Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


Ultimately (Lectures, NOD - CC - ISO)

Lectures

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 5, 1973:

Hmm. The example is just like there is air vibration, water vibration, the radio message. In one place, the vibration is made, and it goes like waves. It expands. Very quickly, within a second, it expands seven times the earth, so far we have heard. Or if you throw one stone on the lake, they'll become a circle, circle, and the circle expands, unless it goes to the limit. So our loving propensity is there, and it should expand. Ultimately it should reach the lotus feet of the Lord. Then it will be perfect. So this is being explained.

So nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said, nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti. Our love for Kṛṣṇa is there already, but it is being choked up by material conditions. I want to love, but some blind leader, he comes. He says that "You love your, this country, your society, humanity," and you love your society but you cut throat of another society. This is going on. Because it is imperfect. One side, they're teaching "Love your nation," and cut the throat of another nation. So this kind of love, or this kind of loving propensity will not be ever satisfied. We shall always remain unsatisfied, because this is artificial. The same example: If you want to love, then you have to pour water on the root of the tree. Then it will be all right. Otherwise, if you manufacture so many ways of love, then certainly you'll be confused and frustrated. (aside:) Why don't you sit down here? Come on. Go on.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1972:

Prabhupāda: That's all. So, next page.

Pradyumna: "Invoking auspiciousness: Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes, the reservoir of all rasas, or relationships, which are called neutrality, or passive adoration, servitorship, friendship, parenthood, conjugal love, comedy, compassion, fear, chivalry, ghastliness, wonder and devastation. He is the supreme attractive form, and by His universal and transcendental attractive features, He has captivated all the gopīs, headed by Tārakā, Pālikā, Śyāmā, Lalitā, and ultimately, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Let His Lordship's grace be on us so that there may not be any hindrance in the execution of this duty of writing The Nectar of Devotion, impelled by His Divine Grace Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupāda."

Prabhupāda: So Kṛṣṇa is described as akhila-rasāmṛta-sindhu. So there are different rasas, five primary rasas. Rasa means the mellow or the taste which we enjoy in every activity. That is called rasa. Everything is done with some taste. Whatever you do, you must enjoy some taste out of it. So there are twelve rasas, out of which five rasas are primary and seven rasas are secondary. They are described here.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 7, 1973:

Pradyumna: (reading:) "Invoking auspiciousness: Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes, the reservoir of all rasas, or relationships, which are called neutrality, or passive adoration; servitorship; friendship; parenthood; conjugal love; comedy; compassion; fear; chivalry; ghastliness; wonder; and devastation. He is the supreme attractive form, and by His universal and transcendental attractive features, He has captivated all the gopīs, headed by Tārakā, Pālikā, Śyāmā, Lalitā and, ultimately, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Let His Lordship's grace be on us..."

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is the reservoir of all rasas. Rasa is a very peculiar word. Rasa, it may be translated into English as "taste," as "mellow," or as "humor." So our relationship with Kṛṣṇa, there is some taste. Without taste, we cannot continue our relationship with anyone. There must be some taste. So these rasas, or tastes, are twelve kinds. Primary rasa is the relationship between inert things and our... Just like I am sitting on this chair. So the comfort I am feeling, that is the rasa, taste. We want very nice cushion, sitting position. So that tasting, that "I am now comfortably seated," this is called śānta-rasa. Then above the śānta-rasa, there is dāsya-rasa. Dāsya-rasa... Just like my students, my disciples, they want to serve me, and I want to take service from them. This is also an exchange of rasa, a taste. Śānta, dāsya. Similarly, next advanced stage is sakhya-rasa. Sakhya means friendship. Just like one is serving somebody, but if that service is very intimate, then there is the rasa of friendship, dāsa, sakhya-rasa. And when that is advanced... (feedback) (aside:) What is this sound? When that is advanced, it becomes vātsalya-rasa. Vātsalya-rasa means the taste of relationship between parents and the children. These are advanced. Śānta-rasa, dāsya-rasa, sakhya-rasa, and then vātsalya-rasa, parenthood, filial love. And above this, there is mādhurya-rasa. Mādhurya-rasa means the taste between husband and wife, lover and the beloved.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 8, 1973:

So in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also, Vyāsadeva says, in the beginning, dharmaḥ projjhita kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). This dharma-artha-kāma-mokṣa, these are kaitava. Kaitava means phala visandi (?). I am approaching, I am trying to become a religious person, but my inner desire is how to make my economic position developed. This is my inner position, therefore it is called kaitava, cheating. So phala visandi. As Śrīdhara Swami says, that in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, phala visandi paryantaṁ nirasta. Phala is mukti. Mukti is also phala visandi. So up to mukti, then above mukti, there is bhakti. It is a mistaken idea that one has to attain mukti by bhakti. Sometimes they say that, these pañcopāsanā Māyāvādī, they say that "Ultimately, the absolute truth is nirākāra. There is no form. But because you cannot worship or meditate upon the nirākāra, so just imagine some form. Either of Viṣṇu, or Lord Śiva or Sūrya or Devī." Pañcopāsanā, it is called pañcopāsanā. Sādhakānāṁ hitārthāya brahmaṇo rūpa-kalpanaḥ. This is kalpana, he imagines. "Ultimately the Brahman has no form, but because you are accustomed to meditate on the forms, and it is very difficult for you to meditate upon the formless, so you imagine some form. This is imagine, not fact." That is their theory. And Bhagavān says in the Bhagavad-gītā, kleśo 'dhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām (BG 12.5). So that is simply troublesome. After much trouble in that way, when they come to the form of Vāsudeva, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). That mahātmā is greater. Kṛṣṇa is not imagination. This is another offense to think of Kṛṣṇa as imagination. Just see, that it is imagination, kalpana, "Just make it kalpana, imagination of Kṛṣṇa." No, Kṛṣṇa is fact. Kṛṣṇa, the Kṛṣṇa devotees, they are not after imagination. They are after the fact. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). Bhagavān, the personal. Kṛṣṇa says, brahmaṇo 'haṁ pratiṣṭhā, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā manuṣīṁ tanum āś..., paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ (BG 9.11). So these thing will be realized by, through the process as it is recommended by Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1972:

There are four classes of men, transcendentalists. They're all transcendentalists, culturing spiritual... That's, that's all right. But even in the spiritual cultivation, there is superior, inferior. Not exactly superior or inferior, because that is the material. But still there are classification. This classification is ended when one comes to know Kṛṣṇa. Yasmin vijñāte sarvam evam vijñātaṁ bhavanti. If one understands Kṛṣṇa, then Paramātmā and Brahman becomes automatically known. Sarvam evaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavanti. Just like if you have got 100,000 dollars, ten dollar is within it, fifty dollar is within it, five hundred dollars is within it. So in the Bhagavad-gītā everything is discussed there, jñāna-yoga, karma-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, buddhi-yoga, so many yogas. But Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), ultimately. That means, "If you surrender unto Me, all these yogas are included." All these yogas, karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, all yogas are included. Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ (BG 6.47). That we have to understand. We have to become fortunate to understand this philosophy. Kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya. This, this philosophy... If, if one surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, if one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, then his karma-yogi, jñāna-yogi, dhyāna-yogi, haṭha-yogi, everything..., everything is included there. He hasn't got to practice separately karma-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, jñāna-yoga, haṭha-yoga. Everything is there. The haṭha-yogis, they can display many wonderful things, but Kṛṣṇa-bhakta, without endeavoring for all these things, Kṛṣṇa can show many magic on his behalf. Why should he take trouble himself, to play the magic himself? Kṛṣṇa will show how magical things are performed by the devotees. Kṛṣṇa will show. Just like small child, he doesn't require to earn money for spending. If he's rich man's son, his father will take care of him. Similarly, a devotee does not endeavor to become expert in jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, haṭha-yoga, this yoga. He depends on Kṛṣṇa. And when some yogic, mystic power has to be shown, Kṛṣṇa will show that. That is the process, bhakti-yoga. You take to Kṛṣṇa, and everything will be done. Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ: (BG 18.66) "Don't worry. I shall take care of you." So therefore the conclusion is that one who is fortunate, he can take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness cent percent, without any deviation. That is wanted. Go on.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 1, 1972:

Pradyumna: (reading:) "...as given by Rūpa Gosvāmī in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, can be summarized thus: his service is favorable and is always in relation to Kṛṣṇa. In order to keep the purity of such Kṛṣṇa conscious activities, one must be freed from all material desires and philosophical speculation. Any desire except for the service of the Lord is called material desire. And philosophical speculation refers to the sort of speculation which ultimately arrives at a conclusion of voidism or impersonalism. This conclusion is useless for a Kṛṣṇa conscious person. Only rarely by philosophical speculation can one reach the conclusion of worshiping Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā itself. The ultimate end of philosophical speculation, then, must be Kṛṣṇa, with the understanding that Kṛṣṇa is everything, the cause of all causes, and that one should therefore surrender unto Him. If this ultimate goal is reached, then philosophical advancement is favorable, but if the conclusion of philosophical speculation is voidism or impersonalism, that is not bhakti."

Prabhupāda: There is a verse in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: vāsudeva-parā vedā vāsudeva-paraṁ jñānaṁ vāsudeva-paraṁ gatim. So unless one is led to the conclusion vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19), jñāna-vairāgya-karma, anything that you are trying to achieve, if it is not targeted to the realization of Vāsudeva, then it... Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). That is the conclusion of Bhāgavata. Whatever you do, the ultimate goal should be realization of Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). All Vedic conclusions should be ultimately to realize Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). This realization is achieved after many, many births of philosophical speculation, mystic yogic exercise or fruitive activities. Koṭi-karmī-madhye eka jñānī śreṣṭha. To become karmī is the third-class stage of life.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 3, 1972:

We are reading Vedas, but it is given by Vyāsadeva, so we are indebted to him. Similarly, many other śāstras we read. So we are indebted. Devarṣi, ṛṣi, devatā, the demigods. We are taking sunshine. We are obliged to sun-god. We are taking moonshine. We are obliged to moonshine, uh, moon-god, the air-god, Varuṇa. Everyone, they are helping us. We cannot do without this. You cannot live without water. You cannot live without light. You cannot live without heat. So who is supplying? Of course, Kṛṣṇa is supplying, but we cannot see Kṛṣṇa directly. They are being supplied by different demigods. Therefore deva-yajña is recommended. Deva-yajña means, ultimately, to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. So these are the processes. But if one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he has no more obligation to all these devatās. Devaṛsi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṟṇām (SB 11.5.41). We have got so many obligations, but if you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, everyone will be pleased, and you haven't got to oblige them by your service to them. Otherwise, you are bound to give them obeisances for their beneficial contribution.

So devotional service is rarely achieved. Rarely achieved means if you achieve, then you become free from all obligation. Na janma-koṭibhiḥ sukṛtibhiḥ. Tatra laulyam eka-mūlyaṁ na labhyate yad janmabhiḥ sukṛtibhiḥ. Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be achieved simply by your intense desire that "This life I shall try to achieve favor of Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa will help you. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam (BG 10.10). If you are actually seriously engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then Kṛṣṇa gives us intelligence how to approach Him. So pure devotional service is rarely achieved.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972:

Prabhupāda: Hmm. The practice, following the rules and regulations of śāstra and ācārya, direction of the spiritual master, that is called sādhana-bhakti. That, every, anyone can do, provided he's serious. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅga atha bhajana-kriyā (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). This bhajana-kriyā means sādhana-bhakti. So if our bhajana-kriyā is proper and in the line, then anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt, then all the anarthas, unwanted things, bad habits, that will be immediately vanquished. After anartha-nivṛttiḥ, tato niṣṭhā tato ruci athāsaktis tato bhāvaḥ. If this way, we shall increase our attitude of devotional service, ultimately getting shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord.

Pradyumna: "Every living entity under the spell of material energy is held to be in an abnormal condition of madness. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, 'Generally, the conditioned soul is mad because he is always engaged in activities which are the causes of bondage and suffering.' Spirit soul in its original condition is joyful, blissful, eternal and full of knowledge."

Prabhupāda: Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). These materialistic persons, they are mad. Mad.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 31, 1973:

Mādhavānanda: "The purport of this statement by Indra is that, beginning from Brahmā down to the insignificant ant, no living entities are meant for enjoying the material opulences. They are simply meant for offering everything to the supreme proprietor, the Personality of Godhead. By doing so, they automatically enjoy the benefit. The example can be cited again of the different parts of the body collecting foodstuffs and cooking them so that ultimately a meal may be offered to the stomach. After it has gone to the stomach, all the parts of the bodies..., body equally enjoy the benefit of the meal. So similarly everyone's duty is to satisfy the Supreme Lord and then automatically everyone will become satisfied."

Prabhupāda: That is called yajña. Yajñārthe karma. Go on.

Mādhavānanda: "A similar verse is found in the Eighth Canto, Third Chapter, of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, verse 20. Gajendra says there, 'My dear Lord, I have no experience in the transcendental bliss derived from Your devotional service, so therefore I have asked from You some favor. But I know that persons who are pure devotees and have, by serving the lotus feet of great souls, become freed from all material desires, are always merged in the ocean of transcendental bliss and, as such, are always satisfied simply by glorifying Your auspicious characteristics. For them there is nothing else to aspire to or pray for.'

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.5 -- Mayapur, March 29, 1975:

There are twelve kinds of rasas, mellow. Of all of them, the ādi-rasa... Ādi-rasa means the loving affair between man and woman. This is called ādi-rasa. So, Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura explains, janmādy asya means the ādi-rasa, loving affairs between man and woman, that is from the Supreme Person. That's a fact. Unless the loving propensity is there in the Supreme, how it can be reflected? Because this is perverted reflection only, so there must be the origin. So the Māyāvādī philosophers, they cannot understand this. Because they have got bitter experience of this material world, they try to make zero or without any varieties the ultimate goal. Śūnyavādi. Nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi. The nirviśeṣavāda, impersonalism and voidism, they are of the same nature. The Buddhist philosopher, they say, "Ultimately, everything is zero." And the Māyāvādī philosopher says not zero, but impersonal. But actually that is not fact. There is everything, variety and personal. But because the philosophers with poor fund of knowledge, they cannot understand, they make it zero or varietyless, nirviśeṣavāda. That, to clean, that to clear the idea, our Kavirāja Gosvāmī says that this Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa prema, loving affairs between Rādhā Kṛṣṇa, it is a fact. It is not imagination. It is a fact. But this fact is different from the fact we have got experience in this world. That is to be understood. Don't take... Just like sahajiyās. They take the Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa prema just like ordinary lusty affairs in this material world. But that is not the fact. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there is a verse that the loving affairs of gopīs and Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu, it is not ordinary thing. If one can hear from the proper source, and if he understands the real fact of rasa-līlā, then the result will be that his heart, which is full with lusty desire, that will vanish. There will be no more lusty desires. Praṇaya-vikṛtiḥ, this praṇaya-vikṛtiḥ hlādinī. So if anyone understands this praṇaya-vikṛtiḥ, the loving affairs, transformation of different feelings, if one can understand, then his material lusty desires will vanish. This is the result. Hṛd-roga-kāmān apasya apahinoti dhīraḥ. He becomes dhīra.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.11 -- Mayapur, April 4, 1975:

The citizens are expecting good government. So they are subordinate, expecting protection from the superior. Therefore the whole scheme should be how to protect them from repetition of death. Na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum. We are entangled by this process of birth, death, old age and disease, and it is the duty of the guru, duty of the father, duty of the mother, duty of the government, how to save them from this process of birth, death, old and di... That is civilization. Otherwise it is dog civilization. What is the meaning? This is civilization.

So whole Vedic system is designed in such a way that ultimately one is saved from this process of birth, death, old age and disease. Long, long ago, when Viśvāmitra Muni came to Mahārāja Daśaratha for begging Rāma-Lakṣmaṇa to take them to the forest because one demon was disturbing... They could kill, but the killing business is for the kṣatriyas. This is Vedic civilization. It is not the business of the brāhmaṇa. So the first reception Viśvāmitra Muni got from Mahārāja Daśaratha, that aihiṣṭhaṁ yat punar-janma-jayāya: "You are... You great sages, saintly persons, you have given up the society. You are living alone in the forest. What is the purpose? The purpose is punar-janma-jayāya, to conquer over repetition of birth." This is the purpose. Similarly, our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is also meant for the same purpose, punar-janma-jayāya, for conquering over repetition of birth and death. You should always remember this. A little mistake will spoil the whole scheme, little mistake. Nature is very strong. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Very, very strong. So you all, boys and girls, those who have come from America, I am very much thankful to you. But don't be less serious. Be very serious. And another thing I'll request especially to the Americans, that America has got good potentiality to save the world, so if you preach very nicely in your country... And not all of them will be interested, but if a section of men in your country, you can turn them to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, it will be great benefit to the whole world.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.13 -- Mayapur, April 6, 1975:

Unless one is very expert in killing animals, he's not bereft from Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That means one who is very expert in killing, he cannot understand. Therefore Christ also said, "Thou shall not kill," the first business. Nobody will be able if one is a killer of animal, small or big, ultimately killer of his own children, killer of his own self. The killing process is so nice that it goes up to the point of killing one's children. That is now happening. Killing business has so expanded that they are killing their own children. Just see the influence of Kali-yuga. The children, they take shelter of the father and mother, thinking very safe. Now, in this Kali-yuga, even there is no safety under the care of father and mother. Just see how this material civilization is progressing. Very, very dangerous. Kalau naṣṭa-dṛśām. Therefore that Bhāgavata verse is there,

kṛṣṇe sva-dhāmopagate
dharma-jñānādibhiḥ (saha)
kalau naṣṭa-dṛśām (eṣa)
purāṇārko 'dhunoditaḥ

Very, very abominable condition in this age of Kali. Very, very. It is the beginning of Kali. Now we have to pass through 427,000's of years. Kali-yuga will make progress in that way. And people are now practicing eating their children, and at the end of Kali there will be no food available. They'll have to eat the children just like the snakes do. The snake eat their own children. There are many animals—they eat their own children.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.16 -- Mayapur, April 9, 1975:

Here you find the real description of God: advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyam (Bs. 5.33), "Original," Purāṇa-puruṣam, "the oldest of all," nava-yauvanaṁ ca, "but His bodily feature is just like a fresh young man." That is Kṛṣṇa. You'll never find Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa, when He was in the battlefield of Kurukṣetra, He was a great-grandfather, but you'll find a young boy. That is Kṛṣṇa. So that is eternal.

Now our body is not sat. Kṛṣṇa's body is sat, cid, ānanda. Our, this material body—asat. And because we have got... Asat means temporary, that will not exist. And because we have accepted this material body, therefore we are full of anxiety. Ultimately, what is our anxiety? We are always trying to... This is called struggle for existence, survival of the fittest. So we are trying to become the fittest, to exist. But that is not possible in this body. That is not possible, because it is asat; it is not sat. And because the struggle is that we want to exist in this body, therefore there is anxiety. Asad-grahāt sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). The śāstra says that we are always full of anxieties. Why? Now, asad-grahāt: "We have accepted this body, which will not exist." Asad-grahāt. These are facts. Study śāstra in that way.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.3 -- Mayapur, March 3, 1974:

Therefore, in order to stop this stupidity of serving our senses, which will never come to an end, simply increase our bondage, we have to come to the spiritual master. Ādau gurvāśrayam. He'll teach how to convert or to divert the activities of the senses to please Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇendriya-prīti-icchā dhare nāma prema. Dhare prema nāma. The senses will act. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they try to stop the activities of the senses. Yogis also. Yoga indriya saṁyamaḥ. The yogis artificially try to stop the sense activities. They are simply... Because common men, they know activities means sense activities, sense satisfaction... So yogis, they artificially try to stop the sense activities. That is called praṇāyāma. Dhyāna, dhāraṇā, āsana, praṇāyāma, like that. But that artificial stoppage of sense activities will not be ultimately beneficial. Or thinking that my sense activities may be stopped, I become silent, become one with the supreme—that will also not help us. The real philosophy is, the sense activities must be there, but purified. That is real life. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). Purified. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate. We cannot stop sense activities. That is not possible. Artificially if we stop, even as a big successful yogi or jñānī, it will not act. There are many instances. Just like Viśvāmitra Muni. He was a great yogi. So artificially he was trying to stop the sense activities. But it also failed, the attempt. Later on he met one beautiful woman and he failed in controlling the senses. That is the history. He was the biggest yogi, Viśvāmitra Muni. Similarly, there are many so-called jñānīs also, trying to become one with the Supreme. That is also not possible. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas (SB 10.2.32). Vimukta-māninas, they are thinking that they have become liberated, but that is not the fact. Why it is not fact? Tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ. Because they did not take to the devotional service. Tvayy asta-bhāvād. They have no information of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore despite their severe austerities and penances and rising to the platform of Brahman realization—āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty (SB 10.2.32)—they fall down.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.109-114 -- San Francisco, February 20, 1967:

"All Brahman." They don't utter "Kṛṣṇa" or "Govinda." Oh, that is very difficult for them. They simply utter, "Brahman." Now... Let them. Brahman is also Vedic word. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says the direct meaning of Brahman is Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Cid-aiśvarya-paripūrṇa, anūrdhva-samāna. Now what is the grammatical meaning of Brahman? The grammatical meaning of Brahman is that "the greatest" and "expansive." That is the grammatical meaning of Brahman. Which is unlimitedly expanded and greatest, He is called Brahman. Now, who can be unlimitedly expansive unless He's unlimitedly powerful? Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that according to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also, the same meaning is there. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). So Brahman-Paramātmā ultimately means the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Without coming to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the conception of Brahman-Paramātmā is imperfect. Why? Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that cid-aiśvarya-paripūrṇa, anūrdhva-samāna. You cannot have conception of the greatest, unlimited, unless you place six kinds of opulence, opulences in full. Because aiśvarya, the opulences... Just like wealth, fame, and beauty, knowledge, and renunciation, they should be unlimited. Now, when they are not unlimited, he's not Brahman, or he's not the Supreme Lord.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.149-50 -- Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971:

Nanda Mahārāja was the zamindar rāja. He was vaiśya. He had 900,000's of cows, and he was the head of Vṛndāvana. All other cowherds men were his tenants or friends or family members. So Kṛṣṇa automatically became their very, very dear friend. That is the significance of the residents of Vṛndāvana. They... Their love for Kṛṣṇa was so ecstatic that they did not know anything except Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Brahmā says, aho bhāgyam aho bhāgyam: "How fortunate these residents of Vṛndāvana are that Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has become their friend." And Kṛṣṇa is pūrṇa-brahma sanātanam, not that He has assumed a body like a human being and He is imperson. No. Just like Māyāvādī philosophers, they take it, they concoct like that, that "Ultimately the Absolute Truth is impersonal, but when He descends..." I do not know how the impersonal can be "He." So that theory is refuted hereby because it is the statement of Brahmā, and he says that Kṛṣṇa is pūrṇa-brahma sanātanam.

Then Caitanya Mahāprabhu says,

apāṇi-pāda-śruti varje prākṛta pāṇi-caraṇa
punaḥ kahe śīghra cale kare sarva grahaṇa

This is the process is describing a spiritual understanding, with reference to the Vedic injunction. Now, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu is giving Vedic reference. He says, apāṇi-pāda. This is a reference from the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad. In the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad there is statement, impersonally, but referring to the person, transcendental person. The mantra is like this:

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.149-50 -- Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971:

That is admitted by all scholars, all religionists. Therefore He is pūrṇa-jñāna, pūrṇa-brahma. Bhagavad-gītā is pūrṇa-jñāna. The Bhagavān's one qualification—He is fully wise. Nobody is wiser than Him. That is one of the qualifications. Nobody is richer than Him, nobody is powerful than Him, nobody is influential than Him, nobody is beautiful than Him, and nobody is renouncer than Him. Ṣaḍ-aiśvarya. That will be explained.

So Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, admitted by all ācāryas. And on the basis of that authority, we are preaching all over the world that "You are searching after God? Here is God." Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. In the Bhāgavata has given different list of different incarnation of God but ultimately concludes that ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam: (SB 1.3.28) "All the incarnations, they are parts or parts of the parts." Aṁśa means part, and kalāḥ means part of the part. "But svayaṁ pūrṇa-bhagavān, ṣoḍaśa-kala pūrṇa, ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa-bhagavān is Kṛṣṇa." That is the verdict all Vedas, all śāstras. So we should also accept in that light. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). And Kṛṣṇa also says personally, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: (BG 10.8) "I am the origin of even Brahma, Śiva, and Viṣṇu also." Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate. So from any...

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.97-99 -- New York, November 22, 1966:

So you will have entrance into the spiritual kingdom, into the abode of Kṛṣṇa when you have perfectly... We cannot understand perfectly, but as far as possible, as far we have got the capacity, if we understand Kṛṣṇa as He is, then the entrance will be there. Otherwise there is no entrance. Therefore Lord Caitanya instructed Sanātana Gosvāmī about Kṛṣṇa through devotional service. This instruction is very important. You should very carefully hear and, if possible, note. This is directly the instruction. Just like the Bhagavad-gītā: the Lord Kṛṣṇa is directly instructing Arjuna. But in the Bhagavad-gītā there are many phases of instruction, fruitive action, philosophical speculation, yoga system and jñāna system, all kinds of different paths. Ultimately, of course, Lord Kṛṣṇa instructed him that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is the most confidential part. But here Lord Caitanya, He is not instructing any superfluous things. So that is the blessings of Lord Caitanya. Even what Kṛṣṇa could not give, what Kṛṣṇa could not, or Kṛṣṇa hesitated to give... Because Kṛṣṇa hesitated that "If I speak in the beginning of the Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), people would not accept it." There was no necessity of describing Bhagavad-gītā in so many phases of instruction. Because the last instruction, most confidential instruction, was that "You give up everything and just surrender unto Me." That is the actual instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, but that was not spoken in the beginning because there are many phases of human beings. They are under different stages of...

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.120 -- Bombay, November 12, 1975:

He is not ordinary man. He is trying to know from guru what is his actual position. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu knew Sanātana Gosvāmī, intelligent, advanced. So he doesn't require to be educated by teaching Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā is the ABCD of spiritual life, preliminary study. Bhagavad-gītā is not meant for persons who are advanced. They know Kṛṣṇa. One who does not know Kṛṣṇa, for them, first reading book is Bhagavad-gītā, so that he can know what is Kṛṣṇa. But here Sanātana Gosvāmī is advanced; therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu is teaching him from the point where Bhagavad-gītā was ended. That Bhagavad-gītā ended... Kṛṣṇa, after teaching Arjuna different kinds of knowledge-karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, haṭha-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, so many, bhakti-yoga—ultimately He said, "Arjuna, because you are My very confidential friend, so I am giving you the confidential knowledge." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You surrender unto Me, and whatever I say, you do. That is your duty." So from that point, when one surrenders to Kṛṣṇa... Why one should surrender to Kṛṣṇa? Everyone is puffed up that "I am as good as Kṛṣṇa. Why shall I surrender to Kṛṣṇa?" Many, many scholars, they comment on this verse, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ. Vraja, "Why? This is sophistry. Everyone should give up everything, simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa?" Still they say that "Why you are after Kṛṣṇa? Why not other gods or demigods?" That is their... Sometimes they question. But one who knows Kṛṣṇa, he cannot be deviated from this path, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Bhagavān means Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.121-124 -- New York, November 25, 1966:

"This is my relationship," then my actual work will begin. That is abhidheya. And after executing that prescribed duty, the result is that I'll get my relationship with the Supreme Lord revived. These three things are described in the Vedas. There is no other thing.

So there are different kinds of knowledge in the Vedas. Veda is a vast knowledge. Even how we shall live in this material world, that is also described. Even medicine, medicine, the science of medicine is also described in Vedas. That is called Āyur-veda. The science of military science also described there in the Vedas. That is called Dhanur-veda. Yajur-veda... So many Vedas there are. And ultimately the knowledge is there, how to understand the Supreme Absolute Truth and how to get yourself liberated. That is... These are the subject matter of Vedas. So in the Bhagavad-gītā also the Lord says, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam: (BG 15.15) "The ultimate purpose of Veda is to understand Kṛṣṇa." Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). So Kṛṣṇa or the sādhu and śāstra does not stop your material activities. Because you have to act materially so long you have got this material body, so they give regulation, how you should act so that ultimately you can reach to Kṛṣṇa. So if we follow the regulations given in the Vedas, then automatically we reach to the highest stage of perfection. That is the purpose of Vedas. Therefore you'll find different subject matter dealt in Vedas, and unless we have a bona fide teacher of the Vedas, it is very difficult to understand Vedic language and take advantage of it.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.137-142 -- New York, November 29, 1966:

The material taste means we want to gratify senses in so many ways, and the supermost point is sex life. So as soon as you get into touch with Kṛṣṇa and you develop Kṛṣṇa love, all this nonsense finished. Then you are liberated. And so long you are attached even to a pinch of material taste, there is no question of liberation from material miseries; you have to continue this transmigration from one body to another, and body means material miseries. The material body means material misery. You may get the body of a king or you may get the body of Brahmā or Indra, Candra or the ant or the insignificant animal. Any body, any material body, that is meant for miseries, miseries, tāpa-traya, threefold, threefold material miseries, and, besides that threefold miseries, ultimately birth, death, old age and diseases.

So to develop love of Kṛṣṇa means that is real liberation. And that love of Kṛṣṇa begins after many, many births of cultural life. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). When one surrenders unto Kṛṣṇa, that is the beginning of his real life. And as he makes progress, then he realizes—I have several times discussed this point—ādau śraddhā. First thing is that "I must get myself out of this material contamination." That is called śraddhā. "In this very life I shall realize." So this śraddhā, this belief and this determination, as you make more and more perfect, you make advance. You make advance. Not as official, not as makeshow, but really... Ādau śraddhā tato sādhu-saṅgaḥ. Then, as you are determined, so your taste for associating with devotees... Just like we are now associating with Lord Kṛṣṇa's, Lord Caitanya's, teaching.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.353-354 -- New York, December 26, 1966:

Whole of India, practically, became Buddhist during his time. But later on, after Śaṅkarācārya's drive against Buddhism, Buddha-ism... Śaṅkarācārya wanted to establish the difference of Buddhism and Hinduism is that Buddhism, Lord Buddha did not accept Vedic authority. He did not accept Vedic authority. But according to Hindu culture, if somebody does not accept the Vedic authority, then he's not a authority. Vedānta philosophy, there are different parties in India. The Māyā... Generally, two parties: the Māyāvāda philosophers and the Vaiṣṇava philosophers, or the impersonalists and the personalists. Otherwise, there is no difference. Ultimately, the Māyāvādī philosophers they say that God, the Supreme Absolute Truth, is impersonal, and the Vaiṣṇava philosophers, they say in the ultimate end, the Absolute Truth is Person and He is, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). This is little difference, and they stick to their position and they fight. Fight means by philosophical arguments. That is going on since a very long time. But both of them belong to the sanātana Hindu dharma because both of them will talk on the Vedānta philosophy. They'll simply, they can give different interpretation, but they cannot say that "We don't accept Vedānta." Oh, that will..., then it is at once rejected. So one must give an interpretation on the Vedānta philosophy; then he'll be accepted as ācārya. Three things: Vedānta philosophy, Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. One must be able to explain these three books. Then he'll be accepted ācārya. These are the principles.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.14-20 -- New York, January 10, 1967:

And bhakti-mukha-nirīkṣaka karma-yoga-jñāna. And other processes, they're also admitted, but they are dependent on this process. That means if by karma-yoga, when you acquire knowledge, then that is another step forward. Then by jñāna-yoga, when you are able to meditate, by jñāna-yoga you can understand the Supersoul and your soul. And when you understand also that by the individual soul the Supersoul has to be seen by meditation or focus, that is called dhyāna-yoga. Then when you understand Supersoul, then go further. You can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Anyway, all these processes... Yoga means just like a staircase. You cover the staircases under certain rules and regulation, but the highest top, topmost place, is that Kṛṣṇa-bhakti, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Ultimately you have to reach that point. So any other process, that is dependent on the Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But Kṛṣṇa consciousness is direct method. It is not dependent on any such method. A person who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he does not require to perform dhyāna-yoga or haṭha-yoga or karma-yoga or jñāna-yoga. Automatically, everything will come out. Just like if you get ten thousand dollar, then your business for one thousand dollar is automatically served. But if you have got one thousand dollar, the business of ten thousand dollars cannot be served. So kṛṣṇa-bhakti, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is full. Lord Caitanya therefore said, kṛṣṇa-bhakti haya abhidheya-pradhāna. Amongst all other processes for self-realization, this is the chief. Bhakti-mukha-nirīkṣaka karma-yoga-jñāna. And other processes, just like karma-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, jñāna-yoga, they are dependent on Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa-bhakti, devotional service, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.31-38 -- San Francisco, January 22, 1967:

And Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that... Not Caitanya Mahāprabhu, I'm sorry. That disciple, the chief disciple of Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, he's repeating what Caitanya Mahāprabhu explained about the Vedānta-sūtra. He also accepts. Yes. Brahman, the great, means He is great in all respect. He is great in richness, He is great in strength, He is great in power, He is great in knowledge, He is great in renouncement. Then He is great. So if a man is the greatest man in richness, greatest man in power, greatest man in fame, greatest man in knowledge, greatest man in beauty, then where is the impersonality? These are all personal qualifications. So Brahman, or the Supreme, or the Absolute Truth, cannot be imperson. Imperson may be a feature, but ultimately He is person.

śruti-purāṇa kahe-kṛṣṇera cic-chakti-vilāsa
tāhā nāhi māni, paṇḍita kare upahāsa

So śruti, śruti means the Vedas. The Vedas clearly say that all these manifestation, they are out of the energy. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). From this fountainhead, from the Supreme Source, the energies. Just like the electric light, it is very brilliant, illuminating. But this is energy emanating from the powerhouse. The powerhouse is person. It is managed by a person, executive engineer or resident engineer. So when you go, the government, United States, externally, ephemerally, it appears imperson, but if you go deep into the matter, you see that there is president, a person. So ultimately, a person, Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, ultimately. That is the evidence from all Vedic scriptures. Tāhā nāhi māni, paṇḍita kare upahāsa. And these impersonalists, they do not accept this personal aspect of the Absolute Truth, and they laugh at the devotees, "Oh, what they are doing? They are less..." They are thinking that the devotees are less intelligent.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.36-40 -- San Francisco, January 23, 1967:

We are trying to adjust to have ānanda, or pleasure, by the limited resources of our senses, but actually, there is no ānanda, bliss. It is all miserable. This miserable body is condemned in every, I mean to say, practically, chapter and every śloka, every verse.

Therefore Ṛṣabhadeva says, nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti (SB 5.5.4). Generally, people, they are mad, because more or less... Not more or less. Practically every one of us, we are mad. Why mad? Pramattaḥ, this very word is used. Pramattaḥ. Pramattaḥ means mad. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). This material nature's program is such that the conditioned souls who are here, they should live in such a regulated life that ultimately they can go back to home, back to Godhead, because we are sons of the Supreme Lord. We have come here to enjoy material, pramattaḥ svārthe, and we do not know what is our self-interest. We are thinking that "I am this body," and therefore a little sense gratification... Because the body means there are different senses, and if we can gratify the senses we think that we are happy. This is madness. Ṛṣabhādeva says, nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti (SB 5.5.4). The only business is sense gratification. He says, na sādhu manye: "This is not very good." Sādhu means good. Just to distinguish between the body of the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, and our body, here the body of Kṛṣṇa is said, ānanda-mātram. Ānanda-mātram, simply full of..., reservoir of all pleasures. So because we are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, we have also ānanda-mātram, simply blissful body we have got. That is called spiritual body. But because we have become mad, we have identified that this material body as "I am." Therefore And material body means sense gratification. There is no other alternative. To enjoy this material body means to gratify the senses.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.36-40 -- San Francisco, January 23, 1967:

This is the form which is searched after in meditation by persons who are engaged in yoga principle. Tad vā idaṁ bhuvana-maṅgala maṅgalāya dhyāne. Dhyāne means in meditation. Dhyāne sma no daraśitam: "We have seen this, this form." That means the perfection of meditation is, if one is serious about meditation and if he follows the rules and regulation as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, the sitting posture, and the place, and the procedure, and the modes of eating, modes of living... There are so many things. If somebody follows those regulation and meditates according to that, then ultimately he will see the Supreme Personality of Godhead within himself. Therefore Brahmā said that dhyāne, "While I was in meditation I saw this form." He revealed.

This form... How one does see the supreme form of Kṛṣṇa? Simply by the method of service. Otherwise, there is no possibility. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau (Brs. 1.2.234). If you be engaged in service attitude, then God will reveal Himself unto you. You cannot see God. You... By your tiny effort you cannot see God. This is not possible. Just like in the midnight, darkness, it is not possible to see the sun. You can see sun when sun itself reveals to you. Sun has got a time, say, 4:30 or 5:00 a.m. in the morning, at once reveals. And as soon as the sun reveals itself, you see yourself, you see the sun, and you see the world. And so long you do not see the sun, you are in darkness, the world is in darkness, and you cannot see. Similarly, without seeing the sun, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, you cannot have actually the perfect knowledge of this manifestation of this world. The Vedānta-sūtra, or the Upaniṣad, confirms it: tasmin vijñāte sarvam evaṁ vijñātam bhavanti. One who has understood the Absolute Truth, for him, there is nothing unknowable. Everything becomes revealed to him automatically.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.40-50 -- San Francisco, January 24, 1967:

Not only in your country—in other countries also—that has become a fashion, to defy authorities. So this godlessness is also like that, to defy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is no practically difference between Buddha philosophy and Śaṅkara's philosophy. Buddha philosophy says that the matter is everything. Beyond matter there is nothing, everything void, and the combination of matter is the source of our miseries. So you make a dismantlement of the matter, nirvāṇa—there will be no more miseries. And Śaṅkara's philosophy says that brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. It is little, little farther advanced, admitting the spirit, but he says that spirit is impersonal. "There is no God. It is impersonal." So practically the same thing: ultimately, it is void or there is no God.

But Vedānta philosophy does not say that. Vedānta philosophy, from the very beginning it asserts that athāto brahma jijñāsā, "Now it is the time for discussing on the Absolute Truth." And what is that Absolute Truth? Janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) "Absolute Truth is the summum bonum substance from which everything emanates."

yei grantha-kartā cāhe sva-mata sthāpite
śāstrera sahaja artha nahe tāṅhā haite

This is the secret of modern fashionable interpretation. If you want to establish... Suppose you have got some conviction, and if you want to establish it by evidence of an approved literature... An approved literature. Just like Gandhi. Gandhi wanted to establish nonviolence from Bhagavad-gītā. He was a... He is known to be a great student of Bhagavad-gītā, but he was not at all. His political theory was that he wanted to conquer over the enemies by nonviolence method. Nonviolent noncooperation, that was his, I mean to say, theory. He wanted to get away all kinds of nonviolence from the world, all kinds of violence from the world. So he wanted to prove from Bhagavad-gītā nonviolence.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 1 -- Los Angeles, May 2, 1970:

Gargamuni: The last sentence. "This point is confirmed by the Bhagavad-gītā in the Seventh Chapter, where parā and aparā prakṛti are discussed. The elements of nature—earth, fire, water, air, sky, mind, intelligence and ego—all belong to the inferior, or material, energy of the Lord, whereas the living being, the organic energy, is the superior energy, the parā prakṛti of the Lord. Both the prakṛtis, or energies, are emanations from the Lord, and ultimately He is the controller of everything that exists. There is nothing in this universe which does not belong either to the parā or aparā prakṛti, and therefore everything is under the..."

Prabhupāda: "...proprietary right of the Supreme Being." So here, in the Īśopaniṣad also, the same thing is explained, that īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Whatever we are seeing, animate or inanimate, there is control of the Supreme Lord. The same thing is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, that His energies are working. In the Viṣṇu Purāṇa it is said, just like fire staying in one place distributes its heat and light... Eka-deśa-sthitasyāgner jyotsnā vistāriṇī yathā. Agni, agni means fire. Fire is... Just like the sun. Sun is also fire, very high temperature fire. So it is staying in one place, but it is distributing its light and heat all over the universe. Eka-deśa-sthitasyāgner jyotsnā yathā vistāriṇī tathaiva parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktiḥ. Similarly, two energies from the Supreme Lord is being distributed all over the creation. One kind of energy is called material energy, and the other kind of energy is called the spiritual energy. So in this world, in this temporary material world, the spiritual energy is there. That is prominent. But it is covered by the material energy. Just like there is sunshine—sunshine, nobody can check—but it is sometimes covered by cloud.

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 1 -- Los Angeles, May 2, 1970:

So two energies are working in this material world: the spiritual energy and the material energy. The material energy means these eight kinds of material elements. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ: (BG 7.4) earth, water, fire, air, sky, mind, intelligence, and ego. These are all material. And similarly, finer, finer, finer, finer, and grosser, grosser, grosser. Just like water is finer than the earth, then fire is finer than the water, then air is finer than the fire, then sky, or ether, is finer than the air. Similarly, intelligence is finer than the ether, or mind is finer than the ether. The mind... You know, I have given several times example: the speed of mind. Many thousands of miles within a second you can go. So the finer it becomes, it is powerful. Similarly, ultimately, when you come to the spiritual part, finer, from which everything is emanating, oh, that is very powerful. That spiritual energy. That is given in the Bhagavad-gītā. What is that spiritual energy? That spiritual energy is this living entity. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parā (BG 7.5). Kṛṣṇa says, "These are material energies. Beyond this there is another, spiritual energy." Apareyam. Aparā means inferior. Apareyam. "All these described material elements, they are inferior energy. And beyond this there is superior energy, My dear Arjuna." What is that? Jīva-bhūta mahā-bāho: "These living entities." They are also energy. We living entities, we are also energy, but superior energy. How superior? Because yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat (BG 7.5). The superior energy is controlling the inferior energy. Matter has no power. The big airplane, nice machine, is flying in the sky, made of material things. But unless the spiritual energy, pilot, is there, it is useless. It is useless. Thousands of years the jet plane will stand on the airport; it will not be flying unless the small particle spiritual energy, that pilot, comes and touches it. So what is the difficulty to understand God? So plain thing, that if this huge machine... There are so many huge machineries, they cannot move without the touch of the spiritual energy, a human being or a living being. How can you expect that this whole material energy is working out of automatically or without any control? How you can put your arguments in that way? That is not possible.

Lecture on Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 3 -- Los Angeles, May 5, 1970:

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is lion to the demons, and He's a lamb to the devotees. (laughter) Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya. So the atheist, they say that "We have not seen Kṛṣṇa." Yes. You'll see Kṛṣṇa as lion when He'll ultimately come and capture you, "Ow!" (laughter) That is death. Atheist will see Kṛṣṇa as death, and theist, devotee, will see Kṛṣṇa as lover. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Nama om bhagavate vāsudevāya. (aside:) You sit down properly, back side. Yes. (chants Īśopaniṣad 1-10 with devotees) Anyone can explain the third verse? Kurvann eveha karmāṇi jijīviṣec chataṁ samāḥ. Who will explain, please stand up. Nobody? (laughs) How is that? Huh? Yes?

Devotee (1): (explaining text 2) This explains that the human form of life is meant for realizing our spiritual nature.

Prabhupāda: No, I wanted that śloka, kurvann eva. That is 2, yes. That's all right. So anyone will explain this,

kurvann eveha karmāṇi
jijīviṣec chataṁ samāḥ
evaṁ tvayi nānyatheto 'sti
na karma lipyate nare

So you should try to read the explanation, these word meanings. So kurvann eveha karmāṇi jijīviṣec chataṁ samāḥ. Samāḥ means years. You can live hundreds of years if you understand the philosophy of life. Otherwise, what is the use of living? The trees are also living for five hundred years, for thousands years. There is one tree in San Francisco... What is that wood?

Sri Isopanisad Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, July 8, 1971:

Karandhara: (reading:)"The Lord being pūrṇam, or all-perfect, there is no chance of His being subjected to the laws of material nature, while the living entities and the inanimate objects are all controlled by the laws of nature and thus ultimately by the potency of the Lord. The Īśopaniṣad is a part of the Yajur Veda."

Prabhupāda: There are four Vedas—Sāma Veda, Yajur Veda, Ṛg Veda, and Atharva Veda. Originally there was one Veda, but later on, Vyāsadeva divided them into four. So Yajur Veda is one of the Vedas, and the Īśopaniṣad is stated there. All the Upaniṣads are stated in the different kinds of Vedas. Therefore Upaniṣad is accepted as Vedic study. Go on.

Karandhara: "The Īśopaniṣad is a part of the Yajur Veda, and as such, it contains information as to the proprietorship of all things that exist within the universe."

Prabhupāda: Just like evidence. Evidence... (aside:) Now you can sit down. Evidence, whenever we want to give evidence... Just like in law court, the evidence, you have to cite the section or the preamble of the laws. Similarly, in our human civilization this evidence is Vedas. If you find something stated in the Vedas, that you have to accept. That's all. Axiomatic truth. And because the Vedas were particularly studied by the brāhmaṇas, high-class qualified brāhmaṇas, therefore they are also accepted as authority. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when He was at Purī, the king of that place, Mahārāja Pratāparudra, he inquired from Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, "Oh, what is your opinion about this Caitanya who has come here?" He said that "He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." So the king immediately accepted it. King said, "Oh, He is Supreme Personality of Godhead?" So he accepted immediately, just like... There is no question of experimenting. Because an authority like Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya is stating, a brāhmaṇa and... He was very learned scholar. You know Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya's name. So because he said that "He is Supreme Personality..." He did not ask any storekeeper, but he asked a learned brāhmaṇa who knows things.

Page Title:Ultimately (Lectures, NOD - CC - ISO)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:22 of Nov, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=31, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:31