Understand Krsna (Lectures, BG chapters 7 - 9)

Expressions researched:
"understand Krishna" |"understand Krsna" |"understanding Krishna" |"understanding Krsna" |"understands Krishna" |"understands Krsna" |"understood Krishna" |"understood Krsna"

Notes from the compiler: VedaBase query: "understand Krsna" or "understand Krishna" or "understanding Krsna" or "understanding Krishna" or "understands Krsna" or "understands Krishna" or "understood Krishna" or "understood Krsna" not "try* understand* krsna"@8 not "try* understand* krishna"@8

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, March 17, 1968:

You cannot say, "Oh, we don't require this head." Oh, it is nonsense. You require everything. You require the head, you require the arms, you require the belly, and you require the leg. This is fit body. Suppose if there is a body without head—oḥ, it is dead body. It is body undoubtedly, but if there is no head, simply the trunk is there, it is called dead body. The head is considered to be the intellectual part of the body. Similarly, if there is no brāhmaṇa in the society, that is a dead body. If there is no spiritual man in the society, that is a dead society.

This is very nice, natural division. Therefore Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ: (BG 4.13) "I have created the four divisions of society according to quality and work." If somebody is working just like a brahmacārī, brāhmaṇa, and he has acquired the quality... What is that quality? To understand Kṛṣṇa or the Supreme Lord. So he's a brāhmaṇa. Why he should be called for the action of the arms? The arms for defending, that is kṣatriya. Of course, that is required. To protect the country, to protect the society, military arrangement should be there. Nobody disapproves. But not the brāhmaṇas. It is putting the horse before a cart. Horse is required for different purpose. Another beast of those, asses, mules and bulls, they are required for towing cart.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, March 17, 1968:

So this process of chanting is to invoke your remembrance for Kṛṣṇa. That's all. It is not that we are implementing something artificially in you. No. Kṛṣṇa is already connected with you. You have forgotten, and we are trying to give you the process how you can revive your original consciousness. So mayy āsakta-manāḥ. So when you come to this place, temple, this is the beginning. This the beginning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If you see Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa's devotees, if you chant "Kṛṣṇa..." Kṛṣṇa is not different from the name because He's absolute. He is not different. The word "Kṛṣṇa" and the person Kṛṣṇa, or God Kṛṣṇa, is not different, because everything is Kṛṣṇa. The oneness, the philosophy of monism or pantheism, is perfect. When that oneness comes in understanding Kṛṣṇa, that is perfection. If Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Absolute Truth from whom everything is emanating, then everything is Kṛṣṇa.

Just like you have a gold mine and you are preparing so many golden utensils, ornaments and many other things, but they are all gold because the origin is gold. Similarly, you may name it as "earring," but you have to add "gold" earring. You may name it as "necklace," but "gold." Because originally it is coming from the gold mine. Similarly, originally, everything is coming from Kṛṣṇa. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Because if He is Supreme, He is Absolute Truth, then nothing is different from Him. Just like either you say earrings or necklace or bangle or wristwatch, if they are all made of gold, they are gold. But you cannot say at the same time, "This is gold, this is gold." This is gold necklace. If you say that "Why necklace? It is gold..." The Māyāvādī philosophers say, "Everything is gold. Everything is Brahman." No. "Everything is Brahman" is all right, but it is this...

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, March 26, 1968:

Anyway, so the conclusion made by Sañjaya was this, yatra yogeśvaraḥ hariḥ. Hari means the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The side in which the Yogeśvara, Kṛṣṇa... My point is that Kṛṣṇa's name is Yogeśvara. Nobody can be better yogi than... Or the master of yoga. There are different systems of yoga, and Kṛṣṇa is the master of yoga. And Lord Śiva is called Yogīśvara.

There are many different kinds of yogis. Yoga means the system, and the yogi means the person who practices the system. So the object of yoga, ultimate goal of yoga, is to understand Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to practice the topmost type of yoga system. So this yoga system is being described by Kṛṣṇa Himself. Why? Because He was teaching His most intimate friend, Arjuna. (Sanskrit commentary) Vyākhyāta-lakṣaṇe svopasye mayy āsakta-mati-mātra nitaraṁ mano yasya saḥ. Now in the beginning, the Lord says that "This system of yoga can be practiced by persons who have developed attachment for Me." This attachment I have described for the last three, four days, in a different way. So this yoga system cannot be practiced by an ordinary man who has no attachment for Kṛṣṇa. This is a different system. And the topmost. (Sanskrit commentary) Tvam anyo vā tadṛṣo mad-āśrayo mad-dāsya-sakhyādy-ekatamena bhāvena.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, March 26, 1968:

Even we cannot understand perfectly the material world. Just like we have seen so many planets and stars in the sky at night, but we do not know what they are. We do not know even what is this moon planet. We are trying for so many years, trying to go there in sputnik and... Even one planet. Even we do not know what varieties are there even in this planet. If you go on the sea, if you go on the sky, you are perfectly illusioned. So our knowledge is always imperfect. That we must admit. Foolishly, if we think we have acquired all sorts of knowledge, we have advanced in science, this is another foolishness. It is not possible. So when it is not possible to understand even the material things which we are daily seeing with our eyes and perception, what to speak of spiritual? And the Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is the Supreme spiritual form. So it is not possible for us to understand Kṛṣṇa by our limited senses. Then why we are bothering so much for Kṛṣṇa consciousness if it is not possible?

The answer is ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). These imperfect senses cannot realize Kṛṣṇa as He is. Then the process is sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. If you become submissive, if you develop the spirit of service to Kṛṣṇa, either as servant or as friend or as parent or as lover, if you begin to give service to the Supreme Lord... The beginning of service is chanting. Therefore it is said, jihvādau. Jihvādau means, jihva means tongue. Tongue. Your service begins by the tongue. How? By the tongue you can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and by the tongue you can taste Kṛṣṇa's prasādam. So the beginning process is very nice. You chant Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, and whatever little prasādam is offered to you by Kṛṣṇa by His kindness, you accept it. Then the result will be that sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. If you become submissive and if you begin this service, chanting and eating prasādam, then svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ, simply by these two kinds of practices, Kṛṣṇa will Himself reveal Himself before you, "I am like this." You cannot understand Kṛṣṇa by speculation. No, that is not possible, because your senses are imperfect. But if you begin this process of service, then it will be possible that one day Kṛṣṇa will reveal to you, "I am like this."

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, March 26, 1968:

No, that is not possible, because your senses are imperfect. But if you begin this process of service, then it will be possible that one day Kṛṣṇa will reveal to you, "I am like this."

Just like Kṛṣṇa is revealing in the Bhagavad-gītā to Arjuna. Arjuna is a devotee, and he is submissive. And he is friend also. He is in contact with Kṛṣṇa as friend. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is revealing to Kṛṣṇa..., ah, to Arjuna. This Bhagavad-gītā is spoken to Arjuna, not to any Vedantist or speculationist. In the beginning of the Fourth Chapter, you know that Kṛṣṇa says that "I'll speak to you that old system of yoga, bhakti-yoga," in the beginning of the Fourth Chapter, "unto you." Why? Kṛṣṇa was not a Vedantist... Ah, Arjuna was not a Vedantist or a great philosopher or a brāhmaṇa or nothing. He was a kṣatriya. He was a fighter, and a householder, not even a sannyāsī. So these are not qualifications to understand Kṛṣṇa. Suppose... Just like I have become a sannyāsī, mendicant. This is not qualification that I can understand Kṛṣṇa. Even in your white dress, as gṛhastha, you can understand better than me. Then what is the qualification? This qualification: sevonmukhe hi jihvādau (Brs. 1.2.234). One who has developed the service spirit with love and devotion, he can understand Kṛṣṇa. Nobody else. Nobody... Not Dr. Radhakrishnan or similar person. No. But a child can understand Kṛṣṇa if he has full faith in Him.

So it is the faith and devotion that makes one qualified to understand God. Mad-āśrayaḥ. This is called mad-āśrayaḥ. Now by simply that faith and service, you'll understand that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Now just like we are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are not wasting your time or our time without having full faith that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, theoretically or practically. Theoretically, if you take that "How Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead?" theoretically, from the revealed scriptures, we understand from the Vedic literature that great authorities in the past and in the present...

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Los Angeles, March 12, 1970:

Prabhupāda: That is also fact. You cannot say that you are the controller or material nature is controller. There is a supreme controller. That is God. That is also another fact. And time. The... Everything is done within time. Time is also a different, relative measure according to the... Your time is different from the time of another animal or another living entity. Just like Brahmā's time. You cannot calculate one day of Brahmā because your time and his time is different. Similarly, a small microbic animal, his time and your time is different. So he cannot calculate your time. So time is relative.

So time, living entity, this material world, and the supreme controller, and activities. Every living entities are engaged in some activities. So you have to understand these five things which you are experiencing daily. So if you understand Kṛṣṇa, these five things will be automatically understood, and you will understand everything. By understanding one, Kṛṣṇa, you understand these five items. And by understanding these five items, you understand the whole thing. That's all. That means you have complete knowledge. So Bhagavad-gītā explains like that. Kasmin vijñāte sarvaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati. Everything becomes known by understanding the Supreme. That is our program. Go on.

Devotee: "One should therefore begin yoga practice as directed in the last verse of the sixth chapter. Concentration of the mind upon Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme, is made possible by prescribed devotional service in nine different forms."

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Los Angeles, March 12, 1970:

Prabhupāda: Yes. The instruction is that "How by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me"—this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness—"with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full." And if you know Kṛṣṇa in full, you know everything. And you can know Kṛṣṇa simply by our concentrating mind upon Kṛṣṇa. And as soon as you know Kṛṣṇa, you know everything. Therefore your knowledge is perfect. Is that argument fallacious? You can understand Kṛṣṇa simply by concentrating upon Him. That you can do. Everyone can do that. And as soon as you understand Kṛṣṇa you know everything. So why not take this path? Simple. That is full knowledge. That means eternity.

Here it is said, the exact word in Sanskrit is mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Mayy āsakta: "If you simply become attached to Me," mayy āsakta-manāḥ... "Your mind should be so trained that you become attached to Me." This is yoga, because yoga means training the mind. To concentrate the mental focus on Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa, that is the yoga practice. The pressing of nose or making your head down and legs up, these are means to come to the point of samādhi, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But they are not yoga itself or end. They are means to the end. But here is the end. If you can concentrate your mind on Kṛṣṇa, then you come to the ultimate point. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, "Simply by concentrating your mind on Me, you will understand Me perfectly. And as soon as you understand Me perfectly..." Of course, we cannot understand God perfectly. That is not possible. He is unlimited. We are not... Still, so far our capacity is concerned, if we can understand Kṛṣṇa, then everything is known to us.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Los Angeles, March 12, 1970:

Prabhupāda: Yes. If somebody says, "Oh, I am very good scholar in Sanskrit and English and this language, that language. I can explain. I have read so many books, and I can comment. I can give footnote and waste your time," then "Oh, he is very nice." Simply for wasting time and energy, everyone is ready. And as soon as the right thing is given... Right thing... If you say, "Oh, you haven't got to go through so many, I mean to say, process. You simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa," "Oh," they'll say, "this is all nonsense. Simply by chanting?" They will not accept. You see? There are many stories in this connection, how people are not accustomed to take things very simply. They want something bombastic. Yes. You see? Go on.

Devotee: "In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam this process of understanding Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, is described in the third chapter of the First Canto as follows: 'To hear about Kṛṣṇa from the Vedic literature or to hear from Him directly through the Bhagavad-gītā is itself righteous activity. And for one who hears about Kṛṣṇa, Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is dwelling in everyone's heart, acts as a well-wishing friend and purifies the devotee.' "

Prabhupāda: This is very important. The Bhāgavata statement is there. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). If somebody even does not understand the philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā—simply he sticks to the hearing process—then there is the result. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. Bhāgavata says, "One who is..." Just like these children. Our... We have got so many children, devotees here. It is not possible that they are understanding the subtle philosophical statements of Bhagavad-gītā, but because they are sitting and hearing, they are writing. You see? But whatever he writes, it is right. Just take by a practical example.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Los Angeles, March 12, 1970:

So this is confirmed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Simply if one sticks to hearing, he may be a child, he may be a boy, he may be a woman or he may be some illiterate man, or anything, less intelligent—it doesn't matter, simply if he hears. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. And Kṛṣṇa is there within your heart. As soon as Kṛṣṇa sees, "Oh, this, this is very nice. He is hearing about Me," He will help you. He will cleanse your heart. (break) Because... Therefore to hear of kṛṣṇa-kīrtana is also another pious activity. So these boys, when they are going in the street chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, automatically they are giving chance to the people to become pious. Hearing is so important. They are becoming pious. They are purchasing one copy, Back to Godhead. They are nodding: "Yes, these boys are very nice." They are accumulating something spiritual. It is so nice. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). Simply by hearing, chanting, it is pious activities.

So one who is engaged in this pious activity, hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi... (child crying) That one who hears that... Kṛṣṇa, understanding that this person is hearing, He cleanses. The chanting process we have many times discussed. It is the cleansing process. And as soon as the heart is cleansed, one can understand Kṛṣṇa immediately. It is a cleansing process, this hearing process. Hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi suhṛt satām. He is friend... Kṛṣṇa is friend of everyone, but He is a special friend of the devotees. Suhṛt satām. Satām means devotee, and suhṛt means friend. Kṛṣṇa is friend. Just like the same example. Government is taking care of all citizens, but he is taking more care of the civil citizens than the criminal. The criminal citizens, they are also under the care of the government, but they are not taken so much care as the civil citizens. Similarly, God is taking care of everyone—that's a fact—maybe he is sinful or not sinful. But He takes special care of the devotee. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Yes?

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Gainesville, July 29, 1971 University of Florida:

This is the process. That is the perfectional process. Kṛṣṇa therefore says in the Bhagavad-gītā, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. "Anyone who knows Me in truth," what happens to him? Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti: (BG 4.9) "Such persons, after giving up this body, do not come back again in this material world to accept a material body." Then what happens to him? Mām eti: "He comes to Me, back to home, back to Godhead."

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is directly giving people how to understand Kṛṣṇa. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. Tattvataḥ, in truth. So we are giving Kṛṣṇa knowledge based on this authorized scripture, Bhagavad-gītā, Vedas. Vedas means knowledge. And what is the... Vedānta means the ultimate end of knowledge. What is that end of knowledge? That is Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). By all the Vedas, the ultimate conclusion should be Kṛṣṇa. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). This conclusion comes after many, many births. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān. After culturing knowledge for many, many births, when actually one becomes wise, then bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate, he surrenders unto Kṛṣṇa. How he surrenders? Because he knows, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti: (BG 7.19) Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa is everything. Whatever we see, it is simply a manifestation of the energy of Vāsudeva. One must be convinced on this fact, and then he becomes a devotee. Prapadyate. Kṛṣṇa therefore advises that you understand or not understand, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "Simply surrender unto Me."

So what Kṛṣṇa taught in the Bhagavad-gītā, we are teaching the same thing without any different manufactured ideas. That is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And it is open to everyone. The process is very simple. We have got our center here. If you want to take advantage of this movement, you are welcome. You'll be happy.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Madras, February 14, 1972:

To understand Kṛṣṇa is not very easy task. Kṛṣṇa says, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu: "Out of millions and millions persons, kaścid, someone may try to make his life successful, human life." kaścid yatati siddhaye.

This human form of life is especially meant for God realization, not for any other business. But people do not try for it. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛ-loke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1), that we should not, especially this human form of body... There are 8,400,000 forms of body—cats, dogs, trees, plants, insects—so many. So this form of life, human form of life, it is worth that, nāyaṁ dehaḥ, nṛ-loke, which means you are born in the human society. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛ-loke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). Kaṣṭān means we have to satisfy the necessities of our body. That is a fact. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca—these are the necessities of the body. So we have to satisfy them, that is a fact, but not with great difficulty, kaṣṭān kāmān. Kaṣṭān kāmān means... Kāmān means the demands of the body. But we should not take up a civilization which teaches to fulfill the necessities of our life with great labor, kaṣṭān kāmān, because that kind of civilization is existing amongst the hogs and dogs. They are working whole day and night. So perfection of human life is not (to) increase our industrial enterprise or economic development or so many things we are now planning. The perfection of human life is to understand Kṛṣṇa, to understand God. If you have got any objection to speak "Kṛṣṇa" as the name of God—you may have—but actually, if there can be any name of God, that is "Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. All-attractive. That is defined in the śāstra. So Kṛṣṇa, when He was present as a historical person... Kṛṣṇa is also a historical person, because five thousand years ago He appeared on this planet and He took His birth in Mathurā, and He was raised as a cowherd boy in Vṛndāvana, then He went to Dvārakā.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Madras, February 14, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa is also a historical person, because five thousand years ago He appeared on this planet and He took His birth in Mathurā, and He was raised as a cowherd boy in Vṛndāvana, then He went to Dvārakā. In this way His life is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead comes here, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). That is a fact. He comes in one day of Brahma after millions of years. These have been described in the śāstra. But unfortunately, although Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead explains Himself, we unfortunate creature, we take Him as ordinary person. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). That we should know. That is taught by Kṛṣṇa Himself in the form of Lord Caitanya. He has given such a nice program that although it is very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa, as Kṛṣṇa says Himself,

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu

kaścid yatati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāṁ

kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ

(BG 7.3)

To understand Kṛṣṇa as a historical person, that He took His birth in the family of Yadu-vaṁśa, Yadu dynasty, and then He was carried to His foster father, Nanda Mahārāja, and He was raised there—this is also one understanding. But the understanding of Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very difficult. It is very difficult.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Madras, February 14, 1972:

So that is Vedic injunction. Just like from lawbook when you give evidence before the Justice, it is accepted law. That is in the law. Similarly, whenever there is reference in the Vedic literature, we have to accept. And practically we have seen people did not know the name of Kṛṣṇa three, four years ago, they are mad after Kṛṣṇa, the European, American. This is the practical fact. Therefore through the grace of Lord Caitanya, through the method given by Lord Caitanya, if we approach Kṛṣṇa it becomes very easy. That was the..., detected by Rūpa Goswāmī. Namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). Kṛṣṇa-prema. To attain Kṛṣṇa, to understand Kṛṣṇa is very difficult. Kṛṣṇa Himself says so.

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu

kaścid yatati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāṁ

kaścin vetti māṁ tattvataḥ

(BG 7.3)

So one does not understand what is Kṛṣṇa, then what to speak of loving Kṛṣṇa? If you don't understand somebody, how you will love him? But through the method given by Lord Caitanya, if we accept, it becomes so easy that even mlecchas and yavanas, who never heard of Kṛṣṇa, they are dancing in ecstasy for kṛṣṇa-prema. So if we actually want that siddhi, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3), that perfection of life, we must take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It teaches how to surrender unto Kṛṣṇa. If we surrender to dog, forgetting Kṛṣṇa, we are under the clutches of māyā.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Auckland, April 15, 1972:

"The original is impersonal Brahman. Now He has taken form." This conclusion, who makes? Avyaktaṁ vyaktim āpannaṁ manyante mām abuddhayaḥ (BG 7.24): "Those who are less intelligent, whose intelligence is very poor, they consider that ultimately I am nirākāra. I have taken the form." Sākāra-nirākāra. No. Kṛṣṇa says, sambhavāmy ātma-māyayā: (BG 4.6) "I come out of My good will." Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham: (BG 4.7) "At that time I appear." Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). We have to understand Him in truth, not by imagination, not by malinterpretation, but by fact. The fact is being explained by Kṛṣṇa Himself. Why we should go to understand Kṛṣṇa by the commentary of some less intelligent, some poor fund of knowledge? Why we should go?

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means we are presenting the Bhagavad-gītā as it is. That's all. We have no difficulty. We have no difficulty because Kṛṣṇa is accepted as authority, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by all the ācāryas, not only formerly, like Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Asita, Devala, many, many big, big stalwart... Vyāsadeva everyone knows. Vyāsadeva is the original writer of Vedic knowledge, Vedavyāsa. He accepts Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. His disciple Nārada accepts, the Supreme Personality of..., Vyāsadeva's guru, Nārada. Nārada's guru, Brahmā, he accepts, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. So Govinda is person. This impersonal Brahman, nirākāra, that is His personal effulgence, bodily effulgence. Just like the sun. You can understand. The sun planet is localized, and within the sun planet, there is sun-god. His name is also mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā, Vivasvān.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Auckland, April 15, 1972:

The first direction is evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). "All the rājarṣis, they understood Bhagavad-gītā by the paramparā system." That paramparā system, Kṛṣṇa also says, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam: (BG 4.1) "I spoke first of all this system of yoga system mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā." That is bhakti-yoga. What is that yoga system? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is the ultimate instruction of Bhagavad-gītā. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). "All the Vedas, they are teaching only to understand Me, Kṛṣṇa."

So if we do not understand Kṛṣṇa as He is, although He is explaining, all the ācāryas are explaining... In our country... You come from India. In our country there are big, five ācāryas who is practically controlling the Hindu society or the Vedic society: Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Nimbārka, Viṣṇu Svāmī, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So we have to follow the footprints, the footsteps of the ācāryas. That is mentioned in the... Ācāryopāsanam. If you want to advance in knowledge, then you must worship the ācāryas. Otherwise what knowledge you will get? You cannot get, manufacturing knowledge or getting knowledge from somebody who has manufactured knowledge. The knowledge must be received by paramparā, by paramparā, as Kṛṣṇa says. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2), sa kāleneha yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa. He again spoke the science of Bhagavad-gītā to Arjuna because the paramparā was broken. Sa kāleneha naṣṭaḥ. Otherwise there was no need of speaking Bhagavad-gītā to Arjuna. And why He selected Arjuna to understand Bhagavad-gītā? That is also explained. One may say that Arjuna was a gṛhastha, householder, and a politician and a soldier. Why Bhagavad-gītā was instructed to him? That is natural. He was not a vedāntī. He was not a brāhmaṇa. He was not a sannyāsī. Why he was selected to understand Bhagavad-gītā? This should be... There should be inquiry. Generally you understand that a vedāntī, a sannyāsī, a brāhmaṇa may know about spiritual knowledge, about God. No, that is not the fact. The fact is, as Kṛṣṇa says, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me rahasyaṁ hy etad uttamam: (BG 4.3)

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Diego, July 1, 1972:

Prabhupāda: So Kṛṣṇa can be present by His words. Because Kṛṣṇa's word and Kṛṣṇa is not different, Absolute. If you actually accept Kṛṣṇa in the form of Bhagavad-gītā, then you are directly associating with Kṛṣṇa, as Arjuna was doing. There will be no difficulty. Ajita. Kṛṣṇa is unconquered, but simply by your humble receptive process, you will conquer over Kṛṣṇa. How you'll conquer? He's already within your heart. You'll realize that "Here is Kṛṣṇa." That is conquer. Then?

Pradyumna: "No one can be a greater authority than Kṛṣṇa, and therefore by hearing from Him one receives the greatest opportunity for progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One has therefore to learn from Kṛṣṇa directly or from a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, and not from a nondevotee upstart, puffed up with academic education. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam this process of understanding Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, is described in the Second Chapter of First Canto as follows:

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 13, 1972:

So by the end of the Sixth Chapter, Kṛṣṇa has explained the aṣṭa, aṣṭāṅga-yoga-siddhi. Aṣṭāṅga-yoga-siddhi, that yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā (BG 6.47). Always who is thinking of Kṛṣṇa within himself, śraddhāvān, with faith and knowledge, he is first-class yogi. So how this first-class yoga system helps me? Because the other yoga systems, they will disagree, that "Simply by thinking of Kṛṣṇa within one's heart, how one becomes perfect?" That is explained from the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā, how simply by understanding Kṛṣṇa, you become well aware of everything, this yoga system. In the Vedas also it is stated, yasmin vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati. If you, if you simply understand Kṛṣṇa, then you know everything. Kṛṣṇa is the root of everything. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, śrī-bhagavān uvāca.

We should always remember that this Bhagavad-gītā is being spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So no more better authority. And God is speaking about Himself. Otherwise, by speculation you cannot understand God. That is not possible. You have to hear from God Himself about God.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bombay, January 13, 1973:

There are many yogis, many different types of yogis. But the best yogi, the foremost yogi, best of all is he... Who? Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatena: "Simply in relationship with Me, thinking of Me." Mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā. Within the core of heart, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Mad-gata. Yoga process means to concentrate the mind upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, generally Lord Viṣṇu. So Lord Viṣṇu and Kṛṣṇa, there is no difference. They are the same. Kṛṣṇa is the original Viṣṇu. So the first-class yogi is he who is always concentrating his mind upon Kṛṣṇa. Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā, śraddhāvān. Unless you have got śraddhā, you cannot make any progress. Śraddhā. Śraddhā means faith. Just like you have all came. You have got little faith or more faith. There is faith. Without faith, how you could come here and spare some time for understanding Kṛṣṇa, or hearing about Kṛṣṇa? So this is the beginning, śraddhāvān. Śraddhāvān bhajate yo mām. With faith.

That faith begins... In the Bhagavad-gītā, the Kṛṣṇa is creating that faith, personally. He's speaking about Himself to create your faith. Kṛṣṇa says that "You are searching after the Supreme." Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). Aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). So in this way Kṛṣṇa... Not advertising Himself, but He is presenting Himself. Because He comes down to establish real religious system. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). Dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya. He has come. He came to establish real religious principle.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Calcutta, January 27, 1973:

If you want to know Kṛṣṇa or God by the speculative process, not only for one year, two years... Panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamyo vāyor athāpi. Not mental speculation, but on the aeroplane running on the speed of vāyu, or air, or mind, the speed of mind, still, by traversing many crores of years, you cannot reach. Still it, it remains avicintya, inconceivable. But if you take to the process of this kṛṣṇa-yoga, or bhakti-yoga, then you can become aware of Kṛṣṇa very easily. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). To understand Kṛṣṇa superficially, that is not sufficient. That is also good, but you must have tattvataḥ, what is Kṛṣṇa actually. That knowledge can be achieved—bhaktyā, by this kṛṣṇa-yoga. Otherwise,

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu

kaścid yatati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāṁ

kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ

(BG 7.3)

There are so many human beings all over the world, Mostly, they're like animals—without culture. Because, according to our Vedic culture, unless one takes to the institution of varṇa and āśrama, he's not a human being. He's not accepted. So therefore Kṛṣṇa says manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu. Who is accepting this varṇāśrama?

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Sydney, February 16, 1973:

The Supreme Absolute Truth is one, but He's realized from different angles of vision. Those who are trying to realize the Supreme Absolute Truth by speculation, they come to the impersonal conclusion. And those who are trying to think Him, think about Him within the heart, dhyānāvasthita... That is the yogic, yogic principle, to think of the Supreme within the heart. He is there within the heart. Both the living entity, individual living entity and God, is sitting within this heart. That's a fact. We have to search it out, catch Him by yogic process. So those who are trying to understand the Absolute Truth by speculative method, they come to the conclusion of impersonalism. And those who are trying to capture the Supreme Personality of Godhead within the heart—yogis, Paramātmā—they understand Kṛṣṇa or God as Paramātmā, the Supersoul. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānām hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). You will find in the Bhagavad-gītā. Īśvara, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is sitting in everyone's heart. Not only human beings, even animals, everyone. So that feature is called Paramātmā. But the ultimate feature is bhagavān. Bhagavān means the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhaga means opulence. There are six kinds of opulences. So the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the possessor of all the opulences, and He's a person. These are the Vedic versions. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇah (Bs. 5.1). We, we are also, because we are part and parcel of God, we may be called as sample God, sample God. Just like in Christian Bible also it is said that man is made after the form of God. Actually that is a... We have got two legs, two hands, this form—this is after God's form. God has also the same form, like human being. It takes some time to understand. It is a great science.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hyderabad, April 27, 1974:

Therefore it is asat. It is not sat. My body, your body is full of ignorance. Therefore, it is not cit. It is acit. And my body, your body is not at all pleasing. There are so many troubles. Therefore it is not ānanda. Therefore Kṛṣṇa's body is different from us. Therefore He is controller. We think, "If Kṛṣṇa has got a body, then He must have a body like us." Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). "These mūḍhas, rascals, because I appear before them to give them the lesson about God, what is God, these rascals think of Me as one of them." This is rascaldom. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam, paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ (BG 9.11). That sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1) can control the whole material nature—that they do not know. Paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ.

So therefore it is our duty to understand Kṛṣṇa. What is the difficulty? Kṛṣṇa is personally..., God is personally explaining Himself, what He is, and if we accept that, then where is the difficulty to understand God? Why you are making so much research work to find out God? God is canvassing at your door, "Here I am. You try to understand Me. Here I am explaining Myself." "No, no, no. We shall find out God somewhere else." This is called mūḍha. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). Narādhama means not even ordinary knowledge of a human being. Lowest of the mankind. We are searching out what is God, and God is canvassing here. We do not accept. Therefore narādhama. Why? Māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ, because their knowledge has been taken away by the illusory energy. But one who is, whose knowledge has not been taken away... Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was personally instructed by Kṛṣṇa, and how he accepts Kṛṣṇa? He accepts Kṛṣṇa:

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hyderabad, April 27, 1974:

Then what is the meaning of that lawbook? That is not lawbook. You cannot change. Similarly, if you accept Bhagavad-gītā as the book of authority, you cannot change the meaning. That is not allowed. What right? If you have got some opinion, if you have got some philosophy, you can write in your own book. Why you are, I mean to say, killing others and yourself by interpreting Bhagavad-gītā? You give your own thesis in a different way. But these people, they take advantage of the popularity of Bhagavad-gītā and interpret in a different way according to their own whims. Therefore people do not understand what is Kṛṣṇa. That is the difficulty. And the purpose of Bhagavad-gītā is to understand Kṛṣṇa. And all the so-called scholars' and politicians' commentary is to banish Kṛṣṇa or to kill Kṛṣṇa—the Kaṁsa's policy. The Kaṁsa was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, how to kill Him. This is called demonic endeavor. So that will not help you.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says you have to develop your love and attraction for Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. "This yoga practice can be performed," mad-āśrayaḥ, "under My protection or My devotee's protection." You cannot take protection of another rascal who interprets Bhagavad-gītā in a different way. You have to take shelter directly. Of course, Bhagavad-gītā instruction is there. Everyone can take shelter of Kṛṣṇa directly. Where is the difficulty? Just like here is is said, mayy āsakta. You have to develop your attachment for Kṛṣṇa. You can do that. How these Americans and European boys, they have developed their attraction for Kṛṣṇa?

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hyderabad, April 27, 1974:

Now these same boys, they are after, mad after God. What is this movement?" They are surprised.

So there is a process. If we adopt that process, then everyone can become mayy āsakta-manāḥ, Kṛṣṇa āsakta-manāḥ. We have to accept the process. That process is called yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. You have to accept the yoga system under the protection of Kṛṣṇa personally or His bona fide devotees, representative. Then you will be... Then what will be the result? The result will be asaṁśayam, without any doubt. Now people are educated in all other institution about God, but they are all full of doubts, full of doubts: "What kind of God? What is the nature of God? Whether there is God? Whether there is no God?" So many doubts. But if you accept this Kṛṣṇa consciousness yoga system, then you can understand Kṛṣṇa asaṁśayam, without any doubt. And samagram, in fullness, not that partial. Partially understanding of God, that is also understanding, but it will again take time, because unless you fully understand what is God, you cannot go back to home, back to Godhead. That is the formula.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Hong Kong, January 25, 1975:

This is the business. And this business, you can occupy yourself in this human form of life. In other form of life...

We are changing our form of life from one body to another, but if we want to understand God... That is essential. So long we do not understand God, so long we do not go back to home, back to Godhead, our struggle for existence will continue. Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). They struggle. Everyone struggles hard to become happy, but that is not possible. Simply searching after, searching after happiness, our time comes: "Finished. Your business is finished. Now get out." That is called death. So death is also Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34). Mṛtyu, Kṛṣṇa, comes as death. During your lifetime, if you do not understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this Kṛṣṇa will come as death and take away everything what you have got. Sarva-haraḥ. Then your body, your family, your country, your bank, everything business, business—finished. "Now you have to accept another body. You forget about all these things." This is going on. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19).

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the greatest benefactory movement to the human society because it is giving information to the human society that "You make your life... You have got this nice human form of body. Make this life perfect by understanding Kṛṣṇa." This is the opportunity. You may think of independent of Kṛṣṇa. You are not independent of Kṛṣṇa. You are under the rules and regulation of Kṛṣṇa, because we are under the rules and regulation of material nature. But what is this material nature? Material nature is agent of Kṛṣṇa. Mama māyā. Kṛṣṇa says, mama māyā duratyayā. You cannot surmount the stringent laws of material ways. And this māyā is Kṛṣṇa's māyā. Therefore the conclusion is given by Kṛṣṇa, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). If you want to get out of the māyā's activities, prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi (BG 3.27), then you have to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no way out. This is a scientific movement. Anyone, intelligent person, any thoughtful person, he must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise he is doomed.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:

Everything is situated on Kṛṣṇa's opulence, but not that you will find Kṛṣṇa there. You will find Kṛṣṇa there when you are advanced. Otherwise you will not find. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ. Kṛṣṇa is situated everything, but still, you cannot see in Kṛṣṇa unless you have got eyes to see. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, to give you the eyes to see Kṛṣṇa everywhere. So how this thing can be done? So if you are serious, then you can see Kṛṣṇa.

So that Kṛṣṇa is advising in this verse in the Seventh Chapter or throughout the whole Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa is instructing us how to understand Him. That is our only business. This human form of life is meant for understanding Kṛṣṇa because we are very thickly related with Kṛṣṇa, just like father and the son. This relation cannot be broken. Maybe son is out of home, son may have forgotten, but Kṛṣṇa, the supreme father, He does not forget. He comes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). So Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He has come to explain Himself, what He is. We should take advantage of it, because this human form of life is meant for understanding Kṛṣṇa. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. That is the Vedānta-sūtra. "Now you should inquire of the Absolute Truth." In the Bhāgavata also it is said, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā nārtho yaś ceha karmabhiḥ. Jīvasya, all living entities, especially the human being, his only business is inquire about the absolute knowledge, Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:

We can see, but we don't see very seriously. I see there is a tree in front of my house and it is also a living entity. I am also living entity. I have got very nice house, apartment, living very comfortably, and the other living being, the tree, a few yards from me, he cannot move an inch. He has to stand up in scorching heat, in cold. He cannot protest. If you cut, he cannot cry. Of course, he feels, but he cannot do anything. This is also life and I am also life, so why these differences? But they do not consider, "How he has got this life, and how I have got this life?" There is no university education wherefrom they are coming, no knowledge. Still, they are passing on as great scientist, great philosopher. This is the position.

So our real business is to understand Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa is explaining Himself. Then there is no difficulty. If you want to know me, you can imagine so many things: "Swamiji may be this. Swamiji may be that, like that, like this, like that." They are all imperfect. But if I tell you about myself openly that "I am like this," then your knowledge is perfect. Everyone says, "There is no God." Somebody says, "God is there, but He has no form," and somebody says, "He has any form you like. Imagine any form." In this way speculation is going on all over the world. Actually they are not interested in God. That is the plain simple thing. They do not want to know God, and they think there is no need of understanding. But that is the only need, to understand God. That they do not know. Therefore they are called fools and rascals, mūḍha. Mūḍho nābhijānāti mām ebhyaḥ param avyayam. So Kṛṣṇa therefore left His instruction behind Him that "These mūḍhas, rascals, after studying Bhagavad-gītā they may understand Me. I am keeping behind Me."

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:

So we should take advantage of Bhagavad-gītā. And even though we take advantage, we interpret in a different way. The same business is going on, how to kill Kṛṣṇa. Instead of understanding Kṛṣṇa, the endeavor is going on to kill Kṛṣṇa. Asura. Just like Kaṁsa. He was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. His sister was pregnant, and it is foretold that "The eighth child of your sister will kill you." So he was thinking of Kṛṣṇa, that "The eighth child...," but with a purpose to kill Him. That is the business of the asuras, how to wipe out Kṛṣṇa, Kaṁsa philosophy. So we haven't got to follow Kaṁsa philosophy. We have to follow Kṛṣṇa philosophy. Then our life will be successful. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā (CC Madhya 19.167). Ānukūlyena, favorably, favorably to think of Kṛṣṇa. As Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). This is favorable. Kṛṣṇa never said that "Like My uncle Kaṁsa, you think of Me, how to kill Me." Kṛṣṇa does not say that. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). That will make your life successful.

So here also Kṛṣṇa says,

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

(BG 7.1)

"My dear Arjuna, I have already explained in the Sixth Chapter that to become first-class yogi..." When Arjuna was advised by Kṛṣṇa to become yogi, haṭha-yogī... Haṭha-yogī means to train the mind how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. The mind is disturbed always. This way, that way, mind is going, cañcala, restless. So the haṭha-yoga system is meant for persons who are too much under the bodily conception of life, that "I am this body." For them the haṭha-yoga is there so that by practicing several sitting posture, controlling the mind, controlling the senses, they can concentrate on Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu, the Supreme Lord. This is yoga system. This is real yoga system. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Who is the yogi? He is yogi who in meditation, dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa by the mind And gradually, when he is perfect in samādhi, trance, he can see Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:

So we have to increase the attachment. Kṛṣṇa is already attractive, but we are trying to go away from Kṛṣṇa. This is our business. "Kṛṣṇa may not touch me." We are so clever that "Kṛṣṇa may not touch me." This is māyā. Big, big scholars, big, big politicians, they are writing comments on Kṛṣṇa's book, Bhagavad-gītā, but their aim is very acute, that "Kṛṣṇa may not touch me." This is going on. And then why they are writing on Kṛṣṇa's book? Now, that is their business. Because this book, Gītā, is very famous, so if they can distribute their nonsense philosophy through Gītā, it will be taken very easily. Otherwise they do not know Kṛṣṇa; they do not know what is Bhagavad-gītā. But they take advantage of the popularity of Bhagavad-gītā and push their nonsense philosophy through Bhagavad-gītā. The purpose is to kill Kṛṣṇa, Kaṁsa philosophy. So, then, that way, they'll never get Kṛṣṇa. They'll never understand Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says that "If you want to know Me," asaṁśayaṁ samagram, "if you want to know Me in full, completely, without any doubt, then you have to follow this yoga system," mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Otherwise it is not possible.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:

Devotee (3): Śrīla Prabhupāda, when we are preaching to Christian people or to Muslim people, is there advantage in being familiar with their scriptures or simply Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam?

Prabhupāda: We are not preaching to Christian or Hindu or Muslim. We are preaching to human being. We do not see, "Here is a Christian. Here is a Muslim. Here is a Hindu. Here is a white man. Here is a black man." No. Every living being, his duty is to understand God. This is our preaching. This is our preaching, that "You are living being. You are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. This designation, that 'You are Hindu,' 'You are Muslim,' 'You are Christian,' 'You are this'—these are all designations. Actually you are living being, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore your main duty is to understand Kṛṣṇa." This is our preaching. We are not going to convert Hindu into Muslim, Muslim into Christian. No, that is not our... That is not our business. He may think that he is Christian, he is Hindu, he is Muslim, but we think that he is a spirit soul, part and parcel of God. That is stated in the...

vidyā-vinaya-sampanne

brāhmaṇe gavi hastini

śuni caiva śva-pāke ca

paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ

(BG 5.18)

If one is learned paṇḍita, he does not see Hindu, Muslim, Christian. I went to America, I did not go there to turn the Christian to become Hindu. No, I never said that. Did I say, any, anyone, that "You are Christian. You become a Hindu"? No, never I said. That is not my business.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bombay, December 20, 1975:

So to become ready to serve Kṛṣṇa does not require much knowledge or very advanced in fruitive activities. These are material things. Spiritually, when you understand that you are eternal servant of God, Kṛṣṇa, and if you become fully convinced and do the needful, then you are liberated immediately. Mukti means, it is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, muktir hitvānyathā rūpaṁ svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ (SB 2.10.6). If you understand that you are eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, that is mukti. And so long you are thinking that you are master of something, that is bondage. This is the difference between mukti and bondage. Bondage means to think of becoming master, "I am the lord of this universe," or "I am trying to become a lord or master," this is bondage. And when you fully understand Kṛṣṇa and become engaged in His service, that is mukti.

So for a devotee, there is no question of mukti. A devotee is already mukta. Why? Kṛṣṇa says ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: (BG 18.66) "Immediately as soon as you surrender to Me, immediately I give you protection." You are awaiting some fruitive result of your past karma, that is bondage. You have to take birth and you have to serve according to that karma. Then from that position you are immediately liberated. Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi... Then you are mukta. So if you remain in the position to serve Kṛṣṇa then you are always mukta. Muktiḥ mukulitāñjali sevate asmān. A great devotee, Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura, he said this muktiḥ mukulitāñjali, "With folded hands she is standing at my door, 'What can I do for you?' " Maidservant. So devotee is not after mukti, because they are already muktas. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). He is already nirmala, without a tinge of material motive. Therefore he is able to serve Kṛṣṇa. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bombay, December 20, 1975:

This we want. And we invite all respectable gentlemen, leaders, to learn this, it is very simple: man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), and by executing this order of Kṛṣṇa, he assures, mām evaiṣyasi, "You come to Me." Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Very easy thing.

So our only request is the leaders of the society should take up the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā very seriously, learn himself, and teach to others. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It is not at all difficult; it is very easy. Everyone can do it. But the result will be that as soon as you understand, people understand Kṛṣṇa, janma karma ca me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9), anyone who understands Kṛṣṇa, the result is tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti... After giving up this body he does not accept any more material body; he stays in his spiritual identity and enjoys the society of Kṛṣṇa. That is Vṛndāvana. Gopījana-vallabha. Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa, Vṛndāvana means that Kṛṣṇa is the center. He is the lovable object of everyone. The gopīs, the cowherd boys, the calves, the cows, the trees, the fruits, flowers, the father, mother—everyone is attached to Kṛṣṇa. That is Vṛndāvana. So this is replica, this Vṛndāvana, and there is real Vṛndāvana. This is also real. In the absolute there is no difference.

Lecture on BG 7.1-2 -- Bombay, March 28, 1971:

So here it is stated by Kṛṣṇa, mayy āsakta-manāḥ. How we can become attached to Kṛṣṇa? You have to think over. Kṛṣṇa's different features, His name, His quality, His pastimes, His form, His entourage—so many things—you can simply think over. That is practical and actual meditation. If you study Vedic literature, you get so many information about Kṛṣṇa. And all these will be revealed to you. Svayam eva. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). We cannot understand Kṛṣṇa by our speculative knowledge. If we try to do that, then we can approach up to the impersonal Brahman feature of Kṛṣṇa. Brahmeti. That is not full Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa's partial realization. Brahman realization means Kṛṣṇa's partial realization. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, brahmaṇo 'haṁ pratiṣṭhā: "The Brahman, the all-pervading Brahman, impersonal Brahman, is situated in Me." That's a fact. That is also stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā:

yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-

koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam

tad brahma niṣkalam anantam aśeṣa-bhūtaṁ

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(Bs. 5.40)

So those who are practicing this bhakti-yoga, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, their first position is that they are attached to Kṛṣṇa. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ. Āsakti means attachment. We have got to increase our attachment for Kṛṣṇa. There is process, recommended process. If we adopt that process, then naturally we'll become Kṛṣṇa conscious and gradually we shall understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ, I explained yesterday, taking shelter unto Him under different rasas or mellows, transcendental mellows.

Lecture on BG 7.1-2 -- Bombay, March 28, 1971:

So therefore the creative feature of this material world and the spiritual world are different. They are not created. They are existing eternally. So we have to cultivate such knowledge that we can be..., we may be transferred to the spiritual world, because Kṛṣṇa belongs to the spiritual world, acintya-guṇa-svarūpam.

So in order to think of that acintya-guṇa-svarūpam, we have to undergo certain process. Certain process. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau (Brs. 1.2.234). This process is sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. I cannot ask Kṛṣṇa that "Please come before me. I shall see You." And even if He comes, I cannot see Him, because my eyes are not so prepared to see Him. Just like when Kṛṣṇa was present upon this planet, not that everyone understood Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Māyāśritānāṁ nara-dārakeṇa. Those who are under the influence of material energy, they thought Kṛṣṇa as ordinary person, nara-dārakeṇa. Kṛṣṇa also says, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). So we want to see Kṛṣṇa, but we have to make our eyes prepared to see Kṛṣṇa. Aprākṛta, transcendental platform. And that transcendental platform is recommended by Kṛṣṇa here in this first verse of Seventh Chapter: mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha.

Now, how to become āsakta, attached to Kṛṣṇa? The first beginning is śravaṇam, to hear about Kṛṣṇa. Just like you are kindly present here and trying to hear about Kṛṣṇa. This is the process. This is the process. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Caitanya Mahāprabhu also reco... (break) ...process was first stated by Prahlāda Mahārāja. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, we get information:

Lecture on BG 7.1-2 -- Bombay, March 28, 1971:

This śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, especially, is very essential for understanding Kṛṣṇa. Our this śravaṇa-kīrtana process, hearing and chanting, is helping us, recruiting members in Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world. It is practical. So there is a formula, I have stated many times, that in order to increase our attachment, our dormant love for Kṛṣṇa... We should always remember that we have got dormant love for Kṛṣṇa, but it is now covered. We have to uncover it by cleansing the dirty things. That is the method. So for that purpose, ādau śraddhā, that with some faith, with some conviction, you have come here. This is called śraddhā. "Let us see that this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is going on." Out of curiosity or out of faith, somehow or other, with little faith you have come here. This is called śraddhā stage. Ādau śraddhā. Then if you increase your śraddhā... Suppose this function is going on. If this function continues and if you come continually, then gradually your attachment for Kṛṣṇa will increase. That's a fact. We have seen it in the Western countries. When I began this movement, I never said that "Only such and such persons will be admitted." No. There was no such restriction. Anyone could enter in our meeting room. And they, simply they were given chance for hearing. So gradually, they developed, they awakened their Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and now you see how they are chanting and dancing in ecstasy. It is possible for everyone. It is possible for you also. That is mayy āsakta-manāḥ, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. This is a particular type of yoga which is called bhakti-yoga.

Lecture on BG 7.1-2 -- Bombay, March 28, 1971:

The śravaṇa-kīrtana is the beginning of Kṛṣṇa conscious life. One who is very fortunate, he's in meeting, he meets somebody who is a pure devotee and accepts him as his spiritual master. Therefore here it is stated, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. One has to take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master... A spiritual master is always bona fide. And if he cultivates this Kṛṣṇa consciousness under the direction of a spiritual master, āśraye lañā bhaje, kṛṣṇa tāre nāhi tyaje.(?) Kṛṣṇa does not reject him. Kṛṣṇa accepts him. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi **. That, Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says, that "If you can please your spiritual master, then Kṛṣṇa is automatically pleased. And if you cannot please your spiritual master, then there is no way to understand Kṛṣṇa."

So therefore Kṛṣṇa says particularly here, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan... We have to execute the Kṛṣṇa consciousness yoga system under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master. Mad-āśrayaḥ. Then asaṁśaya, without any doubt. Samagram, in fullness. In fullness means brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti (SB 1.2.11). Kṛṣṇa is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). Brahman is sad-aṁśa, the part which is eternal, and Paramātmā is cid-aṁśa, and Bhagavān is ānanda-aṁśa. And Bhagavān is full, sac-cid-ānanda. And we are all seeking after ānanda. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). The Vedānta says that a living entity, or Kṛṣṇa... Any living entity... Kṛṣṇa is also the supreme living entity, and we are small living entities. So every one of us are seeking after ānanda, transcendental bliss. So when we join together, the living entities and the Supreme Lord, that becomes ānanda, rāsa-līlā. That is wanted. That we are seeking. But we are seeking in a different way, in the material world.

Lecture on BG 7.1-2 -- Bombay, March 28, 1971:

"You will understand Me. If you follow this principle, then," Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna, or anyone follows this principle, then "without any doubt one should understand Kṛṣṇa in fullness." Samagram.

So Kṛṣṇa recommending

jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānam

idaṁ vakṣyāmy aśeṣataḥ

yaj jñātvā neha bhūyo 'nyaj

jñātavyam avaśiṣyate

(BG 7.2)

This devotional service, or the understanding of Kṛṣṇa, is jñānam. First of all, we have to understand. Kṛṣṇa will explain how Kṛṣṇa is present before you in different features. Just like originally He is present before us as impersonal Brahman, localized Paramātmā, and personally also, Supreme Personality of Godhead. They are all the same. There is no difference, Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān. There is no difference. The same thing, but it is realized under different angle of vision. Those who are trying to approach Kṛṣṇa by philosophical speculation, by theosophical understanding, they go up to the impersonal feature of Kṛṣṇa, brahma-jñāna. And those who are trying to understand Kṛṣṇa as the localized Supreme Soul within one's heart... Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). The yogis, they are trying to find out Kṛṣṇa within his heart by meditation.

Lecture on BG 7.1-2 -- Bombay, March 28, 1971:

Therefore those who try to understand Kṛṣṇa very easily, they are sahajiyās. And if one understands Kṛṣṇa very easily, then he derides at Him. Just like generally, people remark against Kṛṣṇa, "Oh, He was so," I mean to say, "characterless that He, I mean to say, mixing with the cowherd girls. So many. He married 16,000 wives." In this way, there are so many remarks. As if they have understood Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa says that "I am not so easily understood." Of course, if anyone understands Kṛṣṇa, then his life becomes successful. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. Anyone who understands Kṛṣṇa, then he becomes immediately a liberated person. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. But one must understand in truth what is Kṛṣṇa. Tattvataḥ.

So anyone who understands Kṛṣṇa in truth... What becomes? Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). Then such person, after quitting this material body, he never comes back again in this material world. Punar janma. Here in this material world, the trouble is that we have to accept one type of body and again give it up and again another type of body, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). Yāvaj jananaṁ tāvan maraṇam. This business is very troublesome. We do not understand. We forget. Under the influence of māyā, we forget what is the trouble of taking birth, what is the trouble of death, what is the trouble of old age, and what is the trouble of disease. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that "Anyone who can understand Me, about Me." Not "about Me," but "about Me." We can understand Kṛṣṇa by His activities, something about Him. Otherwise, He has immense potencies. It is impossible for us to understand. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). There is unlimited energies of Kṛṣṇa; therefore He is called acintya-śakti. Acintya-guṇa. Acintya-śakti, "which is inconceivable." But anyone, if he somehow or other according to his capacity tries to understand in truth, then he becomes immediately liberated so that after quitting this body, he doesn't have to come again in this material world. Then where does he go? Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). "He comes to Me."

Lecture on BG 7.1-2 -- Bombay, March 28, 1971:

Therefore Kṛṣṇa knowledge is so perfect. And if we take the real process, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam (SB 7.5.23), the devotional service... Because Kṛṣṇa says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Here... In the Fourth Chapter, He says that yo jānāti māṁ tattvataḥ. Now here, in the Seventh Chapter also, Kṛṣṇa says again: tattvataḥ. The tattvataḥ word is very much used about understanding Kṛṣṇa. Not superficially, but in truth one has to understand. But that is very difficult. That Kṛṣṇa says here: manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). This is the business of this human form of life, to... This is a chance to make our life successful, siddhaye. Siddhaye means to become successful. And what is that success? That success... Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9), that is success. Not that I earn millions of dollars and amass in the bank, and I think I am successful, but I do not know what is my next life. Where will be my, this amassing of bank balance, my skyscraper building? I will have to accept another body, unwilling, although I have created that body. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27), as I have associated with the three guṇas. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ. If I have associated with the sattva-guṇa, then I will be promoted to the higher planetary systems. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ (BG 14.18). If I have associated with rajo-guṇa, then I shall remain in this planet, middle planetary system. And jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. And if we have associated with the tamo-guṇa, the quality of darkness, ignorance, then I will be gliding down to the animal life.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- London, August 4, 1971:

Every one of us acquiring knowledge. That is called experience, one after another. So Kṛṣṇa says that "If you understand this science," sa-vijñānam, "then your knowledge will be complete. You have nothing to hanker after any further knowledge. Knowledge is complete." That is also Vedic injunction. Yasmin vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati. Yasmin vijñāte, if you can understand the supreme knowledge, the Supreme, then sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati, everything becomes known to you. Just like in arithmetic, if you simply learn 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, then you learned all the arithmetic process. Because in the arithmetic there is nothing but 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6... That's all. Whatever you see, big, big calculation, that is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9... That's all. Similarly, if you simply understand Kṛṣṇa, then you'll see the whole arithmetic, whole world, whole universe is full of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That's all. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll see that bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). When actually one becomes wise, full of wisdom, jñānavān... How? After many, many births of speculation and calculation, when he actually becomes... Just like the same example. A very expert mathematician, he sees the whole mathematic, arithmetic is full of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6... That's all. So actually when one is in knowledge, then he can see Kṛṣṇa everywhere. Not that... Those who are in the lowest stage, they think that Kṛṣṇa is here in the temple and not anywhere else. That is the lowest stage of understanding Kṛṣṇa. But the highest stage of understanding Kṛṣṇa: the Kṛṣṇa conscious person sees everywhere Kṛṣṇa, even within the atom. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). Kṛṣṇa can be found within this universe, in everyone, as well as in the atoms also, within the atoms. Samagram.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- London, August 4, 1971:

There is another example. The fighting was going on between Arjuna and Duryodhana. So Duryodhana criticized the commander in chief, Bhīma, Bhīṣmadeva. "My dear grandfather, you are affectionate to the other parties, my other cousin-brothers; therefore you are not fighting very nicely." "Oh, you think like that, that I'm not fighting very nicely?" "Yes." Just to enthuse him. Yes. So he said, "All right. Tomorrow I shall kill all these five brothers. Is that all right?" "Yes, that's nice." "So I'll keep these five arrows reserved for killing these five brothers." So Duryodhana did not believe, that "He may miss these five arrows," but he said, "My dear grandfather, better I keep these five arrows with me. I shall deliver you tomorrow morning." "All right, you keep it." Kṛṣṇa understood. Kṛṣṇa is all-pervading. He immediately said Arjuna, "Tomorrow you are going to be killed. Be assured." Why? "Now this is the position." "Then what to do?" "Now, you go to Duryodhana and take away all those arrows. Otherwise you'll be killed." So Arjuna remembered that Duryodhana once promised—Duryodhana was elderly, Arjuna is young, younger brother—that "My dear brother, I promise, whatever you want I can give you." So Duryodhana said, "All right. I shall ask you some days later. Not now." So Arjuna thought, "Now this is the opportunity. I shall go and ask Duryodhana to give me those arrows." So Arjuna went to the other camp, and immediately Duryodhana received him as his brother: "My dear brother, you have come? What do you want? You want the kingdom without fighting? Therefore you have come? I can give you. I can stop this fighting if you want without fighting." No. Arjuna said, "No, I have come for some other purpose." "All right. Whatever you want, you can..." "Yes, you sometimes promised that whatever I want you will give me." "Yes, I am keeping my promise. What do you want?" He said, "Give me those five arrows." (laughter) "Yes." Immediately. This is kṣatriya spirit. This is brahminical culture. "Yes, you take it. Go on."

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- London, August 4, 1971:

"That Rāmacandra should be banished immediately and my son should be enthroned." He agreed. He called Rāmacandra, "This is the demand of Your stepmother. Kindly go to the forest for fourteen years, and Your stepbrother will be king." Rāmacandra agreed immediately. "Yes, that's all right, father." This is brahminical culture. Is there any single instance in the history that a king which is going to be enthroned next morning and by the order of his father immediately he goes away to the forest? Therefore there is no harm that we make materially very much advanced, but not like cats and dogs. Take brahminical culture. Then it will be perfect, the whole society. Go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca jagad-dhitāya kṛṣṇāya govindāya... That brahminical culture can be established only by understanding Kṛṣṇa. Without understanding Kṛṣṇa, whatever we do, we shall remain simply animals. That's all.

So how the animals can be interested in Kṛṣṇa? That is not possible. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3). "Out of many thousands of people." Just like we have started this movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, in the Western countries for the last five years, but how many people have come to take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement? Not very many. We have got about three thousand followers. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that it is not attractive for everyone. But if one is attracted, his life is successful. His life is successful. Lord Caitanya also said the same thing. Brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva. There are many, innumerable living entities. They are wandering within this universe in different forms of body and different planets, transmigrating from one body to another, one planet to another. Ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa, kona... Out of them, if one is fortunate enough to associate with a bona fide spiritual master and Kṛṣṇa, his life is becomes successful.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- London, August 4, 1971:

Now, intelligent persons, they will see this instruction of Kṛṣṇa, "Kṛṣṇa says..." That is our method. Our method of acquiring knowledge is to hear from the authority. That's all. Now, who can be better authority than Kṛṣṇa? The Bhagavad-gītā is a book of authority, is acknowledged in every part of the world. Not that simply Indians or Hindus are interested. Any scholar, any philosopher, throughout the whole world. Any religionist, any scientist. Even Professor Einstein, he was interested in Bhagavad-gītā. He was reading it daily. So wise man means one who understands Kṛṣṇa. So our formula is if one is not God conscious, or Kṛṣṇa conscious, we immediately reject him. We immediately accept that he has no qualification. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ. One cannot be qualified unless he is God conscious. His all qualities immediately become rejected. "Why? He has passed M.A., Ph.D. and D.A.C., and he's honored..." That's all right, but in spite of all his education, he will create simply havoc in the world. That's all. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā mano-rathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ (SB 5.18.12). Because he is hovering over the mental plane, he'll simply create havoc. His education will be utilized for his sense gratification, and he will not care for anything. Just like great scientists have discovered the atom bomb, by scientific research. What is the effect? Now by one drop you can kill many millions of people. That is his advancement of science. "Oh, why don't you create something that people will not die?" That is not... "I can assure death, but I cannot save death. That is not in my power." Then what kind of scientist you are? You create something, you create some medicine, that "Take this tablet and no death, no more, at least, no disease." That is not possible. There is disease, development of different kinds of disease, and they are discovering different kinds of medicine. That is a struggle. That is not scientific improvement. There is one problem before you, and you are creating some antidote. That's all. This is struggle, struggle for existence. This is not scientific advancement.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Ahmedabad, December 14, 1972:

"I am American," "I am Indian," "I am brāhmaṇa," like that. So the basic principle is illusion. And there are so many mistakes we commit. And the senses are imperfect. And although my senses are imperfect, I, still, I theorize, "It may be...," "It is like this," "It is like that." These are all imperfect things. Therefore whatever knowledge we may make progress, it is saṁśayam, it remains doubt, uncertainty.

But what Kṛṣṇa says, you can test even with your experimental knowledge. That is Vedic knowledge. Vedic knowledge, it is not dogma. The, the statement is there after sufficient experiment. So we, if we accept Vedic knowledge, we save so much time. We may go on experimenting with our limited power of senses, but that will always remain doubtful, that it is perfect. Asaṁśayaṁ samagram. This samagram, this word, is very significant. Samagram means "complete." To understand Kṛṣṇa means to understand the whole cosmic manifestation, God, the material nature, the time factor, the living entities, their respective relationship, everything. That is called samagram. Not that a Kṛṣṇa conscious person does not know about the creation of the material manifestation. He knows, by his reason. That will be explained in this chapter, Seventh Chapter, how this material creation is going on. The modern scientists, they put up creation, that "There was a chunk, and it was burnt into pieces. Then the planetary systems came into existence." But if we inquire, "Wherefrom this chunk comes?" that they cannot answer. Therefore the so-called scientific knowledge always remains in doubt. Darwin's theory... There are so many passages: "It may be, perhaps."

So these things, "Perhaps, it may be," that is not certain. Therefore they have now accepted the theory of uncertainty. But here we, if we hear from Kṛṣṇa, then it is perfect knowledge. Samagram. How this material world is created, how this earth, five elements of gross elements come into existence, and everything will be explained. Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ mām (BG 7.1). To understand Kṛṣṇa means to understand everything. Therefore tattvam.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Ahmedabad, December 14, 1972:

We have to understand Kṛṣṇa in truth. Simply superficially, if we understand Kṛṣṇa, that "Kṛṣṇa was born of the father and mother, Devakī and Vasudeva, and He was born in Mathurā, and then played with the gopīs. And then the..., He taught something on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra," that is not sufficient knowledge. We should try to understand samagram, as far as possible in complete. Then our devotion, our love for Kṛṣṇa, will be increased.

In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said,

siddhānta baliyā citte nā kara alasa

ihā haite kṛṣṇe lāge sudṛḍha mānasa

(CC Adi 2.117)

Siddhānta, conclusive, conclusive understanding. You should try to understand Kṛṣṇa. Simply by understanding Kṛṣṇa, our life becomes perfect. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti... (BG 4.9). We can become liberated. Therefore Caitanya, yes, Kavirāja Gosvāmī recommends that "Try to understand Kṛṣṇa in truth." And another place it is said,

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-dayā karaha vicāra

vicāra karile citte pābe camatkāra

(CC Adi 8.15)

It is not blindly accepted, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. With considerable deliberation, we take the decision. All the ācāryas, they have taken decision. Therefore in the next verse Kṛṣṇa says, jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānam. This knowledge, with practical understanding, sa-vijñānam. Vijñānam means practical application. We understand Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme. He's the creator of this cosmic manifestation. He's the Supreme. We are all subordinate. This is jñānam. And sa-vijñānam, when it is practically applied, that means when you take to devotional service, then it is practically application, practicing.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Ahmedabad, December 14, 1972:

So therefore mostly people are engaged in the animal propensities of life. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca: eating, sleeping, sex life and defense. They are busy. But these things are visible in the animal life also. Then what is the special significance of the human life? Human life means athāto brahma jijñāsā. They, the human being should be inquisitive to understand Brahman. That is the special significance of human life. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura therefore sings, manuṣya-janama pāiyā, rādhā-kṛṣṇa nā bhajiyā, jāniyā śuniyā biṣa khāinu. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura laments, hari hari bifale janama goṅāinu: "My Lord, I have simply spoiled my life." Why you have spoiled? You are eating very nicely, sleeping very nicely. "No." Manuṣya-janama..., rādhā-kṛṣṇa, manuṣya-janama. This human form of life is especially meant for understanding Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa means Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa means everything, samagram. To understand Kṛṣṇa, that is the special mission of human life. "So I did not try for it. I simply carried away by the waves of māyā." And the Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sings, māyār bośe, jāccho bhese', Khāccho hābuḍubu bhāi. We are being carried away by the waves of this material modes of nature, sometimes drowned, sometimes on the surface. In this way, our life is going on. Jīv kṛṣṇa-dās, e biśwās, korle to' ār duḥkho nāi. But we can stop this being carried away by the waves of māyā simply if we accept that we are eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. We can stop the carrying away.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Ahmedabad, December 14, 1972:

Siddhaye, to become perfect. So unless we follow the injunction of the śāstra, then there is no possibility of siddhi. Na siddhiṁ sāvāpnoti na sukhaṁ na parāṁ gatim. Neither perfection, neither happiness in this life, and what to speak of next life? These things are not possible if we do not follow standard knowledge. So for the standard knowledge, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye. And those who have taken the standard knowledge, yatatām api siddhānām (BG 7.3).

So for, by standard knowledge, by understanding Vedas, that is standard knowledge. Still, although they are siddhas, still they do not understand Kṛṣṇa. Just like karmīs, jñānīs, yogis, they have taken to standard knowledge. That's a fact. But still, they cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. The Māyāvādīs, the impersonalists, the speculators, they cannot understand. They are surprised, that "How Kṛṣṇa can be the Absolute Truth?" Even a, a great scholar, Dr. Radhakrishnan, he's also amazed. He says that "Bhagavad-gītā is mental speculation." And when Kṛṣṇa says on the Ninth Chapter... He writes commentary. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). He says that "It is not up to Kṛṣṇa, but the fact which is within Kṛṣṇa." So he does not know what is Kṛṣṇa, and still, he dares to write commentary on Bhagavad-gītā. This is the difficulty. Kṛṣṇa has no inside or outside. Kṛṣṇa is all spirit, all spirit. Sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). So he does not know. Not only he, many does not know. But the thing is that they dare to write commentary on Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore here it is said that manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye, yatatām api siddhānām (BG 7.3). First of all, one must be perfect. And amongst the perfect, then Kṛṣṇa is known very rarely. Amongst the perfect. What to speak of the imperfect?

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Ahmedabad, December 14, 1972:

So gopīs are also expansion of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's pleasure potency. Gopīs are not these ordinary women; neither Kṛṣṇa is ordinary man. So unless we understand Kṛṣṇa as were discussing this morning, the verse, kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ... Out of many millions of siddhas, one can understand Kṛṣṇa as He is. If we do not understand Kṛṣṇa, then how we can understand gopīs?

So this is not the subject matter of the mental speculators. Better not to read all these books. Because they are not realized souls, neither they are devotees of Kṛṣṇa. Neither do they know what is Kṛṣṇa. So what they will understand about Kṛṣṇa? So if we want to understand Kṛṣṇa, er, gopīs, then we have to learn it from the perfect devotee of Kṛṣṇa, not from the speculators, mental speculators. This is simply a waste of time. Just like Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, rūpa-raghunātha-pade haibe ākuti, kabe hāma bujhabo se yugala-pīriti. Yugala-pīriti, the love between Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī... The gopīs are expansion of Rādhārāṇī, pleasure potency of Kṛṣṇa... These are all spiritual subject matter. So this is not mental. An ordinary man, if he thinks that "I am becoming go...," that is artificial. That is artificial. This is not artificial thing. And the parakīyā-rasa, the sense of paramourship, that is also there. But this is not this parakīyā-rasa, as we understand from this material world. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu, er Sanātana Gosvāmī has said that avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam, śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyam. Those, one who is not Vaiṣṇava... So it is, mental speculator, it is useless to learn from them what is the relationship between the gopīs and Kṛṣṇa. Neither it has to be practiced artificially. These things are rejected. So my request is that you should not read all these books, simply waste your time. (break)

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Ahmedabad, December 14, 1972:

Try to understand this fact. For relishing brahma-sukha, one undergoes severe austerities. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena damena (SB 6.1.13). There are so many processes. Tapo divyaṁ śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). For purifying our existence, we have to adopt so many means of austerities, for understanding what is brahma-sukha.

Now, the reservoir of brahma-sukha, Kṛṣṇa, Para-brahman, when He enjoys, does it mean this is material thing? This is not material thing. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitā... There, that is the expansion of His spiritual bliss. Rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī śaktir asmāt. That is the existence of Kṛṣṇa's hlādinī-śakti. So first of all we have to understand Kṛṣṇa; then, in course of understanding Kṛṣṇa, we shall understand His samvit-śakti, hlādinī-śakti. So these things are not subject matter for studying in our conditioned life. It is for the liberated soul. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu, you'll find in the teachings of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He only once discussed about the love affairs of Kṛṣṇa with gopīs, or Rādhārāṇī, gopīs, with Rāmānanda Rāya. And never He discussed with anyone else. Because He was very elevated, Rāmānanda Rāya. And otherwise, He never discussed. In the Bhagavad-gītā also, you won't find Kṛṣṇa is teaching anything about His relationship with gopīs. Just like... Try to understand. This is not the subject matter for a person who is conditioned; neither it is a subject matter to be discussed and speculated by the conditioned soul. Try to understand this. (break)

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:

One who could not finish this yoga system of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he gets his life again as a human being in very rich family or in a very pure family. So at least human body is guaranteed, even one fails to complete the Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because he gets another chance. To get birth in a rich family means he has no economic problem. He can completely engage himself to understand what is God. But people are not doing that. As soon as he gets birth in a rich family, he thinks that "For nothing I have got so much money. Let me engage in sense gratification." No guide. Otherwise there is a chance. Similarly, in a pure brāhmaṇa family also, the family is already enlightened. Just like the children of our students. From the very beginning they are getting chance to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is a very good chance. From childhood. Fortunately, we got such father and mother. So two alternatives. If a Kṛṣṇa conscious person could not complete the course, then he gets another chance. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate. Yoga-bhraṣṭa, means one who falls down... But there is no cause of falling down if we are strict. Just like if a student is studying nicely, he will pass his examination. Where is the difficulty there? If he neglects, he may fail. But even if he fails, then he gets the chance of getting a human body. Otherwise there is no guarantee. Kṛṣṇa says, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). You have to change this body. But what kind of change? That will depend on your work. You are being educated with the expectation of being situated, posted in some nice occupation, but that occupation will depend on your work in student life. You may become a high-court judge, you can become a great engineer, you can get so many things, or you could not get anything, such post. That will depend on your work. Similarly, this life is preparation for the next life. So best thing is that you prepare, heart and soul, for going back to home, back to Godhead, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the highest perfection of life. Our students are being taught in that way, highest perfection of life.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- Hyderabad, April 28, 1974 :

Now, why this jñānam required? Because our mission of life is to... You can not understand with your foolish brain what is God. That is not possible. They are trying to understand God by the limited senses. How you can understand? We are defective in so many ways. First of all we commit mistakes, and we are illusioned, we try to cheat others, and our senses are imperfect. So, how you can understand with your limited senses, with so many defects? That is not possible. Therefore you have to understand God from God Himself, or from His representative. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said that, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ: "directly under My direction, or under the direction of My representative." You cannot understand Kṛṣṇa if you remain under your personal intelligence. Everyone says that "I shall understand this by my own dint of knowledge, by speculation." That is not possible. Kṛṣṇa says that you have to understand. Here also it is the same thing said, jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānam vakṣyāmy aham, "I shall speak to you." So this is the secret of success, if you want to understand God, what is God. Everyone, there are many philosophers, scientists, they are trying to understand God by research, but that research will not help you. You have to understand directly from God, or from God's representative. That is the way.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- Hyderabad, April 28, 1974 :

Others, who are simply speculating, they cannot understand You. Therefore, people are bewildered how God is person. But they cannot understand, because they have not taken shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, or His representative. It is impossible for him. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samā... (BG 7.25). Kṛṣṇa cannot be exposed to the nondevotees. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya. Not anyone, ordinary common man, can understand. Therefore, we have to understand Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, from Kṛṣṇa, not from anyone who is simply speculating or wrongly interpreting Bhagavad-gītā. They cannot understand. That is the way.

jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānam

idaṁ vakṣyāmy aśeṣataḥ

yaj jñātvā na iha bhūyaḥ anyat

jñātavyam avaśiṣyate

(BG 7.2)

Therefore our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is just to try to understand what is Kṛṣṇa. That's all. What is Kṛṣṇa. Because if you perfectly understand Kṛṣṇa, then immediately you become liberated, and you become eligible to be transferred to the spiritual world. That is stated, divyam. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). If one can understand Kṛṣṇa, why He appears, why He disappears, and... And these are, they are all transcendental; they are not ordinary. Because we understand Kṛṣṇa as a historical person, a person like me, maybe a very great personality with more power than me. Yes, that He is, but you do not know how much powerful He is.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- San Francisco, September 11, 1968:

The stomach will issue such energy by digestion of the foodstuff that it will transform into blood, it will come into the heart, and from the heart it will be diffused all over the body, and all over the body the depression, the exhaustion which has undergone, that will be satisfied.

So this is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and Kṛṣṇa is explaining personally. So yaj jñātvā, if we understand the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then there will be nothing unknown. Everything will be known. It is such a nice thing. Yaj jñātvā neha bhūyo 'nyaj jñātavyam avaśiṣyate. Bhūyo means no more to understand anything. Everything is completely known. Then the question may be why people do not understand Kṛṣṇa. That is, of course, a relevant question, and that is being answered by Kṛṣṇa in the next verse.

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu

kaścid yatati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāṁ

kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ

(BG 7.3)

Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu. There are different kinds of men. Just like we know everyone on this planet only, apart from other planets, there are hundreds and thousands varieties of men. Even here we are sitting, so many ladies and gentlemen, there are different varieties. And if you go outside, there are different varieties. If you go to another country—India, Japan, China—you'll find different. Therefore it is said, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3), out of many, many different varieties of men, kaścid yatati siddhaye, only a few persons decide to understand the philosophy of life.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- Nairobi, October 28, 1975:

"What Kṛṣṇa has said, the meaning is like this," as if Kṛṣṇa left the whole book to be interpreted by another rascal. No. You cannot interpret. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without any interpretation. So if we take Bhagavad-gītā as it is—and everything is there clear—don't interpret like fools and rascals, then you'll get real knowledge. Jñānam. Jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānam (BG 7.2). Practical. Vakṣyāmy aśeṣataḥ. So we must have understood that... This is another meaning, that tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12).

So Kṛṣṇa is showing practically by accepting His friend, very dear friend, as His disciple. That means he is showing who is guru. Guru is Kṛṣṇa and one who understands Kṛṣṇa. That is guru. Don't accept these rascals and fools as guru, who denies Kṛṣṇa. He is not guru. He is cheater. Kṛṣṇa is showing, and Arjuna is accepting, śiṣyas te 'ham (BG 2.7), "I become your śiṣya." That means Kṛṣṇa is the original guru. And one who speaks on behalf of Kṛṣṇa, he is guru. That is guru. This is the test: whether he is aware of Kṛṣṇa. Then he is guru. Otherwise he's not guru. First of all you understand that. So that is mahātmā. Kṛṣṇa has said, sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. That is mahātmā. Who mahātmā?

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Montreal, June 3, 1968:

If one practices this yoga process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then paramaṁ puruṣam adyam—he can attain, he can arrive the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa. Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). If one goes to that place, he hasn't got to come back again to this miserable world.

So Kṛṣṇa conscious movement is the greatest gift to the human society. Those who are fortunate enough, they'll take advantage of it. It is not a fiction. It is not a bogus propaganda. But it is fact... (break) ...many millions of perfected life, one can understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So it is... In one side it is very difficult to understand. But at the same time, it is very easy to prosecute this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And because it is very easy, because we are recommending that "Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. You'll get the greatest perfection," they cannot believe it. If I would have prescribed some gymnastic process and if I would have charged fifty dollars for some secret mantra, then your countrymen would have followed me. Because it is presented very simply, although it is very sublime, we don't get any followers.

Anyway, whatever... In a... There is a proverb in Bengal that "It is better to keep the cowshed vacant than to have a troublesome cow." Cow... Of course, in your country there is no system of cow-keeping. In India at least every householder, at least in the villages, they have got a cow, and not one, but at least one dozen, half a dozen. So it is said that "Instead of keeping a troublesome cow who will not deliver any milk, it is better to keep the cowshed vacant." So we shall be satisfied... (break) ...followers. We are not after many followers. But we want that anyone who comes in contact in this movement may take this movement seriously, try to understand it with all scrutinization, and he'll find it is very sublime and the best, simplest method for spiritual realization.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, March 29, 1971:

Lord Kṛṣṇa says who can understand Him. By understanding Kṛṣṇa as it is stated in the Fourth Chapter—janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ—simply by understanding Kṛṣṇa, one becomes so much elevated that after quitting this body, material body, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9), he never accepts again this material body. As I have already explained to you that our miserable conditioned life is this—that we have to accept every fifty years or sixty or utmost hundred years, we have to accept another body. We may make very good arrangement in this life, nice bungalow, good bank balance, nice family relationships, everything. But the thing is that we shall not be allowed to stay. Aśāśvatam. Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). Therefore all our attempts to become very happy within this material world is futile. The intelligent man should know this, that "I want permanent settlement in my life, but that is not being done." Only intelligent man can understand because intelligent means to understand that we are all eternal. Why should we accept this temporary body? We must have our eternal body. That is possible. You can have your eternal body like Kṛṣṇa. At the present moment, although we are eternal, we have to accept a certain type of body which is not eternal. Asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ (SB 5.5.4). Asann api. This body is temporary, but it is very miserable. It is always giving us trouble. That we should know. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9).

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, March 29, 1971:

The whole life should be engaged how to satisfy Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa. That is varṇāśrama-dharma. The four orders, social orders and spiritual orders—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa—these orders are made for Kṛṣṇa realization. These Vedic principles are there to understand Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15).

So Kṛṣṇa says that out of many thousands of human beings, species of 400,000's of species... manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). They come to the principle of this Vedic system of varṇāśrama-dharma. That is the process of siddhi. Without coming to this process of varṇa and āśrama, cātur-varṇyam, the human life is animal life, or less than animal life. That is not accepted as human society. Therefore it is necessary that all over the world this varṇāśrama-dharma, according to Bhagavad-gītā, must be established. I am therefore trying to get these boys and girls married. This is the system of varṇāśrama-dharma. And they are happy. These boys and girls who are married... Of course, there are sannyāsīs and brahmacārīs. My open order is... I get... I receive so many letters daily that "I wish to marry." Immediately I sanction, "Yes, you get yourself married." But one who is strict, one who can follow very rigidly the orders of brahmacārī and sannyāsī, they continue. Therefore you will find in our society there are sannyāsīs, there are brahmacārīs, there are gṛhasthas, there are vānaprasthas, like that. So no one is checked or hindered to make progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everyone is welcome.

So manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). Siddhaye means to enter into the institution of daiva-varṇa and āśrama. That is called siddhi. Otherwise animals. And yatatām api siddhānām (BG 7.3).

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, March 29, 1971:

So no one is checked or hindered to make progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everyone is welcome.

So manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). Siddhaye means to enter into the institution of daiva-varṇa and āśrama. That is called siddhi. Otherwise animals. And yatatām api siddhānām (BG 7.3). Those who are engaged in the four orders or varṇa and āśrama, out of them, yatatām api siddhānām. Those who are actually in the position of a brāhmaṇa, actually in the position of a kṣatriya, siddhānām... They are called siddha. Actually following the rules and regulation of brāhmaṇas, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, they are called siddha. Kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ. It is not that one has become a brāhmaṇa, qualified brāhmaṇa, because one has become qualified kṣatriya, he will understand Kṛṣṇa. It is not easy to understand Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He is coming personally and He is leaving behind Him this Bhagavad-gītā to understand Him. That is Kṛṣṇa's kindness. Otherwise, by so-called mental speculation, you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. It is not possible. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). If a person is very expert in exercising his senses, mental speculator, it is not that he will understand Kṛṣṇa. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi. Nāmādi means His holy name, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Because name is the first. In our, this forgetful condition, our first business is to chant the holy name. Therefore nāmādi. To understand Kṛṣṇa we have to chant His holy name first, ādi. Then gradually, Kṛṣṇa's qualities, Kṛṣṇa's form, Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, Kṛṣṇa's entourage and everything will be revealed.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, March 29, 1971:

If we take to this devotional service, then this chanting, this vibration of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, very simple method, if we accept this... Just like we have offered these boys this chanting process, and they have accepted it very humbly. And if they prosecute the routine work, gradually they will understand what is Kṛṣṇa. As you see the advanced students who are dancing in ecstasy, you can understand how much they have understood Kṛṣṇa. A simple method. And nobody is checked or barred: "You are not Hindu. You cannot chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." No. Yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei guru haya (CC Madhya 8.128). It doesn't matter whether he is a Hindu or Muslim or Christian or this or that. One has to learn the science of Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavad-gītā, as it is. Then he becomes a spiritual master.

These boys, this boy and girl just now married, I am sending to Australia. The boy has come from Australia, the girl has come from Sweden. Now they are united. Now they are going to maintain our establishment there in Sydney. Just now I am sending them within two or three days. They will take care of the temple and they will preach also. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is expanding by their help. I am alone, but they are helping me. They are my gurus. I am not their guru, (applause) because they are helping me in executing my Guru Mahārāja's order. So it is very nice combination that somebody is going to Australia, somebody is going to Fiji Island, somebody is going to Hong Kong, somebody is going to Czechoslovakia. And we are also negotiating to go to Russia also. There is chance of going to China also. We are attempting. We have already sent two boys to Pakistan—one in Dacca and one in Karachi. (applause)

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, March 29, 1971:

Therefore one who has understood Kṛṣṇa by this process of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ, Kṛṣṇa reveals to them. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam (BG 10.10). Kṛṣṇa is situated in everyone's heart. As soon as one takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Kṛṣṇa helps him. If he comes forward one step, Kṛṣṇa comes forward ten steps. But if you do not want Kṛṣṇa, that is a different business. But one who takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness...

śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ

hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi

vidhunoti suhṛt-satām

(SB 1.2.17)

These boys and girls, they are simply engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Twenty-four hours they are simply hearing about Kṛṣṇa. Twenty-four hours. Not that fifteen minutes' meditation and twenty-three hours doing all nonsense. It is twenty-four hours meditation. Even in sleeping, meditation, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, March 29, 1971:

So we have to understand Kṛṣṇa tattvataḥ, in truth, by this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, February 18, 1974:

He is working because he's desiring." Siddhi is specially meant for the yogis. The yogis, they want to play wonderful magic: aṇimā, laghimā, prāpti-siddhi, īśitā, vaśitā. There are eight kinds of yoga siddhis. That kind of siddhi is not recommended here. Siddhi means to understand one's spiritual identity and work for it; that is called siddhi. So manuṣyāṇām... Who knows it? There is no such education. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3), "Out of million, million persons, one tries for this siddhi, perfection of life, to understand spiritual identity and to work for it." That is called siddhi. And yatatām api siddhānām: (BG 7.3) "One who has attained siddhi and trying for it further, further progress, out of them, millions of such persons, one can understand what is Kṛṣṇa."

We cannot understand Kṛṣṇa so easily. Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is not understandable by ordinary persons, up to the stage of siddhi. But, as Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, that "One can understand Me by the process of bhakti." Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Here it is said,

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu

kaścid yatati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāṁ

kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ

(BG 7.3)

Tattvataḥ means truth. Simply superficially to know Kṛṣṇa... Just like in the English dictionary it is said, "Kṛṣṇa..." Kṛṣṇa is mentioned in the dictionary: "a Hindu god." So what does he know about Kṛṣṇa? "Hindu god." There are Hindu gods, many. According to our Hindu conception, there are thirty-three crores of demigods, chief of which is Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva, Lord Viṣṇu, Sūrya and Gaṇapati. Chiefly they worship. In the Hindu world, they worship...

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, February 18, 1974:

So you can understand Kṛṣṇa.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa said in the beginning of this chapter that jñānaṁ me. Jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānam (BG 7.2). It is a great science. It is not a speculative; it is not imagination. Just like sometimes they create imagined God. The impersonalists, they think there is no God. "God is not personal, but is impersonal. So you can imagine any form." That is rascaldom. That is not Kṛṣṇa; that is not God. How, with your limited senses, imperfect senses, you can imagine God? Whatever you imagine, that is rascaldom, that is not Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid vetti māṁ tattvataḥ (BG 7.3). If you want to know Kṛṣṇa, then you must become Kṛṣṇa's devotee. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). You cannot understand by your so-called scholarship, imaginative power. That is not possible. Athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvaya-prasāda-leśānugṛhīta eva hi, jānāti tattvam (SB 10.14.29). Again that tattvam. "One who has achieved a little favor of You, he can understand you by tattvata, in truth." Athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvaya-prasāda, padāmbuja-dvaya-prasāda-leśānugṛhīta eva hi, jānāti tattvam, na cānya, na ca anya, ciram, for good, for many, many millions of years, vicinvan, simply by speculating. That is not possible. There are many places like that.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, February 18, 1974:

In another place Kṛṣṇa says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). Not only billions of..., but after many billions and millions of births. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān. When one is actually on the platform of knowledge, māṁ prapadyate, he surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. Why? Because he understands at that time vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). That is mahātmā. "Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is everything." That will be explained, how Kṛṣṇa is everything, in this chapter. Jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānam (BG 7.2). How Kṛṣṇa is everything, that will be explained in this chapter.

So if we want to understand Kṛṣṇa, it is not to be done by our scholarship, "It may be this, it may be that." That is all rascaldom. You should understand as Kṛṣṇa says. Then you'll understand Kṛṣṇa. How you can understand? You are so imperfect, you cannot understand even yourself. You do not know what you are. You are thinking that you are body; I am thinking I am this body. So bodily concept of life is the business of the cows and the asses. How the cows and asses can understand Kṛṣṇa? They cannot understand. If you want to understand Kṛṣṇa, then you should hear from Kṛṣṇa and take it as it is. Then you'll understand. If you are fortunate enough, then you'll understand.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, February 18, 1974:

Tattvataḥ means truth. You can understand that "Kṛṣṇa was an India in...," He was born like that. Just like Arjuna also said, aparaṁ bhavato janma paraṁ janma vivasvataḥ, katham etad vijānīyām. So he also... Arjuna understood Kṛṣṇa because Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna was devotee of Kṛṣṇa. But to clear the idea of Kṛṣṇa, as the rascals take, he asked this question, aparaṁ bhavato janma, that "Your birth is just recently, say a hundred years ago, but the sun planet? Millions, millions of years. How can I believe that you spoke this philosophy, or science, to the sun-god, Vivasvān?"

So the reply was that "My dear Arjuna, you are My devotee. Whenever I appear, you also appear, but I remember what I spoke to the sun-god. You were also present at that time with Me, but you have forgotten. I have not forgotten." That is the difference between Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, or God and human being. That is the difference. Vedāhaṁ samatītāni (BG 7.26). Kṛṣṇa, God, knows everything, past, present and future. Just like in the Bhāgavata, in the beginning, God means janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) "From whom everything has emanated." So everyone can say, "I have given birth to so many children, so many houses, so many factories. I am also God." No. You cannot be God, because you do not know, abhijña... You do not know the past, present and future. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ (SB 1.1.1). Kṛṣṇa is abhijña. Just like in our body. We are eating. How this eating, I mean, the substance is transformed into different secretion and again blood, again flesh, again bone? How these are, we do not know. But it is actually happening. Anvayād itarataḥ. I know that I am eating, but itarataḥ, how this eating substance are transformed into bones, marrow, stool, I do not know. Therefore I am not abhijña. But about Kṛṣṇa it is said, abhijña. "He knows everything." How this world is going on?

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, February 18, 1974:

"He knows everything." How this world is going on? How these planets are rotating? How seasons are changing? Yasyājñayā bhramati sambhṛta-kāla-cakraḥ. Actually, it is happening due to the rotation of the sun; every scientist knows. But how the rotation of sun is going on, that they do not know. That we know. How? It is said in the Brahma-saṁhitā, yasyājñayā bhramati sambhṛta-kāla-cakraḥ. "The sun is moving by His order." Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram: (BG 9.10) "Under My supervision, everything is going on." That is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is not ordinary thing.

So one who tries to understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, tattvataḥ, he is very very fortunate; therefore he's called manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3). The fortune does not come to everyone and anyone. Out of millions of persons. Therefore, who have taken Kṛṣṇa, who have understood Kṛṣṇa in tattvataḥ, as far as his knowledge is concerned, he is very, very fortunate. Ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva (CC Madhya 19.151). Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that we are wandering throughout the universe in many species of life, and when we come to this human form of life, if we are fortunate, or if we are fortunate to meet another fortunate devotee, then we can understand what is Kṛṣṇa. That is the saying, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). Simply for a time endeavoring like cats and dogs, that will not help us. We have to approach such a person... That is stated in the beginning of Seventh Chapter, mad-āśrayaḥ. What is that first version?

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, February 18, 1974:

That is another thing. Kṛṣṇa is... Just like electricity is everywhere, but one who knows the science, he can capture electricity. Telephone wire is everywhere, but still, you have to bring some expert to connect your telephone. The telephone wire is everywhere. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu (aside:) Why you are standing? Then stand.

So the process is tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12), in the Vedic injunction. If you want to know Kṛṣṇa, Vedas, the ultimate knowledge of Veda... Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). Vedic knowledge means to understand Kṛṣṇa. So if you want to understand Kṛṣṇa, tad-vijñānārtham, vijñāna... Jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānam (BG 7.2). It is vijñāna, it is science. Sa-vijñāna. So if you want to know that vijñāna, then you should approach: tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet. You must accept guru. Who is guru? Samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12). Guru's qualification is that he's śrotriyam: he has heard from his guru perfectly. That is guru. Śrotriyam. And brahma-niṣṭham: and firmly fixed up at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. These are two qualifications. You cannot move from that firmness. You cannot move. And he has heard about Kṛṣṇa from the authorities of guru. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2). That is guru. So that is recommended. If you want to know Kṛṣṇa, then tad-vijñānārtham. In order to understand that science, then you must approach guru. Ādau gurvāśrayam. That is Rūpa Gosvāmī's... Ādau gurvāśrayam. Ādau śraddhā.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, February 18, 1974:

So this is the process. You cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, sitting in your parlor and speculating on your so-called educational qualification. That is not possible. That is not possible. You must surrender. You must surrender. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām... (BG 18.66). You must give up all these idea that "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I'm Indian," "I am American," "I am white," "I am black." These designations, you have to give up. First qualification: sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). Upādhi, these are all designations. So you have to give up these designations. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). You have to become Kṛṣṇa-ite and pure. Tat-paratvena nirmalam, hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate. Then, when you are purified, not designated, not covered by your material designation, at that time, the senses are purified. When you engage your senses to the service of the Lord, that is called bhakti.

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

To understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, not superficially, but in fact, that we can understand, as Kṛṣṇa says in the beginning of this chapter,

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

(BG 7.1)

How Kṛṣṇa is truth, the Absolute Truth, although the Absolute Truth is described in three phases in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam... Just like vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam (SB 1.2.11). This tattva. Here it is said, tattvataḥ. The truth, Absolute Truth, is called tattva. So vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam (SB 1.2.11). Tattva-vid. Vid means knowledge. Vetti veda vido jñāne. One who has got complete knowledge, he is called vid, tattva-vid. So tattva-vid, they ascertain the tattva, the truth, in three ways. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam (SB 1.2.11). So knowledge of the truth is nondual. Absolute means nondual, no relative, absolute, advaya-jñāna. So what is that advaya-jñāna? Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate. So to approach Kṛṣṇa, to understand, one has to go through the brahma-jñāna, brahmeti, then Paramātmā, paramātma-jñāna. Then kṛṣṇa-jñāna. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate. So generally, those who are inquiring about the Absolute Truth, they come to the point of brahma-jñāna, brahma-jñāna.

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

This whole, all the universes, they are simply partial exhibition of the partial expansion of Kṛṣṇa. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalam... (Bs. 5.48).

In this way you have to study Kṛṣṇa, not that "Kṛṣṇa was born in His maternal uncle's house at Mathurā, and He played with the gopīs or the cowherd boys." That is actual fact, but one should understand Kṛṣṇa—how great He is. That is called tattvataḥ.

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu

kaścid yatati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāṁ

kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ

(BG 7.3)

They simply superficially study Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they cannot understand how great is Kṛṣṇa. In the Western world they say "God is great." But one should understand how great He is. That is tattvataḥ. Otherwise, we shall be misled. We cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). The rascals, fools, asses... Mūḍhāḥ means asses. They deride Kṛṣṇa, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa I understand. What is that Kṛṣṇa?" Not like that. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu: (BG 7.3) "Out of many, many millions of persons..." First of all let him become siddha. Siddha means perfect. Everyone is imperfect. Everyone commits mistake.

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

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

siddhānta baliyā citte nā kara alasa

ihā haite kṛṣṇe lāge sudṛḍha mānasa

(CC Adi 2.117)

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

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- London, March 11, 1975:

Prabhupāda: This is our preaching process, that "Flattering you hundred times, falling down on your feet, I am speaking one thing. Please hear." "What is that?" "Whatever nonsense you have learned, forget." This is our only solicitation, that "You have learned all nonsense. Please forget. Try to hear Caitanya Mahāprabhu and be perfect."

Thank you very much. Any question? (break)

So what you will learn about that, by studying the human species? You study Kṛṣṇa. This is sufficient. There are 400,000 species of life. What will you benefit by studying? The botanist, the geologist, the biologist, they are doing that. Let them do that. You have to do, how to understand Kṛṣṇa. But you can simply know that there are so many different... That much, that is sufficient. What is the use of? Now, suppose I am using this microphone. What is the use of studying how it is manufactured? Why...? That's all right. It is already manufactured. Let me use it. That's all. Why should I waste my time, "How it is manufactured?" I am not going to be manufacturer of microphone. I am going to become servant of Kṛṣṇa. That's all.

Devotee: Does the word nirvāṇa mean Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: Nirvāṇa means, as I told you, you forget all nonsense, what you have learned. That is nirvāṇa. Because you have learned so many nonsense things, if you finish that "We don't want this," that "Whatever is done is done. Now let me try to understand Kṛṣṇa," that is nirvāṇa. Nirvāṇa means finished. Nirvāṇa means finished. Do you understand? Finish this all nonsense, material business. Now begin spiritual life. That is nirvāṇa.

Brahmānanda: You say that Kṛṣṇa consciousness solves the problem of death. Does it mean that we won't die?

Prabhupāda: Yes. As soon... That is said. Die means this is the last time. Because you have got this body, you will die. But after this death, no more death.

Brahmānanda: So we will die, but it will be the last death.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- London, March 11, 1975:

Prabhupāda: That is not die. We never die, but we change the body. But the change of body, we take as death. Otherwise there is no death. Na jāyate na mriyate vā. There is no death, no birth, of the soul. But just like the dress, the coat, may be old and you throw away, that means you are not annihilated. Your coat is annihilated, shirt is... Similarly, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). After being destruction of this body, you are not destroyed. You live, but in the material existence you accept another material body. That means you continue the process of birth and death. But if you understand Kṛṣṇa, if you become fit to enter into the society of Kṛṣṇa, then you get only that spiritual body, no more material body. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9), "He comes to Me." That is your eternal life.

Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, in the Seventh Chapter Kṛṣṇa explains that He is the taste of water, and in different chapters that He's the source of light in all luminous objects. So when we think like this, how should we think of Kṛṣṇa? In His personal form?

Prabhupāda: That is already stated. There is no difficulty. Why do you ask this question? It is said, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya (BG 7.8), that "I am the taste of the water." So where is the difficulty? You take the taste of the water. There is taste, and Kṛṣṇa says, "I am that taste." So you understand that, that "This taste is Kṛṣṇa." Where is the difficulty? You do not know what is Kṛṣṇa, but Kṛṣṇa says "I am this taste." Why don't you accept it? Then you know Kṛṣṇa. According to your position, you understand Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, "I am this." So take it, that taste of water... As soon as you drink water, "Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa." So you will... Smaraṇam. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam (SB 7.5.23). Then you will at least memorize Kṛṣṇa. That will enlighten your spiritual life. Because you will say... You take... Just like I am taking water several times, and if each time I remember, "Here is the taste, Kṛṣṇa," then Hare Kṛṣṇa. Chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, whatever you will be going.

Girl: Does Kṛṣṇa speak the Bhagavad-gītā in the hellish planets?

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Nairobi, October 29, 1975:

So to understand Kṛṣṇa is not very easy thing. Kṛṣṇa says that manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu, "Out of many millions of millions' person, one tries to become perfect." Who is going to become perfect, especially in this age? Everyone is working like cats and dogs. That's all. Whole day working for eating, sleeping, sex and defense, that's all. They are not manuṣyas. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca sāmānyam etat paśubhiḥ narāṇām. Eating... I eat; dog eat. So what is the difference between eating between the dog and me? He is eating according to his taste, I am eating also. The eating business is there in the dog also. Don't think that because you are eating on table, chair, plates, nice preparation... It is eating. People are taking that "Because I am eating on table, chair and nice dish and nice preparation, therefore I am civilized." The śāstra says that it may be different types of taking the eatables, but it is eating. That is even in dog. It does not make any difference. You are not civilized. Similarly sleeping. The dog can sleep on the street without caring for anything. We cannot sleep without nice apartment. So eating, sleeping, mating... Similarly, sex intercourse. Dog has no shame. It can enjoy sex on the street, but we have got some restriction, but the sex is there. Similarly, defense also, bhaya. Bhaya means to take care of fearfulness. That is there in the dog and in you also. It does not make any difference. Because you have got, discovered atomic bomb for defense, it does not mean that you are better than a dog. This is shastric injunction. Because he has to defend himself according to his intelligence and you are defending yourself according to your intelligence.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Nairobi, October 29, 1975:

Everyone is trying to have a skyscraper building and three Rolls Royce cars and so on, so on. They think that this is perfection of life, durāśayā, durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31), this material energy's production. But you do not think that "How many years I shall enjoy this skyscraper building? And what is my main business? My main business is how to become perfect." There are many animals within the skyscraper building. There are human being, there are dogs, there are cats, there are worms, rats, so many things. So to live in the skyscraper building, that facility is there even to the worms, cats, rats, everyone. That... Then what is the difference between these animals and me? The difference is how to become perfect, siddhi, svarūpa-siddhi. "What I am? Am I this body?" This should be the question. Athāto brahma jijñāsā.

So Kṛṣṇa says here that "Ultimate goal is to understand Me," vetti māṁ tattvataḥ, to understand Kṛṣṇa in fact, in truth, not superficially. That is required. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). If you are a great scholar studying all kinds of literature, Vedas, then you must know Kṛṣṇa. If you do not understand Kṛṣṇa and simply you study Vedas, it is useless waste of time.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Nairobi, October 29, 1975:

You are executing your occupational duties very nicely honestly. That is all right. But after executing your duties very honestly and nicely, if you do not awaken your dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then śrama eva hi kevalam. You are simply wasting your time. Useless. When you understand Kṛṣṇa, then it is the highest perfection. Saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ. So nobody is interested. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu: (BG 7.3) "Out of many millions of persons, one may be interested." Otherwise all are in darkness.

So what is that siddhi? Siddhi, to understand one's constitutional position, "What I am." I am trying to lord if over the material nature in so many ways. Is that my position? But I am failure. I am trying to lord it over the material nature as big man, as the minister or as the zamindar, as the big business magnate, and when I am failure, then I want to become God. That is another ambition. That is another ambition. So this is not self-realization. The self-realization is that "I am trying to lord it over the material nature in so many ways, but it is becoming baffled. Why? Why it is becoming baffled? And with great endeavor, by political movements, I become the head of the political institution of the state, but I do not wish to die. Death comes and he takes away everything, my political position, my wealth, my everything, family and anything." Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34). "Who is taking that? That is Kṛṣṇa."

So when we realize that, that "I am trying to accumulate so many things, but Kṛṣṇa is taking away," then why don't you surrender to Kṛṣṇa so that He may not take away your position? That is intel... That is siddhi. That is siddhi, that "I am not independent. I am trying independently, but it is not possible. I am dependent. I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." That is self-realization. That has been taught by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). The Brahman realization ahaṁ brahmāsmi, that is liberation from material conception of life that "I am not this matter. I am not this body, but I am spirit soul." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Nairobi, October 29, 1975:

Why they do not surrender? Now, because duṣkṛtina, always acting sinful activities, duṣkṛtina, and mūḍha, rascal. He does not know his own interest. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). Mūḍha, rascal. And then narādhama. Narādhama means lowest of the mankind. "This human body was given to him by material nature to understand Me, to surrender to Me, but he will not do this. Therefore lowest of the mankind." "No, he is so educated." No, this is nonsense. If he does not understand Kṛṣṇa, what is the meaning of education? There is no education. Māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ. Why these things are...? Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. He's defying Kṛṣṇa, defying God, "What is God? I am God." This is the position.

This is the position always of everyone who is in this material world, and especially in this age, Kali-yuga. Kali-yuga, they are all first-class fools. That is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10), prāyeṇālpāyuṣaḥ sabhya kalāv asmin yuge janāḥ. The Kali-yuga is very difficult yuga. In ignorance they fight, quarrel, only fight, quarrel. Kali means fight. Therefore it is called Kali-yuga. So in this age especially, the inhabitants, they are manda. Manda means all bad. Nobody is good. And sumanda, matayaḥ. Everyone has got his conception of perfection—all bogus. Sumanda-matayaḥ. Why this is? Manda-bhāgyāḥ: because they are unfortunate. Everyone does not know what he shall eat next morning or in the evening. Everyone is in need. Scarcity all over the world. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyāḥ. And still, they are disturbed, so many. Especially with the increase of Kali-yuga, people will be disturbed by two things especially. What is that? Scarcity of food and taxation. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Durbhikṣa-kara-pīḍitāḥ (SB 12.2.9). Kara means taxation. The people will be embarrassed for want of food, at the same time, every year, increase of taxation. That is stated in the Bhāgavata. Durbhikṣa-kara-pīḍitāḥ. So much disturbed that they will give up their hearth and home and go away in the forest. Durbhikṣa-kara-pīḍitāḥ.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Nairobi, October 29, 1975:

So sahasra. Now, on account of Kali-yuga, manuṣyāṇām "millions," because it has increased. The Kali-yuga has increased. Not sahasreṣu, and the percentage has increased millions and millions. Therefore nobody is interested in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We are trying to give the highest perfection of life, but they are not interested. They want to remain like cats and dogs and suffer the consequence. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ, ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā (BG 3.27). This is going on.

So Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very difficult to understand, but by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, it has been made very easy. Easy. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ. It was explained by Śukadeva Gosvāmī to Parīkṣit Mahārāja. He described the faults of the Kali-yuga, but he encouraged by one verse. "My dear king, there is one very nice opportunity in this Kali-yuga." Kaler doṣa-nidhe. Doṣa-nidhi: "It is the ocean of faults, but there is one very nice gain in this Kali-yuga." What is that? Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet: (SB 12.3.51) "Simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra one can become free from all the troubles of this yuga, Kali-yuga," and mukta-saṅga, "and he becomes liberated, and he goes back to home, back to Godhead." So take it very seriously and make your life perfect.

Thank you very much. (break)

That he has to learn, how to become humble. Tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahi... If you preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness, so many people will chastise you. The government will not allow you to go on the public street, and you'll not get visa. You'll be refused to enter. So you have to tolerate all these things. That is humbleness.

Devotee (1): Śrīla Prabhupāda, he states about Africa, that the food..., that they do not know what to eat tomorrow, and in fact, that here it's very hard for them to understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness. My question is which, what can we do which is...?

Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Vrndavana, August 10, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa, by His one plenary portion... When we say of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is not alone. Kṛṣṇa has unlimited expansions. Just like one expansion is Paramātmā. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Kṛṣṇa expands Himself. There are millions and trillions of living entities. Anantyāya kalpate. The living entities... Sa ca anantyāya kalpate. So Kṛṣṇa's expansion is also ananta. Not only within the heart of all living entities, but He is within the atom also. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara. But this is only one plenary portion, expansion of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore in the morning we were studying... Or yesterday. That to understand Kṛṣṇa philosophically or in truth, it requires a little intelligence. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye, yatatām api siddhānām (BG 7.3).

So Kṛṣṇa expands by His energy, one of the energy, external energy. Therefore it is called aparā. Kṛṣṇa will explain in the next verse, apareyam, inferior energy. For Kṛṣṇa there is no superior or inferior, but for us it is superior and inferior. Because Kṛṣṇa is the supreme spirit soul. Take, for example, just like electricity is producing heat and cool also. There is refrigerator. That is being worked out by the electric energy. And the heater is also being worked out by the electric energy. So we may distinguish this, that "This is heat and this is cold." But for Kṛṣṇa there is no such distinction. That will be understood by further explanation of this chapter.

Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Vrndavana, August 10, 1974:

The example I have already... Sometimes I give. Just like I speak in the tape recorder. When you play, replay the tape recorder, the same voice will come. But that is not myself. That is my separated energy. With my energy I have spoken something, I have vibrated some sound. That is recorded in the tape. When it is played back, it produces exactly the same sound, but still, it is separated from me. Try to understand. This material world is like that, bhinnā, separate. The real life is in the spiritual world. The real life is... Therefore in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi: (SB 1.1.1) "The real truth, the Absolute Truth, I am offering my obeisances to the Absolute Truth." So Kṛṣṇa is the Absolute Truth. Kṛṣṇa is explaining Himself. If we want to understand Kṛṣṇa, then, instead of speculating about Kṛṣṇa, better take what Kṛṣṇa teaching Himself. That will be perfect.

So the real understanding of Kṛṣṇa, that this material world is also Kṛṣṇa... But we do not know how to use it for Kṛṣṇa. If we take to that process... Kṛṣṇa's energy should be for Kṛṣṇa's purpose. That is Vaiṣṇava philosophy. Vaiṣṇava philosophy never says that this world is false. Why it is false? It is not false. As the Māyāvādī philosopher says that brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. No. Why jagan mithyā? Just like this temple is constructed. If somebody says, "Yes, it is very nicely constructed, but it is all false," shall I be happy? No. And actually, why it is false? It is not false. It is Kṛṣṇa's energy, the bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ. What is this temple? This temple is combination of this bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4). Tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ vinimayaḥ. This brick, what is this brick? Brick means you take earth, mix with water and put into the fire—it becomes brick. And there is air. So it is Kṛṣṇa's energy. It is not material. It is Kṛṣṇa's energy. Because the philosophy is that Kṛṣṇa's energy should be used for Kṛṣṇa's purpose. Then it is spiritual. That is our philosophy. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, this, gives this formula:

Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Nairobi, October 31, 1975:

That point we are missing. Bhinnā. One who knows... Just like the same example. In the record the play is going on, but one who does not know who has recorded this speech, he cannot find out. But one who knows voice, he can understand, "It is coming from Prabhupāda, or the Swamiji." Similarly, the energy is there, but because we have forgotten the source of the energy or we do not know the source of the energy, therefore we take material things as final. This is our ignorance.

This prakṛti, this material world, is composed of these things: bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca (BG 7.4). So wherefrom this came? That Kṛṣṇa explains, that "They are My energies." Because we have to know, so... To understand Kṛṣṇa means one must know what is this earth, what is this water, what is this fire, what is this air, what is this sky, what is this mind, what is this ego. These material things, they should know that wherefrom these things came. They only theorize that water is combination of some chemical, hydrogen, oxygen. But wherefrom the chemical came, hydrogen, oxygen? That they cannot answer. So therefore this is called acintya-śakti. Acintya-śakti. If you do not apply, if you refuse, acintya-śakti, in God, acintya-śakti, inconceivable energy, then there is no God. Acintya-śakti-sampannaḥ.

Lecture on BG 7.5 -- Nairobi, November 1, 1975:

So this is the first education to enter into the spiritual understanding. Kṛṣṇa has begun from the very beginning in the Second Chapter that the spiritual energy is within this body.

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

So there are many evidences in the Vedic literature that the spiritual energy is different from the material energy. And if you understand spiritual energy, then you can understand what is God, because spiritual energy is the sample of God. Sample of God. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that mamaivāṁśaḥ. Here it is said, jīva-bhūta. What is the jīva-bhūta? He is jīva-bhūta, the living entity. Mama eva aṁśa: "They are My part and parcel, minute particle of Me." Just like father and the son. Son is part of the father bodily, not spiritually. Spiritually he is part of Kṛṣṇa, and materially he is part of the body of the father. So we are not talking of the material. That is going on, of course, but this understanding, Bhagavad-gītā, is completely spiritual understanding.

Lecture on BG 7.7 -- Bombay, April 1, 1971:

So it is transcendental literature. Ordinary literatures, they cannot be perfect because there are four defect: bhrama-pramāda-karaṇāpāṭava-vipralipsā. Bhrama means "to commit mistake." Pramāda means "illusion," and vipralipsā means "cheating," and karaṇāpāṭava, "inefficiency of the senses." So śāstra means above these defects. Where there is no such defect, that is śāstra. And you can understand how five thousand years ago Lord Buddha's appearance was predicted. Similarly, still there is prediction about kalki-avatāra, which will take place about four lakhs and 27,000 years hereafter. Kalki-avatāra's name, his father's name and where he will appear, everything is there. This is called śāstra.

So we have to understand Kṛṣṇa from the śāstra. Kṛṣṇa Himself speaking that mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya: (BG 7.7) "There is nobody else greater than Me." And when Arjuna understood Bhagavad-gītā, he also accepted Kṛṣṇa like that. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān: (BG 10.12) "You are Para-brahman." So Kṛṣṇa is Para-brahman. Brahman, we are all Brahman because we are part and parcels of Para-brahman, but we are not Para-brahman. We are subordinate Brahman. Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. We are supported by Kṛṣṇa. We are supported by God. He is one, God is one. And the supported Brahmans, or living entities, they are innumerable, beyond the numerical strength. Asaṅkhya. Nobody can count how many living entities are there, but God is one.

Lecture on BG 7.7 -- Bombay, April 1, 1971:

And from that Saṅkarṣaṇa, there is puruṣāvatāra, Mahā-Viṣṇu. From Mahā-Viṣṇu, there is Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. From Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, there is Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. The Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu is situated in everyone's heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). In this way, Kṛṣṇa is expanding in so many ways. By personal expansion, by the expansion of His energy, by the expansion of His differentiated parts and parcels. Just like we are. We living entities are vibhinnāṁśa. We are also expansions of Kṛṣṇa. So He is expanding Himself in so many ways. Svāṁśa, vibhinnāṁśa, and śakti, taṭastha-śakti, cit-śakti, antaraṅga-śakti, bahiraṅga-śakti. So we have to understand Kṛṣṇa in that way. And if we study scrutinizingly all these literatures, we shall come to the conclusion that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And if there is any name of God, that is perfectly given in this word, Kṛṣṇa, "all-attractive." There are many diverse meaning of Kṛṣṇa given by the ācāryas, but on the whole, Kṛṣṇa is the actual name of God.

So how you have to... For ordinary man, how one can understand Kṛṣṇa, that He is all-pervading? He is all-pervading. He is everywhere. Now, how to appreciate that He is all-pervading? That direction is given by Kṛṣṇa Himself. If we follow the direction of Kṛṣṇa, how to appreciate Him, then naturally and surely we shall come to the point to understand Kṛṣṇa, although He is all-expansive.

Lecture on BG 7.7 -- Bombay, April 1, 1971:

It doesn't matter what you are. You may be an engineer, you may be a lawyer, you may be a businessman. Whatever you are, it doesn't matter. But try to satisfy Kṛṣṇa by your profession, by you occupation. Then you are successful. Saṁsiddhi. It doesn't matter what you are doing. It doesn't require that you have to give up your profession as a lawyer and join us as a sannyāsī and dance. if you cannot do that... Everyone can do that, but if you think that you cannot do this, then utilize your profession for Kṛṣṇa's service. Then you become perfect.

So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not a necessity for the members of this Society; it is the necessity of everyone throughout the whole world, without any discrimination. One has to take this advantage to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, to understand Kṛṣṇa in this way. Then the result will be sublime. Yo jānāti tattvataḥ. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. Just like anyone who understands that the taste of the water is Kṛṣṇa's energy, the sunshine is Kṛṣṇa's energy, the moonshine is Kṛṣṇa's energy, the Vedic mantras, that is also to please Kṛṣṇa... And the sound vibrated in the sky, or anywhere, the sound element is Kṛṣṇa. And the energy or the name, fame, opulence of big men of this world, that is also Kṛṣṇa. In this way, if we study Kṛṣṇa, then we know Him gradually. And as soon as we understand Him, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ: "One who understands in truth," tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9), "immediately he becomes liberated, so much so that after quitting this body he comes to Me."

So what is the difficulty? Even in your ordinary life you can study Kṛṣṇa, you can understand Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa will help you. As soon as you begin studying Kṛṣṇa, understanding Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa will help you from within. Kṛṣṇa is with you. Kṛṣṇa is not far away. He is so kind that He is sitting in your heart as your friend just to help you, how you become liberated from this material contamination. Why you do not take this advantage? Every sane man should take advantage of this instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, but rightly, as it is said. Then anywhere he may be, it doesn't matter, he is a liberated person.

Lecture on BG 7.7 -- Bombay, February 22, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa says. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ. So everything is resting on Kṛṣṇa. In another place He says that "I am sustaining all these planets." Of course, we understand law of gravitation according to our theory, but actually, according to Vedic description, the Saṅkarṣaṇa is sustaining all these planets. So anyway, it is to be understood. Just like the, all the planets are floating in the air in weightlessness... How this weightlessness comes? That is explained here. Mayi, "It is resting on Me." Kṛṣṇa says. Mayi sarvam idaṁ protaṁ sūtre maṇi-gaṇā iva.

So He is the ultimate cause, He is the cause of all causes. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1). Parama īśvaraḥ, the supreme controller. In this way we have to understand Kṛṣṇa. Then our life will be successful. Because our, this human life is meant for understanding Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). This is the real knowledge. Unless you come to this real knowledge, your life is unsuccessful. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante: (BG 7.19) "Those who will not accept Me in one life, he has to wait for many, many lives, but to come to this conclusion, that vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā... (BG 7.19)" If you actually want to become mahātmā, then you have to come to this point, that vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). That is mahātmā. Mahātmā does not mean by simply changing this dress. Mahātmā means who understands Kṛṣṇa. He's mahātmā because his soul is increased in dimension to understand Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa ma... (BG 7.19). Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). As soon as you become mahātmā, then you are no longer under the control of this material nature. That is also confirmed. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Otherwise, you have to remain under the clutches of māyā and punished by him.

Lecture on BG 7.7 -- Vrndavana, August 13, 1974:

This is transcendental, the same formula. Advaitam acyutam anādim. Advaita, always advaita. Not different. Acyuta, not fall down. So Kṛṣṇa is the origin. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). They are īśvara. Īśvara means controller, powerful. Even the demigods, they are also īśvaras. You are also īśvara. I am also īśvara. Īśvara means controller. Anyone who has got little control, he can be called īśvara. That is the dictionary meaning. But even the original īśvaras, namely Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara, they are also not supreme īśvara. The supreme īśvara is Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). That is the shastric inclusion, conclusion.

So śāstra says Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Kṛṣṇa Himself also says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). Therefore, as Arjuna understood Kṛṣṇa, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān... (BG 10.12). Arjuna has said that "I heard from the śāstras about Yourself, and You are personally speaking that You are the Supreme. And not only that, the great sages like Vyāsadeva, Asita, Devala, great authorities, they also admit that You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Therefore there is no doubt. The conclusion is the Supreme Personality of Godhead is Kṛṣṇa. As it was in the beginning said by Kṛṣṇa, asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). Asaṁśayam, "without any doubt."

So that... The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means... You can understand who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are so many societies all over the world, so many religious systems, but they cannot give exact idea of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Some has got some idea, others have got other idea, but so far we are concerned, we are fixed up in Kṛṣṇa. And that is rightly. Because Kṛṣṇa is supported not only by the Vedas and by the demigods, headed by Lord Brahmā, and authorities like Vyāsadeva, Asita, Devala. And Arjuna, who heard Bhagavad-gītā personally from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he also admits. All the ācāryas. Even Śaṅkarācārya, although he was impersonalist, he admits, "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead," sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ. Nārāyaṇa... He also admits that "Nārāyaṇa is not a person of this created material world," nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ avyaktāt. And he admits also, kṛṣṇas tu..., sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ, "He has appeared as the son of Devakī and Vasudeva." He admits.

Lecture on BG 7.8 -- Bombay, February 23, 1974:

Just like you are hearing the words of Bhagavad-gītā. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ. This is His own word. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ. Either you hear or you chant. Because śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam... (SB 7.5.23). There are nine methods. So the beginning is hearing. We are opening so many centers just to give people chance to hear about Kṛṣṇa. That's all. If you simply hear about Kṛṣṇa, śṛṇvatām, then Kṛṣṇa becomes pleased: "Oh, now he's hearing about Me." Then what does He do? Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ. Either you understand or don't understand, it becomes a pious activities on your part. And the more you become pious, you can understand Kṛṣṇa. Because impious persons... Yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpam. Impious persons cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. But one who is free from impious activities, yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām... Puṇya-karma. This hearing is puṇya-karma. Janānāṁ puṇya, te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 7.28). If you simply hear. There is no... If you understand, it is very good. Even if you do not understand, the vibration of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, the reading of Bhagavad-gītā, simply chanting, you'll be purified. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ, hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi... (SB 1.2.17).

Lecture on BG 7.8 -- Bombay, February 23, 1974:

"This ability is Kṛṣṇa's mercy, vibhūti."

In this way, if you practice, and if you chant also Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, and if you hear from realized souls about Kṛṣṇa, then you gradually become advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And when you come to perfection... Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. This Kṛṣṇa's appearance, disappearance, His activities, will be revealed to you. Svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. When Kṛṣṇa becomes manifest, revelation, then you understand what is Kṛṣṇa, what is His activities, what is His name, what is His pastimes. Everything becomes revealed. Then you can understand perfectly. Not... We cannot understand perfectly, but so far our ability is concerned, we can understand Kṛṣṇa. And if we a little bit understand Kṛṣṇa, then our life is successful. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Simply by little understanding Kṛṣṇa. What is that? Now, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar... That is the highest perfection. After giving up this body... Ordinarily, we give up this body and we accept another. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). That we have to stop. We are trying our best to make solution of all problems of life. The real problem is janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9), birth, death, old age and disease. But if you can conquer over birth, no more birth... As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). No more birth. "Then it is finished? I am finished?" No, you are not finished. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti. "You come to Me. You come to Me." Go back to home, back to Godhead. This is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is very easy. Everyone can adopt. Why should you give up? Take it very seriously and be happy.

Lecture on BG 7.8-14 -- New York, October 2, 1966:

One who is very influential, that influence is Kṛṣṇa. That influence, that particular influence of a particular man, that is also Kṛṣṇa. Balaṁ balavatāṁ cāham. And one is very strong, stout and strong, that particular strength is also Kṛṣṇa. Just like an elephant is very strong. And more than elephant, the gorilla is still more strong. That strength, wherefrom..., wherefrom he gets strength? Now, suppose I am a human being. I cannot get such strength by my own endeavor, but I can get strength ten thousand times more than the elephant if Kṛṣṇa favors. Therefore strength. Just like Bhīma. Bhīma had strength ten thousand times than an elephant. He was so strong. There is no question of not believing. Because as I find that you are stronger than me and he is stronger than you, oh, similarly, there are many degrees of strength. Now, these degrees of strength is Kṛṣṇa. So you can understand Kṛṣṇa. Without Kṛṣṇa's favor, nobody can be stronger than the others. So balaṁ balavatām asmi.

Kāma-rāga-vivarjitam. Kāma. Kāma means desire. Rāga-vivarjitam, without attraction. Desire without attraction, that is Kṛṣṇa. Desire without attraction, how it can be possible? Desire with attraction. Whenever we desire something... I want some young girl, I desire. Desire means I have got attraction. But desire without attraction, how it is possible? Can you explain? Yes. Desire without attraction means Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I desire for Kṛṣṇa's benefit, not for my benefit. That is desire without attraction. So kāma-rāga-vivarjitam.

Lecture on BG 7.9-10 -- Bombay, February 24, 1974:

This is the Vedic version. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1). Father's father, his father, his father, you go on, go on. you come to Brahmā. Brahmā is considered as the forefather or grandfather, pitāmaha. But Kṛṣṇa is addressed in the Bhagavad-gītā: prapitāmaha, even the father of Brahmā. Prapitāmaha. You'll find in the Eleventh Chapter, prapitāmaha (BG 11.39). He's father of... Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye (SB 1.1.1). You know, those who are conversant with the śāstras, that Brahmā's another name is Svayambhū. He's not born of any material father and mother. He's born on the lotus flower sprouted from the navel of Mahā-Viṣṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. Therefore his name is Svayambhū. Svayambhū is one of the authorities because he was first educated about the Vedic knowledge by Kṛṣṇa, or Viṣṇu. Tene brahma hṛdā. Brahma means Vedic knowledge. Tene means imparted. Ādi-kavaye, the ādi-kavi, the original person. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ. Even big, big personalities, they become bewildered to understand Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says... We have already discussed.

Lecture on BG 7.9-10 -- Bombay, February 24, 1974:

Therefore Arjuna accepted; sarvam etad ṛtaṁ manye yad vadasi keśava: (BG 10.14) "My dear Kṛṣṇa, whatever You are saying, I accept Him, accept all these in toto, not deducting, not giving my own commentation." This is the way of studying Bhagavad-gītā. So if you study Bhagavad-gītā as it is, as it is said in the..., and if you accept it, then your life is successful. Otherwise, panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamyo vāyor athāpi manaso muni-puṅgavānām (Bs. 5.34), you'll never understand what is God or what is ultimate source, what is Absolute Truth.

So the Bhagavad-gītā is the essence of all Vedic literatures because, after all, Vedic literature means vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15), to understand Kṛṣṇa, the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the purpose of Vedic study. So the Supreme Personality Himself is giving the knowledge of the Supreme by Himself, personally. Therefore we are preaching this Bhagavad-gītā as it is, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And the easiest method is to chant Kṛṣṇa's name. Easiest method. It is recommended. It is not our manufacture. It is said. When Mahārāja Parīkṣit learned all the defects of this Kali-yuga, then he was little disappointed, "How these men or the persons...?" Men means human beings. "How they will be relieved from the miserable condition of materialistic life in this age of Kali?" Because it is all defective.

Now, it is stated in that chapter that in the Kali-yuga the mlecchā rājanya-rūpiṇo bhakṣayiṣyanti prajās te.

Lecture on BG 7.11-13 -- Bombay, April 5, 1971:

That is nice. And when you act under your whims, then that is miscreant. So miscreant and they act like human beings, mūḍha and narādhama. Narādhama means... Nara means human beings, and adhama means the lowest. Just like we accept some caṇḍāla as narādhama. Or... There are many low-grade people, but actually, a caṇḍāla is not a low-grade man. The man who does not take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is supposed to be narādhama because he has got the chance. An animal hasn't got the chance to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. I cannot call animal, cats and dogs, in this meeting. That is impossible, because they have no chance. But we can call, we can hold a meeting amongst the human beings for discussing Kṛṣṇa because they have got the special power to understand. This special power to understand Kṛṣṇa, if it is misused for other purposes, he is narādhama. He got the chance of human being, but he has become degraded on account of his unwillingness to take Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

So such persons, duṣkṛtina, always engaged in mischievous activities, always engaged to work hard like an ass and does not take the advantage of human being, they are called duṣkṛtina, mūḍha, narādhama. Then one may say, "All right, these people are lowest of the mankind or like an ass or miscreant, but there are many, many educated persons, highly elevated in discussing philosophy. Why they do not take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness? Why they say that "God is nirākāra. There is no God. I am God. You are God"? Why do they say? Why do they not take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness? This question may be raised also. "They are not fools. They are very highly learned. They have undergone tapasya, sannyāsī. Why do they not take shelter of Kṛṣṇa?" Kṛṣṇa is answering to that question, māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ (BG 7.15). Yes, they are advanced in knowledge undoubtedly, but because they are āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ... Āsuraṁ bhāvam means atheistic principle: "There is no God.

Lecture on BG 7.11-13 -- Bombay, April 5, 1971:

This is called atheistic or āsura. Just like Rāvaṇa. He was very much materially advanced. He was very good scholar in Vedic literature. He was son of a brāhmaṇa also, very powerful. But he did not believe in Rāma, God. That was his only fault. Therefore he is described as asura, rākṣasa. Similarly, Kaṁsa, Hiraṇyakaśipu. So anyone, however materially he may be advanced in education or knowledge, may be Ph.D. or D.H.C. or something like that, if he does not believe in God, he is to be supposed that māyā has taken away his real knowledge. In spite of his education, he is fool number one. Māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ.

Why such things take place, that a learned man becomes foolish without understanding Kṛṣṇa? Because āsuraṁ bhāvam, because he has accepted the atheistic principle, "There is no Kṛṣṇa. There is no God." Only for this reason, in spite of educational qualification, he cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. And because he cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, therefore he cannot take to devotional service. These are the descriptions. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). But there are certain jñānīs who are actually sincere to know the Absolute Truth. Such persons, even they may be misled in one life or two lives, three lives, but at the end they come to the conclusion that Kṛṣṇa is everything. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān (BG 7.19). Here it is said that māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ. So long there is influence of māyā, he is lost of real knowledge. But in spite of that, if he makes progress in understanding the Absolute Truth, then, after many births, not in one birth—bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19)—when he comes to the actual point of knowledge, that Kṛṣṇa is everything, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti, prapadyante (BG 7.19), he surrenders. That means to surrender unto Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate goal of all knowledge, all activities, all tapasya, all yoga. If one does not reach that point, then he is simply wasting his time and energy.

Lecture on BG 7.16 -- Bombay, April 7, 1971:

The Gosvāmīs of Vṛndāvana, they were ideal saintly persons. About them it is said, nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau **. They conquered over the necessities of this body, which is called viṣaya. Conquering over sleeping, conquering over sex life, and conquering over eating, these things are required. Pious life means gradually decreasing the unnecessary bodily demands. That is pious life. That is the sum and substance. Because Kṛṣṇa says here that catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtinaḥ: "Those who are living pious life." And those who are not living pious lives, they are called duṣkṛtina, sinful life.

So by indulging in sinful life it is not possible to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is, Kṛṣṇa also says in various places in the Bhagavad-gītā. I have repeatedly informed you, yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpam. One who is completely free from all sinful life... Janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. This is puṇya-karma, not to indulge in illicit sex life, not to indulge in nonvegetarian diet, not to indulge in gambling, and not to indulge in intoxicants. So catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtino 'rjuna ārto arthārthī jñānī jijñāsuḥ. Four kinds of men who are actually leading pious life, such persons... (applause) Hare Kṛṣṇa. Such persons, when they are distressed... Ārta means distressed. We have go so many distresses in this material life: tri-tāpa, three kinds of distresses, pertaining to the body, pertaining to the mind, distresses offered by other living entities. Adhibhautika, adhyātmika, adhidaivika. We are always in distress; that is a fact. But there is a covering influence of māyā that even in distressed condition, we think that we are happy. That is covering influence of māyā.

Lecture on BG 7.16 -- Bombay, April 7, 1971:

That sample of pure devotion is found in Vṛndāvana amongst the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana. And Kṛṣṇa was present. He was demonstrating His transcendental pastimes of Vṛndāvana. These gopīs and the cowherds boys, they were the best examples of becoming pure devotees.

So Kṛṣṇa says that catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtino 'rjuna. So Arjuna also said, paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). When Arjuna understood the Bhagavad-gītā, he understood Kṛṣṇa also. And he said, "Kṛṣṇa, You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma (BG 10.12). "You are the supreme shelter," paraṁ dhāma. Pavitram. This word is there, pavitra. So without being pavitra, without being pious, without being free from contamination of material activities, nobody can approach Kṛṣṇa. That's a fact. But Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He orders that "Even if you have got some kāmanam, some desire, material desire, still, you can take shelter upon Me." Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). "You do not take shelter of anything else. Simply depend on Me." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. "You haven't got to depend on anything else. I will give you protection." So we have to take faith in the words of Kṛṣṇa and put our complete faith and devotion at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. That will make us happy and make progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness in order to achieve the highest goal of life, back to Godhead, back to home. Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6).

Lecture on BG 9.1 -- Vrndavana, April 17, 1975:

Actually we are trying to get because we are eternal. We are trying to get eternal happiness. That is... Kṛṣṇa is speaking here. Jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānaṁ pravakṣyāmy anasūyave (BG 7.2). Anasūyave. Asūya means envious. Envious. Everyone is envious of Kṛṣṇa. That is demon. Just like Kaṁsa. In this tract of land, Mathurā, there was Kaṁsa. He was so envious that he ordered to his servant that "As soon as Kṛṣṇa is born, please bring the child. I shall kill Him." This is asūya. So at the present moment, practically the whole world, they want to be godless. The scientists and the..., everyone is trying to prove that "There is no God. There is no Kṛṣṇa. This is all sentiment." Especially in the Communist countries. So if you become demon, Communist, or in favor of them, then you are also infected with asūya, envious of Kṛṣṇa. Then you cannot understand. Then you cannot understand. Kṛṣṇa is very strict. But the devotees are very lenient. Kṛṣṇa doesn't want to speak even with demons. But the devotees are so kind, they go to the demons and pray, "Kindly hear. Kindly hear about Kṛṣṇa." This is...

Therefore a devotee is more merciful than Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa doesn't speak to the demons. Unless you are one who is bhakta... just like Bhagavad-gītā was spoken to Arjuna, bhakto 'si sakhā ceti. Kṛṣṇa never speaks. Kṛṣṇa was very strict. But the devotees, Kṛṣṇa has said, ya imaṁ paramaṁ guhyaṁ mad-bhakteṣu abhidhāsyati. About Bhagavad-gītā He says, "One who speaks this confidential knowledge amongst the bhaktas..." He recommends the bhaktas. But the devotees, they are so merciful, they go to the abhakta, transgressing the order of Kṛṣṇa because they are so merciful: "All right, Kṛṣṇa has rejected them. Let me try. Let me try." This is the position of a bhakta. They are not only unenvious to God, but they are also unenvious...

Lecture on BG 9.1 -- Vrndavana, April 17, 1975:

Kṛṣṇa says, "Don't speak this Bhagavad-gītā to the nondevotees," because nondevotees will not accept. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Who will accept unless he is devotee? The Māyāvādī, karmī, jñānī, yogi they cannot accept. They are envious, "I am Kṛṣṇa. I am God. Why I shall surrender to Kṛṣṇa? Why shall I accept Kṛṣṇa as God?" This is the position of the bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī. Therefore you will find so many yogis; they can play jugglery, magic, but they are not devotees. They will not surrender to Kṛṣṇa. This is their... So such persons cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. They cannot understand the science of Kṛṣṇa. They cannot understand because Kṛṣṇa does not disclose Himself to the nondevotees. So by their own attempt, however big yogi or jñānī or karmī he may be, he cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa discloses, reveals Himself, to the anasūyave, one who is not envious. And that is devotee. Anasūyave means devotee, who does not, who is not envious of Kṛṣṇa. Others, they are envious, Karmī, jñānī, yogi.

The karmīs will say that "You work hard, and get the result and enjoy. Why you are going to the temple to pray?" This is the philosophy of the Communists. "Why should you go to the church? Why should you go to the temple? Forget all these things. Work hard, earn money and enjoy life." But that is demonic. Because there is envy against God, they are demons. So the science of God or science of Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇa-tattva, is never disclosed or revealed amongst the nondevotees demons. It can be revealed, it can be understood by a person like Arjuna. Therefore it is said anasūyave, jñānaṁ te 'haṁ pravakṣyāmi. Anasūyave, this very word. We should never be envious to Kṛṣṇa and his devotee. If you think that "I will become... I am envious to the devotees, but I am not envious to Kṛṣṇa," no, no, Kṛṣṇa does not accept that kind of business. You... First of all, you should be nonenvious to the devotee. Mad-bhaktaḥ pūjyābhyadhikaḥ. "If you are envious to My devotee and if you become a devotee, that is not." That is stated that one who is directly devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he is not devotee. One who is devotee through His devotee, he is devotee.

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Calcutta, March 7, 1972:

So there is spiritual world. There is spiritual world. And there is spiritual body, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha, Kṛṣṇa, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). So all this to be learned through bhakti-yoga. We cannot learn by speculation. That is not possible. That is jaḍa-vidyā, jaḍa-vidyā. It is rāja-vidyā. Jaḍa-vidyā will not help you to understand Kṛṣṇa. That will not help. No. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said, jaḍa vidyā sab māyāra vaibhava. By advance of material science you are simply increasing the paraphernalia of this māyā, illusory energy. Jada-vidyā, māyāra vaibhava, tomāra bhajane bādhā. The more one become materialistic scientist, he, he defies God: "That is not. We, we believe in science, believe in science." But what is your science perfection? That is a different subject matter. But the difficulty is, at the present moment especially, the more one becomes advanced in this material knowledge, he becomes atheist. He becomes disbeliever. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said, jaḍa-vidyā yata māyāra vaibhava, tomāra bhajane bādhā. It is simply hindrances. anitya saṁsāre moha janamiyā jīva ke karaye gadha. Every word has got meaning. Jīva ke karaye gadha. This gāḍha, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has said... It is not Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura wordings; it is the Vedic scripture. Kṛṣṇa also said, na māṁ prapadyante mūḍhāḥ duṣkṛtino narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). Mūḍhāḥ, mūḍhāḥ means gāḍha, "who has no knowledge." So anyone who does not surrender to Kṛṣṇa, what he is? He is in the four classes: na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). Either he's a narādhama or he's an ass, mūḍhāḥ, or he's full of sinful activities, or if you say that he's so learned scholar, then māyaya apahṛta-jñānā, his knowledge has been taken out by māyā. Otherwise, how he cannot surrender to Kṛṣṇa? How he cannot surrender to Kṛṣṇa? Because he is not surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, he must be classified in either of these categories—mūḍhāḥ, duṣkṛtino, narādhama, māyaya apahṛta-jñānā (BG 7.15). Therefore we have to take shelter of this rāja-vidyā. not the jaḍa-vidyā.

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Calcutta, March 8, 1972:

Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ su-sukhaṁ kartum avyayam (BG 9.2). This verse we have been discussing last... (break) ...similarly, bhakti-yoga—direct connection with Kṛṣṇa—it is not open for everyone, neither everyone can take it. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, yeṣām anta-gatam pāpaṁ: one who is completely free from all sinful activities, pāpam. Anyone who is engaged in sinful activities, he cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, or God. That is not possible. And these are the four principles of sinful activities: illicit sex-life, intoxication, meat-eating and gambling. These are the four pillars of sinful activities. Why at the present moment people have become so godless? Even big, big swamis and yogis, all godless. Why? Because they are engaged in sinful activities. Kṛṣṇa, God, cannot be understood by sinful men. That is not possible. But Kṛṣṇa is so kind, if one takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa, immediately he becomes free from all sinful activities. Sins are there. A person in sinful activities cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. But if anyone voluntarily surrenders himself to Kṛṣṇa, he immediately become free from all reaction of sinful activity. Now it is up to me to make my choice.

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Calcutta, March 8, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not a manufactured movement. It is simply based on this Bhagavad-gītā—Kṛṣṇa. Bhagavad-gītā means Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa, everything Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are simply placing Bhagavad-gītā as it is. And if we are fortunate enough to understand Bhagavad-gītā, our life is successful. The Bhagavad-gītā is there, the teaching is there, the example is there. Why should we not accept and make our life successful? That is the first law.

Then Kṛṣṇa says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā (BG 9.4). Avyakta-mūrtinā: the impersonalist. We understand Kṛṣṇa is person. And what is imperson? Imperson is the expansions of Kṛṣṇa's energy. Just like we can understand by this example, that the sun is person, localized. It is a globe. And within the sun there is sun-god. The sun-god is a person. His name is Vivasvān. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). So Kṛṣṇa spoke this Bhagavad-gītā first to sun-god. So when asked, Kṛṣṇa spoke in this word to Arjuna. Arjuna is a person, and Kṛṣṇa is also person, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). Similarly, Kṛṣṇa spoke to sun-god; he is also a person, but that person should go... I may say, sun-god, his bodily rays is the sunshine, and in the sunshine the whole material world exists. Similarly, there is real sunshine, which is called brahma-jyotir, that is coming out of the body of Kṛṣṇa. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). So this impersonal brahma, sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma, that is Kṛṣṇa's personal rays. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says here, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. Sarvam. Idaṁ sarvam. Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. Because it is Kṛṣṇa's bodily rays, therefore in that sense you can take anything as brahma, sarva khalv idam, because nothing is different from Kṛṣṇa. Idaṁ hi viśvaṁ bhagavān ivetaro. The whole creation is also bhagavān, but it is as appears as different. It appears as different. So this is explained here, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā-mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni (BG 9.4). "Everything is resting on Me." Just like in the sunshine.

Lecture on BG 9.3 -- Melbourne, April 21, 1976:

What benefit has come? You cannot make the dogs... You bring some dogs from America and from Australia and from India and put them together and ask them, "Please live very peacefully." (laughter) If you keep them as dogs they will simply bark. There will be no more peace. Just try to understand practically. You have to make them a human being. If you keep them dogs and cats, there cannot be any peace.

This is really knowledge. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is giving such knowledge that they will never remain a dog or cat; they will become actual human being. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore it is said, aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣāḥ. Those who have not faith in this process of understanding, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣā dharmasya asya... (BG 9.3). Now, this is real dharma. Dharma means occupation, I have explained yesterday. I am servant of God, this is my real occupation, but giving up my service to God, I am giving service to māyā. Therefore I am servant of my senses, my family, my society, my country, my nation, and if you haven't got to serve anybody, then I'll keep one dog. I become a servant of the dog. Somebody was just telling me that in Japan the dog passes stool, and the master collects it and put it somewhere. Yes. You see? This is going on. Your position is to become servant, but in māyā, in illusion, you are thinking, "I am master." Therefore the best thing is that instead of becoming at last the servant of a dog, just immediately become servant of God. That is your success of life. And if you don't agree, then you have to serve up to the dog, up to the cat. Many Europeans, Americans, they have no children, but they keep one cat, one dog, to serve. You see? But you have to serve because you are meant for that.

Lecture on BG 9.3 -- Toronto, June 20, 1976:

Sometimes the representative of God is speaking, the servant of God speaking. They are also the same, but according to time and circumstances they are modified. But here in this Bhagavad-gītā, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is speaking.

So you are coming, I mean to say, the Indians who are present here, from a country where Kṛṣṇa appeared. It is a great fortune for you that you have taken your birth in India. It is not ordinary fortune. So why? To take Indian birth, to take birth in India, automatically they are advanced in spiritual knowledge. Still, so much fallen condition of India, still, you go to a village, they will very easily understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness without any advanced education. Because by birthright they have got the knowledge. In Vṛndāvana, when we walk on the street, the ṭhelā-walla, the cartsmen, the milkmen carrying milk, immediately they'll offer namaskāra, "Swamiji." The other day, I think you were present? We were walking. So we entered one field, just for walking. So the villagers, the cultivators, they came to congratulate us. To receive us. "Swamiji, it is our great fortune that you have come to our field." But in this country if I would have entered in another place, perhaps would have brought charge of trespass or might shot down. So that is the different system. That by birthright they are Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Lecture on BG 9.3 -- Toronto, June 20, 1976:

How you can accept him as guru? A rākṣasa? That is your mistake. How can you accept a person as guru who has imbibed with rākṣasa. So then what is their position? Duṣkṛtinaḥ. Very sinful. Mūḍhaḥ, rascal, ass. Narādhamaḥ, lowest of the mankind. "No, he's so educated." Māyayāpahṛta-jñānaḥ. His so-called education has no value because māyā has taken away the essence of... Because education means... Veda means knowledge. So the Vedas are there for education. So vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). Ultimately Vedānta, Vedānta means the ultimate knowledge. The end of knowledge. The end of knowledge is to know Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). So after studying Vedas, if he does not understand Kṛṣṇa, then it is to be understood, māyayāpahṛta-jñānaḥ, his knowledge has been taken away by māyā. So simple thing is that Kṛṣṇa is the original guru. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). There is no more better guru than Kṛṣṇa. So anyone who repeats the words of Kṛṣṇa, teach others, he is guru. Otherwise he's a rascal.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Calcutta, March 9, 1972:

We have several times discussed, a big scholar, when Kṛṣṇa says in this Ninth Chapter, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), he translates nice but comments that "It is not to Kṛṣṇa, the person. It is unto the Supreme Brahman who is within Kṛṣṇa." He does not know Kṛṣṇa, that Kṛṣṇa has no such difference. He is Para-brahman. He has no difference as between the soul and the body. He is complete spiritual body, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). Kṛṣṇa is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha, sac-cid-ānanda. So there cannot be any difference between Kṛṣṇa and His soul. There is no such thing. But these people, the so-called scholars, they do not understand Kṛṣṇa, but they have the audacity to write comments on Bhagavad-gītā. They do not know what is Kṛṣṇa, but they have the impudency to write comments on Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says, "It is meant for you, Arjuna, because you are My devotee," bhakto 'si, priyo 'si me (BG 4.3). Nobody can understand Bhagavad-gītā unless one is very dear to Kṛṣṇa and bhakta of Kṛṣṇa. Nobody can understand. That is the first step. One must be very dear to Kṛṣṇa and one must be a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then he can touch Bhagavad-gītā. Of course, there are so many things, jñāna-yoga, bhakti-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, haṭha-yoga, karma-yoga. So many yogas are there. But Kṛṣṇa says, "The most confidential part of knowledge, My dear Arjuna, I am giving you, because you are so, My dear friend," sarva guhyatamam, the Eighteenth Chapter, that, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ (BG 18.66), man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namas...

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Calcutta, March 9, 1972:

Vasudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). One who understands Kṛṣṇa perfectly... We cannot understand Kṛṣṇa perfectly—that is not possible. But as far as our knowledge is concerned, as far as we can study Vedas, if we simply can understand that Kṛṣṇa is the origin of everything, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. Every one of us, somehow or other, we are īśvaraḥ. Īśvaraḥ means controller. So we have got some controlling capacity, according to our capacity, but we are not the supreme controller. That is not possible. Supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa. You may be controller, I am controller, but above me there is another controller. Above him there is another controller. But above him there is another controller. In this way, within this material world, the supreme controller is Brahmā, within this material world, not beyond this material world. Only on the..., on this universe, in each and every universe, there are many Brahmās, many Rudras, and many other demigods—many suns, many moons, many, many, millions.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Calcutta, March 9, 1972:

If we worship other demigod, they cannot independently offer you any benediction. Kṛṣṇa said, mayaiva vihitān hi tān. They have to take sanction from the Supreme Personality of Godhead before giving you the benediction. But still such benediction is temporary, antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām (BG 7.23). They are temporary.

So such temporary benediction is meant for the alpa-medhasām, one whose brain substance is very small, or the brain substance, instead of brain substance, it's cow dung. They attempt, they accept in this way; otherwise every śāstra says, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). One..., all the Vedic literatures, they aim at understanding Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "Give up all these things. Simply surrender unto Me." It is so easy. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalam... Any, any part of the world, any poor man can offer Kṛṣṇa. This is the poorest, not that who are rich, for them it is prescribed. Anyone can offer Kṛṣṇa according to his capacity. Kṛṣṇa is not hankering after your offering, but if you offer Kṛṣṇa, that is for your own interest, own benefit. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā (BG 9.4).

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Melbourne, April 22, 1976:

"These people, accepting a child of certain woman whose name is Yaśodā as God," then you are mistaken. And if you understand that God has come as a child of this great devotee, Mother Yaśodā, just to fulfill her desire. Because Mother Yaśodā wanted God as her son, so God, being very much pleased on this devotee, He has appeared as a son of Mother Yaśodā. Two understanding. If you take Kṛṣṇa that "Here is a child born in a vaiśya family of Mother Yaśodā, Nanda Mahārāja, and these people are accepting Him as God," then you are mistaken.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma ca me divyam (BG 4.9). It is transcendental, divine. Therefore there are so many śāstras to understand Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise, if Kṛṣṇa is ordinary child, then why there are so many books? There is no need of so many books to understand Kṛṣṇa. Just to understand Him that He is not ordinary child; He is God Himself. Otherwise who is writing so many books for understanding a ordinary child? Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that "If one understands Me," tattvataḥ—tattvataḥ means in fact, in truth—"then he becomes so qualified that after..." We have to give up this body, any circumstances. That's a fact. Then such person who has become fully aware of Kṛṣṇa, such person, tyaktvā deham, giving up this body, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9), he does not take any more birth with another material body.

Then what happens? Now, mām eti: "He comes to Me." That means he gets his original spiritual body. So if we simply try to understand. It is not very difficult. Everything is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. You try to understand Kṛṣṇa; then your life is successful. After giving up this body there is no more material body. You get spiritual body, and you enter in the spiritual world and dance with Kṛṣṇa, play with Kṛṣṇa, talk with Kṛṣṇa, live happily, blissful life. This is instruction. This is the propaganda we are making. Why we are writing so many books? We have already about eighty-two books simply on the subject matter of Kṛṣṇa, to understand Kṛṣṇa. "To understand Kṛṣṇa, oh, we can read books and we can understand." No, it is not so easy.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Melbourne, April 22, 1976:

To understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, little difficult because Kṛṣṇa says, "Out of many millions of person, one is interested to make his life perfect." Nobody is interested. Everyone is interested to live like animal, eat, drink, be merry and enjoy sex, and die like cats and dogs. That's all. This, so far, they know. But they do not know that we can make our life perfect here—no more death, no more birth, no more old age, no more disease. Who is interested? They think that this is story. No, it is fact. If you want to make your life so perfect, not to go through this process of birth, death, old age and disease, you can do that. There is process. But if we neglect, that is our business. But the śāstra, the knowledge, the Vedas, the big, big ācāryas, Kṛṣṇa, His incarnation, His devotees—they are simply trying to give you this knowledge that you can make your life perfect—no more death, no more birth, no more old age, no more disease. That you can make. That is possible.

Lecture on BG 9.5 -- Melbourne, April 24, 1976:

So last verse we have discussed. Kṛṣṇa said... When we speak, "Kṛṣṇa," you should understand "Kṛṣṇa" means God, the Supreme Being. "Kṛṣṇa," the etymological meaning is "the all-attractive." Without being all-attractive there is no meaning of God. It is not that God is attractive only to certain class of men. No. God is attractive for all classes of men, unless he is animal. Animal does not know what is God and what is the attraction of God. He does not know. But human being, in the human society, at least in the civilized human society there is a certain idea of God. Either you follow Christianity or Vedic principle of Mohammedan religion or even Buddha religion, there is conception of God. There is an attempt to understand God. That is human society. Therefore, according to the capability or country and the people, the conception of God may be a little different from one another. But the attraction for God is there. There is no doubt about it. So God appears in three fundamental features: brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate.

Lecture on BG 9.10 -- Calcutta, June 29, 1973:

Budhāḥ. Not the rascals and nonsense, but those who have intelligence, budhāḥ. Bodha. Bodha means knowledge, and budha means one who possesses knowledge. So those who are devotees of Kṛṣṇa, they are not rascals. They are not rascals. They are budhāḥ. Not only budhāḥ, but also bhāva-samanvitāḥ. Bhāva-samanvita means a person who has understood Kṛṣṇa or who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he feels the presence of Kṛṣṇa everywhere. Bhāva-samanvitāḥ. Budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ. The same thing is confirmed in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. The mahā-bhāgavata, one who is advanced in spiritual consciousness, he sees everywhere Kṛṣṇa. And that is a fact. He does not see anything...

sthāvara-jaṅgama dekhe, nā dekhe tāra mūrti

sarvatra haya nija iṣṭa-deva-sphūrti

(CC Madhya 8.274)

A devotee is seeing a palatial building, but he does not see the palatial building. He sees Kṛṣṇa. Because he knows that the ingredients of this palatial building, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4), all this earth, water, air, fire, that is Kṛṣṇa's energy. From Kṛṣṇa, this earth, water, air, fire, everything has come out. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante. The original source of anything, of everything, is Kṛṣṇa. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8).

Lecture on BG 9.10 -- Calcutta, June 29, 1973:

A devotee is seeing a palatial building, but he does not see the palatial building. He sees Kṛṣṇa. Because he knows that the ingredients of this palatial building, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4), all this earth, water, air, fire, that is Kṛṣṇa's energy. From Kṛṣṇa, this earth, water, air, fire, everything has come out. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante. The original source of anything, of everything, is Kṛṣṇa. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8).

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not a sectarian, sentimental movement. It is a very scientific movement, to understand Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So in the western world, they cannot be misled by sentiments. That is not possible. Sentiment must be there, but that is after understanding. That is spiritual sentiment. That is bhava. That is another thing. Budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu's... He also exhibited His spiritual sentiments: "Where is Kṛṣṇa?"

yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa

cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam

śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvaṁ

govinda-viraheṇa me

This is sentiment. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was thinking one moment as twelve years. Yugāyitaṁ nimieṣeṇa. Nimeṣa means twinkling of an eye, moment. But He was thinking twelve years. And before Him, the gopīs also, they used to condemn the creator, Brahmā, because he created the eyelid and twinkling of the eyes. Which is (has) obstructed seeing Kṛṣṇa. What is that sound?

Lecture on BG 9.10 -- Calcutta, June 29, 1973:

Here is another biggest man. So go on, go on, you go up to Brahmā. Then after Brahmā, Brahmā is also not the ultimate. Because from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam we understand: tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye (SB 1.1.1). Ādi-kavaye. Ādi-kavi (means) is Brahmā. Brahmā is also educated by superior person. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ. Brahmā is also educated. He's not self-sufficient. He gets education from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa haite catur-mukha. So in this way, if we try to find out, if we'll find out, if we are actually sincere to find out the ultimate source of everything, then you will come to Kṛṣṇa. Which is confirmed by Kṛṣṇa: ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8). Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). Kṛṣṇa says this. And we have to take it. With intelligence, with good brain. Otherwise, we cannot understand. Therefore those who are less intelligent, foolish rascals, they cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. Because they cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, they do not take to Kṛṣṇa. They do not surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says:

na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ

prapadyante narādhamāḥ

māyayāpahṛta-jñānā

āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ

(BG 7.15)

As soon as we see one has not surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, immediately we can accept he's either a duṣkṛtinaḥ, a mūḍhaḥ, a narādhamaḥ, māyayāpahṛta-jñānaḥ. Immediately. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is especially interested to broadcast the news that: "You are searching after God. Here is God. You do not know what is the name of God. Here is the name, Kṛṣṇa. You do not know what is the address of God." We say: "Here is, Vaikuṇṭha, Goloka."

Lecture on BG 9.10 -- Calcutta, June 29, 1973:

Therefore, we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, without any interpretation. Kṛṣṇa says: "I am the Supreme Person," we say: "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Person." Kṛṣṇa says that He's the background of this cosmic manifestation. We present: "Yes, Kṛṣṇa is the cause of all material cosmic manifestation." This is our program. So our only request is those who are intelligent persons, let them understand this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It is not meant for the foolish person. Because foolish person cannot understand. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). The foolish person, after endeavoring many thousands of births, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante, if he's actually inquisitive, jñānī,... Catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtino 'rjuna ārto arthārthī jñānī jijñāsuḥ ca bharatarṣabha. Four classes of men, they become inquisitive to understand Kṛṣṇa or God. Ārto arthārthī jñānī jijñāsuḥ. So ārto arthārthī, ordinary men, when one is in need of money, when one is in distress, they go to God for relief. But although they go to God for, with some motive, still they have been described as sukṛtinaḥ. Sukṛtinaḥ, pious. Background is piety. Otherwise, nobody can go. And those who are duskṛtinaḥ, always engaged in sinful activities, they cannot go to Kṛṣṇa. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15).

Lecture on BG 9.10 -- Calcutta, June 29, 1973:

Therefore, we first of all try to make people sukṛtinaḥ. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. He'll become sukṛtī. He'll get some pious assets. Then he'll be able to understand Kṛṣṇa. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has introduced this method, and actually this method has been successful now all over the world. We began: "Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Simply Chant." So all these foreign students who have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness very seriously, they began simply with chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. It is not difficult. Everyone can chant. What is the difficulty? Everyone can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare... Where is the difficulty? But they'll not chant. They'll not chant. They'll talk so many rubbish things, but as soon as you ask him to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, he'll be silent. That we have experienced. But still our thankless task is to induce everyone: "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa."

There is a cartoon picture in New York. One old man and his wife, sitting together. The wife is requesting the husband, old husband, "Chant, chant, chant," and the husband is replying: "Can't, can't, can't." This cartoon we have seen. So this is the... He will say three times: "Can't, can't, can't." But not "Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa." That is not possible. A similar story is there in the Bengal. One old mother was dying, and the sons requested the mother: "Mother, now you say 'Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa' ". So after requesting two, three times, mother became disgusted: atha katha nivalta nare.(?) So atha katha vibol ta parane(?) she could say. Not Hare Kṛṣṇa. Not Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is the position.

Lecture on BG 9.11 -- Calcutta, June 30, 1973:

One has to give up all designation. "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am śūdra," "I am this," "I am that." These are all designations of the body, but we are not this body. So if we can give up this bodily designation, that is called sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam. Then one has to become purified on the standard of devotional service.

Unless one is engaged in devotional service, there is no question of purification. Then you'll fall down. These are the statements in the śāstras. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32). You can elevate yourself to the Brahman effulgence, brahma-jñāna, āruhya kṛcchreṇa, with tapasya, with severe austerities. But if you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, if you do not take shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, then you'll again fall down. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). So a devotee, if you become a devotee, you'll never fall down. Kṛṣṇa will give you protection. Kṛṣṇa says, kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). He will give you protection. Otherwise you are helpless. You can fall down at any moment. But if you take shelter of Kṛṣṇa... So there are so many facilities for perfection of life. Simply by accepting Kṛṣṇa, mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. If you do not do that, then you are a mūḍha, rascal. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam, paraṁ bhāvam ajā... (BG 9.11). "How much powerful is Kṛṣṇa; what He can do for me," without knowing this, we do not surrender to Kṛṣṇa.

Therefore it is necessity to assemble like this to understand Kṛṣṇa. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is there all over the world just to help the people to understand real God, Kṛṣṇa. This is the purpose of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Because people are suffering, they are all mūḍhas. They do not understand Kṛṣṇa or they deride Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they will, he will go on suffering. Tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān kṣipāmy ajasram andha-yoniṣu (BG 16.19). Those who are envious of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa says, "I put them eternally in the hellish condition of life." So if you want to save yourself from the hellish condition of life, you must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and surrender unto Him. Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)

Lecture on BG 9.11-14 -- New York, November 27, 1966:

So this speculating process will also not help. Moghāśā mogha-karmāṇo mogha-jñānā vicetasaḥ (BG 9.12). Vicetasaḥ means they are bewildered, that God cannot be perceived by your own endeavor unless God reveals before you. Vicetasaḥ. Vicetasaḥ means bewildered. Just like if you want to see the sun, can you see the sun just at this time, all over darkness? Have you got any machine or any apparatus or any searchlight, you can show me sun? No. It is not possible. So if you cannot see at night with your own endeavor even a material thing like sun, do you think that by your own endeavor you will see God? How it is possible? As the sun reveals in the morning at five o'clock or six o'clock, similarly, when the sun Kṛṣṇa will reveal before you, then you will understand. You cannot find out Kṛṣṇa or understand Kṛṣṇa by your own endeavor. Now, that process is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). You will be in confidence. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10). Those who have taken this line with faith and love, always engaged in the transcendental loving service of Kṛṣṇa, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam, then from within... Kṛṣṇa is within you. We have no realization. Due to my material conception of life, I have no realization. So you have to realize that Kṛṣṇa is there, and you have to purify yourself by service attitude. Then Kṛṣṇa will reveal. You will see, eye to eye.

Moghāśā mogha-karmāṇo mogha... (BG 9.12). vice..., rākṣasīm āsurīṁ caiva prakṛtiṁ mohinīṁ śritāḥ. Rākṣasī. Rākṣasī means those who are atheists, they are called rākṣasas. Rākṣasa and asura. Asura, they are always against God. They are called asuras. And rākṣasa means they don't believe in God. So rākṣasīm āsurīṁ caiva prakṛtim. Why they...? That mohinīṁ prakṛtim. They are bewildered by this illusory material energy. They are... They think, "This is all, and this life..."

Lecture on BG 9.23-24 -- New York, December 10, 1966:

Simply to know Kṛṣṇa, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa was somebody born in India, and He was very powerful and He was very intelligent. He has written Bhagavad-gītā..." But we do not know actually what Kṛṣṇa is. And this society especially meant to broadcast the knowledge about Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we have named particularly this society the Society for Krishna Consciousness. There is the... People do not know it. They are writing commentaries on Kṛṣṇa's book, but they are speaking nonsense because they do not know Kṛṣṇa. Tattvenātaś cyavanti te: "They fall down from the truth."

This is... So therefore we should try to know Kṛṣṇa by paramparā system. Kṛṣṇa is delivering His instruction to Arjuna, and if we understand as Arjuna understood... That is mentioned in the Tenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā. Then we can understand Kṛṣṇa to some extent. We cannot understand Kṛṣṇa in full. That is not possible because He's unlimited, and we are limited. So our power will fail to understand Kṛṣṇa fully. But if we understand something, something about Him... Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā, you'll find,

janma karma me divyaṁ

yo jānāti tattvataḥ

tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma

naiti mām eti kaunteya

(BG 4.9)

"My dear Arjuna, anyone who simply knows how I take My birth and how I am working," janma karma me divyam, "transcendentally, that person becomes immediately liberated." How is that? Now, tyaktvā deham: "After quitting this body, he never comes again to this material world." Then where does he go? Mām eti: "In My kingdom." So simply by knowing how Kṛṣṇa, He is unborn, how He's taking birth, and the Supreme, how He's working like us—these two things, if you know, simply, about Kṛṣṇa... How do we know? Therefore the Vedic injunction is tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). If you want to know Kṛṣṇa, then you must approach a person who knows Kṛṣṇa. Don't try to know Kṛṣṇa by your own imagination. People are trying to know Kṛṣṇa by his faulty imagination. In that way Kṛṣṇa cannot be known. So if you want to know Kṛṣṇa, then you have to know Kṛṣṇa as Arjuna knows. Because Arjuna understood Kṛṣṇa, what He is. Otherwise, he would not have changed his decision. His decision was not to fight, but he changed his decision. He fought because he understood Kṛṣṇa. Understood Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 9.29-32 -- New York, December 20, 1966:

So He said, "All right. I shall drive your chariot." So Kṛṣṇa's promise was that He will not fight. But at a time when Arjuna was perplexed by fighting with Bhīṣma... Bhīṣma was the greatest fighter, although he was very old man. Duryodhana incited him that "Because the other side are your very pet grandsons, you are not fighting fully." That was the complaint of Duryodhana. So in order to encourage him, Bhīṣma said to Duryodhana, "All right, tomorrow I shall finish all these five brothers. Tomorrow I shall finish. And I have got now special arrows for killing these five chivalrous brothers."

So Duryodhana was very intelligent. He told, "All right, please keep these five arrows with me for the night. I shall deliver you tomorrow in the morning." "All right, you take it." And Kṛṣṇa understood. Kṛṣṇa is, everything knows, past, present and future. Kṛṣṇa knew it that "Bhīṣma has now promised. He will kill." So He asked Arjuna—this is also politics—that "You go to Duryodhana. Do you remember that Duryodhana"—Duryodhana is elderly than Arjuna—"that he would keep some promise which was offered to you?" Duryodhana told him, "Arjuna, whenever you want something, I shall give you." "Now this is the time. You can go." "And what is that?" "Now, he has got five arrows for killing you. You should take and come to Me." So after fight, they were friends. So Arjuna went to the camp of Duryodhana, and he was well received. "Well Arjuna, come on. What do you want? Come on. Sit down. Do you want anything from me? If you want, I can stop this fight. I can return you this..." Arjuna said, "No. I have not come to you for begging my kingdom. Fighting will go on. But I want... You promised something." "Yes. I know. I offer you. What do you want?" "Now, I want those five arrows." At once he delivered.