Three times (Lectures, SB)

Expressions researched:
"three times"

Notes from the compiler: VedaBase query:"three times" not "three times a day"not "three times daily" not "daily three times"

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- London, August 6, 1971:

Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (three times with response)

Prabhupāda:

janmādy asya yato 'nvayād itarataś cārtheṣv abhijñaḥ svarāṭ

tene brahma hṛdā ya ādi-kavaye muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ

tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ yathā vinimayo yatra tri-sargo 'mṛṣā

dhāmnā svena sadā nirasta-kuhakaṁ satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi

(SB 1.1.1)

So Vyāsadeva is offering his obeisances to satyaṁ param, the Absolute Supreme Truth, not to the relative truth. Everyone has to offer obeisances to somebody. Somebody... In our practical life, at least, we have to offer obeisances to the police constable. When you go on the street, as soon as they, "Stop!" So we have to obey. So how you can avoid obeying? They are saying that "We don't believe in God. God is dead. I am God." But why you are offering obeisances even to the small constable? That means you have to offer your obeisances to somebody. That is your position.

But we are offering obeisances to the relative truth. Relative truth means... That has been explained here that tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ yathā vinimayo yatra tri-sargo 'mṛṣā. We are offering obeisances to a temporary manifestation of tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ vinimayaḥ. Tejaḥ means fire, vāri means water, and mṛt means earth. So you take earth, mix with water, and put it into fire. Then grind it, so it becomes mortar and the brick, and you prepare a very big skyscraper and offer obeisances there. Yes. "Oh, such a big house, mine." Tri-sargo 'mṛṣā. But there is another place: dhāmnā svena nirasta-kuhakam. We are offering here obeisances to the bricks, stone, iron. Just like in your country especially—in all Western countries—there are so many statues. The same thing, tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ vinimayaḥ. But when we install Deity, actually the form, eternal form of Kṛṣṇa, nobody offers obeisances. They'll go to offer obeisances to the dead. Just like in British Museum. They are standing in queue to offer obeisances to a dead body. It has no value, but they are wasting time there. But here, if they are invited, "Oh, they are worshiping idol. Why shall I go? Why shall I go there?" This is called illusion. They are actually doing that, obeisances, but not to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on SB 1.1.3 -- London, August 20, 1971:

Anāsaktasya viṣaya, this is called viṣaya, material enjoyment. Eating, sleeping, mating and defending. This is called viṣaya. So one has to give up this viṣaya. Narottama (Locana) dāsa Ṭhākura says, viṣaya chāṛiyā, se rase majiyā, mukhe bolo hari hari. Unless you are detached from the viṣaya... Viṣaya is there even in birds' life, beasts' life. Viṣayaḥ sarvataḥ syāt. So in the beginning we cannot give up this viṣaya all of a sudden. But we should be trained up not to be attached to the viṣaya.

Anāsaktasya viṣayān yathārham. As much. We must eat. We must eat to the point that we may not die of starvation, not that "There is nice food, oh, let me eat. Then I cannot digest and I go three times to the W.C." (laughter) Not like that. That anāsaktasya. One should be unattached, that "I have to eat something for maintaining the body and soul together." Not that to the excess. Anāsaktasya viṣayān yathārham upayuñjataḥ. If one makes his life in that regulated way, then he is as good as a... Anāsaktasya viṣayān yathārham upayuñjataḥ, nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe. And the viṣaya enjoyment should be in connection with Kṛṣṇa. Just like we eat and others also eat, but we eat in relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has eaten, and we take the prasādam. In this way we make progress in spiritual life. Go on.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Vrndavana, October 16, 1972:

Prabhupāda: Just like Jagāi-Mādhāi, when they... In the beginning, they were very much adverse to saṅkīrtana, hari-saṅkīrtana, but one day, the Mādhāi was telling to Jagāi, "My dear brother, Jagāi, after all, these rascals sing very nicely, (laughter) Hare Kṛṣṇa. They sing ver..." "Oh, you are going to be Vaiṣṇava?" "No, no. I am not going to be Vaiṣṇava. (laughter) I'm just appreciating. They sing very nicely." So you go like that. They will arrest you. You have got good experience. In London, they were arrested. You were in London. How many times you were arrested?

Gurudāsa: Three.

Prabhupāda: Three times. Our record is that our people were arrested thirty-six times. They... Now the police has become disgusted. They don't arrest. Yes. But this thing is going on in Australia, especially in Melbourne. I have got, received... So they asked me what to do? To do? Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and you'll get good opportunity. When you are put into jail, you'll be free to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. So they are doing that. They are not eating. The minister in charge of the jail department, he was perturbed that "These people are not eating," and they were allowed to that "You can cook." But they refused, because the same kitchen, they're cooking, I mean to say, flesh. So refused. So then after few days, they were let loose. "All right. You go home." Yes. So this is going on.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Aligarh, October 9, 1976:

So the sound vibration, Caitanya Mahāprabhu gives it to the people in general. He says that the name, holy name, is as powerful as Kṛṣṇa. Nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis tatrārpitā niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ. And to smaraṇe, to hear and chant, there is no particular time. Just like gāyatrī-mantra and other things you have to chant in a different atmosphere, three times, tri-sandha. After taking bath. There are so many rules and regulations. But this Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra you can chant anywhere and everywhere at any time, without any regulative principles. Niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu regrets, etādṛśī tava kṛpā bhagavan mamāpi. "My Lord, You are so merciful upon Me, but still, durdaivam īdṛśam ihājani nānurāgaḥ, I am so unfortunate that I am reluctant to chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra." So our this movement is teaching very simple thing, that whatever you may be, wherever you may be, there is no expenditure. There is no loss. You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is our movement.

So the ladies and gentlemen who are present here, kindly take this instruction of the śāstra. Then you become situated in the transcendental, first-class system of religion. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje ahaituky apratihatā (SB 1.2.6). Ahaituki. But don't chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra with any motive. That is not good. Even if you chant with motive, that will take little time to become pure devotee, but better without any motive. As a matter of duty, you chant regularly. Ahaituky apratihatā. Then there will be no hindrances. You'll make progress without any hindrances. Ahaituky apratihatā. And then you'll be pleased. Yenātmā samprasīdati. Then you'll be feeling transcendental bliss. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni (CC Antya 20.12). And all the blazing fire of this material world will be extinguished.

Lecture on SB 1.2.14-16 -- San Francisco, March 24, 1967:

So śuśrūṣoḥ śraddadhānasya vāsudeva-kathā-ruciḥ syān mahat-sevayā. Mahat-sevā means if you, by chance, you get in contact of a great personality, great soul who knows Kṛṣṇa science, you just try to please him. Therefore we, every day in the morning, we sing yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. By pleasing such great soul, the spiritual master, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ, to please him means to please God. Because he is representative of God. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi **. If we cannot please such representative, bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa, then there is no hope. There is no hope of our spiritual advancement. Therefore the first duty in the morning is that dhyāyan stuvaṁs tasya yaśas tri-sandhyam. We have to remember about his glories and we have to offer our respectful obeisances unto him three times at least in a day, or tri-sandhyam. Tri-sandhyam means... In the morning, when the night is being passed, day is beginning, that is first sandhyam, junction. And then when the sun is on the meridian, that is also another junction, and when the day is passing and night is beginning, that is another junction.

So it is the duty of the student to offer respect to the bona fide spiritual master three times respect. So serve, mahat-sevā, because that will, I mean to say, help me in making advance in spiritual knowledge. Syān mahat-sevayā viprāḥ puṇya-tīrtha-niṣevaṇāt. And also by visiting sacred places. So it is not always possible to visit sacred places. It may be very distant place. But when you get chance of a bona fide spiritual master, a great soul, if you try to please him, to satisfy him, that will make you eligible to have taste for kṛṣṇa-kathā, on the topics of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.2.14-16 -- San Francisco, March 24, 1967:

Devotee: Swamiji?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee: Should one offer his respects to his spiritual master wherever he is at the first time,(?) or should he go to where the spiritual master is to offer his respects?

Prabhupāda: What do you say? I do not follow. What is that?

Devotee: Should a disciple go to his spiritual master directly to offer the respects at least three times, or offer them where he is?

Prabhupāda: Well, if it is possible to go to him directly, that should be taken chance. But if he's not, it is not possible, then his picture or his idea should be offered respect. Yes. But if he's directly available, one should avail of that. Any other question? All right. Let us have kīrtana. You are following the same verse from the book? Yes. (end)

Lecture on SB 1.3.15 -- Los Angeles, September 20, 1972:

We are calculating the years, the time also relative. That is the latest theory of the scientists, law of relativity. My hundred years and Brahmā's hundred years and an ant's hundred years, a germ's hundred years, they are not the same. Similarly time calculation, if you go in the upper planetary system, that time calculation is different. Just like in modern age, the sputnik age, they are flying sputnik. The first sputnik flight, they circumambulated this earth three times in one twenty-five hour and minutes. And they saw that there is night and day. Here in this planet our night and day experience is twenty-four hours. But as soon as you leave this planet, you fly in a different speed, there is three times night and day in one hour and minutes. So similarly everyone lives hundred years, but that hundred years are all relative. An ant's hundred years and man's hundred years is not the same. Similarly, a man's hundred years and a demigod's hundred years not the same. In different planetary system the time is... Similarly, if you go still up and up, the time is relative.

So we are calculating our three thousand years, four thousand years in our system. That three thousand or four thousand years, as soon as you go little up, it become one hour, twenty-five minutes. So Brahmā's one day is different. But it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā... You know, who are reading Bhagavad... Sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). You try to understand Brahmā's one day equal to our one thousand times of the yugas. And the yugas, as I have already explained... The Satya-yuga, 1800,000's of years; Tretā-yuga, 1200,000's of years. In the Satya-yuga people used to live for 100,000's of years. Vālmīki Muni, he practiced yoga for 60,000's of years. So unless one has got 100,000's of years duration of life, how he could practice 60,000's of years? So we should understand, everything is relative. This is called relative world. Relativity, law of relativity.

Lecture on SB 1.3.20 -- Los Angeles, September 25, 1972:

They haven't got to do anything with the people. They can employ the taxes for sense gratification, as it is going on now. Whatever taxes are levied, they are divided among the government servant. That's all. You don't get any benefit. You are simply paid, to pay tax. That's all. You don't get any benefit. That is everywhere, the modern government. So such thing happens because this material world is such that even if you make very nice arrangement, it will deteriorate. The time factor. So sometimes, when it happens so that the administrators, nṛpān, the kings, were neglectful in their proper duty, so it was so much aggravated, at that time Jamadagni, Bhṛgupati, he took the matter, took his sword. He was a brāhmaṇa, but to chastise these irresponsible kings, He killed them, killed them seven into three times, twenty-one times. And from history it appears that many of the kṣatriyas, they left India and they came to this part of the world. And so far my guess is concerned, you Europeans, Americans, you belong to that kṣatriya family descendant. But because you were separated directly from the Vedic culture, now you have become different. Now again that Vedic culture has come to your service. Take advantage of it. You see?

So one has to take this Vedic culture to make his life perfect, and... Of course, formerly the brāhmaṇas were so strong. That... they did not like to govern directly. They used to live in the forest, cultivating spiritual knowledge, writing books. They had no interest in taking charge of government. No. They never stood for election. There was no election. So kṣatriya-rudhira. So He purified this earth, the surface of the earth, by washing it by the blood of these kṣatriyas. This is the incarnation of Jamadagni, or Paraśurāma. Paraśurāma. Some of the sages, saintly persons, are still living. Still living. They are tri-kāla-jña. They have no past, present, future. When this whole universe will be annihilated, then they will go to Vaikuṇṭha or spiritual world personally. So Paraśurāma, Vyāsadeva, and many others, they are supposed to be still living. What is the purport?

Lecture on SB 1.3.29 -- Los Angeles, October 4, 1972:

So therefore here it is said that janma guhyaṁ bhagavato ya etat prayato naraḥ. Just like we are here, in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We don't claim that we have become perfect. That is not our... We cannot become perfect. Or at least, we have not become perfect. But prayataḥ, we are trying to be perfect. Prayataḥ. Prayataḥ means endeavoring, endeavoring for understanding God. So therefore here it is said, janma guhyaṁ bhagavato ya etat prayato naraḥ. Any person who endeavors for understanding Kṛṣṇa through the relative śāstras and devotional service, then what is the result? When? Sāyaṁ prātaḥ. Two times at least, in the evening and in the morning. So if we sleep in the morning, snoring, then how we can understand? It is recommended here, sāyaṁ prātaḥ. Tri-sandhyā. Tri-sandhyā means three times. We initiate... We... They promise that three times they will chant gāyatrī-mantra, but I do not know what they are doing.

So these are the recommendation in the śāstra. If we don't follow, then we must fall down. There is no doubt about it. But if we follow the regulative principles, as they are enjoined in the śāstra... Sādhu-guru-śāstra. Śāstra will say the same thing as guru advises. Sādhu-guru. A saintly person also will say the same thing. Just like here, Sūta Gosvāmī, he is saintly person. He is advising, sāyaṁ prātaḥ, "Morning and evening you should try to understand the science of God." Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, topics, chanting. So these are the process. Sāyaṁ prātar gṛṇan bhaktyā.

Lecture on SB 1.5.2 -- Los Angeles, January 10, 1968:

That is called yoga. By meditating on Viṣṇu, one realizes everything and gets some power, wonderful power. So Bhāgavata says that kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum. The perfection of life (is) attained in the Satya-yuga, or golden age, by meditating on Viṣṇu. That is meditation.

Tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ. The next stage, Tretā-yuga, by offering sacrifice. That is in the second age. And dvāpare paricaryāyām. In the next age, Dvāpara age, by temple worship, church worship. So Lord Caitanya says that kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva. Three times. Three times "no." That means meditation is not possible, sacrifice not possible, temple worship or church worship not possible. Then what is possible? Kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt. In this age, simply by chanting the glories of the Lord, Hare Kṛṣṇa. These are prescribed. Therefore Lord Caitanya, you see, He is preaching this cult, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa... There is no distinction whether you are in church or temple or mosque. You simply vibrate Hare Kṛṣṇa wherever you are, at home or in temple or anywhere. Or in the street or in bed, or in hospital or in office, you can chant. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. So kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ, dvāpare paricaryāyāṁ kalau... (SB 12.3.52). Kalau means this age, in the age of Kali. Hari-kīrtanāt, simply by chanting. Hari means God.

So here Nārada is asking Vyāsadeva, jijñāsitam. "You are a very perfect scholar." Now the first word is used here, jijñāsitam. A scholar is he who has perfectly inquired from his spiritual master. Inquiry. Just like in the Vedānta-sūtra, the first aphorism is athāto brahma jijñāsā. One must be very inquisitive. That... I have explained already several times, that first inquisitiveness should be "What I am? Am I this body? Oh, the bodily comforts are so many. I have got my car, I have got good apartment, I have got good wife, and... Why I am not happy? Why I am not happy? Everything is there. So am I this body?" No. Vyāsadeva here is asked this question, jijñāsitam. So jijñāsitam adhītaṁ ca. Jijñāsitaṁ susampannam api: "And after inquiry, you have very nicely written all kinds of literature, authoritative literature."

Lecture on SB 1.7.2-4 -- Durban, October 14, 1975:

Three times you have to take water and taste it. That is called upaspṛśya. So he did it. Āsīnaḥ apaḥ upaspṛśya praṇidadhyau manaḥ: then he began to concentrate his mind, meditation.

So that is called yoga. This meditation means bhakti-yoga. Meditation, that is the real meaning. Nowadays meditation has become a fashion, but meditation is described in the Vedic literature, dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). The yogis, they meditate, dhyānāvasthita. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā, the mind becomes fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, tad-gatena. Tat means transcendental Absolute Truth, oṁ tat sat. So tad-gatena manasā, mind being... Our mind is very restless, so it is very difficult. Five thousand years ago, when Kṛṣṇa instructed Arjuna to concentrate his mind, meditate, or meditate upon Supersoul, so Arjuna frankly admitted that it was not possible for him. He said to Kṛṣṇa, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, You are advising. That is nice. But it is not possible for me." Cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavad dṛḍham (BG 6.34). "Mind is so restless, just like wind blowing. So to capture the mind, to make him pacified, it is very difficult job. I don't think I shall be able to do it." Arjuna refused. But Arjuna was a great devotee; therefore Kṛṣṇa encouraged him. Arjuna did not know anything except Kṛṣṇa, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Then He encouraged him, that "My dear Arjuna, for you, you are the best yogi." Why? He described:

Lecture on SB 1.7.32-33 -- Vrndavana, September 27, 1976:

That opinion is already there in the Bhagavad-gītā, Vāsudeva personally giving instruction, but we neither take moral instruction, neither Vāsudeva's instruction, neither we have got any intelligence. This is Kali-yuga. Mūḍha. Generally, we are mūḍha, especially in the Kali-yuga. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). Here it is said, prajopadravam. So many upadravas. Actually, we are very much harassed on account of the time, place, circumstances, so on, so on. It is a very hopeless condition. Therefore śāstra has recommended that "You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." It is very hopeless condition. Harer nāma. Harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). Three. Three times. When you speak three times anything, it means I am giving stress, "You do this, you do this, you do this." So it is like that, that in order to stop so many inconveniences of the present day life, Kali-yuga... Kali means quarrel, simply creating quarrel, misunderstanding. This is Kali. So śāstra has given us... Kali-yuga is very dangerous to... One cannot make his life's mission fulfilled. One is not very happy. There are so many obstacles in the peaceful way of life. Even in the family, in the society, politically, nationally, internationally—so many difficulties. Everyone has got the experience. Therefore the recommendation of the śāstra, harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). Kevalam. You cannot rectify all these difficulties, because this is the age for all these difficulties. You must know it. They are trying to mitigate all these difficulties in different ways, but śāstra says that it is not possible. Only, it is possible only by chanting the harer nāma, the holy name of the Lord. The holy name of the Lord is Kṛṣṇa, Rāma. Other names are there, but they are subordinate. Not subordinate. There is no question of "superior" or "inferior" in the holy name of the Lord. But we have to pick up the order of the śāstras. Tasmād śāstra-vidhānokta As the śāstra gives regulative, we have to accept that. And if we do not accept that, yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ (BG 16.23), if we do whimsically, then na siddhiṁ sāvāpnoti, you cannot get any perfection of life, na sukham, neither you'll be happy.

Lecture on SB 1.8.21 -- New York, April 13, 1973:

So Kuntīdevī is pointed that "Who is the person, alakṣya, invisible?" Here, Kṛṣṇa. "Kṛṣṇa? There are so many Kṛṣṇas." Vāsudevāya, the son of Vasudeva. "There are many Vāsudevas." No, nanda-gopa-kumārāya (SB 1.8.21), nanda-gopa-kumārāya, the foster son of Mahārāja Nanda. Three times she's pointing: "Here is Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa who officially takes His birth as son of Devakī and Vasudeva, but He enjoys the company of Mother Yaśodā and Nanda Mahārāja—the childhood company. This is Kṛṣṇa's pastime.

So ānanda-līlāmaya-vigraha. Ānanda-līlā, Kṛṣṇa's līlā, pastimes are all jubilant. Ānanda-līlāmaya. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). He is by nature ānandamaya. Kṛṣṇa, you'll never find Kṛṣṇa is very unhappy. Kṛṣṇa is never unhappy. Kṛṣṇa is always happy. Therefore nanda-gopa-kumārāya govindāya (SB 1.8.21). He is happy, and whoever, whoever associates with Him, he's also happy. Govindāya. We are after sense gratification. Go means senses. So if you associate with Kṛṣṇa, you enjoy your senses affluently. Just like the gopīs are dancing with Kṛṣṇa. So there is no scarcity of sense gratification also. But that is not this sense gra..., gross sense gratification. That is spiritual sense. That is spiritual sense. Ānanda-cinmaya-sad-ujjvala-vigrahasya (Bs. 5.32). We chant every day. That sense, you get, sense gratification is ānanda-cinmaya, cinmaya, in the spiritual world. Not this third-class ānanda with these bodily senses. This is not ānanda. This is an illusion. This is illusion. We are thinking that "I'm enjoying," but that is not ānanda. This ānanda is not fact, because we cannot enjoy this material sense pleasure for long. Everyone has got experience. It is finished. It is finished. But spiritual enjoyment does not finish. It increases. That is the difference. Ānanda-cinmaya-sad-ujjvala-vigrahasya govindam ādi-puruṣam (Bs. 5.32).

Lecture on SB 1.8.30 -- Mayapura, October 10, 1974:

That's all right. So this is to be understood. Superficially understanding Kṛṣṇa... Of course, even not understanding. Simply by uttering the word "Kṛṣṇa" in love and affection, one becomes delivered. It is said: eka kṛṣṇa nāme yata pāpa hare, pāpī haya tata pāpa karibare nare(?). Kṛṣṇa-nāma is so powerful... It is said, if you chant thousand times Lord Viṣṇu's name, then the result is equal to once chanting Lord Rāma's name... I forget that, to recite that verse. But the purpose is this that... Viṣṇu-sahasra-nāma is recommended to be chanted by common man. But śāstra says that after chanting one thousand of Lord Viṣṇu's name—there are hundreds and thousands of names—it is equal to if you chant once Lord Rāma's name. Similarly, if you chant three times Lord Rāma's name, then it is equal to once chanting Kṛṣṇa's name. So we understand or not understand, if we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, the result is there. Without any offense, if we chant, then the result is... Once chanting of Kṛṣṇa's name is so powerful that immediately the chanting makes you free from all kinds of reaction of sinful activities. Eka kṛṣṇa-nāme yata pāpa hare, pāpī haya tata pāpa kari bare nare(?). The pāpīs, they are very much expert in committing sinful activities, but Kṛṣṇa, this holy name, once chanted, is so powerful that this expert sinful man cannot commit so many sinful activities. This is there. So some way or other, if we offenselessly chant Hare Kṛṣṇa name, it is so powerful.

So here Kuntī says, janma karma ca viśvātmann ajasya. Aja means who never takes birth. Ajasya. Aja, the living entities, they are also aja, but sometimes the living entity, being attracted by the material energy, they come to this material world. Then their quality of aja, or not to take birth, becomes vanquished, because in the material world one has to take birth. But actually spirit soul, or the Supreme Spirit, Kṛṣṇa, they are aja. Ajo nityaḥ śāśvato 'yam. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said clearly that living entity is aja, nitya, śāśvata, ayam. "Then how he is dying?" one may question. That is also replied: na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Don't think... That dying means he's changing body, not dying. Therefore... Because Kṛṣṇa says the living entity is aja, everyone can question that "If he's aja, he does not take birth, then why he's taking birth? Why he's dying?" The answer is immediately there: na hanyate: "Don't think that he's dying." Na hanyate. "No, I see his body's being burned." No, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). That body is being burned.

Lecture on SB 1.15.27 -- Los Angeles, December 5, 1973:

You can derive the same benefit as Arjuna by reading Bhagavad-gītā. People say that Arjuna was enlightened because Kṛṣṇa was present before Him. But Kṛṣṇa is present before you also, by His words, by His sound representation. Just like Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, Kṛṣṇa's name, it is not different from Kṛṣṇa. Nāma, abhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ (CC Madhya 17.133). Nāmi... Here in the material world the name and the person whose name, that is different because it is material. If you want water, this water substance or water is different from the name water. You cannot quench your thirst simply by chanting "Water, water." That is not possible. Because it is material. But you can realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. That is the significance of spiritual and material. Otherwise, how people are satisfied simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra? Let him chant some other name, material. No. You cannot chant more than three times. Then you will feel tired. But you can go on chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra for hundreds and millions of years. It will, still you will not feel tired. That is the difference. Therefore His name and He is not different. Abhinnatva.

Lecture on SB 1.15.47-48 -- Los Angeles, December 25, 1973:

"Why you are thinking of only one small newspaper? You do not know what is spiritual world. This material world is one-fourth portion of the whole creation of the Lord. And the three-fourths' portion is the spiritual world. And in this one fourth portion there are innumerable universes. And in one of the universes... This is one of the universe. And in each universe there are millions of planets. And this planet, earthly planets, is only a small planet in that universe. And on this earthly planet, there are so many cities. And in each city, there are so many newspapers. And each newspaper has got so many editions. This is the position of the material world. Now, think over the spiritual world. It is... The spiritual world is three fourths, three times bigger than this material... And there are so many planets, so many universes, and so many activities. So we can produce not one newspaper daily, but every minute a newspaper. We can produce. Unfortunately, there is no customer. You see? This is the difficulty. For material news, there are so many customers, but when we put something, spiritual news, no customer. This is the difficulty. Otherwise... You are thinking of one newspaper daily. We could issue every second a newspaper about spiritual news." So this sixty books is not sufficient. It is simply an introduction to the spiritual activities of the spiritual world. People have no interest. They do not know. We are simply trying to introduce it.

So this can be understood by viśuddha-dhiṣaṇāḥ, purified meditation. That requires practice, how to purify. Viśuddha-dhiṣaṇāḥ tasmin nārāyaṇa-pade. And it can be achieved by persons, ekānta-matayo gatim. A person who has decided, "Now, in this life, I must go back to home, back to Godhead," for him, it is possible. This decision.

Lecture on SB 1.16.3 -- Los Angeles, December 31, 1973:

When you are competent, fit, for going there, then you can go there. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ, bhūtejyā yānti.. (BG 9.25). You can go, but you must be qualified, pitṛ-vratāḥ, deva-vratāḥ. Similarly, you can go to Kṛṣṇa also if you are kṛṣṇa-vratāḥ. Mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām. What to speak of going to other planets, if one is qualified, if one is pure devotee, Kṛṣṇa says, "He also comes to Me." So this exchange of going and coming is not difficult, provided a person is qualified. Not a cat and dog can go. That is not possible.

So another important point is... Ājahārāśva-medhāṁs trīn, three times. The aśvamedha-yajña is so expensive that the king of heaven, Indra, he executed the aśvamedha-yajña seven times. So Mahārāja Pṛthu was also going to complete seven times. So there was some, I mean to say, competition. The Indra would not allow him to complete seven times. Otherwise he would become equal with him. So amongst the kings, not only in this planet, but in other planets also, the aśvamedha-yajña was performed by very, very powerful rich kings, not ordinary kings. It is very expensive job. Because it is stated, bhūri-dakṣiṇān, and vast amount of money required for distribution in charity. Then you can perform aśvamedha-yajña. Similarly, there is gomedha-yajña. Aśvamedha-yajña was to send the horse with flag, that "Such and such king is the emperor of the whole world." So if some king in some state, he does not agree that "He is emperor," he will capture the horse, "I don't agree, I don't accept." Then there will be fight, "You have to accept." In this way there will be sacrifice.

Lecture on SB 1.16.3 -- Los Angeles, December 31, 1973:

So Mahārāja Parīkṣit was the emperor of the whole world, whole this planet. So he performed three times. Now, that means three times he challenged, "If there is any dispute, any objection of my becoming emperor?" This is aśvamedha-yajña. "If you have got any objection, then I will make you obliged to accept me. Otherwise, if you accept, that's all right. You remain in your state. Give me tax." This is the... So this is very expensive job. Formerly one king performed this aśvamedha-yajña, and bhūri-dakṣiṇān. He gave in dakṣiṇa... Dakṣiṇa means in charity. Just like you give dakṣiṇa to your spiritual master for initiation, similarly, here also, it is said, śāradvataṁ guruṁ kṛtvā. Everything must be executed under the guidance of a guru, not whimsically, "Oh, I have got my own idea, I have got my own God. I can do whatever I like." This is simply waste of time. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ (BG 16.23). In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that "Anyone who does not follow the instruction of the śāstra, how things should be done," śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ, "does things whimsically," na sukhaṁ sāvāpnoti, "he will never get happiness." Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ, na sukhaṁ sa...

So everything should be done according to śāstra. And the śāstra should be guided by ācārya, guru. Ācārya means one who knows what is there in the śāstra. He practices in his life and teaches the disciple. He is called ācārya. Ācārya is not a whimsical thing. He must know. Therefore Parīkṣit Mahārāja appointed ācārya, śāradvatam. He is the brother of Droṇācārya. Droṇācārya was also ācārya, but he was military ācārya. And here he was ācārya for Vedic rituals, ācārya. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva (MU 1.2.12). Guruṁ kṛtvā. In order to do things very rightly, you must appoint... Just like if you are going to the court to file some suit, do it very nicely. You have to appoint a very good lawyer. Similarly, these Vedic principles, the Vedic rituals, they should be performed under the direction of ācārya, guru, not whimsically. So therefore this kind of sacrifices are forbidden in this age, in this age.

Lecture on SB 1.16.5 -- Los Angeles, January 2, 1974:

Even the post of Lord Brahmā or Indra, the heavenly king, it has no meaning. Vidhi-mahendrādiś ca kīṭāyate. That is stated by Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī. He says that kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. Kaivalyam, the monism, to merge into the effulgence, the Absolute Truth, to become one, that is called kaivalyam, only spirit, that's all. So for a devotee this kaivalya perfection, monism, is as good as hellish condition of life. Kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. And tridaśa-pūr ākāśa-puṣpāyate. Tri-daśa-pūr means the higher heavenly planets where big, big demigods live. Just like people are trying to go to this planet, that planet. So tri-daśa-pūr. Tri-daśa means thirty, three daśa, ten times...aḥ, three times ten. So there are thirty millions of demigods. And they have got different planets also. So they are promised, "If you come to this demigod's planet, yānti deva-vratā devān (BG 9.25), you will get so much happiness, you will live for so many years, you will have better standard of life, thousand times more than in the... These are... They are described in the Vedas. But a devotee says that this tri-daśa-pūr, this heavenly planet, is as good as phantasmagoria. They have no value for these things.

So the..., this is the aspiration of the karmīs, to elevate life to higher standard of life. As the world is going on... The struggle is going on for having a higher standard of life. But they are becoming implicated. Now, there was bull-drawn cart or horse-drawn carriages. Now they have got nice cars also, but the problem is petrol. So the karmī world is like that. You create one kind of happiness, but side by side you create another kind of unhappiness. This is called karmī-yoga. Just like if you want to raise one big skyscraper building, then you have to dig somewhere to get the earth to make the bricks and the iron. You cannot manufacture without taking help of the nature. So if you raise here, you must dig here. This is karmī-yoga. If you want to enjoy something extraordinarily, you must create another unhappiness extraordinarily.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-2 -- New York, April 19, 1973:

That, later on it came. So we should always be confident that this chanting is not a vibration of this material world. This is not vibration of material world. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, golokera prema-dhana hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana. It is imported from the spiritual world. It is completely spiritual. Otherwise how it is possible? Sometimes the so-called yogis, they say that chanting... In Bombay there is a so-called rascal, he says, "The chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and chanting of Coca-cola is the same." He is such a rascal. He does not know that this is not a vibration of this material world. But one who has no knowledge, they think that "What is the meaning of this chant, 'Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa'?" But they can practically see that we can go on chanting day and night, still we shall not become tired, but any other material name you take, after chanting three times you will feel tired. That is the proof. You can go on chanting day and night, you will never feel tired. So these people, poor people, they have (no) brain to understand.

Anyway, the chanting is so auspicious, Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given His benediction, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam (CC Antya 20.12). We are suffering in this material world because we are not cleansed of our understanding or of our heart. The heart is not cleansed. So this chanting will help us to cleanse the heart.

Lecture on SB 2.9.10 -- Tokyo, April 26, 1972:

Prabhupāda: Why there should be? Everyone is engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. So in other words, here also, anyone who is engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, it doesn't matter whether he is born in mleccha family, yavana family or Muslim family or Hindu family or brāhmaṇa family. These distinctions are completely abolished because the real business... Everyone is mukta, liberated. He is engaged in real business, Kṛṣṇa's service. What is the purport?

Pradyumna: "The kingdom of God or the atmosphere of Vaikuṇṭha nature, which is called the tripād-vibhūti, is three times bigger than the material universes and is described here as also in the Bhagavad-gītā, in a nutshell. This universe, containing billions of stars and planets, is one of the billions of such universes clustered together within the compass of mahat-tattva. And all these millions and billions of universes combined together constitute only one-fourth of the magnitude of the whole creation of the Lord. There is the spiritual sky also. Beyond this sky the spiritual planets are there under the names of Vaikuṇṭha, and all of them constitute three-fourths of the entire creation of the Lord. God's creations are always innumerable. Even leaves of a tree cannot be counted by a man, nor the hairs on his head. However, foolish men are puffed up with the idea of becoming God himself, although unable to create a hair of their own bodies."

Lecture on SB 3.25.26 -- Bombay, November 26, 1974:

Therefore, for the common man, this chance is given. This temple is meant for that purpose, that people will come see the Deity. The Deity is Kṛṣṇa. Don't think otherwise. Kṛṣṇa has agreed to be dressed by you. If you think of Kṛṣṇa, about His virāḍ-rūpa, you will fail to bring dress for that virāḍ-rūpa. His head is on the sky; another leg is on the Pātāla. That is also true. But you cannot conceive of Kṛṣṇa in His virāḍ-rūpa and at the same time dress Him and give Him something to eat. That is not possible. Therefore Kṛṣṇa has become so merciful. Here, of course, the Deity is very big. Not very big. In Hyderabad we have got three times bigger Deity, like... But you can have a small Deity. Many Vaiṣṇava, they carry Deity with them, a small Deity in a small box, and they worship. So Kṛṣṇa... Aṇor aṇīyān mahato mahīyān. He can become bigger than the biggest and the smaller than the smallest. That is Kṛṣṇa.

So real thing is bhakti, bhaktyā. Therefore it is said, bhaktyā pumāñ jāta-virāga aindriyāt. And the more you serve Kṛṣṇa, serve Kṛṣṇa... You give Kṛṣṇa to eat; you give Kṛṣṇa to be dressed nicely. Then you will forget dressing of yourself. Now see these devotees. They are dressing Kṛṣṇa so nicely, they are satisfied with that dressing of Kṛṣṇa. They are not very much busy for dressing themselves. This is bhakti-yoga, virāga. Everyone is very busy how to dress himself very nicely so that he may be attractive, but if you try to dress Kṛṣṇa nicely, then you will forget yourself how to dress nicely. Is it not practical? Anyone will agree. These Vaiṣṇavas, these boys, they are young boys. The girls, they are... They don't care for their dress because they are dressing Kṛṣṇa. This is the way. You dress Kṛṣṇa nicely. You give Kṛṣṇa nice foodstuff.

Lecture on SB 3.26.9 -- Bombay, December 21, 1974:

Living entity is the adhama-puruṣa, and the Supersoul is the madhyama-puruṣa, and Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is uttama-puruṣa, the Supreme. And in this material world the adhama-puruṣa is called also nitya-baddha. Similarly, there are other living entities in the spiritual world, they are called nitya-mukta or nitya-siddha. They never come in this material world. Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī. In his Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, he describes some comparison, that the sea fishes, they never come to the river. The river fishes sometimes go to the sea, but the sea fishes, they never come to the river. Similarly, there are living entities in the spiritual world. They never come in this material world. Their number is greater, at least three times greater than all the living entities within this material world. And the Supersoul, He is also living entity, but superior, Supersoul. Soul and Supersoul.

So the Supersoul is also living with the..., along with this ordinary living entities as friends. That is described in the Upaniṣad, that two birds are sitting on one tree. One bird is eating the fruit and the other bird is simply witness. Paramātmā, upadraṣṭā anumantā. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā. Paramātmā is existing within our heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). He is simply upadraṣṭā. He is not enjoying. He has no interest to enjoy this material world. But the other bird, the living entity, he is trying to enjoy this material world. And according to his karma, upadraṣṭā... I wanted to do something or I have done something. The resultant action, I will have to enjoy or suffer in the next life. The witness is the Paramātmā, sākṣī, upadraṣṭā anumantā, antaryāmī, sākṣī.

Lecture on SB 3.26.34 -- Bombay, January 11, 1975:

So simply you have to train your mind. Man-manā bhava..., this, the prescription. Mām evaiṣyasi asaṁśaya. Kṛṣṇa says that "You, this practice," mām evaiṣyasi, "you will come to Me." Asaṁśaya. Kṛṣṇa says, "There is no doubt about it." So why don't you do that? Train your mind, always Kṛṣṇa conscious, and the method is simple. You do not require much education or university degree—nothing of the sort. Simply man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ: you just become devotee of Kṛṣṇa and always think of Him. Where is the difficulty? You can walk on the street and remember Kṛṣṇa. Is there any tax? No, the government will not ask you for any income tax, sales tax, that "You are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa." They may do so. The time is coming. (laughter) They may say, "The Hare Kṛṣṇa people must be taxed three times because they are chanting and doing nothing." The Communist government will do that. So never mind. The tax will be sent by Kṛṣṇa. (laughter) You haven't got to bother. Still, yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 9.22), Kṛṣṇa says. You believe in Kṛṣṇa. Then every problem is solved. We have no problem if we simply follow Kṛṣṇa's instruction. Kṛṣṇa says, teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 10.10). Even they tax for chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa will bring the money. We are getting that practically. So you know the history, how this land was purchased. There was no money, but Kṛṣṇa sent money and everything was done nicely. So there is no anxiety, provided we are purely Kṛṣṇa conscious, without any other desire.

Lecture on SB 3.26.35-36 -- Bombay, January 12, 1975:

So He is teaching us. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the teacher. Āpani ācari' prabhu jīvere śikhaila. But still, it is very difficult to strictly follow. But we must try to follow as far as possible. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu has therefore taught us, tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā. We must be tolerant like the trees or more than the tree. The trees, they are standing in the open air, and there are so many disturbances, storms, scorching heat, and somebody is taking the leaf, somebody cutting. It doesn't protest. Tolerance. This is very good example of tolerance. So in order to execute our spiritual consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we shall learn tolerance. Tolerance, that is advised in Bhagavad-gītā, that tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata: "Don't be disturbed." Just like a brāhmaṇa or a sannyāsī has to take three times bath. And if it is very chilly cold, it does not mean that he will give up that taking bath three times, early in the morning. He must take. That is called tolerance. This is one of the example of tolerance. There is severe cold, chilly cold, but my duty is to take bath in the morning. So we must tolerate. I must tolerate that chilly cold, and still, I take my bath. This is called tapasya, not that "It is very chilly cold. I will not take my bath." No, that is not allowed. Then you are lagging behind. You must take. Of course, if it is very serious, somebody is seriously ill, that is different thing. Generally, Kṛṣṇa advises, tāṁs titikṣa... Mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ, anityāḥ (BG 2.14). Anitya. Anitya means they are not permanent. Āgamāpāyino 'nityāḥ. They are seasonal changes. They will come, and they will go. Simply ethereal arrangement only, we must know, external arrangement. It is, rather, illusion.

Lecture on SB 3.26.35-36 -- Bombay, January 12, 1975:

This is Agni-Purāṇa, Brahmāṇḍa-Purāṇa, Brahma-vaivarta-Purāṇa, and Kali-santaraṇa-Upaniṣad. There are many Vedic literatures, they are recommended, this Hare Kṛṣṇa. Sometime it is said, "Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare"; sometime it is "Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare." So people become puzzled, which one should be first vibrated. So any one you can vibrate. Either you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa or Hare Rāma in the beginning, it doesn't matter. There is no difference between the holy name of Kṛṣṇa and Rāma. But still, there is some distinction. In the śāstra it is said that "If you chant one thousand times Lord Viṣṇu's name, that is equal to chanting one name of Lord Rāma." Sahasra, sahasra, Viṣṇu-sahasra-nāma. And if you chant three times Lord Rāma's name, it is equal to one time chanting Kṛṣṇa's name. This is the shastric injunction.

So either you chant Viṣṇu name or Lord Rāma name or Lord Kṛṣṇa's name, there is no difference, as you are, because different people become devotee to different forms. Sometimes they are devotee of Lord Rāmacandra; they want to worship Sītā-Rāma. That is also good. Sometimes they want to worship Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa. That is also good. And sometimes they want to worship Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. That is also the same. There is no difference. Rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan nānāvatāram akarod bhuvaneṣu kintu, kṛṣṇaḥ svayaṁ samabhavat (Bs. 5.39). There are many manifestation of Viṣṇu-advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33)—but the original manifestation or original Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Really, when we speak of Bhagavān, that is Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa's expansion, they are also Bhagavān.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-8 -- Stockholm, September 6, 1973:

Svarūpa Dāmodara replied that "Raghunātha has given up that business standing on this. He thought that it is standing like prostitute. 'No, I don't want.' " Then, "How he's eating?" "No, he is collects some rice which is washed away from the kitchen, and he eats that." Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmī was doing that. Caitanya Mahāprabhu one day went to his place and He was searching, just He was encouraging, He was searching. He saw that a small pot some rice is kept. So, "Raghunātha, what is this?" (He) began to eat, "Oh, (this) is very nice. You eat such nice things, you do not invite us?" (laughter). Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmī said, "It is not for you, don't take it, don't..." "No, no, it is very nice!" In this way Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmī increased, and later on, when after departure of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when he went to live in Vṛndāvana with the six gosvāmīs, he is also one of the gosvāmīs, he was taking three times bathing, but not eating. Every alternate day, he will take a little buttermilk. That's all. This is called tapasya, austerity. Coming to the point of nil, no more eating. No more sleeping, no more sex life, no more defense. This is perfection. Who will accept this? (laughter)

Therefore Ṛṣabhadeva says nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke, to collect for eating, sleeping and mating, whole day and night working, this is not good. Then what is good? Tapaḥ. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvaṁ śuddhyed (SB 5.5.1). Sattvam means your existence has to be purified. Our existence, this existence is not purified, therefore we have got this material body. Now what is the decitement (?). Let us have this material, we are enjoying very nicely. What is this bad? But these rascals, they have no idea that we can avoid the, I mean to say, miserable condition of this body. We can avoid. This, in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudar... (BG 13.9), but they do not know that this is unhappiness, this is distaste.

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

Tapa means voluntary suffering. That is called tapasya. The voluntary suffering means what is our enjoyment? First of all let us see. The enjoyment is if we can eat voraciously, eating, and if we can sleep thirty hours, and if we have got sex life without any discrimination, and don't care for defense. That's all. This is enjoyment life, material enjoyment means. Now, tapasya means denying all these things, denying. Eating as much as I require to maintain my body—this is tapasya, not that voraciously eating. Tapasya means practically not eating. That is tapasya: not eating. Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, he was a very rich man's son. So he showed us the example, what is tapasya. He gradually reduced his eating, every alternate days a little butter. That's all. Raguṇatha dāsa Gosvāmī. And still, he was taking three times bath and hundred times... Sāṅkhyā-pūrvaka-nāma-gāna-natibhiḥ. He was offering obeisances flat hundred times and taking bath three times. Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, those who have gone to Rādhā-Kunda, you have seen, the extreme tapasya. He was very rich man's son. In those days his father's income was twelve lakhs of rupees. He left his happy home and joined Caitanya Mahāprabhu and exemplified tapasya. He showed.

So tapasya generally means that first thing is that we should reduce our eating, sleeping, mating and defense. This is called tapasya, voluntarily accept. Suppose I am accustomed to eat very voraciously, and if I have to execute tapasya, that means I will have to reduce my eating to the point of no eating. But that is not possible. But that will create some trouble. But I will accept this trouble, this is called tapasya. I am habituated to sleep so many hours; I will have to reduce it. Yuktāhāra vihāraś ca. We don't say, "Don't sleep," but we say, "Reduce sleep as much as possible. Reduce your eating as much as possible." So this is called tapasya. And brahmacaryeṇa. Brahmacaryeṇa means completely cessation of sex life. So that is not possible to completely give up eating or completely sex life, but make it regulated.

Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- Los Angeles, June 26, 1975:

Śamo damaḥ titikṣa satyam. Satyam means truthfulness. One should be so truthful that if a rogue comes to him and if he asks, "What money you have got?" he will say, "I have got so much money." This is called satyam. He will not conceal even to the enemies. That is called truthfulness. Everything should be plainly and truthfully presented. These are satyam. And śaucābhyām, cleanliness. Cleanliness means if you go to the latrine, the injunction is that you will have to wash your hands, legs, so many times. Not with water, but with earth. Nowadays it is soap. So if we cannot wash our hands and legs for many times, at least we should wash once or twice with soap. This is called śaucam. A brahminical qualification is he is very neat and clean, three times taking bath, and keeping the body very neat, cloth, everything. Where he lives, his bedding, his place—all must be cleansed. And yamena niyamena vā: sex control, mind control, and senses control by regulative principles.

So we have to observe all these regulative principles if we want to become first-class man. And without becoming first-class man, nobody can understand what is God. That is not possible. Fourth-class man cannot understand. It is not possible. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. A brāhmaṇa, or the first-class man, is he because he knows Brahman. He knows Brahman, what is God—even not perfectly well, but Brahman, the impersonal conception of the Supreme. This impersonal conception of the Supreme Absolute Truth is also brahma-jñāna, but that is partial. God is sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). His form, His person... Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that "My dear Arjuna, you, Me, and all these men who have come here, we existed like this in the past." That means we are all individuals, because when Kṛṣṇa was speaking in the battlefield, He is person, and He was teaching Arjuna—he is also person. And the soldiers and other kings, they are also all persons. So Kṛṣṇa says that "It is not that we are imperson in the past or we shall become imperson in the future." No. Just like, take another example, that before our birth, accepting this body, I was a person, you were a person. And according to our personal different activities, pious or impious, we have got this body.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- New York, August 1, 1971:

We have to get this hammer, blacksmith hammer of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and immediately finish everything. This is Kali-yuga. Simply one... Who can do this? This one hammer, finishing all, who can do this? Vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ. Bhaktyā vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ. By devotional service one has to become vāsudeva-parāyaṇa, devotee of Lord Vāsudeva. That's all. That is being taught here: how to become lover of Vāsudeva. This prescribed method, that rise early in the morning, have maṅgala-ārātrika, kīrtana, then bhoga-ārātrika, kīrtana, then go to the street saṅkīrtana, then come back, again kīrtana, again ārātrika—simply engaged in Vāsudeva's service. That includes everything. All these austerities, penance, charity, and cleanliness... They're clean. They're taking bath every day three times, at least two times, they are taking bath, although previous to this, perhaps weekly they were taking once bath. You see? So how they have become? This is practical proof. Vāsudeva-parāyaṇa. Therefore whole people of the world should be made vāsudeva-parāyaṇa by the simple method of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and they will be all peaceful. It will become Vaikuṇṭha. Otherwise it is hellish. It is, has already become a hell, the whole world. And if you don't take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this hellish condition of life will simply make progress, in spite of all your education and economic development. That's a fact. Those who are thoughtful, they should take this Movement very seriously. They should try to understand what is the value of this Movement. It is not that something manufactured by me or by man. It is authoritative.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- New York, August 1, 1971:

Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānām (BG 10.10). One who is always engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. How? Bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam. Not that it is disgusting. No. Prīti, with love. Of course, it may be disgusting in the beginning. But as you make progress in service, you'll find it pleasing, not disgusting. That is the taste that you have developed. When you do not feel disgusted in the service, in executing the service of the Lord, that means you have made progress. That material service becomes disgusting.

Just like for example, here is Kṛṣṇa's name, "Hare Kṛṣṇa." Throughout one's life, twenty-four hours, he's chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. But it is not disgusting. But take any material name and chant it three times, you become disgusted. This is a fact. But these boys, these girls, throughout, throughout their life will go on chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, will never be disgusted, but they will chant more and more. So this is prīti. The more you chant, the more you become attached: "Let me chant more." Not disgusted, but "Let me chant more." This is called prīti. Similarly, any service of the Lord. This is service by śravaṇam and kīrtanam. That is the beginning. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam (SB 7.5.23). Then always remembering Kṛṣṇa. When you are perfect in chanting and hearing, then you'll always remember Kṛṣṇa. That means in the third stage you become the greatest yogi. Because Kṛṣṇa says, yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā śraddhāvān bhajate yo mām: (BG 6.47) "One who is always engaged..." So Kṛṣṇa says, teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam, dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ tam (BG 10.10). Then Kṛṣṇa reveals and gives him intelligence: "You do like this. You do like this." Why Kṛṣṇa gives intelligence? Yena mām upayānti te. He gives such intelligence by which he may progress for reaching Kṛṣṇa—not for going to hell. He's given intelligence for making progress to approach Kṛṣṇa, not that turn back to Kṛṣṇa and go to hell. No. That intelligence is not given by Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 6.1.17 -- Denver, June 30, 1975:

Sadhrīcīno hy ayaṁ loke panthāḥ kṣemo 'kuto-bhayaḥ. Our life is to attain the transcendental platform of knowledge. That is our goal of life. Then how it can be done? Suśīlāḥ sādhavo yatra nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇāḥ. You associate with that cultural institution where there are suśīlāḥ, very well behaved. Now, find out any institution throughout the whole world who are suśīla. You will find here in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement: no meat-eating, no illicit sex, no gambling, no intoxication. You won't find anywhere. This is called suśīla, well behaved. Suśīla means... śīla means behavior, or custom. Here you will find they are taking bath three times, they are changing cloth, everything neat and clean, personally their character, their behavior, suśīla. Suśīlāḥ sādhavaḥ. Sādhavaḥ means saintly. What are the saintly characteristics? That is also mentioned:

titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ

suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām

ajāta-śatravaḥ śāntāḥ

sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ

(SB 3.25.21)

These are the characteristics of sādhu, not a sādhu having a dress like a sannyāsī and accompanied by three dozen women. No. Sādhavaḥ, their business is to preach.

Lecture on SB 6.1.28-29 -- Philadelphia, July 13, 1975:

Nitāi: "At the time of death, Ajāmila saw three awkward persons, very fearsome in appearance, with ropes in their hands. They had twisted faces and deformed bodily features, and their hair stood on end. They had come to take Ajāmila away to the shelter of Yamarāja. Ajāmila became extremely bewildered when he saw them. His small child, Nārāyaṇa, was playing a little distance off, and with tearful eyes and great anxiety, he called the name of his son very loudly three times, 'Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa!' " (SB 6.1.28-29)

Prabhupāda: Is there "three times"?

Nitāi: It said in the manuscript. The manuscript said "three times."

Prabhupāda: Who said in the manuscript? There is no three times. Not "Nārāyaṇa" three times. One time, "O Nārāyaṇa," that's all. So did I say "three times"? No, it is not said here. You should correct it. Once, "O Nārāyaṇa," that's all. There is no reason of calling three times. There is no mention here. Once is sufficient. (laughter)

Lecture on SB 6.2.7 -- Vrndavana, September 10, 1975:

That is not. That is nāmāparadha. If one thinks that the holy name of Hari is as good as the name of other demigods, then it is nāmāparadha. That is not śuddha-nāma. So people are being misguided in that way. But the śāstra does not say that. The śāstra says, harer nāma, harer nāma (CC Adi 17.21), the holy name of Hari, Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu, Viṣṇu-tattva. Hari means Viṣṇu-tattva. There are... Tattva is manifested in different ways: Viṣṇu-tattva, Viṣṇu-śakti-tattva, jīva-tattva, like that. So śāstra says that harer nāma, Viṣṇu-tattva. Viṣṇu... Of course, Lord Viṣṇu has several thousands of names according to His different activities: Viṣṇu, Nārāyaṇa, Hari, Govinda, Mādhava, many names. So any name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Hari... Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma. The śāstra reminding us three times. Just like we stress upon something that "Do this! Do this! Do this!" Thrice. So therefore it is said three times, harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma, so that he may not forget. He may not be misguided by the so-called Māyāvādīs that any name... No. Harer nāma, three times. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva (CC Adi 17.21), again eva. Then again three times: kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā. You cannot deviate from this process. There is no other alternative process. You cannot say that "I will be liberated by this process or that process," no. Because it is Kali-yuga, any other process will not be successful. You adopt any process; ultimately you have to come to this process, bhakti-yoga. You can work on karma-yoga. You can work on jñāna-yoga. You can work on haṭha-yoga. There are different yogas. Yoga means how to connect with the Supreme. Yoga means connection, and viyoga means distraction. We know, anyone who knows mathematics, yoga. Yoga means addition, and subtraction, viyoga. So at the present moment, in our conditional stage, we are separated. Not exactly separated, but we have forgotten. We have forgotten our relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So we have to connect it again. That is called yoga. Because we are now disconnected somehow or other, now we have to connect it again.

Lecture on SB 6.2.9-10 -- Allahabad, January 15, 1971:

Because the Māyāvādīs, they think that everyone is God—"Even the demigods, they are God. I am God. You are God"—therefore they say that any name you chant and you will be free. But that's not a fact. Here it is said clearly, vyāharaṇaṁ nāma viṣṇoḥ: "Only the Supreme Personality of Godhead Viṣṇu's name," viṣṇu-sahasra-nāma. There are list of one thousand names of Viṣṇu. So Kṛṣṇa and Viṣṇu, the same, and it is stated in the śāstras that by chanting one thousand holy names of Viṣṇu you can get the result of chanting..., once chanting the name of Rāma. If you, say, only chant Rāma, by this chanting, you immediately get the result of chanting thousand times Viṣṇu's name. And by chanting three times Lord Rāma's name you get the result of chanting once Kṛṣṇa's name. Therefore by chanting Kṛṣṇa's name you get all the good results.

Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore recommends this. He recommends, not that He has manufactured. He recommends the shastric injunction: harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). So the harer nāma or viṣṇu-nāma or devotional service to Viṣṇu... Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). You should always remember this, because sometimes rascals mislead that "Any name." In Bengal it is very popular. There is a party, they chant kālī-kīrtana. "Kālī, Kālī, Kālī," imitation. Or there are so many so-called avatāras. There was another rascal, he added his wife's name. Yes. And the rascal, foolish scholars also accepted. Yes. "Haro kusuma, haro kusuma, kusuma kusuma, haro," like that. The rascal's name was Haro, and his wife's name was Kusuma, so he made a mantra, "haro kusuma, haro kusuma, kusuma kusuma, haro haro." (laughter) And the rascal followers also accepted that this is... So this is going on.

Lecture on SB 6.3.12-15 -- Gorakhpur, February 9, 1971:

Now, for them, suppose such pataṅgas, whose life is only, say, twelve hours, within that hours they finish all business. So if they are told that "You are doing so much, but there is another, man—this night is only twelve hours; similarly, another twelve hours, day; similarly, another such thirty days makes a month; such twelve months makes a year; and such hundred years they live," so they will be surprised: "How is that?" Similarly, we are surprised also when we hear about Brahmā. Sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). Actually in the higher planet our six months is equal to their one day. Just like when the sputniks were thrown in the outer space, they circulated the whole world in one hour, twenty-five minutes. One hour, twenty-five was all. They circulated three times within one hours, twenty-five minutes. Such a speed. Now actually, in our calculation the whole world can be circumambulated in twenty-four hours. But that is reduced to one hour, twenty-five. That is admitted by Einstein. This is called relative, relativity, according to the speed. Just like when you travel by airplane from here to London it takes, say, about nine hours. That is relative, relative to the force. Similarly, everything is relative. We are thinking that Brahmā's duration of life is so great, but it is also hundred years. But it is... You will understand very nicely. You can explain. According to our calculation they are immortal. Just like according to calculation of the pataṅga, our life is immortal. You see. They will calculate, "Oh, these human beings are immortal." But none of them are immortal. So we call them immortal, the demigods. Amareśāḥ.

Lecture on SB 6.3.18 -- Gorakhpur, February 11, 1971:

Prabhupāda: So we are followers, Rūpānuga. We are followers of the Gosvāmins. So their behavior, saṅkhyā-pūrvaka-nāma-gāna-natibhiḥ kālāvasānī-kṛtau. The whole time, twenty-four hours, was used in Kṛṣṇa consciousness by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra regularly on fixed up, big beads. So we have reduced that to sixteen. But they were chanting... Haridāsa Ṭhākura was chanting four times sixty-four. That means... Three times sixty-four. So three times sixty-four means?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: One hundred and ninety-two.

Prabhupāda: One hundred and ninety-two rounds. And we are giving you only for sixteen rounds. We don't ask you to imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura. But saṅkhyā-pūrvaka... He would not sleep or he would not eat unless he has finished his 192 rounds. Saṅkhyā-pūrvaka-nāma-gāna... And nāma-gāna and natibhiḥ. Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī was offering obeisances round the Rādhā-kuṇḍa, whole, that "So many times I shall fall down." He was falling down. Still there are many devotees, they do that. You fall down, daṇḍavat. Then, from the point where your head is touching, you just have a line. Again stand there and fall down. Again stand there and fall down. Huh?

Devotee (1): He would circumambulate?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Just see how much good exercise it is. Huh? Just like I fall down in this way, flat. Then I make a line. And I stand again in that line; again fall down. Make a line. Again that line. In this way, round. Tapasya. This is called tapasya, austerity. We should not take very leniently that we are going back to Godhead. Of course, there is so many concession for the... But at the same time, we should be very much aware of the responsibility that we have decided to go back to Godhead after leaving this body, so we have to perform some austerities. The austerity in our Gauḍīya-sampradāya is very simple: following the four principles, restriction, avoiding the offenses, and chanting regular beads. That's all. And hearing. Chanting and hearing, both things. Not only chanting; we have to hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In this way we should engage twenty-four hours' business. Hear and chanting... When you speak, when you go to a lecture for preaching, that is also chanting, when you speak. And automatically there is hearing. If you chant, there is hearing also. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam (SB 7.5.23). There is memorizing also. Unless you memorize all the conclusions of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā, you cannot speak. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam arcanam. Arcanam, this is arcanam. Vandanam, offering prayers. Hare Kṛṣṇa is also prayer. Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa: "O Kṛṣṇa, O the energy of Kṛṣṇa, please engage me in Your service." This Hare Kṛṣṇa is simply prayer.

Lecture on SB 7.7.30-31 -- Mombassa, September 12, 1971:

I want to be the greatest leader, the greatest, greatest, greatest, and there is comp... Everybody is trying to be greater than his friend so therefore, there is competition. But in Vaiṣṇava philosophy... Actually that is the philosophy, because we cannot be greater or greatest. Mattaḥ parataram. Nobody can be greater than God or equal to God, that is not possible. Even if he is Brahma, Lord Siva, or any other. Therefore, śāstra says that anyone who thinks such demigods, paratena. Yas tu nārāyaṇaṁ devam (CC Madhya 18.116), there is a verse like that, anyone who thinks Nārāyaṇa equal to Brahma or Lord Siva, then he..., that type of thinking is called pāṣaṇḍī, sa pāsaṇḍī bhaved dhruvam(?). Pāṣaṇḍī means atheist. Never, that is also one of the ten offenses in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, you know that. One of the offense is when you think that any name will be as good as harer nāma. No. Otherwise, why śāstra says harer nāma harer nāma, three times stressing? Nāma, Holy Name means harer nāma, not any other name. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). There are many foolish persons, they say, "No, any name. You chant Durgā's name, you chant Kali's name, you chant Siva's name, you chant Kṛṣṇa's name, they're all the same. But no, they're not all the same. That is pāṣaṇḍī. That is pāṣaṇḍī. Kṛṣṇa or God is supreme.

Lecture on SB 7.12.2 -- Bombay, April 13, 1976:

So if there is varṇa-saṅkara population, that means the human civilization is lost. Therefore here is the civilization, how... In this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Nārada Muni is describing how civilization should be advanced. The first proposal is brahmacārī, how to create brahmacārī. Brahmacārī guru-gṛhe vasan dānto guror hitam. What is that? So what is the duty of the brahmacārī, it is now said. The first duty is that sāyaṁ prātar upāsīta: "They should be taught how to worship the Supreme Lord at least twice in a day," sāyaṁ prātaḥ, "in the morning and in the evening." Tri-sandhya. The prescription is for tri-sandhya. One should take bath three times. In India there is no difficulty. Even in Western countries you have got very good arrangement, hot water and cold water. You can arrange and can take bath. This is essential. Not that sleeping up to ten o'clock. This kind of civilization will not help you. This asuric civilization will degrade the human society. He got the opportunity of elevating himself, even going back to home, back to Godhead. But for want of real civilization they are going again back to monkey and cats and dogs. This is a fact. So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to save them from going back to become cats and dogs. Instead of going back there, they are trying to send him back to God. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

So the first teaching is brahmacārī should rise early in the morning. Brahmacārī... That is the general education. It doesn't require that you have to learn some book immediately. No. First of all build your character.