Temporary (Lectures, SB)

Lecture on SB 1.2.23 -- Los Angeles, August 26, 1972:

By karma only we are getting different types of body, although it is temporary. But as soon as we are encaged in this body, we become subject to threefold miseries of life.

So for a devotee, there is no more karma, or there is no more material body. Kṛṣṇa also confirms in the Bhagavad-gītā, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). After giving up this body, a devotee, he does not get anymore birth in this material body. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). In his spiritual body, he comes back home, back to Godhead. So the same thing is expressed here: kṣīyante ca asya karmāṇi dṛṣṭa ātmani īśvare. He sees, ātmani dṛṣṭa, he realized his relationship with God, īśvare. He realized that "I am eternal servant of God, eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). He realizes it. And because he realizes it, he engages himself in that way. That is the perfection of life.

Therefore, in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, ūrdhva-mūlam adhah-śākham (BG 15.1). You have... You know. Just like a tree, standing on the shore of a reservoir of water. You'll find the reflection of the tree downward. Everything is topsy-turvied. The trunk, the root is on the up, and the foliage, which is on the up, that has come down. Similarly, this material world is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, Fifteenth Chapter: ūrdhva-mūlam adhah-śākham. Generally, we see tree downwards, root, but in the reflection you will find the roots upward. Therefore ūrdhva-mūlam adhah-śākham means these material varieties are simply an imitation of the original variety. Just like I'll give you very nice example. Just there will be a great fair. Just like we had in this Allahabad, Māgha-melā. So because government knew that many people will come to take bath in the Ganges, confluence of Ganges and Yamunā, all of a sudden, a great city, practically, was developed. Those who have seen—so many houses, camps, electric lights, post office, everything. Temporary, created. But as soon as... It is maintained also so long the melā, the fair, is going on. And as soon as the duration of melā is finished, all people go away and the temporary township is also demolished. That we have seen. Similarly, this material world means it is a kind of fair, assembly of so many men. What is the purpose? The purpose is to give them chance, just the Māgha-melā is a chance to become purified, to become pious. They take bath in the Ganges. They become, get an opportunity, an auspicious moment to take bath.

Lecture on SB 1.2.23 -- Los Angeles, August 26, 1972:

Pradyumna: "When Viṣṇu or the Personality of Godhead appears in the material world, He comes to deliver the conditioned living beings who are under the material energy. Such living being appears in the material world with intention of lording it over falsely, and thus becomes entrapped by the three modes of nature. As such, the living entities have to change the material coverings for undergoing different terms of imprisonment. The prison house of the material world is created by Brahmā, under instruction of the Personality of Godhead, and at the conclusion of a kalpa, the whole thing is destroyed by Śiva. But so far maintenance of the prison house is concerned, it is done by Viṣṇu, as much as the state prison house is maintained by the state. Anyone, therefore, who may wish to get out of this prison house of material existence, which is full of miseries like repetition of birth, death, diseases and old age, must please Lord Viṣṇu for such liberation. Lord Viṣṇu is worshiped by devotional service only, and if anyone has to continue the prison life in the material world, he may ask for relative facilities from the different demigods like Śiva, Brahmā, Indra, Varuṇa, etc., for temporary relief. No such demigods can, however, release the imprisoned living being from the conditioned life of material existence except Viṣṇu. As such, the ultimate benefit may be derived from Viṣṇu, the Personality of Godhead."

Prabhupāda: Just like one is a prisoner. So if he pleases the superintendent of prison, he can get some little facilities. Now I have seen, practically, that one young boy, he was imprisoned for some criminal act. So he was typing in the office of the jail superintendent. So that means he was educated, but he was put into ordinary prison term. He was breaking some stone. But he satisfied the jail superintendent that "I am not accustomed to this. However, I can serve you in some other way." So, he saw that "He is educated. He knows. All right. You come to my office. Just help me, in typing."

So this facility one can have. But not released from the prison house. That is not in the power of the superintendent. Similarly, all the demigods, they can give you a temporary facility, but they cannot give you relief from this prison house. Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). People are going to heavenly planets and our planets... Just like they are going to the moon planet. But they are again coming down, again coming down. Either by machine or by fruitive activities, you can be transferred to higher planetary system, but again you have to come back. Kṣīṇe puṇye punaḥ martya-lokaṁ viśanti. You cannot get release. If you want to get release, then you have to come to Viṣṇu. Then you will get release. Śudhyanti prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. Viṣṇu can do. Hariṁ vinā na mṛtiṁ taranti. This is Hari.

Lecture on SB 1.2.23 -- Los Angeles, August 26, 1972:

Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated: kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajante anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). Hṛta-jñānāḥ, hṛta-jñānāḥ, those who have lost their intelligence. They are influenced by their lust and greediness. They worship different demigods to get some material temporary benefit. Therefore they are called naṣṭa-buddhi. His real problem is how to get out of this entanglement of repetition of birth and death, but he doesn't care that. He thinks, "Oh, now I am living in this way. If I live in a palatial building, then my problem is solved." That is not your problem, solution of the problem. That is not solution. But people are very much enamored by this temporary material elements. Therefore they are called by Kṛṣṇa as naṣṭa-buddhayaḥ, hṛta-jñānāḥ. They're actual knowledge is lost. Real thing is... Just like in the jail. The same example: the boy was given a little relief. Instead of breaking stone, he was allowed to type in the office. That does not mean his problem is solved. His problem is solved when he's out of the prison. That is. But that the superintendent of police cannot give. That will be given by the government. Similarly, if we want to get relief from this prison house of material existence, we must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. No other method will relieve us.

Thank you very much. (end)

Lecture on SB 1.2.23 -- Vrndavana, November 3, 1972:

So in this way, if we really want salvation, free, freedom from these clutches of māyā... That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). This māyā is very, very hard to pass over. Duratyayā. Only means is: mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti. This is the verse. Here it is also, the same thing confirmed: śreyāṁsi. If you want ultimate goal, ultimate goal means to get free from the conditional life, repetition of birth, death, old age—then you have to take shelter of Lord Viṣṇu. But people do not know that. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). For temporary benefit they go to worship other demigods. But that is not their ultimate goal. Antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām (BG 7.23). Antavat tu phalam. If you take any benediction from other demigods, that is antavat. That will be finished. That is temporary. Antavat tu phalam..., tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām. Just like Lord Śiva's name is Āśutoṣa. He's very quickly becomes pleased to offer benediction; therefore generally people go to Āśutoṣa, Lord Śiva. He does not consider. If you can please him, you can take any kind of benediction from him. He'll be ready: "All right. You take it." Because he wants to avoid botheration. So when the devotees come, bother him, so to..., just to get him out, he says: "All right, whatever you like, you take and go away." Therefore his name is Āśutoṣa. And people take the shelter of Āśutoṣa, Lord Śiva, for quick result. But Lord Viṣṇu is not like that. If you want something extraordinary from Lord Viṣṇu, it is not possible. He'll not give. Lord Brahmā also.

Lecture on SB 1.2.23 -- Vrndavana, November 3, 1972:

So, so here it is indicated: śreyāṁsi. If you want your ultimate goal, then you take shelter of Viṣṇu, the Lord of sattva-guṇa. Then you'll be benefitted. Not by others. But we are generally influenced by the rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa, lust and greediness. Therefore kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ (BG 7.20). We, we are lost of intelligence, influenced by lust and greediness, and therefore we take shelter of other demigods. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajante anya-devatāḥ. Antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām (BG 7.23). Alpa-medhasām. Alpa-medhasām means people do not know. Suppose I take some material benefit, temporary benefit... Every material benefit is temporary. Whatever benefit we have in this life, as soon as this body's finished, all our benefit finished. Then I'll have to take another body which may not be even human form of body. Sometimes we are being too much attached to our present possession. We remain in the possession, but in a different form. In a different form. There are many, I mean, Puranic, Pauranic indences(?). That is long story, that by karma, we take birth in different forms of life, and if we have got too much attachment... Sometimes a person, the proprietor of the house, after death, remains in that house as serpent, sometimes as dog, sometimes as tree. Being too much attached to the possession, they cannot get better life. And sometimes we can get the body of a hog and monkey in Vṛndāvana also.

Lecture on SB 1.2.31 -- Vrndavana, November 10, 1972:

So we have entered this material world for enjoyment, and to give us facility for enjoyment, the plenary portion of Kṛṣṇa, Paramātmā, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti (SB 1.2.11), He's also within this body. The..., this can be explained by one example. Just like when there is some fair. In India, just like we had attended that Kumbha Mela fair. So because the people would come and gather there, the government takes precaution, or makes necessary arrangement. There is actually a small government; the commissioner, the magistrate, they go there and manage things, that things are going on nicely so that people may not be in inconvenience, let them take bath peacefully. That is the idea. Similarly the government is Kṛṣṇa. And because we wanted to come here to enjoy, the Kṛṣṇa has made so many nice arrangements. The... Sometimes they question, "Why this material world is created?" That is created for us. Because Kṛṣṇa knows that some of them, they want to enjoy this material world, to give them facility everything is arranged there. This is a, a replica of the spiritual world, but it is temporary, exactly like the Kumbha Mela camp is temporary. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). A chance is given to the living entities to enjoy to their satisfaction, and the Vedic instruction is there so that they may follow and again come back home, back to home, back to Godhead. This is the whole arrangement.

Lecture on SB 1.3.1-3 -- San Francisco, March 28, 1968:

Prabhupāda: This is universal form of the Lord, virāṭ-puruṣa. Here is also. This is more or less imaginary. But virāṭ-puruṣa... Just like Arjuna was shown the virāṭ-puruṣa, universal form. That is not eternal. That was causal or temporary; for the time being it was shown to Arjuna.

Upendra: "His body is eternally in spiritual existence par excellence." Purport: "The conception of virāḍ-rūpa or viśva-rūpa of the Supreme Absolute Truth is specially meant for the neophyte materialist who can hardly think of the transcendental form of the Personality of Godhead. To them a form means something of this material world and as such an opposite conception of the absolute is necessary for them in the beginning to concentrate their mind in the power extension of the Lord. As stated above the Lord extends His potency in the form of mahat-tattva which includes all material ingredients. The extension of power by the Lord and the Lord Himself personally are one in one sense but at the same time the mahat-tattva is different also from the Lord. Therefore the potency of the Lord and the Lord are non-different. The conception of the virāḍ-rūpa specially for impersonalist is thus non different from the eternal Form of the Lord. This eternal form of the Lord exists prior to the creation of the mahat-tattva and it is stressed here that the eternal Form of the Lord..."

Prabhupāda: Just like in the Bible it is said "God said, 'Let there be creation.' " That means before the creation, before this material creation, God was there. And the material... There was nothing material. Therefore, God's body cannot be material, because He existed before the creation of matter. So before creation of matter, there was nothing like matter, though God was there. Therefore conclusion is that God has no material body. He spoke, "Let there be creation." "He spoke" means He's a person; otherwise how He can speak? But His personality is not material, because when He spoke there was no material creation.

Lecture on SB 1.3.1-3 -- San Francisco, March 28, 1968:

Therefore the persons with less intelligence, they cannot understand that God's body is not matter. They think that anything has got a body is matter; but that is not the case. The real thing is that God has got body, but not material body. And it is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā that īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). His body is eternal, full of bliss and full of knowledge. Just opposite. You have got this body which is neither eternal, nor full of bliss, nor full of knowledge. This body is full of ignorance and full of miseries and temporary. Therefore God hasn't got a body like this. When in the Vedic literature it is said that God has no body, that does not mean that He has no body. He has no body like this body, material body. Apāni-pādo javana gṛhīta. The Vedic literature says like this, that God has no leg, no hand. Therefore the impersonalists take advantage of it. "Oh, here it is stated God has no legs, no hands." But the next line is, javana gṛhīta: "He can accept everything which you offer Him in devotion."

Now how He can accept? If He has no hand, how He can accept things from us? That means He hasn't got a hand like us. His hand is different. Therefore even though He is situated in the spiritual world, which is far, far away from us, still, He says in the Bhagavad-gītā, it is said,

patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ

yo me bhaktyā prayacchati

tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam

aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ

(BG 9.26)

Lecture on SB 1.3.29 -- Los Angeles, October 4, 1972:

So karmī, jñānī, yogi, and the last is bhakta. So bhakta can see God very quickly because Kṛṣṇa recommends, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Tattvataḥ, in truth, one can understand what is God by following the process of bhakti-yoga. And so far the jñānīs, yogis are concerned, they will come to that point of bhakti-yoga after many, many births. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). At the end of millions of births, jñānī, jñānavān, those who are searching through knowledge... So what is the value of our knowledge? Teeny knowledge. Imperfect senses. We are gathering imperfect knowledge. But we don't neglect knowledge. We give credit to the philosophers, scientists, because... But we advise them that "Your research work should be for God, not for any temporary physical or chemical compound. No."

It is advised by Nārada Muni, kavibhir nirūpitaḥ.

idaṁ hi puṁsas tapasaḥ śrutasya vā

sviṣṭasya sūktasya ca buddhi-dattayoḥ

avicyuto 'rthaḥ kavibhir nirūpito

yad-uttamaśloka-guṇānuvarṇanam

(SB 1.5.22)

If you are a jñānī, a philosopher, speculating what is the truth, so the truth is, ultimate truth is Kṛṣṇa. So if from the very beginning you try to search out by your philosophical knowledge or if you try to prove the supremacy of Kṛṣṇa by your philosophical speculation, that is perfection. That is your perfection. Otherwise it is simply laboring, waste of time. Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). If you cannot go forward up to Kṛṣṇa by your philosophical and scientific research, then all the labor you have taken, that is almost simply waste of time. The limit of knowledge, the limit of scientific research, will be confirmed when you have surrendered to God.

Lecture on SB 1.3.30 -- Los Angeles, October 5, 1972:

So this is very important verse. Form and formless. When we speak of formless, we speak that God or even living entity, all of us, we have no material form. Just like we have got this form, but this form is temporary and it will never come again. As soon as this form is finished, I will have to take another form. That form may not be exactly like this. So this is the formula for everyone. But for Kṛṣṇa, He has no material form. He has got spiritual form. Therefore His form is eternal. We do not remember our past lives, incidences, because the form has changed. But Kṛṣṇa remembers because His form does not change. The evidence is the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says... When He was questioned by Arjuna, "How can I believe that You spoke this philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā 400,000,000's of years ago to the sun-god?" So Kṛṣṇa says that "Yes, you were also present there, because you are My constant companion. But you have forgotten; I remember."

Lecture on SB 1.5.1-4 -- New Vrindaban, May 22, 1969:

So jijñāsitam. Nārada says that "You inquired nicely and you have written very nice books also." Jijñāsitaṁ susampannam api te mahad-adbhutam. "And your knowledge is wonderful." Everything, all credit is being given to Vyāsadeva. Adbhutam. Jijñāsitam adhītaṁ ca brahma yat tat sanātanam. "Not only ordinary things, not only your material knowledge, but you have inquired about Brahman." Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Sanātanam. The Brahman means that is eternal. And what is not Brahman, that is temporary. So sanātana, "You have inquired about Brahman and you have understood, you have assimilated. You have compiled very wonderful books, adbhutam, and the history, bhāratam, Mahābhāratam." Sarvārtha. Sarvārtha-paribṛṁhitam. "And in that Mahābhārata you have given all the information of these four principles of perfection, namely dharma-artha-kāma-mokṣa. And this Bhagavad-gītā is there in the Mahābhārata. In the Bhīṣma-parva." So tathāpi śocasi. Tathāpi:. "Still you are morose. After doing all these things, you are still morose." Tathāpi śocasy ātmānam akṛtārtha iva prabho. Prabho.

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

We have to give up this imitation, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. Śaṅkarācārya placed this theory before all the world, but that is not explained properly because people at that time could not understand more than that. Brahma satyam: "The Absolute is truth." And jagan mithyā, "And this world, the manifested world, is false." How it is false? That is not explained by Śaṅkarācārya. That is explained by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that reality, real father... If you accept Kṛṣṇa as your father, oh, He'll give you all protection. If you accept Kṛṣṇa as your husband, oh, there is no question of divorce. If you accept Kṛṣṇa as your friend, oh, Kṛṣṇa will give you everything.

So so many relationships. All these relationships in the relative world, they are all shadow or temporary. But the same thing is there in the spiritual world. And if we come to that platform, then there will be happiness.

Thank you very much. Any questions? No questions. All right. You have question? No. Of course, I am trying to explain as far as possible understandable by you. But still, if there is any doubt, you can question. You can put. Mukunda, you can... No, you... (end)

Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 16, 1969:

So Nārada Muni is instructing his disciple Vyāsadeva to write books specially by which one may be helped, everyone will be helped, to cross over the nescience, akhila-bandha-muktaye, to become liberated from all conditional stage. We are spirit soul. We cannot be under any material condition. Just like our normal condition is healthy life, not under feverish condition. That is abnormal life. If one is attacked with fever, that is not his normal life. That is temporary, abnormal life. Actual life is healthy life. We should nicely eat. We shall nicely sleep. We shall work very nicely. We..., our brain must work very nicely. These are healthy signs. But when I cannot work nicely, I cannot sleep nicely, I cannot work nicely, I cannot act my brain very nicely, that means abnormal condition. So at that time, he requires to be treated by expert physician.

So here is the expert physician, Nārada Muni. And he is advising his disciple to make him expert. This is called paramparā system. In the same way, we are coming from the same disciplic succession. As Nārada Muni was expert physician for curing this material disease, similarly, he made Vyāsadeva expert physician; Vyāsadeva made Madhvācārya expert physician. So one has to come down in that disciplic succession and become expert physician, or bona fide spiritual master. Here, as we require to go to a physician, to a medical man, for curing our material, I mean, bodily diseases, similarly, to cure our material disease, one has to approach an expert spiritual, bona fide spiritual master. Otherwise it is not possible.

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

In the, in the Padma Purāṇa also there is a verse, ramante yogino 'nante: "Those who are yogis..." Yogi means transcendentalist, not the so-called yogi. Those who have contacted the Absolute Truth, they are called yogis. So yoginaḥ, actually a yogi, ramante, they enjoy. They also enjoy. Why they are, I mean to say, undergoing so much austerities and penances and regulative principles? Because they are trying for being elevated to the real platform of happiness. So ramante yogino 'nante. 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. So therefore it is stated in the Padma Purāṇa that ramante yogino 'nante. Anante means unlimited happiness. They enjoy unlimited happiness. Ramante yogino 'nante. And satyānande. And that is real happiness. Happiness does not mean it is for few minutes. No. Happiness should continue, eternally. One should be situated in that happiness so that other, temporary happiness will not attract him.

So ramante yogino 'nante satyānande cid-ātmani. Cit, cit means that he's full of knowledge. That is not in ignorance. This material happiness is in ignorance. And spiritual happiness is śuddha-sattva. Śuddha-sattva means pure goodness. In the material world there are three stages: ignorance, passion and goodness. The goodness platform is very nice in the material world, but there is another platform, which is called śuddha-sattva. Sattvaṁ viśuddham, viśuddhaṁ vasudeva-śabditam.

Lecture on SB 1.5.17-18 -- New Vrindaban, June 21, 1969:

This example is given in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta by Lord Caitanya to Rūpa Gosvāmī, bhakti-latā, the plant of bhakti, growing. Simply we have to water it. Those who have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they should not be satisfied that whatever they have done, it is nice—"Even I fall down, there is no..." No, you have to execute as far as possible. But this is spoken. If by chance there is falldown, there is no loss. But we should not take that... We should not be careless. Śravaṇa-kīrtana-jale karaye secana (CC Madhya 19.152). Just like our program in this New Vrindaban, very nice program. From four-thirty in the morning till ten o'clock, there is nice program. So this program should be continued. Then there is no question of falling down. Simply executing this program.

Next verse: bhakti-vāsanā sad-bhāva iti bhava avayad vistu kevalam sva dharma pakvo 'tha

vayaptya abhajatam(?) Now, once this Kṛṣṇa consciousness awakens, it is so nice that it will not let the person fall down. No. The... Rest assured. Fall down. It will go simply. If it is checked for the time being, but that checking is for temporary checking. It will again come out. So don't lose this opportunity. Go on with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the simple method. So there is no question of falldown. Bhakti-vāsanā sad-bhāvāt.(?) Bhakti-vāsanā, this desire, that "I'll serve Kṛṣṇa," this desire is sufficient to keep him, I mean to say, intact. This very desire, bhakti-sad-bhāvāt. This desire will never die.

Lecture on SB 1.5.30 -- Vrndavana, August 11, 1974:

This is real life, to go back to home, back to Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Mām upetya. If you go back to home, back to Godhead, that is saṁsiddhiṁ paramām. That is the highest perfection of life. But generally... Generally, almost... Why generally? Almost everyone. Ninety-nine point nine percent people, they want to become happy within this material world. Therefore they are poor, very, very poor. And the mahātmās, they give the knowledge that "This is not life. This is a temporary platform." Aśāśvatam, duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). This is confidential knowledge. You are trying to be happy... Suppose Brahmā. He lives for many millions of years. Still, it is duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). That life is also temporary. What is millions of years' duration of life in comparison to the eternal life? So beginning from Brahmā down to the small ant, whoever is within this material world, it is to be understood their understanding is very poor. And the mahātmā, being kind upon these poor souls, they deliver the same knowledge as Kṛṣṇa gives. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam.. (BG 18.66). This is guru's business. Do not manufacture anything. There is no question of... There is no need of manufacturing anything. Simply you speak to the suffering humanity the same thing which Kṛṣṇa says. Sākṣād bhagavatā uditam. This is the business of guru. It is clearly said.

Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Vrndavana, April 23, 1975:

Sātvata means eternal, and saṁhitā means Vedic literature. Vedic literature... Veda means knowledge. There are two kinds of knowledge: material knowledge and spiritual knowledge. Material knowledge means regarding these necessities of this body. So our educational system, the university, everything, that is simply imparting material knowledge. But material knowledge is superfluous because this body is also superfluous. Every one of us, we know that this body is nonpermanent. It is temporary. We create a certain type of situation, and we get a particular type of body, and we enjoy or suffer. There is no question of enjoyment; it is suffering. Just like we are running on this fan because the body is suffering. Otherwise, there is no necessity of this fan. And we require this light because without light the eyes will suffer.

So actually our material knowledge, we have discovered this electricity just to counteract these sufferings of this material body. Kaṣṭān kāmān. This body is therefore anartha. Anartha means things which are not required. That is called anartha. Artha means things which we require, positive. And anartha means things which we do not require but unnecessarily imposed upon us. So that is suffering. We are thinking that we are enjoying this electric fan, but actually we are suffering; therefore the electric fan is required. So why this electric fan is required? Because the body is anartha; it has created the situation. The same electric fan will be a trouble, a misery in winter season.

Lecture on SB 1.7.7 -- Vrndavana, April 24, 1975:

So we are increasing our anarthas, anarthas, and we are becoming entangled in the cycle of birth and death. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). Once we take a certain type of body, we enjoy or suffer for some time; then again we have to give up this body, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13), and there is no guarantee what sort of body you are going to get. But it is certain that you are going to get a body. And that may be offered to you by the laws of nature. It may be an important, more important body than what we have got just now, or it may be less important. It may be cats and dog or hog, and it may be the body of demigod. That is according to karma. So in this way we are passing our life eternally. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). We get one type of body, and again we give it up. Dehāntara-prāptiḥ. This is called anartha, anartha. Anartha upaśamam. What is that anartha? This is anartha. Why shall I get a new type of body? I am eternal. Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Why I am getting this temporary body? This is called brahma-jijñāsā. Unless a man is awakened to this consciousness, "Why?"—Kena Upaniṣad—he is not human being; he is animal. The animal cannot question. The dog cannot question that "Why I have got this dog's body, and my master has got the human body?" No. He has no such knowledge. But if a human being cannot consider that "I am also an animal, and this dog is also animal. I am situated so comfortably, and the dog is loitering in the street for a little food. Why this condition...?" So śāstra says, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). One should think that "If I get another body, whether I shall get the dog's body or a human body or demigod's body?" That is consideration.

Lecture on SB 1.7.22 -- Vrndavana, September 18, 1976:

Then young man—suppose he becomes family man—then earn for the family. That is also suffering. Then old man, disease, inability, many, many thoughts, that is also suffering. And again death is suffering. At the time of death nobody knows what will happen. Recently one of our Godbrothers has died. He was suffering that he... Some glucose food was being supplied through the nose, and with that, what is called? Taking out the...? That also another suffering. Forcibly taking out the urine, cannot speak anything. So this is suffering. This is called saṁsṛti. We are so foolish we do not know that this material existence is suffering. They are simply struggle for existence. Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). Simply a struggle. There is no happiness. But these foolish persons, they do not know that there is suffering and how to stop this suffering. That is real problem. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). Intelligent persons should always keep in view that "These are my real sufferings." Not that "Temporary I have got some misunderstanding with some friend, or temporary I do not get some nice food, and therefore suffering." These sufferings are extra, but real suffering is this-janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi.

Lecture on SB 1.7.28-29 -- Vrndavana, September 25, 1976:

So they are called kirāta. Hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). Yavanas, khasādaya, Mongolians, without any moustaches. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye 'nye ca pāpāḥ. "Even there are still more low-grade, sinful society," ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ, "if he takes the shelter of a pure devotee, śudhyanti, becomes purified." Becomes purified. How? Śudhyanti? Because prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. Lord Viṣṇu has got so exalted power that through His devotee He can purify anyone. Never mind, even one happens to be caṇḍāla, and what to speak of others. Kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā bhaktā rājarṣayas tathā (BG 9.33). If they can be delivered, then what to speak those who are brāhmaṇas. Brāhmaṇa means puṇya. Without having background of pious activities, nobody can take birth in rich family, in brāhmaṇa family. Nobody can become highly learned person, nobody can become beautiful. Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī (SB 1.8.26). They're the action, reaction of puṇya. And just the opposite is pāpa. So everyone—there is no question of pāpī or puṇya—if anyone takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32), it doesn't matter. Everyone can be elevated to the transcendental position of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

So this movement is there. Take advantage of it and elevate your life and finish the material trouble. Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). It is only simply full of miseries and temporary. This business must be stopped. And yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama: (BG 15.6) simply by going back to home, back to Godhead, your all problems of life will be solved.

Thank you very much. (end)

Lecture on SB 1.7.30-31 -- Vrndavana, September 26, 1976:

The modern science admits that everything is relative. Relative world. According to the body, according to the time. Relative world, not absolute. The absolute world is different. Where there is no relativity. Everyone is as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is oneness. Not that one has become as powerful as the Supreme Lord. No. Maybe as powerful. Still, they're individual. They're not amalgamation. That is wrong theory. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that in the past we were all individuals. He says that "It is not that in the past we did not exist, and it is not that in the future we shall not exist. We shall exist." Nityaḥ śāśvato yaṁ na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). So we are eternal. We existed in the past, we are existing now, and we shall continue to exist. And individual. Kṛṣṇa says, "You, Me, and all these soldiers and kings, they are all individual, and they existed as individual in the past, and we are existing now as individuals, and we shall continue to exist as individuals." So there are three phases of time: past, present, and future. So there is no question of being amalgamated at any time. They remain always individuals. And this is in the material..., either material world or spiritual world, the individuality is there. It never ceases. Nitya-yuktā upāsate. Here, we have got temporary life. Therefore we cannot be nitya-yukta. This life will be finished, and the next life we do not know what kind of life we shall have. It may be human form of life or it may be dog's form of life. You have to change this body. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). Kṛṣṇa does not say that a man after death becomes a man. No. There is no guarantee. He says tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. There will be change of body. And so far the body is concerned, there are 8,400,000 of different bodies. So any one of them you have to accept. There is no guarantee. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ.

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

They should be trained means they should be advised by the brāhmaṇas. Therefore four divisions required. The brāhmaṇas have no interest or they have no time. Even a brāhmaṇa is made king... It is not his business. He may do it for some time, temporarily. Just like Viśvāmitra also did. But it is not his business. The brāhmaṇa should give advice to the ministers or the legislators. They should be all qualified brāhmaṇas, not paid man. Paid man has nothing to do... Even during the time of Mahārāja Candragupta, emperor, he had a brāhmaṇa minister, prime minister, Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. He was not taking a single farthing as salary. When once explanation was called for from Cāṇakya Paṇḍita by Candragupta, immediately he resigned. "You cannot call any explanation. Then I resign." And he was living in a cottage, not that palatial building. He was living in a cottage. That was the system. Brāhmaṇa lived very humbly. He was not poor. Not that they are poor men. They were so rich that when Viśvāmitra approached Mahārāja Daśaratha, immediately he vacated his seat and welcomed, "Sir, sit down here." So respectful. This is Vedic culture. The brāhmaṇas would not accept any comfort, but the kṣatriyas would be very, very glad to give all comforts to the brāhmaṇas. In our śāstra, brāhmaṇa-bhojana, it is recommended that brāhmaṇas should be invited to take prasāda. Now they have manufactured daridra-bhojana or daridra-nārāyaṇa-bhojana. They have made daridra-nārāyaṇa. But that is not Vedic culture. Vedic culture is to find out qualified brāhmaṇa, sages, sannyāsīs. They would refuse, but still they'll fall down, "Please come, take some prasāda." This is Vedic culture. Brāhmaṇa's position is very, very exalted. Now, since after the battle of Kurukṣetra, they have become brahma-bandhus. The example is here, brahma-bandhu.

Lecture on SB 1.7.36-37 -- Vrndavana, September 29, 1976:

So these are rare instances. But don't think that because you are very clever and..., you'll be untouched by Yamarāja. No, no, no. Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu asatsu (SB 2.1.4). Asat. Nobody will stay. Asat. This material world is like that. Asat means temporary, everything. This body is temporary. Your body is temporary, this life is temporary. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13), Kṛṣṇa says you'll have to change this body. It may be for fifty years, sixty years, utmost hundred years. But still, you have to change this body. Therefore asat. Asato mā sad gama. This is Vedic instruction. Don't be attached to this asat, temporary things. That is called vairāgya. Vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yogam (CC Madhya 6.254). If one wants to learn how to become vairāgī, no attachment for this material world, then he must take to devotional service. Vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yogam. That is, bhakti-yoga means vairāgya, no attachment for this material world. One who is actually attached to Kṛṣṇa, he must be no attachment for this material world. That is the sign. Automatically. The jñānīs, the yogis, or the karmīs, they do not want this no attachment. They want more and more attachment. The jñānīs, they want brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā-detachment. But bhakta, without any endeavor, because he develops attachment for Kṛṣṇa, he automatically gives up attachment for this material world. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). This is the symptom how one has become attached with this material world. If I am trying under the, I mean to say, cover of becoming bhakta and trying to gather some material profit, that is not bhakti. That is very dangerous. So in this way there are so many things in the material world we take it for acceptance that these things will save me. He's a pramatta. Pramatta means crazy, half-mad. And full mad is unmatta, full mad. He becomes naked. That is one of the symptoms of unmatta-he'll remain naked. So these men, mattaṁ pramattam unmattam... Just see how the rules and regulations are there.

Lecture on SB 1.8.19 -- Chicago, July 5, 1974 :

Please do not commit these four kinds of sinful activities—illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication. This is the preliminary qualification to understand God. Especially one must not kill animals. The Bible also. Therefore it is said, "Thou shalt not kill. You rascal, if you want to understand what is God, you must stop this killing art. Thou shalt not kill." But these rascals will not understand. This is the mis..., misfortune. And therefore God is always covered to their eyes. Kuntī Devī therefore said, māyā-javanikācchannam. Māyā-javanikācchannam ajñā. Ajñā means rascal, who has no knowledge, dull, dull-headed, mūḍhāḥ, ass. These words are used in the śāstra. Why mūḍhāḥ? The word is used as an, an ass. The ass, amongst the animals, is the most, I mean to say, what is called, foolish, most foolish. The ass works very hard, and bears burden, heavy burden, ton, but he does not know "Why I am carrying so big burden? Why I have taken so much responsibility?" That he does not know. So here you will find so many big, big politicians, leaders, they have accepted big, big burden like an ass, but they do not know why they are doing so. They do not know. Their only solace is a temporary satisfaction that "I have become president," "I have become this master," "I have become this," for few years. But he does not know what is his real business. So therefore the karmīs, they are working hard day and night, but he does not know why he is working so hard day and night.

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

So Kuntīdevī is clarifying the matter that people may think that Kṛṣṇa was partial to the Pāṇḍava family and He was envious to the Kurus because He always took part on behalf of the Pāṇḍavas. That has been described. So just like worldly men, we, we make some friends, and we make some enemies. To somebody we are envious, and to somebody we are very friendly. This is material nature. The material nature means to become envious, generally. And if somebody satisfies my sense gratification, then he's friend. That is also temporary. As soon as the sense gratification process is disturbed, then again envious. The real nature is enviousness. So Kuntīdevī says that "Because You are playing the part of human being, and it appears that You are partial to somebody and You are envious to somebody, this is viḍambanam; this is Your misleading. Actually You are not like that. Actual... But because You are playing the part of the ordinary human being, not ordinary, but as human being, so Your dealing like that appears that You are, to some, to somebody You are very partial and somebody You are inimical."

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

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

Lecture on SB 1.8.30 -- Los Angeles, April 22, 1973:

So therefore Kṛṣṇa's, this plan of appearance and disappearance, they are to be very greatly understood. Not that whimsically Kṛṣṇa has come. He has got a great plan. Otherwise why He should come here? He is very much eager to take you back to home, back to Godhead. That is Kṛṣṇa's business. Therefore He says:

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

(BG 18.66)

He is giving assurance. "My dear..." Everyone of us, we are children of Kṛṣṇa, God. So He is more unhappy. Because we are unhappy on account of this material body, we are undergoing repetition of birth, death, old age and disease. That is not very comfortable situation. But we are so fool, rascal, that we do not take care of this. We are busy for a temporary comfort of this life. But we are neglecting the real discomforts of life, birth, death, old age and disease. This is our ignorance. This is our foolishness.

Thank you very much. (end)

Lecture on SB 1.8.43 -- Mayapura, October 23, 1974:

Therefore intelligent men, they should inquire, "Where we shall enter in family life and we can eternally enjoy?" That is Kṛṣṇa's family. You enter into Kṛṣṇa's family, Vṛndāvana family, where Kṛṣṇa has got His father, mother, His friends, His lover, His beloved, His cows, His garden, His Yamunā. You enter that, that family. Then yad gatvā na nivartante (BG 15.6). Then you will not have to return back again to this temporary family, which will not stay. But if you enter Kṛṣṇa's family... Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes. Kṛṣṇa is so kind that—you are so much family, fond of family life—"Just here see. I have got My family. I am not impersonal. I have got My family. I have got My father. I have got My mother. I have got My friend. I have got My beloved, Rādhārāṇī, and the gopīs. Everything I have got. You can enter also. Come. Why you are rotting here?" That is Kṛṣṇa's mission.

Lecture on SB 1.8.43 -- Mayapura, October 23, 1974:

So this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the same thing. We are making temporary relationship in this material world, and that is being broken, so many families. Who knows what family I belonged to in my last birth? Might have been something else, not this family. We are changing our family because family means this body. I consider, "I belong to this family," because my body is produced from that family. The next life, the body is produced from another family. Then where is our family relationship? This is called māyā. In the material world, there cannot be anything fact. They are all illusion. The so-called family, the so-called friendship, the so-called lover, beloved, so-called paternal affection, sons, they are all simply... Māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43). This was detected by Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja said to Nṛsiṁha-deva, "My Lord, I am not anxious at all for my welfare because I know that anywhere, if I simply remember Your transcendental pastimes, oh, I..." Śoce... Naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitaraṇyās tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna-cittaḥ. Tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahā. This chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, or chanting Kṛṣṇa's pastime, it is just like ocean.

Lecture on SB 1.8.43 -- Mayapura, October 23, 1974:

So this inquiry should be there. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to enthuse people to make this inquiry. Just like political leaders: they were sleeping, and Gandhi and other political leaders, they made agitation that "Why you shall remain dependent on this British ruling?" Just like, similar... It is not like that. It is an example. Our movement is that, that "You are eternal. Why you should rot in this material world where there is no question of eternity? Everything is temporary." Everything is temporary. So how we can attain that eternity? Kṛṣṇa says,

mām upetya punar janma

duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam

nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ

saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ

(BG 8.15)

"If you come to Me..." Kṛṣṇa is saying to us, indicating Arjuna, that "If you come to, come back to home, back to Godhead... Why you are rotting in this material world, temporary world?" "No, I have got so many responsibilities, Sir. How can I join You?" So Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān pari...: "Give it up." "Then, I'll be in trouble?" "No, you'll not be troubled." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ (BG 18.66). Kṛṣṇa is giving assurance.

Lecture on SB 1.8.47 -- Los Angeles, May 9, 1973:

This question was raised by Arjuna also, that "I understand that I am not this body and my grandfather is not this body. Still, I am affected when my body or my grandfather is in danger." So what Kṛṣṇa advised? Kṛṣṇa advised, "Yes, that affection is possible." I know that I am not this body. Theoretically or... But if somebody comes to cut my body, I will be very much protective. Although I know... I cannot feel that "I am not this body; let the body be cut off. I don't mind." No. Then Kṛṣṇa said that this position... Āgamāpāyinaḥ anityās tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata. Mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ (BG 2.14). "These temporary happiness and distress which come and go like seasonal changes..." Seasonal changes. Just like there is summer season, there is winter season. So sometimes it is very cold, sometimes it is very warm. And how these feelings are appreciated? Due to this body. The water is the same, but in summer season water is very pleasing to take bath. The same water is very troublesome to take bath in winter season. So according to the changes of the season and according to the affection of this material body, we are feeling pains and pleasure. Otherwise there is no pains and pleasure. Asaṅgo 'yaṁ puruṣaḥ. Ātmā, real spirit soul... Just like our scientist was asking whether soul is dependent on the matter. No. Soul is independent. Asaṅgo 'yaṁ puruṣaḥ. That is the Vedic instruction. It is never affected. Although therefore it requires knowledge. It requires knowledge. Mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya (BG 2.14). Our pains and pleasure we feel on account of this skin, mātrā-sparśāḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.8.47 -- Mayapura, October 27, 1974:

But all these activities are simply moha, illusion, only moha. It has no value. If you say that "So many things, it has no value?" it has value—temporary, puṇya. Puṇya... There is also pāpa also. Suppose if you give charity... Charity is pious activities, but if you give charity to a brāhmaṇa, then it is—proper brāhmaṇa, qualified brāhmaṇa, Vaiṣṇava—then your charity is properly utilized. And if you give the same charity to a drunkard, then you commit sinful activity. If you do not know what kind of charities we shall perform, if you blindly give charity, then sometimes you may be doing pious activities, but sometimes you are clearing the way for going to hell. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated there are three kinds of charities: sāttvika, rājasika, tāmasika. If you perform sāttvika charity, then you get good result; rājasika charity, you get some profit; and tāmasika charity, you go to hell. So one must be very careful even for this sneha, or charity, or philanthropy.

Lecture on SB 1.9.48 -- Mayapura, June 14, 1973:

So people are misled in this way. They undergo hardship for some temporary gain, which is condemned. Śāstra says that if you take hardship, if go under, undergo tapasya, it must be for realization of God. Tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1). That will give you permanent happiness. And if you accept hardship for anything material, it may give you temporary so-called happiness, but with the end of your body, everything will be finished. Therefore this tapasvinī, this Gāndhārī... Tapasvinī. She has been described as tapasvinī. She wanted to be a faithful, chaste wife. What is the result? If a woman becomes faithful, chaste wife, then the next life there is chance of her becoming a male. Because according to Vedic literature, to take a birth as woman is low-grade. Striyaḥ śūdrās tathā vaiśyā ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ. In the Bhagavad-gītā the... As there are higher grade and lower grade births, so according to Vedic understanding, the women, the body of woman is lower grade birth. Therefore if she's fortunate to have a good husband, devotee, and if she becomes faithful to that husband, then her life is successful. That is called tapasya.

Lecture on SB 1.10.1 -- Mayapura, June 16, 1973:

So Kṛṣṇa does not force anyone to become kṛṣṇa-bhakta, but He gives the chance. He explains everything, that "If you become kṛṣṇa-bhakta, or surrendered soul, then you will be happy. Otherwise you will not be happy." This is Kṛṣṇa. Kuru. He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). He does not force. Now it is our choice, whether we shall surrender to Kṛṣṇa or not. These are the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that one's ultimate goal of life is to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. That is the ultimate goal of life. But they do not know it. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). They do not know. They think for some worldly happiness and go to some demigods... That is condemned in the Bhagavad-gītā, kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajante anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). They have lost their intelligence, those who go to worship other demigods for some paltry benefit, temporary benefit. Antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām (BG 7.23). Those who are, brain substance is not very much in good quantity... Brain substance, instead of brain substance, there is cow-dung. Such people go to worship the other demigods. There is no necessity. There is no necessity. Of course, we do not show any disrespect to any demigods. We offer all respect. But we do not accept that Kṛṣṇa and all other demigods are on the same level, as the Māyāvādī says, that "Either you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra or chant 'Durgā Durgā,' 'Kālī Kālī,' it is the same." This is rascaldom. This is rascaldom. Harer nāma. Śāstra says, harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam. Śāstra does not say that "You chant this name, that name, any dog's name, cat's name, and it is all right."

Lecture on SB 1.10.2 -- Mayapura, June 17, 1973:

So therefore Kṛṣṇa's name is bhava-bhāvana. Bhava-bhāvana. This world is called bhava-saṁsāra, bhava-saṁsāra. Bhava means become. There is another nature, spiritual world, that is not bhava, that does not become. It is always existing, nitya. Nitya-loka. Vaikuṇṭha-loka. But this material world is called bhava. Bhava-saṁsāra. Bhava means it appears and again disappears. Everything here—just like your body, my body—it has appeared at a certain date and it will disappear at a certain date. Similarly, the whole universal body also, it has appeared at a certain date and it will disappear at a certain date. So bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). It becomes manifested, again it becomes disappeared. Therefore it is called bhava-saṁsāra. But still, although it is temporary, the arrangement is so nice, pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇam idaṁ pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate.. (Īśopaniṣad, Invocation). Everything is complete. It is not false.

The Māyāvādīs, they say this world is false. We don't say that. Why it is false? It is perfectly created by Kṛṣṇa. Why I discredit Kṛṣṇa, "Oh, it is false"? No. It is not false. It is reality, provided you know how to utilize it. When you think that you are the enjoyer of this world, that is false. You are not the enjoyer. Enjoyer is Kṛṣṇa. That is reality. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). Then it is reality. As soon as you think, "This is mine. This is my ahaṁ mameti... (SB 5.5.8)." Ahaṁ mameti, "I am this body, and anything in relationship with this body is mine," that is moha.

Lecture on SB 1.10.7 -- Mayapura, June 22, 1973:

So everything... And what to speak of ourselves, we want to become independent. What is the meaning of independence? Even the sun, moon, or the sea, ocean, nobody is independent. And how we can be independent? We are teeny, very small. There is no question of independence. The so-called independence, as we fight for independence, that is māyā. There is no question of independence. When I first met my Guru Mahārāja, on the first meeting, he said that "You go to preach in the Western countries." I was surprised. There was no acquaintance. So "Caitanya Mahāprabhu's message, you are all educated young men, you should go and preach." I replied that "We are dependent nation, Indians. Who will hear us? Nobody will hear." So at that time he explained dependence and independence—temporary, it has no meaning. Actually, at that time I could not realize the independence. We were waiting for independence. What independence we have got? Independence means you go for one kilo of rice and stand there for two hours. (laughter) This is our independence. Everything is controlled. You cannot get. And the price... Before independence the price of rice was two annas or five rupees, six rupees per mound, two annas per kilo. Now it is more than two rupees. Everything. Practically we have increased our dependence. Not independence. In the name of independence, we have increased our dependence. So actually there is no independence. But we manufacture so-called independence. Nobody is independent. I thought, "We are so much dependent on the state rules and regulation. America is independent." When I went to America I saw they are so dependent, that any young man could be called for military service without any objection. So the whole nation is dependent on the whims of the military board. So dependent.

Lecture on SB 1.13.11 -- Geneva, June 2, 1974:

Tyaktvā sudustyaja-surepsita-rājya-lakṣmīṁ dharmiṣṭha ārya-vacasā yad agād araṇyam (SB 11.5.34). Agād araṇyam. Araṇyam means, going to the forest means, to take sannyāsa. Going to the Himalaya does not mean or going to the forest does not mean that he should actually go there. One should give up this family affection, and dedicate the whole life for Kṛṣṇa's service. That is really going to the forest. Not that unnecessarily. It may be beneficial for person, for his personal self. But real renunciation is to have no more interest in so-called limited jurisdiction of family, social, international, national, but the whole interest is for Kṛṣṇa. That is real renunciation. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā. Renunciation does not mean give up this world. That I was explaining. Our philosophy is not the jagat is mithyā. Why jagan mithyā? We don't say that. Jagat is fact. It may be temporary, but it is a fact. Now, so long we have got this jagat, let us utilize it for Kṛṣṇa. That is renunciation. We cannot say this microphone is mithyā. So long the microphone is in my possession, let it be used for Kṛṣṇa's service. This is renunciation. Everyone using this microphone, these modern machines, for his personal gain. But we are not using for personal gain. We are traveling all over the world, spending so much money, jet plane, and this plane, just to push Kṛṣṇa consciousness as much as possible. This is renunciation, not that sitting one place doing nothing and become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Then there will be fall down. Don't imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura. That is not possible. You must work.

Lecture on SB 1.13.11 -- Geneva, June 2, 1974:

So to such person, Kṛṣṇa is suhṛt. Suhṛt. Here it is said, api naḥ suhṛdas tāta, uncle, bāndhavāḥ kṛṣṇa-devatāḥ. Kṛṣṇa-devatāḥ means one who has accepted Kṛṣṇa as the worshipable Deity. He is called kṛṣṇa-devatāḥ. There are so many demigods. They have taken to worship. The Roman were worshiping demigods. The India, in India they also worship demigods. That will not make you happy. Antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām (BG 7.23). To take some benediction from the demigods, although people go there, kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṁ siddhiṁ yajanta iha devatāḥ. People are very much attached to enjoy this material world. So they worship Durgā, Kālī, or Lord Śiva. Kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṁ siddhim. They get immediately some material benefit. But tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām. What you will do with some temporary material benefit? That is the instruction of Kṛṣṇa. Don't be attracted by the temporary material benefits. Just try for permanent eternal benefit. Go back to home, back to Godhead. That is the... That is the... What you will do? Suppose you become king. How long you will remain king? Or there are so many dangers. Sometimes the kings are beheaded. King Johann(?) was beheaded. So material position is always tiltering, tilting. Yes. There is no fixed position. It will end. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, antavat tu phalaṁ teṣām (BG 7.23). Antavat means it will end, today or tomorrow or hundred years after. It will end. So why should you... You are eternal. Why should you hanker after these things which will exist for some few years? You are eternal. Accept the eternal position. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Eternal position.

Lecture on SB 1.15.29 -- Los Angeles, December 7, 1973:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja said, "The best education is that which makes one anxiety-free." That is best education. Now where is that education? Is there any education throughout the whole world, in so many universities, especially in your country there are nice, very, very... Rather, they have created so much anxieties that the boys, they are frustrated. They are giving up everything, becoming hippies. Where is anxiety-less? They increase anxiety. Increase anxiety. Tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehināṁ sadā samudvigna-dhiyām. "My dear father, the best of the asuras, I think that anyone who has accepted this material body is full of anxieties." Asad-grahāt. Asad-grahāt means..., asat means temporary. Because he has accepted a body which is temporary, he is full of anxieties. That is the real problem. We, if we want to be anxiety-less, no anxiety, then we have to refuse to accept this material body. Otherwise there is no possibility. All anxieties are due to this material body. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja said, tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehināṁ sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5).

Lecture on SB 1.15.29 -- Los Angeles, December 7, 1973:

This is the problem. Now somehow or other, we have come in contact with this material body. We, "I am not this material body, you are not this material... We are soul." That realization required, that "I am not this material body. Therefore I am not American, I am not Indian, I am not white, I am not black. I am pure soul." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. This is the real business of human society. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. The swine is enquiring, "Where is stool? Where is stool? Where is stool?" But a human being is also engaged for that purpose, "Where is stool?" or "Where is food?" Stool is his food, and we are also, whole day and night with motorcar going this or, "Where is food? Where is food?" Divā cārthehayā rājan kuṭumba-bharaṇena vā (SB 2.1.3). The whole day is spent, so many motorcars going this way and that way. What is the business? "Where is money? Where is food? Where is shelter?" And as soon as you get shelter, money, and food, kuṭumba-bharaṇena vā. Then "How to feed my children, how to feed my wife, how to feed my country, how to..., society?" That's all. This is anxiety. This is anxiety. They... Nidrayā hriyate naktam. At night they want to become anxiety-less by sleeping or by sex life. They want to forget anxiety. This is their business. Nidrayā hriyate naktam. They think that "If I sleep, then I shall be... Let me drink so at night there will be very deep sleep." That is not possible. You dream very ferocious dream, you are dreaming. So... And sex life, that is also temporary free.

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

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

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

So now our consciousness is immortal consciousness or mortal consciousness, that is to be seen. I am absorbed in thought of this mortal consciousness, "This is my country, this is my body, this is my family, this is my community, this is my nation..." They are all mortal. But immortal consciousness is that "I am Kṛṣṇa's." That is immortal consciousness. "Kṛṣṇa is mine, and I am Kṛṣṇa's." This is immortal consciousness. When you come to this consciousness—that is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness—then you are saved. Immortal consciousness. So long you have got temporary consciousness, then... Just like our mind changes. I accept something now; I reject something again. So this body is being manufactured according to the acceptance and rejection of my mind. The body is formed. Otherwise why we have different body? We are sitting here, so many boys and girls, ladies and gentlemen. Nobody's body will exactly tally with others' body. No. Because the face is the index of mind. You have got different types of mind; therefore you have got different types of body, not every one.

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

So this is to be understood. Therefore Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, svaḥ-pathāya matiṁ cakre. This is meditation actually. "What I am? Wherefrom I have come? I am eternal. Why my body is not eternal? I would have been very happy if my body would have been eternal, but that is not being possible." Everyone knows. "But I desire that I may not die, my body may not be vanquished. That is my desire." But nobody is meditating upon this subject matter. They have learned some meditation—I do not know what kind of medi... This is meditation, matiṁ cakre. Svaḥ-pathāya matiṁ cakre nibhṛtātmā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ. So these things are to be solved. So Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, now he will retire after this. So he will give up the kingdom. Not that... This is the Vedic system. However rich you may be, however prosperous you may be at your home or in your nation or in anyway as you think, but you have to think that "Actually these things are temporary. I am eternal. So what is my eternal function?" That is meditation. "What is my eternal function? What is my eternal duty? Where is my eternal home?" That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on SB 1.15.33 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1973:

ust like big, big swamis in India... Sometimes they come to your country also. They say that "This world is false," jagan mithyā, mithyā. But we don't say that it is false. We say it is reality, but temporary. That is right philosophy. How it can be false? Because everything is produced by the truth, by the Absolute Truth. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Nothing can come out except from the Absolute Truth. Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: (BG 10.8) "I am the origin of everything." If Kṛṣṇa is truth, He is the origin of everything, so how everything can be false? Is that very logical? No. If something has come from gold... Just like we have got so many preparations of gold: gold bangles, gold earring, gold necklace. But it has come from the gold; therefore it is gold. How it can be false? Gold is never false. Gold is gold. So this philosophy that brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā, that "Gold mine is right, but the gold earring is wrong..." No. That you cannot say. If gold mine is right, then gold earring is also right because it has come from the gold mine. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa says that ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: (BG 10.8) "I am the origin of everything." And the Vedānta-sūtra also says, janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) "Absolute Truth is that from whom everything emanates." So everything has emanated from Kṛṣṇa. So how this material world can be false? It is true. Then what is that false? It is not false. It is temporary. But the idea that "This material world is for my enjoyment," that is false. That is false. As soon as you take things that "It is for my enjoyment," then it is false. Because you cannot enjoy. You are not the proprietor. God is the pro... Why the trouble? Why the problems of the world? Because people are taking things for their enjoyment. Why this petrol problem? Actually, that petrol, stock of petrol, in any part of the world, that is God's property.

Lecture on SB 1.15.33 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1973:

So we are trying to remove these rascals' false conception. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We don't say that this world is false. Why this world is false? It is not false. It is fact. It may be temporary, but it is fact. Just like this winter season. It will not stay. It will be for three months. Again summer season will come. So we cannot say that this winter season is false. No. It is not false; it is fact. But it is temporary. So temporary things, although it is real, so if we can utilize that reality, sense of reality, for the supreme reality, then our life is successful. That is called ekānta-bhaktyā. That is stated here: ekānta-bhaktyā bhagavaty adhokṣaje. Ekānta-bhaktyā. Ekānta means without any diversion. Everything. Īśāvāsyam idam... Thinking that "Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. Why shall I use it for my personal sense gratification?" This is called ekānta-bhaktyā. Ekānta. Eka. Ekaṁ evādvitīyam. Eka, Kṛṣṇa is one. There cannot be any competition of Kṛṣṇa. So eka anta, that one end bhakti, serving that Supreme. Ekānta-bhakti. Bhajate ananya-bhāk. Bhajate mām ananya-bhāk, sādhur eva samantavyaḥ. Api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. That ananya-bhāk means simply concentrated to Kṛṣṇa. That is required. That devotion in any circumstances. It doesn't matter whether Kṛṣṇa is personally... Kṛṣṇa is present, but because we want to see with our material eyes, therefore we claim this, that "I want to see Kṛṣṇa." He does not accept that he has no eyes to see Kṛṣṇa. But with his blunt eyes, he wants to see Kṛṣṇa. Therefore His name is Adhokṣaja. Kṛṣṇa is there. The sun is there in the sky, but the person who is in darkness at night, he wants to see sun. He is in darkness. Otherwise one who can fly from this country to other country, he can see immediately the sun is there. Sun is everywhere. But my eyes are, being covered by māyā, I cannot see. Therefore He is called Adhokṣaja, Adhokṣaja.

Lecture on SB 1.15.41 -- Los Angeles, December 19, 1973:

Prabhupāda: Read the purport also.

Pradyumna: "Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, like his brother Arjuna, began to concentrate and gradually became freed from all material bondage. First of all he concentrated all the actions of the senses amalgamated in the mind. Or in other words, he turned his mind towards transcendental service of the Lord. He prayed that since all material activities were performed by the mind in terms of actions and reactions of the material senses, and since he was going back to Godhead, the mind would wind up its material activities and return towards the transcendental service of the Lord. There was no longer need for material activities. Actually, the activities of the mind cannot be stopped because they are the reflection of the eternal soul. But the quality of the activities can be changed from matter to the transcendental service of the Lord. The material color of the mind is changed by washing it from contaminations of life breathing and therefore getting it freed from the contamination of repeated birth and death and getting it situated in pure spiritual life. All was manifested by the temporary embodiment of the material body, which is a production of mind at the time of death. And if the mind is purified by practice of transcendental loving service of the Lord and the same is constantly engaged in the service of the lotus feet of the Lord, there is no more chance of the mind's producing another material body after death. It will be freed from the absorption of material contamination. The pure soul will be able to return back home, back to Godhead."

Prabhupāda: So this verse describes in the manner of yogic practice. The yogic practice means controlling five kinds of air within the body: prāṇa, apāna, vyāna, like that. That is breathing exercise, yoga practice.

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

So here is very nicely explained, how from that one... Prakṛtiṁ yānti māmikām. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that "This prakṛti," means nature, "will be wound up, again come to Me within." Just like the spider. The spider makes a cobweb. From the saliva from him, he can work—he knows how to work on it—and again he can wound it up. That is practical example. Similarly, the material nature... Here is the point of creation. The energy is conserved. Energy is never lost, avyaya. But this prakṛti, this material nature, is not eternal. It is temporary. The same example, the spider. The spider, suppose it is eternal, but the cobweb made by the spider, that is not eternal. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). It is created and again wound up. Similarly, the point of creation comes from God. God is not created. They ask this question generally, that "Everything is created. Then God must be created." That idea comes because we have no other idea than the creation, maintenance and again annihilation. We have no other idea. In this material world, we have no other idea. We see this body is created by father and mother. Then it remains for a time, it grows, and then it become old. Then it vanishes. Ṣaḍ-vikāra, six kinds of changes. Janma-sthiti-pariṇāma...

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

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

Lecture on SB 1.15.46 -- Los Angeles, December 24, 1973:

So te sādhu kṛta-sarvārthāḥ. They have executed all duties. Kṛta-sarvārthāḥ. Jñātvā ātyantikam ātmanaḥ. We are hankering after happiness, temporary, but we do not know what is ultimate happiness. So they knew what is the ultimate happiness. Ātyantikam. Sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad atīndriya-grāhyam (BG 6.21). Bhagavad-gītā. Ātyantikam. The ultimate happiness is not perceived by these gross material senses. The ultimate happiness is appreciated, understood, by transcendental senses. The same senses... Means now the senses are covered by material infection. So when you purify this material infection, then your senses become pure. And in that pure senses, you can enjoy real happiness. Therefore here it is said, ātyantikam ātmanaḥ manasā dhārayām āsuḥ. So they knew what is the ātyantikaṁ dhār..., Vaikuṇṭha. Vaikuṇṭha-caraṇāmbujam. Vaikuṇṭha. Vaikuṇṭha means vigata-kuṇṭha. Kuṇṭha means anxiety. And God's another name is Vaikuṇṭha. If you take shelter of the lotus feet of God, Kṛṣṇa, then you become without anxieties. This is the only. Everyone is full of anxiety. Even a bird, even a beast, even a small ant, what to speak of our position. The material world is such, we must be full of anxieties. That is explained also. Asad-grahāt. Because we have accepted something flickering as shelter. If you accept something which is not permanent, which is tiltering... In a boat suppose which is tiltering, at any moment you will be drowned.

Lecture on SB 1.15.47-48 -- Los Angeles, December 25, 1973:

So those who are not interested to understand this consciousness and the origin of consciousness, they are asat. They cannot understand what is spiritual life. Therefore the beginning of spiritual life... In the Bhagavad-gītā, it is said that dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). In this body, in this asat, this temporary body, there is the proprietor of the body. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe. The proprietor of the body. So that is to be understood. So how it can be understood? Vidhūta-kalmaṣāḥ. Those who are washed off of the sinful act... Therefore we prescribe that "Don't be associated with sinful activities." What is that? Illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling. One who is washed off of these, vidhūta-kalmaṣā sthānam, that sthānam, that place, is virajena ātmanaiva vidhūta-kalmaṣāḥ... Those who are washed of... Otherwise it is not possible. If you think that "I shall do this and do that," then do this, not that. That is finished. You go on doing this life after life, and remain in this material world. That is the point.

Thank you very much. (end)

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

So that saintly person accepted to be punished by Yamarāja, but he also cursed him, that "Because in my innocence I committed some sin, you are punishing me in this way, so I also curse you that next life you will have to become a śūdra. Because you have no intelligence of a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya." So Vidura became a śūdra. Śūdra means he was born by a king, he was begotten by king, but his mother was śūdra, maidservant. That was the system, that when a king is married, the father of the princess also gives so many girls to go with the princess, as maidservant. And sometimes the maidservants also gave birth. So they are called dāsī-putra. Such son could not claim to the throne, but were provided, dāsī-putra. So Vidura's history was like that. He was a dāsī-putra, brother, a step-brother, not exactly step-brother, but brother, of Mahārāja Dhṛtarāṣṭra. But he was a very saintly person, because formerly, in the previous life, he was Yamarāja. So he was not ordinary man. So he cultivated spiritual consciousness. Now, after leaving this body, he returned again, pitṛbhiḥ sva-kṣayaṁ yayau. He again returned to his original post. Temporary, he got the life of a śūdra; again he returned back by his pious activities. Similarly, there are many narrations in the Purāṇas. Sometimes Indra, the king of heaven, he was also cursed by Bṛhaspati to become a hog in this planet.

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

So we are not these so-called Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. Why jagan mithyā? Mithyā means false. They say that jagan mithyā, this whole material world is false. We don't say false. We say it is temporary, and so long it is in use, you utilize it for Kṛṣṇa. That even this material world will be utilized for Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this is our proposal. We don't reject anything. Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī: prāpañcikatayā buddhyā hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ. A thing which can be used for the service of Hari, Kṛṣṇa, if it is given up as material, that vairāgya, that renunciation, is not very good. That renunciation... "I have renounced everything..." Just like amongst the Jains, they will not ride on car, they'll walk. So our principle is not like that. "No, we shall not take advantage of the motorcar or the airplanes. These are all material. I shall walk." Why shall I walk? If I would not have taken the advantage of the airplanes, how I could preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world so swiftly? We must take all advantage, but for Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We shall encourage people, but the thing is that we may not forget. If by material opulence we forget Kṛṣṇa, then that is suicidal. That is sui... Therefore we have to be little careful. We may drive the Rolls Royce car, but may not identify with the car: "Oh, now I've become Rolls Royce. You are Chevrolet. I'm Rolls Royce." (laughter) Don't become nonsense like that. Rolls Royce car is different from you, and Chevrolet car is also different from you. You can take advantage of them. Don't identify. They are identifying with the matter. That is the defect. That is called māyā. He's not identifying with Kṛṣṇa, that "I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. I am not part and parcel of these Rolls Royce cars." If one keeps himself, I mean to say, awakened in this way, so in any condition of life, he is liberated, any condition.

Lecture on SB 1.16.21 -- Hawaii, January 17, 1974:

So in the Vedic civilization there was no such problem as petrol problem and food problem or... No. The problem was whether the civilization was going nicely, whether the human civilization is making progress toward the ultimate goal of life, not to bother with the temporary problems. Temporary problems has been described in the Bhagavad-gītā, tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata. Mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya.

mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya

śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ

āgamāpāyino 'nityās

tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata

(BG 2.14)

Anything except this problem... There are problems always. This is a world of problems. So... Just like this summer season, that is also problem. The winter season, that is also problem. So many people come here in Hawaii because they cannot tolerate too much severe cold in the mainland. They come here. Again, when you come here, when it is too much hot, warm, then we require fan, we require refrigerator, we require so many. So problem is there. So Kṛṣṇa is saying, "My dear Arjuna, problems there will be." This is material world. You cannot avoid problems. But you should tackle with the main problem, not the insignificant or temporary problem. That is the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on SB 1.16.21 -- Hawaii, January 17, 1974:

The main problem is janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). That is main problem. So our cultivation of knowledge, advancement of civilization, should be on the basis of solving the main problems, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi, not the temporary problem. For the temporary problems, it is advised that the temporary problems, they come and go. Just like nowadays there is the petrol problem. Petrol is there, but because the Arabians are restricting supply, it has become a problem. So there are, as soon as there will be some peace agreement between the Arabians and others, this problem will be solved. Take for example. Best example is given in the Bhagavad-gītā, śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ. You can solve your petrol problem, but you can never solve the problem of winter and summer. That will come and go. So it is not that winter will remain for good, or the summer will remain for good. Āgamāpāyino 'nityāḥ. They will come and go away. So don't be bothered about them. If you feel botheration, just try to suffer or tolerate. That is not your real problem. Real problem is how to stop the birth, death, old age and disease, and that is Vedic civilization, and that is depending on the brahminical culture.

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

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

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-5 -- Melbourne, June 26, 1974:

So what should be our occupational duty? Sad-dharma. Sad-dharma means... Sat means eternal. Real occupational duty... Now I am working as American or others working as Indian or German or Englishmen, or this family men. Everyone has got some occupational duty. But this occupational duty... Suppose I am working as American or European or Australian. This is temporary, because this body is temporary. And I am in bodily concept of life. Therefore my duty, so-called duty, is also temporary. As soon as the body is finished, I begin another chapter of duty. Suppose this life I am human being; next life I may not be human being. This statement was not liked by the newspaper man. (laughing) He was told that next life you can become animal, so he has published in my name, "The swami can become animal." Also the swami can become also animal. The so-called swami, they will become animal. (laughter) So that is not wrong. But we devotees, we are not afraid of becoming animal. Our only ambition is that we become Kṛṣṇa conscious.

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

We cannot understand what is darkness unless there is light. Or we cannot understand light unless there is darkness. So because this world is dark, therefore, you can conclude by logical argument there must be another world which is full of light. That is not very difficult to understand. Just like here is light, the other wall is darkness. So because this world is dark, tama, there must be another world which is full of light. Not only your logical conclusion, but it is confirmed by the Vedic literature. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said,

paras tasmāt tu bhavo 'nyo

'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ

(yaḥ sa) sarveṣu( bhūteṣu)

naśyatsu na tad vinaśyati

(BG 8.20)

It is information is there that there is another nature which is sanātana, eternal. This nature, this material nature, darkness, is not eternal, temporary. Just like your body, my body, everyone's body is temporary. Similarly, this universe, this gigantic body, this is also temporary. It has got a date of creation, and it will be annihilated at a certain date, everything. Therefore, this dark world or nature is subject to birth, death, old age, and disease, whereas that nature which is full of light, that is eternal and even after annihilation of this material world, it remains. That is called sanātana, eternal.

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

Without following the principles, religious principles... The human life is given a chance by the nature, that "In this life you make a solution of this birth and death," janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). So these rascals do not know that janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi is actually problem. They are simply trying to solve so many temporary problems. They do not know the real problem is janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. Therefore, following the real religious principle means sad-dharma. That is lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau, the greatest benefit to the human society—to stop their repetition of birth and death. That is the greatest... That is the business of the Gosvāmīs. Not this, this party or that party, capitalism and communism, this "ism," that... What they will derive? You may follow capitalism or communism or this "ism," that "ism"; after death, you'll be immediately under the grip of material nature, karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). "Now all your so-called rascal nationalism go to hell. You become a dog. Finish." That is nature's course. You have treated your life like cats and dogs. You did not take advantage of your human life. Now nature will give you, "All right, again you become cats and dogs." Punar mūṣiko bhava. They do not know. They do not know the secret science of nature. You may be a very great leader, prime minister now. Next life you are going to be a dog in Scandinavia. (laughter) You see?

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

That is in spiritual world, not in this material... In the material world there is no love. It is lust. We are making business under the name of love. In the material world there cannot be love because... Suppose a girl loves a boy or a boy loves a girl. Both of them are actuated by sense gratification. So that is not love. That is not love. When there is question of sense gratification, that is not love. Just like there is little example. Just like mother loves the child. There is no question of sense gratification. Simply for the sake of love, the mother loves the child. It is simply a little example. Similarly, love means if I love you, I don't want any return. Still, I love you. You may ill treat me. You may badly treat me. You neglect me. Still, I love you. There is no question of return from you. That is real love. That you cannot find in this material world. Because it is based on sense gratification, therefore there is love between a boy and girl, and as soon as there is little discrepancy, there is divorce. They are separated. Because the whole principle was on the basis of lust. So there is no love. Or we do not know what is meant by love. Love does not mean just a boy is attracted by a girl or a girl is attracted by a... That is not love. That is sense attraction. So in the material world there is no love. It is impossible. There is little, little example, just like I cited the example of mother and son or similar. That is also temporary. But real love is in the spiritual... That is Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. That is real love. There is no separation. There is no cheating. There is no divorce. There is no sex attraction. Simply for love's sake, loving, that is real love.

Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Delhi, November 6, 1973:

In this way we have to mold our life if we are actually interested to become free from this janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9), if we actually want to get free from the repetition of birth, death, old age and disease. That is our real problem. People do not understand that this is our real problem. They are simply engaged in some temporary problem. The real problem is that "Why I am dying? In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre: (BG 2.20) 'The soul does not die even after the destruction of this body.' So why my body should be destroyed?" This is real inquiry. "Why... Can I not get a permanent body which will never be destroyed?" Yes. You'll get. You will get. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Kṛṣṇa says, "You will get a permanent body. After giving up this body," tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9), "you do not get again material body." "Then where shall I go?" Mām eti: "You come to Me." If you go back to home, back to Kṛṣṇa, then, as Kṛṣṇa has got eternal body never to be destroyed, similarly Kṛṣṇa has got eternal body. Don't think that Kṛṣṇa has got a body like us. Just like Kṛṣṇa, when it was inquired by Arjuna, Kṛṣṇa said that "This Bhagavad-gītā philosophy I spoke first of all to the sun-god." That (I) have calculated. It is about 400,000,000's of years ago He said. How does He remember? That means He does not change His body. We, we forget because just like in our last, past birth... Now I can remember not all, but some of my incidences of my life I remember. But I do not remember anything of my past life. Death means forgetting about the past life. So because I have changed my body, I have forgotten. But anyone who does not change his body, he does not forget. And that is the proof that Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's body is not ordinary body.

Lecture on SB 2.1.4 -- Vrndavana, March 19, 1974:

So our real problem is how to revive our original, eternal life. That is struggle. The modern people, scientists, philosophers, they even do not know what is our original constitutional position, and... Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). I do not die, even after the destruction of this body. These things are unknown. And still, they are posing themselves as leader of the society. Therefore the śāstra says, andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ: (SB 7.5.31) "One blind man is leading several other blind men." Te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ: "They do not know that they are bound up by the laws of nature very tight, hands and legs." There is no question of freedom.

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni

guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ

ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā

kartāham iti manyate

(BG 3.27)

So real life is to know what is the value of my life, how I have to attain the original position. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). And now I am getting this śarīra, or body, and I am being annihilated one after another. And I am getting one body annihilated, again getting another, next body. This great science is unknown to the modern civilization, and therefore they are considered as pramattaḥ, all madmen, hankering after some temporary happiness. Pramattaḥ. They are called pramattaḥ.

Thank you very much. (end)

Lecture on SB 2.3.8, and Initiations -- Los Angeles, May 25, 1972:

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Pradyumna: "The path of religion entails making progress on the path of spiritual advancement, ultimately reviving the eternal relation with Lord Viṣṇu in His impersonal effulgence, localized Paramātmā feature, and ultimately in His personal feature by spiritual advancement of knowledge. And one who wants to establish a good dynasty and be happy in the progress of temporary bodily relations should take shelter of the pitās and the demigods in other pious planets. Such different classes of worshipers of different demigods may ultimately reach the respective planets within the universe, but he who reaches the spiritual planets in the brahma-jyotir achieves the highest perfection."

Prabhupāda: Yes. So, now. (devotees chant japa) (break in tape)... the word is abhyantaram, the word is abhyantaram... Antara means internal. (break in tape)

Lecture on SB 2.3.10 -- Los Angeles, May 28, 1972:

They're all temporary. It will finish. It will finish. Therefore Caitanya-caritāmṛta, the same Caitanya... Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja says, kṛṣṇa yei bhaje sei baḍa catura. Anyone who takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, takes the shelter of Kṛṣṇa, he is the perfect intelligent man. He is the perf... So here it is recommended that "You fools, you rascals..." Akāmaḥ sarva-kāmaḥ, eh, sarva, not akāmaḥ. Sarva-kāmaḥ, mokṣa-kāmaḥ. "You are all rascals." Therefore Vyāsadeva is advising "All right, even though you are rascal, you are full of desires, you are full of becoming one with the Supreme, still, you worship," yajeta puruṣaṁ param, "the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Still, you do that." That is the recommendation. Don't go to others. Now, the question is that bhakti means anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). One must be free from all kinds of desires. That is pure bhakti. Now, it is recommended here that sarva-kāmaḥ, mokṣa-kāmaḥ, "Those who are desiring for all material opulences, those who are desiring for becoming liberated..."

Lecture on SB 2.3.17 -- Los Angeles, July 12, 1969:

These things are very nicely discussed here. We shall try to explain. The beginning is taravaḥ kiṁ na jīvanti (SB 2.3.18) . The beginning of this... How our consciousness is developed and important, that is stated in these pages, that taravaḥ kiṁ na jīvanti. You are proud of having a little long duration of life than the cats and dogs; therefore you are proud? Oh, don't you see how long the trees also live, for seven thousand years, many thousands of years. So what is there in living for long duration of life? So there is no actual wonderful achievement by the so-called material advancement of life unless you have got developed consciousness to the standard of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everything is false. False means maybe, temporary. You are American. You are feeling that you belong to the rich country, very beautiful body, no scarcity of food. That's all right, but it is also temporary. It is not permanent. And next life you do not know. Even if you have no information what is life after death, but there is. There is life after death. The body is changing. This is the instruction of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The body is changing, but the soul is eternal. We are busy with the bodily affairs of life, but we do not take care of the soul. That is the mistake of the present civilization. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is teaching to the people in general, the philosophers, the religionists, the leaders, that this is not the way of civilization. You try to develop your consciousness to the standard of Kṛṣṇa. Then your life will be successful.

Lecture on SB 2.3.17 -- Los Angeles, July 12, 1969:

Therefore we have got lawbooks. Anādi bahirmukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli gelā, ataeva kṛṣṇa veda-purāṇe karilā. Because you have forgotten Kṛṣṇa, therefore Kṛṣṇa has given you so many books, Vedic literature. Therefore I was stressing, don't waste your time in reading nonsense literature. Just concentrate your mind in this Vedic literature. Then you'll know. Why these books are there? Just to remind you to become lawful. But if you don't take advantage, then you are misusing your life. This preaching work, this publication of books, literature, magazines, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, everything is to remind you how we are being controlled, who is the supreme controller, how your life can be successful, how you can be relieved from this controlled life, how you can get freedom life. This is the movement. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for that purpose; otherwise, what is the utility of this movement? It is not an "ism" just to make some temporary appeasement. It is the ultimate solution of all the problems of life, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And this chanting is pavement of the heart, where you'll receive this message. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12), cleansing the heart. Then you'll be able to receive the message. So our process is very scientific, authorized, and if anyone takes to it he'll realize gradually, and he'll be elevated. There is no doubt about it. So what is the next engagement?

Tamāla-kṛṣṇa: Āratika. (obeisances) (end)

Lecture on SB 2.3.19 -- Los Angeles, June 14, 1972:

So to show me favor...If somebody says, "Here is Kṛṣṇa standing," but I have no eyes to see Kṛṣṇa. Spirit, I cannot see even your spirit, my spirit. Spirit is there. But I have no eyes to see the spirit, what to speak of touching. Therefore Kṛṣṇa, although He is spirit... In connection with Him, He is stone also. Because everything is Kṛṣṇa.

Everything is product of Kṛṣṇa, energy. So we are not worshiping stone. We are worshiping Kṛṣṇa in a form which is tangible for us, that's all. Not that Kṛṣṇa is stone. Kṛṣṇa is stone also, because stone is nothing but Kṛṣṇa's energy. So in this way you should understand what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Don't remain foolish Perfect knowledge. Perfect knowledge. Yasmin vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati. Simply if you understand Kṛṣṇa, everything will be known to you. And if you actually understand Kṛṣṇa, then your life is successful. Immediately you are eligible to go back to home, back to Godhead. Immediately. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). "That man who has understood Me rightly, he is no more coming back to accept this temporary material body. He comes to me." So try to understand Kṛṣṇa, and the beginning is karṇa-patha, these holes of the ear. Lend your ears to hear from the devotee. That's all. Na yat-karṇa-pathopetaḥ. It is not that you have to pass MAD, DHC, no.

Lecture on SB 2.3.20 -- Bombay, March 24, 1977, At Cross Maidan Pandal:

So yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa. As soon as we deviate from the original system, it is naṣṭa, spoiled. So what is the use of giving things which is already spoiled? But it cannot be spoiled if you follow the paramparā system. This is the secret of success. So our only request is that India should not be misled by imitating the Western type of civilization, unnecessarily fighting on political and social... These political, social, there is problem, but that is temporary. Temporary... We must have our interest to the real life. Somebody yesterday was speaking of health. So what is health? If you are going to die, what is the value of your so-called health program? First of all you stop death; then the question of health. Kṛṣṇa said, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). First of all come to this position. Then even after the destruction of the body, you are not destroyed. That is health. That is health. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). That is health, not that patchwork: you have got some disease, take some pill and again become diseased. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). That is not health. Here is health.

Lecture on SB 2.3.22 -- Los Angeles, June 19, 1972:

So we are not concerned with the imagination form. They are also not imagination. Actually, everyone, all the demigods, they have got their forms. But the difference is Viṣṇu, the form of Viṣṇu, is eternal; and the forms of demigods or the form, our forms... Just like we have got now some form. They're not eternal—temporary. We all sitting here, we have got different forms, but as soon as these forms will be changed, we shall accept another form—this form's gone forever. It will never come again. But Viṣṇu form, Lord Viṣṇu's form, viṣṇu-tattva. Viṣṇu-tattva means the forms of the original Lord, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the original form. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). But He expands in different forms. The original form is Kṛṣṇa. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is said, Kṛṣṇa, advaita, one. There is no second, I mean to say, counterpart. But He expands. Advaitam acyutam. Acyuta. Acyuta means which does not fall down. Acyuta. Cyuta means "fall down." So God's another name is Acyuta, never falls down. Just like we living entities, we fall down. From spiritual world, we fall down. Because we have fallen down, therefore we have got this material body. But Kṛṣṇa, or God, never falls down. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Ananta, endless. You cannot count how many forms are there of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They have been compared with the incessant waves of the river. Just like, in the river you stand, on a flowing river, you will find the waves are day and night flowing, flowing, flowing, flowing.

Lecture on SB 2.4.2 -- Los Angeles, June 25, 1972:

So nasty life you are living. It was better death. Better for you to death, die. But if you die, then you go to hell. Therefore don't die, don't live." So... (aside:) Don't close your eyes. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja's... This was blessing. Parīkṣit Mahārāja... Don't think that Parīkṣit Mahārāja lost everything. Because he has understood Kṛṣṇa, so according to the statement of Bhagavad-gītā, it is fact that he is going back to home, back to Godhead.

Therefore Parīkṣit Mahārāja... What is the value of this kingdom, of the wealth of this material world? They are temporary. Even if you have got very good kingdom, very nice wife, very nice society, very... How long? And if there is any mistake, next life you can get something else. But so Parīkṣit Mahārāja's life... Because he's born devotee. From the childhood, he's a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Now, when he was cursed, it was blessings for him and for all others because he was cursed, there was necessity of the recitation of this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And after hearing this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam... Śrī-viṣṇoḥ śravaṇe parīkṣit. Parīkṣit Mahārāja simply by hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, he got salvation. So this superficial awkward position that he lost his life, lost his kingdom, he had to leave his wife and children and everything, don't take in that "By Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he became bereft of all assets. No. He was going to be rewarded very highly, going back to home, back to Godhead.

Lecture on SB 2.4.2 -- Los Angeles, June 26, 1972:

That is required because you have to move. So don't, we don't say that "It is mithyā, it is false." That is Māyāvādī's ver... Brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. "This material world is false." We don't say false. We don't say false, because we have to take work from it. Why shall I say false? When I take some work from the typewriter or some other machine, why shall I say it is false? It is real. So our philosophy is, we don't neglect this material world as false. That is pseudo, pseudo renunciation. You cannot give up. Why should you call it false? Sometimes ... Just like some materialists, they criticize that "You are using material things. Why do you say false?" So that criticism is applicable to the Māyāvādī philosophy, who says jagan mithyā, "This whole material world is false." Brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. We don't say false. We say, "It is temporary. It is temporary, and I have to take some benefit out of it."

Because I am in this material world. How can I say it is false? I must eat. How can I say eating false? That is not our business. But we must eat something which will help me in my real philosophy. But we must eat something which will help me in my real business. My real business is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore I must eat kṛṣṇa-prasādam. That will maintain my body and help my business. This is our philosophy. Thank you very much. (end)

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is for the first, at least the first time. And Congress arranged during Congress session, Hindus and Muslims But that was not with heart. And after the Congress meeting was finished, they But here they daily, they are daily coming, taking prasādam. Why not? Prasādam is Kṛṣṇa's prasādam. So actually, the United Nations or united people can be possible only in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise it is not possible. The māyā. Everyone is under the influence of māyā, bahu-rūpayā. So long he is under the influence of māyā, he must think in terms of his own form. That is temporary, but he is attached to that temporary form. He must think that "I am this, I am that, I am..." So it is a very important verse. Read it again? Bahu...

Bali-mardana: Bahu-rūpa ivābhāti.

Prabhupāda: Bahu-rūpa ivābhāti.

Bali-mardana: Bahu-rūpa ivābhāti māyayā...(break)

Prabhupāda: Māyā's three guṇas, modes. So somebody is in passion, somebody is in ignorance, somebody is in goodness. Even one is in goodness, goodness is also another. It may be higher quality, but that is māyā quality. One has to go above goodness. Here there are many persons, they are very clean. That is a brahminical quality, sattva ṣama śauca, very clean, truthful, controlled, so many qualifications, but still, that is māyā. Still that is māyā. To become on the platform of brahminical, satya śama dama titikṣa ārjava, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyam brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42).

But we are not in touch with that quality. Prakṛteḥ... There is a verse, etad īśanam īśasya. Just like Kṛṣṇa comes as a human being in this material world, but He is not affected with any of the qualities of the material world. That is therefore called nirguṇa. Nirguṇa means the material qualities cannot touch you. Similarly, a devotee of Kṛṣṇa also, when he is in service of Kṛṣṇa, he is also nirguṇa. The material qualities cannot touch him. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). He immediately becomes transcendental to all the material qualities. But that does not mean I cannot act in the material quality. Kṛṣṇa is working just like ordinary prince. He was born of a king, in the royal family. But He has nothing to do. Na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti (BG 4.14). Kṛṣṇa is not affected. Dhari māccha nāce pāni. There is a Bengali proverb that "You go to catch fish, but don't touch the water." You see? If you are clever, if you have that rod to catch fish, take out the fish, but don't touch the water. Similarly, for our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement we have to go in so many places. They are all materialistic, but we cannot become materialistic. We will take some service from a person for Kṛṣṇa's service. So we'll do some good to him, but we don't accept his quality. That should be our position. So in this way we should know that bahu-rūpa ivābhāti. Ivābhāti. Iva means "just like." Ābhāti, "appears." Actually these are temporary. Bahu-rūpa iva Māyayā bahu-rūpayā ramamāṇo guṇeṣv asyā. Guṇeṣu, in the quality, asyā, of māyā. Eh?

So therefore we have to accept everything: nirbandhe kṛṣṇa-sambandhe. We can accept all this material advancement in relationship with Kṛṣṇa. We can accept a tape recorder. This is material advancement. But we can use it for Kṛṣṇa. We take the typewriter, but we use it for Kṛṣṇa. We take a car—we use it for Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise we don't want. What is the use of car? We can walk. But if for Kṛṣṇa's sake if it is wanted Suppose we are going to preach somewhere, and if you say, "Oh, this is material, māyā. Why shall I take it? I shall go, walk," this is nonsense. You take advantage. Sometimes they criticize that "You criticize material advancement. Why do you take car? Why do you take this?" No, we can take everything because we see everything in relationship, Kṛṣṇa. This combination of matter, that is all right. But it is Kṛṣṇa's matter. Bhūmir āpo analo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4).

So our vision is different. We are not under the control of māyā. At least we should be like that. Then we remain in the transcendental state. Otherwise all these people, those who are not working under Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they are under the influence of these material modes. So therefore they are all rascals. They are mistaken. Anyone who is not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he's a rascal. This should be our conclusion. So any question on this verse? It is very important. Every verse, Bhāgavata, every verse is illumination. (break) Therefore those who are yogis, ramante yoginaḥ anante, (CC Madhya 9.29) they are not desirous of enjoying this creation of māyā. Yoginaḥ anante. They want to enjoy in the association of the ananta, not māyā. Māyā is temporary. However māyā may exhibit in so many ways, it is temporary. This nice city or this nice country, this nice world, decorated—one day it will be finished, all finished. Pralaya-payodhi-jale dhṛtavān asi vedam **. When there will be inundation, all these planets will be merged into water, finished.

Lecture on SB 2.9.4 -- Japan, April 22, 1972:

Prabhupāda: Yogamāyā means... Here, this is also Kṛṣṇa's exhibition of māyā, but it is temporary. In the another, spiritual world, that is also exhibition of Kṛṣṇa's māyā, but it is permanent. Here is a perverted reflection, we say. Just like shadow, shadow, the shadow of the tree in the water—everything is perverted, opposite. So that shadow is not the substance. The substance is there. On the bank of the river, that is really. Similarly the spiritual world is There also, everything is there. There are trees, there are fruits, there are flowers, there are men—everything is there, birds, beasts, everything. But they are all real. Here, bahu-rūpa. Bahu-rūpa means, which it is not reality. That, this bahu-rūpa is also reflection, but it is not real. That is the difference. Ivābhāti. Therefore it is called ivābhāti: "It appears like that." Actually it is not. Just like in some shop you see so many ladies and gentlemen are standing with nice dress. What is called that...?

Bali-mardana: Mannequin?

Prabhupāda: Mani?

Sudāmā: Mannequin. Like doll. In department store.

Prabhupāda: Department store. But they are ivābhāti; they are not fact. Ivābhāti. It appears like ladies and gentlemen and so many things, but they are not fact. Therefore ivābhāti. Iva means "It appears like that." It is not fact. But actually there are ladies and gentlemen. It is simply an imitation. So spiritual world, actually. And it is ivābhāti; it appears like that. But those who are fools, they are attached to this ivābhāti. If somebody goes, "Oh, here is nice beautiful woman. Let me embrace," that is foolishness. That is ivābhāti.

Oh. Change bodies... Just like you have changed your body from the body of the womb, and at the present moment... But you don't remember all the incidences that have happened. So sometimes we remember; sometimes we do not remember, like that. But generally, if we... We remember during lifetime, but we forget also. Even if we forget, that does not mean I am dead. Forgetfulness is explained, māyā. We forget Kṛṣṇa. We forget that "I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa" by forgetfulness. That is explained. What is that? Ātma-māyām ṛte rājan. Ātma-māyā. It is a illusion. That forgetful... Actually there is no forgetfulness. I should not forget, but because I am illusioned, therefore I forget. Because... I forget means I am illusioned. Ātma-māyā. Influenced by the modes of material... The one who is most influenced by the modes of material nature, they forget. Just like you are worshiping Kṛṣṇa. But others, they are not worshiping. They are to be awakened to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It does not mean they are actually separate from Kṛṣṇa. But they have to be awakened. They say man is not dead, he is sleeping. But he has to be awakened. As soon as he is awakened, he remembers immediately. This is called svapna-citta-nyāya. I am sleeping, forgetting everything. I am in a different place. But as soon as I am awakened I remember, "Oh, I have to do this, I have to go there." So this forgetfulness is a temporary illusion, that's all. Actually we don't forget. It is temporary. Ātma-māyām ṛte. It is only it is action of God's external energy. Because I wanted to forget Kṛṣṇa, therefore Kṛṣṇa has helped me in forgetting Him by His own illusory energy. Have saṅkīrtana. (end)

Lecture on SB 2.9.10 -- Tokyo, April 26, 1972:

Pradyumna: "The marginal line between the material manifestation and the spiritual manifestation is the Virajā River. And beyond the Virajā, which is a transcendental current flowing from the perspiration of the body of the Lord, there is the three-fourths part manifestation of God's creation. This part is eternal, everlasting, without any deterioration, and unlimited, and contains the highest perfectional stage of living conditions. In the Sāṅkhya-kaumudī it is stated that unalloyed goodness or transcendence is just opposite to the material modes. All living entities are eternally associated without any break, and the Lord is the chief and prime entity there. In the Āgama Purāṇas also the transcendental abode is described as follows. The associated members there are free to go everywhere within the creation of the Lord, and there is no limit to such creation, particularly in the region of the three-fourths magnitude. Since the nature of that region is unlimited, there is no history of such association, nor is there end of it. The conclusion may be drawn that because of the complete absence of the mundane qualities of ignorance and passion, there is no question of creation nor of annihilation. In the material world everything is created and everything is annihilated, and the duration of life between the creation and annihilation is temporary. In the transcendental realm, there is no creation and no destruction, and thus the duration of life is eternal unlimitedly. In other words, everything in the transcendental world is everlasting, full of knowledge and bliss without any deterioration. Since there is no deterioration, there is no past, present and future in the estimation of time. It is clearly stated in this verse that the influence of time is conspicuous by its absence. The whole material existence is manifested by actions and reactions of elements which make up the influence of time prominent in the matter of past, present and future. There are no such actions and reactions of cause and effects there. So the cycle of birth, growth, existence, transformations, deterioration and annihilation or the six material changes are nonexistent there. It is the unalloyed manifestation of the energy of the Lord without any illusion as experienced here in the material world. The whole Vaikuṇṭha existence proclaims that everyone there is a follower of the Lord. The Lord is the chief leader there without any competition of leadership, and the people in general are all followers of the Lord. It is confirmed in the Vedas therefore that the Lord is the chief leader and all other living entities are subordinate to Him."

Prabhupāda: Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13).

Pradyumna: "It is confirmed in the Vedas therefore that the Lord is the chief leader and all other living entities are subordinate to Him as only the Lord..."

Prabhupāda: So we have accepted the original leader, Kṛṣṇa. Why should we follow the nonsense leader who has no perfect knowledge? We have accepted the supreme leader. That is our advantage. Then?

Pradyumna: "...as only the Lord satisfies all the needs of all other living entities."

Prabhupāda: And He is so able leader that He supplies everything. He is not a false leader. Then?

Pradyumna: That is the end of the purport.

Prabhupāda: That's all. So stick to this leader. Don't deviate. That's all.

Lecture on SB 2.9.13 -- Melbourne, April 12, 1972:

So sometimes people do that, suicide. They think that "If I kill, if I commit suicide, then all these pains and pleasures will be finished," because he has no information that a body is an instrument to feel pains and pleasure. Actually, I, as the spirit soul, I am unattached to it. Ātma-māyām ṛte rājan. Ātma-māyā. It is a creation of, temporary creation. So if I get out of this temporary creation and be situated in my own position, then there is no more pains and pleasure. It is simply pleasure. Therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to change the consciousness. Now I am conscious of this material combination, this body, mind Therefore I am feeling pains and pleasure. And as soon as I am situated in my original consciousness, that "I am Kṛṣṇa's; Kṛṣṇa's eternal servant I am, so let me engage in Kṛṣṇa's service," and then there is no more material pains and pleasure. It is not that A neophyte, when he is engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, he is feeling the same pains and pleasure, but that is due to our past habit, consciousness. Just like aeroplane. You come down on the land. Sometimes there is dizziness. You think that "I am still flying." But there is no more flying. That is stopped. Similarly, one who is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, his material pains and pleasures has been stopped. But due to our past experience, sometimes we think, "I am still in pains and pleasure." This is due to our past experience. The same example again: just like the fan is running. You put off the switch; still, the fan is running. But actually it is not running. The running capacity has been stopped. But due to the, what is called?

Lecture on SB 2.9.13 -- Melbourne, April 12, 1972:

Here it is only perverted reflection. Here the beauty... Just like the beauty is described there, bhrājiṣṇu. Bhrājiṣṇu, all glowing. Lasad-vimāna. Lasat, brilliant. There is also aeroplane, but not this tin aeroplane. You see? There the airplanes are made of jewels and gold, brilliant. And their beauty. There also men, women there are, not that simply men devotees, no. But the men and women, they are creation. The both sexes are there, Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. So nothing is different from here, but they are permanent, real. Here everything are temporary and false. This is the difference. Everything, there is also tree, there is also flower, there are also palaces, there are aeroplanes, there are chariots, men, women, but they are real, and here it is unreal.

The same example, the mirage. It appears exactly like water, but it is not water. It is false. But there is real water. We should not think that because it is false water, therefore there is no water. Water is illu... That is Māyāvādī theory. Because here... Brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā: Śaṅkarācārya, that "Only Brahman, impersonal Brahman, is fact, and everything, all varieties, they are mithyā." No. They have no full information of Brahman. When we get full information of Brahman, the Supreme Brahman, Kṛṣṇa He is ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhiḥ (Bs. 5.37). He is always engaged in celestial Not celestial. Spiritual bliss. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa. His līlā, His rasa-līlā, He is playing with the cowherds boy, but there is no defects or the, what is called, inebrieties. There is no such thing. Everything is fact, and everything is real. Therefore ānandamāyā. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa. There is rasa. Here is also rasa. Here rasa is not ānanda-cinmaya. This is material. There everything is real.

Lecture on SB 3.25.3 -- Bombay, November 3, 1974:

Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja, when he was asked by his father, "My dear boy, what best thing you have learned from your teachers? Will you explain to me," so Prahlāda Mahārāja immediately replied, tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehināṁ sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt: (SB 7.5.5) "Yes, I have learned the best thing is that these materialistic persons, who have accepted the asad-vastu..." Sat and asat. Sad gama asato mā: "Don't keep yourself in the asat; go to the sat." Oṁ tat sat. That is the Vedic injunction. So... Material world means asad-vastu. Asad-vastu means not good or which will not stay. Asat. Sat means which exists, and asat means not existing. So in the material world nothing will exist. It exists for some time, temporary. The Māyāvādī philosopher says that brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. We Vaiṣṇavas, we do not say mithyā, because God, or the Supreme Brahman, is truth, so there can be anything untruth from the truth. That is not possible. Just like if you prepare something from gold, an earring, that earring is also gold. You cannot say it is something else. So yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante. That is the Vedic instruction. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). So Supreme Absolute Truth is that from whom, or from which, everything has emanated. So if everything has emanated from the Absolute Truth, it cannot be untruth. How it can be untruth? It may be temporary. Therefore we Vaiṣṇava philosophers, we do not accept this jagat as the Māyāvādī philosopher says, jagan mithyā. No, we don't say mithyā. We say jagat is also satyam. Because the jagat has emanated from the Supreme, therefore it is not mithyā, but it is temporary. That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. The material nature is temporary. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). It comes into existence and stays for some time. Then it is again annihilated. But it is not mithyā. We don't say mithyā. And it can be utilized for the Supreme Truth. This is Vaiṣṇava philosophy. Nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate. Our Vaiṣṇava philosophy is we don't take anything as mithyā. We take it as truth, but we don't use it for purpose of which is not truth.

The material purpose is not true, but spiritual purpose is true. Therefore anything, you use it for the ultimate truth, Absolute Truth, that is realization of truth. This is Vaiṣṇava philosophy.

Lecture on SB 3.25.3 -- Bombay, November 3, 1974:

This is the instruction given by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. And on the other side,

prāpañcikatayā buddhyā

hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ

mumukṣubhiḥ parityāgo

vairāgyaṁ phalgu kathyate

Mumukṣubhiḥ. Mumukṣubhiḥ means those who are aspiring after mukti. Those who are aspiring after mukti. Because when one is disgusted with these material engagements—sadā samudvigna-dhiyām—they want to destroy this. Mithyā. But the Vaiṣṇava says that prāpañcikatayā buddhyā hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ. Everything has got relation with the Supreme Person or the Absolute Truth. Just like this microphone. It is made of metal. But what is metal? It is another form of earth. So Kṛṣṇa says, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca, bhinnā me prakṛtir aṣṭadhā (BG 7.4). It is His energy. So His energy... He is the source of energy. So energy, how it can be untrue? That is not untrue. We don't say that "This metal has no connection with Kṛṣṇa." Yes, it has connection. Because it is production of His own energy. So... Just like this material world, this cosmic manifestation, is the production of the sunshine. The sun and the sunshine—you cannot say the sunshine is false and the sun is true. That is not nice philosophy. If the sun is true, then the sunshine is also true. So we don't say that this jagan mithyā. No. It may be temporary, but it is not mithyā. Therefore our Gosvāmīs, they instruct, or Kṛṣṇa also instructs that everything belongs to Him. Therefore everything should be utilized for His purpose. That is wanted.

Lecture on SB 3.25.9 -- Bombay, November 9, 1974:

Therefore by studying Vedic literature, we can understand Kṛṣṇa. Therefore one must seek for a Vedic teacher. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Not that "At home, by speculation, I can understand what is God." That is not produce.(?) Vedas says... Just like if you want to be educated, you must accept some school. It doesn't matter whether the school is perfect or not perfect, but you cannot avoid school going. That is not possible. If you think that "Without going to school, I shall learn everything," that is not possible. Vedas says that if you want knowledge actually... Tad-vijñānārtham. Tad-vijñāna means transcendental knowledge. Because Vedic knowledge... There is material knowledge also. Just like Āyur Veda, Dhanur Veda, and Jyotir Veda. Veda, veda means knowledge. There are all different types of knowledge. But real knowledge is brahma-vidyā, to understand the Absolute Truth. That is real knowledge. Other knowledge, they are temporary. We require medicine; therefore there is Āyur Veda. We require sometimes to fight; there is Dhanur Veda. And... So that is also required. Because the body is there. But real requirement is to know the Absolute Truth, Absolute Person. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). That is our self-interest. That is our self-interest. If we want to become perfect, then we must see what is the ultimate Absolute Truth. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is the instruction of Vedānta.

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

So Devahūti is accepting or accepted her son Kapiladeva as guru, and now she is placing the problem and how to solve it. So to go to guru means to solve the material problem. Not temporary problem, "I have got some disease. Give me some mantra so that I may cure," or "I am in poverty. Give me some mantra where I can get money." Not like that. "To deliver me from the sammoha, illusion, ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8)."

This material life is sammoha, ahaṁ mameti. Atha... The material life begins: puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etam. This material life is described in four lines. What is this material life? Now, puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etam. Etam, this material life, is nothing but an attraction of sex. Puṁsaḥ striyā. The man is after woman, and woman is after man. This is material life, beginning. Everywhere, not only human society. Even in bird society, dog society, cat society, or demigods' society—everywhere you'll see the sex attraction. Puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etaṁ tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ. And... They are seeking, and as soon as they are joined together to satisfy the sex desire, their the, I mean to say, attraction becomes more and more tight. Then ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). So as soon as they are combined, they require one house or apartment or cottage or nest. Something must be private. Ataḥ gṛha-kṣetra. Then to work, to earn livelihood, one must have some land. Either you construct skyscraper building or till it for get some food grain. Ataḥ gṛha-kṣetra, suta. Then without children, married life is frustrated. Putra-hīnaṁ gṛhaṁ śūnyam. Married life without children is void. Avidyaṁ jīvanaṁ śūnyam. If one is not educated, his life is vacate, or vacant. Avidyaṁ jīvanaṁ śūnyaṁ diśaḥ śūnyā abāndhavāḥ. And if you go to some foreign country, if there is no deva, temple, God's temple, or friend, that is also useless. And putra-hīnaṁ gṛhaṁ śūnyam. And if you have no children, the so-called married life is also void. And sarva-śūnyā daridratā. And if you are poor, in poverty, then everything is zero. Even if you have got a wife, or even if you have got education, even you have got friend, everything is... That is Cāṇakya Paṇḍita's advice.

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

So this family life is attraction. Gṛha-kṣetra, then suta, children. Then āpta, relatives. In this way, janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8), he becomes entangled in this material life. But that is moha. That is not fact. It is moha in this sense because we have to change this body. In this body I have created something, gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittaiḥ, and at the time of death, as Kṛṣṇa says, mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś ca aham. Kṛṣṇa takes away everything as death. Your gṛha, your house, your land, your wife, your children, your friend, your reputation—everything is taken away. And then you have to begin another life. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). You are not dead. You are living eternally. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). This body is finished, you have to accept another body. And that you do not know what kind of body you'll get. There are so many bodies. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati: 8,400,000 forms of body. So you have to enter some of the, some of them, one of them. So in this way our life is going on. But temporarily, if we are situated in a position, "This is my wife, this is my children, this is my house, this is my country, this is my nation, this is my, mine..." Ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). This illusion.

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

So this is an upādhi. You are Indian, American, this, that—they are all upādhis. Therefore if we are attached, if we are attached to the upādhi, that is called avagraha. Ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). And according to the upādhi, I become attached to "me" and "mine"—"I am this," "I am that," and "It is mine, it is..." But actually, they are all illusion. Fact it is. If you suppose... Just like the president was five years very powerful. Now he's dragged down. Then what is the value? What is the value? So it may be for five years or fifty years or utmost hundred years. Or a million years. Just like Brahmā. But they are all temporary. In the eternal time, five years or ten years or hundred years or five million years, they are all limited. They are not eternal. But we are eternal. We living entities, we are eternal. So why we should be illusioned by the noneternal?

That is called illusion. That is called jñāna, that "I learn from Bhagavad-gītā that 'I am eternal. There is no birth and there is no death.' Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit. Kadācit, at any time. Not that it has begun now. No. Never we are born. Na hanyate hanyamāne... (BG 2.20). So this is the fact. So why I shall be interested in something noneternal?" This is called knowledge. If I am eternal and my position is to enjoy life... Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). By nature, I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1), and Kṛṣṇa says, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). So qualitatively I am also sac-cid-ānanda. So why I am enjoying this temporary life for ten years or twenty years or two hundred years? This is called knowledge. Etaj jñānam. Other jñānam, they are not jñānam. I have said many times. They are arts, śilpa, to live for some time and make some artistic way of living condition and forget my real problem—janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9).

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

This is guru. Guru's business is that we are in the darkness of this illusion, "my" and "mine." The whole world is going on. They fight between nation and nation, between society and society, community and community, brother and brother, father and mother, or so many... Simply this ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). "This much mine. Why (they) are interfering in my business? There must be fight." This illusion is going on. But we do not belong to any one of them. It is temporary. Just like in a railway compartment, if there is some crowd, somebody fights, "Why... Why... Why you have pushed me? Why you have taken my seat?" And there is very big fight. And somebody tolerates that "I shall sit here for two hours or for three hours. Why shall I fight?" This is one mentality. And another mentality is that he knows that for the two hours or three hours or some other hours he'll remain in that compartment, but there is fight, because ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). But two hours' seat, he's thinking, "It is my permanent seat. Why you should intrude upon my seat?"

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

So guru means repeatedly his business is to enlighten the disciple how to become detached to this material world. Simply detachment will not help you. The other philosophy, Śūnyavādi, that you make zero this material detachment... No. That is not possible. We have got... Because we are ānandamaya, we want ānanda, sac-cid-ānanda. Actually, we are searching after eternal life, sat. That is sat, eternal life. And cit means knowledge. And ānanda... Sac-cid-ānanda. We are seeking that. Partially, if we simply understand eternity, that will not help us. We must have blissful knowledge. So the Māyāvādīs, those who are impersonalists, they want to make these material varieties of life zero. Because they are very much disgusted with this material life. So jagan mithyā. They say, "This is mithyā. This is false."

But we say that it is not mithyā. It is... Mithyā means false. It is not false. It is truth, but you are using it in a false way. That is our philosophy. This is the expansion of energy of Kṛṣṇa. So this energy, you are not utilizing for Kṛṣṇa, but you are utilizing the energy for your sense gratification. That is mistake. But otherwise, how it can be false? It is not false. It is creation of God. Mama... Kṛṣṇa says, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhiḥ, bhinnā prakṛtir me aṣṭadhā (BG 7.4). Me. It is Kṛṣṇa's energy. How Kṛṣṇa's energy can be false? If Kṛṣṇa is truth, Kṛṣṇa's energy is also truth. But it may... Just like the cloud. You cannot say the cloud is false. Cloud is fact, although it is temporary. The cloud does not remain in the sky permanently; it appears and again disappears. But when it appears there is rain, there is reaction of the rain, vegetation on the ground, on the field. How you can say it is false? But it is temporary. That is actual philosophy.

Lecture on SB 3.25.11 -- Bombay, November 11, 1974:

So these are not sad-dharma. These are all asad-dharma, for the time being. Asad means "that will not stay." You are Hindu. How long you are Hindu? Say, fifty years. Or you are Indian. How long you are Indian? Say, fifty, sixty, hundred years. But again you have to become something else. That we do not know. We are working very hard, "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Indian," "I am American." These upādhi. But the upādhi may be changed next moment. At any moment. So what is your real dharma? This is temporary dharma for the body. What is your real dharma? Real dharma is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is sad-dharma. That is sad-dharma. That will continue eternally.

So sad-dharma... Here it is said, namāmi sad-dharma-vidāṁ variṣṭham: "There are many propounder of sad-dharma. But actually, You are the best of the propounders of the sad-dharma because You know the reality." And that is the actual reality. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam... (BG 18.66). That is sad-dharma. So the Gosvāmīs worked... Sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau. Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saṁsthāpakau. So these Gosvāmīs, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's direct disciples, they tried to establish sad-dharma, and we are trying to follow their footprints, footsteps, to establish real dharma all over the world. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Thank you very much. (end)

Lecture on SB 3.25.13 -- Los Angeles, November 10, 1968:

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. We admit these are temporary attractions, but we are still... Just like children. They are attracted to the..., but the parents, they're guiding, "Oh, you must go to school." Niḥśreyasāya. That is śreyaḥ. The boy, the child, does not like it, but the parents, they are anxious, "Oh, my child is not going to school; he is being spoiled." So dragging him.

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. Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he was crucified. Still, he was so tolerant he, at the time of crucification, he's praying to God, "My Lord, these people do not know what they are doing. Please forgive them." Just see how much tolerant. Titikṣava. This is the first qualification of saintly person or God's servant or God's son. Very tolerant. They have to push on their Kṛṣṇa conscious movement or God conscious movement through so many odds. Through so many odds. Because they are just like the child; he's attracted with playthings.

Lecture on SB 3.25.16 -- Bombay, November 16, 1974:

So śāstra says, "No, no, this is not good. This is not good." Na sādhu manye yata ātmano 'yam asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ (SB 5.5.4). But they have no brain. This body is temporary, but it is full of suffering, although it is temporary. One can say, "This body is temporary. So what do I care for...?" But it is painful. We have to suffer.

nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma

yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti

na sādhu manye yata ātmano 'yam

asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ

Lecture on SB 3.25.16 -- Bombay, November 16, 1974:

They have no brain that this material body is kleśada, is simply miserable. So dull brain. That is tamo-guṇa. Tamo-guṇa means completely darkness. Just like animals. You take one animal, you cut its throat. Another animal is standing and eating grass. He does not know "The next time, next term is mine." This is animal life.

So people have become... Especially in this Kali-yuga. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). But this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to give these rascals little sense, that "Don't remain animal. Become human being." This is the propaganda.

So you cannot avoid these things. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). You should not be puffed-up because you have got some bank balance, you are happy. No. Your real unhappiness—these four things: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. That any intelligent man should always keep in front, that "These are my distresses." These temporary distresses and to relieve it, that is not very good. You must make ultimate finishing of all distresses. That is bhakti-yoga. That is bhakti-yoga. And that bhakti-yoga begins this, by hearing and chanting.

śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ

hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi...

(SB 1.2.17)

If you continually hear, then gradually all the dirty things, kāma-lobhādibhiḥ, these things will be finished and you will be purified, and then that is the way of your liberation. Muktaye. Guṇeṣu saktaṁ bandhāya rataṁ vā puṁsi muktaye. The process is also given that you hear about Kṛṣṇa. Then you will be purified. Because this life is meant for sattva-śuddhi. Śuddha-sattva. Our existence is not uncontaminated. It is con... The human form of life is meant for to make this existence uncontaminated: no more birth, no more death. They do not know. Where is the university, where is the school, college, to teach this science how one can become uncontaminated? There is no such institution except this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

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

So he replied that sādhu manye 'sura-varya. Asura-varya. He did not address him as "Father"; he addressed him: "The best of the asuras," asura-varya. Tat sādhu manye. Sādhu, again. Tat sādhu manye asura-varya dehinām. "So far I have understood, that dehinām, those who are embodied..." Dehinām. Not "dehānām." Dehinām, he has said. Dehinām means we are dehī, we are proprietor of this body. I am not this body. So because we accepted this body, we are always in miserable condition. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). We accept this temporary body. That is the cause of all miseries. We cannot understand it. We are talking of so many miseries, but what is the cause of misery, that we do not know. Everyone knows, but he'll not know it. The cause is this body. Because the body is there, there is disease, there is old age, there is birth, there is death. And the whole struggle is against how to stop death, how to stop birth, how to stop disease, and how to stop old age. You just see. Why there are so many advancements in the chemical science? Why there are so many medical men? Why there are so many drug shop? To stop these things. This is a struggle. But why they are required? Because we have got this body. This material body.

Lecture on SB 3.25.23 -- Bombay, November 23, 1974:

You simply hear about the Lord, you talk about the Lord. That is bhajana. Śravaṇam means you can further make progress. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam is going on all over the world. Some is hearing about some politician, other is speaking about some politician or some other man, some important man in the society. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam is going on. But they are suffering. But when the śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam is pertaining to Viṣṇu, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ, then you will not be suffering. This is the... It requires experience. It requires advancement.

Then... Prahlāda Mahārāja, as he says, that tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna-cittaḥ: "Because my mind is always absorbed in talking about You and hearing about You, therefore I am not unhappy. I do not... I know how to become happy." "But you seem to be very unhappy." So he says, "Yes, I am unhappy because I see these..." Tato vimukha-cetasa indriyārtha-māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān: (SB 7.9.43) "These foolish people, simply for temporary so-called happiness, they are engaged in material activities. I am thinking of them only. That is my unhappiness. Otherwise I have no unhappiness."

So this devotional service, this line of action, is so nice that if we practice, if we make advance, then even in this material world, staying, there will be no more suffering. That is called jīvan mukta. Jīvan mukta means although he is in this body, but he is not suffering the bodily miserable condition. It is a question of absorption of thought. I have read in some paper that Mr. Stalin, the communist leader, he had to undergo a surgical operation of operating on the belly. But doctor wanted to, what is called, chloroform, but he said, "No, there is no need. You can go on with your operation." So even in ordinary life it is possible. Because the mind is absorbed in a different way, even a surgical operation does not disturb a man. Similarly, what to speak of spiritual life, if your mind is always absorbed in Kṛṣṇa thought, Kṛṣṇa consciousness... That is stated mad-gata-cetasaḥ, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa advises also. What is His advice? Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru: (BG 18.65) "You always think of Me."

Lecture on SB 3.25.25 -- Bombay, November 25, 1974:

Prabhupāda:

satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido

bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ

taj-joṣaṇād āśv apavarga-vartmani

śraddhā ratir bhaktir anukramiṣyati

(SB 3.25.25)

So here it is recommended, satāṁ prasaṅgāt, talks between devotees. Satām means devotee, not ordinary person; those who are devotees, sat. Sat and asat. There are two things. Sat means which exists, and asat mean which does not exist—temporary. That is called asat. This material world is asat. Therefore Vedic injunction is asato mā sad gama: "Don't keep yourself within this material world." (aside:) That child... Asato mā.

So people who are interested in materialistic life, they are called asat. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was asked by a devotee that "What is the behavior of a Vaiṣṇava, of devotee?" Vaiṣṇava means devotee. (aside:) Who is this? Who is making noise? So Caitanya Mahāprabhu, being inquired, "What is the duty of a devotee?" (aside:) ...what is the sound?

Brahmānanda: They're doing it purposely.

Prabhupāda: Oh, that's all right. That's all right. Never mind. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, asat-saṅga-tyāga, ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra (CC Madhya 22.87). Asat-saṅga-tyāga, ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra. He, in one line, He said that "First of all, Vaiṣṇava, his business is to avoid the company of asat." Asat means those who are materialistic interest. Asataḥ. Asato mā sad gama. This is very important thing. We have established this Kṛṣṇa consciousness society—means that to avoid the asat-saṅga, to avoid the... Of course, we are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness amongst the people who are interested in material subject matter. But we are not associating with them. We are associating with Kṛṣṇa, because we don't talk anything except Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 3.25.25 -- Bombay, November 25, 1974:

Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung one song, jaḍa-vidyā jato, māyāra vaibhava. This material education without God consciousness is expansion of the influence of māyā. Jaḍa-vidyā jato, māyāra vaibhava, tomāra bhajane bādhā. They are simply impediments in the matter of advancing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Tomāra bhajane bādhā. Anitya saṁsāre. And why? Now, result of godless material education means that anitya saṁsāre moha janamiyā. We are already illusioned. Anyone who has come to this material world, he is illusioned. But advancement of so-called material education means the increasing of the same illusory propaganda. Jaḍa-vidyā jato, māyāra vaibhava, tomāra bhajane bādhā, anitya saṁsāre moha janamiyā. They are trying to become happy in this temporary material life. He has forgotten that he is eternal. Even if we become very happy, temporary life in this life, that will also illusion because we will not be allowed to stay and enjoy the status. But they do not understand.

Lecture on SB 3.25.28 -- Bombay, November 28, 1974:

If we actually are very serious to get out of the clutches of māyā, the repetition of birth, old age, and disease, and get back our original spiritual life, eternal life, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20), there is, that is our real identification. We do not die after the annihilation of this body, but you are so dull by the influence of māyā, we think that death is inevitable. No, why death is inevitable? Death can be avoided, birth can be avoided, disease can be avoided, but you do not know, you have become so dull. We do not know how to overcome. We are busy temporary inconveniences. The whole world is struggling, some temporary. The real business is ātyantika-duḥkha-nivṛtti, everyone is trying to minimize the miserable condition, but they are busy for temporary miserable condition. But the Vedic knowledge is how to mitigate the topmost miserable condition. That topmost miserable condition is the repetition of birth, death, and old age. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam, anu-darśanam (BG 13.9). We should not be very much afflicted with these temporary things. We must have the sense how to solve the ultimate miserable condition of life. That, tad-vijñānārtham, in order to know that science sa gurum evābhigacchet.

Lecture on SB 3.25.35 -- Bombay, December 4, 1974:

So we should not be like that. If we want to be fixed up then, in devotional service, then, as it is advised by Kapiladeva... He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead incarnate. He says, paśyanti te me rucirāṇy amba santaḥ? "They can see that..." So unless God has got form, how one can see? How God can be nirākāra? God is never nirākāra, but He's sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ. His ākāra is not like us. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). His form is sac-cid-ānanda. This body is not sac-cid-ānanda. Sat means eternal, and cit means full of knowledge, and ānanda means full of bliss. So if we study, "Is our body eternal?" no, sir. It is temporary, say, fifty years, sixty years, utmost hundred years. So it is not eternal, it is not sat. Asat. Asato mā sad gama, the Vedic injunction, that "Don't keep yourself in this asat body. Just get your original sat body, eternal body." We are not interested. We are simply interested with this temporary body: "I am this body." I am not this body. I am spirit soul. I am within this body. This is knowledge. This is called siddhi. So long I am thinking, "I am this body," then I am cats and dogs. They are thinking like that. But when I know that "I am not this body. I am the spirit spark, spirit soul. I am encaged within this body," that is knowledge. That is knowledge. So those who are self-realized spirit soul, they can see.

Lecture on SB 3.25.38 -- Bombay, December 7, 1974:

The fact is that Kṛṣṇa is permanent, but Kṛṣṇa's material energy is not permanent. Therefore it is said, śānta-rūpe, "My dear mother," na karhicin mat-parāḥ. Mat-parāḥ. Mat means Bhagavān. Bhagavān is speaking, mat-parāḥ. Whenever... As in the Bhagavad-gītā also there are many words, mat-parāḥ, or plural number, mat-parāḥ, the same thing. So here also, Kapiladeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, says, mat-parāḥ—means "My devotees. My devotees who have taken Me as his son, friend, lover, master..." There are so many rasas: śānta-rasa, dāsya-rasa, sākhya-rasa, vātsalya-rasa, mādhurya-rasa, in so many. Those rasas, or mellows, are represented here in the material world in a temporary way. Here we have got the same rasa: I love my son. I love my friend. I love my husband. There is love, but this is all temporary. But if you transfer this love to Kṛṣṇa either as your master or the Supreme or as friend or as your son or as your lover or husband, it will never be destroyed. That is permanent settlement. This is to be understood. But the Māyāvādīs, they cannot understand. They think that in the spiritual world there is no more such relationship as master, friend, or father and son, or beloved and the lover. There is no such thing.

Lecture on SB 3.25.38 -- Bombay, December 7, 1974:

You can establish your relationship in so many way. There is no question of making it zero. Because that is reality. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā, Fifteenth Chapter, it is stated, "the shadow of the tree." The shadow of the tree has got the branches, fruit, leaves. Everything is there. But it is nonreality. The real reality is up in the spiritual world. And that is shadow. Ūrdhva-mūlam adhah-śākham (BG 15.1). That is very practical example in the world. Ūrdhva-mūlam. The real mūla is up. Therefore we sometimes find that the lowest abominable thing is the highest there. Because the opposite. You see the upside of the tree down, but the upside is there. Therefore the rasas, there are so many mellows, and the parakīyā-rasa... Parakīyā-rasa means love without marriage. That is called parakīyā-rasa. Therefore you will find the parakīyā-rasa... Kṛṣṇa's loving affairs with the gopīs without marriage, that is called parakīyā-rasa. Parakīyā-rasa is the highest, topmost relishable spiritual bliss. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommended ramyā kācid upāsanā vraja-vadhū-vargeṇa yā kalpitā. Kṛṣṇa displayed everything so to attract us, that "You are captivated by this material jaḍa-rasa, material rasa." There is rasa; otherwise why a man is working so hard to maintain the family? Unless there is some ānanda, why he is taking? Nobody is taking so much hard responsibility for others. But children, wife, family, they take. There is... Unless there is some ānanda, how he can take? So the relationship has got ānanda. But this ānanda is flickering, illusion. Ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya moho 'yam (SB 5.5.8). This is moha. It will not stay; it is temporary, illusion.

Lecture on SB 3.25.38 -- Bombay, December 7, 1974:

So this relationship is eternal. So instead of being attached to this temporary relationship... Somebody thinking that "I have to serve my father and mother. That is my first duty." That's all right. First of all you select who is your father and mother. Now we have got a certain living entity as your father. Again, as you change body, your father may be somebody else. Today you have got a father, human being, and tomorrow you may have a father who may not be human being. You have to accept a dog as your father, or a cat as your father. So your father is changing with the change of your body. So first of all select who is your father. This dog is your father? The man is your father? The cat is your father? Who is your father? The tree is here. The seed is your father? Then you become devotee of father. But that we cannot do. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam: (BG 18.66) "You accept Me as your son, as your friend, as your master. Then you will be happy."

Thank you very much. (end)

Lecture on SB 3.25.39-40 -- Bombay, December 8, 1974:

So we are falsely engaged in this material world, illusion. Ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya moho 'yam (SB 5.5.8). This material world, it is not our home. How we can say it is home? I am living in this body, in this home, say, for fifty, sixty, or hundred years, again get out. So how I can say it is my home? I am nitya. I must have an eternal home. Why I am this temporary? This is knowledge. This is knowledge. Unless one is not awakened to this knowledge, then he is a fool, rascal. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). One who is thinking, "This is my body. This is I am," sa eva go-kharaḥ: he is no better than animals. There are dog thinking.

So if a man thinks that "I am this body," then what is this position? He is no better than a dog. You should not be that. This human form of life is meant for this inquiry, athāto brahma-jijñāsā. "If I am Brahman, then what is...? Brahman means eternal. So why I am busy with these bodily affairs?" This is called brahma-jijñāsā. And if you become very learned scholar in the Vedānta and busy with these bodily affairs, that is another foolishness. If you actually Vedantist, then you should be inquiring that "I am eternal. Why I am put into this temporary body, and on account of this body, I am subjected to so many miserable condition of material life? Why I should remain in this condition? How I can get released from this condition?" That is human life. That is human life. And tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). If you actually very much eager to inquire about it, then you require a guru. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam: (SB 11.3.21) "One who is inquisitive about spiritual life, about spiritual identity," tasmāt, "therefore," guruṁ prapadyeta, "you must seek out a bona fide guru."

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

That you cannot get by material adjustment, by your so-called scientific education, advancement of civilization. It is not possible. Therefore here it is said, nānyatra mad bhagavataḥ pradhāna-puruṣeśvarāt: "Without coming under My shelter, there is no possibility." There is no possibility. Therefore Kṛṣṇa, out of compassion, He comes when we completely become dull and rascal, we forget the sufferings of this material life, and we think that we are very nicely situated. "I have got so much bank balance and I will live very happily. I have got so nice wife and so many children. How my problem is solved." No, sir, your problem is not solved. (chuckling) Real problem is not solved. This temporary, you may have some facilities. This is called māyā. Māyayāpahṛta-jñāna. The real business of human life is to, as we have several times discussed, is to discuss about the problems of life and inquire about the Brahman. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. That is real business of life. But we are not interested. Mūḍha. We are thinking that "We are very happy. Now things will go on like this. I will never die." Śeṣāḥ sthāvaram icchanti kim āścaryam ataḥ param. Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja was asked by Dharmarāja, "What is the most wonderful thing in this world?" He replied, "This is the most wonderful thing."

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

But one who is actually wise, intelligent, he can understand that "Actually, I am not happy. I am suffering." That is intelligence. That is intelligence, when one comes to the understanding that "I am not happy actually. I am simply suffering." The Sanātana Gosvāmī, he was the finance minister in the government of Nawab Hussain Shah. So he is our guru in the disciplic succession. He inquired this question from Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that "I have come to You to ask that people call me, I am very learned man." Grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita, tāi satya māni. "By this ordinary relationship, they call me, I am very learned man. But I am such a learned man that I do not know what I am..., why I am suffering." This is intelligence. So we should know how to... Ātyantika-duḥkha-nivṛttiḥ. Everyone is suffering. Temporary, superficially, one may think that he is very happy, or I may think that "He is happy; I am not happy," but nobody is happy in this material world, because the four things is inevitable for everyone, the prime minister or the man in the street, everyone: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). And there is so much trouble in the matter of birth and death and old age and disease. We are forgetting. That is called tīvraṁ bhayam.

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

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

Lecture on SB 3.25.42 -- Bombay, December 10, 1974:

So we should not misuse this... Labdhvā sudurlabham idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte mānuṣyam (SB 11.9.29). We should not waste our this valuable life, human form of life. We begin our this evolution. First of all, the world is covered with water. Pralaya-payodhi-jale dhṛtavān asi vedam **. Now, still, three-fourth of this earthly planet is covered with water. In the beginning, the whole earthly planet was covered with water. Gradually, the water is drying up, and the land is coming. Then we are calculating, "This is Asia. This is America. This is Europe." Land is coming out. And gradually land, land, land, land—there will be only land, no water. That means destruction. When there will be no water and scorching heat, the whole earthly planet will be ablaze and everything will be burned into ashes. Then again there will be rainfall, and everything will be mixed up, and then again there will destruction. This is going on. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). And similarly, our position with this body. This will be also dissolved again. This nice form you have got, I have got, but when it will be finished, this is finished forever. We are not going to get any more. You will get different body, not exactly this body. It is bubble. One bubble lost, that is lost forever. That is lost forever. But we are so foolish, we are thinking, "This is permanent settlement, permanent settlement." This is called ignorance. There is no question of permanent settlement. Temporary under the... Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Under the laws of nature we are getting different types of bodies, different types of opportunities. And it is going on. But we are spirit soul; we are not this material body.

Lecture on SB 3.26.2 -- Bombay, December 14, 1974:

So one has to realize this. That is jñānam. Jñānam does not mean that because I am disgusted with this material world, to make this material world, not make, the material cannot be also made into zero, but we can imagine also something where there is no more these trees, and houses, and animals, and woman, and this and that, everything is finished. Nirākāra. Nirākāra, all kinds of ākāra, or forms, nirviśeṣa. Visesa means with varieties, and nirviśeṣa means without varieties. This is Māyāvāda philosophy. Finish this viśeṣa, the varieties. Simply realize "I am," ahaṁ brahmāsmi, so 'ham, like that. But that is not jñānam. That is not jñānam. That will be explained, one after another. Because nirviśeṣa, there is no possibility of nirviśeṣa. That I explained to you. As soon as you say Kṛṣṇa, immediately you have to think of Kṛṣṇa's paraphernalia. Not Kṛṣṇa alone. So everywhere Kṛṣṇa is there.

īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ

hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati

bhrāmāyān sarva-bhūtāni

yantrārūḍhāni māyayā

(BG 18.61)

Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-sthaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi (Bs. 5.35). He is everywhere. So how it can be impersonal? Therefore the jñānam, which considers of impersonality without any varieties, that is not jñānam. That is not niḥśreyasārthāya, that is simply a temporary appeasement. That because I am disgusted with this material varieties, let it be zero, void. That is a temporary solace. We cannot remain without varieties. That is not possible. If there is nobody here, and you sit down, make meditation, you can sit down for fifteen minutes or twenty minutes, then you will go away. This is not possible because the spirit soul, either the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supreme Soul, or the living entity, he is also spirit, both of them are Brahman. Para-brahman and ordinary Brahman. We are ordinary Brahman and Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Brahman. So Brahman, either Supreme or ordinary is seeking after happiness. That is Brahman life. Seeking after happiness. Just like Kṛṣṇa is Para-brahman, but He is also seeking happiness with Rādhārāṇī and the gopīs and the cowherds boy and the cows and the calves.

Lecture on SB 3.26.3 -- Bombay, December 15, 1974:

So by our desire we get a particular type of form. It may be human being, it may be demigod, it may be elephant, it may be cat, it may be dog, it may be tree—in this way, in different forms, 8,400,000 different forms, we are trying to enjoy this material world. This is called material conditional life. Because we are failing to understand ātma-darśana. Because the purpose is ātma-darśana. Jñānaṁ niḥśreyasārthāya puruṣasya ātma-darśanam. Ātmā, one should see his real identification: "What I am?" That is the inquiry of a human being. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. That when I understand that "I am not this body; I am Brahman," then we should go on inquiring about further about Brahman: "What is the form of Brahman? What is Para-brahman? What is the relationship between Para-brahman and the Brahman? Why Brahman has come to this material world and he has got this material body? This material body is finishable, temporary, and Brahman is eternal. Why this conjunction?" These are brahma-jijñāsā. This is Vedānta-sūtra, brahma-jijñāsā.

So this is jñāna. But we are wasting our time—this jñāna, that jñāna. But real jñāna, there is no. We are being educated, so-called scientific education. Just like one is studying the earth, soil expert. One is studying the water. One is, chemical—"What are the chemicals composition of water? What is the chemical composition...?" In this way we are acquiring jñāna; but that is not jñāna. That is called technology, śilpa-naipuṇya. In Sanskrit it is called śilpa-naipuṇya. That is not jñāna. Real jñāna is ātma-darśanam. That is jñāna. So... But we are wasting our time temporary, śilpa-darśanam. But ātma-darśanam we want. That is real jñāna.

Lecture on SB 3.26.3 -- Bombay, December 15, 1974:

But there is another planetary system. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, na tad bhāsayate sūryo na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ (BG 15.6). There is another..., paras tasmāt tu bhāvaḥ anyaḥ (BG 8.20), another nature where, yatra, na tad bhāsayate sūryaḥ, there is no need of sunshine, there is no need of moonshine. Because the each planet is svayaṁ-jyoti. Here we have got one planet, the sun planet, jyoti. But there, in the Vaikuṇṭha, all the planets, Vaikuṇṭha planets... Vaikuṇṭha means vigata-kuṇṭha. Kuṇṭha means anxiety. Here, in this planet, you are full of anxiety. And if you are transferred to the Vaikuṇṭhaloka, there is no anxiety. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt: (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12) simply ānanda, no anxiety. Here you must suffer anxiety, asad-grahāt, on account of accepting this asat. Asat means untruth or temporary, which will not exist. Tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehināṁ sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). This is Prahlāda Mahārāja's instruction, that this materialistic individuality, on account of accepting this asad-grahāt, asat, not permanent, not true, sadā samudvigna-dhiyām. Always full of anxiety. So in the material world you are trying to be free of anxiety. That is not possible. That is not... Therefore it is required, ātma-darśanam. Jñānam ātma-darśanam. Jñānaṁ niḥśreyasārthāya puruṣasya ātma-darśanam. First of all you know what is your position. Just like when one man is diseased. The physician first of all diagnose that what is the disease; then he gives medicine. Similarly, first of all you ascertain what is your constitutional position. You try to understand. That is the beginning everywhere. That is Vedic literature.

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

So śāstra says... It is the statement of Ṛṣabhadeva. He says, na sādhu manye: "No, no. It is not good." Na sādhu manye yata ātmano 'yam. Ātmanaḥ, the soul. Asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ (SB 5.5.4). The ātmā is covered by this material body, although it is temporary. Sometimes it is for ten years or sometimes twenty years, sometimes hundred years, sometimes millions of years, but it is limited. Either you get the body of Lord Brahmā or the body of the poor ant, they are all temporary. It will be finished. So although it is finishable...

nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma

yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti

na sādhu manye yata ātmano 'yam

asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ

Lecture on SB 3.26.6 -- Bombay, December 18, 1974:

Asann api. Asann means "will not"; it is temporary. But so long you have got this body, kleśada, it is painful always, miserable. Adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika—some kinds of miserable condition must be going on.

So this is our position. Therefore ātma-darśana, one must know what he is. He is spiritual being. Spiritual being, he has nothing to do with this material world, but somehow or other, we have fallen in this material world. Anādi karama-phale, paḍi' bhavārṇava-jale. It is just like ocean. So just like if you fall down from the boat or the ship, then it is struggle for existence. You may be very nice swimmer, but that does not mean in the water you will be comfortable. That is not possible. Similarly, we living entities, part and parcel of God, we are as pure as God. Kṛṣṇa, God, is pure. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). Pavitra. So similarly... Pavitra means without material contamination. That is pavitra.

So the Vyāsadeva recommended, or Sūta Gosvāmī said, anartha upaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje. If you want to get out of this anartham, unwanted and purposeless life of material existence... That one should first of all understand, that this material existence is anartham. Anartham means purposeless life. There is no purpose. Real purpose should be how to get out of the spell of material nature. That is real purpose. They do not know. They do not know. They are taking very seriously some temporary purpose of life, which will be changed with the change of body. Now, as human being, I am manufacturing so many purposes of life, but as soon as the body is changed and I get the body of a cat or dog or tree, the whole purpose is changed. Therefore it is purposeless life, anartham. There is no meaning of this purpose. Because everything will be changed with the change of your body. Therefore they do not... They shudder to think of, that "We have got next life." They therefore deny, "No, there is no next life. This life is finished." A foolish life. That is not.

Lecture on SB 3.26.16 -- Bombay, December 25, 1974:

So ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham... (BG 3.27). Our identification, false identification... The four subtle senses: mana, buddhi, ahaṅkāra, citta, consciousness... So when the consciousness is materially absorbed, then there is fear, and when the consciousness is pure—"consciousness pure" means Kṛṣṇa consciousness, "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa"—then there is no bhaya. The more we advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the more we become free from fearfulness. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja advises hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpaṁ vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta (SB 7.5.5). The real position of fearlessness is harim āśrayeta, take shelter of Hari. Hari means who takes away all subjective things of fearfulness. That is Hari. He takes away all our miserable condition of life, Hari. Harim āśrayeta. Tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehināṁ sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt.

We have accepted the asat, these twenty-four elements as described before, as identification with me. Asat: they are not permanent: temporary situation, changing one after another. So asad-grahāt, sadā samudvigna-dhiyām, always full of anxiety, "What will happen next? What will happen next?" You will see even a small insect, birds, beasts, human being, animal, even elephants, tiger, lions—everyone is fearful. There cannot be any fearlessness in this material existence. Even big nation, American nation, they are also fearful of the Russian. And the Russians are fearful of the Americans. You can see. The whole political field... Our Indians are fearful of Pakistan. Pakistan is fearful... This is material existence. You cannot avoid it unless you take shelter at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 3.26.19 -- Bombay, December 28, 1974:

So this is going on. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham (BG 4.11). And they are worshiping also different types of deities. Śrī-aiśvarya-prajepsavaḥ. Generally, in the material world they are after śrī, śrī, meaning beauty; aiśvarya, opulence, money; śriyaḥ, aiśvarya, and prajā, children, or good generation, dynasty, family. They want to create family. In the Western world there is "lord" family. In this, our Eastern, there are many big, big families. So śrī-aiśvarya-prajepsavaḥ. The materialistic, they are after this. They want to see very beautiful woman in the family, the man's wife, his son's wife, his grandson's wife, very beautifully dressed, ornamented. Śrī, that is called śrī, beauty. And they must have money to enjoy. Śriyaḥ aiśvarya, and prajā. So they are after the worshiping of demigods. But those who are intelligent, those who know that this śrī-aiśvarya-prajā, they are temporary... But these men, they do not see it although they know it is temporary. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said paśyann api na paśyati. Teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanaṁ paśyann api na paśyati. He knows that "These things will be destroyed. This will not exist," but still, he is after them, śrī-aiśvarya-prajepsavaḥ.

Paśyann api na...

dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv

ātma-sainyeṣv asatsv api

teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanaṁ

paśyann api na paśyati

(SB 2.1.4)

Dehāpatya. Apatya means children, family, and deha means this body. Deha apatya. Kalatra, kalatra means wife. Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu ātma-sainyeṣu. He is struggling for existence and thinking that "My wife, my children, my relative, my friend, my countrymen—they are my soldiers. They will give me protection whenever I am in danger." Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu ātma-sainyeṣu asatsu api. But he knows also that they will not stay. Asatsu api. But still, they are depending on them. So teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanaṁ paśyann api na paśyati. This is our position.

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

So everyone is very, working very hard, struggling for existence, but they do not know how they can actually become happy. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). That they do not know. So it is our humble attempt only, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. At least, we inform people that "This is the way of happiness." Sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tat (BG 6.21). "Don't be carried away by temporary so-called happiness. That is not happiness. This is called māyā." Māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43). Kṛṣṇa says, mūḍha, and Prahlāda Mahārāja says, vimūḍhān—not only mūḍha, but again added with word vi, viśiṣṭa. Viśiṣṭa-prakāreṇa mūḍha. Vi, therefore vimūḍha.

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

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

And the devotees, the Kṛṣṇa conscious persons, they know that this is all false—not false: temporary, simply bewildering. On account of contaminated consciousness, people are trying to be happy in this way, but devotees know that this kind of endeavor is simply bewildering, simply waste of time. Real business is how to purify my consciousness, come to the original Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is real business. Svacchatvam avikāritvam. That is our real business. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's preaching is that our only business is how to revive our original consciousness. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is wanted. Without this, whatever we are doing, in the words of Śrīla Prahlāda Mahārāja, "It is all māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān, māyā-sukhāya (SB 7.9.43)."

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

Therefore these are the symptoms of Kṛṣṇa consciousness: svacchatvam, avikāritvam, śāntatvam. Śānta I have already explained last night several times also, that śāntatvam, śānti... Just like I told you that many people coming: "Oh, I do not get any peace of mind." How you will get peace of mind? Here in the material world you cannot be endowed with the peace of mind. It is not possible. Why? Because here everything is māyā. Bharam udvahato vimūḍhān. Asad-grahāt, sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). Asat. Asat means that which will not stand. The material nature is like that. It will not stand. This body we have got at a certain date, and it will continue up to certain date, then it will vanish. You will get never again this body, finished. So this is called asat. Asato mā sad gama. This is Vedic instruction: "Don't remain in the asat, temporary." Sad gama: "Come to the platform of eternity." Asato mā sad gama.

Lecture on SB 3.26.29 -- Bombay, January 6, 1975:

Similarly, we, after forgetting our relationship with Kṛṣṇa, when we want to enjoy independently, the chance is given. This chance is given. That is material world. We get a material body, and we are given chance to enjoy as we like. But that is not very fruitful for our satisfaction. After all, we are part and parcel of sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). Sat, cit, ānanda. Sat means eternal, cit means knowledge, and ānanda means bliss. So we, being part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, the sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha, we have got also the same type or same quality of constitutional position. But because we wanted independently, therefore we are in a position or in a circumstance which is neither sat nor cit nor ānanda. Asat acit nirānanda.

This body, material body, is asat. Everyone knows. It will not stay: temporary. Avināśi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam. This body is vināśi, and the dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13), the dehinaḥ, the proprietor of the body, he is avināśi. He is sat, but this body is asat. Asad-grahāt. The śāstra says that sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). This living entity, although part and parcel of the Supreme Being, Kṛṣṇa, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha, so why, instead of ānanda, we have got anxieties? Instead of ānanda... Actually, we should have been in ānanda. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). Just like Kṛṣṇa is before us. He is ānanda, He is enjoying, He is playing on His flute, and Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is serving Him, and all the gopīs serving Him. And those who are devotees, they are also trying to assist Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and the gopīs to give Kṛṣṇa pleasure. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhiḥ. All the expansion, Kṛṣṇa—Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and the gopīs—they are expansion of ānanda-cinmaya-rasa; they are not material. They are all ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ (Bs. 5.37). They are also Kṛṣṇa's.

Lecture on SB 3.26.29 -- Bombay, January 6, 1975:

So this is all spiritual. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa. Rasa, rasa means mellow, the juice. There is juice, but that is not material juice. Material juice is different. That is temporary, asat. That is not sat. So if we want to taste this material juice, then we must be put into always in anxiety. Material life is anxiety. Therefore in this material world we..., I may love somebody, but it is full with anxieties. "My lover may not cheat. She may not go away" or "He may not go away." Because we are not in the spiritual platform, asad-grahāt, we are simply trying to love the external feature which is asat, which will not exist. Just like if you try to love a doll made of earth, dirt, very nicely painted as they are exhibited in the window of the tailor's shop. Who is going to love that? Nobody is going to. Everyone knows that this is imitation. Similarly, this body is imitation. It is a layer on the spiritual body. The spiritual body, when gives up this body, it has no value. A dead body of a beautiful man or beautiful woman, nobody likes because the spiritual essence is gone. Therefore love is actually on the spiritual platform. Material love is simply superficial, and it will cheat you. We must know this. Asad-grahāt. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5).

Lecture on SB 3.26.29 -- Bombay, January 6, 1975:

So dravya-sphuraṇa-vijñānam indriyāṇām anugrahaḥ. So our senses follow, and we enjoy these false senses, and that is material existence. So the endeavor should be how to become free from this material existence and come to our spiritual platform. That should be the endeavor of human life. The cats and dogs, they have no such advanced consciousness. They cannot try for it. They are satisfied with this material body and material senses. But in the human-form body there is chance to understand that these senses, this physical formation of the body, is false or temporary. Or false in this sense that it is not my original body. Original body is within this material body. That is spiritual body. Asmin dehe dehinaḥ. Dehino 'smin, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13), asmin dehinaḥ. So the spiritual body is actually the body, and this material body is covering. It is explained in different way in the Bhagavad-gītā. Vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya (BG 2.22). This material body is just like dress. The dress... I am putting on the shirt, you are putting on the shirt and coat. That is not very important thing. The important thing is the body within the shirt. Similarly, this material body is simply outward covering of the spiritual body by physical atmosphere, but real body is within. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). This external, physical body is called deha, and the owner of this deha is called dehī, "one who possesses this deha." That you have to und... This is the first instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on SB 3.26.41 -- Bombay, January 16, 1975:

Prahlāda Mahārāja therefore says, kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). "Why? Why bhāgavata-dharma so important that I have to learn from the beginning of my life?" Now, durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma tad apy adhruvam arthadam: "This human life is very rarely obtained, durlabham." Dur means "very difficult." After many, many births, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19), this human form, after evolution, we have got. Durlabham, with great difficulty we have got it. That, why it is important? Now it is arthadam. Arthadam. Artha means meaningful or riches or something wealth. Arthadam, you can achieve arthadam. So that arthadam, although adhruvam... You can say, "What is the difference between human life and dog's life? They are all temporary. Why you are giving so much stress on human life, the same business: eating, sleeping, sex life, and defense? So why you are giving more importance to the human life?" Now, arthadam. Yad apy adhruvam, nonpermanent, it is arthadam. Arthadam means to achieve the goal of your life. So we should not misuse it. We should teach our children to become bhāgavatam, person bhāgavatam, by reading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Lecture on SB 3.26.43 -- Bombay, January 18, 1975:

Suppose we are taking shelter, child is taking shelter of the father, mother, or the citizens is taking shelter of the state, of the government. So one has to to take shelter of something else for protection, for security. But they are not actually security. Therefore we are always full of anxiety. You may be a citizen of a great state like United States of America. But you are not without any anxiety because that shelter is not sufficient. That will not stay. Just like recently in America they had to dethrone Mr. Nixon because they were not free from anxiety. So you cannot become free from anxiety by taking shelter of anything material. That is not possible. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). 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.

Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt. Asad-grahāt. Asad means this material world. It will not stay. Just like this material body. It will not stay—everyone knows; it has a beginning, birth—it stays for some time, it transforms some other bodies as children, then it becomes old, dwindling, and then finished. These are six different transformation of the material world. But it is temporary, asat. But there is another life, where there is no transformation: eternal. Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). That is spiritual world. So that spiritual world, we have no information, but we have got little experience. Spiritual world means complete peaceful, śānti. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram, jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati (BG 5.29). Therefore it is compulsory business of our life to understand God, or Kṛṣṇa, if you want śānti. Jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati. If you want śānti, then you have to know God, what is God, not vague idea, actually. Jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati. You have to know.

Lecture on SB 3.26.43 -- Bombay, January 18, 1975:

Otherwise there is no possibility. Otherwise there is no possibility. Everyone is hankering after peace, but this is the way of attaining peace, to revive your relationship with Kṛṣṇa, to engage your mind fully in the service of Kṛṣṇa in the matter of understanding Kṛṣṇa. And if you understand Kṛṣṇa... The books are there. Bhagavad-gītā is there. Śrīmad-Bhāgavata is there. You have got your reason. You have got your knowledge. Try to understand Kṛṣṇa. Then your life is successful. Janma karma ca me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). Simply you try to understand Kṛṣṇa. Then, from this asat, this temporary life which you are changing one after another, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya... (BG 4.9). After giving up this body... This is also temporary body, asat, the asat. Asat means it will not stay. So after giving up this body, if you get another body... That is compulsory. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). Dehāntara-prāptiḥ there is. Just like we are getting different bodies in this life, similarly, when this body is finished, we get another body. But another body or this body, because this material body, asat. Asad-grahāt, because we accept this material, temporary body, there must be suffering, kleśada. Or whatever we feel pains and pleasure, that is due to this body.

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

So this is Vaiṣṇava principle. Vaiṣṇava principle means everything accepted as Kṛṣṇa's. The Māyāvādīs, they say—at least they say—that brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. Mithyā: "This is false." But Vaiṣṇava says, "No, it is not false. It is the by-product of Kṛṣṇa's energy. If Kṛṣṇa is true, how it can be false?" So they do not take this world, material world, as false. It is temporary, but they know how to utilize this material world for devotional service. Bhāvanaṁ brahmaṇaḥ sthānam. You can utilize the same energy of constructing something out of bricks and stones and wood into a nice temple. That was the Vedic culture. Still in old cities you will find in lanes and streets, there are so many temples. I have seen, especially in Kanpur. Even within the lane there are so many temples, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temple, Viṣṇu temples, Śiva temple. So all over India you will find the temples. People were so spiritually advanced, even Muslim. They are also. They have constructed so many mosques. So that should be utilized. If we have got the tendency for making a house or construction of some building with stones and bricks, let it be utilized for constructing temple of the Supreme Brahman.

So there is spiritual sky. We get information from śāstra: paravyoma. Vyoma is called sky, and there is another sky. This is material sky, what we have experience. There is spiritual sky. And about that spiritual realization, as this creation begins from the sky-ether, then air, then fire, and then water, then land, kṣitir āp tejo marud vyoma—similarly, the spiritual world also begins from the spiritual sky. After this sky ends, then the spiritual sky begins.

That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhagavad-gītā, paras tasmāt tu bhāvaḥ anyaḥ: (BG 8.20) "There is another bhāva," means nature, "that is sanātana nature, eternal nature." This nature, this sky, is temporary. It has got a duration of life, maybe millions and trillions of years, but it is not permanent. It is emanating from the Supreme Lord's breathing period. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48). So after this sky, there is another sky, and the sound produced from that sky is oṁkāra and Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. This is the sound vibration from the spiritual sky. Therefore it is effective immediately. Just like you contact thousands of miles away—somebody is speaking, and you can contact by the sound vibration you catch up with your machine, radio machine—similarly, the sound vibration from the spiritual sky you can also receive. That is Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.

So we can enter into the spiritual world, the spiritual sky. The spiritual sky is there. Sanātana. That is eternal. Sanātana. Everything eternal there. In the material world they are, everything, temporary, asat. And everything in the spiritual world, that is called sat. Oṁ tat sat. That is spiritual world. So the Vedic injunction is asato mā sad gama: "Try to transcend from this asat, material world, to go to the spiritual world, sat." Oṁ tat sat. That is actually our business. In the human form of life this is the only business: "How to transfer me to the spiritual world." Sanātana. "Because I am sanātana." Jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ (BG 15.7). Jīva is sanātana, eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). The jīva is never destroyed after the destruction or annihilation of this body. He is eternal. Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). So this is our business, that "I am eternal. As Kṛṣṇa, God, is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1), and I am part and parcel of sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha, so as Kṛṣṇa is eternal, so I am also eternal." The Vedic mantra says that nityo nityānām. Kṛṣṇa is nitya, eternal, and we are plural number, nityānām. Cetanaś cetanānām. Sat cit... So as Kṛṣṇa is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha, so we are also sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha. The difference is: Kṛṣṇa is the maintainer, Viṣṇu is the maintainer, and we are maintained. We are not maintainer.

So to achieve this goal of life, premā pum-artho mahān, in this age especially, in Kali-yuga, because we cannot do any other thing, it is very, very difficult. The time is very obstacle, full of obstacles. Therefore kalau... This is the method, harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam: (CC Adi 17.21) "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra," kevalam, "only." Kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā. In the Kali-yuga, because main business is how to get relief from this material bondage... Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). People do not understand even that what is really our distress. Kṛṣṇa says, the Supreme Personality of Godhead says personally, "These are your miseries." What? Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi: (BG 13.9) "Repetition of birth and death. This is your real misery of life." What you are thinking of this misery or that misery? They are all temporary. They are all under the laws of material nature. You cannot get out of it. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Prakṛti will force you to do something because you have contaminated the material modes of nature. Therefore you have to act under the direction of this prakṛti, material nature. And so long you are under this material nature, you have to accept this birth, death, old age and disease. This is your real misery. We are thinking temporary miserable condition. Śāstra says that "You don't require to adjust temporary material misery or happiness, because they will come and go. You are destined to certain type of miserable condition of life, certain type of so-called happy life. That will automatically come and go just like seasonal changes." Āgamāpāyino 'nityās tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata. We are very much happy when we are in a very good condition of life. But that will also not stay. That will also go away. Then miserable condition. Cakravat parivartante sukhāni ca duḥkhāni ca. Sometimes happy, sometimes miserable.

Lecture on SB 3.28.1 -- Honolulu, June 1, 1975:

So if you are actually interested to get out of miserable condition, then try to get out of these four miserable condition of life: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). That is intelligence. Don't be bothered with the temporary miserable or happy. They will come and go. Tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata. If you cannot bear, then try to tolerate. That is the qualification of brāhmaṇa. Satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā, tolerance. We should not be disturbed, "Now I am in miserable condition." Tolerate. The miserable condition will come this material world. Don't be very much happy when you are in happy condition of life; neither you become mad in miserable condition of life. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and make your life success. That is required. This is the propaganda of this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Thank you very much. (end)

So the real purpose is that we should give up this asat-patha. You sit properly, it is not... Asat-patha and sat-patha. Here it is said sat-patham. Sat-patham means our permanent goal of life. We are now interested with nonpermanent goal of life. People are thinking, "If I get a nice car, a nice apartment, a nice wife, a nice bank balance, then I will be happy." But this is asat, because none of this will stay. The bank balance also will not stay, the wife also will not stay, and good position, that will not... As soon as the body is finished, everything is finished. Therefore they are called asat. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has sung, sat-saṅga chāḍi'kainu asate vilāsa, te-kāraṇe lāgila mor karma-bandha-phāṅsa. Sat-saṅga. Sat-saṅga means persons who are making progress towards the permanent life. They are called sat. Just like this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. This movement means we are training our disciples how to make progress towards permanent life. And the material world means they are making progress towards nonpermanent life. So those who are intelligent, they are not interested in nonpermanent life. And those who are foolish, mūḍha, they are interested in this temporary life, and they do not know what is there after death, neither they have got any knowledge what is spirit, what is matter. Ignorance. In darkness.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Tittenhurst, London, September 12, 1969:

Then the question may be, "What is the use of purifying?" The answer is also there. Yena sattvaṁ śuddhyed yasmād brahma-saukhyaṁ tv anantam: (SB 5.5.1) "And when your existential condition will be purified, then you will be situated on the transcendental platform of blissful life." And one may question, "What is that?" Brahma-saukhyam anantam. You are hankering after happiness, pleasure. So when your existential condition will be purified and you will be placed in the transcendental platform, at that time you will enjoy eternal happiness. You are all... After all, you are after happiness. Why you are struggling so much hard in this material existence? For happiness. Why you are after sense gratification? For happiness. Why you want to possess? For happiness. Why you want to become beautiful? For happiness. Why you want to eat so many things? For happiness. You go on. The happiness, your ultimate goal. But the happiness which you are now deriving from the sources you have manufactured, that is temporary. If you want to become happy by intoxication, how long? That is temporary. Any way. If you want to be happy by sex indulgence, how long? That is also for a few minutes, few seconds. But if you want eternal, continued happiness, then you have to purify your existential condition, you have to place yourself in the transcendental position, and you will feel that happiness.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Johannesburg, October 20, 1975:

So the aim should be how again we come to the original position like God or the same type of body—blissful, full of knowledge and eternal. That is the aim of human life. Therefore it is said, tapo divyam: (SB 5.5.1) "My dear son, don't become like cats and dogs and work hard for the bodily necessities of life. This human form of life is meant for austerity." "Why austerity? Let us enjoy." "No." Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvaṁ śuddhyet: "If you accept the path of austerity, then your existence will be purified." Now, at the present moment, the existence is not purified; therefore we have to accept birth, death, old age and disease. This is not our business. But because we have got this material body, the nature's law forces to accept all these things—birth, death, old age and disease. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). We are trying to be happy fighting with unhappiness, but we do not know our real unhappiness are that we have to die, we have to take birth again, we have to become diseased and we have to accept old age. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam. This is intelligence, that "I am trying to solve all the problems of life by advancement of civilization, education, scientific knowledge and so many things. That's all right. But what is the solution of my, these four principle of miserable condition: birth, death, old age and disease?" And because we cannot make any solution, we set aside these four problems. We go on with the temporary problems and become busy to solve it, and in this way we waste our, this valuable human form of life like the cats and dogs. This is the instruction.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1976:

So we have discussed this verse yesterday. It is very essential that this human form of body is meant for rectifying or purifying our existence. That they do not know, especially in the modern age, that this body is temporary and we living entities, we are eternal and this is our bondage. So long we are within this material body, it is our bondage. Real life is eternal life, without any birth, death, old age and disease. Where is that science? There is no such department of knowledge that how one can live eternally without any disease, without any old age and without any death and without any birth. If there is birth there is death. And between the two, birth and death, there is old age and disease. Where is that scientist who are trying to solve this problem?

And Kṛṣṇa put this problem before us: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). This is knowledge. They are making plans for so many things, but where is that plan to stop janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha? That is not so easy. Therefore they have avoided it. They do not touch this point. They are making arrangement for temporary so-called happiness. That attempt is done even by cats and dogs. That is not successful life. I have several times told you... This is Vedic civilization. When Visvamitra came to see Mahārāja Daśaratha... It is etiquette. Suppose a friend comes, we ask, "How are you, my friend? How things are going on?" So similarly, when Daśaratha Mahārāja inquired Viśvāmitra, "How are you?" that "How are you" was not ordinary question. He inquired, aihiṣṭaṁ yat punar janma jayāya. The great great saintly persons, sages, they are engaged in devotional service. What is the purpose? The purpose is not for some material gain. The purpose is different. That was inquired by Dāsaratha Mahārāja: aihiṣṭaṁ yat punar janma jayāya. "You are undergoing tapasya, austerities, for conquering over rebirth."

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1976:

Therefore my Guru Mahārāja used to say, a poor fund of knowledge. By becoming one with the Brahman, Supreme Brahman, that is not actually sukha. If it is actually sukha, then why in the śāstra it is said, āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho (SB 10.2.32)? By very severe austerities they come to the Brahman platform, monism, to become one with the Supreme, but from there he falls down. Why falls down? Anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ. Because they have no information of the shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord. Unless you come to that point, then there is no possibility of eternal happiness.

Therefore it is said, tapasya, tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1). That is divyam. Kṛṣṇa has explained, janma karma ca me divyam (BG 4.9). That means activities, transcendental activities. Not that Kṛṣṇa is a zero, full stop. No. Actual activities begins when there is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. These activities, they're my activities temporarily. They will not give us real happiness. Real happiness means when we come to the platform to be engaged in Kṛṣṇa's activities. Tapo divyam putrakā yena (SB 5.5.1). Then we will get eternal happiness. That is recommended here. Brahma-sukha does not mean that, as ordinarily they think, that to become brahma-lin or merge into the existence of Brahman, no. That will be explained in the next verse: mahat-sevāṁ dvāram ahur vimukteḥ (SB 5.5.2). It will be explained. We shall take up this subject tomorrow.

Thank you very much. (end)

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

So the program of sense gratification should be minimized, and that is called tapasya. Tapaḥ. Tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1). Then, "Why I shall minimize my sense gratification? If I have got opportunity, I must utilize it to the best of my capacity. That is being done not only now. Every time." No. You have to do it: divyam, for self-realization, for God-realization. You have to save your time. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā. And what is the purpose of that self-realization, or God-realization? That is yena sattvaṁ śuddhyet. Then your existence will be purified. What is the necessity of purifying my existence? Yena sattvaṁ śuddhyed yasmāt... If you purify your existence, then yasmād brahma-saukhyam (SB 5.5.1), you'll relish unlimited pleasure. You are after now temporary pleasure by sense gratification, but in this life, in this human form of life, if you control your sense gratification and utilize the time for self-realization, so as soon as you are self-realized man or Brahman realized man then your happiness is unlimited. You are after happiness. Your sense gratification means you are after happiness, but this happiness is temporary. Any material happiness, it has no continuity. It has got limit. But if you want... But my desire is to have unlimited happiness, unlimited life, unlimited knowledge. If you want that, so try this life, this human form of life. Don't waste it simply after sense gratification, but practice austerity. Minimize your sense gratification. Be satisfied whatever is offered by nature or by God. We don't... Not complete abstinence, but regulate it, and the balance time utilized for self-realization. Then your perfection will be there by which you'll live eternally. You will enjoy eternally and your knowledge will be unlimited.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- Paris, August 12, 1973:

What is the use of purifying? There is need. If you purify, purify yourself, existentional condition, then you will be saved from the four kinds of troubles or miseries of life, namely birth, death, old age and disease. So God realization means spiritual realization. So Ṛṣabhadeva says tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvaṁ śuddhyed (SB 5.5.1), by purification of your existentional condition you enjoy brahma-saukhyam. After all, we are searching after happiness, pleasure. So on account of our impure existential condition, our so-called happiness is temporary. Brahma-saukhyam means, here again, yena sattvaṁ śuddhyed, when your existence is purified. Now we have got impure existence, this material body. When we get our spiritual body, that is called purified. So Ṛṣabhadeva says sattvaṁ yasmād brahma-saukhyam anantam. As soon as you get your spiritual body, then there is unlimited happiness. We are, after all... In the Vedānta-sūtra it is said that the living entity or God, both of them are for enjoying life, blissful life. Just like when you are diseased, you have got some fever. So, you cannot enjoy life. Similarly in this diseased condition of material existence we, actually, we cannot enjoy life. Therefore, if we purify our existential condition by tapasya, then we come into our spiritual existence and we can enjoy our life eternally. (break) ...therefore, that when we have got this human form of life, we shall not waste it simply for sense gratification like the dogs and hog. We should practice tapasya, restrain, and then we purify our existence and we are situated in a position wherein we can enjoy blissful life forever.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- Bombay, March 25, 1977:

So this is a very elaborate scientific subject matter, and we are trying to present all over the world. Why not our Indian brothers take it very seriously? Why we should be carried away by the waves of material nature? This is not very good idea. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyed sattva (SB 5.5.1). Sattva, my existence. At the present moment... Just like I am coughing. So because I am, for the present moment, I am diseased. So this is the symptom of coughing. Similarly, why I am dying? This should be the question. Ke āmi kena more jāpaṭiyā traya. I hear from Bhagavad-gītā that I am eternal: na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Na jāyate na mriyate vā. Then why I am dying? This is intelligence. Why I am dying? This "why." Kena Upaniṣad. But this is not being educated. We are carried away by the temporary problems and missing the chance of human life. This is not very good, and Ṛṣabhadeva especially instructs that mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes. If you actually want liberation from these clutches of māyā, vimukti, vimukti... Vimukti means liberation. What is liberation? Muktir hitvā anyathā rūpaṁ svarūpeṇa avasthitiḥ. We are living in a different way. This is not mukti. This is conditioned. I am living as Indian condition, I am living as European condition. This is not mukti. You must live in your original form. That is called mukti. Muktir hitvā anyathā rūpam. Now we are living anyathā rūpam. Somebody is living as Indian, somebody is living as European, somebody as cat, somebody as dog, somebody... This is anyathā rūpam.

So our process is to come to the standard of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no denial; the demands of the body are to be supplied because without supply of the demands of the body, how can I live? That is not to be neglected. But Ṛṣabhadeva advised, "My dear sons, your demands of the body should not be like the demands of the body of the hog and cats and dogs. That is not..." So... Now what is the aim of the demands of the body? The demands of the body, the ultimate aim is pleasure. I want to be happy. But if we make our demands of the body flickering, temporary, changing, then we shall waste our time because pleasure is the ultimate goal of life. So Ṛṣabhadeva advised that "If you want eternal pleasure, eternal happiness, then you do not try to misuse your, this valuable body simply for meeting the demands like cats and dogs."

Just like we can give nice example that a diseased man and a healthy man... The diseased man, although doctor advises that you don't take this kind of food, but within himself he has got the desire. He has got the desire. The desire is there, but by the restriction of the physician, he does not eat. Just like for a diabetic patient, the doctor says, "You can eat so much quantity of food, not more than that," although he desires to eat more. So the desire is there, but because he wants to come to the healthy standard of life, he follows the restriction of the physician. The demand is there. A patient lying in the hospital, he wants whatever is very palatable for me, for him, he wants to eat that. But the medical practitioner has advised, "Oh, you cannot take it. You cannot take." So he's following, "All right, just to become..." But when he's healthy there is no such restriction. The doctor does not restrict the diet of a healthy person. The restriction is for the person who is suffering from certain type of disease.

So if one is serious to conquer over these four principles of life and desiring eternal nonstoppage happiness and pleasure—the same thing, pleasure means there is... The same... Just like the pleasure in a hotel dancing, that is also pleasure. And here also, Hare Kṛṣṇa dancing, there is also pleasure. But the standard of pleasure is different. Standard of pleasure is different.

So this whole Kṛṣṇa conscious movement is nothing to stop, but to change the standard of pleasure, from the standard of temporary, flickering pleasure to the permanent, eternal pleasure. That is the program of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. So anyone who's interested to be, to accept the standard of pleasure which is eternal and continual, for them this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very nice. And those who are interested, "Never mind, we have got a temporary life, temporary pleasure, we enjoy this materialistic way of life. No," so for them Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has no meaning. But those who are interested to attain that standard of pleasure which is eternal, for them this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is essential. That is... That we have discussed in the last meeting, that "My dear..." Ṛṣabhadeva addressed His sons, sons, "My dear boys," that, "if you want perpetual, eternal happiness, nonbreaking happiness, then you try to purify your existence, and for that, you try to accept some austerity."

So our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is a training system, training system how to acquire, how to be transferred to that Kṛṣṇaloka, how to attain that most purified body where there is no more death, no more birth. There is another version in the Bhagavad-gītā. Here it is said, mām eti: "He comes to Me." So in another verse it is stated... If somebody inquires that "What happens by going to Kṛṣṇa?" that is also answered: mām upetya kaunteya. This very same word is there, kaunteya: "My dear Kaunteya," mām upetya, "anyone who comes to Me..." Upetya. Upetya means "approaching Me." Mām upetya kaunteya duḥkhālayam aśāśvataṁ nāpnuvanti: (BG 8.15) "He does not any more regain this place, this material world, which is full of miseries and temporary."

The qualification of this material world are two. So long you live, it is always full of miseries. And if you try to make compromise—"All right, I shall live here. Never mind it is miserable"—that is also temporary. You cannot live also. You cannot... Suppose you think that "All right, I have got this American body, American country. Never mind there are some sufferings due to this body. I shall live here." Oh, you cannot live. You cannot. You'll not be allowed to live also. How long? Therefore the qualifications of this material world are two. It is full of misery and it is temporary. But our demand is full of pleasure and eternal life. Just opposite. But the foolish persons, they do not understand. They think, "Oh, we are very much happy." Oh. How we are happy? Supposing you are feeling happy. How long you'll be happy? Any moment you'll have to give up this place. Take example, your President Kennedy. He approached to the most happiest position, president, young man, good wife, children. Within a second, everything finished. Within a second. He was going on car very nicely, protected, thinking protection, but just in a moment—finished.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 11, 1975:

So that possibility is for everyone. Even the President of America, Mr. Kennedy, he could not save himself, in spite of so much power and opulence. And what of us? We have to think, you see, very with cool head that every arrangement here in this world, however nice you may think, however you may be free, they are all temporary, all temporary, backed up by full of misery. Unless one is not conversant with this principle of life, he cannot actually seriously take up what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Those who are very intelligent persons, those who can understand what is the situation of our life, "What I am..." These things are very intelligent questions. Unfortunately, in the educational system anywhere in the world there is no system for infusing a student to inquire about this. Simply they are being carried away by temporary so-called happiness, concocted happiness. That is not very... That is the main principle of this instruction, that Ṛṣabhadeva says, "Now if you be carried away by this unscientific way of life, then your human form of life is spoiled, simply spoiled. Don't try to spoil your life. You have got the opportunity." This is intelligence. Just like if you are posted in a nice position, you try to utilize that position very intelligently. Just like if you have, anyone, although any post here is temporary, but anyone tries... Similarly, we should try to utilize this human form of life very intelligently.

We have to accept the mahājana. Now, apart from accepting mahājana, we have to use our senses also. Of course, unless we are advanced in our sensual speculation, that is also not possible. But one common sense is: if brahma-satyam, how jagat can be mithyā? It is a common sense. The brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā... This jagat is created by Brahman. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Brahman means... What is that Brahman? The original source of everything. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Why jagat should be mithyā? Huh? Suppose somebody has created this microphone with hard labor, and if I say, "This is all mithyā," is it very good thing? If Kṛṣṇa has created...

ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo

mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate

iti matvā bhajante māṁ

budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ

(BG 10.8)

Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ. Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the origin of everything," the same answer. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Who is that person from whom everything has come into existence? So if Kṛṣṇa is fact, Brahman, then He says, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ, "I am the origin of everything," how other things can be false? No. We do not accept this philosophy. If Kṛṣṇa is truth, then this world is also truth. It may be temporary—bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19)—but it is not untruth. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore has criticized Śaṅkarācārya, māyāvādi-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-nāśa: (CC Madhya 6.169) "If you accept Māyāvāda philosophy, then your progress is doomed, finished."

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 12, 1975:

We are not going to follow your instruction. We have to follow the instruction of the śāstra. You cannot say that "Why you are..." Are we not serving the man? We are trying to give you the knowledge of Kṛṣṇa. Is it not serving the man? The better service—to give knowledge. If a man is hungry, he can give some food. That will give him some temporary benefit. But if you give him knowledge how to earn his livelihood, that is better gift. So people are suffering for want of knowledge. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is giving knowledge to the whole world. Not only that, we are giving prasādam also, hundreds and thousands of people. We are not that simply we are giving knowledge, but we are giving, we are inviting everyone, "Come, live with us peacefully, take Kṛṣṇa prasādam and be Kṛṣṇa conscious." This is our movement. That's all? One more.

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. Suppose there are many vivid examples. 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.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3-4 -- Bombay, March 29, 1977:

The real problem of life is not to adjust things materially, change from one form of government to another form of government. These things are temporary things. It will not give relief. And this fighting between one party with another amongst the politicians or the kṣatriyas or the administrators, they are going on perpetually. That is not a very new thing. So we should not forget our real life. For ruling over to get political predominance, there may be fighting. That is natural. It is going on. Just like the Battle of Kurukṣetra—it is a fighting between two sections of the same family, who will rule over. So there was fighting, but at the same time, they did not lose Kṛṣṇa culture. That is the important point. Similarly, India has got a great culture, background, Vedic culture or Kṛṣṇa culture. Vedic culture means Kṛṣṇa culture, and Kṛṣṇa culture means Vedic culture. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). So study Veda or Vedānta means to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is the purpose. Vedaiś ca sarvair. Veda means knowledge, and anta means end. Vedānta. Vyāsadeva, Śrīla Vyāsadeva, he has given us the Vedānta philosophy. What is the purpose? That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā:

sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi-sanniviṣṭo

mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca

vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaṁ

vedānta-vid vedānta-kṛt (eva) ca aham

(BG 15.15)

Lecture on SB 5.5.4 -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1976:

Pradyumna: "When a person considers sense gratification the aim of life, he certainly becomes mad after materialistic living and engages in all kinds of sinful activity. He does not know that due to his past misdeeds he has already received a body which, although temporary, is the cause of his misery. Actually the living entity should not have taken on a material body, but he has been awarded the material body for sense gratification. Therefore I think it not befitting an intelligent man to involve himself again in the activities of sense gratification, by which he perpetually gets material bodies one after another."

Prabhupāda:

nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma

yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti

na sādhu manye yata ātmano 'yam

asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ

Lecture on SB 5.5.5 -- London, September 3, 1971:

So it is recommended that mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes (SB 5.5.2). Mahat-sevā, we have described the symptoms of mahātmā. The sum and substance of mahātmā is mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). That is mahātmā. Otherwise durātmā. Simply putting on a saffron dress and having a big beard, he's not mahātmā. Mahātmā is he who is cent percent engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim (BG 9.13). He's not in the control of this material nature. He's completely under the direction of spiritual nature. Daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ. And what is the sign? What is the difference between a person under material nature and spiritual nature? The difference is that one who is under spiritual nature, he is cent percent engaged in the service of the Lord. This is the sign.

So this animal civilization will continue so long one does not inquire what he is. That is real intelligence, "What I am? Am I this body? If I am not this body, then I am not American, I am not Indian, I am not black, I am not white, I am not brāhmaṇa, I am not śūdra." So many things become "I am not." And when you understand what you are, if you work on that basis, then there is no crisis. You are working on the wrong basis of understanding, identifying with this body yourself. You are not this body. Therefore unless one comes to the standard of inquiring, "What I am? Why I am forced to suffer? I do not like to suffer. I do not like to die. Why there is death? I do not like to become old man. Why I become old man? I do not want any disease. Why there is disease?" they are not making solution of these problems. They are after these temporary problems. Therefore they are working hard. Working hard means simply contaminating another kind of infection, and therefore the śarīra-bandha. Śarīra-bandha, different types of bodies I am transmigrating from one body to another. My problem remains the same: birth, death, old age and disease. And therefore whatever I am doing, it is all defeat. Parābhava.

Lecture on SB 5.5.5 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:

So those who are fortunate, they will accept this offer of Kṛṣṇa and... Atha yāvad vāsudeve mayi prītir prīti rūpa bhakti.(?) Prīti means bhakti. Prīti means love. So there is Prīti-sandarbha by Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, how one can become lover of Kṛṣṇa. Ṣaṭ-sandarbha. He has written six theses. One of them is the Prīti-sandarbha, Bhāgavata-sandarbha, six sandarbha, very highly philosophical books. So this prīti means bhakti. Bhakti is not official transaction. Bhakti means prīti, real love. When I actually love Kṛṣṇa, that is called prīti. Just like we love our beloved, our child or husband or wife... That is also not love. That is a temporary sentiment. Actual love is possible with Kṛṣṇa. That is actual love. Once you love Kṛṣṇa, it cannot be broken at any time. It cannot be broken, any circumstances. So therefore somehow or other we have to... Yena tena prakāreṇa manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet. Somehow or other you must engage yourself in loving Kṛṣṇa. That is the success of life. Na devalam deha-yoga-matram api tu anartham tora chityaha yadeti svārthe sasya puruṣārtha bhute svātmā paramātmā deha-sambandha-prayukte vipaścit vivekisan yadā sahasā na paśyati yadā supavan gataḥ smṛti.(?)

Lecture on SB 5.5.7 -- Vrndavana, October 29, 1976:

What is our position? Our position is as described by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). Our real position is that I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. So gata-smṛtiḥ, I have forgotten that. And therefore, bhuliyā tomāre saṁsāre āsiyā peye nānā-vidha byathā. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's song, "My Lord, forgetting You I came in this material world. I am simply suffering." Peye nānā-vidha byathā. These... The same thing is there in the Vedic literature, the same thing is instructed by the advanced, enlightened, liberated devotee. The same thing. This forgetfulness. We have forgotten what is our position. Temporarily, because I have got this body in India, I am thinking, "I am Indian, so my interest is Indian." And somebody is thinking, "My interest is American," "My interest is brāhmaṇa," "My interest is śūdra," "My interest is this, that." We have created so many interests. That has to be rectified.

vyavasāyātmikā buddhir

ekeha kuru-nandana

bahu-śākhā hy anantāś ca

buddhayo 'vyavasāyinām

(BG 2.41)

Be business-like. People say talk business-like. Why you are talking nonsense? So Kṛṣṇa says, "Yes." For business man there is one interest, real businessman. Vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana. One who is actually interested in business-like way to make some profit arthadam, then there is only interest is how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Otherwise you will manufacture so many interests. Bahu-śākhā hy anantāś ca buddhayo 'vyavasāyinām. One who is not actually businessman, he is a rascal, he creates so many branches of different interests. The only one interest is how to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. This is our only business. But forgetting this business, gata-smṛtir vindati tatra tāpān. Whatever business we are doing, we are simply suffering. Tāpān āsādya, he is actually tasting miserable condition. Then how they are working? This is the conclusion of this verse, how they are being baffled in every stage, and how they are working so hard.

Lecture on SB 5.5.16 -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1976:

Pradyumna: Translation: "Due to ignorance, the materialistic person does not know anything about his real self-interest, the auspicious path in life. He is simply bound to material enjoyment by lusty desires, and all his plans are made for this purpose. For temporary sense gratification, such a person creates a society of envy, and due to this mentality, he plunges into the ocean of suffering. Such a foolish person does not even know about this."

Prabhupāda:

lokaḥ svayaṁ śreyasi naṣṭa-dṛṣṭir

yo 'rthān samīheta nikāma-kāmaḥ

anyonya-vairaḥ sukha-leṣa-hetor

ananta-duḥkhaṁ ca na veda mūḍhaḥ

(SB 5.5.16)

This is the description of the material world. Anyonya-vairaḥ: simply envious of one another. This is material world: I am envious of you; you are envious of me. You can extend this familywise, societywise, communitywise, nationalwise, but the basic principle is enviousness, nothing else. Therefore in the beginning of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is explained that who are fit for accepting this Bhāgavata principle. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitava atra paramo nirmatsarāṇām (SB 1.1.2). This is meant for the persons who are no more envious, for them. Those who are envious, they have no entrance in the principles of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Paramo nirmat... Because the whole world is based on the principle of enviousness. Anyonya-vairaḥ. And what is the meaning of this enviousness? Sukha-leśa-hetu, temporary happiness. Temporary happiness.

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

So ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "Yes, I am already Brahman because my constitutional position is part and parcel of Para-brahman." Kṛṣṇa is Para-brahman. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ (BG 10.12), pavitraṁ paramam, this same thing, pavitraṁ paramam. So naturally, because we are part and parcel of the pavitraṁ paramaṁ, Para-brahman, we are also the same thing, a small particle, aṁśa. Mama aṁśa. Aṁśa and aṁśi. A small grain of gold, by quality it is gold, not that because it is small, it is something else. It is the same thing. Similarly, we are also pavitram, pure, but that small can fall down sometimes and becomes apavitra. So we are just like sparks of fire, so so long we are in the fire, this quality of the spark is also fire. It is also illuminating. It is also has got the quality of burning power, small quantity. But when the spark falls down from the fire it becomes extinguished, the fiery quality. That is our position. We have fallen down from the quality, and we have to revive it. Just like a person becomes diseased. Diseased is not his permanent position. That is a temporary infection. But it can be cured. If one likes, he can cure his disease and again he can become healthy. Similarly, we are fallen somehow or other. "Somehow or other" means the reason is as soon as we become independent, we deny to serve Kṛṣṇa, but we deny to serve Kṛṣṇa—we want to become independent. Then immediately we are forced by the illusory energy to come under her and work under her direction.

Lecture on SB 5.5.32 -- Vrndavana, November 19, 1976:

So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for showing mercy to the innocent who are suffering in this material world. That is wanted. It is not daridra-nārāyaṇa seva, that "I am very rich man. I am rich Nārāyaṇa, and therefore I can serve the daridra-nārāyaṇa." There is no question of serving. That is not. No. The fact is everyone is suffering. There is nobody... Because asad-grahāt. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). Anyone within this material..., he is suffering, full of anxieties. Even the birds and beasts, you'll find, they are full of anxiety. Why? Asad-grahāt. Because he accepted this material body, which is asat, which is temporary. Asato mā sad gamaḥ. Therefore Vedic injunction is, "Don't stay in this material existence. Come to the spiritual existence, sat." Oṁ tat sat. This is the civilization, not to keep the people in ignorance and flatter them that "You are making very good advance." There is no advance unless one is interested in spiritual life. There is no... Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ (SB 1.5.18). In this way we are wandering within this universe in different forms of life, in different planets, in different social positions, in so many varieties.

Lecture on SB 5.5.34 -- Vrndavana, November 21, 1976:

We are living entities. There must be senses. There must be desires. That is not possible because we are living entities. If our senses do not work, if we do not desire, then what is the difference between the stone and myself? The stone does not move, the stone does not act, the stone does not desire. So if I become like stone, then what is the benefit? No. The nirviśeṣavādi, śūnyavādi, they want to make oneself like stone. That is not curing. They give up everything. Brahmā satyaṁ jagan mithyā. They That is not mithyā but temporary. Anyway, they simply give up.

But real thing is to accept the positive life. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is bhakti. Anukulyena...

sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ

tat-paratvena nirmalam

hṛṣīkena hṛṣīkeśa-

sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate

(CC Madhya 19.170)

So hṛṣīka means senses. Because I stop material activities, that does not mean my senses are also finished. No. Senses are there. That is purified senses. When I do not act for any material purpose, that means my sense activities are purified, and that is bhakti. That is bhakti. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167). This is little difference, not very great difference. People are One has to learn. Ādau gurvāśrayaṁ sad-dharma-pṛcchāt. Sad-dharma-pṛcchāt. To accept guru means to give up all material desires and be ready to ask from guru, "What shall I do?" Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī, when he approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he asked this question, that "By Your grace I am now released from my responsible activities." He was a minister of Nawab Hussain Shah, so he had many responsible activities, but he resigned from the post. And when he approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu he asked, "Now, by Your grace, I am now relieved from all material activities. Now kindly tell me what shall I do." So doing, it is not stopped.

Lecture on SB 5.6.11 -- Bombay, December 29, 1976:

So next... (reading) "In this age of Kali people are overwhelmed by the modes of passion and ignorance. Lord Ṛṣabhadeva incarnated Himself to deliver them from the clutches of māyā." God has no business to come here. He is Vaikuṇṭha-pati. Vaikuṇṭha means vigata-kuṇṭha-yasmād. Kuṇṭha means anxiety. In the spiritual world there is no anxiety,. and the material world, it is full of anxiety. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-gṛhāt. On account of accepting this false, temporary material world, we are always full of anxiety, and Vaikuṇṭha world, kingdom of God, is just opposite: no anxiety. Why there should be anxiety? Here we have got the fear of birth, death, old age and disease, and in the spiritual world there is no such thing, birth, death, old age and disease. And everything is complete there. There is no fight between one person to one person. In this way, the description is there. The summary is that there is no jurisdiction for the three modes of material nature. It is above the jurisdiction. That is Vaikuṇṭha world.

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

The different types of bodies means that is our punishment. We may think it as happiness, but as soon as you accept a material body, you are subjected to the four principles of material distresses. What is that? Janma, mṛtyu, jarā, vyādhi. You may think that you are very scientifically advanced—"There is no more distress in my life"—but Kṛṣṇa says, "No. If you are intelligent, then you should think of these four principles as distresses." What is that? Birth, death, old age and disease. But the modern so-called scientists, they cannot make any solution to birth, death, old age and disease; therefore they have left them aside: "Oh, don't care for them." That is ignorance. Our real problem is not this temporary problem that we are in such and such distressed condition. That is temporary. But real problem is, as Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). If anyone is intelligent enough, he should always keep before him that there are, these are my distresses: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. I don't want to die, so what I have done for stopping my death? What have I done to stop my birth? Huh? Because as soon as I die, again I enter into the womb of a particular type of mother. Hm? Again I have to live there, packed up. That is the... Everyone knows. I cannot move even. No independence. The insects biting my delicate body, I cannot protest. I'm simply suffering. So many things. After coming out of the womb, still there is suffering. Suffering, suffering, suffering—the whole life is suffering—but I do not know how to compensate the suffering. That I do not know. That is ignorance.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6-8 -- New York, July 21, 1971:

Then Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "There is only one anxiety for me." Just see. He has no anxiety for himself, but he has still anxiety. What is that? Śoce tato vimukha-cetasa. "I am anxious. I am anxious for these persons who are not persons..., who are not Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is my anxiety. For me, I have no anxiety. But I am thinking of these persons who are not Kṛṣṇa conscious." Why they are not Kṛṣṇa conscious? Now, māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān: (SB 7.9.43) "These rascals, they have created a civilization, a humbug civilization, (laughter) for temporary happiness." Māyā-sukhāya. Actually, this is the fact, humbug civilization. So many cars are being manufactured every year, and for that purpose so many roads have to be excavated, prepared, and... Problems after problems. Therefore it is māyā-sukha. We are trying to be happy this way, manufacture some way, but it creates another problem. I am giving this particular example of motorcar because in your country you have got the greatest number of cars. But that does not solve the problem. You have manufactured cars. I have practical experience. When Dayānanda wanted to take me to a doctor from Los Angeles, it is thirty miles off. Thirty miles off. So I had to take trouble to go thirty miles and come thirty miles before I could consult the doctor. You see? And if you have created cars, then you must have meet your friends and necessities thirty miles off, forty miles off. You can go from New York to Boston in one hour, but go to the airport you will take three hours. (laughter) Therefore it is called māyā-sukhāya. (laughter) Māyā means false, illusory. We are trying to create some very comfortable situation, but creating another uncomfortable situation. This is called māyā-su... This is the way of... If you do not be satisfied by the natural comforts offered by God, or nature, if you want to create artificial comfort, then you have to create another discomfort for counteracting. They do not know that. They are thinking that "We are creating very comfortable situation." Fifty miles going to the office.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6-8 -- New York, July 21, 1971:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that "These vimūḍhān, these materialistic persons, these rascals..." He has exactly used this word, vimūḍhān. Mūḍha I have already explained several times in connection with Bhagavad-gītā. Mūḍha means rascals. And here Prahlāda Mahārāja uses another nice word with addition, "vi." Vimūḍhān. Vi means viśeṣa, "particularly." The vimūḍhān... Māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahataḥ: "They have created unnecessary burden on their shoulder simply for temporary happiness." Temporary happiness. Therefore, in the Vedic civilization, a sannyāsa, renounced order of life, is recommended for prosecuting spiritual life absolutely without any anxiety. If one can execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness in family life, that's very good. Just like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. He was a family man, magistrate. Still, he executed devotional service so nicely. Dhruva Mahārāja, Prahlāda Mahārāja, they are, they were gṛhastha, householders, but they trained themselves in such a nice way that even householder, as a householder, there was no interruption. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "I have learned the art, how to remain always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness." What is that? Tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta: "Simply glorifying the," I mean to, "the victorious activities, pastimes of the Lord." Tvad-vīrya. Vīrya means very strenuous, very heroic. Vīrya means heroic.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6-15 -- San Francisco, September 12, 1968:

So one has to follow. Simply I am diseased and I take some immediate medicine, it may give me some temporary benefit, but that is not cure. If you have to cure yourself, then you have to follow the rules and regulation prescribed by the physician. And what are the rules and regulation? He says,

tapasā brahmacaryeṇa

śamena ca damena ca

tyāgena satya-śaucābhyāṁ

yamena niyamena vā

(SB 6.1.13)

Tapasā. Tapasā means austerity. Austerity. Suppose if you are habituated to some bad habits. Suppose you smoke, and the prescription is, "Don't take intoxicants." Smoking is intoxication. Now if you have to follow the rules, you cannot smoke, it will be troublesome for you. Because you are habituated to smoke, and I say "You don't smoke," it will be very difficult for you. You are habituated to unrestricted sex life, and if I say that "Don't have illicit sex life," it will be troublesome for you. Similarly, so many things are there, we are habituated, and if they are restricted there will be some trouble. So voluntarily accepting some trouble is called tapasya, or austerity. Just like a patient, if he wants to be cured, he has to follow the restriction imposed by the physician. And he follows it. Just like doctor says it, "Oh, you cannot get up. You must lie down twenty-four hours." He doesn't like it, but he has to do it. This is called tapasya, austerity. Penance. Austerity. Just like we say that on the ekādaśī day you should fast.

Lecture on SB 6.1.8 -- New York, July 22, 1971:

Unless we come to the original consciousness, then we are crazy in different degrees. Everyone who is not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is to be supposed crazy because he is talking on a platform which is temporary, transient. It will be finished. But we, as living entities, we are eternal. So temporary business is not our business. Our business should be eternal because we are eternal. And that eternal business is how to serve Kṛṣṇa. Just like this finger is the part and parcel of my body, but the finger's eternal business is how to serve this body, here. That's all. It has no other business. And that is the healthy state of the finger. If it cannot serve the whole body, that is diseased condition. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is eternal; we are eternal. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). These are the Vedic instructions. The supreme eternal is Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and we are also eternal. We are not supreme; we are subordinate. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām. He is the supreme living entity, and we are subordinate living entities. Eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān. That one living entity, one eternal, He's supplying all the necessities of life to the plural number eternals. Eko bahūnām, unlimited number of living entities. You cannot count. Bahūnām. This is our relationship. So, as part and parcel, we have to serve Kṛṣṇa, and we are subordinate. He is supplying our necessities. He is the Supreme Father. This life is normal life and liberated life. Any other life, beyond this conception of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is sinful life.

Lecture on SB 6.1.8 -- Los Angeles, June 21, 1975:

Prahlāda Mahārāja, he said to Nṛsiṁha-deva, "My Lord," na udvije, "I am not at all in anxiety." Na udvije. Para: "You are transcendental." Naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitaraṇyās. Duratyaya means very difficult to cross over. Vaitaraṇyā, vaitaraṇi, the nescience, ocean of nescience. "Why you are not afraid of?" Tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna cittaḥ: "Because I am now Kṛṣṇa conscious, and as soon as I hear the glories of Your wonderful activities, I become merged in it. So I have no problem." "Then you appear to be little unhappy. Why?" "No," śoce, "I am very much aggrieved." "Why?" Tato vimukha-cetasa: "For these rascals who do not take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I am thinking of them. Instead of taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they are busy in māyā-sukhāya, māyā, this temporary, little temporary happiness. They are making big, big program. He will live for fifty years, but he is making program for five millions of years. So I am...," śoce, "I am actually lamenting for them." This is Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava is not very anxious or unhappy for his personal affair. He knows that "Everywhere I will be protected by Kṛṣṇa," so he has no problem. Therefore real Vaiṣṇava, he wants to deliver all these fallen souls from this miserable condition of life. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja is Vaiṣṇava. His first attention was drawn to the persons in the hellish planet. They are suffering. He questioned, "How they can be saved?" That is his concern. This is Vaiṣṇava.

Lecture on SB 6.1.8 -- Los Angeles, June 21, 1975:

So that full utilization is how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That we shall come, one after another. This karma-kāṇḍīya vicāra, this will not help us. That will be discussed in the next verse. Neither the mental speculation will help us. Unless we come to the platform of bhakti and fully surrender to Kṛṣṇa and take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness business, it is very, very difficult. We will have to continue. In many places, śāstra, it is said.

nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma

yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti

na sādhu manye yata ātmano 'yam

asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ