To understand Krsna in truth, do not be lazy

Expressions researched:
"Don't be lazy to discuss about siddhanta" |"Don't be lazy to understand God" |"Don't be lazy. Always remain engaged. Then that is Krsna consciousness" |"Practical. Eat sufficiently. Work sufficiently. Don't be lazy" |"To understand Krsna in truth, do not be lazy" |"don't be lazy in understanding Krsna" |"don't be lazy. Always try to understand Krsna"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

"To understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, do not be lazy." "Oh, now I have understood Kṛṣṇa." What you have understood Kṛṣṇa? Therefore we fall down.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Vrndavana, August 9, 1974:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu has described, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁ śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇaṁ vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam ānandāmbudhi-vardhanam (CC Antya 20.12). Ānandāmbudhi... We have no experience that ambudhi... Ambudhi means the ocean. And ānandāmbudhi, the ocean of ānanda, vardhanam, it is increasing. It is increasing. We have no experience that the sea or the ocean is increasing. It is decreasing. So this is ānanda. Ramante yoginaḥ anante. That is ananta ānanda. Ramante yoginaḥ anante satyānande cid-ātmani. That is not jaḍātmā. Here this ānanda is jaḍa, dull. It is not ānanda, material, but cid-ātmani. Iti rāma-padenāsau paraṁ brahmābhidhīyate (CC Madhya 9.29). These are the description. Rāma means one who takes ānanda in the reality, not in the false. So this is the way of understanding Kṛṣṇa. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said,

siddhānta baliyā citte nā kara alasa

ihā haite kṛṣṇe lāge sudṛḍha mānasa

(CC Adi 2.117)

"To understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, do not be lazy." "Oh, now I have understood Kṛṣṇa." What you have understood Kṛṣṇa? Therefore we fall down.

One should understand... Therefore, to understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, one has to devote, studying Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam nine cantos. In the Tenth Canto Kṛṣṇa is described because... Try. First of all become fit to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is called tattvataḥ. So Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is there. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya, janmādy asya yataḥ anvayāt itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ svarāṭ (SB 1.1.1). Try to understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, not superficially.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Don't be lazy. Always try to understand Kṛṣṇa, siddhānta, by siddhānta, by Vedic conclusion—not by manufacturing ideas. Siddhānta. Don't be lazy. That is the instruction of Kavirāja Gosvāmī.

Lecture on SB 1.7.10 -- Vrndavana, September 9, 1976:

So we have tried to explain this sātvata-saṁhitām in English for study of the whole world, because English can be understood, or it can be translated easily. So these activities are going on. And we are very much thankful to you that you are cooperating. So in India you may find some difficulty. Still, your valuable cooperation is required for the benefit of the whole world. Lokasyājānato vidvāṁś cakre sātvata-saṁhitām.

ātmārāmāś ca munayo

nirgranthā apy urukrame

kurvanty ahaitukīṁ bhaktim

ittham-bhūta-guṇo hariḥ

We have to spread the transcendental qualities of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇe parama-pūruṣe. Yasyāṁ vai śrūyamāṇāyāṁ kṛṣṇe parama-pūruṣe, bhaktir utpadyate (SB 1.7.7). That is the life's mission. So as far as possible, try to understand. As advised by Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, siddhānta baliyā citte nā kara alasa, don't be lazy. Always try to understand Kṛṣṇa, siddhānta, by siddhānta, by Vedic conclusion—not by manufacturing ideas. Siddhānta. Don't be lazy. That is the instruction of Kavirāja Gosvāmī.

siddhānta baliyā citte nā kara alasa

ihā haite kṛṣṇe lāge sudṛḍha mānasa

(CC Adi 2.117)

If you study according to the Vedic conclusion, don't manufacture ideas and whims and sentiments. If you go through siddhānta, then you'll be more and more firmly fixed up. Ihā haite kṛṣṇe lāge sudṛḍha mānasa. Then your life is successful.

Siddhānta, what is Kṛṣṇa, if you study from the śāstras, then siddhānta boliyā citte, don't be lazy in understanding Kṛṣṇa, because if you try to understand Kṛṣṇa sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākyaṁ cittete kariya aikya-through the sādhu, śāstra and guru—then you understand Kṛṣṇa, what He is.

Lecture on SB 7.9.32 -- Mayapur, March 10, 1976:

So by studying Kṛṣṇa, you become liberated. So these verses should be studied very carefully, understanding each word very carefully. Then you'll understand Kṛṣṇa. Kavirāja Gosvāmī has said, siddhānta boliyā citte nā kara alasa, ihā haite kṛṣṇa lāge sudṛdha mānasa. Siddhānta, what is Kṛṣṇa, if you study from the śāstras, then siddhānta boliyā citte, don't be lazy in understanding Kṛṣṇa, because if you try to understand Kṛṣṇa sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākyaṁ cittete kariya aikya-through the sādhu, śāstra and guru—then you understand Kṛṣṇa, what He is. Then you'll not take Him as ordinary human being, as foolish person taking. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritaḥ (BG 9.11). Mūḍhās, rascals, they think Kṛṣṇa as one of us. Then you'll not be a mūḍha. You'll be intelligent. And what is the effect? Kṛṣṇa says personally, janma karma ca divyaṁ me yo jānāti tattvataḥ. If you understand Kṛṣṇa perfectly well... Of course, we cannot know Kṛṣṇa perfectly. He's so big and we are so small that it is impossible. That is not possible. But you can understand Kṛṣṇa as much as He explains Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā. That much will help you. You cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. It is not possible. Kṛṣṇa cannot understand Himself. Therefore He came as Caitanya, to understand Himself. So it is not possible to understand Kṛṣṇa, but Kṛṣṇa is giving about, knowledge about Himself, as far as we can understand. That is Bhagavad-gītā.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

I request you to engage your time in reading books, in chanting, in Deity worshiping, in going to preach, selling books. Don't be lazy. Always remain engaged. Then that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Arrival Lecture -- Mexico, February 11, 1975, (With Spanish Translator):

There will be about seventy-five books of four hundred pages to convince the philosopher, scientist, educationist what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is published in English as well as in other European languages. Take advantage of it. Along with the Deity worship in this temple, hold classes at least five hours. As in the schools and colleges there are regular classes, forty-five minutes' class, then five or ten minutes' recess, again forty-five minutes' class, in this way, so we have got enough subject matter to study, and if we study all these books, to finish them it will take at least twenty-five years. So you are all young men. I request you to engage your time in reading books, in chanting, in Deity worshiping, in going to preach, selling books. Don't be lazy. Always remain engaged. Then that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā,

māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya

ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ

striyaḥ vaiśyās tathā śūdrās

te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim

(BG 9.32)

There is no discrimination that "This man should be allowed. This woman should not be allowed." No. Kṛṣṇa says, "Anyone." Striyaḥ vaiśyās tathā śūdrās. Anyone who takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he becomes free from the material bondage and goes back to Godhead, back to home. So take seriously about this movement and execute the principle, namely no meat-eating, no illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling, and chant sixteen rounds.

General Lectures

"Don't be lazy to discuss about siddhānta." Ihā haite kṛṣṇe lāge sudṛḍha mānasa: "The more you discuss the thesis—not thesis; the factual presentation of Viṣṇu-tattva, māyā, and jīva-tattva, śakti-tattva—then it will be clear what is Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa is the origin of everything.

Morning Lecture -- Allahabad, January 15, 1977:

ṣṭhan (Bs. 5.39). He's expanded in many forms: Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha... There are so many incarnation of Viṣṇu-tattva. They're all one. Advaitam acyutam anādi ananta-rūpam. So Viṣṇu-tattva, worshipable, or Kṛṣṇa-tattva, worshipable. And to pin our staunch faith in Viṣṇu, we should discuss about Viṣṇu-tattva and not Viṣṇu-tattva (?). That is called siddhānta. Siddhānta boliyā citte nā kara alasa: "Don't be lazy to discuss about siddhānta." Ihā haite kṛṣṇe lāge sudṛḍha mānasa: "The more you discuss the thesis—not thesis; the factual presentation of Viṣṇu-tattva, māyā, and jīva-tattva, śakti-tattva—then it will be clear what is Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa is the origin of everything. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). We should try to understand this fact, that Kṛṣṇa is the origin of everything, and if we take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya. If you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then your all other duties automatically... The same example, as we have given: If you pour water on the root of the tree, then all other duties are automatically done. There is no question of separate attempt-philanthropy, philosophy and nationalism, this "ism," that "ism." We have discovered so many things and diversion of the real duty. That we shall have to concentrate. That is siddhānta.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

We are not after dry speculation. Practical. Eat sufficiently. Work sufficiently. Don't be lazy. But the danger is if you eat more than sufficient, then you'll sleep sufficient.

Morning Walk -- February 26, 1976, Mayapura:

Jayapatākā: Your Divine Grace is so merciful because the Western people, they are habituated to so many bad habits which weren't existed, existing in the Vedic time amongst the higher classes. Still, you are introducing all these things for them. Many times devotees, they don't take that seriously.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (Bengali) Ṣaḍbhir bhaktiḥ prasidhyati. What is this? (break) ...our field or some other field, but food must be there. If you don't eat sufficiently, how you'll be able to work? Yuktāhāra-vihārasya. We are not after dry speculation. Practical. Eat sufficiently. Work sufficiently. Don't be lazy. But the danger is if you eat more than sufficient, then you'll sleep sufficient. Therefore yuktāhāra, as much as you require, take it. Don't take more; don't take less. This is the law of nature. Just like salt. You salt require. But if you take more, it is useless, and if you take less, it is useless. If in the vegetable the salt is more, then it is uneatable; if it is less, uneatable. Take as it is. It is not that "Because there is ocean of salt, let me three pounds' salt." That is going on. "Oh, it is available? Now let me eat." And then he becomes sick.

So you have to study God. Not that we accept God anybody and anything, no. Siddhānta baliyā citte nā kara alasa. Don't be lazy to understand God. The more you understand, the more you become a devotee.

Room Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: The more you know about these things.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: You must inquire.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Oh, very good. Then is bigger than you. Very good. There is a verse in Caitanya-caritāmṛta, siddhānta baliyā citte nā kara alasa ihā ha-ite kṛṣṇe (CC Adi 2.117). To know, we have got limited knowledge, we cannot understand full what is God, but still we must try to understand what is God. This is the general definition of God. Suppose you take one item, God is rich, richest. Try to understand how He is richest, what is the topmost idea of all richness. Whether God possesses that richness. He possesses, but we do not understand. In this way we have to study, and all the saintly person have studied Kṛṣṇa, about these six things. They have analyzed the characters and symptoms and they have found īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Not blindly, but studying thoroughly about these qualities of God, they have decided īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). So you have to study God. Not that we accept God anybody and anything, no. Siddhānta baliyā citte nā kara alasa. Don't be lazy to understand God. The more you understand, the more you become a devotee.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: He says, "I am very anxious to become a good devotee."

Prabhupāda: Yes, you can become, everyone can become. The more the dirty things within the heart is cleansed, more one becomes a devotee.