Shelter (Lectures, SB cantos 3 - 12)

In Africa there are millions of elephants. They are also eating forty kg's at one time. So that, they are also being maintained. And the small ant, that is also being maintained. There are 8,400,000 forms of different bodies. Who is maintaining them? Maintaining, Bhagavān, that ekaḥ. Eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān. That is a fact. So why He'll not maintain us? Especially those who are devotees, who have taken shelter at the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, leaving aside everything simply for His service.

Just like in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We have got more than one hundred centers. And one center... We were just reading from the statement of Nava Bhārata Times how they are well managed. But we have no business. We have no source of income. That is the only source of income—Kṛṣṇa's shelter. Samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavam. Therefore śāstra says that "You take shelter of Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa comes also to say the same truth. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). He never said that "You do this and do that. Then I shall give you for your maintenance." No. Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: "Not only I shall give maintenance, but I shall protect you from the resultant action of sinful life." So much assurance is there.

So much assurance is there. So śāstra also says, tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ (SB 1.5.18). Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovidaḥ. Kovida means intelligent, very intelligent person. So what should he try for? Tasyaiva hetoḥ: to get shelter at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Human life should only endeavor how to get in touch of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. That should be the only one business.

Lecture on SB 3.25.5-6 -- Bombay, November 5, 1974:

Everyone thinks that "My child may live. There may not be any danger. I'll get so much money." Nobody thinks of the opposite. But the opposite number comes. The catastrophes come. You don't pray for it. You don't go to the temple for praying, "My Lord, let there be fire in my house." Nobody goes. He goes for something better. So śāstra says that "Which you do not pray for, still, it comes, duḥkhavat, without your invitation, similarly, whatever happiness you'll have to enjoy, that will also come." Tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukham. Therefore the conclusion is that "Don't try for your so-called happiness or so-called distress. Try to achieve that position where you can understand Kṛṣṇa and get shelter at His lotus feet." This is human endeavor. Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ (SB 1.5.18). Upary adhaḥ.

The Russian aeronautics, without getting any shelter in the sky, he was simply hankering after Moscow. That my book, that Easy Journey to Other Planets... One gentleman, he became very much enthusiastic, that "Oh, we can go to the other planet?" And "Yes, you can go. Read this book." "Then I shall come back again?" "And why you shall come back again? You shall remain there." "No, no, no. I don't want that. I don't want that. I shall go and come back."

Lecture on SB 3.25.11 -- Bombay, November 11, 1974:

Nitāi: "Devahūti continued: I have taken shelter of Your lotus feet because You are the only person of whom to take shelter. You are the ax which can cut the tree of material existence. I therefore offer my obeisances unto You, who are the greatest of all transcendentalists, and I inquire from You as to the relationship between man and woman and between spirit and matter."

Prabhupāda:

taṁ tvā gatāhaṁ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ

sva-bhṛtya-saṁsāra-taroḥ kuṭhāram

jijñāsayāhaṁ prakṛteḥ pūruṣasya

namāmi sad-dharma-vidāṁ variṣṭham

(SB 3.25.11)

So Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the real shelter, śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyam. We are seeking shelter, everyone, because we are servant constitutionally. Originally, we are servant of God. So that is our nature, to take shelter. Everyone is seeking a nice shelter. Somebody's seeking some occupation, service of some big man. Somebody's seeking oc..., servitorship of the government, government servant. But the ultimate shelter is Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on SB 3.25.11 -- Bombay, November 11, 1974:

We have discussed this. Illusion. We are under illusion. So Devahūti says, sva-bhṛtya-saṁsāra-taroḥ kuṭhāram. In the Bhagavad-gītā the tree is described, aśvattha tree. So aśvattha, as we have got experience, the banyan tree, the root is very strong, very strong. So it is also compared, this material world is compared with the aśvattha tree, banyan tree. Very strong root. So... But any tree can be cut with an ax, kuṭhāram. So that kuṭhāram, if we take shelter at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, that is the real kuṭhāram, or ax, to cut the strong root of material existence. Sva-bhṛtya-saṁsāra-taroḥ kuṭhāram. Taṁ tvā gatāhaṁ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyam. Gato mukundaṁ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyam.

Lecture on SB 3.25.11 -- Bombay, November 11, 1974:

If... This is required. Kṛṣṇa also says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). But if you take shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, then you are no more debtor to anyone. You are no more debtor. Nāyam ṛṇī na kiṅkaraḥ.

Lecture on SB 3.25.11 -- Bombay, November 11, 1974:

So you are debtor to so many persons, but if you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa says,... You may think that "If I surrender to Kṛṣṇa and give up all our duties, then I may remain debtor and I will have to suffer." No. Kṛṣṇa gives you assurance, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ. "I'll give you relief." That is wanted. Therefore Devahūti takes shelter of Kapiladeva. And she says that "You are the kuṭhāram, You are the ax to make me detached." Just like the tree, when it is cut into two pieces, they become detached. Similarly, if our attachment is cut into pieces, two pieces, then the other portion becomes free from this material attachment.

Lecture on SB 3.25.11 -- Bombay, November 11, 1974:

So because we cannot do it ourself, by our own endeavor, therefore we have to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. He will help. Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). He'll help. Our only business is to take shelter. Therefore Devahūti says, gatāhaṁ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyam. "You are the only shelter. Therefore I am taking shelter. And You can cut my attachment for this material life. And why You shall do it? Because I am Your eternal servant."

Lecture on SB 3.25.12 -- Bombay, November 12, 1974:

"I have taken shelter unto You..." This is the process. The mother is not ordering the son. It doesn't matter whether he is son or somebody else. When one is interested in uttamam... Tasmād jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. Śreya and preya, there are two things. Śreya and preya. Just like children, they like to play. That is called preya, preya. Very nice. But śreya means go to school and take education for future improvement of life. That is called śreya. So human being should be interested in śreya, not in preya.

Lecture on SB 3.25.14 -- Bombay, November 14, 1974:

So a devotee, whoever he may be, everyone, for everyone, the path of devotion is open. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Kṛṣṇa says personally. It doesn't matter, pāpa-yoni, low-grade family, pāpa-yonayaḥ, if he takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. And Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye 'nye ca pāpā, ye anye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ śudhyanti (SB 2.4.18).

Lecture on SB 3.25.14 -- Bombay, November 14, 1974:

Generally, we consider brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. They have got their sva-dharma. Brāhmaṇa has got his duties, kṣatriya has got his duty. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā-sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). So sva-dharma means... Suppose one gives up his occupational duty and takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ hareḥ, and takes to the shelter of Kṛṣṇa, but bhajann apakvaḥ, could not mature his devotional service, bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi, and he falls down... This is Nārada's statement. So he says, "What is the loss even if he falls down? By sentiment he comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and even if he falls down, still, where is the loss? And contrary to this, a man who is performing very perfectly his sva-dharma, but has no Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then what is the gain?" There is no gain.

Lecture on SB 3.25.17 -- Bombay, November 17, 1974:

Rocket, yes. But then, going with great force, but āruhya kṛcchreṇa... Similarly, one can rise up to the Brahman effulgence, but if there is no shelter. Just like these people are going, but they don't get any shelter. But they come down again. Similarly, one, by severe austerities and penances, may go up to the Brahmaloka, but he has no position. He has no position. Because in the Brahmaloka, or Vaikuṇṭhaloka, in the Paravyoma, the spiritual sky, there are spiritual planets. They are called Vaikuṇṭhaloka. Hundreds and millions there are. Very, very big, big planets than these material planets. So unless you get a shelter in one of the planets, then you again fall down.

Lecture on SB 3.25.19 -- Bombay, November 19, 1974:

Now, when there is question of jijñāsā, brahma-jijñāsā, then we inquire from a person who knows. Therefore it is said that tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam: (SB 11.3.21) "If you are actually interested in inquiring about Brahman, then you must go to guru who knows Brahman." Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta. You cannot understand Brahman realization alone. Therefore, according to Vaiṣṇava philosophy, ādau gurvāśrayam. The first business is to take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master. If you want... Not only brahma-jijñāsā—any. You must go to the perfect person who knows things.

Lecture on SB 3.25.20 -- Bombay, November 20, 1974:

Those who are pious, they are getting chance of birth, in very aristocratic, high family, educated, learned brāhmaṇa family. Jñāna. Then aiśvarya, opulence, riches; education, śruta; śrī, beauty. These are the symptoms of pious life. And just the opposite, ugly-looking, born in very low-grade family, almost animal, then no education, no character, these are impious life. So... But the sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83), even by, one is born in low-grade family, pāpa-yoni, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya, if one takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa says, "If one takes shelter of Me..." Kṛṣṇa never denies anyone. Socially, we may deny a caṇḍāla to enter into my house, but Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's devotee does not deny. That is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They never, they'll never deny. "Yes, you are welcome. You take also education in the spiritual life. You also become devotee of Kṛṣṇa."

Lecture on SB 3.25.20 -- Bombay, November 20, 1974:

Those who are pious, they are getting chance of birth, in very aristocratic, high family, educated, learned brāhmaṇa family. Jñāna. Then aiśvarya, opulence, riches; education, śruta; śrī, beauty. These are the symptoms of pious life. And just the opposite, ugly-looking, born in very low-grade family, almost animal, then no education, no character, these are impious life. So... But the sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83), even by, one is born in low-grade family, pāpa-yoni, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya, if one takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa says, "If one takes shelter of Me..." Kṛṣṇa never denies anyone. Socially, we may deny a caṇḍāla to enter into my house, but Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's devotee does not deny. That is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They never, they'll never deny. "Yes, you are welcome. You take also education in the spiritual life. You also become devotee of Kṛṣṇa." Sometimes we are criticized. But Kṛṣṇa says, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). He is giving, offering shelter. "Come on. Never mind you are born in low family or impious family. It doesn't matter." Striyaḥ śūdrās tathā vaiśyās te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. Kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā bhaktā rājarṣayas tathā (BG 9.33).

Lecture on SB 3.25.20 -- Bombay, November 20, 1974:

The best thing: one who has taken birth in brāhmaṇa family. But who cares for it? They misuse this chance. Kṛṣṇa says, kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyāḥ. "You have taken birth in brāhmaṇa family. Why don't you take shelter of Me?" So because the..., why? The sādhu. Brāhmaṇa means sādhu. Brāh..., Vaiṣṇava means sādhu. Sannyāsī means sādhu. Titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ..., ajāta-śatravaḥ śāntāḥ sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ (SB 3.25.21). This is a sādhu. So sādhu, they are very titikṣavaḥ, ārjavam. Similarly, brāhmaṇa qualification is also... Satyaṁ śaucaṁ samo damas titikṣā. Titikṣā, tolerant, ārjava, simplicity, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). So similarly, sādhu. There must be a class of men in the society, first-class sādhu.

Lecture on SB 3.25.22 -- Bombay, November 22, 1974:

We are to take shelter of sādhu. Sādhu-guru. The same thing. Guru means sādhu. A sādhu... One... Sādhu means the devotee of the Lord. If one is not sādhu, then he cannot become guru. And sādhu means... This is the description given. What is that? Mayy ananyena bhāvena bhaktiṁ kurvanti ye dṛḍhām. He's sādhu. Not that anyone with a saffron cloth and having a long beard. That is not sādhu. Sādhu means the devotee of the Lord. That is his first qualification. Kṛṣṇa says, api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. The same thing.

Lecture on SB 3.25.23 -- Bombay, November 23, 1974:

Actually, we have got experience in the Western countries, this is their life. Even very, very old men, they cannot give up this. For want of this, it is a great suffering. But here you see practically. These young boys, young girls, they have given up. There is no suffering. Take practical example. And an old man, a very respectable gentleman, he was requested to give up these four habits; he replied, "It is impossible." How it is becoming possible for these boys? If they would have suffered for want of this illicit sex, intoxication, the boys or girls, then how they could remain with me? I am not a very rich man. I cannot give them nice shelter. I cannot give them nice food. But why? Because they are not feeling... They have no furniture.

Lecture on SB 3.25.29 -- Bombay, November 29, 1974:

I have given this example that you have got a very nice sputnik, airplane, you can go many thousands and millions miles up. But if you don't get any shelter either in the moon planet or any other planet then you come back again. The same example. Similarly, you may become brahma-bhūtaḥ, Brahman realized, but if you simply remain in the impersonal or void... Brahma-bhūtaḥ means to make this material world null and void and you come to the another world, spiritual world.

Lecture on SB 3.25.30 -- Bombay, November 30, 1974:

So in this way, one has to learn how to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Our Vaiṣṇava system is ādau gurv-āśrayam. If we want to approach Kṛṣṇa, then in the beginning, ādau, the beginning is to take shelter of guru. That is being shown by Devahūti. Although He is son, (s)he is begging the mercy of Kapiladeva so that by His mercy she could understand what is devotional service and how to approach Kṛṣṇa. Tad etan me vijānīhi yathāhaṁ manda-dhīḥ. So this is very good qualification. Manda-dhīḥ: "My intelligence is not very sharp, manda." That is especially in this age.

Lecture on SB 3.25.32 -- Bombay, December 2, 1974:

The devotees, they take shelter of the daivī-prakṛti, Rādhārāṇī, Lakṣmījī. They worship, therefore, Vaiṣṇava, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa, Sītā-Rāma, the first of all, the energy. The energy. So this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is first addressing the energy, the internal energy, potency, of Kṛṣṇa. Hare. From Harā to Hare. That is the sambodhana. So Hare Kṛṣṇa: "O Rādhārāṇī, or Lakṣmī, or Sītā, and Kṛṣṇa, or Rāma, or Nārāyaṇa"—the same thing. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, addressing Them, "O my Lord, O my Lord's energy." So when you address somebody, you want to ask something. So if they reply, "Yes, why you are calling?" then we're calling, "Please engage me in Your service." This is the prayer, not that "Give me money" or "Give me beautiful wife" or many followers. This is material hankering.

Lecture on SB 3.25.37 -- Bombay, December 6, 1974:

Every one of us aware of it. So they are called tamo-guṇa. So to live in such places where illicit sex or prostitution is going on, the place where drinking is going on, the place where meat-eating, hotels, restaurant is going on, and gambling going on, these places are tamo-guṇa. And ordinary cities and towns, they are called rajo-guṇa. And forest... Therefore formerly those who were aspiring after spiritual under..., they left either city or these things, everything. They went to the forest. That is called vānaprastha. Vānaprastha. Vana means forest. Before taking sannyāsī, one leaves his family connection and goes to the forest. Vanaṁ gato yaḥ harim āśrayeta. Vanam, vanaṁ gato harim āśrayeta. Then why they used to go to the forest? To take shelter of Hari. Vanaṁ gato yaḥ harim āśrayeta. So that is sāttvika. And above all these thing—to live in the temple—that is nirguṇa, above sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. Therefore those who are inhabitants of the temple, they are in Vaikuṇṭha.

Nitāi: "(The terrible fear of birth and death can never be) forsaken by anyone who resorts to any shelter other than Myself, for I am the almighty Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the original source of all creation, and also the Supreme Soul of all souls."

Prabhupāda:

nānyatra mad bhagavataḥ

pradhāna-puruṣeśvarāt

ātmanaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ

bhayaṁ tīvraṁ nivartate

(SB 3.25.41)

So bhayaṁ tīvram. We have become so much dull or foolish that we do not know what is bhayaṁ tīvram. Tīvram means very fierce, and bhayam, fierce fearfulness, very strong. And we are entangled in this very strong fearfulness, but we have become so dull by the spell of māyā that we don't care for it. Just imagine. At the time of death there are so many troubles, very fierceful.

It is not possible. Therefore here it is said, nānyatra mad bhagavataḥ pradhāna-puruṣeśvarāt: "Without coming under My shelter, there is no possibility." There is no possibility. Therefore Kṛṣṇa, out of compassion, He comes when we completely become dull and rascal, we forget the sufferings of this material life, and we think that we are very nicely situated. "I have got so much bank balance and I will live very happily. I have got so nice wife and so many children. How my problem is solved." No, sir, your problem is not solved. (chuckling) Real problem is not solved.

So the atheist class, they try to forget, that "After death, there is no life." This is atheism. There is life, sir. Kṛṣṇa says, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). How you can say there is no life? There is life, but you do not know. Kṛṣṇa says that after this human life... He does not say that you get such and such life. He simply says, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ: "You will get another body." Now, He does not say what kind of body. The question should be, "All right, then what kind of body I am going to get?" That depends on your work. You can see in your front, there are so many dogs. They are barking day and night. They have no food. They have no shelter. And anyone sees, he beats him with a stick or some stone. There is no shelter, no food. You can get a life like that also. You can get a life like a tree, standing before you for five hundred years. Or you can get a life even like a demigod if you are pious.

On account of this body, we are simply suffering. Therefore our main business is how to stop the cycle of birth and death—no more accepting the body. That is answered here, as Kapiladeva said, na anyatra mad bhagavataḥ pradhāna-puruṣeśvarāt: "You cannot get it without taking shelter at My lotus feet. You cannot get out of this fear."

nānyatra mad bhāgavataḥ

pradhāna-puruṣeśvarāt

ātmanaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ

bhayaṁ tīvraṁ nivartate

Tīvraṁ bhayam. What you are accepting, spelled by māyā, as very position, good position... I have told you many times. It is published in now..., that therefore, the rascal class of men, they want to..., they do not want to accept that there is life after death. "Everything is finished." Therefore in Western countries there is killing even grown-up child within the womb. They are killing, abortion.

So the Kṛṣṇa's business—He comes here. He has no business to come here because His agent, prakṛti, is doing everything. But still, out of compassion, He comes in His original form, Kṛṣṇa, or in His incarnation as Kapiladeva, and He says the same thing, "My dear sons, My dear rascal sons, you are suffering so much on account of this material contact. Please come to Me. Take shelter of Me, and you will be happy." This is going on. And Kṛṣṇa's representative says the same thing, that "You rascal, you take shelter of Kṛṣṇa and be happy." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are going from door to door of all rascals. I tell it, declare it publicly. Anyone who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is a rascal number one. I declare it. Come, any intelligent man. I shall talk with him. I shall prove that he is rascal number one if he has no Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That's a fact.

The mother wanted to know from the son. His father left home, and the mother was kept by the, at the care of his son, grown-up son. That is Vedic system, that when the son is grown up, the mother should be left at the care of the grown-up son, and the father should leave. He should become vānaprastha or sannyāsa, no more connection with wife. This is Vedic system. So Kapiladeva's father, Kardama Muni, he left home, and he kept his wife under the care of Kapiladeva, and He is propounding this Sāṅkhya philosophy. And today's verse is na anyatra mad bhagavataḥ: "Without Him, without taking shelter of bhagavataḥ, Bhagavān..." Bhagavān means ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa, almighty Lord. Nobody can give you protection.

Lecture on SB 3.25.42 -- Bombay, December 10, 1974:

Real business he has neglected, how to get out of these clutches of birth and death, and he's engages his brain for manufacturing a skyscraper building, and he is thinking, "Now advancement of knowledge, advancement of education." This is going on. Therefore, if we want to save ourself from the fierceful condition of this material life, then we must take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the verdict of the all śāstras, and Kṛṣṇa comes for this purpose, and Kṛṣṇa's devotees work day and night for this purpose, and that is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness...

Everyone is servant. You do not... You, you can perform yajñas for ordinarily, but if you keeps, if you be simply under the shelter of Kṛṣṇa, you do not require to perform different demigod yajñas, deva-yajña. That is not required. The example is given that if you pour water in the root of the tree, you do not require to pour water in the branches, in the twigs, in the flowers, in the fruits. It is automatically done. If you supply food to the stomach, then you do not require to feed the eyes, hands, legs, separately. There is no need; neither it is possible to give separate, I mean to say, food, materials for nourishing the different parts of the body. One place is sufficient. Similarly, if we worship Kṛṣṇa, the source of everything, the root of everything... Aham ādir hi yajñānām, devānām, deva-yajña.

Lecture on SB 3.25.42 -- Bombay, December 10, 1974:

So we must have sense and take shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead to save ourself from this material condition of life, repetition of birth, death, old age, and disease. And if you think, when Kṛṣṇa says that "You surrender unto Me. I will give you protection"... So because we are foolish, we think Kṛṣṇa as ordinary human being. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Because we are mūḍhas, rascals, we think that Kṛṣṇa is a person like us.

Lecture on SB 3.25.43 -- Bombay, December 11, 1974:

Nitāi: "(The yogis, equipped with) transcendental knowledge and renunciation and engaged in devotional service for their eternal benefit, take shelter of My lotus feet, and since I am the Lord, they are thus eligible to enter into the kingdom of Godhead without fear."

Prabhupāda:

jñāna-vairāgya-yuktena

bhakti-yogena yoginaḥ

kṣemāya pāda-mūlaṁ me

praviśanty akuto-bhayam

(SB 3.25.43)

Akuto-bhayam. Here in this material world—simply bhayam, only fearfulness. Nobody is safe here. At any moment the life may be finished. Nobody can guarantee. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām (SB 10.14.58). In the śāstra it is said that here in this material world there is danger in every step. You are walking very nicely, and sometimes suppose there is a skin of plantain, and you slip, and your leg may be broken. Padaṁ padam. Even walking, even sitting-heart failure.

Lecture on SB 3.25.43 -- Bombay, December 11, 1974:

So if you want to be not fearfulness, no more fear, abhayaṁ sattva-saṁśuddhiḥ, if you become out of fearfulness then you have to take shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is begging. Because we are Kṛṣṇa's sons or we have got very intimate relationship with Kṛṣṇa and we have given Him up and we have forgotten Him, therefore we are suffering. So Kṛṣṇa, being father, Kṛṣṇa, being friend of everyone, He comes, and He canvasses, and at last He says, "You rascal," sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam... (BG 18.66), ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyaḥ. "You are rotting here by repeatedly committing sinful life.

Lecture on SB 3.26.3 -- Bombay, December 15, 1974:

Unless there is spirit... A seed... A seed fructifies in suitable condition into big tree because the soul takes shelter within the seed. If you fry the seed, no tree will come out. Similarly, the matter is grown up on the spirit. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it says, yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat: (BG 7.5) "The jagat, the material world, is existing on the spirit soul." Similarly, this spirit soul, as our body, your body, that is also..., this body is resting in the spirit soul. Similarly, this gigantic body of this universe, that is also resting on the gigantic spirit. That is Kṛṣṇa. Not that equal. We are very small, and God is great.

Lecture on SB 3.26.5 -- Bombay, December 17, 1974:

The grown-up young man is doing in certain way. So according to body, we are working in different way, vicitrāḥ, but they are all contaminated activities. Therefore we have go take shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, ayi nanda-tanuja patitaṁ kiṅkaraṁ mām: "I understand that I am Your eternal servant. My position is Your servant. But I prefer to become the servant of māyā. Therefore this is my fallen position. If You kindly take me again." And He is ready. Kṛṣṇa is ready. Therefore He comes personally to canvass, that "Why you are rotting in this material world?" Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66).

Lecture on SB 3.26.7 -- Bombay, December 19, 1974:

When we wanted to enjoy life independently, so-called ind..., because we cannot be independent... We have to become dependent. Either this material nature or the spiritual nature, it is not possible. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). You have to take āśraya, shelter, of either of the prakṛtis, parā-prakṛti or aparā-prakṛti. Aparā-prakṛti is this material nature, and parā-prakṛti is the spiritual nature. So therefore jīva-śakti is called taṭastha. Taṭastha. Antaraṅga, bahiraṅga, taṭastha. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport), the Absolute Truth has got multi-potencies.

Lecture on SB 3.26.11-14 -- Bombay, December 23, 1974:

So pradhāna is the total material energy, which is called mahat-tattva. We have discussed this subject matter last night, mahat-tattva. So mahat-tattva is the original total energy for material creation. Therefore Kṛṣṇa, Mukunda, is sometime described as mahat-padam. Mahat-padam. Mahat-padam means "under whose lotus feet this whole total material energy is resting." Samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavaṁ mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ. Samāśritāḥ. Therefore we have to take shelter of the Supreme, under whose lotus feet this mahat-tattva is also resting. Mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ. Puṇya-yaśaḥ. If you glorify Kṛṣṇa, then we become pious. Therefore there are so many prayers to be offered to Kṛṣṇa. That is bhakti. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam, vandanam (SB 7.5.23). Vandanam means offering prayer. This is also bhakti-mārga.

Lecture on SB 3.26.16 -- Bombay, December 25, 1974:

If we take shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, which is called abhaya-caraṇa, no more bhayam. Bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ. When, so long we think that "I am something of this material existence," there will be bhayam. And when we realize that "This material existence is superficial. I have nothing to do with it," asaṅgo 'yaṁ puruṣaḥ, "I have no connection with it," then there is no bhaya, no fearfulness.

Lecture on SB 3.26.16 -- Bombay, December 25, 1974:

Everyone is thinking differently, all living entities. Somebody is thinking, "I am Indian." Somebody is thinking, "I am American," "Hindu," "Muslim," "Christian," "black," "white." So many ways we are thinking. Viparyayo 'smṛtiḥ. Our real identity is when we understand that "I am not Hindu, not Muslim, not Christian, nor American, nor Indian, but I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." Then there is no more fear. That is fear... Bhajahuṅ re mana, śrī-nanda-nandana-abhaya-caraṇāra... Therefore the Vaiṣṇava poet advises that "You take to the shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa." Abhaya-caraṇāravinda re: "Just be engaged in the devotional service of the abhaya-caraṇa, Kṛṣṇa's..." Then your existence will be purified and you will have no more fear. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54).

Lecture on SB 3.26.16 -- Bombay, December 25, 1974:

Every one of us, we know... Not everyone. At least, those who are little advanced in understanding Bhagavad-gītā, the A-B-C-D of spiritual knowledge, at least theoretically, one knows that he is not this body. But still, when the body is in danger, we become fearful because we are existing in this material environment. Bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syāt. So in order to get out of this fearful situation of life... That is material life. If we take shelter of the lotus feet of abhaya-caraṇāravinda re, Kṛṣṇa, then this bhayam element, fearfulness element, will be completely nil.

Lecture on SB 3.26.16 -- Bombay, December 25, 1974:

The more we advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the more we become free from fearfulness. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja advises hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpaṁ vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta (SB 7.5.5). The real position of fearlessness is harim āśrayeta, take shelter of Hari. Hari means who takes away all subjective things of fearfulness. That is Hari. He takes away all our miserable condition of life, Hari. Harim āśrayeta. Tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehināṁ sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt.

Lecture on SB 3.26.16 -- Bombay, December 25, 1974:

Even big nation, American nation, they are also fearful of the Russian. And the Russians are fearful of the Americans. You can see. The whole political field... Our Indians are fearful of Pakistan. Pakistan is fearful... This is material existence. You cannot avoid it unless you take shelter at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa assures, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ (BG 18.66). He gives shelter and assurance that "Don't be afraid of. When you have taken shelter of Me, then there is no cause of fear."

Lecture on SB 3.26.16 -- Bombay, December 25, 1974:

This material world is padaṁ padaṁ vipadām, only danger. Every step there is danger. That's a fact. So if we take shelter of that abhaya-caraṇāravinda, then we have no fear. This is a fact. Abhayaṁ sattva-saṁśuddhiḥ. Sattva-saṁśuddhiḥ. Our existence, when it is purified... So this bhakti-mārga, or devotional service, is the process of purifying, purifying process.

Lecture on SB 3.26.20 -- Bombay, December 29, 1974:

There is a verse, ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim: (Nārada-pañcarātra) "If you take the shelter of the lotus feet of Hari, Kṛṣṇa," ārādhitaḥ, "and worship it," ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim, "then there is no more necessity of austerities, penances, and so many other things. Simply this is required." Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim... Nārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim: "And after undergoing your religious principles and ritualistic ceremonies and austerities, penances, fully executing the occupational duty, everything done," but nārādhito hariḥ, "but you could not understand how to worship Hari," so tapasā tataḥ kim, "then what is the use of your this tapasya?" There is no use. It is simply waste of time. Śrama eva hi kevalam. This is confirmed everywhere. Śrama eva hi kevalam.

Lecture on SB 3.26.25 -- Bombay, January 2, 1975:

We are getting rains from Indra, the moonshine from the Candra or the moon-god, and the sunshine from the sun-god. These are essential things, heat and light. So we are obliged, certainly. But if you take shelter of Kṛṣṇa, then you are free from all obligation. Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). If you don't pay tax, then you are liable to be punished. That is pāpa. Similarly, we are obliged to so many living entities, demigods, saintly persons. Certainly we are obliged.

Lecture on SB 3.26.26 -- Bombay, January 3, 1975:

Vāsudeva is the ultimate araṇam, ultimate shelter. Bhaja vāsudevam. In other place also, it is said,

vāsudeve bhagavati

bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ

janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ

jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam

(SB 1.2.7)

Janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam. One cannot understand what is the cause of a vāsudeva-bhakta to become so much renounced. Just like in India these young men from America and Europe... They are surprised, "How they have become so much aloof from material activities?" It is surprising. That is... It is not surprising, because bhaja vāsudevam: they have taken to the shelter of Vāsudeva. If you do also, you shall become. But we are not inclined. In India, "Oh, Vāsudeva, we have... We know everything of Vāsudeva. Hare Kṛṣṇa, oh, this is... What you can teach? We know everything." This is the Indian disease. Because familiarity breeds contempt. Because Indians are familiar with the name of Vāsudeva, with the name of Hare Kṛṣṇa, they think... Just like in European and American cities these boys and girls, they go for saṅkīrtana, and the Indian people, they say, "Oh, we know everything about it. We have now come here to learn how to eat meat, how to drink wine." You see? This is the condition.

Lecture on SB 3.26.26 -- Bombay, January 3, 1975:

You have to take the shelter of bhakti-yoga, Vāsudeva. Then your life will be successful. Sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā (BG 7.19). You have to become sudurlabhaḥ mahātmā, not cheap mahātmā. A cheap mahātmā will not help you. You have to become real mahātmā. What is real mahātmā? Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ, bhajanty ananya-manasaḥ (BG 9.13). That is mahātmā.

Lecture on SB 3.26.27 -- Bombay, January 4, 1975:

Kṛṣṇa says that "Anyone who takes shelter of Me, even he belongs to the pāpa-yoni..." Pāpa-yoni means the caṇḍālas, less than the śūdras. Striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrāḥ... Again He mentions. Te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. So they are eligible to go back to home, back to Godhead. There are so many instances. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ, ye 'nye ca pāpāḥ: (SB 2.4.18) "Lower than them, still more sinful," śudhyanti, "they can be purified," prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ, "if he becomes a Vaiṣṇava."

Lecture on SB 3.26.41 -- Bombay, January 16, 1975:

So we require protection. Therefore, mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). The mahātmā, they are also given protection by daivī-prakṛti, Kṛṣṇa's māyā. Therefore we chant "Hare Kṛṣṇa," not alone "Kṛṣṇa." Harā is Kṛṣṇa's energy, so we first of all take the shelter of Kṛṣṇa's energy, daivī-māyā, Rādhārāṇī. In Vṛndāvana they chant "Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa," "Jaya Rādhe." The general addressing is "Rādhe," like that. So to take shelter of the daivī-māyā... Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). If we take shelter of the daivī-māyā, Rādhārāṇī, then She will give us intelligence in such a way that we can take shelter of Kṛṣṇa perfectly. So daivī-māyā āśritāḥ, as soon as we become under the shelter of daivī-māyā, then our business becomes bhajanty ananya-manasaḥ, simply serving Kṛṣṇa, no other business. And in the material world so long we are under the protection of mahā-māyā we have got many things to serve.

Lecture on SB 3.26.43 -- Bombay, January 18, 1975:

Kṛṣṇa-bhakta, one who is fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is śānta. He is fully confident. Kṛṣṇa consciousness or God consciousness, he is fully confident that "Kṛṣṇa, I have surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. I have taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa, and He has promised, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). Then where is the cause of my anxiety?" Therefore he can become... He has understood Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality, almighty, all-powerful, full of all opulences. "So if he has taken my charge, then where is my anxiety?" That is śānti. That is śānti. And so long we are taking shelter of māyā, asat, which will not stay...

Lecture on SB 3.26.43 -- Bombay, January 18, 1975:

Suppose we are taking shelter, child is taking shelter of the father, mother, or the citizens is taking shelter of the state, of the government. So one has to to take shelter of something else for protection, for security. But they are not actually security. Therefore we are always full of anxiety. You may be a citizen of a great state like United States of America. But you are not without any anxiety because that shelter is not sufficient. That will not stay. Just like recently in America they had to dethrone Mr. Nixon because they were not free from anxiety. So you cannot become free from anxiety by taking shelter of anything material. That is not possible. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). Asat and sat. Sat means eternal, and asat means temporary.

Lecture on SB 3.26.43 -- Bombay, January 18, 1975:

So we are eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). We are not annihilated after the annihilation or destruction of this body. Therefore we have to take shelter of the eternal. Then we'll be happy. And so long we shall take shelter of the temporary thing, asat, this material world, material society, friendship, love, state, community, nation—anything you take, they are not permanent—so you cannot be happy. But if you take shelter for security at the lotus feet of the Supreme, then you are actually secure.

Lecture on SB 3.26.46 -- Bombay, January 21, 1975:

So impersonal Brahman, nobody can construct any sthānam, place, of the impersonal Brahman, or Paramātmā. Paramātmā has got place everywhere. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ..., sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). So that is the worshipable Deity for the yogis. And impersonal Brahman for the jñānīs. And Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the shelter of both Parabrahman, I mean to say, impersonal Brahman, and Paramātmā... Yad advaita brahma upaniṣadi. Upaniṣadi, in the Upaniṣad, Vedic Upaniṣad, the impersonal Brahman is described. And the yogis, by meditation, they try to understand the Supreme Absolute Truth by seeing the Viṣṇu form, four-handed Viṣṇu. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1).

Lecture on SB 3.26.47 -- Bombay, January 22, 1975:

So here is also sound. Here is also sky. So as the beginning of this material world is from the sound vibration... I think the scientists also agree, the materialistic scientists, that from sound everything emanates. So similarly, the same sound, you can enter into the spiritual world by taking shelter of sound. That sound vibration is Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. If you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, by chanting this transcendental, eternal sound, you can approach. Just like by telephone... That is also sound: "Kring, kring, kring." Immediately you in touch with your friend thousands and thousands miles away. So sound is so important thing. So by spiritual sound, you can become immediately in touch with the spiritual world, and gradually you become in touch with the Supreme Lord. Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya (SB 12.3.51).

Lecture on SB 3.28.1 -- Honolulu, June 1, 1975:

Just like Devahūti when she was grown up, young, she proposed her father that "I want to marry that gentleman, that yogi." And the father also offered. So, so long she was not married she remained under the protection of the father. And when she was married she remained with the yogi husband. And she was troubled in so many ways because she was princess, daughter of king. And this yogi, he was in a cottage, no food, no shelter, nothing of the sort. So she had to suffer. She never said that "I am king's daughter. I was raised in so opulent condition of life. Now I have got a husband who cannot give me a nice apartment, nice food. Divorce him." No. That was never done. That is not the position.

Lecture on SB 3.28.21 -- Nairobi, November 1, 1975:

One who is ācāryavān, who has taken shelter of ācārya, he knows. Why? Because ācārya receives knowledge from Kṛṣṇa and he distributes knowledge to his disciple. That is perfect knowledge. Ācāryavān puruṣaḥ. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). These are the instruction.

Lecture on SB 4.14.14 -- November 16, 1971, Delhi:

We should not criticize Kṛṣṇa. But those who are unaware of Kṛṣṇa's position, they do, we have to inform them rightly what is the right thing. So actually Kṛṣṇa says that even the stri-śūdra-vaiśya, they are also elevated to the highest position if they take the shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). The pāpa-yoni, the pious man or impious man, that is consideration of this material world. So long we are in this material world, there must be "this is good" and "this is bad." Although there is nothing good in this material world—everything is bad—but we have concocted some formulas that "This is good and this is bad."

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- London, August 30, 1971:

The most intelligent class of men are called the brāhmaṇas, and the next intelligent class of men, namely the politicians, or one who wants to take part in administration, they are called kṣatriyas. And the next intelligent class of men, those who are busy in production—because we want food—so the productive class of men is called vaiśya, mercantile. And the laborer class of men, namely one who is neither intelligent nor administrator nor trader, but wants to live at the shelter of somebody, master, they are called śūdras. The brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, and the vaiśyas, they would never accept subordination, service, under anyone. But the śūdras, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: paricaryātmakaṁ kāryaṁ śūdra-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). By nature, a śūdra wants to take shelter of somebody else and live.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Johannesburg, October 20, 1975:

The necessities of this body, that is required. We want to eat something, we must have a shelter to live, Bhāgavata.-bhaya, and we must defend from the enemies or from the attack of other living beings. Kaṣṭān kāmān. So we require all these things, but not very hard labor, working day and night. That is for the lower animal. Kaṣṭān kāmān na arhate viḍ bhujāṁ ye. As the animal is working very hard day and night for meeting their necessities of life, the human form of life is not meant for that purpose.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1976:

In this age, it is not possible that as big, big saintly persons they go to the forest and undergo meditation in Himalayan mountain under the snow and so many dif... No food, no shelter, secluded place, there are so many animals. That kind of tapasya is not possible in this age. You remain. We have constructed big, big nice building. But because the building is there, you simply come here as free guest and make life very easy for eating and sleeping, that is not tapasya. That is not tapasya. You must be very careful how to keep the temple very cleansed, yourself clean, worshiping the Deity.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1976:

If it is actually sukha, then why in the śāstra it is said, āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho (SB 10.2.32)? By very severe austerities they come to the Brahman platform, monism, to become one with the Supreme, but from there he falls down. Why falls down? Anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ. Because they have no information of the shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord. Unless you come to that point, then there is no possibility of eternal happiness.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- London (Tittenhurst), September 13, 1969:

Everyone has food. Viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt. By the laws of nature, by God's order, everyone has, I mean to say, provision for four things. What is that? Eating, shelter, and sense gratification, and defense. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca. This is secure. Everyone. If you see a bird, bird's life. By nature, one bird has got another mate. A male and female, they are together. Anywhere you go: a tiger, a tigress; a dog, a she-dog; a hog, a she-hog. So these are not problems. Here also, anyone. A boy, a girl; a man, woman; there is. So the arrangement is there. That is not problem.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 12, 1975:

This whole world is illusion and one who is above this illusion is called mahānta, one who has ended the illusion. Samit-pāniḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12), one should approach a guru who is brahma-niṣṭham. Brahma-niṣṭham means fully fixed up in Brahman understanding because life is meant for brahma-jijñāsā. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This life, this human form of life, is meant for inquiring about Brahman, not for anything else. Anything else—Where is food? Where is shelter? Where is sex? Anybody's different?—this is animal life. Above this, when we, in human life, our main business is brahma-jijñāsā. Not that "Where is food?" "Where is shelter?" "Where is sex?" and "Where is difference?" These are animal propensities, animal inquiries.

That mahājana yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ is situat..., explained here, mahat-sevā, mahat-sevā. Mahājana..., to follow the mahājana means to serve their mission.

śrī-caitanya-mano 'bhīṣṭaṁ

sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale

svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ

dadāti sva-padāntikam

(When will Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?)

Śrī Caitanya, mano 'bhīṣṭam, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the same thing. This is called disciplic succession. Kṛṣṇa wanted that "Everyone be surrendered to Me." He personally therefore comes and He speaks Bhagavad-gītā aiming at Arjuna, who was perplexed in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, and He explained karma, jñāna, yoga, so many things. But ultimately, He assured Arjuna, "My dear Arjuna, you are very dear friend to Me; therefore I am speaking to you the real purpose of life, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ... (BG 18.66). This is the real purpose of life." So Kṛṣṇa wanted that people should take shelter of His lotus feet, sarva-dharmān parityajya. But people misunderstood Him.

So therefore māyā's name is guṇamayī. Guṇa, guṇa means also rope, guṇa. Guṇamayī, tri-guṇa-mayī, three ropes you bound together become very strong. Similarly, this māyā, the stringent laws of material nature, prakṛti, is very, very strong. You cannot declare independence. That is not possible. If you really want independence, then you mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes. Then you have to take shelter of mahājana, mahat-sevā. That is the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, that tad viddhi praṇipātena (BG 4.34). First thing is that this... Mukti means you have to become surrendered either to Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa's representative.

So this is all conditional life, the so-called puruṣa life, or so-called prakṛti life. Unless we have got real enlightenment, what is our real, constitutional position? That we can learn only by the association of mahat, mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimukteḥ (SB 5.5.2). That is the Vedic process, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). We must take shelter.

Śābde means Vedic literature. Vedic He has drowned himself, he has bathed himself in the ocean of Vedas. Śābde pare ca niṣṇātam. Just like if you take bathing in a river, deep down you'll become refreshed. Similarly, one has to take śābde pare ca niṣṇātam. And what is the symptom? How I shall know that he has taken bathing fully in the ocean of Veda? Brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam, he has finished all desires for material happiness or distress. He is brāhmaṇy upaśamāśrayam. He has taken shelter of Brahman—the same thing, Parabrahman, Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), one who has taken fully shelter under the lotus feet of Parabrahman, Kṛṣṇa, you have to take shelter of such a guru. Otherwise you'll not be able to get out of these clutches of māyā. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta (SB 11.3.21), every śāstra you go.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Johannesburg, October 22, 1975:

By worshiping the beggar one becomes rich, and by worshiping the rich one becomes beggar. What is this contradiction? So this is answered by Kṛṣṇa, yasyāham anugrhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ (SB 10.88.8), "My first benediction to my devotee is that I take away all his riches. That's all. Then when he becomes helpless, he becomes firmly convinced and he has no other shelter." Then automatically he takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa, what Kṛṣṇa demands, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām (BG 18.66). When he has no other help, he fully surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa's special mercy.

Great soul means who has taken shelter of the spiritual nature. He is great soul. There are two natures: spiritual nature and the material nature. We can understand material nature, this body, and the spiritual nature, the soul. And there are two things within our, this existence: matter and spirit. Similarly, there are two energies of God. One energy is called material energy, and the other is called spiritual energy. God is appreciated. We can understand God—there is God—by the presence of His energy, just like we can understand there is sun in the presence of the sunlight. Light is the energy of the sun.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Johannesburg, October 22, 1975:

This world is distribution of the two energies of God: the material energy and the spiritual energy. So mahat means one who has taken shalter of the spiritual energy. He is called mahat, great soul. So far the material energy is concerned, they, generally all living entities who are in this material world, they have taken the shelter of the material energy, 8,400,000 forms of body. But the mahat means one who has taken the shelter of the spiritual energy. So mahat sevan: we have to approach such person who has taken the shelter of the spiritual energy of God. Mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes. If you want liberation from this bondage—birth, death, old age and disease and so many other things—then you have to execute tapasya under the direction of a great soul. Mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimukteḥ (SB 5.5.2). If you want liberation. And tamo-dvāraṁ yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam. Yoṣitām. Yoṣitām means Yoṣit mean woman.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Johannesburg, October 22, 1975:

In the Caṇḍī, those who have read Caṇḍī, ya devī sarva-bhūtānāṁ nidrā-rūpena samāsthitaḥ. The material energy's business is to keep us in slumber without any pure knowledge. This is material energy. So if we keep ourself within the material energy, that will lead us more and more in the darkest region of hellish condition of life. Tamo-dvāraṁ yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam. Those who are too much materially affected, to associate with such person means you remain within the material energy. And if you associate with persons who are great souls, who have taken the shelter of spiritual energy, your path of liberation will be open. This is the purport. Mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes tamo-dvāraṁ yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam mahāntas te sama-cittāḥ.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Hyderabad, April 15, 1975:

One has to take shelter of a mahātmā, and serve him with surrender, then his path of liberation will be open. So, if somebody says—I think the other day somebody was questioning—that "If I cannot contact sannyāsī because I am gṛhastha, I am family man, so how my path of liberation will be open?" Yes, that is possible provided you find amongst your society a person like this, ye va mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthā. If you can find out amongst your associate, a person who is only dedicated to Kṛṣṇa, you can associate with him. Then your path of liberation will be open.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Vrndavana, October 25, 1976:

In the Kali-yuga brāhmaṇa means one two-paisa thread, that's all. But that is not brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa means śamo damo titikṣva. These are the symptoms. Similarly, mahātmā does not mean a dress. But people have taken advantage of this dress, veśopajivibhiḥ (?). In India still, although poverty-stricken, if a person, simply by dressing in saffron cloth goes to a village, he has no problem. Everyone will call him, invite him, give him shelter, give him food. Still, (Hindi: "Sir, come here. Take prasada.") Everyone will ask. Poor people have taken advantage of it. Without any education, without any..., they take it for solving economic problems. Here also in Vṛndāvana you'll find so many people have come here because there are many chatras. You can get free capati, dahl. You'll find in the morning so many wretched class. They have come to Vṛndāvana just for this bread and dahl. And they collect and they exchange. They purchase bidi.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Vrndavana, October 25, 1976:

So anyway, mahāntas, these are the symptoms. Sama-cittāḥ: they have no such thing, "Oh, here is Hindu, here is Muslim, here is rich man, here is poor man." No. He's kind to everyone. That is godly qualification. Kṛṣṇa says, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Sama-cittāḥ. This is explanation. Anyone who takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, he is te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. He's eligible to go back home, back to Godhead. So Kṛṣṇa gives this liberty, open to everyone. Now who will act it? Who will induce people, even though he's born in low-grade family... Māṁ hi pārtha..., ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yoni. Pāpa-yoni means one who is born in pāpa-yoni, in low-grade family.

Lecture on SB 5.5.5 -- London, September 3, 1971:

We have to take shelter of another energy. Therefore our position is marginal. We can take shelter of the material energy or the spiritual energy, as we like. If we take the shelter of material energy, then we become entangled. Therefore it is called daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Without knowledge, without identification, if we take the shelter of material energy, then we become in darkness. Tṛtīya karma-saṅga anya śaktir iṣyate. This third energy, material, I mean to say, human being, or living entity... Therefore at the present moment... There are different atmosphere. Just like here, in this house, in this temple, the spiritual energy is acting. Outside this house the material energy's acting.

Lecture on SB 5.5.9 -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1976:

So, if you are free from the resultant action of sinful life, then you are liberated. If you get shelter at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, and do not act in such a way that you again fall down, then you are liberated. Liberation means, we have several times discussed, hitvā anyathā-rūpaṁ svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ (SB 2.10.6). Our svarūpa means original, constitutional position is jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109), eternally servant of Kṛṣṇa. So as soon as we place ourselves in our original place, then you are liberated immediately. If we determine, decide finally, that we shall now continuously vehemently (?) fixed up in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, very simple thing.

Lecture on SB 5.5.14 -- Vrndavana, November 2, 1976:

To live with the devotees. If we associate with the karmīs or the jñānīs or the yogis, then it will not be possible. Then you will be mislead. Therefore it is said that mad-deva-saṅgāt. Mad-deva-saṅgāt means one who has absolutely taken the shelter of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, mad-deva. There are many others, of course nobody is deva, deva is Kṛṣṇa. But there are others, demigods. There are thirty-three millions of devas. But Kṛṣṇa especially, He says, mad-deva, one who has taken Kṛṣṇa as the only worshipable deity. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66), that is it. One who has taken such vow, that kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28), I shall take to the shelter of Kṛṣṇa, that is not very easy thing. But, that is the ultimate point.

Lecture on SB 5.5.14 -- Vrndavana, November 2, 1976:

This conclusion comes after many, many births of culturing knowledge, jñāna, yoga, karma, it is not so easy. Therefore we have to take shelter of such person who has taken Kṛṣṇa as the only shelter, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā (BG 7.19). We have to take shelter of such mahātmā. Not others. Mad-deva these are the different items, mad-deva-saṅgād guṇa-kīrtanān me. Not that now they have invented that, why Hare Kṛṣṇa, we can chant śivo 'ham, śivo 'ham, om, om, kālī, kālī, durgā. They (are) all nonsense.

Lecture on SB 5.5.17 -- Vrndavana, November 5, 1976:

So if we take shelter of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, then we can become first-class men. There is no doubt about it. Otherwise Kṛṣṇa says, te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. So do you think parāṁ gatim is available for the third-class, fourth-class, last class men? No. Kṛṣṇa says in another place. These things are to be studied very minutely. Yeṣāṁ anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām te dvandva-moha... Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). So one who has become Vaiṣṇava, does it mean he is fool still? No. Training. Training is there.

Lecture on SB 5.5.18 -- Vrndavana, November 6, 1976:

Even one has got so high, it does not mean that he has merged into the sky. If he does not get another shelter, he will come back again. He will come back again. He has not merged. There is no question of merging. Brahmajyoti means the..., it is the combination of millions and trillions of sparks of living entities. That is brahmajyoti. They are not mixed up. They are just like the sunshine. The sunshine, it is not one homogeneous substance. There are millions and trillions of shining particles. Combination is called sunshine. It is not that they are merged. Similarly, every individual soul is individual. Kṛṣṇa says, "Arjuna, you, Me, and all these soldiers and kings, they were existing before, they are now existing now, and they will continue to exist in the future." So where is mixture? You, me, and all of you, we are different individuals, and Kṛṣṇa says—not ordinary person—that "They were individuals in the past, they are individual now, and they will continue to become individual."

Lecture on SB 5.5.25 -- Vrndavana, November 12, 1976:

Just like Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura said, hā hā prabhu nanda-suta, vṛṣabhānu-sutā-yuta. He is praying, nanda-suta, "Kṛṣṇa," vṛṣabhānu-sutā-yuta, "along with Rādhārāṇī." Vṛṣabhānu-sutā is Rādhārāṇī. Karuṇa karaha ei-bāra: "Just be merciful upon me." Narottama-dāsa kahe, nā ṭheliho rāṅgā pāy: "I am fully surrendered unto You. You don't throw me away." Nā ṭheliho rāṅgā. Tomā bine ke āche āmāra. And this is wanted. "I have nothing except Your lotus feet." This is akiñcana, akiñcana, "no other thing except Your So how You can throw me away? Give me shelter." This is akiñcana bhakti-bhājām. If I think that "I have got another shelter except Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet," then I am not akiñcana. Kiñcana—I have got some other hope. No. Akiñcana means only hope: Kṛṣṇa. That is full surrender. Akiñcanānāṁ bhakti-bhājām. Akiñcana-gocara. Kuntidevī in her prayer she has addressed Kṛṣṇa, akiñcana-gocara: "You are realized by such person who has no other thing to possess."

Lecture on SB 5.5.26 -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1976:

This is the way. You increase your attachment, see Kṛṣṇa in the temple, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto (BG 18.65), think of Kṛṣṇa, and chant Kṛṣṇa's name and offer obeisances Kṛṣṇa. These things you can teach even to the small children. They can be practiced to see Kṛṣṇa and increase attachment for Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. But this bhakti-yoga should be practiced not from the nondevotees. Then it will be not possible. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogam..., mad-āśrayaḥ. Not jñānīs' āśraya or yogis' āśraya, no. Then you'll never be able to see. Mad-āśraya. Either you take shelter of Kṛṣṇa... You cannot take shelter of Kṛṣṇa directly, that is not possible, but one who has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa, you can take shelter of him. That is mad-āśrayaḥ, one, mat-āśrayaḥ: "a person who has taken shelter of Me." That means His devotee, a pure Vaiṣṇava, a Vaiṣṇava guru. You have to take shelter of. Then you can practice bhakti-yoga. Then never mind what you are. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ, ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ (SB 2.4.18). If you take shelter of a devotee of Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu, then śuddhyanti—you'll be purified. Śuddhyanti. How it is possible that...? He's born in low-grade family, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā. How he became so purified that he can see? Now prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. This is Kṛṣṇa's influence. He can do that. If you take shelter, upāśrayāśrayāḥ, a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa is pleased to reveal Himself.

Lecture on SB 5.5.32 -- Vrndavana, November 19, 1976:

Those who are suffering—innocent, they do not know how to get release from the suffering—they are called bāliśa. Just like a child. A child is suffering, he does not know how to get relief; so one should take care. They should be given shelter, they should be given cloth, food. It is the duty of the parents. That is natural. So for the bāliśa, innocent, it is our duty to show them mercy, give them food, give them shelter, give them instruction of Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that he may understand why he is here in this material world, why he is suffering. Ke āmi kene amaya jape tāpa traya. Everyone is suffering threefold miserable condition of life, adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika.

Lecture on SB 5.5.35 -- Vrndavana, November 22, 1976:

So Bhagavān's another name is mahat-pada. Mahat-pada means whatever wonderful things are there, that is resting at His lotus feet. Samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavaṁ mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ. Samāśritā, if you take shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, bhagavān, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam: (SB 1.3.28) Kṛṣṇa is the origin of all manifestation of Bhagavān, Viṣṇu-tattva. Kṛṣṇa is the origin of Viṣṇu-tattva. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8). Viṣṇu-tattva is also originated from Kṛṣṇa. Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. He's the ādi-puruṣa.

Lecture on SB 5.5.35 -- Vrndavana, November 22, 1976:

So everything is there in Kṛṣṇa. Samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavaṁ mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ. All this manifestation of cosmic creation, that is from the mahat-tattva. That mahat-tattva is resting within the dust of the lotus feet of mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ. So if one takes shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, then this bhava-samudra, the vast ocean of birth and death...

Lecture on SB 5.6.1 -- Vrndavana, November 23, 1976:

Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. That is real yoga, mad-āśrayaḥ. "Under Me, or a person who has taken shelter in Me, mad-āśrayaḥ." Mad-āśrayaḥ means either...It is not possible to take shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa directly. That is not possible. You have to take shelter of a person who has already taken shelter of the lotus feet of... That is mad-āśrayaḥ. So that yogam... So this ātmārāma. These Gosvāmīs, Prahlāda Mahārāja, they are ātmārāma. Their karma-bīja is fried. What is said? Ava-bharjitāni. Even if you pour water, no, it is finished.

Lecture on SB 5.6.3 -- Vrndavana, November 25, 1976:

In order to learn everything very clearly, he must have the shelter of a bona fide guru. Ādau gurvāśrayam. If we want release from all this disturbance of the material world, then the first and foremost thing is ādau gurvāśrayam. Then,

tad viddhi praṇipātena

paripraśnena sevayā

upadekṣyanti tad jñānaṁ

jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

(BG 4.34)

Guru means tattva-darśī. Tattva-darśī. Otherwise he's useless, waste of time. One has seen the tattva. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam, brahmeti paramātmeti (SB 1.2.11). Guru means one who knows what is Brahman, what is Paramātmā, what is Bhagavān—not partial knowledge. The jñānīs, the so-called jñānīs, they reach up to the brahmajyoti, that's all. But that is not complete knowledge. The yogis, they reach, utmost, Paramātmā. That is also not complete. Better than the jñānīs, but it is not complete.

Lecture on SB 5.6.6 -- Vrndavana, November 28, 1976:

So in the Kali-yuga we do not expect everyone to be very great scholar. That is not possible. But if he knows what is the aim of education, what is the objective of education, then he is also scholar. Just like our Gaura-Kiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja. He was illiterate. He could not sign his name even. But he became the spiritual master of the best scholar of his time, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī. So it is not the education, ABCD. In Bengal we say anguam(?). No. What is the purport of education? The purport of education is spoken by Kṛṣṇa Himself: vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). If one understands Kṛṣṇa and takes to the shelter of His lotus feet, he is also the biggest scholar.

Lecture on SB 5.6.7 -- Vrndavana, November 29, 1976:

Surrender means to surrender... Mayy āsakta manaḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. This is surrender. Mad-āśrayaḥ. Take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa, we cannot take shelter directly, mad-āśrayaḥ. But you can take shelter of a person who has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa. If one is surcharged with electricity, if you touch him, then you will be also electrified. Evaṁ paramparā prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo (BG 4.2). Kṛṣṇa, five thousand years ago He spoke Bhagavad-gītā. How we can hear Him? Yes, you can hear Him by paramparā system. Kṛṣṇa says repeatedly that "I am this, I am this," and Arjuna understands Him, "Yes, You are this." Sarvam etān ṛtaṁ manye yad vadasi keśava. Then he understands. He is directly understanding. And you take the version of Arjuna. Arjuna says, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma (BG 10.12). Why you, rascal, interpret in a different way, rascal? What right you have got? "My Kṛṣṇa is like that. My Kṛṣṇa..." What right you hve got? Kṛṣṇa says like this; one who listen to Kṛṣṇa about Kṛṣṇa, he says like that. You rascal, why do you interpret in a different way? This is going on.

Lecture on SB 6.1.1-4 -- Melbourne, May 20, 1975:

Everything, information, is there in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The man and woman, father and mother, after sex the two secretion is emulsified and it takes a form like a pea. And the small living entity, the measurement is also given. Keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya śatadhā kalpitaḥ: (CC Madhya 19.140) "One ten-thousandth part of the upper portion point of hair." You know the point of hair. Now divided into ten thousand part and take one part. That is the form of the soul. That little spark takes shelter into that emulsified pea, and because the soul is there within, it develops from the mother's womb. The child does not develop all of a sudden. Every mother knows that. It grows gradually, little by little, little by little. When it is seven months, then it is further..., it moves. So in this way the... Kṛṣṇa says that don't take this body as the living being. Dehinaḥ asmin dehe. Within this body, the soul is there. So everyone can understand.

Lecture on SB 6.1.1 -- Melbourne, May 21, 1975:

So Kṛṣṇa says, yatatām api siddhānām: (BG 7.3) "Those who have become perfect, out of many millions of them, one can understand what I am." It is not so easy to understand God. But if you take the process as is recommended in the śāstras by saintly person, then it is easy. Otherwise it is not easy. If you speculate to understand God, that is not possible. Then you go on and many, many years speculating. You will never understand God. Either you take the shelter of Lord Jesus Christ or Kṛṣṇa, if you follow his instruction—this is the way of understanding—then you will understand. But if you don't care for his instruction, then you will never understand. This is the process. Hmm.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Los Angeles, January 3, 1970:

Without enlightenment, without knowledge of God, he is suffering. So let me give him some knowledge of God." This is godly person's business. He has no other business. He has no business to find out where to eat, where to sleep. Oh, that God provides for him. If God can provide food and shelter for cats and dogs, do you think God will not provide food and shelter for His confidential devotee? Is God so blind or ingratitude or unable? If He is able to feed innumerable living entities within this universe, does it mean that one who has sacrificed his life for God's service, he will starve? No. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ pranaśyati: (BG 9.31) "My dear Kaunteya, Arjuna, you declare it to the world that My devotee will never be vanquished."

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Los Angeles, January 3, 1970:

So if you know the secret of success, that is not very difficult. There it is... The statement is given by Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself that "The spell of māyā is very strong undoubtedly. It is insurmountable. But if one is intelligently or one is intelligent enough and comes to My shelter, oh, there is no more spell of māyā."

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Bombay, November 6, 1970:

Revatīnandana: Is it also true that the Scandinavians come from... Kaṁsa-nisūdana was telling me that the Scandinavians came from Skandha, god of war, and that these people were driven out of India by the Hindu society. They were worshipers of Skandha, and they took shelter in northern Europe?

Prabhupāda: Maybe. Actually Aryan civilization was central Asia. Some of them went towards India and some of them went towards Europe. Indo-European stock that is called.

Revatīnandana: Central Asia.

Prabhupāda: Central Asia. Caucasian. Kaśyapa Muni's place.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Sydney, February 17, 1973:

We offer our respectful obeisances to Vaiṣṇava because Vaiṣṇava is meant for delivering the fallen souls. That is Vaiṣṇava's business. They have taken so much trouble just to deliver the fallen souls from the sinful activities, and those who are being punished, to save them, this is Vaiṣṇava's business. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja, not for himself, but for others he inquired this question: "My dear Śukadeva Goswāmī, I understand that these people are suffering so many different types of punishment. But how to rescue, rescue them? Is there any method to rescue them? If there is, kindly describe, kindly describe." Adhuneha mahā-bhāga yathaiva narakān naraḥ. Adhuna—now; iha—in this world; mahā-bhāga. Mahā-bhāga, the Śukadeva Goswāmī is described, mahā-bhāga, most fortunate. A Vaiṣṇava is most fortunate. Vaiṣṇava is most fortunate because he has got the shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says,

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi (mā śucaḥ)

(BG 18.66)

If one takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa, he's immediately released from these resultant actions of sinful activities. So mahā-bhāga means those who have no sufferings, they're always possessed of all good fortune, he is called mahā-bhāga. Bhagavān. The Sanskrit word is used, bhagavān, fortunate.

Lecture on SB 6.1.8-13 -- New York, July 24, 1971:

You come and live with us. That's all. Is it very difficult? Our students, they are living with us. You simply come and live with us—you are free from all karma. Is it difficult? Then do that. We shall give you food, we shall give you shelter, we shall give you nice philosophy. If you want to marry, we shall give you good wife. What you want more? So come and live with us. That's all. That I've already explained: māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate (BG 14.26). We employ you immediately in the devotional service of Lord, and you become free. Kṛṣṇa says, not that we have concocted this idea. Kṛṣṇa says that "Anyone who's engaged in My devotional service, without any hypocrisy, avyabhicāreṇa, then immediately he's freed, immediately."

Lecture on SB 6.1.12 -- Los Angeles, June 25, 1975:

We have nothing to do with varṇāśrama, we Kṛṣṇa..., But we want to see that the whole human society is peaceful. That is our mission. Sarve sukhino bhavantu. This is the desire of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and those who are servants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they should also desire how to do good to the whole human society. A Vaiṣṇava is not only interested for his own benefit. His own benefit is already done as soon as he has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet. He has nothing else desire over. Everything is finished, protected by Kṛṣṇa. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaś... (BG 9.31). But they work in the human society on behalf of Kṛṣṇa so that they may be happy, peaceful, and make progress in spiritual life. That is Vaiṣṇava's duty. Otherwise Vaiṣṇava has nothing to ask. Kṛṣṇa knows how to help him, how to give him all protection. So he has no anxiety.

Lecture on SB 6.1.14 -- Bombay, November 10, 1970:

Then again he says, sadhrīcīno hy ayaṁ loke panthāḥ kṣemo akuto-bhayaḥ. Therefore this process of devotional service is without any danger, akuto-bhayaḥ. Akuto-bhayaḥ means without any fearfulness. You can go express. Just like a child taking shelter of his father, catching the hand of his father, crosses the street without any fear. There is no cause of fear. He knows, "My father is there." Similarly, by accepting this process of devotional service these things they do not consider, they do not.... Now yesterday the two boys, medical boys, they were arguing, "Why not other way?" Other ways are not so safe. Any other way is—jñāna-mārga, yoga-mārga, karma-mārga—they are not safe.

Lecture on SB 6.1.14 -- Bombay, November 10, 1970:

Anyone who, yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ, by accepting a devotee, by taking shelter of a devotee, one who practices this yoga, Kṛṣṇa says in the Seventh Chapter, then "He can understand Me," asaṁśayam, "without any doubt," and samagram, "completely." Yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu. In other part.... Actually, there are so many parties, especially the impersonalist party, they are also searching after the Absolute Truth, but they have got only vague idea, not complete, perfect idea. It is saṁśayam, with doubts, and asamagram, not complete. That's a fact.

Lecture on SB 6.1.14 -- Bombay, November 10, 1970:

So if the question is, then, "With misbehavior, how he can be sādhu?" Kṛṣṇa answers that, kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā śaśvac-chāntiṁ nigacchati: because he has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa as the absolute Supreme Personality of Godhead, therefore very soon he'll be reformed, although in the, at the present moment he is not completely in sadācara platform. Still he should be accepted as sādhu because very soon he'll be completely reformed. The same thing Śukadeva Gosvāmī says: sakṛn manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor niveśitaṁ tad-guṇa-rāgi yair iha. Anyone who has taken the shelter of Kṛṣṇa, sakṛn, manaḥ kṛṣṇa, and has dedicated his mind unto Kṛṣṇa, and one who is attracted by the transcendental qualities, na te yamaṁ pāśa bhṛtaś ca tad-bhaṭān.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- London, August 3, 1971:

It might be I was very sinful in my past life, but when I surrender to Kṛṣṇa He gives me shelter and I am free. That is our proposal. We don't consider about the past deeds. Everyone may be sinful in his past deeds. That doesn't matter. But if he takes to Kṛṣṇa's shelter as Kṛṣṇa says, then Kṛṣṇa will give us protection. That is our propaganda.

Lecture on SB 6.1.16 -- Denver, June 29, 1975:

So how it is possible? Yathā kṛṣṇārpita-prāṇaḥ. Prāṇaḥ, prāṇair arthair dhiyā vācā. Prāṇa, prāṇa means life. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Kṛṣṇa, such person How this dedication of life to Kṛṣṇa's service can be made possible? That is also stated here: tat-puruṣa-niṣevayā. You have to take shelter of a person who is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, and you have to serve. That means you have to accept a devotee, a true devotee, a pure devotee, as your guide. That is our process. The Rūpa Gosvāmī says in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, "The first process is, first step is ādau gurvāśrayam to accept guru." Accept guru Guru means Kṛṣṇa's representative. One who is not Kṛṣṇa's representative, he cannot become guru. Guru does not mean any nonsense can become guru. No. Only tat-puruṣa. Tat-puruṣa means a person who has accepted the Supreme Personality of Godhead as everything. Tat-puruṣa-niṣevayā. That means Vaiṣṇava, pure devotee.

Lecture on SB 6.1.16 -- Denver, June 29, 1975:

Accept guru Guru means Kṛṣṇa's representative. One who is not Kṛṣṇa's representative, he cannot become guru. Guru does not mean any nonsense can become guru. No. Only tat-puruṣa. Tat-puruṣa means a person who has accepted the Supreme Personality of Godhead as everything. Tat-puruṣa-niṣevayā. That means Vaiṣṇava, pure devotee. So it is not very difficult. By the grace of Kṛṣṇa there are pure devotees, so one has to take shelter of him. Ādau gurvāśrayam. Then sad-dharma-pṛcchāt: after accepting a bona fide spiritual master, one should be inquisitive to learn what is the science of Kṛṣṇa. Sad-dharma-pṛcchāt sādhu-mārga-anugamanam. And this Kṛṣṇa consciousness means one has to follow the footsteps of the devotees, sādhu-mārga-anugamanam.

Another meaning of nirākāra, that He hasn't got His form like us—sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1)—you may say that. Or nirākāra means where the varieties are not manifested. Just like you go to the sunshine. You don't find any rest. Your plane must fly on, fly on, fly on, unless you get a support in some planet. Either you go to the moon planet or remain in this planet, you must have a support. Otherwise the effulgence, the sun effulgence, the sunlight is not (indistinct). Similarly, brahmajyoti is like that, just like sunshine, but you cannot rest there. If you want rest, then you have to take shelter under the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. That is stated in the Bhāgavatam. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas: (SB 10.2.32) Those who are in the impersonal situation, they think themselves that they have become liberated.

Exactly the same example. Suppose you are very high in the sunshine. Do you think, "Now I am liberated from worldly connection. I am far, far away, or high"? But unless you have shelter, you have to fly. This is crude example. Similarly, these impersonalists, they are in the liberated atmosphere, that's a fact. Brahman. He has realized that "I am not this matter. I am Brahman." And because he has no information in the brahmajyoti there are innumerable planets, he thinks that "This is all in all, this jyoti, brahmajyoti." That is his imperfect knowledge.

Ultimate end means you can remain. Go on flying, flying, flying. But that will exhaust your energy and you'll like to take shelter in any planet. And because they have no information of the Vaikuṇṭha planets, they again come to these material planets. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Because they have no rest, they become perturbed. Therefore this śloka says, ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ: (SB 10.2.32) "Because these impersonalists, although they are almost liberated, still, on account of their negligence to the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, without having shelter, their intelligence is not purified still." They are simply accepting something opposite to these imperfect varieties of this material world.