|
|
Line 4: |
Line 4: |
| {{notes|}} | | {{notes|}} |
| {{compiler|MadhuGopaldas}} | | {{compiler|MadhuGopaldas}} |
| {{complete|}} | | {{complete|ALL}} |
| {{goal|1008}}
| |
| {{first|30May13}} | | {{first|30May13}} |
| {{last|31May13}} | | {{last|01Jun13}} |
| {{totals_by_section|BG=0|SB=0|CC=0|OB=0|Lec=60|Con=0|Let=0}} | | {{totals_by_section|BG=0|SB=0|CC=0|OB=0|Lec=109|Con=0|Let=0}} |
| {{total|60}} | | {{total|109}} |
| {{toc right}} | | {{toc right}} |
| [[Category:Who Am I?|1]] | | [[Category:Who Am I?|1]] |
Line 25: |
Line 24: |
| :kṛṣṇa-sūrya-sama; māyā haya andhakāra | | :kṛṣṇa-sūrya-sama; māyā haya andhakāra |
| :yāhāṅ kṛṣṇa, tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra | | :yāhāṅ kṛṣṇa, tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra |
| <p>So actually such persons they do not know what is Kṛṣṇa, but they have the audacity out of their so-called, puffed-up education, they try to explain Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. That is not possible. Kṛṣṇa can be explained (by one) who knows about Kṛṣṇa. And who knows Kṛṣṇa? Only the devotee knows (Kṛṣṇa). Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti ([[Vanisource:BG 18.55|BG 18.55]]). Not that because one has got very advanced knowledge, he can understand Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ. I am not supposed to be exposed to all this nonsense. He says. Kṛṣṇa says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ ([[Vanisource:BG 18.55|BG 18.55]]). Actually what I am, tattvataḥ, in truth, that can be understood through devotion. Through love of Kṛṣṇa, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me ([[Vanisource:BG 4.3|BG 4.3]]). Everything is there, clear. If you are not bhakta, if you are philosopher, that's all right, remain philosopher, why you try to touch Kṛṣṇa? That is not your subject matter. Don't poke your nose in that subject matter. Don't mislead others, nonsense. You go to hell. That is another thing. But why you are pushing others to the hell? That is our protest. That is our protest. You go to hell. Tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān kṣipāmy ajasram eva yoniṣu ([[Vanisource:BG 16.19|BG 16.19]]), Kṛṣṇa says. Because they are krūrān, they are envious of Kṛṣṇa.</p> | | <p>So actually such persons they do not know what is Kṛṣṇa, but they have the audacity out of their so-called, puffed-up education, they try to explain Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. That is not possible. Kṛṣṇa can be explained (by one) who knows about Kṛṣṇa. And who knows Kṛṣṇa? Only the devotee knows (Kṛṣṇa). Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti ([[Vanisource:BG 18.55 (1972)|BG 18.55]]). Not that because one has got very advanced knowledge, he can understand Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ. I am not supposed to be exposed to all this nonsense. He says. Kṛṣṇa says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ ([[Vanisource:BG 18.55 (1972)|BG 18.55]]). Actually what I am, tattvataḥ, in truth, that can be understood through devotion. Through love of Kṛṣṇa, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me ([[Vanisource:BG 4.3 (1972)|BG 4.3]]). Everything is there, clear. If you are not bhakta, if you are philosopher, that's all right, remain philosopher, why you try to touch Kṛṣṇa? That is not your subject matter. Don't poke your nose in that subject matter. Don't mislead others, nonsense. You go to hell. That is another thing. But why you are pushing others to the hell? That is our protest. That is our protest. You go to hell. Tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān kṣipāmy ajasram eva yoniṣu ([[Vanisource:BG 16.19 (1972)|BG 16.19]]), Kṛṣṇa says. Because they are krūrān, they are envious of Kṛṣṇa.</p> |
| </div> | | </div> |
| </div> | | </div> |
Line 50: |
Line 49: |
| </div> | | </div> |
| <div id="LectureonCCMadhyalila209799NewYorkNovember221966_1" class="quote" parent="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta_Lectures" book="Lec" index="48" link="Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.97-99 -- New York, November 22, 1966" link_text="Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.97-99 -- New York, November 22, 1966"> | | <div id="LectureonCCMadhyalila209799NewYorkNovember221966_1" class="quote" parent="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta_Lectures" book="Lec" index="48" link="Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.97-99 -- New York, November 22, 1966" link_text="Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.97-99 -- New York, November 22, 1966"> |
| <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.97-99 -- New York, November 22, 1966|Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.97-99 -- New York, November 22, 1966]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">In the Bhagavad-gītā also, the Lord says that bhaktyā mām abhijānāti. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti, tattvataḥ, yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ ([[Vanisource:BG 18.55|BG 18.55]]). In another place the Lord says that "To understand Me, actually what I am, is very difficult." Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye: ([[Vanisource:BG 7.3|BG 7.3]]) "Out of many millions of human beings, somebody tries to make a perfection of his life." Otherwise they are all working like cats and dogs, that's all, simply āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca. They have no other information. "Work hard, eat, be merry and enjoy, and have mating, that's all." So out of millions and millions of persons like this, engaged in animal propensities of life, only a few persons, selected person... Because the illusory energy has grasped us under her clutches very tightly, to get out of the clutches is very difficult. So somehow or other, a few people, out of many millions and thousands, they come to the understanding that what is the real perfection of life. Now, those who are actually perfected, out of them, out of millions of them, one can understand Kṛṣṇa. That is the statement of Bhagavad-gītā. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye, yatatām api siddhānām ([[Vanisource:BG 7.3|BG 7.3]]).</p> | | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.97-99 -- New York, November 22, 1966|Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.97-99 -- New York, November 22, 1966]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">In the Bhagavad-gītā also, the Lord says that bhaktyā mām abhijānāti. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti, tattvataḥ, yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ ([[Vanisource:BG 18.55 (1972)|BG 18.55]]). In another place the Lord says that "To understand Me, actually what I am, is very difficult." Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye: ([[Vanisource:BG 7.3 (1972)|BG 7.3]]) "Out of many millions of human beings, somebody tries to make a perfection of his life." Otherwise they are all working like cats and dogs, that's all, simply āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca. They have no other information. "Work hard, eat, be merry and enjoy, and have mating, that's all." So out of millions and millions of persons like this, engaged in animal propensities of life, only a few persons, selected person... Because the illusory energy has grasped us under her clutches very tightly, to get out of the clutches is very difficult. So somehow or other, a few people, out of many millions and thousands, they come to the understanding that what is the real perfection of life. Now, those who are actually perfected, out of them, out of millions of them, one can understand Kṛṣṇa. That is the statement of Bhagavad-gītā. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye, yatatām api siddhānām ([[Vanisource:BG 7.3 (1972)|BG 7.3]]).</p> |
| </div> | | </div> |
| </div> | | </div> |
| <div id="LectureonCCMadhyalila2098102April271976AucklandNewZealand_2" class="quote" parent="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta_Lectures" book="Lec" index="50" link="Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-102 -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand" link_text="Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-102 -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand"> | | <div id="LectureonCCMadhyalila2098102April271976AucklandNewZealand_2" class="quote" parent="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta_Lectures" book="Lec" index="50" link="Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-102 -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand" link_text="Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-102 -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand"> |
| <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-102 -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand|Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-102 -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So teaching should not begin unless one accepts the teacher as the ultimate guru. So Kṛṣṇa is teaching the same thing as Caitanya Mahāprabhu will teach Sanātana Gosvāmī. The same process: tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). So the teacher, Kṛṣṇa, first of all chastised Arjuna. Aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhasase: ([[Vanisource:BG 2.11|BG 2.11]]) "My dear Arjuna, you are talking like a very learned scholar, but you are engaged in such a thing which is not at all lamentable."</p> | | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-102 -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand|Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-102 -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So teaching should not begin unless one accepts the teacher as the ultimate guru. So Kṛṣṇa is teaching the same thing as Caitanya Mahāprabhu will teach Sanātana Gosvāmī. The same process: tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). So the teacher, Kṛṣṇa, first of all chastised Arjuna. Aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhasase: ([[Vanisource:BG 2.11 (1972)|BG 2.11]]) "My dear Arjuna, you are talking like a very learned scholar, but you are engaged in such a thing which is not at all lamentable."</p> |
| :aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ | | :aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ |
| :prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase | | :prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase |
| :gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca | | :gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca |
| :nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ | | :nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ |
| :([[Vanisource:BG 2.11|BG 2.11]]) | | :([[Vanisource:BG 2.11 (1972)|BG 2.11]]) |
| <p>"One who is learned, paṇḍita, he has no business to consider about this body." Now see, the whole world is concerned with this body, but this is condemned. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke. Anyone who is accepting this body, which is nothing but combination of tri-dhātu... Or you take the material elements: earth, water, air, fire. Or more explicitly: the skin, blood, bone, urine, stool. You'll find these things. But do you think such intelligent person is created, manufactured, by bone and blood and skin and urine and stool? It's common sense. It is something else, spirit soul. That they do not understand.</p> | | <p>"One who is learned, paṇḍita, he has no business to consider about this body." Now see, the whole world is concerned with this body, but this is condemned. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke. Anyone who is accepting this body, which is nothing but combination of tri-dhātu... Or you take the material elements: earth, water, air, fire. Or more explicitly: the skin, blood, bone, urine, stool. You'll find these things. But do you think such intelligent person is created, manufactured, by bone and blood and skin and urine and stool? It's common sense. It is something else, spirit soul. That they do not understand.</p> |
| <p>Sanātana Gosvāmī is also placing that grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita, tāi satya māni: "These fools and rascals call me paṇḍitajī, and I accept, 'Oh, I am paṇḍita.' But actually my position, āpanāra hitāhita kichui nā jāni: I do not know what I am and what is the goal of my life. I am thinking, 'I am this body, and the body is finished then everything is finished.' This is my knowledge." So just compare. This knowledge is going on all over the world, "I am this body." And anyone who is thinking that he's this body, he's no better than cats and dogs. The dog is also thinking like that, "I am this body." Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātu... It is not my manufactured word. It is stated in the śāstra. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke ([[Vanisource:SB 10.84.13|SB 10.84.13]]). This body is made of these elements. I can call earth, water, air, fire. Or you..., blood, bone, and so many things. So if the..., take this combination of blood, bone, muscles, and veins, and urine and stool is the life, then he..., you are no better than the cats and dogs. Sa eva go-kharaḥ ([[Vanisource:SB 10.84.13|SB 10.84.13]]). Go-kharaḥ. Go means cow, and kharaḥ means ass. So the ass is also thinking like that, a cow is also thinking like that. If you are thinking like that, then you are... So one has to learn what he is.</p> | | <p>Sanātana Gosvāmī is also placing that grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita, tāi satya māni: "These fools and rascals call me paṇḍitajī, and I accept, 'Oh, I am paṇḍita.' But actually my position, āpanāra hitāhita kichui nā jāni: I do not know what I am and what is the goal of my life. I am thinking, 'I am this body, and the body is finished then everything is finished.' This is my knowledge." So just compare. This knowledge is going on all over the world, "I am this body." And anyone who is thinking that he's this body, he's no better than cats and dogs. The dog is also thinking like that, "I am this body." Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātu... It is not my manufactured word. It is stated in the śāstra. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke ([[Vanisource:SB 10.84.13|SB 10.84.13]]). This body is made of these elements. I can call earth, water, air, fire. Or you..., blood, bone, and so many things. So if the..., take this combination of blood, bone, muscles, and veins, and urine and stool is the life, then he..., you are no better than the cats and dogs. Sa eva go-kharaḥ ([[Vanisource:SB 10.84.13|SB 10.84.13]]). Go-kharaḥ. Go means cow, and kharaḥ means ass. So the ass is also thinking like that, a cow is also thinking like that. If you are thinking like that, then you are... So one has to learn what he is.</p> |
Line 68: |
Line 67: |
| :kṛpā-kari' yadi more kariyācha uddhāra | | :kṛpā-kari' yadi more kariyācha uddhāra |
| :āpana-kṛpāte kaha 'kartavya' āmāra | | :āpana-kṛpāte kaha 'kartavya' āmāra |
| <p>"My Lord, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, very kindly You went to my place and You have delivered me so that after Your visit I decided to resign from the government service, and I have come to You. So You have delivered me from the pitfalls of this materialistic way of life. Now tell me what is my duty." This is student. This is disciple. Approach a bona fide guru, a spiritual master, and abide by his orders and do accordingly. Then your life will be successful. And if you keep yourself in the darkness, that "I am very rich man. I am very learned man, but unfortunately, I do not know what I am," so what is the use? The Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura: vidyā-kule hi karibe tāra. So if you do not know yourself, then what your so-called education and high family, high nationality, will help you? Nature's law is different. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ ([[Vanisource:BG 3.27|BG 3.27]]). If you do not cultivate spiritual knowledge, if you remain like cats and dogs, then prakṛti, nature, will give you the cats' and dogs' body next life. Suppose you become very big businessman and you have got nice, very big balance and so on, so on, but by your activities you remain like a dog mentality is, then you are going to get the body of a dog. Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran loke tyajaty ante kalevaram ([[Vanisource:BG 8.6|BG 8.6]]). The test is at the time of death. At the time of death, if my mentality is different, so according to that mentality I shall get the body. This is called transmigration of the soul. There is no teaching of this science throughout the whole world, and we are trying to educate people. Of course, it is very difficult to understand, but this is the science, that there is transmigration of the soul. And if we do not take care of this, that "What I am going to become next life?" if you simply waste your time simply on the matter of eating, sleeping, mating and defense, then we are wasting our time. This is the subject matter of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.</p> | | <p>"My Lord, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, very kindly You went to my place and You have delivered me so that after Your visit I decided to resign from the government service, and I have come to You. So You have delivered me from the pitfalls of this materialistic way of life. Now tell me what is my duty." This is student. This is disciple. Approach a bona fide guru, a spiritual master, and abide by his orders and do accordingly. Then your life will be successful. And if you keep yourself in the darkness, that "I am very rich man. I am very learned man, but unfortunately, I do not know what I am," so what is the use? The Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura: vidyā-kule hi karibe tāra. So if you do not know yourself, then what your so-called education and high family, high nationality, will help you? Nature's law is different. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ ([[Vanisource:BG 3.27 (1972)|BG 3.27]]). If you do not cultivate spiritual knowledge, if you remain like cats and dogs, then prakṛti, nature, will give you the cats' and dogs' body next life. Suppose you become very big businessman and you have got nice, very big balance and so on, so on, but by your activities you remain like a dog mentality is, then you are going to get the body of a dog. Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran loke tyajaty ante kalevaram ([[Vanisource:BG 8.6 (1972)|BG 8.6]]). The test is at the time of death. At the time of death, if my mentality is different, so according to that mentality I shall get the body. This is called transmigration of the soul. There is no teaching of this science throughout the whole world, and we are trying to educate people. Of course, it is very difficult to understand, but this is the science, that there is transmigration of the soul. And if we do not take care of this, that "What I am going to become next life?" if you simply waste your time simply on the matter of eating, sleeping, mating and defense, then we are wasting our time. This is the subject matter of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.</p> |
| </div> | | </div> |
| </div> | | </div> |
Line 97: |
Line 96: |
| </div> | | </div> |
| <div id="LectureonCCMadhyalila20100108NewYorkNovember221966_8" class="quote" parent="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta_Lectures" book="Lec" index="52" link="Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- New York, November 22, 1966" link_text="Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- New York, November 22, 1966"> | | <div id="LectureonCCMadhyalila20100108NewYorkNovember221966_8" class="quote" parent="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta_Lectures" book="Lec" index="52" link="Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- New York, November 22, 1966" link_text="Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- New York, November 22, 1966"> |
| <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- New York, November 22, 1966|Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- New York, November 22, 1966]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Now the first question was, of Sanātana Gosvāmī, that is, that should be the first question of everyone: "What I am?" Because if I do not know what I am, there is no question of my duties and my destination, everything. Everything will depend first to know what I am. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā Arjuna did not know what he was; therefore Kṛṣṇa first of all taught him that "You are not this body. You are not this body." That was the first instruction. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yau... ([[Vanisource:BG 2.13|BG 2.13]]). "You are so much absorbed in bodily conception of life, and you are thinking that you are a learned man. That is your foolishness." In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find the first instruction of Lord Kṛṣṇa is there, aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase: ([[Vanisource:BG 2.11|BG 2.11]]) "You are thinking, you are talking with Me just like a very learned man. You are arguing with me. But from your behavior I can understand you are a fool number one." Because such kind of talk is never, I mean to say, placed by a learned man. So indirectly He said that "You are a fool." And "Why you are fool?" He said that "You are not this body. You are changing every moment your body. Why don't you think that you are not this body? Why you are identifying yourself as with the body?" Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā: ([[Vanisource:BG 2.13|BG 2.13]]) "You are changing your body at every moment. From the mother's womb up to the death point, you are changing every body. Then why you are thinking that you are body? But you are the same. In spite of all changes, you are the same." I think, my childhood, I think that I am the same. I forget that I am so much grown-up. That is my position. So the first lesson, the inquiry of Śrī Caitanya, of Sanātana Gosvāmī, is that "What I am? What I am?" Arjuna did not place himself "What I am?" but here, because the instruction which is given in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta is practically higher than Bhagavad-gītā—it is postgraduate study, higher than Bhagavad-gītā. In the Bhagavad-gītā the, Arjuna, he did not question "What I am?" He was perplexed with this bodily conception. Now here, Sanātana Gosvāmī he, he thinks that "I'm not..., I do not know what I am." So he's advanced than Arjuna. He accepts that "I do not know."</p> | | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- New York, November 22, 1966|Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- New York, November 22, 1966]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Now the first question was, of Sanātana Gosvāmī, that is, that should be the first question of everyone: "What I am?" Because if I do not know what I am, there is no question of my duties and my destination, everything. Everything will depend first to know what I am. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā Arjuna did not know what he was; therefore Kṛṣṇa first of all taught him that "You are not this body. You are not this body." That was the first instruction. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yau... ([[Vanisource:BG 2.13 (1972)|BG 2.13]]). "You are so much absorbed in bodily conception of life, and you are thinking that you are a learned man. That is your foolishness." In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find the first instruction of Lord Kṛṣṇa is there, aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase: ([[Vanisource:BG 2.11 (1972)|BG 2.11]]) "You are thinking, you are talking with Me just like a very learned man. You are arguing with me. But from your behavior I can understand you are a fool number one." Because such kind of talk is never, I mean to say, placed by a learned man. So indirectly He said that "You are a fool." And "Why you are fool?" He said that "You are not this body. You are changing every moment your body. Why don't you think that you are not this body? Why you are identifying yourself as with the body?" Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā: ([[Vanisource:BG 2.13 (1972)|BG 2.13]]) "You are changing your body at every moment. From the mother's womb up to the death point, you are changing every body. Then why you are thinking that you are body? But you are the same. In spite of all changes, you are the same." I think, my childhood, I think that I am the same. I forget that I am so much grown-up. That is my position. So the first lesson, the inquiry of Śrī Caitanya, of Sanātana Gosvāmī, is that "What I am? What I am?" Arjuna did not place himself "What I am?" but here, because the instruction which is given in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta is practically higher than Bhagavad-gītā—it is postgraduate study, higher than Bhagavad-gītā. In the Bhagavad-gītā the, Arjuna, he did not question "What I am?" He was perplexed with this bodily conception. Now here, Sanātana Gosvāmī he, he thinks that "I'm not..., I do not know what I am." So he's advanced than Arjuna. He accepts that "I do not know."</p> |
| <p>So because he inquired that ke āmi-ke āmi means "What I am?"—therefore Lord Caitanya directly informs him first that jīvera svarūpa haya kṛṣṇera nitya dāsa ([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 20.108|CC Madhya 20.108]]). Jīva, the living entity, is eternally a servitor of the Supreme Lord. Eternal. He gets, He says, jīvera svarūpa haya kṛṣṇera nitya dāsa. That is his identity. So he refused all nonsensical ideas that "I am God, I am equal with God." In the first beginning, he refused this idea, that "This is wrong. You are living entity. Your position is that you are eternally servitor of Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Lord."</p> | | <p>So because he inquired that ke āmi-ke āmi means "What I am?"—therefore Lord Caitanya directly informs him first that jīvera svarūpa haya kṛṣṇera nitya dāsa ([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 20.108-109|CC Madhya 20.108]]). Jīva, the living entity, is eternally a servitor of the Supreme Lord. Eternal. He gets, He says, jīvera svarūpa haya kṛṣṇera nitya dāsa. That is his identity. So he refused all nonsensical ideas that "I am God, I am equal with God." In the first beginning, he refused this idea, that "This is wrong. You are living entity. Your position is that you are eternally servitor of Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Lord."</p> |
| <p>Now we shall continue tomorrow. Any questions?</p> | | <p>Now we shall continue tomorrow. Any questions?</p> |
| </div> | | </div> |
Line 112: |
Line 111: |
| :tathā dehāntara-prāptir | | :tathā dehāntara-prāptir |
| :dhīras tatra na muhyati | | :dhīras tatra na muhyati |
| :([[Vanisource:BG 2.13|BG 2.13]]) | | :([[Vanisource:BG 2.13 (1972)|BG 2.13]]) |
| </div> | | </div> |
| </div> | | </div> |
Line 126: |
Line 125: |
| :([[Vanisource:CC Adi 17.31|CC Adi 17.31]]) | | :([[Vanisource:CC Adi 17.31|CC Adi 17.31]]) |
| <p>One should be tolerant.</p> | | <p>One should be tolerant.</p> |
| <p>So anyway, this Sanātana Gosvāmī, he is approaching Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu very humbly and tolerantly, putting himself that he is fool number one. Yes. Grāmya-vyavahāre kahaye paṇḍita: "These general people, they do not know what is a paṇḍita, but they call Me paṇḍitajī, but actually I know what kind of paṇḍita I am. I do not know what I am." Grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita satya kari māni. So his first proposal is, ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya: "What is my position? What I am? I do not want to suffer, but in this material world, three kinds of suffering are always there, and they are giving me trouble." This consciousness is not there. People have become so dull-headed that they are always suffering by three kinds of suffering: adhyātmika, adhibhautika and adhidaivika; still, they are thinking they are very happy. This is called māyā. This morning we were discussing. Āvaraṇātmikā-śakti. Māyā has got a covering power so that everyone, even he's a cat and dog, he's thinking that he is very happy. This is māyā. Nobody can be happy in this material world. That is the fact. Why? Kṛṣṇa says. The creator of this world, He says, duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam: ([[Vanisource:BG 8.15|BG 8.15]]) "It is the place for suffering. How you can be happy? It is meant for suffering." But people are thinking they are happy or, if they make this plan executed, then they will be happy. You see. Nobody is happy.</p> | | <p>So anyway, this Sanātana Gosvāmī, he is approaching Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu very humbly and tolerantly, putting himself that he is fool number one. Yes. Grāmya-vyavahāre kahaye paṇḍita: "These general people, they do not know what is a paṇḍita, but they call Me paṇḍitajī, but actually I know what kind of paṇḍita I am. I do not know what I am." Grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita satya kari māni. So his first proposal is, ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya: "What is my position? What I am? I do not want to suffer, but in this material world, three kinds of suffering are always there, and they are giving me trouble." This consciousness is not there. People have become so dull-headed that they are always suffering by three kinds of suffering: adhyātmika, adhibhautika and adhidaivika; still, they are thinking they are very happy. This is called māyā. This morning we were discussing. Āvaraṇātmikā-śakti. Māyā has got a covering power so that everyone, even he's a cat and dog, he's thinking that he is very happy. This is māyā. Nobody can be happy in this material world. That is the fact. Why? Kṛṣṇa says. The creator of this world, He says, duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam: ([[Vanisource:BG 8.15 (1972)|BG 8.15]]) "It is the place for suffering. How you can be happy? It is meant for suffering." But people are thinking they are happy or, if they make this plan executed, then they will be happy. You see. Nobody is happy.</p> |
| </div> | | </div> |
| </div> | | </div> |
| <div id="LectureonCCMadhyalila20100108BombayNovember91975_11" class="quote" parent="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta_Lectures" book="Lec" index="53" link="Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- Bombay, November 9, 1975" link_text="Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- Bombay, November 9, 1975"> | | <div id="LectureonCCMadhyalila20100108BombayNovember91975_11" class="quote" parent="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta_Lectures" book="Lec" index="53" link="Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- Bombay, November 9, 1975" link_text="Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- Bombay, November 9, 1975"> |
| <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- Bombay, November 9, 1975|Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- Bombay, November 9, 1975]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Big, big politician, they plan so many things. Unfortunately they never become happy, and we have got many examples—we do not wish to discuss—but it is a fact that this place is duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam ([[Vanisource:BG 8.15|BG 8.15]]). The great authority, Kṛṣṇa, says. And here is a realized, soul, Sanātana Gosvāmī. He said that "Why I am subjected to so many miserable condition?" This is a fact. Duḥkhālayam. This alayam, this place, is for suffering, Duḥkhālayam, and aśāśvatam, and you cannot stay here for long time. Even if you think that it is very happy place, you'll not be allowed. Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam ([[Vanisource:BG 8.15|BG 8.15]]). So actually it is not the place for enjoyment, but under the spell of māyā we are thinking that this is a place for happiness. And what is that happiness? Yan-maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham ([[Vanisource:SB 7.9.45|SB 7.9.45]]). The happiness is based on sex life, maithunādi. That's all. This is the material happiness. Therefore everyone within the universe, you'll find the plan of happiness on the sex life. I try to enjoy on sex life. Then, on account of sex life, there are children. So I try to make them them happy—the same sex life. The grandchildren—the same sex life. Because we do not know anything else. Yan-maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tucchaṁ kaṇḍūyanena karayor iva duḥkha-duḥkham.</p> | | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- Bombay, November 9, 1975|Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- Bombay, November 9, 1975]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Big, big politician, they plan so many things. Unfortunately they never become happy, and we have got many examples—we do not wish to discuss—but it is a fact that this place is duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam ([[Vanisource:BG 8.15 (1972)|BG 8.15]]). The great authority, Kṛṣṇa, says. And here is a realized, soul, Sanātana Gosvāmī. He said that "Why I am subjected to so many miserable condition?" This is a fact. Duḥkhālayam. This alayam, this place, is for suffering, Duḥkhālayam, and aśāśvatam, and you cannot stay here for long time. Even if you think that it is very happy place, you'll not be allowed. Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam ([[Vanisource:BG 8.15 (1972)|BG 8.15]]). So actually it is not the place for enjoyment, but under the spell of māyā we are thinking that this is a place for happiness. And what is that happiness? Yan-maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham ([[Vanisource:SB 7.9.45|SB 7.9.45]]). The happiness is based on sex life, maithunādi. That's all. This is the material happiness. Therefore everyone within the universe, you'll find the plan of happiness on the sex life. I try to enjoy on sex life. Then, on account of sex life, there are children. So I try to make them them happy—the same sex life. The grandchildren—the same sex life. Because we do not know anything else. Yan-maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tucchaṁ kaṇḍūyanena karayor iva duḥkha-duḥkham.</p> |
| <p>So that is not happiness. Happiness is different thing. Sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad atīndriya grāhyam ([[Vanisource:BG 6.21|BG 6.21]]). If you want happiness, that is spiritual happiness, not material happiness. So when he submitted that "Why I am suffering from these threefold miseries, adhyātmika, adhibhautika?" so that is real approaching of the spiritual master, that "Why I am suffering?" not that "Give me some mantra and medicine. I become happy. " No. The question should be... Just like if a person is serious to consult a physician, not that "Immediately give me some tablet. I become happy." No. The root disease must be treated. That is the relationship between the patient and... So Sanātana Gosvāmī is intelligent person, most intelligent person. He was minister. Without being very intelligent, one cannot be minister. So he said that "Why I am suffering? What is my position? What I am?" Then Caitanya Mahāprabhu says directly,</p> | | <p>So that is not happiness. Happiness is different thing. Sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad atīndriya grāhyam ([[Vanisource:BG 6.20-23 (1972)|BG 6.21]]). If you want happiness, that is spiritual happiness, not material happiness. So when he submitted that "Why I am suffering from these threefold miseries, adhyātmika, adhibhautika?" so that is real approaching of the spiritual master, that "Why I am suffering?" not that "Give me some mantra and medicine. I become happy. " No. The question should be... Just like if a person is serious to consult a physician, not that "Immediately give me some tablet. I become happy." No. The root disease must be treated. That is the relationship between the patient and... So Sanātana Gosvāmī is intelligent person, most intelligent person. He was minister. Without being very intelligent, one cannot be minister. So he said that "Why I am suffering? What is my position? What I am?" Then Caitanya Mahāprabhu says directly,</p> |
| :jīvera svarūpa haya kṛṣṇera nitya-dāsa, | | :jīvera svarūpa haya kṛṣṇera nitya-dāsa, |
| :kṛṣṇera taṭasthā-śakti bhedābheda prakāśa | | :kṛṣṇera taṭasthā-śakti bhedābheda prakāśa |
| :([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 20.108|CC Madhya 20.108]]) | | :([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 20.108-109|CC Madhya 20.108]]) |
| :sūryāṁśa-kiraṇa yaiche agni-jvālā-caya | | :sūryāṁśa-kiraṇa yaiche agni-jvālā-caya |
| :svābhāvika kṛṣṇera tina-prakāra śakti haya | | :svābhāvika kṛṣṇera tina-prakāra śakti haya |
Line 145: |
Line 144: |
| :ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā | | :ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā |
| :kartāham iti manyate | | :kartāham iti manyate |
| :([[Vanisource:BG 3.27|BG 3.27]]) | | :([[Vanisource:BG 3.27 (1972)|BG 3.27]]) |
| <p>He is foolishly thinking that he is master. But he is always... Twenty-four hours, he is being kicked by the laws of nature. But the foolish man cannot understand. Therefore they have been called mūḍha. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ ([[Vanisource:BG 7.15|BG 7.15]]). They... He does not come to the sense that "Where I am master? I am servant of the dictation of māyā, the rules and regulation of material nature. Where is my mastership?" This intelligence does not come. He is thinking still he is master, he can control the nature, he can control everything, he is God, he is this, he is that. That is the misconception. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu, in the very beginning of His instruction He is saying to Sanātana Gosvāmī that "You inquired from him what is your position," ke āmi, " 'What I am?' You are servant of Kṛṣṇa." This is the first impression.</p> | | <p>He is foolishly thinking that he is master. But he is always... Twenty-four hours, he is being kicked by the laws of nature. But the foolish man cannot understand. Therefore they have been called mūḍha. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ ([[Vanisource:BG 7.15 (1972)|BG 7.15]]). They... He does not come to the sense that "Where I am master? I am servant of the dictation of māyā, the rules and regulation of material nature. Where is my mastership?" This intelligence does not come. He is thinking still he is master, he can control the nature, he can control everything, he is God, he is this, he is that. That is the misconception. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu, in the very beginning of His instruction He is saying to Sanātana Gosvāmī that "You inquired from him what is your position," ke āmi, " 'What I am?' You are servant of Kṛṣṇa." This is the first impression.</p> |
| :jīvera svarūpa haya kṛṣṇera nitya-dāsa | | :jīvera svarūpa haya kṛṣṇera nitya-dāsa |
| :kṛṣṇera taṭasthā-śakti bhedābheda-prakāśa | | :kṛṣṇera taṭasthā-śakti bhedābheda-prakāśa |
| :([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 20.108|CC Madhya 20.108]]) | | :([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 20.108-109|CC Madhya 20.108]]) |
| </div> | | </div> |
| </div> | | </div> |
Line 162: |
Line 161: |
| :upadekṣyanti tad jñānaṁ | | :upadekṣyanti tad jñānaṁ |
| :jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ | | :jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ |
| :([[Vanisource:BG 4.34|BG 4.34]]) | | :([[Vanisource:BG 4.34 (1972)|BG 4.34]]) |
| <p>Tad viddhi. If you want to understand things which is beyond this material world... Tamasi mā jyotir gamaḥ: "Don't remain within this darkness of material existence. Try to transcend, to go to the spiritual world, jyoti, where it is light." Here it is always darkness, and there there is always light. So everyone should be interested, especially in this human form of life, not to remain here like animals, cats and dogs, but to become brahma-bhūtaḥ. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. One must know. This is the duty of human life. So he says, sādhya-sādhana-tattva puchite nā jāni: "Now I am little interested how to become spiritually advanced, but I do not know how I shall put the question before You and what is the ultimate goal of life. These things I do not know. But I have got an inquiry." That is natural. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is the natural inquisitiveness of any conditioned life, especially in the human form of life. As it is inquired by Sanātana Gosvāmī, everyone should be elevated to that position to inquire, "What I am?" Kṛpā kari' saba tattva kaha ta' āpani: "So I do not know how to place my question." This is submission. "So You can speak to me what is actually the goal of life, why I have forgotten my identification and how I shall be properly situated." This is Vedic civilization. Whole Vedic civilization means to understand oneself, to understand God and the relationship. And according to that relationship, one has to work. Then his life is successful. This is Vedic culture. Vedic culture does not mean to become a big dog. No. That is not Vedic culture. In the śāstra it is said that śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ ([[Vanisource:SB 2.3.19|SB 2.3.19]]). Puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. In this material world, without any spiritual knowledge, if one is adored, it is just like the small animals in the jungle is praising the big animal, the lion. The lion is an animal and the small rabbit or other animals, they are also animals.</p> | | <p>Tad viddhi. If you want to understand things which is beyond this material world... Tamasi mā jyotir gamaḥ: "Don't remain within this darkness of material existence. Try to transcend, to go to the spiritual world, jyoti, where it is light." Here it is always darkness, and there there is always light. So everyone should be interested, especially in this human form of life, not to remain here like animals, cats and dogs, but to become brahma-bhūtaḥ. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. One must know. This is the duty of human life. So he says, sādhya-sādhana-tattva puchite nā jāni: "Now I am little interested how to become spiritually advanced, but I do not know how I shall put the question before You and what is the ultimate goal of life. These things I do not know. But I have got an inquiry." That is natural. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is the natural inquisitiveness of any conditioned life, especially in the human form of life. As it is inquired by Sanātana Gosvāmī, everyone should be elevated to that position to inquire, "What I am?" Kṛpā kari' saba tattva kaha ta' āpani: "So I do not know how to place my question." This is submission. "So You can speak to me what is actually the goal of life, why I have forgotten my identification and how I shall be properly situated." This is Vedic civilization. Whole Vedic civilization means to understand oneself, to understand God and the relationship. And according to that relationship, one has to work. Then his life is successful. This is Vedic culture. Vedic culture does not mean to become a big dog. No. That is not Vedic culture. In the śāstra it is said that śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ ([[Vanisource:SB 2.3.19|SB 2.3.19]]). Puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. In this material world, without any spiritual knowledge, if one is adored, it is just like the small animals in the jungle is praising the big animal, the lion. The lion is an animal and the small rabbit or other animals, they are also animals.</p> |
| </div> | | </div> |
Line 175: |
Line 174: |
| </div> | | </div> |
| <div id="LectureonCCMadhyalila20120BombayNovember121975_17" class="quote" parent="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta_Lectures" book="Lec" index="71" link="Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.120 -- Bombay, November 12, 1975" link_text="Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.120 -- Bombay, November 12, 1975"> | | <div id="LectureonCCMadhyalila20120BombayNovember121975_17" class="quote" parent="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta_Lectures" book="Lec" index="71" link="Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.120 -- Bombay, November 12, 1975" link_text="Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.120 -- Bombay, November 12, 1975"> |
| <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.120 -- Bombay, November 12, 1975|Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.120 -- Bombay, November 12, 1975]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So our relationship with Kṛṣṇa... Sanātana Gosvāmī inquired from Caitanya Mahāprabhu, ke āmi, "What I am? What is my position? Why I am put into this miserable condition of material existence?" This should be the inquiry. Simply they are trying to mitigate the material distresses, but nobody inquires that "Why I am put into this condition?" That is real intelligence. When the disease is there, you go to the doctor, take medicine, try to become cured from the disease. But nobody inquires that "Why I am subjected to this disease?" That is intelligence. "Precaution is better than cure." If you know how to protect yourself from disease, then that is better position than to become diseased and cured. That is not very good intelligence. Rather, don't be diseased, not that you become diseased repeatedly and go to the medical man and be cured. Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām ([[Vanisource:SB 7.5.30|SB 7.5.30]]). They have been described as chewing the chewed again and again. So actually our problem is that we are diseased at the present moment, every one of us. What is that disease? Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam ([[Vanisource:BG 13.9|BG 13.9]]). This is our disease: we are forced to die, we are forced to take birth, we are forced to become old and we are forced to become diseased. This is our problem, but nobody inquires about this. When there is death forced upon us, they simply cry, "Oh, my father is gone. My father is gone." When we are diseased, then we cry. But nobody inquires that "Why I am put into this condition?" That is intelligence. That is called brahma-jijñāsā. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. So this Caitanya Mahāprabhu's disciple Sanātana Gosvāmī is inquiring that, that "What I am? Why I am put into these difficulties?" This is intelligent question. One should go to the spiritual master, guru, for answering or making solution of these problems, not for getting some material profit, that "I have got some disease," and the guru says, "All right, you take this dust and you become cured." "I am poor," "All right, I am creating some gold for you. Take it." This is not relationship with guru. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam ([[Vanisource:SB 11.3.21|SB 11.3.21]]). One should go to guru for making the ultimate solution of life, not temporary. That is not relationship with guru and...</p> | | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.120 -- Bombay, November 12, 1975|Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.120 -- Bombay, November 12, 1975]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So our relationship with Kṛṣṇa... Sanātana Gosvāmī inquired from Caitanya Mahāprabhu, ke āmi, "What I am? What is my position? Why I am put into this miserable condition of material existence?" This should be the inquiry. Simply they are trying to mitigate the material distresses, but nobody inquires that "Why I am put into this condition?" That is real intelligence. When the disease is there, you go to the doctor, take medicine, try to become cured from the disease. But nobody inquires that "Why I am subjected to this disease?" That is intelligence. "Precaution is better than cure." If you know how to protect yourself from disease, then that is better position than to become diseased and cured. That is not very good intelligence. Rather, don't be diseased, not that you become diseased repeatedly and go to the medical man and be cured. Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām ([[Vanisource:SB 7.5.30|SB 7.5.30]]). They have been described as chewing the chewed again and again. So actually our problem is that we are diseased at the present moment, every one of us. What is that disease? Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam ([[Vanisource:BG 13.8-12 (1972)|BG 13.9]]). This is our disease: we are forced to die, we are forced to take birth, we are forced to become old and we are forced to become diseased. This is our problem, but nobody inquires about this. When there is death forced upon us, they simply cry, "Oh, my father is gone. My father is gone." When we are diseased, then we cry. But nobody inquires that "Why I am put into this condition?" That is intelligence. That is called brahma-jijñāsā. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. So this Caitanya Mahāprabhu's disciple Sanātana Gosvāmī is inquiring that, that "What I am? Why I am put into these difficulties?" This is intelligent question. One should go to the spiritual master, guru, for answering or making solution of these problems, not for getting some material profit, that "I have got some disease," and the guru says, "All right, you take this dust and you become cured." "I am poor," "All right, I am creating some gold for you. Take it." This is not relationship with guru. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam ([[Vanisource:SB 11.3.21|SB 11.3.21]]). One should go to guru for making the ultimate solution of life, not temporary. That is not relationship with guru and...</p> |
| </div> | | </div> |
| </div> | | </div> |
Line 194: |
Line 193: |
| </div> | | </div> |
| <div id="LectureonCCMadhyalila20358359NewYorkDecember291966_21" class="quote" parent="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta_Lectures" book="Lec" index="98" link="Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.358-359 -- New York, December 29, 1966" link_text="Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.358-359 -- New York, December 29, 1966"> | | <div id="LectureonCCMadhyalila20358359NewYorkDecember291966_21" class="quote" parent="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta_Lectures" book="Lec" index="98" link="Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.358-359 -- New York, December 29, 1966" link_text="Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.358-359 -- New York, December 29, 1966"> |
| <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.358-359 -- New York, December 29, 1966|Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.358-359 -- New York, December 29, 1966]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">The ignorant materialistic, they are captivated, durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninas. What is the materialistic point of the...? Now durāśayā. They are thinking to have peace and prosperity in this nonsense. Durāśayā. This is called durāśayā. That will never be fulfilled. The foolish people... That will never be fulfilled. They're trying for that. Durāśayā na te viduḥ. Why they are trying so? Na te viduḥ. They are fools. They do not know. What they do not know? Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatim. What is their self-interest, they do not know. And what is that self-interest? Viṣṇu, the Supreme Lord. Their self-interest is to go back to home, go back to Godhead. That is their real self-interest. One should be interested. Selfish, this is real selfishness, that I must know what I am, what is the goal of my life. But these people they do not know what is the goal of life. They are trying to adjust things here, but it will never be adjusted because the nature of this material world is like that. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate ([[Vanisource:BG 8.19|BG 8.19]]). Trisargo 'mṛṣām. It is a false, or temporary, representation of...</p> | | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.358-359 -- New York, December 29, 1966|Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.358-359 -- New York, December 29, 1966]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">The ignorant materialistic, they are captivated, durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninas. What is the materialistic point of the...? Now durāśayā. They are thinking to have peace and prosperity in this nonsense. Durāśayā. This is called durāśayā. That will never be fulfilled. The foolish people... That will never be fulfilled. They're trying for that. Durāśayā na te viduḥ. Why they are trying so? Na te viduḥ. They are fools. They do not know. What they do not know? Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatim. What is their self-interest, they do not know. And what is that self-interest? Viṣṇu, the Supreme Lord. Their self-interest is to go back to home, go back to Godhead. That is their real self-interest. One should be interested. Selfish, this is real selfishness, that I must know what I am, what is the goal of my life. But these people they do not know what is the goal of life. They are trying to adjust things here, but it will never be adjusted because the nature of this material world is like that. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate ([[Vanisource:BG 8.19 (1972)|BG 8.19]]). Trisargo 'mṛṣām. It is a false, or temporary, representation of...</p> |
| </div> | | </div> |
| </div> | | </div> |
Line 242: |
Line 241: |
| </div> | | </div> |
| <div id="HisDivineGraceSrilaSaccidanandaBhaktivinodaThakurasAppearanceDayLectureLondonSeptember31971_6" class="quote" parent="Festival_Lectures" book="Lec" index="30" link="His Divine Grace Srila Sac-cid-ananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Appearance Day, Lecture -- London, September 3, 1971" link_text="His Divine Grace Srila Sac-cid-ananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Appearance Day, Lecture -- London, September 3, 1971"> | | <div id="HisDivineGraceSrilaSaccidanandaBhaktivinodaThakurasAppearanceDayLectureLondonSeptember31971_6" class="quote" parent="Festival_Lectures" book="Lec" index="30" link="His Divine Grace Srila Sac-cid-ananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Appearance Day, Lecture -- London, September 3, 1971" link_text="His Divine Grace Srila Sac-cid-ananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Appearance Day, Lecture -- London, September 3, 1971"> |
| <span class="link">[[Vanisource:His Divine Grace Srila Sac-cid-ananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Appearance Day, Lecture -- London, September 3, 1971|His Divine Grace Srila Sac-cid-ananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Appearance Day, Lecture -- London, September 3, 1971]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very bona fide because we say the same thing as Kṛṣṇa says. We don't make any addition, alteration. Not like big scholars like, "It is not to Kṛṣṇa..." Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru ([[Vanisource:BG 18.65|BG 18.65]]), and the scholar interprets, "It is not to Kṛṣṇa." Just see (the) foolishness. Kṛṣṇa directly says, "unto Me." He says, "Not to Kṛṣṇa." Misleading. Such misleading guru will not help you. So therefore to find out a bona fide guru means that he does not change the words of Kṛṣṇa. That is his position. He places everything as it is, and he has understood thoroughly the science. Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. Guru, what is the symptom of guru? Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam ([[Vanisource:SB 11.3.21|SB 11.3.21]]). Those who are inquisitive to understand higher scientific knowledge, uttamam. Uttama means higher. Uttama, madhyama, adhama. There are three words. First-class, second-class, third-class. So spiritual knowledge is uttamam. Anyone who is inquisitive to understand first-class knowledge, he requires to go to a guru. Those who are interested in third-class knowledge, they do not require any guru. Third-class knowledge means animal knowledge: how to eat, how to sleep. How to make arrangement for eating, how to make arrangement for sleeping, that is third-class knowledge. Because the animals also try for this kind of knowledge, how to eat, how to sleep. Therefore this kind of knowledge is third-class knowledge. And second-class knowledge is "What I am?" Athāto brahma jijñāsā. The Vedānta. That is second-class knowledge. And first-class knowledge, when he actually understands what he is, he is eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, and engages himself in the service of the Lord, that is first-class knowledge. And therefore, as soon as he comes to the first-class knowledge platform, he becomes happy.</p> | | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:His Divine Grace Srila Sac-cid-ananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Appearance Day, Lecture -- London, September 3, 1971|His Divine Grace Srila Sac-cid-ananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Appearance Day, Lecture -- London, September 3, 1971]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very bona fide because we say the same thing as Kṛṣṇa says. We don't make any addition, alteration. Not like big scholars like, "It is not to Kṛṣṇa..." Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru ([[Vanisource:BG 18.65 (1972)|BG 18.65]]), and the scholar interprets, "It is not to Kṛṣṇa." Just see (the) foolishness. Kṛṣṇa directly says, "unto Me." He says, "Not to Kṛṣṇa." Misleading. Such misleading guru will not help you. So therefore to find out a bona fide guru means that he does not change the words of Kṛṣṇa. That is his position. He places everything as it is, and he has understood thoroughly the science. Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. Guru, what is the symptom of guru? Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam ([[Vanisource:SB 11.3.21|SB 11.3.21]]). Those who are inquisitive to understand higher scientific knowledge, uttamam. Uttama means higher. Uttama, madhyama, adhama. There are three words. First-class, second-class, third-class. So spiritual knowledge is uttamam. Anyone who is inquisitive to understand first-class knowledge, he requires to go to a guru. Those who are interested in third-class knowledge, they do not require any guru. Third-class knowledge means animal knowledge: how to eat, how to sleep. How to make arrangement for eating, how to make arrangement for sleeping, that is third-class knowledge. Because the animals also try for this kind of knowledge, how to eat, how to sleep. Therefore this kind of knowledge is third-class knowledge. And second-class knowledge is "What I am?" Athāto brahma jijñāsā. The Vedānta. That is second-class knowledge. And first-class knowledge, when he actually understands what he is, he is eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, and engages himself in the service of the Lord, that is first-class knowledge. And therefore, as soon as he comes to the first-class knowledge platform, he becomes happy.</p> |
| </div> | | </div> |
| </div> | | </div> |
Line 258: |
Line 257: |
| :tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma | | :tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma |
| :naiti mām eti kaunteya | | :naiti mām eti kaunteya |
| :([[Vanisource:BG 4.9|BG 4.9]]) | | :([[Vanisource:BG 4.9 (1972)|BG 4.9]]) |
| <p>"My dear Arjuna, if one can simply understand what I am, why do I come here in this material world, what is My duty, what duty I perform..." These two, three things, if one understands, that "Kṛṣṇa comes for this purpose, He is like this," then the result will be tyaktvā dehaṁ... We have to give up this body. That's a fact. But this person who has understood Kṛṣṇa, he is not coming back again to accept another material body. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti ([[Vanisource:BG 4.9|BG 4.9]]).</p> | | <p>"My dear Arjuna, if one can simply understand what I am, why do I come here in this material world, what is My duty, what duty I perform..." These two, three things, if one understands, that "Kṛṣṇa comes for this purpose, He is like this," then the result will be tyaktvā dehaṁ... We have to give up this body. That's a fact. But this person who has understood Kṛṣṇa, he is not coming back again to accept another material body. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti ([[Vanisource:BG 4.9 (1972)|BG 4.9]]).</p> |
| </div> | | </div> |
| </div> | | </div> |
| <div id="ArrivalTalkinRoomMayapurMarch231975_1" class="quote" parent="Arrival_Addresses_and_Talks" book="Lec" index="23" link="Arrival Talk in Room -- Mayapur, March 23, 1975" link_text="Arrival Talk in Room -- Mayapur, March 23, 1975"> | | <div id="ArrivalTalkinRoomMayapurMarch231975_1" class="quote" parent="Arrival_Addresses_and_Talks" book="Lec" index="23" link="Arrival Talk in Room -- Mayapur, March 23, 1975" link_text="Arrival Talk in Room -- Mayapur, March 23, 1975"> |
| <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Arrival Talk in Room -- Mayapur, March 23, 1975|Arrival Talk in Room -- Mayapur, March 23, 1975]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Paramahaṁsa: "Arjuna said, My dear Kṛṣṇa, O infallible one, my illusion is now gone. I have regained my memory by Your mercy, and I am now firm and free from doubt and prepared to act according to Your instructions."</p> | | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Arrival Talk in Room -- Mayapur, March 23, 1975|Arrival Talk in Room -- Mayapur, March 23, 1975]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Paramahaṁsa: "Arjuna said, My dear Kṛṣṇa, O infallible one, my illusion is now gone. I have regained my memory by Your mercy, and I am now firm and free from doubt and prepared to act according to Your instructions."</p> |
| <p>Prabhupāda: That's it. He understood that "Kṛṣṇa is divine. So whatever He says, that is my duty to do, not to judge Him on my platform." That is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. One who does not take Kṛṣṇa in the same platform as one is but accepts Kṛṣṇa's personality, then he can understand. Otherwise how one can accept it that a person has expanded many millions of universes like this? Immediately they will they will take as mythology, because he's thinking on terms of his capacity, not as Kṛṣṇa says. Therefore nobody could understand Kṛṣṇa. We took the simple method: accept Kṛṣṇa as He says. That's all. Finished. That is the main business. Our philosophy is simple because we take it, Kṛṣṇa's word, as it is, that's all. And we believe it firmly: "Yes, this is the truth." To understand Kṛṣṇa is not difficult. What Kṛṣṇa says, you accept it. Sarvam etam ṛtaṁ manye yad vadasi keśava: ([[Vanisource:BG 10.14|BG 10.14]]) "Whatever You say, I accept it. Not only I accept it blindly, but this very thing was accepted by such great personality as Vyāsadeva." (aside:) Anyone who wants to come... Simple thing. Big, big ācāryas, they accepted Kṛṣṇa as He is. And why shall I not accept? This is paramparā system. If others have accepted Kṛṣṇa as He tells, and they have become big, big ācāryas, so what objection can be there from my part? What I am?</p> | | <p>Prabhupāda: That's it. He understood that "Kṛṣṇa is divine. So whatever He says, that is my duty to do, not to judge Him on my platform." That is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. One who does not take Kṛṣṇa in the same platform as one is but accepts Kṛṣṇa's personality, then he can understand. Otherwise how one can accept it that a person has expanded many millions of universes like this? Immediately they will they will take as mythology, because he's thinking on terms of his capacity, not as Kṛṣṇa says. Therefore nobody could understand Kṛṣṇa. We took the simple method: accept Kṛṣṇa as He says. That's all. Finished. That is the main business. Our philosophy is simple because we take it, Kṛṣṇa's word, as it is, that's all. And we believe it firmly: "Yes, this is the truth." To understand Kṛṣṇa is not difficult. What Kṛṣṇa says, you accept it. Sarvam etam ṛtaṁ manye yad vadasi keśava: ([[Vanisource:BG 10.14 (1972)|BG 10.14]]) "Whatever You say, I accept it. Not only I accept it blindly, but this very thing was accepted by such great personality as Vyāsadeva." (aside:) Anyone who wants to come... Simple thing. Big, big ācāryas, they accepted Kṛṣṇa as He is. And why shall I not accept? This is paramparā system. If others have accepted Kṛṣṇa as He tells, and they have become big, big ācāryas, so what objection can be there from my part? What I am?</p> |
| </div> | | </div> |
| </div> | | </div> |
| <div id="ArrivalAddressTorontoJune171976_2" class="quote" parent="Arrival_Addresses_and_Talks" book="Lec" index="38" link="Arrival Address -- Toronto, June 17, 1976" link_text="Arrival Address -- Toronto, June 17, 1976"> | | <div id="ArrivalAddressTorontoJune171976_2" class="quote" parent="Arrival_Addresses_and_Talks" book="Lec" index="38" link="Arrival Address -- Toronto, June 17, 1976" link_text="Arrival Address -- Toronto, June 17, 1976"> |
| <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Arrival Address -- Toronto, June 17, 1976|Arrival Address -- Toronto, June 17, 1976]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So people have opened the United Nations, but there is no education about our identity, what I am—whether I am this body or the moving spirit which is moving the body; whether I am that moving spirit or I am this material lump of matter. So it is a great science. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not a sentimental movement, not a bluffing movement, that a man has become God by some mystic power or this... No. It is a science. One has to study. That is, it is called kṛṣṇa-tattva. Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means kṛṣṇa-tattva, the science of Kṛṣṇa, or the science of God. So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu very seriously started this movement, Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, to understand the science of Kṛṣṇa very easily. We cannot understand on account of our ignorance. I am not this body, everyone sees practically. Still, he's identifying with this body. This is called ignorance or, in common words, rascaldom. Mūḍha. They are called mūḍhas, rascals. So the United Nations, for the last thirty, forty years, they are struggling, but there is no unity of the nations. That is not possible. So long you are in the bodily concept of life, there cannot be any unity. When you actually come to the platform to understand that I am not this body, I am spirit soul, then there will be... Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām ([[Vanisource:BG 18.54|BG 18.54]]). Then the question of equality, fraternity, justice and everything will come. Unless we do not understand what I am—I misidentify myself with this body—we shall remain in the darkness of the animal. There cannot be any peace and prosperity. That is not possible.</p> | | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Arrival Address -- Toronto, June 17, 1976|Arrival Address -- Toronto, June 17, 1976]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So people have opened the United Nations, but there is no education about our identity, what I am—whether I am this body or the moving spirit which is moving the body; whether I am that moving spirit or I am this material lump of matter. So it is a great science. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not a sentimental movement, not a bluffing movement, that a man has become God by some mystic power or this... No. It is a science. One has to study. That is, it is called kṛṣṇa-tattva. Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means kṛṣṇa-tattva, the science of Kṛṣṇa, or the science of God. So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu very seriously started this movement, Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, to understand the science of Kṛṣṇa very easily. We cannot understand on account of our ignorance. I am not this body, everyone sees practically. Still, he's identifying with this body. This is called ignorance or, in common words, rascaldom. Mūḍha. They are called mūḍhas, rascals. So the United Nations, for the last thirty, forty years, they are struggling, but there is no unity of the nations. That is not possible. So long you are in the bodily concept of life, there cannot be any unity. When you actually come to the platform to understand that I am not this body, I am spirit soul, then there will be... Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām ([[Vanisource:BG 18.54 (1972)|BG 18.54]]). Then the question of equality, fraternity, justice and everything will come. Unless we do not understand what I am—I misidentify myself with this body—we shall remain in the darkness of the animal. There cannot be any peace and prosperity. That is not possible.</p> |
| </div> | | </div> |
| </div> | | </div> |
Line 289: |
Line 288: |
| </div> | | </div> |
| <div id="InitiationofBalimardanaDasaMontrealJuly291968_0" class="quote" parent="Initiation_Lectures" book="Lec" index="6" link="Initiation of Bali-mardana Dasa -- Montreal, July 29, 1968" link_text="Initiation of Bali-mardana Dasa -- Montreal, July 29, 1968"> | | <div id="InitiationofBalimardanaDasaMontrealJuly291968_0" class="quote" parent="Initiation_Lectures" book="Lec" index="6" link="Initiation of Bali-mardana Dasa -- Montreal, July 29, 1968" link_text="Initiation of Bali-mardana Dasa -- Montreal, July 29, 1968"> |
| <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Initiation of Bali-mardana Dasa -- Montreal, July 29, 1968|Initiation of Bali-mardana Dasa -- Montreal, July 29, 1968]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So this firm conviction is the beginning of initiation. The Bhagavad-gītā teaches this firm conviction gradually. And ultimately the Lord says, Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: ([[Vanisource:BG 18.66|BG 18.66]]) "My dear Arjuna, you give up all other engagement. Just be engaged in My service or be engaged in executing My order." "Then what about other things?" Kṛṣṇa assures, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. If somebody thinks that "If I give up all other engagements and simply be engaged in Your service, to carry out Your order, then what about my other engagements? I have got so many other duties. I am engaged in my family affairs, I am engaged in my social affairs, I am engaged in my country's affairs, community affairs, so many things, my... Then what about those things?" Kṛṣṇa says that "That I will see, how you can do it properly." Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was a military man. So Kṛṣṇa said that "You give up all your engagements." That did not mean that Kṛṣṇa..., Arjuna gave up his engagement as a military man. To give up all other engagements means to give up the engagements of your sense gratification. Instead of... At the present moment, with all our activities we are trying to gratify our senses. That's all. And surrender to Kṛṣṇa means the beginning of satisfying the senses of Kṛṣṇa. That is called bhakti. This is the definition of bhakti. What is that bhakti? Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam ([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 19.170|CC Madhya 19.170]]). One has to become free from all designations. So long we are in the material conditional life, we have got various designations—"I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am this," "I am that," so many designations, "I am nationalist," "I am Communist," "I am socialist," so many designations. So sarva-dharmān parityajya ([[Vanisource:BG 18.66|BG 18.66]]), means you have to give up the designations. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam. Now I am thinking, "I am nationalist," "I am Communist," "I am American," "I am Indian." So I have to give up these designations. And what I have to think? There must be thinking. I am not stopping my thinking what I am. That is indicated in the Vedas. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That aham, my identity, is not lost, but at the present moment I am thinking that "I am this, I am that," but you have to think, you have to identify with Brahman, the Supreme Brahman. And when you identify with the Supreme Brahman, that is your liberated stage. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā ([[Vanisource:BG 18.54|BG 18.54]]). When you identify yourself with Brahman, then at once you become free from all these designative activities, prasannātmā: "Oh, I have no more any duty in this material world."</p> | | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Initiation of Bali-mardana Dasa -- Montreal, July 29, 1968|Initiation of Bali-mardana Dasa -- Montreal, July 29, 1968]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So this firm conviction is the beginning of initiation. The Bhagavad-gītā teaches this firm conviction gradually. And ultimately the Lord says, Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: ([[Vanisource:BG 18.66 (1972)|BG 18.66]]) "My dear Arjuna, you give up all other engagement. Just be engaged in My service or be engaged in executing My order." "Then what about other things?" Kṛṣṇa assures, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. If somebody thinks that "If I give up all other engagements and simply be engaged in Your service, to carry out Your order, then what about my other engagements? I have got so many other duties. I am engaged in my family affairs, I am engaged in my social affairs, I am engaged in my country's affairs, community affairs, so many things, my... Then what about those things?" Kṛṣṇa says that "That I will see, how you can do it properly." Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was a military man. So Kṛṣṇa said that "You give up all your engagements." That did not mean that Kṛṣṇa..., Arjuna gave up his engagement as a military man. To give up all other engagements means to give up the engagements of your sense gratification. Instead of... At the present moment, with all our activities we are trying to gratify our senses. That's all. And surrender to Kṛṣṇa means the beginning of satisfying the senses of Kṛṣṇa. That is called bhakti. This is the definition of bhakti. What is that bhakti? Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam ([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 19.170|CC Madhya 19.170]]). One has to become free from all designations. So long we are in the material conditional life, we have got various designations—"I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am this," "I am that," so many designations, "I am nationalist," "I am Communist," "I am socialist," so many designations. So sarva-dharmān parityajya ([[Vanisource:BG 18.66 (1972)|BG 18.66]]), means you have to give up the designations. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam. Now I am thinking, "I am nationalist," "I am Communist," "I am American," "I am Indian." So I have to give up these designations. And what I have to think? There must be thinking. I am not stopping my thinking what I am. That is indicated in the Vedas. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That aham, my identity, is not lost, but at the present moment I am thinking that "I am this, I am that," but you have to think, you have to identify with Brahman, the Supreme Brahman. And when you identify with the Supreme Brahman, that is your liberated stage. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā ([[Vanisource:BG 18.54 (1972)|BG 18.54]]). When you identify yourself with Brahman, then at once you become free from all these designative activities, prasannātmā: "Oh, I have no more any duty in this material world."</p> |
| </div> | | </div> |
| </div> | | </div> |
| <div id="InitiationLectureHamburgAugust271969_1" class="quote" parent="Initiation_Lectures" book="Lec" index="20" link="Initiation Lecture -- Hamburg, August 27, 1969" link_text="Initiation Lecture -- Hamburg, August 27, 1969"> | | <div id="InitiationLectureHamburgAugust271969_1" class="quote" parent="Initiation_Lectures" book="Lec" index="20" link="Initiation Lecture -- Hamburg, August 27, 1969" link_text="Initiation Lecture -- Hamburg, August 27, 1969"> |
| <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Initiation Lecture -- Hamburg, August 27, 1969|Initiation Lecture -- Hamburg, August 27, 1969]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So we are so-called materially suffering and enjoying according to this body. Therefore this body, this human form of body, is a great opportunity, because God realization begins by engaging the tongue. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau (Brs. 1.2.234). By engaging the tongue in the loving service of the Lord, one can make advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, ultimate realization of God, the tongue. So this tongue in the human body can be engaged. In other body, in the cat's body, dog's body, tiger's body... Tiger may be a very powerful animal. No animal is powerful or better than human beings. That is accepted. So this human form of life is a great boon to the living entity who is traveling through the cycle of birth and death, perpetually changing different sorts of body. Here is the opportunity, human form of body. We can utilize the tongue properly and get out of these clutches. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. So sevā, sevā means service; jihvā ādau, beginning from the tongue. So if we can keep our tongue engaged, always chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra... Because "Kṛṣṇa," this sound, is not different from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is absolute. Nothing is different from Him. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's name is not different. In the material sense, everything is different. I myself is different from this body. I am not this body. But Kṛṣṇa is not like that. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's body is the same. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritāḥ ([[Vanisource:BG 9.11|BG 9.11]]). Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, "Rascals and fools, they deride at Me because I appear as a human being. They are thinking just like I am ordinary human being." Paraṁ bhāvam ajananto. "These rascals do not know what is My influence and what I am." Paraṁ bhāvam. "What is My nature they do not know. Without knowing Me, they consider, 'Kṛṣṇa is an ordinary human being.' " Avajānanti mūḍha. This very particular word has been used, mūḍha. Mūḍha means rascals. So in spite of this warning, there are so many rascals passing as big scholars. They say like this. When there is order of Kṛṣṇa that "You surrender unto Me," the rascals comment, "It is not to Kṛṣṇa but the unborn spirit which is within Kṛṣṇa." He does not know that Kṛṣṇa is not different from His body, Kṛṣṇa is not different from His name, Kṛṣṇa is not different from His fame. Anything pertaining to Kṛṣṇa is Kṛṣṇa. They are monists, they are philosophizing that oneness, but as soon as they come to Kṛṣṇa, immediately they divide: "Kṛṣṇa is different from His body," or "Kṛṣṇa's body is different from Kṛṣṇa."</p> | | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Initiation Lecture -- Hamburg, August 27, 1969|Initiation Lecture -- Hamburg, August 27, 1969]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So we are so-called materially suffering and enjoying according to this body. Therefore this body, this human form of body, is a great opportunity, because God realization begins by engaging the tongue. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau (Brs. 1.2.234). By engaging the tongue in the loving service of the Lord, one can make advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, ultimate realization of God, the tongue. So this tongue in the human body can be engaged. In other body, in the cat's body, dog's body, tiger's body... Tiger may be a very powerful animal. No animal is powerful or better than human beings. That is accepted. So this human form of life is a great boon to the living entity who is traveling through the cycle of birth and death, perpetually changing different sorts of body. Here is the opportunity, human form of body. We can utilize the tongue properly and get out of these clutches. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. So sevā, sevā means service; jihvā ādau, beginning from the tongue. So if we can keep our tongue engaged, always chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra... Because "Kṛṣṇa," this sound, is not different from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is absolute. Nothing is different from Him. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's name is not different. In the material sense, everything is different. I myself is different from this body. I am not this body. But Kṛṣṇa is not like that. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's body is the same. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritāḥ ([[Vanisource:BG 9.11 (1972)|BG 9.11]]). Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, "Rascals and fools, they deride at Me because I appear as a human being. They are thinking just like I am ordinary human being." Paraṁ bhāvam ajananto. "These rascals do not know what is My influence and what I am." Paraṁ bhāvam. "What is My nature they do not know. Without knowing Me, they consider, 'Kṛṣṇa is an ordinary human being.' " Avajānanti mūḍha. This very particular word has been used, mūḍha. Mūḍha means rascals. So in spite of this warning, there are so many rascals passing as big scholars. They say like this. When there is order of Kṛṣṇa that "You surrender unto Me," the rascals comment, "It is not to Kṛṣṇa but the unborn spirit which is within Kṛṣṇa." He does not know that Kṛṣṇa is not different from His body, Kṛṣṇa is not different from His name, Kṛṣṇa is not different from His fame. Anything pertaining to Kṛṣṇa is Kṛṣṇa. They are monists, they are philosophizing that oneness, but as soon as they come to Kṛṣṇa, immediately they divide: "Kṛṣṇa is different from His body," or "Kṛṣṇa's body is different from Kṛṣṇa."</p> |
| </div> | | </div> |
| </div> | | </div> |
Line 316: |
Line 315: |
| </div> | | </div> |
| <div id="LectureEngagementMontrealJune151968_4" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="8" link="Lecture Engagement -- Montreal, June 15, 1968" link_text="Lecture Engagement -- Montreal, June 15, 1968"> | | <div id="LectureEngagementMontrealJune151968_4" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="8" link="Lecture Engagement -- Montreal, June 15, 1968" link_text="Lecture Engagement -- Montreal, June 15, 1968"> |
| <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture Engagement -- Montreal, June 15, 1968|Lecture Engagement -- Montreal, June 15, 1968]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">This Bhagavad-gītā is the science of God. Just like in your Christian Bible or any other scriptures, Muhammadan or Christian or Jews or Buddhists... So ahaṁ brahmāsmi means that "I am spirit soul," this realization. As soon as this realization is there, then the other things immediately follow. What is that? Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā ([[Vanisource:BG 18.54|BG 18.54]]). Immediately one becomes cheerful. So long we have got this bodily concept of life, we cannot be cheerful. Full of anxiety. And as soon as we understand that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul," the next moment you will be cheerful. There will be no anxiety. I am full of anxiety because on account of this bodily concept of life. Just like one man has got very costly motorcar, and he is running the car on the street. He is very careful so that there may not be any accident in the car, the car may not break. So much anxiety. But a man who is walking on the street, he has no such anxiety. Why the man in the car is so anxious? Because he has identified himself with the car. If the car, if there is any accident to the car, if the car breaks, he thinks, "I am gone. Oh, my car is gone." Although he is different from car, he thinks like that due to identification, false identification. Similarly, because we are falsely identified with this body, therefore we have got so many problems of life. So if we want to make solution of the problems of life, then we have to understand what I am. And unless this question arises in your mind—not only in your mind, everyone's mind—then we should, we must consider that whatever we are doing, that is our defeat because we are doing everything in false consciousness.</p> | | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture Engagement -- Montreal, June 15, 1968|Lecture Engagement -- Montreal, June 15, 1968]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">This Bhagavad-gītā is the science of God. Just like in your Christian Bible or any other scriptures, Muhammadan or Christian or Jews or Buddhists... So ahaṁ brahmāsmi means that "I am spirit soul," this realization. As soon as this realization is there, then the other things immediately follow. What is that? Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā ([[Vanisource:BG 18.54 (1972)|BG 18.54]]). Immediately one becomes cheerful. So long we have got this bodily concept of life, we cannot be cheerful. Full of anxiety. And as soon as we understand that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul," the next moment you will be cheerful. There will be no anxiety. I am full of anxiety because on account of this bodily concept of life. Just like one man has got very costly motorcar, and he is running the car on the street. He is very careful so that there may not be any accident in the car, the car may not break. So much anxiety. But a man who is walking on the street, he has no such anxiety. Why the man in the car is so anxious? Because he has identified himself with the car. If the car, if there is any accident to the car, if the car breaks, he thinks, "I am gone. Oh, my car is gone." Although he is different from car, he thinks like that due to identification, false identification. Similarly, because we are falsely identified with this body, therefore we have got so many problems of life. So if we want to make solution of the problems of life, then we have to understand what I am. And unless this question arises in your mind—not only in your mind, everyone's mind—then we should, we must consider that whatever we are doing, that is our defeat because we are doing everything in false consciousness.</p> |
| </div> | | </div> |
| </div> | | </div> |
| <div id="LectureEngagementMontrealJune151968_5" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="8" link="Lecture Engagement -- Montreal, June 15, 1968" link_text="Lecture Engagement -- Montreal, June 15, 1968"> | | <div id="LectureEngagementMontrealJune151968_5" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="8" link="Lecture Engagement -- Montreal, June 15, 1968" link_text="Lecture Engagement -- Montreal, June 15, 1968"> |
| <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture Engagement -- Montreal, June 15, 1968|Lecture Engagement -- Montreal, June 15, 1968]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, parābhavas tāvad abodha-jātaḥ. Abodha-jātaḥ means one who is born fool. Every one of us is a born fool. Why? From the beginning of our life I know that "I am this body," although I am not this body. Therefore we are all born fools, everyone. And therefore, according to Vedic civilization, one has to take his second birth. One birth is made possible by conjugation of the father and mother. That birth is called animal birth. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. Everyone, by birth, is śūdra, or the lowest class of man. And saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ: "By reformation, one becomes twice-born." And what is that reformation? By understanding oneself, "What I am." Saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ, veda-pathād bhaved vipraḥ: "And after twice, after his second birth, if he tries to understand the spiritual science, the science of God, then he is called vipra." Vipra means quite cognizant. And brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ: "And when he understands that he is Brahman, he is spirit soul, then he becomes a brāhmaṇa." Perhaps you have heard that in India the brāhmaṇas are called the topmost men of the society. Why? Because he knows that "I am Brahman; I am not this matter." Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. So by understanding Brahman your position will be that prasannātmā, you'll be joyful, na śocati na kāṅkṣati, you will never lament any loss, neither you will hanker after any so-called gain, na śocati na kāṅkṣati, samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu, and you will look every living entity on the same level. Mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām ([[Vanisource:BG 18.54|BG 18.54]]). In that stage of realization, you can understand what is God and what is your relationship with God.</p> | | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture Engagement -- Montreal, June 15, 1968|Lecture Engagement -- Montreal, June 15, 1968]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, parābhavas tāvad abodha-jātaḥ. Abodha-jātaḥ means one who is born fool. Every one of us is a born fool. Why? From the beginning of our life I know that "I am this body," although I am not this body. Therefore we are all born fools, everyone. And therefore, according to Vedic civilization, one has to take his second birth. One birth is made possible by conjugation of the father and mother. That birth is called animal birth. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. Everyone, by birth, is śūdra, or the lowest class of man. And saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ: "By reformation, one becomes twice-born." And what is that reformation? By understanding oneself, "What I am." Saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ, veda-pathād bhaved vipraḥ: "And after twice, after his second birth, if he tries to understand the spiritual science, the science of God, then he is called vipra." Vipra means quite cognizant. And brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ: "And when he understands that he is Brahman, he is spirit soul, then he becomes a brāhmaṇa." Perhaps you have heard that in India the brāhmaṇas are called the topmost men of the society. Why? Because he knows that "I am Brahman; I am not this matter." Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. So by understanding Brahman your position will be that prasannātmā, you'll be joyful, na śocati na kāṅkṣati, you will never lament any loss, neither you will hanker after any so-called gain, na śocati na kāṅkṣati, samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu, and you will look every living entity on the same level. Mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām ([[Vanisource:BG 18.54 (1972)|BG 18.54]]). In that stage of realization, you can understand what is God and what is your relationship with God.</p> |
| <p>Therefore this movement is that one understands himself what he is. It is, of course, very plain question and answer. The other day we had some lectures in a, one Sunday school, and I called one, a small boy, and I asked him that "What is this?" He said, "It is my hand, it is my head, it is my leg, it is my body, it is my pants, it is my..." And I asked him, "Where you are? You are simply saying 'my, my, my,' and where you are?" So similarly, everyone can understand that what I am? If you think yourself, if you meditate on yourself, if you see your hand, "Am I this hand?" you will say, "No, it is my hand." "Am I this leg?" You will say, "No, it is my leg." "Am I this head?" "No, it is my head." Then where you are? So that person who is thinking within that "It is my hand, it is my head, it is my leg, it is my pant, it is my coat," that you are. So have you seen that thing? You have seen your father, you have seen your mother or you have seen your son. But have you seen the real father who is within the body of the father? Have you seen the real son which is in the body of the son? No. Then your whole conception of education, your whole conception of living condition and problems—in the false world. Therefore this movement is required at the present moment in the world. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam ([[Vanisource:CC Antya 20.12|CC Antya 20.12]]). This will cleanse the status of your mental condition. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam. And as soon as you understand yourself, then the whole problem—social, political, economical—everything will be solved. Bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁ śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇam. And gradually you shall realize your transcendental life. Your transcendental life is joyful. Ānanda-mayo 'bhyāsāt. Transcendental life means always full of joy, joyful. That is our nature. We are hankering after joyful life, but we do not know where to hanker, how to get it. By nature we are joyful. It is said in the Vedānta-sūtra, ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt: (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12) "By nature a living entity is joyful." But my joyfulness is covered by this material understanding. So I have to remove this material understanding; then again I shall become joyful.</p> | | <p>Therefore this movement is that one understands himself what he is. It is, of course, very plain question and answer. The other day we had some lectures in a, one Sunday school, and I called one, a small boy, and I asked him that "What is this?" He said, "It is my hand, it is my head, it is my leg, it is my body, it is my pants, it is my..." And I asked him, "Where you are? You are simply saying 'my, my, my,' and where you are?" So similarly, everyone can understand that what I am? If you think yourself, if you meditate on yourself, if you see your hand, "Am I this hand?" you will say, "No, it is my hand." "Am I this leg?" You will say, "No, it is my leg." "Am I this head?" "No, it is my head." Then where you are? So that person who is thinking within that "It is my hand, it is my head, it is my leg, it is my pant, it is my coat," that you are. So have you seen that thing? You have seen your father, you have seen your mother or you have seen your son. But have you seen the real father who is within the body of the father? Have you seen the real son which is in the body of the son? No. Then your whole conception of education, your whole conception of living condition and problems—in the false world. Therefore this movement is required at the present moment in the world. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam ([[Vanisource:CC Antya 20.12|CC Antya 20.12]]). This will cleanse the status of your mental condition. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam. And as soon as you understand yourself, then the whole problem—social, political, economical—everything will be solved. Bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁ śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇam. And gradually you shall realize your transcendental life. Your transcendental life is joyful. Ānanda-mayo 'bhyāsāt. Transcendental life means always full of joy, joyful. That is our nature. We are hankering after joyful life, but we do not know where to hanker, how to get it. By nature we are joyful. It is said in the Vedānta-sūtra, ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt: (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12) "By nature a living entity is joyful." But my joyfulness is covered by this material understanding. So I have to remove this material understanding; then again I shall become joyful.</p> |
| </div> | | </div> |
Line 336: |
Line 335: |
| </div> | | </div> |
| <div id="LectureonTeachingsofLordCaitanyaSeattleSeptember251968_7" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="17" link="Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Seattle, September 25, 1968" link_text="Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Seattle, September 25, 1968"> | | <div id="LectureonTeachingsofLordCaitanyaSeattleSeptember251968_7" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="17" link="Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Seattle, September 25, 1968" link_text="Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Seattle, September 25, 1968"> |
| <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Seattle, September 25, 1968|Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Seattle, September 25, 1968]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So Sanātana Gosvāmī is presenting himself that "People call me very learned man, but I am so learned that I do not know why I am suffering from these threefold miseries." These question do not arise. Actually, when people will come to the understanding, when they will inquire that "Why I am suffering from the threefold miseries...?" The threefold miseries is summarized in Bhagavad-gītā by four principles: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam ([[Vanisource:BG 13.9|BG 13.9]]). If a man is actually learned and intelligent, he should always see before him that there are four kinds of distresses. What is that? The distress of taking birth, the distress of dying procedure, janma-mṛtyu, and distress of old age, and distress of diseases. So we are very much proud of our advancement of knowledge, but actually there is no solution for these four principles of miseries. There is no remedy. They are trying to control birth rate, janma, but still, every minute there are increasing, the population of the world is increasing. Similarly, they are trying to save people from death, but still, people are dying in hundreds and thousands. And they are trying to get out of this old age. So many medicines, so many cosmetics, but old age is taking place. And so far disease, we can discover many high-grade medicines, but there is no stoppage of disease. So one should be very intelligent that there is no remedy for these four kinds of miseries, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. And a learned man should be inquisitive, "If there is any remedy?" So Sanātana Gosvāmī is presenting himself before Lord Caitanya, that "People say that I am very learned man. But I am so learned man that I do not know what I am and why I am suffering from these miseries although I do not like to suffer." Go on.</p> | | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Seattle, September 25, 1968|Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Seattle, September 25, 1968]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So Sanātana Gosvāmī is presenting himself that "People call me very learned man, but I am so learned that I do not know why I am suffering from these threefold miseries." These question do not arise. Actually, when people will come to the understanding, when they will inquire that "Why I am suffering from the threefold miseries...?" The threefold miseries is summarized in Bhagavad-gītā by four principles: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam ([[Vanisource:BG 13.8-12 (1972)|BG 13.9]]). If a man is actually learned and intelligent, he should always see before him that there are four kinds of distresses. What is that? The distress of taking birth, the distress of dying procedure, janma-mṛtyu, and distress of old age, and distress of diseases. So we are very much proud of our advancement of knowledge, but actually there is no solution for these four principles of miseries. There is no remedy. They are trying to control birth rate, janma, but still, every minute there are increasing, the population of the world is increasing. Similarly, they are trying to save people from death, but still, people are dying in hundreds and thousands. And they are trying to get out of this old age. So many medicines, so many cosmetics, but old age is taking place. And so far disease, we can discover many high-grade medicines, but there is no stoppage of disease. So one should be very intelligent that there is no remedy for these four kinds of miseries, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. And a learned man should be inquisitive, "If there is any remedy?" So Sanātana Gosvāmī is presenting himself before Lord Caitanya, that "People say that I am very learned man. But I am so learned man that I do not know what I am and why I am suffering from these miseries although I do not like to suffer." Go on.</p> |
| </div> | | </div> |
| </div> | | </div> |
Line 356: |
Line 355: |
| </div> | | </div> |
| <div id="LectureLosAngelesDecember41968_12" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="31" link="Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1968" link_text="Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1968"> | | <div id="LectureLosAngelesDecember41968_12" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="31" link="Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1968" link_text="Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1968"> |
| <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1968|Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1968]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Paṇḍitāḥ means one who is learned. He sees everything equally, because he does not see the body. He sees the spirit soul. He sees the spirit soul, both in human being... The different kinds of human being... Somebody may be very high, or somebody may be very, very low, or animal, or... But paṇḍitāḥ, one who is learned, he sees the spirit soul. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ ([[Vanisource:BG 5.18|BG 5.18]]). He knows that this is only dress. Suppose a gentleman has come in this meeting. If he is not properly dressed, that does not mean he should be hated. Similarly, one who is paṇḍita, learned, he does not discriminate between man and animal because they have got different dress. No. The animal life and human life, so far maintenance of the body is concerned, it is equal. The animal eats, the man eats. The animal sleeps, the man sleeps. The animal mates, the man also mates. The quality or degree of mating or eating may be different, but the eating is there, sleeping is there, mating is there, and defending is there. But what is the difference between man and animal? Man knows, at least, he should try to know, "What I am? What is God? What is this world? What is our interrelation?" This is man's business. This is called athāto brahma jijñāsā. In the Vedānta-sūtra, the first sūtra, aphorism, is atha ataḥ brahma-jijñāsā: "This human form of life is meant for inquiry about the spirit, Supreme Spirit, Brahman." That is the beginning of spiritual education.</p> | | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1968|Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 4, 1968]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Paṇḍitāḥ means one who is learned. He sees everything equally, because he does not see the body. He sees the spirit soul. He sees the spirit soul, both in human being... The different kinds of human being... Somebody may be very high, or somebody may be very, very low, or animal, or... But paṇḍitāḥ, one who is learned, he sees the spirit soul. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ ([[Vanisource:BG 5.18 (1972)|BG 5.18]]). He knows that this is only dress. Suppose a gentleman has come in this meeting. If he is not properly dressed, that does not mean he should be hated. Similarly, one who is paṇḍita, learned, he does not discriminate between man and animal because they have got different dress. No. The animal life and human life, so far maintenance of the body is concerned, it is equal. The animal eats, the man eats. The animal sleeps, the man sleeps. The animal mates, the man also mates. The quality or degree of mating or eating may be different, but the eating is there, sleeping is there, mating is there, and defending is there. But what is the difference between man and animal? Man knows, at least, he should try to know, "What I am? What is God? What is this world? What is our interrelation?" This is man's business. This is called athāto brahma jijñāsā. In the Vedānta-sūtra, the first sūtra, aphorism, is atha ataḥ brahma-jijñāsā: "This human form of life is meant for inquiry about the spirit, Supreme Spirit, Brahman." That is the beginning of spiritual education.</p> |
| <p>So spiritual education—first to understand "What I am," then "What is God," "What is this world." "What is our interrelation," then "What is God's position," "What is my position," "How I shall deal with God"—these things are spiritual education, and human life is meant for that purpose. The nature gives chance to the living entity, this developed consciousness of human being, in order to understand these things. And if he is fortunate enough to understand that he is spirit soul, he is Brahman, then the Bhagavad-gītā gives definition of such man that brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā: ([[Vanisource:BG 18.54|BG 18.54]]) as soon as he comes to the understanding of spiritual platform, then he becomes joyful, immediately—freed from all anxieties. Joyfulness means freed from all anxiety. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati ([[Vanisource:BG 18.54|BG 18.54]]).</p> | | <p>So spiritual education—first to understand "What I am," then "What is God," "What is this world." "What is our interrelation," then "What is God's position," "What is my position," "How I shall deal with God"—these things are spiritual education, and human life is meant for that purpose. The nature gives chance to the living entity, this developed consciousness of human being, in order to understand these things. And if he is fortunate enough to understand that he is spirit soul, he is Brahman, then the Bhagavad-gītā gives definition of such man that brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā: ([[Vanisource:BG 18.54 (1972)|BG 18.54]]) as soon as he comes to the understanding of spiritual platform, then he becomes joyful, immediately—freed from all anxieties. Joyfulness means freed from all anxiety. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati ([[Vanisource:BG 18.54 (1972)|BG 18.54]]).</p> |
| </div> | | </div> |
| </div> | | </div> |
Line 366: |
Line 365: |
| :nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ | | :nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ |
| :saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ | | :saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ |
| :([[Vanisource:BG 8.15|BG 8.15]]) | | :([[Vanisource:BG 8.15 (1972)|BG 8.15]]) |
| <p>"Anyone who comes to Me, he has no more to go back to the miserable material existence." Therefore it is the duty of a spiritual master, it is the duty of the parents, that they should enlighten their dependents to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If one becomes fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, the simple factor, then he is saved from this material existence, or accepting repeated birth and death. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate ([[Vanisource:BG 8.19|BG 8.19]]). Here, everything in the material world, everything is born, it remains for some time, it grows then dwindles then vanishes. So this is not very desirable. But unfortunately, the modern civilization, they do not know. They are very much proud of advancement of knowledge, but they do not know that the cause of suffering is this body. They do not know. And they do not know how to make a solution of this material existence. Therefore parābhava. Bhāgavata says all their so-called, nonsense advancement of civilization is defeat. Defeat. Lord Jesus Christ also said like that, that "If one gains everything and then loses his own soul, what does he gain?" Similarly, parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. A man's life is defeat only. However he may be very expert in driving motorcar day and night, this way and that way, very busy man, but if he does not inquire about his self—"What I am? Wherefrom I have come? Where I have to go to? Why I am suffering? Why I am put to this disadvantageous position?"—when one does not inquire for all these things, then his activities are defeat, only defeat. Therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness will save not only humanity but the living entities from this disastrous position of repeated birth and death. The Bhagavad-gītā, therefore, they stress on this point. Lord Kṛṣṇa stresses that janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam: ([[Vanisource:BG 13.9|BG 13.9]]) "You are very much proud of your knowledge, but if you want to be at all a man of knowledge, a man of wisdom, then you should first of all keep before you the problems of birth, death, old age and disease, because your so-called advancement of knowledge cannot make a solution of this birth, death, old age and disease."</p> | | <p>"Anyone who comes to Me, he has no more to go back to the miserable material existence." Therefore it is the duty of a spiritual master, it is the duty of the parents, that they should enlighten their dependents to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If one becomes fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, the simple factor, then he is saved from this material existence, or accepting repeated birth and death. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate ([[Vanisource:BG 8.19 (1972)|BG 8.19]]). Here, everything in the material world, everything is born, it remains for some time, it grows then dwindles then vanishes. So this is not very desirable. But unfortunately, the modern civilization, they do not know. They are very much proud of advancement of knowledge, but they do not know that the cause of suffering is this body. They do not know. And they do not know how to make a solution of this material existence. Therefore parābhava. Bhāgavata says all their so-called, nonsense advancement of civilization is defeat. Defeat. Lord Jesus Christ also said like that, that "If one gains everything and then loses his own soul, what does he gain?" Similarly, parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. A man's life is defeat only. However he may be very expert in driving motorcar day and night, this way and that way, very busy man, but if he does not inquire about his self—"What I am? Wherefrom I have come? Where I have to go to? Why I am suffering? Why I am put to this disadvantageous position?"—when one does not inquire for all these things, then his activities are defeat, only defeat. Therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness will save not only humanity but the living entities from this disastrous position of repeated birth and death. The Bhagavad-gītā, therefore, they stress on this point. Lord Kṛṣṇa stresses that janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam: ([[Vanisource:BG 13.8-12 (1972)|BG 13.9]]) "You are very much proud of your knowledge, but if you want to be at all a man of knowledge, a man of wisdom, then you should first of all keep before you the problems of birth, death, old age and disease, because your so-called advancement of knowledge cannot make a solution of this birth, death, old age and disease."</p> |
| </div> | | </div> |
| </div> | | </div> |
Line 382: |
Line 381: |
| <div id="LecturewithAllenGinsbergatOhioStateUniversityColumbusMay121969_16" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="57" link="Lecture with Allen Ginsberg at Ohio State University -- Columbus, May 12, 1969" link_text="Lecture with Allen Ginsberg at Ohio State University -- Columbus, May 12, 1969"> | | <div id="LecturewithAllenGinsbergatOhioStateUniversityColumbusMay121969_16" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="57" link="Lecture with Allen Ginsberg at Ohio State University -- Columbus, May 12, 1969" link_text="Lecture with Allen Ginsberg at Ohio State University -- Columbus, May 12, 1969"> |
| <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture with Allen Ginsberg at Ohio State University -- Columbus, May 12, 1969|Lecture with Allen Ginsberg at Ohio State University -- Columbus, May 12, 1969]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Every one of us are rascals, born ignorant. But we have got the capacity to take the message of God from authorized information. That we have got. So Bhāgavata says, parābhavas tāvad abodha-jātaḥ: "All living entities who are born ignorant, whatever they are doing for advancement of society, culture, education, civilization, all such activities are defeat only if he does not inquire what he is." Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. Ātma-tattvam. So long one does not inquire, "What I am? What is God? What is this material nature? What are these activities? What are our relationships?"—if these inquiries are not there, then all our activities are simply defeat. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. Yāvan na prītir mayī vāsudeve: "So long one does not develop his dormant love of God," na mucyate deha-yogena tāvat, "so long he will not be able to get out of this repeated birth and death and transmigration of the soul." This transmigration of soul, repeated birth and death, is a diseased condition of the spirit soul. That we do not know. Neither in our education system there is any department of knowledge teaching what is the soul, what is after death, what was before birth. There is no science. It is very lamentable. Education in the name of simply eating, sleeping, and mating, this is not education. If my bodily conception continues... The Bhāgavata says, yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke: ([[Vanisource:SB 10.84.13|SB 10.84.13]]) "Anyone who is thinking that this body of flesh and bone is self, he is an ass." (laughter) Sa eva go-kharaḥ. Go-kharaḥ. Khara means ass.</p> | | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture with Allen Ginsberg at Ohio State University -- Columbus, May 12, 1969|Lecture with Allen Ginsberg at Ohio State University -- Columbus, May 12, 1969]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Every one of us are rascals, born ignorant. But we have got the capacity to take the message of God from authorized information. That we have got. So Bhāgavata says, parābhavas tāvad abodha-jātaḥ: "All living entities who are born ignorant, whatever they are doing for advancement of society, culture, education, civilization, all such activities are defeat only if he does not inquire what he is." Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. Ātma-tattvam. So long one does not inquire, "What I am? What is God? What is this material nature? What are these activities? What are our relationships?"—if these inquiries are not there, then all our activities are simply defeat. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. Yāvan na prītir mayī vāsudeve: "So long one does not develop his dormant love of God," na mucyate deha-yogena tāvat, "so long he will not be able to get out of this repeated birth and death and transmigration of the soul." This transmigration of soul, repeated birth and death, is a diseased condition of the spirit soul. That we do not know. Neither in our education system there is any department of knowledge teaching what is the soul, what is after death, what was before birth. There is no science. It is very lamentable. Education in the name of simply eating, sleeping, and mating, this is not education. If my bodily conception continues... The Bhāgavata says, yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke: ([[Vanisource:SB 10.84.13|SB 10.84.13]]) "Anyone who is thinking that this body of flesh and bone is self, he is an ass." (laughter) Sa eva go-kharaḥ. Go-kharaḥ. Khara means ass.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="LectureLondonSeptember161969_17" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="62" link="Lecture -- London, September 16, 1969" link_text="Lecture -- London, September 16, 1969"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture -- London, September 16, 1969|Lecture -- London, September 16, 1969]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">And what is the benefit of purifying my existence? That is also stated, that if you purify your existence, then you'll be situated on the Brahman platform. You'll understand that you are Brahman, you are spirit soul, you are not this body. Just like the animals, they cannot understand what he is. He identifies himself with this body. But a human being should not identify himself with this body. That is ignorance. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke ([[Vanisource:SB 10.84.13|SB 10.84.13]]). If anyone identifies himself with this body, then he is said, according to the Vedic version, he's an ass. Sa eva go-kharaḥ. Khara means ass, animal. Animal, he does not know what he is. The human form of life, there should be inquiry, "What I am? Am I this body?" This is called meditation. Think over, "Whether I am this body or I am something else?" The whole self-realization process depends on this question, "What I am?" But that understanding cannot be achieved unless you purify your existence. Therefore you accept any process of self-realization... There are in the beginning the karma process, fruitive activities, offering sacrifices, performing great sacrifices. And then, out of many thousands of such karmīs, one jñānī, a person, wise man, who understands that "I am not this body. My interest is something... I am spirit soul," he is called jñānī, or wise man. Then, out of many thousands of jñānīs, one becomes mukta. Simply to understand that "I am not this body; I am Brahman," this is not sufficient. You must be situated in actual platform of Brahman. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā:</p> |
| | :brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā |
| | :na śocati na kāṅkṣati |
| | :samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu |
| | :mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām |
| | :([[Vanisource:BG 18.54 (1972)|BG 18.54]]) |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="LectureatHarvardUniversityBostonDecember241969_18" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="66" link="Lecture at Harvard University -- Boston, December 24, 1969" link_text="Lecture at Harvard University -- Boston, December 24, 1969"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture at Harvard University -- Boston, December 24, 1969|Lecture at Harvard University -- Boston, December 24, 1969]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">All the problems of our life, whatever you may say, social, political, religious and whatever... There are so many problems. The whole material world is full of problems. These problems are compared just like blazing fire in the forest. Just like in the forest, there is fire, nobody can check. Although nobody goes to the forest to set fire, it takes automatically. Similarly, in this material existence of life, we do not want any problem, but problems are created. Just like automatically there is fire in the forest without our endeavor, similarly, material problems are created automatically by our dealings, by our behavior. So if you chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, the first result will be that you will understand your real constitutional position, for which many great mystics, sages and saints are meditating, "What I am?" That, I mean to say, procedure of spiritual realization will be the first installment, your profit. You'll understand that ahaṁ brahmāsmi, "I am not matter, I am spirit soul." And as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, as soon as one is self-realized, that is called brahma-bhūtaḥ. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am not this body, I am spirit soul. I am part and parcel of the Absolute Truth." This realization is called Brahman realization. And as soon as you come to the platform of Brahman realization, then the result will be brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā ([[Vanisource:BG 18.54 (1972)|BG 18.54]]). You'll be joyful. You'll be free of all anxieties. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā. That is the sign. It is not that simply... I may advertise that I am self-realized, but my behavior will show whether I am self-realized or not. Everything is stated in the Vedic literature, that a brahma-bhūtaḥ person, a self-realized person, the symptom of the self-realized person is that he is joyful. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā ([[Vanisource:BG 18.54 (1972)|BG 18.54]]). Without any anxieties. This materialistic life means full of anxiety always. And spiritual life means without this anxiety. Just the opposite. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā. And what is the symptom of being joyful? That is also stated: na śocati na kāṅkṣati. There is no lamentation for loss, and there is no hankering for gain. Everyone in this material world is hankering after some gain. And if you have got some gain, if it is lost, then he's lamenting, "Oh, I have lost so much." So these two business... Hankering, when we do not possess, we hanker. And when we possess, it is lost. Because everything... The material waves are such that whatever we possess, we shall lose it. We have got this nice body, one day we have to lose it. Everything. You possess and lose, possess and lose. Therefore the..., punaḥ punaś car..., the same thing repeatedly: gaining and losing, and lamenting and hankering, lamenting and hankering. This is the position of material life.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="LectureDayafterLordRamasAppearanceDayLosAngelesApril161970_19" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="68" link="Lecture (Day after Lord Rama's Appearance Day) -- Los Angeles, April 16, 1970" link_text="Lecture (Day after Lord Rama's Appearance Day) -- Los Angeles, April 16, 1970"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture (Day after Lord Rama's Appearance Day) -- Los Angeles, April 16, 1970|Lecture (Day after Lord Rama's Appearance Day) -- Los Angeles, April 16, 1970]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">The problems of eating, problems of sleeping, problems of defending and problems of mating, or sex life, these problems are there in the animal life or amongst the living entities lower than the human beings. But those problems are solved automatically by laws of nature. The birds, beasts, they are also eating. They have no economic problem. They are also sleeping, and they are having their mates and sex life. And they are also defending in their own way. Human form of life, the most developed consciousness, intelligence, if we are also busy in solving these problems of life, namely eating, sleeping, defending and mating, then we are not very much advanced than the animals, because they have got these problems and they are trying to solve them. So what advancement we have made, we human beings? We claim to be superior, to possess superior consciousness, and how we are utilizing our consciousness and superior intelligence? Simply just like animals. That requires meditation. That requires meditation, what is actually the problem.</p> |
| | <p>So the meditation means, "What I am?" If you think, meditate, that "Am I this body?" then you'll come to understand that "I am not this body." If you think... Just to see, see your hand, "Am I this hand? Am I this finger? Am I this leg? Am I this body? Am I this head?" Every point you analyze, you'll say, "It is my hand, it is my finger, it is my head, it is my..." Everything "mine." And where is "I"? That you have to find out by meditation, where is "I." That is answered in the Bhagavad-gītā. How it is answered? It is said that avināśi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="PandalLectureBombayFebruary231971_20" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="76" link="Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, February 23, 1971" link_text="Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, February 23, 1971"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, February 23, 1971|Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, February 23, 1971]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">If you are thirsty, then if you simply chant "water, water, water," your thirst will not be quenched. You have to get the substance water. But in the spiritual world it is, being absolute, the name and the person whose name we are chanting, they are the same. Therefore by chanting this holy name of God, Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa... Hare is addressing the spiritual energy of the Lord, and Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord. So by being in touch with the Supreme Lord and His energy directly, we become purified. Exactly like if you take one iron rod, put into the fire, it becomes warner, warmer, and at last it becomes red hot. When it is red hot, it is no longer iron; it is fire. Similarly, if you constantly become in touch with the Supreme Lord by chanting His holy name, which is not different from the Supreme Lord, then you become spiritually purified. And as soon as you are spiritually purified, then all misunderstandings of this material world immediately vanquished. That is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Every living entity is conscious. The original consciousness is polluted by contamination of this material world. Just like water, when it falls from the cloud directly, it is clear and without any dirty things, but as soon as it touches the ground, it becomes muddy. Again, if you decant the muddy portion of the water, it becomes again clear. Similarly, our consciousness, being polluted by the three modes of material nature, we are thinking one another as enemy or friend. But as soon as you come on the platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you feel that "We are one. The center is Kṛṣṇa." And Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā ([[Vanisource:BG 14.4 (1972)|BG 14.4]]). There are 8,400,000 species of life in different forms. The father, the seed-giving father, is Kṛṣṇa, or the Lord, the Supreme Lord. By misunderstanding, we are thinking that "I am Indian, you are American," or "You are brāhmaṇa, I am śūdra," or "You are Hindu, I am Muslim." These differences are only designations. So as soon as we are freed from the designation—sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam ([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 19.170|CC Madhya 19.170]])—when we become nirmalam, clear—clear consciousness and Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the same thing—then all our misunderstanding is vanquished immediately. Then we can understand what is God, what I am, what you are, what is our relationship, and when we act accordingly, there is no controversy, no misunderstanding.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="LectureonTeachingsofLordCaitanyaBombayMarch171971_21" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="77" link="Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Bombay, March 17, 1971" link_text="Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Bombay, March 17, 1971"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Bombay, March 17, 1971|Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Bombay, March 17, 1971]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Of course, it is a system in India that a brāhmaṇa is addressed as a paṇḍita because he is supposed to become a learned scholar. Brāhmaṇa's business is to study Vedic literatures and teach others also paṭhan pāṭhan. He must be scholar and he must make others also scholar. Not that he is simply remains a scholar, no, that is bad. Brāhmaṇa is so liberal that he wants to make others also scholar. paṭhana, pāṭhana, yajana, yājana. Yajan means worshiping the lord and yājan means helping others. Priest, you know, priestly business. Priest means he helps the householders how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Purohita. Purohita means one who does welfare activities for the householders. Purohita. Yajana yājana, Paṭhana pāṭhana, and dāna pratigraha. Brāhmaṇa business is to take charity from his disciples, followers, and again spend it for Kṛṣṇa's service. So, these six kinds of business is for the Brāhmaṇas and they are suppose to be very learned, paṇḍitajī. Brāhmaṇa's position is paṇḍita, so he was called paṇḍita. And he was actually paṇḍita but he presented himself as a fool although he was learned. He presented himself, "My dear Lord, people say that I am very learned but actually I do not know what I am, where from I have come, why I am suffering."</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="LectureonTeachingsofLordCaitanyaBombayMarch171971_22" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="77" link="Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Bombay, March 17, 1971" link_text="Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Bombay, March 17, 1971"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Bombay, March 17, 1971|Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Bombay, March 17, 1971]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">In everyone's heart there is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is in a sleeping state. Just like these European and American boys, unless there was Kṛṣṇa consciousness dormant, how it could be invoked? It is not sentiment. It was there. Our business was to, just to arouse. Śravaṇādi-śuddha-citta koro ei udaya.</p> |
| | :nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti sadhu kabhu naya |
| | :śravaṇādi-śuddha-citta karaye udaya |
| | <p>This is the statement of Caitanya-caritāmṛta. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness is already there but by hearing and purifying yourself, that consciousness comes. Just like water. Water is very clean. When it rains from the clouds it is very clean, but as soon as it drops on the ground it becomes muddy. So that muddiness has to be cleansed then water will come out again clean. Similarly, our consciousness is clean, Kṛṣṇa conscious, actually, originally, but because it is contaminated with the muddy things of the material nature, it is cloudy. So, this process—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare—is the cleaning, clarifying process, of the consciousness. Clarifying process. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpanam ([[Vanisource:CC Antya 20.12|CC Antya 20.12]]). If you take to this clarifying process, then it will be just like as clear as mirror and you will be able to see your face nicely, what I am. Then you'll understand that I don't belong to this material world, I belong to the spiritual world, ahaṁ brahmāsmi; and when you realize that, then if you can act yourself as Brahman, then your life is successful.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="LectureParisJune261971_23" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="86" link="Lecture -- Paris, June 26, 1971" link_text="Lecture -- Paris, June 26, 1971"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture -- Paris, June 26, 1971|Lecture -- Paris, June 26, 1971]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So a human being, if he tries, he can attain that perfection. That is stated. It is very simple. In the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says that janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ ([[Vanisource:BG 4.9 (1972)|BG 4.9]]). Anyone who knows in truth about the Supreme Personality of Godhead... People say, "God is great." That is a hackneyed word. But if we want to know how God is great, that can be also known from authorized scriptures. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā God Himself describes about Himself. So we can know. So He says that "Simply by understanding what I am..." Kṛṣṇa says or God says, janma karma me divyam: "My appearance, or taking birth just like a human being, is transcendental." It is not exactly like the human body, but God is so kind that He comes before us as an ordinary human being. Unfortunately one who does not know about Him, he thinks that Kṛṣṇa, or God, is like one of us. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ ([[Vanisource:BG 9.11 (1972)|BG 9.11]]). That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. "Those who are mūḍhas, rascals, they think Me as if one of the human being." Actually He is not. So we have got the chance to know about Him. Provided we read the right literatures under right direction, we can know. That possibility is there. And if we simply can know what is the nature of God, or Kṛṣṇa, simply by understanding this fact one becomes liberated. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti ([[Vanisource:BG 4.9 (1972)|BG 4.9]]). A person who has understood the Absolute Supreme Personality of Godhead... It cannot be understood completely. That is not possible with our human intelligence, but with the help of Bhagavad-gītā, the statement given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the spiritual master, we can know Him to the best of our capacity. And if we can know Him, then the result is that immediately after leaving this body we enter into the kingdom of God. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti: ([[Vanisource:BG 4.9 (1972)|BG 4.9]]) "After giving up this body he does not come again to this material world, but he enters into the spiritual world and comes to Me." That is the statement.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="LectureLosAngelesJuly201971_24" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="92" link="Lecture -- Los Angeles, July 20, 1971" link_text="Lecture -- Los Angeles, July 20, 1971"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture -- Los Angeles, July 20, 1971|Lecture -- Los Angeles, July 20, 1971]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Arjuna was talking as a friend, replying Him as a friend. Of course, he was... Whatever he was talking, that was right, but that was right to a certain point. Beyond that point, there are other subject matter of knowledge, which is called adhokṣaja, where our direct perception of material knowledge fails to approach. Just like we cannot see. There are so many microscopes, powerful microscopes. Then find out within this body where is the soul. No, there is no microscope. But soul is there. Soul is there. Bhagavad-gītā informs,</p> |
| | :dehino 'smin yathā dehe |
| | :kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā |
| | :tathā dehāntaraṁ prāptir |
| | :dhīras tatra na muhyati |
| | :([[Vanisource:BG 2.13 (1972)|BG 2.13]]) |
| | <p>Asmin dehe, in this body, there is a proprietor of this body. Just like I am proprietor of my body, you are proprietor of your body. I say, "My hand." I don't say, "I hand." It is my hand. So I am different from this hand. Just like say, "It is my book," so book is different from me. "It is my table." Similarly, "my hand," "my eyes," "my leg," "my this," "my that." But where I am? Search out. That is meditation. "Where I am? What I am?"</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="LectureLosAngelesJuly201971_25" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="92" link="Lecture -- Los Angeles, July 20, 1971" link_text="Lecture -- Los Angeles, July 20, 1971"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture -- Los Angeles, July 20, 1971|Lecture -- Los Angeles, July 20, 1971]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, there is austerity, but it is not very difficult. We recommend our students not to have illicit sex. We don't stop sex, but regulate. We don't stop eating, but regulated, Kṛṣṇa prasādam. No meat-eating. No... We don't say, "No eating," but "No meat-eating." So what is the difficulty? Now see. In our Kṛṣṇa-prasādam, we have got so many varieties of fruits, vegetables, nicely cooked. What is the difficulty? No illicit sex means don't be cats and dogs. Be married man and have one wife, one husband, and be satisfied. So unless we regulate, unless we undergo austerity... We cannot under go such severe type of austerity as Dhruva Mahārāja went, that every three days a little fruit or vegetable, then every six days a little water. That is not possible in these days. If you want to imitate Dhruva Mahārāja, it will be impossible. So we don't prescribe any impossible method, but possible method. But if you take to these principles, then you make advance in spiritual consciousness, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and as you make advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you become perfect in knowledge. Otherwise, what is the use of becoming scientist or philosopher who cannot say what is next life? But these students, they can very easily say what is next life, what is God, what I am, what is our relationship. This knowledge, you'll find perfectly, because they are reading perfect book of knowledge, Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="PandalLectureDelhiNovember121971_26" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="95" link="Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 12, 1971" link_text="Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 12, 1971"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 12, 1971|Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 12, 1971]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So Prahlāda Mahārāja says that yad eva. Yad eva, yathā hi purusasya iha viṣṇoḥ pādopasarpaṇam, yad eṣa sarva-bhūtānāṁ priya ātmeśvaraḥ suhṛt. He has particularly mentioned the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu. Kṛṣṇa is the original person of Viṣṇu-tattva. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate ([[Vanisource:BG 10.8 (1972)|BG 10.8]]). So He is the origin of the three demigods, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara. Mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate. Brahmā is born of Viṣṇu, and Śiva is born of Brahmā. Therefore... And Viṣṇu is born of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore He is the original person. Ātmeśvaraḥ, ātmeśvaraḥ viṣṇoḥ. Priya ātmeśvaraḥ suhṛt. Kṛṣṇa says that He is suhṛt. Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati. Kṛṣṇa says. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram, suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā ([[Vanisource:BG 5.29 (1972)|BG 5.29]]). One should know that our best friend is Kṛṣṇa. And ātmeśvaraḥ, and He is the Lord of me. I am ātmā and He is Paramātmā, ātmeśvaraḥ. Therefore, ultimately... Now when there is danger, when there is danger, now we take care of our protection immediately. Ātmānaṁ sarvato rakṣet. Everyone is busy to protect himself. Why do we eat? Just to keep our body fit. And why do we keep our body fit? Because I can think nicely or I can realize myself. That is the purpose of keeping the body fit, not for eating. Yuktāhāra-vihārasya yogo bhavati siddhi-dā. The real motive of life is to understand or self-realize. One has to understand what I am.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="PandalLectureDelhiNovember121971_27" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="95" link="Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 12, 1971" link_text="Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 12, 1971"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 12, 1971|Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 12, 1971]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So we have to keep this body not for eating but for keeping ourself fit to understand what I am. That is the purpose of life. So here Prahlāda Mahārāja says first of all we can understand what I am. And when you understand, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ ([[Vanisource:BG 15.7 (1972)|BG 15.7]]), "I am the eternal part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa." Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). This is self-realization, to understand one's own position, what I am. It is very simple. We have to accept it. The Bhagavad-gītā says that "I am...," that "The living entity is My part and parcel." In another chapter He says, apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parā, jīva-bhūtaḥ mahā-bāho yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat ([[Vanisource:BG 7.5 (1972)|BG 7.5]]). So this ātmā, I am ātmā, I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Prakṛti. I am not puruṣa. I am not bhoktā. This is the self-realization. So Prahlāda Mahārāja explains that, that yathā hi puruṣasya iha viṣṇoḥ pādopasarpaṇam. Our only duty is to worship Lord Viṣṇu. That is the Vedic injunction, tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="LectureVisakhapatnamFebruary181972_28" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="100" link="Lecture -- Visakhapatnam, February 18, 1972" link_text="Lecture -- Visakhapatnam, February 18, 1972"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture -- Visakhapatnam, February 18, 1972|Lecture -- Visakhapatnam, February 18, 1972]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: Mukti means give up your false designation. That is mukti. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu begins from this mukta stage. Lord Sri Kṛṣṇa gave us information what is mukti. Mukti is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam, that is mukti. And Lord Caitanya, when he was instructing Sanatāna Gosvāmī, he began from this point: what is that real constitutional position of the living entity. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when He was asked by his disciple Sanatāna Gosvāmī that actually what I am? The exact Bengali verse, he says that grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita.</p> |
| | <p>Guest: Ke āmi, kene āmāya.</p> |
| | <p>Prabhupāda: Yes. He... The first question was, "What I am? Why I am placed in this miserable condition of life in the material world, suffering three kinds of miserable conditions?" Grāmya-vyavahāre kahe paṇḍita. He was prime minister of Nawab Hussain Shah, he was great learned scholar, and in Sanskrit, in Arabic language, a very respectful personality. But he is placing his difficulty to Caitanya Mahāprabhu that "Ordinarily these people, they speak of me that I am very learned man. But actually I do not know what I am." That is our position. We are advancing in material civilization, in science, philosophy, and so many so-called religious principles. But actually we do not know what we are, what I am. Any scientist, ask him, "What is after death? What happens after death?" I think hardly any scientist will give you clear idea. That is not possible, because their basic principle of understanding education is wrong, dehātma-buddhiḥ, I am this body.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="LectureVisakhapatnamFebruary181972_29" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="100" link="Lecture -- Visakhapatnam, February 18, 1972" link_text="Lecture -- Visakhapatnam, February 18, 1972"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture -- Visakhapatnam, February 18, 1972|Lecture -- Visakhapatnam, February 18, 1972]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So India, India at least, those who have taken birth as human being, never mind what he is, he has got special privilege. This land is called puṇya-bhūmi. A not ordinary living entity can take birth in this land, Bharata-varṣa. We have got this opportunity. And according to Caitanya Mahāprabhu's instruction, if we take advantage of the Vedic literature, Veda, Purāṇa, Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, anādi bahirmukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli gela, ataeva kṛṣṇa veda purāṇa karilā. These Veda Purāṇas are meant for the human being. We should study these Veda purāṇas and know what is what, what is God, what I am, what is this world. In this way, we must fructify, make our life successful, and then preach this message of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="LectureBombayMarch181972_30" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="104" link="Lecture -- Bombay, March 18, 1972" link_text="Lecture -- Bombay, March 18, 1972"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture -- Bombay, March 18, 1972|Lecture -- Bombay, March 18, 1972]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">You have to change this dress. You have to change this body. And next body is depending on your activities. If you act sinfully, then you have to take the body, by force of nature, as cats and dogs. That is certain. Don't risk your life. Take the opportunity of human life and be Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is the message of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Kṛṣṇa personally comes to canvass, to "Please give up all this engagement, please come to Me, surrender unto Me, and I will give you all protection." This is the lesson we understand from Bhagavad-gītā. And if we actually surrender unto Kṛṣṇa, if we actually understand Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then your bhāgavata-dhima(?) begins. That is Vyāsa... These are all contributions of Śrīla Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva, the last contribution of Vyāsadeva, after compilation of Vedānta-sūtra... He personally wrote the comments of Vedānta-sūtra in the form of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Bhāṣyaṁ brahma-sūtrānāṁ **. Vyāsadeva has written personally that "This is the real commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra." Because he knew that many foolish persons would comment on the Vedānta-sūtra differently, atheistically, that "There is no God. I am God. You are God." Therefore he protected the readers of Brahma-sūtra. (break) ...form of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And because it is commentary of the Vedānta-sūtra, therefore he begins with first aphorism of the Vedānta-sūtra: janmādy asya yataḥ ([[Vanisource:SB 1.1.1|SB 1.1.1]]). Now, he explains the verse, the sūtra, or the code, Vedic code, janmādy asya yataḥ ([[Vanisource:SB 1.1.1|SB 1.1.1]]). The first question is, "Who is... What is the Absolute Truth, you should inquire now." This is the beginning of human life. If one does not inquire what is God, what I am, what is my relationship with God, that is animal life. That is animal life, that is not human life. Human life is not meant for simply eating, sleeping, and mating and, or defending.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="LectureatChristianMonasteryMelbourneApril61972_31" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="107" link="Lecture at Christian Monastery -- Melbourne, April 6, 1972" link_text="Lecture at Christian Monastery -- Melbourne, April 6, 1972"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture at Christian Monastery -- Melbourne, April 6, 1972|Lecture at Christian Monastery -- Melbourne, April 6, 1972]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Śyāmasundara: Śrīla Prabhupāda? At the beginning you mentioned a question. Śukadeva Gosvāmī was asked, "If, after the disappearance of Kṛṣṇa..."</p> |
| | <p>Prabhupāda: Yes. Munayo sādhu pṛṣṭo 'haṁ bhavadbhir loka-maṅgalam. When a question about Kṛṣṇa, or God, he congratulated them, "My dear sages, your question is very welcome because it is the question of God." So there may be questions, but every sincere man must question what is God and try to learn it. That will bring auspicity all over the world. Simply in schools, colleges, in business, in assembly, in society there must be some discussion about God. Then it will be very much auspicious for all the world. There must be some question. The question may be offered in the beginning, but if the question is sincere and if he takes the answer sincerely, then he will understand about God. So therefore he welcomed,</p> |
| | :munayo sādhu pṛṣṭo 'haṁ |
| | :bhavadbhir loka-maṅgalam |
| | :yat kṛtaḥ kṛṣṇa-sampraśno |
| | :yenātmā suprasīdati |
| | <p>"My dear sages, you have inquired about Kṛṣṇa. It is very welcome because it is auspicious." Kṛṣṇa-sampraśno. "And by question and answer in this subject matter, you'll feel satisfaction." Yenātmā samprasīdati. Simply by question-answer, you feel satisfaction. And when you understand, oh, you feel the supreme satisfaction, the bliss. But simply in the period of question and answer you feel satisfaction. Yenātmā suprasīdati. Therefore in schools, colleges, assemblies, societies—everywhere—there must be questions of "What is God? What I am? What is my relation?" These should be answered scientifically and understood scientifically. Then there will be peace. Otherwise there is no possibility.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="LectureExcerptLosAngelesJune81972_32" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="118" link="Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, June 8, 1972" link_text="Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, June 8, 1972"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, June 8, 1972|Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, June 8, 1972]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">The person in knowledge, he must see that "I cannot avoid death, I cannot avoid birth, I cannot avoid old age, I cannot avoid disease so long I have got this material body." But Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ: "Anyone who understands Me in reality, what I am, then he immediately becomes immune from these four things." Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti ([[Vanisource:BG 4.9 (1972)|BG 4.9]]). After giving up this... This body we have to give up. And then next body, tathā dehāntara-prāptir... So a devotee at least is not going to be cats and dogs or trees. The nondevotees, they are. Now they are... Now the modern advancement is to be naked. So these people are going to be trees. You know Yamalārjuna. You have seen the picture. They were dancing and they were taking bath naked, and they were not ashamed when Nārada Muni was passing. So he cursed them that "You are so fool, you have lost your sense. All right, next life you become a tree, immediately." So these senseless, shameless persons who are advancing in their knowledge by becoming naked, they are going to be tree next life. The naked tree is standing naked for many thousands of years. Or animals—they have no shame. So if human being becomes so shameless, then next life is to become animal and trees. But in the universities they say that "What is the wrong if I become an animal?" I asked them, "Do you like to be animal?" "Yes." "Then all right, next time you become animal. (laughter) This is your... I give you this blessing. That's all." (laughter) Flatly said, "Yes, yes, I will be happy." All right, say it. Kṛṣṇa is so kind: "You want to be naked? All right, you become naked for ten thousand years and stand up."</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="HareKrishnaFestivalAddressSanDiegoJuly11972AtBalboaParkBowl_33" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="119" link="Hare Krishna Festival Address -- San Diego, July 1, 1972, At Balboa Park Bowl" link_text="Hare Krishna Festival Address -- San Diego, July 1, 1972, At Balboa Park Bowl"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Hare Krishna Festival Address -- San Diego, July 1, 1972, At Balboa Park Bowl|Hare Krishna Festival Address -- San Diego, July 1, 1972, At Balboa Park Bowl]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So my request is that this movement is started from America, from New York. In 1966 I registered this movement, International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, and since then, we are spreading. In your country, we have got about fifty branches, all over the country, America. And we have got other branches also, about fifty, in Europe, in Canada, in Australia, in New Zealand, in Japan. In India also. India, of course, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is known since a very, very long time. At least, everyone in India knows what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and he may not be seriously engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but even a street man, a street boy, knows what is Kṛṣṇa. In your country, this, this movement is started since 1966, but in '67 I was sick. I went back to India and again came back in 1968, and since that time, we are pushing on this movement little, very highly, and it is being effected. It is being effected. People are understanding. So my request is that you have got all material resources. Don't waste your time. Life is very valuable, especially this human form of life. Labdhvā su-durlabham idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte. This human form of life is achieved after many, many births of evolutionary process. We had to undergo 900,000 species of life in water. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. Two millions of species of life through plants and trees. Sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati kṛmayo rudra-saṅkhyakāḥ. Eleven hundred thousand species of life of insects and reptiles. Pakśiṇāṁ daśa-lakṣaṇam. And one million species of life amongst the birds. Then triṁśal-lakṣāṇi paśavaḥ: and then three million species of life amongst the beasts. In this way, there are four hundred thousand species of human form of life, out of which, the civilized form of life, when our consciousness is developed, that is the opportunity to understand what is God, what I am, what is my relationship with God, what is this material world, how I shall treat. That is needed. In the Vedānta-sūtra it is said, athāto brahma jijñāsā. This human, this civilized form of human life is meant for inquiring about Brahman, the Supreme, the Absolute Truth.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="LectureLondonJuly121972_34" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="120" link="Lecture -- London, July 12, 1972" link_text="Lecture -- London, July 12, 1972"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture -- London, July 12, 1972|Lecture -- London, July 12, 1972]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So bhāgavata-dharma is meant for, actually, for the advanced human being. Bhāgavata-dharma. Bhāgavata-dharma means to know "What I am? Am I this body or something else?" If you study yourself, you can also understand. Or if you take instruction from the Vedas, then also you can understand. The knowledge is already there. If you take advantage of the knowledge, you can know. But if you make analysis by yourself, then also you'll know. But if you make analysis by education, speculation, it will take long, long years. Because if you don't accept the standard way, then it will waste, you will waste your time. So you will have to come to the same point. But if you are inquisitive, that is your life. If we come to the point of inquiring about "What I am?" Oh, that is great advancement. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. I can understand very well that when... There are so many babies here. I was also a baby. My body, I had a body like a baby on the lap of my mother. I can remember that. Then I became a child, then I became a boy, then I became a young man, now I am old man. Now, the bodies, different bodies, I possessed. I remember. But those bodies are no more existing. Where is my childhood body? Where is my boyhood body? Where is my youthhood body? They're all gone. So although the bodies are gone, I remember that I had a body of a child, I had a body of a boy, I had a body of young man. Therefore I am eternal, my bodies are not eternal. Therefore the conclusion should be: when I change this body, then I'll exist. That is... Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra... ([[Vanisource:BG 2.13 (1972)|BG 2.13]]). Everything is there, either you study yourself or take the lesson from the Vedic version.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="RotaryClubLectureHyderabadNovember291972_35" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="123" link="Rotary Club Lecture -- Hyderabad, November 29, 1972" link_text="Rotary Club Lecture -- Hyderabad, November 29, 1972"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Rotary Club Lecture -- Hyderabad, November 29, 1972|Rotary Club Lecture -- Hyderabad, November 29, 1972]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So there are so many things, problems of our life; we are neglecting. And everything is very clearly described in the Bhagavad-gītā. It is being, explained by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. We should take advantage of these lessons in the Bhagavad-gītā. Unfortunately, in the foreign countries, before me, many other swamis went, tried to explain Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā is very well known book of knowledge. In America and Europe and other countries there are many translations. But the Bhagavad-gītā, such translation is taken as a mental speculation. They do not take it seriously that this, "This is the statement by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and it cannot be commented with my poor knowledge. What I am in comparison to Kṛṣṇa? He is tri-kāla-jña. He knows present, past, future, everything. What do I know? So my interpretation..." Just like "Kurukṣetra means this body," or "The five Pāṇḍavas means the five senses." If we interpret in that way, Bhagavad-gītā, according to our whims, we'll never understand what is the purport of Bhagavad-gītā. We have to learn Bhagavad-gītā as it is; otherwise, we'll miss the opportunity. Just like Kurukṣetra. Kurukṣetra is still there, existing. Everyone, you know. While passing through Delhi to Punjab side you find the Kurukṣetra. The, the field is also there. It is a very big field, and in the śāstra, in the Vedas, it is said, kurukṣetre dharmam ācaret. So people go as a place of pilgrimage. So you cannot interpret Kurukṣetra otherwise. Kurukṣetra should be accepted as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre ([[Vanisource:BG 1.1 (1972)|BG 1.1]]). Then you'll understand Bhagavad-gītā. Everything is there. Our request is—you are all respectable gentlemen, ladies, present here—that kindly try to read Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Then you will understand the problems of your life, the solution also there. The solution is there, and the ultimate end of Bhagavad-gītā speaking: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja ([[Vanisource:BG 18.66 (1972)|BG 18.66]]). That is the ultimate solution, that we have to surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is our... Because every one of us, in this material condition, we are trying to become master, ultimately to become God. That is māyā. That is illusion. We cannot become master. We are servant by constitution. Every one of us sitting here is a servant to somebody. Nobody can deny it. Either he may be servant of his family or his community or his country or... So many things... If one has no master, then he keeps a dog to become his servant. That is the nature. We are all servants. The, our thinking that "I shall become master," that is māyā.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="RotaryClubLectureAhmedabadDecember81972ThePresentNeedofHumanSociety_36" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="125" link="Rotary Club Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 8, 1972 'The Present Need of Human Society'" link_text="Rotary Club Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 8, 1972 'The Present Need of Human Society'"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Rotary Club Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 8, 1972 'The Present Need of Human Society'|Rotary Club Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 8, 1972 'The Present Need of Human Society']]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So the chanting and dancing is not very difficult thing. So our only request is that you take to this chanting process. If you take to this chanting process, then gradually you'll be elevated to the spiritual life. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam ([[Vanisource:CC Antya 20.12|CC Antya 20.12]]). Chanting means the cleansing the heart. The more you chant, your heart will be cleansed. We are now, because we are in this material world, we are passing through evolution of many different species of life, and here is a chance given by the nature, the human form of body, where we can stop the continual transmigration of the soul from one body to another and we can have our permanent situation, back to home, back to Godhead. This is a great science. But if you neglect it, that is suicidal policy. Human mind, human life is especially meant for taking advantage of this form of life and understand "What is God? What I am? What is my relationship with God? How to act? Why I am conditioned by so many miserable conditions of life—birth, death, old age and disease?" So many things are there. But if we do not take to this, if we simply remain like animals, eating, sleeping, mating, and defending, then we are factually missing the opportunity. Therefore our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is simply to make propaganda from door to door, that "Please chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra." That's all. As Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, rādhā-kṛṣṇa bolo saṅge cholo, ei mātra bhikha chāya. We simply want this. So the, there is no loss, but the gain is very great. Why not take the chance? So the present human need of the human society is take to, to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="LectureatBharataChamberofCommerceCultureandBusinessCalcuttaJanuary301973_37" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="127" link="Lecture at Bharata Chamber of Commerce 'Culture and Business' -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973" link_text="Lecture at Bharata Chamber of Commerce 'Culture and Business' -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture at Bharata Chamber of Commerce 'Culture and Business' -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973|Lecture at Bharata Chamber of Commerce 'Culture and Business' -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Caitanya Mahāprabhu never said that "You give up your position." Position, giving up is not very difficult. But to cultivate spiritual knowledge, that is required. Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovidaḥ na labhyate yad bhramatam upary adhaḥ (1.5.18). Now the animal life, there is no cultivation of spiritual life. That is not possible. The animal cannot cultivate this knowledge. The human beings, if they do not cultivate spiritual knowledge, they're exactly like animals. Dharmeṇa hīna paśubhiḥ samānāḥ. So we should be very conscious about our eternal existence. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre ([[Vanisource:BG 2.20 (1972)|BG 2.20]]). Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yam. We, spirit soul, we are eternal. We are not going to die after the annihilation of this body. This is the cultivation of knowledge. This is called brahma-jijñāsā, to know about one's self. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's first disciple, Sanātana Gosvāmī, he was minister, finance minister in the government of Nawab Hussein Shah, and he retired and approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu. And he humbly inquired that "These people call me paṇḍita." Because he was brāhmaṇa by caste. Naturally we call a brāhmaṇa "paṇḍita." So Sanātana Gosvāmī placed this: "My dear Lord, these people call me paṇḍita, but I am such a paṇḍita that I do not know who I..., what I am." So that is the position of everyone. We may be businessman. We may be in other profession. But if we do not know what I am, wherefrom I have come, why I am under the tribulation of these material laws of nature and where I am going, what is my next life—if we do not know this, then whatever we are doing, śrama eva hi kevalam. Viṣvaksena-kathāsu notpādayed ratiṁ yadi, viṣvaksena-kathāsu yaḥ śrama eva hi kevalam ([[Vanisource:SB 1.2.8|SB 1.2.8]]).</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="LectureatBharataChamberofCommerceCultureandBusinessCalcuttaJanuary301973_38" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="127" link="Lecture at Bharata Chamber of Commerce 'Culture and Business' -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973" link_text="Lecture at Bharata Chamber of Commerce 'Culture and Business' -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture at Bharata Chamber of Commerce 'Culture and Business' -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973|Lecture at Bharata Chamber of Commerce 'Culture and Business' -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So our request to everyone that you can be engaged in whatever business, in whatever position Kṛṣṇa has posted you. Do your duty nicely. But do not forget to cultivate Kṛṣṇa knowledge. Kṛṣṇa knowledge means God consciousness. God consciousness means we must know that we are part and parcel. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ ([[Vanisource:BG 15.7 (1972)|BG 15.7]]). We are eternal part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, or God, but we are struggling here, manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhāni indriyānī prakṛti-sthāni karṣati. Why this struggle for existence? We must know... We have got eternal life. This temporary... Suppose in this temporary life I become Birla or some big businessman for, say, twenty years or fifty years, utmost, hundred years. Next life there is no guarantee that I'm going to be Birla or this man, Tata. No. There is no such guarantee. That we do not take care. We are taking care of the small span of life, but we are not taking care of our life eternal. That is mistake. Suppose in this life I am a very great businessman. Next life, by my karma, if I become something else... There are 8,400,000 species of life, forms of life. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. Nine lakhs of forms of life in the water. Then there are insects. Sthāvarā lakṣa... There are trees, plants, two million forms of trees and plants. Kṛmayo rudra-saṅkhyakāḥ. Eleven lakhs' species of insects, reptiles. Then birds. Pakṣiṇāṁ daśa-lakṣaṇam. In this way, we fulfill eight millions of different forms of life. Then we come to the form of human life. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja said that kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha, durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma ([[Vanisource:SB 7.6.1|SB 7.6.1]]). This mānuṣaṁ janma is very, very rare. We should not be satisfied only becoming a very big businessman. We must know what is next life, what I am going to be.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="LectureatIndoAmericanSocietyEastandWestCalcuttaJanuary311973_39" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="129" link="Lecture at Indo-American Society 'East and West' -- Calcutta, January 31, 1973" link_text="Lecture at Indo-American Society 'East and West' -- Calcutta, January 31, 1973"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture at Indo-American Society 'East and West' -- Calcutta, January 31, 1973|Lecture at Indo-American Society 'East and West' -- Calcutta, January 31, 1973]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So after the destruction of this gross body, this subtle body carries me to another gross body. It is a great science. Great science. That is explained very nicely in the Bhagavad-gītā and other Vedic literatures. So why the scientists of the Western country do not take this matter seriously? I was invited to speak in Boston, the Massachusetts Technical Institute. So I first inquired all the students: "Where is your technological department, when the body stops, you can again give him vitality and he may work? Where is that technology?" So the students liked it. And we had very nice discussion. So we are very much advanced in technology. But we do not know what is the technology of the soul transmigrating from one body to another. That is ignorance. That is ignorance.</p> |
| | <p>And this ignorance prevails in animals also. The animals do not know. Because they are not advanced in knowledge. But they have got also soul. Their soul is evolving or transmigrating from one body to another. There is a system. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa viṁśati. From the aquatics. Because the whole world was merged into water, devastation. Therefore the beginning of living entities, (is) the aquatics. From the aquatics, they come to the plants, trees. Then from plants, trees, to insect. From insect to birds. Then bird to beast. From beast to human being. Aśītiṁ caturaś caiva lakṣāṁs tāñ jīva-jātiṣu. They're all mentioned. The evolutionary theory, it is not new thing, as it is stated by Darwin. It is there in the Padma Purāṇa. But it is very perfectly explained there. Darwin has not very perfectly explained. There are so many defects. But real thing is that the living entity, soul, is transmigrating from one body to another and the chance of developed consciousness is human form of life. In this human form of life, if we do not understand "What I am, wherefrom I have come, where I am going next, why I have taken this body, subjected to so much miserable tribulations of life which I do not want?"</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="LectureLondonAugust261973_40" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="139" link="Lecture -- London, August 26, 1973" link_text="Lecture -- London, August 26, 1973"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture -- London, August 26, 1973|Lecture -- London, August 26, 1973]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">We are presenting this Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, and we hold our class also in this hall daily in the morning. So we invite all ladies and gentlemen to come here and try to understand Bhagavad-gītā. We have got this opportunity of human form of life. We can understand what I am, what you are. We are not this body; we are spirit soul. As spirit soul we are all eternal, blissful, and cognizant. But on account of this material covering we are suffering the material conditions, threefold kinds of miserable life. It is very difficult, little, but this is the problem. We have to understand this; otherwise, we are missing the opportunity of this human life. If we neglect, then we are just like animals. The animals have no concern to understand this philosophy of life, that "I am not this body, I am spirit soul. I am encaged. Somehow or other I have to get out of this entanglement and be again reinstalled in my original consciousness and be happy, having eternal life, blissful life and full of knowledge." This is the problem. But people have become so dull and rascal that they do not even care to understand this philosophy of life, that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul." Actually, even one's daily life, one can understand that he is different from this body. Just like every one of us, we had a child's body, a boy's body, a youth's body. Now I am old man, but I can remember that I had a body, a small body, baby's body. I remember personally when I was six months old I was lying down on my eldest(?) sister's lap. She was knitting. I still remember. So then I got another body, another body, another body, and according to development of body I had different consciousness, just like child's consciousness is different from the father's consciousness. So we are actually getting different types of body every moment, and the consciousness is changed also according to the body. This is a fact. But I remember that I had such and such body, I was doing such foolish things when I was a child. All these things I remember. Therefore I, the person, the soul, is existing, although the bodies are not existing. This is a fact. Those bodies, my childhood body, my boyhood body, my youthhood body, they are no longer existing. It is a fact. I have got now a different body, but I remember that I possessed such and such bodies. Therefore the conclusion is that, in spite of change of body, the spirit soul remains the same eternally. Similarly, when I shall change this body, I shall get another body. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir. That is called transmigration of the soul.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="PandalSpeechandQuestionSessionDelhiNovember101973_41" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="145" link="Pandal Speech and Question Session -- Delhi, November 10, 1973" link_text="Pandal Speech and Question Session -- Delhi, November 10, 1973"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Pandal Speech and Question Session -- Delhi, November 10, 1973|Pandal Speech and Question Session -- Delhi, November 10, 1973]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">As our student Śrīman Pradyumna dāsa Adhikārī said, athāto brahma jijñāsā, this life is not meant for wasting time like cats and dog. Because after all, we have to give up this life. But before giving up this life, we must gain something. That is described in the Upaniṣad. Etad viditvā yaḥ prayāti sa brāhmaṇaḥ. We'll have to die like cats and dogs, but we have got the chance to understand what is the value of life. The cats and dogs have no chance. So simply if we waste our time like cats and dogs and do not know what is the aim of life—sa kṛpaṇa. Etad viditvā yaḥ prayāti, aviditvā yaḥ prayāti sa kṛpaṇaḥ. There are two things: brāhmaṇa and kṛpaṇa. Kṛpaṇa means miser. A person who got this valuable body... Just like if you get millions of dollars, if you do not utilize it, if you simply see in the treasury that you have got so much money, then you are kṛpaṇa. It is practical. But if you utilize that money and instead of one crore you make ten crores, then you are called intelligent. Similarly, if we think that "I have got this human form of life, better standard of eating, sleeping and mating," then you remain kṛpaṇa. You could not utilize it. But if you know in this life, which is possible, "What is the value of this life? What is Brahman? What I am? What is my connection with Brahman? Why I have come here? Where I shall go again? Why I am put into the miserable condition of life? I do not wish to die. Why death is enforced upon me?" this is called brahma-jijñāsā, inquiry, "Why?" Therefore there is a Kena Upaniṣad, "Why?" Unless this "why" inquiry comes in the human body, then he is failure. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jātaḥ yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. Whatever we are doing, we are being defeated, because we are doing everything in ignorance. "I am this body." "This is my country." "This is my kinsmen." And in this way I die like cats and dogs.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="PandalSpeechandQuestionSessionDelhiNovember101973_42" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="145" link="Pandal Speech and Question Session -- Delhi, November 10, 1973" link_text="Pandal Speech and Question Session -- Delhi, November 10, 1973"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Pandal Speech and Question Session -- Delhi, November 10, 1973|Pandal Speech and Question Session -- Delhi, November 10, 1973]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Dharma, it is said, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam ([[Vanisource:SB 6.3.19|SB 6.3.19]]). Dharma, the simple description of dharma is "the codes which are given by God." It doesn't matter whether you are Hindu, Muslim or Christian or any. Everyone, any civilized man has got some religion. Because dharmeṇa hīna paśubhiḥ samānāḥ. If you haven't got no religion... It doesn't matter whether Hindu religion, Muslim religion. You must have some religion. Religion means to understand God. That is religion. Religion does not mean I manufacture something. No. You cannot manufacture religion. Religion means... Just like you cannot manufacture laws. Law is given by the state, by the government. Similarly, religion means the codes, the orders given by God. Therefore you must know what is God, what is His order and how to carry out it. Then you will be success..., your life is successful. Otherwise, just like the cats and dogs, they do not know how to carry out the laws of the state... Of course, they are excused. The "Keep to the right," "Keep to the left," the cats and dogs, they can violate. Law is not meant for the cats and dogs. Law is meant for the human being. Therefore the cats and dogs, if they violate the codes of God, the law of God, they can be excused because they are animals. But a human being, he has got the developed consciousness. If he does not utilize this body for understanding "What is God? What I am? What is my relationship with God? How to act? Wherefrom I have come? Where to go..." There are so many questions. That is called brahma-jijñāsā. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This life is meant for brahma-jijñāsā.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="PandalSpeechandQuestionSessionDelhiNovember101973_43" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="145" link="Pandal Speech and Question Session -- Delhi, November 10, 1973" link_text="Pandal Speech and Question Session -- Delhi, November 10, 1973"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Pandal Speech and Question Session -- Delhi, November 10, 1973|Pandal Speech and Question Session -- Delhi, November 10, 1973]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Now, where to jijñāsā? That is called Vedic injunction. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Tad-vijñānārtham. In order to understand that transcendental science, one must have to go to the bona fide guru. And who is guru? Guru is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. And anyone who represents that Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is guru. Guru means representative of God. Therefore according to Vedic śāstra, guru is worshiped like God. This is... Just like my disciples, they have given this seat and..., almost equally with God's seat. That is the injunction. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. Guru should be worshiped as God, but guru will never claim that he is God. That is not guru. Guru will always claim that he is servant of God. Because the śiṣyas worship him as... Śiṣya... Guru does not say that "You simply worship me." He directs that "You worship God." But because one gets God's connection through guru, therefore guru is worshiped as God. Just like in our country there was viceroy. He was given the same respect as the king because he is representative of..., the royal representative. Similarly, śāstra says,</p> |
| | :sākṣād dharitvena samasta-śāstrair |
| | :uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ |
| | :kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya |
| | :vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam ** |
| | <p>This is the offering obeisance to guru. Guru is described as respectable as the Supreme Personality of God. Ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyāt ([[Vanisource:SB 11.17.27|SB 11.17.27]]). The Supreme Personality of Godhead says that "Ācārya should be accepted as I am. And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, ācāryopāsanam. Ācāryopāsanam. So therefore we have to receive the knowledge in the disciplic succession of ācārya. That is also described in the Bhagavad-gītā: evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ ([[Vanisource:BG 4.2 (1972)|BG 4.2]]). Rājarṣayaḥ. This knowledge, they were understood by the rājarṣi. Rājarṣi means king; at the same time, saintly person. Not the king and robber, dasyu-dharma, imply exacting taxes, "Come on, give me tax, and you go to hell." That is not king. That is not government. It is government's duty to make... The government should be Kṛṣṇa conscious, and it is government's duty to see that everyone is Kṛṣṇa conscious or God conscious—you say "Kṛṣṇa" or "God"; it doesn't matter. If you think that "Let the people go to hell. It doesn't matter. Bring taxes and let us enjoy, and you go to hell..." It is very horrible condition.</p> |
| | <p>So everywhere this is going on; therefore there is necessity of awakening this God consciousness of the people. It is not a childish thing or sentimental fanaticism. It is real science. Because this human life is meant for understanding "What I am," ahaṁ brahmāsmi. "I am not this body; I am spirit soul." Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati ([[Vanisource:BG 18.54 (1972)|BG 18.54]]). If you can educate people to become brahma-bhūta ([[Vanisource:SB 4.30.20|SB 4.30.20]]), then prasannātmā, he becomes happy, jolly. Just like these American boys, American girls, they were many, many times in better condition of life. Now they are wandering with me. What can I give them? I cannot give them nice food. I cannot give them nice shelter. Neither I have money. They are coming. They are all rich men's sons, but they are after me. Why? Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="LectureatStPascalsFranciscanSeminaryMelbourneJune281974_44" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="151" link="Lecture at St. Pascal's Franciscan Seminary -- Melbourne, June 28, 1974" link_text="Lecture at St. Pascal's Franciscan Seminary -- Melbourne, June 28, 1974"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture at St. Pascal's Franciscan Seminary -- Melbourne, June 28, 1974|Lecture at St. Pascal's Franciscan Seminary -- Melbourne, June 28, 1974]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So we are acquiring knowledges in so many departmental, but the ultimate knowledge is to know God. Therefore Vedānta says that "Now, this life, atha, atha..." Atha ataḥ brahma-jijñāsā. Just like the birds. In the morning, they also talk, "Where we shall go this morning to get some fruits and some eatables?" So these questions they do, and there is some talking, "ki-chi mihi." So not that kind of question. The questions "What is God? What I am? What is my relationship with God? What is the ultimate goal of life?" These questions and answers should be in the human society. Unless these questions arises—"What is God? What is this material nature? Who has created it? How it is created? How it is going on?" so many things... The main principle is naturally, if we are philosophical minded, we inquire that "How this world is created? Who has created?" And there are many different ways of answering. But the Vedānta-sūtra answers that the, whatever we are seeing, all this cosmic manifestation, the creator is God, Brahman. Athāto brahma jijñāsā, janmādy asya yataḥ ([[Vanisource:SB 1.1.1|SB 1.1.1]]). So God, or the Supreme Truth, Absolute Truth is that from whom everything has come. So that is the beginning of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Janmādy asya yataḥ ([[Vanisource:SB 1.1.1|SB 1.1.1]]), "Absolute Truth is that from whom everything has come into existence." So the common platform is therefore, if we try to understand the Supreme Soul, and we turn our loving propensities to that Supreme Soul, that is called religion. Religion is not kind of... In the dictionary it is said, "Religion is a kind of faith." No. It is a permanent, I mean to say, arrangement. It is not the faith. Faith we can change. Today I am Hindu; I can become Christian tomorrow. You are Christian; you can change your faith tomorrow. So religion... In Sanskrit word religion does not mean faith. Religion means the original characteristic. That is called religion. So original characteristic means that cannot be changed. That quality, that characteristic is always with us. So Vedic version is that the living entity is eternal servant of God. When he forgets this relationship, that he is eternal servant of God, that means his material existence. In the material existence, nobody is prepared to become servant. Everyone is prepared to become the master. That is struggle for existence. Everyone is trying to become master. Even in the cats' and dogs' society you will find one dog is trying to predominate by barking that "I am better than you." So this is called struggle for existence. Everyone, individual to individual, nation to nation, society to society, religion to religion, so-called religion—everyone is trying to become the master. Nobody is trying to become the servant. But real position is we living entities, we are eternal servant of God. As soon as we forget this formula, we are in the material existence. And as soon as we revive this, our original consciousness, that is called spiritual platform. Therefore we are propagating Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness, to come to the point to understand that we are eternal servant of God.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="LaTrobeUniversityLectureMelbourneJuly11974_45" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="152" link="La Trobe University Lecture -- Melbourne, July 1, 1974" link_text="La Trobe University Lecture -- Melbourne, July 1, 1974"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:La Trobe University Lecture -- Melbourne, July 1, 1974|La Trobe University Lecture -- Melbourne, July 1, 1974]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Our real business, real education, is to understand, "What I am? I am not this body." But that education is lacking. So our main business is to understand that "I am not this body, and the bodily pains and pleasure, they are due to the change of season only." Just like now it is winter season. We are covering our body. In the summer season we do not like so heavily dressed. So this feeling of pains and pleasure is due to this material body.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="LaTrobeUniversityLectureMelbourneJuly11974_46" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="152" link="La Trobe University Lecture -- Melbourne, July 1, 1974" link_text="La Trobe University Lecture -- Melbourne, July 1, 1974"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:La Trobe University Lecture -- Melbourne, July 1, 1974|La Trobe University Lecture -- Melbourne, July 1, 1974]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Brahmā-bhūtaḥ means self-realized, that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul." This is the first realization, self-realization. So long we are not on this platform of spiritual understanding, we are equal to the animals. Animals, they do not know what is the difference between body and the soul. A dog is always thinking that "I am this body." Similarly, if a man thinks that "I am this body," he is no better than the dog because he has no realization of the self. Therefore the Vedic literature says, yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ. Actually we are standing on a false platform, understanding this body as the self, and in relationship with the body we are considering, "This country is my country. This man is my family man" or "my national man." So all these bodily concepts of life is based on ignorance, because we do not know soul. Actually the human life is meant for being educated that he is not this body; he is soul. That is the Vedānta-sūtra philosophy, to inquire about the spirit soul. That is our main business. Unfortunately... We are traveling all over the world. There is no institution, no school, no college, no university where this education is given, that "What I am? Am I this body, or I am something else? No. I am something else."</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="LaTrobeUniversityLectureMelbourneJuly11974_47" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="152" link="La Trobe University Lecture -- Melbourne, July 1, 1974" link_text="La Trobe University Lecture -- Melbourne, July 1, 1974"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:La Trobe University Lecture -- Melbourne, July 1, 1974|La Trobe University Lecture -- Melbourne, July 1, 1974]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">We are educating people how to get out of the clutches of illusion that continually, one after another, we have to take birth. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam ([[Vanisource:BG 13.8-12 (1972)|BG 13.9]]). Real problem is this. So if we take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness—that means if we understand, "What is God? What I am? What is our relationship? What is the ultimate goal of our life?" If these things we understand, then we can get out of the clutches of illusion, repetition of birth, death, old age and disease. This is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, sum and substance. And to realize this, the method is very simple-chant the holy name of God. We are chanting the holy name of God: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. So our only request is that you have got this human form of body—don't misuse it. Don't waste it like animals simply by eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. You have got another business. A human being has got extra intelligence. That extra intelligence than the animal is meant for realizing himself, not to live like cats and dog. That is not human form of life.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="SundayFeastLectureAtlantaMarch21975_48" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="154" link="Sunday Feast Lecture -- Atlanta, March 2, 1975" link_text="Sunday Feast Lecture -- Atlanta, March 2, 1975"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Sunday Feast Lecture -- Atlanta, March 2, 1975|Sunday Feast Lecture -- Atlanta, March 2, 1975]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement is not on the bodily platform. It is on the spiritual platform. That He explained when He was talking with Sanātana Gosvāmī, that what is the identity of this living entity. Or he said, "What is my identity? Actually people address me as very learned man." He was very learned man. He was minister and was a brāhmaṇa. Naturally in those days he knew Sanskrit very well and Urdu, because Muhammadan kingdom, the Urdu language was state language just like during British period the state language was English. So he was quite conversant with these two languages, Urdu, Parsi, and Sanskrit. So he first of all submitted to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, "My dear Lord, people address me as panditji." The brāhmaṇas are generally addressed still in India as panditji, means learned. Because brāhmaṇa means learned. A brāhmaṇa cannot be mūrkhaji. That is not possible. Brāhmaṇa means brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. One who knows the Absolute Truth, he becomes brāhmaṇa; therefore he is addressed as panditji. So Sanātana Gosvāmī submitted that "These ordinary people address me as very learned man, panditji. But I know my position. I do not know myself, what I am. This is my position." Grāmya-vyavahāre kaha ei paṇḍita satya kori māni: "These fools calls me as paṇḍita, and I also think that I am paṇḍita, but actually I do not know what I am." Just see. This is the position. You ask all big, big doctors, scientists, philosophers, and ask him what you are. He will say, "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am this," "I am that," that's all. Bodily. This is going on. And he is fool number one, and he is passing on as the great scientist, great philosopher. One who does not know himself, what is the value of his learning? One must know his own identity. So everyone is identifying with this body—"I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am German," "I am Englishman"—and fighting is going on. Why fighting is going on? The living entity is part and parcel of God. He is spiritual spark. He is covered by this material body. Just like we are all human beings. Now we are covered by different dresses. That does not mean we are different. We are one as human being, as inhabitants of this earth, but on account of this dress, I am thinking you are my enemy, you are thinking I am your enemy. So Bhāgavata conclusion is,</p> |
| | :yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke |
| | :sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ |
| | :yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij |
| | :janeṣu abhijñeṣu sa eva go-kharaḥ |
| | :([[Vanisource:SB 10.84.13|SB 10.84.13]]) |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="LecturewithTranslatorSanandDecember251975_49" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="165" link="Lecture with Translator -- Sanand, December 25, 1975" link_text="Lecture with Translator -- Sanand, December 25, 1975"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture with Translator -- Sanand, December 25, 1975|Lecture with Translator -- Sanand, December 25, 1975]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So our real problem is that we... Every one of us, we are the spirit soul, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. We are struggling for existence within this material world. So manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati ([[Vanisource:BG 15.7 (1972)|BG 15.7]]), struggle for existence. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that "Your real problem is janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam ([[Vanisource:BG 13.8-12 (1972)|BG 13.9]])." We are eternal. We understand from Bhagavad-gītā, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre ([[Vanisource:BG 2.20 (1972)|BG 2.20]]). So if I am eternal, nityaḥ śāśvata, then why I am accepting death? This is real question. But foolishly we are thinking, "I am this body." Therefore we remain as an animal. So we should be interested to understand actually "What I am," ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That is real solution of all problems. This is called knowledge. But sometimes we are misled by misleaders; therefore we still remain in darkness in spite of cultivating knowledge. But actually, when we cultivate knowledge under the guidance of real guru, then we can understand vasudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ ([[Vanisource:BG 7.19 (1972)|BG 7.19]]). This is confirmed in the Vedas, Brahma-saṁhitā:</p> |
| | :īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ |
| | :sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ |
| | :anādir ādir govindaḥ |
| | :sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam |
| | :(Bs. 5.1) |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="AddresstoRotaryClubChandigarhOctober171976_50" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="176" link="Address to Rotary Club -- Chandigarh, October 17, 1976" link_text="Address to Rotary Club -- Chandigarh, October 17, 1976"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Address to Rotary Club -- Chandigarh, October 17, 1976|Address to Rotary Club -- Chandigarh, October 17, 1976]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa was engaged as the chariot driver of the chariot of Arjuna. And while the chariot was brought Prabhupāda: in the battlefield between the two groups of soldiers... Senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me 'cyuta ([[Vanisource:BG 1.21-22 (1972)|BG 1.21]]). Arjuna requested, "My dear Kṛṣṇa..." Kṛṣṇa was his friend and Kṛṣṇa was familywise related both with the Kurus and Pāṇḍavas. Kṛṣṇa's father and the Pāṇḍavas' mother, they were real brother and sister. In this way there were family relationship, and Kṛṣṇa therefore denied to take part in the actual fighting. The whole world was divided. Some of them joined this party; some of them joined that party. Just like it actually happens when there is big war. Even nowadays, all the nations, they make a group. Some of them forming were forming one group; another some of them, they formed another group. Exactly the same thing was done. Now Kṛṣṇa was the charioteer, but when the chariot was brought in front of the two soldiers' party, Arjuna became little bit disturbed that "I have to fight. On the other side they are my brothers, they are my nephews, they are my gurus, Dronācārya, and they are my grandfather, Bhīṣmadeva. So what kind of fight this is that I have to fight with my friends and relatives and family members?" So he hesitated, that "Kṛṣṇa, what kind of fight this is? They are not my enemies; they are all family members. So I am not interested in this fight." So he practically decided not to fight. And Kṛṣṇa said that "What is this nonsense? You are a military man, and you have come to fight here, and you are My friend and My relative also, and if you decide not to fight, what people will say?" This is the beginning. Then, after some arguments, Arjuna thought it wise that "Actually, I am a military man and I have come to fight a decision that we shall fight. Now what I am trying to do, to avoid this fighting? Actually it is not my business. I am deviating from my duty." Therefore... (aside:) Find out this, kārpaṇya-doṣa. Find out.</p> |
| | <p>Pradyumna:</p> |
| | :kārpaṇya-doṣopahata-svabhāvaḥ |
| | :pṛcchāmi tvāṁ dharma-sammūḍha-cetāḥ |
| | :yac chreyaḥ syān niścitaṁ brūhi tan me |
| | :śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam |
| | :([[Vanisource:BG 2.7 (1972)|BG 2.7]]) |
| | <p>Prabhupāda: Translation.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="GeneralLecturelocationdateunknown_51" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="185" link="General Lecture -- (location & date unknown)" link_text="General Lecture -- (location & date unknown)"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:General Lecture -- (location & date unknown)|General Lecture -- (location & date unknown)]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Guest: Whose disciple was Kṛṣṇa?</p> |
| | <p>Prabhupāda: He was also disciple of Sandipani Muni. Everyone has to become disciple. That is the Vedic system. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ gurum evābhigacchet. Without becoming disciple, nobody can understand.</p> |
| | <p>Guest: No, but Kṛṣṇa was Supreme God.</p> |
| | <p>Prabhupāda: That not... Supreme God... But He was playing just like human being. Supreme God we know by His activities. But He played the part of human being. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam: ([[Vanisource:BG 9.11 (1972)|BG 9.11]]) "Because I am playing just like ordinary human being, those who are foolish persons, mūḍha, less intelligent, they accept Me as ordinary man." Paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ: "They do not know the greatness behind Me. They do not know." Paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ. Mama bhūta-maheśvaram: "That I am the Supreme Lord." Because they do not know, therefore, simply by superficial observation, that "He is playing just like ordinary man," that "He is the chariot driver of Arjuna..." Now, somebody may say, "How Kṛṣṇa can be the Supreme Personality of Godhead? He was ordinary chariot driver of Arjuna. He was ordinary cowherds boy." Muhyanti yat sūrayayaḥ. Very great sages, great saintly persons, also sometimes become bewildered. But to understand Kṛṣṇa, that is explained also in the Bhagavad-gītā. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti ([[Vanisource:BG 18.55 (1972)|BG 18.55]]). Not by learning, not by education, not by scholarship. Bhaktyā. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ: "In reality what I am, that can be understood by the devotees, not by others." And in the beginning also, of the Bhagavad-gītā teaching, He said Arjuna that "I am teaching Bhagavad-gītā to you because you are devotee." Bhakto 'si priyo 'si: ([[Vanisource:BG 4.3 (1972)|BG 4.3]]) "You are My very dear friend and devotee. Therefore," rahasyam hy etad uttamam, "I am delivering this mystery of Bhagavad-gītā-yoga to you." So to understand Bhagavad-gītā requires that qualification: bhakto 'si. And similarly, on the Eighteenth Chapter, the Kṛṣṇa directly says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati ([[Vanisource:BG 18.54 (1972)|BG 18.54]]). The brahma-bhūtaḥ stage is liberated stage from material contamination. But you have to develop further. In the liberated stage, if you shall be satisfied simply being brahma-bhūtaḥ, self-realized, understanding yourself as Brahman, that is not sufficient. You have to make further progress. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati, samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu ([[Vanisource:BG 18.54 (1972)|BG 18.54]]).</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="Philosophy_Discussions" class="sub_section" sec_index="13" parent="Lectures" text="Philosophy Discussions"><h3>Philosophy Discussions</h3> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="PhilosophyDiscussiononHegel_0" class="quote" parent="Philosophy_Discussions" book="Lec" index="4" link="Philosophy Discussion on Hegel" link_text="Philosophy Discussion on Hegel"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Philosophy Discussion on Hegel|Philosophy Discussion on Hegel]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Śyāmasundara: In a way. First I understand that I relate to this body, somehow, then I get some understanding of outside objects, and then I get intelligence, real and moral choice.</p> |
| | <p>Prabhupāda: Yes, these things are there. These things are there. Supposing the animal, he is thinking that he's body but when he comes to the human form of body he thinks, "Am I really body?" Then he thinks, "No, I am not this body. It is my body." Advanced thinking. "Then what I am?" This is progression.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="PhilosophyDiscussiononHenriBergson_1" class="quote" parent="Philosophy_Discussions" book="Lec" index="6" link="Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson" link_text="Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson|Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Śyāmasundara: He says that real religion is a mystic oneness with God.</p> |
| | <p>Prabhupāda: Yes. Oneness means that I agree with God. God says that "You surrender," I say, "Yes, I surrender." God says to Arjuna, "You fight," he fights. That is oneness. That we have no disagreement, in any point, with God, that is oneness. Just like in this institution, our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When I say anything, there is no disagreement of any of the disciples. It is being done, taking God's representative, Kṛṣṇa's representative, so similarly with God also. But what I am doing? I am simply taking the order from God, and I am disseminating the same knowledge. I have accepted surrender unto Kṛṣṇa as my life. I am teaching others, "You also surrender." This is called disciplic succession. There is no disagreement with God. It is not that I am... (break) Yes. That means one who is God conscious, he is a mystic.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="PhilosophyDiscussiononJohnStuartMill_2" class="quote" parent="Philosophy_Discussions" book="Lec" index="8" link="Philosophy Discussion on John Stuart Mill" link_text="Philosophy Discussion on John Stuart Mill"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Philosophy Discussion on John Stuart Mill|Philosophy Discussion on John Stuart Mill]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Śyāmasundara: No. I mean that seems like he..., there's a fallacy in his reasoning, because if the medicine were undesirable, still it will cure you.</p> |
| | <p>Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. Just like I was not desiring to take my medicine. When I was a child it was very difficult to give me medicine. Three men required. (laughter) Yes. One will capture me, another (laughing) will take my legs, and then my mother will by force, I will do like this. (gestures locking of teeth, trying to force spoon into mouth, much laughter all around) This was my position. I won't agree to take any medicine. I was so obstinate.</p> |
| | <p>Śyāmasundara: So that which is really desirable...</p> |
| | <p>Prabhupāda: But because it is desirable, the force was applied.</p> |
| | <p>Śyāmasundara: So we cannot judge what is desirable. Only...</p> |
| | <p>Prabhupāda: No. Therefore our philosophy is mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ ([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 17.186|CC Madhya 17.186]]). The great personalities, what do they desire? Therefore we accept spiritual master, higher authority. Whatever he desires, that should be standard of desire, not my desire. Just like Kṛṣṇa desired the fight, not Arjuna's desire. Arjuna desired not to fight, but he changed his desire not to fight, to fight, because Kṛṣṇa desired, wanted it. Therefore our standard of desire should be that which is desired by greater personalities, not by me. What I am? I should always think of me as fool. Just like the same, when I was child, I was not desiring to take medicine, but my parents desired. That desire should be forced. Similarly, this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, if actually the state is serious to do the best desirable thing, they should make a law that anyone who is not chanting sixteen rounds, he will be hanged! Then everyone must chant: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa—the whole world. (laughter) Yes. There was a king. Yes. He wanted to see that everyone must have tilaka and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. So he was inspecting silently "Whether my subjects, they are chanting?" So one day he was... How you say? What is called? Incognito, in disguise, he was going. So one householder he was asking "Oh, bring them the beads. I will not forget, or they did not do. I have to abide by the laws, so Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa." Then the king could understand that "My order is being carried out in this way. A whole day he forgot, now he may be captured by law; therefore he's chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa." It happened so.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="PhilosophyDiscussiononJohnDewey_3" class="quote" parent="Philosophy_Discussions" book="Lec" index="10" link="Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey" link_text="Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey|Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Śyāmasundara: He says that the final outcome of inquiry is the fulfillment of human needs by practical action, to change the external environment.</p> |
| | <p>Prabhupāda: Yes. A human being, unless he is inquisitive about the Absolute Truth, he is not considered sufficiently developed in human form. Unless this enquiry is there, about self, what I am, he is not considered sufficiently developed in his consciousness. He is still in ignorance.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="PhilosophyDiscussiononMartinHeidegger_4" class="quote" parent="Philosophy_Discussions" book="Lec" index="13" link="Philosophy Discussion on Martin Heidegger" link_text="Philosophy Discussion on Martin Heidegger"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Philosophy Discussion on Martin Heidegger|Philosophy Discussion on Martin Heidegger]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Śyāmasundara: He doesn't make a judgment if there is life after death or not, he's simply like a psychologist examines what motivates people's behavior or...</p> |
| | <p>Prabhupāda: No. If you do not know whether he exist in the future or not... Just like a child, if he knows that "I shall exist as an old man," then there is question of what I shall become. If he does not know whether he'll exist or not, then what is the idea of becoming a teacher, or I can become (indistinct). First of all you should know that I exist only for this duration of life or I exist forever. That is real philosophy. Real philosophy is, "I exist forever." That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Just like I existed as a small baby, I existed as a boy, I existed as a young man. I remember all those existences, although the body is finished. Therefore the conclusion is that I shall exist when this body is finished. That is real knowledge. And it is common sense. If I existed as this child, I existed as a baby, I existed as a boy, I existed as a young man, and I am existing as old man, so why not I shall exist when this body is finished? In this life I experience so many bodies, they have left, they are no longer existing, but I see that I am existing; therefore why shall I not see that I will exist after the death. What do you think?</p> |
| | <p>Devotee: What do I think?</p> |
| | <p>Prabhupāda: Yes. You are understanding what I am speaking?</p> |
| | <p>Devotee: Hm. Actually I am sort of in awe of (indistinct), but I enjoy listening. (indistinct)</p> |
| | <p>Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He said he was being in awe of being with you, but he wasn't listening to the words.</p> |
| | <p>Prabhupāda: Thank you. All right. Then, this is the idea of existence. Therefore the philosophy is that I shall not be very much interested what I am going to become in this life. My philosophy should be that as I am eternally existing, what is my eternal occupation. That is philosophy.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="PhilosophyDiscussiononMartinHeidegger_5" class="quote" parent="Philosophy_Discussions" book="Lec" index="13" link="Philosophy Discussion on Martin Heidegger" link_text="Philosophy Discussion on Martin Heidegger"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Philosophy Discussion on Martin Heidegger|Philosophy Discussion on Martin Heidegger]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Śyāmasundara: By this existence or (indistinct) that a man can choose himself or win himself by his own improvement, that he can realize himself. If I exist then I can realize myself, what I am, what is my essence. And there are two types of existence, he says: authentic existence and inauthentic existence. Authentic existence is what one feels when that existence is something of his own. (break) So he says there are two kinds of existence: authentic existence and inauthentic existence. So a man who is leading an authentic existence, then he is something of his own. But he is leading an inauthentic existence, then he is busy, excited, or preoccupied, what they say, when he has lost himself, when he loses himself. That is inauthentic existence. Thus authentic existence is when a man is always aware, self-aware, of his existence: "What I am doing now, what I am doing now, what am I doing now." So he says that an inauthentic existence is fallen existence, that a man falls into averageness or everydayness or what he calls publicness, where he lacks individuality and becomes the group self, and his personal decisions are not based upon a individual...</p> |
| | <p>Prabhupāda: Everyone is living an inauthentic existence because... That is animal existence. He knows only the span of life from birth to death. That's all. That is inauthentic existence. When he knows that this is temporary... Just like suppose we are preacher, living in this apartment, say for a month. (indistinct). So this span of existence, one month or ten days or six months, this is inauthentic. But my preaching work, as preacher, I am (indistinct), that is my authentic existence. Is it not?</p> |
| | <p>Śyāmasundara: Yes.</p> |
| | <p>Prabhupāda: Does he think like that?</p> |
| | <p>Śyāmasundara: Yes. Because whatever you're doing, you are always aware of why I am doing it, what is it for, like that.</p> |
| | <p>Prabhupāda: Yes. So therefore the conclusion is that a human being should know, should distinguish what is authentic existence and what is inauthentic existence. That is human life. At least we should know it. That is the order of the Upaniṣads, that anyone who knows this, he is brāhmaṇa. Etad viditvā yaḥ prayāti. The dog does not know it, but a man can know this. If he knows it, then he's a brāhmaṇa.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="PhilosophyDiscussiononMartinHeidegger_6" class="quote" parent="Philosophy_Discussions" book="Lec" index="13" link="Philosophy Discussion on Martin Heidegger" link_text="Philosophy Discussion on Martin Heidegger"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Philosophy Discussion on Martin Heidegger|Philosophy Discussion on Martin Heidegger]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Śyāmasundara: He says that the understanding of my existence, of my being here, is truth. So when this, when all the details of why I am here and what I am here for become revealed, that is truth.</p> |
| | <p>Prabhupāda: Yes. Because I am true, therefore why I am here, that is truth. The basic principle is "I am truth." Therefore "Why I am here?" This is intelligent question. So that... These questions was asked by Sanātana Gosvāmī to Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The first question: "Actually what I am? I don't want miserable condition of life, but this world is full of miserable condition of life. So why this is?" This is actually human understanding, when one comes to this enquiry that "I do not want any miserable condition of life, but why this miserable condition of life is forced upon me?" Nobody wanted the Pakistan war, but somehow or other it was enforced. Similarly, there are so many difficulties. Śītoṣṇa sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, āgamāpāyino, they come and go, but they come and go, or they come, that's a fact. So we have to tolerate. But the question is why these miserable conditions come? Why I should tolerate? But even if I tolerate, that is not finished. So why this is the position? This "Why?" position is actually human life. That is called in the Vedānta-sūtra, brahma-jijñāsā. After trying (indistinct), when one is unable to make any solution, then the question comes "Why?" That is the beginning of human life. That is the beginning. Otherwise animal life. So animal life, this is animal is being slaughtered, but it cannot question, "Why I am being slaughtered?" That's all. "Why you are slaughtering me? I am also a living entity." It has no such (indistinct). That is animal's life. And when there is question "Why?" that is human life. "Why?" Kenopaniṣad.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="PhilosophyDiscussiononLudwigWittgenstein_7" class="quote" parent="Philosophy_Discussions" book="Lec" index="14" link="Philosophy Discussion on Ludwig Wittgenstein" link_text="Philosophy Discussion on Ludwig Wittgenstein"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Philosophy Discussion on Ludwig Wittgenstein|Philosophy Discussion on Ludwig Wittgenstein]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Śyāmasundara: Well, if I claim that I am this body, that means I have to know all of the conditions which make it true that I am this body. Then if all these conditions are true...</p> |
| | <p>Prabhupāda: First of all we must discuss what I am. Then we have to see whether I am this body or not. And what do you mean by "I am"? You are individual, I am individual. How I exact my individuality, and how you exact your individuality? What is the symptom? What is the meaning of "I am"? First of all you have to understand, what do you mean by "I am"? "I am" means my activities, "I am." That is "I am."</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="PhilosophyDiscussiononEdmundHusserl_8" class="quote" parent="Philosophy_Discussions" book="Lec" index="16" link="Philosophy Discussion on Edmund Husserl" link_text="Philosophy Discussion on Edmund Husserl"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Philosophy Discussion on Edmund Husserl|Philosophy Discussion on Edmund Husserl]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Śyāmasundara: He says that only this knowledge is absolutely certain.</p> |
| | <p>Prabhupāda: Yes. That is called brahma-jijñāsā. In the Vedānta-sūtra it is called brahma-jijñāsā, inquiring about brahma. That is the prerogative of human life. In the human life one can make inquiries what is the ultimate source, cause. And in animal life it is not sought. So if such inquisitive is not there, then it is animal. Just like at the present moment the newspaper is full of fighting news. But these things are animal news. Such kind of fighting was there also in the animal life—dogs and dogs fighting. They are not very important. Real important thing is what I am. That is real important. Just like Sanātana Goswami inquired from Caitanya Mahāprabhu, "So what I am? I do not want to suffer, but I have to suffer." These (indistinct), they are busy with the suffering, how they, this party or that party, but we are busy, "Why you are suffering?" That is human life, athāto brahma jijñāsā, why you are suffering. Not that superficially you see people are suffering and giving some relief, and then again suffering, again relief. (Sanskrit) But they don't inquire, "Why suffering?" That is intelligent. That is human life. These rascals, they have established this United Nations for the last twenty-five years, and they never inquire that "We have tried so much, but still, why you could not stop war?" The establishment of U.N. was that there should be no war, because they had very bitter experience of the World..., Second World War. So they established this United Nations, but the (indistinct), just like the Americans, they thought that "We are very rich. We have got..., we are very powerful, so under the girth of this United Nations, we shall control over all the world." That was the policy. So this superficial phenomenon, as just might have seen, will not help us. We must go deep to the root, why people are suffering. That is intelligence.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="PhilosophyDiscussiononCarlGustavJung_9" class="quote" parent="Philosophy_Discussions" book="Lec" index="18" link="Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung" link_text="Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung|Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Śyāmasundara: He says that the purpose of psychology is to come to grips with our unconscious or our shadow personality, and we must know who I am completely.</p> |
| | <p>Prabhupāda: Yes. That is real knowledge. That is real (indistinct). Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī presented himself to Lord Caitanya, "Please let me know what I am." This is the business. It requires the assistance of guru to understand our real identity.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="PhilosophyDiscussiononJeanPaulSartre_10" class="quote" parent="Philosophy_Discussions" book="Lec" index="19" link="Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre" link_text="Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre|Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Prabhupāda: What does it actually mean, "existential"?</p> |
| | <p>Śyāmasundara: It means that existence is prior to essence. In other words, the fact that I am first of all existing, living here, is the important thing, and that I determine what I am, my essence, as I unfold my life. Existence is the most important thing, prior to essence, what I am, my nature.</p> |
| | <p>Prabhupāda: What is the essence and what is existence?</p> |
| | <p>Śyāmasundara: Well, according to Sartre, existence... All I know when I am analyzing what I am, all I know is that I exist.</p> |
| | <p>Prabhupāda: Everyone knows that.</p> |
| | <p>Śyāmasundara: "I am." This is the first fact. What I am more than that is determined as I live my life, as I grow older...</p> |
| | <p>Prabhupāda: That is no standard of why living. The dog is living. He also exists. The cat is living. He also exists. And man is also living, exists. So different types of living beings are existing in different consciousness. So what is the standard consciousness?</p> |
| | <p>Śyāmasundara: There is no standard. He says that man's essence is nothingness or no-thingness. There is no-thingness about me. I am always changing. There is nothing determinant about my subjectivity.</p> |
| | <p>Prabhupāda: If you are changing, I am changing, then the changing is existence. But I am different from that existence because I am changing. I am changing. Suppose I have just now changed my dress. So I am the same. Actually, I am existing the same, but I am changing different dress or different body. So this changing is not very important because it will be changed. I am important. I am changing.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="PhilosophyDiscussiononJohannGottliebFichte_11" class="quote" parent="Philosophy_Discussions" book="Lec" index="25" link="Philosophy Discussion on Johann Gottlieb Fichte" link_text="Philosophy Discussion on Johann Gottlieb Fichte"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Philosophy Discussion on Johann Gottlieb Fichte|Philosophy Discussion on Johann Gottlieb Fichte]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Śyāmasundara: Much before him, about 150 years ago. He takes as the absolute first principle the self-consciousness or the evil(?), "I am", the awareness that I exist as an absolute a priori first principle.</p> |
| | <p>Prabhupāda: That is Vedānta. We are studying what I am. That is Vedānta philosophy, to study what I am. And the answer is given by us, Vaiṣṇava philosophers, that you are eternal servant of God. This is Vedānta. Everyone is searching what I am, we are giving the answer: "You are eternal servant of God." Now let them refute this that he's not servant, he's absolute(?). Our answer is there. Athāto brahma jijñāsā, to inquire about Brahman, the spirit soul. What is this spirit soul, what I am. What is the supreme. So, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's answer is already there, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). The real identity of the living entity is that he's eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="PhilosophyDiscussiononJohannGottliebFichte_12" class="quote" parent="Philosophy_Discussions" book="Lec" index="25" link="Philosophy Discussion on Johann Gottlieb Fichte" link_text="Philosophy Discussion on Johann Gottlieb Fichte"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Philosophy Discussion on Johann Gottlieb Fichte|Philosophy Discussion on Johann Gottlieb Fichte]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Śyāmasundara: He says that philosophy or the search for truth begins with the self-conscious demand that one should think thyself, think myself.</p> |
| | <p>Prabhupāda: Yes, that's nice. That is discussed in Bhagavad-gītā that you should meditate actually what I am. You go on analyzing your body, "Am I these hands? No, it is mine. Am I this head? No, it is my head." So naturally, you come to the point, "Then where I am? I am saying everything mine. Ahaṁ mameti ([[Vanisource:SB 5.5.8|SB 5.5.8]]). What is that I?" That is replied in the Bhagavad-gītā, (indistinct) kaunteya, kṣetra (indistinct). This body, I am not body, you study, it is the field which is given to me for acting. Just like if you are given one jurisdiction, some field, so act there, work there. Similarly, this body is given to us by nature as field of working. Therefore, this yogic meditation, this is consciousness, and I am not this body. That is the beginning of knowledge. Before that (indistinct) thinking that he's this body, he is no better than animal. Big animal. Here is the knowledge. When one understands that he is not this body, something beyond this body—"I am not this body, this is my body"—that is knowledge.</p> |
| | </div> |
| | </div> |
| | <div id="PhilosophyDiscussiononGeorgeWilhelmFriedrichHegel_13" class="quote" parent="Philosophy_Discussions" book="Lec" index="43" link="Philosophy Discussion on George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel" link_text="Philosophy Discussion on George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel"> |
| | <span class="link">[[Vanisource:Philosophy Discussion on George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel|Philosophy Discussion on George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel]]: </span><div class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Hayagrīva: In a very often-quoted passage Hegel writes, "God is only God insofar as He knows Himself. His self-knowledge is more over His consciousness of Himself in man and man's knowledge of God, a knowledge that extends itself into the self-knowledge of man in God."</p> |
| | <p>Prabhupāda: That, if he accepts that, then why not man takes knowledge of God from God? Then his knowledge is perfect. Why he should speculate?</p> |
| | <p>Hayagrīva: He considers man to be essential to God.</p> |
| | <p>Prabhupāda: But he, he has accepted God as man...</p> |
| | <p>Hayagrīva: Yes.</p> |
| | <p>Prabhupāda: So to possess the knowledge of God, the best duty of man is to take knowledge from God about God. I know myself, that he says, that God knows Himself. So if God knows, that is natural. I know what I am. So if you take knowledge of me from me instead of speculating, that is perfect knowledge. So here, in the Bhagavad-gītā, the God is explaining Himself. So if you simply take the knowledge given by God, that is your perfected knowledge of God. Why you are speculating? You are wasting time. Take the knowledge from God about Him, and then you have perfect knowledge. Why should you speculate? Suppose I am studying you, I am speculating, "Well, Hayagrīva may be like this, he might have so much money, he might have so much bank balance, he is living like that," this is speculation. But if I say, "Hayagrīva, what you are?" you say, "I have got this, I do like this," that is my perfect knowledge. Why shall I speculate?</p> |
| </div> | | </div> |
| </div> | | </div> |
| </div> | | </div> |