after hearing Bhagavad-gītā. He did not change his position as a fighter, as a kṣatriya. But in the beginning he was thinking non-Kṛṣṇa conscious. He was thinking of his personal interest, personal sense gratification. But at the end he decided to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. This is the difference, materialism and spiritualism. If you want to satisfy your senses that is materialism, and if you want to satisfy Kṛṣṇa's senses, that is spiritual.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1-2 -- Stockholm, September 6, 1973:

Guest: But this part of the world "Mahāprabhu" (Address to Prabhupāda) is very materialistic, as you know. In Europe we always talk about science and technology. The part of the world that you come from, spiritualism has the highest place. I would like to ask you is there any possible way of a balanced combination between spiritualism and materialism.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Actually, there is nothing as materialism. Materialism means forgetfulness of God, that's all. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca, aparā, prakṛtir me bhinnā aṣṭadhā (BG 7.4). Materialism means that you are dealing with earth, water, fire, air, or the ether, or mind, intelligence, so far. These are the subject matters of studying materialism. But God says: "They are My separated energies." These matters, you have not produced this earth, water, air, fire. That's a fact. That is produced by the energy of God. So while dealing with material things, if you remember that this material thing is produced by God then you are perfect. And if you theorize that it has dropped from the sky, then you are materialistic. That is the difference between materialist and spiritualist. A spiritualist knows that wherefrom this earth has come, wherefrom the water has come, wherefrom this fire has come. Then he is spiritualist, God conscious. And one does not know, he's ignorant. Actually, that is the fact. But one who is ignorant of the fact, he's materialist. And one who knows the source of this material elements, he is spiritualist. That is the difference. Therefore the conclusion is one who does not know God, he is materialist and one knows God, he is spiritualist.

Lecture on SB 7.7.28, 32-35 -- Mombassa, September 11, 1971:

Why Rādhārāṇī is worshiped by the devotees? His (her) spirit is like that. If anyone, She finds a nice devotee of Kṛṣṇa, She immediately recommends to Kṛṣṇa, "How nice this devotee. He can render better service than Me. Please accept him." This is spiritualism. This is spiritualism. Who can give better service than Rādhārāṇī? She is so great that She is captivating Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa captivates Madana, Cupid. But Rādhārāṇī captivates Kṛṣṇa. How great She is. Rādhe jaya jaya mādhava-dayite.

Lecture on SB 7.7.46 -- San Francisco, March 22, 1967, (incomplete lecture):

Last night in the television, one boy was asking me, "Swamijī, you are all after spiritualism. Why you are using this clay as tilaka and so many things you are using which is matter?" So I explained to him... Perhaps you have known. Actually, there is no matter, actually, in this sense, because everything is emanating from the Supreme Spirit. Everything is emanating... Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). What is the Absolute Truth? The Absolute Truth is that from which everything is emanating—the source, the fountainhead, the fountainhead of everything. So whatever we see... Now, of course, we are in condition, material condition. We see everything material. But even this material energy is also spiritual because it is coming from the spirit, the Supreme Spirit.

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

You have seen that picture of, that... Here I don't find that picture in my apartment, that a calf is by the side of Kṛṣṇa, and it is trying to lick up the body of Kṛṣṇa like this, and Kṛṣṇa is embracing immediately. What this animal has got? No education, no strength, no beauty—nothing of the sort. Simply he has got the feeling: "My Lord, I love You." That's all. Bhaktyā tutoṣa bhagavān gaja-yūtha-pāya. So this is the universal form of spiritualism, the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 24, 1972:

When we see the matter is separate from Kṛṣṇa, that is materialism. When we see the matter is energy of Kṛṣṇa, that is not materialism. That is spiritualism. So it is our intellect how we can utilize everything with Kṛṣṇa.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.39-47 -- San Francisco, February 1, 1967:

Spiritualism (means) there where one understands that what is the constitutional position of spirit and act according to that. Therefore bhakti, this devotional service, is only spiritualism because those who are devotees, they know that they are eternally part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, and therefore to be engaged in transcendental loving service of the Supreme Lord is spiritualism.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.358-359 -- New York, December 29, 1966:

Foolish living entities, under the spell of illusory energy, they have accepted this false exchange of material elements as reality. This is called materialism. One who has accepted this false representation of reality, they are called materialists. And one who knows the real position of this material world, he's spiritualist. That is the difference between materialism and spiritualism.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.358-359 -- New York, December 29, 1966:

We have nothing to hate. We don't hate materialism. The materialism... They do not understand what is materialism. Materialism means to forget the source of all this. That is materialism. One who knows the source of everything is God, for him, there is no materialism. Because he utilizes everything for that source. So for a advanced devotee, there is nothing materialism. There is nothing material. Everything is spiritualism.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 21.62-67 -- New York, January 6, 1966:

Unless we take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness fully, we shall hover over the mental plane. We find so many philosophers, doctors of philosophy, they can go on speculating, mental plane, manaḥ, but actually they are asat. Their activities will be seen in materialistic. There is no spiritualistic realization.

General Lectures

Lecture Excerpt -- San Francisco, September 14, 1968:

Because your material activities have stopped, therefore your body is no longer material. Materialism means... Just try to understand. Material..., what is materialism and spiritualism. Materialism means sense gratification, and spiritualism means to love God. That's all.

Lecture Excerpt -- San Francisco, September 14, 1968:

Here the relationship is just like a girl or a boy. The so-called love is temporary. That's all. There is no love. As soon as there is some discrepancy of sense gratification, oh, there is separation. There is divorce. There is separation. Because the so-called love is based on sense gratification. That is materialism. And when there is no sense gratification, the satisfaction of the lover only, that is spiritualism.

Lecture -- San Francisco, June 28, 1971:

There are two kinds of dharmas, religious, religions: pravṛtti-mārga, nivṛtti-mārga. Pravṛtti-mārga means materialism, and nivṛtti-mārga means spiritualism.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:

Prabhupāda: That what is the difference between the dead body and the... The same Marx and same Lenin was lying, but because there is no spirit sould it was considered as dead. This is imperfect understanding of the man, of the body. Otherwise, I mean to say, man of sense studies there must be a spiritualism and materialism. Spiritualism..., spirit means the force behind the matter.

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Radio Interview -- March 12, 1968, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: Sex life is materialism. That is opposite number of spiritualism. So people are trained gradually to refrain from sex life.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Mayor -- November 10, 1971, New Delhi:

Guest: In that way I was saying that we talk more of spiritualism here. I don't know whether they talk it in other countries or not. But we do here more.

Prabhupāda: No, no. Other countries all they have got high respect for India as spiritual land. But we are killing, our present government and so-called leaders, killing that state. This is regrettable. They could hold this Bhārata-varṣa to the topmost summit all over the India if after independence they would have organizedly preached Bhagavad-gītā and the Vedic culture. That is my mission.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Father Tanner and other guests -- July 11, 1973, London:

Father Tanner: Because you can see the Deity as too strong, repressive, taking away your freedom, your own wishes...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Father Tanner: ... and so you can come to hate the Deity.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Spiritualism means to sacrifice your freedom. That is spiritualism. You have no more freedom. You are simply engaged for God's service. That is spiritualism.

Father Tanner: Why, why, why were we created free?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Father Tanner: Why were we created?

Prabhupāda: You are not free. You are thinking so-called free. You are not free. You are under the stringent laws of nature. You are not free. You are thinking foolishly that you are free.

Room Conversation -- September 18, 1973, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Although the same thing, but action is different. If you become devotee of Lord Śiva, you'll get opportunity of material opulences. Because Lord Śiva is the husband of Durgā, and Durgā is the superintendent of this material world. So Durgā is under control. If one becomes a devotee of Lord Śiva, then Durgā gives him, eh? Dhanaṁ dehi rūpaṁ dehi rūpavatī-bhāryāṁ dehi yaśo dehi. So you'll get all this, nice position, nice wife, nice power, famous... All this material, not spiritual. So to worship any other demigod than Kṛṣṇa is materialism. That is not spiritualism.

Room Conversation -- September 19, 1973, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Viṣaya chāḍiyā se rase majiyā. As soon as we give up this śravaṇam, kīrtanam, then it becomes viṣaya. Viṣaya means materialism. There is no spiritualism. Kṣurasya dhārā, kṣurasya dhārā. Kṣura means sharpened razor. If you are careful, you cleanse very nicely. If you are not careful, immediately blood. Immediately. So the spiritual life is like that. As soon as you become little inattentive, immediately māyā captures, "Yes, come on." Then everything failure.

Morning Walk -- December 11, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes, you can take advantage of all this media. That we are doing. Just like we are taking advantage of this microphone. We are not rejecting, "Oh, it is material. Why should we take?" Nothing material. Anything used for Kṛṣṇa is spiritual. Material means what is not used for Kṛṣṇa. That is material. You are materialistic when you are not used for Kṛṣṇa. And as soon as you are utilized for Kṛṣṇa, you are spiritualistic. That is the difference. Here we say, "This is material world." This is material world because everyone has forgotten Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is material world. So if they come into Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then it is spiritual.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- February 20, 1974, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: When you say the present education and all... But this education has created those boys, smoking carasa and gañjā and bhāṅga...

Prabhupāda: That is not a university education. That is due to their coming to India.

Dr. Patel: They are...? They come to India and... They don't do it there?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes, they come here for spiritual enlightenment, and they meet these rascals, gañjā-eater sādhus. That is the beginning.

Dr. Patel: But they have introduced that in American universities.

Prabhupāda: No, no, no. I know. This is the beginning. They learned this... They thought that this is spiritualism.

Dr. Patel: I thought they have taught us.

Prabhupāda: No, no, no.

Jayapatākā: No, they imported...

Prabhupāda: Your gañjā, gañjā-smoker, these so-called sādhus and just like... They have done this. By following these rascals, they are doing it. But they do not know who is sādhu...

Morning Walk Excerpts -- May 1, 1974, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: This M.N. Raya, you know, who advocated that humanism, for which he was banished by the Communist fellows because the root of M.N. Raya was in Hinduism, no? After all? It is very difficult for us to think about so-called Communism. But religion itself is Communistic.

Prabhupāda: No, no. We, we don't think in terms of Hinduism. We don't think.

Dr. Patel: No. But we have been actually brought up religiously as communists, religious communists.

Prabhupāda: Spiritual communists. Religious, religious upon strict sense of religion. Religion means spiritualism.

Dr. Patel: Yes, spiritual communism.

Room Conversation with Irish Poet, Desmond O'Grady -- May 23, 1974, Rome:

Bhagavān: The world as it is, the society, the materialistic society, puts these bodily demands...

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. The materialistic society means duality.

O'Grady: But that's unavoidable.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

O'Grady: Because of your physical existence...

Prabhupāda: Unavoidable, yes...

O'Grady: And your personal spiritualism as well.

Prabhupāda: But it can be avoided in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just like the leaf of lily. It is in the water but it does not touches the water.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- March 2, 1975, Atlanta:

Guest (1): Swamiji, my main question is although spiritualism is the Absolute Truth, can we not in some way make spiritualism in such a way, modify it in such a way, as to help the common people?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest (1): The masses.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that we are doing.

Guest (1): They have been steeped in ignorance for such a long time, it will take a long time to bring them into the fold of spiritualism.

Prabhupāda: No, it has been made easy by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. That you don't commit sinful activities and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and don't commit sinful life, that's all.

Conversation on Roof -- December 26, 1975, Sanand:

Prabhupāda: This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The synthesis of the covering and the thesis of the soul should be synthesized by arrangement. That we are teaching.

Harikeśa: Dialectical spiritualism.

Prabhupāda: Ye.... Not dia.... Dialectical means keep spiritualism or materialism. It is dialectic. Two sides there are, the material and the spiritual. These ignorant rascals, cats—and dogslike men, they have no information of the thing which is covered. They're simply dealing with the covering. Therefore their knowledge is imperfect, and they're not successful by so many theses. They do not know the real problem.

Conversation on Roof -- December 26, 1975, Sanand:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is dialectic. So you can write dialectic spiritualism.

Harikeśa: Dialectic spiritualism. I think they should print this also in Back to Godhead.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Haṁsadūta: It'd make a good article.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Haṁsadūta: It would make a good article, what you've just spoken.

Prabhupāda: So write.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 12, 1976, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: It is demon-cracy.

Prabhupāda: Demoncracy, yes.

Dr. Patel: Demoncracy.

Prabhupāda: Why you accuse government? Government is your election.

Dr. Patel: Now she is not going to have any more elections. "Elections are not necessary. People have given me the mandate to rule over them."

Prabhupāda: Yes, that's nice. If the dictator, executive officer, is very nice, religious, then there is no need of this election.

Dr. Patel: Oh, she goes to the temples, all right. (laughs) (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: No, no. She has got the tendency of spiritual life and she requires improvement. That's all. She has spoken in Chandigarh that "Now we require spiritualism." Hm?

Morning Walk -- January 20, 1976, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So sometimes when a devotee goes, joins Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then leaves again and goes back to the material world, its just like a pig going back to the stool.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The materialism and spiritualism is explained by Rūpa Gosvāmī. There is bird, cātaka. So they drink water when the rain falls, and otherwise they will starve. They will never accept any water from this earth.

Morning Walk -- April 12, 1976, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: Now the Russians also have come to this conclusion, the Russian scientists and astro-physicists, that there are some planets here in the cosmos which actually have people, I mean, has life like human beings. The other day I read a big article on that. Now they agree.

Prabhupāda: They will agree so many things.

Dr. Patel: They will agree later on that the dialectical materialism is not the right thing, but the dialectical spiritualism is the right thing. What Karl Marx said was wrong. But they have started reading the Vedas and all these, Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata, and...

Prabhupāda: They have got good sympathy for Indian culture.

Dr. Patel: And if they read it, then Karl Marx teaching will go away.

Prabhupāda: And we are getting enquiries from Russia of our books, about our books. We are getting enquiries. I am sending Gopāla Kṛṣṇa to make market of our books.

Room Conversation -- May 7, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: Then that will create revolution.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Whew. These books are very revolutionary. You are very strong. You have put everything in a very clear-cut, strong words. You have attacked everyone who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, as fools and rascals.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) This is fact, it is not exaggeration.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In your article in Back to Godhead about Marx, you call him a nonsense, you call Marxism nonsense.

Prabhupāda: Yes, what is his philosophy? (sic:) Dialectitude?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Dialectic Materialism.

Prabhupāda: So, we have written one Dialectic Spiritualism.

Hari-śauri: Harikeśa's.

Prabhupāda: Harikeśa.

Garden Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: We are publishing one book, Dialectic Spiritualism: Vedic Views of Western Philosophy. We are just going to publish one book, Dialectic Spiritualism. Marx's theory is dialectic materialism (laughs). We are going to establish dialectic spiritualism.

Evening Darsana -- July 7, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Bill Sauer: I believe the spirit of life lives on totally in this marvelous planet earth, but I feel the spirit has to be carried and nurtured and improved in the body. So I feel we have to carry the bodies, the material bodies, to the other planets to allow the spiritualism to live there also.

Prabhupāda: That is in the material world. If you want to stay in the material, then you change the material body just suitable for a particular place, atmosphere. But we have got our spiritual body. That spiritual body, without any material covering, you can transfer to the spiritual world.

Bill Sauer: You believe you can transmit that to other planets?

Prabhupāda: Yes. We have to transfer, because we are giving up this body. So you must accept another body.

Room Conversation -- July 27, 1976, London:

Hari-śauri: What time would you like breakfast?

Prabhupāda: Half past seven, eight. We are publishing one book, Dialectic Spiritualism. What is that?

Jayatīrtha: Harikeśa Mahārāja's book.

Bhagavān: No, no. Another one Prabhupāda's spoke, the philosophy book.

Jayatīrtha: Oh, the philosophy book will be called Dialectic Spiritualism? Ah, very good title.

Hari-śauri: A Vedic View of Western Philosophy.

Jayatīrtha: Very good title.

Prabhupāda: That's a fact. If one actually interested in real philosophy, they must come to spiritualism. Ātma-tattvam. That is ātma-tattvam.

Room Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Everywhere materialistic. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). Spiritualistic means siddhi, perfection. Who cares for perfection? Bring money and enjoy. That's all. Who cares for perfection? They do not know what is perfection. They think that you get money, you live comfortably as far as possible, and after death, everything's finished. Is it not? This is the philosophy.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 6, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: ...Dialectic Spiritualism.

Dr. Patel: You have taken their word.

Prabhupāda: It is not their words, but just to counter...

Dr. Patel: In fact, sir, Engels was a spiritualist, and his chela, Karl Marx, became materialist because he saw, accept poverty all round, due to the industrial revolution. He thought in that way.

Prabhupāda: As if he was ordained to do it.

Dr. Patel: But, well, he felt... He was a philosopher.

Prabhupāda: Such a rascal. He has moved poverty. He was in poverty-stricken...

Dr. Patel: He was extremely poor man. Yes, he died (indistinct). But that is what he thought.

Prabhupāda: That means poor fund of knowledge. That's it. These rascals will never go to the... Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). They do not know this science, these rascals. They manufacture. And we have also learned to manufacture.

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: First of all let us understand what is sleeping and awakening. This is the real understanding. The materialistic man, he's sleeping about self-realization. He has no information.

Mr. Asnani: He has no?

Prabhupāda: Information. But the spiritualistic man, he's awakened in that, that this life is meant for self-realization. So the materialistic man, he does not know. He's kept in darkness of night, and the spiritualistic man is awakened. That is the difference.

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Night means ignorance, when one sleeps. Yes. And day is awakening. So what is day for the materialistic person, so that is night for the spiritualistic person. And what is day for the spiritualistic person, that is night for the... Just like a spiritualist person, he has sacrificed everything and he is after God, and they are thinking, "These rascals, unnecessarily, empty stomach, wasting, 'Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa,' chant." They are deriding. And he is thinking that "This rascal got this human form of body. Instead of spiritual culture, he's spoiling his life, cats and dogs." That means in the subject matter where the spiritualists were not interested, he is interested. And in the subject matter, the spiritual person, interested, he is not interested. This is day and night.

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: He, spiritualist person, he knows, that "What is the use of the sense gratification? The sense gratification is there in the cats and dogs. Why I am wasting in this way?" That is awakened. What is the difference? A man is having sex life in a very nice apartment, very decorated and nice cot. He is enjoying sex life, that "I am advanced civili..." And the dog is enjoying sex life on the street in presence of everyone. But the enjoyment of sex life is the same. There is no difference either for the dog or the man. So the spiritualistic man, he says that "Why shall I waste my time in sex enjoyment? This is enjoyed by the dogs and cats. I have got this human form of life for spiritual advancement." So saṁyamī: "Stop this nonsense. Let me cultivate spiritual life."

Arrival of BBT Manager -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: And Dialectic Spiritualism is published?

Rāmeśvara: This year, after the Māyāpura Festival. Hayagrīva hasn't finished working on it completely.

Prabhupāda: How many pages it will be?

Rāmeśvara: Two volumes.

Prabhupāda: Two volumes?

Rāmeśvara: Two volumes, eight hundred pages.

Prabhupāda: Oh? So, big?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Is that Harikeśa's book?

Jagadīśa: Śyāmasundara.

Arrival of Devotees -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:

Rādhā-vallabha: This is the book, conversations between you and Bob Cohen here in Māyāpura.

Prabhupāda: Perfect Question... What about that Dialectic Spiritualism?

Rādhā-vallabha: Hayagrīva's almost finished with that. We'll produce it after the Māyāpura festival.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Rādhā-vallabha: After the festival we'll produce it. Hayagrīva's just finishing now. He's half-finished.

Prabhupāda: So you have not begun printing?

Rādhā-vallabha: No.

Prabhupāda: Then? (break)

Morning Conversation -- April 11, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: What happened to that book, Dialectic Spiritualism?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Spiritual Dialectics?

Prabhupāda: Yes, Dialectic Spiritualism.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Dialectical Spiritualism. I think Harikeśa was working on that, wasn't he, when he was here...

Prabhupāda: No, no, it is finished. It was being edited by...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, okay, well, I'll write and ask.

Prabhupāda: ...Hayagrīva. But he is doing nothing and taking money.

Room Conversation Meeting with Dr. Sharma (from Russia) -- April 17, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes. People are everywhere good. Simply some politicians, they make them bad.

Dr. Sharma: The top politicians, they come in the way. They stop these things. They had a yoga class institute set up in the Moscow University, and when they came to bhakti-yoga, they realized that spiritualism's involved. So at the earliest they get rid of this.

Prabhupāda: One book is published, what is that religion?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Anthology.

Prabhupāda: Anthology. So in that book they have given quotation from my books.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. It's just come out.

Prabhupāda: It is very nice.

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Sardar Patel -- Calcutta 28 February, 1949:

The mayajana is a word which is applicable to a person who is ordinarily engaged in the service of materialistic pursuits, whereas the harijana is the person whose main business is to attain perfection of human life, as Mahatma Gandhi did, by spiritualistic realization. This movement should therefore be conducted under strict disciplinary methods as prescribed by the mahajana or the harijana of accredited merit. In such a movement we shall have full co-operation of the sadhu community in India.

Letter to Mr. Bailey -- Allahabad 14 September, 1951:

The present smoky materialistic or sensuous civilization has to be kindled into the fire of reality or spiritualism. It is neither difficult nor impossible and is much more simpler than any other method. It is just a simple process of fanning the fire in order to get rid of the disturbing smoke. Such fanning process is eternally the same and the one and the empiric speculators have nothing to invent now in it.

Letter to Brother -- Unknown Place September 1955:

I am in due receipt of your kind enquiry and I am glad that you wish to become a member of the League of Devotees for learning the science & techniques of Theism or spiritualism of the highest standard. The Prospectus is enclosed herewith please find & decide for yourself for becoming a permanent member of this noble institution.

Letter to Jawaharlal Nehru -- Bombay 4 August, 1958:

I beg to inform you that your speech on 2/8/58 at the Gurukul University Haridwar, has given me some inspiration to inform you something about Indian culture. The basic principle of Indian culture is spiritualism which defies the external attraction of phenomenal materialism.

Letter to Jawaharlal Nehru -- Bombay 4 August, 1958:

You are thinking of adjusting western ways of material adjustment with Indian culture of spiritualism and I beg to give you herewith the clue that materialism conducted with an aim of reaching spiritual perfection, is the right adjustment of human activity.

Letter to Jawaharlal Nehru -- Bombay 4 August, 1958:

The history of the West beginning from the time of the Greeks and the Romans down to the modern age of atomic war—is a continuous chain of sense gratificatory materialism and the result is that the westerners were never in peace within the memory of 3000 years of historical records. Neither it will be possible for them at any time in future to live in peace till the message of spiritualism just suitable to the present age does not reach their heart.

Letter to Jawaharlal Nehru -- Bombay 4 August, 1958:

You have admitted it that the position of India's culture is of very high order. But at the same time you want to bring in material prosperity of India by scientific advancement of knowledge. And what is that scientific Knowledge? Spiritualism is also advanced scientific knowledge.

Letter to Jawaharlal Nehru -- Bombay 4 August, 1958:

Material advancement of scientific knowledge cannot give even the desired material prosperity to the people in general without spiritual help. Swaraj of Mahatma Gandhi was adjusted in spiritualism more than materialism. Do you think that horseless carriage or telephonic or radio communication or any other such ephemeral facilities of life, can bring in material prosperity? No it cannot.

1968 Correspondence

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

If you have no positive standing, negating only will not make you successful. Therefore it is better to remain positively within the society of pure devotees. That is also recommended by the Goswamis. That one should be occupied in activities in the modes of goodness and associate with spiritualistic persons, that will make one's advancement very quick.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Krsna dasa -- Los Angeles 13 February, 1969:

In the material way of life, people are embarrassed with the thoughts of how I shall sleep, how I shall eat, how I shall mate, and how I shall defend. That is the way of material life. In the spiritualistic life one knows that God has provided food for everyone, so we shall live on whatever things are contributed by the Grace of God.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Harikesa -- New Vrindaban 24 June, 1976:

We have just finished a book which Hayagriva is editing at present. It is called Dialectic Spiritualism and within that book, your comments can be added if need be for preaching in the Eastern European countries.

Letter to Ramesvara -- Vrindaban 29 October, 1976:

What about that book Dialectical Spiritualism edited by Hayagriva?

Letter to Radhavallabha -- Vrindaban 24 November, 1976:

I am on due receipt of your letter dated November 15, 1976 regarding the Dialectical Spiritualism book. However, you have called it Spiritual Dialecticism. It should be Dialectical Spiritualism.