Transcendental knowledge (Conv. & Letters)

Expressions researched:
"transcendental knowledge"

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

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

Prabhupāda: Oh, the robe? Yes, I am a sannyāsī. The sannyāsī is the highest status of human social division. According to Vedic culture there are four divisions of human society. Brahmacārī, student life; then householder, gṛhastha; and then vānaprastha, retired life; and then sannyāsa life, means preaching transcendental knowledge to the society from door to door. So this dress... In Vedic culture, there are different dresses for different persons. So this saffron colored dress means that he is admitted without any introduction anywhere because he's understood to be a man of transcendental knowledge. And the householders receive them and take knowledge from them. That is the system of Vedic culture.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 17, 1971, Allahabad:

Prabhupāda: Bateriya. You belong to this province?

Guest (1): No, I came from Sindh, Karachi.

Prabhupāda: Oh, Bateriya. So Mr. Bateriya, this process, this transcendental knowledge, super, superhuman knowledge, you cannot think first of all. You cannot think. You have to learn.

Guest (1): To realize all these things.

Prabhupāda: Realize after learning from the authority.

Guest (1): Because you see, this question I have asked from 1939... There was a little problem in Karachi. I was very fond of my father. He died when I was only ten. I thought on, "What is this?" and all these things. "Why we are, humanity is suffering all these things?" It was this question in my mind and what other, I thought of these problems. This appeared as invisible, you see, and material, but to me, inside, it is, you see, a teaching because it was not taught for any individual or for any kind of... It is taught for all men beyond the world so that we can bring that kind of life...

Prabhupāda: No, you are thinking from your side.

Room Conversation -- January 17, 1971, Allahabad:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Oṁ tat sat. So the tat knowledge is recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā, tad-viddhi. Tad viddhi praṇipātena (BG 4.34). Praṇipātena. You understand praṇipāta? Surrender.

Guest (1): Surrender.

Prabhupāda: So tad viddhi. If you want to understand that transcendental knowledge, then you have to accept this process, praṇipāta. Praṇipāta means surrender, and surrender means there must be somebody to whom you surrender.

Guest (1): Whom you surrender, yes.

Prabhupāda: There are two, not alone. So you cannot alone think of tat knowledge. You have to surrender to somebody. That is the process.

Guest (1): There are eight kinds of getting the knowledge, means bhakti...

Prabhupāda: No, no. Bhakti is a process. Bhakti is not knowledge. That knowledge you acquire by your sense perception, and bhakti is the pure activities of the senses.

Room Conversation -- January 17, 1971, Allahabad:

Guest (1): What is the distinction between higher and lower?

Prabhupāda: You do not know? A child is thinking.

Guest (1): No, let us think of what is the highest thing.

Prabhupāda: That you have to learn from the highest man. Yes. That is Bhagavad-gītā. Just like Bhagavad-gītā says that tad viddhi: "You understand that transcendental knowledge by surrender." So if you do not surrender, there is no possibility.

Guest (1): But I might have surrendered myself to my own...

Prabhupāda: That is another foolishness. You are thinking lower level, and how you can surrender to yourself? Then how you can get advance? Your surrender means to a superior person, as soon as you call surrender. And without this, there is no possibility.

Room Conversation -- January 17, 1971, Allahabad:

Prabhupāda: That is the process. So how can you deny to understand the supreme science—you can do it independently? No, that is not possible. Therefore it is the verb, the form, gacchet. It is called vidhilinga. You know Sanskrit? Yes. This form of verb is... Perhaps you also know. Gacchet, kuryat, gadyat. These are vidhilinga. Vidhilinga means that is compulsory. Is it not?

Guest (3): Yes.

Prabhupāda: He knows Sanskrit very well. Compulsory. Therefore it is said, gacchet-compulsory. Tad-vijñānārtham... Tat, the transcendental knowledge, vijñāna, that is science. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva niścayate (MU 1.2.12). Eva is niścayate. Eva means certainly. And again gacchet, "must go." Now, just like to be educated, one must be admitted in a school, must be. Now, what kind of school he has to select, that is another thing, but he must. That's a fact. Similarly, you have to accept a guru. Now, whom you will accept a guru, that is another thing. But you have to do it. That is the injunction of all śāstras. Vedic process is like that. This upanayana, the sacred thread, upanayana. Upa means near, and nayana means bringing. Anayanam, coming or going, like that, nayanam. So "to go near the spiritual master," upanayana.

Guest (3): Upanayana-saṁskāra.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Talk with Bob Cohen -- February 27-29, 1972, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes, He's the original guru. Then His disciple Brahmā is guru. Then his disciple Nārada is guru. Then his disciple Vyāsa is guru. In this way there is guru-paramparā. Evaṁ paramparā prāptam (BG 4.2), the transcendental knowledge is received through the disciplic succession.

Bob: So a guru receives his knowledge through the succession, not directly from Kṛṣṇa. Do you receive some knowledge directly from Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: Yes, Kṛṣṇa's direct instruction is there, Bhagavad-gītā.

Bob: I see, but...

Prabhupāda: But you have to learn it through the disciplic succession; otherwise you'll misunderstand.

Bob: But presently you do not receive information directly from Kṛṣṇa. It comes through the succession from the books?

Prabhupāda: Yes. There is no difference. Suppose if I say that this is a pencil. And if you say to him, "This is a pencil." And he says to another man, "This is a pencil." Then what is the difference between his instruction and my instruction?

Morning Walk Conversation -- September 28, 1972, Los Angeles:

Jayatīrtha: Just like that man who was searching for the touchstone in the garbage heap (indistinct). How will I find a touchstone in the garbage heap? (indistinct) story on college campuses.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: I put some posters in the campus for Long Beach engagement. Somebody was asking me, "What is this knowledge, transcendental knowledge?" "You should come and find out. Please come and find out."

Prabhupāda: Physics has nothing to do with spirit. (break) ...manufacture the subtle(?) parts of motorcar, easily you can go. So this rascal thinking this is advancement, says, "I am killing the soul. The soul is going to become a dog next life after riding motorcar." That is written, and they have no knowledge. But because you have advanced from bullock cart to motorcar, this is.... So rascal they are. They have no knowledge what is advancement. What is the time?

Jayatīrtha: It's quarter to seven, thirteen minutes to seven. The advancement of material science really means to complicate the problems of life.

Prabhupāda: That's all, increasing the problem. They have to dig out petroleum oil from the midst of the ocean. Is it easy job?

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- August 11, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: All right. Something is better than nothing.

(break) ...of our morning lecture, you can question if you like. Kṣetra-kṣetrajñayor jñānam.

Devotee: I had one question about the nature of transcendental knowledge. And it said in Bhagavad-gītā that transcendental knowledge is of a nature that it is like fire. It burns to ashes the reactions to sinful activity. But... It may be sort of a nonsense question. But I couldn't understand how it is, what, how it, how, what is the nature of knowledge that it can do this? How does transcendental knowledge burn to ashes the reactions of sinful...

Prabhupāda: Yes. If you always engage your mind in transcendental topics, naturally all other nonsense topics will be stopped. Or you'll have no interest in such topics. That is burned down. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anya... (SB 11.2.42). That is the test. If you increase your devotion, then you'll be not interested in ordinary things. Just like our devotees, they are no more interested in the worldly topics. They do not like to go to the cinema. That is no more interest. We can see the film of Ratha-yātrā, but we are no more interested to see ordinary film.

Bhagavān: Śrīla Prabhupāda, the word kṣetrajña...

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Room Conversation -- August 11, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: This should be corrected immediately.

Bhagavān: (break) He asked you a question about transcendental knowledge, and actually you explained that knowledge is not one thing, but it's composed of three things, it is the object, the knower and the process. That is all knowledge.

Prabhupāda: Knower, knowledge and the object. The object is Kṛṣṇa and you are knower, or trying to know. And the process is bhakti. That's all. If you want to understand Kṛṣṇa, then you have to adopt the process of bhakti. No other process. It is clearly stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). No other process. No speculative philosophy or meditation. It is not possible. So bhakti is the process, you are the knower, and Kṛṣṇa is knowable. That's all. (break) ...vādī, impersonalists, they say ultimately the knower, knowable and the known becomes one. That is their philosophy. Monists. There is no more knower, no knowable, the knower... Simply knowledge. They say simply knowledge. Oneness.

Yogeśvara: You quoted... In the course of your lecture this morning, you quoted that verse from the Tenth Chapter, dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ tam. When that knowledge comes, the devotee is qualified by some degree of advancement?

Prabhupāda: Yes. The more he's qualified, the direction comes from Kṛṣṇa.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- June 11, 1974, Paris:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Or Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is great. So I am talking of what Kṛṣṇa has said. Therefore I am great, I am knowing everything. It is not that I know everything. I do not know anything, but I, I am surrendered to a person who knows everything. Therefore I know everything. I take my knowledge from Him. So you should think how much knowledge you have assimilated. The knowledge is there, guru-kṛṣṇa. Guru is there. Kṛṣṇa is there. So we have to take advantage of guru and Kṛṣṇa, sad-dharma-pṛcchā, ask him, and become man of knowledge. Then you can say. If you simply think that "I have my guru, and there is Kṛṣṇa. Now I am perfect," no. You should ask and know. You must be man of knowledge. Then you can say, "Yes, I know everything." Dīkṣā. Dīkṣā, initiation, dīkṣā, this Sanskrit word, dīkṣā, means divya-jñānaṁ kṣipayati. To ask from spiritual master with service and surrender the transcendental knowledge. The more you ask, you become a man of knowledge. Then you can challenge, "Yes, I know everything." Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare... Actually, we know everything. Just like when I speak, I immediately ask reference from Bhagavad-gītā, and we stop the man's argument. So if you become well-conversed with the whole Bhagavad-gītā, then you have full knowledge. There is no need of saying that "I do not know." You'll become full knowledge, man of knowledge. But you must study. Who is this man?

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Professors -- February 19, 1975, Caracas:

Prabhupāda: No, unless the philosophy is given by a perfect person how the philosophy can be perfect? Philosophy means searching after the truth. So if he does not know how to find out the truth, what is the meaning of his philosophy? I was a student of philosophy. My professor was Dr. Urquhart. He used to say that "Philosophy is the science of science." So unless he is a perfect scientist, how he can give science?

Professor: I have other question. Why do we want to transcend?

Prabhupāda: I am not wanting. I am simply distributing the transcendental knowledge.

Professor: Will not transcendence be an illusion too?

Prabhupāda: No, no, there is proof. It is not emotion. What you say, you have no proof, but what I say I have got proof. What you say, you become your own authority. But what I say, I have got greater authority. Just like two lawyers speaking before the court—the lawyer who gives quotation from the authority, he gains the case.

Professor: Do you have any evidence?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Room Conversation with Professors -- February 19, 1975, Caracas:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Anyone can take it. Just like we are giving knowledge of the Bhagavad-gītā. So the Bhagavad-gītā is open for everyone; it is not for me only. It is for you also. That is our movement, that you take the perfect knowledge and be happy and make your life successful.

Professor (Hṛdayānanda): So he said one thing is to understand theoretically the knowledge, and the other is to practice it. What is the method for...?

Prabhupāda: Everything is there. All questions solved, economic, social, religious, politics, whatever you are-plus transcendental knowledge.

Professor (Hṛdayānanda): He said it seems to him that this involves a retiring from ordinary life, western life, and even maybe retiring from ordinary eastern life.

Prabhupāda: It is not the question of western life or eastern life. The life... Just like westerners, they eat, and the easterners, they eat. Now the question is how to supply eating. (break)

Professor (Hṛdayānanda): He's saying that the way we dress, our whole way of life, will make our movement only available to a few people because it requires someone who is prepared to completely change his way of life.

Room Conversation with Professors -- February 19, 1975, Caracas:

Prabhupāda: No, no, the dog doesn't care whether he is the proprietor of the body or not. So if I don't care, then what is the difference between dog and me?

Professor: The difference between dog and men is a very slight one, that men can think, that men can reason.

Prabhupāda: So, you say slight; we say nothing. Unless one has got this transcendental knowledge, he is no better than the dog.

Professor: Dogs have knowledge.

Prabhupāda: Yes, for eating, sleeping and sex life and defense, everyone has got knowledge. Dog has knowledge. You have got knowledge. But what is the distinction between you and dog? In your life, you can realize the transcendence. The dog cannot. That makes you distinct from...

Professor: Now, how can you be so sure of that? Have you ever been in a dog's mind? How can... As you have already said...

Prabhupāda: There is no need... There is no need because dog is busy for his bodily requisition. And if you are simply busy for your bodily requisition, then what is the difference between you and dog? We have to take the principle.

Room Conversation with Tripurari -- March 2, 1975, Atlanta:

Prabhupāda: Push on this. Then our movement is successful. All Americans should have at least one set of book. That is not very difficult for them, to purchase one set book. But it will be a good asset for them if they keep and see sometimes. Any line he reads, he will get transcendental knowledge.

Devotee (1): There is one very wealthy man in Atlanta who... We went and did a nice presentation at his home. And then afterwards we distributed prasādam and had a nice bhajana, kīrtanas. Then afterwards he bought the whole set of literatures and gave a hundred dollar donation for all of the literatures, and he has them now.

Prabhupāda: Yes. For an American gentleman one hundred dollars is nothing.

Devotee (3): One nice boy in the airport, he was a soldier boy. He had, like read a Kṛṣṇa trilogy, and he was coming through the airport, and I approached him. And he immediately saw the books, and he immediately wanted one. And I didn't even have to ask him for the donation. Automatically he gave $20. And then I was walking down the hall, and I saw him again, and he came running up to me again, and he said, "Here, you're doing such a wonderful thing. Let me give you another $20." And somebody walked by as I was giving him another book, and they said, "Don't take that book. It's a rip-off.

Morning Walk -- July 14, 1975, Philadelphia:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. But if you put in a body, though they cannot be mixed, but they can stay together. Like in a chemical laboratory we take a test tube. In the test tube I can mix two solutions like, for example, mercury and water and oil. They will not mix, but they will stay in the same test tube. But a man who knows about the art of separating those three mixtures can do it very nicely.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Similarly, soul does not mix with the matter and by this art, transcendental knowledge, you can become out of it.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: So that's why we need a process and someone who knows the process of.

Prabhupāda: The process is bhakti-yoga. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān: (BG 14.26) "Anyone who has taken to this bhakti-yoga," māṁ ca vyabhicariṇi bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate, "he immediately becomes free from the mixture of these three guṇas." Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). "He again revives his Brahman nature." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. Brahma-bhūtāḥ prasannātmā: (BG 18.54) Then he understands that 'I have no connection with these all nonsense things. I am brahma-bhūtāḥ.' "

Morning Walk -- September 18, 1975, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: "Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma temple," not "āśrama."

Dhanañjaya: "Temple." All right. "And become..." Something like, "and become enlightened with transcendental knowledge," something like that. He's explaining briefly.

Prabhupāda: He... What does he know? He'll explain? He is explaining. What does he know. He'll explain?

Dhanañjaya: Tejas has written.

Prabhupāda: No, no. That Rājasabhā.

Dhanañjaya: Oh, Rājasabhā.

Prabhupāda: Rājasabhā, what does he know about our philosophy?

Dhanañjaya: Well, Nayanābhirāma is there to guide him. And he's reading every day also. He's got our books, and he's reading every day without fail.

Prabhupāda: Then it is all right.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- June 4, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Transcendental knowledge. Now the Russians will fall also if our books are introduced there.

Prabhupāda: If actually they are after something reality, they must accept. If they are actually after something reality. It is natural. They have been disgusted with this Christianity. Useless, that's all. But if they are actually serious, then they'll accept knowledge. (japa)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (break)...exhibit of Bharadvāja's in the temple of the Dāmodara and Mother Yaśodā.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It is nicely done?

Prabhupāda: Hmm. (japa) (break) ...that he is not my father, that is not possible.

Rāmeśvara: They say that the atom is the source of everything.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Rāmeśvara: They say that the atom, the little particle, is eternal, original.

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

Prabhupāda: I mean to say, there are five stages, pratyakṣa, parokṣa, aparokṣa, adhokṣaja and aprākṛta. So our process should be to go to the aprākṛta, transcendental knowledge. This is the stages. Just like.... This is explained. We can directly understand that by directly, I'm seeing there is no sun, but when I ask my friend, he says there is sun. So this is also knowledge. This is called parokṣa knowledge, from other sources. Similarly, there are stages. So when the perfect stage is, that is aprākṛta, no more material, all spiritual.

Richard: Okay. The brain, the mind, interprets the senses...

Prabhupāda: Well, the brain, mind, they are instruments.

Richard: Okay, they interpret the senses. Right. Okay.

Prabhupāda: Yes, they are instruments.

Richard: Now if the...

Prabhupāda: Suppose if you see with your eyes, and then you see with microscope, then you see with telescope, different processes. Yes. But you see with your spiritual eyes, that is perfect.

Conversation at House of Ksirodakasayi dasa -- July 25, 1976, London:

Prabhupāda: This is our conditional life, but we are kept in such dense darkness of knowledge that we are thinking that "We are free. We can do whatever we like." This is very dangerous civilization—no knowledge of the spiritual life, no knowledge how the soul is transmigrating from one body to another, no knowledge what is the future, no knowledge what is the goal of life. Simply like cats and dogs, you dance, eat, drink, be merry and die, that's all. This is not good life. You must be very serious, especially those who are Indians. They should take it very seriously. Because this Kṛṣṇa culture, Bhagavad-gītā, was spoken in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra in India, and we Indians, we do not take full advantage of this great transcendental knowledge, then you are committing suicide. So my request is, all the Indians who are here in this foreign country, keep your own original culture. Don't forget. Don't be bewildered. Be in your position. Try to under... It is very easy. Bhagavad-gītā is not at all difficult to understand, and we have tried to explain as easy as possible, not that we have deviated from the original verse, just like others do it. We do not do that; there is no need. That is another blunder. We keep Bhagavad-gītā as it is, and we still try to explain it.

Room Conversation -- August 4, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: The glories of the holy name have been described by Śrī Caitanya in His eight verses of Sikṣāṣṭaka, which run as follows: 1) Glory to the Śrī Kṛṣṇa Saṅkīrtana, which cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years together, and thus the fire of conditional life of repeated birth and death is extinguished. Such saṅkīrtana movement is the prime benediction for the humanity at large because it spreads rays of the benediction moon. It is the life of transcendental knowledge, it increases the ocean of transcendental bliss, and it helps to have a taste of the full nectariṇe for which always anxious we are. 2) O my Lord, Your holy name can render all benediction upon the living being, and therefore you have hundreds and millions of names like Kṛṣṇa, Govinda, etc. In these transcendental names you have invested all your transcendental potencies, and there is no hard-and-fast rules for chanting these holy names. O my Lord, You have so kindly made easy approach to You by Your holy names, but unfortunate as I am, I have no attraction for them. 3) One can chant the holy names of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking himself as lower than the straw in the streets, tolerant more than the tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and being ready to offer all kinds of respects to others. 4) O almighty Lord, I have no desire for accumulating wealth, nor I have any desire to enjoy beautiful women, neither I want any number of followers of mine.

Evening Darsana -- August 12, 1976, Tehran:

Harikeśa: "There are various grades of men, and out of many thousands one may be sufficiently interested in transcendental realization to try to know what is the self, what is the body, and what is the Absolute Truth. Generally, mankind is simply engaged in the animal propensities, namely eating, sleeping, defending and mating, and hardly anyone is interested in transcendental knowledge." (Ātreya Ṛṣi translating in background)

Prabhupāda: Ātreya, when this is going on you cannot talk, then the attention will be diverted. You can later on explain. Go on.

Harikeśa: "The first six chapters of the Gītā are meant for those who are interested in transcendental knowledge, in understanding the self, the Superself and the process of realization by jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, and discrimination of the self from matter. However, Kṛṣṇa can only be known by persons who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Other transcendentalists may achieve impersonal Brahman realization, for this is easier than understanding Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Person, but at the same time He is beyond the knowledge of Brahman and Paramātmā. The yogis and jñānīs are confused in their attempts to understand Kṛṣṇa, although the greatest of the impersonalists, Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya, has admitted in his Gītā commentary that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But his followers do not accept Kṛṣṇa as such, for it is very difficult to know Kṛṣṇa, even though one has trans

Room Conversation -- November 13, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: He was a politician. That you cannot blame. Politics require all these things. A politician cannot be a saintly person. That is not possible. For politics he has to do so many things. That is necessary. Just like Arjuna wanted to be a nonviolent. Immediately it was condemned by Kṛṣṇa, "What is this nonsense? You are a military man. Nonviolent." And similarly, politicians, they require all this. Businessman must deal in black market. It is inevitable. Otherwise he cannot improve. Because the world is bad, you, if you become honest, then you cannot make pros..., cannot become prosperous. Sate sārtham samācaret.(?) Brāhmaṇa's dealing must be very straight and honest. They are not meant for politics or business. They are for transcendental knowledge. Kṛṣṇa conscious person should be all-inclusive. He must be a politician, he must be a brāhmaṇa, he must be a kṣatriya, he must be a śūdra—everything. All-inclusive. Because he is transcendental. In otherwise he is neither a brāhmaṇa, neither a śūdra, neither a... Yes. Nāhaṁ vipro na ca nara-patir na yatir vā. Neither of these. In other side he is everything. That is Kṛṣṇa conscious. As Kṛṣṇa is sometimes cowherd boy, politician, sometimes dancing with, artist—He is everything, not one-sided. So all food is finished?

Devotee: Yes, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: All vegetable also.

Devotee: All vegetable, all puris.

Prabhupāda: That's nice. (break) ...Hindi book or English book?

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 27, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Yes. (corrects a word ) You first accept these ten different methods. So explain that.

Pradyumna: Guru-pādāśrayaḥ. "First one must take shelter of the lotus feet of a spiritual master." Tasmāt kṛṣṇa-dīkṣādi-śikṣaṇam. Tasmāt, "from him," kṛṣṇa-dīkṣādi-śikṣaṇam, "one should take kṛṣṇa-dīkṣā, initiation, and śikṣā."

Prabhupāda: Dīkṣā means divya-jñānaṁ kṣapayati iti dīkṣā.(?) Which explains the divya-jñāna, transcendental, that is dīkṣā. Di, divya, dīkṣāṇām. Dīkṣā. So divya-jñāna, transcendental knowledge... If you don't accept a spiritual master, how you'll get transcen... You'll be taught here and there, here and there, and waste time. Waste time for the teacher and waste your valuable time. Therefore you have to be guided by an expert spiritual master. Read it.

Pradyumna: Kṛṣṇa-dīkṣādi-śikṣaṇam.

Prabhupāda: Śikṣaṇam. We have to learn. If you don't learn, how you'll make progress? Then?

Pradyumna: Viśrambheṇa guroḥ sevā. "One should serve the guru, viśrambha..."

Prabhupāda: With great respect, with reverence and respect. Then?

Room Conversation -- January 30, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Pṛthu-putra: Because I went to some universities. They have big, big universities in Cairo and in every places in North Africa, because now they try to be educated. The white Africans, they have some intelligence to understand to a certain extent philosophy, because when I was talking about the Bhagavad-gītā, when I showed the table of contents, they more or less agreed to take interest in it because they didn't see anything specific about another religion, another God. They were seeing the titles like "Confidential Knowledge," "Transcendental Knowledge," "Karma-yoga," "Jñāna-yoga." They are very interested about knowing these things.

Prabhupāda: That is good the first, beginning, let them come. Let them sit down, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and take prasāda. In Iran we are doing that. Gradually it is becoming interesting. You had been in our Iran, Tehran?

Pṛthu-putra: I went there also some time, long time ago. But Iran is a different concept. They're not so strict about following the Koran. For example, these Arabic countries like Algeria, Libya, Egypt, and Tunisia, they don't recognize Iran like being part of them. Iran and Turkey and Afghanistan they think is another Muslim world. For example, in Iran there is much more Sufis, the different... But in these Arabic countries like Egypt, they're really conservative. They're very strict.

Room Conversation -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: That is good, but why stress on Kṛṣṇa conscious? Everyone is conscious. Even an ant is conscious. Therefore I say, first of all you be convinced; then you say. Otherwise it will be ludicrous.

Indian man (2): But it has been said in the Vedas... Whatever has been said in the Vedas are cent percent truth and fact. Vedas have been compiled not by human knowledge or material knowledge but by transcendental knowledge.

Prabhupāda: So that you have to explain, what is that transcendental knowledge. So what is to be done now if they're taking our boys by force?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, there's two things. One thing is that from our side we have to explain that they have no brains. That we have to preach. And from the other side, all of these other professional groups who are helping us, they have to counteract what these deprogrammers are doing by lobbying in Congress and all the other legal means. We cannot do that, but they have position; they can do that. So we should inspire them to do that.

Ādi-keśava: For every letter that the deprogrammers write to some Congressmen, they have to write a letter. For every speech that the deprogrammers give, they must give a speech. That is the only way it will work. Just like they applied to the Catholic Church to speak in the classes of the Catholic Church about cults and deprogramming. So now we have also had our people apply to the Catholic Church that we can also speak in their classes in favor of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Room Conversation With Artists and About BTG -- February 25, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: That will be...

Rāmeśvara: Now, there has been a tendency that I have observed among the writers to try to use what they call outside information sources, like quoting scientists...

Prabhupāda: That, one cannot do it unless he is very expert in transcendental knowledge. This is not possible for kaniṣṭha-adhikārī.

Rāmeśvara: It's difficult to do.

Prabhupāda: Yes. He must be very expert. Therefore I want...

Rāmeśvara: Satsvarūpa.

Prabhupāda: Guidance.

Rāmeśvara: But the principle is all right if it is done properly.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rāmeśvara: Because I have found that when these so-called authorities...

Prabhupāda: In my old Back to Godhead I discussed Gandhi, Churchill, Jhinna, but with reference to the philosophy. I criticized them on the basis of our philosophy.

Conversation with Tamala Krsna about Yadubara -- April 22, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says, at the end he would like to get "a short statement by Your Divine Grace in the movie on the importance of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement in the world today. This film could, hopefully, be distributed to schools and colleges, showing that India is full of transcendental knowledge and that this knowledge is meant for the entire world for the benefit of all humanity."

Prabhupāda: That I am speaking of, that this, that this knowledge should not be kept locked up. That is my mission.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think this is an important movie to make, Śrīla Prabhupāda, the way he described it. He says in regard... He says, many people are approaching him with ideas for other films and he doesn't want to get misdirected, so he's mentioning to you. He says...

Prabhupāda: Whose idea is this?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says they've been requested by the various temples around our society to film Sudāmā Mahārāja's theater group playing "The Age of Kali" and, perhaps, other plays so that these films could be shown at Sunday feasts, because they can't have the theater group in every temple.

Prabhupāda: Oh, it is good idea. Good idea.

Room Conversation-Recent Mail -- July 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes. And one to Bon Mahārāja at Vaṁśī-vaṭa(?).

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (laughs) Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. "Śrīla Prabhupāda has taken on the monumental task of translating the essence of all Vedic..." I want to get to the... Here it comes. "All in all, the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust library Encyclopedia of Vedic Knowledge includes at least one hundred published volumes. Scholars from all over the world have described Śrīla Prabhupāda as a literary genius after reading his treasure chest of Vedic knowledge. And now for the first time this treasure chest of transcendental knowledge is unlocked for everyone to dive deep into the ocean of transcendental bliss upon reading these classics." These words are nectar.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Jñāna-cakṣuṣā is...? Try to give English.

Pradyumna: Er, er, "Then Lord Balarāma, thinking in this way," iti sañcintya, vayunena cakṣuṣā, "with the eye of knowledge"?

Prabhupāda: Transcendental knowledge.

Pradyumna: "...with the eye of transcendental knowledge." Sarvān sa-vayasān (sahacarān) vatsān (gośāvakān) api vaikuṇṭham (śrī-kṛṣṇam eva) ācaṣṭa (apaśyat): "He saw all those calves as Śrī Kṛṣṇa only." Vaikuṇṭhaṁ śrī-kṛṣṇam eva apaśyat: "He saw that all those calves were Kṛṣṇa."

Prabhupāda: You can clear my eyes with some hot water.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Get some hot water.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We're just getting some warm water, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Make it clear. (devotees play tape back for a few seconds)

Pradyumna: "Balarāma, after thinking in this way, He could see that all the calves were actually expansions of Śrī Kṛṣṇa."

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Pradyumna: Baladeva ei-rūpa cintā kariyā jñāna-cakṣu-dvārā dekhite pāilena ye samasta (etc. to pāiteche)

Prabhupāda: Can you translate?

Pradyumna: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Do it.

Pradyumna: "Thinking in this way, He was able to see with the eye of transcendental knowledge that all these cows and calves were expansions in the form of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, these calves." (Sanskrit) "These calves, along with the cowherd boys," (Sanskrit) "were Śrī Kṛṣṇa, expansions of Śrī Kṛṣṇa."

Prabhupāda: Then?

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Brother -- Jhansi November 1958:

Please excuse me if I have offended you by calling you my dear Brother. Actually you are my dear brother and when you know me you shall be pleased that I have called you as such.

You are my brother in relation to our common and Eternal Father the Almighty Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna the revealing Author of the great book of Philosophy "Bhagavad-gita." And from this book of transcendental knowledge, I have known that you and all other living entities, in whatever form they may be, are all my brothers.

But I know some other less intelligent brothers, who are now in the animal kingdom, will not be able to recognize me even if I address them as my dear brothers, for the reason of their being grossly enwrapped in material consciousness. But as you are a human being and as you have developed the consciousness of a human being, I have ventured to approach you and address you directly "My dear brother." Please therefore do not mistake my endeavor.

Letter to Mathura Prasad -- Vrindaban 23 May, 1964:

At the present moment the people are more concerned with the temporary things namely the gross body and the subtle mind without any practical touch with the permanent soul and His Lord. The result is that we have produced a godless civilization and the whole world unhappy for this conception of civilization.

Srimad-Bhagavatam gives us practical solution for all the problems political social ideological philosophical cultural and transcendental knowledge for all human being. Srimad-Bhagavatam is meant for all human beings and it is the duty of the Hindus specially the Vaisnavas to disseminate the great knowledge throughout the whole world. With this purpose in view I have taken up the mighty project and I wish that you gentlemen cooperate with me fully. The cooperation is possible to be made either by life, wealth, intelligence or words. Every one has got some of the above assets of the above four principles if not at least one of them must we have and we can engage them in the service of the Lord.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa, Hamsaduta -- Vrndavana, India August 1967:

I am simply concerned that you be happy and contented, so you can prosecute the most important thing, K.C., without being disturbed. Rupanuga and Damodara are both doing nicely in this regard, and I wish the same for you.

Your appreciation of my Spiritual Master is very commendable. One who understands and appreciates the disciplic succession is certainly advanced, and we should always be very careful to give full respect to those who have so carefully handled this Divine Fruit of transcendental knowledge before us. Even a slight change will spoil it. That is why I have always been so careful to give you only those things which I have heard from my Guru Maharaja

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Harivilasa -- Montreal 10 June, 1968:

I think your chanting of Hare Krishna regularly is being responded by Krishna and He is giving you good sense how to make preaching propaganda on behalf of His Lordship. It is confirmed in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, as you might have seen it, that one who hears about Krishna, for him, Krishna helps in various ways and the first thing is that He cleanses the mind of all dusty matter and by continuing such chanting and by reading regularly Srimad-Bhagavatam, one becomes gradually freed from the influence of passion and ignorance, and thus becomes situated in goodness. In such platform one can engage oneself in serious devotional service, and thus one becomes illuminated with the transcendental knowledge of Krishna. This stage is called liberated stage, and at this time one becomes freed from all doubts and material bondage, and thus his life becomes successful. Please try to follow this principle, and I am sure you will be happy and successful in your execution of this Krishna Consciousness movement.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Brahmananda -- Allston, Mass 6 May, 1969:

In the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, we have cut short the pages under the instruction of the MacMillan Company, without explaining many important verses. We are presenting a new philosophy to the world against all foolish impersonalist, atheistic, agnostic and all other imperfect philosophies. Therefore we must have sufficient chance for explaining the purports of Srimad-Bhagavatam. So if MacMillan agrees to these conditions, then we can entrust the publication of the Bhagavatam in their hands. Such a big company, world famous publishers, and we are giving them the topmost transcendental knowledge in the world. Why they should become miserly in the set-up and quality of the book?

Letter to Sai -- Tittenhurst 27 October, 1969:

Similarly, either in Brahman, Paramatma or Bhagavan (Personality of Godhead) realization you will always find spiritual light and heat. But as there are different degrees of sunshine, the sunglobe and the sun's deity, similarly there are also degrees of transcendental bliss in the different features of the Absolute. The summary is that the Absolute Truth is the sum total of eternity, bliss and knowledge. Impersonal feature of the Absolute Truth is realization of eternity. Localized Paramatma realization is realization of transcendental knowledge. But above all these as they are described in Bhagavad-gita there is Purusottam, the Supreme Person. That is Krsna. In the Vedas it is stated that one who has understood the Supreme Person has understood everything. This is because everything is subordinate to the Supreme Person. So if you kindly try to understand this philosophy of the Supreme Person as described in Bhagavad-gita, 8th chapter, you will understand our activities more clearly. Or if you so desire, you can write to me for further understanding of this Krsna Consciousness philosophy. Hare Krsna. I thank you again for your interest.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Unknown -- Los Angeles 12 April, 1970:

As you have liked to know more about the temple, the worshippers, and the scriptures, I beg to inform you that this Krishna Consciousness movement is based on the Vedic scriptures. Veda means knowledge and there are two kinds of knowledge—one mundane and another transcendental. Vedas are considered to be originally transcendental because they are coming from the platform which existed before the creation. This transcendental knowledge was impregnated in the heart of the first created living being, and then he distributed the knowledge both for material and spiritual purposes.

Letter to Unknown -- Los Angeles 12 April, 1970:

This condition of life for the living beings are by nature eternal. This condition of life for the living beings, namely to go through repeated births and deaths, is unnatural for him. Therefore the whole Vedic knowledge is devised to regulate the life of the living entities not in the animal form of life, but in the human form of life, so that he can fulfill his material desires, but at the same time he becomes elevated to his original spiritual position. This process of evolution from the lowest aquatic life up to the stage of brahminical culture is delineated in the whole Vedas. This is called knowledge, and when one is liberated from the material contamination, the same knowledge further advanced becomes transcendental knowledge.

Letter to Krsna dasa -- Los Angeles 22 June, 1970:

I am so glad to know that since Himavati and Hamsaduta have gone to Hamburg the center has grown and improved in so many ways. This is very encouraging news that Hamburg center is becoming more and more important. Hamsaduta is very anxious to open many branches in Europe and Germany. Please help and cooperate with him.

You have written to say that your Sankirtana Party is truly an ocean of transcendental knowledge and bliss. So everywhere they say Sankirtana is nice. I have received letter from London, and we are experiencing here also. So this is our life and soul. It is nice that you are visiting two university towns regularly for Sankirtana and lectures. Such news engladdens me.

Letter to Stan -- Bombay 17 November, 1970:

I beg to thank you very much for your nice letter dated nil. I am very pleased that you are in New Vrndavana for some time now and you are feeling the benefits of the transcendental atmosphere there. Actually it is my dream to have such a perfect community established fully in Krsna Consciousness so that the people of your country may have a right example what is the natural way of life or pure spiritual living.

Your attitude of determination to progress in your transcendental knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krsna and perfect your devotional service to Him, is very praiseworthy. Ramananda Roy has explained that there is nothing so glorious or worth of fame in this world for a person who knows the true value of life other than to be famed as a devotee of Krsna.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Professor Kotovsky -- Moscow 24 June, 1971:

The Russian people as a growing nation and having a good feeling upon India's culture may take advantage of this treasure house of transcendental literatures, not only for the benefit of the Russian people but for the whole world. Whatever is done by a great nation or a great man is followed by ordinary persons, so it is my mission to distribute the treasure house of India's transcendental knowledge to the whole world, and your cooperation in this connection will be a great asset. You wanted to see the manuscripts of my lectures, therefore I am sending herewith an Introduction, the lectures and if you so desire I shall be glad to send essays on these subjects:

Letter to Lalita Kumar -- Delhi 15 November, 1971:

I note that you have got a nice van—why not have some travelling Sankirtana parties in the surrounding countryside, distributing our literature in new places?

Your approaching schools and colleges is very tactful because these students are the most eligible candidates for receiving this transcendental knowledge of Krishna philosophy. Simply by repeating what I have said—first you must yourself become fully convinced of this philosophy—your preaching will meet with all success. Our philosophy has the full potency to deliver anyone from the darkest realms of ignorance to the enlightened realm of complete cognizance. The potential is there, simply you have to master the words and deliver them purely, and this will please me very much. You will be happy to know that I am preparing a book on commentaries on your Western philosophers, so that all of my students may defeat these nonsense rascals who are simply speculating this and that and misleading the people. If we sincerely try to present our philosophy at every opportunity, eventually it will be heard and appreciated. So plan your school program in this way.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Surasrestha -- Los Angeles 14 June, 1972:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 25, 1972, and I have noted the contents. The article you have sent which was published in the newsletter there is very nice. The interviewer asked intelligent questions and you have given very nice answers also. It is apparent that you have understood our philosophy nicely so you continue to read our books regularly and preach vigorously, and help to distribute this great transcendental knowledge to all the distressed souls of this Kali yuga.

In answer to your questions, the red incarnation who appeared in the Treta-yuga is Yajnapati. Lord Mohammed is accepted by us as Saktyavesa Avatar, but we do not recognize the Bahai faith. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu appears once in the day of Brahma or whenever He is required to come. So far attending pujas at the houses of the Hindus there we can go and hold our kirtana but we should not take prasadam there. We can accept raw materials and take them to our temple but we should not accept any prasadam prepared by them. However, if they insist then we can take fruits and milk and offer them to Krishna. Cocoa and chocolate are not to be taken as they are intoxicants.

Letter to Bob -- Los Angeles 16 June, 1972:

One makes his advancement in Krishna Consciousness by giving up voluntarily his attachment to material nature or maya and such renunciation is called tapasya. But we are not very willing to perform austerities without good reason, therefore any man with scientific and philosophical good brain such as your good self, must appreciate first what is the transcendental knowledge. If you get knowledge, automatically tapasya will follow, and then you make your advancement in spiritual life. So to get knowledge is the first item for anyone who is hoping to find his perfection of life. Therefore, I advise you to daily read our books as far as possible and try to understand the subject matter from different angles of vision by discussing frequently with the devotees at New York Temple. In this way you will become gradually convinced, and by your sincere attitude and devotional service you will make progress.

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Los Angeles 30 September, 1972:

That is the certificate of my Guru Maharaja, if someone, brahmacari, would sell a one paise magazine, if one of our brahmacaris would go and sell a few copies, he would be very very glad and say "Oh, you are so nice!" So distribution of literature is our real preaching. Now if you cannot handle the matter nicely, that is your fault. But the success of your preaching will be substantiated by how many books are sold. Anything you want to sell, you have to a little canvass, so he gives some money for the service of Krsna. That is his good luck and he gets the chance to read some transcendental knowledge. But if you only irritate and he goes away, that is your less intelligence.

The fact is that we have to adopt the same tactics as ordinary salesmen adopt, but the difference is we do it for the satisfaction of Krsna, they do it for sense gratification. Actually we have experienced that sometimes out of sentiment someone gives to ISKCON and then laments and wants it back, but that does not mean we should give it back. Our policy is that his money which would have been used for purchasing cigarettes, liquor, sex literature, meat, will give him the opportunity to gradually become purified. So if by tactics we save that money from being spent on cigarette packets, that is good. If we can take some money and give some literature, that is a good service. So far irritation is concerned, a child is also irritated when he is given instructions, but that does not mean that we should stop. Invite them in our feast, that is a better indication.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Los Angeles 23 December, 1973:

I am in receipt of your letter dated December 15, 1973. Previously I have seen copy of German Easy Journey to Other Planets. It is very nice. The printing is very good and I am quite pleased. Thank you very much for helping me spread this transcendental knowledge to the Germanic peoples. It is a great credit for you and all the German devotees and Lord Caitanya will bless you with devotion to His lotus feet. I am very anxious to see our Bhagavad-gita in German so as soon as it is completed, kindly send me a copy. Regarding the Volkswagen bus, if it is not possible to bring in March to India then it can be brought at a later date. Yes, you should go to London and give me a report on the progress there. Mukunda and Madhavananda are sincere workers and are trying to organize things there. So you may go and help them, not interrupt but help.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Sri Ram Kumar:

I am in due receipt of your nice letter and am very pleased to read the contents. It is rare that an important man like yourself understands the prime importance of the Krishna consciousness movement. In the Bhagavad-gita Lord Sri Krishna says that it is the specific duty of the leaders of society to give an example of Krishna consciousness so that the common people will follow, yad yad arcarati srethas (BG 3.21). Elsewhere in Bhagavad-gita the Lord says that it is the leaders of the society who can understand rightly this transcendental knowledge; imam rajaso vidhuh.

So it is very good that you have understood and are following the Lord's instructions in this way. Now you should perfect your knowledge on a solid basis. At your request I am sending a set of my Krsna Books. Enclosed is the bill. You have enquired about Life Patron Membership, and the necessary form is enclosed. The donation is Rs. 2222/-, and when you become the member you receive these Krishna Books and all other books and magazines for the rest of your life. So you can either send payment for the enclosed bill, or you can send payment for the membership and keep the books.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Balavanta -- New York 8 July, 1976:

The name for the Tennessee community is "Murarisevak". On the farms we should have mainly grhasthas. Farms are especially meant for the grhasthas. Brahmins and sannyasis are meant for begging food grains from the grhasthas. They depend on the grhasthas and the grhasthas treat them as their children. As the child is not a burden for the parents, so brahmanas and sannyasis are not burden for the grhasthas. They simply take food grains to survive but they give transcendental knowledge for the benefit of society. They have no worries for producing and securing food. That is the business of grhasthas, but they devote their time to spreading spiritual knowledge. That is the system.

It is alright that the Charlotte temple be moved into the city a bit closer, but our principle is that people may come or not come, it doesn't matter. We can discuss and chant amongst ourselves.

1977 Correspondence

Letter to VARIOUS -- Unknown Place Unknown Date:

So far as your course at the Temple University is concerned, that is the best platform for introducing our philosophy to the serious persons. And if they become sincere to learn the highest topics of subject matter or transcendental knowledge from us, that will be the perfection of their education. If you must read some other books of philosophers, even they are Mayavadis, as a sideline we can speak about them as comparative study. Otherwise our main aim is to study and preach Bhagavad-Gita and Lord Caitanya. Our purpose is to teach our own philosophy. Do not lose sight of that purpose or become distracted by other things. I have also made one book about other philosophies of your western philosophers, but I did not make compromise. My purpose was to defeat them and expose their nonsense propositions, in the light of Vedic knowledge or Krsna consciousness philosophy. That is our purpose.