Absolute truth (Lectures, SB)

So Lord Brahmā is called therefore pitāmaha, "grandfather," because he is the original father within this universe. He is the first created being, and he begot so many children. So all the living entities, they are born of Brahmā. He is called sṛṣṭi-kartā. Sṛṣṭi-kartā means "the creator of this universe." And there are innumerable universes. In each universe there is one Brahmā, and all these Brahmās are also created by Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. Therefore viṣṇu-tattva is the Absolute Truth. Now it will be explained in the purport. Read.

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu gives reference of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with Brahma-saṁhitā. That means Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also is eternal. They are not man-made, manufactured books. The Vedic literature means, as it is stated in this verse, tene brahma hṛdā. Brahma means Vedic literature, śabda-brahma. So He distributed the... Vāsudeva, original person, Absolute Truth, He, I mean to say, transferred this Vedic knowledge. Tene brahma hṛdā. Brahmā was alone. He could not see Kṛṣṇa eye to eye, but īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Kṛṣṇa is everyone's heart, so He taught him from within. Kṛṣṇa's name is Caitya-guru, "guru, spiritual master from within." So Kṛṣṇa is trying to help us from within, and He manifests again externally also as spiritual master, directly teaching. So from within, from without, He is trying to help us. Kṛṣṇa is so kind. From within and without. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye (SB 1.1.1).

So how these rascals can conclude that Kṛṣṇa was liv..., some years, some hundred or five hundred years ago there was a beel boy, he was very powerful. So in this way, these rascal so-called scholars they are misleaded public. Therefore we call them simply rascals. They do not know what is the truth, and still, they write books, they write commentaries unauthorizedly and mislead public. This is going on. Kṛṣṇa is not manufactured. In the Brahma-saṁhitā there is complete description of Kṛṣṇa:

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ

anādir ādir govindaḥ

sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam

(Bs. 5.1)

The cause of all causes. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Vedānta-sūtra says, "The Absolute Truth is that which is the origin, original cause." Original cause. The scientists, they are trying to find out the original cause of creation, but they are creating their own imagination. "There was a chunk, and it burst out, and then planets came out." Like that. (laughter) And wherefrom this chunk came, you nonsense? So this is going on.

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- Caracas, February 20, 1975:

So if you actually want knowledge, then you have to take knowledge by this disciplic succession, because you cannot speculate. By speculation, you can never arrive to the Absolute Truth. That is not possible.

athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvayaṁ

prasāda-leśānugṛhīta eva hi

jānāti tattvaṁ bhagavan-mahimno

na cānya eko 'pi ciraṁ vicinvan

(SB 10.14.29)

Ciraṁ vicinvan. Ciram means perpetually you can speculate, but you cannot understand what is God. That is not possible. You have to know God from a person who knows God or God personally. Just like Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa's name is mentioned in the Bhāgavata..., Brahma-saṁhitā. That means Brahmā knew Kṛṣṇa. That means Kṛṣṇa was before Brahmā's birth, original. Aham evāsam agre. Before creation, Kṛṣṇa was. Not that Kṛṣṇa is a product of this material creation. Just like we are product of this material creation. This body, everyone knows it is a product of material creation. My father and mother created this body. My father and mother's body also created by somebody, somebody, somebody. Kṛṣṇa's body is not like that. Kṛṣṇa's body is beyond creation-aham evāsam agre—because there was no creation and Kṛṣṇa was existing before creation, then how you can say Kṛṣṇa's body is material? That is not possible.

So the, as I have already said, the child enquires, "What is this, father?" Similarly, we should also enquire, "What is the origin of this universe?" Not only universe, but any item within our experience, naturally we are inclined... Just like here is a microphone. So an intelligent person is inquisitive to enquire, "Who is the manufacturer of this microphone?" Just like we enquire about a child, "Whose son he is? Who is his father?" similarly, this is human mind, to enquire about the origin. That is the only business of human being. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā, means the jīva, means human being especially... Jīva means all living being, but above all living beings, the human being is the most awakened consciousness. Therefore his business is to enquire about the Absolute Truth. It is said, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā.

kāmasya nendriya-prītir

lābho jīveta yāvatā

jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā

nārtho yaś ceha karmabhiḥ

(SB 1.2.10)

means that we have got some desires for gratifying our senses or for the maintenance of the body. Such desires are based on four principles of bodily demands. Every living being is busy, the lower animals and the human being, in finding out where is food, where is shelter, where is sex and where is defense. So they have selected four businesses: where to find out food, where to find out shelter, where to find out sex indulgence and how to defend ourself. These propensities are prominent both in animal and man.

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- Caracas, February 20, 1975:

They say that "So far these necessities of life are concerned, they are ready, supplied." In any life, either in human life or in birds and beasts, lower animal, trees, plants, that is ready. Therefore we should not waste our time for these things, but we should be ready to enquire about the Absolute Truth. So human intelligence is there to enquire about the Absolute Truth. So they have got better developed consciousness or intelligence than the lower animals. So that higher intelligence should be utilized for enquiring about the Absolute Truth. So that is... Vedānta-sūtra says, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), athāto brahma jijñāsā. This life, human life, is not meant for wasting time for adjusting how to get better food, better shelter, better sex and better defense. So the human intelligence is that when one thinks that "If these necessities of body are ready even for the animals and beasts and birds, then why not it is ready for me?" It is ready for the human being also. That is a fact. We see when human being are uncivilized, the ready food is there. They live in the jungle. There is fruit ready for eating. Everything is ready there. They do not know how to produce food, the uncivilized man. They eat some animal. They eat some fruit. This is already ready.

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- Caracas, February 20, 1975:

Nature has given us the opportunity now to enquire about the Absolute Truth. And what is that Absolute Truth? Because this is our only enquiry, that "What is the Absolute Truth, or the origin of everything?" Therefore in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, first of all the obeisances or the respect is offered to Vāsudeva. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya means "I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Vāsudeva, or Kṛṣṇa." This Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is being presented by Vyāsadeva, the most exalted personality, the guru, Vyāsa guru or Vedavyāsa, for the all advanced spiritually conscious men. The spiritual master is called, therefore, representative of Vyāsa, Vyāsadeva. Therefore, on the birthday of spiritual master, it is said, Vyāsa-pūjā. So this understanding, that Vāsudeva is the origin of everything, is available in human life.

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 16, 1971:

One who has seen the Absolute Truth, or one who has known the Absolute Truth, go there and take knowledge by surrendering. Praṇipātena. Praṇipāta means surrendering. Paripraśnena. Don't make question, waste his time. After you surrender, after you render service, then make question. Otherwise, there is no need of question. Don't waste your time, don't waste his time. An outsider has no right to put any question because he is not surrendered. And a spiritual master is not obliged to answer anyone except to his disciple. This is the Vedic way. Don't waste time for unnecessary questions and answers. But we have to do something sometimes. But that is not the way, unless one surrenders fully, praṇipātena, and renders service. Service means whatever the spiritual master wants, "You do this," you must do it, just like a menial servant. Nīcavat. Nīcavat.

Lecture on SB 1.1.3 -- London, August 19, 1971:

So here it is stated, nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalam (SB 1.1.3). All the Vedas, they are summarized in the Vedānta-sūtra. You have heard the name of Vedānta-sūtra. So this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is explanation of the Vedānta-sūtra. Therefore from the very beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the first aphorism of the Vedānta-sūtra is there, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). In the Vedānta-sūtra the first quote is athāto brahma jijñāsā, "Now we have to inquire about Brahman, the Absolute Truth." That is the business of human being. Because in other life other than the human form of body, we have simply passed our time in the matter of bodily necessities of life, āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunam.

Lecture on SB 1.1.3 -- London, August 19, 1971:

So the cats and dogs, they have got all these functions, and the human being has also the same functions. It may be little polished, but the function is the same. Then what is the extra business of this human form of life? If you are simply engaged in these four principles of life—eating, sleeping, sex life, and defending or fearing—then what is the difference between a man and a dog? There is no difference. The only difference is athāto brahma jijñāsā. A man can come here in this temple and he can inquire about Kṛṣṇa or the Absolute Truth. That is the difference.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means we are giving chance to everyone to come and inquire about Brahman. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Or, in other words, the whole activities of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is Vedānta life. Vedānta life. Anyone who is inquiring about Kṛṣṇa, inquiring about the Absolute Truth... Now there are different stages of inquiring about the Absolute Truth.

Lecture on SB 1.1.3 -- London, August 19, 1971:

Therefore Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is describing the Absolute Truth in the beginning, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Vāsudeva means Kṛṣṇa, the son of Vasudeva. He appeared as the son of Vasudeva, but spiritually, unless one becomes on the position of vasudeva, nobody can understand Vāsudeva. Vasudeva is the name of śuddha-sattva, pure goodness. Not contaminated goodness. Here in this material world there are three types of status: goodness, passion, and ignorance. So ignorance and passion, they're simply material. The symptom of ignorance and passion is greediness and lust. Above this greediness and lust there is another platform, which is Vedānta platform—to understand everything clearly. That is called goodness.

Lecture on SB 1.2.1 -- New Vrindaban, September 1, 1972:

So sound is the original element of creation. In Sanskrit language it is called śabda-brahma. Brahman, or the Absolute Truth, is first appeared Absolute Truth becomes knowable by sound. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, the Lord says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ (BG 7.8), śabdaḥ khe. Śabda means sound. If we want to see God, so let us hear first of all the sound vibration, because that is the beginning. In the Bible also it is said, "The Lord said, 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation." So "Let there be creation," this is sound, transcendental sound. So one who says this word, "Let there be creation," He is not within the creation. Because He, God, is speaking, "Let there be creation" means He is existing before creation.

So God is not within the creation. In the Vedic literature, therefore, description of God's body is given as sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ. Vigraha means form. Sac-cid-ānanda vigrahaḥ. Isvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). He is not formless. He has got His form, but it is a different form. How we can understand? Because we have got experience of this material world. We cannot see anything subtle.

Lecture on SB 1.2.3 -- London, August 24, 1971:

So Śukadeva Gosvāmī assimilated the Vedic knowledge and he was after Kṛṣṇa. Although he was liberated soul, still, he was after Kṛṣṇa. To become liberated is not the final stage. Liberated means one who understands that he is not this material body—he is liberated. But that much knowledge is not sufficient. One must act according to that. Just like one is cured of the feverish condition. One was suffering some fever; now there is no fever. That's nice. But that is called convalescent stage. In the convalescent stage, if we do not take care nicely, again the fever may be relapse. That is marginal stage. We must come this side or that side. So even if we are liberated, if we are not engaged in the activities of liberation, then we are to be considered on the marginal stage. And marginal stage means we may fall down in this material condition. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Āruhya kṛcchreṇa. Kṛcchreṇa means with great difficulty. The philosophers, they try to understand the Absolute Truth by mental speculation. But simply by mental speculation you cannot stay in that understanding. Or, in other words, by theoretical knowledge you cannot escape. It must be practiced. Practiced.

Lecture on SB 1.2.3 -- London, August 24, 1971:

There are sāttvika-purāṇa, rājasika-purāṇa, tāmasika-purāṇa. Three kinds of purāṇas. So the aim is to take the leader on the liberation platform, but according to the quality. In the tāmasika-purāṇa there are recommendations for goddess Kālī and other. And rājasika-purāṇa there is recommendation for yajña or worshiping the demigods in the heavenly planet, Indra, Candra. But in the sāttvika-purāṇa only about Viṣṇu, Lord Viṣṇu, is recommended to be worshiped. So this is called purāṇa-guhyam because in this Purāṇa you won't find any recommendation for worshiping any other demigod. Simply satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi (SB 1.1.1). Only the absolute. Satyaṁ param. The ultimate Absolute Truth, Kṛṣṇa, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.

Saṁsāriṇāṁ karuṇayāha purāṇa-guhyam. He first of all spoke Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to, being compassionate to the people suffering from these material pangs. Taṁ vyāsa-sūnum upayāmi guruṁ munīnām. Guruṁ munīnām. "He's not only my guru, but he is guru, spiritual master, of great sages and saintly persons." Even Vyāsadeva also considered his son greater than himself. When Śukadeva Gosvāmī appeared in the assembly where many saintly persons were present at the time of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, so at the time all the munis stood up to receive him. All the munis. Even there was Vyāsadeva, he also stood up. Therefore he is guruṁ munīnām. He is spiritual master of all saintly persons.

Lecture on SB 1.2.3 -- Rome, May 27, 1974:

So Śukadeva Gosvāmī learned from his father, Vyāsadeva, mahā-bhāgavata, and he realized it, svānubhāvam. What is this book? Akhila-śruti-sāram ekam. Akhila means "all, universal." There are many scriptures, many religious scriptures, especially the Vedas. Śruti means Veda. Śruti is learned by hearing, not by reading. You can understand Vedic principle even though you are illiterate, provided you hear them, aural reception. God has given you the ear. And if you try to hear submissively, to receive something, then it will be fruitful. Submissive. Śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-mano..., jñāne prayāsam. This is the Brahmā's realization when he met Kṛṣṇa. So he said this verse, jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva, namanta eva, san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. People who are endeavoring to understand the Absolute Truth by dint of his puffed-up knowledge, they will never be able to. They will never be able. Jñāne prayāsam. One has to give up this illegitimate attempt to understand the Absolute Truth by his personal knowledge. That is not possible. Kṛṣṇa is not so cheap thing that by exercising your brain you can manufacture a way to understand Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yogamāyā-samāvṛtaḥ: (BG 7.25) "I am not exposed to everyone. I am covered by yogamāyā. People will not be able to understand Me." "So many jñānīs, yogis, karmīs, they cannot understand?" No. Then? Kṛṣṇa says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ: (BG 18.55) "Only through devotional service." Devotional service means submission, surrender. First of all surrender. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You cannot understand Me by your so-called karma, jñāna, or yoga, dhyāna. No, it is not possible." Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Bhaktyā means to surrender.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Montreal, August 2, 1968:

But because you are soul, spirit soul, part and parcel of God, you have got a particular duty. That is eternal duty. That eternal duty is described here, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). And adhokṣaja. Adhokṣaja, this Sanskrit word, is applicable to this Absolute Truth. Akṣaja, adhokṣaja. Akṣaja means experimental knowledge, things which you can perceive by your present senses. Just like you can touch. You can understand a thing by touching, if it is hard or soft, liquid or solid. You can smell, you can hear—so many sensual activities. So things which you can perceive by your sensual activities, they are called direct knowledge or knowledge by experiment. But which is beyond your experiment, that is called adhokṣaja. Adhokṣaja means beyond your sense perception. So God's another name is Adhokṣaja, means beyond our perception. You cannot understand God by directly seeing or directly smelling, or directly hearing, or directly tasting or touching. It is not possible at the present moment unless you are spiritually advanced, unless our seeing power is rectified or hearing power is modified. In this way, when our senses are purified, then we can hear about God, we can see God, we can smell God, we can touch God. That is possible. To training in that science, how to see God, how to hear God, how to touch God—by your senses, that is possible. That science is called devotional service or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So therefore, Bhāgavata says, "That is first-class religious system by which you can develop your dormant service attitude for God." That is first-class religion.

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Edinburgh, July 17, 1972:

Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Atha, "Now, this is the time for inquiring about the Absolute Truth." "This is the time" means this human form of life. Animals cannot inquire. Therefore Vedānta-sūtra says, athāto brahma jijñāsā: inquire about the Absolute Truth. Brahma, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). The ultimate Absolute Truth is Kṛṣṇa, the person. Paramātmā is plenary expansion, and Brahman is impersonal effulgence. So if one understands Kṛṣṇa by question and answer, then he understands the other three features. But simply by understanding the impersonal feature, Brahman effulgence, one cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. Neither by understanding or seeing the Paramātmā, one can understand Kṛṣṇa. To see the Paramātmā is the business of the yogis. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Yoginaḥ, the yogis they are trying to see Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu within their heart by meditation. Meditation means this. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). And the jñānīs they want to stop these material varieties, make it impersonal, and merge into the existence of Brahman effulgence. But devotees, they do not, neither of them, neither they even want to be transferred to the Vaikuṇṭhaloka. They are satisfied in any condition life, provided they have got the opportunity to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is the ambition. Hmm.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Delhi, November 11, 1973:

He has got His form. God has got His form. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they think the Absolute Truth is impersonal. Śūnyavādi. No. Absolute cannot be zero or impersonal because controller, controller must have brain. Without brain, how he can control? And as soon as you have got brain, you have got other limbs of the body to carry out the order of the brain. So as soon as you have got senses, as soon as you have got sense organs, as soon as you have got brain, as soon as you have got activities, you are a person. This is the conclusion of the śāstra. Therefore the absolute controller cannot be impersonal. By our practical life we see, government. "Government" is an impersonal word, but at the end of the government, there is a governor or president, a person. A person is required, who will apply his brain. So how is that that without brain the whole cosmic manifestation it is controlled? That is not very reasonable. And that is not according to śāstra.

According to śāstra, the Absolute Truth is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā as tattva. Tattva means truth.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Delhi, November 11, 1973:

"Those who are actually knower of the Absolute Truth, they know that the Absolute Truth is manifested in three features: impersonal Brahman and localized Paramātmā, antaryāmī or the Supersoul..." As Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that in each body there is a soul, kṣetra-jña. Idaṁ śarīraṁ kṣetram ity abhidhīyate. The body... I am not this body, but I know it is my body. Therefore I am kṣetra-jña and the body is kṣetra. And Kṛṣṇa says that kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata (BG 13.3). That sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata, in every body, that manifestation of God, or Kṛṣṇa, is called Paramātmā, or Supersoul. So the Supersoul and the soul, both of them are sitting on this body. It is compared with a tree. Just like on the tree two birds sitting, friendly birds. One is eating the fruit and another is simply witnessing. Upadraṣṭā-anumantā.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Vrndavana, October 17, 1972:

So one has to become... If one becomes a devotee, ahaituky apratihatā, such devotional service can never be checked. It is not conditional. "If I am very learned, then I can read Vedānta philosophy, then I can understand what is the Absolute Truth." So that is checked. "If I am not very nice Sanskrit scholar, then I, I cannot become a Vedantist." That is conditional. But bhakti is not conditional. Not that because you are not a Vedantist, not that because you are a very not rich man... Not that. Bhakti is unconditional. Ahaituky apratihatā. They're... Just like class of men, they say, "First of all, let us enjoy this world. Then we shall think of bhakti, God, later on." That is the general public; they say like that. But no. Bhakti is not that conditional, that you finish your business of sense gratification, then you become bhakta. No. Become bhakta immediately. Immediately. Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1). If one is intelligent, he should begin devotional service immediately. As soon as he gets the information that devotional service is the perfect type of religion, he should take immediately, without waiting. Ahaituky apratihatā. It is not that "I am conditioned by so many things. I cannot take to bhakti just now." No. Ahaituky apratihatā. Apratihatā. Without any check. Without any hindrance, you can adopt bhakti.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Delhi, November 12, 1973:

When one understands that everything is coming... That is the Vedānta-sūtras. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Athāto brahma jijñāsā: "Now this human form of life is meant for inquiring about the Absolute Truth." And what is that Brahman, brahma-jijñāsā? Immediate answer is janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) "Brahman, or the Absolute Truth, is that from which or from whom everything has emanated." That answer is there, the meaning of Brahma-sūtra, in the Bhagavad-gītā. Because we have (to) find out what is that Absolute Truth, wherefrom everything is emanating, everything has come into existence. The answer is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). One who knows this secret... Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: "I am the origin of everything." Mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate: "Everything emanates from Me. Everything comes from Me." Iti matvā: "One who has understood this fact," iti matvā bhajante mām, "then he engages himself in the service of the Lord." Why? Budhāḥ: "They are actually in understanding." And budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ. "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is the origin." That is repeated in another place. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). Not easily.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Mauritius, October 5, 1975:

We'll find the hogs and dogs, whole day they are searching after eatables: "Where there is some food? Where there is some food?" That is hogs' and dogs' life, the condemned life. They cannot have any peaceful life. They cannot do any intelligent work. They cannot produce food from the earth. They have no intelligence. The same earth is there, the dogs and hogs are there, the human being is also there, but human being has developed a civilization, comfortable life; the hogs and dogs, they cannot do that. Although they have got the same opportunity, but they cannot do it. So human life is meant for living very comfortably, brain clear to understand what is Absolute Truth, what is our life, what is the goal of life, because the hogs and dogs, they will also die and we will also die, but we can understand what is the goal of life; the dogs and hogs, they do not know what is the goal of life.

Therefore in the Vedānta-sūtra the first aphorism is advised that human form of life... It doesn't matter where that human form of life has happened. It doesn't matter. Either in America or in India or in Pakistan or anywhere, human life is human life. So their business is to inquire about the Absolute Truth. That is the injunction of the śāstra. Therefore we find a form of religion in the human society. It doesn't matter whether Christian society or Hindu society or Muslim society or any other society. Because they are human being, there must be a type of religion. And what is that religion? Religion means to understand God. This is the sum and substance.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:

Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ, whatever we see, whatever there is, they are all emanation from God. That is the verdict of Vedānta-sūtra also. Simple. If you want to know what is God, the Vedānta-sūtra informs us very, in two words, very simple, "God, or the Absolute Truth, is that who is the source of everything." Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). The original source from whom everything is coming, He is God. Very simple definition. Anyone can understand. If you find out... That is our inqu... Philosophy means to inquire, athāto brahma jijñāsā, to enquire.

Now this life, this human form of life is especially meant for enquiring about the absolute truth. In animal life we cannot do. There are big, big animals, tigers and lions and elephants and big, big trees also, they are also living entities. Big, big whale fish within the ocean, very gigantic. Big, big mountains, mountains, they have got also life. But they cannot enquire about God, that is not possible. You can enquire about God in this human form of life, that's all.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972:

You can execute any type of religious system. It does not matter. But if it is leading you to the ultimate goal of life, bhakti, then you are successful. Why? The next verse says, vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ (SB 1.2.7). Bhakti-yoga, the Adhokṣaja. In the previous verse it has been explained: adhokṣaja. And who is that Adhokṣaja? Adhokṣaja means "that you cannot realize by your sense perception." He's called Adhokṣaja. Now we have got our senses. If it is beyond our senses, then we become disappointed, that "We have got our senses. Everything we realize by our senses. And the Absolute Truth has to be understood by some method which is beyond our senses." That means, beyond our senses, the method or the system of religion beyond our senses means bhakti-yoga. Just to clear the disease. Bhakti-yoga is not sense activities. Bhakti-yoga is transcendental activities, beyond senses, beyond the three guṇas, three modes of material nature. That is explained by Kṛṣṇa Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā, māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate (BG 14.26). There also, this very word has been used, bhakti-yoga. Avyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yoga. Not vyabhicārī.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, na dhanaṁ na janam. Dhanam, riches; janam means men, manpower; na kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye. Kavitām, nice wife. So this means that it is not karma and jñāna. In the next line He says, mama janmani janmani. Jñānīs' process is to stop birth and merge into the existence of the Absolute Truth. So for jñānīs, there is no question of janma. "Finish this." Of course, the bhaktas, they also do not take birth again. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). But they get their birth in the spiritual world. But the jñānīs, they finish their any kind of birth, either material or spiritual. That is the difference.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

Our, we living entities, our real business is tattva-jijñāsā. This tattva-jijñāsā... Therefore Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is commentary on the Brahmā-sūtra, Vedānta-sūtra. As Vedānta-sūtra gives the code, athāto brahma jijñāsā: this life is meant for brahma-jijñāsā, inquiry about Brahman. The same brahma-jijñāsā and tattva jijñāsā is the same thing. Here also the same thing, as Bhāgavata begins, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). You'll find all the codes of brahma-sūtra or Vedānta-sūtra in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, very nicely explained. It is practically the explanation of vedanta-sutra. Here it is athāto brahma jijñāsā. What is that brahma-jijñāsā? That is explained here in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. The same thing, athāto brahma jijñāsā and jīvasya. This human form of life is especially meant for inquiring about the Absolute Truth, tattva-jijñāsā. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā na artha yaś ceha karmabhiḥ. You are working so hard, simply for maintaining your body. No. It is not. You work hard, keep yourself fit, but live for tattva-jijñāsā. That is life, tattva-jijñāsā: What I am? What is God? What is this material world? Why I have come here? Why I am put into so much trouble? These are the inquiries. Not that everyday go to the share market, (indistinct). That is not tattva-jijñāsā. That is indriya prītiḥ, howling in the market.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

Try to understand the advantage, nibhodata. This is the only business of human birth, being, to understand his constitutional position, to understand God and relationship with God. We are avoiding this. What is the solution? Here it is clearly said, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā nartho yaś ceha karmabhiḥ. You work hard, but what is your aim of life? Simply sense gratification. It is falling life. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. Now what is that tattva? That is explained in the next verse, vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam (SB 1.2.11). Those who are tattva-vit, those who are knower of the Absolute Truth, they say as follows:

vadanti tattva-vidas

tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam

brahmeti paramātmeti

bhagavān iti śabdyate

Lecture on SB 1.2.9-10 -- Delhi, November 14, 1973:

That Absolute Truth, tattva-vastu, those who are in the knowledge of tattva-vastu, they say the Absolute Truth is one, advaya-jñāna. There is no duality. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam yaj jñānam advayam (SB 1.2.11). Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. They are the same tattva-vastu, but according to our angle of vision, somebody is understanding the Absolute Truth as impersonal Brahman, somebody is understanding the Absolute Truth as localized Paramātmā, and somebody... That is highest realization, Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

So actually, one by one, as people are coming to the association of the society, automatically he is becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is practical. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ. This is sādhu-saṅga. Sādhu-saṅga does not mean to associate with some saffron-colored men. Sādhu-saṅga means to associate with Kṛṣṇa conscious person. This is śāstra. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu... This is Rūpa Gosvāmī's direction, that if you want to develop your love for Kṛṣṇa, this is the process. Because real purpose of life is not dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90). And that will be explained here. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. What is the Absolute Truth? What is the aim of life? Then this is the process. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo 'tha bhajana-kriyā. Practically we have seen. These boys and girls, Europe and America, they first of all came to me, and they associated, abided by my orders. Then automatically they wanted to be initiated. We are doing that. Every day we are initiating some new devotees. So this is called bhajana-kriyā. You'll be automatically anxious. If one associates with sādhu, then he will be automatically anxious to accept bhajana-kriyā, initiation. Then you have to rise early in the morning, you have to offer maṅgala-ārati, you have to do this, you have to do that. Twenty-four-hours program is there. That is called bhajana-kriyā. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo 'tha bhajana-kriyā tato 'nartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). Anartha means useless habits.

Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Vrndavana, October 21, 1972:

Pradyumna: Translation: "Life's desires should never be aimed at gratifying the senses. One should desire to live only because human life enables one to inquire about the Absolute Truth. This should be the goal of all works."

Prabhupāda:

kāmasya nendriya prītir

lābho jīveta yāvatā

jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā

nārtho yaś ceha karmabhiḥ

(SB 1.2.10)

So we were discussing dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90). So we have already discussed that religiosity does not mean to gain material gain. We have already discussed, just people go to the church: "God, give us our daily bread." Or, even in temple, they go to ask something, material gain. But actually religiosity's not meant for that purpose. Religiosity is meant for dharmasya āpavargyasya. To enter into life of religiosity means to get out of the threefold miserable condition of life, apavarga.

Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Vrndavana, October 21, 1972:

So here it is stated, kāmasya nendriya prītiḥ. So long we have this body, we have to eat, we have to sleep, we have to enjoy senses, and we have to defend. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithuna. These are bodily necessities of life. And they are called kāma. So kāma is allowed. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, dharma-aviruddhaḥ kāmo 'smi: "Which is not against religious principles, that sort of kāma is allowed." But not for sense gratification. You can marry. You can beget children. That's all right. But you cannot enjoy sex for enjoyment, for simply enjoyment. No. That is not allowed. You eat, you sleep, you have sex life, you defend. Nothing is forbidden in the śāstra, but you must know the aim of your life. The aim of your life is tattva-jijñāsā. You should not forget that. Therefore the Vedic system is so organized that people may satisfy the bodily necessities of life, at the same time, he may progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness for understanding the Absolute Truth. That is Vedic system. Not one-sided. There is sufficient concession for our sense gratification, but we should not forget our real business of life, athāto brahma jijñāsā.

Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Vrndavana, October 21, 1972:

This brahma-jijñāsā is explained here as tattva-jijñāsā, the same thing. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. This human life... Athāto brahma jijñāsā means this human life is made for inquiring about the Absolute Truth. Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī, he inquired from Caitanya Mahāprabhu, ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya, "Who am I?" This is also brahma-jijñāsā. Because I am part and parcel of Brahman, the Absolute Truth, so I must know myself. So that is the beginning of brahma-jijñāsā. Just like Bhagavad-gītā begins... Kṛṣṇa is teaching Arjuna that "You are not this body. You are Brahman." Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā (BG 2.13). Asmin dehe, in this body, there is the proprietor of the body. So that is the beginning of brahma-jijñāsā. "Who am I?" Ke āmi. And without knowing myself, I cannot understand what is Kṛṣṇa. If I, without knowing myself, I try to understand Kṛṣṇa, then I shall misunderstand. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). I shall consider that "He's also a man like me. Maybe a better man or stronger man or richer man. That's all." Because they have no conception of the spiritual identity of self, therefore they misunderstand Kṛṣṇa as ordinary man.

Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Vrndavana, October 21, 1972:

"Knowingly, I am drinking poison. I have heard that this life is meant for understanding for Absolute Truth, but I am spoiling my life in the business of sense gratification. So therefore I am drinking poison knowingly." Just like somebody takes poison knowingly, that "I, I must die." But he wants to end. So that is not our aim of life. We should properly utilize the opportunity given by nature, given by God. That is required.

So here is the opportunity. Kṛṣṇa is there. Kṛṣṇa is speaking. Not that Kṛṣṇa is not present. Kṛṣṇa is present by His words. Kṛṣṇa is absolute. There is no difference between Kṛṣṇa and His words. The Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, they're the words of Kṛṣṇa. When you read Bhagavad-gītā, you should know that you are talking with Kṛṣṇa directly: kṛṣṇa-kathā. Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore advises, yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Kṛṣṇa-upadeśa, kṛṣṇa-kathā, this should be spread all over the world. My Guru Mahārāja used to say that "I don't find any scarcity within this world, except Kṛṣṇa consciousness."

Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Vrndavana, October 21, 1972:

In the Vedic, in Mahābhārata, we don't find there is any industrial development or trade development. No. Nothing like that. Why Mahābhārata? Even two hundred years ago, before the British advent, there was no industry all over the India. And they were happy. So it is not that simply by increasing your fruitive activities, karmabhiḥ, you can become happy. No, that is not possible. If you simply restrict yourself for life, inquiring about the Absolute Truth, then you'll be happy. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. That is, that is the only business of the human form of life and not working hard like asses and cows. Sa eva go-karaḥ. These examples are there in the... I was giving the example while coming. Who was there? That this ass... Ass, one ass was going. So the ass, he can eat grass anywhere. There are so many grasses. But he's thinking that "Unless I work very hard, the washerman will not give me grass." You see? This is ass intelligence. Everything is there. Why ass? There are elephants. In Africa there are millions of elephants. They're eating at the, at one time, at least eighty-two pounds, but they are supplied food.

Therefore Bhāgavata says, Sūta Goswami says, that this life, human life, or the purpose of the Vedic civilization, they are not meant for kāmasya nendriya-prītir (SB 1.2.10). Kāma, that should be utilized for better purpose, not for sense gratification. The real business is jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. Life should be engaged simply for tattva-jijñāsā, to understand the Absolute Truth. The whole Vedic literature, Vedic knowledge is meant for understanding the Absolute Truth. Kṛṣṇa says, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). The purpose of studying Veda means to understand Kṛṣṇa. And vedānta-vit. Because people are very much proud, especially Māyāvādī philosophers, they're very much proud of becoming vedāntī. So the Vaiṣṇava philosophers... (aside:) Stop that. ...Everyone is vedāntī. Śrī Rāmānujācārya, he is also vedāntī. Madhvācārya, he is also vedāntī. Nimbārka, he is also vedāntī. Without understanding Vedānta, where is the question of spiritual advancement? So Vedānta does not mean it is the monopoly of a certain class of philosopher. No. Actually Vedānta, this vedānta-bhāṣya understanding of Vedānta, it is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Bhāṣya brahma-sutrani. And this bhāṣya, this commentary, is given by the author Himself. The purpose of Vedānta is known to the author. Therefore if he personally gives the commentary, that is very perfect. Kṛṣṇa also says, vedānta-vit vedānta kṛd cāham: "I am the compiler of Vedānta, and I am the knower of it." That is, Vyāsadeva is incarnation of Kṛṣṇa.

Similarly, this brahma-jyotir is nothing but Kṛṣṇa's personal effulgence. Yasya prabhā. Yasya prabhā (Bs. 5.40), you can, you can say, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is so powerful that He is providing brahma-jyotir." Well, why not? If some creation of Kṛṣṇa, the sunlight and moonlight, is so powerful that it expands all over the universe, so how much powerful is Kṛṣṇa? Brahmano 'ham pratiṣṭha. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the source of this brahma-jyotir." Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11).

Now, how to understand the Absolute Truth? The next verse says,

tac chraddadhāna munayo

jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā

paśyanty ātmani cātmānaṁ

bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā

(SB 1.2.12)

These are very important words. The Absolute Truth can be understood, can be known, by whom? Chraddadhāna munayo. Chraddadhāna. Tac chradda dhāna: those who are faithful. That is the beginning. If one is not faithful, if he does not believe in God, for him it is, it is to be forgotten. He cannot not understand what is Absolute Truth. Atheist who does not believe in God, who has no faith, he cannot receive; he is not possible. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). They are narādhamāḥ, or always constantly engaged in sinful activities. They cannot (indistinct). Chraddadhāna, ādau śraddhā, those who have got faith, that is the beginning. Then chradda dhāna, simply having faith, will not do.

Chraddadhāna, ādau śraddhā, those who have got faith, that is the beginning. Then chradda dhāna, simply having faith, will not do. Then one must associate with sādhu, chraddadhāna munayo, must be thoughtful philosopher, munayo. Chraddadhāna munayo. Tac chraddadhāna munayo jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā (SB 1.2.12). Simply mental speculator or philosopher will not do. He must have complete knowledge, and the effect of knowledge must be, he must be renounced, without any attachment for material world, jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā. Just like in the beginning we discussed this,

vāsudeve bhagavati

bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ

janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ

jñānam...

(SB 1.2.7)

Vairāgyam and jñānam. We must have complete knowledge of the Absolute Truth. At the same time, we must be detached from material sense gratification. These two: jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā.

From the very beginning of our life we are brought up in big cities like Bombay, Calcutta, London, New York. Then, where is the question of going to the forest? Does it mean that if one cannot go to the forest for acquiring knowledge and detachment then he has no chance? No. Kali-yuga, there is special concession that is given by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. You haven't got to go to the forest of Himalaya for attaining jñāna and vairāgya. You can stay in your place. You can remain in Bombay, you can remain in London, you can remain in New York, big, big cities, and you can perform your prescribed duties. You can be very businessman. You can remain in (indistinct), or anything. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says. He said also from the Vedic, sthāne sthitaḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ manobhir, jñāne prāyasam udapāsya namanta eva, san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. This was spoken by Rāmānanda Rāya, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted. Originally this verse was spoken by Lord Brahmā. Rāmānanda Rāya quoted from the words of Lord Brahmā, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted: "Yes, this is the process." What is that process? Jñāne prāyasam udapāsya. If we don't be independent, unnecessarily mental exercise to understand what is God, what is Absolute Truth. Don't bother about these things. Then, what to do? Namanta eva: just become submissive, then san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya, just try to hear from a realized soul. This process. 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.

So therefore here it is particularly said, bhaktyā. Bhaktyā means you have to execute the devotional service under the direction of a proper spiritual master, bhaktyā śruta-gṛhitaya, and you have to hear about Kṛṣṇa. Two things must go on. If... Just like here you'll find the arcā-vigraha, worshiping the Deity, is going on. But if simply these thing go on, it will be happening... Because none of us are expert. There must be śruta-gṛhitaya. We must hear about Kṛṣṇa also. Two things must go on parallel lines. If simply speculation goes on, that will not help us, and if simply ringing the bell goes on, and then that will not... That is not. There are temples, many hundreds and thousands, but nobody goes, because there is no śruti, śruta-gṛhitaya. People say, "What is there? They're simply ringing the bell, that's all." So two things must go on: bhaktyā, śruta-gṛhitaya. There must be devotional service, discharge of devotional service as they are prescribed in the śāstra, as they are guided or ordered by the spiritual master—that will go on—at the same time we have to hear, namanta eva, śruti vak-manobhiḥ. In this way, if we live our life, athāto brahma jijñāsā, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā, if you try to understand the Absolute Truth, this is the process. If we follow, then our life is a success.

Therefore our business is to inquire about the truth. This is explained in this verse, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. This human life should be engaged for inquiring about the truth, anything, either of this body or of this material nature or about God, our interrelationship—so many things that have to be known. Therefore in this verse it is said that jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. It is not our only business that simply to eat, sleep and have sex life and defend. That is not our only business. That may be the business of the cats and dogs. But human life is not meant for that purpose. The civilization should be so molded that people will have the chance to think soberly about the truth of life. That is the point. That is called tattva-jijñāsā. For this purpose the Vedic civilization is perfect. Vedic civilization is for everyone, but nowadays it is said that it is for the Indians or for the Hindus or... But actually, it is meant for everyone. Just like here it is said, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. It is everyone's duty to inquire about the Absolute Truth. Where is the question of Hindu, Muslim or this or that? Truth is truth. Two plus two equal to four; it is accepted by the Hindus, Muslims, Christians and everyone. Science is science. So therefore we should be interested about inquiring. This is the confirmation in every scripture, in the Bhāgavata also. This is also Bhāgavata.

In Bhāgavata, in another place, it is said, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam: (SB 11.3.21) "Those who are actually inquisitive to know the value of life, the Absolute Truth, he must approach a guru." Here also, it is said, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. Jijñāsā means somebody in inferior position inquires from the superior man. Then there is jijñāsā. Just like a child inquires from his father. Intelligent child always inquires, "Father, what is this? What is this? What is this?" and father explains. In this way the child gets experience. So similarly, here it is said that jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. Every human being... It is human being. Jīvasya, the general meaning is all living entities, but all living entities cannot inquire. That is not possible. The cats and dogs, they cannot inquire. There are 8,400,000 species of life, out of which this human form of life is competent to inquire about the Truth.

So here also it is said, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. So if we want to know the tattva, the Absolute Truth, then we have to go through the process. That process is simply to engage oneself in the loving service of the Lord. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). By these blunt senses, materially blunt... Just like with blunt instrument you cannot take any benefit, it must be sharpened; similarly, these senses, you utilize these senses to understand the Absolute Truth, but it must be purified, sharpened. Just like a knife. When it is sharpened it cuts very nicely. If it is blunt, it does not. But you can use the same very knife. So you can use these very eyes. Now you cannot see God, or Kṛṣṇa. But if you purify these eyes, if you purify the senses, you can see God, you can talk with God, you can serve God, everything. That is possible. That is bhakti. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). We have to purify the senses. Now I am thinking, "This hand is my hand" or "This hand is my society's hand," "my family's hand" or "my nation's hand," "my community's hand." Upādhi, designation. But actually, this hand belongs to Kṛṣṇa, and therefore this hand should be used for Kṛṣṇa's purpose, not for anything else. That is called sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). Purify. Actually that... Therefore Kṛṣṇa's name is Hṛṣīkeśa. When these senses are purified, then with that purified senses, hṛṣīkeṇa... Hṛṣīkeṇa means senses, by these senses. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). This is bhakti.

Lecture on SB 1.2.11 -- Vrndavana, October 22, 1972:

So instead of utilizing this knowledge, this treasurehouse of knowledge, we are reading bunch of useless newspapers. You see? In the Western countries, most of you may know, they are delivering in the morning such big lump of newspapers. And after one hour, it is thrown away. Who will read that? But people's attentions are diverted by so many nonsense literatures, and they are not interested to inquire from the real source of knowledge, real treasurehouse of knowledge. Therefore here it is said that jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā: "Your only business is to inquire about the truth." And that truth should be inquired from whom? Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). If you are actually inquisitive to understand what is Absolute Truth, what is your life, what is the value of life, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta. A guru is not a fashion, "Oh, such and such swamiji is a..., let me make him guru." Just like, "Oh, there is a nice dog. Keep me a dog. Let me keep here dog." And if a guru says, "Yes, whatever you are doing, you are right. You can do whatever you... You can eat whatever you like. You can do whatever...," "Oh, he is a very nice guru." And as soon as he will say, "No illicit sex life, sir, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication," "Oh, Swamiji, you are very conservative." I have heard these things. That poet Allen Ginsberg, he said, "Swamiji, you are very conservative." No, I am the most liberal. You do not know. If I become conservative, then none of you will come to me.

Pradyumna: "Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān."

Prabhupāda:

vadanti tat tattva-vidas

tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam

brahmeti paramātmeti

bhagavān iti śabdyate

Lecture on SB 1.2.11 -- Vrndavana, October 22, 1972:

So the Absolute Truth is realized in three different features, according to the capacity of realization of the Person. Those who are trying to approach the Absolute Truth by exercise of the senses, they can reach up to the point of impersonal Brahman. Those who are searching out the Absolute Truth by meditation, by mystic yogic practices, they can realize the Paramātmā feature of the Absolute Truth. And those who are engaged in devotional service, they realize the Absolute Truth as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Actually, we have to reach to the point of Personality of Godhead, person. Before that, Brahman realization and Paramātmā realization, that is partial realization of the Absolute Truth, because Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, brahmaṇaḥ ahaṁ pratiṣṭhā. The impersonal Brahman is resting on Kṛṣṇa. Just like the sunshine. Sunshine is very all-embracing, wide, widely spread all over the universe, the sunshine. But the sunshine is resting on the sun globe. We see the sun globe, localized. It is floating in one corner of this universal sky. But the sunshine is covering the whole universe. That does not mean the sunshine is more important than the sun globe. And if you can penetrate within the sun globe, then you'll find there is sun-god.

Lecture on SB 1.2.11 -- Vrndavana, October 22, 1972:

After many, many births, understanding the Brahman... Brahman understanding is certainly transcendental, but because Brahman is only partial realization of the Absolute Truth, only the eternity... The Absolute Truth is eternal, blissful, knowledgeable, cognizant. So Brahman realization means realization of the eternity portion. Paramātmā-realization is knowledgeable. Paramātmā knows everything. Paramātmā is present in everyone's heart, and He knows everyone's activities. But actual realization, complete realization, means ānanda, sac-cid-ānanda. That ānanda-realization is in Kṛṣṇa-realization. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). Kṛṣṇa is by nature jolly, always full of bliss. You have seen the picture of Kṛṣṇa. He's always tri-bhaṅga-murāri, with two hands, with, playing on flute, surrounded by the gopīs, enjoying. That is blissfulness.

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

vadanti tat tattva-vidas

tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam

brahmeti paramātmeti

bhagavān iti śabdyate

Translation: "Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān."

Prabhupāda: I will speak, then you translate.

vadanti tat tattva-vidas

tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam

brahmeti paramātmeti

bhagavān iti śabdyate

Yesterday we have been discussing the aim of life. That is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that kāmasya nendriya-prītiḥ. Kāma... Lābho jīveta yāvatā. The purpose of life is not sense gratification. Kāmasya na indriya-prītiḥ. We have got this body and we have got some bodily demands, āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithuna, the bodily demands. We want to eat something, we want some resting place, we want to satisfy our senses, and we want to defend from dangers. These are bodily demands. But we should not be simply concerned with the bodily demands. Then we shall become on the level of animals. Our real demand is self-realization.

Who is the disciple? Sanātana Gosvāmī. (break) So this Sanātana Gosvāmī, when (he) approached Caitanya Mahāprabhu... That is the system. We sometimes accept one guru. But why should we accept guru? What is the necessity of accepting guru? This is the necessity for tattva-jijñāsā, for inquiring about the Absolute Truth. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet, samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12). This is the Vedic injunction. Simply if we remain engaged in the four activities of this material body, namely eating, sleeping, sex life, and defense, then we are animals. Our human life should be executed with the aim of life.

The aim of life is tattva-jijñāsā. That Sanātana Gosvāmī did when he approached Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He inquired from Him, ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya: "My dear Lord, kindly let me know who am I and why I am put into the threefold miserable condition of life." Then one can say, "You are minister. You know what you are." Then he says, "No, actually I do not know what I am." Grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita tāi satya māni: "Some neighborhood men, they call me I am very big man, I am very learned man, and when I study myself," āpanāra hitāhita kichui nā jāni, "I do not know what I am, wherefrom I have come, where I have to go after leaving this body, why I am put into the tribulation of threefold miseries. I do not want to die. Why death is enforced upon me? I do not want to take birth. Why that is also enforced upon me? I do not want old age. Why it is enforced upon me? I do not want disease. Why it is enforced upon me? And what is the purpose of my coming in this material world, and where I shall go after my death? Or this is the finish?" There are so many things to inquire. That is called tattva-jijñāsā. This is called tattva-jijñāsā. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā.

So at the present moment, the predominating deity of the sun globe is called Vivasvān. So this Vivasvān or the sun-god and the sun globe and the sunshine, they are not different. All of them are light. Without light in the sun globe, how so much light is emanating? So therefore the inhabitants of the sun globe, their body is made of fire. Therefore everything is glowing. And we, from distant place, we see the sun globe also glowing. And the sunshine is also glowing. Similarly, Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān, they are one, the glowing or the light, but still, there is difference. What is that difference? If you remain in the sunshine... Every one of us, we remain in the sunshine. That does not mean that I am in the sun globe or I have seen the predominating deity, Vivasvān. Similarly, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11), you can realize the Absolute Truth in three features: Brahman, Paramātmā... (break)... brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate. The same Absolute Truth is realized from three angles of vision. Those who are trying to understand the Absolute Truth by their own scholarship, eruditely... There are many philosophers. They are trying to find out what is the original source of everything. The scientists, they are also trying to find out the original source of everything. So somebody, say, for example, the scientists, they are finding original of everything as matter, chemical, chemical evolution, the modern theory of originality. But actually, if we study what is the position of chemical theory, the so-called scientists, they could not produce life from chemicals, although their theory is that from matter life comes.

So brahmeti paramātmeti. If we try to understand the Absolute Truth, then we can approach only up to the impersonal feature. Just like if we simply want to come to the light, so we can see the sunshine is light. But if we want to study what is the sun globe and if we want to study what is the predominating deity in the sun globe, that is different thing. That is, simply coming to the light, sunshine, will not help you. You must have strength and process to go to the sun globe. The same example: One can understand impersonal Brahman by dint of his speculative knowledge, but he cannot understand Paramātmā, who is situated in everyone's heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣ... (BG 18.61). That is Paramātmā feature. That Paramātmā feature is also one fourth expansion of Kṛṣṇa's personal existence.

Another example is: just like if you see a mountain. Just like surrounding your this place, Tirupati, there are so many hills. From the distant place, your vision is not clear. You simply see something like cloudy, the same mountain. But if you make little further progress, you see the same mountain or hill greenish. And if you actually go in the same hill, you will find there are so many animals, so many men and so many houses. So object is the same, but from different angle vision, it appears differently. Similarly, unless one can understand Kṛṣṇa perfectly, he realizes the Absolute Truth as impersonal, nirākāra Brahman. Unless one understands Kṛṣṇa perfectly well, he cannot understand what is Paramātmā, which is realized by yogic principles. But when you understand Kṛṣṇa, then you understand Paramātmā and Brahman also. This is the verdict of the śāstra. Just like if you have got one lakh of rupees, your possession of few thousands of rupees or few hundred of rupees are already there.

Similarly, Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). The same thing, tattvataḥ. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam (SB 1.2.11). Kṛṣṇa says that "My appearance," ajo 'pi sann avyayātmā, "how I appear, how I disappear, if anyone understands in truth..." Because we do not understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, therefore we consider Kṛṣṇa as ordinary human being. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ (BG 9.11). Mūḍhāḥ means asses or rascals. They consider Kṛṣṇa as something of this material world. But He is not that. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. If anyone understands Kṛṣṇa as Absolute Truth, then immediately his mission of life is complete. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Therefore this is tattva-jñāna. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam (SB 1.2.11). This is tattva-jñāna. Try to understand Kṛṣṇa, what He is.

Bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā. You have to hear of Kṛṣṇa in devotion, bhaktyā, not as a nondevotee. A nondevotee cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. He has no scope. If a nondevotee interprets on the Bhagavad-gītā, he is simply wasting time of himself and others. Here it is clearly stated, bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā. One has to become devotee and hear from the authorities. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was a bhakta. Bhakto 'si priyo 'si sakhā ceti (BG 4.3). And he heard from the Absolute Truth, Kṛṣṇa. Therefore he understood Bhagavad-gītā. So one who has not heard Bhagavad-gītā or about Kṛṣṇa and who is not a devotee, his speaking on Bhagavad-gītā is simply useless waste of time. Yes.

So one has to learn the art of seeing the Absolute Truth in three features—as Bhagavān, as Paramātmā and as impersonal Brahman. That prescription is given here. Tac chraddadhānā munayaḥ. The ordinary person not. Munayaḥ. Those who are very much advanced in the process of thinking, munayaḥ, or great saintly persons... Tac chraddadhānā munayo jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā (SB 1.2.12). Jñāna and vairāgya—these two things are required. First of all, one must have sufficient knowledge and vairāgya, renunciation, detachment. Then he can see what is Bhagavān, what is Paramātmā, and what is impersonal Brahman. It is a very long subject matter, but as it is stated here by Vyāsadeva that paśyanty ātmani cātmānaṁ bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā, through bhakti and śruti, by hearing the Vedic literature... Not whimsically, not by sentiment. One has to develop his dormant bhakti consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness by thorough study of the Vedic literature. Then he can understand what is Brahman, what is Paramātmā and what is Bhagavān. Otherwise it is not possible.

Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā also, it is said, "The basic principle is bhakti." Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). One has to learn the Absolute Truth through bhakti. Bhakti is the principle. If you have got bhakti, then jñāna-vairāgya will automatically come.

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Los Angeles, August 15, 1972:

This is the... You must have complete knowledge, jñānam and vairāgya, detachment. Jñāna means detachment. If one is attached to the material activities, he is not a jñānī, because he is in the bodily concept of life. Therefore he is not jñānī. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13), sa eva go-kharaḥ: "If one is in the bodily concept of life, he is no better than the cows and asses." This is the verdict of the śāstra. So you cannot understand the Absolute Truth on the platform of bodily concept of life. You must get yourself on the transcendental platform, and bhakti is the transcendental platform for the activities of the spirit soul.

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā

na śocati na kāṅkṣati

samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu

mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām

(BG 18.54)

You can attain bhakti when you are already Brahman realized person, or perfect brāhmaṇa. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ.

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

tac chraddadhānā munayo

jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā

paśyanty ātmani cātmānaṁ

bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā

(SB 1.2.12)

"The seriously inquisitive student or sage, well equipped with knowledge and detachment, realizes that Absolute Truth by rendering devotional service in terms of what he has heard from the Vedānta-śruti."

Prabhupāda: (interrupts and corrects one devotee's chanting of the verse:) We are repeating so that by hearing the sound, you can practice. You should be attentive. By... (chanting resumes)

Very good, thank you. Yes. She has done better than all of you. All right. (chanting resumes) (Prabhupāda interrupts again:) Yes. That's all.

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:

Pradyumna: "That Absolute Truth is realized by the seriously inquisitive student or sage who is well equipped with knowledge and who has become detached by rendering devotional service and hearing the Vedānta-śruti."

Prabhupāda:

tac chraddadhānā munayo

jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā

paśyanty ātmani cātmānaṁ

bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā

(SB 1.2.12)

So first of all it has been described what is the purpose of life. This human form of life, it is not meant for being spoiled like the dogs and hogs. The dogs and hogs, they're busy to find out food: "Where is food? Where is stool?" And they are spoiling their whole day and night. Their life has been made by nature in such a way that they have no other business than to find out where is some food, where is some food, where is... And laboring, they're laboring very hard.

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:

So in this way we shall not spoil our life. The life's purpose is different. They do not know. The modern civilization do not know what is the purpose of life. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). They are trying to make adjustment, political situation, social situation in so many problems. The United Nations, they're trying to solve the problems of whole nation, but still the war is going on between such and such party, such and such party, and everyone busy in politics and diplomacy. This way, the problems of life cannot be solved. If there is any solution of the problems of life, it is actually this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Those who are intelligent, they should study the purpose of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and try to apply in all fields of activities—political, social, religious, anything, economical. Everything can be solved. Jīva, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. This is called inquiry, inquisitiveness about the Absolute Truth.

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:

Now this verse is describing how one can become interested in the values of life. The values of life is to inquire the Absolute Truth, how this inclination can be developed or how Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be developed. Tattva-jijñāsā means Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa. Now how this inclination... There is inclination in everyone, but by artificial means, they have been checked. Otherwise, normally, this inclination is there in everyone's heart. Nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti sādhya kabhu naya. It is not an artificial imposition. Naturally there is tendency to know, if he's a sane man, "What I am? What is God? What is my relationship with Him? Why I am suffering?" There are so many questions. So here it is suggested that if you are actually serious about tattva-jijñāsā, to understand the Absolute Truth, this is the process. What is that? Tat śraddadhānāḥ. Śraddhā. Śraddhā means that at least to understand that "These people are doing some nice things." Just like in Europe and America, the papers are now discussing about our Movement. They say, "They are nice people, and we want more of them." At least, they are saying like that. Yes. "These Hare Krishna people, they are very nice, and we want more of them." And in Berkeley, when our procession was taken, the neighboring shopkeepers, they remarked that "These people are not window-breaking crowd." Because as soon as there is some crowd, or procession, immediately they begin to break the windows and throw stones. That is, that has become a custom. So when they see that these people are very peaceful... Even the police, they also give certificate that "We don't have to take much worries to control this crowd," when our Ratha-yātrā festival go.

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). So you take to this line of disciplic succession from Kṛṣṇa and try to understand what is Absolute Truth, what is your relationship with you, how you can get out of the threefold miserable condition of life. This is possible. That is called brahma-jijñāsā, tattva-jijñāsā, athāto brahma jijñāsā.

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:

So this śraddadhānāḥ, if we have got little faith that... Just like people come here with little faith. That faith is the little spark of fire. Now you have to fan it, fan it, so that fire may increase. Tat śraddadhānāḥ munayaḥ. So śraddadhānāḥ, Rūpa Gosvāmī has given us the formula that if you have got little faith in for understanding the Absolute Truth, Bhagavān, then ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15), associate with sādhu. Who is sādhu? Sādhu means devotee. Kṛṣṇa says, api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk, sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). He's sādhu. Not a sādhu having big beard or mustaches and having red cloth without any sense of Kṛṣṇa. He's not sādhu. Sādhu means one who is fully engaged in the service of the Lord. He's sādhu. Api cet su-durācāraḥ. Even if he's not very well-behaved, su-durācāra, still he's sādhu. Why? Bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. He has no other business than to love Kṛṣṇa. This is the symptom of sādhu.

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Delhi, November 18, 1973:

We have been discussing the instruction of Sūta Gosvāmī, what is the purpose of life. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. The only business of the human being is to inquire about the Absolute Truth, tattva-jijñāsā. And that tattva has been explained in the previous verse:

vadanti tat tattva-vidas

tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam

brahmeti paramātmeti

bhagavān iti śabdyate

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Delhi, November 18, 1973:

So the Absolute Truth is one. There is no doubt about it. But according to our angle of vision, we appreciate the Absolute Truth in different ways, although the Absolute Truth is one. Somebody is realizing the Absolute Truth as impersonal Brahman, and somebody is realizing the Absolute Truth as localized Paramātmā, Supersoul, and somebody is realizing the Absolute Truth as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the last word, Supreme Personality of Godhead, in the matter of understanding the Absolute Truth.

So our Gosvāmī Bhavānanda has explained about the Absolute Truth, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Bhagavān iti. But who is Bhagavān? That has been also explained. Bhagavān means ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa, complete in six opulences. He is Bhagavān. Bhaga means opulence. Just like we say bhāgyavān. This bhāgyavān word comes from bhaga. Bhaga bhavārthe śrī-karṇa(?), bhāgya. And vān is vatup, asty arthe vatup(?). If somebody possesses something, this affix vat or mat is used. So bhagavān means one who has opulences. So Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa, when He was present on this planet, nobody could excel His opulences. That's a fact. Everyone knows. People want to enjoy. That is natural tendency, the association of woman. Here also we see that very, very rich men, they want to associate with nice, beautiful woman. In the Western countries I have seen. In Paris there are many clubs. So the club business is to go and enjoy the association of nice beautiful woman. So everyone knows it. So tendency is there. That is also richness. So that richness I have already explained. Here in the material world the same thing is represented pervertedly, not in actual position. Therefore we are frustrated.

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

So this process will make you understand the Absolute Truth. You just follow this principle ekena manasā, with one attention, without diverting your attention to any other subject matter. If you follow this principle, ekena manasā, to hear, to chant, to think of and to worship... This simple process. This is the injunction of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

yad-anudhyāsinā yuktāḥ

karma-granthi-nibandhanam

chindanti kovidās tasya

ko na kuryāt kathā-ratim

(SB 1.2.15)

What is the benefit of this process? The benefit of this process is karma-granthi-nibandhanam. Karma-granthi-nibandhanaṁ chindanti. Chindanti means cut off. What is that, cut off? There is a knot of our activities. Without performing this ceremony, or without following these instructions, to hear, chant, think and worship, we cannot be out of the great knot of our material activities. So long we are engaged in material activities, we are just acting one after another just like filmspool. We have seen film—one picture after another, one picture, one picture one... There are hundreds and thousand and millions of pictures. Similarly, for my past activities I am now in this picture. So my present activity is making another picture forward. Just like in my past activities I created this body. Similarly, by my present activity also I am creating my next body. So this transmigration of soul is going on. But if you adopt this process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then karma-granthi-nibandhanaṁ chindanti. This knot, one after another, this will be cut off.

Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- Los Angeles, August 20, 1972:

Similarly, if we actually want our contact with the Absolute Truth, then we have to go through Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has many forms. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Ananta-rūpam. So... Because nothing is but Kṛṣṇa, everything is Kṛṣṇa's energy, the process is... To contact the Absolute Truth means Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa here says... Not Kṛṣṇa. Vyāsadeva says, through Sūta Gosvāmī, that "Kṛṣṇa is very kind, very friendly to the suhṛt satām." Satām. Satām means devotees. He is very intimately in friendship with devotees. Kṛṣṇa's another qualification is bhakta-vatsala. Here it is also said, suhṛt-satām. Satām means devotees. He is friend of everyone. Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 5.29). Without Kṛṣṇa being friend of everyone, nobody can live for a moment. You are... Kṛṣṇa is protecting everyone, supplying food to everyone.

Lecture on SB 1.2.18 -- Calcutta, September 26, 1974:

So in this verse it is confirmed... The same thing. In the Vedic literature the same thing is spoken in a different way, in different circumstances. But the ultimate goal is how to know Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). So if we follow this principle, hear Bhāgavatam... Bhāgavatam means the words or the activities of Bhagavān. But the impersonalists, they think the ultimate goal, ultimate truth, Absolute Truth, is not a person. So there is no activity. If one is person, he has got activities. But if one is not person, void, just like a sky... In the sky, there is no activity. The only activity is the sky is covered with cloud, and you cannot see the sun. That is the only activity.

Lecture on SB 1.2.19 -- Calcutta, September 27, 1974:

Without becoming a brāhmaṇa, nobody can become a Vaiṣṇava. Or, when one is Vaiṣṇava, it is to be understood that he is also brāhmaṇa. The common word... In India it is said, brāhmaṇa-vaiṣṇava. Brāhmaṇa should become Vaiṣṇava. Or one who is Vaiṣṇava is already a brāhmaṇa. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. So a Vaiṣṇava not only knows brāhmaṇa, er, Brahman, but he knows Paramātmā and he knows Bhagavān. So Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇa. Simply by knowing Brahman, one can become a brāhmaṇa. But a Vaiṣṇava, not only he knows what is Brahman, but he knows further, what is Paramātmā and what is Bhagavān. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). The Absolute Truth is present in three features: Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. So Brahman realization is the first. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That is the self-realization: "I am not this body." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That is called brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20) stage. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). That is the statement in the Bhagavad-gītā.

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 1.2.21 -- Vrndavana, November 1, 1972:

This is complete liberated stage. In the previous verse it has been spoken, bhagavat-tattva-vijñānaṁ mukta-saṅgasya jāyate. The science of God, bhagavat-tattva, the science of Absolute Truth, becomes manifest to the liberated soul. We find sometimes that one man is posing to have very much advanced in spiritual understanding or a great devotee, but mukta-saṅga..., he's not mukta-saṅga; he cannot give up smoking biḍi. You see. These are the small tests. One who has actually tasted spiritual life, his unwanted things of life would at once diminish. There is no need. Anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Anartha. Anartha, things which are not wanted, which has no meaning. So mukta-saṅga means no material attachment. That is mukta-saṅga. When one is actually liberated, these are the signs.

Lecture on SB 1.2.21 -- Vrndavana, November 1, 1972:

Pradyumna: "There are many other theories, but all these different speculations are at once cleared off as soon as Śrī Kṛṣṇa is realized in truth by the process of bhakti-yoga. Śrī Kṛṣṇa is like the sun, and materialistic speculations about the Absolute Truth are like the darkest midnight. As soon as the Kṛṣṇa sun is arisen within one's heart, the darkness of materialistic speculations about the Absolute Truth and the living beings is at once cleared off. In the presence of the sun, the darkness cannot stand, and the relative truths that were hidden within the dense darkness of ignorance become clearly manifested by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, who is residing in everyone's heart as the Supersoul. In the Bhagavad-gītā (10.11), the Lord says that in order to show special favor to His pure devotees, He personally eradicates the dense darkness of all misgivings by switching on the light of pure knowledge within the heart of a devotee."

Prabhupāda: This is another advantage of the devotee. Because Kṛṣṇa shows a special favor to the devotee. Although He's equal to everyone, He's specially, I mean, inclined favorable to the devotees. Teṣām eva anukampārtham aham ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ. There... He takes special care. He says, samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu (BG 9.29). Although He's equal to everyone, still He's specially inclined to the devotees. For the devotees, he gives special instruction from within. Yena mām upayānti te. This is the special advantage of a devotee.

Lecture on SB 1.2.21 -- Vrndavana, November 1, 1972:

Pradyumna: "He comes to know everything of the absolute and the relative truths. The devotee cannot remain in darkness, and because a devotee is enlightened by the Personality of Godhead, his knowledge is certainly perfect. This is not the case for those who speculate on the Absolute Truth by dint of their own limited power of approach."

Prabhupāda: Yes. One can speculate about the Absolute Truth to certain extent. Therefore, generally, these speculators become impersonalists. Because they cannot go beyond that. But that impersonal knowledge is not complete. As we have several times stressed on this point, one has to go further, onward: realization of Paramātmā, realization of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But they stop only in impersonal view. That's all. Go on.

Lecture on SB 1.2.22 -- Vrndavana, November 2, 1972:

So spiritual realization is the ultimate goal of our life. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā nārtho yaś ceha karmabhiḥ. We have discussed these verses previously. This human form of life, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā... Jijñāsā, about the truth, inquiry about the truth, that is the main business of the living entity. But lower than human being—animals, birds, beasts, trees, aquatics, insects—they have no privilege to inquire about the Absolute Truth. It is in the human form of life one can inquire about the Absolute Truth. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. So when one is actually inquisitive about the Absolute Truth, he realizes three transcendental subject: brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11).

Lecture on SB 1.2.24 -- Los Angeles, August 27, 1972:

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

pārthivād dāruṇo dhūmas

tasmād agnis trayīmayaḥ

tamasas tu rajas tasmāt

sattvaṁ yad brahma-darśanam

(SB 1.2.24)

Translation: "The firewood is the transformation of the earth, and smoke is better than the raw wood, and fire is still better, because by fire we can derive so many benefits by superior knowledge, or Vedas. Similarly, rajas quality of matter is better than tamas quality, but sattva quality is the superior quality by which one can realize the Absolute Truth."

Prabhupāda: (aside:) Here the translation is different. So the example is given here, that... The translation is... (break) Anyway, pārthivād dāruṇo dhūmaḥ. Pārthivāt. Suppose you want fire. So there are so many stages. Earth, then there is wood. Wood is produced from earth. From wood, there is, first instance there is smoke, and then comes the fire. But you require the fire. When you get fire, you can get so many things done through fire, electricity. All industry is going on through fire. Your household affairs, cooking, that is also, you require fire. For your living condition you require fire, heat. So fire is necessity, not the earth, neither the wood, nor the smoke. Similarly, although Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara, they are one, from Kṛṣṇa—they are different incarnation of different modes of material nature—but actually, Viṣṇu is required. Brahman, brahma-darśanam. If you want to see the Absolute Truth, then neither Brahmā nor Śiva is required, but Viṣṇu is required.

Lecture on SB 1.2.24 -- Los Angeles, August 27, 1972:

The example is: just like if you want to have your work done, then fire is required. The wood is also another stage of fire; the smoke is also another stage of fire. But as fire is necessity, similarly, to come to the platform of goodness, that is necessity, especially in this human form of life. In other forms of life, they're mostly in the ignorance. Just like the earth. The earth has got potency to produce wood, trees and plants, but there are some earthen plot of land, it is not producing anything, desert. It has got the potency. If you pour water, it has got the potency to produce wood, but, in that... Similarly, the mode of ignorance, those living entities, those who are in the mode of ignorance, they cannot have any knowledge of the Absolute Truth. That's not possible. Therefore it is gradual evolution, from mode of ignorance to mode of passion. And passion, there is little activity. Just like animal, they have got activity. Just like a dog, we have seen, in the beach and other places, running very swiftly here and there, but there is no meaning. A monkey is very active. You have not seen monkey in your country. In our country there are monkeys. Unnecessarily creating disturbance. But they are very active. But human being, they are not so active, but they have got brain, they're working with brain.

Lecture on SB 1.2.24 -- Los Angeles, August 27, 1972:

We give to the fire the grains and the fruits and other thing. That is, means, God is eating, through fire. So sacrifice means you sacrifice for God, and God is accepting. God is accepting also when we offer prasādam to the Lord, He's accepting, but we want to see. That is our disease. We want to see everything. Therefore, the fire sacrifice, you can see that whatever is offering, it is being eaten up. God can eat in many ways. Because a third-class man, they want to see that God is eating, therefore this is required, sacrifice. God, as it is stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā: aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛttimanti. His every limb of the body is as good as the other part of the body. Just like we have got our eyes. With eyes we can see, but we cannot eat. But God can do that. He can see, eat also, through the eyes. Aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛttimanti. He can hear with eyes. He can eat with His ear. He can see with His tongue. That is God. Every part of the body is equally good as other part of the body. That is called Absolute Truth. Our, this body, is relative. I cannot see... I am, if I close my eyes, I cannot see with my hand. But Kṛṣṇa can do that.

Lecture on SB 1.2.24 -- Los Angeles, August 27, 1972:

So anyway, brahma-darśanam. Brahma-darśanam means the preliminary understanding of the Absolute Truth. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). In the preliminary understanding, impersonal Brahman is realized; and if you make further progress, then you are, you realize the localized aspect, Paramātmā. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). In your heart you will see. And, further progress means you'll see Viṣṇu, or Lord Kṛṣṇa-brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti. The one thing, thing is one, absolute, but a different capacity. Just like the... I have given several times, that the sun and the sunshine and the sun globe and the inhabitants of the sun globe, they are one, but at the same time different. To become in the sunshine does not mean that you are in the sun globe. That requires a very good qualification, how to... They cannot enter even into the moon planet and what to speak of entering the sun planet. It is fiery. So, as it is not possible for ordinary man, but there is sun planet and there are inhabitants also. They have bodies also, fiery body. Therefore it is so glowing and it is so hot that the temperatures, from ninety millions of miles, it is giving us temperature. It is made of fire; that's a fact.

Lecture on SB 1.2.24 -- Los Angeles, August 27, 1972:

So, as by different position one can understand complete sun... Ordinary men, those who are in the sunshine, they cannot understand what is the temperature in the sun globe. And even if you go nearer to the sun globe, it is very difficult to enter into the, within the planet. Similarly, the first understanding of the Absolute Truth is impersonal Brahman, brahma-darśanam. Then, if you can make further progress, then you will see that Absolute Truth within your heart by yoga system. And if you make further advance, then you see Him eye to eye and give your service, render your service personally. These are the stages.

So, on the whole, to understand the Absolute Truth, even brahma-darśanam, Absolute Truth, you have come to the light, not in the darkness. If you want to see the sun at least, then you have come to the sunshine. Not that in the dark room, closing your doors, you can see sunshine. You have to come out. Tamasi mā jyotir gama. Therefore the Vedic injunction is "Don't remain in the darkness. Come out to see the light." Just like in the morning, somebody is sleeping, closing his doors and windows tightly, and he's sleeping, snoring. Although it is ten o'clock, daytime, he thinks it is night going on. And he's enjoying sleeping. This is darkness. Rascal. And, those who are advanced, they rise early in the morning at four o'clock: "Now there will be sunshine. Prepare." That is the difference. The same human being: one is in the darkness, one is in the passion, and one is in the goodness. And if you come to the goodness, then you see, brahma-darśanam. You can understand what is Absolute Truth.

Lecture on SB 1.2.24 -- Los Angeles, August 27, 1972:

If you remain in ignorance and passion, you cannot see, you cannot know. You can go on with your so-called rascaldom talks about God, but it is not possible. You cannot understand God, or Absolute Truth, by eating meat, drinking and having illicit sex and gambling. No, that is not possible. Then you'll have to remain in the darkness for good, and next life you'll again become cats and dogs, that's all. Because you are given the opportunity to come to the light, but if you neglect it, if you think that natural life, animal life, to become naked and do all nonsense, then "All right. You, next life you become a tree, naked. Stand up naked for ten thousands of years." You want to be naked? That's all right. Nobody will protest. So many trees are standing naked. So many animals are loitering in the street naked. Nobody protests. But in human society, if you become naked, then you'll be punished by law. But they are thinking they are advancing by becoming naked. This is the knowledge: ignorance.

Lecture on SB 1.2.24 -- Los Angeles, August 27, 1972:

So Kṛṣṇa will give you opportunity to remain naked, become animals, trees, like that. So that is not our aim of life. Our aim of life, the human form of life, is meant for understanding the Absolute Truth: athāto brahma jijñāsā. That is the Vedānta-sūtra says. Brahma—what is brahma? What is Absolute Truth? This inquisitiveness must be there in human life, then it is human being. Otherwise, he is animal. The animal does not inquire what is Absolute Truth, neither the Vedānta-darśana and all these Vedic scriptures are meant for the animals. They're meant for human being. A human being has got the brain, he can understand, he can be trained up to become a brāhmaṇa. These are the opportunities.

Lecture on SB 1.2.24 -- Los Angeles, August 27, 1972:

So, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is giving this great opportunity to the human society. They're training them how to become a brāhmaṇa, we are giving them all important Vedic literature, translated into English and other. This is the greatest boon to make human life successful. But if the people want to remain in darkness, then what can we do? But not that everyone wants to remain in darkness. So many people are coming forward and taking this movement seriously. They are first-class men. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā,

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu

kaścid yatati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāṁ

kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ

(BG 7.3)

So take advantage of this great movement. Come to the platform of goodness and see the Absolute Truth. Then your life is successful. Otherwise, you remain like cats and dogs, eat like cats and dogs.

Lecture on SB 1.2.24 -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1972:

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

pārthivād dāruṇo dhūmas

tasmād agnis trayīmayaḥ

tamasas tu rajas tasmāt

sattvaṁ yad brahma-darśanam

(SB 1.2.24)

Translation: "Coal, firewood, is better than raw wood, and fire is even better, for fire is the soul of Vedic sacrifice. Similarly passion, or rajas, is better than ignorance, or tamas; but goodness, sattva, is best because by goodness one can come to realize the Absolute Truth, or Brahman."

Prabhupāda:

pārthivād dāruṇo dhūmas

tasmād agnis trayīmayaḥ

tamasas tu rajas tasmāt

sattvaṁ yad brahma-darśanam

This is gradual process of evolution. Pārthivād dāruṇaḥ. Just like raw wood. Then, when it is dry, then it is fit for igniting fire. Then, when you ignite fire, first there is smoke, and after it is mature, the flames come out. And agnis trayīmayaḥ. And when the flame is there... Just like we generally perform fire sacrifice. Unless the flame comes, we do not chant the mantra or pour the ghee and the grains. Because that is the beginning of yajña. Trayīmaya. Trayī means Vedic yajñas. So our point is to come to the platform of performing yajña.

Lecture on SB 1.2.25 -- Los Angeles, August 28, 1972:

Tattva-darśī, one who has seen the Absolute Truth, he can give you real... So guru and Kṛṣṇa... Ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva, guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya (CC Madhya 19.151). Both-Kṛṣṇa's mercy and spiritual master's mercy. Kṛṣṇa's mercy is there, Bhagavad-gītā. He has already given you. And try to understand this Bhagavad-gītā through the bona fide spiritual master, Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, then you'll learn. Then you'll learn what is adhokṣaja, beyond your sense perception. Then you will understand gradually. Svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ: He becomes revealed. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). The spiritual master's duty is to engage you in devotional service, especially engage your tongue, jihvādau. Jihvā means tongue. Tongue means engaging your tongue for chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, (devotees chant with Prabhupāda) Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. And when you are tired, take kṛṣṇa-prasādam. That is on the tongue.

Lecture on SB 1.2.25 -- Vrndavana, November 5, 1972:

Now, the Vedānta, in the beginning it is, the first sūtra is: athāto brahma jijñāsā. So to inquire about Brahman, the Absolute. Now, the next answer is janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Brahman, the Absolute Truth, is that from whom everything emanates. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Now, this janmādy asya yataḥ is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Therefore Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is explained by Vyāsadeva himself. Vyāsadeva is explaining Vedānta-sūtra in his book, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Bhāṣyaṁ brahma-sūtrāṇām **. Śrī Vyāsadeva says, "This is the real comment, or bhāṣya, of Vedānta-sūtra, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam." Therefore Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas, Gosvāmīs, they did not write any comment on the Vedānta-sūtra because they accept Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the natural commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra. So why they should write again? But still, when there was such question raised in Jaipur that the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava has no commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra, at that time, Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa, he wrote Govinda-bhāṣya on Vedānta-sūtra. But still, Vedānta-sūtra does not mean to understand impersonalism. No. That's not the fact.

Lecture on SB 1.2.25 -- Vrndavana, November 5, 1972:

So ultimate Absolute Truth is Kṛṣṇa. That is the verdict of all Vedic literature, Vedānta, and Kṛṣṇa says that vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). Anyone who has not understood Kṛṣṇa, he has not studied the Vedic literature very perfectly. Vedānta-vid vedānta-kṛd ca aham. Kṛṣṇa says He's the compiler of Vedānta. So who will know Vedānta better than Kṛṣṇa? The so-called Vedantists, they are very much proud of their knowledge of Vedānta, but the, the real compiler of the Vedānta philosophy is Vyāsadeva. He's incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, vedānta-kṛd vedānta-vit. He is the compiler of the Vedānta-sūtra and He knows what is Vedānta-sūtra, not the so-called Māyāvādī philosophers.

Lecture on SB 1.2.28-29 -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972:

The Absolute Truth is one. One who knows the Absolute Truth, he knows that Brahman, Paramātmā, Bhagavān, the same objective, but they are realized by different devotees or different knower in different features. The example is given in this connection: Just like if you see from a very distant place one hill, you'll find just like a cloud, hazy cloud. If you push forward further you'll find something green. But when you actually approach the hill, you'll find there are many houses, many animals, many trees, varieties. So the Absolute Truth, when it is realized by our limited understanding, the Absolute Truth appears as nirviśeṣa, impersonal Brahman. Similarly, when we try to meditate upon the Absolute Truth within our heart, He appears as Paramātmā. Yogis... Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). But at the ultimate issue, He's Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, origin. Advaitam acyutam anādim. Anādi: Kṛṣṇa has no source. He's the original source of everything. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8). These things are there.

Lecture on SB 1.2.32 -- Vrndavana, November 11, 1972:

So how big brain is Kṛṣṇa, you can just imagine. And not only one planet—there are innumerable planets, there are innumerable universes. Everything innumerable. That is called unlimited. Everything innumerable. And still, some rascal claims that he is God. How much brain a God requires, he does not know. How big brain... Anvayād itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ. These are analyzed, what is the nature of the Absolute Truth. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. How He is? What He is? Immediately the answer is janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) "From Him, everything is emanating." Everything is taking birth from Him. Janma. Not only janma, birth, but existence, maintenance, janmādi. Janmādi means birth, maintenance and death. Creation, maintenance and annihilation. Janmādi. Asya, anything you take, asya. Janmādy asya (SB 1.1.1). Janmādy asya yataḥ. From whom everything is emanating, everything is taking birth, this cosmic manifestation, it is being maintained in Him. And again, when it is annihilated, it enters into His own energy. Prakṛtiṁ māṁ gacchati. From His prakṛti, from His energy, Kṛṣṇa's energies, external energy, these five elements come out—earth, water, fire, air, sky. Five gross elements and three subtle elements—mind, intelligence ego. This is the eight, these are the eight elements of material creation. Then all the living entities, those who wanted to enjoy this material world, they are impregnated within this material energy and they come out with different bodies for enjoying different types of sufferings of happiness. There is no happiness; it is all suffering, but we take: "It is happiness." That is called illusion.

Lecture on SB 1.3.27 -- Los Angeles, October 2, 1972:

So there are expansions, svāṁśa, personal expansion, and separated expansion. The personal expansions are called viṣṇu-tattva. Baladeva... Just like Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, His personal expansion is Nityānanda Prabhu and Advaita Prabhu. And Śrīvāsādi they are separated expansion. Although they are associates, but Śrīvāsa, jīva-tattva; and Nityānanda Prabhu and Advaita Prabhu, viṣṇu-tattva. And Gadādhara is śakti-tattva. So in this way, God is person and His personal expansions are innumerable, unlimited. Viṣṇu-tattva. They are worshipable. And other tattva, śakti-tattva and jīva-tattva, they are meant for service. But all together taken, that is one. That is Absolute Truth.

Lecture on SB 1.3.27 -- Los Angeles, October 2, 1972:

This is the so-called scientists, philosophers. They have got a teeny brain, which they cannot accommodate so many big things. Therefore they disbelieve. And therefore they are nāstika. But every description in the Vedic literature, they are fact. That is called āstikyam, to have staunch faith. Our process is, therefore, whenever we speak something, we have to quote some Vedic version. Then it is corroborated. It is fact. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Vedas, Vedānta says, The Absolute Truth is that which is the origin, source of everything. There must be something, original source. Otherwise how things are coming? This conviction means faith. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. So those who will argue, "Why shall I surrender to Kṛṣṇa?" But one who will accept, he becomes benefited.

Lecture on SB 1.3.28 -- Los Angeles, October 3, 1972:

So bhagavān svayam, the Absolute Truth is Bhagavān. Bhagavān means person, with six opulences. And why He comes? Indrāri-vyākulaṁ lokaṁ mṛḍayanti yuge yuge. People are harassed by these demons. Therefore, He comes to give protection. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnām (BG 4.8). He comes to give protection to the sādhu. They are very much anxious to be... When they are in danger, they pray for Kṛṣṇa. So just to satisfy them, Kṛṣṇa comes. Not even for killing the demons. But when He comes, He also executes this service also, to kill all these demons. Otherwise, for killing demons, He does not require to come. He, He has got many agents. So many demons can be killed within a second. For this purpose, killing purpose, Kṛṣṇa does not come. He comes especially for the devotee. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. For give darśana personally to Prahlāda Mahārāja—he has suffered in the hands of his father—He appeared. Otherwise, to kill Hiraṇyakaśipu, oh, it is not very big business. Indrāri-vyākulaṁ lokaṁ mṛḍayanti. When a devotee is very much harassed, so He comes in, as incarnation. So you stick to remain a pure devotee, and Kṛṣṇa will give you all protection.

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

This is called phala-śruti,(?) result. This chapter was describing different incarnations of God, and it is concluded that kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). There were many incarnations, and incarnations are coming incessantly just like there are waves in the ocean or in the river. You cannot sit down and count how many waves are flowing. As it is not possible, similarly, you cannot also count how many incarnations are there, how they are coming out. But the most important of them are described. And the conclusion is made that Kṛṣṇa is the origin, as it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ. "I am the origin of everything, even the incarnations." Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). Everyone, all incarnations, all demigods, all living entities, all energies. The Vedānta-sūtra also confirms, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). The Absolute Truth is that which is the original source of everything.

Lecture on SB 1.5.4 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1968:

The question of Nārada to Vyāsadeva his disciple, that "My dear disciple Vyāsadeva, you have thoroughly inquired," jijñāsā, adhītam. Adhītam means, "You have studied thoroughly." What about? Brahman. Brahman means the Absolute Truth. Jijñāsitam adhītaṁ ca brahma, and the Absolute Truth, yat tat brahma sanātanam. Sanātanam means eternal. The conception of Brahman, Absolute Truth, is eternal. Brahman, the definition of Brahman is "that which is the greatest." Just like we say God is great. Greatest. And increasing also. Brahman is not limited. Just like we have got some idea, say, the sky, the greatest. But this is also increasing. According to astronomical calculation, the planets and the universe, they can increase. So the Absolute Truth, that is eternally increasing. There is no comparison of Brahman's increasement and magnitude. Sanātana, and that is also eternal.

Lecture on SB 1.5.4 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1968:

Now, in other words, Vyāsadeva agrees or accepts that he knows Brahman, the Absolute Truth, but he does not know the Absolute Truth's ultimate feature, the Personality of Godhead. That he admits. Absolute Truth in the beginning is impersonal. Just like the example, the sun. The sun, the first experience of sun is the sunshine. Every one of us has got the experience how sunshine is overcast all over the universe. It comes within your room, in your apartment, or when you come out you see sunshine, everything. So just like in the night there is no sunshine, but in the morning, as soon as there is sunshine, you experience what is sunshine. Similarly, at a certain stage of our life we may understand what is Brahman. Brahman is compared with the sunshine, light. Sunshine is light, and Brahman is light. How? Light, what is the difference between light and darkness? Light, the difference of light and darkness is... Just like at the present moment it is darkness. We cannot see things rightly. Although we have got very lightening arrangement, artificial electricity, still, we do not see things as they are. Suppose you go up to your roof, and if you want to see, find out some friend's house, you cannot see. This is darkness. Darkness means you do not understand things as it is. But in the sunlight you can see everything.

Lecture on SB 1.5.8-9 -- New Vrindaban, May 24, 1969:

So, Vyāsadeva is submitting himself to his spiritual master Nārada Muni, that "Yes, what you say is right, that I have tried to understand the Absolute Truth through your grace, and I have tried to explain also the Absolute Truth in so many books, Vedas, Purāṇas, Upaniṣads, Vedānta-sūtra, but still I am not happy. So what is the defect in me?" So Nārada uvāca, Nārada replied,

bhavatānudita-prāyaṁ

yaśo bhagavato 'malam

yenaivāsau na tuṣyeta

manye tad darśanaṁ khilam

(SB 1.5.8)

The whole scheme should be to satisfy the Lord. This is the secret of success. Tasmin tuṣṭe jagat tuṣṭam. If God, or Kṛṣṇa, is satisfied, then whole world is satisfied. The modern civilization is lacking this knowledge. Asuric civilization, demonic civilization, what to speak of satisfying God, they are denying the existence of God. And they want peace and happiness.

Lecture on SB 1.5.11 -- New Vrindaban, June 10, 1969:

So transcendental life means to understand the Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth can be understood perfectly only through devotional service. There is no other way. There is no other way. In every scripture, Vedic scripture, this is announced. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also, the same thing confirmed: evaṁ prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ (SB 1.2.20). When, by discharging devotional service, one will be prasanna-manasaḥ, very jolly mood, always jolly... Bhagavat-tattva-vijñānaṁ mukta-saṅgasya jāyate... Unless one is freed from material anxiety, unless one is spiritually joyful, he cannot understand what is the science of Kṛṣṇa. It is not possible. So therefore we have to cultivate this devotional service. Then our ultimate goal of life, to understand the Absolute Truth, our relationship with Him, that will be perfectly done.

Lecture on SB 1.5.12-13 -- New Vrindaban, June 11, 1969:

Now Vyāsadeva is discussing different kinds of literature. So he has explained that any literature, however nicely prepared from rhetorical point of view, or poetical, metaphorical, grammatical, but if there is no information of the Absolute Truth, such literatures are useless and no saintly person will take any interest in such literature. They give it up. Just like the swans, they do not take pleasure in a place where the crows can take pleasure. As there is distinction between the crows and the swans, even in the bird's kingdom, or even in the animal kingdom... You'll find always. The different kinds of varieties of birds and beasts, they live together. Similarly, those who are saintly persons, those who are Kṛṣṇa conscious persons, their taste is different from the persons who are just like crows. Crows are interested in things... Carvita-carvaṇānām. Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "chewing the chewed." Already it has been chewed, and if somebody wants to try it, "Let me see. What is the taste there?" it is useless labor only.

Lecture on SB 1.5.12-13 -- New Vrindaban, June 11, 1969:

So Vyāsadeva is liberated person. Amogha-dṛk. He's amogha-dṛk. Bhavān amogha-dṛk śuci-śravāḥ: "And your behavior is pure." Śuci-śravāḥ: "You have heard the Vedic knowledge from right sources, from pure sources." Śuci-śravāḥ satya-rataḥ. Satya-rataḥ means "You are dedicated to the Absolute Truth." These are the qualification. One must be liberated, one must be pure, one must be dedicated to the service of the Lord, and dhṛta-vrataḥ, and one must be determined. Then he can do something to the human society. Not a conditioned soul, by whims he can manufacture something, that "I can do something to the human..." It is not possible. Here are the qualifications, that,

atho mahā-bhāga bhavān amogha-dṛk

śuci-śravāḥ satya-rato dhṛta-vrataḥ

urukramasyākhila-bandha-muktaye...

"If you actually desire to get this suffering humanity to become liberated from all kinds of material bondage, then, samādhinā." Samādhinā: in samādhi, in trance. Samādhinā, anusmara... Here the same thing, anusmara.

Lecture on SB 1.5.12-13 -- New Vrindaban, June 11, 1969:

Still... Just like when we go to the...by airplane above the cloud, we see, still, the sky is unlimited. That is our experience. Still, the sunshine is unlimited, and we do not know where is the sun. Similarly, if one goes on the plane of mind and air, try to find out the Absolute Truth, it is not possible. Even many, many years, no, no. Still it remains avicintya-tattve, still inconceivable.

But this process, if you take anu... Anuvarṇaye. If you take the process of... Just like the same example, as I told you, that there are 900,000's species of life in the water. Now, if you make research, it is impossible for you, whether actually... If you want to, want to know by experimental knowledge, "Let me see how far this Vedic instruction is right, that there are 900,000 thousand species of...," you, you...whatever experience you have got, it is not even one thousand species of life you have seen. But there are 900,000 species of life. But if you accept this Vedic knowledge, then your knowledge is there immediately.

Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 13, 1969:

So long one lives sinful life, he cannot have clear vision. Diseased condition. How? "Physician, heal thyself." He cannot have clear vision. Therefore amogha-dṛk means he is liberated person. He can see. Amogha-dṛk. Dṛk means vision. Amogha-dṛk. And Śuci-śravāḥ. Śuci-śravāḥ. Śuci-śravāḥ means whose śravāḥ, means aural reception... śuci. Śuci means pure. Who has received knowledge by aural reception in pure heart, or from the pure source. Śuci-śravāḥ. Śuci means pure. Śravāḥ. Śravāḥ means hearing. Śuci... These are the qualification of the person who can actually do benefit to the human society. Not that everyone can do. That is the mistake of the... Everyone is giving some idea and some theory that "This way there will be peace, there will be nice thing in the world." But he does not know that he has to receive from the pure source by aural reception. One has to hear from the pure source what is actually benefit to the human society. These are the qualifications. Śuci-śravāḥ. Then next word is satya-rataḥ. Satya means truth, and rataḥ means engaged. "One who is engaged in the matter of the Absolute Truth," not relative truth. Absolute, satya-rataḥ. And dhṛta-vrataḥ. Dhṛta-vrataḥ. Vrata. Vrata means vow, and dhṛta means who has taken vow that "I shall do this." These are the qualifications.

Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 16, 1969:

So these things are stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām, te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā (BG 7.28). Duality. Actually, we are monists. We do not know anything except Kṛṣṇa. The Māyāvādīs, they say they are monists, but they're dualists. They say, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. Why? Wherefrom the jagat come? If Brahman is satya, if the Absolute Truth is truth, then janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), this world has emanated from the Absolute Truth. Then how it can be untruth? Does it mean that truth produces untruth? This is the defect of Māyāvāda philosophy. They are not actually monists. They are dualists. They are distinguishing Brahman and māyā. But we say that only Kṛṣṇa. Ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa āra saba bhṛtya (CC Adi 5.142). Māyā is the servant of Kṛṣṇa. That is a, that is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā, in Brahma-saṁhitā. In all the Vedic literature this is confirmed. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram: (BG 9.10) "This prakṛti, this māyā, this material energy, is acting under My superintendence, under My guidance."

Lecture on SB 1.5.14 -- New Vrindaban, June 18, 1969:

In the, in the Padma Purāṇa also there is a verse, ramante yogino 'nante: "Those who are yogis..." Yogi means transcendentalist, not the so-called yogi. Those who have contacted the Absolute Truth, they are called yogis. So yoginaḥ, actually a yogi, ramante, they enjoy. They also enjoy. Why they are, I mean to say, undergoing so much austerities and penances and regulative principles? Because they are trying for being elevated to the real platform of happiness. So ramante yogino 'nante. Everyone is hankering after happiness, either materialistic or spiritualistic, but the difference is that materialistic, materialistic persons, they are satisfied with temporary happiness, and those who are transcendentalists, they are also seeking happiness. That is real happiness, spiritual happiness, eternal happiness. So therefore it is stated in the Padma Purāṇa that ramante yogino 'nante. Anante means unlimited happiness. They enjoy unlimited happiness. Ramante yogino 'nante. And satyānande. And that is real happiness. Happiness does not mean it is for few minutes. No. Happiness should continue, eternally. One should be situated in that happiness so that other, temporary happiness will not attract him.

Lecture on SB 1.5.14 -- New Vrindaban, June 18, 1969:

You can travel for many years in that void, but if you don't take shelter in a planet, then you'll come back again to this planet. Similarly, the impersonalists, they cannot stay in their impersonal understanding. Simply they suffer some trouble. Kleśa... Bhagavad-gītā says, kleśo 'dhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām (BG 12.5). Those who are attached, those who are attached to that impersonal feature of the Absolute Truth, they undergo greater trouble. We transcendentalists, we personalists, we also, from the materialistic point of view, we are... Our standard of living is not very opulent. We lie down anywhere. We are... Our dresses are not so clean. Our rooms are not clean. From the materialistic point of view, somebody comes. He says, "Oh. How wretched these people are living!" That is also another kind of austerity. They have adopted. But that is pleasing. Even they are in so-called wretched condition, they are happy. They are happy. So they're in both ways. But those who are simply attached to the impersonal feature, their trouble is more painful. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Lecture on SB 1.5.14 -- New Vrindaban, June 18, 1969:

So he says, pravartamānasya guṇair anātmanas tato bhavān darśaya ceṣṭitam: "People are so much entangled by the modes of material nature. So in order to get them free from this entanglement, you show the path. Simply let them hear. Let them give aural reception to the wonderful activities of the Lord. That activity..." Because absolute... Kṛṣṇa is Absolute Truth. So Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's activities are the same because it is absolute. It is not duality. In the material world, myself and my activities are different. But it is the... This world is dual world. But in the absolute world, Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's name, Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's quality, Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's fame, they're all Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's associates, they're all Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is cowherd boy. So Kṛṣṇa and the cows, they're all Kṛṣṇa. That we have to learn. They're not different from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs, they're all Kṛṣṇa. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhiḥ (Bs. 5.37). So we have to understand that.

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

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

Lecture on SB 1.7.10 -- Vrndavana, September 9, 1976:

So there is no question of studying Vedas from a sectarian point of view. For the sake of knowledge, everyone should study this Vedic literature. And it is summarized in Vedānta-sūtra. Therefore it is called Vedānta-sūtra. Sūtra means summarized. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Now these two words, atha ataḥ brahma-jijñāsā-four words—it contains volumes of knowledge. Therefore it is called sūtra. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). They are Brahma-sūtra. Brahma-sūtra padaiś caiva. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that brahma-sūtra padaiś caiva hetumadbhir viniścitaiḥ (BG 13.5). The truth, Absolute Truth, is fixed up by Brahma-sūtra. So Brahma-sūtra is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Brahma-sūtra is the summary of the whole Vedic literature. Because in future people will misinterpret. Therefore the author of Brahma-sūtra, Vyāsadeva, made natural a comment. And that comment is Brahma-sūtra bhāṣya, the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Don't be misguided by rascals, that "Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is written by somebody else. It is not written by Vyāsadeva." These are rascals proposition. This is given by Śrī Vyāsadeva, and he is the author of Brahma-sūtra. Lokasyājānato vidvāṁś cakre sātvata-saṁhitām (SB 1.7.6). This is sātvata-saṁhitām.

Lecture on SB 1.7.24 -- Vrndavana, September 21, 1976:

So, saḥ, Kṛṣṇa, who is described in the previous verse, tvam ādyaḥ puruṣaḥ, the original person... Original person, Absolute Truth, that is described in the Vedānta-sūtra, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Original person. Just like in our familywise, or guru-paramparā-wise, there is somebody, original person. So similarly, the whole creation, there is original person. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, aham āsam agre. Aham āsam agre. In the Vedic literature, eko nārāyaṇa āsīt. So eko nārāyaṇa āsīt, that is original person. And Kṛṣṇa says aham agre āsam. So He's the original person, ādyam. In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is said, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān puruṣam ādyam (BG 10.12).

Lecture on SB 1.7.30-31 -- Vrndavana, September 26, 1976:

So the Māyāvādī will always try to explain in the impersonal way. Therefore they're offender. Kṛṣṇa personally presents. Why Kṛṣṇa comes? So that the misunderstanding whether the Absolute Truth, God, is a person or imperson, to mitigate this trouble, this misunderstanding, He comes as person. He presents Himself, "Here is I am. I am person. Why do you make Me imperson?" He's person. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). Why you are taking so much trouble? Avyaktāsakta-cetasām. Kleśaḥ adhikataras teṣām. Simply you are taking unnecessary trouble. Kleśaḥ adhikataraḥ. And if you take to bhakti, directly personal... And you cannot understand God or Kṛṣṇa by any other means except bhakti. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). If you want to know Absolute Truth, God, then you have to take to bhakti. And what does it mean bhakti? Bhakti means there must be Bhagavān. Otherwise, what is the meaning of bhakti? If I want... Bhakti means to render service. So if the master is not there, then where is the question of bhakti and service? It is all bogus. Bhakti means three things: bhakta, Bhagavān, and the service. That is bhakti. They're individual. Bhagavān is individual, bhakta is individual, and the reciprocation of dealings between two individuals, it is called bhakti. That is bhakti.

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

So vāsudevasya matam? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is vāsudevasya. "You simply surrender unto Me." That is real mata. Everyone is surrendered. Even Śaṅkarācārya says bhagavad-gītā kiñcid adhita(?). If you read little, a portion of Bhagavad-gītā, your life will be successful. That is the recommendation given by... Sva bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇa vāsudeva devakī-vasudevasya nandana(?). He has admitted. Nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ avyaktāt. Actually nirviśeṣa-vāda is for this material world because it is mithyā. They say, the Shankarites, they say mithyā. We Vaiṣṇavas, we don't say mithyā, because mithyā it cannot be. If the Absolute Truth is true, how mithyā can come from the paraṁ satyam? Brahma satyam. If Brahman is truth, how... Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), everything is born from Brahman. How something can be untruth? No. That is not. Truth is there, but when we misunderstand the truth or misuse the truth, then we are in trouble. That is Vaiṣṇava philosophy. We have to find out what is the truth in everything. And that can be understood when you are advanced. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. Here is truth. Nothing can be mithyā; everything is truth. We have to find out the truth.

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

So this ignorance, this life of ignorance we have passed in the, I mean to say, the forms other than the human being. Animal life, bird's life, beast's life. Now this life should be peaceful, calm and quiet. And jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā, simply for inquiring about the Absolute Truth. That should be the business. Simply. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Simply sit down. Just like we are sit down. We are sitting down and inquiring about Kṛṣṇa. This is life. And what is this life? Working day and night like the ass? No. That is not life. Therefore Bhāgavata says your life should be engaged for this purpose: tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovidaḥ. Kovida means intelligent. Then: "How my economic problem will be solved?" The answer is: tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukham. You are after happiness. Are you after distress? "No, sir." Why distress comes upon you? You are not anxious for distress, calamities. Why do they come upon you? Similarly, so far your happiness is also concerned, that will also come upon you. Because your life, according to your karma, is mixed up with some portion of happiness, some portion of distress. If the distress comes without any invitation, the happiness also will come without invitation. Without any invitation. Because you are destined already that so much happiness, so much distress you will have. Destined.

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Vrndavana, October 5, 1974:

So the jagad-guru says... Because we have to learn everything, especially spiritual subject matter, from guru. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). This is the injunction of the Vedas. If you want to understand Brahman... Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This life, human life, is meant for inquiring about the Absolute Truth: athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is not meant for any other purpose. This life, any life... There is no question of inquiring about "Where shall I eat? Where shall I sleep? Where shall I have sex? How shall I be saved from fear?" There is no such question. This is already arranged. These things are already arranged even for the birds and beasts. They are also living. They are also eating. They are also sleeping. They are also having sex life. They also defend them from danger. So by nature the arrangement is already there. So only thing is, difference, that in other life... There are 8,400,000... So eighty-million, 8,000,000 lives, they do not know except these things. And out of the four millions, eight million, four..., 400,000 human species, so mostly they are like animals. So unless one comes to the Vedic civilization, he's not human being. He's not human being.

Lecture on SB 1.8.29 -- Los Angeles, April 21, 1973:

The Māyāvādī philosophy is like that. It is called anthropomorphism. They say that: "Because the... The Absolute Truth is imperson, but because we are persons, we imagine that Absolute Truth also person." Just the opposite. Actually that is not the fact. We have got this personal form as reflection of God. So in the reflection, if the original person is benefited, the reflection is also benefited. That is the philosophy. The reflection is also benefited.

Lecture on SB 1.8.41 -- Mayapura, October 21, 1974:

He was not such a fool because that is the only business. That is the only business, how one should develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the verdict of all Vedic śāstras. What is the meaning of Vedic..., studying Vedas? Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). That is the only necessity. To become educated, learned scholar and learned in Vedas, catur-vedi, tri-vedi, dvi-vedi, four-vedi... The brāhmaṇas were divided according to education. Ordinarily they must study, vedi, Vedas. Veda-pāṭhād bhaved vipraḥ. Without Vedic knowledge, nobody can become a brāhmaṇa. Veda-pāṭhād bhaved vipro brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. And by Vedic knowledge, when one understands Brahman, the Absolute Truth, he becomes brāhmaṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.8.43 -- Mayapura, October 23, 1974:

So śāstra recommends that either you belong to the group of akāma or to the group of sarva-kāma or to the group of mokṣa-kāma, tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena yajeta puruṣaṁ param (SB 2.3.10), you worship very seriously Paramaṁ puruṣam. Paramaṁ puruṣam means Kṛṣṇa. Bhakti-yogena. Kṛṣṇa cannot be worshiped by any other yoga system except bhakti-yoga. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). If you want to know Kṛṣṇa, it is not possible to any other means. There are many other means-karma, yoga, jñāna and bhakti—but if you want to know Kṛṣṇa, then you have to take the bhakti-yoga, no other. Neither... Kṛṣṇa never said that "By jñāna, by cultivation of knowledge, one can understand Me." They can do so. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. By cultivation of knowledge, after many, many births, if that person, searching out the Absolute Truth, by cultivation of knowledge, if he comes in contact with a devotee, then he gets the chance of understanding what is Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.8.43 -- Mayapura, October 23, 1974:

Guru is therefore external manifestation of Kṛṣṇa because he acts as representative of Kṛṣṇa. So what is the qualification of that guru? Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta (SB 11.3.21). You must go and surrender to guru. In the Vedas also it is said, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. For whom guru is required? Not for all. But tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). One should go to guru to understand tad-vijñāna. Tad-vijñāna means transcendental science. They require guru. Similarly, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta: (SB 11.3.21) "You should go and search out a guru and surrender unto him." Why? Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. If you are jijñāsuḥ..., athāto brahma jijñāsā—Vedānta-sūtra—if you are actually searching after the Absolute Truth.

Lecture on SB 1.8.43 -- Mayapura, October 23, 1974:

So anything personal, they cannot accept it. And the Buddhist philosophy is to zero, śūnyavādi. Nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi. The whole world is now corrupted with these two kinds of philosophies: nirviśeṣa-śūnyavāda, impersonalism and voidism. But Vaiṣṇava philosophy is not voidism, not impersonalism. Vaiṣṇava philosophy means to know the Absolute Truth as person. Impersonal realization of the Absolute Truth is partial knowledge. It is not complete, because the Absolute Truth is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). Vigraha means form. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate.

In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the Absolute Truth is described, tattva:

vadanti tat tattva-vidas

tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam

brahmeti paramātmeti

bhagavān iti śabdyate

Lecture on SB 1.8.49 -- Mayapura, October 29, 1974:

So Brahman realization is only the sat part realization, because the Absolute Truth is sac-cid-ānanda. And Paramātmā realization is the cit part realization. And Bhagavān... Here it is said, bhagavān, yogeśvara akhila-guro bhagavan namas te. Bhagavān is the personal.

They cannot understand. How they will understand? Because they are mūḍhas, narādhama. Narādhama means this life, human life, is an opportunity to understand how things are going on. But they do not take advantage. Narādhama, lowest of the mankind. Then you go to the learned, learned, māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ, the so-called learned B.A.C., D.H.C., P.H.C., what is their learning? Simply the same thing. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithuna: How to eat, how to sleep. Their learning, their education, is meant for how to eat, how to sleep. That's all. So that is also dog's business. Māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ (BG 7.15). Real knowledge is, education is, how things are going on within this nature. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). So they are not interested in these things. Education means "How to get one service so that I can get salary and I may live very comfortably and my wife, my children..." The same thing, dog's business. Dog is also interested only for eating, for having sex with another female dog, and get every six months half a dozen kitties(?). Like that. This is not... Therefore, māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ. Even they are so-called educated, their real knowledge is taken away. Real knowledge is to inquire about the Absolute Truth, athāto brahma jijñāsā. So in this way we are going on.

Lecture on SB 1.8.51 -- Los Angeles, May 13, 1973:

So here is a special reference to the woman, strīṇām. Previously there was reference bāla-dvija. Eh? Previous verse? Bāla-dvija-suhṛn-mitra-pitṛ-bhrātṛ-guru-druhaḥ. Bāla. Bāla means children. Dvija. Dvija means brāhmaṇa or Vaiṣṇava, who are fully engaged in the matter of cultivating spiritual knowledge. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. One who knows what is Absolute Truth, Brahman.

So children, brāhmaṇa, and here it is said strī, woman. According to Vedic politics, the children and brāhmaṇa, old men and woman, they have no fault. They are out of all laws of the state. Their fault will never be taken as seriously. They are innocent. They require protection. Now the agitation is that woman should have equal rights with man. So that is not Vedic idea. Vedic idea is that woman should be always protected. She is not independent. Just like child. All these children, their mother is always attentive. Child is going here; she is taking care. So that dependence is required. If the child says, "I am independent," that is not for his profit. The child must be taken care of. That is good. Similarly, woman also. Just like old man like us, I am always taken care of. Similarly, a brāhmaṇa also should be taken care of, first consideration. First protection, brāhmaṇa, saintly person. That is civilization. That is human society. Not that the children, women and the brāhmaṇas should be treated like cats and dogs. No, that is not civilization.

Lecture on SB 1.10.2 -- Mayapura, June 17, 1973:

They do not know what is God, neither there is any education to understand, although the human life is meant for understanding God. That is human life. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. The animal life, their inquiries are... In the morning... Just like birds, they chirp, "Where we have to go now to find out our food? Where we shall eat today? Where we shall go?" That is their questions and answers. Similarly, we also, human beings, we go to the share market, "What is the value? What is the price of this commodity? What is the price of that commodity? " For eating purpose. Not these questions. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. The human life should be engaged in inquiring about Brahman. "What is the Absolute Truth? What is my position in relationship with the Absolute Truth? What is my duty towards the Absolute Truth? What is my ultimate aim of life?" These questions must be discussed. Perhaps these questions are being discussed by the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and no other movement. They do not know. The Māyāvādīs, they deny the existence of God. They become themselves God.

Lecture on SB 1.10.7 -- Mayapura, June 22, 1973:

So we are personalists. We believe... Not believe, not the question of believe, but actually the ultimate truth of Absolute is a person. That is the statement of Vyāsadeva.

vadanti tat tattva-vidas

tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam

brahmeti paramātmeti

bhagavān iti śabdyate

Lecture on SB 1.10.7 -- Mayapura, June 22, 1973:

Tattva-vit, those who are in knowledge of the tattva or the Absolute Truth, they know that ultimately the Absolute Truth is manifested as a person like you, like me. Not exactly like you, like me, but so far personality is concerned, individuality is concerned, He is like us. In the Bible it is said, "Man is made after God." Because God is person, therefore we are person. Otherwise, where from our personality comes? God is the origin of everything. Therefore He is the origin of personality, individuality, otherwise how we are persons? How we are individuals? Wherefrom we get this personality, individuality?

Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, the same Absolute, but Rādhārāṇī is the expansion of the pleasure potency of Kṛṣṇa. We have got potency as Kṛṣṇa has got. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). This is the Vedic injunction. Parā, they say. Absolute Truth has many potencies, innumerable, vividhaiva śrūyate. One of the potencies is the pleasure potency. Just like we want some pleasure. Pleasure is the constitutional position of spirit soul, or the Absolute Truth. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). God and we, being of the same quality, we are by nature always joyful. So our joyfulness is checked when we are in material condition. Therefore there is struggle. We are hankering after, to revive that joyfulness, but this contamination of material energy, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa, they are checking, obstacles.

Lecture on SB 1.10.13 -- Mayapura, June 26, 1973:

So Kṛṣṇa is all-attractive, by opulence, by His power. Our definition of God is very simple. We do not define God as avyakta. Avyakta means "cannot be explained." If you cannot explain, then what you will understand? The Māyāvādīs, they say that God cannot be explained. In the Vedānta-sūtra there is a sūtra: na śabdyāt. I, I forget the... "God is explainable." Because in the Vedas there are mantras. Sa aikṣata, sa asṛjata. He glanced over the material nature. He created. Sa aikṣata. So these things are explainable. So we don't see that the Absolute Truth is not explicable. It is explicable. We have got our explanation. Pūrṇa. Pūrṇa means complete. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). He's also a living entity like us. (yelling in background) (aside:) Ask the rascals to stop talking. But He's pūrṇa. That is the difference. We are not pūrṇa. We are defective. Especially when we come in the material world, we are defective in so many respects. By nature, we are defective. Or not pūrṇa, incomplete, subordinate. He's therefore called the nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām. He's complete, the chief all living entities.

Lecture on SB 1.15.27 -- New York, March 6, 1975:

This life, human life, it is not cats' and dogs' life. It is human life. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. One can realize the Absolute Truth if he is inquisitive. Brahma-jijñāsā. Just like you are advancing by inquiring. Jijñāsā. Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. Jijñāsuḥ. This is human life. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). Uttama means which is not material, which is beyond material... Ut-tama . Ud-gata-tama yasmāt. Tama means darkness. Here they are so-called scholars, big big professor, scientist, and... but they are in the darkness, tama. Tama means darkness. They do not know what they are. Ask any scientist, any philosopher, "What you are?" He will say, "I am this body. I am Indian. I am American. I am white. I am black. I am this. I am that. I am Christian. I am Hindu." He will say. But all these designation is outward, external. Eho bāhya, āge kaha āra. But everyone is going on, big, big man, identifying himself with this body. So they are all fools, tama, in darkness.

Lecture on SB 1.15.29 -- Los Angeles, December 7, 1973:

So spiritual life means anxiety-less. This is the difference between material life and spiritual life. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54), in the Bhagavad-gītā it is described what is spiritual life. As soon as you are identified with the Absolute Truth, Brahman, then symptoms will be prasannātmā, jubilation: "Oh, I do not belong to this material world. I belong to the spiritual world. I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Why should I suffer so many things?" That is jubilation. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). The prasannātmā means na śocati na kāṅkṣati. He has no lamentation, no hankering. Here people are always full of anxieties because they have got hankering, "I want this. I want that." And there is lamentation. What they possess, if it is lost, they cry, "Oh, my things are lost." And what they do not possess, they hanker. So their anxiety is there, either he possesses or not possesses. This is material anxiety. If you have no money, then you will hanker after money, "How to get money, how to get money, how to get money?" And when you get money, then how to utilize it, how to, where to keep it, in the bank, or in the house, or who will take away? Somebody will take away. So where is anxiety-less? You possess or not possess, the real disease is anxiety. So when one becomes brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20), self-realized, identified with the Absolute Truth, then he has no more anxiety. This is the best education, when you become anxiety-less. That is perfection of education.

Lecture on SB 1.15.30 -- Los Angeles, December 8, 1973:

Now here, the same thing is repeated: Arjuna, who directly heard from Kṛṣṇa. Sometimes some people say that "Arjuna heard directly from Kṛṣṇa, but we don't find Kṛṣṇa in our presence, so how can I accept?" It is not a question of direct presence, because you have no idea of the absolute knowledge. Kṛṣṇa's words, Bhagavad-gītā, is not different from Kṛṣṇa. It's not different from Kṛṣṇa. When you hear Bhagavad-gītā, you are directly hearing from Kṛṣṇa because Kṛṣṇa is not different. Kṛṣṇa is absolute. Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's name, Kṛṣṇa's form, Kṛṣṇa's quality, Kṛṣṇa's instruction, everything Kṛṣṇa's, they're all Kṛṣṇa. They're all Kṛṣṇa. This has to be understood. They're not different from Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa's form here, He's Kṛṣṇa. He's not a statue. "He's a marble statue." No. He's Kṛṣṇa. He has appeared before you because you cannot see Kṛṣṇa. You can see stone, wood; therefore He has appeared in that form. You think that it is stone and wood, but He's not stone and wood; He's Kṛṣṇa. This is called Absolute Truth. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa's words are also not different from Kṛṣṇa. When Kṛṣṇa's words are there in the Bhagavad-gītā, it's Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.15.33 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1973:

Just like big, big swamis in India... Sometimes they come to your country also. They say that "This world is false," jagan mithyā, mithyā. But we don't say that it is false. We say it is reality, but temporary. That is right philosophy. How it can be false? Because everything is produced by the truth, by the Absolute Truth. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Nothing can come out except from the Absolute Truth. Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: (BG 10.8) "I am the origin of everything." If Kṛṣṇa is truth, He is the origin of everything, so how everything can be false? Is that very logical? No. If something has come from gold... Just like we have got so many preparations of gold: gold bangles, gold earring, gold necklace. But it has come from the gold; therefore it is gold. How it can be false? Gold is never false. Gold is gold. So this philosophy that brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā, that "Gold mine is right, but the gold earring is wrong..." No. That you cannot say. If gold mine is right, then gold earring is also right because it has come from the gold mine. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa says that ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: (BG 10.8) "I am the origin of everything." And the Vedānta-sūtra also says, janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) "Absolute Truth is that from whom everything emanates." So everything has emanated from Kṛṣṇa. So how this material world can be false? It is true. Then what is that false? It is not false. It is temporary. But the idea that "This material world is for my enjoyment," that is false. That is false.

Lecture on SB 1.15.36 -- Los Angeles, December 14, 1973:

That is Kṛṣṇa conscious movement, that we are trying to take the misled people from illusion to the reality. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they see that there is no more any pleasure in this dancing. "Make it zero. Forget it." No. We don't say that. We say that this dancing is there in the original conception in the Absolute Truth. That is... The Vedānta-sūtra says, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Whatever you are experiencing, wherefrom it has come? It has come from the Absolute. That is the Absolute idea. But here, in the relative world, it is pervertedly reflected, and because it is not reality, therefore you are confused, baffled. So our proposition is come to the reality. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The same dancing... Just like here is a picture, Kṛṣṇa is dancing with the gopīs. We also like, anybody of us here. Even in old age they are dancing with young girls. In Paris there is club. All going to die, such old men, they are coming in the club, paying fifty dollars as entrance fee; then they have to pay for young girls and wine. But still, they come. They cannot actually enjoy. Vayasi gate kim yuvati nārī:(?) "When one is old man, what is the use of mixing with young girls?" Yes. But they like it. They like it. They pay for it. But they do not enjoy, Because if they have enjoyed, they would have been satisfied, but they are not satisfied. Frustrated.

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

Our business is not to take part in politics for acquiring big post like president or secretary or attorney general. What you will do that? We have no meaning for this post. Because for a devotee what are these posts? Even the post of Lord Brahmā or Indra, the heavenly king, it has no meaning. Vidhi-mahendrādiś ca kīṭāyate. That is stated by Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī. He says that kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. Kaivalyam, the monism, to merge into the effulgence, the Absolute Truth, to become one, that is called kaivalyam, only spirit, that's all. So for a devotee this kaivalya perfection, monism, is as good as hellish condition of life. Kaivalyaṁ narakāyate. And tridaśa-pūr ākāśa-puṣpāyate. Tri-daśa-pūr means the higher heavenly planets where big, big demigods live. Just like people are trying to go to this planet, that planet. So tri-daśa-pūr. Tri-daśa means thirty, three daśa, ten times...aḥ, three times ten. So there are thirty millions of demigods. And they have got different planets also. So they are promised, "If you come to this demigod's planet, yānti deva-vratā devān (BG 9.25), you will get so much happiness, you will live for so many years, you will have better standard of life, thousand times more than in the... These are... They are described in the Vedas. But a devotee says that this tri-daśa-pūr, this heavenly planet, is as good as phantasmagoria. They have no value for these things.

Lecture on SB 1.16.12 -- Los Angeles, January 9, 1974:

So actually, if we want to have knowledge of everything, the source of knowledge is Vedas. And the essence of Veda is called Vedānta. And the descriptive explanation of Vedānta is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: bhāṣyaṁ brahma-sūtrāṇām **. Brahma-sūtra. Brahma-sūtra is the Vedānta philosophy. Kṛṣṇa has also referred to Brahma-sūtra: brahma-sūtra-padaiś caiva hetumadbhir viniścitaiḥ (BG 13.5). He recommends that hetumadbhir prasthāna. There are three prasthānas, and Brahma-sūtra is also prasthāna, the way of understanding. So Kṛṣṇa has recommended that "If you want to know things with reason and argument, then try to understand Vedānta-sūtra." Those who want to know the Absolute Truth through reasoning and argument, then one should study Vedānta-sūtra. But Vedānta-sūtra... Sūtra means codes. Just like they have got code book. One word, it is meaning so many other things. Businessmen, they have got codes. When they send cable to their customer or to their principle, they use some codes. It saves so many words. So Brahma-sūtra. Sūtra means codes.

Lecture on SB 1.16.13-15 -- Los Angeles, January 10, 1974:

So the forefathers of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, sva-pūrveṣām, they were not ordinary person. They were mahātmās. So how one can become mahātmā? It is not very difficult, provided one wants to become mahātmā. Nothing is difficult in this world, provided one wants to have it, or to become. So how to become mahātmā? That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. What is that? Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ, bhajanty ananya-manasaḥ (BG 9.13). This is mahātmā. Sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. First of all Kṛṣṇa says, sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ: "To get a mahātmā, broadly-minded great personality, it is very difficult to find out." But still, one may try to find out what are the symptoms of mahātmā. That is discussed in Bhagavad-gītā. When one understands, "Kṛṣṇa is the origin or original source of everything," janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), as it is indicated in the Vedānta-sūtra that "The Absolute Truth is that from whom everything emanates." That is Absolute Truth.

Lecture on SB 1.16.22 -- Los Angeles, July 12, 1974:

There is no other alternative. Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Everything will be reformed. Life will be polished and everything will be successful. This is ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Human life, he is also a soul. Animal is also a soul. Everyone. But the human form of life is meant for God realization, athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is Vedānta-sūtra. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. Not only human being, everyone. But everyone less than human being, they cannot inquire about the Absolute Truth: "What is the aim of life? What is the Absolute Truth? What I am? What is my relationship?" These things are the subject matter for discussion in the human form of life.

Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Paris, June 12, 1974:

Deha means body, and apatya means children. Apatya. So those who are family men... Those who are not family men, their question is different. They are not even human beings. Ordinarily, the Vedic process is that first of all you try to remain without family, alone. Be independent, no cares, no anxieties. You can lie down here, or whatever you can eat, that's all. But be spiritually advanced. That is called brahmacārī life. Brahmacārī means... Brahma means Absolute Truth. And cārī means who is, whose business is only with Brahman, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, with spiritual advancement of life. That is called brahmacārī. And he has no interest with anything material. He's, at least, educated in that way, that "Actually, you have no interest with these material things. You are, you should be interested only for your spiritual advancement. This is the opportunity."

Lecture on SB 2.2.5 -- New York, March 5, 1975:

But so far our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is there, we are not like that māyāvādī-sannyāsa. Our sannyāsīs completely devote life for serving Kṛṣṇa. Sannyāsa. Sannyāsa means sat, nyāsa. Nyāsa means to give up. And sat, oṁ tat sat, the Absolute Truth. So for the service of the Absolute, Kṛṣṇa, we give up all family life. Family life means to give up the whole world, because people are struggling hard just to maintain the family. That is also stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:

nidrayā hriyate naktaṁ

vyavāyena ca vā vayaḥ

divā cārthehayā rājan

kuṭumba-bharaṇena vā

(SB 2.1.3)

This is the materialistic life. What is that? At night, nidrayā, if one can get the opportunity of sleeping twenty-four hours, he thinks he's very much gainer, especially on Sunday. (laughter) So this is materialistic (indistinct), it is gain. In Calcutta we have seen there are office peons, they take letters and peon book and... Those who have gone to Calcutta there is a Dalhousie Square, that is downtown square. They'll take the peon book and letter and come to the Dalhousie Square and lie down and sleep up to four o'clock. Then they'll return to the office, and if the master asks them, "Why you are so late?" "No, the man was not there. I could not find. What can I do? I had to wait." (laughs) But he has spent his time by sleeping. So he thinks that "I'm getting so much salary, so if I do not work, if I sleep, that is my gain, that is extra profit." So that is material life.

Lecture on SB 2.3.22 -- Los Angeles, June 19, 1972:

So, the peacock plumes, they look like eyes, painted. But it has no power to see. Similarly, if we do not see the forms of the Lord, just like in this temple we are seeing, then these eyes are to be considered as painted eyes. Not real eyes. Simply just appearing like eyes. It has no use. The human form of life, the eyes are there, particular eyes, to see the forms of the Lord eye to eye. And because our present position is that with these material eyes we cannot see the Lord in His spiritual form, therefore the Lord has kindly appeared before us in a manner in which we can see Him. The forms of the Lord is not imagination. They say that they imagine some form. Sādhakānāṁ hitvārthāya brahmaṇo rūpa-kalpanaḥ. The Māyāvādī philosophers, due to their poor fund of knowledge, they think that "The Absolute Truth is formless, but because we cannot meditate upon formless, something formless, let us imagine some form." Imagine. Nirviśeṣa-vādī, nirākāra-vādī, they imagine forms.

Lecture on SB 2.9.4-8 -- Tokyo, April 23, 1972:

He manifested His form to Brahmā. That means God is not formless. If He is formless then how He could show His form? Brahmaṇe darśayan rūpam avyalīka. Avyalīka means without any cheating. Where is avyalīka? "Without any deceptive motive." So those who have realized impersonal form, not form, impersonal feature, they are cheated. They do not know actually what is God, what is the Absolute Truth. Avyalīka-vrata. And why Brahmā was favored to see the form of the Lord? Because he underwent severe tapasya, vow, worship. So God, or the Absolute Truth, is not formless. He has his form, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). But that can be seen only by persons who underwent severe austerities, penances, or engaged in devotion. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Otherwise, they will remain impersonal. The conclusion is, those who are impersonalists, their knowledge is imperfect. They have still to go forward.

Lecture on SB 2.9.14 -- Melbourne, April 13, 1972:

You Write books on this principle, that they are sticking to their so-called religious principle, so if anyone giving up his own religious system or occupational duty..." Religion means this sva-dharma. Sva-dharma means that the whole human society is divided into four classes—brāhmaṇas, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—in different names maybe: intelligent class, administrative class, mercantile class, and laborer class. It may be in different names, but these four classes, division, is there all over the world in different names. So sva-dharma means, intelligent class means they are interested in philosophy, in religion, in uplifting the human society to the proper position. That is intelligent class. And administrator class means they are interested in giving protection to the people. Now it is under nationalism. And give them protection from the enemies, from thieves, from rogues. That is the duty of the kṣatriya. Kṣat. Kṣatta means injury, and tra means one who protects or liberates. "One who protects a human being from being hurt by others"—that is called kṣatriya. And brāhmaṇa means one who knows Brahman, the Absolute Truth. And vaiśya means those who know visampati, the economic problem. And śūdra means laborer. So each word has got meaning. So everyone has got his particular type of occupation, either as intelligent class of men, or as the administrator class of men, or as vaiśyas, traders, or merchants, or as a laborer. Everyone has got.

Lecture on SB 3.12.19 -- Dallas, March 3, 1975:

From this verse we can understand the Absolute Truth is realized in three features: bhagavantam adhokṣajam, jyoti, paraṁ jyoti, and sarva-bhūta-guhāvāsam. The first realization is jyoti, the next realization is sarva-bhūta-guhāvāsam, and the last, final, realization is bhagavantam adhokṣajam. The example we have given many times, that the sun is there. The first realization is that we come in touch with the sunshine. That is very easy. Anyone can come in light of the sunshine. It is open to everyone. Then the another feature of the sunshine is the sun globe. That is not so easily available. You cannot go to the sun globe. According to the modern scientific conclusion, we can understand that the sun globe is away from us by 93,000,000's of miles, and still, we cannot tolerate the temperature. And what will be your position if you go to the sun globe? Before reaching sun globe even by some millions of... We are already apart 93,000,000 miles, and suppose when there is three million miles apart from ninety, then the temperatures is so high that we will be finished.

Lecture on SB 3.22.22 and Initiations -- Tehran, August 12, 1976:

In a Bengali proverb it is said, śarīre na mahaseya ye sahaye taya saba. This body is so nice that if you practice something, it will be accustomed. Just like we are sitting on the floor. If we practice to sit on the floor, there is no necessity of this couch. We are not refusing couch if available, but not that without couch I cannot sit. This kind of civilization is condemned. Besides that, we have got our own business. The real business is athāto brahma jijñāsā. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. In the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam you will find, kāmasya nendriya-prītir (SB 1.2.10). So there are some necessities for sense gratification, but not for the senses, but for spiritual upliftment. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. The life is meant for inquiring about the Absolute Truth.

Lecture on SB 3.25.1 -- Bombay, November 1, 1974:

In this age, people being all śūdras, less intelligent, unfortunate, disturbed, how they will be able to understand the Absolute Truth or the aim of life?

So anyway, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā that,

yadā yadā hi dharmasya

glānir bhavati bhārata

abhyutthānam adharmasya

tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham

(BG 4.7)

So similarly, some time before, some hundreds and thousands of years, Kapiladeva appeared, devahūti-putra Kapiladeva. His father's name is Kardama Muni. So after Kapiladeva's birth, when He was grown up... That is the system of Vedic civilization. When children are grown up, the father retires. He takes sannyāsa, or goes out of home simply for cultivating spiritual life, not that throughout the whole life, rot in this material world, no. Pañcāśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. That is the injunction of the śāstra. We have got eight kinds of āśrama, er, four kinds of āśrama and four kinds of varṇas. So the... Formerly they used to follow very strictly. So Kapiladeva's father, Kardama Muni, after the son was grown up, he left his home, giving in charge of his wife. The wife was given in charge of the grown-up boy, not that the boy was in charge of the..., no. So that incident, that narration, is stated in this part.

Lecture on SB 3.25.3 -- Bombay, November 3, 1974:

The material purpose is not true, but spiritual purpose is true. Therefore anything, you use it for the ultimate truth, Absolute Truth, that is realization of truth. This is Vaiṣṇava philosophy.

anāsaktasya viṣayān

yathārham upayuñjataḥ

nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe

yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate

This is the instruction given by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. And on the other side,

prāpañcikatayā buddhyā

hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ

mumukṣubhiḥ parityāgo

vairāgyaṁ phalgu kathyate

Mumukṣubhiḥ. Mumukṣubhiḥ means those who are aspiring after mukti. Those who are aspiring after mukti. Because when one is disgusted with these material engagements—sadā samudvigna-dhiyām—they want to destroy this. Mithyā. But the Vaiṣṇava says that prāpañcikatayā buddhyā hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ. Everything has got relation with the Supreme Person or the Absolute Truth. Just like this microphone. It is made of metal. But what is metal? It is another form of earth. So Kṛṣṇa says, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca, bhinnā me prakṛtir aṣṭadhā (BG 7.4). It is His energy. So His energy... He is the source of energy. So energy, how it can be untrue? That is not untrue. We don't say that "This metal has no connection with Kṛṣṇa." Yes, it has connection. Because it is production of His own energy.

Lecture on SB 3.25.3 -- Bombay, November 3, 1974:

So one has to learn how to describe the Absolute Truth, Bhagavān, how He's acting, how He's merciful, how He is so kind to the living beings that He comes personally. He's more anxious to give us education, enlightenment what is the goal of life. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). And He leaves the literature, He leaves His devotee, He leaves His follower, the paramparā system. Take advantage of this. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for giving the whole human society this advantage of understanding what is the Absolute Truth. It is not a bogus thing. It is actually this anukīrtaya. Anukīrtaya. We are not manufacturing our philosophy. There is no business. Why shall I try for..., unnecessarily waste our energy for manufacturing? There are so many things to be learned which is already there in the Vedic literature. Just try to learn and distribute it. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission.

Lecture on SB 3.25.4 -- Bombay, November 4, 1974:

One should approach guru for seeing the tattva, the Absolute Truth. That is necessary. Not for any material benefit. One should not search out a guru for, I mean to say, curing some material disease. For that, there is medical practitioner. Why should you search out after a guru? But people search out, that "I have got some material disease, and if somebody can cure, some saintly person, then he's guru or he's Bhagavān. I am poor. If he can give me some money, then he's guru." No. The śāstra does not say like that. Guru means śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12). Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam, śābde pare ca niṣṇātam (SB 11.3.21). Guru means who knows the Vedic śāstra, the Vedas. He knows the Vedic conclusion. And the Vedic conclusion is to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is Vedic conclusion. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15).

Lecture on SB 3.25.4 -- Bombay, November 4, 1974:

So actually, the Absolute Truth is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, or the Vedānta-sūtra's explanation, natural explanation,... Actually, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was written by Vyāsadeva. Here it is said, dvaipāyana-sakha. Dvaipāyana means Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva compiled this Brahma-sūtra, and he explained it, bhāṣyaṁ brahma-sūtrāṇām **, this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. If we read some artificial comments on Brahma-sūtra, we'll misunderstand. Generally, these Māyāvādīs give prominence of the comment given by Śaṅkarācārya about Brahma-sūtra, Śārīraka-bhāṣya. But that is unnatural. The natural commentation is given by the author himself, Vyāsadeva. So we have to understand... Vyāsadeva has written Brahma-sūtra, and we have to understand the meaning of Brahma... Brahma-sūtra means codes only. So codes can be explained by the author himself. So our process is to accept the Brahma-sūtra. Brahma-sūtra-padaiś caiva hetumadbhir viniścitaiḥ (BG 13.5). Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā. So Brahma-sūtra is nyāya-prasthāna. Nyāya-prasthāna: very logically, transcendental knowledge. So brahma-sūtra-padaiś caiva hetumadbhir viniścitaiḥ (BG 13.5). So we must... Therefore, according to our Vedic system, the ācārya must understand Brahma-sūtra and explain. Then he'll be accepted as ācārya.

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

So the Absolute Truth is not without varieties. That is spiritual variety. That is not material variety. But the Māyāvādīs, they think that... Because they are seeing the Absolute Truth from distant place, far away, they think that in the Absolute Truth there is no variety. As soon as there are varieties, it is material. That is their misunderstanding. No. The Absolute Truth is described in the Brahma-saṁhitā:

cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-

lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam

lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānaṁ

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(Bs. 5.29)

There are, in the spiritual world, there are Vaikuṇṭhalokas. There are inhabitants, the devotees. They're all liberated persons. They're akṣara. They do not fall down. Kṣara akṣara. We are kṣaras. We have fallen down in this material world. But there are devotees in the spiritual world, in the Vaikuṇṭhaloka, they never come down. Never come down in this material world, but they are also persons like us, but eternal persons, with full knowledge and life of blissfulness. That is the difference between them and us.

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

So that is tattva-jñāna. Unless we understand the varieties of the Absolute Truth, if we simply stick to the indefinite, impersonal feature of the Absolute Truth, then there is chance of falling down. Generally, they fall down. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Because they are not allowed to enter into the Vaikuṇṭha planets, they simply remaining in the Brahman effulgence, and that does not stay. They fall down. Again they come down in these material varieties. We have seen many, many sannyāsīs. They first of all give up... Brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā: "The jagat is mithyā." And ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I have no more anything to do. I have become Nārāyaṇa." Then he comes down again to feed the daridra-nārāyaṇa. That's all. He becomes Nārāyaṇa, but he comes to take activities in feeding... But why? It is mithyā. You have already left. Why do you come here again? That means he hasn't got anything. The unnecessary labor... Āruhya kṛcchreṇa. They undergo severe penances and austerities, and they reach up to the impersonal Brahman, but because there is no pleasure... Suppose if I send you in a nice aeroplane in the sky... There is no varieties. Just like so many aeronautics. They, after flying in the impersonal sky, they become tired. And sometimes they pray to God, "Please let me go back to the land." And I have read in the paper, when the Sputnik was carrying the Russian aeronautics, he was simply seeing down, "Where is Moscow?" (laughter) "Where is Moscow?" Because this impersonal traveling was very much agitating, he was finding out, "Where is Moscow?" So this kind of realization of the Absolute Truth will not stay, will have, will have to fall down. Exactly like that. The Russian aeronautics, without getting any shelter in the sky, he was simply hankering after Moscow. That my book, that Easy Journey to Other Planets... One gentleman, he became very much enthusiastic, that "Oh, we can go to the other planet?" And "Yes, you can go. Read this book." "Then I shall come back again?" "And why you shall come back again? You shall remain there." "No, no, no. I don't want that. I don't want that. I shall go and come back."

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. What is that? That is stated in the Bhāgavata:

vadanti tat tattva-vidas

tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam

brahmeti paramātmeti

bhagavān iti śabdyate

The Absolute Truth, tattva... Tattva means the truth, original. Tat tvam asi. That tattva is Bhagavān. In the... The Absolute Truth is understood in three features, three angles of vision. The first is Brahman, impersonal Brahman. The second is localized Paramātmā. And the ultimate is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So Brahman realization is not complete realization of the Absolute Truth. Neither Paramātmā realization is absolute, or the complete understanding of the Absolute Truth. When you realize Bhagavān, then you understand what is Paramātmā, what is Brahman, and what is Absolute Truth. Yaj jñātvā... No. Yasmin vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati. That is the Vedic instruction. If you understand Bhagavān, then you understand Paramātmā, you can understand Brahman also.

This is Paramātmā. Ekāṁśena sthito jagat (BG 10.42). That is one portion, partial understanding of the Absolute Truth. So far Brahman is concerned, that is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Brahmaṇo 'haṁ pratiṣṭhā: "I am the origin of Brahman effulgence." Amṛtasya śāśvatasya ca. This is described. And so far He is concerned, Kṛṣṇa, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). This is the understanding of Bhagavad-gītā. So far He is concerned, He says, "There is no more superior truth than Me." Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7).

So everything is resting on Kṛṣṇa. That is to be understood. That is the Vedānta understanding. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Everything includes Paramātmā and Brahma, and what to speak of other demigods. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8). This is the statement. Everyone reads Bhagavad-gītā, takes Bhagavad-gītā and takes photograph: "I am very good scholar of Bhagavad-gītā." But he does not know what is Kṛṣṇa. Just see. "I know everything—except Kṛṣṇa. This is my knowledge." No. If you understand Kṛṣṇa—yasmin vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati—then you understand everything. Just like if you understand what is one hundred thousands of rupees, then you can understand automatically what is ten rupees and what is fifty rupees. So everything is within that, the Absolute Truth.

Therefore by studying Vedic literature, we can understand Kṛṣṇa. Therefore one must seek for a Vedic teacher. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Not that "At home, by speculation, I can understand what is God." That is not produce.(?) Vedas says... Just like if you want to be educated, you must accept some school. It doesn't matter whether the school is perfect or not perfect, but you cannot avoid school going. That is not possible. If you think that "Without going to school, I shall learn everything," that is not possible. Vedas says that if you want knowledge actually... Tad-vijñānārtham. Tad-vijñāna means transcendental knowledge. Because Vedic knowledge... There is material knowledge also. Just like Āyur Veda, Dhanur Veda, and Jyotir Veda. Veda, veda means knowledge. There are all different types of knowledge. But real knowledge is brahma-vidyā, to understand the Absolute Truth. That is real knowledge. Other knowledge, they are temporary. We require medicine; therefore there is Āyur Veda. We require sometimes to fight; there is Dhanur Veda. And... So that is also required. Because the body is there. But real requirement is to know the Absolute Truth, Absolute Person. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). That is our self-interest. That is our self-interest. If we want to become perfect, then we must see what is the ultimate Absolute Truth. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is the instruction of Vedānta.

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

This life is meant for simply how to understand the Absolute Truth. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. Jīvasya... But that is missing now. Nobody is inquiring, neither there is any institution throughout the whole world where there is tattva-jijñāsā, what is the Absolute Truth. Simply technical knowledge—how to become this, how to become that, to fill up this belly. But we cannot see even that the birds, beasts, they do not become technologists. How they are getting food? There are 8,400,000 forms of body. The human form of body are 400,000. Out of many bodies that live in jungle, they have also no technology, no education, no systematic government, nothing—but they are also eating. The birds and beasts are eating. Everyone is eating. The ants within your home, within the hole of your room, they're also eating. So who is not eating? Everyone is eating. Why you have made a civilization to work hard like an ass for your eating? What is this civilization? If everyone is, without working, they're getting their food, then what is your advancement of civilization that you have to work like an ass to get your food? That is not advancement of civilization. Therefore, because we are becoming animal, less than animal, therefore they are decreasing the personal God. This is the idea.

So this is a chance given to we. Hari hari biphale. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura is singing, hari hari biphale janama goṅāinu: "My dear Lord, Kṛṣṇa, I have wasted my time for nothing, uselessly." Why? Manuṣya-janama pāiyā, rādhā-kṛṣṇa nā bhajiyā, jāniyā śuniyā viṣa khāinu: "Because I got this opportunity, the human form of life... It was meant for understanding Kṛṣṇa." Or add Kṛṣṇa with Rādhārāṇī. That is perfect Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa alone is Vāsudeva, and Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa is perfect, with all potencies. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). The Absolute Truth with potencies. Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the source of all potencies. Rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī śaktiḥ. The Rādhārāṇī is the manifestation of Kṛṣṇa's pleasure potency. Kṛṣṇa, when He wants to enjoy, He does not enjoy anything material. He expands His energy, potency. That is Rādhārāṇī. Hlādinī śaktir asmād ekātmānāv api bhuvi purā deha-bhedaṁ gatau tau. So these are the... So if we want... That is the... Human life is meant for that. As Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, manuṣya-janama pāiyā rādhā-kṛṣṇa nā bhajiyā jāniyā śuniyā viṣa khāinu: "My dear Lord, I have simply wasted my time, although I got the opportunity of this human form of life." Why you have wasted? "Now, I have done everything without worshiping Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa." That's all.

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

Because we are after ānanda, sac-cid-ānanda... Simply to rise to the platform of Brahman, that is sat, partial realization of the Absolute Truth, sat. Then cit. Cit means knowledge. That is also partial. Ānanda. Sac-cid-ānanda. When there... Ānanda you cannot get. Just like if you, simply in the sky you fly, you don't get ānanda. Therefore you have come to down, come down again to the airplane, airport. Without that, there is no ānanda. Similarly, simply rising up to the Brahman effulgence, there is no ānanda. Ānanda means you have to enter into the spiritual planet, where Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa, is there. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). You have entered to that eternal planet. You must get some residence. The impersonalists, they do not get that. They remain... Just like you remain in the sky. You cannot be happy. You want some planet, but if you cannot get planet, then again you come back in this planet. So āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Again in this material world. Therefore we have to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is real self-realization. And what is that? Very simple thing. Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ.

Lecture on SB 3.25.28 -- Bombay, November 28, 1974:

So, it is the duty of the disciple, disciple means everyone, human, human body, one who has got human body, athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is the Vedānta-sūtra advice. Atha, ataḥ, brahma-jijñāsa. This life, human life is meant for inquiry. What is that inquiry? Brahman inquire, about the absolute truth. So the Vedic injunction is that if you are inquisitive about self-realization, Brahman realization, then you should approach a guru. Therefore here Devahūti is accepting his (her) son, exalted son, incarnation of God, Kapiladeva, inquiring from Him. That is the Vaiṣṇava process. Vaiṣṇava process is not to speculate oneself. If one is actually inquisitive to know about the absolute truth, he must approach a bona fide spiritual master. (indistinct) First business is to find out guru, guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151), Caitanya Mahāprabhu says. At the present moment this is a mentality, of course they have got some bad experience, but the process is that you must go to a guru. That is Vedic injunction. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta (SB 11.3.21). Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Abhigacchet means "must," there is no other alternative.

Lecture on SB 3.25.28 -- Bombay, November 28, 1974:

Just like Kapiladeva, Kṛṣṇa, or His representative. Not a bogus guru. Then you will be cheated. Andhā yathāndair upanīyamānāḥ. The so-called rascal guru, he does not know also what is the aim of life, and if he makes some disciples then śāstra says, andhā yathāndair upanīyamānāḥ, one blind man is trying to guide many other blind men. So what is the benefit? There is no benefit. So if you want to be guided by somebody, he must have opened eyes. Tattva-darśinaḥ, upadekṣyanti tad jñānaṁ tad jñānī tattva-darśinaḥ. Darśana. Darśana means who have got eyes to see what is the absolute truth. Don't go to a blind man, who has no knowledge about the absolute truth. The absolute truth is there, Kṛṣṇa. The sun is there, everyone can see. Sun is not hiding but I am hiding. I am closing my door, how can I see sun? Come to the field, open to the sun and you will see sun. There is sun, there is light. Similarly God is there, Kṛṣṇa. You come to Kṛṣṇa. Take His lesson, Bhagavad-gītā, you will learn what is God.

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

We are related with somebody as father, or somebody as son, somebody as lover, somebody as beloved, somebody as master, somebody as servant. This is relationship. This is the perverted reflection of the spiritual world. Therefore although we have got the same relationship for relishing... Today I am loving my son and tomorrow my son may be the greatest enemy. There is no eternity of such love. Or the son may die. There is no eternity. Today I am loving some man or woman; it may break tomorrow. That is the defect of the material world. But in the spiritual world the same relationship will never break. It will ānandāmbudhi-vardhanam, simply increase, simply increase. That is called perfection. That is called per...

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu

kaścid yatati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāṁ

kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ

(BG 7.3)

If we understand Kṛṣṇa tattvataḥ, not superficial... Here the word is used yatas tattvāvabodhanam. Tattvāvabodhanam: "Kindly explain to me that bhakti-yoga which we can fully understand the truth, Absolute Truth." Tattvāvabodhanam.

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

Nitāi: "...after all, I am a woman. It is very difficult for me to understand the Absolute Truth because my intelligence is not very great. But if You will kindly explain it to me, even though I am not very intelligent, I can understand it and thereby feel transcendental happiness."

Prabhupāda:

tad etan me vijānīhi

yathāhaṁ manda-dhīr hare

sukhaṁ buddhyeya durbodhaṁ

yoṣā bhavad-anugrahāt

(SB 3.25.30)

So this is submission. The process of understanding transcendental subject matter is not by challenge but by submission. The whole bhakti process is submission. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's preaching.

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

So how this prema can be awakened easily, that has been recommended by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, quoting from Lord Brahmā's prayer to Kṛṣṇa, jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva. Don't try to understand Kṛṣṇa by your tiny knowledge. We are imperfect. How we can speculate on Kṛṣṇa? That is not... Because there are certain persons, jñānīs, they want to know. Just like theosophists. They want to know the Absolute Truth by speculation. But that is not possible.

athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvaya-

prasāda-leśānugṛhīta eva hi

jānāti tattvaṁ bhagavan-mahimno

na cānya eko 'pi ciraṁ vicinvan

(SB 10.14.29)

Ciram, for many, many years, if you speculate, you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. You have to receive the mercy of Kṛṣṇa through the spiritual master. Then it is possible. That is recommended by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir ye prāyaśo 'jita. Kṛṣṇa's another name is Ajita; you cannot conquer Him. When Kṛṣṇa was present, He had to fight with so many demons, but nobody could conquer Him. That is the history. He conquered everyone, but nobody could conquer Him. He is conquered by His devotee only. That's all. Therefore His name is Ajita. Ajita. If you want to conquer over Ajita, then you simply... Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that "Don't speculate." Sthāne sthitāḥ... Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva. Be submissive: "Kṛṣṇa, I am very poor. Kṛṣṇa, I have no means to understand You. So if You kindly be merciful upon me, then I can understand something about You." Surrender. That is wanted. Kṛṣṇa is very merciful as soon as He sees that somebody is surrendered.

So this Kapila, Devahūti, son of Devahūti Kapila, His sāṅkhya-yoga means bhakti-vitāna-yogam, how bhakti, devotional service to the Lord, is expanded. That is sāṅkhya-yoga. And how it is received, that is also stated here, tattva āmnāyaṁ yad pravadanti sāṅkhyam. Āmnāyam, by disciplic succession. No philosophical speculation, but as it is received by predecessor, by tradition, āmnāyam. Tattva āmnāyam. We cannot manufacture tattva. That is improper way of understanding the truth. Generally, the Western philosophers, they try to understand the Absolute Truth by the ascending process. There are two processes of understanding the Absolute Truth. One is called ascending process, or inductive logic, and another process is descending process, or deductive logic. So ascending process is based on speculation, and descending process is based on fact.

Just like the political parties may be different, but their aim is how to improve the condition of the country or the people. The aim is the same, but they may be a little different in their ways. Similarly, there are four āmnāya party. Āmnāya means disciplic succession. One party is coming from Lord Brahmā, and one party is coming from Lakṣmī, goddess of fortune, or the consort of Nārāyaṇa, Viṣṇu. That is called Brahma-sampradāya and the Śrī-sampradāya. Śrī. Śrī means Lakṣmī. Śrī means beauty. Śrī means fortune. Therefore, according to Vedic system, the "śrī" word is added before anyone's name, śrī. So there is Śrī-sampradāya, and there is Kumāra-sampradāya, and there is Rudra-sampradāya. There are four sampradāyas of Viṣṇu, er, Vaiṣṇava. So Brahma-sampradāya, Śrī-sampradāya, Rudra-sampradāya, and Kumāra-sampradāya—they are called āmnāya. If you want to know the truth, then you have to accept. Tattva āmnāyam. Tattva āmnāyaṁ yat pravadanti sāṅkhyam. This is Sāṅkhya philosophy. You try to understand the Absolute Truth through the disciplic succession of āmnāya, āmnāya.

So bhakti-yoga is the last status of yoga system. Therefore it is said, bhakti-vitāna-yogam. Bhakti... Just like you are going upstair, and step by step, when you go to the topmost step, that is the end of your going up, similarly, the karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, and dhyāna-yoga, and then bhakti-yoga, so ultimate end is bhakti-yoga. So if you have got, gone few steps, that is karma-yoga, if you have got few more steps, that is jñāna-yoga, and if you go few more steps, that is dhyāna-yoga, and when you reach the ultimate status, that is called bhakti-yoga. The step is the same. Mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ. Everyone is going, trying to reach the ultimate Absolute Truth. But it is simply a partial understanding. By jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, karma-yoga, you can understand partially the Absolute Truth. But bhakti-yoga you can understand completely. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). He does not say, "By jñāna, by karma, by meditation, one can understand Me fully." No. He does not say. He says clearly, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ: (BG 18.55) "Tattvataḥ, in truth what I am, that can be understood only by bhakti-yoga." You see Bhagavad-gītā.

So to understand the Absolute Truth you have to accept this sāṅkhya-yoga or bhakti-vitāna-yogam. Then you will understand very... Because question was, by Devahūti, that manda-dhīḥ sukhaṁ buddhyeya. Sukhaṁ buddhyeya: "Very easily, without any much trouble, I may understand. You kindly describe in this way—the Absolute Truth I can understand very easily." So that is bhakti-yoga. In the Ninth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā it is said, susukhaṁ kartum avyayam (BG 9.2). Susukham. If you practice bhakti-yoga, it is very easy, at the same time very pleasing, very pleasing. Susukhaṁ kartum avyayam. And avyayam. Avyayam means not deteriorating. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. If you execute even partially, it has got so potency that it will lead you more and more to the ultimate goal of life. This is called perfect sāṅkhya-yoga.

Lecture on SB 3.25.35 -- Bombay, December 4, 1974:

So we have to accept one of these mahājana. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Then you will be successful. Tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ: If you want to learn the Absolute Truth by logic and argument, it will never be possible. Logician... You may be one logician, better logician than me, and another logician may be better than you. But the Absolute Truth is avan manasa-gocara. By logical arguments how you can reach? That is not possible. Tarko 'prati... Therefore it is useless waste of time. Tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnāḥ. Scriptures, even you take the Vedic scriptures, there are so many: four Vedas... Some of them are following the Yajur-veda, some of them following Ṛg-veda, some of them Sāma-veda, Atharva-veda. Then there are Upaniṣads. Then there are Purāṇas, then Brahma-sūtra, the Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata. They are all right. But because I am ill-advised, I take conclusion differently. Śrutayo vibhinnāḥ. Or you take Bible or Koran.

So here it is said, paśyanti te me rucirāṇy amba santaḥ? "They can see Me, santaḥ." Not these rascals and fools. They cannot see. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25), Bhagavān says in the Bhagavad-gītā that "I am not exposed to these fools and rascals, nondevotees." Why I say "fools and rascals" to the nondevotees? I am not saying; Kṛṣṇa says. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). Mūḍha means rascal. Mūḍha means rascal. And duṣkṛtinaḥ, duṣkṛtinaḥ mean always engaged in sinful activities, no restraint. They can eat everything, they can drink everything, they can do everything without any restriction. They think, "What is there in drinking and eating in the matter of religion?" That is the new invention of swamis and yogis, that "You can do everything, and still you become advanced." But that is not possible. One has to become a pure brāhmaṇa. Then why, in the Vedic civilization, a pure brāhmaṇa is so respected? Because they are symbolic representation of the Vedas. Satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyam (BG 18.42). That is brāhmaṇa, who has got this qualification, satyam, who has taken the Absolute Truth as the aim of life. People, ordinary people, how they will know? Satyaṁ śaucam, very clean always, tri-sandhyā-snāna, taking bathing thrice. Satyaṁ śaucaṁ śamam, controlling the mind, not that "I am servant of my mind. I shall do whatever my mind dictates." These are the qualification of brāhmaṇa. Śamaṁ damam, controlling the senses. These are the symbolic representation of the Vedas.

Lecture on SB 3.25.36 -- Bombay, December 5, 1974:

Just like we have explained several times that we have got experience of the sunshine. Because sunshine is very easily approached. But that understanding of the sunshine is not real understanding of the sun globe or sun planet or the sun-god. That is not perfect understanding. It is partial understanding that you can understand the sun globe is full of heat and light. That's all. But how much heat, what is the temperature of heat, how much light is there, and where is the source of heat and light, that is not possible to understand. Everyone will admit this, that simply by seeing, because the sunshine is entering your room from the window, that does not mean you know everything of the sun. Similarly, this impersonal understanding of the Absolute Truth is like that. Just like sunshine is impersonal, but the sun-god is person. If sun-god is not person, how Kṛṣṇa says, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam: (BG 4.1) "This Bhagavad-gītā..." He says to Arjuna, that "This Bhagavad-gītā, science of Bhagavad-gītā, or this yoga system, bhakti-yoga system, I spoke to sun-god. Exactly like that, I am speaking to you."

Lecture on SB 3.25.36 -- Bombay, December 5, 1974:

So Kṛṣṇa is... We are seeing the form of Kṛṣṇa. That is the ultimate understanding of the Absolute Truth. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate.

vadanti tat tattva-vidas

tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam

brahmeti paramātmeti

bhagavān iti śabdyate

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

So sac-cid-ānanda. The Brahman realization is sat realization, Paramātmā realization is cit realization, and Bhagavān realization means ānanda realization. Sat, cit, ānanda. And in the Vedānta-sūtra it is said that the Absolute Truth is ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). Ānandamaya. He's always ānandamaya. You read Kṛṣṇa's līlā—He's always full of transcendental bliss, especially in Vṛndāvana. Vṛndāvana, that is His original residence. There, simply ānanda. Kṛṣṇa is playing with His cowherds boys friends. Kṛṣṇa is dancing with the gopīs. Kṛṣṇa is stealing Mother Yaśodā's butter. Kṛṣṇa is doing... All ānanda, transcendental bliss.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). Who surrenders to Kṛṣṇa? Unless one is fully in knowledge, "What is Absolute Truth, what I am, what is my relationship with the Absolute Truth..." That is called knowledge. And if one understands that "Kṛṣṇa is my eternal master. He is my eternal father. I am not this body. I am also the same thing as Kṛṣṇa, spiritual..." Mamaivāṁśaḥ. "I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. If Kṛṣṇa is gold, then I am also gold. But Kṛṣṇa is gold mine; I am gold earring, that's all." This is knowledge. Jñāna-vairāgya-yuktena. And when one comes to this knowledge, then he becomes reluctant to this material attachment. That is called vairāgya. Just like you boys and girls who have joined this movement. You have understood to some extent that "We didn't require this material opulence. We want Kṛṣṇa." So the idea that we don't want this material opulence, that is called vairāgya. And why you want Kṛṣṇa? Because Kṛṣṇa is your eternal master, eternal father. That is called jñāna. Jñāna-vairāgya-yuktena. Not sentimental. We must know very clearly what is Kṛṣṇa—that is jñāna—what is my relationship with Kṛṣṇa—that is jñāna—and what is my duty to Kṛṣṇa—that is jñāna. And as soon as you know all these things—what is Kṛṣṇa, what you are, what is your relationship, and what is your duty—then naturally you become reluctant to these material activities. That is called vairāgya.

Lecture on SB 3.26.1 -- Bombay, December 13, 1974:

Nitāi: "The Personality of Godhead, Kapila, continued: My dear mother, now I shall describe unto you the different categories of the Absolute Truth, knowing which any person can be released from the influence of the modes of material nature."

Prabhupāda:

atha te sampravakṣyāmi

tattvānāṁ lakṣaṇaṁ pṛthak

yad viditvā vimucyeta

puruṣaḥ prākṛtair guṇaiḥ

(SB 3.26.1)

This is the disease. This is called material disease. One is infected by the prākṛta-guṇa. The prākṛta-guṇa... Guṇa means quality, mode. So prākṛta means this material prakṛti, and spiritual means aprākṛta. There are different stages of knowledge: pratyakṣa, parokṣa, aparokṣa, adhokṣaja, aprākṛta. One has to go step by step. General knowledge means pratyakṣa, whatever you perceive by the senses. That is called pratyakṣa. And the knowledge which you receive from authorities, that is parokṣa. Then aparokṣa, realization. Then adhokṣaja. Adhokṣaja means knowledge which beyond your perception. But there is source of knowledge, adhokṣaja. Therefore God's another name is Adhokṣaja. Adhaḥ. Adhaḥ means subduing, bring under subjugation. Adhah-kṛta, akṣaja. Akṣaja means the knowledge directly perceived by the senses. Akṣa means eyes and akṣa means atukya(?). So any knowledge within the alphabets, ABCD, that is called akṣaja. And the knowledge which is beyond that, that is called adhokṣaja. And beyond the adhokṣaja knowledge there is aprākṛta. Aprākṛta knowledge.

Lecture on SB 3.26.1 -- Bombay, December 13, 1974:

So we have to receive knowledge from Bhagavān or from a person who is servant of Bhagavān, not that another imitation Bhagavān. Then you'll spoil your life. That will not help you. Bhagavān says, atha te sampravakṣyāmi. Sam means samyak, in full, full knowledge, not partial. Atha te sampravakṣyāmi. Pra means prakṛṣṭa-rūpe. Vakṣyāmi. Vakṣyāmi means "I shall speak." Tattvānām. Tattvānām, tattva is one. Absolute Truth, it cannot be two; but there are different phases of understanding the Absolute Truth. Therefore here it is plural number, tattvānām. Tattva is one. That is explained in another place. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam (SB 1.2.11). Although tattva is realized in different phases, three phases, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate. Brahman, impersonal feature, brahmeti paramātmā. First localized feature, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). That is Paramātmā.

Lecture on SB 3.26.1 -- Bombay, December 13, 1974:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that "Any rascal who thinks that the body of Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu is prākṛta, material, this is the greatest offense." The Māyāvādī philosophers, they think like that, that the Absolute Truth, (is) imperson; but when He comes in form He accepts a material body. This is the greatest offense, aparādha nāhi yāra ihāra rūpa.(?) Therefore they cannot understand very well because they're aparādhī. Kṛṣṇa, Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, māyāvādī kṛṣṇe aparādhī. The Māyāvādīs, they're offenders to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, offenders. Kṛṣṇa is not exposed to the offenders. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yogamāyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25). So the Māyāvādīs, they cannot see Kṛṣṇa. They cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. They'll avoid Kṛṣṇa. They'll speak so many things, spiritual knowledge, but avoid Kṛṣṇa's figure, Kṛṣṇa's form. They think it is māyā. It is māyā. But it is not māyā. That is the original form. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Because Kṛṣṇa has got the form exactly, the dvibhuja-muralī-līlā, two hands with flute. That is Kṛṣṇa's original form.

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

We have to become dependent. Either this material nature or the spiritual nature, it is not possible. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). You have to take āśraya, shelter, of either of the prakṛtis, parā-prakṛti or aparā-prakṛti. Aparā-prakṛti is this material nature, and parā-prakṛti is the spiritual nature. So therefore jīva-śakti is called taṭastha. Taṭastha. Antaraṅga, bahiraṅga, taṭastha. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport), the Absolute Truth has got multi-potencies. They have been summarized into three. First is parā-prakṛti, spiritual nature, and then the material nature, and another nature, prakṛti—we are also prakṛti—between the two, taṭastha. Just like the beach is between the land and water. Beach is sometimes covered with water, and sometimes it is uncovered; the water is far away. When it is not covered, we call it beach, and it is covered, we call it sea. So similarly, our position is like that, living entities. Although by nature we are parā-prakṛti, spirit, spirit, but because we have got the tendency to enjoy material nature, therefore we come to this material nature. Therefore our position is in between the spiritual nature and the material nature, taṭastha. Taṭastha means in between.

Lecture on SB 3.26.10 -- Bombay, December 22, 1974:

So we have to approach to a guru, tattva-darśī. Tattva-darśī. Tattva-darśī means... What is tattva? Tattva means truth. One who has seen the truth. We have to approach such tattva-darśī. And what is that tattva?

vadanti tat tattva-vidas

tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam

brahmeti paramātmeti

bhagavān iti śabdyate

Lecture on SB 3.26.18 -- Bombay, December 27, 1974:

Tattva means the tattva-vastu, the Absolute Truth, is manifested in three features: Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate. They are actually the same thing, but different realization.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means that training the people who come to us to make him far, far above than the siddhas, far, far above than the siddhas. And it is very easily one can become. One can hold this position of guru, who is... Guru means who is above the siddhas. Kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā. Yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, sei guru haya (CC Madhya 8.128). One cannot become guru unless he knows kṛṣṇa-tattva. Not ordinary man. The yogis, the karmīs, the jñānīs, they cannot become guru. That is not sanctioned, because even one is jñānī, he has to learn Kṛṣṇa after many, many births; not in one life, but many, many life. If he persists to understand what is the Absolute Truth by his jñāna method, by his speculative method, then still he will have to change many, many births. Then one day he may be fortunate. If he comes in contact with a devotee, then it may be possible for him to understand Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 3.26.18 -- Bombay, December 27, 1974:

That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). Who is prapadyate? Who surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. Unless one understands Kṛṣṇa perfectly, why one should surrender? Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Big, big scholars they, "It is too much," they say. "It is too much. Kṛṣṇa is demanding, mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. This is too much." This is not too much; this is the real position. If he is actually advanced in his knowledge... Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). That is not attainable in one life. If he persists in knowledge, understanding of the Absolute Truth, then, after many, many births, when he is actually in knowledge, then he surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). That kind of mahātmā... You will find so many mahātmās simply by changing the dress. Not that kind of mahātmā. Sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. It is very difficult to find out such mahātmās, but there are. If one is fortunate, he can meet such mahātmā, and his life becomes successful. Sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ.

Lecture on SB 3.26.22 -- Bombay, December 31, 1974:

And Kṛṣṇa said that ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8). The Vedānta says, janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) "God, or Absolute Truth, means the source of everything." And the source of everything is coming down before you and in His original form, Kṛṣṇa. Dvi-bhuja-muralīdhara, Kṛṣṇa. Here He is standing, and He is preaching, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: "I am the source of everything." Mūḍho nābhijānāti. But the rascals, they do not understand that God is speaking in everyone's presence, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ, "I am," aham "like this," aham. Mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate. Still, the rascal will not. Just see how much rascals we are.

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

Vyāsadeva has given us four Vedas: Sāma, Yajur, Ṛg, Atharva; then explained them in the 108 Purāṇas. Then again, he has summarized them in Vedānta-sūtra. Then again, he has explained the Vedānta-sūtra by Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Brahma-sūtra-bhāṣya. In every chapter of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam you will find this statement by Vyāsadeva, brahma-sūtra-bhāṣya. Brahma-sūtra-bhāṣya is not that Śaṅkara's bhāṣya, Śārīraka-bhāṣya. That is artificial. Here the brahma-sūtra-bhāṣya. Brahma-sūtra is written by Vyāsadeva, and because he knew that in future so many rascals will misinterpret this Brahma-sūtra, therefore he compiled personally the bhāṣya of Brahma-sūtra. That is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Bhāṣyaṁ brahma-sūtrāṇāṁ vedārtha-paribṛṁhitam **: "The meaning of the Vedas is completely described, and it is the original comment on Brahma-sūtra." Therefore you will see Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begins from the words of Brahma-sūtra: jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. As it is said in the Brahma-sūtra, athāto brahma jijñāsā, the Bhāgavata says that jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā: "The living entity's only business is to inquire about the Absolute Truth." Na yaś ceha karmabhiḥ: "No other business." Dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣa (SB 4.8.41).

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

Devotee: (leads chanting of synonyms) "The Personality of Godhead said:. My dear mother, O daughter of the King, now I shall explain to you the system of yoga, the object of which is to concentrate the mind. By practicing this system one can become joyful and progressively advance towards the path of the Absolute Truth."

Prabhupāda:

śrī bhagavān uvāca

yogasya lakṣaṇaṁ vakṣye

sabījasya nṛpātmaje

mano yenaiva vidhinā

prasannaṁ yāti sat-patham

(SB 3.28.1)

So this word yoga is very popular in the Western countries. Practically everyone knows the word at least, yoga. And many so-called yogis come here, and I do not want to discuss. But yoga is a very nice process by which you can make your mind very peaceful, and then you can make progress towards spiritual life, sat-pathe. Our, there are two ways. One is called sat-patha, and one is called asat-patha. Asat-patha means..., asat means which will not exist. That is called asat. And sat means which will exist. The spirit will exist; matter will be finished. Now you have got this body. You have got this body. This body will be finished, everyone knows. But the spirit soul within the body, that will not finish. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). That is spiritual education in the beginning. We should understand what is spirit, sat. Asato mā sad gamaḥ. This is the Vedic instruction. "Don't make much progress on the path of nonpermanent things." This is Vedic injunction. Asato mā sad gamaḥ Tamasi mā jyotir gamaḥ: "Don't keep yourself in darkness. Make progress towards the light."

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

Therefore one is recommended to associate with sat. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ (SB 3.25.25). Satāṁ prasaṅgān. In the association of devotees the discussion on the matter of the Absolute Truth becomes very palatable. We have to hear about the Absolute Truth through the association of persons who are endeavoring to make progress towards eternal life, sat-patham. Yogasya lakṣaṇam. What are the symptoms of yoga? Kapiladeva, Kapiladeva is son of Devahūti. Devahūti is the mother of Kapiladeva. The mother is taking instruction from son. So it doesn't matter. One should not think, "Oh, he is my son. What instruction I shall take from him? I know better than him." No. Son or anyone, anyone, if he knows the science of Kṛṣṇa he becomes guru. This is the Vedic system. It doesn't matter. Caitanya Mahāprabhu approved this. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was born in a very respectable brāhmaṇa family.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Los Angeles, January 20, 1969:

So Ṛṣabhadeva says, kaṣṭān kāmān. Just try to under... We are not criticizing the modern method of living. Of course, automatically it becomes criticized. But we are speaking from the śāstras. He says, Ṛṣabhadeva says, kaṣṭān kāmān. For your sense gratification do not arrange something very dangerous or very tiresome, laborsome. Make your life simplified. That is allotted by Kṛṣṇa. We have got a place, New Vrindaban, in West Virginia. With little effort, they produce so much vegetables that they cannot eat, they cannot finish. They cannot finish. So God has given us land, God has given us producing experience. So wherever you live, it doesn't matter, if you have got a little some pain. So that pain is called tapasya. Voluntarily accepting little pain. Tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1). And what for that pains taking? Divyam, for realizing the Absolute Truth. Not for that... Just like a student is working very hard to find out the possibilities of nuclear weapon. That is also tapasya. But what is that? For finding out some means to kill the human society. That sort of tapasya is not required. Tapo divyam.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- Paris, August 12, 1973:

Jyotirmayī: She said that these laws, these laws are only laws which exist in the human world, but that God doesn't lave these lews.

Prabhupāda: Human laws are imitation of God's laws. In the Vedānta-sūtra it is said, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). The absolute truth is that from where everything emanates. So this human law has come from God. It is only imitation, imperfectly presented, but the principle is the same. (break)

Guest: Who is Guru Maharaj-ji? (laughter)

Prabhupāda: I do not know him. (laughter). (break)

Jyotirmayī: ...chant Hare Kṛṣṇa with also Hare Rāma. Why are we talking about the Rāma in this mantra?

Prabhupāda: Rāma is also God, another name of God. Rāma means the "who enjoys." Kṛṣṇa means "who attracts." So God is the supreme enjoyer, therefore He is called Rāma. And God is the supreme attractor. He attracts everyone, therefore He is called Kṛṣṇa. So the names are on the quality of God. You have already questioned. Yes.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

So, these things cannot be understood by the materialistic person. Therefore, one has to practice vairāgya, renunciation. That is pointed out here. Bhāgavata upāsanam upadekṣyamāna vairāgyaṁ vinā upadiṣṭo 'pi bhakti-yoga na samyag pratitiṣṭhati iti. Side by side we have to practice, voluntarily, to be detached from material activities. Then we can make progress in devotional service. Tad utpataya kāmān mindati. This is our voluntary work. If we want to be detached... Because Kṛṣṇa is so kind, if you have got even a little pinch of attachment for this material world, you are not allowed to enter into the kingdom of God. You must be completely free. Therefore, bhakti-yoga is enunciated by Rūpa Goswami: anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). Śūnyam means zero. All kinds of material desires should be made into zero. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy anāvṛtam (CC Madhya 19.167). Jñāna, speculative method for understanding the Absolute Truth, as the Māyāvādīs, they are speculating, "This is not, this is not, this is not." Neti neti. This is jñāna.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 11, 1975:

So we must have common sense to understand and understand through other sources also. As Madhvācārya says, "No, jagat satyam, that is fact." How you can say this jagat is false? It is not false. Besides that, that Vyāsadeva, he's the compiler of Vedānta-sūtra, and he has commented himself about Vedānta-sūtra. That is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Bhāṣyaṁ brahma-sūtrāṇām **. And at the end of each chapter of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, you'll find, brahma-sūtrasya bhāṣya. So, when the author is giving a commentary personally, we should accept that. Why others? So Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the natural commentary given by Vyāsadeva. We should accept. And it begins... Because it is commentary on Brahma-sūtra, therefore it begins with the sūtra, Brahma-sūtra: janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ svarāṭ (SB 1.1.1). This is the explanation. So the conclusion is that we Vaiṣṇavas, we do not say that this jagat is mithyā. No. The jagat is satyam. Unless the jagat is satyam, how we are approaching God, the Absolute Truth through this material, I mean to say, world. How it is possible? You cannot approach the truth through false thing. That is not possible.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 13, 1975:

Everywhere, in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also the same thing is explained, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsur śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). If you are inquisitive to understand transcendental truth, the Absolute Truth, the guru is... To have a guru is not a fashion. Now it has become a fashion. If somebody shows some jugglery, people become very much anxious to accept such guru. No. Guru means, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta. Who requires a guru? Jijñāsu śreya uttamam, one who is very much anxious to know about the ultimate benefit of life. For him guru is required. Not a fashion. Just like we keep a dog as a fashion. Nowadays it is a fashion to keep a dog. So don't keep a guru like a dog. And who will hear you? "Come on. Come on." Yes. Not like that. Guru require then where you can surrender. Not like a dog, but master, where you can surrender. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta, prapadyeta means you must surrender.

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

"That Absolute Truth is realized... They are one, but realized in three different phases." Just like the example is given, I have given several times, that the sun, the sun globe and the sun-god. There is... Within the sun globe there is sun-god. His name is Vivasvān. As you refer to Bhagavad-gītā, in the Bhagavad-gītā you will find the predominating deity or the president of the sun globe. His name is Vivasvān. Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). Kṛṣṇa says that many millions of years ago He went to the sun globe and He preached this Bhagavad-gītā to the sun-god, the president of the sun globe, Vivasvān. So there are living entities. The sun-god is the living entity. The difference is that the living entities there, the body is made of fire. As our body is made of earth, dirt, their body is made of fire. Therefore they are so glowing, everything. It is a fiery planet, airy planet, watery planet, earthly planet—five elements. So if we cannot imagine that "Because we have got earthly body, there cannot be fiery body." That is our lack of knowledge, poor fund of knowledge. In God's creation there are varieties.

Lecture on SB 5.6.4 -- Vrndavana, November 26, 1976:

So Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, everything threadbare discussed, very practical, and Absolute Truth. There are social, political, religious. Everything is discussed very scientifically. So here the example is given of the woman, puṁścalī. There are three kinds of woman: kāminī, svairendrī and puṁścalī, according to śāstra. So they become, because... Just like children. They are innocent, and if they are given freedom they will be spoiled. Everyone knows it. If you don't give proper training to the children and allow him to do independently whatever he likes, that means that child is spoiled.

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

Kṛṣṇa condemns, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritaḥ (BG 9.11). Anyone who thinks that Kṛṣṇa has a different soul... No. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's so-called soul, the same thing. There is no difference. That is the... Otherwise how Kṛṣṇa can lift, as a seven-years-old boy, Govardhana Hill? Is it possible by this material body? No. That is not possible. This is common sense. But they cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, mūḍhā. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā. They call, "It is mythology. Mythology. Everything mythology." First of all they cannot find out what is God, and when God comes, shows His opulences, these rascals say, "It is mythology." What God will do? He comes before you. He displays His mighty opulences. He expanded Himself into sixteen thousand form. "Mythology." So what can I do? What Kṛṣṇa can do? Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca (Bs. 5.33). Śāstra says He has got ananta-rūpam, but still one. There is no difference. They cannot understand the Absolute Truth, and they like to comment upon it foolishly.

Lecture on SB 6.1.3 -- Melbourne, May 22, 1975:

This is the modern civilization. "Get money some way or other, and spend it for sense gratification." That is the goal. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). They are not taught, they are not educated, that what is the end of life, goal of life. That is God realization. They do not know it. Na te viduḥ. "They do not know it." Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatim. Everyone is self-interested. Everyone is looking after his self-interest. That's good, very good. But do you know what is your self-interest? That they do not know. Somebody is thinking, "My self-interest is this"; somebody is thinking, "My self-interest is this," and therefore there is collision, strife, fight. But actually, the self-interest is one for the..., at least for the human being. What is that? Realization of God. It is equally important for the Americans; it is equally important for the Indians; equally important for every living being, especially for the civilized man. This is self-interest. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. What is that Absolute Truth? Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. That should be our first business. Of course, we require a living place and eating materials and sex arrangement or defense arrangement. That is required. You do that. But don't forget your main business. Then you are cats and dogs. Your main business is God realization.

Lecture on SB 6.1.7 -- San Francisco, March 1, 1967:

Therefore simply by argument and logical conclusion, you cannot approach to the Absolute Truth or real truth. Tarko apratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnāḥ. And if you consult yourself scriptures... Just like Bhagavad-gītā, if you read yourself, you get one kind of impression, and if you hear explanation from an authorized person, you get another impression. The book is the same, but by hearing from the authorities, you get a better impression, better understanding. There are so many examples like this. Tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnāḥ. Now there are many scriptures in the world. The Hindus have got the Vedas; the Christians have got the Bible; the Muslims, they have got Koran. Now, if you read all these scriptures, you will find something contradictory. Just like animal killing. Animal killing, more or less, there are in every scripture, restricted or nonrestricted. There is none nonrestricted. Restricted. Even in the Koran, the animal killing is restricted. Animal is to be killed in the, in certain Bakri Eid ceremony and in the Masjid. Similarly, animal killing amongst the Hindus, they are to be done in the temple of Goddess Kālī. But no slaughterhouse is recommended.

Lecture on SB 6.1.10 -- Honolulu, May 11, 1976:

If one has no sense to understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness, he is no better than the dog and cat. No credit. According to Vedic civilization anyone who is thinking, "I am this body," and doing accordingly—for the bodily pleasure he is working so hard—so that is not knowledge. Here it is suggested that prāyaścittam vimarsanam. If you want to be saved from the tribulation offered by the material nature, then you have to very thoughtful, thinking that what is the actual position. That is the beginning of Vedānta-sūtra, that "You inquire about Brahman, the Absolute Truth." Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This human form of life, don't spoil it like cats and dogs, eating, sleeping, mating and dancing. No. So, so same dancing, same eating can be utilized when it is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then he will be... Simply by dancing and chanting and taking prasādam you'll be learned scholar.

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

Śrīdhara Swami says that bhakti mārga, the path of devotion, is immune from all kinds of fearfulness because jñāna-mārga, jñāna mārga, the path of knowledge is full of difficulties. Because I am trying myself, I have no protector. I do not know if I am in danger who will give me protection. Jñānīs, they try to understand the Absolute Truth by dint of their knowledge. So Śrīdhara Swami says they are atahaya. Atahaya means without any protection. If they make any mistake... Just like a little student they are learning something, but there is protection of the teacher. As soon as he commits a mistake, immediately the teacher rectifies: "My dear boy, do like this." But anyone who has no teacher, no protector, simply trying himself, if he commits any mistake there is nobody protecting him. Therefore jñāna-mārga, the path of knowledge, is risky. Similarly, the path of karma is also risky. Mataraka(?). If you prosecute the path of karma, there is envy between the karmīs. If you become greater than me in execution of your fruitive activities, I become envious of you: "Oh, this man is making so much progress in business or in some other way, in practice. I could not do." So I become envious. Similarly, if I advance, my friend becomes envious. So karma-mārga is the path of enviousness. Therefore Śrīmad-Bhāgavata says paramo nirmatsarāṇām (SB 1.1.2). The Bhāgavata is meant for persons who are absolutely free from enviousness.

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

Bhagavān is transcendental, above this universe. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: trai-guṇya-viṣayā vedā nistrai-guṇyo bhavārjuna. That nistrai-guṇya means nirguṇa. (Hindi) He has no qualities—this is nonsense. When one is powerful, all-powerful, how he can think that He has no good qualities? Is it possible to think like that? That means He has no material qualities. When there is nirviśeṣa, when there are such description, "The Absolute Truth has no form," that means He has no material form. As soon as there is question of form, we think of form like you have got a form, I have got a form, he has got a form. Immediately we think of form like that. When Veda says "God is formless," that means He is not under the conception of form which you can conceive. Sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). His form, His form is described in the Brahma-saṁhitā, that aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛtti-manti (Bs. 5.32). He has got form, but every part of His limb has got the power of other limbs. Just like I can see with the eyes only, but Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa, can see with His fingers. I can eat with my tongue, with my mouth, but Kṛṣṇa can eat by seeing, by eyes. Therefore His form is not exactly like your form.

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

So if you realize impersonal Brahman, there is chance of falling down again to the material conception. Because you are person, you cannot remain in impersonal stage. Therefore to elevate, to be elevated in the impersonal stage means there is chance of falling down again. But if you elevate yourself to the personal conception of the Absolute Truth, there is no falldown. Of course, because we are marginal potency of Kṛṣṇa, there is possibility of falldown always. But those who are strong in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they do not fall. That's all right. (end)

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

We say it is not false. Our philosophy is... We don't say that the world is false; we say the world is temporary. How it can be false? If God created this world, if God is true, how His creation can be false? We don't approve this philosophy. We accept that this is not false, but this is temporary. And because it is creation of God, because He's Absolute Truth, it is also true. Simply we are seeing it otherwise. Just like I'm claiming something within this world as my property. That is false. But this is someone's property—that is fact. That is God's property. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Not that the property is false. Just like this house, this building, this nice room, it is so nicely decorated; there is electric light. 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 -- Nellore, January 8, 1976:

So we should give up this habit of speculating to understand God. One should become submissive, jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva, that very submissive to hear from the right person. So hearing is so important. Therefore our all Vedic literature is called śruti. So the subject matter which is beyond our sense perception, avāṅ-manasā gocaraḥ, that cannot be understood by using our imperfect senses. Now the question is: from whom to hear? So in the śāstra it is said, san-mukharitām: "You have to hear from realized saintly person." It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā,

tad viddhi praṇipātena

paripraśnena sevayā

upadekṣyanti tad jñānaṁ

jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

(BG 4.34)

You have to hear from a person who has seen or who has understood the Absolute Truth and who is tat, sad-guru. He must be a devotee of the Lord.

Lecture on SB 6.1.19 -- Honolulu, May 19, 1976:

I have no eyes to see. But if I develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then I'll see constantly Kṛṣṇa. This is the effect. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to develop love for Kṛṣṇa. So one who has developed this love for Kṛṣṇa, he can see Kṛṣṇa every moment. There is no difficulty. Kṛṣṇa is present. So even though you think that Kṛṣṇa is not present, but He is present by words, Bhagavad-gītā. He is absolute. Kṛṣṇa, the person, and Kṛṣṇa's words, Bhagavad-gītā, there is no difference. Advaya-jñāna, no duality. Everything is one, absolute. Kṛṣṇa is absolute, Kṛṣṇa's instruction is also absolute, Kṛṣṇa's pastimes absolute. Everything. That is Absolute Truth. There is no difference. In the material world the name and the thing is different. Suppose here is mango, so mango is the thing and mango is the name. So if I simply say "Mango, mango, mango," there is no mango. There must be the thing, mango. That is duality. This is the world of duality. Absolute means the name mango and the mango thing is the same. Otherwise what is the... If they're different, then what is the use of chanting Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa chanting means Kṛṣṇa, this word, and Kṛṣṇa the person, the same. Therefore by constant chanting means constantly associating with Kṛṣṇa. Then we are becoming purified. Purified. There is no difference.

Lecture on SB 6.1.21 -- Chicago, July 5, 1975:

So these are the different stages, how to become a brāhmaṇa. Śamaḥ damaḥ, then satyam, truthful. Truthful means in one sense ordinary truthful. But real truthful means to know the Absolute Truth. Absolute Truth. So that Absolute Truth, who is Absolute Truth? Kṛṣṇa. We are searching after truth, what is the truth, what is the relative truth. But when you come to Kṛṣṇa, that is Absolute Truth. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1). This is truth. Then what is the cause of this truth? This is the... This is the... Neti, neti. So when you come to Kṛṣṇa, so above Him there is no more truth. Kṛṣṇa has no cause, but He is the cause of everything, sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ, anādiḥ (Bs. 5.1). He has no... People ask generally that "Everything has cause. What is the cause of Kṛṣṇa?" The answer is anādi: "He has no cause." That is God. Anādir ādiḥ: "He is the cause of everyone." Anādir ādir govindaḥ sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1).

So if our mind is fixed up in Kṛṣṇa, then naturally the senses will be controlled. If we fix up our mind that we shall not do anything, dṛḍha-vratāḥ... Bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ. This is determination, that "I shall have nothing to do without Kṛṣṇa." Then you are first-class yogi—dvija, brāhmaṇa, everything. Everything. So this is..., these are the qualification of not dvija... Dvija is primary qualification of becoming a brāhmaṇa.

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. Svarāṭ. In this way Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam has explained the Vedānta-sūtras, that Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the right explanation of Vedānta-sūtra. Bhāṣyāyāṁ brahma-sūtrānām. The Brahma-sūtra means Vedānta-sūtra. And the real commentary and explanation is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, of Vedānta. But these Vedantists, so-called Vedantists, they do not read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Lecture on SB 6.1.24 -- Chicago, July 8, 1975:

Our aim is how to realize God. That is the aim. So there are so many different processes recommended in the śāstra: varṇāśrama-dharma, karma-tyāga, karma-sannyāsa, jñāna-miśra-bhakti, karma-miśra-bhakti. So all of them were rejected by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. But when He quoted this verse... What is this? Jñāne prayāsam. People are trying to understand the Absolute Truth by speculation, according to one's knowledge. The so-called philosopher, theosophists, theologists, these are useless. You cannot speculate to understand the Absolute Truth. That is not possible. Therefore Brahmā recommends that one should give up this nonsense practice. It is not nonsense, but at the present moment it has no use. The so-called theolosophists and theologists or philosophers, they do not know, speculators. So this sort of practice, jñāne prayāsam, endeavoring after knowledge, udapāsya, give up this. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya.

Lecture on SB 6.1.32 -- Surat, December 16, 1970:

Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa, taṭastha-śakti acintya bhedābheda, taṭastha-śakti prakāśa. The jīva is the manifestation of the marginal potency of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has many potencies. Parasya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport)—in the Vedic injunction. The Absolute Truth has many varieties of energy. Those energies are consolidated into three divisions: spiritual energy, material energy and marginal energy. So these jīvas are products of this marginal energy, bhedābheda prakāśa. Bhedābheda means... bheda means different, and abheda means one. So jīva is one and different simultaneous. He is one in quality; he is different in quantity. So when you are free from all these designations,

sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ

tat-paratvena nirmalam

hṛṣīkena hṛṣīkeśa

sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate

(CC Madhya 19.170)

At that time, when we are purified, when we have purified our senses, when in that sense we shall engage ourself in the matter of satisfying the owner of the senses, Hṛṣīkeśa—Kṛṣṇa is Hṛṣīkeśa—that is called bhakti. Bhakti is not a sentiment. Bhakti is practical, by purified senses ... (end)

Lecture on SB 6.1.40 -- Surat, December 22, 1970:

Therefore the science of God is for persons who are not envious. That is religion. Bhāgavata, in the Bhāgavata you will find in the beginning it is said, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ atra paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satām: (SB 1.1.2) "Here the religion of Bhāgavata is not a cheating religion." Kaitava. Kaitava means cheating, cheating. And Śrīdhara Svāmī has remarked, commented on the statement, kaitava. He says that atra mokṣa-vāñchā-paryantaṁ nirastam:(?) "Anyone who is trying to become liberated or merge into the existence of God, that is also cheating." Nirastam: that is also nullified, nirastam. Why? Why the...? A person who is trying to be merged into the existence of God, jñānīs... Those who are philosophically advancing, they are called jñānīs. The Absolute Truth Idea is that "Because I am Brahman, and God is also Brahman, therefore, as soon as I am freed from māyā, I become one with God." In one sense it is all right because God and the living entity, they are of the same quality. As it is stated in the Vedas, nityo nityānām. There are millions and trillions of nityas, eternals. So God is the chief eternal. Therefore quality, eternity, is there both for the living entities and God.

Lecture on SB 6.1.40 -- San Francisco, July 21, 1975:

This is the Vedic statement, that "The Absolute Truth is so perfect, He has got so many potencies, that everything is being done so perfectly." Just like one artist. If he wants to paint one picture, one flower, he has to give his attention is so many ways. He has to move the brush in such a way and take this color, different colors. It requires so many artistic sense and so much good sense, so many things. It does not come. One who is not artist, not painter, he cannot paint. So do you think this flower which is coming out daily in your garden in different colors and different smell and flavor, they are being done without any artistic sense? This is nonsense. There is sense. There is God's potency. But parāsya śaktiḥ, His senses, His knowledge, is so perfect that it is coming automatically, and we foolish people, we think that nature is producing. No, nature is the instrument, just like the brush, but the brain is God. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. These rascal scientists, they do not know that. They deny God.

Lecture on SB 6.1.41-42 -- Surat, December 23, 1970:

So here it is also said that yena svadhāmni bhāvāḥ. The svadhāmni bhāvāḥ. This goodness, this passion, this mode, they are also represented in the spiritual world. They are also represented in the spiritual world, svadhāmni bhāvāḥ, but a perverted reflection is represented here only. Everything is there. Otherwise, there cannot be any creation. The Vedānta says, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Everything, whatever we see, it has got a source of generation, and that is Brahman, Absolute Truth. So these guṇas, these material guṇas, they are also generated from the Absolute Truth. That is explained in Bhagavad-gītā also. But here everything is perverted reflection. Therefore we see in a different way it is represented. Guṇa-nāma-kriyā-rūpair vibhāvyante yathā-tatham. And those qualities, guṇa-nāma, guṇa-nāma-kriyā-rūpaiḥ, when the qualities begin to act, they are represented in different varieties, these qualities. These qualities of goodness, passion, and ignorance, when they are interacted, they represent in different varieties of representation. Just like when there is quality of goodness, then it is brahmanism. That is the representation of the quality of goodness. And when the quality of passion is represented, that is the quality of kṣatriya. And when the quality of ignorance is represented, that is the presentation of the śūdras. And mixed-up quality of ignorance and passion, that is vaiśya. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, that "These four qualitative representation, brāhmaṇas, kṣatriya..."

Lecture on SB 6.1.62 -- Vrndavana, August 29, 1975:

So this is prakṛti and puruṣa. The puruṣa orders, and the prakṛti performs the duty. This is the real..., not that as soon as we say prakṛti and puruṣa, immediately there is question of sex. No. Means... Prakṛti means obedient, obedient to the puruṣa. This is natural way. In the Western countries they are artificially trying to become equal, but that is not possible by nature. And there is no such question, inferiority or superiority. There is no such question. Such like the begin, in the beginning, yato vā imani bhūtāni jayante. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Wherefrom this puruṣa and prakṛti relationship begun? Janmādy asya yataḥ. It has begun from the Absolute Truth. Therefore Absolute Truth is Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, the same puruṣa and prakṛti. But Rādhārāṇī is the servitor, serving. Rādhārāṇī is so expert that She always attracts Kṛṣṇa by Her service. This is Rādhārāṇī's position. Kṛṣṇa is called Madana-Mohana. Here in Vṛndāvana there is Madana-Mohana, and Rādhārāṇī is called Madana-Mohana-Mohinī. Kṛṣṇa is so attractive that we are attracted by Cupid, and Kṛṣṇa attracts Cupid. Therefore His name is Madana-Mohana. And Rādhārāṇī is so great that She attracts Kṛṣṇa. Therefore She is the greatest. In the Vṛndāvana, therefore, people are accustomed to chant Rādhārāṇī's name more than Kṛṣṇa's name—"Jaya Rādhe." Yes. If you want Kṛṣṇa's favor, you just try to please Rādhārāṇī. So this is the way.

Lecture on SB 6.2.11 -- Allahabad, January 16, 1971:

So here it is said that yad uttamaśloka-guṇopalambhaka. We have to... Just like there are some sahajiyas. They think that "Kṛṣṇa's rasa-līlā is very nice, but Kṛṣṇa's fighting with the demons and killing of the demons, that is not very nice." But they do not know the Absolute Truth, that Kṛṣṇa is as good in any circumstances, either He is enjoying the company of the gopīs or He is killing the demon. That is the Absolute Truth. So these things should be understood. So any kind of līlā, yad uttamaśloka-guṇānu, līlā, any kind of Kṛṣṇa's activities, if you remember by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, then you are liberated. Immediately you are liberated, from the authoritative description of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Na niṣkṛtair uditair brahma-vādibhiḥ. Brahma-vādibhiḥ, those who are very much anxious to realize Brahman, they have prescribed so many methods, ritualistic methods, but they are not sufficient because such things cannot elevate a person to the standard of a pure devotee.

Lecture on SB 6.2.15 -- Vrndavana, September 18, 1975:

So the Vedic injunction, tattva-jijñāsā, that is the first aphorism in the Vedānta-sūtra. Athāto brahma-jijñāsāḥ: "The human form of life is meant for inquiring about the Absolute Truth." Therefore Bhāgavata explains, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. That is the explanation of Brahma-sutra. Therefore you will find at the end of each chapter of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, śrīmad-bhāgavate mahā-purāṇe brahma-sutra-bhasye. The Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is the real comment on Brahma-sutra, Vedānta-sūtra. Vedānta-sūtra was compiled by Vyāsadeva. He summarized all the Vedic knowledge, summarized all Vedic knowledge into Brahma-sutra, in nutshell. Then he was not satisfied, although he made so many Purāṇas, Mahābhārata, Brahma-sutra, Upaniṣads and... Means these were correct. He wrote into letters in the book. Being compassionate on the people of this age, all fools and rascals—they have no good memory—therefore he compiled all these Vedas into writing. Before that, there was no writing. People were so sharp in memory, simply by hearing from the guru, they will remember. Simply. The education and the brain and the capacity was so nice. So that is not possible in the age. Everything is diminishing. The strength, bodily strength, is diminishing.

Lecture on SB 6.2.16 -- Vrndavana, September 19, 1975:

So Kṛṣṇa comes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). This is the process. Every living entity is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. He belongs to the Kṛṣṇa's family. Kṛṣṇa's family. This is our original position. Vṛndāvana means whole Kṛṣṇa's family. Even the birds, beast, trees, plants, water—all belong to the Kṛṣṇa's family. Advaya-jñāna. Therefore anything in Vṛndāvana is as good as Kṛṣṇa. Even the dust of Vṛndāvana is as good as Kṛṣṇa. This is the philosophy, Absolute Truth. So Kṛṣṇa, out of His causeless mercy, He comes. At a certain interval during one day of Brahma, He comes. He exhibits His līlā, that "Anyone who desires to go back to home, back to Godhead, they can enjoy with Me like this." This is Kṛṣṇa's mission. "Come on. Why you are playing here and suffering this māyā's play? Come to the real play." This is Kṛṣṇa's mission. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Kṛṣṇa comes: "Just try to understand Me, why I come."

Lecture on SB 6.2.16 -- Vrndavana, September 19, 1975:

The Absolute Truth, advaya jñāna. There is no duality. He is absolute in three features: Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. So Brahman realization means sac-cid-ānanda, simply realization of the sat proportion, eternity. That is Brahman realization. And Paramātmā realization means eternity and knowledge. And Bhagavān realization means eternity, knowledge, and ānanda. Ānandamāyo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). There are three things, if you can reach. But foolish persons, although they are advanced in spiritual knowledge, they do not get the information that behind this Brahman effulgence, behind this Paramātmā realization there is the Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. They cannot understand it on account of poor fund of knowledge.

Lecture on SB 7.5.1, Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, January 12, 1973:

So Kṛṣṇa, by His one plenary portion as Paramātmā... The Absolute Truth is realized in three ways: Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān.

vadanti tat tattva-vidas

tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam

brahmeti paramātmeti

bhagavān iti śabdyate