There is no need of... (Lectures, SB cantos 1 - 2)

Expressions researched:
"there is no need of"

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- Caracas, February 20, 1975:

We see when human being are uncivilized, the ready food is there. They live in the jungle. There is fruit ready for eating. Everything is ready there. They do not know how to produce food, the uncivilized man. They eat some animal. They eat some fruit. This is already ready. So uncivilized man, who cannot produce food, even for him, there is food ready. Similarly, the civilized human being, for him also the food can be improved. Just like he can produce from the field, agriculture, so many food grains, varieties of food grains he can produce. So these things are already there. There is no need of extra time for developing how to eat nicely, how to sleep nicely. One should be satisfied like the animals. They are satisfied with their position. They are not agitated. Similarly, we should be satisfied whatever is available automatically by the gift of nature or by God.

Nature has given us the opportunity now to enquire about the Absolute Truth. And what is that Absolute Truth? Because this is our only enquiry, that "What is the Absolute Truth, or the origin of everything?" Therefore in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, first of all the obeisances or the respect is offered to Vāsudeva. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya means "I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Vāsudeva, or Kṛṣṇa." This Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is being presented by Vyāsadeva, the most exalted personality, the guru, Vyāsa guru or Vedavyāsa, for the all advanced spiritually conscious men. The spiritual master is called, therefore, representative of Vyāsa, Vyāsadeva. Therefore, on the birthday of spiritual master, it is said, Vyāsa-pūjā.

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 15, 1971:

Immediately, everything is there. According to their standard, everything is there. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya, these are the four things required for this body. But even a small duck and swan, he has got everything ready there in St. James Park. He does not go to the Downing Street. So why don't you study?

So if a swan is provided with all the necessities of life, why I shall not be? I am so much developed human being. Why I am so much busy in economic development? This is called illusion. But one who is advanced in knowledge, he knows that "If the swan is already provided with all the necessities of life, then I shall also be provided with all the necessities of life. There is no need of endeavoring for it." That is a fact. That is the fact.

tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido

na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ

tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukhaṁ

kālena sarvatra gabhīra-raṁhasā

(SB 1.5.18)

By the force of time, just in due course of time, everything, whatever you require, it will come. Just like I was talking to you that in my childhood we heard so much about London city. So I was desiring, "When I shall go to London?" Now, in due course of time, I am walking in London. So Kṛṣṇa has provided everything for you. Don't worry. Therefore our main business should be how to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We should not bother about other things. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca. But the things are there.

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 16, 1971:

One who has seen the Absolute Truth, or one who has known the Absolute Truth, go there and take knowledge by surrendering. Praṇipātena. Praṇipāta means surrendering. Paripraśnena. Don't make question, waste his time. After you surrender, after you render service, then make question. Otherwise, there is no need of question. Don't waste your time, don't waste his time. An outsider has no right to put any question because he is not surrendered. And a spiritual master is not obliged to answer anyone except to his disciple. This is the Vedic way. Don't waste time for unnecessary questions and answers. But we have to do something sometimes. But that is not the way, unless one surrenders fully, praṇipātena, and renders service. Service means whatever the spiritual master wants, "You do this," you must do it, just like a menial servant. Nīcavat. Nīcavat.

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 16, 1971:

Of course here, in your country, there is no... In India there is a śūdra class. They are..., generally they are servant class. That is called nīcavat. So servant class... A brahmacārī living at the care of spiritual master, he is advised that "You shall carry out the orders of your spiritual master nīcavat, just like the śūdra class." Because a person coming to spiritual master, they are coming from brāhmaṇa family or kṣatriya family or high caste family. But he may say, "Oh, I am coming from a brāhmaṇa family, and my spiritual master is ordering to brush his shoes? Oh, how can I do?" Therefore it is advised, nīcavat. When you are serving spiritual master, you should always think that "I am lowest of the animals." Nīcavat. In that condition you can simply inquire. Otherwise, you have no capacity. There is no need of wasting time, because he will not understand. He will unnecessarily... Praṇipāta.

Praṇipāta means surrender. So nobody wants to surrender, especially in this material world. Everyone thinks, "Oh, I am the lord. I am the monarch of all I survey. Why shall I surrender?" Independent. Especially in the Western countries. They are refusing to surrender to the social laws, to the king's law, everything. But here is the process: surrender. Surrender means everyone is puffed up with some so-called knowledge, and he thinks that "I am perfectly all right. My knowledge is perfect. Why shall I surrender?" But if you want to receive knowledge actually from the person who has actually knowledge, then you must surrender there. This is the process. Just like Vyāsadeva first of all: paraṁ satyaṁ dhīmahi. This is surrender. Surrender. Without surrender, we cannot get knowledge. And in another... There are many places. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva. To understand God, Brahmā says, jñāne prayāsam udapāsya. Leaving, giving up this nonsense habit of speculation, "God is like this, God is like that," prayāsam, jñāne prayāsam... The jñānīs, they are discriminating, "No, this is not God." The scientists, they will say, "This is the fact." And then, one year after, "No, this is not fact. Now we have improved, another." And again, three years after, they will say another. There is no standard knowledge. What is the final knowledge, they do not know. Therefore these kind of speculative habits or scientific research is simply waste of time. They cannot understand what is the ultimate truth.

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- Caracas, February 23, 1975:

So eight million means there are fishes, there are trees, there are plants, there are insect, there are birds, beasts, and in this way, eight million. They are getting all their foodstuff supplied by God. This morning we were walking on the, in the park. We saw. So many fruits are thrown on the street. That means the birds have eaten them, and they have thrown so many. So God supplies immense bread or eatable things without any asking. In a African jungle there are hundreds, thousands of elephants. They eat, at a time, huge quantity of food. But still, they are supplied by God. Actually, even from practical point of view—I have traveled all over the world—there are immense place. We can produce foodstuff for supplying food, ten times of the whole world population. So therefore there is no need of approaching God with a motive for material supplies or material satisfaction.

In the Vedic literature we get information, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām, eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). God, the description of God, is given there that "He is also living entity like us. He is also eternal like us." Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām. But what is the difference between Him and us? That is described, eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān: "That one God is supplying all the necessities of these many." So we should not approach God for economic satisfaction or for bread or for wood or for anything necessary for our life. God has arranged food for everyone, the aquatics, the birds, the beasts, the trees, the elephants or the other, four-legged animals, and why not for human being? Human being also, those who are uncivilized, still living in the forest, they have no arrangement for economic development, or they do not know, but they have got also food.

Lecture on SB 1.2.3 -- Rome, May 27, 1974:

That is the difference between material world and spiritual world. Material world means darkness wherein you cannot understand what is God, what you are. That is material world. They are very busy in this material world, but they do not know where they are going. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). Actually, they are darkness. The material world is darkness. The so-called scholars and teachers, they are also in the darkness, and they are leading other people in the darkness. Because it is darkness, therefore we require sunshine, moonshine and this electricity. As soon as it is covered, the sun is covered, you can experience it is darkness. At night it is darkness. Actually, it is darkness. But by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, He has arranged the light. But there is another world where there is no need of, na tad bhāsayate sūryo na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ (BG 15.6). There is another world where there is no need of these things lighting agent, either sunshine or moonshine. But God is so kind that in each and every universe, it is full of darkness. Now, you see how brilliant sun is there. This is His kindness. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭiḥ (Bs. 5.40). Yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇām. Therefore the sun is described as the eye of all the planets. Because you have got very nice good planet, very nice city, Rome and London and America, this and that. That's all right. But as soon as it is dark, you cannot see anything. The mercy of sunshine, Kṛṣṇa's mercy, is there. Therefore you can see. You can enjoy.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Aligarh, October 9, 1976:

This is nine different (break) Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir. Simply by hearing. You remain in your place, there is no need of changing your place. If you are businessman, do your business. If you are a medical man, remain in your medical profession. Or lawyer, or whatever it may be. That is the recommendation of Brahmā and confirmed by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir. If we hear, śruti-gatām, if we receive the message of bhakti, then you can remain in your place. But if you hear and try to implement it employ it in practical life, then one day the Supreme Lord whose another name is Ajita, you'll be able to conquer Him. Jito 'py asi. These are the recommendation in the śāstra. So this is first-class or superior dharma. Everyone can accept it. Simply hear. And that hearing process is also made very easy. This chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra you chant and hear. Anywhere you can do it. You sit down in your home or in your office, in your factory, underneath a tree or anywhere, you can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. And you can hear. This process will make you advanced in everything. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given His benediction, ihā haite sarva siddhi hoibe tomāra. By, simply by this chanting and hearing of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, all perfection you'll get. It's very easy.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- London, July 23, 1973:

This is cooperation. This is cooperation. So especially now, people all over the world, they are trying to imitate the Western type of civilization. That is not bad. Do it. But you also do something so that Westerners may also take your knowledge. That is cooperation. So why you are silent in that point? Therefore, because Indians or Indian government has failed to do this duty, India is known as beggar country all over the world. I am traveling. "Oh, you are from India? It is very poverty-stricken country." This is the designation of India. Actually it is so. In comparison to Western country, India is very poor, very poor.

So there is no need of remaining poor. You can make your economic development. This is required. Dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣāṇām. Human life means four things he must develop. First thing is dharma. He must know what is religion. Every human being—not Indians or Europeans or Americans. That is the prime duty of every human being. Without following the religious principles, then he is not human even. Dharmeṇa hīnāḥ paśubhiḥ samānāḥ. If the human society... It doesn't matter what kind of religion you follow. It doesn't matter. But you must follow. (aside:) Sit down properly. Don't go out now and come. They, that is the duty, dharma. Dharmeṇa hīnāḥ. Human civilization begins when there is religious conception of life. Therefore all over the world—it doesn't matter whether Europe, America or India or China, Japan—there is some kind of religion. There is some kind of religion—either Hindu religion or Muslim religion or Christian religion, Buddhist religion. These are the prime religions of the world.

Now, here in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, they are discussing about religion. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Delhi, November 12, 1973:

That is not perfect knowledge. (break) ...paramparā. Then your life is perfect. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma (BG 4.9). That is perfection, if you, if after giving up this body, no more accepting material body. You go back to home, back to God, in your spiritual body. You have got your spiritual body. That is within this body. Just like within this garment or within your coat, your real body is within the coat, so this body is just like coat, and the subtle body is just like shirt. And as a gentleman is within the coat and shirt, real body, similarly, the spiritual body is within this material gross body and subtle body. If you can get out of this material gross and subtle body, you realize, then you go back to home, back to Godhead. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramam... (BG 15.6). Everything is there.

Therefore our request is that you read Bhagavad-gītā, try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Don't interpret in a foolish way. Everything is clear. There is no need of interpretation. The foolish people simply unnecessarily interpret. Everything is clear. Where is the difficulty to understand when Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru... (BG 18.65)? But one scholar is saying, "Yes, this is not to Kṛṣṇa the person." Kṛṣṇa says that "You become My devotee," and the scholar says, "It is not to Kṛṣṇa." This is interpretation. This is going on, simply misleading people. You take Bhagavad-gītā as it is and try... (end)

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Hyderabad, April 22, 1974:

When we think in terms of Vedic civilization—the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—this is very scientific. Because a class of men, very intelligent, very pure, ideal class of men, brāhmaṇa, must be there. That is Vedic civilization. People will see and learn. Because ultimately, human life is meant for elevating to the standard of spiritual consciousness. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. So unless in the society there is an ideal class of men, brāhmaṇa, how people will learn it? That is necessary. You cannot say, "Let us all become technologists, śūdras, that you can get money for purchasing wine and meat." But the ideal life is lost. Ideal life is lost. There must be... Just like if you want to keep your body fit for everything, there must be brain. If you say that "There is no need of brain. We simply want legs," so how what is this body? A dead body. There must be the head, there must be the hands, there must be the belly, and there must be the legs. So brāhmaṇa is the head of the society, brain of the society. And the kṣatriyas are the arms of the body. And the vaiśyas, the belly of the body. The stomach and the belly must be kept in order. If you do not eat, if you do not digest your food, the brain will not also work, hand will not also work.

So for proper upkeep of the human society, there must be a brahminical class, brāhmaṇa class, the kṣatriya class. They are all equal because my hand is as much important as my brain. But although comparatively my brain is more important than my hand, that is comparative. But you require the brain. So at the present moment, why the society is chaotic condition? Because there is no brāhmaṇa. That is the defect. So society must be divided in the material stage of this brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. And gradually, everyone should be educated to become brāhmaṇa. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Brahma-bhūtaḥ. Then he will understand what is bhakti.

Lecture on SB 1.2.9 -- Vrndavana, October 20, 1972:

If you want to take to religiosity Practically dharma. I have several times explained that dharma means... (aside: ) What you are doing? It is disturbing me. Yes. Don't you see? He cannot do it. Yes. Do it. Dharma, to become religious, the purpose is to go up to the point of mukti. Dharma artha kāma mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90). Gradually. Gradually, step by step. But generally, people stuck up for some material gain. Ārtaḥ arthārthī jñānī jijñāsuḥ. Four kinds of people approaches the Supreme Personality of Godhead for evolution, but the, those who are going to the Supreme Person for some material gain, as soon as their material gain is finished, they also finish worship. "Now I have got the money. There is no need of worshiping."

So here Bhāgavata says that dharma... You take to, to the principles of religion for going up to the point of liberation, āpavargyasya. Dharmasya hy āpavargyasya. This is meant for getting out of this entanglement of birth, death, old age, and disease. That is real... The first step is religiosity. Unless you are pious, religious, there is no possibility of getting liberation. Therefore there are different types of dharma prescribed, twenty types of dharma. The beginning is varṇāśrama-dharma. The people have lost even varṇāśrama-dharma, what to speak of other dharmas. The first beginning is varṇāśrama-dharma, to become brāhmaṇa, to become kṣatriya, to become vaiśya. So in the Kali-yuga the time is so bad that even there is no fixity of this varṇāśrama-dharma. Nobody knows who is brāhmaṇa, who is śūdra. Because the quality is the same now, eating, sleeping, mating—animal quality. You can become a brāhmaṇa by sacred thread. That is a different thing. But there are brāhmaṇa and brahminical qualifications. That is real brāhmaṇa.

So even the varṇāśrama-dharma is lacking in this age, what to speak of other dharmas.

Lecture on SB 1.2.11 -- Vrndavana, October 22, 1972:

Paramātmā knows everything. Paramātmā is present in everyone's heart, and He knows everyone's activities. But actual realization, complete realization, means ānanda, sac-cid-ānanda. That ānanda-realization is in Kṛṣṇa-realization. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). Kṛṣṇa is by nature jolly, always full of bliss. You have seen the picture of Kṛṣṇa. He's always tri-bhaṅga-murāri, with two hands, with, playing on flute, surrounded by the gopīs, enjoying. That is blissfulness.

So brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11), step by step. But if you approach Kṛṣṇa and try to understand Him through devotional service, then automatically you understand Brahman and Paramātmā. There is no need of separate endeavor for understanding Brahman and Paramātmā. Anyone who knows Kṛṣṇa, tattvataḥ, in fact... Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā,

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu

kaścid yatati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāṁ

kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ

(BG 7.3)

So one has to know Kṛṣṇa in tattvataḥ, as He is. So this tattvataḥ means accept the process of devotional service. Tattvataḥ, Kṛṣṇa as He is, cannot be understood by the other methods, namely by mental speculation or mystic yogic exercises. Kṛṣṇa cannot be understood in that way. If we want to understand Kṛṣṇa, then we have to accept the Kṛṣṇa method, bhakti method. That is plainly spoken by Kṛṣṇa: bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55).

Lecture on SB 1.2.15 -- Los Angeles, August 18, 1972:

"What is my next life? How I can get out of?" That is the whole instruction of the Vedas, how we can get out of these clutches of karma-bandhana, the knot of karma, one after another.

So the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, personally says that janma karma ca me divyam evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). Simply one who understands what is God, or Kṛṣṇa, simply... Not that "Here is a God." No, he must... Tattvataḥ, he must know what is God. Just like the rascal is advertising: "No book. I am God. You accept me." Then how can I accept you God without book? But the people are so rascal, they're accepting,"Yes," and going after him. So they have become so cats and dogs that anyone says that "There is no need of understanding through book, through book of knowledge. I say. You accept me," the rascal will do that. Everything in the scientific world, there is book. In any science you take. Suppose in botany, they are mentioned, "This tree, this is the characteristic. A mango tree, the leaf is like this, the fruit is like this, the taste is like..." Chemical. Take any chemical. There is characteristics. Just like, what is called that, potassium cyanide. There is no taste, and the chemical characteristic, there is no mention of taste, because potassium cyanide is not yet tasted by anyone, because the tasting means immediate death. Potassium cyanide. So chemical, there is "The color is like this, the taste is like this, the reaction is like this."

Lecture on SB 1.2.15 -- Los Angeles, August 18, 1972:

So chemical, there is "The color is like this, the taste is like this, the reaction is like this."

So everything has got a test. But these rascals, without testing, accepting another rascal as God. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when He was asked that how to accept one God, He said, "Well, there is in the śāstra mention, the characteristic. According to the characteristic, if it is corroborating, then he is God." This rascal is saying, "No, there is no need of God. Ah, book. Simply I say; you accept it." The people are accepting. How foolish rascals they are. Just see. There must be a test. We are accepting Kṛṣṇa as God not blindly, but by testing. By testing. His character is mentioned in the books. Therefore, we accept God, not by blind faith, but by testing. Although we cannot test, but śāstra gives us the chance of testing. We accept spiritual master by testing, not by blind faith. No. According to the Vedic instruction, tad-vijñānārtham.

tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta

jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam

śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ

brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam

(SB 11.3.21)

These are the qualifications, symptoms of guru. Śābde pare ca niṣṇātam. He has got full knowledge in the transcendental science, and without book, how he has got knowledge? Or without hearing from another authority?

Lecture on SB 1.2.15 -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1972:

"Guruji, kindly tell me what will be the price next...?" Not that guru. Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. One who is serious to understand about the transcendental knowledge. Uttamam. Udgata-tamam. Beyond this material world. This material world is tama, darkness. So if one is very serious to inquire about the world of light, for him there is need of guru, not for ordinary person. Guru, we should not make a guru as a fashion. Everyone makes a guru, "Let me have a guru also, any kind of..." No. That is not required. Guru is required by somebody who is serious to know about the transcendental world, the world of light. Tamasi mā jyotir gama. The world of jyoti. Na tad bhāsayate sūryo na candra (BG 15.6). That world, where there is no need of sun, moon, electricity.

There is another world. That we get information from Bhagavad-gītā. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvaḥ anyaḥ (BG 8.20). There is another nature, which is sanātana, eternal. This world this material world, is not eternal. Just like we have got this body. This is not eternal. It is temporary. It has got some particular date of his birth and it has got some particular date of his annihilation. Similarly, this gigantic body, universe, it is created at a certain date and it will be annihilated at a certain date. This is material world. But there is another world. That information we get from Bhagavad-gītā and other Vedic literature. Spiritual world. This material world is only one-fourth of the whole creation. Ekāṁśena sthito jagat.

Lecture on SB 1.2.15 -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1972:

So we are teaching our people to become the first-class yogi. People are very much attached to the yoga system, mystic yoga system. But the goal of yoga system is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa's name is Yogeśvara. By practicing yoga, if you don't find Kṛṣṇa, then śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8), then simply you have wasted your time for nothing. For nothing. Yes. That is the version. Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim. Tapasya, austerity, means to understand Kṛṣṇa. So if we understand Kṛṣṇa, then there is no need of any more tapasya. Tapasya business is finished. But if you do not understand Kṛṣṇa, simply undergoing tapasya, it is simply waste of time.

ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim

nārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim

(Nārada Pañcarātra)

So here it is the same thing. Yad-anudhyāsinā yuktāḥ karma-granthi-nibandhanam. Nibandhanam. It is tightly interknotted, our karma-granthi. We had some types of activities in our past lives, and we have got this body. Everyone. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur deha upapattaye (SB 3.31.1). The different types of body, 8,400,000 species of life, different types of body. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi, 900,000 species in the water. In this way, planets, creepers, serpents, insects, birds, beasts, then human form. This is the process of evolution. So each body is a concession by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is sitting in everyone's heart. You want to do something. Just like for doing something you must have particular type of instrument, similarly, the body means particular type of instrument.

Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- Los Angeles, August 20, 1972:

The dirty thing is that "I shall be happy by material enjoyment." This is the basis of dirty things. The rascal does not know that he cannot be happy in any condition, any material condition. Brahmā is unhappy, Indra is unhappy, what to speak of you, you are teeny creature. Nobody can be happy in this material world. They must be always in anxiety because they have accepted something which will never make him happy. Therefore we have to counteract it, these dirty things, that we are trying to be happy in this material world. These dirty things are accumulated within our heart. Life after life, we have selected so many bodies. "Now I shall become tiger. I am eating flesh, but I cannot attack the animal and eat fresh blood." Kṛṣṇa is so kind: "All right I am giving you the chance to become a tiger. You become a tiger. I'll give you all nails and teeth so that you can pounce over immediately. There is no need of opening slaughterhouse; you can directly eat." You see.

So I wanted to enjoy as a tiger, I wanted to enjoy as a cat, as a dog, as a Brahmā. In so many lives, so many planets. But everywhere I have become frustrated. That is the fact. Now, in this human form of life, is the chance to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and make your life perfect.

Lecture on SB 1.2.18 -- Los Angeles, August 21, 1972:

The Purāṇas, there are eighteen Purāṇas. Purāṇādi means Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata also. Śruti-smṛti-purāṇādi-pañcarātra-vidhiṁ vinā (Brs. 1.2.101). Pañcarātra-vidhi, given by Nārada Muni for worshiping the Deity. We are worshiping the Deity under the pañcarātra-vidhi. So Rūpa Gosvāmī says that "Any devotional service which has no reference with śruti, smṛti, purāṇa, pañcarātra, that is simply a disturbance. Simply disturbance, creating disturbance." We cannot manufacture. Sometimes we are questioned, "Can we do this? Can we do that?" Of course, it is good. But there is no need of manufacturing some idea. Whatever idea is already there, follow strictly.

So bhagavaty uttama-śloke bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī. That fixed up bhakti is required, not oscillating: sometimes this side, sometimes that side. So this can be possible, fixed up devotional service, by nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18), regularly worshiping the bhāgavata-grantha and the devotee bhāgavata. Because without hearing about God authentically, how we can fix up? So we should hear, śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. Sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (SB 1.2.17). Kṛṣṇa's word is given by Kṛṣṇa. Just like Bhagavad-gītā. Sva-kathāḥ means "His own words." So this is bhāgavata. And sva-kathāḥ, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is also sva-kathāḥ. The Purāṇas also, sva-kathāḥ. Because all these books are given by Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva is incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. So that is also sva-kathāḥ. So we have to hear about Kṛṣṇa which is given by Kṛṣṇa. Bhagavad-gītā is given by Kṛṣṇa, and Bhāgavata and other Purāṇas and Vedic literature given by Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa. And the method is taught by Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So therefore, everything is Kṛṣṇa's. Kṛṣṇa directly, Kṛṣṇa as Vyāsadeva; Kṛṣṇa as Caitanya Mahāprabhu devotee.

Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Vrndavana, October 30, 1972:

Bhoga and tyāga. Bhoga means enjoyment, and tyāga means renunciation. So actually, in this world, some people are very much busy in the matter of bhoga, enjoying, the karmīs. And some people are very much engaged in the business of tyāga, renouncement. These two kinds of activities are going on. One is very, very busy for acquiring things for enjoy, sense enjoyment, and when he's dissatisfied, he cannot fully enjoy, neither he's satisfied, he says, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā, "This world is false. There is no need of this world. The grapes are sour." The same story. The jackal and the grapes. A jackal wanted to eat the grapes, and it jumped many times, but could not approach the grapes. So at last he satisfied himself that "There is no need of the grapes. It is sour." So this brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā is like that. When one is fed up or tired of this world, he cannot enjoy it due to age or other circumstances, at that time, he says, jagan mithyā. Why jagan mithyā? If God is truth, then creation of God is also truth. Why it should be mithyā? But because he has no knowledge, sufficient knowledge of the Vedic instruction, īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam, pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate (ISO 1), he does not know that creation of God is complete.

There is no defect. When God created this world, he created it perfect. Take, for example, we require water. So in every planet there is sufficient water, these oceans and seas. And they are very nicely preserved, adding with, what is called? Salt? What is the chemical name? Sodium...?

Lecture on SB 1.2.21 -- Los Angeles, August 24, 1972:

We have nothing to eat. I am spirit soul, you are spirit soul. It is our material hankering. In order to maintain this body, we require some material things to eat. Otherwise, as spiritual soul, I or you don't want to eat anything. There is nothing to be eaten. Therefore the eating propensities should be satisfied by eating Kṛṣṇa's prasādam, so that you gradually become spiritualized and your eating propensities may be diminished. Just like the Gosvāmīs. Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau cātyanta-dīnau ca yau **. Nidrāhāra. These are our necessities, sleeping, eating. Nidrāhāra and vihāra, and sex enjoyment. Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau, conquered. Conquered. Because in spiritual life there is no need of eating, there is no need of sleeping. That is a different thing. So nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, as we have discussed, gradually will bring you to that stage where no more knot for the material attachment. Bhidyate, bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ. Saṁśayāḥ. Now everyone is... We are speaking that "You are not this body; you are soul..." The people cannot understand. They are in doubt, "Oh, how is it I am soul? I am this body." But as soon as you come perfectly in spiritual consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the doubts will be over: "I am spirit soul, I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." Then that will be fixed up (SB 1.2.21).

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

"All right. You want meat, you want to eat meat, all right, then sacrifice one goat before Goddess Kālī and worship her on the on the āmāvāsya, dark moon night." So many regulations. The real purpose is to restrict him, but if it is directly said that "Don't eat meat," he'll be revolting. Therefore there are so many prescription of worshiping different demigods. Otherwise, there is no necessity. There is no necessity. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajante anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). Those who are worshiping other demigods, they have become blind, they have lost their senses. Hṛta-jñāna. Hṛta-jñāna. Real knowledge is lost. Real knowledge is lost. Therefore they're after so many demigods. Kṛṣṇa says, "It is not My manufactured word." Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajante anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). There is no need of worshiping any demigods. This is the Govardhana-pūjā. This Govardhana-pūjā, Nanda Mahārāja was arranging for worshiping Indra, and Kṛṣṇa stopped it. And He engaged him for worshiping Govardhana, which is representation of Kṛṣṇa. That is the Govardhana-pūjā.

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

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

Caitanya Mahāprabhu denies, that "I don't want all these things." Na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye. Then that is... (break)

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam you should study very scrutinizingly, critically. And there is explanation of great, I mean, stalwart devotees. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there are eight kinds of commentary. In Bhagavad-gītā... They are authorized. They are not ordinary commentaries. Ordinary commentary, there may be many. Similarly, Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā there are nine kinds of commentary. So Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā or Bhāgavata, they are themselves illuminating. Just like sunlight—there is no need of a lamp to see the sunlight. Similarly, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or Bhagavad-gītā, they are self-illuminating. Simply word to word if you try to understand, then you'll get enlightenment. Still, there are ācāryas who can help you.

So this Mahābhārata, which is referred now by Nārada Muni: kṛtavān bhārataṁ yas tvaṁ sarvārtha-paribṛṁhitam He says that jijñāsitaṁ susampannam api te mahad-adbhutam. Jijñāsitam. Because Vyāsadeva inquired from Nārada. That is the duty of the disciple. Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī says that how we can develop... We are explaining these things in our Nectar of Devotion. Ādau gurvāśrayam. You must inquire, you must be inquisitive. Wherefrom inquiry? You have to inquire from a guru, a spiritual master, who can actually give you right knowledge. And spiritual master means he is able to answer your question. So one should be very much inquisitive. What sort of inquisitiveness? Asking his spiritual master, "What is the rate of this article?" Just like businessman? No. That is also explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that you should inquire. What is that inquiry? Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ (SB 11.3.21). Jijñāsuḥ. Inquisitive. What is that? What is that inquiry? Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. One who is inquisitive to understand uttamam, beyond this darkness. Because anything you inquire about material things, that is darkness. Tamasi mā jyotir gama. Uttama. Tama, tama means darkness. Ut. Ut means udgatam.

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

So, but that Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja... His name was Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, my spiritual master's spiritual master, my grand-spiritual master. So he was illiterate, but when you asked him some question, some intricate question of spiritual significance, he'll answer you immediately very nicely. That is realization.

Now, how this realization takes place? Not by academic education, but by sincerity. If one is very sincere, that he wants to know what is spiritual science, what is God, what is self, what is Superself, what is this world, what is spiritual world—there are so many questions. Unfortunately, we are not inquisitive. And one who is not inquisitive, for him there is no need of accepting a spiritual master. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is directed, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta: (SB 11.3.21) "One should surrender to a spiritual master." Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ. Who will surrender? Who has become very inquisitive, "What is God?" Take for example, "What is God? What I am?" Now, unless one is very seriously inquisitive about this subject matter, there is no need of spiritual master. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ. Jijñāsuḥ means very inquisitive. And what sort of jijñāsuḥ, inquisitive? There must be some subject matter of inquiry.

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

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

Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovidaḥ. There is another verse in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Kovidaḥ. Kovidaḥ means very intelligent person. He should work for that purpose. What is that? Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ (SB 1.5.18). Now we have invented so many instruments for flying in the space. Upary adhaḥ means very upward, fifty thousand miles up, and again down, you can travel. But the real goal of your life is not to be achieved in that way. Bhramatām upary adhaḥ. Suppose if you reach the moon planet or sun planet... There are so many planets higher and higher, bigger and bigger. That is not your goal of life.

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

We read Bhagavad-gītā, but we do not take information. In the fourth chapter of Bhagavad-gītā these things are stated there. Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam: (BG 4.1) "First of all, I recited this bhakti-yoga or Bhagavad-gītā yoga system to Vivasvān." You can ask me that "Swamiji, where do you get the name of the presiding deity of sun-god, sun planet, as Vivasvān?" I say, "I get it from Bhagavad-gītā. It is mentioned there." Just like in our country who has not seen America, if he has studied the Constitution of America, he knows the presiding gentleman is Mr. Johnson. There is no need of seeing. Simply from authoritative scripture, authoritative book, one can understand who is the presiding deity, who is ruling there, what is the condition. Everything is there in the scriptures and authorized books of Vedic literature.

So here Vyāsadeva says that sa vai bhavān veda samasta-guhyam. "My dear Nārada, my dear spiritual master, you can answer why I am unhappy because you know the presiding Deity of the whole creation, purāṇa-puruṣaḥ." Purāṇa means old, and puruṣa means the Personality of Godhead. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is the oldest. He must be oldest because He is the father of everything. So nobody can be older than Kṛṣṇa. Here it is said purāṇa-puruṣaḥ. In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is also described how is that purāṇa-puruṣaḥ the oldest man, Kṛṣṇa. So it is described there, advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca (Bs. 5.33).

Lecture on SB 1.5.8-9 -- New Vrindaban, May 24, 1969:

Why you are troubling me?" (laughter) Bhagavad-gītā says anyone who does not surrender to Kṛṣṇa... Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ mām... Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ. He's not only rascal, he's the lowest of the mankind. And if you say, "Oh, he is very learned scholar." Oh, māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ (BG 7.15). His knowledge has been taken away by māyā. Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. Simply he's defying God. Kṛṣṇa means God. "I am God," that is asuric.

So for a devotee, there is no need of controlling senses. It automatically becomes controlled. Just like we have taken the vow we are not going to eat anything except kṛṣṇa-prasāda. Oh, the sense is already controlled. There is no question of asking a devotee, "You don't drink, don't this, don't this, don't this." So many don'ts. Simply by accepting kṛṣṇa-prasādam, all don'ts there, already there. And it becomes very easier. Others, if one is requested that "You don't smoke," it will be very difficult job for him. For a devotee, he can give up at any moment. He has no problem. Therefore the same example, that these senses are very strong undoubtedly, as strong as the snake. But if you break the poison teeth, the poison teeth, then it is no more fierceful. Similarly, if you engage your senses in Kṛṣṇa, no more controlling. It is already controlled. Protkhāta-daṁṣṭrāyate viśvaṁ pūrṇa-sukhāyate.

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

The nature's law is acting. So you don't try for being elevated to the higher standard of life or higher planetary system. There is no need of wasting your energy in that way. So higher or lower, that will come. That will come without... Just like we try to become happy or peaceful, but by circumstances we are put into unhappiness, disturbed condition of life. Nobody asks for it, but we are sometimes obliged to accept this. Similarly, by..., without your endeavor, if you can be put into distressed condition of life, why not, without your endeavor, you may be put in the happy condition of life? So don't try to be elevated in happy condition of life or distressed condition of life. Try for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then your energy will be properly utilized. This human form of life so important that in this life only we can try to execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

In the higher planetary systems... Just like Yamala-Arjuna... That story is narrated in our book, Kṛṣṇa. Yamala-Arjuna, they were two sons, Nalakūvara and Maṇigrīva, two sons of Kuvera. Kuvera is supposed to be the treasurer of the heavenly planets. So very rich man's son. So they were enjoying swimming in a very nice lake in the Śivaloka. That description is there. And with young girls and intoxicated. So they forgot that they were demigods, and they were naked. To become naked is the most uncivilized way. In the Vedic system, to..., nakedness is...

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

To remain a little poor is better condition for developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore our duty should be not to become a very great man in the consideration of these materialistic men. If he wants thousands and millions of dollars, become like a Rockefeller or Ford, that will be great a estimation of these common materialistic man, but from spiritual point of view, such things have no value—unless such opulence is engaged in the service of the Lord. Otherwise, it is the cause of falldown.

So Nārada Muni says that "Just try to save people to take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and other things will automatically... Whatever is destined by the laws of nature, they will get it. So there is no need of performing ritualistic ceremonies for being promoted to the heavenly planets or this or that. It is useless. What does he gain by that? He'll come down again. So don't teach them like that. Simply teach them to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That will make their life successful."

Lecture on SB 1.5.18 -- New Vrindaban, June 22, 1969:

Nanu sadharmam atradapi karma pitṛ-loka iti śruti pitṛ-loka-prapti phalaṁ aptaiva hatrasapi kovidaḥ viveki; tasyaiva hetoḥ tad artham yartham na kuryad yad upary brahmaloka paryantam adhaḥ sthavara paryantam brahmad bija na labhyate; tato viṣaya sukham anyathā eva praptino sva karmaṇā sarvatra narakadapi labhyate duḥkhavat; yataḥ duḥkham prajadnavina labhyate tadvad; tad uktam apraptithani duḥkhāni tathaiva ayaṁ hi dehināṁ sukhāni api tathā manye daivatra atir-icyata(?).

So our duty is as, I mean to say, indicated by Nārada Muni. Our only duty is how to achieve full Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Other things, there is no need of trying. Actually, I have seen that in India... Everywhere the same case. A person without any education, even without any, practically illiterate... I have seen so many merchants, he cannot sign even his name. In Calcutta I've seen practically a Marwari, merchant. He, he cannot... He has deposited money in the bank. Simply he can sign his own name with great difficulty. So he's canvassing, "Will you kindly write here..." That means the check to be paid to the gentleman, he cannot write. He's asking somebody's help, "You write the name of the person whom I can pay." And he'll simply sign. If he writes something wrong, he'll have to accept. If he writes his own name... (laughter) So that man is earning millions of dollars. You see? And I have seen also very educated medical man, England-returned, M.R.C.P I am speaking from my practical experience. So he goes to a hospital, big doctor, but I have seen in his house. He had not even a good utensil at home. He's so poor in spite of so much education and highly qualified, England-returned doctor.

Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

That everyone is situated in some business, occupation. So it is the duty of the person, never mind in whatever occupation he is engaged, uttamaśloka-guṇānuvarṇanam, to glorify the Supreme Lord. It doesn't matter whether he is a medical man or he is an engineer or a lawyer, or whatever he may be, politician... His only business is by his occupational duties to glorify the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the basic principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We do not advise that you change your place. There is no need of changing place. Sthāne sthitāḥ. This is the Brahmā's version. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. You remain your, in your occupation, your position, but kindly hear. Therefore we have got so many śāstras, Vedic... Therefore the Vedic literature is known as śruti. One has to hear. But that education is lacking. Nobody is hearing the Vedic literatures. They are hearing so many other things, but not... Therefore Bhāgavata says, śrotavyādīni rājendra nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ. Śrotavyādīni. The business is to hear.

Lecture on SB 1.5.23 -- Vrndavana, August 4, 1974:

Yogeśvara, the master of all mystic power, why he should bother about this yogic power? A poor man may try to earn money by hard labor, but one who is a very, very rich man's son, why should he labor? The father's money is sufficient. Similarly, a devotee, a sincere devotee, he is under the protection of Kṛṣṇa. And under the protection of Kṛṣṇa means under the protection of all six kinds of opulences: riches, then strength, then reputation, wisdom, renunciation, beauty—the six kinds of opulence. Kṛṣṇa, under... Yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ. This is stated here.

Because if you get somehow or other Kṛṣṇa's favor, then there is no question of any more profit. Sufficient profit. You have got everything. Simply be sincere to the service of Kṛṣṇa. Then you have got everything. There is no need of trying for this or that. Yasmin sthito guruṇāpi duḥkhena na vicālyate (Bg. 6.20-23). If one is situated under the shelter of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, then guruṇāpi duḥkhena na vicālyate. If there is dangerous type of inconvenience, then he's not disturbed. He knows... Just like Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, Prahlāda Mahārāja... There are many instances. His father, Hiraṇyakaśipu, was giving him trouble, chastising. He was patient, not disturbed. So be sure that if you are, if you have actually taken shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, there is no question of danger. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). And Kṛṣṇa confirms it: "Kaunteya, My dear Arjuna, you declare to the world that My devotee will be never vanquished by any enemy." That is Kṛṣṇa's assurance. So why should we try to...

Lecture on SB 1.5.24 -- Vrndavana, August 5, 1975:

Similarly, when Nārada Muni in his previous birth was very sincerely, obediently engaged in the service of the saintly persons, they cakruḥ kṛpām, special favor. Unless there was special favor, how immediately after that birth he could become Nārada Muni? Special favor. Everyone is engaged, but this is the special favor. There are many instances like that. But that we should not take, that this special favor is partiality. No. Therefore this word is used, tulya-darśanāḥ.

So if we acquire these qualities... Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). The main basic principle is śuśrūṣamāṇe, śuśrūṣa, service. So service is very important thing. So śuśrūṣamāṇe munayo 'lpa-bhāṣiṇi, very grave. One should be very grave and refrain from unnecessary engagement. These things are possible when we detach ourself from the so-called material engagements. That is illicit sex, meat-eating, and intoxication, and gambling. These are unnecessary things. There is no need of these things, but we are accustomed. We have become accustomed to, on account of bad association. So we should refrain from all these things. This is called dānte. What is the meaning of dānte? Given here?

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

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 1.5.36 -- Vrndavana, August 17, 1974:

So many ways we can remember Kṛṣṇa always. That... (break) ...somebody is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, that is all right, but why the necessity of initiation? Initiation means the disciples agree to accept the instruction of the spiritual master and Kṛṣṇa accepts the disciple immediately to give him a spiritual body. This is the process. Otherwise, there is no need of initiation. One is chanting, one can chant... (break) ...it is the factual connection. And this connection means he gets immediately a spiritual body. In this body, his spiritual... His material body is transformed into... (break) But if there is any reservation... (break) ...it will take time. (break) ...our spiritual body. (break) ...means existence.

So the process is how to purify this existence. (break) ...defect of this existence... (faulty recording) ...bhagavat-śikṣayā... (break) ...or asakṛt. (break) ...means constantly, and sakṛt means once. (break) By once chanting "Kṛṣṇa" without any offense, one can get freed from many, many thousand times of sinful activities. So much so that he is unable... Pāpī haya tata pāpa kare nāhi(?). Although he's a sinful, he cannot execute so much sinful activities. (break)

Last night... (break) I described about the ten offenses... (break) Naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu (SB 1.2.18).

Lecture on SB 1.7.8 -- Vrndavana, September 7, 1976:

This is wanted. We are always perplexed with śoka, moha and bhaya. If you want to get out of it, then read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Now if you are... If you say that "I'm uneducated, illiterate. I cannot read," there is no need of reading. Hear. Yasyāṁ vai śrūyamāṇāyām. Simply hear. But hear from the right person, Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Not rascals, professionals. Then it will be useless. Here... Why? Anyone knows some grammar or little literary education. Why...? Śukadeva Gosvāmī had no opportunity to go to a school. Śukadeva Gosvāmī... Śukadeva Gosvāmī, as soon as he took birth, after sixteen years keeping himself within the womb of the mother, immediately left home. So where is the possibility of taking education? And he was given instruction while he was in the womb of his mother.

So these things are sometimes inconceivable. But it is not inconceivable. It is possible to... Our real point is that Śukadeva Gosvāmī was not a grammarian, but he learned everything from his father by hearing. Therefore it is called śrūyamāṇāyām. If you hear from the right person, properly, then you become perfect. There is no need of literary education. Therefore Vedas are called śruti. Śruti means... Formerly the students, they were learning everything. Their memory was so nice and sharp that simply by hearing from guru's mouth they would learn. In the Kali-yuga, because the memory is not so str... (break) ...Vyāsadeva recorded this in writing, that "The rascals will come henceforward. They will have not very sharp brain, memory, so let me keep this literature in writing so that in future they may take advantage of it. Or somebody will read and they will hear. In this way their life will be successful."

Lecture on SB 1.7.18 -- Vrndavana, September 15, 1976:

The body is matter, and the spirit soul is Brahman. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is human life. One should be inquisitive to know about spiritual life, what is spirit soul. That is the first education. But where is that education? There is no such education. Prahlāda Mahārāja teaches that immediately, from the beginning of life, as soon as one is four or five years old, he should be educated about Brahman. That is called brahma-jijñāsā. Beginning. That is wanted. And for him there is need of guru. One who is inquisitive or serious about inquiring about Brahman, he requires guru. Guru is not a fashion. Guru is necessity. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Tad-vijñānam. Tad-vijñānam means spiritual education. For material education there is no need of guru. You keep... Guru, of course required, but guru means to inquire about spiritual subject matter. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). Uttamam. Uttamam means udgata-tamaṁ yasmāt. Tamam means darkness. This world is darkness. Everyone, we know, as this material world is dark. And because it is dark there is need of the sunshine, there is need of the moonshine, there is need of electricity, there is need of fire. Because it is constitutionally dark. And the Vedic injunction is tamasi mā: "Don't remain in darkness." Jyotir gama: "Go to the light." And our Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Kavirāja Gosvāmī, he gives what is that light:

Lecture on SB 1.7.18 -- Vrndavana, September 15, 1976:

The Supreme Brahman... Brahman, Paramātmā, Bhagavān. Brahmaṇi, either of them. But Bhagavān is the best. Or, if you cannot approach Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Brahman is also. Because if one is in Brahman, he has a chance to make further progress.

But in Kali-yuga it is very difficult to go very slow. Therefore Kṛṣṇa, Caitanya Mahāprabhu and all the śāstras, they are giving directly in touch with Kṛṣṇa. Step by step, it is very difficult. So that is the special gift in this age. That is said in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that in this age there is a special gift. What is that special gift? Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya. Kalau... In this age this world is full of faults, but there is one facility: kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet (SB 12.3.51). One can become liberated and go back to home, back to Godhead. Therefore the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is there to take kṛṣṇa-kīrtana very easily. We have got report from Europe, in Yugoslavia people are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra even there, in Yugoslavia. That is a Communist country, is it not? What is that place, Yugoslavia? They are taking very nice part in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. So as Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, that there is no question of language difficulty. Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is so nice that any part of the world or any part of the universe you can go and chant, and it will be appreciated. There is no need of language difficulty. So take this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, chant yourself, preach all over the world. Everyone will be happy and there will be no more fearfulness from death. Dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). No more death.

Lecture on SB 1.7.24 -- Vrndavana, September 21, 1976:

I think, "I shall become independent and I shall enjoy. I shall improve my economic condition, and I shall be very happy." This is called māyā-mohita-cetasaḥ. He'll never be. Because he is conditioned. You cannot improve. That is not possible. That is called destiny. So the Western peoples, they say, "Why should we..." (break) ...any animal, take. You cannot improve the condition. Suppose the pig, he is conditioned to live in a very filthy place and eat stool, urine. You cannot improve that condition. By philanthropic mentality, if you want to improve his condition, not to live in filthy place, not to eat stool, if you try to give them halavā instead of stool, they cannot. That is not possible. This is called conditioned.

Therefore śāstra says that you are conditioned. You cannot change the condition. So there is no need of endeavoring for changing the condition. That is not possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14), Kṛṣṇa says. Māyā, mama māyā duratyayā. It is not that... Suppose if you are in the prisonhouse, you are shackled. You cannot improve your condition. You must be shackled. You are put in a cell, you must live there. Similarly, this is useless effort. The so-called māyā-mohita-cetasaḥ, the whole material world is like that. They're trying to improve the condition. But that is not possible. Therefore they're called māyā-mohita-cetasaḥ. Simply he's thinking that "If I do like this, if I go a step forward, I shall improve my condition." No. That is not possible. Again and again.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- Chicago, July 4, 1974 :

Everyone is trying to become perfect, but the perfection means when one can see Kṛṣṇa within and without. That is perfection. Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kiṁ. If you have been able to worship Kṛṣṇa, then there is no need of any more austerities, penances, (indistinct) to self-realize or to know God. There are so many processes, austerities, penances. Sometimes we go to the forest, go to the forest to see where is God, where... There, there are different processes, but the śāstra says that actually if you are worshiping Kṛṣṇa, ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kiṁ, that there is no more need of your undergoing severe penances and austerities. And narādhito, narādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim, and ultimately after going severe..., undergoing severe austerities and penances, if, if you do not know what is Kṛṣṇa, then what is the use? It is useless. Narādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim, antar bahir yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kiṁ. Similarly, if you can see twenty-four hours Kṛṣṇa, within and without, then the that is the end of all tapasya.

So here Kṛṣṇa say again..., Kuntī says that "Although Kṛṣṇa is within and without, because we haven't got the eyes to see Him," alakṣyam, "not visible." Just like here Kṛṣṇa was present in the battle of Kurukṣetra, only the five Pāṇḍavas, just like, and their mother Kuntī, they could understand that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And few others. So even though Kṛṣṇa was present, somebody took Him as ordinary human being. Avajā..., avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam. Because He was very kind to the human society, He came personally. Still, because they had no eyes to see Him, they could not see. Therefore Kuntī says, alakṣyam, "You are not visible, although You are antaḥ bahiḥ, sarva-bhutanam." Not that antaḥ bahiḥ of the devotee—everyone.

Lecture on SB 1.8.28 -- Mayapura, October 8, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa sūrya-sama. Kṛṣṇa is just like sun. There is no darkness. Can you expect any darkness in the sun planet? No. There is no possibility. Sun planet is always bright. So similarly, this is the example of the spiritual world, the sun planet, kṛṣṇa sūrya-sama. So if you go to the spiritual world, then everything is bright. Na tad bhāsayate sūryo na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ (BG 15.6). That is the description of the spiritual world. Na tad bhāsayate sūryaḥ. In the spiritual world, there is no need of sun because everyone is brilliant; every planet is brilliant.

yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-

koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam

tad brahma niṣkalam anantam aśeṣa-bhūtaṁ

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(Bs. 5.40)

Everything is there. So if we become Kṛṣṇa conscious, there cannot be any darkness. There cannot be any ignorance. There cannot be any sinful life. Everything bright, everything peaceful. Therefore we must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness if we want to save from the clutches of māyā. And that is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā:

Lecture on SB 1.8.32 -- Mayapura, October 12, 1974:

When you understand that you are not this body but you are spirit soul, then, actually, if you realize, then, if I understand... Na jāyate na mriyate vā. The soul does not die. Then here the karmīs are working very hard because he's upset that "If I do not work hard, if I do not get money, then I shall die out of starvation." But if you are actually Brahman realized, if you understand that "I'll not die," then where is your activities? You'll not die. If somebody, some physician, gives you a tablet: "Now you take this tablet. You'll not die," then you'll stop working immediately, because "I'll not die." So brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā. "That is all right. Now I am spirit soul. I understand I will never die." That is prasannātmā. Na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). There is no need of lamentation. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. But mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām. If you do not take to devotional service, simply by realizing that you are Brahman will not help. And by devotional service, you can become dear.

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

So one day, if he's interested, he may become very good scholar. But to give up religion altogether, secular, simply open factory, bolts and nuts, and work hard and drink and take meat... What is this civilization? What is this civilization? Therefore we are suffering. Again bhava.

Here it is said that avidyā-kāma-karmabhiḥ. By ignorance, they are thinking by opening factories they will be happy. That is avidyā. He does not know that this is ignorance. Why you should open factory? That is... This is called ugra-karma. There is no need of opening factory. You have got land. Here are so many lands. You produce your food grains. Annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14). You eat sumptuously food grain, milk, and that will be available without any factory. The factory cannot produce milk or food grain. The present scarcity of foodstuff means everybody is engaged in the city, producing bolts and nuts. Who is producing food grain? This is the solution of economic problem. Annād bhavanti bhūtāni. Therefore we are trying to engage our men to produce their own food. Be self-sufficient so that these rascals may see that how one can live very peacefully, eating the food grains and milk, and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is our mission. We don't deny this food. They are after daridra-nārāyaṇa-sevā, but why daridra-nārāyaṇa? Why not chief Nārāyaṇa, or the rich Nārāyaṇa? Everyone should be engaged-Bhagavat-prasādam. We don't make any distinction, daridra-nārāyaṇa or rich Nārāyaṇa, dhanī-nārāyaṇa. Everyone, you come on. Take prasādam.

Lecture on SB 1.8.36 -- Los Angeles, April 28, 1973:

Either all the items or take to one item. Simply hearing. Just like Parikṣit Mahārāja did. Parikṣit Mahārāja did not do any other things. He sat down tight before Śukadeva Gosvāmī and went on hearing, hearing, hearing for seven days. And then his life is finished. So anyone or all of them. If you simply hear, without doing anything. Simply sit down in the temple and whenever there is talk of Bhagavad-gītā, Bhaga..., you go on hearing. Bas. Even if you do not understand, please hear. That's all. That vibration, that mantra vibration will help you. Understanding is not very important thing. There may be so many fools and rascals, they do not know grammar, do not know Sanskrit. No, there is no need of...

Apratihatā. Bhakti is apratiha... Nothing can check the progress of bhakti. So simply you have to adopt the process. The process is hearing. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was criticized by Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya in the beginning. He was, Caitanya Mahāprabhu was son of Jagannātha Miśra, and Jagannātha Miśra ... Jagannātha Miśra and Jagannātha Miśra's father-in-law, that means Caitanya Mahāprabhu's grandfather, grandfather, Nīlāmbara Cakravartī, he happened to be class friend of Sārvabhauma's father. That means Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya comes on the level of His father. So he asked that: "You are a boy, twenty-four years old only. You have taken sannyāsa. It is very difficult to keep sannyāsa because there are so many attractions for the young man. So you hear Vedānta-sūtra." This, the hearing. So hearing. So hearing's so important. Even amongst the Māyāvādī school, they hear Vedānta-sūtra. We also hear, but we hear, hear real Vedānta-sūtra. Because they falsely interpret, their hearing is spoiled, but we don't interpret. We hear actually. Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the Supreme." We accept it. That is hearing. And if you interpret, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa means this, Kurukṣetra means this," that mean you're spoiling your time. Why this, that? As it is, hear as it is. Then the...

Lecture on SB 1.8.38 -- Los Angeles, April 30, 1973:

You are taking it without his information. That means you are a thief. This is called bhoga, enjoyment. And another is tyāga. One thinks, "Oh, why shall I touch it? Somebody's... Let it remain there. I have no, nothing to do." This is called tyāga, giving up. So the hundred dollar note is the same. One is trying to enjoy it, and one is trying to give it up: "I don't care for it." So both of them are fools, bhogī and tyāgī. Bhogī means the karmīs. The karmīs, those who are working very hard, utilizing... The scientists are utilizing the resources, material resources. That means all are making policy how to steal that note. That is their policy, the karmīs. And another, while he was unable to steal, he says, "Oh, grapes are sour. There is no need of..." That is tyāgī.

So both the bhogīs and tyāgīs, two classes of men, you'll find. Mostly they're bhogīs. They're trying to enjoy anything for his sense gratification utility. And another, when he's baffled, he says, "No, no, we don't require it." Similarly the same example: If one takes that note and says, "Somebody has lost his hundred dollar note, sir." So one who has really hundred doll..., he says, "Yes, yes. I had..." And if you deliver to him, that is real service. To give up that note or to take that note, both is useless. So similarly karmī and tyāgī, bhogī and tyāgī, they're all useless. And bhakta, devotees, they know that everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa; now it should be offered to Kṛṣṇa. That is real service. The same example. You take the hundred note and you ask, "To whom this hundred dollar note belongs?" If you give him, that's a great service. That man becomes very much pleased upon you: "Oh, you are so nice."

Lecture on SB 1.8.40 -- Los Angeles, May 2, 1973:

Oyster. Oyster. The oyster produces pearls, very valuable. If you can collect the oysters you'll get valuable pearls. One pearl, ten thousand dollars. The wealth is there. So formerly people used these pearls, the valuable stones, silk, gold, silver, and decorated the body with nice manufactured ornaments. The beautiful for body.(?) But where are those things gone? Those things are now gone. Now plastic bangles. Advancement of civilization. All these beautiful girls without any ornament of gold, pearls and nice jewels, they have got plastic bangles. Just see the fun!

So what is the use of this industry, slaughterhouse? You get these, all these things. Have enough food grains, enough milk, enough fruits, enough vegetables, clear, nice river water. There is, there is no need of constructing water works. Why? I have traveled in Europe. Each and every river has become nasty. In Russia I saw the river, in Germany I saw the river, in France, also, I saw the river-nasty. And also in your country I have seen that... What is that river in New York?

Lecture on SB 1.8.42 -- Los Angeles, May 4, 1973:

Everything is there—but without inebriety, without inebriety. There, cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam (Bs. 5.29). For example, just like there is tree also. Cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa. But they, those trees are not like this tree. Suppose you, here, you want some fruit, say mango. You go to the mango tree, you taking mango, at the same time desire, "Why not little grapes?" But this mango tree cannot supply you grapes. But in the spiritual world you are eating mango, at the same time, if you desire grapes, the same tree will supply you. This is called desire tree. And... Some ideas of the spiritual world are there in the... Just like here, for light, you require sunlight, moonlight. But in the spiritual world, there is no need of sunlight, moonlight, because everyone is effulgent. By his own light he can see everything.

Just like in kṛṣṇa-līlā, Kṛṣṇa was stealing butter. So the neighboring friends of Yaśodā-mātā, was complaining... It is not complain; it was just to see the fun of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa was sitting, and they were complaining. They were seeing the bodily feature, how Kṛṣṇa is feeling. So other ladies complaining, "Mother Yaśodā, your son comes to our house and steals butter. You see. We try to conceal them in a darkness so that this boy cannot see. But still He finds out. So better you take away all His ornaments because the jewel, light of the jewel, helps Him to find out the butter pot." So Yaśodā said, "Yes, I'll do that. I'll take away all these ornaments. Yes." Then they say, "No, no, it is useless. Oh, this boy has got some effulgence of Himself. Without ornaments He can, He can also find out."

Lecture on SB 1.8.46 -- Los Angeles, May 8, 1973:

Therefore it is very scientific. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). The society must be divided. There is division already, natural. We have to simply pick out, that "This boy is brāhmaṇa, this boy is kṣatriya, this boy is vaiśya, and this boy is śūdra." So they should be given separate employment. Then there will be peace. If a person is employed according to his natural tendency, he becomes successful, he becomes successful. But if you give some employment, just like to put a cart before a horse, like that, no, that will not be successful.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that... You can say that "There is no need of kṣatriya; let there be all śūdras." No, then there will be social scandal. Everything must be there. The brāhmaṇa must be there, the kṣatriya must be there, the vaiśyas must be there and the śūdras must be there, and the state should look that these things are observed scientifically and they are being educated in that way. That is king's business. He must see that the kṣatriyas, those who are kṣatriya spirited, they are being trained up as kṣatriya. The brāhmaṇas are being trained up as brāhmaṇa. Everything is required. Just like in your body, all the four divisions... Just like head, that is brāhmaṇa; the arms, that is kṣatriya; the belly, that is vaiśya; and the legs, they are śūdra. So as much as the head is required, so much the legs are also required. You cannot say, "One class will do." No. But the modern tendency is one class of men. And therefore therefore there is confusion. There must be four classes. That is scientific.

Lecture on SB 1.9.1 -- Los Angeles, May 15, 1973:

"How to solve?" Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet. Therefore the Vedic instruction is "Because you are confused, because you do not know which path to follow, therefore you must approach a guru." Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). This word abhigacchet is used when there is compulsory, "You must." You cannot say that "Without going to guru, I shall chalk out my own path." No, that is not possible. Therefore this very word is used, gacchet. In Sanskrit all words are meaningful. Gacchet means it is a question of must, not that "I may and may not." Nowadays it is going on, and there is many rascals who come here in your country to preach that "There is no need of guru. You can become your own guru yourself." That is not Vedic injunction. Vedic injunction is you must go to a guru, tad-vijñānārtham, in order to understand the transcendental science. And that is natural.

When we are confused in our ordinary life, we also go to a friend, senior friend, or experienced friend, and ask him, "My dear friend, I am in this condition. I am very much confused what to do." That is natural. Similarly, when Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja was so much afraid that he had killed so many prajās, he knew that "Now, still, there is a superior person, my grandfather, who is lying on the bed of arrows. Let me go there." Tato vinaśanaṁ prāgāt. Then he decided, "Let me go to Bhīṣmadeva. He can give me instruction." What is that instruction? Sarva-dharma. Sarva-dharma. Instruction on all kinds of different varieties of religious system. Sarva-dharma. We will find.

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

So Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja was a kṛṣṇa-bhakta, and therefore, he is explained, is dharma-bhṛtāṁ variṣṭhaḥ, the most foremost personality, because he knows... He agreed to fight with his cousin-brothers because Kṛṣṇa wanted. Kṛṣṇa, when Arjuna said, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, there is no need of fighting. Because the other side, they are my brothers, nephews, I better prefer to give them the kingdom. I shall beg and live, but I don't want to fight with my brother," so immediately Kṛṣṇa condemned it: kutas tvā kaśmalam idaṁ viṣame samupasthitam: "What nonsense you are speaking? You must fight." Then still he was unwilling to fight. Therefore the whole Bhagavad-gītā was spoken to him. And after explaining Bhagavad-gītā, He inquired from Arjuna, "Whether you are now determined to fight?" Yathecchasi tathā kuru (BG 18.63). This liberty was given to Arjuna: "I have explained to you everything. Now whatever you like, you can do."

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).

Lecture on SB 1.10.3 -- Mayapura, June 18, 1973:

Ātma-tattvam. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. If one is not interested in understanding his identification, what he is, ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya. As Sanātana Gosvāmī presented himself before Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and his question was, "Ke āmi?" Tad-vijñānārthaṁ gurum eva abhigacchet. Strictly according to Vedic principles. Sanātana Gosvāmī approached the spiritual master, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, tad-vijñānārtham. What is that? "What I am?" To understand this, tad-vijñānārtham, the ātma-tattvam, self-realization.

So to become a disciple of spiritual master, unless there is awakening of this knowledge, to know "What I am?" there is no need of making a show, accepting a spiritual master. There is no need. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). For whom guru is needed? Guru, spiritual master, is not a farce, that "Let me have a guru, nice guru. Then I become perfect." And if you do not follow the instruction of guru... First of all, you must have a bona fide guru. And if you follow, then your life is perfect. So two things must be correct: the guru must be correct and the disciple must be correct. Then the business will be correct. And either of them, if guru is incorrect or the disciple is incorrect, there will be no action. So therefore Bhāgavata says, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). Who shall approach? Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). According to Vedic instruction, everyone should approach a guru. But who is that everyone? One who is jijñāsu. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. One who is inquisitive to understand "What I am? Am I this body or something else?" That is beginning of spiritual instruction.

Therefore, in the Bhagavad-gītā the first instruction to Arjuna was to know that beyond this body, there is the soul.

Lecture on SB 1.10.4 -- Mayapura, June 19, 1973:

Therefore sometimes it is said that the brāhmaṇas are responsible for introducing Kali-yuga. So that is not actually fact. In due course of time, everything will happen.

So Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was so pious that during his reign time, kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ (SB 1.10.4). There was regular rainfall and everything was produced nicely. Sarva-kāma-dughā mahī. Sarva-kāma. The, another side is that you don't require industries, trade. You don't require. If you have got land and cow, then everything is complete. This is basic principle of Vedic civilization. Have some land. Have some cows. Dhānyena dhanavān gavayaḥ dhanavān. Not industry. There is no need of industry. Because you want some food, nice food, nice milk, nice fruit, that will be produced by nature. You cannot manufacture all these things in the factory. So therefore the..., at the present moment, the big, big factories, they are the activities of the asuras, ugra-karma. All the people are dragged in the city, industrial area, to engage them in the produce of iron bars, big, big iron bars, Tata iron industry, and so many other industry. Capitalists, they have drawn all the innocent people from the village. And they think that "We are getting fat salary." But what is the use of fat salary? One side you get fat salary; another side you have to purchase three rupees a kilo rice. Finish your salary. This is going on. Let them produce their own food. Let him have some land. Let him produce his own food. Let there be cows. Let cows become happy.

Lecture on SB 1.10.4 -- London, November 25, 1973:

That was being maintained during the time of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. That is being described. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira maintained this standard of civilization. Just see how the economic problems will be solved simply by one movement, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Try to understand. Mahī. Because mahī will produce everything. Just like here in this Letchmore Heath there are so many, so much land lying vacant. You produce you own food. Why you are going to London, to the factories? There is no need. This is wrong civilization. Here is land. You produce your food. If you produce your food, there is no need of going hundred miles, fifty miles on your motorcycle or motor to earn your livelihood. Why? There is no need. Then you require petrol. And petrol there is scarcity. Then you require so many parts, so many That means you are making the whole thing complicated unnecessarily. Unnecessarily. There is no need. Simply you keep to the land and produce your food, and the cows are there. They will supply you milk. Then where is your economic problems. If you have sufficient grains, sufficient vegetables, sufficient milk from the land where you are living, where your economic problem? Why you should go to other place? That is Vedic civilization. Everyone should remain in the spot and produce everything as he requires, and God will help you. Because you can produce from the land anywhere. The rainfall is there. If you have got land and the rainfall is regular, then you can produce anything. Kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ (SB 1.10.4). And how the rainfall will be possible? How regular rainfall? That is described in the Bhāgavata. Yajñād bhavati parjanyaḥ parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ (BG 3.14). Is there a Bhagavad-gītā here? Yajñād bhavati parjanyaḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.10.13 -- Mayapura, June 26, 1973:

So this śāstra, śāstra-vidhi. Śāstra-vidhi. Loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā nityā hi jantoḥ. Nityā hi. Na hi tatra codanā. One does not require encouragement. One is not taught in the school how to learn sexual intercourse. No. These things are already there. Nitya, nityā hi jantoḥ. Every living entity has got these propensities: intoxication, sex intercourse. Vyavāya āmiṣa. Āmiṣa: meat-eating, fish eating. They're there already. One does not require to be educated, how to eat meat, how to drink, how to use sexual intercourse. No. It is already there. Nityā hi... Na hi tatra codanā. There is no need of encouragement. Then why the śāstra's ordering that "You eat meat in this way. You drink in this way. You have sexual intercourse in this way"? What is the purpose? The purpose is to restrict him. Because by natural propensity he'll have... Just like in Western countries there is no marriage practically. But they have sexual intercourse. They think, "Sex is there, available. Why we should bound ourselves by marriage tie?" They think like that. So why the marriage is there? Just to restrict. Without marriage, the man and woman will be open to so many other men and women. Therefore it is to restrict. One man, one woman. Otherwise, if you associate with so many men and so many women, this is animalism. So in order to check him from the animal life, sex intercourse, the marriage is there. This is the purpose. Therefore śāstra. Śāstra means simply restrict. One who is accustomed to restriction, he's perfect. Not indulgence. The animals are not restricted. But nowadays, better animal is restricted. They have got a time for sexual intercourse. But these, these animals, the four-, two-legged, two-hands animal, they have no restriction. Any time. Less than animal. Therefore śāstra is there.

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

So she pleased the Yamarāja. After the death... The husband died, but she pleased the Yamarāja so much so that Yamarāja was ready to give her some benediction. So Yamarāja said, "What benediction you want?" "Now, as woman, I wish that may be a son of mine, from me." "All right, you will get a son." Then again she said that "If you are taking away my husband, how I will get my son?" So her husband was made alive. So indirectly... So kṛṣṇa-devatāḥ. If you actually want to be eternally blissful, take to kṛṣṇa-devatāḥ. Or there is no need of praying for "Make me immortal." No. If you accept kṛṣṇa-devatāḥ, then automatically... Just like the benediction was that "You... Yes, you will get a son." Automatically her husband was made alive. So kṛṣṇa-devatāḥ.

So Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja asking that "Did you see them, the Yadu families, who have Kṛṣṇa as their worshipable Deity?" Dṛṣṭāḥ śrutā vā yadavaḥ. Yadu. Yadavaḥ is plural number. Sva-puryāṁ sukham āsate: "Whether they are happy in their home,"sva-puryām, sva-purī, "Dvārakā?" So in this way Kṛṣṇa consciousness means always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. And make Kṛṣṇa the friend. Kṛṣṇa says that suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 5.29). Actually, Kṛṣṇa is the only friend, and He is sitting in everyone's heart. He is so nice friend that He is simply trying to induce us to turn our faith towards Kṛṣṇa. He is coming as avatāra, incarnation. He is giving us advice from within. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). He's such a nice friend. Although we have left Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa has not left us. Here He is living with Me within my heart to give me advice, "Please come back." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66).

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

So Rāvaṇa was so powerful that he made his capital Svarṇa-laṅkā, "capital made of gold." Just like if a man comes from undeveloped country to your country, New York or any city, when they see the big, big skyscraper, they become astonished. Although skyscraper buildings are everywhere nowadays, formerly it was very wonderful.

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

So this instruction by Arjuna... He said that so 'haṁ dhanus ta iṣavaḥ. He was defeated by the cowherdsmen. He could not protect the queens of Kṛṣṇa, and they were taken away by these cowherdsmen. So he is lamenting that "I have got this bow and arrow with which I fought in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, and I became victorious because Kṛṣṇa was sitting on my chariot. That is the only reason. Now I have got these bows and arrows, the same bows and arrows with which I fought in the Battle of Kurukṣetra, but at the present moment there is no Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is useless." Īśa-rikta, asad abhūt. Asat means which does not act; it does not exist. "So my bows and arrows are the same, but it is now useless."

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

They left their ministerial post and went to Vṛndāvana by the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So what was their process? The process was tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tuccha-vat. They gave up their materialistic way of life as very insignificant. They were ministers. They were ministers. Their associates were very big, big men. But tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati. Maṇḍala-pati means leaders, leaders of the society, poli..., big, big politician, businessmen, important men. Because they were minister, everyone used to come to see, and they were associated with. But they gave up. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīm. How it was given up? Sadā tuccha-vat: "Oh, it insignificant. What is this? There is no need of..." And bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karu... Why? Why they gave it up? Because they thought... Under the instruction of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they understood that "So many mass of people are suffering without Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So we have to do something for them." Therefore they gave up. Not a fancy, "I become naked, that's all." What is the use of your becoming naked? You must do something. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Not that "I have become mendicant. I have given up all material things." You cannot give material things. Instead of coat, pant, you may have a shabby cloth. That's all. You cannot give up. That is not possible. You have to accept something. But they are thinking that "Because I have given up this coat, pant, and I am now a shabby dress, I have become advanced." Not that. You must some positive engagement.

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

And they are advancement of knowledge. They are claiming advancement of knowledge. What knowledge you have got? You do not know what you are, and you are advancement in knowledge.

Therefore Sanātana Gosvāmī, who was prime minister of Nawab Hussein Shah, when he approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu, his first proposition was that, grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita, tāi satya māni: "My dear Sir, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, some neighboring people, they call me, I am a very learned scholar." Grāmya-vyavahāre. "In ordinary behavior, they call me, I am very learned scholar. But I do not know what I am, I am such a scholar." This is the submission. This is called submission. Everyone is puffed up, that "I know. I know everything. So there is no need of going to a guru." This is the method to approach a guru, spiritual master: surrender, that "I know so many rubbish things which are useless. Now kindly teach me." This is called submission. Just like Arjuna said, śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). When there was argument between Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa, and when the matter was not solved, then Arjuna submitted to Kṛṣṇa, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, now we are talking as friends. No more friendly talking. I accept You as my spiritual master. Kindly teach me what is my duty." That is Bhagavad-gītā.

So one has to learn. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). This is the Vedic injunction, that what is the value of life? How it is changing? How we are transmigrating from one body to another? What I am? I am this body or beyond, something? These things are to be inquired. That is human life. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This inquiry should be made. So in this Kali-yuga, without any knowledge, without any inquiry, without any guru, without any book, everyone is God. That's all. This is going on, fool's paradise. So this will not help.

Lecture on SB 1.15.51 -- Los Angeles, December 28, 1973:

And the very simple thing is that ya idaṁ guhyaṁ mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati. This confidential service, preaching of Bhagavad-gītā... What is that? Bhagavad-gītā preaching essence: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Simply go and preach. This very thing. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). This is Kṛṣṇa's desire. Preach to the world, "Just be Kṛṣṇa conscious." Man-manāḥ. "Just become Kṛṣṇa's devotee." Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī. "Just worship Kṛṣṇa." Mad-yājī mām... "Just offer your obeisances to Kṛṣṇa." Four words. Then you become a preacher. It is not very difficult to become a preacher and to become a spiritual master. How? Very simple thing. Go and speak what Kṛṣṇa says. That's all. You have nothing to manufacture, Dr. Frog. There is no need of manufacturing. We are very safe because we don't manufacture. We simply repeat, parrotlike, what Kṛṣṇa has said. That's all, finished. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "Let aside everything. Just become My devotee, surrendered soul." So we are preaching that. We don't make compromise. Therefore all people are against me. Because "This man simply says, 'Kṛṣṇa.' " But I cannot say anything more. That's all.

So to become priya, very dear to Kṛṣṇa, is very easy. That is siddhi, perfection. Labdhvā harau bhaktim upaiti siddhim. Perfection, highest perfection: to become dear to Kṛṣṇa. That's all. You become dear to Kṛṣṇa. That is your perfection, highest perfection, supreme perfection. So such easy thing, and such highest perfection. Why people should not accept this? And it is practical. It is... Just last night I was talking with Śrutakīrti that this church, nobody was coming.

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

"By increasing every year new motorcars, I am creating another problem. If there is no petrol, then the whole business will be spoiled." That they do not know. And because they do not know, they are called asses, mūḍha. The effect they do not know. So the tri-daśa-pūr, going to the heavenly planet... Just like they are going to the moon planet, but problems after problem, contemplating how to make a platform in the sky to get petrol. The problem is there, not that very easily going. The problematic... Things are problematic.

So these kinds of plans... Just like Rāvaṇa. He said, "What is the use of becoming devotee? Oh, if you want to go to the heavenly planet, I shall make a solid staircase, reinforced concrete, and you can go there. There is no need of endeavoring for austerities, penances, no." So these people are trying like Rāvaṇa, that "We shall take you to the moon planet, Venus planet, this planet, and give us money. Now we spend. You go on spending... In future, in future." So these karmīs are just like phantasmagoria, will o' the wisp. And jñānī, they are also merging into the effulgence of Brahman. That is also another foolishness, because actually nobody can remain in that. Just like we are feeling happy here because we have got so many friends here, ladies and gentleman, and you are talking. Now, if it was vacant, nobody is here. Sometimes in our temple, That's not very good. Nobody likes to sit. Is it a fact? Every day, because we are so many, it is very pleasing to sit down.

Lecture on SB 1.16.13-15 -- Los Angeles, January 10, 1974:

You believe or not believe, you are changing your body every moment. So simply you have no eyes to see, you have no brain to understand. You may be... Because you are cat and dog, you cannot understand. Because the cats and dogs, they cannot understand that there is another life after this dog's body and cat's body. They cannot understand. So anyone who cannot understand the simple truth of the transmigration of the soul, he is no better than this cat and dog.

So these karmīs are like that. Some of them understand. They at least believe in future life. But they do not know how to stop this transmigration of the soul. That they do not know, karmīs. They know, "It is unavoidable to change the bodies. So there is no need of endeavoring..." Therefore they do not know, they cannot know, neither they can do. They simply, "Yes, there is life, but let me become in more comfortable situation." Just like in this life, they are trying just to become in comfortable situation of this body, similarly, when they understand that, accepting at least that there is next life, they want to go to the heavenly planet, svarga. But they do not know that that is also not ultimate happiness. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. You read nicely. Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). Because even if you go to the Brahmaloka, the highest planet, either by good work or by your airplane sputnik... It is not possible to go there by sputnik (laughter), but you can go there by your pious activities. Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ. Yānti (BG 9.25), you can go, but you have to adopt a means. But these are for the karmīs, those (who) simply want comfortable life of this body. They cannot understand that "However comfortably I may live, I have to give up this body. Then what is my next position?" They do not know. They are called karmī.

Lecture on SB 1.16.25 -- Hawaii, January 21, 1974:

Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said that it is very difficult time, kalau. It is not Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's version; it is the Vedic version. Kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva. Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. This will clarify your heart. Then you can understand who is guru, where to surrender, where to take lesson. In this way we can make... Haphazardly, if we accept, then there will be failure.

So satyaṁ śaucaṁ dayā. To accept guru, there is also service. And to give service to an inferior person who is suffering, that is also service. The one service is called dayā, and the other service is called sevā. So if you want to realize God, then the other service, sevā, not dayā. You cannot show your mercy to God. God is full. There is no need of your showing mercy. That sevā. Two kinds of service. One is called dayā, and another is called sevā. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. If you want to know what is God, then the other service, sevā. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. And that service begins from the tongue. Now, generally, when we think of service, we think of our hand and legs, that "By..., I can render service with my hands, with my legs." No. The science of understanding God—the service begins with the tongue. Just see. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). You cannot understand what is God, what is Kṛṣṇa, His name, His activities, nāmādi... Nāmādi means name, form, qualities, activities, pastimes, entourage, so many things, ādi. Therefore... Just like we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, but we cannot understand what is the meaning of Hare Kṛṣṇa. We cannot understand. Nāmādi. Na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ. Indriyaiḥ means the senses. There are so many people are hearing this sound vibration, but why they're not becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious? Because there is no sevā, there is no service. Therefore it is said, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). But how it will be perceived by the indriyas? Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. By service. And wherefrom the service begins? It begins jihvādau, beginning with the tongue, beginning with the tongue. This is the service.

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

Ordinary persons who are trying to know the news of the world, they do not require any guru. There is no necessity. Their subject matter is supplied by the newspaper, magazines, and so many other things. But guru is needed for whom? Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. One who is inquisitive to learn about the transcendental subject matter, uttama. Uttama means... Ut means transcendental, and tama means the darkness. This world is dark. Just like at night now because there is no more sunshine, it is dark. Actually it is dark. Simply by sunshine, moonshine, electricity, fire, in this way we keep it glittering. Otherwise, it is dark. This whole universe is dark. By God's arrangement, there is sun, moon, like that, illumining. But there is another world where there is no need of sun and moon, and that is spiritual world. That is spiritual world, this information is there. So, therefore, uttamam, one who is inquisitive to learn about that spiritual world, not of this dark world... The world is dark, I have already explained. Against this there is another world who is full of light. Because unless there is light, there cannot be darkness. 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.

Lecture on SB 2.1.2 -- Paris, June 11, 1974:

So for them, these newspapers are very useful. But one who is fixed up in ātma-tattvam, Bhāgavata,, "I am Brahman. I am not anything of this material world," for them, there is no need of this so-called news of newspaper. There is no... Simply, they should try to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is the only business. There is no other business. And as soon as you understand Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa assures, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). If you simply try to under... Here is Kṛṣṇa. If you simply try to understand Kṛṣṇa... And how you'll understand? By service. By service. Kṛṣṇa has agreed that "I'll accept your service." Therefore He has come. You cannot serve Kṛṣṇa in His universal form. Now Kṛṣṇa has agreed, as you have got limited potency, you can touch Kṛṣṇa. You can touch His lotus feet. You can make dress for Kṛṣṇa with devotion. You can put the dress on Kṛṣṇa. You can prepare, according to your capacity, foodstuffs. You can offer to Kṛṣṇa, so Kṛṣṇa will eat. He says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati, tad aham aśnāmi (BG 9.26).

So Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He, although He is all-pervading, universal, He has agreed to accept your service just to give you liberation from this misunderstanding, no ātma-tattvam. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that Kṛṣṇa, God, is great. How great He is, you cannot imagine. But still, He has agreed to accept your service, becoming small. That is greatness. In the material world, if something is big, very big, he cannot become, or it cannot become small.

Lecture on SB 2.1.5 -- Los Angeles, August 13, 1972:

And the example is vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya (BG 2.22). Just like we change our dress when the dress is old enough or dirty, we give it up and accept another dress. So this is going on.

Now, if at the ultimate end of this body, if we can remember Kṛṣṇa, then our life is successful. What? How is that? Now as soon as we remember Kṛṣṇa, immediately we are transferred to the spiritual world, the abode of Kṛṣṇa or Goloka Vṛndāvana. It does not take even a second's time. Spirit soul is so forceful that anywhere... The yogic success is like that. Yogic, those who are successful yogis, they, at the..., they do not die by nature's law. They control even their death. How is that? They make yoga practice, and when they think that one is perfect now, so he leaves this body and he transfers himself to any planet he likes. There is no need of sputnik. Similarly, the bhakta-yogī, he does not like to stay in any one of the planets within the material world, because he knows from the authoritative description of Bhagavad-gītā and Vedic literature. Just like you'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa says, ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna: (BG 8.16) "My dear Arjuna, beginning from the Brahmaloka, the highest planetary system within this universe, down to any other, I mean to say, downwards planet, you can travel anywhere, wherever you like..." Ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ. There are fourteen status of planetary system within this universe. So we are in the middle. So ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna: (BG 8.16) even if you are transferred to the Brahmaloka, you have to come down. Punaḥ. Martya-lokaṁ viśanti. Kṣīṇe puṇye martya-lokaṁ viśanti (BG 9.21). Just like in modern days, especially your American scientists, they are going to the moon planet. But when their stock of, that machine, is finished, immediately they come down. Similarly, you may go to the heavenly planet or to the Brahmaloka... There are very large span of life and opulence you can enjoy. But as soon as like your bank balance is finished, you have to come down. Ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16).

Lecture on SB 2.1.7 -- Paris, June 15, 1974:

Eating, sleeping, mating and defending-reduce it. Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau **. That is the example given by the Gosvāmīs. Nidrā, āhāra and vihāra. Āhāra means eating, and vihāra means sense enjoyment, and nidrā means sleeping. Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau: "Conquered over." That is spiritual platform. No more sleeping, no more eating, no more sex life. That is perfection. And one who can conquer over these three things, eating, sleeping and sex life, he's fearless, automatically. There is no requirement of defense because they can meet any situation. That is paramahaṁsa stage. Nivṛttā. Munayaḥ prāyeṇa munayo rājan nivṛttā vidhi. For them, there is no regulation. Don't imitate, that "I have become..." Some of our students exhibited that "There is no need of regu... We are all paramahaṁsas." Paramahaṁsa not; rascal number one. Here is the test. When you'll not be influenced by the material qualities, rajo-guṇa, sattva-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. And the test is that nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau, that conquering over the sleeping, nidrā. First thing is mentioned here. Sleeping and eating and sense enjoyment. Śrī-caitanya-mahāprabhu-guṇānukathane.

Lecture on SB 2.3.15 -- Los Angeles, June 1, 1972:

We had the opportunity of doing that. My father was worshiping Kṛṣṇa Deity. So I wanted to imitate him, and he gave me small Deity. That Deity is still worshiped. My sister and myself, whatever we were eating, we were offering exactly the same arcana. And father used to encourage. This Ratha-yātrā and Rādhā-Go.(?) Kṛṣṇa temple which we are propagating, it was, from the very beginning of our life, was initiated by our parents. So anyone can initiate his child to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness understanding from the very beginning.

Without any education, without any knowledge. There is no need of high-grade knowledge or education to understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is already there in everyone's heart. As it is stated in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, kṛṣṇa-bhakti nitya-siddha. Nitya-siddha. It is eternally a fact. Kṛṣṇa-bhakti nitya-siddha. Nitya means eternally, and siddha... It is not to be realized, it is already there. Nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti sādhya kabhu naya. It is not that one has to learn it artificially by some gymnastic. No. Natural. Just like the children here, they are also dancing with their parents. They are offering flower, trying to imitate how to chant. Naturally. And they are very much pleased. So similarly, in our Dallas school, if these things are introduced, kṛṣṇa-krīḍa ... I have already suggested how they can be engaged in kṛṣṇa-krīḍa. So some way or other, they should be engaged in kṛṣṇa-krīḍa. It doesn't matter whether one understands it or not understands it.

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

Out of that, about one dozen temples are very, very big, just like fort. And there are small temples.

So altogether, it is a city of fifty thousand population, but there are five thousand temples, Kṛṣṇa. All Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. So this is a chance, that "Come to Vṛndāvana, and wherever you go, you see Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. That will make your life successful." By seeing, seeing, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, seeing, seeing, you'll get an impression. And if you continue... The inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, you'll find if, when you go there, that in the morning and evening, all of them, they are going different temples and seeing the Deity Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. So there is no need of education, there is no need of philosophy, there is no need of science. Simply if you visit temples of Viṣṇu, then your life is successful. This is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness process. Simply if you move to the temple and see with your eyes; very simple process. Our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness program is so simple, at the same time sublime, that you become liberated at the end. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). If you simply think of Kṛṣṇa in that way.

Lecture on SB 2.3.25 -- Los Angeles, June 23, 1972:

So Par... Śuka. . . Pṛthu Mahārāja said that "Nothing belongs to me, and even if I can pay from my treasury, so I cannot actually pay for the benefit I have derived from you. Therefore, the only way I can pay—that I surrender unto you. You can utilize me in any way." So, tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). Therefore the disciple's duty is to be ready always to serve the spiritual master, at any cost.

That is the disciple's duty. Sevayā. Upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ. So real knowledge can be achieved in this process. Praṇipāta... Not that I can challenge, "Oh, I can know. I have got so much education and degrees. I can understand what is God," or "There is no need of God. I am God. We are the controller." So these are all rascaldom. Real thing is tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena, as Parīkṣit Mahārāja, the emperor of the world, he's hearing from Śukadeva Gosvāmī, you have seen that picture in our Bhāgavata, newly published, how Parīkṣit Mahārāja humbly asking and sitting before Śukadeva Gosvāmī. So bhāgavata-pradhānaḥ. Bhāgavata-pradhānaḥ. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī is the chief bhāgavata. Bhāgavata, there are two kinds of bhāgavata: grantha bhāgavatam and this person bhāgavatam. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī was person bhāgavatam, bhāgavata, chief. Bhāgavata-pradhānaḥ. Bhāgavata-pradhānaḥ means realized souls. We should not hear Bhāgavatam from a professional man, who are observing the Bhāgavata-saptāha.

Lecture on SB 2.9.3 -- Melbourne, April 5, 1972:

We shall eat nicely and sleep." As soon as this practice is going on, then next will be: "Give me some LSD, give me something else." This will go on. We don't want that.

Similarly, the GBC member means they will see that in every temple these books are very thoroughly being read and discussed and understood and applied in practical life. That is wanted, not to see the vouchers only, "How many books you have sold, and how many books are in the stock?" That is secondary. You may keep vouchers... If one is engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, there is no need of vouchers. That is... Everyone is doing his best. That's all. So we have to see that things are going on very nicely. So in that way the GBC members should divide some zones and see very nicely that things are going on, that they are chanting sixteen rounds, and temple management is doing according to the routine work, and the books are being thoroughly discussed, being read, understood practically. These things are required. Now, suppose you go to sell some book and if somebody says, "You have read this book? Can you explain this verse?" then what you will say? You will say, "No. It is for you. It is not for me. I have to take money from you. That's all." Is that very nice answer?

Lecture on SB 2.9.4-8 -- Tokyo, April 23, 1972:

"Kalau, in this age, Kali-yuga, there is no other alternative." And I see practically our society, our students. They are simply, practically chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. So compare any so-called yogi and jñānī and sannyāsī. They cannot stand before them in their... Even though they are not perfectly advanced, still, they cannot stand. People are appreciating. So stick to your principles.

This morning I was reading Kṛṣṇa's activities. Regularly He was rising three hours before sunrise, regularly. His wives were disgusted. As soon as there will be cock crowing, "Kakako!" Kṛṣṇa immediately... (laughter) That is warning. That is warning, nature's warning. There is no need of alarm bell. And the alarm bell going on, but he is sleeping sound. (laughter) No. And if he by chance rises, immediately stops so that it may disturb, it may not disturb. But there is nature's alarming bell, that cock crowing at three o'clock. According to the... And Kṛṣṇa will immediately rise. Although He was sleeping with His beautiful queens... The queens were disgusted. They were cursing this cock crowing, "Now Kṛṣṇa will go away. Kṛṣṇa will go away." But Kṛṣṇa, He used to rise early. You read Kṛṣṇa's activities in our Kṛṣṇa book. So if you are Kṛṣṇa conscious, then...

Lecture on SB 2.9.9 -- Tokyo, April 25, 1972, Informal Class in Room:

That is once in a month. So even the śāstra gives him the facility, the facility is restricted. As much as marriage. What is the difference between married sex and without wife? Restricted. You restrict to one woman. You don't spoil many women and get syphilis disease. You see? This is restricted. Restricted to one man, restricted to one woman, restricted once in a month.

So actually whenever there is sanction in the śāstra, that is not encouraging. That is restriction. So one cannot give this evidence, "Oh, your Vedas say this is sanctioned." But that sanction is restriction. Loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā nityā hi jantor na hi tatra codanā. The śāstra is not encouraging. Because there is no need of encouraging. It is already known to him. Why the śāstra encourage? This is not encouragement. This is restriction. The same example can be given. Just like when government opens liquor shop it is not encouragement. It is restriction. You cannot have liquor manufactured by yourself anywhere, everywhere; otherwise it will increase more and more. So you have to pay heavy tax and purchase. And there are so many other rules and regulations. So this is restriction. When there is liquor shop licensed by the government, it does not mean it is encouragement. At least that is the philosophy. It is restriction. So all these facilities given sometimes in the śāstras or by the government for drinking or for intoxication or for sex or for gambling, that is restricted. Gambling, kṣatriyas, they can gamble. They must have the sporting spirit.

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

So this is the description, beginning, just to get an idea of the spiritual world. Unless we go there... Just like we have come to Japan. We are getting direct experience. But before coming here, from books and literature and maps—it is an example—we can get some information, what is Japan. Similarly, the spiritual world, what is that spiritual world, in other places, in Upaniṣad also describes. In the Bhagavad-gītā also, this description, na tad bhāsayate sūryo na candro na pāvakaḥ (BG 15.6). There is no need of sunlight, moonlight, what to speak of the stars, neither na pāvakaḥ, neither electricity. Na tad bhāsayate sūryo na candro na pāvakaḥ. Here in this material world we cannot see things without sunlight, moonlight or electricity. We are proud of our eyes, but as soon as there is no light... Now there is sunlight; we can see very nicely. The spiritual world is not like that. There is no need of sunlight, moonlight or electricity. The first impression is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. Similarly here also, pravartate yatra rajas tamas tayoḥ sattvaṁ ca miśraṁ na ca kāla-vikramaḥ, na..., na pravartate. What is the meaning?

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

When the superior energy, living entity, collects them, applies his intelligence and converts into a tape recorder, it works. It is nothing but a lump of matter, only tin and some metal and some paper and something like that. So this superior energy, when it acts on it, then it can work. Therefore, similarly, here this whole material world is made of the inferior energy. Both the energies are of Kṛṣṇa. They are emanating from Kṛṣṇa. But one is inferior energy; the other is superior energy. That's all. This is the difference between material world and the spiritual world.

So in the spiritual world there is no need of making mechanical arrangement because everything is spirit. There is no need of mechanical arrangement. That we cannot accommodate with our poor brain at the present moment. But simply try to understand that as we find here superior energy and inferior energy, without the superior energy the inferior energy has no value. This tape recorder, so long the superior energy is handling, it is giving the desired result. But if you don't handle, if some superior energy, some human being, does not tackle it, it has no value; it is matter only. It is matter. Out of its own accord it cannot act. But if it was made of spirit, then out of his own accord it can play. There is no need of handling. Just like if I ask you, "Bring me a glass of water," so immediately the glass of water is here. But if I ask this, "Give me a glass of water," it cannot. That is difference between matter and spirit. So in the spiritual world there is no need of artificial, mechanical arrangement. Everything is living force. That is the difference. And the Māyāvādī philosophers... Therefore they are called Māyāvādī. They are so fool that even in Kṛṣṇa they find difference, that Kṛṣṇa has got a soul. Just like Dr. Radhakrishnan states, "It is not to Kṛṣṇa the person, but within." He is such a fool that he does not know that there is no within and without Kṛṣṇa. And he is trying to comment on Bhagavad-gītā. He does not know what is Kṛṣṇa. He's distinction, making distinction.

Lecture on SB 2.9.16 -- Tokyo, April 30, 1972:

Now we don't require. Stop." No. "Go on. Go on. Go on. Go on." Na trapā nopaśāntiḥ. Therefore a sane man should conclude, "Why shall I be engaged in this nonsense service? Why not to give service to Kṛṣṇa?" This should be the conclusion. "Why I shall be engaged in this nonsense service when, without giving any service," bhṛtya-prasādābhimukhaṁ dṛg-āsavam, "the Lord is always prepared to bless His servant." He doesn't take any service. There is no need of service. Still, pleased—prasanna-hāsa. Prasanna, pleased. He doesn't require any service. But He... Why not accept this master? Why you are...? (break) Bhṛtya-prasāda. (break) Prasanna-hāsa. He is always pleased. Prasanna-hāsāruṇa, aruṇa-locanānanam. This is God. He doesn't require any service. Still, if you, somehow or other, if you approach there with this service attitude only... Because you cannot approach God in challenging mood. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, "Surrender first of all." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is bhakti. If you surrender, then, Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. We suffer on account of our sinful activities. So here everything is sinful. Anything you do in this material world, that is sin. Even your so-called service to the society, country, they are also sinful. Caitanya-caritāmṛta says that dvaite bhadrābhadra sakali samāna. This material world is so polluted, everything is polluted here. So here we have divided that "This is nice, and this is bad." This is simply mental concoction. There is nothing good here; everything is bad. That should be the conclusion. But we have divided: "This is very good, and this is very bad." Everything is very bad. There is no question of good because there is no connection of God.