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.
"I am God" (Lectures, SB)
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- Caracas, February 21, 1975:
When you come to a person who has no more father, that is God. (laughter) That is the test. If we find somebody that he has no father, then He is God. And if some rascal comes and says, "I am God," then you ask him, "Whether you have got father?" As soon as he says that "Yes, I have got father," then he is dog.
Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 16, 1971:
If there is God, then I become responsible for my sinful life. So therefore let me deny God: "There is no God," or "God is dead. Finish, finished." Therefore somebody comes, "Yes, I am God." "Oh, sir, you are God? Yes. That's all right." Because he wanted to be cheated, so somebody comes and declares himself that "I am God," and he is cheated. We cannot accept such God. We shall say, "Oh, you are God? All right, you lift this hill first of all with your finger. Then I shall accept you God." We don't accept such so cheap God.
Lecture on SB 1.1.4 -- London, August 27, 1973:
So he is calculating how big. He is in the three feet. He thinks, "Maybe four feet." "No, very..." "Five." "No, very big." "Six." Go on, five, four, six, seven, millions. Where is your calculation? Similarly, these speculators, they are thinking, "God? I am God. He may be like me. He and me. All right." "No, you are not God." "All right. God may be little more than me. Little more intelligent." (laughter) This is frog philosophy. And when they hear, yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48), all the universes are coming out in the breathing period of Mahā-Viṣṇu, and that Mahā-Viṣṇu is partial representation of Kṛṣṇa, "These are all stories." Even they are informed about the capacity of God, they take it as story. This is the position.
Lecture on SB 1.2.1 -- New Vrindaban, September 1, 1972:
He knows everything. That is the distinction between God and ourself. I do not know even what is going on within my body. I do not know how my hairs are growing, I do not know how many hairs are on my head, and still, the rascals claim, "I am God." How much rascaldom it is, you can just imagine. God is not like that. God knows everything. That is God. Anvayād itarataś ca. Indirectly and directly. Directly I can see this is my finger, but I do not know what is the composition of the finger. So direct, indirect. Indirectly I do not know.
Lecture on SB 1.2.2 -- London, August 10, 1971:
This example is very nice, that you cannot extinguish by your plans the blazing fire of this material existence. That is not possible. This is foolishness. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). The so-called rascal leaders, they are making plan, lifelong. The United Nations making plan to stop war, fighting. They cannot do it. It is not possible. You have to take mercy from Kṛṣṇa. Then it is possible to extinguish. We have to seek mercy. But the demons, they don't care for Kṛṣṇa, or God. They think that "We shall do. I am God. I shall do it." Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ. Because they are narādhama, lowest of the mankind. Why it is called? Kṛṣṇa says.
Lecture on SB 1.2.2 -- London, August 10, 1971:
So na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ. Human life is meant for understanding what is God, what is my relationship with Him. And when he understands the relationship is there, "God is great, I am very small..." No. The rascal says, "No, I am God." And what, in which way you become God? God is great. Are you great? If I give you any slap, you immediately cry, and you're claiming God? You see. But these rascals are doing nicely, and fools are following, "Here is a God, incarnation of God." You see? So God is not so cheap. God..., our conception of God... Just like Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is so powerful.
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Montreal, August 3, 1968:
So we cannot imagine even that how a person can marry sixteen thousand wives. This is inconceivable potency, to give an example of His inconceivable potency. And Rāma presented Himself as an ideal king. He did not manifest Himself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but from symptoms of authentic literature we understand that He is God. But Kṛṣṇa personally said that "I am the Supreme Personality of God." Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya: (BG 7.7) "There is no superior truth beyond Me." The Rāmacandra never said that, that... He never said that "I am God." But those who are intelligent, they understood that He is God.
Pradyumna: I'd like to ask you about something, er, about the eternally conditioned souls and eternally liberated souls. I'd like to know what's the meaning of eternal in both those statements.
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- London, August 27, 1971:
And therefore I ask the Christians that Lord Christ says that "Thou shall not kill," why you are killing? They give some vague explanation. But actually a real Christian is as good as a real Hindu, as a real Muslim—if he follows. No religion is bad. We don't say. But the first-class religion is that... That is explained here: sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). Every religion teaches how to love God more or less. Why more or less? That is the only aim. How to learn how to love God. But they are rejecting God, what to speak of love. Rejecting. "What is God, this nonsense? I am God. God is dead. Finished."
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Rome, May 24, 1974:
Whether you are interested to satisfy God? That is first-class religion. Otherwise, it is third-class, fourth-class or whatever... Whether your interest is to satisfy God. Then it is first-class. It doesn't matter. By the name it doesn't go away. Therefore we find, actually those who are advanced in religious principle, they are all devotee. (break) ...faithful. Just like Lord Jesus Christ-devotee. Similarly, Muhammad also, they were devotee. They never declared that "I am God." Did Muhammad say like that? No. Servant of God. Similarly, Jesus Christ said, "Son of God." So it is very good. It doesn't matter. If we remain son of God or servant of God faithfully, then it is first-class religious system.
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Mauritius, October 5, 1975:
The God says that "Here is injustice, so you should fight." God says that. God never says that "I am God, Kṛṣṇa. I am your friend. You sit down idly and I shall do everything." He never said that. He said that "You must fight." That is our duty, not that God has given us hands and legs and you sit down idly and let God do it. This is not devotion.
Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:
God is one, God cannot be two. It is not that Hindus have got one God and Christians have got another God. No. God cannot be two. Then there cannot be any competition of Gods. "I am God." Just like nowadays it has become a fashion, so many gods, rascals are coming, "I am God." He says, "I am God," "I am God," "I am God." Now how many Gods are there? No, God is one, eko brahma dvitīya nāsti, that is the Vedic injunction. Just like the sun. Sun is one. From our practical example. You cannot say that "This is American sun," and "this is Indian sun," or "it is African sun." Sun is one. See, if a creation of God is one and it is so powerful... Sun is one of the creation of God. There are millions of suns. We can see one only. So if one sun created by God can do so much work, can distribute so much heat and light, just imagine how much powerful is the creator of the sun. This is common sense. So we get information from Bhagavad-gītā... (aside:) Rūpānuga you can come here.
Lecture on SB 1.2.9 -- New Vrindaban, September 7, 1972:
That means they do not know what to pray. Dharmasya hy āpavargyasya. "God, give me relief from these four kinds of tribulations." That should be prayed. Bread? What is this? Suppose if you go to a king and he says, "All right, you can ask anything from me," and if you say, "Give me bread, a piece of bread," (laughter) is that very intelligent? If you have approached a king, you should ask, "My dear lord, my dear your majesty, may give me something so that I may get free from all kinds of trouble." That should be the prayer. What is this prayer? "Give me a little bread"? Of course, it is better than the rascals who are atheists. They do not approach God. They say, "Oh, what is God? I am God. I shall, by economic development, I shall create so many breads.
Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Bombay, December 28, 1972:
Don't try to speculate yourselves as great philosophers and waste your time and become puffed-up, that "I am now realized, I am God." These puffed-up positions must be given up. You must be submissive.
Kṛṣṇa therefore wants this submissiveness. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). Just like we speak sometime to our disobedient son, "First of all you submit. Then I shall do whatever you are require." The same. We have to... Our, this material position is we are all puffed-up, unnecessarily. Although we are on the grip of material nature, we are very much puffed-up. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamāyī (BG 7.14). We are beaten every step, we are so beaten by the material nature, still I am thinking, "I am God." Every step.
Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:
So actually this is the knowledge. This knowledge is rejected. Māyayā apahṛta-jñānāḥ. Why this is happening? Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ (BG 7.15). Because they have taken to the shelter of atheism, the philosophy of atheism: "There is no God. Everyone is God. I am God. You are God. Why you are finding out, trying to find out...? You are... Why you are going to the temples? There is no God. God is everywhere." God is everywhere, except in the temple. They'll preach this philosophy, "God is everywhere; why you are going to the temple?" That means God is everywhere except in the temple. That is their philosophy. So these nonsense things are going on. Narādhama. Therefore they're narādhamas. Don't follow these narādhamas. Be faithful. Try to understand, those who are actually followers of God. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2).
Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Delhi, November 18, 1973:
That knowledge is not sentiment. Because bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). After experiencing many, many births that "I am the master, I am God, I am this, I am that," so when he actually jñānavān, māṁ prapadyate, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti.. (BG 7.19). When he understands, "Oh, Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is the origin or everything," that is real jñāna. That is real jñāna.
Therefore it has said, jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā. Then you have to become vairāgī to your puffed up consciousness that "I am master, I am God, I am this, I am that." No. That is called jñāna and vairāgya. Jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā. And again it is confirmed, bhaktyā. As soon as the bhakti word is used, there is no question of becoming master. Bhakti is used via media between Bhagavān and bhakta.
Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Delhi, November 18, 1973:
don't waste time in searching out what is God. God is canvassing you, "I am God, here." Bhaktyā sa... Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65).
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not a manufactured way. It is simply the standard. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru. We are preaching this philosophy. It is not difficult. Anyone can do it. Anyone can do it. It is not that I am playing something wonderful. What Wonderful? They talk about this, that I have done something wonderful. I do not know any wonderful thing. I only know to present Kṛṣṇa as He is. That's all. This is the secret. So anyone can understand Kṛṣṇa as He is from Bhagavad-gītā or from
Lecture on SB 1.2.13 -- Los Angeles, August 16, 1972:
Otherwise, go to hell. Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). "Oh, I am a brāhmaṇa, I am doing my duty." "But do you know Kṛṣṇa, do you serve Kṛṣṇa?" "Yes, I know Kṛṣṇa, I am Kṛṣṇa." This will not help you. Suppose a big man, a president, if you say, "I am president," what the government will think of you? "He is a crazy fellow." Similarly, these rascals, when they say, "I am God," then we take it, "That is a crazy fellow."
Therefore you have to satisfy the Supreme. Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā never said that you claim yourself to have become Kṛṣṇa. No. He claimed sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). "You come under My shelter." He does not say that You become equal with Me. That is nonsense.
Lecture on SB 1.2.13 -- Vrndavana, October 24, 1972:
Similarly, Kṛṣṇa has expanded this family. Ekaṁ bahu syām. He has become so many living entities. What is the idea? Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). Because He's ānandamaya, He wants to enjoy the love exchange between the living entities. That is His purpose. Otherwise, why He has created? He wants love. But these rascals, they have forgotten that thing. They are saying, "There is no God. I am God. I am enjoyer." Instead of loving God, they are becoming "God." This has killed the whole situation. Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes, and He wanted to reestablish that reciprocal exchange of love which is called bhakti. You love Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa loves you. Kṛṣṇa loves you, even without your love. Otherwise, how you are eating? You, why, you cannot live even for a moment without Kṛṣṇa's mercy. That's a fact. Eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān. So Kṛṣṇa comes.
Lecture on SB 1.2.15 -- Los Angeles, August 18, 1972:
So the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, personally says that janma karma ca me divyam evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). Simply one who understands what is God, or Kṛṣṇa, simply... Not that "Here is a God." No, he must... Tattvataḥ, he must know what is God. Just like the rascal is advertising: "No book. I am God. You accept me." Then how can I accept you God without book? But the people are so rascal, they're accepting,"Yes," and going after him. So they have become so cats and dogs that anyone says that "There is no need of understanding through book, through book of knowledge. I say. You accept me," the rascal will do that. Everything in the scientific world, there is book. In any science you take. Suppose in botany, they are mentioned, "This tree, this is the characteristic. A mango tree, the leaf is like this, the fruit is like this, the taste is like..." Chemical. Take any chemical.
Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- Los Angeles, August 20, 1972:
This is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. So those who are sinful, they cannot understand what is God. Therefore the whole world is godless. They are so sinful, their life, their civilization, has been made so much sinful, the four principles of sinful: illicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating, and gambling. The whole world is full of these four business. Therefore they are all sinful. He may dress like a very nice gentleman, but he's a sinful man. So he cannot understand. Therefore it is very difficult to convince these rascals about God. They say, "I am, everyone is God, I am God, you are God, God is dead." They are so dull. You see? Therefore our business is to cleanse their heart.
Lecture on SB 1.2.18 -- Calcutta, September 26, 1974:
So we have to associate with such sādhus, who has got unflinching faith in Kṛṣṇa and fully engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. He is sādhu. Bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ, bhajanty ananya-manasaḥ (BG 9.13). That is mahātmā. We are after mahātmā. Who is mahātmā? Sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). One who's accepted Kṛṣṇa as everything, such mahātmā is very rarely to be seen. Otherwise, so-called mahātmās, they are loitering in the street: "You are God, I am God, everyone is God." Not that kind of mahātmā. Mahātmā means bhajanti, "He worships Me, Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa is bhajanīya, and we are servant. One who is convinced on this platform, he is mahātmā, he is sādhu. So we have to associate with such sādhus.
Lecture on SB 1.2.20 -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1972:
So the Absolute Truth is scientific knowledge. It is not sentiment—"I accept somebody as God by votes." That is not bhagavat-tattva-vijñānam. One must know what is the definition of God. It is not that somebody comes forward with a long beard and says, "I am God," and we rascals accept him as God. No, not like that. It is vijñānam. Vijñāna means science. Without scientific knowledge, one cannot understand what is God. Bhagavat-tattva-vijñānam. And who can understand this vijñāna, this scientific knowledge? Mukta-saṅgasya. One who is liberated from the contamination of the three modes of material nature, he can understand.
Lecture on SB 1.2.30 -- Vrndavana, November 9, 1972:
As soon as we forget this, that is māyā. As soon as I think that "I am Kṛṣṇa," that is māyā. That māyā means this māyā, illusion, can be rejected by advancement of knowledge. That is jñānī. Jñānī means this is real knowledge, to understand his real position. This is not knowledge, that "I am equal to God. I am God." This is not knowledge. I am God, but I am sample of God. But the Supreme God is Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Arjuna accepted Kṛṣṇa like that: paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). Paraṁ brahma. We may become Brahman... We are Brahman. There is no question of becoming. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. This is not very difficult to understand. Because I am spirit soul, so I am Brahman. That's all right.
Lecture on SB 1.2.34 -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972:
So He immediately said, "Oh, don't bother about that thing. We shall talk..." Like that. Even Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is actually Kṛṣṇa, He avoided to be addressed as Kṛṣṇa. And these rascals, false, they are claiming "Kṛṣṇa." Just see. Kṛṣṇa Himself, in Vṛndāvana... In Vṛndāvana, when Kṛṣṇa, Caitanya Mahāprabhu was present, many devotees used to come and address Him, "My Lord, You are Kṛṣṇa." Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to block His ears: "Don't say like that. Don't say. It is a great offense to address a man as Viṣṇu, as Kṛṣṇa." He taught us like that. And these rascals, they're declaring: "I am God. I am Kṛṣṇa." "I am God, I am Kṛṣṇa."
Lecture on SB 1.3.10 -- Los Angeles, September 16, 1972:
Just like in season, there are hundreds and thousands and millions of fruits. You haven't got to create each fruit. When the season is there, the fruits are all ready, immediately. Similarly, when God says, "Let there be creation," millions of planets, immediately created. That is God. Not that cheap God, "I am God." In your country they come, and you become cheated. We don't accept such cheap God. We want this God. Simply by His will, millions of universes are created.
Lecture on SB 1.3.14 -- Los Angeles, September 19, 1972:
So they were subdued. But he himself is a rogue. Nūnaṁ mahatāṁ tatra. This is our experience. "Might is right." If you are stronger, then you can subdue less strong. But he became very much disturbing. He was atheist, and he ordered that "There is no God. I am God. So what I say, you have to abide." The brāhmaṇas were also... "You cannot perform yajñas. This is not required." In this way, he became too much disturbing.
Then one day all the brāhmaṇas and the sages, they came to give him instruction: "My dear king, it is not your duty to stop all kinds of religious activities." Just like the Communist government. Yes. But who hears? He said, "No. Why you are trying to pacify God? I am God.
Lecture on SB 1.3.18 -- Los Angeles, September 23, 1972:
Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu, just a strong atheist. He thought, "I am the biggest atheist. People are after God. They should come to me and worship me as God. I am God." But his godship or his lordship was finished within a second. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja, his son, when he was offered a benediction by the Lord, "My dear Prahlāda, you have undergone severe penances, suffering for My sake. Now you can take any benediction from Me, whatever you like." First of all he said, "My dear Lord, I am not a businessman that I serve You for getting some profit.
Lecture on SB 1.3.19 -- Los Angeles, September 24, 1972:
Dharma-saṁsthā... Real religious principle. Real religious principle means to abide by the laws of the Supreme Lord, God. But they do not believe in God. "Everyone is God. I am God, you are God, he is God, everyone is God. So whatever law you give yourself, that becomes your religion." This is going on.
Lecture on SB 1.3.28 -- Los Angeles, October 3, 1972:
Suppose I have got money. I can eat so much. But as soon as you eat little more, immediately you are under control; you cannot eat for three days. Indigestion, immediately. And still, the rascal says that "I am not controlled." If there is little pain here, he immediately becomes: "Where is doctor, where is doctor, where is doctor?" And still he says, "I'm not controlled," and "I am God."
He does not know what is the meaning of God. God is never controlled by anyone. That is God. That is the definition of God. If you are God, then why you are being controlled? Because they're rascals, demons, foolishly speaking something nonsense. But we should know that God means controller.
Lecture on SB 1.3.28 -- Los Angeles, October 3, 1972:
Demons means Indra, or indrasya ari. Ari means enemy. Indra is demigod. And his enemy, that is demon. Indrāri. Just like you are, when you go to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you have got so many enemies. They do not act directly, but they are very much envious: "What these nonsense are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa?" You see? They want to disturb. Just like we have to close this door because the demons will disturb. You see? So demons means enemy of the demigods, enemy of the devotees. Those who are God conscious, those who are abiding by the orders of God, they're demigods. God. Demigods means they're also God, but subordinate to God. They don't say, "I am God. I am completely." No, a Vaiṣṇava will never say so. He knows that "I am eternal servant of God." Therefore demigod. Otherwise, their qualification is godly.
Lecture on SB 1.3.30 -- Los Angeles, October 5, 1972:
So you have got the creative power, God has got the creative power. But God's creative power cannot be compared with your creative power. You have got the creative power, but not exactly like God. This is the conclusion. You cannot become God. You can imitate or you can do something very little. Just like little children, they play with little toys. Similarly, you can play with little toys and advertise yourself great scientist. That's all. But you are nothing. You are nothing. This is to be realized. This is called bhakti-yoga. The rascals are puffed up, "I am God." Foolishly. How you can be God? You may have some qualities, very minute quality of God, but you cannot claim that you are God. The same example. The small spark of fire is also fire. Nobody... There is no doubt. A small particle of gold is gold, but it cannot be compared with the gold mine. That is not possible.
Lecture on SB 1.5.1-4 -- New Vrindaban, May 22, 1969:
Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu. As soon as his little child would say "Kṛṣṇa, Nārāyaṇa," he would immediately become angry: "Oh, who is this Nārāyaṇa?" "Oh, He is God." Just like this child is doing. "I am God. Who is God? You are trying to respect some other God?"
So this philosophy is there always, and now it is very prominent that everyone wants to become God. So many swamis, they come to your country and they, "Oh, you are God, I am God, this God, that God." So this is going on. And in the lower stage they are grossly under the impression that "I am this body," "I am this mind," or "I am this intelligence." And later on, "I am God," and so many things. So this Bhāgavata, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, explains that Supreme from where everything is emanating. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1).
Lecture on SB 1.5.8-9 -- New Vrindaban, May 24, 1969:
You just bring libel case against Bhagavad-gītā. Why you are troubling me?" (laughter) Bhagavad-gītā says anyone who does not surrender to Kṛṣṇa... Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ mām... Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ. He's not only rascal, he's the lowest of the mankind. And if you say, "Oh, he is very learned scholar." Oh, māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ (BG 7.15). His knowledge has been taken away by māyā. Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. Simply he's defying God. Kṛṣṇa means God. "I am God," that is asuric.
Lecture on SB 1.5.9-11 -- New Vrindaban, June 6, 1969:
In this material world, our propensity is predominating. We want to predominate over you; you want to predominate over me. That is the competition here. So when we give up this predominating, false predominating spirit, "I am Kṛṣṇa. I am the Lord of all I survey." This nonsensical understanding when we give up, surrender, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19), understand "Kṛṣṇa is everything, I am simply part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa." So if we remain part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, then our freedom is attained actually. Otherwise there is no freedom. It is false. Mano-dharma. I am thinking, "I am God," "I am Kṛṣṇa," "I am this, I am that." Nothing. This will simply put me under the clutches of māyā.
Lecture on SB 1.5.12-13 -- New Vrindaban, June 11, 1969:
So God never falls down. Therefore God's name is Acyuta. The Māyāvāda philosopher says that God has become man, being, I mean to say, complicated in māyā, being illusioned. But God is acyuta. God never falls down. Then what is the meaning of this acyuta? If God falls down, becomes under the clutches of māyā, then māyā is greater than God. Then how God is great? That is the fallacy of their argument. They say that "I am God, but now I am under the clutches of māyā. As soon as māyā will be cleared, then I am again God." But they cannot answer the question that "Why? You are God. Why you are under the clutches of māyā? How you fall down?" That answer, there is none. Because God is great, acyuta. He never falls down. Then how He can fall down? If He falls down under the clutches of māyā, then māyā becomes great, not God great.
Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 16, 1969:
So there are so many complications. So all these complications can be solved simply by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Sarvārhaṇam acyutejya. That is the verdict of Veda.
So the godless creature means they are demons. That is described in the Bhāgavata. Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. Āsuri. Āsuri-bhāva means the attitude of a demon. "What is God? Oh, this is all nonsense. Who is God? I am God. Everyone is God. Oh, don't you see? So many Gods are loitering in the street. Why you are finding out another God?" These are the going on. Vivekananda said that "Why you are bothering yourself, finding out God? Don't you see, so many Gods are loitering in the street?" You see? So "God is loitering in the street, daridra-nārāyaṇa. God has become daridra, poor, and He has come to my door to beg. God is suffering. God is..." Like that.
Lecture on SB 1.5.29 -- Vrndavana, August 10, 1974:
Just like I am also living being; you are also living being. But you accept me as the chief of this institution. There must be one chief. Otherwise there will be no management. It will be chaotic. So we are ātmā, and Kṛṣṇa is also ātmā. But He is Paramātmā. We are īśvara. Kṛṣṇa is also īśvara. But He's Parameśvara. Therefore we have named "Godhead" purposefully, not "God." We don't say "Back to God." We say, "Back to Godhead.""Head" means the chief. Everyone can claim that "I am God," because everyone has got some power, little power. But not the supreme power. That is Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 1.5.32 -- Vrndavana, August 13, 1974:
But on being illusioned, moha... It is called moha. Janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). "I am this. I am brāhmaṇa." "I am kṣatriya. I am American." Aham. False identification. "I am very strong, beautiful." "I am very ugly." "I am poor." "I am rich." Janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). But you are none of these. You are simply servant of Kṛṣṇa. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). This is happiness. Otherwise, in whichever way you identify... When they fail to identify with all this nonsense, then "I am God. I am Nārāyaṇa." This will not help. When one will understand that "I am servant, eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa..." This question was put by Sanātana Gosvāmī: ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya.
Lecture on SB 1.7.15 -- Vrndavana, September 13, 1976:
And that is the fact. Just like Kṛṣṇa says that "I remember when I spoke to sun-god. You have forgotten." So there are two. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa's another name is Acyuta. He never falls down from His position. And if we fall down from the position... Therefore we are not on the same level. We may have some power, and we can claim that "I am God"—that you can claim—but not that God, like Kṛṣṇa. Therefore two words are there: īśvara, parameśvara. In the Brahma-saṁhitā therefore it is described that īśvaras, there may be many, but not parameśvara. Parameśvara is one. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). So these Māyāvādīs, they forget this, that īśvara, parameśvara, there are two words. Ātmā and paramātmā, there are two words. So they are not equal. And Kṛṣṇa says mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). He is the supermost īśvara. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). Although both of us are nitya, eternal, and living entities, still, there is difference. He is supreme living entity, we are subordinate. Prabhu and aṇu. Vibhu and aṇu.
Lecture on SB 1.7.23 -- Vrndavana, September 20, 1976:
Open your eyes and see it. The whole world is going on that "There is no God" or "God is dead" or "Can you show me God?" And "I am God by meditation," "This way," "That way." This is going on. Whole world, especially at the present moment, it is a great disastrous condition, godless civilization. They won't accept the real God, and they'll create some artificial God and become God, "Everyone is God," like that. No.
Therefore if you want to be benefited, then you must take the shelter of mahājana, great personalities. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). If you are perplexed that "Who is mahājana? How can I find him?" that is also explained in the śāstra.
Lecture on SB 1.7.32-33 -- Vrndavana, September 27, 1976:
You cannot be independent. If you don't accept mataṁ ca vāsudevasya, then by the ear you'll be pulled by the māyā to do something. You'll be obliged to do something. You are not independent. As soon as we forget this principle, we become fool enough to consider as independent: "I am as good as... I am God." That is rascaldom. That is rascaldom. So 'ham. So 'ham, that does not mean that "I am as good as. I am God." No. I cannot be God because I am under the obligation of the laws of nature.
Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- Mayapura, September 28, 1974:
And don't try to become imitator. But the imitation is so strong that even persons who are very much elevated in knowledge, they are also falsely presenting that "I am God." The māyā's influence is so strong that at the last stage... Therefore they fall down. These people, these Māyāvādīs who are trying to become God... Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ (SB 10.2.32). To merge into the existence of the Supreme. You can merge, but you cannot be equal. That is not possible. Asamordhva. But the Māyāvādīs, they are thinking, "We are as good as Kṛṣṇa." Therefore they do not go to the temple of Kṛṣṇa. Because they think self, Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa. But that is a mistake.
Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- Chicago, July 4, 1974 :
Then ādyam īśvaram, how it is? Now prakṛteḥ param, beyond this material nature. You will find in the Bhagavad-gītā this verse, paraḥ tasmāt bhāvaḥ anyaḥ: "There is another nature." Just like you have seen within your vision the big, I mean to say, horizon, and there within this there are millions and millions of stars, sun, suns and planets we cannot account for, although you are seeing daily. But we have no such knowledge; we cannot account for them. We are so minute. Still we are thinking, "Where is God? I am God."
Lecture on SB 1.8.22 -- Los Angeles, April 14, 1973:
This is a small seed, insignificant. And there are millions of seeds like that, millions of fruits. And each seed containing the potency of fructifying into big banyan tree. So who has made it? How much His brain is sharp that He has made it? It is, it is, it is done by brain. It has not come out automatically. This is rascaldom. Whatever... What is coming, rascaldom... No. There is brain. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). The Vedānta-sūtra says that everything is coming from Him, coming from His brain. Big brain. Kṛṣṇa has got big brain. We haven't got such brain. Still we rascals, we claim that "I am as good as Kṛṣṇa. I am God." What nonsense. You are God? You cannot create anything.
Lecture on SB 1.8.23 -- Los Angeles, April 15, 1973:
So this is the position of devotees, that Devakī who happens to be the mother of Kṛṣṇa... She's not ordinary woman. Who can become the mother of the Supreme Personality of Godhead? The most advanced devotee, so that Kṛṣṇa has agreed to become her son. In his previous life, the husband and wife, they underwent severe austerities, and when Kṛṣṇa appeared before them and wanted to give them benediction, they wanted a son like God. So where can be another person who is equal to God? That is not possible. God means there is no equal, there is no greater. Asamordhva. That is God. God, there cannot be any competition, that "You are God, I am God, he is God, he is God." No. These are dogs. They are not God. God means without competition: one. God is one. Nobody is great... asamordhva. Nobody is greater than Him. Nobody is equal to Him. Everyone is lower. Ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa āra saba bhṛtya (CC Adi 5.142). The only master is Kṛṣṇa, God; and everyone, servant. Never mind. Even if he's Brahmā, Viṣṇu or Śiva, big, big demigods.
Lecture on SB 1.8.33 -- Los Angeles, April 25, 1972:
Just like father and son, there is natural affection. And the son has got natural devotion to the father, for father, for mother. Similarly, we have got our natural devotion. When we are actually in danger, even the scientists, they also pray to God. But when they are not in danger, they defy God. So therefore danger is required in order to teach these rascals that there is God. So that is natural. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). That is our natural... Artificially we are trying to banish God. "God is dead, there is no God, I am God, this God, that God." This rascaldom we shall give up. Then we shall be given all protection by Kṛṣṇa.
Thank you very much.
Lecture on SB 1.8.43 -- Los Angeles, May 5, 1973:
I am God. I am the Lord of all I survey." So when they usurped the power of God, the all monarchies in the world is now finished. Because they did not act as representative of God. They thought their personal property, the kingdom. No. That is not actually fact. Fact is everything belongs to God. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1).
So the representative must be very obedient. Then his position will go on. And... Just like so-called spiritual masters. They proclaim, "I am God." So they have no position. They have no position.
Lecture on SB 1.10.13 -- Mayapura, June 26, 1973:
So we must know. The Caitanya Mahāprabhu next line gives: "Yes, asat eka strī-saṅgī." Eka strī-saṅgī. One asat is strī-saṅgī. Strī-saṅgī means too much attached to women. Or attached to women. Or attached to women. Too much or little—it doesn't matter. Attached to women. He's asat. And kṛṣṇa-abhakta—and who is not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. So these Māyāvādīs, karmī, jñānī, yogi, they are not kṛṣṇa-bhaktas. They'll say, "Kṛṣṇa is not God. I am God. I am also God. Kṛṣṇa is not God. I am God. But Kṛṣṇa is not God." This is their version. Therefore they're rascals. "I am God." They'll declare, "I am God. You are God." But Kṛṣṇa is not God. Except Kṛṣṇa, everyone is God." This is their version.
Lecture on SB 1.10.20 -- London, May 24, 1973:
The rākṣasa, āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritaḥ... Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritaḥ means one who does not accept the supremacy of God. "What is God? I am God. I am God." Such... These rascals are called māyayā apahṛta-jñānāḥ. Na māṁ prapadyante. They do not surrender to God, or Kṛṣṇa. They pose themselves as God. So as soon as we find anyone does not surrender to Kṛṣṇa, does not understand Kṛṣṇa, he is rascal. Anyone. It doesn't matter. That is the first test. Then you come to the details. As soon as you find someone, somebody, that he does not understand what is God, or his relationship with God, or, and what is the ultimate object of life, he's a rascal.
Lecture on SB 1.15.27 -- New York, March 6, 1975:
So according to Vedic civilization, any person, he may be very big man, but if he does not know beyond his body, then he is no better than animal. This is Vedic version. So we should not remain animal, this human life. As Arjuna said... There are so many problems. In the Bhagavad-gītā Arjuna was taught by Kṛṣṇa, yudhyasva: "Fight!" He never said, "Sit down, my dear Arjuna. You are My friend. Please sit down and sleep on this chariot, (laughter) and I will do everything. I am God." This is going on. "God will do everything for me, and I will sleep. That's all." This is going on. "If God does not do anything for me, then I don't want God. He must be my order-supplier." This is going on. This is going on in the name of religion. "God, give us our daily bread. If you don't supply, I don't want You." That's all. Everyone. So something is better than nothing. If one goes to God for asking bread, at least he is better than the rascals who at all do not go to God, atheist class. That is... They are admitted.
Lecture on SB 1.15.34 -- Los Angeles, December 12, 1973:
So what is the difference between a demon and devotee? A demon is puffed up. That's all. Falsely. That is demon. And a devotee is submissive, meek and mild. This is the difference. The demons will... We go, "My dear sir, we have got these books to understand Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord. So you kindly read this book. You will be benefited." "Ah, what is God? Who is God? I am God." This is demonism. And demigod or a devotee means "Oh, here is a book, something about God, Kṛṣṇa. All right, let me read it." That is the difference. Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ means they don't care for God. That is the disease. Although they are under the stringent laws of God, still, they don't care for God.
Lecture on SB 1.15.42 -- Los Angeles, December 20, 1973:
Why shall I trust unless I know you properly? It is natural. If somebody says, "Trust this man," so my next question, "I must first of all know this man; then I shall trust." Similarly, if you do not know what is God, what is the meaning of your trust? It is all childish, slogan. Therefore the condition is so deteriorated. Everywhere, not only here, they have no knowledge of God. We can challenge anyone, any so-called scientist, philosopher, politician, big, big men. They know only wine, women, meat-eating. That's all. This much their knowledge. But who knows God? Nobody. Ultimately, the rascal says, "I am God." Failing to know God, he become himself God.
Lecture on SB 1.15.42 -- Los Angeles, December 20, 1973:
So therefore guru is considered as good as Kṛṣṇa. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ. In all the śāstras, the guru is respected as Kṛṣṇa is respected. Sākṣād-dharitvena. Haritva. Hari means Lord. Samasta, in all the scriptures, guru is accepted as Kṛṣṇa. But he never says that I, he is Kṛṣṇa; neither he is Kṛṣṇa. Then what is his position? Kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya: he is the most confidential servant of Kṛṣṇa. He never says that "I am Kṛṣṇa, I am God." That is not guru. Guru must place... He knows perfectly well that he is serving Kṛṣṇa. His business is to serve Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wants all these fallen souls to be delivered because they are Kṛṣṇa's part and parcel. Just like a rich man, if his son goes out of home, he is suffering. His father knows that rascal boy is suffering. He is very anxious to get him back. "Bring this rascal at home." That is father's concern, naturally. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is more eager to take you back.
Lecture on SB 1.15.45 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1973:
Suppose you are being harassed by the police. You are put into the prisonhouse. And in so many ways you are being harassed by the criminal department. How you can get out? You simply file a petition, "Sir I am now experienced. I will never commit this criminal act. Kindly excuse me and get me released." That is the only way. Similarly, you can be very proud that "I don't care for God. There is no God. I am God. You are God." You can go on talking nonsense like that, but the māyā will give you so much trouble. But if you are sane man, then you will admit that "This was a wrong thing. Please excuse me." And then it will be possible. But that is not possible. Especially in this age, in Kali-yuga, the age is very strong and deteriorated that in spite of our daily class, daily instruction, the Kali is so strong that capturing, "Please come under my control and be killed. Please come under my... Be killed." "Yes, I will go." This is going on.
Lecture on SB 1.16.2 -- Los Angeles, December 30, 1973:
Then the brāhmaṇas asked the king that "You are not ruling very nicely. You have stopped all religious functions. This is not good for the people, neither for you." They first of all tried to pacify him by nice instruction. But the king said, "You brāhmaṇas, you do not know me very well. I am God" and this and that. Then he was killed by the brāhmaṇas. You know that Jāmadagnya, Paraśurāma, when he saw that the kings were not responsible, he killed the whole kṣatriya family for twenty-one times. So that was the government. If the brāhmaṇas would see that the kṣatriyas, the kings were not ruling properly according to the Vedic principle, sometimes they would kill the king.
Lecture on SB 1.16.10 -- Los Angeles, January 7, 1974:
The finger's catching a sweetmeat cannot enjoy it. The real interest, personal interest is, give it to the stomach. Don't smash it. Give it immediately to the stomach, and your interest is fulfilled. Immediately your fingers will be fed. This is personal interest, to enjoy through Kṛṣṇa, not directly. But these rascals, they do not know. They defy Kṛṣṇa, "Why Kṛṣṇa? I am Kṛṣṇa. I am God. I am everything." Therefore they are suffering. They do not know actually how to fulfill the personal interest.
Lecture on SB 1.16.17 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1974:
So actually, there is nothing material. Everything is spiritual. Spiritual means īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1), everything belonging to God. But when we think that "There is no God, I am God," or "It is mine," that is darkness. This consciousness is darkness. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to be situated above this material conception. Ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). Janasya moho' yam ahaṁ mameti. This conception, that "I am the proprietor, and everything belongs to me," this conception is called illusion. And this illusion increases by mental speculation. Ultimately, that mental speculator remains in darkness, but he thinks that he has become liberated. This is another darkness. Another darkness.
Lecture on SB 1.16.17 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1974:
So these so-called gods are accepted by so-called devotees. These are all rascaldom. Therefore it is called māninaḥ. They are thinking, by mental speculation, that "I have become God." What you have got, power? What you have done that you have become God? But they are foolish. They do not calculate the value of his, strength of his becoming God. But they are thinking of... Therefore it is called māninaḥ. Now, you can think at your home that "I am the proprietor of the Bank of America." So you may become a crazy fellow like that. But to become proprietor of the Bank of America is different thing. But these foolish men will think like that. "I am God, I am moving the sun, I am moving..." This is their meditation. Perhaps you know. These rascals, these dogs, not gods, they think like that: "I am moving the sun, I am moving the earth..." Therefore it is called vimukta-māninaḥ. Mānina, thinking, foolishly thinking. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ.
Lecture on SB 1.16.19 -- Los Angeles, July 9, 1974:
The only enjoyer is Kṛṣṇa. Bhoktāraṁ sarva-loka, bhoktāraṁ sarva-yajñānāṁ sarva-loka... He is the supreme proprietor, supreme being. In the dictionary you will find, "the supreme being." "Supreme being" means nobody can be equal to Him, nobody can be greater than Him. That is, means supreme. So how one can become an imitator of Kṛṣṇa? That is not possible. That imitation is possible here in this material world, because they are all rascals. So one rascal may claim that "I am God," imitation, but as soon as he claims like that, any intelligent man knows that he is a rascal. That's all. That very assertion will establish that he is a rascal.
Lecture on SB 1.16.26-30 -- Hawaii, January 23, 1974:
So we are not God, but we manifest our godly qualities when māyā is taken away. So long we are covered by māyā, our godly qualities are not manifest, but we are not God. Or you are God, but not that God, that big God, but you are a particle of. You can say, "I am God," but you are not that original, chief God. That you are not. This is our philosophy. And that is very genuine. How can I be God? If I am God, then why I have lost my godly qualities? Or why my godly qualities are now covered? This is very common sense. The godly qualities are there. Just like a small particle of the spark, it is carbon. When it comes out of the fire, then it is extinguished. But if you put again to the fire, it is carbon, again bright, brightened. Similarly, we are part and parcel of God, but if we fall down from the association of God, then we become..., appearing like material. But we are not material. It appears that extinguished. This is simultaneously... Acintya-bhedābheda-tattva. We are simultaneously one and different. As part and parcel in quality, we are one; but in quantity God is great, we are small particle.
Lecture on SB 1.16.26-30 -- Hawaii, January 23, 1974:
Then we understand, "Oh, here is actually a pure devotee." A pure devotee cannot be contaminated, just like God cannot be contaminated. But we are part and parcel, a small God. We can say, "God, I am God," but if you have got sense, you will say that "I am not the great God, but I am small God." That is sense. Because you have got the God qualities, you are not the Supreme. That is not possible. Supreme is Supreme. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). That is the Vedic injunction, that He is the chief of the eternals. We are all eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). We are not lost or dead on account of our annihilation of this body. That is not possible. Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). As God is eternal, we are also eternal. As God is śāśvata, we are also śāśvata, but small, acintya-bhedābheda. This is our philosophy.
Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Delhi, November 6, 1973:
The māyā's business is to capture. Just like criminal is arrested by the police, similarly, māyā is also engaged for this purpose. Anyone who forgets Kṛṣṇa, anyone who wants to enjoy life, imitate like Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa is the supreme enjoyer. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). He is the enjoyer. But we are imitating. Sometimes we say, "I am Kṛṣṇa, I am God." This is our disease. We want to imitate Kṛṣṇa. We want to become Kṛṣṇa. We want to enjoy like Kṛṣṇa. This is going on. So so long we have got this propensity, we are sinful. This is the substance.
Lecture on SB 2.1.5 -- Los Angeles, August 13, 1972:
They have accepted. And we accept Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by His activities, by the definition of possessing all the six opulences. We don't accept anybody, an ordinary man... Just like now it is a fashion. Everybody comes and says, "I am God." No. We don't accept in that way. Arjuna was talking with Kṛṣṇa. He knew that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but, in order to convince us that in future there may not be any misunderstanding about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he requested Kṛṣṇa to show His universal form. So He showed him. So there is no doubt about, about Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Lecture on SB 2.1.5 -- Paris, June 13, 1974:
Therefore it is said here that icchatā abhayam: "Anyone, if he wants fearlessness, saved from being slaughtered, then he must do this." What is that? Sarvātmā bhagavān īśvaraḥ: "The Supreme Lord who is the origin of all living entities, sarvātmā, and He is Bhagavān." Bhagavān means all-powerful, all-opulences. He can do anything and everything. That is Bhagavān. Not that imitation rascals who claim that "I am God," but he cannot do anything—not that kind of Bhagavān. Bhagavān means all-powerful. Whatever He likes, He can do. Ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa, full of six opulences. That is called Bhagavān.
Lecture on SB 2.3.1 -- Los Angeles, May 19, 1972:
Īśa-tantryām, by the laws of material nature, one who is bound up tight, hands and legs... we are all. We cannot, I mean to say, neglect the laws of nature. If you eat little more, then you have to fast for three days. That we actually know. If you expose little to cold, then you have to pay ten dollars to the doctor fine. So they are so much bound up by the laws of nature; still, they are thinking, "I am free. I am independent. Where is God? I am God." Just see. Such foolish persons, that every moment he's being kicked on his face by the boot of material nature, and still he's saying, "I am God, I am independent."
Lecture on SB 2.3.2-3 -- Los Angeles, May 20, 1972:
Ghost is a fact; it is not fictitious. So the subtle body carries me to another gross body. That is called transmigration of the soul. I must have some vehicle. The subtle body... Gross body is finished. That is gone. Now, the subtle body is there; therefore my mentality will create another gross body. If I am dog mentality, then I'll create another body, dog's body. And if I am God mentality, then I'll create another body like God.
Lecture on SB 2.3.2-3 -- Los Angeles, May 20, 1972:
That outlaw is put into the prison house and he's captivated and give all sorts of trouble. That... The outlaw's gain is to put himself into trouble. That's all. The government does not lose anything by the so-called declaration of the outlaws, that "I don't care for the government." That is the idea. Similarly, those who are declaring, "What is God? We don't care for God. I am God. I am everything," so they are creating their own hell. That's all. God has nothing to lose, nothing to gain. "You go to hell, according to your..." But because we are part and parcel of God, Kṛṣṇa, He's not very happy because these rascals are going to hell. Therefore He comes: "My dear boys, why you are going to hell in this way? Please surrender and come home." (laughter) But these rascals will not hear. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). "Eh! Why shall I surrender to Kṛṣṇa? He's an ordinary man. I am also as good as Kṛṣṇa." That's all. Therefore they're less intelligent.
Lecture on SB 2.3.13-14 -- Los Angeles, May 30, 1972:
Although there is fire, but when it is covered with ashes, it does not act. So we are fire. Kṛṣṇa is fire; we are also fire, in quality. There is a very... There is a big fire, blazing fire, and the sparks. The sparks are also fire. Therefore we sometimes desire to imitate Kṛṣṇa. Because we have got these qualities in minute quantity, so we think that "I am God, I have become." But we do not know the quantitative difference. That we forget. We can say we are God, but teeny God, not the Supreme. Spark. Fire, blazing fire, and the spark. Now, this quality, fire, this also becomes almost unseen when we are in this material world. Just like if the fire sparks fall down out of the blazing fire, it becomes extinguished. So in order to ignite again our fiery quality, we must go back to the original fire. Then the fiery quality, the brilliant fiery quality, will again be exhibited.
Lecture on SB 2.3.20-21 -- Los Angeles, June 17, 1972:
So we accept Lord Rāmacandra as God, Lord Kṛṣṇa as God, not these petty dogs and cats. We have no business with these petty dogs and cats. All rascals, they are declaring, "I am God." No. Therefore, these rascals, who do not know what is God, you have to inject within their earholes the message of God. That is your business. Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means... These rascals, dogs, hogs, camels and asses, who have no information of God, and therefore their earholes are compared like the snake holes, bile... So you have got very responsible task, to inject within their ear the chivalrous activities of God.
Lecture on SB 2.3.20-21 -- Los Angeles, June 17, 1972:
Those who have taken sannyāsa especially, it is their duty. Sat-nyāsa, to sacrifice everything ... Sacrifice means ... Nothing to be sacrificed. But sacrifice the sense of "I am the Lord." That's all. What you have got, you can sacrifice? This is simply a bluff, sacrifice. We cannot sacrifice. What we have got we can sacrifice? There is no question of sacrifice, but sacrifice means this doggish mentality that "I am Lord, I am God, I am enjoyer."
Lecture on SB 2.3.25 -- Los Angeles, June 23, 1972:
That is the disciple's duty. Sevayā. Upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ. So real knowledge can be achieved in this process. Praṇipāta... Not that I can challenge, "Oh, I can know. I have got so much education and degrees. I can understand what is God," or "There is no need of God. I am God. We are the controller." So these are all rascaldom. Real thing is tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena, as Parīkṣit Mahārāja, the emperor of the world, he's hearing from Śukadeva Gosvāmī, you have seen that picture in our Bhāgavata, newly published, how Parīkṣit Mahārāja humbly asking and sitting before Śukadeva Gosvāmī. So bhāgavata-pradhānaḥ. Bhāgavata-pradhānaḥ. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī is the chief bhāgavata. Bhāgavata, there are two kinds of bhāgavata: grantha bhāgavatam and this person bhāgavatam. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī was person bhāgavatam, bhāgavata, chief. Bhāgavata-pradhānaḥ. Bhāgavata-pradhānaḥ means realized souls. We should not hear Bhāgavatam from a professional man, who are observing the Bhāgavata-saptāha.
Lecture on SB 2.4.3-4 -- Los Angeles, June 27, 1972:
You cannot say, nobody can say that "I am not serving anyone." Even becoming God, so-called God... As there are so many rascals, say, they say that "We are God" or "I am God, everyone God." God is never servant. God is enjoyer; God is master. God does not serve anyone. Just like you see, we have God here, Kṛṣṇa. He's not serving, He's enjoying. That is God. You'll always find God enjoying. God is not servant. Master. Kṛṣṇa says bhoktā. Bhoktā means enjoyer. Everyone should be engaged for His service, and He's the only enjoyer. Ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa (CC Adi 5.142). The only enjoyer, only master, is Kṛṣṇa, and all others, they are servants. Now, there may be gradation of servant, just like in your country, President Nixon is also a servant.
Lecture on SB 2.9.1 -- Tokyo, April 20, 1972:
Just like when you play some part in a drama, if you feel that "I am king," then you can talk very nicely. And if you feel that "I am Karandhara," then you cannot play nicely king. Is it not? Feeling must be there. If you are playing the part of a king, then you must have the same courage and belief that "I am king." You have to forget that you are Karandhara. Then your part will be very nicely played. It will be appreciated. But if you think simultaneously that "I am Karandhara. I am taking, playing the part of the king," then you cannot play. So because we wanted to play the part of Kṛṣṇa, enjoyer, Kṛṣṇa is giving us chance that "You feel like Me."—"I am king. I am Kṛṣṇa. I am God." (laughter) All these rascals, those who are feeling like that, "I am master. I am king. I am Kṛṣṇa. I am God," they are all simply in that feeling only. That's all. And this feeling is created by Kṛṣṇa: "All right. You want to play the part of a king. I shall train you in such a way." Just like director means, dramatic director means, he creates a feeling. His direction is nothing but how to feel.
Lecture on SB 2.9.1 -- Tokyo, April 20, 1972:
They will never be God, but we see so many persons. By the influence of the illusory energy they think, "I am God. I am God. I shall become God by pressing my nose like this, doing this." So this is going on. They will never be able. That is not possible. Otherwise, there is no meaning of God. If everyone can become God, then there is no meaning of God. But by influence of... Just like karmīs are saying "I shall become millionaire. I shall become trillionaire. I shall become head of the state. I shall become prime minister." This struggle, this is another struggle: "I shall become God." This is another struggle. But it is illusion. It is illusion.
Lecture on SB 2.9.1 -- Tokyo, April 20, 1972:
So Kṛṣṇa gives him some power of yogic siddhi and he thinks that "I have become God," and some flatterers, they also think, "Oh, you are God." The same dream. And as soon as death comes, everything finished, your Godhood and everything finished. Now becomes doghood, come to the stage of doghood. Again, another dream: "I am dog." First of all "I am God," then next stage, "I am dog." This is going on. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said, keno māyār bośe jāccho bhese': "Why you are being washed away by the waves of māyā? Just fix up. Stand up." Jīv kṛṣṇa-dās ei viśwās korle to ār duḥkho nāi. You simply remain fixed up on this standpoint, that, "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." Then there is no more dream. And if you allow yourself to be washed away, Kṛṣṇa gives you facility, "All right, come on. Be washed away." Then?
Lecture on SB 2.9.3 -- Melbourne, April 5, 1972:
Practical application means that this "I" and "mine," it is all misconception. Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. I am His servant. When I say "I," "I" means "I am servant of Kṛṣṇa." And if I say "my, mine, Kṛṣṇa is mine. I am Kṛṣṇa's, Kṛṣṇa is mine." That is perfect "I" and "mine." "I am Brahman, I am God, I am the Supreme, I am moving the stars"—just like these rascals, they think like that—that is rascaldom. There are so many rascals, they think like that, meditate, "I am the Supreme, I am moving the star. I am moving the sun. It is being controlled by me." That is their meditation. That is explained there. That is their meditation. Is it not? Does not somebody meditate like that? They do not take actual, whether actually he is able to move the sun and moon, but foolishly thinking like that. They are taught that "If you simply think like that, then one day you will become." How impractical proposition.
Lecture on SB 2.9.7 -- Tokyo, April 24, 1972:
Therefore Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura..., sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ: "All the śāstras, the spiritual master is accepted as directly Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead," because he is carrying directly the message of Hari. Then again it is explained... Then Māyāvādī will say, "Then I am God. Because I am carrying the message of Kṛṣṇa, therefore I am Kṛṣṇa." No. Kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya. Not that he has become Prabhu, or God, but he is very dear servitor. Kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya. Because He is carrying an important message, therefore he is very confidential. And because he is very confidential servitor, he is not different from Him.
Lecture on SB 2.9.10 -- Tokyo, April 26, 1972:
The so-called rascal declaring oneself that "I am God," no. Anuvrata. Everyone is following: "Oh, here is Lord." In the Vaikuṇṭha planets there is very great respectful consciousness, "Here is Lord." But in Vṛndāvana, there is no such respectful consciousness, Kṛṣṇa, and the cowherds boys, gopīs, but their love is very, very intense. Out of love, they cannot disobey Kṛṣṇa. Here in the Vaikuṇṭha, out of respect, they cannot disobey. In the Vṛndāvana, Goloka Vṛndāvana, they cannot think of denying anything to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is so much lovable. They can give anything. There is no so respectful because they do not know whether Kṛṣṇa is God or not. They know, "Kṛṣṇa is like us, one of us." But their respect and love is so intense that without Kṛṣṇa they become lifeless. There is no life.
So here we are defying Kṛṣṇa, defying God. We are declaring falsely, "I am God. You are God.
Lecture on SB 2.9.10 -- Tokyo, April 26, 1972:
So I have protested this false God consciousness in all my purports. That is my business, to punish all these rascals. You see? I become very much angry, anyone says before me, "I am God, he is God, everyone..." I cannot control myself. (laughter) Yes. I am so obstinate enemy of these rascals. I want to kick them on their face, but it is incivility. It becomes... But I want to kick them. It will be my pleasure. Never mind I go to hell.
Lecture on SB 2.9.11-15 -- Tokyo, April 28, 1972:
Yes. It will take forty thousands of years with the speed of 18,000 miles per hour. No, or... Some estimation. Anyway, forty thousands of years. So who is going to live for forty thousand years to see and go and see and come back? They cannot go even to the moon planet, theorizing. How they can go? But this is fact. If you have got power, you go and see. But they cannot go a few miles, and they are proud that "We have known everything. We know everything." This is their foolishness. Our knowledge is so imperfect; still, we are proud of our knowledge: "Oh, I have known everything. I know everything. I am God. I am God." So, and foolish like that... Just like a foolish child, he is declaring himself, "I am God," and there are so many followers: "Oh, he is God, he is God." That's it. They do not know what is God. At least we know what is God in this sense, that our God, when... Actually He is God. Therefore, at the age of seven years, He lifted a big mountain on the finger. So we accept this God. When He was young man He married sixteen thousand wives. These are the unique instances. And why shall I accept a cheap God who cannot provide even one wife? We are not... Because he cannot provide it, he does not marry. So this kind of God we don't accept.
Lecture on SB 3.25.9 -- Bombay, November 9, 1974:
So therefore māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ. Why this has happened? Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. Because he defies, "What is God? I am God. You are all God. Why you are searching God? There are so many Gods loitering in the street. Take care of them."
So this is not advancement of civilization. Because such kind of civilization is increasing, therefore in the paper we find that "Faith in personal God is decreasing." But God is person. Here it is said. What is that? Ya ādyaḥ bhagavān. Originally Bhagavān. Ādyaḥ means originally. There are three conceptions of Absolute Truth.
Lecture on SB 3.25.17 -- Bombay, November 17, 1974:
The burning capacity is there. But it is not as good as the original fire. Svayaṁ-jyotiḥ. Here it is said, nirantaram. So nirantaram means there is, so far jyoti is concerned, there is no difference, but the small, very small. Aṇimānam akhaṇḍitam. This is self-realization. Don't falsely claim that "Because I am qualitatively one with God, therefore I am God." No. You may be god. God means controller. But you are not the Supreme God. The Supreme God is Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ. Parama means Supreme. We are īśvara, we may be īśvara. I may be īśvara for few persons, another may be for a big nation, another may be for the... You can go on increasing. But you cannot reach the, I mean to say, position of God.
Lecture on SB 3.25.20 -- Bombay, November 20, 1974:
Sādhu's business is to become very tolerant. Because everyone becomes enemy. If you become a devotee, everyone will become enemy, because they're asuras. Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. Even the father. Hiraṇyakaśipu is the father of Prahlāda Mahārāja. The boy, five-years-old boy. What is his fault? He's chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. And his father became enemy. Up to which, what strength? Now, he was prepared to kill. He was insisting the boy that "Why you are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa? Why you are speaking of a separate God? I am God." That is the asuri. Those rascals who claim to become God Himself, they are demons, Hiraṇyakaśipu. So Prahlāda Mahārāja will not accept. Prahlāda Mahārāja, even the father insisting that "I am God. Why you are talking of any other God? I am God," and Prahlāda Mahārāja will not accept that. He will accept the father as asura. Sometimes it was quarrel between father and son. Sometimes the father would call, "My dear Prahlāda, all right, let me know what you have learned, the best thing, from your teachers."
Lecture on SB 3.25.30 -- Bombay, November 30, 1974:
Guru is confidential servant of Kṛṣṇa. Guru never claims that he is Kṛṣṇa, he is God. That is not guru. Guru, although worshiped as Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa... Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ. Not in one śāstra, but all the Vedic śāstra, they describe guru, guru-brahma. They describe on the equal footing. Guru, being representative of Kṛṣṇa, he is worshiped as Kṛṣṇa. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ. All śāstra recommends that. Tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ. And those who are pure devotees, they accept. But that does not mean that guru declares himself that "I am Kṛṣṇa. I am God." No. Kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya. He is the most confidential servant of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore he is very dear. And as he is very dear to Kṛṣṇa, if he recommends somebody, "Kṛṣṇa, accept him," He will accept him. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. That is the system.
Lecture on SB 3.25.37 -- Bombay, December 6, 1974:
Either you go to the Brahmā planet or this lower planet or this Brahmā life or human life or cat's life, dog's life, tree's life—everything is finishable.
Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34). Kṛṣṇa is ultimately present Himself to the atheist as mṛtyu, as He appeared before Hiraṇyakaśipu. Hiraṇyakaśipu was declining. His son was asking his father, "My dear father, why you are disbelieving God?" And he was becoming angry: "No, I am God. Who is else God? I am God. You see? All the demigods, they are afraid of me. I am so powerful." But Prahlāda will not agree. He will say, "No, no. You are not God. God is Nārāyaṇa." This was the father and son. So he did not believe in God. He was thinking, "I am God." Therefore, as Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham. Those who are atheists, who do not believe in God, the God comes before them as death and takes away everything, all his power, all his opulence, all his money, all his..., everything taken away.
Lecture on SB 3.25.41 -- Bombay, December 9, 1974:
Therefore guru, guru is servant of Kṛṣṇa, but he is accepted as Kṛṣṇa. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ. This is the verdict of all śāstra. Guru never says that "I am Kṛṣṇa. I am God. I am Bhagavān." No. He never says. He is not guru then. He will say, "I am the most humble servant of the servant of the servant of God, not direct servant-servant, servant, servant, servant, hundred times down (CC Madhya 13.80)." Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsa-dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's words. Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsa-dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ. The more you become servant, servant, you are perfect servant. Don't try to become direct servant. That is not possible. You cannot become direct servant. You first of all become servant of the servant. The guru is the servant of Kṛṣṇa, and you become his servant. Then you, you are bona fide servant. That is our real position.
Lecture on SB 3.25.43 -- Bombay, December 11, 1974:
Yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa. "You become guru simply by advising everyone the instruction which Kṛṣṇa has given." That's all. You become guru. It is not at all difficult thing. But if you want to cheat others that you are Bhagavān, you are this and that, you are yogi, you are very powerful, and "I am God," then you will cheat, because you are neither God. You are less than a dog. You are falsely claiming that you are God. That is not your position. You are servant of God, that is your position. That is real jñāna. Therefore Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that don't talk all nonsense thing. Simply say the real thing.
Lecture on SB 3.26.2 -- Bombay, December 14, 1974:
What is that material world? Material world means forgetting Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is covered. Kṛṣṇa is there, Kṛṣṇa is aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu, but they have no Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Whole world, you analyze, there is no Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no (indistinct). Rather they are declining, "There is no God." "God is dead." "I am God." "You are..." Because they have no information, no information of, that is material world. That is the difference between material world and spiritual world. Spiritual world means there is full consciousness of the existence of God, and material world means to full forgetfulness of God.
Lecture on SB 3.26.8 -- Bombay, December 20, 1974:
Therefore the mentality is not to become prakṛti but to become puruṣa, the mentality. In the material world constitutionally the living entity is prakṛti. It is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parām, jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho (BG 7.5). The jīva-bhūta, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7), prakṛti. But artificially, we are trying to become puruṣa. Ultimately, the same spirit is going on. As puruṣa is the enjoyer, we try to become independent enjoyer of this material world and baffled one after another, one after another, one after another, baffled, and at last, finally baffled still, he wants to become the supreme puruṣa, "I am God." This is māyā. Those who are claiming to become "I am God," they're still in māyā. Because he is prakṛti by nature, but he is still trying in the, first in the karma field as karmī, working day and night hard. But the purpose is that "I shall become the enjoyer. I shall become the Supreme."
Lecture on SB 3.26.8 -- Bombay, December 20, 1974:
So it is exactly like that. We are in this material world on account of this icchā and dveṣa. We wanted to satisfy the senses, material senses, independently. And we wanted to disobey the orders of the Supreme Lord. These are the two causes for which we are put into this material world. So we have to rectify this mentality, that "I am independent. I am God. I can do whatever we like." This mentality has to be rectified. For that rectification we are in this material world, and we are undergoing different types of miserable condition of life to become rectified so that we may come to the senses, that "I want to be happy. I want to enjoy life.
Lecture on SB 3.26.15 -- Bombay, December 24, 1974:
Therefore this māyā, this material world, saguṇa, that is also Kṛṣṇa's energy. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā (BG 7.14). Kṛṣṇa is not māyā's, but māyā is Kṛṣṇa's. We have to understand that way, not that Kṛṣṇa becomes enveloped or overpowered by māyā. That is wrong theory. The Māyāvādī theory is like that, that "I am Kṛṣṇa. I am God. Now I am overpowered by māyā, and as soon as I become free from māyā, again I become Kṛṣṇa." But the question is that "If you are Kṛṣṇa, if you are God, then why you became under the control of māyā? What kind of God you are?" Just like in the English Constitution it is said that "The king can do no wrong." So you cannot bring king under any law. Others will come—even if he is minister, he will come under the law—but the king cannot come under the law.
Lecture on SB 3.26.16 -- Bombay, December 25, 1974:
We may, however, defy the existence of God. Atheist class of men, demons, they always defy, "Who is God? I am God." But everyone is under the control of time factor. The time factor, in due course, will bring him death. So at that time, how one can deny the existence of God? Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34). Kṛṣṇa says that "I am death, and My business is to take away everything." Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham. So time factor will take away everything, what we create with these twenty-four elements. So time is very strong, kāla. However we may defy the existence of God, the time factor is there. We have to accept it.
Lecture on SB 3.26.18 -- Bombay, December 27, 1974:
For this purpose He comes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). Dharma-glāni, discrepancies in the matter of religious principle, glāni... What is that glāni? The glāni is forgetfulness of God: "No God. I am God. You are God." This is glāni. But this is going on as dharma. This is Kali-yuga. What is not dharma, that is going on as dharma. Dharma means to understand God. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). What is dharma? Dharma means the laws and instruction given by God. But at the present moment, what is God? "There is no God." Then where is dharma? Where is dharma?
So there is no dharma in the Kali-yuga. They are simply cheating.
Lecture on SB 3.26.31 -- Bombay, January 8, 1975:
So actually it is so. As soon as you contact the Supreme, yoga... Yoga means contact, and another meaning, everyone knows, in mathematics, yoga: one plus one equal to two. And viyoga: one minus one equal to zero. Viyoga, vi-yoga, discontact, and contact. So we are now separated. Separated superficially . "What is God? I don't care for God. I am God, this, that." Therefore, yoga system is required to connect again your relation, reestablish. It is not broken. It is exactly like that: a boy is away from home for many, many years, so he is now separated or discontact. But immediately he can contact by remembering his father, mother, family, immediately.
Lecture on SB 3.26.42 -- Bombay, January 17, 1975:
Hari-toṣaṇam is the ultimate goal. Sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya siddhiṁ vindati mānavaḥ. In the Bhagavad-gītā... Sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya (BG 18.46). You become a chemist; it doesn't matter. You become physicist, mathematician. It doesn't matter. Unfortunately, due to the Kali-yuga, as soon as one become a big chemist, doctor of chemistry, he says, "I am God. There is no need of God." As soon as the little... Svapari jala-matrena phala phariyate.(?) You'll see the small fishes. They are practically on the edge of the water and making, "fut, fut, fut." The big fishes, they are down the water. So these so-called material chemists, they are nothing, a small fish. Those who are big chemist, big scientist... Just like Professor Einstein.
Lecture on SB 3.28.20 -- Nairobi, October 30, 1975:
So this is the way, not whimsically accept any rascal as avatāra. No. That is not the process. Or any rascal as God. This rascaldom has killed the whole human society to become atheist. You should be very, very careful of these rascals. As soon as somebody says that "I am God," you shall immediately take him as dog, not God. So God is not so cheap.
Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Los Angeles, January 20, 1969:
There are so many different varieties of heater. But the heat of the sun cannot be compared with any other heat. You cannot say that "Because I have got little heat, I have become sun." (laughs) This is ludicrous; it is not possible. So those who are claiming that "I am God," "Everyone is God," they are simply, what can I say? Less intelligent persons. (laughter) They have no conception what is God. They do not know what is God. This claim that "I am God," that means he has no idea what is God. Therefore he is falsely claiming. You may have minute quantity of God's quality, but that does not mean you are God. Just like the same example. You may have a minute quantity of the total heat of the sun, but that does not mean you are sun. So qualitatively we are one, everyone has got some temperature, 98 degrees. But not that a million degree.
Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- Bombay, March 25, 1977:
God is never opposed to sex. Who said? God said, dharmaviruddhaḥ kāmo 'smi: "Sex which is not against the regulative principle of religious life, that I am." God never says that "Stop sex." Otherwise, why there is gṛhastha āśrama? Āśrama means that there is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As soon as we say, "Here is an āśrama," we understand that there is consciousness of Kṛṣṇa. So brahmacārī āśrama, gṛhastha āśrama, vānaprastha āśrama, sannyāsa āśrama, make it āśrama and follow the rules and regulations of āśrama. Then it is all right. Otherwise you are bound up by the laws of nature.
Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Johannesburg, October 22, 1975:
Give up this process, this bad habit. You cannot speculate. No. Jñāne prayāsa. This is called jñāna. Jñāna means knowledge, acquired knowledge. Everyone is trying to... Nobody is interested now to understand what is God, but there are some. But they are trying to understand God by mental speculation. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "This practice should be given up, speculation." Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva. Just become submissive, namanta. Don't think that "I am very learned scholar. I can manufacture my own way how to find out God," or "I am God," and so on, so on. This practice should be given up. Just become humble and meek. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva. "Then what shall I do, becoming humble and meek?" San-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. You try to understand about God from a God-realized person. That you do.
Lecture on SB 5.5.4 -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1976:
So if you want to stop these varieties of body, then you should give up all these nonsense desires. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (Brs. 1.1.11). You are jñānī, you are karmī, you are yogi, but your desires are all different. One yogi wants that "I shall fly in the sky." One yogi wants, "I shall walk on the water." One yogi thinks, "I shall create gold and show magic to the rascal people that I am God." This is going on. One jñānī, he is speaking something, one karmī... This is going on. Therefore there are varieties, varieties of desires. You have to stop these nonsense desires. That is wanted. Otherwise, you are implicated. You are implicated.
Lecture on SB 5.5.21-22 -- Vrndavana, November 9, 1976:
They are thinking... Kupa-manduka-nyāya. Everyone is thinking... The kupa-manduka is thinking that "This is the whole water, within this well, this three-feet span of water. That is final." And if you say to the kupa-manduka, "Oh, I have seen another vast water, Atlantic Ocean," he cannot imagine. So these rascals, those who are unaware of the potency of God, they think that "God may be like me. I am so little powerful. He may be little more powerful." Therefore they cannot understand what is God because they are thinking in their own terms. And somebody is thinking that "I am God." So this misconception should be given up. He is aṇor aṇīyāṁ mahato mahīyān.
Lecture on SB 6.1.3 -- Melbourne, May 22, 1975:
Similarly, Kṛṣṇa, after finishing His business in this universe, He goes to another universe. In this way the rotation takes eight million, nine billion years. Just imagine how many universes are there. He stays in one universe for 125 years. Everything is there, calculation, in the śāstra. Now we can imagine how many universes are there. That is, altogether, material world. That is stated in the...
- athavā bahunaitena
- kiṁ jñātena tavārjuna
- viṣṭabhyāham idaṁ kṛtsnam
- ekāṁśena sthito jagat
- (BG 10.42)
This material creation is one-fourth creation of the whole God's property. And the three-fourth part is in the spiritual world. That is God. Not that cheap God, "I am God," in this God. We don't accept such cheap God.
Lecture on SB 6.1.6-8 -- New York, July 21, 1971:
He can do whatever he likes. Just like the animals. The rabbits, when they're attacked by a greater animal, they close their eyes. (laughter) He thinks that "I'm not going to be killed." That's all. But he's killed. Similarly, we may deny the existence of God, the law of God, the exigencies of God, but they are already there. Just like in the... Why God? In state, if you say, "I don't care for God," er, I mean, "state, government," but you'll be forced to accept government laws. You'll be put into the prison house, and you'll be forced. "Because you denied the state laws, now you suffer." Similarly, I may decry the existence of God, "There is no God. I am God." That you may think, foolishly, like that. But you are responsible for all your activities, either good or bad. It doesn't matter.
Lecture on SB 6.1.8-13 -- New York, July 24, 1971:
So many things are going on. But what we know? We say that "It is my body." What do you know about your body? Still he says that "I am God." He does not know what is going within his body, and still he's supposed to be God. So yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). The, this bag of stool, urine, blood, bones, if one takes it that intelligence comes out of this stool, urines, and blood, and bone, then he's a fool. Can you create intelligence by taking stool and urine and bones and blood and mix it in laboratory, make some intelligence? Is it possible? But they're thinking like that. "I am this body."
Lecture on SB 6.1.14 -- Bombay, November 10, 1970:
So some gentlemen were coming, and ladies. I think they are not prepared to hear these things. If you talk that "You are God, I am God," then they will like it. As soon as the real process of self-realization, God-realization, is put before them, they are not agreeing.
Lecture on SB 6.1.14 -- Bombay, November 10, 1970:
That is another thing, but that is judged by the expert lawyer that your interpretation is right. And when interpreted. Not ordinarily interpret everything. When it is not distinct. The law point, when it is not distinct then interpretation required. When it is distinct, is there any necessity of interpretation? It is clear. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa says, "I am God. I am the Supreme." So how you can interpret that "No, no, not Kṛṣṇa. Something within Kṛṣṇa." Dr. Radhakrishnan says like that. Yes. That is foolishness.
Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- New York, August 1, 1971:
If somebody says: "It is false," how it is false? It is not false. Why I shall say false? Why I shall discourage the persons who are using this room as for their devotional service, they're making progress...? How we can say it is false? It is not false. The false is when I claim that "This is my house." That is false. That is false. That is my false puffed-up consciousness, that "I am the proprietor, I am the master, I am God." This is false. Just like first of all we want to become a proprietor, then master, then minister, then president, then God. When everything fails, then "I am God." Same tendency is there—that I want to become the greatest. But how you can be the greatest? God is greatest. You are always smallest. That is... That smallest is thinking greatest that is false. The smallness is not false. The greatness is not false. But when the small thinks as great, that is false. That is māyā.
Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- New York, August 1, 1971:
So you cannot even imagine with your material senses. Therefore aṇor aṇīyān, smaller than the atom. The same thing—we are also spirit, and Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Lord, is also spirit. Qualitatively we are one. But we are the smallest and He is the greatest. So we accept it immediately from the Vedic information. Therefore our position is safe. We do not falsely declare that "I am God." Just give proof that you are God. Then claim. But some rascal claims that he's God, and other rascals, they accept that he's God. God is not so cheap. God, as we get description from Brahma-saṁhitā: yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48). Many millions of universes are coming out from the exhaling of God, and again they are disappearing by inhaling of God.
Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- New York, August 1, 1971:
Now, if anyone present here can challenge this statement? Is there anyone? No, you cannot challenge. This is the fact. Simply we are under false impression that "I am this; I am that." Lastly "I am God. I am God." What kind of God you are? If you get immediately little toothache, you go to physician-god, the dentist-god. This is called māyā. This is called māyā. There is a verse that
piśācī pāile yena mati-cchanna haya
māyā-grasta jīvera haya se bhāva udaya
Piśācī means ghost. When one man is ghostly haunted, he speaks so many nonsense. Similarly, when one is entangled by the illusory energy, māyā, he also speaks all nonsense. At last he speaks that "I am God." That is the last snare of māyā. So they are not, they cannot be liberated, because they are under the false impression still.
Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- New York, August 1, 1971:
That is called brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20). And Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā: brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). As soon as you get right knowledge, you become jolly. First jolliness is due to "Oh, I was in such false notion so long. Oh, how fool I was." Then you become happy that "Now I am no longer fool. I was thinking that I'm God. But now I can understand that I am God's eternal servant." That gives him liberation and he becomes prasannātmā, jolly.
Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Nellore, January 8, 1976:
This understanding, pure understanding, is called mukti. When we understand that "Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is my eternal master, and I am eternal servant of Him," that is called mukti. The mukti definition is given in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: mukti hitva anyathā rūpaṁ sva-rūpeṇa avasthiti. Mukti means when we give up our wrong ideas and we stay in our real identification. That is called mukti. So a bhakta who understands clearly that "I am eternal servant of God, and God is my eternal master," this very understanding means mukti. If I wrongly think that "I am something of this material world" or "I am God myself," these are misunderstanding.
Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Indore, December 13, 1970:
God can display Himself, manifest Himself, just exactly like ordinary human. Just like when He was displaying Himself as a child, a perfect child to Mother Yaśodā, He would break everything if Mother Yaśodā would not supply mākhana, you see, as if He is in need of mākhana. But these Māyāvādīs, they said, "Oh, here is... How He can be God?" Brahmā became bewildered: "How this boy can be the Supreme Lord? Let me test." So... Indra became bewildered. Muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ, the Bhāgavatam says. Even big, big demigods, they become bewildered to understand. So when Kṛṣṇa was present, Indra, he wanted to test Him, and Brahmā wanted to test Him, whether He is actually God. So that is intelligence. If anyone declares... People are... Sometimes a so-called incarnations are, they are declaring that "I am God." Then one should test whether actually God. That is intelligence. Simply by declaring, if somebody declares falsely that "I am God..." Just like this Ramakrishna.
Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Indore, December 13, 1970:
When Arjuna was asked to Kṛṣṇa that "How can I accept that You taught this philosophy to sun-god? Because You are my contemporary. We are born practically on the same date." So He replied, "Yes. Both you and Me, we took many, many births. But you have forgotten. I know everything." And that is God. That is God. Abhijñaḥ. God must be cognizant of everything. And I do not know everything, and still, I claim I am God and people accept. How rascal. The Bhāgavata explains that the Absolute Truth is cognizant of everything, abhijñaḥ. "So how His knowledge is so perfect?"—the next question, because we become cognizant by taking knowledge or accepting knowledge from spiritual master. But how he has become so cognizant? The answer is svarāṭ, fully independent. He hasn't got to learn... (break) But He is God without taking knowledge from anybody. That is real God.
Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Indore, December 13, 1970:
Even read, they make a different interpretation, because to make them popular they have to go through Bhāgavata sometimes. I see Akṣajānanda also tries to explain. But they explain in their own way. Just like "This Kurukṣetra, this body, and this means..." I, in a... Long ago in Bombay this Akṣajānanda explaining one śloka. I just forget, but I remember his interpretation, that "When I am satisfied, God is satisfied." He explained like that. And he is passing on as a great scholar and great sannyāsa. He said like that: "When I am satisfied, God is satisfied—because I am God." We say, "When God is satisfied, then I am satisfied." If you say that "When the finger is satisfied, the whole body is satisfied," it is possible?
Lecture on SB 6.1.24 -- Honolulu, May 24, 1976:
So this father, Hiraṇyakaśipu, he defied God: "Who is God? I am God. Take my (indistinct)." The child said, "My dear father, you are not God." He would never address his father as "father." He addressed him "the best of the asuras." "My dear best of the asuras," tat sādhu manye asura-vārya dehinām. After all, the relationship is father and son. So one day the father took him, "My dear son, what you have learned, the best thing, from your teachers? Tell me." "Yes, I'll tell you." "What is that?" Tat sādhu manye asura-varya.
Lecture on SB 6.1.26-27 -- Philadelphia, July 12, 1975:
So this kind of guru is going on. But you should know, guru means who carries the order of the Supreme Lord. That is guru. Any rascal who manufactures some idea is not guru. Immediately kick him out, immediately, that "This is a rascal. This is not a guru." Guru is here, as Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā (CC Madhya 7.128). Guru means the faithful servant of God. That is guru. So you have to first of all test that "Are you faithful servant of God?" If he says, "No, I am God," oh, kick him on his face immediately. (laughter) Kick him immediately, that "You are rascal. You have come to cheat us." Because test is there that guru means faithful servant of God, simple. You don't require large definition, what is guru.
Lecture on SB 6.1.32 -- Surat, December 16, 1970:
So here is a description of the Vaikuṇṭha-puruṣā. Sarve padma-palāśākṣāḥ: "Your eyes are so beautiful, just like petals of the lotus flower." And pīta-kauśeya-vāsasaḥ. Saffron and yellow. These two kinds of colors of garments because... Those who are Māyāvādīs, impersonalists, they cannot understand that there is another spiritual world and there are spiritual planets, and their inhabitants, their bodily features are like this, their dress are like... Everything is there. But unfortunate persons, they cannot understand. They think everything is here. They are that kūpa-maṇḍūka, frog philosophy, that the frog in the well, he cannot understand beyond that well. Similarly, these materialistic persons, frog, they cannot understand that there is a Pacific Ocean, or spiritual world. They are satisfied with this well, three-cubic-feet well. That's all. And simply imagining, "God may be like this, may be like this, may be like this, and therefore I am God." So God is so easy that "Everyone is God. God is loitering in the street as daridra. God as Nārāyaṇa has become that poor, and I am so rich that I can provide Nārāyaṇa also." This is going on.
Lecture on SB 6.1.34-39 -- Surat, December 19, 1970:
Oh. So naturally... Just like somebody says that "I am God. I have become God by mystic yoga." So one should challenge him, "What kind of God you are? Whenever there is a toothache, you go to the doctor immediately. And you are God?" So I have seen. I have seen one man in America. He had some disciples, some. And he was claiming everyone is God, he is God. And one day he was suffering from toothache. So I asked him, "What kind of God you are, that you are so much painful, suffering from toothache?" And actually, one should challenge these... And they are, practically, another kind of lunatic, who claim that "I am God." Similarly, this challenge is given by the Viṣṇudūtas to the Yamadūtas, that "You are representative of Dharmarāja. Now explain what is dharma and what is adharma." brūta dharmasya nas tattvaṁ yac ca adharmasya lakṣaṇam. Tattva, lakṣaṇam: the symptoms of adharma, and the truth of dharma.
Lecture on SB 6.1.38 -- Los Angeles, June 4, 1976:
Gold is everywhere the same. Either in your country or my country, it doesn't matter. Gold is gold everywhere. You cannot say "Christian gold," "Muslim gold," and "Hindu gold." No. Similarly, you cannot say "Hindu God," "Muslim God," "Christian God." No. God is one. Otherwise, there is no God. The definition of God is eka brahma dvitiya nāsti. There cannot be any competitor of God. Just like nowadays so many rascals are coming, presenting, "I am God." What kind of God you are? You must check before accepting one rascal as God, what is God.
The description of God is there in the śāstra: yasyaika-niśvasita kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48). That is God.
Lecture on SB 6.1.39-40 -- Surat, December 21, 1970:
So the people do not understand it, and they are declaring, "I am God. I don't care for God. God is dead." How God is dead? You are under so much control, and how God is dead? You can say that there is no government, provided there is nobody to check you. But if you are in every step checked, how you can say that there is no government. That is another foolishness. All men, they have been declared in the Bhāgavata, abodha-jāta, born fools and rascals. But these are very strong words. But if we state the strong, that is another foolishness. It is so, and if we deny, that "We cannot accept such strong things," then another foolishness. Begin.
Lecture on SB 6.1.40 -- Surat, December 22, 1970:
Then again, Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says, kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya. Why the spiritual master should be accepted directly as Nārāyaṇa and God? The Māyāvāda philosophers, they say, "Yes, spiritual master is God and I am God, you are God—everyone is God." No. That is rectified. Everyone is not God. God is God, and living entities are living entities. In the Vedas it is..., nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām: (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13) "He is the prime entity of all entities." So there cannot be two Gods.
Lecture on SB 6.1.40 -- Surat, December 22, 1970:
With great difficulty it flies in the sky. But God's creation—innumerable planets, they are floating without any machine. Still, the rascal says, "There is no God. I am God." You do like God; then you become God. What you have done like God? You have created a toy flying in the sky. Therefore you are so much proud that you compare yourself with God? This is called demons, demonic. Unnecessarily, without any authority, when a man claims that "I am God," that is demonic.
Lecture on SB 6.1.55 -- London, August 13, 1975:
Kṛṣṇa is actually bhoktā. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasām (BG 5.29). So we are imitating Kṛṣṇa. This is our position. Everyone is trying to become Kṛṣṇa. The Māyāvādīs, although they have undergone penances, austerities—very strictly they follow the principles of spiritual life—but because they are under māyā, at the end they are thinking that "I am God, Purusa," the same disease, puruṣa. Purusa means bhoktā. That "I am Kṛṣṇa..." Bhoktāraṁ yajña... And even after advancing so much by austerities, penances, following regulative principle, the māyā is so strong that still, he is under this impression that "I am puruṣa." Not only ordinary puruṣa, but the Supreme Puruṣa, as Kṛṣṇa is described in the Bhagavad-gītā. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, puruṣam śāśvata: (BG 10.12) "You are puruṣa." So māyā is so strong that after being kicked so many lives, life after life, still he is thinking, "I am puruṣa. I am enjoyer." This is the disease.
Lecture on SB 6.1.62 -- Vrndavana, August 29, 1975:
So before meeting death... Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu. Prahlāda Mahārāja so many times requested, "My dear father, why you are becoming atheist? By His grace you have got so much power. Just submit to Him." "No. There is no God. I am God." So this is called demon. In spite of being punished in so many ways, they will deny the existence of God. So they are... Those who are not devotee, they will be agitated by the māyā, by Madana, by Cupid, by so many other illusory things. But if one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, then nothing can.
Lecture on SB 6.2.4 -- Vrndavana, September 8, 1975:
The people are becoming against Kṛṣṇa: "Why Kṛṣṇa should be God? I have got another God, manufactured. Here is God." Kṛṣṇa was so beautiful, and I am God, so ugly God? No. There are so many ugly Gods nowadays that ferocious face and he is God. We worship God, so nice face, people come and become enchanted, and they bring a God, a ferocious head, and he becomes God. This is going on. The whole propaganda is like that. Even big, big political leaders, they'll say, "We don't believe in Kṛṣṇa, there was a person as Kṛṣṇa living ever." So people are being misled. Lokas tad anuvartate. He has taken the position of śreyān, big leader, big scholar, and he is decrying Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 6.2.9-10 -- Allahabad, January 15, 1971:
The foolish persons, they say that "You chant any name, any name," sometimes demigods' names, sometimes his beloved's name. They think that any name, chanting... 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.
Lecture on SB 6.3.12-15 -- Gorakhpur, February 9, 1971:
Don't claim that "I am God. I am Supreme." Just try to understand what is your position. Most insignificant position. How do you claim that you are God?
So Yamarāja says, (reads Sanskrit commentary) ko 'sau yatra yasmin vittam otam protam urdham urdhva tiryak tanti tu tatavat yasya tu amsabhyo brahma-visnu-rudrebhyasya trtiyadaya bhagavān tu yasya ca bhase loka vartase nasi nasikayam prota bali madhyam iva vastu.(?) So, before claiming oneself as the Supreme, one should consider how he is the Supreme. There are different controllers. And the supreme controller, as is explained by Yamarāja, is one who creates this cosmic manifestation, maintains, and again annihilates.
Lecture on SB 6.3.16-17 -- Gorakhpur, February 10, 1971:
But when, at the time of devotional service, if such impetuses come, that means he has got such relation. It is to be developed. That's all. That means the actual relationship with Kṛṣṇa is coming out gradually. It is being developed. So one has to develop it, following the footsteps of the Kṛṣṇa's friends in Vṛndāvana. These are described here. Yes. Not directly. No. You cannot say that "I have become Sudāmā." No. You have to follow the footsteps of Sudāmā. "I have become Mother Yaśodā." No. You have to follow the footsteps of Mother Yaśodā. That is real position. And as soon as you say, "I am Yaśodā. I am Su...," then it is as good as the Māyāvādīs say, "I am God." You see? So dāsa-dāsānudāsa. That process should be followed.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 3, 1967:
So everything should be understood very distinctly, what do we mean by God, not that a third-class man comes and he proclaims himself, "I am God." This is our foolishness. Why shall I accept a third-class man as God? At the present moment everyone is very much anxious to become God and cheat you. There are so many so-called swamis. They are coming, and they are preaching that "You are God. I am God." Then who is God? Everyone is God? No. Therefore you will find in the Vedic literature definition of God. Here is definition of... Just apply this definition. If you find somebody, that he is corroborating with this definition of God, then he is God. Otherwise he is a nonsense. God is not so cheap thing. You find out a person that nobody can be found richer than him, nobody can be found stronger than him, nobody can be found more famous than him, or beautiful than him, or wiser than him, or renouncer than him.
Lecture on SB 7.6.3 -- Montreal, June 16, 1968:
If we understand our position, that māyā's spell is so nice that everyone is thinking, "I am master," "I am president," "I am minister," "I am teacher," "I am philosopher," "I am scientist," "I am this," "I am that," at last, "I am God." (laughter) When everything fails, when everything fails, he thinks, "Oh, I am God," although he is still a dog. You see? This is called māyā. And to get out of māyā means to understand one's position, that "I am eternal servant." That's all. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And the further advancement of this understanding of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is that "If I am constitutionally a servant, then what sort of service I am rendering?" Oh, kāmādināṁ kati na katidhā palita durnideśāḥ: "I have become servant of my lust, of my greediness, of my avarice, of my anger, of my senses." That's all. I have become servant of all these things. Actually I am nobody's servant, but I am servant of my senses. When I go to work somewhere, actually I do not believe that I am a servant, but I go there to get money.
Lecture on SB 7.6.5 -- Toronto, June 21, 1976:
Somebody is misusing the word "so 'ham," "ahaṁ brahmāsmi" and therefore "I am the Supreme." But that is not. These are Vedic words, but so 'ham does not mean "I am God." So 'ham means "I am also the same quality." Because mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). Jīva is the part and parcel of God, Kṛṣṇa, so the quality is the same. Just like you take a drop of water from the sea. So the chemical composition of the whole water of the sea and a drop of water—the same. That is called so 'ham or brahmāsmi. Not that we misuse these words, Vedic version, and I think falsely that "I am God. I have become God." And if you are God, then why you become a dog? Does God becomes dog? No. That is not possible.
Lecture on SB 7.6.7 -- Vrndavana, December 9, 1975:
So if one is expert in understanding, in analyzing this body, neti neti—"This is blood. This is skin. This is this. This is this. This is urine. This is stool"—then whole body we analyze. Then where is that "I"? We cannot see. But why you cannot see? As soon as the "I" is off, then whose stool, whose skin, whose bone? So in this way, if we analyze, then we can understand that asmin dehe, within this body, the "I" is there. And what is this "I"? Again, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. This is further advancement. But these rascal—"Ahaṁ brahmāsmi means 'I am God.' " No. Take, consult Bhagavad-gītā what is this aham. Aham means the part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman, Para-brahman. Kṛṣṇa is Para-brahman. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). So Kṛṣṇa says, "These Brahmans, these living entities, they are My part and parcel." That is aham understanding, "I." What I am? I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 7.7.46 -- San Francisco, March 22, 1967, (incomplete lecture):
There are two kinds of people in this world: viṣṇu-bhakto bhaved daiva. And who are... Daiva means godly. Who are godly? Viṣṇu-bhaktaḥ, those who are devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead or those who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they are called godly. And āsuras tad-viparyayaḥ. Tad-viparyayaḥ means just the opposite number. What is the opposite number? The atheists. At once they hear something of God, oh, they become fire: "What is this God? I am God." So he is asura.
Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Montreal, July 2, 1968:
So artificially, if we become puffed up, "I am God," we shall always remain in the position of a dog. We shall never be God. But actually if we feel ourselves humble and meek servants of God, then we become more than God. Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He keeps His devotees more honorable than Himself. And He recommends to the devotees that mad-bhakta-pūjābhyadhikā: (SB 11.19.21) "My dear devotees, take it for granted that if you worship My devotees, that is more than My devotional service." Kṛṣṇa recommends, and actually that is the fact, that Kṛṣṇa is more pleased. Just like... It is very natural.
Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Hawaii, March 21, 1969:
When devotee is insulted, we should be very much angry. But if somebody insults me, I don't be angry. "All right, he insulted. I tolerate." But when you speak against God, when you say, "I am God," I shall beat you with shoes. I shall be so much angry. You see. That should be attitude of the devotee also. As God is angry for his devotee, similarly, our anger should be also utilized for God. Just try to understand. It is not that we shall not be angry. Yes, we shall be angry, but in suitable place, where God is insulted.
Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Hawaii, March 21, 1969:
Devotee: ...and they say something like "I am God." Some young people our age, they talk like that. Does this mean that we should become angry at them because...
Prabhupāda: No. First of all... Just like there is some gentlemanly behavior: even if you are angry on some person, but you do not show your anger; you talk with him. Similarly, actually these persons are demons, but because we are preacher, we are preaching, if we simply become angry and cannot convince him, that means imperfect preacher. You see? You are... Basically you are angry. That's all.
Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Hawaii, March 21, 1969:
Your feature is so ugly. How you are millionaire? What is the definition of a millionaire?" First ask him. Similarly, ask him that "What do you know about God? What is the definition of God? If your behavior and everything tallies with that definition, then you are God. I will accept. We are God worshiper. Then I shall worship you. But first of all let me know what do you mean by God?" Is it very difficult job? Let him define what is God. "If you claim that I am God, then you must know what is God. If you falsely claim 'God,' then how you can be God?" You don't you ask like this, that "What is your definition of God that you are claiming God"? The same example: If somebody claims that "I am very rich man," but I see that he is a poor man, shall I not ask, "What do you mean by rich man?" By his definition he will be defeated. Ask him.
Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Mayapur, February 17, 1976:
But Kṛṣṇa simultaneously can be everywhere. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). So many pretenders, they claim that they are God: "I am God." But are you present everywhere? Can you say what I am thinking now? No, that he cannot. Still, he claims, "God." Nonsense. How he can become God? If you cannot say what I am thinking now, then how you can become God? God is situated everywhere. Aṇḍāntara-sthaṁ paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham. Everywhere. Paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham. Even within the atom there is God. So how you can claim God? Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Then they will answer, "I'm not in God now I am God, but māyā... Therefore I cannot say now." That... "Why you have become under the control of māyā? Then māyā is greater than God. Then how you can become God? Māyā is greater than God." So they cannot answer this. Because their theory is foolish, they cannot answer all these things. Actually, unless one is a devotee, he'll have all these bad qualification.
Lecture on SB 7.9.11-13 -- Hawaii, March 24, 1969:
Similarly, whatever material advancement we are making in the name of facility, emancipation, we are simply bungling the whole affair, disturbing. They do not know that. Life is so simple. Of course, it is not acceptable at the present situation. Therefore our only remedy is that whatever situation is there, you simply chant. Everything will be adjusted. But this atheistic way of life, this materialistic way of life, is always disturbing. That you should know. Disturbing to whom? To the Supreme. Just like the more they become materially advanced, they'll decry, "Oh, there is no God. I am God. We don't care for God.
Lecture on SB 7.9.13-14 -- Montreal, August 22, 1968:
So any living entity who is within this material world, they have come here with that two principles—icchā, dveṣa. Icchā means they want to be happy with material enjoyment and "What is God? I am God." These two things. The whole disease is on these two principles—denying the supremacy of the Lord and to try to be happy by material adjustment. But that is not possible. This is simply disturbing. Simply disturbing.
Lecture on SB 7.9.21 -- Mayapur, February 28, 1976:
So when we imitate Kṛṣṇa—we want to be complete in ourself without the help of Kṛṣṇa—this is called māyā. Māyā means that we want to imitate Kṛṣṇa. That is going on, material world. Therefore you'll find these Māyāvādīs... (aside:) Who is that? Take him out. The Māyāvādīs, they persist on this point, that "I am God." The māyā is working there. Māyā is working there still, although he is thinking that "I am now liberated. I have become Nārāyaṇa." Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. He is thinking that "I am God." That means he is in the darkest region of māyā, and still, he is thinking that he's liberated. He is thinking what he's not. At the present moment, you'll find, the whole world is filled up with these rascals. They are in the deepest region of māyā and concocting that he is God, he is God. This is māyā. Therefore it is said, māyā manaḥ. The māyā manaḥ is so strong that māyā manaḥ sṛjati karmamayaṁ balīyaḥ. Very strong. His material existence began from this point, that "Why shall I serve Kṛṣṇa? I shall remain independent." But the rascal does not know that he cannot become independent. That is not possible. But this is the beginning of material life. "Why shall I accept God? I am God." So the same thing is continuing in different phases.
Lecture on SB 7.9.21 -- Mayapur, February 28, 1976:
So māyā manaḥ is very strong. It is very, very difficult. Therefore we have to voluntarily surrender. It takes very, very long time, balīyaḥ, but if one is intelligent, if one is fortunate, he takes immediately. That is the difference. Otherwise it will take many, many births. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). Even if he is jñānavān, full knowledge of everything, scientific knowledge, physical, chemical, metaphysical, mathematical, all this knowledge, but denying God, "I am God. There is no need of God. Now we shall do everything. We are advanced in science..." This is called māyā manaḥ. These rascals, thinking like that... It will never be possible. Panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamyo vāyor athāpi manaso muni-puṅgavānām (Bs. 5.34). Great, a great muni... Muni means mental speculators. They're thinking within the mind this, that, this, that, this, that. Muni-puṅgavānām. Puṅgava. Puṅgava means very expert mental speculator. Even they think like that for many, many years... Panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara. Koṭi means hundred lakhs, and again multiplied by sata, sata, unlimited.
Lecture on SB 7.9.22 -- Mayapur, February 29, 1976:
The speed is sixteen thousand miles per second. So how it is being happenend? Yasyājñayā bhramati saṁbhṛta-kāla-cakro govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajā... It is being done under the order of Govinda. So therefore He's vibhu. He is great. But we do not know how great He is. Therefore we foolishly accept some pretender, some fraud, as God. We do not know what is the meaning of God. But it is going on. We are fools. Andhā yathāndair upanīyamānās. We are blind, and another blind man lead us: "I am God. You are God. Everyone is God." But God is not like that.
Lecture on SB 7.9.29 -- Mayapur, March 7, 1976:
So when Hiraṇyakaśipu was very much proud, unnecessarily challenging Prahlāda that "You are not accepting my philosophy that I am God. You are searching after another God. All right, let me kill you and I'll see how your God can give you protection..." That was his challenge. Yes. So Prahlāda Mahārāja knew it, that "Unless Kṛṣṇa desires, you cannot kill me." Therefore it is asat-vidhi. If one is very much proud and challenges the authority of the Supreme, that is asat; that is not sat. Rākhe kṛṣṇa māre ke, māre kṛṣṇa rākhe ke. Prahlāda Mahārāja knew it, that "You may challenge me, but I know you cannot kill me." He was confident devotee. "All right, "I am also challenging. I am standing here. Let me be killed by you." So that is not possible. Asad-vidhitsus mad-aparo 'vatu kaṁ harāmi. And so it was challenged by the Hiraṇyakaśipu that "You are searching after another God than me. Now I shall kill you. Let me see how another God..." This is demonic. The demonic means atheist and unnecessarily, falsely, very much proud of their knowledge. This is demonic. This morning as I was talking, the so-called scientists, they are falsely proud and challenge, "There is no God. Everything..." That is demonic. So in the Kali-yuga the demonic spirit is very very prominent. Everyone is thinking, "I am God."
Lecture on SB 7.9.33 -- Mayapur, March 11, 1976:
Suppose you are all coming from America. You can claim that you are American, but that does not mean you are Mr. Ford, the President. So similarly, this is false ego. If somebody thinks, "Because I am American, therefore I am equal to Mr. Ford," that is false. That is not... So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is how to bring back these, I mean to say, insane, crazy fellows to their real consciousness. These crazy fellows, they are thinking, "I am God," "I am master," "I am this," "I am that," "I am prime minister," "I am president." This false ego. The real ego is, "I am servant of Kṛṣṇa." That is the beginning of Caitanya Mahāprabhu's teaching.
When Caitanya Mahāprabhu was approached by Sanātana Gosvāmī, his first question was ke āmi: "Who am I?" This is the first education, spiritual education.
| Page Title: | "I am God" (Lectures, SB) |
| Compiler: | Labangalatika, Mayapur |
| Created: | 02 of Feb, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=146, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 146 |