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Very important (Lectures, Other)

Expressions researched:
"very important"

Notes from the compiler: VedaBase query: "very important" not "not very important" not "this is very important" not "that is very important" not "not a very important" not "this is a very important" not "that is a very important"

Lectures

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 16, 1972:

My Guru Mahārāja, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja, he used to advise us to read Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. Everyone, after initiation. At least, he advised me. So this Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu is very important as study book for the Vaiṣṇavas. It is the science of devotional service. And people are, in Western countries, taking interest. In the Temple University, it has become a textbook in the religious class. There are sixty students who are regularly studying the Bhakti, Nectar of Devotion published by us. And gradually it is being introduced in other colleges and schools. I think you are straining.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 17, 1972:

One should be enlightened himself, and one should enlighten others also. That is the mission of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya janma haila yāra. Not the cats and dogs, animals. Manuṣya. On the land of Bhāratavarṣa, one who has taken his birth as a human being... This point is very important.

bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya janma haila yāra
janma sārthaka kari' koro paropakāra
(CC Adi 9.41)

Become... One can become successful in the mission of his life in India. Because the India, the real knowledge, Vedic knowledge, is there. All the sages and great personalities of India, Vyāsadeva... He compiled all these Vedas for the enlightenment of the whole human society.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972:

So this is the process. Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, which we have translated into English, Nectar of Devotion, is very important book. It is the science of devotional service. If you want to be engaged in devotional service, then you must read the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. And then we shall be able to see God. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena (Bs. 5.38), by following the rules and regulations and the direction laid down in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, we shall be gradually elevated to the platform of loving God. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī therefore says, ādau śraddhā. Ādau śraddhā. First of all, faith. That is the basic principle.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:

"Because I'm following strictly the direction of my spiritual master and śāstras, certainly I shall meet Kṛṣṇa." Tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt. By following the rules and regulations, sato vṛtteḥ, always trying to be honest and sādhu-saṅga... (CC Madhya 22.83). The sādhu-saṅga is very important. Therefore we have created this internal society, International Society so that actually it is happening. People are coming to our society, in our centers, and after one week, automatically he takes a bag and beads and shaves himself. Automatically. Sādhu-saṅga is very... Association of sādhu. Solitary bhajana, executing devotional service in a solitary place, is not possible for the neophyte devotees. It is meant for the advanced devotees. If, from the very beginning, without executing the regulative principles, if one wants to execute devotional service in a solitary place, it will be simply disturbing, and he must fall down. There are so many examples, even in this Vṛndāvana.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 2, 1973:

That is called brahma-bhūtaḥ stage. In the brahma-bhūtaḥ stage, one is joyful, prasannātmā. That is the symptoms of brahma-bhūtaḥ. Prasannātmā (BG 18.54). Na śocati na kāṅkṣati. Because he has nothing to do with material world, therefore sometimes it is said, "It is mithyā," because I have nothing to do. It may be very important thing, but unless you realize Kṛṣṇa, mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām (BG 18.54), by devotional service, even by lifting yourself to that stage, transcendental stage of Brahman realization, there is chance of falling down. That is the verdict of, I mean to, Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ anādṛtaḥ-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Because they could not search out the shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, they have to come down again to this material existence, which they left as mithyā. But their..., because there is no shelter on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, this brahma-bhūtaḥ stage also not secure.

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

So we should directly take to the nine different processes of devotional service, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). That we are stressing specifically every time, that hearing about Kṛṣṇa is very important. Śravaṇam. As it is described in the Bhāgavatam, śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (SB 1.2.17). Śṛṇvatām. Simply hearing, śṛṇvatām, those who are hearing... Caitanya Mahāprabhu has also recommended, sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. One may stay in his position as a brāhmaṇa, as a kṣatriya, as a vaiśya, or as a śūdra. Everyone can hear about Kṛṣṇa. This assembly which we are holding, there is no such thing that only the brāhmaṇas will come here, or the kṣatriyas will come here. Anyone can come and hear about Kṛṣṇa. That is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We try to invite everyone, from every corner of the world, to hear about Kṛṣṇa.

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

This is the meaning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness society. It is not a joint mess, that "You bring something, I bring something, and let us cook together, and eat and sleep." It is not that society. We should always be engaged. Always we shall use our tongue.

So tāṅdera caraṇa-sevi-bhakta... It is very important passage given by Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. Tāṅdera caraṇa-sevi... Our business should be how to execute the orders of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The Gosvāmīs, the Ṣaḍ-Gosvāmī, Caitanya Mahāprabhu... Caitanya Mahāprabhu said,

pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma
sarvatra pracāra haibe more nāma

He wanted that human beings, those who have taken birth as a human being in India, they should take the cause, the mission of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and spread all over the world. Janma sārthaka kari' karo paropakāra. The India is made for doing good to others. India is not meant for exploiting others.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.1 -- Mayapur, March 25, 1975:

So śvapaca, even a person is coming from the śvapaca family, and if he's a Vaiṣṇava, if he's a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he can become guru. On the other side, even born in a brāhmaṇa family and very expert in Vedic ritualistic performances, mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ, he cannot become guru if he does not understand Kṛṣṇa. So therefore guru is very important because he has accepted Kṛṣṇa... Tattva-darśibhiḥ, he has seen the truth. So therefore guru is first offered... This is the test of guru. Guru does not become Kṛṣṇa himself, but he canvasses door to door to induce that "You become devotee of Kṛṣṇa." This is sign of guru. Vande gurūn īśa-bhaktān. Īśa-bhaktān. Then we shall describe later on.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.39-47 -- San Francisco, February 1, 1967:

That we have already discussed. Now again He has come back to Benares. So He was staying at Candraśekhara's house, and He was taking His meals at Tapana Miśra's house. In the meantime, Sanātana Goswami came to see Him. Sanātana Goswami, after retirement, he had many troubles. He was arrested by the Nawab because Nawab thought him that he was very important hand. "He has now... By sentiment, he's going to Caitanya." So he thought it wise to arrest him. And Sanātana Gosvāmī had some money, so he bribed the superintendent of jail, and he let him go away. So with great difficulty, he reached Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and he met Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Benares, and for two months he was instructed all the principles of devotional service and different incarnations. We have... Some part of this Sanātana instruction, we have discussed. Again we shall discuss. So this Sanātana Gosvāmī met at Benares while Caitanya Mahāprabhu was returning back from Vṛndāvana. We shall discuss this point tomorrow.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.80-95 -- San Francisco, February 10, 1966:

Now these are some of the stages explained, and each item is very important. Sveda: when actually one comes to the perfectional stage of emotion, there is perspiration, perspiration from the body, sveda. Kampa: there is shaking of the body, like this. Yes. Shaking of the body. Romāñca: the hairs stands on the holes, romāñca. Gadgada: he fails to speak. He cannot express his words exactly. Vaivarṇya: there is sometimes paleness of the body. Unmāda: just like a madman. Viṣāda: he becomes morose, very sorry, viṣāda. Dhairya: and calm and quiet. Then garva: he becomes pride, sometimes just like a chivalrous man, pride, proud. Harṣa: ecstasy. And dainya: and humble, humbleness. So these are the symptoms of perfection. So sometimes they imitate. So imitation is no good. It will come. When you are in perfectional stage, these symptoms will automatically come.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.108 -- San Francisco, February 18, 1967:

Puruṣa. He is never woman. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). Then again another statement from the Upaniṣads, that "The Supreme has multi-energies." Svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca. He has got so much energies that it appears that it is being automatically done. Just like a, I mean to say, very important man you see. You go there and you... Suppose you ask him for some help, and suppose you want one million dollar, and if he gives you a slip, oh, you take it from there. If you get immediately, then you will understand, "Oh, how much powerful he is. Simply by a pencil, like this, I got millions of dollars!" So God is so powerful. It appears that..., everything is wonderfully, this material nature is working. But it is due to God's energy. His energies are so multifarious, He's so expert, that it appears automatically being done. Not automatically. Not automatically. No. Just like a big mathematician. You give him a very big sum, oh, and within a second, he will at once add it.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.149-171 -- San Francisco, March 18, 1967:

Before Lord Caitanya, the places of pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa was forgotten. People knew only that "In these quarters Kṛṣṇa was born and His pastimes was played here." But no particular places were excavated. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu... After Caitanya Mahāprabhu sent Sanātana Gosvāmī, the importance of that tract of land known as Mathurā-Vṛndāvana became very important. And the importance of that city is due to this Sanātana Gosvāmī, because Sanātana Gosvāmī was authorized to go there and establish temples. So after Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī, hundreds and thousands of temples were constructed, and there are at least five thousand temples now, after Sanātana Gosvāmī.

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

That is possible by the execution of Bhāgavata-dharma. Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). Tato rajas-tamo bhāvāḥ. There are verses in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). One has to hear. Therefore śravaṇa and kīrtana, hearing and chanting, is very important, śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ, especially hearing and chanting of Kṛṣṇa. Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet (SB 12.3.51). Simply by discussing and hearing and reciting Bhagavad-gītā purely, not by interpreting wrongly... As it is. As Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī mām (BG 18.65), you have to accept that. You cannot change that. You cannot say, "It is not to Kṛṣṇa; it is the Kṛṣṇa's self and this and that." So śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. One who hears Bhagavad-gītā as it is or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from devotees... Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ. Because simply by hearing he achieves the result of pious activities...

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 8.128 -- Bhuvanesvara, January 24, 1977:

Hari-śauri: Translation: "Whether one is a brāhmaṇa, a sannyāsī, or a śūdra, regardless of what he is, he can become a spiritual master if he knows the science of Kṛṣṇa." Purport: "This verse is very important to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. In his Amṛta-pravāha-bhāṣya, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura explains that one should not think that because Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was born a brāhmaṇa and was situated..."

Indian translator: Kindly read one sentence.

Prabhupāda: One sentence. Yes. One sentence, finish talk. Then he'll explain.

Hari-śauri: "One should not think that because Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was born a brāhmaṇa and was situated in the topmost spiritual order as a sannyāsī it was improper for Him to receive instructions from Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya, who belonged to the śūdra caste." (break)

Prabhupāda: ...prabhu said,

yei bhaje sei baḍa abhakta hīna chāra
kṛṣṇa bhajanete nāhi jāti-kulādi-vicāra
(CC Antya 4.67)

This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's vision. There is no such distinction that one is lower and higher in the matter of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. In the śāstras it is clearly stated that unless one is Kṛṣṇa conscious, he cannot become guru.

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

So you will have entrance into the spiritual kingdom, into the abode of Kṛṣṇa when you have perfectly... We cannot understand perfectly, but as far as possible, as far we have got the capacity, if we understand Kṛṣṇa as He is, then the entrance will be there. Otherwise there is no entrance. Therefore Lord Caitanya instructed Sanātana Gosvāmī about Kṛṣṇa through devotional service. This instruction is very important. You should very carefully hear and, if possible, note. This is directly the instruction. Just like the Bhagavad-gītā: the Lord Kṛṣṇa is directly instructing Arjuna. But in the Bhagavad-gītā there are many phases of instruction, fruitive action, philosophical speculation, yoga system and jñāna system, all kinds of different paths. Ultimately, of course, Lord Kṛṣṇa instructed him that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is the most confidential part. But here Lord Caitanya, He is not instructing any superfluous things.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-102 -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand:

This is not actual fact. So Caitanya..., by the grace of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Sanātana Gosvāmī has learned it that "They called me paṇḍita. It is false address. I am not really paṇḍita." Why you are not paṇḍita? You are educated. You are very good scholar in Sanskrit and Parsi. And as in these days English is considered to be very important subject And actually it is. So unless one is educated in English, he's half-educated, still. So he was educated certainly. As a brāhmaṇa he was educated in Sanskrit, and as government officer, he had to learn, in those days, Urdu and Parsi. So he was educated. But he says that "Although they call me paṇḍita and I am, maybe I am little educated. But the difficulty is that I do not know what is the ultimate goal of life, or my real position of happiness." Āpanāra hitāhita kichui nā jāni.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.101-104 -- Bombay, November 3, 1975:

So here we are talking about Caitanya's instruction to Sanātana Gosvāmī. This Sanātana Gosvāmī was one of the important ministers in the government of the then Pathan Nawab Hussein Shah. He is very important person. He was very great scholar in Persian language, in Arabian language, and Sanskrit. And because he joined the Muslim government, he accepted the service of a Muslim government, he was rejected by the brāhmaṇa community. He was born in brāhmaṇa community, Sārasvata-brāhmaṇa. There are many Sārasvata-brāhmaṇas in Bombay. So he belonged to that community. And because the brāhmaṇa community exterminated him, then he became almost like Muslim. Their name was also changed, Dabira Khāsa and Sākara Mallika, two brothers.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.104 -- New York, July 10, 1976:

Sanātana Gosvāmī's question is being answered by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that "Because you have this inquiry, this is the beginning of human life." So if one is little inquisitive to know what I am, then his real life begins. And if he is kept in the darkness and he remains in the darkness, that "I am this body," there is no value of so-called civilization, education, nothing. It is a very important question, ke āmi kene āmāya. One must be inquisitive. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. He must be conscious that "I do not want all these things, miserable condition of life, and they are enforced upon me. I cannot check them; they are coming. No, there must be somebody superior who's law is being forced." That is the factor. That is religion. Religion means to find out the supreme controller who is forcing everything. That is religion. That is stated in the dictionary. Religion is not some sentiment, some ritualistic ceremony. No.

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

Very important passage. Just note it carefully. Now, by apprenticeship, by practice, if one sincerely follows this practice, then what is the result? Dhana pāile yaiche sukha-bhoga phala pāya. Just like a poor man, if he gets sufficient money, then at once his all distress is over, at once, immediately. Simultaneously, as soon as the sun is in the sky, at once the darkness is gone. Just in the morning, a little, not sun directly, but even there is sunshine far away, immediately the darkness goes away. I am in distress; I am in poverty-stricken. Suppose I get immediately some large amount of money. Immediately my distress gone. So exactly like that, dhana pāile yaiche sukha-bhoga phala pāya, then automatically he becomes happy, a poor man when he gets money. Similarly, as soon as we have little taste of this devotional service, at once all our miserable life becomes happy at once. Yes. Sukha-bhoga haite duḥkha āpani palāya. And if there is happiness, where is the question of misery? If there is light, where there is question of darkness?

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.137-146 -- Bombay, February 24, 1971:

Never mind! Please go away! Finish Stop your all leadership." That is God. You don't believe, you may not believe God, but when death comes you have to believe in God. Let the scientists and let the big leaders and rich men protect himself from death. Then you can say that there is no God. (break) This atheism, denying the existence of God, is not very good. Therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very important. (pause) Prasāda, you have given prasāda? I'll take first of all... (end)

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 22.31-33 -- New York, January 16, 1967:

So hearing is most important thing. You'll find in the Thirteenth Chapter, śruti parāyaṇa. Śruti parāyaṇa. Śruti parāyaṇa means one who is very much eager to hear about Kṛṣṇa, he's a very nice qualified man. So hearing is very important thing than seeing or touching or smelling. Hearing is very... Hearing is the, is so important. When all other senses are not acting, sleeping, no other sense is acting, as soon as telephone bell is called, you get up. No other sense will act. So hearing is so perfect. Therefore according to Vedic principle this hearing is very important thing. Hearing. And one who is very much eager to hear about Kṛṣṇa is very expert, because hearing is knowledge.

So if we hear Kṛṣṇa, about Kṛṣṇa, His name, His fame, then Kṛṣṇa is present before us. And Lord Caitanya is giving another instance:

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 10 -- Los Angeles, May 15, 1970:
So this verse is very important.
anyad evāhur vidyayā
anyad āhur avidyayā
iti śuśruma dhīrāṇāṁ
ye nas tad vicacakṣire
(ISO 10)

So here is one word, iti śuśruma. Śuśruma means heard. The word meaning is there. "It is heard." In the Vedic disciplic succession, it is never said, "It is experienced." That is the secret of Vedic understanding. No student will... Just like people are now engaged in researching what is there in the moon planet. So this is material policy, to try to understand things by his own experience. Pratyakṣa, direct, experimental knowledge. The Vedic understanding is different. It is śruti. Śruti means to hear from authoritative source. That is real knowledge. Just like I have given many times this example that if you want to know your father by experimental knowledge, is it possible? Not possible. Then how to know my father? By hearing from the authority, mother. That's all. Simple thing.

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 11 -- Los Angeles, May 16, 1970:

It is not possible. Therefore, if you want real knowledge, then you go to knowledge. Vedas means knowledge. These Vedas means knowledge. Vetti veda vido jñāne. Veda, Veda means knowledge. So if you want real knowledge, then you have to take shelter of these Vedas, Vedic literature, just like Īśopaniṣad. There are 108 Upaniṣads, out of which, nine are very important. Out of that nine, this Īśopaniṣad stands first, then Taittirīya Upaniṣad, Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad, Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad. So the Upaniṣad... Upa, upa means nearing. So this knowledge will take you nearer to Kṛṣṇa. And amongst the learned society, ācāryas, the śruti-pramāṇa... Evidence is śruti. Śruti means these Vedas. They are not experimental knowledge. They are not knowledge established by the research work of contaminated, conditioned soul. Contaminated, conditioned soul, their senses are imperfect. They cannot see things as they are. Simply they theorize, "It may be like that." So much they can say. So "It may be like that," that is no knowledge.

Festival Lectures

Lecture-Day after Sri Gaura-Purnima -- Hawaii, March 5, 1969:

"If people do not come to hear this philosophy, don't be discouraged. You sit down in a room and try to preach. The four walls will hear you. Don't be disappointed." So there is no cause of disappointment, but this is, today is, very important day, Lord Caitanya's birthday ceremony. At least in India, specially in Nabadwip, there is very, very great ceremony today. Thousands and millions of people are gathering to observe this important ceremony. So ceremony, apart from ceremonial function, let us try to understand the philosophy of Lord Caitanya. So Lord Caitanya thought it... Not thought it. This is a fact, that this sort of life, seek material happiness... Material happiness means sense gratification. That's all. Actually, according to Bhagavad-gītā... Not according to Bhagavad-gītā—that is a fact according to any authoritative statement. Sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad atīndriyaṁ grāhyam (BG 6.21). Śrī Kṛṣṇa says that sukham ātyantikam.

Ratha-yatra -- San Francisco, July 5, 1970:

Therefore my request is, I have specially come to you. I was not very feeling well to come here. But because I have come to San Francisco, I must give you the message. It is very important message. Those of you who are feeling frustration and confused, kindly take to this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, that's all. You... There is no expenditure, there is no loss. We are not charging anything. It is not a business, that we are asking you to pay something because I am giving this information. No. It is freely distributed. You please chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra twenty-four hours. You can work, you can walk, and at the same time chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.

Ratha-yatra -- San Francisco, June 27, 1971:

He was in ecstasy. He was in the mood of loving spirit like Rādhārāṇī, so He was thinking, "Kṛṣṇa, please come back again to Vṛndāvana." So He was dancing before the Ratha-yatra, and you will understand, if you read some of the books published by you..., published by our society. One of the book is known as Teachings of Lord Caitanya. It is very important book. If you want to learn this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we have got enough books. You can scientifically and philosophically study. But if you have no inclination to study, if you simply take to this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, gradually everything will be revealed unto you, and you will understand your relationship with Kṛṣṇa.

I thank you very much for participating in this ceremony. Now let us chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and proceed with Jagannātha Swami. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)

Ratha-yatra -- London, July 13, 1972:

So our only business is to transfer ourself from this sky to that sky, that illuminating sky. That is the Vedic injunction. Tamasi mā jyotir gamaya: "Don't remain in this darkness, in this world of darkness. Come to the world of light." So this movement is very important movement. We are trying to educate people how to transfer one from this world of darkness to the world of light, which is called Goloka Vṛndāvana. So I am very much thankful to you that you have given me your time. So we have got our books; our devotees are preaching. Take advantage of this opportunity and make your life successful.

Ratha-yatra -- Philadelphia, July 12, 1975:

This is material world. We have no experience of the spiritual world. But we can get an glimpse idea, what is spirit and what is matter. Just try to understand the difference between a living man and a dead body. The dead body means as soon as the living force within the body is gone, then it is dead matter, useless. And so long the living force is there, the body is very important. So as we experience in this body, there is something as dead matter and something as living force, similarly, there are two worlds: the material world and the spiritual world. We living entities, every one of us, we belong to the spiritual world. We do not belong to the material world. Some way or other, we are now in contact with this material world and material body, and the business is that although we are eternal living force, on account of our contact with this material body, we have to take four tribulations: birth, death, disease and old age. That we have to undergo. In this material world we are getting one type of body, and it is ended at a certain stage.

Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day Lecture -- London, August 21, 1973:

He has no cause. Anādir ādir govindaḥ (Bs. 5.1). I may be cause of my son, but I am also result of the cause, my father. But the śāstra says that anādir ādir, He is the original person, but He has no cause. That is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa says that janma karma ca me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). The advent of Kṛṣṇa, it is very important thing. We should try to understand Kṛṣṇa, why He advents, why He comes on this material world, what is His business, what are His activities. If we simply try to understand Kṛṣṇa, then what is the result? The result is tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). You get that immortality. The aim of life is to achieve immortality. Amṛtatvāya kalpate.

Sri Vyasa-puja -- London, August 22, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that you already know, that this is a most essential, most important movement to the human society. Last night the Ambassador of India, His Excellency Rasagotra, he was present here. He also appreciated that this movement is very important movement, and he was very pleased that I have done so much. So this movement will go on. Nobody can stop. So this Vyāsa-pūjā ceremony means to offer our thanks to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, because He is is the original guru. As we receive this message through paramparā system from Kṛṣṇa to Brahmā, Brahmā to Nārada, Nārada to Vyāsadeva, Vyāsadeva to Madhvācārya, in this way, Mādhavendra Purī, then Īśvara Purī, then Caitanya Mahāprabhu, then six Gosvāmīs, then others, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī, Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī. Then we have taken.

Radhastami, Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day -- Bhagavad-gita 18.5 -- London, September 5, 1973:

Because he will not keep it. He will not keep it for... He will immediately distribute it in charity. Therefore he is called in Bengali lakh take baundigi. (?) It doesn't matter he gets one lakh of rupees contribution, but still he remains a beggar. Because immediately he will distribute. So these things are very important things. Yajña-dāna-tapaḥ. And for sannyāsī and vānaprastha-tapasya. Tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1). Tapasya means accepting voluntarily all kinds of inconveniences, voluntarily.

Now, the material activities are that we are trying to avoid inconveniences. Material life is. But spiritual life means to execute tapasya, austerity, penance, even at the risk of all inconvenience. This is called tapasya. So Kṛṣṇa says, yajña-dāna-tapaḥ, kāryaṁ na tyājyam. You can give up your family life, but you cannot give up this yajña-dāna-tapaḥ. That you cannot, at any circumstances. These things must be continued. Yajña-dāna-tapaḥ na tyājyaṁ kāryam eva tat.

His Divine Grace Srila Sac-cid-ananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Appearance Day, Lecture -- London, September 3, 1971:

Therefore the process is ādau gurv-āśrayam. One has to accept a bona fide spiritual master. That is our process. Without accepting a bona fide spiritual master, we cannot make any progress. It is impossible. So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura happens to be ācāryas, one of the ācāryas. And he has left behind him many books. Caitanya-śikṣāmṛta, Jaiva Dharma. These are very important books. They're in Bengali, in Sanskrit. And many songs. He has prepared many books of song. The song, Ei nām gāya gauracānd madhura svare, that is Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's song. So we are trying to present Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's books also in English translation. Gradually you will get it. So our adoration, our worship to Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura today because he may bless us to make peacefully progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Ācārya-upāsanā, simply by the blessings of the ācāryas we can make very rapid progress. Vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). If we... Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ... **. We sing every day.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 9, 1968:

So there are description in the Bhagavad-gītā. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is authorized, very important. Now, you American boys and girls who have taken to this movement, please take it more seriously and... That is the mission of Lord Caitanya and my Guru Mahārāja, and we are also trying to execute the will by disciplic succession. You have come forward to help me. I shall request you all that I shall go away, but you shall live. Don't give up pushing on this movement, and you'll be blessed by Lord Caitanya and His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Goswami Prabhupāda.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Hyderabad, December 10, 1976:

So Dr. Bose, Kartik Chandra Bose, he's a very important man. At that time he was managing director of Bengal Chemical Company. Now there is a street in the central Calcutta, Dr. Kartik Bose Street. So he was very important man, and he was our family physician and my father's very intimate friend. So when I gave up my education and I was joining Gandhi's movement, at that time Dr. Kartik Chandra Bose asked me to join him. So with the permission of my father, I joined. So I was fond of, at that time, this Gandhi's noncooperation movement. And then, when I joined Dr. Bose's laboratory, of course, I was dressed in khādar. So Dr. Bose liked that dress, khādar dress. He told me one day that "Out of your whole Gandhi's movement, I like this khādar only." Dr. Bose said. And why? "No, because this will give impetus to industry. This hand spinning will gradually give impetus to India." Actually that happened. He was himself an industrialist. Actually in India the chemical industry was given birth by Dr. Kartik Chandra Bose. He was very important man. He started this Bengal Chemical.

Jagannatha Deities Installation Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.13-14 -- San Francisco, March 23, 1967:

Oh, why he is going away? Ask him to come. (someone goes out) Please, please take prasāda. Give him first. (break) Human life is not for, I mean to say, playing, sense gratification. Very important life. So Kṛṣṇa says manuṣyāṇām. But they do not know. Foolish people, they do not know. They are simply wasting life in sense gratification. They are thinking, "By sense gratification we shall be happy." One day the cruel death will come, at once give him a slap: "Come on! Go! Finish your business. No more human life. Become a cat and dog." So these risks are there. So we should be very responsible. So we are not responsible. Kṛṣṇa says, "They are not responsible." Therefore manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3). Out of many thousands of people, a person desires to utilize his human form of life very nicely. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye. Kaścit means somebody tries to make his life perfect.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Address -- Detroit Airport, July 16, 1971:

It has become very satisfactory that so many devotees, boys and girls, are taking part in this great movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It is very important movement because it is correcting the human civilization. There is a great defect in the modern civilization, and people are accepting this body as self, and based on this mistake in the foundation, everything is going wrong. The basic principle of civilization—accepting this body as the soul—is the beginning of all problems. The great philosophers, scientists, theologists and thoughtful men, they do not know what is the defect. Recently I was in Moscow. I had a talk with a big professor of Indology, Professor Kotovsky. So he was speaking that "Swamijī, after this finishing, annihilation of this body, everything is finished."

Arrival Lecture -- Paris, July 20, 1972:

All of them think as part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. When we come to that platform and when we engage ourself in that positional occupation, then we are liberated.

So this movement is very important movement. It is not of course possible to give you all details within a few minutes, but if you are interested you can kindly contact with us either by correspondence or by reading our literature or by personal contact. Any way, your life will be sublime. We have not such distinction that "This is India," "This is England," "This is France," "This is Africa." We think every living entity, not only human being, even animals, birds, beasts, trees, aquatics, insects, reptiles—all are part and parcel of God. But the lower animals, the aquatics, birds, beasts, trees, plants, insect—they are unable to receive this knowledge. The human being has developed consciousness. He can receive this knowledge of spirit soul.

Arrival Address -- New York, April 5, 1973:

All of them are required proportionately. Just like to keep up your body you require your head, you require your arms, you require your belly, and you require your legs also. Comparatively studying, head is very important than the leg, but that does not mean leg is unimportant. Everything wanted for the upkeep of the body. Similarly, for upkeep of the society, human society, there must be intelligent class of men, there must be administrator class of men, there must be productive class of men and there must be worker class of men. At the present moment, the human society is giving stress on the mercantile class of men and worker class of men. Actually, there is no intelligent class of men or administrative class of men. So our movement is creating some intelligent class of men. According to our Vedic knowledge, the first-class intelligent man is he who knows what is God.

Arrival Address -- Paris, June 8, 1974:

Where is now Napoleon Bonaparte who struggled so much for glorifying France. But where is that gentleman? Finished. As soon as the soul is gone... You may keep one statue, dead statue, that is another thing. But you do not know where the soul has gone and what he is doing now.

So anyone can understand that this body may be very, very important, scientist, politicians, and so on, so on. But as soon as the soul is gone from this body, it is useless, not worth even a farthing. Anyone can understand. Similarly, as the soul is the important thing in this body, my body, your body, or anyone's body, similarly in this huge gigantic body of universe, there must be one soul. Otherwise how it is going on? How it is working so nicely? The big sun is rising exactly in time, the moon is rising exactly in time, the seasons are changing one after another. So many millions and millions of living entities, they are being maintained. Everyone is getting their food, even the elephant who eats at a time hundred kilogram, he also eats.

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

So exactly we were driving in the same fashion, escorted by the police motorcycle. So anyway, I am so pleased to see you, that you are interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very, very important for the human society. It is not exactly a religious movement as it is understood in the Western countries. Religion is described in the English dictionary as "a kind of faith." Faith you may accept or may not accept, but religion is the word, as we understand from Sanskrit dictionary, it cannot be rejected. Or you and your religion cannot be separated. Therefore we should understand very clearly that we are experiencing two things: one is matter, and another is spirit. Just like there is a stone, and there is a small ant. The stone, it may be very big, but it cannot move. It has no life. But the small ant, although it is very small, it has life.

Arrival Conversation -- Los Angeles, June 20, 1975:

That Mahāprabhu's feeling of Kṛṣṇa is like that. Therefore He took part in the Ratha-yātrā and invited Kṛṣṇa, "Come to Vṛndāvana." So these two important things took place in the Kurukṣetra. So we must have a very big temple there, and a varṇāśrama college. This is my desire. Kṛṣṇa's direct instruction, Bhagavad-gītā. It should be a historical... It is historical. People should come here as the most important historical place. And Gītā is well known all over the world. And Gītā begins with the word dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre (BG 1.1). So Kurukṣetra, in that sense very important.

Arrival Address -- Mauritius, October 1, 1975:

I am thinking "I am my body, my head, my leg." But it is a fact. If you think little, you will find that you are not this body. You are different from this body. And as soon as we understand that "I am different from this body," then the business will be "How I shall be happy?" not "How my dress will be nice?"

So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very important movement. We are inviting all intelligent persons, the leaders of the society, to understand the basic principle of this movement. And if the leaders of the society lead the people in the proper channel on the basic principle of spiritual life, then everything will be solved. Everyone will be happy. These instructions are there in the Bhagavad-gītā very elaborately. Simply we have to follow the instruction. It is not at all difficult. Then all the questions—social problem, political problem, economical problem, religious problem—everything will be nicely solved. We are presenting, therefore, Bhagavad-gītā as it is.

Arrival Address -- New York, July 9, 1976:

So it is a long history that I came here with determination to start a temple in New York first, but at that time, ten years before, in 1965, it was not possible. But by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, by the grace of my Guru Mahārāja, you have got this place. So I must thank you very much for organizing this temple. Actually, in this line of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, two things are very important. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said in His teaching to Rūpa Gosvāmī,

ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva
guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja
(CC Madhya 19.151)

We are loitering throughout the whole universe. This is conditional stage of our materialistic life, and we are simply suffering. People are kept into ignorance without knowing the aim of life, how we are suffering in this materialistic way of life.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation Lecture -- San Francisco, March 10, 1968:

We do not know when death is coming, especially in these days. We are moving in the street, we are moving by plane, we are moving... Every step, there is danger. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām (SB 10.14.58). It is a place of danger. So our life... We should consider this human form of life, especially Kṛṣṇa conscious life, is very important life. We should not be inattentive. So we should be very careful. Kṛṣṇa will, of course, protect you, but at the same time, we have got consciousness. We should also take care that before the next death comes, we must be fully prepared for being transferred to Kṛṣṇaloka. And it is very simple thing. If you keep yourself constantly in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that's the only thing. Then you are sure to be going, transferred next life. As I was explaining last night, simply by understanding Kṛṣṇa...

Initiation Lecture -- Los Angeles, July 13, 1971:

So Dr. Rao, your spiritual name is Rāmānanda. Yes. This Rāmānanda, he was also Rāya, Rāmānanda Rāya, a great devotee of Lord Caitanya and governor of Madras. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu picked up a very important persons, the Six Gosvāmīs, Rāmānanda Rāya, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, like that, eight or ten direct disciples. And later on, they preached the whole thing. In the Bhagavad-gītā there is a verse, yad yad ācarati śreṣṭha itaras tad anuvartate (BG 3.21). If a śreṣṭha, if an important man, acts in some way, others follow. That is natural. So by the grace of Lord Caitanya we are meeting and you have got great responsibility, because you came here to take your doctorate degree. That's very nice. When one of my Godbrothers went to England during my Guru Mahārāja's time, so Lady Wellington, she challenged that Godbrother that "Your men from India, they come here, and we give them some degree, and they become big men there. So what you have got to teach us?" That was her challenge.

Initiations and Lecture Sannyasa Initiation of Sudama dasa -- Tokyo, April 30, 1972:

And this tridaṇḍī sannyāsa, this daṇḍa, rod, is consisting of four rods. Three rods means the body, mind... Karmaṇā manasā vācā. Karmaṇā means working; manasā, by thinking; vācā, by talking. Everything should be for Kṛṣṇa. And there is another rod that is the living entity. So within this packet there are four rods, symbolizing mind, body, and words. Word is very important thing. Now preaching will be through words, by presenting words. Vaikuṇṭha guṇanuvarṇane. Vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18). Vacāṁsi, our talks should be always engaged in describing the glories of the Lord. That is the proper use of our talking. Otherwise, there are frogs also, they are vibrating, "kakaka, kakaka, kakaka, kakaka." That kind of vibration is simply inviting death. You know in every country there are frogs, especially in rainy season they enjoy.

Initiation Lecture -- New Vrindaban, September 1, 1972:

"I am chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. This means that Kṛṣṇa is personally present on my tongue. Therefore I am in direct touch with Kṛṣṇa." And we should be very careful so that we may not..., offense, commit offenses, as they are being described. Another, Kṛṣṇa has got many names: nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis. So of all the names, two names are very important: Rāma and Kṛṣṇa. Therefore in the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, the Rāma and Kṛṣṇa are there, and Kṛṣṇa's potency, Hare. So in the śāstra it is said that one thousand names of Viṣṇu... There is Viṣṇu's one thousand names, viṣṇu-sahasra-nāma. If one chants Viṣṇu's names—there are thousands—that is equal to one name Rāma. And three times chanting the name of Rāma is equal to one "Kṛṣṇa." Therefore we should take advantage to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Although there are many names of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is the chief name, mukha, and Lord Caitanya chanted Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

Initiation Lecture and Ceremony -- New Vrindaban, September 4, 1972:

We are explaining in this statement of Sūta Gosvāmī: ahaituky apratiyatā. Apratiyatā means "it cannot change anymore." It doesn't matter what he is. He may be a grown-up man or a small child. He may be educated, noneducated; civilized or uncivilized; even man or animal. Everyone can take part in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Bhakti-yoga. This word is very important, that, ahaituky apratiyatā. Apratiyatā means "without any (indistinct)." Because, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is meant for the soul, not for the body. So far body is concerned, that is according to your past karma, it is destined. Sukham aindriyakaṁ daityā deha-yogena dehinām. Prahlāda Mahārāja says, that here in this material world we are after sense pleasure—everyone—birds, beasts, animals, aquatics, human beings, even the demigods—anyone who is within this material world, he is concerned with the gratification of the senses in different degree. But the aim is sense gratification.

Initiation Lecture -- Caracas, February 22, 1975:

This means that first of all we have to hear about God from authorized persons. Then kīrtanam. Kīrtanam means glorifying the activities of God. Then there are other. These two items are very important, and there are other items also. Smaraṇam-smaraṇam means meditation. Vandanam means offering prayer. So smaraṇaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyam arcanam. Arcanam, Deity worship. There are other items also. In this way there are nine items. So if one is interested to understand God, then he must take all these items or some of them or at least one of them.

Initiation Lecture -- Caracas, February 22, 1975:

So the most important item is śravaṇam, or hearing. If you do not do anything else, if you simply sincerely hear about God, then gradually you will be God conscious. That is also true in the material science. The students go to the school, college, and hear from the professor, and gradually he becomes learned in that subject matter. Especially in this age, śravaṇam, or hearing, is very, very important. We are therefore opening different centers in different parts of the world, and they are being given the chance of this bhakti-yoga system, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam (SB 7.5.23), like that. So all these devotees present here, they are not Indians. I have not brought them from India; neither I have bribed them here. But by hearing only, they are now coming to God consciousness and devotees. Therefore this śravaṇam item, or hearing item, is very, very important. So if you all, ladies and gentlemen present here, take advantage of hearing about God from this institution, you will also become God conscious.

Initiation Lecture -- Caracas, February 22, 1975:

We have got many sense organs, out of which the aural sense, or the hearing sense, is very important. Therefore, for spiritual understanding, we have to use this ear. So therefore the Vedic literature is called śruti. Śruti means to receive the knowledge by hearing. So our process, or the Vedic process, is that... Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ (SB 3.25.25). If one lends his aural reception of spiritual knowledge through the authorized person, devotee, then he relishes taste in spiritual life. And when you cultivate that stage, then, gradually, he becomes a devotee, he understands what is God.

General Lectures

Lecture to Technology Students (M.I.T.) -- Boston, May 5, 1968:

Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13).

So these instructions are there. Unfortunately, we have no time, neither we have desire to understand actually what I am, why I am suffering, what is this world, what is my relationship with this world, what is God, what is my relationship with God. These questions are very important questions, and there is technology to understand these questions. And the Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Vedānta-sūtra, all these literatures are there. If you kindly, of course, see to these literatures, you'll find the solution of the problems of life. But we are not interested. That is the difficulty. We are thinking that we are happy, we have no problem, although there are so many problems and we are not happy. This is called māyā. Māyā means what is not. Mā means not. Yā means this. This is called māyā. We are thinking that we are happy, but actually we are not happy.

Lecture at Engagement -- Boston, May 8, 1968:

The primary principles of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement have been briefly described by my disciple Śrīman Brahmānanda Brahmacārī. It is a very important science of God, understanding what is God. Of course, in every religion this conception of God is there. Simply by understanding "God is great" is not sufficient. We must have knowledge about our relationship with God. Generally, we take it for granted that God is our order-supplier. We take it that God is great because He... That is also not the conception of the atheist class of men. Those who believe in God, generally they approach God in distress, when they're in need of money, and somebody wants to study what is God out of inquisitiveness, and somebody wants to understand the science of God. There are four classes of men.

Lecture Excerpt -- Montreal, July 20, 1968:

He is businessman. But you are calling, "A nonsense dog is running here and there." Similarly, all these activities by your motorcar, they may think it is very important, but those who are in higher status, they are thinking like dog is going this side, that side, this side, that side. So the activities are temporary.

So we have to find out our eternal life, our eternal activities, our eternal place, and eternal bliss. Those things are explained in the Bhagavad-gītā and further explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And that is, we are moving as Kṛṣṇa consciousness... (break) A sane man should take very serious view of this movement and it should be pushed all over the world. Otherwise you remain in darkness. You never become guḍākeśa. You remain in guḍāka. Never īśa. Guḍāka-īśa, guḍākeśa.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 4, 1968:

Nowadays, of course, they are manufacturing so many things. But in any human society the conception of God is there—according to time, according to the people, but the idea is there. Now you have to understand, jijñāsā. Therefore Vedānta-sūtra says that you try to understand God by inquiry, inquiry. This inquiry is very important. In our process, ādau gurvāśrayaṁ sad-dharma pṛcchāt. One has to accept a bona fide spiritual master and he has to inquire from him, sad-dharma pṛcchāt. Similarly, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also says that jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. "One who is inquisitive to understand the Absolute Truth, he requires a spiritual master." Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). Jijñāsuḥ means inquisitive, one who inquires. Inquiry is natural. Just like a child: with the development of his life he inquires from the parents, "Father, what it is? Mother, what it is? What it is? What it is?" This is nice. A boy, child, who is inquiring, that means he is very intelligent boy.

Lecture -- New York, April 16, 1969:

There are very important words here. Gṛheṣu. Gṛheṣu means at home, and gṛha-medhinām, gṛha-medhinām means persons who are simply attached to home life. There are many persons, different grades of persons. Generally, people are very much attached. Why men? Even animals, they are also. Even a tiger, he has got a wife and few cubs. So he's happy there. Gṛha-medhinām. A serpent, he has got also wife, a few children. Or any animal, dog, cat—the husband and wife and few children. That is everywhere. It is not only in the human society. But the human society, even they are with wife, home, and children, they can talk about Kṛṣṇa. That is the facility. Otherwise, śrotavyādīni rājendra nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ (SB 2.1.2). There are thousands and thousands of subject matter for talking. Just like you take a newspaper in the morning. In your country, a bunch of paper. You see.

Engagement Lecture -- Buffalo, April 23, 1969:

That means Arjuna becomes the disciple of Kṛṣṇa, and anyone who understands Bhagavad-gītā, following the footprints of Arjuna, he can understand rightly what is the purpose of Bhagavad-gītā. So all Vedic literatures, not only Bhagavad-gītā, all the Vedas... There are four Vedas: Sāma, Yajur, Ṛg, Atharva. Then there are Upaniṣads, 108 Upaniṣads. Out of that, nine Upaniṣads are very important: Īśopaniṣad, Kaṭha Upaniṣad, Taittirīya Upaniṣad. So then again, Vedānta-sūtra, then Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In this way there are various Vedic literatures. And if you are interested... You should be interested. These Vedic literatures are not meant for a particular class of men. It was meant for the human society so that they may take advantage of this knowledge and make a perfection of their human life.

So I shall try to speak before you this evening one of the instruction of Vedic literature spoken by Ṛṣabhadeva. So our offering of obeisances to the spiritual master is in accordance with the disciplic succession.

Lecture at International Student Society -- Boston, May 3, 1969:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is directed to awake people to the rightful position of his spiritual existence, the, I mean to say, process. Of course, there are many different kinds of processes recommended in the Vedic literature. Just like some of you, or any one of you, know that one process is very important process which is called meditation, dhyāna. So that dhyāna, that is also mentioned, kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum (SB 12.3.52). This meditation process was possible to be executed in the age when people were very pious and very honest and the duration of life was very long. That is called Golden Age, or Satya-yuga. According to Sanskrit word, it is called Satya-yuga. This meditation process was possible to be executed in the Satya-yuga, Satya millennium. Then the next millennium, Tretā-yuga. There is a great description of these yugas. In the Satya-yuga, people used to live for hundred thousands of years. People used to live.

Lecture at Engagement -- Columbus, may 19, 1969:

Yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. When a human being, as long as a human being does not inquire "What I am? Why I am suffering? I do not wish to die. Why death is enforced upon me? I do not want to be diseased. Why disease is forced upon me? I do not want to become old. Why I become old? I do not wish to die. Why I..." These things are very important questions. That is called ātma-tattvam, self-realization. Human life is meant for this purpose, enquiring self-realization. And if we do not enquire, then we are no better than animals. Animals have no power to enquire about the self. They are simply busy with the problems of the body—eating, sleeping, mating and defending. Similarly, if human body is also engaged simply for eating, sleeping, mating and defending, that is not very good civilization. That is not at all human civilization.

Lecture at Krsna Niketan -- Gorakhpur, February 16, 1971:

In this connection, the comments of Śrīdhara Swami is very important. He is putting question, nānu sakṛd ucaritena nāmābhyasena kathāṁ sarva-pāpa-kṣayaṁ syāt, śraddhā-bhakty-avṛtyad eva adityader api vidhānāḥ. Śrīdhara Swami says that simply by chanting without any regulative principles, one becomes liberated. So how is that? So he replies himself also, "No, there are regulative principles." The idea is that chanting of the holy name is so powerful that it can immediately liberate the vibrator. But because he is prone to fall down again, therefore, what to speak of others who are following the regulative principles? This is the idea. It is not that... Just like the sahajiyās. They think that "If chanting is so powerful, I shall chant sometimes." But he does not know that after chanting, he is again falling down by willingly. This is willing, I mean to say, willful disobedience. Willful disobedience. Because I know that "I have chanted the holy name. Now my all sinful reaction of my life is now vanished. Then why shall I commit again sinful activities?" That is the natural conclusion.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 10, 1971:

Ladies and gentlemen, (applause) we thank you very much for your kindly coming here and participating in this noble movement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or saṅkīrtana movement. You'll be very glad to know that today I have received one letter from my disciple, Śrīman Kṛṣṇadāsa adhikārī, the in-charge-of, commander, maṭha-command, or temple command, of West Berlin. He was negotiating with Russian Cultural Society, and one very important professor, he has invited us to lecture in Russia. (applause) So very soon I shall be going to Russia with some of my disciples. (applause)

Speech at Olympia Theater -- Paris, June 26, 1971, (with translator):

I thank you very much for your kindly participating in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. This movement is very important. It is a movement to save the human society from a suicidal policy. The suicidal policy is... Just this evening I expressed my desires to the press conference that the human society is being misled by leaders who are blind themselves. Take for example just like there a few blind men, and one, another blind man, is proposing to help them, crossing over the street. So this blind following is there in this sense, that we do not know what is the aim and objective of human society. The aim and objective of human life is self-realization and reestablishing our lost relation with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the missing point.

Lecture -- Los Angeles, July 20, 1971:

So ladies and gentlemen, I thank you very much for your coming here and participating with this movement. It is very important movement to bring man to his original consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to bring a living entity to his original consciousness. Just like there are many mental hospitals. What is that? Bellevue? In your city? The purpose of the hospital is to bring a crazy fellow to his original consciousness. Similarly, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to bring all crazy men to his original consciousness. Anyone who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is to be understood—more or less crazy. There was a case in India, a murder case, and the murderer pleaded that he became mad. He was mad; therefore he, he did not know what did he do. So in order to test him, whether actually he, at that time, was lunatic or turned mad, the expert civil servant, psychiatrist, was brought to examine him. So the doctor gave his opinion that "So far I have studied cases, all patients I've come in contact, they are more or less all crazy.

Lecture -- Los Angeles, July 20, 1971:

The modern civilization, they do not understand it due to lack of knowledge. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to enlighten people to come to this point of knowledge. They're all crazy, conducted by the influence of the three modes of material nature. They're not in normal condition. So it is very important movement. We invite... This morning also I said at the press representative meeting at the airport that there are so many universities and, especially in your country, department of knowledge, but why they are not discussing this point? Where is the department of knowledge? Sometimes past, I think sometimes in 1968, when I went to Boston, I was invited to speak in the technical institute. So my first question was that "Where is that technological department which is making investigation between the dead man and the living man?" Where is that technology? A man becomes dead. Something is losing.

Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 20, 1971:

These instruction of Prahlāda Mahārāja is very important, very important, and we are trying to spread this bhāgavata-dharma all over the world. And people are very happy to receive it. Unfortunately, this bhāgavata-dharma was not explained in the Western countries. I do not wish to discuss, but at the present moment, because this bhāgavata-dharma as recommended by Prahlāda Mahārāja is being preached all over the world, they are appreciating very much the glories of India. So as recommended by Prahlāda Mahārāja, this study of Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa should be introduced in the schools and colleges. I wanted to speak to the Vice Chancellor, and I expected him today, but he did not come. This is our unfortunate. I do not know why he avoided, but never mind; you try to understand. Don't spoil your children. The modern educational system without any knowledge of Bhagavān, I may tell you frankly, not only in India, everywhere, they are practically slaughterhouse.

Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 20, 1971:

At least their standard of living is so high. So what we call aristocratic, that is a common affair. So this mishappening is going on all over the Western countries. Some of them are joining us, but this is the problem. The Prahlāda Mahārāja recommends, kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). This is very, very important message. We should be careful to educate our sons, our boys, with bhāgavata-dharma from the very beginning of life. That was the Vedic system. Therefore, in the first twenty-five years of life, the children were sent to gurukula for learning this bhāgavata-dharma.

So the educational system should take very seriously if at all they want to make their country nice, not varṇa-saṅkaraḥ. Strīṣu duṣṭāsu varṇa-saṅkaraḥ bhaviṣyati. This Vedic culture is so scientifically made. Just like according to Vedic culture, the women are instructed or trained up to become very chaste, very chaste.

Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 20, 1971:

So our request is that the guardians who are present here in this meeting, they should organize a special school to give lesson to their students, to their boys, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, bhāgavata-dharma. There is vast knowledge behind this. They will be enlightened. Their life will be successful. So in this city of Delhi, it is a great city and very important city. There are very important men here. They should kindly consider this proposal that there must be a very organized school to understand this bhāgavata-dharma, just to teach their boys, and their life will be successful. It is the duty of the father and mother to see that "My son, this is the last attempt of coming into this material world." Na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum. It is the duty of the father and the mother to stop the repetition of birth and death of his son. The mother should consider that "My son came to my womb, and he has suffered so much while he was remaining within the womb. Now I shall teach my son in such a way that no more he is going in the womb of a material mother."

Lecture -- Bombay, March 19, 1972:

So this movement is very important movement, that we are attempting to revive one's original consciousness. The original consciousness is clean. Just like the water. Originally, when it drops from the clouds, it is distilled water, clean, but as soon as it comes in touch with the muddy earth, it becomes unclean. Similarly, originally our consciousness was Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Now, in touch with the material modes of nature, we have formed different types of consciousness. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmaṣu (BG 13.22). This is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kāraṇam—the cause, the cause of our tribulation. What is that tribulation? Sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu. We are taking repeatedly birth, one after another, sometimes very good birth and sometimes very bad, sad asad. There are 8,400,000 species of life. Sometimes I may become Brahma and sometimes I may become the insect or the germ in the stool. That is my position. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya.

Lecture at Auckland University -- Auckland, April 17, 1972:

Actually, the shirt or coat has no body, but because the original body is moving we see the shirt and coat is also moving. Similarly, this body is moving because the soul within it is moving. As soon as the soul is out of this body, this body will not move. So this science is very important science. That is the basic principle of understanding. It is not the question of thinking that one may believe in the existence of soul or one may not believe. But fact is fact. "Two plus two equal to four"—that is science. If somebody does not believe, if somebody says, "Two plus two equal to five" or "three," that is not scientist. Similarly, we may not believe in the existence of soul, but that is a fact. But if we want to study the subject matter very seriously and scientifically, then it will be possible to understand. But the simple method recommended in the Vedic literatures, that if you chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa, mantra then gradually your intelligence or consciousness will be cleansed and you will be able to understand that you are not this body, that you are spirit soul... Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam (CC Antya 20.12).

Lecture -- Tokyo, May 1, 1972:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very important movement—important in this sense, that we are educating people without any discrimination about Kṛṣṇa, what is Kṛṣṇa. And actually, as we understand from the Bhagavad-gītā, if we simply can understand what is Kṛṣṇa, as Kṛṣṇa says, that manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye, yatatām api siddhānām... (BG 7.3). It is very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa. But still, Kṛṣṇa is understandable if we simply follow the instruction of the Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without any malinterpretation. Actually there are so many editions of Bhagavad-gītā all over the world, about six hundred, seven hundred in America, in Japan, in England. I have seen so many editions, English editions, what to speak of other language editions. So anyway, the malinterpretation is going on. We have, therefore, published Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, without any malinterpretation. Our business is to present Bhagavad-gītā As It Is.

Lecture -- Tokyo, May 1, 1972:

Just like it is said, kṛṣṇa sūrya-sama māyā andhakāra (CC Madhya 22.31). "Māyā is considered as darkness, and Kṛṣṇa is the sunlight, or sun." So wherever there is sun, there is no darkness. Similarly, wherever there is Kṛṣṇa, wherever there is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no more darkness of ignorance. Tasmin vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavanti. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very important movement. It is not a sentimental movement. It is authorized. It is based on Vedic conclusion. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). Actually, the Vedas are meant for understanding Kṛṣṇa. One who does not understand Kṛṣṇa, his studies of Veda is simply useless waste of time. And one who understands Kṛṣṇa simply, he has studied all the Vedas. Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim, nārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim (Nārada-pañcarātra).

Speech -- New Vrindaban, August 31, 1972:

They're simply interested with the gross body or, a little more, who is a little advanced, the subtle body. But they have no information of the spiritual body. Although there is advancement of education, there is no education about the spiritual body. They're simply concerned with the gross material and subtle body. Therefore this movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is very important movement. Those who have taken to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, they're very, very fortunate.

So I shall further explain one song sung by Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura was one of our predecessor ācāryas, teacher, and his songs are accepted in our Vaiṣṇava society as Vedic truth. He has written in simple language, but it contains the Vedic truth. So he has got many songs. One of the songs is hari hari biphale janama goṅāinu. He says, "My dear Lord, I am simply wasting the valuable time of my life." Biphale janama goṅāinu.

Rotary Club Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 5, 1972:

This human life is for understanding Brahman. What is that Brahman, Absolute Truth? That is required. If you are simply engaged, animal-like, eating, sleeping, mating, then where is the distinction between animal and us? There is no such distinction. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very, very important movement. We are trying to educate people to understand his self, self-realization, God realization, the duty, the aim of life, what is the aim of life. This is not aim of life—simply we forget, we forget, forgetful of our self, and we are thinking..., big, big professors, they are thinking, "Oh, after finishing this body, everything is finished." No, that is not the fact. Therefore it is stated that sanātana. Sanātana means eternal, and God is also eternal. And there is a place also, which is eternal. This place is not eternal. Just like your body is temporary, similarly, the whole material creation which you have got experience... We haven't got full experience.

Lecture -- Hong Kong, January 31, 1974:

Don't eat anything without Kṛṣṇa's prasādam. Oh, Kṛṣṇa prasādam, there are so many varieties nice foodstuff. Be satisfied taking Kṛṣṇa's prasādam so your eating problem will be solved and you will advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness to go back to home, back to Godhead. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very important movement for the human society, and this is not a Utopian thing. It is authorized. For every action of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement there is support from Vedas, Vedic literature. Just like whenever we speak something we immediately give evidence from the Bhagavad-gītā. It is not that something, "In my opinion it is..." No. We have no opinion. We don't give our opinion. We present Bhagavad-gītā as it is, that's all. As Kṛṣṇa says, we say the same thing. We have no difficulty. Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat, kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). "There is no more superior truth than Kṛṣṇa," Kṛṣṇa says. We accept that.

Pandal Speech and Question Session -- Delhi, November 10, 1973:

Only the learned scholars can worship Kṛṣṇa. Only the learned scholar, self-realized soul, can understand Bhagavad-gītā. Not by the politicians and the so-called scholar. No. It is not possible.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very important movement. We appeal to the sober class, dhīra, not the adhīra. We also accepting dhīra and adhīra by the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, by the mercy of the Gosvāmīs. Dhīradhīra. Dhīra and adhīra. Just like these boys and girls, they were adhīra. Now they are dhīra. Adhīra. Adhīra means without any responsibility, doing all nonsense. Actually they are rich nation's sons and daughters. They are doing ev..., but now they have become dhīra. "No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling. Yes, sir." This is dhīra. You are already intoxicated. You are already illusioned in this material world.

Life Member House Lecture -- Hyderabad, April 14, 1975:

So anyone who does not believe in God, he's asura. This is the verdict of the śāstra. And this asuric civilization is going on all over the world. So we are making little effort to make the asuras devotees. That's all. This is our business.

So we are very much thankful to Mr. Kulanidhi(?). He has given us a place, very important place, and you are constructing temple. He's always eager to help us. Therefore he's a bhakta. We are very much thankful to him. He's a bhakta. So at any moment Mr. Kulanidhi will call us. We are ready to come here, because he's a bhakta. Mad-bhakta pūjyā adhikaḥ. Kṛṣṇa likes if you honor the bhakta. Kṛṣṇa is very much pleased. "If you love me, love my dog." We have seen in the Western countries when two gentlemen meet, he pats his friend's dog and he pats the friend's dog. That you have seen it. (laughs) First of all dog, "How are you? How are you?" (everyone laughs) So let us all become dogs of Kṛṣṇa, and bhaktas will love us.

Speech -- Vrndavana, April 20, 1975:

So yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke. This bag of three dhātus-kapha, pitta, vāyu—if one takes it that "I am this body," "I am Indian," "I am American," so śāstra says, "He is not even human being." Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very, very important from this angle of vision, that everyone is thinking this body as he is. Nobody understands that he is within this body. Just like we are within this dress. I am not this dress. This is the primary education of spiritual life. Unfortunately, it is very much lacking. And now you can see practically that these European and American boys, they are all young men, but they have forgotten the bodily relationship. We have got in our institution Africans, Canadians, Australians, Europeans, Indians, but they do not consider with reference to this bodily concept of life.

City Hall Lecture -- Durban, October 7, 1975:

This is the whole Vedic literature's lesson, that human form of life is meant for self-realization: "I am not this body. I am soul. I am spirit soul. My business is different from simply taking care of the body." This is human civilization. So therefore our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very important movement. We request everyone to study this movement very seriously and make one's life successful. And what is that success? Simply try to understand Kṛṣṇa. If you simply try to understand Kṛṣṇa... And Kṛṣṇa is explaining Himself. When I speak of Kṛṣṇa, everyone should know that Kṛṣṇa means God. So if we try to understand simply Kṛṣṇa, or God, in this life, then we become liberated. We become free from this material bondage. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). This is the assurance given in the Bhagavad-gītā. If you simply try to understand Kṛṣṇa...

Lecture with Translator -- Sanand, December 27, 1975:

So a rich man does not require to endeavor separately to drive away poverty. So therefore the central point is, Kṛṣṇa is advising here, "Just increase your āsakti, attachment, for Me. Then everything will come."

So He recommends, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. This word mad-āśrayaḥ is very important, because you cannot increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa without being mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ means to be directly under the direction of Kṛṣṇa or to be directly under the direction of somebody who has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore He recommends mad-āśrayaḥ. You cannot execute the yoga system, devotional service, bhakti-yoga, without being under the control of somebody who is under the control of Kṛṣṇa. Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī has recommended therefore, yad upāśrayāśraya. One has to take shelter of a pure devotee; then he becomes purified. Yad upāśraya. Upāśraya means to take shelter of a pure devotee.

Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, January 21, 1977:

So we should always remember song of Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. He is ācārya. He's guru. Ācāryopāsanam. Ācārya upāsanā is one of the process of making progress. So this song is very important.

hari hari biphale janama goṅāinu
manuṣya-janama pāiyā, rādhā-kṛṣṇa nā bhajiyā
jāniyā śuniyā biṣa khāinu

(aside:) Explain. (break) In the material world everyone is suffering. There is no exception, either rich man or poor man, learned or fool—everyone. This is the place for suffering. And if we take this place of suffering as comfortable, that is our ignorance. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura sings, biṣāya biṣānale dibā-niśi hiyā jwale taribare nā koinu upāy golokera prema-dhana hari-nāma saṅkīrtana rati nā jaṅmilo kene tāy. (aside:) Explain. (break) So Narottama says that we should take advantage of Caitanya Mahāprabhu's and Nityānanda Prabhu's presence. Pāpī tāpī jata chilo harināme uddhārilo tāra śākṣī jagāi and mādhāi, brajendra nandana jei śacī-suta hoilo sei balarāma hoilo nitāi, that "Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa.

Departure Talks

Departure Address -- Los Angeles, July 15, 1974:

So you are engaged in the service of Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava. He's present here. And I am very glad that you are doing very nice. Keep the standard. This Deity worship and chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra... Be always engaged in this business. It is a very important business. Kṛṣṇa says that man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru, mām evaiṣyasi asaṁśayaḥ (BG 18.65). Our mission is to go back to home, back to Godhead. So it is not very difficult thing. Very easy. But we do not want it. That is the difficulty. Otherwise, the matter is very simple. Kṛṣṇa says four things, that "Always think of Me..." Now, here is Kṛṣṇa, Rādhārāṇī, Kṛṣṇa, standing before you. Don't think that this is idol. No. Kṛṣṇa is present before you in that form to show you favor that you can handle with Kṛṣṇa. You can dress Him. You can give Him for eating. You can... To give you facilities. But Kṛṣṇa is here, and Rādhārāṇī is here.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Prabhupāda: Yes. The culture is important. If he gets the chance of cultured association, then he elevates. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: yānti deva-vratā devān (BG 9.25). If he, according to his cultural life, he can go to the higher planetary system, he can remain where he is, he can degrade, and he can go back to home, back to Godhead. Therefore culture is very important in human form of life.

Hayagrīva: He further writes, "He who believes in the advancement of man from some low organized form will naturally ask, 'How does this bear on the belief in the immortality of the soul?' " He says, "At what precise period does a man become an immortal being?" That is to say, he doesn't know at what stage the immortal soul inhabits the species.

Philosophy Discussion on John Stuart Mill:

Prabhupāda: Why? You should have come.

Śyāmasundara: I was typing. I should have come.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Unless you hear, how you will be able to preach? Hearing is very important.

Devotee: Do the rays of the sun actually take away our life?

Prabhupāda: Rays... Actually, don't you find you're dying daily? Then? That is real.

Devotee: It means each time the sun rises and set...

Prabhupāda: Yes. One day's past means one day you lose. That's all. The sunshine..., the sunrise and sunset means passing days, that's all.

Philosophy Discussion on Sigmund Freud:

Prabhupāda: That means Freud is a most imperfect person. He is taking sex as very important thing, which the dog enjoys. As a dog's life and a hog's life, the hog has got very good facility. The monkey has got very good facility for sex life, and he is thinking this is ultimate goal, and then sleep. So that is going on. So if sex life is so big thing, the hogs, they have got good facility. The pigeons, they have got very good facility. I think every hour they have four times sex life, these pigeons. So if that is, then you become a pigeon. You pray to God that "Make me a pigeon, make me a hog." Why you are becoming philosopher? Now our philosophy is different—not to become a pig. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). The life simply for sense gratification, and for that purpose working so hard, but that is the business of the pig. That is not the business of the human being. Human being is tapasya. Tapasya means stop sex life. That is tapasya. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). So our philosophy is different from his philosophy. And actually we are suffering. The pig has got good facilities for sex. Does it mean that is ideal life, eating stool and having sex without discrimination? They have no discrimination, whether mother or sister or daughter. That is hog life. So if sex life is final pleasure, then hog is in the greatest pleasure. He has no social obligation. He has no discrimination.

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Śyāmasundara: There is also another psychologist, Carl Jung, he's also very important. He followed Freud.

Revatīnandana: To some extent.

Śyāmasundara: I mean chronologically. Freud's idea was that unconscious processes are invariably infantile, animal, or pathological. Jung said that some unconscious energies are sources of positive and creative activity. That the unconscious is important for the growth and development of the mature and well-adjusted personality. Freud investigated the unconscious and found that the negative side, that our unconscious life is always threatening us, that it is the cause of pathological...

Prabhupāda: What do you mean by unconscious life?

Śyāmasundara: Subconscious, that which we are not consciously aware of...

Prabhupāda: That means it is consciousness but it is covered.

Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:

Prabhupāda: At night also, the body also extends and again comes... You forget this body; you are dreaming some body, some other feature of the body. So sometimes you take that body very important.

Śyāmasundara: He says that whatever exists is subject to space and time and to these categories. However, evolution is progressing and new emergents appear in all the qualities which are envisioned to the mystic qualities. That the living entity, or life, he says that it could evolve into new things, other things, other than what we know about because it is continually emerging, evolution is continually emerging to something new.

Prabhupāda: So?

Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:

Prabhupāda: No. That is a nonsense proposal. It is a nonsense proposal. Just like sometimes we are questioned by some rascals that "Swamijī, if everyone becomes God conscious, goes to back to home, then who will remain here?" (laughter) Just see the nonsense. He is anxious, who will remain here. He is not anxious for himself. (laughter) It is an argument that "Everyone becomes honest, then who will go to the jail? (laughter) To keep up the jail is very important business. You see? So these are foolish questions. You see?

Śyāmasundara: In his time, 1880, 1890, everyone was very optimistic about the future of man. They thought, through scientific discovery, that everyone would become...

Prabhupāda: That is nonsense because they think, "Whatever we like, by nature's way we shall be promoted." Just like in some meeting in Mombassa somebody asked that, after... Some Aurobindo group, that... No, theosophist. That one man is there; he has no degree. So why not degree?

Philosophy Discussion on St. Augustine:

Prabhupāda: Ah. But actually he can be revived at any moment in good association, sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83), by this method of hearing and chanting, śravaṇam. Therefore this devotional service, beginning with hearing, is very important. If he consciously hears from the self-realized soul, then he becomes awakened to his spiritual life, and keeping himself always in the devotional service, he remains spiritually alive.

Hayagrīva: (aside:) That's the end of that tape. Augustine speaks of two cities in his... He wrote a famous book called The City of God, and one city is divine. In one city, love of God unites all men, and the other city, men are united by love of the world. One society loves the flesh, and the other society loves the spirit.

Prabhupāda: So this figurative description is there in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The body is considered as like city, and the soul is described as the king of the city, and he goes out from different gates. The body has got nine gates. In this way a figurative description in the..., is in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. But that city is figuratively taken as this body, and the king of the city is the soul. (break)

Philosophy Discussion on St. Augustine:

Prabhupāda: The father, or Kṛṣṇa, is there within the core of heart of every living entity, and as he desires, the father supplies him a type of vehicle manufactured by the material nature. So this body is given by God because we desire it, but the body is manufactured by the material nature. This is very reasonable. So we are in different types of body means in different types of vehicle, sometimes as acting on the vehicle of a pig, and sometimes we are acting on the vehicle of a very important person or demigod. But we desire such thing, and God gives us such vehicle manufactured by the material nature.

Hayagrīva: This, this is the last point. It's actually very crucial. For Augustine, the mind, reason and soul are one and the same, and he writes...

Prabhupāda: Mind, reason?

Hayagrīva: Mind, reason and the soul are all wrapped up together.

Purports to Songs

Purport to Bhajahu Re Mana -- San Francisco, March 16, 1967:

And he says also that durlabha mānava-janama. Durlabha means very rare to obtain. Mānava-janma means this human form of life. It comes after a very long rotation. Once chance is given to become Kṛṣṇa conscious so that one may get out of the cycle of birth and death. Therefore he advises that this life, this human form of life, is very important, durlabha. Durlabha means... Duḥ means with great difficulty, and labha means obtainable. So foolish people, they do not know what, how much important this human form of life. They are simply wasting in sense gratification like animals. So this is very instructing, that he is training his mind that "You engage your mind in the worship of Lord Kṛṣṇa." Durlabha mānava-janama sat-saṅge. And this training of the mind is possible only in good association, sat-saṅga. Sat-saṅga means persons who are simply, cent percent, engaged in the service of the Lord. They are called sat. Satāṁ prasaṅgāt. Without association of devotees, it is impossible to train the mind. It is not possible by the so-called yoga system or meditation.

Purport to Gaura Pahu -- Los Angeles, January 10, 1969:

Satāṁ prasaṅgād mama vīrya-saṁvido. One can understand about God only in association of devotees. Therefore we are advocating this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, society. Actually, you'll find, one who comes to this society, by associating a few days, a few weeks, he becomes conscious and he comes forward for initiation and further advancement. So this association is very important. And the, those who are conducting different centers and temples, they should be very responsible men. Because everything will depend on their sincere activities and character. If they are insincere, then that will not be effective. One may come and associate with us, but if we are insincere, then it will be not be effective. But if the devotees are sincere, anyone who will come in contact with a devotee, he'll change. That is the secret. Sat-saṅga chāḍi asatyera vilāsa. And as soon as we give up the association of these devotees, immediately māyā will catch me.

Purport to Bhajahu Re Mana -- Los Angeles, May 27, 1972:

Businessmen, they have got their stock exchange association, those who are dealing in exchange. They have got an association. They go there, and their business facility is very good. Similarly, so many clubs. If you want to drink and enjoy sense, you go to so many clubs and associate with them and you'll learn how to drink, how to mate very nicely. So association is very important. Therefore our Kṛṣṇa consciousness society are giving chance people to associate with us, so that he'll be able to understand what is Kṛṣṇa, what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore Govinda dasa recommends, durlabha mānava-janama-sat-saṅge. Mānava. This human life is durlabha, very rarely obtained. Not dogs' association, crows' association, but swans' association. There are association even by nature. "Birds of the same feather flock together." The crows, they'll mix with crows, and the swans will mix with swan. White swan, very nice water, nice garden, they will like that. The crows will not like that. The crows will like where filthy things are thrown away.

Page Title:Very important (Lectures, Other)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:13 of Nov, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=92, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:92